Ergonomic evaluation of subjects involved in orange ( Citrus sinensis )

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ergonomic evaluation of subjects involved in orange handling operation in Kano State was conducted. Anthropometric parameters were evaluated, where they were found to vary with age amongst the subjects selected. 20th and 80th percentiles of the dimensions were computed and recommended for usage in design of ...

How Ego-threats Facilitate Contracts Based on Subjective Evaluations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sebald, Alexander; Walzl, Markus

We show that individuals' desire to protect their self-esteem against ego-threatening feedback can mitigate moral hazard in environments with purely subjective performance evaluations. In line with evidence from social psychology we assume that agents' react aggressively to evaluations by the pri......We show that individuals' desire to protect their self-esteem against ego-threatening feedback can mitigate moral hazard in environments with purely subjective performance evaluations. In line with evidence from social psychology we assume that agents' react aggressively to evaluations...

Drilling in areas subject to environmental protection; A perfuracao em area de protecao ambiental

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mendonca, Ricardo Teixeira; Guimaraes, Antimio Santos [PETROBRAS, XX (Brazil). Distrito de Perfuracao do Nordeste. Div. Tecnica; Santana, Manoel Messias de [PETROBRAS, XX (Brazil). Regiao de Producao do Nordeste. Setor de Seguranca Industrial

1990-12-31

This paper presents the practices developed for pollution control in areas subject to environmental protection. This well drilling operation was carried out in the Municipality of Marechal Deodoro, in the State of Alagoas, in locality named Massagueira. We stress the preventive methods for liquid and solid effluent generation and the use of Closed Fluid System or Anti-Dike System. (author) 3 figs.

Night-vision goggles for night-blind subjects : subjective evaluation after 2 years of use

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartong, D. T.; Kooijman, A. C.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of night-vision goggles (NVG) for night-blind subjects after 1 and 2 years of use. Methods: Eleven night-blind subjects with retinitis pigmentosa used NVG for a 2-year period. At the end of each year, they were requested to fill-in two questionnaires regarding

Subjective performance evaluations and employee careers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frederiksen, Anders; Lange, Fabian; Kriechel, Ben

such data are for evaluating theories in personnel economics and whether findings from such data generalize to the labor force at large. In this paper, we examine personnel data from six large companies and establish how subjective ratings, interpreted as ordinal rankings of employees within narrowly...

An investigation on impacts of scheduling configurations on Mississippi biology subject area testing

Science.gov (United States)

Marchette, Frances Lenora

The purpose of this mixed modal study was to compare the results of Biology Subject Area mean scores of students on a 4 x 4 block schedule, A/B block schedule, and traditional year-long schedule for 1A to 5A size schools. This study also reviewed the data to determine if minority or gender issues might influence the test results. Interviews with administrators and teachers were conducted about the type of schedule configuration they use and the influence that the schedule has on student academic performance on the Biology Subject Area Test. Additionally, this research further explored whether schedule configurations allow sufficient time for students to construct knowledge. This study is important to schools, teachers, and administrators because it can assist them in considering the impacts that different types of class schedules have on student performance and if ethnic or gender issues are influencing testing results. This study used the causal-comparative method for the quantitative portion of the study and constant comparative method for the qualitative portion to explore the relationship of school schedules on student academic achievement on the Mississippi Biology Subject Area Test. The aggregate means of selected student scores indicate that the Mississippi Biology Subject Area Test as a measure of student performance reveals no significant difference on student achievement for the three school schedule configurations. The data were adjusted for initial differences of gender, minority, and school size on the three schedule configurations. The results suggest that schools may employ various schedule configurations and expect student performance on the Mississippi Biology Subject Area Test to be unaffected. However, many areas of concern were identified in the interviews that might impact on school learning environments. These concerns relate to effective classroom management, the active involvement of students in learning, the adequacy of teacher education

Estimation of serum ferritin for normal subject living in Khartoum area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eltayeb, E.A; Khangi, F.A.; Satti, G.M.; Abu Salab, A.

2003-01-01

This study was conducted with a main objective; the estimation of serum ferritin level in normal subjects in Khartoum area.To fulfil this objective, two hundred and sixty symptoms-free subjects were included in the study, 103 males with 15 to 45 years. serum ferritin was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). It was found that the mean concentration of males' serum ferritin was much higher than that of the females' (p<0.001). (Author)

Subjective performance evaluations and reciprocity in principal-agent relations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sebald, Alexander Christopher; Walzl, Markus

2014-01-01

. In contrast to existing models of reciprocity, we find that agents tend to sanction whenever the feedback of principals is below their subjective self-evaluations even if agents' pay-offs are independent of it. In turn, principals provide more positive feedback (relative to their actual performance assessment......We conduct a laboratory experiment with agents working on, and principals benefiting from, a real effort task in which the agents' performance can only be evaluated subjectively. Principals give subjective performance feedback to agents, and agents have an opportunity to sanction principals...... of the agent) if this does not affect their pay-off....

A middle evaluation report on R and D subjects in fiscal year 2000. Evaluation subject: 'investigation on actualization strategy of fast breeder reactor cycle'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-08-01

The Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) consulted the titled middle evaluation to the Subject Evaluation Committee (SEC) according to the Schematic indication on practice procedure of evaluation common to the generalized national R and D' and so on. By receiving the consult, SEC on wastes treatment and disposal carried out evaluation of this subject on basis of documents proposed from JNC and discussions at SEC according to an evaluation procedure determined by SEC. This subject was already investigated at the third group on establishment of long term program on new nuclear energy and concluded its promotion, it can be said that aim and meaning of its R and D is clear. And, at a viewpoint of middle- and long-term business program of JNC, it can also be positioned to be at an important mission. In order to carry out flexible response to versatile needs in future for giving a meaning of development strategy of fast breeder reactor (FBR) cycle, under full understanding of variability of a promise condition for the aim and meaning of this research such as environment around development of FBR cycle development, R nad D of the program must be promoted. In this program picking-out of every subject and research program are adequately promoted to be enough evaluated for the middle results. Here was summarized by the evaluation results with documents proposed by JNC. As a result of the evaluation, it was shown that as general directionality of this program was judged to be valid. (G.K.)

Subjective evaluation of HEVC in mobile devices

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Ray; Kalva, Hari

2013-03-01

Mobile compute environments provide a unique set of user needs and expectations that designers must consider. With increased multimedia use in mobile environments, video encoding methods within the smart phone market segment are key factors that contribute to positive user experience. Currently available display resolutions and expected cellular bandwidth are major factors the designer must consider when determining which encoding methods should be supported. The desired goal is to maximize the consumer experience, reduce cost, and reduce time to market. This paper presents a comparative evaluation of the quality of user experience when HEVC and AVC/H.264 video coding standards were used. The goal of the study was to evaluate any improvements in user experience when using HEVC. Subjective comparisons were made between H.264/AVC and HEVC encoding standards in accordance with Doublestimulus impairment scale (DSIS) as defined by ITU-R BT.500-13. Test environments are based on smart phone LCD resolutions and expected cellular bit rates, such as 200kbps and 400kbps. Subjective feedback shows both encoding methods are adequate at 400kbps constant bit rate. However, a noticeable consumer experience gap was observed for 200 kbps. Significantly less H.264 subjective quality is noticed with video sequences that have multiple objects moving and no single point of visual attraction. Video sequences with single points of visual attraction or few moving objects tended to have higher H.264 subjective quality.

Genetic structure and genetic diversity of Swietenia macrophylla in areas subjected to selective logging in Quintana Roo, Mexico

OpenAIRE

Alcalá, Raúl Ernesto; Cruz, Silvia De la; Gutiérrez-Granados, Gabriel

2015-01-01

The hypothesis that selective logging has a negative effect by altering the genetic parameters of tropical tree species was evaluated. The genetic diversity and genetic structure between adult trees (N = 47) and saplings (N = 50) of Swietenia macrophylla were contrasted within an area subjected to selective logging in the Mayan zone. Although differences in the number of alleles and in their frequencies were detected between both groups, the observed and expected heterozygosity and the coeffi...

47 CFR 22.960 - Cellular unserved area radiotelephone licenses subject to competitive bidding.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cellular unserved area radiotelephone licenses... (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Cellular Radiotelephone Service § 22.960 Cellular... applications for cellular unserved area Phase I and Phase II licenses filed after July 26, 1993 are subject to...

Subjective Evaluation of Vocal Quality in Nasal Polyposis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ziya Saltürk

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: Nose is a resonator organ in production of voice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of nasal obstruction caused by nasal polyposis on voice quality subjectively. Methods: Thirty-six patients diagnosed with nasal polyposis were included in the study. The 30-item voice handicap index 30 was used in order to evaluate subjective status of voice. Nasal endoscopy and computed tomography imaging of the paranasal sinuses were performed for each patient. Lund-Kennedy endoscopy scores and Lund-MacKay computed tomography scores were evaluated. Control group composed of 20 healthy subjects. Results: The mean voice handicap score in the patient group was 43.16 (SD 15.53 and it was 2.15 (SD 1.92 in control group. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups (p=0.001. The mean Lund-Kennedy and Lund-Mackay scores were 8.58 (SD 2.5 and 17 (SD 5.52, respectively. It was found that increased severity of nasal polyposis was the cause for decreased satisfaction with voice quality. Conclusion: Nasal obstruction caused by nasal polyposis affects voice quality adversely and as the severity of nasal polyposis increases, satisfaction with voice quality decreases.

Muscle fatigue evaluation of astronaut upper limb based on sEMG and subjective assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Zu, Xiaoqi; Zhou, Qianxiang; Li, Yun

2012-07-01

All movements are driven by muscle contraction, and it is easy to cause muscle fatigue. Evaluation of muscle fatigue is a hot topic in the area of astronaut life support training and rehabilitation. If muscle gets into fatigue condition, it may reduce work efficiency and has an impact on psychological performance. Therefore it is necessary to develop an accurate and usable method on muscle fatigue evaluation of astronaut upper limb. In this study, we developed a method based on surface electromyography (sEMG) and subjective assessment (Borg scale) to evaluate local muscle fatigue. Fifteen healthy young male subjects participated in the experiment. They performed isometric muscle contractions of the upper limb. sEMG of the biceps brachii were recorded during the entire process of isotonic muscle contraction and Borg scales of muscle fatigue were collected in certain times. sEMG were divided into several parts, and then mean energy of each parts were calculated by the one-twelfth band octave method. Equations were derived based on the relationship between the mean energy of sEMG and Borg scale. The results showed that cubic curve could describe the degree of local muscle fatigue, and could be used to evaluate and monitor local muscle fatigue during the entire process.

Localization of Broca's Area Using Functional MR Imaging: Quantitative Evaluation of Paradigms.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Chi Heon; Kim, Jae-Hun; Chung, Chun Kee; Kim, June Sic; Lee, Jong-Min; Lee, Sang Kun

2009-04-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is frequently used to localize language areas in a non-invasive manner. Various paradigms for presurgical localization of language areas have been developed, but a systematic quantitative evaluation of the efficiency of those paradigms has not been performed. In the present study, the authors analyzed different language paradigms to see which paradigm is most efficient in localizing frontal language areas. Five men and five women with no neurological deficits participated (mean age, 24 years) in this study. All volunteers were right-handed. Each subject performed 4 tasks, including fixation (Fix), sentence reading (SR), pseudoword reading (PR), and word generation (WG). Fixation and pseudoword reading were used as contrasts. The functional area was defined as the area(s) with a t-value of more than 3.92 in fMRI with different tasks. To apply an anatomical constraint, we used a brain atlas mapping system, which is available in AFNI, to define the anatomical frontal language area. The numbers of voxels in overlapped area between anatomical and functional area were individually counted in the frontal expressive language area. Of the various combinations, the word generation task was most effective in delineating the frontal expressive language area when fixation was used as a contrast (plocalizing Broca's area was 81% and specificity was 70%. Word generation versus fixation could effectively and reliably delineate the frontal language area. A customized effective paradigm should be analyzed in order to evaluate various language functions.

Objective and subjective evaluation of façade sound insulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ordoñez, Rodrigo Pizarro; Visentin, Chiara; Markovic, Milos

2013-01-01

by filtering recordings of traffic noise with the frequency response of sound insulation measurements. The measurements were performed in typical Italian buildings in accordance with the ISO 140-5 standard. The objectives of the present paper are to compare the subjective evaluations obtained with the two......Façade insulation of several different construction types were subjectively evaluated using two psychoacoustic methods: paired comparisons using a two alternative forced choice (2-AFC) paradigm and direct scaling using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The stimuli used in the evaluations were obtained...

Determination of fat tissue area in the abdomen and evaluation of degree of obesity. Pt. 2. Clinical application of a unique densitometry CT technique for determination of fat tissue areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakayama, Fumie

1995-01-01

Abdominal CT scanning was performed to establish normal spectra of abdominal tissue areas on 291 subjects. Using the data file of measurements of abdominal fat tissue areas of 133 normal subjects, means and their standard deviations (S.D.) were calculated for each fat tissue area at the four levels for each gender. On 158 persons with abnormal body mass index (BMI) values, S.D.-distance of each fat tissue area from the mean of the control in each age group of each gender was compared with each other. Ratios of visceral fat tissue area to subcutaneous fat tissue area (V/S ratio) were also calculated. The visceral fat tissue area of normal male subjects was significantly larger at all the four levels than those of female ones, while the subcutaneous fat tissue area were smaller at all levels. Although the area of entire and subcutaneous fat tissues of female subjects showed a peak at the age of 50 years old, those in male subjects did not show any peak at any age group. Although there was a statistically significant correlation between values of BMI and S.D.-distance of each fat tissue area at each level, the coefficient between BMI and S.D.-distance of subcutaneous fat tissue area was very low at the level of 60 mm in female. Seven of 74 female subjects with abnormal BMI had more than 10 S.D.-distance of subcutaneous fat tissue area at all levels and 8 of them had more S.D.-distance than of all fat tissue area at any level. The V/S ratio of the male subjects was significantly larger than that in female. Besides, there was no correlation between V/S ratio and S.D.-distance of visceral fat tissue area in both male and female subjects. These findings indicate that the V/S ratio does not reflect the size of fat tissue area. The determination of fat tissue areas by the abdominal CT at several levels is quite a useful way for accurate evaluation of obesity. (S.Y.)

Determination of fat tissue area in the abdomen and evaluation of degree of obesity. Pt. 2. Clinical application of a unique densitometry CT technique for determination of fat tissue areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakayama, Fumie [Saint Marianna Univ., Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Japan). School of Medicine

1995-06-01

Abdominal CT scanning was performed to establish normal spectra of abdominal tissue areas on 291 subjects. Using the data file of measurements of abdominal fat tissue areas of 133 normal subjects, means and their standard deviations (S.D.) were calculated for each fat tissue area at the four levels for each gender. On 158 persons with abnormal body mass index (BMI) values, S.D.-distance of each fat tissue area from the mean of the control in each age group of each gender was compared with each other. Ratios of visceral fat tissue area to subcutaneous fat tissue area (V/S ratio) were also calculated. The visceral fat tissue area of normal male subjects was significantly larger at all the four levels than those of female ones, while the subcutaneous fat tissue area were smaller at all levels. Although the area of entire and subcutaneous fat tissues of female subjects showed a peak at the age of 50 years old, those in male subjects did not show any peak at any age group. Although there was a statistically significant correlation between values of BMI and S.D.-distance of each fat tissue area at each level, the coefficient between BMI and S.D.-distance of subcutaneous fat tissue area was very low at the level of 60 mm in female. Seven of 74 female subjects with abnormal BMI had more than 10 S.D.-distance of subcutaneous fat tissue area at all levels and 8 of them had more S.D.-distance than of all fat tissue area at any level. The V/S ratio of the male subjects was significantly larger than that in female. Besides, there was no correlation between V/S ratio and S.D.-distance of visceral fat tissue area in both male and female subjects. These findings indicate that the V/S ratio does not reflect the size of fat tissue area. The determination of fat tissue areas by the abdominal CT at several levels is quite a useful way for accurate evaluation of obesity. (S.Y.).

Optimal contracts based on subjective performance evaluations and reciprocity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sebald, Alexander Christopher; Walzl, Markus

2015-01-01

As demonstrated in a recent laboratory experiment (see Sebald & Walzl, 2014), individuals tend to sanction others who subjectively evaluate their performance whenever this assessment falls short of the individuals’ self-evaluation. Interestingly, this is the case even if the individuals’ earnings...

Radiographic changes of the pelvis in Labrador and Golden Retrievers after juvenile pubic symphysiodesis: objective and subjective evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Boiocchi, S; Vezzoni, L; Vezzoni, A; Bronzo, V; Rossi, F

2013-01-01

The hypothesis of this study was that juvenile pubic symphysiodesis (JPS) results in pelvic changes that can be identified radiographically in adult dogs. The medical records at the Clinica Veterinaria Vezzoni were searched for standard ventro-dorsal views of the pelvis of adult Labrador and Golden Retrievers that had undergone JPS or had not undergone surgery. The objective assessment of radiographs included the analysis of various pelvic measurements. Subjective evaluation of radiographs was undertaken by 18 specialists and 21 general practitioners and was based on five criteria relating to 1) the acetabular fossae, 2) the pubic symphysis, 3) the margin of the cranial pubic area, 4) the pubic rami, and 5) the obturator foramen. The radiographs of 42 Labrador Retrievers and 16 Golden Retrievers were evaluated. The most useful criteria were the radiographic measurement of the shape of the obturator foramen and two different ratios of length to width of the pubic rami; these values were significantly smaller in dogs after JPS. The pelvic canal width was the same in both groups. All objective measurements were repeatable within and between evaluators. The most reliable subjective criterion was number 4, followed by number 5 in Golden Retrievers and by 2 in Labrador Retrievers. Our objective and subjective evaluations were simple and yielded useful and repeatable results. There was no significant difference between general practitioners and specialists with regard to subjective evaluation, which indicates that these evaluation criteria can be used by small animal clinicians after minimal training.

Refractive error study in young subjects: results from a rural area in Paraguay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabel Signes-Soler

2017-03-01

Full Text Available AIM: To evaluate the distribution of refractive error in young subjects in a rural area of Paraguay in the context of an international cooperation campaign for the prevention of blindness. METHODS: A sample of 1466 young subjects (ranging from 3 to 22 years old, with a mean age of 11.21±3.63 years old, were examined to assess their distance visual acuity (VA and refractive error. The first screening examination performed by trained volunteers, included visual acuity testing, autokeratometry and non-cycloplegic autorefraction. Inclusion criteria for a second complete cycloplegic eye examination by an optometrist were VA <20/25 (0.10 logMAR or 0.8 decimal and/or corneal astigmatism ≥1.50 D. RESULTS: An uncorrected distance VA of 0 logMAR (1.0 decimal was found in 89.2% of children. VA <20/25 and/or corneal astigmatism ≥1.50 D was found in 3.9% of children (n=57, with a prevalence of hyperopia of 5.2% (0.2% of the total in this specific group. Furthermore, myopia (spherical equivalent ≤-0.5 D was found in 37.7% of the refracted children (0.5% of the total. The prevalence of refractive astigmatism (cylinder ≤-1.50 D was 15.8% (0.6% of the total. Visual impairment (VI (0.05≤VA≤0.3 was found in 12/114 (0.4% of the refracted eyes. Main causes for VI were refractive error (58%, retinal problems (17%, 2/12, albinism (17%, 2/12 and unknown (8%, 1/12. CONCLUSION: A low prevalence of refractive error has been found in this rural area of Paraguay, with higher prevalence of myopia than of hyperopia.

Subjective Performance Evaluations, Self-esteem, and Ego-threats in Principal-agent Relations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sebald, Alexander Christopher; Walzl, Markus

find that agents sanction whenever the feedback of principals is below their subjective self-evaluations even if the agents' payoff is independent of the principals' feedback. Based on our experimental analysis we propose a principal-agent model with subjective performance evaluations that accommodates...

Hanford Environmental Information System (HEIS). Volume 7: Sample and Data Tracking subject area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

The Hanford Environmental Information System (HEIS) Sample and Data Tracking subject area allows insertion of tracking information into a central repository where the data is immediately available for viewing. For example, a technical coordinator is able to view the current status of a particular sampling effort, from sample collection to data package validation dates. Four major types of data comprise the Sample and Data Tracking subject area: data about the mechanisms that groups a set of samples for a particular sampling effort; data about how constituents are grouped and assigned to a sample; data about when, where, and how samples are sent to a laboratory for analysis; and data bout the status of a sample's constituent analysis requirements, i.e., whether the analysis results have been returned from the laboratory

Stimulation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex changes subjective evaluation of percepts.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tzu-Ching Chiang

Full Text Available Nelson and Narens have proposed a metacognition model that dissociates the objective processing of information (object-level and the subjective evaluation of the performance (i.e., the metalevel. Neurophysiological evidence also indicates that the prefrontal cortices (PFC are the brain areas which perform the metalevel function [1]-[3]. A corresponding neural mechanism of Nelson and Narens's model, called dynamic filtering theory [4], [5], indicates that object-level processing is distributed in the posterior cortices and regulated by the prefrontal cortices with a filtering or gating mechanism to select appropriate signals and suppress inappropriate signals and noise. Based on this model, a hypothesis can be developed that, in the case of uncertainty or overloading of object-level processing, the prefrontal cortices will become more active in order to modulate signals and noise. This hypothesis is supported by a recent fMRI study [6] showing that the PFC (Brodmann area 9, BA9 was activated when subjects were overloaded in a bimodal attentional task, compared to a unimodal task. Here, we report a study showing that applying repetitive transmagnetic stimulation (rTMS over the BA9 in order to interfere with its functional activity resulted in significant increas in guessed responses, compared to three other control conditions (i.e., no-TMS, sham TMS on BA9, and rTMS on Cz. The results are compatible with the dynamic filtering theory and suggest that a malfunction of the PFC would weaken the quality of meta-cognitive percepts and increase the number of guessed responses.

Evaluation of selected trace metals in some hypertensive subjects in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Both patients and control subjects were classified based on the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7). The weight, height and blood pressure of all subjects were measured and their body mass indices (BMI) computed. The mean ...

Evaluation on Behavior of Single Block Subject to Harmonic Excitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Woo-Seok; Kim, Dong-Ok; Park, Keun-Bae; Lee, Won-Jae

2007-01-01

NHDD(Nuclear Hydrogen Development and Demonstration) project team in KAERI(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) has been developing a methodology on the seismic evaluation of VHTR(Very High Temperature Reactor). Roughly, there are a block type and a pebble type reactor in VHTR. In the block type reactor, several blocks are stacked and the stacked blocks are arrayed in certain pattern. To evaluate a behavior style and an integrity of the stacked structure subject to a seismic load, a modeling technique to represent the contact surface characteristics between a block and a block support structure and between blocks is necessary. The way to evaluate a load path is also needed. However, it is difficult to deal with a realistic seismic load and to figure out the characteristic of block behavior since it has very complicated time history. In this study, the evaluation of single block subject to a harmonic excitation is conducted for a preliminary evaluation

Radiographic evaluation of cervical spine of subjects with temporomandibular joint internal disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Munhoz, Wagner Cesar; Marques, Amélia Pasqual; Siqueira, José Tadeu Tesseroli de

2004-01-01

Although the etiopathophysiology of internal temporomandibular joint internal disorders (TMJ ID) is still unknown, it has been suggested that head and body posture could be related to its initial onset, development and perpetuation. The purpose of the present study was to observe the relationship between cervical spine X-ray abnormalities and TMJ ID. This investigation evaluated 30 subjects with internal TMJ disorder symptoms (test group) and 20 healthy subjects (control group). Subjects were submitted to clinical and radiographic evaluation. Clinical evaluation comprised anamnesis and stomatognathic system physical examination. Radiographic evaluation comprised analysis of lateral cervical spine X-rays by three physical therapists and tracing on the same images. The test group presented twice as much cervical spine hyperlordosis as the control group (20.7% versus 10.5%), but almost half of rectification prevalence (41.4 versus 79.0%, p = 0.03). After that, the test group was divided into three subgroups according to TMJ dysfunction severity, evaluated by Helkimo's index. These subgroups were not significantly different, but the subgroup with more severe TMD showed a tendency to cervical spine hyperlordosis prevalence. Results showed a tendency for subjects with more severe TMD to exhibit cervical spine hyperlordosis. Nevertheless, studies with a larger number of subjects suffering from severe TMD are encouraged in order to corroborate the present findings.

Peculiarities of Subjectively Evaluated Giftedness of University Students with Different Statuses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kursov S.O.,

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the interconnection of subjective evaluation of giftedness with status position of university students in the study group. The paper presents a theoretical analysis of approaches to the study giftedness and proves necessity of the study of giftedness subjective assessments. The empirical study included 231 full-time students of the first, third and fifth year of Moscow higher education institute. The paper confirmed the hypothesis that student’s giftedness subjectively evaluated by his (her classmates positively correlated with its position in the study group. To test the hypothesis we used sociometry, referentometry, methodological procedure to define the informal power structure in a group, as well as the author's questionnaire to identify giftedness subjective assessments. The paper analyzes the features of the giftedness subjective assessments of student by his (her groupmates studying the engineering and natural science. Giftedness estimation in the groups of students studying engineering is more associated with the status position of students than in the groups studying natural science

Semi-Automatic Evaluation of Intrasubject Variability and Inter-session of Cerebral Activation Areas by Neuro functional Magnetic Resonance (FMRI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rascovsky, Simon; Delgado, Jorge Andres; Sanz, Alexander

2008-01-01

To verify the reproducibility of word generation, text comprehension, antonyms generation and motor/somatosensory RMF protocols in a test-retest evaluation through a semiautomatic stereotaxical localization method for activation comparison. Methods: Word generation, text comprehension, antonyms generation and motor/somatosensory FMRI paradigms were applied on 8 healthy subjects on two separate sessions, performing the evaluation of inter-session activations through conjunction and cluster analysis. Results: Activations according to Brodmann areas were reproducible in 50%, 62.5% and 75% for word generation, text comprehension and antonyms generation respectively. For the motor paradigms, right motor conjoined activations were found in 86% of subjects and in 100% of subjects for left conjoined activations. Conclusions: The semi-automatic method of determining inter-session areas of common activation allows its use for functional cytoarchitectonic localization of fMRI activations with minimal intervention, and can be used as a quality control measure of the different paradigms used in RMF, minimizing observer bias.

A minimally invasive system for glucose area under the curve measurement using interstitial fluid extraction technology: evaluation of the accuracy and usefulness with oral glucose tolerance tests in subjects with and without diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakaguchi, Kazuhiko; Hirota, Yushi; Hashimoto, Naoko; Ogawa, Wataru; Sato, Toshiyuki; Okada, Seiki; Hagino, Kei; Asakura, Yoshihiro; Kikkawa, Yasuo; Kojima, Junko; Maekawa, Yasunori; Nakajima, Hiromu

2012-06-01

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of managing postprandial hyperglycemia, but adequate monitoring of postprandial glucose remains difficult because of wide variations in levels. We have therefore developed a minimally invasive system to monitor postprandial glucose area under the curve (AUC). This system involves no blood sampling and uses interstitial fluid glucose (IG) AUC (IG-AUC) as a surrogate marker of postprandial glucose. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of this system by comparing data with the findings of oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) in subjects with and without diabetes. The glucose AUC monitoring system was validated by OGTTs in 37 subjects with and 10 subjects without diabetes. A plastic microneedle array was stamped on the forearm to extract IG. A hydrogel patch was then placed on the pretreated area to accumulate IG. Glucose and sodium ion concentrations in the hydrogel were measured to calculate IG-AUC at 2-h postload glucose. Plasma glucose (PG) levels were measured every 30 min to calculate reference PG-AUC. IG-AUC correlated strongly with reference PG-AUC (r=0.93) over a wide range. The level of correlation between IG-AUC and maximum PG level was also high (r=0.86). The painless nature of the technique was confirmed by the response of patients to questionnaires. The glucose AUC monitoring system using IG provided good estimates of reference PG-AUC and maximum PG level during OGTTs in subjects with and without diabetes. This system provides easy-to-use monitoring of glucose AUC, which is a good indicator of postprandial glucose.

Improving Students' Transfer of Learning among Subject Areas through the Use of an Integrated Curriculum and Alternative Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Boidy, Tish; Moran, Michelle

An intervention program sought to improve third- and fifth- grade students' ability to transfer learning among subject areas and to apply their learning to everyday occurrences. Surveys and interviews revealed the lack of student transference of knowledge among subject areas; teacher surveys and an interview with the curriculum director provided…

CRIMINAL-POLITICAL FUTUROLOGY IN THE FIELD OF FIGHTING CRIME (CONCEPTUAL AND SUBJECT AREA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valery Novichkov

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The article considers the subject area of the new direction of pre-vision — criminal-political futurology (forecasting in the field of combating crime, absorbing in itself the main types of legal prediction: criminological, criminal, criminal Executive, criminal procedural, operational search and other.

Evaluation of radioactive environmental hazards in Area-3, Northern Palmyrides, Central Syria using airborne spectrometric gamma technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asfahani, J.; Aissa, M.; Al-Hent, R.

2016-01-01

Airborne spectrometric gamma data are used in this paper to estimate the degree of radioactive hazard on humanity in Area-3, Northern Palmyrides, Central Syria. Exposure Rate (ER), Absorbed Dose Rate (ADR), Annual Effective Dose Rate (AEDR), and Heat Production (HP) of the eleven radiometric units included in the established lithological scored map in the study area have been computed to evaluate the radiation background influence in humans. The results obtained indicate that a human body in Area-3 is subjected to radiation hazards in the acceptable limits for long duration exposure. The highest radiogenetic heat production values in Area-3 correspond to the phosphatic locations characterized by relatively high values of uranium and thorium. - Highlights: • Degree of radioactive hazard has been estimated by using airborne spectrometric gamma data. • ER, ADR, AEDR, and HP of the eleven radiometric units have been computed. • Comparison of AEDR of Area-3 with the AEDR of Area-1. • Human body in Area-3 is subjected to radiation hazards in the acceptable limits for long duration exposure. • The highest heat production in Area-3 correspond to the phosphatic locations.

STUDENTS’ EVALUATION OF EDUCATION QUALITY IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AREA: CASE OF PRIVATE CZECH UNIVERSITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

VNOUČKOVÁ, Lucie

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The quality of education, lessons, subjects and teachers perceived by students is currently often discussed topic regarding strategic management of universities. Assessment of higher education learning outcomes represents internalization of a higher education competition. The aim of the article is to evaluate perception of education quality of lectures, subjects and teachers by university students in the area of human resource management in private Czech university and to identify main approaches to academic staff. The data were collected by quantitative survey by questionnaire data collection (n=218. Students state that subjects, lessons and teachers in the area of human resource management lessons mostly satisfied their expectations (average value between 1.09 and 1.97. The students emphasised that the staff creates positive atmosphere and gives the opportunity to express an opinion which is very important for students at the university. Research outcomes show there is a dependency between the effort of teacher, student understanding and teachers’s willingness to give students an opportunity to express an opinion. The paper is extension of conference paper presented on ERIE conference 2016.

Sonographic evaluation of the plantar fascia in asymptomatic subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Gadalla, N; Kichouh, M; Boulet, C; Machiels, F; De Mey, J; De Maeseneer, M

2014-01-01

To evaluate the appearance of the plantar fascia in asymptomatic subjects. Thirty-one asymptomatic subjects were examined by 2 musculoskeletal radiologists. The plantar fascia was evaluated for thickness, echogenicity, vascularity on power Doppler, rupture, fluid adjacent to the fascia, andcalcifications. The study included 14 men and 17 women (age, 17-79 years; mean, 45 years). The mean thickness of the plantar fascia in men was 3.7 mm (range 2.5-7 mm), and in women 3.5 mm (range, 1.7-5.1 mm). The thickness was greater than 4 mm in 4 men (bilateral in 2). The mean thickness of fascias thicker than 4 mm in men was 5.4 mm (range, 4.3-7 mm). The thickness was greater than 4 mm in 5 women ( bilateral in 4). The mean thickness of fascias thicker than 4 mm in women was 4.7 mm (range, 4.2-5.1 mm). There was no statistically significant difference between men and women and between both heels. Hypoechogenicity was observed in 3 men (bilateral in 2), and in 5 women (bilateral in 6). Hypervascularity, rupture, fluid adjacent to the fascia, and calcifications were not observed. A thickness greater than 4 mm and hypoechogenicity, are common in the plantar fascia of asymptomatic subjects. Findings that were not seen in asymptomatic subjects include a thickness greater than 7 mm, hypervascularity on power Doppler, rupture, fluid adjacent to the fascia, and calcifications.

Evaluation of Effective Diaphragm Area for Pneumatic Actuator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Hogeun; Han, Bongsub; Seon, Juhyoung

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology to calculate the exact effective diaphragm area using the results of diagnostic test to be performed in the evaluation of air operated valve performance. By using this developed methodology in pneumatic actuator performance evaluation, it can be reduce the possible errors arising from effective diaphragm area in the evaluation of performance of air operated valves. The performance assessment for the operability and structural integrity of air operated valves for the domestic nuclear power plant is in progress. One of the important parameters that determine the performance of the air operated valves is the effective diaphragm area of diaphragm type actuator. The effective diaphragm area is the actual area which the air pressure acting on the diaphragm. In general, the effective diaphragm area used for the performance evaluation of pneumatic actuator is provided by the manufacture or the actuator drawing. Flat type diaphragm was showed the difference between the measured value of EDA and the manufacture’s value, in the case of convoluted type diaphragm has showed that the measured value of EDA and manufacture’s value is almost the same. When evaluate a performance of a diaphragm actuator, accurate EDA is to be used because it is an important variable affecting the actuator performance. Particularly in the case of flat type diaphragm which EDA is changed in accordance with the stroke position, by using the EDA evaluation methodology developed in this study to minimize a possible error due to EDA when evaluating the performance of the air actuator

Evaluation of Effective Diaphragm Area for Pneumatic Actuator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryu, Hogeun; Han, Bongsub; Seon, Juhyoung [SOOSAN INDUSTRIES, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology to calculate the exact effective diaphragm area using the results of diagnostic test to be performed in the evaluation of air operated valve performance. By using this developed methodology in pneumatic actuator performance evaluation, it can be reduce the possible errors arising from effective diaphragm area in the evaluation of performance of air operated valves. The performance assessment for the operability and structural integrity of air operated valves for the domestic nuclear power plant is in progress. One of the important parameters that determine the performance of the air operated valves is the effective diaphragm area of diaphragm type actuator. The effective diaphragm area is the actual area which the air pressure acting on the diaphragm. In general, the effective diaphragm area used for the performance evaluation of pneumatic actuator is provided by the manufacture or the actuator drawing. Flat type diaphragm was showed the difference between the measured value of EDA and the manufacture’s value, in the case of convoluted type diaphragm has showed that the measured value of EDA and manufacture’s value is almost the same. When evaluate a performance of a diaphragm actuator, accurate EDA is to be used because it is an important variable affecting the actuator performance. Particularly in the case of flat type diaphragm which EDA is changed in accordance with the stroke position, by using the EDA evaluation methodology developed in this study to minimize a possible error due to EDA when evaluating the performance of the air actuator.

Subjective and Objective Evaluation of PBL Outcomes in Preclinical ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Subjective and Objective Evaluation of PBL Outcomes in Preclinical Medical Students. ... ABSTRACT: Problem based learning curriculum is widely recognized as a progressive, learner-centered, active learning approach and is currently used in the entire medical curriculum in over 10% of medical schools worldwide.

Natural Areas Analysis and Evaluation: Oak Ridge Reservation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baranski, Micahel J [self

2009-11-01

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Oak Ridge Reservation, encompassing 33,639 acres in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province of East Tennessee, has long been known for its unfragmented forests and high biodiversity. Many areas on the Reservation have been recognized as important natural areas, but no comprehensive treatment has been performed to evaluate the relative significance and importance of these areas compared to each other. The present study was conducted to develop a set of guidelines for evaluating the natural value of specific areas, to evaluate all the terrestrial areas that are currently delineated, and to rank all areas according to their relative biodiversity importance. All available data, reports and site-specific information relevant to Reservation lands, including Tennessee Division of Natural Areas database information, were evaluated and field work was conducted. Methodologies and criteria for assessment and evaluation of areas were developed; categories of criteria were devised; and a ranking system for evaluation of natural areas was produced. There were 70 areas evaluated during the study. The system is flexible, dynamic and easily revised to reflect updated and new information and interpretations. Eight categories of evaluation factors were established and used to characterize each site. These were the following: size of area, number or status taxa present, number of Endangered and Threatened taxa present, rarity of the Endangered and Threatened taxa on the Reservation, community diversity, site integrity and quality, disturbance and threat levels, and other significant features and factors. Each category generally consisted of a 5-point ranking scale from 0-4, allowing for a possible composite score of 32, with higher ranked, more important, sites attaining higher scores. Highly ranked sites are representative of regional natural diversity; contain outstanding natural features, communities or geology and/or very rare taxa or other elements; are

Audiologic and subjective evaluation of Baha® Attract device.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Carbonell, Tomàs; Pla-Gil, Ignacio; Redondo-Martínez, Jaume; Morant-Ventura, Antonio; García-Callejo, Francisco Javier; Marco-Algarra, Jaime

We included 9 patients implanted with Baha ® Attract. All our patients were evaluated by free field tonal audiometry, free field verbal audiometry and free field verbal audiometry with background noise, all the tests were performed with and without the device. To evaluate the subjective component of the implantation, we used the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) and Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB). The auditive assessment with the device showed average auditive thresholds of 35.8dB with improvements of 25.8dB over the previous situation. Speech reception thresholds were 37dB with Baha ® Attract, showing improvements of 23dB. Maximum discrimination thresholds showed an average gain of 60dB with the device. Baha ® Attract achieves auditive improvements in patients for whom it is correctly indicated, with a consequent positive subjective evaluation. This study shows the attenuation effect in transcutaneous transmission, that prevents the device achieving greater improvements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. All rights reserved.

Literacy as Self-Expression: Interpreting the Subject Areas through the Arts. Research into Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Karen D.; Finke, Janet; Douville, Patricia

1999-01-01

Examines self-expression in art, drama, and gesture, offering practical strategies that can be used across subject areas to enhance students' literacy performance. Discusses the way creative projects can motivate student language use and participation in history and science projects. (JPB)

Fourier power, subjective distance, and object categories all provide plausible models of BOLD responses in scene-selective visual areas

Science.gov (United States)

Lescroart, Mark D.; Stansbury, Dustin E.; Gallant, Jack L.

2015-01-01

Perception of natural visual scenes activates several functional areas in the human brain, including the Parahippocampal Place Area (PPA), Retrosplenial Complex (RSC), and the Occipital Place Area (OPA). It is currently unclear what specific scene-related features are represented in these areas. Previous studies have suggested that PPA, RSC, and/or OPA might represent at least three qualitatively different classes of features: (1) 2D features related to Fourier power; (2) 3D spatial features such as the distance to objects in a scene; or (3) abstract features such as the categories of objects in a scene. To determine which of these hypotheses best describes the visual representation in scene-selective areas, we applied voxel-wise modeling (VM) to BOLD fMRI responses elicited by a set of 1386 images of natural scenes. VM provides an efficient method for testing competing hypotheses by comparing predictions of brain activity based on encoding models that instantiate each hypothesis. Here we evaluated three different encoding models that instantiate each of the three hypotheses listed above. We used linear regression to fit each encoding model to the fMRI data recorded from each voxel, and we evaluated each fit model by estimating the amount of variance it predicted in a withheld portion of the data set. We found that voxel-wise models based on Fourier power or the subjective distance to objects in each scene predicted much of the variance predicted by a model based on object categories. Furthermore, the response variance explained by these three models is largely shared, and the individual models explain little unique variance in responses. Based on an evaluation of previous studies and the data we present here, we conclude that there is currently no good basis to favor any one of the three alternative hypotheses about visual representation in scene-selective areas. We offer suggestions for further studies that may help resolve this issue. PMID:26594164

WHAT ARE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS PH.D. STUDENTS LEARNING ABOUT AGRIBUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS AND SUBJECT AREAS?

OpenAIRE

House, Lisa; Sterns, James A.

2002-01-01

This document contains the PowerPoint presentation given by the authors at the 2002 WCC-72 meetings, regarding what agricultural economics Ph.D students are learning about agribusiness research methods and subject areas.

Historic production evaluation in Biochemistry Education area during the SBBq annual meetings between 1993 and 2016

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V.; N. N.; G. G. Pereira; Gonçalves; Hornink

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The annual meetings of the Brazilian Society Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SBBq, with the inclusion of the area of education in Biochemistry in 1993, present themselves as important spaces for the presentation and discussion of the work in the area of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology teaching. OBJECTIVES: Systematize and evaluate the historical development of abstracts in the Education in Biochemistry area, in the SBBq annual meeting, indicating quantitative and qualitative data. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 408 abstracts were evaluated, from the panels presented in the area of Education in Biochemistry, from 1993 to 2016. The quantitative evaluation was done by surveying the thematic content, institutions, regions, methods and qualitative analysis based on content analysis (Bardin of the works of the two most frequently approached themes. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The works of the southeast region (65,4% of papers presented were highlighted, with 32% of the works with qualitative methodology, 10% quantitative and 33% quali-quantitative. The most studied topics were Biochemistry teaching (107 papers and metabolism (94 papers. In the contents analysis of the two most frequently addressed themes, the constructivist and socio-interacionist foundations as the most used teaching-learning processes, as well as the use of software as the most used didactic strategy in both themes. The most used didactic resources were texts / informative in the subject of Teaching of Biochemistry (33% and games (21% in the subject of Metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: The results evidenced the major focus of the work addressing undergraduate courses, with a qualitative or quantitative method, focusing mainly on Biochemistry teaching, as well as on metabolism, with an expressive amount of activities using educational software, followed by practical classes. There has been a change in the prevailing fundamentals of the teaching-learning process with the emergence in the

Aquatic Natural Areas Analysis and Evaluation: Oak Ridge Reservation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baranski, Dr. Michael J. [Catawba College

2011-04-01

This report presents an assessment of the natural area value of eight Aquatic Natural Areas (ANAs) and seven Aquatic Reference Areas (ARAs) on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) in Anderson and Roane Counties in east Tennessee. It follows a previous study in 2009 that analyzed and evaluated terrestrial natural areas on the Reservation. The purpose of both studies was to evaluate and rank those specially designated areas on the Reservation that contain sensitive species, special habitats, and natural area value. Natural areas receive special protections through established statutes, regulations, and policies. The ORR contains 33,542 acres (13,574 ha) administered by the Department of Energy. The surface waters of the Reservation range from 1st-order to 5th-order streams, but the majority of the streams recognized as ANAs and ARAs are 1st- and 2nd-order streams. East Fork Poplar Creek is a 4th-order stream and the largest watershed that drains Reservation lands. All the waters of the Reservation eventually reach the Clinch River on the southern and western boundaries of the ORR. All available information was collected, synthesized, and evaluated. Field observations were made to support and supplement the available information. Geographic information system mapping techniques were used to develop several quantitative attributes about the study areas. Narrative descriptions of each ANA and ARA and tables of numerical data were prepared. Criteria for assessment and evaluation were developed, and eight categories of factors were devised to produce a ranking system. The evaluation factors used in the ranking system were: (A) size of area, (B) percentage of watershed protected, (C) taxa present with protected status, (D) overall biotic diversity, (E) stream features, (F) water quality and use support ratings, (G) disturbance regime, and (H) other factors. Each factor was evaluated on a 5-point ranking scale (0-4), and each area received a composite score, where 32 was the

Subject Retrieval from Full-Text Databases in the Humanities

Science.gov (United States)

East, John W.

2007-01-01

This paper examines the problems involved in subject retrieval from full-text databases of secondary materials in the humanities. Ten such databases were studied and their search functionality evaluated, focusing on factors such as Boolean operators, document surrogates, limiting by subject area, proximity operators, phrase searching, wildcards,…

Using a community of inquiry framework to teach a nursing and midwifery research subject: An evaluative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Jane; Yates, Karen; Harrison, Helena; Woods, Cindy; Chamberlain-Salaun, Jennifer; Trueman, Scott; Hitchins, Marnie

2016-08-01

Postgraduate nursing students' negative perceptions about a core research subject at an Australian university led to a revision and restructure of the subject using a Communities of Inquiry framework. Negative views are often expressed by nursing and midwifery students about the research process. The success of evidence-based practice is dependent on changing these views. A Community of Inquiry is an online teaching, learning, thinking, and sharing space created through the combination of three domains-teacher presence (related largely to pedagogy), social presence, and cognitive presence (critical thinking). Evaluate student satisfaction with a postgraduate core nursing and midwifery subject in research design, theory, and methodology, which was delivered using a Communities of Inquiry framework. This evaluative study incorporated a validated Communities of Inquiry survey (n=29) and interviews (n=10) and was conducted at an Australian university. Study participants were a convenience sample drawn from 56 postgraduate students enrolled in a core research subject. Survey data were analysed descriptively and interviews were coded thematically. Five main themes were identified: subject design and delivery; cultivating community through social interaction; application-knowledge, practice, research; student recommendations; and technology and technicalities. Student satisfaction was generally high, particularly in the areas of cognitive presence (critical thinking) and teacher presence (largely pedagogy related). Students' views about the creation of a "social presence" were varied but overall, the framework was effective in stimulating both inquiry and a sense of community. The process of research is, in itself, the creation of a "community of inquiry." This framework showed strong potential for use in the teaching of nurse research subjects; satisfaction was high as students reported learning, not simply the theory and the methods of research, but also how to engage

The Measurement of Relevance Amount of Documents That By Using of Google cross-language retrieval About Agriculture Subject Area are Retrieved

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Jamshidi Ghahfarokhi

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, the relevance amount of documents has been investigated by using google cross-language retrieval tools about a agriculture subject area in cross-language retrieval form, are retrieved. For this purpose, by using Persian journals articles that have had English abstracts, Persian phrases and subject terms with their English equivalent were extracted. In three class us, thirty number of phrases and subject terms of agriculture area were extracted: First class, subject phrases that only in agriculture are used; Secondary, agriculture subject terms that in other fields are used too; Third class, agriculture subject terms that out of this field are considered as public term. Then by these phrases and terms, documents were searched, and relevance amount of search results are investigated. Results of study showed that google cross-language retrieval tools for two classes of phrases and terms, in cross-language retrieval of relevance document about agriculture subject area, aren`t succeed: one class, agriculture subject terms that in other fields are used too. other class, agriculture subject terms that out of agriculture field are considered as public term. Google cross-language retrieval tools about subject phrase and terms that only in agriculture field are used, are performance rather desirable than other two class of phrase and terms

Subjective evaluation of compressed image quality

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Heesub; Rowberg, Alan H.; Frank, Mark S.; Choi, Hyung-Sik; Kim, Yongmin

1992-05-01

Lossy data compression generates distortion or error on the reconstructed image and the distortion becomes visible as the compression ratio increases. Even at the same compression ratio, the distortion appears differently depending on the compression method used. Because of the nonlinearity of the human visual system and lossy data compression methods, we have evaluated subjectively the quality of medical images compressed with two different methods, an intraframe and interframe coding algorithms. The evaluated raw data were analyzed statistically to measure interrater reliability and reliability of an individual reader. Also, the analysis of variance was used to identify which compression method is better statistically, and from what compression ratio the quality of a compressed image is evaluated as poorer than that of the original. Nine x-ray CT head images from three patients were used as test cases. Six radiologists participated in reading the 99 images (some were duplicates) compressed at four different compression ratios, original, 5:1, 10:1, and 15:1. The six readers agree more than by chance alone and their agreement was statistically significant, but there were large variations among readers as well as within a reader. The displacement estimated interframe coding algorithm is significantly better in quality than that of the 2-D block DCT at significance level 0.05. Also, 10:1 compressed images with the interframe coding algorithm do not show any significant differences from the original at level 0.05.

Spatial variability of soil potassium in sugarcane areas subjected to the application of vinasse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LAÉRCIO A. DE CARVALHO

2014-12-01

Full Text Available When deposited on land the vinasse can promote improvement in fertility, however, often fertilizer application occurs in areas considered homogeneous, without taking into account the variability of the soil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of vinasse application on potassium content in two classes of soils cultivated with sugarcane, and characterize the spatial variability of soil using geostatistical techniques. In the 2010 and 2011 crop year, soil samples were collected from an experimental grid at 0-0.2 and 0.2-0.4 m depth in three soils cultivated with sugarcane, totaling 90 samplings in each grid, for the determination of pH, calcium (Ca, magnesium (Mg, potassium (K, phosphorus (P, aluminum (Al and potential acidity (H + Al. The data have been submitted to analysis of descriptive statistics and the K attribute was subjected to geostatistical analysis. The coefficient of variation indicated medium and high variability of K for the three soils. The results showed that the spatial dependence of K increased in depth to FRce and decreased to PHlv, indicating that the attribute could have followed the pattern of distribution of clay in depth. The investigation of the spatial variability of K on the surface and subsurface soils provided the definition of management zones with different levels of fertility, which can be organized into sub-areas for a more efficient management of the resources and the environment.

Subject-specific computational modeling of DBS in the PPTg area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura M. Zitella

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Deep brain stimulation (DBS in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg has been proposed to alleviate medically intractable gait difficulties associated with Parkinson’s disease. Clinical trials have shown somewhat variable outcomes, stemming in part from surgical targeting variability, modulating fiber pathways implicated in side effects, and a general lack of mechanistic understanding of DBS in this brain region. Subject-specific computational models of DBS are a promising tool to investigate the underlying therapy and side effects. In this study, a parkinsonian rhesus macaque was implanted unilaterally with an 8-contact DBS lead in the PPTg region. Fiber tracts adjacent to PPTg, including the oculomotor nerve, central tegmental tract, and superior cerebellar peduncle, were reconstructed from a combination of pre-implant 7T MRI, post-implant CT, and post-mortem histology. These structures were populated with axon models and coupled with a finite element model simulating the voltage distribution in the surrounding neural tissue during stimulation. This study introduces two empirical approaches to evaluate model parameters. First, incremental monopolar cathodic stimulation (20Hz, 90µs pulse width was evaluated for each electrode, during which a right eyelid flutter was observed at the proximal four contacts (-1.0 to -1.4mA. These current amplitudes followed closely with model predicted activation of the oculomotor nerve when assuming an anisotropic conduction medium. Second, PET imaging was collected OFF-DBS and twice during DBS (two different contacts, which supported the model predicted activation of the central tegmental tract and superior cerebellar peduncle. Together, subject-specific models provide a framework to more precisely predict pathways modulated by DBS.

Towards high dynamic range extensions of HEVC: subjective evaluation of potential coding technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Hanhart, Philippe; Řeřábek, Martin; Ebrahimi, Touradj

2015-09-01

This paper reports the details and results of the subjective evaluations conducted at EPFL to evaluate the responses to the Call for Evidence (CfE) for High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Wide Color Gamut (WCG) Video Coding issued by Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). The CfE on HDR/WCG Video Coding aims to explore whether the coding efficiency and/or the functionality of the current version of HEVC standard can be signi_cantly improved for HDR and WCG content. In total, nine submissions, five for Category 1 and four for Category 3a, were compared to the HEVC Main 10 Profile based Anchor. More particularly, five HDR video contents, compressed at four bit rates by each proponent responding to the CfE, were used in the subjective evaluations. Further, the side-by-side presentation methodology was used for the subjective experiment to discriminate small differences between the Anchor and proponents. Subjective results shows that the proposals provide evidence that the coding efficiency can be improved in a statistically noticeable way over MPEG CfE Anchors in terms of perceived quality within the investigated content. The paper further benchmarks the selected objective metrics based on their correlations with the subjective ratings. It is shown that PSNR-DE1000, HDRVDP- 2, and PSNR-Lx can reliably detect visible differences between the proposed encoding solutions and current HEVC standard.

Management effectiveness evaluation in protected areas of southern Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Rodríguez, Fausto; Rosado, Daniel

2017-04-01

Protected areas are home to biodiversity, habitats and ecosystem as well as a critical component of human well-being and a generator of leisure-related revenues. However, management is sometimes unsatisfactory and requires new ways of evaluation. Management effectiveness of 36 protected areas in southern Ecuador have been assessed. The protected areas belong to three categories: Heritage of Natural Areas of the Ecuadorian State (PANE), created and funded by the State, Areas of Forest and Protective Vegetation (ABVP), created but no funded by the State, and private reserves, declared and funded by private entities. Management effectiveness was evaluated by answers of managers of the protected areas to questionnaires adapted to the socio-economic and environmental characteristics of the region. Questions were classified into six elements of evaluation: context, planning, inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes as recommended by IUCN. Results were classified into four levels: unsatisfactory, slightly satisfactory, satisfactory and very satisfactory. The PANE areas and private reserves showed higher management effectiveness levels (satisfactory and very satisfactory) than ABVP areas, where slightly satisfactory and unsatisfactory levels prevailed. Resources availability was found as the main reason behind this difference. The extension, age and province of location were found irrelevant. Outputs, inputs and processes require main efforts to improve management effectiveness. Improving planning and input in the PANE areas and inputs and outcomes on ABVP areas is necessary to obtain a similar result in all areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Objective image analysis of the meibomian gland area.

Science.gov (United States)

Arita, Reiko; Suehiro, Jun; Haraguchi, Tsuyoshi; Shirakawa, Rika; Tokoro, Hideaki; Amano, Shiro

2014-06-01

To evaluate objectively the meibomian gland area using newly developed software for non-invasive meibography. Eighty eyelids of 42 patients without meibomian gland loss (meiboscore=0), 105 eyelids of 57 patients with loss of less than one-third total meibomian gland area (meiboscore=1), 13 eyelids of 11 patients with between one-third and two-thirds loss of meibomian gland area (meiboscore=2) and 20 eyelids of 14 patients with two-thirds loss of meibomian gland area (meiboscore=3) were studied. Lid borders were automatically determined. The software evaluated the distribution of the luminance and, by enhancing the contrast and reducing image noise, the meibomian gland area was automatically discriminated. The software calculated the ratio of the total meibomian gland area relative to the total analysis area in all subjects. Repeatability of the software was also evaluated. The mean ratio of the meibomian gland area to the total analysis area in the upper/lower eyelids was 51.9±5.7%/54.7±5.4% in subjects with a meiboscore of 0, 47.7±6.0%/51.5±5.4% in those with a meiboscore of 1, 32.0±4.4%/37.2±3.5% in those with a meiboscore of 2 and 16.7±6.4%/19.5±5.8% in subjects with a meiboscore of 3. The meibomian gland area was objectively evaluated using the developed software. This system could be useful for objectively evaluating the effect of treatment on meibomian gland dysfunction. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Colour Doppler ultrasonography evaluation of vascularization in the wrist and finger joints in rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy subjects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carotti, M. [Department of Radiology, Poliytechnic University of Marche, Ancona (Italy); Salaffi, F., E-mail: fsalaff@tin.it [Department of Rheumatology, Poliytechnic University of Marche, Ospedale A. Murri - Via dei Colli 52, 60035 Jesi, Ancona (Italy); Morbiducci, J. [Department of Radiology, Poliytechnic University of Marche, Ancona (Italy); Ciapetti, A., E-mail: ciapetti.a@libero.it [Department of Rheumatology, Poliytechnic University of Marche, Ospedale A. Murri - Via dei Colli 52, 60035 Jesi, Ancona (Italy); Bartolucci, L. [Department of Radiology, Poliytechnic University of Marche, Ancona (Italy); Gasparini, S. [Department of Rheumatology, Poliytechnic University of Marche, Ospedale A. Murri - Via dei Colli 52, 60035 Jesi, Ancona (Italy); Ferraccioli, G. [Division of Rheumatology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome (Italy); Giuseppetti, G.M. [Department of Radiology, Poliytechnic University of Marche, Ancona (Italy); Grassi, W. [Department of Rheumatology, Poliytechnic University of Marche, Ospedale A. Murri - Via dei Colli 52, 60035 Jesi, Ancona (Italy)

2012-08-15

Objectives: To evaluate the presence of blood flow by colour Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) in the wrist and finger joints of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthy subjects and to define a cut-off value of CDUS resistive index (RI). Methods: Forty-three patients with RA and 43 healthy controls were examined by CDUS. The wrists, second and third metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints were evaluated in each patient and healthy subject. Spectral Doppler analysis was performed in order to characterize the type of flow and a mean RI was measured to define a cut-off level. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the screening method's performance. Results: Flow was detected in 219 of the 430 total joints (50.9%) of RA patients (111 in the wrists, 49 in the MCP and 30 in the PIP joints). Healthy subjects had a quantifiable flow in 45 of the 430 joints (10.5%) and, in particular, 39 (86.4%) in the wrist, 5 (11.14%) in the MCP and 1 (2.2%) in the PIP joints. The intra- and inter-reader agreements for the detection of Doppler signal were very good (kappa 0.82 and 0.89, respectively). Mean RI values were 0.72 {+-} 0.06 in RA patients and 0.86 {+-} 0.06 in healthy subjects (p < 0.01). At cut-off point of RI < 0.79 the sensitivity was 89.6% and the specificity was 78.8% (positive likelihood ratio 4.22). Conclusion: DUS is a useful tool for the detection of abnormal blood flow in inflammatory joints of RA patients.

Evaluation of recovery in lip closing pressure and occlusal force and contact area after orthognathic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Ueki, Koichiro; Moroi, Akinori; Sotobori, Megumi; Ishihara, Yuri; Marukawa, Kohei; Iguchi, Ran; Kosaka, Akihiko; Ikawa, Hiroumi; Nakazawa, Ryuichi; Higuchi, Masatoshi

2014-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between lip closing force, occlusal contact area and occlusal force after orthognathic surgery in skeletal Class III patients. The subjects consisted of 54 patients (28 female and 26 male) diagnosed with mandibular prognathism who underwent sagittal split ramus osteotomy with and without Le Fort I osteotomy. Maximum and minimum lip closing forces, occlusal contact area and occlusal force were measured pre-operatively, 6 months and 1 year post-operative. Maximum and minimum lip closing forces, occlusal contact area and occlusal force increased with time after surgery, however a significant increase was not found in the occlusal contact area in women. In increased ratio (6 months/pre-operative and 1 year/pre-operative), the maximum lip closing force was significantly correlated with the occlusal contact area (P contact area and lip closing force, and an increase ratio in maximum lip closing force was associated with an increased ratio in occlusal contact area. Copyright © 2014 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Model of external exposure of population living in the areas subjected to radioactive contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golikov, V.Yu.; Balonov, M.I.

2002-01-01

In the paper, we formulated the general approach to assessment of external doses to population living in contaminated areas (the model equation and the set of parameters). The model parameters were assessed on the basis of results of monitoring in the environment, phantom experiments, and social and demographic information obtained on the contaminated areas. Verification of model assessments performed by comparison with measurement results of individual external doses in inhabitants within the thermoluminescent dosimetry method have shown that differences in dose assessments within both methods does not exceed 1.5 times at a confidence level of 95%. In the paper, we present the results illustrating specific features of external dose formation in population living in the areas of Russia subjected to radioactive contamination due to nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk test site, radioactive releases from the Mayak enterprise, and the Chernobyl accident. (author)

A report on evaluation of research and development subjects in fiscal year 2001. Evaluation subject on the 'Middle- and long-term business program'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-09-01

The middle- and long-term business program determined by the Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) is for elucidation of middle- and long-term targets to be expanded by JNC and is a base to promote individual R and D. This program is to be revised at a chance established on new long-term plan on research, development and application of nuclear energy on November, 2000 by the Committee of Atomic Energy under consideration of condition change after March, 1999. This report is a summary of evaluation results on the present middle- and long-term business program established by JNC, especially at a center of its revised portion, as a form of opinion. The evaluated results are described on two forms of the subject evaluation committees on the fast reactor and fuel cycle and on the wastes processing and disposal. (G.K.)

Blood biomonitoring of metals in subjects living near abandoned mining and active industrial areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Madeddu, Roberto; Tolu, Paola; Asara, Yolande; Farace, Cristiano; Forte, Giovanni; Bocca, Beatrice

2013-07-01

A human blood biomonitoring campaign to detect the environmental exposure to metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Mn, Pb and Zn) in 265 subjects was performed in the South-Western part of Sardinia (an Italian island) that is a particular area with a great history of coal and metal mining (Pb/Zn mainly) activities and large industrial structures (as metallurgy). Subjects living near the industrial plant area had geometric means (GM) of blood Cd (0.79 μg/l), Cu (971 μg/l), Mn (12.2 μg/l), and Pb (55.7 μg/l) significantly higher than controls (Cd, 0.47 μg/l; Cu, 900 μg/l; Mn 9.98 μg/l; Pb, 26.5 μg/l) and than people living nearby the past mining sites. Subjects living next to one dismissed mine were statistically higher in blood Cu (GM, 1,022 μg/l) and Pb (GM, 41.4 μg/l) concentrations than controls. No differences were observed in people living in the different mining sites, and this might be related to the decennial disclosure of mines and the adoption of environmental remediation programmes. Some interindividual variables influenced blood biomonitoring data, as smoke and age for Cd, gender for Cu, age, sex and alcohol for Pb, and age for Zn. Moreover, blood metal levels of the whole population were similar to reference values representative of the Sardinian population and acceptably safe according to currently available health guidelines.

Evaluation of perioperative nutritional status with subjective global assessment method in patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Erdim, Aylin; Aktan, Ahmet Özdemir

2017-01-01

This study was designed to evaluate the perioperative nutritional status of patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal cancer using Subjective Global Assessment and surgeon behavior on nutritional support. We recruited 100 patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal cancer in one university and two state teaching hospitals. Subjective Global Assessment was administered to evaluate preoperative and postoperative nutritional status. Fifty-two patients in the state hospitals (Group 1) and 48 in the university hospital were assessed. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were performed. Changes in preoperative Subjective Global Assessment scores and scores at the time of discharge and types of nutritional support were compared. Subjective Global Assessment-B was regarded as moderate and Subjective Global Assessment-C as heavy malnutrition. Ten patients had Subjective Global Assessment-B and 29 had Subjective Global Assessment-C malnutrition in Group 1 and nine had Subjective Global Assessment-B and 31 had Subjective Global Assessment-C malnutrition in Group 2 during preoperative assessment. Respective numbers in postoperative assessment were 12 for Subjective Global Assessment-B and 30 for Subjective Global Assessment-C in Group 1 and 14 for Subjective Global Assessment-B and 26 for Subjective Global Assessment-C in Group 2. There was no difference between two groups. Nutritional methods according to Subjective Global Assessment evaluation in pre- and postoperative periods were not different between the groups. This study demonstrated that the malnutrition rate is high among patients scheduled for gastrointestinal cancer surgery and the number of surgeons were inadequate to provide perioperative nutritional support. Both university and state hospitals had similar shortcomings. Subjective Global Assessment is an easy and reliable test and if utilized will be helpful to detect patients requiring nutritional support.

Regression analysis utilizing subjective evaluation of emotional experience in PET studies on emotions.

Science.gov (United States)

Aalto, Sargo; Wallius, Esa; Näätänen, Petri; Hiltunen, Jaana; Metsähonkala, Liisa; Sipilä, Hannu; Karlsson, Hasse

2005-09-01

A methodological study on subject-specific regression analysis (SSRA) exploring the correlation between the neural response and the subjective evaluation of emotional experience in eleven healthy females is presented. The target emotions, i.e., amusement and sadness, were induced using validated film clips, regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured using positron emission tomography (PET), and the subjective intensity of the emotional experience during the PET scanning was measured using a category ratio (CR-10) scale. Reliability analysis of the rating data indicated that the subjects rated the intensity of their emotional experience fairly consistently on the CR-10 scale (Cronbach alphas 0.70-0.97). A two-phase random-effects analysis was performed to ensure the generalizability and inter-study comparability of the SSRA results. Random-effects SSRAs using Statistical non-Parametric Mapping 99 (SnPM99) showed that rCBF correlated with the self-rated intensity of the emotional experience mainly in the brain regions that were identified in the random-effects subtraction analyses using the same imaging data. Our results give preliminary evidence of a linear association between the neural responses related to amusement and sadness and the self-evaluated intensity of the emotional experience in several regions involved in the emotional response. SSRA utilizing subjective evaluation of emotional experience turned out a feasible and promising method of analysis. It allows versatile exploration of the neurobiology of emotions and the neural correlates of actual and individual emotional experience. Thus, SSRA might be able to catch the idiosyncratic aspects of the emotional response better than traditional subtraction analysis.

Subjective evaluation of next-generation video compression algorithms: a case study

Science.gov (United States)

De Simone, Francesca; Goldmann, Lutz; Lee, Jong-Seok; Ebrahimi, Touradj; Baroncini, Vittorio

2010-08-01

This paper describes the details and the results of the subjective quality evaluation performed at EPFL, as a contribution to the effort of the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) for the definition of the next-generation video coding standard. The performance of 27 coding technologies have been evaluated with respect to two H.264/MPEG-4 AVC anchors, considering high definition (HD) test material. The test campaign involved a total of 494 naive observers and took place over a period of four weeks. While similar tests have been conducted as part of the standardization process of previous video coding technologies, the test campaign described in this paper is by far the most extensive in the history of video coding standardization. The obtained subjective quality scores show high consistency and support an accurate comparison of the performance of the different coding solutions.

A middle evaluation report on R and D subjects in 2000 fiscal year. Evaluation subject; 'draft of total program on ground disposal research on the high level radioactive wastes'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-11-01

The Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) consulted the titled middle evaluation to the Subject Evaluation Committee (SEC) according to the Schematic indication on practice procedure of evaluation common to the generalized national R and D' and so on. By receiving the consult, SEC on wastes treatment and disposal carried out evaluation of this subject on basis of documents proposed from JNC and discussions at SEC according to an evaluation procedure determined by SEC. The program is to contribute to actualization of safe disposal of the high level radioactive wastes at a technical side. In order to promote the program to practice of the disposal without delay and to transfer its next stage smoothly, it is essential for JNC to prepare an R and D plan after the second summary. From these, this program is precise and adequate in its aim and meaning, high in its importance and agreeable to policy of government and needs of society. Here was summarized by the evaluation results with documents proposed by JNC. As a result of the evaluation, it was shown that as general directionality of this program was judged to be valid, its contents has some places without matching or always clearness with schedule of government and executing groups on practice of disposal. And, it was also shown that some points required for notice on promotion of this program. (G.K.)

Are Subjective Evaluations Biased by Social Factors or Connections? An Econometric Analysis of Soccer Referee Decisions

OpenAIRE

Scoppa, Vincenzo

2008-01-01

Many incentive contracts are based on subjective evaluations and contractual disputes depend on judges’ decisions. However, subjective evaluations raise risks of favouritism and distortions. Sport contests are a fruitful field for testing empirically theories of incentives. In this paper the behaviour of the referees in the Italian soccer (football) league (“Serie A”) is analyzed. Using data on injury (or extra) time subjectively assigned by the referee at the end of the match and controlling...

Differences in Activation Area Within Brodmann Area 2 Caused by Pressure Stimuli on Fingers and Joints: In Case of Male Subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Mi-Hyun; Kim, Hyung-Sik; Baek, Ji-Hye; Lee, Jung-Chul; Park, Sung-Jun; Jeong, Ul-Ho; Gim, Seon-Young; Kim, Sung-Phil; Lim, Dae-Woon; Chung, Soon-Cheol

2015-09-01

In this study, a constant pressure stimulus was applied on the 3 joints (first [p1], second [p2], and third [p3] joints) of 4 fingers (index, middle, ring, and little fingers), and the activation areas within Brodmann area 2 (BA 2) were compared for these different fingers and joints by using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Eight healthy male college students (25.4 ± 1.32 years) participated in the study. Each session was composed of 3 blocks, and each block was composed of a Control phase (30 seconds) and a Pressure phase (30 seconds). No pressure stimulus was applied in the Control phase, during which the subjects would simply lay comfortably with their eyes closed. In the Pressure phase, a pressure stimulus was applied onto one of the joints of the selected finger. For each finger and joint, BA 2 areas activated by the pressure stimulus were extracted by the region of interest method. There was a significant difference in the activation areas for the different fingers (P = .042) as well as for the different joints (P = .050). The activation area decreased in the order of the little, index, and middle fingers, as well as in the order of p1, p3, and p2.

Evaluation of a Topical Anti-inflammatory/Antifungal Combination Cream in Mild-to-moderate Facial Seborrheic Dermatitis: An Intra-subject Controlled Trial Examining Treated vs. Untreated Skin Utilizing Clinical Features and Erythema-directed Digital Photography.

Science.gov (United States)

Dall'Oglio, Federica; Tedeschi, Aurora; Guardabasso, Vincenzo; Micali, Giuseppe

2015-09-01

To evaluate if nonprescription topical agents may provide positive outcomes in the management of mild-to-moderate facial seborrheic dermatitis by reducing inflammation and scale production through clinical evaluation and erythema-directed digital photography. Open-label, prospective, not-blinded, intra-patient, controlled, clinical trial (target area). Twenty adult subjects affected by mild-to-moderate facial seborrheic dermatitis were enrolled and instructed to apply the study cream two times daily, initially on a selected target area only for seven days. If the subject developed visible improvement, it was advised to extend the application to all facial affected area for 21 additional days. Efficacy was evaluated by measuring the grade of erythema (by clinical examination and by erythema-directed digital photography), desquamation (by clinical examination), and pruritus (by subject-completed visual analog scale). Additionally, at the end of the protocol, a Physician Global Assessment was carried out. Eighteen subjects completed the study, whereas two subjects were lost to follow-up for nonadherence and personal reasons, respectively. Day 7 data from target areas showed a significant reduction in erythema. At the end of study, a significant improvement was recorded for erythema, desquamation, and pruritus compared to baseline. Physician Global Assessment showed improvement in 89 percent of patients, with a complete response in 56 percent of cases. These preliminary results indicate that the study cream may be a viable nonprescription therapeutic option for patients affected by facial seborrheic dermatitis able to determine early and significant improvement. This study also emphasizes the advantages of using an erythema-directed digital photography system for assisting in a simple, more accurate erythema severity grading and therapeutic monitoring in patients affected by seborrheic dermatitis.

Are area-based initiatives able to improve area safety in deprived areas? A quasi-experimental evaluation of the Dutch District Approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kramer, Daniëlle; Jongeneel-Grimen, Birthe; Stronks, Karien; Droomers, Mariël; Kunst, Anton E.

2015-01-01

Numerous area-based initiatives have been implemented in deprived areas across Western-Europe with the aim to improve the socio-economic and environmental conditions in these areas. Only few of these initiatives have been scientifically evaluated for their impact on key social determinants of

Subjective Performance Evaluation in the Public Sector: Evidence from School Inspections. CEE DP 135

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Iftikhar

2012-01-01

Performance measurement in the public sector is largely based on objective metrics, which may be subject to gaming behaviour. This paper investigates a novel subjective performance evaluation system where independent inspectors visit schools at very short notice, publicly disclose their findings and sanction schools rated fail. First, I…

Demographic and psychological variables affecting test subject evaluations of ride quality

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, N. C.; Conley, H. W.

1975-01-01

Ride-quality experiments similar in objectives, design, and procedure were conducted, one using the U.S. Air Force Total In-Flight Simulator and the other using the Langley Passenger Ride Quality Apparatus to provide the motion environments. Large samples (80 or more per experiment) of test subjects were recruited from the Tidewater Virginia area and asked to rate the comfort (on a 7-point scale) of random aircraft motion typical of that encountered during STOL flights. Test subject characteristics of age, sex, and previous flying history (number of previous airplane flights) were studied in a two by three by three factorial design. Correlations were computed between one dependent measure, the subject's mean comfort rating, and various demographic characteristics, attitudinal variables, and the scores on Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. An effect of sex was found in one of the studies. Males made higher (more uncomfortable) ratings of the ride than females. Age and number of previous flights were not significantly related to comfort ratings. No significant interactions between the variables of age, sex, or previous number of flights were observed.

A comparative study between subjective assessment and quantitative evaluation of CT findings with cerebral palsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugie, Yoko; Sugie, Hideo; Kitai, Akiko; Maruyama, Hiroshi; Fukuyama, Yukio

1982-01-01

Computed tomography (CT) was performed on 200 children with children palsy with Hitachi CT-H250. The CT scans of 136 cases revealed cerebral atrophy with ventricular and/or subarachnoid space enlargement. The lateral ventricles, the third ventricle and the two parts of subarachnoid space on the CT picture were subjectively evaluated and divided into five grades ranging from no enlargement to marked enlargement. In addition, the size of the ventricles and the subarachnoid spaces were quantitatively determined; the transverse diameter of brain (b), the largest width of the anterior horns of the lateral ventricles (c), the bicaudate nuclear distance (d), the greatest width of the third ventricle, the longitudinal cerebral fissure and sylvian fissures as described by Miyao et al. (1978). Comparison of these quantitative techniques confirmed the initial subjective evaluation. However, in some cases, amendment of the subjective evaluation was needed. As mentioned before (Miyao et al.), the cerebral longitudinal fissure was relatively wide in normal infants. Accordingly, it was often difficult to find out abnormal widening only by subjective evaluation. The purpose of this paper was to establish the criteria of quantitative measuring and assessing of the lateral and third ventricles, the cerebral longitudinal fissurem, and the sylvian fissures enlargement. Interpretation of some problem cases associated with measuring was also discussed. The quantitative CT evaluation may be a good reference in assessing cerebral atrophy in cerebral palsy and other neurological diseases. (author)

Evaluation of the Level of ICT Integration in Sciences Subjects at the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Evaluation of the Level of ICT Integration in Sciences Subjects at the Namibian ... The study was informed by Rogers' theory of diffusion and adopted a qualitative ... A semi- structured interview guide and an observation schedule were used to ...

Corrective measures evaluation report for technical area-v groundwater.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Witt, Johnathan L (North Wind, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID); Orr, Brennon R. (North Wind, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID); Dettmers, Dana L. (North Wind, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID); Hall, Kevin A. (North Wind, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID); Howard, Hope (North Wind, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID)

2005-07-01

This Corrective Measures Evaluation Report was prepared as directed by the Compliance Order on Consent issued by the New Mexico Environment Department to document the process of selecting the preferred remedial alternative for contaminated groundwater at Technical Area V. Supporting information includes background information about the site conditions and potential receptors and an overview of work performed during the Corrective Measures Evaluation. Evaluation of remedial alternatives included identification and description of four remedial alternatives, an overview of the evaluation criteria and approach, qualitative and quantitative evaluation of remedial alternatives, and selection of the preferred remedial alternative. As a result of the Corrective Measures Evaluation, it was determined that monitored natural attenuation of all contaminants of concern (trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and nitrate) was the preferred remedial alternative for implementation as the corrective measure to remediate contaminated groundwater at Technical Area V of Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico. Finally, design criteria to meet cleanup goals and objectives and the corrective measures implementation schedule for the preferred remedial alternative are presented.

Iron, folacin, vitamin B12 and zinc status and immune response in elderly subjects in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henry-Christian, J.R.

1986-01-01

The iron, folacin, vitamin B 12 , and zinc status of a group of economically and socially disadvantaged elderly persons in the Washington Metropolitan Area was evaluated. Factors related to deficiencies of these nutrients, the relationships between the status of these nutrients and cell-mediated immunity, and the relationships of iron, folacin and vitamin B 12 status to hemoglobin levels in the subjects were also examined. It was also determined whether there were any interactions among iron, folacin, vitamin B 12 and zinc status in their relationships to cell-mediated immunity. Socio-demographic and nutritional data on the subjects were obtained using a questionnaire. Dietary data were obtained using a dietary record. A fasting blood sample was drawn and the levels of ferritin, folate and vitamin B 12 , and the erythrocyte levels of folate were determined by radioassay. Plasma and hair zinc levels were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Cell-mediated immune response was determined by transformation of peripheral blood lymphocytes after stimulation by mitogens, and by allogenic lymphocytes in the mixed lymphocyte reaction

Attitudes and evaluative practices: category vs. item and subjective vs. objective constructions in everyday food assessments.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiggins, Sally; Potter, Jonathan

2003-12-01

In social psychology, evaluative expressions have traditionally been understood in terms of their relationship to, and as the expression of, underlying 'attitudes'. In contrast, discursive approaches have started to study evaluative expressions as part of varied social practices, considering what such expressions are doing rather than their relationship to attitudinal objects or other putative mental entities. In this study the latter approach will be used to examine the construction of food and drink evaluations in conversation. The data are taken from a corpus of family mealtimes recorded over a period of months. The aim of this study is to highlight two distinctions that are typically obscured in traditional attitude work ('subjective' vs. 'objective' expressions, category vs. item evaluations). A set of extracts is examined to document the presence of these distinctions in talk that evaluates food and the way they are used and rhetorically developed to perform particular activities (accepting/refusing food, complimenting the food provider, persuading someone to eat). The analysis suggests that researchers (a) should be aware of the potential significance of these distinctions; (b) should be cautious when treating evaluative terms as broadly equivalent and (c) should be cautious when blurring categories and instances. This analysis raises the broader question of how far evaluative practices may be specific to particular domains, and what this specificity might consist in. It is concluded that research in this area could benefit from starting to focus on the role of evaluations in practices and charting their association with specific topics and objects.

Evaluation of subject contrast and normalized average glandular dose by semi-analytical models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomal, A.; Poletti, M.E.; Caldas, L.V.E.

2010-01-01

In this work, two semi-analytical models are described to evaluate the subject contrast of nodules and the normalized average glandular dose in mammography. Both models were used to study the influence of some parameters, such as breast characteristics (thickness and composition) and incident spectra (kVp and target-filter combination) on the subject contrast of a nodule and on the normalized average glandular dose. From the subject contrast results, detection limits of nodules were also determined. Our results are in good agreement with those reported by other authors, who had used Monte Carlo simulation, showing the robustness of our semi-analytical method.

SUBJECTIVE EVALUATION OF CONDITIONS OF TENSION AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH JOBS ROLLING PRODUCTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Нурлан Кемельбекович Смагулов

2018-03-01

Conclusion. The survey showed that if the subjective evaluation of working environment factors and labor process corresponds to the results hygiene-ergonomic research, the assessment of the health showed its bias, as evidenced by the results of analysis of morbidity.

[Life quality parameters in prenosologic evaluation of health state in residents of protective measures area near objects of storage and destruction of chemical weapons].

Science.gov (United States)

Filippov, V L; Nechaeva, E N

2014-01-01

The article presents results of life quality assessment and subjective evaluation data on health state, used for prenosologic evaluation of health state in residents of protective measures area near objects of storage and destruction of chemical weapons. Considering specific features of residence near potentially dangerous objects, the authors conducted qualitative evaluation of satisfaction with various life facets, with taking into account the objects specificity, established correlation between life quality and self-evaluation of health with factors influencing public health state.

International funding agencies: potential leaders of impact evaluation in protected areas?

Science.gov (United States)

Craigie, Ian D; Barnes, Megan D; Geldmann, Jonas; Woodley, Stephen

2015-11-05

Globally, protected areas are the most commonly used tools to halt biodiversity loss. Yet, some are failing to adequately conserve the biodiversity they contain. There is an urgent need for knowledge on how to make them function more effectively. Impact evaluation methods provide a set of tools that could yield this knowledge. However, rigorous outcome-focused impact evaluation is not yet used as extensively as it could be in protected area management. We examine the role of international protected area funding agencies in facilitating the use of impact evaluation. These agencies are influential stakeholders as they allocate hundreds of millions of dollars annually to support protected areas, creating a unique opportunity to shape how the conservation funds are spent globally. We identify key barriers to the use of impact evaluation, detail how large funders are uniquely placed to overcome many of these, and highlight the potential benefits if impact evaluation is used more extensively. © 2015 The Author(s).

A Subjective Evaluation of the Minimum Audible Channel Separation in Binaural Reproduction Systems Through Loudspeakers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lacouture Parodi, Yesenia; Rubak, Per

2010-01-01

To evaluate the performance of crosstalk cancellation systems the channel separation is usually used as parameter.  However, no systematic evaluation of the minimum audible channel separation has been found in the literature known by the authors.  This paper describes a set of subjective experime......To evaluate the performance of crosstalk cancellation systems the channel separation is usually used as parameter.  However, no systematic evaluation of the minimum audible channel separation has been found in the literature known by the authors.  This paper describes a set of subjective...... simulated.  Results indicate that  in order to avoid lateralization the  channel separation should be below -15dB for most of the stimuli and around -20dB for broad-band noise....

[Research on Chinese orthodontic specialists' subjective evaluation of orthodontic treatment outcome].

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Guang-ying; Zhao, Zhi-he; Ding, Yin; Bai, Yu-xing; Wang, Lin; He, Hong; Qian, Yu-fen; Li, Wei-ran; Xu, Tian-min

2012-03-01

To analyze the results of multiple Chinese orthodontic specialists' subjective evaluation of orthodontic treatment outcome, to investigate the relevance of different experiment items and to explore the weight of each monomial material. As a randomized clinical trial, with six orthodontic treatment centers and Angle's classification being regarded as two stratification factors, it contained 108 cases with integrity data, which was random extracted from 2383 cases that received orthodontic treatment in six orthodontic treatment centers during the past five years, gathering post-treatment study casts, cephalometrics and photographs of 48 cases as the research subject. Similarly taking Angle's classification as a stratification factor, 108 cases were randomly divided into 9 groups. The randomization of sampling and grouping were both generated by a pseudo-random number generator. According to the monomial and combined subjects, 69 orthodontic specialists were regarded as the raters to rank the 12 cases in each group, and to judge whether the case was qualified. Correlation analysis: the Spearman r between Post-M + C and Post-M + C + P and the Spearman r between Post-M + P and Post-M + C + P were both greater than 0.950. The Spearman r between Post-M and Post-P and the Spearman r between Post-M and Post-C were about 0.300. The Spearman r between Post-P and Post-C was 0.505. Regression analysis: the linear regression results: M + C = 0.782M + 0.308C - 0.150, M + P = 0.804M + 0.233P - 0.091, M + C + P = 0.764M + 0.243P + 0.131C - 0.291. The r(2) of above three models was greater than 0.9. It was applicable to use M + C and M + P instead of M + C + P. Study casts could not replace cephalometrics or photographs when doing subjective evaluation. Cephalometrics and photographs could not substitute for each other either. In the combined materials evaluation, model accounted for the largest percentage. Based on the regression model, for the greater part, the integration of

Public health evaluation of waste management plan of urban areas of Florence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corti, Andrea; Lombardi, Lidia; Carpentieri, Matteo; Buiatti, Eva; Bartolacci, Simone; Bianchi, Fabrizio; Linzalone, Nunzia; Minichilli, Fabrizio; Mancuso, Stefano

2005-01-01

Public health evaluation impact for solid municipal waste management of Florence urban areas is considered. In this case study the evaluation step of screening show the environmental analysis of pollutants in the urban areas and epidemiologic study of exposed population in the area

Social comparison as a mediator between health problems and subjective health evaluations.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van der Zee, K.I.; Buunk, Abraham (Bram); Sanderman, R.

The role of social comparison in mediating the relation between 'objective' health status and subjective health evaluations was examined. In a random population sample (N = 361) it was shown that health problems were related to psychological distress, which in turn induced a downward comparison

MEG reveals a fast pathway from somatosensory cortex to occipital areas via posterior parietal cortex in a blind subject.

Science.gov (United States)

Ioannides, Andreas A; Liu, Lichan; Poghosyan, Vahe; Saridis, George A; Gjedde, Albert; Ptito, Maurice; Kupers, Ron

2013-01-01

Cross-modal activity in visual cortex of blind subjects has been reported during performance of variety of non-visual tasks. A key unanswered question is through which pathways non-visual inputs are funneled to the visual cortex. Here we used tomographic analysis of single trial magnetoencephalography (MEG) data recorded from one congenitally blind and two sighted subjects after stimulation of the left and right median nerves at three intensities: below sensory threshold, above sensory threshold and above motor threshold; the last sufficient to produce thumb twitching. We identified reproducible brain responses in the primary somatosensory (S1) and motor (M1) cortices at around 20 ms post-stimulus, which were very similar in sighted and blind subjects. Time-frequency analysis revealed strong 45-70 Hz activity at latencies of 20-50 ms in S1 and M1, and posterior parietal cortex Brodmann areas (BA) 7 and 40, which compared to lower frequencies, were substantially more pronounced in the blind than the sighted subjects. Critically, at frequencies from α-band up to 100 Hz we found clear, strong, and widespread responses in the visual cortex of the blind subject, which increased with the intensity of the somatosensory stimuli. Time-delayed mutual information (MI) revealed that in blind subject the stimulus information is funneled from the early somatosensory to visual cortex through posterior parietal BA 7 and 40, projecting first to visual areas V5 and V3, and eventually V1. The flow of information through this pathway occurred in stages characterized by convergence of activations into specific cortical regions. In sighted subjects, no linked activity was found that led from the somatosensory to the visual cortex through any of the studied brain regions. These results provide the first evidence from MEG that in blind subjects, tactile information is routed from primary somatosensory to occipital cortex via the posterior parietal cortex.

Evaluation of toxic risk assessment of arsenic in male subjects through drinking water in southern Sindh Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Baig, Jameel Ahmed; Kazi, Tasneem Gul; Shah, Abdul Qadir; Afridi, Hassan Imran; Khan, Sumaira; Kolachi, Nida Fatima; Kandhro, Ghulam Abbas; Wadhwa, Sham Kumar; Shah, Faheem

2011-11-01

The arsenic (As) hazardous quotient was estimated based on concentration of As in drinking water and scalp hair of male subjects of two age groups (n=360) consuming As contaminated water at different levels and non-contaminated drinking water. The total As concentrations in drinking water of less-exposed (LE) and high-exposed (HE) areas was found to be 3- to 30-fold higher than the permissible limit of the World Health Organization (2004) for drinking water, while the levels of As in drinking water of non-exposed (NE) areas was within the permissible limit. The levels of As in scalp hair samples of male subjects of two age groups belonging to NE, LE, and HE areas ranged from 0.01 to 0.27, 0.11-1.31, and 0.36-6.80 μg/g, respectively. A significant correlation between As contents of drinking water and As concentration in scalp hair was observed in sub-district Gambit (r=0.825-0.852, p<0.001) as compared to those subjects belonging to LE sub-district Thari Mirwah. A toxicity risk assessment provides a hazard quotient corresponding to <10 that indicates non-carcinogenic exposure risk of understudy areas.

Evaluation of Ecological Environmental Quality in a Coal Mining Area by Modelling Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chaodong Yan

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to explore the effective method of the comprehensive evaluation of ecological environmental quality in a coal mining area. Firstly, we analyzed the ecological environmental effect of the coal mining area according to Pigovian Tax theory and, according to the results of the analysis and the demand for the selection of evaluation indices by the comprehensive evaluation, built the corresponding comprehensive evaluation index system. We then used the correlation function method to determine the relative weights of each index. We determined the basic standards of a comprehensive evaluation of ecological environmental quality in a coal mining area according to the actual situation of ecological environmental quality assessments in coal mining areas in our country and the relevant provisions of the government. On this basis, we built the two-level extension comprehensive evaluation model for the evaluation of ecological environmental quality in mining areas. Finally, we chose a certain coal mining area of Yanzhou Coal Mining Company Limited as the specific case. We used the relevant statistic data, technical and economic indices and the extension evaluation model to do the applied research of the comprehensive evaluation and tested the effectiveness of the comprehensive evaluation model.

SYSTEM-COGNITIVE MODEL OF FORECASTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIVERSIFIED AGRO-INDUSTRIAL CORPORATIONS. PART I. COGNITIVE STRUCTURING AND FORMALIZATION OF THE SUBJECT AREA

OpenAIRE

Lutsenko Y. V.; Loyko V. I.; Baranovskaya T. P.; Makarevich O. A.

2015-01-01

In this article, in accordance with the methodology of the Automated system-cognitive analysis (ASCanalysis), we examine the implementation of the 1st and 2nd stages of ASC-analysis: cognitive structuring and formalization of the subject area. At the stage of cognitive structurization of subject area, researchers decide what to consider as the object of modeling, the factors affecting it and the results of their actions. In accordance with the results of the cognitive structurization, we prep...

Environmental protection foliar fertilization in areas subject to limitation of fertilizers use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gavriluta, I.; Alexandrescu, A; Budoi, G.; Bireescu, L.; Bireescu, G.

1999-01-01

Significant increases of plant productivity have been recorded in field experiments conducted between 1991 - 1994 using general purpose complex foliar fertilizers as well as aminoacid containing complex foliar fertilizers. These increases at the same time had positive environmental effects against chemical pollution, especially with nitrates. As a rule, the greater the degree of nutrient efficiency, especially of nitrate, the lower are the losses, which are subject to transfer to the environment. So in the light of environmental protection against chemical pollution using foliar fertilization is certainly beneficial for crops and for all other components of the agricultural environment giving rise to its significant improvement. Both, foliar and soil fertilization in areas with limitation of fertilizer use should be carried out under a continuous and strict analytical check of plant, soil and water. Refs. 14 (author)

A subjective scheduler for subjective dedicated networks

Science.gov (United States)

Suherman; Fakhrizal, Said Reza; Al-Akaidi, Marwan

2017-09-01

Multiple access technique is one of important techniques within medium access layer in TCP/IP protocol stack. Each network technology implements the selected access method. Priority can be implemented in those methods to differentiate services. Some internet networks are dedicated for specific purpose. Education browsing or tutorial video accesses are preferred in a library hotspot, while entertainment and sport contents could be subjects of limitation. Current solution may use IP address filter or access list. This paper proposes subjective properties of users or applications are used for priority determination in multiple access techniques. The NS-2 simulator is employed to evaluate the method. A video surveillance network using WiMAX is chosen as the object. Subjective priority is implemented on WiMAX scheduler based on traffic properties. Three different traffic sources from monitoring video: palace, park, and market are evaluated. The proposed subjective scheduler prioritizes palace monitoring video that results better quality, xx dB than the later monitoring spots.

Oscillometry complements spirometry in evaluation of subjects following toxic inhalation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenneth I. Berger

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The World Trade Center (WTC destruction released dust and fumes into the environment. Although many community members developed respiratory symptoms, screening spirometry was usually normal. We hypothesised that forced oscillation testing would identify functional abnormalities undetected by spirometry and that symptom severity would relate to magnitude of abnormalities measured by oscillometry. A symptomatic cohort (n=848 from the Bellevue Hospital WTC Environmental Health Center was evaluated and compared to an asymptomatic cohort (n=475 from the New York City Department of Health WTC Health Registry. Spirometry and oscillometry were performed. Oscillometry measurements included resistance (R5 and frequency dependence of resistance (R5−20. Spirometry was normal for the majority of subjects (73.2% symptomatic versus 87.6% asymptomatic, p<0.0001. In subjects with normal spirometry, R5 and R5−20 were higher in symptomatic versus asymptomatic subjects (median (interquartile range R5 0.436 (0.206 versus 0.314 (0.129 kPa·L−1·s−1, p<0.001; R5−20 0.075 (0.085 versus 0.004 (0.042 kPa·L−1·s−1, p<0.0001. In symptomatic subjects, R5 and R5−20 increased with increasing severity and frequency of wheeze (p<0.05. Measurement of R5–20 correlated with the presence and severity of symptoms even when spirometry was within normal limits. These findings are in accord with small airway abnormalities as a potential explanation of the respiratory symptoms.

Oscillometry complements spirometry in evaluation of subjects following toxic inhalation

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Kenneth I.; Turetz, Meredith; Liu, Mengling; Shao, Yongzhao; Kazeros, Angeliki; Parsia, Sam; Caplan-Shaw, Caralee; Friedman, Stephen M.; Maslow, Carey B.; Marmor, Michael; Goldring, Roberta M.

2015-01-01

The World Trade Center (WTC) destruction released dust and fumes into the environment. Although many community members developed respiratory symptoms, screening spirometry was usually normal. We hypothesised that forced oscillation testing would identify functional abnormalities undetected by spirometry and that symptom severity would relate to magnitude of abnormalities measured by oscillometry. A symptomatic cohort (n=848) from the Bellevue Hospital WTC Environmental Health Center was evaluated and compared to an asymptomatic cohort (n=475) from the New York City Department of Health WTC Health Registry. Spirometry and oscillometry were performed. Oscillometry measurements included resistance (R5) and frequency dependence of resistance (R5−20). Spirometry was normal for the majority of subjects (73.2% symptomatic versus 87.6% asymptomatic, p<0.0001). In subjects with normal spirometry, R5 and R5−20 were higher in symptomatic versus asymptomatic subjects (median (interquartile range) R5 0.436 (0.206) versus 0.314 (0.129) kPa·L−1·s−1, p<0.001; R5−20 0.075 (0.085) versus 0.004 (0.042) kPa·L−1·s−1, p<0.0001). In symptomatic subjects, R5 and R5−20 increased with increasing severity and frequency of wheeze (p<0.05). Measurement of R5–20 correlated with the presence and severity of symptoms even when spirometry was within normal limits. These findings are in accord with small airway abnormalities as a potential explanation of the respiratory symptoms. PMID:27730155

Evaluating disturbance on mediterranean karst areas: the example of Sardinia (Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

de Waele, Jo

2009-07-01

Evaluating the human disturbance on karst areas is a difficult task because of the complexity of these peculiar and unique environments. The human impact on karstic geo-ecosystems is increasingly important and there is an increasing need for multidisciplinary tools to assess the environmental changes in karst areas. Many disciplines, such as biology, geomorphology, hydrology and social-economical sciences are to be considered to sufficiently evaluate the impact on these intrinsically vulnerable areas. This article gives an overview of the evolution of environmental impact on karst areas of the island Sardinia (Italy). For this particular case, the most important impacts in the past 50 years are derived from the following activities, in decreasing importance: (1) mining and quarrying; (2) deforestation, agriculture and grazing; (3) building (widespread urbanisation, isolated homes, etc.) and related infrastructures (roads, sewer systems, aqueducts, waste dumps, etc.); (4) tourism; (5) military activities. To evaluate the present environmental state of these areas the Disturbance Index for Karst environments [Van Beynen and Townsend (Environ Manage 36:101-116)] is applied in a slightly modified version. Instead of considering the indicators of environmental disturbances used in the original method, this slightly modified index evaluates the disturbances causing the deterioration of the environmental attributes. In the Sardinian case study, 27 disturbances have been evaluated, giving rise to the definition of a Disturbance Index ranging between 0 (Pristine) and 1 (highly disturbed). This Disturbance Index simplifies the original KDI method, appears to adequately measure disturbance on Mediterranean karst areas and could be applied with success to other similar regions.

A method to evaluate performance reliability of individual subjects in laboratory research applied to work settings.

Science.gov (United States)

1978-10-01

This report presents a method that may be used to evaluate the reliability of performance of individual subjects, particularly in applied laboratory research. The method is based on analysis of variance of a tasks-by-subjects data matrix, with all sc...

MEG reveals a fast pathway from somatosensory cortex to occipital areas via posterior parietal cortex in a blind subject

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Andreas A Ioannides

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Cross-modal activity in visual cortex of blind subjects has been reported during performance of variety of non-visual tasks. A key unanswered question is through which pathways non-visual inputs are funneled to the visual cortex. Here we used tomographic analysis of single trial magnetoencephalography (MEG data recorded from one congenitally blind and two sighted subjects after stimulation of the left and right median nerves at three intensities: below sensory threshold, above sensory threshold and above motor threshold; the last sufficient to produce thumb twitching. We identified reproducible brain responses in the primary somatosensory (S1 and motor (M1 cortices at around 20 ms post-stimulus, which were very similar in sighted and blind subjects. Time-frequency analysis revealed strong 45 to 70 Hz activity at latencies of 20 to 50 ms in S1 and M1, and posterior parietal cortex Brodmann areas (BA 7 and 40, which compared to lower frequencies, were substantially more pronounced in the blind than the sighted subjects. Critically, at frequencies from α-band up to 100 Hz we found clear, strong and widespread responses in the visual cortex of the blind subject, which increased with the intensity of the somatosensory stimuli. Time-delayed mutual information (MI revealed that in blind subject the stimulus information is funneled from the early somatosensory to visual cortex through posterior parietal BA 7 and 40, projecting first to visual areas V5 and V3, and eventually V1. The flow of information through this pathway occured in stages characterized by convergence of activations into specific cortical regions. In sighted subjects, no linked activity was found that led from the somatosensory to the visual cortex through any of the studied brain regions. These results provide the first evidence from MEG that in blind subjects, tactile information is routed from primary somatosensory to occipital cortex via the posterior parietal cortex.

The Evaluation of Facilitation Process in Building Community Capacity about OVOP Concept in Kenjeran Coastal Area, Surabaya

Science.gov (United States)

Handayeni, K. D. M. E.; Santoso, E. B.; Siswanto, V. K.

2017-07-01

The concept of One Village One Product (OVOP) is an approach to the development potential of the area in the region to produce products that can compete in the global market, while still having unique characteristics of the area. Bulak District is one of the Kenjeran coastal area in Surabaya, Indonesia. Bulak District has had a great potential of marine products, but still contribute greatly in improving the people's welfare. Total activities of SMEs in the District of Bulak quite a lot, but the resulting product unknown to the wider community and the global marketplace. Activity of facilitation for SMEs society do to build community capacity in the implementation of the concept of OVOP. Based on the results of the evaluation assistance through Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test result an increased understanding of the community regarding to the five subjects related OVOP concept. There are six factors to note in mentoring activities that need to be considered for the sustainability of community capacity building programs on OVOP.

Specific surface area evaluation method by using scanning electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrescu, Camelia; Petrescu, Cristian; Axinte, Adrian

2000-01-01

Ceramics are among the most interesting materials for a large category of applications, including both industry and health. Among the characteristic of the ceramic materials, the specific surface area is often difficult to evaluate.The paper presents a method of evaluation for the specific surface area of two ceramic powders by means of scanning electron microscopy measurements and an original method of computing the specific surface area.Cumulative curves are used to calculate the specific surface area under assumption that the values of particles diameters follow a normal logarithmic distribution. For two powder types, X7R and NPO the results are the following: - for the density ρ (g/cm 2 ), 5.5 and 6.0, respectively; - for the average diameter D bar (μm), 0.51 and 0.53, respectively; - for σ, 1.465 and 1.385, respectively; - for specific surface area (m 2 /g), 1.248 and 1.330, respectively. The obtained results are in good agreement with the values measured by conventional methods. (authors)

The learning evaluations of the concept function in the mathematical subject I

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilmer Valle Castañeda

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The evaluation must be one of the most complex tasks that teachers face today, both for the process itself and for having to issue an assessment about the achievements and deficiencies of the students. It is for them that techniques and instruments were developed, which allow the evaluation of the function concept in the Mathematics I subject´s. Methods of the theoretical level, of the empirical level such as the historical-logical analysis, the surveys, were used in the research carried out. The documentary analyses, as well as procedures such as the analysis - synthesis that made it possible to investigate the theoretical and practical fundament´s learning evaluation´s. The evaluation instruments presented allowed for the evaluation of the students in Mathematics I, less than one of the most important functions of the evaluation: the formative or educational function. These constituted a reference for the continuous improvement of student learning.

Evaluation of sedimentation rates by 210-Pb, in water bodies of semiarid and arid area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afif, H.; Bouhlassa, S.

1994-01-01

As Morocco is located in semiarid to arid area, it is subject to irregular intensity and quantity of rainfall regime. So, its reservoirs suffer from severe siltation problems resulting from severe erosion phenomenon. The dating method based on an excess of 210-Pb in reservoir sediments, successfully used in areas of low erosion rate, cannot be extend to our case owing the dilution of low concentration of atmospheric 210-Pb in high sediment flux. Whenever used, this method leads to evaluate the siltation rate, which is a very interesting parameter in dam water management. An alternative to this method has been developed, based on the variation of 210-Pb sediment cores. Its application to a set of sediment cores indicates that 210-Pb is strongly and preferentially adsorbed in the clay. This could be used, as an indication of the annual deposition limits, and to determine variations of sedimentation rates in time and space in the reservoir. 2 figs., 1 tab., 1 ref. (author)

Ageing influence for the evaluation of DXA precision in female subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Qiang; Yu Wei; Qin Mingwei; Shang Wei; Tian Junping; Han Shaomei

2006-01-01

Objective: To investigate whether aging factor influence the precision of DXA measurement at the lumbar spine in females. Methods: A total of 90 female subjects were recruited and divided into three age groups, i.e. 45-55 years, 56-65 years and 66-75 years. There were 30 female subjects for each age group. Each subject was scanned twice at the same day. Mean BMD values from L2 to L4 were collected and grouped by calculating the root mean square (RMS). Precision errors were expressed as root mean square (RMS). P 2 , (0.992±0.010) g/cm 2 , (0.910±0.010) g/cm 2 , respectively. Mean BMD values from L2 to L4 decreased with increasing age group. Root mean square was lower in the 45 -55 age group, and was same between 56-65 and 66-75 age group. There were significant difference of BMD standard deviation between both there groups (F=5.213, P<0.05) any age group (q value I vs II 0.035; II vs III 0.500; I vs III 0.035, P<0.05). Conclusion: Age could influence the precision of DXA measurement at the site of lumbar spine in females. Therefore, caution should be paid to the age of female subjects recruited for the evaluation of precision for DXA measurement in the clinical trials. (authors)

Brain correlates of craving for online gaming under cue exposure in subjects with Internet gaming addiction and in remitted subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Chih-Hung; Liu, Gin-Chung; Yen, Ju-Yu; Chen, Chiao-Yun; Yen, Cheng-Fang; Chen, Cheng-Sheng

2013-05-01

This study aimed to evaluate brain correlates of cue-induced craving to play online games in subjects with Internet gaming addiction (IGA), subjects in remission from IGA and controls. The craving response was assessed by event-related design of functional magnetic resonance images (fMRIs). Fifteen subjects with IGA, 15 in remission from IGA and 15 controls were recruited in this study. The subjects were arranged to view the gaming screenshots and neutral images under investigation of fMRIs. The results showed that bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), precuneus, left parahippocampus, posterior cingulate and right anterior cingulate were activated in response to gaming cues in the IGA group and their activation was stronger in the IGA group than those in the control group. Their region-of-interest was also positively correlated with subjective gaming urge under cue exposure. These activated brain areas represent the brain circuit corresponding to the mechanism of substance use disorder. Thus, it would suggest that the mechanism of IGA is similar to substance use disorder. Furthermore, the IGA group had stronger activation over right DLPFC and left parahippocampus than did the remission group. The two areas would be candidate markers for current addiction to online gaming and should be investigated in future studies. © 2011 The Authors, Addiction Biology © 2011 Society for the Study of Addiction.

A fuzzy MCDM model with objective and subjective weights for evaluating service quality in hotel industries

Science.gov (United States)

Zoraghi, Nima; Amiri, Maghsoud; Talebi, Golnaz; Zowghi, Mahdi

2013-12-01

This paper presents a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (FMCDM) model by integrating both subjective and objective weights for ranking and evaluating the service quality in hotels. The objective method selects weights of criteria through mathematical calculation, while the subjective method uses judgments of decision makers. In this paper, we use a combination of weights obtained by both approaches in evaluating service quality in hotel industries. A real case study that considered ranking five hotels is illustrated. Examples are shown to indicate capabilities of the proposed method.

Skin acceptability of a cosmetic moisturizer formulation in female subjects with sensitive skin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nisbet SJ

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Stephanie J Nisbet Skin Health Medical Affairs, GSK Consumer Healthcare, Weybridge, Surrey, UK Purpose: This 3-week, open-label, noncomparative clinical study evaluated the skin acceptability of a cosmetic moisturizer in subjects with sensitive skin, by monitoring adverse events (AEs and cutaneous discomfort related to normal usage.Materials and methods: Female subjects aged between 18–60 years, with Fitzpatrick phototype classification I–IV and sensitive skin, verified by a positive reaction on the stinging test at screening, were included. Subjects applied the moisturizer to their face and body twice daily for 21±2 days at home and recorded study product usage and feelings of cutaneous discomfort (eg, dryness, prickling, stinging, and itching in a diary; any AEs were reported to the clinic. At study end, skin acceptability of the moisturizer was investigator-assessed based on the nature of AEs and subjects’ self-reported feelings of discomfort, and by clinical evaluation of skin reactions in the area of moisturizer application (appearance of erythema, formation of edema, and skin desquamation; scored according to an adapted Draize and Kligman scale. Only subjects with a treatment compliance of ≥80% were included in the final analysis.Results: In total, 35 subjects initiated and completed the study; all were compliant to the minimum study product usage. Per investigator clinical dermatological assessment at study end, none of the 35 subjects had skin reactions in the area of moisturizer application and there were no reported AEs. One subject reported sensations of mild prickling and itching immediately after applying the moisturizer (not classified as AEs, which spontaneously remitted after complete absorption of the product and were noted only in exposed areas. These events were considered by the investigator as being possibly/probably related to the use of study product; however, no clinical signs of skin reaction were observed in

The Prevalence of Mathematical Anxiety in a Business School: A Comparative Study across Subject Areas

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Anna Howard

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Mathematical anxiety is a phenomenon linked to poor attainment in mathematics and restricted development of mathematical skills among those who are afflicted by it. Unfortunately most undergraduate courses in business related areas require the further study of mathematics to enable effective business decision making and students who suffer from mathematical anxiety are placed at risk of underperformance or failure in such quantitative modules. This paper summarizes the results of a survey (n = 330 of students joining a university business school with a view to ascertaining the degree of mathematical anxiety exhibited by incoming students. Results of the survey show no significant differences in anxiety attributable to age or gender but significant differences attributable to level of study and subject area. Implications of the findings for a redesigned teaching approach are discussed drawing on suggestions from the literature surrounding mathematical anxiety.

Subjective Evaluation of Packet Service Performance in UMTS and Heterogeneous Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Teyeb, Oumer Mohammed; Sørensen, Troels Bundgaard; Mogensen, Preben

2006-01-01

Quality of Service (QoS) in mobile telecommunication systems is usually identified by some basic performance metrics such as delay, throughput and jitter. However, the main impact of service quality is on the end user, and as such a detailed study of service performance should involve the end user......, users rated the perceived quality of the services under different network conditions. The users’ ratings are analyzed and the results showed clear trends with very few outliers. The objective and subjective measures also were found to be in line except for one case where a higher layer effect influenced....... In this paper, such an approach is taken where subjective performance evaluation is undertaken for web browsing and video streaming services in Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) and a heterogeneous network comprised of UMTS and Wireless LAN (WLAN). Using a real-time network emulation testbed...

Subjective evaluation with FAA criteria: A multidimensional scaling approach. [ground track control management

Science.gov (United States)

Kreifeldt, J. G.; Parkin, L.; Wempe, T. E.; Huff, E. F.

1975-01-01

Perceived orderliness in the ground tracks of five A/C during their simulated flights was studied. Dynamically developing ground tracks for five A/C from 21 separate runs were reproduced from computer storage and displayed on CRTS to professional pilots and controllers for their evaluations and preferences under several criteria. The ground tracks were developed in 20 seconds as opposed to the 5 minutes of simulated flight using speedup techniques for display. Metric and nonmetric multidimensional scaling techniques are being used to analyze the subjective responses in an effort to: (1) determine the meaningfulness of basing decisions on such complex subjective criteria; (2) compare pilot/controller perceptual spaces; (3) determine the dimensionality of the subjects' perceptual spaces; and thereby (4) determine objective measures suitable for comparing alternative traffic management simulations.

Evaluating Robotic Surgical Skills Performance Under Distractive Environment Using Objective and Subjective Measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Suh, Irene H; LaGrange, Chad A; Oleynikov, Dmitry; Siu, Ka-Chun

2016-02-01

Distractions are recognized as a significant factor affecting performance in safety critical domains. Although operating rooms are generally full of distractions, the effect of distractions on robot-assisted surgical (RAS) performance is unclear. Our aim was to investigate the effect of distractions on RAS performance using both objective and subjective measures. Fifteen participants performed a knot-tying task using the da Vinci Surgical System and were exposed to 3 distractions: (1) passive distraction entailed listening to noise with a constant heart rate, (2) active distraction included listening to noise and acknowledging a change of random heart rate from 60 to 120 bpm, and (3) interactive distraction consisted of answering math questions. The objective kinematics of the surgical instrument tips were used to evaluate performance. Electromyography (EMG) of the forearm and hand muscles of the participants were collected. The median EMG frequency (EMG(fmed)) and the EMG envelope (EMG(env)) were analyzed. NASA Task Load Index and Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery score were used to evaluate the subjective performance. One-way repeated analysis of variance was applied to examine the effects of distraction on skills performance. Spearman's correlations were conducted to compare objective and subjective measures. Significant distraction effect was found for all objective kinematics measures (P < .05). There were significant distraction effects for EMG measures (EMG(env), P < .004; EMG(fmed), P = .031). Significant distraction effects were also found for subjective measurements. Distraction impairs surgical skills performance and increases muscle work. Understanding how the surgeons cope with distractions is important in developing surgical education. © The Author(s) 2015.

[Evaluation of the socioeconomic status in epidemiological surveys: hypotheses of research in the Brianza area MONICA project].

Science.gov (United States)

Cesana, G C; Ferrario, M; De Vito, G; Sega, R; Grieco, A

1995-01-01

Socio-economic status (SES) has been reported as a causative factor of increasing health inequalities in industrialized countries. The phenomenon has been particularly investigated for job related diseases, including cardiovascular disease and risk. The group of occupational medicine specialists in the world wide MONItoring program of CARdiovascular disease (WHO-MONICA Project) is now producing a number of hypotheses about the application of internationally defined criteria and tools for SES evaluation in the Italian area of the Project, Area Brianza. After a short review of some main conceptual and methodological problems, a proposal is presented of an SES index, derived from the pooled data of two population surveys carried out in this area. From a randomized sample of 3200 residents, 25-64 years old, stratified by sex and age decade, 1731 subjects, 594 females and 1137 males, employed at the time of the screening were extracted. Four variables were considered: age, education, occupational level and job-strain (according to the Karasek-Theorell model) by which each subject was classified in three levels--high, medium, low--of education and occupation, whose combination was used to obtain as many levels of socio-economic status. This a method of building an SES index is based on a sequence of approximations following two essential criteria: limitation of the variables to be surveyed, through standardized procedures; ability to identify the "low" SES category, presumably more at risk for disease.

Ecotoxicological evaluation of areas polluted by mining activities

Science.gov (United States)

García-Lorenzo, M. L.; Martínez-Sánchez, M. J.; Pérez-Sirvent, C.; Molina, J.

2009-04-01

Determination of the contaminant content is not enough to evaluate the toxic effects or to characterise contaminated sites, because such a measure does not reflect the ecotoxicological danger in the environment and does not provide information on the effects of the chemical compounds. To estimate the risk of contaminants, chemical methods need to be complemented with biological methods. Therefore, ecotoxicological testing may be a useful approach for assessing the toxicity as a complement to chemical analysis. The aim of this study was to develop a battery of bioassays for the ecotoxicological screening of areas polluted by mining activities. Particularly, the toxicity of water samples, sediments and their pore-water extracts was evaluated by using three assays: bacteria, plants and ostracods. Moreover, the possible relationship between observed toxicity and results of chemical analysis was studied. The studied area, Sierra Minera, is close to the mining region of La Uni

Psychometric evaluation of the Dutch version of the Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijkstra, B.A.G.; Krabbe, P.F.M.; Riezebos, T.G.M.; Staak, C.P.F. van der; Jong, C.A.J. de

2007-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the 16-item Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS). The SOWS measures withdrawal symptoms at the time of assessment. METHODS: The Dutch SOWS was repeatedly administered to a sample of 272 opioid-dependent inpatients of four

Comparison of optic area measurement using fundus photography and optical coherence tomography between optic nerve head drusen and control subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Flores-Rodríguez, Patricia; Gili, Pablo; Martín-Ríos, María Dolores; Grifol-Clar, Eulalia

2013-03-01

To compare optic disc area measurement between optic nerve head drusen (ONHD) and control subjects using fundus photography, time-domain optical coherence tomography (TD-OCT) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). We also made a comparison between each of the three techniques. We performed our study on 66 eyes (66 patients) with ONHD and 70 healthy control subjects (70 controls) with colour ocular fundus photography at 20º (Zeiss FF 450 IR plus), TD-OCT (Stratus OCT) with the Fast Optic Disc protocol and SD-OCT (Cirrus OCT) with the Optic Disc Cube 200 × 200 protocol for measurement of the optic disc area. The measurements were made by two observers and in each measurement a correction of the image magnification factor was performed. Measurement comparison using the Student's t-test/Mann-Whitney U test, the intraclass correlation coefficient, Pearson/Spearman rank correlation coefficient and the Bland-Altman plot was performed in the statistical analysis. Mean and standard deviation (SD) of the optic disc area in ONHD and in controls was 2.38 (0.54) mm(2) and 2.54 (0.42) mm(2), respectively with fundus photography; 2.01 (0.56) mm(2) and 1.66 (0.37) mm(2), respectively with TD-OCT, and 2.03 (0.49) mm(2) and 1.75 (0.38) mm(2), respectively with SD-OCT. In ONHD and controls, repeatability of optic disc area measurement was excellent with fundus photography and optical coherence tomography (TD-OCT and SD-OCT), but with a low degree of agreement between both techniques. Optic disc area measurement is smaller in ONHD compared to healthy subjects with fundus photography, unlike time-domain and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in which the reverse is true. Both techniques offer good repeatability, but a low degree of correlation and agreement, which means that optic disc area measurement is not interchangeable or comparable between techniques. Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2013 The College of Optometrists.

Bite force evaluation in subjects with cleft lip and palate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carla Renata Sipert

2009-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the masticatory function of subjects with cleft lip and palate by analyzing the bite force developed by these individuals. Bite force was evaluated in a group of 27 individuals with repaired unilateral cleft lip and palate (14 males and 13 females - aged 18-26 years and compared to the data achieved from a group of 20 noncleft subjects (10 males and 10 females - aged 18-26 years. Measurement was achieved on three positions within the dental arch (incisors, right molars and left molars, three times at each position considering the highest value for each one. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA and Mann-Whitney test ( α = 5%. There was a significant deficit in bite force in male individuals with cleft lip and palate compared to the male control group (p=0.02, p=0.004, p=0.003 for incisors, right and left molars, respectively. For the female group, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.79, p=0.06, p=0.47. In the group of individuals with clefts, 92.6% were under orthodontic treatment, which could be a reason for the present findings, since it can decrease the bite force more remarkably in males than in females. In conclusion, the bite force is significantly reduced in men when comparing the cleft group to the noncleft group. In females, this reduction was not significant in the same way. However, the main reason for this reduction and for the different behavior between genders should be further investigated.

Design of subjects training on reactor simulator and feasibility study - toward the empirical evaluation of interface design concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, Y.; Furukawa, H.; Tanabe, F.

1998-01-01

On-going JAERI's project for empirical evaluation of the ecological interface design concept was first described. The empirical evaluation is planned to be proceeded through three consecutive steps; designing and actual implementation of the interface on reactor simulator, verification of the interface created, and the validation by the simulator experiment. For conducting the project, three different experimental resources are prerequisite, that are, data analysis method for identifying the operator's strategies, experimental facility including reactor simulator, and experimental subjects or subjects training method. Among the three experimental resources, subjects training method was recently designed and a simulator experiment was earned out in order to examine the feasibility of the designed training method. From the experiment and analysis of the experimental records, we could conclude that it is feasible that the experimental subjects having an appropriate technical basis can gain the sufficient competence for evaluation work of the interface design concept by using the training method designed. (author)

Letting Students Take the Lead: A User-Centred Approach to Evaluating Subject Guides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kimberley Hintz

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Objective – What do students need and want from library subject guides? Options such as Web 2.0 enhancement are now available to librarians creating subject-specific web pages. Librarians may be eager to implement these new tools, but are such add-ons a priority forstudents? This paper aims to start a dialogue on this issue by presenting the findings of the University of British Columbia (UBC Library’s Subject Guides Working Group (SGWG, which was tasked with assessing current library subject guides in order to make recommendations for the update and future development of UBC Library subject guides.Methods – The working group solicited feedback through a questionnaire that was distributed to undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of disciplines at UBC. The questionnaire included an evaluation of UBC subject guides, as well as guides from other academic libraries that used various platforms such as LibGuides and SubjectsPlus.Results – Respondents to the student questionnaire indicated that a simple and clean layout was of primary importance. Students also desired succinct annotations to resources and limited page scrolling. Meanwhile, few students identified Web 2.0 features such as rating systems and discussion forums as being important for their needs. The working group used the questionnaire data to create a “Top Ten” list of student recommendations.Conclusions – The “Top Ten” list of student recommendations was combined with stakeholder feedback from faculty, liaison librarians and Library Systems and Information Technology representatives to create the SGWG’s final recommendation for subject guide revision and enhancement. For the SGWG these findings called into question the necessity of Web 2.0 technologies within subject guide pages and highlighted the need for further research on the topic of subject guide usability and effectiveness.

Comparison of techniques for morphologic evaluation of glycerol-preserved human skim subjected to gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bringel, Fabiana de A.; Isaac, Cesar; Herson, Marisa R.; Freitas, Anderson Z. de; Martinho Junior, Antonio C.; Mathor, Monica B.

2011-01-01

Extensive skin lesions expose the body to damaging agents, which makes spontaneous regeneration difficult and, in many cases, leads patient to death. In such cases, if there are no donating areas for auto graft, allografts can be used. In this type of graft, tissue is processed in tissue banks, where it can be subjected to radiosterilization. According to in vitro studies, gamma radiation, in doses higher than 25 kGy, causes breakdown of collagen I fibrils in the skin preserved in glycerol at 85% and this change influences fibroblast migration and deposition of new collagen. In order to assess if the alterations observed in vitro, would compromise in vivo use, transplants of human tissue, irradiated or not, were performed in Nude mice. After the surgery the skins of the mice was subjected to macroscopic analysis on the 3 rd , 7 th , 21 st and 90 th days; optical coherence tomography on the 90 th day and histological assay on the 3 rd , 7 th , 21 st days to compare the results of the repair process among the techniques, considering that the OCT allows in vivo and not destructive morphological analysis. According to the results obtained through OCT it was possible to observe a more organized repair process in the animals which received irradiated grafts (25 and 50 kGy) if compared to unirradiated grafts. It was not possible to observe such phenomena through macroscopic or histological evaluation. (author)

Comparison of techniques for morphologic evaluation of glycerol-preserved human skim subjected to gamma radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bringel, Fabiana de A. [Faculty of Humanities, Economic and Health Sciences of Araguaina ITPAC (FAHESA/ITPAC/TO) Araguaina, TO (Brazil); Isaac, Cesar [Faculty of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo (FMUSP/SP) Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Herson, Marisa R., E-mail: marisah@vifm.org [Tissue Bank of Victoria, Victoria (Australia); Freitas, Anderson Z. de; Martinho Junior, Antonio C.; Mathor, Monica B., E-mail: azanardi@ipen.br, E-mail: mathor@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Radiation Technology Centre; Oliveira, Sergio F. de [Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo (ICB-USP/SP), SP (Brazil)

2011-07-01

Extensive skin lesions expose the body to damaging agents, which makes spontaneous regeneration difficult and, in many cases, leads patient to death. In such cases, if there are no donating areas for auto graft, allografts can be used. In this type of graft, tissue is processed in tissue banks, where it can be subjected to radiosterilization. According to in vitro studies, gamma radiation, in doses higher than 25 kGy, causes breakdown of collagen I fibrils in the skin preserved in glycerol at 85% and this change influences fibroblast migration and deposition of new collagen. In order to assess if the alterations observed in vitro, would compromise in vivo use, transplants of human tissue, irradiated or not, were performed in Nude mice. After the surgery the skins of the mice was subjected to macroscopic analysis on the 3{sup rd}, 7{sup th}, 21{sup st} and 90{sup th} days; optical coherence tomography on the 90{sup th} day and histological assay on the 3{sup rd}, 7{sup th}, 21{sup st} days to compare the results of the repair process among the techniques, considering that the OCT allows in vivo and not destructive morphological analysis. According to the results obtained through OCT it was possible to observe a more organized repair process in the animals which received irradiated grafts (25 and 50 kGy) if compared to unirradiated grafts. It was not possible to observe such phenomena through macroscopic or histological evaluation. (author)

Problem Solving and Creativity and Design: What Influence Do They Have on Girls' Interest in STEM Subject Areas?

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Robyn; Heaverlo, Carol

2013-01-01

For girls there is a distinct loss in interest, lack of confidence, and decline in positive attitudes toward STEM subject areas that begins early on in their academic experience and increases with age. According to the National Academy of Engineering, students need to begin associating the possibilities in STEM fields with the need for creativity…

Subjective evaluation of a peer support program by women with breast cancer: A qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ono, Miho; Tsuyumu, Yuko; Ota, Hiroko; Okamoto, Reiko

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the subjective evaluation of a breast cancer peer support program based on a survey of the participants who completed the program. Semistructured interviews were held with 10 women with breast cancer. The responses were subject to a qualitative inductive analysis. Women with breast cancer who participated in the breast cancer peer support program evaluated the features of the program and cited benefits, such as "Receiving individual peer support tailored to your needs," "Easily consulted trained peer supporters," and "Excellent coordination." Also indicated were benefits of the peer support that was received, such as "Receiving peer-specific emotional support," "Obtaining specific experimental information," "Re-examining yourself," and "Making preparations to move forward." The women also spoke of disadvantages, such as "Strict management of personal information" and "Matching limitations." In this study, the subjective evaluation of a peer support program by women with breast cancer was clarified . The women with breast cancer felt that the program had many benefits and some disadvantages. These results suggest that there is potential for peer support-based patient-support programs in medical services that are complementary to the current support that is provided by professionals. © 2016 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

Evaluation of dyspnoea in a sample of elderly subjects recruited from general practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, F; Mehlsen, J; Raymond, I

2007-01-01

The objectives of this study were to investigate the cause of dyspnoea in a sample of elderly individuals and to assess the diagnostic yield of a three-step examination algorithm for the evaluation of dyspnoea paired with a cost analysis. A total of 152 subjects were examined. A predefined diagno...

Subjective Evaluations of Alcohol-Related Consequences among College Students: Experience with Consequences Matters

Science.gov (United States)

Leavens, Eleanor L.; Leffingwell, Thad R.; Miller, Mary Beth; Brett, Emma I.; Lombardi, Nathaniel

2017-01-01

Objective: Research suggests college students rate some alcohol-related consequences less negatively than others, yet it is unclear how or when these differences in perception develop. The current study compared college students' subjective evaluations of alcohol-related consequences that they had and had not experienced in order to test the…

Evaluating the Influence of Chromatic and Luminance Stimuli on SSVEPs from Behind-the-Ears and Occipital Areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan Floriano

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This work presents a study of chromatic and luminance stimuli in low-, medium-, and high-frequency stimulation to evoke steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP in the behind-the-ears area. Twelve healthy subjects participated in this study. The electroencephalogram (EEG was measured on occipital (Oz and left and right temporal (TP9 and TP10 areas. The SSVEP was evaluated in terms of amplitude, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR, and detection accuracy using power spectral density analysis (PSDA, canonical correlation analysis (CCA, and temporally local multivariate synchronization index (TMSI methods. It was found that stimuli based on suitable color and luminance elicited stronger SSVEP in the behind-the-ears area, and that the response of the SSVEP was related to the flickering frequency and the color of the stimuli. Thus, green-red stimulus elicited the highest SSVEP in medium-frequency range, and green-blue stimulus elicited the highest SSVEP in high-frequency range, reaching detection accuracy rates higher than 80%. These findings will aid in the development of more comfortable, accurate and stable BCIs with electrodes positioned on the behind-the-ears (hairless areas.

Thin-section spiral CT evaluation of morphologic effects of aging lung in asymptomatic adult subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Kuncheng; Liu Jian; Yang Yanhui; Yao Xinyu; Yin Jianguo; Wang Shiwen; He Zuoxiang

2006-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the imaging signs of aging lung in asymptomatic adult subjects by using thin-section spiral CT, and analyze the correlation between the signs and the age of examined cases, as well as probe their clinical application value. Methods: One hundred and six healthy adult subjects were divided into 3 groups: 30 to 44 years (n=31), 45 to 59 years (n=30), and over 60 years (n=45), and all the subjects underwent thin-section spiral CT scans in the upper lung field, the middle lung field and the lower lung field. The evaluation indices included the lung interstitium changes, emphysematous changes, mosaic perfusion, dependent density difference, and pleural thickenning. According to the relative score standard, the above-mentioned indices were totally calculated and converted into the score value. The data were statistically processed with SPSS for Windows. Results: Among the three groups, there were remarkable differences in the indices including the lung interstitium changes, emphysematous changes, and mosaic perfusion, respectively (χ 2 =8.10, 9.73, 15.54, P 2 =3.66, 3.24, P> 0.05). The score values had a significant positive correlation with the age (r=0.709, P<0.01). Conclusion: The signs including the lung interstitium changes, emphysematous changes, mosaic perfusion, the dependent density difference, and pleural thickenning can be found in asymptomatic subjects, and they become prominent as the age increases. HRCT is one of the most important methods for evaluating the early signs of the senile lung. (authors)

International Differences in Subjective Performance Evaluation, Compensation and Career Dynamics in a Global Company

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Halse, Nikolaj; Smeets, Valerie Anne Rolande; Warzynski, Frederic Michel Patrick

In this paper, we use confidential personnel records from a large multinational firm to study the differences in subjective performance evaluation and their consequences across countries. We focus our analysis on three different sets of countries: Europe (where the headquarter is established), U.......S. and Asia (Japan and China). We try to understand why performance evaluation is distributed differently across countries, and how these differences affect wage growth, the size of the bonus and promotion decisions. We find that evaluations tend to be better on average at the headquarter, but also that wages...

Neural Correlates of Musical Creativity: Differences between High and Low Creative Subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Villarreal, Mirta F.; Cerquetti, Daniel; Caruso, Silvina; Schwarcz López Aranguren, Violeta; Gerschcovich, Eliana Roldán; Frega, Ana Lucía; Leiguarda, Ramón C.

2013-01-01

Previous studies of musical creativity suggest that this process involves multi-regional intra and interhemispheric interactions, particularly in the prefrontal cortex. However, the activity of the prefrontal cortex and that of the parieto-temporal regions, seems to depend on the domains of creativity that are evaluated and the task that is performed. In the field of music, only few studies have investigated the brain process of a creative task and none of them have investigated the effect of the level of creativity on the recruit networks. In this work we used magnetic resonance imaging to explore these issues by comparing the brain activities of subjects with higher creative abilities to those with lesser abilities, while the subjects improvised on different rhythmic fragments. We evaluated the products the subjects created during the fMRI scan using two musical parameters: fluidity and flexibility, and classified the subjects according to their punctuation. We examined the relation between brain activity and creativity level. Subjects with higher abilities generated their own creations based on modifications of the original rhythm with little adhesion to it. They showed activation in prefrontal regions of both hemispheres and the right insula. Subjects with lower abilities made only partial changes to the original musical patterns. In these subjects, activation was only observed in left unimodal areas. We demonstrated that the activations of prefrontal and paralimbic areas, such as the insula, are related to creativity level, which is related to a widespread integration of networks that are mainly associated with cognitive, motivational and emotional processes. PMID:24069414

Evaluation of Subjective and Objective Performance Metrics for Haptically Controlled Robotic Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cong Dung Pham

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This paper studies in detail how different evaluation methods perform when it comes to describing the performance of haptically controlled mobile manipulators. Particularly, we investigate how well subjective metrics perform compared to objective metrics. To find the best metrics to describe the performance of a control scheme is challenging when human operators are involved; how the user perceives the performance of the controller does not necessarily correspond to the directly measurable metrics normally used in controller evaluation. It is therefore important to study whether there is any correspondence between how the user perceives the performance of a controller, and how it performs in terms of directly measurable metrics such as the time used to perform a task, number of errors, accuracy, and so on. To perform these tests we choose a system that consists of a mobile manipulator that is controlled by an operator through a haptic device. This is a good system for studying different performance metrics as the performance can be determined by subjective metrics based on feedback from the users, and also as objective and directly measurable metrics. The system consists of a robotic arm which provides for interaction and manipulation, which is mounted on a mobile base which extends the workspace of the arm. The operator thus needs to perform both interaction and locomotion using a single haptic device. While the position of the on-board camera is determined by the base motion, the principal control objective is the motion of the manipulator arm. This calls for intelligent control allocation between the base and the manipulator arm in order to obtain intuitive control of both the camera and the arm. We implement three different approaches to the control allocation problem, i.e., whether the vehicle or manipulator arm actuation is applied to generate the desired motion. The performance of the different control schemes is evaluated, and our

Hemoretroperitoneum associated with liver bare area injuries: CT evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miele, V.; Adami, L.; Andreoli, C.; De Cicco, M.L.; David, V.

2002-01-01

In hepatic injury restricted to the postero-superior region of segment VII (bare area), hemoperitoneum may be absent and this condition may be associated with hemoretroperitoneum. The aim of this paper is to present the association between bare area injuries and hemoretroperitoneum evaluated by CT. The CT examinations of 32 patients with blunt liver trauma were reviewed and the number and location of lesions were evaluated. Right lobe involvement was identified, focusing on the bare area lesions. The presence of hemoperitoneum and hemoretroperitoneum were determined. In the 32 patients 44 parenchymal lesions were detected. Segment VII was involved in 16 cases: 5 patients presented an intraparenchymal lesion, 11 patients a lesion emerging to the liver surface. In 8 cases the lesion was localized in the bare area. In the 16 patients presenting a segment-VII lesion, hemoperitoneum was detected in 3 cases, hemoretroperitoneum in 4 cases, and both conditions in 4 cases. A traumatic hepatic lesion may be associated with hemoretroperitoneum rather than hemoperitoneum. This justifies the absence of clinical signals of peritoneal irritation; the negativity of both US scan and peritoneal lavage may cause an inappropriate therapeutic management. Computed tomography yields both the detection of the parenchymal damage and the correct localization of the intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal hemorrhage. (orig.)

Hemoretroperitoneum associated with liver bare area injuries: CT evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miele, V.; Adami, L. [Department of Radiology, Camillo Hospital, Rome (Italy); Andreoli, C.; De Cicco, M.L.; David, V. [I Chair of Radiology, University ' ' La Sapienza' ' , Rome (Italy)

2002-04-01

In hepatic injury restricted to the postero-superior region of segment VII (bare area), hemoperitoneum may be absent and this condition may be associated with hemoretroperitoneum. The aim of this paper is to present the association between bare area injuries and hemoretroperitoneum evaluated by CT. The CT examinations of 32 patients with blunt liver trauma were reviewed and the number and location of lesions were evaluated. Right lobe involvement was identified, focusing on the bare area lesions. The presence of hemoperitoneum and hemoretroperitoneum were determined. In the 32 patients 44 parenchymal lesions were detected. Segment VII was involved in 16 cases: 5 patients presented an intraparenchymal lesion, 11 patients a lesion emerging to the liver surface. In 8 cases the lesion was localized in the bare area. In the 16 patients presenting a segment-VII lesion, hemoperitoneum was detected in 3 cases, hemoretroperitoneum in 4 cases, and both conditions in 4 cases. A traumatic hepatic lesion may be associated with hemoretroperitoneum rather than hemoperitoneum. This justifies the absence of clinical signals of peritoneal irritation; the negativity of both US scan and peritoneal lavage may cause an inappropriate therapeutic management. Computed tomography yields both the detection of the parenchymal damage and the correct localization of the intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal hemorrhage. (orig.)

75 FR 26967 - Guidance for Industry: Use of Water by Food Manufacturers in Areas Subject to a Boil-Water...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-13

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-D-0236] Guidance for Industry: Use of Water by Food Manufacturers in Areas Subject to a Boil-Water Advisory; Availability AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Food and Drug...

Sonographic evaluation of the shoulder in asymptomatic elderly subjects with diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salini Vincenzo

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The prevalence of rotator cuff tears increases with age and several studies have shown that diabetes is associated with symptomatic shoulder pathologies. Aim of our research was to evaluate the prevalence of shoulder lesions in a population of asymptomatic elderly subjects, normal and with non insulin - dependent diabetes mellitus. Methods The study was performed on 48 subjects with diabetes and 32 controls (mean age: 71.5 ± 4.8 and 70.7 ± 4.5, respectively, who did not complain shoulder pain or dysfunction. An ultrasound examination was performed on both shoulders according to a standard protocol, utilizing multiplanar scans. Results Tendons thickness was greater in diabetics than in controls (Supraspinatus Tendon: 6.2 ± 0.09 mm vs 5.2 ± 0.7 mm, p vs 3.2 ± 0.4 mm, p vs 20.3%, p vs 7.8%, p Subjects with diabetes exhibited more tears in the Supraspinatus Tendon (Minor tears: 15 (15.8% vs 2 (3.1%, p vs 5 (7.8%, p = ns, but not in the long head of Biceps. More effusions in subacromial bursa were observed in diabetics (23.9% vs 10.9%, p vs 10.9%, p In both groups, pathological findings were prevalent on the dominant side, but no difference related to duration of diabetes was found. Conclusions Our results suggest that age - related rotator cuff tendon degenerative changes are more common in diabetics. Ultrasound is an useful tool for discovering in pre - symptomatic stages the subjects that may undergo shoulder symptomatic pathologies.

Evaluation of changes in central airway dimensions, lung area and mean lung density at paired inspiratory/expiratory high-resolution computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ederle, J.R.; Heussel, C.P.; Hast, J.; Ley, S.; Thelen, M.; Kauczor, H.U.; Fischer, B.; Beek, E.J.R. van

2003-01-01

The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of interdependencies of dynamic changes in central airway dimensions, lung area and lung density on HRCT. The HRCT scans of 156 patients obtained at full inspiratory and expiratory position were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were divided into four groups according to lung function tests: normal subjects (n=47); obstructive (n=74); restrictive (n=19); or mixed ventilatory impairment (n=16). Mean lung density (MLD) was correlated with cross-sectional area of the lung (CSA L ), cross-sectional area of the trachea (CSA T ) and diameter of main-stem bronchi (D B ). The CSA L was correlated with CSA T and D B . MLD correlated with CSA L in normal subjects (r=-0.66, p T in the control group (r=-0.50, p B was found (r=-0.52, p L and CSA T correlated in the control group (r=0.67, p L and D B correlated in the control group (r=0.42, p<0.0001) and in patients with obstructive lung disease (r=0.24, p<0.05). Correlations for patients with restrictive and mixed lung disease were constantly lower. Dependencies between central and peripheral airway dimensions and lung parenchyma are demonstrated by HRCT. Best correlations are observed in normal subjects and patients with obstructive lung disease. Based on these findings we postulate that the dependencies are the result of air-flow and pressure patterns. (orig.)

Influence of Social and Behavioural Characteristics of Users on Their Evaluation of Subjective Loudness and Acoustic Comfort in Shopping Malls

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Qi; Kang, Jian

2013-01-01

A large-scale subjective survey was conducted in six shopping malls in Harbin City, China, to determine the influence of social and behavioural characteristics of users on their evaluation of subjective loudness and acoustic comfort. The analysis of social characteristics shows that evaluation of subjective loudness is influenced by income and occupation, with correlation coefficients or contingency coefficients of 0.10 to 0.40 (pshopping malls more than once a month show higher evaluation of acoustic comfort. On the contrary, the influence of the period of visit and the accompanying persons are found insignificant. PMID:23336003

Economics of Scholarly Publishing: Exploring the Causes of Subscription Price Variations of Scholarly Journals in Business Subject-Specific Areas

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lewis G.

2011-01-01

This empirical research investigates subscription price variations of scholarly journals in five business subject-specific areas using the semilogarithmic regression model. It has two main purposes. The first is to address the unsettled debate over whether or not and to what extent commercial publishers reap monopoly profits by overcharging…

Arsenic methylation capability and hypertension risk in subjects living in arseniasis-hyperendemic areas in southwestern Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Y.-K.; Tseng, C.-H.; Huang, Y.-L.; Yang, M.-H.; Chen, C.-J.; Hsueh, Y.-M.

2007-01-01

Background: Cumulative arsenic exposure (CAE) from drinking water has been shown to be associated with hypertension in a dose-response pattern. This study further explored the association between arsenic methylation capability and hypertension risk among residents of arseniasis-hyperendemic areas in Taiwan considering the effect of CAE and other potential confounders. Method: There were 871 subjects (488 women and 383 men) and among them 372 were diagnosed as having hypertension based on a positive history or measured systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mm Hg. Urinary arsenic species were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-hydride generator and atomic absorption spectrometry. Primary arsenic methylation index [PMI, defined as monomethylarsonic acid (MMA V ) divided by (As III + As V )] and secondary arsenic methylation index (SMI, defined as dimethylarsinic acid divided by MMA V ) were used as indicators for arsenic methylation capability. Results: The level of urinary arsenic was still significantly correlated with cumulative arsenic exposure (CAE) calculated from a questionnaire interview (p = 0.02) even after the residents stopped drinking the artesian well water for 2-3 decades. Hypertensive subjects had higher percentages of MMA V and lower SMI than subjects without hypertension. However, subjects having CAE > 0 mg/L-year had higher hypertension risk than those who had CAE = 0 mg/L-year disregard a high or low methylation index. Conclusion: Inefficient arsenic methylation ability may be related with hypertension risk

Evaluating Bay Area Methane Emission Inventory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fischer, Marc [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Jeong, Seongeun [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2016-03-01

As a regulatory agency, evaluating and improving estimates of methane (CH4) emissions from the San Francisco Bay Area is an area of interest to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). Currently, regional, state, and federal agencies generally estimate methane emissions using bottom-up inventory methods that rely on a combination of activity data, emission factors, biogeochemical models and other information. Recent atmospheric top-down measurement estimates of methane emissions for the US as a whole (e.g., Miller et al., 2013) and in California (e.g., Jeong et al., 2013; Peischl et al., 2013) have shown inventories underestimate total methane emissions by ~ 50% in many areas of California, including the SF Bay Area (Fairley and Fischer, 2015). The goal of this research is to provide information to help improve methane emission estimates for the San Francisco Bay Area. The research effort builds upon our previous work that produced methane emission maps for each of the major source sectors as part of the California Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measurement (CALGEM) project (http://calgem.lbl.gov/prior_emission.html; Jeong et al., 2012; Jeong et al., 2013; Jeong et al., 2014). Working with BAAQMD, we evaluate the existing inventory in light of recently published literature and revise the CALGEM CH4 emission maps to provide better specificity for BAAQMD. We also suggest further research that will improve emission estimates. To accomplish the goals, we reviewed the current BAAQMD inventory, and compared its method with those from the state inventory from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the CALGEM inventory, and recent published literature. We also updated activity data (e.g., livestock statistics) to reflect recent changes and to better represent spatial information. Then, we produced spatially explicit CH4 emission estimates on the 1-km modeling grid used by BAAQMD. We present the detailed activity data, methods and derived emission maps by sector

A multi-subject evaluation of uncertainty in anatomical landmark location on shoulder kinematic description.

Science.gov (United States)

Langenderfer, Joseph E; Rullkoetter, Paul J; Mell, Amy G; Laz, Peter J

2009-04-01

An accurate assessment of shoulder kinematics is useful for understanding healthy normal and pathological mechanics. Small variability in identifying and locating anatomical landmarks (ALs) has potential to affect reported shoulder kinematics. The objectives of this study were to quantify the effect of landmark location variability on scapular and humeral kinematic descriptions for multiple subjects using probabilistic analysis methods, and to evaluate the consistency in results across multiple subjects. Data from 11 healthy subjects performing humeral elevation in the scapular plane were used to calculate Euler angles describing humeral and scapular kinematics. Probabilistic analyses were performed for each subject to simulate uncertainty in the locations of 13 upper-extremity ALs. For standard deviations of 4 mm in landmark location, the analysis predicted Euler angle envelopes between the 1 and 99 percentile bounds of up to 16.6 degrees . While absolute kinematics varied with the subject, the average 1-99% kinematic ranges for the motion were consistent across subjects and sensitivity factors showed no statistically significant differences between subjects. The description of humeral kinematics was most sensitive to the location of landmarks on the thorax, while landmarks on the scapula had the greatest effect on the description of scapular elevation. The findings of this study can provide a better understanding of kinematic variability, which can aid in making accurate clinical diagnoses and refining kinematic measurement techniques.

Spalling of concrete subjected to blast loading

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Foglar M.

2013-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents outcomes of the blast field tests of FRC and reinforced concrete specimens, which were performed in cooperation with the Czech Army corps and Police of the Czech Republic in the military training area Boletice. The numerical evaluation of the experiments focused on the spalling of concrete subjected to blast loading started after the first set of the tests, took almost 3 years and required further small-scale experiments performed in the labs of the Czech Technical University.

Changes in Contact Area in Meniscus Horizontal Cleavage Tears Subjected to Repair and Resection.

Science.gov (United States)

Beamer, Brandon S; Walley, Kempland C; Okajima, Stephen; Manoukian, Ohan S; Perez-Viloria, Miguel; DeAngelis, Joseph P; Ramappa, Arun J; Nazarian, Ara

2017-03-01

To assess the changes in tibiofemoral contact pressure and contact area in human knees with a horizontal cleavage tear before and after treatment. Ten human cadaveric knees were tested. Pressure sensors were placed under the medial meniscus and the knees were loaded at twice the body weight for 20 cycles at 0°, 10°, and 20° of flexion. Contact area and pressure were recorded for the intact meniscus, the meniscus with a horizontal cleavage tear, after meniscal repair, after partial meniscectomy (single leaflet), and after subtotal meniscectomy (double leaflet). The presence of a horizontal cleavage tear significantly increased average peak contact pressure and reduced effective average tibiofemoral contact area at all flexion angles tested compared with the intact state (P contact pressure after creation of the horizontal cleavage tear. Repairing the horizontal cleavage tear restored peak contact pressures and areas to within 15% of baseline, statistically similar to the intact state at all angles tested (P contact pressure and reduced average contact area at all degrees of flexion compared with the intact state (P contact area and a significant elevation in contact pressure. These changes may accelerate joint degeneration. A suture-based repair of these horizontal cleavage tears returns the contact area and contact pressure to nearly normal, whereas both partial and subtotal meniscectomy lead to significant reductions in contact area and significant elevations in contact pressure within the knee. Repairing horizontal cleavage tears may lead to improved clinical outcomes by preserving meniscal tissue and the meniscal function. Understanding contact area and peak contact pressure resulting from differing strategies for treating horizontal cleavage tears will allow the surgeon to evaluate the best strategy for treating his or her patients who present with this meniscal pathology. Copyright © 2016 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier

Measurement of glucose area under the curve using minimally invasive interstitial fluid extraction technology: evaluation of glucose monitoring concepts without blood sampling.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Toshiyuki; Okada, Seiki; Hagino, Kei; Asakura, Yoshihiro; Kikkawa, Yasuo; Kojima, Junko; Watanabe, Toshihiro; Maekawa, Yasunori; Isobe, Kazuki; Koike, Reona; Nakajima, Hiromu; Asano, Kaoru

2011-12-01

Monitoring postprandial hyperglycemia is crucial in treating diabetes, although its dynamics make accurate monitoring difficult. We developed a new technology for monitoring postprandial hyperglycemia using interstitial fluid (ISF) extraction technology without blood sampling. The glucose area under the curve (AUC) using this system was measured as accumulated ISF glucose (IG) with simultaneous calibration with sodium ions. The objective of this study was to evaluate this technological concept in healthy individuals. Minimally invasive ISF extraction technology (MIET) comprises two steps: pretreatment with microneedles and ISF accumulation over a specific time by contact with a solvent. The correlation between glucose and sodium ion levels using MIET was evaluated in 12 subjects with stable blood glucose (BG) levels during fasting. BG and IG time courses were evaluated in three subjects to confirm their relationship while BG was fluctuating. Furthermore, the accuracy of glucose AUC measurements by MIET was evaluated several hours after a meal in 30 subjects. A high correlation was observed between glucose and sodium ion levels when BG levels were stable (R=0.87), indicating that sodium ion is a good internal standard for calibration. The variation in IG and BG with MIET was similar, indicating that IG is an adequate substitute for BG. Finally, we showed a strong correlation (R=0.92) between IG-AUC and BG-AUC after a meal. These findings validate the adequacy of glucose AUC measurements using MIET. Monitoring glucose using MIET without blood sampling may be beneficial to patients with diabetes.

Association between objective and subjective measurements of comfort and discomfort in hand tools

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuijt-Evers, L.F.M.; Bosch, T.; Huysmans, M.A.; Looze, M.P.de; Vink, P.

2007-01-01

In the current study, the relationship between objective measurements and subjective experienced comfort and discomfort in using handsaws was examined. Twelve carpenters evaluated five different handsaws. Objective measures of contact pressure (average pressure, pressure area and pressure-time (P-t)

Objective and Subjective Evaluation of Reflecting and Diffusing Surfaces in Auditoria

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Trevor John

Available from UMI in association with The British Library. Requires signed TDF. The performance of reflectors and diffusers used in auditoria have been evaluated both objectively and subjectively. Two accurate systems have been developed to measure the scattering from surfaces via the cross correlation function. These have been used to measure the scattering from plane panels, curved panels and quadratic residue diffusers (QRDs). The scattering measurements have been used to test theoretical prediction methods based on the Helmholtz-Kirchhoff integral equation. Accurate prediction methods were found for all surfaces tested. The limitations of the more approximate methods have been defined. The assumptions behind Schroeder's design of the QRD have been tested and the local reacting admittance assumption found to be valid over a wide frequency range. It was found that the QRD only produces uniform scattering at low frequencies. For an on-axis source the scattering from a curved panel was as good as from a QRD. For an oblique source the QRD produced much more uniform scattering than the curved panel. The subjective measurements evaluated the smallest perceivable change in the early sound field, the part most influenced by reflectors and diffusers. A natural sounding simulation of a concert hall field within an anechoic chamber was used. Standard objective parameters were reasonable values when compared to values found in real halls and subjective preference measurements. A difference limen was measured for early lateral energy fraction (.048 +/-.005); inter aural cross correlation (.075 +/-.008); clarity index (.67 +/-.13 dB); and centre time (8.6 +/- 1.6 ms). It was found that: (i) when changes are made to diffusers and reflectors, changes in spatial impression will usually be larger than those in clarity; and (ii) acousticians can gain most by paying attention to lateral sound in auditoria. It was also found that: (i) diffuse reflections in the early sound field

Influence of social and behavioural characteristics of users on their evaluation of subjective loudness and acoustic comfort in shopping malls.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qi Meng

Full Text Available A large-scale subjective survey was conducted in six shopping malls in Harbin City, China, to determine the influence of social and behavioural characteristics of users on their evaluation of subjective loudness and acoustic comfort. The analysis of social characteristics shows that evaluation of subjective loudness is influenced by income and occupation, with correlation coefficients or contingency coefficients of 0.10 to 0.40 (p<0.05 or p<0.01. Meanwhile, evaluation of acoustic comfort evaluation is influenced by income, education level, and occupation, with correlation coefficients or contingency coefficients of 0.10 to 0.60 (p<0.05 or p<0.01. The effect of gender and age on evaluation of subjective loudness and acoustic comfort is statistically insignificant. The effects of occupation are mainly caused by the differences in income and education level, in which the effects of income are greater than that of education level. In terms of behavioural characteristics, evaluation of subjective loudness is influenced by the reason for visit, frequency of visit, and length of stay, with correlation coefficients or contingency coefficients of 0.10 to 0.40 (p<0.05 or p<0.01. Evaluation of acoustic comfort is influenced by the reason for visit to the site, the frequency of visit, length of stay, and also season of visit, with correlation coefficients of 0.10 to 0.30 (p<0.05 or p<0.01. In particular, users who are waiting for someone show lower evaluation of acoustic comfort, whereas users who go to shopping malls more than once a month show higher evaluation of acoustic comfort. On the contrary, the influence of the period of visit and the accompanying persons are found insignificant.

Damage and lifetime evaluation of three dimensional components subjected to complex loadings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Comte, A.; Chator, T.

1992-12-01

Forecasting the mechanical behavior of structures and evaluating the lifetime of machine components are essential for the availability and safety of nuclear power stations. On this subject, Electricite de France has developed numerical methods for structural design with regard to cracking and damage to three dimensional structures. We explain here the methods adopted by the R and D Division which successfully produced the mechanical analysis for which it is responsible. (authors). 9 figs., 2 refs

Increased motor cortex excitability during motor imagery in brain-computer interface trained subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Mokienko, Olesya A.; Chervyakov, Alexander V.; Kulikova, Sofia N.; Bobrov, Pavel D.; Chernikova, Liudmila A.; Frolov, Alexander A.; Piradov, Mikhail A.

2013-01-01

Background: Motor imagery (MI) is the mental performance of movement without muscle activity. It is generally accepted that MI and motor performance have similar physiological mechanisms. Purpose: To investigate the activity and excitability of cortical motor areas during MI in subjects who were previously trained with an MI-based brain-computer interface (BCI). Subjects and Methods: Eleven healthy volunteers without neurological impairments (mean age, 36 years; range: 24–68 years) were either trained with an MI-based BCI (BCI-trained, n = 5) or received no BCI training (n = 6, controls). Subjects imagined grasping in a blocked paradigm task with alternating rest and task periods. For evaluating the activity and excitability of cortical motor areas we used functional MRI and navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS). Results: fMRI revealed activation in Brodmann areas 3 and 6, the cerebellum, and the thalamus during MI in all subjects. The primary motor cortex was activated only in BCI-trained subjects. The associative zones of activation were larger in non-trained subjects. During MI, motor evoked potentials recorded from two of the three targeted muscles were significantly higher only in BCI-trained subjects. The motor threshold decreased (median = 17%) during MI, which was also observed only in BCI-trained subjects. Conclusion: Previous BCI training increased motor cortex excitability during MI. These data may help to improve BCI applications, including rehabilitation of patients with cerebral palsy. PMID:24319425

Increased motor cortex excitability during motor imagery in brain-computer interface trained subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olesya eMokienko

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Motor imagery (MI is the mental performance of movement without muscle activity. It is generally accepted that MI and motor performance have similar physiological mechanisms.Purpose: To investigate the activity and excitability of cortical motor areas during MI in subjects who were previously trained with an MI-based brain-computer interface (BCI.Subjects and methods: Eleven healthy volunteers without neurological impairments (mean age, 36 years; range: 24–68 years were either trained with an MI-based BCI (BCI-trained, n = 5 or received no BCI training (n = 6, controls. Subjects imagined grasping in a blocked paradigm task with alternating rest and task periods. For evaluating the activity and excitability of cortical motor areas we used functional MRI and navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS.Results: fMRI revealed activation in Brodmann areas 3 and 6, the cerebellum, and the thalamus during MI in all subjects. The primary motor cortex was activated only in BCI-trained subjects. The associative zones of activation were larger in non-trained subjects. During MI, motor evoked potentials recorded from two of the three targeted muscles were significantly higher only in BCI-trained subjects. The motor threshold decreased (median = 17% during MI, which was also observed only in BCI-trained subjects.Conclusion: Previous BCI training increased motor cortex excitability during MI. These data may help to improve BCI applications, including rehabilitation of patients with cerebral palsy.

Avaliação da vertical visual subjetiva em indivíduos brasileiros normais Subjective visual vertical evaluation in normal Brazilian subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aline M. Kozoroski Kanashiro

2007-06-01

Full Text Available A função otolítica pode ser avaliada pela Vertical Visual Subjetiva (VVS que determina a capacidade de um indivíduo julgar se objetos estão na posição vertical na ausência de outras referências visuais. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a VVS em indivíduos brasileiros normais usando um aparelho portátil. As medidas da VVS foram realizadas em 160 indivíduos (16 a 85 anos. O valor médio da VVS foi obtido após dez ajustes. A VVS teve valores médios entre -2,0º e +2,4º (média=0,18º, e DP=0,77º. Não houve diferença entre as médias da VVS em relação à idade (teste de Kruskal-Wallis; p=0,40, mas as faixas etárias maiores tiveram variância maior (teste de Levene; p=0,016. Os valores da VVS encontrados neste estudo foram semelhantes aos registrados na literatura. Não houve diferença nas médias das inclinações da VVS de acordo com a idade, mas foi encontrada maior variância entre indivíduos mais idosos.Otolith function can be evaluated by subjective visual vertical (SVV that determine the capacity of a subject to judge if the objects are on vertical position with absence of any visual reference. The aim of this study was to evaluate the SVV in a sample of normal Brazilian subjects using a portable device. Measurements of SVV were performed in 160 normal subjects (aged from 16 to 85. SVV mean value was obtained after ten adjustments. SVV mean values ranged from -2.0º to +2.4º (mean=0.18º, and SD=0.77. Considering all age groups, there was no difference of SVV mean values (Kruskal-Wallis test; p=0.40, but older groups had a greater variance (Levene test; p=0.016. SVV values observed in this study are comparable to those described in previous studies. Although there was no difference in mean SVV-inclination according to age, there was a greater variance in older subjects.

An evaluation of dose/unit area and time as key factors influencing the elicitation capacity of methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) in MCI/MI-allergic patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zachariae, Claus; Lerbaek, Anne; McNamee, Pauline M

2006-01-01

Methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) contact allergy affects 1-3% of patch-tested patients in European centres. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the importance of the factors--time and concentration (dose/per unit area)--in the elicitation capacity by means...... (2 p.p.m.) of MCI/MI/unit area of the skin for 4 weeks. After a wash-out period of at least 4 weeks, the subjects were exposed to 0.094 microg/cm2 (7.5 p.p.m.) of MCI/MI/unit area of the skin for 4 weeks. The study showed the importance of both time and exposure in the elicitation process...

Evaluation of performance, safety, subject acceptance, and compliance of a disposable autoinjector for subcutaneous injections in healthy volunteers.

Science.gov (United States)

Berteau, Cecile; Schwarzenbach, Florence; Donazzolo, Yves; Latreille, Mathilde; Berube, Julie; Abry, Herve; Cotten, Joël; Feger, Celine; Laurent, Philippe E

2010-10-05

A disposable autoinjector was developed for subcutaneous (SC) self-injection by patients with chronic diseases. To verify its performance and evaluate its acceptance, a clinical study was conducted in healthy volunteers, comparing SC injections performed by subjects using the autoinjector with SC injections performed by nurses using a syringe. This was a randomized, single-center, crossover study comparing SC self-injection using an autoinjector with SC nurse-administered injection using a syringe. Two volumes (0.2 mL and 1 mL) were injected into healthy volunteers. Study objectives included assessment of the accuracy and consistency of the volume injected by the injection systems, and skin reaction and pain associated with the injection. The fluid depot in the SC tissue layer was evaluated by ultrasound. Subject acceptance was evaluated using questionnaires on attitudes and emotions towards the injection technique, and challenged by seeking the subjects' preferred system for a final study injection or future treatment. A total of 960 injections (480 with autoinjector, 480 with syringe) were performed in 40 subjects. There were no significant differences in mean fluid leakage and injected volumes between the systems. Pain associated with the injection was significantly lower with the auto-injector than with the syringe. Local skin reaction at the injection site was overall satisfactory. Injections were appropriately performed by all subjects. At study end, all 40 subjects preferred the autoinjector for a final study injection and for future treatment. This study indicated that the autoinjector used by the subject was similar to a syringe used by a nurse in terms of performance and safety in administering the injections, and better in terms of pain, overall acceptance, and preference.

[Evaluation of pressure ulcers area using the softwares Motic and AutoCAD®].

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Camila Letícia Dias dos; Cavalcante, Janaína Mortosa; Rocha Júnior, Edvar Ferreira da; Neves, Rinaldo Souza; Santana, Levy Aniceto; Guadagnin, Renato da Veiga; Brasil, Lourdes Mattos

2012-01-01

Pressure ulcer is a lesion that affects skin layers in some regions of the body and its healing can be followed up using image processing. The analysis of pressure ulcer area is relevant to evaluate its evolution and response to therapeutic procedures. Such areas can be evaluated through contour marking with the softwares Motic and AutoCAD®. In this study 35 volunteers computed areas from two grade III pressure ulcers using these instruments. It was possible to conclude that results are clinically equivalent and so can be considered to follow up healing evolution from pressure ulcers.

Cortical surface area reduction in identification of subjects at high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Hao; Sun, Yawen; Su, Shanshan; Wang, Yao; Qiu, Yongming; Yang, Xi; Zhou, Yan; Xiao, Zeping; Wang, Zhen

2018-01-01

Victims of motor vehicle accidents often develop post-traumatic stress disorder, which causes significant social function loss. For the difficulty in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, identification of subjects at high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder is essential for providing possible intervention. This paper aims to examine the cortical structural traits related to susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder. To address this issue, we performed structural magnetic resonance imaging study in motor vehicle accident victims within 48 hours from the accidents. A total of 70 victims, available for both clinical and magnetic resonance imaging data, enrolled in our study. Upon completion of 6-month follow-up, 29 of them developed post-traumatic stress disorder, while 41 of them didn't. At baseline, voxelwise comparisons of cortical thickness, cortical area and cortical volume were conducted between post-traumatic stress disorder group and trauma control group. As expected, several reduced cortical volume within frontal-temporal loop were observed in post-traumatic stress disorder. For cortical thickness, no between-group differences were observed. There were three clusters in left hemisphere and one cluster in right hemisphere showing decreased cortical area in post-traumatic stress disorder patients, compared with trauma controls. Peak voxels of the three clusters in left hemisphere were separately located in superior parietal cortex, insula and rostral anterior cingulate cortex. The finding of reduced surface area of left insula and left rostral anterior cingulate cortex suggests that shrinked surface area in motor vehicle accident victims could act as potential biomarker of subjects at high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Mental workload and cognitive task automaticity: an evaluation of subjective and time estimation metrics.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Y; Wickens, C D

1994-11-01

The evaluation of mental workload is becoming increasingly important in system design and analysis. The present study examined the structure and assessment of mental workload in performing decision and monitoring tasks by focusing on two mental workload measurements: subjective assessment and time estimation. The task required the assignment of a series of incoming customers to the shortest of three parallel service lines displayed on a computer monitor. The subject was either in charge of the customer assignment (manual mode) or was monitoring an automated system performing the same task (automatic mode). In both cases, the subjects were required to detect the non-optimal assignments that they or the computer had made. Time pressure was manipulated by the experimenter to create fast and slow conditions. The results revealed a multi-dimensional structure of mental workload and a multi-step process of subjective workload assessment. The results also indicated that subjective workload was more influenced by the subject's participatory mode than by the factor of task speed. The time estimation intervals produced while performing the decision and monitoring tasks had significantly greater length and larger variability than those produced while either performing no other tasks or performing a well practised customer assignment task. This result seemed to indicate that time estimation was sensitive to the presence of perceptual/cognitive demands, but not to response related activities to which behavioural automaticity has developed.

Evaluation of primary immunization coverage of infants under universal immunization programme in an urban area of Bangalore city using cluster sampling and lot quality assurance sampling techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Punith K

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Research Question: Is LQAS technique better than cluster sampling technique in terms of resources to evaluate the immunization coverage in an urban area? Objective: To assess and compare the lot quality assurance sampling against cluster sampling in the evaluation of primary immunization coverage. Study Design: Population-based cross-sectional study. Study Setting: Areas under Mathikere Urban Health Center. Study Subjects: Children aged 12 months to 23 months. Sample Size: 220 in cluster sampling, 76 in lot quality assurance sampling. Statistical Analysis: Percentages and Proportions, Chi square Test. Results: (1 Using cluster sampling, the percentage of completely immunized, partially immunized and unimmunized children were 84.09%, 14.09% and 1.82%, respectively. With lot quality assurance sampling, it was 92.11%, 6.58% and 1.31%, respectively. (2 Immunization coverage levels as evaluated by cluster sampling technique were not statistically different from the coverage value as obtained by lot quality assurance sampling techniques. Considering the time and resources required, it was found that lot quality assurance sampling is a better technique in evaluating the primary immunization coverage in urban area.

School Achievement and Performance in Chilean High Schools: The Mediating Role of Subjective Wellbeing in School-Related Evaluations

Science.gov (United States)

López, Verónica; Oyanedel, Juan C.; Bilbao, Marian; Torres, Javier; Oyarzún, Denise; Morales, Macarena; Ascorra, Paula; Carrasco, Claudia

2017-01-01

School achievement gaps and school failure are problematic issues in Latin America, and are mainly explained by the socio-economic status (SES) of the students. What schools can do to improve school achievement and reduce school failure is a critical issue, both for school management and teacher training. In this study, we present the association of individual and school-related socio-emotional variables with school achievement and performance, controlling for the effects of SES. A probabilistic sample of 4,964 students, drawn from 191 schools enrolled in year 10 in urban areas of Chile, answered questionnaires assessing subjective wellbeing, social wellbeing in school, school climate, school social wellbeing and students’ perceptions of teachers’ wellbeing. Using structural equation modeling, and controlling for SES, we modeled subjective wellbeing as a mediator of the relationship between school-related variables, such as school climate and perception of teacher’s wellbeing, and (a) school achievement, and (b) school performance. School achievement was computed as a product of (a) the probability of passing the school year, and (b) the percentage of yearly attendance at school. Data on school achievement was drawn from administrative registries from the Chilean Ministry of Education. School performance was computed as the estimated grade point average (GPA) at the end of the school year, based on the students’ previous 5-year GPAs, and was also obtained through administrative data of the last 5 years. Findings reveal the mediating role of subjective wellbeing in the relationship between school-related evaluations (students’ social wellbeing at school, their perception of teachers’ wellbeing and school climate) and school achievement. For school achievement, two variables were mediated (students’ social wellbeing at school and school climate). However, for school performance, no significant mediations were found. We conclude that, on the one hand

School Achievement and Performance in Chilean High Schools: The Mediating Role of Subjective Wellbeing in School-Related Evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

López, Verónica; Oyanedel, Juan C; Bilbao, Marian; Torres, Javier; Oyarzún, Denise; Morales, Macarena; Ascorra, Paula; Carrasco, Claudia

2017-01-01

School achievement gaps and school failure are problematic issues in Latin America, and are mainly explained by the socio-economic status (SES) of the students. What schools can do to improve school achievement and reduce school failure is a critical issue, both for school management and teacher training. In this study, we present the association of individual and school-related socio-emotional variables with school achievement and performance, controlling for the effects of SES. A probabilistic sample of 4,964 students, drawn from 191 schools enrolled in year 10 in urban areas of Chile, answered questionnaires assessing subjective wellbeing, social wellbeing in school, school climate, school social wellbeing and students' perceptions of teachers' wellbeing. Using structural equation modeling, and controlling for SES, we modeled subjective wellbeing as a mediator of the relationship between school-related variables, such as school climate and perception of teacher's wellbeing, and (a) school achievement, and (b) school performance. School achievement was computed as a product of (a) the probability of passing the school year, and (b) the percentage of yearly attendance at school. Data on school achievement was drawn from administrative registries from the Chilean Ministry of Education. School performance was computed as the estimated grade point average (GPA) at the end of the school year, based on the students' previous 5-year GPAs, and was also obtained through administrative data of the last 5 years. Findings reveal the mediating role of subjective wellbeing in the relationship between school-related evaluations (students' social wellbeing at school, their perception of teachers' wellbeing and school climate) and school achievement. For school achievement, two variables were mediated (students' social wellbeing at school and school climate). However, for school performance, no significant mediations were found. We conclude that, on the one hand, after

Evaluation Of Hydraulic Parameters For Dara Area (Gulf Of Suez), Egypt

OpenAIRE

Sewidan, A. S. [احمد صفوت سويدان; Himida, I. H.

1991-01-01

This work aims to furnish a basis for evaluating the water resources in Dara Area which is one of the vergin areas assigned for the purpose of land reclamation. Analysis of pumping and recovery tests performed in the study area is done by six methods manually and three methods using computer program. The data obtained by both methods show close similarity, and accordingly, the computer programs used are recommended for future analysis. The results show that the aquifer in the area is of th...

Evaluating fMRI methods for assessing hemispheric language dominance in healthy subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Baciu, Monica; Juphard, Alexandra; Cousin, Emilie; Bas, Jean François Le

2005-08-01

We evaluated two methods for quantifying the hemispheric language dominance in healthy subjects, by using a rhyme detection (deciding whether couple of words rhyme) and a word fluency (generating words starting with a given letter) task. One of methods called "flip method" (FM) was based on the direct statistical comparison between hemispheres' activity. The second one, the classical lateralization indices method (LIM), was based on calculating lateralization indices by taking into account the number of activated pixels within hemispheres. The main difference between methods is the statistical assessment of the inter-hemispheric difference: while FM shows if the difference between hemispheres' activity is statistically significant, LIM shows only that if there is a difference between hemispheres. The robustness of LIM and FM was assessed by calculating correlation coefficients between LIs obtained with each of these methods and manual lateralization indices MLI obtained with Edinburgh inventory. Our results showed significant correlation between LIs provided by each method and the MIL, suggesting that both methods are robust for quantifying hemispheric dominance for language in healthy subjects. In the present study we also evaluated the effect of spatial normalization, smoothing and "clustering" (NSC) on the intra-hemispheric location of activated regions and inter-hemispheric asymmetry of the activation. Our results have shown that NSC did not affect the hemispheric specialization but increased the value of the inter-hemispheric difference.

Evaluating fMRI methods for assessing hemispheric language dominance in healthy subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baciu, Monica; Juphard, Alexandra; Cousin, Emilie; Bas, Jean Francois Le

2005-01-01

We evaluated two methods for quantifying the hemispheric language dominance in healthy subjects, by using a rhyme detection (deciding whether couple of words rhyme) and a word fluency (generating words starting with a given letter) task. One of methods called 'flip method' (FM) was based on the direct statistical comparison between hemispheres' activity. The second one, the classical lateralization indices method (LIM), was based on calculating lateralization indices by taking into account the number of activated pixels within hemispheres. The main difference between methods is the statistical assessment of the inter-hemispheric difference: while FM shows if the difference between hemispheres' activity is statistically significant, LIM shows only that if there is a difference between hemispheres. The robustness of LIM and FM was assessed by calculating correlation coefficients between LIs obtained with each of these methods and manual lateralization indices MLI obtained with Edinburgh inventory. Our results showed significant correlation between LIs provided by each method and the MIL, suggesting that both methods are robust for quantifying hemispheric dominance for language in healthy subjects. In the present study we also evaluated the effect of spatial normalization, smoothing and 'clustering' (NSC) on the intra-hemispheric location of activated regions and inter-hemispheric asymmetry of the activation. Our results have shown that NSC did not affect the hemispheric specialization but increased the value of the inter-hemispheric difference

Engineering evaluation/cost analysis for 100-N area waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mihalik, L.A.

1996-08-01

The 100 Area of the Hanford Site was placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List (NPL) in November 1989 under the 'Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980.' The 100 Area NPL site includes the 100-N Area, which is in the early stages of the cleanup process. To facilitate the disposal of wastes generated in preparation for cleanup, the U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office in cooperation with the Washington State Department of Ecology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has prepared this Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA). The scope of this EE/CA includes wastes from cleanout of the EDB and deactivation facilities. Volumes and costs for disposal of investigation-derived waste are also included

Pre-surgical evaluation of the cerebral tumor in the left language related areas by functional MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zou Zhitong; Ma Lin; Weng Xuchu

2010-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the application of combination of BOLD-fMRI and diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) in pre-operative evaluation of cerebral tumors located at the left language related areas. Methods: A non-vocal button pressing semantic judging paradigm was developed and validated in 10 right-handed volunteers at 3 T. After validation, this protocol combined with DTI were applied to 15 patients with left cerebral tumor prior to surgical resection, and 3 of them had aphasia. fMRI data analysis was on subject-specific basis by one-sampled t-test. The distance from the tumor to Broca area and pre-central 'hand-knot' area were measured separately. Functional language laterality index (LI) was calculated by taking out Broca area and Wernicke area. Three dimensional architecture of frontal lobe white matter fibers, especially arcuate fasciculus, were visualized using diffusion tensor tractography on Volume-one software. The images demonstrating relationship among tumor, language activation areas and white matter fibers were reviewed by neurosurgeons as part of pre-operative planning. One year after the operation, patients were followed up with MRI and language function test. Results: The non-vocal semantic judging paradigm successfully detect Broca area, Wernicke area and pre-central 'hand-knot' area. In 12 of 15 patients, the relationship of Broca area and pre-central motor area to the left brain tumor in language related areas was identified, which make the pre-operative neurosurgical plan applicable to minimize the disruption of language and motor. 8 patients had the left language dominant hemisphere, 3 patients with the right language dominant hemisphere and 1 patient with bilateral dominance. The other 3 patients' fMRI data were corrupted by patients' motion. Diffusion tensor images were corrupted by motion in 1 patient but demonstrated the impact of tumor on left accouter fasciculus in 14 patients. Diffusion tensor tractography showed disruption of left

Evaluation criteria for uranium potential of sedimentary basins based on analysis of host sand body and structurally reworking pattern host sand body has been subject to

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Zuyi; Guo Qingyin; Liu Hongxu

2005-01-01

On the basis of the introduction and the analysis of regional evaluation criteria for sandstone-type uranium deposits summarized by uranium geologists of USA and former Soviet Union, and by introducing new scientific progress in the field of sedimentology of clastic rocks, and basin geodynamics, main evaluation criteria composed of host sand body criterion and the criterion of structurally reworking pattern the host sand body has been subject to, are proposed, and the evaluation model based on analyzing the regional tectonic history and the evolution of prototype basin is set up. Finally, taking the Chaoshui basin as an example, the possibility for hosting epigenetic uranium mineralization in each horizon of the basin cover is discussed, then the main prospecting target horizon is discriminated, and potential ore-formation areas are proposed. (authors)

Optimising screening for cognitive dysfunction in bipolar disorder: Validation and evaluation of objective and subjective tools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Johan Høy; Støttrup, Mette Marie; Nayberg, Emilie

2015-01-01

by correlation with established objective and subjective cognitive measures, and decision validity was determined with Receiver-Operating-Characteristic analyses. Correlations and linear regression analyses were conducted to determine the associations between objective and subjective cognitive impairment......Introduction Cognitive impairment is common in bipolar disorder and contributes to socio-occupational difficulties. The objective was to validate and evaluate instruments to screen for and monitor cognitive impairments, and improve the understanding of the association between cognitive measures...

Comprehensive evaluation of ecological security in mining area based on PSR-ANP-GRAY.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Gang; Yu, Baohua; Li, Shuzhou; Zhu, Yanna

2017-09-06

With the large exploitation of mineral resources, a series of problems have appeared in the ecological environment of the mining area. Therefore, evaluating the ecological security of mining area is of great significance to promote its healthy development. In this paper, the evaluation index system of ecological security in mining area was constructed from three dimensions of nature, society and economy, combined with Pressure-State-Response framework model. Then network analytic hierarchy process and GRAY relational analysis method were used to evaluate the ecological security of the region, and the weighted correlation degree of ecological security was calculated through the index data of a coal mine from 2012 to 2016 in China. The results show that the ecological security in the coal mine area is on the rise as a whole, though it alternatively rose and dropped from 2012 to 2016. Among them, the ecological security of the study mining area is at the general security level from 2012 to 2015, and at a relatively safe level in 2016. It shows that the ecological environment of the study mining area can basically meet the requirement of the survival and development of the enterprises.

Resiliency and the subjective evaluation of health in mothers of children with Asperger’s syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arleta Kasprzak

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Background Parents caring for children with developmental disorders are exposed to much higher levels of stress than parents of typically developing children. It has also been proved that parents of children with developmental disorders experience mental health deterioration, a sense of guilt, physical weakness, fatigue and exhaustion. Resiliency conditions cognitive and emotional flexibility, and enables an individual to adjust their own behavior to particular circumstances. The present study aims to verify whether there is a relationship between resiliency and the subjective evaluation of health under stress in a group of mothers of children with Asperger’s syndrome. Participants and procedure The three measures used in the study were The Polish Resiliency Assessment Scale, The Subjective Evaluation of Health Scale, and a personal questionnaire. A group of 31 mothers of children with Asperger’s syndrome and a group of 31 mothers whose children were not chronically ill and developed typically were examined. Results Mothers of children with Asperger’s syndrome have similar levels of resiliency and its contributing factors compared to mothers with healthy children. However, when compared to mothers of healthy children, mothers of children with Asperger’s syndrome show a more negative subjective evaluation of health. Moreover, we found that some resiliency factors (The ability to tolerate failures and view life as a challenge, and Optimism in life and the ability to focus in adversity correlate positively only in the group of mothers of children with Asperger’s syndrome. Conclusions Findings obtained in the study allow us to consider resiliency along with having a healthy child, as a factor contributing to a positive evaluation of health.

Estimation of physical activity levels using cell phone questionnaires: a comparison with accelerometry for evaluation of between-subject and within-subject variations.

Science.gov (United States)

Bexelius, Christin; Sandin, Sven; Trolle Lagerros, Ylva; Litton, Jan-Eric; Löf, Marie

2011-09-25

Physical activity promotes health and longevity. Further elaboration of the role of physical activity for human health in epidemiological studies on large samples requires accurate methods that are easy to use, cheap, and possible to repeat. The use of telecommunication technologies such as cell phones is highly interesting in this respect. In an earlier report, we showed that physical activity level (PAL) assessed using a cell phone procedure agreed well with corresponding estimates obtained using the doubly labeled water method. However, our earlier study indicated high within-subject variation in relation to between-subject variations in PAL using cell phones, but we could not assess if this was a true variation of PAL or an artifact of the cell phone technique. Our objective was to compare within- and between-subject variations in PAL by means of cell phones with corresponding estimates using an accelerometer. In addition, we compared the agreement of daily PAL values obtained using the cell phone questionnaire with corresponding data obtained using an accelerometer. PAL was measured both with the cell phone questionnaire and with a triaxial accelerometer daily during a 2-week study period in 21 healthy Swedish women (20 to 45 years of age and BMI from 17.7 kg/m² to 33.6 kg/m²). The results were evaluated by fitting linear mixed effect models and descriptive statistics and graphs. With the accelerometer, 57% (95% confidence interval [CI] 40%-66%) of the variation was within subjects, while with the cell phone, within-subject variation was 76% (95% CI 59%-83%). The day-to-day variations in PAL observed using the cell phone questions agreed well with the corresponding accelerometer results. Both the cell phone questionnaire and the accelerometer showed high within-subject variations. Furthermore, day-to-day variations in PAL within subjects assessed using the cell phone agreed well with corresponding accelerometer values. Consequently, our cell phone

Evaluation of four methods for estimating leaf area of isolated trees

Science.gov (United States)

P.J. Peper; E.G. McPherson

2003-01-01

The accurate modeling of the physiological and functional processes of urban forests requires information on the leaf area of urban tree species. Several non-destructive, indirect leaf area sampling methods have shown good performance for homogenous canopies. These methods have not been evaluated for use in urban settings where trees are typically isolated and...

The study of surgical image quality evaluation system by subjective quality factor method

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jian J.; Xuan, Jason R.; Yang, Xirong; Yu, Honggang; Koullick, Edouard

2016-03-01

GreenLightTM procedure is an effective and economical way of treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH); there are almost a million of patients treated with GreenLightTM worldwide. During the surgical procedure, the surgeon or physician will rely on the monitoring video system to survey and confirm the surgical progress. There are a few obstructions that could greatly affect the image quality of the monitoring video, like laser glare by the tissue and body fluid, air bubbles and debris generated by tissue evaporation, and bleeding, just to name a few. In order to improve the physician's visual experience of a laser surgical procedure, the system performance parameter related to image quality needs to be well defined. However, since image quality is the integrated set of perceptions of the overall degree of excellence of an image, or in other words, image quality is the perceptually weighted combination of significant attributes (contrast, graininess …) of an image when considered in its marketplace or application, there is no standard definition on overall image or video quality especially for the no-reference case (without a standard chart as reference). In this study, Subjective Quality Factor (SQF) and acutance are used for no-reference image quality evaluation. Basic image quality parameters, like sharpness, color accuracy, size of obstruction and transmission of obstruction, are used as subparameter to define the rating scale for image quality evaluation or comparison. Sample image groups were evaluated by human observers according to the rating scale. Surveys of physician groups were also conducted with lab generated sample videos. The study shows that human subjective perception is a trustworthy way of image quality evaluation. More systematic investigation on the relationship between video quality and image quality of each frame will be conducted as a future study.

Evaluation of a subject-specific, torque-driven computer simulation model of one-handed tennis backhand groundstrokes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kentel, Behzat B; King, Mark A; Mitchell, Sean R

2011-11-01

A torque-driven, subject-specific 3-D computer simulation model of the impact phase of one-handed tennis backhand strokes was evaluated by comparing performance and simulation results. Backhand strokes of an elite subject were recorded on an artificial tennis court. Over the 50-ms period after impact, good agreement was found with an overall RMS difference of 3.3° between matching simulation and performance in terms of joint and racket angles. Consistent with previous experimental research, the evaluation process showed that grip tightness and ball impact location are important factors that affect postimpact racket and arm kinematics. Associated with these factors, the model can be used for a better understanding of the eccentric contraction of the wrist extensors during one-handed backhand ground strokes, a hypothesized mechanism of tennis elbow.

Evaluation of immunization coverage in the rural area of Pune, Maharashtra, using the 30 cluster sampling technique

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Pankaj Kumar Gupta

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Infectious diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. One of the most cost-effective and easy methods for child survival is immunization. Despite all the efforts put in by governmental and nongovernmental institutes for 100% immunization coverage, there are still pockets of low-coverage areas. In India, immunization services are offered free in public health facilities, but, despite rapid increases, the immunization rate remains low in some areas. The Millennium Development Goals (MDG indicators also give importance to immunization. Objective: To assess the immunization coverage in the rural area of Pune. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the field practice area of the Rural Health Training Center (RHTC using the WHO′s 30 cluster sampling method for evaluation of immunization coverage. Results: A total of 1913 houses were surveyed. A total of 210 children aged 12-23 months were included in the study. It was found that 86.67% of the children were fully immunized against all the six vaccine-preventable diseases. The proportion of fully immunized children was marginally higher in males (87.61% than in females (85.57%, and the immunization card was available with 60.95% of the subjects. The most common cause for partial immunization was that the time of immunization was inconvenient (36%. Conclusion: Sustained efforts are required to achieve universal coverage of immunization in the rural area of Pune district.

Evaluating fMRI methods for assessing hemispheric language dominance in healthy subjects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baciu, Monica [Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition, UMR 5105 CNRS, Universite Pierre Mendes-France, F38040 Grenoble Cedex 09 (France)]. E-mail: mbaciu@upmf-grenoble.fr; Juphard, Alexandra [Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition, UMR 5105 CNRS, Universite Pierre Mendes-France, F38040 Grenoble Cedex 09 (France); Cousin, Emilie [Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition, UMR 5105 CNRS, Universite Pierre Mendes-France, F38040 Grenoble Cedex 09 (France); Bas, Jean Francois Le [Unite IRM, CHU Grenoble (France)

2005-08-01

We evaluated two methods for quantifying the hemispheric language dominance in healthy subjects, by using a rhyme detection (deciding whether couple of words rhyme) and a word fluency (generating words starting with a given letter) task. One of methods called 'flip method' (FM) was based on the direct statistical comparison between hemispheres' activity. The second one, the classical lateralization indices method (LIM), was based on calculating lateralization indices by taking into account the number of activated pixels within hemispheres. The main difference between methods is the statistical assessment of the inter-hemispheric difference: while FM shows if the difference between hemispheres' activity is statistically significant, LIM shows only that if there is a difference between hemispheres. The robustness of LIM and FM was assessed by calculating correlation coefficients between LIs obtained with each of these methods and manual lateralization indices MLI obtained with Edinburgh inventory. Our results showed significant correlation between LIs provided by each method and the MIL, suggesting that both methods are robust for quantifying hemispheric dominance for language in healthy subjects. In the present study we also evaluated the effect of spatial normalization, smoothing and 'clustering' (NSC) on the intra-hemispheric location of activated regions and inter-hemispheric asymmetry of the activation. Our results have shown that NSC did not affect the hemispheric specialization but increased the value of the inter-hemispheric difference.

Subjective evaluation of restaurant acoustics in a virtual sound environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Nicolaj Østergaard; Marschall, Marton; Santurette, Sébastien

2016-01-01

Many restaurants have smooth rigid surfaces made of wood, steel, glass, and concrete. This often results in a lack of sound absorption. Such restaurants are notorious for high sound noise levels during service that most owners actually desire for representing vibrant eating environments, although...... surveys report that noise complaints are on par with poor service. This study investigated the relation between objective acoustic parameters and subjective evaluation of acoustic comfort at five restaurants in terms of three parameters: noise annoyance, speech intelligibility, and privacy. At each...... location, customers filled out questionnaire surveys, acoustic parameters were measured, and recordings of restaurant acoustic scenes were obtained with a 64-channel spherical array. The acoustic scenes were reproduced in a virtual sound environment (VSE) with 64 loudspeakers placed in an anechoic room...

Subjective evaluation of different ventilation concepts combined with radiant heating and cooling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krajcik, Michal; Tomasi, Roberta; Simone, Angela

2012-01-01

Sixteen subjects evaluated the indoor environment in four experiments with different combinations of ventilation and radiant heating/cooling systems. Two test setups simulated a room in a low energy building with a single occupant during winter. The room was equipped either by a ventilation system...... supplying warm air space heating or by a combination of radiant floor heating and mixing ventilation system. Next two test setups simulated an office room with two occupants during summer, ventilated and cooled by a single displacement ventilation system or by a radiant floor cooling combined...

Evaluation of T1ρ as a potential MR biomarker for liver cirrhosis: Comparison of healthy control subjects and patients with liver cirrhosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rauscher, Isabel; Eiber, Matthias; Ganter, Carl; Martirosian, Petros; Safi, Wajima; Umgelter, Andreas; Rummeny, Ernst J.; Holzapfel, Konstantin

2014-01-01

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare mean liver T 1ρ values in patients with liver cirrhosis and healthy control subjects in order to evaluate T 1ρ as a potential MR biomarker for liver cirrhosis. Materials and methods: Ten healthy control subjects (mean age 42.7 years; 6 female, 4 male) and 21 patients with clinically diagnosed liver cirrhosis (mean age 56.5 years; 5 female, 16 male) were examined at 1.5 T (Magnetom Avanto, Siemens). T 1ρ -weighted images were acquired using a 2D TurboFLASH sequence (TR/TE 3/1.31 ms, FA 8°, FoV 309 × 380 mm, resolution 2 × 2 × 6 mm, acquisition time 15 s, slice thickness 6 mm) with spin-lock preparation. T 1ρ maps were calculated from five breath-hold measurements, performed with different spin-lock times (4, 8, 16, 32 and 48 ms). Mean liver T 1ρ values of healthy control subjects and patients with liver cirrhosis were calculated and compared using Student t-test. In addition, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the utility of mean liver T 1ρ values for the prediction of liver cirrhosis. Results: Mean liver T 1ρ values in patients with liver cirrhosis (57.4 ± 7.4 ms) were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects (47.8 ± 4.2 ms; p = 0.0007). According to the ROC analysis at a threshold value of 50.1 ms the sensitivity and specificity of mean liver T 1ρ in predicting liver cirrhosis were 90.5% and 90%, respectively. The area under the ROC curve was 0.90. Conclusion: Mean liver T 1ρ values in patients with liver cirrhosis were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects suggesting a potential role of liver T 1ρ as a MR biomarker for liver cirrhosis

The study of subjective and objective evaluation of sleep disturbances in Parkinson's disease

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LIU Chun-feng

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Background Sleep disorder is one of the most common non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD patients. At present, there are subjective and objective tools to evaluate sleepdisorders. Nevertheless, previous studies commonly used single subjective questionnaires or objective examinations. Therefore, we used the combinations of subjective and objective tools to analyze clinical characteristics of sleep disturbances in PD and investigated differences and consistence between subjective and objective tools. Methods One hundred and sixteen PD patients were eligible to participate into this study. All participants were evaluated by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS in "on" condition, Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y stage, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD 24 items, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS, and underwent a video-polysomnography (Video-PSG. Results According to PSQI score of 116 PD patients, the proportion of PD patients with sleep disturbances (PSQI ≥ 7 was 50% (N = 58. Compared to PD patients without sleep disturbances, PD patients with sleep disturbances had lower score of MoCA (23.34 ± 3.50 vs 24.89 ± 3.52; t = 2.377, P = 0.019, higher score of UPDRSⅠ[4.00 (2.00, 5.00 vs 3.00 (2.00, 5.00; U = - 2.306, P = 0.021], UPDRSⅡ[12.00 (9.00, 16.00 vs 10.00 (6.00, 13.00; U = - 1.995, P = 0.046], higher levodopa equivalent daily dose [LED, (508.14 ± 335.85 vs (394.06 ± 236.40 mg/d; t = - 2.115, P = 0.037]. Although PD patients with sleep disturbances had more score of UPDSR Ⅲ and higher H-Y stage, the differences were not significant (P > 0.05. On the other hand, decreased total sleep time (TST, reduced sleep efficiency (SE, increased sleep latency (SL, decreased non-rapid eye movement (NREM sleep stage Ⅱ time were found for PD patients with sleep disturbances (P 0.05, for all. The score of PSQI was positively correlated with the score of ESS (r = 0.200, P = 0

Evaluation of the ORNL area for future waste burial facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lomenick, T.F.; Byerly, D.W.; Gonzales, S.

1983-10-01

Additional waste-burial facilities will be needed at ORNL within this decade. In order to find environmentally acceptable sites, the ORNL area must be systematically evaluated. This document represents the first step in that selection process. Geologic and hydrologic data from the literature and minor field investigations are used to identify more favorable sites for Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 7. Also underway at this time is a companion study to locate a Central Waste Storage Area which could be used in the future to accommodate wastes generated by the X-10, Y-12, and K-25 facilities. From the several watershed options available, the Whiteoak Creek drainage basin is selected as the most promising hydrologic regime. This area contains all past and present waste-disposal facilities and is thus already well monitored. The seven bedrock units within the ORNL area are evaluated as potential burial media. Shales of the Conasauga Group, which are currently used for waste burial in the Whiteoak Creek drainage basin, and the Knox Group are considered the leading candidates. Although the residuum derived from and overlying the Knox dolomite has many favorable characteristics and may be regarded as having a high potential for burial of low-level wastes, at the present it is unproven. Therefore, the Conasauga shales are considered a preferable option for SWSA 7 within the ORNL area. Since the Conasauga interval is currently used for waste burial, it is better understood. One tract in Melton Valley that is underlain by Conasauga shales is nominated for detailed site-characterization studies, and several other tracts are recommended for future exploratory drilling. Exploration is also suggested for a tract in the upper Whiteoak Creek basin where Knox residuum is the shallow subsurface material

A Content Analysis on the Subjects of Hospitality PhD Dissertations in Turkey

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İbrahim GİRİTLİOĞLU

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to review the evaluation of hospitality dissertations as their subjects and their completed years. To perform on this aim, completed PhD dissertations were reached on National Dissertation Centre website at Turkish Higher Education Institute (YOK. According to study’s results, hospitality marketing strategies and organizational behavior in hospitality industry were the most popular research subjects on the dissertations in Turkey. However, the most completed PhD dissertations at the hospitality area was the year of 2011

[Design of standard voice sample text for subjective auditory perceptual evaluation of voice disorders].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jin-rang; Sun, Yan-yan; Xu, Wen

2010-09-01

To design a speech voice sample text with all phonemes in Mandarin for subjective auditory perceptual evaluation of voice disorders. The principles for design of a speech voice sample text are: The short text should include the 21 initials and 39 finals, this may cover all the phonemes in Mandarin. Also, the short text should have some meanings. A short text was made out. It had 155 Chinese words, and included 21 initials and 38 finals (the final, ê, was not included because it was rarely used in Mandarin). Also, the text covered 17 light tones and one "Erhua". The constituent ratios of the initials and finals presented in this short text were statistically similar as those in Mandarin according to the method of similarity of the sample and population (r = 0.742, P text were statistically not similar as those in Mandarin (r = 0.731, P > 0.05). A speech voice sample text with all phonemes in Mandarin was made out. The constituent ratios of the initials and finals presented in this short text are similar as those in Mandarin. Its value for subjective auditory perceptual evaluation of voice disorders need further study.

Evaluation of dental age and associated developmental anomalies in subjects with impacted mandibular canines.

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Shikha; Shetty, K Sadashiva; Jain, Shweta; Jain, Sachin; Prakash, A T; Agrawal, Mamta

2015-07-01

To assess the null hypothesis that there is no difference in the rate of dental development and the occurrence of selected developmental anomalies related to shape, number, structure, and position of teeth between subjects with impacted mandibular canines and those with normally erupted canines. Pretreatment records of 42 subjects diagnosed with mandibular canines impaction (impaction group: IG) were compared with those of 84 subjects serving as a control reference sample (control group: CG). Independent t-tests were used to compare mean dental ages between the groups. Intergroup differences in distribution of subjects based on the rate of dental development and occurrence of selected dental anomalies were assessed using χ(2) tests. Odds of late, normal, and early developers and various categories of developmental anomalies between the IG and the CG were evaluated in terms of odds ratios. Mean dental age for the IG was lower than that for the CG in general. Specifically, this was true for girls (P dental development and occurrence of positional anomalies also reached statistical significance (P anomalies compared with controls (odds ratios 3.00 and 2.82, respectively; P dental development compared with the female orthodontic patients. Increased frequency of positional developmental anomalies was also remarkable in the IG.

What is healthy food? Objective nutrient profile scores and subjective lay evaluations in comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Bucher, T; Müller, B; Siegrist, M

2015-12-01

To date, it is unclear how consumers evaluate the healthiness of individual foods and meals and how consumers' perceptions are related to expert opinions. This knowledge is essential for efficient communication of nutrition information with the goal of promoting healthy eating. This study used the fake food buffet method to investigate health perceptions of selected meals and of 54 individual foods and beverages. Lay consumers' subjective healthiness evaluations of meals and foods were compared to objective nutrient profile scores, which were previously shown to correlate highly with expert opinions. The results show that nutrition profile scores and lay evaluations were highly correlated, which indicates that lay people used similar criteria as experts to evaluate the healthiness of foods. However, lay consumers tended to neglect the amount of saturated fat, protein and sodium for their judgments. Also, it was found that while lay consumers were quite able to evaluate single food products, they had difficulties in evaluating entire meals. Future interventions should focus particularly on educating the consumer about the negative effects of diets high in salt and saturated fat and they should improve the consumer's abilities to evaluate entire meals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

School Achievement and Performance in Chilean High Schools: The Mediating Role of Subjective Wellbeing in School-Related Evaluations

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Verónica López

2017-07-01

Full Text Available School achievement gaps and school failure are problematic issues in Latin America, and are mainly explained by the socio-economic status (SES of the students. What schools can do to improve school achievement and reduce school failure is a critical issue, both for school management and teacher training. In this study, we present the association of individual and school-related socio-emotional variables with school achievement and performance, controlling for the effects of SES. A probabilistic sample of 4,964 students, drawn from 191 schools enrolled in year 10 in urban areas of Chile, answered questionnaires assessing subjective wellbeing, social wellbeing in school, school climate, school social wellbeing and students’ perceptions of teachers’ wellbeing. Using structural equation modeling, and controlling for SES, we modeled subjective wellbeing as a mediator of the relationship between school-related variables, such as school climate and perception of teacher’s wellbeing, and (a school achievement, and (b school performance. School achievement was computed as a product of (a the probability of passing the school year, and (b the percentage of yearly attendance at school. Data on school achievement was drawn from administrative registries from the Chilean Ministry of Education. School performance was computed as the estimated grade point average (GPA at the end of the school year, based on the students’ previous 5-year GPAs, and was also obtained through administrative data of the last 5 years. Findings reveal the mediating role of subjective wellbeing in the relationship between school-related evaluations (students’ social wellbeing at school, their perception of teachers’ wellbeing and school climate and school achievement. For school achievement, two variables were mediated (students’ social wellbeing at school and school climate. However, for school performance, no significant mediations were found. We conclude that, on the

Assessing the Implementation Fidelity of a School-Based Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility Program in Physical Education and Other Subject Areas

Science.gov (United States)

Escartí, Amparo; Liops-Goig, Ramon; Wright, Paul M.

2018-01-01

Purpose: The Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model was developed to foster responsibility and teach life skills that transfer to various settings. The purpose of this study was to assess the implementation fidelity of a school-based TPSR program in physical education and other subject areas. Method: Systematic observation was…

Arterial Carboxyhemoglobin Measurement Is Useful for Evaluating Pulmonary Inflammation in Subjects with Interstitial Lung Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Hara, Yu; Shinkai, Masaharu; Kanoh, Soichiro; Fujikura, Yuji; K Rubin, Bruce; Kawana, Akihiko; Kaneko, Takeshi

2017-01-01

Objective The arterial concentration of carboxyhemoglobin (CO-Hb) in subjects with inflammatory pulmonary disease is higher than that in healthy individuals. We retrospectively analyzed the relationship between the CO-Hb concentration and established markers of disease severity in subjects with interstitial lung disease (ILD). Methods The CO-Hb concentration was measured in subjects with newly diagnosed or untreated ILD and the relationships between the CO-Hb concentration and the serum biomarker levels, lung function, high-resolution CT (HRCT) findings, and the uptake in gallium-67 ( 67 Ga) scintigraphy were evaluated. Results Eighty-one non-smoking subjects were studied (mean age, 67 years). Among these subjects, (A) 17 had stable idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), (B) 9 had an acute exacerbation of IPF, (C) 44 had stable non-IPF, and (D) 11 had an exacerbation of non-IPF. The CO-Hb concentrations of these subjects were (A) 1.5±0.5%, (B) 2.1±0.5%, (C) 1.2±0.4%, and (D) 1.7±0.5%. The CO-Hb concentration was positively correlated with the serum levels of surfactant protein (SP)-A (r=0.38), SP-D (r=0.39), and the inflammation index (calculated from HRCT; r=0.57) and was negatively correlated with the partial pressure of oxygen in the arterial blood (r=-0.56) and the predicted diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (r=-0.61). The CO-Hb concentrations in subjects with a negative heart sign on 67 Ga scintigraphy were higher than those in subjects without a negative heart sign (1.4±0.5% vs. 1.1±0.3%, p=0.018). Conclusion The CO-Hb levels of subjects with ILD were increased, particularly during an exacerbation, and were correlated with the parameters that reflect pulmonary inflammation.

Area detection of uterine peristalsis using cine-MR images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Tetsuo; Fujita, Nao; Nakai, Asako; Togashi, Kaori; Kuhara, Shigehide; Okada, Tomohisa

2011-01-01

In this paper, a technique for evaluating uterine peristalsis obtained by magnetic resonance images is proposed. Uterine peristalsis is the wavelike movement of uterine muscle contractions with rhythm and direction. Correlation between direction of uterine peristalsis and menstrual cycle has been reported, which is supposed to help sperm transpotation and implantation. While evaluation of uterine peristalsis has been done, they are very subjective and no quantitative evaluation has been established. In the proposed method the peristalsis area and their contraction intensity were calculated. The points of uterine peristalsis was estimated by the spatio-temporal map, which reflect the time series behavior of the intensities around points set on uterine endometrial boundaries. Then peristalsis area was decided as the estimated points. The contraction intensity was defined as the ratio of the signal intensity change in the peristalsis area. (author)

Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis for the 100-N Area Ancillary Facilities and Integration Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukherjee, B.

1997-09-01

This document presents the results of an engineering evaluation/cost analysis (EE/CA) that was conducted to evaluate alternatives for addressing final disposition of contaminated buildings and structures in the 100-N Area of the Hanford Site. The Hanford Site is located in southeastern Washington State and is owned by the U.S. Government and operated by the U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (RL). In November 1989, the 100 Area of the Hanford Site (as well as the 200, 300, and 1100 Areas) was placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List (NPL) under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980. The 100 Area NPL includes the 100-N Area, which is in various stages of the remediation process. It has been determined by RL that hazardous substances in the 100-N Area ancillary facilities may present a potential threat to human health or the environment, and that a non-time critical removal action at these facilities is warranted. To help determine the most appropriate action, RL, in cooperation with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the EPA, has prepared this EE/CA. The scope of the evaluation includes the inactive contaminated ancillary facilities in the 100-N Area, the facilities residing in the buffer zone, and the Hanford Generating Plant (HGP) and the solid waste management units (SWMUs) inside HGP support facilities. The 105-N Reactor and 109-N Heat Exchange facilities are excluded from this EE/CA evaluation

Usefulness of an accelerated transoesophageal stress echocardiography in the preoperative evaluation of high risk severely obese subjects awaiting bariatric surgery

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Tessier Michel

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Severe obesity is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD. Bariatric surgery is an effective procedure for long term weight management as well as reduction of comorbidities. Preoperative evaluation of cardiac operative risk may often be necessary but unfortunately standard imaging techniques are often suboptimal in these subjects. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility, safety and utility of transesophageal dobutamine stress echocardiography (TE-DSE using an adapted accelerated dobutamine infusion protocol in severely obese subjects with comorbidities being evaluated for bariatric surgery for assessing the presence of myocardial ischemia. Methods Subjects with severe obesity [body mass index (BMI >40 kg/m2] with known or suspected CAD and being evaluated for bariatric surgery were recruited. Results Twenty subjects (9M/11F, aged 50 ± 8 years (mean ± SD, weighing 141 ± 21 kg and with a BMI of 50 ± 5 kg/m2 were enrolled in the study and underwent a TE-DSE. The accelerated dobutamine infusion protocol used was well tolerated. Eighteen (90% subjects reached their target heart rate with a mean intubation time of 13 ± 4 minutes. Mean dobutamine dose was 31.5 ± 9.9 ug/kg/min while mean atropine dose was 0.5 ± 0.3 mg. TE-DSE was well tolerated by all subjects without complications including no significant arrhythmia, hypotension or reduction in blood arterial saturation. Two subjects had abnormal TE-DSE suggestive of myocardial ischemia. All patients underwent bariatric surgery with no documented cardiovascular complications. Conclusions TE-DSE using an accelerated infusion protocol is a safe and well tolerated imaging technique for the evaluation of suspected myocardial ischemia and cardiac operative risk in severely obese patients awaiting bariatric surgery. Moreover, the absence of myocardial ischemia on TE-DSE correlates well with a low operative risk of cardiac event.

Evaluating the role of collaborative planning in BC's Parks and Protected Areas Management Planning process

OpenAIRE

Ronmark, Tracy

2005-01-01

BC's protected areas system has recently doubled in size as a result of land use planning across the province. Managing protected areas to meet many goals requires thoughtful planning that involves stakeholder participation and dispute resolution through the plan development and implementation stages. This research identifies the best practices for planning and evaluates protected areas management planning processes based on those criteria. Evaluative criteria were developed from a literature...

Effect of Biopolishing On Warm–Cool Feeling of Knitted Fabric: A Subjective and An Objective Evaluations

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Mangat Asif

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Soft and clean surface of fabric without any floating fibers is one of the factors important for better marketing of clothing. The most common method for having such clean fabric surface is the removal of protruding (floating fiber from the surface of the fabric. Many studies have proved that enzymatic treatment, commonly called biopolishing, removes the floating fibers from the surface of fabric and gives a smooth surface to the fabric. This study is an effort to assess and measure the impact of biopolishing of knitted fabric through objective and subjective evaluation on warm-cool feeling of fabric because of change in surface profile of the fabric. For testing purposes, 31 knitted fabric samples of various kinds were produced. Alambeta has been used for measuring thermal absorptivity values of fabric. Thermal absorptivity is an indicator of warm-cool feeling. For subjective evaluation, a group of 30 people were asked to give their opinion about warm-cool feeling. Both subjective and objective assessments confirm that biopolishing has a significant impact on warm-cool feeling. Fabric gives cool feeling after biopolishing. This study explores that clean surface will have higher thermal absorptivity and will give cool feeling when it will be touched by human skin.

Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Glass Fiber Posts Subjected to Laser Surface Treatments.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbosa Siqueira, Carolina; Spadini de Faria, Natália; Raucci-Neto, Walter; Colucci, Vivian; Alves Gomes, Erica

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of laser irradiation on flexural strength, elastic modulus, and surface roughness and morphology of glass fiber posts (GFPs). Laser treatment of GFPs has been introduced to improve its adhesion properties. A total of 40 GFPs were divided into 4 groups according to the irradiation protocol: GC-no irradiation, GYAG-irradiation with erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet [Er:YAG], GCR-irradiation with erbium, chromium:yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG), and GDI-irradiation with diode laser. The GFP roughness and morphology were evaluated through laser confocal microscopy before and after surface treatment. Three-point bending flexural test measured flexural strength and elastic modulus. Data about elastic modulus and flexural strength were subjected to one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni test (p properties of GFPs.

Evaluating the effectiveness of protected areas for maintaining biodiversity, securing habitats, and reducing threats

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Geldmann, Jonas

of this thesis has been to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of protected area in securing biodiversity, by evaluating their ability to either improve conservation responses, the state of biodiversity, or alternatively to reduce the human pressures responsible for the loss of biodiversity. The scope......Protected areas are amongst the most important conservation responses to halt the loss of biodiversity and cover more than 12.7% of the terrestrial surface of earth. Likewise, protected areas are an important political instrument and a key component of the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD......); seeking to protect at least 17% of the terrestrial surface and 10% of the coastal and marine areas by 2020. Protected areas are expected to deliver on many different objectives covering biodiversity, climate change mitigation, local livelihood, and cultural & esthetic values. Within each...

Experimental research of the yielding behavior of a graphite cylinder subjected to line loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Hetong; Ma Qinwei; Ma Shaopeng; Wang Hongtao

2014-01-01

The graphite material cylinders are widely used in High-temperature gas-cooled reactor as connecting components. For engineering design, the deformation behavior, especially the yielding process of the graphite cylinder should be investigated in order to evaluate the carrying capacity of the cylinder. The yielding formation and propagation of a graphite cylinder subjected to line loading, which corresponds to the global behavior of the structure, was experimentally studied and evaluated by measuring the strain fields on the end of the cylinder using Digital Image Correlation. The global behavior of the structure is expressed by a relationship between the average stress (load divided by contact area) and the equivalent strain (ratio of half width of contact area to radius of the cylinder), the contact area was measured by identifying the color area of the pressure film in a new experiment which graphite component is loaded and unloaded continuously. A correspondence between the yielding state and the nonlinearity of the global behavior was constructed, as loading was increased, the cylinder was found to first yield at a specific point after which a yielding core formed and propagated. Before the yielding core propagated to the surface of the cylinder, the global behavior of the structure remained linear. After the yielding core propagated to the surface of the cylinder, the global behavior became nonlinear. The correspondence constructed in the paper will be helpful to understand the failure process and to evaluate the carrying capacity of a graphite cylinder subjected to line loading in reactors. (author)

Distinguishing medication-free subjects with unipolar disorder from subjects with bipolar disorder: state matters.

Science.gov (United States)

Rive, Maria M; Redlich, Ronny; Schmaal, Lianne; Marquand, André F; Dannlowski, Udo; Grotegerd, Dominik; Veltman, Dick J; Schene, Aart H; Ruhé, Henricus G

2016-11-01

Recent studies have indicated that pattern recognition techniques of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data for individual classification may be valuable for distinguishing between major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD). Importantly, medication may have affected previous classification results as subjects with MDD and BD use different classes of medication. Furthermore, almost all studies have investigated only depressed subjects. Therefore, we focused on medication-free subjects. We additionally investigated whether classification would be mood state independent by including depressed and remitted subjects alike. We applied Gaussian process classifiers to investigate the discriminatory power of structural MRI (gray matter volumes of emotion regulation areas) and resting-state fMRI (resting-state networks implicated in mood disorders: default mode network [DMN], salience network [SN], and lateralized frontoparietal networks [FPNs]) in depressed (n=42) and remitted (n=49) medication-free subjects with MDD and BD. Depressed subjects with MDD and BD could be classified based on the gray matter volumes of emotion regulation areas as well as DMN functional connectivity with 69.1% prediction accuracy. Prediction accuracy using the FPNs and SN did not exceed chance level. It was not possible to discriminate between remitted subjects with MDD and BD. For the first time, we showed that medication-free subjects with MDD and BD can be differentiated based on structural MRI as well as resting-state functional connectivity. Importantly, the results indicated that research concerning diagnostic neuroimaging tools distinguishing between MDD and BD should consider mood state as only depressed subjects with MDD and BD could be correctly classified. Future studies, in larger samples are needed to investigate whether the results can be generalized to medication-naïve or first-episode subjects. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley

Cerebral atrophy in elderly with subjective memory complaints.

Science.gov (United States)

Palm, Walter M; Ferrarini, Luca; van der Flier, Wiesje M; Westendorp, Rudi G J; Bollen, Eduard L E M; Middelkoop, Huub A M; Milles, Julien R; van der Grond, Jeroen; van Buchem, Mark A

2013-08-01

To evaluate ventricular shape differences along the complete surface of the lateral and third ventricles of persons with subjective memory complaints (MC). We included 28 controls and 21 persons with MC. FLAIR, T2, and PD-weighted brain MRI scans were acquired at 1.5 Tesla, followed by semi-automated segmentation of the lateral and third ventricles, and local shape difference analysis based on growing and adaptive meshes. Ventricular meshes were used to highlight local areas with significant differences between controls and persons with MC, determined by permutation tests with a predefined threshold (P = 0.01). Compared with control subjects, relevant differences were found in the shape of the ventricular surface adjacent to the thalamus and corona radiata in persons with MC. Before correction for multiple comparisons, relevant differences were also found in the shape of the ventricular surface adjacent to the corpus callosum, hippocampus, and amydala. Our findings suggest the presence of localized structural brain differences in patients with subjective memory complaints in the thalamus and the corona radiata. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram scheme and out of pocket expenditure in a rural area of Northern India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandeep Chaudhary

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The stagnant performance of countries with regard to maternal and child health is linked to low investment in health and out of pocket expenditure (OOP. To address issue of OOP expenses related to maternal and newborn care, Janani Shishu SUraksha Karyakram (JSSK was launched in the year 2011 in Mewat district of Haryana with the objective to eliminate OOP expenses of obstetric women and sick infants. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was undertaken in rural area of Haryana to know the utilization of JSSK scheme and OOP expenditure. A total of 200 delivered mothers were included as study subjects. The study was conducted from July 20113 to September 2014. Results: Out of 200, 134 subjects delivered in government institutions and hence were eligible for benefits of JSSK scheme. Twenty nine percent of deliveries occurred in private facilities and 17% newborns were sick within 30 days of birth. OOP expenditure was done by 83.5% subjects with median amount Rs. 1100. Most common suggestions given by subjects were the availability of ultrasound facility, cooperative staff and crowd management in hospitals. Conclusion: For reducing OOP expenses, up-gradation and constant supervision is required to maintain the adequacy of services. More evaluation studies need to be conducted to know the utilization pattern of JSSK so as to improve the coverage and removing the bottlenecks to further increase the utilization of JSSK scheme.

Are area-based initiatives able to improve area safety in deprived areas? A quasi-experimental evaluation of the Dutch District Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Daniëlle; Jongeneel-Grimen, Birthe; Stronks, Karien; Droomers, Mariël; Kunst, Anton E

2015-07-28

Numerous area-based initiatives have been implemented in deprived areas across Western-Europe with the aim to improve the socio-economic and environmental conditions in these areas. Only few of these initiatives have been scientifically evaluated for their impact on key social determinants of health, like perceived area safety. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of a Dutch area-based initiative called the District Approach on trends in perceived area safety and underlying problems in deprived target districts. A quasi-experimental design was used. Repeated cross-sectional data on perceived area safety and underlying problems were obtained from the National Safety Monitor (2005-2008) and its successor the Integrated Safety Monitor (2008-2011). Study population consisted of 133,522 Dutch adults, including 3,595 adults from target districts. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed to assess trends in self-reported general safety, physical order, social order, and non-victimization before and after the start of the District Approach mid-2008. Trends in target districts were compared with trends in various control groups. Residents of target districts felt less safe, perceived less physical and social order, and were victimized more often than adults elsewhere in the Netherlands. For non-victimization, target districts showed a somewhat more positive change in trend after the start of the District Approach than the rest of the Netherlands or other deprived districts. Differences were only statistically significant in women, older adults, and lower educated adults. For general safety, physical order, and social order, there were no differences in trend change between target districts and control groups. Results suggest that the District Approach has been unable to improve perceptions of area safety and disorder in deprived areas, but that it did result in declining victimization rates.

Evaluating the effects of parking policy measures in nature areas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beunen, R.; Jaarsma, C.F.; Regnerus, H.D.

2006-01-01

Parking policy measures are widely used to manage cars in nature areas. Only with data from long-term monitoring projects is it possible to separate ¿normal¿ fluctuation in the number of cars from fluctuation caused by trends or caused by the effects of these measures. An evaluation of measures

Patterns of Oral Choice and Evaluation across Secondary Content Areas

Science.gov (United States)

Gleason, Jesse; Berg, Margaret; Huang, Jingzi

2018-01-01

Our study focuses on Choice and Evaluation, two of Mohan's knowledge structures to uncover how teachers and students across content areas developed disciplinary knowledge through classroom talk. Participants included in-service teachers and their students in rural and urban secondary schools in the Eastern and Western US. Through Choice and…

44 CFR 65.11 - Evaluation of sand dunes in mapping coastal flood hazard areas.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... mapping coastal flood hazard areas. 65.11 Section 65.11 Emergency Management and Assistance FEDERAL... Insurance Program IDENTIFICATION AND MAPPING OF SPECIAL HAZARD AREAS § 65.11 Evaluation of sand dunes in mapping coastal flood hazard areas. (a) General conditions. For purposes of the NFIP, FEMA will consider...

Temperature measurement and control system for transtibial prostheses: Single subject clinical evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghoseiri, Kamiar; Zheng, Yong Ping; Leung, Aaron K L; Rahgozar, Mehdi; Aminian, Gholamreza; Masoumi, Mehdi; Safari, Mohammad Reza

2018-01-01

The snug fit of a prosthetic socket over the residual limb can disturb thermal balance and put skin integrity in jeopardy by providing an unpleasant and infectious environment. The prototype of a temperature measurement and control (TM&C) system was previously introduced to resolve thermal problems related to prostheses. This study evaluates its clinical application in a setting with reversal, single subject design. The TM&C system was installed on a fabricated prosthetic socket of a man with unilateral transtibial amputation. Skin temperature of the residual limb without prosthesis at baseline and with prosthesis during rest and walking was evaluated. The thermal sense and thermal comfort of the participant were also evaluated. The results showed different skin temperature around the residual limb with a temperature decrease tendency from proximal to distal. The TM&C system decreased skin temperature rise after prosthesis wearing. The same situation occurred during walking, but the thermal power of the TM&C system was insufficient to overcome heat build-up in some regions of the residual limb. The participant reported no significant change of thermal sense and thermal comfort. Further investigations are warranted to examine thermography pattern of the residual limb, thermal sense, and thermal comfort in people with amputation.

Secondary Data Analyses of Subjective Outcome Evaluation Data Based on Nine Databases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel T. L. Shek

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes in Hong Kong by analyzing 1,327 school-based program reports submitted by program implementers. In each report, program implementers were invited to write down five conclusions based on an integration of the subjective outcome evaluation data collected from the program participants and program implementers. Secondary data analyses were carried out by aggregating nine databases, with 14,390 meaningful units extracted from 6,618 conclusions. Results showed that most of the conclusions were positive in nature. The findings generally showed that the workers perceived the program and program implementers to be positive, and they also pointed out that the program could promote holistic development of the program participants in societal, familial, interpersonal, and personal aspects. However, difficulties encountered during program implementation (2.15% and recommendations for improvement were also reported (16.26%. In conjunction with the evaluation findings based on other strategies, the present study suggests that the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. is beneficial to the holistic development of the program participants.

Effect of toe-spread-out exercise on hallux valgus angle and cross-sectional area of abductor hallucis muscle in subjects with hallux valgus.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Moon-Hwan; Yi, Chung-Hwi; Weon, Jong-Hyuck; Cynn, Heon-Seock; Jung, Do-Young; Kwon, Oh-Yun

2015-04-01

[Purpose] This study investigated whether the toe-spread-out exercise affects the hallux valgus angle, the cross-sectional area of the abductor hallucis muscle, and the hallux valgus angle during active abduction. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-four subjects with hallux valgus were randomly assigned to orthosis and orthosis plus toe-spread-out exercise groups. The orthosis group wore the orthosis for 8 weeks, while the orthosis plus toe-spread-out group also performed the toe-spread-out exercise. The hallux valgus angle, the cross-sectional area of the abductor hallucis muscle, and the hallux valgus angle during active abduction were measured initially and after 8 weeks by radiography and ultrasonography. [Results] While there were no significant changes in the three parameters in the orthosis group, there were significant differences in the orthosis plus toe-spread-out exercise group after 8 weeks. In addition there were significant differences in the three measures between the two groups. [Conclusion] The toe-spread-out exercise reduces the hallux valgus angle and hallux valgus angle during active abduction, and increases the cross-sectional area of the abductor hallucis muscle. The toe-spread-out exercise is recommended for patients with mild to moderate hallux valgus.

Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Momelotinib in Subjects With Hepatic or Renal Impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Xin, Yan; Kawashima, Jun; Weng, Winnie; Kwan, Ellen; Tarnowski, Thomas; Silverman, Jeffrey A

2018-04-01

Momelotinib is a Janus kinase 1/2 inhibitor in clinical development for the treatment of myelofibrosis. Two phase 1 open-label, parallel-group, adaptive studies were conducted to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of a single 200-mg oral dose of momelotinib in subjects with hepatic or renal impairment compared with healthy matched control subjects with normal hepatic or renal function. Plasma pharmacokinetics of momelotinib and its major active metabolite, M21, were evaluated, and geometric least-squares mean ratios (GMRs) and associated 90% confidence intervals (CIs) for impaired versus each control group were calculated for plasma exposures (area under concentration-time curve from time 0 to ∞ [AUC ∞ ] and maximum concentration) of momelotinib and M21. There was no clinically significant difference in plasma exposures of momelotinib and M21 between subjects with moderate or severe renal impairment or moderate hepatic impairment and healthy control subjects. Compared with healthy control subjects, momelotinib AUC ∞ was increased (GMR, 197%; 90%CI, 129%-301%), and M21 AUC ∞ was decreased (GMR, 52%; 90%CI, 34%-79%) in subjects with severe hepatic impairment. The safety profile following a single dose of momelotinib was similar between subjects with hepatic or renal dysfunction and healthy control subjects. These pharmacokinetic and safety results indicate that dose adjustment is not necessary for momelotinib in patients with renal impairment or mild to moderate hepatic impairment. In patients with severe hepatic impairment, however, the dose of momelotinib should be reduced. © 2017, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Development of two-group interfacial area transport equation for confined flow-2. Model evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Xiaodong; Kim, Seungjin; Ishii, Mamoru; Beus, Stephen G.

2003-01-01

The bubble interaction mechanisms have been analytically modeled in the first paper of this series to provide mechanistic constitutive relations for the two-group interfacial area transport equation (IATE), which was proposed to dynamically solve the interfacial area concentration in the two-fluid model. This paper presents the evaluation approach and results of the two-group IATE based on available experimental data obtained in confined flow, namely, 11 data sets in or near bubbly flow and 13 sets in cap-turbulent and churn-turbulent flow. The two-group IATE is evaluated in steady state, one-dimensional form. Also, since the experiments were performed under adiabatic, air-water two-phase flow conditions, the phase change effect is omitted in the evaluation. To account for the inter-group bubble transport, the void fraction transport equation for Group-2 bubbles is also used to predict the void fraction for Group-2 bubbles. Agreement between the data and the model predictions is reasonably good and the average relative difference for the total interfacial area concentration between the 24 data sets and predictions is within 7%. The model evaluation demonstrates the capability of the two-group IATE focused on the current confined flow to predict the interfacial area concentration over a wide range of flow regimes. (author)

A method for the automatic quantification of the completeness of pulmonary fissures: evaluation in a database of subjects with severe emphysema

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rikxoort, Eva M. van; Goldin, Jonathan G.; Galperin-Aizenberg, Maya; Abtin, Fereidoun; Kim, Hyun J.; Lu, Peiyun; Shaw, Greg; Brown, Matthew S. [University of California-Los Angeles, Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers and Thoracic Imaging Research Group, Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Ginneken, Bram van [Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Diagnostic Image Analysis Group, Department of Radiology, Nijmegen (Netherlands); University Medical Center Utrecht, Image Sciences Institute, Department of Radiology, Utrecht (Netherlands)

2012-02-15

To propose and evaluate a technique for automatic quantification of fissural completeness from chest computed tomography (CT) in a database of subjects with severe emphysema. Ninety-six CT studies of patients with severe emphysema were included. The lungs, fissures and lobes were automatically segmented. The completeness of the fissures was calculated as the percentage of the lobar border defined by a fissure. The completeness score of the automatic method was compared with a visual consensus read by three radiologists using boxplots, rank sum tests and ROC analysis. The consensus read found 49% (47/96), 15% (14/96) and 67% (64/96) of the right major, right minor and left major fissures to be complete. For all fissures visually assessed as being complete the automatic method resulted in significantly higher completeness scores (mean 92.78%) than for those assessed as being partial or absent (mean 77.16%; all p values <0.001). The areas under the curves for the automatic fissural completeness were 0.88, 0.91 and 0.83 for the right major, right minor and left major fissures respectively. An automatic method is able to quantify fissural completeness in a cohort of subjects with severe emphysema consistent with a visual consensus read of three radiologists. (orig.)

Evaluation of the Possibility of Cultivation of Eggplant and Common Vetch in a Mercury Contaminated Area; Evaluacion de la posibilidad de cultivo de veza y berenjena en un area contaminada con mercurio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sierra, M J; Millan, R; Esteban, E

2006-12-18

This study is framed in the project Recuperacion de Terrenos Afectados por Mercurio Ambiental (RETAMA) which determines the behaviour of mercury in the soil-plant system within the area of Almaden. It forms part of experimental work of doctoral thesis carried out by Maria Jose Sierra and directed by Rocio Millan and Elvira Esteban. The objective of this work was to study the mercury absorption capacity of Solanum melongena (eggplant) and Vicia sativa (common vetch), and the distribution of this metal in this crop. The possible use of eggplant culture as an economic alternative in a mercury contaminated area has been evaluated. The present study has been carried out using a soil from the mercury mining district of Almaden (Spain). The total mercury concentration of this soil is 14.16 + 0.65 mg kg-1 on average. The selected crops are typical in the area of study, eggplant is much appreciated for human consumption and common vetch is an important forage crop. At the end of the document (Anexo V) a critical reading of several articles related to the study subject have been enclosed. (Author) 50 refs.

Renal Function and Ultrasound Imaging in Elderly Subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luca Zanoli

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We evaluated in elderly subjects (a the ability of GFR formulas to discriminate chronic kidney disease (CKD, (b the correlation between renal morphology and function, and (c the usefulness of combined r-US and GFR formulas to detect CKD. A total of 72 patients were enrolled (mean age 80 ± 7 years, male sex 44%, serum creatinine 0.98 ± 0.42 mg/dL, and CKD 57%. Cockcroft-Gault showed the highest sensitivity (78% and specificity (94% for CKD and was correlated with kidney volume (R=0.68, P<0.001. All formulas failed to provide a reliable estimate of GFR. In multivariate analysis, Cockcroft-Gault < 52 mL/min and kidney sinus section area < 28 cm2 showed the highest accuracy for the identification of CKD subjects (AUC 0.90, P<0.001. MDRD and CKD-EPI differed significantly for GFR ≥90 mL/min. Conclusions. Cockcroft-Gault < 52 mL/min was able to discriminate subjects with CKD but all formulas failed to provide a reliable estimate of GFR. The combined use of r-US and Cockcroft-Gault formula improved the ability to discriminate CKD in elderly subjects.

Evaluation of performance, safety, subject acceptance, and compliance of a disposable autoinjector for subcutaneous injections in healthy volunteers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cecile Berteau

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Cecile Berteau1, Florence Schwarzenbach1, Yves Donazzolo2, Mathilde Latreille2, Julie Berube3, Herve Abry1, Joël Cotten1, Celine Feger1, Philippe E Laurent11BD Medical Pharmaceutical Systems, Le-Pont-de-Claix, 2Eurofins Optimed Clinical Research, Gières, France; 3Statistics, BD Corporate, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USAObjective: A disposable autoinjector was developed for subcutaneous (SC self-injection by patients with chronic diseases. To verify its performance and evaluate its acceptance, a clinical study was conducted in healthy volunteers, comparing SC injections performed by subjects using the autoinjector with SC injections performed by nurses using a syringe.Methods: This was a randomized, single-center, crossover study comparing SC self-injection using an autoinjector with SC nurse-administered injection using a syringe. Two volumes (0.2 mL and 1 mL were injected into healthy volunteers. Study objectives included assessment of the accuracy and consistency of the volume injected by the injection systems, and skin reaction and pain associated with the injection. The fluid depot in the SC tissue layer was evaluated by ultrasound. Subject acceptance was evaluated using questionnaires on attitudes and emotions towards the injection technique, and challenged by seeking the subjects’ preferred system for a final study injection or future treatment.Results: A total of 960 injections (480 with autoinjector, 480 with syringe were performed in 40 subjects. There were no significant differences in mean fluid leakage and injected volumes between the systems. Pain associated with the injection was significantly lower with the autoinjector than with the syringe. Local skin reaction at the injection site was overall satisfactory. Injections were appropriately performed by all subjects. At study end, all 40 subjects preferred the autoinjector for a final study injection and for future treatment.Conclusion: This study indicated that the autoinjector used by

Experimental study including subjective evaluations of mixing and displacement ventilation combined with radiant floor heating/cooling system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krajcik, Michal; Tomasi, Roberta; Simone, Angela

2013-01-01

Sixteen subjects evaluated the indoor environment in four experiments with different combinations of ventilation systems and radiant heating/cooling systems. In the first two tests, the simulated residential room was equipped either by a mixing ventilation system supplying warm air for space heat...

[Relationship between self-evaluation of their emotions and subjective adaptation to school among junior high school students].

Science.gov (United States)

Shimoda, Yoshiyuki; Ishizu, Kenichiro; Kashimura, Masami

2014-02-01

The effect of self-evaluation of emotions on subjective adaption to school was investigated among junior high school students (n = 217: 112 boys, 105 girls) who participated in a questionnaire survey. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that for boys "Infringement and maladjustment" differed based on their self-evaluation of anger and anxiety. For girls, on the other hand, the self-evaluation of anger alleviated psychological stress, worsened the "Relationship with the teacher" and the "Relationship with the class", whereas self-evaluation of anxiety played a role in increasing psychological stress and deteriorating the "Relationship with the class." Furthermore, negatively evaluating either anger or anxiety heightened the "Motivation for learning" in girls. These results suggest that the evaluation of emotions is different in boys and girls and for different emotions.

Evaluation of wireless Local Area Networks

Science.gov (United States)

McBee, Charles L.

1993-09-01

This thesis is an in-depth evaluation of the current wireless Local Area Network (LAN) technologies. Wireless LAN's consist of three technologies: they are infrared light, microwave, and spread spectrum. When the first wireless LAN's were introduced, they were unfavorably labeled slow, expensive, and unreliable. The wireless LAN's of today are competitively priced, more secure, easier to install, and provide equal to or greater than the data throughput of unshielded twisted pair cable. Wireless LAN's are best suited for organizations that move office staff frequently, buildings that have historical significance, or buildings that have asbestos. Additionally, an organization may realize a cost savings of between $300 to $1,200 each time a node is moved. Current wireless LAN technologies have a positive effect on LAN standards being developed by the Defense Information System Agency (DISA). DoD as a whole is beginning to focus on wireless LAN's and mobile communications. If system managers want to remain successful, they need to stay abreast of this technology.

Evaluating Basic Technology Instruction in Nigerian Secondary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

It is an important technique which when appropriately adopted results into effective teaching and learning of practical subjects. This study focused on identification of evaluating techniques aimed at improving the teaching of Basic technology in Edo State. The area of study comprises of the eighteen Local Government Areas ...

Recruiting phobic research subjects: effectiveness and cost.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaakko, T; Murtomaa, H; Milgrom, P; Getz, T; Ramsay, D S; Coldwell, S E

2001-01-01

Efficiently enrolling subjects is one of the most important and difficult aspects of a clinical trial. This prospective study evaluated strategies used in the recruitment of 144 dental injection phobics for a clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of combining alprazolam with exposure therapy. Three types of recruitment strategies were evaluated: paid advertising, free publicity, and professional referral. Sixty-three percent of subjects were enrolled using paid advertising (the majority of them from bus advertisements [27.0%], posters on the University of Washington campus [20.1%], and newspaper advertisements [13.2%]). Free publicity (eg, television coverage, word of mouth) yielded 18.8% of enrolled subjects and professionaL referrals 14.6% of subjects. The average cost (1996 dollars) of enrolling 1 subject was $79. Bus and poster advertising attracted more initial contacts and yielded the greatest enrollment.

Inhalation of road dust by human subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Takishima, T; Nakamura, M; Sasaki, M; Miyano, M; Yamaya, M; Sasaki, H

1987-11-01

We measured pneumomagnetic field strength (PMFS) in 42 healthy control subjects living in districts of Northern Japan with low levels of road dust pollution and in 39 healthy subjects living in areas with high levels of road dust pollution. Suspended road dust produced by studded tires increases from 30 micrograms/m3 during the summer season to levels as high as 400 micrograms/m3 during the snow season in the downtown areas of Sendai, Japan. Road dust retained in the lungs, containing 3% iron, was magnetized from the surface of the chest wall, and PMFS was measured. Three to 5 sequential PMFS measurements were made in each subject in March and October of 1984 and 1985, and in March 1986. The PMFS in control subjects in March 1984 was 37 +/- 14 pico-Tesla (mean +/- SD) and did not significantly differ from the PMFS in October 1984 or that in March 1985. In March 1984, the PMFS of the subjects in highly polluted areas was 95 +/- 100 pico-Tesla (mean +/- SD) and was significantly higher than that of control subjects (p less than 0.01) and subsequently decreased in March 1985 and in March 1986, corresponding to a decrease in suspended road dust brought about by a campaign to eliminate the use of studded tires. Our findings suggest that some road dust caused by studded tires is retained in the lungs.

Evaluation of Long-Term Cochlear Implant Use in Subjects With Acquired Unilateral Profound Hearing Loss: Focus on Binaural Auditory Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mertens, Griet; De Bodt, Marc; Van de Heyning, Paul

Cochlear implantation (CI) in subjects with unilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss was investigated. The authors of the present study demonstrated the binaural auditory outcomes in a 12- and 36-month prospective cohort outcome study. The present study aimed to do a long-term (LT) evaluation of the auditory outcomes in an analogous study group. LT evaluation was derived from 12 single-sided deaf (SSD) CI recipients and from 11 CI recipients with asymmetric hearing loss (AHL). A structured interview was conducted with each subjects. Speech perception in noise and sound localization were assessed in a CIOFF and in a CION condition. Four binaural effects were calculated: summation effect (S0N0), squelch effect (S0NCI), combined head shadow effect (SCIN0), and spatial release from masking (SRM). At the LT evaluation, the contribution of a CI or a bone conduction device on speech perception in noise was investigated in two challenging spatial configurations in the SSD group. All (23/23) subjects wore their CI 7 days a week at LT follow-up evaluation, which ranged from 3 to 10 years after implantation. In the SSD group, a significant combined head shadow effect of 3.17 dB and an SRM benefit of 4.33 dB were found. In the AHL group, on the other hand, the summation effect (2.00 dB), the squelch effect (2.67 dB), the combined head shadow effect (3.67 dB), and SRM benefit (2.00 dB) were significant at LT testing. In both the spatial challenging configurations, the speech in noise results was significantly worse in the condition with the bone conduction device compared with the unaided condition. No negative effect was found for the CION condition. A significant benefit in the CION condition was found for sound localization compared with the CIOFF condition in the SSD group and in the AHL group. All subjects wore their CI 7 days a week at LT follow-up evaluation. The presence of binaural effects has been demonstrated with speech in noise testing, sound localization

Physiological and subjective evaluation of a human-robot object hand-over task.

Science.gov (United States)

Dehais, Frédéric; Sisbot, Emrah Akin; Alami, Rachid; Causse, Mickaël

2011-11-01

In the context of task sharing between a robot companion and its human partners, the notions of safe and compliant hardware are not enough. It is necessary to guarantee ergonomic robot motions. Therefore, we have developed Human Aware Manipulation Planner (Sisbot et al., 2010), a motion planner specifically designed for human-robot object transfer by explicitly taking into account the legibility, the safety and the physical comfort of robot motions. The main objective of this research was to define precise subjective metrics to assess our planner when a human interacts with a robot in an object hand-over task. A second objective was to obtain quantitative data to evaluate the effect of this interaction. Given the short duration, the "relative ease" of the object hand-over task and its qualitative component, classical behavioral measures based on accuracy or reaction time were unsuitable to compare our gestures. In this perspective, we selected three measurements based on the galvanic skin conductance response, the deltoid muscle activity and the ocular activity. To test our assumptions and validate our planner, an experimental set-up involving Jido, a mobile manipulator robot, and a seated human was proposed. For the purpose of the experiment, we have defined three motions that combine different levels of legibility, safety and physical comfort values. After each robot gesture the participants were asked to rate them on a three dimensional subjective scale. It has appeared that the subjective data were in favor of our reference motion. Eventually the three motions elicited different physiological and ocular responses that could be used to partially discriminate them. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and the Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Damage Degree Evaluation of Earthquake Area Using UAV Aerial Image

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinhong Chen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV system and its aerial image analysis method are developed to evaluate the damage degree of earthquake area. Both the single-rotor and the six-rotor UAVs are used to capture the visible light image of ground targets. Five types of typical ground targets are considered for the damage degree evaluation: the building, the road, the mountain, the riverway, and the vegetation. When implementing the image analysis, first the Image Quality Evaluation Metrics (IQEMs, that is, the image contrast, the image blur, and the image noise, are used to assess the imaging definition. Second, once the image quality is qualified, the Gray Level Cooccurrence Matrix (GLCM texture feature, the Tamura texture feature, and the Gabor wavelet texture feature are computed. Third, the Support Vector Machine (SVM classifier is employed to evaluate the damage degree. Finally, a new damage degree evaluation (DDE index is defined to assess the damage intensity of earthquake. Many experiment results have verified the correctness of proposed system and method.

Energy Data Base: subject categories and scope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bost, D.E.

1985-03-01

The subject scope of the Energy Data Base (EDB) encompasses all DOE-sponsored research. Broadly defined, EDB subject scope includes all technological aspects of energy production, conversion, and efficient utilization, and the economic, social, and political aspects as well. Scope notes are provided to define the extent of interest in certain subject areas, particularly areas of basic research. Cross references between categories are provided to aid both the categorization of information and its retrieval. Citations entered into DOE's computerized bibliographic information system are assigned six-digit subject category numbers to broadly group information for storage, retrieval, and manipulation. These numbers are used in the preparation of printed documents, such as bibliographies and abstract journals, to arrange the citations and to aid searching on the DOE/RECON on-line system

Subjective evaluation of psychosocial well-being in children and youths with overweight or obesity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fonvig, Cilius Esmann; Hamann, Sophie Amalie; Nielsen, Tenna Ruest Haarmark

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of a multidisciplinary childhood obesity treatment programme on subjective evaluations of psychosocial well-being and quality of life. METHODS: This longitudinal observational study included 1291 children, adolescents and young adults, 6-22 years of age......, with overweight or obesity. At entry and after 2-82 months of obesity treatment, the patients evaluated the following domains of psychosocial well-being on a visual analogue scale: quality of life, mood, appetite, bullying, motivation for weight loss and body image satisfaction. The degree of overweight.......0001), independent of BMI SDS at entry. However, improvements in psychosocial well-being were also observed in those increasing their BMI SDS (n = 315). CONCLUSIONS: In a large group of children and youths, psychosocial well-being improved during a multidisciplinary childhood obesity treatment programme...

Evaluation of intrusion sensors and video assessment in areas of restricted passage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoover, C.E.; Ringler, C.E.

1996-04-01

This report discusses an evaluation of intrusion sensors and video assessment in areas of restricted passage. The discussion focuses on applications of sensors and video assessment in suspended ceilings and air ducts. It also includes current and proposed requirements for intrusion detection and assessment. Detection and nuisance alarm characteristics of selected sensors as well as assessment capabilities of low-cost board cameras were included in the evaluation

Evaluation of the external costs of energy production in the Helsinki metropolitan area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otterstroem, T.

1995-01-01

The aim of the research is to evaluate the external costs of energy production at Helsinki metropolitan area (Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa). The previously developed valorization method for effects on population centres is adjusted. All the main health, material and environmental effects will be taken into account in the research. The effects of emissions of the energy production of the Helsinki metropolitan area on concentrations of the impurities in the air and through them on human and environment will be evaluated. The estimates will be based on the relativistic fuels consumption and the emission data of Helsinki metropolitan area. Life-cycle reasoning will be applied so that the emissions of the main components of the fuels used in the metropolitan area will be included in the estimation. The cost-effectiveness of the investments will be estimated by comparing the environmental investments of energy boards with the external costs. The methods of this work can be applied to estimation of the profitability of energy production plants from the point of view of national economy also elsewhere in the country

In situ bioassays with Chironomus riparius larvae to biomonitor metal pollution in rivers and to evaluate the efficiency of restoration measures in mine areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faria, Mafalda S. [CESAM and Departamento de Biologia da Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal)], E-mail: mafaldafaria@sapo.pt; Lopes, Ricardo J. [CIBIO, Centro de Investigacao em Biodiversidade e Recursos Geneticos, Campus Agrario de Vairao, 4485-661 Vairao (Portugal); Malcato, Joao; Nogueira, Antonio J.A.; Soares, Amadeu M.V.M. [CESAM and Departamento de Biologia da Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal)

2008-01-15

In this study we evaluate the ability of an in situ bioassay with Chironomus riparius larvae, using larval development and growth as endpoints, to biomonitor water quality and to assess the biological recovery of metal contaminated freshwater ecosystems of mine areas that are subject of restoration measures. The bioassay was carried out in streams located near an abandoned goldmine in North Portugal, throughout an environmental rehabilitation of the mine (2002-2004). During this period, a decrease in the inhibition of larval growth in the metal contaminated stream was observed. The bioassay was also performed in streams located near an active tungsten mine in Central Portugal. Larval growth and development were highly inhibited in the stream that receives acid drainage from the tungsten mine and treated water from the AMD treatment station. The results indicate that the bioassay can be used to evaluate the efficiency of environmental restoration measures in mining areas. - In situ bioassays with Chironomus riparius larvae can be a suitable tool to monitor restoration efficiency after a long time of metallic sediment contamination.

In situ bioassays with Chironomus riparius larvae to biomonitor metal pollution in rivers and to evaluate the efficiency of restoration measures in mine areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faria, Mafalda S.; Lopes, Ricardo J.; Malcato, Joao; Nogueira, Antonio J.A.; Soares, Amadeu M.V.M.

2008-01-01

In this study we evaluate the ability of an in situ bioassay with Chironomus riparius larvae, using larval development and growth as endpoints, to biomonitor water quality and to assess the biological recovery of metal contaminated freshwater ecosystems of mine areas that are subject of restoration measures. The bioassay was carried out in streams located near an abandoned goldmine in North Portugal, throughout an environmental rehabilitation of the mine (2002-2004). During this period, a decrease in the inhibition of larval growth in the metal contaminated stream was observed. The bioassay was also performed in streams located near an active tungsten mine in Central Portugal. Larval growth and development were highly inhibited in the stream that receives acid drainage from the tungsten mine and treated water from the AMD treatment station. The results indicate that the bioassay can be used to evaluate the efficiency of environmental restoration measures in mining areas. - In situ bioassays with Chironomus riparius larvae can be a suitable tool to monitor restoration efficiency after a long time of metallic sediment contamination

Objective QbTest and subjective evaluation of stimulant treatment in adult attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Bijlenga, D; Jasperse, M; Gehlhaar, S K; Sandra Kooij, J J

2015-01-01

To evaluate the QbTest as an objective measure versus self-reported ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS) before and during stimulant treatment in adults with ADHD. We used the subjective ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS), and the objective computerized QbTest, which is a 20-minute unconditional identical pairs test that measures attention, impulsivity, and also hyperactivity using a motion-tracking system. Patients were assessed before (baseline) and during medical treatment with stimulants (follow-up) in an observational study design. Data of n=145 patients at baseline and n=82 patients at follow-up were analyzed. There were significant symptom reductions on all symptom domains, but correlations between the tests were weak. Improvement on the QbTest was independent of the patient's age, gender, educational level, ADHD subtype, co-morbid disorders, and use of other medications. Patients with worst QbTest results at baseline showed most improvement at follow-up. The QbTest was more sensitive to medication effects than the ADHD-RS. QbTest objectified clinical significant medication effect in 54% of patients who subjectively did not report any clinical effects. Symptoms dimensions of objective and subjective tests refer to different psychological constructs. The QbTest is a valuable addition to existing subjective measures to assess medication effects in ADHD patients who have difficulties reporting treatment effects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A research on indoor environments of an office building by occupants' subjective evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, S.W.; Kim, T.W.; Hong, W.H.

2008-01-01

Since modern workers spend more than 80 per cent of their time in indoor environments, it is important to make a comfortable indoor environment in order to maintain occupational health and to improve work efficiency and productivity. Not only are new offices bigger than ever before, the internal heat and air are controlled by a central air conditioning system, which do not allow occupant control. This study evaluated indoor environments of office buildings in an effort to understand how the indoor environment influences work efficiency. The study involved the use of a survey questionnaire to obtain occupants' subjective evaluation of indoor working environments of an office building in terms of thermal comfort, lighting, noise and air quality. The survey results indicated that the indoor environment interrupts the work of many workers. Neck, eye, skin and nasal symptoms were found to be the symptoms most related to the indoor environment, with temperature and humidity posing the greatest challenge. 9 refs., 9 tabs., 7 figs

A decision support system-based procedure for evaluation and monitoring of protected areas sustainability for the Mediterranean region

Science.gov (United States)

Pediaditi, K.; Buono, F.; Pompigna, F.; Bogliotti, C.; Nurlu, E.; Ladisa, G.; Petropoulos, G. P.

2011-10-01

Despite common acknowledgement of the value of protected areas as instruments in ensuring sustainability, and their promotion for the achievement of policies on halting the loss of biodiversity, there is no common approach today for monitoring and evaluating them. This paper presents a novel integrated nature conservation management procedure developed to monitor and evaluate the sustainability of Mediterranean protected areas. This procedure was successfully implemented and formally evaluated by protected area managers in six Mediterranean countries, results of which are presented here together with an overview of the web-based Decision Support System (DSS) developed to facilitate its wide adoption. The DSS and procedure has been designed and evaluated by managers as a useful tool, which facilitates and provides needed procedural guidance for protected area monitoring whilst minimizing input requirements to do so. The procedure and DSS were developed following a review of existing protected area assessment tools and a detailed primary investigation of the needs and capacity of its intended users. Essentially, the procedure and DSS guides provide the facilities for protected area managers, in following a participatory approach to develop a context-specific sustainability monitoring strategy, for their protected area. Consequently, the procedure is, by design, participatory, context specific, holistic and relevant to protected area management and institutional procedures. The procedure was piloted and formally evaluated in Greece, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Malta and Cyprus. Feedback collected from the pilot evaluations is also summarised herein.

Recent evaluations of crack-opening-area in circumferentially cracked pipes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rahman, S.; Brust, F.; Ghadiali, N.; Wilkowski, G.; Miura, N.

1997-04-01

Leak-before-break (LBB) analyses for circumferentially cracked pipes are currently being conducted in the nuclear industry to justify elimination of pipe whip restraints and jet shields which are present because of the expected dynamic effects from pipe rupture. The application of the LBB methodology frequently requires calculation of leak rates. The leak rates depend on the crack-opening area of the through-wall crack in the pipe. In addition to LBB analyses which assume a hypothetical flaw size, there is also interest in the integrity of actual leaking cracks corresponding to current leakage detection requirements in NRC Regulatory Guide 1.45, or for assessing temporary repair of Class 2 and 3 pipes that have leaks as are being evaluated in ASME Section XI. The objectives of this study were to review, evaluate, and refine current predictive models for performing crack-opening-area analyses of circumferentially cracked pipes. The results from twenty-five full-scale pipe fracture experiments, conducted in the Degraded Piping Program, the International Piping Integrity Research Group Program, and the Short Cracks in Piping and Piping Welds Program, were used to verify the analytical models. Standard statistical analyses were performed to assess used to verify the analytical models. Standard statistical analyses were performed to assess quantitatively the accuracy of the predictive models. The evaluation also involved finite element analyses for determining the crack-opening profile often needed to perform leak-rate calculations.

Evaluating alternative fuel treatment strategies to reduce wildfire losses in a Mediterranean area

Science.gov (United States)

Michele Salis; Maurizio Laconi; Alan A. Ager; Fermin J. Alcasena; Bachisio Arca; Olga Lozano; Ana Fernandes de Oliveira; Donatella Spano

2016-01-01

The goal of this work is to evaluate by a modeling approach the effectiveness of alternative fuel treatment strategies to reduce potential losses from wildfires in Mediterranean areas. We compared strategic fuel treatments located near specific human values vs random locations, and treated 3, 9 and 15% of a 68,000 ha study area located in Sardinia, Italy. The...

Vision as subjective perception; La vision, une perception subjective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reppas, J.B. [Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States). Biological Labs.; Dale, A.; Sereno, M.; Tootell, R.

1996-07-01

The human brain is not very different of the monkey`s one: at least, its visual cortex is organized as a similar scheme. Specialized areas in the movement analysis are found and others in the forms perception. In this work, the author tries to answer to the following questions: (1)why so many visual areas? What are exactly their role in vision? Thirteen years of experimentation have not allowed to answer to these questions. The cerebral NMR imaging gives the opportunity of understanding the subjective perception of the visual world. One step which is particularly described in this work is to know how the visual cortex reacts to the optical illusions. (O.M.).

Indicators for the Evaluation of Environmental Education, Interpretation and Information in Protected Areas

Science.gov (United States)

Sureda, Jaume; Oliver, Miquel F.; Castells, Margalida

2004-01-01

By petition of the regional government of the Balearic Islands (Spain), the authors of this article evaluated activities of environmental education, interpretation, and information carried out in the most important protected areas of these islands. The following is a presentation of the model of the evaluation that was developed. Based on the…

Chromosomal aberrations in subjects exposed to ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jovicic, D.; Milacic, S.; Kovacevic, R.; Tanaskovic, I.

2006-01-01

Occupational exposure is particularly delicate because of chronic exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation and its cumulative effect, where it is important to consider the biological response of body to given conditions of exposure. The objective of this study was the observation of the recovery of the DNA damages in subjects working in the radiation area in two different intervals.Group I, consisting of 30 subjects, was exposed to ionizing radiation and unstable chromosomal aberrations were identified. Group II included the same, re-examined subjects (30) 9 months later. It was verified that 5 (16.67%) subjects still had unstable chromosomal aberrations, although they had been excluded from radiation area Controls groups (C) consisted of 64 subjects that were not exposed to mutagenic agents.The comparison of the control group with the two studied groups revealed the reduction of the unstable aberrations (p<0.05). The total effective doses, which increased with the years spent in radiation area, reflected the yield of chromosomal aberrations. The presence of chromosomal aberrations in some subjects, after the exclusion from the ionising radiation exposure, suggests that the time needed for the recovery of the DNA damages is different, which indicates the individual differences in radiosensitivity as well as different of the reparatory cellular response. (author)

Evaluation of the Implementation of Good Handling Practices in Food and Beverage Areas of Hotels.

Science.gov (United States)

Serafim, A L; Hecktheuer, L H R; Stangarlin-Fiori, L; Medeiros, L B; Martello, L; Machado, C E

2015-11-01

Because of the major international-level events that have recently been held in Brazil, concerns about the sensory and hygienic-sanitary conditions of food have increased. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of good handling practices in food and beverage areas of hotels, with and without outsourced professional intervention. We evaluated 19 food and beverage areas in hotels in Porto Alegre, Rio do Sul, Brazil, using a checklist that was developed by a municipal surveillance team based on existing laws for good handling practices. The evaluation was done by a skilled professional in the food safety area on two occasions, at the beginning of the study (January to May 2013) and at the end (July to November 2014), and the establishments were classified as good, regular, or poor. After the baseline evaluation, an action plan listing the noncompliance found at each location was given to those responsible for the establishments, and a period of 1 year 6 months was stipulated for improvements to be made. In the repeat evaluation, those responsible for the establishments were asked whether they had hired an outsourced professional to assist them in the improvements. The hotels showed improvement during the repeat evaluation, but a significant increase in the percentage of overall adequacy was seen only in the food and beverages areas of the 12 hotels that used the intervention of an outsourced professional. The better percentage of adequacy in establishments with outsourced professional intervention underlines the importance of an external and impartial view of routine activities in the implementation of good handling practices.

Area recommendation report for the crystalline repository project: An evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, J.E.; Lowe, H.; Yurkovich, S.P.

1986-01-01

An evaluation is given of DOE's recommendation of the Elk River complex in North Carolina for siting the second repository. Twelve recommendations are made including a strong suggestion that the Cherokee Tribe appeal both through political and legal avenues for inclusion as an affected area primarily due to projected impacts upon economy and public health as a consequence of the potential for reduced tourism

Application of radioactive substances in research in nuclear medicine: current trends and radiation exposure to the study subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minkov, V.; Schwarz, E.R.; Bauer, B.; Nosske, D.; Erzberger, A.; Brix, G.

2001-01-01

Aim: Analysis of the application of radioactive substances in research in the field of nuclear medicine in human beings and of the resulting radiation exposure to study subjects. Methods: Assessment of applications for approval submitted in accordance with Paragraph 41 of the Radiation Protection Ordinance, evaluated by the Federal office for Radiation Protection together with the Federal Institute for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Products, within the period from 1997 to 1999. Results: The focus of the studies on the diagnostic application of radioactive substances in medicine evaluated has, since 1998, shifted from oncological to neurological and psychological aspects, while, at the same time, the number of PET studies increased constantly The proportion of healthy study subjects included in the diagnostic studies increased from 7 to 22%. The number of therapeutic applications of radioactive substances has, since 1997, undergone a three-fold increase, and in the process of this, the focus of attention lay within the area of radioimmuno-therapy and endovascular brachytherapy. The effective dose was, among up to 49% of the investigated healthy study subjects higher than 5 mSv, and among up to 6% of these subjects was at levels of over 20 mSv. Up to 22% of the patients received, within the scope of diagnostic studies, an effective dose of between 20 and 50 mSv. An exceeding of the 50 mSv limit occurred among up to 3% of the patients. Conclusions: In spite of the increasing numbers of PET applications, conventional nuclear medicine has maintained its importance in the field of medical research. Further developments in the areas of radiochemistry and molecular biology led to an increase in the importance of radio-immuno therapy. The evaluation of new radiopharmaceuticals and the extension of basic biomedical research, resulted in an increase in the proportion of healthy study subjects included in the studies. The radiation exposure among subjects resulting directly from

Effects of 1992 farming systems on ground-water quality at the management systems evaluation area near Princeton, Minnesota

Science.gov (United States)

Delin, G.N.; Landon, M.K.; Lamb, J.A.; Dowdy, R.H.

1995-01-01

The Management Systems Evaluation Area (MSEA) program was a multiscale, interagency initiative to evaluate the effects of agricultural systems on water quality in the midwest corn belt. The primary objective of the Minnesota MSEA was to evaluate the effects of ridge-tillage practices in a corn and soybean farming system on ground-water quality. The 65-hectare Minnesota MSEA was located in the Anoka Sand Plain near the town of Princeton, Minnesota. Three fanning systems were evaluated: corn-soybean rotation with ridge-tillage (areas B and D), sweet corn-potato rotation (areas A and C), and field corn in consecutive years (continuous corn; area E). Water samples were collected four different times per year from a network of 22 multiport wells and 29 observation wells installed in the saturated zone beneath and adjacent to the cropped areas.

A study on the activation of supplementary motor area in functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Gong Yong; Chung, Gyung Ho; Park, Hark Hoon; Oh, Hee Sul; Kim, Chong Soo; Chung, Jin Young

1999-01-01

To evaluate the activated zone of the supplementary motor area through motor and sensory stimulation of both hands by fMRI. Twenty-four healthy volunteers, ranging in age from 20 to 30 years, served as subjects. They were divided into four groups and performed one of the four activation tasks : complex movement, fine movement, touch sensation, heat sensation. Complex movement consisted of a finger task in which subjects flexed and extended all fingers repeatedly in union, without the fingers touching each other(group I). Fine movement involved a thumb task in which subjects flexed and extended the thumb repeatedly without touching the other fingers(group II). Touch sensation consisted of a palm task in which another person repeatedly drew a circle on the subject's palm (group III), and heat sensation involved of a palm task in which subject's palm was touched by another person with a 40 deg C water-bag (group IV). F-MRI was conducted on a commercial 1.5-T scanner equipped with echo-planar imaging. After overlapping images were obtained using a Z-s-core, and the mean/curve in the MR devices was evaluated, the activated zone of the supplementary motor area was also evalvated. Thirty-two of 48 images(20 of the 24 men) revealed activated zones in the supplementary motor area. In group I, activation was observed in five subjects, in three of whom it was bilateral (contralateral activation). In group II, activation was observed in five subjects, in one of whom it was bilateral. In group III, activation occurred in five subjects(bilateral in four, and contralateral in three), and In group IV, activation was also observed in five;in three of these it was bilateral. Using fMRI, and in association with motor and sensory tasks, the supplementary motor area was activated in 66.7% of healthy volunteers (32/48)

Evaluation of bacterial nanocellulose-based uniform wound dressing for large area skin transplantation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Lina [Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China); National Engineering Research Center for Nano-Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China); Zhou, Ping [Institute of Organ Transplant of Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China); Zhang, Shengmin [Advanced Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China); Yang, Guang, E-mail: yang_sunny@yahoo.com [Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China); National Engineering Research Center for Nano-Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2013-07-01

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) was biosynthesized by Gluconacetobacter xylinus. The surface area, physicochemical structure and morphology of the materials were characterized. Here provides a method for an efficient production of uniform BNC, which is beneficial for the fast characterization and evaluation of BNC. In vitro cytotoxicity of the materials was evaluated by the proliferation, the adhesion, the viability and the morphology of NIH/3T3 cells. Low cytotoxicity of the BNC was observed, and micrographs demonstrate a good proliferation and adhesion of NIH/3T3 cells on BNC. Large area full-thickness skin defects were made on the back of C57BL/6 mice in animal surgery. The wounds were transplanted with BNC films and the results compared to those in a control group. The rehabilitation of the wound surfaces and the pathological sections of mice were investigated and are discussed. Histological examinations demonstrated faster and better healing effect and lower inflammatory response in the BNC group than those in the control group. Preliminary results on wound dressings from BNC show a curative effect promoting the healing of epithelial tissue. BNC is a promising natural polymer with medical applications in wound dressings. - Highlights: • BNC is expected to be a promising material in wound healing and skin transplantation. • We studied surface area, physicochemical structures and morphology of uniform BNC. • Cyto-evaluation results of BNC-based wound dressing show a good biocompatibility. • Large area skin transplantation experiments suggest a good performance of healing.

Evaluation of bacterial nanocellulose-based uniform wound dressing for large area skin transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Lina; Zhou, Ping; Zhang, Shengmin; Yang, Guang

2013-01-01

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) was biosynthesized by Gluconacetobacter xylinus. The surface area, physicochemical structure and morphology of the materials were characterized. Here provides a method for an efficient production of uniform BNC, which is beneficial for the fast characterization and evaluation of BNC. In vitro cytotoxicity of the materials was evaluated by the proliferation, the adhesion, the viability and the morphology of NIH/3T3 cells. Low cytotoxicity of the BNC was observed, and micrographs demonstrate a good proliferation and adhesion of NIH/3T3 cells on BNC. Large area full-thickness skin defects were made on the back of C57BL/6 mice in animal surgery. The wounds were transplanted with BNC films and the results compared to those in a control group. The rehabilitation of the wound surfaces and the pathological sections of mice were investigated and are discussed. Histological examinations demonstrated faster and better healing effect and lower inflammatory response in the BNC group than those in the control group. Preliminary results on wound dressings from BNC show a curative effect promoting the healing of epithelial tissue. BNC is a promising natural polymer with medical applications in wound dressings. - Highlights: • BNC is expected to be a promising material in wound healing and skin transplantation. • We studied surface area, physicochemical structures and morphology of uniform BNC. • Cyto-evaluation results of BNC-based wound dressing show a good biocompatibility. • Large area skin transplantation experiments suggest a good performance of healing

Physiological and emotional responses to subjective social evaluative threat in daily life.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehman, Barbara J; Cane, Arianna C; Tallon, Shannon J; Smith, Stephanie F

2015-01-01

This study examined concurrent and delayed emotional and cardiovascular correlates of naturally occurring experiences with subjective social evaluative threat (SSET) and tested whether individual differences in social interaction anxiety moderated those associations. Sixty-eight participants wore ambulatory blood pressure monitors for three days. Following each blood pressure reading, participants reported on SSET and negative emotions, yielding 1770 momentary measures. Multilevel modeling suggested that reports of greater SSET uniquely predicted elevations in anxiety and embarrassment, with elevations in anxiety, embarrassment, and shame extending to the hour following SSET. Reports of concurrent and previous-hour SSET also predicted cardiovascular elevations. Linkages between SSET and anxiety and shame, but not cardiovascular measures, were moderated by social interaction anxiety. Those higher in social interaction anxiety showed especially strong associations between SSET and both concurrent and delayed anxiety and greater delayed shame. This research suggests an important role for anxiety, embarrassment, and shame as emotional consequences of naturally occurring evaluative threat, especially for those who are more socially anxious. Further, this work replicates other naturalistic studies that have documented increased blood pressure at times of SSET and extends that work by documenting cardiovascular responses into the following hour.

Objective and subjective evaluation of power plants and their non-radioactive emissions using the analytic hierarchy process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chatzimouratidis, Athanasios I.; Pilavachi, Petros A.

2007-01-01

Non-nuclear power plant emissions are of great concern to the public and to scientists alike. As energy demand tends to rise rapidly, especially in the developing countries, the negative effects to human health and to the environment from gaseous emissions together with hazardous particulate matter released by power plants can no longer be ignored. In this study, the impact of non-radioactive emissions is evaluated with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) by synthesizing objective and subjective criteria. There are five main emissions to be evaluated, non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC), carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 -eq), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) and particulates or particulate matter (PM). Objective evaluation is achieved by expressing the impact of each emission released in monetary terms following generally accepted market rules, international agreements and protocols. That is, the Euro per kilogram of each emission exceeding a specific limit that should be paid as a penalty for environmental pollution and human health damage. Subjective assessment requires an intuitive expression of the percentage of damage to human health and to the ecosystem that each emission causes. Sensitivity analysis is then used in order to examine how change of input data affects final results. Finally, 10 main types of power plant are evaluated according to the level and kind of emissions they release. These types are coal/lignite, oil, natural gas turbine, natural gas combined cycle (NGCC), nuclear, hydro, wind, photovoltaic, biomass and geothermal

Transport and solubility of Hetero-disperse dry deposition particulate matter subject to urban source area rainfall-runoff processes

Science.gov (United States)

Ying, G.; Sansalone, J.

2010-03-01

SummaryWith respect to hydrologic processes, the impervious pavement interface significantly alters relationships between rainfall and runoff. Commensurate with alteration of hydrologic processes the pavement also facilitates transport and solubility of dry deposition particulate matter (PM) in runoff. This study examines dry depositional flux rates, granulometric modification by runoff transport, as well as generation of total dissolved solids (TDS), alkalinity and conductivity in source area runoff resulting from PM solubility. PM is collected from a paved source area transportation corridor (I-10) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana encompassing 17 dry deposition and 8 runoff events. The mass-based granulometric particle size distribution (PSD) is measured and modeled through a cumulative gamma function, while PM surface area distributions across the PSD follow a log-normal distribution. Dry deposition flux rates are modeled as separate first-order exponential functions of previous dry hours (PDH) for PM and suspended, settleable and sediment fractions. When trans-located from dry deposition into runoff, PSDs are modified, with a d50m decreasing from 331 to 14 μm after transport and 60 min of settling. Solubility experiments as a function of pH, contact time and particle size using source area rainfall generate constitutive models to reproduce pH, alkalinity, TDS and alkalinity for historical events. Equilibrium pH, alkalinity and TDS are strongly influenced by particle size and contact times. The constitutive leaching models are combined with measured PSDs from a series of rainfall-runoff events to demonstrate that the model results replicate alkalinity and TDS in runoff from the subject watershed. Results illustrate the granulometry of dry deposition PM, modification of PSDs along the drainage pathway, and the role of PM solubility for generation of TDS, alkalinity and conductivity in urban source area rainfall-runoff.

Seaweed Fucoxanthin Supplementation Improves Obesity Parameters in Mild Obese Japanese Subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shoketsu Hitoe

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Fucoxanthin is a seaweed xanthophyll that has demonstrated an anti-obesity effect in rodents. However,clinical investigations of its influence on mildly obese subjects has not been performed. We conducted a clinical trial of fucoxanthin supplementation in Japanese obese subjects.Methods: We examined the effect of fucoxanthin (1 or 3 mg daily in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Capsules containing fucoxanthin or placebo capsules were administered for 4 weeks to male and female Japanese adults with a body mass index (BMI of more than 25 kg/m2. Before and after treatment, the body weight, body composition, abdominal fat area, and the circumferences of the neck, arm,and thigh were evaluated.Results: There was significant reduction of the relative (ratio versus before treatment body weight,BMI, and visceral fat area in the 3 mg/day fucoxanthin group compared to the placebo group. Relative values of total fat mass, subcutaneous fat area, waist circumference, and right thigh circumference were also significantly lower in the 1 mg/day fucoxanthin group than the placebo group. A significant decrease of the absoluteright thigh circumference was noted in the 1 mg/day fucoxanthin group compared to the placebo group. In the subjects ingesting fucoxanthin, there were no abnormalities of the blood pressure, pulse rate, blood parameters, and urinalysis parameters, which thereby suggests adverse effects.Conclusions: Fucoxanthin reduced body weight, BMI, and abdominal fat by acting on both visceraland subcutaneous fat. Consequently, Fucoxanthin may be able to improve a moderate overweight state in both men and women.

Urinary arsenic methylation capability and carotid atherosclerosis risk in subjects living in arsenicosis-hyperendemic areas in southwestern Taiwan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Y.-L. [Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Hsueh, Y.-M. [Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China)], E-mail: ymhsueh@tmu.edu.tw; Huang, Y.-K. [Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Yip, P.-K. [Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taiwan (China); Yang, M.-H. [Department of Nuclear Science, National Tsing-Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Chen, C.-J. [Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Graduate Institute of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University Taipei, Taiwan (China)

2009-04-01

Long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic from artesian drinking well water is associated with carotid atherosclerosis in the Blackfoot Disease (BFD)-hyperendemic area in Taiwan. The current study examined the arsenic methylation capacity and its risk on carotid atherosclerosis. A total of 304 adults (158 men and 146 women) residing in the BFD-hyperendemic area were included. The extent of carotid atherosclerosis was assessed by duplex ultrasonography. Chronic arsenic exposure was estimated by an index of cumulative arsenic exposure (CAE) and the duration of artesian well water consumption. Urinary levels of inorganic arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonic acid [MMA(V)] and dimethylarsinic acid [DMA(V)] were determined by high performance liquid chromatography linked on-line to a hydride generator and atomic absorption spectrometry (HPLC-HG-AAS). The percentage of arsenic species, primary methylation index [PMI = MMA(V) / (As(III) + As(V)] and secondary methylation index [SMI = DMA(V) / MMA(V)] were calculated and employed as indicators of arsenic methylation capacity. Results showed that women and younger subjects had a more efficient arsenic methylation capacity than did men and the elderly. Carotid atherosclerosis cases had a significantly greater percentage of MMA(V) [%MMA(V)] and a lower percentage of DMA [%DMA (V)] compared to controls. Subjects in the highest two tertiles of PMI with a median of CAE > 0 mg/L-year had an odds ratio (OR) and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of carotid atherosclerosis of 2.61 and 0.98-6.90 compared to those in the highest two tertiles of PMI with a CAE = 0 mg/L-year. We conclude that individuals with greater exposure to arsenic and lower capacity to methylate inorganic arsenic may be at a higher risk to carotid atherosclerosis.

Urinary arsenic methylation capability and carotid atherosclerosis risk in subjects living in arsenicosis-hyperendemic areas in southwestern Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Y.-L.; Hsueh, Y.-M.; Huang, Y.-K.; Yip, P.-K.; Yang, M.-H.; Chen, C.-J.

2009-01-01

Long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic from artesian drinking well water is associated with carotid atherosclerosis in the Blackfoot Disease (BFD)-hyperendemic area in Taiwan. The current study examined the arsenic methylation capacity and its risk on carotid atherosclerosis. A total of 304 adults (158 men and 146 women) residing in the BFD-hyperendemic area were included. The extent of carotid atherosclerosis was assessed by duplex ultrasonography. Chronic arsenic exposure was estimated by an index of cumulative arsenic exposure (CAE) and the duration of artesian well water consumption. Urinary levels of inorganic arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonic acid [MMA(V)] and dimethylarsinic acid [DMA(V)] were determined by high performance liquid chromatography linked on-line to a hydride generator and atomic absorption spectrometry (HPLC-HG-AAS). The percentage of arsenic species, primary methylation index [PMI = MMA(V) / (As(III) + As(V)] and secondary methylation index [SMI = DMA(V) / MMA(V)] were calculated and employed as indicators of arsenic methylation capacity. Results showed that women and younger subjects had a more efficient arsenic methylation capacity than did men and the elderly. Carotid atherosclerosis cases had a significantly greater percentage of MMA(V) [%MMA(V)] and a lower percentage of DMA [%DMA (V)] compared to controls. Subjects in the highest two tertiles of PMI with a median of CAE > 0 mg/L-year had an odds ratio (OR) and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of carotid atherosclerosis of 2.61 and 0.98-6.90 compared to those in the highest two tertiles of PMI with a CAE = 0 mg/L-year. We conclude that individuals with greater exposure to arsenic and lower capacity to methylate inorganic arsenic may be at a higher risk to carotid atherosclerosis

Evaluation of environmental radioactivity monitoring data around the Kartini Reactor area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yazid, M; Sutrisno; Sukarman-Aminjoyo; Zaenal-Abidin

1996-01-01

Evaluation of environmental radioactivity monitoring data around the Kartini Reactor area has been done. The aim of this investigation is for tracing the possibility of radioactivity released in the environment during the operation of Kartini reactor. The data was evaluated were monthly monitored data taken from 1986 to 1994 period. The method of analysis was done by comparing the environmental radioactivity data before and after reactor commissioning, off side the reactor up to a radius of 5.000 meters and more than 5.000 meters from Kartini reactor and also compared to the maximum permissible radioactivity according to the current regulation. This evaluation showed that there was no indication of radioactivity release to the environment during this period of reactor operation

Principal components analysis of an evaluation of the hemiplegic subject based on the Bobath approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Corriveau, H; Arsenault, A B; Dutil, E; Lepage, Y

1992-01-01

An evaluation based on the Bobath approach to treatment has previously been developed and partially validated. The purpose of the present study was to verify the content validity of this evaluation with the use of a statistical approach known as principal components analysis. Thirty-eight hemiplegic subjects participated in the study. Analysis of the scores on each of six parameters (sensorium, active movements, muscle tone, reflex activity, postural reactions, and pain) was evaluated on three occasions across a 2-month period. Each time this produced three factors that contained 70% of the variation in the data set. The first component mainly reflected variations in mobility, the second mainly variations in muscle tone, and the third mainly variations in sensorium and pain. The results of such exploratory analysis highlight the fact that some of the parameters are not only important but also interrelated. These results seem to partially support the conceptual framework substantiating the Bobath approach to treatment.

A review and evaluation of the Langley Research Center's Scientific and Technical Information Program. Results of phase 5. Design and evaluation of STI systems: A selected, annotated bibliography

Science.gov (United States)

Pinelli, T. E.; Hinnebusch, P. A.; Jaffe, J. M.

1981-01-01

A selected, annotated bibliography of literature citations related to the design and evaluation of STI systems is presented. The use of manual and machine-readable literature searches; the review of numerous books, periodicals reports, and papers; and the selection and annotation of literature citations were required. The bibliography was produced because the information was needed to develop the methodology for the review and evaluation project, and a survey of the literature did not reveal the existence of a single published source of information pertinent to the subject. Approximately 200 citations are classified in four subject areas. The areas include information - general; information systems - design and evaluation, including information products and services; information - use and need; and information - economics.

Evaluating Landscape Connectivity for Puma concolor and Panthera onca Among Atlantic Forest Protected Areas

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Castilho, Camila S.; Hackbart, Vivian C. S.; Pivello, Vânia R.; dos Santos, Rozely F.

2015-06-01

Strictly Protected Areas and riparian forests in Brazil are rarely large enough or connected enough to maintain viable populations of carnivores and animal movement over time, but these characteristics are fundamental for species conservation as they prevent the extinction of isolated animal populations. Therefore, the need to maintain connectivity for these species in human-dominated Atlantic landscapes is critical. In this study, we evaluated the landscape connectivity for large carnivores (cougar and jaguar) among the Strictly Protected Areas in the Atlantic Forest, evaluated the efficiency of the Mosaics of Protected Areas linked to land uses in promoting landscape connectivity, identified the critical habitat connections, and predicted the landscape connectivity status under the implementation of legislation for protecting riparian forests. The method was based on expert opinion translated into land use and land cover maps. The results show that the Protected Areas are still connected by a narrow band of landscape that is permeable to both species and that the Mosaics of Protected Areas increase the amount of protected area but fail to increase the connectivity between the forested mountain ranges (Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira). Riparian forests greatly increase connectivity, more than tripling the cougars' priority areas. We note that the selection of Brazilian protected areas still fails to create connectivity among the legally protected forest remnants. We recommend the immediate protection of the priority areas identified that would increase the structural landscape connectivity for these large carnivores, especially paths in the SE/NW direction between the two mountain ranges.

Evaluating Landscape Connectivity for Puma concolor and Panthera onca Among Atlantic Forest Protected Areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Castilho, Camila S; Hackbart, Vivian C S; Pivello, Vânia R; dos Santos, Rozely F

2015-06-01

Strictly Protected Areas and riparian forests in Brazil are rarely large enough or connected enough to maintain viable populations of carnivores and animal movement over time, but these characteristics are fundamental for species conservation as they prevent the extinction of isolated animal populations. Therefore, the need to maintain connectivity for these species in human-dominated Atlantic landscapes is critical. In this study, we evaluated the landscape connectivity for large carnivores (cougar and jaguar) among the Strictly Protected Areas in the Atlantic Forest, evaluated the efficiency of the Mosaics of Protected Areas linked to land uses in promoting landscape connectivity, identified the critical habitat connections, and predicted the landscape connectivity status under the implementation of legislation for protecting riparian forests. The method was based on expert opinion translated into land use and land cover maps. The results show that the Protected Areas are still connected by a narrow band of landscape that is permeable to both species and that the Mosaics of Protected Areas increase the amount of protected area but fail to increase the connectivity between the forested mountain ranges (Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira). Riparian forests greatly increase connectivity, more than tripling the cougars' priority areas. We note that the selection of Brazilian protected areas still fails to create connectivity among the legally protected forest remnants. We recommend the immediate protection of the priority areas identified that would increase the structural landscape connectivity for these large carnivores, especially paths in the SE/NW direction between the two mountain ranges.

Masticatory and cervical muscle tenderness and pain sensitivity in a remote area in subjects with a temporomandibular disorder and neck disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Silveira, Anelise; Armijo-Olivo, Susan; Gadotti, Inae C; Magee, David

2014-01-01

To compare the masticatory and cervical muscle tenderness and pain sensitivity in the hand (remote region) between patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and healthy controls. Twenty female subjects were diagnosed with chronic TMD, and 20 were considered healthy. Subjects completed the Neck Disability Index and Limitations of Daily Functions in a TMD questionnaire. Tenderness of the masticatory and cervical muscles and pain sensitivity in the hand were measured using an algometer. Three-way mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) evaluated differences in muscle tenderness between groups. One-way ANOVA compared pain sensitivity in the hand between groups. Effect sizes were assessed using Cohen guidelines. Significantly increased masticatory and cervical muscle tenderness and pain sensitivity in the hand were found in subjects with TMD when compared with healthy subjects. Moderate to high effect sizes showed the clinical relevance of the findings. The results of this study have highlighted the importance of assessing TMD patients not only in the craniofacial region but also in the neck and other parts of the body. Future studies should focus on testing the effectiveness of treatments addressing the neck and the pain sensitivity in the hand in patients with TMD.

Re-evaluation of the effectiveness of the central A/M Area recovery well network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haselow, J.S.

1991-06-01

A groundwater recovery well network has been operating in the central portion of the A/M Area of the Savannah River Site (SRS) since 1985 to retrieve chlorinated volatile organic solvents. In 1986, a groundwater modeling study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the recovery well network that included planned recovery wells (RWM 1 through 11) and process water wells (S. S. Papadopulous, 1986). Since the original modeling study, use of some of the process wells has discontinued and some pumping rates at other wells have changed. Also, the understanding of the hydrologic system in the A/M Area has improved because additional monitoring wells have been installed in the area. As a result, an updated groundwater flow model (Beaudoin et al., 1991) for the area was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing recovery network. The results of this study indicate that the estimated effectiveness of the recovery well has not changed dramatically since the original groundwater modeling study. However, slight differences do exist between the original study and this study because the recent model more accurately reflects the A/M Area subsurface hydrologic system

An evaluation of the hemiplegic subject based on the Bobath approach. Part III. A validation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Arsenault, A B; Dutil, E; Lambert, J; Corriveau, H; Guarna, F; Drouin, G

1988-01-01

Sixty-two hemiplegic subjects were treated with the Bobath approach for a period of three months. During this time they were evaluated on three occasions. The testing battery consisted of a Bobath evaluation, the Brunnstrom scale, the Fugl-Meyer test, the Upper Extremity Functional Test (UEFT) and the Present Pain Intensity (PPI) of the McGill pain questionnaire. A Friedman analysis of variance showed that, except for pain, all the protocols used disclosed significant progress (p less than 0.001) over time in terms of motor recovery. Except for pain, the results of the Bobath evaluation were significantly correlated (Spearman's Rho, p less than 0.001) with the results of the other testing procedures. It is concluded that the new Bobath evaluation proposed in a previous paper is as sensitive in depicting progress in motor recovery over time as are the other testing procedures used. Furthermore, this new evaluation seems to be measuring similar properties to the other tests. However, pain (PPI) appears not to be an important dependent variable.

A case study of full integration of the arts into core subject area instruction in one East Texas secondary school

Science.gov (United States)

Leysath, Maggie

This exploratory phenomenological case study investigated the influence the full integration of the arts into core subject instruction has on classroom environment, student academic achievement, and student engagement as perceived by administrators, teachers, and students in one East Texas secondary school. Participant interviews were analyzed using Creswell's (2012) six-step method for analyzing phenomenological studies. The researcher implemented three learning activities in which ceramics learning objectives were fully integrated with chemistry learning objectives. The first activity combined clay properties and pottery wheel throwing with significant numbers. The second activity combined glaze formulation with moles. The third combined stoichiometry with the increased glaze formula for students to glaze the bowls they made. Findings suggest the full integration of art in core subject area instruction has numerous positive effects. Participants reported improved academic achievement for all students including reluctant learners. Students, teachers, and the administrator reported greater participation in the art integrated activities. Participants perceived a need for further training for teachers and administrators for greater success.

Surface and ground waters evaluation at Brazilian Multiproposed Reactor installation area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stellato, Thamiris B.; Silva, Tatiane B.S.C.da; Soares, Sabrina M.V.; Faustino, Mainara G.; Marques, Joyce R.; Oliveira, Cintia C. de; Monteiro, Lucilena R.; Pires, Maria A.F.; Cotrim, Marycel E.B.

2017-01-01

This study evaluates six surface and ground waters physicochemical characteristics on the area of the future Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor (RMB), at Iperó/SP. One of the main goals is to establish reference values for future operation monitoring programs, as well as for environmental permits and regulation. Considering analyzed parameters, all collection points presented values within CONAMA Resolution 396/08 and 357/05 regulation limits, showing similar characteristics among collection points.Only two points groundwater (RMB-005 and RMB-006) presented higher alkalinity, total dissolved solids and conductivity. The studied area was considered in good environmental conservation condition, as far as water quality is concerned. (author)

Evaluating system reliability and targeted hardening strategies of power distribution systems subjected to hurricanes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salman, Abdullahi M.; Li, Yue; Stewart, Mark G.

2015-01-01

Over the years, power distribution systems have been vulnerable to extensive damage from hurricanes which can cause power outage resulting in millions of dollars of economic losses and restoration costs. Most of the outage is as a result of failure of distribution support structures. Over the years, various methods of strengthening distribution systems have been proposed and studied. Some of these methods, such as undergrounding of the system, have been shown to be unjustified from an economic point of view. A potential cost-effective strategy is targeted hardening of the system. This, however, requires a method of determining critical parts of a system that when strengthened, will have greater impact on reliability. This paper presents a framework for studying the effectiveness of targeted hardening strategies on power distribution systems subjected to hurricanes. The framework includes a methodology for evaluating system reliability that relates failure of poles and power delivery, determination of critical parts of a system, hurricane hazard analysis, and consideration of decay of distribution poles. The framework also incorporates cost analysis that considers economic losses due to power outage. A notional power distribution system is used to demonstrate the framework by evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of three hardening measures. - Highlight: • Risk assessment of power distribution systems subjected to hurricanes is carried out. • Framework for studying effectiveness of targeted hardening strategies is presented. • A system reliability method is proposed. • Targeted hardening is cost effective for existing systems. • Economic losses due to power outage should be considered for cost analysis.

Nutritional Status in Community-Dwelling Elderly in France in Urban and Rural Areas

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Torres, Marion J.; Dorigny, Béatrice; Kuhn, Mirjam; Berr, Claudine; Barberger-Gateau, Pascale; Letenneur, Luc

2014-01-01

Malnutrition is a frequent condition in elderly people, especially in nursing homes and geriatric wards. Its frequency is less well known among elderly living at home. The objective of this study was to describe the nutritional status evaluated by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) of elderly community-dwellers living in rural and urban areas in France and to investigate its associated factors. Methods Subjects aged 65 years and over from the Approche Multidisciplinaire Intégrée (AMI) cohort (692 subjects living in a rural area) and the Three-City (3C) cohort (8,691 subjects living in three large urban zones) were included. A proxy version of the MNA was reconstructed using available data from the AMI cohort. Sensitivity and specificity were used to evaluate the agreement between the proxy version and the standard version in AMI. The proxy MNA was computed in both cohorts to evaluate the frequency of poor nutritional status. Factors associated with this state were investigated in each cohort separately. Results In the rural sample, 38.0% were females and the mean age was 75.5 years. In the urban sample, 60.3% were females and the mean age was 74.1 years. Among subjects in living in the rural sample, 7.4% were in poor nutritional status while the proportion was 18.5% in the urban sample. Female gender, older age, being widowed, a low educational level, low income, low body mass index, being demented, having a depressive symptomatology, a loss of autonomy and an intake of more than 3 drugs appeared to be independently associated with poor nutritional status. Conclusion Poor nutritional status was commonly observed among elderly people living at home in both rural and urban areas. The associated factors should be further considered for targeting particularly vulnerable individuals. PMID:25133755

Nutritional status in community-dwelling elderly in France in urban and rural areas.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marion J Torres

Full Text Available Malnutrition is a frequent condition in elderly people, especially in nursing homes and geriatric wards. Its frequency is less well known among elderly living at home. The objective of this study was to describe the nutritional status evaluated by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA of elderly community-dwellers living in rural and urban areas in France and to investigate its associated factors.Subjects aged 65 years and over from the Approche Multidisciplinaire Intégrée (AMI cohort (692 subjects living in a rural area and the Three-City (3C cohort (8,691 subjects living in three large urban zones were included. A proxy version of the MNA was reconstructed using available data from the AMI cohort. Sensitivity and specificity were used to evaluate the agreement between the proxy version and the standard version in AMI. The proxy MNA was computed in both cohorts to evaluate the frequency of poor nutritional status. Factors associated with this state were investigated in each cohort separately.In the rural sample, 38.0% were females and the mean age was 75.5 years. In the urban sample, 60.3% were females and the mean age was 74.1 years. Among subjects in living in the rural sample, 7.4% were in poor nutritional status while the proportion was 18.5% in the urban sample. Female gender, older age, being widowed, a low educational level, low income, low body mass index, being demented, having a depressive symptomatology, a loss of autonomy and an intake of more than 3 drugs appeared to be independently associated with poor nutritional status.Poor nutritional status was commonly observed among elderly people living at home in both rural and urban areas. The associated factors should be further considered for targeting particularly vulnerable individuals.

Evaluation of dredged material proposed for ocean disposal from Westchester Creek project area, New York

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinza, M.R.; Gardiner, W.W.; Barrows, E.S.; Borde, A.B.

1996-11-01

The objective of the Westchester Creek project was to evaluate proposed dredged material from this area to determine its suitability for unconfined ocean disposal at the Mud Dump Site. Westchester Creek was one of five waterways that the US Army Corps of Engineers- New York District (USACE-NYD) requested the Battelle/Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) to sample and evaluate for dredging and disposal in May 1995. The evaluation of proposed dredged material from the Westchester Creek project area consisted of bulk sediment chemical analyses, chemical analyses of dredging site water and elutriate, benthic acute and water-column toxicity tests, and bioaccumulation studies. Thirteen individual sediment core samples were collected from this area and analyzed for grain size, moisture content, and total organic carbon (TOC). One composite sediment sample representing the Westchester Creek area to be dredged, was analyzed for bulk density, specific gravity, metals, chlorinated pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and 1,4-dichlorobenzene. Dredging site water and elutriate water, which is prepared from the suspended- particulate phase (SPP) of the Westchester Creek sediment composite, was analyzed for metals, pesticides, and PCBS.

Subjective dimension in the analysis of human development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LÓPEZ NOVAL, Borja

2012-06-01

Full Text Available In recent years subjective evaluations about own quality of life, resumed in levels of life satisfactionor happiness, are gaining importance as indicators of development. Some authors state that subjectivewell-being is a necessary and sufficient condition for human development. In this work the arguments ofthese authors are explained and it is discussed the role subjective evaluations must play on developmentstudies. The main conclusion is that although it is necessary to integrate subjective well-being into humandevelopment studies we cannot identify subjective well-being and development.

Energy Data Base: Subject categories and scope: A reference manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grissom, M.C.

1987-04-01

The subject scope of the Energy Data Base (EDB) is defined, encompassing all technological aspects of energy production, conversion, and efficient utilization, and the economic, social, and political aspects as well. Coverage also includes the basic sciences as applicable. The subject areas within the scope of EDB are defined and hierarchically numbered, and scope notes are provided to define the extent of interest in certain areas, particularly areas of basic research

Disentangling the relationships among self-reflection, insight, and subjective well-being: the role of dysfunctional attitudes and core self-evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Daniel; Grant, Anthony M

2014-01-01

Central to many psychological schools of thought is the notion that self-reflection leads to self-insight which, in turn, leads to enhanced well-being. However, empirical research has found that although self-insight is typically associated with well-being, self-reflection is frequently not associated with self-insight or well-being. Past attempts to understand this conundrum have tended to focus on the role of ruminative self-refection. Using a different approach this study investigates the roles of dysfunctional attitudes and positive core self-evaluations. Using data from 227 participants, two key findings are reported: first, dysfunctional attitudes suppress the relationship between self-reflection and self-insight; and second, positive core self-evaluations mediate the relationship between self-insight and subjective well-being. These two findings imply that a path exists from self-reflection to subjective well-being through self-insight and positive core self-evaluations. This path model was found to be a good fit. Implications for future research and positive psychological practice are discussed.

Prediction of subjective ratings of emotional pictures by EEG features

Science.gov (United States)

McFarland, Dennis J.; Parvaz, Muhammad A.; Sarnacki, William A.; Goldstein, Rita Z.; Wolpaw, Jonathan R.

2017-02-01

Objective. Emotion dysregulation is an important aspect of many psychiatric disorders. Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology could be a powerful new approach to facilitating therapeutic self-regulation of emotions. One possible BCI method would be to provide stimulus-specific feedback based on subject-specific electroencephalographic (EEG) responses to emotion-eliciting stimuli. Approach. To assess the feasibility of this approach, we studied the relationships between emotional valence/arousal and three EEG features: amplitude of alpha activity over frontal cortex; amplitude of theta activity over frontal midline cortex; and the late positive potential over central and posterior mid-line areas. For each feature, we evaluated its ability to predict emotional valence/arousal on both an individual and a group basis. Twenty healthy participants (9 men, 11 women; ages 22-68) rated each of 192 pictures from the IAPS collection in terms of valence and arousal twice (96 pictures on each of 4 d over 2 weeks). EEG was collected simultaneously and used to develop models based on canonical correlation to predict subject-specific single-trial ratings. Separate models were evaluated for the three EEG features: frontal alpha activity; frontal midline theta; and the late positive potential. In each case, these features were used to simultaneously predict both the normed ratings and the subject-specific ratings. Main results. Models using each of the three EEG features with data from individual subjects were generally successful at predicting subjective ratings on training data, but generalization to test data was less successful. Sparse models performed better than models without regularization. Significance. The results suggest that the frontal midline theta is a better candidate than frontal alpha activity or the late positive potential for use in a BCI-based paradigm designed to modify emotional reactions.

Quantitative evaluation of the structure and function of the common carotid artery in hypertriglyceridemic subjects using ultrasound radiofrequency-data technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dan, Hai-Jun; Wang, Yan; Sha, Hai-Jing; Wen, Shu-Bin

2012-01-01

Assessment of the properties of blood-vessel walls by ultrasound radiofrequency (RF)-data technology is an innovative technique. We quantitatively evaluated the intima-media thickness (IMT) and arterial elasticity of the common carotid artery (CCA) in asymptomatic subjects with hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) using RF-data technology. Thirty HTG subjects and 30 matched controls were enrolled in the study. The common carotid arterial systolic diameter, diastolic diameter, IMT, carotid distensibility (CD), local pulse wave velocity (PWVβ), and stiffness (β) were compared between the two groups, as was the correlation between triglyceride level and the parameters mentioned above. The HTG group had significantly higher values of CCA-IMT compared with the control group (p 0.05). The level of triglycerides had significant positive correlations with CCA-IMT (r = 0.493, p < 0.001), whereas significant correlations with CD, PWVβ, and β were not observed in the HTG group. Ultrasound RF-data technology can be used to non-invasively and quantitatively detect the change in the structure and function of the CCA in asymptomatic HTG subjects for evaluating preclinical atherosclerosis.

Clinical Evaluation of Brain Perfusion SPECT with Brodmann Areas Mapping in Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Valotassiou, Varvara; Papatriantafyllou, John; Sifakis, Nikolaos; Tzavara, Chara; Tsougos, Ioannis; Psimadas, Dimitrios; Fezoulidis, Ioannis; Kapsalaki, Eftychia; Hadjigeorgiou, George; Georgoulias, Panagiotis

2015-01-01

Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) based on clinical criteria alone may be problematic, while current and future treatments should be administered earlier in order to be more effective. Thus, various disease biomarkers could be used for early detection of AD. We evaluated brain perfusion with 99mTc-HMPAO single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and Brodmann areas (BAs) mapping in mild AD using an automated software (NeuroGam) for the semi-quantitative evaluation of perfusion in BAs and the comparison with the software's normal database. We studied 34 consecutive patients with mild AD: 9 men, 25 women, mean age 70.9 ± 8.1 years, mean Mini-Mental State Examination 22.6 ± 2.5. BAs 25L, 25R, 38L, 38R, 28L, 28R, 36L, and 36R had the lower mean perfusion values, while BAs 31L, 31R, 19R, 18L, 18R, 17L, and 17R had the higher mean values. Compared with healthy subjects of the same age, perfusion values in BAs 25L, 25R, 28R, 28L, 36L, and 36R had the greatest deviations from the healthy sample, while the lowest deviations were found in BAs 32L, 32R, 19R, 24L, 17L, 17R, 18L, and 18R. A percentage of ≥94% of patients had perfusion values more than -2SDs below the mean of healthy subjects in BAs 38R, 38L, 36L, 36R, 23L, 23R, 22L, 44L, 28L, 28R, 25L, and 25R. The corresponding proportion was less than 38% for BAs 11L, 19R, 32L, 32R, 18L, 18R, 24L, and 17R. In conclusion, brain SPECT studies with automated perfusion mapping could be useful as an ancillary tool in daily practice, revealing perfusion impairments in early AD.

The Corpus Callosum Area and Brain Volume in Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment and Healthy Controls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Hee Seok; Kim, Kwang Ki; Yoon, Yup Yoon; Seo, Hyung Suk

2009-01-01

To compare the corpus callosum (CC) area and brain volume among individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and healthy controls (HC). To evaluate the relationship of CC area and brain volume in 111 subjects (M:F = 48:63; mean age, 56.9 years) without memory disturbance and 28 subjects (11:17; 66.7years) with memory disturbance. The 11 AD (3:8; 75.7 years), 17 MCI (8:9; 60.9 years) and 28 selected HC (11:17; 66.4 years) patients were investigated for comparison of their CC area and brain volume. A good positive linear correlation was found between CC area and brain volume in subjects without and with memory disturbance (r = 0.64 and 0.66, respectively, p 2 , 715.4 ± 107 cm3) were significantly smaller than in MCI patients (595.9 ± 108, 844.1 ± 85) and the HCs (563.2 ± 75, 818.9 ± 109) (p < 0.05). The CC area and brain volume were not significantly different between MCI patients and the HCs. The CC area was significantly correlated with brain volume. Both CC area and brain volume were significantly smaller in the AD patients

Subjective Happiness of Lebanese College Youth in Lebanon: Factorial Structure and Invariance of the Arabic Subjective Happiness Scale

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Moghnie, Lamia; Kazarian, Shahe S.

2012-01-01

The present study evaluated the subjective happiness of Lebanese college youth using a multi-item rather than a single-item subjective happiness measure. An Arabic translation of the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) was administered to 273 Lebanese college youth from state- and private-run higher institutions of learning, as was the Arabic Adult…

Changing Climate, Challenging Choices: Identifying and Evaluating Climate Change Adaptation Options for Protected Areas Management in Ontario, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Lemieux, Christopher J.; Scott, Daniel J.

2011-10-01

Climate change will pose increasingly significant challenges to managers of parks and other forms of protected areas around the world. Over the past two decades, numerous scientific publications have identified potential adaptations, but their suitability from legal, policy, financial, internal capacity, and other management perspectives has not been evaluated for any protected area agency or organization. In this study, a panel of protected area experts applied a Policy Delphi methodology to identify and evaluate climate change adaptation options across the primary management areas of a protected area agency in Canada. The panel identified and evaluated one hundred and sixty five (165) adaptation options for their perceived desirability and feasibility. While the results revealed a high level of agreement with respect to the desirability of adaptation options and a moderate level of capacity pertaining to policy formulation and management direction, a perception of low capacity for implementation in most other program areas was identified. A separate panel of senior park agency decision-makers used a multiple criterion decision-facilitation matrix to further evaluate the institutional feasibility of the 56 most desirable adaptation options identified by the initial expert panel and to prioritize them for consideration in a climate change action plan. Critically, only two of the 56 adaptation options evaluated by senior decision-makers were deemed definitely implementable, due largely to fiscal and internal capacity limitations. These challenges are common to protected area agencies in developed countries and pervade those in developing countries, revealing that limited adaptive capacity represents a substantive barrier to biodiversity conservation and other protected area management objectives in an era of rapid climate change.

Evaluating the Development Levels of Rural Areas in Koohrang County

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saleh shahrokhi sardo

2016-02-01

Full Text Available A better understanding of geographical phenomena and scientific comprehending of geographical locations requires comprehensive information about these areas. In addition, the awareness of the spatial distribution and development levels are considered as prerequisites for rural development plans and programs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the development levels of rural areas in Koohrang County. Statistical population was over ten households selected among rural areas (132 villages in Koohrang County. The required secondary data were collected and designed from the statistical yearbook of Koohrang County in 2011. In this study, a combination method of VIKOR-AHP was used to measure level of development in the villages. In addition, in order to determine the optimal distribution of indices, the Gini coefficient was used. Data processing was conducted using MATLAB7.10 and Expert Choice software. Results showed that the highest and lowest degrees of development (0.994 and 0.005 were related to "Castle of Ali-Abad" and "Dezak-Cheshmeh" villages, respectively. Moreover, results indicated that there was the unfavorable development in the study area (with average of 0. 217 in the range 0-1 in a way that most of the villages (21.46% with 53.39% of the population in the area were completely undeveloped. Furthermore, the results based on Gini coefficient and coefficient of variability revealed that the conventional indices of rural development weren't distributed properly. Therefore, it is necessary to have special review and reconsider to determine the main service centers based on settlements hierarchical system.

Evaluation of environmental management cost estimating capabilities for the subject area ''Life-cycle economics for radioactive waste management and environmental remediation''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hombach, W.G.

1995-01-01

This paper provides a comprehensive perspective on the scope of Environmental Management (EM) activities and on the existing capability to estimate their costs. The scope is defined in terms of both activities and associated cost driving factors. The capability to estimate this scope was determined by evaluating existing cost estimating tools identified through a survey of the US Department of Energy (DOE), the US Department of Defense (DoD), the US Environmental Protection Agency, and private industry. This paper is largely based on the results of a report produced for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, US Department of Defense, entitled, Evaluation of Environmental Management Cost-Estimating Capabilities of Major Defense Acquisition Programs, March 22, 1995. The DoD sponsored report was designed to have a broad application relevant not only to DoD, but to other government agencies, and industry. In addition to DoD, it has particular application to DOE because significant portions of the analyses and data were derived from DOE environmental management databases, cost models, reports, and work breakdown structures. This paper provides the basis used and methodology employed to conduct an evaluations of selected EM cost estimating tools. The following topics are discussed: Life Cycle of EM Activities; Major Elements of EM Activities; Cost Tool Evaluation Matrix; Results of Cost Tool Evaluations; Cost Tool Development Plan

A f-MRI study on memory function in normal subjects and patients with partial epilepsies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamoda, Sachiko

2004-01-01

To investigate cerebral regions concerning a memory function and presence of memory lateralization, activated areas and the difference between the right and left hemisphere in functional magnetic resonance imaging (f-MRI) during verbal and visual memory tasks were examined in normal subjects and, as its clinical application, in patients with partial epilepsies. Subjects were 39 normal adult subjects and 10 adult patients. Of the 39 normal subjects, 30 were right-handed and 9 were left-handed. Further, of the 10 patients, 9 were right-handed and one was left-handed, and 7, 2 and 1 had temporal lobe, frontal lobe and undetermined partial epilepsies, respectively. Following the three type of memory task were designed; verbal memory tasks consisting of covert and overt recall tests of 10 words given auditory and visual memory task of covert recall tasks of 6 figures given visually. Activated cerebral areas were imaged with f-MRI using 1.5 tesla Magnetom Vision taken repeatedly during these tasks and neutral condition. Most of the 30 right-handed normal subjects showed activated areas over the left hemisphere specifically on the anterior cingulate, superior, middle and inferior frontal gyri during the verbal memory tasks of covert recall tests. Left hemisphere dominant activated areas in the precentral gyri were added during the verbal memory tasks of overt recall tests. On the other hand, 4 of the 9 left-handed normal subjects showed the left side-dominantly activated areas in the above-mentioned regions during the verbal memory tasks of covert and overt tests, in common with the right-handed subjects. However, 3 of the 9 left-handed normal subjects had right hemisphere dominant activation during the verbal memory tasks, while none of the 30 right-handed normal subjects showed such right side-dominancy. Further, the bilateral occipital lobes were activated during visual memory tasks. The reproducibility in this activation during these verbal and visual memory tasks

Transboundary protected area proposals along the Southern Andes of Chile and Argentina: Status of current efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Peter Keller

2007-01-01

An evolving network of protected areas along the southern Andes of Chile and Argentina-the heart of Patagonia-are in various stages of evaluation and potential Transboundary Protected Area designations. This paper examines three such efforts. The first proposal is the North Andean-Patagonia Regional Eco-Corridor, which was the subject of a recent bilateral meeting...

Subjective evaluation of the effectiveness of whole-body cryotherapy in patients with osteoarthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz Chruściak

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Objectives: One of the treatments for osteoarthritis (OA is whole-body cryotherapy (WBC. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of whole-body cryotherapy on the clinical status of patients with osteoarthritis (OA, according to their subjective feelings before and after the application of a 10-day cold treatment cycle. The aim is also to assess the reduction of intensity and frequency of pain, the reduction of the painkiller medication used, and to assess the possible impact on physical activity. Material and methods : The study involved 50 people, including 30 women (60% and 20 men (40%. Thirty-one patients had spondyloarthritis (62% of respondents, 10 had knee osteoarthritis (20%, and 9 hip osteoarthritis (18%. The overall average age was 50.1 ±10.9 years; the youngest patient was 29 years old and the oldest 73 years old. The average age of the women was 6 years higher. The study used a questionnaire completed by patients, and consisted of three basic parts. The modified Laitinen pain questionnaire contained questions concerning the intensity and frequency of pain, frequency of painkiller use and the degree of limited mobility. The visual analogue scale (VAS was used in order to subjectively evaluate the therapy after applying the ten-day treatment cycle. Results: According to the subjective assessment of respondents, after the whole-body cryotherapy treatments, a significant improvement occurred in 39 patients (78%, an improvement in 9 patients (18%, and no improvement was only declared by 2 patients (4%. Conclusions : Whole-body cryotherapy resulted in a reduction in the frequency and degree of pain perception in patients with osteoarthritis. WBC reduced the number of analgesic medications in these patients. It improved the range of physical activity and had a positive effect on the well-being of patients.

Subjective sensation on sleep, fatigue, and thermal comfort in winter shelter-analogue settings

Science.gov (United States)

Maeda, Kazuki; Mochizuki, Yosuke; Tsuzuki, Kazuyo; Nabeshima, Yuki

2017-10-01

We aimed to examine sleep in shelter-analogue settings in winter to determine the subjective sensation and environmental conditions in evacuation shelters. Twelve young healthy students took part in the sleep study of two nights for seven hours from Midnight to 7 AM in the gymnasium. One night the subject used a pair of futons and on the other the subject used the emergency supplies of four blankets and a set of portable partitions. During the night, air temperature, humidity and air velocity were measured in the area around the sleeping subjects. Sleep parameters measured by actigraphy, skin temperature, microclimate temperature, rectal temperature, and the heart rates of the subjects were continuously measured and recorded during the sleeping period. The subjects completed questionnaires regarding their thermal comfort and subjective sleep before and after the sleep. The subjects felt more coldness on their head and peripheral parts of the body using the emergency blankets than the futon during the sleep. Moreover, fatigue was felt more on the lower back and lower extremities from using emergency blankets than the futon after sleep. However, the sleep efficiency index and subjective sleep evaluation by OSA questionnaire did not reveal any good correlationship. The emergency supplies should be examined for their suitability to provide comfortable and healthy sleep in the shelter-analogue settings.

The sentence verification task: a reliable fMRI protocol for mapping receptive language in individual subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanjuan, Ana; Avila, Cesar; Forn, Cristina; Ventura-Campos, Noelia; Rodriguez-Pujadas, Aina; Garcia-Porcar, Maria; Belloch, Vicente; Villanueva, Vicente

2010-01-01

To test the capacity of a sentence verification (SV) task to reliably activate receptive language areas. Presurgical evaluation of language is useful in predicting postsurgical deficits in patients who are candidates for neurosurgery. Productive language tasks have been successfully elaborated, but more conflicting results have been found in receptive language mapping. Twenty-two right-handed healthy controls made true-false semantic judgements of brief sentences presented auditorily. Group maps showed reliable functional activations in the frontal and temporoparietal language areas. At the individual level, the SV task showed activation located in receptive language areas in 100% of the participants with strong left-sided distributions (mean lateralisation index of 69.27). The SV task can be considered a useful tool in evaluating receptive language function in individual subjects. This study is a first step towards designing the fMRI task which may serve to presurgically map receptive language functions. (orig.)

The sentence verification task: a reliable fMRI protocol for mapping receptive language in individual subjects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanjuan, Ana; Avila, Cesar [Universitat Jaume I, Departamento de Psicologia Basica, Clinica y Psicobiologia, Castellon de la Plana (Spain); Hospital La Fe, Unidad de Epilepsia, Servicio de Neurologia, Valencia (Spain); Forn, Cristina; Ventura-Campos, Noelia; Rodriguez-Pujadas, Aina; Garcia-Porcar, Maria [Universitat Jaume I, Departamento de Psicologia Basica, Clinica y Psicobiologia, Castellon de la Plana (Spain); Belloch, Vicente [Hospital La Fe, Eresa, Servicio de Radiologia, Valencia (Spain); Villanueva, Vicente [Hospital La Fe, Unidad de Epilepsia, Servicio de Neurologia, Valencia (Spain)

2010-10-15

To test the capacity of a sentence verification (SV) task to reliably activate receptive language areas. Presurgical evaluation of language is useful in predicting postsurgical deficits in patients who are candidates for neurosurgery. Productive language tasks have been successfully elaborated, but more conflicting results have been found in receptive language mapping. Twenty-two right-handed healthy controls made true-false semantic judgements of brief sentences presented auditorily. Group maps showed reliable functional activations in the frontal and temporoparietal language areas. At the individual level, the SV task showed activation located in receptive language areas in 100% of the participants with strong left-sided distributions (mean lateralisation index of 69.27). The SV task can be considered a useful tool in evaluating receptive language function in individual subjects. This study is a first step towards designing the fMRI task which may serve to presurgically map receptive language functions. (orig.)

Evaluation Of The Exclusion And Low Population Areas Around A Nuclear Power Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tawfik, F.S.

2011-01-01

Being adjacent to the nuclear power plant (NPP) the exclusion area (EA) is the area of greatest importance. It essentially defines a buffer zone where the public has no access. It helps to define the fenced plant area, the site area and the public area. Also, the low population area is the area immediately surrounding the exclusion area near a licensed reactor in terms of public safety and the ability of residents to get away from the plant in an emergency. This study clarifies their significance and reviews the international approach on them. Assuming the nuclear power plant site at the north coast of Egypt, the exclusion area and low population area are determined according to CFR (2002). In this method, a maximum possible amount of radioactivity release (called a source term) should be assumed. The boiling water reactor (BWR) with a power 1000 MW was used to carry the calculation and assuming a severe loss of coolant accident with meltdown of reactor. The site specific data have been collected, investigated and processed. The effect of the degree of atmospheric stability and building width of the plant were examined. The proceeding factors that control the determination of exclusion area and low population area should be taken into consideration in the site evaluation stage and design basis of NPP to set a minimum distances for them

X-ray diffraction study on the evaluation of the damage of steel structures subjected to earthquake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaneta, Kiyoshi; Nishizawa, Hidekazu; Koshika, Norihide.

1985-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the behavior of steel structures subjected to a strong earthquake and to evaluate the damage from a microscopic point of view. For this purpose, the authors have adopted two kinds of research techniques. The first is the ''ON-LINE EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE SIMULATION SYSTEM (ON-LINE SIMULATION SYSTEM)'', which is composed of an electro-hydrauric testing machine controled by a computer and a full scale specimen. Since a term of restoring force in the equation of motion is to be substituted by the actual reaction of a specimen under test, we can obtain the non-linear response of structure without any assumption about the hysteretic characteristics. Based on this method, the dynamic behavior of simple steel structures subjected to an intense earthquakes were simulated. The second technique is the ''X-RAY DIFFRACTION METHOD''. Although this method is usually regarded an experimental technique particular to the material science, we have realized the good applicability for the study of structural engineering. Because X-ray diffraction method is advantageous in investigating the microscopic behavior of steel member such as the plastic deformation and the low cycle fatigue. From the view point stated above, we have adopted this method for the evaluation of low cycle fatigue damage of steel member subjected to an earthquake. The experiment has been performed by radiating the X-ray at several stages of the ON-LINE SIMULATION. As has been expected, the X-ray diffraction patterns have changed in a regular manner depending on the degree of fatigue damage, and the results have shown a good possibility that the X-ray diffraction approach can offer a powerful tool for the detection of the earthquake damage of steel members. (author)

A subjective evaluation of high-chroma color with wide color-gamut display

Science.gov (United States)

Kishimoto, Junko; Yamaguchi, Masahiro; Ohyama, Nagaaki

2009-01-01

Displays tends to expand its color gamut, such as multi-primary color display, Adobe RGB and so on. Therefore displays got possible to display high chroma colors. However sometimes, we feel unnatural some for the image which only expanded chroma. Appropriate gamut mapping method to expand color gamut is not proposed very much. We are attempting preferred expanded color reproduction on wide color gamut display utilizing high chroma colors effectively. As a first step, we have conducted an experiment to investigate the psychological effect of color schemes including highly saturated colors. We used the six-primary-color projector that we have developed for the presentation of test colors. The six-primary-color projector's gamut volume in CIELAB space is about 1.8 times larger than the normal RGB projector. We conducted a subjective evaluation experiment using the SD (Semantic Differential) technique to find the quantitative psychological effect of high chroma colors.

Evaluation of BAG3 levels in healthy subjects, hypertensive patients, and hypertensive diabetic patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Derosa, Giuseppe; Maffioli, Pamela; Rosati, Alessandra; M, De Marco; Basile, Anna; D'Angelo, Angela; Romano, Davide; Sahebkar, Amirhossein; Falco, Antonia; Turco, Maria C

2018-03-01

BAG3 is a member of human BAG (Bcl-2-associated athanogene) proteins and plays a role in apoptosis, cell adhesion, cytoskeleton remodeling, and autophagy. The aim of this study was to evaluate BAG3 levels in healthy subjects, hypertensive patients, and hypertensive diabetic patients. We enrolled 209 Caucasian adults, of both sex, 18-75 years of age, 77 were healthy controls, 62 were affected by hypertension, and 70 were affected by hypertension and type 2 diabetes. All patients underwent an assessment that included medical history, physical examination, vital signs, a 12-lead electrocardiogram, measurements of systolic (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ), triglycerides (TG), transaminases, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), and BAG3. We observed higher blood pressure values in hypertensive, and hypertensive diabetic patients compared to controls. As expected, FPG and HbA 1c were higher in diabetic hypertensive patients, compared to the other two groups. No Tg levels differences were recorded among the three groups. Hs-CRP was higher in diabetic hypertensive patients compared to healthy subjects. Finally, BAG3 levels were higher in hypertensives, and hypertensive diabetic patients compared to controls. We observed higher levels of BAG3 in hypertensive patients compared to healthy controls, and even higher levels in hypertensive diabetic patients compared to healthy subjects. This paper could be the first of a long way to identify potential involvement of deregulated BAG3 levels in cardiometabolic diseases. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of subjective thermal strain in different kitchen working environments using subjective judgment scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Haruyama, Yasuo; Muto, Takashi; Matsuzuki, Hiroe; Ito, Akiyoshi; Tomita, Shigeru; Muto, Shigeki; Haratani, Takashi; Seo, Akihiko; Ayabe, Makoto; Katamoto, Shizuo

2010-01-01

To elucidate the subjective thermal strain of workers in kitchen working environments, we performed a cross-sectional study involving 991 workers in 126 kitchen facilities in Japan, using a self-reporting questionnaire survey and subjective judgment scales (SJS). The ambient temperature, mean radiant temperature (MRT), and wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index were measured in 10 kitchen facilities of the 126 kitchens. The association of SJS with the types of kitchen was estimated by multiple logistic regression models. Of the 991 kitchen workers, 809 (81%) responded to the questionnaire survey. Compared with the electric kitchens, the proportion of workers who perceived the room temperature as hot to very hot was significantly higher, and the ambient temperature, MRT, and WBGT were significantly higher in the gas kitchens. Compared with the electric kitchens, workers in gas kitchens had a more than fivefold (males) and tenfold (females) higher SJS adjusted for confounding factors (male odds ratio (OR), 5.13; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.65-15.9; and female OR, 10.9; 95%CI, 3.89-30.5). Although SJS was affected by some confounding factors, our results suggest that workers in gas kitchens might be exposed to a higher heat strains than those in electric kitchens.

Photogrammetry and remote sensing education subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Lazaridou, Maria A.; Karagianni, Aikaterini Ch.

2017-09-01

The rapid technologic advances in the scientific areas of photogrammetry and remote sensing require continuous readjustments at the educational programs and their implementation. The teaching teamwork should deal with the challenge to offer the volume of the knowledge without preventing the understanding of principles and methods and also to introduce "new" knowledge (advances, trends) followed by evaluation and presentation of relevant applications. This is of particular importance for a Civil Engineering Faculty as this in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, as the framework of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing is closely connected with applications in the four educational Divisions of the Faculty. This paper refers to the above and includes subjects of organizing the courses in photogrammetry and remote sensing in the Civil Engineering Faculty of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. A scheme of the general curriculum as well the teaching aims and methods are also presented.

How to evaluate the effectiveness of safety assessment in the area of human factors?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rolina, G.; Moisdon, J.C.; Jeffroy, F.

2007-01-01

The Three Mile Island nuclear reactor accident in 1979 led to a new approach regarding safety that includes a better consideration of man and his activities. A few years later, with the set up of a group of specialists at Electricite de France and at the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, a new player appeared at France's nuclear safety organisation: the assessment expert specialising in human factors (HF). The improvement of man-machine interfaces was one of the first projects undertaken by the HF experts, the majority of whom specialise in ergonomics. A review of the literature and analysis of the archives, revealed that the specialists' scope of investigation has since increased; so that organisation is also the subject of HF assessment. However, this area is not one of consensual or established knowledge; neither researchers nor specialists can agree on a model of safe organisation. What then can we say about effectiveness of HF assessment? How can we define the criteria of effectiveness of a safety assessment production system in this area? The question is the subject of original research based on collaboration between the scientific management centre (CGS) of the Ecole des Mines in Paris and the section for the study of human factors (SEFH) at IRSN. To address this question, the CGS team monitors some assessments to which SEFH contributes. In other words, it attends different meetings on framing, technical instruction, reporting, taking notes and collecting related documents (minutes of meetings,...). It carries out additional interviews with different parties involved in assessment in order to ascertain their point of view. A sample of five assessments was defined to cover a varied number of situations encountered by the team of HF experts. The type of facility, the operator and the subject concerned are some of the variables integrated for this choice

Performance evaluation of domestic prototype dose area product meter SFT-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Ho Sun; Han, Seong Gyu; Roh, Young Roh; Lim, Hyun Jong; Kim, Jung Min; Kim, Jong Uk; Chae, Hyun Sik; Yoon, Yong Su

2016-01-01

The importance of radiation dose display of medical X-ray equipment was emphasized, while third edition of IEC(International Electrotechnical Commission) 60601 started to apply. The existing medical X-ray equipment selected a method for attaching the DAP(Dose Area Product) meter when the dose display. However, because the DAP meter was dependent on all of the income, And it did not yet produced in Korea. So, we received the support of Seoul R and BD Program(Grants No. C1152055) to produce DAP meter prototype of the Domestically technology. In this study, the performance of this prototype was evaluated by comparing the German company's product. Evaluation item was an electronic capture performance, radiation dose dependence, radiation quality dependence, energy transmittance, repeatability, light transmittance of 6 entries. And IEC 60580 was based on this evaluation. Evaluation results were electronic capture performance intrinsic error 9.5%, radiation dose dependence limits of variation 1%, repeatabilit y coefficient of variation 2%, energy transmittance 91% each assessment was passed. However radiation quality dependence limits of variation 29%, light transmittance 55% was less than acceptance criteria

Correlation between two-dimensional video analysis and subjective assessment in evaluating knee control among elite female team handball players

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stensrud, Silje; Myklebust, Grethe; Kristianslund, Eirik

2011-01-01

. The present study investigated the correlation between a two-dimensional (2D) video analysis and subjective assessment performed by one physiotherapist in evaluating knee control. We also tested the correlation between three simple clinical tests using both methods. A cohort of 186 female elite team handball...

Material balance area custodian performance evaluation program at PNL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickman, D.A.

1991-01-01

This paper reports that the material balance area (MBA) custodian has primary responsibility for control and accountability of nuclear material within an MBA. In this role, the custodian operates as an extension of the facility material control and accountability (MC and A) organization. To effectively meet administrative requirements and protection needs, the custodian must be fully trained in all aspects of MC and A related to the MBA, and custodian performance must be periodically evaluated. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Policy requires that each facility provide for a program which ensures that personnel performing MC and A functions are trained and/or qualified to perform their duties and responsibilities and knowledgeable of requirements and procedures related to their functions. the MBA Custodian Performance Evaluation Program at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) uses a variety of assessment techniques to meet this goal, including internal and independent MBA audits, periodic custodian testing, limited scope performance tests, daily monitoring of MC and A documentation, and reviewing custodian performance during physical inventories

Central Facilities Area Sewage Lagoon Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giesbrecht, Alan [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2015-03-01

The Central Facilities Area (CFA) located in Butte County, Idaho at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has an existing wastewater system to collect and treat sanitary wastewater and non contact cooling water from the facility. The existing treatment facility consists of three cells: Cell 1 has a surface area of 1.7 acres, Cell 2 has a surface area of 10.3 acres, and Cell 3 has a surface area of 0.5 acres. If flows exceed the evaporative capacity of the cells, wastewater is discharged to a 73.5 acre land application site that utilizes a center pivot irrigation sprinkler system. The purpose of this current study is to update the analysis and conclusions of the December 2013 study. In this current study, the new seepage rate and influent flow rate data have been used to update the calculations, model, and analysis.

Subjective performance evaluation and gender discrimination

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maas, V.S.; Torres-Gonzalez, R.

2011-01-01

Gender discrimination continues to be a problem in organizations. It is therefore important that organizations use performance evaluation methods that ensure equal opportunities for men and women. This article reports the results of an experiment to investigate whether and, if so, how the gender of

High resolution tsunami modelling for the evaluation of potential risk areas in Setúbal (Portugal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Ribeiro

2011-08-01

Full Text Available The use of high resolution hydrodynamic modelling to simulate the potential effects of tsunami events can provide relevant information about the most probable inundation areas. Moreover, the consideration of complementary data such as the type of buildings, location of priority equipment, type of roads, enables mapping of the most vulnerable zones, computing of the expected damage on man-made structures, constrain of the definition of rescue areas and escape routes, adaptation of emergency plans and proper evaluation of the vulnerability associated with different areas and/or equipment.

Such an approach was used to evaluate the specific risks associated with a potential occurrence of a tsunami event in the region of Setúbal (Portugal, which was one of the areas most seriously affected by the 1755 tsunami.

In order to perform an evaluation of the hazard associated with the occurrence of a similar event, high resolution wave propagation simulations were performed considering different potential earthquake sources with different magnitudes. Based on these simulations, detailed inundation maps associated with the different events were produced. These results were combined with the available information on the vulnerability of the local infrastructures (building types, roads and streets characteristics, priority buildings in order to impose restrictions in the production of high-scale potential damage maps, escape routes and emergency routes maps.

Incentives for Subjective Evaluations with Private Beliefs

OpenAIRE

Radanovic, Goran; Faltings, Boi

2015-01-01

The modern web critically depends on aggregation of information from self-interested agents, for example opinion polls, product ratings, or crowdsourcing. We consider a setting where multiple objects (questions, products, tasks) are evaluated by a group of agents. We first construct a minimal peer prediction mechanism that elicits honest evaluations from a homogeneous population of agents with different private beliefs. Second, we show that it is impossible to strictly elicit honest evaluatio...

Coping with subjectivity in vulnerability assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renis, T.A.; Cardwell, R.G.

1988-01-01

Vulnerability assessment models are widely used to systematically evaluate the performance of complex safeguards systems against a variety of threats. These models require varying levels of detail and input data about the physical design of a facility and its safeguards operations and procedures. However, to evaluate safeguards effectiveness and give a performance rating, these models require additional performance data reflecting probabilities of detection, assessment, interruption, and neutralization, as well as the associated times for various adversary scenarios. These data may be attained from equipment design specifications, laboratory testing, expert judgment, or component testing. Regardless of how these data are obtained, they are inherently subjective. This paper addresses the uses of various vulnerability assessment models and the nature of subjectivity in those models. The paper also describes methods for coping with subjective data

The relationship between insight and subjective experience in schizophrenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kako Y

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Yuki Kako, Koki Ito, Naoki Hashimoto, Kuniyoshi Toyoshima, Yusuke Shimizu, Nobuyuki Mitsui, Yutaka Fujii, Teruaki Tanaka, Ichiro Kusumi Department of Psychiatry, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan Objectives: To examine the relationship between level of insight and various subjective experiences for patients with schizophrenia.Materials and methods: Seventy-four patients with schizophrenia who were discharged from our hospital were evaluated. The level of insight into their illness and various subjective experiences were evaluated at discharge. We used the Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD for evaluation of insight. In addition, five different rating scales were used to evaluate subjective experiences: Subjective Experience of Deficits in Schizophrenia (SEDS, Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic drug treatment Short form (SWNS, Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, and the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-30.Results: The SWNS and the scores for awareness of mental disorder and awareness of the social consequences of mental disorder on SUMD showed a weak positive correlation. The DAI-30 showed a significant negative correlation with most general items on SUMD and a negative correlation between the subscale scores for the awareness and attribution of past symptoms. SEDS, SWNS, SQLS, and the BDI significantly correlated with the subscale scores for awareness of current symptoms on SUMD, and weakly correlated with the subscale scores for attribution of current negative symptoms.Conclusion: Awareness of subjective distress was related to awareness of having a mental disorder. Feeling subjective distress was related to awareness of current symptoms, as well as to the ability to attribute current negative symptoms to a mental disorder. Positive attitudes toward medication correlated with better general insight into the illness. Keywords: schizophrenia, insight

Evaluation of municipal solid waste management in egyptian rural areas.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Messery, Mamdouh A; Ismail, Gaber A; Arafa, Anwaar K

2009-01-01

A two years study was conducted to evaluate the solid waste management system in 143 villages representing the Egyptian rural areas. The study covers the legal responsibilities, service availability, environmental impacts, service providers, financial resources, private sector participation and the quality of collection services. According to UN reports more than 55% of Egyptian population lives in rural areas. A drastic change in the consumption pattern altered the quantity and quality of the generated solid wastes from these areas. Poor solid waste management systems are stigmata in most of the Egyptian rural areas. This causes several environmental and health problems. It has been found that solid waste collection services cover only 27% of the surveyed villages, while, the statistics show that 75% of the surveyed villages are formally covered. The service providers are local villager units, private contractors and civil community associations with a percentage share 71%, 24% and 5% respectively. The operated services among these sectors were 25%, 71% and 100% respectively. The share of private sector in solid waste management in rural areas is still very limited as a result of the poverty of these communities and the lack of recyclable materials in their solid waste. It has been found that direct throwing of solid waste on the banks of drains and canals as well as open dumping and uncontrolled burning of solid waste are the common practice in most of the Egyptian rural areas. The available land for landfill is not enough, pitiable designed, defectively constructed and unreliably operated. Although solid waste generated in rural areas has high organic contents, no composting plant was installed. Shortage in financial resources allocated for valorization of solid waste management in the Egyptian rural areas and lower collection fees are the main points of weakness which resulted in poor solid waste management systems. On the other hand, the farmer's participation

Materials balance area Custodian Performance Evaluation Program at PNL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickman, D.A.

1991-07-01

The material balance area (MBA) custodian has primary responsibility for control and accountability of nuclear material within an MBA. In this role, the custodian operates as an extension of the facility material control and accountability (MC ampersand A) organization. To effectively meet administrative requirements and protection needs, the custodian must be fully trained in all aspects of MC ampersand A related to the MBA, and custodian performance must be periodically evaluated. DOE Policy requires that each facility provide for a program which assures that each facility provide for a program which assures that personnel performing MC ampersand A functions are (1) trained and/or qualified to perform their duties and responsibilities and (2) knowledgeable of requirements and procedures related to their functions. The MBA Custodian Performance Evaluation Program at PNL uses a variety of assessment techniques to meet this goal, including internal and independent MBA audits, periodic custodian testing, conduct of limited scope performance tests, daily monitoring of MC ampersand A documentation, and reviewing custodian performance during physical inventories. The data collected from these sources is analyzed and incorporated into an annual custodian performance evaluation document, given to each custodian and line management. Development of this program has resulted in significantly improved custodian performance and a marked decrease in finding and observations identified during MBA audits

Comparative Evaluation of Tubex TF (Inhibition Magnetic Binding Immunoassay) for Typhoid Fever in Endemic Area.

Science.gov (United States)

Khanna, Ashish; Khanna, Menka; Gill, Karamjit Singh

2015-11-01

Typhoid fever remains a significant health problem in endemic countries like India. Various serological tests for the diagnosis of typhoid fever are available commercially. We assessed the usefulness of rapid test based on magnetic particle separation to detect Immunoglobulin against Salmonella typhi O9 lipopolysaccharide. Aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of widal test, typhidot and tubex TF test for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in an endemic country like India. Serum samples collected from 50 patients of typhoid fever, 50 patients of non typhoid fever and 100 normal healthy individuals residing in Amritsar were subjected to widal test, typhidot test and tubex TF test as per manufacturer's instructions. Data collected was assessed to find sensitivity and specificity of these tests in an endemic area. Significant widal test results were found positive in 68% of patients of typhoid fever and only 4% of non typhoid fever patients. Typhidot (IgM or IgG) was positive in 72% of typhoid fever patients and 10% and 6% in non typhoid fever and normal healthy individuals respectively. Tubex TF showed higher sensitivity of 76% and specificity of 96-99% which was higher than typhidot and comparable to widal test. This was the first evaluation of rapid tubex TF test in northern India. In countries which can afford high cost of test, tubex TF should be recommended for the diagnosis in acute stage of the disease in clinical setting. However, there is urgent need for a highly specific and sensitive test for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in clinical settings in endemic areas.

Data sheet based countermeasure evaluation for radioactively contaminated Nordic food-producing areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersson, K.G.; Roed, J. [Risoe National Lab., Roskilde (Denmark); Rantavaara, A. [STUK, Helsinki (Finland); Rosen, K. [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden); Salbu, B.; Skipperud, L. [Agricultural Univ. of Norway, Aas (Norway)

2002-04-01

A Nordic expert group has identified and critically evaluated the countermeasures that may potentially be implemented in connection with major nuclear accident situations contaminating Nordic food-producing areas. This paper demonstrates how the derived technical information can be applied by decision-makers to identify practicable and cost-effective means for mitigation of the impact of contamination. (au)

Data sheet based countermeasure evaluation for radioactively contaminated Nordic food-producing areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, K.G.; Roed, J.; Rantavaara, A.; Rosen, K.; Salbu, B.; Skipperud, L.

2002-01-01

A Nordic expert group has identified and critically evaluated the countermeasures that may potentially be implemented in connection with major nuclear accident situations contaminating Nordic food-producing areas. This paper demonstrates how the derived technical information can be applied by decision-makers to identify practicable and cost-effective means for mitigation of the impact of contamination. (au)

Evaluation of Soil Contamination Indices in a Mining Area of Jiangxi, China

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jin; Teng, Yanguo; Lu, Sijin; Wang, Yeyao; Jiao, Xudong

2014-01-01

There is currently a wide variety of methods used to evaluate soil contamination. We present a discussion of the advantages and limitations of different soil contamination assessment methods. In this study, we analyzed seven trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) that are indicators of soil contamination in Dexing, a city in China that is famous for its vast nonferrous mineral resources in China, using enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo), pollution index (PI), and principal component analysis (PCA). The three contamination indices and PCA were then mapped to understand the status and trends of soil contamination in this region. The entire study area is strongly enriched in Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn, especially in areas near mine sites. As and Hg were also present in high concentrations in urban areas. Results indicated that Cr in this area originated from both anthropogenic and natural sources. PCA combined with Geographic Information System (GIS) was successfully used to discriminate between natural and anthropogenic trace metals. PMID:25397401

Calculated and perceived cardiovascular risk in asymptomatic subjects submitted to a routine medical evaluation: The perception gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Katz, Marcelo; Laurinavicius, Antonio G; Franco, Fabio G M; Conceicao, Raquel D; Carvalho, Jose A M; Pesaro, Antonio E P; Wajngarten, Mauricio; Santos, Raul D

2015-08-01

Poor adherence to medical treatment represents a major health problem. A subject's misperception of his own cardiovascular risk has been indicated as a key driver for low compliance with preventive measures. This study analysed the relationship between objectively calculated short- and long-term cardiovascular risk and its subjective perception. Cross-sectional study in asymptomatic Brazilian subjects. Individuals (N = 6544, mean age 49.1 ± 7 years, 22.2% female) who underwent a routine mandatory health evaluation were studied. A questionnaire in which each individual rated his own cardiovascular risk as low, intermediate or high according to his own perception was used. The 10-year and lifetime cardiovascular risk were calculated respectively using the Framingham risk (FRS) and Lifetime risk (LRS) scores. Individuals were classified as hypo-perceivers (i.e. perceived risk lower than estimated risk), normo-perceivers (i.e. perceived risk coincident with estimated risk) and hyper-perceivers (i.e. perceived risk higher than estimated risk). Cardiovascular risk, using the FRS, was low in 77.9% (N = 5071), intermediate in 14.4% (N = 939) and high in 7.7% (N = 499) of subjects. Cardiovascular risk, using the LRS, was low in 7.6% (N = 492), intermediate in 43.1% (N = 2787) and high in 49.3% (N = 3184) of the study population. The prevalence of normo-perceivers was 57.6% using the FRS and only 20.6% using the LRS. Using the LRS, 72.3% of the intermediate and 91.2% of the high-risk subjects were hypo-perceivers. In a large sample of asymptomatic individuals, there was a gap between calculated and perceived cardiovascular risk. Using a long-term risk score, most of the intermediate- and high-risk subjects were hypo-perceivers. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

Use of Subjective Global Assessment, Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 to evaluate the nutritional status of non-critically ill patients on parenteral nutrition.

Science.gov (United States)

Badia-Tahull, M B; Cobo-Sacristán, S; Leiva-Badosa, E; Miquel-Zurita, M E; Méndez-Cabalerio, N; Jódar-Masanés, R; Llop-Talaverón, J

2014-02-01

To evaluate the nutritional status of non-critically ill digestive surgery patients at the moment of parenteral nutrition initiation using three different nutritional test tools and to study their correlation. To study the association between the tests and the clinical and laboratory parameters used in the follow-up of PN treatment. Prospective study over 4 months. Anthropometric and clinical variables were recorded. Results of Subjective Global Assessment; Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment; and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 were compared applying kappa test. Relationship between the clinical and laboratory parameters with Subjective Global Assessment was studied by multinominal regression and with the other two tests by multiple linear regression models. Age and sex were included as adjustment variables. Malnutrition in 45 studied patients varied from 51% to 57%. Subjective Global Assessment correlated well with Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (κ = 0531 p = 0.000). The test with the greatest correlation with the clinical and analytical variables was the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002. Worse nutritional state in this test was associated with worse results in albumin (B = -0.087; CI = -0.169/-0.005], prealbumin (B = -0.005; CI = [-0.011/-0.001]), C-reactive protein (B = 0.006;CI = [0.001/ 0.011]) and leukocytes (B = 0.134; CI = [0.031/0.237]) at the en of parenteral nutrition treatment. Half of the digestive surgery patients were at malnutritional risk at the moment of initiating parenteral nutrition. Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 was the test with best association with the parameters used in the clinical follow-up of parenteral nutrition treated patients. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

An early stage evaluation of the Supporting Program for Obstetric Care Underserved Areas in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Na, Baeg Ju; Kim, Hyun Joo; Lee, Jin Yong

2014-06-01

"The Supporting Program for Obstetric Care Underserved Areas (SPOU)" provides financial aids to rural community (or district) hospitals to reopen prenatal care and delivery services for regions without obstetrics and gynecology clinics or hospitals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the early stage effect of the SPOU program. The proportion of the number of birth through SPOU was calculated by each region. Also survey was conducted to investigate the extent of overall satisfaction, elements of dissatisfaction, and suggestions for improvement of the program; 209 subjects participated from 7 to 12 December, 2012. Overall, 20% of pregnant women in Youngdong (71 cases) and Gangjin (106 cases) used their community (or district) hospitals through the SPOU whereas Yecheon (23 cases) was 8%; their satisfaction rates were high. Short distance and easy accessibility was the main reason among women choosing community (or district) hospital whereas the reasons of not selecting the community (or district) hospital were favor of the outside hospital's facility, system, and trust in the medical staffs. The SPOU seems to be currently effective at an early stage. However, to successfully implement this program, the government should make continuous efforts to recruit highly qualified medical staffs and improve medical facility and equipment.

Functional brain segmentation using inter-subject correlation in fMRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Kauppi, Jukka-Pekka; Pajula, Juha; Niemi, Jari; Hari, Riitta; Tohka, Jussi

2017-05-01

The human brain continuously processes massive amounts of rich sensory information. To better understand such highly complex brain processes, modern neuroimaging studies are increasingly utilizing experimental setups that better mimic daily-life situations. A new exploratory data-analysis approach, functional segmentation inter-subject correlation analysis (FuSeISC), was proposed to facilitate the analysis of functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) data sets collected in these experiments. The method provides a new type of functional segmentation of brain areas, not only characterizing areas that display similar processing across subjects but also areas in which processing across subjects is highly variable. FuSeISC was tested using fMRI data sets collected during traditional block-design stimuli (37 subjects) as well as naturalistic auditory narratives (19 subjects). The method identified spatially local and/or bilaterally symmetric clusters in several cortical areas, many of which are known to be processing the types of stimuli used in the experiments. The method is not only useful for spatial exploration of large fMRI data sets obtained using naturalistic stimuli, but also has other potential applications, such as generation of a functional brain atlases including both lower- and higher-order processing areas. Finally, as a part of FuSeISC, a criterion-based sparsification of the shared nearest-neighbor graph was proposed for detecting clusters in noisy data. In the tests with synthetic data, this technique was superior to well-known clustering methods, such as Ward's method, affinity propagation, and K-means ++. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2643-2665, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cytogenetic analysis chromosomal status of subjects from the regions in the vicinity of uranium-contaminated areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jovicic, D.; Milacie, S.; Kovacevic, R.; Petrovic, I.

2004-01-01

The past application of nuclear technology has brought about free emission of numerous Due to the military application of the depleted uranium (DU) in our country, the problem of its radioactivity and hemo toxicity if actualized. Likewise every heavy metal, its is highly toxic and, in addition to it, also radioactive: Interaction of the water-soluble uranium forms with soil is an important effect. In this way, it penetrates into food chain and endangers human health. The study was aimed at determining possible karyotype genotoxic effects in individuals from the regions close to the contaminated areas. Biological dosimetry was performed using modified Moorthead's micromethod. Our studies included the targeted group of 29 patients from the affected regions. The subjects were averagely aged 39.5±2.8 years. Average age of the control group (k), unexposed to the effects of the known genotoxic agents comprising 22 individuals was 28.3±1.2 years. The presented data evidenced that increased incidence of the chromosomal aberrations was found in 6 subjects,accounting for 20.6%. Dicentric type changes were evidence, as well ring chromosomes and eccentric fragments, which are, at the same time the most frequent aberrations. The changes are considered reparable aberrations accounting for 2-3% in metaphases of the unexposed individuals. Statistical data processing evidenced significant difference (p<0.005) between structural chromosomal aberrations in the studied and control groups, as well as in the number of chromatid aberrations (p<0.05).Based on the obtained data it may be concluded that human karyotype changes were present in the studied group, resulting from interaction of ionizing irradiation and other genotoxic agents, with possibility of potent synergistic effects. It is necessary to stress the importance of further monitoring and control of the general population health, particularly due to possible late genetic effects that may affect future generations. (Author) 10

Evaluation of subjective image quality in relation to diagnostic task for cone beam computed tomography with different fields of view.

Science.gov (United States)

Lofthag-Hansen, Sara; Thilander-Klang, Anne; Gröndahl, Kerstin

2011-11-01

To evaluate subjective image quality for two diagnostic tasks, periapical diagnosis and implant planning, for cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) using different exposure parameters and fields of view (FOVs). Examinations were performed in posterior part of the jaws on a skull phantom with 3D Accuitomo (FOV 3 cm×4 cm) and 3D Accuitomo FPD (FOVs 4 cm×4 cm and 6 cm×6 cm). All combinations of 60, 65, 70, 75, 80 kV and 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 mA with a rotation of 180° and 360° were used. Dose-area product (DAP) value was determined for each combination. The images were presented, displaying the object in axial, cross-sectional and sagittal views, without scanning data in a random order for each FOV and jaw. Seven observers assessed image quality on a six-point rating scale. Intra-observer agreement was good (κw=0.76) and inter-observer agreement moderate (κw=0.52). Stepwise logistic regression showed kV, mA and diagnostic task to be the most important variables. Periapical diagnosis, regardless jaw, required higher exposure parameters compared to implant planning. Implant planning in the lower jaw required higher exposure parameters compared to upper jaw. Overall ranking of FOVs gave 4 cm×4 cm, 6 cm×6 cm followed by 3 cm×4 cm. This study has shown that exposure parameters should be adjusted according to diagnostic task. For this particular CBCT brand a rotation of 180° gave good subjective image quality, hence a substantial dose reduction can be achieved without loss of diagnostic information. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of subjective image quality in relation to diagnostic task for cone beam computed tomography with different fields of view

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lofthag-Hansen, Sara; Thilander-Klang, Anne; Groendahl, Kerstin

2011-01-01

Aims: To evaluate subjective image quality for two diagnostic tasks, periapical diagnosis and implant planning, for cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) using different exposure parameters and fields of view (FOVs). Materials and methods: Examinations were performed in posterior part of the jaws on a skull phantom with 3D Accuitomo (FOV 3 cm x 4 cm) and 3D Accuitomo FPD (FOVs 4 cm x 4 cm and 6 cm x 6 cm). All combinations of 60, 65, 70, 75, 80 kV and 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 mA with a rotation of 180 o and 360 o were used. Dose-area product (DAP) value was determined for each combination. The images were presented, displaying the object in axial, cross-sectional and sagittal views, without scanning data in a random order for each FOV and jaw. Seven observers assessed image quality on a six-point rating scale. Results: Intra-observer agreement was good (κ w = 0.76) and inter-observer agreement moderate (κ w = 0.52). Stepwise logistic regression showed kV, mA and diagnostic task to be the most important variables. Periapical diagnosis, regardless jaw, required higher exposure parameters compared to implant planning. Implant planning in the lower jaw required higher exposure parameters compared to upper jaw. Overall ranking of FOVs gave 4 cm x 4 cm, 6 cm x 6 cm followed by 3 cm x 4 cm. Conclusions: This study has shown that exposure parameters should be adjusted according to diagnostic task. For this particular CBCT brand a rotation of 180 o gave good subjective image quality, hence a substantial dose reduction can be achieved without loss of diagnostic information.

Landscape evaluation of heterogeneous areas using fuzzy sets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ralf-Uwe Syrbe

1998-02-01

Full Text Available Landscape evaluation is an interesting field for fuzzy approaches, because it happens on the transition line between natural and social systems. Both are very complex. Therefore, transformation of scientific results to politically significant statements on environmental problems demands intelligent support. Particularly landscape planners need methods to gather natural facts of an area and assess them in consideration of its meaning to society as a whole. Since each land unit is heterogeneous, a special methodology is necessary. Such an evaluation technique was developed within a Geographical Information System (ARC/INFO. The methodology combines several known methods with fuzzy approaches to catch the intrinsic fuzziness of ecological systems as well as the heterogeneity of landscape. Additionally, a way will be discussed to vary the fuzzy inference in order to consider spatial relations of various landscape elements. Fuzzy logic is used to process the data uncertainty, to simulate the vagueness of knowledge about ecological functionality, and to model the spatial structure of landscape. Fuzzy sets describe the attributes of thematically defined land units and their assessment results. In this way, the available information will be preserved in their full diversity. The fuzzy operations are executed by AML-programs (ARC/INFO Macro Language. With such a tight coupling, it is possible to use the geographical functions (neighbourhoods, distances, etc. of GIS within the fuzzy system directly.

Evaluation of the Influence of Jiangxiang Reservoir Immersion on Corp and Residential Areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Chen

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Reservoir immersion is an environmental geological issue. Jiangxiang reservoir was taken as an example, where both analytical and numerical methods were employed to calculate the banked-up water level after reservoir impoundment, based on the hydrological, meteorological, geological, and hydrogeological conditions. The capillary rise height of soils in the reservoir area was determined through in situ measurement and laboratory analysis. The depth of foundation and crop roots in residential areas can be obtained by field investigation. The critical depth to groundwater was calculated according to the height of capillary rise and land elevation. Furthermore, the influence of reservoir immersion was evaluated, which provides a scientific basis for the relocation of people in reservoir areas, planting of crops, and project investment.

Evaluation of CANDU NPP containment structure subjected to aging and internal pressure increase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Xu [Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 1A4 (Canada); Kwon, Oh-Sung, E-mail: os.kwon@utoronto.ca [Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 1A4 (Canada); Bentz, Evan [Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 1A4 (Canada); Tcherner, Julia [Candu Energy Inc. a member of SNC-Lavalin Group, Mississauga L5K 1B1 (Canada)

2017-04-01

Highlights: • The aging effects on the performance of a nuclear containment structure is evaluated. • A numerical model of the structure is subjected to increasing internal pressure. • No through-thickness cracks are predicted under the design level internal pressure. • The structure is predicted to be ductile up to large internal pressure levels. - Abstract: The objective of this study is to investigate the long-term performance of a typical CANDU® containment structure. A three-dimensional nonlinear finite element model was built to realistically evaluate the performance of the structure under service load as well as a hypothetical beyond-design level internal pressure. Consideration is given to the time-dependent effects, such as shrinkage, creep, and relaxation of prestressing tendons, over a 60-year timeframe. In addition, the sensitivity of the response of the containment structure against support condition, internal temperature profile and temporary construction openings was also investigated. The accuracy of the numerical model was validated against structural measurements made during a routine leak rate test. The analysis results show that the containment structure would develop a ductile mechanism if the internal pressure significantly exceeded the design pressure. The pressure-deformation relationship of the structure is sensitive to the considered time-dependent parameters.

Swedish Hard Rock Laboratory first evaluation of preinvestigations 1986-87 and target area characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gustafson, G.; Stanfors, R.; Wikberg, P.

1988-06-01

SKB plans to site an underground research laboratory in the Simpevarp area. A regional survey started in 1986 and an extensive programme for geology, geohydrology and hydrochemistry was carried through. This report gives an evaluation of all available data gathered from the start of the project up to the drilling of core boreholes in some target areas in the autumn of 1987. A descriptive geological-tectonic model on a regional scale is presented that is intended to constitute a basis for the hydrogeological modelling work. Preliminary rock mass descriptions are also presented on a more detailed scale for some minor parts of the area. It is recommended that the island Aespoe is the principal target area for the continued work on the Swedish Hard Rock Laboratory. (orig.)

Evaluation of Water Resource Security Based on an MIV-BP Model in a Karst Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liying Liu

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Evaluation of water resource security deserves particular attention in water resource planning and management. A typical karst area in Guizhou Province, China, was used as the research area in this paper. First, based on data from Guizhou Province for the past 10 years, the mean impact value–back propagation (MIV-BP model was used to analyze the factors influencing water resource security in the karst area. Second, 18 indices involving five aspects, water environment subsystem, social subsystem, economic subsystem, ecological subsystem, and human subsystem, were selected to establish an evaluation index of water resource security. Finally, a BP artificial neural network model was constructed to evaluate the water resource security of Guizhou Province from 2005 to 2014. The results show that water resource security in Guizhou, which was at a moderate warning level from 2005 to 2009 and a critical safety level from 2010 to 2014, has generally improved. Groundwater supply ratio, industrial water utilization rate, water use efficiency, per capita grain production, and water yield modulus were the obstacles to water resource security. Driving factors were comprehensive utilization rate of industrial solid waste, qualifying rate of industrial wastewater, above moderate rocky desertification area ratio, water requirement per unit gross domestic product (GDP, and degree of development and utilization of groundwater. Our results provide useful suggestions on the management of water resource security in Guizhou Province and a valuable reference for water resource research.

Inelastic response evaluation of steel frame structure subjected to near-fault ground motions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, In Kil; Kim, Hyung Kyu; Choun, Young Sun; Seo, Jeong Moon

2004-04-01

A survey on some of the Quaternary fault segments near the Korean nuclear power plants is ongoing. It is likely that these faults would be identified as active ones. If the faults are confirmed as active ones, it will be necessary to reevaluate the seismic safety of nuclear power plants located near the fault. This study was performed to acquire overall knowledge of near-fault ground motions and evaluate inealstic response characteristics of near-fault ground motions. Although Korean peninsular is not located in the strong earthquake region, it is necessary to evaluate seismic safety of NPP for the earthquakes occurred in near-fault area with characteristics different from that of general far-fault earthquakes in order to improve seismic safety of existing NPP structures and equipment. As a result, for the seismic safety evaluation of NPP structures and equipment considering near-fault effects, this report will give many valuable information. In order to improve seismic safety of NPP structures and equipment against near-fault ground motions, it is necessary to consider inelastic response characteristics of near-fault ground motions in current design code. Also in Korea where these studies are immature yet, in the future more works of near-fault earthquakes must be accomplished.

Echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular functions in healthy subjects who migrated from the sea level to a moderate altitude.

Science.gov (United States)

Arısoy, Arif; Topçu, Selim; Demirelli, Selami; Altunkaş, Fatih; Karayakalı, Metin; Çelik, Ataç; Tanboğa, İbrahim Halil; Aksakal, Enbiya; Sevimli, Serdar; Gürlertop, Hanefi Yekta

2015-11-25

The aim of this study was to evaluate right ventricle (RV) functions using echocardiography in healthy subjects who migrated from the sea level to moderate altitude (1890 m). The prospective observational in this study population consisted of 33 healthy subjects (23 men; mean age 20.4±3.2 years) who migrated from the sea level to a moderate altitude (Erzurum city centre, 1890 m above sea level) for long-term stay. Subjects underwent echocardiographic evaluation within the first 48 h of exposure to the moderate altitude and at the sixth month of arrival. Conventional echocardiographic parameters such as RV sizes and areas, systolic, and diastolic functional indices [fractional area change (FAC), tricuspid flow velocities, myocardial performance index (MPI), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE)] were obtained. Systolic (S) and diastolic (E', A') velocities were acquired from the apical fourchamber view using tissue Doppler imaging. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, student's t-test, Wilcoxon test, and chi-square test were used in this study. There were no significant changes in RV size, FAC, MPI, TAPSE, inferior inspiratory vena cava collapse, tricuspid E velocity, and tricuspid annulus E' velocity. Compared with the baseline, there was a significant increase in mean pulmonary artery pressure (p=0.001); RV end systolic area (p=0.014); right atrial end diastolic area (p=0.021); tricuspid A velocity (p=0.013); tricuspid annulus S and A' velocity (p=0.031 and p=0.006, respectively); and RV free wall S, E', and A' velocity (p=0.007, pa significant decrease in tricuspid E/A ratio (1.61±0.3 vs. 1.45±0.2, p=0.038) and tricuspid annulus E'/A' ratio (1.52±0.5 vs. 1.23±0.4, p=0.002) at the sixth month. Our study revealed that right ventricular diastolic function was altered while the systolic function was preserved in healthy subjects who migrated from the sea level to a moderate altitude.

Techno-economic evaluation of various electric energy supply for rural areas Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagdev, A.J.; Samo, S.R.

1994-01-01

A diagnostic study was carried out to evaluate the techno-economic viability of various electric supply sources for electrification of rural areas in Pakistan in present socio-economic conditions. The important influencing factors considered were: social needs, electric requirement and availability of energy resources. The electric requirements of model rural village were established at 20431 kw h per year. Prudent evaluations reveal that hydroelectric, photovoltaic and diesel systems are better options than an electric grid extension of more than 2 km. In order to become an economically meritorious energy source, photovoltaic system should attain cost level Rs. 100 per watt-peak of installed system. (author)

Post-Closure Evaluation of the Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Sites at the Nevada National Security Site in Support of the Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

The post-closure performance of the Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) and Area 5 RWMS are evaluated for the Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement using current performance assessment and composite analysis methods and models. Two alternatives with different future waste volumes and inventories are evaluated. The No Action Alternative evaluates the inventory disposed through fiscal year (FY) 2010 plus an additional 4.5E5 cubic meters (m3) (1.59E7 cubic feet (ft3)) of waste disposed at the Area 5 RWMS. The Expanded Operations Alternative evaluates the FY 2010 inventory plus an additional 1.42E6 m3 (5.03E7 ft3) of waste disposed at the Area 5 RWMS and 4.93E4 m3 (1.74E6 ft3) disposed at the Area 3 RWMS. Both the No Action and Expanded Operations Alternatives have a reasonable expectation of meeting all performance objectives of U.S. Department of Energy Order DOE O 435.1, 'Radioactive Waste Management.' No significant difference between the two alternatives was found because the waste concentrations are similar. The performance assessment model assesses radiological risk for residents at the RWMS boundary where risk is more closely related to waste concentration than total waste inventory. Results for the composite analysis also indicate that the dose constraint and dose limit can be met for both alternatives.

Performance evaluation of the conventional Brazilian industries radiation protection in the small industrial gauges and industrial radiography areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, Joyra Amaral dos

1999-08-01

This works evaluates by punctuation the performance in conventional Brazilian industries radiation protection area which make use of small industrial gauges and industrial radiography. It proposes, procedures for industry self-evaluation, besides a new radiation protection plans pattern for the small industrial gauges area. The data source where inspection reports of Dosimetry Radiation Protection Institute/Nuclear Energy Commission conventional Brazilian industries' radiation protection plans, beyond visitation to the inspection place. The performance evaluation has been realized both in the administrative and operational aspects of the industries. About of 60% of the industries have a satisfactory register control which does not happen to the operational control. The performance evaluation advantage is that industries may self-evaluate, foreseeing Dosimetry Radiation Protection Institute's regulation inspections, correcting its irregularities, automatically improving its services. The number of industries which have obtained satisfactory performance in both areas is below 70%, both in administrative and operational aspects. Such number can be considered a low one as it is radiation protection. The procedures propose in this work aim to improve such a situation. (author)

Phase 1 Evaluation of [(64)Cu]DOTA-Patritumab to Assess Dosimetry, Apparent Receptor Occupancy, and Safety in Subjects with Advanced Solid Tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Lockhart, A Craig; Liu, Yongjian; Dehdashti, Farrokh; Laforest, Richard; Picus, Joel; Frye, Jennifer; Trull, Lauren; Belanger, Stefanie; Desai, Madhuri; Mahmood, Syed; Mendell, Jeanne; Welch, Michael J; Siegel, Barry A

2016-06-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety, dosimetry, and apparent receptor occupancy (RO) of [(64)Cu]DOTA-patritumab, a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody directed against HER3/ERBB3 in subjects with advanced solid tumors. Dosimetry subjects (n = 5) received [(64)Cu]DOTA-patritumab and underwent positron emission tomography (PET)/X-ray computed tomography (CT) at 3, 24, and 48 h. Evaluable RO subjects (n = 3 out of 6) received [(64)Cu]DOTA-patritumab at day 1 and day 8 (after 9.0 mg/kg patritumab) followed by PET/CT at 24 h post-injection. Endpoints included safety, tumor uptake, and efficacy. The tumor SUVmax (± SD) was 5.6 ± 4.5, 3.3 ± 1.7, and 3.0 ± 1.1 at 3, 24, and 48 h in dosimetry subjects. The effective dose and critical organ dose (liver) averaged 0.044 ± 0.008 mSv/MBq and 0.46 ± 0.086 mGy/MBq, respectively. In RO subjects, tumor-to-blood ratio decreased from 1.00 ± 0.32 at baseline to 0.57 ± 0.17 after stable patritumab, corresponding to a RO of 42.1 ± 3. [(64)Cu]DOTA-patritumab was safe. These limited results suggest that this PET-based method can be used to determine tumor-apparent RO.

Check and evaluation system on heat metering and energy efficiency retrofit of existing residential buildings in northern heating areas of china based on multi-index comprehensive evaluation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Jing; Wu Yong; Zhu Neng

2009-01-01

Heat metering and energy efficiency retrofit of existing residential buildings in northern heating areas of China is organized and implemented in a large scale by local government in 15 provinces of North China with the unified guidance and control of central government. Firstly, this paper introduced the target of energy-saving reformation of existing residential buildings in North China and the importance of check and evaluation on this target, then pointed out the necessity of building up an evaluation system for energy-saving retrofit. According to the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), three-grade evaluation system was built up for heat metering and energy efficiency retrofit of existing residential buildings in northern heating areas of China. Also, based on multi-index comprehensive evaluation method combined with life cycle assessment (LCA) theory, post-evaluation thought and successful degree evaluation method, a mathematical model was established. Finally, a set of scientific method for evaluating heat metering and energy efficiency retrofit of existing residential buildings in northern heating areas of China systematically, scientifically, comprehensively and objectively was created.

Memory and subjective workload assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Staveland, L.; Hart, S.; Yeh, Y. Y.

1986-01-01

Recent research suggested subjective introspection of workload is not based upon specific retrieval of information from long term memory, and only reflects the average workload that is imposed upon the human operator by a particular task. These findings are based upon global ratings of workload for the overall task, suggesting that subjective ratings are limited in ability to retrieve specific details of a task from long term memory. To clarify the limits memory imposes on subjective workload assessment, the difficulty of task segments was varied and the workload of specified segments was retrospectively rated. The ratings were retrospectively collected on the manipulations of three levels of segment difficulty. Subjects were assigned to one of two memory groups. In the Before group, subjects knew before performing a block of trials which segment to rate. In the After group, subjects did not know which segment to rate until after performing the block of trials. The subjective ratings, RTs (reaction times) and MTs (movement times) were compared within group, and between group differences. Performance measures and subjective evaluations of workload reflected the experimental manipulations. Subjects were sensitive to different difficulty levels, and recalled the average workload of task components. Cueing did not appear to help recall, and memory group differences possibly reflected variations in the groups of subjects, or an additional memory task.

Truncation artifact suppression in cone-beam radionuclide transmission CT using maximum likelihood techniques: evaluation with human subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manglos, S.H.

1992-01-01

Transverse image truncation can be a serious problem for human imaging using cone-beam transmission CT (CB-CT) implemented on a conventional rotating gamma camera. This paper presents a reconstruction method to reduce or eliminate the artifacts resulting from the truncation. The method uses a previously published transmission maximum likelihood EM algorithm, adapted to the cone-beam geometry. The reconstruction method is evaluated qualitatively using three human subjects of various dimensions and various degrees of truncation. (author)

Economic evaluation of area-wide pest management program to control asian tiger mosquito in New Jersey

Science.gov (United States)

Area-wide pest management (AWPM) is recommended to control urban mosquitoes, such as Aedes albopictus, which limit outdoor activities. While several evaluations of effectiveness exist, information on costs is lacking. Economic evaluation of such a program is important to help inform policy makers an...

Engineering evaluation cost analysis for the 100-B/C area ancillary facilities at the 108-F Building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-10-01

In 1995, the US Department of Energy (DOE), Richland Operations Office (RL) conducted a removal site evaluation of selected facilities in the 100 Area of the Hanford Site in accordance with CERCLA and 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 300.410. The scope of the evaluation included the aboveground portions of the 108-F Biology Laboratory in the 100-F Area and all inactive ancillary buildings and structures in the 100-B/C Area, excluding the reactor building and the river outfall. Based on the evaluation, RL determined that hazardous substances in the 108-F Biology Laboratory and five of the 100-B/C Area facilities may present a potential threat to human health or the environment, and that a non-time critical removal action at these facilities is warranted. This determination was documented in an engineering evaluation/cost analysis (EE/CA) approval memorandum. The EE/CA approval memorandum is the basis on which to proceed with the performance of an EE/CA to determine the appropriate removal action. This report presents the results of the EE/CA for removal alternatives for final disposition of these six facilities. The EE/CA was conducted pursuant to the requirements of CERCLA and 40 CFR 300.415 and is intended to aid RL and the EPA in selecting a preferred removal action

The Corpus Callosum Area and Brain Volume in Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment and Healthy Controls

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Hee Seok; Kim, Kwang Ki; Yoon, Yup Yoon [Dongguk University Medical Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); Seo, Hyung Suk [Korea University Ansan Hospital, Ansan (Korea, Republic of)

2009-07-15

To compare the corpus callosum (CC) area and brain volume among individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and healthy controls (HC). To evaluate the relationship of CC area and brain volume in 111 subjects (M:F = 48:63; mean age, 56.9 years) without memory disturbance and 28 subjects (11:17; 66.7years) with memory disturbance. The 11 AD (3:8; 75.7 years), 17 MCI (8:9; 60.9 years) and 28 selected HC (11:17; 66.4 years) patients were investigated for comparison of their CC area and brain volume. A good positive linear correlation was found between CC area and brain volume in subjects without and with memory disturbance (r = 0.64 and 0.66, respectively, p < 0.01). The CC area and brain volume in AD patients (498.7 +- 72 mm{sup 2}, 715.4 +- 107 cm3) were significantly smaller than in MCI patients (595.9 +- 108, 844.1 +- 85) and the HCs (563.2 +- 75, 818.9 +- 109) (p < 0.05). The CC area and brain volume were not significantly different between MCI patients and the HCs. The CC area was significantly correlated with brain volume. Both CC area and brain volume were significantly smaller in the AD patients

OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE EVALUATION OF ADOLESCENT'S ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT NEEDS AND THEIR IMPACT ON SELF-ESTEEM.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Anshika; Mathur, Anmol; Batra, Manu; Makkar, Diljot Kaur; Aggarwal, Vikram Pal; Goyal, Nikita; Kaur, Puneet

2017-01-01

To investigate the presence of association between objective and subjective evaluation of orthodontic treatment needs in adolescents and their impact on their self-esteem. Cross-sectional study with adolescents aged 10-17 years old in Sri Ganganagar city, Rajasthan, India. The objective index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN) dental health component (DHC) and the subjective aesthetic component (AC) were used to determine the normative and the self-perception need for orthodontic treatment, respectively. The selected students were further examined for dental trauma, tooth loss, and dental caries. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was applied for self-esteem level determination. Linear regression analysis was executed to test the individual association of different independent clinical variables with self-esteem scores. Among 1,140 studied adolescents, the prevalence of dental normative orthodontic treatment need was in 56.9% of individuals, whereas 53.3% of individuals considered themselves as needy for the treatment. Multivariate analyses revealed that out of all dental disorders, DHC followed by AC of IOTN had maximum impact on the self-esteem of the adolescence. Dissatisfaction with dental appearance is a strong predictor for low self-esteem in adolescence.

Evaluation of periodic safety status analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faber, C.; Staub, G.

1997-01-01

In order to carry out the evaluation of safety status analyses by the safety assessor within the periodical safety reviews of nuclear power plants safety goal oriented requirements have been formulated together with complementary evaluation criteria. Their application in an inter-disciplinary coopertion covering the subject areas involved facilitates a complete safety goal oriented assessment of the plant status. The procedure is outlined briefly by an example for the safety goal 'reactivity control' for BWRs. (orig.) [de

Evaluation on Impact Interaction between Abutment and Steel Girder Subjected to Nonuniform Seismic Excitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yue Zheng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to evaluate the impact interaction between the abutment and the girder subjected to nonuniform seismic excitation. An impact model based on tests is presented by taking material properties of the backfill of the abutment into consideration. The conditional simulation is performed to investigate the spatial variation of earthquake ground motions. A two-span continuous steel box girder bridge is taken as the example to analyze and assess the pounding interaction between the abutment and the girder. The detailed nonlinear finite element (FE model is established and the steel girder and the reinforced concrete piers are modeled by nonlinear fiber elements. The pounding element of the abutment is simulated by using a trilinear compression gap element. The elastic-perfectly plastic element is used to model the nonlinear rubber bearings. The comparisons of the pounding forces, the shear forces of the nonlinear bearings, the moments of reinforced concrete piers, and the axial pounding stresses of the steel girder are studied. The made observations indicate that the nonuniform excitation for multisupport bridge is imperative in the analysis and evaluation of the pounding effects of the bridges.

Evaluation of Variation in Residual Strength of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Plate with a Hole Subjected to Fatigue Load

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sang Young; Kang, Min Sung; Koo, Jae Mean; Seok, Chang Sung [Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2010-10-15

CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) has received considerable attention in various fields as a structural material, because of its high specific strength, high specific stiffness, excellent design flexibility, favorable chemical properties, etc. Most products consisting of several parts are generally assembled by mechanical joining methods (using rivets, bolts, pins, etc.). Holes must be drilled in the parts to be joined, and the strength of the components subjected to static and fatigue loads caused by stress concentration must be decreased. In this study, we experimentally evaluated the variation in the residual strength of a holenotched CFRP plate subjected to fatigue load. We repeatedly subjected the hole-notched specimen to fatigue load for a certain number of cycles, and then we investigated the residual strength of the hole-notched specimen by performing the fracture test. From the results of the test, we can observe the initiation of a directional crack caused by the applied fatigue load. Further, we observed that the residual strength increases with a decrease in the notch effect due to this crack. It was evaluated that the residual strength increases to a certain level and subsequently decreases. This variation in the residual strength was represented by a simple equation by using a model of the decrease in residual strength for plain plate, which was developed by Reifsnider and a stress redistribution model for hole-notched plate, which was developed by Yip.

Field Implementation Plan for the In-Situ Bioremediation Treatability Study at the Technical Area-V Groundwater Area of Concern

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jun [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-10-31

This Field Implementation Plan (FIP) was prepared by Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM) and provides instruction on conducting a series of in-situ bioremediation (ISB) tests as described in the Revised Treatability Study Work Plan for In-Situ Bioremediation at the Technical Area-V Groundwater Area of Concern, referred to as the Revised Work Plan in this FIP. The Treatability Study is designed to gravity inject an electron-donor substrate and bioaugmentation bacteria into groundwater via three injection wells to perform bioremediation of the constituents of concern (COCs), nitrate and trichloroethene (TCE), in the regions with the highest concentrations at the Technical Area-V Groundwater (TAVG) Area of Concern (AOC). The Treatability Study will evaluate the effectiveness of bioremediation solution delivery and COC treatment over time. This FIP is designed for SNL/NM work planning and management. It is not intended to be submitted for regulator’s approval. The technical details presented in this FIP are subject to change based on field conditions, availability of equipment and materials, feasibility, and inputs from Sandia personnel and Aboveground Injection System contractor.

Field Implementation Plan for the In-Situ Bioremediation Treatability Study at the Technical Area-V Groundwater Area of Concern

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Jun

2016-01-01

This Field Implementation Plan (FIP) was prepared by Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM) and provides instruction on conducting a series of in-situ bioremediation (ISB) tests as described in the Revised Treatability Study Work Plan for In-Situ Bioremediation at the Technical Area-V Groundwater Area of Concern, referred to as the Revised Work Plan in this FIP. The Treatability Study is designed to gravity inject an electron-donor substrate and bioaugmentation bacteria into groundwater via three injection wells to perform bioremediation of the constituents of concern (COCs), nitrate and trichloroethene (TCE), in the regions with the highest concentrations at the Technical Area-V Groundwater (TAVG) Area of Concern (AOC). The Treatability Study will evaluate the effectiveness of bioremediation solution delivery and COC treatment over time. This FIP is designed for SNL/NM work planning and management. It is not intended to be submitted for regulator's approval. The technical details presented in this FIP are subject to change based on field conditions, availability of equipment and materials, feasibility, and inputs from Sandia personnel and Aboveground Injection System contractor.

Use of Sine Shaped High-Frequency Rhythmic Visual Stimuli Patterns for SSVEP Response Analysis and Fatigue Rate Evaluation in Normal Subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmadreza Keihani

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Recent EEG-SSVEP signal based BCI studies have used high frequency square pulse visual stimuli to reduce subjective fatigue. However, the effect of total harmonic distortion (THD has not been considered. Compared to CRT and LCD monitors, LED screen displays high-frequency wave with better refresh rate. In this study, we present high frequency sine wave simple and rhythmic patterns with low THD rate by LED to analyze SSVEP responses and evaluate subjective fatigue in normal subjects.Materials and Methods: We used patterns of 3-sequence high-frequency sine waves (25, 30, and 35 Hz to design our visual stimuli. Nine stimuli patterns, 3 simple (repetition of each of above 3 frequencies e.g., P25-25-25 and 6 rhythmic (all of the frequencies in 6 different sequences e.g., P25-30-35 were chosen. A hardware setup with low THD rate (<0.1% was designed to present these patterns on LED. Twenty two normal subjects (aged 23–30 (25 ± 2.1 yrs were enrolled. Visual analog scale (VAS was used for subjective fatigue evaluation after presentation of each stimulus pattern. PSD, CCA, and LASSO methods were employed to analyze SSVEP responses. The data including SSVEP features and fatigue rate for different visual stimuli patterns were statistically evaluated.Results: All 9 visual stimuli patterns elicited SSVEP responses. Overall, obtained accuracy rates were 88.35% for PSD and > 90% for CCA and LASSO (for TWs > 1 s. High frequency rhythmic patterns group with low THD rate showed higher accuracy rate (99.24% than simple patterns group (98.48%. Repeated measure ANOVA showed significant difference between rhythmic pattern features (P < 0.0005. Overall, there was no significant difference between the VAS of rhythmic [3.85 ± 2.13] compared to the simple patterns group [3.96 ± 2.21], (P = 0.63. Rhythmic group had lower within group VAS variation (min = P25-30-35 [2.90 ± 2.45], max = P35-25-30 [4.81 ± 2.65] as well as least individual pattern VAS (P25

High Resolution Tsunami Modelling for the Evaluation of Potential Risk Areas in Setubal

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, João.; Silva, Adélio; Leitão, Paulo

2010-05-01

Modeling has a relevant role in today's natural hazards mitigation planning as it can cover a wide range of natural phenomena. This is also the case for an event like a tsunami. In order to support the urban planning or prepare emergency response plans it is of major importance to be able to properly evaluate the vulnerability associated with different areas and/or equipments. The use of high resolution models can provide relevant information about the most probable inundation areas which complemented with other data such as the type of buildings, location of prioritary equipments, etc., may effectively contribute to better identify the most vulnerable zones, define rescue and escape routes and adequate the emergency plans to the constraints associated to these type of events. In the framework of FP6 SCHEMA project these concepts are being applied to different test sites and a detailed evaluation of the vulnerability of buildings and people to a tsunami event is being evaluated. One of the sites selected it is located in Portugal, in the Atlantic coast, and it refers to Setúbal area which is located about 40 km south of Lisbon. Within this site two specific locations are being evaluated: one is the city of Setúbal (in the Sado estuary right margin) and the other is the Tróia peninsula (in the Sado estuary left margin). Setúbal city is a medium size town with about 114,000 inhabitants while Tróia is a touristic resort located in a shallow area with a high seasonal occupation and has the river Sado as one of the main sources of income to the city. Setúbal was one of the Portuguese villages that was seriously damaged by the of 1755 earthquake event. The 1755 earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, took place on 1 November 1755, the catholic holiday of All Saints, around 09:30 AM. The earthquake was followed by a tsunami and fires which caused a huge destruction of Lisboa and Setúbal In the framework of the present study, a detailed evaluation of

Energy data base: subject thesaurus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redford, J.S.

1981-10-01

The technical staff of the DOE Technical Information Center, during its subject indexing activities, develops and structures a vocabulary that allows consistent machine storage and retrieval of information necessary to the accomplishment of the DOE mission. This thesaurus incorporates that structured vocabulary. The terminology of this thesaurus is used for the subject control of information announced in DOE Energy Research Abstracts, Energy Abstracts for Policy Analysis, and various update journals and bulletins in specialized areas. This terminology also facilitates subject searching of the DOE Energy Data Base on the DOE/RECON on-line retrieval system and on other commercial retrieval systems. The rapid expansion of the DOE's activities will result in a commitant thesaurus expansion as information relating to new activities is indexed. Only the terms used in the indexing of documents at the Technical Information Center to date are included

Carcass characteristics and meat evaluation of Nelore cattle subjected to different antioxidant treatments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thiago de Jesus do Carmo

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Forty Nelore cattle were used to evaluate the effects of supplementation with different antioxidants on carcass characteristics and meat quality of feedlot cattle. Animals were fed Brachiaria brizantha hay and subjected to five treatments (control and four antioxidants: zinc, selenium, vitamin E, and selenium + vitamin E. After a 105-day feeding period, cattle were slaughtered. Tissue composition, as well as carcass proximate composition, color, tenderness, pH, and fatty acid profile were evaluated. Analysis of variance was carried out and means compared by Tukey test at 0.05 probability. The group fed selenium showed the lowest muscle amount (66.61 g/100 g compared with the other antioxidants evaluated. There was no difference among treatments for bone, fat, and comestible portion percentages as well as muscle:bone, muscle:fat, and comestible portion:bone ratios, with mean values of 16.85 g/100 g, 14.70 g/100 g, 82.99 g/100 g, 4.06, 4.85, and 4.95, respectively. Neither brightness, red, or yellow contents of the meat nor carcass pH were affected by treatments. For tenderness and losses during thawing and cooking, there were no differences among treatments, with averages of 6.43 kgf cm2, 3.22 g/100 g, and 21.15 g/100 g, respectively. Supplementation of Nelore cattle fed Brachiaria brizantha hay with antioxidants do not influence carcass characteristics or meat quality. However, vitamin E supplementation reduces the levels of omega 3 fatty acid, whereas supplementation with selenium + vitamin E promotes an increase in linoleic and palmitoleic acids and a decrease in myristoleic acid, making the supplementation feasible due to the beneficial effects provided by these acids.

The influence of prototype fidelity and aesthetics of design in usability tests: effects on user behaviour, subjective evaluation and emotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Sauer, Juergen; Sonderegger, Andreas

2009-07-01

An empirical study examined the impact of prototype fidelity on user behaviour, subjective user evaluation and emotion. The independent factors of prototype fidelity (paper prototype, computer prototype, fully operational appliance) and aesthetics of design (high vs. moderate) were varied in a between-subjects design. The 60 participants of the experiment were asked to complete two typical tasks of mobile phone usage: sending a text message and suppressing a phone number. Both performance data and a number of subjective measures were recorded. The results suggested that task completion time may be overestimated when a computer prototype is being used. Furthermore, users appeared to compensate for deficiencies in aesthetic design by overrating the aesthetic qualities of reduced fidelity prototypes. Finally, user emotions were more positively affected by the operation of the more attractive mobile phone than by the less appealing one.

Integrated Curriculum and Subject-based Curriculum: Achievement and Attitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Casady, Victoria

The research conducted for this mixed-method study, qualitative and quantitative, analyzed the results of an academic year-long study to determine whether the use of an integrated fourth grade curriculum would benefit student achievement in the areas of English language arts, social studies, and science more than a subject-based traditional curriculum. The research was conducted based on the international, national, and state test scores, which show a slowing or lack of growth. Through pre- and post-assessments, student questionnaires, and administrative interviews, the researcher analyzed the phenomenological experiences of the students to determine if the integrated curriculum was a beneficial restructuring of the curriculum. The research questions for this study focused on the achievement and attitudes of the students in the study and whether the curriculum they were taught impacted their achievement and attitudes over the course of one school year. The curricula for the study were organized to cover the current standards, where the integrated curriculum focused on connections between subject areas to help students make connections to what they are learning and the world beyond the classroom. The findings of this study indicated that utilizing the integrated curriculum could increase achievement as well as students' attitudes toward specific content areas. The ANOVA analysis for English language arts was not determined to be significant; although, greater growth in the students from the integrated curriculum setting was recorded. The ANOVA for social studies (0.05) and the paired t-tests (0.001) for science both determined significant positive differences. The qualitative analysis led to the discovery that the experiences of the students from the integrated curriculum setting were more positive. The evaluation of the data from this study led the researcher to determine that the integrated curriculum was a worthwhile endeavor to increase achievement and attitudes

Vision as subjective perception

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reppas, J.B.; Dale, A.; Sereno, M.; Tootell, R.

1996-01-01

The human brain is not very different of the monkey's one: at least, its visual cortex is organized as a similar scheme. Specialized areas in the movement analysis are found and others in the forms perception. In this work, the author tries to answer to the following questions: 1)why so many visual areas? What are exactly their role in vision? Thirteen years of experimentation have not allowed to answer to these questions. The cerebral NMR imaging gives the opportunity of understanding the subjective perception of the visual world. One step which is particularly described in this work is to know how the visual cortex reacts to the optical illusions. (O.M.)

Tomographic evaluation of the temporomandibular joint in malocclusion subjects: condylar morphology and position

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merigue, Luciana Fonseca; Oltramari-Navarro, Paula Vanessa Pedron; Alemida, Marcio Rodrigues; Conti, Ana Claudia de Castro Ferreira; Navarro, Ricardo de Lima

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate condyle concentricity and morphology, and their association with Class I and II malocclusions (Angle). The sample consisted of 49 individuals of both genders, between 11 and 35 years old, divided into two groups, G1: 26 patients with Class I malocclusion, and G2: 23 patients with Class II malocclusion, selected for orthodontic treatment. Evaluation of the condyle morphology and position was performed by the same previously calibrated examiner using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of the subjects. The CBCT scans were analyzed by means of a 3D program (Dolphin 11.5, Dolphin Imaging and Management Solutions, Chatsworth, CA, USA), with a 25% level of sensitivity. The images obtained from the coronal slices were employed for the condyle morphology analysis, which classified the condyle form as rounded, as flat or convex, and as triangular or angled. The sagittal slices were used to classify further the condyles as concentric and displaced anteriorly or posteriorly. A clinical examination was also performed, including TMJ and muscle palpation. The kappa test was used to evaluate investigator calibration; the Chi-square and paired t-tests were used for analysis. The convex and anteriorly positioned condyles were found most frequently, regardless of the type of malocclusion. No association was observed between the groups regarding condylar characteristics. (author)

Tomographic evaluation of the temporomandibular joint in malocclusion subjects: condylar morphology and position

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Merigue, Luciana Fonseca; Oltramari-Navarro, Paula Vanessa Pedron; Alemida, Marcio Rodrigues [Universidade do Norte do Parana (UNOPAR), Londrina, PR (Brazil). Faculdade de Odontologia; Conti, Ana Claudia de Castro Ferreira [Universidade do Sagrado Coracao (USC), Bauru, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Odontologia; Navarro, Ricardo de Lima, E-mail: accfconti@uol.com.br [Universidade Estadual de Maringa (UEM), Maringa, P (Brazil). Departamento de Odontologia

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate condyle concentricity and morphology, and their association with Class I and II malocclusions (Angle). The sample consisted of 49 individuals of both genders, between 11 and 35 years old, divided into two groups, G1: 26 patients with Class I malocclusion, and G2: 23 patients with Class II malocclusion, selected for orthodontic treatment. Evaluation of the condyle morphology and position was performed by the same previously calibrated examiner using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of the subjects. The CBCT scans were analyzed by means of a 3D program (Dolphin 11.5, Dolphin Imaging and Management Solutions, Chatsworth, CA, USA), with a 25% level of sensitivity. The images obtained from the coronal slices were employed for the condyle morphology analysis, which classified the condyle form as rounded, as flat or convex, and as triangular or angled. The sagittal slices were used to classify further the condyles as concentric and displaced anteriorly or posteriorly. A clinical examination was also performed, including TMJ and muscle palpation. The kappa test was used to evaluate investigator calibration; the Chi-square and paired t-tests were used for analysis. The convex and anteriorly positioned condyles were found most frequently, regardless of the type of malocclusion. No association was observed between the groups regarding condylar characteristics. (author)

Subjective and objective evaluation of one’s physical fitness – the role of self-esteem, motivation, and the need for social approval

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agata Piasecka

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction and purpose of the work: Physical fitness is an important aspect of human life that can have an impact on biological, social, and psychological functioning. The aim of the research was to compare students who were engaged and those who were not engaged in sport in terms of self-evaluation of own physical fitness and performance in the Functional Movement ScreenTM. The analyses also included the role of motivation, self-esteem, and the need for social approval. Material and method: The participants of the study were students who do sports (n = 30 and those who are not engaged in a sport activity (n = 30 at one Polish university (aged 18-24 years, Mage = 21,23; SD = 1,5. The following instruments were used in the research: Self-Esteem Scale (SES, Social Approval Test (TAS-27, Sport Motivation Scale-II (SMS-II, Functional Movement ScreenTM (FMSTM, Survey about own physical fitness and sport related information.Results: The results revealed that active and inactive students differed in the subjective scores in the FMSTM and evaluation of own physical fitness. However, in both groups similar scores in self-esteem and the need for social approval were present. Subjective evaluation (made by the subjects of own performance in the FMSTM was rated lower than objective one (made by the researchers in both groups. The FMSTM scores (both objective and subjective were related to different types of motivation. The lowest mean values were noted for external motivation and amotivation. Conclusions: The research has shown differences, in evaluation of physical fitness and FMSTM score - which can inform about the risk of potential injury - between the students who were engaged and those who were not engaged in sport. Motivation, need for social approval and self-esteem were mutually related. They can play an important role in shaping the belief about one's physical fitness and the effect of one's performance, although further investigations are

Testing and evaluation of large-area heliostats for solar thermal applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strachan, J.W.; Houser, R.M.

1993-02-01

Two heliostats representing the state-of-the-art in glass-metal designs for central receiver (and photovoltaic tracking) applications were tested and evaluated at the National Solar Thermal Test Facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 1986 to 1992. These heliostats have collection areas of 148 and 200 m{sup 2} and represent low-cost designs for heliostats that employ glass-metal mirrors. The evaluation encompassed the performance and operational characteristics of the heliostats, and examined heliostat beam quality, the effect of elevated winds on beam quality, heliostat drives and controls, mirror module reflectance and durability, and the overall operational and maintenance characteristics of the two heliostats. A comprehensive presentation of the results of these and other tests is presented. The results are prefaced by a review of the development (in the United States) of heliostat technology.

An evaluation of the safety and efficacy of bimatoprost for eyelash growth in pediatric subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Borchert M

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Mark Borchert,1 Suzanne Bruce,2 David Wirta,3 Steven G Yoelin,4 Sungwook Lee,5 Cheri Mao,5 Amanda VanDenburgh5 1Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 2Suzanne Bruce and Associates, PA, Houston, TX, USA; 3David Wirta and Associates, Newport Beach, CA, USA; 4Medical Associates Inc., Newport Beach, CA, USA; 5Allergan plc, Irvine, CA, USA Purpose: Evaluate the safety and effectiveness of bimatoprost 0.03% for treatment of eyelash hypotrichosis in a pediatric population. Patients and methods: This multicenter, randomized, double-masked, parallel-group study was conducted at seven sites in the US and Brazil. Subjects with eyelash hypotrichosis caused by chemotherapy or alopecia areata (aged 5–17 years or healthy adolescents aged 15–17 years were enrolled (N=71. Subjects applied bimatoprost 0.03% or vehicle to upper eyelid margins once nightly for 4 months and were followed for 1 month post-treatment. Eyelash prominence was assessed using the validated 4-grade Global Eyelash Assessment scale with photonumeric guide. Changes in eyelash length, thickness, and darkness were measured by digital image analysis. Safety was assessed by adverse events and ophthalmic observations. Results: Eyelash prominence improved in a significantly greater proportion of subjects treated with bimatoprost compared with vehicle at month 4 (70.8% versus 26.1%; P<0.001. This benefit was sustained at month 5 post-treatment assessment. Digital image analysis measures were significantly improved with bimatoprost. Significant treatment benefits with bimatoprost versus vehicle were evident among the healthy adolescents but not in the postchemotherapy or alopecia areata subgroups. The safety profile of bimatoprost was consistent with previous studies in adults. Conclusion: Bimatoprost was safe and well tolerated in pediatric subjects with eyelash hypotrichosis. In this study with limited sample size, subgroup analyses showed that treatment was effective in

Project evaluation for energy supply in rural areas of developing countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vidal, Rene Victor Valqui; Christensen, J. M.

1990-01-01

This paper reports the methodological experiences of the project: Energy Supply Technologies in Developing Countries, carried out in collaboration with the Department of Energy, Zambia. Existing methods for project evaluation, based on cost-benefit analysis, will be briefly presented, particularly...... as regards their inadequacy for assessing energy projects in rural areas.An alternative practical and PC-based approach will be presented in which emphasis is placed on the problem formulation phase, including the socio-economic, cultural and political aspects of the problem. This approach has been prepared...

Hygienic characteristic of working conditions and use of some evaluation methods of health of persons subjected to concomitant effect of industrial factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karpov, V.B.

1987-01-01

To study peculiarities of hygienic-occupational effect of low-dose irradiation a comparative evaluation of working conditions and health of persons occupied in exhausting and testing of electron-beam tubes is carried out. Evaluation was based on results of 5-year prophylactic medical examinations and with due account of physiological, hematological and some other factors. To study general condition of people a modernized Dembo-Rubinstein test and specially developed questionnaire of health self-evaluation is used. Along with helth self-evaluation Dembo-Rubinstein test includes helth self- evaluation accounting public complaints. The given investigation methods demonstrated its sufficient informativity and applicabi lity for evaluation of health of persons subjected to concomitan t effect of industrial factors

Agriculture vs. social sciences: subject classification and sociological conceptualization of rural tourism in Scopus and Web of Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marjan HOČEVAR

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Agriculture and consumptive function of countryside (rural areas are connected which should be reflected in scientific research. In order to test relationships, we selected the topic of rural tourism (also agritourism, agrotourism, agricultural tourism considering sociological conceptualization (social sciences, sociology and methodological approaches of information sciences (bibliometrics, scientometrics in describing fields of science or scientific disciplines. We ascertained scatter of information in citation databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar. Functionalities were evaluated, affecting search precision and recall in information retrieval. We mapped documents to Scopus subject areas as well as Web of Science (WOS research areas and subject categories, and related publications (journals. Databases do not differ substantially in mapping this topic. Social sciences (including economics or business occupy by far the most important place. The strongest concentration was found in tourism-related journals (consistent with power laws. Agriculture-related publications are rare, accounting for some 10 % of documents. Interdisciplinarity seems to be weak. Results point to poor inclusion of emerging social topics in agricultural research whereby agriculture may lose out in possible venues of future research.

Evaluation methods for hospital facilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fronczek-Munter, Aneta

2013-01-01

according to focus areas and proposes which evaluation methods to use in different building phases of healthcare facilities. Hospital evaluations with experts and users are also considered; their subjective view on space, function, technology, usability and aesthetics. Results & solutions: This paper...... presents the different methods for evaluating buildings in use in a new model, the Evaluation Focus Flower, and proposes which evaluation methods are suitable for various aims and building phases, i.e. which is giving best input for the initial briefing process of new hospital facilities with ambition...... of creating buildings with enhanced usability. Additionally various evaluation methods used in hospital cases in Denmark and Norway are presented. Involvement of users is proposed, not just in defining requirements but also in co-creation/design and evaluation of solutions. The theories and preliminary...

Magneto encephalography (MEG: perspectives of speech areas functional mapping in human subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Butorina A. V.

2012-06-01

Full Text Available One of the main problems in clinical practice and academic research is how to localize speech zones in the human brain. Two speech areas (Broca and Wernicke areas that are responsible for language production and for understanding of written and spoken language have been known since the past century. Their location and even hemispheric lateralization have a substantial inter-individual variability, especially in neurosurgery patients. Wada test is one of the most frequently used invasive methodology for speech hemispheric lateralization in neurosurgery patients. However, besides relatively high-risk of Wada test for patient's health, it has its own limitation, e. g. low reliability of Wada-based evidence of verbal memory brain lateralization. Therefore, there is an urgent need for non-invasive, reliable methods of speech zones mapping.The current review summarizes the recent experimental evidence from magnitoencephalographic (MEG research suggesting that speech areas are included in the speech processing within the first 200 ms after the word onset. The electro-magnetic response to deviant word, mismatch negativity wave with latency of 100—200 ms, can be recorded from auditory cortex within the oddball-paradigm. We provide the arguments that basic features of this brain response, such as its automatic, pre-attentive nature, high signal to noise ratio, source localization at superior temporal sulcus, make it a promising vehicle for non-invasive MEG-based speech areas mapping in neurosurgery.

Evaluating Trade Areas Using Social Media Data with a Calibrated Huff Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yandong Wang

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Delimitating trade areas is a major business concern. Today, mobile communication technologies make it possible to use social media data for this purpose. Few studies however, have focused on methods to extract suitable samples from social media data for trade area delimitation. In our case study, we divided Beijing into regular grid cells and extracted activity centers for each social media user. Ten sample sets were obtained by selecting users based on the retail agglomerations they visited and aggregating user activity centers to each grid cell. We calculated distance and visitation frequency attributes for each user and each grid cell. The distance value of a grid cell is the average distance of user activity centers in this grid cell to a retail agglomeration. The visitation frequency of a grid cell refers to the average count of visits to retail agglomerations by user activity centers for a cell. The calculated attribute values of 10 sets were input into a Huff model and the delimitated trade areas were evaluated. Results show that sets obtained by aggregating user activity centers have a better delimitating effect than sets obtained without aggregation. Differences in the distribution and intensity of trade areas also became apparent.

Methodology for the ecotoxicological evaluation of areas polluted by phosphogypsum wastes.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Sanchez, M. J.; Garcia-Lorenzo, M. L.; Perez-Sirvent, C.; Martinez-Lopez, S.; Hernandez-Cordoba, M.; Bech, J.

2012-04-01

In Spain, the production of phosphoric acid, and hence of phosphogypsum, is restricted to a fertilizer industrial site. The residues contain some radionuclides of the U-series and other contaminants. In order to estimate the risk posed by these materials, chemical methods need to be complemented with biological methods. Then, the aim of this study was to develop a battery of bioassays for the ecotoxicological screening of areas polluted by phosphogypsum wastes. Particularly, the toxicity of water samples, sediments and their pore-water extracts was evaluated by using three assays: bacteria, plants and ostracods. The applied bioassays were: the bioluminescence inhibition of Vibrio fischeri in superficial water samples using Microtox® bioassay; the root and shoot elongation inhibition and the mortality of Lepidium sativum, Sorghum saccharatum and Sinapis alba using Phytotoxkit® bioassay; and inhibition of Heterocypris incongruens by way of Ostracodtoxkit®. Proposed methodology allows the identification of contamination sources and non contaminated areas, corresponding to decreasing toxicity values.

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

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

2018-01-01

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

Nuclear medicine and imaging research (instrumentation and quantitative methods of evaluation)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, R.N.; Cooper, M.; Chen, C.T.

1992-07-01

This document is the annual progress report for project entitled ''Instrumentation and Quantitative Methods of Evaluation.'' Progress is reported in separate sections individually abstracted and indexed for the database. Subject areas reported include theoretical studies of imaging systems and methods, hardware developments, quantitative methods of evaluation, and knowledge transfer: education in quantitative nuclear medicine imaging

Evaluating polymer degradation with complex mixtures using a simplified surface area method.

Science.gov (United States)

Steele, Kandace M; Pelham, Todd; Phalen, Robert N

2017-09-01

Chemical-resistant gloves, designed to protect workers from chemical hazards, are made from a variety of polymer materials such as plastic, rubber, and synthetic rubber. One material does not provide protection against all chemicals, thus proper polymer selection is critical. Standardized testing, such as chemical degradation tests, are used to aid in the selection process. The current methods of degradation ratings based on changes in weight or tensile properties can be expensive and data often do not exist for complex chemical mixtures. There are hundreds of thousands of chemical products on the market that do not have chemical resistance data for polymer selection. The method described in this study provides an inexpensive alternative to gravimetric analysis. This method uses surface area change to evaluate degradation of a polymer material. Degradation tests for 5 polymer types against 50 complex mixtures were conducted using both gravimetric and surface area methods. The percent change data were compared between the two methods. The resulting regression line was y = 0.48x + 0.019, in units of percent, and the Pearson correlation coefficient was r = 0.9537 (p ≤ 0.05), which indicated a strong correlation between percent weight change and percent surface area change. On average, the percent change for surface area was about half that of the weight change. Using this information, an equivalent rating system was developed for determining the chemical degradation of polymer gloves using surface area.

Evaluation and analysis of underground brine resources in the southern coastal area of Laizhou Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, M.; Zhu, H. T.; Feng, J.; Zhao, Q. S.

2016-08-01

The southern coastal districts of Laizhou Bay are some of the most important areas for underground brine exploitation in Shandong Province. Recently, these areas have been gradually developed by the underground brine mining industry. Such economic interest has led to brine exploitation so that underground brine resources are running out. Based on this phenomenon, this study describes the supply, runoff and draining conditions of the area by collecting and organizing the background information of the studied area. Hydrogeological parameters are then calculated according to pumping tests, and the amount of sustainable resources in the coastal areas of the Southern Bank of Laizhou Bay are then calculated based on the uniform distribution of wells. Under the circumstances of underground brine mining, the exploitation potential of the underground brine is evaluated in accordance with the calculation results of exploitation quantum. Finally, suggestions are provided for the sustainable exploitation of underground brine in the area.

Evaluation of the reinforcing and subjective effects of heroin in combination with dextromethorphan and quinidine

Science.gov (United States)

Vosburg, Suzanne K.; Sullivan, Maria A.; Comer, Sandra D.

2015-01-01

Objective Studies have suggested that the N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonist dextromethorphan may be useful in the treatment of opioid dependence. Design This double-blinded, placebo-controlled inpatient study evaluated the effects of 0, 30, and 60 mg of dextromethorphan and quinidine (DMQ) on the reinforcing and subjective effects of heroin in recently detoxified heroin abusers. Participants Nine heroin-dependent participants were admitted and then detoxified from heroin over the course of several days. Interventions Participants were subsequently stabilized on 0, 30, or 60 mg of DMQ. Each dose of DMQ was administered for two consecutive weeks, and the effects of heroin (0, 12.5, and 50 mg) were studied under each DMQ maintenance dose condition. DMQ and heroin dose were administered in random order both within and between participants. Results Planned comparisons revealed statistically significant increases in progressive ratio breakpoint values and positive subjective ratings as a function of heroin dose. There were no consistent changes in any of the responses as a function of DMQ maintenance dose, other than a modest reduction in craving. Conclusions In summary, results from this study suggest that maintenance on dextromethorphan in combination with quinidine has a limited role in the treatment of opioid dependence. PMID:22320027

Within-subject mediation analysis for experimental data in cognitive psychology and neuroscience.

Science.gov (United States)

Vuorre, Matti; Bolger, Niall

2017-12-15

Statistical mediation allows researchers to investigate potential causal effects of experimental manipulations through intervening variables. It is a powerful tool for assessing the presence and strength of postulated causal mechanisms. Although mediation is used in certain areas of psychology, it is rarely applied in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. One reason for the scarcity of applications is that these areas of psychology commonly employ within-subjects designs, and mediation models for within-subjects data are considerably more complicated than for between-subjects data. Here, we draw attention to the importance and ubiquity of mediational hypotheses in within-subjects designs, and we present a general and flexible software package for conducting Bayesian within-subjects mediation analyses in the R programming environment. We use experimental data from cognitive psychology to illustrate the benefits of within-subject mediation for theory testing and comparison.

Technical evaluation: 300 Area steam line valve accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-08-01

On June 7, 1993, a journeyman power operator (JPO) was severely burned and later died as a result of the failure of a 6-in. valve that occurred when he attempted to open main steam supply (MSS) valve MSS-25 in the U-3 valve pit. The pit is located northwest of Building 331 in the 300 Area of the Hanford Site. Figure 1-1 shows a layout of the 300 Area steam piping system including the U-3 steam valve pit. Figure 1-2 shows a cutaway view of the approximately 10- by 13- by 16-ft-high valve pit with its various steam valves and connecting piping. Valve MSS-25, an 8-in. valve, is located at the bottom of the pit. The failed 6-in. valve was located at the top of the pit where it branched from the upper portion of the 8-in. line at the 8- by 8- by 6-in. tee and was then ''blanked off'' with a blind flange. The purpose of this technical evaluation was to determine the cause of the accident that led to the failure of the 6-in. valve. The probable cause for the 6-in. valve failure was determined by visual, nondestructive, and destructive examination of the failed valve and by metallurgical analysis of the fractured region of the valve. The cause of the accident was ultimately identified by correlating the observed failure mode to the most probable physical phenomenon. Thermal-hydraulic analyses, component stress analyses, and tests were performed to verify that the probable physical phenomenon could be reasonably expected to produce the failure in the valve that was observed

INQUIRE: a case study in evaluating the potential of online MCQ tests in a discursive subject

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophie Clarke

2004-12-01

Full Text Available There has been a wealth of investigation into the use of online multiple-choice questions as a means of summative assessment, however the research into the use of formative MCQs by the same mode of delivery still remains patchy. Similarly, research and implementation has been largely concentrated within the Sciences and Medicine rather than the more discursive subjects within the Humanities and Social Sciences. The INQUIRE (Interactive Questions Reinforcing Education Evaluation Project was jointly conducted by two groups at the University of Oxford–the Saïd Business School and the Academic Computing Development Team to evaluate the use of online MCQs as a mechanism to reinforce and extend student learning. This initial study used a small set of highly focused MCQ tests that were designed to complement an introductory series of first-year undergraduate management lectures. MCQ is a simple and well-established technology, and hence the emphasis was very much on situating the tests within the student experience. The paper will cover how the online MCQs are intended to fit into the Oxford Undergraduate study agenda, and how a simple evaluation was executed and planned to investigate their usage and impact. The chosen method of evaluation was to combine focus groups with automated online methods of tracking, and the paper discusses the findings of both of these.

Balanced scorecard-based performance evaluation of Chinese county hospitals in underdeveloped areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Hongda; Chen, He; Feng, Jun; Qin, Xianjing; Wang, Xuan; Liang, Shenglin; Zhao, Jinmin; Feng, Qiming

2018-05-01

Objective Since the Guangxi government implemented public county hospital reform in 2009, there have been no studies of county hospitals in this underdeveloped area of China. This study aimed to establish an evaluation indicator system for Guangxi county hospitals and to generate recommendations for hospital development and policymaking. Methods A performance evaluation indicator system was developed based on balanced scorecard theory. Opinions were elicited from 25 experts from administrative units, universities and hospitals and the Delphi method was used to modify the performance indicators. The indicator system and the Topsis method were used to evaluate the performance of five county hospitals randomly selected from the same batch of 2015 Guangxi reform pilots. Results There were 4 first-level indicators, 9 second-level indicators and 36 third-level indicators in the final performance evaluation indicator system that showed good consistency, validity and reliability. The performance rank of the hospitals was B > E > A > C > D. Conclusions The performance evaluation indicator system established using the balanced scorecard is practical and scientific. Analysis of the results based on this indicator system identified several factors affecting hospital performance, such as resource utilisation efficiency, medical service price, personnel structure and doctor-patient relationships.

The postprandial glucose response to some varieties of commercially available gluten-free pasta: a comparison between healthy and celiac subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Bacchetti, T; Saturni, L; Turco, I; Ferretti, G

2014-11-01

The objective of the present paper is to evaluate the post-prandial response to some varieties of gluten free (GF) pasta that are commonly consumed in Italy. The glycaemic responses were compared with a glucose standard in healthy subjects and gluten-free diet celiac subjects. Subjects were served portions of the test foods and a standard food (glucose), on separate occasions, each containing 50 g available carbohydrates. Capillary blood glucose was measured from finger-prick samples in fasted subjects and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after the consumption of each test food. For each type of pasta, the glycaemic index (GI) was calculated by expressing the incremental area under the blood glucose curve as a percentage of each subject's average incremental area under the blood glucose curve (AUC) for the standard food. Gluten free pasta exhibited a range of GI values from 46 to 66. The glycaemic load (GL) and glycaemic profile (GP) were also calculated. A higher GI value was observed in pasta containing rice flour as the main ingredient. Lower values were observed in pasta obtained using corn or a mixture of corn and rice flour as the main ingredients. The results were confirmed in celiac subjects. The information presented in this paper may be useful in helping celiac people to select low-GI pasta.

Geothermal resource areas database for monitoring the progress of development in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lawrence, J.D.; Lepman, S.R.; Leung, K.; Phillips, S.L.

1981-01-01

The Geothermal Resource Areas Database (GRAD) and associated data system provide broad coverage of information on the development of geothermal resources in the United States. The system is designed to serve the information requirements of the National Progress Monitoring System. GRAD covers development from the initial exploratory phase through plant construction and operation. Emphasis is on actual facts or events rather than projections and scenarios. The selection and organization of data are based on a model of geothermal development. Subjects in GRAD include: names and addresses, leases, area descriptions, geothermal wells, power plants, direct use facilities, and environmental and regulatory aspects of development. Data collected in the various subject areas are critically evaluated, and then entered into an on-line interactive computer system. The system is publically available for retrieval and use. The background of the project, conceptual development, software development, and data collection are described here. Appendices describe the structure of the database in detail.

L-045: EPR-First Responders: Evaluation of the risk and establishment of inner cordoned area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

This conference is about the risk evaluation knowledge by the first responders in a radiological emergency. They have to establish the inner cordoned area , identify dangerous symbols , devices, packages, radioactive source, material and equipment used

Evaluation of functioning of ICDS project areas under Indore and Ujjain divisions of the state of Madhya Pradesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjay Dixit

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS is recognized worldwide as one of the most efficient community based programmes promoting early childhood care. Regular evaluations of the programme have been conducted to make it more effective and adequate for the beneficiaries. Objectives: To evaluate the functioning of the Anganwadi Centers under different project areas of Indore and Ujjain Divisions. Methods: Under the present evaluation system one ICDS project and five Anganwadi Centers under the project area (AWCs were visited on a monthly basis and services provided reviewed. Findings reported are from nine project areas under Indore and Ujjain Divisions in the state of Madhya Pradesh from October 2008 – June 2009. Results: A total of 45 centers were evaluated. 29 centers were operating from rented buildings and storage facilities were lacking at 19 of the centers. Though the quality of food was acceptable to the beneficiaries shortage of food was a problem at the centers. Absence of Pre-School Education (PSE and Nutrition and Health Education (NHED Kits compromised PSE and NHED activities at the centers. Unavailability of medicine kits, lack of regular visits by the ANMs to the centers and absence of routine health check up of beneficiaries were other problems encountered under the project areas surveyed. Availability of a doctor under each project area was stated as a major need by the workers. Conclusion: Coordinated steps catering to different services provided at the centers are needed to optimize the functioning of the ICDS scheme.

Perceptual Computing Aiding People in Making Subjective Judgments

CERN Document Server

Mendel, Jerry

2010-01-01

Explains for the first time how "computing with words" can aid in making subjective judgments. Lotfi Zadeh, the father of fuzzy logic, coined the phrase "computing with words" (CWW) to describe a methodology in which the objects of computation are words and propositions drawn from a natural language. Perceptual Computing explains how to implement CWW to aid in the important area of making subjective judgments, using a methodology that leads to an interactive device—a "Perceptual Computer"—that propagates random and linguistic uncertainties into the subjective judg

Ecological Sensitivity Evaluation of Tourist Region Based on Remote Sensing Image - Taking Chaohu Lake Area as a Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Y.; Li, W. J.; Yu, J.; Wu, C. Z.

2018-04-01

Remote sensing technology is of significant advantages for monitoring and analysing ecological environment. By using of automatic extraction algorithm, various environmental resources information of tourist region can be obtained from remote sensing imagery. Combining with GIS spatial analysis and landscape pattern analysis, relevant environmental information can be quantitatively analysed and interpreted. In this study, taking the Chaohu Lake Basin as an example, Landsat-8 multi-spectral satellite image of October 2015 was applied. Integrated the automatic ELM (Extreme Learning Machine) classification results with the data of digital elevation model and slope information, human disturbance degree, land use degree, primary productivity, landscape evenness , vegetation coverage, DEM, slope and normalized water body index were used as the evaluation factors to construct the eco-sensitivity evaluation index based on AHP and overlay analysis. According to the value of eco-sensitivity evaluation index, by using of GIS technique of equal interval reclassification, the Chaohu Lake area was divided into four grades: very sensitive area, sensitive area, sub-sensitive areas and insensitive areas. The results of the eco-sensitivity analysis shows: the area of the very sensitive area was 4577.4378 km2, accounting for about 37.12 %, the sensitive area was 5130.0522 km2, accounting for about 37.12 %; the area of sub-sensitive area was 3729.9312 km2, accounting for 26.99 %; the area of insensitive area was 382.4399 km2, accounting for about 2.77 %. At the same time, it has been found that there were spatial differences in ecological sensitivity of the Chaohu Lake basin. The most sensitive areas were mainly located in the areas with high elevation and large terrain gradient. Insensitive areas were mainly distributed in slope of the slow platform area; the sensitive areas and the sub-sensitive areas were mainly agricultural land and woodland. Through the eco-sensitivity analysis of

Subject matter of the All-Union Coordination Conference. [USSR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rudkevich, M.I.; Tselik, M.P.; Belkina, T.V.

1984-06-01

Conference on reviewing plans for new research and experimental design projects in the coking industry for 1984-85 took place on 13-17 June 1983. Participants represented the Ministry of Ferrous Metallurgy, Institute for the Chemistry of Coal and other research institutes, technical schools and coking plants. The titles of the more important papers delivered at the conference are given. Main directions in research and development, test results of new processes and technology, automation and mechanization in the industry, preparation of coal batches for coking, studies on coals from the eastern deposits, methods for evaluating blast furnace cokes, and other subject areas related to the coking and chemical industry were covered in the papers delivered at the conference. Altogether 179 on-going and new projects were discussed at the conference.

Chemical evolution and the origin of life: cumulative keyword subject index 1970-1986

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, A. C.; Powers, J. V.; Rummel, J. D. (Principal Investigator)

1990-01-01

This cumulative subject index encompasses the subject indexes of the bibliographies on Chemical Evolution and the Origin of Life that were first published in 1970 and have continued through publication of the 1986 bibliography supplement. Early bibliographies focused on experimental and theoretical material dealing directly with the concepts of chemical evolution and the origin of life, excluding the broader areas of exobiology, biological evolution, and geochemistry. In recent years, these broader subject areas have also been incorporated as they appear in literature searches relating to chemical evolution and the origin of life, although direct attempts have not been made to compile all of the citations in these broad areas. The keyword subject indexes have also undergone an analogous change in scope. Compilers of earlier bibliographies used the most specific term available in producing the subject index. Compilers of recent bibliographies have used a number of broad terms relating to the overall subject content of each citation and specific terms where appropriate. The subject indexes of these 17 bibliographies have, in general, been cumulatively compiled exactly as they originally appeared. However, some changes have been made in an attempt to correct errors, combine terms, and provide more meaningful terms.

Patterns of Subjective Deprivation in Adulthood

Science.gov (United States)

Bortner, Rayman, W.; Hultsch, David F.

1974-01-01

Investigated the number and characteristics of adults experiencing different types of subjective deprivation, and evaluated Cantril's assertion that some of these types of deprivation are ontogenetic in nature. (DP)

Postural instability in subjects with parkinson’s disease undergoing different sensory pitfalls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silva Thaís Cardoso Da

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Previous research has reported postural instability in subjects with Parkinson’s disease (PD. However, there are still doubts about the effect of sensory stimuli on one’s balance. In this study, we further investigated the stabilometric measures of individuals with PD, analysing the impact of different sensory stimuli on the outcomes. Methods. The total of 26 participants (13 with PD and 13 matched control peers were submitted to 8 sensorimotor dynamics differing in relation to support base (30 cm vs. 10 cm, feet in parallel vs. feet in semi-tandem position, contact surface (foam vs. no foam, and visual conditions (eyes open vs. eyes closed. The measures used to assess one’s balance were body position in space, area of support base, and velocity of postural control. The variables involved the anterior-posterior and the mediolateral axes. Participants with PD were evaluated during the off medication state. Mann-Whitney U test and Friedman’s test were applied to carry out inter- and intra-group comparisons. Significance was set at 5%. Results. Cross-sectional analyses illustrated that tasks with sensory pitfalls impacted postural stability to a larger extent in PD subjects. The differences were found in anterior-posterior body position, area of support base, anterior-posterior velocity, and mediolateral velocity. Complementary analyses confirmed considerable instability on balance when support bases were small and visual information was absent (p < 0.05. Conclusions. The current results confirm worse postural stability response in subjects with PD and highlight that the interference of the sensory pitfalls is notable when individuals are off medication.

Subjective evaluation of two stereoscopic imaging systems exploiting visual attention to improve 3D quality of experience

Science.gov (United States)

Hanhart, Philippe; Ebrahimi, Touradj

2014-03-01

Crosstalk and vergence-accommodation rivalry negatively impact the quality of experience (QoE) provided by stereoscopic displays. However, exploiting visual attention and adapting the 3D rendering process on the fly can reduce these drawbacks. In this paper, we propose and evaluate two different approaches that exploit visual attention to improve 3D QoE on stereoscopic displays: an offline system, which uses a saliency map to predict gaze position, and an online system, which uses a remote eye tracking system to measure real time gaze positions. The gaze points were used in conjunction with the disparity map to extract the disparity of the object-of-interest. Horizontal image translation was performed to bring the fixated object on the screen plane. The user preference between standard 3D mode and the two proposed systems was evaluated through a subjective evaluation. Results show that exploiting visual attention significantly improves image quality and visual comfort, with a slight advantage for real time gaze determination. Depth quality is also improved, but the difference is not significant.

Human subject research for engineers a practical guide

CERN Document Server

de Winter, Joost C F

2017-01-01

This Brief introduces engineers to the main principles in ethics, research design, statistics, and publishing of human subject research. In recent years, engineering has become strongly connected to disciplines such as biology, medicine, and psychology. Often, engineers (and engineering students) are expected to perform human subject research. Typical human subject research topics conducted by engineers include human-computer interaction (e.g., evaluating the usability of software), exoskeletons, virtual reality, teleoperation, modelling of human behaviour and decision making (often within the framework of ‘big data’ research), product evaluation, biometrics, behavioural tracking (e.g., of work and travel patterns, or mobile phone use), transport and planning (e.g., an analysis of flows or safety issues), etc. Thus, it can be said that knowledge on how to do human subject research is indispensable for a substantial portion of engineers. Engineers are generally well trained in calculus and mechanics, but m...

The Societal Nature of Subjectivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Henning Salling

2013-01-01

The HSR Focus presents a psycho-societal approach to qualitative empirical research in several areas of everyday social life. It is an approach which integrates a theory of subjectivity and an interpretation methodology which integrates hermeneutic experiences from text analysis and psychoanalysis....... In terms of methodology it revives the themes originally launched in FOS exactly ten years ago: "Subjectivity and Reflectivity in Qualitative Research" (Breuer, Mruck and Roth 2002; Mruck and Breuer 2003). This editorial introduction presents the intellectual background of the psycho-societal methodology......, reflects on its relevance and critical perspectives in a contemporary landscape of social science, and comments the way in which an international and interdisciplinary research group has developed this approach to profane empirical research....

Evaluation in Physical Education: an analysis in state and municipal schools in Maringá-PR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saray Giovana dos Santos

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Problems related to evaluation deal with many issues that Physical Education, as a pedagogical subject, has been facing. In order to investigate these aspects, this study has as its aim to analyse how and with purpose, the professionals from the area of Physical Education are evaluating studentes from the 5th to the 8th forms in state and municipal schools in Maringá. A questionnaire was used. The sample was formed by 30 teachers from 12 schools: 15 teachers from state schools and 15 from municipal schools. Descriptive statistics at simple frequency level and non-parametric test (χ2 were used. Results show that evaluation in the subject Physical Education is performed only to follow the norms, without planning and consequently without pre-defined educational objectives showing, thus, the contradictions and confusions inherent to evaluation modalities by the professionals of this area. These professionals demonstrated the precaroiusness of the understanding of evaluation role in teaching-learning process.

Seismic Performance Evaluation of Reinforced Concrete Frames Subjected to Seismic Loads

Science.gov (United States)

Zameeruddin, Mohd.; Sangle, Keshav K.

2017-06-01

Ten storied-3 bays reinforced concrete bare frame designed for gravity loads following the guidelines of IS 456 and IS 13920 for ductility is subjected to seismic loads. The seismic demands on this building were calculated by following IS 1893 for response spectra of 5% damping (for hard soil type). Plastic hinges were assigned to the beam and column at both ends to represent the failure mode, when member yields. Non-linear static (pushover) analysis was performed to evaluate the performance of the building in reference to first (ATC 40), second (FEMA 356) and next-generation (FEMA 440) performance based seismic design procedures. Base shear against top displacement curve of structure, known as pushover curve was obtained for two actions of plastic hinge behavior, force-controlled (brittle) and deformation-controlled (ductile) actions. Lateral deformation corresponding to performance point proves the building capability to sustain a certain level of seismic loads. The failure is represented by a sequence of formation of plastic hinges. Deformation-controlled action of hinges showed that building behaves like strong-column-weak-beam mechanism, whereas force-controlled action showed formation of hinges in the column. The study aims to understand the first, second and next generation performance based design procedure in prediction of actual building responses and their conservatism into the acceptance criteria.

Physicians' subjectivity in evaluating oxytocin challenge tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Peck, T M

1980-07-01

Five physicians subspecializing in maternal-fetal medicine individually evaluated 50 oxytocin challenge tests (OCTs), of which 33 were originally read as positive. There was considerable disagreement among the study physicians (SPs) such that 2 SPs would agree, on the average, only 52% of the time on any one OCT. The SPs were also asked to evaluate fetal heart rate (FHR) reactivity patterns, if present. Again, there was great disagreement. When the majority (3 of 5 or more) of SPs agreed on the OCT result and/or reactivity, there was reasonable correlation with neonatal outcome, indicating the validity of the physiologic premise of the test. In particular, the presence or absence of FHR accelerations with fetal motion, regardless of the OCT reading, correlated extremely well with eventual neonatal outcome. This indicates that the most significant variable in antepartum FHR monitoring is the FHR acceleration pattern.

Assessment of emerging biomarkers of liver injury in human subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Schomaker, Shelli; Warner, Roscoe; Bock, Jeff; Johnson, Kent; Potter, David; Van Winkle, Joyce; Aubrecht, Jiri

2013-04-01

Hepatotoxicity remains a major challenge in drug development. Although alanine aminotransferase (ALT) remains the gold standard biomarker of liver injury, alternative biomarker strategies to better predict the potential for severe drug-induced liver injury (DILI) are essential. In this study, we evaluated the utility of glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), and paraxonase 1 (PON1) as indicators of liver injury in cohorts of human subjects, including healthy subjects across age and gender, subjects with a variety of liver impairments, and several cases of acetaminophen poisoning. In the healthy subjects, levels of GLDH and MDH were not affected by age or gender. Reference ranges for GLDH and MDH in healthy subjects were 1-10 and 79-176U/L, respectively. In contrast, the levels of PON1 and PNP were not consistent across cohorts of healthy subjects. Furthermore, GLDH and MDH had a strong correlation with elevated ALT levels and possessed a high predictive power for liver injury, as determined by ROC analysis. In contrast, PON1 and PNP did not detect liver injury in our study. Finally, evaluation of patients with acetaminophen-induced liver injury provided evidence that both GLDH and MDH might have utility as biomarkers of DILI in humans. This study is the first to evaluate GLDH, MDH, PON1, and PNP in a large number of human subjects and, and it provides an impetus for prospective clinical studies to fully evaluate the diagnostic value of GLDH and MDH for detection of liver injury.

Evaluating variation in human gut microbiota profiles due to DNA extraction method and inter-subject differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner Mackenzie, Brett; Waite, David W; Taylor, Michael W

2015-01-01

The human gut contains dense and diverse microbial communities which have profound influences on human health. Gaining meaningful insights into these communities requires provision of high quality microbial nucleic acids from human fecal samples, as well as an understanding of the sources of variation and their impacts on the experimental model. We present here a systematic analysis of commonly used microbial DNA extraction methods, and identify significant sources of variation. Five extraction methods (Human Microbiome Project protocol, MoBio PowerSoil DNA Isolation Kit, QIAamp DNA Stool Mini Kit, ZR Fecal DNA MiniPrep, phenol:chloroform-based DNA isolation) were evaluated based on the following criteria: DNA yield, quality and integrity, and microbial community structure based on Illumina amplicon sequencing of the V4 region of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes. Our results indicate that the largest portion of variation within the model was attributed to differences between subjects (biological variation), with a smaller proportion of variation associated with DNA extraction method (technical variation) and intra-subject variation. A comprehensive understanding of the potential impact of technical variation on the human gut microbiota will help limit preventable bias, enabling more accurate diversity estimates.

Evaluating variation in human gut microbiota profiles due to DNA extraction method and inter-subject differences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brett eWagner Mackenzie

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The human gut contains dense and diverse microbial communities which have profound influences on human health. Gaining meaningful insights into these communities requires provision of high quality microbial nucleic acids from human fecal samples, as well as an understanding of the sources of variation and their impacts on the experimental model. We present here a systematic analysis of commonly used microbial DNA extraction methods, and identify significant sources of variation. Five extraction methods (Human Microbiome Project protocol, MoBio PowerSoil DNA Isolation Kit, QIAamp DNA Stool Mini Kit, ZR Fecal DNA MiniPrep, phenol:chloroform-based DNA isolation were evaluated based on the following criteria: DNA yield, quality and integrity, and microbial community structure based on Illumina amplicon sequencing of the V4 region of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes. Our results indicate that the largest portion of variation within the model was attributed to differences between subjects (biological variation, with a smaller proportion of variation associated with DNA extraction method (technical variation and intra-subject variation. A comprehensive understanding of the potential impact of technical variation on the human gut microbiota will help limit preventable bias, enabling more accurate diversity estimates.

OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE EVALUATION OF ADOLESCENT’S ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT NEEDS AND THEIR IMPACT ON SELF-ESTEEM

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Anshika; Mathur, Anmol; Batra, Manu; Makkar, Diljot Kaur; Aggarwal, Vikram Pal; Goyal, Nikita; Kaur, Puneet

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the presence of association between objective and subjective evaluation of orthodontic treatment needs in adolescents and their impact on their self-esteem. Methods: Cross-sectional study with adolescents aged 10-17 years old in Sri Ganganagar city, Rajasthan, India. The objective index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN) dental health component (DHC) and the subjective aesthetic component (AC) were used to determine the normative and the self-perception need for orthodontic treatment, respectively. The selected students were further examined for dental trauma, tooth loss, and dental caries. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was applied for self-esteem level determination. Linear regression analysis was executed to test the individual association of different independent clinical variables with self-esteem scores. Results: Among 1,140 studied adolescents, the prevalence of dental normative orthodontic treatment need was in 56.9% of individuals, whereas 53.3% of individuals considered themselves as needy for the treatment. Multivariate analyses revealed that out of all dental disorders, DHC followed by AC of IOTN had maximum impact on the self-esteem of the adolescence. Conclusions: Dissatisfaction with dental appearance is a strong predictor for low self-esteem in adolescence. PMID:28977320

EVALUATION OF DATA APPLICABILITY FOR D-INSAR IN AREAS COVERED BY ABUNDANT VEGETATION

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P. Zhang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In the past few years, the frequent geological disasters have caused enormous casualties and economic losses. Therefore, D-InSAR (differential interferometry synthetic aperture radar has been widely used in early-warning and post disaster assessment. However, large area of decorrelation often occurs in the areas covered with abundant vegetation, which seriously affects the accuracy of surface deformation monitoring. In this paper, we analysed the effect of sensor parameters and external environment parameters on special decorrelation. Then Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR datasets acquired by X-band TerraSAR-X, Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Satellite-2 (ALOS-2, and C-band Sentinel-1 in Guizhou province were collected and analysed to generate the maps of coherence, which were used to evaluating the applicability of datasets of different wavelengths for D-InSAR in forest area. Finally, we found that datasets acquired by ALOS-2 had the best monitoring effect.

Plasma antioxidants and brain glucose metabolism in elderly subjects with cognitive complaints

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Picco, Agnese; Ferrara, Michela; Arnaldi, Dario; Brugnolo, Andrea; Nobili, Flavio [University of Genoa and IRCCS San Martino-IST, Clinical Neurology, Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Largo P. Daneo, 3, 16132, Genoa (Italy); Polidori, M.C. [University of Cologne, Institute of Geriatrics, Cologne (Germany); Cecchetti, Roberta; Baglioni, Mauro; Bastiani, Patrizia; Mecocci, Patrizia [University of Perugia, Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Perugia (Italy); Morbelli, Silvia; Bossert, Irene [University of Genoa and IRCCS San Martino-IST, Nuclear Medicine, Department of Health Science (DISSAL), Genoa (Italy); Fiorucci, Giuliana; Dottorini, Massimo Eugenio [Nuclear Medicine, S. M. della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia (Italy)

2014-04-15

The role of oxidative stress is increasingly recognized in cognitive disorders of the elderly, notably Alzheimer's disease (AD). In these subjects brain{sup 18}F-FDG PET is regarded as a reliable biomarker of neurodegeneration. We hypothesized that oxidative stress could play a role in impairing brain glucose utilization in elderly subjects with increasing severity of cognitive disturbance. The study group comprised 85 subjects with cognitive disturbance of increasing degrees of severity including 23 subjects with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), 28 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 34 patients with mild AD. In all subjects brain FDG PET was performed and plasma activities of extracellular superoxide dismutase (eSOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase were measured. Voxel-based analysis (SPM8) was used to compare FDG PET between groups and to evaluate correlations between plasma antioxidants and glucose metabolism in the whole group of subjects, correcting for age and Mini-Mental State Examination score. Brain glucose metabolism progressively decreased in the bilateral posterior temporoparietal and cingulate cortices across the three groups, from SCI to mild AD. eSOD activity was positively correlated with glucose metabolism in a large area of the left temporal lobe including the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri and the fusiform gyrus. These results suggest a role of oxidative stress in the impairment of glucose utilization in the left temporal lobe structures in elderly patients with cognitive abnormalities, including AD and conditions predisposing to AD. Further studies exploring the oxidative stress-energy metabolism axis are considered worthwhile in larger groups of these patients in order to identify pivotal pathophysiological mechanisms and innovative therapeutic opportunities. (orig.)

Plasma antioxidants and brain glucose metabolism in elderly subjects with cognitive complaints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picco, Agnese; Ferrara, Michela; Arnaldi, Dario; Brugnolo, Andrea; Nobili, Flavio; Polidori, M.C.; Cecchetti, Roberta; Baglioni, Mauro; Bastiani, Patrizia; Mecocci, Patrizia; Morbelli, Silvia; Bossert, Irene; Fiorucci, Giuliana; Dottorini, Massimo Eugenio

2014-01-01

The role of oxidative stress is increasingly recognized in cognitive disorders of the elderly, notably Alzheimer's disease (AD). In these subjects brain 18 F-FDG PET is regarded as a reliable biomarker of neurodegeneration. We hypothesized that oxidative stress could play a role in impairing brain glucose utilization in elderly subjects with increasing severity of cognitive disturbance. The study group comprised 85 subjects with cognitive disturbance of increasing degrees of severity including 23 subjects with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), 28 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 34 patients with mild AD. In all subjects brain FDG PET was performed and plasma activities of extracellular superoxide dismutase (eSOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase were measured. Voxel-based analysis (SPM8) was used to compare FDG PET between groups and to evaluate correlations between plasma antioxidants and glucose metabolism in the whole group of subjects, correcting for age and Mini-Mental State Examination score. Brain glucose metabolism progressively decreased in the bilateral posterior temporoparietal and cingulate cortices across the three groups, from SCI to mild AD. eSOD activity was positively correlated with glucose metabolism in a large area of the left temporal lobe including the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri and the fusiform gyrus. These results suggest a role of oxidative stress in the impairment of glucose utilization in the left temporal lobe structures in elderly patients with cognitive abnormalities, including AD and conditions predisposing to AD. Further studies exploring the oxidative stress-energy metabolism axis are considered worthwhile in larger groups of these patients in order to identify pivotal pathophysiological mechanisms and innovative therapeutic opportunities. (orig.)

Evaluation of Nutritional Status of Cancer Patients during Treatment by Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment: a Hospital-Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Dibyendu; Kannan, Ravi; Tapkire, Ritesh; Nath, Soumitra

2015-01-01

Cancer patients frequently experience malnutrition. Cancer and cancer therapy effects nutritional status through alterations in the metabolic system and reduction in food intake. In the present study, fifty seven cancer patients were selected as subjects from the oncology ward of Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Silchar, India. Evaluation of nutritional status of cancer patients during treatment was carried out by scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). The findings of PG-SGA showed that 15.8% (9) were well nourished, 31.6% (18) were moderately or suspected of being malnourished and 52.6% (30) were severely malnourished. The prevalence of malnutrition was highest in lip/oral (33.33%) cancer patients. The study showed that the prevalence of malnutrition (84.2%) was high in cancer patients during treatment.

Catchment area-based evaluation of the AMC-dependent SCS-CN-based rainfall-runoff models

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, S. K.; Jain, M. K.; Pandey, R. P.; Singh, V. P.

2005-09-01

Using a large set of rainfall-runoff data from 234 watersheds in the USA, a catchment area-based evaluation of the modified version of the Mishra and Singh (2002a) model was performed. The model is based on the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) methodology and incorporates the antecedent moisture in computation of direct surface runoff. Comparison with the existing SCS-CN method showed that the modified version performed better than did the existing one on the data of all seven area-based groups of watersheds ranging from 0.01 to 310.3 km2.

Solar-Powered Compaction Garbage Bins in Public Areas: A Preliminary Economic and Environmental Evaluation

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Long Duc Nghiem

2010-02-01

Full Text Available An excel-based model was developed to evaluate economic and environmental benefits of the solar-powered compaction garbage bins in public areas in Australia. Input data were collected from Brisbane and Wollongong City councils, and Sydney Olympic Park. The results demonstrate that solar-powered compaction garbage bins would provide environmental benefits in all scenarios. However, results of the economic analysis of the three studied areas varied significantly. The unique situation of Sydney Olympic Park made implementation in that facility particularly appealing. A lower monthly rental cost is needed for the implementation of this novel waste management practice.

Groundwater monitoring program evaluation For A/M Area, Savannah River Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiergesell, R.A.; Bollinger, J.S.

1996-01-01

This investigation was undertaken with the primary purpose of assessing the groundwater monitoring program within the A/M Area to identify ways in which the monitoring program could be improved. The task was difficult due to the large number of wells located within the A/M Area and the huge database of analytical data. It was recognized early in this investigation that one of the key tasks was to develop a way to gain access to the groundwater databases so that recommendations could be made. To achieve this, geographic information systems (GIS) technology was used to extract pertinent groundwater quality information from the Geochemical Information Management System (GIMS) groundwater database and display the extracted information spatially. GIS technology was also used to determine the location of well screen and annular material zones within the A/M Area hydrostratigraphy and to identify wells that may breach confining units. Recommendations developed from this study address: (1) wells that may not be providing reliable data but continue to be routinely sampled (2) wells that may be inappropriately located but continue to be routinely sampled and (3) further work that should be undertaken, including well development, evaluation of wells that may be breaching confining units, and development of an automated link to GIMS using GIS so that GIMS data can easily be accessed and displayed geographically

CCDP evaluation of the fire areas of KSNP using CFAST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yoon Hwan; Yang, Joon Eon; Kim, Jong Hoon

2005-01-01

During the past decade, the nuclear power industry has been moving away from prescriptive rules and practices toward risk-informed and performance-based engineering analysis to support the decision making for plant fire protection programs. For example, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) prepared NFPA 805, Performance-Based Standard for Fire Protection for Light Water Reactor Electric Generating Plants 2001 Edition. One crucial element in supporting the risk-informed fire protection is availability of simple and reliable methods and tools for evaluating the likelihood and consequences of fire scenarios. These tools directly benefit risk-informed and performance-based fire protection and application of risk information to resolve fire protection issues. Now the deterministic analysis results for the cable integrity is not given in case of performing the fire PSA. So it is necessary to apply the results for the fire modeling to the fire PSA model to develop the more realistic model. This document is intended to analyze the peak temperature of the upper gas layer using the fire modeling code, CFAST , to evaluate the integrity of the cable located on the dominant pump rooms, and to assess the CCDP(Conditional Core Damage Probability) using the results of the cable integrity. Accordingly, the fire safety assessment for the dominant fire areas using the fire modeling code will be capable of evaluating the consequences of the fire scenario, of reducing the the uncertainty, and to develop a more realistic model

Biological monitoring of environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in subjects living in the area of recycling electronic garbage, in Southern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu; Zhang, Wenbing; Fan, Ruifang; Sheng, Guoying; Fu, Jiamo

2014-01-01

The study was undertaken to evaluate the environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in subjects living in the area of recycling electronic garbage in Southern China and research the influence of environment smoke tobacco (EST) to people through active and passive smoking. Urinary concentrations of 2-hydroxynaphthalene, 2-hydoxyfluorene, 9-hydroxyphenanthrene, and 1-hydroxypyrene were determined in 141 randomly selected voluntary residents aged 13 to 81 years in two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-exposed groups, two control groups, and an EST research group. The concentrations of 2-hydroxynaphthalene, 2-hydoxyfluorene, 9-hydroxyphenanthrene, and 1-hydroxypyrene in PAH-exposed groups are significantly higher (pelectronic garbage (1.1 μmol/mol creatinine) is a little higher than those of iron foundry workers, automobile repair workers, and firefighters. Mean value of 2-hydroxynaphthalene (11.3 μmol/mol creatinine) is much higher than that of shipyard and aircraft maintenance and much lower than some occupational exposure, such as coking batteries, sorting department, and distillation department in coking plant. Some metabolites of PAHs (PAHm) are significantly elevated through active and passive smoking, while the influence of EST to other PAHm is not statistically significant. 2-Hydroxynaphthalene, 2-hydoxyfluorene, 9-hydroxyphenanthrene, and 1-hydroxypyrene in the urine of smokers are, respectively, 3.9, 1.9, 1.4, and 1.9 times to those of nonsmokers. In nonsmokers, passive smokers excreted 1.1, 1.5, 1.9, and 1.5 times of 2-hydroxynaphthalene, 2-hydoxyfluorene, 9-hydroxyphenanthrene, and 1-hydroxypyrene compared to nonpassive smokers.

Multicriteria method to evaluate the operation of technologies of renewable energy in rural areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cherni, Judilh

2003-01-01

This paper evaluates the problem of the selection of renewable energy alternatives in rural regions in the developing world. We discuss a multicriteria method, map result, for assessing the effectiveness and sustainability of the energy systems that have been installed in rural areas. The purpose is to improve the effectiveness of energization policies

Multicriteria focus to evaluate the operation of technologies of renewable energy in rural areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cherni, Judith A

2003-01-01

This paper evaluates the problem of the selection of renewable energy alternatives in rural regions in the developing world. We discuss a multicriteria method, MAP RESURL, for assessing the effectiveness and sustainability of the energy systems that have been installed in rural areas. The purpose is to improve the effectiveness of energization policies

Pathways and cost-risk-benefit analyses for INEL radioactively contaminated soil areas being evaluated for decontamination and decommissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapin, J.A.

1980-12-01

Several radioactively contaminated soil areas exist at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory; virtually all are contaminated with nuclides of cesium, strontium, and cobalt at low levels of activity. This study develops a method of analysis to determine cost effective alternatives for decommissioning these areas, considering risk to the workers and general public, as well as the benefits to be gained. Because much of the input data to the analysis is highly subjective and detailed radiological characterization of the soil areas is minimal, it was decided that an analysis based on a relative weighting method be employed. The results of this analysis constitute a relative prioritization list of the soil areas being considered for decommissioning as well as the recommended decommissioning alternatives. The results of this analysis indicate that, of the 46 areas considered, 11 should be left in place under protective storage and 16 should be left as is. Nineteen areas were not analyzed because they were either operational or characterization data were not available. These results are based on a maximum exposure to a member of the general population, through realistic exposure pathways, of 5 mrem/yr

Report of the review committee on evaluation of the R and D subjects in the field of nuclear fusion research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-10-01

On the basis of the JAERI's Basic Guidelines for the Research Evaluation Methods and the Practices Manuals of the Institution Evaluation Committee, the Ad Hoc Review Committee composed of 12 experts was set up under the Research Evaluation Committee of the JAERI in order to review the whole R and D subjects in fusion research, including post-review for those completed in FY1998, intermediate-review for those started in FY1999, and pre-review for those to be implemented in FY2001. The Ad Hoc Review Committee meeting was held on March 9, 2000. According to the review methods including review items, points of review and review criteria, determined by the Research Evaluation Committee, the review was conducted based on the research result/plan documents submitted in advance and presentations by the Department Directors. The review report was submitted to the Research Evaluation Committee for further review and discussions in its meeting held on August 31, 2000. The Research Evaluation Committee recognized the review results as appropriate. This report describes the review results. (author)

Effects of Acute Ingestion of Native Banana Starch on Glycemic Response Evaluated by Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Obese and Lean Subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guadalupe Jiménez-Domínguez

2015-07-01

Full Text Available An abnormal glycemic profile, including postprandial glycemia and acute glucose spikes, precedes the onset of overt diabetes in obese subjects. Previous studies have shown the beneficial effects of chronic native banana starch (NBS supplementation. In this study, we examined the effects of acute ingestion of NBS on glycemic profiles by means of continuous glucose monitoring in obese and lean subjects. In a crossover study, obese and lean subjects consumed beverages containing either 38.3 g of NBS or 38.3 g of digestible corn starch (DCS twice daily during 4 days. On day 5, a 3-h meal tolerance test (MTT was performed to evaluate glucose and insulin responses. After 1 week of washout period, treatments were inverted. NBS supplementation reduced the 48-h glycemia AUC in lean, obese, and in the combined group of lean and obese subjects in comparison with DCS. Postprandial glucose and insulin responses at MTT were reduced after NBS in comparison with DCS in all groups. However, no changes were observed in glycemic variability (GV indexes between groups. In conclusion, acute NBS supplementation improved postprandial glucose and insulin responses in obese and lean subjects during 48 h of everyday life and at MTT. Further research to elucidate the mechanism behind these changes is required.

Phase III (final) evaluation report : national evaluation of the FY01 earmark, area transportation authority of North Central Pennsylvania--regional GIS/ITS initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-08-31

This report presents the results of the United States Department of Transportation evaluation of a federally funded earmark project implemented by the Area Transportation Authority of North Central Pennsylvania (ATA). The project implemented a suite ...

Persian version of the Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale: psychometric study among subjects with physical disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajati, Fatemeh; Ghanbari, Masoud; Hasandokht, Tolou; Hosseini, Seyed Younes; Akbarzadeh, Rasool; Ashtarian, Hossein

2017-11-01

Self-efficacy plays a key role in varying areas of human conditions which can be measured by different scales. The present study was aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES) in Iranian Subjects with Physical Disability (SWPD). Data were collected by face-to-face interviews and self-report surveys from 214 subjects. The face and content validity, and reliability were evaluated. Discriminates were evaluated between the sub-groups of disability levels, physical activity, and health condition levels. The concurrent, convergent, divergent, and construct validity were assessed by short form health survey scale (SF-36), general self-efficacy scale (GSES), hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), respectively. Replaceable exploratory factor analysis was evaluated. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. There were acceptable face and content validity, and reliability. Furthermore, significant correlation was found between PSES and SF-36 (p disability levels (p = 0.02), physical activity levels (p disability problems. Implications for rehabilitation Psychometric properties of the Persian version of self-Efficacy scale (PSES) appear to be similar to original, English version. The PSES has been shown to have validity and reliability in Persian physical disables and can be used for patients with more different types of physical disability than individuals suffering from only Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). The PSES can be used in clinical practice and research work to evaluate the patients' confidence in performing daily activities.

Dimensions of the cleft nasal airway in adults: a comparison with subjects without cleft.

Science.gov (United States)

Hairfield, W M; Warren, D W

1989-01-01

The prevalence of mouthbreathing among individuals with cleft lip and palate is significantly higher than in the normal population. This has been attributed to nasal deformities that tend to reduce nasal airway size. The purpose of the present study was to determine how a heterogeneous adult group with cleft lip and palate differs in terms of nasal airway cross-sectional area from an adult group without cleft during the inspiratory and expiratory phases of breathing. The pressure-flow technique was used to estimate nasal airway size in 15 adults without cleft (15 years or older) and 37 adults with cleft lip, cleft palate, or both. Mean areas and standard deviations for subjects without cleft were 0.63 cm2 +/- 0.17 during inspiration and 0.56 cm2 +/- 0.14 during expiration. This difference is statistically significant (p less than 0.01). Mean areas and standard deviations for all subjects with cleft were 0.37 cm2 +/- 0.18 during inspiration and 0.40 cm2 +/- 0.20 during expiration. This difference is not statistically significant (p greater than 0.15). Twenty-two of the subjects with cleft had nasal areas considered to be impaired (below 0.40 cm2) as compared with only three of the subjects without cleft. A two factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) demonstrated that area changes during respiration are different for subjects with and without cleft (p less than 0.005), and that cleft nasal areas are smaller than noncleft areas for both phases of breathing (p less than 0.001). Inspiratory-expiratory differences between subjects with and without cleft are probably the result of developmental defects, reparative surgery or both.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Analyzing Subject Disciplines of Knowledge Originality and Knowledge Generality for Library & Information Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mu-Hsuan Huang

2007-12-01

Full Text Available This study used bibliometric methods to analyze subject disciplines of knowledge originality and knowledge generality for Library and Information Science (LIS by using citing and cited documents from 1997 to 2006. We found that the major subject disciplines of knowledge originality and generality are still LIS, and computer science and LIS interact and influence each other closely. It is evident that number of subject disciplines of knowledge originality is higher than that of knowledge generality. The interdisciplinary characteristics of LIS are illustrated by variety areas of knowledge originality and knowledge generality. Because the number of received subject disciplines is higher than that of given subject disciplines, it suggests that LIS is an application-oriented research area. [Article content in Chinese

Subjective Evaluation of Sound Quality for Normal-hearing and Hearing-i,paired Listeners

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Lars Bramsløw

1992-01-01

11 hearing-impaired (HI) and 12 normal-hearing (NH) subjects have performed sound quality ratings on 6 perceptual scales (Loudness, Clarity, Sharpness, Fullness, Spaciousness and Overall judgement). The signals for the rating experiment consisted of running speech and music with or without......, but the normal-hearing group was slightly more reliable. There were significant differences between stimuli and between subjects, with stimuli affecting the ratings the most. Normal-hearing and hearing-impaired subjects showed similar trends, but normal-hearing listeners were generally more sensitive, i...

A six-month prospective evaluation of personality traits, psychiatric symptoms and quality of life in ayahuasca-naïve subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbosa, Paulo Cesar Ribeiro; Cazorla, Irene Maurício; Giglio, Joel Sales; Strassman, Rick

2009-09-01

The authors assessed 23 subjects immediately before and six months (27.5 weeks) after their first ayahuasca experience in an urban Brazilian religious setting, either Santo Daime (N = 15) or União do Vegetal (N = 8). Measures included scores on instruments assessing psychiatric symptoms, personality variables and quality of life. Independent variables were the frequency of ayahuasca use throughout the period and the length of ayahuasca wash-out after six months. Santo Daime subjects had a significant reduction of minor psychiatric symptoms, improvement of mental health, and a change in attitude towards more confidence and optimism. The União do Vegetal group had a significant decrease in physical pain, and attitude change towards more independence. Independence was positively correlated with the frequency of ayahuasca use and negatively correlated with the wash-out period. We discuss possible mechanisms by which these changes may occur and suggest areas for future research.

Lettuce seed germination and root elongation toxicity evaluation of the F-Area seepline soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, E.A.; Westbury, H.M. Jr.

1994-09-01

This study is a continuation of similar studies conducted by Easton and Murphy (1993) and Loehle (1990). The objectives of these studies are to: (1) assess the toxicity of the water-soluble constituents of soil in a seepline adjacent to the F-Area Seepage Basins and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of rainwater movements in reducing the toxicity of the soil. Soils from the F-Area seepline that were found to inhibit lettuce seed germination and radical elongation in 1990 were not found to be significantly different from soils from an uncontaminated control site in this test. After six washings of the soil, the toxicity of the leachate was comparable to that of de-ionized water. This indicates that natural water movements may have rendered the F-Area seepline soils less toxic to lettuce seedlings than in previous tests

Methodology of Evaluation of the Impact of Picking Area Location on the Total Costs of Warehouse

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Apsalons Raitis

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The picking system and the layout of the picking area are the key drivers for the evaluation of a warehouse picking cost. There are five variants for organizing the picking process of orders in a warehouse. The choice of a specific variant depends on the total cost of picking. The picking cost is evaluated within an uninterrupted picking process. It means that no stock out occurs in the time period of the picking process. The storing area and the picking area are created as two separate zones for picking quantities of the customer’s orders; the principle of division of orders is observed strictly. Referring to the locations of stock keeping units (SKU, two approaches of the layout of SKU in the picking area can be estimated. The first one is the single picking location for each single SKU, where replenishment is realized in the picking process. The second one - various picking locations for each single SKU, and the replenishment here is realized just only prior to a picking process or after it. The main benefits of the economy of the picking cost as far as these two approaches are concerned are the shortest picking route in the first case and one common replenishment option in the second case.

EVALUATION OF PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY AT THE WILDLIFE PROTECTED AREA, "NEVADO DE TOLUCA" MEXICO, DURING THE DRY SEASON

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J. Martínez-Hernández

2014-08-01

Full Text Available This is the first report on grassland primary productivity for the wildlife protected area Nevado de Toluca (APFF Nevado de Toluca. We evaluated three communities in this area during dry season: Loma Alta, La Peñuela y Agua Blanca. Following Hodgson (1994, for this study we used exclusion cages. Vegetation was cut every 28 days during a five months sampling period. A randomized block design was used, where the blocks represented the grassland communities and the different months constituted treatments. The month of September showed the higher production (610.3 kg/ha DM. No significant differences were observed among communities (P >0.05. In conclusion, these communities have similar low primary productivity through the evaluation dry season months, which in addition was found lower in comparison to other areas, therefore livestock grazing in this region should be limited this season.

Differentiation chronic post traumatic stress disorder patients from healthy subjects using objective and subjective sleep-related parameters.

Science.gov (United States)

Tahmasian, Masoud; Jamalabadi, Hamidreza; Abedini, Mina; Ghadami, Mohammad R; Sepehry, Amir A; Knight, David C; Khazaie, Habibolah

2017-05-22

Sleep disturbance is common in chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, prior work has demonstrated that there are inconsistencies between subjective and objective assessments of sleep disturbance in PTSD. Therefore, we investigated whether subjective or objective sleep assessment has greater clinical utility to differentiate PTSD patients from healthy subjects. Further, we evaluated whether the combination of subjective and objective methods improves the accuracy of classification into patient versus healthy groups, which has important diagnostic implications. We recruited 32 chronic war-induced PTSD patients and 32 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects to participate in this study. Subjective (i.e. from three self-reported sleep questionnaires) and objective sleep-related data (i.e. from actigraphy scores) were collected from each participant. Subjective, objective, and combined (subjective and objective) sleep data were then analyzed using support vector machine classification. The classification accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for subjective variables were 89.2%, 89.3%, and 89%, respectively. The classification accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for objective variables were 65%, 62.3%, and 67.8%, respectively. The classification accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for the aggregate variables (combination of subjective and objective variables) were 91.6%, 93.0%, and 90.3%, respectively. Our findings indicate that classification accuracy using subjective measurements is superior to objective measurements and the combination of both assessments appears to improve the classification accuracy for differentiating PTSD patients from healthy individuals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of fat tissue area in the abdomen and evaluation of degree of obesity. Pt. 1. A unique application of a densitometric technique of computed tomography for CT values of fat tissue area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakayama, Fumie [Saint Marianna Univ., Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Japan). School of Medicine

1995-06-01

Computed tomography (CT) scanning images were taken from 26 normal subjects, 23 obesity patients and 11 with leanness to determine fat tissue values. Setting three regions of interest (ROIs) for fat tissues identified by a double-window display, a total of 52 images were employed. Histograms were constructed for each of the 3 ROIs, and the maximum, mean and minimum values were computed for each fat tissues. Areas of entire fat tissues were computed on each image with the above-cited CT software for thyroidal iodine contents by setting ROIs along the outline of body, the abdominal wall and the wall of colon, respectively. Areas of subcutaneous fat tissues were calculated by simply subtracting the values of visceral fat tissues from those of entire fat tissues. Means of maximum and minimum CT values of visceral fat tissues on 52 images were -34.7 HU and -162.1 HU, respectively. The double-window display indicated that the spectrum of CT values of fat tissue included not only visceral and subcutaneous fat tissues but fecal materials with air bubbles in the colon. Areas of fecal materials with the same CT values as that of the fat tissues occupied 2.5{+-}3.0% of that of the visceral fat tissue. The areas of subcutaneous and visceral fat tissues were largest at the levels of -20 to 0 mm and 60 to 100 mm, respectively, on all images. At the level of 0 mm, the areas of visceral fat tissue did not show any differences among normal subjects, obesity patients and patients with leanness. It was concluded that the CT software is applicable to obtain satisfactory values for areas of visceral fat tissue, and that CT images at the levels of 0, 40, 60 and 100 mm are necessary to accurately determine areas of visceral fat tissues. (S.Y.).

Determination of fat tissue area in the abdomen and evaluation of degree of obesity. Pt. 1. A unique application of a densitometric technique of computed tomography for CT values of fat tissue area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakayama, Fumie

1995-01-01

Computed tomography (CT) scanning images were taken from 26 normal subjects, 23 obesity patients and 11 with leanness to determine fat tissue values. Setting three regions of interest (ROIs) for fat tissues identified by a double-window display, a total of 52 images were employed. Histograms were constructed for each of the 3 ROIs, and the maximum, mean and minimum values were computed for each fat tissues. Areas of entire fat tissues were computed on each image with the above-cited CT software for thyroidal iodine contents by setting ROIs along the outline of body, the abdominal wall and the wall of colon, respectively. Areas of subcutaneous fat tissues were calculated by simply subtracting the values of visceral fat tissues from those of entire fat tissues. Means of maximum and minimum CT values of visceral fat tissues on 52 images were -34.7 HU and -162.1 HU, respectively. The double-window display indicated that the spectrum of CT values of fat tissue included not only visceral and subcutaneous fat tissues but fecal materials with air bubbles in the colon. Areas of fecal materials with the same CT values as that of the fat tissues occupied 2.5±3.0% of that of the visceral fat tissue. The areas of subcutaneous and visceral fat tissues were largest at the levels of -20 to 0 mm and 60 to 100 mm, respectively, on all images. At the level of 0 mm, the areas of visceral fat tissue did not show any differences among normal subjects, obesity patients and patients with leanness. It was concluded that the CT software is applicable to obtain satisfactory values for areas of visceral fat tissue, and that CT images at the levels of 0, 40, 60 and 100 mm are necessary to accurately determine areas of visceral fat tissues. (S.Y.)

HOW TEACHERS EVALUATE THEIR WORK STYLE DEPENDING ON THE SUBJECT THEY TEACH AND YEARS OF WORK EXPERIENCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ranka Perućica

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In previous works we presented the studies that discussed how students evaluate their teachers and their style of teaching. To what extent their styles affect the students’ attitudes to teaching, learning, success, motivation and the like. In this work we have tried to point out how teachers assess their style of work, depending on the subject they teach and years of work experience. In addition, the aim of this study was to examine whether there are differences in teachers’ estimation of the teaching styles depending on the subject they teach and years of work experience. The study sample consisted of 120 teachers in the final grades of primary schools in the Sarajevo – Romania region. Teachers responded to questions assessing which of the statements given are related to them. The questionnaire was designed for research purposes with the three styles that are commonly used in the classroom to a democratic, autocratic and laissez - fair style. Reliability of the instrument was tested using Cronbach - alpha coefficient, and amounted to 0.73 democratic style, the autocratic 0.73, and 0.63 for the indifferent style. In the study, we used two methods: survey method and the method of theoretical analysis. The obtained results show that there is a statistically significant difference in teachers’ assessments of democratic and laissez - fair style usage, depending on the subject they teach, while there was no statistically significant difference when it comes to the autocratic style. The second part of our results shows that there is no difference in teachers’ assessments of work styles, depending on years of work experience. We hope that these results will contribute to the already existing research dealing with this subject.

Data on the sensory evaluation of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) from different areas of Hokkaido, Japan, performed by untrained young adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Hiroaki; Koizumi, Ryosuke; Nakazawa, Yozo; Yamazaki, Masao; Itoyama, Ryuichi; Ichisawa, Megumi; Negishi, Junko; Sakuma, Rui; Furusho, Tadasu; Sagane, Yoshimasa; Takano, Katsumi

2017-12-01

This data article describes a sensory evaluation of potatoes used in food processing from the Tokachi, Kamikawa, and Abashiri geographic areas of Hokkaido, Japan, performed by untrained young adults. We gathered sensory data on potatoes from the four cultivars 'Toyoshiro,' 'Kitahime,' 'Snowden,' and 'Poroshiri.' The sensory evaluation was performed on steamed potatoes from each cultivar; these potatoes were harvested from each of the three geographic areas. Table 1 provides the data from the evaluation of the five basic tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami), as well as the evaluation of the egumi taste, which is a Japanese term indicating a taste that is acrid, astringent, and slightly bitter.

Material control system design: Test Bed Nitrate Storage Area (TBNSA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, G.A.; Da Roza, R.A.; Dunn, D.R.; Sacks, I.J.; Harrison, W.; Huebel, J.G.; Ross, W.N.; Salisbury, J.D.; Sanborn, R.H.; Weissenberger, S.

1978-05-01

This report provides an example of a hypothetical Special Nuclear Material (SNM) Safeguard Material Control and Accounting (MC and A) System which will be used as a subject for the demonstration of the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory MC and A System Evaluation Methodology in January 1978. This methodology is to become a tool in the NRC evaluation of license applicant submittals for Nuclear Fuel Cycle facilities. The starting point for this test bed design was the Allied-General Nuclear Services--Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant Reprocessing plant as described in the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR), of August 1975. The test bed design effort was limited to providing an SNM safeguard system for the plutonium nitrate storage area of this facility

[Evaluation of environmental conditions: air, water and soil in areas of mining activity in Boyacá, Colombia].

Science.gov (United States)

Agudelo-Calderón, Carlos A; Quiroz-Arcentales, Leonardo; García-Ubaque, Juan C; Robledo-Martínez, Rocío; García-Ubaque, Cesar A

2016-02-01

Objectives To determine concentrations of PM10, mercury and lead in indoor air of homes, water sources and soil in municipalities near mining operations. Method 6 points were evaluated in areas of influence and 2 in control areas. For measurements of indoor air, we used the NIOSH 600 method (PM10), NIOSH 6009 (mercury) and NIOSH 7300 (lead). For water analysis we used the IDEAM Guide for monitoring discharges. For soil analysis, we used the cold vapor technique (mercury) and atomic absorption (lead). Results In almost all selected households, the average PM10 and mercury concentrations in indoor air exceeded applicable air quality standards. Concentrations of lead were below standard levels. In all water sources, high concentrations of lead were found and in some places within the mining areas, high levels of iron, aluminum and mercury were also found. In soil, mercury concentrations were below the detection level and for lead, differences between the monitored points were observed. Conclusions The results do not establish causal relationships between mining and concentration of these pollutants in the evaluated areas because of the multiplicity of sources in the area. However, such studies provide important information, useful to agents of the environmental health system and researchers. Installation of networks for environmental monitoring to obtain continuous reports is suggested.

Subjective vs. objective evaluation of gallbladder opacification during oral cholecystography in comparative clinical trials: implications for studies involving visual assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fon, G.T.; Hunter, T.B.; Berk, R.N.; Patton, D.D.; Capp, M.P.

1982-01-01

Radiographs and CT images taken during oral cholecystography in dogs were interpreted in an independent, blind fashion by three radiologists on two occasions and visual assessment of gallbladder density compared to the actual CT values. While there was significant intra- and inter-observer variation, the mean scores for the observers' interpretations of both radiographs and prints correlated well with the actual CT values (p > 0.05). In five out of six comparisons between first and second readings, the observers gave a lower score on the second reading. The considerable variation reflects the problems inherent in subjective evaluation of agents that produce small but measurable differences in radiographic density. Studies involving such subjective data have to be carefully designed in order to obtain meaningful results