WorldWideScience

Sample records for machine readable formats

  1. Machine Readable Passports & The Visa Waiver Programme

    CERN Multimedia

    2003-01-01

    From 1 October 2003, all passengers intending to enter the USA on the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) will be required to present a machine-readable passport (MRP). Passengers travelling to the USA with a non-machine readable passport will require a valid US entry visa. Applying for a US visa is a lengthy process, which can take several weeks or even months. Therefore it is strongly recommended that: • All Visa Waiver nationals who hold a non-machine readable passport should obtain a MRP before their next visit to the USA. • Children travelling on a parent's passport (be it machine readable or non-machine readable) cannot benefit from the Visa Waiver Programme and should obtain their own MRP prior to travelling to the USA or request a visa. What is a Machine Readable Passport (MRP)? A MRP has the holders' personal details, e.g. name, date of birth, nationality and their passport number contained in two lines of text at the base of the photo page. This text may be read by machine. These 2 lines ...

  2. Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD): Improving Machine Readability for ICARTT Data Files

    Science.gov (United States)

    Northup, E. A.; Early, A. B.; Beach, A. L., III; Kusterer, J.; Quam, B.; Wang, D.; Chen, G.

    2015-12-01

    NASA has conducted airborne tropospheric chemistry studies for about three decades. These field campaigns have generated a great wealth of observations, including a wide range of the trace gases and aerosol properties. The ASDC Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD) is designed to meet the user community needs for manipulating aircraft data for scientific research on climate change and air quality relevant issues. TAD makes use of aircraft data stored in the International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation (ICARTT) file format. ICARTT has been the NASA standard since 2010, and is widely used by NOAA, NSF, and international partners (DLR, FAAM). Its level of acceptance is due in part to it being generally self-describing for researchers, i.e., it provides necessary data descriptions for proper research use. Despite this, there are a number of issues with the current ICARTT format, especially concerning the machine readability. In order to overcome these issues, the TAD team has developed an "idealized" file format. This format is ASCII and is sufficiently machine readable to sustain the TAD system, however, it is not fully compatible with the current ICARTT format. The process of mapping ICARTT metadata to the idealized format, the format specifics, and the actual conversion process will be discussed. The goal of this presentation is to demonstrate an example of how to improve the machine readability of ASCII data format protocols.

  3. Documentation for the machine-readable version of the Morphological Catalogue of Galaxies (MCG) of Vorontsov-Velyaminov et al, 1962-1968

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren, W. H., Jr.

    1982-01-01

    Modifications, corrections, and the record format are provided for the machine-readable version of the "Morphological Catalogue of Galaxies.' In addition to hundreds of individual corrections, a detailed comparison of the machine-readable with the published catalogue resulted in the addition of 116 missing objects, the deletion of 10 duplicate records, and a format modification to increase storage efficiency.

  4. 6 CFR 37.19 - Machine readable technology on the driver's license or identification card.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 6 Domestic Security 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Machine readable technology on the driver's..., Verification, and Card Issuance Requirements § 37.19 Machine readable technology on the driver's license or identification card. For the machine readable portion of the REAL ID driver's license or identification card...

  5. A survey of machine readable data bases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matlock, P.

    1981-01-01

    Forty-two of the machine readable data bases available to the technologist and researcher in the natural sciences and engineering are described and compared with the data bases and date base services offered by NASA.

  6. Combined machine-readable and visually authenticated optical devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souparis, Hugues

    1996-03-01

    Optical variable devices are now widely used on documents or values. The most recent optical visual features with high definition, animation, brightness, special color tune, provide excellent first and second levels of authentication. Human eye is the only instrument required to check the authenticity. This is a major advantage of OVDs in many circumstances, such as currency exchange, ID street control . . . But, under other circumstances, such as automatic payments with banknotes, volume ID controls at boarders, ID controls in shops . . . an automatic authentication will be necessary or more reliable. When both a visual and automated authentication are required, the combination, on the same security component, of a variable image and a machine readable optical element is a very secure and cost effective solution for the protection of documents. Several techniques are now available an can be selected depending upon the respective roles of the machine readability and visual control.

  7. Constructing and validating readability models: the method of integrating multilevel linguistic features with machine learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sung, Yao-Ting; Chen, Ju-Ling; Cha, Ji-Her; Tseng, Hou-Chiang; Chang, Tao-Hsing; Chang, Kuo-En

    2015-06-01

    Multilevel linguistic features have been proposed for discourse analysis, but there have been few applications of multilevel linguistic features to readability models and also few validations of such models. Most traditional readability formulae are based on generalized linear models (GLMs; e.g., discriminant analysis and multiple regression), but these models have to comply with certain statistical assumptions about data properties and include all of the data in formulae construction without pruning the outliers in advance. The use of such readability formulae tends to produce a low text classification accuracy, while using a support vector machine (SVM) in machine learning can enhance the classification outcome. The present study constructed readability models by integrating multilevel linguistic features with SVM, which is more appropriate for text classification. Taking the Chinese language as an example, this study developed 31 linguistic features as the predicting variables at the word, semantic, syntax, and cohesion levels, with grade levels of texts as the criterion variable. The study compared four types of readability models by integrating unilevel and multilevel linguistic features with GLMs and an SVM. The results indicate that adopting a multilevel approach in readability analysis provides a better representation of the complexities of both texts and the reading comprehension process.

  8. Migrant Student Record Transfer System (MSRTS) [machine-readable data file].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arkansas State Dept. of Education, Little Rock. General Education Div.

    The Migrant Student Record Transfer System (MSRTS) machine-readable data file (MRDF) is a collection of education and health data on more than 750,000 migrant children in grades K-12 in the United States (except Hawaii), the District of Columbia, and the outlying territories of Puerto Rico and the Mariana and Marshall Islands. The active file…

  9. Evaluation of the Mechanical Durability of the Egyptian Machine Readable Booklet Passport

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed Mahmoud Yosri

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available In 2008 the first Egyptian booklet Machine Readable Passport/ MRP has been issued and its security and informative standard quality levels were proved in a research published in 2011. Here the durability profiles of the Egyptian MRP have been evaluated. Seven mechanical durability tests were applied on the Egyptian MRP. Such tests are specified in the International Civil Aviation Organization / ICAO standard requirements documents. These seven very severe durability tests resulted in that the Egyptian MRP has achieved better & higher results than the values detected in ICAO-Doc N0232: Durability of Machine Readable Passports - Version: 3.2. Hence, this research had proved the complete conformance between the Egyptian MRP mechanical durability profiles to the international requirements. The Egyptian booklet MRP doesn’t need any obligatory modification concerning its mechanical durability profiles.

  10. The compiled catalogue of galaxies in machine-readable form and its statistical investigation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kogoshvili, N.G.

    1982-01-01

    The compilation of a machine-readable catalogue of relatively bright galaxies was undertaken in Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory in order to facilitate the statistical analysis of a large observational material on galaxies from the Palomar Sky Survey. In compiling the catalogue of galaxies the following problems were considered: the collection of existing information for each galaxy; a critical approach to data aimed at the selection of the most important features of the galaxies; the recording of data in computer-readable form; and the permanent updating of the catalogue. (Auth.)

  11. Student Achievement Study, 1970-1974. The IEA Six-Subject Data Bank [machine-readable data file].

    Science.gov (United States)

    International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, Stockholm (Sweden).

    The "Student Achievement Study" machine-readable data files (MRDF) (also referred to as the "IEA Six-Subject Survey") are the result of an international data collection effort during 1970-1974 by 21 designated National Centers, which had agreed to cooperate. The countries involved were: Australia, Belgium, Chile, England-Wales,…

  12. Comparative Costs of Converting Shelf List Records to Machine Readable Form

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard E. Chapin

    1968-03-01

    Full Text Available A study at Michigan State University Library compared the costs of three different methods of conversion: keypunching, paper-tape typewriting, and optical scanning by a service bureau. The record converted included call number, copy number, first 39 letters of the author's name, first 43 letters of the title, and date of publication. Source documents were all of the shelf list cards at the Library. The end products were a master book tape of the library collections and a machine readable book card for each volume to be used in an automated circulation system.

  13. USA - Postponement of Deadline for Machine-Readable Passports

    CERN Multimedia

    2003-01-01

    U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has granted a postponement until October 26, 2004, as the date by which travellers holding Swiss passports must present a machine-readable passport at a U.S. port of entry to be admitted to the country without a visa. As in the past, citizens of Switzerland and other visa waiver program countries are permitted to enter the United States for general business or tourist purposes for a maximum of 90 days without needing a visa. Other categories of travellers such as students, journalists, individuals employed in the U.S., and all individuals staying for more than 90 days still require a visa. The postponement granted by the Secretary of State applies to a total to the following countries: Australia - Austria - Denmark - Finland - France - Germany - Iceland - Ireland - Italy - Japan - Monaco - Netherlands - New Zealand - Norway - Portugal - San Marino - Singapore - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - United Kingdom More information available: http://www.us-embassy.ch Your Carlson...

  14. A new TLD badge with machine readable ID for fully automated readout

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kannan, S. Ratna P.; Kulkarni, M.S.

    2003-01-01

    The TLD badge currently being used for personnel monitoring of more than 40,000 radiation workers has a few drawbacks such as lack of on-badge machine readable ID code, delicate two-point clamping of dosimeters on an aluminium card with the chances of dosimeters falling off during handling or readout, projections on one side making automation of readout difficult etc. A new badge has been designed with a 8-digit identification code in the form of an array of holes and smooth exteriors to enable full automation of readout. The new badge also permits changing of dosimeters when necessary. The new design does not affect the readout time or the dosimetric characteristics. The salient features and the dosimetric characteristics are discussed. (author)

  15. A Study of Readability of Texts in Bangla through Machine Learning Approaches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinha, Manjira; Basu, Anupam

    2016-01-01

    In this work, we have investigated text readability in Bangla language. Text readability is an indicator of the suitability of a given document with respect to a target reader group. Therefore, text readability has huge impact on educational content preparation. The advances in the field of natural language processing have enabled the automatic…

  16. Assessing the Readability of Medical Documents: A Ranking Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Jiaping; Yu, Hong

    2018-03-23

    The use of electronic health record (EHR) systems with patient engagement capabilities, including viewing, downloading, and transmitting health information, has recently grown tremendously. However, using these resources to engage patients in managing their own health remains challenging due to the complex and technical nature of the EHR narratives. Our objective was to develop a machine learning-based system to assess readability levels of complex documents such as EHR notes. We collected difficulty ratings of EHR notes and Wikipedia articles using crowdsourcing from 90 readers. We built a supervised model to assess readability based on relative orders of text difficulty using both surface text features and word embeddings. We evaluated system performance using the Kendall coefficient of concordance against human ratings. Our system achieved significantly higher concordance (.734) with human annotators than did a baseline using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, a widely adopted readability formula (.531). The improvement was also consistent across different disease topics. This method's concordance with an individual human user's ratings was also higher than the concordance between different human annotators (.658). We explored methods to automatically assess the readability levels of clinical narratives. Our ranking-based system using simple textual features and easy-to-learn word embeddings outperformed a widely used readability formula. Our ranking-based method can predict relative difficulties of medical documents. It is not constrained to a predefined set of readability levels, a common design in many machine learning-based systems. Furthermore, the feature set does not rely on complex processing of the documents. One potential application of our readability ranking is personalization, allowing patients to better accommodate their own background knowledge. ©Jiaping Zheng, Hong Yu. Originally published in JMIR Medical Informatics (http://medinform.jmir.org), 23.03.2018.

  17. A possible extension to the RInChI as a means of providing machine readable process data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacob, Philipp-Maximilian; Lan, Tian; Goodman, Jonathan M; Lapkin, Alexei A

    2017-04-11

    The algorithmic, large-scale use and analysis of reaction databases such as Reaxys is currently hindered by the absence of widely adopted standards for publishing reaction data in machine readable formats. Crucial data such as yields of all products or stoichiometry are frequently not explicitly stated in the published papers and, hence, not reported in the database entry for those reactions, limiting their usefulness for algorithmic analysis. This paper presents a possible extension to the IUPAC RInChI standard via an auxiliary layer, termed ProcAuxInfo, which is a standardised, extensible form in which to report certain key reaction parameters such as declaration of all products and reactants as well as auxiliaries known in the reaction, reaction stoichiometry, amounts of substances used, conversion, yield and operating conditions. The standard is demonstrated via creation of the RInChI including the ProcAuxInfo layer based on three published reactions and demonstrates accurate data recoverability via reverse translation of the created strings. Implementation of this or another method of reporting process data by the publishing community would ensure that databases, such as Reaxys, would be able to abstract crucial data for big data analysis of their contents.

  18. A Machine Learning Approach to Measurement of Text Readability for EFL Learners Using Various Linguistic Features

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotani, Katsunori; Yoshimi, Takehiko; Isahara, Hitoshi

    2011-01-01

    The present paper introduces and evaluates a readability measurement method designed for learners of EFL (English as a foreign language). The proposed readability measurement method (a regression model) estimates the text readability based on linguistic features, such as lexical, syntactic and discourse features. Text readability refers to the…

  19. Improving readability through extractive summarization for learners with reading difficulties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Nandhini

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we describe the design and evaluation of extractive summarization approach to assist the learners with reading difficulties. As existing summarization approaches inherently assign more weights to the important sentences, our approach predicts the summary sentences that are important as well as readable to the target audience with good accuracy. We used supervised machine learning technique for summary extraction of science and social subjects in the educational text. Various independent features from the existing literature for predicting important sentences and proposed learner dependent features for predicting readable sentences are extracted from texts and are used for automatic classification. We performed both extrinsic and intrinsic evaluation on this approach and the intrinsic evaluation is carried out using F-measure and readability analysis. The extrinsic evaluation comprises of learner feedback using likert scale and the effect of assistive summary on improving readability for learners’ with reading difficulty using ANOVA. The results show significant improvement in readability for the target audience using assistive summary.

  20. Fifth Fundamental Catalogue (FK5). Part 1: Basic fundamental stars (Fricke, Schwan, and Lederle 1988): Documentation for the machine-readable version

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren, Wayne H., Jr.

    1990-01-01

    The machine-readable version of the catalog, as it is currently being distributed from the Astronomical Data Center, is described. The Basic FK5 provides improved mean positions and proper motions for the 1535 classical fundamental stars that had been included in the FK3 and FK4 catalogs. The machine version of the catalog contains the positions and proper motions of the Basic FK5 stars for the epochs and equinoxes J2000.0 and B1950.0, the mean epochs of individual observed right ascensions and declinations used to determine the final positions, and the mean errors of the final positions and proper motions for the reported epochs. The cross identifications to other designations used for the FK5 stars that are given in the published catalog were not included in the original machine versions, but the Durchmusterung numbers have been added at the Astronomical Data Center.

  1. Readability versus Leveling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fry, Edward

    2002-01-01

    Shows some similarities and differences between readability formulas and leveling procedures and reports some current large-scale uses of readability formulas. Presents a dictionary definition of readability and leveling, and a history and background of readability and leveling. Discusses what goes into determining readability and leveling scores.…

  2. Assessing readability formula differences with written health information materials: application, results, and recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lih-Wern; Miller, Michael J; Schmitt, Michael R; Wen, Frances K

    2013-01-01

    Readability formulas are often used to guide the development and evaluation of literacy-sensitive written health information. However, readability formula results may vary considerably as a result of differences in software processing algorithms and how each formula is applied. These variations complicate interpretations of reading grade level estimates, particularly without a uniform guideline for applying and interpreting readability formulas. This research sought to (1) identify commonly used readability formulas reported in the health care literature, (2) demonstrate the use of the most commonly used readability formulas on written health information, (3) compare and contrast the differences when applying common readability formulas to identical selections of written health information, and (4) provide recommendations for choosing an appropriate readability formula for written health-related materials to optimize their use. A literature search was conducted to identify the most commonly used readability formulas in health care literature. Each of the identified formulas was subsequently applied to word samples from 15 unique examples of written health information about the topic of depression and its treatment. Readability estimates from common readability formulas were compared based on text sample size, selection, formatting, software type, and/or hand calculations. Recommendations for their use were provided. The Flesch-Kincaid formula was most commonly used (57.42%). Readability formulas demonstrated variability up to 5 reading grade levels on the same text. The Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) readability formula performed most consistently. Depending on the text sample size, selection, formatting, software, and/or hand calculations, the individual readability formula estimated up to 6 reading grade levels of variability. The SMOG formula appears best suited for health care applications because of its consistency of results, higher level of expected

  3. Computer-readable ''Nuclear Data Sheets''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ewbank, W.B.

    1975-01-01

    The evaluated nuclear structure data contained in ''Nuclear Data Sheets'' are available in computer-readable form. Experimentally established properties of nuclear levels are included as well as radiations from nuclear reactions and radioactive decay. Portions of the data can be selected for distribution in several formats on magnetic tape or computer cards. A variety of different listing and drawing formats are also available. 4 figures

  4. EXFOR systems manual: Nuclear reaction data exchange format

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McLane, V.

    1996-07-01

    This document describes EXFOR, the exchange format designed to allow transmission of nuclear reaction data between the members of the Nuclear Data Centers Network. In addition to storing the data and its bibliographic information, experimental information, including source of uncertainties, is also compiled. The status and history of the data set is also included, e.g., the source of the data, any updates which have been made, and correlations to other data sets. The exchange format, as outlined, is designed to allow a large variety of numerical data tables with explanatory and bibliographic information to be transmitted in an easily machine-readable format (for checking and indicating possible errors) and a format that can be read by personnel (for passing judgment on and correcting any errors indicated by the machine)

  5. The Principles of Readability

    Science.gov (United States)

    DuBay, William H.

    2004-01-01

    The principles of readability are in every style manual. Readability formulas are in every writing aid. What is missing is the research and theory on which they stand. This short review of readability research spans 100 years. The first part covers the history of adult literacy studies in the U.S., establishing the stratified nature of the adult…

  6. A Modular Framework for Transforming Structured Data into HTML with Machine-Readable Annotations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patton, E. W.; West, P.; Rozell, E.; Zheng, J.

    2010-12-01

    There is a plethora of web-based Content Management Systems (CMS) available for maintaining projects and data, i.a. However, each system varies in its capabilities and often content is stored separately and accessed via non-uniform web interfaces. Moving from one CMS to another (e.g., MediaWiki to Drupal) can be cumbersome, especially if a large quantity of data must be adapted to the new system. To standardize the creation, display, management, and sharing of project information, we have assembled a framework that uses existing web technologies to transform data provided by any service that supports the SPARQL Protocol and RDF Query Language (SPARQL) queries into HTML fragments, allowing it to be embedded in any existing website. The framework utilizes a two-tier XML Stylesheet Transformation (XSLT) that uses existing ontologies (e.g., Friend-of-a-Friend, Dublin Core) to interpret query results and render them as HTML documents. These ontologies can be used in conjunction with custom ontologies suited to individual needs (e.g., domain-specific ontologies for describing data records). Furthermore, this transformation process encodes machine-readable annotations, namely, the Resource Description Framework in attributes (RDFa), into the resulting HTML, so that capable parsers and search engines can extract the relationships between entities (e.g, people, organizations, datasets). To facilitate editing of content, the framework provides a web-based form system, mapping each query to a dynamically generated form that can be used to modify and create entities, while keeping the native data store up-to-date. This open framework makes it easy to duplicate data across many different sites, allowing researchers to distribute their data in many different online forums. In this presentation we will outline the structure of queries and the stylesheets used to transform them, followed by a brief walkthrough that follows the data from storage to human- and machine-accessible web

  7. Machine-readable files developed for the High Plains Regional Aquifer-System analysis in parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrigno, C.F.

    1986-01-01

    Machine-readable files were developed for the High Plains Regional Aquifer-System Analysis project are stored on two magnetic tapes available from the U.S. Geological Survey. The first tape contains computer programs that were used to prepare, store, retrieve, organize, and preserve the areal interpretive data collected by the project staff. The second tape contains 134 data files that can be divided into five general classes: (1) Aquifer geometry data, (2) aquifer and water characteristics , (3) water levels, (4) climatological data, and (5) land use and water use data. (Author 's abstract)

  8. Methods to Measure Map Readability

    OpenAIRE

    Harrie, Lars

    2009-01-01

    Creation of maps in real-time web services introduces challenges concerning map readability. Therefore we must introduce analytical measures controlling the readability. The aim of this study is to develop and evaluate analytical readability measures with the help of user tests.

  9. Readability Assessment of Patient Information about Lymphedema and Its Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seth, Akhil K; Vargas, Christina R; Chuang, Danielle J; Lee, Bernard T

    2016-02-01

    Patient use of online resources for health information is increasing, and access to appropriately written information has been associated with improved patient satisfaction and overall outcomes. The American Medical Association and the National Institutes of Health recommend that patient materials be written at a sixth-grade reading level. In this study, the authors simulated a patient search of online educational content for lymphedema and evaluated readability. An online search for the term "lymphedema" was performed, and the first 12 hits were identified. User and location filters were disabled and sponsored results were excluded. Patient information from each site was downloaded and formatted into plain text. Readability was assessed using established tests: Coleman-Liau, Flesch-Kincaid, Flesch Reading Ease Index, FORCAST Readability Formula, Fry Graph, Gunning Fog Index, New Dale-Chall Formula, New Fog Count, Raygor Readability Estimate, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Readability Formula. There were 152 patient articles downloaded; the overall mean reading level was 12.6. Individual website reading levels ranged from 9.4 (cancer.org) to 16.7 (wikipedia.org). There were 36 articles dedicated to conservative treatments for lymphedema; surgical treatment was mentioned in nine articles across four sites. The average reading level for conservative management was 12.7, compared with 15.6 for surgery (p readability, and surgeons should direct patients to sites appropriate for their level. There is limited information about surgical treatment available on the most popular sites; this information is significantly harder to read than sections on conservative measures.

  10. The Readability of Online Resources for Mastopexy Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas, Christina R; Chuang, Danielle J; Lee, Bernard T

    2016-01-01

    As more patients use Internet resources for health information, there is increasing interest in evaluating the readability of available online materials. The National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association recommend that patient educational content be written at a sixth-grade reading level. This study evaluates the most popular online resources for information about mastopexy relative to average adult literacy in the United States. The 12 most popular sites returned by the largest Internet search engine were identified using the search term "breast lift surgery." Relevant articles from the main sites were downloaded and formatted into text documents. Pictures, captions, links, and references were excluded. The readability of these 100 articles was analyzed overall and subsequently by site using 10 established readability tests. Subgroup analysis was performed for articles discussing the benefits of surgery and those focusing on risks. The overall average readability of online patient information was 13.3 (range, 11.1-15). There was a range of average readability scores overall across the 12 sites from 8.9 to 16.1, suggesting that some may be more appropriate than others for patient demographics with different health literacy levels. Subgroup analysis revealed that articles discussing the risks of mastopexy were significantly harder to read (mean, 14.1) than articles about benefits (11.6). Patient-directed articles from the most popular online resources for mastopexy information are uniformly above the recommended reading level and likely too difficult to be understood by a large number of patients in the United States.

  11. The Readability of an Unreadable Text.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordon, Robert M.

    1980-01-01

    The Dale-Chall Readability Formula and the Fry Readability Graph were used to analyze passages of Plato's "Parmenides," a notoriously difficult literary piece. The readability levels of the text ranged from fourth to eighth grade (Dale-Chall) and from sixth to tenth grade (Fry), indicating the limitations of the readability tests. (DF)

  12. Understanding and Writing G & M Code for CNC Machines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loveland, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    In modern CAD and CAM manufacturing companies, engineers design parts for machines and consumable goods. Many of these parts are cut on CNC machines. Whether using a CNC lathe, milling machine, or router, the ideas and designs of engineers must be translated into a machine-readable form called G & M Code that can be used to cut parts to precise…

  13. Analyzing readability of medicines information material in Slovenia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasesnik, Karin; Kline, Mihael

    2011-01-01

    Objective: Readability has been claimed to be an important factor for understanding texts describing health symptoms and medications. Such texts may be a factor which indirectly affects the health of the population. Despite the expertise of physicians, the readability of information sources may be important for acquiring essential treatment information. The aim of this study was to measure the readability level of medicines promotion material in Slovenia. Methods: The Flesch readability formula was modified to comply with Slovene texts. On the basis of determining the Slovene readability algorithm, the readability ease related to the readability grade level of different Slovene texts was established. In order to estimate an adjustment of the texts to the recommended readability grade level of the targeted population, readability values of English texts were set. One sample t-test and standard deviations from the arithmetic mean values were used as statistical tests. Results: The results of the research showed low readability scores of the Slovene texts. Difficult readability values were seen in different types of examined texts: in patient information leaflets, in the summaries of product characteristics, in promotional materials, while describing over-the-counter medications and in the materials for creating disease awareness. Especially low readability values were found within the texts belonging to promotional materials intended for the physicians. None of researched items, not even for the general public, were close to primary school grade readability levels and therefore could not be described as easily readable. Conclusion: This study provides an understanding of the level of readability of selected Slovene medicines information material. It was concluded that health-related texts were not compliant with general public or with healthcare professional needs. PMID:23093886

  14. Readability of Invasive Procedure Consent Forms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eltorai, Adam E M; Naqvi, Syed S; Ghanian, Soha; Eberson, Craig P; Weiss, Arnold-Peter C; Born, Christopher T; Daniels, Alan H

    2015-12-01

    Informed consent is a pillar of ethical medicine which requires patients to fully comprehend relevant issues including the risks, benefits, and alternatives of an intervention. Given the average reading skill of US adults is at the 8th grade level, the American Medical Association (AMA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend patient information materials should not exceed a 6th grade reading level. We hypothesized that text provided in invasive procedure consent forms would exceed recommended readability guidelines for medical information. To test this hypothesis, we gathered procedure consent forms from all surgical inpatient hospitals in the state of Rhode Island. For each consent form, readability analysis was measured with the following measures: Flesch Reading Ease Formula, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Fog Scale, SMOG Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Automated Readability Index, and Linsear Write Formula. These readability scores were used to calculate a composite Text Readability Consensus Grade Level. Invasive procedure consent forms were found to be written at an average of 15th grade level (i.e., third year of college), which is significantly higher than the average US adult reading level of 8th grade (p readability guidelines for patient materials of 6th grade (p readability levels which makes comprehension difficult or impossible for many patients. Efforts to improve the readability of procedural consent forms should improve patient understanding regarding their healthcare decisions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Emotioncy: A Potential Measure of Readability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pishghadamn, Reza; Abbasnejad, Hannaheh

    2016-01-01

    Given the deficiencies of readability formulae as reliable tools for measuring text readability in educational settings, this study aims to offer a new measure to improve the current methods of testing the readability levels of texts through the incorporation of the newly-developed concept of emotioncy. To this end, a group of 221 students were…

  16. Readability assessment of online ophthalmic patient information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edmunds, Matthew R; Barry, Robert J; Denniston, Alastair K

    2013-12-01

    Patients increasingly use the Internet to access information related to their disease, but poor health literacy is known to impact negatively on medical outcomes. Multiple agencies have recommended that patient-oriented literature be written at a fourth- to sixth-grade (9-12 years of age) reading level to assist understanding. The readability of online patient-oriented materials related to ophthalmic diagnoses is not yet known. To assess the readability of online literature specifically for a range of ophthalmic conditions. Body text of the top 10 patient-oriented websites for 16 different ophthalmic diagnoses, covering the full range of ophthalmic subspecialties, was analyzed for readability, source (United Kingdom vs non-United Kingdom, not for profit vs commercial), and appropriateness for sight-impaired readers. Four validated readability formulas were used: Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning Fog Index (GFOG). Data were compared with the Mann-Whitney test (for 2 groups) and Kruskal-Wallis test (for more than 2 groups) and correlation was assessed by the Spearman r. None of the 160 webpages had readability scores within published guidelines, with 83% assessed as being of "difficult" readability. Not-for-profit webpages were of significantly greater length than commercial webpages (P = .02) and UK-based webpages had slightly superior readability scores compared with those of non-UK webpages (P = .004 to P readability formula used). Of all webpages evaluated, only 34% included facility to adjust text size to assist visually impaired readers. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess readability of patient-focused webpages specifically for a range of ophthalmic diagnoses. In keeping with previous studies in other medical conditions, we determined that readability scores were inferior to those recommended, irrespective of the measure used. Although readability is only one

  17. Grammatical Metaphor, Controlled Languageand Machine Translation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Margrethe

    2003-01-01

    It is a general assumption that 1) the readability and clarity of LSP texts written in a controlled language are better than uncontrolled texts and 2) that controlled languages produce better results with machine translation than uncontrolled languages. Controlled languages impose lexical...

  18. Simplifying the Reuse and Interoperability of Geoscience Data Sets and Models with Semantic Metadata that is Human-Readable and Machine-actionable

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peckham, S. D.

    2017-12-01

    Standardized, deep descriptions of digital resources (e.g. data sets, computational models, software tools and publications) make it possible to develop user-friendly software systems that assist scientists with the discovery and appropriate use of these resources. Semantic metadata makes it possible for machines to take actions on behalf of humans, such as automatically identifying the resources needed to solve a given problem, retrieving them and then automatically connecting them (despite their heterogeneity) into a functioning workflow. Standardized model metadata also helps model users to understand the important details that underpin computational models and to compare the capabilities of different models. These details include simplifying assumptions on the physics, governing equations and the numerical methods used to solve them, discretization of space (the grid) and time (the time-stepping scheme), state variables (input or output), model configuration parameters. This kind of metadata provides a "deep description" of a computational model that goes well beyond other types of metadata (e.g. author, purpose, scientific domain, programming language, digital rights, provenance, execution) and captures the science that underpins a model. A carefully constructed, unambiguous and rules-based schema to address this problem, called the Geoscience Standard Names ontology will be presented that utilizes Semantic Web best practices and technologies. It has also been designed to work across science domains and to be readable by both humans and machines.

  19. The Readability of Principles of Macroeconomics Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tinkler, Sarah; Woods, James

    2013-01-01

    The authors evaluated principles of macroeconomics textbooks for readability using Coh-Metrix, a computational linguistics tool. Additionally, they conducted an experiment on Amazon's Mechanical Turk Web site in which participants ranked the readability of text samples. There was a wide range of scores on readability indexes both among…

  20. Readability Approaches: Implications for Turkey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulusoy, Mustafa

    2006-01-01

    Finding the right fit between students' reading ability and textbooks is very important for comprehension. Readability studies aim to analyse texts to find the right fit between students and texts. In this literature review, readability studies are classified under quantitative, qualitative and combined quantitative-qualitative readability…

  1. [Readability of surgical informed consent in Spain].

    Science.gov (United States)

    San Norberto, Enrique María; Gómez-Alonso, Daniel; Trigueros, José M; Quiroga, Jorge; Gualis, Javier; Vaquero, Carlos

    2014-03-01

    To assess the readability of informed consent documents (IC) of the different national surgical societies. During January 2012 we collected 504 IC protocols of different specialties. To calculate readability parameters the following criteria were assessed: number of words, syllables and phrases, syllables/word and word/phrase averages, Word correlation index, Flesch-Szigriszt index, Huerta Fernández index, Inflesz scale degree and the Gunning-Fog index. The mean Flesch-Szigriszt index was 50.65 ± 6,72, so readability is considered normal. There are significant differences between specialties such as Urology (43.00 ± 4.17) and Angiology and Vascular Surgery (63.00 ± 3.26, P<.001). No IC would be appropriate for adult readability according to the Fernández-Huerta index (total mean 55.77 ± 6.57); the IC of Angiology and Vascular Surgery were the closest ones (67.85 ± 3.20). Considering the Inflesz scale degree (total mean of 2.84 ± 3,23), IC can be described as «somewhat difficult». There are significant differences between the IC of Angiology and Vascular Surgery (3.23 ± 0.47) that could be qualified as normal, or Cardiovascular Surgery (2.79 ± 0.43) as «nearly normal readability»; and others such as Urology (1, 70 ± 0.46, P<.001) and Thoracic Surgery (1.90 ± 0.30, P<.001), with a readability between «very» and «somewhat» difficult. The Gunning-Fog indexes are far from the readability for a general audience (total mean of 26.29 ± 10,89). IC developed by scientific societies of different surgical specialties do not have an adequate readability for patients. We recommend the use of readability indexes during the writing of these consent forms. Copyright © 2012 AEC. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  2. Readability of pediatric otolaryngology information by children's hospitals and academic institutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Kevin; Levi, Jessica R

    2017-04-01

    Evaluate the readability of pediatric otolaryngology-related patient education materials from leading online sources. Cross-sectional analysis. All pediatric otolaryngology-related articles from the online patient health libraries of the top 10 US News & World Report-ranked children's hospitals, top 5 Doximity-ranked pediatric otolaryngology fellowships, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery were collected. Each article was copied in plain text format into a blank document. Web page navigation, appointment information, references, author information, appointment information, acknowledgements, and disclaimers were removed. Follow-up editing was also performed to remove paragraph breaks, colons, semicolons, numbers, percentages, and bullets. Readability grade was calculated using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease Score, Gunning-Fog Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Automated Readability Index, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook. Intraobserver and interobserver reliability were assessed. A total of 502 articles were analyzed. Intraobserver and interobserver reliability were both excellent, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.99 and 0.96, respectively. The average readability grade across all authorships and readability assessments exceeded the reading ability of the average American adult. Only 142 articles (28.3%) were written at or below the reading ability of the average American adult, whereas the remaining 360 articles (71.7%) were written above the reading level of the average adult. Current online health information related to pediatric otolaryngology may be too difficult for the average reader to understand. Revisions may be necessary for current materials to benefit a larger readership. NA Laryngoscope, 127:E138-E144, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

  3. Readability assessment of online tracheostomy care resources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, Keonho Albert; Hu, Amanda

    2015-02-01

    To assess the readability of online tracheostomy care resources. Cross-sectional study. Academic center. A Google search was performed for "tracheostomy care" in January 2014. The top 50 results were categorized into major versus minor websites and patient-oriented versus professional-oriented resources. These websites were evaluated with the following readability tools: Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook (GFOG). Readability scores for the websites were FRES 57.21 ± 16.71 (possible range = 0-100), FKGL 8.33 ± 2.84 (possible range = 3-12), SMOG 11.25 ± 2.49 (possible range = 3-19), and GFOG 11.43 ± 4.07 (possible range = 3-19). There was no significant difference in all 4 readability scores between major (n = 41) and minor (n = 9) websites. Professional-oriented websites (n = 19) had the following readability scores: FRES 40.77 ± 11.69, FKGL 10.93 ± 2.48, SMOG 13.29 ± 2.32, and GFOG 14.91 ± 3.98. Patient-oriented websites (n = 31) had the following readability scores: FRES 67.29 ± 9.91, FKGL 6.73 ± 1.61, SMOG 10.01 ± 1.64, and GFOG 9.30 ± 2.27. Professional-oriented websites had more difficult readability scores than patient-oriented websites for FRES (P readability between major and minor websites. Professional-oriented websites were more difficult to read than patient-oriented websites. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2014.

  4. The readability of American Academy of Pediatrics patient education brochures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freda, Margaret Comerford

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the readability of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) patient education brochures. Seventy-four brochures were analyzed using two readability formulas. Mean readability for all 74 brochures was grade 7.94 using the Flesch-Kincaid formula, and grade 10.1 with SMOG formula (P = .001). Using the SMOG formula, no brochures were of acceptably low (education brochures have acceptably low levels of readability, but at least half are written at higher than acceptable readability levels for the general public. This study also demonstrated statistically significant variability between the two different readability formulas; had only the SMOG formula been used, all of the brochures would have had unacceptably high readability levels. Readability is an essential concept for patient education materials. Professional associations that develop and market patient education materials should test for readability and publish those readability levels on each piece of patient education so health care providers will know if the materials are appropriate for their patients.

  5. Determining Readability: How to Select and Apply Easy-to-Use Readability Formulas to Assess the Difficulty of Adult Literacy Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burke, Victoria; Greenberg, Daphne

    2010-01-01

    There are many readability tools that instructors can use to help adult learners select reading materials. We describe and compare different types of readability tools: formulas calculated by hand, tools found on the Web, tools embedded in a word processing program, and readability tools found in a commercial software program. Practitioners do not…

  6. Readability of internet-sourced patient education material related to "labour analgesia".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boztas, Nilay; Omur, Dilek; Ozbılgın, Sule; Altuntas, Gözde; Piskin, Ersan; Ozkardesler, Sevda; Hanci, Volkan

    2017-11-01

    We evaluated the readability of Internet-sourced patient education materials (PEMs) related to "labour analgesia." In addition to assessing the readability of websites, we aimed to compare commercial, personal, and academic websites.We used the most popular search engine (http://www.google.com) in our study. The first 100 websites in English that resulted from a search for the key words "labour analgesia" were scanned. Websites that were not in English, graphs, pictures, videos, tables, figures and list formats in the text, all punctuation, the number of words in the text is less than 100 words, feedback forms not related to education, (Uniform Resource Locator) URL websites, author information, references, legal disclaimers, and addresses and telephone numbers were excluded.The texts included in the study were assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook (FOG) readability formulae. The number of Latin words within the text was determined.Analysis of 300-word sections of the texts revealed that the mean FRES was 47.54 ± 12.54 (quite difficult), mean FKGL and SMOG were 11.92 ± 2.59 and 10.57 ± 1.88 years of education, respectively, and mean Gunning FOG was 14.71 ± 2.76 (very difficult). Within 300-word sections, the mean number of Latin words was identified as 16.56 ± 6.37.In our study, the readability level of Internet-sourced PEM related to "labour analgesia" was identified to be quite high indicating poor readability.

  7. Xeml Lab: a tool that supports the design of experiments at a graphical interface and generates computer-readable metadata files, which capture information about genotypes, growth conditions, environmental perturbations and sampling strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hannemann, Jan; Poorter, Hendrik; Usadel, Björn; Bläsing, Oliver E; Finck, Alex; Tardieu, Francois; Atkin, Owen K; Pons, Thijs; Stitt, Mark; Gibon, Yves

    2009-09-01

    Data mining depends on the ability to access machine-readable metadata that describe genotypes, environmental conditions, and sampling times and strategy. This article presents Xeml Lab. The Xeml Interactive Designer provides an interactive graphical interface at which complex experiments can be designed, and concomitantly generates machine-readable metadata files. It uses a new eXtensible Mark-up Language (XML)-derived dialect termed XEML. Xeml Lab includes a new ontology for environmental conditions, called Xeml Environment Ontology. However, to provide versatility, it is designed to be generic and also accepts other commonly used ontology formats, including OBO and OWL. A review summarizing important environmental conditions that need to be controlled, monitored and captured as metadata is posted in a Wiki (http://www.codeplex.com/XeO) to promote community discussion. The usefulness of Xeml Lab is illustrated by two meta-analyses of a large set of experiments that were performed with Arabidopsis thaliana during 5 years. The first reveals sources of noise that affect measurements of metabolite levels and enzyme activities. The second shows that Arabidopsis maintains remarkably stable levels of sugars and amino acids across a wide range of photoperiod treatments, and that adjustment of starch turnover and the leaf protein content contribute to this metabolic homeostasis.

  8. Chip formation and surface integrity in high-speed machining of hardened steel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kishawy, Hossam Eldeen A.

    Increasing demands for high production rates as well as cost reduction have emphasized the potential for the industrial application of hard turning technology during the past few years. Machining instead of grinding hardened steel components reduces the machining sequence, the machining time, and the specific cutting energy. Hard turning Is characterized by the generation of high temperatures, the formation of saw toothed chips, and the high ratio of thrust to tangential cutting force components. Although a large volume of literature exists on hard turning, the change in machined surface physical properties represents a major challenge. Thus, a better understanding of the cutting mechanism in hard turning is still required. In particular, the chip formation process and the surface integrity of the machined surface are important issues which require further research. In this thesis, a mechanistic model for saw toothed chip formation is presented. This model is based on the concept of crack initiation on the free surface of the workpiece. The model presented explains the mechanism of chip formation. In addition, experimental investigation is conducted in order to study the chip morphology. The effect of process parameters, including edge preparation and tool wear on the chip morphology, is studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The dynamics of chip formation are also investigated. The surface integrity of the machined parts is also investigated. This investigation focusses on residual stresses as well as surface and sub-surface deformation. A three dimensional thermo-elasto-plastic finite element model is developed to predict the machining residual stresses. The effect of flank wear is introduced during the analysis. Although residual stresses have complicated origins and are introduced by many factors, in this model only the thermal and mechanical factors are considered. The finite element analysis demonstrates the significant effect of the heat generated

  9. Readability of Online Materials for Rhinoplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Pauline Joy F; Daar, David A; Paydar, Keyianoosh Z; Wirth, Garrett A

    2018-01-01

    Rhinoplasty is a popular aesthetic and reconstructive surgical procedure. However, little is known about the content and readability of online materials for patient education. The recommended grade level for educational materials is 7th to 8th grade according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This study aims to assess the readability of online patient resources for rhinoplasty. The largest public search engine, Google, was queried using the term "rhinoplasty" on February 26, 2016. Location filters were disabled and sponsored results excluded to avoid any inadvertent search bias. The 10 most popular websites were identified and all relevant, patient-directed information within one click from the original site was downloaded and saved as plain text. Readability was analyzed using five established analyses (Readability-score.com, Added Bytes, Ltd., Sussex, UK). Analysis of ten websites demonstrates an average grade level of at least 12 th grade. No material was at the recommended 7 th to 8 th grade reading level (Flesch-Kincaid, 11.1; Gunning-Fog, 14.1; Coleman-Liau, 14.5; SMOG 10.4; Automated Readability, 10.7; Average Grade Level, 12.2). Overall Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease Index was 43.5, which is rated as "difficult." Online materials available for rhinoplasty exceed NIH-recommended reading levels, which may prevent appropriate decision-making in patients considering these types of surgery. Outcomes of this study identify that Plastic Surgeons should be cognizant of available online patient materials and make efforts to develop and provide more appropriate materials. Readability results can also contribute to marketing strategy and attracting a more widespread interest in the procedure.

  10. Evaluating four readability formulas for Afrikaans.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jansen, C. J. M.; Richards, Rose; Van Zyl, Liezl

    2017-01-01

    For almost a hundred years now, readability formulas have been used to measure how difficult it is to comprehend a given text. To date, four readability formulas have been developed for Afrikaans. Two such formulas were published by Van Rooyen (1986), one formula by McDermid Heyns (2007) and one

  11. Stagnant zone formation on diamond cutting tools during machining

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Izman, S.; Tamin, M.N.; Mon, T.T.; Venkatesh, V.C.; Shaharoun, A.M.

    2007-01-01

    Formation of an intact region on the rake face of cutting tool during machining is quite common phenomenon but its significance in maintaining tool edge sharpness has not been recognized by many researchers. This region is sometimes called stagnant zone. It is believed that when an intact zone present on the rake face, it delays the crater wear progress and hence maintaining the tool edge sharpness longer. This paper investigates the effect of edge radius, surface roughness of the rake face and cutting parameters on the formation of stagnant zone on two different type of diamond tools i.e. polycrystalline diamond PCD-KD100 and diamond-coated inserts when machining titanium alloy. The used inserta and post-processed chips were examined under FESEM and optical microscope after cutting at three different conditions. Experimental results show that the speed and feel, the tool edge radius, and the tool rake surface roughness significantly affect the stagnant zone formation. (author)

  12. Readability of internet-sourced patient education material related to “labour analgesia”

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boztas, Nilay; Omur, Dilek; Ozbılgın, Sule; Altuntas, Gözde; Piskin, Ersan; Ozkardesler, Sevda; Hanci, Volkan

    2017-01-01

    Abstract We evaluated the readability of Internet-sourced patient education materials (PEMs) related to “labour analgesia.” In addition to assessing the readability of websites, we aimed to compare commercial, personal, and academic websites. We used the most popular search engine (http://www.google.com) in our study. The first 100 websites in English that resulted from a search for the key words “labour analgesia” were scanned. Websites that were not in English, graphs, pictures, videos, tables, figures and list formats in the text, all punctuation, the number of words in the text is less than 100 words, feedback forms not related to education, (Uniform Resource Locator) URL websites, author information, references, legal disclaimers, and addresses and telephone numbers were excluded. The texts included in the study were assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook (FOG) readability formulae. The number of Latin words within the text was determined. Analysis of 300-word sections of the texts revealed that the mean FRES was 47.54 ± 12.54 (quite difficult), mean FKGL and SMOG were 11.92 ± 2.59 and 10.57 ± 1.88 years of education, respectively, and mean Gunning FOG was 14.71 ± 2.76 (very difficult). Within 300-word sections, the mean number of Latin words was identified as 16.56 ± 6.37. In our study, the readability level of Internet-sourced PEM related to “labour analgesia” was identified to be quite high indicating poor readability. PMID:29137057

  13. EXFOR systems manual: Nuclear reaction data exchange format. Revision 97/1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McLane, V.

    1997-07-01

    This document describes EXFOR, the exchange format designed to allow transmission of nuclear reaction data between the members of the Nuclear Data Center Network. In addition to storing the data and its' bibliographic information, experimental information, including source of uncertainties, is also compiled. The status and history of the data set is also included, e.g., the source of the data, any updates which have been made, and correlations to other data sets. EXFOR is designed for flexibility rather than optimization of data processing in order to meet the diverse needs of the nuclear reaction data centers. The exchange format should not be confused with a center-to-user format. Although users may obtain data from the centers in the EXFOR format, other center-to-user formats have been developed to meet the needs of the users within each center's own sphere of responsibility. The exchange format, as outlined, is designed to allow a large variety of numerical data tables with explanatory and bibliographic information to be transmitted in an easily machine-readable format (for checking and indicating possible errors) and a format that can be read by personnel (for passing judgment on and correcting any errors indicated by the machine)

  14. Online Patient Resources for Liposuction: A Comparative Analysis of Readability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas, Christina R; Ricci, Joseph A; Chuang, Danielle J; Lee, Bernard T

    2016-03-01

    As patients strive to become informed about health care, inadequate functional health literacy is a significant barrier. Nearly half of American adults have poor or marginal health literacy skills and the National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association have recommended that patient information should be written at a sixth grade level. The aim of this study is to identify the most commonly used online patient information about liposuction and to evaluate its readability relative to average American literacy. An internet search of "liposuction" was performed and the 10 most popular websites identified. User and location data were disabled and sponsored results excluded. All relevant, patient-directed articles were downloaded and formatted into plain text. Articles were then analyzed using 10 established readability tests. A comparison group was constructed to identify the most popular online consumer information about tattooing. Mean readability scores and specific article characteristics were compared. A total of 80 articles were collected from websites about liposuction. Readability analysis revealed an overall 13.6 grade reading level (range, 10-16 grade); all articles exceeded the target sixth grade level. Consumer websites about tattooing were significantly easier to read, with a mean 7.8 grade level. These sites contained significantly fewer characters per word and words per sentence, as well as a smaller proportion of complex, long, and unfamiliar words. Online patient resources about liposuction are potentially too difficult for a large number of Americans to understand. Liposuction websites are significantly harder to read than consumer websites about tattooing. Aesthetic surgeons are advised to discuss with patients resources they use and guide patients to appropriate information for their skill level.

  15. Readability of Online Health Information: A Meta-Narrative Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daraz, Lubna; Morrow, Allison S; Ponce, Oscar J; Farah, Wigdan; Katabi, Abdulrahman; Majzoub, Abdul; Seisa, Mohamed O; Benkhadra, Raed; Alsawas, Mouaz; Larry, Prokop; Murad, M Hassan

    2018-01-01

    Online health information should meet the reading level for the general public (set at sixth-grade level). Readability is a key requirement for information to be helpful and improve quality of care. The authors conducted a systematic review to evaluate the readability of online health information in the United States and Canada. Out of 3743 references, the authors included 157 cross-sectional studies evaluating 7891 websites using 13 readability scales. The mean readability grade level across websites ranged from grade 10 to 15 based on the different scales. Stratification by specialty, health condition, and type of organization producing information revealed the same findings. In conclusion, online health information in the United States and Canada has a readability level that is inappropriate for general public use. Poor readability can lead to misinformation and may have a detrimental effect on health. Efforts are needed to improve readability and the content of online health information.

  16. Readability and Understandability of Online Vocal Cord Paralysis Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balakrishnan, Vini; Chandy, Zachariah; Hseih, Amy; Bui, Thanh-Lan; Verma, Sunil P

    2016-03-01

    Patients use several online resources to learn about vocal cord paralysis (VCP). The objective of this study was to assess the readability and understandability of online VCP patient education materials (PEMs), with readability assessments and the Patient Education Materials Evaluation Tool (PEMAT), respectively. The relationship between readability and understandability was then analyzed. Descriptive and correlational design. Online PEMs were identified by performing a Google search with the term "vocal cord paralysis." After scientific webpages, news articles, and information for medical professionals were excluded, 29 articles from the first 50 search results were considered. Readability analysis was performed with 6 formulas. Four individuals with different educational backgrounds conducted understandability analysis with the PEMAT. Fleiss's Kappa interrater reliability analysis determined consistency among raters. Correlation between readability and understandability was determined with Pearson's correlation test. The reading level of the reviewed articles ranged from grades 9 to 17. Understandability ranged from 29% to 82%. Correlation analysis demonstrated a strong negative correlation between materials' readability and understandability (r = -0.462, P Online PEMs pertaining to VCP are written above the recommended reading levels. Overall, materials written at lower grade levels are more understandable. However, articles of identical grade levels had varying levels of understandability. The PEMAT may provide a more critical evaluation of the quality of a PEM when compared with readability formulas. Both readability and understandability should be used to evaluate PEMs. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2016.

  17. Readability of websites containing information on dental implants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayaratne, Yasas S N; Anderson, Nina K; Zwahlen, Roger A

    2014-12-01

    It is recommended that health-related materials for patients be written at sixth grade level or below. Many websites oriented toward patient education about dental implants are available, but the readability of these sites has not been evaluated. To assess readability of patient-oriented online information on dental implants. Websites containing patient-oriented information on dental implants were retrieved using the Google search engine. Individual and mean readability/grade levels were calculated using standardized formulas. Readability of each website was classified as easy (≤ 6th-grade level) or difficult (≥ 10th grade level). Thirty nine websites with patient-oriented information on dental implant were found. The average readability grade level of these websites was 11.65 ± 1.36. No website scored at/below the recommended 6th grade level. Thirty four of 39 websites (87.18%) were difficult to read. The number of characters, words, and sentences on these sites varied widely. All patient-oriented websites on dental implants scored above the recommended grade level, and majority of these sites were "difficult" in their readability. There is a dire need to create patient information websites on implants, which the majority can read. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Quality and readability of English-language internet information for aphasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azios, Jamie H; Bellon-Harn, Monica; Dockens, Ashley L; Manchaiah, Vinaya

    2017-08-14

    Little is known about the quality and readability of treatment information in specific neurogenic disorders, such as aphasia. The purpose of this study was to assess quality and readability of English-language Internet information available for aphasia treatment. Forty-three aphasia treatment websites were aggregated using five different country-specific search engines. Websites were then analysed using quality and readability assessments. Statistical calculations were employed to examine website ratings, differences between website origin and quality and readability scores, and correlations between readability instruments. Websites exhibited low quality with few websites obtaining Health On the Net (HON) certification or clear, thorough information as measured by the DISCERN. Regardless of website origin, readability scores were also poor. Approximate educational levels required to comprehend information on aphasia treatment websites ranged from 13 to 16 years of education. Significant differences were found between website origin and readability measures with higher levels of education required to understand information on websites of non-profit organisations. Current aphasia treatment websites were found to exhibit low levels of quality and readability, creating potential accessibility problems for people with aphasia and significant others. Websites including treatment information for aphasia must be improved in order to increase greater information accessibility.

  19. Readability of medicinal package leaflets: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pires, Carla; Vigário, Marina; Cavaco, Afonso

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To review studies on the readability of package leaflets of medicinal products for human use. METHODS We conducted a systematic literature review between 2008 and 2013 using the keywords "Readability and Package Leaflet" and "Readability and Package Insert" in the academic search engine Biblioteca do Conhecimento Online, comprising different bibliographic resources/databases. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses criteria were applied to prepare the draft of the report. Quantitative and qualitative original studies were included. Opinion or review studies not written in English, Portuguese, Italian, French, or Spanish were excluded. RESULTS We identified 202 studies, of which 180 were excluded and 22 were enrolled [two enrolling healthcare professionals, 10 enrolling other type of participants (including patients), three focused on adverse reactions, and 7 descriptive studies]. The package leaflets presented various readability problems, such as complex and difficult to understand texts, small font size, or few illustrations. The main methods to assess the readability of the package leaflet were usability tests or legibility formulae. Limitations with these methods included reduced number of participants; lack of readability formulas specifically validated for specific languages (e.g., Portuguese); and absence of an assessment on patients literacy, health knowledge, cognitive skills, levels of satisfaction, and opinions. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the package leaflets presented various readability problems. In this review, some methodological limitations were identified, including the participation of a limited number of patients and healthcare professionals, the absence of prior assessments of participant literacy, humor or sense of satisfaction, or the predominance of studies not based on role-plays about the use of medicines. These limitations should be avoided in future studies and be considered when interpreting the results.

  20. Toward the Development of a Model to Estimate the Readability of Credentialing-Examination Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badgett, Barbara A.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a set of procedures to establish readability, including an equation, that accommodates the multiple-choice item format and occupational-specific language related to credentialing examinations. The procedures and equation should be appropriate for learning materials, examination materials, and occupational…

  1. The readability of expert reports for non-scientist report-users: reports of forensic comparison of glass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howes, Loene M; Kirkbride, K Paul; Kelty, Sally F; Julian, Roberta; Kemp, Nenagh

    2014-03-01

    Scientific language contains features that may impede understanding for non-scientists. Forensic scientists' written reports are read by police, lawyers, and judges, and thus assessment of readability is warranted. Past studies of readability differed in background theory and approach, but analysed one or more of: content and sequence; language; and format. Using a holistic approach, we assessed the readability of expert reports (n=78) of forensic glass comparison from 7 Australian jurisdictions. Two main audiences for reports were relevant: police and the courts. Reports for police were presented either as a completed form or as a brief legal-style report. Reports for court were less brief and used either legal or scientific styles, with content and formatting features supporting these distinctions. Some jurisdictions prepared a single report to satisfy both the courts and police. In general, item list, analytical techniques, results, notes on interpretation, and conclusions were included in reports of all types. However, some reports omitted analytical techniques, and results and conclusions were sometimes combined. According to Flesch Reading Ease, language was difficult, with a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of university undergraduate. Sentences were long and contained undefined specialist terms. Information content per clause (lexical density), was typically high, as for other scientific texts. Uncertainty was expressed differently by jurisdiction. Reports from most jurisdictions were cluttered in appearance, with single-line spacing, narrow margins, and gridlines in tables. Simple suggestions, based on theory and past research, are provided to assist scientists to enhance the readability of expert reports for non-scientists. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Machine Learning Method Applied in Readout System of Superheated Droplet Detector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yi; Sullivan, Clair Julia; d'Errico, Francesco

    2017-07-01

    Direct readability is one advantage of superheated droplet detectors in neutron dosimetry. Utilizing such a distinct characteristic, an imaging readout system analyzes image of the detector for neutron dose readout. To improve the accuracy and precision of algorithms in the imaging readout system, machine learning algorithms were developed. Deep learning neural network and support vector machine algorithms are applied and compared with generally used Hough transform and curvature analysis methods. The machine learning methods showed a much higher accuracy and better precision in recognizing circular gas bubbles.

  3. Readability of the written study information in pediatric research in France.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Véronique Ménoni

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The aim was to evaluate the readability of research information leaflets (RIL for minors asked to participate in biomedical research studies and to assess the factors influencing this readability. METHODS AND FINDINGS: All the pediatric protocols from three French pediatric clinical research units were included (N = 104. Three criteria were used to evaluate readability: length of the text, Flesch's readability score and presence of illustrations. We compared the readability of RIL to texts specifically written for children (school textbooks, school exams or extracts from literary works. We assessed the effect of protocol characteristics on readability. The RIL had a median length of 608 words [350 words, 25(th percentile; 1005 words, 75(th percentile], corresponding to two pages. The readability of the RIL, with a median Flesch score of 40 [30; 47], was much poorer than that of pediatric reference texts, with a Flesch score of 67 [60; 73]. A small proportion of RIL (13/91; 14% were illustrated. The RIL were longer (p<0.001, more readable (p<0.001 and more likely to be illustrated (p<0.009 for industrial than for institutional sponsors. CONCLUSION: Researchers should routinely compute the reading ease of study information sheets and make greater efforts to improve the readability of written documents for potential participants.

  4. Readability of Wikipedia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lucassen, T.; Dijkstra, Roald; Schraagen, Johannes Martinus Cornelis

    2012-01-01

    Wikipedia is becoming widely acknowledged as a reliable source of encyclopedic information. However, concerns have been expressed about its readability. Wikipedia articles might be written in a language too difficult to be understood by most of its visitors. In this study, we apply the Flesch

  5. ClearTK 2.0: Design Patterns for Machine Learning in UIMA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bethard, Steven; Ogren, Philip; Becker, Lee

    2014-05-01

    ClearTK adds machine learning functionality to the UIMA framework, providing wrappers to popular machine learning libraries, a rich feature extraction library that works across different classifiers, and utilities for applying and evaluating machine learning models. Since its inception in 2008, ClearTK has evolved in response to feedback from developers and the community. This evolution has followed a number of important design principles including: conceptually simple annotator interfaces, readable pipeline descriptions, minimal collection readers, type system agnostic code, modules organized for ease of import, and assisting user comprehension of the complex UIMA framework.

  6. Text Readability and Intuitive Simplification: A Comparison of Readability Formulas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crossley, Scott A.; Allen, David B.; McNamara, Danielle S.

    2011-01-01

    Texts are routinely simplified for language learners with authors relying on a variety of approaches and materials to assist them in making the texts more comprehensible. Readability measures are one such tool that authors can use when evaluating text comprehensibility. This study compares the Coh-Metrix Second Language (L2) Reading Index, a…

  7. Readability of Online Patient Education Materials From the AAOS Web Site

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badarudeen, Sameer; Unes Kunju, Shebna

    2008-01-01

    One of the goals of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) is to disseminate patient education materials that suit the readability skills of the patient population. According to standard guidelines from healthcare organizations, the readability of patient education materials should be no higher than the sixth-grade level. We hypothesized the readability level of patient education materials available on the AAOS Web site would be higher than the recommended grade level, regardless when the material was available online. Readability scores of all articles from the AAOS Internet-based patient information Web site, “Your Orthopaedic Connection,” were determined using the Flesch-Kincaid grade formula. The mean Flesch-Kincaid grade level of the 426 unique articles was 10.43. Only 10 (2%) of the articles had the recommended readability level of sixth grade or lower. The readability of the articles did not change with time. Our findings suggest the majority of the patient education materials available on the AAOS Web site had readability scores that may be too difficult for comprehension by a substantial portion of the patient population. PMID:18324452

  8. Readability, content, and quality of online patient education materials on preeclampsia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lange, Elizabeth M S; Shah, Anuj M; Braithwaite, Brian A; You, Whitney B; Wong, Cynthia A; Grobman, William A; Toledo, Paloma

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the readability, content, and quality of patient education materials addressing preeclampsia. Websites of U.S. obstetrics and gynecology residency programs were searched for patient education materials. Readability, content, and quality were assessed. A one-sample t-test was used to evaluate mean readability level compared with the recommended 6th grade reading level. Mean readability levels were higher using all indices (p education materials should be improved.

  9. Readability of Malaria Medicine Information Leaflets in Nigeria ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To assess the readability of malaria medicines information leaflets available in Nigeria. Methods: Fourty five leaflets were assessed using the Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) readability test and by examining them for paper type, font size type, use of symbols and pictograms, and bilingual information ...

  10. Readability Assessment of Online Patient Abdominoplasty Resources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Nicole A; Vargas, Christina R; Chuang, Danielle J; Lee, Bernard T

    2015-02-01

    Limited functional health literacy is recognized as an important contributor to health disparities in the United States. As internet access becomes more universal, there is increasing concern about whether patients with poor or marginal literacy can access understandable healthcare information. As such, the National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association recommend that patient information be written at a sixth grade level. This study identifies the most popular online resources for patient information about abdominoplasty and evaluates their readability in the context of average American literacy. The two largest internet search engines were queried for "tummy tuck surgery" to simulate a patient search in lay terms. The ten most popular sites common to both search engines were identified, and all relevant articles from the main sites were downloaded. Sponsored results were excluded. Readability analysis of the articles was performed using ten established tests. Online information about abdominoplasty from the ten most popular publically available websites had an overall average readability of 12th grade. Mean reading grade level scores among tests were: Coleman-Liau 11.9, Flesch-Kincaid 11.4, FORCAST 11.1, Fry 13, Gunning Fog 13.5, New Dale-Chall 11.8, New Fog Count 9.9, Raygor Estimate 12, and SMOG 13.4; Flesch Reading Ease index score was 46. Online patient resources about abdominoplasty are uniformly above the recommended target readability level and are likely too difficult for many patients to understand. A range of readability identified among websites could allow surgeons to guide patients to more appropriate resources for their literacy skills.

  11. Readability of pediatric health materials for preventive dental care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Riedy Christine A

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This study examined the content and general readability of pediatric oral health education materials for parents of young children. Methods Twenty-seven pediatric oral health pamphlets or brochures from commercial, government, industry, and private nonprofit sources were analyzed for general readability ("usability" according to several parameters: readability, (Flesch-Kincaid grade level, Flesch Reading Ease, and SMOG grade level; thoroughness, (inclusion of topics important to young childrens' oral health; textual framework (frequency of complex phrases, use of pictures, diagrams, and bulleted text within materials; and terminology (frequency of difficult words and dental jargon. Results Readability of the written texts ranged from 2nd to 9th grade. The average Flesch-Kincaid grade level for government publications was equivalent to a grade 4 reading level (4.73, range, 2.4 – 6.6; F-K grade levels for commercial publications averaged 8.1 (range, 6.9 – 8.9; and industry published materials read at an average Flesch-Kincaid grade level of 7.4 (range, 4.7 – 9.3. SMOG readability analysis, based on a count of polysyllabic words, consistently rated materials 2 to 3 grade levels higher than did the Flesch-Kincaid analysis. Government sources were significantly lower compared to commercial and industry sources for Flesch-Kincaid grade level and SMOG readability analysis. Content analysis found materials from commercial and industry sources more complex than government-sponsored publications, whereas commercial sources were more thorough in coverage of pediatric oral health topics. Different materials frequently contained conflicting information. Conclusion Pediatric oral health care materials are readily available, yet their quality and readability vary widely. In general, government publications are more readable than their commercial and industry counterparts. The criteria for usability and results of the analyses

  12. Component simulation in problems of calculated model formation of automatic machine mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Telegin Igor

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with the problems of the component simulation method application in the problems of the automation of the mechanical system model formation with the further possibility of their CAD-realization. The purpose of the investigations mentioned consists in the automation of the CAD-model formation of high-speed mechanisms in automatic machines and in the analysis of dynamic processes occurred in their units taking into account their elasto-inertial properties, power dissipation, gaps in kinematic pairs, friction forces, design and technological loads. As an example in the paper there are considered a formalization of stages in the computer model formation of the cutting mechanism in cold stamping automatic machine AV1818 and methods of for the computation of their parameters on the basis of its solid-state model.

  13. Improving readability of informed consents for research at an academic medical institution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadden, Kristie B; Prince, Latrina Y; Moore, Tina D; James, Laura P; Holland, Jennifer R; Trudeau, Christopher R

    2017-12-01

    The final rule for the protection of human subjects requires that informed consent be "in language understandable to the subject" and mandates that "the informed consent must be organized in such a way that facilitates comprehension." This study assessed the readability of Institutional Review Board-approved informed consent forms at our institution, implemented an intervention to improve the readability of consent forms, and measured the first year impact of the intervention. Readability assessment was conducted on a sample of 217 Institutional Review Board-approved informed consents from 2013 to 2015. A plain language informed consent template was developed and implemented and readability was assessed again after 1 year. The mean readability of the baseline sample was 10th grade. The mean readability of the post-intervention sample (n=82) was seventh grade. Providing investigators with a plain language informed consent template and training can promote improved readability of informed consents for research.

  14. The readability of psychosocial wellness patient resources: improving surgical outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kugar, Meredith A; Cohen, Adam C; Wooden, William; Tholpady, Sunil S; Chu, Michael W

    2017-10-01

    Patient education is increasingly accessed with online resources and is essential for patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. The average American adult reads at a seventh grade level, and the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the American Medical Association (AMA) recommend that information be written at a sixth-grade reading level. Health literacy plays an important role in the disease course and outcomes of all patients, including those with depression and likely other psychiatric disorders, although this is an area in need of further study. The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze written, online mental health resources on the Veterans Health Administration (VA) website, and other websites, using readability assessment instruments. An internet search was performed to identify written patient education information regarding mental health from the VA (the VA Mental Health Website) and top-rated psychiatric hospitals. Seven mental health topics were included in the analysis: generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar, major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse, and suicide. Readability analyses were performed using the Gunning Fog Index, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, the Coleman-Liau Index, the SMOG Readability Formula, and the Automated Readability Index. These scores were then combined into a Readability Consensus score. A two-tailed t-test was used to compare the mean values, and statistical significance was set at P readability consensus than six of the top psychiatric hospitals (P readability consensus for mental health information on all websites analyzed was 9.52. Online resources for mental health disorders are more complex than recommended by the NIH and AMA. Efforts to improve readability of mental health and psychosocial wellness resources could benefit patient understanding and outcomes, especially in patients with lower literacy. Surgical outcomes are correlated with patient mental

  15. Assessing Online Patient Education Readability for Spine Surgery Procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Long, William W; Modi, Krishna D; Haws, Brittany E; Khechen, Benjamin; Massel, Dustin H; Mayo, Benjamin C; Singh, Kern

    2018-03-01

    Increased patient reliance on Internet-based health information has amplified the need for comprehensible online patient education articles. As suggested by the American Medical Association and National Institute of Health, spine fusion articles should be written for a 4th-6th-grade reading level to increase patient comprehension, which may improve postoperative outcomes. The purpose of this study is to determine the readability of online health care education information relating to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and lumbar fusion procedures. Online health-education resource qualitative analysis. Three search engines were utilized to access patient education articles for common cervical and lumbar spine procedures. Relevant articles were analyzed for readability using Readability Studio Professional Edition software (Oleander Software Ltd). Articles were stratified by organization type as follows: General Medical Websites (GMW), Healthcare Network/Academic Institutions (HNAI), and Private Practices (PP). Thirteen common readability tests were performed with the mean readability of each compared between subgroups using analysis of variance. ACDF and lumbar fusion articles were determined to have a mean readability of 10.7±1.5 and 11.3±1.6, respectively. GMW, HNAI, and PP subgroups had a mean readability of 10.9±2.9, 10.7±2.8, and 10.7±2.5 for ACDF and 10.9±3.0, 10.8±2.9, and 11.6±2.7 for lumbar fusion articles. Of 310 total articles, only 6 (3 ACDF and 3 lumbar fusion) were written for comprehension below a 7th-grade reading level. Current online literature from medical websites containing information regarding ACDF and lumbar fusion procedures are written at a grade level higher than the suggested guidelines. Therefore, current patient education articles should be revised to accommodate the average reading level in the United States and may result in improved patient comprehension and postoperative outcomes.

  16. Readability assessment of internet-based consumer health information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, Tiffany M; Volsko, Teresa A

    2008-10-01

    A substantial amount of consumer health-related information is available on the Internet. Studies suggest that consumer comprehension may be compromised if content exceeds a 7th-grade reading level, which is the average American reading level identified by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS). To determine the readability of Internet-based consumer health information offered by organizations that represent the top 5 medical-related causes of death in America. We hypothesized that the average readability (reading grade level) of Internet-based consumer health information on heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes would exceed the USDHHS recommended reading level. From the Web sites of the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, American Diabetes Association, and American Stroke Association we randomly gathered 100 consumer-health-information articles. We assessed each article with 3 readability-assessment tools: SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook), Gunning FOG (Frequency of Gobbledygook), and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level. We also categorized the articles per the USDHHS readability categories: easy to read (below 6th-grade level), average difficulty (7th to 9th grade level), and difficult (above 9th-grade level). Most of the articles exceeded the 7th-grade reading level and were in the USDHHS "difficult" category. The mean +/- SD readability score ranges were: SMOG 11.80 +/- 2.44 to 14.40 +/- 1.47, Flesch-Kincaid 9.85 +/- 2.25 to 11.55 +/- 0.76, and Gunning FOG 13.10 +/- 3.42 to 16.05 +/- 2.31. The articles from the American Lung Association had the lowest reading-level scores with each of the readability-assessment tools. Our findings support that Web-based medical information intended for consumer use is written above USDHHS recommended reading levels. Compliance with these recommendations may increase the likelihood of consumer comprehension.

  17. A readability assessment of online stroke information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Nikhil; Tridimas, Andreas; Fitzsimmons, Paul R

    2014-07-01

    Patients and carers increasingly access the Internet as a source of health information. Poor health literacy is extremely common and frequently limits patient's comprehension of health care information literature. We aimed to assess the readability of online consumer-orientated stroke information using 2 validated readability measures. The 100 highest Google ranked consumer-oriented stroke Web pages were assessed for reading difficulty using the Flesch-Kincaid and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) formulae. None of the included Web pages complied with the current readability guidelines when readability was measured using the gold standard SMOG formula. Mean Flesch-Kincaid grade level was 10.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.97-10.9) and mean SMOG grade 12.1 (95% CI 11.7-12.4). Over half of the Web pages were produced at graduate reading levels or above. Not-for-profit Web pages were significantly easier to read (P=.0006). The Flesch-Kincaid formula significantly underestimated reading difficulty, with a mean underestimation of 1.65 grades (95% CI 1.49-1.81), Preadability guidelines and to be comprehensible to the average patient. The Flesch-Kincaid formula significantly underestimates reading difficulty, and SMOG should be used as the measure of choice. Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Readability of Brochures Produced by State of Florida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christ, William G.; Pharr, Paula

    1980-01-01

    A study of the readability of governmental pamphlets produced by the State of Florida, based on the use of the Flesch Reading Ease Formula and the Dale-Chall Formula, suggests that if a seventh or eighth grade readability level is considered an appropriate standard for public information brochures, the brochures tested may be too complex…

  19. Readability of online patient education materials on adult reconstruction Web sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polishchuk, Daniil L; Hashem, Jenifer; Sabharwal, Sanjeev

    2012-05-01

    Recommended readability of patient education materials is sixth-grade level or lower. Readability of 212 patient education materials pertaining to adult reconstruction topics available from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, and 3 other specialty and private practitioner Web sites was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid grade formula. The mean Flesch-Kincaid score was 11.1 (range, 3-26.5). Only 5 (2%) articles had a readability level of sixth grade or lower. Readability of most of the articles for patient education on adult reconstruction Web sites evaluated may be too advanced for a substantial portion of patients. Further studies are needed to assess the optimal readability level of health information on the Internet. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Clearly written, easily comprehended? The readability of websites providing information on epilepsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brigo, Francesco; Otte, Willem M; Igwe, Stanley C; Tezzon, Frediano; Nardone, Raffaele

    2015-03-01

    There is a general need for high-quality, easily accessible, and comprehensive health-care information on epilepsy to better inform the general population about this highly stigmatized neurological disorder. The aim of this study was to evaluate the health literacy level of eight popular English-written websites that provide information on epilepsy in quantitative terms of readability. Educational epilepsy material on these websites, including 41 Wikipedia articles, were analyzed for their overall level of readability and the corresponding academic grade level needed to comprehend the published texts on the first reading. The Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) was used to assess ease of comprehension while the Gunning Fog Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Automated Readability Index, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook scales estimated the corresponding academic grade level needed for comprehension. The average readability of websites yielded results indicative of a difficult-to-fairly-difficult readability level (FRE results: 44.0±8.2), with text readability corresponding to an 11th academic grade level (11.3±1.9). The average FRE score of the Wikipedia articles was indicative of a difficult readability level (25.6±9.5), with the other readability scales yielding results corresponding to a 14th grade level (14.3±1.7). Popular websites providing information on epilepsy, including Wikipedia, often demonstrate a low level of readability. This can be ameliorated by increasing access to clear and concise online information on epilepsy and health in general. Short "basic" summaries targeted to patients and nonmedical users should be added to articles published in specialist websites and Wikipedia to ease readability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Improving the readability of online foot and ankle patient education materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheppard, Evan D; Hyde, Zane; Florence, Mason N; McGwin, Gerald; Kirchner, John S; Ponce, Brent A

    2014-12-01

    Previous studies have shown the need for improving the readability of many patient education materials to increase patient comprehension. This study's purpose was to determine the readability of foot and ankle patient education materials and to determine the extent readability can be improved. We hypothesized that the reading levels would be above the recommended guidelines and that decreasing the sentence length would also decrease the reading level of these patient educational materials. Patient education materials from online public sources were collected. The readability of these articles was assessed by a readability software program. The detailed instructions provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) were then used as a guideline for performing edits to help improve the readability of selected articles. The most quantitative guideline, lowering all sentences to less than 15 words, was chosen to show the effect of following the NIH recommendations. The reading levels of the sampled articles were above the sixth to seventh grade recommendations of the NIH. The MedlinePlus website, which is a part of the NIH website, had the lowest reading level (8.1). The articles edited had an average reduction of 1.41 grade levels, with the lowest reduction in the Medline articles of 0.65. Providing detailed instructions to the authors writing these patient education articles and implementing editing techniques based on previous recommendations could lead to an improvement in the readability of patient education materials. This study provides authors of patient education materials with simple editing techniques that will allow for the improvement in the readability of online patient educational materials. The improvement in readability will provide patients with more comprehendible education materials that can strengthen patient awareness of medical problems and treatments. © The Author(s) 2014.

  2. Readability assessment of patient education materials on major otolaryngology association websites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eloy, Jean Anderson; Li, Shawn; Kasabwala, Khushabu; Agarwal, Nitin; Hansberry, David R; Baredes, Soly; Setzen, Michael

    2012-11-01

    Various otolaryngology associations provide Internet-based patient education material (IPEM) to the general public. However, this information may be written above the fourth- to sixth-grade reading level recommended by the American Medical Association (AMA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). The purpose of this study was to assess the readability of otolaryngology-related IPEMs on various otolaryngology association websites and to determine whether they are above the recommended reading level for patient education materials. Analysis of patient education materials from 9 major otolaryngology association websites. The readability of 262 otolaryngology-related IPEMs was assessed with 8 numerical and 2 graphical readability tools. Averages were evaluated against national recommendations and between each source using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) analysis. Mean readability scores for each otolaryngology association website were compared. Mean website readability scores using Flesch Reading Ease test, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Coleman-Liau Index, SMOG grading, Gunning Fog Index, New Dale-Chall Readability Formula, FORCAST Formula, New Fog Count Test, Raygor Readability Estimate, and the Fry Readability Graph ranged from 20.0 to 57.8, 9.7 to 17.1, 10.7 to 15.9, 11.6 to 18.2, 10.9 to 15.0, 8.6 to 16.0, 10.4 to 12.1, 8.5 to 11.8, 10.5 to 17.0, and 10.0 to 17.0, respectively. ANOVA results indicate a significant difference (P < .05) between the websites for each individual assessment. The IPEMs found on all otolaryngology association websites exceed the recommended fourth- to sixth-grade reading level.

  3. Assessing the Accuracy and Readability of Online Health Information for Patients With Pancreatic Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Storino, Alessandra; Castillo-Angeles, Manuel; Watkins, Ammara A; Vargas, Christina; Mancias, Joseph D; Bullock, Andrea; Demirjian, Aram; Moser, A James; Kent, Tara S

    2016-09-01

    The degree to which patients are empowered by written educational materials depends on the text's readability level and the accuracy of the information provided. The association of a website's affiliation or focus on treatment modality with its readability and accuracy has yet to be thoroughly elucidated. To compare the readability and accuracy of patient-oriented online resources for pancreatic cancer by treatment modality and website affiliation. An online search of 50 websites discussing 5 pancreatic cancer treatment modalities (alternative therapy, chemotherapy, clinical trials, radiation therapy, and surgery) was conducted. The website's affiliation was identified. Readability was measured by 9 standardized tests, and accuracy was assessed by an expert panel. Nine standardized tests were used to compute the median readability level of each website. The median readability scores were compared among treatment modality and affiliation categories. Accuracy was determined by an expert panel consisting of 2 medical specialists and 2 surgical specialists. The 4 raters independently evaluated all websites belonging to the 5 treatment modalities (a score of 1 indicates that readability and accuracy based on the focus of the treatment modality and the website's affiliation. Websites discussing surgery (with a median readability level of 13.7 and an interquartile range [IQR] of 11.9-15.6) were easier to read than those discussing radiotherapy (median readability level, 15.2 [IQR, 13.0-17.0]) (P = .003) and clinical trials (median readability level, 15.2 [IQR, 12.8-17.0]) (P = .002). Websites of nonprofit organizations (median readability level, 12.9 [IQR, 11.2-15.0]) were easier to read than media (median readability level, 16.0 [IQR, 13.4-17.0]) (P readability level, 14.8 [IQR, 12.9-17.0]) (P readability level, 14.0 [IQR, 12.1-16.1]) were easier to read than media websites (P = .001). Among treatment modalities, alternative therapy websites exhibited the

  4. Readability of patient information and consent documents in rheumatological studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamnes, Bente; van Eijk-Hustings, Yvonne; Primdahl, Jette

    2016-07-16

    Before participation in medical research an informed consent must be obtained. This study investigates whether the readability of patient information and consent documents (PICDs) corresponds to the average educational level of participants in rheumatological studies in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway. 24 PICDs from studies were collected and readability was assessed independently using the Gunning's Fog Index (FOG) and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) grading. The mean score for the FOG and SMOG grades were 14.2 (9.0-19.0) and 14.2 (12-17) respectively. The mean FOG and SMOG grades were 12.7 and 13.3 in the Dutch studies, 15.0 and 14.9 in the Danish studies, and 14.6 and 14.3 in the Norwegian studies, respectively. Out of the 2865 participants, more than 57 % had a lower educational level than the highest readability score calculated in the individual study. As the readability level of the PICDs did not match the participants' educational level, consent may not have been valid, as the participants may have had a limited understanding of what they agreed to participate in. There should be more focus on the readability of PICDs. National guidelines for how to write clear and unambiguous PICDs in simple and easily understandable language could increase the focus on the readability of PICD.

  5. Readability of Internet Information on Hearing: Systematic Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laplante-Lévesque, Ariane; Thorén, Elisabet Sundewall

    2015-09-01

    This systematic literature review asks the following question: “ What is the readability of Internet information on hearing that people with hearing impairment and their significant others can access in the context of their hearing care?” Searches were completed in three databases: CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus. Seventy-eight records were identified and systematically screened for eligibility: 8 records were included that contained data on the readability of Internet information on hearing that people with hear ing impairment and their significant others can access in the context of their hearing care. Records reported mean readability levels from 9 to over 14. In other words, people with hearing impairment and their significant others need 9 to 14 years of education to read and understand Internet information on hearing that they access in the context of their hearing care. The poor readability of Internet information on hearing has been well documented; it is time to focus on valid and sustainable initiatives that address this problem.

  6. How well are health information websites displayed on mobile phones? Implications for the readability of health information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Christina; Dunn, Matthew

    2017-03-01

    Issue addressed More than 87% of Australians own a mobile phone with Internet access and 82% of phone owners use their smartphones to search for health information, indicating that mobile phones may be a powerful tool for building health literacy. Yet, online health information has been found to be above the reading ability of the general population. As reading on a smaller screen may further complicate the readability of information, this study aimed to examine how health information is displayed on mobile phones and its implications for readability. Methods Using a cross-sectional design with convenience sampling, a sample of 270 mobile webpages with information on 12 common health conditions was generated for analysis, they were categorised based on design and position of information display. Results The results showed that 71.48% of webpages were mobile-friendly but only 15.93% were mobile-friendly webpages designed in a way to optimise readability, with a paging format and queried information displayed for immediate viewing. Conclusion With inadequate evidence and lack of consensus on how webpage design can best promote reading and comprehension, it is difficult to draw a conclusion on the effect of current mobile health information presentation on readability. So what? Building mobile-responsive websites should be a priority for health information providers and policy-makers. Research efforts are urgently required to identify how best to enhance readability of mobile health information and fully capture the capabilities of mobile phones as a useful device to increase health literacy.

  7. Readability Assessment of Online Patient Education Material on Congestive Heart Failure

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    Background Online health information is being used more ubiquitously by the general population. However, this information typically favors only a small percentage of readers, which can result in suboptimal medical outcomes for patients. Objective The readability of online patient education materials regarding the topic of congestive heart failure was assessed through six readability assessment tools. Methods The search phrase “congestive heart failure” was employed into the search engine Google. Out of the first 100 websites, only 70 were included attending to compliance with selection and exclusion criteria. These were then assessed through six readability assessment tools. Results Only 5 out of 70 websites were within the limits of the recommended sixth-grade readability level. The mean readability scores were as follows: the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (9.79), Gunning-Fog Score (11.95), Coleman-Liau Index (15.17), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) index (11.39), and the Flesch Reading Ease (48.87). Conclusion Most of the analyzed websites were found to be above the sixth-grade readability level recommendations. Efforts need to be made to better tailor online patient education materials to the general population. PMID:28656111

  8. A report on the collection of data relevant to the Canadian National Uranium Tailings Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, A.

    1984-10-01

    In December of 1983, Systemhouse Ltd. was awarded a contract to collect data relevant to the Canadian National Uranium Tailings Program and to convert it into a machine readable format. The work was carried out in four phases, namely, data identification, data collection, data transcription/conversion and data verification. The main priority was to identify as much relevant data as possible. The identified data was priorized against a predefined criteria established in conjunction with the project scientific authority. A total of 428 studies were identified as being relevant. Data from 19 of these were converted to machine-readable format, giving information on 2398 samples from 78 boreholes

  9. Quality and Readability of English-Language Internet Information for Voice Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dueppen, Abigail J; Bellon-Harn, Monica L; Radhakrishnan, Nandhakumar; Manchaiah, Vinaya

    2017-12-15

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate the readability and quality of English-language Internet information related to vocal hygiene, vocal health, and prevention of voice disorders. This study extends recent work because it evaluates readability, content quality, and website origin across broader search criteria than previous studies evaluating online voice material. Eighty-five websites were aggregated using five different country-specific search engines. Websites were then analyzed using quality and readability assessments. The entire web page was evaluated; however, no information or links beyond the first page was reviewed. Statistical calculations were employed to examine website ratings, differences between website origin and quality and readability scores, and correlations between readability instruments. Websites exhibited acceptable quality as measured by the DISCERN. However, only one website obtained the Health On the Net certification. Significant differences in quality were found among website origin, with government websites receiving higher quality ratings. Approximate educational levels required to comprehend information on the websites ranged from 8 to 9 years of education. Significant differences were found between website origin and readability measures with higher levels of education required to understand information on websites of nonprofit organizations. Current vocal hygiene, vocal health, and prevention of voice disorders websites were found to exhibit acceptable levels of quality and readability. However, highly rated Internet information related to voice care should be made more accessible to voice clients through Health On the Net certification. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Readability as a Factor in Magazine Ad Copy Recall.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wesson, David A.

    1989-01-01

    Examines the relationship between advertising copy readability and advertising effectiveness. Finds that recall is improved when the copy style is either fairly easy or fairly hard to read. Suggests the value of considering copy readability as a potential contributor, though a minor one, to the success of magazine advertising. (RS)

  11. Consent information leaflets - readable or unreadable?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Caroline; Reynard, John M; Turney, Benjamin W

    2015-05-01

    The objective of this article is to assess the readability of leaflets about urological procedures provided by the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) to evaluate their suitability for providing information. Information leaflets were assessed using three measures of readability: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) grade formulae. The scores were compared with national literacy statistics. Relatively good readability was demonstrated using the Flesch Reading Ease (53.4-60.1) and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (6.5-7.6) methods. However, the average SMOG index (14.0-15.0) for each category suggests that the majority of the leaflets are written above the reading level of an 18-year-old. Using national literacy statistics, at least 43% of the population will have significant difficultly understanding the majority of these leaflets. The results suggest that comprehension of the leaflets provided by the BAUS is likely to be poor. These leaflets may be used as an adjunct to discussion but it is essential to ensure that all the information necessary to make an informed decision has been conveyed in a way that can be understood by the patient.

  12. Readability Level of Spanish-Language Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Audiology and Otolaryngology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coco, Laura; Colina, Sonia; Atcherson, Samuel R.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the readability level of the Spanish versions of several audiology- and otolaryngology-related patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and include a readability analysis of 2 translation approaches when available—the published version and a “functionalist” version—using a team-based collaborative approach including community members. Method Readability levels were calculated using the Fry Graph adapted for Spanish, as well as the Fernandez-Huerta and the Spaulding formulae for several commonly used audiology- and otolaryngology-related PROMs. Results Readability calculations agreed with previous studies analyzing audiology-related PROMs in English and demonstrated many Spanish-language PROMs were beyond the 5th grade reading level suggested for health-related materials written for the average population. In addition, the functionalist versions of the PROMs yielded lower grade-level (improved) readability levels than the published versions. Conclusion Our results suggest many of the Spanish-language PROMs evaluated here are beyond the recommended readability levels and may be influenced by the approach to translation. Moreover, improved readability may be possible using a functionalist approach to translation. Future analysis of the suitability of outcome measures and the quality of their translations should move beyond readability and include an evaluation of the individual's comprehension of the written text. PMID:28892821

  13. Library Information-Processing System

    Science.gov (United States)

    1985-01-01

    System works with Library of Congress MARC II format. System composed of subsystems that provide wide range of library informationprocessing capabilities. Format is American National Standards Institute (ANSI) format for machine-readable bibliographic data. Adaptable to any medium-to-large library.

  14. readability of comprehension passages in junior high school (jhs)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    CHARLES

    ... to enhance readability. Key Words: readability formulas, comprehension passages, Junior High School, .... Index has a manual version but in this study the electronic version was used. The ..... probably the majority of the people heard the news by word of mouth. A critical look ..... The Journal of Tourism Studies 9.2: 49-60.

  15. Exploration on Automated Software Requirement Document Readability Approaches

    OpenAIRE

    Chen, Mingda; He, Yao

    2017-01-01

    Context. The requirements analysis phase, as the very beginning of software development process, has been identified as a quite important phase in the software development lifecycle. Software Requirement Specification (SRS) is the output of requirements analysis phase, whose quality factors play an important role in the evaluation work. Readability is a quite important SRS quality factor, but there are few available automated approaches for readability measurement, because of the tight depend...

  16. Effect of Built-Up Edge Formation during Stable State of Wear in AISI 304 Stainless Steel on Machining Performance and Surface Integrity of the Machined Part.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Yassmin Seid; Fox-Rabinovich, German; Paiva, Jose Mario; Wagg, Terry; Veldhuis, Stephen Clarence

    2017-10-25

    During machining of stainless steels at low cutting -speeds, workpiece material tends to adhere to the cutting tool at the tool-chip interface, forming built-up edge (BUE). BUE has a great importance in machining processes; it can significantly modify the phenomenon in the cutting zone, directly affecting the workpiece surface integrity, cutting tool forces, and chip formation. The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 304 stainless steel has a high tendency to form an unstable BUE, leading to deterioration of the surface quality. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the nature of the surface integrity induced during machining operations. Although many reports have been published on the effect of tool wear during machining of AISI 304 stainless steel on surface integrity, studies on the influence of the BUE phenomenon in the stable state of wear have not been investigated so far. The main goal of the present work is to investigate the close link between the BUE formation, surface integrity and cutting forces in the stable sate of wear for uncoated cutting tool during the cutting tests of AISI 304 stainless steel. The cutting parameters were chosen to induce BUE formation during machining. X-ray diffraction (XRD) method was used for measuring superficial residual stresses of the machined surface through the stable state of wear in the cutting and feed directions. In addition, surface roughness of the machined surface was investigated using the Alicona microscope and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to reveal the surface distortions created during the cutting process, combined with chip undersurface analyses. The investigated BUE formation during the stable state of wear showed that the BUE can cause a significant improvement in the surface integrity and cutting forces. Moreover, it can be used to compensate for tool wear through changing the tool geometry, leading to the protection of the cutting tool from wear.

  17. Prediction of 3D chip formation in the facing cutting with lathe machine using FEM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasetyo, Yudhi; Tauviqirrahman, Mohamad; Rusnaldy

    2016-04-01

    This paper presents the prediction of the chip formation at the machining process using a lathe machine in a more specific way focusing on facing cutting (face turning). The main purpose is to propose a new approach to predict the chip formation with the variation of the cutting directions i.e., the backward and forward direction. In addition, the interaction between stress analysis and chip formation on cutting process was also investigated. The simulations were conducted using three dimensional (3D) finite element method based on ABAQUS software with aluminum and high speed steel (HSS) as the workpiece and the tool materials, respectively. The simulation result showed that the chip resulted using a backward direction depicts a better formation than that using a conventional (forward) direction.

  18. Formalizing the Safety of Java, the Java Virtual Machine and Java Card

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hartel, Pieter H.; Moreau, Luc

    2001-01-01

    We review the existing literature on Java safety, emphasizing formal approaches, and the impact of Java safety on small footprint devices such as smart cards. The conclusion is that while a lot of good work has been done, a more concerted effort is needed to build a coherent set of machine readable

  19. Textbooks in Management, Marketing and Finance: An Analysis of Readability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallagher, Daniel J.; Thompson, G. Rodney

    1982-01-01

    Examines the readability of texts in basic junior level college courses in the fields of management, marketing, and finance. The readability model is described, along with its application and results. Specific texts and how they fared are listed in accompanying tables. (CT)

  20. Specific Features of Chip Making and Work-piece Surface Layer Formation in Machining Thermal Coatings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. M. Yaroslavtsev

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A wide range of unique engineering structural and performance properties inherent in metallic composites characterizes wear- and erosion-resistant high-temperature coatings made by thermal spraying methods. This allows their use both in manufacturing processes to enhance the wear strength of products, which have to operate under the cyclic loading, high contact pressures, corrosion and high temperatures and in product renewal.Thermal coatings contribute to the qualitative improvement of the technical level of production and product restoration using the ceramic composite materials. However, the possibility to have a significantly increased product performance, reduce their factory labour hours and materials/output ratio in manufacturing and restoration is largely dependent on the degree of the surface layer quality of products at their finishing stage, which is usually provided by different kinds of machining.When machining the plasma-sprayed thermal coatings, a removing process of the cut-off layer material is determined by its distinctive features such as a layered structure, high internal stresses, low ductility material, high tendency to the surface layer strengthening and rehardening, porosity, high abrasive properties, etc. When coatings are machined these coating properties result in specific characteristics of chip formation and conditions for formation of the billet surface layer.The chip formation of plasma-sprayed coatings was studied at micro-velocities using an experimental tool-setting microscope-based setup, created in BMSTU. The setup allowed simultaneous recording both the individual stages (phases of the chip formation process and the operating force factors.It is found that formation of individual chip elements comes with the multiple micro-cracks that cause chipping-off the small particles of material. The emerging main crack in the cut-off layer of material leads to separation of the largest chip element. Then all the stages

  1. Universally Designed Text on the Web: Towards Readability Criteria Based on Anti-Patterns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eika, Evelyn

    2016-01-01

    The readability of web texts affects accessibility. The Web Content Accessibility guidelines (WCAG) state that the recommended reading level should match that of someone who has completed basic schooling. However, WCAG does not give advice on what constitutes an appropriate reading level. Web authors need tools to help composing WCAG compliant texts, and specific criteria are needed. Classic readability metrics are generally based on lengths of words and sentences and have been criticized for being over-simplistic. Automatic measures and classifications of texts' reading levels employing more advanced constructs remain an unresolved problem. If such measures were feasible, what should these be? This work examines three language constructs not captured by current readability indices but believed to significantly affect actual readability, namely, relative clauses, garden path sentences, and left-branching structures. The goal is to see whether quantifications of these stylistic features reflect readability and how they correspond to common readability measures. Manual assessments of a set of authentic web texts for such uses were conducted. The results reveal that texts related to narratives such as children's stories, which are given the highest readability value, do not contain these constructs. The structures in question occur more frequently in expository texts that aim at educating or disseminating information such as strategy and journal articles. The results suggest that language anti-patterns hold potential for establishing a set of deeper readability criteria.

  2. Evaluation of the Readability of Dermatological Postoperative Patient Information Leaflets Across England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunt, William T N; McGrath, Emily J

    2016-06-01

    Postoperative patient information leaflets (PILs) provide important guidance to patients after skin surgery. Readability is a method of evaluating information for text comprehension. The recommended level for PIL readability is US grade ≤6. To evaluate the readability of public English dermatological postoperative PILs. All dermatology departments in England were requested to provide their postoperative PILs. Patient information leaflets were evaluated using Readability Studio (Oleander Software, Vandalia, OH). Two preselected parameters were also noted: whether the PIL was doctor or nurse-written, and whether the PIL was Information Standard hallmarked. Eighty-five of one hundred thirty (65.4%) of PILs were evaluated. Only 29.4% of the PILs were grade level ≤6 with Flesch-Kincaid. The mean readability levels were 7.8 for Flesch-Kincaid, 67 for Flesch reading ease, 10.5 for Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), 9.4 for Gunning-Fog, 8 for Fry, and 9.8 for FORCAST. No instruments demonstrated a significant difference between doctor (6) and nurse-written (7) PILs. Two instruments found that the 3 Information Standard hallmarked PILs had a higher (harder) readability than ordinary PILs (n = 82) (Gunning-Fog, p = .029*; SMOG p = .049*). Most English postoperative dermatological PILs' readability levels exceed recommendations (US grade ≤6). Departmental PILs should be reviewed to ensure that they are comprehensible to their patients.

  3. Readability of Orthopedic Trauma Patient Education Materials on the Internet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohan, Rohith; Yi, Paul H; Morshed, Saam

    In this study, we used the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Scale to determine the readability levels of orthopedic trauma patient education materials on the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) website and to examine how subspecialty coauthorship affects readability level. Included articles from the AAOS online patient education library and the AAOS OrthoPortal website were categorized as trauma or broken bones and injuries on the AAOS online library or were screened by study authors for relevance to orthopedic trauma. Subsequently, the Flesch-Kincaid scale was used to determine each article's readability level, which was reported as a grade level. Subspecialty coauthorship was noted for each article. A total of 115 articles from the AAOS website were included in the study and reviewed. Mean reading level was grade 9.1 for all articles reviewed. Nineteen articles (16.5%) were found to be at or below the eighth-grade level, and only 1 article was at or below the sixth-grade level. In addition, there was no statistically significant difference between articles coauthored by the various orthopedic subspecialties and those authored exclusively by AAOS. Orthopedic trauma readability materials on the AAOS website appear to be written at a reading comprehension level too high for the average patient to understand.

  4. EXFOR basics: A short guide to the nuclear reaction data exchange format

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McLane, V.

    1996-07-01

    This manual is intended as a guide to users of nuclear reaction data compiled in the EXFOR format, and is not intended as a complete guide to the EXFOR System. EXFOR is the exchange format designed to allow transmission of nuclear data between the Nuclear Reaction Data Centers. In addition to storing the data and its' bibliographic information, experimental information, including source of uncertainties, is also compiled. The status and history of the data set is also included, e.g., the source of the data, any updates which have been made, and correlations to other data sets. EXFOR is designed for flexibility in order to meet the diverse needs of the nuclear data compilation centers. This format should not be confused with a center-to-user format. Although users may obtain data from the centers in the EXFOR format, other center-to-user formats have been developed to meet the needs of the users within each center's own sphere of responsibility. The exchange format, as outlined, allows a large variety of numerical data tables with explanatory and bibliographic information to be transmitted in an easily machine-readable format (for checking and indicating possible errors) and a format that can be read by personnel (for passing judgment on and correcting any errors indicated by the machine). The data presently included in the EXFOR exchange include: a complete compilation of experimental neutron-induced reaction data, a selected compilation of charged-particle induced reaction data, a selected compilation of photon-induced reaction data

  5. Measuring the Readability of Elementary Algebra Using the Cloze Technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulm, Gerald

    The relationship to readability of ten variables characterizing structural properties of mathematical prose was investigated in elementary algebra textbooks. Readability was measured by algebra student's responses to two forms of cloze tests. Linear and currilinear correlations were calculated between each structural variable and the cloze test.…

  6. Readability of "Dear Patient" device advisory notification letters created by a device manufacturer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mueller, Luke A; Sharma, Arjun; Ottenberg, Abigale L; Mueller, Paul S

    2013-04-01

    In 2006, the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) recommended that cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) manufacturers use advisory notification letters to communicate with affected patients. To evaluate the readability of the HRS sample "patient device advisory notification" letter and those created by 1 CIED manufacturer. The HRS sample letter and 25 Boston Scientific Corporation letters dated from 2005 through 2011 were evaluated by using 6 readability tests. Readability (Flesch-Kincaid score) of the HRS sample letter was grade level 12.5, and median readability of the device manufacturer letters was grade level 12.8 (range 10.8-18.9). Similar results were obtained by using other readability scales. No letters had readability scores at the National Work Group on Literacy and Health's recommended reading level-fifth grade; the letters' readability exceeded this recommended level by an average of 7.7 grades (95% confidence interval 6.9-8.5; Preadability scores at the average reading level of US adults-eighth grade; the letters' readability exceeded this level by an average of 4.7 grades (95% confidence interval 3.9-5.5; Preadability of the HRS sample letter and those created by a CIED manufacturer significantly exceeded the recommended and average US adults' reading skill levels. Such letters are unlikely to be informative to many patients. CIED manufacturers should ensure that advisory letters are comprehensible to most affected patients. Copyright © 2013 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Virtual Machine Language

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grasso, Christopher; Page, Dennis; O'Reilly, Taifun; Fteichert, Ralph; Lock, Patricia; Lin, Imin; Naviaux, Keith; Sisino, John

    2005-01-01

    Virtual Machine Language (VML) is a mission-independent, reusable software system for programming for spacecraft operations. Features of VML include a rich set of data types, named functions, parameters, IF and WHILE control structures, polymorphism, and on-the-fly creation of spacecraft commands from calculated values. Spacecraft functions can be abstracted into named blocks that reside in files aboard the spacecraft. These named blocks accept parameters and execute in a repeatable fashion. The sizes of uplink products are minimized by the ability to call blocks that implement most of the command steps. This block approach also enables some autonomous operations aboard the spacecraft, such as aerobraking, telemetry conditional monitoring, and anomaly response, without developing autonomous flight software. Operators on the ground write blocks and command sequences in a concise, high-level, human-readable programming language (also called VML ). A compiler translates the human-readable blocks and command sequences into binary files (the operations products). The flight portion of VML interprets the uplinked binary files. The ground subsystem of VML also includes an interactive sequence- execution tool hosted on workstations, which runs sequences at several thousand times real-time speed, affords debugging, and generates reports. This tool enables iterative development of blocks and sequences within times of the order of seconds.

  8. An analysis of the readability characteristics of oral health information literature available to the public in Tasmania, Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnett, Tony; Hoang, Ha; Furlan, Ashlea

    2016-03-17

    The effectiveness of print-based health promotion materials is dependent on their readability. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of print-based oral health information literature publically available in Tasmania, Australia. Oral health education brochures were collected from 11 dental clinics across Tasmania and assessed for structure and format, content and readability. Reading level was calculated using three widely-used measures: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Flesch Reading Ease, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) reading grade level. The FKGL of the 67 brochures sampled ranged from grade 3 to 13. The grade level for government health department brochures (n = 14) ranged from grade 4 to 11 (5.6 ± 1.8). Reading levels for materials produced by commercial sources (n = 22) ranged from 3 to 13 (8.3 ± 2.1), those from professional associations (n = 22) ranged from grade 7 to 11 (8.9 ± 0.9) and brochures produced by other sources (n = 9) ranged from 5 to 10 (7.6 ± 1.5). The SMOG test was positively correlated with the FKGL (rs = 0.92, p readability characteristics differed. Many brochures required a reading skill level higher than that suited to a large proportion of the Tasmanian population. Readability and other characteristics of oral health education materials should be assessed to ensure their suitability for use with patients, especially those suspected of having low literacy skills.

  9. Readability Levels of the 1975 Third Grade Macmillan Basal Readers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKinney, Ernestine Williams

    1983-01-01

    Analysis of third-grade books in the New Macmillan Reading Program reveals that the books exceeded the publisher's designation of readability and did not progress in difficulty from easy to more difficult. Findings suggest the need for more complete and reliable information from publishers concerning textbook readability. (FL)

  10. Readability and Reading Ability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Benjamin D.; Stenner, A. Jackson

    This document discusses the measurement of reading ability and the readability of books by application of the Lexile framework. It begins by stating the importance of uniform measures. It then discusses the history of reading ability testing, based on the assumption that no researcher has been able to measure more than one kind of reading ability.…

  11. Prostate Cancer Information Available in Health-Care Provider Offices: An Analysis of Content, Readability, and Cultural Sensitivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Seul Ki; Seel, Jessica S; Yelton, Brooks; Steck, Susan E; McCormick, Douglas P; Payne, Johnny; Minter, Anthony; Deutchki, Elizabeth K; Hébert, James R; Friedman, Daniela B

    2018-07-01

    Prostate cancer (PrCA) is the most common cancer affecting men in the United States, and African American men have the highest incidence among men in the United States. Little is known about the PrCA-related educational materials being provided to patients in health-care settings. Content, readability, and cultural sensitivity of materials available in providers' practices in South Carolina were examined. A total of 44 educational materials about PrCA and associated sexual dysfunction was collected from 16 general and specialty practices. The content of the materials was coded, and cultural sensitivity was assessed using the Cultural Sensitivity Assessment Tool. Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, and the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook were used to assess readability. Communication with health-care providers (52.3%), side effects of PrCA treatment (40.9%), sexual dysfunction and its treatment (38.6%), and treatment options (34.1%) were frequently presented. All materials had acceptable cultural sensitivity scores; however, 2.3% and 15.9% of materials demonstrated unacceptable cultural sensitivity regarding format and visual messages, respectively. Readability of the materials varied. More than half of the materials were written above a high-school reading level. PrCA-related materials available in health-care practices may not meet patients' needs regarding content, cultural sensitivity, and readability. A wide range of educational materials that address various aspects of PrCA, including treatment options and side effects, should be presented in plain language and be culturally sensitive.

  12. Readability and suitability assessment of patient education materials in rheumatic diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhee, Rennie L; Von Feldt, Joan M; Schumacher, H Ralph; Merkel, Peter A

    2013-10-01

    Web-based patient education materials and printed pamphlets are frequently used by providers to inform patients about their rheumatic disease. Little attention has been given to the readability and appropriateness of patient materials. The objective of this study was to examine the readability and suitability of commonly used patient education materials for osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and vasculitis. Five or 6 popular patient resources for each disease were chosen for evaluation. Readability was measured using the Flesch-Kincaid reading grade level and suitability was determined by the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM), a score that considers characteristics such as content, graphics, layout/topography, and cultural appropriateness. Three different reviewers rated the SAM score and means were used in the analysis. Twenty-three resources written on the 4 diseases were evaluated. The education material for all 4 diseases studied had readability above the eighth-grade level and readability did not differ among the diseases. Only 5 of the 23 resources received superior suitability scores, and 3 of these 5 resources were written for OA. All 4 diseases received adequate suitability scores, with OA having the highest mean suitability score. Most patient education materials for rheumatic diseases are written at readability levels above the recommended sixth-grade reading level and have only adequate suitability. Developing more appropriate educational resources for patients with rheumatic diseases may improve patient comprehension. Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Rheumatology.

  13. Assessing readability of patient education materials: current role in orthopaedics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badarudeen, Sameer; Sabharwal, Sanjeev

    2010-10-01

    Health literacy is the single best predictor of an individual's health status. It is important to customize health-related education material to the individual patient's level of reading skills. Readability of a given text is the objective measurement of the reading skills one should possess to understand the written material. In this article, some of the commonly used readability assessment tools are discussed and guidelines to improve the comprehension of patient education handouts are provided. Where are we now? Several healthcare organizations have recommended the readability of patient education materials be no higher than sixth- to eighth-grade level. However, most of the patient education materials currently available on major orthopaedic Web sites are written at a reading level that may be too advanced for comprehension by a substantial proportion of the population. WHERE DO WE NEED TO GO?: There are several readily available and validated tools for assessing the readability of written materials. While use of audiovisual aids such as video clips, line drawings, models, and charts can enhance the comprehension of a health-related topic, standard readability tools cannot construe such enhancements. HOW DO WE GET THERE?: Given the variability in the capacity to comprehend health-related materials among individuals seeking orthopaedic care, stratifying the contents of patient education materials at different levels of complexity will likely improve health literacy and enhance patient-centered communication.

  14. Initial Readability Assessment of Clinical Trial Eligibility Criteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Tian; Elhadad, Noémie; Weng, Chunhua

    2015-01-01

    Various search engines are available to clinical trial seekers. However, it remains unknown how comprehensible clinical trial eligibility criteria used for recruitment are to a lay audience. This study initially investigated this problem. Readability of eligibility criteria was assessed according to (i) shallow and lexical characteristics through the use of an established, generic readability metric; (ii) syntactic characteristics through natural language processing techniques; and (iii) health terminological characteristics through an automated comparison to technical and lay health texts. We further stratified clinical trials according to various study characteristics (e.g., source country or study type) to understand potential factors influencing readability. Mainly caused by frequent use of technical jargons, a college reading level was found to be necessary to understand eligibility criteria text, a level much higher than the average literacy level of the general American population. The use of technical jargons should be minimized to simplify eligibility criteria text. PMID:26958204

  15. Readability of patient education materials on the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine website.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eltorai, Adam E M; Han, Alex; Truntzer, Jeremy; Daniels, Alan H

    2014-11-01

    The recommended readability of patient education materials by the American Medical Association (AMA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) should be no greater than a sixth-grade reading level. However, online resources may be too complex for some patients to understand, and poor health literacy predicts inferior health-related quality of life outcomes. This study evaluated whether the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) website's patient education materials meet recommended readability guidelines for medical information. We hypothesized that the readability of these online materials would have a Flesch-Kincaid formula grade above the sixth grade. All 65 patient education entries of the AOSSM website were analyzed for grade level readability using the Flesch-Kincaid formula, a widely used and validated tool to evaluate the text reading level. The average (standard deviation) readability of all 65 articles was grade level 10.03 (1.44); 64 articles had a readability score above the sixth-grade level, which is the maximum level recommended by the AMA and NIH. Mean readability of the articles exceeded this level by 4.03 grade levels (95% CI, 3.7-4.4; P reading level of US adults. Mean readability of the articles exceeded this level by 2.03 grade levels (95% CI, 1.7-2.4; P online AOSSM patient education materials exceeds the readability level recommended by the AMA and NIH, and is above the average reading level of the majority of US adults. This online information may be of limited utility to most patients due to a lack of comprehension. Our study provides a clear example of the need to improve the readability of specific education material in order to maximize the efficacy of multimedia sources.

  16. Component simulation in problems of calculated model formation of automatic machine mechanisms

    OpenAIRE

    Telegin Igor; Kozlov Alexander; Zhirkov Alexander

    2017-01-01

    The paper deals with the problems of the component simulation method application in the problems of the automation of the mechanical system model formation with the further possibility of their CAD-realization. The purpose of the investigations mentioned consists in the automation of the CAD-model formation of high-speed mechanisms in automatic machines and in the analysis of dynamic processes occurred in their units taking into account their elasto-inertial properties, power dissipation, gap...

  17. Readability of Online Patient Education Materials Related to IR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McEnteggart, Gregory E; Naeem, Muhammad; Skierkowski, Dorothy; Baird, Grayson L; Ahn, Sun H; Soares, Gregory

    2015-08-01

    To assess the readability of online patient education materials (OPEM) related to common diseases treated by and procedures performed by interventional radiology (IR). The following websites were chosen based on their average Google search return for each IR OPEM content area examined in this study: Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE), National Library of Medicine, RadiologyInfo, Mayo Clinic, WebMD, and Wikipedia. IR OPEM content area was assessed for the following: peripheral arterial disease, central venous catheter, varicocele, uterine artery embolization, vertebroplasty, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, and deep vein thrombosis. The following algorithms were used to estimate and compare readability levels: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Formula, Flesch Reading Ease Score, Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, and Coleman-Liau Index. Data were analyzed using general mixed modeling. On average, online sources that required beyond high school grade-level readability were Wikipedia (15.0), SIR (14.2), and RadiologyInfo (12.4); sources that required high school grade-level readability were CIRSE (11.3), Mayo Clinic (11.0), WebMD (10.6), and National Library of Medicine (9.0). On average, OPEM on uterine artery embolization, vertebroplasty, varicocele, and peripheral arterial disease required the highest level of readability (12.5, 12.3, 12.3, and 12.2, respectively). The IR OPEM assessed in this study were written above the recommended sixth-grade reading level and the health literacy level of the average American adult. Many patients in the general public may not have the ability to read and understand health information in IR OPEM. Copyright © 2015 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Readability and quality of wikipedia pages on neurosurgical topics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modiri, Omeed; Guha, Daipayan; Alotaibi, Naif M; Ibrahim, George M; Lipsman, Nir; Fallah, Aria

    2018-03-01

    Wikipedia is the largest online encyclopedia with over 40 million articles, and generating 500 million visits per month. The aim of this study is to assess the readability and quality of Wikipedia pages on neurosurgical related topics. We selected the neurosurgical related Wikipedia pages based on the series of online patient information articles that are published by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). We assessed readability of Wikipedia pages using five different readability scales (Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, SMOG) Grade level, and Coleman-Liau Index). We used the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Clear Communication Index as well as the DISCERN Instrument to evaluate the quality of each Wikipedia article. We identified a total of fifty-five Wikipedia articles that corresponded with patient information articles published by the AANS. This constitutes 77.46% of the AANS topics. The mean Flesch Kincaid reading ease score for all of the Wikipedia articles we analyzed is 31.10, which indicates that a college-level education is necessary to understand them. In comparison to the readability analysis for the AANS articles, the Wikipedia articles were more difficult to read across every scale. None of the Wikipedia articles meet the CDC criterion for clear communications. Our analyses demonstrated that Wikipedia articles related to neurosurgical topics are associated with higher grade levels for reading and also below the expected levels of clear communications for patients. Collaborative efforts from the neurosurgical community are needed to enhance the readability and quality of Wikipedia pages related to neurosurgery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Readability analysis of online resources related to lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiss, Kathleen D; Vargas, Christina R; Ho, Olivia A; Chuang, Danielle J; Weiss, Jonathan; Lee, Bernard T

    2016-11-01

    Patients seeking health information commonly use the Internet as the first source for material. Studies show that well-informed patients have increased involvement, satisfaction, and healthcare outcomes. As one-third of Americans have only basic or below basic health literacy, the National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association recommend patient-directed health resources be written at a sixth-grade reading level. This study evaluates the readability of commonly accessed online resources on lung cancer. A search for "lung cancer" was performed using Google and Bing, and the top 10 websites were identified. Location services were disabled, and sponsored sites were excluded. Relevant articles (n = 109) with patient-directed content available directly from the main sites were downloaded. Readability was assessed using 10 established methods and analyzed with articles grouped by parent website. The average reading grade level across all sites was 11.2, with a range from 8.8 (New Fog Count) to 12.2 (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook). The average Flesch Reading Ease score was 52, corresponding with fairly difficult to read text. The readability varied when compared by individual website, ranging in grade level from 9.2 to 15.2. Only 10 articles (9%) were written below a sixth-grade level and these tended to discuss simpler topics. Patient-directed online information about lung cancer exceeds the recommended sixth-grade reading level. Readability varies between individual websites, allowing physicians to direct patients according to level of health literacy. Modifications to existing materials can significantly improve readability while maintaining content for patients with low health literacy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Reading apps for children: Readability from the design perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammed, Wasan Abdulwahab; Husni, Husniza

    2017-10-01

    Electronic reading for young children opens new avenues especially with the advance of modern reading devices. The readability of mobile learning applications has received extensive attention by the designers and developers. The reason for such concern is due to its importance in determining usability related issues especially in the design context for children. In many cases, children find it difficult to interact with mobile reading apps. This is because apps for reading and for entertainment require different features. As such, this study sets out three objectives: 1) to evaluate five reading apps for young children from design perspectives; 2) to examine the readability for current existing mobile apps for reading and 3) to propose and evaluate mobile apps UI guideline for readability. Readability indices, observation and interview were conducted on 6 - 8 years old students. The obtained result showed that certain reading apps provide better reading experience for children than others. Some of the reasons are mostly related to the design characteristics embedded within the app. In addition, the use of animation was found to stimulate children reading experience as it is believed to offer the interactivity elements to gain their interest and willingness to read. These findings are believed to provide the recommendations and insights for designers of reading apps for children.

  1. The quality and readability of online consumer information about gynecologic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobota, Aleksandra; Ozakinci, Gozde

    2015-03-01

    The Internet has become an important source of health-related information for consumers, among whom younger women constitute a notable group. The aims of this study were (1) to evaluate the quality and readability of online information about gynecologic cancer using validated instruments and (2) to relate the quality of information to its readability. Using the Alexa Rank, we obtained a list of 35 Web pages providing information about 7 gynecologic malignancies. These were assessed using the Health on the Net (HON) seal of approval, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, and the DISCERN instrument. Flesch readability score was calculated for sections related to symptoms and signs and treatment. Less than 30% of the Web pages displayed the HON seal or achieved all JAMA benchmarks. The majority of the treatment sections were of moderate to high quality according to the DISCERN. There was no significant relationship between the presence of the HON seal and readability. Web pages achieving all JAMA benchmarks were significantly more difficult to read and understand than Web pages that missed any of the JAMA benchmarks. Treatment-related content of moderate to high quality as assessed by the DISCERN had a significantly better readability score than the low-quality content. The online information about gynecologic cancer provided by the most frequently visited Web pages is of variable quality and in general difficult to read and understand. The relationship between the quality and readability remains unclear. Health care providers should direct their patients to reliable material online because patients consider the Internet as an important source of information.

  2. Readability Comparison of Pro- and Anti-Cancer Screening Online Messages in Japan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okuhara, Tsuyoshi; Ishikawa, Hirono; Okada, Masahumi; Kato, Mio; Kiuchi, Takahiro

    2016-01-01

    Background: Cancer screening rates are lower in Japan than those in western countries. Health professionals publish pro-cancer screening messages on the internet to encourage audiences to undergo cancer screening. However, the information provided is often difficult to read for lay persons. Further, anti-cancer screening activists warn against cancer screening with messages on the Internet. We aimed to assess and compare the readability of pro- and anti-cancer screening online messages in Japan using a measure of readability. Methods: We conducted web searches at the beginning of September 2016 using two major Japanese search engines (Google.jp and Yahoo!.jp). The included websites were classified as “anti”, “pro”, or “neutral” depending on the claims, and “health professional” or “non-health professional” depending on the writers. Readability was determined using a validated measure of Japanese readability. Statistical analysis was conducted using two-way ANOVA. Results: In the total 159 websites analyzed, anti-cancer screening online messages were generally easier to read than pro-cancer screening online messages, Messages written by health professionals were more difficult to read than those written by non-health professionals. Claim × writer interaction was not significant. Conclusion: When health professionals prepare pro-cancer screening materials for publication online, we recommend they check for readability using readability assessment tools and improve text for easy comprehension when necessary. PMID:28125867

  3. The Readability of AAOS Patient Education Materials: Evaluating the Progress Since 2008.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Heather; Zhang, Dafang; Dyer, George S M

    2016-09-07

    The Internet has become a major resource for patients; however, patient education materials are frequently written at relatively high levels of reading ability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the readability of patient education materials on the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) web site. Readability scores were calculated for all patient education articles on the AAOS web site using 5 algorithms: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook) Grade, Coleman-Liau Index, and Gunning-Fog Index. The mean readability scores were compared across the anatomic categories to which they pertained. Using a liberal measure of readability, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, 3.9% of articles were written at or below the recommended sixth-grade reading level, and 84% of the articles were written above the eighth-grade reading level. Articles in the present study had a lower mean Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level than those available in 2008 (p readability levels of AAOS articles are higher than generally recommended. Although the mean Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level was lower in the present study than it was in 2008, a need remains to improve the readability of AAOS patient education articles. Ensuring that online patient education materials are written at an appropriate reading grade level would be expected to improve physician-patient communication. Copyright © 2016 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.

  4. Quality and readability assessment of websites related to recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    San Giorgi, Michel R M; de Groot, Olivier S D; Dikkers, Frederik G

    2017-10-01

    Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a rare disease for which a limited number of information sources for patients exist. The role of the Internet in the patient-physician relationship is increasing. More and more patients search for online health information, which should be of good quality and easy readable. The study aim was to investigate the quality and readability of English online health information about RRP. Quality and readability assessment of online information. Relevant information was collected using three different search engines and seven different search terms. Quality was assessed with the DISCERN instrument. The Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES) and average grade level (AGL) were determined to measure readability of the English websites. Fifty-one English websites were included. The mean DISCERN score of the websites is 28.1 ± 9.7 (poor quality); the mean FRES is 41.3 ± 14.9 (difficult to read); and the mean AGL is 12.6 ± 2.3. The quality and readability of English websites about RRP is alarmingly poor. NA. Laryngoscope, 127:2293-2297, 2017. © 2017 The Authors The Laryngoscope published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society Inc, “The Triological Society” and American Laryngological Association (ALA).

  5. Readability of Spine-Related Patient Education Materials From Leading Orthopedic Academic Centers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryu, Justine H; Yi, Paul H

    2016-05-01

    Cross-sectional analysis of online spine-related patient education materials from leading academic centers. To assess the readability levels of spine surgery-related patient education materials available on the websites of academic orthopedic surgery departments. The Internet is becoming an increasingly popular resource for patient education. Yet many previous studies have found that Internet-based orthopedic-related patient education materials from subspecialty societies are written at a level too difficult for the average American; however, no prior study has assessed the readability of spine surgery-related patient educational materials from leading academic centers. All spine surgery-related articles from the online patient education libraries of the top five US News & World Report-ranked orthopedic institutions were assessed for readability using the Flesch-Kincaid (FK) readability test. Mean readability levels of articles amongst the five academic institutions and articles were compared. We also determined the number of articles with readability levels at or below the recommended sixth- or eight-grade levels. Intraobserver and interobserver reliability of readability assessment were assessed. A total of 122 articles were reviewed. The mean overall FK grade level was 11.4; the difference in mean FK grade level between each department varied significantly (range, 9.3-13.4; P Online patient education materials related to spine from academic orthopedic centers are written at a level too high for the average patient, consistent with spine surgery-related patient education materials provided by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and spine subspecialty societies. This study highlights the potential difficulties patients might have in reading and comprehending the information in publicly available education materials related to spine. N/A.

  6. Readability evaluation of Internet-based patient education materials related to the anesthesiology field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Oliveira, Gildasio S; Jung, Michael; Mccaffery, Kirsten J; McCarthy, Robert J; Wolf, Michael S

    2015-08-01

    The main objective of the current investigation was to assess the readability of Internet-based patient education materials related to the field of anesthesiology. We hypothesized that the majority of patient education materials would not be written according to current recommended readability grade level. Online patient education materials describing procedures, risks, and management of anesthesia-related topics were identified using the search engine Google (available at www.google.com) using the terms anesthesia, anesthesiology, anesthesia risks, and anesthesia care. Cross-sectional evaluation. None. Assessments of content readability were performed using validated instruments (Flesch-Kincaid Grade Formulae, the Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook, the New Dale-Chall Test, the Fry graph, and the Flesch Reading Ease score). Ninety-six Web sites containing Internet patient education materials (IPEMs) were evaluated. The median (interquartile range) readability grade level for all evaluated IPEMs was 13.5 (12.0-14.6). All the evaluated documents were classified at a greater readability level than the current recommended readability grade, P Internet-based patient education materials related to the field of anesthesiology are currently written far above the recommended readability grade level. High complexity of written education materials likely limits access of information to millions of American patients. Redesign of online content of Web sites that provide patient education material regarding anesthesia could be an important step in improving access to information for patients with poor health literacy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Assessing the readability of ClinicalTrials.gov.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Danny T Y; Hanauer, David A; Mei, Qiaozhu; Clark, Patricia M; An, Lawrence C; Proulx, Joshua; Zeng, Qing T; Vydiswaran, V G Vinod; Collins-Thompson, Kevyn; Zheng, Kai

    2016-03-01

    ClinicalTrials.gov serves critical functions of disseminating trial information to the public and helping the trials recruit participants. This study assessed the readability of trial descriptions at ClinicalTrials.gov using multiple quantitative measures. The analysis included all 165,988 trials registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as of April 30, 2014. To obtain benchmarks, the authors also analyzed 2 other medical corpora: (1) all 955 Health Topics articles from MedlinePlus and (2) a random sample of 100,000 clinician notes retrieved from an electronic health records system intended for conveying internal communication among medical professionals. The authors characterized each of the corpora using 4 surface metrics, and then applied 5 different scoring algorithms to assess their readability. The authors hypothesized that clinician notes would be most difficult to read, followed by trial descriptions and MedlinePlus Health Topics articles. Trial descriptions have the longest average sentence length (26.1 words) across all corpora; 65% of their words used are not covered by a basic medical English dictionary. In comparison, average sentence length of MedlinePlus Health Topics articles is 61% shorter, vocabulary size is 95% smaller, and dictionary coverage is 46% higher. All 5 scoring algorithms consistently rated CliniclTrials.gov trial descriptions the most difficult corpus to read, even harder than clinician notes. On average, it requires 18 years of education to properly understand these trial descriptions according to the results generated by the readability assessment algorithms. Trial descriptions at CliniclTrials.gov are extremely difficult to read. Significant work is warranted to improve their readability in order to achieve CliniclTrials.gov's goal of facilitating information dissemination and subject recruitment. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association 2015. This work is written by US Government

  8. Deformation-phase transformation coupling mechanism of white layer formation in high speed machining of FGH95 Ni-based superalloy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Du, Jin [School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, Shandong 250353 (China); Liu, Zhanqiang, E-mail: melius@sdu.edu.cn [School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250061 (China); Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture, Shandong University, Ministry of Education, Shandong (China); Lv, Shaoyu [School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250061 (China)

    2014-02-15

    Ni-based superalloy represents a significant metal portion of the aircraft critical structural and engine components. When these critical structural components in aerospace industry are manufactured with the objective to reach high reliability levels and excellent service performance, surface integrity is one of the most relevant parameter used for evaluating the quality of finish machined surfaces. In the study of surface integrity, the formation white layer is a very important research topic. The formation of white layer on the Ni-based superalloy machined surface will reduce the machined parts service performance and fatigue life. This paper was conducted to determine the effects of cutting speed on white layer formation in high speed machining of FGH95 Ni-based superalloy. Optical microscope, scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction were employed to analyze the elements and microstructures of white layer and bulk materials. The statistical analysis for grain numbers was executed to study the influence of cutting speed on the grain refinement in the machined surface. The investigation results showed that white layer exhibits significantly different microstructures with the bulk materials. It shows densification, no obvious structural features characteristic. The microstructure and phase of Ni-based solid solution changed during cutting process. The increase of cutting speed causes the increase of white layer thickness when the cutting speed is less than 2000 m/min. However, white layer thickness reduces with the cutting speed further increase. The higher the cutting speed, the more serious grains refinement in machined surface. 2-D FEM for machining FGH95 were carried out to simulate the cutting process and obtained the cutting temperature field, cutting strain field and strain rate field. The impact mechanisms of cutting temperature, cutting strain and strain rates on white layer formation were analyzed. At last, deformation-phase transformation

  9. How Readable Are Parenting Books?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abram, Marie J.; Dowling, William D.

    1979-01-01

    The author's style of writing has implications for the ease with which the written material can be read. Using the Flesch Reading Ease Formula, the mean readability score, the standard deviation, and range are given for 50 parenting books. Discussion suggests how the list might be used by parent educators. (Author)

  10. Readability assessment of online urology patient education materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colaco, Marc; Svider, Peter F; Agarwal, Nitin; Eloy, Jean Anderson; Jackson, Imani M

    2013-03-01

    The National Institutes of Health, American Medical Association, and United States Department of Health and Human Services recommend that patient education materials be written at a fourth to sixth grade reading level to facilitate comprehension. We examined and compared the readability and difficulty of online patient education materials from the American Urological Association and academic urology departments in the Northeastern United States. We assessed the online patient education materials for difficulty level with 10 commonly used readability assessment tools, including the Flesch Reading Ease Score, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook, New Dale-Chall Test, Coleman-Liau index, New Fog Count, Raygor Readability Estimate, FORCAST test and Fry score. Most patient education materials on the websites of these programs were written at or above the eleventh grade reading level. Urological online patient education materials are written above the recommended reading level. They may need to be simplified to facilitate better patient understanding of urological topics. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Pylinguistics: an open source library for readability assessment of texts written in Portuguese

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Castilhos, S.

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Readability assessment is an important task in automatic text simplification that aims identify the text complexity by computing a set of metrics. In this paper, we present the development and assessment of an open source library called Pylinguistics to readability assessment of texts written in Portuguese. Additionally, to illustrate the possibilities of our tool, this work also presents an empirical analysis of readability of Brazilian scientific news dissemination.

  12. Readability of patient education materials in ophthalmology: a single-institution study and systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Andrew M; Muir, Kelly W; Rosdahl, Jullia A

    2016-08-03

    Patient education materials should be written at a level that is understandable for patients with low health literacy. The aims of this study are (1) to review the literature on readability of ophthalmic patient education materials and (2) to evaluate and revise our institution's patient education materials about glaucoma using evidence-based guidelines on writing for patients with low health literacy. A systematic search was conducted on the PubMed/MEDLINE database for studies that have evaluated readability level of ophthalmic patient education materials, and the reported readability scores were assessed. Additionally, we collected evidence-based guidelines for writing easy-to-read patient education materials, and these recommendations were applied to revise 12 patient education handouts on various glaucoma topics at our institution. Readability measures, including Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), and word count were calculated for the original and revised documents. The original and revised versions of the handouts were then scored in random order by two glaucoma specialists using the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) instrument, a grading scale used to evaluate suitability of health information materials for patients. Paired t test was used to analyze changes in readability measures, word count, and SAM score between original and revised handouts. Finally, five glaucoma patients were interviewed to discuss the revised materials, and patient feedback was analyzed qualitatively. Our literature search included 13 studies that evaluated a total of 950 educational materials. Among the mean FKGL readability scores reported in these studies, the median was 11 (representing an eleventh-grade reading level). At our institution, handouts' readability averaged a tenth-grade reading level (FKGL = 10.0 ± 1.6), but revising the handouts improved their readability to a sixth-grade reading level (FKGL = 6.4 ± 1.2) (p readability and suitability of

  13. The readability and suitability of sexual health promotion leaflets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corcoran, Nova; Ahmad, Fatuma

    2016-02-01

    To investigate the readability and suitability of sexual health promotion leaflets. Application of SMOG, FRY and SAM tests to assess the readability and suitability of a selection of sexual health leaflets. SMOG and FRY scores illustrate an average reading level of grade 9. SAM scores indicate that 59% of leaflets are superior in design and 41% are average in design. Leaflets generally perform well in the categories of content, literacy demand, typography and layout. They perform poorly in use of graphics, learning stimulation/motivation and cultural appropriateness. Sexual health leaflets have a reading level that is too high. Leaflets perform well on the suitability scores indicating they are reasonably suitable. There are a number of areas where sexual health leaflets could improve their design. Numerous practical techniques are suggested for improving the readability and suitability of sexual health leaflets. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Consent information leaflets – readable or unreadable?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Caroline; Reynard, John M; Turney, Benjamin W

    2016-01-01

    Objective The objective of this article is to assess the readability of leaflets about urological procedures provided by the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) to evaluate their suitability for providing information. Methods Information leaflets were assessed using three measures of readability: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) grade formulae. The scores were compared with national literacy statistics. Results Relatively good readability was demonstrated using the Flesch Reading Ease (53.4–60.1) and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (6.5–7.6) methods. However, the average SMOG index (14.0–15.0) for each category suggests that the majority of the leaflets are written above the reading level of an 18-year-old. Using national literacy statistics, at least 43% of the population will have significant difficultly understanding the majority of these leaflets. Conclusions The results suggest that comprehension of the leaflets provided by the BAUS is likely to be poor. These leaflets may be used as an adjunct to discussion but it is essential to ensure that all the information necessary to make an informed decision has been conveyed in a way that can be understood by the patient. PMID:27867520

  15. Readability of Online Patient Educational Resources Found on NCI-Designated Cancer Center Web Sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Stephen A; Francis, David; Hullett, Craig R; Morris, Zachary S; Fisher, Michael M; Brower, Jeffrey V; Bradley, Kristin A; Anderson, Bethany M; Bassetti, Michael F; Kimple, Randall J

    2016-06-01

    The NIH and Department of Health & Human Services recommend online patient information (OPI) be written at a sixth grade level. We used a panel of readability analyses to assess OPI from NCI-Designated Cancer Center (NCIDCC) Web sites. Cancer.gov was used to identify 68 NCIDCC Web sites from which we collected both general OPI and OPI specific to breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers. This text was analyzed by 10 commonly used readability tests: the New Dale-Chall Readability Formula, Flesch Reading Ease scale, Flesch-Kinaid Grade Level, FORCAST scale, Fry Readability Graph, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook test, Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook index, New Fog Count, Raygor Readability Estimate Graph, and Coleman-Liau Index. We tested the hypothesis that the readability of NCIDCC OPI was written at the sixth grade level. Secondary analyses were performed to compare readability of OPI between comprehensive and noncomprehensive centers, by region, and to OPI produced by the American Cancer Society (ACS). A mean of 30,507 words from 40 comprehensive and 18 noncomprehensive NCIDCCs was analyzed (7 nonclinical and 3 without appropriate OPI were excluded). Using a composite grade level score, the mean readability score of 12.46 (ie, college level: 95% CI, 12.13-12.79) was significantly greater than the target grade level of 6 (middle-school: Preadability metrics (P<.05). ACS OPI provides easier language, at the seventh to ninth grade level, across all tests (P<.01). OPI from NCIDCC Web sites is more complex than recommended for the average patient. Copyright © 2016 by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

  16. Readability assessment of package inserts of biological medicinal products from the European medicines agency website.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piñero-López, Ma Ángeles; Modamio, Pilar; Lastra, Cecilia F; Mariño, Eduardo L

    2014-07-01

    Package inserts that accompany medicines are a common source of information aimed at patients and should match patient abilities in terms of readability. Our objective was to determine the degree of readability of the package inserts for biological medicinal products commercially available in 2007 and compare them with the readability of the same package inserts in 2010. A total of 33 package inserts were selected and classified into five groups according to the type of medicine: monoclonal antibody-based products, cytokines, therapeutic enzymes, recombinant blood factors and other blood-related products, and recombinant hormones. The package inserts were downloaded from the European Medicines Agency website in 2007 and 2010. Readability was evaluated for the entire text of five of the six sections of the package inserts and for the 'Annex' when there was one. Three readability formulas were used: SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook) grade, Flesh-Kincaid grade level, and Szigriszt's perspicuity index. No significant differences were found between the readability results for the 2007 package inserts and those from 2010 according to any of the three readability indices studied (p>0.05). However, there were significant differences (preadability scores of the sections of the package inserts in both 2007 and 2010. The readability of the package inserts was above the recommended sixth grade reading level (ages 11-12) and may lead to difficulties of understanding for people with limited literacy. All the sections should be easy to read and, therefore, the readability of the medicine package inserts studied should be improved.

  17. The Readability of Information Literacy Content on Academic Library Web Sites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Adriene

    2010-01-01

    This article reports on a study addressing the readability of content on academic libraries' Web sites, specifically content intended to improve users' information literacy skills. Results call for recognition of readability as an evaluative component of text in order to better meet the needs of diverse user populations. (Contains 8 tables.)

  18. Readability in reading materials selection and coursebook design for college English in China

    OpenAIRE

    Lu, Zhongshe

    2002-01-01

    This thesis studies the application of readability in reading materials selection and coursebook design for college English in an EFL context in China. Its aim is to develop rationales which coursebook writers can utilise in selecting materials as texts and as a basis for designing tasks. This study, through a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, argues that readability is applicable in the EFL Chinese context, and readability plays a important role in determining...

  19. Using readability, comprehensibility and lexical coverage to ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    experience academic difficulty in technical subjects such as Accounting. Davison and ...... The readability of managerial accounting and financial management textbooks. .... Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Available.

  20. Evaluation of completeness of selected poison control center data fields.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaramillo, Jeanie E; Marchbanks, Brenda; Willis, Branch; Forrester, Mathias B

    2010-08-01

    Poison control center data are used in research and surveillance. Due to the large volume of information, these efforts are dependent on data being recorded in machine readable format. However, poison center records include non-machine readable text fields and machine readable coded fields, some of which are duplicative. Duplicating this data increases the chance of inaccurate/incomplete coding. For surveillance efforts to be effective, coding should be complete and accurate. Investigators identified a convenience sample of 964 records and reviewed the substance code determining if it matched its text field. They also reviewed the coded clinical effects and treatments determining if they matched the notes text field. The substance code matched its text field for 91.4% of the substances. The clinical effects and treatments codes matched their text field for 72.6% and 82.4% of occurrences respectively. This under-reporting of clinical effects and treatments has surveillance and public health implications.

  1. A readability comparison of anti- versus pro-influenza vaccination online messages in Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tsuyoshi Okuhara

    2017-06-01

    When health professionals prepare pro-influenza vaccination materials for publication online, we recommend they check for readability using readability assessment tools and improve the text for easy reading if necessary.

  2. Readability of the web: a study on 1 billion web pages

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Heus, Marije; Hiemstra, Djoerd

    We have performed a readability study on more than 1 billion web pages. The Automated Readability Index was used to determine the average grade level required to easily comprehend a website. Some of the results are that a 16-year-old can easily understand 50% of the web and an 18-year old can easily

  3. Readability of HIV/AIDS educational materials: the role of the medium of communication, target audience, and producer characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wells, J A

    1994-12-01

    The reading difficulty of many HIV/AIDS brochures and pamphlets limits their effectiveness. This analysis addresses correlates of readability in 136 HIV/AIDS educational items. Readability is measured using the SMOG Index. The medium of communication is significantly related to readability: comic books and brochures are, on average, more readable than books and pamphlets (10.9 versus 11.9). The target audience also differentiates readability. Materials for HIV antibody test seekers, the general community, and sexually active adults have a more difficult reading grade, averaging 12.1, whereas materials for ethnic minorities average a more readable 9.2. The producer organization's type and location are unrelated to readability, but an AIDS-specific organizational focus correlates with better readability (grade 10.8 vs. 11.8). These findings remain significant in multivariate analysis. The results indicate that brochures and comics are more likely to be comprehended by low-literacy populations, that an understanding of the literacy of target audiences is needed to produce materials with appropriate reading levels, and that policies to influence producer organizations may result in the creation of more readable materials.

  4. Using Readability Tests to Improve the Accuracy of Evaluation Documents Intended for Low-Literate Participants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kouame, Julien B.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Readability tests are indicators that measure how easy a document can be read and understood. Simple, but very often ignored, readability statistics cannot only provide information about the level of difficulty of the readability of particular documents but also can increase an evaluator's credibility. Purpose: The purpose of this…

  5. Web-based information on the treatment of oral leukoplakia - quality and readability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiriyakijja, Paswach; Fedele, Stefano; Porter, Stephen; Ni Riordain, Richeal

    2016-09-01

    To categorise the content and assess the quality and readability of the online information regarding the treatment for oral leukoplakia. An online search using the term 'leukoplakia treatment' was carried out on 8th June 2015 using the Google search engine. The content, quality and readability of the first 100 sites were explored. The quality of the web information was assessed using the following tools, the DISCERN instrument and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks for website analysis and the HON seal. Readability was assessed via the Flesch Reading Ease Score. The search strategy generated 357 000 sites on the Google search engine. Due to duplicate links, non-operating links and irrelevant links, a total of 47 of the first 100 websites were included in this study. The mean overall rating achieved by included websites using the DISCERN instrument was 2.3. With regard to the JAMA benchmarks, the vast majority of examined websites (95.7%) completely fulfilled the disclosure benchmark and less than 50% of included websites met the three remaining criteria. A mean total readability score of 47.5 was recorded with almost 90% of websites having a readability level ranging from fairly difficult to very difficult. Based on this study, the online health information regarding oral leukoplakia has challenging readability with content of questionable accuracy. As patients often search for health information online, it would be prudent for clinicians to highlight the caution with which online information should be interpreted. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Assessment of readability, understandability, and completeness of pediatric hospital medicine discharge instructions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unaka, Ndidi I; Statile, Angela; Haney, Julianne; Beck, Andrew F; Brady, Patrick W; Jerardi, Karen E

    2017-02-01

    The average American adult reads at an 8th-grade level. Discharge instructions written above this level might increase the risk of adverse outcomes for children as they transition from hospital to home. We conducted a cross-sectional study at a large urban academic children's hospital to describe readability levels, understandability scores, and completeness of written instructions given to families at hospital discharge. Two hundred charts for patients discharged from the hospital medicine service were randomly selected for review. Written discharge instructions were extracted and scored for readability (Fry Readability Scale [FRS]), understandability (Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool [PEMAT]), and completeness (5 criteria determined by consensus). Descriptive statistics enumerated the distribution of readability, understandability, and completeness of written discharge instructions. Of the patients included in the study, 51% were publicly insured. Median age was 3.1 years, and median length of stay was 2.0 days. The median readability score corresponded to a 10th-grade reading level (interquartile range, 8-12; range, 1-13). Median PEMAT score was 73% (interquartile range, 64%-82%; range, 45%-100%); 36% of instructions scored below 70%, correlating with suboptimal understandability. The diagnosis was described in only 33% of the instructions. Although explicit warning signs were listed in most instructions, 38% of the instructions did not include information on the person to contact if warning signs developed. Overall, the readability, understandability, and completeness of discharge instructions were subpar. Efforts to improve the content of discharge instructions may promote safe and effective transitions home. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2017;12:98-101. © 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine.

  7. A Software Application for Assessing Readability in the Japanese EFL Context

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozasa, Toshiaki; Weir, George R. S.; Fukui, Masayasu

    2010-01-01

    We have been engaged in developing a readability index and its application software attuned for Japanese EFL learners. The index program, Ozasa-Fukui Year Level Program, Ver. 1.0, was used in developing the readability metric Ozasa-Fukui Year Level Index but tended to assume a high level of computer knowledge in its users. As a result, the…

  8. Readability of Air Force Publications: A Criterion Referenced Evaluation. Final Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooke, Lydia R.; And Others

    In a study of the readability of Air Force regulations, the writer-estimated reading grade level (RGL) for each regulation was rechecked by using the FORCAST readability formula. In four of the seven cases, the regulation writers underestimated the RGL of their regulation by more than one grade level. None of the writers produced a document with…

  9. Readability of Questionnaires Assessing Listening Difficulties Associated with (Central) Auditory Processing Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atcherson, Samuel R.; Richburg, Cynthia M.; Zraick, Richard I.; George, Cassandra M.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Eight English-language, student- or parent proxy-administered questionnaires for (central) auditory processing disorders, or (C)APD, were analyzed for readability. For student questionnaires, readability levels were checked against the approximate reading grade levels by intended administration age per the questionnaires' developers. For…

  10. Varying Readability of Science-Based Text in Elementary Readers: Challenges for Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallagher, Tiffany L.; Fazio, Xavier; Gunning, Thomas G.

    2012-01-01

    This investigation compared readability formulae to publishers' identified reading levels in science-based elementary readers. Nine well-established readability indices were calculated and comparisons were made with the publishers' identified grade designations and between different genres of text. Results revealed considerable variance among the…

  11. Readability of Trauma-Related Patient Education Materials From the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eltorai, Adam E M; P Thomas, Nathan; Yang, Heejae; Daniels, Alan H; Born, Christopher T

    2016-02-01

    According to the american medical association (AMA) and the national institutes of health (NIH), the recommended readability of patient education materials should be no greater than a sixth-grade reading level. The online patient education information produced by the american academy of orthopaedic surgeons (AAOS) may be too complicated for some patients to understand. This study evaluated whether the AAOS's online trauma-related patient education materials meet recommended readability guidelines for medical information. Ninety-nine articles from the "Broken Bones and Injuries" section of the AAOS-produced patient education website, orthoinfo.org, were analyzed for grade level readability using the Flesch-Kincaid formula, a widely-used and validated tool to evaluate the text reading level. Results for each webpage were compared to the AMA/NIH recommended sixth-grade reading level and the average reading level of U.S. adults (eighth-grade). The mean (SD) grade level readability for all patient education articles was 8.8 (1.1). All but three of the articles had a readability score above the sixth-grade level. The readability of the articles exceeded this level by an average of 2.8 grade levels (95% confidence interval, 2.6 - 3.0; P reading skill level of U.S. adults (eighth grade) by nearly an entire grade level (95% confidence interval, 0.6-1.0; P education website have readability levels that may make comprehension difficult for a substantial portion of the patient population.

  12. Sense and readability: participant information sheets for research studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ennis, Liam; Wykes, Til

    2016-02-01

    Informed consent in research is partly achieved through the use of information sheets. There is a perception however that these information sheets are long and complex. The recommended reading level for patient information is grade 6, or 11-12 years old. To investigate whether the readability of participant information sheets has changed over time, whether particular study characteristics are related to poorer readability and whether readability and other study characteristics are related to successful study recruitment. Method: We obtained 522 information sheets from the UK National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network: Mental Health portfolio database and study principal investigators. Readability was assessed with the Flesch reading index and the Grade level test. Information sheets increased in length over the study period. The mean grade level across all information sheets was 9.8, or 15-16 years old. A high level of patient involvement was associated with more recruitment success and studies involving pharmaceutical or device interventions were the least successful. The complexity of information sheets had little bearing on successful recruitment. Information sheets are far more complex than the recommended reading level of grade 6 for patient information. The disparity may be exacerbated by an increasing focus on legal content. Researchers would benefit from clear guidance from ethics committees on writing succinctly and accessibly and how to balance the competing legal issues with the ability of participants to understand what a study entails. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2016.

  13. [Systematic analysis of the readability of patient information on the websites of clinics for plastic surgery].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esfahani, B Janghorban; Faron, A; Roth, K S; Schaller, H-E; Medved, F; Lüers, J-C

    2014-12-01

    The Internet is becoming increasing-ly important as a source of information for patients in medical issues. However, many patients have problems to adequately understand texts, especially with medical content. A basic requirement to understand a written text is the read-ability of a text. The aim of the present study was to examine texts on the websites of German -plastic-surgical hospitals with patient information regarding their readability. In this study, the read-ability of texts of 27 major departments of plastic and Hand surgery in Germany was systematically analysed using 5 recognised readability indices. First, texts were searched based on 20 representative key words and themes. Thereafter, texts were assigned to one of 3 major themes in order to enable statistical analysis. In addition to the 5 readability indices, further objective text parameters were also recorded. Overall, 288 texts were found for analyzation. Most articles were found on the topic of "handsurgery" (n=124), less were found for "facial plastic surgery" (n=80) and "flaps, breast and reconstructive surgery" (n=84). Consistently, all readability indices showed a poor readability for the vast majority of analysed texts with the text appearing readable only for readers with a higher educational level. No significant differences in readability were found between the 3 major themes. Especially in the communication of medical information, it is important to consider the knowledge and education of the addressee. The texts studied consistently showed a readability that is understandable only for academics. Thus, a large part of the intended target group is probably not reached. In order to adequately deliver online information material, a revision of the analysed internet texts appears to be recommendable. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  14. The readability of scientific texts is decreasing over time

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    Clarity and accuracy of reporting are fundamental to the scientific process. Readability formulas can estimate how difficult a text is to read. Here, in a corpus consisting of 709,577 abstracts published between 1881 and 2015 from 123 scientific journals, we show that the readability of science is steadily decreasing. Our analyses show that this trend is indicative of a growing use of general scientific jargon. These results are concerning for scientists and for the wider public, as they impact both the reproducibility and accessibility of research findings. PMID:28873054

  15. Free-format RPG IV the express guide to learning free format

    CERN Document Server

    Martin, Jim

    2015-01-01

    Focusing strictly on teaching free-format RPG programming methods, this book will help programmers wishing to upgrade their skills   This how-to guide offers a concise and thorough introduction to the increased productivity, better readability, and easier program maintenance that comes with the free-format style of programming in RPG IV. Although free-format information is available in IBM manuals, it is not separated from everything else, requiring hours of tedious research to track down the information needed. This book provides everything you need to know to write RPG IV in the free-format

  16. Readability of Patient Education Materials in Hand Surgery and Health Literacy Best Practices for Improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadden, Kristie; Prince, Latrina Y; Schnaekel, Asa; Couch, Cory G; Stephenson, John M; Wyrick, Theresa O

    2016-08-01

    This study aimed to update a portion of a 2008 study of patient education materials from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Web site with new readability results, to compare the results to health literacy best practices, and to make recommendations to the field for improvement. A sample of 77 patient education documents were downloaded from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Web site, handcare.org, and assessed for readability using 4 readability tools. Mean readability grade-level scores were derived. Best practices for plain language for written health materials were compiled from 3 government agency sources. The mean readability of the 77 patient education documents in the study was 9.3 grade level. This reading level is reduced from the previous study in 2008 in which the overall mean was 10.6; however, the current sample grade level still exceeds recommended readability according to best practices. Despite a small body of literature on the readability of patient education materials related to hand surgery and other orthopedic issues over the last 7 years, readability was not dramatically improved in our current sample. Using health literacy as a framework, improvements in hand surgery patient education may result in better understanding and better outcomes for patients seeing hand surgeons. Improved understanding of patient education materials related to hand surgery may improve preventable negative outcomes that are clinically significant as well as contribute to improved quality of life for patients. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Can Readability Formulas Be Used to Successfully Gauge Difficulty of Reading Materials?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Begeny, John C.; Greene, Diana J.

    2014-01-01

    A grade level of reading material is commonly estimated using one or more readability formulas, which purport to measure text difficulty based on specified text characteristics. However, there is limited direction for teachers and publishers regarding which readability formulas (if any) are appropriate indicators of actual text difficulty. Because…

  18. A Comparison of Readability in Science-Based Texts: Implications for Elementary Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallagher, Tiffany; Fazio, Xavier; Ciampa, Katia

    2017-01-01

    Science curriculum standards were mapped onto various texts (literacy readers, trade books, online articles). Statistical analyses highlighted the inconsistencies among readability formulae for Grades 2-6 levels of the standards. There was a lack of correlation among the readability measures, and also when comparing different text sources. Online…

  19. Informed consent and the readability of the written consent form.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivanadarajah, N; El-Daly, I; Mamarelis, G; Sohail, M Z; Bates, P

    2017-11-01

    Introduction The aim of this study was to objectively ascertain the level of readability of standardised consent forms for orthopaedic procedures. Methods Standardised consent forms (both in summary and detailed formats) endorsed by the British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) were retrieved from orthoconsent.com and assessed for readability. This involved using an online tool to calculate the validated Flesch reading ease score (FRES). This was compared with the FRES for the National Health Service (NHS) Consent Form 1. Data were analysed and interpreted according to the FRES grading table. Results The FRES for Consent Form 1 was 55.6, relating to the literacy expected of an A level student. The mean FRES for the BOA summary consent forms (n=27) was 63.6 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 61.2-66.0) while for the detailed consent forms (n=32), it was 68.9 (95% CI: 67.7-70.0). All BOA detailed forms scored >60, correlating to the literacy expected of a 13-15-year-old. The detailed forms had a higher FRES than the summary forms (p<0.001). Conclusions This study demonstrates that the BOA endorsed standardised consent forms are much easier to read and understand than the NHS Consent Form 1, with the detailed BOA forms being the easiest to read. Despite this, owing to varying literacy levels, a significant proportion of patients may struggle to give informed consent based on the written information provided to them.

  20. Machine learning in geosciences and remote sensing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David J. Lary

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Learning incorporates a broad range of complex procedures. Machine learning (ML is a subdivision of artificial intelligence based on the biological learning process. The ML approach deals with the design of algorithms to learn from machine readable data. ML covers main domains such as data mining, difficult-to-program applications, and software applications. It is a collection of a variety of algorithms (e.g. neural networks, support vector machines, self-organizing map, decision trees, random forests, case-based reasoning, genetic programming, etc. that can provide multivariate, nonlinear, nonparametric regression or classification. The modeling capabilities of the ML-based methods have resulted in their extensive applications in science and engineering. Herein, the role of ML as an effective approach for solving problems in geosciences and remote sensing will be highlighted. The unique features of some of the ML techniques will be outlined with a specific attention to genetic programming paradigm. Furthermore, nonparametric regression and classification illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of ML for tackling the geosciences and remote sensing problems.

  1. Readability levels of health pamphlets distributed in hospitals and health centres in Athens, Greece.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kondilis, B K; Akrivos, P D; Sardi, T A; Soteriades, E S; Falagas, M E

    2010-10-01

    Health literacy is important in the medical and social sciences due to its impact on behavioural and health outcomes. Nevertheless, little is known about it in Greece, including patients' level of understanding health brochures and pamphlets distributed in Greek hospitals and clinics. Observational study in the greater metropolitan area of Athens, Greece. Pamphlets and brochures written in the Greek language were collected from 17 hospitals and healthcare centres between the spring and autumn of 2006. Readability of pamphlets using the Flesch-Kincaid, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) and Fog methods was calculated based on a Greek readability software. Out of 70 pamphlets collected from 17 hospitals, 37 pamphlets met the criteria for the study. The average readability level of all scanned pamphlets was ninth to 10th grade, corresponding to a readability level of 'average'. A highly significant difference (PPamphlets from private hospitals were one grade more difficult than those from public hospitals. Approximately 43.7% of the Greek population aged ≥20 years would not be able to comprehend the available pamphlets, which were found to have an average readability level of ninth to 10th grade. Further research examining readability levels in the context of health literacy in Greece is warranted. This effort paves the way for additional research in the field of readability levels of health pamphlets in the Greek language, the sources of health information, and the level of understanding of key health messages by the population. Copyright © 2010 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Readability of patient information and consent documents in rheumatological studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hamnes, Bente; van Eijk-Hustings, Yvonne; Primdahl, Jette

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Before participation in medical research an informed consent must be obtained. This study investigates whether the readability of patient information and consent documents (PICDs) corresponds to the average educational level of participants in rheumatological studies in the Netherlands......, Denmark, and Norway. METHODS: 24 PICDs from studies were collected and readability was assessed independently using the Gunning's Fog Index (FOG) and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) grading. RESULTS: The mean score for the FOG and SMOG grades were 14.2 (9.0-19.0) and 14.2 (12-17) respectively....... The mean FOG and SMOG grades were 12.7 and 13.3 in the Dutch studies, 15.0 and 14.9 in the Danish studies, and 14.6 and 14.3 in the Norwegian studies, respectively. Out of the 2865 participants, more than 57 % had a lower educational level than the highest readability score calculated in the individual...

  3. Evaluating the Readability of Radio Frequency Identification for Construction Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Younghan Jung

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Radio Frequency Identification (RFID, which was originally introduced to improve material handling and speed production as part of supply chain management, has become a globally accepted technology that is now applied on many construction sites to facilitate real-time information visibility and traceability. This paper describes a senior undergraduate project for a Construction Management (CM program that was specifically designed to give the students a greater insight into technical research in the CM area. The students were asked to determine whether it would be possible to utilize an RFID system capable of tracking tagged equipment, personnel and materials across an entire construction site. This project required them to set up an experimental program, execute a series of experiments, analyze the results and summarize them in a report. The readability test was performed using an active Ultra-High frequency (UHF, 433.92 MHz RFID system with various construction materials, including metal, concrete, wood, plastic, and aluminum. The readability distance distances are measured for each of the six scenarios. The distance at which a tag was readable with no obstructions was found to be an average of 133.9m based on three measurements, with a standard deviation of 3.9m. This result confirms the manufacturer’s claimed distance of 137.2m. The RFID tag embedded under 50.8mm of concrete was readable for an average distance of only 12.2m, the shortest readable distance of any of the scenarios tested. At the end of the semester, faculty advisors held an open discussion session to gather feedback and elicit the students’ reflections on their research experiences, revealing that the students’ overall impressions of their undergraduate research had positively affected their postgraduate education plans.

  4. Readability assessment of online thyroid surgery patient education materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Chirag R; Cherla, Deepa V; Sanghvi, Saurin; Baredes, Soly; Eloy, Jean Anderson

    2013-10-01

    Published guidelines recommend written health information be written at or below the sixth-grade level. We evaluate the readability of online materials related to thyroid surgery. Thyroid surgery materials were evaluated using Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook (GFOG), and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG). Thirty-one documents were evaluated. FRES scores ranged from 29.3 to 67.8 (possible range = 0 to 100), and averaged 50.5. FKGL ranged from 6.9 to 14.9 (possible range = 3 to 12), and averaged 10.4. SMOG scores ranged from 11.8 to 14.5 (possible range = 3 to 19), and averaged 13.0. GFOG scores ranged from 10.6 to 18.0 (possible range = 3 to 19), and averaged 13.5. Readability scores for online thyroid surgery materials are higher (i.e., more difficult) than the recommended levels. However, readability is only one aspect of comprehension. Written information should be designed with that fact in mind. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Analysis of the readability of patient education materials from surgical subspecialties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansberry, David R; Agarwal, Nitin; Shah, Ravi; Schmitt, Paul J; Baredes, Soly; Setzen, Michael; Carmel, Peter W; Prestigiacomo, Charles J; Liu, James K; Eloy, Jean Anderson

    2014-02-01

    Patients are increasingly using the Internet as a source of information on medical conditions. Because the average American adult reads at a 7th- to 8th-grade level, the National Institutes of Health recommend that patient education material be written between a 4th- and 6th-grade level. In this study, we assess and compare the readability of patient education materials on major surgical subspecialty Web sites relative to otolaryngology. Descriptive and correlational design. Patient education materials from 14 major surgical subspecialty Web sites (American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, American Society of General Surgeons, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American Pediatric Surgical Association, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Society for Thoracic Surgeons, and American Urological Association) were downloaded and assessed for their level of readability using 10 widely accepted readability scales. The readability level of patient education material from all surgical subspecialties was uniformly too high. Average readability levels across all subspecialties ranged from the 10th- to 15th-grade level. Otolaryngology and other surgical subspecialties Web sites have patient education material written at an education level that the average American may not be able to understand. To reach a broader population of patients, it might be necessary to rewrite patient education material at a more appropriate level. N/A. © 2013 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

  6. Readability of patient education materials available at the point of care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stossel, Lauren M; Segar, Nora; Gliatto, Peter; Fallar, Robert; Karani, Reena

    2012-09-01

    Many patient education materials (PEMs) available on the internet are written at high school or college reading levels, rendering them inaccessible to the average US resident, who reads at or below an 8(th) grade level. Currently, electronic health record (EHR) providers partner with companies that produce PEMs, allowing clinicians to access PEMs at the point of care. To assess the readability of PEMs provided by a popular EHR vendor as well as the National Library of Medicine (NLM). We included PEMs from Micromedex, EBSCO, and MedlinePlus. Micromedex and EBSCO supply PEMs to Meditech, a popular EHR supplier in the US. MedlinePlus supplies the NLM. These PEM databases have high market penetration and accessibility. Grade reading level of the PEMs was calculated using three validated indices: Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), Gunning Fog (GFI), and Flesch-Kincaid (FKI). The percentage of documents above target readability and average readability scores from each database were calculated. We randomly sampled 100 disease-matched PEMs from three databases (n = 300 PEMs). Depending on the readability index used, 30-100% of PEMs were written above the 8(th) grade level. The average reading level for MedlinePlus, EBSCO, and Micromedex PEMs was 10.2 (1.9), 9.7 (1.3), and 8.6 (0.9), respectively (p ≤ 0.000) as estimated by the GFI. Estimates of readability using SMOG and FKI were similar. The majority of PEMS available through the NLM and a popular EHR were written at reading levels considerably higher than that of the average US adult.

  7. The Readability of Malaysian English Children Books: A Multilevel Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adlina Ismail

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available These days, there are more English books for children published by local publishers in Malaysia. It is a positive development because the books will be more accessible to the children. However, the books have never been studied and evaluated in depth yet. One important factor in assessing reading materials is readability. Readability determines whether a text is easy or difficult to understand and a balanced mix of both can promote learning and language development. Various researchers mentioned a multilevel framework of discourse that any language assessment on a text should take into account. The levels that were proposed were word, syntax, textbase, situation model and genre and rhetorical structures. Traditional readability measures such as Flesh Reading Ease Formula, Gunning Readability Index, Fog Count, and Fry Grade Level are not able to address the multilevel because they are based on shallow variables. In contrast, Coh-metrix TERA provided five indices that are correlated to grade level and aligned to the multilevel framework. This study analyzed ten Malaysian English chapter books for children using this Coh-metrix TERA. The result revealed that the Malaysian English children books were easy in shallow level but there was a possible difficulty in textbase and situation model level because of the lack of cohesion. In conclusion, more attention should be given on deeper level of text rather than just word and syntax level.

  8. Readability of Healthcare Literature for Hepatitis B and C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meillier, Andrew; Patel, Shyam; Al-Osaimi, Abdullah M S

    2015-12-01

    Patients increasingly use the Internet for educational material concerning health and diseases. This information can be utilized to teach the population of hepatitis B and C if properly written at the necessary grade level of the intended patient population. We explored the readability of online resources concerning hepatitis B and C. Google searches were performed for "Hepatitis B" and "Hepatitis C." The Internet resources that were intended for patient education were used with specific exclusions. Articles were taken from 19 and 23 different websites focusing on the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of hepatitis B and C, respectively. The articles were analyzed using Readability Studio Professional Edition (Oleander Solutions, Vandalia, OH) using 10 different readability scales. The results were compared and averaged to identify the anticipated academic grade level required to understand the information. The average readability scores of the 10 scales had ranges of 9.7-16.4 for hepatitis B and 9.2-16.4 for hepatitis C. The average academic reading grade level for hepatitis B was 12.6 ± 2.1 and for hepatitis C was 12.7 ± 2.1. There was no significant discrepancy between the hepatitis B and C Internet resource averaged grade levels. The resources accessed by patients are higher than the previously determined necessary grade level for patients to properly understand the intended information. The American Medical Association recommends material should be simplified to grade levels below the sixth grade level to benefit the ideal proportion of the patient population.

  9. Calisthenics with words: The effect of readability and investor sophistication on investors' performance judgment

    OpenAIRE

    Cui, Xiao Carol

    2016-01-01

    Since the 1990s, the SEC has advocated for financial disclosures to be in “plain English” so that they would be more readable and informative. Past research has shown that high readability is related to more extreme investor judgments of firm performance. Processing fluency is the prevalent theory to explain this: higher readability increases the investor’s subconscious reliance on the disclosure, so positive (negative) news leads to more positive (negative) judgments. The relationship may no...

  10. A dynamic programming–enhanced simulated annealing algorithm for solving bi-objective cell formation problem with duplicate machines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Mohammadi

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Cell formation process is one of the first and the most important steps in designing cellular manufacturing systems. It consists of identifying part families according to the similarities in the design, shape, and presses of parts and dedicating machines to each part family based on the operations required by the parts. In this study, a hybrid method based on a combination of simulated annealing algorithm and dynamic programming was developed to solve a bi-objective cell formation problem with duplicate machines. In the proposed hybrid method, each solution was represented as a permutation of parts, which is created by simulated annealing algorithm, and dynamic programming was used to partition this permutation into part families and determine the number of machines in each cell such that the total dissimilarity between the parts and the total machine investment cost are minimized. The performance of the algorithm was evaluated by performing numerical experiments in different sizes. Our computational experiments indicated that the results were very encouraging in terms of computational time and solution quality.

  11. Readability of Healthcare Literature for Gastroparesis and Evaluation of Medical Terminology in Reading Difficulty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meillier, Andrew; Patel, Shyam

    2017-02-01

    Gastroparesis is a chronic condition that can be further enhanced with patient understanding. Patients' education resources on the Internet have become increasingly important in improving healthcare literacy. We evaluated the readability of online resources for gastroparesis and the influence by medical terminology. Google searches were performed for "gastroparesis", "gastroparesis patient education material" and "gastroparesis patient information". Following, all medical terminology was determined if included on Taber's Medical Dictionary 22nd Edition. The medical terminology was replaced independently with "help" and "helping". Web resources were analyzed with the Readability Studio Professional Edition (Oleander Solutions, Vandalia, OH) using 10 different readability scales. The average of the 26 patient education resources was 12.7 ± 1.8 grade levels. The edited "help" group had 6.6 ± 1.0 and "helping" group had 10.4 ± 2.1 reading levels. In comparing the three groups, the "help" and "helping" groups had significantly lower readability levels (P Medical Association. Medical terminology was shown to be the cause for this elevated readability level with all, but four resources within the recommended grade levels following word replacement.

  12. 32 CFR 701.18 - Agency record.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ..., photographs, machine readable materials, inclusive of those in electronic form or format, or other documentary...) Hard copy or electronic records, which are subject to FOIA requests under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3), and which...

  13. How Readable Is BPH Treatment Information on the Internet? Assessing Barriers to Literacy in Prostate Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koo, Kevin; Yap, Ronald L

    2017-03-01

    Information about benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has become increasingly accessible on the Internet. Though the ability to find such material is encouraging, its readability and impact on informing patient decision making are not known. To evaluate the readability of Internet-based information about BPH in the context of website ownership and Health on the Net certification, three search engines were queried daily for 1 month with BPH-related keywords. Website ownership data and Health on the Net certification status were verified. Three readability analyses were performed: SMOG test, Dale-Chall readability formula, and Fry readability graph. An adjusted SMOG calculation was performed to reduce overestimation from medical jargon. After a total of 270 searches, 52 websites met inclusion criteria. Mean SMOG grade was 10.6 ( SD = 1.4) and 10.2 after adjustment. Mean Dale-Chall score was 9.1 ( SD = 0.6), or Grades 13 to 15. Mean Fry graph coordinates (173 syllables, 5.1 sentences) corresponded to Grade 15. Seven sites (13%) were at or below the average adult reading level based on SMOG; none of the sites qualified based on the other tests. Readability was significantly poorer for academic versus commercial sites and for Health on the Net-certified versus noncertified sites. In conclusion, online information about BPH treatment markedly exceeds the reading comprehension of most U.S. adults. Websites maintained by academic institutions and certified by the Health on the Net standard have more difficult readability. Efforts to improve literacy with respect to urological health should target content readability independent of reliability.

  14. Readability assessment of internet-based patient education materials related to facial fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanghvi, Saurin; Cherla, Deepa V; Shukla, Pratik A; Eloy, Jean Anderson

    2012-09-01

    Various professional societies, clinical practices, hospitals, and health care-related Web sites provide Internet-based patient education material (IPEMs) to the general public. However, this information may be written above the 6th-grade reading level recommended by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The purpose of this study is to assess the readability of facial fracture (FF)-related IPEMs and compare readability levels of IPEMs provided by four sources: professional societies, clinical practices, hospitals, and miscellaneous sources. Analysis of IPEMs on FFs available on Google.com. The readability of 41 FF-related IPEMs was assessed with four readability indices: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook (Gunning FOG). Averages were evaluated against national recommendations and between each source using analysis of variance and t tests. Only 4.9% of IPEMs were written at or below the 6th-grade reading level, based on FKGL. The mean readability scores were: FRES 54.10, FKGL 9.89, SMOG 12.73, and Gunning FOG 12.98, translating into FF-related IPEMs being written at a "difficult" writing level, which is above the level of reading understanding of the average American adult. IPEMs related to FFs are written above the recommended 6th-grade reading level. Consequently, this information would be difficult to understand by the average US patient. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

  15. The Effect of Technology-Based Altered Readability Levels on Struggling Readers' Science Comprehension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marino, Matthew T.; Coyne, Michael; Dunn, Michael

    2010-01-01

    This article reports findings from a study examining how altered readability levels affected struggling readers' (N = 288) comprehension of scientific concepts and vocabulary. Specifically, the researchers were interested in learning what effect altered readability levels have when low ability readers participate in a technology-based science…

  16. Structuring supplemental materials in support of reproducibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenbaum, Dov; Rozowsky, Joel; Stodden, Victoria; Gerstein, Mark

    2017-04-05

    Supplements are increasingly important to the scientific record, particularly in genomics. However, they are often underutilized. Optimally, supplements should make results findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (i.e., "FAIR"). Moreover, properly off-loading to them the data and detail in a paper could make the main text more readable. We propose a hierarchical organization for supplements, with some parts paralleling and "shadowing" the main text and other elements branching off from it, and we suggest a specific formatting to make this structure explicit. Furthermore, sections of the supplement could be presented in multiple scientific "dialects", including machine-readable and lay-friendly formats.

  17. Quality and readability of online information resources on insomnia

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Yan Ma; Albert C.Yang; Ying Duan; Ming Dong; Albert S.Yeung

    2017-01-01

    The internet is a major source for health information.An increasing number of people,including patients with insomnia,search for remedies online;however,little is known about the quality of such information.This study aimed to evaluate the quality and readability of insomnia-related online information.Google was used as the search engine,and the top websites on insomnia that met the inclusion criteria were evaluated for quality and readability.The analyzed websites belonged to nonprofit,commercial,or academic organizations and institutions such as hospitais and universities.Insomnia-related websites typically included definitions (85%),causes and risk factors (100%),symptoms (95%),and treatment options (90%).Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-Ⅰ) was the most commonly recommended approach for insomnia treatment,and sleep drugs are frequently mentioned.The overall quality of the websites on insomnia is moderate,but all the content exceeded the recommended reading ease levels.Concerns that must be addressed to increase the quality and trustworthiness of online health information include sharing metadata,such as authorship,time of creation and last update,and conflicts of interest;providing evidence for reliability;and increasing the readability for a layman audience.

  18. Efficient Parallel Sorting for Migrating Birds Optimization When Solving Machine-Part Cell Formation Problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Soto

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The Machine-Part Cell Formation Problem (MPCFP is a NP-Hard optimization problem that consists in grouping machines and parts in a set of cells, so that each cell can operate independently and the intercell movements are minimized. This problem has largely been tackled in the literature by using different techniques ranging from classic methods such as linear programming to more modern nature-inspired metaheuristics. In this paper, we present an efficient parallel version of the Migrating Birds Optimization metaheuristic for solving the MPCFP. Migrating Birds Optimization is a population metaheuristic based on the V-Flight formation of the migrating birds, which is proven to be an effective formation in energy saving. This approach is enhanced by the smart incorporation of parallel procedures that notably improve performance of the several sorting processes performed by the metaheuristic. We perform computational experiments on 1080 benchmarks resulting from the combination of 90 well-known MPCFP instances with 12 sorting configurations with and without threads. We illustrate promising results where the proposal is able to reach the global optimum in all instances, while the solving time with respect to a nonparallel approach is notably reduced.

  19. [Readability and internet accessibility of informative documents for spinal cord injury patients in Spanish].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bea-Muñoz, M; Medina-Sánchez, M; Flórez-García, M T

    2015-01-01

    Patients with spinal cord injuries and their carers have access to leaflets on Internet that they can use as educational material to complement traditional forms of education. The aim of this study is to evaluate the readability of informative documents in Spanish, obtained from Internet and aimed at patients with spinal cord injuries. A search was made with the Google search engine using the following key words: recommendation, advice, guide, manual, self-care, education and information, adding spinal cord injury, paraplegia and tetraplegia to each of the terms. We analyzed the first 50 results of each search. The readability of the leaflets was studied with the Flesch-Szigriszt index and the INFLESZ scale, both available on the INFLESZ program. Also indicated were year of publication, country and number of authors of the documents obtained. We obtained 16 documents, developed between 2001 and 2011. Readability oscillated between 43.34 (some-what difficult) and 62 (normal), with an average value of 51.56 (somewhat difficult). Only 4 pamphlets (25%) showed a Flesch-Szigriszt index of ≥ 55 (normal). There was no difference in readability by year, authors or country of publication. The readability of 75% of the documents studied was "somewhat difficult" according to the INFLESZ scale. These results coincide with previous studies, in both Spanish and English. If the readability of this type of documents is improved, it will be easier to achieve their educational goal.

  20. Calisthenics with Words: The Effect of Readability and Investor Sophistication on Investors’ Performance Judgment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao Carol Cui

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Since the 1990s, the SEC has advocated for financial disclosures to be in “plain English” so that they would be more readable and informative. Past research has shown that high readability is related to more extreme investor judgments of firm performance. Processing fluency is the prevalent theory to explain this: higher readability increases the investor’s subconscious reliance on the disclosure, so positive (negative news leads to more positive (negative judgments. The relationship may not be so simple, though: drawing on research from cognitive psychology, I predict and find that investor financial literacy simultaneously influences investor decision-making, and that it has an interactive effect with readability. When presented with financial disclosure containing conflicting financial information, investors with higher financial literacy make more negative judgments than investors with low financial literacy when the disclosure is easy to read, but the effect becomes insignificant when the disclosure becomes difficult to read. This effect is moderated by a comprehension gap between the two investor groups. Financial literacy and readability interact to impact both how and how well the investor processes financial information.

  1. Readability Levels of Dental Patient Education Brochures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boles, Catherine D; Liu, Ying; November-Rider, Debra

    2016-02-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate dental patient education brochures produced since 2000 to determine if there is any change in the Flesch-Kincaid grade level readability. A convenience sample of 36 brochures was obtained for analysis of the readability of the patient education material on multiple dental topics. Readability was measured using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level through Microsoft Word. Pearson's correlation was used to describe the relationship among the factors of interest. Backward model selection of multiple linear regression model was used to investigate the relationship between Flesch-Kincaid Grade level and a set of predictors included in this study. A convenience sample (n=36) of dental education brochures produced from 2000 to 2014 showed a mean Flesch-Kincaid reading grade level of 9.15. Weak to moderate correlations existed between word count and grade level (r=0.40) and characters count and grade level (r=0.46); strong correlations were found between grade level and average words per sentence (r=0.70), average characters per word (r=0.85) and Flesch Reading Ease (r=-0.98). Only 1 brochure out of the sample met the recommended sixth grade reading level (Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 5.7). Overall, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level of all brochures was significantly higher than the recommended sixth grade reading level (preadability of the brochures. However, the majority of the brochures analyzed are still testing above the recommended sixth grade reading level. Copyright © 2016 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

  2. Computational Text Analysis: A More Comprehensive Approach to Determine Readability of Reading Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aziz, Anealka; Fook, Chan Yuen; Alsree, Zubaida

    2010-01-01

    Reading materials are considered having high readability if readers are interested to read the materials, understand the content of the materials and able to read the materials fluently. In contrast, reading materials with low readability discourage readers from reading the materials, create difficulties for readers to understand the content of…

  3. Readability of Early Intervention Program Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pizur-Barnekow, Kris; Patrick, Timothy; Rhyner, Paula M.; Cashin, Susan; Rentmeester, Angela

    2011-01-01

    Accessibility of early intervention program literature was examined through readability analysis of documents given to families who have a child served by the Birth to 3 program. Nine agencies that serve families in Birth to 3 programs located in a county in the Midwest provided the (n = 94) documents. Documents were included in the analysis if…

  4. Man machine interaction for operator information systems : a general purpose display package on PC/AT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chandra, A.K.; Dubey, B.P.; Deshpande, S.V.; Vaidya, U.W.; Khandekar, A.B.

    1991-01-01

    Several operator information systems for nuclear plants have been developed at Reactor Control Division of BARC and these have involved extensive operator interaction to extract the maximum information from the systems. Each of these systems used a different scheme for operator interaction. A composite package has now been developed on PC/AT with EGA/VGA for use with any system to obviate the necessity to develop new software for each project. This permits information to be displayed in various formats viz. trend and history curves, tabular data, bar graphs and core matrix (both for 235 and 500 MWe cores). It also allows data to be printed and plotted using multi colour plotter. This package thus integrates all the features of the earlier systems. It also integrates the operator interaction scheme. It uses window based pull down menus to select parameters to be fed into a particular display format. Within any display format the operator has significant flexibility to modify the selected parameters using context dependent soft keys. The package also allows data to be retrieved in machine readable form. This report describes the various user friendly functions implemented and also the design of the system software. (author). 1 tab., 10 fig., 3 refs

  5. Readability of American online patient education materials in urologic oncology: a need for simple communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pruthi, Amanda; Nielsen, Matthew E; Raynor, Mathew C; Woods, Michael E; Wallen, Eric M; Smith, Angela B

    2015-02-01

    To determine the readability levels of reputable cancer and urologic Web sites addressing bladder, prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers. Online patient education materials (PEMs) for bladder, prostate, kidney, and testicular malignancies were evaluated from the American Cancer Society, American Society of Clinical Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Urology Care Foundation, Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, Prostate Cancer Foundation, Kidney Cancer Association, and Testicular Cancer Resource Center. Grade level was determined using several readability indices, and analyses were performed on the basis of cancer type, Web site, and content area (general, causes, risk factors and prevention, diagnosis and staging, treatment, and post-treatment). Estimated grade level of online PEMs ranged from 9.2 to 14.2 with an overall mean of 11.7. Web sites for kidney cancer had the least difficult readability (11.3) and prostate cancer had the most difficult readability (12.1). Among specific Web sites, the most difficult readability levels were noted for the Urology Care Foundation Web site for bladder and prostate cancer and the Kidney Cancer Association and Testicular Cancer Resource Center for kidney and testes cancer. Readability levels within content areas varied on the basis of the disease and Web site. Online PEMs in urologic oncology are written at a level above the average American reader. Simplification of these resources is necessary to improve patient understanding of urologic malignancy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Readability of informed consent forms in vascular and interventional radiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pinto, I.; Vigil, D.

    1998-01-01

    To evaluate the readability of the informed consent forms prepared for vascular and interventional radiology. The 18 informed consent forms were analyzed using the Gramatica tool employed in Microsoft Word 97 For Windows which combines the statistics on legibility in terms of three sections: scores, averages and legibility (Flech index, passive voice, sentence complexity and vocabulary complexity). For each, the integrated readability index was also manually calculated. All the documents present a Flesch index of over 10; the sentence complexity indexes are less than or equal to 20, demonstrating that the sentences are not long or complicated in structure. Finally, the integrated readability index of all of them is well over 70. The forms posses acceptable legibility indexes, but their evaluation should be completed by an opinion poll of the patients for whom they are written. Moreover, it must be kept in mind that these documents, like the procedures performed, are changing continually. Thus, it is necessary to update and modify the information to be provided to the patients. (Author) 11 refs

  7. Method of generating a computer readable model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2008-01-01

    A method of generating a computer readable model of a geometrical object constructed from a plurality of interconnectable construction elements, wherein each construction element has a number of connection elements for connecting the construction element with another construction element. The met......A method of generating a computer readable model of a geometrical object constructed from a plurality of interconnectable construction elements, wherein each construction element has a number of connection elements for connecting the construction element with another construction element....... The method comprises encoding a first and a second one of the construction elements as corresponding data structures, each representing the connection elements of the corresponding construction element, and each of the connection elements having associated with it a predetermined connection type. The method...... further comprises determining a first connection element of the first construction element and a second connection element of the second construction element located in a predetermined proximity of each other; and retrieving connectivity information of the corresponding connection types of the first...

  8. The quality and readability of internet information regarding clavicle fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Dafang; Schumacher, Charles; Harris, Mitchel Byron

    2016-03-01

    The internet has become a major source of health information for patients. However, there has been little scrutiny of health information available on the internet to the public. Our objectives were to evaluate the quality and readability of information available on the internet regarding clavicle fractures and whether they changed with academic affiliation of the website or with complexity of the search term. Through a prospective evaluation of 3 search engines using 3 different search terms of varying complexity ("broken collarbone," "collarbone fracture," and "clavicle fracture"), we evaluated 91 website hits for quality and readability. Websites were specifically analyzed by search term and by website type. Information quality was evaluated on a four-point scale, and information readability was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid score for reading grade level. The average quality score for our website hits was low, and the average reading grade level was far above the recommended level. Academic websites offered significantly higher quality information, whereas commercial websites offered significantly lower quality information. The use of more complex search terms yielded information of higher reading grade level but not higher quality. Current internet information regarding clavicle fractures is of low quality and low readability. Higher quality information utilizing more accessible language on clavicle fractures is needed on the internet. It is important to be aware of the information accessible to patients prior to their presentation to our clinics. Patients should be advised to visit websites with academic affiliations and to avoid commercial websites. Copyright © 2015 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. [Global analysis of the readability of the informed consent forms used in public hospitals of Spain].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mariscal-Crespo, M I; Coronado-Vázquez, M V; Ramirez-Durán, M V

    To analyse the readability of informed consent forms (ICF) used in Public Hospitals throughout Spain, with the aim of checking their function of providing comprehensive information to people who are making any health decision no matter where they are in Spain. A descriptive study was performed on a total of 11,339 ICF received from all over Spanish territory, of which 1617 ICF were collected from 4 web pages of Health Portal and the rest (9722) were received through email and/or telephone contact from March 2012 to February 2013. The readability level was studied using the Inflesz tool. A total of 372 ICF were selected and analysed using simple random sampling. The Inflesz scale and the Flesch-Szigriszt index were used to analyse the readability. The readability results showed that 62.4% of the ICF were rated as a "little difficult", the 23.4% as "normal", and the 13.4% were rated as "very difficult". The highest readability means using the Flesch index were scored in Andalusia with a mean of 56.99 (95% CI; 55.42-58.57) and Valencia with a mean of 51.93 (95% CI; 48.4-55.52). The lowest readability means were in Galicia with a mean of 40.77 (95% CI; 9.83-71.71) and Melilla, mean=41.82 (95% CI; 35.5-48.14). The readability level of Spanish informed consent forms must be improved because their scores using readability tools could not be classified in normal scales. Furthermore, there was very wide variability among Spanish ICF, which showed a lack of equity in information access among Spanish citizens. Copyright © 2017 SECA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  10. Readability assessment of online patient education materials provided by the European Association of Urology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Betschart, Patrick; Zumstein, Valentin; Bentivoglio, Maico; Engeler, Daniel; Schmid, Hans-Peter; Abt, Dominik

    2017-12-01

    To assess the readability of the web-based patient education material provided by the European Association of Urology. English patient education materials (PEM) as available in May 2017 were obtained from the EAU website. Each topic was analyzed separately using six well-established readability assessment tools, including Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), SMOG Grade Level (SMOG), Coleman-Liau Index (CLI), Gunning Fog Index (GFI), Flesch Reading Ease Formula (FRE) and Fry Readability Graph (FRG). A total of 17 main topics were identified of which separate basic and in-depth information is provided for 14 topics. Calculation of grade levels (FKGL, SMOG, CLI, GFI) showed readability scores of 7th-13th grade for basic information, 8th-15th grade for in-depth information and 7th-15th grade for single PEM. Median FRE score was 54 points (range 45-65) for basic information and 56 points (41-64) for in-depth information. The FRG as a graphical assessment revealed only 13 valid results with an approximate 8th-17th grade level. The EAU provides carefully worked out PEM for 17 urological topics. Although improved readability compared to similar analyses was found, a simplification of certain chapters might be helpful to facilitate better patient understanding.

  11. MLitB: machine learning in the browser

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edward Meeds

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available With few exceptions, the field of Machine Learning (ML research has largely ignored the browser as a computational engine. Beyond an educational resource for ML, the browser has vast potential to not only improve the state-of-the-art in ML research, but also, inexpensively and on a massive scale, to bring sophisticated ML learning and prediction to the public at large. This paper introduces MLitB, a prototype ML framework written entirely in Javascript, capable of performing large-scale distributed computing with heterogeneous classes of devices. The development of MLitB has been driven by several underlying objectives whose aim is to make ML learning and usage ubiquitous (by using ubiquitous compute devices, cheap and effortlessly distributed, and collaborative. This is achieved by allowing every internet capable device to run training algorithms and predictive models with no software installation and by saving models in universally readable formats. Our prototype library is capable of training deep neural networks with synchronized, distributed stochastic gradient descent. MLitB offers several important opportunities for novel ML research, including: development of distributed learning algorithms, advancement of web GPU algorithms, novel field and mobile applications, privacy preserving computing, and green grid-computing. MLitB is available as open source software.

  12. Toward Automated Benchmarking of Atomistic Force Fields: Neat Liquid Densities and Static Dielectric Constants from the ThermoML Data Archive.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beauchamp, Kyle A; Behr, Julie M; Rustenburg, Ariën S; Bayly, Christopher I; Kroenlein, Kenneth; Chodera, John D

    2015-10-08

    Atomistic molecular simulations are a powerful way to make quantitative predictions, but the accuracy of these predictions depends entirely on the quality of the force field employed. Although experimental measurements of fundamental physical properties offer a straightforward approach for evaluating force field quality, the bulk of this information has been tied up in formats that are not machine-readable. Compiling benchmark data sets of physical properties from non-machine-readable sources requires substantial human effort and is prone to the accumulation of human errors, hindering the development of reproducible benchmarks of force-field accuracy. Here, we examine the feasibility of benchmarking atomistic force fields against the NIST ThermoML data archive of physicochemical measurements, which aggregates thousands of experimental measurements in a portable, machine-readable, self-annotating IUPAC-standard format. As a proof of concept, we present a detailed benchmark of the generalized Amber small-molecule force field (GAFF) using the AM1-BCC charge model against experimental measurements (specifically, bulk liquid densities and static dielectric constants at ambient pressure) automatically extracted from the archive and discuss the extent of data available for use in larger scale (or continuously performed) benchmarks. The results of even this limited initial benchmark highlight a general problem with fixed-charge force fields in the representation low-dielectric environments, such as those seen in binding cavities or biological membranes.

  13. Readability assessment of Internet-based patient education materials related to endoscopic sinus surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cherla, Deepa V; Sanghvi, Saurin; Choudhry, Osamah J; Liu, James K; Eloy, Jean Anderson

    2012-08-01

    Numerous professional societies, clinical practices, and hospitals provide Internet-based patient education materials (PEMs) to the general public, but not all of this information is written at a reading level appropriate for the average patient. The National Institutes of Health and the US Department of Health and Human Services recommend that PEMs be written at or below the sixth-grade level. Our purpose was to assess the readability of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS)-related PEMs available on the Internet and compare readability levels of PEMs provided by three sources: professional societies, clinical practices, and hospitals. A descriptive and correlational design was used for this study. The readability of 31 ESS-related PEMs was assessed with four different readability indices: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook (Gunning FOG). Averages were evaluated against national recommendations and between each source using analysis of variance and t tests. The majority of PEMs (96.8%) were written above the recommended sixth-grade reading level, based on FKGL (P Internet-based PEMs related to ESS, regardless of source type, were written well above the recommended sixth-grade level. Materials from the hospitals/university-affiliated websites had lower readability scores, but were still above recommended levels. Web-based PEMs pertaining to ESS should be written with the average patient in mind. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

  14. Readability of Patient Education Materials From the Web Sites of Orthopedic Implant Manufacturers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Meghan M; Yi, Paul H; Hussein, Khalil I; Cross, Michael B; Della Valle, Craig J

    2017-12-01

    Prior studies indicate that orthopedic patient education materials are written at a level that is too high for the average patient. The purpose of this study was to assess the readability of online patient education materials provided by orthopedic implant manufacturers. All patient education articles available in 2013 from the web sites of the 5 largest orthopedic implant manufacturers were identified. Each article was evaluated with the Flesch-Kincaid (FK) readability test. The number of articles with readability ≤ the eighth-grade level (average reading ability of US adults) and the sixth-grade level (recommended level for patient education materials) was determined. Mean readability levels of each company's articles were compared using analysis of variance (significance set at P articles were reviewed from the 5 largest implant manufacturers. The mean overall FK grade level was 10.9 (range, 3.8-16.1). Only 58 articles (10%) were written ≤ the eighth-grade level, and only 13 (2.2%) were ≤ the sixth-grade level. The mean FK grade level was significantly different among groups (Smith & Nephew = 12.0, Stryker = 11.6, Biomet = 11.3, DePuy = 10.6, Zimmer = 10.1; P education materials from implant manufacturers are written at a level too high to be comprehended by the average patient. Future efforts should be made to improve the readability of orthopedic patient education materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Crystal structure representations for machine learning models of formation energies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Faber, Felix [Department of Chemistry, Institute of Physical Chemistry and National Center for Computational Design and Discovery of Novel Materials, University of Basel Switzerland; Lindmaa, Alexander [Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping Sweden; von Lilienfeld, O. Anatole [Department of Chemistry, Institute of Physical Chemistry and National Center for Computational Design and Discovery of Novel Materials, University of Basel Switzerland; Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue Lemont Illinois 60439; Armiento, Rickard [Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping Sweden

    2015-04-20

    We introduce and evaluate a set of feature vector representations of crystal structures for machine learning (ML) models of formation energies of solids. ML models of atomization energies of organic molecules have been successful using a Coulomb matrix representation of the molecule. We consider three ways to generalize such representations to periodic systems: (i) a matrix where each element is related to the Ewald sum of the electrostatic interaction between two different atoms in the unit cell repeated over the lattice; (ii) an extended Coulomb-like matrix that takes into account a number of neighboring unit cells; and (iii) an ansatz that mimics the periodicity and the basic features of the elements in the Ewald sum matrix using a sine function of the crystal coordinates of the atoms. The representations are compared for a Laplacian kernel with Manhattan norm, trained to reproduce formation energies using a dataset of 3938 crystal structures obtained from the Materials Project. For training sets consisting of 3000 crystals, the generalization error in predicting formation energies of new structures corresponds to (i) 0.49, (ii) 0.64, and (iii) 0.37eV/atom for the respective representations.

  16. Readability Formulas as Applied to College Economics Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McConnell, Campbell R.

    1982-01-01

    Determines from empirical information on the application of four readability formulas to a group of widely used college economics textbooks that there is no consistency in the absolute reading levels or the rank orderings of these books. (AEA)

  17. Readability of Malaria Medicine Information Leaflets in Nigeria

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Erah

    2010-12-18

    Dec 18, 2010 ... for malaria medicines information leaflets available in Nigeria was 13.69 ± 1.70. This value is equivalent ... Health promotion and behaviour change communication ... their rational use at the community level. Readability is the ...

  18. Analysis of Readability and Interest of Marketing Education Textbooks: Implications for Special Needs Learners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Karen H.; And Others

    1993-01-01

    The readability, reading ease, interest level, and writing style of 20 current textbooks in secondary marketing education were evaluated. Readability formulas consistently identified lower reading levels for special needs education, human interest scores were not very reliable information sources, and writing style was also a weak variable. (JOW)

  19. Analysis of Microstructure and Chip Formation When Machining Ti-6Al-4V

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Islam Shyha

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Microstructure and chip formation were evaluated during the step shoulder down-milling of Ti-6Al-4V using a water-miscible vegetable oil-based cutting fluid. Experiments were conducted using the Cut-list fluid supply system previous developed by the authors and a conventional cutting fluid supply system. A thin plastically deformed layer below the machined surface was observed during the metallurgical investigation of the surfaces produced using both systems. Despite noticeable reductions in cutting fluid consumption achieved by Cut-list, no significant disparity was found in microstructural damage. The microstructure of the machined surfaces was strongly affected by cutting speed and fluid flow rate with a discontinuous serrated chip being the principal type. However, increases in cutting fluid flow rate associated with increased cutting speed significantly changed chip morphology where average distance between chip segments increased with cutting speed. Cut-list produced smaller saw-tooth height and larger segmented width, while the transition from aperiodic to periodic serrated chip formation was governed by cutting speed and feed rate. Chip segmentation frequency and shear angle were also sensitive to cutting speed.

  20. A Readability Analysis of Selected Introductory Economics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallagher, Daniel J.; Thompson, G. Rodney

    1981-01-01

    To aid secondary school and college level economics teachers as they select textbooks for introductory economics courses, this article recounts how teachers can use the Flesch Reading Ease Test to measure readability. Data are presented on application of the Flesch Reading Ease Test to 15 introductory economics textbooks. (Author/DB)

  1. Measuring the Readability of Children's Trade Books.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popp, Helen M.; Porter, Douglas

    In order to utilize interesting children's trade books in a systematic reading program, two readability formulas were devised based on a selection of children's trade books. Children's scores on selections from these books and judges' rankings were compared. The judges' decisions were considered to be highly credible and were used as the criterion…

  2. Readability and Content Assessment of Informed Consent Forms for Phase II-IV Clinical Trials in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Gaiyan; Liu, Xinchun; Huang, Lihua; Shu, Jingxian; Xu, Nana; Chen, Ruifang; Huang, Zhijun; Yang, Guoping; Wang, Xiaomin; Xiang, Yuxia; Lu, Yao; Yuan, Hong

    2016-01-01

    To explore the readability and content integrity of informed consent forms (ICFs) used in China and to compare the quality of Chinese local ICFs with that of international ICFs. The length, readability and content of 155 consent documents from phase II-IV drug clinical trials from the Third Xiangya Hospital Ethics Committee from November 2009 to January 2015 were evaluated. Reading difficulty was tested using a readability formula adapted for the Chinese language. An ICF checklist containing 27 required elements was successfully constructed to evaluate content integrity. The description of alternatives to participation was assessed. The quality of ICFs from different sponsorships were also compared. Among the 155 evaluable trials, the ICFs had a median length of 5286 words, corresponding to 7 pages. The median readability score was 4.31 (4.02-4.41), with 63.9% at the 2nd level and 36.1% at the 3rd level. Five of the 27 elements were frequently neglected. The average score for the description of alternatives to participation was 1.06, and 27.7% of the ICFs did not mention any alternatives. Compared with Chinese local ICFs, international ICFs were longer, more readable and contained more of the required elements (P readability and content integrity than Chinese local ICFs. More efforts should thus be made to improve the quality of consent documents in China.

  3. Measuring the readability of sustainability reports: : A corpus-based analysis through standard formulae and NLP

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smeuninx, N.; De Clerck, B.; Aerts, Walter

    2016-01-01

    This study characterises and problematises the language of corporate reporting along region, industry, genre, and content lines by applying readability formulae and more advanced natural language processing (NLP)–based analysis to a manually assembled 2.75-million-word corpus. Readability formulae

  4. Assessment of readability, quality and popularity of online information on ureteral stents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mozafarpour, Sarah; Norris, Briony; Borin, James; Eisner, Brian H

    2018-02-12

    To evaluate the quality and readability of online information on ureteral stents. Google.com was queried using the search terms "ureteric stent", "ureteral stent", "double J stent" and, "Kidney stent" derived from Google AdWords. Website popularity was determined using Google Rank and the Alexa tool. Website quality assessment was performed using the following criteria: Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, Health on the Net (HON) criteria, and a customized DISCERN questionnaire. The customized DISCERN questionnaire was developed by combining the short validated DISCERN questionnaire with additional stent-specific items including definition, placement, complications, limitations, removal and "when to seek help". Scores related to stent items were considered as the "stent score" (SS). Readability was evaluated using five readability tests. Thirty-two websites were included. The mean customized DISCERN score and "stent score" were 27.1 ± 7.1 (maximum possible score = 59) and 14.6 ± 3.8 (maximum possible score = 24), respectively. A minority of websites adequately addressed "stent removal" and "when to seek medical attention". Only two websites (6.3%) had HON certification (drugs.com, radiologyinfo.org) and only one website (3.3%) met all JAMA criteria (bradyurology.blogspot.com). Readability level was higher than the American Medical Association recommendation of sixth-grade level for more than 75% of the websites. There was no correlation between Google rank, Alexa rank, and the quality scores (P > 0.05). Among the 32 most popular websites on the topic of ureteral stents, online information was highly variable. The readability of many of the websites was far higher than standard recommendations and the online information was questionable in many cases. These findings suggest a need for improved online resources in order to better educate patients about ureteral stents and also should inform physicians that popular websites may

  5. Readability Formulas and User Perceptions of Electronic Health Records Difficulty: A Corpus Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Jiaping; Yu, Hong

    2017-03-02

    Electronic health records (EHRs) are a rich resource for developing applications to engage patients and foster patient activation, thus holding a strong potential to enhance patient-centered care. Studies have shown that providing patients with access to their own EHR notes may improve the understanding of their own clinical conditions and treatments, leading to improved health care outcomes. However, the highly technical language in EHR notes impedes patients' comprehension. Numerous studies have evaluated the difficulty of health-related text using readability formulas such as Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning-Fog Index (GFI). They conclude that the materials are often written at a grade level higher than common recommendations. The objective of our study was to explore the relationship between the aforementioned readability formulas and the laypeople's perceived difficulty on 2 genres of text: general health information and EHR notes. We also validated the formulas' appropriateness and generalizability on predicting difficulty levels of highly complex technical documents. We collected 140 Wikipedia articles on diabetes and 242 EHR notes with diabetes International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code. We recruited 15 Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) users to rate difficulty levels of the documents. Correlations between laypeople's perceived difficulty levels and readability formula scores were measured, and their difference was tested. We also compared word usage and the impact of medical concepts of the 2 genres of text. The distributions of both readability formulas' scores (Preadability predictions and laypeople's perceptions were weak. Furthermore, despite being graded at similar levels, documents of different genres were still perceived with different difficulty (Preadability formulas' predictions did not align with perceived difficulty in either text genre. The widely used readability formulas were

  6. On the communication of scientific data: The Full-Metadata Format

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Riede, Moritz; Schueppel, Rico; Sylvester-Hvid, Kristian O.

    2010-01-01

    In this paper, we introduce a scientific format for text-based data files, which facilitates storing and communicating tabular data sets. The so-called Full-Metadata Format builds on the widely used INI-standard and is based on four principles: readable self-documentation, flexible structure, fail...

  7. Readability of informed consent forms in clinical trials conducted in a skin research center

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samadi, Aniseh; Asghari, Fariba

    2016-01-01

    Obtaining informed consents is one of the most fundamental principles in conducting a clinical trial. In order for the consent to be informed, the patient must receive and comprehend the information appropriately. Complexity of the consent form is a common problem that has been shown to be a major barrier to comprehension for many patients. The objective of this study was to assess the readability of different templates of informed consent forms (ICFs) used in clinical trials in the Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy (CRTSDL), Tehran, Iran. This study was conducted on ICFs of 45 clinical trials of the CRTSDL affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences. ICFs were tested for reading difficulty, using the readability assessments formula adjusted for the Persian language including the Flesch–Kincaid reading ease score, Flesch–Kincaid grade level, and Gunning fog index. Mean readability score of the whole text of ICFs as well as their 7 main information parts were calculated. The mean ± SD Flesch Reading Ease score for all ICFs was 31.96 ± 5.62 that is in the difficult range. The mean ± SD grade level was calculated as 10.71 ± 1.8 (8.23–14.09) using the Flesch–Kincaid formula and 14.64 ± 1.22 (12.67–18.27) using the Gunning fog index. These results indicate that the text is expected to be understandable for an average student in the 11th grade, while the ethics committee recommend grade level 8 as the standard readability level for ICFs. The results showed that the readability scores of ICFs assessed in our study were not in the acceptable range. This means they were too complex to be understood by the general population. Ethics committees must examine the simplicity and readability of ICFs used in clinical trials. PMID:27471590

  8. Cauda equina syndrome: assessing the readability and quality of patient information on the Internet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Neill, Shane Ciaran; Baker, Joseph Frederick; Fitzgerald, Conall; Fleming, Christina; Rowan, Fiachra; Byrne, Damien; Synnott, Keith

    2014-05-01

    A readability and quality control Internet-based study using recognized quality scoring systems. To assess the readability and quality of Internet information relating to cauda equina syndrome accessed through common search engines. Access to health-related Internet information has increased dramatically during the past decade. A significant proportion of this information has been demonstrated to be set at too high a level for general comprehension. Despite this, searching for health-related information is now the third most popular online activity. A total of 125 cauda equina syndrome Web sites were analyzed from the 5 most popular Internet search engines: Google, Bing, Yahoo, Ask, and AOL. Web site authorship was classified: academic, physician, medico-legal, commercial, or discussion/social media. Readability of each Web site was assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease score, the Flesch-Kincaid grade level, and the Gunning Fog Index. Quality was calculated using the DISCERN instrument and The Journal of the American Medical Association benchmark criteria. The presence of HON-code certification was also assessed. Fifty-two individual Web sites were identified and assessed. The majority of Web sites were academic or physician compiled (53.8%; 28/52); however, a significant minority of Web sites were medico-legal related (19.2%; 10/52). Just 13.5% (7/52) of Web sites were at or below the recommended sixth-grade readability level. HON-code certified Web sites achieved significantly greater DISCERN (P = 0.0006) and The Journal of the American Medical Association (P = 0.0002) scores. Internet information relating to cauda equina syndrome is of variable quality and largely set at an inappropriate readability level. Given this variability in quality, health care providers should direct patients to known sources of reliable, readable online information. Identification of reliable sources may be aided by known markers of quality such as HON-code certification.

  9. Validation Study of Waray Text Readability Instrument

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyzon, Voltaire Q.; Corrales, Juven B.; Estardo, Wilfredo M., Jr.

    2015-01-01

    In 2012 the Leyte Normal University developed a computer software--modelled after the Spache Readability Formula (1953) made for English--made to help rank texts that can is used by teachers or research groups on selecting appropriate reading materials to support the DepEd's MTB-MLE program in Region VIII, in the Philippines. However,…

  10. Microdata to RDF – Second Edition : Transformation from HTML+Microdata to RDF

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    I. Hickson; G. Kellogg (Gregg); J. Tennison; I. Herman (Ivan); G. Kellogg (Gregg)

    2014-01-01

    textabstractHTML microdata [MICRODATA] is an extension to HTML used to embed machine-readable data into HTML documents. Whereas the microdata specification describes a means of markup, the output format is JSON. This specification describes processing rules that may be used to extract RDF

  11. Comet: A VOEvent broker

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Swinbank, J.

    2014-01-01

    The VOEvent standard provides a means of describing transient celestial events in a machine-readable format. This is an essential step towards analysing and, where appropriate, responding to the large volumes of transients which will be detected by future large scale surveys. The VOEvent Transport

  12. Development of SMOG-Cro readability formula for healthcare communication and patient education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brangan, Sanja

    2015-03-01

    Effective communication shows a positive impact on patient satisfaction, compliance and medical outcomes, at the same time reducing the healthcare costs. Written information for patients needs to correspond to health literacy levels of the intended audiences. Readability formulas correlate well with the reading and comprehension tests but are considered an easier and quicker method to estimate a text difficulty. SMOG readability formula designed for English language needs to be modified if used for texts in other languages. The aim of this study was to develop a readability formula based on SMOG, that could be used to estimate text difficulty of written materials for patients in Croatian language. Contras- tive analysis of English and Croatian language covering a corpus of almost 100,000 running words showed clear linguis- tic differences in the number of polysyllabic words. The new formula, named SMOG-Cro, is presented as an equation: SMOG-Cro = 2 + √4+ syllables, with the score showing the number of years of education a person needs to be able to understand a piece of writing. The presented methodology could help in the development of readability formulas for other languages. We hope the results of this study are soon put into practice for more effective healthcare communication and patient education, and for development of a health literacy assessment tool in Croatian language.

  13. PreBIND and Textomy – mining the biomedical literature for protein-protein interactions using a support vector machine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baskin Berivan

    2003-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The majority of experimentally verified molecular interaction and biological pathway data are present in the unstructured text of biomedical journal articles where they are inaccessible to computational methods. The Biomolecular interaction network database (BIND seeks to capture these data in a machine-readable format. We hypothesized that the formidable task-size of backfilling the database could be reduced by using Support Vector Machine technology to first locate interaction information in the literature. We present an information extraction system that was designed to locate protein-protein interaction data in the literature and present these data to curators and the public for review and entry into BIND. Results Cross-validation estimated the support vector machine's test-set precision, accuracy and recall for classifying abstracts describing interaction information was 92%, 90% and 92% respectively. We estimated that the system would be able to recall up to 60% of all non-high throughput interactions present in another yeast-protein interaction database. Finally, this system was applied to a real-world curation problem and its use was found to reduce the task duration by 70% thus saving 176 days. Conclusions Machine learning methods are useful as tools to direct interaction and pathway database back-filling; however, this potential can only be realized if these techniques are coupled with human review and entry into a factual database such as BIND. The PreBIND system described here is available to the public at http://bind.ca. Current capabilities allow searching for human, mouse and yeast protein-interaction information.

  14. Readability assessment of online patient education materials from academic otolaryngology-head and neck surgery departments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svider, Peter F; Agarwal, Nitin; Choudhry, Osamah J; Hajart, Aaron F; Baredes, Soly; Liu, James K; Eloy, Jean Anderson

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the readability of online patient education materials among academic otolaryngology departments in the mid-Atlantic region, with the purpose of determining whether these commonly used online resources were written at a level readily understood by the average American. A readability analysis of online patient education materials was performed using several commonly used readability assessments including the Flesch Reading Ease Score, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook, the New Dale-Chall Test, the Coleman-Liau Index, the New Fog Count, the Raygor Readability Estimate, the FORCAST test, and the Fry Graph. Most patient education materials from these programs were written at or above an 11th grade reading level, considerably above National Institutes of Health guidelines for recommended difficulty. Patient educational materials from academic otolaryngology Web sites are written at too difficult a reading level for a significant portion of patients and can be simplified. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Readability Revisited? The Implications of Text Complexity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wray, David; Janan, Dahlia

    2013-01-01

    The concept of readability has had a variable history, moving from a position where it was considered as a very important topic for those responsible for producing texts and matching those texts to the abilities and needs of learners, to its current declining visibility in the education literature. Some important work has been coming from the USA…

  16. Informed consent recall and comprehension in orthodontics: traditional vs improved readability and processability methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Edith Y; Fields, Henry W; Kiyak, Asuman; Beck, F Michael; Firestone, Allen R

    2009-10-01

    Low general and health literacy in the United States means informed consent documents are not well understood by most adults. Methods to improve recall and comprehension of informed consent have not been tested in orthodontics. The purposes of this study were to evaluate (1) recall and comprehension among patients and parents by using the American Association of Orthodontists' (AAO) informed consent form and new forms incorporating improved readability and processability; (2) the association between reading ability, anxiety, and sociodemographic variables and recall and comprehension; and (3) how various domains (treatment, risk, and responsibility) of information are affected by the forms. Three treatment groups (30 patient-parent pairs in each) received an orthodontic case presentation and either the AAO form, an improved readability form (MIC), or an improved readability and processability (pairing audio and visual cues) form (MIC + SS). Structured interviews were transcribed and coded to evaluate recall and comprehension. Significant relationships among patient-related variables and recall and comprehension explained little of the variance. The MIC + SS form significantly improved patient recall and parent recall and comprehension. Recall was better than comprehension, and parents performed better than patients. The MIC + SS form significantly improved patient treatment comprehension and risk recall and parent treatment recall and comprehension. Patients and parents both overestimated their understanding of the materials. Improving the readability of consent materials made little difference, but combining improved readability and processability benefited both patients' recall and parents' recall and comprehension compared with the AAO form.

  17. Free-format RPG IV

    CERN Document Server

    Martin, Jim

    2013-01-01

    This how-to guide offers a concise and thorough introduction to the increased productivity, better readability, and easier program maintenance that comes with the free-format style of programming in RPG IV. Although free-format information is available in IBM manuals, it is not separated from everything else, thereby requiring hours of tedious research to track down the information needed. This book provides everything one needs to know to write RPG IV in the free-format style, and author Jim Martin not only teaches rules and syntax but also explains how this new style of coding has the pot

  18. Fundamental investigation on influence of external heat on chip formation during thermal assisted machining

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alkali, A. U.; Ginta, T. L.; Abdulrani, A. M.; Elsiti, N. M.

    2018-04-01

    Various heat sources have been investigated by numerous researchers to reveal machinability benefits of thermally assisted machining (TAM) process. Fewer engineering materials have been tested. In the same vein, those researches continue to demonstrate effective performance of TAM in terms of bulk material removal rate, improved surface finish, prolong tool life and reduction of cutting forces among others. Experimental investigation on the strain-hardenability and flow stress of material removed with respect to increase in temperature in TAM has not been given attention in previous studies. This study investigated the pattern of chip morphology and segmentation giving close attention to influence of external heat source responsible for strain – hardenability of the material removed during TAM and dry machining at room temperature. Full immersion down cut milling was used throughout the machining conditions. Machining was conducted on AISI 316L using uncoated tungsten carbide end mill insert at varying cutting speeds (V) of 50, 79, and 100 m/min, and feed rates (f) of 0.15, 0.25, and 0.4 mm/tooth while the depth of cut was maintained at 0.2mm throughout the machining trials. The analyses of chip formation, segmentations and stain hardenability were carried out by using LMU light microscope, field emission microscopy and micro indentation. The study observed that build up edge is formed when a stagnation zone develops in front of tool tip which give rise to poor thermal gradient for conduction heat to be transferred within the bulk material during dry machining. This promotes varying strain – hardening of the material removed with evident high chips hardness and thickness, whereas TAM circumvents such impairment by softening the shear zone through local preheat.

  19. A Summary of Proposed Changes to the Current ICARTT Format Standards and their Implications to Future Airborne Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Northup, E. A.; Kusterer, J.; Quam, B.; Chen, G.; Early, A. B.; Beach, A. L., III

    2015-12-01

    The current ICARTT file format standards were developed for the purpose of fulfilling the data management needs for the International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation (ICARTT) campaign in 2004. The goal of the ICARTT file format was to establish a common and simple to use data file format to promote data exchange and collaboration among science teams with similar science objectives. ICARTT has been the NASA standard since 2010, and is widely used by NOAA, NSF, and international partners (DLR, FAAM). Despite its level of acceptance, there are a number of issues with the current ICARTT format, especially concerning the machine readability. To enhance usability, the ICARTT Refresh Earth Science Data Systems Working Group (ESDSWG) was established to enable a platform for atmospheric science data producers, users (e.g. modelers) and data managers to collaborate on developing criteria for this file format. Ultimately, this is a cross agency effort to improve and aggregate the metadata records being produced. After conducting a survey to identify deficiencies in the current format, we determined which are considered most important to the various communities. Numerous recommendations were made to improve upon the file format while maintaining backward compatibility. The recommendations made to date and their advantages and limitations will be discussed.

  20. An establish attempt of reasons of machining splinter formation in AC44200 alloy high pressure die castings

    OpenAIRE

    J. Mutwil

    2008-01-01

    A problem of splinter formation during machining the AC44200 alloy high pressure die casting has been experimental investigated. Inorder to establish the reason of this occurrence a set of 200 high pressure die casting of the tensile strength samples have been prepared. The tensile tests were carried out using a Zwick Z050 universal testing machine. JM-SPC program has been used for statistical analysis of test results. A large variability of tensile strength results has been found. In order t...

  1. An evaluation of the readability of drinking water quality reports: a national assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, Siddhartha; Phetxumphou, Katherine; Dietrich, Andrea M; Estabrooks, Paul A; You, Wen; Davy, Brenda M

    2015-09-01

    The United States Environmental Protection Agency mandates that community water systems (or water utilities) provide annual consumer confidence reports (CCRs)--water quality reports--to their consumers. These reports encapsulate information regarding sources of water, detected contaminants, regulatory compliance, and educational material. These reports have excellent potential for providing the public with accurate information on the safety of tap water, but there is a lack of research on the degree to which the information can be understood by a large proportion of the population. This study evaluated the readability of a nationally representative sample of 30 CCRs, released between 2011 and 2013. Readability (or 'comprehension difficulty') was evaluated using Flesch-Kincaid readability tests. The analysis revealed that CCRs were written at the 11th-14th grade level, which is well above the recommended 6th-7th grade level for public health communications. The CCR readability ease was found to be equivalent to that of the Harvard Law Review journal. These findings expose a wide chasm that exists between current water quality reports and their effectiveness toward being understandable to US residents. Suggestions for reorienting language and scientific information in CCRs to be easily comprehensible to the public are offered.

  2. Readability Assessment of Online Uveitis Patient Education Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayoub, Samantha; Tsui, Edmund; Mohammed, Taariq; Tseng, Joseph

    2017-12-29

    To evaluate the readability of online uveitis patient education materials. A Google search in November 2016 was completed using search term "uveitis" and "uveitis inflammation." The top 50 websites with patient-centered information were selected and analyzed for readability using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Gunning FOG Index (GFI), and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG). Statistical analysis was performed with two-tailed t-tests. The mean word count of the top 50 websites was 1162.7 words, and averaged 16.2 words per sentence. For these websites, the mean FRES was 38.0 (range 4-66, SD = 12.0), mean FKGL was 12.3 (range 6.8-19, SD = 2.4), mean SMOG score was 14.4 (range 9.8-19, SD = 1.8), and the mean Gunning FOG index was 14.0 (range 8.6-19, SD = 2.0). The majority of online patient directed uveitis materials are at a higher reading level than that of the average American adult.

  3. Use of a New Set of Linguistic Features to Improve Automatic Assessment of Text Readability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshimi, Takehiko; Kotani, Katsunori; Isahara, Hitoshi

    2012-01-01

    The present paper proposes and evaluates a readability assessment method designed for Japanese learners of EFL (English as a foreign language). The proposed readability assessment method is constructed by a regression algorithm using a new set of linguistic features that were employed separately in previous studies. The results showed that the…

  4. Biological Dynamics Markup Language (BDML): an open format for representing quantitative biological dynamics data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyoda, Koji; Tohsato, Yukako; Ho, Kenneth H L; Onami, Shuichi

    2015-04-01

    Recent progress in live-cell imaging and modeling techniques has resulted in generation of a large amount of quantitative data (from experimental measurements and computer simulations) on spatiotemporal dynamics of biological objects such as molecules, cells and organisms. Although many research groups have independently dedicated their efforts to developing software tools for visualizing and analyzing these data, these tools are often not compatible with each other because of different data formats. We developed an open unified format, Biological Dynamics Markup Language (BDML; current version: 0.2), which provides a basic framework for representing quantitative biological dynamics data for objects ranging from molecules to cells to organisms. BDML is based on Extensible Markup Language (XML). Its advantages are machine and human readability and extensibility. BDML will improve the efficiency of development and evaluation of software tools for data visualization and analysis. A specification and a schema file for BDML are freely available online at http://ssbd.qbic.riken.jp/bdml/. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

  5. IFLA General Conference, 1986. Bibliographic Control Division. Section: Cataloguing. Papers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, The Hague (Netherlands).

    Papers on cataloging which were presented at the 1986 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference include: (1) "Cataloging of Government Documents in the Age of Automation" (Chong Y. Yoon, United States), which discusses the use of MARC (Machine-Readable Cataloging) formats to integrate government documents into…

  6. Enhancing the Radiologist-Patient Relationship through Improved Communication: A Quantitative Readability Analysis in Spine Radiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansberry, D R; Donovan, A L; Prabhu, A V; Agarwal, N; Cox, M; Flanders, A E

    2017-06-01

    More than 75 million Americans have less than adequate health literacy skills according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Readability scores are used as a measure of how well populations read and understand patient education materials. The purpose of this study was to assess the readability of Web sites dedicated to patient education for radiologic spine imaging and interventions. Eleven search terms relevant to radiologic spine imaging were searched on the public Internet, and the top 10 links for each term were collected and analyzed to determine readability scores by using 10 well-validated quantitative readability assessments from patient-centered education Web sites. The search terms included the following: x-ray spine, CT spine, MR imaging spine, lumbar puncture, kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty, discogram, myelogram, cervical spine, thoracic spine, and lumbar spine. Collectively, the 110 articles were written at an 11.3 grade level (grade range, 7.1-16.9). None of the articles were written at the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health recommended 3rd-to-7th grade reading levels. The vertebroplasty articles were written at a statistically significant ( P readability scores of the articles and the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health recommended guidelines, it is likely that many patients do not fully benefit from these resources. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

  7. Forensic scientists' conclusions: how readable are they for non-scientist report-users?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howes, Loene M; Kirkbride, K Paul; Kelty, Sally F; Julian, Roberta; Kemp, Nenagh

    2013-09-10

    Scientists have an ethical responsibility to assist non-scientists to understand their findings and expert opinions before they are used as decision-aids within the criminal justice system. The communication of scientific expert opinion to non-scientist audiences (e.g., police, lawyers, and judges) through expert reports is an important but under-researched issue. Readability statistics were used to assess 111 conclusions from a proficiency test in forensic glass analysis. The conclusions were written using an average of 23 words per sentence, and approximately half of the conclusions were expressed using the active voice. At an average Flesch-Kincaid Grade level of university undergraduate (Grade 13), and Flesch Reading Ease score of difficult (42), the conclusions were written at a level suitable for people with some tertiary education in science, suggesting that the intended non-scientist readers would find them difficult to read. To further analyse the readability of conclusions, descriptive features of text were used: text structure; sentence structure; vocabulary; elaboration; and coherence and unity. Descriptive analysis supported the finding that texts were written at a level difficult for non-scientists to read. Specific aspects of conclusions that may pose difficulties for non-scientists were located. Suggestions are included to assist scientists to write conclusions with increased readability for non-scientist readers, while retaining scientific integrity. In the next stage of research, the readability of expert reports in their entirety is to be explored. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. The readability of pediatric patient education materials on the World Wide Web.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Alessandro, D M; Kingsley, P; Johnson-West, J

    2001-07-01

    Literacy is a national and international problem. Studies have shown the readability of adult and pediatric patient education materials to be too high for average adults. Materials should be written at the 8th-grade level or lower. To determine the general readability of pediatric patient education materials designed for adults on the World Wide Web (WWW). GeneralPediatrics.com (http://www.generalpediatrics.com) is a digital library serving the medical information needs of pediatric health care providers, patients, and families. Documents from 100 different authoritative Web sites designed for laypersons were evaluated using a built-in computer software readability formula (Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid reading levels) and hand calculation methods (Fry Formula and SMOG methods). Analysis of variance and paired t tests determined significance. Eighty-nine documents constituted the final sample; they covered a wide spectrum of pediatric topics. The overall Flesch Reading Ease score was 57.0. The overall mean Fry Formula was 12.0 (12th grade, 0 months of schooling) and SMOG was 12.2. The overall Flesch-Kincaid grade level was significantly lower (Peducation materials on the WWW are not written at an appropriate reading level for the average adult. We propose that a practical reading level and how it was determined be included on all patient education materials on the WWW for general guidance in material selection. We discuss suggestions for improved readability of patient education materials.

  9. Formalising the Safety of Java, the Java Virtual Machine and Java Card

    OpenAIRE

    Hartel, Pieter H.; Moreau, Luc

    2001-01-01

    We review the existing literature on Java safety, emphasizing formal approaches, and the impact of Java safety on small footprint devices such as smart cards. The conclusion is that while a lot of good work has been done, a more concerted effort is needed to build a coherent set of machine readable formal models of the whole of Java and its implementation. This is a formidable task but we believe it is essential to building trust in Java safety, and thence to achieve ITSEC level 6 or Common C...

  10. What parents are reading about laryngomalacia: Quality and readability of internet resources on laryngomalacia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corredera, Erica; Davis, Kara S; Simons, Jeffrey P; Jabbour, Noel

    2018-05-01

    The goal of this study is to measure the quality and readability of websites related to laryngomalacia, and to compare the quality and readability scores for the sites accessed through the most popular search engines. Laryngomalacia is a common diagnosis in children but is often difficult for parents to comprehend. As information available on the internet is unregulated, the quality and readability of this information may vary. An advanced search on Google, Yahoo, and Bing was conducted using the terms "laryngomalacia" OR "soft larynx" OR "floppy voice box." The first ten websites meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria were evaluated, for each search engine. Quality and readability were assessed using the DISCERN criteria and the Flesch reading ease scoring (FRES) and Flesch-Kincaid grade level (FKGL) tests, respectively. The top 10 hits on each search engine yielded 15 unique web pages. The median DISCERN score (out of a possible high-score of 80) was 48.5 (SD 12.6). The median USA grade-level estimated by the FKGL was 11.3 (SD 1.4). Only one website (6.7%), had a readability score in the optimal range of 6th to 8th grade reading level. DISCERN scores did not correlate with FKGL scores (r = 0.10). Online information discussing laryngomalacia often varies in quality and may not be easily comprehensible to the public. It is important for healthcare professionals to understand the quality of health information accessible to patients as it may influence medical decision-making by patient families. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. How Readability and Topic Incidence Relate to Performance on Mathematics Story Problems in Computer-Based Curricula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walkington, Candace; Clinton, Virginia; Ritter, Steven N.; Nathan, Mitchell J.

    2015-01-01

    Solving mathematics story problems requires text comprehension skills. However, previous studies have found few connections between traditional measures of text readability and performance on story problems. We hypothesized that recently developed measures of readability and topic incidence measured by text-mining tools may illuminate associations…

  12. An experimental study on the readability of the digital images in the furcal bone defects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Bong Hyeon; Hwang, Eui Hwan; Lee, Sang Rae

    1995-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare observer performance between conventional radiographs and their digitized images for the detection of bone loss in the bifurcation of mandibular first molar. One dried human mandible with minimal periodontal bone loss around the first molar was selected and serially enlarged 27 step defects were prepared in the bifurcation area. The mandible was radiographed with exposure time of 0.12, 0.20, 0.25, 0.32, 0.40, 0.64 seconds, after each successive step in the preperation and all radiographs were digitized with IBM-PC/32 bit-Dx compatible, video camera (VM-S8200, Hitachi Co., Japan), and color monitor (Multisync 3D, NEC, Japan). Sylvia Image Capture Board for the ADC (analog to digital converter) was used. The following results obtained: 1. In the conventional radiographs, the mean score of the readability was higher at the condition of exposure time with 0.32 second. Also, as the size of artificial lesion was increased, the readability of radiographs was elevated (p<0.05). 2. In the digital images, the mean score of the readability was higher at the condition of exposure time with 0.40 second. Also, as the size of artificial lesion was increased, the readability of digital images was elevated (p<0.05). 3. At the same exposure time, the mean scores of readability were mostly higher in the digitized images. As the exposure time was increased, the digital images were superior to radiographs in readability. 4. As the size of lesion was changed, the digital images were superior to radiographs in detecting small lesion. 5. The coefficient of variation of mean score has no significant difference between digital images and radiographs.

  13. Tools for Assessing Readability of Statistics Teaching Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lesser, Lawrence; Wagler, Amy

    2016-01-01

    This article provides tools and rationale for instructors in math and science to make their assessment and curriculum materials (more) readable for students. The tools discussed (MSWord, LexTutor, Coh-Metrix TEA) are readily available linguistic analysis applications that are grounded in current linguistic theory, but present output that can…

  14. Kinetics of steel heavy ingot formation in dies of semicontinuous-casting machines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsukerman, V.Ya.; Marchenko, I.K.

    1986-01-01

    Formation kinetics of round section ingot of up to 0.67 m in diameter was analyzed in dies of semicontinuous-casting machines on casting of the most usable assortment steels: medium-carbon low-alloyed and chromium-nickel stainless steels. It is established that solidification coefficient decreases in direct proportion to ingot diameter. Value of different-thickness ingot skin at die outlet is in direct proportion to a casted steel overheating temperature, ingot diameter and inversely proportional to the number and diameter of holes in a ladder nozzle and square root of ingot drawing rate

  15. Study of cutting speed on surface roughness and chip formation when machining nickel-based alloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khidhir, Basim A.; Mohamed, Bashir

    2010-01-01

    Nickel- based alloy is difficult-to-machine because of its low thermal diffusive property and high strength at higher temperature. The machinability of nickel- based Hastelloy C-276 in turning operations has been carried out using different types of inserts under dry conditions on a computer numerical control (CNC) turning machine at different stages of cutting speed. The effects of cutting speed on surface roughness have been investigated. This study explores the types of wear caused by the effect of cutting speed on coated and uncoated carbide inserts. In addition, the effect of burr formation is investigated. The chip burr is found to have different shapes at lower speeds. Triangles and squares have been noticed for both coated and uncoated tips as well. The conclusion from this study is that the transition from thick continuous chip to wider discontinuous chip is caused by different types of inserts. The chip burr has a significant effect on tool damage starting in the line of depth-of-cut. For the coated insert tips, the burr disappears when the speed increases to above 150 m/min with the improvement of surface roughness; increasing the speed above the same limit for uncoated insert tips increases the chip burr size. The results of this study showed that the surface finish of nickel-based alloy is highly affected by the insert type with respect to cutting speed changes and its effect on chip burr formation and tool failure

  16. Contents and readability of currently used surgical/ procedure ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Conclusion: The content of majority of the informed consent forms used in Nigerian tertiary health institutions are poor and their readability scores are not better than those used in developed parts of the world. Health Institutions in Nigeria should revise their informed consent forms to improve their contents and do a usability ...

  17. Readability and comprehension of self-report binge eating measures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richards, Lauren K; McHugh, R Kathryn; Pratt, Elizabeth M; Thompson-Brenner, Heather

    2013-04-01

    The validity of self-report binge eating instruments among individuals with limited literacy is uncertain. This study aims to evaluate reading grade level and multiple domains of comprehension of 13 commonly used self-report assessments of binge eating for use in low-literacy populations. We evaluated self-report binge eating measures with respect to reading grade levels, measure length, formatting and linguistic problems. All measures were written at a reading grade level higher than is recommended for patient materials (above the 5th to 6th grade level), and contained several challenging elements related to comprehension. Correlational analyses suggested that readability and comprehension elements were distinct contributors to measure difficulty. Individuals with binge eating who have low levels of educational attainment or limited literacy are often underrepresented in measure validation studies. Validity of measures and accurate assessment of symptoms depend on an individual's ability to read and comprehend instructions and items, and these may be compromised in populations with lower levels of literacy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Comparative Readability of Shoulder and Elbow Patient Education Materials within Orthopaedic Websites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beutel, Bryan G; Danna, Natalie R; Melamed, Eitan; Capo, John T

    2015-12-01

    There is growing concern that the readability of online orthopaedic patient education materials are too difficult for the general public to fully understand. It is recommended that this information be at the sixth grade reading level or lower. This study compared the readability of shoulder and elbow education articles from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) websites. Seventy-six patient education articles from the AAOS and ASSH concerning shoulder and elbow disorders were evaluated. Each article was assessed for the number of years since its last update, word count, percentage of passive sentences, Flesch Reading Ease score, Flesch-Kincaid grade level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) grade, and New Dale-Chall grade level. Only one article was at or below the sixth grade reading level. The AAOS and ASSH articles had the following respective scores: a mean Flesch Reading Ease score of 54.3 and 51.8, Flesch-Kincaid grade level of 9.4 and 10.3, SMOG grade of 8.5 and 9.4, and New Dale-Chall grade of 10.4 and 11.0. Articles from the AAOS were longer (p education materials regarding the shoulder and elbow on the AAOS and ASSH websites have readability scores above the recommended reading level. These may be too challenging for the majority of patients to read and consequently serve as a barrier to proper patient education. Reducing the percentage of passive sentences may serve as a novel target for improving readability.

  19. THE FORMATION OF THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE ENTERPRISES OF MACHINE-BUILDING COMPLEX OF UKRAINE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oksana Zbyrannyk

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The purpose is to analyse the existing approaches to determine the value of the production of innovative products and innovation in enterprises of machine-building complex of Ukraine in order to improve their level of competitiveness. Methodology. Statistical analysis and generalization of scientific approaches to the formation of the competitiveness of machine-building enterprises. Results of the of the analyzed approaches allowed to identify the cause of the imperfection of innovation policy in engineering. According to the research, the number of machine-building enterprises engaged in innovation activity, constantly shrinks; the share of innovative products in the total is only 3.5-4%, and the volume of imports of high-tech products exceeding the size of own production; the level of knowledge-intensive industrial production is only 0.3%. All this slows down the process of creating competitive products and as a result, the failure to provide highly own products to other industries, take a niche world of mechanical engineering. Practical implications. Ensure accelerated economic growth of the country as the defining condition for implementation of the European integration aspirations of Ukraine in the short term requires the intensification of innovative activity of the machine-building enterprises. The current state of innovation activity of enterprises in Ukraine is characterized by a number of negative factors: the internal environment of the majority of machine-building enterprises does not correspond to the market conditions of managing: high energy productions, the growth of the degree of wear and tear of fixed assets and reduce investment to update them, the lack of introduction of advanced production and resource-saving technologies, reducing innovation activity due to lack of financial resources significantly affect the level of the competitive machine-building enterprises. Value/ originality systematic approaches to determining the

  20. Dr Google: The readability and accuracy of patient education websites for Graves' disease treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purdy, Amanda C; Idriss, Almoatazbellah; Ahern, Susan; Lin, Elizabeth; Elfenbein, Dawn M

    2017-11-01

    National guidelines emphasize the importance of incorporating patient preferences into the recommendations for the treatment of Graves' disease. Many patients use the Internet to obtain health information, and search results can affect their treatment decisions. This study compares the readability and accuracy of patient-oriented online resources for the treatment of Graves' disease by website affiliation and treatment modality. A systematic Internet search was used to identify the top websites discussing the treatment of Graves' disease. Readability was measured using 5 standardized tests. Accuracy was assessed by a blinded, expert panel, which scored the accuracy of sites on a scale of 1 to 5. Mean readability and accuracy scores were compared among website affiliations and treatment modalities. We identified 13 unique websites, including 2 academic, 2 government, 5 nonprofit, and 4 private sites. There was a difference in both readability (mean 13.2, range 9.1-15.7, P = .003) and accuracy (mean 4.04, range 2.75-4.50, P = .019) based on website affiliation. Government sites (mean readability 11.1) were easier to read than academic (14.3, P < .01), nonprofit (13.9, P < .01), and private sites (13.5, P < .05). Academic sites (mean accuracy 4.50) were more accurate than private sites (3.56, P < .05). Online patient resources for the treatment of Graves' disease are written at an inappropriately high reading level. Academic sites contain both the most accurate and the most difficult to read information. Private sites represented the majority of our top results but contained the least accurate information. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Clozing in on readability : How linguistic features affect and predict text comprehension and on-line processing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kleijn, S.

    2018-01-01

    Is my text comprehensible for my audience? It is a question publishers, organizations and governments struggle with and it is a question that readability formulae proclaim to solve. With a press of a button the readability of a text is assessed and users know whether texts are suited for their

  2. Readability of online patient education materials for velopharyngeal insufficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Deborah X; Wang, Ray Y; Chinnadurai, Sivakumar

    2018-01-01

    Evaluate the readability of online and mobile application health information about velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). Top website and mobile application results for search terms "velopharyngeal insufficiency", "velopharyngeal dysfunction", "VPI", and "VPD" were analyzed. Readability was determined using 10 algorithms with Readability Studio Professional Edition (Oleander Software Ltd; Vandalia, OH). Subgroup analysis was performed based on search term and article source - academic hospital, general online resource, peer-reviewed journal, or professional organization. 18 unique articles were identified. Overall mean reading grade level was a 12.89 ± 2.9. The highest reading level among these articles was 15.47-approximately the level of a college senior. Articles from "velopharyngeal dysfunction" had the highest mean reading level (13.73 ± 2.11), above "velopharyngeal insufficiency" (12.30 ± 1.56) and "VPI" (11.66 ± 1.70). Articles from peer-reviewed journals had the highest mean reading level (15.35 ± 2.79), while articles from academic hospitals had the lowest (12.81 ± 1.66). There were statistically significant differences in reading levels between the different search terms (P reading level guidelines, online patient education materials for VPI are disseminated with language too complex for most readers. There is also a lack of VPI-related mobile application data available for patients. Patients will benefit if future updates to websites and disseminated patient information are undertaken with health literacy in mind. Future studies will investigate patient comprehension of these materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Readability Analysis of the Package Leaflets for Biological Medicines Available on the Internet Between 2007 and 2013: An Analytical Longitudinal Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piñero-López, María Ángeles; Modamio, Pilar; Lastra, Cecilia F; Mariño, Eduardo L

    2016-05-25

    The package leaflet included in the packaging of all medicinal products plays an important role in the transmission of medicine-related information to patients. Therefore, in 2009, the European Commission published readability guidelines to try to ensure that the information contained in the package leaflet is understood by patients. The main objective of this study was to calculate and compare the readability levels and length (number of words) of the package leaflets for biological medicines in 2007, 2010, and 2013. The sample of this study included 36 biological medicine package leaflets that were downloaded from the European Medicines Agency website in three different years: 2007, 2010, and 2013. The readability of the selected package leaflets was obtained using the following readability formulas: SMOG grade, Flesch-Kincaid grade level, and Szigriszt's perspicuity index. The length (number of words) of the package leaflets was also measured. Afterwards, the relationship between these quantitative variables (three readability indexes and length) and categorical (or qualitative) variables were analyzed. The categorical variables were the year when the package leaflet was downloaded, the package leaflet section, type of medicine, year of authorization of biological medicine, and marketing authorization holder. The readability values of all the package leaflets exceeded the sixth-grade reading level, which is the recommended value for health-related written materials. No statistically significant differences were found between the three years of study in the readability indexes, although differences were observed in the case of the length (P=.002), which increased over the study period. When the relationship between readability indexes and length and the other variables was analyzed, statistically significant differences were found between package leaflet sections (Preadability indexes (SMOG grade and Flesch-Kincaid grade level: r(2)=.92; SMOG grade and Szigriszt

  4. 49 CFR 573.4 - Definitions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... readable by machine. If readable by machine, the submitting party must obtain written confirmation from the Office of Defects Investigation immediately prior to submission that the machine is readily available to... addition, all coded information must be accompanied by an explanation of the codes used. Replacement...

  5. Readability of Orthopaedic Patient-reported Outcome Measures: Is There a Fundamental Failure to Communicate?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez, Jorge L; Mosher, Zachary A; Watson, Shawna L; Sheppard, Evan D; Brabston, Eugene W; McGwin, Gerald; Ponce, Brent A

    2017-08-01

    Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used to quantify patients' perceptions of functional ability. The American Medical Association and NIH suggest patient materials be written at or below 6th to 8th grade reading levels, respectively, yet one recent study asserts that few PROMs comply with these recommendations, and suggests that the majority of PROMs are written at too high of a reading level for self-administered patient use. Notably, this study was limited in its use of only one readability algorithm, although there is no commonly accepted, standard readability algorithm for healthcare-related materials. Our study, using multiple readability equations and heeding equal weight to each, hopes to yield a broader, all-encompassing estimate of readability, thereby offering a more accurate assessment of the readability of orthopaedic PROMS. (1) What proportion of orthopaedic-related PROMs and orthopaedic-related portions of the NIH Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS ® ) are written at or below the 6th and 8th grade levels? (2) Is there a correlation between the number of questions in the PROM and reading level? (3) Using systematic edits based on guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, what proportion of PROMs achieved American Medical Association and NIH-recommended reading levels? Eighty-six (86) independent, orthopaedic and general wellness PROMs, drawn from commonly referenced orthopaedic websites and prior studies, were chosen for analysis. Additionally, owing to their increasing use in orthopaedics, four relevant short forms, and 11 adult, physical health question banks from the PROMIS ® , were included for analysis. All documents were analyzed for reading grade levels using 19 unique readability algorithms. Descriptive statistics were performed using SPSS Version 22.0. The majority of the independent PROMs (64 of 86; 74%) were written at or below the 6th grade level, with 81 of 86

  6. Readability assessment of internet-based patient education materials related to mammography for breast cancer screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    AlKhalili, Rend; Shukla, Pratik A; Patel, Ronak H; Sanghvi, Saurin; Hubbi, Basil

    2015-03-01

    The US Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) recommends that Internet-based patient education materials (IPEMs) be written below the sixth-grade reading level to target the average American adult. This study was designed to determine the readability of IPEMs regarding mammography for breast cancer screening. Three-hundred mammography-related Web sites were reviewed for IPEMs. Forty-two IPEMs that met the Health on the Net Foundation Code of Conduct were assessed for readability level with four readability indices that use existing algorithms based on word and sentence length to quantitatively analyze Internet sources for language intricacy including the following: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook (Gunning FOG; GFOG). Results were compared to national recommendations, and intergroup analysis was performed. No IPEMs (0%) regarding mammography were written at or below the sixth-grade reading level, based on FKGL. The mean readability scores were as follows: FRES, 49.04 ± 10.62; FKGL, 10.71 ± 2.01; SMOG, 13.33 ± 1.67; and Gunning FOG, 14.32 ± 2.18. These scores indicate that the readability of mammography IPEMs is written at a "difficult" level, significantly above the recommended sixth-grade reading level (P < .05) determined by the USDHHS. IPEMs related to mammography are written well above the recommended sixth-grade level and likely reflect other IPEMs in diagnostic radiology. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. The Readability of Electronic Cigarette Health Information and Advice: A Quantitative Analysis of Web-Based Information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Albert; Zhu, Shu-Hong; Conway, Mike

    2017-01-06

    The popularity and use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has increased across all demographic groups in recent years. However, little is currently known about the readability of health information and advice aimed at the general public regarding the use of e-cigarettes. The objective of our study was to examine the readability of publicly available health information as well as advice on e-cigarettes. We compared information and advice available from US government agencies, nongovernment organizations, English speaking government agencies outside the United States, and for-profit entities. A systematic search for health information and advice on e-cigarettes was conducted using search engines. We manually verified search results and converted to plain text for analysis. We then assessed readability of the collected documents using 4 readability metrics followed by pairwise comparisons of groups with adjustment for multiple comparisons. A total of 54 documents were collected for this study. All 4 readability metrics indicate that all information and advice on e-cigarette use is written at a level higher than that recommended for the general public by National Institutes of Health (NIH) communication guidelines. However, health information and advice written by for-profit entities, many of which were promoting e-cigarettes, were significantly easier to read. A substantial proportion of potential and current e-cigarette users are likely to have difficulty in fully comprehending Web-based health information regarding e-cigarettes, potentially hindering effective health-seeking behaviors. To comply with NIH communication guidelines, government entities and nongovernment organizations would benefit from improving the readability of e-cigarettes information and advice. ©Albert Park, Shu-Hong Zhu, Mike Conway. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 06.01.2017.

  8. Influence of vocabulary and sentence complexity and passive voice on the readability of consumer-oriented mental health information on the Internet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ownby, Raymond L

    2005-01-01

    Searching for health care information is one of the most common uses of the Internet by the elderly. Our earlier research showed that health care information websites may present information at levels of readability that are excessively difficult for many potential users. This study investigated the influence of several aspects of readability (vocabulary and sentence complexity and use of passive voice construction) on overall readability at several different levels of readability. Results show that easier to read sites could be differentiated most consistently from more difficult sites by vocabulary complexity. Comparison of the easiest and most difficult sites in several cases showed that sentence complexity and passive voice may also be important. These results can provide guidance for those interested in improving the readability of web sites that provide mental health information for consumers.

  9. An Analysis of the Readability of Financial Accounting Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Gerald; And Others

    1981-01-01

    The Flesch formula was used to calculate the readability of 15 financial accounting textbooks. The 15 textbooks represented introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels and also were classified by five different publishers. Two-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc analysis revealed some significant differences. (Author/CT)

  10. Readability of patient information pamphlets in urogynecology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reagan, Krista M L; O'Sullivan, David M; Harvey, David P; Lasala, Christine A

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the reading level of frequently used patient information pamphlets and documents in the field of urogynecology. Urogynecology pamphlets were identified from a variety of sources. Readability was determined using 4 different accepted formulas: the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, the simple measure of gobbledygook Index, the Coleman-Liau Index, and the Gunning Fog index. The scores were calculated using an online calculator (http://www.readability-score.com). Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. The average of the 4 scores was calculated for each pamphlet. Subsequently, Z-scores were used to standardize the averages between the reading scales. Of the 40 documents reviewed, only a single pamphlet met the National Institutes of Health-recommended reading level. This document was developed by the American Urological Association and was specifically designated as a "Low-Literacy Brochure." The remainder of the patient education pamphlets, from both industry-sponsored and academic-sponsored sources, consistently rated above the recommended reading level for maximum comprehension. The majority of patient education pamphlets, from both industry-sponsored and academic-sponsored sources, are above the reading level recommended by the National Institutes of Health for maximum patient comprehension. Future work should be done to improve the educational resources available to patients by simplifying the verbiage in these documents.

  11. Content, format, gender and grade level differences in elementary students' ability to read science materials as measured by the cloze procedure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Richard L.; Yore, Larry D.

    Present instructional trends in science indicate a need to reexamine a traditional concern in science education: the readability of science textbooks. An area of reading research not well documented is the effect of color, visuals, and page layout on readability of science materials. Using the cloze readability method, the present study explored the relationships between page format, grade level, sex, content, and elementary school students ability to read science material. Significant relationships were found between cloze scores and both grade level and content, and there was a significant interaction effect between grade and sex in favor of older males. No significant relationships could be attributed to page format and sex. In the area of science content, biological materials were most difficult in terms of readability followed by earth science and physical science. Grade level data indicated that grade five materials were more difficult for that level than either grade four or grade six materials were for students at each respective level. In eight of nine cases, the science text materials would be classified at or near the frustration level of readability. The implications for textbook writers and publishers are that science reading materials need to be produced with greater attention to readability and known design principles regarding visual supplements. The implication for teachers is that students need direct instruction in using visual materials to increase their learning from text material. Present visual materials appear to neither help nor hinder the student to gain information from text material.

  12. A quantitative readability analysis of patient education resources from gastroenterology society websites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansberry, David R; Patel, Sahil R; Agarwal, Prateek; Agarwal, Nitin; John, Elizabeth S; John, Ann M; Reynolds, James C

    2017-06-01

    The lay public frequently access and rely on online information as a source of their medical knowledge. Many medical societies are unaware of national patient education material guidelines and subsequently fail to meet them. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the readability of patient education materials within the medical field of gastroenterology. Two hundred fourteen articles pertaining to patient education materials were evaluated with ten well-established readability scales. The articles were available on the websites for the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG), and the NIH section National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's honest significant difference (HSD) post hoc analysis were conducted to determine any differences in level of readability between websites. The 214 articles were written at an 11.8 ± 2.1 grade level with a range of 8.0 to 16.0 grade level. A one-way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD post hoc analysis determined the ACG was written at a significantly (p gastroenterology content.

  13. Readability of Informed Consent Documents at University Counseling Centers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lustgarten, Samuel D.; Elchert, Daniel M.; Cederberg, Charles; Garrison, Yunkyoung L.; Ho, Y. C. S.

    2017-01-01

    The extent to which clients understand the nature and anticipated course of therapy is referred to as informed consent. Counseling psychologists often provide informed consent documents to enhance the education of services and for liability purposes. Professionals in numerous health care settings have evaluated the readability of their informed…

  14. Readability, complexity, and suitability analysis of online lymphedema resources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Bao Ngoc N; Singh, Mansher; Lee, Bernard T; Rudd, Rima; Singhal, Dhruv

    2017-06-01

    Over 72% of Americans use online health information to assist in health care decision-making. Previous studies of lymphedema literature have focused only on reading level of patient-oriented materials online. Findings indicate they are too advanced for most patients to comprehend. This, more comprehensive study, expands the previous analysis to include critical elements of health materials beyond readability using assessment tools to report on the complexity and density of data as well as text design, vocabulary, and organization. The top 10 highest ranked websites on lymphedema were identified using the most popular search engine (Google). Website content was analyzed for readability, complexity, and suitability using Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, PMOSE/iKIRSCH, and Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM), respectively. PMOSE/iKIRSCH and SAM were performed by two independent raters. Fleiss' kappa score was calculated to ensure inter-rater reliability. Online lymphedema literature had a reading grade level of 14.0 (SMOG). Overall complexity score was 6.7 (PMOSE/iKIRSCH) corresponding to "low" complexity and requiring a 8th-12th grade education. Fleiss' kappa score was 80% (P = 0.04, "substantial" agreement). Overall suitability score was 45% (SAM) correlating to the lowest level of "adequate" suitability. Fleiss' kappa score was 76% (P = 0.06, "substantial" agreement). Online resources for lymphedema are above the recommended levels for readability and complexity. The suitability level is barely adequate for the intended audience. Overall, these materials are too sophisticated for the average American adult, whose literacy skills are well documented. Further efforts to revise these materials are needed to improve patient comprehension and understanding. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Reassessing the Accuracy and Use of Readability Formulae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janan, Dahlia; Wray, David

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of the study is to review readability formulae and offer a critique, based on a comparison of the grading of a variety of texts given by six well-known formulae. Methodology: A total of 64 texts in English were selected either by or for native English speaking children aged between six and 11 years. Each text was assessed…

  16. Polyadenylated Sequencing Primers Enable Complete Readability of PCR Amplicons Analyzed by Dideoxynucleotide Sequencing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Beránek

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Dideoxynucleotide DNA sequencing is one of the principal procedures in molecular biology. Loss of an initial part of nucleotides behind the 3' end of the sequencing primer limits the readability of sequenced amplicons. We present a method which extends the readability by using sequencing primers modified by polyadenylated tails attached to their 5' ends. Performing a polymerase chain reaction, we amplified eight amplicons of six human genes (AMELX, APOE, HFE, MBL2, SERPINA1 and TGFB1 ranging from 106 bp to 680 bp. Polyadenylation of the sequencing primers minimized the loss of bases in all amplicons. Complete sequences of shorter products (AMELX 106 bp, SERPINA1 121 bp, HFE 208 bp, APOE 244 bp, MBL2 317 bp were obtained. In addition, in the case of TGFB1 products (366 bp, 432 bp, and 680 bp, respectively, the lengths of sequencing readings were significantly longer if adenylated primers were used. Thus, single strand dideoxynucleotide sequencing with adenylated primers enables complete or near complete readability of short PCR amplicons.

  17. Evaluation of Quality and Readability of Health Information Websites Identified through India's Major Search Engines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raj, S; Sharma, V L; Singh, A J; Goel, S

    2016-01-01

    Background. The available health information on websites should be reliable and accurate in order to make informed decisions by community. This study was done to assess the quality and readability of health information websites on World Wide Web in India. Methods. This cross-sectional study was carried out in June 2014. The key words "Health" and "Information" were used on search engines "Google" and "Yahoo." Out of 50 websites (25 from each search engines), after exclusion, 32 websites were evaluated. LIDA tool was used to assess the quality whereas the readability was assessed using Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), and SMOG. Results. Forty percent of websites (n = 13) were sponsored by government. Health On the Net Code of Conduct (HONcode) certification was present on 50% (n = 16) of websites. The mean LIDA score (74.31) was average. Only 3 websites scored high on LIDA score. Only five had readability scores at recommended sixth-grade level. Conclusion. Most health information websites had average quality especially in terms of usability and reliability and were written at high readability levels. Efforts are needed to develop the health information websites which can help general population in informed decision making.

  18. Health literacy and the Internet: a study on the readability of Australian online health information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Christina; Dunn, Matthew

    2015-08-01

    Almost 80% of Australian Internet users seek out health information online so the readability of this information is important. This study aimed to evaluate the readability of Australian online health information and determine if it matches the average reading level of Australians. Two hundred and fifty-one web pages with information on 12 common health conditions were identified across sectors. Readability was assessed by the Flesch-Kincaid (F-K), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, with grade 8 adopted as the average Australian reading level. The average reading grade measured by F-K and SMOG was 10.54 and 12.12 respectively. The mean FRE was 47.54, a 'difficult-to-read' score. Only 0.4% of web pages were written at or below grade 8 according to SMOG. Information on dementia was the most difficult to read overall, while obesity was the most difficult among government websites. The findings suggest that the readability of Australian health websites is above the average Australian levels of reading. A quantifiable guideline is needed to ensure online health information accommodates the reading needs of the general public to effectively use the Internet as an enabler of health literacy. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

  19. Criteria for Labelling Prosodic Aspects of English Speech.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagshaw, Paul C.; Williams, Briony J.

    A study reports a set of labelling criteria which have been developed to label prosodic events in clear, continuous speech, and proposes a scheme whereby this information can be transcribed in a machine readable format. A prosody in a syllabic domain which is synchronized with a phonemic segmentation was annotated. A procedural definition of…

  20. Readability Trends of Online Information by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Kevin; Levi, Jessica R

    2017-01-01

    Objective Previous studies have shown that patient education materials published by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation may be too difficult for the average reader to understand. The purpose of this study was to determine if current educational materials show improvements in readability. Study Design Cross-sectional analysis. Setting The Patient Health Information section of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation website. Subjects and Methods All patient education articles were extracted in plain text. Webpage navigation, references, author information, appointment information, acknowledgments, and disclaimers were removed. Follow-up editing was also performed to remove paragraph breaks, colons, semicolons, numbers, percentages, and bullets. Readability grade was calculated with the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease, Gunning-Fog Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Automated Readability Index, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook. Intra- and interobserver reliability were assessed. Results A total of 126 articles from 7 topics were analyzed. Readability levels across all 6 tools showed that the difficulty of patient education materials exceeded the abilities of an average American. As compared with previous studies, current educational materials by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation have shown a decrease in difficulty. Intra- and interobserver reliability were both excellent, with intraclass coefficients of 0.99 and 0.96, respectively. Conclusion Improvements in readability is an encouraging finding and one that is consistent with recent trends toward improved health literacy. Nevertheless, online patient educational material is still too difficult for the average reader. Revisions may be necessary for current materials to benefit a larger readership.

  1. Restrictions of process machine retooling at machine-building enterprises

    OpenAIRE

    Kuznetsova Elena; Tipner Ludmila; Ershov Alexey

    2017-01-01

    The competitiveness of the national economy depends on the technological level of the machine-building enterprises production equipment. Today in Russia there are objective and subjective restrictions for the optimum policy formation of the manufacturing equipment renewal. The analysis of the manufacturing equipment age structure dynamics in the Russian machine-building complex indicates the negative tendencies intensification: increase in the equipment service life, reduction in the share of...

  2. Accuracy and readability of cardiovascular entries on Wikipedia: are they reliable learning resources for medical students?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azer, Samy A; AlSwaidan, Nourah M; Alshwairikh, Lama A; AlShammari, Jumana M

    2015-10-06

    To evaluate accuracy of content and readability level of English Wikipedia articles on cardiovascular diseases, using quality and readability tools. Wikipedia was searched on the 6 October 2013 for articles on cardiovascular diseases. Using a modified DISCERN (DISCERN is an instrument widely used in assessing online resources), articles were independently scored by three assessors. The readability was calculated using Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level. The inter-rater agreement between evaluators was calculated using the Fleiss κ scale. This study was based on 47 English Wikipedia entries on cardiovascular diseases. The DISCERN scores had a median=33 (IQR=6). Four articles (8.5%) were of good quality (DISCERN score 40-50), 39 (83%) moderate (DISCERN 30-39) and 4 (8.5%) were poor (DISCERN 10-29). Although the entries covered the aetiology and the clinical picture, there were deficiencies in the pathophysiology of diseases, signs and symptoms, diagnostic approaches and treatment. The number of references varied from 1 to 127 references; 25.9±29.4 (mean±SD). Several problems were identified in the list of references and citations made in the articles. The readability of articles was 14.3±1.7 (mean±SD); consistent with the readability level for college students. In comparison, Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine 18th edition had more tables, less references and no significant difference in number of graphs, images, illustrations or readability level. The overall agreement between the evaluators was good (Fleiss κ 0.718 (95% CI 0.57 to 0.83). The Wikipedia entries are not aimed at a medical audience and should not be used as a substitute to recommended medical resources. Course designers and students should be aware that Wikipedia entries on cardiovascular diseases lack accuracy, predominantly due to errors of omission. Further improvement of the Wikipedia content of cardiovascular entries would be needed before they could be considered a supplementary resource

  3. Dry Machining Aeronautical Aluminum Alloy AA2024-T351: Analysis of Cutting Forces, Chip Segmentation and Built-Up Edge Formation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Badis Haddag

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, machining aeronautical aluminum alloy AA2024-T351 in dry conditions was investigated. Cutting forces, chip segmentation, and built-up edge formation were analyzed. Machining tests revealed that the chip formation process depends on cutting conditions and tool geometry. So continuous and segmented chips are generated. Under some cutting conditions, built-up edge formation occurs. A predictive machining theory, based on a finite elements method (FEM, was applied to reproduce and explain these phenomena. Thermomechanical behaviors of the work material and the tool-work material interface were considered. Results of the proposed modelling were compared to experimental data for a wide range of cutting speed. It was shown that the feed force is well reproduced by the ALE-FE (arbitrary lagrangian-eulerian finite element formulation and highly underestimated by the lagrangian finite element (LAG-FE one. While, the periodic localized shear band, leading to a chip segmentation, is well reproduced with the Lagrangian FE formulation. It was found that the chip segmentation can be correlated to the cutting force evolution using the defined chip segmentation intensity parameter. For the built-up edge (BUE phenomenon, it was shown that it depends on the contact/friction at the tool-chip interface, and this is possible to simulate by making the friction coefficient time-dependent.

  4. The readability of expert reports for non-scientist report-users: reports of DNA analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howes, Loene M; Julian, Roberta; Kelty, Sally F; Kemp, Nenagh; Kirkbride, K Paul

    2014-04-01

    DNA evidence can be extremely compelling. With ongoing scientific advances and applications of DNA evidence in the criminal justice system, it is increasingly important that police, lawyers, and judges recognise both the limitations of DNA evidence and the strength of the evidence in particular cases. Because most forensic sciences are formally communicated via expert reports, we analysed the readability of 68 such reports of DNA evidence from 6 of 8 Australian jurisdictions. We conducted content analyses using three categories: content and sequence, language, and format. Categories contained qualitative and quantitative items drawn from theory and past research. Report styles differed by jurisdiction and by main audience - police and the courts. Reports for police were brief and few links were made between sections in these reports. Reports for courts were less brief and used either legal or scientific styles. Common sections in reports for courts included: the scientist's specialised knowledge; laboratory accreditation information; item list; results; and notes on interpretation. Sections were often not in a logical sequence, due to the use of appendices. According to Flesch Reading Ease scores, reports for police had language that was fairly difficult, and reports for courts, difficult. Difficulty was compounded by the use of specialist terms. Reports for police and the appendices of reports for court often used very small font and single line spacing. Many reports for court contained tables that spanned several pages. Suggestions based on theory and past research are provided to assist scientists to enhance the readability of reports for non-scientists. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Third Molars on the Internet: A Guide for Assessing Information Quality and Readability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanna, Kamal; Brennan, David; Sambrook, Paul; Armfield, Jason

    2015-10-06

    Directing patients suffering from third molars (TMs) problems to high-quality online information is not only medically important, but also could enable better engagement in shared decision making. This study aimed to develop a scale that measures the scientific information quality (SIQ) for online information concerning wisdom tooth problems and to conduct a quality evaluation for online TMs resources. In addition, the study evaluated whether a specific piece of readability software (Readability Studio Professional 2012) might be reliable in measuring information comprehension, and explored predictors for the SIQ Scale. A cross-sectional sample of websites was retrieved using certain keywords and phrases such as "impacted wisdom tooth problems" using 3 popular search engines. The retrieved websites (n=150) were filtered. The retained 50 websites were evaluated to assess their characteristics, usability, accessibility, trust, readability, SIQ, and their credibility using DISCERN and Health on the Net Code (HoNCode). Websites' mean scale scores varied significantly across website affiliation groups such as governmental, commercial, and treatment provider bodies. The SIQ Scale had a good internal consistency (alpha=.85) and was significantly correlated with DISCERN (r=.82, Psoftware estimates were associated with scientific information comprehensiveness measures.

  6. An analysis of the readability of patient information and consent forms used in research studies in anaesthesia in Australia and New Zealand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, H E; Bramley, D E P

    2012-11-01

    The provision of written information is a component of the informed consent process for research participants. We conducted a readability analysis to test the hypothesis that the language used in patient information and consent forms in anaesthesia research in Australia and New Zealand does not meet the readability standards or expectations of the Good Clinical Practice Guidelines, the National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia and the Health Research Council of New Zealand. We calculated readability scores for 40 patient information and consent forms using the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook and Flesch-Kincaid formulas. The mean grade level of patient information and consent forms when using the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook and Flesch-Kincaid readability formulas was 12.9 (standard deviation of 0.8, 95% confidence interval 12.6 to 13.1) and 11.9 (standard deviation 1.1, 95% confidence interval 11.6 to 12.3), respectively. This exceeds the average literacy and comprehension of the general population in Australia and New Zealand. Complex language decreases readability and negatively impacts on the informed consent process. Care should be exercised when providing written information to research participants to ensure language and readability is appropriate for the audience.

  7. Influence of Workpiece Material on Tool Wear Performance and Tribofilm Formation in Machining Hardened Steel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junfeng Yuan

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available In addition to the bulk properties of a workpiece material, characteristics of the tribofilms formed as a result of workpiece material mass transfer to the friction surface play a significant role in friction control. This is especially true in cutting of hardened materials, where it is very difficult to use liquid based lubricants. To better understand wear performance and the formation of beneficial tribofilms, this study presents an assessment of uncoated mixed alumina ceramic tools (Al2O3+TiC in the turning of two grades of steel, AISI T1 and AISI D2. Both workpiece materials were hardened to 59 HRC then machined under identical cutting conditions. Comprehensive characterization of the resulting wear patterns and the tribofilms formed at the tool/workpiece interface were made using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Metallographic studies on the workpiece material were performed before the machining process and the surface integrity of the machined part was investigated after machining. Tool life was 23% higher when turning D2 than T1. This improvement in cutting tool life and wear behaviour was attributed to a difference in: (1 tribofilm generation on the friction surface and (2 the amount and distribution of carbide phases in the workpiece materials. The results show that wear performance depends both on properties of the workpiece material and characteristics of the tribofilms formed on the friction surface.

  8. Evaluation of Quality and Readability of Health Information Websites Identified through India’s Major Search Engines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Raj

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The available health information on websites should be reliable and accurate in order to make informed decisions by community. This study was done to assess the quality and readability of health information websites on World Wide Web in India. Methods. This cross-sectional study was carried out in June 2014. The key words “Health” and “Information” were used on search engines “Google” and “Yahoo.” Out of 50 websites (25 from each search engines, after exclusion, 32 websites were evaluated. LIDA tool was used to assess the quality whereas the readability was assessed using Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL, and SMOG. Results. Forty percent of websites (n=13 were sponsored by government. Health On the Net Code of Conduct (HONcode certification was present on 50% (n=16 of websites. The mean LIDA score (74.31 was average. Only 3 websites scored high on LIDA score. Only five had readability scores at recommended sixth-grade level. Conclusion. Most health information websites had average quality especially in terms of usability and reliability and were written at high readability levels. Efforts are needed to develop the health information websites which can help general population in informed decision making.

  9. Logic without unique readability - a study of semantic and syntactic ambiguity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bentzen, Martin Mose

    One of the main reasons for introducing a formal language is to remove ambiguity, the possibility of assigning several meanings to a linguistic expression. Typically, this is achieved through ensuring unique readability of formulas by using brackets (or another convention, such as Polish notation...... not hold true universally. Whereas e.g. scope ambiguities in natural languages have been studied extensively, ambiguous formal languages have not been the focus of in depth research. Here, we lift the assumption of unique readability by omitting the brackets from propositional logic, making it possible...... to formally distinguish between syntactic and semantic ambiguity. A valuation then amounts to a semantic disambiguation, and rather than a unique valuation (truth value), there is a set of valuations corresponding to ways a formula could have been constructed. We show what happens to familiar concepts...

  10. Readability Levels of the Reading Passages in the ITED: Final Report. Iowa Testing Programs Research Report. Number 6.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forsyth, Robert

    The readability level of passages from three subtests of the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED), Forms X-6 and Y-6, were compared with the readability level of passages selected from the Des Moines Resister, Reader's Digest, Time, Newsweek, Saturday Review, and 18 high school textbooks from the fields of social studies, science, and…

  11. Reply to "Further Issues in Determining the Readability of Self-Report Items: Comment on McHugh and Behar (2009)"

    Science.gov (United States)

    McHugh, R. Kathryn; Behar, Evelyn

    2012-01-01

    In his commentary on our previously published article "Readability of Self-Report Measures of Depression and Anxiety," J. Schinka (2012) argued for the importance of considering readability of patient materials and highlighted limitations of existing methodologies for this assessment. Schinka's commentary articulately described the weaknesses of…

  12. Where the Semantic Web and Web 2.0 Meet Format Risk Management: P2 Registry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Tarrant

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The Web is increasingly becoming a platform for linked data. This means making connections and adding value to data on the Web. As more data becomes openly available and more people are able to use the data, it becomes more powerful. An example is file format registries and the evaluation of format risks. Here the requirement for information is now greater than the effort that any single institution can put into gathering and collating this information. Recognising that more is better, the creators of PRONOM, JHOVE, GDFR and others are joining to lead a new initiative: the Unified Digital Format Registry. Ahead of this effort, a new RDF-based framework for structuring and facilitating file format data from multiple sources, including PRONOM, has demonstrated it is able to produce more links, and thus provide more answers to digital preservation questions - about format risks, applications, viewers and transformations - than the native data alone. This paper will describe this registry, P2, and its services, show how it can be used, and provide examples where it delivers more answers than the contributing resources. The P2 Registry is a reference platform to allow and encourage publication of preservation data, and also an examplar of what can be achieved if more data is published openly online as simple machine-readable documents. This approach calls for the active participation of the digital preservation community to contribute data by simply publishing it openly on the Web as linked data.

  13. Readability of self-illuminated signs obscured by black fuel-fire smoke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1980-07-01

    This study, using black fuel-fire generated smoke, is a partial replication of an earlier study using an inert white smoke as the obscuring agent in the study of the readability of smoke-obscured, self-illuminated emergency exit signs. : The results ...

  14. The role of readability in effective health communication: an experiment using a Japanese health information text on chronic suppurative otitis media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakai, Yukiko

    2013-09-01

    This study identifies the most significant readability factors and examines ways of improving and evaluating Japanese health information text in terms of ease of reading and understanding. Six different Japanese texts were prepared based on an original short text written by a medical doctor for a hospital web site intended for laypersons regarding chronic suppurative otitis media. Four were revised for single readability factor (syntax, vocabulary, or text structure) and two were modified in all three factors. Using a web-based survey, 270 high school students read one of the seven texts, including the original, completed two kinds of comprehension tests, and answered questions on their impressions of the text's readability. Significantly higher comprehension test scores were shown in the true or false test for a mixed text that presented important information first for better text structure. They were also found in the cloze test for a text using common vocabulary and a cohesive mixed text. Vocabulary could be a critical single readability factor when presumably combined with better text structure. Using multiple evaluation methods can help assess comprehensive readability. The findings on improvement and evaluation methods of readability can be applied to support effective health communication. © 2013 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2013 Health Libraries Group Health Information and Libraries Journal.

  15. Readability of Spanish language online information for the initial treatment of burns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Votta, Kaitlyn; Metivier, Meghan; Romo, Stephanie; Garrigan, Hannah; Drexler, Alana; Nodoushani, Ariana; Sheridan, Robert

    2018-06-01

    This study's aim is to identify the most popular online resources for burn treatment information available in the Spanish language, and to evaluate the readability of this information. The phrase "tratamiento de quemaduras" (burn treatment) was entered into search engines Google and Bing on 9/15/2014 and 9/13/2017. The top 12 Spanish web results on each site were identified and analyzed using Readability Studio Professional Edition v2012.1. The software generated a "mean grade reading level" for each article, or the grade of students that could be expected to understand the article's language. 21 distinct articles were identified at T1 and 17 at T2, with seven overlapping between T1 and T2. The average grade reading level of all the websites ranged from 7.8 to 13.8 at T1 (approximately 8th grade to sophomore year of college) and 7.8 to 12.2 at T2. No websites were within 1 standard deviation of the American Medical Association recommended 6th grade reading level. With readability showing little improvement during the past three years, providers should be aware of the complexity of online literature, and the potential complications this presents to patients. Additionally, burn centers should prioritize generating more accessible information for the Spanish speaking public. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

  16. Critical Analysis of the Quality, Readability, and Technical Aspects of Online Information Provided for Neck-Lifts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rayess, Hani; Zuliani, Giancarlo F; Gupta, Amar; Svider, Peter F; Folbe, Adam J; Eloy, Jean Anderson; Carron, Michael A

    2017-03-01

    The number of patients using the internet to obtain health information is growing. This material is unregulated and heterogeneous and can influence patient decisions. To compare the quality, readability, and technical aspects of online information about neck-lifts provided by private practice websites vs academic medical centers and reference sources. In this cross-sectional analysis conducted between November 2015 and January 2016, a Google search of the term neck-lift was performed, and the first 45 websites were evaluated. The websites were categorized as private practice vs other. Private websites (PWs) included sites created by private practice physicians. Other websites (OWs) were created by academic medical centers or reference sources. Quality, readability, and technical aspects of online websites related to neck-lifts. Quality was assessed using the DISCERN criteria and the Health on the Net principles (HONcode). Readability was assessed using 7 validated and widely used criteria. Consensus US reading grade level readability was provided by a website (readabilityformulas.com). Twelve technical aspects were evaluated based on criteria specified by medical website creators. Forty-five websites (8 OWs [18%] and 37 PWs [82%]) were analyzed. There was a significant difference in quality between OWs and PWs based on the DISCERN criteria and HONcode principles. The DISCERN overall mean (SD) scores were 2.3 (0.5) for OWs and 1.3 (0.3) for PWs (P analysis, the mean (SD) was 8.6 (1.8) (range, 5-11) for OW, and the mean (SD) was 5.8 (1.7) (range, 2-9) for PW. The mean (SD) readability consensus reading grade level scores were 11.7 (1.9) for OWs and 10.6 (1.9) for PWs. Of a total possible score of 12, the mean (SD) technical scores were 6.3 (1.8) (range, 4-9) for OWs and 6.4 (1.5) (range, 3-9) for PWs. Compared with PWs, OWs had a significantly higher quality score based on both the DISCERN criteria and HONcode principles. The mean readability for OWs and PWs was

  17. Readability Levels of Health-Based Websites: From Content to Comprehension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schutten, Mary; McFarland, Allison

    2009-01-01

    Three of the national health education standards include decision-making, accessing information and analyzing influences. WebQuests are a popular inquiry-oriented method used by secondary teachers to help students achieve these content standards. While WebQuests support higher level thinking skills, the readability level of the information on the…

  18. Spanish Readability Formulas for Elementary-Level Texts: A Validation Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Richard I.; Hasbrouck, Jan E.; Weaver, Laurie

    2001-01-01

    Uses two formulas developed for Spanish language text to analyze 9 stories that were read by 36 Spanish-speaking second graders with limited English proficiency. Finds that the Spanish readability formulas only weakly predicted student performance, indicating the need to pursue broader, qualitative indices of difficulty for Spanish text. (SG)

  19. Quality and readability of websites for patient information on tonsillectomy and sleep apnea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chi, Ethan; Jabbour, Noel; Aaronson, Nicole Leigh

    2017-07-01

    Tonsillectomy is a common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The Internet allows patients direct access to medical information. Since information on the Internet is largely unregulated, quality and readability are variable. This study evaluates the quality and readability of the most likely visited websites presenting information on sleep apnea and tonsillectomy. The three most popular search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo) were queried with the phrase "sleep apnea AND tonsillectomy." The DISCERN instrument was used to assess quality of information. Readability was evaluated using the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level (FKGL) and Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES). Out of the maximum of 80, the average DISCERN quality score for the websites was 55.1 (SD- 12.3, Median- 60.5). The mean score for FRES was 42.3 (SD- 15.9, Median- 45.5), which falls in the range defined as difficult. No website was above the optimal score of 65. The mean score for the FKGL was US grade-level of 10.7 (SD- 1.6, Median- 11.6). Only 4(27%) websites were in the optimal range of 6-8. There was very weak correlation between FRES and DISCERN (r = 0.07) and FKGL and DISCERN (r = 0.21). Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgeries in the US. However, the internet information readily available to patients varies in quality. Additionally, much of the information is above the recommended grade level for comprehension by the public. By being aware of what information patients are reading online, physicians can better explain treatments and address misunderstandings. Physicians may consider using similar methods to test the readability for their own resources for patient education. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Readability of patient discharge instructions with and without the use of electronically available disease-specific templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mueller, Stephanie K; Giannelli, Kyla; Boxer, Robert; Schnipper, Jeffrey L

    2015-07-01

    Low health literacy is common, leading to patient vulnerability during hospital discharge, when patients rely on written health instructions. We aimed to examine the impact of the use of electronic, patient-friendly, templated discharge instructions on the readability of discharge instructions provided to patients at discharge. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 233 patients discharged from a large tertiary care hospital to their homes following the implementation of a web-based "discharge module," which included the optional use of diagnosis-specific templated discharge instructions. We compared the readability of discharge instructions, as measured by the Flesch Reading Ease Level test (FREL, on a 0-100 scale, with higher scores indicating greater readability) and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test (FKGL, measured in grade levels), between discharges that used templated instructions (with or without modification) versus discharges that used clinician-generated instructions (with or without available templated instructions for the specific discharge diagnosis). Templated discharge instructions were provided to patients in 45% of discharges. Of the 55% of patients that received clinician-generated discharge instructions, the majority (78.1%) had no available templated instruction for the specific discharge diagnosis. Templated discharge instructions had higher FREL scores (71 vs. 57, P readability (a higher FREL score and a lower FKGL score) than the use of clinician-generated discharge instructions. The main reason for clinicians to create discharge instructions was the lack of available templates for the patient's specific discharge diagnosis. Use of electronically available templated discharge instructions may be a viable option to improve the readability of written material provided to patients at discharge, although the library of available templates requires expansion. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the

  1. An experimental study on the readability of digital images in the furcal bone defects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, Hyung Wuk; Hwang, Eui Hwan; Lee, Sang Rae [Kyunghee University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2003-06-15

    To evaluate and compare the efficacy of digital radiographic images in the detection of bone loss at the bifurcation area of the mandibular first molar with traditional film-based periapical radiographs. One dried human mandible with minimal periodontal bone loss around the first molar was selected and an artificial alveolar bone defect at the bifurcation area was serially prepared over 18 steps. Images were taken using a direct CCD-based system and with F-speed periapical films. The images were evaluated by seven interpreters (3 radiologists, 3 periodontologists, and 1 general dentist) using a 5-point confidence rating scale. The readability of both periapical radiographs and digital image increased as the size of the artificial lesion and exposure time increased (p<0.05). Periapical radiographs offered greater readability of smaller bone defects than digital images, and the coefficient of variation of mean score between periapical radiographs and digital images showed a significant difference. The experimental results indicate that a significant difference in the coefficient of variation of mean score exists between periapical radiographs and digital images, and that traditional film-based periapical images offer greater readability of smaller bone defects than digital images can presently offer.

  2. An experimental study on the readability of digital images in the furcal bone defects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Hyung Wuk; Hwang, Eui Hwan; Lee, Sang Rae

    2003-01-01

    To evaluate and compare the efficacy of digital radiographic images in the detection of bone loss at the bifurcation area of the mandibular first molar with traditional film-based periapical radiographs. One dried human mandible with minimal periodontal bone loss around the first molar was selected and an artificial alveolar bone defect at the bifurcation area was serially prepared over 18 steps. Images were taken using a direct CCD-based system and with F-speed periapical films. The images were evaluated by seven interpreters (3 radiologists, 3 periodontologists, and 1 general dentist) using a 5-point confidence rating scale. The readability of both periapical radiographs and digital image increased as the size of the artificial lesion and exposure time increased (p<0.05). Periapical radiographs offered greater readability of smaller bone defects than digital images, and the coefficient of variation of mean score between periapical radiographs and digital images showed a significant difference. The experimental results indicate that a significant difference in the coefficient of variation of mean score exists between periapical radiographs and digital images, and that traditional film-based periapical images offer greater readability of smaller bone defects than digital images can presently offer.

  3. Readability and quality assessment of internet-based patient education materials related to laryngeal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narwani, Vishal; Nalamada, Keerthana; Lee, Michael; Kothari, Prasad; Lakhani, Raj

    2016-04-01

    Patients are increasingly using the internet to access health-related information. The purpose of this study was to assess the readability and quality of laryngeal cancer-related websites. Patient education materials were identified by performing an internet search using 3 search engines. Readability was assessed using Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), and Gunning Fog Index (GFI). The DISCERN instrument was utilized to assess quality of health information. A total of 54 websites were included in the analysis. The mean readability scores were as follows: FRES, 48.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 44.8-51.6); FKGL, 10.9 (95% CI = 10.3-11.5); and GFI, 13.8 (95% CI = 11.3-16.3). These scores suggest that, on average, online information about patients with laryngeal cancer is written at an advanced level. The mean DISCERN score was 49.8 (95% CI = 45.4-54.2), suggesting that online information is of variable quality. Our study suggests much of the laryngeal cancer information available online is of suboptimal quality and written at a level too difficult for the average adult to read comfortably. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Readability of Written Materials for CKD Patients: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morony, Suzanne; Flynn, Michaela; McCaffery, Kirsten J; Jansen, Jesse; Webster, Angela C

    2015-06-01

    The "average" patient has a literacy level of US grade 8 (age 13-14 years), but this may be lower for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Current guidelines suggest that patient education materials should be pitched at a literacy level of around 5th grade (age 10-11 years). This study aims to evaluate the readability of written materials targeted at patients with CKD. Systematic review. Patient information materials aimed at adults with CKD and written in English. Patient education materials designed to be printed and read, sourced from practices in Australia and online at all known websites run by relevant international CKD organizations during March 2014. Quantitative analysis of readability using Lexile Analyzer and Flesch-Kincaid tools. We analyzed 80 materials. Both Lexile Analyzer and Flesch-Kincaid analyses suggested that most materials required a minimum of grade 9 (age 14-15 years) schooling to read them. Only 5% of materials were pitched at the recommended level (grade 5). Readability formulas have inherent limitations and do not account for visual information. We did not consider other media through which patients with CKD may access information. Although the study covered materials from the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, all non-Internet materials were sourced locally, and it is possible that some international paper-based materials were missed. Generalizability may be limited due to exclusion of non-English materials. These findings suggest that patient information materials aimed at patients with CKD are pitched above the average patient's literacy level. This issue is compounded by cognitive decline in patients with CKD, who may have lower literacy than the average patient. It suggests that information providers need to consider their audience more carefully when preparing patient information materials, including user testing with a low-literacy patient population. Copyright © 2015 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by

  5. The Readability and Complexity of District-Provided School-Choice Information

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stein, Marc L.; Nagro, Sarah

    2015-01-01

    Public school choice has become a common feature in American school districts. Any potential benefits that could be derived from these policies depend heavily on the ability of parents and students to make informed and educated decisions about their school options. We examined the readability and complexity of school-choice guides across a sample…

  6. [Systematic Readability Analysis of Medical Texts on Websites of German University Clinics for General and Abdominal Surgery].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esfahani, B Janghorban; Faron, A; Roth, K S; Grimminger, P P; Luers, J C

    2016-12-01

    Background: Besides the function as one of the main contact points, websites of hospitals serve as medical information portals. As medical information texts should be understood by any patients independent of the literacy skills and educational level, online texts should have an appropriate structure to ease understandability. Materials and Methods: Patient information texts on websites of clinics for general surgery at German university hospitals (n = 36) were systematically analysed. For 9 different surgical topics representative medical information texts were extracted from each website. Using common readability tools and 5 different readability indices the texts were analysed concerning their readability and structure. The analysis was furthermore stratified in relation to geographical regions in Germany. Results: For the definite analysis the texts of 196 internet websites could be used. On average the texts consisted of 25 sentences and 368 words. The reading analysis tools congruously showed that all texts showed a rather low readability demanding a high literacy level from the readers. Conclusion: Patient information texts on German university hospital websites are difficult to understand for most patients. To fulfill the ambition of informing the general population in an adequate way about medical issues, a revision of most medical texts on websites of German surgical hospitals is recommended. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  7. Health literacy and contraception: a readability evaluation of contraceptive instructions for condoms, spermicides and emergency contraception in the USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Ibiary, Shareen Y; Youmans, Sharon L

    2007-03-01

    To assess readability of over-the-counter (OTC) contraceptive product instructions currently available, compare the results with previous studies from a decade ago, and review the implications for health care providers, in particular pharmacists counseling on OTC contraceptives. A sample of contraceptive instructions was submitted to a readability analysis using four standard readability formulas. Products included condoms, spermicides, and emergency contraception instruction pamphlets. Reading grade levels for condoms ranged from 6th to 12th grade. The average reading levels for the spermicides were 9th-10th grade and for the emergency contraceptives 10th-12th grade. These results were consistent with those of similar studies performed a decade ago. Consumers need to have at least a high school reading level in order to comprehend current product instructions. Very little has changed in the past decade regarding readability of OTC contraceptive patient instructions, despite calls to simplify written instructions. Healthcare providers, in particular pharmacists, must be aware of these disparities to enhance patient education and advocate for simpler reading materials.

  8. Readability and quality assessment of websites related to microtia and aural atresia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alamoudi, Uthman; Hong, Paul

    2015-02-01

    Many parents and children utilize the Internet for health-related information, but the quality of these websites can vary. The objective of this study was to assess the quality and readability of microtia and aural atresia related websites. The search engine Google was queried with the terms 'microtia' and 'aural atresia.' The first 30 results were evaluated, and those websites containing original information written in English were reviewed. Quality of content was assessed with the DISCERN instrument, and readability was assessed with the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level (FKGL) and the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES) tests. Each website was also reviewed for ownership and the date of last update. Sixteen microtia and 14 aural atresia websites were included for full review. The mean DISCERN score for microtia websites was 54.4 (SD=8.3), and for aural atresia websites it was 47.6 (SD=10.7), which indicates 'good' and 'fair' quality of content, respectively. Readability assessments showed an average reading level requiring a grade 10 education on FKGL, and only one microtia (6.3%) and one aural atresia (7.1%) websites were deemed to be at 'reasonable' reading level on FRES. High-quality websites that are considered easily comprehensible to the general public were lacking. Since parents and children may use websites when making treatment decisions, physicians should be aware of the quality of health information pertaining to their area of expertise available on the Internet. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Machining of Metal Matrix Composites

    CERN Document Server

    2012-01-01

    Machining of Metal Matrix Composites provides the fundamentals and recent advances in the study of machining of metal matrix composites (MMCs). Each chapter is written by an international expert in this important field of research. Machining of Metal Matrix Composites gives the reader information on machining of MMCs with a special emphasis on aluminium matrix composites. Chapter 1 provides the mechanics and modelling of chip formation for traditional machining processes. Chapter 2 is dedicated to surface integrity when machining MMCs. Chapter 3 describes the machinability aspects of MMCs. Chapter 4 contains information on traditional machining processes and Chapter 5 is dedicated to the grinding of MMCs. Chapter 6 describes the dry cutting of MMCs with SiC particulate reinforcement. Finally, Chapter 7 is dedicated to computational methods and optimization in the machining of MMCs. Machining of Metal Matrix Composites can serve as a useful reference for academics, manufacturing and materials researchers, manu...

  10. About machine-readable travel documents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vaudenay, S; Vuagnoux, M

    2007-01-01

    Passports are documents that help immigration officers to identify people. In order to strongly authenticate their data and to automatically identify people, they are now equipped with RFID chips. These contain private information, biometrics, and a digital signature by issuing authorities. Although they substantially increase security at the border controls, they also come with new security and privacy issues. In this paper, we survey existing protocols and their weaknesses

  11. About machine-readable travel documents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vaudenay, S; Vuagnoux, M [EPFL, Lausanne (Switzerland)

    2007-07-15

    Passports are documents that help immigration officers to identify people. In order to strongly authenticate their data and to automatically identify people, they are now equipped with RFID chips. These contain private information, biometrics, and a digital signature by issuing authorities. Although they substantially increase security at the border controls, they also come with new security and privacy issues. In this paper, we survey existing protocols and their weaknesses.

  12. Restrictions of process machine retooling at machine-building enterprises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuznetsova Elena

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The competitiveness of the national economy depends on the technological level of the machine-building enterprises production equipment. Today in Russia there are objective and subjective restrictions for the optimum policy formation of the manufacturing equipment renewal. The analysis of the manufacturing equipment age structure dynamics in the Russian machine-building complex indicates the negative tendencies intensification: increase in the equipment service life, reduction in the share of up-to-date equipment, and drop in its use efficiency. The article investigates and classifies the main restrictions of the manufacturing equipment renewal process, such as regulatory and legislative, financial, organizational, competency-based. The economic consequences of the revealed restrictions influence on the machine-building enterprises activity are shown.

  13. Readability assessment of concussion and traumatic brain injury publications by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gill PS

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Preetinder S Gill,1 Tejkaran S Gill,2 Ashwini Kamath,3 Billy Whisnant41College of Technology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI; 2College of Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; 3School of Information, University of Texas, Austin, TX; 4College of Technology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, USAAbstract: Health literacy is associated with a person’s capacity to find, access, contextualize, and understand information needed for health care-related decisions. The level of health literacy thus has an influence on an individual’s health status. It can be argued that low health literacy is associated with poor health status. Health care literature (eg, pamphlets, brochures, postcards, posters, forms are published by public and private organizations worldwide to provide information to the general public. The ability to read, use, and understand is critical to the successful application of knowledge disseminated by this literature. This study assessed the readability, suitability, and usability of health care literature associated with concussion and traumatic brain injury published by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease, Gunning Fog, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, and Suitability Assessment of Materials indices were used to assess 40 documents obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. The documents analyzed were targeted towards the general public. It was found that in order to be read properly, on average, these documents needed more than an eleventh grade/high school level education. This was consistent with the findings of other similar studies. However, the qualitative Suitability Assessment of Materials index showed that, on average, usability and suitability of these documents was superior. Hence, it was concluded that formatting, illustrations, layout, and graphics play a pivotal role in improving

  14. Including crystal structure attributes in machine learning models of formation energies via Voronoi tessellations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, Logan; Liu, Ruoqian; Krishna, Amar; Hegde, Vinay I.; Agrawal, Ankit; Choudhary, Alok; Wolverton, Chris

    2017-07-01

    While high-throughput density functional theory (DFT) has become a prevalent tool for materials discovery, it is limited by the relatively large computational cost. In this paper, we explore using DFT data from high-throughput calculations to create faster, surrogate models with machine learning (ML) that can be used to guide new searches. Our method works by using decision tree models to map DFT-calculated formation enthalpies to a set of attributes consisting of two distinct types: (i) composition-dependent attributes of elemental properties (as have been used in previous ML models of DFT formation energies), combined with (ii) attributes derived from the Voronoi tessellation of the compound's crystal structure. The ML models created using this method have half the cross-validation error and similar training and evaluation speeds to models created with the Coulomb matrix and partial radial distribution function methods. For a dataset of 435 000 formation energies taken from the Open Quantum Materials Database (OQMD), our model achieves a mean absolute error of 80 meV/atom in cross validation, which is lower than the approximate error between DFT-computed and experimentally measured formation enthalpies and below 15% of the mean absolute deviation of the training set. We also demonstrate that our method can accurately estimate the formation energy of materials outside of the training set and be used to identify materials with especially large formation enthalpies. We propose that our models can be used to accelerate the discovery of new materials by identifying the most promising materials to study with DFT at little additional computational cost.

  15. Third Molars on the Internet: A Guide for Assessing Information Quality and Readability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brennan, David; Sambrook, Paul; Armfield, Jason

    2015-01-01

    Background Directing patients suffering from third molars (TMs) problems to high-quality online information is not only medically important, but also could enable better engagement in shared decision making. Objectives This study aimed to develop a scale that measures the scientific information quality (SIQ) for online information concerning wisdom tooth problems and to conduct a quality evaluation for online TMs resources. In addition, the study evaluated whether a specific piece of readability software (Readability Studio Professional 2012) might be reliable in measuring information comprehension, and explored predictors for the SIQ Scale. Methods A cross-sectional sample of websites was retrieved using certain keywords and phrases such as “impacted wisdom tooth problems” using 3 popular search engines. The retrieved websites (n=150) were filtered. The retained 50 websites were evaluated to assess their characteristics, usability, accessibility, trust, readability, SIQ, and their credibility using DISCERN and Health on the Net Code (HoNCode). Results Websites’ mean scale scores varied significantly across website affiliation groups such as governmental, commercial, and treatment provider bodies. The SIQ Scale had a good internal consistency (alpha=.85) and was significantly correlated with DISCERN (r=.82, Preadability grade (10.3, SD 1.9) was above the recommended level, and was significantly correlated with the Scientific Information Comprehension Scale (r=.45. PReadability Studio software estimates were associated with scientific information comprehensiveness measures. PMID:26443470

  16. Flocking small smart machines: An experiment in cooperative, multi-machine control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klarer, P.R.

    1998-03-01

    The intent and purpose of this work was to investigate and demonstrate cooperative behavior among a group of mobile robot machines. The specific goal of this work was to build a small swarm of identical machines and control them in such a way as to show a coordinated movement of the group in a flocking manner, similar to that observed in nature. Control of the swarm's individual members and its overall configuration is available to the human user via a graphic man-machine interface running on a base station control computer. Any robot may be designated as the nominal leader through the interface tool, which then may be commanded to proceed to a particular geographic destination. The remainder of the flock follows the leader by maintaining their relative positions in formation, as specified by the human controller through the interface. The formation's configuration can be altered manually through an interactive graphic-based tool. An alternative mode of control allows for teleoperation of one robot, with the flock following along as described above

  17. Assessing the Readability of Geoscience Textbooks, Laboratory Manuals, and Supplemental Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hippensteel, Scott P.

    2015-01-01

    Reading materials used in undergraduate science classes have not received the same attention in the literature as those used in secondary schools. Additionally, reports critical of college textbooks and their prose are common. To assess both problems and determine the readability of assignments and texts used by geoscience faculty at the…

  18. Readability of Igbo Language Textbook in Use in Nigerian Secondary Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eze, Nneka Justina

    2015-01-01

    This study assessed the readability of Igbo language textbook in use in Nigerian secondary schools. Five Igbo Language textbook were evaluated. The study employed an evaluation research design. The study was conducted in South Eastern Geopolitical zone of Nigeria which is predominantly the Igbo tribe of Nigeria. Four hundred secondary school…

  19. Nutritional value of foods sold in vending machines in a UK University: Formative, cross-sectional research to inform an environmental intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Hanla; Papadaki, Angeliki

    2016-01-01

    Vending machine use has been associated with low dietary quality among children but there is limited evidence on its role in food habits of University students. We aimed to examine the nutritional value of foods sold in vending machines in a UK University and conduct formative research to investigate differences in food intake and body weight by vending machine use among 137 University students. The nutrient content of snacks and beverages available at nine campus vending machines was assessed by direct observation in May 2014. Participants (mean age 22.5 years; 54% males) subsequently completed a self-administered questionnaire to assess vending machine behaviours and food intake. Self-reported weight and height were collected. Vending machine snacks were generally high in sugar, fat and saturated fat, whereas most beverages were high in sugar. Seventy three participants (53.3%) used vending machines more than once per week and 82.2% (n 60) of vending machine users used them to snack between meals. Vending machine accessibility was positively correlated with vending machine use (r = 0.209, P = 0.015). Vending machine users, compared to non-users, reported a significantly higher weekly consumption of savoury snacks (5.2 vs. 2.8, P = 0.014), fruit juice (6.5 vs. 4.3, P = 0.035), soft drinks (5.1 vs. 1.9, P = 0.006), meat products (8.3 vs. 5.6, P = 0.029) and microwave meals (2.0 vs. 1.3, P = 0.020). No between-group differences were found in body weight. Most foods available from vending machines in this UK University were of low nutritional quality. In this sample of University students, vending machine users displayed several unfavourable dietary behaviours, compared to non-users. Findings can be used to inform the development of an environmental intervention that will focus on vending machines to improve dietary behaviours in University students in the UK. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. 25 CFR 547.11 - What are the minimum technical standards for money and credit handling?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... GAMES § 547.11 What are the minimum technical standards for money and credit handling? This section... interface is: (i) Involved in the play of a game; (ii) In audit mode, recall mode or any test mode; (iii...) For machine-readable vouchers and coupons, a bar code or other form of machine readable representation...

  1. Quality and readability of online patient information regarding sclerotherapy for venous malformations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pass, Jonathan H; Patel, Amani H; Stuart, Sam; Barnacle, Alex M; Patel, Premal A

    2018-05-01

    Patients often use the internet as a source of information about their condition and treatments. However, this information is unregulated and varies in quality. To evaluate the readability and quality of online information for pediatric and adult patients and caregivers regarding sclerotherapy for venous malformations. "Venous malformation sclerotherapy" was entered into Google, and results were reviewed until 20 sites that satisfied predefined inclusion criteria were identified. Scientific and non-patient-focused web pages were excluded. Readability was assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease Score and American Medical Association reading difficulty recommendations and quality was assessed using Journal of the American Medical Association standards and assessing if the site displayed HONcode (Health on the Net Code) certification. Assessment of the breadth of relevant information was made using a predefined checklist. Forty-nine search engine results were reviewed before 20 sites were identified for analysis. Average Flesch Reading Ease Score was 44 (range: 24.2-70.1), representing a "fairly difficult" reading level. None of the sites had a Flesch Reading Ease Score meeting the American Medical Association recommendation of 80-90. Only one site met all four Journal of the American Medical Association quality criteria (average: 2.1). None of the sites displayed a HONcode seal. The information most frequently found was: sclerotherapy is performed by radiologists, multiple treatments may be needed and surgery is an alternative treatment. Online information regarding sclerotherapy for venous malformations is heterogeneous in quality and breadth of information, and does not meet readability recommendations for patient information. Radiologists should be aware of and account for this when meeting patients.

  2. The Evaluation of High School Geography 9 and High School Geography 11 Text Books with Some Formulas of Readability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gecit, Yilmaz

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate readability of 9th and 11th grade geography text-books currently used in schools. As known, one of the most fundamental features in a text-book is the readability of the text by students. In addition, it is also very important that the fluency and suitability of books match age level. In this study, the…

  3. XML-based DICOM data format.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Cong; Yao, Zhihong

    2010-04-01

    To enhance the readability, improve the structure, and facilitate the sharing of digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) files, this research proposed one kind of XML-based DICOM data format. Because XML Schema offers great flexibility for expressing constraints on the content model of elements, we used it to describe the new format, thus making it consistent with the one originally defined by DICOM. Meanwhile, such schemas can be used in the creation and validation of the XML-encoded DICOM files, acting as a standard for data transmission and sharing on the Web. Upon defining the new data format, we started with representing a single data element and further improved the whole data structure with the method of modularization. In contrast to the original format, the new one possesses better structure without loss of related information. In addition, we demonstrated the application of XSLT and XQuery. All of the advantages mentioned above resulted from this new data format.

  4. Readability, complexity, and suitability of online resources for mastectomy and lumpectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Bao Ngoc N; Singh, Mansher; Singhal, Dhruv; Rudd, Rima; Lee, Bernard T

    2017-05-15

    Nearly half of American adults have low or marginal health literacy. This negatively affects patients' participation, decision-making, satisfaction, and overall outcomes especially when there is a mismatch between information provided and the skills of the intended audience. Recommendations that patient information be written below the sixth grade level have been made for over three decades. This study compares online resources for mastectomy versus lumpectomy using expanded metrics including readability level, complexity, and density of data and overall suitability for public consumption. The 10 highest ranked Web sites for mastectomy and lumpectomy were identified using the largest Internet engine (Google). Each Web site was assessed for readability (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook), complexity (PMOSE/iKIRSCH), and suitability (Suitability Assessment of Materials). Scores were analyzed by each Web site and overall. Readability analysis showed a significant reading grade level difference between mastectomy and lumpectomy online information (15.4 and 13.9, P = 0.04, respectively). Complexity analysis via PMOSE/iKIRSCH revealed a mean score of 6.5 for mastectomy materials corresponding to "low" complexity and eighth to 12 th grade education. Lumpectomy literature had a lower PMOSE/iKIRSCH score of 5.8 corresponding to a "very low" complexity and fourth to eighth grade education (P = 0.05). Suitability assessment showed mean values of 41% and 46% (P = 0.83) labeled as the lowest level of "adequacy" for mastectomy and lumpectomy materials, respectively. Inter-rater reliability was high for both complexity and suitability analysis. Online resources for the surgical treatment of breast cancer are above the recommended reading grade level. The suitability level is barely adequate indicating a need for revision. Online resources for mastectomy have a higher reading grade level than do materials for lumpectomy and tend to be more complex. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier

  5. Readability of written medicine information materials in Arabic language: expert and consumer evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Aqeel, Sinaa; Abanmy, Norah; Aldayel, Abeer; Al-Khalifa, Hend; Al-Yahya, Maha; Diab, Mona

    2018-02-27

    Written Medicine Information (WMI) is one of the sources that patients use to obtain information concerning medicine. This paper aims to assess the readability of two types of WMIs in Arabic language based on vocabulary use and sentence structure using a panel of experts and consumers. This is a descriptive study. Two different types of materials, including the online text from King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Arabic Health Encyclopaedia (KAAHE) and medication leaflets submitted by the manufacturers to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) were evaluated. We selected a group of sentences from each WMI. The readability was assessed by experts (n = 5) and consumers (n = 5). The sentence readability of each measured using a specific criteria and rated as 1 = easy, 2 = intermediate, or 3 = difficult. A total of 4476 sentences (SFDA 2231; KAHEE 2245) extracted from websites or patient information leaflets on 50 medications and evaluated. The majority of the vocabulary and sentence structure was considered easy by both expert (SFDA: 68%; KAAHE: 76%) and consumer (SFDA: 76%; KAAHE: 84%) groups. The sentences with difficult or intermediate vocabulary and sentence structure are derived primarily from the precautions and side effects sections. The SFDA and KAAHE WMIs are easy to read and understand as judged by our study sample. However; there is room for improvement, especially in sections related to the side effects and precautions.

  6. A synthesis of research on color, typography and graphics as they relate to readability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamoreaux, M. E.

    1985-09-01

    A foundation for future research on the use of color, typography, and graphics to improve readability is provided. Articles from the broad fields of education and psychology, as well as from the fields of journalism and printing, have been reviewed for research relating color, typography, and graphics to reading ease, speed, or comprehension. The most relevant articles reviewed are presented in an annoated bibliography; the remaining articles are also presented in bibliographic format. This literature review indicates that recognition and recall of printed material may be improved through the use of headings, underlining, color, and, especially, illustrations. Current research suggests that individuals can remember pictures far longer than past research indicates. However, researchers are divided on the usefulness of illustrations to improve reading comprehension. On the other hand, reading comprehension can be improved through the use of statistical graphs and tables if the reader is properly trained in the use of these devices.

  7. Textbook Readability and Student Performance in Online Introductory Corporate Finance Classes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Chien-Chih

    2015-01-01

    This paper examines whether the choice of a more readable textbook can improve student performance in online introductory corporate finance classes. The ordinary least squares regression model is employed to analyze a sample of 206 students during the period from 2008 to 2012. The results of this study show that the student's age, student's major,…

  8. EXFOR Basics. A short guide to the neutron reaction data exchange format

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McLane, V.; NUCLEAR DATA CENTER NETWORK

    2000-01-01

    This manual is intended as a guide to users of nuclear reaction data compiled in the EXFOR format, and is not intended as a complete guide to the EXFOR System. EXFOR is the exchange format designed to allow transmission of nuclear reaction data between the Nuclear Reaction Data Centers. In addition to storing the data and its' bibliographic information, experimental information is also compiled. The status (e.g., the source of the data) and history (e.g., date of last update) of the data set is also included. EXFOR is designed for flexibility in order to meet the diverse needs of the nuclear reaction data centers. It was originally conceived for the exchange of neutron data and was developed through discussions among personnel from centers situated in Saclay, Vienna, Livermore and Brookhaven. It was accepted as the official exchange format of the neutron data centers at Saclay, Vienna, Brookhaven and Obninsk, at a meeting held in November 1969.3 As a result of two meetings held in 1975 and 1976 and attended by several charged-particle data centers, the format was further developed and adapted to cover all nuclear reaction data. The exchange format should not be confused with a center-to-user format. Although users may obtain data from the centers in the EXFOR format, other center-to-user formats have been developed to meet the needs of the users within each center's own sphere of responsibility. The EXFOR format, as outlined, allows a large variety of numerical data tables with explanatory and bibliographic information to be transmitted in a format: l that is machine-readable (for checking and indicating possible errors); l that can be read by personnel (for passing judgment on and correcting errors). The data presently included in the EXFOR exchange file include: a complete compilation of experimental neutron-induced reaction data, a selected compilation of charged-particle-induced reaction data, a selected compilation of photon-induced reaction data

  9. An establish attempt of reasons of machining splinter formation in AC44200 alloy high pressure die castings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Mutwil

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available A problem of splinter formation during machining the AC44200 alloy high pressure die casting has been experimental investigated. Inorder to establish the reason of this occurrence a set of 200 high pressure die casting of the tensile strength samples have been prepared. The tensile tests were carried out using a Zwick Z050 universal testing machine. JM-SPC program has been used for statistical analysis of test results. A large variability of tensile strength results has been found. In order to find the reason of this variability the fracture surface investigations (macrographs for all of samples and SEM micrographs for chosen samples have been carried out. It has been establish that in all cases a significant decrease of tensile strength was caused by presence of inclusions or porosity. In lot of cases the inclusions have a form of oxide film.

  10. Reconstructing Readability: Recent Developments and Recommendations in the Analysis of Text Difficulty

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benjamin, Rebekah George

    2012-01-01

    Largely due to technological advances, methods for analyzing readability have increased significantly in recent years. While past researchers designed hundreds of formulas to estimate the difficulty of texts for readers, controversy has surrounded their use for decades, with criticism stemming largely from their application in creating new texts…

  11. Review of the investigation of mixture formation and combustion process using rapid compression machine and direct visualization system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaat, M.; Khalid, Amir; Manshoor, B.; Ramsy, Him

    2013-12-01

    This paper reviews of some applications of optical visualization systems to compute the fuel-air mixing process during early stage of mixture formation in Diesel Combustion Engines. A number of studies have contributed to the understanding of fuel air mixing in DI diesel engine. This review has shown that the mixture formation process affects initial flame development. The review also found that injection pressure has a great effect on the mixture formation then the flame development and combustion characteristics. The method of the simulation of real phenomenon of diesel combustion with optical access rapid compression machine is also reviewed and experimental results are presented. The application of these methods to the investigation of diesel sprays highlights mechanisms which govern propagation and distribution of the formation of a combustible fuel-air mixture. A summary of the implementation of constant volume chamber and optical visualization system are shown in the accompanying tables and figures. The visualization of the formation process of diesel spray and its combustion in the diesel combustion chamber of diesel engine has been recognized as one of the best ways to understand the characteristics of the mixture formation.

  12. Research Translation Strategies to Improve the Readability of Workplace Health Promotion Resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, Alison; Joss, Nerida

    2016-01-01

    Without deliberate and resourced translation, research evidence is unlikely to inform policy and practice. This paper describes the processes and practical solutions used to translate evaluation research findings to improve the readability of print materials in a large scale worksite health programme. It is argued that a knowledge brokering and…

  13. Internal control in an EDI environment.

    OpenAIRE

    Bae, Dal Hyeoung

    1991-01-01

    Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. Electronic Data Interchange(EDI) is the electronic transmission of standard business documents in machine-readable format between parent companies and respective trading partners. As the use of EDI has grown, there have been the associated risks due to an uncontrolled environment. Accordingly, the necessity for effective internal controls in an EDI environment is on the rise. This thesis evaluates and analyzes the feasi...

  14. Readability of sports medicine-related patient education materials from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganta, Abhishek; Yi, Paul H; Hussein, Khalil; Frank, Rachel M

    2014-04-01

    Although studies have revealed high readability levels of orthopedic patient education materials, no study has evaluated sports medicine-related patient education materials. We conducted a study to assess the readability of sports medicine-related patient education materials from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM). All sports medicine patient education articles available online in 2012 from the AAOS and the AOSSM, including the Stop Sports Injuries Campaign (STOP), were identified, and their readability was assessed with the Flesch-Kinkaid (FK) readability test. Mean overall FK grade level of the 170 articles reviewed (104 from AAOS, 36 from AOSSM, 30 from STOP) was 10.2. Mean FK levels for the 3 sources were 9.5 (AAOS), 11.0 (AOSSM), and 11.5 (STOP) (P = .16). Fifteen (8.8%) of the 170 articles had a readability level at or below eighth grade (average reading level of US adults); only 2 (1.2%) of the 170 articles were at or below the recommended sixth-grade level. The majority of sports medicine-related patient education materials from AAOS and AOSSM had reading levels higher than recommended, indicating that the majority of the patient population may find it difficult to comprehend these articles.

  15. Banknotes and unattended cash transactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernardini, Ronald R.

    2000-04-01

    There is a 64 billion dollar annual unattended cash transaction business in the US with 10 to 20 million daily transactions. Even small problems with the machine readability of banknotes can quickly become a major problem to the machine manufacturer and consumer. Traditional note designs incorporate overt security features for visual validation by the public. Many of these features such as fine line engraving, microprinting and watermarks are unsuitable as machine readable features in low cost note acceptors. Current machine readable features, mostly covert, were designed and implemented with the central banks in mind. These features are only usable by the banks large, high speed currency sorting and validation equipment. New note designs should consider and provide for low cost not acceptors, implementing features developed for inexpensive sensing technologies. Machine readable features are only as good as their consistency. Quality of security features as well as that of the overall printing process must be maintained to ensure reliable and secure operation of note readers. Variations in printing and of the components used to make the note are one of the major causes of poor performance in low cost note acceptors. The involvement of machine manufacturers in new currency designs will aid note producers in the design of a note that is machine friendly, helping to secure the acceptance of the note by the public as well as acting asa deterrent to fraud.

  16. Readability and Content Assessment of Informed Consent Forms for Medical Procedures in Croatia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vučemilo, Luka; Borovečki, Ana

    2015-01-01

    High quality of informed consent form is essential for adequate information transfer between physicians and patients. Current status of medical procedure consent forms in clinical practice in Croatia specifically in terms of the readability and the content is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the readability and the content of informed consent forms for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used with patients in Croatia. 52 informed consent forms from six Croatian hospitals on the secondary and tertiary health-care level were tested for reading difficulty using Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) formula adjusted for Croatian language and for qualitative analysis of the content. The averaged SMOG grade of analyzed informed consent forms was 13.25 (SD 1.59, range 10-19). Content analysis revealed that informed consent forms included description of risks in 96% of the cases, benefits in 81%, description of procedures in 78%, alternatives in 52%, risks and benefits of alternatives in 17% and risks and benefits of not receiving treatment or undergoing procedures in 13%. Readability of evaluated informed consent forms is not appropriate for the general population in Croatia. The content of the forms failed to include in high proportion of the cases description of alternatives, risks and benefits of alternatives, as well as risks and benefits of not receiving treatments or undergoing procedures. Data obtained from this research could help in development and improvement of informed consent forms in Croatia especially now when Croatian hospitals are undergoing the process of accreditation.

  17. Readability and Content Assessment of Informed Consent Forms for Medical Procedures in Croatia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vučemilo, Luka; Borovečki, Ana

    2015-01-01

    Background High quality of informed consent form is essential for adequate information transfer between physicians and patients. Current status of medical procedure consent forms in clinical practice in Croatia specifically in terms of the readability and the content is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the readability and the content of informed consent forms for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used with patients in Croatia. Methods 52 informed consent forms from six Croatian hospitals on the secondary and tertiary health-care level were tested for reading difficulty using Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) formula adjusted for Croatian language and for qualitative analysis of the content. Results The averaged SMOG grade of analyzed informed consent forms was 13.25 (SD 1.59, range 10–19). Content analysis revealed that informed consent forms included description of risks in 96% of the cases, benefits in 81%, description of procedures in 78%, alternatives in 52%, risks and benefits of alternatives in 17% and risks and benefits of not receiving treatment or undergoing procedures in 13%. Conclusions Readability of evaluated informed consent forms is not appropriate for the general population in Croatia. The content of the forms failed to include in high proportion of the cases description of alternatives, risks and benefits of alternatives, as well as risks and benefits of not receiving treatments or undergoing procedures. Data obtained from this research could help in development and improvement of informed consent forms in Croatia especially now when Croatian hospitals are undergoing the process of accreditation. PMID:26376183

  18. Identification of stars and digital version of the catalogue of 1958 by Brodskaya and Shajn

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorbunov, M. A.; Shlyapnikov, A. A.

    2017-12-01

    The following topics are considered: the identification of objects on search maps, the determination of their coordinates at the epoch of 2000, and converting the published version of the catalogue of 1958 by Brodskaya and Shajn into a machine-readable format. The statistics for photometric and spectral data from the original catalogue is presented. A digital version of the catalogue is described, as well as its presentation in HTML, VOTable and AJS formats and the basic principles of work in the interactive application of International Virtual Observatory - the Aladin Sky Atlas.

  19. Readability of consumer health information on the internet: a comparison of U.S. government-funded and commercially funded websites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Risoldi Cochrane, Zara; Gregory, Philip; Wilson, Amy

    2012-01-01

    The Internet has become an extremely prevalent means of communicating health information to consumers. Guidelines for selecting reliable health information websites give preference to U.S. government sites over commercially funded sites. However, these websites are not useful to consumers unless they are able to read and understand them. The authors' objective was to compare the readability of Internet health information intended for consumers found on U.S. government-funded websites versus that found on commercially funded websites. Consumer health websites were identified through a systematic Internet search. Webpages for 10 common health topics were extracted from each website. Readability of webpages was determined by 3 validated measures: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Reading Level, and SMOG Formula. Mean readability of government-funded and commercially funded websites was compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Commercially funded websites were significantly more difficult to read as measured by Flesch Reading Ease (49.7 vs. 55.6 for government-funded sites, p = .002) and Flesch-Kincaid Reading Level (10.1 vs. 9.3, p = .012). There was no significant difference according to SMOG Formula (12.8 vs. 13.2, p = .150). The overall readability of Internet health information intended for consumers was poor. Efforts should be made to ensure that health information communicated via the Internet is easy for consumers to read and understand.

  20. The Machinic Temporality of Metadata

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio Celis

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available In 1990 Deleuze introduced the hypothesis that disciplinary societies are gradually being replaced by a new logic of power: control. Accordingly, Matteo Pasquinelli has recently argued that we are moving towards societies of metadata, which correspond to a new stage of what Deleuze called control societies. Societies of metadata are characterised for the central role that meta-information acquires both as a source of surplus value and as an apparatus of social control. The aim of this article is to develop Pasquinelli’s thesis by examining the temporal scope of these emerging societies of metadata. In particular, this article employs Guattari’s distinction between human and machinic times. Through these two concepts, this article attempts to show how societies of metadata combine the two poles of capitalist power formations as identified by Deleuze and Guattari, i.e. social subjection and machinic enslavement. It begins by presenting the notion of metadata in order to identify some of the defining traits of contemporary capitalism. It then examines Berardi’s account of the temporality of the attention economy from the perspective of the asymmetric relation between cyber-time and human time. The third section challenges Berardi’s definition of the temporality of the attention economy by using Guattari’s notions of human and machinic times. Parts four and five fall back upon Deleuze and Guattari’s notions of machinic surplus labour and machinic enslavement, respectively. The concluding section tries to show that machinic and human times constitute two poles of contemporary power formations that articulate the temporal dimension of societies of metadata.

  1. Light at Night Markup Language (LANML): XML Technology for Light at Night Monitoring Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Craine, B. L.; Craine, E. R.; Craine, E. M.; Crawford, D. L.

    2013-05-01

    Light at Night Markup Language (LANML) is a standard, based upon XML, useful in acquiring, validating, transporting, archiving and analyzing multi-dimensional light at night (LAN) datasets of any size. The LANML standard can accommodate a variety of measurement scenarios including single spot measures, static time-series, web based monitoring networks, mobile measurements, and airborne measurements. LANML is human-readable, machine-readable, and does not require a dedicated parser. In addition LANML is flexible; ensuring future extensions of the format will remain backward compatible with analysis software. The XML technology is at the heart of communicating over the internet and can be equally useful at the desktop level, making this standard particularly attractive for web based applications, educational outreach and efficient collaboration between research groups.

  2. Readability of Educational Materials to Support Parent Sexual Communication With Their Children and Adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ballonoff Suleiman, Ahna; Lin, Jessica S; Constantine, Norman A

    2016-05-01

    Sexual communication is a principal means of transmitting sexual values, expectations, and knowledge from parents to their children and adolescents. Many parents seek information and guidance to support talking with their children about sex and sexuality. Parent education materials can deliver this guidance but must use appropriate readability levels to facilitate comprehension and motivation. This study appraised the readability of educational materials to support parent sexual communication with their children. Fifty brochures, pamphlets, and booklets were analyzed using the Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) index methods. Mean readability grade-level scores were 8.3 (range = 4.5-12.8), 9.7 (range = 5.5-14.9), and 10.1 (range = 6.7-13.9), respectively. Informed by National Institutes of Health-recommended 6th to 7th grade levels and American Medical Association-recommended 5th to 6th grade levels, percentages falling at or below the 7.0 grade level were calculated as 38%, 12%, and 2% and those falling at or below the 6.0 grade level were calculated as 12%, 2%, and 0% based on the Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, and SMOG methods, respectively. These analyses indicate that the majority of educational materials available online to support parents' communication with their children about sex and sexuality do not meet the needs of many or most parents. Efforts to improve the accessibility of these materials are warranted.

  3. Aligning Theme and Information Structure to Improve the Readability of Technical Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, N. A. J.

    2006-01-01

    The readability of technical writing, and technical manuals in particular, especially for second language readers, can be noticeably improved by pairing Theme with Given and Rheme with New. This allows for faster processing of text and easier access to the "method of development" of the text. Typical Theme-Rheme patterns are described, and the…

  4. Availability and Readability of Online Patient Education Materials Regarding Regional Anesthesia Techniques for Perioperative Pain Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Gunjan; Howard, Steven K; Kou, Alex; Kim, T Edward; Butwick, Alexander J; Mariano, Edward R

    2017-10-01

    Patient education materials (PEM) should be written at a sixth-grade reading level or lower. We evaluated the availability and readability of online PEM related to regional anesthesia and compared the readability and content of online PEM produced by fellowship and nonfellowship institutions. With IRB exemption, we constructed a cohort of online regional anesthesia PEM by searching Websites from North American academic medical centers supporting a regional anesthesiology and acute pain medicine fellowships and used a standardized Internet search engine protocol to identify additional nonfellowship Websites with regional anesthesia PEM based on relevant keywords. Readability metrics were calculated from PEM using the TextStat 0.1.4 textual analysis package for Python 2.7 and compared between institutions with and without a fellowship program. The presence of specific descriptive PEM elements related to regional anesthesia was also compared between groups. PEM from 17 fellowship and 15 nonfellowship institutions were included in analyses. The mean (SD) Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level for PEM from the fellowship group was 13.8 (2.9) vs 10.8 (2.0) for the nonfellowship group (p = 0.002). We observed no other differences in readability metrics between fellowship and nonfellowship institutions. Fellowship-based PEM less commonly included descriptions of the following risks: local anesthetic systemic toxicity (p = 0.033) and injury due to an insensate extremity (p = 0.003). Available online PEM related to regional anesthesia are well above the recommended reading level. Further, fellowship-based PEM posted are at a higher reading level than PEM posted by nonfellowship institutions and are more likely to omit certain risk descriptions. 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

  5. Beauty and the Beast - on the readability of object-oriented example programs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Börstler, Jürgen; Caspersen, Michael E.; Nordström, Marie

    2016-01-01

    Some solutions to a programming problem are more beautiful, elegant, and simple than others and thus more understandable for students. But why is it so, and can we quantify the notion of understandability of programs? We review desirable properties of program examples from a cognitive and a measu...... and exemplify a readability measure for software. An application of this measure to a set of object-oriented textbook examples shows encouraging results which we hope will ignite further research in this area.......Some solutions to a programming problem are more beautiful, elegant, and simple than others and thus more understandable for students. But why is it so, and can we quantify the notion of understandability of programs? We review desirable properties of program examples from a cognitive...... and a measurement point of view. It can be argued that some cognitive aspects of example programs are captured by common software measures, but we argue that they are not sucient to capture the most important aspects of understandability. A key aspect of understandability is readability. The authors propose...

  6. A Practical Method to Increase the Frequency Readability for Vibration Signals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean Loius Ntakpe

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Damage detection and nondestructive evaluation of mechanical and civil engineering structures are nowadays very important to assess the integrity and ensure the reliability of structures. Thus, frequency evaluation becomes a crucial issue, since this modal parameter is mainly used in structural integrity assessment. The herein presented study highligts the possibility of increasing the frequency readability by involving a simple and cost-effective method.

  7. Designing and Evaluating Patient Education Pamphlets based on Readability Indexes and Comparison with Literacy Levels of Society

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahdieh Arian

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Hundreds of patient education materials i.e. pamphlets are annually published in healthcare systems following their design, correction, and revision. Aim: to design and evaluate patient education pamphlets based on readability indexes and their comparison with literacy level in society. Method: The average literacy level among 500 patients admitted to two training hospitals in Bojnurd (northeastern Iran was determined in 2014-2015. Afterwards, all patient education pamphlets in both hospitals (n=69 were collected and their readability level was determined. After that, all the pamphlets were re-designed according to the given standards and in line with literacy level in society. The SPSS software (Version 20 was also used to analyze the data. Results: The average level of literacy among 500 patients in both hospitals in the present study was 6.72±4.34 which was placed in grades six and seven in terms of the guide to readability indexes. In line with McLaughlin’s SMOG Readability Formula, the bulk of pamphlets (91.3% were at college level before corrections and revisions based on the given standards, but 23.2% were at a level lower than grade seven following corrections and revisions. Implications for Practice: Evaluation of patient education pamphlets plays an important role in promoting self-care among patients. Due to the novelty of the present study in Iran, the results of this study can contribute to patient education researchers in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of patient education materials i.e. pamphlets based on scientific indices as well as their revisions and re-developments.

  8. Readability assessment of concussion and traumatic brain injury publications by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gill, Preetinder S; Gill, Tejkaran S; Kamath, Ashwini; Whisnant, Billy

    2012-01-01

    Health literacy is associated with a person’s capacity to find, access, contextualize, and understand information needed for health care-related decisions. The level of health literacy thus has an influence on an individual’s health status. It can be argued that low health literacy is associated with poor health status. Health care literature (eg, pamphlets, brochures, postcards, posters, forms) are published by public and private organizations worldwide to provide information to the general public. The ability to read, use, and understand is critical to the successful application of knowledge disseminated by this literature. This study assessed the readability, suitability, and usability of health care literature associated with concussion and traumatic brain injury published by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease, Gunning Fog, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, and Suitability Assessment of Materials indices were used to assess 40 documents obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. The documents analyzed were targeted towards the general public. It was found that in order to be read properly, on average, these documents needed more than an eleventh grade/high school level education. This was consistent with the findings of other similar studies. However, the qualitative Suitability Assessment of Materials index showed that, on average, usability and suitability of these documents was superior. Hence, it was concluded that formatting, illustrations, layout, and graphics play a pivotal role in improving health care-related literature and, in turn, promoting health literacy. Based on the comprehensive literature review and assessment of the 40 documents associated with concussion and traumatic brain injury, recommendations have been made for improving the readability, suitability, and usability of health care-related documents. The recommendations are

  9. A technique for improving readability of Forrester diagram in system dynamics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Wei-Tzen

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available We describe a three-pass algorithm for improving the readability of Forrester Diagram in system dynamics. The first pass converts Forrester Diagram to recurrent hierarchy. The second pass sorts the vertices on each level, with the goal of minimizing crossings. The third pass is a finite tuning of the layout that determines the horizontal positions of vertices. An illustrative example is given to verify the result. .

  10. MLBCD: a machine learning tool for big clinical data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Gang

    2015-01-01

    Predictive modeling is fundamental for extracting value from large clinical data sets, or "big clinical data," advancing clinical research, and improving healthcare. Machine learning is a powerful approach to predictive modeling. Two factors make machine learning challenging for healthcare researchers. First, before training a machine learning model, the values of one or more model parameters called hyper-parameters must typically be specified. Due to their inexperience with machine learning, it is hard for healthcare researchers to choose an appropriate algorithm and hyper-parameter values. Second, many clinical data are stored in a special format. These data must be iteratively transformed into the relational table format before conducting predictive modeling. This transformation is time-consuming and requires computing expertise. This paper presents our vision for and design of MLBCD (Machine Learning for Big Clinical Data), a new software system aiming to address these challenges and facilitate building machine learning predictive models using big clinical data. The paper describes MLBCD's design in detail. By making machine learning accessible to healthcare researchers, MLBCD will open the use of big clinical data and increase the ability to foster biomedical discovery and improve care.

  11. Nanopublications for exposing experimental data in the life-sciences: a Huntington's Disease case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mina, Eleni; Thompson, Mark; Kaliyaperumal, Rajaram; Zhao, Jun; der Horst, van Eelke; Tatum, Zuotian; Hettne, Kristina M; Schultes, Erik A; Mons, Barend; Roos, Marco

    2015-01-01

    Data from high throughput experiments often produce far more results than can ever appear in the main text or tables of a single research article. In these cases, the majority of new associations are often archived either as supplemental information in an arbitrary format or in publisher-independent databases that can be difficult to find. These data are not only lost from scientific discourse, but are also elusive to automated search, retrieval and processing. Here, we use the nanopublication model to make scientific assertions that were concluded from a workflow analysis of Huntington's Disease data machine-readable, interoperable, and citable. We followed the nanopublication guidelines to semantically model our assertions as well as their provenance metadata and authorship. We demonstrate interoperability by linking nanopublication provenance to the Research Object model. These results indicate that nanopublications can provide an incentive for researchers to expose data that is interoperable and machine-readable for future use and preservation for which they can get credits for their effort. Nanopublications can have a leading role into hypotheses generation offering opportunities to produce large-scale data integration.

  12. Reliability, Readability and Quality of Online Information about Femoracetabular Impingement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatih Küçükdurmaz

    2015-07-01

    Conclusion: According to our results, the websites intended to attract patients searching for information regarding femoroacetabular impingement are providing a highly accessible, readable information source, but do not appear to apply a comparable amount of rigor to scientific literature or healthcare practitioner websites in regard to matters such as citing sources for information, supplying methodology and including a publication date. This indicates that while these resources are easily accessed by patients, there is potential for them to be a source of misinformation.

  13. Readability Statistics of Patient Information Leaflets in a Speech and Language Therapy Department

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pothier, Louise; Day, Rachael; Harris, Catherine; Pothier, David D.

    2008-01-01

    Background: Information leaflets are commonly used in Speech and Language Therapy Departments. Despite widespread use, they can be of variable quality. Aims: To revise current departmental leaflets using the National Health Service (NHS) Toolkit for Producing Patient Information and to test the effect that this has on the readability scores of the…

  14. Machining of a bioactive nanocomposite orthopedic fixation device.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sparnell, Amie; Aniket; El-Ghannam, Ahmed

    2012-08-01

    Bioactive ceramics bond to bone and enhance bone formation. However, they have poor mechanical properties which restrict their machinability as well as their application as load bearing implants. The goal of this study was to machine bioactive fixation screws using a silica-calcium phosphate nanocomposite (SCPC50). The effect of compact pressure, holding time, and thermal treatment on the microstructure, machinability, and mechanical properties of SCPC50 cylinders were investigated. Samples prepared by powder metallurgy technique at compact pressure range of 100-300 MPa and treated at 900°C/1 h scored a poor machinability rating of (1/5) due to the significant formation of amorphous silicate phase at the grain boundaries. On the other hand, lowering of compact pressure and sintering temperature to 30 MPa/3 h and 700°C/2 h, respectively, minimized the formation of the amorphous phase and raised the machinability rating to (5/5). The modulus of elasticity and ultimate strength of machinable SCPC50 were 10.8 ± 2.0 GPa and 72.8 ± 22.8 MPa, respectively, which are comparable to the corresponding values for adult human cortical bone. qRT-PCR analyses showed that bone cells attached to SCPC50 significantly upregulated osteocalcin mRNA expression as compared to the cells on Ti-6Al-4V. Moreover, cells attached to SCPC50 produced mineralized bone-like tissue within 8 days. On the other hand, cells attached to Ti-6Al-4V failed to produce bone mineral under the same experimental conditions. Results of the study suggest that machinable SCPC50 has the potential to serve as an attractive new material for orthopedic fixation devices. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Development of Machinable Ellipses by NURBS Curves

    OpenAIRE

    Yuan L. Lai; Jian H. Chen; Jui P. Hung

    2008-01-01

    Owning to the high-speed feed rate and ultra spindle speed have been used in modern machine tools, the tool-path generation plays a key role in the successful application of a High-Speed Machining (HSM) system. Because of its importance in both high-speed machining and tool-path generation, approximating a contour by NURBS format is a potential function in CAD/CAM/CNC systems. It is much more convenient to represent an ellipse by parametric form than to connect points lab...

  16. Readability of Orthopaedic Oncology-related Patient Education Materials Available on the Internet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Akash K; Yi, Paul H; Stein, Andrew

    2015-12-01

    A person's health literacy is one of the most important indicators of a patient's health status. According to national recommendations, patient education materials should be written at no higher than the sixth- to eighth-grade reading level. The purpose of our study was to assess the readability of online patient education materials related to orthopaedic oncology on the websites of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), American Cancer Society (ACS), Bone and Cancer Foundation (BCF), and National Cancer Institute (NCI). We searched the online patient education libraries of the AAOS, ACS, BCF, and NCI for all articles related to orthopaedic oncology. The Flesch-Kincaid (FK) readability score was calculated for each article and compared between sources. A total of 227 articles were identified with an overall mean FK grade level of 9.8. Stratified by source, the mean FK grade levels were 10.1, 9.6, 11.1, and 9.5 for the AAOS, ACS, BCF, and NCI, respectively (P education materials related to orthopaedic oncology appear to be written at a level above the comprehension ability of the average patient. Copyright 2015 by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

  17. ChargeOut! : discounted cash flow compared with traditional machine-rate analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ted Bilek

    2008-01-01

    ChargeOut!, a discounted cash-flow methodology in spreadsheet format for analyzing machine costs, is compared with traditional machine-rate methodologies. Four machine-rate models are compared and a common data set representative of logging skidders’ costs is used to illustrate the differences between ChargeOut! and the machine-rate methods. The study found that the...

  18. Assessing the Readability of College Textbooks in Public Speaking: Attending to Entry Level Instruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, David E.

    2011-01-01

    More research is needed that examines textbooks intended for the entry level college classroom. This study offers valuable information to academics that adopt a public speaking textbook for instruction as well as objective feedback to the collective authors. Readability levels of 22 nationally published textbooks, based on McGlaughlin's (1969)…

  19. Translation Analysis on Civil Engineering Text Produced by Machine Translator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sutopo Anam

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Translation is extremely needed in communication since people have serious problem in the language used. Translation activity is done by the person in charge for translating the material. Translation activity is also able to be done by machine. It is called machine translation, reflected in the programs developed by programmer. One of them is Transtool. Many people used Transtool for helping them in solving the problem related with translation activities. This paper wants to deliver how important is the Transtool program, how effective is Transtool program and how is the function of Transtool for human business. This study applies qualitative research. The sources of data were document and informant. This study used documentation and in dept-interviewing as the techniques for collecting data. The collected data were analyzed by using interactive analysis. The results of the study show that, first; Transtool program is helpful for people in translating the civil engineering text and it functions as the aid or helper, second; the working of Transtool software program is effective enough and third; the result of translation produced by Transtool is good for short and simple sentences and not readable, not understandable and not accurate for long sentences (compound, complex and compound complex thought the result is informative. The translated material must be edited by the professional translator.

  20. Translation Analysis on Civil Engineering Text Produced by Machine Translator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutopo, Anam

    2018-02-01

    Translation is extremely needed in communication since people have serious problem in the language used. Translation activity is done by the person in charge for translating the material. Translation activity is also able to be done by machine. It is called machine translation, reflected in the programs developed by programmer. One of them is Transtool. Many people used Transtool for helping them in solving the problem related with translation activities. This paper wants to deliver how important is the Transtool program, how effective is Transtool program and how is the function of Transtool for human business. This study applies qualitative research. The sources of data were document and informant. This study used documentation and in dept-interviewing as the techniques for collecting data. The collected data were analyzed by using interactive analysis. The results of the study show that, first; Transtool program is helpful for people in translating the civil engineering text and it functions as the aid or helper, second; the working of Transtool software program is effective enough and third; the result of translation produced by Transtool is good for short and simple sentences and not readable, not understandable and not accurate for long sentences (compound, complex and compound complex) thought the result is informative. The translated material must be edited by the professional translator.

  1. Computer-Based Readability Testing of Information Booklets for German Cancer Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keinki, Christian; Zowalla, Richard; Pobiruchin, Monika; Huebner, Jutta; Wiesner, Martin

    2018-04-12

    Understandable health information is essential for treatment adherence and improved health outcomes. For readability testing, several instruments analyze the complexity of sentence structures, e.g., Flesch-Reading Ease (FRE) or Vienna-Formula (WSTF). Moreover, the vocabulary is of high relevance for readers. The aim of this study is to investigate the agreement of sentence structure and vocabulary-based (SVM) instruments. A total of 52 freely available German patient information booklets on cancer were collected from the Internet. The mean understandability level L was computed for 51 booklets. The resulting values of FRE, WSTF, and SVM were assessed pairwise for agreement with Bland-Altman plots and two-sided, paired t tests. For the pairwise comparison, the mean L values are L FRE  = 6.81, L WSTF  = 7.39, L SVM  = 5.09. The sentence structure-based metrics gave significantly different scores (P < 0.001) for all assessed booklets, confirmed by the Bland-Altman analysis. The study findings suggest that vocabulary-based instruments cannot be interchanged with FRE/WSTF. However, both analytical aspects should be considered and checked by authors to linguistically refine texts with respect to the individual target group. Authors of health information can be supported by automated readability analysis. Health professionals can benefit by direct booklet comparisons allowing for time-effective selection of suitable booklets for patients.

  2. Machinability of Al 6061 Deposited with Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aldwell, Barry; Kelly, Elaine; Wall, Ronan; Amaldi, Andrea; O'Donnell, Garret E.; Lupoi, Rocco

    2017-10-01

    Additive manufacturing techniques such as cold spray are translating from research laboratories into more mainstream high-end production systems. Similar to many additive processes, finishing still depends on removal processes. This research presents the results from investigations into aspects of the machinability of aluminum 6061 tubes manufactured with cold spray. Through the analysis of cutting forces and observations on chip formation and surface morphology, the effect of cutting speed, feed rate, and heat treatment was quantified, for both cold-sprayed and bulk aluminum 6061. High-speed video of chip formation shows changes in chip form for varying material and heat treatment, which is supported by the force data and quantitative imaging of the machined surface. The results shown in this paper demonstrate that parameters involved in cold spray directly impact on machinability and therefore have implications for machining parameters and strategy.

  3. A standard format and a graphical user interface for spin system specification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biternas, A G; Charnock, G T P; Kuprov, Ilya

    2014-03-01

    We introduce a simple and general XML format for spin system description that is the result of extensive consultations within Magnetic Resonance community and unifies under one roof all major existing spin interaction specification conventions. The format is human-readable, easy to edit and easy to parse using standard XML libraries. We also describe a graphical user interface that was designed to facilitate construction and visualization of complicated spin systems. The interface is capable of generating input files for several popular spin dynamics simulation packages. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Nano Mechanical Machining Using AFM Probe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mostofa, Md. Golam

    Complex miniaturized components with high form accuracy will play key roles in the future development of many products, as they provide portability, disposability, lower material consumption in production, low power consumption during operation, lower sample requirements for testing, and higher heat transfer due to their very high surface-to-volume ratio. Given the high market demand for such micro and nano featured components, different manufacturing methods have been developed for their fabrication. Some of the common technologies in micro/nano fabrication are photolithography, electron beam lithography, X-ray lithography and other semiconductor processing techniques. Although these methods are capable of fabricating micro/nano structures with a resolution of less than a few nanometers, some of the shortcomings associated with these methods, such as high production costs for customized products, limited material choices, necessitate the development of other fabricating techniques. Micro/nano mechanical machining, such an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe based nano fabrication, has, therefore, been used to overcome some the major restrictions of the traditional processes. This technique removes material from the workpiece by engaging micro/nano size cutting tool (i.e. AFM probe) and is applicable on a wider range of materials compared to the photolithographic process. In spite of the unique benefits of nano mechanical machining, there are also some challenges with this technique, since the scale is reduced, such as size effects, burr formations, chip adhesions, fragility of tools and tool wear. Moreover, AFM based machining does not have any rotational movement, which makes fabrication of 3D features more difficult. Thus, vibration-assisted machining is introduced into AFM probe based nano mechanical machining to overcome the limitations associated with the conventional AFM probe based scratching method. Vibration-assisted machining reduced the cutting forces

  5. SELECTION OF ONTOLOGY FOR WEB SERVICE DESCRIPTION LANGUAGE TO ONTOLOGY WEB LANGUAGE CONVERSION

    OpenAIRE

    J. Mannar Mannan; M. Sundarambal; S. Raghul

    2014-01-01

    Semantic web is to extend the current human readable web to encoding some of the semantic of resources in a machine processing form. As a Semantic web component, Semantic Web Services (SWS) uses a mark-up that makes the data into detailed and sophisticated machine readable way. One such language is Ontology Web Language (OWL). Existing conventional web service annotation can be changed to semantic web service by mapping Web Service Description Language (WSDL) with the semantic annotation of O...

  6. GCP compliance and readability of informed consent forms from an emerging hub for clinical trials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Satish Chandrasekhar Nair

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The rapid expansion of trials in emerging regions has raised valid concerns about research subject protection, particularly related to informed consent. The purpose of this study is to assess informed consent form (ICF compliance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP guidelines and the readability easeof the ICFs in Abu Dhabi, a potential destination for clinical trials in the UAE. Materials and Methods: A multicenter retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 140 ICFs from industry sponsored and non-sponsored studies was conducted by comparing against a local standard ICF. Flesch-Kincaid Reading Scale was used to assess the readability ease of the forms. Results: Non-sponsored studies had signifi cantly lower overall GCP compliance of 55.8% when compared to 79.5% for industry sponsored studies. Only 33% of sponsored and 16% of non-sponsored studies included basic information on the participants′ rights and responsibilities. Flesch-Kincaid Reading ease score for the informed consent forms from industry sponsored studies was signifi cantly higher 48.9 ± 4.8 as compared to 38.5 ± 8.0 for non-sponsored studies, though both were more complex than recommended. Reading Grade Level score was also higher than expected, but scores for the ICFs from the industry sponsored studies were 9.7 ± 0.7, signifi cantly lower as compared to 12.2 ± 1.3 for non-sponsored studies. Conclusion: In spite of the undisputed benefits of conducting research in emerging markets readability, comprehension issues and the lack of basic essential information call for improvements in the ICFs to protect the rights of future research subjects enrolled in clinical trials in the UAE.

  7. Readability of alphanumeric characters having various contrast levels as a function of age and illumination mode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1977-07-01

    Readability data of alphanumeric characters that vary in figure-to- ground contrast ratio were obtained from 36 subjects; 12 subjects were placed in each of three age groups (20-25 yr, 40-45 yr, and 60-65 yr). Minimum illuminance required to identify...

  8. Readability of the Most Commonly Accessed Arthroscopy-Related Online Patient Education Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akinleye, Sheriff D; Krochak, Ryan; Richardson, Nicholas; Garofolo, Garret; Culbertson, Maya Deza; Erez, Orry

    2018-04-01

    To assess the readability and comprehension of written text by the most commonly visited websites containing patient education materials on common conditions that can be treated arthroscopically. We examined 50 websites, assessed independently by 2 orthopaedic surgery residents (S.A. and G.G.), with educational materials on 5 common conditions treated by arthroscopic surgeons: anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear, meniscus tear, hip labral tear, shoulder labral tear, and rotator cuff tear. Following a Google search for each condition, we analyzed the 10 most visited websites for each disorder using a widely used and validated tool for assessing the reading levels of written materials (Flesch-Kincaid formula). The average grade reading level of the 50 websites studied was 9.90 with a reading ease of 52.14 ("fairly difficult, high school"). Only 26% of the websites were at or below the national average of an eighth-grade reading level. Of the 5 conditions treated by arthroscopic surgery, ACL tear had the highest average grade reading level at 10.73 ± 1.54, whereas meniscus tear had the lowest at 9.31 ± 1.81. Every condition in this study had an average readability at or above the ninth-grade reading level. The most frequently accessed materials for patients with injuries requiring arthroscopic surgery exceeds the readability recommendations of the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health, as well as the average reading ability of US adults. Given the fact that these are the most commonly visited websites by the lay public, there needs to be a greater emphasis on tailoring written information to the literacy levels of the patient population. This study emphasizes the discrepancy between the recommended versus the measured reading levels of online patient education materials related to conditions treated by arthroscopic surgeons. The subject matter of these conditions is inherently complex; thus, relying solely on text to inform patients

  9. Improving Readability of an Evaluation Tool for Low-Income Clients Using Visual Information Processing Theories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Townsend, Marilyn S.; Sylva, Kathryn; Martin, Anna; Metz, Diane; Wooten-Swanson, Patti

    2008-01-01

    Literacy is an issue for many low-income audiences. Using visual information processing theories, the goal was improving readability of a food behavior checklist and ultimately improving its ability to accurately capture existing changes in dietary behaviors. Using group interviews, low-income clients (n = 18) evaluated 4 visual styles. The text…

  10. Development of a coppice planting machine to commercial standards

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Turton, J.S.

    2000-07-01

    This report gives details of the development work carried out on the Turton Engineering Coppice Planting machine in order to commercially market it. The background to the machine which plants single rows of cuttings from rods is traced,, and previous development work, design work, production of sub-assemblies and the assembly of modules, inspection and assembly, static trials, and commercial planting are examined. Further machine developments, proving trials, and recommendations for further work are discussed. Appendices address relationships applicable to vertical planting, the Turton short rotation cultivation machine rod format, estimated prices and charges, and a list of main suppliers. (UK)

  11. A novel thermo-hydraulic coupling model to investigate the crater formation in electrical discharge machining

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Jiajing; Yang, Xiaodong

    2017-09-01

    A novel thermo-hydraulic coupling model was proposed in this study to investigate the crater formation in electrical discharge machining (EDM). The temperature distribution of workpiece materials was included, and the crater formation process was explained from the perspective of hydrodynamic characteristics of the molten region. To better track the morphology of the crater and the movement of debris, the level-set method was introduced in this study. Simulation results showed that the crater appears shortly after the ignition of the discharge, and the molten material is removed by vaporizing in the initial stage, then by splashing at the following time. The driving force for the detachment of debris in the splashing removal stage comes from the extremely large pressure difference in the upper part of the molten region, and the morphology of the crater is also influenced by the shearing flow of molten material. It was found that the removal ratio of molten material is only about 7.63% under the studied conditions, leaving most to form the re-solidification layer on the surface of the crater. The size of the crater reaches the maximum at the end of discharge duration then experiences a slight reduction because of the reflux of molten material after the discharge. The results of single pulse discharge experiments showed that the morphologies and sizes between the simulation crater and actual crater are good at agreement, verifying the feasibility of the proposed thermo-hydraulic coupling model in explaining the mechanisms of crater formation in EDM.

  12. Treatment of Markup in Statistical Machine Translation

    OpenAIRE

    Müller, Mathias

    2017-01-01

    We present work on handling XML markup in Statistical Machine Translation (SMT). The methods we propose can be used to effectively preserve markup (for instance inline formatting or structure) and to place markup correctly in a machine-translated segment. We evaluate our approaches with parallel data that naturally contains markup or where markup was inserted to create synthetic examples. In our experiments, hybrid reinsertion has proven the most accurate method to handle markup, while alignm...

  13. Readability Assessment of Internet-Based Patient Education Materials Related to Parathyroid Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Chirag R; Sanghvi, Saurin; Cherla, Deepa V; Baredes, Soly; Eloy, Jean Anderson

    2015-07-01

    Patient education is critical in obtaining informed consent and reducing preoperative anxiety. Written patient education material (PEM) can supplement verbal communication to improve understanding and satisfaction. Published guidelines recommend that health information be presented at or below a sixth-grade reading level to facilitate comprehension. We investigate the grade level of online PEMs regarding parathyroid surgery. A popular internet search engine was used to identify PEM discussing parathyroid surgery. Four formulas were used to calculate readability scores: Flesch Reading Ease (FRE), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook (GFOG), and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG). Thirty web-based articles discussing parathyroid surgery were identified. The average FRE score was 42.8 (±1 standard deviation [SD] 16.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 36.6-48.8; range, 6.1-71.3). The average FKGL score was 11.7 (±1 SD 3.3; 95% CI, 10.5-12.9; range, 6.1-19.0). The SMOG scores averaged 14.2 (±1 SD 2.6; 95% CI, 13.2-15.2; range, 10.7-21.9), and the GFOG scores averaged 15.0 (±1 SD 3.5; 95% CI, 13.7-16.3; range, 10.6-24.8). Online PEM on parathyroid surgery is written above the recommended sixth-grade reading level. Improving readability of PEM may promote better health education and compliance. © The Author(s) 2015.

  14. Health Literacy: Readability of ACC/AHA Online Patient Education Material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapoor, Karan; George, Praveen; Evans, Matthew C; Miller, Weldon J; Liu, Stanley S

    To determine whether the online patient education material offered by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) is written at a higher level than the 6th-7th grade level recommended by the National Institute of Health (NIH). Online patient education material from each website was subjected to reading grade level (RGL) analysis using the Readability Studio Professional Edition. One-sample t testing was used to compare the mean RGLs obtained from 8 formulas to the NIH-recommended 6.5 grade level and 8th grade national mean. In total, 372 articles from the ACC website and 82 from the AHA were studied. Mean (±SD) RGLs for the 454 articles were 9.6 ± 2.1, 11.2 ± 2.1, 11.9 ± 1.6, 10.8 ± 1.6, 9.7 ± 2.1, 10.8 ± 0.8, 10.5 ± 2.6, and 11.7 ± 3.5 according to the Flesch-Kincaid grade level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG Index), Coleman-Liau Index (CLI), Gunning-Fog Index (GFI), New Dale-Chall reading level formula (NDC), FORCAST, Raygor Readability Estimate (RRE), and Fry Graph (Fry), respectively. All analyzed articles had significantly higher RGLs than both the NIH-recommended grade level of 6.5 and the national mean grade level of 8 (p education material provided on the ACC and AHA websites is written above the NIH-recommended 6.5 grade level and 8th grade national mean reading level. Additional studies are required to demonstrate whether lowering the RGL of this material improves outcomes among patients with cardiovascular disease. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  15. Machining of glass fiber reinforced polyamide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available The machinability of a 30 wt% glass fiber reinforced polyamide (PA was investigated by means of drilling tests. A disk was cut from an extruded rod and drilled on the flat surface: thrust was acquired during drilling at different drilling speed, feed rate and drill diameter. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and indentation were used to characterize PA so as to evaluate the intrinsic lack of homogeneity of the extruded material. In conclusion, it was observed that the chip formation mechanism affects the thrust dependence on the machining parameters. A traditional modeling approach is able to predict thrust only in presence of a continuous chip. In some conditions, thrust increases as drilling speed increases and feed rate decreases; this evidence suggests not to consider the general scientific approach which deals the machining of plastics in analogy with metals. Moreover, the thrust can be significantly affected by the workpiece fabrication effect, as well as by the machining parameters; therefore, the fabrication effect is not negligible in the definition of an optimum for the machining process.

  16. Heat-Assisted Machining for Material Removal Improvement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohd Hadzley, A. B.; Hafiz, S. Muhammad; Azahar, W.; Izamshah, R.; Mohd Shahir, K.; Abu, A.

    2015-09-01

    Heat assisted machining (HAM) is a process where an intense heat source is used to locally soften the workpiece material before machined by high speed cutting tool. In this paper, an HAM machine is developed by modification of small CNC machine with the addition of special jig to hold the heat sources in front of the machine spindle. Preliminary experiment to evaluate the capability of HAM machine to produce groove formation for slotting process was conducted. A block AISI D2 tool steel with100mm (width) × 100mm (length) × 20mm (height) size has been cut by plasma heating with different setting of arc current, feed rate and air pressure. Their effect has been analyzed based on distance of cut (DOC).Experimental results demonstrated the most significant factor that contributed to the DOC is arc current, followed by the feed rate and air pressure. HAM improves the slotting process of AISI D2 by increasing distance of cut due to initial cutting groove that formed during thermal melting and pressurized air from the heat source.

  17. Evaluating the Quality, Accuracy, and Readability of Online Resources Pertaining to Hallux Valgus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tartaglione, Jason P; Rosenbaum, Andrew J; Abousayed, Mostafa; Hushmendy, Shazaan F; DiPreta, John A

    2016-02-01

    The Internet is one of the most widely utilized resources for health-related information. Evaluation of the medical literature suggests that the quality and accuracy of these resources are poor and written at inappropriately high reading levels. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the quality, accuracy, and readability of online resources pertaining to hallux valgus. Two search terms ("hallux valgus" and "bunion") were entered into Google, Yahoo, and Bing. With the use of scoring criteria specific to hallux valgus, the quality and accuracy of online information related to hallux valgus was evaluated by 3 reviewers. The Flesch-Kincaid score was used to determine readability. Statistical analysis was performed with t tests and significance was determined by P values hallux valgus" (P = .045). Quality and accuracy were significantly higher in resources authored by physicians as compared to nonphysicians (quality, P = .04; accuracy, P hallux valgus is poor and written at inappropriate reading levels. Furthermore, the search term used, authorship, and presence of commercial bias influence the value of these materials. It is important for orthopaedic surgeons to become familiar with patient education materials, so that appropriate recommendations can be made regarding valuable resources. Level IV. © 2015 The Author(s).

  18. Quantitative analysis of the level of readability of online emergency radiology-based patient education resources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansberry, David R; D'Angelo, Michael; White, Michael D; Prabhu, Arpan V; Cox, Mougnyan; Agarwal, Nitin; Deshmukh, Sandeep

    2018-04-01

    The vast amount of information found on the internet, combined with its accessibility, makes it a widely utilized resource for Americans to find information pertaining to medical information. The field of radiology is no exception. In this paper, we assess the readability level of websites pertaining specifically to emergency radiology. Using Google, 23 terms were searched, and the top 10 results were recorded. Each link was evaluated for its readability level using a set of ten reputable readability scales. The search terms included the following: abdominal ultrasound, abdominal aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, appendicitis, cord compression, CT abdomen, cholecystitis, CT chest, diverticulitis, ectopic pregnancy, epidural hematoma, dural venous thrombosis, head CT, MRI brain, MR angiography, MRI spine, ovarian torsion, pancreatitis, pelvic ultrasound, pneumoperitoneum, pulmonary embolism, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and subdural hematoma. Any content that was not written for patients was excluded. The 230 articles that were assessed were written, on average, at a 12.1 grade level. Only 2 of the 230 articles (1%) were written at the third to seventh grade recommended reading level set forth by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and American Medical Association (AMA). Fifty-two percent of the 230 articles were written so as to require a minimum of a high school education (at least a 12th grade level). Additionally, 17 of the 230 articles (7.3%) were written at a level that exceeded an undergraduate education (at least a 16th grade level). The majority of websites with emergency radiology-related patient education materials are not adhering to the NIH and AMA's recommended reading levels, and it is likely that the average reader is not benefiting fully from these information outlets. With the link between health literacy and poor health outcomes, it is important to address the online content in this area of radiology, allowing for patient to more fully benefit

  19. Consumer support for healthy food and drink vending machines in public places.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrad, Amy M; Louie, Jimmy Chun-Yu; Milosavljevic, Marianna; Kelly, Bridget; Flood, Victoria M

    2015-08-01

    To investigate the feasibility of introducing vending machines for healthier food into public places, and to examine the effectiveness of two front-of-pack labelling systems in the vending machine context. A survey was conducted with 120 students from a university and 120 employees, patients and visitors of a hospital in regional NSW, Australia. Questions explored vending machine use, attitudes towards healthier snack products and price, and the performance of front-of-pack labelling formats for vending machine products. Most participants viewed the current range of snacks and drinks as "too unhealthy" (snacks 87.5%; drinks 56.7%). Nuts and muesli bars were the most liked healthier vending machine snack. Higher proportions of participants were able to identify the healthier snack in three of the five product comparisons when products were accompanied with any type of front-of-pack label (all pvending machines. Front-of-pack label formats on vending machines may assist consumers to identify healthier products. Public settings, such as universities and hospitals, should support consumers to make healthy dietary choices by improving food environments. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

  20. Augmented reality with image registration, vision correction and sunlight readability via liquid crystal devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yu-Jen; Chen, Po-Ju; Liang, Xiao; Lin, Yi-Hsin

    2017-03-27

    Augmented reality (AR), which use computer-aided projected information to augment our sense, has important impact on human life, especially for the elder people. However, there are three major challenges regarding the optical system in the AR system, which are registration, vision correction, and readability under strong ambient light. Here, we solve three challenges simultaneously for the first time using two liquid crystal (LC) lenses and polarizer-free attenuator integrated in optical-see-through AR system. One of the LC lens is used to electrically adjust the position of the projected virtual image which is so-called registration. The other LC lens with larger aperture and polarization independent characteristic is in charge of vision correction, such as myopia and presbyopia. The linearity of lens powers of two LC lenses is also discussed. The readability of virtual images under strong ambient light is solved by electrically switchable transmittance of the LC attenuator originating from light scattering and light absorption. The concept demonstrated in this paper could be further extended to other electro-optical devices as long as the devices exhibit the capability of phase modulations and amplitude modulations.

  1. Reading and Readability Affect on E-Learning Success in a Fortune 100 Company: A Correlational Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finnegan, Denis Michael Thomas

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between employees' reading skills, E-learning readability, student learning, and student satisfaction. The Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE) form 10 Level A instrument evaluated student-reading skills. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Index course assessed…

  2. Towards a semantic web of paleoclimatology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emile-Geay, J.; Eshleman, J. A.

    2012-12-01

    The paleoclimate record is information-rich, yet signifiant technical barriers currently exist before it can be used to automatically answer scientific questions. Here we make the case for a universal format to structure paleoclimate data. A simple example demonstrates the scientific utility of such a self-contained way of organizing coral data and meta-data in the Matlab language. This example is generalized to a universal ontology that may form the backbone of an open-source, open-access and crowd-sourced paleoclimate database. Its key attributes are: 1. Parsability: the format is self-contained (hence machine-readable), and would therefore enable a semantic web of paleoclimate information. 2. Universality: the format is platform-independent (readable on all computer and operating systems), and language- independent (readable in major programming languages) 3. Extensibility: the format requires a minimum set of fields to appropriately define a paleoclimate record, but allows for the database to grow organically as more records are added, or - equally important - as more metadata are added to existing records. 4. Citability: The format enables the automatic citation of peer- reviewed articles as well as data citations whenever a data record is being used for analysis, making due recognition of scientific work an automatic part and foundational principle of paleoclimate data analysis. 5. Ergonomy: The format will be easy to use, update and manage. This structure is designed to enable semantic searches, and is expected to help accelerate discovery in all workflows where paleoclimate data are being used. Practical steps towards the implementation of such a system at the community level are then discussed.; Preliminary ontology describing relationships between the data and meta-data fields of the Nurhati et al. [2011] climate record. Several fields are viewed as instances of larger classes (ProxyClass,Site,Reference), which would allow computers to perform operations

  3. A Systematic Assessment of Google Search Queries and Readability of Online Gynecologic Oncology Patient Education Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Alexandra; Stewart, J Ryan; Gaskins, Jeremy; Medlin, Erin

    2018-01-20

    The Internet is a major source of health information for gynecologic cancer patients. In this study, we systematically explore common Google search terms related to gynecologic cancer and calculate readability of top resulting websites. We used Google AdWords Keyword Planner to generate a list of commonly searched keywords related to gynecologic oncology, which were sorted into five groups (cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, vulvar cancer, vaginal cancer) using five patient education websites from sgo.org . Each keyword was Google searched to create a list of top websites. The Python programming language (version 3.5.1) was used to describe frequencies of keywords, top-level domains (TLDs), domains, and readability of top websites using four validated formulae. Of the estimated 1,846,950 monthly searches resulting in 62,227 websites, the most common was cancer.org . The most common TLD was *.com. Most websites were above the eighth-grade reading level recommended by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the National Institute of Health (NIH). The SMOG Index was the most reliable formula. The mean grade level readability for all sites using SMOG was 9.4 ± 2.3, with 23.9% of sites falling at or below the eighth-grade reading level. The first ten results for each Google keyword were easiest to read with results beyond the first page of Google being consistently more difficult. Keywords related to gynecologic malignancies are Google-searched frequently. Most websites are difficult to read without a high school education. This knowledge may help gynecologic oncology providers adequately meet the needs of their patients.

  4. Improving Readability in an Explicit Genre-Based Approach: The Case of an EFL Workplace Context

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albino, Gabriel

    2017-01-01

    The present study investigates how learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) improve the readability of their texts in an explicit genre-based approach that is utilized in an oil and gas exploration workplace in Angola. By drawing on the English for Specific Purposes and Systemic Functional Linguistics genre traditions, the study engages 18…

  5. Privacy Policies for Apps Targeted Toward Youth: Descriptive Analysis of Readability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Gitanjali; Cheung, Cynthia; Nebeker, Camille; Bietz, Matthew

    2018-01-01

    Background Due to the growing availability of consumer information, the protection of personal data is of increasing concern. Objective We assessed readability metrics of privacy policies for apps that are either available to or targeted toward youth to inform strategies to educate and protect youth from unintentional sharing of personal data. Methods We reviewed the 1200 highest ranked apps from the Apple and Google Play Stores and systematically selected apps geared toward youth. After applying exclusion criteria, 99 highly ranked apps geared toward minors remained, 64 of which had a privacy policy. We obtained and analyzed these privacy policies using reading grade level (RGL) as a metric. Policies were further compared as a function of app category (free vs paid; entertainment vs social networking vs utility). Results Analysis of privacy policies for these 64 apps revealed an average RGL of 12.78, which is well above the average reading level (8.0) of adults in the United States. There was also a small but statistically significant difference in word count as a function of app category (entertainment: 2546 words, social networking: 3493 words, and utility: 1038 words; P=.02). Conclusions Although users must agree to privacy policies to access digital tools and products, readability analyses suggest that these agreements are not comprehensible to most adults, let alone youth. We propose that stakeholders, including pediatricians and other health care professionals, play a role in educating youth and their guardians about the use of Web-based services and potential privacy risks, including the unintentional sharing of personal data. PMID:29301737

  6. Readability of arthroscopy-related patient education materials from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Arthroscopy Association of North America Web sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Paul H; Ganta, Abhishek; Hussein, Khalil I; Frank, Rachel M; Jawa, Andrew

    2013-06-01

    We sought to assess the readability levels of arthroscopy-related patient education materials available on the Web sites of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA). We identified all articles related to arthroscopy available in 2012 from the online patient education libraries of AAOS and AANA. After performing follow-up editing, we assessed each article with the Flesch-Kincaid (FK) readability test. Mean readability levels of the articles from the AAOS Web site and the AANA Web site were compared. We also determined the number of articles with readability levels at or below the eighth-grade level (the average reading ability of the US adult population) and sixth-grade level (the widely recommended level for patient education materials). Intraobserver reliability and interobserver reliability of FK grade assessment were evaluated. A total of 62 articles were reviewed (43 from AAOS and 19 from AANA). The mean overall FK grade level was 10.2 (range, 5.2 to 12). The AAOS articles had a mean FK grade level of 9.6 (range, 5.2 to 12), whereas the AANA articles had a mean FK grade level of 11.4 (range, 8.7 to 12); the difference was significant (P Online patient education materials related to arthroscopy from AAOS and AANA may be written at a level too difficult for a large portion of the patient population to comprehend. Copyright © 2013 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. DICOM involving XML path-tag

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Qiang; Yao, Zhihong; Liu, Lei

    2011-03-01

    Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is a standard for handling, storing, printing, and transmitting information in medical imaging. XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form which has become more and more popular. The combination of these two is very necessary and promising. Using XML tags instead of numeric labels in DICOM files will effectively increase the readability and enhance the clear hierarchical structure of DICOM files. However, due to the fact that the XML tags rely heavily on the orders of the tags, the strong data dependency has a lot of influence on the flexibility of inserting and exchanging data. In order to improve the extensibility and sharing of DICOM files, this paper introduces XML Path-Tag to DICOM. When a DICOM file is converted to XML format, adding simple Path-Tag into the DICOM file in place of complex tags will keep the flexibility of a DICOM file while inserting data elements and give full play to the advantages of the structure and readability of an XML file. Our method can solve the weak readability problem of DICOM files and the tedious work of inserting data into an XML file. In addition, we set up a conversion engine that can transform among traditional DICOM files, XML-DCM and XML-DCM files involving XML Path-Tag efficiently.

  8. Improving DNS security : a measurement-based approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Rijswijk-Deij, Roland

    2017-01-01

    The Domain Name System (DNS) is a vital part of the core infrastructure of the Internet. It maps human readable names (such as www.example.com) to machine readable information (such as 93.184.216.34). This thesis studies two aspects of the DNS. First, it studies problems in the DNS Security

  9. ENTREVIS - a Spanish machine-readable text corpus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Kjær

    1991-01-01

    Præsentation af første halvdel et spansk tekskorpus bestående af samtlige interviews med spaniere i de to ugeskrifter Cambio16 og Tiempo i 1990. Dette korpus er siden suppleret med samtlige interviews i de samme tidsskrifter i 1995. Korpus samlede størrelse: over 1.2 million ord...

  10. An Overview of the Challenges With and Proposed Solutions for the Ingest and Distribution Processes for Airborne Data Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beach, Aubrey; Northup, Emily; Early, Amanda; Wang, Dali; Kusterer, John; Quam, Brandi; Chen, Gao

    2015-01-01

    The current data management practices for NASA airborne field projects have successfully served science team data needs over the past 30 years to achieve project science objectives, however, users have discovered a number of issues in terms of data reporting and format. The ICARTT format, a NASA standard since 2010, is currently the most popular among the airborne measurement community. Although easy for humans to use, the format standard is not sufficiently rigorous to be machine-readable. This makes data use and management tedious and resource intensive, and also create problems in Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) data ingest procedures and distribution. Further, most DAACs use metadata models that concentrate on satellite data observations, making them less prepared to deal with airborne data.

  11. A translator and simulator for the Burroughs D machine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, J.

    1972-01-01

    The D Machine is described as a small user microprogrammable computer designed to be a versatile building block for such diverse functions as: disk file controllers, I/O controllers, and emulators. TRANSLANG is an ALGOL-like language, which allows D Machine users to write microprograms in an English-like format as opposed to creating binary bit pattern maps. The TRANSLANG translator parses TRANSLANG programs into D Machine microinstruction bit patterns which can be executed on the D Machine simulator. In addition to simulation and translation, the two programs also offer several debugging tools, such as: a full set of diagnostic error messages, register dumps, simulated memory dumps, traces on instructions and groups of instructions, and breakpoints.

  12. Analysis of machining and machine tools

    CERN Document Server

    Liang, Steven Y

    2016-01-01

    This book delivers the fundamental science and mechanics of machining and machine tools by presenting systematic and quantitative knowledge in the form of process mechanics and physics. It gives readers a solid command of machining science and engineering, and familiarizes them with the geometry and functionality requirements of creating parts and components in today’s markets. The authors address traditional machining topics, such as: single and multiple point cutting processes grinding components accuracy and metrology shear stress in cutting cutting temperature and analysis chatter They also address non-traditional machining, such as: electrical discharge machining electrochemical machining laser and electron beam machining A chapter on biomedical machining is also included. This book is appropriate for advanced undergraduate and graduate mechani cal engineering students, manufacturing engineers, and researchers. Each chapter contains examples, exercises and their solutions, and homework problems that re...

  13. Further Issues in Determining the Readability of Self-Report Items: Comment on McHugh and Behar (2009)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schinka, John A.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: Issues regarding the readability of self-report assessment instruments, methods for establishing the reading ability level of respondents, and guidelines for development of scales designed for marginal readers have been inconsistently addressed in the literature. A recent study by McHugh and Behar (2009) provided new findings relevant…

  14. Readability, suitability, and characteristics of asthma action plans: examination of factors that may impair understanding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, H Shonna; Gupta, Ruchi S; Tomopoulos, Suzy; Wolf, Michael S; Mendelsohn, Alan L; Antler, Lauren; Sanchez, Dayana C; Lau, Claudia Hillam; Dreyer, Benard P

    2013-01-01

    Recognition of the complexity of asthma management has led to the development of asthma treatment guidelines that include the recommendation that all pediatric asthma patients receive a written asthma action plan. We assessed the readability, suitability, and characteristics of asthma action plans, elements that contribute to the effectiveness of action plan use, particularly for those with limited literacy. This was a descriptive study of 30 asthma action plans (27 state Department of Health (DOH)-endorsed, 3 national action plans endorsed by 6 states). (1) readability (as assessed by Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, Forcast), (2) suitability (Suitability Assessment of Materials [SAM], adequate: ≥ 0.4; unsuitable: typography (30.0%), learning stimulation/motivation (26.7%), and graphics (13.3%). There were no statistically significant differences between the average grade level or SAM score of state DOH developed action plans and those from or adapted from national organizations. Plans varied with respect to terms used, symptoms included, and recommended actions. Specific improvements in asthma action plans could maximize patient and parent understanding of appropriate asthma management and could particularly benefit individuals with limited literacy skills.

  15. Rosetta: Ensuring the Preservation and Usability of ASCII-based Data into the Future

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramamurthy, M. K.; Arms, S. C.

    2015-12-01

    Field data obtained from dataloggers often take the form of comma separated value (CSV) ASCII text files. While ASCII based data formats have positive aspects, such as the ease of accessing the data from disk and the wide variety of tools available for data analysis, there are some drawbacks, especially when viewing the situation through the lens of data interoperability and stewardship. The Unidata data translation tool, Rosetta, is a web-based service that provides an easy, wizard-based interface for data collectors to transform their datalogger generated ASCII output into Climate and Forecast (CF) compliant netCDF files following the CF-1.6 discrete sampling geometries. These files are complete with metadata describing what data are contained in the file, the instruments used to collect the data, and other critical information that otherwise may be lost in one of many README files. The choice of the machine readable netCDF data format and data model, coupled with the CF conventions, ensures long-term preservation and interoperability, and that future users will have enough information to responsibly use the data. However, with the understanding that the observational community appreciates the ease of use of ASCII files, methods for transforming the netCDF back into a CSV or spreadsheet format are also built-in. One benefit of translating ASCII data into a machine readable format that follows open community-driven standards is that they are instantly able to take advantage of data services provided by the many open-source data server tools, such as the THREDDS Data Server (TDS). While Rosetta is currently a stand-alone service, this talk will also highlight efforts to couple Rosetta with the TDS, thus allowing self-publishing of thoroughly documented datasets by the data producers themselves.

  16. Augmented reality with image registration, vision correction and sunlight readability via liquid crystal devices

    OpenAIRE

    Wang, Yu-Jen; Chen, Po-Ju; Liang, Xiao; Lin, Yi-Hsin

    2017-01-01

    Augmented reality (AR), which use computer-aided projected information to augment our sense, has important impact on human life, especially for the elder people. However, there are three major challenges regarding the optical system in the AR system, which are registration, vision correction, and readability under strong ambient light. Here, we solve three challenges simultaneously for the first time using two liquid crystal (LC) lenses and polarizer-free attenuator integrated in optical-see-...

  17. Variations in Textualization: A Cross-Generic and Cross-Disciplinary Study, Implications for Readability of the Academic Discourse

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonabi, Mina Abbasi; Lotfipour-Saedi, Kazem; Hemmati, Fatemeh; Jafarigohar, Manoochehr

    2018-01-01

    According to discoursal views on language, variations in textualization strategies are always sociocontextually motivated and never happen at random. The textual forms employed in a text, along with many other discoursal and contextual factors, could certainly affect the readability of the text, making it more or less processable for the same…

  18. Does obfuscating excessive CEO pay work? The influence of remuneration report readability on say-on-pay votes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hooghiemstra, Reggy; Kuang, Yu Flora; Qin, Bo

    2017-01-01

    This paper assesses whether reducing ‘readability’ is an effective obfuscation strategy for influencing the level of shareholder say-on-pay voting dissent in firms with excessive CEO pay. Based on a sample of UK-listed firms, our results indicate that in cases of excessive CEO pay, a less readable

  19. Evaluating the quality and readability of Internet information sources regarding the treatment of swallowing disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connell Ferster, Ashley P; Hu, Amanda

    2017-03-01

    The Internet has become a popular resource for patient education. The information it provides, however, is rarely peer-reviewed, and its quality may be a concern. Since the average American reads at an 8th grade level, the American Medical Association and the National Institutes of Health have recommended that health information be written at a 4th to 6th grade level. We performed a study to assess the quality and readability of online information regarding the treatment of swallowing disorders. A Google search for "swallowing treatment" was conducted. We studied the first 50 websites that appeared on the search engine's results with the use of the DISCERN quality index tool, the Flesch Ease of Reading Score (FRES), and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) readability test. DISCERN is a validated 16-item questionnaire used to assess the quality of written health information; FRES and FKGL are used to assess readability. We classified the websites as either patient-targeted or professional-targeted sites, as well as either major or minor. The overall DISCERN score was 1.61 ± 0.61 (range: 1 to 5), the overall FRES was 39.1 ± 19.0 (range: 1 to 100), and the overall FKGL was 11.8 ± 3.4 (range: 3 to 12). As would be expected, patient-targeted websites had significantly higher FRES and significantly lower FKGL scores than did the professional-targeted websites (p = 0.01 and p = 0.04, respectively); there was no significant difference between the two in DISCERN scores. The major websites had significantly higher DISCERN scores than did the minor sites (p = 0.002); there were no significant differences in FRES and FKGL scores. We conclude that online information sources regarding the treatment of swallowing disorders were of suboptimal quality in that information was written at a level too difficult for the average American to easily understand. Also, the patient-targeted websites were written at a lower reading level, and the major websites contained a higher quality

  20. Comparison the machinability of Inconel 718, Inconel 625 and Monel 400 in hot turning operation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asit Kumar Parida

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available In the present paper, three nickel base alloys (Inconel 718, Inconel 625 and Monel-400 have been studied for chip formation in the hot turning process using flame heating. Cutting force, tool life, chip morphology, tool wear, and surface integrity (surface roughness and microhardness beneath the machined surface have been determined in both room and hot temperature conditions (300 °C and 600 °C. Flame heating (Liquefied petroleum gas and oxygen along with turning operation has been utilized for machining of three materials. It was observed that significant reduction of cutting force, tool wear, chatter formation, surface roughness and increase tool life, chip tool contact length, etc., for all three nickel base alloys in hot machining compared to room temperature machining. Keywords: Hot turning, Nickel base alloys, Machinability, Cutting forces, Tool wear

  1. An Evaluation Of Holograms In Training And As Job Performance Aids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frey, Allan H.

    1986-08-01

    Experimentation was carried out to evaluate holograms for use in training and as job aids. Holograms were compared against line drawings and photographs as methods of presenting visual information needed to accomplish a number of tasks. The dependent variables were assembly speed and assembly errors with people unstressed, assembly speed and assembly errors with people stressed, the percentage of discovered errors in assemblies, the number of correct assemblies misidentified as erroneous, and information extraction. Holograms generally were as good as or better visual aids than either photographs or line drawings. The use of holograms tends to reduce errors rather than speed assembly time in the assembly tasks used in these experiments. They also enhance the discovery of errors when the subject is attempting to locate assembly errors in a construction. The results of this experimentation suggest that serious consideration should be given to the use of holography in the development of job aids and in training. Besides these advantages for job aids, other advantages we found are that when page formated information is stored in man-readable holograms they are still useable when scratched or damaged even when similarly damaged microfilm is unuseable. Holography can also be used to store man and machine readable data simultaneously. Such storage would provide simplified backup in the event of machine failure, and it would permit the development of compatible machine and manual systems for job aid applications.

  2. Stereoscopic display in a slot machine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laakso, M.

    2012-03-01

    This paper reports the results of a user trial with a slot machine equipped with a stereoscopic display. The main research question was to find out what kind of added value does stereoscopic 3D (S-3D) bring to slot games? After a thorough literature survey, a novel gaming platform was designed and implemented. Existing multi-game slot machine "Nova" was converted to "3DNova" by replacing the monitor with an S-3D display and converting six original games to S-3D format. To evaluate the system, several 3DNova machines were put available for players for four months. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis was carried out from statistical values, questionnaires and observations. According to the results, people find the S-3D concept interesting but the technology is not optimal yet. Young adults and adults were fascinated by the system, older people were more cautious. Especially the need to wear stereoscopic glasses provide a challenge; ultimate system would probably use autostereoscopic technology. Also the games should be designed to utilize its full power. The main contributions of this paper are lessons learned from creating an S-3D slot machine platform and novel information about human factors related to stereoscopic slot machine gaming.

  3. Developing a Practical Readability Tool for Assessing Written Oral Health Promotion Material for People with Low Literacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Silva, Andrea M.; Martin-Kerry, Jacqueline M.; Van, Kelly; Hegde, Shalika; Heilbrunn-Lang, Adina

    2017-01-01

    Objective: Oral health promotion resources need to be simple, useful, accessible and understandable to be effective. The importance of this is magnified for population groups who are at increased risk of poor oral health, have low literacy or language barriers. Consultation with health service providers identified the need for a readability tool…

  4. A formal MIM specification and tools for the common exchange of MIM diagrams: an XML-Based format, an API, and a validation method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luna, Augustin; Karac, Evrim I; Sunshine, Margot; Chang, Lucas; Nussinov, Ruth; Aladjem, Mirit I; Kohn, Kurt W

    2011-05-17

    The Molecular Interaction Map (MIM) notation offers a standard set of symbols and rules on their usage for the depiction of cellular signaling network diagrams. Such diagrams are essential for disseminating biological information in a concise manner. A lack of software tools for the notation restricts wider usage of the notation. Development of software is facilitated by a more detailed specification regarding software requirements than has previously existed for the MIM notation. A formal implementation of the MIM notation was developed based on a core set of previously defined glyphs. This implementation provides a detailed specification of the properties of the elements of the MIM notation. Building upon this specification, a machine-readable format is provided as a standardized mechanism for the storage and exchange of MIM diagrams. This new format is accompanied by a Java-based application programming interface to help software developers to integrate MIM support into software projects. A validation mechanism is also provided to determine whether MIM datasets are in accordance with syntax rules provided by the new specification. The work presented here provides key foundational components to promote software development for the MIM notation. These components will speed up the development of interoperable tools supporting the MIM notation and will aid in the translation of data stored in MIM diagrams to other standardized formats. Several projects utilizing this implementation of the notation are outlined herein. The MIM specification is available as an additional file to this publication. Source code, libraries, documentation, and examples are available at http://discover.nci.nih.gov/mim.

  5. Formation of competitive potential of the machine-building complex of the region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oleg Ivanovich Botkin

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The article describes the features of competitive potential of regional machine-building complex in a globalized world economy. The purpose of the research is the development of theoretically reasonable economic basis of the machine-building complex considering  the  features of business in the conditions of the WTO. In the work, the hypothesis of a special role of the external economic factors locates in development of the enterprises of regional industrial complexes. The study of the theoretical provisions defining the development of the region revealed the factors determining influence of the international trade agreements on spatial localization of the industry. The main attention is paid to an analytical assessment of the current state and the trends, which have developed in the period of post-crisis economic recovery. Analysis of the main indicators of attractiveness has revealed the weak position of local industrial enterprises in the WTO. The directions of strengthening of the competitive capacity of the local industrial enterprises are defined. The obtained results allow us to increase the sustainability of the industry by means of effective management mechanism improvements and to create favorable operating conditions of a machine-building complex of the region

  6. A sensor data format incorporating battery charge information for smartphone-based mHealth applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escobar, Rodrigo; Akopian, David; Boppana, Rajendra

    2015-03-01

    Remote health monitoring systems involve energy-constrained devices, such as sensors and mobile gateways. Current data formats for communication of health data, such as DICOM and HL7, were not designed for multi-sensor applications or to enable the management of power-constrained devices in health monitoring processes. In this paper, a data format suitable for collection of multiple sensor data, including readings and other operational parameters is presented. By using the data format, the system management can assess energy consumptions and plan realistic monitoring scenarios. The proposed data format not only outperforms other known data formats in terms of readability, flexibility, interoperability and validation of compliant documents, but also enables energy assessment capability for realistic data collection scenarios and maintains or even reduces the overhead introduced due to formatting. Additionally, we provide analytical methods to estimate incremental energy consumption by various sensors and experiments to measure the actual battery drain on smartphones.

  7. Characteristics of the Arcing Plasma Formation Effect in Spark-Assisted Chemical Engraving of Glass, Based on Machine Vision

    OpenAIRE

    Chao-Ching Ho; Dung-Sheng Wu

    2018-01-01

    Spark-assisted chemical engraving (SACE) is a non-traditional machining technology that is used to machine electrically non-conducting materials including glass, ceramics, and quartz. The processing accuracy, machining efficiency, and reproducibility are the key factors in the SACE process. In the present study, a machine vision method is applied to monitor and estimate the status of a SACE-drilled hole in quartz glass. During the machining of quartz glass, the spring-fed tool electrode was p...

  8. Effects of compression and individual variability on face recognition performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGarry, Delia P.; Arndt, Craig M.; McCabe, Steven A.; D'Amato, Donald P.

    2004-08-01

    The Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 requires that the Visa Waiver Program be available only to countries that have a program to issue to their nationals machine-readable passports incorporating biometric identifiers complying with applicable standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). In June 2002, the New Technologies Working Group of ICAO unanimously endorsed the use of face recognition (FR) as the globally interoperable biometric for machine-assisted identity confirmation with machine-readable travel documents (MRTDs), although Member States may elect to use fingerprint and/or iris recognition as additional biometric technologies. The means and formats are still being developed through which biometric information might be stored in the constrained space of integrated circuit chips embedded within travel documents. Such information will be stored in an open, yet unalterable and very compact format, probably as digitally signed and efficiently compressed images. The objective of this research is to characterize the many factors that affect FR system performance with respect to the legislated mandates concerning FR. A photograph acquisition environment and a commercial face recognition system have been installed at Mitretek, and over 1,400 images have been collected of volunteers. The image database and FR system are being used to analyze the effects of lossy image compression, individual differences, such as eyeglasses and facial hair, and the acquisition environment on FR system performance. Images are compressed by varying ratios using JPEG2000 to determine the trade-off points between recognition accuracy and compression ratio. The various acquisition factors that contribute to differences in FR system performance among individuals are also being measured. The results of this study will be used to refine and test efficient face image interchange standards that ensure highly accurate recognition, both

  9. Machine-learning-assisted materials discovery using failed experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raccuglia, Paul; Elbert, Katherine C.; Adler, Philip D. F.; Falk, Casey; Wenny, Malia B.; Mollo, Aurelio; Zeller, Matthias; Friedler, Sorelle A.; Schrier, Joshua; Norquist, Alexander J.

    2016-05-01

    Inorganic-organic hybrid materials such as organically templated metal oxides, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and organohalide perovskites have been studied for decades, and hydrothermal and (non-aqueous) solvothermal syntheses have produced thousands of new materials that collectively contain nearly all the metals in the periodic table. Nevertheless, the formation of these compounds is not fully understood, and development of new compounds relies primarily on exploratory syntheses. Simulation- and data-driven approaches (promoted by efforts such as the Materials Genome Initiative) provide an alternative to experimental trial-and-error. Three major strategies are: simulation-based predictions of physical properties (for example, charge mobility, photovoltaic properties, gas adsorption capacity or lithium-ion intercalation) to identify promising target candidates for synthetic efforts; determination of the structure-property relationship from large bodies of experimental data, enabled by integration with high-throughput synthesis and measurement tools; and clustering on the basis of similar crystallographic structure (for example, zeolite structure classification or gas adsorption properties). Here we demonstrate an alternative approach that uses machine-learning algorithms trained on reaction data to predict reaction outcomes for the crystallization of templated vanadium selenites. We used information on ‘dark’ reactions—failed or unsuccessful hydrothermal syntheses—collected from archived laboratory notebooks from our laboratory, and added physicochemical property descriptions to the raw notebook information using cheminformatics techniques. We used the resulting data to train a machine-learning model to predict reaction success. When carrying out hydrothermal synthesis experiments using previously untested, commercially available organic building blocks, our machine-learning model outperformed traditional human strategies, and successfully predicted

  10. An online readability analysis of pathology-related patient education articles: an opportunity for pathologists to educate patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prabhu, Arpan V; Kim, Christopher; Crihalmeanu, Tudor; Hansberry, David R; Agarwal, Nitin; DeFrances, Marie C; Trejo Bittar, Humberto E

    2017-07-01

    Information for patients regarding their clinical conditions and treatment options is widely available online. The American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health recommend that online patient-oriented materials be written at no higher than a seventh-grade reading level to ensure full comprehension by the average American. This study sought to determine whether online patient-oriented materials explaining common pathology procedures are written at appropriate reading levels. Ten pathology procedures that patients would likely research were queried into Google search, and plain text from the first 10 Web sites containing patient education materials for each procedure was analyzed using 10 validated readability scales. We determined mean reading levels of materials grouped by readability scale, procedure, and Web site domain, the overall average reading level of all resources, and popular Web site domains. One hundred Web sites were accessed; one was omitted for short length (pathology-related patient education materials exceeded those recommended by national health literacy guidelines. These patient education materials should be revised to help patients fully understand them. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Machining of insulation ZrO2 ceramics by EDM using graphite electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tani, T.; Okada, M.; Fukuzawa, Y.; Mohri, N.

    1998-01-01

    As we proposed and reported before, insulating ceramics may be made into machinable materials with electrical discharge machining method by using an assisting electrode method. The machining properties depend on the formation mechanism of carbonization layer which has electrical conductivity on the ceramics surface during discharge. A big difference in machinability occurs between oxide and non-oxide ceramics. When ZrO 2 ceramics are machined with a copper tool electrode which was used for a machining of the non-oxide ceramics Si 3 N 4 , the electrical conductive layer is not formed on the machined surface uniformly. In this paper, in order to activate a carbonization reaction on the ceramics surface during discharge, the use of a porous graphite tool electrode is described. As a result of that, carbonized reaction occurs actively on the discharge gap and the uniform carbonized layer adheres to the machined surface. The surface roughness is much improved compared with previous machining conditions. Copyright (1998) Australasian Ceramic Society

  12. Evolutionary and Swarm computing for the Semantic Web

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Guéret, C.; Schlobach, S.; Dentler, K.; Schut, M.; Eiben, G.

    2012-01-01

    The Semantic Web has become a dynamic and enormous network of typed links between data sets stored on different machines. These data sets are machine readable and unambiguously interpretable, thanks to their underlying standard representation languages. The expressiveness and flexibility of the

  13. Evolutionary and Swarm Computing for the Semantic Web

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Guéret, Christophe

    2015-01-01

    The Semantic Web has become a dynamic and enormous network of typed links between data sets stored on different machines. These data sets are machine readable and unambiguously interpretable, thanks to their underlying standard representation languages. The expressiveness and flexibility of the

  14. Machine rates for selected forest harvesting machines

    Science.gov (United States)

    R.W. Brinker; J. Kinard; Robert Rummer; B. Lanford

    2002-01-01

    Very little new literature has been published on the subject of machine rates and machine cost analysis since 1989 when the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Circular 296, Machine Rates for Selected Forest Harvesting Machines, was originally published. Many machines discussed in the original publication have undergone substantial changes in various aspects, not...

  15. Readability and Comprehension of the Geriatric Depression Scale and PROMIS® Physical Function Items in Older African Americans and Latinos.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paz, Sylvia H; Jones, Loretta; Calderón, José L; Hays, Ron D

    2017-02-01

    Depression and physical function are particularly important health domains for the elderly. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS ® ) physical function item bank are two surveys commonly used to measure these domains. It is unclear if these two instruments adequately measure these aspects of health in minority elderly. The aim of this study was to estimate the readability of the GDS and PROMIS ® physical function items and to assess their comprehensibility using a sample of African American and Latino elderly. Readability was estimated using the Flesch-Kincaid and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulae for English versions, and a Spanish adaptation of the FRE formula for the Spanish versions. Comprehension of the GDS and PROMIS ® items by minority elderly was evaluated with 30 cognitive interviews. Readability estimates of a number of items in English and Spanish of the GDS and PROMIS ® physical functioning items exceed the U.S. recommended 5th-grade threshold for vulnerable populations, or were rated as 'fairly difficult', 'difficult', or 'very difficult' to read. Cognitive interviews revealed that many participants felt that more than the two (yes/no) GDS response options were needed to answer the questions. Wording of several PROMIS ® items was considered confusing, and interpreting responses was problematic because they were based on using physical aids. Problems with item wording and response options of the GDS and PROMIS ® physical function items may reduce reliability and validity of measurement when used with minority elderly.

  16. Laser readable thermoluminescent radiation dosimeters and methods for producing thereof

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Braunlich, P.F.; Tetzlaff, W.

    1989-01-01

    Thin layer thermoluminescent radiation dosimeters for use in laser readable dosimetry systems, and methods of fabricating such thin layer dosimeters are disclosed. The thin layer thermoluminescent radiation dosimeters include a thin substrate made from glass or other inorganic materials capable of withstanding high temperatures and high heating rates. A thin layer of a thermoluminescent phosphor material is heat bonded to the substrate using an inorganic binder such as glass. The dosimeters can be mounted in frames and cases for ease in handling. Methods of the invention include mixing a suitable phosphor composition and binder, both being in particulate or granular form. The mixture is then deposited onto a substrate such as by using mask printing techniques. The dosimeters are thereafter heated to fuse and bond the binder and phosphor to the substrate. 34 figs

  17. How Readability Factors Are Differentially Associated with Performance for Students of Different Backgrounds When Solving Mathematics Word Problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walkington, Candace; Clinton, Virginia; Shivraj, Pooja

    2018-01-01

    The link between reading and mathematics achievement is well known, and an important question is whether readability factors in mathematics problems are differentially impacting student groups. Using 20 years of data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, we examine how…

  18. Concept formation knowledge and experience in unsupervised learning

    CERN Document Server

    Fisher, Douglas H; Langley, Pat

    1991-01-01

    Concept Formation: Knowledge and Experience in Unsupervised Learning presents the interdisciplinary interaction between machine learning and cognitive psychology on unsupervised incremental methods. This book focuses on measures of similarity, strategies for robust incremental learning, and the psychological consistency of various approaches.Organized into three parts encompassing 15 chapters, this book begins with an overview of inductive concept learning in machine learning and psychology, with emphasis on issues that distinguish concept formation from more prevalent supervised methods and f

  19. The Relationship between Readability Level of Mississippi's Middle Schools' Websites and Seventh Grade Language Arts MCT2 Scores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pickard, Anna Marlene Graves

    2011-01-01

    Today's educators face the unprecedented challenge of increasing achievement for all students. One response has been to increase and improve parent involvement and school-to-home communication through the use of school websites. The quantitative section of this study analyzed the readability grade level of the website as it relates to state test…

  20. WATER-JET CUTTING MACHINE NOW AVAILABLE FROM THE CERN RAW MATERIALS STORES

    CERN Multimedia

    2007-01-01

    The CERN Raw Materials Stores has recently acquired a new water-jet cutting machine. The machine is capable of cutting all types and shapes of materials up to 70 mm in thickness, with an accuracy of +/- 0.1mm/m. For the time being, users requiring materials to be cut should supply drawings in DXF, DWG or IGES (AutoCad) file format. The machine will be operational as of 1st October 2007. The Stores Team Paulo Dos Santos FI-LS-MM 72308

  1. The Crystallographic Information File (CIF

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I D Brown

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available The Crystallographic Information File (CIF, owned by the International Union of Crystallography, is a file structure based on tag-value ASCII pairs with tags defined in machine-readable dictionaries. The crystallographic community publishes and archives large quantities of numeric information generated by crystal structure determinations, and CIF's acceptance was assured by its adoption as the submission format for Acta Crystallographica and by the obvious needs of the community. CIF's strength lies in its dictionaries, which define most of the concepts of crystallography; its weakness is the difficulty of writing software that exploits its full potential.

  2. [A new machinability test machine and the machinability of composite resins for core built-up].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwasaki, N

    2001-06-01

    A new machinability test machine especially for dental materials was contrived. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of grinding conditions on machinability of core built-up resins using this machine, and to confirm the relationship between machinability and other properties of composite resins. The experimental machinability test machine consisted of a dental air-turbine handpiece, a control weight unit, a driving unit of the stage fixing the test specimen, and so on. The machinability was evaluated as the change in volume after grinding using a diamond point. Five kinds of core built-up resins and human teeth were used in this study. The machinabilities of these composite resins increased with an increasing load during grinding, and decreased with repeated grinding. There was no obvious correlation between the machinability and Vickers' hardness; however, a negative correlation was observed between machinability and scratch width.

  3. PCI-SS: MISO dynamic nonlinear protein secondary structure prediction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aboul-Magd Mohammed O

    2009-07-01

    protein sequence data and also to encode the resulting structure prediction in a machine-readable format. To our knowledge, this represents the only publicly available SOAP-interface for a protein secondary structure prediction service with published WSDL interface definition. Conclusion Relative to the 9 contemporary methods included in the comparison cascaded PCI classifiers perform well, however PCI finds greatest application as a consensus classifier. When PCI is used to combine a sequence-to-structure PCI-based classifier with the current leading ANN-based method, PSIPRED, the overall error rate (Q3 is maintained while the rate of occurrence of a particularly detrimental error is reduced by up to 25%. This improvement in BAD score, combined with the machine-readable SOAP web service interface makes PCI-SS particularly useful for inclusion in a tertiary structure prediction pipeline.

  4. Construction of a cylindrical brine test room using a tunnel boring machine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Likar, V.F.; Burrington, T.P.

    1990-01-01

    This paper discusses the construction of a horizontal cylindrical brine test room at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The room was constructed in the bedded salt formation at a depth of 655 meters with a tunnel boring machine. The machine leasing technical and operational management, parameters involved, and successful completion of this effort are included. 3 figs

  5. Construction of a cylindrical brine test room using a tunnel boring machine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Likar, V.F.; Burrington, T.P.

    1990-01-01

    This paper discusses the construction of a horizontal cylindrical brine test room at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The room was constructed in the bedded salt formation at a depth of 655 meters with a tunnel boring machine. The machine leasing, technical and operational management, parameters involved, and successful completion of this effort are included. 3 figs

  6. Galaxy Classification using Machine Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, Lucas; Schawinski, Kevin; Brandt, Ben-Elias; widmer, Nicole

    2017-01-01

    We present our current research into the use of machine learning to classify galaxy imaging data with various convolutional neural network configurations in TensorFlow. We are investigating how five-band Sloan Digital Sky Survey imaging data can be used to train on physical properties such as redshift, star formation rate, mass and morphology. We also investigate the performance of artificially redshifted images in recovering physical properties as image quality degrades.

  7. 以適讀性公式挑選英文讀本之探究 How to Use Readability Formulas to Access and Select English Reading Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hai-Hon Chen

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available 本研究旨在說明常用的適讀性公式。以三本英文讀本The empty pot(670字)、Smoky night(1,267字)、和Sarah, plain and tall(3,158字)為研究對象,以Microsoft Word文書處理軟體的可讀性公式、網路免費適讀工具的適讀公式、以及手算,進行讀物適讀年級程度的計算;其次,比較同一讀本在不同的適讀軟體公式或手算所得的結果是否相同?研究結果指出: 1. 三本讀物The empty pot字數最少、適合美國五年級程度閱讀,Sarah, plain and tall字數最多、適合美國三、四年級閱讀程度,Smoky night適合美國三年級程度。 2. Microsoft Word文書處理的可讀性公式統計,可取得文本全文的適讀分數及年級程度,簡易方便使用。 3. 適讀性公式會依公式採用分析比較的因素不同,結果稍有差異,但每本書的難度排列順序或適讀年級的順序是相同的。 4. 適讀性公式的決定因素相同,不論是手算的Fry圖或使用電腦工具的Flesch-Kincaid,所得的年級程度相同。文中並提出臺灣教師、圖書教師或館員應用適讀性公式為臺灣學生選擇英語讀物的建議。The purpose of this study was to describe the most common readability formulas. Three children’s books, The empty pot (670 words, Smoky night (1,267 words, and Sarah, plain and tall (3,158 words were used as the subjects to calculate the numerical or grade-level score. The study also focused on comparing readability formulas that were calculated using different methods: with a tool embedded in a Microsoft Word processing program, with Free Text Readability Consensus Calculator tools found on the web, and by hand. Results were presented as follows: 1. The empty pot that was the least words got a fifth-grade level, Sarah, plain and tall that was the most words got a third-fourth grade level, Smoky night a third grade level. 2. Readability formula embedded in a Microsoft

  8. data.reegle.info. A New Key Portal for Open Energy Data

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bauer, F.; Recheis, D. [Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership REEEP, Wagramerstrasse 5, 1400 Vienna (Austria); Kaltenboeck, M. [Semantic Web Company, Vienna (Austria)

    2011-07-15

    Over the last few centuries knowledge and information has become much more widely available. It is no longer limited to a select few; more often it is available to anyone, anywhere with an internet connection and access to a computer. A major step forward was the invention of the printing press, resulting in greater access to information, higher literacy rates and improved levels of education. This sharing of knowledge has been radically transformed again recently with the onset of the internet combined with rapid technology advances. Linked Open Data is the next step along those lines, offering us opportunities to use the latest technologies and techniques available to share pertinent, up-to-date information, from a wider variety of sources free for use and re-use. One of the main challenges now is to sort through this ever increasing volume of information, of varying quality; to select the most relevant, up-to-date and reliable information from the different sources and formats in use; and to make this information available in a useful, reliable and standardised way. The information gateway data.reegle.info, which is at the forefront of this development, is consuming and publishing energy related data in a machine-readable format so as to allow the flexible sharing and re-use of information in new and innovative ways. It filters and enriches content by sorting and adding pertinent information from various reliable sources. It enables data providers to easily link and publish datasets in a standardised, machine-readable format. In this way it can be easily accessible, and shared with third parties. This is a real benefit for the users of reegle which targets policy- and decision makers, developers and the general public with an interest in renewable energy and energy efficiency, with a focus on developing countries.

  9. An XML-based loose-schema approach to managing diagnostic data in heterogeneous formats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naito, O., E-mail: naito.osamu@jaea.go.j [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 801-1 Mukouyama, Naka, Ibaraki 311-0193 (Japan)

    2010-07-15

    An approach to managing diagnostic data in heterogenous formats by using XML-based (eXtensible Markup Language) tag files is discussed. The tag file functions like header information in ordinary data formats but it is separate from the main body of data, human readable, and self-descriptive. Thus all the necessary information for reading the contents of data can be obtained without prior information or reading the data body itself. In this paper, modeling of diagnostic data and its representation in XML are studied and a very primitive implementation of this approach in C++ is presented. The overhead of manipulating XML in a proof-of-principle code was found to be small. The merits, demerits, and possible extensions of this approach are also discussed.

  10. An XML-based loose-schema approach to managing diagnostic data in heterogeneous formats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naito, O.

    2010-01-01

    An approach to managing diagnostic data in heterogenous formats by using XML-based (eXtensible Markup Language) tag files is discussed. The tag file functions like header information in ordinary data formats but it is separate from the main body of data, human readable, and self-descriptive. Thus all the necessary information for reading the contents of data can be obtained without prior information or reading the data body itself. In this paper, modeling of diagnostic data and its representation in XML are studied and a very primitive implementation of this approach in C++ is presented. The overhead of manipulating XML in a proof-of-principle code was found to be small. The merits, demerits, and possible extensions of this approach are also discussed.

  11. Determining the efficacy of the chronic disease self-management programme and readability of 'living a healthy life with chronic conditions' in a New Zealand setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, J J-Y; Arenhold, F; Braakhuis, A J

    2016-11-01

    Self-management programmes are an increasingly popular way of treating chronic diseases. This study aims to determine the efficacy of the Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Programme (CDSMP) in a New Zealand context by assessing course outcomes and readability of the accompanying reference guide Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, 4th Edition. This is a cross-sectional pre-post study conducted in Auckland between August 2009 and September 2015, using CDSMP participants' baseline and follow-up Health Education Intervention Questionnaire (heiQ TM ) data. Readability of the guide was assessed using the Gunning Fog Index, Coleman Liau, Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch Kincaid Grade Level and Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook scores. Significant evidence of improvement (P ≤ 0.001) was observed in seven of the eight domains measured by the heiQ TM (Deakin University, Centre for Population Health Research, Melbourne, Vic., Australia). The greatest improvements were seen in skill and technique acquisition (mean change score 0.25, P ≤ 0.001) and self-monitoring and insight (0.18, P ≤ 0.001). There was little evidence of improvement in health service navigation (0.04, P = 0.17). Readability analyses indicate that a person needs to be reading at a minimum of U.S. 8th grade level in order to understand the text, and possibly up to 11th grade. The CDSMP is effective for improving patient self-efficacy in the New Zealand setting. However, adaptation of the programme to support better health service navigation is warranted. The readability of the reference guide is not suitable for this setting and requires further improvement. © 2016 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  12. The accessibility, readability, and quality of online resources for gender affirming surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas, Christina R; Ricci, Joseph A; Lee, Michelle; Tobias, Adam M; Medalie, Daniel A; Lee, Bernard T

    2017-09-01

    The transgender population is disproportionally affected by health disparities related to access to care. In many communities, transgender specialists are geographically distant and locally available medical professionals may be unfamiliar with unique needs of transgender patients. As a result, use of Internet resources for information about gender affirming surgery is particularly important. This study simulates a patient search for online educational material about gender affirming surgery and evaluates the accessibility, readability, and quality of the information. An Internet search for the term "transgender surgery" was performed, and the first 10 relevant hits were identified. Readability was assessed using 10 established tests: Coleman-Liau, Flesch-Kincaid, FORCAST, Fry, Gunning Fog, New Dale-Chall, New Fog Count, Raygor Estimate, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, and Flesch Reading Ease. Quality was assessed using Journal of the American Medical Association criteria and the DISCERN instrument. Review of 69 results was required to identify 10 sites with relevant patient information. There were 97 articles collected; overall mean reading level was 14.7. Individual Web site reading levels ranged from 12.0 to 17.5. All articles and Web sites exceeded the recommended sixth grade level. Quality ranged from 0 to 4 (Journal of the American Medical Association) and 35 to 79 (DISCERN) across Web sites. Web sites with relevant patient information about gender affirming surgery were difficult to identify from search results. The content of these sites universally exceeded the recommended reading level. A wide range of Web site quality was noted, and this may further complicate successful navigation. Barriers in access to appropriately written patient information on the Internet may contribute to disparities in referral, involvement, satisfaction, and outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. The Machine within the Machine

    CERN Multimedia

    Katarina Anthony

    2014-01-01

    Although Virtual Machines are widespread across CERN, you probably won't have heard of them unless you work for an experiment. Virtual machines - known as VMs - allow you to create a separate machine within your own, allowing you to run Linux on your Mac, or Windows on your Linux - whatever combination you need.   Using a CERN Virtual Machine, a Linux analysis software runs on a Macbook. When it comes to LHC data, one of the primary issues collaborations face is the diversity of computing environments among collaborators spread across the world. What if an institute cannot run the analysis software because they use different operating systems? "That's where the CernVM project comes in," says Gerardo Ganis, PH-SFT staff member and leader of the CernVM project. "We were able to respond to experimentalists' concerns by providing a virtual machine package that could be used to run experiment software. This way, no matter what hardware they have ...

  14. Mediating Dynamic Supply Chain Formation by Collaborative Single Machine Earliness/Tardiness Agents in Supply Mesh

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hang Yang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, a trend of forming dynamic supply chains with different trading partners over different e-marketplaces has emerged. These supply chains, which are called “supply mesh,” generally refer to heterogeneous electronic marketplaces in which dynamic supply chains, as per project (often make-to-order, are formed across different parties. Conceptually, in a supply mesh a dynamic supply chain is formed vertically, mediating several companies for a project. Companies that are on the same level horizontally are either competitors or cohorts. A complex scenario such as this makes it challenging to find the right group of members for a dynamic supply chain. Earlier on, a multiagent model called the collaborative single machine earliness/tardiness (CSET model was proposed for the optimal formation of make-to-order supply chains. This paper contributes the particular agent designs, for enabling the mediation of CSET in a supply mesh, and the possibilities are discussed. It is demonstrated via a computer simulation, based on samples from the U.S. textile industry, that by using intelligent agents under the CSET model it is possible to automatically find an ideal group of trading partners from a supply mesh.

  15. Characteristics of the Arcing Plasma Formation Effect in Spark-Assisted Chemical Engraving of Glass, Based on Machine Vision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Chao-Ching; Wu, Dung-Sheng

    2018-03-22

    Spark-assisted chemical engraving (SACE) is a non-traditional machining technology that is used to machine electrically non-conducting materials including glass, ceramics, and quartz. The processing accuracy, machining efficiency, and reproducibility are the key factors in the SACE process. In the present study, a machine vision method is applied to monitor and estimate the status of a SACE-drilled hole in quartz glass. During the machining of quartz glass, the spring-fed tool electrode was pre-pressured on the quartz glass surface to feed the electrode that was in contact with the machining surface of the quartz glass. In situ image acquisition and analysis of the SACE drilling processes were used to analyze the captured image of the state of the spark discharge at the tip and sidewall of the electrode. The results indicated an association between the accumulative size of the SACE-induced spark area and deepness of the hole. The results indicated that the evaluated depths of the SACE-machined holes were a proportional function of the accumulative spark size with a high degree of correlation. The study proposes an innovative computer vision-based method to estimate the deepness and status of SACE-drilled holes in real time.

  16. Characteristics of the Arcing Plasma Formation Effect in Spark-Assisted Chemical Engraving of Glass, Based on Machine Vision

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chao-Ching Ho

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Spark-assisted chemical engraving (SACE is a non-traditional machining technology that is used to machine electrically non-conducting materials including glass, ceramics, and quartz. The processing accuracy, machining efficiency, and reproducibility are the key factors in the SACE process. In the present study, a machine vision method is applied to monitor and estimate the status of a SACE-drilled hole in quartz glass. During the machining of quartz glass, the spring-fed tool electrode was pre-pressured on the quartz glass surface to feed the electrode that was in contact with the machining surface of the quartz glass. In situ image acquisition and analysis of the SACE drilling processes were used to analyze the captured image of the state of the spark discharge at the tip and sidewall of the electrode. The results indicated an association between the accumulative size of the SACE-induced spark area and deepness of the hole. The results indicated that the evaluated depths of the SACE-machined holes were a proportional function of the accumulative spark size with a high degree of correlation. The study proposes an innovative computer vision-based method to estimate the deepness and status of SACE-drilled holes in real time.

  17. Improving the human readability of Arden Syntax medical logic modules using a concept-oriented terminology and object-oriented programming expressions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Jeeyae; Bakken, Suzanne; Lussier, Yves A; Mendonça, Eneida A

    2006-01-01

    Medical logic modules are a procedural representation for sharing task-specific knowledge for decision support systems. Based on the premise that clinicians may perceive object-oriented expressions as easier to read than procedural rules in Arden Syntax-based medical logic modules, we developed a method for improving the readability of medical logic modules. Two approaches were applied: exploiting the concept-oriented features of the Medical Entities Dictionary and building an executable Java program to replace Arden Syntax procedural expressions. The usability evaluation showed that 66% of participants successfully mapped all Arden Syntax rules to Java methods. These findings suggest that these approaches can play an essential role in the creation of human readable medical logic modules and can potentially increase the number of clinical experts who are able to participate in the creation of medical logic modules. Although our approaches are broadly applicable, we specifically discuss the relevance to concept-oriented nursing terminologies and automated processing of task-specific nursing knowledge.

  18. 3D knitting using large circular knitting machines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simonis, K.; Gloy, Y.-S.; Gries, T.

    2017-10-01

    For the first time 3D structures can now be produced on large circular knitting machines. Till date, such structures could only be manufactured on flat knitting machines. Since large circular knitting machines operate much faster, this development increases the overall productivity of 3D knits. It thus opens up a totally new avenue for cost reduction for applications in sportswear, upholstery, aerospace and automotive industry. The following paper presents the state of the art regarding the realisation of three dimensional fabrics. In addition, current knitting technologies regarding three dimensional formations will be explained. Results of the pretrials explaining the change in knitted fabrics´ dimension, executed at the Institut für Textiltechnik of the RWTH Aachen University, will be presented. Finally, the description of the 3D knit prototype developed will be provided as a part of this paper.

  19. Modeling RHIC using the standard machine formal accelerator description

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pilat, F.; Trahern, C.G.; Wei, J.

    1997-01-01

    The Standard Machine Format (SMF) is a structured description of accelerator lattices which supports both the hierarchy of beam lines and generic lattice objects as well as those deviations (field errors, alignment efforts, etc.) associated with each component of the as-installed machine. In this paper we discuss the use of SMF to describe the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) as well as the ancillary data structures (such as field quality measurements) that are necessarily incorporated into the RHIC SMF model. Future applications of SMF are outlined, including its use in the RHIC operational environment

  20. Effect of Machining Velocity in Nanoscale Machining Operations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Islam, Sumaiya; Khondoker, Noman; Ibrahim, Raafat

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study is to investigate the generated forces and deformations of single crystal Cu with (100), (110) and (111) crystallographic orientations at nanoscale machining operation. A nanoindenter equipped with nanoscratching attachment was used for machining operations and in-situ observation of a nano scale groove. As a machining parameter, the machining velocity was varied to measure the normal and cutting forces. At a fixed machining velocity, different levels of normal and cutting forces were generated due to different crystallographic orientations of the specimens. Moreover, after machining operation percentage of elastic recovery was measured and it was found that both the elastic and plastic deformations were responsible for producing a nano scale groove within the range of machining velocities from 250-1000 nm/s. (paper)

  1. The survey on data format of Earth observation satellite data at JAXA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsunaga, M.; Ikehata, Y.

    2017-12-01

    JAXA's earth observation satellite data are distributed by a portal web site for search and deliver called "G-Portal". Users can download the satellite data of GPM, TRMM, Aqua, ADEOS-II, ALOS (search only), ALOS-2 (search only), MOS-1, MOS-1b, ERS-1 and JERS-1 from G-Portal. However, these data formats are different by each satellite like HDF4, HDF5, NetCDF4, CEOS, etc., and which formats are not familiar to new data users. Although the HDF type self-describing format is very convenient and useful for big dataset information, old-type format product is not readable by open GIS tool nor apply OGC standard. Recently, the satellite data are widely used to be applied to the various needs such as disaster, earth resources, monitoring the global environment, Geographic Information System(GIS) and so on. In order to remove a barrier of using Earth Satellite data for new community users, JAXA has been providing the format-converted product like GeoTIFF or KMZ. In addition, JAXA provides format conversion tool itself. We investigate the trend of data format for data archive, data dissemination and data utilization, then we study how to improve the current product format for various application field users and make a recommendation for new product.

  2. Progress report on the INIS operations, 3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1975-07-01

    Achievements in the International Nuclear Information System and the JAERI, national center for INIS in Japan for the fiscal years 48-49 are reviewed. INIS has reached nearly a figure of the initial estimate of world-wide nuclear literature for citation in the Atomindex and decided to include machine-readable abstracts in the system at the next stage. The Center has continuously supplied high quality of inputs to the system developed to a full operation, though it is the hardest undertaking to submit our abstracts to the system in a machine-readable form in the near future. And also the Center has carried out successfully a series of tests on SDI service based on INIS magnetic tapes. (auth.)

  3. Readability, suitability, and health content assessment of web-based patient education materials on colorectal cancer screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Chenlu; Champlin, Sara; Mackert, Michael; Lazard, Allison; Agrawal, Deepak

    2014-08-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates in the Unites States are still below target level. Web-based patient education materials are used by patients and providers to provide supplemental information on CRC screening. Low literacy levels and patient perceptions are significant barriers to screening. There are little data on the quality of these online materials from a health literacy standpoint or whether they address patients' perceptions. To evaluate the readability, suitability, and health content of web-based patient education materials on colon cancer screening. Descriptive study. Web-based patient materials. Twelve reputable and popular online patient education materials were evaluated. Readability was measured by using the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level, and suitability was determined by the Suitability Assessment of Materials, a scale that considers characteristics such as content, graphics, layout/typography, and learning stimulation. Health content was evaluated within the framework of the Health Belief Model, a behavioral model that relates patients' perceptions of susceptibility to disease, severity, and benefits and barriers to their medical decisions. Each material was scored independently by 3 reviewers. Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level score, Suitability Assessment of Materials score, health content score. Readability for 10 of 12 materials surpassed the maximum recommended sixth-grade reading level. Five were 10th grade level and above. Only 1 of 12 materials received a superior suitability score; 3 materials received inadequate scores. Health content analysis revealed that only 50% of the resources discussed CRC risk in the general population and <25% specifically addressed patients at high risk, such as African Americans, smokers, patients with diabetes, and obese patients. For perceived barriers to screening, only 8.3% of resources discussed embarrassment, 25% discussed pain with colonoscopy, 25% addressed cost of colonoscopy, and none

  4. Prediction of Machine Tool Condition Using Support Vector Machine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Peigong; Meng Qingfeng; Zhao Jian; Li Junjie; Wang Xiufeng

    2011-01-01

    Condition monitoring and predicting of CNC machine tools are investigated in this paper. Considering the CNC machine tools are often small numbers of samples, a condition predicting method for CNC machine tools based on support vector machines (SVMs) is proposed, then one-step and multi-step condition prediction models are constructed. The support vector machines prediction models are used to predict the trends of working condition of a certain type of CNC worm wheel and gear grinding machine by applying sequence data of vibration signal, which is collected during machine processing. And the relationship between different eigenvalue in CNC vibration signal and machining quality is discussed. The test result shows that the trend of vibration signal Peak-to-peak value in surface normal direction is most relevant to the trend of surface roughness value. In trends prediction of working condition, support vector machine has higher prediction accuracy both in the short term ('One-step') and long term (multi-step) prediction compared to autoregressive (AR) model and the RBF neural network. Experimental results show that it is feasible to apply support vector machine to CNC machine tool condition prediction.

  5. Environmentally Friendly Machining

    CERN Document Server

    Dixit, U S; Davim, J Paulo

    2012-01-01

    Environment-Friendly Machining provides an in-depth overview of environmentally-friendly machining processes, covering numerous different types of machining in order to identify which practice is the most environmentally sustainable. The book discusses three systems at length: machining with minimal cutting fluid, air-cooled machining and dry machining. Also covered is a way to conserve energy during machining processes, along with useful data and detailed descriptions for developing and utilizing the most efficient modern machining tools. Researchers and engineers looking for sustainable machining solutions will find Environment-Friendly Machining to be a useful volume.

  6. Hybrid machining processes perspectives on machining and finishing

    CERN Document Server

    Gupta, Kapil; Laubscher, R F

    2016-01-01

    This book describes various hybrid machining and finishing processes. It gives a critical review of the past work based on them as well as the current trends and research directions. For each hybrid machining process presented, the authors list the method of material removal, machining system, process variables and applications. This book provides a deep understanding of the need, application and mechanism of hybrid machining processes.

  7. Crosswalking EAD: Collaboration in Archival Description

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amy McCrory

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available Different library departments must work together, both formally and informally, in implementing encoded archival description and in repackaging descriptive information about archival collections to other formats, particularly machine-readable cataloging. The authors, one a technical services librarian and the other a special collections archivist, describe their experiences collaborating in these processes at The Ohio State University. Although other institutions may differ in their organizational structure, the authors hope to provide technical guidance, as well as a model of collaboration between archivists and technical services personnel. Careful dialogue and planning are essential to transcend the traditional divide between archival and library descriptive practices and systems.

  8. Experimental Directory Structure (Exdir: An Alternative to HDF5 Without Introducing a New File Format

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Svenn-Arne Dragly

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Natural sciences generate an increasing amount of data in a wide range of formats developed by different research groups and commercial companies. At the same time there is a growing desire to share data along with publications in order to enable reproducible research. Open formats have publicly available specifications which facilitate data sharing and reproducible research. Hierarchical Data Format 5 (HDF5 is a popular open format widely used in neuroscience, often as a foundation for other, more specialized formats. However, drawbacks related to HDF5's complex specification have initiated a discussion for an improved replacement. We propose a novel alternative, the Experimental Directory Structure (Exdir, an open specification for data storage in experimental pipelines which amends drawbacks associated with HDF5 while retaining its advantages. HDF5 stores data and metadata in a hierarchy within a complex binary file which, among other things, is not human-readable, not optimal for version control systems, and lacks support for easy access to raw data from external applications. Exdir, on the other hand, uses file system directories to represent the hierarchy, with metadata stored in human-readable YAML files, datasets stored in binary NumPy files, and raw data stored directly in subdirectories. Furthermore, storing data in multiple files makes it easier to track for version control systems. Exdir is not a file format in itself, but a specification for organizing files in a directory structure. Exdir uses the same abstractions as HDF5 and is compatible with the HDF5 Abstract Data Model. Several research groups are already using data stored in a directory hierarchy as an alternative to HDF5, but no common standard exists. This complicates and limits the opportunity for data sharing and development of common tools for reading, writing, and analyzing data. Exdir facilitates improved data storage, data sharing, reproducible research, and novel

  9. Experimental Directory Structure (Exdir): An Alternative to HDF5 Without Introducing a New File Format.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dragly, Svenn-Arne; Hobbi Mobarhan, Milad; Lepperød, Mikkel E; Tennøe, Simen; Fyhn, Marianne; Hafting, Torkel; Malthe-Sørenssen, Anders

    2018-01-01

    Natural sciences generate an increasing amount of data in a wide range of formats developed by different research groups and commercial companies. At the same time there is a growing desire to share data along with publications in order to enable reproducible research. Open formats have publicly available specifications which facilitate data sharing and reproducible research. Hierarchical Data Format 5 (HDF5) is a popular open format widely used in neuroscience, often as a foundation for other, more specialized formats. However, drawbacks related to HDF5's complex specification have initiated a discussion for an improved replacement. We propose a novel alternative, the Experimental Directory Structure (Exdir), an open specification for data storage in experimental pipelines which amends drawbacks associated with HDF5 while retaining its advantages. HDF5 stores data and metadata in a hierarchy within a complex binary file which, among other things, is not human-readable, not optimal for version control systems, and lacks support for easy access to raw data from external applications. Exdir, on the other hand, uses file system directories to represent the hierarchy, with metadata stored in human-readable YAML files, datasets stored in binary NumPy files, and raw data stored directly in subdirectories. Furthermore, storing data in multiple files makes it easier to track for version control systems. Exdir is not a file format in itself, but a specification for organizing files in a directory structure. Exdir uses the same abstractions as HDF5 and is compatible with the HDF5 Abstract Data Model. Several research groups are already using data stored in a directory hierarchy as an alternative to HDF5, but no common standard exists. This complicates and limits the opportunity for data sharing and development of common tools for reading, writing, and analyzing data. Exdir facilitates improved data storage, data sharing, reproducible research, and novel insight from

  10. Analysis of factors temporarily impacting traffic sign readability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Majid Khalilikhah

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Traffic sign readability can be affected by the existence of dirt on traffic sign faces. However, among damaged signs, dirty traffic signs are unique since their damage is not permanent and they just can be cleaned instead of replaced. This study aimed to identify the most important factors contributing to traffic sign dirt. To do so, a large number of traffic signs in Utah were measured by deploying a vehicle instrumented with mobile LiDAR imaging and digital photolog technologies. Each individual daytime digital image was inspected for dirt. Location and climate observations obtained from official sources were compiled using ArcGIS throughout the process. To identify contributing factors to traffic sign dirt, the chi-square test was employed. To analyze the data and rank all of the factors based on their importance to the sign dirt, Random forests statistical model was utilized. After analyzing the data, it can be concluded that ground elevation, sign mount height, and air pollution had the highest effect on making traffic signs dirty. The findings of this investigation assist transportation agencies in determining traffic signs with a higher likelihood of sign dirt. In this way, agencies would schedule to clean such traffic signs more frequently.

  11. 3D for free using the Mac's standard apps : converting raw 3D text files to QuickDraw 3D's 3DMF format using AppleScript

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Djajadiningrat, J.P.

    2003-01-01

    This article introduces you to the basics of 3D files in general and the 3D Metafile (3DMF), QuickDraw 3D's native 3D format, in particular. It shows how you can use AppleScript to easily convert a raw 3D text file into a 3DMF readable by the QuickDraw 3D Viewer or any other QuickDraw 3D compatible

  12. 75 FR 54052 - Description of Office, Procedures, and Public Information

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-03

    ..., found at: http://www.ffiec.gov . Requests must reasonably describe the records sought. (ii) Contents of..., microfilm, audiovisual records, or machine readable records (e.g., magnetic tape or computer disk). (D...

  13. 75 FR 71012 - Description of Office, Procedures, and Public Information

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-22

    ... sought. (ii) Contents of request. All requests should contain the following information: (A) The name and... take the form of paper copy, microfilm, audiovisual records, or machine readable records (e.g...

  14. Estimation of the profile of cross-machine shrinkage of paper

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    I'Anson, S J; Sampson, W W; Constantino, R P A; Hoole, S M

    2008-01-01

    In common with many other materials, paper tends to shrink as it dries. Although every attempt is made to restrain paper, some shrinkage occurs on all paper machines in the direction perpendicular to that of manufacture and this shrinkage is always much higher at the edges of the machine than in the centre. Measurement of the profile of this cross-machine shrinkage is possible using the fast Fourier transform to locate and measure periodic elements imprinted by the filtration fabrics used during the formation of the paper web. This paper describes a new method which allows the geometrical relationships within the fabric to be used along with dimensional changes to estimate shrinkage. The method has the advantages over previous methods of more tolerant sampling protocols, operator independent analysis and improved accuracy

  15. Machine terms dictionary

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1979-04-15

    This book gives descriptions of machine terms which includes machine design, drawing, the method of machine, machine tools, machine materials, automobile, measuring and controlling, electricity, basic of electron, information technology, quality assurance, Auto CAD and FA terms and important formula of mechanical engineering.

  16. Some relations between quantum Turing machines and Turing machines

    OpenAIRE

    Sicard, Andrés; Vélez, Mario

    1999-01-01

    For quantum Turing machines we present three elements: Its components, its time evolution operator and its local transition function. The components are related with the components of deterministic Turing machines, the time evolution operator is related with the evolution of reversible Turing machines and the local transition function is related with the transition function of probabilistic and reversible Turing machines.

  17. 12 CFR 1102.301 - Definitions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... or by oral discussion of its contents. Where the ASC member or employee authorized to release ASC... paper copy, microfilm, audiovisual records, or machine readable records (e.g., magnetic tape or computer...

  18. The Cutting Process, Chips and Cutting Forces in Machining CFRP

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Koplev, A.; Lystrup, Aage; Vorm, T.

    1983-01-01

    The cutting of unidirectional CFRP, perpendicular as well as parallel to the fibre orientation, is examined. Shaping experiments, ‘quick-stop’ experiments, and a new chip preparation technique are used for the investigation. The formation of the chips, and the quality of the machined surface...... is discussed. The cutting forces parallel and perpendicular to the cutting direction are measured for various parameters, and the results correlated to the formation of chips and the wear of the tool....

  19. Capturing cooperative interactions with the PSI-MI format.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Roey, Kim; Orchard, Sandra; Kerrien, Samuel; Dumousseau, Marine; Ricard-Blum, Sylvie; Hermjakob, Henning; Gibson, Toby J

    2013-01-01

    The complex biological processes that control cellular function are mediated by intricate networks of molecular interactions. Accumulating evidence indicates that these interactions are often interdependent, thus acting cooperatively. Cooperative interactions are prevalent in and indispensible for reliable and robust control of cell regulation, as they underlie the conditional decision-making capability of large regulatory complexes. Despite an increased focus on experimental elucidation of the molecular details of cooperative binding events, as evidenced by their growing occurrence in literature, they are currently lacking from the main bioinformatics resources. One of the contributing factors to this deficiency is the lack of a computer-readable standard representation and exchange format for cooperative interaction data. To tackle this shortcoming, we added functionality to the widely used PSI-MI interchange format for molecular interaction data by defining new controlled vocabulary terms that allow annotation of different aspects of cooperativity without making structural changes to the underlying XML schema. As a result, we are able to capture cooperative interaction data in a structured format that is backward compatible with PSI-MI-based data and applications. This will facilitate the storage, exchange and analysis of cooperative interaction data, which in turn will advance experimental research on this fundamental principle in biology.

  20. Punctuation as readability and textuality factor in technical discourse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen Sancho Guinda

    2002-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper studies the incidence of punctuation on the reading comprehension of technical discourse and its role as a factor of textuality. Starting out from the notions of textuality and punctuation functions formulated by different linguistic approaches, an analysis has been made to quantify the decoding skills and punctuating competence of 60 Aeronautical Engineering students, as well as to determine the nature and effects of their punctuation errors. The survey has been focused on the Full Stop, the comma and the hyphen due to their highly conflicting uses as regards the identification of immediate sentence constituents and semantic relationships. The results obtained suggest that most students have a poor knowledge of punctuation rules and little awareness of punctuation as a textual elementaffecting readability. Errors are in the main related to comma use and produced by transference, either of Spanish punctuating habits into English, or of individual prosodic patterns into writing, while meaning appears to be the prevailing punctuating criterion over sound and syntax. Punctuation proves an effective tool for the anticipation of implicit meanings and an untapped resource in the teaching of the diverse communicative and stylistic possibilities offered by technical texts.

  1. Support vector machine in machine condition monitoring and fault diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Widodo, Achmad; Yang, Bo-Suk

    2007-08-01

    Recently, the issue of machine condition monitoring and fault diagnosis as a part of maintenance system became global due to the potential advantages to be gained from reduced maintenance costs, improved productivity and increased machine availability. This paper presents a survey of machine condition monitoring and fault diagnosis using support vector machine (SVM). It attempts to summarize and review the recent research and developments of SVM in machine condition monitoring and diagnosis. Numerous methods have been developed based on intelligent systems such as artificial neural network, fuzzy expert system, condition-based reasoning, random forest, etc. However, the use of SVM for machine condition monitoring and fault diagnosis is still rare. SVM has excellent performance in generalization so it can produce high accuracy in classification for machine condition monitoring and diagnosis. Until 2006, the use of SVM in machine condition monitoring and fault diagnosis is tending to develop towards expertise orientation and problem-oriented domain. Finally, the ability to continually change and obtain a novel idea for machine condition monitoring and fault diagnosis using SVM will be future works.

  2. NIH Common Data Elements Repository

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The NIH Common Data Elements (CDE) Repository has been designed to provide access to structured human and machine-readable definitions of data elements that have...

  3. Simulations of Quantum Turing Machines by Quantum Multi-Stack Machines

    OpenAIRE

    Qiu, Daowen

    2005-01-01

    As was well known, in classical computation, Turing machines, circuits, multi-stack machines, and multi-counter machines are equivalent, that is, they can simulate each other in polynomial time. In quantum computation, Yao [11] first proved that for any quantum Turing machines $M$, there exists quantum Boolean circuit $(n,t)$-simulating $M$, where $n$ denotes the length of input strings, and $t$ is the number of move steps before machine stopping. However, the simulations of quantum Turing ma...

  4. Machine Learning for Optical Performance Monitoring from Directly Detected PDM-QAM Signals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wass, J.; Thrane, Jakob; Piels, Molly

    2016-01-01

    Supervised machine learning methods are applied and demonstrated experimentally for inband OSNR estimation and modulation format classification in optical communication systems. The proposed methods accurately evaluate coherent signals up to 64QAM using only intensity information....

  5. Laser Machining and In Vitro Assessment of Wollastonite-Tricalcium Phosphate Eutectic Glasses and Glass-Ceramics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Sola

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Bioactivity and ingrowth of ceramic implants is commonly enhanced by a suitable interconnected porous network. In this work, the laser machining of CaSiO3‒Ca3(PO42 biocompatible eutectic glass-ceramics and glasses was studied. For this purpose, 300 µm diameter craters were machined by using pulsed laser radiation at 532 nm with a pulsewidth in the nanosecond range. Machined samples were soaked in simulated body fluid for 2 months to assess the formation of a hydroxyapatite layer on the surface of the laser machined areas. The samples were manufactured by the laser floating zone technique using a CO2 laser. Morphology, composition and microstructure of the machined samples were described by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy and micro-Raman Spectroscopy.

  6. Machine tool structures

    CERN Document Server

    Koenigsberger, F

    1970-01-01

    Machine Tool Structures, Volume 1 deals with fundamental theories and calculation methods for machine tool structures. Experimental investigations into stiffness are discussed, along with the application of the results to the design of machine tool structures. Topics covered range from static and dynamic stiffness to chatter in metal cutting, stability in machine tools, and deformations of machine tool structures. This volume is divided into three sections and opens with a discussion on stiffness specifications and the effect of stiffness on the behavior of the machine under forced vibration c

  7. A hybrid Taguchi-artificial neural network approach to predict surface roughness during electric discharge machining of titanium alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kumar, Sanjeev; Batish, Ajay [Thapar University, Patiala (India); Singh, Rupinder [GNDEC, Ludhiana (India); Singh, T. P. [Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Pune (India)

    2014-07-15

    In the present study, electric discharge machining process was used for machining of titanium alloys. Eight process parameters were varied during the process. Experimental results showed that current and pulse-on-time significantly affected the performance characteristics. Artificial neural network coupled with Taguchi approach was applied for optimization and prediction of surface roughness. The experimental results and the predicted results showed good agreement. SEM was used to investigate the surface integrity. Analysis for migration of different chemical elements and formation of compounds on the surface was performed using EDS and XRD pattern. The results showed that high discharge energy caused surface defects such as cracks, craters, thick recast layer, micro pores, pin holes, residual stresses and debris. Also, migration of chemical elements both from electrode and dielectric media were observed during EDS analysis. Presence of carbon was seen on the machined surface. XRD results showed formation of titanium carbide compound which precipitated on the machined surface.

  8. Data Distribution System (DDS) and Solar Dynamic Observatory Ground Station (SDOGS) Integration Manager

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pham, Kim; Bialas, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    The DDS SDOGS Integration Manager (DSIM) provides translation between native control and status formats for systems within DDS and SDOGS, and the ASIST (Advanced Spacecraft Integration and System Test) control environment in the SDO MOC (Solar Dynamics Observatory Mission Operations Center). This system was created in response for a need to centralize remote monitor and control of SDO Ground Station equipments using ASIST control environment in SDO MOC, and to have configurable table definition for equipment. It provides translation of status and monitoring information from the native systems into ASIST-readable format to display on pages in the MOC. The manager is lightweight, user friendly, and efficient. It allows data trending, correlation, and storing. It allows using ASIST as common interface for remote monitor and control of heterogeneous equipments. It also provides failover capability to back up machines.

  9. Electricity of machine tool

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gijeon media editorial department

    1977-10-01

    This book is divided into three parts. The first part deals with electricity machine, which can taints from generator to motor, motor a power source of machine tool, electricity machine for machine tool such as switch in main circuit, automatic machine, a knife switch and pushing button, snap switch, protection device, timer, solenoid, and rectifier. The second part handles wiring diagram. This concludes basic electricity circuit of machine tool, electricity wiring diagram in your machine like milling machine, planer and grinding machine. The third part introduces fault diagnosis of machine, which gives the practical solution according to fault diagnosis and the diagnostic method with voltage and resistance measurement by tester.

  10. PIML: the Pathogen Information Markup Language.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Yongqun; Vines, Richard R; Wattam, Alice R; Abramochkin, Georgiy V; Dickerman, Allan W; Eckart, J Dana; Sobral, Bruno W S

    2005-01-01

    A vast amount of information about human, animal and plant pathogens has been acquired, stored and displayed in varied formats through different resources, both electronically and otherwise. However, there is no community standard format for organizing this information or agreement on machine-readable format(s) for data exchange, thereby hampering interoperation efforts across information systems harboring such infectious disease data. The Pathogen Information Markup Language (PIML) is a free, open, XML-based format for representing pathogen information. XSLT-based visual presentations of valid PIML documents were developed and can be accessed through the PathInfo website or as part of the interoperable web services federation known as ToolBus/PathPort. Currently, detailed PIML documents are available for 21 pathogens deemed of high priority with regard to public health and national biological defense. A dynamic query system allows simple queries as well as comparisons among these pathogens. Continuing efforts are being taken to include other groups' supporting PIML and to develop more PIML documents. All the PIML-related information is accessible from http://www.vbi.vt.edu/pathport/pathinfo/

  11. Machine medical ethics

    CERN Document Server

    Pontier, Matthijs

    2015-01-01

    The essays in this book, written by researchers from both humanities and sciences, describe various theoretical and experimental approaches to adding medical ethics to a machine in medical settings. Medical machines are in close proximity with human beings, and getting closer: with patients who are in vulnerable states of health, who have disabilities of various kinds, with the very young or very old, and with medical professionals. In such contexts, machines are undertaking important medical tasks that require emotional sensitivity, knowledge of medical codes, human dignity, and privacy. As machine technology advances, ethical concerns become more urgent: should medical machines be programmed to follow a code of medical ethics? What theory or theories should constrain medical machine conduct? What design features are required? Should machines share responsibility with humans for the ethical consequences of medical actions? How ought clinical relationships involving machines to be modeled? Is a capacity for e...

  12. Hidden Identification on Parts: Magnetic Machine-Readable Matrix Symbols

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schramm, Harry F.; Jones, Clyde S.; Roxby, Donald L.; Teed, James D.; Shih, William C. L.; Fitzpatrick, Gerald L.; Knisely, Craig

    2005-01-01

    All NASA parts have identification, usually expressed in terms of part number, serial number, and the like. In most cases, this identification is permanently marked directly on the part for tracking throughout its life cycle. NASA has developed a method for reading the matrix symbol through up to 15 mils (25 m) of paint (5 or 6 layers). This method of part identification involves coating selected patches on the objects with magnetic materials in matrix symbol patterns and reading the patterns by use of magneto-optical imaging equipment.

  13. Humanizing machines: Anthropomorphization of slot machines increases gambling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riva, Paolo; Sacchi, Simona; Brambilla, Marco

    2015-12-01

    Do people gamble more on slot machines if they think that they are playing against humanlike minds rather than mathematical algorithms? Research has shown that people have a strong cognitive tendency to imbue humanlike mental states to nonhuman entities (i.e., anthropomorphism). The present research tested whether anthropomorphizing slot machines would increase gambling. Four studies manipulated slot machine anthropomorphization and found that exposing people to an anthropomorphized description of a slot machine increased gambling behavior and reduced gambling outcomes. Such findings emerged using tasks that focused on gambling behavior (Studies 1 to 3) as well as in experimental paradigms that included gambling outcomes (Studies 2 to 4). We found that gambling outcomes decrease because participants primed with the anthropomorphic slot machine gambled more (Study 4). Furthermore, we found that high-arousal positive emotions (e.g., feeling excited) played a role in the effect of anthropomorphism on gambling behavior (Studies 3 and 4). Our research indicates that the psychological process of gambling-machine anthropomorphism can be advantageous for the gaming industry; however, this may come at great expense for gamblers' (and their families') economic resources and psychological well-being. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  14. Readability of the Most Commonly Accessed Online Patient Education Materials Pertaining to Pathology of the Hand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akinleye, Sheriff D; Garofolo-Gonzalez, Garret; Montuori, Michael; Culbertson, Maya Deza; Hashem, Jennifer; Edelstein, David Marc

    2017-08-01

    The American Medical Association (AMA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend that patient education materials be written at no higher than a sixth-grade reading level. We examined 100 online educational materials for the 10 hand conditions most commonly treated by hand surgeons, as reported by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. The listed conditions were carpal tunnel syndrome, basal joint arthritis of the thumb, de Quervain syndrome, Dupuytren's contracture, ganglion cysts, hand fractures, trigger finger, extensor tendon injuries, flexor tendon injuries, and mallet finger. Following a Google search for each condition, we analyzed the 10 most visited websites for each disorder utilizing the Flesch-Kincaid formula. The average grade reading level of the 100 websites studied was 9.49 with a reading ease of 53.03 ("fairly difficult high school"). Only 29% of the websites were at or below the national average of an eighth-grade reading level. Carpal tunnel syndrome had the highest average grade reading level at 10.32 (standard deviation: 1.52), whereas hand fractures had the lowest at 8.14 (2.03). Every hand condition in this study had an average readability at or above the ninth-grade reading level. The most frequently accessed materials for common maladies of the hand exceed both the readability limits recommended by the AMA and NIH, and the average reading ability of most US adults. Therefore, the most commonly accessed websites pertaining to hand pathology may not be comprehended by the audience for which it is intended.

  15. Variations in Textualization: A Cross-generic and Cross-disciplinary Study, Implications for Readability of the Academic Discourse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mina Abbasi Bonabi

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available According to discoursal views on language, variations in textualization strategies are always socio-contextually motivated and never happen at random. The textual forms employed in a text, along with many other discoursal and contextual factors, could certainly affect the readability of the text, making it more or less processable for the same reader. On the basis of these assumptions, the present study set out to examine how our data varied across genres and disciplines in terms of our target textual forms. These forms are as follows: the magnitude of T-unit (MOTU, the degree of embeddedness of the main verb in T-unit (DE, the physical distance between the verb and its satellite elements (PD, the magnitude of the noun phrase appearing before the verb (MOX, and the magnitude of noun phrase appearing after the verb (MOY. Our data consisted of 20 research articles randomly selected from two different disciplines of Biology and Applied Linguistics, to be analyzed in terms of the above-named textual strategies. One way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey tests were used for data analyses. The results revealed cross-generic as well as cross-disciplinary differences in the employment of the above textual forms. These findings were discussed in terms of the academic concepts and discourse on the one hand and the possible effect of the required textual forms on the readability of the text on the other hand.

  16. Production Machine Shop Employment Competencies. Part Three: The Engine Lathe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bishart, Gus; Werner, Claire

    Competencies for production machine shop are provided for the third of four topic areas: the engine lathe. Each competency appears in a one-page format. It is presented as a goal statement followed by one or more "indicator" statements, which are performance objectives describing an ability that, upon attainment, will establish…

  17. Code-expanded radio access protocol for machine-to-machine communications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Henning; Kiilerich Pratas, Nuno; Stefanovic, Cedomir

    2013-01-01

    The random access methods used for support of machine-to-machine, also referred to as Machine-Type Communications, in current cellular standards are derivatives of traditional framed slotted ALOHA and therefore do not support high user loads efficiently. We propose an approach that is motivated b...... subframes and orthogonal preambles, the amount of available contention resources is drastically increased, enabling the massive support of Machine-Type Communication users that is beyond the reach of current systems.......The random access methods used for support of machine-to-machine, also referred to as Machine-Type Communications, in current cellular standards are derivatives of traditional framed slotted ALOHA and therefore do not support high user loads efficiently. We propose an approach that is motivated...... by the random access method employed in LTE, which significantly increases the amount of contention resources without increasing the system resources, such as contention subframes and preambles. This is accomplished by a logical, rather than physical, extension of the access method in which the available system...

  18. Multi-script handwritten character recognition : Using feature descriptors and machine learning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Surinta, Olarik

    2016-01-01

    Handwritten character recognition plays an important role in transforming raw visual image data obtained from handwritten documents using for example scanners to a format which is understandable by a computer. It is an important application in the field of pattern recognition, machine learning and

  19. The Knotted Sign: Poetics of Illegibility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elvira Blanco Santini

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available One might argue that legibility precedes any concern about poetics, because: What are the poetics of something we cannot understand? However, our interaction with digital technology constantly exposes us to the illegibility intrinsic to its operations. The aim of this essay is to reflect on illegibility from three perspectives: the definition of readability as a Eurocentric cultural regime, the exploration of the poetics of the machine-readable as opposed to the human-readable, and the proposition that we are facing an increasingly ubiquitous regime of illegibility that is not limited to writing. After this vaguely chronological review of the modern history of illegibility, I will attempt to answer: What can the unreadable mean as an expressive resource?

  20. Mechanism of crud migration into the fuelling machine and its effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sie, T.

    2003-01-01

    'Full text:' The objective of this paper is to summarize the opinion of experts on the mechanism of crud deposit formation and its migration into the fueling machine. Also to point out the negative effects of crud on the performance of the fueling machine head and the head overhaul / maintenance program in general. There are numerous moving/rotating components (ball screws, linear and rotating bearings, mechanical gears, mechanical seals, etc.) inside the fueling machine. By design, all these are lubricated by D2O. Because of the delicate nature of the moving components, crud contaminated D2O is obviously not a good choice of lubricant. Crud causes poor performance of the FM drive systems, premature wear of the mechanical seals, and other internal components. Due to the fuelling machine's role in maintaining reactor power and safety related functions, it is of extreme importance that the performance of the fueling machine is controlled. Major field functional failures must be prevented. In the extreme case the effect of the crud contaminated D2O could lead to a major functional failure while the fueling machine is locked on channel or has irradiated fuel on board. The next worse scenario is intolerably frequent process stops, thus requiring costly and premature fuelling machine overhaul / repairs with its associated negative effects: maintenance cost, radiation exposure, reduced fueling rates, and major upsets to the general head overhaul schedule. (author)

  1. Teaching Machines, Programming, Computers, and Instructional Technology: The Roots of Performance Technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deutsch, William

    1992-01-01

    Reviews the history of the development of the field of performance technology. Highlights include early teaching machines, instructional technology, learning theory, programed instruction, the systems approach, needs assessment, branching versus linear program formats, programing languages, and computer-assisted instruction. (LRW)

  2. Simple machines

    CERN Document Server

    Graybill, George

    2007-01-01

    Just how simple are simple machines? With our ready-to-use resource, they are simple to teach and easy to learn! Chocked full of information and activities, we begin with a look at force, motion and work, and examples of simple machines in daily life are given. With this background, we move on to different kinds of simple machines including: Levers, Inclined Planes, Wedges, Screws, Pulleys, and Wheels and Axles. An exploration of some compound machines follows, such as the can opener. Our resource is a real time-saver as all the reading passages, student activities are provided. Presented in s

  3. Machine performance assessment and enhancement for a hexapod machine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mou, J.I. [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States); King, C. [Sandia National Labs., Livermore, CA (United States). Integrated Manufacturing Systems Center

    1998-03-19

    The focus of this study is to develop a sensor fused process modeling and control methodology to model, assess, and then enhance the performance of a hexapod machine for precision product realization. Deterministic modeling technique was used to derive models for machine performance assessment and enhancement. Sensor fusion methodology was adopted to identify the parameters of the derived models. Empirical models and computational algorithms were also derived and implemented to model, assess, and then enhance the machine performance. The developed sensor fusion algorithms can be implemented on a PC-based open architecture controller to receive information from various sensors, assess the status of the process, determine the proper action, and deliver the command to actuators for task execution. This will enhance a hexapod machine`s capability to produce workpieces within the imposed dimensional tolerances.

  4. Superconducting rotating machines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, J.L. Jr.; Kirtley, J.L. Jr.; Thullen, P.

    1975-01-01

    The opportunities and limitations of the applications of superconductors in rotating electric machines are given. The relevant properties of superconductors and the fundamental requirements for rotating electric machines are discussed. The current state-of-the-art of superconducting machines is reviewed. Key problems, future developments and the long range potential of superconducting machines are assessed

  5. Does providing nutrition information at vending machines reduce calories per item sold?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dingman, Deirdre A; Schulz, Mark R; Wyrick, David L; Bibeau, Daniel L; Gupta, Sat N

    2015-02-01

    In 2010, the United States (US) enacted a restaurant menu labeling law. The law also applied to vending machine companies selling food. Research suggested that providing nutrition information on menus in restaurants might reduce the number of calories purchased. We tested the effect of providing nutrition information and 'healthy' designations to consumers where vending machines were located in college residence halls. We conducted our study at one university in Southeast US (October-November 2012). We randomly assigned 18 vending machines locations (residence halls) to an intervention or control group. For the intervention we posted nutrition information, interpretive signage, and sent a promotional email to residents of the hall. For the control group we did nothing. We tracked sales over 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after we introduced the intervention. Our intervention did not change what the residents bought. We recommend additional research about providing nutrition information where vending machines are located, including testing formats used to present information.

  6. Sustainable machining

    CERN Document Server

    2017-01-01

    This book provides an overview on current sustainable machining. Its chapters cover the concept in economic, social and environmental dimensions. It provides the reader with proper ways to handle several pollutants produced during the machining process. The book is useful on both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and it is of interest to all those working with manufacturing and machining technology.

  7. What's New in Children's Literature for the Children of Louisiana? A Selected Annotated Bibliography with Readability Levels (Selected) and Associated Louisiana Content Standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webre, Elizabeth C.

    2011-01-01

    An annotated list of children's books published within the last 15 years and related to Louisiana culture, environment, and economics are linked to the Louisiana Content Standards. Readability levels of selected books are included, providing guidance as to whether a book is appropriate for independent student use. The thirty-three books listed are…

  8. Advanced Electrical Machines and Machine-Based Systems for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming Cheng

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents a number of advanced solutions on electric machines and machine-based systems for the powertrain of electric vehicles (EVs. Two types of systems are considered, namely the drive systems designated to the EV propulsion and the power split devices utilized in the popular series-parallel hybrid electric vehicle architecture. After reviewing the main requirements for the electric drive systems, the paper illustrates advanced electric machine topologies, including a stator permanent magnet (stator-PM motor, a hybrid-excitation motor, a flux memory motor and a redundant motor structure. Then, it illustrates advanced electric drive systems, such as the magnetic-geared in-wheel drive and the integrated starter generator (ISG. Finally, three machine-based implementations of the power split devices are expounded, built up around the dual-rotor PM machine, the dual-stator PM brushless machine and the magnetic-geared dual-rotor machine. As a conclusion, the development trends in the field of electric machines and machine-based systems for EVs are summarized.

  9. Asynchronized synchronous machines

    CERN Document Server

    Botvinnik, M M

    1964-01-01

    Asynchronized Synchronous Machines focuses on the theoretical research on asynchronized synchronous (AS) machines, which are "hybrids” of synchronous and induction machines that can operate with slip. Topics covered in this book include the initial equations; vector diagram of an AS machine; regulation in cases of deviation from the law of full compensation; parameters of the excitation system; and schematic diagram of an excitation regulator. The possible applications of AS machines and its calculations in certain cases are also discussed. This publication is beneficial for students and indiv

  10. Modelling of destructive ability of water-ice-jet while machine processing of machine elements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burnashov Mikhail

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper represents the classification of the most common contaminants, appearing on the surfaces of machine elements after a long-term service.The existing well-known surface cleaning methods are described and analyzed in the framework of this paper. The article is intended to provide the reader with an understanding of the process of cleaning and removing contamination from machine elements surface by means of water-ice-jet with preprepared beforehand particles, as well as the process of water-ice-jet formation. The paper deals with the description of such advantages of this method as low costs, wastelessness, high quality of the surface, undergoing processing, minimization of harmful impact upon environment and eco-friendliness, which makes it differ radically from formerly known methods. The scheme of interection between the surface and ice particle is represented. A thermo-physical model of destruction of contaminants by means of a water-ice-jet cleaning technology was developed on its basis. The thermo-physical model allows us to make setting of processing mode and the parameters of water-ice-jet scientifically substantiated and well-grounded.

  11. Ductile and brittle transition behavior of titanium alloys in ultra-precision machining.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yip, W S; To, S

    2018-03-02

    Titanium alloys are extensively applied in biomedical industries due to their excellent material properties. However, they are recognized as difficult to cut materials due to their low thermal conductivity, which induces a complexity to their deformation mechanisms and restricts precise productions. This paper presents a new observation about the removal regime of titanium alloys. The experimental results, including the chip formation, thrust force signal and surface profile, showed that there was a critical cutting distance to achieve better surface integrity of machined surface. The machined areas with better surface roughness were located before the clear transition point, defining as the ductile to brittle transition. The machined area at the brittle region displayed the fracture deformation which showed cracks on the surface edge. The relationship between depth of cut and the ductile to brittle transaction behavior of titanium alloys in ultra-precision machining(UPM) was also revealed in this study, it showed that the ductile to brittle transaction behavior of titanium alloys occurred mainly at relatively small depth of cut. The study firstly defines the ductile to brittle transition behavior of titanium alloys in UPM, contributing the information of ductile machining as an optimal machining condition for precise productions of titanium alloys.

  12. Machine Shop Lathes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, James

    This guide, the second in a series of five machine shop curriculum manuals, was designed for use in machine shop courses in Oklahoma. The purpose of the manual is to equip students with basic knowledge and skills that will enable them to enter the machine trade at the machine-operator level. The curriculum is designed so that it can be used in…

  13. A critical review of the readability of online patient education resources from RadiologyInfo.Org.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansberry, David R; John, Ann; John, Elizabeth; Agarwal, Nitin; Gonzales, Sharon F; Baker, Stephen R

    2014-03-01

    Health consumers and their families rely on the Internet as a source of authoritative information regarding the procedures used to reach a diagnosis, effect treatment, and influence prognosis. In radiology, online materials can be a means by which to offer patients comprehensible explanations of the capabilities, the risks and rewards, and the techniques under our purview. Consequently, estimations of health literacy should take into account the reading level of the average American when composing and transmitting such information to the lay public without the mediation of a referring physician. In December 2012, patient education reports from the files of RadiologyInfo.org, a jointly sponsored website of the American College of Radiology and the Radiological Society of North America, were downloaded to assess their textual sophistication. All 138 patient education articles including the glossary were analyzed for their respective level of "readability" using the following 10 evaluative scales: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Grading, Coleman-Liau Index, Gunning Fog Index, New Dale-Chall scale, FORCAST, Fry graph, Raygor Readability Estimate, and New Fog Count. The 138 online patient education articles were written, on average, between the 10th and 14th grade levels, which exceeds both the American Medical Association and the National Institutes of Health recommendations that patient education resources be comprehensible to those who read no higher than the seventh grade level. Patients may accrue a greater benefit from written articles available on RadiologyInfo.org if the texts were revised to be in compliance with the National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association grade level recommendations. This could lead to a broadened appreciation of the capabilities of radiology's role in general and enhanced understanding of imaging techniques and their application to clinical practice.

  14. Black holes, wormholes and time machines

    CERN Document Server

    Al-Khalili, Jim

    2011-01-01

    Bringing the material up to date, Black Holes, Wormholes and Time Machines, Second Edition captures the new ideas and discoveries made in physics since the publication of the best-selling first edition. While retaining the popular format and style of its predecessor, this edition explores the latest developments in high-energy astroparticle physics and Big Bang cosmology.The book continues to make the ideas and theories of modern physics easily understood by anyone, from researchers to students to general science enthusiasts. Taking you on a journey through space and time, author Jim Al-Khalil

  15. A Photometric Machine-Learning Method to Infer Stellar Metallicity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Adam A.

    2015-01-01

    Following its formation, a star's metal content is one of the few factors that can significantly alter its evolution. Measurements of stellar metallicity ([Fe/H]) typically require a spectrum, but spectroscopic surveys are limited to a few x 10(exp 6) targets; photometric surveys, on the other hand, have detected > 10(exp 9) stars. I present a new machine-learning method to predict [Fe/H] from photometric colors measured by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The training set consists of approx. 120,000 stars with SDSS photometry and reliable [Fe/H] measurements from the SEGUE Stellar Parameters Pipeline (SSPP). For bright stars (g' machine-learning method is similar to the scatter in [Fe/H] measurements from low-resolution spectra..

  16. Does the quality, accuracy, and readability of information about lateral epicondylitis on the internet vary with the search term used?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dy, Christopher J; Taylor, Samuel A; Patel, Ronak M; McCarthy, Moira M; Roberts, Timothy R; Daluiski, Aaron

    2012-12-01

    Concern exists over the quality, accuracy, and accessibility of online information about health care conditions. The goal of this study is to evaluate the quality, accuracy, and readability of information available on the internet about lateral epicondylitis. We used three different search terms ("tennis elbow," "lateral epicondylitis," and "elbow pain") in three search engines (Google, Bing, and Yahoo) to generate a list of 75 unique websites. Three orthopedic surgeons reviewed the content of each website and assessed the quality and accuracy of information. We assessed each website's readability using the Flesch-Kincaid method. Statistical comparisons were made using ANOVA with post hoc pairwise comparisons. The mean reading grade level was 11.1. None of the sites were under the recommended sixth grade reading level for the general public. Higher quality information was found when using the terms "tennis elbow" and "lateral epicondylitis" compared to "elbow pain" (p lateral epicondylitis is available online, especially from specialty societies. However, the quality and accuracy of information vary significantly with the search term, website author, and order of search results. This leaves less educated patients at a disadvantage, particularly because the information we encountered is above the reading level recommended for the general public.

  17. Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Umar Shuaibu

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Information Impact | Journal of Information and Knowledge Management

    sciences to serve its doctors and nurses, while a law library firm may maintains its .... The availability of machine-readable catalogue (MARC) records and linking computer ... circulation desk speeded up of the check out and checks in process.

  18. Formatting Open Science: agilely creating multiple document formats for academic manuscripts with Pandoc Scholar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Albert Krewinkel

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The timely publication of scientific results is essential for dynamic advances in science. The ubiquitous availability of computers which are connected to a global network made the rapid and low-cost distribution of information through electronic channels possible. New concepts, such as Open Access publishing and preprint servers are currently changing the traditional print media business towards a community-driven peer production. However, the cost of scientific literature generation, which is either charged to readers, authors or sponsors, is still high. The main active participants in the authoring and evaluation of scientific manuscripts are volunteers, and the cost for online publishing infrastructure is close to negligible. A major time and cost factor is the formatting of manuscripts in the production stage. In this article we demonstrate the feasibility of writing scientific manuscripts in plain markdown (MD text files, which can be easily converted into common publication formats, such as PDF, HTML or EPUB, using Pandoc. The simple syntax of Markdown assures the long-term readability of raw files and the development of software and workflows. We show the implementation of typical elements of scientific manuscripts—formulas, tables, code blocks and citations—and present tools for editing, collaborative writing and version control. We give an example on how to prepare a manuscript with distinct output formats, a DOCX file for submission to a journal, and a LATEX/PDF version for deposition as a PeerJ preprint. Further, we implemented new features for supporting ‘semantic web’ applications, such as the ‘journal article tag suite’—JATS, and the ‘citation typing ontology’—CiTO standard. Reducing the work spent on manuscript formatting translates directly to time and cost savings for writers, publishers, readers and sponsors. Therefore, the adoption of the MD format contributes to the agile production of open science

  19. High-pressure microscopy for tracking dynamic properties of molecular machines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishiyama, Masayoshi

    2017-12-01

    High-pressure microscopy is one of the powerful techniques to visualize the effects of hydrostatic pressures on research targets. It could be used for monitoring the pressure-induced changes in the structure and function of molecular machines in vitro and in vivo. This review focuses on the dynamic properties of the assemblies and machines, analyzed by means of high-pressure microscopy measurement. We developed a high-pressure microscope that is optimized both for the best image formation and for the stability to hydrostatic pressure up to 150 MPa. Application of pressure could change polymerization and depolymerization processes of the microtubule cytoskeleton, suggesting a modulation of the intermolecular interaction between tubulin molecules. A novel motility assay demonstrated that high hydrostatic pressure induces counterclockwise (CCW) to clockwise (CW) reversals of the Escherichia coli flagellar motor. The present techniques could be extended to study how molecular machines in complicated systems respond to mechanical stimuli. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Machining of Machine Elements Made of Polymer Composite Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baurova, N. I.; Makarov, K. A.

    2017-12-01

    The machining of the machine elements that are made of polymer composite materials (PCMs) or are repaired using them is considered. Turning, milling, and drilling are shown to be most widely used among all methods of cutting PCMs. Cutting conditions for the machining of PCMs are presented. The factors that most strongly affect the roughness parameters and the accuracy of cutting PCMs are considered.

  1. A general lexicographic model for a typological variety of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    Bosch, Pretorius and Jones (2007) propose a model for machine-readable lexicons .... Bosch and Taljard (2012) or the e-learning tool "eZulu dictionary of posses- ... learners in producing the correct form, such as a decision tree-like device.

  2. Improving Machining Accuracy of CNC Machines with Innovative Design Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yemelyanov, N. V.; Yemelyanova, I. V.; Zubenko, V. L.

    2018-03-01

    The article considers achieving the machining accuracy of CNC machines by applying innovative methods in modelling and design of machining systems, drives and machine processes. The topological method of analysis involves visualizing the system as matrices of block graphs with a varying degree of detail between the upper and lower hierarchy levels. This approach combines the advantages of graph theory and the efficiency of decomposition methods, it also has visual clarity, which is inherent in both topological models and structural matrices, as well as the resiliency of linear algebra as part of the matrix-based research. The focus of the study is on the design of automated machine workstations, systems, machines and units, which can be broken into interrelated parts and presented as algebraic, topological and set-theoretical models. Every model can be transformed into a model of another type, and, as a result, can be interpreted as a system of linear and non-linear equations which solutions determine the system parameters. This paper analyses the dynamic parameters of the 1716PF4 machine at the stages of design and exploitation. Having researched the impact of the system dynamics on the component quality, the authors have developed a range of practical recommendations which have enabled one to reduce considerably the amplitude of relative motion, exclude some resonance zones within the spindle speed range of 0...6000 min-1 and improve machining accuracy.

  3. Machinability of nickel based alloys using electrical discharge machining process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, M. Adam; Gokul, A. K.; Bharani Dharan, M. P.; Jeevakarthikeyan, R. V. S.; Uthayakumar, M.; Thirumalai Kumaran, S.; Duraiselvam, M.

    2018-04-01

    The high temperature materials such as nickel based alloys and austenitic steel are frequently used for manufacturing critical aero engine turbine components. Literature on conventional and unconventional machining of steel materials is abundant over the past three decades. However the machining studies on superalloy is still a challenging task due to its inherent property and quality. Thus this material is difficult to be cut in conventional processes. Study on unconventional machining process for nickel alloys is focused in this proposed research. Inconel718 and Monel 400 are the two different candidate materials used for electrical discharge machining (EDM) process. Investigation is to prepare a blind hole using copper electrode of 6mm diameter. Electrical parameters are varied to produce plasma spark for diffusion process and machining time is made constant to calculate the experimental results of both the material. Influence of process parameters on tool wear mechanism and material removal are considered from the proposed experimental design. While machining the tool has prone to discharge more materials due to production of high energy plasma spark and eddy current effect. The surface morphology of the machined surface were observed with high resolution FE SEM. Fused electrode found to be a spherical structure over the machined surface as clumps. Surface roughness were also measured with surface profile using profilometer. It is confirmed that there is no deviation and precise roundness of drilling is maintained.

  4. The achievements of the Z-machine; Les exploits de la Z-machine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Larousserie, D

    2008-03-15

    The ZR-machine that represents the latest generation of Z-pinch machines has recently begun preliminary testing before its full commissioning in Albuquerque (Usa). During its test the machine has well operated with electrical currents whose intensities of 26 million Ampere are already 2 times as high as the intensity of the operating current of the previous Z-machine. In 2006 the Z-machine reached temperatures of 2 billions Kelvin while 100 million Kelvin would be sufficient to ignite thermonuclear fusion. In fact the concept of Z-pinch machines was imagined in the fifties but the technological breakthrough that has allowed this recent success and the reborn of Z-machine, was the replacement of gas by an array of metal wires through which the electrical current flows and vaporizes it creating an imploding plasma. It is not well understood why Z-pinch machines generate far more radiation than theoretically expected. (A.C.)

  5. Quantum machine learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biamonte, Jacob; Wittek, Peter; Pancotti, Nicola; Rebentrost, Patrick; Wiebe, Nathan; Lloyd, Seth

    2017-09-13

    Fuelled by increasing computer power and algorithmic advances, machine learning techniques have become powerful tools for finding patterns in data. Quantum systems produce atypical patterns that classical systems are thought not to produce efficiently, so it is reasonable to postulate that quantum computers may outperform classical computers on machine learning tasks. The field of quantum machine learning explores how to devise and implement quantum software that could enable machine learning that is faster than that of classical computers. Recent work has produced quantum algorithms that could act as the building blocks of machine learning programs, but the hardware and software challenges are still considerable.

  6. Machine learning application in online lending risk prediction

    OpenAIRE

    Yu, Xiaojiao

    2017-01-01

    Online leading has disrupted the traditional consumer banking sector with more effective loan processing. Risk prediction and monitoring is critical for the success of the business model. Traditional credit score models fall short in applying big data technology in building risk model. In this manuscript, data with various format and size were collected from public website, third-parties and assembled with client's loan application information data. Ensemble machine learning models, random fo...

  7. Machine protection systems

    CERN Document Server

    Macpherson, A L

    2010-01-01

    A summary of the Machine Protection System of the LHC is given, with particular attention given to the outstanding issues to be addressed, rather than the successes of the machine protection system from the 2009 run. In particular, the issues of Safe Machine Parameter system, collimation and beam cleaning, the beam dump system and abort gap cleaning, injection and dump protection, and the overall machine protection program for the upcoming run are summarised.

  8. Position-sensitive detector system OBI for High Resolution X-Ray Powder Diffraction using on-site readable image plates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Knapp, M.; Joco, V.; Baehtz, C.; Brecht, H.H.; Berghaeuser, A.; Ehrenberg, H.; Seggern, H. von; Fuess, H.

    2004-01-01

    A one-dimensional detector system has been developed using image plates. The detector is working in transmission mode or Debye-Scherrer geometry and is on-site readable which reduces the effort for calibration. It covers a wide angular range up to 110 deg. and shows narrow reflection half-widths depending on the capillary diameter. The acquisition time is in the range of minutes and the data quality allows for reliable Rietveld refinement of complicated structures, even in multi-phase samples. The detector opens a wide field of new applications in kinetics and temperature resolved measurements

  9. Preliminary Test of Upgraded Conventional Milling Machine into PC Based CNC Milling Machine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdul Hafid

    2008-01-01

    CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) milling machine yields a challenge to make an innovation in the field of machining. With an action job is machining quality equivalent to CNC milling machine, the conventional milling machine ability was improved to be based on PC CNC milling machine. Mechanically and instrumentally change. As a control replacing was conducted by servo drive and proximity were used. Computer programme was constructed to give instruction into milling machine. The program structure of consists GUI model and ladder diagram. Program was put on programming systems called RTX software. The result of up-grade is computer programming and CNC instruction job. The result was beginning step and it will be continued in next time. With upgrading ability milling machine becomes user can be done safe and optimal from accident risk. By improving performance of milling machine, the user will be more working optimal and safely against accident risk. (author)

  10. Face Recognition in Humans and Machines

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Toole, Alice; Tistarelli, Massimo

    The study of human face recognition by psychologists and neuroscientists has run parallel to the development of automatic face recognition technologies by computer scientists and engineers. In both cases, there are analogous steps of data acquisition, image processing, and the formation of representations that can support the complex and diverse tasks we accomplish with faces. These processes can be understood and compared in the context of their neural and computational implementations. In this chapter, we present the essential elements of face recognition by humans and machines, taking a perspective that spans psychological, neural, and computational approaches. From the human side, we overview the methods and techniques used in the neurobiology of face recognition, the underlying neural architecture of the system, the role of visual attention, and the nature of the representations that emerges. From the computational side, we discuss face recognition technologies and the strategies they use to overcome challenges to robust operation over viewing parameters. Finally, we conclude the chapter with a look at some recent studies that compare human and machine performances at face recognition.

  11. Electronic Publishing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lancaster, F. W.

    1989-01-01

    Describes various stages involved in the applications of electronic media to the publishing industry. Highlights include computer typesetting, or photocomposition; machine-readable databases; the distribution of publications in electronic form; computer conferencing and electronic mail; collaborative authorship; hypertext; hypermedia publications;…

  12. Study of on-machine error identification and compensation methods for micro machine tools

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Shih-Ming; Yu, Han-Jen; Lee, Chun-Yi; Chiu, Hung-Sheng

    2016-01-01

    Micro machining plays an important role in the manufacturing of miniature products which are made of various materials with complex 3D shapes and tight machining tolerance. To further improve the accuracy of a micro machining process without increasing the manufacturing cost of a micro machine tool, an effective machining error measurement method and a software-based compensation method are essential. To avoid introducing additional errors caused by the re-installment of the workpiece, the measurement and compensation method should be on-machine conducted. In addition, because the contour of a miniature workpiece machined with a micro machining process is very tiny, the measurement method should be non-contact. By integrating the image re-constructive method, camera pixel correction, coordinate transformation, the error identification algorithm, and trajectory auto-correction method, a vision-based error measurement and compensation method that can on-machine inspect the micro machining errors and automatically generate an error-corrected numerical control (NC) program for error compensation was developed in this study. With the use of the Canny edge detection algorithm and camera pixel calibration, the edges of the contour of a machined workpiece were identified and used to re-construct the actual contour of the work piece. The actual contour was then mapped to the theoretical contour to identify the actual cutting points and compute the machining errors. With the use of a moving matching window and calculation of the similarity between the actual and theoretical contour, the errors between the actual cutting points and theoretical cutting points were calculated and used to correct the NC program. With the use of the error-corrected NC program, the accuracy of a micro machining process can be effectively improved. To prove the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methods, micro-milling experiments on a micro machine tool were conducted, and the results

  13. National Machine Guarding Program: Part 1. Machine safeguarding practices in small metal fabrication businesses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, David L; Yamin, Samuel C; Brosseau, Lisa M; Xi, Min; Gordon, Robert; Most, Ivan G; Stanley, Rodney

    2015-11-01

    Metal fabrication workers experience high rates of traumatic occupational injuries. Machine operators in particular face high risks, often stemming from the absence or improper use of machine safeguarding or the failure to implement lockout procedures. The National Machine Guarding Program (NMGP) was a translational research initiative implemented in conjunction with two workers' compensation insures. Insurance safety consultants trained in machine guarding used standardized checklists to conduct a baseline inspection of machine-related hazards in 221 business. Safeguards at the point of operation were missing or inadequate on 33% of machines. Safeguards for other mechanical hazards were missing on 28% of machines. Older machines were both widely used and less likely than newer machines to be properly guarded. Lockout/tagout procedures were posted at only 9% of machine workstations. The NMGP demonstrates a need for improvement in many aspects of machine safety and lockout in small metal fabrication businesses. © 2015 The Authors. American Journal of Industrial Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Non-conventional electrical machines

    CERN Document Server

    Rezzoug, Abderrezak

    2013-01-01

    The developments of electrical machines are due to the convergence of material progress, improved calculation tools, and new feeding sources. Among the many recent machines, the authors have chosen, in this first book, to relate the progress in slow speed machines, high speed machines, and superconducting machines. The first part of the book is dedicated to materials and an overview of magnetism, mechanic, and heat transfer.

  15. OPMILL - MICRO COMPUTER PROGRAMMING ENVIRONMENT FOR CNC MILLING MACHINES THREE AXIS EQUATION PLOTTING CAPABILITIES

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, R. B.

    1994-01-01

    OPMILL is a computer operating system for a Kearney and Trecker milling machine that provides a fast and easy way to program machine part manufacture with an IBM compatible PC. The program gives the machinist an "equation plotter" feature which plots any set of equations that define axis moves (up to three axes simultaneously) and converts those equations to a machine milling program that will move a cutter along a defined path. Other supported functions include: drill with peck, bolt circle, tap, mill arc, quarter circle, circle, circle 2 pass, frame, frame 2 pass, rotary frame, pocket, loop and repeat, and copy blocks. The system includes a tool manager that can handle up to 25 tools and automatically adjusts tool length for each tool. It will display all tool information and stop the milling machine at the appropriate time. Information for the program is entered via a series of menus and compiled to the Kearney and Trecker format. The program can then be loaded into the milling machine, the tool path graphically displayed, and tool change information or the program in Kearney and Trecker format viewed. The program has a complete file handling utility that allows the user to load the program into memory from the hard disk, save the program to the disk with comments, view directories, merge a program on the disk with one in memory, save a portion of a program in memory, and change directories. OPMILL was developed on an IBM PS/2 running DOS 3.3 with 1 MB of RAM. OPMILL was written for an IBM PC or compatible 8088 or 80286 machine connected via an RS-232 port to a Kearney and Trecker Data Mill 700/C Control milling machine. It requires a "D:" drive (fixed-disk or virtual), a browse or text display utility, and an EGA or better display. Users wishing to modify and recompile the source code will also need Turbo BASIC, Turbo C, and Crescent Software's QuickPak for Turbo BASIC. IBM PC and IBM PS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines. Turbo

  16. An experimental investigation of pulsed laser-assisted machining of AISI 52100 steel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panjehpour, Afshin; Soleymani Yazdi, Mohammad R.; Shoja-Razavi, Reza

    2014-11-01

    Grinding and hard turning are widely used for machining of hardened bearing steel parts. Laser-assisted machining (LAM) has emerged as an efficient alternative to grinding and hard turning for hardened steel parts. In most cases, continuous-wave lasers were used as a heat source to cause localized heating prior to material removal by a cutting tool. In this study, an experimental investigation of pulsed laser-assisted machining of AISI 52100 bearing steel was conducted. The effects of process parameters (i.e., laser mean power, pulse frequency, pulse energy, cutting speed and feed rate) on state variables (i.e., material removal temperature, specific cutting energy, surface roughness, microstructure, tool wear and chip formation) were investigated. At laser mean power of 425 W with frequency of 120 Hz and cutting speed of 70 m/min, the benefit of LAM was shown by 25% decrease in specific cutting energy and 18% improvement in surface roughness, as compared to those of the conventional machining. It was shown that at constant laser power, the increase of laser pulse energy causes the rapid increase in tool wear rate. Pulsed laser allowed efficient control of surface temperature and heat penetration in material removal region. Examination of the machined subsurface microstructure and microhardness profiles showed no change under LAM and conventional machining. Continuous chips with more uniform plastic deformation were produced in LAM.

  17. Advanced Machine learning Algorithm Application for Rotating Machine Health Monitoring

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kanemoto, Shigeru; Watanabe, Masaya [The University of Aizu, Aizuwakamatsu (Japan); Yusa, Noritaka [Tohoku University, Sendai (Japan)

    2014-08-15

    The present paper tries to evaluate the applicability of conventional sound analysis techniques and modern machine learning algorithms to rotating machine health monitoring. These techniques include support vector machine, deep leaning neural network, etc. The inner ring defect and misalignment anomaly sound data measured by a rotating machine mockup test facility are used to verify the above various kinds of algorithms. Although we cannot find remarkable difference of anomaly discrimination performance, some methods give us the very interesting eigen patterns corresponding to normal and abnormal states. These results will be useful for future more sensitive and robust anomaly monitoring technology.

  18. Advanced Machine learning Algorithm Application for Rotating Machine Health Monitoring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanemoto, Shigeru; Watanabe, Masaya; Yusa, Noritaka

    2014-01-01

    The present paper tries to evaluate the applicability of conventional sound analysis techniques and modern machine learning algorithms to rotating machine health monitoring. These techniques include support vector machine, deep leaning neural network, etc. The inner ring defect and misalignment anomaly sound data measured by a rotating machine mockup test facility are used to verify the above various kinds of algorithms. Although we cannot find remarkable difference of anomaly discrimination performance, some methods give us the very interesting eigen patterns corresponding to normal and abnormal states. These results will be useful for future more sensitive and robust anomaly monitoring technology

  19. Machine-learned and codified synthesis parameters of oxide materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Edward; Huang, Kevin; Tomala, Alex; Matthews, Sara; Strubell, Emma; Saunders, Adam; McCallum, Andrew; Olivetti, Elsa

    2017-09-01

    Predictive materials design has rapidly accelerated in recent years with the advent of large-scale resources, such as materials structure and property databases generated by ab initio computations. In the absence of analogous ab initio frameworks for materials synthesis, high-throughput and machine learning techniques have recently been harnessed to generate synthesis strategies for select materials of interest. Still, a community-accessible, autonomously-compiled synthesis planning resource which spans across materials systems has not yet been developed. In this work, we present a collection of aggregated synthesis parameters computed using the text contained within over 640,000 journal articles using state-of-the-art natural language processing and machine learning techniques. We provide a dataset of synthesis parameters, compiled autonomously across 30 different oxide systems, in a format optimized for planning novel syntheses of materials.

  20. Classifying Structures in the ISM with Machine Learning Techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaumont, Christopher; Goodman, A. A.; Williams, J. P.

    2011-01-01

    The processes which govern molecular cloud evolution and star formation often sculpt structures in the ISM: filaments, pillars, shells, outflows, etc. Because of their morphological complexity, these objects are often identified manually. Manual classification has several disadvantages; the process is subjective, not easily reproducible, and does not scale well to handle increasingly large datasets. We have explored to what extent machine learning algorithms can be trained to autonomously identify specific morphological features in molecular cloud datasets. We show that the Support Vector Machine algorithm can successfully locate filaments and outflows blended with other emission structures. When the objects of interest are morphologically distinct from the surrounding emission, this autonomous classification achieves >90% accuracy. We have developed a set of IDL-based tools to apply this technique to other datasets.