Nine Different Chemical Species and Action Mechanisms of Pancreatic Lipase Ligands Screened Out from Forsythia suspensa Leaves All at One Time.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tinggui; Li, Yayun; Zhang, Liwei

2017-05-12

It is difficult to screen out as many active components as possible from natural plants all at one time. In this study, subfractions of Forsythia suspensa leaves were firstly prepared; then, their inhibitive abilities on pancreatic lipase were tested; finally, the highest inhibiting subfraction was screened by self-made immobilized pancreatic lipase. Results showed that nine ligands, including eight inhibitors and one promotor, were screened out all at one time. They were three flavonoids (rutin, IC 50 : 149 ± 6.0 μmol/L; hesperidin, 52.4 μmol/L; kaempferol-3- O -rutinoside, isolated from F. suspensa leaves for the first time, IC 50 notably reached 2.9 ± 0.5 μmol/L), two polyphenols (chlorogenic acid, 3150 ± 120 μmol/L; caffeic acid, 1394 ± 52 μmol/L), two lignans (phillyrin, promoter; arctigenin, 2129 ± 10.5 μmol/L), and two phenethyl alcohol (forsythiaside A, 2155 ± 8.5 μmol/L; its isomer). Their action mechanisms included competitive inhibition, competitive promotion, noncompetitive inhibition, and uncompetitive inhibition. In sum, using the appropriate methods, more active ingredients can be simply and quickly screened out all at one time from a complex natural product system. In addition, F. suspensa leaves contain numerous inhibitors of pancreatic lipase.

Sick Leave and Factors Influencing Sick Leave in Adult Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Cross-Sectional Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harmieke van Os-Medendorp

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Little is known about the prevalence of sick leave due to atopic dermatitis (AD. The current literature on factors influencing sick leave is mostly derived from other chronic inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sick leave due to AD and to identify influencing factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in adult patients with AD. Outcome measures: sick leave during the two-week and one-year periods, socio-demographic characteristics, disease severity, quality of life and socio-occupational factors. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine influencing factors on sick leave over the two-week period. Results: In total, 253 patients were included; 12% of the patients had to take sick leave in the last two weeks due to AD and 42% in the past year. A higher level of symptom interference (OR 1.26; 95% CI 1.13–1.40 or perfectionism/diligence (OR 0.90; 95% CI 0.83–0.96 may respectively increase or decrease the number of sick leave days. Conclusion: Sick leave in patients with AD is a common problem and symptom interference and perfectionism/diligence appeared to influence it. Novel approaches are needed to deal with symptoms at work or school to reduce the amount of sick leave due to AD.

Cross-Validation of a Glucose-Insulin-Glucagon Pharmacodynamics Model for Simulation using Data from Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wendt, Sabrina Lyngbye; Ranjan, Ajenthen; Møller, Jan Kloppenborg

2017-01-01

three PD model test fits in each of the seven subjects. Thus, we successfully validated the PD model by leave-one-out cross-validation in seven out of eight T1D patients. Conclusions: The PD model accurately simulates glucose excursions based on plasma insulin and glucagon concentrations. The reported...... for concentrations of glucagon, insulin, and glucose. We fitted pharmacokinetic (PK) models to insulin and glucagon data using maximum likelihood and maximum a posteriori estimation methods. Similarly, we fitted a pharmacodynamic (PD) model to glucose data. The PD model included multiplicative effects of insulin...... and glucagon on EGP. Bias and precision of PD model test fits were assessed by mean predictive error (MPE) and mean absolute predictive error (MAPE). Results: Assuming constant variables in a subject across nonoutlier visits and using thresholds of ±15% MPE and 20% MAPE, we accepted at least one and at most...

Cross-Validation of Survival Bump Hunting by Recursive Peeling Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Dazard, Jean-Eudes; Choe, Michael; LeBlanc, Michael; Rao, J Sunil

2014-08-01

We introduce a survival/risk bump hunting framework to build a bump hunting model with a possibly censored time-to-event type of response and to validate model estimates. First, we describe the use of adequate survival peeling criteria to build a survival/risk bump hunting model based on recursive peeling methods. Our method called "Patient Recursive Survival Peeling" is a rule-induction method that makes use of specific peeling criteria such as hazard ratio or log-rank statistics. Second, to validate our model estimates and improve survival prediction accuracy, we describe a resampling-based validation technique specifically designed for the joint task of decision rule making by recursive peeling (i.e. decision-box) and survival estimation. This alternative technique, called "combined" cross-validation is done by combining test samples over the cross-validation loops, a design allowing for bump hunting by recursive peeling in a survival setting. We provide empirical results showing the importance of cross-validation and replication.

Validation of sick leave measures: self-reported sick leave and sickness benefit data from a Danish national register compared to multiple workplace-registered sick leave spells in a Danish municipality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stapelfeldt Christina Malmose

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous validation studies of sick leave measures have focused on self-reports. Register-based sick leave data are considered to be valid; however methodological problems may be associated with such data. A Danish national register on sickness benefit (DREAM has been widely used in sick leave research. On the basis of sick leave records from 3,554 and 2,311 eldercare workers in 14 different workplaces, the aim of this study was to: 1 validate registered sickness benefit data from DREAM against workplace-registered sick leave spells of at least 15 days; 2 validate self-reported sick leave days during one year against workplace-registered sick leave. Methods Agreement between workplace-registered sick leave and DREAM-registered sickness benefit was reported as sensitivities, specificities and positive predictive values. A receiver-operating characteristic curve and a Bland-Altman plot were used to study the concordance with sick leave duration of the first spell. By means of an analysis of agreement between self-reported and workplace-registered sick leave sensitivity and specificity was calculated. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals (95% CI were used. Results The probability that registered DREAM data on sickness benefit agrees with workplace-registered sick leave of at least 15 days was 96.7% (95% CI: 95.6-97.6. Specificity was close to 100% (95% CI: 98.3-100. The registered DREAM data on sickness benefit overestimated the duration of sick leave spells by an average of 1.4 (SD: 3.9 weeks. Separate analysis on pregnancy-related sick leave revealed a maximum sensitivity of 20% (95% CI: 4.3-48.1. The sensitivity of self-reporting at least one or at least 56 sick leave day/s was 94.5 (95% CI: 93.4 – 95.5 % and 58.5 (95% CI: 51.1 – 65.6 % respectively. The corresponding specificities were 85.3 (95% CI: 81.4 – 88.6 % and 98.9 (95% CI: 98.3 – 99.3 %. Conclusions The DREAM register offered valid measures of sick

Sick Leave and Factors Influencing Sick Leave in Adult Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

van Os-Medendorp, Harmieke; Appelman-Noordermeer, Simone; Bruijnzeel-Koomen, Carla; de Bruin-Weller, Marjolein

2015-03-27

Little is known about the prevalence of sick leave due to atopic dermatitis (AD). The current literature on factors influencing sick leave is mostly derived from other chronic inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sick leave due to AD and to identify influencing factors. A cross-sectional study was carried out in adult patients with AD. sick leave during the two-week and one-year periods, socio-demographic characteristics, disease severity, quality of life and socio-occupational factors. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine influencing factors on sick leave over the two-week period. In total, 253 patients were included; 12% of the patients had to take sick leave in the last two weeks due to AD and 42% in the past year. A higher level of symptom interference (OR 1.26; 95% CI 1.13-1.40) or perfectionism/diligence (OR 0.90; 95% CI 0.83-0.96) may respectively increase or decrease the number of sick leave days. Sick leave in patients with AD is a common problem and symptom interference and perfectionism/diligence appeared to influence it. Novel approaches are needed to deal with symptoms at work or school to reduce the amount of sick leave due to AD.

Empirical Performance of Cross-Validation With Oracle Methods in a Genomics Context.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, Josue G; Carroll, Raymond J; Müller, Samuel; Sampson, Joshua N; Chatterjee, Nilanjan

2011-11-01

When employing model selection methods with oracle properties such as the smoothly clipped absolute deviation (SCAD) and the Adaptive Lasso, it is typical to estimate the smoothing parameter by m-fold cross-validation, for example, m = 10. In problems where the true regression function is sparse and the signals large, such cross-validation typically works well. However, in regression modeling of genomic studies involving Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP), the true regression functions, while thought to be sparse, do not have large signals. We demonstrate empirically that in such problems, the number of selected variables using SCAD and the Adaptive Lasso, with 10-fold cross-validation, is a random variable that has considerable and surprising variation. Similar remarks apply to non-oracle methods such as the Lasso. Our study strongly questions the suitability of performing only a single run of m-fold cross-validation with any oracle method, and not just the SCAD and Adaptive Lasso.

Mean-Variance-Validation Technique for Sequential Kriging Metamodels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Tae Hee; Kim, Ho Sung

2010-01-01

The rigorous validation of the accuracy of metamodels is an important topic in research on metamodel techniques. Although a leave-k-out cross-validation technique involves a considerably high computational cost, it cannot be used to measure the fidelity of metamodels. Recently, the mean 0 validation technique has been proposed to quantitatively determine the accuracy of metamodels. However, the use of mean 0 validation criterion may lead to premature termination of a sampling process even if the kriging model is inaccurate. In this study, we propose a new validation technique based on the mean and variance of the response evaluated when sequential sampling method, such as maximum entropy sampling, is used. The proposed validation technique is more efficient and accurate than the leave-k-out cross-validation technique, because instead of performing numerical integration, the kriging model is explicitly integrated to accurately evaluate the mean and variance of the response evaluated. The error in the proposed validation technique resembles a root mean squared error, thus it can be used to determine a stop criterion for sequential sampling of metamodels

Prediction of cognitive and motor development in preterm children using exhaustive feature selection and cross-validation of near-term white matter microstructure.

Science.gov (United States)

Schadl, Kornél; Vassar, Rachel; Cahill-Rowley, Katelyn; Yeom, Kristin W; Stevenson, David K; Rose, Jessica

2018-01-01

Advanced neuroimaging and computational methods offer opportunities for more accurate prognosis. We hypothesized that near-term regional white matter (WM) microstructure, assessed on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), using exhaustive feature selection with cross-validation would predict neurodevelopment in preterm children. Near-term MRI and DTI obtained at 36.6 ± 1.8 weeks postmenstrual age in 66 very-low-birth-weight preterm neonates were assessed. 60/66 had follow-up neurodevelopmental evaluation with Bayley Scales of Infant-Toddler Development, 3rd-edition (BSID-III) at 18-22 months. Linear models with exhaustive feature selection and leave-one-out cross-validation computed based on DTI identified sets of three brain regions most predictive of cognitive and motor function; logistic regression models were computed to classify high-risk infants scoring one standard deviation below mean. Cognitive impairment was predicted (100% sensitivity, 100% specificity; AUC = 1) by near-term right middle-temporal gyrus MD, right cingulate-cingulum MD, left caudate MD. Motor impairment was predicted (90% sensitivity, 86% specificity; AUC = 0.912) by left precuneus FA, right superior occipital gyrus MD, right hippocampus FA. Cognitive score variance was explained (29.6%, cross-validated Rˆ2 = 0.296) by left posterior-limb-of-internal-capsule MD, Genu RD, right fusiform gyrus AD. Motor score variance was explained (31.7%, cross-validated Rˆ2 = 0.317) by left posterior-limb-of-internal-capsule MD, right parahippocampal gyrus AD, right middle-temporal gyrus AD. Search in large DTI feature space more accurately identified neonatal neuroimaging correlates of neurodevelopment.

Leave-two-out stability of ontology learning algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Jianzhang; Yu, Xiao; Zhu, Linli; Gao, Wei

2016-01-01

Ontology is a semantic analysis and calculation model, which has been applied to many subjects. Ontology similarity calculation and ontology mapping are employed as machine learning approaches. The purpose of this paper is to study the leave-two-out stability of ontology learning algorithm. Several leave-two-out stabilities are defined in ontology learning setting and the relationship among these stabilities are presented. Furthermore, the results manifested reveal that leave-two-out stability is a sufficient and necessary condition for ontology learning algorithm.

Cross-validation pitfalls when selecting and assessing regression and classification models.

Science.gov (United States)

Krstajic, Damjan; Buturovic, Ljubomir J; Leahy, David E; Thomas, Simon

2014-03-29

We address the problem of selecting and assessing classification and regression models using cross-validation. Current state-of-the-art methods can yield models with high variance, rendering them unsuitable for a number of practical applications including QSAR. In this paper we describe and evaluate best practices which improve reliability and increase confidence in selected models. A key operational component of the proposed methods is cloud computing which enables routine use of previously infeasible approaches. We describe in detail an algorithm for repeated grid-search V-fold cross-validation for parameter tuning in classification and regression, and we define a repeated nested cross-validation algorithm for model assessment. As regards variable selection and parameter tuning we define two algorithms (repeated grid-search cross-validation and double cross-validation), and provide arguments for using the repeated grid-search in the general case. We show results of our algorithms on seven QSAR datasets. The variation of the prediction performance, which is the result of choosing different splits of the dataset in V-fold cross-validation, needs to be taken into account when selecting and assessing classification and regression models. We demonstrate the importance of repeating cross-validation when selecting an optimal model, as well as the importance of repeating nested cross-validation when assessing a prediction error.

Validation of sick leave measures: self-reported sick leave and sickness benefit data from a Danish national register compared to multiple workplace-registered sick leave spells in a Danish municipality.

Science.gov (United States)

Stapelfeldt, Christina Malmose; Jensen, Chris; Andersen, Niels Trolle; Fleten, Nils; Nielsen, Claus Vinther

2012-08-15

Previous validation studies of sick leave measures have focused on self-reports. Register-based sick leave data are considered to be valid; however methodological problems may be associated with such data. A Danish national register on sickness benefit (DREAM) has been widely used in sick leave research. On the basis of sick leave records from 3,554 and 2,311 eldercare workers in 14 different workplaces, the aim of this study was to: 1) validate registered sickness benefit data from DREAM against workplace-registered sick leave spells of at least 15 days; 2) validate self-reported sick leave days during one year against workplace-registered sick leave. Agreement between workplace-registered sick leave and DREAM-registered sickness benefit was reported as sensitivities, specificities and positive predictive values. A receiver-operating characteristic curve and a Bland-Altman plot were used to study the concordance with sick leave duration of the first spell. By means of an analysis of agreement between self-reported and workplace-registered sick leave sensitivity and specificity was calculated. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals (95% CI) were used. The probability that registered DREAM data on sickness benefit agrees with workplace-registered sick leave of at least 15 days was 96.7% (95% CI: 95.6-97.6). Specificity was close to 100% (95% CI: 98.3-100). The registered DREAM data on sickness benefit overestimated the duration of sick leave spells by an average of 1.4 (SD: 3.9) weeks. Separate analysis on pregnancy-related sick leave revealed a maximum sensitivity of 20% (95% CI: 4.3-48.1).The sensitivity of self-reporting at least one or at least 56 sick leave day/s was 94.5 (95% CI: 93.4 - 95.5) % and 58.5 (95% CI: 51.1 - 65.6) % respectively. The corresponding specificities were 85.3 (95% CI: 81.4 - 88.6) % and 98.9 (95% CI: 98.3 - 99.3) %. The DREAM register offered valid measures of sick leave spells of at least 15 days among eldercare employees. Pregnancy

Watch out for the leaves!

CERN Multimedia

HSE Unit

2013-01-01

Now that autumn is here, dead leaves falling from the trees form a colourful carpet that is pleasing to the eye. However, the reality is less pleasant for pedestrians, since these leaves increase the risk of slipping and falling, especially when the ground is wet.   These conditions are also hazardous for two- and four-wheeled vehicles, whose grip on the ground can be severely reduced, thereby increasing the risk of them skidding out of control. Cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users when faced with these hazards. It is therefore essential to be alert to the dangers, which can be lessened by taking a few simple precautions such as moderating your speed and wearing suitable shoes. We also invite you to notify the Service Desk if you notice a road or pavement where there is a high concentration of dead leaves. The CERN Roads and Drainage Service will then ensure that the leaves are cleared in order to reduce the risk of accidents in the area.

A Hold-out method to correct PCA variance inflation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garcia-Moreno, Pablo; Artes-Rodriguez, Antonio; Hansen, Lars Kai

2012-01-01

In this paper we analyze the problem of variance inflation experienced by the PCA algorithm when working in an ill-posed scenario where the dimensionality of the training set is larger than its sample size. In an earlier article a correction method based on a Leave-One-Out (LOO) procedure...

Constraining the cross section of 82Se(n, γ)83Se to validate the β-Oslo method

Science.gov (United States)

Childers, K.; Liddick, S. N.; Crider, B. P.; Dombos, A. C.; Lewis, R.; Spyrou, A.; Couture, A.; Mosby, S.; Prokop, C. J.; Naqvi, F.; Larsen, A. C.; Guttormsen, M.; Campo, L. C.; Renstrom, T.; Siem, S.; Bleuel, D. L.; Perdikakis, G.; Quinn, S.

2017-09-01

Neutron capture cross sections of short-lived nuclei are important for a variety of basic and applied nuclear science problems. However, because of the short half-lives of the nuclei involved and the nonexistence of a neutron target, indirect measurement methods are required. One such method is the β-Oslo method. The nuclear level density and γ strength function of a nucleus are extracted after β-decay and used in a statistical reaction model to constrain the neutron capture cross section. This method has been used previously, but must be validated against a directly measured neutron capture cross section. The neutron capture cross section of 82Se has been measured previously, and 83Se can be accessed by the β-decay of 83As. The β-decay of 83As to 83Se was studied using the SuN detector at the NSCL and the β-Oslo method was utilized to constrain the neutron capture cross section of 82Se, which is compared to the directly measured value.

Exact Cross-Validation for kNN and applications to passive and active learning in classification

OpenAIRE

Célisse, Alain; Mary-Huard, Tristan

2011-01-01

In the binary classification framework, a closed form expression of the cross-validation Leave-p-Out (LpO) risk estimator for the k Nearest Neighbor algorithm (kNN) is derived. It is first used to study the LpO risk minimization strategy for choosing k in the passive learning setting. The impact of p on the choice of k and the LpO estimation of the risk are inferred. In the active learning setting, a procedure is proposed that selects new examples using a LpO committee of kNN classifiers. The...

A cross-validation Delphi method approach to the diagnosis and treatment of personality disorders in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosowsky, Erlene; Young, Alexander S; Malloy, Mary C; van Alphen, S P J; Ellison, James M

2018-03-01

The Delphi method is a consensus-building technique using expert opinion to formulate a shared framework for understanding a topic with limited empirical support. This cross-validation study replicates one completed in the Netherlands and Belgium, and explores US experts' views on the diagnosis and treatment of older adults with personality disorders (PD). Twenty-one geriatric PD experts participated in a Delphi survey addressing diagnosis and treatment of older adults with PD. The European survey was translated and administered electronically. First-round consensus was reached for 16 out of 18 items relevant to diagnosis and specific mental health programs for personality disorders in older adults. Experts agreed on the usefulness of establishing criteria for specific types of treatments. The majority of psychologists did not initially agree on the usefulness of pharmacotherapy. Expert consensus was reached following two subsequent rounds after clarification addressing medication use. Study results suggest consensus among regarding psychosocial treatments. Limited acceptance amongst US psychologists about the suitability of pharmacotherapy for late-life PDs contrasted with the views expressed by experts surveyed in Netherlands and Belgium studies.

Doubly stochastic radial basis function methods

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Fenglian; Yan, Liang; Ling, Leevan

2018-06-01

We propose a doubly stochastic radial basis function (DSRBF) method for function recoveries. Instead of a constant, we treat the RBF shape parameters as stochastic variables whose distribution were determined by a stochastic leave-one-out cross validation (LOOCV) estimation. A careful operation count is provided in order to determine the ranges of all the parameters in our methods. The overhead cost for setting up the proposed DSRBF method is O (n2) for function recovery problems with n basis. Numerical experiments confirm that the proposed method not only outperforms constant shape parameter formulation (in terms of accuracy with comparable computational cost) but also the optimal LOOCV formulation (in terms of both accuracy and computational cost).

Preclinical validation of antinociceptive, antiinflammatory, and antipyretic activities of Cordia martinicensis leave decoction

OpenAIRE

Martínez Hormaza, Ioanna; Victoria Amador, María del Carmen; Brito Álvarez, Gisselle; Morón Rodríguez, Francisco; López Barreiro, Marisol; García Hernández, Ana Ibis; Duménigo González, Abel; Morejón Rodríguez, Zulema; Bacallao Elguea, Yunier; Nossin, Emmanuel

2014-01-01

Introduction: leave decoction of Cordia martinicensis (Jacq.) Roem. & Schult. is commonly used in Dominica, Martinique and St. Lucia to relieve thoracic pain and fever. Objectives: to validate the antiinflammatory, antinociceptive (analgesic), and antipyretic ethnobotanical uses of Cordia martinicensis in experimental animal models. Methods: 30 % aqueous extract of Cordia martinicensis dry leaves was prepared just before use. Analgesic activity was assayed by writhing and tail flick, and anti...

[Cross-cultural validation of the Oswestry disability index in French].

Science.gov (United States)

Vogler, D; Paillex, R; Norberg, M; de Goumoëns, P; Cabri, J

2008-06-01

The aim of this study was to interpret and validate a French version of the Oswestry disability index (ODI), using a cross-cultural validation method. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire was assessed in order to ensure the psychometric characteristics. The cross-cultural validation was carried out according to Beaton's methodology. The study was conducted with 41 patients suffering from low back pain. The correlation between the ODI and the Roland-Morris disability questionnaire (RMDQ), the medical outcome survey short form-36 (MOS SF-36) and a pain visual analogical scale (VAS) was assessed. The validity of the Oswestry questionnaire was studied using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient calculation: 0.87 (n=36). The significant correlation between the ODI and RMDQ was 0.8 (P<0.001, n=41) and 0.71 (P<0.001, n=36) for the pain VAS. The correlation between the ODI and certain subscales (physical functioning 0.7 (P<0.001, n=41), physical role 0.49 et bodily pain 0.73 (P<0.001, n=41)) of the MOS SF-36 were equally significant. The reproducibility of the ODI was calculated using the Wilcoxon matched pairs test: there was no significant difference for eight out of ten sections or for the final score. This French translation of the ODI should be considered as valid and reliable. It should be used for any future clinical studies carried out using French language patients. Complimentary studies must be completed in order to assess its sensitivity to change in the event of any modifications in the patients functional capacity.

Modeling Anti-HIV Activity of HEPT Derivatives Revisited. Multiregression Models Are Not Inferior Ones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basic, Ivan; Nadramija, Damir; Flajslik, Mario; Amic, Dragan; Lucic, Bono

2007-01-01

Several quantitative structure-activity studies for this data set containing 107 HEPT derivatives have been performed since 1997, using the same set of molecules by (more or less) different classes of molecular descriptors. Multivariate Regression (MR) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models were developed and in each study the authors concluded that ANN models are superior to MR ones. We re-calculated multivariate regression models for this set of molecules using the same set of descriptors, and compared our results with the previous ones. Two main reasons for overestimation of the quality of the ANN models in previous studies comparing with MR models are: (1) wrong calculation of leave-one-out (LOO) cross-validated (CV) correlation coefficient for MR models in Luco et al., J. Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci. 37 392-401 (1997), and (2) incorrect estimation/interpretation of leave-one-out (LOO) cross-validated and predictive performance and power of ANN models. More precise and fairer comparison of fit and LOO CV statistical parameters shows that MR models are more stable. In addition, MR models are much simpler than ANN ones. For real testing the predictive performance of both classes of models we need more HEPT derivatives, because all ANN models that presented results for external set of molecules used experimental values in optimization of modeling procedure and model parameters

Continuously revised assurance cases with stakeholders’ cross-validation: a DEOS experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kimio Kuramitsu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Recently, assurance cases have received much attention in the field of software-based computer systems and IT services. However, software changes very often, and there are no strong regulations for software. These facts are two main challenges to be addressed in the development of software assurance cases. We propose a method of developing assurance cases by means of continuous revision at every stage of the system life cycle, including in operation and service recovery in failure cases. Instead of a regulator, dependability arguments are validated by multiple stakeholders competing with each other. This paper reported our experience with the proposed method in the case of Aspen education service. The case study demonstrates that continuous revisions enable stakeholders to share dependability problems across software life cycle stages, which will lead to the long-term improvement of service dependability.

Seizure Onset Detection based on one sEMG channel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Conradsen, Isa; Beniczky, Sandor; Hoppe, Karsten

2011-01-01

with a Butterworth filter with a cut-off frequency of 150 Hz. The number of zero-crossings with a hysteresis of ±50μV is the only feature extracted. The number of counts in a window of 1 second and the number of windows to make a detection is tested with a leave-one-out method. On 6 patients the method performs...

A Bipartite Network-based Method for Prediction of Long Non-coding RNA–protein Interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mengqu Ge

2016-02-01

Full Text Available As one large class of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs, long ncRNAs (lncRNAs have gained considerable attention in recent years. Mutations and dysfunction of lncRNAs have been implicated in human disorders. Many lncRNAs exert their effects through interactions with the corresponding RNA-binding proteins. Several computational approaches have been developed, but only few are able to perform the prediction of these interactions from a network-based point of view. Here, we introduce a computational method named lncRNA–protein bipartite network inference (LPBNI. LPBNI aims to identify potential lncRNA–interacting proteins, by making full use of the known lncRNA–protein interactions. Leave-one-out cross validation (LOOCV test shows that LPBNI significantly outperforms other network-based methods, including random walk (RWR and protein-based collaborative filtering (ProCF. Furthermore, a case study was performed to demonstrate the performance of LPBNI using real data in predicting potential lncRNA–interacting proteins.

Online cross-validation-based ensemble learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Benkeser, David; Ju, Cheng; Lendle, Sam; van der Laan, Mark

2018-01-30

Online estimators update a current estimate with a new incoming batch of data without having to revisit past data thereby providing streaming estimates that are scalable to big data. We develop flexible, ensemble-based online estimators of an infinite-dimensional target parameter, such as a regression function, in the setting where data are generated sequentially by a common conditional data distribution given summary measures of the past. This setting encompasses a wide range of time-series models and, as special case, models for independent and identically distributed data. Our estimator considers a large library of candidate online estimators and uses online cross-validation to identify the algorithm with the best performance. We show that by basing estimates on the cross-validation-selected algorithm, we are asymptotically guaranteed to perform as well as the true, unknown best-performing algorithm. We provide extensions of this approach including online estimation of the optimal ensemble of candidate online estimators. We illustrate excellent performance of our methods using simulations and a real data example where we make streaming predictions of infectious disease incidence using data from a large database. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The relationship between intention to leave the hospital and coping methods of emergency nurses after workplace violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, In-Young; Kim, Ji-Soo

2018-04-01

To identify the relationship between emergency nurses' intention to leave the hospital and their coping methods following workplace violence. Emergency departments report a high prevalence of workplace violence, with nurses being at particular risk of violence from patients and patients' relatives. Violence negatively influences nurses' personal and professional lives and increases their turnover. This is a cross-sectional, descriptive survey study. Participants were nurses (n = 214) with over one year of experience of working in an emergency department. We measured workplace violence, coping after workplace violence experiences and job satisfaction using scales validated through a preliminary survey. Questionnaires were distributed to all nurses who signed informed consent forms. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the relationships between nurses' intention to leave the hospital and their coping methods after workplace violence. Verbal abuse was the most frequent violence experience and more often originated from patients' relatives than from patients. Of the nurses who experienced violence, 61.0% considered leaving the hospital. As for coping, nurses who employed problem-focused coping most frequently sought to identify the problems that cause violence, while nurses who employed emotion-focused coping primarily attempted to endure the situation. The multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that female sex, emotion-focused coping and job satisfaction were significantly related to emergency nurses' intention to leave. Emotion-focused coping seems to have a stronger effect on intention to leave after experiencing violence than does job satisfaction. Nurse managers should begin providing emergency nurses with useful information to guide their management of violence experiences. Nurse managers should also encourage nurses to report violent experiences to the administrative department rather than resorting to emotion-focused coping

A statistical method (cross-validation) for bone loss region detection after spaceflight

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Qian; Li, Wenjun; Li, Caixia; Chu, Philip W.; Kornak, John; Lang, Thomas F.

2010-01-01

Astronauts experience bone loss after the long spaceflight missions. Identifying specific regions that undergo the greatest losses (e.g. the proximal femur) could reveal information about the processes of bone loss in disuse and disease. Methods for detecting such regions, however, remains an open problem. This paper focuses on statistical methods to detect such regions. We perform statistical parametric mapping to get t-maps of changes in images, and propose a new cross-validation method to select an optimum suprathreshold for forming clusters of pixels. Once these candidate clusters are formed, we use permutation testing of longitudinal labels to derive significant changes. PMID:20632144

Development and External Validation of Prognostic Model for 2-Year Survival of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated With Chemoradiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dehing-Oberije, Cary; Yu Shipeng; De Ruysscher, Dirk; Meersschout, Sabine; Van Beek, Karen; Lievens, Yolande; Van Meerbeeck, Jan; De Neve, Wilfried; Rao, Bharat Ph.D.; Weide, Hiska van der; Lambin, Philippe

2009-01-01

Purpose: Radiotherapy, combined with chemotherapy, is the treatment of choice for a large group of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Recent developments in the treatment of these patients have led to improved survival. However, the clinical TNM stage is highly inaccurate for the prediction of survival, and alternatives are lacking. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a prediction model for survival of NSCLC patients, treated with chemoradiotherapy. Patients and Methods: The clinical data from 377 consecutive inoperable NSCLC patients, Stage I-IIIB, treated radically with chemoradiotherapy were collected. A prognostic model for 2-year survival was developed, using 2-norm support vector machines. The performance of the model was expressed as the area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic and assessed using leave-one-out cross-validation, as well as two external data sets. Results: The final multivariate model consisted of gender, World Health Organization performance status, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, number of positive lymph node stations, and gross tumor volume. The area under the curve, assessed by leave-one-out cross-validation, was 0.74, and application of the model to the external data sets yielded an area under the curve of 0.75 and 0.76. A high- and low-risk group could be clearly identified using a risk score based on the model. Conclusion: The multivariate model performed very well and was able to accurately predict the 2-year survival of NSCLC patients treated with chemoradiotherapy. The model could support clinicians in the treatment decision-making process.

A validated HPLC-UV method for the analysis of galloylquinic acid derivatives and flavonoids in Copaifera langsdorffii leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Motta, Erick Vicente da Silva; da Costa, Juliana de Carvalho; Bastos, Jairo Kenupp

2017-09-01

Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (Fabaceae, Caesalpinioideae), popularly known as "copaiba" or "pau d'óleo", is a species of tree that is found throughout Brazil. The leaves of this tree are used in folk medicine to treat kidney stones. Galloylquinic acid derivatives and flavonoids are the main secondary metabolites found in C. langsdorffii leaves and are likely to be responsible for the effectiveness of this treatment. As an attempt to produce a phytotherapic, we have developed a reliable HPLC-UV method for the quality control of C. langsdorffii leaves. Phenolic compounds were extracted from C. langsdorffii leaves using 70% aqueous ethanol as the extraction solvent. HPLC-UV analyses were carried out on a Synergi Polar-RP column (100×3.0mm, 2.5μm), and the mobile phase was made up of formic acid-water (0.1:99.9, solvent A), and isopropanol-methanol-acetonitrile (5:40:60, solvent B). The elution gradient was A:B (90:10 to 85:15) in 8.0min, followed by A:B (85:15 to 64:36) up to 30.0min, using a flow rate of 0.7mL/min, and UV detection at 280nm. This method was used to quantify nine galloylquinic acid derivatives and two flavonoids, which gave a good detection response and linearity in the range of 1.88-110.0μg/mL. Furthermore, the detection and quantification limits ranged from 0.070 to 0.752μg/mL, and 0.211-2.278μg/mL respectively, with a maximum RSD of 4.18%. The method is reliable for the quality control of C. langsdorffii raw material, its hydroethanolic extract, and could potentially be used to quantify these compounds in other Copaifera species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biased binomial assessment of cross-validated estimation of classification accuracies illustrated in diagnosis predictions.

Science.gov (United States)

Noirhomme, Quentin; Lesenfants, Damien; Gomez, Francisco; Soddu, Andrea; Schrouff, Jessica; Garraux, Gaëtan; Luxen, André; Phillips, Christophe; Laureys, Steven

2014-01-01

Multivariate classification is used in neuroimaging studies to infer brain activation or in medical applications to infer diagnosis. Their results are often assessed through either a binomial or a permutation test. Here, we simulated classification results of generated random data to assess the influence of the cross-validation scheme on the significance of results. Distributions built from classification of random data with cross-validation did not follow the binomial distribution. The binomial test is therefore not adapted. On the contrary, the permutation test was unaffected by the cross-validation scheme. The influence of the cross-validation was further illustrated on real-data from a brain-computer interface experiment in patients with disorders of consciousness and from an fMRI study on patients with Parkinson disease. Three out of 16 patients with disorders of consciousness had significant accuracy on binomial testing, but only one showed significant accuracy using permutation testing. In the fMRI experiment, the mental imagery of gait could discriminate significantly between idiopathic Parkinson's disease patients and healthy subjects according to the permutation test but not according to the binomial test. Hence, binomial testing could lead to biased estimation of significance and false positive or negative results. In our view, permutation testing is thus recommended for clinical application of classification with cross-validation.

FVCOM one-way and two-way nesting using ESMF: Development and validation

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Jianhua; Chen, Changsheng; Beardsley, Robert C.

2018-04-01

Built on the Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF), the one-way and two-way nesting methods were implemented into the unstructured-grid Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM). These methods help utilize the unstructured-grid multi-domain nesting of FVCOM with an aim at resolving the multi-scale physical and ecosystem processes. A detail of procedures on implementing FVCOM into ESMF was described. The experiments were made to validate and evaluate the performance of the nested-grid FVCOM system. The first was made for a wave-current interaction case with a two-domain nesting with an emphasis on qualifying a critical need of nesting to resolve a high-resolution feature near the coast and harbor with little loss in computational efficiency. The second was conducted for the pseudo river plume cases to examine the differences in the model-simulated salinity between one-way and two-way nesting approaches and evaluate the performance of mass conservative two-way nesting method. The third was carried out for the river plume case in the realistic geometric domain in Mass Bay, supporting the importance for having the two-way nesting for coastal-estuarine integrated modeling. The nesting method described in this paper has been used in the Northeast Coastal Ocean Forecast System (NECOFS)-a global-regional-coastal nesting FVCOM system that has been placed into the end-to-end forecast and hindcast operations since 2007.

Analytical method for the evaluation of the outdoor air contamination by emerging pollutants using tree leaves as bioindicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Barroso, Pedro José; Martín, Julia; Santos, Juan Luis; Aparicio, Irene; Alonso, Esteban

2018-01-01

In this work, an analytical method, based on sonication-assisted extraction, clean-up by dispersive solid-phase extraction and determination by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, has been developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of 15 emerging pollutants in leaves from four ornamental tree species. Target compounds include perfluorinated organic compounds, plasticizers, surfactants, brominated flame retardant, and preservatives. The method was optimized using Box-Behnken statistical experimental design with response surface methodology and validated in terms of recovery, accuracy, precision, and method detection and quantification limits. Quantification of target compounds was carried out using matrix-matched calibration curves. The highest recoveries were achieved for the perfluorinated organic compounds (mean values up to 87%) and preservatives (up to 88%). The lowest recoveries were achieved for plasticizers (51%) and brominated flame retardant (63%). Method detection and quantification limits were in the ranges 0.01-0.09 ng/g dry matter (dm) and 0.02-0.30 ng/g dm, respectively, for most of the target compounds. The method was successfully applied to the determination of the target compounds on leaves from four tree species used as urban ornamental trees (Citrus aurantium, Celtis australis, Platanus hispanica, and Jacaranda mimosifolia). Graphical abstract Analytical method for the biomonitorization of emerging pollutants in outdoor air.

A fast all-in-one method for automated post-processing of PIV data.

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Garcia, Damien

2011-05-01

Post-processing of PIV (particle image velocimetry) data typically contains three following stages: validation of the raw data, replacement of spurious and missing vectors, and some smoothing. A robust post-processing technique that carries out these steps simultaneously is proposed. The new all-in-one method (DCT-PLS), based on a penalized least squares approach (PLS), combines the use of the discrete cosine transform (DCT) and the generalized cross-validation, thus allowing fast unsupervised smoothing of PIV data. The DCT-PLS was compared with conventional methods, including the normalized median test, for post-processing of simulated and experimental raw PIV velocity fields. The DCT-PLS was shown to be more efficient than the usual methods, especially in the presence of clustered outliers. It was also demonstrated that the DCT-PLS can easily deal with a large amount of missing data. Because the proposed algorithm works in any dimension, the DCT-PLS is also suitable for post-processing of volumetric three-component PIV data.

A fast all-in-one method for automated post-processing of PIV data

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Garcia, Damien

2013-01-01

Post-processing of PIV (particle image velocimetry) data typically contains three following stages: validation of the raw data, replacement of spurious and missing vectors, and some smoothing. A robust post-processing technique that carries out these steps simultaneously is proposed. The new all-in-one method (DCT-PLS), based on a penalized least squares approach (PLS), combines the use of the discrete cosine transform (DCT) and the generalized cross-validation, thus allowing fast unsupervised smoothing of PIV data. The DCT-PLS was compared with conventional methods, including the normalized median test, for post-processing of simulated and experimental raw PIV velocity fields. The DCT-PLS was shown to be more efficient than the usual methods, especially in the presence of clustered outliers. It was also demonstrated that the DCT-PLS can easily deal with a large amount of missing data. Because the proposed algorithm works in any dimension, the DCT-PLS is also suitable for post-processing of volumetric three-component PIV data. PMID:24795497

Validation of evaluated neutron standard cross sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badikov, S.; Golashvili, T.

2008-01-01

Some steps of the validation and verification of the new version of the evaluated neutron standard cross sections were carried out. In particular: -) the evaluated covariance data was checked for physical consistency, -) energy-dependent evaluated cross-sections were tested in most important neutron benchmark field - 252 Cf spontaneous fission neutron field, -) a procedure of folding differential standard neutron data in group representation for preparation of specialized libraries of the neutron standards was verified. The results of the validation and verification of the neutron standards can be summarized as follows: a) the covariance data of the evaluated neutron standards is physically consistent since all the covariance matrices of the evaluated cross sections are positive definite, b) the 252 Cf spectrum averaged standard cross-sections are in agreement with the evaluated integral data (except for 197 Au(n,γ) reaction), c) a procedure of folding differential standard neutron data in group representation was tested, as a result a specialized library of neutron standards in the ABBN 28-group structure was prepared for use in reactor applications. (authors)

Influence of drying method on steviol glycosides and antioxidants in Stevia rebaudiana leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Periche, Angela; Castelló, María Luisa; Heredia, Ana; Escriche, Isabel

2015-04-01

The application of different drying conditions (hot air drying at 100 °C and 180 °C, freeze drying and shade drying) on steviol glycosides (stevioside, dulcoside A, rebaudioside A and rebaudioside C) and antioxidants in Stevia leaves was evaluated. Stevioside, the major glycoside found in fresh leaves (81.2mg/g), suffered an important reduction in all cases, although shade drying was the least aggressive treatment. Considering the antioxidant parameters (total phenols, flavonoids and total antioxidants), the most suitable drying method was hot air at 180 °C, since it substantially increased all of them (76.8 mg gallic acid, 45.1mg catechin and 126 mg Trolox, all equivalent/g Stevia, respectively), with respect to those present in fresh leaves (44.4, 2.5 and 52.9 mg equivalent/g). Therefore, the ideal method for drying Stevia leaves depends on their final use (sweetener or antioxidant), although, hot air at 180 °C is the most recommendable if only one treatment has to be chosen. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biased binomial assessment of cross-validated estimation of classification accuracies illustrated in diagnosis predictions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Quentin Noirhomme

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Multivariate classification is used in neuroimaging studies to infer brain activation or in medical applications to infer diagnosis. Their results are often assessed through either a binomial or a permutation test. Here, we simulated classification results of generated random data to assess the influence of the cross-validation scheme on the significance of results. Distributions built from classification of random data with cross-validation did not follow the binomial distribution. The binomial test is therefore not adapted. On the contrary, the permutation test was unaffected by the cross-validation scheme. The influence of the cross-validation was further illustrated on real-data from a brain–computer interface experiment in patients with disorders of consciousness and from an fMRI study on patients with Parkinson disease. Three out of 16 patients with disorders of consciousness had significant accuracy on binomial testing, but only one showed significant accuracy using permutation testing. In the fMRI experiment, the mental imagery of gait could discriminate significantly between idiopathic Parkinson's disease patients and healthy subjects according to the permutation test but not according to the binomial test. Hence, binomial testing could lead to biased estimation of significance and false positive or negative results. In our view, permutation testing is thus recommended for clinical application of classification with cross-validation.

Diurnal changes of net photosynthetic rate (NPR) in leaves of Lonicera japonica Thunb. and the responding mathematical model of NPR to photosynthetic valid radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Dafu; Zhang Shengli; Li Dongfang

2009-01-01

[Objective] The study provided theoretical basis for production practice . [Method] With Lonicera japonica Thunb .as material, diurnal changes of net photosynthetic rate (NPR) in leaves of the plant and the responding mathematical model of NPR to photosynthetic valid radiation were studied using portable photosynthetic determinator system. [Result] Like most of C3 plants, the diurnal changes curve of NPR of Lonicera japonica Thunb .showed double peaks, but there were time difference in reaching the peak value between the study and previous ones . The responding mathematical model of NPR to photosynthetic valid radiation could be described by three mathematic functions, such as logarithm, linearity and binomial, but binomial function was more precise than the others. Light saturation point of Lonicera japonica Thunb. was figured out by binomial equation deduced in the study , and light saturation point was 1 086 .3 μmol/ (m2•s) . [Conclusion] The diurnal changes curve of NPR of Lonicera japonica Thunb .showed double peaks, and the responding mathematical model of NPR to photosynthetic valid radiation could be described by binomial functions

Cross-validation and Peeling Strategies for Survival Bump Hunting using Recursive Peeling Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Dazard, Jean-Eudes; Choe, Michael; LeBlanc, Michael; Rao, J. Sunil

2015-01-01

We introduce a framework to build a survival/risk bump hunting model with a censored time-to-event response. Our Survival Bump Hunting (SBH) method is based on a recursive peeling procedure that uses a specific survival peeling criterion derived from non/semi-parametric statistics such as the hazards-ratio, the log-rank test or the Nelson--Aalen estimator. To optimize the tuning parameter of the model and validate it, we introduce an objective function based on survival or prediction-error statistics, such as the log-rank test and the concordance error rate. We also describe two alternative cross-validation techniques adapted to the joint task of decision-rule making by recursive peeling and survival estimation. Numerical analyses show the importance of replicated cross-validation and the differences between criteria and techniques in both low and high-dimensional settings. Although several non-parametric survival models exist, none addresses the problem of directly identifying local extrema. We show how SBH efficiently estimates extreme survival/risk subgroups unlike other models. This provides an insight into the behavior of commonly used models and suggests alternatives to be adopted in practice. Finally, our SBH framework was applied to a clinical dataset. In it, we identified subsets of patients characterized by clinical and demographic covariates with a distinct extreme survival outcome, for which tailored medical interventions could be made. An R package PRIMsrc (Patient Rule Induction Method in Survival, Regression and Classification settings) is available on CRAN (Comprehensive R Archive Network) and GitHub. PMID:27034730

Cross validation for the classical model of structured expert judgment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colson, Abigail R.; Cooke, Roger M.

2017-01-01

We update the 2008 TU Delft structured expert judgment database with data from 33 professionally contracted Classical Model studies conducted between 2006 and March 2015 to evaluate its performance relative to other expert aggregation models. We briefly review alternative mathematical aggregation schemes, including harmonic weighting, before focusing on linear pooling of expert judgments with equal weights and performance-based weights. Performance weighting outperforms equal weighting in all but 1 of the 33 studies in-sample. True out-of-sample validation is rarely possible for Classical Model studies, and cross validation techniques that split calibration questions into a training and test set are used instead. Performance weighting incurs an “out-of-sample penalty” and its statistical accuracy out-of-sample is lower than that of equal weighting. However, as a function of training set size, the statistical accuracy of performance-based combinations reaches 75% of the equal weight value when the training set includes 80% of calibration variables. At this point the training set is sufficiently powerful to resolve differences in individual expert performance. The information of performance-based combinations is double that of equal weighting when the training set is at least 50% of the set of calibration variables. Previous out-of-sample validation work used a Total Out-of-Sample Validity Index based on all splits of the calibration questions into training and test subsets, which is expensive to compute and includes small training sets of dubious value. As an alternative, we propose an Out-of-Sample Validity Index based on averaging the product of statistical accuracy and information over all training sets sized at 80% of the calibration set. Performance weighting outperforms equal weighting on this Out-of-Sample Validity Index in 26 of the 33 post-2006 studies; the probability of 26 or more successes on 33 trials if there were no difference between performance

A cross-validation study of the TGMD-2: The case of an adolescent population.

Science.gov (United States)

Issartel, Johann; McGrane, Bronagh; Fletcher, Richard; O'Brien, Wesley; Powell, Danielle; Belton, Sarahjane

2017-05-01

This study proposes an extension of a widely used test evaluating fundamental movement skills proficiency to an adolescent population, with a specific emphasis on validity and reliability for this older age group. Cross-sectional observational study. A total of 844 participants (n=456 male, 12.03±0.49) participated in this study. The 12 fundamental movement skills of the TGMD-2 were assessed. Inter-rater reliability was examined to ensure a minimum of 95% consistency between coders. Confirmatory factor analysis was undertaken with a one-factor model (all 12 skills) and two-factor model (6 locomotor skills and 6 object-control skills) as proposed by Ulrich et al. (2000). The model fit was examined using χ 2 , TLI, CFI and RMSEA. Test-retest reliability was carried out with a subsample of 35 participants. The test-retest reliability reached Intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.78 (locomotor), 0.76 (object related) and 0.91 (gross motor skill proficiency). The confirmatory factor analysis did not display a good fit for either the one-factor or two-factor model due to a really low contribution of several skills. A reduction in the number of skills to just seven (run, gallop, hop, horizontal jump, bounce, kick and roll) revealed an overall good fit by TLI, CFI and RMSEA measures. The proposed new model offers the possibility of longitudinal studies to track the maturation of fundamental movement skills across the child and adolescent spectrum, while also giving researchers a valid assessment to tool to evaluate adolescent fundamental movement skills proficiency level. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. All rights reserved.

Worst-case study for cleaning validation of equipment in the radiopharmaceutical production of lyophilized reagents: Methodology validation of total organic carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porto, Luciana Valeria Ferrari Machado

2015-01-01

Radiopharmaceuticals are defined as pharmaceutical preparations containing a radionuclide in their composition, mostly intravenously administered, and therefore compliance with the principles of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) is essential and indispensable. Cleaning validation is a requirement of the current GMP, and consists of documented evidence, which demonstrates that the cleaning procedures are able to remove residues to pre-determined acceptance levels, ensuring that no cross contamination occurs. A simplification of cleaning processes validation is accepted, and consists in choosing a product, called 'worst case', to represent the cleaning processes of all equipment of the same production area. One of the steps of cleaning validation is the establishment and validation of the analytical method to quantify the residue. The aim of this study was to establish the worst case for cleaning validation of equipment in the radiopharmaceutical production of lyophilized reagent (LR) for labeling with 99m Tc, evaluate the use of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content as indicator of equipment cleaning used in the LR manufacture, validate the method of Non-Purgeable Organic Carbon (NPOC), and perform recovery tests with the product chosen as worst case. Worst case product's choice was based on the calculation of an index called 'Worst Case Index' (WCI), using information about drug solubility, difficulty of cleaning the equipment and occupancy rate of the products in line production. The products indicated 'worst case' was the LR MIBI-TEC. The method validation assays were performed using carbon analyser model TOC-Vwp coupled to an autosampler model ASI-V, both from Shimadzu®, controlled by TOC Control-V software. It was used the direct method for NPOC quantification. The parameters evaluated in the validation method were: system suitability, robustness, linearity, detection limit (DL) and quantification limit (QL), precision

Genome-Wide Association Studies and Comparison of Models and Cross-Validation Strategies for Genomic Prediction of Quality Traits in Advanced Winter Wheat Breeding Lines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter S. Kristensen

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of the this study was to identify SNP markers associated with five important wheat quality traits (grain protein content, Zeleny sedimentation, test weight, thousand-kernel weight, and falling number, and to investigate the predictive abilities of GBLUP and Bayesian Power Lasso models for genomic prediction of these traits. In total, 635 winter wheat lines from two breeding cycles in the Danish plant breeding company Nordic Seed A/S were phenotyped for the quality traits and genotyped for 10,802 SNPs. GWAS were performed using single marker regression and Bayesian Power Lasso models. SNPs with large effects on Zeleny sedimentation were found on chromosome 1B, 1D, and 5D. However, GWAS failed to identify single SNPs with significant effects on the other traits, indicating that these traits were controlled by many QTL with small effects. The predictive abilities of the models for genomic prediction were studied using different cross-validation strategies. Leave-One-Out cross-validations resulted in correlations between observed phenotypes corrected for fixed effects and genomic estimated breeding values of 0.50 for grain protein content, 0.66 for thousand-kernel weight, 0.70 for falling number, 0.71 for test weight, and 0.79 for Zeleny sedimentation. Alternative cross-validations showed that the genetic relationship between lines in training and validation sets had a bigger impact on predictive abilities than the number of lines included in the training set. Using Bayesian Power Lasso instead of GBLUP models, gave similar or slightly higher predictive abilities. Genomic prediction based on all SNPs was more effective than prediction based on few associated SNPs.

SU-E-T-231: Cross-Validation of 3D Gamma Comparison Tools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, KM; Jechel, C; Pinter, C; Lasso, A; Fichtinger, G; Salomons, G; Schreiner, LJ

2015-01-01

Purpose: Moving the computational analysis for 3D gel dosimetry into the 3D Slicer (www.slicer.org) environment has made gel dosimetry more clinically accessible. To ensure accuracy, we cross-validate the 3D gamma comparison module in 3D Slicer with an independently developed algorithm using simulated and measured dose distributions. Methods: Two reference dose distributions were generated using the Varian Eclipse treatment planning system. The first distribution consisted of a four-field box irradiation delivered to a plastic water phantom and the second, a VMAT plan delivered to a gel dosimeter phantom. The first reference distribution was modified within Eclipse to create an evaluated dose distribution by spatially shifting one field by 3mm, increasing the monitor units of the second field, applying a dynamic wedge for the third field, and leaving the fourth field unchanged. The VMAT plan was delivered to a gel dosimeter and the evaluated dose in the gel was calculated from optical CT measurements. Results from the gamma comparison tool built into the SlicerRT toolbox were compared to results from our in-house gamma algorithm implemented in Matlab (via MatlabBridge in 3D Slicer). The effects of noise, resolution and the exchange of reference and evaluated designations on the gamma comparison were also examined. Results: Perfect agreement was found between the gamma results obtained using the SlicerRT tool and our Matlab implementation for both the four-field box and gel datasets. The behaviour of the SlicerRT comparison with respect to changes in noise, resolution and the role of the reference and evaluated dose distributions was consistent with previous findings. Conclusion: Two independently developed gamma comparison tools have been cross-validated and found to be identical. As we transition our gel dosimetry analysis from Matlab to 3D Slicer, this validation serves as an important test towards ensuring the consistency of dose comparisons using the 3D Slicer

An intercomparison of a large ensemble of statistical downscaling methods for Europe: Overall results from the VALUE perfect predictor cross-validation experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez, Jose Manuel; Maraun, Douglas; Widmann, Martin; Huth, Radan; Hertig, Elke; Benestad, Rasmus; Roessler, Ole; Wibig, Joanna; Wilcke, Renate; Kotlarski, Sven

2016-04-01

VALUE is an open European network to validate and compare downscaling methods for climate change research (http://www.value-cost.eu). A key deliverable of VALUE is the development of a systematic validation framework to enable the assessment and comparison of both dynamical and statistical downscaling methods. This framework is based on a user-focused validation tree, guiding the selection of relevant validation indices and performance measures for different aspects of the validation (marginal, temporal, spatial, multi-variable). Moreover, several experiments have been designed to isolate specific points in the downscaling procedure where problems may occur (assessment of intrinsic performance, effect of errors inherited from the global models, effect of non-stationarity, etc.). The list of downscaling experiments includes 1) cross-validation with perfect predictors, 2) GCM predictors -aligned with EURO-CORDEX experiment- and 3) pseudo reality predictors (see Maraun et al. 2015, Earth's Future, 3, doi:10.1002/2014EF000259, for more details). The results of these experiments are gathered, validated and publicly distributed through the VALUE validation portal, allowing for a comprehensive community-open downscaling intercomparison study. In this contribution we describe the overall results from Experiment 1), consisting of a European wide 5-fold cross-validation (with consecutive 6-year periods from 1979 to 2008) using predictors from ERA-Interim to downscale precipitation and temperatures (minimum and maximum) over a set of 86 ECA&D stations representative of the main geographical and climatic regions in Europe. As a result of the open call for contribution to this experiment (closed in Dec. 2015), over 40 methods representative of the main approaches (MOS and Perfect Prognosis, PP) and techniques (linear scaling, quantile mapping, analogs, weather typing, linear and generalized regression, weather generators, etc.) were submitted, including information both data

Cross-Cultural Detection of Depression from Nonverbal Behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Alghowinem, Sharifa; Goecke, Roland; Cohn, Jeffrey F; Wagner, Michael; Parker, Gordon; Breakspear, Michael

2015-05-01

Millions of people worldwide suffer from depression. Do commonalities exist in their nonverbal behavior that would enable cross-culturally viable screening and assessment of severity? We investigated the generalisability of an approach to detect depression severity cross-culturally using video-recorded clinical interviews from Australia, the USA and Germany. The material varied in type of interview, subtypes of depression and inclusion healthy control subjects, cultural background, and recording environment. The analysis focussed on temporal features of participants' eye gaze and head pose. Several approaches to training and testing within and between datasets were evaluated. The strongest results were found for training across all datasets and testing across datasets using leave-one-subject-out cross-validation. In contrast, generalisability was attenuated when training on only one or two of the three datasets and testing on subjects from the dataset(s) not used in training. These findings highlight the importance of using training data exhibiting the expected range of variability.

Comparison of L-curve and LOOCV depth profiles from TAARXPS data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paynter, R.W., E-mail: royston_paynter@emt.inrs.ca

2017-01-15

Highlights: • Regularized profiles were extracted from TAARXPS data. • The L-curve and LOO cross-validation were used to choose the regularization parameter. • The two parameter choice methods were compared. - Abstract: Time and angle resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (TAARXPS) data, obtained from polystyrene samples exposed to an oxygen/helium plasma, have been interpreted using 1st order Tikhonov regularization to smooth the extracted depth profiles. Two methods for the choice of the regularization parameter, namely the L-curve method and leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV), are compared and contrasted.

Cross section evaluation by spinor integration: The massless case in 4D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Bo; Huang Rijun; Jia Yin; Luo Mingxing; Wang Honghui

2010-01-01

To get the total cross section of one interaction from its amplitude M, one needs to integrate |M| 2 over phase spaces of all outgoing particles. Starting from this paper, we will propose a new method to perform such integrations, which is inspired by the reduced phase space integration of one-loop unitarity cut developed in the last few years. The new method reduces one constrained three-dimension momentum space integration to a one-dimensional integration, plus one possible Feynman parameter integration. There is no need to specify a reference framework in our calculation, since every step is manifestly Lorentz invariant by the new method. The current paper is the first paper of a series for the new method. Here we have exclusively focused on massless particles in 4D. There is no need to carve out a complicated integration region in the phase space for this particular simple case because the integration region is always simply [0,1].

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Diabetes Empowerment Scale – Short Form

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernanda Figueredo Chaves

Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To translate, cross-culturally adapt and validate the Diabetes Empowerment Scale – Short Form for assessment of psychosocial self-efficacy in diabetes care within the Brazilian cultural context. METHODS Assessment of the instrument’s conceptual equivalence, as well as its translation and cross-cultural adaptation were performed following international standards. The Expert Committee’s assessment of the translated version was conducted through a web questionnaire developed and applied via the web tool e-Surv. The cross-culturally adapted version was used for the pre-test, which was carried out via phone call in a group of eleven health care service users diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The pre-test results were examined by a group of experts, composed by health care consultants, applied linguists and statisticians, aiming at an adequate version of the instrument, which was subsequently used for test and retest in a sample of 100 users diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus via phone call, their answers being recorded by the web tool e-Surv. Internal consistency and reproducibility of analysis were carried out within the statistical programming environment R. RESULTS Face and content validity were attained and the Brazilian Portuguese version, entitled Escala de Autoeficácia em Diabetes – Versão Curta, was established. The scale had acceptable internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.634 (95%CI 0.494– 0.737, while the correlation of the total score in the two periods was considered moderate (0.47. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.50. CONCLUSIONS The translated and cross-culturally adapted version of the instrument to spoken Brazilian Portuguese was considered valid and reliable to be used for assessment within the Brazilian population diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The use of a web tool (e-Surv for recording the Expert Committee responses as well as the responses in the

Validity of the independent-processes approximation for resonance structures in electron-ion scattering cross sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badnell, N.R.; Pindzola, M.S.; Griffin, D.C.

1991-01-01

The total inelastic cross section for electron-ion scattering may be found in the independent-processes approximation by adding the resonant cross section to the nonresonant background cross section. We study the validity of this approximation for electron excitation of multiply charged ions. The resonant-excitation cross section is calculated independently using distorted waves for various Li-like and Na-like ions using (N+1)-electron atomic-structure methods previously developed for the calculation of dielectronic-recombination cross sections. To check the effects of interference between the two scattering processes, we also carry out detailed close-coupling calculations for the same atomic ions using the R-matrix method. For low ionization stages, interference effects manifest themselves sometimes as strong window features in the close-coupling cross section, which are not present in the independent-processes cross section. For higher ionization stages, however, the resonance features found in the independent-processes approximation are found to be in good agreement with the close-coupling results

Development and Validation of a HPLC-UV Method for Extraction Optimization and Biological Evaluation of Hot-Water and Ethanolic Extracts of Dendropanax morbifera Leaves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyung-Jae Choi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Dendropanax morbifera Leveille (Araliaceae has been used in traditional oriental remedies for cancer, inflammation, diabetes, and thrombosis. However, a validated analytical method, standardization, and optimization of extraction conditions with respect to biological activity have not been reported. In this study, a simple and validated HPLC method for identifying and quantifying active substances in D. morbifera was developed. Hot water and ethanolic D. morbifera leaf extracts from different production regions were prepared and evaluated with regard to their chemical compositions and biological activities. The contents of active compounds such as rutin and chlorogenic acid were determined in four samples collected from different regions. The 80% ethanolic extract showed the best antioxidant activity, phenolic content, reducing power, and xanthine oxidase (XO inhibitory activity. The validated HPLC method confirmed the presence of chlorogenic acid and rutin in D. morbifera leaf extracts. The antioxidant and XO inhibitory activity of D. morbifera extract could be attributed to the marker compounds. Collectively, these results suggest that D. morbifera leaves could be beneficial for the treatment or prevention of hyperuricemia-related disease, and the validated HPLC method could be a useful tool for the quality control of food or drug formulations containing D. morbifera.

Breast cancer tumor classification using LASSO method selection approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Celaya P, J. M.; Ortiz M, J. A.; Martinez B, M. R.; Solis S, L. O.; Castaneda M, R.; Garza V, I.; Martinez F, M.; Ortiz R, J. M.

2016-10-01

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide among women. Early tumor detection is key in reducing breast cancer deaths and screening mammography is the widest available method for early detection. Mammography is the most common and effective breast cancer screening test. However, the rate of positive findings is very low, making the radiologic interpretation monotonous and biased toward errors. In an attempt to alleviate radiological workload, this work presents a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD x) method aimed to automatically classify tumor lesions into malign or benign as a means to a second opinion. The CAD x methos, extracts image features, and classifies the screening mammogram abnormality into one of two categories: subject at risk of having malignant tumor (malign), and healthy subject (benign). In this study, 143 abnormal segmentation s (57 malign and 86 benign) from the Breast Cancer Digital Repository (BCD R) public database were used to train and evaluate the CAD x system. Percentile-rank (p-rank) was used to standardize the data. Using the LASSO feature selection methodology, the model achieved a Leave-one-out-cross-validation area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (Auc) of 0.950. The proposed method has the potential to rank abnormal lesions with high probability of malignant findings aiding in the detection of potential malign cases as a second opinion to the radiologist. (Author)

Breast cancer tumor classification using LASSO method selection approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Celaya P, J. M.; Ortiz M, J. A.; Martinez B, M. R.; Solis S, L. O.; Castaneda M, R.; Garza V, I.; Martinez F, M.; Ortiz R, J. M., E-mail: morvymm@yahoo.com.mx [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Av. Ramon Lopez Velarde 801, Col. Centro, 98000 Zacatecas, Zac. (Mexico)

2016-10-15

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide among women. Early tumor detection is key in reducing breast cancer deaths and screening mammography is the widest available method for early detection. Mammography is the most common and effective breast cancer screening test. However, the rate of positive findings is very low, making the radiologic interpretation monotonous and biased toward errors. In an attempt to alleviate radiological workload, this work presents a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD x) method aimed to automatically classify tumor lesions into malign or benign as a means to a second opinion. The CAD x methos, extracts image features, and classifies the screening mammogram abnormality into one of two categories: subject at risk of having malignant tumor (malign), and healthy subject (benign). In this study, 143 abnormal segmentation s (57 malign and 86 benign) from the Breast Cancer Digital Repository (BCD R) public database were used to train and evaluate the CAD x system. Percentile-rank (p-rank) was used to standardize the data. Using the LASSO feature selection methodology, the model achieved a Leave-one-out-cross-validation area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (Auc) of 0.950. The proposed method has the potential to rank abnormal lesions with high probability of malignant findings aiding in the detection of potential malign cases as a second opinion to the radiologist. (Author)

Cross-cultural validity of the thyroid-specific quality-of-life patient-reported outcome measure, ThyPRO

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Watt, Torquil; Barbesino, Giuseppe; Bjørner, Jakob

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Thyroid diseases are common and often affect quality of life (QoL). No cross-culturally validated patient-reported outcome measuring thyroid-related QoL is available. The purpose of the present study was to test the cross-cultural validity of the newly developed thyroid......-related patient-reported outcome ThyPRO, using tests for differential item functioning (DIF) according to language version. METHODS: The ThyPRO consists of 85 items summarized in 13 multi-item scales and one single item. Scales cover physical and mental symptoms, well-being and function as well as social...... scale scores, most of which could be explained by sample differences not controlled for. CONCLUSION: The ThyPRO has good cross-cultural validity with only minor cross-cultural invariance and is recommended for use in international multicenter studies....

Temperature dependence of knocking-out cross sections of a bound atom from the lattice site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhdanov, S.K.; Pletnev, V.V.

1981-01-01

The total cross section of atom knocking-out from the lattice site is calculated with the atom binding in the lattice site taken into account. The intermediate case of atom being preads over the bottom of a spherical potential well is considered (the case of intermediate temperatures). Thus the target temperature parameter enters the equation for the total cross section of atom knocking-out

A pilot study combining a GC-sensor device with a statistical model for the identification of bladder cancer from urine headspace.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanzeela Khalid

Full Text Available There is a need to reduce the number of cystoscopies on patients with haematuria. Presently there are no reliable biomarkers to screen for bladder cancer. In this paper, we evaluate a new simple in-house fabricated, GC-sensor device in the diagnosis of bladder cancer based on volatiles. Sensor outputs from 98 urine samples were used to build and test diagnostic models. Samples were taken from 24 patients with transitional (urothelial cell carcinoma (age 27-91 years, median 71 years and 74 controls presenting with urological symptoms, but without a urological malignancy (age 29-86 years, median 64 years; results were analysed using two statistical approaches to assess the robustness of the methodology. A two-group linear discriminant analysis method using a total of 9 time points (which equates to 9 biomarkers correctly assigned 24/24 (100% of cancer cases and 70/74 (94.6% controls. Under leave-one-out cross-validation 23/24 (95.8% of cancer cases were correctly predicted with 69/74 (93.2% of controls. For partial least squares discriminant analysis, the correct leave-one-out cross-validation prediction values were 95.8% (cancer cases and 94.6% (controls. These data are an improvement on those reported by other groups studying headspace gases and also superior to current clinical techniques. This new device shows potential for the diagnosis of bladder cancer, but the data must be reproduced in a larger study.

DIFFERENTIATION OF AURANTII FRUCTUS IMMATURUS AND FRUCTUS PONICIRI TRIFOLIATAE IMMATURUS BY FLOW-INJECTION WITH ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROSCOPIC DETECTION AND PROTON NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE USING PARTIAL LEAST-SQUARES DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Mengliang; Zhao, Yang; Harrington, Peter de B; Chen, Pei

2016-03-01

Two simple fingerprinting methods, flow-injection coupled to ultraviolet spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance, were used for discriminating between Aurantii fructus immaturus and Fructus poniciri trifoliatae immaturus . Both methods were combined with partial least-squares discriminant analysis. In the flow-injection method, four data representations were evaluated: total ultraviolet absorbance chromatograms, averaged ultraviolet spectra, absorbance at 193, 205, 225, and 283 nm, and absorbance at 225 and 283 nm. Prediction rates of 100% were achieved for all data representations by partial least-squares discriminant analysis using leave-one-sample-out cross-validation. The prediction rate for the proton nuclear magnetic resonance data by partial least-squares discriminant analysis with leave-one-sample-out cross-validation was also 100%. A new validation set of data was collected by flow-injection with ultraviolet spectroscopic detection two weeks later and predicted by partial least-squares discriminant analysis models constructed by the initial data representations with no parameter changes. The classification rates were 95% with the total ultraviolet absorbance chromatograms datasets and 100% with the other three datasets. Flow-injection with ultraviolet detection and proton nuclear magnetic resonance are simple, high throughput, and low-cost methods for discrimination studies.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of SNOT-20 in Portuguese

Science.gov (United States)

Bezerra, Thiago Freire Pinto; Piccirillo, Jay F.; Fornazieri, Marco Aurélio; Pilan, Renata R. de M.; Abdo, Tatiana Regina Teles; Pinna, Fabio de Rezende; Padua, Francini Grecco de Melo; Voegels, Richard Louis

2011-01-01

Introduction. Chronic rhinosinusitis is a highly prevalent disease, so it is necessary to create valid instruments to assess the quality of life of these patients. The SNOT-20 questionnaire was developed for this purpose as a specific test to evaluate the quality of life related to chronic rhinosinusitis. It was validated in the English language, and it has been used in most studies on this subject. Currently, there is no validated instrument for assessing this disease in Portuguese. Objective. Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of SNOT-20 in Portuguese. Patients and Methods. The SNOT-20 questionnaire underwent a meticulous process of cross-cultural adaptation and was evaluated by assessing its sensitivity, reliability, and validity. Results. The process resulted in an intelligible version of the questionnaire, the SNOT-20p. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.91, P cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the SNOT-20 questionnaire into Portuguese. PMID:21799671

DMFC performance and methanol cross-over: Experimental analysis and model validation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casalegno, A.; Marchesi, R. [Dipartimento di Energia, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano (Italy)

2008-10-15

A combined experimental and modelling approach is proposed to analyze methanol cross-over and its effect on DMFC performance. The experimental analysis is performed in order to allow an accurate investigation of methanol cross-over influence on DMFC performance, hence measurements were characterized in terms of uncertainty and reproducibility. The findings suggest that methanol cross-over is mainly determined by diffusion transport and affects cell performance partly via methanol electro-oxidation at the cathode. The modelling analysis is carried out to further investigate methanol cross-over phenomenon. A simple model evaluates the effectiveness of two proposed interpretations regarding methanol cross-over and its effects. The model is validated using the experimental data gathered. Both the experimental analysis and the proposed and validated model allow a substantial step forward in the understanding of the main phenomena associated with methanol cross-over. The findings confirm the possibility to reduce methanol cross-over by optimizing anode feeding. (author)

A cross-case analysis of technology-in-use practices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boulus, Nina; Bjørn, Pernille

2010-01-01

Purpose: To identify and characterize enabling factors that support a continuous adaptation of technology and work practices in the health care sector. Methods: Cross-case analysis of two longitudinal ethnographic studies of managing the gradual adaptation of electronic patient records, one...... in Canada and one Norway. Results: The cross-case analysis revealed that technology-in-use practices developed more rapidly in one of the cases, and one of the major driving forces was the establishment of a special committee and the associated project meetings. Based on the literature and grounded...... in the empirical observations, we complement and expand the notion of project meetings as composed of continuous reflection-on-practice activities to construct technology-in-use practices. Conclusion: We characterize reflection-on-practice activities as frequent encounters of negotiations of work practices...

Risk factors for sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders among self-employed Dutch farmers: A case-control study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartman, E.; Vrielink, H.H.E.O.; Huirne, R.B.M.; Metz, J.H.M.

2006-01-01

Background In Dutch agriculture, musculoskeletal disorders are a main cause of sick leave. Among self-employed insured farmers, neck, shoulder upper extremity, and back disorders accounted for 30% of the claims for sick leave of less than 1 year This case-control study set out to identify and

Risk factors for sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders among self-employed Dutch farmers : A case-control study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartman, E; Vrielink, HHEO; Huirne, RBM; Metz, JHM

Background In Dutch agriculture, musculoskeletal disorders are a main cause of sick leave. Among self-employed insured farmers, neck, shoulder upper extremity, and back disorders accounted for 30% of the claims for sick leave of less than 1 year This case-control study set out to identify and

Risk factors for sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders among self-employed Dutch farmers: a case-control study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartman, E.; Oude Vrielink, H.H.E.; Huirne, R.B.M.; Metz, J.H.M.

2006-01-01

Background In Dutch agriculture, musculoskeletal disorders are a main cause of sick leave. Among self-employed insured farmers, neck, shoulder, upper extremity, and back disorders accounted for 30% of the claims for sick leave of less than 1 year This case-control study set out to identify and

Phytochemical analysis of Vernonanthura tweedieana and a validated UPLC-PDA method for the quantification of eriodictyol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Layzon Antonio Lemos da Silva

Full Text Available AbstractVernonanthura tweedieana (Baker H. Rob., Asteraceae, is used in the Brazilian folk medicine for the treatment of respiratory diseases. In this work the phytochemical investigation of its ethanol extracts as well as the development and validation of an UPLC-PDA method for the quantification of the eriodictyol from the leaves were performed. The phytochemical study for this species lead to the identification of ethyl caffeate, naringenin and chrysoeriol in mixture, eriodictyol from leaves, and the mixture of 3-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl-propan-1-one and evofolin B, apigenin, the mixture of caffeic and protocatechuic acid and luteolin from stems with roots, being reported for the first time for V. tweedieana, except for eriodictyol. The structural elucidation of all isolated compounds was achieved by 1H and 2D NMR spectroscopy, and in comparison with published data. An UPLC-PDA method for quantification of the eriodictyol in leaves of V. tweedieana was developed and validated for specificity, linearity, precision (repeatability and intermediate precision, limit of detection (LOD and limit of quantification (LOQ, accuracy and robustness. In this study, an excellent linearity was obtained (r2 = 0.9999, good precision (repeatability RSD = 2% and intermediate precision RSD = 8% and accuracy (average recovery from 98.6% to 99.7%. The content of eriodictyol in the extract of leaves of V. tweedieana was 41.40 ± 0.13 mg/g. Thus, this study allowed the optimization of a simple, fast and validated UPLC-PDA method which can be used to support the quality assessment of this herbal material.

Validation of King's transaction process for healthcare provider-patient communication in pharmaceutical context: One cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dan; Liu, Chenxi; Zhang, Zinan; Ye, Liping; Zhang, Xinping

2018-03-27

With the impressive advantages of patient-pharmacist communication being advocated and poor pharmacist-patient communication in different settings, it is of great significance and urgency to explore the mechanism of the pharmacist-patient communicative relationship. The King's theory of goal attainment is proposed as one of the most promising models to be applied, because it takes into consideration both improving the patient-pharmacist relationship and attaining patients' health outcomes. This study aimed to validate the King's transaction process and build the linkage between the transaction process and patient satisfaction in a pharmaceutical context. A cross-sectional study was conducted in four tertiary hospitals in two provincial cities (Wuhan and Shanghai) in central and east China in July 2017. Patients over 18 were investigated in the pharmacies of the hospitals. The instrument for the transaction process was revised and tested. Path analysis was conducted for the King's transaction process and its relationship with patient satisfaction. Five hundred eighty-nine participants were investigated for main study. Prior to the addition of covariates, the hypothesised model of the King's transaction process was validated, in which all paths of the transaction process were statistically significant (p process had direct effects on patient satisfaction (p process was established as one valid theoretical framework of healthcare provider-patient communication in a pharmaceutical context. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attempted development and cross-validation of predictive models of individual-level and organizational-level turnover of nuclear power operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasa-Sideris, S.J.

1989-01-01

Nuclear power accounts for 209% of the electric power generated in the U.S. by 107 nuclear plants which employ over 8,700 operators. Operator turnover is significant to utilities from the economic point of view since it costs almost three hundred thousand dollars to train and qualify one operator, and because turnover affects plant operability and therefore plant safety. The study purpose was to develop and cross-validate individual-level and organizational-level models of turnover of nuclear power plant operators. Data were obtained by questionnaires and from published data for 1983 and 1984 on a number of individual, organizational, and environmental predictors. Plants had been in operation for two or more years. Questionnaires were returned by 29 out of 50 plants on over 1600 operators. The objectives were to examine the reliability of the turnover criterion, to determine the classification accuracy of the multivariate predictive models and of categories of predictors (individual, organizational, and environmental) and to determine if a homology existed between the individual-level and organizational-level models. The method was to examine the shrinkage that occurred between foldback design (in which the predictive models were reapplied to the data used to develop them) and cross-validation. Results did not support the hypothesis objectives. Turnover data were accurate but not stable between the two years. No significant differences were detected between the low and high turnover groups at the organization or individual level in cross-validation. Lack of stability in the criterion, restriction of range, and small sample size at the organizational level were serious limitations of this study. The results did support the methods. Considerable shrinkage occurred between foldback and cross-validation of the models

Content Validity of National Post Marriage Educational Program Using Mixed Methods

Science.gov (United States)

MOHAJER RAHBARI, Masoumeh; SHARIATI, Mohammad; KERAMAT, Afsaneh; YUNESIAN, Masoud; ESLAMI, Mohammad; MOUSAVI, Seyed Abbas; MONTAZERI, Ali

2015-01-01

Background: Although the validity of content of program is mostly conducted with qualitative methods, this study used both qualitative and quantitative methods for the validation of content of post marriage training program provided for newly married couples. Content validity is a preliminary step of obtaining authorization required to install the program in country's health care system. Methods: This mixed methodological content validation study carried out in four steps with forming three expert panels. Altogether 24 expert panelists were involved in 3 qualitative and quantitative panels; 6 in the first item development one; 12 in the reduction kind, 4 of them were common with the first panel, and 10 executive experts in the last one organized to evaluate psychometric properties of CVR and CVI and Face validity of 57 educational objectives. Results: The raw data of post marriage program had been written by professional experts of Ministry of Health, using qualitative expert panel, the content was more developed by generating 3 topics and refining one topic and its respective content. In the second panel, totally six other objectives were deleted, three for being out of agreement cut of point and three on experts' consensus. The validity of all items was above 0.8 and their content validity indices (0.8–1) were completely appropriate in quantitative assessment. Conclusion: This study provided a good evidence for validation and accreditation of national post marriage program planned for newly married couples in health centers of the country in the near future. PMID:26056672

Cross-cultural validation of the Persian version of the Functional Independence Measure for patients with stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Naghdi, Soofia; Ansari, Noureddin Nakhostin; Raji, Parvin; Shamili, Aryan; Amini, Malek; Hasson, Scott

2016-01-01

To translate and cross-culturally adapt the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) into the Persian language and to test the reliability and validity of the Persian FIM (PFIM) in patients with stroke. In this cross-sectional study carried out in an outpatient stroke rehabilitation center, 40 patients with stroke (mean age 60 years) were participated. A standard forward-backward translation method and expert panel validation was followed to develop the PFIM. Two experienced occupational therapists (OTs) assessed the patients independently in all items of the PFIM in a single session for inter-rater reliability. One of the OTs reassessed the patients after 1 week for intra-rater reliability. There were no floor or ceiling effects for the PFIM. Excellent inter-rater and intra-rater reliability was noted for the PFIM total score, motor and cognitive subscales (ICC(agreement)0.88-0.98). According to the Bland-Altman agreement analysis, there was no systematic bias between raters and within raters. The internal consistency of the PFIM was with Cronbach's alpha from 0.70 to 0.96. The principal component analysis with varimax rotation indicated a three-factor structure: (1) self-care and mobility; (2) sphincter control and (3) cognitive that jointly accounted for 74.8% of the total variance. Construct validity was supported by a significant Pearson correlation between the PFIM and the Persian Barthel Index (r = 0.95; p Persian patients with stroke. The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is an outcome measure for disability based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The FIM was cross-culturally adapted and validated into Persian language. The Persian version of the FIM (PFIM) is reliable and valid for assessing functional status of patients with stroke. The PFIM can be used in Persian speaking countries to assess the limitations in activities of daily living of patients with stroke.

Extraction optimization and UHPLC method development for determination of the 20-hydroxyecdysone in Sida tuberculata leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

da Rosa, Hemerson S; Koetz, Mariana; Santos, Marí Castro; Jandrey, Elisa Helena Farias; Folmer, Vanderlei; Henriques, Amélia Teresinha; Mendez, Andreas Sebastian Loureiro

2018-04-01

Sida tuberculata (ST) is a Malvaceae species widely distributed in Southern Brazil. In traditional medicine, ST has been employed as hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. Additionally, this species is chemically characterized by flavonoids, alkaloids and phytoecdysteroids mainly. The present work aimed to optimize the extractive technique and to validate an UHPLC method for the determination of 20-hydroxyecdsone (20HE) in the ST leaves. Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was used in method optimization. The extractive methods tested were: static and dynamic maceration, ultrasound, ultra-turrax and reflux. In the Box-Behnken three parameters were evaluated in three levels (-1, 0, +1), particle size, time and plant:solvent ratio. In validation method, the parameters of selectivity, specificity, linearity, limits of detection and quantification (LOD, LOQ), precision, accuracy and robustness were evaluated. The results indicate static maceration as better technique to obtain 20HE peak area in ST extract. The optimal extraction from surface response methodology was achieved with the parameters granulometry of 710 nm, 9 days of maceration and plant:solvent ratio 1:54 (w/v). The UHPLC-PDA analytical developed method showed full viability of performance, proving to be selective, linear, precise, accurate and robust for 20HE detection in ST leaves. The average content of 20HE was 0.56% per dry extract. Thus, the optimization of extractive method in ST leaves increased the concentration of 20HE in crude extract, and a reliable method was successfully developed according to validation requirements and in agreement with current legislation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Excellent cross-cultural validity, intra-test reliability and construct validity of the dutch rivermead mobility index in patients after stroke undergoing rehabilitation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roorda, Leo D.; Green, John; De Kluis, Kiki R. A.; Molenaar, Ivo W.; Bagley, Pam; Smith, Jane; Geurts, Alexander C. H.

2008-01-01

Objective: To investigate the cross-cultural validity of international Dutch-English comparisons when using the Dutch Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI), and the intra-test reliability and construct validity of the Dutch RMI. Methods: Cross-cultural validity was studied in a combined data-set of Dutch

International Harmonization and Cooperation in the Validation of Alternative Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Barroso, João; Ahn, Il Young; Caldeira, Cristiane; Carmichael, Paul L; Casey, Warren; Coecke, Sandra; Curren, Rodger; Desprez, Bertrand; Eskes, Chantra; Griesinger, Claudius; Guo, Jiabin; Hill, Erin; Roi, Annett Janusch; Kojima, Hajime; Li, Jin; Lim, Chae Hyung; Moura, Wlamir; Nishikawa, Akiyoshi; Park, HyeKyung; Peng, Shuangqing; Presgrave, Octavio; Singer, Tim; Sohn, Soo Jung; Westmoreland, Carl; Whelan, Maurice; Yang, Xingfen; Yang, Ying; Zuang, Valérie

The development and validation of scientific alternatives to animal testing is important not only from an ethical perspective (implementation of 3Rs), but also to improve safety assessment decision making with the use of mechanistic information of higher relevance to humans. To be effective in these efforts, it is however imperative that validation centres, industry, regulatory bodies, academia and other interested parties ensure a strong international cooperation, cross-sector collaboration and intense communication in the design, execution, and peer review of validation studies. Such an approach is critical to achieve harmonized and more transparent approaches to method validation, peer-review and recommendation, which will ultimately expedite the international acceptance of valid alternative methods or strategies by regulatory authorities and their implementation and use by stakeholders. It also allows achieving greater efficiency and effectiveness by avoiding duplication of effort and leveraging limited resources. In view of achieving these goals, the International Cooperation on Alternative Test Methods (ICATM) was established in 2009 by validation centres from Europe, USA, Canada and Japan. ICATM was later joined by Korea in 2011 and currently also counts with Brazil and China as observers. This chapter describes the existing differences across world regions and major efforts carried out for achieving consistent international cooperation and harmonization in the validation and adoption of alternative approaches to animal testing.

A neural network method to correct bidirectional effects in water-leaving radiance

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Yongzhen; Li, Wei; Voss, Kenneth J.; Gatebe, Charles K.; Stamnes, Knut

2017-02-01

The standard method to convert the measured water-leaving radiances from the observation direction to the nadir direction developed by Morel and coworkers requires knowledge of the chlorophyll concentration (CHL). Also, the standard method was developed for open ocean water, which makes it unsuitable for turbid coastal waters. We introduce a neural network method to convert the water-leaving radiance (or the corresponding remote sensing reflectance) from the observation direction to the nadir direction. This method does not require any prior knowledge of the water constituents or the inherent optical properties (IOPs). This method is fast, accurate and can be easily adapted to different remote sensing instruments. Validation using NuRADS measurements in different types of water shows that this method is suitable for both open ocean and coastal waters. In open ocean or chlorophyll-dominated waters, our neural network method produces corrections similar to those of the standard method. In turbid coastal waters, especially sediment-dominated waters, a significant improvement was obtained compared to the standard method.

Factors associated with sterilization use among women leaving a U.S. jail: a mixed methods study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramaswamy, Megha; Kelly, Patricia J

2014-07-31

Despite the high rates of reported sterilization use among women who have spent time in correctional facilities, little is known about the context in which women in this population choose this option. The objective of our study was to use both quantitative and qualitative methods to understand factors associated with sterilization use among women leaving a U.S. jail. We administered a cross-sectional survey with 102 jailed women who were participating in a study about contraceptive use after release from jail, and then conducted semi-structured interviews with 29 of those women after their release from jail. We used logistic regression and analytic induction to assess factors associated with self-reported sterilization use. In our cross-sectional survey, one-third of our sample reported a history of sterilization use. Controlling for age and past pregnancies, the only factor associated with sterilization use was physical abuse history before age 16. In semi-structured interviews, we found that women's primary motivation for sterilization was the desire to limit childbearing permanently, in some cases where other contraceptive methods had failed them. The decision for sterilization was generally supported by family, partners, and providers. Many women who opted for sterilization expressed financial concern about supporting children and/or reported family histories of sterilization. The decision to use the permanent method of sterilization as a contraceptive method is a complex one. Results from this study suggest that while explicit coercion may not be a factor in women's choice for sterilization, interpersonal relationship histories, negative experiences with contraceptives, and structural constraints, such as financial concerns and ongoing criminal justice involvement, seem to influence sterilization use among the vulnerable group of women with criminal justice histories. Public health programs that connect women to reproductive health services should acknowledge

Detection of Gastric Cancer with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Support Vector Machine Classification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qingbo Li

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Early diagnosis and early medical treatments are the keys to save the patients' lives and improve the living quality. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR spectroscopy can distinguish malignant from normal tissues at the molecular level. In this paper, programs were made with pattern recognition method to classify unknown samples. Spectral data were pretreated by using smoothing and standard normal variate (SNV methods. Leave-one-out cross validation was used to evaluate the discrimination result of support vector machine (SVM method. A total of 54 gastric tissue samples were employed in this study, including 24 cases of normal tissue samples and 30 cases of cancerous tissue samples. The discrimination results of SVM method showed the sensitivity with 100%, specificity with 83.3%, and total discrimination accuracy with 92.2%.

Implementation of sobel method to detect the seed rubber plant leaves

Science.gov (United States)

Suyanto; Munte, J.

2018-03-01

This research was conducted to develop a system that can identify and recognize the type of rubber tree based on the pattern of leaves of the plant. The steps research are started with the identification of the image data acquisition, image processing, image edge detection and identification method template matching. Edge detection is using Sobel edge detection. Pattern recognition would detect image as input and compared with other images in a database called templates. Experiments carried out in one phase, identification of the leaf edge, using a rubber plant leaf image 14 are superior and 5 for each type of test images (clones) of the plant. From the experimental results obtained by the recognition rate of 91.79%.

An HPLC-DAD method to quantification of main phenolic compounds from leaves of Cecropia species

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, Geison M.; Ortmann, Caroline F.; Schenkel, Eloir P.; Reginatto, Flavio H., E-mail: freginatto@hotmail.co [Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianopolis (Brazil). Centro de Ciencias da Saude. Dept. de Ciencias Farmaceuticas

2011-07-01

An efficient and reproducible HPLC-DAD method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of major compounds (chlorogenic acid, isoorientin, orientin and isovitexin) present in the leaves of two Cecropia species, C. glaziovii and C. pachystachya. From the leaves of C. glaziovii and C. pachystachya were isolated the C-glycosylflavones isoorientin and isovitexin and identified on both species chlorogenic acid (3-O-caffeoylquinic acid) and the O-glycosylflavonol isoquercitrin. The C-glycosylflavone orientin was isolated only from C. pachystachya. Chlorogenic acid was the major compound in both species (11.1 mg g{sup -1} of extract of C. glaziovii and 27.2 mg g{sup -1} of extract of C. pachystachya) and for the flavonoids quantified, isovitexin was the main C-glycosylflavonoid for C. glaziovii (4.6 mg g{sup -1} of extract) and isoorientin the main one for C. pachystachya (17.3 mg g{sup -1} of extract). (author)

An HPLC-DAD method to quantification of main phenolic compounds from leaves of Cecropia species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, Geison M.; Ortmann, Caroline F.; Schenkel, Eloir P.; Reginatto, Flavio H.

2011-01-01

An efficient and reproducible HPLC-DAD method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of major compounds (chlorogenic acid, isoorientin, orientin and isovitexin) present in the leaves of two Cecropia species, C. glaziovii and C. pachystachya. From the leaves of C. glaziovii and C. pachystachya were isolated the C-glycosylflavones isoorientin and isovitexin and identified on both species chlorogenic acid (3-O-caffeoylquinic acid) and the O-glycosylflavonol isoquercitrin. The C-glycosylflavone orientin was isolated only from C. pachystachya. Chlorogenic acid was the major compound in both species (11.1 mg g -1 of extract of C. glaziovii and 27.2 mg g -1 of extract of C. pachystachya) and for the flavonoids quantified, isovitexin was the main C-glycosylflavonoid for C. glaziovii (4.6 mg g -1 of extract) and isoorientin the main one for C. pachystachya (17.3 mg g -1 of extract). (author)

Identification and Severity Determination of Wheat Stripe Rust and Wheat Leaf Rust Based on Hyperspectral Data Acquired Using a Black-Paper-Based Measuring Method

Science.gov (United States)

Ruan, Liu; Wang, Rui; Liu, Qi; Ma, Zhanhong; Li, Xiaolong; Cheng, Pei; Wang, Haiguang

2016-01-01

It is important to implement detection and assessment of plant diseases based on remotely sensed data for disease monitoring and control. Hyperspectral data of healthy leaves, leaves in incubation period and leaves in diseased period of wheat stripe rust and wheat leaf rust were collected under in-field conditions using a black-paper-based measuring method developed in this study. After data preprocessing, the models to identify the diseases were built using distinguished partial least squares (DPLS) and support vector machine (SVM), and the disease severity inversion models of stripe rust and the disease severity inversion models of leaf rust were built using quantitative partial least squares (QPLS) and support vector regression (SVR). All the models were validated by using leave-one-out cross validation and external validation. The diseases could be discriminated using both distinguished partial least squares and support vector machine with the accuracies of more than 99%. For each wheat rust, disease severity levels were accurately retrieved using both the optimal QPLS models and the optimal SVR models with the coefficients of determination (R2) of more than 0.90 and the root mean square errors (RMSE) of less than 0.15. The results demonstrated that identification and severity evaluation of stripe rust and leaf rust at the leaf level could be implemented based on the hyperspectral data acquired using the developed method. A scientific basis was provided for implementing disease monitoring by using aerial and space remote sensing technologies. PMID:27128464

Identification and Severity Determination of Wheat Stripe Rust and Wheat Leaf Rust Based on Hyperspectral Data Acquired Using a Black-Paper-Based Measuring Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui; Qin, Feng; Ruan, Liu; Wang, Rui; Liu, Qi; Ma, Zhanhong; Li, Xiaolong; Cheng, Pei; Wang, Haiguang

2016-01-01

It is important to implement detection and assessment of plant diseases based on remotely sensed data for disease monitoring and control. Hyperspectral data of healthy leaves, leaves in incubation period and leaves in diseased period of wheat stripe rust and wheat leaf rust were collected under in-field conditions using a black-paper-based measuring method developed in this study. After data preprocessing, the models to identify the diseases were built using distinguished partial least squares (DPLS) and support vector machine (SVM), and the disease severity inversion models of stripe rust and the disease severity inversion models of leaf rust were built using quantitative partial least squares (QPLS) and support vector regression (SVR). All the models were validated by using leave-one-out cross validation and external validation. The diseases could be discriminated using both distinguished partial least squares and support vector machine with the accuracies of more than 99%. For each wheat rust, disease severity levels were accurately retrieved using both the optimal QPLS models and the optimal SVR models with the coefficients of determination (R2) of more than 0.90 and the root mean square errors (RMSE) of less than 0.15. The results demonstrated that identification and severity evaluation of stripe rust and leaf rust at the leaf level could be implemented based on the hyperspectral data acquired using the developed method. A scientific basis was provided for implementing disease monitoring by using aerial and space remote sensing technologies.

Online identification of chlorogenic acids, sesquiterpene lactones, and flavonoids in the Brazilian arnica Lychnophora ericoides Mart. (Asteraceae) leaves by HPLC-DAD-MS and HPLC-DAD-MS/MS and a validated HPLC-DAD method for their simultaneous analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gobbo-Neto, Leonardo; Lopes, Norberto P

2008-02-27

Lychnophora ericoides Mart. (Asteraceae, Vernonieae) is a plant, endemic to Brazil, with occurrence restricted to the "cerrado" biome. Traditional medicine employs alcoholic and aqueous-alcoholic preparations of leaves from this species for the treatment of wounds, inflammation, and pain. Furthermore, leaves of L. ericoides are also widely used as flavorings for the Brazilian traditional spirit "cachaça". A method has been developed for the extraction and HPLC-DAD analysis of the secondary metabolites of L. ericoides leaves. This analytical method was validated with 11 secondary metabolites chosen to represent the different classes and polarities of secondary metabolites occurring in L. ericoides leaves, and good responses were obtained for each validation parameter analyzed. The same HPLC analytical method was also employed for online secondary metabolite identification by HPLC-DAD-MS and HPLC-DAD-MS/MS, leading to the identification of di- C-glucosylflavones, coumaroylglucosylflavonols, flavone, flavanones, flavonols, chalcones, goyazensolide, and eremantholide-type sesquiterpene lactones and positional isomeric series of chlorogenic acids possessing caffeic and/or ferulic moieties. Among the 52 chromatographic peaks observed, 36 were fully identified and 8 were attributed to compounds belonging to series of caffeoylferuloylquinic and diferuloylquinic acids that could not be individualized from each other.

Burned Out Or Just Frustrated? Reasons Why Physical Education Teachers Leave Their Profession

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Cieśliński Ryszard

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This work focuses on the reasons why physical education (PE teachers leave their profession. The study included 80 individuals who decided to leave a teaching profession in 2013. A diagnostic poll method with the use of the QWL (Quality of Work Life index was employed in the study. It was observed that there are usually a number of reasons why they give up their job, the most important being financial reasons. Their decision is influenced by the accumulation of professional and personal problems as well as their inability to solve them. The findings showed that teachers‘ departure from the profession is generally associated with the issue of burnout; however, financial reasons are most frequently ones that directly affect this decision.

Optimization of extraction method and HPLC analysis of six caffeoylquinic acids in Pluchea indica leaves from different provenances in Thailand

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Sumet Kongkiatpaiboon

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Pluchea indica (L. Less., Asteraceae, is a medicinal plant which contains a high amount of phenolic compounds such as caffeoylquinic acid derivatives. The leaves have been traditionally used as a nerve tonic and extensively as herbal tea. This study aimed to develop and validate an HPLC method to quantitatively analyze six caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, viz. 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-O caffeoylquinic acid, 3,4-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and 4,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid in P. indica leaf extract. HPLC was carried out in a Hypersil BDS C18-column eluted with 0.5% acetic acid in water and methanol using gradient elution with a flow rate of 1 ml/min and detection at 326 nm. The method validation was performed to assure its linearity, precision, accuracy and limits of detection and quantitation. Several extraction techniques including maceration, decoction, digestion, Soxhlet extraction, and ultrasound extraction, were used to extract active constituents. The ultrasound extraction with 50% ethanol yielded the highest concentration of these caffeoylquinic acid derivatives in the P. indica leaf extract. Our developed HPLC method is simple and reliable for a routine analysis of the six caffeoylquinic acids in P. indica leaves and could potentially be applied to be used in commercial herbal products.

The Validation of NAA Method Used as Test Method in Serpong NAA Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rina-Mulyaningsih, Th.

2004-01-01

The Validation Of NAA Method Used As Test Method In Serpong NAA Laboratory. NAA Method is a non standard testing method. The testing laboratory shall validate its using method to ensure and confirm that it is suitable with application. The validation of NAA methods have been done with the parameters of accuracy, precision, repeatability and selectivity. The NIST 1573a Tomato Leaves, NIES 10C Rice flour unpolished and standard elements were used in this testing program. The result of testing with NIST 1573a showed that the elements of Na, Zn, Al and Mn are met from acceptance criteria of accuracy and precision, whereas Co is rejected. The result of testing with NIES 10C showed that Na and Zn elements are met from acceptance criteria of accuracy and precision, but Mn element is rejected. The result of selectivity test showed that the value of quantity is between 0.1-2.5 μg, depend on the elements. (author)

Validation and results of a questionnaire for functional bowel disease in out-patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Skordilis Panagiotis

2002-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim was to evaluate and validate a bowel disease questionnaire in patients attending an out-patient gastroenterology clinic in Greece. Methods This was a prospective study. Diagnosis was based on detailed clinical and laboratory evaluation. The questionnaire was tested on a pilot group of patients. Interviewer-administration technique was used. One-hundred-and-forty consecutive patients attending the out-patient clinic for the first time and fifty healthy controls selected randomly participated in the study. Reliability (kappa statistics and validity of the questionnaire were tested. We used logistic regression models and binary recursive partitioning for assessing distinguishing ability among irritable bowel syndrome (IBS, functional dyspepsia and organic disease patients. Results Mean time for questionnaire completion was 18 min. In test-retest procedure a good agreement was obtained (kappa statistics 0.82. There were 55 patients diagnosed as having IBS, 18 with functional dyspepsia (Rome I criteria, 38 with organic disease. Location of pain was a significant distinguishing factor, patients with functional dyspepsia having no lower abdominal pain (p Conclusions This questionnaire for functional bowel disease is a valid and reliable instrument that can distinguish satisfactorily between organic and functional disease in an out-patient setting.

Validation of seat-off and seat-on in repeated sit-to-stand movements using a single-body-fixed sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Lummel, R C; Ainsworth, E; Hausdorff, J M; Lindemann, U; Beek, P J; Van Dieën, J H

2012-01-01

The identification of chair rise phases is a prerequisite for quantifying sit-to-stand movements. The aim of this study is to validate seat-off and seat-on detection using a single-body-fixed sensor against detection based on chair switches. A single sensor system with three accelerometers and three gyroscopes was fixed around the waist. Synchronized on–off switches were placed under the chair. Thirteen older adults were recruited from a residential care home and fifteen young adults were recruited among college students. Subjects were asked to complete two sets of five trials each. Six features of the trunk movement during seat-off and seat-on were calculated automatically, and a model was developed to predict the moment of seat-off and seat-on transitions. The predictions were validated with leave-one-out cross-validation. Feature extraction failed in two trials (0.7%). For the optimal combination of seat-off predictors, cross-validation yielded a mean error of 0 ms and a mean absolute error of 51 ms. For the best seat-on predictor, cross-validation yielded a mean error of –3 ms and a mean absolute error of 127 ms. The results of this study demonstrate that seat-off and seat-on in repeated sit-to-stand movements can be detected semi-automatically in young and older adults using a one-body-fixed sensor system with an accuracy of 51 and 127 ms, respectively. The use of the ambulatory instrumentation is feasible for non-technically trained personnel. This is an important step in the development of an automated method for the quantification of sit-to-stand movements in clinical practice. (paper)

Dose-response relation between physical activity and sick leave

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Proper, K.I.; Heuvel, S.G. van den; Vroome, E.M. de; Hildebrandt, V.H.; Beek, A.J. van der

2006-01-01

Objective: To investigate the dose-response relation between moderate and vigorous physical activity and sick leave in a working population. Methods: Data were used from three large Dutch databases: two continuous, cross sectional surveys among a representative sample of the Dutch population and one

Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22: Translation, Cross-cultural Adaptation, and Validation in Hebrew-Speaking Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Shapira Galitz, Yael; Halperin, Doron; Bavnik, Yosef; Warman, Meir

2016-05-01

To perform the translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) questionnaire to the Hebrew language. A single-center prospective cross-sectional study. Seventy-three chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients and 73 patients without sinonasal disease filled the Hebrew version of the SNOT-22 questionnaire. Fifty-one CRS patients underwent endoscopic sinus surgery, out of which 28 filled a postoperative questionnaire. Seventy-three healthy volunteers without sinonasal disease also answered the questionnaire. Internal consistency, test-retest reproducibility, validity, and responsiveness of the questionnaire were evaluated. Questionnaire reliability was excellent, with a high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient, 0.91-0.936) and test-retest reproducibility (Spearman's coefficient, 0.962). Mean scores for the preoperative, postoperative, and control groups were 50.44, 29.64, and 13.15, respectively (P < .0001 for CRS vs controls, P < .001 for preoperative vs postoperative), showing validity and responsiveness of the questionnaire. The Hebrew version of SNOT-22 questionnaire is a valid outcome measure for patients with CRS with or without nasal polyps. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2016.

Development of a German version of the Oswestry Disability Index. Part 1: cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, and validity.

Science.gov (United States)

Mannion, A F; Junge, A; Fairbank, J C T; Dvorak, J; Grob, D

2006-01-01

Patient-orientated assessment methods are of paramount importance in the evaluation of treatment outcome. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is one of the condition-specific questionnaires recommended for use with back pain patients. To date, no German version has been published in the peer-reviewed literature. A cross-cultural adaptation of the ODI for the German language was carried out, according to established guidelines. One hundred patients with chronic low-back pain (35 conservative, 65 surgical) completed a questionnaire booklet containing the newly translated ODI, along with a 0-10 pain visual analogue scale (VAS), the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, and Likert scales for disability, medication intake and pain frequency [to assess ODI's construct (convergent) validity]. Thirty-nine of these patients completed a second questionnaire within 2 weeks (to assess test-retest reliability). The intraclass correlation coefficient for the test-retest reliability of the questionnaire was 0.96. In test-retest, 74% of the individual questions were answered identically, and 21% just one grade higher or lower. The standard error of measurement (SEM) was 3.4, giving a "minimum detectable change" (MDC(95%)) for the ODI of approximately 9 points, i.e. the minimum change in an individual's score required to be considered "real change" (with 95% confidence) over and above measurement error. The ODI scores correlated with VAS pain intensity (r = 0.78, P disability, medication use and pain frequency (in each case P Oswestry questionnaire is reliable and valid, and shows psychometric characteristics as good as, if not better than, the original English version. It should represent a valuable tool for use in future patient-orientated outcome studies in German-speaking lands.

Theoretical analysis of knock-out release of fission products from nuclear fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamagishi, S.

1975-01-01

The knock-out release of fission products is studied theoretically. The general equations of knock-out release are derived, assuming that a fission fragment passing through the surface of nuclear fuels knocks out a local region of the surface with an effective thickness and an effective cross-sectional area. Using these equations, the knock-out release of fission gases is calculated for various cases. The conditions under which the knock-out coefficients (the average number of uranium atoms knocked out by one fission fragment) is obtainable are clarified by experiments on the knock-out release of fission gases. A method of determining the effective thickness and the effective cross-sectional area of a knock-out region is proposed. (Auth.)

Flow velocity measurement by using zero-crossing polarity cross correlation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Chengji; Lu Jinming; Xia Hong

1993-01-01

Using the designed correlation metering system and a high accurate hot-wire anemometer as a calibration device, the experimental study of correlation method in a tunnel was carried out. The velocity measurement of gas flow by using zero-crossing polarity cross correlation method was realized and the experimental results has been analysed

Analytical method development of nifedipine and its degradants binary mixture using high performance liquid chromatography through a quality by design approach

Science.gov (United States)

Choiri, S.; Ainurofiq, A.; Ratri, R.; Zulmi, M. U.

2018-03-01

Nifedipin (NIF) is a photo-labile drug that easily degrades when it exposures a sunlight. This research aimed to develop of an analytical method using a high-performance liquid chromatography and implemented a quality by design approach to obtain effective, efficient, and validated analytical methods of NIF and its degradants. A 22 full factorial design approach with a curvature as a center point was applied to optimize of the analytical condition of NIF and its degradants. Mobile phase composition (MPC) and flow rate (FR) as factors determined on the system suitability parameters. The selected condition was validated by cross-validation using a leave one out technique. Alteration of MPC affected on time retention significantly. Furthermore, an increase of FR reduced the tailing factor. In addition, the interaction of both factors affected on an increase of the theoretical plates and resolution of NIF and its degradants. The selected analytical condition of NIF and its degradants has been validated at range 1 – 16 µg/mL that had good linearity, precision, accuration and efficient due to an analysis time within 10 min.

Estimating misclassification error: a closer look at cross-validation based methods

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Ounpraseuth Songthip

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To estimate a classifier’s error in predicting future observations, bootstrap methods have been proposed as reduced-variation alternatives to traditional cross-validation (CV methods based on sampling without replacement. Monte Carlo (MC simulation studies aimed at estimating the true misclassification error conditional on the training set are commonly used to compare CV methods. We conducted an MC simulation study to compare a new method of bootstrap CV (BCV to k-fold CV for estimating clasification error. Findings For the low-dimensional conditions simulated, the modest positive bias of k-fold CV contrasted sharply with the substantial negative bias of the new BCV method. This behavior was corroborated using a real-world dataset of prognostic gene-expression profiles in breast cancer patients. Our simulation results demonstrate some extreme characteristics of variance and bias that can occur due to a fault in the design of CV exercises aimed at estimating the true conditional error of a classifier, and that appear not to have been fully appreciated in previous studies. Although CV is a sound practice for estimating a classifier’s generalization error, using CV to estimate the fixed misclassification error of a trained classifier conditional on the training set is problematic. While MC simulation of this estimation exercise can correctly represent the average bias of a classifier, it will overstate the between-run variance of the bias. Conclusions We recommend k-fold CV over the new BCV method for estimating a classifier’s generalization error. The extreme negative bias of BCV is too high a price to pay for its reduced variance.

PENGENALAN POLA SIDIK JARI RIDGE ENDING DAN BIFURCATION POINT DENGAN EKSTRAKSI MINUSI METODE CROSSING NUMBER

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I Putu Dody Lesmana

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Biometric is a development of basic method of identification using human natural characteristics as its basic. One of the biometric system that is often used is fingerprint. Fingerprint matching system can be obtained by extraction of minutiae information. Information from minutiae extraction generated ridge ending and bifurcation. The technique coffered in this paper is based on the extraction of minutiae from fingerprint image using crossing number (CN method to get ridge ending and bifurcation point by scanning each of ridges point. False identification of minutiae structure may be introduced into the fingerprint image due to hole and spur structure. It is necessary to test the validity of each minutiae point to eliminate false minutiae. Experiments are firstly conducted to assess how well the crossing number method is able to extract the minutiae point. The minutiae validation algorithm is then evaluated to see how effective the algorithm is in detecting the false minutiae. From experiments result using crossing number method, it can be deduced that all ridge points corresponding to ridge ending and bifurcation point have been detected successfully. However, there are a few cases where the extracted minutiae do not correspond to true minutiae points due to hole and spur structure. Applying minutiae validation algorithm is able to cancel out the false ridge endings created by the spur structure and bifurcations created by the hole structures.

A theory of cross-validation error

OpenAIRE

Turney, Peter D.

1994-01-01

This paper presents a theory of error in cross-validation testing of algorithms for predicting real-valued attributes. The theory justifies the claim that predicting real-valued attributes requires balancing the conflicting demands of simplicity and accuracy. Furthermore, the theory indicates precisely how these conflicting demands must be balanced, in order to minimize cross-validation error. A general theory is presented, then it is developed in detail for linear regression and instance-bas...

Development of gait segmentation methods for wearable foot pressure sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Crea, S; De Rossi, S M M; Donati, M; Reberšek, P; Novak, D; Vitiello, N; Lenzi, T; Podobnik, J; Munih, M; Carrozza, M C

2012-01-01

We present an automated segmentation method based on the analysis of plantar pressure signals recorded from two synchronized wireless foot insoles. Given the strict limits on computational power and power consumption typical of wearable electronic components, our aim is to investigate the capability of a Hidden Markov Model machine-learning method, to detect gait phases with different levels of complexity in the processing of the wearable pressure sensors signals. Therefore three different datasets are developed: raw voltage values, calibrated sensor signals and a calibrated estimation of total ground reaction force and position of the plantar center of pressure. The method is tested on a pool of 5 healthy subjects, through a leave-one-out cross validation. The results show high classification performances achieved using estimated biomechanical variables, being on average the 96%. Calibrated signals and raw voltage values show higher delays and dispersions in phase transition detection, suggesting a lower reliability for online applications.

Symmetry Analysis of Gait between Left and Right Limb Using Cross-Fuzzy Entropy

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Yi Xia

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is the investigation of gait symmetry problem by using cross-fuzzy entropy (C-FuzzyEn, which is a recently proposed cross entropy that has many merits as compared to the frequently used cross sample entropy (C-SampleEn. First, we used several simulation signals to test its performance regarding the relative consistency and dependence on data length. Second, the gait time series of the left and right stride interval were used to calculate the C-FuzzyEn values for gait symmetry analysis. Besides the statistical analysis, we also realized a support vector machine (SVM classifier to perform the classification of normal and abnormal gaits. The gait dataset consists of 15 patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD and 16 control (CO subjects. The results show that the C-FuzzyEn values of the PD patients’ gait are significantly higher than that of the CO subjects with a p value of less than 10-5, and the best classification performance evaluated by a leave-one-out (LOO cross-validation method is an accuracy of 96.77%. Such encouraging results imply that the C-FuzzyEn-based gait symmetry measure appears as a suitable tool for analyzing abnormal gaits.

Child-OIDP index in Brazil: Cross-cultural adaptation and validation

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Tsakos Georgios

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL measures are being increasingly used to introduce dimensions excluded by normative measures. Consequently, there is a need for an index which evaluates children's OHRQoL validated for Brazilian population, useful for oral health needs assessments and for the evaluation of oral health programs, services and technologies. The aim of this study was to do a cross-cultural adaptation of the Child Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (Child-OIDP index, and assess its reliability and validity for application among Brazilian children between the ages of eleven and fourteen. Methods For cross-cultural adaptation, a translation/back-translation method integrated with expert panel reviews was applied. A total of 342 students from four public schools took part of the study. Results Overall, 80.7% of the sample reported at least one oral impact in the last three months. Cronbach's alpha was 0.63, the weighted kappa 0.76, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC 0.79. The index had a significant association with self-reported health measurements (self-rated oral health, satisfaction with oral health, perceived dental treatment needs, self-rated general health; all p Conclusion It was concluded that the Child-OIDP index is a measure of oral health-related quality of life that can be applied to Brazilian children.

Neutron-induced cross-sections via the surrogate method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boutoux, G.

2011-11-01

The surrogate reaction method is an indirect way of determining neutron-induced cross sections through transfer or inelastic scattering reactions. This method presents the advantage that in some cases the target material is stable or less radioactive than the material required for a neutron-induced measurement. The method is based on the hypothesis that the excited nucleus is a compound nucleus whose decay depends essentially on its excitation energy and on the spin and parity state of the populated compound state. Nevertheless, the spin and parity population differences between the compound-nuclei produced in the neutron and transfer-induced reactions may be different. This work reviews the surrogate method and its validity. Neutron-induced fission cross sections obtained with the surrogate method are in general good agreement. However, it is not yet clear to what extent the surrogate method can be applied to infer radiative capture cross sections. We performed an experiment to determine the gamma decay probabilities for 176 Lu and 173 Yb by using the surrogate reactions 174 Yb( 3 He,pγ) 176 Lu * and 174 Yb( 3 He,αγ) 173 Yb * , respectively, and compare them with the well-known corresponding probabilities obtained in the 175 Lu(n,γ) and 172 Yb(n,γ) reactions. This experiment provides answers to understand why, in the case of gamma-decay, the surrogate method gives significant deviations compared to the corresponding neutron-induced reaction. In this work, we have also assessed whether the surrogate method can be applied to extract capture probabilities in the actinide region. Previous experiments on fission have also been reinterpreted. Thus, this work provides new insights into the surrogate method. This work is organised in the following way: in chapter 1, the theoretical aspects related to the surrogate method will be introduced. The validity of the surrogate method will be investigated by means of statistical model calculations. In chapter 2, a review on

Displacement of carbon-14 labelled amino acids from leaves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schiller, R.

1973-01-01

The displacement of amino acids from nature leaves was investigated. The amino acids (Ala, Asn, Asp, Glu, Gln, Val, Leu, Lys, Ser, Pro) were applied on the leaves in L-form, uniformly labelled with 14 C, and the type and direction of displacement have been observed. Most of the studies have been carried out on bush beans aged 3 to 4 weeks. The experiments were carried out in climatic chambers; in one case, barley plants just reaching maturity were used. In order to find out whether the applied amino acids were also displaced in their original form, freeze-dried plants were extracted and the 14 C activity of the various fraction was determined. The radioactivity of some free amino acids was determined after two-dimensional separation by thin film chromatography. (orig./HK) [de

Competence classification of cumulus and granulosa cell transcriptome in embryos matched by morphology and female age

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borup, Rehannah; Thuesen, Lea Langhoff; Andersen, Claus Yding

2016-01-01

compartments. DESIGN: A case-control study. SETTING: University based facilities for clinical services and research. PATIENTS: MGC and CC samples from 60 women undergoing IVF treatment following the long GnRH-agonist protocol were collected. Samples from 16 oocytes where live birth was achieved and 16 age...... prediction analysis using machine learning algorithms (support vector machines) with performance estimation by leave-one-out cross validation and independent validation on an external data set. RESULTS: We defined a signature of 30 genes expressed in CC predictive of live birth. This live birth prediction...

Validation and upgrading of the recommended cross-section data of charged particle reactions: Gamma emitter radioisotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takacs, S.; Tarkanyi, F.; Hermanne, A.

2005-01-01

An upgrade and validation test of the recommended cross-section database for production of gamma emitter radioisotopes by charged particle induced reactions, published by the IAEA in 2001, was performed. Experimental microscopic cross-section data published earlier or measured recently and not yet included in the evaluation work were collected and added to the primary database in order to improve the quality of the recommended data. The newly compiled experimental data in general supported the previous recommended data, but in a few cases they influenced the decision and resulted in different selected cross-section data sets. A Spline fitting method was used to calculate the recommended data from the selected data sets. Integral thick target yields were deduced from the newly calculated recommended cross-sections and were critically compared with the available experimental yield data

Leaving school: Analysis of a case study from the angle of the ecological approach

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Stepanović-Ilić Ivana

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Leaving school has far reaching consequences both for the individual and the society. We tackled this problem by using Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory to analyse case studies of 12 children (elementary and secondary schools who quit schooling or are under risk to do so. It is an adequate frame of reference for understanding the causes of school-leaving since it considers different levels of development and their relations. The children and four parents took part in semi-structured interviews. Other data were gathered by interviewing the focus groups of school principals, school pedagogues and psychologists, teachers, Parent Councils, and pupils. The qualitative analysis shows a disturbed structure and functioning even at the level of microsystem (family, school, peers which may be linked with school-leaving. The relations between microsystems are sporadic and inadequate (mesosystem which additionally stimulates school-leaving. Higher levels of environment (exo and macro systems in which children do not participate, yet depend upon their indirect influence, stimulate school leaving, too. Many children were faced with nonnormative life events (chrono-system: divorce or death of parent/s, underage pregnancy, family moving. We view this research as the initial step which will identify the problems and lead to future directions of research which would, based on Bronfenbrenner's approach, systematically examine different levels of environment and form the basis for creating ecologically valid measures for prevention of school-leaving.

Work-related psychosocial events as triggers of sick leave - results from a Swedish case-crossover study

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Lindholm Christina

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although illness is an important cause of sick leave, it has also been suggested that non-medical risk factors may influence this association. If such factors impact on the period of decision making, they should be considered as triggers. Yet, there is no empirical support available. The aim was to investigate whether recent exposure to work-related psychosocial events can trigger the decision to report sick when ill. Methods A case-crossover design was applied to 546 sick-leave spells, extracted from a Swedish cohort of 1 430 employees with a 3-12 month follow-up of new sick-leave spells. Exposure in a case period corresponding to an induction period of one or two days was compared with exposure during control periods sampled from workdays during a two-week period prior to sick leave for the same individual. This was done according to the matched-pair interval and the usual frequency approaches. Results are presented as odds ratios (OR with 95% confidence intervals (CI. Results Most sick-leave spells happened in relation to acute, minor illnesses that substantially reduced work ability. The risk of taking sick leave was increased when individuals had recently been exposed to problems in their relationship with a superior (OR 3.63; CI 1.44-9.14 or colleagues (OR 4.68; CI 1.43-15.29. Individuals were also more inclined to report sick on days when they expected a very stressful work situation than on a day when they were not under such stress (OR 2.27; CI 1.40-3.70. Conclusions Exposure to problems in workplace relationships or a stressful work situation seems to be able to trigger reporting sick. Psychosocial work-environmental factors appear to have a short-term effect on individuals when deciding to report sick.

Criterion validity and reliability of a smartphone delivered sub-maximal fitness test for people with type 2 diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brinklov, Cecilie Fau; Thorsen, Ida Kær; Karstoft, Kristian

2016-01-01

Background: Prevention of multi-morbidities following non-communicable diseases requires a systematic registration of adverse modifiable risk factors, including low physical fitness. The aim of the study was to establish criterion validity and reliability of a smartphone app (InterWalk) delivered....... The algorithm was validated using leave-one-out cross validation. Test-retest reliability was tested in a subset of participants (N = 10). Results: The overall VO2peak prediction of the algorithm (R2) was 0.60 and 0.45 when the smartphone was placed in the pockets of the pants and jacket, respectively (p ... calorimetry and the acceleration (vector magnitude) from the smartphone was obtained. The vector magnitude was used to predict VO2peak along with the co-variates weight, height and sex. The validity of the algorithm was tested when the smartphone was placed in the right pocket of the pants or jacket...

Part-Time Sick Leave as a Treatment Method?

OpenAIRE

Andrén D; Andrén T

2009-01-01

This paper analyzes the effects of being on part-time sick leave compared to full-time sick leave on the probability of recovering (i.e., returning to work with full recovery of lost work capacity). Using a discrete choice one-factor model, we estimate mean treatment parameters and distributional treatment parameters from a common set of structural parameters. Our results show that part-time sick leave increases the likelihood of recovering and dominates full-time sick leave for sickness spel...

Experimental validation of lead cross sections for scale and MCNP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henrikson, D.J.

1995-01-01

Moving spent nuclear fuel between facilities often requires the use of lead-shielded casks. Criticality safety that is based upon calculations requires experimental validation of the fuel matrix and lead cross section libraries. A series of critical experiments using a high-enriched uranium-aluminum fuel element with a variety of reflectors, including lead, has been identified. Twenty-one configurations were evaluated in this study. The fuel element was modelled for KENO V.a and MCNP 4a using various cross section sets. The experiments addressed in this report can be used to validate lead-reflected calculations. Factors influencing calculated k eff which require further study include diameters of styrofoam inserts and homogenization

Improving lung cancer prognosis assessment by incorporating synthetic minority oversampling technique and score fusion method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Shiju [School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China and School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019 (United States); Qian, Wei [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas, El Paso, Texas 79968 and Sino-Dutch Biomedical and Information Engineering School, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Guan, Yubao [Department of Radiology, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182 (China); Zheng, Bin, E-mail: Bin.Zheng-1@ou.edu [School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019 (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the potential to improve lung cancer recurrence risk prediction performance for stage I NSCLS patients by integrating oversampling, feature selection, and score fusion techniques and develop an optimal prediction model. Methods: A dataset involving 94 early stage lung cancer patients was retrospectively assembled, which includes CT images, nine clinical and biological (CB) markers, and outcome of 3-yr disease-free survival (DFS) after surgery. Among the 94 patients, 74 remained DFS and 20 had cancer recurrence. Applying a computer-aided detection scheme, tumors were segmented from the CT images and 35 quantitative image (QI) features were initially computed. Two normalized Gaussian radial basis function network (RBFN) based classifiers were built based on QI features and CB markers separately. To improve prediction performance, the authors applied a synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) and a BestFirst based feature selection method to optimize the classifiers and also tested fusion methods to combine QI and CB based prediction results. Results: Using a leave-one-case-out cross-validation (K-fold cross-validation) method, the computed areas under a receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) were 0.716 ± 0.071 and 0.642 ± 0.061, when using the QI and CB based classifiers, respectively. By fusion of the scores generated by the two classifiers, AUC significantly increased to 0.859 ± 0.052 (p < 0.05) with an overall prediction accuracy of 89.4%. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the feasibility of improving prediction performance by integrating SMOTE, feature selection, and score fusion techniques. Combining QI features and CB markers and performing SMOTE prior to feature selection in classifier training enabled RBFN based classifier to yield improved prediction accuracy.

Improving lung cancer prognosis assessment by incorporating synthetic minority oversampling technique and score fusion method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Shiju; Qian, Wei; Guan, Yubao; Zheng, Bin

2016-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the potential to improve lung cancer recurrence risk prediction performance for stage I NSCLS patients by integrating oversampling, feature selection, and score fusion techniques and develop an optimal prediction model. Methods: A dataset involving 94 early stage lung cancer patients was retrospectively assembled, which includes CT images, nine clinical and biological (CB) markers, and outcome of 3-yr disease-free survival (DFS) after surgery. Among the 94 patients, 74 remained DFS and 20 had cancer recurrence. Applying a computer-aided detection scheme, tumors were segmented from the CT images and 35 quantitative image (QI) features were initially computed. Two normalized Gaussian radial basis function network (RBFN) based classifiers were built based on QI features and CB markers separately. To improve prediction performance, the authors applied a synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) and a BestFirst based feature selection method to optimize the classifiers and also tested fusion methods to combine QI and CB based prediction results. Results: Using a leave-one-case-out cross-validation (K-fold cross-validation) method, the computed areas under a receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) were 0.716 ± 0.071 and 0.642 ± 0.061, when using the QI and CB based classifiers, respectively. By fusion of the scores generated by the two classifiers, AUC significantly increased to 0.859 ± 0.052 (p < 0.05) with an overall prediction accuracy of 89.4%. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the feasibility of improving prediction performance by integrating SMOTE, feature selection, and score fusion techniques. Combining QI features and CB markers and performing SMOTE prior to feature selection in classifier training enabled RBFN based classifier to yield improved prediction accuracy.

[Simultaneous determination of eleven components in Ginkgo biloba leaves by high performance liquid chromatography method].

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Jin-Li; Yang, Biao; Li, Meng-Xuan; Meng, Zhao-Qing; Ma, Shi-Ping; Wang, Zhen-Zhong; Ding, Gang; Huang, Wen-Zhe; Xiao, Wei

2017-03-01

To study Ginkgo biloba leaves in different producing area, we establish an HPLC method for the simultaneously determination of seven flavonoids glycosides and four biflavonoids in G. biloba leaves. The analysis was performed on an Agilent ZORBAX SB-C₁₈ column(4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm) wich acetonitrile, and 0.4% phosphoric acid as mobile phase at flow rate of 1 mL•min⁻¹ in a gradient edution, and the detection was carried out at 254 nm.The calibration curves of the seven flavonoids glycosides and four biflavonoids had a good linearitiy with good recoveries. The established HPLC method is simple, rapid, accurate, reliable, and sensitive, and can be applied to the identification and quality control of G. biloba leaves. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Cross-diagnostic validity of the Nottingham health profile index of distress (NHPD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klevsgård Rosemarie

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Nottingham Health Profile index of Distress (NHPD has been proposed as a generic undimensional 24-item measure of illness-related distress that is embedded in the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP. Data indicate that the NHPD may have psychometric advantages to the 6-dimensional NHP profile scores. Detailed psychometric evaluations are, however, lacking. Furthermore, to support the validity of the generic property of outcome measures evidence that scores can be interpreted in the same manner in different diagnostic groups are needed. It is currently unknown if NHPD scores have the same meaning across patient populations. This study evaluated the measurement properties and cross-diagnostic validity of the NHPD as a survey instrument among people with Parkinson's disease (PD and peripheral arterial disease (PAD. Methods Data from 215 (PD and 258 (PAD people were Rasch analyzed regarding model fit, reliability, differential item functioning (DIF, unidimensionality and targeting. In cases of cross-diagnostic DIF this was adjusted for and the impact of DIF on the total score and person measures was assessed. Results The NHPD was found to have good overall and individual item fit in both disorders as well as in the pooled sample, but seven items displayed signs of cross-diagnostic DIF. Following adjustment for DIF some aspects of model fit were slightly compromised, whereas others improved somewhat. DIF did not impact total NHPD scores or resulting person measures, but the unadjusted scale displayed minor signs of multidimensionality. Reliability was > 0.8 in all within- and cross-diagnostic analyses. Items tended to represent more distress (mean, 0 logits than that experienced by the sample (mean, -1.6 logits. Conclusion This study supports the within- and cross-diagnostic validity of the NHPD as a survey tool among people with PD and PAD. We encourage others to reassess available NHP data within the NHPD framework to further

In/Out Status Monitoring in Mobile Asset Tracking with Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kwangsoo Kim

2010-03-01

Full Text Available A mobile asset with a sensor node in a mobile asset tracking system moves around a monitoring area, leaves it, and then returns to the region repeatedly. The system monitors the in/out status of the mobile asset. Due to the continuous movement of the mobile asset, the system may generate an error for the in/out status of the mobile asset. When the mobile asset is inside the region, the system might determine that it is outside, or vice versa. In this paper, we propose a method to detect and correct the incorrect in/out status of the mobile asset. To solve this problem, our approach uses data about the connection state transition and the battery lifetime of the mobile node attached to the mobile asset. The connection state transition is used to classify the mobile node as normal or abnormal. The battery lifetime is used to predict a valid working period for the mobile node. We evaluate our method using real data generated by a medical asset tracking system. The experimental results show that our method, by using the estimated battery life time or by using the invalid connection state, can detect and correct most cases of incorrect in/out statuses generated by the conventional approach.

In/out status monitoring in mobile asset tracking with wireless sensor networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kwangsoo; Chung, Chin-Wan

2010-01-01

A mobile asset with a sensor node in a mobile asset tracking system moves around a monitoring area, leaves it, and then returns to the region repeatedly. The system monitors the in/out status of the mobile asset. Due to the continuous movement of the mobile asset, the system may generate an error for the in/out status of the mobile asset. When the mobile asset is inside the region, the system might determine that it is outside, or vice versa. In this paper, we propose a method to detect and correct the incorrect in/out status of the mobile asset. To solve this problem, our approach uses data about the connection state transition and the battery lifetime of the mobile node attached to the mobile asset. The connection state transition is used to classify the mobile node as normal or abnormal. The battery lifetime is used to predict a valid working period for the mobile node. We evaluate our method using real data generated by a medical asset tracking system. The experimental results show that our method, by using the estimated battery life time or by using the invalid connection state, can detect and correct most cases of incorrect in/out statuses generated by the conventional approach.

A cross-validation package driving Netica with python

Science.gov (United States)

Fienen, Michael N.; Plant, Nathaniel G.

2014-01-01

Bayesian networks (BNs) are powerful tools for probabilistically simulating natural systems and emulating process models. Cross validation is a technique to avoid overfitting resulting from overly complex BNs. Overfitting reduces predictive skill. Cross-validation for BNs is known but rarely implemented due partly to a lack of software tools designed to work with available BN packages. CVNetica is open-source, written in Python, and extends the Netica software package to perform cross-validation and read, rebuild, and learn BNs from data. Insights gained from cross-validation and implications on prediction versus description are illustrated with: a data-driven oceanographic application; and a model-emulation application. These examples show that overfitting occurs when BNs become more complex than allowed by supporting data and overfitting incurs computational costs as well as causing a reduction in prediction skill. CVNetica evaluates overfitting using several complexity metrics (we used level of discretization) and its impact on performance metrics (we used skill).

Cognitive—Motor Interference in an Ecologically Valid Street Crossing Scenario

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christin Janouch

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Laboratory-based research revealed that gait involves higher cognitive processes, leading to performance impairments when executed with a concurrent loading task. Deficits are especially pronounced in older adults. Theoretical approaches like the multiple resource model highlight the role of task similarity and associated attention distribution problems. It has been shown that in cases where these distribution problems are perceived relevant to participant's risk of falls, older adults prioritize gait and posture over the concurrent loading task. Here we investigate whether findings on task similarity and task prioritization can be transferred to an ecologically valid scenario. Sixty-three younger adults (20–30 years of age and 61 older adults (65–75 years of age participated in a virtual street crossing simulation. The participants' task was to identify suitable gaps that would allow them to cross a simulated two way street safely. Therefore, participants walked on a manual treadmill that transferred their forward motion to forward displacements in a virtual city. The task was presented as a single task (crossing only and as a multitask. In the multitask condition participants were asked, among others, to type in three digit numbers that were presented either visually or auditorily. We found that for both age groups, street crossing as well as typing performance suffered under multitasking conditions. Impairments were especially pronounced for older adults (e.g., longer crossing initiation phase, more missed opportunities. However, younger and older adults did not differ in the speed and success rate of crossing. Further, deficits were stronger in the visual compared to the auditory task modality for most parameters. Our findings conform to earlier studies that found an age-related decline in multitasking performance in less realistic scenarios. However, task similarity effects were inconsistent and question the validity of the multiple

Introducing conjoint analysis method into delayed lotteries studies: its validity and time stability are higher than in adjusting.

Science.gov (United States)

Białek, Michał; Markiewicz, Łukasz; Sawicki, Przemysław

2015-01-01

The delayed lotteries are much more common in everyday life than are pure lotteries. Usually, we need to wait to find out the outcome of the risky decision (e.g., investing in a stock market, engaging in a relationship). However, most research has studied the time discounting and probability discounting in isolation using the methodologies designed specifically to track changes in one parameter. Most commonly used method is adjusting, but its reported validity and time stability in research on discounting are suboptimal. The goal of this study was to introduce the novel method for analyzing delayed lotteries-conjoint analysis-which hypothetically is more suitable for analyzing individual preferences in this area. A set of two studies compared the conjoint analysis with adjusting. The results suggest that individual parameters of discounting strength estimated with conjoint have higher predictive value (Study 1 and 2), and they are more stable over time (Study 2) compared to adjusting. We discuss these findings, despite the exploratory character of reported studies, by suggesting that future research on delayed lotteries should be cross-validated using both methods.

Introducing conjoint analysis method into delayed lotteries studies: Its validity and time stability are higher than in adjusting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michal eBialek

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The delayed lotteries are much more common in everyday life than are pure lotteries. Usually, we need to wait to find out the outcome of the risky decision (e.g., investing in a stock market, engaging in a relationship. However, most research has studied the time discounting and probability discounting in isolation using the methodologies designed specifically to track changes in one parameter. Most commonly used method is adjusting, but its reported validity and time stability in research on discounting are suboptimal.The goal of this study was to introduce the novel method for analyzing delayed lotteries - conjoint analysis - which hypothetically is more suitable for analyzing individual preferences in this area. A set of two studies compared the conjoint analysis with adjusting. The results suggest that individual parameters of discounting strength estimated with conjoint have higher predictive value (Study 1 & 2, and they are more stable over time (Study 2 compared to adjusting. We discuss these findings, despite the exploratory character of reported studies, by suggesting that future research on delayed lotteries should be cross-validated using both methods.

Influence of maternity leave on exclusive breastfeeding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernanda R. Monteiro

Full Text Available Abstract Objectives: To describe the profile of women with children aged under 4 months living in the Brazilian state capitals and in the Federal District according to their working status and to analyze the influence of maternity leave on exclusive breastfeeding (EBF among working women. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with data extracted from the II National Maternal Breastfeeding Prevalence Survey carried out in 2008. Initially, a descriptive analysis of the profile of 12,794 women was performed, according to their working status and maternity leave and the frequency of maternity leave in the Brazilian regions and capitals. The study used a multiple model to identify the influence of maternity leave on EBF interruption, including 3766 women who declared they were working and were on maternity leave at the time of the interview. The outcome assessed in the study was the interruption of the EBF, classified by the WHO. Results: Regarding the working status of the mothers, 63.4% did not work outside of their homes and among those who worked, 69.8% were on maternity leave. The largest prevalence among workers was of women older than 35 years of age, with more than 12 years of schooling, primiparous and from the Southeast and South regions. The lack of maternity leave increased by 23% the chance of EBF interruption. Conclusion: Maternity leave contributed to increase the prevalence of EBF in the Brazilian states capitals, supporting the importance of increasing the maternity leave period from four to six months.

Comparative study of fourteen alkaloids from Uncaria rhynchophylla hooks and leaves using HPLC-diode array detection-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/MS method.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Jialin; Gong, Tianxing; Ma, Bin; Zhang, Lin; Kano, Yoshihiro; Yuan, Dan

2012-01-01

The purpose of the study is to compare alkaloid profile of Uncaria rhynchophylla hooks and leaves. Ten oxindole alkaloids and four glycosidic indole alkaloids were identified using HPLC-diode array detection (DAD) or LC-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI)-MS method, and a HPLC-UV method for simultaneous quantification of major alkaloids was validated. The hooks are characterized by high levels of four oxindole alkaloids rhynchophylline (R), isorhynchophylline (IR), corynoxeine (C) and isocorynoxeine (IC), while the leaves contained high level of two glycosidic indole alkaloids vincoside lactam (VL) and strictosidine (S). The presented methods have proven its usefulness in chemical characterization of U. rhynchophylla hooks and leaves.

Reliability of the one-crossing approximation in describing the Mott transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vildosola, V; Roura-Bas, P; Pourovskii, L V; Manuel, L O

2015-01-01

We assess the reliability of the one-crossing approximation (OCA) approach in a quantitative description of the Mott transition in the framework of the dynamical mean field theory (DMFT). The OCA approach has been applied in conjunction with DMFT to a number of heavy-fermion, actinide, transition metal compounds and nanoscale systems. However, several recent studies in the framework of impurity models pointed out serious deficiencies of OCA and raised questions regarding its reliability. Here we consider a single band Hubbard model on the Bethe lattice at finite temperatures and compare the results of OCA to those of a numerically exact quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) method. The temperature-local repulsion U phase diagram for the particle-hole symmetric case obtained by OCA is in good agreement with that of QMC, with the metal–insulator transition captured very well. We find, however, that the insulator to metal transition is shifted to higher values of U and, simultaneously, correlations in the metallic phase are significantly overestimated. This counter-intuitive behaviour is due to simultaneous underestimations of the Kondo scale in the metallic phase and the size of the insulating gap. We trace the underestimation of the insulating gap to that of the second moment of the high-frequency expansion of the impurity spectral density. Calculations of the system away from the particle-hole symmetric case are also presented and discussed. (paper)

Reliability of the one-crossing approximation in describing the Mott transition

Science.gov (United States)

Vildosola, V.; Pourovskii, L. V.; Manuel, L. O.; Roura-Bas, P.

2015-12-01

We assess the reliability of the one-crossing approximation (OCA) approach in a quantitative description of the Mott transition in the framework of the dynamical mean field theory (DMFT). The OCA approach has been applied in conjunction with DMFT to a number of heavy-fermion, actinide, transition metal compounds and nanoscale systems. However, several recent studies in the framework of impurity models pointed out serious deficiencies of OCA and raised questions regarding its reliability. Here we consider a single band Hubbard model on the Bethe lattice at finite temperatures and compare the results of OCA to those of a numerically exact quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) method. The temperature-local repulsion U phase diagram for the particle-hole symmetric case obtained by OCA is in good agreement with that of QMC, with the metal-insulator transition captured very well. We find, however, that the insulator to metal transition is shifted to higher values of U and, simultaneously, correlations in the metallic phase are significantly overestimated. This counter-intuitive behaviour is due to simultaneous underestimations of the Kondo scale in the metallic phase and the size of the insulating gap. We trace the underestimation of the insulating gap to that of the second moment of the high-frequency expansion of the impurity spectral density. Calculations of the system away from the particle-hole symmetric case are also presented and discussed.

From job stress to intention to leave among hospital nurses: A structural equation modelling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Wen-Yen; Chien, Li-Yin; Hwang, Fang-Ming; Huang, Nicole; Chiou, Shu-Ti

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to examine the structural relationships linking job stress to leaving intentions through job satisfaction, depressed mood and stress adaptation among hospital nurses. High turnover among nurses is a global concern. Structural relationships linking job stress to leaving intentions have not been thoroughly examined. Two nationwide cross-sectional surveys of full-time hospital staff in 2011 and 2014. The study participants were 26,945 and 19,386 full-time clinical nurses in 2011 and 2014 respectively. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the interrelationships among the study variables based on the hypothesized model. We used cross-validation procedures to ensure the stability and validity of the model in the two samples. There were five main paths from job stress to intention to leave the hospital. In addition to the direct path, job stress directly affected job satisfaction and depressed mood, which in turn affected intention to leave the hospital. Stress adaptation mitigated the effects of job stress on job satisfaction and depressed mood, which led to intention to leave the hospital. Intention to leave the hospital preceded intention to leave the profession. Those variables explained about 55% of the variance in intention to leave the profession in both years. The model fit was good for both samples, suggesting validity of the model. Strategies to decrease turnover intentions among nurses could focus on creating a less stressful work environment, increasing job satisfaction and stress adaptation and decreasing depressed mood. Hospitals should cooperate in this issue to decrease nurse turnover. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Antecedents of hospital nurses' intention to leave the organization: A cross sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Bobbio, Andrea; Manganelli, Anna Maria

2015-07-01

Leadership and perceived organizational support inspire trust in the leader and in the organization. Consequently, these aspects may contribute to a reduction in job burnout among nurses and, in the end, of the intention on their part to leave the hospital. It is crucial to develop models in order to simultaneously test the correlations between these relevant psychosocial variables, so that complexity of the nursing work environment may be better understood. We expected to give support to and to further corroborate results in the literature linking perceived leadership style – and particularly servant leadership – perceived organizational support, trust in the leader and in the organization, job burnout among nurses and their subsequent intention to leave the hospital. Cross-sectional study. Two Italian large size public hospitals. Two samples including both graduates and non-graduates members of the nursing staff. Overall mean age was equal to 42.06 years while the general mean for tenure was 12.99 years. Data were collected in 2012. A regression model with latent variables was tested via structural equation modeling using LISREL. The multi-sample procedure was also applied in order to test invariance of results between the two samples. Servant leadership was positively associated with trust in the leader and perceived organizational support was positively associated with trust in the organization. Trust in the leader and trust in the organization displayed a negative correlation with the emotional exhaustion and cynicism factors of job burnout, and a positive correlation with the professional efficacy factor. Furthermore, trust scores mediated the effects of servant leadership and perceived organizational support on job burnout factors. The cynicism factor was negatively associated with intention to leave the organization and it also mediated the effects of both trust in the leader and servant leadership on intention to leave. On the other hand, trust in the

Validation of cross sections for Monte Carlo simulation of the photoelectric effect

CERN Document Server

Han, Min Cheol; Pia, Maria Grazia; Basaglia, Tullio; Batic, Matej; Hoff, Gabriela; Kim, Chan Hyeong; Saracco, Paolo

2016-01-01

Several total and partial photoionization cross section calculations, based on both theoretical and empirical approaches, are quantitatively evaluated with statistical analyses using a large collection of experimental data retrieved from the literature to identify the state of the art for modeling the photoelectric effect in Monte Carlo particle transport. Some of the examined cross section models are available in general purpose Monte Carlo systems, while others have been implemented and subjected to validation tests for the first time to estimate whether they could improve the accuracy of particle transport codes. The validation process identifies Scofield's 1973 non-relativistic calculations, tabulated in the Evaluated Photon Data Library(EPDL), as the one best reproducing experimental measurements of total cross sections. Specialized total cross section models, some of which derive from more recent calculations, do not provide significant improvements. Scofield's non-relativistic calculations are not surp...

Service Approaches to Young People with Complex Needs Leaving Out-of-Home Care

Science.gov (United States)

Malvaso, Catia; Delfabbro, Paul; Hackett, Louisa; Mills, Hayley

2016-01-01

Although leaving statutory out-of-home care can be a challenging time for many young people, it is recognised that young people who have multiple or complex needs find this transition particularly difficult. This study aims to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by care leavers who have complex needs, as well as to identify some of…

Sickness presence, sick leave and adjustment latitude

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joachim Gerich

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Previous research on the association between adjustment latitude (defined as the opportunity to adjust work efforts in case of illness and sickness absence and sickness presence has produced inconsistent results. In particular, low adjustment latitude has been identified as both a risk factor and a deterrent of sick leave. The present study uses an alternative analytical strategy with the aim of joining these results together. Material and Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, a random sample of employees covered by the Upper Austrian Sickness Fund (N = 930 was analyzed. Logistic and ordinary least square (OLS regression models were used to examine the association between adjustment latitude and days of sickness absence, sickness presence, and an estimator for the individual sickness absence and sickness presence propensity. Results: A high level of adjustment latitude was found to be associated with a reduced number of days of sickness absence and sickness presence, but an elevated propensity for sickness absence. Conclusions: Employees with high adjustment latitude experience fewer days of health complaints associated with lower rates of sick leave and sickness presence compared to those with low adjustment latitude. In case of illness, however, high adjustment latitude is associated with a higher pro­bability of taking sick leave rather than sickness presence.

a Modeling Method of Fluttering Leaves Based on Point Cloud

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, J.; Wang, Y.; Zhao, Y.; Hao, W.; Ning, X.; Lv, K.; Shi, Z.; Zhao, M.

2017-09-01

Leaves falling gently or fluttering are common phenomenon in nature scenes. The authenticity of leaves falling plays an important part in the dynamic modeling of natural scenes. The leaves falling model has a widely applications in the field of animation and virtual reality. We propose a novel modeling method of fluttering leaves based on point cloud in this paper. According to the shape, the weight of leaves and the wind speed, three basic trajectories of leaves falling are defined, which are the rotation falling, the roll falling and the screw roll falling. At the same time, a parallel algorithm based on OpenMP is implemented to satisfy the needs of real-time in practical applications. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is amenable to the incorporation of a variety of desirable effects.

Quality assurance using outlier detection on an automatic segmentation method for the cerebellar peduncles

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ke; Ye, Chuyang; Yang, Zhen; Carass, Aaron; Ying, Sarah H.; Prince, Jerry L.

2016-03-01

Cerebellar peduncles (CPs) are white matter tracts connecting the cerebellum to other brain regions. Automatic segmentation methods of the CPs have been proposed for studying their structure and function. Usually the performance of these methods is evaluated by comparing segmentation results with manual delineations (ground truth). However, when a segmentation method is run on new data (for which no ground truth exists) it is highly desirable to efficiently detect and assess algorithm failures so that these cases can be excluded from scientific analysis. In this work, two outlier detection methods aimed to assess the performance of an automatic CP segmentation algorithm are presented. The first one is a univariate non-parametric method using a box-whisker plot. We first categorize automatic segmentation results of a dataset of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scans from 48 subjects as either a success or a failure. We then design three groups of features from the image data of nine categorized failures for failure detection. Results show that most of these features can efficiently detect the true failures. The second method—supervised classification—was employed on a larger DTI dataset of 249 manually categorized subjects. Four classifiers—linear discriminant analysis (LDA), logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), and random forest classification (RFC)—were trained using the designed features and evaluated using a leave-one-out cross validation. Results show that the LR performs worst among the four classifiers and the other three perform comparably, which demonstrates the feasibility of automatically detecting segmentation failures using classification methods.

Sensitivity Analysis of Nuclide Importance to One-Group Neutron Cross Sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekimoto, Hiroshi; Nemoto, Atsushi; Yoshimura, Yoshikane

2001-01-01

The importance of nuclides is useful when investigating nuclide characteristics in a given neutron spectrum. However, it is derived using one-group microscopic cross sections, which may contain large errors or uncertainties. The sensitivity coefficient shows the effect of these errors or uncertainties on the importance.The equations for calculating sensitivity coefficients of importance to one-group nuclear constants are derived using the perturbation method. Numerical values are also evaluated for some important cases for fast and thermal reactor systems.Many characteristics of the sensitivity coefficients are derived from the derived equations and numerical results. The matrix of sensitivity coefficients seems diagonally dominant. However, it is not always satisfied in a detailed structure. The detailed structure of the matrix and the characteristics of coefficients are given.By using the obtained sensitivity coefficients, some demonstration calculations have been performed. The effects of error and uncertainty of nuclear data and of the change of one-group cross-section input caused by fuel design changes through the neutron spectrum are investigated. These calculations show that the sensitivity coefficient is useful when evaluating error or uncertainty of nuclide importance caused by the cross-section data error or uncertainty and when checking effectiveness of fuel cell or core design change for improving neutron economy

Relation between sick leave and selected exposure variables among women semiconductor workers in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Chee, H; Rampal, K

2003-01-01

Aims: To determine the relation between sick leave and selected exposure variables among women semiconductor workers. Methods: This was a cross sectional survey of production workers from 18 semiconductor factories. Those selected had to be women, direct production operators up to the level of line leader, and Malaysian citizens. Sick leave and exposure to physical and chemical hazards were determined by self reporting. Three sick leave variables were used; number of sick leave days taken in the past year was the variable of interest in logistic regression models where the effects of age, marital status, work task, work schedule, work section, and duration of work in factory and work section were also explored. Results: Marital status was strongly linked to the taking of sick leave. Age, work schedule, and duration of work in the factory were significant confounders only in certain cases. After adjusting for these confounders, chemical and physical exposures, with the exception of poor ventilation and smelling chemicals, showed no significant relation to the taking of sick leave within the past year. Work section was a good predictor for taking sick leave, as wafer polishing workers faced higher odds of taking sick leave for each of the three cut off points of seven days, three days, and not at all, while parts assembly workers also faced significantly higher odds of taking sick leave. Conclusion: In Malaysia, the wafer fabrication factories only carry out a limited portion of the work processes, in particular, wafer polishing and the processes immediately prior to and following it. This study, in showing higher illness rates for workers in wafer polishing compared to semiconductor assembly, has implications for the governmental policy of encouraging the setting up of wafer fabrication plants with the full range of work processes. PMID:12660374

A MODELING METHOD OF FLUTTERING LEAVES BASED ON POINT CLOUD

OpenAIRE

J. Tang; Y. Wang; Y. Zhao; Y. Zhao; W. Hao; X. Ning; K. Lv; Z. Shi; M. Zhao

2017-01-01

Leaves falling gently or fluttering are common phenomenon in nature scenes. The authenticity of leaves falling plays an important part in the dynamic modeling of natural scenes. The leaves falling model has a widely applications in the field of animation and virtual reality. We propose a novel modeling method of fluttering leaves based on point cloud in this paper. According to the shape, the weight of leaves and the wind speed, three basic trajectories of leaves falling are defined, which ar...

TH-CD-202-06: A Method for Characterizing and Validating Dynamic Lung Density Change During Quiet Respiration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dou, T [University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Ruan, D [UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Heinrich, M [Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Lubeck, Lubeck, Schleswig-Holstein (Germany); Low, D [UCLA, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To obtain a functional relationship that calibrates the lung tissue density change under free breathing conditions through correlating Jacobian values to the Hounsfield units. Methods: Free-breathing lung computed tomography images were acquired using a fast helical CT protocol, where 25 scans were acquired per patient. Using a state-of-the-art deformable registration algorithm, a set of the deformation vector fields (DVF) was generated to provide spatial mapping from the reference image geometry to the other free-breathing scans. These DVFs were used to generate Jacobian maps, which estimate voxelwise volume change. Subsequently, the set of 25 corresponding Jacobian and voxel intensity in Hounsfield units (HU) were collected and linear regression was performed based on the mass conservation relationship to correlate the volume change to density change. Based on the resulting fitting coefficients, the tissues were classified into parenchymal (Type I), vascular (Type II), and soft tissue (Type III) types. These coefficients modeled the voxelwise density variation during quiet breathing. The accuracy of the proposed method was assessed using mean absolute difference in HU between the CT scan intensities and the model predicted values. In addition, validation experiments employing a leave-five-out method were performed to evaluate the model accuracy. Results: The computed mean model errors were 23.30±9.54 HU, 29.31±10.67 HU, and 35.56±20.56 HU, respectively, for regions I, II, and III, respectively. The cross validation experiments averaged over 100 trials had mean errors of 30.02 ± 1.67 HU over the entire lung. These mean values were comparable with the estimated CT image background noise. Conclusion: The reported validation experiment statistics confirmed the lung density modeling during free breathing. The proposed technique was general and could be applied to a wide range of problem scenarios where accurate dynamic lung density information is needed

One new diphenylmethane glycoside from the leaves of Psidium guajava L.

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Ji-Cheng; Chou, Gui-Xin; Wang, Zheng-Tao

2012-11-01

To investigate the chemical constituents of Psidium guajava L, the EtOH/H(2)O extract of the fresh leaves was subjected to various chromatography. One diphenylmethane, one benzophenone, and eight flavonoids were isolated and elucidated as 2,6-dihydroxy-3-formaldehyde-5-methyl-4-O-(6″-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-diphenylmethane (1), 2,6-dihydroxy-3,5-dimethyl-4-O-(6″-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-benzophenone (2), kaempferol (3), quercetin (4), quercitrin (5), isoquercitrin (6), guaijaverin (7), avicularin (8), hyperoside (9), reynoutrin (10) by spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR and HR-ESI-MS spectrometry as well as by comparison with published data. Compounds 5 and 10 are obtained from P. guajava for the first time, and compound 1 is a new diphenylmethane compound.

A MODELING METHOD OF FLUTTERING LEAVES BASED ON POINT CLOUD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Tang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Leaves falling gently or fluttering are common phenomenon in nature scenes. The authenticity of leaves falling plays an important part in the dynamic modeling of natural scenes. The leaves falling model has a widely applications in the field of animation and virtual reality. We propose a novel modeling method of fluttering leaves based on point cloud in this paper. According to the shape, the weight of leaves and the wind speed, three basic trajectories of leaves falling are defined, which are the rotation falling, the roll falling and the screw roll falling. At the same time, a parallel algorithm based on OpenMP is implemented to satisfy the needs of real-time in practical applications. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is amenable to the incorporation of a variety of desirable effects.

Validation of verbal autopsy methods using hospital medical records: a case study in Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Hong Thi; Nguyen, Hoa Phuong; Walker, Sue M; Hill, Peter S; Rao, Chalapati

2018-05-18

Information on causes of death (COD) is crucial for measuring the health outcomes of populations and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. In many countries such as Vietnam where the civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) system is dysfunctional, information on vital events will continue to rely on verbal autopsy (VA) methods. This study assesses the validity of VA methods used in Vietnam, and provides recommendations on methods for implementing VA validation studies in Vietnam. This validation study was conducted on a sample of 670 deaths from a recent VA study in Quang Ninh province. The study covered 116 cases from this sample, which met three inclusion criteria: a) the death occurred within 30 days of discharge after last hospitalisation, and b) medical records (MRs) for the deceased were available from respective hospitals, and c) the medical record mentioned that the patient was terminally ill at discharge. For each death, the underlying cause of death (UCOD) identified from MRs was compared to the UCOD from VA. The validity of VA diagnoses for major causes of death was measured using sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value (PPV). The sensitivity of VA was at least 75% in identifying some leading CODs such as stroke, road traffic accidents and several site-specific cancers. However, sensitivity was less than 50% for other important causes including ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and diabetes. Overall, there was 57% agreement between UCOD from VA and MR, which increased to 76% when multiple causes from VA were compared to UCOD from MR. Our findings suggest that VA is a valid method to ascertain UCOD in contexts such as Vietnam. Furthermore, within cultural contexts in which patients prefer to die at home instead of a healthcare facility, using the available MRs as the gold standard may be meaningful to the extent that recall bias from the interval between last hospital discharge and death

Evaluation of surveillance case definition in the diagnosis of leptospirosis, using the Microscopic Agglutination Test: a validation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dassanayake, Dinesh L B; Wimalaratna, Harith; Agampodi, Suneth B; Liyanapathirana, Veranja C; Piyarathna, Thibbotumunuwe A C L; Goonapienuwala, Bimba L

2009-04-22

Leptospirosis is endemic in both urban and rural areas of Sri Lanka and there had been many out breaks in the recent past. This study was aimed at validating the leptospirosis surveillance case definition, using the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT). The study population consisted of patients with undiagnosed acute febrile illness who were admitted to the medical wards of the Teaching Hospital Kandy, from 1st July 2007 to 31st July 2008. The subjects were screened to diagnose leptospirosis according to the leptospirosis case definition. MAT was performed on blood samples taken from each patient on the 7th day of fever. Leptospirosis case definition was evaluated in regard to sensitivity, specificity and predictive values, using a MAT titre >or= 1:800 for confirming leptospirosis. A total of 123 patients were initially recruited of which 73 had clinical features compatible with the surveillance case definition. Out of the 73 only 57 had a positive MAT result (true positives) leaving 16 as false positives. Out of the 50 who didn't have clinical features compatible with the case definition 45 had a negative MAT as well (true negatives), therefore 5 were false negatives. Total number of MAT positives was 62 out of 123. According to these results the test sensitivity was 91.94%, specificity 73.77%, positive predictive value and negative predictive values were 78.08% and 90% respectively. Diagnostic accuracy of the test was 82.93%. This study confirms that the surveillance case definition has a very high sensitivity and negative predictive value with an average specificity in diagnosing leptospirosis, based on a MAT titre of >or= 1: 800.

Cross Validation Through Two-Dimensional Solution Surface for Cost-Sensitive SVM.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Bin; Sheng, Victor S; Tay, Keng Yeow; Romano, Walter; Li, Shuo

2017-06-01

Model selection plays an important role in cost-sensitive SVM (CS-SVM). It has been proven that the global minimum cross validation (CV) error can be efficiently computed based on the solution path for one parameter learning problems. However, it is a challenge to obtain the global minimum CV error for CS-SVM based on one-dimensional solution path and traditional grid search, because CS-SVM is with two regularization parameters. In this paper, we propose a solution and error surfaces based CV approach (CV-SES). More specifically, we first compute a two-dimensional solution surface for CS-SVM based on a bi-parameter space partition algorithm, which can fit solutions of CS-SVM for all values of both regularization parameters. Then, we compute a two-dimensional validation error surface for each CV fold, which can fit validation errors of CS-SVM for all values of both regularization parameters. Finally, we obtain the CV error surface by superposing K validation error surfaces, which can find the global minimum CV error of CS-SVM. Experiments are conducted on seven datasets for cost sensitive learning and on four datasets for imbalanced learning. Experimental results not only show that our proposed CV-SES has a better generalization ability than CS-SVM with various hybrids between grid search and solution path methods, and than recent proposed cost-sensitive hinge loss SVM with three-dimensional grid search, but also show that CV-SES uses less running time.

Cross-validated detection of crack initiation in aerospace materials

Science.gov (United States)

Vanniamparambil, Prashanth A.; Cuadra, Jefferson; Guclu, Utku; Bartoli, Ivan; Kontsos, Antonios

2014-03-01

A cross-validated nondestructive evaluation approach was employed to in situ detect the onset of damage in an Aluminum alloy compact tension specimen. The approach consisted of the coordinated use primarily the acoustic emission, combined with the infrared thermography and digital image correlation methods. Both tensile loads were applied and the specimen was continuously monitored using the nondestructive approach. Crack initiation was witnessed visually and was confirmed by the characteristic load drop accompanying the ductile fracture process. The full field deformation map provided by the nondestructive approach validated the formation of a pronounced plasticity zone near the crack tip. At the time of crack initiation, a burst in the temperature field ahead of the crack tip as well as a sudden increase of the acoustic recordings were observed. Although such experiments have been attempted and reported before in the literature, the presented approach provides for the first time a cross-validated nondestructive dataset that can be used for quantitative analyses of the crack initiation information content. It further allows future development of automated procedures for real-time identification of damage precursors including the rarely explored crack incubation stage in fatigue conditions.

Validating Remotely Sensed Land Surface Evapotranspiration Based on Multi-scale Field Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Z.; Liu, S.; Ziwei, X.; Liang, S.

2012-12-01

validation experiments demonstrated that the models yield accurate estimates at flux measurement sites, the question remains whether they are performing well over the broader landscape. Moreover, a large number of RS_ET products have been released in recent years. Thus, we also pay attention to the cross-validation method of RS_ET derived from multi-source models. "The Multi-scale Observation Experiment on Evapotranspiration over Heterogeneous Land Surfaces: Flux Observation Matrix" campaign is carried out at the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin, China in 2012. Flux measurements from an observation matrix composed of 22 EC and 4 LAS are acquired to investigate the cross-validation of multi-source models over different landscapes. In this case, six remote sensing models, including the empirical statistical model, the one-source and two-source models, the Penman-Monteith equation based model, the Priestley-Taylor equation based model, and the complementary relationship based model, are used to perform an intercomparison. All the results from the two cases of RS_ET validation showed that the proposed validation methods are reasonable and feasible.

Methodology to carry out a sensitivity and uncertainty analysis for cross sections using a coupled model Trace-Parcs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reyes F, M. C.; Del Valle G, E.; Gomez T, A. M.; Sanchez E, V.

2015-09-01

A methodology was implemented to carry out a sensitivity and uncertainty analysis for cross sections used in a coupled model for Trace/Parcs in a transient of control rod fall of a BWR-5. A model of the reactor core for the neutronic code Parcs was used, in which the assemblies located in the core are described. Thermo-hydraulic model in Trace was a simple model, where only a component type Chan was designed to represent all the core assemblies, which it was within a single vessel and boundary conditions were established. The thermo-hydraulic part was coupled with the neutron part, first for the steady state and then a transient of control rod fall was carried out for the sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. To carry out the analysis of cross sections used in the coupled model Trace/Parcs during the transient, the Probability Density Functions for 22 parameters selected from the total of neutronic parameters that use Parcs were generated, obtaining 100 different cases for the coupled model Trace/Parcs, each one with a database of different cross sections. All these cases were executed with the coupled model, obtaining in consequence 100 different output files for the transient of control rod fall doing emphasis in the nominal power, for which an uncertainty analysis was realized at the same time generate the band of uncertainty. With this analysis is possible to observe the ranges of results of the elected responses varying the selected uncertainty parameters. The sensitivity analysis complements the uncertainty analysis, identifying the parameter or parameters with more influence on the results and thus focuses on these parameters in order to better understand their effects. Beyond the obtained results, because is not a model with real operation data, the importance of this work is to know the application of the methodology to carry out the sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. (Author)

Method validation for determination of metals in Vitis labrusca L. grapevine leaf extracts by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LIANE V.V. BOKOWSKI

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Vitis labrusca L. is the main species used for wine and juice production in Brazil. The grapevine leaves can be used both as functional foods and as cheapest sources for the extraction of phenolic compounds. Besides the antioxidant activity, grapevine leaves exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and validate an analytical methodology to determine the metals selenium (96Se, chromium (53Cr, nickel (62Ni, cadmium (111Cd and lead (206Pb in 30 samples of grapevine leaf extracts (Vitis labrusca, Bordo cultivar using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS. To obtain the grapevine leaf extracts the samples were milled, weighed and digested in microwave oven with nitric acid. The method showed linearity, precision, accuracy and limits of quantification and detection acceptable for INMETRO protocol validation of analytical methods. Therefore, the method using ICP-MS was developed and validated to determine metals concentrations in grapevine leaves of Vitis labrusca L. and the proposed method could be applied in routine analytical laboratory.

Prediction of fat-free mass by bioelectrical impedance analysis in older adults from developing countries: a cross-validation study using the deuterium dilution method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mateo, H. Aleman; Romero, J. Esparza; Valencia, M.E.

2010-01-01

Objective: Several limitations of published bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) equations have been reported. The aims were to develop in a multiethnic, elderly population a new prediction equation and cross- validate it along with some published BIA equations for estimating fat-free mass using deuterium oxide dilution as the reference method. Design and setting: Cross-sectional study of elderly from five developing countries. Methods: Total body water (TBW) measured by deuterium dilution was used to determine fat-free mass (FFM) in 383 subjects. Anthropometric and BIA variables were also measured. Only 377 subjects were included for the analysis, randomly divided into development and cross-validation groups after stratified by gender. Stepwise model selection was used to generate the model and Bland Altman analysis was used to test agreement. Results: FFM = 2.95 - 3.89 (Gender) + 0.514 (Ht2/Z) + 0.090 (Waist) + 0.156 (Body weight). The model fit parameters were an R2, total F-Ratio, and the SEE of 0.88, 314.3, and 3.3, respectively. None of the published BIA equations met the criteria for agreement. The new BIA equation underestimated FFM by just 0.3 kg in the cross-validation sample. The mean of the difference between FFM by TBW and the new BIA equation were not significantly different; 95% of the differences were between the limits of agreement of -6.3 to 6.9 kg of FFM. There was no significant association between the mean of the differences and their averages (r= 0.008 and p= 0.2). Conclusions:This new BIA equation offers a valid option compared with some of the current published BIA equations to estimate FFM in elderly subjects from five developing countries. (Authors)

Refinement of a Method for Identifying Probable Archaeological Sites from Remotely Sensed Data

Science.gov (United States)

Tilton, James C.; Comer, Douglas C.; Priebe, Carey E.; Sussman, Daniel; Chen, Li

2012-01-01

To facilitate locating archaeological sites before they are compromised or destroyed, we are developing approaches for generating maps of probable archaeological sites, through detecting subtle anomalies in vegetative cover, soil chemistry, and soil moisture by analyzing remotely sensed data from multiple sources. We previously reported some success in this effort with a statistical analysis of slope, radar, and Ikonos data (including tasseled cap and NDVI transforms) with Student's t-test. We report here on new developments in our work, performing an analysis of 8-band multispectral Worldview-2 data. The Worldview-2 analysis begins by computing medians and median absolute deviations for the pixels in various annuli around each site of interest on the 28 band difference ratios. We then use principle components analysis followed by linear discriminant analysis to train a classifier which assigns a posterior probability that a location is an archaeological site. We tested the procedure using leave-one-out cross validation with a second leave-one-out step to choose parameters on a 9,859x23,000 subset of the WorldView-2 data over the western portion of Ft. Irwin, CA, USA. We used 100 known non-sites and trained one classifier for lithic sites (n=33) and one classifier for habitation sites (n=16). We then analyzed convex combinations of scores from the Archaeological Predictive Model (APM) and our scores. We found that that the combined scores had a higher area under the ROC curve than either individual method, indicating that including WorldView-2 data in analysis improved the predictive power of the provided APM.

Influence of yellow rust infextion on 32P transport in detached barley leaves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schubert, J.

1982-01-01

Several barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L.) differing in their resistance to yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis West.) were tested for relationships between changes of 32 P transport in detached leaves and resistance to yellow rust disease. Investigation carried out with detached second leaves from plants infected at their first leaf revealed a matter transport in these leaves changed by the infection. Transport was also influenced by inoculation with yellow rust uredospores. In that case rust infection influenced the basipetal transport less strongly in resistent plants than in susceptible ones. Connected with the findings the influence of fungal substances on transport processes is discussed in general. (author)

[Practical aspects for minimizing errors in the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of quality of life questionnaires].

Science.gov (United States)

Lauffer, A; Solé, L; Bernstein, S; Lopes, M H; Francisconi, C F

2013-01-01

The development and validation of questionnaires for evaluating quality of life (QoL) has become an important area of research. However, there is a proliferation of non-validated measuring instruments in the health setting that do not contribute to advances in scientific knowledge. To present, through the analysis of available validated questionnaires, a checklist of the practical aspects of how to carry out the cross-cultural adaptation of QoL questionnaires (generic, or disease-specific) so that no step is overlooked in the evaluation process, and thus help prevent the elaboration of insufficient or incomplete validations. We have consulted basic textbooks and Pubmed databases using the following keywords quality of life, questionnaires, and gastroenterology, confined to «validation studies» in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and with no time limit, for the purpose of analyzing the translation and validation of the questionnaires available through the Mapi Institute and PROQOLID websites. A checklist is presented to aid in the planning and carrying out of the cross-cultural adaptation of QoL questionnaires, in conjunction with a glossary of key terms in the area of knowledge. The acronym DSTAC was used, which refers to each of the 5 stages involved in the recommended procedure. In addition, we provide a table of the QoL instruments that have been validated into Spanish. This article provides information on how to adapt QoL questionnaires from a cross-cultural perspective, as well as to minimize common errors. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Cross-cultural validation of the positivity-scale in five European countries

OpenAIRE

Heikamp, Tobias; Alessandri, Guido; Laguna, Mariola; Petrovic, Vesna; Caprara, Maria Giovanna; Trommsdorff, Gisela

2014-01-01

The aim of the present paper was to test the cross-cultural validity of the Positivity-Scale (P-Scale), a new nquestionnaire designed for the measurement of positivity (i.e., general tendency to evaluate self, life, and future in a positive way). Participants (N = 3544) from Italy, Germany, Spain, Poland, and Serbia answered eight items of the P-Scale and responded to items from other well-validated measures. Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the assumed one-factor structure of the P-Sca...

Validation test case generation based on safety analysis ontology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Chin-Feng; Wang, Wen-Shing

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Current practice in validation test case generation for nuclear system is mainly ad hoc. ► This study designs a systematic approach to generate validation test cases from a Safety Analysis Report. ► It is based on a domain-specific ontology. ► Test coverage criteria have been defined and satisfied. ► A computerized toolset has been implemented to assist the proposed approach. - Abstract: Validation tests in the current nuclear industry practice are typically performed in an ad hoc fashion. This study presents a systematic and objective method of generating validation test cases from a Safety Analysis Report (SAR). A domain-specific ontology was designed and used to mark up a SAR; relevant information was then extracted from the marked-up document for use in automatically generating validation test cases that satisfy the proposed test coverage criteria; namely, single parameter coverage, use case coverage, abnormal condition coverage, and scenario coverage. The novelty of this technique is its systematic rather than ad hoc test case generation from a SAR to achieve high test coverage.

Fission fragment angular distributions and fission cross section validation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leong, Lou Sai

2013-01-01

The present knowledge of angular distributions of neutron-induced fission is limited to a maximal energy of 15 MeV, with large discrepancies around 14 MeV. Only 238 U and 232 Th have been investigated up to 100 MeV in a single experiment. The n-TOF Collaboration performed the fission cross section measurement of several actinides ( 232 Th, 235 U, 238 U, 234 U, 237 Np) at the n-TOF facility using an experimental set-up made of Parallel Plate Avalanche Counters (PPAC), extending the energy domain of the incident neutron above hundreds of MeV. The method based on the detection of the 2 fragments in coincidence allowed to clearly disentangle the fission reactions among other types of reactions occurring in the spallation domain. I will show the methods we used to reconstruct the full angular resolution by the tracking of fission fragments. Below 10 MeV our results are consistent with existing data. For example in the case of 232 Th, below 10 MeV the results show clearly the variation occurring at the first (1 MeV) and second (7 MeV) chance fission, corresponding to transition states of given J and K (total spin and its projection on the fission axis), and a much more accurate energy dependence at the 3. chance threshold (14 MeV) has been obtained. In the spallation domain, above 30 MeV we confirm the high anisotropy revealed in 232 Th by the single existing data set. I'll discuss the implications of this finding, related to the low anisotropy exhibited in proton-induced fission. I also explore the critical experiments which is valuable checks of nuclear data. The 237 Np neutron-induced fission cross section has recently been measured in a large energy range (from eV to GeV) at the n-TOF facility at CERN. When compared to previous measurements, the n-TOF fission cross section appears to be higher by 5-7 % beyond the fission threshold. To check the relevance of n-TOF data, we simulate a criticality experiment performed at Los Alamos with a 6 kg sphere of 237 Np. This

A quantitative structure- property relationship of gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric retention data of 85 volatile organic compounds as air pollutant materials by multivariate methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarkhosh Maryam

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract A quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR study is suggested for the prediction of retention times of volatile organic compounds. Various kinds of molecular descriptors were calculated to represent the molecular structure of compounds. Modeling of retention times of these compounds as a function of the theoretically derived descriptors was established by multiple linear regression (MLR and artificial neural network (ANN. The stepwise regression was used for the selection of the variables which gives the best-fitted models. After variable selection ANN, MLR methods were used with leave-one-out cross validation for building the regression models. The prediction results are in very good agreement with the experimental values. MLR as the linear regression method shows good ability in the prediction of the retention times of the prediction set. This provided a new and effective method for predicting the chromatography retention index for the volatile organic compounds.

A PLS-based extractive spectrophotometric method for simultaneous determination of carbamazepine and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide in plasma and comparison with HPLC

Science.gov (United States)

Hemmateenejad, Bahram; Rezaei, Zahra; Khabnadideh, Soghra; Saffari, Maryam

2007-11-01

Carbamazepine (CBZ) undergoes enzyme biotransformation through epoxidation with the formation of its metabolite, carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZE). A simple chemometrics-assisted spectrophotometric method has been proposed for simultaneous determination of CBZ and CBZE in plasma. A liquid extraction procedure was operated to separate the analytes from plasma, and the UV absorbance spectra of the resultant solutions were subjected to partial least squares (PLS) regression. The optimum number of PLS latent variables was selected according to the PRESS values of leave-one-out cross-validation. A HPLC method was also employed for comparison. The respective mean recoveries for analysis of CBZ and CBZE in synthetic mixtures were 102.57 (±0.25)% and 103.00 (±0.09)% for PLS and 99.40 (±0.15)% and 102.20 (±0.02)%. The concentrations of CBZ and CBZE were also determined in five patients using the PLS and HPLC methods. The results showed that the data obtained by PLS were comparable with those obtained by HPLC method.

Gene Expression Profiles for Predicting Metastasis in Breast Cancer: A Cross-Study Comparison of Classification Methods

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Mark Burton

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Machine learning has increasingly been used with microarray gene expression data and for the development of classifiers using a variety of methods. However, method comparisons in cross-study datasets are very scarce. This study compares the performance of seven classification methods and the effect of voting for predicting metastasis outcome in breast cancer patients, in three situations: within the same dataset or across datasets on similar or dissimilar microarray platforms. Combining classification results from seven classifiers into one voting decision performed significantly better during internal validation as well as external validation in similar microarray platforms than the underlying classification methods. When validating between different microarray platforms, random forest, another voting-based method, proved to be the best performing method. We conclude that voting based classifiers provided an advantage with respect to classifying metastasis outcome in breast cancer patients.

Geostatistical validation and cross-validation of magnetometric measurements of soil pollution with Potentially Toxic Elements in problematic areas

Science.gov (United States)

Fabijańczyk, Piotr; Zawadzki, Jarosław

2016-04-01

Field magnetometry is fast method that was previously effectively used to assess the potential soil pollution. One of the most popular devices that are used to measure the soil magnetic susceptibility on the soil surface is a MS2D Bartington. Single reading using MS2D device of soil magnetic susceptibility is low time-consuming but often characterized by considerable errors related to the instrument or environmental and lithogenic factors. In this connection, measured values of soil magnetic susceptibility have to be usually validated using more precise, but also much more expensive, chemical measurements. The goal of this study was to analyze validation methods of magnetometric measurements using chemical analyses of a concentration of elements in soil. Additionally, validation of surface measurements of soil magnetic susceptibility was performed using selected parameters of a distribution of magnetic susceptibility in a soil profile. Validation was performed using selected geostatistical measures of cross-correlation. The geostatistical approach was compared with validation performed using the classic statistics. Measurements were performed at selected areas located in the Upper Silesian Industrial Area in Poland, and in the selected parts of Norway. In these areas soil magnetic susceptibility was measured on the soil surface using a MS2D Bartington device and in the soil profile using MS2C Bartington device. Additionally, soil samples were taken in order to perform chemical measurements. Acknowledgment The research leading to these results has received funding from the Polish-Norwegian Research Programme operated by the National Centre for Research and Development under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014 in the frame of Project IMPACT - Contract No Pol-Nor/199338/45/2013.

Influence of yellow rust infection on /sup 32/P transport in detached barley leaves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schubert, J. (Akademie der Landwirtschaftswissenschaften der DDR, Aschersleben. Inst. fuer Phytopathologie)

1982-01-01

Several barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L.) differing in their resistance to yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis West.) were tested for relationships between changes of /sup 32/P transport in detached leaves and resistance to yellow rust disease. Investigation carried out with detached second leaves from plants infected at their first leaf revealed a matter transport in these leaves changed by the infection. Transport was also influenced by inoculation with yellow rust uredospores. In that case rust infection influenced the basipetal transport less strongly in resistent plants than in susceptible ones. Connected with the findings the influence of fungal substances on transport processes is discussed in general.

On a calculation of nucleon knock-out cross sections in a collision of relativistic nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goryachev, B.I.; Lin'kova, N.V.

1985-01-01

It is shown that in the framework of the two-stage model one can obtain knock-out cross sections of the given number of nucleons from the nucleus-target at a certain number of nucleons knocked out from the nucleus-projectile. The first stage is considered as a fast process of nucleon collisions of interacting nuclei which is completed with knock out of one or several nucleons. The second stage-comparatively slow - is related to de-excitation of nuclei-fragments

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the VISA-A questionnaire for German-speaking Achilles tendinopathy patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nauck Tanja

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Achilles tendinopathy is the predominant overuse injury in runners. To further investigate this overload injury in transverse and longitudinal studies a valid, responsive and reliable outcome measure is demanded. Most questionnaires have been developed for English-speaking populations. This is also true for the VISA-A score, so far representing the only valid, reliable, and disease specific questionnaire for Achilles tendinopathy. To internationally compare research results, to perform multinational studies or to exclude bias originating from subpopulations speaking different languages within one country an equivalent instrument is demanded in different languages. The aim of this study was therefore to cross-cultural adapt and validate the VISA-A questionnaire for German-speaking Achilles tendinopathy patients. Methods According to the "guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures" the VISA-A score was cross-culturally adapted into German (VISA-A-G using six steps: Translation, synthesis, back translation, expert committee review, pretesting (n = 77, and appraisal of the adaptation process by an advisory committee determining the adequacy of the cross-cultural adaptation. The resulting VISA-A-G was then subjected to an analysis of reliability, validity, and internal consistency in 30 Achilles tendinopathy patients and 79 asymptomatic people. Concurrent validity was tested against a generic tendon grading system (Percy and Conochie and against a classification system for the effect of pain on athletic performance (Curwin and Stanish. Results The "advisory committee" determined the VISA-A-G questionnaire as been translated "acceptable". The VISA-A-G questionnaire showed moderate to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.60 to 0.97. Concurrent validity showed good coherence when correlated with the grading system of Curwin and Stanish (rho = -0.95 and for the Percy and Conochie grade of

An Ensemble Approach to Knowledge-Based Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy Planning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiahan Zhang

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Knowledge-based planning (KBP utilizes experienced planners’ knowledge embedded in prior plans to estimate optimal achievable dose volume histogram (DVH of new cases. In the regression-based KBP framework, previously planned patients’ anatomical features and DVHs are extracted, and prior knowledge is summarized as the regression coefficients that transform features to organ-at-risk DVH predictions. In our study, we find that in different settings, different regression methods work better. To improve the robustness of KBP models, we propose an ensemble method that combines the strengths of various linear regression models, including stepwise, lasso, elastic net, and ridge regression. In the ensemble approach, we first obtain individual model prediction metadata using in-training-set leave-one-out cross validation. A constrained optimization is subsequently performed to decide individual model weights. The metadata is also used to filter out impactful training set outliers. We evaluate our method on a fresh set of retrospectively retrieved anonymized prostate intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT cases and head and neck IMRT cases. The proposed approach is more robust against small training set size, wrongly labeled cases, and dosimetric inferior plans, compared with other individual models. In summary, we believe the improved robustness makes the proposed method more suitable for clinical settings than individual models.

Construct Validity and Case Validity in Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Teglasi, Hedwig; Nebbergall, Allison Joan; Newman, Daniel

2012-01-01

Clinical assessment relies on both "construct validity", which focuses on the accuracy of conclusions about a psychological phenomenon drawn from responses to a measure, and "case validity", which focuses on the synthesis of the full range of psychological phenomena pertaining to the concern or question at hand. Whereas construct validity is…

The validity of vignettes in cross country health studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pozzoli, Dario; Gupta, Nabanita Datta; Kristensen, Nicolai

Cross-country comparisons of subjective assessments may be ham-pered by sub-population speci.c response style. To correct for this, the use of vignettes has become increasingly popular - notably within cross-country health studies. However, the validity of vignettes as a means to re-scale across ...... that the assumption of RC is not innocous and that our extended model improves the fit and significantly changes the cross-country rankings of health vis-á-vis the standard Chopit model.......Cross-country comparisons of subjective assessments may be ham-pered by sub-population speci.c response style. To correct for this, the use of vignettes has become increasingly popular - notably within cross-country health studies. However, the validity of vignettes as a means to re-scale across...

REMINDER Saved Leave Scheme (SLS) : Transfer of leave to saved leave accounts

CERN Multimedia

HR Division

2002-01-01

Under the provisions of the voluntary saved leave scheme (SLS), a maximum total of 10 days'*) annual and compensatory leave (excluding saved leave accumulated in accordance with the provisions of Administrative Circular No. 22B) can be transferred to the saved leave account at the end of the leave year (30 September). We remind you that, since last year, unused leave of all those taking part in the saved leave scheme at the closure of the leave-year accounts is transferred automatically to the saved leave account on that date. Therefore, staff members have no administrative steps to take. In addition, the transfer, which eliminates the risk of omitting to request leave transfers and rules out calculation errors in transfer requests, will be clearly shown in the list of leave transactions that can be consulted in EDH from October 2002 onwards. Furthermore, this automatic leave transfer optimizes staff members' chances of benefiting from a saved leave bonus provided that they are still participants in the schem...

Length bias correction in one-day cross-sectional assessments - The nutritionDay study.

Science.gov (United States)

Frantal, Sophie; Pernicka, Elisabeth; Hiesmayr, Michael; Schindler, Karin; Bauer, Peter

2016-04-01

A major problem occurring in cross-sectional studies is sampling bias. Length of hospital stay (LOS) differs strongly between patients and causes a length bias as patients with longer LOS are more likely to be included and are therefore overrepresented in this type of study. To adjust for the length bias higher weights are allocated to patients with shorter LOS. We determined the effect of length-bias adjustment in two independent populations. Length-bias correction is applied to the data of the nutritionDay project, a one-day multinational cross-sectional audit capturing data on disease and nutrition of patients admitted to hospital wards with right-censoring after 30 days follow-up. We applied the weighting method for estimating the distribution function of patient baseline variables based on the method of non-parametric maximum likelihood. Results are validated using data from all patients admitted to the General Hospital of Vienna between 2005 and 2009, where the distribution of LOS can be assumed to be known. Additionally, a simplified calculation scheme for estimating the adjusted distribution function of LOS is demonstrated on a small patient example. The crude median (lower quartile; upper quartile) LOS in the cross-sectional sample was 14 (8; 24) and decreased to 7 (4; 12) when adjusted. Hence, adjustment for length bias in cross-sectional studies is essential to get appropriate estimates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Fast radio burst search: cross spectrum vs. auto spectrum method

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lei; Zheng, Weimin; Yan, Zhen; Zhang, Juan

2018-06-01

The search for fast radio bursts (FRBs) is a hot topic in current radio astronomy studies. In this work, we carry out a single pulse search with a very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) pulsar observation data set using both auto spectrum and cross spectrum search methods. The cross spectrum method, first proposed in Liu et al., maximizes the signal power by fully utilizing the fringe phase information of the baseline cross spectrum. The auto spectrum search method is based on the popular pulsar software package PRESTO, which extracts single pulses from the auto spectrum of each station. According to our comparison, the cross spectrum method is able to enhance the signal power and therefore extract single pulses from data contaminated by high levels of radio frequency interference (RFI), which makes it possible to carry out a search for FRBs in regular VLBI observations when RFI is present.

COPD Exacerbation Biomarkers Validated Using Multiple Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janice M Leung

Full Text Available Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD result in considerable morbidity and mortality. However, there are no objective biomarkers to diagnose AECOPD.We used multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry to quantify 129 distinct proteins in plasma samples from patients with COPD. This analytical approach was first performed in a biomarker cohort of patients hospitalized with AECOPD (Cohort A, n = 72. Proteins differentially expressed between AECOPD and convalescent states were chosen using a false discovery rate 1.2. Protein selection and classifier building were performed using an elastic net logistic regression model. The performance of the biomarker panel was then tested in two independent AECOPD cohorts (Cohort B, n = 37, and Cohort C, n = 109 using leave-pair-out cross-validation methods.Five proteins were identified distinguishing AECOPD and convalescent states in Cohort A. Biomarker scores derived from this model were significantly higher during AECOPD than in the convalescent state in the discovery cohort (p<0.001. The receiver operating characteristic cross-validation area under the curve (CV-AUC statistic was 0.73 in Cohort A, while in the replication cohorts the CV-AUC was 0.77 for Cohort B and 0.79 for Cohort C.A panel of five biomarkers shows promise in distinguishing AECOPD from convalescence and may provide the basis for a clinical blood test to diagnose AECOPD. Further validation in larger cohorts is necessary for future clinical translation.

Cross-method validation as a solution to the problem of excessive simplification of measurement in quantitative IR research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beach, Derek

2007-01-01

The purpose of this article is to make IR scholars more aware of the costs of choosing quantitative methods. The article first shows that quantification can have analytical ‘costs’ when the measures created are too simple to capture the essence of the systematized concept that was supposed...... detail based upon a review of the democratic peace literature. I then offer two positive suggestions for a way forward. First, I argue that quantitative scholars should spend more time validating their measures, and in particular should engage in multi-method partnerships with qualitative scholars...... that have a deep understanding of particular cases in order to exploit the comparative advantages of qualitative methodology, using the more accurate qualitative measures to validate their own quantitative measures. Secondly, quantitative scholars should lower their level of ambition given the often poor...

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Spanish Version of the Performance Enhancement Attitude Scale (Petróczi, 2002

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Morente-Sánchez

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to cross-culturally adapt and validate the Spanish version of the Performance Enhancement Attitude Scale (PEAS. A cross-sectional multi-sample survey with 17 independent datasets was carried out. Cross-cultural adaptation of the PEAS into Spanish was conducted through forward/backward translations, consensus panels and comparative analyses of known-groups to establish evidence for its reliability and validity. Weighted Kappa coefficients with quadratic weighting were used to assess the reliability of each item, with Cronbach’s internal consistency coefficients for overall scale’s reliability and Spearman’s correlation coefficient for test–retest reliability over a one-week period. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA was performed to assess the scale’s structure. Differences between self-admitted doping users and non-users were analysed to verify the PEAS’ construct validity in 8 datasets. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was also used to assess the relationships between the PEAS and self-esteem, self-efficacy and perceived descriptive norm to establish convergent validity. The scale showed satisfactory levels of internal consistency (α = 0.71–0.85, reliability of each item (Kappa values range 0.34-0.64 and temporal stability (r = 0.818; p < 0.001. CFA showed acceptable fit (RMSEA <0.08, mean RMSEA = 0.055; χ2/df < 3, mean χ2/df = 1.89 for all but one samples. As expected, self-admitted doping users showed more positive attitude toward doping than non-users. Significant and strong negative relationship was found between PEAS and self-efficacy; weak negative correlation with self-esteem and and positive correlation with perceived descriptive norm. The Spanish version of PEAS showed satisfactory psychometric properties. Considerations for application and improvement are outlined.

[Cross-sectional study on the determinants of work stress for nurses and intention of leaving the profession].

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, Marina; Festini, Filippo; Bronner, Leonardo

2015-01-01

Occupational stress is one of the main causes of sick leaves among healthcare professionals and it determines high costs to health systems. Monitoring occupational related stress can be an important tool for policy makers. The Italian nursing research gave little attention to nurses' occupational stress. The aims of this study is to estimate the prevalence of occupational stress and evaluate risks factors among Italian nurses in order to evaluate health promotion intervention. Cross-sectional study on a convenience sample of nurses from three Italian public hospitals was carried out. The Nursing Stress Scale was administrated together with socio-demographic data information(age, occupational age, family structure etc). The Nursing Stress Scale includes 34 items with a score from 0 to 3. Seven areas of job related stress are investigate in the scale: conflict with physicians, inadequate training, lack of support, conflict with other nurses, workload, uncertainty about treatments, death and suffering. Scores were calculated for each item and for each area. Associations between stress scores and socio-demographic data were analyzed. 231 nurses participated to the study. The two stress areas with the highest scores were "workload" (1.58) and "death and suffering" (1.39). Among the 13 items that exceed the overall mean stress score (i.e. 1.07), five belong to the "workload" area. "Watching a suffering patient" is the single item with the highest mean score. Demographic data associated to higher stress scores are, female gender (p=0.03) and working with night shifts (p=0.02). Intention to leave the nursing profession is associated to higher stress scores (p=0.002). Age, occupational age, time to commute to work, number of children, having disabled relatives at home, were not correlated to higher stress scores. Our study provides data regarding nurses' occupational stress that was not available before. This data may be useful for policy makers to plan preventive

Test-retest studies of cerebral glucose metabolism using fluorine-18 deoxyglucose: validation of method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, R.A.; Di Chiro, G.; Zukerberg, B.W.; Bairamian, D.; Larson, S.M.

1987-01-01

In studies using [ 18 F]deoxyglucose (FDG), one often wants to compare metabolic rates following stimulation (drug or motor-sensory) with the baseline values. However, because of reproducibility problems with baseline variations of 25% in the same individual not uncommon, the global effect of the stimulation may be difficult to see. One approach to this problem is to perform the two studies sequentially. This means that, with the 110-min half-life of 18 F, one must take into account the residual activity from the first study when calculating metabolic rates for the second. We performed TEST-RETEST baseline studies on four subjects, with a 1-hr interval between injections. These studies were done without stimulation, in order to validate the repeatability of the method. To reduce the amount of residual activity from the first study, the first injection was only 2 mCi in three cases, and only 1 mCi in one case, out of a total injected dose of 5 mCi. A correction for residual activity was included in the RETEST calculation of metabolic rate. The results showed a global metabolic shift between the two studies of 2% to 9%. An error analysis shows that the shift could be further reduced if anatomically comparable scans are done at comparable postinjection times

Concussion classification via deep learning using whole-brain white matter fiber strains

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yunliang; Wu, Shaoju; Zhao, Wei; Li, Zhigang; Wu, Zheyang

2018-01-01

Developing an accurate and reliable injury predictor is central to the biomechanical studies of traumatic brain injury. State-of-the-art efforts continue to rely on empirical, scalar metrics based on kinematics or model-estimated tissue responses explicitly pre-defined in a specific brain region of interest. They could suffer from loss of information. A single training dataset has also been used to evaluate performance but without cross-validation. In this study, we developed a deep learning approach for concussion classification using implicit features of the entire voxel-wise white matter fiber strains. Using reconstructed American National Football League (NFL) injury cases, leave-one-out cross-validation was employed to objectively compare injury prediction performances against two baseline machine learning classifiers (support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF)) and four scalar metrics via univariate logistic regression (Brain Injury Criterion (BrIC), cumulative strain damage measure of the whole brain (CSDM-WB) and the corpus callosum (CSDM-CC), and peak fiber strain in the CC). Feature-based machine learning classifiers including deep learning, SVM, and RF consistently outperformed all scalar injury metrics across all performance categories (e.g., leave-one-out accuracy of 0.828–0.862 vs. 0.690–0.776, and .632+ error of 0.148–0.176 vs. 0.207–0.292). Further, deep learning achieved the best cross-validation accuracy, sensitivity, AUC, and .632+ error. These findings demonstrate the superior performances of deep learning in concussion prediction and suggest its promise for future applications in biomechanical investigations of traumatic brain injury. PMID:29795640

Concussion classification via deep learning using whole-brain white matter fiber strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yunliang; Wu, Shaoju; Zhao, Wei; Li, Zhigang; Wu, Zheyang; Ji, Songbai

2018-01-01

Developing an accurate and reliable injury predictor is central to the biomechanical studies of traumatic brain injury. State-of-the-art efforts continue to rely on empirical, scalar metrics based on kinematics or model-estimated tissue responses explicitly pre-defined in a specific brain region of interest. They could suffer from loss of information. A single training dataset has also been used to evaluate performance but without cross-validation. In this study, we developed a deep learning approach for concussion classification using implicit features of the entire voxel-wise white matter fiber strains. Using reconstructed American National Football League (NFL) injury cases, leave-one-out cross-validation was employed to objectively compare injury prediction performances against two baseline machine learning classifiers (support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF)) and four scalar metrics via univariate logistic regression (Brain Injury Criterion (BrIC), cumulative strain damage measure of the whole brain (CSDM-WB) and the corpus callosum (CSDM-CC), and peak fiber strain in the CC). Feature-based machine learning classifiers including deep learning, SVM, and RF consistently outperformed all scalar injury metrics across all performance categories (e.g., leave-one-out accuracy of 0.828-0.862 vs. 0.690-0.776, and .632+ error of 0.148-0.176 vs. 0.207-0.292). Further, deep learning achieved the best cross-validation accuracy, sensitivity, AUC, and .632+ error. These findings demonstrate the superior performances of deep learning in concussion prediction and suggest its promise for future applications in biomechanical investigations of traumatic brain injury.

Finite-difference method Stokes solver (FDMSS) for 3D pore geometries: Software development, validation and case studies

Science.gov (United States)

Gerke, Kirill M.; Vasilyev, Roman V.; Khirevich, Siarhei; Collins, Daniel; Karsanina, Marina V.; Sizonenko, Timofey O.; Korost, Dmitry V.; Lamontagne, Sébastien; Mallants, Dirk

2018-05-01

Permeability is one of the fundamental properties of porous media and is required for large-scale Darcian fluid flow and mass transport models. Whilst permeability can be measured directly at a range of scales, there are increasing opportunities to evaluate permeability from pore-scale fluid flow simulations. We introduce the free software Finite-Difference Method Stokes Solver (FDMSS) that solves Stokes equation using a finite-difference method (FDM) directly on voxelized 3D pore geometries (i.e. without meshing). Based on explicit convergence studies, validation on sphere packings with analytically known permeabilities, and comparison against lattice-Boltzmann and other published FDM studies, we conclude that FDMSS provides a computationally efficient and accurate basis for single-phase pore-scale flow simulations. By implementing an efficient parallelization and code optimization scheme, permeability inferences can now be made from 3D images of up to 109 voxels using modern desktop computers. Case studies demonstrate the broad applicability of the FDMSS software for both natural and artificial porous media.

Finite-difference method Stokes solver (FDMSS) for 3D pore geometries: Software development, validation and case studies

KAUST Repository

Gerke, Kirill M.

2018-01-17

Permeability is one of the fundamental properties of porous media and is required for large-scale Darcian fluid flow and mass transport models. Whilst permeability can be measured directly at a range of scales, there are increasing opportunities to evaluate permeability from pore-scale fluid flow simulations. We introduce the free software Finite-Difference Method Stokes Solver (FDMSS) that solves Stokes equation using a finite-difference method (FDM) directly on voxelized 3D pore geometries (i.e. without meshing). Based on explicit convergence studies, validation on sphere packings with analytically known permeabilities, and comparison against lattice-Boltzmann and other published FDM studies, we conclude that FDMSS provides a computationally efficient and accurate basis for single-phase pore-scale flow simulations. By implementing an efficient parallelization and code optimization scheme, permeability inferences can now be made from 3D images of up to 109 voxels using modern desktop computers. Case studies demonstrate the broad applicability of the FDMSS software for both natural and artificial porous media.

Convergent validity test, construct validity test and external validity test of the David Liberman algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Maldavsky

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The author first exposes a complement of a previous test about convergent validity, then a construct validity test and finally an external validity test of the David Liberman algorithm.  The first part of the paper focused on a complementary aspect, the differential sensitivity of the DLA 1 in an external comparison (to other methods, and 2 in an internal comparison (between two ways of using the same method, the DLA.  The construct validity test exposes the concepts underlined to DLA, their operationalization and some corrections emerging from several empirical studies we carried out.  The external validity test examines the possibility of using the investigation of a single case and its relation with the investigation of a more extended sample.

Intra-Generational Mobility and Repeated Cross-Sections: A Three Country Validation Exercise

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cruces, G.; Lanjouw, P.F.; Lucchetti, L.; Perova, E.; Vakis, R.; Viollaz, M.

2015-01-01

This paper validates a recently proposed method to estimate intra-generational poverty transitions through repeated cross-sectional surveys. The technique allows the creation of a “synthetic panel” – done by predicting future or past household income or consumption using a set of simple modeling and

A method to obtain new cross-sections transport equivalent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmiotti, G.

1988-01-01

We present a method, that allows the calculation, by the mean of variational principle, of equivalent cross-sections in order to take into account the transport and mesh size effects on reactivity variation calculations. The method validation has been made in two and three dimensions geometries. The reactivity variations calculated in three dimensional hexagonal geometry with seven points by subassembly using two sets of equivalent cross-sections for control rods are in a very good agreement with the ones of a transport, extrapolated to zero mesh size, calculation. The difficulty encountered in obtaining a good flux distribution has lead to the utilisation of a single set of equivalent cross-sections calculated by starting from an appropriated R-Z model that allows to take into account also the axial transport effects for the control rod followers. The global results in reactivity variations are still satisfactory with a good performance for the flux distribution. The main interest of the proposed method is the possibility to simulate a full 3D transport calculation, with fine mesh size, using a 3D diffusion code, with a larger mesh size. The results obtained should be affected by uncertainties, which do not exceed ± 4% for a large LMFBR control rod worth and for very different rod configurations. This uncertainty is by far smaller than the experimental uncertainties. (author). 5 refs, 8 figs, 9 tabs

Spanish translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the Questionnaire for Diabetes-Related Foot Disease (Q-DFD)

OpenAIRE

Castillo, Wilson; Flores-Fortty,; Feraud,Lourdes; Tettamanti,

2013-01-01

Wilson Castillo-Tandazo, Adolfo Flores-Fortty, Lourdes Feraud, Daniel TettamantiSchool of Medicine, Universidad Espíritu Santo – Ecuador, Samborondón, Guayas, EcuadorPurpose: To translate, cross-culturally adapt, and validate the Questionnaire for Diabetes-Related Foot Disease (Q-DFD), originally created and validated in Australia, for its use in Spanish-speaking patients with diabetes mellitus.Patients and methods: The translation and cross-cultural adaptation...

Validation of DRAGON side-step method for Bruce-A restart Phase-B physics tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, W.; Ngo-Trong, C.; Davis, R.S.

2004-01-01

The DRAGON side-step method, developed at AECL, has a number of advantages over the all-DRAGON method that was used before. It is now the qualified method for reactivity-device calculations. Although the side-step-method-generated incremental cross sections have been validated against those previously calculated with the all-DRAGON method, it is highly desirable to validate the side-step method against device-worth measurements in power reactors directly. In this paper, the DRAGON side-step method was validated by comparison with the device-calibration measurements made in Bruce-A NGS Unit 4 restart Phase-B commissioning in 2003. The validation exercise showed excellent results, with the DRAGON code overestimating the measured ZCR worth by ∼5%. A sensitivity study was also performed in this paper to assess the effect of various DRAGON modelling techniques on the incremental cross sections. The assessment shows that the refinement of meshes in 3-D and the use of the side-step method are two major reasons contributing to the improved agreement between the calculated ZCR worths and the measurements. Use of different DRAGON versions, DRAGON libraries, local-parameter core conditions, and weighting techniques for the homogenization of tube clusters inside the ZCR have a very small effect on the ZCR incremental thermal absorption cross section and ZCR reactivity worth. (author)

CrossLink: a novel method for cross-condition classification of cancer subtypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Chifeng; Sastry, Konduru S; Flore, Mario; Gehani, Salah; Al-Bozom, Issam; Feng, Yusheng; Serpedin, Erchin; Chouchane, Lotfi; Chen, Yidong; Huang, Yufei

2016-08-22

We considered the prediction of cancer classes (e.g. subtypes) using patient gene expression profiles that contain both systematic and condition-specific biases when compared with the training reference dataset. The conventional normalization-based approaches cannot guarantee that the gene signatures in the reference and prediction datasets always have the same distribution for all different conditions as the class-specific gene signatures change with the condition. Therefore, the trained classifier would work well under one condition but not under another. To address the problem of current normalization approaches, we propose a novel algorithm called CrossLink (CL). CL recognizes that there is no universal, condition-independent normalization mapping of signatures. In contrast, it exploits the fact that the signature is unique to its associated class under any condition and thus employs an unsupervised clustering algorithm to discover this unique signature. We assessed the performance of CL for cross-condition predictions of PAM50 subtypes of breast cancer by using a simulated dataset modeled after TCGA BRCA tumor samples with a cross-validation scheme, and datasets with known and unknown PAM50 classification. CL achieved prediction accuracy >73 %, highest among other methods we evaluated. We also applied the algorithm to a set of breast cancer tumors derived from Arabic population to assign a PAM50 classification to each tumor based on their gene expression profiles. A novel algorithm CrossLink for cross-condition prediction of cancer classes was proposed. In all test datasets, CL showed robust and consistent improvement in prediction performance over other state-of-the-art normalization and classification algorithms.

Benchmarking Methods and Data Sets for Ligand Enrichment Assessment in Virtual Screening

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Jie; Tilahun, Ermias Lemma; Reid, Terry-Elinor; Zhang, Liangren; Wang, Xiang Simon

2014-01-01

Retrospective small-scale virtual screening (VS) based on benchmarking data sets has been widely used to estimate ligand enrichments of VS approaches in the prospective (i.e. real-world) efforts. However, the intrinsic differences of benchmarking sets to the real screening chemical libraries can cause biased assessment. Herein, we summarize the history of benchmarking methods as well as data sets and highlight three main types of biases found in benchmarking sets, i.e. “analogue bias”, “artificial enrichment” and “false negative”. In addition, we introduced our recent algorithm to build maximum-unbiased benchmarking sets applicable to both ligand-based and structure-based VS approaches, and its implementations to three important human histone deacetylase (HDAC) isoforms, i.e. HDAC1, HDAC6 and HDAC8. The Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation (LOO CV) demonstrates that the benchmarking sets built by our algorithm are maximum-unbiased in terms of property matching, ROC curves and AUCs. PMID:25481478

Benchmarking methods and data sets for ligand enrichment assessment in virtual screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Jie; Tilahun, Ermias Lemma; Reid, Terry-Elinor; Zhang, Liangren; Wang, Xiang Simon

2015-01-01

Retrospective small-scale virtual screening (VS) based on benchmarking data sets has been widely used to estimate ligand enrichments of VS approaches in the prospective (i.e. real-world) efforts. However, the intrinsic differences of benchmarking sets to the real screening chemical libraries can cause biased assessment. Herein, we summarize the history of benchmarking methods as well as data sets and highlight three main types of biases found in benchmarking sets, i.e. "analogue bias", "artificial enrichment" and "false negative". In addition, we introduce our recent algorithm to build maximum-unbiased benchmarking sets applicable to both ligand-based and structure-based VS approaches, and its implementations to three important human histone deacetylases (HDACs) isoforms, i.e. HDAC1, HDAC6 and HDAC8. The leave-one-out cross-validation (LOO CV) demonstrates that the benchmarking sets built by our algorithm are maximum-unbiased as measured by property matching, ROC curves and AUCs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of tungsten cross sections in the neutron energy region up to 100 keV

Science.gov (United States)

Pigni, Marco T.; Žerovnik, Gašper; Leal, Luiz. C.; Trkov, Andrej

2017-09-01

Following a series of recent cross section evaluations on tungsten isotopes performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), this paper presents the validation work carried out to test the performance of the evaluated cross sections based on lead-slowing-down (LSD) benchmarks conducted in Grenoble. ORNL completed the resonance parameter evaluation of four tungsten isotopes - 182,183,184,186W - in August 2014 and submitted it as an ENDF-compatible file to be part of the next release of the ENDF/B-VIII.0 nuclear data library. The evaluations were performed with support from the US Nuclear Criticality Safety Program in an effort to provide improved tungsten cross section and covariance data for criticality safety sensitivity analyses. The validation analysis based on the LSD benchmarks showed an improved agreement with the experimental response when the ORNL tungsten evaluations were included in the ENDF/B-VII.1 library. Comparison with the results obtained with the JEFF-3.2 nuclear data library are also discussed.

Preparation of Samples for Leaf Architecture Studies, A Method for Mounting Cleared Leaves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandra Vasco

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Premise of the study: Several recent waves of interest in leaf architecture have shown an expanding range of approaches and applications across a number of disciplines. Despite this increased interest, examination of existing archives of cleared and mounted leaves shows that current methods for mounting, in particular, yield unsatisfactory results and deterioration of samples over relatively short periods. Although techniques for clearing and staining leaves are numerous, published techniques for mounting leaves are scarce. Methods and Results: Here we present a complete protocol and recommendations for clearing, staining, and imaging leaves, and, most importantly, a method to permanently mount cleared leaves. Conclusions: The mounting protocol is faster than other methods, inexpensive, and straightforward; moreover, it yields clear and permanent samples that can easily be imaged, scanned, and stored. Specimens mounted with this method preserve well, with leaves that were mounted more than 35 years ago showing no signs of bubbling or discoloration.

Cross-Correlation-Function-Based Multipath Mitigation Method for Sine-BOC Signals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. H. Chen

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS positioning accuracy indoor and urban canyons environments are greatly affected by multipath due to distortions in its autocorrelation function. In this paper, a cross-correlation function between the received sine phased Binary Offset Carrier (sine-BOC modulation signal and the local signal is studied firstly, and a new multipath mitigation method based on cross-correlation function for sine-BOC signal is proposed. This method is implemented to create a cross-correlation function by designing the modulated symbols of the local signal. The theoretical analysis and simulation results indicate that the proposed method exhibits better multipath mitigation performance compared with the traditional Double Delta Correlator (DDC techniques, especially the medium/long delay multipath signals, and it is also convenient and flexible to implement by using only one correlator, which is the case of low-cost mass-market receivers.

Cross-Cultural adaption, validity and reliability of a Hindi version of the Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Meena; Tandon, Shourya; Sharma, Ankur; Jain, Vishal; Rani Yadav, Nisha

2018-01-01

Background: An appropriate scale to assess the dental anxiety of Hindi speaking population is lacking. This study, therefore, aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of Hindi version of one of the oldest dental anxiety scale, Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS) in Hindi speaking Indian adults. Methods: A total of 348 subjects from the outpatient department of a dental hospital in India participated in this cross-sectional study. The scale was cross-culturally adapted by forward and backward translation, committee review and pretesting method. The construct validity of the translated scale was explored with exploratory factor analysis. The correlation of the Hindi version of CDAS with visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure the convergent validity. Reliability was assessed through calculations of Cronbach's alpha and intra class correlation 48 forms were completed for test-retest. Results: Prevalence of dental anxiety in the sample within the age range of 18-80 years was 85.63% [95% CI: 0.815-0.891]. The response rate was 100 %. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test value was 0.776. After factor analysis, a single factor (dental anxiety) was obtained with 4 items.The single factor model explained 61% variance. Pearson correlation coefficient between CDASand VAS was 0.494. Test-retest showed the Cronbach's alpha value of 0.814. The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient of the total CDAS score was 0.881 [95% CI: 0.318-0.554]. Conclusion: Hindi version of CDAS is a valid and reliable scale to assess dental anxiety in Hindi speaking population. Convergent validity is well recognized but discriminant validity is limited and requires further study.

A liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of salicylic, jasmonic and abscisic acids in Coffea arabica leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

de Sá, Marta; Ferreira, João P; Queiroz, Vagner T; Vilas-Boas, Luís; Silva, Maria C; Almeida, Maria H; Guerra-Guimarães, Leonor; Bronze, Maria R

2014-02-01

Plants have developed an efficient system of recognition that induces a complex network of signalling molecules such as salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA) and abscisic acid (ABA) in case of a pathogenic infection. The use of specific and sensitive methods is mandatory for the analysis of compounds in these complex samples. In this study a liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of SA, JA and ABA in Coffea arabica (L.) leaves in order to understand the role of these phytohormones in the signalling network involved in the coffee defence response against Hemileia vastatrix. The results showed that the method was specific, linear (r ≥ 0.99) in the range 0.125-1.00 µg mL⁻¹ for JA and ABA and 0.125-5.00 µg mL⁻¹ for SA, and precise (relative standard deviation ≤11%), and the limit of detection (0.010 µg g⁻¹ fresh weight) was adequate for quantifying these phytohormones in this type of matrix. In comparison with healthy leaves, those infected with H. vastatrix (resistance reaction) displayed an increase in SA level 24 h after inoculation, suggesting the involvement of an SA-dependent pathway in coffee resistance. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Biomarker case-detection and prediction with potential for functional psychosis screening: development and validation of a model related to biochemistry, sensory neural timing and end organ performance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie eFryar-Williams

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The Mental Health Biomarker Project aimed to discover case-predictive biomarkers for functional psychosis. In a retrospective, cross-sectional study, candidate marker results from 67, highly-characterized symptomatic participants were compared with results from 67 gender and age matched controls. Urine samples were analysed for catecholamines, their metabolites and hydroxylpyrolline-2-one, an oxidative stress marker. Blood samples were analyzed for vitamin and trace element cofactors of enzymes in the catecholamine synthesis and metabolism pathways. Cognitive, auditory and visual processing measures were assessed using a simple 45 minute, office-based procedure. Receiver Operating Curve (ROC and Odds Ratio analysis discovered biomarkers for deficits in folate, vitamin D and B6 and elevations in free copper to zinc ratio, catecholamines and the oxidative stress marker. Deficits were discovered in peripheral visual and auditory end-organ function, intra-cerebral auditory and visual processing speed and dichotic-listening performance. 15 ROC biomarker variables were divided into 5 functional domains. Through a repeated ROC process, individual ROC variables, followed by domains and finally the overall 15 set model, were dichotomously scored and tallied for abnormal results upon which it was found that ≥ 3 out of 5 abnormal domains achieved an AUC of 0.952 with a sensitivity of 84 per cent and a specificity of 90 percent. Six additional middle ear biomarkers in a 21 biomarker set increased sensitivity to 94% percent. Fivefold cross-validation yielded a mean sensitivity of 85% for the 15 biomarker set. Non-parametric regression analysis confirmed that ≥ 3 out of 5 abnormally scored domains predicted > 50% risk of case-ness whilst 4 abnormally-scored domains predicted 88% risk of case-ness and 100% diagnostic certainty was reached when all 5 domains were abnormally scored. These findings require validation in prospective cohorts and other mental

Seasonal changes and effect of harvest on glucosinolates in Isatis leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohn, Tobias; Suter, Kathrin; Hamburger, Matthias

2008-04-01

The seasonal fluctuation of glucosinolates in five defined Isatis tinctoria and one Isatis indigotica accessions (first year, rosette stage), grown on field plots under identical conditions, was investigated. Analysis of the intact glucosinolates was carried out with shock frozen, freeze dried leaf samples using a recently developed and validated PLE (pressurized liquid extraction) protocol and ion-pair HPLC coupled with ESI-MS in the negative mode. When comparing the two Isatis species, significant qualitative and quantitative differences in the glucosinolate patterns were observed. Differences among the various Isatis tinctoria accessions were much smaller. We studied the effects of repeated harvesting during the growth season on glucosinolate concentrations and found that repeated harvest did not have a major effect on glucosinolate concentrations of newly grown leaves. Glucosinolates could not be detected in woad leaves submitted to conventional drying.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Initial Validation of the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale into the Yoruba Language

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Akinpelu, Aderonke O.; Odetunde, Marufat O.; Odole, Adesola C.

2012-01-01

Stroke-Specific Quality of Life 2.0 (SS-QoL 2.0) scale is used widely and has been cross-culturally adapted to many languages. This study aimed at the cross-cultural adaptation of SS-QoL 2.0 to Yoruba, the indigenous language of south-western Nigeria, and to carry out an initial investigation on its validity. English SS-QoL 2.0 was first adapted…

Rapid Solid-Liquid Dynamic Extraction (RSLDE): a New Rapid and Greener Method for Extracting Two Steviol Glycosides (Stevioside and Rebaudioside A) from Stevia Leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallo, Monica; Vitulano, Manuela; Andolfi, Anna; DellaGreca, Marina; Conte, Esterina; Ciaravolo, Martina; Naviglio, Daniele

2017-06-01

Stevioside and rebaudioside A are the main diterpene glycosides present in the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, which is used in the production of foods and low-calorie beverages. The difficulties associated with their extraction and purification are currently a problem for the food processing industries. The objective of this study was to develop an effective and economically viable method to obtain a high-quality product while trying to overcome the disadvantages derived from the conventional transformation processes. For this reason, extractions were carried out using a conventional maceration (CM) and a cyclically pressurized extraction known as rapid solid-liquid dynamic extraction (RSLDE) by the Naviglio extractor (NE). After only 20 min of extraction using the NE, a quantity of rebaudioside A and stevioside equal to 1197.8 and 413.6 mg/L was obtained, respectively, while for the CM, the optimum time was 90 min. From the results, it can be stated that the extraction process by NE and its subsequent purification developed in this study is a simple, economical, environmentally friendly method for producing steviol glycosides. Therefore, this method constitutes a valid alternative to conventional extraction by reducing the extraction time and the consumption of toxic solvents and favouring the use of the extracted metabolites as food additives and/or nutraceuticals. As an added value and of local interest, the experiment was carried out on stevia leaves from the Benevento area (Italy), where a high content of rebaudioside A was observed, which exhibits a sweet taste compared to stevioside, which has a significant bitter aftertaste.

Preparation of samples for leaf architecture studies, a method for mounting cleared leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasco, Alejandra; Thadeo, Marcela; Conover, Margaret; Daly, Douglas C

2014-09-01

Several recent waves of interest in leaf architecture have shown an expanding range of approaches and applications across a number of disciplines. Despite this increased interest, examination of existing archives of cleared and mounted leaves shows that current methods for mounting, in particular, yield unsatisfactory results and deterioration of samples over relatively short periods. Although techniques for clearing and staining leaves are numerous, published techniques for mounting leaves are scarce. • Here we present a complete protocol and recommendations for clearing, staining, and imaging leaves, and, most importantly, a method to permanently mount cleared leaves. • The mounting protocol is faster than other methods, inexpensive, and straightforward; moreover, it yields clear and permanent samples that can easily be imaged, scanned, and stored. Specimens mounted with this method preserve well, with leaves that were mounted more than 35 years ago showing no signs of bubbling or discoloration.

Machine Learning Methods for Prediction of CDK-Inhibitors

Science.gov (United States)

Ramana, Jayashree; Gupta, Dinesh

2010-01-01

Progression through the cell cycle involves the coordinated activities of a suite of cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) complexes. The activities of the complexes are regulated by CDK inhibitors (CDKIs). Apart from its role as cell cycle regulators, CDKIs are involved in apoptosis, transcriptional regulation, cell fate determination, cell migration and cytoskeletal dynamics. As the complexes perform crucial and diverse functions, these are important drug targets for tumour and stem cell therapeutic interventions. However, CDKIs are represented by proteins with considerable sequence heterogeneity and may fail to be identified by simple similarity search methods. In this work we have evaluated and developed machine learning methods for identification of CDKIs. We used different compositional features and evolutionary information in the form of PSSMs, from CDKIs and non-CDKIs for generating SVM and ANN classifiers. In the first stage, both the ANN and SVM models were evaluated using Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation and in the second stage these were tested on independent data sets. The PSSM-based SVM model emerged as the best classifier in both the stages and is publicly available through a user-friendly web interface at http://bioinfo.icgeb.res.in/cdkipred. PMID:20967128

The Cross-Cultural Validity of the MMPI-2-RF Higher-Order Scales in a Sample of North Korean Female Refugees.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seong-Hyeon; Goodman, Grace M; Toruno, Joseph A; Sherry, Alissa R; Kim, Hee Kyung

2015-10-01

We investigated the cross-cultural factorial validity of the three Higher-Order (H-O) scales in the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) among a sample of North Korean female refugees (N = 2,732). Given the importance of the H-O scales in the overall structure of the MMPI-2-RF scales and in interpretation, we were interested in exploring their cross-cultural validity. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on the nine Restructured Clinical (RC) scale raw scores and fitted and compared one- to three-factor models. The three-factor model, akin to the model in Tellegen and Ben-Porath, demonstrated the best fit to the data. Furthermore, the pattern matrices of loadings across the current sample and the U.S. samples were comparable despite some differences, such as the RC2 scale's salient, negative loading on a factor analogous to the Behavioral/Externalizing Dysfunction scale. We also investigated the unique psychological characteristics of the refugees, possibly resulting from the arduous, perilous journeys out of North Korea taken by this group of female refugees and discussed the results of EFA in light of those singular psychological traits and experiences. Overall, the three H-O scales of the Korean MMPI-2-RF evidenced reasonable cross-cultural factorial validity among the sample of North Korean female refugees. © The Author(s) 2014.

Validation study of core analysis methods for full MOX BWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

JNES has been developing a technical database used in reviewing validation of core analysis methods of LWRs in the coming occasions: (1) confirming the core safety parameters of the initial core (one-third MOX core) through a full MOX core in Oma Nuclear Power Plant, which is under the construction, (2) licensing high-burnup MOX cores in the future and (3) reviewing topical reports on core analysis codes for safety design and evaluation. Based on the technical database, JNES will issue a guide of reviewing the core analysis methods used for safety design and evaluation of LWRs. The database will be also used for validation and improving of core analysis codes developed by JNES. JNES has progressed with the projects: (1) improving a Doppler reactivity analysis model in a Monte Carlo calculation code MVP, (2) sensitivity study of nuclear cross section date on reactivity calculation of experimental cores composed of UO 2 and MOX fuel rods, (3) analysis of isotopic composition data for UO 2 and MOX fuels and (4) the guide of reviewing the core analysis codes and others. (author)

Validation study of core analysis methods for full MOX BWR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-08-15

JNES has been developing a technical database used in reviewing validation of core analysis methods of LWRs in the coming occasions: (1) confirming the core safety parameters of the initial core (one-third MOX core) through a full MOX core in Oma Nuclear Power Plant, which is under the construction, (2) licensing high-burnup MOX cores in the future and (3) reviewing topical reports on core analysis codes for safety design and evaluation. Based on the technical database, JNES will issue a guide of reviewing the core analysis methods used for safety design and evaluation of LWRs. The database will be also used for validation and improving of core analysis codes developed by JNES. JNES has progressed with the projects: (1) improving a Doppler reactivity analysis model in a Monte Carlo calculation code MVP, (2) sensitivity study of nuclear cross section date on reactivity calculation of experimental cores composed of UO{sub 2} and MOX fuel rods, (3) analysis of isotopic composition data for UO{sub 2} and MOX fuels and (4) the guide of reviewing the core analysis codes and others. (author)

SRMDAP: SimRank and Density-Based Clustering Recommender Model for miRNA-Disease Association Prediction

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Xiaoying Li

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs can be applied for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of human diseases. Identifying the relationship between miRNA and human disease is important to further investigate the pathogenesis of human diseases. However, experimental identification of the associations between diseases and miRNAs is time-consuming and expensive. Computational methods are efficient approaches to determine the potential associations between diseases and miRNAs. This paper presents a new computational method based on the SimRank and density-based clustering recommender model for miRNA-disease associations prediction (SRMDAP. The AUC of 0.8838 based on leave-one-out cross-validation and case studies suggested the excellent performance of the SRMDAP in predicting miRNA-disease associations. SRMDAP could also predict diseases without any related miRNAs and miRNAs without any related diseases.

ReSOLV: Applying Cryptocurrency Blockchain Methods to Enable Global Cross-Platform Software License Validation

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Alan Litchfield

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a method for a decentralised peer-to-peer software license validation system using cryptocurrency blockchain technology to ameliorate software piracy, and to provide a mechanism for software developers to protect copyrighted works. Protecting software copyright has been an issue since the late 1970s and software license validation has been a primary method employed in an attempt to minimise software piracy and protect software copyright. The method described creates an ecosystem in which the rights and privileges of participants are observed.

Effect of cross-flow direction of coolant on film cooling effectiveness with one inlet and double outlet hole injection

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Guangchao Li

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In order to study the effect of cross-flow directions of an internal coolant on film cooling performance, the discharge coefficients and film cooling effectiveness with one inlet and double outlet hole injections were simulated. The numerical results show that two different cross-flow directions of the coolant cause the same decrease in the discharge coefficients as that in the case of supplying coolant by a plenum. The different proportion of the mass flow out of the two outlets of the film hole results in different values of the film cooling effectiveness for three different cases of coolant supplies. The film cooling effectiveness is the highest for the case of supplying coolant by the plenum. At a lower blowing ratio of 1.0, the film cooling effectiveness with coolant injection from the right entrance of the passage is higher than that from the left entrance of the passage. At a higher blowing ratio of 2.0, the opposite result is found.

Validation of an improved abnormality insertion method for medical image perception investigations

Science.gov (United States)

Madsen, Mark T.; Durst, Gregory R.; Caldwell, Robert T.; Schartz, Kevin M.; Thompson, Brad H.; Berbaum, Kevin S.

2009-02-01

The ability to insert abnormalities in clinical tomographic images makes image perception studies with medical images practical. We describe a new insertion technique and its experimental validation that uses complementary image masks to select an abnormality from a library and place it at a desired location. The method was validated using a 4-alternative forced-choice experiment. For each case, four quadrants were simultaneously displayed consisting of 5 consecutive frames of a chest CT with a pulmonary nodule. One quadrant was unaltered, while the other 3 had the nodule from the unaltered quadrant artificially inserted. 26 different sets were generated and repeated with order scrambling for a total of 52 cases. The cases were viewed by radiology staff and residents who ranked each quadrant by realistic appearance. On average, the observers were able to correctly identify the unaltered quadrant in 42% of cases, and identify the unaltered quadrant both times it appeared in 25% of cases. Consensus, defined by a majority of readers, correctly identified the unaltered quadrant in only 29% of 52 cases. For repeats, the consensus observer successfully identified the unaltered quadrant only once. We conclude that the insertion method can be used to reliably place abnormalities in perception experiments.

Cultivating the Under-Mined: Cross-Case Analysis as Knowledge Mobilization

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Samia Khan

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Despite a plethora of case studies in the social sciences, it is the authors' opinion that case studies remain relatively under-mined sources of expertise. Cross-case analysis is a research method that can mobilize knowledge from individual case studies. The authors propose that mobilization of case knowledge occurs when researchers accumulate case knowledge, compare and contrast cases, and in doing so, produce new knowledge. In this article, the authors present theories of how people can learn from sets of cases. Second, existing techniques for cross-case analysis are discussed. Third, considerations that enable researchers to engage in cross-case analysis are suggested. Finally, the authors introduce a novel online database: the Foresee (4C database. The purpose of the database is to mobilize case knowledge by helping researchers perform cross-case analysis and by creating an online research community that facilitates dialogue and the mobilization of case knowledge. The design of the 4C database is informed by theories of how people learn from case studies and cross-case analysis techniques. We present evidence from case study research that use of the 4C database helps to mobilize previously dormant case study knowledge to foster greater expertise. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0801348

Cross-cultural adaptation and reliability and validity of the Dutch Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE-D).

Science.gov (United States)

van Ark, Mathijs; Zwerver, Johannes; Diercks, Ronald L; van den Akker-Scheek, Inge

2014-08-11

Lateral Epicondylalgia (LE) is a common injury for which no reliable and valid measure exists to determine severity in the Dutch language. The Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) is the first questionnaire specifically designed for LE but in English. The aim of this study was to translate into Dutch and cross-culturally adapt the PRTEE and determine reliability and validity of the PRTEE-D (Dutch version). The PRTEE was cross-culturally adapted according to international guidelines. Participants (n = 122) were asked to fill out the PRTEE-D twice with a one week interval to assess test-retest reliability. Internal consistency of the PRTEE-D was determined by calculating Crohnbach's alphas for the questionnaire and subscales. Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) were calculated for the overall PRTEE-D score, pain and function subscale and individual questions to determine test-retest reliability. Additionally, the Disabilities for the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores were obtained from 30 patients to assess construct validity; Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated between the PRTEE-D (subscales) and DASH and VAS-pain scores. The PRTEE was successfully cross-culturally adapted into Dutch (PRTEE-D). Crohnbach's alpha for the first assessment of the PRTEE-D was 0.98; Crohnbach's alpha was 0.93 for the pain subscale and 0.97 for the function subscale. ICC for the PRTEE-D was 0.98; subscales also showed excellent ICC values (pain scale 0.97 and function scale 0.97). A significant moderate correlation exists between PRTEE-D and DASH (0.65) and PRTEE-D and VAS pain (0.68). The PRTEE was successfully cross-culturally adapted and this study showed that the PRTEE-D is reliable and valid to obtain an indication of severity of LE. An easy-to-use instrument for practitioners is now available and this facilitates comparing Dutch and international research data.

Estimation of leaf area in coffee leaves (Coffea arabica L. of the Castillo® variety

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Carlos Andrés Unigarro-Muñoz

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Allometric models based on measurements of single leaf dimensions or a combination there are useful tools for determining individual leaf area (LA because they are non-destructive, precise, simple and economical methods. The present study was carried out at the Central Station Naranjal of Cenicafé, located in the Department of Caldas (Colombia, four models were defined using the variables length (L and/or width (W to estimate LA in coffee leaves of the Castillo® variety (Coffea arabica L.. Estimation of regression coefficients was performed using information recorded from 6,441 leaves (group 1, and their validation was performed using records from another 992 leaves (group 2. Leaves were collected from all strata of the canopy and ranged from 0.76 to 140 cm2 in LA. In addition to exhibiting coefficients of variation differing from zero based on t-tests at 1%, the evaluated models possess coefficients of determination between 0.93 and 0.99. Four expressions have developed and adjusted to estimate leaf area in individual leaves, based on the measurement of simple variables and non-destructive.

Cultural Orientations Framework (COF) Assessment Questionnaire in Cross-Cultural Coaching: A Cross-Validation with Wave Focus Styles

OpenAIRE

Rojon, C; McDowall, A

2010-01-01

This paper outlines a cross-validation of the Cultural Orientations Framework assessment questionnaire\\ud (COF, Rosinski, 2007; a new tool designed for cross-cultural coaching) with the Saville Consulting\\ud Wave Focus Styles questionnaire (Saville Consulting, 2006; an existing validated measure of\\ud occupational personality), using data from UK and German participants (N = 222). The convergent and\\ud divergent validity of the questionnaire was adequate. Contrary to previous findings which u...

Body Dysmorphic Symptoms Scale for patients seeking esthetic surgery: cross-cultural validation study

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Tatiana Dalpasquale Ramos

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Rhinoplasty is one of the most sought-after esthetic operations among individuals with body dysmorphic disorder. The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt and validate the Body Dysmorphic Symptoms Scale. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-cultural validation study conducted in a plastic surgery outpatient clinic of a public university hospital. METHODS: Between February 2014 and March 2015, 80 consecutive patients of both sexes seeking rhinoplasty were selected. Thirty of them participated in the phase of cultural adaptation of the instrument. Reproducibility was tested on 20 patients and construct validity was assessed on 50 patients, with correlation against the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale for Body Dysmorphic Disorder. RESULTS: The Brazilian version of the instrument showed Cronbach's alpha of 0.805 and excellent inter-rater reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.873; P < 0.001 and intra-rater reproducibility (ICC = 0.939; P < 0.001. Significant differences in total scores were found between patients with and without symptoms (P < 0.001. A strong correlation (r = 0.841; P < 0.001 was observed between the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale for Body Dysmorphic Disorder and the Body Dysmorphic Symptoms Scale. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.981, thus showing good accuracy for discriminating between presence and absence of symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder. Forty-six percent of the patients had body dysmorphic symptoms and 54% had moderate to severe appearance-related obsessive-compulsive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The Brazilian version of the Body Dysmorphic Symptoms Scale is a reproducible instrument that presents face, content and construct validity.

Method for Pedestrian Crossing Risk Assessment and Safety Level Determination: the Case Study of Tallinn

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pashkevich, M.; Krasilnikova, A.; Antov, D.

2016-07-01

Pedestrians are a part of vulnerable road users which safety requires a special attention. Official statistics in Estonia from the last decade returns the following numbers: around 30 % of all road traffic accidents in the country were accidents with pedestrians, 32 % of all traffic fatalities were finished with pedestrian death. Pedestrian crossing has the biggest risk level between all kinds of pedestrian facilities, because it includes a direct conflict point between vehicle and pedestrian traffics. The article presents a method to assess risk of pedestrian crossing users and to determine safety level of this road infrastructure element. This approach is based on observation and collection of infrastructural as well as traffic data, which includes: (1) information about each pedestrian crossing facility, its location and state, (2) data about accidents with pedestrians and their features, (3) data from road traffic measurements. The main advantages of the described method are universality and comprehensiveness. The case study was done in Kristiine district of the city Tallinn, which was chosen as the most typical average district of Estonian capital. Results of this study are also presented in the article. (Author)

Effect of different drying methods on the composition of steviol glycosides in Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaves

Science.gov (United States)

Aranda-González, Irma; Betancur-Ancona, David; Chel-Guerrero, Luis; Moguel-Ordóñez, Yolanda

2017-01-01

Drying techniques can modify the composition of certain plant compounds. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the effect of different drying methods on steviol glycosides in Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaves. Four different drying methods were applied to Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaves, which were then subjected to aqueous extraction. Radiation or convection drying was performed in stoves at 60°C, whereas shade or sun drying methods were applied at 29.7°C and 70% of relative humidity. Stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, dulcoside A, and steviolbioside were quantified by a validated HPLC method. Among steviol glycosides, the content (g 100 g-1 dry basis) of stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, and rebaudioside C varied according to the drying method. The total glycoside content was higher in sun-dried samples, with no significant differences compared to shade or convection drying, whereas radiation drying adversely affected the content of rebaudioside A and rebaudioside C (p <0.01) and was therefore a method lowering total glycoside content. The effect of the different drying methods was also reflected in the proportion of the sweetener profile. Convection drying could be suitable for modern food processing industries while shadow or sun drying may be a low-cost alternative for farmers.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Sinus and Nasal Quality of Life Survey (SN-5 into Brazilian Portuguese

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Priscila Regina Candido Espinola Uchoa

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: The concept of quality of life is subjective and variable definition, which depends on the individual's perception of their state of health. Quality of life questionnaires are instruments designed to measure quality of life, but most are developed in a language other than Portuguese. Questionnaires can identify the most important symptoms, focus on consultation, and assist in defining the goals of treatment. Some of these have been validated for the Portuguese language, but none in children. Objective: To validate the translation with cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Sinus and Nasal Quality of Life Survey (SN-5 into Portuguese. Methods: Prospective study of children aged 2-12 years with sinonasal symptoms of over 30 days. The study comprised two stages: (I translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the SN-5 into Portuguese (SN-5p; and (II validation of the SN5-p. Statistical analysis was performed to assess internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and sensitivity, as well as construct and discriminant validity and standardization. Results: The SN-5 was translated and adapted into Portuguese (SN-5p and the author of the original version approved the process. Validation was carried out by administration of the SN-5p to 51 pediatric patients with sinonasal complaints (mean age, 5.8 ± 2.5 years; range, 2-12 years. The questionnaire exhibited adequate construct validity (0.62, p < 0.01, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.73, and discriminant validity (p < 0.01, as well as good test-retest reproducibility (Goodman-Kruskal gamma = 0.957, p < 0.001, good correlation with a visual analog scale (r = 0.62, p < 0.01, and sensitivity to change. Conclusion: This study reports the successful translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the SN-5 instrument into Brazilian Portuguese. The translated version exhibited adequate psychometric properties for assessment of disease-specific quality of life in

Validation of KENO, ANISN and Hansen-Roach cross-section set on plutonium oxide and metal fuel system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumoto, Tadakuni; Yumoto, Ryozo; Nakano, Koh.

1980-01-01

In the previous report, the authors discussed the validity of KENO, ANISN and Hansen-Roach 16 group cross-section set on the critical plutonium nitrate solution systems with various geometries, absorbers and neutron interactions. The purpose of the present report is to examine the validity of the same calculation systems on the homogeneous plutonium oxide and plutonium-uranium mixed oxide fuels with various density values. Eleven experiments adopted for validation are summarized. First six experiments were performed at Pacific Northwest Laboratory of Battelle Memorial Institute, and the remaining five at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. The characteristics of core fuel are given, and the isotopic composition of plutonium, the relation between H/(Pu + U) atomic ratio and fuel density as compared with the atomic ratios of PuO 2 and mixed oxides in powder storage and pellet fabrication processes, and critical core dimensions and reflector conditions are shown. The effective multiplication factors were calculated with the KENO code. In case of the metal fuels with simple sphere geometry, additional calculations with the ANISN code were performed. The criticality calculation system composed of KENO, ANISN and Hansen-Roach cross-section set was found to be valid for calculating the criticality on plutonium oxide, plutonium-uranium mixed oxide, plutonium metal and uranium metal fuel systems as well as on plutonium solution systems with various geometries, absorbers and neutron interactions. There seems to remain some problems in the method for evaluating experimental correction. Some discussions foloow. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

Cross Cultural Validation Of Perceived Workfamily Facilitation Scale ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The work family interface contains four unique factors based on studies from western countries. However, some of these studies have questioned the cross cultural adoption of psychological concept, and called for a re-validation prior to adoption. The main purpose of this study is to re-validate the four factor structure that ...

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Hungarian version of the Core Outcome Measures Index for the back (COMI Back).

Science.gov (United States)

Klemencsics, Istvan; Lazary, Aron; Valasek, Tamas; Szoverfi, Zsolt; Bozsodi, Arpad; Eltes, Peter; Fekete, Tamás Fülöp; Varga, Peter Pal

2016-01-01

The Core Outcome Measure Index (COMI) is a short, multidimensional outcome instrument developed for the evaluation of patients with spinal conditions. The aim of this study was to produce a cross-culturally adapted and validated Hungarian version of the COMI Back questionnaire. A cross-cultural adaptation of the COMI into Hungarian was carried out using established guidelines. Low back pain patients completed a booklet of questionnaires containing the Hungarian versions of COMI, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and WHO Quality of Life-BREF assessment (WHOQOL-BREF). The validation of the COMI included assessment of its construct validity, reliability, and responsiveness. 145 patients participated in the assessment of reliability and 159 surgically treated patients were included in the responsiveness study. Excellent correlation was found between COMI and ODI scores (rho = 0.83, p cross-cultural adaptation of the COMI into the Hungarian language was successful, resulting in a reliable and valid measurement tool with good clinimetric properties.

L2 Milestone: Neutron Capture Cross Sections from Surrogate (p, d) Measurements: Determination of the Unknown ⁸⁷Y(n, g) Cross Section and Assessment of the Method Via the ⁹⁰Zr(n, g) Benchmark Case: Theory Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Escher, J. E. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-09-06

Cross sections for compound-nuclear reactions involving unstable targets are important for many applications, but can often not be measured directly. Here we describe a method for extracting cross sections for neutron-capture on unstable isotopes from indirect (surrogate) measurements. The surrogate reaction, which produces the compound nucleus of interest, has to be described and the decay of the nucleus has to be modeled. We outline the approach for one-neutron pickup and report on the determination of the ⁹⁰Zr(n, γ ) reaction from surrogate ⁹²Zr(p,d) data, which is compared to the directly-measured capture cross section and thus provides a benchmark for the method. We then apply the method to determine the ⁸⁷Y(n, γ ) cross section, which has not been measured directly. The work was carried out in the context of an LLNL L2 Milestone. This report addresses the theory aspects of the milestone. A complementary document summarizes the experimental efforts [1].

The In-Out dispositional affective style questionnaire (IN-OUT DASQ: an exploratory factorial analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viridiana eMazzola

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The issue of individual differences has always been an important area of research in psychology and, more recently, neuroimaging. A major source of interindividual variability stems from differences in basic affective dispositions. In order to make a contribution to this field of research, we have developed a new type of assessment - the In-Out Dispositional Affective Style Questionnaire (IN-OUT DASQ - to measure the proneness between two different ways of feeling situated: a predominantly body-bound one in the case of the inward tendency and an externally anchored one in the case of the outward tendency (Arciero and Bondolfi, 2009. The IN-OUT DASQ contains 2 scales of 7 items each, Self-centric engagement (SCE and Other-centric engagement (OCE, as a disposition index for inwardness and outwardness respectively. The exploratory factor analysis in sample 1 (n= 292 confirmed a two-factor solution. Confirmatory factor analysis in sample 2 (n= 300 showed the good fit of this two-factor model. Next, we examined construct validity also investigating the correlations between the IN-OUT DASQ, the Big Five Questionnaire and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule in sample 3 (n=153. The SCE and OCE scales had robust internal consistency and reliability, and therefore the capacity to discriminate higher inward and outward participants was stronger in SCE. Although further validation research is required, the present study suggests the IN-OUT DASQ has the potential to be a measurement tool for detecting individual differences in social behavior and social affective neuroscience.

A statistical method to estimate low-energy hadronic cross sections

Science.gov (United States)

Balassa, Gábor; Kovács, Péter; Wolf, György

2018-02-01

In this article we propose a model based on the Statistical Bootstrap approach to estimate the cross sections of different hadronic reactions up to a few GeV in c.m.s. energy. The method is based on the idea, when two particles collide a so-called fireball is formed, which after a short time period decays statistically into a specific final state. To calculate the probabilities we use a phase space description extended with quark combinatorial factors and the possibility of more than one fireball formation. In a few simple cases the probability of a specific final state can be calculated analytically, where we show that the model is able to reproduce the ratios of the considered cross sections. We also show that the model is able to describe proton-antiproton annihilation at rest. In the latter case we used a numerical method to calculate the more complicated final state probabilities. Additionally, we examined the formation of strange and charmed mesons as well, where we used existing data to fit the relevant model parameters.

Translation, cross-culturally adaptation and validation of the Danish version of Oxford Hip Score (OHS)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paulsen, Aksel

there was no properly translated, adapted and validated Danish language version available, a translation to Danish, cross-culturally adaptation and validation of the Danish Oxford Hip Score was warranted. Material and Methods: We translated and cross-culturally adapted the Oxford Hip Score into Danish, in accordance......Objective: The Oxford Hip Score is a patient reported outcome questionnaire designed to assess pain and function in patients undergoing total hip arthroplaty (THA). The Oxford Hip Score is valid, reliable and consistent, and different language versions have been developed. Since.......9 % ceiling effect on this cohort of postoperative patients. Only in 1.2 % of the patients no sum score could be calculated, due to missing items. In relation to construct validity 80 % of predefined hypothesis were confirmed. The different items had an intraclass correlation in the range of 0...

Blind system identification of two-thermocouple sensor based on cross-relation method

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yanfeng; Zhang, Zhijie; Hao, Xiaojian

2018-03-01

In dynamic temperature measurement, the dynamic characteristics of the sensor affect the accuracy of the measurement results. Thermocouples are widely used for temperature measurement in harsh conditions due to their low cost, robustness, and reliability, but because of the presence of the thermal inertia, there is a dynamic error in the dynamic temperature measurement. In order to eliminate the dynamic error, two-thermocouple sensor was used to measure dynamic gas temperature in constant velocity flow environments in this paper. Blind system identification of two-thermocouple sensor based on a cross-relation method was carried out. Particle swarm optimization algorithm was used to estimate time constants of two thermocouples and compared with the grid based search method. The method was validated on the experimental equipment built by using high temperature furnace, and the input dynamic temperature was reconstructed by using the output data of the thermocouple with small time constant.

Cross-Cultural adaption, validity and reliability of a Hindi version of the Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale

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Meena Jain

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Background: An appropriate scale to assess the dental anxiety of Hindi speaking population is lacking. This study, therefore, aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of Hindi version of one of the oldest dental anxiety scale, Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS in Hindi speaking Indian adults.Methods: A total of 348 subjects from the outpatient department of a dental hospital in Indiaparticipated in this cross-sectional study. The scale was cross-culturally adapted by forward and backward translation, committee review and pretesting method. The construct validity of the translated scale was explored with exploratory factor analysis. The correlation of the Hindi version of CDAS with visual analogue scale (VAS was used to measure the convergent validity.Reliability was assessed through calculations of Cronbach’s alpha and intra class correlation 48 forms were completed for test-retest.Results: Prevalence of dental anxiety in the sample within the age range of 18-80 years was 85.63% [95% CI: 0.815-0.891]. The response rate was 100 %. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO test value was 0.776. After factor analysis, a single factor (dental anxiety was obtained with 4 items.The single factor model explained 61% variance. Pearson correlation coefficient between CDASand VAS was 0.494. Test-retest showed the Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.814. The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient of the total CDAS score was 0.881 [95% CI: 0.318-0.554].Conclusion: Hindi version of CDAS is a valid and reliable scale to assess dental anxiety in Hindi speaking population. Convergent validity is well recognized but discriminant validity is limited and requires further study.

Cross-Cultural adaption, validity and reliability of a Hindi version of the Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Meena; Tandon, Shourya; Sharma, Ankur; Jain, Vishal; Rani Yadav, Nisha

2018-01-01

Background: An appropriate scale to assess the dental anxiety of Hindi speaking population is lacking. This study, therefore, aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of Hindi version of one of the oldest dental anxiety scale, Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS) in Hindi speaking Indian adults. Methods: A total of 348 subjects from the outpatient department of a dental hospital in India participated in this cross-sectional study. The scale was cross-culturally adapted by forward and backward translation, committee review and pretesting method. The construct validity of the translated scale was explored with exploratory factor analysis. The correlation of the Hindi version of CDAS with visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure the convergent validity. Reliability was assessed through calculations of Cronbach’s alpha and intra class correlation 48 forms were completed for test-retest. Results: Prevalence of dental anxiety in the sample within the age range of 18-80 years was 85.63% [95% CI: 0.815-0.891]. The response rate was 100 %. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test value was 0.776. After factor analysis, a single factor (dental anxiety) was obtained with 4 items.The single factor model explained 61% variance. Pearson correlation coefficient between CDASand VAS was 0.494. Test-retest showed the Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.814. The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient of the total CDAS score was 0.881 [95% CI: 0.318-0.554]. Conclusion: Hindi version of CDAS is a valid and reliable scale to assess dental anxiety in Hindi speaking population. Convergent validity is well recognized but discriminant validity is limited and requires further study. PMID:29744307

Pharmacognostic Investigation of the Leaves and Stems of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: Some pharmacognostical investigations were carried out on the leaves and stems of Viburnum erubescens Wall.ex DC to record parameters for identifying and differentiating various species of Viburnum. Methods: The research specimens were authenticated and preserved both in fresh and dry forms. The leaves ...

QSAR study of HCV NS5B polymerase inhibitors using the genetic algorithm-multiple linear regression (GA-MLR).

Science.gov (United States)

Rafiei, Hamid; Khanzadeh, Marziyeh; Mozaffari, Shahla; Bostanifar, Mohammad Hassan; Avval, Zhila Mohajeri; Aalizadeh, Reza; Pourbasheer, Eslam

2016-01-01

Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) study has been employed for predicting the inhibitory activities of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B polymerase inhibitors . A data set consisted of 72 compounds was selected, and then different types of molecular descriptors were calculated. The whole data set was split into a training set (80 % of the dataset) and a test set (20 % of the dataset) using principle component analysis. The stepwise (SW) and the genetic algorithm (GA) techniques were used as variable selection tools. Multiple linear regression method was then used to linearly correlate the selected descriptors with inhibitory activities. Several validation technique including leave-one-out and leave-group-out cross-validation, Y-randomization method were used to evaluate the internal capability of the derived models. The external prediction ability of the derived models was further analyzed using modified r(2), concordance correlation coefficient values and Golbraikh and Tropsha acceptable model criteria's. Based on the derived results (GA-MLR), some new insights toward molecular structural requirements for obtaining better inhibitory activity were obtained.

Out-of-plane vibrations of inhomogeneous curved bars having varying cross-sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Katsuyoshi; Kosawada, Tadashi

1987-01-01

An exact method using power series expansions is presented for solving out-of-plane free vibrations of inhomogeneous curved bars with varying curvatures and cross-sections. Equations of motion and boundary conditions are derived from the stationary conditions of the Lagrangian of curved bars. Natural frequencies and mode shapes are presented for elliptical and circular arc bars having both ends clamped and clamped-free ends. (author)

Evaluation of reversible contraceptive potential of Cordia dichotoma leaves extract

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Plaban Bhattacharya

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Considering the safety-risk ratio of steroidal contraceptives, the present work was carried out to evaluate ethno-contraceptive use of Cordia dichotoma G. Forst., Boraginaceae, leaves (LCD. Preliminary pharmacological screening was performed on post-coital female albino rats. The leaves extract (LD50 5.50 g/kg bw showed 100% anti-implantation activity (n=10 at 800 mg/kg dose level. (2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (BCD was used as bioavailability enhancer to form LCD-BCD complex, characterized by DLS, SEM and XRD analyses. The LCD-BCD complex (1:1, w/w exhibited 100% pregnancy interception (n=20 at the dose level of 250 mg/kg and also showed strong estrogenic potential with a luteal phase defect. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses were carried out. The LCD extract was standardized by a validated HPTLC method and two contraceptive phytoconstituents, apigenin and luteolin were isolated. A detailed pharmacological analyses followed by chronic toxicity study were performed to predict the reversible nature of the developed phytopharmaceutical. The histological and biochemical estimations detected the reversible contraceptive potential after withdrawal. The observations suggested that the developed phyto-pharmaceutical has potential antifertility activity with safety aspects.

Evaluation of reversible contraceptive potential of Cordia dichotoma leaves extract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Plaban Bhattacharya

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Considering the safety-risk ratio of steroidal contraceptives, the present work was carried out to evaluate ethno-contraceptive use of Cordia dichotoma G. Forst., Boraginaceae, leaves (LCD. Preliminary pharmacological screening was performed on post-coital female albino rats. The leaves extract (LD50 5.50 g/kg bw showed 100% anti-implantation activity (n=10 at 800 mg/kg dose level. (2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (BCD was used as bioavailability enhancer to form LCD-BCD complex, characterized by DLS, SEM and XRD analyses. The LCD-BCD complex (1:1, w/w exhibited 100% pregnancy interception (n=20 at the dose level of 250 mg/kg and also showed strong estrogenic potential with a luteal phase defect. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses were carried out. The LCD extract was standardized by a validated HPTLC method and two contraceptive phytoconstituents, apigenin and luteolin were isolated. A detailed pharmacological analyses followed by chronic toxicity study were performed to predict the reversible nature of the developed phytopharmaceutical. The histological and biochemical estimations detected the reversible contraceptive potential after withdrawal. The observations suggested that the developed phyto-pharmaceutical has potential antifertility activity with safety aspects.

Preparation of samples for leaf architecture studies, a method for mounting cleared leaves1

Science.gov (United States)

Vasco, Alejandra; Thadeo, Marcela; Conover, Margaret; Daly, Douglas C.

2014-01-01

• Premise of the study: Several recent waves of interest in leaf architecture have shown an expanding range of approaches and applications across a number of disciplines. Despite this increased interest, examination of existing archives of cleared and mounted leaves shows that current methods for mounting, in particular, yield unsatisfactory results and deterioration of samples over relatively short periods. Although techniques for clearing and staining leaves are numerous, published techniques for mounting leaves are scarce. • Methods and Results: Here we present a complete protocol and recommendations for clearing, staining, and imaging leaves, and, most importantly, a method to permanently mount cleared leaves. • Conclusions: The mounting protocol is faster than other methods, inexpensive, and straightforward; moreover, it yields clear and permanent samples that can easily be imaged, scanned, and stored. Specimens mounted with this method preserve well, with leaves that were mounted more than 35 years ago showing no signs of bubbling or discoloration. PMID:25225627

Refining Time-Activity Classification of Human Subjects Using the Global Positioning System.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Maogui; Li, Wei; Li, Lianfa; Houston, Douglas; Wu, Jun

2016-01-01

Detailed spatial location information is important in accurately estimating personal exposure to air pollution. Global Position System (GPS) has been widely used in tracking personal paths and activities. Previous researchers have developed time-activity classification models based on GPS data, most of them were developed for specific regions. An adaptive model for time-location classification can be widely applied to air pollution studies that use GPS to track individual level time-activity patterns. Time-activity data were collected for seven days using GPS loggers and accelerometers from thirteen adult participants from Southern California under free living conditions. We developed an automated model based on random forests to classify major time-activity patterns (i.e. indoor, outdoor-static, outdoor-walking, and in-vehicle travel). Sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the contribution of the accelerometer data and the supplemental spatial data (i.e. roadway and tax parcel data) to the accuracy of time-activity classification. Our model was evaluated using both leave-one-fold-out and leave-one-subject-out methods. Maximum speeds in averaging time intervals of 7 and 5 minutes, and distance to primary highways with limited access were found to be the three most important variables in the classification model. Leave-one-fold-out cross-validation showed an overall accuracy of 99.71%. Sensitivities varied from 84.62% (outdoor walking) to 99.90% (indoor). Specificities varied from 96.33% (indoor) to 99.98% (outdoor static). The exclusion of accelerometer and ambient light sensor variables caused a slight loss in sensitivity for outdoor walking, but little loss in overall accuracy. However, leave-one-subject-out cross-validation showed considerable loss in sensitivity for outdoor static and outdoor walking conditions. The random forests classification model can achieve high accuracy for the four major time-activity categories. The model also performed well

The prevalence of sick leave

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Backhausen, Mette; Damm, Peter; Bendix, Jane

2018-01-01

of long-term sick leave. Method Data from 508 employed pregnant women seeking antenatal care was collected by questionnaires from August 2015 to March 2016. The questionnaires, which were filled in at 20 and 32 weeks of gestation, provided information on maternal characteristics, the number of days spent...... on sick leave and the associated reasons. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were applied. Results The prevalence of sick leave was 56% of employed pregnant women in the first 32 weeks of gestation and more than one in four reported long-term sick leave (>20 days, continuous...... was a negative predictor. Conclusions The prevalence of sick leave was 56% in the first 32 weeks of gestation and more than one in four women reported long-term sick leave. The majority of reasons for sick leave were pregnancy-related and low back pain was the most frequently given reason....

A method of detecting carbonyl compounds in tree leaves in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Juan; Feng, Yanli; Fu, Jiamo; Sheng, Guoying

2010-06-01

Carbonyl compounds have been paid more and more attention because some carbonyl species have been proven to be carcinogenic or a risk for human health. Plant leaves are both an important emission source and an important sink of carbonyl compounds. But the research on carbonyl compounds from plant leaves is very scarce. In order to make an approach to the emission mechanism of plant leaves, a new method was established to extract carbonyl compounds from fresh plant leaves. The procedure combining derivatization with ultrasonication was developed for the fast extraction of carbonyl compounds from tree leaves. Fresh leaves (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), were selected and extracted by this method. Seven carbonyl compounds, including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, acrolein, p-tolualdehyde, m/o-tolualdehyde, and hexaldehyde were determined and quantified. The most common carbonyl species of the four tree leaves were formaldehyde, acrolein, and m/o-tolualdehyde. They accounted for 67.3% in cedar, 50.8% in sweet olive, 45.8% in dawn redwood, and 44.6% in camphor tree, respectively. Camphor tree had the highest leaf level of m/o-tolualdehyde with 15.0 +/- 3.4 microg g(-1)(fresh leaf weight), which indicated that camphor tree may be a bioindicator of the level of tolualdehyde or xylene in the atmosphere. By analyzing carbonyl compounds from different tree leaves, it is not only helpful for further studying the relationship between sink and emission of carbonyls from plants, but also helpful for exploring optimum plant population in urban greening.

Screening for postdeployment conditions: development and cross-validation of an embedded validity scale in the neurobehavioral symptom inventory.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanderploeg, Rodney D; Cooper, Douglas B; Belanger, Heather G; Donnell, Alison J; Kennedy, Jan E; Hopewell, Clifford A; Scott, Steven G

2014-01-01

To develop and cross-validate internal validity scales for the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI). Four existing data sets were used: (1) outpatient clinical traumatic brain injury (TBI)/neurorehabilitation database from a military site (n = 403), (2) National Department of Veterans Affairs TBI evaluation database (n = 48 175), (3) Florida National Guard nonclinical TBI survey database (n = 3098), and (4) a cross-validation outpatient clinical TBI/neurorehabilitation database combined across 2 military medical centers (n = 206). Secondary analysis of existing cohort data to develop (study 1) and cross-validate (study 2) internal validity scales for the NSI. The NSI, Mild Brain Injury Atypical Symptoms, and Personality Assessment Inventory scores. Study 1: Three NSI validity scales were developed, composed of 5 unusual items (Negative Impression Management [NIM5]), 6 low-frequency items (LOW6), and the combination of 10 nonoverlapping items (Validity-10). Cut scores maximizing sensitivity and specificity on these measures were determined, using a Mild Brain Injury Atypical Symptoms score of 8 or more as the criterion for invalidity. Study 2: The same validity scale cut scores again resulted in the highest classification accuracy and optimal balance between sensitivity and specificity in the cross-validation sample, using a Personality Assessment Inventory Negative Impression Management scale with a T score of 75 or higher as the criterion for invalidity. The NSI is widely used in the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs as a symptom-severity assessment following TBI, but is subject to symptom overreporting or exaggeration. This study developed embedded NSI validity scales to facilitate the detection of invalid response styles. The NSI Validity-10 scale appears to hold considerable promise for validity assessment when the NSI is used as a population-screening tool.

Development and validation of a cross-section interface for PARCS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stalek, Mathias; Demaziere, Christophe

2008-01-01

This paper deals with the development of a cross-section interface for PARCS and its validation. The interface is used to feed PARCS with material constants for Light Water Reactors. These material constants are obtained from a CASMO-4 library file and the SIMULATE-3 code is then used to read this library file. This interface allows a dependency of the material constants on exposure and on instantaneous and history variables. Since the functionalization of the cross-sections in CASMO-4/SIMULATE-3 is different from the one in PARCS, the conversion of the material data from the CASMO-4/SIMULATE-3 formalism to the PARCS formalism is not trivial. As a first check of the proper conversion of the data by the interface, the cross-section files created by the interface were read by PARCS. The data were thereafter edited for all possible burnup, instantaneous and history parameters and compared to the original data used to create the files. After this successful verification, a benchmark between PARCS and plant measured data was carried out. For this benchmark a number of measurement sets from the Swedish Ringhals-3 pressurized water reactor were obtained. These data were measured during different cycles and at different core exposures. The spatial distribution of the instantaneous variables, the history variables and the exposure were calculated by SIMULATE-3 and used by PARCS to retrieve the actual three-dimensional distribution of the material data. The deviation of the effective multiplication factor k eff from criticality was found to be within ±200 pcm. Both the measured axial and radial power profiles were adequately reproduced by the PARCS simulations, although some discrepancies with plant data need to be further investigated

QSAR Modeling of COX -2 Inhibitory Activity of Some Dihydropyridine and Hydroquinoline Derivatives Using Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Akbari, Somaye; Zebardast, Tannaz; Zarghi, Afshin; Hajimahdi, Zahra

2017-01-01

COX-2 inhibitory activities of some 1,4-dihydropyridine and 5-oxo-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydroquinoline derivatives were modeled by quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) using stepwise-multiple linear regression (SW-MLR) method. The built model was robust and predictive with correlation coefficient (R 2 ) of 0.972 and 0.531 for training and test groups, respectively. The quality of the model was evaluated by leave-one-out (LOO) cross validation (LOO correlation coefficient (Q 2 ) of 0.943) and Y-randomization. We also employed a leverage approach for the defining of applicability domain of model. Based on QSAR models results, COX-2 inhibitory activity of selected data set had correlation with BEHm6 (highest eigenvalue n. 6 of Burden matrix/weighted by atomic masses), Mor03u (signal 03/unweighted) and IVDE (Mean information content on the vertex degree equality) descriptors which derived from their structures.

Mass spectrometry protein expression profiles in colorectal cancer tissue associated with clinico-pathological features of disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liao Christopher CL

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Studies of several tumour types have shown that expression profiling of cellular protein extracted from surgical tissue specimens by direct mass spectrometry analysis can accurately discriminate tumour from normal tissue and in some cases can sub-classify disease. We have evaluated the potential value of this approach to classify various clinico-pathological features in colorectal cancer by employing matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time of-flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS. Methods Protein extracts from 31 tumour and 33 normal mucosa specimens were purified, subjected to MALDI-Tof MS and then analysed using the 'GenePattern' suite of computational tools (Broad Institute, MIT, USA. Comparative Gene Marker Selection with either a t-test or a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR test statistic was used to identify and rank differentially expressed marker peaks. The k-nearest neighbours algorithm was used to build classification models either using separate training and test datasets or else by using an iterative, 'leave-one-out' cross-validation method. Results 73 protein peaks in the mass range 1800-16000Da were differentially expressed in tumour verses adjacent normal mucosa tissue (P ≤ 0.01, false discovery rate ≤ 0.05. Unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis classified most tumour and normal mucosa into distinct cluster groups. Supervised prediction correctly classified the tumour/normal mucosa status of specimens in an independent test spectra dataset with 100% sensitivity and specificity (95% confidence interval: 67.9-99.2%. Supervised prediction using 'leave-one-out' cross validation algorithms for tumour spectra correctly classified 10/13 poorly differentiated and 16/18 well/moderately differentiated tumours (P = P = P = 0.001; ROC error, 0.212. Conclusions Protein expression profiling of surgically resected CRC tissue extracts by MALDI-TOF MS has potential value in studies aimed at improved molecular

Analytical difficulties facing today's regulatory laboratories: issues in method validation.

Science.gov (United States)

MacNeil, James D

2012-08-01

The challenges facing analytical laboratories today are not unlike those faced in the past, although both the degree of complexity and the rate of change have increased. Challenges such as development and maintenance of expertise, maintenance and up-dating of equipment, and the introduction of new test methods have always been familiar themes for analytical laboratories, but international guidelines for laboratories involved in the import and export testing of food require management of such changes in a context which includes quality assurance, accreditation, and method validation considerations. Decisions as to when a change in a method requires re-validation of the method or on the design of a validation scheme for a complex multi-residue method require a well-considered strategy, based on a current knowledge of international guidance documents and regulatory requirements, as well the laboratory's quality system requirements. Validation demonstrates that a method is 'fit for purpose', so the requirement for validation should be assessed in terms of the intended use of a method and, in the case of change or modification of a method, whether that change or modification may affect a previously validated performance characteristic. In general, method validation involves method scope, calibration-related parameters, method precision, and recovery. Any method change which may affect method scope or any performance parameters will require re-validation. Some typical situations involving change in methods are discussed and a decision process proposed for selection of appropriate validation measures. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Validation of three screening tests used for early detection of cervical cancer].

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez-Reyes, Esperanza Rosalba; Cerda-Flores, Ricardo M; Quiñones-Pérez, Juan M; Cortés-Gutiérrez, Elva I

2008-01-01

to evaluate the validity (sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy) of three screening methods used in the early detection of the cervical carcinoma versus the histopathology diagnosis. a selected sample of 107 women attended in the Opportune Detection of Cervicouterine Cancer Program in the Hospital de Zona 46, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social in Durango, during the 2003 was included. The application of Papa-nicolaou, acetic acid test, and molecular detection of human papillomavirus, and histopatholgy diagnosis were performed in all the patients at the time of the gynecological exam. The detection and tipification of the human papillomavirus was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and analysis of polymorphisms of length of restriction fragments (RFLP). Histopathology diagnosis was considered the gold standard. The evaluation of the validity was carried out by the Bayesian method for diagnosis test. the positive cases for acetic acid test, Papanicolaou, and PCR were 47, 22, and 19. The accuracy values were 0.70, 0.80 and 0.99, respectively. since the molecular method showed a greater validity in the early detection of the cervical carcinoma we considered of vital importance its implementation in suitable programs of Opportune Detection of Cervicouterino Cancer Program in Mexico. However, in order to validate this conclusion, cross-sectional studies in different region of country must be carried out.

Validation of annual growth rings in freshwater mussel shells using cross dating .Can

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew L. Rypel; Wendell R. Haag; Robert H. Findlay

2009-01-01

We examined the usefulness of dendrochronological cross-dating methods for studying long-term, interannual growth patterns in freshwater mussels, including validation of annual shell ring formation. Using 13 species from three rivers, we measured increment widths between putative annual rings on shell thin sections and then removed age-related variation by...

An Accurate Method to Determine the Muzzle Leaving Time of Guns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. X. Chao

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This paper states the importance of determining the muzzle leaving time of guns with a high degree of accuracy. Two commonly used methods are introduced, which are the high speed photography method and photoelectric transducer method, and the advantage and disadvantage of these two methods are analyzed. Furthermore, a new method to determine the muzzle leaving time of guns based on the combination of high speed photography and synchronized trigger technology is present in this paper, and its principle and uncertainty of measurement are evaluated. The firing experiments shows that the present method has distinguish advantage in accuracy and reliability from other methods.

Estimating cross-validatory predictive p-values with integrated importance sampling for disease mapping models.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Longhai; Feng, Cindy X; Qiu, Shi

2017-06-30

An important statistical task in disease mapping problems is to identify divergent regions with unusually high or low risk of disease. Leave-one-out cross-validatory (LOOCV) model assessment is the gold standard for estimating predictive p-values that can flag such divergent regions. However, actual LOOCV is time-consuming because one needs to rerun a Markov chain Monte Carlo analysis for each posterior distribution in which an observation is held out as a test case. This paper introduces a new method, called integrated importance sampling (iIS), for estimating LOOCV predictive p-values with only Markov chain samples drawn from the posterior based on a full data set. The key step in iIS is that we integrate away the latent variables associated the test observation with respect to their conditional distribution without reference to the actual observation. By following the general theory for importance sampling, the formula used by iIS can be proved to be equivalent to the LOOCV predictive p-value. We compare iIS and other three existing methods in the literature with two disease mapping datasets. Our empirical results show that the predictive p-values estimated with iIS are almost identical to the predictive p-values estimated with actual LOOCV and outperform those given by the existing three methods, namely, the posterior predictive checking, the ordinary importance sampling, and the ghosting method by Marshall and Spiegelhalter (2003). Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Development and internal validation of a side-specific, multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-based nomogram for the prediction of extracapsular extension of prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Martini, Alberto; Gupta, Akriti; Lewis, Sara C; Cumarasamy, Shivaram; Haines, Kenneth G; Briganti, Alberto; Montorsi, Francesco; Tewari, Ashutosh K

2018-04-19

To develop a nomogram for predicting side-specific extracapsular extension (ECE) for planning nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy. We retrospectively analysed data from 561 patients who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy between February 2014 and October 2015. To develop a side-specific predictive model, we considered the prostatic lobes separately. Four variables were included: prostate-specific antigen; highest ipsilateral biopsy Gleason grade; highest ipsilateral percentage core involvement; and ECE on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was fitted to predict side-specific ECE. A nomogram was built based on the coefficients of the logit function. Internal validation was performed using 'leave-one-out' cross-validation. Calibration was graphically investigated. The decision curve analysis was used to evaluate the net clinical benefit. The study population consisted of 829 side-specific cases, after excluding negative biopsy observations (n = 293). ECE was reported on mpMRI and final pathology in 115 (14%) and 142 (17.1%) cases, respectively. Among these, mpMRI was able to predict ECE correctly in 57 (40.1%) cases. All variables in the model except highest percentage core involvement were predictors of ECE (all P ≤ 0.006). All variables were considered for inclusion in the nomogram. After internal validation, the area under the curve was 82.11%. The model demonstrated excellent calibration and improved clinical risk prediction, especially when compared with relying on mpMRI prediction of ECE alone. When retrospectively applying the nomogram-derived probability, using a 20% threshold for performing nerve-sparing, nine out of 14 positive surgical margins (PSMs) at the site of ECE resulted above the threshold. We developed an easy-to-use model for the prediction of side-specific ECE, and hope it serves as a tool for planning nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy and in the reduction of PSM in

Crossed testicular ectopia: Report of six cases | Akın | African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... anomaly characterised by migration of one testis towards the opposite inguinal canal, usually associated with unilateral inguinal hernia. This report describes six cases of crossed ectopic testes, one of the largest series, and with unusual clinical histories. Key words: Crossed testicular ectopia, transverse testicular ectopia, ...

Contribution to the validation of thermal ratchetting prevision methods in metallic structures; Contribution a la validation des methodes de prevision du rochet thermique dans les structures metalliques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rakotovelo, A.M

1998-03-01

This work concerns the steady state assessment in the metallic structures subjected to thermomechanical cyclic loadings in biaxial stress state. The effect of the short time mechanical overloads is also investigated. The first chapter is devoted to a bibliographic research concerning the behaviour of the materials and the structures in the cyclic plasticity. Some works relate to the experimental aspect as well as the numerical one for the steady state assessment of such structures are presented. The experimental part of the study is presented in the second chapter. The experimental device was carried out in order to prescribe tension and torsion forces combined with cyclic thermal loading. Some tests was then carried out, among these tests certain include some overloads in tension or torsion. The last chapter describes the numerical calculations using different models (linear isotropic hardening, linear kinematic hardening and elasto-viscoplastic Chaboche's model) and the application of some simplified methods for the ratchetting assessment in the structures. We have considered two categories of methods. The first one is based on an elastic analysis (Bree's diagram, 3 Sm rule, efficiency rule) and the second one combines elastic analysis and elastoplastic analysis of the first cycle (Gatt's and Taleb's methods). The results of this study have enabled: to validate in the biaxial stress state an expression which takes into account the effect of mechanical short time overloads; to test the performances of considered models to describe the evolution of the structure during the first cycle and to take into account the effect of short time overloads. Among the considered models, the elastoplastic Chaboche's model seems to be the most accurate to describe the structure's behaviour during the first cycles; to validate some simplified methods. Certain methods based only on elastic analysis (Bee's diagram and efficiency rule) seem not

A General Method for Targeted Quantitative Cross-Linking Mass Spectrometry.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan D Chavez

Full Text Available Chemical cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS provides protein structural information by identifying covalently linked proximal amino acid residues on protein surfaces. The information gained by this technique is complementary to other structural biology methods such as x-ray crystallography, NMR and cryo-electron microscopy[1]. The extension of traditional quantitative proteomics methods with chemical cross-linking can provide information on the structural dynamics of protein structures and protein complexes. The identification and quantitation of cross-linked peptides remains challenging for the general community, requiring specialized expertise ultimately limiting more widespread adoption of the technique. We describe a general method for targeted quantitative mass spectrometric analysis of cross-linked peptide pairs. We report the adaptation of the widely used, open source software package Skyline, for the analysis of quantitative XL-MS data as a means for data analysis and sharing of methods. We demonstrate the utility and robustness of the method with a cross-laboratory study and present data that is supported by and validates previously published data on quantified cross-linked peptide pairs. This advance provides an easy to use resource so that any lab with access to a LC-MS system capable of performing targeted quantitative analysis can quickly and accurately measure dynamic changes in protein structure and protein interactions.

Validation of Malay Version of Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale: Comparison between Depressed Patients and Healthy Subjects at an Out-Patient Clinic in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

NG, Chong Guan; CHIN, Soo Cheng; YEE, Anne Hway Ann; LOH, Huai Seng; SULAIMAN, Ahmad Hatim; Sherianne Sook Kuan, WONG; HABIL, Mohamed Hussain

2014-01-01

Background: The Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) is a self-assessment scale designed to evaluate anhedonia in various psychiatric disorders. In order to facilitate its use in Malaysian settings, our current study aimed to examine the validity of a Malay-translated version of the SHAPS (SHAPS-M). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 44 depressed patients and 82 healthy subjects were recruited from a university out-patient clinic. All participants were given both the Malay and English versions of the SHAPS, Fawcett-Clark Pleasure Scale (FCPS), General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to assess their hedonic state, general mental health condition and levels of depression. Results: The results showed that the SHAPS-M has impressive internal consistency (α = 0.96), concurrent validity and good parallel-form reliability (intraclass coefficient, ICC = 0.65). Conclusion: In addition to demonstrating good psychometric properties, the SHAPS-M is easy to administer. Therefore, it is a valid, reliable, and suitable questionnaire for assessing anhedonia among depressed patients in Malaysia. PMID:25246837

Reduction of cyanide levels in sweet cassava leaves grown in Busia County, Kenya based on different processing methods

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Ojiambo, O.C.

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz, is the third most important carbohydrate food source around the world and in particular in sub-Sahara Africa. Both the roots and leaves have dual antagonistic contribution of which; one being nutritional value and secondly, contain cyanogenic glycosides. The latter when hydrolyzed by linamarase produces poisonous hydrogen cyanide attributed to among other factors, the methods of processing. Little has been reported on processing methods and information downstream will be great given the toxicity. This report assessed the variation of cyanide levels following different processing methods of leaves of sweet cassava varieties. A number of conditions were varied to mimic affordable and as well sustainable processing methods. Processing prior to boiling for up to 25 minutes involved leaves being pounded and pounded then soaked in water. Determination of cyanide was done using picrate papers and UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The cyanide levels ranged from 576.30 ± 0.32 - 128.34 ± 0.34 mg HCN Equivalence/Kg in raw cassava leaves that significantly reduced up to 88.45% with the processing’s (P< 0.001. Longer duration of boiling cassava leaves with prior processings’ of pounding and that of pounding and soaking is promoted to minimize the risks associated with cyanide poisoning.

Carotenoids retention in processed curry leaves (Murraya koenigii L. Spreng).

Science.gov (United States)

Shivanna, Varnashree Boraiah; Subban, Nagarajan

2013-02-01

Lutein content and β-carotene content of dried curry leaves (Murraya koenigii L. Spreng) by various methods [microwave, combo, infrared (IR), hot air oven, freeze drying, cross flow tray drying, sun and shade drying] have been evaluated. The dried leaves were treated with ice-cold acetone to get the extracts (0.69-3.64% w/w) on dry weight basis. Lutein content and β-carotene content of all these extracts were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography using an established method and found in the range of 8.2-99.5 mg/100 g and 2.9-19.2 mg/100 g, respectively. The results indicated that the microwave processed leaves contain higher levels of lutein (99.4 mg/100 g) and β-carotene (19.2 mg/100 g) compared with other drying methods. The cross flow dried (8.2 mg/100 g and 3.5 mg/100 g) and IR dried samples (23 mg/100 g and 2.9 mg/100 g) retained minimum amount of lutein and β-carotene, respectively.

Validation of drying models and rehydration characteristics of betel (Piper betel L.) leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Balasubramanian, S; Sharma, R; Gupta, R K; Patil, R T

2011-12-01

Effect of temperature on drying behaviour of betel leaves at drying air temperatures of 50, 60 and 70°C was investigated in tunnel as well as cabinet dryer. The L* and b* values increased whereas, a* values decreased, as the drying air temperature increased from 50 to 70°C in both the dryers, but the colour values remained higher for cabinet dryer than tunnel dryer in all cases. Eleven different drying models were compared according to their coefficients of determination (R(2)), root mean square error (RMSE) and chi square (χ (2)) to estimate drying curves. The results indicated that, logarithmic model and modified Page model could satisfactorily describe the drying curve of betel leaves for tunnel drying and cabinet dryer, respectively. In terms of colour quality, drying of betel leaves at 60°C in tunnel dryer and at 50°C in cabinet dryer was found optimum whereas, rehydration at 40°C produced the best acceptable product.

Methods and procedures for evaluation of neutron-induced activation cross sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gardner, M.A.

1981-09-01

One cannot expect measurements alone to supply all of the neutron-induced activation cross-section data required by the fission reactor, fusion reactor, and nuclear weapons development communities, given the wide ranges of incident neutron energies, the great variety of possible reaction types leading to activation, and targets both stable and unstable. Therefore, the evaluator must look to nuclear model calculations and systematics to aid in fulfilling these cross-section data needs. This review presents some of the recent developments and improvements in the prediction of neutron activation cross sections, with specific emphasis on the use of empirical and semiempirical methods. Since such systematics require much less nuclear informaion as input and much less computational time than do the multistep Hauser-Feshbach codes, they can often provide certain cross-section data at a sufficient level of accuracy within a minimum amount of time. The cross-section information that these systematics can and cannot provide and those cases in which they can be used most reliably are discussed

Methods and procedures for evaluation of neutron-induced activation cross sections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gardner, M.A.

1981-09-01

One cannot expect measurements alone to supply all of the neutron-induced activation cross-section data required by the fission reactor, fusion reactor, and nuclear weapons development communities, given the wide ranges of incident neutron energies, the great variety of possible reaction types leading to activation, and targets both stable and unstable. Therefore, the evaluator must look to nuclear model calculations and systematics to aid in fulfilling these cross-section data needs. This review presents some of the recent developments and improvements in the prediction of neutron activation cross sections, with specific emphasis on the use of empirical and semiempirical methods. Since such systematics require much less nuclear informaion as input and much less computational time than do the multistep Hauser-Feshbach codes, they can often provide certain cross-section data at a sufficient level of accuracy within a minimum amount of time. The cross-section information that these systematics can and cannot provide and those cases in which they can be used most reliably are discussed.

Nuclear Data Uncertainty Propagation in Depletion Calculations Using Cross Section Uncertainties in One-group or Multi-group

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Díez, C.J., E-mail: cj.diez@upm.es [Dpto. de Ingeníera Nuclear, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Cabellos, O. [Dpto. de Ingeníera Nuclear, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Instituto de Fusión Nuclear, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Martínez, J.S. [Dpto. de Ingeníera Nuclear, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28006 Madrid (Spain)

2015-01-15

Several approaches have been developed in last decades to tackle nuclear data uncertainty propagation problems of burn-up calculations. One approach proposed was the Hybrid Method, where uncertainties in nuclear data are propagated only on the depletion part of a burn-up problem. Because only depletion is addressed, only one-group cross sections are necessary, and hence, their collapsed one-group uncertainties. This approach has been applied successfully in several advanced reactor systems like EFIT (ADS-like reactor) or ESFR (Sodium fast reactor) to assess uncertainties on the isotopic composition. However, a comparison with using multi-group energy structures was not carried out, and has to be performed in order to analyse the limitations of using one-group uncertainties.

Nuclear Data Uncertainty Propagation in Depletion Calculations Using Cross Section Uncertainties in One-group or Multi-group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Díez, C.J.; Cabellos, O.; Martínez, J.S.

2015-01-01

Several approaches have been developed in last decades to tackle nuclear data uncertainty propagation problems of burn-up calculations. One approach proposed was the Hybrid Method, where uncertainties in nuclear data are propagated only on the depletion part of a burn-up problem. Because only depletion is addressed, only one-group cross sections are necessary, and hence, their collapsed one-group uncertainties. This approach has been applied successfully in several advanced reactor systems like EFIT (ADS-like reactor) or ESFR (Sodium fast reactor) to assess uncertainties on the isotopic composition. However, a comparison with using multi-group energy structures was not carried out, and has to be performed in order to analyse the limitations of using one-group uncertainties

Nuclear Data Uncertainty Propagation in Depletion Calculations Using Cross Section Uncertainties in One-group or Multi-group

Science.gov (United States)

Díez, C. J.; Cabellos, O.; Martínez, J. S.

2015-01-01

Several approaches have been developed in last decades to tackle nuclear data uncertainty propagation problems of burn-up calculations. One approach proposed was the Hybrid Method, where uncertainties in nuclear data are propagated only on the depletion part of a burn-up problem. Because only depletion is addressed, only one-group cross sections are necessary, and hence, their collapsed one-group uncertainties. This approach has been applied successfully in several advanced reactor systems like EFIT (ADS-like reactor) or ESFR (Sodium fast reactor) to assess uncertainties on the isotopic composition. However, a comparison with using multi-group energy structures was not carried out, and has to be performed in order to analyse the limitations of using one-group uncertainties.

Human Factors methods concerning integrated validation of nuclear power plant control rooms; Metodutveckling foer integrerad validering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oskarsson, Per-Anders; Johansson, Bjoern J.E.; Gonzalez, Natalia (Swedish Defence Research Agency, Information Systems, Linkoeping (Sweden))

2010-02-15

The frame of reference for this work was existing recommendations and instructions from the NPP area, experiences from the review of the Turbic Validation and experiences from system validations performed at the Swedish Armed Forces, e.g. concerning military control rooms and fighter pilots. These enterprises are characterized by complex systems in extreme environments, often with high risks, where human error can lead to serious consequences. A focus group has been performed with representatives responsible for Human Factors issues from all Swedish NPP:s. The questions that were discussed were, among other things, for whom an integrated validation (IV) is performed and its purpose, what should be included in an IV, the comparison with baseline measures, the design process, the role of SSM, which methods of measurement should be used, and how the methods are affected of changes in the control room. The report brings different questions to discussion concerning the validation process. Supplementary methods of measurement for integrated validation are discussed, e.g. dynamic, psychophysiological, and qualitative methods for identification of problems. Supplementary methods for statistical analysis are presented. The study points out a number of deficiencies in the validation process, e.g. the need of common guidelines for validation and design, criteria for different types of measurements, clarification of the role of SSM, and recommendations for the responsibility of external participants in the validation process. The authors propose 12 measures for taking care of the identified problems

Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines Predict Relapse-Free Survival after One Month of Interferon-α but Not Observation in Intermediate Risk Melanoma Patients.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad A Tarhini

Full Text Available E1697 was a phase III trial of adjuvant interferon (IFN-α2b for one month (Arm B versus observation (Arm A in patients with resected melanoma at intermediate risk. We evaluated the levels of candidate serum cytokines, the HLA genotype, polymorphisms of CTLA4 and FOXP3 genes and the development of autoantibodies for their association with relapse free survival (RFS in Arm A and Arm B among 268 patients with banked biospecimens.ELISA was used to test 5 autoantibodies. Luminex/One Lambda LABTypeRSSO was used for HLA Genotyping. Selected CTLA4 and FOXP3 Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and microsatellites were tested for by polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Sixteen serum cytokines were tested at baseline and one month by Luminex xMAP multiplex technology. Cox Proportional Hazards model was applied and the Wald test was used to test the marginal association of each individual marker and RFS. We used the Lasso approach to select the markers to be included in a multi-marker Cox Proportional Hazards model. The ability of the resulting models to predict one year RFS was evaluated by the time-dependent ROC curve. The leave-one-out method of cross validation (LOOCV was used to avoid over-fitting of the data.In the multi-marker modeling analysis conducted in Arm B, one month serum IL2Rα, IL-12p40 and IFNα levels predicted one year RFS with LOOCV AUC = 82%. Among the three markers selected, IL2Rα and IFNα were the most stable (selected in all the cross validation cycles. The risk score (linear combination of the 3 markers separated the RFS curves of low and high risk groups well (p = 0.05. This model did not hold for Arm A, indicating a differential marker profile in Arm B linked to the intervention (adjuvant therapy.Early on-treatment proinflammatory serum markers (IL2Rα, IL-12p40, IFNα significantly predict RFS in our cohort of patients treated with adjuvant IFN-α2b and warrant further study.

Method validation in pharmaceutical analysis: from theory to practical optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaqueline Kaleian Eserian

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The validation of analytical methods is required to obtain high-quality data. For the pharmaceutical industry, method validation is crucial to ensure the product quality as regards both therapeutic efficacy and patient safety. The most critical step in validating a method is to establish a protocol containing well-defined procedures and criteria. A well planned and organized protocol, such as the one proposed in this paper, results in a rapid and concise method validation procedure for quantitative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC analysis.   Type: Commentary

Reducing sick leave of Dutch vocational school students: adaptation of a sick leave protocol using the intervention mapping process.

Science.gov (United States)

de Kroon, Marlou L A; Bulthuis, Jozien; Mulder, Wico; Schaafsma, Frederieke G; Anema, Johannes R

2016-12-01

Since the extent of sick leave and the problems of vocational school students are relatively large, we aimed to tailor a sick leave protocol at Dutch lower secondary education schools to the particular context of vocational schools. Four steps of the iterative process of Intervention Mapping (IM) to adapt this protocol were carried out: (1) performing a needs assessment and defining a program objective, (2) determining the performance and change objectives, (3) identifying theory-based methods and practical strategies and (4) developing a program plan. Interviews with students using structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews with relevant stakeholders, a literature research and, finally, a pilot implementation were carried out. A sick leave protocol was developed that was feasible and acceptable for all stakeholders. The main barriers for widespread implementation are time constraints in both monitoring and acting upon sick leave by school and youth health care. The iterative process of IM has shown its merits in the adaptation of the manual 'A quick return to school is much better' to a sick leave protocol for vocational school students.

Validity of one-repetition maximum predictive equations in men with spinal cord injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro Neto, F; Guanais, P; Dornelas, E; Coutinho, A C B; Costa, R R G

2017-10-01

Cross-sectional study. The study aimed (a) to test the cross-validation of current one-repetition maximum (1RM) predictive equations in men with spinal cord injury (SCI); (b) to compare the current 1RM predictive equations to a newly developed equation based on the 4- to 12-repetition maximum test (4-12RM). SARAH Rehabilitation Hospital Network, Brasilia, Brazil. Forty-five men aged 28.0 years with SCI between C6 and L2 causing complete motor impairment were enrolled in the study. Volunteers were tested, in a random order, in 1RM test or 4-12RM with 2-3 interval days. Multiple regression analysis was used to generate an equation for predicting 1RM. There were no significant differences between 1RM test and the current predictive equations. ICC values were significant and were classified as excellent for all current predictive equations. The predictive equation of Lombardi presented the best Bland-Altman results (0.5 kg and 12.8 kg for mean difference and interval range around the differences, respectively). The two created equation models for 1RM demonstrated the same and a high adjusted R 2 (0.971, Ppredictive equations are accurate to assess individuals with SCI at the bench press exercise. However, the predictive equation of Lombardi presented the best associated cross-validity results. A specific 1RM prediction equation was also elaborated for individuals with SCI. The created equation should be tested in order to verify whether it presents better accuracy than the current ones.

Employee well-being, intention to leave and perceived employability: A psychological contract approach

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Leoni van der Vaart

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Employability emerged as a “new psychological contract” that may have beneficial effects on both individual and organisational outcomes. The study set out to investigate the relationship between perceived employability and employee well-being on the one hand and perceived employability and employees’ intention to leave on the other. The role of the state of the psychological contract, in terms of retaining employable employees while improving their well-being, was also investigated. Cross-sectional data were obtained from employees representing various organisations (N = 246. Contrary to expectations, structural equation modelling (SEM indicated no significant relationship between perceived employability and well-being. Perceived employability was a significant predictor of employees’ intention to leave the organisation. Results also indicated that the state of the psychological contract does not moderate the relationship between perceived employability and employee well-being and their intention to leave, respectively. The study stresses the importance of fulfilling promises made to employees ensuring that promises are fair and continuing to fulfil promises. The importance of interventions on individual-level, to enhance well-being in the workplace, is also emphasised.

ANALGETIC ACTIVITY OF CEP-CEPAN (Saurauia cauliflora DC. LEAVES EXTRACT

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Emil Salim

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. The people who live in Karo use several types of plants to relieve pain, one of which is cep-cepan (Saurauia cauliflora DC. The leaves of this plant traditionally used to treat gastrointestinal disorders. There is no scientific evidence about analgetic effect of the leaves. Thus, this study aimed to determine the potential effect of the ethanolic extract of cep-cepan leaves as an analgesic. Fresh Cep-cepan leaves were dried in a drying cabinet at 40°C. Furthermore, the water content of the powdered dried leaves was determined using azeotropic distillation method. Phytochemical screening was carried out to determine chemical groups contained in the dried leaves. Plant extraction was done by maceration method using ethanol 96%. Analgesic effect of the extract was evaluated by observing respon time of mices to infrared as pain inducer. Mices were grouped into six categories, they were: vehicle, antalgin 65 mg/kgBW, and extracts at the dose of 500 mg/kgBW, 250 mg/kgBW, 125 mg/kgBW, 62,5 mg/kgBW, all were administered orally. The data were analayzed using ANOVA followed by LSD. Results showed that the dried leaves contained flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, anthraquinone glycosides and steroids/triterpenoids. The water contain of the dried leaves was 5,3%. The analgesic test results showed the extract at the dose of 250 mg/kgBW had strong analgesic effect similar to that of 500 mg/kgBW and antalgin 65 mg/kgBW.

Different Diagnosis, Shared Vulnerabilities: The Value of Cross Disorder Validation of Capacity to Consent.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosen, Allyson; Weitlauf, Julie C

2015-01-01

A screening measure of capacity to consent can provide an efficient method of determining the appropriateness of including individuals from vulnerable patient populations in research, particularly in circumstances in which no caregiver is available to provide surrogate consent. Seaman et al. (2015) cross-validate a measure of capacity to consent to research developed by Jeste et al. (2007). They provide data on controls, caregivers, and patients with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. The study demonstrates the importance of validating measures across disorders with different domains of incapacity, as well as the need for timely and appropriate follow-up with potential participants who yield positive screens. Ultimately clinical measures need to adapt to the dimensional diagnostic approaches put forward in DSM 5. Integrative models of constructs, such as capacity to consent, will make this process more efficient by avoiding the need to test measures in each disorder. Until then, cross-validation studies, such as the work by Seaman et al. (2015) are critical.

A calibration and data assimilation method using the Bayesian MARS emulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stripling, H.F.; McClarren, R.G.; Kuranz, C.C.; Grosskopf, M.J.; Rutter, E.; Torralva, B.R.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► We outline a transparent, flexible method for the calibration of uncertain inputs to computer models. ► We account for model, data, emulator, and measurement uncertainties. ► The method produces improved predictive results, which are validated using leave one-out experiments. ► Our implementation leverages the Bayesian MARS emulator, but any emulator may be substituted. -- Abstract: We present a method for calibrating the uncertain inputs to a computer model using available experimental data. The goal of the procedure is to estimate the posterior distribution of the uncertain inputs such that when samples from the posterior are used as inputs to future model runs, the model is more likely to replicate (or predict) the experimental response. The calibration is performed by sampling the space of the uncertain inputs, using the computer model (or, more likely, an emulator for the computer model) to assign weights to the samples, and applying the weights to produce the posterior distributions and generate predictions of new experiments with confidence bounds. The method is similar to Metropolis–Hastings calibration methods with independently sampled updates, except that we generate samples beforehand and replace the candidate acceptance routine with a weighting scheme. We apply our method to the calibration of a Hyades 2D model of laser energy deposition in beryllium. We employ a Bayesian Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (BMARS) emulator as a surrogate for Hyades 2D. We treat a range of uncertainties in our application, including uncertainties in the experimental inputs, experimental measurement error, and systematic experimental timing errors. The resulting posterior distributions agree with our existing intuition, and we validate the results by performing a series of leave-one-out predictions. We find that the calibrated predictions are considerably more accurate and less uncertain than blind sampling of the forward model alone.

Transient Analysis of a k-out-of-n:G System with N-Policy, Repairmen’s Multiple Vacations, and Redundant Dependency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenqing Wu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes a k-out-of-n:G repairable system with N-policy, repairmen’s multiple synchronous vacations, and redundant dependency. When there is no failed component in the system, the repairmen leave for a vacation, the duration of which follows a phase type distribution. Upon returning from vacation, they should take another vacation if there are less than N failed components waiting in the system. This pattern continues until at least N failed components are waiting. Moreover, the redundant dependency which is a special kind of failure dependency is taken into account in the multicomponent system. Under such assumptions, the availability, the rate of occurrence of failures, and the reliability of the system are derived in transient regime by applying the quasi-birth-and-death process. Furthermore, the Runge-Kutta method is carried out to numerically discuss the time-dependent behavior of the system reliability measures. Finally, a special case of the system is presented to show the validity of our model.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the teamwork climate scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Charantola Silva

2016-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To adapt and validate the Team Climate Inventory scale, of teamwork climate measurement, for the Portuguese language, in the context of primary health care in Brazil. METHODS Methodological study with quantitative approach of cross-cultural adaptation (translation, back-translation, synthesis, expert committee, and pretest and validation with 497 employees from 72 teams of the Family Health Strategy in the city of Campinas, SP, Southeastern Brazil. We verified reliability by the Cronbach’s alpha, construct validity by the confirmatory factor analysis with SmartPLS software, and correlation by the job satisfaction scale. RESULTS We problematized the overlap of items 9, 11, and 12 of the “participation in the team” factor and the “team goals” factor regarding its definition. The validation showed no overlapping of items and the reliability ranged from 0.92 to 0.93. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated suitability of the proposed model with distribution of the 38 items in the four factors. The correlation between teamwork climate and job satisfaction was significant. CONCLUSIONS The version of the scale in Brazilian Portuguese was validated and can be used in the context of primary health care in the Country, constituting an adequate tool for the assessment and diagnosis of teamwork.

Influence of maternity leave on exclusive breastfeeding.

Science.gov (United States)

Monteiro, Fernanda R; Buccini, Gabriela Dos S; Venâncio, Sônia I; da Costa, Teresa H M

To describe the profile of women with children aged under 4 months living in the Brazilian state capitals and in the Federal District according to their working status and to analyze the influence of maternity leave on exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) among working women. This was a cross-sectional study with data extracted from the II National Maternal Breastfeeding Prevalence Survey carried out in 2008. Initially, a descriptive analysis of the profile of 12,794 women was performed, according to their working status and maternity leave and the frequency of maternity leave in the Brazilian regions and capitals. The study used a multiple model to identify the influence of maternity leave on EBF interruption, including 3766 women who declared they were working and were on maternity leave at the time of the interview. The outcome assessed in the study was the interruption of the EBF, classified by the WHO. Regarding the working status of the mothers, 63.4% did not work outside of their homes and among those who worked, 69.8% were on maternity leave. The largest prevalence among workers was of women older than 35 years of age, with more than 12 years of schooling, primiparous and from the Southeast and South regions. The lack of maternity leave increased by 23% the chance of EBF interruption. Maternity leave contributed to increase the prevalence of EBF in the Brazilian states capitals, supporting the importance of increasing the maternity leave period from four to six months. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Contribution to the validation of thermal ratchetting prevision methods in metallic structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rakotovelo, A.M.

1998-03-01

This work concerns the steady state assessment in the metallic structures subjected to thermomechanical cyclic loadings in biaxial stress state. The effect of the short time mechanical overloads is also investigated. The first chapter is devoted to a bibliographic research concerning the behaviour of the materials and the structures in the cyclic plasticity. Some works relate to the experimental aspect as well as the numerical one for the steady state assessment of such structures are presented. The experimental part of the study is presented in the second chapter. The experimental device was carried out in order to prescribe tension and torsion forces combined with cyclic thermal loading. Some tests was then carried out, among these tests certain include some overloads in tension or torsion. The last chapter describes the numerical calculations using different models (linear isotropic hardening, linear kinematic hardening and elasto-viscoplastic Chaboche's model) and the application of some simplified methods for the ratchetting assessment in the structures. We have considered two categories of methods. The first one is based on an elastic analysis (Bree's diagram, 3 Sm rule, efficiency rule) and the second one combines elastic analysis and elastoplastic analysis of the first cycle (Gatt's and Taleb's methods). The results of this study have enabled: to validate in the biaxial stress state an expression which takes into account the effect of mechanical short time overloads; to test the performances of considered models to describe the evolution of the structure during the first cycle and to take into account the effect of short time overloads. Among the considered models, the elastoplastic Chaboche's model seems to be the most accurate to describe the structure's behaviour during the first cycles; to validate some simplified methods. Certain methods based only on elastic analysis (Bee's diagram and efficiency rule) seem not suitable for the considered kind of

Body Dysmorphic Symptoms Scale for patients seeking esthetic surgery: cross-cultural validation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, Tatiana Dalpasquale; Brito, Maria José Azevedo de; Piccolo, Mônica Sarto; Rosella, Maria Fernanda Normanha da Silva Martins; Sabino, Miguel; Ferreira, Lydia Masako

2016-01-01

Rhinoplasty is one of the most sought-after esthetic operations among individuals with body dysmorphic disorder. The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt and validate the Body Dysmorphic Symptoms Scale. Cross-cultural validation study conducted in a plastic surgery outpatient clinic of a public university hospital. Between February 2014 and March 2015, 80 consecutive patients of both sexes seeking rhinoplasty were selected. Thirty of them participated in the phase of cultural adaptation of the instrument. Reproducibility was tested on 20 patients and construct validity was assessed on 50 patients, with correlation against the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale for Body Dysmorphic Disorder. The Brazilian version of the instrument showed Cronbach's alpha of 0.805 and excellent inter-rater reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.873; P Dysmorphic Disorder and the Body Dysmorphic Symptoms Scale. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.981, thus showing good accuracy for discriminating between presence and absence of symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder. Forty-six percent of the patients had body dysmorphic symptoms and 54% had moderate to severe appearance-related obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The Brazilian version of the Body Dysmorphic Symptoms Scale is a reproducible instrument that presents face, content and construct validity.

Capturing the musical brain with Lasso

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toiviainen, Petri; Alluri, Vinoo; Brattico, Elvira

2014-01-01

accuracy using a leave-one-out cross-validation scheme. The method was applied to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data that were collected using a naturalistic paradigm, in which participants' brain responses were recorded while they were continuously listening to pieces of real music...... to be consistent with areas of significant activation observed in previous research using a naturalistic paradigm with fMRI. Of the six musical features considered, five could be significantly predicted for the majority of participants. The areas significantly contributing to the optimal decoding models agreed...

Applying the Innov8 approach for reviewing national health programmes to leave no one behind: lessons learnt from Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Saint, Victoria; Floranita, Rustini; Koemara Sakti, Gita Maya; Pambudi, Imran; Hermawan, Lukas; Villar, Eugenio; Magar, Veronica

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT The World Health Organization’s Innov8 Approach for Reviewing National Health Programmes to Leave No One Behind is an eight-step process that supports the operationalization of the Sustainable Development Goals’ commitment to ‘leave no one behind’. In 2014–2015, Innov8 was adapted and applied in Indonesia to review how the national neonatal and maternal health action plans could become more equity-oriented, rights-based and gender-responsive, and better address critical social determinants of health. The process was led by the Indonesian Ministry of Health, with the support of WHO. It involved a wide range of actors and aligned with/fed into the drafting of the maternal newborn health action plan and the implementation planning of the newborn action plan. Key activities included a sensitization meeting, diagnostic checklist, review workshop and in-country work by the review teams. This ‘methods forum’ article describes this adaptation and application process, the outcomes and lessons learnt. In conjunction with other sources, Innov8 findings and recommendations informed national and sub-national maternal and neonatal action plans and programming to strengthen a ‘leave no one behind’ approach. As follow-up during 2015–2017, components of the Innov8 methodology were integrated into district-level planning processes for maternal and newborn health, and Innov8 helped generate demand for health inequality monitoring and its use in planning. In Indonesia, Innov8 enhanced national capacity for equity-oriented, rights-based and gender-responsive approaches and addressing critical social determinants of health. Adaptation for the national planning context (e.g. decentralized structure) and linking with health inequality monitoring capacity building were important lessons learnt. The pilot of Innov8 in Indonesia suggests that this approach can help operationalize the SDGs’ commitment to leave no one behind, in particular in relation to

Job satisfaction and leaving intentions of midwives: analysis of a multinational cross-sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarosova, Darja; Gurkova, Elena; Palese, Alvisa; Godeas, Gloria; Ziakova, Katarina; Song, Mi Sook; Lee, Jongwon; Cordeiro, Raul; Chan, Sally Wai-Chi; Babiarczyk, Beata; Fras, Malgorzata; Nedvedova, Daniela

2016-01-01

To investigate the relationship between turnover intentions and job satisfaction among hospital midwives from seven countries and to determine how the related variables differ between countries. Studies investigating professional turnover and job satisfaction among midwives are limited in scope. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was used to investigate the intended turnover and job satisfaction relationship among 1190 hospital midwives in European and Asian countries. Data were collected using a set of questionnaires that included questions regarding the leaving intentions of midwives and the McCloskey/Mueller satisfaction scale. Midwives were least satisfied with their extrinsic rewards and professional opportunities and with the balance between family and work. Significant differences were found in all domains of job satisfaction according to midwives' intentions to leave their current workplace in hospital or profession of midwife, and to work abroad. There are some general satisfying and dissatisfying elements for the profession of midwife across different countries. The results highlight the importance of understanding midwives' leaving intentions and related factors across different countries. To prevent midwife turnover, health-care managers should gain greater insight into the early stage of midwives' turnover intention. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Rapid and simultaneous determination of lycopene and beta-carotene contents in tomato juice by infrared spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

De Nardo, Thais; Shiroma-Kian, Cecilia; Halim, Yuwana; Francis, David; Rodriguez-Saona, Luis E

2009-02-25

The rapid quantification of lycopene and beta-carotene in tomato juices by attenuated total reflectance (ATR) infrared spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis was evaluated. Two sample preparation methods were compared: a direct measurement of the tomato paste and an extraction method using hexane to isolate carotenoids. HPLC was used as the reference method. Cross-validated (leave-one-out) partial least-squares regression (PLSR) was used to create calibration models to predict these phytonutrient concentrations in blind test samples. The infrared spectra showed unique marker bands at 957 and 968 cm(-1) for lycopene and beta-carotene, respectively. Multivariate analysis of the infrared spectral data gave correlation coefficients (r values) of >0.9 between the ATR-IR predicted and HPLC reference values, and standard errors of cross-validation (SECV) of 0.5 and 0.04 mg/100 g of juice for lycopene and beta-carotene, respectively. ATR-IR could provide the tomato industry with a simple, rapid, and high-throughput technique for the determination of tomato quality.

Improved validation of IDP ensembles by one-bond Cα–Hα scalar couplings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gapsys, Vytautas [Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Computational Biomolecular Dynamics Group (Germany); Narayanan, Raghavendran L.; Xiang, ShengQi [Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Department for NMR-Based Structural Biology (Germany); Groot, Bert L. de [Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Computational Biomolecular Dynamics Group (Germany); Zweckstetter, Markus, E-mail: markus.zweckstetter@dzne.de [Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Department for NMR-Based Structural Biology (Germany)

2015-11-15

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are best described by ensembles of conformations and a variety of approaches have been developed to determine IDP ensembles. Because of the large number of conformations, however, cross-validation of the determined ensembles by independent experimental data is crucial. The {sup 1}J{sub CαHα} coupling constant is particularly suited for cross-validation, because it has a large magnitude and mostly depends on the often less accessible dihedral angle ψ. Here, we reinvestigated the connection between {sup 1}J{sub CαHα} values and protein backbone dihedral angles. We show that accurate amino-acid specific random coil values of the {sup 1}J{sub CαHα} coupling constant, in combination with a reparameterized empirical Karplus-type equation, allow for reliable cross-validation of molecular ensembles of IDPs.

"Cross-Cultural Adaptation Of The Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29 For Iranian MS Patients, Evaluation Of Reliability And Validity "

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Ayatollahi

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: Measuring the outcome of chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis is an important factor in assessment of disease impact on different dimensions of quality of life and in evaluation of therapeutic interventions. The aim of this study was to perform the cross-cultural adaptation of the MSIS-29 which is a MS-specific outcome measure for Iranian patients. Materials and Methods: The Iranian adaptation process of the MSIS-29 included 5 steps. To evaluate psychometric properties of the translated version, the questionnaire was administered to a consecutive sample of 96 patients with clinically definite MS referred to our out-patient clinic. Test-retest reliability was assessed in a sub-sample consisted of 30 patients. These patients completed the questionnaire on two occasions separated by a 7-day interval. The Iranian version of the SF-36 was also administered to this sub-sample in order to evaluate the validity of translated MSIS-29. Results: Statistical analysis indicated that the Persian version of the MSIS-29 had high internal consistency (cronbach’s alpha coefficients > 0.70 and test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficients >0.70 and a good validity. Conclusion: The Persian version of the MSIS-29 is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring MS outcome in Iranian patients. It can be used in clinical trials and cross-sectional studies.

Compressive Sensing with Cross-Validation and Stop-Sampling for Sparse Polynomial Chaos Expansions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huan, Xun; Safta, Cosmin; Sargsyan, Khachik; Vane, Zachary Phillips; Lacaze, Guilhem; Oefelein, Joseph C.; Najm, Habib N.

2017-07-01

Compressive sensing is a powerful technique for recovering sparse solutions of underdetermined linear systems, which is often encountered in uncertainty quanti cation analysis of expensive and high-dimensional physical models. We perform numerical investigations employing several com- pressive sensing solvers that target the unconstrained LASSO formulation, with a focus on linear systems that arise in the construction of polynomial chaos expansions. With core solvers of l1 ls, SpaRSA, CGIST, FPC AS, and ADMM, we develop techniques to mitigate over tting through an automated selection of regularization constant based on cross-validation, and a heuristic strategy to guide the stop-sampling decision. Practical recommendations on parameter settings for these tech- niques are provided and discussed. The overall method is applied to a series of numerical examples of increasing complexity, including large eddy simulations of supersonic turbulent jet-in-cross flow involving a 24-dimensional input. Through empirical phase-transition diagrams and convergence plots, we illustrate sparse recovery performance under structures induced by polynomial chaos, accuracy and computational tradeoffs between polynomial bases of different degrees, and practi- cability of conducting compressive sensing for a realistic, high-dimensional physical application. Across test cases studied in this paper, we find ADMM to have demonstrated empirical advantages through consistent lower errors and faster computational times.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of Spanish version of The Foot and Ankle Ability Measures (FAAM-Sp).

Science.gov (United States)

Cervera-Garvi, Pablo; Ortega-Avila, Ana Belen; Morales-Asencio, Jose Miguel; Cervera-Marin, Jose Antonio; Martin, Rob Roy; Gijon-Nogueron, Gabriel

2017-01-01

The Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) is a Patient Reported Outcome (PRO) commonly used to determine the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions for patients with foot and ankle pathologies and associated impairments of body function and structure, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt the FAAM into Spanish. Cross-cultural adaptation was performed according to the international guidelines of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research. Cronbach's alpha, test re-test reliability, and item-total and inter-item correlations were analyzed. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out to test construct validity. Pearson correlations were calculated to assess the convergent validity between FAAM and EuroQol-5. Spanish data set comprised 194 patients, with a mean age of 38.45 (16.04) and 130 (67.1%) were female, seeing a podiatrist with a wide variety of foot and ankle related disorders. CFA was carried out to test structure matrix (which has three factors). The test-retest reliability was high with global ICC of 0.95 (95% CI: 0.93 to 0.98). A 15 items version of the FAAM-Sp Activities of Daily Living (ADL) obtained the best fit: relative chi-square ( x 2 /df) of 2.46, GFI 0.90 CFI 0.95, NFI 0.93, and RMSEA 0.08 (90% CI 0.04 to 0.09). For exploratory factor analysis for the FAAM-Sp Sport, a one factor solution was obtained, which explained 76.70% of total variance. CFA corroborated this model with an excellent goodness of fit:: relative chi-square ( x 2 /df) of 0.80, GFI 0.99 CFI 1.00, NFI 0.99, and RMSEA 0.00 (90% CI 0.00 to 0.75). This study validated a new 15-item FAAM-Sp ADL and FAAM-Sp Sport subscales, which can be used as a self-reported outcome measure in clinical practice and research for patients resident in Spain whose main language is Spanish.

76 FR 28664 - Method 301-Field Validation of Pollutant Measurement Methods From Various Waste Media

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-18

... . d m = The mean of the paired sample differences. n = Total number of paired samples. 7.4.2 t Test... being compared to a validated test method as part of the Method 301 validation and an audit sample for... tighten the acceptance criteria for the precision of candidate alternative test methods. One commenter...

Development and Cross-Validation of the Short Form of the Cultural Competence Scale for Nurses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duckhee Chae, PhD, RN

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To develop and validate the short form of the Korean adaptation of the Cultural Competence Scale for Nurses. Methods: To shorten the 33-item Cultural Competence Scale for Nurses, an expert panel (N = 6 evaluated its content validity. The revised items were pilot tested using a sample of nine nurses, and clarity was assessed through cognitive interviews with respondents. The original instrument was shortened and validated through item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, convergent validity, and reliability using data from 277 hospital nurses. The 14-item final version was cross-validated through confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, discriminant validity, known-group comparisons, and reliability using data from 365 nurses belonging to 19 hospitals. Results: A 4-factor, 14-item model demonstrated satisfactory fit with significant factor loadings. The convergent validity between the developed tool and transcultural self-efficacy was significant (r = .55, p < .001. The convergent validity evaluated using the Average Variance Extracted and discriminant validity were acceptable. Known-group comparisons revealed significant differences in the mean scores of the groups who spent more than one month abroad (p = .002 were able to communicate in a foreign language (p < .001 and had education to care for foreign patients (p = .039. Cronbach's α was .89, and the reliability of the subscales ranged from .74 to .91. Conclusion: The Cultural Competence Scale for Nurses-Short Form demonstrated good reliability and validity. It is a short and appropriate instrument for use in clinical and research settings to assess nurses' cultural competence. Keywords: cultural competence, psychometric properties, nurse

Parenchymal texture measures weighted by breast anatomy: preliminary optimization in a case-control study

Science.gov (United States)

Gastounioti, Aimilia; Keller, Brad M.; Hsieh, Meng-Kang; Conant, Emily F.; Kontos, Despina

2016-03-01

Growing evidence suggests that quantitative descriptors of the parenchymal texture patterns hold a valuable role in assessing an individual woman's risk for breast cancer. In this work, we assess the hypothesis that breast cancer risk factors are not uniformly expressed in the breast parenchymal tissue and, therefore, breast-anatomy-weighted parenchymal texture descriptors, where different breasts ROIs have non uniform contributions, may enhance breast cancer risk assessment. To this end, we introduce an automated breast-anatomy-driven methodology which generates a breast atlas, which is then used to produce a weight map that reinforces the contributions of the central and upper-outer breast areas. We incorporate this methodology to our previously validated lattice-based strategy for parenchymal texture analysis. In the framework of a pilot case-control study, including digital mammograms from 424 women, our proposed breast-anatomy-weighted texture descriptors are optimized and evaluated against non weighted texture features, using regression analysis with leave-one-out cross validation. The classification performance is assessed in terms of the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic. The collective discriminatory capacity of the weighted texture features was maximized (AUC=0.87) when the central breast area was considered more important than the upperouter area, with significant performance improvement (DeLong's test, p-valuewomen's cancer risk evaluation.

Validity of Hansen-Roach cross sections in low-enriched uranium systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busch, R.D.; O'Dell, R.D.

1991-01-01

Within the nuclear criticality safety community, the Hansen-Roach 16 group cross section set has been the ''standard'' for use in k eff calculations over the past 30 years. Yet even with its widespread acceptance, there are still questions about its validity and adequacy, about the proper procedure for calculating the potential scattering cross section, σ p , for uranium and plutonium, and about the concept of resonance self shielding and its impact on cross sections. This paper attempts to address these questions. It provides a brief background on the Hansen-Roach cross sections. Next is presented a review of resonances in cross sections, self shielding of these resonances, and the use of σ p to characterize resonance self shielding. Three prescriptions for calculating σ p are given. Finally, results of several calculations of k eff on low-enriched uranium systems are provided to confirm the validity of the Hansen-Roach cross sections when applied to such systems

Validity of Hansen-Roach cross sections in low-enriched uranium systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busch, R.D.; O'Dell, R.D.

1991-01-01

Within the nuclear criticality safety community, the Hansen-Roach 16 group cross section set has been the standard for use in k eff calculations over the past 30 years. Yet even with its widespread acceptance, there are still questions about its validity and adequacy, about the proper procedure for calculating the potential scattering cross section, σ p , for uranium and plutonium, and about the concept of resonance self shielding and its impact on cross sections. This paper attempts to address these questions. It provides a brief background on the Hansen-Roach cross sections. Next is presented a review of resonances in cross sections, self shielding of these resonances, and the use of σ p to characterize resonance self shielding. Three prescriptions for calculating σ p are given. Finally, results of several calculations of k eff on low-enriched uranium systems are provided to confirm the validity of the Hansen-Roach cross sections when applied to such systems. (Author)

Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge) leave flavonoids attenuate atherosclerosis development in apoE knock-out mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Pengzhi; Pan, Lanlan; Zhang, Xiting; Zhang, Wenwen; Wang, Xue; Jiang, Meixiu; Chen, Yuanli; Duan, Yajun; Wu, Honghua; Xu, Yantong; Zhang, Peng; Zhu, Yan

2017-02-23

Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge) leave have been used to treat cardiovascular diseases in China and Europe. Hawthorn leave flavonoids (HLF) are the main part of extraction. Whether hawthorn leave flavonoids could attenuate the development of atherosclerosis and the possible mechanism remain unknown. High-fat diet (HFD) mixed with HLF at concentrations of 5mg/kg and 20mg/kg were administered to apolipoprotein E (apoE) knock out mice. 16 weeks later, mouse serum was collected to determine the lipid profile while the mouse aorta dissected was prepared to measure the lesion area. Hepatic mRNA of genes involved in lipid metabolism were determined. Peritoneal macrophages were collected to study the impact of HLF on cholesterol efflux, formation of foam cell and the expression of ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1). Besides, in vivo reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) was conducted. HLF attenuated the development of atherosclerosis that the mean atherosclerotic lesion area in en face aortas was reduced by 23.1% (Pflavonoids can slow down the development of atherosclerosis in apoE knockout mice via induced expression of genes involved in antioxidant activities, inhibition of the foam cell formation and promotion of RCT in vivo, which implies the potential use in the prevention of atherosclerosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved method for prioritization of disease associated lncRNAs based on ceRNA theory and functional genomics data.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Peng; Guo, Qiuyan; Gao, Yue; Zhi, Hui; Zhang, Yan; Liu, Yue; Zhang, Jizhou; Yue, Ming; Guo, Maoni; Ning, Shangwei; Zhang, Guangmei; Li, Xia

2017-01-17

Although several computational models that predict disease-associated lncRNAs (long non-coding RNAs) exist, only a limited number of disease-associated lncRNAs are known. In this study, we mapped lncRNAs to their functional genomics context using competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) theory. Based on the criteria that similar lncRNAs are likely involved in similar diseases, we proposed a disease lncRNA prioritization method, DisLncPri, to identify novel disease-lncRNA associations. Using a leave-one-out cross validation (LOOCV) strategy, DisLncPri achieved reliable area under curve (AUC) values of 0.89 and 0.87 for the LncRNADisease and Lnc2Cancer datasets that further improved to 0.90 and 0.89 by integrating a multiple rank fusion strategy. We found that DisLncPri had the highest rank enrichment score and AUC value in comparison to several other methods for case studies of alzheimer's disease, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer and gastric cancer. Several novel lncRNAs in the top ranks of these diseases were found to be newly verified by relevant databases or reported in recent studies. Prioritization of lncRNAs from a microarray (GSE53622) of oesophageal cancer patients highlighted ENSG00000226029 (top 2), a previously unidentified lncRNA as a potential prognostic biomarker. Our analysis thus indicates that DisLncPri is an excellent tool for identifying lncRNAs that could be novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in a variety of human diseases.

Crossing Methods and Cultivation Conditions for Rapid Production of Segregating Populations in Three Grain Amaranth Species.

Science.gov (United States)

Stetter, Markus G; Zeitler, Leo; Steinhaus, Adrian; Kroener, Karoline; Biljecki, Michelle; Schmid, Karl J

2016-01-01

Grain amaranths (Amaranthus spp.) have been cultivated for thousands of years in Central and South America. Their grains are of high nutritional value, but the low yield needs to be increased by selection of superior genotypes from genetically diverse breeding populations. Amaranths are adapted to harsh conditions and can be cultivated on marginal lands although little is known about their physiology. The development of controlled growing conditions and efficient crossing methods is important for research on and improvement of this ancient crop. Grain amaranth was domesticated in the Americas and is highly self-fertilizing with a large inflorescence consisting of thousands of very small flowers. We evaluated three different crossing methods (open pollination, hot water emasculation and hand emasculation) for their efficiency in amaranth and validated them with genetic markers. We identified cultivation conditions that allow an easy control of flowering time by day length manipulation and achieved flowering times of 4 weeks and generation times of 2 months. All three different crossing methods successfully produced hybrid F1 offspring, but with different success rates. Open pollination had the lowest (10%) and hand emasculation the highest success rate (74%). Hot water emasculation showed an intermediate success rate (26%) with a maximum of 94% success. It is simple to perform and suitable for a more large-scale production of hybrids. We further evaluated 11 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and found that they were sufficient to validate all crosses of the genotypes used in this study for intra- and interspecific hybridizations. Despite its very small flowers, crosses in amaranth can be carried out efficiently and evaluated with inexpensive SNP markers. Suitable growth conditions strongly reduce the generation time and allow the control of plant height, flowering time, and seed production. In combination, this enables the rapid production of segregating

Diagnostic aid to rule out pneumonia in adults with cough and feeling of fever. A validation study in the primary care setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Held Ulrike

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We recently reported the derivation of a diagnostic aid to rule out pneumonia in adults presenting with new onset of cough or worsening of chronic cough and increased body temperature. The aim of the present investigation was to validate the diagnostic aid in a new sample of primary care patients. Methods From two group practices in Zurich, we included 110 patients with the main symptoms of cough and subjective feeling of increased body temperature, and C-reactive protein levels below 50 μg/ml, no dyspnea, and not daily feeling of increased body temperature since the onset of cough. We excluded patients who were prescribed antibiotics at their first consultation. Approximately two weeks after inclusion, practice assistants contacted the participants by phone and asked four questions regarding the course of their complaints. In particular, they asked whether a prescription of antibiotics or hospitalization had been necessary within the last two weeks. Results In 107 of 110 patients, pneumonia could be ruled out with a high degree of certainty, and no prescription of antibiotics was necessary. Three patients were prescribed antibiotics between the time of inclusion in the study and the phone interview two weeks later. Acute rhinosinusitis was diagnosed in one patient, and antibiotics were prescribed to the other two patients because their symptoms had worsened and their CRP levels increased. Use of the diagnostic aid could have missed these two possible cases of pneumonia. These observations correspond to a false negative rate of 1.8% (95% confidence interval: 0.50%-6.4%. Conclusions This diagnostic aid is helpful to rule out pneumonia in patients from a primary care setting. After further validation application of this aid in daily practice may help to reduce the prescription rate of unnecessary antibiotics in patients with respiratory tract infections.

[Precautionary maternity leave in Tirol].

Science.gov (United States)

Ludescher, K; Baumgartner, E; Roner, A; Brezinka, C

1998-01-01

Under Austrian law, precautionary maternity leave is a decree issued by the district public health physician. It forbids a pregnant woman to work and mandates immediate maternity leave. Regular maternity leave for all women employed in all jobs begins at 32 weeks of gestation. Women who work in workplaces deemed dangerous and women with a history of obstetric problems such as premature or growth-retarded babies from previous pregnancies are regularly 'sent' into precautionary maternity leave. The public health physicians of Tirol's nine administrative districts were interviewed and supplied data on precautionary maternity leave from their districts. In 100 women who attended the clinic for pregnancies at risk of the Obstetrics/Gynecology Department of Innsbruck University Hospital and who had already obtained precautionary maternity leave, the medical/administrative procedure was studied in each case and correlated with pregnancy outcome. The town district of Innsbruck and the district that comprises the suburbs of the provincial capital had the highest rates of precautionary maternity leave. The town district of Innsbruck had a rate of 24.3% of all pregnant women (employed and not employed) in precautionary maternity leave in 1997, whereas the whole province of Tirol had 13.4%. More than 80% of decrees for precautionary maternity leave are issued by district public health physicians on the basis of written recommendations from gynecologists. One third of women who are sent into precautionary maternity leave are issued the decree prior to 12 weeks of gestation - mostly cases of multiple pregnancies and women with previous miscarriages. The present system of precautionary maternity leave appears to work in the sense that most working pregnant women with risk factors are correctly identified - with most errors on the side of caution. As the system also helps employers - the employee's pay is paid from the federal family support fund and state insurance once she is in

Validation of the WIMSD4M cross-section generation code with benchmark results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deen, J.R.; Woodruff, W.L.; Leal, L.E.

1995-01-01

The WIMSD4 code has been adopted for cross-section generation in support of the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) program at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Subsequently, the code has undergone several updates, and significant improvements have been achieved. The capability of generating group-collapsed micro- or macroscopic cross sections from the ENDF/B-V library and the more recent evaluation, ENDF/B-VI, in the ISOTXS format makes the modified version of the WIMSD4 code, WIMSD4M, very attractive, not only for the RERTR program, but also for the reactor physics community. The intent of the present paper is to validate the WIMSD4M cross-section libraries for reactor modeling of fresh water moderated cores. The results of calculations performed with multigroup cross-section data generated with the WIMSD4M code will be compared against experimental results. These results correspond to calculations carried out with thermal reactor benchmarks of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) unreflected HEU critical spheres, the TRX LEU critical experiments, and calculations of a modified Los Alamos HEU D 2 O moderated benchmark critical system. The benchmark calculations were performed with the discrete-ordinates transport code, TWODANT, using WIMSD4M cross-section data. Transport calculations using the XSDRNPM module of the SCALE code system are also included. In addition to transport calculations, diffusion calculations with the DIF3D code were also carried out, since the DIF3D code is used in the RERTR program for reactor analysis and design. For completeness, Monte Carlo results of calculations performed with the VIM and MCNP codes are also presented

Validation of the WIMSD4M cross-section generation code with benchmark results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deen, J.R.; Woodruff, W.L. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Leal, L.E. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

1995-01-01

The WIMSD4 code has been adopted for cross-section generation in support of the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) program at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Subsequently, the code has undergone several updates, and significant improvements have been achieved. The capability of generating group-collapsed micro- or macroscopic cross sections from the ENDF/B-V library and the more recent evaluation, ENDF/B-VI, in the ISOTXS format makes the modified version of the WIMSD4 code, WIMSD4M, very attractive, not only for the RERTR program, but also for the reactor physics community. The intent of the present paper is to validate the WIMSD4M cross-section libraries for reactor modeling of fresh water moderated cores. The results of calculations performed with multigroup cross-section data generated with the WIMSD4M code will be compared against experimental results. These results correspond to calculations carried out with thermal reactor benchmarks of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) unreflected HEU critical spheres, the TRX LEU critical experiments, and calculations of a modified Los Alamos HEU D{sub 2}O moderated benchmark critical system. The benchmark calculations were performed with the discrete-ordinates transport code, TWODANT, using WIMSD4M cross-section data. Transport calculations using the XSDRNPM module of the SCALE code system are also included. In addition to transport calculations, diffusion calculations with the DIF3D code were also carried out, since the DIF3D code is used in the RERTR program for reactor analysis and design. For completeness, Monte Carlo results of calculations performed with the VIM and MCNP codes are also presented.

The Value of Qualitative Methods in Social Validity Research

Science.gov (United States)

Leko, Melinda M.

2014-01-01

One quality indicator of intervention research is the extent to which the intervention has a high degree of social validity, or practicality. In this study, I drew on Wolf's framework for social validity and used qualitative methods to ascertain five middle schoolteachers' perceptions of the social validity of System 44®--a phonics-based reading…

Building and Solving Odd-One-Out Classification Problems: A Systematic Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, Philippe E.

2011-01-01

Classification problems ("find the odd-one-out") are frequently used as tests of inductive reasoning to evaluate human or animal intelligence. This paper introduces a systematic method for building the set of all possible classification problems, followed by a simple algorithm for solving the problems of the R-ASCM, a psychometric test derived…

The construct validity of the health utilities index mark 3 in assessing health status in lung transplantation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zuk Dalyce

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Purpose To assess the cross-sectional construct validity of the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3 in lung transplantation. Methods Two hundred and thirteen patients (103 pre-transplant and 110 post-transplant with mean age 53 years old (SD 13 were recruited during a randomized controlled clinical trial at the out-patient clinic in a tertiary institution. At baseline, patients self-completed measures that included the HUI3, EuroQol EQ-5D, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS and socio-demographic questionnaire. Six-minute walk test scores and forced expiratory volume in 1 second data were collected from patient's medical records. A priori hypotheses were formulated by members of the transplant team about the expected degree of association between the measures. Correlation coefficients of Results Of the ninety predictions made, forty three were correct but in 31 the correlation was slightly lower than predicted and in 7 the correlations were much higher than predicted. In 48% of the cases, predicted and observed associations were in agreement. Predictions of associations were off by one category in 42% of the cases; in 10% of the cases the predictions were off by two categories. Conclusions This is the first study providing evidence of cross-sectional construct validity of HUI3 in lung transplantation. Results indicate that the HUI3 was able to capture the burden of lung disease before transplantation and that post-transplant patients enjoyed higher health-related quality of life than pre-transplant patients.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the French version of the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) in knee osteoarthritis patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ornetti, P; Parratte, S; Gossec, L

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To adapt the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) into French and to evaluate the psychometric properties of this new version. METHODS: The French version of the KOOS was developed according to cross-cultural guidelines by using the "translation-back translation" method...... to ensure content validity. KOOS data were then obtained in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA). The translated questionnaire was evaluated in two knee OA population groups, one with no indication for joint replacement (medicine), and the other waiting for joint replacement (surgery......). The psychometric properties evaluated were feasibility: percentage of responses, floor and ceiling effects; construct validity: internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha, correlations with osteoarthritis knee and hip quality of life domains using Spearman's rank test, and known group comparison between medicine...

Validation of cleaning method for various parts fabricated at a Beryllium facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, Cynthia M. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2015-12-15

This study evaluated and documented a cleaning process that is used to clean parts that are fabricated at a beryllium facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The purpose of evaluating this cleaning process was to validate and approve it for future use to assure beryllium surface levels are below the Department of Energy’s release limits without the need to sample all parts leaving the facility. Inhaling or coming in contact with beryllium can cause an immune response that can result in an individual becoming sensitized to beryllium, which can then lead to a disease of the lungs called chronic beryllium disease, and possibly lung cancer. Thirty aluminum and thirty stainless steel parts were fabricated on a lathe in the beryllium facility, as well as thirty-two beryllium parts, for the purpose of testing a parts cleaning method that involved the use of ultrasonic cleaners. A cleaning method was created, documented, validated, and approved, to reduce beryllium contamination.

Antihyperglycemic activities of leaves of three edible fruit plants (Averrhoa carambola, Ficus hispida and Syzygium samarangense) of Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Shahreen, Shejuty; Banik, Joyanta; Hafiz, Abdul; Rahman, Shahnaz; Zaman, Anahita Tanzia; Shoyeb, Md Abu; Chowdhury, Majeedul H; Rahmatullah, Mohammed

2012-01-01

Averrhoa carambola L. (Oxalidaceae), Ficus hispida L.f. (Moraceae), and Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. & L.M. Perry (Myrtaceae) are three common plants in Bangladesh, the fruits of which are edible. The leaves and fruits of A. carambola and F. hispida are used by folk medicinal practitioners for treatment of diabetes, while the leaves of S. samarangense are used for treatment of cold, itches, and waist pain. Since scientific studies are absent on the antihyperglycemic effects of the leaves of the three plants, it was the objective of the present study to evaluate the antihyperglycemic potential of methanolic extract of leaves of the plants in oral glucose tolerance tests carried out with glucose-loaded mice. The extracts at different doses were administered one hour prior to glucose administration and blood glucose level was measured after two hours of glucose administration (p.o.) using glucose oxidase method. Significant oral hypoglycemic activity was found with the extracts of leaves of all three plants tested. The fall in serum glucose levels were dose-dependent for every individual plant, being highest at the highest dose tested of 400 mg extract per kg body weight. At this dose, the extracts of A. carambola, F. hispida, and S. samarangense caused, respectively, 34.1, 22.7, and 59.3% reductions in serum glucose levels when compared to control animals. The standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, caused a 57.3% reduction in serum glucose levels versus control. Among the three plants evaluated, the methanolic extract of leaves of S. samarangense proved to be the most potent in demonstrating antihyperglycemic effects. The result validates the folk medicinal uses of A. carambola and F. hispida in the treatment of diabetes, and indicates that the leaves of S. samarangense can also possibly be used for amelioration of diabetes-induced hyperglycemia.

Tools and approaches to operationalize the commitment to equity, gender and human rights: towards leaving no one behind in the Sustainable Development Goals.

Science.gov (United States)

Zamora, Gerardo; Koller, Theadora Swift; Thomas, Rebekah; Manandhar, Mary; Lustigova, Eva; Diop, Adama; Magar, Veronica

2018-01-01

The objective of this article is to present specific resources developed by the World Health Organization on equity, gender and human rights in order to support Member States in operationalizing their commitment to leave no one behind in the health Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and other health-related goals and targets. The resources cover: (i) health inequality monitoring; (ii) barrier analysis using mixed methods; (iii) human rights monitoring; (iv) leaving no one behind in national and subnational health sector planning; and (v) equity, gender and human rights in national health programme reviews. Examples of the application of the tools in a range of country contexts are provided for each resource.

One size fits all electronics for insole-based activity monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Hegde, Nagaraj; Bries, Matthew; Melanson, Edward; Sazonov, Edward

2017-07-01

Footwear based wearable sensors are becoming prominent in many areas of monitoring health and wellness, such as gait and activity monitoring. In our previous research we introduced an insole based wearable system SmartStep, which is completely integrated in a socially acceptable package. From a manufacturing perspective, SmartStep's electronics had to be custom made for each shoe size, greatly complicating the manufacturing process. In this work we explore the possibility of making a universal electronics platform for SmartStep - SmartStep 3.0, which can be used in the most common insole sizes without modifications. A pilot human subject experiments were run to compare the accuracy between the one-size fits all (SmartStep 3.0) and custom size SmartStep 2.0. A total of ~10 hours of data was collected in the pilot study involving three participants performing different activities of daily living while wearing SmartStep 2.0 and SmartStep 3.0. Leave one out cross validation resulted in a 98.5% average accuracy from SmartStep 2.0, while SmartStep 3.0 resulted in 98.3% accuracy, suggesting that the SmartStep 3.0 can be as accurate as SmartStep 2.0, while fitting most common shoe sizes.

External validation of the use of vignettes in cross-country health studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Datta Gupta, Nabanita; Kristensen, Nicolai; Pozzoli, Dario

2010-01-01

Cross-country comparisons of subjective assessments are rendered difficult if not impossible because of sub-population specific response style. To correct for this, the use of vignettes has become increasingly popular, notably within cross-country health studies. However, the validity of vignette...... and vignettes. Our results indicate that the assumption of RC is not innocuous and that our extended model relaxing this assumption improves the fit and significantly changes the cross-country rankings of health vis-a-vis the standard Chopit model.......Cross-country comparisons of subjective assessments are rendered difficult if not impossible because of sub-population specific response style. To correct for this, the use of vignettes has become increasingly popular, notably within cross-country health studies. However, the validity of vignettes...

External Validation of the Use of Vignettes in Cross-Country Health Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Datta Gupta, Nabanita; Kristensen, Nicolai; Pozzoli, Dario

Cross-country comparisons of subjective assessments are rendered difficult if not impossible because of sub-population specific response style. To correct for this, the use of vignettes has become increasingly popular, notably within cross-country health studies. However, the validity of vignette...... and vignettes. Our results indicate that the assumption of RC is not innocuous and that our extended model relaxing this assumption improves the fit and significantly changes the cross-country rankings of health vis-à-vis the standard Chopit model.......Cross-country comparisons of subjective assessments are rendered difficult if not impossible because of sub-population specific response style. To correct for this, the use of vignettes has become increasingly popular, notably within cross-country health studies. However, the validity of vignettes...

External validation of the use of vignettes in cross-country health studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gupta, Nabanita Datta; Kristensen, Nicolai; Pozzoli, Dario

Cross-country comparisons of subjective assessments are rendered difficult if not impossible because of sub-population specific response style. To correct for this, the use of vignettes has become increasingly popular, notably within cross-country health studies. However, the validity of vignette...... and vignettes. Our results indicate that the assumption of RC is not innocous and that our extended model relaxing this assumption improves the fit and significantly changes the cross-country rankings of health vis-\\'{a}-vis the standard Chopit model.......Cross-country comparisons of subjective assessments are rendered difficult if not impossible because of sub-population specific response style. To correct for this, the use of vignettes has become increasingly popular, notably within cross-country health studies. However, the validity of vignettes...

Development and Cross-Validation of Equation for Estimating Percent Body Fat of Korean Adults According to Body Mass Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hoyong Sung

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background : Using BMI as an independent variable is the easiest way to estimate percent body fat. Thus far, few studies have investigated the development and cross-validation of an equation for estimating the percent body fat of Korean adults according to the BMI. The goals of this study were the development and cross-validation of an equation for estimating the percent fat of representative Korean adults using the BMI. Methods : Samples were obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2008 and 2011. The samples from 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 were labeled as the validation group (n=10,624 and the cross-validation group (n=8,291, respectively. The percent fat was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the body mass index, gender, and age were included as independent variables to estimate the measured percent fat. The coefficient of determination (R², standard error of estimation (SEE, and total error (TE were calculated to examine the accuracy of the developed equation. Results : The cross-validated R² was 0.731 for Model 1 and 0.735 for Model 2. The SEE was 3.978 for Model 1 and 3.951 for Model 2. The equations developed in this study are more accurate for estimating percent fat of the cross-validation group than those previously published by other researchers. Conclusion : The newly developed equations are comparatively accurate for the estimation of the percent fat of Korean adults.

Prediction of the GC-MS Retention Indices for a Diverse Set of Terpenes as Constituent Components of Camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia (HBK Mc Vaugh Volatile Oil, Using Particle Swarm Optimization-Multiple Linear Regression (PSO-MLR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Majid Mohammadhosseini

2014-05-01

Full Text Available A reliable quantitative structure retention relationship (QSRR study has been evaluated to predict the retention indices (RIs of a broad spectrum of compounds, namely 118 non-linear, cyclic and heterocyclic terpenoids (both saturated and unsaturated, on an HP-5MS fused silica column. A principal component analysis showed that seven compounds lay outside of the main cluster. After elimination of the outliers, the data set was divided into training and test sets involving 80 and 28 compounds. The method was tested by application of the particle swarm optimization (PSO method to find the most effective molecular descriptors, followed by multiple linear regressions (MLR. The PSO-MLR model was further confirmed through “leave one out cross validation” (LOO-CV and “leave group out cross validation” (LGO-CV, as well as external validations. The promising statistical figures of merit associated with the proposed model (R2train=0.936, Q2LOO=0.928, Q2LGO=0.921, F=376.4 confirm its high ability to predict RIs with negligible relative errors of predictions (REP train=4.8%, REP test=6.0%.

Cross-dressing as a meaningful occupation: a single case study

OpenAIRE

Curtis, Morag; Morris, Karen

2015-01-01

Introduction: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experience of cross-dressing, to raise awareness of cross-dressing and investigate any possible implications for occupational therapy.\\ud \\ud Method: A single design case study utilizing an unstructured interview was used with a male cross-dresser known to the first author. Following transcription, flexible and ongoing analysis was undertaken following an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach and emergent...

Benchmarking protein classification algorithms via supervised cross-validation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kertész-Farkas, A.; Dhir, S.; Sonego, P.; Pacurar, M.; Netoteia, S.; Nijveen, H.; Kuzniar, A.; Leunissen, J.A.M.; Kocsor, A.; Pongor, S.

2008-01-01

Development and testing of protein classification algorithms are hampered by the fact that the protein universe is characterized by groups vastly different in the number of members, in average protein size, similarity within group, etc. Datasets based on traditional cross-validation (k-fold,

Neutron-induced cross sections of actinides via the surrogate-reaction method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tveten G. M.

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The surrogate-reaction method is an indirect way of determining cross sections for reactions that proceed through a compound nucleus. This technique may enable neutron-induced cross sections to be extracted for short-lived nuclei that otherwise cannot be measured. However, the validity of the surrogate method for extracting capture cross sections has to be investigated. In this work we study the reactions 238U(d,p239U, 238U(3He,t238Np, 238U(3He,4He237U as surrogates for neutroninduced reactions on 238U, 237Np and 236U, respectively, for which good quality data exist. The experimental set-up enabled the measurement of fission and gamma-decay probabilities. First results are presented and discussed.

Cross validation of gas chromatography-flame photometric detection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry methods for measuring dialkylphosphate metabolites of organophosphate pesticides in human urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Prapamontol, Tippawan; Sutan, Kunrunya; Laoyang, Sompong; Hongsibsong, Surat; Lee, Grace; Yano, Yukiko; Hunter, Ronald Elton; Ryan, P Barry; Barr, Dana Boyd; Panuwet, Parinya

2014-01-01

We report two analytical methods for the measurement of dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites of organophosphate pesticides in human urine. These methods were independently developed/modified and implemented in two separate laboratories and cross validated. The aim was to develop simple, cost effective, and reliable methods that could use available resources and sample matrices in Thailand and the United States. While several methods already exist, we found that direct application of these methods required modification of sample preparation and chromatographic conditions to render accurate, reliable data. The problems encountered with existing methods were attributable to urinary matrix interferences, and differences in the pH of urine samples and reagents used during the extraction and derivatization processes. Thus, we provide information on key parameters that require attention during method modification and execution that affect the ruggedness of the methods. The methods presented here employ gas chromatography (GC) coupled with either flame photometric detection (FPD) or electron impact ionization-mass spectrometry (EI-MS) with isotopic dilution quantification. The limits of detection were reported from 0.10ng/mL urine to 2.5ng/mL urine (for GC-FPD), while the limits of quantification were reported from 0.25ng/mL urine to 2.5ng/mL urine (for GC-MS), for all six common DAP metabolites (i.e., dimethylphosphate, dimethylthiophosphate, dimethyldithiophosphate, diethylphosphate, diethylthiophosphate, and diethyldithiophosphate). Each method showed a relative recovery range of 94-119% (for GC-FPD) and 92-103% (for GC-MS), and relative standard deviations (RSD) of less than 20%. Cross-validation was performed on the same set of urine samples (n=46) collected from pregnant women residing in the agricultural areas of northern Thailand. The results from split sample analysis from both laboratories agreed well for each metabolite, suggesting that each method can produce

Cross-Validation of Aerobic Capacity Prediction Models in Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Ryan Donald; Hannon, James C; Brusseau, Timothy A; Eisenman, Patricia A; Saint-Maurice, Pedro F; Welk, Greg J; Mahar, Matthew T

2015-08-01

Cardiorespiratory endurance is a component of health-related fitness. FITNESSGRAM recommends the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) or One mile Run/Walk (1MRW) to assess cardiorespiratory endurance by estimating VO2 Peak. No research has cross-validated prediction models from both PACER and 1MRW, including the New PACER Model and PACER-Mile Equivalent (PACER-MEQ) using current standards. The purpose of this study was to cross-validate prediction models from PACER and 1MRW against measured VO2 Peak in adolescents. Cardiorespiratory endurance data were collected on 90 adolescents aged 13-16 years (Mean = 14.7 ± 1.3 years; 32 girls, 52 boys) who completed the PACER and 1MRW in addition to a laboratory maximal treadmill test to measure VO2 Peak. Multiple correlations among various models with measured VO2 Peak were considered moderately strong (R = .74-0.78), and prediction error (RMSE) ranged from 5.95 ml·kg⁻¹,min⁻¹ to 8.27 ml·kg⁻¹.min⁻¹. Criterion-referenced agreement into FITNESSGRAM's Healthy Fitness Zones was considered fair-to-good among models (Kappa = 0.31-0.62; Agreement = 75.5-89.9%; F = 0.08-0.65). In conclusion, prediction models demonstrated moderately strong linear relationships with measured VO2 Peak, fair prediction error, and fair-to-good criterion referenced agreement with measured VO2 Peak into FITNESSGRAM's Healthy Fitness Zones.

Automated Cross-Sectional Measurement Method of Intracranial Dural Venous Sinuses.

Science.gov (United States)

Lublinsky, S; Friedman, A; Kesler, A; Zur, D; Anconina, R; Shelef, I

2016-03-01

MRV is an important blood vessel imaging and diagnostic tool for the evaluation of stenosis, occlusions, or aneurysms. However, an accurate image-processing tool for vessel comparison is unavailable. The purpose of this study was to develop and test an automated technique for vessel cross-sectional analysis. An algorithm for vessel cross-sectional analysis was developed that included 7 main steps: 1) image registration, 2) masking, 3) segmentation, 4) skeletonization, 5) cross-sectional planes, 6) clustering, and 7) cross-sectional analysis. Phantom models were used to validate the technique. The method was also tested on a control subject and a patient with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (4 large sinuses tested: right and left transverse sinuses, superior sagittal sinus, and straight sinus). The cross-sectional area and shape measurements were evaluated before and after lumbar puncture in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. The vessel-analysis algorithm had a high degree of stability with <3% of cross-sections manually corrected. All investigated principal cranial blood sinuses had a significant cross-sectional area increase after lumbar puncture (P ≤ .05). The average triangularity of the transverse sinuses was increased, and the mean circularity of the sinuses was decreased by 6% ± 12% after lumbar puncture. Comparison of phantom and real data showed that all computed errors were <1 voxel unit, which confirmed that the method provided a very accurate solution. In this article, we present a novel automated imaging method for cross-sectional vessels analysis. The method can provide an efficient quantitative detection of abnormalities in the dural sinuses. © 2016 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Missed nursing care: the impact on intention to leave and turnover.

Science.gov (United States)

Tschannen, Dana; Kalisch, Beatrice J; Lee, Kyung Hee

2010-12-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between missed nursing care, nurse turnover, and intention to leave. A cross-sectional study using the MISSCARE Survey was conducted. The sample comprised 110 patient-care units in 10 acute-care hospitals. Staffing data, turnover rates, and unit-level Case Mix Index were collected from the participating hospitals. Higher percentages of females on the unit were associated with lower turnover rates (beta = -.235, p = .010). Units with higher rates of missed care (beta = .302, p reduce intention to leave (and subsequent turnover).

A long-term validation of the modernised DC-ARC-OES solid-sample method.

Science.gov (United States)

Flórián, K; Hassler, J; Förster, O

2001-12-01

The validation procedure based on ISO 17025 standard has been used to study and illustrate both the longterm stability of the calibration process of the DC-ARC solid sample spectrometric method and the main validation criteria of the method. In the calculation of the validation characteristics depending on the linearity(calibration), also the fulfilment of predetermining criteria such as normality and homoscedasticity was checked. In order to decide whether there are any trends in the time-variation of the analytical signal or not, also the Neumann test of trend was applied and evaluated. Finally, a comparison with similar validation data of the ETV-ICP-OES method was carried out.

Mobile/android application for QRS detection using zero cross method

Science.gov (United States)

Rizqyawan, M. I.; Simbolon, A. I.; Suhendra, M. A.; Amri, M. F.; Kusumandari, D. E.

2018-03-01

In automatic ECG signal processing, one of the main topics of research is QRS complex detection. Detecting correct QRS complex or R peak is important since it is used to measure several other ECG metrics. One of the robust methods for QRS detection is Zero Cross method. This method uses an addition of high-frequency signal and zero crossing count to detect QRS complex which has a low-frequency oscillation. This paper presents an application of QRS detection using Zero Cross algorithm in the Android-based system. The performance of the algorithm in the mobile environment is measured. The result shows that this method is suitable for real-time QRS detection in a mobile application.

Test-retest reliability and cross validation of the functioning everyday with a wheelchair instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Tamara L; Holm, Margo B; Schmeler, Mark

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to establish the test-retest reliability and content validity of an outcomes tool designed to measure the effectiveness of seating-mobility interventions on the functional performance of individuals who use wheelchairs or scooters as their primary seating-mobility device. The instrument, Functioning Everyday With a Wheelchair (FEW), is a questionnaire designed to measure perceived user function related to wheelchair/scooter use. Using consumer-generated items, FEW Beta Version 1.0 was developed and test-retest reliability was established. Cross-validation of FEW Beta Version 1.0 was then carried out with five samples of seating-mobility users to establish content validity. Based on the content validity study, FEW Version 2.0 was developed and administered to seating-mobility consumers to examine its test-retest reliability. FEW Beta Version 1.0 yielded an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) Model (3,k) of .92, p content validity results revealed that FEW Beta Version 1.0 captured 55% of seating-mobility goals reported by consumers across five samples. FEW Version 2.0 yielded ICC(3,k) = .86, p content validity of FEW Version 2.0 was confirmed. FEW Beta Version 1.0 and FEW Version 2.0 were highly stable in their measurement of participants' seating-mobility goals over a 1-week interval.

Quality of Work Life, Nurses' Intention to Leave the Profession, and Nurses Leaving the Profession: A One-Year Prospective Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ya-Wen; Dai, Yu-Tzu; Chang, Mei Yeh; Chang, Yue-Cune; Yao, Kaiping Grace; Liu, Mei-Chun

2017-07-01

To examine the associations among quality of work life, nurses' intention to leave the profession, and nurses leaving the profession. A prospective study design was used. Participants were 1,283 hospital nurses with a purposive sampling in Taiwan. The self-reported questionnaire consisted of three questionnaires: the Chinese version of the Quality of Nursing Work Life scale, an intention-to-leave profession questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire. Records of nurses leaving the profession were surveyed 1 year later. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. As many as 720 nurses (56.1%) had tendencies to leave their profession. However, only 31 nurses (2.5%) left their profession 1 year later. Nurses' intention to leave the profession mediated the relationship between the milieu of respect and autonomy, quality of work life, and nurses leaving the profession. The milieu of respect and autonomy describing the quality of work life predicts the nurses' intention to leave the profession, and together these predict nurses leaving the profession. This study illustrates that nurse managers could provide effective interventions to ameliorate the milieu of respect and autonomy aspect of quality of work life to prevent nurses from leaving their profession. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Cross-cultural validity of the ABILOCO questionnaire for individuals with stroke, based on Rasch analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Avelino, Patrick Roberto; Magalhães, Lívia Castro; Faria-Fortini, Iza; Basílio, Marluce Lopes; Menezes, Kênia Kiefer Parreiras; Teixeira-Salmela, Luci Fuscaldi

2018-06-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cross-cultural validity of the Brazilian version of the ABILOCO questionnaire for stroke subjects. Cross-cultural adaptation of the original English version of the ABILOCO to the Brazilian-Portuguese language followed standardized procedures. The adapted version was administered to 136 stroke subjects and its measurement properties were assessed using Rash analysis. Cross-cultural validity was based on cultural invariance analyses. Goodness-of-fit analysis revealed one misfitting item. The principal component analysis of the residuals showed that the first dimension explained 45% of the variance in locomotion ability; however, the eigenvalue was 1.92. The ABILOCO-Brazil divided the sample into two levels of ability and the items into about seven levels of difficulty. The item-person map showed some ceiling effect. Cultural invariance analyses revealed that although there were differences in the item calibrations between the ABILOCO-original and ABILOCO-Brazil, they did not impact the measures of locomotion ability. The ABILOCO-Brazil demonstrated satisfactory measurement properties to be used within both clinical and research contexts in Brazil, as well cross-cultural validity to be used in international/multicentric studies. However, the presence of ceiling effect suggests that it may not be appropriate for the assessment of individuals with high levels of locomotion ability. Implications for rehabilitation Self-report measures of locomotion ability are clinically important, since they describe the abilities of the individuals within real life contexts. The ABILOCO questionnaire, specific for stroke survivors, demonstrated satisfactory measurement properties, but may not be most appropriate to assess individuals with high levels of locomotion ability The results of the cross-cultural validity showed that the ABILOCO-Original and the ABILOCO-Brazil calibrations may be used interchangeable.

Automated pathologies detection in retina digital images based on complex continuous wavelet transform phase angles.

Science.gov (United States)

Lahmiri, Salim; Gargour, Christian S; Gabrea, Marcel

2014-10-01

An automated diagnosis system that uses complex continuous wavelet transform (CWT) to process retina digital images and support vector machines (SVMs) for classification purposes is presented. In particular, each retina image is transformed into two one-dimensional signals by concatenating image rows and columns separately. The mathematical norm of phase angles found in each one-dimensional signal at each level of CWT decomposition are relied on to characterise the texture of normal images against abnormal images affected by exudates, drusen and microaneurysms. The leave-one-out cross-validation method was adopted to conduct experiments and the results from the SVM show that the proposed approach gives better results than those obtained by other methods based on the correct classification rate, sensitivity and specificity.

Sick Leave and Factors Influencing Sick Leave in Adult Patients with Atopic Dermatitis : A Cross-Sectional Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Os-Medendorp, Harmieke; Appelman-Noordermeer, Simone; Bruijnzeel-Koomen, Carla A.F.M.; de Bruin-Weller, MS

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the prevalence of sick leave due to atopic dermatitis (AD). The current literature on factors influencing sick leave is mostly derived from other chronic inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sick leave due to AD and to identify

Prediction of gas chromatography/electron capture detector retention times of chlorinated pesticides, herbicides, and organohalides by multivariate chemometrics methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghasemi, Jahanbakhsh; Asadpour, Saeid; Abdolmaleki, Azizeh

2007-01-01

A quantitative structure-retention relationship (QSRR) study, has been carried out on the gas chromatograph/electron capture detector (GC/ECD) system retention times (t R s) of 38 diverse chlorinated pesticides, herbicides, and organohalides by using molecular structural descriptors. Modeling of retention times of these compounds as a function of the theoretically derived descriptors was established by multiple linear regression (MLR) and partial least squares (PLS) regression. The stepwise regression using SPSS was used for the selection of the variables that resulted in the best-fitted models. Appropriate models with low standard errors and high correlation coefficients were obtained. Three types of molecular descriptors including electronic, steric and thermodynamic were used to develop a quantitative relationship between the retention times and structural properties. MLR and PLS analysis has been carried out to derive the best QSRR models. After variables selection, MLR and PLS methods used with leave-one-out cross validation for building the regression models. The predictive quality of the QSRR models were tested for an external prediction set of 12 compounds randomly chosen from 38 compounds. The PLS regression method was used to model the structure-retention relationships, more accurately. However, the results surprisingly showed more or less the same quality for MLR and PLS modeling according to squared regression coefficients R 2 which were 0.951 and 0.948 for MLR and PLS, respectively

Lack of adjustment latitude at work as a trigger of taking sick leave-a Swedish case-crossover study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanna Hultin

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Research has shown that individuals reporting a low level of adjustment latitude, defined as having few possibilities to temporarily adjust work demands to illness, have a higher risk of sick leave. To what extent lack of adjustment latitude influences the individual when making the decision to take sick leave is unknown. We hypothesize that ill individuals are more likely to take sick leave on days when they experience a lack of adjustment latitude at work than on days with access to adjustment latitude. METHODS: A case-crossover design was applied to 546 sick-leave spells, extracted from a cohort of 1 430 employees at six Swedish workplaces, with a 3-12 month follow-up of all new sick-leave spells. Exposure to lack of adjustment latitude on the first sick-leave day was compared with exposure during several types of control periods sampled from the previous two months for the same individual. RESULTS: Only 35% of the respondents reported variations in access to adjustment latitude, and 19% reported a constant lack of adjustment latitude during the two weeks prior to the sick-leave spell. Among those that did report variation, the risk of sick leave was lower on days with lack of adjustment latitude, than on days with access (Odds Ratio 0.36, 95% Confidence Interval 0.25-0.52. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to show the influence of adjustment latitude on the decision to take sick leave. Among those with variations in exposure, lack of adjustment latitude was a deterrent of sick leave, which is contrary to the à priori hypothesis. These results indicate that adjustment latitude may not only capture long-lasting effects of a flexible working environment, but also temporary possibilities to adjust work to being absent. Further studies are needed to disentangle the causal mechanisms of adjustment latitude on sick-leave.

Application of neutron activation analysis method in leaves of Casearia obliqua medicinal plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, Celina I.; Saiki, Mitiko; Sertie, Jaime A.A.

2005-01-01

The pharmacological properties of medicinal plants have been related to the presence of organic compounds, however elements are also known to have an important participation in the active compounds constitution process. In this study, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied to determine elements in leaves of Casearia obliqua medicinal plant collected at two different locations in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil, SP. Soil samples collected from where this plant was grown were also analyzed in order to verify if there is a correlation between the elements present in soils and plant leaves. Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, K, La, Mn, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc and Zn were determined in C. obliqua leaves and the elements As, Ca, Ce, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Nd, Rb, Sc, Sm, Tb, Th, U and Zn in soils. Soil samples collected from two different locations presented similar concentrations for most elements. Likewise, C. obliqua leaves collected from the two locations presented similar elemental contents. These results suggest that analysis of extracts from these leaf samples and the evaluation of their pharmacological activities should be carried out. Certified reference materials IAEA-Soil-7, USGS W-1, NIST 1573a Tomato Leaves and NIST 1515 Apple Leaves were analyzed and the quality of the obtained results was assured. (author)

Type and screen policy in the blood bank: Is AHG cross-match still required? A study at a multispecialty corporate hospital in India

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Pathak Sangeeta

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Antibodies against only about 25-28 blood group antigens are known to cause hemolytic reactions (HTRs, and red cell antibody screening should detect such clinically significant antibodies. An extension of the antibody screening test is the ′type and screen′ done to detect clinically significant antibodies, omiting the anti-human globulin (AHG cross-match. Aim: The aim of this study was to find out if the type and screen procedure is a safe method for pre-transfusion testing when compared to the AHG cross-match currently in use in India. Materials and Methods: We evaluated data from 45373 patients for whom a total of 61668 units of packed red blood cells (PRBC were cross-matched in the AHG phase using DiaMed; ID cards. An antibody screen was carried out in all the patients using the DiaMed; ID-DiaCell I+II+III. The AHG cross-match was also carried out for all recipients, irrespective of the result of the antibody screen. The results were compared to see if there were any cases where the antibody screening was negative but the AHG cross-match showed incompatibility. Results: Not a single case was found where the antibody screen was negative and AHG cross-match showed incompatibility. In 68 cases the antibody screening was positive. Out of the 68 cases, AHG cross-match was incompatible with at least one unit of PRBC in 41 cases. Conclusion: The screening cell panel adequately detected the clinically significant antibodies in the Indian population in our study. The type and screen policy can be safe, efficient, cost-effective, and beneficial to the transfusion service in India.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Danish version of the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment Questionnaire (SMFA)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindahl, Marianne Pia; Andersen, Signe; Jørgensen, Annette

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) into Danish (SMFA-DK) and assess the psychometric properties. METHODS: SMFA was translated and cross-culturally adapted according to a standardized procedure. Minor changes......, content validity as coding according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), floor/ceiling effects, construct validity as factor analysis, correlations between SMFA-DK and Short Form 36 and also known group method. Responsiveness and effect size were calculated...

A QSAR Study of Environmental Estrogens Based on a Novel Variable Selection Method

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Aiqian Zhang

2012-05-01

Full Text Available A large number of descriptors were employed to characterize the molecular structure of 53 natural, synthetic, and environmental chemicals which are suspected of disrupting endocrine functions by mimicking or antagonizing natural hormones and may thus pose a serious threat to the health of humans and wildlife. In this work, a robust quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR model with a novel variable selection method has been proposed for the effective estrogens. The variable selection method is based on variable interaction (VSMVI with leave-multiple-out cross validation (LMOCV to select the best subset. During variable selection, model construction and assessment, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD principles for regulation of QSAR acceptability were fully considered, such as using an unambiguous multiple-linear regression (MLR algorithm to build the model, using several validation methods to assessment the performance of the model, giving the define of applicability domain and analyzing the outliers with the results of molecular docking. The performance of the QSAR model indicates that the VSMVI is an effective, feasible and practical tool for rapid screening of the best subset from large molecular descriptors.

Subjective memory complaints among patients on sick leave are associated with symptoms of fatigue and anxiety

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Julie Kristine Aasvik

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study was to identify symptoms associated with subjective memory complaints among subjects who are currently on sick leave due to symptoms of chronic pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety and insomnia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, subjects (n = 167 who were currently on sick leave were asked to complete an extensive survey consisting of the following: items addressing their sociodemographics, one item from the SF-8 health survey measuring pain, Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Insomnia Severity Index and Everyday Memory Questionnaire – Revised. General linear modeling (GLM was used to analyze variables associated with SMCs. Results: Symptoms of fatigue (p-value <= 0.001 and anxiety (p-value = 0.001 were uniquely and significantly associated with perceived memory failures. The associations with symptoms of pain, depression and insomnia were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Subjective memory complaints should be recognized as part of the complex symptomatology among patients who report multiple symptoms, especially in cases of fatigue and anxiety. Self-report questionnaires measuring perceived memory failures may be a quick and easy way to incorporate and extend this knowledge into clinical practice.

Angular finite volume method for solving the multigroup transport equation with piecewise average scattering cross sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calloo, A.; Vidal, J.F.; Le Tellier, R.; Rimpault, G.

2011-01-01

This paper deals with the solving of the multigroup integro-differential form of the transport equation for fine energy group structure. In that case, multigroup transfer cross sections display strongly peaked shape for light scatterers and the current Legendre polynomial expansion is not well-suited to represent them. Furthermore, even if considering an exact scattering cross sections representation, the scattering source in the discrete ordinates method (also known as the Sn method) being calculated by sampling the angular flux at given directions, may be wrongly computed due to lack of angular support for the angular flux. Hence, following the work of Gerts and Matthews, an angular finite volume solver has been developed for 2D Cartesian geometries. It integrates the multigroup transport equation over discrete volume elements obtained by meshing the unit sphere with a product grid over the polar and azimuthal coordinates and by considering the integrated flux per solid angle element. The convergence of this method has been compared to the S_n method for a highly anisotropic benchmark. Besides, piecewise-average scattering cross sections have been produced for non-bound Hydrogen atoms using a free gas model for thermal neutrons. LWR lattice calculations comparing Legendre representations of the Hydrogen scattering multigroup cross section at various orders and piecewise-average cross sections for this same atom are carried out (while keeping a Legendre representation for all other isotopes). (author)

Peculiarities of tropane alkaloids determination in Datura Stramonium L. leaves

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Володимир Анатолійович Міщенко

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The questions of the search, pharmacological activity and standardization of natural extracts are appropriate and important for national pharmaceutical science and practice. Since 2000, one of the key points of the Action Plan to ensure the integration of Ukraine into the European Union is development of the State Pharmacopoeia of Ukraine harmonized with the European Pharmacopoeia (PhEur.Aim: A comparative analysis of herbal material according to the methods for tropane group alkaloids determination, as described in the PhEur and in the 11th Edition of USSR Pharmacopoeia Monographs «Stramonium leaf».Methods: Datura leaves samples have been harvested during 2010-2012 in different regions of Ukraine for experimental research. Identification of tropane group alkaloids was carried out by the method of thin-layer chromatography (TLC and by Vitali-Morin colour reaction. According to the PhEur method, firstly Dragendorff reagent and then Sodium nitrite solutions were used for the TLC plates spraying. Alkaloids assay was carried out by alkalimetry method with indicator determination of equivalence point.Results: Datura leaves qualitative features, defined by PhEur and the 11th Edition of USSR Pharmacopoeia Monographs «Stramonium leaf», as well as their rationing have been analyzed. Certain differences concerning regulated quality parameters of herbal material have been determined. A comparative analysis of the natural extracts by described in the given normative documents methods for determination of tropane group alkaloids content has been done. After spraying the TLC plates with Sodium nitrite solution, red-brown zones corresponding Hyoscyamine were determined. Hyoscine zones were characterized by less intense color. As a result of quantitative determination it was determined that the alkaloids content in analyzed Datura leaves samples was within the limits regulated by the PhEur and the 11th Edition of USSR Pharmacopoeia – more than 0

Development and Validation of a HPLC-UV Method for the Evaluation of Ellagic Acid in Liquid Extracts of Eugenia uniflora L. (Myrtaceae Leaves and Its Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Optimization

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Paulo Isaac Dias Assunção

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A simple HPLC-UV method has been developed and validated for the quantification of ellagic acid (EA in ethanol extracts of Eugenia uniflora L. (Myrtaceae leaves. The ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE optimization was performed using a Box Behnken design (33 combined with response surface methodology to study the effects of the ethanol concentration (%, w/w, extraction time (minutes, and temperature (°C on the EA concentration. The optimized results showed that the highest extraction yield of EA by UAE was 26.0 μg mL−1 when using 44% (w/w ethanol as the solvent, 22 minutes as the extraction time, and 59°C as the extraction temperature. The concentration of EA in relation to the predicted value was 93.7%  ±  0.4. UAE showed a strong potential for EA extraction.

Development and Validation of a HPLC-UV Method for the Evaluation of Ellagic Acid in Liquid Extracts of Eugenia uniflora L. (Myrtaceae) Leaves and Its Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Assunção, Paulo Isaac Dias; da Conceição, Edemilson Cardoso; Borges, Leonardo Luiz; de Paula, Joelma Abadia Marciano

2017-01-01

A simple HPLC-UV method has been developed and validated for the quantification of ellagic acid (EA) in ethanol extracts of Eugenia uniflora L. (Myrtaceae) leaves. The ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) optimization was performed using a Box Behnken design (3 3 ) combined with response surface methodology to study the effects of the ethanol concentration (%, w/w), extraction time (minutes), and temperature (°C) on the EA concentration. The optimized results showed that the highest extraction yield of EA by UAE was 26.0  μ g mL -1 when using 44% (w/w) ethanol as the solvent, 22 minutes as the extraction time, and 59°C as the extraction temperature. The concentration of EA in relation to the predicted value was 93.7%  ±  0.4. UAE showed a strong potential for EA extraction.

Care in Family Relations : The Case of Surrogacy Leave

OpenAIRE

Burri, Susanne

2015-01-01

The advance of reproductive technologies, like surrogacy arrangements, confronts courts with new demands and dilemmas. This contribution analyses the potential of EU law towards a better and more balanced reconciliation of work, private and family life when no national law applies. In two recent cases of the Court of Justice of the EU on leave for surrogacy mothers, the Advocates General Kokott and Wahl published diverging opinions on similar prejudicial questions of national courts. These op...

Development and testing of a cross-culturally valid instrument: food-related life style

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brunsø, Karen; Grunert, Klaus G.

1995-01-01

-culturaly valid way. To this end we have developed a pool of 202 items, collected data in three countries, and have constructed scales based on cross-culturally stable factor patterns. We have then applie set of scales to a fourth country, in order to further test the cross-cultural validity of the instrument....

Psychosocial impact of Parkinson's disease-associated dysarthria: Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Dysarthria Impact Profile into European Portuguese.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso, Rita; Guimarães, Isabel; Santos, Helena; Loureiro, Rita; Domingos, Josefa; Abreu, Daisy; Gonçalves, Nilza; Pinto, Serge; Ferreira, Joaquim J

2018-01-26

The present study sought to make a cross-cultural adaptation of the Dysarthria Impact Profile (DIP) for European Portuguese (EP) and validate it for use in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. The cross-cultural adaptation was carried out in accordance with the guidelines. The EP version of the DIP was administered to 80 people with PD, and 30 sex- and age-matched control participants. Psychometric properties, acceptability, feasibility reliability (internal consistency and intrarater agreement) and validity (construct, convergent and known-groups validity) were assessed using other assessment tools (motor disability and impairment, and voice impact). Overall, the EP-DIP final version has the same conceptual meaning, semantics, idiomatic and score equivalences as the original version. Statistical analyses showed adequate feasibility (missing data psychosocial impact of slight-to-mild dysarthria in people with PD. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; ••: ••-••. © 2018 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Nuclear techniques and cross-correlation methods for spectral analysis in two-phase flow measurements in mineral pipelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brandao, Luis E.B.; Salgado, Cesar M., E-mail: brandaos@ien.gov.br, E-mail: otero@ien.gov.br [Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Divisao de Radiofarmacos; Sicilliano, Umberto C.C.S., E-mail: umberto.cassara@poli.ufrj.br [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Dept. de Metalurgia

2013-07-01

In mineral industry is common to use water to transport pellets inside pipes. In these units, the correct measurement of flow (both solid and liquid phase) is important to guarantee a safe operation. Cross correlation flow meters are devices specially suited to be used in dual-phase flow and they are based on measure the transit time due the disturbances registered between two points, in our case gamma attenuation from radioactive sources. The emphasis of this work is the application of gamma transmission and scattering technique associated with spectral analysis methods to measure the flow of solid phase in a liquid fluid in side the pipe. The detectors and the sources are out side of the tube and are positioned 10.0 cm distant one from the other. The photons of transmission/scattering gamma radiation were registered, and across-correlation method was applied to measure the flow and spectral analysis was used to study the flow profile inside the pipe. (author)

Effects of Drying Methods on the Drying Kinetics and the Essential Oil of Lippia multiflora Moldenke Leaves

OpenAIRE

Raymond G. Elenga; Gouollaly Tsiba; J. Goma Maniongui; Jean M. Ouamba; Jean M. Bessière

2011-01-01

Lippia multiflora is widespread in Africa and America. Its leaves are consumed as tea and have various medicinal properties. To preserve the flavour and properties, the farmers dry the leaves in shade for six to ten days. The aim of this work on one hand, is to check the soundness of this traditional drying method by comparing its effects with those of the forced convective drying at 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60ºC on the drying kinetics, the composition and content of the Essential Oil (EO) of dried...

Method Development for Extraction and Quantification of Glycosides in Leaves of Stevia Rebaudiana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salmah Moosa; Hazlina Ahmad Hassali; Norazlina Noordin

2015-01-01

A solid-liquid extraction and an UHPLC method for determination of glycosides from the leave parts of Stevia rebaudiana were developed. Steviol glycosides found in the leaves of Stevia are natural sweetener and commercially sold as sugar substitutes. Extraction of the glycosides consisted of solvent extraction of leaf powder using various solvents followed by its concentration using rotary evaporator and analysis using Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC). Existing analytical methods are mainly focused on the quantification of either rebaudioside A or stevioside, whereas other glycosides, such as rebaudioside B and rebaudioside D present in the leaves also contribute to sweetness or its biological activity. Therefore, we developed an improved method by changing the UHPLC conditions to enable a rapid and reliable determination of four steviol glycosides rather than just two using an isocratic UHPLC method. (author)

Derivation of the extended elastic stiffness formula of the holddown spring assembly comprised of several leaves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Kee Nam; Kang, H. S.; Yoon, K. H.

1999-01-01

Based on the Euler beam theory and the elastic strain energy method, the elastic stiffness formula of the holddown spring assembly consisting of several leaves was previously derived. Even though the previous formula was known to be useful to estimate the elastic stiffness of the holddown spring assembly, recently it was reported that the elastic stiffness from the previous formula deviated greatly from the test results as the number of leaves was increased. The objective of this study is to extend the previous formula in order to resolve such an increasing deviation when increasing the number of leaves. Additionally, considering the friction forces acting on the interfaces between the leaves, we obtained an extended elastic stiffness formula. The characteristic test and the elastic stiffness analysis on the various kinds of specimens of the holddown spring assembly have been carried out; the validity of the extended formula has been verified by the comparison of their results. As a result of comparisons, it is found that the extended formula is able to evaluate the elastic stiffness of the holddown spring assembly within the maximum error range of +12%, irrespective of the number of the leaves. (author). 9 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

Combining garden therapy and supported employment - a method for preparing women on long-term sick leave for working life.

Science.gov (United States)

Lidén, Eva; Alstersjö, Karin; Gurné, Frida L; Fransson, Sandra; Bergbom, Ingegerd

2016-06-01

Women are overrepresented among the group people suffering from long-term illness. In addition to their illness, suffering long-term sick leave leads to economical restraints as well social distress. There are gaps in our understanding of the challenges these women face. There is also lack of knowledge about how these challenges can be effectively addressed in rehabilitation. This deficiency is problematic from an ethical, justice and a caring perspective. In this study, changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among women on long-term sick leave were investigated during and after participating in a rehabilitation programme combining two validated methods, Garden Therapy and Supported Employment (SE). The study also discusses difficulties in realising research related to vulnerable under-privileged people. From a population of 329 women who had reported their interest to participate, 245 were randomised to the programme. Of these 144 accepted participation in the research project and of these 123 women accepted to answer the SF-36 questionnaire. The participants were between 21 and 62 years with poor physical and mental health. They had received public financial support from 10 years. The SF-36 measurement was carried out at baseline, after completion of Garden Therapy and after completion of SE. The results are based on data of respondents who participated at all the three occasions (n = 52). When comparing HRQoL baseline with the following occasions, the participants' General Health (GH), Vitality (VT), Social Functioning (SF) and mental health had improved significantly. The Four Leaf Clover (FLC) programme could be an appropriate method for reducing socially induced suffering. However, to conduct intervention studies where vulnerable persons are involved, it is off vital importance to consider whether the participants have the strength to complete the intervention. © 2015 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the South African Pain Catastrophizing Scale (SA-PCS among patients with fibromyalgia

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Morris Linzette D

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Pain catastrophization has recently been recognized as a barrier to the healthy development of physical functioning among chronic pain patients. Levels of pain catastrophization in chronic pain patients are commonly measured using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS. Objective To cross-culturally adapt and validate the South African PCS (SA-PCS among English-, Afrikaans- and Xhosa-speaking patients with fibromyalgia living in the Cape Metropole area, Western Cape, South Africa. Methods The original PCS was cross-culturally adapted in accordance with international standards to develop an English, Afrikaans and Xhosa version of the SA-PCS using a repeated measures study design. Psychometric testing included face/content validity, internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha-α, test-retest reliability (intraclass coefficient correlations-ICC, sensitivity-to-change and cross-sectional convergent validity (by comparing the adapted SA-PCS to related constructs. Results The cross-culturally adapted English, Afrikaans and Xhosa SA-PCS showed good face and content validity, excellent internal consistency (with Chronbach’s α = 0.98, 0.98 and 0.97 for the English, Afrikaans and Xhosa SA-PCS, as a whole, respectively, excellent test-retest reliability (with ICC’s of 0.90, 0.91 and 0.89 for the English, Afrikaans and Xhosa SA-PCS, respectively; as well as satisfactory sensitivity-to-change (with a minimum detectable change of 8.8, 9.0 and 9.3 for the English, Afrikaans and Xhosa SA-PCS, respectively and cross-sectional convergent validity (when compared to pain severity as well as South African versions of the Tampa scale for Kinesiophobia and the revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. Conclusion The SA-PCS can therefore be recommended as simple, efficient, valid and reliable tool which shows satisfactory sensitivity-to-change and cross-sectional convergent validity, for use among English, Afrikaans and Xhosa-speaking patients with

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the sino-nasal outcome test (SNOT-22) for Spanish-speaking patients.

Science.gov (United States)

de los Santos, Gonzalo; Reyes, Pablo; del Castillo, Raúl; Fragola, Claudio; Royuela, Ana

2015-11-01

Our objective was to perform translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the sino-nasal outcome test 22 (SNOT-22) to Spanish language. SNOT-22 was translated, back translated, and a pretest trial was performed. The study included 119 individuals divided into 60 cases, who met diagnostic criteria for chronic rhinosinusitis according to the European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis 2012; and 59 controls, who reported no sino-nasal disease. Internal consistency was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha test, reproducibility with Kappa coefficient, reliability with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), validity with Mann-Whitney U test and responsiveness with Wilcoxon test. In cases, Cronbach's alpha was 0.91 both before and after treatment, as for controls, it was 0.90 at their first test assessment and 0.88 at 3 weeks. Kappa coefficient was calculated for each item, with an average score of 0.69. ICC was also performed for each item, with a score of 0.87 in the overall score and an average among all items of 0.71. Median score for cases was 47, and 2 for controls, finding the difference to be highly significant (Mann-Whitney U test, p internal consistency, reliability, reproducibility, validity and responsiveness necessary to be a valid instrument to be used in clinical practice.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the VISA-A questionnaire for German-speaking achilles tendinopathy patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Lohrer, Heinz; Nauck, Tanja

2009-10-30

Achilles tendinopathy is the predominant overuse injury in runners. To further investigate this overload injury in transverse and longitudinal studies a valid, responsive and reliable outcome measure is demanded. Most questionnaires have been developed for English-speaking populations. This is also true for the VISA-A score, so far representing the only valid, reliable, and disease specific questionnaire for Achilles tendinopathy. To internationally compare research results, to perform multinational studies or to exclude bias originating from subpopulations speaking different languages within one country an equivalent instrument is demanded in different languages. The aim of this study was therefore to cross-cultural adapt and validate the VISA-A questionnaire for German-speaking Achilles tendinopathy patients. According to the "guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures" the VISA-A score was cross-culturally adapted into German (VISA-A-G) using six steps: Translation, synthesis, back translation, expert committee review, pretesting (n = 77), and appraisal of the adaptation process by an advisory committee determining the adequacy of the cross-cultural adaptation. The resulting VISA-A-G was then subjected to an analysis of reliability, validity, and internal consistency in 30 Achilles tendinopathy patients and 79 asymptomatic people. Concurrent validity was tested against a generic tendon grading system (Percy and Conochie) and against a classification system for the effect of pain on athletic performance (Curwin and Stanish). The "advisory committee" determined the VISA-A-G questionnaire as been translated "acceptable". The VISA-A-G questionnaire showed moderate to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.60 to 0.97). Concurrent validity showed good coherence when correlated with the grading system of Curwin and Stanish (rho = -0.95) and for the Percy and Conochie grade of severity (rho 0.95). Internal consistency (Cronbach

A passive dosing method to determine fugacity capacities and partitioning properties of leaves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bolinius, Damien Johann; Macleod, Matthew; McLachlan, Michael S.

2016-01-01

The capacity of leaves to take up chemicals from the atmosphere and water influences how contaminants are transferred into food webs and soil. We provide a proof of concept of a passive dosing method to measure leaf/polydimethylsiloxane partition ratios (Kleaf/PDMS) for intact leaves, using...... polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as model chemicals. Rhododendron leaves held in contact with PCB-loaded PDMS reached between 76 and 99% of equilibrium within 4 days for PCBs 3, 4, 28, 52, 101, 118, 138 and 180. Equilibrium Kleaf/PDMS extrapolated from the uptake kinetics measured over 4 days ranged from 0...... the variability in sorptive capacities of leaves that would improve descriptions of uptake of chemicals by leaves in multimedia fate models....

On the use of the observation-wise k-fold operation in PCA cross-validation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Saccenti, E.; Camacho, J.

2015-01-01

Cross-validation (CV) is a common approach for determining the optimal number of components in a principal component analysis model. To guarantee the independence between model testing and calibration, the observationwise k-fold operation is commonly implemented in each cross-validation step. This

Person-environment fit, flourishing and intention to leave in universities of technology in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine Janse van Rensburg

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Retaining staff is vital to ensure that universities accomplish their missions. To optimise the potential of staff members and retain staff, it is necessary to study their flourishing and fit in their jobs and organisations. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between person-environment fit, flourishing at work and intention to leave. Motivation for the study: Research is needed to validate a measure of flourishing at work. Outcome variables such as intention to leave have not been studied in relation to flourishing at work. Moreover, it is necessary to study antecedents of flourishing at work, such as person-environment fit. Research approach, design and method: A cross-sectional survey design was used with a convenience sample of 339 academic employees from three universities of technology in South Africa. Three perceived fit scales, the Flourishing-at-Work Scale (FAWS and the Turnover Intention Scale were administered. Main findings: Findings supported a three-factor model of flourishing at work, consisting of emotional, psychological and social well-being. The highest mean frequencies on flourishing dimensions were obtained for competence and emotional engagement. The lowest mean frequencies were obtained for relatedness and social well-being. Person-environment fit predicted intention to leave, both directly and indirectly, via flourishing. The findings support the internal consistency and validity of the FAWS. Practical/managerial implications: Managers and human resource practitioners should consider the use of a multidimensional measure to assess flourishing at work. Considering certain dimensions of well-being at work (e.g. work engagement and competence of employees without considering other dimensions (e.g. job satisfaction, affect balance and meaning at work will not be sufficient to assess and promote the subjective well-being of employees. Contribution/value-add: This study

Validation of a Method for Cylindrospermopsin Determination in Vegetables: Application to Real Samples Such as Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana I. Prieto

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Reports on the occurrence of the cyanobacterial toxin cylindrospermopsin (CYN have increased worldwide because of CYN toxic effects in humans and animals. If contaminated waters are used for plant irrigation, these could represent a possible CYN exposure route for humans. For the first time, a method employing solid phase extraction and quantification by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS of CYN was optimized in vegetables matrices such as lettuce (Lactuca sativa. The validated method showed a linear range, from 5 to 500 ng CYN g−1 of fresh weight (f.w., and detection and quantitation limits (LOD and LOQ of 0.22 and 0.42 ng CYN g−1 f.w., respectively. The mean recoveries ranged between 85 and 104%, and the intermediate precision from 12.7 to 14.7%. The method showed to be robust for the three different variables tested. Moreover, it was successfully applied to quantify CYN in edible lettuce leaves exposed to CYN-contaminated water (10 µg L−1, showing that the tolerable daily intake (TDI in the case of CYN could be exceeded in elderly high consumers. The validated method showed good results in terms of sensitivity, precision, accuracy, and robustness for CYN determination in leaf vegetables such as lettuce. More studies are needed in order to prevent the risks associated with the consumption of CYN-contaminated vegetables.

Validation of a Method for Cylindrospermopsin Determination in Vegetables: Application to Real Samples Such as Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Prieto, Ana I; Guzmán-Guillén, Remedios; Díez-Quijada, Leticia; Campos, Alexandre; Vasconcelos, Vitor; Jos, Ángeles; Cameán, Ana M

2018-02-01

Reports on the occurrence of the cyanobacterial toxin cylindrospermopsin (CYN) have increased worldwide because of CYN toxic effects in humans and animals. If contaminated waters are used for plant irrigation, these could represent a possible CYN exposure route for humans. For the first time, a method employing solid phase extraction and quantification by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) of CYN was optimized in vegetables matrices such as lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ). The validated method showed a linear range, from 5 to 500 ng CYN g -1 of fresh weight (f.w.), and detection and quantitation limits (LOD and LOQ) of 0.22 and 0.42 ng CYN g -1 f.w., respectively. The mean recoveries ranged between 85 and 104%, and the intermediate precision from 12.7 to 14.7%. The method showed to be robust for the three different variables tested. Moreover, it was successfully applied to quantify CYN in edible lettuce leaves exposed to CYN-contaminated water (10 µg L -1 ), showing that the tolerable daily intake (TDI) in the case of CYN could be exceeded in elderly high consumers. The validated method showed good results in terms of sensitivity, precision, accuracy, and robustness for CYN determination in leaf vegetables such as lettuce. More studies are needed in order to prevent the risks associated with the consumption of CYN-contaminated vegetables.

Application of nonlinear nodal diffusion method for a small research reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaradat, Mustafa K.; Alawneh, Luay M.; Park, Chang Je; Lee, Byungchul

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We applied nonlinear unified nodal method for 10 MW IAEA MTR benchmark problem. • TRITION–NEWT system was used to obtain two-group burnup dependent cross sections. • The criticality and power distribution compared with reference (IAEA-TECDOC-233). • Comparison between different fuel materials was conducted. • Satisfactory results were provided using UNM for MTR core calculations. - Abstract: Nodal diffusion methods are usually used for LWR calculations and rarely used for research reactor calculations. A unified nodal method with an implementation of the coarse mesh finite difference acceleration was developed for use in plate type research reactor calculations. It was validated for two PWR benchmark problems and then applied for IAEA MTR benchmark problem for static calculations to check the validity and accuracy of the method. This work was conducted to investigate the unified nodal method capability to treat material testing reactor cores. A 10 MW research reactor core is considered with three calculation cases for low enriched uranium fuel depending on the core burnup status of fresh, beginning-of-life, and end-of-life cores. The validation work included criticality calculations, flux distribution, and power distribution; in addition, a comparison between different fuel materials with the same uranium content was conducted. The homogenized two-group cross sections were generated using the TRITON–NEWT system. The results were compared with a reference, which was taken from IAEA-TECDOC-233. The unified nodal method provides satisfactory results for an all-rod out case, and the three-dimensional, two-group diffusion model can be considered accurate enough for MTR core calculations

Comparative morphology on leaves of Daphniphyllum (Daphniphyllaceae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tang, M.-S.; Yang, Y.-P.; Sheue, C.-R.

2009-01-01

A comparative anatomical study on the leaves of nine out of 29 species of the genus Daphniphyllum was performed to seek support for the present infrageneric classification. Daphniphyllum is composed of two sections, Lunata (with one subsection Lunata) and Daphniphyllum (with two subsections,

Adaptation and obtainment of evidence for the validity of the “Scale of Perceived Sacrifices Associated with Leaving (the organization” in the Brazilian context: a study among teachers of basic, technical, and technological education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renata Gomes de Jesus

Full Text Available Abstract The most widely-used model in studies of organizational commitment is the three-dimensional model developed by Meyer and Allen in 1991. This model understands the construct as being composed of instrumental, affective, and normative dimensions. However, it has been criticized by researchers who do not view instrumental commitment as related to the concept of commitment, but instead as a possible organizational link. In order to address the conceptual and empirical problems of the instrument, Powell and Meyer perfected the sub-scale of instrumental commitment and recommended that a new scale, named Perceived Sacrifices Associated with Leaving, be used in future research. This article aims to adapt and obtain evidence of the validity of the new scale, and analyze how teachers perceive the sacrifices associated with leaving a Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology. The scale has undergone cross-cultural adaptation and the adapted version was applied to teachers. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were applied, displaying evidence of the validity of the construct for the Brazilian version. The results revealed that teachers agree on the high intensity level of the sacrifices associated with leaving, and that teachers who occupy management positions perceive it to a higher degree than others. The proposed changes in the scale should be evaluated in future research, and other studies are important to confirm the results found.

[The practice of special observation in adults in the German-speaking part of Switzerland - a descriptive cross-sectional study].

Science.gov (United States)

Lienhardt, Andrea; Rabenschlag, Franziska; Panfil, Eva-Maria

2018-06-08

The practice of special observation in adults in the German-speaking part of Switzerland - a descriptive cross-sectional study Abstract. Psychiatric Special Observation (PSO) is an intervention often used by nurses to prevent service users of harming themselves or to protect others. The intervention ranges between control and therapy and is resource intensive. Despite the widespread use of PSO, there is still no data on the practice of the intervention in Switzerland. What is the current practice of PSO in adults in psychiatric hospitals in the German-speaking part of Switzerland? Descriptive cross-sectional study. Nurses from inpatient psychiatric services in the German-speaking part of Switzerland completed a questionnaire based on a concept analysis of PSO. 538 questionnaires were analysed. PSO was more often conducted intermittent than as constant observation. In more than one out of four cases, suicidality reasoned as a cause for prescription. Nurses generally used standardized instruments to assess the risk of harming oneself or others. The duration of PSO lasted eight hours or more in three out of four cases. In every fifth case, there was no validation of the need of the intervention taking place during one shift. Nurses have a neutral attitude towards the intervention and are experiencing no or weak negative feelings during performance of PSO. The results suggest that there is an inconsistent performance of PSO in Switzerland as well as in other countries. The validation of the need of the intervention is insufficient. To facilitate PSO as a justified performance, the preparation of an interprofessional guideline is recommended.

Errors analysis in the evaluation of particle concentration by PDA on a turbulent two-phase jet: application for cross section and transit time methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calvo, Esteban; Garcia, Juan A.; Garcia, Ignacio; Aisa, Luis A. [University of Zaragoza, Area de Mecanica de Fluidos, Centro Politecnico Superior, Zaragoza (Spain)

2009-09-15

Phase-Doppler anemometry (PDA) is a powerful tool for two-phase flow measurements and testing. Particle concentration and mass flux can also be evaluated using the raw particle data supplied by this technique. The calculation starts from each particle velocity, diameter, transit time data, and the total measurement time. There are two main evaluation strategies. The first one uses the probe volume effective cross section, and it is usually simplified assuming that particles follow quasi one-directional trajectories. In the text, it will be called the cross section method. The second one includes a set of methods which will be denoted as ''Generalized Integral Methods'' (GIM). Concentration algorithms such as the transit time method (TTM) and the integral volume method (IVM) are particular cases of the GIM. In any case, a previous calibration of the measurement volume geometry is necessary to apply the referred concentration evaluation methods. In this study, concentrations and mass fluxes both evaluated by the cross-section method and the TTM are compared. Experimental data are obtained from a particle-laden jet generated by a convergent nozzle. Errors due to trajectory dispersion, burst splitting, and multi-particle signals are discussed. (orig.)

Gene expression-based molecular diagnostic system for malignant gliomas is superior to histological diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Shirahata, Mitsuaki; Iwao-Koizumi, Kyoko; Saito, Sakae; Ueno, Noriko; Oda, Masashi; Hashimoto, Nobuo; Takahashi, Jun A; Kato, Kikuya

2007-12-15

Current morphology-based glioma classification methods do not adequately reflect the complex biology of gliomas, thus limiting their prognostic ability. In this study, we focused on anaplastic oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma, which typically follow distinct clinical courses. Our goal was to construct a clinically useful molecular diagnostic system based on gene expression profiling. The expression of 3,456 genes in 32 patients, 12 and 20 of whom had prognostically distinct anaplastic oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma, respectively, was measured by PCR array. Next to unsupervised methods, we did supervised analysis using a weighted voting algorithm to construct a diagnostic system discriminating anaplastic oligodendroglioma from glioblastoma. The diagnostic accuracy of this system was evaluated by leave-one-out cross-validation. The clinical utility was tested on a microarray-based data set of 50 malignant gliomas from a previous study. Unsupervised analysis showed divergent global gene expression patterns between the two tumor classes. A supervised binary classification model showed 100% (95% confidence interval, 89.4-100%) diagnostic accuracy by leave-one-out cross-validation using 168 diagnostic genes. Applied to a gene expression data set from a previous study, our model correlated better with outcome than histologic diagnosis, and also displayed 96.6% (28 of 29) consistency with the molecular classification scheme used for these histologically controversial gliomas in the original article. Furthermore, we observed that histologically diagnosed glioblastoma samples that shared anaplastic oligodendroglioma molecular characteristics tended to be associated with longer survival. Our molecular diagnostic system showed reproducible clinical utility and prognostic ability superior to traditional histopathologic diagnosis for malignant glioma.

Validation of commercially available automated canine-specific immunoturbidimetric method for measuring canine C-reactive protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hillström, Anna; Hagman, Ragnvi; Tvedten, Harold

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) is used for diagnosing and monitoring systemic inflammatory disease in canine patients. An automated human immunoturbidimetric assay has been validated for measuring canine CRP, but cross-reactivity with canine CRP is unpredictable. OBJECTIVE......: The purpose of the study was to validate a new automated canine-specific immunoturbidimetric CRP method (Gentian cCRP). METHODS: Studies of imprecision, accuracy, prozone effect, interference, limit of quantification, and stability under different storage conditions were performed. The new method was compared...... with a human CRP assay previously validated for canine CRP determination. Samples from 40 healthy dogs were analyzed to establish a reference interval. RESULTS: Total imprecision was

Cross-validation of an employee safety climate model in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahari, Siti Fatimah; Clarke, Sharon

2013-06-01

Whilst substantial research has investigated the nature of safety climate, and its importance as a leading indicator of organisational safety, much of this research has been conducted with Western industrial samples. The current study focuses on the cross-validation of a safety climate model in the non-Western industrial context of Malaysian manufacturing. The first-order factorial validity of Cheyne et al.'s (1998) [Cheyne, A., Cox, S., Oliver, A., Tomas, J.M., 1998. Modelling safety climate in the prediction of levels of safety activity. Work and Stress, 12(3), 255-271] model was tested, using confirmatory factor analysis, in a Malaysian sample. Results showed that the model fit indices were below accepted levels, indicating that the original Cheyne et al. (1998) safety climate model was not supported. An alternative three-factor model was developed using exploratory factor analysis. Although these findings are not consistent with previously reported cross-validation studies, we argue that previous studies have focused on validation across Western samples, and that the current study demonstrates the need to take account of cultural factors in the development of safety climate models intended for use in non-Western contexts. The results have important implications for the transferability of existing safety climate models across cultures (for example, in global organisations) and highlight the need for future research to examine cross-cultural issues in relation to safety climate. Copyright © 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time-resolved spectral studies of blue-green fluorescence of artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. Var. Scolymus) leaves: identification of chlorogenic acid as one of the major fluorophores and age-mediated changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Morales, Fermín; Cartelat, Aurélie; Alvarez-Fernández, Ana; Moya, Ismael; Cerovic, Zoran G

2005-12-14

Synchrotron radiation and the time-correlated single-photon counting technique were used to investigate the spectral and time-resolved characteristics of blue-green fluorescence (BGF) of artichoke leaves. Leaves emitted BGF under ultraviolet (UV) excitation; the abaxial side was much more fluorescent than the adaxial side, and in both cases, the youngest leaves were much more fluorescent than the oldest ones. The BGF of artichoke leaves was dominated by the presence of hydroxycinnamic acids. A decrease in the percentage of BGF attributable to the very short kinetic component (from 42 to 20%), in the shape of the BGF excitation spectra, and chlorogenic acid concentrations indicate that there is a loss of hydroxycinnamic acid with leaf age. Studies on excitation, emission, and synchronized fluorescence spectra of leaves and trichomes and chlorogenic acid contents indicate that chlorogenic acid is one of the main blue-green fluorophores in artichoke leaves. Results of the present study indicate that 20-42% (i.e., the very short kinetic component) of the overall BGF is emitted by chlorogenic acid. Time-resolved BGF measurements could be a means to extract information on chlorogenic acid fluorescence from the overall leaf BGF.

Medical leave granted to psychiatric inpatients--a one-year retrospective review.

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, K G; Ang, A W

2000-09-01

Of the 676 patients warded in 1998 at the National University Hospital (NUH) Department of Psychological Medicine, over a third (n = 268) required certification of absence from work. Duration of inpatient stay and immediate post-discharge medical leave were examined for this group. These durations were correlated against the patients' diagnoses and their demographic variables. The mental health morbidity of teachers was specifically studied. In this retrospective study, we used medical certificate counterfoils to determine the lengths of admission and post-discharge medical leave duration. ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests of the SPSS computer package were used for statistical analysis. The sex and marital status of these patients did not affect either duration significantly. However, those 45 years and older were granted longer outpatient medical leave. Patients diagnosed with mood and psychotic disorders required longer inpatient stay and were granted longer outpatient medical leave, as compared with other diagnostic groups. It was found that the teachers admitted were largely 45 years and older, had a diagnosis of depression and required extended periods of outpatient medical leave compared to other occupational groups. The mean number of days of inpatient stay and outpatient medical leave may serve as a helpful guideline of current practice. As introduced in this paper, the use of medical certificate counterfoils is a simple yet effective way of measuring days off-work. With the inclusion of those psychiatric patients not working and the medical leave granted long after discharge, calculations of the economic costs of specific mental disorders to Singapore can then be attempted.

Can hospital audit teams identify case management problems, analyse their causes, identify and implement improvements? A cross-sectional process evaluation of obstetric near-miss case reviews in Benin

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Obstetric near-miss case reviews are being promoted as a quality assurance intervention suitable for hospitals in low income countries. We introduced such reviews in five district, regional and national hospitals in Benin, West Africa. In a cross-sectional study we analysed the extent to which the hospital audit teams were able to identify case management problems (CMPs), analyse their causes, agree on solutions and put these solutions into practice. Methods We analysed case summaries, women’s interview transcripts and audit minutes produced by the audit teams for 67 meetings concerning one woman with near-miss complications each. We compared the proportion of CMPs identified by an external assessment team to the number found by the audit teams. For the latter, we described the CMP causes identified, solutions proposed and implemented by the audit teams. Results Audit meetings were conducted regularly and were well attended. Audit teams identified half of the 714 CMPs; they were more likely to find managerial ones (71%) than the ones relating to treatment (30%). Most identified CMPs were valid. Almost all causes of CMPs were plausible, but often too superficial to be of great value for directing remedial action. Audit teams suggested solutions, most of them promising ones, for 38% of the CMPs they had identified, but recorded their implementation only for a minority (8.5%). Conclusions The importance of following-up and documenting the implementation of solutions should be stressed in future audit interventions. Tools facilitating the follow-up should be made available. Near-miss case reviews hold promise, but their effectiveness to improve the quality of care sustainably and on a large scale still needs to be established. PMID:23057707

Prognostic Factors of Returning to Work after Sick Leave due to Work-Related Common Mental Disorders: A One- and Three-Year Follow-Up Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Netterstrøm, Bo; Eller, Nanna Hurwitz; Borritz, Marianne

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper was to assess the prognostic factors of return to work (RTW) after one and three years among people on sick leave due to occupational stress. Methods. The study population comprised 223 completers on sick leave, who participated in a stress treatment program. Self-reported psychosocial work environment, life events during the past year, severity of the condition, occupational position, employment sector, marital status, and medication were assessed at baseline. RTW was assessed with data from a national compensation database (DREAM). Results. Self-reported high demands, low decision authority, low reward, low support from leaders and colleagues, bullying, high global symptom index, length of sick leave at baseline, and stressful negative life events during the year before baseline were associated with no RTW after one year. Low work ability and full-time sick leave at inclusion were predictors after three years too. Being single was associated with no RTW after three years. The type of treatment, occupational position, gender, age, and degree of depression were not associated with RTW after one or three years. Conclusion. The impact of the psychosocial work environment as predictor for RTW disappeared over time and only the severity of the condition was a predictor for RTW in the long run.

Validating self-reported food expenditures against food store and eating-out receipts.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, W; Aggarwal, A; Liu, Z; Acheson, M; Rehm, C D; Moudon, A V; Drewnowski, A

2016-03-01

To compare objective food store and eating-out receipts with self-reported household food expenditures. The Seattle Obesity Study II was based on a representative sample of King County adults, Washington, USA. Self-reported household food expenditures were modeled on the Flexible Consumer Behavior Survey (FCBS) Module from 2007 to 2009 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Objective food expenditure data were collected using receipts. Self-reported food expenditures for 447 participants were compared with receipts using paired t-tests, Bland-Altman plots and κ-statistics. Bias by sociodemographics was also examined. Self-reported expenditures closely matched with objective receipt data. Paired t-tests showed no significant differences between receipts and self-reported data on total food expenditures, expenditures at food stores or eating out. However, the highest-income strata showed weaker agreement. Bland-Altman plots confirmed no significant bias across both methods-mean difference: 6.4; agreement limits: -123.5 to 143.4 for total food expenditures, mean difference 5.7 for food stores and mean difference 1.7 for eating out. The κ-statistics showed good agreement for each (κ 0.51, 0.41 and 0.49 respectively. Households with higher education and income had significantly more number of receipts and higher food expenditures. Self-reported food expenditures using NHANES questions, both for food stores and eating out, serve as a decent proxy for objective household food expenditures from receipts. This method should be used with caution among high-income populations, or with high food expenditures. This is the first validation of the FCBS food expenditures question using food store and eating-out receipts.

The cross-cultural validity of posttraumatic stress disorder: implications for DSM-5.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinton, Devon E; Lewis-Fernández, Roberto

2011-09-01

There is considerable debate about the cross-cultural applicability of the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) category as currently specified. Concerns include the possible status of PTSD as a Western culture-bound disorder and the validity of individual items and criteria thresholds. This review examines various types of cross-cultural validity of the PTSD criteria as defined in DSM-IV-TR, and presents options and preliminary recommendations to be considered for DSM-5. Searches were conducted of the mental health literature, particularly since 1994, regarding cultural-, race-, or ethnicity-related factors that might limit the universal applicability of the diagnostic criteria of PTSD in DSM-IV-TR and the possible criteria for DSM-5. Substantial evidence of the cross-cultural validity of PTSD was found. However, evidence of cross-cultural variability in certain areas suggests the need for further research: the relative salience of avoidance/numbing symptoms, the role of the interpretation of trauma-caused symptoms in shaping symptomatology, and the prevalence of somatic symptoms. This review also indicates the need to modify certain criteria, such as the items on distressing dreams and on foreshortened future, to increase their cross-cultural applicability. Text additions are suggested to increase the applicability of the manual across cultural contexts: specifying that cultural syndromes-such as those indicated in the DSM-IV-TR Glossary-may be a prominent part of the trauma response in certain cultures, and that those syndromes may influence PTSD symptom salience and comorbidity. The DSM-IV-TR PTSD category demonstrates various types of validity. Criteria modification and textual clarifications are suggested to further improve its cross-cultural applicability. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The One Form/One Meaning Principle. The Case for Case. Part I

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krzysztof Korżyk

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The One Form/One Meaning Principle. The Case for Case. Part I The main topic of the paper is the problem of validating linguistic procedures aimed at representing the meaning of cases as they are employed in two invariant-oriented approaches to language and grammar: in Roman Jakobson’s ‘feature-based’ framework and in Gustave Guillaume’s Psychomechanics of Language. Also taken into account are trends within the cognitively-oriented approach to grammar, whose proponents object to procedures based on the structuralist principle: one form/one meaning. Ultimately, by invoking the methodological prerequisites of cognitive linguistics, as introduced in Ronald Langacker’s version of cognitive grammar, the author claims that, inasmuch as cases are concerned, there seems to be, in principle, no contradiction between introducing a stable relationship between the linguistic sign and its meaning, and positing the prototype-centered and network-based structuring of a linguistic category, as advocated in cognitive linguistics. The conclusion is that any of these three linguistic traditions could benefit by taking into account the findings of the other two approaches.   Zasada jednej formy/jednego znaczenia. Przypadek do przypadka. Część I W artykule autor omawia kwestie związane z oceną wartości językoznawczych strategii i procedur modelowania znaczenia form przypadkowych w dwóch inwariantywnie zorientowanych podejściach do języka i gramatyki – Romana Jakobsona matrycowym ujęciu cech semantycznych oraz Gustave’a Guillaume’a psychomechaniki języka. W toku wywodu autor analizuje teoretyczne uwarunkowania konstruktów służących badaniu i reprezentowaniu znaczeniowych inwariantów kategorii przypadkowych oraz form będących ich tekstowymi realizacjami. Autor bierze też pod uwagę wątpliwości przedstawicieli kognitywnie zorientowanaych badań nad kategorią przypadka dotyczące wartości wyjaśnień uzyskiwanych za pomoc

The Bland-Altman Method Should Not Be Used in Regression Cross-Validation Studies

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Daniel P.; Mahar, Matthew T.; Laughlin, Mitzi S.; Jackson, Andrew S.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the bias in the Bland-Altman (BA) limits of agreement method when it is used to validate regression models. Data from 1,158 men were used to develop three regression equations to estimate maximum oxygen uptake (R[superscript 2] = 0.40, 0.61, and 0.82, respectively). The equations were evaluated in a…

Validation of NAA Method for Urban Particulate Matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woro Yatu Niken Syahfitri; Muhayatun; Diah Dwiana Lestiani; Natalia Adventini

2009-01-01

Nuclear analytical techniques have been applied in many countries for determination of environmental pollutant. Method of NAA (neutron activation analysis) representing one of nuclear analytical technique of that has low detection limits, high specificity, high precision, and accuracy for large majority of naturally occurring elements, and ability of non-destructive and simultaneous determination of multi-elemental, and can handle small sample size (< 1 mg). To ensure quality and reliability of the method, validation are needed to be done. A standard reference material, SRM NIST 1648 Urban Particulate Matter, has been used to validate NAA method. Accuracy and precision test were used as validation parameters. Particulate matter were validated for 18 elements: Ti, I, V, Br, Mn, Na, K, Cl, Cu, Al, As, Fe, Co, Zn, Ag, La, Cr, and Sm,. The result showed that the percent relative standard deviation of the measured elemental concentrations are found to be within ranged from 2 to 14,8% for most of the elements analyzed whereas Hor rat value in range 0,3-1,3. Accuracy test results showed that relative bias ranged from -11,1 to 3,6%. Based on validation results, it can be stated that NAA method is reliable for characterization particulate matter and other similar matrix samples to support air quality monitoring. (author)

IntNetLncSim: an integrative network analysis method to infer human lncRNA functional similarity.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Liang; Shi, Hongbo; Wang, Zhenzhen; Hu, Yang; Yang, Haixiu; Zhou, Chen; Sun, Jie; Zhou, Meng

2016-07-26

Increasing evidence indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were involved in various biological processes and complex diseases by communicating with mRNAs/miRNAs each other. Exploiting interactions between lncRNAs and mRNA/miRNAs to lncRNA functional similarity (LFS) is an effective method to explore function of lncRNAs and predict novel lncRNA-disease associations. In this article, we proposed an integrative framework, IntNetLncSim, to infer LFS by modeling the information flow in an integrated network that comprises both lncRNA-related transcriptional and post-transcriptional information. The performance of IntNetLncSim was evaluated by investigating the relationship of LFS with the similarity of lncRNA-related mRNA sets (LmRSets) and miRNA sets (LmiRSets). As a result, LFS by IntNetLncSim was significant positively correlated with the LmRSet (Pearson correlation γ2=0.8424) and LmiRSet (Pearson correlation γ2=0.2601). Particularly, the performance of IntNetLncSim is superior to several previous methods. In the case of applying the LFS to identify novel lncRNA-disease relationships, we achieved an area under the ROC curve (0.7300) in experimentally verified lncRNA-disease associations based on leave-one-out cross-validation. Furthermore, highly-ranked lncRNA-disease associations confirmed by literature mining demonstrated the excellent performance of IntNetLncSim. Finally, a web-accessible system was provided for querying LFS and potential lncRNA-disease relationships: http://www.bio-bigdata.com/IntNetLncSim.

Raman spectroscopic analysis of gunshot residue offering great potential for caliber differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bueno, Justin; Sikirzhytski, Vitali; Lednev, Igor K

2012-05-15

Near-infrared (NIR) Raman microspectroscopy combined with advanced statistics was used to differentiate gunshot residue (GSR) particles originating from different caliber ammunition. The firearm discharge process is analogous to a complex chemical reaction. The reagents of this process are represented by the chemical composition of the ammunition, firearm, and cartridge case. The specific firearm parameters determine the conditions of the reaction and thus the subsequent product, GSR. We found that Raman spectra collected from these products are characteristic for different caliber ammunition. GSR particles from 9 mm and 0.38 caliber ammunition, collected under identical discharge conditions, were used to demonstrate the capability of confocal Raman microspectroscopy for the discrimination and identification of GSR particles. The caliber differentiation algorithm is based on support vector machines (SVM) and partial least squares (PLS) discriminant analyses, validated by a leave-one-out cross-validation method. This study demonstrates for the first time that NIR Raman microspectroscopy has the potential for the reagentless differentiation of GSR based upon forensically relevant parameters, such as caliber size. When fully developed, this method should have a significant impact on the efficiency of crime scene investigations.

Development and validation of a prognostic model using blood biomarker information for prediction of survival of non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with combined chemotherapy and radiation or radiotherapy alone (NCT00181519, NCT00573040, and NCT00572325).

Science.gov (United States)

Dehing-Oberije, Cary; Aerts, Hugo; Yu, Shipeng; De Ruysscher, Dirk; Menheere, Paul; Hilvo, Mika; van der Weide, Hiska; Rao, Bharat; Lambin, Philippe

2011-10-01

Currently, prediction of survival for non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with (chemo)radiotherapy is mainly based on clinical factors. The hypothesis of this prospective study was that blood biomarkers related to hypoxia, inflammation, and tumor load would have an added prognostic value for predicting survival. Clinical data and blood samples were collected prospectively (NCT00181519, NCT00573040, and NCT00572325) from 106 inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer patients (Stages I-IIIB), treated with curative intent with radiotherapy alone or combined with chemotherapy. Blood biomarkers, including lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, osteopontin, carbonic anhydrase IX, interleukin (IL) 6, IL-8, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and cytokeratin fragment 21-1, were measured. A multivariate model, built on a large patient population (N = 322) and externally validated, was used as a baseline model. An extended model was created by selecting additional biomarkers. The model's performance was expressed as the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic and assessed by use of leave-one-out cross validation as well as a validation cohort (n = 52). The baseline model consisted of gender, World Health Organization performance status, forced expiratory volume, number of positive lymph node stations, and gross tumor volume and yielded an AUC of 0.72. The extended model included two additional blood biomarkers (CEA and IL-6) and resulted in a leave-one-out AUC of 0.81. The performance of the extended model was significantly better than the clinical model (p = 0.004). The AUC on the validation cohort was 0.66 and 0.76, respectively. The performance of the prognostic model for survival improved markedly by adding two blood biomarkers: CEA and IL-6. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Determination of velocity vector angles using the directional cross-correlation method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kortbek, Jacob; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

2005-01-01

and then select the angle with the highest normalized correlation between directional signals. The approach is investigated using Field II simulations and data from the experimental ultrasound scanner RASMUS and with a parabolic flow having a peak velocity of 0.3 m/s. A 7 MHz linear array transducer is used......A method for determining both velocity magnitude and angle in any direction is suggested. The method uses focusing along the velocity direction and cross-correlation for finding the correct velocity magnitude. The angle is found from beamforming directional signals in a number of directions......-time ) between signals to correlate, and a proper choice varies with flow angle and flow velocity. One performance example is given with a fixed value of k tprf for all flow angles. The angle estimation on measured data for flow at 60 ◦ to 90 ◦ , yields a probability of valid estimates between 68% and 98...

Predicting Taxi-Out Time at Congested Airports with Optimization-Based Support Vector Regression Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guan Lian

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Accurate prediction of taxi-out time is significant precondition for improving the operationality of the departure process at an airport, as well as reducing the long taxi-out time, congestion, and excessive emission of greenhouse gases. Unfortunately, several of the traditional methods of predicting taxi-out time perform unsatisfactorily at congested airports. This paper describes and tests three of those conventional methods which include Generalized Linear Model, Softmax Regression Model, and Artificial Neural Network method and two improved Support Vector Regression (SVR approaches based on swarm intelligence algorithm optimization, which include Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO and Firefly Algorithm. In order to improve the global searching ability of Firefly Algorithm, adaptive step factor and Lévy flight are implemented simultaneously when updating the location function. Six factors are analysed, of which delay is identified as one significant factor in congested airports. Through a series of specific dynamic analyses, a case study of Beijing International Airport (PEK is tested with historical data. The performance measures show that the proposed two SVR approaches, especially the Improved Firefly Algorithm (IFA optimization-based SVR method, not only perform as the best modelling measures and accuracy rate compared with the representative forecast models, but also can achieve a better predictive performance when dealing with abnormal taxi-out time states.

Errors analysis in the evaluation of particle concentration by PDA on a turbulent two-phase jet: application for cross section and transit time methods

Science.gov (United States)

Calvo, Esteban; García, Juan A.; García, Ignacio; Aísa, Luis A.

2009-09-01

Phase-Doppler anemometry (PDA) is a powerful tool for two-phase flow measurements and testing. Particle concentration and mass flux can also be evaluated using the raw particle data supplied by this technique. The calculation starts from each particle velocity, diameter, transit time data, and the total measurement time. There are two main evaluation strategies. The first one uses the probe volume effective cross section, and it is usually simplified assuming that particles follow quasi one-directional trajectories. In the text, it will be called the cross section method. The second one includes a set of methods which will be denoted as “Generalized Integral Methods” (GIM). Concentration algorithms such as the transit time method (TTM) and the integral volume method (IVM) are particular cases of the GIM. In any case, a previous calibration of the measurement volume geometry is necessary to apply the referred concentration evaluation methods. In this study, concentrations and mass fluxes both evaluated by the cross-section method and the TTM are compared. Experimental data are obtained from a particle-laden jet generated by a convergent nozzle. Errors due to trajectory dispersion, burst splitting, and multi-particle signals are discussed.

High performance thin layer chromatography fingerprint analysis of guava (Psidium guajava) leaves

Science.gov (United States)

Astuti, M.; Darusman, L. K.; Rafi, M.

2017-05-01

High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) fingerprint analysis is commonly used for quality control of medicinal plants in term of identification and authentication. In this study, we have been developed HPTLC fingerprint analysis for identification of guava (Psidium guajava) leaves raw material. A mixture of chloroform, acetone, and formic acid in the ratio 10:2:1 was used as the optimum mobile phase in HPTLC silica plate and with 13 bands were detected. As reference marker we chose gallic acid (Rf = 0.21) and catechin (Rf = 0.11). The two compound were detected as pale black bands at 366 nm after derivatization with sulfuric acid 10% v/v (in methanol) reagent. Validation of the method was met within validation criteria, so the developed method could be used for quality control of guava leaves.

Comparison between Random Forests, Artificial Neural Networks and Gradient Boosted Machines Methods of On-Line Vis-NIR Spectroscopy Measurements of Soil Total Nitrogen and Total Carbon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Said Nawar

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Accurate and detailed spatial soil information about within-field variability is essential for variable-rate applications of farm resources. Soil total nitrogen (TN and total carbon (TC are important fertility parameters that can be measured with on-line (mobile visible and near infrared (vis-NIR spectroscopy. This study compares the performance of local farm scale calibrations with those based on the spiking of selected local samples from both fields into an European dataset for TN and TC estimation using three modelling techniques, namely gradient boosted machines (GBM, artificial neural networks (ANNs and random forests (RF. The on-line measurements were carried out using a mobile, fiber type, vis-NIR spectrophotometer (305–2200 nm (AgroSpec from tec5, Germany, during which soil spectra were recorded in diffuse reflectance mode from two fields in the UK. After spectra pre-processing, the entire datasets were then divided into calibration (75% and prediction (25% sets, and calibration models for TN and TC were developed using GBM, ANN and RF with leave-one-out cross-validation. Results of cross-validation showed that the effect of spiking of local samples collected from a field into an European dataset when combined with RF has resulted in the highest coefficients of determination (R2 values of 0.97 and 0.98, the lowest root mean square error (RMSE of 0.01% and 0.10%, and the highest residual prediction deviations (RPD of 5.58 and 7.54, for TN and TC, respectively. Results for laboratory and on-line predictions generally followed the same trend as for cross-validation in one field, where the spiked European dataset-based RF calibration models outperformed the corresponding GBM and ANN models. In the second field ANN has replaced RF in being the best performing. However, the local field calibrations provided lower R2 and RPD in most cases. Therefore, from a cost-effective point of view, it is recommended to adopt the spiked European dataset

Risk factors associated with sick leave due to work-related injuries in Dutch farmers: an exploratory case-control study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartman, E.; Frankena, K.; Oude Vrielink, H.H.E.; Nielen, M.; Metz, J.H.M.; Huirne, R.B.M.

2004-01-01

Using data from an insurance company, the occurrence of sick leave among Dutch farmers due to work-related injuries, and the epidemiological risk factors were investigated. In this case-control study the cases had filed a sick leave claim for work-related injury from 19982001 and the controls had

Cross-Cultural Adaptation, Validity, and Reliability of the Persian Version of the Orebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Shafeei, Asrin; Mokhtarinia, Hamid Reza; Maleki-Ghahfarokhi, Azam; Piri, Leila

2017-08-01

Observational study. To cross-culturally translate the Orebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire (OMPQ) into Persian and then evaluate its psychometric properties (reliability, validity, ceiling, and flooring effects). To the authors' knowledge, prior to this study there has been no validated instrument to screen the risk of chronicity in Persian-speaking patients with low back pain (LBP) in Iran. The OMPQ was specifically developed as a self-administered screening tool for assessing the risk of LBP chronicity. The forward-backward translation method was used for the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the original questionnaire. In total, 202 patients with subacute LBP completed the OMPQ and the pain disability questionnaire (PDQ), which was used to assess convergent validity. 62 patients completed the OMPQ a week later as a retest. Slight changes were made to the OMPQ during the translation/cultural adaptation process; face validity of the Persian version was obtained. The Persian OMPQ showed excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.89). Its internal consistency was 0.71, and its convergent validity was confirmed by good correlation coefficient between the OMPQ and PDQ total scores ( r =0.72, p validity, construct validity, reliability, and consistency. It is therefore considered a useful instrument for screening Iranian patients with LBP.

The DUNDRUM Quartet: validation of structured professional judgement instruments DUNDRUM-3 assessment of programme completion and DUNDRUM-4 assessment of recovery in forensic mental health services

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McDonnell Kim

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Moving a forensic mental health patient from one level of therapeutic security to a lower level or to the community is influenced by more than risk assessment and risk management. We set out to construct and validate structured professional judgement instruments for consistency and transparency in decision making Methods Two instruments were developed, the seven-item DUNDRUM-3 programme completion instrument and the six item DUNDRUM-4 recovery instrument. These were assessed for all 95 forensic patients at Ireland's only forensic mental health hospital. Results The two instruments had good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.911 and 0.887. Scores distinguished those allowed no leave or accompanied leave from those with unaccompanied leave (ANOVA F = 38.1 and 50.3 respectively, p Conclusions The DUNDRUM-3 programme completion items distinguished significantly between levels of therapeutic security while the DUNDRUM-4 recovery items consistently distinguished those given unaccompanied leave outside the hospital and those in the lowest levels of therapeutic security. This data forms the basis for a prospective study of outcomes now underway.

The DQ and DQΦ electronic structure diabatization methods: Validation for general applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoyer, Chad E.; Parker, Kelsey; Gagliardi, Laura, E-mail: gagliard@umn.edu, E-mail: truhlar@umn.edu; Truhlar, Donald G., E-mail: gagliard@umn.edu, E-mail: truhlar@umn.edu [Department of Chemistry, Chemical Theory Center, and Minnesota Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455-0431 (United States)

2016-05-21

We recently proposed the dipole-quadrupole (DQ) method for transforming adiabatic electronic states to diabatic states by using matrix elements of the dipole and quadrupole operators, and we applied the method to 3-state diabatizations of LiH and phenol. Here we extend the method to also include the electrostatic potential, and we call the resulting method the DQΦ method, which denotes the dipole–quadrupole–electrostatic-potential diabatization method. The electrostatic potential provides extra flexibility, and the goal of the present work is to test and illustrate the robustness of the methods for producing diabatic potential energy curves that tend to the adiabatic curves away from crossings and avoided crossings and are smooth in regions of crossings and avoided crossings. We illustrate the generality of the methods by an application to LiH with four states and by two-state diabatizations of HCl, (H{sub 2}){sub 2}, O{sub 3}, and the reaction Li + HF → LiF + H. We find that—if enough states are included—the DQ method does not have a significant dependence on the parameter weighting the quadrupole moment, and a geometry-independent value of 10 a{sub 0}{sup −2} is adequate in all cases tested. We also find that the addition of the electrostatic potential improves the diabatic potentials in some cases and provides an additional property useful for increasing the generality of the method for diabatization.

Methods of calculation of cross section of reaction 115In(gamma, n)114mIn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhaba, V.I.; Parlag, A.M.

2015-01-01

The cross section of reaction 115 In(gamma, n) 114m In is expected by different methods. Results of the got cross section it is well comported inter se the Penfold-Leiss and Tikhonov's methods. The calculation of cross section is conducted the Penfold-Leiss method with smoothing out by the method of iterations. Number of iterations n = 1; 3; 5. In the programmatic package of TALYS-1.4 got cross section for five models of closeness of levels. Theoretical and experimental results well coincide in a maximum.

WaLIDD score, a new tool to diagnose dysmenorrhea and predict medical leave in university students

Science.gov (United States)

Teherán, Aníbal A; Piñeros, Luis Gabriel; Pulido, Fabián; Mejía Guatibonza, María Camila

2018-01-01

Background Dysmenorrhea is a frequent and misdiagnosed symptom affecting the quality of life in young women. A working ability, location, intensity, days of pain, dysmenorrhea (WaLIDD) score was designed to diagnose dysmenorrhea and to predict medical leave. Methods This cross-sectional design included young medical students, who completed a self-administered questionnaire that contained the verbal rating score (VRS; pain and drug subscales) and WaLIDD scales. The correlation between scales was established through Spearman test. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratio (LR +/−) were evaluated to diagnose students availing medical leave due to dysmenorrhea; moreover, to predict medical leave in students with dysmenorrhea, a binary logistic regression was performed. Results In all, 585 students, with a mean age of 21 years and menarche at 12 years, participated. Most of them had regular cycles, 5 days of menstrual blood flow and 1–2 days of lower abdominal pain. The WaLIDD scale presented an adequate internal consistency and strong correlation with VRS subscales. With a cutoff of >6 for WaLIDD and 2 for VRS subscales (drug subscale and pain subscale) to identify students with dysmenorrhea, these scales presented an area under the curve (AUC) ROC of 0.82, 0.62, and 0.67, respectively. To identify students taking medical leave due to dysmenorrhea, WaLIDD (cutoff >9) and VRS subscales (cutoff >2) presented an AUC ROC of 0.97, 0.68, and 0.81; moreover, the WaLIDD scale showed a good LR +14.2 (95% CI, 13.5–14.9), LR −0.00 (95% CI, undefined), and predictive risk (OR 5.38; 95% CI, 1.78–16.2). Conclusion This research allowed a comparison between two multidimensional scales regarding their capabilities, one previously validated and a new one, to discriminate among the general population of medical students, among those with dysmenorrhea or those availing medical leave secondary to dysmenorrhea

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of Persian Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score.

Science.gov (United States)

Ansari, Noureddin Nakhostin; Naghdi, Soofia; Hasanvand, Sahar; Fakhari, Zahra; Kordi, Ramin; Nilsson-Helander, Katarina

2016-04-01

To cross-culturally adapt the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS) to Persian language and to preliminary evaluate the reliability and validity of a Persian ATRS. A cross-sectional and prospective cohort study was conducted to translate and cross-culturally adapt the ATRS to Persian language (ATRS-Persian) following steps described in guidelines. Thirty patients with total Achilles tendon rupture and 30 healthy subjects participated in this study. Psychometric properties of floor/ceiling effects (responsiveness), internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, standard error of measurement (SEM), smallest detectable change (SDC), construct validity, and discriminant validity were tested. Factor analysis was performed to determine the ATRS-Persian structure. There were no floor or ceiling effects that indicate the content and responsiveness of ATRS-Persian. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's α 0.95). Item-total correlations exceeded acceptable standard of 0.3 for the all items (0.58-0.95). The test-retest reliability was excellent [(ICC)agreement 0.98]. SEM and SDC were 3.57 and 9.9, respectively. Construct validity was supported by a significant correlation between the ATRS-Persian total score and the Persian Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (PFAOS) total score and PFAOS subscales (r = 0.55-0.83). The ATRS-Persian significantly discriminated between patients and healthy subjects. Explanatory factor analysis revealed 1 component. The ATRS was cross-culturally adapted to Persian and demonstrated to be a reliable and valid instrument to measure functional outcomes in Persian patients with Achilles tendon rupture. II.

Comparative Study of One-Step Cross-Linked Electrospun Chitosan-Based Membranes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanet E. Aguirre-Chagala

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Chitosan membranes are widely applied for tissue engineering; however, a major drawback is their low resistance in aqueous phases and therefore the structure collapses impeding their long-term use. Although there is extensive research, because of chitosan’s importance as a biomaterial, studies involving chitosan-based membranes are still needed. Herein, a detailed investigation of diverse chemical routes to cross-link fibers in situ by electrospinning process is described. In case of using genipin as cross-linker, a close relationship with the content and the mean diameter values is reported, suggesting a crucial effect over the design of nanostructures. Also, the physical resistance is enhanced for the combination of two types of methods, such as chemical and physical methods. Cross-linked fibers upon exposure to long wave ultraviolet A (UVA light change their morphology, but not their chemical composition. When they are incubated in aqueous phase for 70 days, they show an extensive improvement of their macrostructural integrity which makes them attractive candidates for tissue engineering application. As a result, the thermal properties of these materials reveal less crystallinity and higher temperature of degradation.

Angular finite volume method for solving the multigroup transport equation with piecewise average scattering cross sections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calloo, A.; Vidal, J.F.; Le Tellier, R.; Rimpault, G., E-mail: ansar.calloo@cea.fr, E-mail: jean-francois.vidal@cea.fr, E-mail: romain.le-tellier@cea.fr, E-mail: gerald.rimpault@cea.fr [CEA, DEN, DER/SPRC/LEPh, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)

2011-07-01

This paper deals with the solving of the multigroup integro-differential form of the transport equation for fine energy group structure. In that case, multigroup transfer cross sections display strongly peaked shape for light scatterers and the current Legendre polynomial expansion is not well-suited to represent them. Furthermore, even if considering an exact scattering cross sections representation, the scattering source in the discrete ordinates method (also known as the Sn method) being calculated by sampling the angular flux at given directions, may be wrongly computed due to lack of angular support for the angular flux. Hence, following the work of Gerts and Matthews, an angular finite volume solver has been developed for 2D Cartesian geometries. It integrates the multigroup transport equation over discrete volume elements obtained by meshing the unit sphere with a product grid over the polar and azimuthal coordinates and by considering the integrated flux per solid angle element. The convergence of this method has been compared to the S{sub n} method for a highly anisotropic benchmark. Besides, piecewise-average scattering cross sections have been produced for non-bound Hydrogen atoms using a free gas model for thermal neutrons. LWR lattice calculations comparing Legendre representations of the Hydrogen scattering multigroup cross section at various orders and piecewise-average cross sections for this same atom are carried out (while keeping a Legendre representation for all other isotopes). (author)

Cross-validity of a portable glucose capillary monitors in relation to enzymatic spectrophotometer methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Alves Lima

2006-09-01

Full Text Available The glucose is an important substrate utilizaded during exercise. Accurate measurement of glucose is vital to obtain trustworthy results. The enzymatic spectrophotometer methods are generally considered the “goldstandard” laboratory procedure for measuring of glucose (GEnz, is time consuming, costly, and inappropriate for large scale field testing. Compact and portable glucose monitors (GAccu are quick and easy methods to assess glucose on large numbers of subjects. So, this study aimed to test the cross-validity of GAccu. The sample was composed of 107 men (aged= 35.4±10.7 years; stature= 168.4±6.9 cm; body mass= 73.4±11.2 kg; %fat= 20.9±8.3% – by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Blood for measuring fasting glucose was taken in basilar vein (Genz, Bioplus: Bio-2000 and in ring finger (GAccu: Accu-Chek© Advantage©, after a 12-hour overnight fast. GEnz was used as the criterion for cross-validity. Paired t-test shown differences (p RESUMO A glicose é um substrato importante utilizado durante o exercício físico. Medidas acuradas da glicose são fundamentais para a obtenção de resultados confiáveis. O método laboratorial de espectrofotometria enzimática geralmente é considerado o procedimento “padrão ouro” para medir a glicose (GEnz, o qual requer tempo, custo e é inapropriado para o uso em larga escala. Monitores portáteis de glicose (GAccu são rápidos e fáceis para medir a glicose em um grande número de sujeitos. Então, este estudo teve por objetivo testar a validade concorrente do GAccu. A amostra foi composta por 107 homens (idade= 35,4±10,7 anos; estatura= 168,4±6,9 cm; massa corporal= 73,4±11,2 kg; %gordura= 20,9±8,3% – por absortometria de raio-x de dupla energia. O sangue para mensurar a glicose em jejum foi tirado na veia basilar (Genz, Bioplus: Bio-2000 e no dedo anular (GAccu - Accu- Chek© Advantage©, depois de 12h de jejum noturno. O GEnz foi usado como critério para testar a validade

Multisensor system for toxic gases detection generated on indoor environments

Science.gov (United States)

Durán, C. M.; Monsalve, P. A. G.; Mosquera, C. J.

2016-11-01

This work describes a wireless multisensory system for different toxic gases detection generated on indoor environments (i.e., Underground coal mines, etc.). The artificial multisensory system proposed in this study was developed through a set of six chemical gas sensors (MQ) of low cost with overlapping sensitivities to detect hazardous gases in the air. A statistical parameter was implemented to the data set and two pattern recognition methods such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) were used for feature selection. The toxic gases categories were classified with a Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) in order to validate the results previously obtained. The tests were carried out to verify feasibility of the application through a wireless communication model which allowed to monitor and store the information of the sensor signals for the appropriate analysis. The success rate in the measures discrimination was 100%, using an artificial neural network where leave-one-out was used as cross validation method.

Mass spectrometry protein expression profiles in colorectal cancer tissue associated with clinico-pathological features of disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, Christopher CL; Ward, Nicholas; Marsh, Simon; Arulampalam, Tan; Norton, John D

2010-01-01

Studies of several tumour types have shown that expression profiling of cellular protein extracted from surgical tissue specimens by direct mass spectrometry analysis can accurately discriminate tumour from normal tissue and in some cases can sub-classify disease. We have evaluated the potential value of this approach to classify various clinico-pathological features in colorectal cancer by employing matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time of-flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Protein extracts from 31 tumour and 33 normal mucosa specimens were purified, subjected to MALDI-Tof MS and then analysed using the 'GenePattern' suite of computational tools (Broad Institute, MIT, USA). Comparative Gene Marker Selection with either a t-test or a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) test statistic was used to identify and rank differentially expressed marker peaks. The k-nearest neighbours algorithm was used to build classification models either using separate training and test datasets or else by using an iterative, 'leave-one-out' cross-validation method. 73 protein peaks in the mass range 1800-16000Da were differentially expressed in tumour verses adjacent normal mucosa tissue (P ≤ 0.01, false discovery rate ≤ 0.05). Unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis classified most tumour and normal mucosa into distinct cluster groups. Supervised prediction correctly classified the tumour/normal mucosa status of specimens in an independent test spectra dataset with 100% sensitivity and specificity (95% confidence interval: 67.9-99.2%). Supervised prediction using 'leave-one-out' cross validation algorithms for tumour spectra correctly classified 10/13 poorly differentiated and 16/18 well/moderately differentiated tumours (P = < 0.001; receiver-operator characteristics - ROC - error, 0.171); disease recurrence was correctly predicted in 5/6 cases and disease-free survival (median follow-up time, 25 months) was correctly predicted in 22

Cross-cultural equivalence of the patient- and parent-reported quality of life in short stature youth (QoLISSY) questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Bullinger, Monika; Quitmann, Julia; Silva, Neuza; Rohenkohl, Anja; Chaplin, John E; DeBusk, Kendra; Mimoun, Emmanuelle; Feigerlova, Eva; Herdman, Michael; Sanz, Dolores; Wollmann, Hartmut; Pleil, Andreas; Power, Michael

2014-01-01

Testing cross-cultural equivalence of patient-reported outcomes requires sufficiently large samples per country, which is difficult to achieve in rare endocrine paediatric conditions. We describe a novel approach to cross-cultural testing of the Quality of Life in Short Stature Youth (QoLISSY) questionnaire in five countries by sequentially taking one country out (TOCO) from the total sample and iteratively comparing the resulting psychometric performance. Development of the QoLISSY proceeded from focus group discussions through pilot testing to field testing in 268 short-statured patients and their parents. To explore cross-cultural equivalence, the iterative TOCO technique was used to examine and compare the validity, reliability, and convergence of patient and parent responses on QoLISSY in the field test dataset, and to predict QoLISSY scores from clinical, socio-demographic and psychosocial variables. Validity and reliability indicators were satisfactory for each sample after iteratively omitting one country. Comparisons with the total sample revealed cross-cultural equivalence in internal consistency and construct validity for patients and parents, high inter-rater agreement and a substantial proportion of QoLISSY variance explained by predictors. The TOCO technique is a powerful method to overcome problems of country-specific testing of patient-reported outcome instruments. It provides an empirical support to QoLISSY's cross-cultural equivalence and is recommended for future research.

Finite Element Method Analysis of An Out Flow With Free Surface In Transition Zones