Two cases of Cokeromyces recurvatus in liquid-based Papanicolaou tests and a review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Odronic, Shelley I; Scheidemantel, Thomas; Tuohy, Marion J; Chute, Deborah; Procop, Gary W; Booth, Christine N

2012-12-01

We present 2 cases of Cokeromyces recurvatus in routine, liquid-based Papanicolaou tests (ThinPrep). Patient 1 is a healthy, asymptomatic, 26-year-old woman with no pertinent past medical history. Patient 2 is a healthy, asymptomatic, 47-year-old woman with no pertinent past medical history. The Papanicolaou tests from both patients showed many fungal-like elements as globose, yeastlike forms measuring 10 to 30 µm in diameter with multiple, narrowly attached apparent "daughter" buds. This morphology was consistent with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. However, broad-range fungal polymerase chain reaction and deoxyribonucleic acid sequence analysis performed with GenBank Basic Local Alignment Search Tool showed an exact match for C recurvatus. Our cases highlight the importance of molecular techniques to prevent misdiagnosis of C recurvatus as P brasiliensis, based on morphology alone. There have been 8 previously published cases of C recurvatus infection in humans, 3 of which were reported in the female genital tract.

A new impedance based approach to test the activity of recombinant protein--Semaphorins as a test case.

Science.gov (United States)

Birger, Anastasya; Besser, Elazar; Reubinoff, Benjamin; Behar, Oded

2015-10-01

The biological activity of a recombinant protein is routinely measured using a bioassay such as an enzyme assay. However, many proteins have no enzymatic activity and in many cases it is difficult to devise a simple and reliable approach to test their activity. Semaphorins, Ephrins, Slits, Netrins or amylin-assisted proteins have numerous activities affecting many systems and cell types in the human body. Most of them are also able to induce rapid cytoskeleton changes at least in some cell types. We assumed therefore, that such proteins might be tested based on their ability to modulate the cytoskeleton. Here we tested a number of semaphorins in an impedance based label-free platform that allows for dynamic monitoring of subtle morphological and adhesive changes. This system has proved to be a very fast, sensitive and effective way to monitor and determine the activity of such proteins. Furthermore we showed that it is possible to customize a cell-protein system by transfecting the cells with specific receptors and test the cell response following the addition of the recombinant ligand protein. Since other protein families such as Ephrins and Netrins can also influence the cytoskeleton of some cells, this approach may be applicable to a large number of proteins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Model-based security testing

OpenAIRE

Schieferdecker, Ina; Großmann, Jürgen; Schneider, Martin

2012-01-01

Security testing aims at validating software system requirements related to security properties like confidentiality, integrity, authentication, authorization, availability, and non-repudiation. Although security testing techniques are available for many years, there has been little approaches that allow for specification of test cases at a higher level of abstraction, for enabling guidance on test identification and specification as well as for automated test generation. Model-based security...

Automation of Test Cases for Web Applications : Automation of CRM Test Cases

OpenAIRE

Seyoum, Alazar

2012-01-01

The main theme of this project was to design a test automation framework for automating web related test cases. Automating test cases designed for testing a web interface provide a means of improving a software development process by shortening the testing phase in the software development life cycle. In this project an existing AutoTester framework and iMacros test automation tools were used. CRM Test Agent was developed to integrate AutoTester to iMacros and to enable the AutoTester,...

Case Study: Testing with Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Herreid, Clyde Freeman

2015-01-01

This column provides original articles on innovations in case study teaching, assessment of the method, as well as case studies with teaching notes. This month's issue discusses using case studies to test for knowledge or lessons learned.

Rule-Based and Case-Based Reasoning in Housing Prices

OpenAIRE

Gabrielle Gayer; Itzhak Gilboa; Offer Lieberman

2004-01-01

People reason about real-estate prices both in terms of general rules and in terms of analogies to similar cases. We propose to empirically test which mode of reasoning fits the data better. To this end, we develop the statistical techniques required for the estimation of the case-based model. It is hypothesized that case-based reasoning will have relatively more explanatory power in databases of rental apartments, whereas rule-based reasoning will have a relative advantage in sales data. We ...

Model-based testing for software safety

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gurbuz, Havva Gulay; Tekinerdogan, Bedir

2017-01-01

Testing safety-critical systems is crucial since a failure or malfunction may result in death or serious injuries to people, equipment, or environment. An important challenge in testing is the derivation of test cases that can identify the potential faults. Model-based testing adopts models of a

Data report of a tight-lattice rod bundle thermal-hydraulic tests (1). Base case test using 37-rod bundle simulated water-cooled breeder reactor (Contract research)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kureta, Masatoshi; Tamai, Hidesada; Liu, Wei; Akimoto, Hajime; Sato, Takashi; Watanabe, Hironori; Ohnuki, Akira

2006-03-01

Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been performing tight-lattice rod bundle thermal-hydraulic tests to realize essential technologies for the technological and engineering feasibility of super high burn-up water-cooled breeder reactor featured by a high breeding ratio and super high burn-up by reducing the core water volume in water-cooled reactor. The tests are performing to make clear the fundamental subjects related to the boiling transition (BT) (Subjects: BT criteria under a highly tight-lattice rod bundle, effects of gap-width between rods and of rod-bowing) using 37-rod bundles (Base case test section (1.3mm gap-width), Two parameter effect test sections (Gap-width effect one (1.0mm) and Rod-bowing one)). In the present report, we summarize the test results from the base case test section. The thermal-hydraulic characteristics using the large scale test section were obtained for the critical power, the pressure drop and the wall heat transfer under a wide range of pressure, flow rate, etc. including normal operational conditions of the designed reactor. Effects of local peaking factor on the critical power were also obtained. (author)

Case Report: HIV test misdiagnosis

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Case Study: HIV test misdiagnosis 124. Case Report: HIV ... A positive rapid HIV test does not require ... 3 College of Medicine - Johns Hopkins Research Project, Blantyre,. Malawi ... test results: a pilot study of three community testing sites.

Test case prioritization using Cuscuta search

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mukesh Mann

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Most companies are under heavy time and resource constraints when it comes to testing a software system. Test prioritization technique(s allows the most useful tests to be executed first, exposing faults earlier in the testing process. Thus makes software testing more efficient and cost effective by covering maximum faults in minimum time. But test case prioritization is not an easy and straightforward process and it requires huge efforts and time. Number of approaches is available with their proclaimed advantages and limitations, but accessibility of any one of them is a subject dependent. In this paper, artificial Cuscuta search algorithm (CSA inspired by real Cuscuta parasitism is used to solve time constraint prioritization problem. We have applied CSA for prioritizing test cases in an order of maximum fault coverage with minimum test suite execution and compare its effectiveness with different prioritization ordering. Taking into account the experimental results, we conclude that (i The average percentage of faults detection (APFD is 82.5% using our proposed CSA ordering which is equal to the APFD of optimal and ant colony based ordering whereas No ordering, Random ordering and Reverse ordering has 76.25%, 75%, 68.75% of APFD respectively.

Theory testing using case studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dissing Sørensen, Pernille; Løkke Nielsen, Ann-Kristina

2006-01-01

on the strengths of theory-testing case studies. We specify research paths associated with theory testing in case studies and present a coherent argument for the logic of theoretical development and refinement using case studies. We emphasize different uses of rival explanations and their implications for research...... design. Finally, we discuss the epistemological logic, i.e., the value to larger research programmes, of such studies and, following Lakatos, conclude that the value of theory-testing case studies lies beyond naïve falsification and in their contribution to developing research programmes in a progressive......Case studies may have different research goals. One such goal is the testing of small-scale and middle-range theories. Theory testing refers to the critical examination, observation, and evaluation of the 'why' and 'how' of a specified phenomenon in a particular setting. In this paper, we focus...

Code cases for implementing risk-based inservice testing in the ASME OM code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rowley, C.W.

1996-01-01

Historically inservice testing has been reasonably effective, but quite costly. Recent applications of plant PRAs to the scope of the IST program have demonstrated that of the 30 pumps and 500 valves in the typical plant IST program, less than half of the pumps and ten percent of the valves are risk significant. The way the ASME plans to tackle this overly-conservative scope for IST components is to use the PRA and plant expert panels to create a two tier IST component categorization scheme. The PRA provides the quantitative risk information and the plant expert panel blends the quantitative and deterministic information to place the IST component into one of two categories: More Safety Significant Component (MSSC) or Less Safety Significant Component (LSSC). With all the pumps and valves in the IST program placed in MSSC or LSSC categories, two different testing strategies will be applied. The testing strategies will be unique for the type of component, such as centrifugal pump, positive displacement pump, MOV, AOV, SOV, SRV, PORV, HOV, CV, and MV. A series of OM Code Cases are being developed to capture this process for a plant to use. One Code Case will be for Component Importance Ranking. The remaining Code Cases will develop the MSSC and LSSC testing strategy for type of component. These Code Cases are planned for publication in early 1997. Later, after some industry application of the Code Cases, the alternative Code Case requirements will gravitate to the ASME OM Code as appendices

Code cases for implementing risk-based inservice testing in the ASME OM code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rowley, C.W.

1996-12-01

Historically inservice testing has been reasonably effective, but quite costly. Recent applications of plant PRAs to the scope of the IST program have demonstrated that of the 30 pumps and 500 valves in the typical plant IST program, less than half of the pumps and ten percent of the valves are risk significant. The way the ASME plans to tackle this overly-conservative scope for IST components is to use the PRA and plant expert panels to create a two tier IST component categorization scheme. The PRA provides the quantitative risk information and the plant expert panel blends the quantitative and deterministic information to place the IST component into one of two categories: More Safety Significant Component (MSSC) or Less Safety Significant Component (LSSC). With all the pumps and valves in the IST program placed in MSSC or LSSC categories, two different testing strategies will be applied. The testing strategies will be unique for the type of component, such as centrifugal pump, positive displacement pump, MOV, AOV, SOV, SRV, PORV, HOV, CV, and MV. A series of OM Code Cases are being developed to capture this process for a plant to use. One Code Case will be for Component Importance Ranking. The remaining Code Cases will develop the MSSC and LSSC testing strategy for type of component. These Code Cases are planned for publication in early 1997. Later, after some industry application of the Code Cases, the alternative Code Case requirements will gravitate to the ASME OM Code as appendices.

Formal Specification Based Automatic Test Generation for Embedded Network Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eun Hye Choi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Embedded systems have become increasingly connected and communicate with each other, forming large-scaled and complicated network systems. To make their design and testing more reliable and robust, this paper proposes a formal specification language called SENS and a SENS-based automatic test generation tool called TGSENS. Our approach is summarized as follows: (1 A user describes requirements of target embedded network systems by logical property-based constraints using SENS. (2 Given SENS specifications, test cases are automatically generated using a SAT-based solver. Filtering mechanisms to select efficient test cases are also available in our tool. (3 In addition, given a testing goal by the user, test sequences are automatically extracted from exhaustive test cases. We’ve implemented our approach and conducted several experiments on practical case studies. Through the experiments, we confirmed the efficiency of our approach in design and test generation of real embedded air-conditioning network systems.

Model Based Analysis and Test Generation for Flight Software

Science.gov (United States)

Pasareanu, Corina S.; Schumann, Johann M.; Mehlitz, Peter C.; Lowry, Mike R.; Karsai, Gabor; Nine, Harmon; Neema, Sandeep

2009-01-01

We describe a framework for model-based analysis and test case generation in the context of a heterogeneous model-based development paradigm that uses and combines Math- Works and UML 2.0 models and the associated code generation tools. This paradigm poses novel challenges to analysis and test case generation that, to the best of our knowledge, have not been addressed before. The framework is based on a common intermediate representation for different modeling formalisms and leverages and extends model checking and symbolic execution tools for model analysis and test case generation, respectively. We discuss the application of our framework to software models for a NASA flight mission.

Theory Testing Using Case Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Ann-Kristina Løkke; Dissing Sørensen, Pernille

2014-01-01

The appropriateness of case studies as a tool for theory testing is still a controversial issue, and discussions about the weaknesses of such research designs have previously taken precedence over those about its strengths. The purpose of the paper is to examine and revive the approach of theory...... testing using case studies, including the associated research goal, analysis, and generalisability. We argue that research designs for theory testing using case studies differ from theorybuilding case study research designs because different research projects serve different purposes and follow different...... research paths....

Generating custom test plans for CASE{sup *}Dictionary 5.0

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atkins, K.D. [Boeing Computer Services, Richland, WA (United States)

1994-04-01

Most database development organizations use a formal software development methodology that requires a certain amount of formal testing. The amount of formal testing that will be performed will vary from methodology to methodology and from site to site. If a very detailed formal test plan is required for each module in a system, the work involved to produce the test plan can be tedious and costly. After a system has been designed and developed using Oracle*CASE, there is much useful information in the CASE*Dictionary repository. If this information could be tied to specific test requirements, a test plan could be generated automatically, saving much time and resources. This paper shows how CASE*Dictionary can be used to store test plan information that can then be used to generate a specific test plan for each module based on it`s detailed data usage.

Prevailence of Patch Test Positivity with Some Bases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J S Pasricha

1987-01-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the suitability of some chemicals to act as bases for antigens for patch tests, patch tests were performed with these agents in patients having contact dermatitis. Propylene glycol′used as such produced positive reactions in 25 (50% patients of which 12 were 2 + or more, polyethylene glycol 200 produced positive reactions in 9 (18% cases of which 4 cases were 2 + or more, a mixture of liquid paraffin and hard paraffin gave rise to positive reactions in 10 (10% cases 3 of these being 2 +, a mixture of liquid paraffin and bees wax was positive in 14 (14,Yo cases 3 of these being 2 +, yellow petrolatum was positive in 4 (8% cases, one of which was 2 +, white petrolatum was positive in S (6% cases all of these being + reactions only, and glycerol gave rise to a I + reaction in only one (2% caw. In tropical countries, water should be as base for as many antigens as possible for others, a control test with the b must be included.

Computing power and sample size for case-control association studies with copy number polymorphism: application of mixture-based likelihood ratio test.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wonkuk Kim

Full Text Available Recent studies suggest that copy number polymorphisms (CNPs may play an important role in disease susceptibility and onset. Currently, the detection of CNPs mainly depends on microarray technology. For case-control studies, conventionally, subjects are assigned to a specific CNP category based on the continuous quantitative measure produced by microarray experiments, and cases and controls are then compared using a chi-square test of independence. The purpose of this work is to specify the likelihood ratio test statistic (LRTS for case-control sampling design based on the underlying continuous quantitative measurement, and to assess its power and relative efficiency (as compared to the chi-square test of independence on CNP counts. The sample size and power formulas of both methods are given. For the latter, the CNPs are classified using the Bayesian classification rule. The LRTS is more powerful than this chi-square test for the alternatives considered, especially alternatives in which the at-risk CNP categories have low frequencies. An example of the application of the LRTS is given for a comparison of CNP distributions in individuals of Caucasian or Taiwanese ethnicity, where the LRTS appears to be more powerful than the chi-square test, possibly due to misclassification of the most common CNP category into a less common category.

Herbalife hepatotoxicity: Evaluation of cases with positive reexposure tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Teschke, Rolf; Frenzel, Christian; Schulze, Johannes; Schwarzenboeck, Alexander; Eickhoff, Axel

2013-07-27

To analyze the validity of applied test criteria and causality assessment methods in assumed Herbalife hepatotoxicity with positive reexposure tests. We searched the Medline database for suspected cases of Herbalife hepatotoxicity and retrieved 53 cases including eight cases with a positive unintentional reexposure and a high causality level for Herbalife. First, analysis of these eight cases focused on the data quality of the positive reexposure cases, requiring a baseline value of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) Herbalife in these eight cases were probable (n = 1), unlikely (n = 4), and excluded (n = 3). Confounding variables included low data quality, alternative diagnoses, poor exclusion of important other causes, and comedication by drugs and herbs in 6/8 cases. More specifically, problems were evident in some cases regarding temporal association, daily doses, exact start and end dates of product use, actual data of laboratory parameters such as ALT, and exact dechallenge characteristics. Shortcomings included scattered exclusion of hepatitis A-C, cytomegalovirus and Epstein Barr virus infection with only globally presented or lacking parameters. Hepatitis E virus infection was considered in one single patient and found positive, infections by herpes simplex virus and varicella zoster virus were excluded in none. Only one case fulfilled positive reexposure test criteria in initially assumed Herbalife hepatotoxicity, with lower CIOMS based causality gradings for the other cases than hitherto proposed.

Automatic WSDL-guided Test Case Generation for PropEr Testing of Web Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantinos Sagonas

2012-10-01

Full Text Available With web services already being key ingredients of modern web systems, automatic and easy-to-use but at the same time powerful and expressive testing frameworks for web services are increasingly important. Our work aims at fully automatic testing of web services: ideally the user only specifies properties that the web service is expected to satisfy, in the form of input-output relations, and the system handles all the rest. In this paper we present in detail the component which lies at the heart of this system: how the WSDL specification of a web service is used to automatically create test case generators that can be fed to PropEr, a property-based testing tool, to create structurally valid random test cases for its operations and check its responses. Although the process is fully automatic, our tool optionally allows the user to easily modify its output to either add semantic information to the generators or write properties that test for more involved functionality of the web services.

Comparative Test Case Specification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kalyanova, Olena; Heiselberg, Per

This document includes the specification on the IEA task of evaluation building energy simulation computer programs for the Double Skin Facades (DSF) constructions. There are two approaches involved into this procedure, one is the comparative approach and another is the empirical one. In the comp....... In the comparative approach the outcomes of different software tools are compared, while in the empirical approach the modelling results are compared with the results of experimental test cases. The comparative test cases include: ventilation, shading and geometry....

Case-based debates: an innovative teaching tool in nephrology education.

Science.gov (United States)

Jhaveri, Kenar D; Chawla, Arun; Shah, Hitesh H

2012-01-01

Medical educators have called for new teaching methods and materials that supplement the traditional lecture format, and education in a range of health professions, including medicine, nursing, and pharmacy, is using a game-based approach to teach learners. Here, we describe a novel teaching tool in a case-based debate using the game format. Two teams of first- and second-year nephrology fellows participated in a PowerPoint game-based debate about which tests to order to diagnose transplant-related case. Our pilot study assessed the participant acceptance of case-based debate sessions and rewards system, and participant perceptions of using this approach to teach fellows and residents the importance of each test ordered and its cost-effectiveness in medicine. Each test ordered requires an explanation and has a point value attached to it (based on relevance and cost of positive and negative test results). The team that comes up with the diagnosis with most points wins the game. A faculty member leads a short concluding discussion. Subjective evaluations found these case-based debates to be highly entertaining and thought-provoking and to enhance self-directed learning.

Integration testing through reusing representative unit test cases for high-confidence medical software.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Youngsul; Choi, Yunja; Lee, Woo Jin

2013-06-01

As medical software is getting larger-sized, complex, and connected with other devices, finding faults in integrated software modules gets more difficult and time consuming. Existing integration testing typically takes a black-box approach, which treats the target software as a black box and selects test cases without considering internal behavior of each software module. Though it could be cost-effective, this black-box approach cannot thoroughly test interaction behavior among integrated modules and might leave critical faults undetected, which should not happen in safety-critical systems such as medical software. This work anticipates that information on internal behavior is necessary even for integration testing to define thorough test cases for critical software and proposes a new integration testing method by reusing test cases used for unit testing. The goal is to provide a cost-effective method to detect subtle interaction faults at the integration testing phase by reusing the knowledge obtained from unit testing phase. The suggested approach notes that the test cases for the unit testing include knowledge on internal behavior of each unit and extracts test cases for the integration testing from the test cases for the unit testing for a given test criteria. The extracted representative test cases are connected with functions under test using the state domain and a single test sequence to cover the test cases is produced. By means of reusing unit test cases, the tester has effective test cases to examine diverse execution paths and find interaction faults without analyzing complex modules. The produced test sequence can have test coverage as high as the unit testing coverage and its length is close to the length of optimal test sequences. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prioritizing Test Cases for Memory Leaks in Android Applications

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Ju Qian; Di Zhou

2016-01-01

Mobile applications usually can only access limited amount of memory. Improper use of the memory can cause memory leaks, which may lead to performance slowdowns or even cause applications to be unexpectedly killed. Although a large body of research has been devoted into the memory leak diagnosing techniques after leaks have been discovered, it is still challenging to find out the memory leak phenomena at first. Testing is the most widely used technique for failure discovery. However, traditional testing techniques are not directed for the discovery of memory leaks. They may spend lots of time on testing unlikely leaking executions and therefore can be inefficient. To address the problem, we propose a novel approach to prioritize test cases according to their likelihood to cause memory leaks in a given test suite. It firstly builds a prediction model to determine whether each test can potentially lead to memory leaks based on machine learning on selected code features. Then, for each input test case, we partly run it to get its code features and predict its likelihood to cause leaks. The most suspicious test cases will be suggested to run at first in order to reveal memory leak faults as soon as possible. Experimental evaluation on several Android applications shows that our approach is effective.

Digital case-based learning system in school.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Peipei; Guo, Jiayang

2017-01-01

With the continuing growth of multi-media learning resources, it is important to offer methods helping learners to explore and acquire relevant learning information effectively. As services that organize multi-media learning materials together to support programming learning, the digital case-based learning system is needed. In order to create a case-oriented e-learning system, this paper concentrates on the digital case study of multi-media resources and learning processes with an integrated framework. An integration of multi-media resources, testing and learning strategies recommendation as the learning unit is proposed in the digital case-based learning framework. The learning mechanism of learning guidance, multi-media materials learning and testing feedback is supported in our project. An improved personalized genetic algorithm which incorporates preference information and usage degree into the crossover and mutation process is proposed to assemble the personalized test sheet for each learner. A learning strategies recommendation solution is proposed to recommend learning strategies for learners to help them to learn. The experiments are conducted to prove that the proposed approaches are capable of constructing personalized sheets and the effectiveness of the framework.

Digital case-based learning system in school.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peipei Gu

Full Text Available With the continuing growth of multi-media learning resources, it is important to offer methods helping learners to explore and acquire relevant learning information effectively. As services that organize multi-media learning materials together to support programming learning, the digital case-based learning system is needed. In order to create a case-oriented e-learning system, this paper concentrates on the digital case study of multi-media resources and learning processes with an integrated framework. An integration of multi-media resources, testing and learning strategies recommendation as the learning unit is proposed in the digital case-based learning framework. The learning mechanism of learning guidance, multi-media materials learning and testing feedback is supported in our project. An improved personalized genetic algorithm which incorporates preference information and usage degree into the crossover and mutation process is proposed to assemble the personalized test sheet for each learner. A learning strategies recommendation solution is proposed to recommend learning strategies for learners to help them to learn. The experiments are conducted to prove that the proposed approaches are capable of constructing personalized sheets and the effectiveness of the framework.

A report on the piloting of a novel computer-based medical case simulation for teaching and formative assessment of diagnostic laboratory testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clarence D. Kreiter

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Insufficient attention has been given to how information from computer-based clinical case simulations is presented, collected, and scored. Research is needed on how best to design such simulations to acquire valid performance assessment data that can act as useful feedback for educational applications. This report describes a study of a new simulation format with design features aimed at improving both its formative assessment feedback and educational function. Methods: Case simulation software (LabCAPS was developed to target a highly focused and well-defined measurement goal with a response format that allowed objective scoring. Data from an eight-case computer-based performance assessment administered in a pilot study to 13 second-year medical students was analyzed using classical test theory and generalizability analysis. In addition, a similar analysis was conducted on an administration in a less controlled setting, but to a much large sample (n=143, within a clinical course that utilized two random case subsets from a library of 18 cases. Results: Classical test theory case-level item analysis of the pilot assessment yielded an average case discrimination of 0.37, and all eight cases were positively discriminating (range=0.11–0.56. Classical test theory coefficient alpha and the decision study showed the eight-case performance assessment to have an observed reliability of σ=G=0.70. The decision study further demonstrated that a G=0.80 could be attained with approximately 3 h and 15 min of testing. The less-controlled educational application within a large medical class produced a somewhat lower reliability for eight cases (G=0.53. Students gave high ratings to the logic of the simulation interface, its educational value, and to the fidelity of the tasks. Conclusions: LabCAPS software shows the potential to provide formative assessment of medical students’ skill at diagnostic test ordering and to provide valid feedback to

Automation for a base station stability testing

OpenAIRE

Punnek, Elvis

2016-01-01

This Batchelor’s thesis was commissioned by Oy LM Ericsson Ab Oulu. The aim of it was to help to investigate and create a test automation solution for the stability testing of the LTE base station. The main objective was to create a test automation for a predefined test set. This test automation solution had to be created for specific environments and equipment. This work included creating the automation for the test cases and putting them to daily test automation jobs. The key factor...

Casing pull tests for directionally drilled environmental wells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staller, G.E.; Wemple, R.P.; Layne, R.R.

1994-11-01

A series of tests to evaluate several types of environmental well casings have been conducted by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and it's industrial partner, The Charles Machine Works, Inc. (CMW). A test bed was constructed at the CMW test range to model a typical shallow, horizontal, directionally drilled wellbore. Four different types of casings were pulled through this test bed. The loads required to pull the casings through the test bed and the condition of the casing material were documented during the pulling operations. An additional test was conducted to make a comparison of test bed vs actual wellbore casing pull loads. A directionally drilled well was emplaced by CMW to closely match the test bed. An instrumented casing was installed in the well and the pull loads recorded. The completed tests are reviewed and the results reported

Casing pull tests for directionally drilled environmental wells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Staller, G.E.; Wemple, R.P. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Layne, R.R. [Charles Machine Works, Inc., Perry, OK (United States)

1994-11-01

A series of tests to evaluate several types of environmental well casings have been conducted by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and it`s industrial partner, The Charles Machine Works, Inc. (CMW). A test bed was constructed at the CMW test range to model a typical shallow, horizontal, directionally drilled wellbore. Four different types of casings were pulled through this test bed. The loads required to pull the casings through the test bed and the condition of the casing material were documented during the pulling operations. An additional test was conducted to make a comparison of test bed vs actual wellbore casing pull loads. A directionally drilled well was emplaced by CMW to closely match the test bed. An instrumented casing was installed in the well and the pull loads recorded. The completed tests are reviewed and the results reported.

Diagnostic tests based on human basophils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kleine-Tebbe, Jörg; Erdmann, Stephan; Knol, Edward F

2006-01-01

-maximal responses, termed 'intrinsic sensitivity'. These variables give rise to shifts in the dose-response curves which, in a diagnostic setting where only a single antigen concentration is employed, may produce false-negative data. Thus, in order to meaningfully utilize the current basophil activation tests....... Diagnostic studies using CD63 or CD203c in hymenoptera, food and drug allergy are critically discussed. Basophil-based tests are indicated for allergy testing in selected cases but should only be performed by experienced laboratories....

Kernel-based tests for joint independence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pfister, Niklas; Bühlmann, Peter; Schölkopf, Bernhard

2018-01-01

if the $d$ variables are jointly independent, as long as the kernel is characteristic. Based on an empirical estimate of dHSIC, we define three different non-parametric hypothesis tests: a permutation test, a bootstrap test and a test based on a Gamma approximation. We prove that the permutation test......We investigate the problem of testing whether $d$ random variables, which may or may not be continuous, are jointly (or mutually) independent. Our method builds on ideas of the two variable Hilbert-Schmidt independence criterion (HSIC) but allows for an arbitrary number of variables. We embed...... the $d$-dimensional joint distribution and the product of the marginals into a reproducing kernel Hilbert space and define the $d$-variable Hilbert-Schmidt independence criterion (dHSIC) as the squared distance between the embeddings. In the population case, the value of dHSIC is zero if and only...

Design of Composite Structures Using Knowledge-Based and Case Based Reasoning

Science.gov (United States)

Lambright, Jonathan Paul

1996-01-01

A method of using knowledge based and case based reasoning to assist designers during conceptual design tasks of composite structures was proposed. The cooperative use of heuristics, procedural knowledge, and previous similar design cases suggests a potential reduction in design cycle time and ultimately product lead time. The hypothesis of this work is that the design process of composite structures can be improved by using Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) and Knowledge-Based (KB) reasoning in the early design stages. The technique of using knowledge-based and case-based reasoning facilitates the gathering of disparate information into one location that is easily and readily available. The method suggests that the inclusion of downstream life-cycle issues into the conceptual design phase reduces potential of defective, and sub-optimal composite structures. Three industry experts were interviewed extensively. The experts provided design rules, previous design cases, and test problems. A Knowledge Based Reasoning system was developed using the CLIPS (C Language Interpretive Procedural System) environment and a Case Based Reasoning System was developed using the Design Memory Utility For Sharing Experiences (MUSE) xviii environment. A Design Characteristic State (DCS) was used to document the design specifications, constraints, and problem areas using attribute-value pair relationships. The DCS provided consistent design information between the knowledge base and case base. Results indicated that the use of knowledge based and case based reasoning provided a robust design environment for composite structures. The knowledge base provided design guidance from well defined rules and procedural knowledge. The case base provided suggestions on design and manufacturing techniques based on previous similar designs and warnings of potential problems and pitfalls. The case base complemented the knowledge base and extended the problem solving capability beyond the existence of

Automating Test Activities: Test Cases Creation, Test Execution, and Test Reporting with Multiple Test Automation Tools

OpenAIRE

Loke Mun Sei

2015-01-01

Software testing has become a mandatory process in assuring the software product quality. Hence, test management is needed in order to manage the test activities conducted in the software test life cycle. This paper discusses on the challenges faced in the software test life cycle, and how the test processes and test activities, mainly on test cases creation, test execution, and test reporting is being managed and automated using several test automation tools, i.e. Jira, ...

A web-based test of residents' skills in diagnostic radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finlay, K.; Norman, G.R.; Keane, D.R.; Stolberg, H.

2006-01-01

To develop an objective, Web-based tool for evaluating residents' knowledge of diagnostic radiology. We developed and tested a Web-based evaluation tool (the Diagnostic Radiology Skills Test) that consists of 3 tests, one in each of 3 domains of diagnostic radiology: chest, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal imaging. Each test comprises 30 cases representing a range of difficulty in the domain, including normal states, normal variants, typical cases of common diagnoses, and cases with more subtle findings. Cases are presented with a long menu of domain-specific possible diagnoses (response options), each coded for diagnostic appropriateness. Our subjects were 21 residents in postgraduate year (PGY) 2 to 5 and 11 experts in diagnostic radiology. Subjects accessed the tool via a Web site on our Web server. Residents test results were compared for reliability and validity across domain, case, and training level. In addition, results were correlated with commonly used established and objective evaluation tools. The tool demonstrated consistent monotonic improvement in performance with training level. It showed acceptable reliability in discriminating between residents at different performance levels, both within and across training levels (r = 0.53 within level and 0.69 across levels). Test results also had concurrent validity against the American College of Radiology In-Training Examination, a widely accepted objective assessment tool (r = 0.65, P < 0.01), and 2 Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) focusing on diagnostic skills (r = 0.78 and r 0.69, P < 0.01, respectively). Our study demonstrates the feasibility of a Web-based, standardized, objective assessment method for evaluating residents' performance. (author)

A comparative study on lecture based versus case based education on teaching general surgery to medical students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Moazeni Bistegani

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction : various methods of teaching have different learning outcomes. Using a combination of teaching and training methods of training may boost education. This study compared lecture based and case based teaching as a combined approach in learning general surgery by medical students. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental performed on two consecutive groups of 33 and 36 students who were studying general surgery course. The two styles of teaching were lecture-based and real case teaching methods. The final exam included twenty multiple choice questions. The mean scores of each group of students were collected and analyzed accordingly with descriptive tests, Fisher’s test and T-test. Results: The mean final mark of students' who received real case based education was 16.8/20 ± 1.8 and for the lecture group was 12.7± 1.7. There was a significant difference between the two groups (P <0.0001. In both groups, there were significant differences in the mean scores of questions with taxonomy two and three, but not in the questions with taxonomy one. Students' evaluation score of the teacher of the real case group increased by 1.7/20 (8.7% in the case based group compared to the lecture group. Conclusions: Case based teaching of general surgery led to a better outcome and students were more satisfied. It is recommended that case based education of surgery be encouraged.

Simulation-based Testing of Control Software

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozmen, Ozgur [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Nutaro, James J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Sanyal, Jibonananda [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Olama, Mohammed M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-02-10

It is impossible to adequately test complex software by examining its operation in a physical prototype of the system monitored. Adequate test coverage can require millions of test cases, and the cost of equipment prototypes combined with the real-time constraints of testing with them makes it infeasible to sample more than a small number of these tests. Model based testing seeks to avoid this problem by allowing for large numbers of relatively inexpensive virtual prototypes that operate in simulation time at a speed limited only by the available computing resources. In this report, we describe how a computer system emulator can be used as part of a model based testing environment; specifically, we show that a complete software stack including operating system and application software - can be deployed within a simulated environment, and that these simulations can proceed as fast as possible. To illustrate this approach to model based testing, we describe how it is being used to test several building control systems that act to coordinate air conditioning loads for the purpose of reducing peak demand. These tests involve the use of ADEVS (A Discrete Event System Simulator) and QEMU (Quick Emulator) to host the operational software within the simulation, and a building model developed with the MODELICA programming language using Buildings Library and packaged as an FMU (Functional Mock-up Unit) that serves as the virtual test environment.

Time-Optimal Real-Time Test Case Generation using UPPAAL

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hessel, Anders; Larsen, Kim Guldstrand; Nielsen, Brian

2004-01-01

Testing is the primary software validation technique used by industry today, but remains ad hoc, error prone, and very expensive. A promising improvement is to automatically generate test cases from formal models of the system under test. We demonstrate how to automatically generate real...... test purposes or generated automatically from various coverage criteria of the model.......-time conformance test cases from timed automata specifications. Specifically we demonstrate how to fficiently generate real-time test cases with optimal execution time i.e test cases that are the fastest possible to execute. Our technique allows time optimal test cases to be generated using manually formulated...

Case-based reasoning

CERN Document Server

Kolodner, Janet

1993-01-01

Case-based reasoning is one of the fastest growing areas in the field of knowledge-based systems and this book, authored by a leader in the field, is the first comprehensive text on the subject. Case-based reasoning systems are systems that store information about situations in their memory. As new problems arise, similar situations are searched out to help solve these problems. Problems are understood and inferences are made by finding the closest cases in memory, comparing and contrasting the problem with those cases, making inferences based on those comparisons, and asking questions whe

RSG Deployment Case Testing Results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Owsley, Stanley L.; Dodson, Michael G.; Hatchell, Brian K.; Seim, Thomas A.; Alexander, David L.; Hawthorne, Woodrow T.

2005-09-01

The RSG deployment case design is centered on taking the RSG system and producing a transport case that houses the RSG in a safe and controlled manner for transport. The transport case was driven by two conflicting constraints, first that the case be as light as possible, and second that it meet a stringent list of Military Specified requirements. The design team worked to extract every bit of weight from the design while striving to meet the rigorous Mil-Spec constraints. In the end compromises were made primarily on the specification side to control the overall weight of the transport case. This report outlines the case testing results.

Automatic Generation of Test Cases from UML Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Constanza Pérez

2018-04-01

Full Text Available [Context] The growing demand for high-quality software has caused the industry to incorporate processes to enable them to comply with these standards, but increasing the cost of development. A strategy to reduce this cost is to incorporate quality evaluations from early stages of software development. A technique that facilitates this evaluation is the model-based testing, which allows to generate test cases at early phases using as input the conceptual models of the system. [Objective] In this paper, we introduce TCGen, a tool that enables the automatic generation of abstract test cases starting from UML conceptual models. [Method] The design and implementation of TCGen, a technique that applies different testing criteria to class diagrams and state transition diagrams to generates test cases, is presented as a model-based testing approach. To do that, TCGen uses UML models, which are widely used at industry and a set of algorithms that recognize the concepts in the models in order to generate abstract test cases. [Results] An exploratory experimental evaluation has been performed to compare the TCGen tool with traditional testing. [Conclusions] Even though the exploratory evaluation shows promising results, it is necessary to perform more empirical evaluations in order to generalize the results. Abstract (in Spanish: [Contexto] La creciente demanda de software de alta calidad ha provocado que la industria incorpore procesos para permitirles cumplir con estos estándares, pero aumentando el costo del desarrollo. Una estrategia para reducir este costo es incorporar evaluaciones de calidad desde las primeras etapas del desarrollo del software. Una técnica que facilita esta evaluación es la prueba basada en modelos, que permite generar casos de prueba en fases tempranas utilizando como entrada los modelos conceptuales del sistema. [Objetivo] En este artículo, presentamos TCGen, una herramienta que permite la generación automática de casos de

A Case-Based Reasoning Method with Rank Aggregation

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Jinhua; Du, Jiao; Hu, Jian

2018-03-01

In order to improve the accuracy of case-based reasoning (CBR), this paper addresses a new CBR framework with the basic principle of rank aggregation. First, the ranking methods are put forward in each attribute subspace of case. The ordering relation between cases on each attribute is got between cases. Then, a sorting matrix is got. Second, the similar case retrieval process from ranking matrix is transformed into a rank aggregation optimal problem, which uses the Kemeny optimal. On the basis, a rank aggregation case-based reasoning algorithm, named RA-CBR, is designed. The experiment result on UCI data sets shows that case retrieval accuracy of RA-CBR algorithm is higher than euclidean distance CBR and mahalanobis distance CBR testing.So we can get the conclusion that RA-CBR method can increase the performance and efficiency of CBR.

Huntington's disease predictive testing: the case for an assessment approach to requests from adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Binedell, J; Soldan, J R; Scourfield, J; Harper, P S

1996-01-01

Adolescents who are actively requesting Huntington's predictive testing of their own accord pose a dilemma to those providing testing. In the absence of empirical evidence as regards the impact of genetic testing on minors, current policy and guidelines, based on the ethical principles of non-maleficence and respect for individual autonomy and confidentiality, generally exclude the testing of minors. It is argued that adherence to an age based exclusion criterion in Huntington's disease predictive testing protocols is out of step with trends in UK case law concerning minors' consent to medical treatment. Furthermore, contributions from developmental psychology and research into adolescents' decision making competence suggest that adolescents can make informed choices about their health and personal lives. Criteria for developing an assessment approach to such requests are put forward and the implications of a case by case evaluation of competence to consent in terms of clinicians' tolerance for uncertainty are discussed. PMID:8950670

CASE-BASED PRODUCT CONFIGURATION AND REUSE IN MASS CUSTOMIZATION

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Wang Shiwei; Tan Jianrong; Zhang Shuyou; Wang Xin; He Chenqi

2004-01-01

The increasing complexity and size of configuration knowledge bases requires the provision of advanced methods supporting the development of the actual configuration process and design reuse.A new framework to find a feasible and practical product configuration method is presented in mass customization.The basic idea of the approach is to integrate case-based reasoning (CBR) with a constraint satisfaction problem(CSP).The similarity measure between a crisp and range is also given,which is common in case retrieves.Based on the configuration model,a product platform and customer needs,case adaptation is carried out with the repair-based algorithm.Lastly,the methodology in the elevator configuration design domain is tested.

A Human Proximity Operations System test case validation approach

Science.gov (United States)

Huber, Justin; Straub, Jeremy

A Human Proximity Operations System (HPOS) poses numerous risks in a real world environment. These risks range from mundane tasks such as avoiding walls and fixed obstacles to the critical need to keep people and processes safe in the context of the HPOS's situation-specific decision making. Validating the performance of an HPOS, which must operate in a real-world environment, is an ill posed problem due to the complexity that is introduced by erratic (non-computer) actors. In order to prove the HPOS's usefulness, test cases must be generated to simulate possible actions of these actors, so the HPOS can be shown to be able perform safely in environments where it will be operated. The HPOS must demonstrate its ability to be as safe as a human, across a wide range of foreseeable circumstances. This paper evaluates the use of test cases to validate HPOS performance and utility. It considers an HPOS's safe performance in the context of a common human activity, moving through a crowded corridor, and extrapolates (based on this) to the suitability of using test cases for AI validation in other areas of prospective application.

Test case for a near-surface repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elert, M.; Jones, C.; Nilsson, L.B.; Skagius, K.; Wiborgh, M.

1998-01-01

A test case is presented for assessment of a near-surface disposal facility for radioactive waste. The case includes waste characterization and repository design, requirements and constraints in an assessment context, scenario development, model description and test calculations

Using Case Studies in Calculus-based Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Katz, Debora M.

2006-12-01

Do your students believe that the physics only works in your classroom or laboratory? Or do they see that physics underlies their everyday experience? Case studies in physics help students connect physics principles to their everyday experience. For decades, case studies have been used to teach law, medicine and biology, but they are rarely used in physics. I am working on a calculus-based physics textbook for scientists and engineers. Case studies are woven into each chapter. Stop by and get a case study to test out in your classroom. I would love to get your feedback.

Automated Test Case Generation for an Autopilot Requirement Prototype

Science.gov (United States)

Giannakopoulou, Dimitra; Rungta, Neha; Feary, Michael

2011-01-01

Designing safety-critical automation with robust human interaction is a difficult task that is susceptible to a number of known Human-Automation Interaction (HAI) vulnerabilities. It is therefore essential to develop automated tools that provide support both in the design and rapid evaluation of such automation. The Automation Design and Evaluation Prototyping Toolset (ADEPT) enables the rapid development of an executable specification for automation behavior and user interaction. ADEPT supports a number of analysis capabilities, thus enabling the detection of HAI vulnerabilities early in the design process, when modifications are less costly. In this paper, we advocate the introduction of a new capability to model-based prototyping tools such as ADEPT. The new capability is based on symbolic execution that allows us to automatically generate quality test suites based on the system design. Symbolic execution is used to generate both user input and test oracles user input drives the testing of the system implementation, and test oracles ensure that the system behaves as designed. We present early results in the context of a component in the Autopilot system modeled in ADEPT, and discuss the challenges of test case generation in the HAI domain.

Highly Automated Agile Testing Process: An Industrial Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jarosław Berłowski

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a description of an agile testing process in a medium size software project that is developed using Scrum. The research methods used is the case study were as follows: surveys, quantifiable project data sources and qualitative project members opinions were used for data collection. Challenges related to the testing process regarding a complex project environment and unscheduled releases were identified. Based on the obtained results, we concluded that the described approach addresses well the aforementioned issues. Therefore, recommendations were made with regard to the employed principles of agility, specifically: continuous integration, responding to change, test automation and test driven development. Furthermore, an efficient testing environment that combines a number of test frameworks (e.g. JUnit, Selenium, Jersey Test with custom-developed simulators is presented.

Automated Functional Testing based on the Navigation of Web Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boni García

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Web applications are becoming more and more complex. Testing such applications is an intricate hard and time-consuming activity. Therefore, testing is often poorly performed or skipped by practitioners. Test automation can help to avoid this situation. Hence, this paper presents a novel approach to perform automated software testing for web applications based on its navigation. On the one hand, web navigation is the process of traversing a web application using a browser. On the other hand, functional requirements are actions that an application must do. Therefore, the evaluation of the correct navigation of web applications results in the assessment of the specified functional requirements. The proposed method to perform the automation is done in four levels: test case generation, test data derivation, test case execution, and test case reporting. This method is driven by three kinds of inputs: i UML models; ii Selenium scripts; iii XML files. We have implemented our approach in an open-source testing framework named Automatic Testing Platform. The validation of this work has been carried out by means of a case study, in which the target is a real invoice management system developed using a model-driven approach.

Fatigue assessment of the ITER TF coil case based on JJ1 fatigue tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamada, K.; Nakajima, H.; Takano, K.; Kudo, Y.; Tsutsumi, F.; Okuno, K.; Jong, C.

2005-01-01

The material of the TF coil case in the ITER requires to withstand cyclic electromagnetic forces applied up to 3 x 10 4 cycles at 4.2 K. A cryogenic stainless steel, JJ1, is used in high stress region of TF coil case. The fatigue characteristics (S-N curve) of JJ1 base metal and welded joint at 4.2 K has been measured. The fatigue strength of base metal and welded joint at 3 x 10 4 cycles are measured as 1032 and 848 MPa, respectively. The design S-N curve is derived from the measured data taking account of the safety factor of 20 for cycle-to-failure and 2 for fatigue strength, and it indicates that an equivalent alternating stress of the case should be kept less than 516 MPa for the base metal and 424 MPa for the welded joint at 3 x 10 4 cycles. It is demonstrated that the TF coil case has enough margins for the cyclic operation. It is also shown the welded joint should be located in low cyclic stress region because a residual stress affects the fatigue life

Efficient Test Application for Core-Based Systems Using Twisted-Ring Counters

OpenAIRE

Anshuman Chandra; Krishnendu Chakrabarty; Mark C. Hansen

2001-01-01

We present novel test set encoding and pattern decompression methods for core-based systems. These are based on the use of twisted-ring counters and offer a number of important advantages–significant test compression (over 10X in many cases), less tester memory and reduced testing time, the ability to use a slow tester without compromising test quality or testing time, and no performance degradation for the core under test. Surprisingly, the encoded test sets obtained from partially-specified...

Test case for a near-surface repository

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elert, M.; Jones, C. [Kemakta Konsult AB, Stockholm (Sweden); Nilsson, L.B. [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Co, Stockholm (Sweden); Skagius, K.; Wiborgh, M. [Kemakta Konsult AB, Stockholm (Sweden)

1998-09-01

A test case is presented for assessment of a near-surface disposal facility for radioactive waste. The case includes waste characterization and repository design, requirements and constraints in an assessment context, scenario development, model description and test calculations 6 refs, 12 tabs, 16 figs

Measuring Test Case Similarity to Support Test Suite Understanding

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Greiler, M.S.; Van Deursen, A.; Zaidman, A.E.

2012-01-01

Preprint of paper published in: TOOLS 2012 - Proceedings of the 50th International Conference, Prague, Czech Republic, May 29-31, 2012; doi:10.1007/978-3-642-30561-0_8 In order to support test suite understanding, we investigate whether we can automatically derive relations between test cases. In

The Couplex test cases: models and lessons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourgeat, A.; Kern, M.; Schumacher, S.; Talandier, J.

2003-01-01

The Couplex test cases are a set of numerical test models for nuclear waste deep geological disposal simulation. They are centered around the numerical issues arising in the near and far field transport simulation. They were used in an international contest, and are now becoming a reference in the field. We present the models used in these test cases, and show sample results from the award winning teams. (authors)

Species delineation using Bayesian model-based assignment tests: a case study using Chinese toad-headed agamas (genus Phrynocephalus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fu Jinzhong

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Species are fundamental units in biology, yet much debate exists surrounding how we should delineate species in nature. Species discovery now requires the use of separate, corroborating datasets to quantify independently evolving lineages and test species criteria. However, the complexity of the speciation process has ushered in a need to infuse studies with new tools capable of aiding in species delineation. We suggest that model-based assignment tests are one such tool. This method circumvents constraints with traditional population genetic analyses and provides a novel means of describing cryptic and complex diversity in natural systems. Using toad-headed agamas of the Phrynocephalus vlangalii complex as a case study, we apply model-based assignment tests to microsatellite DNA data to test whether P. putjatia, a controversial species that closely resembles P. vlangalii morphologically, represents a valid species. Mitochondrial DNA and geographic data are also included to corroborate the assignment test results. Results Assignment tests revealed two distinct nuclear DNA clusters with 95% (230/243 of the individuals being assigned to one of the clusters with > 90% probability. The nuclear genomes of the two clusters remained distinct in sympatry, particularly at three syntopic sites, suggesting the existence of reproductive isolation between the identified clusters. In addition, a mitochondrial ND2 gene tree revealed two deeply diverged clades, which were largely congruent with the two nuclear DNA clusters, with a few exceptions. Historical mitochondrial introgression events between the two groups might explain the disagreement between the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data. The nuclear DNA clusters and mitochondrial clades corresponded nicely to the hypothesized distributions of P. vlangalii and P. putjatia. Conclusions These results demonstrate that assignment tests based on microsatellite DNA data can be powerful tools

An Effective Strategy to Build Up a Balanced Test Suite for Spectrum-Based Fault Localization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ning Li

2016-01-01

Full Text Available During past decades, many automated software faults diagnosis techniques including Spectrum-Based Fault Localization (SBFL have been proposed to improve the efficiency of software debugging activity. In the field of SBFL, suspiciousness calculation is closely related to the number of failed and passed test cases. Studies have shown that the ratio of the number of failed and passed test case has more significant impact on the accuracy of SBFL than the total number of test cases, and a balanced test suite is more beneficial to improving the accuracy of SBFL. Based on theoretical analysis, we proposed an PNF (Passed test cases, Not execute Faulty statement strategy to reduce test suite and build up a more balanced one for SBFL, which can be used in regression testing. We evaluated the strategy making experiments using the Siemens program and Space program. Experiments indicated that our PNF strategy can be used to construct a new test suite effectively. Compared with the original test suite, the new one has smaller size (average 90% test case was reduced in experiments and more balanced ratio of failed test cases to passed test cases, while it has the same statement coverage and fault localization accuracy.

PedGenie: meta genetic association testing in mixed family and case-control designs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allen-Brady Kristina

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background- PedGenie software, introduced in 2006, includes genetic association testing of cases and controls that may be independent or related (nuclear families or extended pedigrees or mixtures thereof using Monte Carlo significance testing. Our aim is to demonstrate that PedGenie, a unique and flexible analysis tool freely available in Genie 2.4 software, is significantly enhanced by incorporating meta statistics for detecting genetic association with disease using data across multiple study groups. Methods- Meta statistics (chi-squared tests, odds ratios, and confidence intervals were calculated using formal Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel techniques. Simulated data from unrelated individuals and individuals in families were used to illustrate meta tests and their empirically-derived p-values and confidence intervals are accurate, precise, and for independent designs match those provided by standard statistical software. Results- PedGenie yields accurate Monte Carlo p-values for meta analysis of data across multiple studies, based on validation testing using pedigree, nuclear family, and case-control data simulated under both the null and alternative hypotheses of a genotype-phenotype association. Conclusion- PedGenie allows valid combined analysis of data from mixtures of pedigree-based and case-control resources. Added meta capabilities provide new avenues for association analysis, including pedigree resources from large consortia and multi-center studies.

Gene-based testing of interactions in association studies of quantitative traits.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Ma

Full Text Available Various methods have been developed for identifying gene-gene interactions in genome-wide association studies (GWAS. However, most methods focus on individual markers as the testing unit, and the large number of such tests drastically erodes statistical power. In this study, we propose novel interaction tests of quantitative traits that are gene-based and that confer advantage in both statistical power and biological interpretation. The framework of gene-based gene-gene interaction (GGG tests combine marker-based interaction tests between all pairs of markers in two genes to produce a gene-level test for interaction between the two. The tests are based on an analytical formula we derive for the correlation between marker-based interaction tests due to linkage disequilibrium. We propose four GGG tests that extend the following P value combining methods: minimum P value, extended Simes procedure, truncated tail strength, and truncated P value product. Extensive simulations point to correct type I error rates of all tests and show that the two truncated tests are more powerful than the other tests in cases of markers involved in the underlying interaction not being directly genotyped and in cases of multiple underlying interactions. We applied our tests to pairs of genes that exhibit a protein-protein interaction to test for gene-level interactions underlying lipid levels using genotype data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. We identified five novel interactions that are not evident from marker-based interaction testing and successfully replicated one of these interactions, between SMAD3 and NEDD9, in an independent sample from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. We conclude that our GGG tests show improved power to identify gene-level interactions in existing, as well as emerging, association studies.

Strategy for a Rock Mechanics Site Descriptive Model. A test case based on data from the Aespoe HRL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudson, John A

2002-06-01

In anticipation of the SKB Site Investigations for radioactive waste disposal, an approach has been developed for the Rock Mechanics Site Descriptive Model. This approach was tested by predicting the rock mechanics properties of a 600 m x 180 m x 120 m rock volume at the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL) using limited borehole data of the type typically obtained during a site investigation. These predicted properties were then compared with 'best estimate' properties obtained from a study of the test rock volume using additional information, mainly tunnel data. The exercise was known as the Test Case, and is the subject of this Report. Three modelling techniques were used to predict the rock properties: the 'empirical approach' - the rock properties were estimated using rock mass classification schemes and empirical correlation formulae; the 'theoretical approach' - the rock properties were estimated using numerical modelling techniques; and the 'stress approach' - the rock stress state was estimated using primary data and numerical modelling. These approaches are described separately and respectively. Following an explanation of the context for the Test Case within the strategy for developing the Rock Mechanics Site Descriptive Model, conditions at the Aespoe HRL are described in Chapter 2. The Test Case organization and the suite of nine Protocols used to ensure that the work was appropriately guided and co-ordinated are described in Chapter 3. The methods for predicting the rock properties and the rock stress, and comparisons with the 'best estimate' properties of the actual conditions, are presented in Chapters 4 and 5. Finally, the conclusions from this Test Case exercise are given in Chapter 6. General recommendations for the management of this type of Test Case are also included

Strategy for a Rock Mechanics Site Descriptive Model. A test case based on data from the Aespoe HRL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hudson, John A (ed.) [Rock Engineering Consultants, Welwyn Garden City (United Kingdom)

2002-06-01

In anticipation of the SKB Site Investigations for radioactive waste disposal, an approach has been developed for the Rock Mechanics Site Descriptive Model. This approach was tested by predicting the rock mechanics properties of a 600 m x 180 m x 120 m rock volume at the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL) using limited borehole data of the type typically obtained during a site investigation. These predicted properties were then compared with 'best estimate' properties obtained from a study of the test rock volume using additional information, mainly tunnel data. The exercise was known as the Test Case, and is the subject of this Report. Three modelling techniques were used to predict the rock properties: the 'empirical approach' - the rock properties were estimated using rock mass classification schemes and empirical correlation formulae; the 'theoretical approach' - the rock properties were estimated using numerical modelling techniques; and the 'stress approach' - the rock stress state was estimated using primary data and numerical modelling. These approaches are described separately and respectively. Following an explanation of the context for the Test Case within the strategy for developing the Rock Mechanics Site Descriptive Model, conditions at the Aespoe HRL are described in Chapter 2. The Test Case organization and the suite of nine Protocols used to ensure that the work was appropriately guided and co-ordinated are described in Chapter 3. The methods for predicting the rock properties and the rock stress, and comparisons with the 'best estimate' properties of the actual conditions, are presented in Chapters 4 and 5. Finally, the conclusions from this Test Case exercise are given in Chapter 6. General recommendations for the management of this type of Test Case are also included.

Piloting a Collaborative Web-Based System for Testing ICD-11.

Science.gov (United States)

Donada, Marc; Kostanjsek, Nenad; Della Mea, Vincenzo; Celik, Can; Jakob, Robert

2017-01-01

The 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), for the first time in ICD history, deployed web-based collaboration of experts and ICT tools. To ensure that ICD-11 is working well, it needs to be systematically field tested in different settings, across the world. This will be done by means of a number of experiments. In order to support its implementation, a web-based system (ICDfit) has been designed and developed. The present paper illustrates the current prototype of the system and its technical testing. the system has been designed according to WHO requirements, and implemented using PHP and MySQL. Then, a preliminary technical test has been designed and run in January 2016, involving 8 users. They had to carry out double coding, that is, coding case summaries with both ICD-10 and ICD-11, and answering quick questions on the coding difficulty. the 8 users coded 632 cases each, spending an average of 163 seconds per case. While we found an issue in the mechanism used to record coding times, no further issues were found. the proposed system seems to be technically adequate for supporting future ICD-11 testing.

Discussions On Worst-Case Test Condition For Single Event Burnout

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Sandra; Zafrani, Max; Sherman, Phillip

2011-10-01

This paper discusses the failure characteristics of single- event burnout (SEB) on power MOSFETs based on analyzing the quasi-stationary avalanche simulation curves. The analyses show the worst-case test condition for SEB would be using the ion that has the highest mass that would result in the highest transient current due to charge deposition and displacement damage. The analyses also show it is possible to build power MOSFETs that will not exhibit SEB even when tested with the heaviest ion, which have been verified by heavy ion test data on SEB sensitive and SEB immune devices.

Game-based versus traditional case-based learning: comparing effectiveness in stroke continuing medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Telner, Deanna; Bujas-Bobanovic, Maja; Chan, David; Chester, Bob; Marlow, Bernard; Meuser, James; Rothman, Arthur; Harvey, Bart

2010-09-01

To evaluate family physicians' enjoyment of and knowledge gained from game-based learning, compared with traditional case-based learning, in a continuing medical education (CME) event on stroke prevention and management. An equivalence trial to determine if game-based learning was as effective as case-based learning in terms of attained knowledge levels. Game questions and small group cases were developed. Participants were randomized to either a game-based or a case-based group and took part in the event. Ontario provincial family medicine conference. Thirty-two family physicians and 3 senior family medicine residents attending the conference. Participation in either a game-based or a case-based CME learning group. Scores on 40-item immediate and 3-month posttests of knowledge and a satisfaction survey. Results from knowledge testing immediately after the event and 3 months later showed no significant difference in scoring between groups. Participants in the game-based group reported higher levels of satisfaction with the learning experience. Games provide a novel way of organizing CME events. They might provide more group interaction and discussion, as well as improve recruitment to CME events. They might also provide a forum for interdisciplinary CME. Using games in future CME events appears to be a promising approach to facilitate participant learning.

Osteoporosis-related fracture case definitions for population-based administrative data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lix Lisa M

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Population-based administrative data have been used to study osteoporosis-related fracture risk factors and outcomes, but there has been limited research about the validity of these data for ascertaining fracture cases. The objectives of this study were to: (a compare fracture incidence estimates from administrative data with estimates from population-based clinically-validated data, and (b test for differences in incidence estimates from multiple administrative data case definitions. Methods Thirty-five case definitions for incident fractures of the hip, wrist, humerus, and clinical vertebrae were constructed using diagnosis codes in hospital data and diagnosis and service codes in physician billing data from Manitoba, Canada. Clinically-validated fractures were identified from the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMos. Generalized linear models were used to test for differences in incidence estimates. Results For hip fracture, sex-specific differences were observed in the magnitude of under- and over-ascertainment of administrative data case definitions when compared with CaMos data. The length of the fracture-free period to ascertain incident cases had a variable effect on over-ascertainment across fracture sites, as did the use of imaging, fixation, or repair service codes. Case definitions based on hospital data resulted in under-ascertainment of incident clinical vertebral fractures. There were no significant differences in trend estimates for wrist, humerus, and clinical vertebral case definitions. Conclusions The validity of administrative data for estimating fracture incidence depends on the site and features of the case definition.

Model-Based GUI Testing Using Uppaal at Novo Nordisk

Science.gov (United States)

Hjort, Ulrik H.; Illum, Jacob; Larsen, Kim G.; Petersen, Michael A.; Skou, Arne

This paper details a collaboration between Aalborg University and Novo Nordiskin developing an automatic model-based test generation tool for system testing of the graphical user interface of a medical device on an embedded platform. The tool takes as input an UML Statemachine model and generates a test suite satisfying some testing criterion, such as edge or state coverage, and converts the individual test case into a scripting language that can be automatically executed against the target. The tool has significantly reduced the time required for test construction and generation, and reduced the number of test scripts while increasing the coverage.

MATT: Multi Agents Testing Tool Based Nets within Nets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Kerraoui

2016-12-01

As part of this effort, we propose a model based testing approach for multi agent systems based on such a model called Reference net, where a tool, which aims to providing a uniform and automated approach is developed. The feasibility and the advantage of the proposed approach are shown through a short case study.

Test Automation Process Improvement A case study of BroadSoft

OpenAIRE

Gummadi, Jalendar

2016-01-01

This master thesis research is about improvement of test automation process at BroadSoft Finland as a case study. Test automation project recently started at BroadSoft but the project is not properly integrated in to existing process. Project is about converting manual test cases to automation test cases. The aim of this thesis is about studying existing BroadSoft test process and studying different test automation frameworks. In this thesis different test automation process are studied ...

A web-based endodontic case difficulty assessment tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, P K; Chong, B S

2018-01-25

To develop a web-based tool to facilitate identification, evaluation and management of teeth requiring endodontic treatment. Following a literature search and thorough analysis of existing case difficulty assessment forms, the web-based tool was developed using an online survey builder (Qualtrics, Qualtrics Lab, UT, USA). Following feedback from a pilot study, it was refined and improved. A study was performed, using the updated version (EndoApp) on a cohort (n = 53) of dental professionals and dental students. The participants were e-mailed instructions detailing the assessment of five test cases using EndoApp, followed by completion of a structured feedback form. Analysis of the EndoApp responses was used to evaluate usage times, whereas the results of the feedback forms were used to assess user experience and relevance, other potential applications and comments on further improvement/s. The average usage time was 2 min 7 s; the average times needed for the last three (Cases 3-5) were significantly less than the preceding two (Cases 1 & 2) test cases. An overwhelming majority of participants expressed favourable views on user experience and relevance of the web-based case difficulty assessment tool. Only two participants (4%) were unlikely or very unlikely to use EndoApp again. The potential application of EndoApp as an 'educational tool' and for 'primary care triage' was deemed the most popular features and of greater importance than the secondary options of 'fee setting' and as a 'dento-legal justification tool'. Within the study limitations, owing to its ability to quantify the level of difficulty and provide guidance, EndoApp was considered user-friendly and helped facilitate endodontic case difficulty assessment. From the feedback, further improvements and the development of a Smartphone App version are in progress. EndoApp may facilitate treatment planning, improve treatment cost-effectiveness and reduce frequency of procedural errors by providing

HYBRID DATA APPROACH FOR SELECTING EFFECTIVE TEST CASES DURING THE REGRESSION TESTING

OpenAIRE

Mohan, M.; Shrimali, Tarun

2017-01-01

In the software industry, software testing becomes more important in the entire software development life cycle. Software testing is one of the fundamental components of software quality assurances. Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)is a process involved in testing the complete software, which includes Regression Testing, Unit Testing, Smoke Testing, Integration Testing, Interface Testing, System Testing & etc. In the STLC of Regression testing, test case selection is one of the most importan...

Universal Verification Methodology Based Register Test Automation Flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Woo, Jae Hun; Cho, Yong Kwan; Park, Sun Kyu

2016-05-01

In today's SoC design, the number of registers has been increased along with complexity of hardware blocks. Register validation is a time-consuming and error-pron task. Therefore, we need an efficient way to perform verification with less effort in shorter time. In this work, we suggest register test automation flow based UVM (Universal Verification Methodology). UVM provides a standard methodology, called a register model, to facilitate stimulus generation and functional checking of registers. However, it is not easy for designers to create register models for their functional blocks or integrate models in test-bench environment because it requires knowledge of SystemVerilog and UVM libraries. For the creation of register models, many commercial tools support a register model generation from register specification described in IP-XACT, but it is time-consuming to describe register specification in IP-XACT format. For easy creation of register model, we propose spreadsheet-based register template which is translated to IP-XACT description, from which register models can be easily generated using commercial tools. On the other hand, we also automate all the steps involved integrating test-bench and generating test-cases, so that designers may use register model without detailed knowledge of UVM or SystemVerilog. This automation flow involves generating and connecting test-bench components (e.g., driver, checker, bus adaptor, etc.) and writing test sequence for each type of register test-case. With the proposed flow, designers can save considerable amount of time to verify functionality of registers.

Case-Based FCTF Reasoning System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Lu

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Case-based reasoning uses old information to infer the answer of new problems. In case-based reasoning, a reasoner firstly records the previous cases, then searches the previous case list that is similar to the current one and uses that to solve the new case. Case-based reasoning means adapting old solving solutions to new situations. This paper proposes a reasoning system based on the case-based reasoning method. To begin, we show the theoretical structure and algorithm of from coarse to fine (FCTF reasoning system, and then demonstrate that it is possible to successfully learn and reason new information. Finally, we use our system to predict practical weather conditions based on previous ones and experiments show that the prediction accuracy increases with further learning of the FCTF reasoning system.

Rough case-based reasoning system for continues casting

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Wenbin; Lei, Zhufeng

2018-04-01

The continuous casting occupies a pivotal position in the iron and steel industry. The rough set theory and the CBR (case based reasoning, CBR) were combined in the research and implementation for the quality assurance of continuous casting billet to improve the efficiency and accuracy in determining the processing parameters. According to the continuous casting case, the object-oriented method was applied to express the continuous casting cases. The weights of the attributes were calculated by the algorithm which was based on the rough set theory and the retrieval mechanism for the continuous casting cases was designed. Some cases were adopted to test the retrieval mechanism, by analyzing the results, the law of the influence of the retrieval attributes on determining the processing parameters was revealed. A comprehensive evaluation model was established by using the attribute recognition theory. According to the features of the defects, different methods were adopted to describe the quality condition of the continuous casting billet. By using the system, the knowledge was not only inherited but also applied to adjust the processing parameters through the case based reasoning method as to assure the quality of the continuous casting and improve the intelligent level of the continuous casting.

Pile Design Based on Cone Penetration Test Results

OpenAIRE

Salgado, Rodrigo; Lee, Junhwan

1999-01-01

The bearing capacity of piles consists of both base resistance and side resistance. The side resistance of piles is in most cases fully mobilized well before the maximum base resistance is reached. As the side resistance is mobilized early in the loading process, the determination of pile base resistance is a key element of pile design. Static cone penetration is well related to the pile loading process, since it is performed quasi-statically and resembles a scaled-down pile load test. In ord...

The Combined Utility of a Brief Functional Measure and Performance-Based Screening Test for Case Finding of Cognitive Impairment in Primary Healthcare.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Qun Lin; Shaik, Muhammad Amin; Xu, Jing; Xu, Xin; Chen, Christopher Li-Hsian; Dong, YanHong

2016-04-01

Use of a total risk score (TRS) based on vascular and sociodemographic risk factors has been recommended to identify patients at risk of cognitive impairment. Moreover, combining screening tests has been reported to improve positive predictive values (PPV) for case finding of cognitive impairment. We investigated the utility of the conjunctive combination of the informant-based AD8 and the performance-based National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke-Canadian Stroke Network (NINDS-CSN) 5-minute protocol for the detection of cognitive impairment, defined by a clinical dementia rating (CDR) score ≥0.5, in patients at risk of cognitive impairment (TRS ≥3). Participants were recruited from 2 primary healthcare centers in Singapore and received the AD8, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Mini-Mental State Examination, CDR, and a formal neuropsychological test battery. The scores for NINDS-CSN 5-minute protocol were extracted from the Montreal Cognitive Assessment items. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve analyses were conducted to determine the discriminant indices of the screening instruments, the conjunctive combination (ie, screened positive on both tests), and the compensatory combination (ie, screened positive in either of or both tests). A total of 309 participants were recruited of whom 78.7% (n = 243) had CDR = 0 and 21.3% (n = 66) had CDR ≥0.5. The conjunctive combination of AD8 and NINDS-CSN 5-minute protocol achieved excellent PPV and acceptable sensitivity (PPV 91.7%, sensitivity 73.3%). The conjunctive combination of the AD8 and NINDS-CSN 5-minute protocol is brief and accurate, and hence, suitable for case finding of cognitive impairment (CDR ≥0.5) in patients screened positive on the TRS in primary healthcare centers. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Evaluation of an interactive, case-based review session in teaching medical microbiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Blewett, Earl L; Kisamore, Jennifer L

2009-08-27

Oklahoma State University-Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS) has replaced its microbiology wet laboratory with a variety of tutorials including a case-based interactive session called Microbial Jeopardy!. The question remains whether the time spent by students and faculty in the interactive case-based tutorial is worthwhile? This study was designed to address this question by analyzing both student performance data and assessing students' perceptions regarding the tutorial. Both quantitative and qualitative data were used in the current study. Part One of the study involved assessing student performance using archival records of seven case-based exam questions used in the 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 OSU-CHS Medical Microbiology course. Two sample t-tests for proportions were used to test for significant differences related to tutorial usage. Part Two used both quantitative and qualitative means to assess student's perceptions of the Microbial Jeopardy! session. First, a retrospective survey was administered to students who were enrolled in Medical Microbiology in 2006 or 2007. Second, responses to open-ended items from the 2008 course evaluations were reviewed for comments regarding the Microbial Jeopardy! session. Both student performance and student perception data support continued use of the tutorials. Quantitative and qualitative data converge to suggest that students like and learn from the interactive, case-based session. The case-based tutorial appears to improve student performance on case-based exam questions. Additionally, students perceived the tutorial as helpful in preparing for exam questions and reviewing the course material. The time commitment for use of the case-based tutorial appears to be justified.

Design Of Computer Based Test Using The Unified Modeling Language

Science.gov (United States)

Tedyyana, Agus; Danuri; Lidyawati

2017-12-01

The Admission selection of Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis through interest and talent search (PMDK), Joint Selection of admission test for state Polytechnics (SB-UMPN) and Independent (UM-Polbeng) were conducted by using paper-based Test (PBT). Paper Based Test model has some weaknesses. They are wasting too much paper, the leaking of the questios to the public, and data manipulation of the test result. This reasearch was Aimed to create a Computer-based Test (CBT) models by using Unified Modeling Language (UML) the which consists of Use Case diagrams, Activity diagram and sequence diagrams. During the designing process of the application, it is important to pay attention on the process of giving the password for the test questions before they were shown through encryption and description process. RSA cryptography algorithm was used in this process. Then, the questions shown in the questions banks were randomized by using the Fisher-Yates Shuffle method. The network architecture used in Computer Based test application was a client-server network models and Local Area Network (LAN). The result of the design was the Computer Based Test application for admission to the selection of Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis.

Case studies in ultrasonic testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, V.; Satheesh, C.; Varde, P.V.

2015-01-01

Ultrasonic testing is widely used Non Destructive Testing (NDT) method and forms the essential part of In-service inspection programme of nuclear reactors. Main application of ultrasonic testing is for volumetric scanning of weld joints followed by thickness gauging of pipelines and pressure vessels. Research reactor Dhruva has completed the first In Service Inspection programme in which about 325 weld joints have been volumetrically scanned, in addition to thickness gauging of 300 meters of pipe lines of various sizes and about 24 nos of pressure vessels. Ultrasonic testing is also used for level measurements, distance measurements and cleaning and decontamination of tools. Two case studies are brought out in this paper in which ultrasonic testing is used successfully for identification of butterfly valve opening status and extent of choking in pipe lines in Dhruva reactor systems

Experimental impact testing and analysis of composite fan cases

Science.gov (United States)

Vander Klok, Andrew Joe

) diameter single stage gas gun was developed. A thermodynamic based relationship between the required gas pressure and targeted velocity was proposed. The predicted velocity was within +/-7%. Quantitative measurements of force and displacement were attempted. The transmitted impact force was measured with load cells. The out-of-plane deformation was measured with a projection grating profilometry method. The composite panels and fan cases used in this work were made of S2-glass plain weave fabrics with API SC-15 toughened epoxy resin using the vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) method. Using the gas gun, the impact behavior of the composite was investigated at velocities ranging from 984ft/s to 1502ft/s (300m/s to 458m/s) following a draft ASTM testing standard. To compare the ballistic protection capability of different materials, a new parameter EBL, the projectile kinetic energy at the target ballistic limit normalized by the contact area of the projectile, was proposed. S2-glass/epoxy composite is ranked very high in EBL per areal weight. Finally, a testing method for replicating spin pit testing with a gas gun test was developed. Major differences between the two tests are the initial conditions of the blade upon contact with the target. In spin testing, the released blade has two velocity components, rotational and translational whereas in gas gun testing, the projectile has only the translational velocity. To account for the influence of the rotational velocity, three projectile designs were experimentally investigated. The results show that to generate similar damage modes in gas gun testing, it is critical to ensure the deformation of the projectile before testing is similar to that of a released blade. With the pre-bent blade, the gas gun experiment was able to replicate the damage modes of the fan case in FBO test on flat composite panels.

Uncovering highly obfuscated plagiarism cases using fuzzy semantic-based similarity model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salha M. Alzahrani

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Highly obfuscated plagiarism cases contain unseen and obfuscated texts, which pose difficulties when using existing plagiarism detection methods. A fuzzy semantic-based similarity model for uncovering obfuscated plagiarism is presented and compared with five state-of-the-art baselines. Semantic relatedness between words is studied based on the part-of-speech (POS tags and WordNet-based similarity measures. Fuzzy-based rules are introduced to assess the semantic distance between source and suspicious texts of short lengths, which implement the semantic relatedness between words as a membership function to a fuzzy set. In order to minimize the number of false positives and false negatives, a learning method that combines a permission threshold and a variation threshold is used to decide true plagiarism cases. The proposed model and the baselines are evaluated on 99,033 ground-truth annotated cases extracted from different datasets, including 11,621 (11.7% handmade paraphrases, 54,815 (55.4% artificial plagiarism cases, and 32,578 (32.9% plagiarism-free cases. We conduct extensive experimental verifications, including the study of the effects of different segmentations schemes and parameter settings. Results are assessed using precision, recall, F-measure and granularity on stratified 10-fold cross-validation data. The statistical analysis using paired t-tests shows that the proposed approach is statistically significant in comparison with the baselines, which demonstrates the competence of fuzzy semantic-based model to detect plagiarism cases beyond the literal plagiarism. Additionally, the analysis of variance (ANOVA statistical test shows the effectiveness of different segmentation schemes used with the proposed approach.

Theory Testing Using Case Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Pernille Dissing; Løkke, Ann-Kristina

2006-01-01

design. Finally, we discuss the epistemological logic, i.e., the value to larger research programmes, of such studies and, following Lakatos, conclude that the value of theory-testing case studies lies beyond naïve falsification and in their contribution to developing research programmes in a progressive...

Evaluation of an interactive, case-based review session in teaching medical microbiology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kisamore Jennifer L

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Oklahoma State University-Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS has replaced its microbiology wet laboratory with a variety of tutorials including a case-based interactive session called Microbial Jeopardy!. The question remains whether the time spent by students and faculty in the interactive case-based tutorial is worthwhile? This study was designed to address this question by analyzing both student performance data and assessing students' perceptions regarding the tutorial. Methods Both quantitative and qualitative data were used in the current study. Part One of the study involved assessing student performance using archival records of seven case-based exam questions used in the 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 OSU-CHS Medical Microbiology course. Two sample t-tests for proportions were used to test for significant differences related to tutorial usage. Part Two used both quantitative and qualitative means to assess student's perceptions of the Microbial Jeopardy! session. First, a retrospective survey was administered to students who were enrolled in Medical Microbiology in 2006 or 2007. Second, responses to open-ended items from the 2008 course evaluations were reviewed for comments regarding the Microbial Jeopardy! session. Results Both student performance and student perception data support continued use of the tutorials. Quantitative and qualitative data converge to suggest that students like and learn from the interactive, case-based session. Conclusion The case-based tutorial appears to improve student performance on case-based exam questions. Additionally, students perceived the tutorial as helpful in preparing for exam questions and reviewing the course material. The time commitment for use of the case-based tutorial appears to be justified.

Evaluation of an interactive, case-based review session in teaching medical microbiology

Science.gov (United States)

Blewett, Earl L; Kisamore, Jennifer L

2009-01-01

Background Oklahoma State University-Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS) has replaced its microbiology wet laboratory with a variety of tutorials including a case-based interactive session called Microbial Jeopardy!. The question remains whether the time spent by students and faculty in the interactive case-based tutorial is worthwhile? This study was designed to address this question by analyzing both student performance data and assessing students' perceptions regarding the tutorial. Methods Both quantitative and qualitative data were used in the current study. Part One of the study involved assessing student performance using archival records of seven case-based exam questions used in the 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 OSU-CHS Medical Microbiology course. Two sample t-tests for proportions were used to test for significant differences related to tutorial usage. Part Two used both quantitative and qualitative means to assess student's perceptions of the Microbial Jeopardy! session. First, a retrospective survey was administered to students who were enrolled in Medical Microbiology in 2006 or 2007. Second, responses to open-ended items from the 2008 course evaluations were reviewed for comments regarding the Microbial Jeopardy! session. Results Both student performance and student perception data support continued use of the tutorials. Quantitative and qualitative data converge to suggest that students like and learn from the interactive, case-based session. Conclusion The case-based tutorial appears to improve student performance on case-based exam questions. Additionally, students perceived the tutorial as helpful in preparing for exam questions and reviewing the course material. The time commitment for use of the case-based tutorial appears to be justified. PMID:19712473

Computer-Based Testing: Test Site Security.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosen, Gerald A.

Computer-based testing places great burdens on all involved parties to ensure test security. A task analysis of test site security might identify the areas of protecting the test, protecting the data, and protecting the environment as essential issues in test security. Protecting the test involves transmission of the examinations, identifying the…

Piloting case-based instruction in a didactic clinical immunology course.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoag, Kathleen; Lillie, Janet; Hoppe, Ruth

2005-01-01

To assess (1) the effect of case-based instructional modules on student critical thinking, class attendance, and satisfaction and (2) student opinion of case formats. University-based upper division course in clinical immunology and serology. The course was taught by the same instructor for two consecutive semesters with the intervention introduced in the second semester. Sixty-seven students experienced the intervention and 56 students were in the baseline cohort. Nine cases were interspersed between lectures during the semester. Each case took one 50-minute class in which students worked in groups of five or six. Student performance on five critical thinking multiple-choice examination questions and percent student attendance on case days versus lecture days were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. Student ratings on course evaluations were analyzed using t-test comparing semesters with and without intervention. Student opinion of cases was obtained through surveys and a focus group. Student performance on critical thinking exam questions was similar in the two groups. Student attendance was significantly higher on case days (95.6%) versus lecture days (80.3%; p student-instructor interaction, and course organization were significantly improved in the semester with cases compared to the semester with lecture only (p student performance on critical thinking questions, they still proved to be a valuable instructional method. Student attendance, student-instructor interaction, and instructor involvement in the course were all positively affected by incorporation of case studies. Discussion of cases also helped to uncover student misconceptions of course material.

Empirical Test Case Specification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kalyanova, Olena; Heiselberg, Per

This document includes the empirical specification on the IEA task of evaluation building energy simulation computer programs for the Double Skin Facades (DSF) constructions. There are two approaches involved into this procedure, one is the comparative approach and another is the empirical one. I....... In the comparative approach the outcomes of different software tools are compared, while in the empirical approach the modelling results are compared with the results of experimental test cases....

Education research: a case-based bioethics curriculum for neurology residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Tolchin, Benjamin; Willey, Joshua Z; Prager, Kenneth

2015-03-31

In 2012, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) updated and expanded its ethics curriculum into Practical Ethics in Clinical Neurology, a case-based ethics curriculum for neurologists. We piloted a case-based bioethics curriculum for neurology residents using the framework and topics recommended by the AAN, matched to clinical cases drawn from Columbia's neurologic services. Our primary outcome was residents' ability to analyze and manage ethically complex cases as measured on precurriculum and postcurriculum multiple-choice quizzes. Secondary outcomes included precurriculum and postcurriculum self-assessed comfort in discussing and managing ethically complex cases, as well as attendance at ethics discussion sessions as compared to attendance at other didactic sessions. Resident performance on quizzes improved from 75.8% to 86.7% (p = 0.02). Comfort in discussing ethically complex cases improved from 6.4 to 7.4 on a 10-point scale (p = 0.03). Comfort in managing such cases trended toward improvement but did not reach statistical significance. Attendance was significantly better at ethics discussions (73.5%) than at other didactic sessions (61.7%, p = 0.04). Our formal case-based ethics curriculum for neurology residents, based on core topics drawn from the AAN's published curricula, was successfully piloted. Our study showed a statistically significant improvement in residents' ability to analyze and manage ethically complex cases as measured by multiple-choice tests and self-assessments. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

Case-Based Fault Diagnostic System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed, A.H.

2014-01-01

Nowadays, case-based fault diagnostic (CBFD) systems have become important and widely applied problem solving technologies. They are based on the assumption that “similar faults have similar diagnosis”. On the other hand, CBFD systems still suffer from some limitations. Common ones of them are: (1) failure of CBFD to have the needed diagnosis for the new faults that have no similar cases in the case library. (2) Limited memorization when increasing the number of stored cases in the library. The proposed research introduces incorporating the neural network into the case based system to enable the system to diagnose all the faults. Neural networks have proved their success in the classification and diagnosis problems. The suggested system uses the neural network to diagnose the new faults (cases) that cannot be diagnosed by the traditional CBR diagnostic system. Besides, the proposed system can use the another neural network to control adding and deleting the cases in the library to manage the size of the cases in the case library. However, the suggested system has improved the performance of the case based fault diagnostic system when applied for the motor rolling bearing as a case of study

Case-based medical informatics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arocha José F

2004-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The "applied" nature distinguishes applied sciences from theoretical sciences. To emphasize this distinction, we begin with a general, meta-level overview of the scientific endeavor. We introduce the knowledge spectrum and four interconnected modalities of knowledge. In addition to the traditional differentiation between implicit and explicit knowledge we outline the concepts of general and individual knowledge. We connect general knowledge with the "frame problem," a fundamental issue of artificial intelligence, and individual knowledge with another important paradigm of artificial intelligence, case-based reasoning, a method of individual knowledge processing that aims at solving new problems based on the solutions to similar past problems. We outline the fundamental differences between Medical Informatics and theoretical sciences and propose that Medical Informatics research should advance individual knowledge processing (case-based reasoning and that natural language processing research is an important step towards this goal that may have ethical implications for patient-centered health medicine. Discussion We focus on fundamental aspects of decision-making, which connect human expertise with individual knowledge processing. We continue with a knowledge spectrum perspective on biomedical knowledge and conclude that case-based reasoning is the paradigm that can advance towards personalized healthcare and that can enable the education of patients and providers. We center the discussion on formal methods of knowledge representation around the frame problem. We propose a context-dependent view on the notion of "meaning" and advocate the need for case-based reasoning research and natural language processing. In the context of memory based knowledge processing, pattern recognition, comparison and analogy-making, we conclude that while humans seem to naturally support the case-based reasoning paradigm (memory of past experiences

An Intuitionistic Fuzzy Stochastic Decision-Making Method Based on Case-Based Reasoning and Prospect Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available According to the case-based reasoning method and prospect theory, this paper mainly focuses on finding a way to obtain decision-makers’ preferences and the criterion weights for stochastic multicriteria decision-making problems and classify alternatives. Firstly, we construct a new score function for an intuitionistic fuzzy number (IFN considering the decision-making environment. Then, we aggregate the decision-making information in different natural states according to the prospect theory and test decision-making matrices. A mathematical programming model based on a case-based reasoning method is presented to obtain the criterion weights. Moreover, in the original decision-making problem, we integrate all the intuitionistic fuzzy decision-making matrices into an expectation matrix using the expected utility theory and classify or rank the alternatives by the case-based reasoning method. Finally, two illustrative examples are provided to illustrate the implementation process and applicability of the developed method.

A model based security testing method for protocol implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Yu Long; Xin, Xiao Long

2014-01-01

The security of protocol implementation is important and hard to be verified. Since the penetration testing is usually based on the experience of the security tester and the specific protocol specifications, a formal and automatic verification method is always required. In this paper, we propose an extended model of IOLTS to describe the legal roles and intruders of security protocol implementations, and then combine them together to generate the suitable test cases to verify the security of protocol implementation.

Test-Driven, Model-Based Systems Engineering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munck, Allan

Hearing systems have evolved over many years from simple mechanical devices (horns) to electronic units consisting of microphones, amplifiers, analog filters, loudspeakers, batteries, etc. Digital signal processors replaced analog filters to provide better performance end new features. Central....... This thesis concerns methods for identifying, selecting and implementing tools for various aspects of model-based systems engineering. A comprehensive method was proposed that include several novel steps such as techniques for analyzing the gap between requirements and tool capabilities. The method...... was verified with good results in two case studies for selection of a traceability tool (single-tool scenario) and a set of modeling tools (multi-tool scenarios). Models must be subjected to testing to allow engineers to predict functionality and performance of systems. Test-first strategies are known...

Turbine-missile casing exit tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshimura, H.R.; Sliter, G.E.

1978-01-01

Nuclear power plant designers are required to provide safety-related components with adequate protection against hypothetical turbine-missile impacts. In plants with a ''peninsula'' arrangement, protection is provided by installing the turbine axis radially from the reactor building, so that potential missile trajectories are not in line with the plant. In plants with a ''non-peninsula'' arrangement (turbine axis perpendicular to a radius), designers rely on the low probability of a missile strike and on the protection provided by reinforced concrete walls in order to demonstrate an adequate level of protection USNRC Regulatory Guide 1.115). One of the critical first steps in demonstrating adequacy is the determination of the energy and spin of the turbine segments as they exit the turbine casing. The spin increases the probability that a subsequent impact with a protective barrier will be off-normal and therefore less severe than the normal impact assumed in plant designs. Two full-scale turbine-missile casing exit tests which were conducted by Sandia Laboratories at their rocket-sled facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are described. Because of wide variations in turbine design details, postulated failure conditions, and missile exit scenarios, the conditions for the two tests were carefully selected to be as prototypical as possible, while still maintaining the well-controlled and well-characterized test conditions needed for generating benchmark data

Case-based Agile Fixture Design

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2001-01-01

In order to realize the agility of the fixture design, such asreconfigurability, rescalability and reusability, fixture structure is function unit-based decomposed from a fire-new point of view. Which makes it easy for agile fixture to be reconfigured and modified. Thereby, the base of case-based agile fixture design system info is established.Whole case-based agile fixture design model is presented. In which, three modules are added relative to the other models, including case matching of fixture planning module, conflict arbitration module and agile fixture case modify module. The three modules could solve the previous problem that the experience and result are difficult to be reused in the process of design.Two key techniques in the process of the agile fixture design, the evaluation of case similarity, and restriction-based conflict arbitration, are listed. And some methods are presented to evaluate the similarity and clear up the conflict.

Testing for Stationarity and Nonlinearity of Daily Streamflow Time Series Based on Different Statistical Tests (Case Study: Upstream Basin Rivers of Zarrineh Roud Dam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farshad Fathian

2017-02-01

arenot specified. Keenan test has also been proposed for assessing the linearity or nonlinearitybehavior of a time series in time series analysis. Keenan (1985 derived a test for nonlinearity analogous to Tukey’s degree of freedom for nonadditivity test. Keenan’s test is motivated by approximation a nonlinear stationary time series by a second-order Volterra expansion. While Keenan’s test for nonlinearity is designed for detecting quadratic nonlinearity, it may not be sensitive to threshold nonlinearity. Here, we applied the likelihood ratio test (TLRT with the threshold model as the specific alternative.The null hypothesis of the TLRT approach for threshold nonlinearity is the fitted model to the series is an AR (p model, and the alternative hypothesis is the fitted model to the series is a threshold autoregressive (TAR model with autoregressive order p in each regime. Results and Discussion: Because both the ADF and KPSS tests are based on linear regression, which has the normal distribution assumption, logarithmization can convert exponential trend possibly present in the data into a linear trend. In the case of stationary analysis, the results showed the standardized daily streamflow time series of all stations are significantly stationary. According to KPSS stationary test, the daily standardized streamflow time series are stationary around a fixed level, but they are not stationary around a trend stationaryin low lag values. Based on the BDS test, the results showed the daily streamflowseries have strong nonlinear structure, but based on the Keenan test, it can be seen the linear structure in thembyusing logarithmization and deseasonalization operators, and it means the coefficients of the double sum part are zero. It should be considered the Keenan test is used to detect quadratic nonlinearity, and it cannot be adequatelyfor threshold autoregressive models since they are linear in each regime. Conclusion: Streamflow processes of main rivers at 6 stations

Automatic Test Pattern Generator for Fuzzing Based on Finite State Machine

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Ming-Hung Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With the rapid development of the Internet, several emerging technologies are adopted to construct fancy, interactive, and user-friendly websites. Among these technologies, HTML5 is a popular one and is widely used in establishing modern sites. However, the security issues in the new web technologies are also raised and are worthy of investigation. For vulnerability investigation, many previous studies used fuzzing and focused on generation-based approaches to produce test cases for fuzzing; however, these methods require a significant amount of knowledge and mental efforts to develop test patterns for generating test cases. To decrease the entry barrier of conducting fuzzing, in this study, we propose a test pattern generation algorithm based on the concept of finite state machines. We apply graph analysis techniques to extract paths from finite state machines and use these paths to construct test patterns automatically. According to the proposal, fuzzing can be completed through inputting a regular expression corresponding to the test target. To evaluate the performance of our proposal, we conduct an experiment in identifying vulnerabilities of the input attributes in HTML5. According to the results, our approach is not only efficient but also effective for identifying weak validators in HTML5.

Case-Based Multi-Sensor Intrusion Detection

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Daniel G.; Long, Jidong

2009-08-01

Multi-sensor intrusion detection systems (IDSs) combine the alerts raised by individual IDSs and possibly other kinds of devices such as firewalls and antivirus software. A critical issue in building a multi-sensor IDS is alert-correlation, i.e., determining which alerts are caused by the same attack. This paper explores a novel approach to alert correlation using case-based reasoning (CBR). Each case in the CBR system's library contains a pattern of alerts raised by some known attack type, together with the identity of the attack. Then during run time, the alert streams gleaned from the sensors are compared with the patterns in the cases, and a match indicates that the attack described by that case has occurred. For this purpose the design of a fast and accurate matching algorithm is imperative. Two such algorithms were explored: (i) the well-known Hungarian algorithm, and (ii) an order-preserving matching of our own device. Tests were conducted using the DARPA Grand Challenge Problem attack simulator. These showed that the both matching algorithms are effective in detecting attacks; but the Hungarian algorithm is inefficient; whereas the order-preserving one is very efficient, in fact runs in linear time.

Sensitivity analysis methods and a biosphere test case implemented in EIKOS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ekstroem, P.A.; Broed, R. [Facilia AB, Stockholm, (Sweden)

2006-05-15

Computer-based models can be used to approximate real life processes. These models are usually based on mathematical equations, which are dependent on several variables. The predictive capability of models is therefore limited by the uncertainty in the value of these. Sensitivity analysis is used to apportion the relative importance each uncertain input parameter has on the output variation. Sensitivity analysis is therefore an essential tool in simulation modelling and for performing risk assessments. Simple sensitivity analysis techniques based on fitting the output to a linear equation are often used, for example correlation or linear regression coefficients. These methods work well for linear models, but for non-linear models their sensitivity estimations are not accurate. Usually models of complex natural systems are non-linear. Within the scope of this work, various sensitivity analysis methods, which can cope with linear, non-linear, as well as non-monotone problems, have been implemented, in a software package, EIKOS, written in Matlab language. The following sensitivity analysis methods are supported by EIKOS: Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (CC), Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient (RCC), Partial (Rank) Correlation Coefficients (PCC), Standardized (Rank) Regression Coefficients (SRC), Sobol' method, Jansen's alternative, Extended Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (EFAST) as well as the classical FAST method and the Smirnov and the Cramer-von Mises tests. A graphical user interface has also been developed, from which the user easily can load or call the model and perform a sensitivity analysis as well as uncertainty analysis. The implemented sensitivity analysis methods has been benchmarked with well-known test functions and compared with other sensitivity analysis software, with successful results. An illustration of the applicability of EIKOS is added to the report. The test case used is a landscape model consisting of several

Sensitivity analysis methods and a biosphere test case implemented in EIKOS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ekstroem, P.A.; Broed, R.

2006-05-01

Computer-based models can be used to approximate real life processes. These models are usually based on mathematical equations, which are dependent on several variables. The predictive capability of models is therefore limited by the uncertainty in the value of these. Sensitivity analysis is used to apportion the relative importance each uncertain input parameter has on the output variation. Sensitivity analysis is therefore an essential tool in simulation modelling and for performing risk assessments. Simple sensitivity analysis techniques based on fitting the output to a linear equation are often used, for example correlation or linear regression coefficients. These methods work well for linear models, but for non-linear models their sensitivity estimations are not accurate. Usually models of complex natural systems are non-linear. Within the scope of this work, various sensitivity analysis methods, which can cope with linear, non-linear, as well as non-monotone problems, have been implemented, in a software package, EIKOS, written in Matlab language. The following sensitivity analysis methods are supported by EIKOS: Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (CC), Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient (RCC), Partial (Rank) Correlation Coefficients (PCC), Standardized (Rank) Regression Coefficients (SRC), Sobol' method, Jansen's alternative, Extended Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (EFAST) as well as the classical FAST method and the Smirnov and the Cramer-von Mises tests. A graphical user interface has also been developed, from which the user easily can load or call the model and perform a sensitivity analysis as well as uncertainty analysis. The implemented sensitivity analysis methods has been benchmarked with well-known test functions and compared with other sensitivity analysis software, with successful results. An illustration of the applicability of EIKOS is added to the report. The test case used is a landscape model consisting of several linked

Test-Taking Strategies and Task-based Assessment: The Case of Iranian EFL Learners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Barati

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The present study examined the effect of task-based assessment on the type and frequency of test-taking strategies that three proficiency groups of Iranian adult EFL learners used when completing the First Certificate in English FCE reading paper. A total of 70 EFL university undergraduates (53 females and 17 males took part in the main phase of this study. They were divided into three proficiency groups: high, intermediate, and low. A set of Chi-square analyses was used to explore the type and frequency of test-taking strategies used by participants. The results suggested that the intermediate group test takers used the strategies significantly different after completing each task (sub-test in the FCE reading paper. However, the high and low proficient test takers› use of strategies was only significant after completing the third task of the FCE reading paper. The findings also revealed that a pattern could be drawn of the type of strategies used by the three proficiency groups who participated in this study. Nonetheless, such a pattern shifted at times depending on the ability of the test takers and/or the task under study.

Influence of case-based e-learning on students' performance in point-of-care ultrasound courses: a randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hempel, Dorothea; Sinnathurai, Sivajini; Haunhorst, Stephanie; Seibel, Armin; Michels, Guido; Heringer, Frank; Recker, Florian; Breitkreutz, Raoul

2016-08-01

Theoretical knowledge, visual perception, and sensorimotor skills are key elements in ultrasound education. Classroom-based presentations are used routinely to teach theoretical knowledge, whereas visual perception and sensorimotor skills typically require hands-on training (HT). We aimed to compare the effect of classroom-based lectures versus a case-based e-learning (based on clinical cases only) on the hands-on performance of trainees during an emergency ultrasound course. This is a randomized, controlled, parallel-group study. Sixty-two medical students were randomized into two groups [group 1 (G1) and group 2 (G2)]. G1 (n=29) was subjected to a precourse e-learning, based on 14 short screencasts (each 5 min), an on-site discussion (60 min), and a standardized HT session on the day of the course. G2 (n=31) received classroom-based presentations on the day of the course before an identical HT session. Both groups completed a multiple-choice (MC) pretest (test A), a practical postcourse test (objective structured clinical exam), and MC tests directly after the HT (test B) and 1 day after the course (test C). The Mann-Whitney U-test was used for statistical analysis. G1 performed markedly better in test A (median 84.2, 25%; 75% percentile: 68.5; 92.2) compared with G2 (65.8; 53.8; 80.4), who had not participated in case-based e-learning (P=0.0009). No differences were found in the objective structured clinical exam, test B, and test C. e-learning exclusively based on clinical cases is an effective method of education in preparation for HT sessions and can reduce attendance time in ultrasound courses.

Effectiveness of a Case-Based Computer Program on Students' Ethical Decision Making.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Eun-Jun; Park, Mihyun

2015-11-01

The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of a case-based computer program, using an integrative ethical decision-making model, on the ethical decision-making competency of nursing students in South Korea. This study used a pre- and posttest comparison design. Students in the intervention group used a computer program for case analysis assignments, whereas students in the standard group used a traditional paper assignment for case analysis. The findings showed that using the case-based computer program as a complementary tool for the ethics courses offered at the university enhanced students' ethical preparedness and satisfaction with the course. On the basis of the findings, it is recommended that nurse educators use a case-based computer program as a complementary self-study tool in ethics courses to supplement student learning without an increase in course hours, particularly in terms of analyzing ethics cases with dilemma scenarios and exercising ethical decision making. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Effects of case-based learning on communication skills, problem-solving ability, and learning motivation in nursing students.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Moon-Sook; Park, Hyung-Ran

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of case-based learning on communication skills, problem-solving ability, and learning motivation in sophomore nursing students. In this prospective, quasi-experimental study, we compared the pretest and post-test scores of an experimental group and a nonequivalent, nonsynchronized control group. Both groups were selected using convenience sampling, and consisted of students enrolled in a health communication course in the fall semesters of 2011 (control group) and 2012 (experimental group) at a nursing college in Suwon, South Korea. The two courses covered the same material, but in 2011 the course was lecture-based, while in 2012, lectures were replaced by case-based learning comprising five authentic cases of patient-nurse communication. At post-test, the case-based learning group showed significantly greater communication skills, problem-solving ability, and learning motivation than the lecture-based learning group. This finding suggests that case-based learning is an effective learning and teaching method. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Learning material recommendation based on case-based reasoning similarity scores

Science.gov (United States)

Masood, Mona; Mokmin, Nur Azlina Mohamed

2017-10-01

A personalized learning material recommendation is important in any Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS). Case-based Reasoning (CBR) is an Artificial Intelligent Algorithm that has been widely used in the development of ITS applications. This study has developed an ITS application that applied the CBR algorithm in the development process. The application has the ability to recommend the most suitable learning material to the specific student based on information in the student profile. In order to test the ability of the application in recommending learning material, two versions of the application were created. The first version displayed the most suitable learning material and the second version displayed the least preferable learning material. The results show the application has successfully assigned the students to the most suitable learning material.

Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A test case.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H S

2017-01-01

In order to take into account the inherent uncertainties during product usability evaluation, Zhou and Chan [1] proposed a comprehensive method of usability evaluation for products by combining the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy evaluation methods for synthesizing performance data and subjective response data. This method was designed to provide an integrated framework combining the inevitable vague judgments from the multiple stages of the product evaluation process. In order to illustrate the effectiveness of the model, this study used a summative usability test case to assess the application and strength of the general fuzzy usability framework. To test the proposed fuzzy usability evaluation framework [1], a standard summative usability test was conducted to benchmark the overall usability of a specific network management software. Based on the test data, the fuzzy method was applied to incorporate both the usability scores and uncertainties involved in the multiple components of the evaluation. Then, with Monte Carlo simulation procedures, confidence intervals were used to compare the reliabilities among the fuzzy approach and two typical conventional methods combining metrics based on percentages. This case study showed that the fuzzy evaluation technique can be applied successfully for combining summative usability testing data to achieve an overall usability quality for the network software evaluated. Greater differences of confidence interval widths between the method of averaging equally percentage and weighted evaluation method, including the method of weighted percentage averages, verified the strength of the fuzzy method.

Test-Enhanced Learning in Competence-Based Predoctoral Orthodontics: A Four-Year Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Freda, Nicolas M; Lipp, Mitchell J

2016-03-01

Dental educators intend to promote integration of knowledge, skills, and values toward professional competence. Studies report that retrieval, in the form of testing, results in better learning with retention than traditional studying. The aim of this study was to evaluate test-enhanced experiences on demonstrations of competence in diagnosis and management of malocclusion and skeletal problems. The study participants were all third-year dental students (2011 N=88, 2012 N=74, 2013 N=91, 2014 N=85) at New York University College of Dentistry. The 2013 and 2014 groups received the test-enhanced method emphasizing formative assessments with written and dialogic delayed feedback, while the 2011 and 2012 groups received the traditional approach emphasizing lectures and classroom exercises. The students received six two-hour sessions, spaced one week apart. At the final session, a summative assessment consisting of the same four cases was administered. Students constructed a problem list, treatment objectives, and a treatment plan for each case, scored according to the same criteria. Grades were based on the number of cases without critical errors: A=0 critical errors on four cases, A-=0 critical errors on three cases, B+=0 critical errors on two cases, B=0 critical errors on one case, F=critical errors on four cases. Performance grades were categorized as high quality (B+, A-, A) and low quality (F, B). The results showed that the test-enhanced groups demonstrated statistically significant benefits at 95% confidence intervals compared to the traditional groups when comparing low- and high-quality grades. These performance trends support the continued use of the test-enhanced approach.

Comparison of 2 resident learning tools-interactive screen-based simulated case scenarios versus problem-based learning discussions: a prospective quasi-crossover cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajan, Shobana; Khanna, Ashish; Argalious, Maged; Kimatian, Stephen J; Mascha, Edward J; Makarova, Natalya; Nada, Eman M; Elsharkawy, Hesham; Firoozbakhsh, Farhad; Avitsian, Rafi

2016-02-01

Simulation-based learning is emerging as an alternative educational tool in this era of a relative shortfall of teaching anesthesiologists. The objective of the study is to assess whether screen-based (interactive computer simulated) case scenarios are more effective than problem-based learning discussions (PBLDs) in improving test scores 4 and 8 weeks after these interventions in anesthesia residents during their first neuroanesthesia rotation. Prospective, nonblinded quasi-crossover study. Cleveland Clinic. Anesthesiology residents. Two case scenarios were delivered from the Anesoft software as screen-based sessions, and parallel scripts were developed for 2 PBLDs. Each resident underwent both types of training sessions, starting with the PBLD session, and the 2 cases were alternated each month (ie, in 1 month, the screen-based intervention used case 1 and the PBLD used case 2, and vice versa for the next month). Test scores before the rotation (baseline), immediately after the rotation (4 weeks after the start of the rotation), and 8 weeks after the start of rotation were collected on each topic from each resident. The effect of training method on improvement in test scores was assessed using a linear mixed-effects model. Compared to the departmental standard of PBLD, the simulation method did not improve either the 4- or 8-week mean test scores (P = .41 and P = .40 for training method effect on 4- and 8-week scores, respectively). Resident satisfaction with the simulation module on a 5-point Likert scale showed subjective evidence of a positive impact on resident education. Screen-based simulators were not more effective than PBLD for education during the neuroanesthesia rotation in anesthesia residency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrated Case Based and Rule Based Reasoning for Decision Support

OpenAIRE

Eshete, Azeb Bekele

2009-01-01

This project is a continuation of my specialization project which was focused on studying theoretical concepts related to case based reasoning method, rule based reasoning method and integration of them. The integration of rule-based and case-based reasoning methods has shown a substantial improvement with regards to performance over the individual methods. Verdande Technology As wants to try integrating the rule based reasoning method with an existing case based system. This project focu...

Semantics-based Automated Web Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hai-Feng Guo

2015-08-01

Full Text Available We present TAO, a software testing tool performing automated test and oracle generation based on a semantic approach. TAO entangles grammar-based test generation with automated semantics evaluation using a denotational semantics framework. We show how TAO can be incorporated with the Selenium automation tool for automated web testing, and how TAO can be further extended to support automated delta debugging, where a failing web test script can be systematically reduced based on grammar-directed strategies. A real-life parking website is adopted throughout the paper to demonstrate the effectivity of our semantics-based web testing approach.

Exploring pharmacy and home-based sexually transmissible infection testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Habel, Melissa A; Scheinmann, Roberta; Verdesoto, Elizabeth; Gaydos, Charlotte; Bertisch, Maggie; Chiasson, Mary Ann

2015-11-01

Background This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of pharmacy and home-based sexually transmissible infection (STI) screening as alternate testing venues among emergency contraception (EC) users. The study included two phases in February 2011-July 2012. In Phase I, customers purchasing EC from eight pharmacies in Manhattan received vouchers for free STI testing at onsite medical clinics. In Phase II, three Facebook ads targeted EC users to connect them with free home-based STI test kits ordered online. Participants completed a self-administered survey. Only 38 participants enrolled in Phase I: 90% female, ≤29 years (74%), 45% White non-Hispanic and 75% college graduates; 71% were not tested for STIs in the past year and 68% reported a new partner in the past 3 months. None tested positive for STIs. In Phase II, ads led to >45000 click-throughs, 382 completed the survey and 290 requested kits; 28% were returned. Phase II participants were younger and less educated than Phase I participants; six tested positive for STIs. Challenges included recruitment, pharmacy staff participation, advertising with discretion and cost. This study found low uptake of pharmacy and home-based testing among EC users; however, STI testing in these settings is feasible and the acceptability findings indicate an appeal among younger women for testing in non-traditional settings. Collaborating with and training pharmacy and medical staff are key elements of service provision. Future research should explore how different permutations of expanding screening in non-traditional settings could improve testing uptake and detect additional STI cases.

Newly developed liquid-based cytology. TACAS™: cytological appearance and HPV testing using liquid-based sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubushiro, Kaneyuki; Taoka, Hideki; Sakurai, Nobuyuki; Yamamoto, Yasuhiro; Kurasaki, Akiko; Asakawa, Yasuyuki; Iwahara, Minoru; Takahashi, Kei

2011-09-01

Cell profiles determined by the thin-layer advanced cytology assay system (TACAS™), a liquid-based cytology technique newly developed in Japan, were analyzed in this study. Hybrid capture 2 (HC-2) was also performed using the liquid-based samples prepared by TACAS to ascertain its ability to detect human papillomavirus (HPV). Cell collection samples from uterine cervix were obtained from 359 patients and examined cytologically. A HC-2 assay for HPV was carried out in the cell specimens. All specimens were found to show background factors such as leukocytes. After excluding the 5 unsatisfactory cases from the total 354 cases, 82 cases (23.2%) were positive and 272 cases (76.8%) were negative for HPV. Cell specimens from 30 HPV-positive cases and 166 HPV-negative cases were subjected to 4 weeks of preservation at room temperature. Then, when subsequently re-assayed, 28 cases (93.3%) in the former group were found to be HPV positive and 164 cases (98.8%) in the latter group were found to be HPV negative. These results supported the excellent reproducibility of TACAS for HPV testing. A reasonable inference from the foregoing analysis is that TACAS may be distinguished from other liquid-based cytological approaches, such as ThinPrep and SurePath, in that it can retain the cell backgrounds. Furthermore, this study raises the possibility that cell specimens prepared using TACAS could be preserved for at least 4 weeks prior to carrying out a HC-2 assay for HPV.

Sample test cases using the environmental computer code NECTAR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ponting, A.C.

1984-06-01

This note demonstrates a few of the many different ways in which the environmental computer code NECTAR may be used. Four sample test cases are presented and described to show how NECTAR input data are structured. Edited output is also presented to illustrate the format of the results. Two test cases demonstrate how NECTAR may be used to study radio-isotopes not explicitly included in the code. (U.K.)

Case-based Reasoning for Automotive Engine Performance Tune-up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vong, C. M.; Huang, H.; Wong, P. K.

2010-01-01

The automotive engine performance tune-up is greatly affected by the calibration of its electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU calibration is traditionally done by trial-and-error method. This traditional method consumes a large amount of time and money because of a large number of dynamometer tests. To resolve this problem, case based reasoning (CBR) is employed, so that an existing and effective ECU setup can be adapted to fit another similar class of engines. The adaptation procedure is done through a more sophisticated step called case-based adaptation (CBA)[1, 2]. CBA is an effective knowledge management tool, which can interactively learn the expert adaptation knowledge. The paper briefly reviews the methodologies of CBR and CBA. Then the application to ECU calibration is described via a case study. With CBR and CBA, the efficiency of calibrating an ECU can be enhanced. A prototype system has also been developed to verify the usefulness of CBR in ECU calibration.

DWPF PCCS version 2.0 test case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, K.G.; Pickett, M.A.

1992-01-01

To verify the operation of the Product Composition Control System (PCCS), a test case specific to DWPF operation was developed. The values and parameters necessary to demonstrate proper DWPF product composition control have been determined and are presented in this paper. If this control information (i.e., for transfers and analyses) is entered into the PCCS as illustrated in this paper, and the results obtained correspond to the independently-generated results, it can safely be said that the PCCS is operating correctly and can thus be used to control the DWPF. The independent results for this test case will be generated and enumerated in a future report. This test case was constructed along the lines of the normal DWPF operation. Many essential parameters are internal to the PCCS (e.g., property constraint and variance information) and can only be manipulated by personnel knowledgeable of the Symbolics reg-sign hardware and software. The validity of these parameters will rely on induction from observed PCCS results. Key process control values are entered into the PCCS as they would during normal operation. Examples of the screens used to input specific process control information are provided. These inputs should be entered into the PCCS database, and the results generated should be checked against the independent, computed results to confirm the validity of the PCCS

Case-based reasoning a concise introduction

CERN Document Server

López, Beatriz

2013-01-01

Case-based reasoning is a methodology with a long tradition in artificial intelligence that brings together reasoning and machine learning techniques to solve problems based on past experiences or cases. Given a problem to be solved, reasoning involves the use of methods to retrieve similar past cases in order to reuse their solution for the problem at hand. Once the problem has been solved, learning methods can be applied to improve the knowledge based on past experiences. In spite of being a broad methodology applied in industry and services, case-based reasoning has often been forgotten in

Comparison of case-based and lecture-based learning in dental education using the SOLO taxonomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ilgüy, Mehmet; Ilgüy, Dilhan; Fişekçioğlu, Erdoğan; Oktay, Inci

2014-11-01

The aim of this study was to compare the impact of case-based learning (CBL) and lecture-based learning (LBL) on fourth-year dental students' clinical decision making by using the Structure of Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy. Participants in the study were fourth-year dental students (n=55) in academic year 2012-13 taught in a large-group LBL context and fourth-year dental students (n=54) in academic year 2013-14 taught with the CBL methodology; both took place in the oral diseases course at Yeditepe University Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul, Turkey. All eligible students participated, for a 100 percent response rate. A real case was presented to the students in both groups to assess their clinical decision making on the topic of oral diseases. Their performance was evaluated with the SOLO taxonomy. Student t-test was used for statistical evaluation, and significance was set at the pSOLO taxonomy than students taught with LBL. These findings suggest that an integrated case-based curriculum may be effective in promoting students' deep learning and it holds promise for better integration of clinical cases likely to be encountered during independent practice.

Selecting the patients for morning report sessions: case-based vs. conventional method.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabiei, Mehdi; Saeidi, Masumeh; Kiani, Mohammad Ali; Amin, Sakineh Mohebi; Ahanchian, Hamid; Jafari, Seyed Ali; Kianifar, Hamidreza

2015-08-01

One of the most important issues in morning report sessions is the number of patients. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the number of cases reported in the morning report sessions in terms of case-based and conventional methods from the perspective of pediatric residents of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The present study was conducted on 24 pediatric residents of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in the academic year 2014-2015. In this survey, the residents replied to a 20-question researcher-made questionnaire that had been designed to measure the views of residents regarding the number of patients in the morning report sessions using case-based and conventional methods. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts' views and its reliability by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Data were analyzed by t-test analysis. The mean age of the residents was 30.852 ± 2.506, and 66.6% of them were female. The results showed that there was no significant relationship among the variables of academic year, gender, and residents' perspective to choosing the number of patients in the morning report sessions (P > 0.05). T-test analysis showed a significant relationship among the average scores of residents in the selection of the case-based method in comparison to the conventional method (P case-based morning report was preferred compared to the conventional method. This method makes residents pay more attention to the details of patients' issues and therefore helps them to better plan how to address patient problems and improve their differential diagnosis skills.

Case studies: Risk-based analysis of technical specifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagner, D.P.; Minton, L.A.; Gaertner, J.P.

1987-01-01

The SOCRATES computer program uses the results of a Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) or a system level risk analysis to calculate changes in risk due to changes in the surveillance test interval and/or the allowed outage time stated in the technical specification. The computer program can accommodate various testing strategies (such as staggered or simultaneous testing) to allow modeling of component testing as it is carried out at a plant. The methods and computer program are an integral part of a larger decision process aimed at determining benefits from technical specification changes. These benefits can include cost savings to the utilities by reducing forced shutdowns with no adverse impacts on risk. Three summaries of case study applications are included to demonstrate the types of results that can be achieved through risk-based evaluation of technical specifications. (orig.)

PCA-based bootstrap confidence interval tests for gene-disease association involving multiple SNPs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xue Fuzhong

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Genetic association study is currently the primary vehicle for identification and characterization of disease-predisposing variant(s which usually involves multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs available. However, SNP-wise association tests raise concerns over multiple testing. Haplotype-based methods have the advantage of being able to account for correlations between neighbouring SNPs, yet assuming Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE and potentially large number degrees of freedom can harm its statistical power and robustness. Approaches based on principal component analysis (PCA are preferable in this regard but their performance varies with methods of extracting principal components (PCs. Results PCA-based bootstrap confidence interval test (PCA-BCIT, which directly uses the PC scores to assess gene-disease association, was developed and evaluated for three ways of extracting PCs, i.e., cases only(CAES, controls only(COES and cases and controls combined(CES. Extraction of PCs with COES is preferred to that with CAES and CES. Performance of the test was examined via simulations as well as analyses on data of rheumatoid arthritis and heroin addiction, which maintains nominal level under null hypothesis and showed comparable performance with permutation test. Conclusions PCA-BCIT is a valid and powerful method for assessing gene-disease association involving multiple SNPs.

Método para generar casos de prueba funcional en el desarrollo de software Generating functional testing case method in software development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liliana González Palacio

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Un aspecto crucial en el control de calidad del desarrollo de software son las pruebas y, dentro de estas, las pruebas funcionales, en las cuales se hace una verificación dinámica del comportamiento de un sistema, basada en la observación de un conjunto seleccionado de ejecuciones controladas o casos de prueba. Para hacer pruebas funcionales se requiere una planificación que consiste en definir los aspectos a chequear y la forma de verificar su correcto funcionamiento, punto en el cual adquieren sentido los casos de prueba. En este artículo derivado de investigación se define un método para generar casos de prueba funcional a partir de casos de uso del sistema, como producto intermedio del proyecto cofinanciado titulado "Herramienta para la documentación de pruebas funcionales"Testing is a main aspect in quality control of software development, especially functional tests. The aim of functional testing is to dynamically verify the system behavior, based on the observation of a given set of controlled executions or test cases. Planning is required to make functional tests, defining the aspects to be checked and the way to verify its proper operation; this allows test cases make sense. In this paper (research based, we propose a method to generate functional test cases from system use cases, based on the co-financed project "Tool for Documenting Functional Testing."

Large block migration experiments: INTRAVAL phase 1, Test Case 9

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gureghian, A.B.; Noronha, C.J. (Battelle, Willowbrook, IL (USA). Office of Waste Technology Development); Vandergraaf, T.T. (Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Ottawa, ON (Canada))

1990-08-01

The development of INTRAVAL Test Case 9, as presented in this report, was made possible by a past subsidiary agreement to the bilateral cooperative agreement between the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) encompassing various aspects of nuclear waste disposal research. The experimental aspect of this test case, which included a series of laboratory experiments designed to quantify the migration of tracers in a single, natural fracture, was undertaken by AECL. The numerical simulation of the results of these experiments was performed by the Battelle Office of Waste Technology Development (OWTD) by calibrating an in-house analytical code, FRACFLO, which is capable of predicting radionuclide transport in an idealized fractured rock. Three tracer migration experiments were performed, using nonsorbing uranine dye for two of them and sorbing Cs-137 for the third. In addition, separate batch experiments were performed to determine the fracture surface and rock matrix sorption coefficients for Cs-137. The two uranine tracer migration experiment were used to calculate the average fracture aperture and to calibrate the model for the fracture dispersivity and matrix diffusion coefficient. The predictive capability of the model was then tested by simulating the third, Cs-137, tracer test without changing the parameter values determined from the other experiments. Breakthrough curves of both the experimental and numerical results obtained at the outlet face of the fracture are presented for each experiment. The reported spatial concentration profiles for the rock matrix are based solely on numerical predictions. 22 refs., 12 figs., 8 tabs.

Base case and perturbation scenarios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edmunds, T

1998-10-01

This report describes fourteen energy factors that could affect electricity markets in the future (demand, process, source mix, etc.). These fourteen factors are believed to have the most influence on the State's energy environment. A base case, or most probable, characterization is given for each of these fourteen factors over a twenty year time horizon. The base case characterization is derived from quantitative and qualitative information provided by State of California government agencies, where possible. Federal government databases are nsed where needed to supplement the California data. It is envisioned that a initial selection of issue areas will be based upon an evaluation of them under base case conditions. For most of the fourteen factors, the report identities possible perturbations from base case values or assumptions that may be used to construct additional scenarios. Only those perturbations that are plausible and would have a significant effect on energy markets are included in the table. The fourteen factors and potential perturbations of the factors are listed in Table 1.1. These perturbations can be combined to generate internally consist.ent. combinations of perturbations relative to the base case. For example, a low natural gas price perturbation should be combined with a high natural gas demand perturbation. The factor perturbations are based upon alternative quantitative forecasts provided by other institutions (the Department of Energy - Energy Information Administration in some cases), changes in assumptions that drive the quantitative forecasts, or changes in assumptions about the structure of the California energy markets. The perturbations are intended to be used for a qualitative reexamination of issue areas after an initial evaluation under the base case. The perturbation information would be used as a "tiebreaker;" to make decisions regarding those issue areas that were marginally accepted or rejected under the base case. Hf a

Supporting Case-Based Learning in Information Security with Web-Based Technology

Science.gov (United States)

He, Wu; Yuan, Xiaohong; Yang, Li

2013-01-01

Case-based learning has been widely used in many disciplines. As an effective pedagogical method, case-based learning is also being used to support teaching and learning in the domain of information security. In this paper, we demonstrate case-based learning in information security by sharing our experiences in using a case study to teach security…

Accounting for estimated IQ in neuropsychological test performance with regression-based techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Testa, S Marc; Winicki, Jessica M; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Gordon, Barry; Schretlen, David J

2009-11-01

Regression-based normative techniques account for variability in test performance associated with multiple predictor variables and generate expected scores based on algebraic equations. Using this approach, we show that estimated IQ, based on oral word reading, accounts for 1-9% of the variability beyond that explained by individual differences in age, sex, race, and years of education for most cognitive measures. These results confirm that adding estimated "premorbid" IQ to demographic predictors in multiple regression models can incrementally improve the accuracy with which regression-based norms (RBNs) benchmark expected neuropsychological test performance in healthy adults. It remains to be seen whether the incremental variance in test performance explained by estimated "premorbid" IQ translates to improved diagnostic accuracy in patient samples. We describe these methods, and illustrate the step-by-step application of RBNs with two cases. We also discuss the rationale, assumptions, and caveats of this approach. More broadly, we note that adjusting test scores for age and other characteristics might actually decrease the accuracy with which test performance predicts absolute criteria, such as the ability to drive or live independently.

A case-based assistant for clinical psychiatry expertise.

OpenAIRE

Bichindaritz, I.

1994-01-01

Case-based reasoning is an artificial intelligence methodology for the processing of empirical knowledge. Recent case-based reasoning systems also use theoretic knowledge about the domain to constrain the case-based reasoning. The organization of the memory is the key issue in case-based reasoning. The case-based assistant presented here has two structures in memory: cases and concepts. These memory structures permit it to be as skilled in problem-solving tasks, such as diagnosis and treatmen...

Research Problems Associated with Limiting the Applied Force in Vibration Tests and Conducting Base-Drive Modal Vibration Tests

Science.gov (United States)

Scharton, Terry D.

1995-01-01

The intent of this paper is to make a case for developing and conducting vibration tests which are both realistic and practical (a question of tailoring versus standards). Tests are essential for finding things overlooked in the analyses. The best test is often the most realistic test which can be conducted within the cost and budget constraints. Some standards are essential, but the author believes more in the individual's ingenuity to solve a specific problem than in the application of standards which reduce problems (and technology) to their lowest common denominator. Force limited vibration tests and base-drive modal tests are two examples of realistic, but practical testing approaches. Since both of these approaches are relatively new, a number of interesting research problems exist, and these are emphasized herein.

Case base classification on digital mammograms: improving the performance of case base classifier

Science.gov (United States)

Raman, Valliappan; Then, H. H.; Sumari, Putra; Venkatesa Mohan, N.

2011-10-01

Breast cancer continues to be a significant public health problem in the world. Early detection is the key for improving breast cancer prognosis. The aim of the research presented here is in twofold. First stage of research involves machine learning techniques, which segments and extracts features from the mass of digital mammograms. Second level is on problem solving approach which includes classification of mass by performance based case base classifier. In this paper we build a case-based Classifier in order to diagnose mammographic images. We explain different methods and behaviors that have been added to the classifier to improve the performance of the classifier. Currently the initial Performance base Classifier with Bagging is proposed in the paper and it's been implemented and it shows an improvement in specificity and sensitivity.

Test cases for interface tracking methods: methodology and current status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lebaigue, O.; Jamet, D.; Lemonnier, E.

2004-01-01

Full text of publication follows:In the past decade, a large number of new methods have been developed to deal with interfaces in the numerical simulation of two-phase flows. We have collected a set of 36 test cases, which can be seen as a tool to help engineers and researchers selecting the most appropriate method(s) for their specific fields of application. This set can be use: - To perform an initial evaluation of the capabilities of available methods with regard to the specificity of the final application and the most important features to be recovered from the simulation. - To measure the maximum mesh size to be used for a given physical problem in order to obtain an accurate enough solution. - To assess and quantify the performances of a selected method equipped with its set of physical models. The computation of a well-documented test case allows estimating the error due to the numerical technique by comparison with reference solutions. This process is compulsory to gain confidence and credibility on the prediction capabilities of a numerical method and its physical models. - To broaden the capabilities of a given numerical technique. The test cases may be used to identify the need for improvement of the overall numerical scheme or to determine the physical part of the model, which is responsible for the observed limitations. Each test case falls within one of the following categories: - Analytical solutions of well-known sets of equations corresponding to simple geometrical situations. - Reference numerical solutions of moderately complex problems, produced by accurate methods (e.g., boundary Fitted coordinate method) on refined meshes. - Separate effects analytical experiments. The presentation will suggest how to use the test cases for assessing the physical models and the numerical methods. The expected fallout of using test cases is indeed on the one hand to identify the merits of existing methods and on the other hand to orient further research towards

Awareness and uptake of direct-to-consumer genetic testing among cancer cases, their relatives, and controls: the Northwest Cancer Genetics Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Taryn O; Renz, Anne D; Snapinn, Katherine W; Bowen, Deborah J; Edwards, Karen L

2012-07-01

To determine if awareness of, interest in, and use of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing is greater in a sample of high-risk individuals (cancer cases and their relatives), compared to controls. Participants were recruited from the Northwest Cancer Genetics Network. A follow-up survey was mailed to participants to assess DTC genetic testing awareness, interest, and use. One thousand two hundred sixty-seven participants responded to the survey. Forty-nine percent of respondents were aware of DTC genetic testing. Of those aware, 19% indicated interest in obtaining and testing. Additional information supplied by respondents who reported use of DTC genetic tests indicated that 55% of these respondents likely engaged in clinical genetic testing, rather than DTC genetic testing. Awareness of DTC genetic testing was greater in our sample of high-risk individuals than in controls and population-based studies. Although interest in and use of these tests among cases in our sample were equivalent to other population-based studies, interest in testing was higher among relatives and people who self-referred for a registry focused on cancer than among cases and controls. Additionally, our results suggest that there may be some confusion about what constitutes DTC genetic testing.

Experimental Study of Dowel Bar Alternatives Based on Similarity Model Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chichun Hu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, a small-scaled accelerated loading test based on similarity theory and Accelerated Pavement Analyzer was developed to evaluate dowel bars with different materials and cross-sections. Jointed concrete specimen consisting of one dowel was designed as scaled model for the test, and each specimen was subjected to 864 thousand loading cycles. Deflections between jointed slabs were measured with dial indicators, and strains of the dowel bars were monitored with strain gauges. The load transfer efficiency, differential deflection, and dowel-concrete bearing stress for each case were calculated from these measurements. The test results indicated that the effect of the dowel modulus on load transfer efficiency can be characterized based on the similarity model test developed in the study. Moreover, round steel dowel was found to have similar performance to larger FRP dowel, and elliptical dowel can be preferentially considered in practice.

Is case-based learning an effective teaching strategy to challenge students' alternative conceptions regarding chemical kinetics?

Science.gov (United States)

Yalçınkaya, Eylem; Taştan-Kırık, Özgecan; Boz, Yezdan; Yıldıran, Demet

2012-07-01

Background: Case-based learning (CBL) is simply teaching the concept to the students based on the cases. CBL involves a case, which is a scenario based on daily life, and study questions related to the case, which allows students to discuss their ideas. Chemical kinetics is one of the most difficult concepts for students in chemistry. Students have generally low levels of conceptual understanding and many alternative conceptions regarding it. Purpose: This study aimed to explore the effect of CBL on dealing with students' alternative conceptions about chemical kinetics. Sample: The sample consists of 53 high school students from one public high school in Turkey. Design and methods : Nonequivalent pre-test and post-test control group design was used. Reaction Rate Concept Test and semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Convenience sampling technique was followed. For data analysis, the independent samples t-test and ANOVA was performed. Results : Both concept test and interview results showed that students instructed with cases had better understanding of core concepts of chemical kinetics and had less alternative conceptions related to the subject matter compared to the control group students, despite the fact that it was impossible to challenge all the alternative conceptions in the experimental group. Conclusions: CBL is an effective teaching method for challenging students' alternative conceptions in the context of chemical kinetics. Since using cases in small groups and whole class discussions has been found to be an effective way to cope with the alternative conceptions, it can be applied to other subjects and grade levels in high schools with a higher sample size. Furthermore, the effect of this method on academic achievement, motivation and critical thinking skills are other variables that can be investigated for future studies in the subject area of chemistry.

An effective framework for finding similar cases of dengue from audio and text data using domain thesaurus and case base reasoning

Science.gov (United States)

Sandhu, Rajinder; Kaur, Jaspreet; Thapar, Vivek

2018-02-01

Dengue, also known as break-bone fever, is a tropical disease transmitted by mosquitoes. If the similarity between dengue infected users can be identified, it can help government's health agencies to manage the outbreak more effectively. To find similarity between cases affected by Dengue, user's personal and health information are the two fundamental requirements. Identification of similar symptoms, causes, effects, predictions and treatment procedures, is important. In this paper, an effective framework is proposed which finds similar patients suffering from dengue using keyword aware domain thesaurus and case base reasoning method. This paper focuses on the use of ontology dependent domain thesaurus technique to extract relevant keywords and then build cases with the help of case base reasoning method. Similar cases can be shared with users, nearby hospitals and health organizations to manage the problem more adequately. Two million case bases were generated to test the proposed similarity method. Experimental evaluations of proposed framework resulted in high accuracy and low error rate for finding similar cases of dengue as compared to UPCC and IPCC algorithms. The framework developed in this paper is for dengue but can easily be extended to other domains also.

Case-based reasoning diagnostic technique based on multi-attribute similarity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Makoto, Takahashi [Tohoku University, Miyagi (Japan); Akio, Gofuku [Okayama University, Okayamaa (Japan)

2014-08-15

Case-based diagnostic technique has been developed based on the multi-attribute similarity. Specific feature of the developed system is to use multiple attributes of process signals for similarity evaluation to retrieve a similar case stored in a case base. The present technique has been applied to the measurement data from Monju with some simulated anomalies. The results of numerical experiments showed that the present technique can be utilizes as one of the methods for a hybrid-type diagnosis system.

Findings concerning testis, vas deference, and epididymis in adult cases with nonpalpable testes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coskun Sahin

2011-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, we aimed to state the relationship between testis, epididymis and vas deference, in adult cases with nonpalpable testis. Between January 1996 and December 2009, we evaluated 154 adult cases with nonpalpable testes. Mean age was 23 years (20-27 years. Explorations were performed by open inguinal incision, laparoscopy, and by inguinal incision and laparoscopy together on 22, 131 and 1 patient, respectively. Of all the unilateral cases, 32 were accepted as vanishing testis. In five of these cases, vas deference was ending inside the abdomen, and in the others, it was ending inside the scrotum. In the remaining 99 unilateral and 22 bilateral cases, 143 testes were found in total. Testes were found in the inguinal canal as atrophic in one case, at the right renal pedicle level with dysmorphic testis in one case, and anterior to the internal ring between the bladder and the common iliac vessels at a smaller than normal size in 119 cases. One (0.69% case did not have epididymis. While epididymis was attached to the testis only at the head and tail locations in 88 (61.53% cases, it was totally attached to the testis in 54 (37.76% cases. There is an obviously high incidence rate of testis and vas deference anomalies, where epididymis is the most frequent one. In cases with abdominal testes, this rate is highest for high localised abdominal testes.

Possible artemisinin-based combination therapy-resistant malaria in Nigeria: a report of three cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nnennaya Anthony Ajayi

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Artemisinin-based combination therapy-resistant malaria is rare in Sub-Saharan Africa. The World Health Organization identifies monitoring and surveillance using day-3 parasitaemia post-treatment as the standard test for identifying suspected artemisinin resistance. We report three cases of early treatment failure due to possible artemisinin-based combination therapy-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria. All cases showed adequate clinical and parasitological responses to quinine. This study reveals a need to re-evaluate the quality and efficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapy agents in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Analysing Test-Takers’ Views on a Computer-Based Speaking Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marian Amengual-Pizarro

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This study examines test-takers’ views on a computer-delivered speaking test in order to investigate the aspects they consider most relevant in technology-based oral assessment, and to explore the main advantages and disadvantages computer-based tests may offer as compared to face-to-face speaking tests. A small-scale open questionnaire was administered to 80 test-takers who took the APTIS speaking test at the Universidad de Alcalá in April 2016. Results reveal that examinees believe computer-based tests provide a valid measure of oral competence in English and are considered to be an adequate method for the assessment of speaking. Interestingly, the data suggest that personal characteristics of test-takers seem to play a key role in deciding upon the most suitable and reliable delivery mode.

30 CFR 250.522 - When do I have to repeat casing diagnostic testing?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false When do I have to repeat casing diagnostic... Operations Casing Pressure Management § 250.522 When do I have to repeat casing diagnostic testing? Casing diagnostic testing must be repeated according to the following table: When * * * you must repeat diagnostic...

A Database-Based and Web-Based Meta-CASE System

Science.gov (United States)

Eessaar, Erki; Sgirka, Rünno

Each Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) system provides support to a software process or specific tasks or activities that are part of a software process. Each meta-CASE system allows us to create new CASE systems. The creators of a new CASE system have to specify abstract syntax of the language that is used in the system and functionality as well as non-functional properties of the new system. Many meta-CASE systems record their data directly in files. In this paper, we introduce a meta-CASE system, the enabling technology of which is an object-relational database system (ORDBMS). The system allows users to manage specifications of languages and create models by using these languages. The system has web-based and form-based user interface. We have created a proof-of-concept prototype of the system by using PostgreSQL ORDBMS and PHP scripting language.

Vision-based Ground Test for Active Debris Removal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seong-Min Lim

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Due to the continuous space development by mankind, the number of space objects including space debris in orbits around the Earth has increased, and accordingly, difficulties of space development and activities are expected in the near future. In this study, among the stages for space debris removal, the implementation of a vision-based approach technique for approaching space debris from a far-range rendezvous state to a proximity state, and the ground test performance results were described. For the vision-based object tracking, the CAM-shift algorithm with high speed and strong performance, and the Kalman filter were combined and utilized. For measuring the distance to a tracking object, a stereo camera was used. For the construction of a low-cost space environment simulation test bed, a sun simulator was used, and in the case of the platform for approaching, a two-dimensional mobile robot was used. The tracking status was examined while changing the position of the sun simulator, and the results indicated that the CAM-shift showed a tracking rate of about 87% and the relative distance could be measured down to 0.9 m. In addition, considerations for future space environment simulation tests were proposed.

IRT-based test construction

OpenAIRE

van der Linden, Willem J.; Theunissen, T.J.J.M.; Boekkooi-Timminga, Ellen; Kelderman, Henk

1987-01-01

Four discussions of test construction based on item response theory (IRT) are presented. The first discussion, "Test Design as Model Building in Mathematical Programming" (T.J.J.M. Theunissen), presents test design as a decision process under certainty. A natural way of modeling this process leads to mathematical programming. General models of test construction are discussed, with information about algorithms and heuristics; ideas about the analysis and refinement of test constraints are also...

Shrinkage-based diagonal Hotelling’s tests for high-dimensional small sample size data

KAUST Repository

Dong, Kai

2015-09-16

DNA sequencing techniques bring novel tools and also statistical challenges to genetic research. In addition to detecting differentially expressed genes, testing the significance of gene sets or pathway analysis has been recognized as an equally important problem. Owing to the “large pp small nn” paradigm, the traditional Hotelling’s T2T2 test suffers from the singularity problem and therefore is not valid in this setting. In this paper, we propose a shrinkage-based diagonal Hotelling’s test for both one-sample and two-sample cases. We also suggest several different ways to derive the approximate null distribution under different scenarios of pp and nn for our proposed shrinkage-based test. Simulation studies show that the proposed method performs comparably to existing competitors when nn is moderate or large, but it is better when nn is small. In addition, we analyze four gene expression data sets and they demonstrate the advantage of our proposed shrinkage-based diagonal Hotelling’s test.

Shrinkage-based diagonal Hotelling’s tests for high-dimensional small sample size data

KAUST Repository

Dong, Kai; Pang, Herbert; Tong, Tiejun; Genton, Marc G.

2015-01-01

DNA sequencing techniques bring novel tools and also statistical challenges to genetic research. In addition to detecting differentially expressed genes, testing the significance of gene sets or pathway analysis has been recognized as an equally important problem. Owing to the “large pp small nn” paradigm, the traditional Hotelling’s T2T2 test suffers from the singularity problem and therefore is not valid in this setting. In this paper, we propose a shrinkage-based diagonal Hotelling’s test for both one-sample and two-sample cases. We also suggest several different ways to derive the approximate null distribution under different scenarios of pp and nn for our proposed shrinkage-based test. Simulation studies show that the proposed method performs comparably to existing competitors when nn is moderate or large, but it is better when nn is small. In addition, we analyze four gene expression data sets and they demonstrate the advantage of our proposed shrinkage-based diagonal Hotelling’s test.

Benchmark test cases for evaluation of computer-based methods for detection of setup errors: realistic digitally reconstructed electronic portal images with known setup errors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritsch, Daniel S.; Raghavan, Suraj; Boxwala, Aziz; Earnhart, Jon; Tracton, Gregg; Cullip, Timothy; Chaney, Edward L.

1997-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to develop methods and software for computing realistic digitally reconstructed electronic portal images with known setup errors for use as benchmark test cases for evaluation and intercomparison of computer-based methods for image matching and detecting setup errors in electronic portal images. Methods and Materials: An existing software tool for computing digitally reconstructed radiographs was modified to compute simulated megavoltage images. An interface was added to allow the user to specify which setup parameter(s) will contain computer-induced random and systematic errors in a reference beam created during virtual simulation. Other software features include options for adding random and structured noise, Gaussian blurring to simulate geometric unsharpness, histogram matching with a 'typical' electronic portal image, specifying individual preferences for the appearance of the 'gold standard' image, and specifying the number of images generated. The visible male computed tomography data set from the National Library of Medicine was used as the planning image. Results: Digitally reconstructed electronic portal images with known setup errors have been generated and used to evaluate our methods for automatic image matching and error detection. Any number of different sets of test cases can be generated to investigate setup errors involving selected setup parameters and anatomic volumes. This approach has proved to be invaluable for determination of error detection sensitivity under ideal (rigid body) conditions and for guiding further development of image matching and error detection methods. Example images have been successfully exported for similar use at other sites. Conclusions: Because absolute truth is known, digitally reconstructed electronic portal images with known setup errors are well suited for evaluation of computer-aided image matching and error detection methods. High-quality planning images, such as

A case-oriented web-based training system for breast cancer diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Qinghua; Huang, Xianhai; Liu, Longzhong; Lin, Yidi; Long, Xingzhang; Li, Xuelong

2018-03-01

Breast cancer is still considered as the most common form of cancer as well as the leading causes of cancer deaths among women all over the world. We aim to provide a web-based breast ultrasound database for online training inexperienced radiologists and giving computer-assisted diagnostic information for detection and classification of the breast tumor. We introduce a web database which stores breast ultrasound images from breast cancer patients as well as their diagnostic information. A web-based training system using a feature scoring scheme based on Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) US lexicon was designed. A computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) subsystem was developed to assist the radiologists to make scores on the BI-RADS features for an input case. The training system possesses 1669 scored cases, where 412 cases are benign and 1257 cases are malignant. It was tested by 31 users including 12 interns, 11 junior radiologists, and 8 experienced senior radiologists. This online training system automatically creates case-based exercises to train and guide the newly employed or resident radiologists for the diagnosis of breast cancer using breast ultrasound images based on the BI-RADS. After the trainings, the interns and junior radiologists show significant improvement in the diagnosis of the breast tumor with ultrasound imaging (p-value  .05). The online training system can improve the capabilities of early-career radiologists in distinguishing between the benign and malignant lesions and reduce the misdiagnosis of breast cancer in a quick, convenient and effective manner. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A case-based assistant for clinical psychiatry expertise.

Science.gov (United States)

Bichindaritz, I

1994-01-01

Case-based reasoning is an artificial intelligence methodology for the processing of empirical knowledge. Recent case-based reasoning systems also use theoretic knowledge about the domain to constrain the case-based reasoning. The organization of the memory is the key issue in case-based reasoning. The case-based assistant presented here has two structures in memory: cases and concepts. These memory structures permit it to be as skilled in problem-solving tasks, such as diagnosis and treatment planning, as in interpretive tasks, such as clinical research. A prototype applied to clinical work about eating disorders in psychiatry, reasoning from the alimentary questionnaires of these patients, is presented as an example of the system abilities.

Paternity tests in Mexico: Results obtained in 3005 cases.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Aceves, M E; Romero Rentería, O; Díaz-Navarro, X X; Rangel-Villalobos, H

2018-04-01

National and international reports regarding the paternity testing activity scarcely include information from Mexico and other Latin American countries. Therefore, we report different results from the analysis of 3005 paternity cases analyzed during a period of five years in a Mexican paternity testing laboratory. Motherless tests were the most frequent (77.27%), followed by trio cases (20.70%); the remaining 2.04% included different cases of kinship reconstruction. The paternity exclusion rate was 29.58%, higher but into the range reported by the American Association of Blood Banks (average 24.12%). We detected 65 mutations, most of them involving one-step (93.8% and the remaining were two-step mutations (6.2%) thus, we were able to estimate the paternal mutation rate for 17 different STR loci: 0.0018 (95% CI 0.0005-0.0047). Five triallelic patterns and 12 suspected null alleles were detected during this period; however, re-amplification of these samples with a different Human Identification (HID) kit confirmed the homozygous genotypes, which suggests that most of these exclusions actually are one-step mutations. HID kits with ≥20 STRs detected more exclusions, diminishing the rate of inconclusive results with isolated exclusions (Powerplex 21 kit (20 STRs) and Powerplex Fusion kit (22 STRs) offered similar PI (p = 0.379) and average number of exclusions (PE) (p = 0.339) when a daughter was involved in motherless tests. In brief, besides to report forensic parameters from paternity tests in Mexico, results describe improvements to solve motherless paternity tests using HID kits with ≥20 STRs instead of one including 15 STRs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Design and Testing of Braided Composite Fan Case Materials and Components

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Gary D.; Pereira, J. Michael; Braley, Michael S.; Arnold, William a.; Dorer, James D.; Watson, William R/.

2009-01-01

Triaxial braid composite materials are beginning to be used in fan cases for commercial gas turbine engines. The primary benefit for the use of composite materials is reduced weight and the associated reduction in fuel consumption. However, there are also cost benefits in some applications. This paper presents a description of the braided composite materials and discusses aspects of the braiding process that can be utilized for efficient fabrication of composite cases. The paper also presents an approach that was developed for evaluating the braided composite materials and composite fan cases in a ballistic impact laboratory. Impact of composite panels with a soft projectile is used for materials evaluation. Impact of composite fan cases with fan blades or blade-like projectiles is used to evaluate containment capability. A post-impact structural load test is used to evaluate the capability of the impacted fan case to survive dynamic loads during engine spool down. Validation of these new test methods is demonstrated by comparison with results of engine blade-out tests.

An Extended Quadratic Frobenius Primality Test with Average Case Error Estimates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damgård, Ivan Bjerre; Frandsen, Gudmund Skovbjerg

2001-01-01

We present an Extended Quadratic Frobenius Primality Test (EQFT), which is related to an extends the Miller-Rabin test and the Quadratic Frobenius test (QFT) by Grantham. EQFT takes time about equivalent to 2 Miller-Rabin tests, but has much smaller error probability, namely 256/331776t for t...... for the error probability of this algorithm as well as a general closed expression bounding the error. For instance, it is at most 2-143 for k = 500, t = 2. Compared to earlier similar results for the Miller-Rabin test, the results indicates that our test in the average case has the effect of 9 Miller......-Rabin tests, while only taking time equivalent to about 2 such tests. We also give bounds for the error in case a prime is sought by incremental search from a random starting point....

Online virtual-patient cases versus traditional problem-based learning in advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Dahir, Sara; Bryant, Kendrea; Kennedy, Kathleen B; Robinson, Donna S

2014-05-15

To evaluate the efficacy of faculty-led problem-based learning (PBL) vs online simulated-patient case in fourth-year (P4) pharmacy students. Fourth-year pharmacy students were randomly assigned to participate in either online branched-case learning using a virtual simulation platform or a small-group discussion. Preexperience and postexperience student assessments and a survey instrument were completed. While there were no significant differences in the preexperience test scores between the groups, there was a significant increase in scores in both the virtual-patient group and the PBL group between the preexperience and postexperience tests. The PBL group had higher postexperience test scores (74.8±11.7) than did the virtual-patient group (66.5±13.6) (p=0.001). The PBL method demonstrated significantly greater improvement in postexperience test scores than did the virtual-patient method. Both were successful learning methods, suggesting that a diverse approach to simulated patient cases may reach more student learning styles.

Testing for direct genetic effects using a screening step in family-based association studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharon M Lutz

2013-11-01

Full Text Available In genome wide association studies (GWAS, families based studies tend to have less power to detect genetic associations than population based studies, such as case-control studies. This can be an issue when testing if genes in a family based GWAS have a direct effect on the phenotype of interest or if the genes act indirectly through a secondary phenotype. When multiple SNPs are tested for a direct effect in the family based study, a screening step can be used to minimize the burden of multiple comparisons in the causal analysis. We propose a 2-stage screening step that can be incorporated into the family based association test (FBAT approach similar to the conditional mean model approach in the VanSteen-algorithm [1]. Simulations demonstrate that the type 1 error is preserved and this method is advantageous when multiple markers are tested. This method is illustrated by an application to the Framingham Heart Study.

Developing a quality by design approach to model tablet dissolution testing: an industrial case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yekpe, Ketsia; Abatzoglou, Nicolas; Bataille, Bernard; Gosselin, Ryan; Sharkawi, Tahmer; Simard, Jean-Sébastien; Cournoyer, Antoine

2017-11-02

This study applied the concept of Quality by Design (QbD) to tablet dissolution. Its goal was to propose a quality control strategy to model dissolution testing of solid oral dose products according to International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. The methodology involved the following three steps: (1) a risk analysis to identify the material- and process-related parameters impacting the critical quality attributes of dissolution testing, (2) an experimental design to evaluate the influence of design factors (attributes and parameters selected by risk analysis) on dissolution testing, and (3) an investigation of the relationship between design factors and dissolution profiles. Results show that (a) in the case studied, the two parameters impacting dissolution kinetics are active pharmaceutical ingredient particle size distributions and tablet hardness and (b) these two parameters could be monitored with PAT tools to predict dissolution profiles. Moreover, based on the results obtained, modeling dissolution is possible. The practicality and effectiveness of the QbD approach were demonstrated through this industrial case study. Implementing such an approach systematically in industrial pharmaceutical production would reduce the need for tablet dissolution testing.

Case-based Reasoning in Conflict Negotiation in Concurrent Engineering

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

1999-01-01

Case-based reasoning (CBR) is a kind of analogous reasoning that is widely used in artificial intelligence. Conflicts are pervasive in Concurrent Engineering design environment. Conflict negotiation is necessary when conflicts occur. It is difficult to resolve conflicts due to several reasons. An approach to resolving conflicts by case-based reasoning is proposed in this paper. The knowledge representation of conflict negotiation cases, the judgment of case similarity, the retrieval model of cases, the management of case bases, and the process of case-based conflict negotiation are studied. The implementation structure of the Case-based Conflict Solving System (CCSS) is also given.

Developing effective web-based regional anesthesia education: a randomized study evaluating case-based versus non-case-based module design.

Science.gov (United States)

Kopp, Sandra L; Smith, Hugh M

2011-01-01

Little is known about the use of Web-based education in regional anesthesia training. Benefits of Web-based education include the ability to standardize learning material quality and content, build appropriate learning progressions, use interactive multimedia technologies, and individualize delivery of course materials. The goals of this investigation were (1) to determine whether module design influences regional anesthesia knowledge acquisition, (2) to characterize learner preference patterns among anesthesia residents, and (3) to determine whether learner preferences play a role in knowledge acquisition. Direct comparison of knowledge assessments, learning styles, and learner preferences will be made between an interactive case-based and a traditional textbook-style module design. Forty-three Mayo Clinic anesthesiology residents completed 2 online modules, a knowledge pretest, posttest, an Index of Learning Styles assessment, and a participant satisfaction survey. Interscalene and lumbar plexus regional techniques were selected as the learning content for 4 Web modules constructed using the Blackboard Vista coursework application. One traditional textbook-style module and 1 interactive case-based module were designed for each of the interscalene and lumbar plexus techniques. Participants scored higher on the postmodule knowledge assessment for both of the interscalene and lumbar plexus modules. Postmodule knowledge performance scores were independent of both module design (interactive case-based versus traditional textbook style) and learning style preferences. However, nearly all participants reported a preference for Web-based learning and believe that it should be used in anesthesia resident education. Participants did not feel that Web-base learning should replace the current lecture-based curriculum. All residents scored higher on the postmodule knowledge assessment, but this improvement was independent of the module design and individual learning styles

Tests of spinning turbine fragment impact on casing models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilbeck, J.S.

1984-01-01

Ten 1/11-scale model turbine missile impact tests were conducted at a Naval spin chamber test facility to assess turbine missile effects in nuclear plant design. The objective of the tests was to determine the effects of missile spin, blade crush, and target edge conditions on the impact of turbine disk fragments on the steel casing. The results were intended for use in making realistic estimates for the initial conditions of fragments that might escape the casing in the event of a disk burst in a nuclear plant. The burst of a modified gas turbine rotor in a high-speed spin chamber provided three missiles with the proper rotational and translational velocities of actual steam turbine fragments. Tests of bladed, spinning missiles were compared with previous tests of unbladed, nonspinning missiles. The total residual energy of the spinning missiles, as observed from high-speed photographs of disk burst, was the same as that of the nonspinning missiles launched in a piercing orientation. Tests with bladed missiles showed that for equal burst speeds, the residual energy of bladed missiles is less than that of unbladed missiles. Impacts of missiles near the edge of targets resulted in residual missile velocities greater than for central impact. (orig.)

Pumping tests in nonuniform aquifers - The radially symmetric case

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, J.J.

1988-01-01

Traditionally, pumping-test-analysis methodology has been limited to applications involving aquifers whose properties are assumed uniform in space. This work attempts to assess the applicability of analytical methodology to a broader class of units with spatially varying properties. An examination of flow behavior in a simple configuration consisting of pumping from the center of a circular disk embedded in a matrix of differing properties is the basis for this investigation. A solution describing flow in this configuration is obtained through Laplace-transform techniques using analytical and numerical inversion schemes. Approaches for the calculation of flow properties in conditions that can be roughly represented by this simple configuration are proposed. Possible applications include a wide variety of geologic structures, as well as the case of a well skin resulting from drilling or development. Of more importance than the specifics of these techniques for analysis of water-level responses is the insight into flow behavior during a pumping test that is provided by the large-time form of the derived solution. The solution reveals that drawdown during a pumping test can be considered to consist of two components that are dependent and independent of near-well properties, respectively. Such an interpretation of pumping-test drawdown allows some general conclusions to be drawn concerning the relationship between parameters calculated using analytical approaches based on curve-matching and those calculated using approaches based on the slope of a semilog straight line plot. The infinite-series truncation that underlies the semilog analytical approaches is shown to remove further contributions of near-well material to total drawdown. In addition, the semilog distance-drawdown approach is shown to yield an expression that is equivalent to the Thiem equation. These results allow some general recommendations to be made concerning observation-well placement for pumping

Traceability in Model-Based Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mathew George

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The growing complexities of software and the demand for shorter time to market are two important challenges that face today’s IT industry. These challenges demand the increase of both productivity and quality of software. Model-based testing is a promising technique for meeting these challenges. Traceability modeling is a key issue and challenge in model-based testing. Relationships between the different models will help to navigate from one model to another, and trace back to the respective requirements and the design model when the test fails. In this paper, we present an approach for bridging the gaps between the different models in model-based testing. We propose relation definition markup language (RDML for defining the relationships between models.

Spatial Layout of Multi-Environment Test Sites: A Case Study of Maize in Jilin Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zuliang Zhao

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Variety regional tests based on multiple environments play a critical role in understanding the high yield and adaptability of new crop varieties. However, the current approach mainly depends on experience from breeding experts and is difficulty to promote because of inconsistency between testing and actual situation. We propose a spatial layout method based on the existing systematic regional test network. First, the method of spatial clustering was used to cluster the planting environment. Then, we used spatial stratified sampling to determine the minimum number of test sites in each type of environment. Finally, combined with the factors such as the convenience of transportation and the planting area, we used spatial balance sampling to generate the layout of multi-environment test sites. We present a case study for maize in Jilin Province and show the utility of the method with an accuracy of about 94.5%. The experimental results showed that 66.7% of sites are located in the same county and the unbalanced layout of original sites is improved. Furthermore, we conclude that the set of operational technical ideas for carrying out the layout of multi-environment test sites based on crop varieties in this paper can be applied to future research.

30 CFR 250.520 - When do I have to perform a casing diagnostic test?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false When do I have to perform a casing diagnostic... Operations Casing Pressure Management § 250.520 When do I have to perform a casing diagnostic test? (a) You must perform a casing diagnostic test within 30 days after first observing or imposing casing pressure...

A Method to Select Test Input Cases for Safety-critical Software

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Heeeun; Kang, Hyungook; Son, Hanseong

2013-01-01

This paper proposes a new testing methodology for effective and realistic quantification of RPS software failure probability. Software failure probability quantification is important factor in digital system safety assessment. In this study, the method for software test case generation is briefly described. The test cases generated by this method reflect the characteristics of safety-critical software and past inputs. Furthermore, the number of test cases can be reduced, but it is possible to perform exhaustive test. Aspect of software also can be reflected as failure data, so the final failure data can include the failure of software itself and external influences. Software reliability is generally accepted as the key factor in software quality since it quantifies software failures which can make a powerful system inoperative. In the KNITS (Korea Nuclear Instrumentation and Control Systems) project, the software for the fully digitalized reactor protection system (RPS) was developed under a strict procedure including unit testing and coverage measurement. Black box testing is one type of Verification and validation (V and V), in which given input values are entered and the resulting output values are compared against the expected output values. Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) were used in implementing critical systems and function block diagram (FBD) is a commonly used implementation language for PLC

A hybrid model for combining case-control and cohort studies in systematic reviews of diagnostic tests

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yong; Liu, Yulun; Ning, Jing; Cormier, Janice; Chu, Haitao

2014-01-01

Systematic reviews of diagnostic tests often involve a mixture of case-control and cohort studies. The standard methods for evaluating diagnostic accuracy only focus on sensitivity and specificity and ignore the information on disease prevalence contained in cohort studies. Consequently, such methods cannot provide estimates of measures related to disease prevalence, such as population averaged or overall positive and negative predictive values, which reflect the clinical utility of a diagnostic test. In this paper, we propose a hybrid approach that jointly models the disease prevalence along with the diagnostic test sensitivity and specificity in cohort studies, and the sensitivity and specificity in case-control studies. In order to overcome the potential computational difficulties in the standard full likelihood inference of the proposed hybrid model, we propose an alternative inference procedure based on the composite likelihood. Such composite likelihood based inference does not suffer computational problems and maintains high relative efficiency. In addition, it is more robust to model mis-specifications compared to the standard full likelihood inference. We apply our approach to a review of the performance of contemporary diagnostic imaging modalities for detecting metastases in patients with melanoma. PMID:25897179

Likelihood based testing for no fractional cointegration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lasak, Katarzyna

. The standard cointegration analysis only considers the assumption that deviations from equilibrium can be integrated of order zero, which is very restrictive in many cases and may imply an important loss of power in the fractional case. We consider the alternative hypotheses with equilibrium deviations...... that can be mean reverting with order of integration possibly greater than zero. Moreover, the degree of fractional cointegration is not assumed to be known, and the asymptotic null distribution of both tests is found when considering an interval of possible values. The power of the proposed tests under...

Population-based screening versus case detection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Ravi

2002-01-01

Full Text Available India has a large burden of blindness and population-based screening is a strategy commonly employed to detect disease and prevent morbidity. However, not all diseases are amenable to screening. This communication examines the issue of "population-based screening" versus "case detection" in the Indian scenario. Using the example of glaucoma, it demonstrates that given the poor infrastructure, for a "rare" disease, case detection is more effective than population-based screening.

Multi-objective Search-based Mobile Testing

OpenAIRE

Mao, K.

2017-01-01

Despite the tremendous popularity of mobile applications, mobile testing still relies heavily on manual testing. This thesis presents mobile test automation approaches based on multi-objective search. We introduce three approaches: Sapienz (for native Android app testing), Octopuz (for hybrid/web JavaScript app testing) and Polariz (for using crowdsourcing to support search-based mobile testing). These three approaches represent the primary scientific and technical contributions of the thesis...

TREAT (TREe-based Association Test)

Science.gov (United States)

TREAT is an R package for detecting complex joint effects in case-control studies. The test statistic is derived from a tree-structure model by recursive partitioning the data. Ultra-fast algorithm is designed to evaluate the significance of association between candidate gene and disease outcome

Investigating the Effectiveness of Case-based Learning Instruction on Students’ Understanding the Subject of Reaction Rate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aysel Ünal SÜMEN

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This study has been carried out to determine the effectiveness of case-based learning related to reaction rate on students’ conceptual understanding and conceptual change. In this respect, a class of 11th grade students in an Anatolian High School in the center of Izmir city was chosen randomly as experimental group (n=26 and another as control group (n=22. Reaction rate unit was taught to the experimental group within case-based learning method, and to the control group through activities defined in Chemistry curriculum. Comprehension Test developed by Cakmakci (2005 was utilized as data collecting instrument. The Comprehension Test was applied simultaneously to both experimental and control groups before and after the teaching. The data collected via the Comprehension Test was analyzed in terms of both quantity and quality. As a result of the study, it was noted that there was a significant difference between the groups after the instruction in favor of the experimental group. Also, it was determined that case-based learning was more effective in promoting conceptual change and assuring higher level of conceptual understanding for students.

Successful case-based reasoning applications 2

CERN Document Server

Jain, Lakhmi

2014-01-01

Case-based reasoning paradigms offer automatic reasoning capabilities which are useful for the implementation of human like machines in a limited sense. This research book is the second volume in a series devoted to presenting Case-based reasoning (CBR) applications. The first volume, published in 2010, testified the flexibility of CBR, and its applicability in all those fields where experiential knowledge is available. This second volume further witnesses the heterogeneity of the domains in which CBR can be exploited, but also reveals some common directions that are clearly emerging in recent years. This book will prove useful to the application engineers, scientists, professors and students who wish to develop successful case-based reasoning applications.

Case report: BRCA in the Ashkenazi population: are current testing guidelines too exclusive?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saunders Katherine H

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract The BRCA1/2 genes account for a significant portion of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers and they are especially prevalent in the Ashkenazi Jewish population. Women who have a mutation can prevent breast and ovarian cancer with surgical intervention. We describe an Ashkenazi Jewish patient who illustrates that current testing criteria are too restrictive, particularly for this population of patients. The patient's sister was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 33; however, she was not a mutation carrier. Based on practice guidelines, the patient was not recommended genetic testing. She subsequently underwent direct-to-consumer (DTC testing and discovered that she was a mutation carrier. This case demonstrates the need for clinicians to be aware of the higher prevalence of BRCA mutations in the Ashkenazi population. It also exemplifies the need to involve medical professionals, including genetic counselors, in the dissemination of DNA test results.

Extended shadow test approach for constrained adaptive testing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veldkamp, Bernard P.; Ariel, A.

2002-01-01

Several methods have been developed for use on constrained adaptive testing. Item pool partitioning, multistage testing, and testlet-based adaptive testing are methods that perform well for specific cases of adaptive testing. The weighted deviation model and the Shadow Test approach can be more

30 CFR 250.523 - How long do I keep records of casing pressure and diagnostic tests?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... and diagnostic tests? 250.523 Section 250.523 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE... casing pressure and diagnostic tests? Records of casing pressure and diagnostic tests must be kept at the field office nearest the well for a minimum of 2 years. The last casing diagnostic test for each casing...

Method for mapping population-based case-control studies: an application using generalized additive models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aschengrau Ann

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mapping spatial distributions of disease occurrence and risk can serve as a useful tool for identifying exposures of public health concern. Disease registry data are often mapped by town or county of diagnosis and contain limited data on covariates. These maps often possess poor spatial resolution, the potential for spatial confounding, and the inability to consider latency. Population-based case-control studies can provide detailed information on residential history and covariates. Results Generalized additive models (GAMs provide a useful framework for mapping point-based epidemiologic data. Smoothing on location while controlling for covariates produces adjusted maps. We generate maps of odds ratios using the entire study area as a reference. We smooth using a locally weighted regression smoother (loess, a method that combines the advantages of nearest neighbor and kernel methods. We choose an optimal degree of smoothing by minimizing Akaike's Information Criterion. We use a deviance-based test to assess the overall importance of location in the model and pointwise permutation tests to locate regions of significantly increased or decreased risk. The method is illustrated with synthetic data and data from a population-based case-control study, using S-Plus and ArcView software. Conclusion Our goal is to develop practical methods for mapping population-based case-control and cohort studies. The method described here performs well for our synthetic data, reproducing important features of the data and adequately controlling the covariate. When applied to the population-based case-control data set, the method suggests spatial confounding and identifies statistically significant areas of increased and decreased odds ratios.

A fuzzy-ontology-oriented case-based reasoning framework for semantic diabetes diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Sappagh, Shaker; Elmogy, Mohammed; Riad, A M

2015-11-01

Case-based reasoning (CBR) is a problem-solving paradigm that uses past knowledge to interpret or solve new problems. It is suitable for experience-based and theory-less problems. Building a semantically intelligent CBR that mimic the expert thinking can solve many problems especially medical ones. Knowledge-intensive CBR using formal ontologies is an evolvement of this paradigm. Ontologies can be used for case representation and storage, and it can be used as a background knowledge. Using standard medical ontologies, such as SNOMED CT, enhances the interoperability and integration with the health care systems. Moreover, utilizing vague or imprecise knowledge further improves the CBR semantic effectiveness. This paper proposes a fuzzy ontology-based CBR framework. It proposes a fuzzy case-base OWL2 ontology, and a fuzzy semantic retrieval algorithm that handles many feature types. This framework is implemented and tested on the diabetes diagnosis problem. The fuzzy ontology is populated with 60 real diabetic cases. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated with a set of experiments and case studies. The resulting system can answer complex medical queries related to semantic understanding of medical concepts and handling of vague terms. The resulting fuzzy case-base ontology has 63 concepts, 54 (fuzzy) object properties, 138 (fuzzy) datatype properties, 105 fuzzy datatypes, and 2640 instances. The system achieves an accuracy of 97.67%. We compare our framework with existing CBR systems and a set of five machine-learning classifiers; our system outperforms all of these systems. Building an integrated CBR system can improve its performance. Representing CBR knowledge using the fuzzy ontology and building a case retrieval algorithm that treats different features differently improves the accuracy of the resulting systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Making System Dynamics Cool IV : Teaching & Testing with Cases & Quizzes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pruyt, E.

2012-01-01

This follow-up paper presents cases and multiple choice questions for teaching and testing System Dynamics modeling. These cases and multiple choice questions were developed and used between January 2012 and April 2012 a large System Dynamics course (250+ 2nd year BSc and 40+ MSc students per year)

Making System Dynamics Cool III : New Hot Teaching & Testing Cases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pruyt, E.

2011-01-01

This follow-up paper presents seven actual cases for testing and teaching System Dynamics developed and used between January 2010 and January 2011 for one of the largest System Dynamics courses (250+ students per year) at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. The cases presented in this

Usability Testing: A Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chisman, Janet; Walbridge, Sharon; Diller, Karen

1999-01-01

Discusses the development and results of usability testing of Washington State University's Web-based OPAC (online public access catalog); examines how easily users could navigate the catalog and whether they understood what they were seeing; and identifies problems and what action if any was taken. (LRW)

Diagnostic yield of hair and urine toxicology testing in potential child abuse cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Stauffer, Stephanie L; Wood, Stephanie M; Krasowski, Matthew D

2015-07-01

Detection of drugs in a child may be the first objective finding that can be reported in cases of suspected child abuse. Hair and urine toxicology testing, when performed as part of the initial clinical evaluation for suspected child abuse or maltreatment, may serve to facilitate the identification of at-risk children. Furthermore, significant environmental exposure to a drug (considered by law to constitute child abuse in some states) may be identified by toxicology testing of unwashed hair specimens. In order to determine the clinical utility of hair and urine toxicology testing in this population we performed a retrospective chart review on all children for whom hair toxicology testing was ordered at our academic medical center between January 2004 and April 2014. The medical records of 616 children aged 0-17.5 years were reviewed for injury history, previous medication and illicit drug use by caregiver(s), urine drug screen result (if performed), hair toxicology result, medication list, and outcome of any child abuse evaluation. Hair toxicology testing was positive for at least one compound in 106 cases (17.2%), with unexplained drugs in 82 cases (13.3%). Of these, there were 48 cases in which multiple compounds (including combination of parent drugs and/or metabolites within the same drug class) were identified in the sample of one patient. The compounds most frequently identified in the hair of our study population included cocaine, benzoylecgonine, native (unmetabolized) tetrahydrocannabinol, and methamphetamine. There were 68 instances in which a parent drug was identified in the hair without any of its potential metabolites, suggesting environmental exposure. Among the 82 cases in which hair toxicology testing was positive for unexplained drugs, a change in clinical outcome was noted in 71 cases (86.5%). Urine drug screens (UDS) were performed in 457 of the 616 reviewed cases. Of these, over 95% of positive UDS results could be explained by iatrogenic drug

A risk-based classification scheme for genetically modified foods. II: Graded testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Eunice; Krewski, Daniel

2008-12-01

This paper presents a graded approach to the testing of crop-derived genetically modified (GM) foods based on concern levels in a proposed risk-based classification scheme (RBCS) and currently available testing methods. A graded approach offers the potential for more efficient use of testing resources by focusing less on lower concern GM foods, and more on higher concern foods. In this proposed approach to graded testing, products that are classified as Level I would have met baseline testing requirements that are comparable to what is widely applied to premarket assessment of GM foods at present. In most cases, Level I products would require no further testing, or very limited confirmatory analyses. For products classified as Level II or higher, additional testing would be required, depending on the type of the substance, prior dietary history, estimated exposure level, prior knowledge of toxicity of the substance, and the nature of the concern related to unintended changes in the modified food. Level III testing applies only to the assessment of toxic and antinutritional effects from intended changes and is tailored to the nature of the substance in question. Since appropriate test methods are not currently available for all effects of concern, future research to strengthen the testing of GM foods is discussed.

Mounted Smartphones as Measurement and Control Platforms for Motor-Based Laboratory Test-Beds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jared A. Frank

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Laboratory education in science and engineering often entails the use of test-beds equipped with costly peripherals for sensing, acquisition, storage, processing, and control of physical behavior. However, costly peripherals are no longer necessary to obtain precise measurements and achieve stable feedback control of test-beds. With smartphones performing diverse sensing and processing tasks, this study examines the feasibility of mounting smartphones directly to test-beds to exploit their embedded hardware and software in the measurement and control of the test-beds. This approach is a first step towards replacing laboratory-grade peripherals with more compact and affordable smartphone-based platforms, whose interactive user interfaces can engender wider participation and engagement from learners. Demonstrative cases are presented in which the sensing, computation, control, and user interaction with three motor-based test-beds are handled by a mounted smartphone. Results of experiments and simulations are used to validate the feasibility of mounted smartphones as measurement and feedback control platforms for motor-based laboratory test-beds, report the measurement precision and closed-loop performance achieved with such platforms, and address challenges in the development of platforms to maintain system stability.

Mounted Smartphones as Measurement and Control Platforms for Motor-Based Laboratory Test-Beds.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Jared A; Brill, Anthony; Kapila, Vikram

2016-08-20

Laboratory education in science and engineering often entails the use of test-beds equipped with costly peripherals for sensing, acquisition, storage, processing, and control of physical behavior. However, costly peripherals are no longer necessary to obtain precise measurements and achieve stable feedback control of test-beds. With smartphones performing diverse sensing and processing tasks, this study examines the feasibility of mounting smartphones directly to test-beds to exploit their embedded hardware and software in the measurement and control of the test-beds. This approach is a first step towards replacing laboratory-grade peripherals with more compact and affordable smartphone-based platforms, whose interactive user interfaces can engender wider participation and engagement from learners. Demonstrative cases are presented in which the sensing, computation, control, and user interaction with three motor-based test-beds are handled by a mounted smartphone. Results of experiments and simulations are used to validate the feasibility of mounted smartphones as measurement and feedback control platforms for motor-based laboratory test-beds, report the measurement precision and closed-loop performance achieved with such platforms, and address challenges in the development of platforms to maintain system stability.

Effect of digital problem-based learning cases on student learning outcomes in ophthalmology courses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Jun; Li, Xiaoyan; Wang, Youdong; Sun, Wei; Zhang, Jinsong

2009-09-01

To assess the impact of digital problem-based learning (PBL) cases on student learning in ophthalmology courses. Ninety students were randomly divided into 3 classes (30 students per class). The first class studied under a didactic model. The other 2 classes were divided into 6 groups (10 students per group) and received PBL teaching; 3 groups studied via cases presented in digital form and the others studied via paper-form cases. The results of theoretical and case analysis examinations were analyzed using the chi(2) test. Student performance on the interval practice was analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Questionnaires were used to evaluate student and facilitator perceptions. Students in the digital groups exhibited better performance in the practice procedures according to tutorial evaluations compared with the other groups (P digital groups (vs 73% in the paper groups) noted that the cases greatly stimulated their interest. Introducing PBL into ophthalmology could improve educational quality and effectiveness. Digital PBL cases stimulate interest and motivate students to further improve diagnosis and problem-handling skills.

Evaluation of a low-cost liquid-based Pap test in rural El Salvador: a split-sample study.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Jin; Cremer, Miriam; Maza, Mauricio; Alfaro, Karla; Felix, Juan C

2014-04-01

We sought to test the diagnostic efficacy of a low-cost, liquid-based cervical cytology that could be implemented in low-resource settings. A prospective, split-sample Pap study was performed in 595 women attending a cervical cancer screening clinic in rural El Salvador. Collected cervical samples were used to make a conventional Pap (cell sample directly to glass slide), whereas residual material was used to make the liquid-based sample using the ClearPrep method. Selected samples were tested from the residual sample of the liquid-based collection for the presence of high-risk Human papillomaviruses. Of 595 patients, 570 were interpreted with the same diagnosis between the 2 methods (95.8% agreement). There were comparable numbers of unsatisfactory cases; however, ClearPrep significantly increased detection of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and decreased the diagnoses of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance. ClearPrep identified an equivalent number of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion cases as the conventional Pap. High-risk human papillomavirus was identified in all cases of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, adenocarcinoma in situ, and cancer as well as in 78% of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions out of the residual fluid of the ClearPrep vials. The low-cost ClearPrep Pap test demonstrated equivalent detection of squamous intraepithelial lesions when compared with the conventional Pap smear and demonstrated the potential for ancillary molecular testing. The test seems a viable option for implementation in low-resource settings.

An ontological case base engineering methodology for diabetes management.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Sappagh, Shaker H; El-Masri, Samir; Elmogy, Mohammed; Riad, A M; Saddik, Basema

2014-08-01

Ontology engineering covers issues related to ontology development and use. In Case Based Reasoning (CBR) system, ontology plays two main roles; the first as case base and the second as domain ontology. However, the ontology engineering literature does not provide adequate guidance on how to build, evaluate, and maintain ontologies. This paper proposes an ontology engineering methodology to generate case bases in the medical domain. It mainly focuses on the research of case representation in the form of ontology to support the case semantic retrieval and enhance all knowledge intensive CBR processes. A case study on diabetes diagnosis case base will be provided to evaluate the proposed methodology.

Characteristics of special-case wastes potentially destined for disposal at the Nevada Test Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, L.L.; Duran, F.A.

1994-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for disposing of a variety of radioactive and mixed wastes, some of which are considered special-case waste because they do not currently have a clear disposal option. It may be possible to dispose of some of the DOE's special-case waste using greater confinement disposal techniques at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The DOE asked Sandia National Laboratories to investigate this possibility by performing system configuration analyses. The first step in performing system configuration analyses is to estimate the characteristics of special-case waste that might be destined for disposal at the NTS. The objective of this report is to characterize this special-case waste based upon information available in the literature. No waste was sampled and analyzed specifically for this report. The waste compositions given are not highly detailed, consisting of grains and curies of specific radionuclides per cubic meter. However, such vague waste characterization is adequate for the purposes of the system configuration task. In some previous work done on this subject, Kudera et al. [1990] identified nine categories of special-case radioactive waste and estimated volumes and activities for these categories. It would have been difficult to develop waste compositions based on the categories proposed by Kudera et al. [1990], so we created five groups of waste on which to base the waste compositions. These groups are (1) transuranic waste, (2) fission product waste, (3) activation product waste, (4) mobile/volatile waste, and (5) sealed sources. The radionuclides within a given group share common characteristics (e.g., alpha-emitters, heat generators), and we believe that these groups adequately represent the DOE's special-case waste potentially destined for greater confinement disposal at the NTS

Does provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling lead to higher HIV testing rate and HIV case finding in Rwandan clinics?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kayigamba, Felix R.; van Santen, Daniëla; Bakker, Mirjam I.; Lammers, Judith; Mugisha, Veronicah; Bagiruwigize, Emmanuel; de Naeyer, Ludwig; Asiimwe, Anita; Schim van der Loeff, Maarten F.

2016-01-01

Provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling (PITC) is promoted as a means to increase HIV case finding. We assessed the effectiveness of PITC to increase HIV testing rate and HIV case finding among outpatients in Rwandan health facilities (HF). PITC was introduced in six HFs in 2009-2010. HIV

Full scale turbine-missile casing exit tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshimura, H.R.; Schamaun, J.T.; Sliter, G.E.

1979-01-01

Two full-scale tests have simulated the impact of a fragment from a failed turbine disk upon the steel casing of a low-pressure steam turbine with the objective of providing data for making more realistic assessments of turbine missile effects for nuclear power plant designers. Data were obtained on both the energy-absorbing mechanisms of the impact process and the post-impact trajectory of the fragment. (orig.)

Idealized tropical cyclone simulations of intermediate complexity: A test case for AGCMs

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Kevin Reed

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The paper introduces a moist, deterministic test case of intermediate complexity for Atmospheric General Circulation Models (AGCMs. We suggest pairing an AGCM dynamical core with simple physical parameterizations to test the evolution of a single, idealized, initially weak vortex into a tropical cyclone. The initial conditions are based on an initial vortex seed that is in gradient-wind and hydrostatic balance. The suggested ``simple-physics'' package consists of parameterizations of bulk aerodynamic surface fluxes for moisture, sensible heat and momentum, boundary layer diffusion, and large-scale condensation. Such a configuration includes the important driving mechanisms for tropical cyclones, and leads to a rapid intensification of the initial vortex over a forecast period of ten days. The simple-physics test paradigm is not limited to tropical cyclones, and can be universally applied to other flow fields. The physical parameterizations are described in detail to foster model intercomparisons.The characteristics of the intermediate-complexity test case are demonstrated with the help of four hydrostatic dynamical cores that are part of the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM 5 developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR. In particular, these are the Finite-Volume, Spectral Element, and spectral transform Eulerian and semi-Lagrangian dynamical cores that are coupled to the simple-physics suite. The simulations show that despite the simplicity of the physics forcings the models develop the tropical cyclone at horizontal grid spacings of about 55 km and finer. The simple-physics simulations reveal essential differences in the storm's structure and strength due to the choice of the dynamical core. Similar differences are also seen in complex full-physics aqua-planet experiments with CAM 5 which serve as a motivator for this work. The results suggest that differences in complex full-physics simulations can be, at least

A brief overview of the distribution test grids with a distributed generation inclusion case study

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Stanisavljević Aleksandar M.

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents an overview of the electric distribution test grids issued by different technical institutions. They are used for testing different scenarios in operation of a grid for research, benchmarking, comparison and other purposes. Their types, main characteristics, features as well as application possibilities are shown. Recently, these grids are modified with inclusion of distributed generation. An example of modification and application of the IEEE 13-bus for testing effects of faults in cases without and with a distributed generator connection to the grid is presented. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III 042004: Smart Electricity Distribution Grids Based on Distribution Management System and Distributed Generation

Interpretation, with respect to ASME code Case N-318, of limit moment and fatigue tests of lugs welded to pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, D.C.; Van Duyne, D.A.; Budlong, L.A.; Muffett, J.W.; Wais, E.A.; Streck, G.; Rodabaugh, E.C.

1990-01-01

Two nonmandatory ASME code cases have been used often in the evaluation of lugs on nuclear-power- plant piping systems. ASME Code Case N-318 provides guidance for evaluation of the design of rectangular cross-section attachments on Class 2 or 3 piping, and ASME Code Case N-122 provides guidance for evaluation of lugs on Class 1 piping. These code cases have been reviewed and evaluated based on available test data. The results indicate that the Code cases are overly conservative. Recommendations for revisions to the cases are presented which, if adopted, will reduce the overconservatism

Testing General Relativity with Low-Frequency, Space-Based Gravitational-Wave Detectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Gair, Jonathan R; Vallisneri, Michele; Larson, Shane L; Baker, John G

2013-01-01

We review the tests of general relativity that will become possible with space-based gravitational-wave detectors operating in the ∼ 10 -5 - 1 Hz low-frequency band. The fundamental aspects of gravitation that can be tested include the presence of additional gravitational fields other than the metric; the number and tensorial nature of gravitational-wave polarization states; the velocity of propagation of gravitational waves; the binding energy and gravitational-wave radiation of binaries, and therefore the time evolution of binary inspirals; the strength and shape of the waves emitted from binary mergers and ringdowns; the true nature of astrophysical black holes; and much more. The strength of this science alone calls for the swift implementation of a space-based detector; the remarkable richness of astrophysics, astronomy, and cosmology in the low-frequency gravitational-wave band make the case even stronger.

Differentiating case-based learning from problem-based learning after a twoday introductory workshop on case-based learning

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Aqil Mohammad Daher

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background Considerable overlap exists between case-based learning (CBL and problem-based learning (PBL and differentiating between the two can be difficult for a lot of the academicians. Aims This study gauged the ability of members of medical school, familiar with a problem-based learning (PBL curriculum, to differentiate between case-based learning (CBL and PBL after a two-day workshop on CBL. Methods A questionnaire was distributed to all participants, attending the introductory course on CBL. It was designed to document the basic characteristics of the respondents, their preference for either CBL or PBL, their ability to recognize differences between CBL and PBL, and their overall perception of the course. Results Of the total workshop participants, 80.5 per cent returned the completed questionnaire. The mean age of the respondents was 44.12±12.31 years and women made up a slight majority. Majority favoured CBL over PBL and felt it was more clinical, emphasizes on self-directed learning, provides more opportunities for learning, permits in-depth exploration of cases, has structured environment and encourages the use of all learning resources. On the respondents’ ability to discriminate CBL from PBL, a weighted score of 39.9 per cent indicated a failure on the part of the respondents to correctly identify differences between CBL and PBL. Less than half opined that CBL was a worthwhile progression from PBL and about third would recommend CBL over PBL. Conclusion It seems that majority of the respondents failed to adequately differentiate between CBL and PBL and didn’t favour CBL over PBL.

A Shandon PapSpin liquid-based gynecological test: A split-sample and direct-to-vial test with histology follow-up study

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Rimiene J

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Studies for liquid-based Papanicolaou (Pap tests reveal that liquid-based cytology (LBC is a safe and effective alternative to the conventional Pap smear. Although there is research on ThinPrep and SurePath systems, information is lacking to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of systems based on cytocentrifugation. This study is designed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the Shandon PapSpin (ThermoShandon, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA liquid-based gynecological system. We used split-sample and direct-to-vial study design. Materials and Methods: 2,945 women referred to prophylactic check-up were enrolled in this study. Split sample design was used in 1,500 women and residual cervical cytology specimen from all these cases was placed in fluid for PapSpin preparation after performing conventional smear. The direct-to-vial study was carried out in another cohort of 1,445 women in whom the entire cervical material was investigated using only the PapSpin technique. Follow up histological diagnoses for 141 women were obtained from both study arms following 189 abnormal cytology cases. 80 LBC cases from the split sample group and 61 LBC cases in the direct-to-vial group were correlated with the histology results. The sensitivity and secificity of the conventional smear and PapSpin tests in both study arms were compared. Results: In the split sample group, conventional smears showed a higher proportion of ASC-US (atypical cells undetermined significance: 31 (2.1% vs 10 (0.7% in PapSpin (P = 0.001. A higher proportion of unsatisfactory samples was found in the conventional smear group: 25 (1.7% vs 6 (0.4% cases (P = 0.001. In the split sample group, the sensitivity of the conventional and PapSpin tests was 68.7% vs 78.1%, and the specificity 93.8% vs 91.8%, respectively. In the direct to vial group PapSpin sensitivity was 75.9% and specificity 96.5%. The differences in sensitivity and specificity were not significant. The

Retrieval with Clustering in a Case-Based Reasoning System for Radiotherapy Treatment Planning

Science.gov (United States)

Khussainova, Gulmira; Petrovic, Sanja; Jagannathan, Rupa

2015-05-01

Radiotherapy treatment planning aims to deliver a sufficient radiation dose to cancerous tumour cells while sparing healthy organs in the tumour surrounding area. This is a trial and error process highly dependent on the medical staff's experience and knowledge. Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) is an artificial intelligence tool that uses past experiences to solve new problems. A CBR system has been developed to facilitate radiotherapy treatment planning for brain cancer. Given a new patient case the existing CBR system retrieves a similar case from an archive of successfully treated patient cases with the suggested treatment plan. The next step requires adaptation of the retrieved treatment plan to meet the specific demands of the new case. The CBR system was tested by medical physicists for the new patient cases. It was discovered that some of the retrieved cases were not suitable and could not be adapted for the new cases. This motivated us to revise the retrieval mechanism of the existing CBR system by adding a clustering stage that clusters cases based on their tumour positions. A number of well-known clustering methods were investigated and employed in the retrieval mechanism. Results using real world brain cancer patient cases have shown that the success rate of the new CBR retrieval is higher than that of the original system.

Retrieval with Clustering in a Case-Based Reasoning System for Radiotherapy Treatment Planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khussainova, Gulmira; Petrovic, Sanja; Jagannathan, Rupa

2015-01-01

Radiotherapy treatment planning aims to deliver a sufficient radiation dose to cancerous tumour cells while sparing healthy organs in the tumour surrounding area. This is a trial and error process highly dependent on the medical staff's experience and knowledge. Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) is an artificial intelligence tool that uses past experiences to solve new problems. A CBR system has been developed to facilitate radiotherapy treatment planning for brain cancer. Given a new patient case the existing CBR system retrieves a similar case from an archive of successfully treated patient cases with the suggested treatment plan. The next step requires adaptation of the retrieved treatment plan to meet the specific demands of the new case. The CBR system was tested by medical physicists for the new patient cases. It was discovered that some of the retrieved cases were not suitable and could not be adapted for the new cases. This motivated us to revise the retrieval mechanism of the existing CBR system by adding a clustering stage that clusters cases based on their tumour positions. A number of well-known clustering methods were investigated and employed in the retrieval mechanism. Results using real world brain cancer patient cases have shown that the success rate of the new CBR retrieval is higher than that of the original system. (paper)

Metamorphic Testing Integer Overflow Faults of Mission Critical Program: A Case Study

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Zhanwei Hui

2013-01-01

Full Text Available For mission critical programs, integer overflow is one of the most dangerous faults. Different testing methods provide several effective ways to detect the defect. However, it is hard to validate the testing outputs, because the oracle of testing is not always available or too expensive to get, unless the program throws an exception obviously. In the present study, the authors conduct a case study, where the authors apply a metamorphic testing (MT method to detect the integer overflow defect and alleviate the oracle problem in testing critical program of Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS. Experimental results show that, in revealing typical integer mutations, compared with traditional safety property testing method, MT with a novel symbolic metamorphic relation is more effective than the traditional method in some cases.

Hypersonic ground test capabilities for T and E testing above mach 8 ''a case where S and T meets T and E''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Constantino, M; Miles, R; Brown, G; Laster, M; Nelson, G

1999-01-01

Simulation of hypersonic flight in ground test and evaluation (T and E) facilities is a challenging and formidable task, especially to fully duplicate the flight environment above approximately Mach 8 for most all hypersonic flight systems that have been developed, conceived, or envisioned. Basically, and for many years, the enabling technology to build such a ground test wind tunnel facility has been severely limited in the area of high-temperature, high-strength materials and thermal protection approaches. To circumvent the problems, various approaches have been used, including partial simulation and use of similarity laws and reduced test time. These approaches often are not satisfactory, i.e. operability and durability testing for air-breathing propulsion development and thermal protection development of many flight systems. Thus, there is a strong need for science and technology (S and T) community involvement in technology development to address these problems. This paper discusses a specific case where this need exists and where significant S and T involvement has made and continues to make significant contributions. The case discussed will be an Air Force research program currently underway to develop enabling technologies for a Mach 8-15 hypersonic true temperature wind tunnel with relatively long run time. The research is based on a concept proposed by princeton University using radiant or beamed energy into the supersonic nozzle flow

Testlet-Based Multidimensional Adaptive Testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, Andreas; Seitz, Nicki-Nils; Brandt, Steffen

2016-01-01

Multidimensional adaptive testing (MAT) is a highly efficient method for the simultaneous measurement of several latent traits. Currently, no psychometrically sound approach is available for the use of MAT in testlet-based tests. Testlets are sets of items sharing a common stimulus such as a graph or a text. They are frequently used in large operational testing programs like TOEFL, PISA, PIRLS, or NAEP. To make MAT accessible for such testing programs, we present a novel combination of MAT with a multidimensional generalization of the random effects testlet model (MAT-MTIRT). MAT-MTIRT compared to non-adaptive testing is examined for several combinations of testlet effect variances (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5) and testlet sizes (3, 6, and 9 items) with a simulation study considering three ability dimensions with simple loading structure. MAT-MTIRT outperformed non-adaptive testing regarding the measurement precision of the ability estimates. Further, the measurement precision decreased when testlet effect variances and testlet sizes increased. The suggested combination of the MTIRT model therefore provides a solution to the substantial problems of testlet-based tests while keeping the length of the test within an acceptable range.

Testlet-based Multidimensional Adaptive Testing

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Andreas Frey

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Multidimensional adaptive testing (MAT is a highly efficient method for the simultaneous measurement of several latent traits. Currently, no psychometrically sound approach is available for the use of MAT in testlet-based tests. Testlets are sets of items sharing a common stimulus such as a graph or a text. They are frequently used in large operational testing programs like TOEFL, PISA, PIRLS, or NAEP. To make MAT accessible for such testing programs, we present a novel combination of MAT with a multidimensional generalization of the random effects testlet model (MAT-MTIRT. MAT-MTIRT compared to non-adaptive testing is examined for several combinations of testlet effect variances (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and testlet sizes (3 items, 6 items, 9 items with a simulation study considering three ability dimensions with simple loading structure. MAT-MTIRT outperformed non-adaptive testing regarding the measurement precision of the ability estimates. Further, the measurement precision decreased when testlet effect variances and testlet sizes increased. The suggested combination of the MTIRT model therefore provides a solution to the substantial problems of testlet-based tests while keeping the length of the test within an acceptable range.

Testing Pneumonia Vaccines in the Elderly: Determining a Case Definition for Pneumococcal Pneumonia in the Absence of a Gold Standard.

Science.gov (United States)

Jokinen, Jukka; Snellman, Marja; Palmu, Arto A; Saukkoriipi, Annika; Verlant, Vincent; Pascal, Thierry; Devaster, Jeanne-Marie; Hausdorff, William P; Kilpi, Terhi M

2017-12-15

Clinical assessments of vaccines to prevent pneumococcal (Pnc) community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) require sensitive and specific case definitions, but there is no gold standard diagnostic test. To develop a new case definition suitable for vaccine efficacy studies, we applied latent class analysis (LCA) to the results from seven diagnostic tests for Pnc etiology on clinical specimens from 323 elderly radiologically-confirmed pneumonia cases enrolled in The Finnish Community-Acquired Pneumonia Epidemiology study during 2005-2007. Compared to the conventional use of LCA, which is mainly to determine sensitivities and specificities of different tests, we instead used LCA as an appropriate instrument to predict the probability of Pnc etiology for each CAP case based on their test profiles, and utilized the predictions to minimize the sample size that would be needed for a vaccine efficacy trial. When compared to the conventional laboratory criteria of encapsulated Pnc in blood culture or in high-quality sputum culture or urine antigen positivity, our optimized case definition for PncCAP resulted in a trial sample size which was almost 20,000 subjects smaller. We believe that our novel application of LCA detailed here to determine a case definition for PncCAP could also be similarly applied to other diseases without a gold standard. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Similar-Case-Based Optimization of Beam Arrangements in Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Assisting Treatment Planners

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Taiki Magome

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To develop a similar-case-based optimization method for beam arrangements in lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT to assist treatment planners. Methods. First, cases that are similar to an objective case were automatically selected based on geometrical features related to a planning target volume (PTV location, PTV shape, lung size, and spinal cord position. Second, initial beam arrangements were determined by registration of similar cases with the objective case using a linear registration technique. Finally, beam directions of the objective case were locally optimized based on the cost function, which takes into account the radiation absorption in normal tissues and organs at risk. The proposed method was evaluated with 10 test cases and a treatment planning database including 81 cases, by using 11 planning evaluation indices such as tumor control probability and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP. Results. The procedure for the local optimization of beam arrangements improved the quality of treatment plans with significant differences (P<0.05 in the homogeneity index and conformity index for the PTV, V10, V20, mean dose, and NTCP for the lung. Conclusion. The proposed method could be usable as a computer-aided treatment planning tool for the determination of beam arrangements in SBRT.

Testing digital safety system software with a testability measure based on a software fault tree

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohn, Se Do; Hyun Seong, Poong

2006-01-01

Using predeveloped software, a digital safety system is designed that meets the quality standards of a safety system. To demonstrate the quality, the design process and operating history of the product are reviewed along with configuration management practices. The application software of the safety system is developed in accordance with the planned life cycle. Testing, which is a major phase that takes a significant time in the overall life cycle, can be optimized if the testability of the software can be evaluated. The proposed testability measure of the software is based on the entropy of the importance of basic statements and the failure probability from a software fault tree. To calculate testability, a fault tree is used in the analysis of a source code. With a quantitative measure of testability, testing can be optimized. The proposed testability can also be used to demonstrate whether the test cases based on uniform partitions, such as branch coverage criteria, result in homogeneous partitions that is known to be more effective than random testing. In this paper, the testability measure is calculated for the modules of a nuclear power plant's safety software. The module testing with branch coverage criteria required fewer test cases if the module has higher testability. The result shows that the testability measure can be used to evaluate whether partitions have homogeneous characteristics

Effectiveness of test driven development and continuous integration - a case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Amrit, Chintan; Meijberg, Yoni

2018-01-01

In this article we describe the implementation of hybrid agile practices, namely Test Driven Development (TDD) and Continuous Integration (CI) at a Dutch SME. The quality and productivity outcomes of the case study were compared to a performance baseline set by a reference case, a preceding

Developing and pilot testing of a tool for "clinicosocial case study" assessment of community medicine residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Gohel, Manisha; Singh, Uday Shankar; Bhanderi, Dinesh; Phatak, Ajay

2016-01-01

Practical and clinical skills teaching should constitute a core part of the postgraduate curriculum of Community Medicine. The clinicosocial case study is a method to enhance learners' skills but there is no generally accepted organized system of formative assessment and structured feedback to guide students. A new tool based on the principles of mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (mini CEX) was developed and pilot tested as a 'clinicosocial case study' assessment of community medicine residents with feedback as a core component. Ten core domains of clinicosocial skills were identified after reviewing the relevant literature and input from local experts in community medicine and medical education. We pilot tested the tool with eight faculty members to assess five residents during clinicosocial case presentations on a variety of topics. Kappa statistic and Bland Altman plots were used to assess agreement between faculty members' average assessment scores. Cronbach's alpha was used to test the internal consistency with faculty members as domains. All 95% confidence limits using the Bland-Altman method were within the predetermined limit of 2 points. The overall Kappa between two faculty members was fair ranging from 0.2 to 0.3. Qualitative feedback revealed that both faculty and residents were enthusiastic about the process but faculty suggested further standardization, while residents suggested streamlining of the process. This new assessment tool is available for objective and unbiased assessment of residents through 'clinicosocial case study,' which enriches learning through comprehensive feedback. Further validation in different settings is needed.

Case-based reasoning: The marriage of knowledge base and data base

Science.gov (United States)

Pulaski, Kirt; Casadaban, Cyprian

1988-01-01

The coupling of data and knowledge has a synergistic effect when building an intelligent data base. The goal is to integrate the data and knowledge almost to the point of indistinguishability, permitting them to be used interchangeably. Examples given in this paper suggest that Case-Based Reasoning is a more integrated way to link data and knowledge than pure rule-based reasoning.

Testing General Relativity with Low-Frequency, Space-Based Gravitational-Wave Detectors

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John G. Baker

2013-09-01

Full Text Available We review the tests of general relativity that will become possible with space-based gravitational-wave detectors operating in the ∼ 10^{-5} – 1 Hz low-frequency band. The fundamental aspects of gravitation that can be tested include the presence of additional gravitational fields other than the metric; the number and tensorial nature of gravitational-wave polarization states; the velocity of propagation of gravitational waves; the binding energy and gravitational-wave radiation of binaries, and therefore the time evolution of binary inspirals; the strength and shape of the waves emitted from binary mergers and ringdowns; the true nature of astrophysical black holes; and much more. The strength of this science alone calls for the swift implementation of a space-based detector; the remarkable richness of astrophysics, astronomy, and cosmology in the low-frequency gravitational-wave band make the case even stronger.

Mounted Smartphones as Measurement and Control Platforms for Motor-Based Laboratory Test-Beds †

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Jared A.; Brill, Anthony; Kapila, Vikram

2016-01-01

Laboratory education in science and engineering often entails the use of test-beds equipped with costly peripherals for sensing, acquisition, storage, processing, and control of physical behavior. However, costly peripherals are no longer necessary to obtain precise measurements and achieve stable feedback control of test-beds. With smartphones performing diverse sensing and processing tasks, this study examines the feasibility of mounting smartphones directly to test-beds to exploit their embedded hardware and software in the measurement and control of the test-beds. This approach is a first step towards replacing laboratory-grade peripherals with more compact and affordable smartphone-based platforms, whose interactive user interfaces can engender wider participation and engagement from learners. Demonstrative cases are presented in which the sensing, computation, control, and user interaction with three motor-based test-beds are handled by a mounted smartphone. Results of experiments and simulations are used to validate the feasibility of mounted smartphones as measurement and feedback control platforms for motor-based laboratory test-beds, report the measurement precision and closed-loop performance achieved with such platforms, and address challenges in the development of platforms to maintain system stability. PMID:27556464

Signal Analysis of Automotive Engine Spark Ignition System using Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) and Case-based Maintenance (CBM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, H.; Vong, C. M.; Wong, P. K.

2010-01-01

With the development of modern technology, modern vehicles adopt electronic control system for injection and ignition. In traditional way, whenever there is any malfunctioning in an automotive engine, an automotive mechanic usually performs a diagnosis in the ignition system of the engine to check any exceptional symptoms. In this paper, we present a case-based reasoning (CBR) approach to help solve human diagnosis problem. Nevertheless, one drawback of CBR system is that the case library will be expanded gradually after repeatedly running the system, which may cause inaccuracy and longer time for the CBR retrieval. To tackle this problem, case-based maintenance (CBM) framework is employed so that the case library of the CBR system will be compressed by clustering to produce a set of representative cases. As a result, the performance (in retrieval accuracy and time) of the whole CBR system can be improved.

Intelligent Adaptation Process for Case Based Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nassar, A.M.; Mohamed, A.H.; Mohamed, A.H.

2014-01-01

Case Based Reasoning (CBR) Systems is one of the important decision making systems applied in many fields all over the world. The effectiveness of any CBR system based on the quality of the storage cases in the case library. Similar cases can be retrieved and adapted to produce the solution for the new problem. One of the main issues faced the CBR systems is the difficulties of achieving the useful cases. The proposed system introduces a new approach that uses the genetic algorithm (GA) technique to automate constructing the cases into the case library. Also, it can optimize the best one to be stored in the library for the future uses. However, the proposed system can avoid the problems of the uncertain and noisy cases. Besides, it can simply the retrieving and adaptation processes. So, it can improve the performance of the CBR system. The suggested system can be applied for many real-time problems. It has been applied for diagnosis the faults of the wireless network, diagnosis of the cancer diseases, diagnosis of the debugging of a software as cases of study. The proposed system has proved its performance in this field

Specific antigen serologic tests in leprosy: implications for epidemiological surveillance of leprosy cases and household contacts.

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, Ana Paula Mendes; Coelho, Angélica da Conceição Oliveira; Correa-Oliveira, Rodrigo; Lana, Francisco Carlos Félix

2017-09-01

There is a lack of straightforward tests for field application and known biomarkers for predicting leprosy progression in infected individuals. The aim was to analyse the response to infection by Mycobacterium leprae based on the reactivity of specific antigens: natural disaccharide linked to human serum albumin via an octyl (NDOHSA), a semisynthetic phenolic glycolipid-I (PGL-I); Leprosy Infectious Disease Research Institute Diagnostic-1 (LID-1) and natural disaccharide octyl - Leprosy Infectious Disease Research Institute Diagnostic-1 (NDOLID). The study population consisted of 130 leprosy cases diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 and 277 household contacts. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to analyse the reactivity of antibodies against NDOHSA, LID-1 and NDOLID. The samples and controls were tested in duplicate, and the antibody titer was expressed as an ELISA index. Data collection was made by home visits with application of questionnaire and dermatological evaluation of all household contacts to identify signs and symptoms of leprosy. Significant differences in the median ELISA results were observed among leprosy cases in treatment, leprosy cases that had completed treatment and household contacts. Higher proportions of seropositivity were observed in leprosy cases in treatment. Seropositivity was also higher in multibacillary in relation to paucibacillary, with the difference reaching statistical significance. Lower titers were observed among cases with a longer treatment time or discharge. For household contacts, the differences according to the clinical characteristics of the leprosy index case were less pronounced than expected. Other factors, such as the endemicity of leprosy, exposure outside the residence and genetic characteristics, appeared to have a greater influence on the seropositivity. Serologic tests could be used as auxiliary tools for determining the operational classification, in addition to identifying infected individuals

A Case-Based Curriculum for Introductory Geology

Science.gov (United States)

Goldsmith, David W.

2011-01-01

For the past 5 years I have been teaching my introductory geology class using a case-based method that promotes student engagement and inquiry. This article presents an explanation of how a case-based curriculum differs from a more traditional approach to the material. It also presents a statistical analysis of several years' worth of student…

Use of combinatorial pharmacogenomic testing in two cases from community psychiatry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fields ES

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Eve S Fields,1 Raymond A Lorenz,2 Joel G Winner2 1Northwest Center for Community Mental Health, Reston, VA, USA; 2Assurex Health, Mason, OH, USA Abstract: This report describes two cases in which pharmacogenomic testing was utilized to guide medication selection for difficult to treat patients. The first patient is a 29-year old male with bipolar disorder who had severe akathisia due to his long acting injectable antipsychotic. The second patient is a 59-year old female with major depressive disorder who was not ­responding to her medication. In both cases, a proprietary combinatorial pharmacogenomic test was used to inform medication changes and improve patient outcomes. The first patient was switched to a long acting injectable that was not affected by his genetic profile and his adverse effects abated. The second patient had her medications discontinued due to the results of the genetic testing and more intense psychotherapy initiated. While pharmacogenomic testing may be ­helpful in cases such as these presented here, it should never serve as a proxy for a comprehensive biopsychosocial approach. The pharmacogenomic information may be selectively added to this comprehensive approach to support medication treatment. Keywords: pharmacogenomics, adverse effects, risperidone, nortriptyline, paliperidone

Natural history of chondroid skull base lesions - case report and review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidinger, A.; Rosahl, S.K.; Vorkapic, P.; Samii, M.

2002-01-01

Long-term follow-up reports on chondroid lesions of the skull base are rarely presented in the literature. There are virtually no data on natural growth rates of these tumors based on MRI obtained over a period of 10 years or longer. We followed a patient who has had such a lesion for more than 12 years. A non-progressive, slight abducens palsy has been the only associated symptom so far. Even though the patient was operated on for an additional intracranial arterio-venous malformation, clinical features and chromosomal testing excluded Maffucci's syndrome. The MRI follow-up in this case provides an extraordinary perspective on the natural history of chondroid skull base tumors. (orig.)

[Analysis of sequelae of the latissimus dorsi flap removal. Report of 44 cases reviewed and tested].

Science.gov (United States)

Legré, R; Boghossian, V; Servant, J M; Magalon, G; Bureau, H

1990-01-01

Since Tanzini, the latissimus dorsi muscle flap has been widely used in plastic surgery. Based on the experience of two plastic surgery units, we decided to try to define the sequelae of this operation. In order to simplify our analysis we only considered free flaps. Out study is based on 42 patients (26 pure muscular flaps and 16 musculo-cutaneous flaps). The sequelae were analysed in terms of aesthetic and functional criteria. The aesthetic sequelae appeared to be minima in the case of pure muscular flaps, but more severe in the case of musculo-cutaneous flaps. Functional sequelae in the shoulder were observed on muscle testing in 30% of cases, although there were no repercussions on sport or work activities. Analysis of spinal posture demonstrated a modification in the frontal plane in 40% of cases although this could not be clearly attributed to the donor site. On the basis of this study, we can conclude that the latissimus dorsi flap retains an important place in the therapeutic arsenal of plastic surgery due to its reliability and its minor cicatricial and functional sequelae at the donor site.

Concept Test of a Smoking Cessation Smart Case.

Science.gov (United States)

Comello, Maria Leonora G; Porter, Jeannette H

2018-04-05

Wearable/portable devices that unobtrusively detect smoking and contextual data offer the potential to provide Just-In-Time Adaptive Intervention (JITAI) support for mobile cessation programs. Little has been reported on the development of these technologies. To address this gap, we offer a case report of users' experiences with a prototype "smart" cigarette case that automatically tracks time and location of smoking. Small-scale user-experience studies are typical of iterative product design and are especially helpful when proposing novel ideas. The purpose of the study was to assess concept acceptability and potential for further development. We tested the prototype case with a small sample of potential users (n = 7). Participants used the hardware/software for 2 weeks and reconvened for a 90-min focus group to discuss experiences and provide feedback. Participants liked the smart case in principle but found the prototype too bulky for easy portability. The potential for the case to convey positive messages about self also emerged as a finding. Participants indicated willingness to pay for improved technology (USD $15-$60 on a one-time basis). The smart case is a viable concept, but design detail is critical to user acceptance. Future research should examine designs that maximize convenience and that explore the device's ability to cue intentions and other cognitions that would support cessation. This study is the first to our knowledge to report formative research on the smart case concept. This initial exploration provides insights that may be helpful to other developers of JITAI-support technology.

Knowledge-Based Approaches: Two cases of applicability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Tom

1997-01-01

Basic issues of the term: A knowledge-based approach (KBA) are discussed. Two cases of applicable to KBA are presented, and its concluded that KBA is more than just IT.......Basic issues of the term: A knowledge-based approach (KBA) are discussed. Two cases of applicable to KBA are presented, and its concluded that KBA is more than just IT....

Space Launch System Base Heating Test: Environments and Base Flow Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Manish; Knox, Kyle S.; Seaford, C. Mark; Dufrene, Aaron T.

2016-01-01

The NASA Space Launch System (SLS) vehicle is composed of four RS-25 liquid oxygen- hydrogen rocket engines in the core-stage and two 5-segment solid rocket boosters and as a result six hot supersonic plumes interact within the aft section of the vehicle during ight. Due to the complex nature of rocket plume-induced ows within the launch vehicle base during ascent and a new vehicle con guration, sub-scale wind tunnel testing is required to reduce SLS base convective environment uncertainty and design risk levels. This hot- re test program was conducted at the CUBRC Large Energy National Shock (LENS) II short-duration test facility to simulate ight from altitudes of 50 kft to 210 kft. The test program is a challenging and innovative e ort that has not been attempted in 40+ years for a NASA vehicle. This presentation discusses the various trends of base convective heat ux and pressure as a function of altitude at various locations within the core-stage and booster base regions of the two-percent SLS wind tunnel model. In-depth understanding of the base ow physics is presented using the test data, infrared high-speed imaging and theory. The normalized test design environments are compared to various NASA semi- empirical numerical models to determine exceedance and conservatism of the ight scaled test-derived base design environments. Brief discussion of thermal impact to the launch vehicle base components is also presented.

Industrial-Strength Model-Based Testing - State of the Art and Current Challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Peleska

2013-03-01

Full Text Available As of today, model-based testing (MBT is considered as leading-edge technology in industry. We sketch the different MBT variants that - according to our experience - are currently applied in practice, with special emphasis on the avionic, railway and automotive domains. The key factors for successful industrial-scale application of MBT are described, both from a scientific and a managerial point of view. With respect to the former view, we describe the techniques for automated test case, test data and test procedure generation for concurrent reactive real-time systems which are considered as the most important enablers for MBT in practice. With respect to the latter view, our experience with introducing MBT approaches in testing teams are sketched. Finally, the most challenging open scientific problems whose solutions are bound to improve the acceptance and effectiveness of MBT in industry are discussed.

An Extended Quadratic Frobenius Primality Test with Average and Worst Case Error Estimates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damgård, Ivan Bjerre; Frandsen, Gudmund Skovbjerg

2003-01-01

We present an Extended Quadratic Frobenius Primality Test (EQFT), which is related to an extends the Miller-Rabin test and the Quadratic Frobenius test (QFT) by Grantham. EQFT takes time about equivalent to 2 Miller-Rabin tests, but has much smaller error probability, namely 256/331776t for t...... for the error probability of this algorithm as well as a general closed expression bounding the error. For instance, it is at most 2-143 for k = 500, t = 2. Compared to earlier similar results for the Miller-Rabin test, the results indicates that our test in the average case has the effect of 9 Miller......-Rabin tests, while only taking time equivalent to about 2 such tests. We also give bounds for the error in case a prime is sought by incremental search from a random starting point....

An Extended Quadratic Frobenius Primality Test with Average- and Worst-Case Error Estimate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damgård, Ivan Bjerre; Frandsen, Gudmund Skovbjerg

2006-01-01

We present an Extended Quadratic Frobenius Primality Test (EQFT), which is related to an extends the Miller-Rabin test and the Quadratic Frobenius test (QFT) by Grantham. EQFT takes time about equivalent to 2 Miller-Rabin tests, but has much smaller error probability, namely 256/331776t for t...... for the error probability of this algorithm as well as a general closed expression bounding the error. For instance, it is at most 2-143 for k = 500, t = 2. Compared to earlier similar results for the Miller-Rabin test, the results indicates that our test in the average case has the effect of 9 Miller......-Rabin tests, while only taking time equivalent to about 2 such tests. We also give bounds for the error in case a prime is sought by incremental search from a random starting point....

Model-based testing for embedded systems

CERN Document Server

Zander, Justyna; Mosterman, Pieter J

2011-01-01

What the experts have to say about Model-Based Testing for Embedded Systems: "This book is exactly what is needed at the exact right time in this fast-growing area. From its beginnings over 10 years ago of deriving tests from UML statecharts, model-based testing has matured into a topic with both breadth and depth. Testing embedded systems is a natural application of MBT, and this book hits the nail exactly on the head. Numerous topics are presented clearly, thoroughly, and concisely in this cutting-edge book. The authors are world-class leading experts in this area and teach us well-used

Risk stratification of women with false-positive test results in mammography screening based on mammographic morphology and density

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winkel, Rikke Rass; von Euler-Chelpin, My Catarina; Lynge, Elsebeth

2017-01-01

a case-control study nested in the population-based screening programme in Copenhagen, Denmark. We included 288 cases and 288 controls based on a cohort of 4743 women with at least one FP-test result in 1991–2005 who were followed up until 17 April 2008. Film-based mammograms were assessed using...... the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) density classification, the Tabár classification, and two automated techniques quantifying percentage mammographic density (PMD) and mammographic texture (MTR), respectively. The association with breast cancer was estimated using binary logistic...

An Iterative Procedure for Efficient Testing of B2B: A Case in Messaging Service Tests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kulvatunyou, Boonserm [ORNL

2007-03-01

Testing is a necessary step in systems integration. Testing in the context of inter-enterprise, business-to-business (B2B) integration is more difficult and expensive than intra-enterprise integration. Traditionally, the difficulty is alleviated by conducting the testing in two stages: conformance testing and then interoperability testing. In conformance testing, systems are tested independently against a reference system. In interoperability testing, they are tested simultaneously against one another. In the traditional approach for testing, these two stages are performed sequentially with little feedback between them. In addition, test results and test traces are left only to human analysis or even discarded if the solution passes the test. This paper proposes an approach where test results and traces from both the conformance and interoperability tests are analyzed for potential interoperability issues; conformance test cases are then derived from the analysis. The result is that more interoperability issues can be resolved in the lower-cost conformance testing mode; consequently, time and cost required for achieving interoparble solutions are reduced.

Logistics case study based research: Towards higher quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedrosa, Alex; Näslund, Dag; Jasmand, Claudia

2012-01-01

analysis of 134 case study based articles published in six leading logistics and supply chain management (SCM) journals between 1998 and 2010 is used to assess and evaluate the quality of the case study based research approach as documented in these publications. Findings – This research provides...... to address to ensure high quality of the case study based research approach in published articles. Research limitations/implications – This study is limited to the analysis of published articles in six logistics and SCM journals. Further research should investigate different journals in logistics and other...

Cytogenotoxicity screening of source water, wastewater and treated water of drinking water treatment plants using two in vivo test systems: Allium cepa root based and Nile tilapia erythrocyte based tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Hemachandra, Chamini K; Pathiratne, Asoka

2017-01-01

Biological effect directed in vivo tests with model organisms are useful in assessing potential health risks associated with chemical contaminations in surface waters. This study examined the applicability of two in vivo test systems viz. plant, Allium cepa root based tests and fish, Oreochromis niloticus erythrocyte based tests for screening cytogenotoxic potential of raw source water, water treatment waste (effluents) and treated water of drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) using two DWTPs associated with a major river in Sri Lanka. Measured physico-chemical parameters of the raw water, effluents and treated water samples complied with the respective Sri Lankan standards. In the in vivo tests, raw water induced statistically significant root growth retardation, mitodepression and chromosomal abnormalities in the root meristem of the plant and micronuclei/nuclear buds evolution and genetic damage (as reflected by comet scores) in the erythrocytes of the fish compared to the aged tap water controls signifying greater genotoxicity of the source water especially in the dry period. The effluents provoked relatively high cytogenotoxic effects on both test systems but the toxicity in most cases was considerably reduced to the raw water level with the effluent dilution (1:8). In vivo tests indicated reduction of cytogenotoxic potential in the tested drinking water samples. The results support the potential applications of practically feasible in vivo biological test systems such as A. cepa root based tests and the fish erythrocyte based tests as complementary tools for screening cytogenotoxicity potential of the source water and water treatment waste reaching downstream of aquatic ecosystems and for evaluating cytogenotoxicity eliminating efficacy of the DWTPs in different seasons in view of human and ecological safety. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oscillation-based test in mixed-signal circuits

CERN Document Server

Sánchez, Gloria Huertas; Rueda, Adoración Rueda

2007-01-01

This book presents the development and experimental validation of the structural test strategy called Oscillation-Based Test - OBT in short. The results presented here assert, not only from a theoretical point of view, but also based on a wide experimental support, that OBT is an efficient defect-oriented test solution, complementing the existing functional test techniques for mixed-signal circuits.

Effectiveness comparison of partially executed t-way test suite based generated by existing strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Othman, Rozmie R.; Ahmad, Mohd Zamri Zahir; Ali, Mohd Shaiful Aziz Rashid; Zakaria, Hasneeza Liza; Rahman, Md. Mostafijur

2015-05-01

Consuming 40 to 50 percent of software development cost, software testing is one of the most resource consuming activities in software development lifecycle. To ensure an acceptable level of quality and reliability of a typical software product, it is desirable to test every possible combination of input data under various configurations. Due to combinatorial explosion problem, considering all exhaustive testing is practically impossible. Resource constraints, costing factors as well as strict time-to-market deadlines are amongst the main factors that inhibit such consideration. Earlier work suggests that sampling strategy (i.e. based on t-way parameter interaction or called as t-way testing) can be effective to reduce number of test cases without effecting the fault detection capability. However, for a very large system, even t-way strategy will produce a large test suite that need to be executed. In the end, only part of the planned test suite can be executed in order to meet the aforementioned constraints. Here, there is a need for test engineers to measure the effectiveness of partially executed test suite in order for them to assess the risk they have to take. Motivated by the abovementioned problem, this paper presents the effectiveness comparison of partially executed t-way test suite generated by existing strategies using tuples coverage method. Here, test engineers can predict the effectiveness of the testing process if only part of the original test cases is executed.

The Impact of Introducing Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests on Fever Case Management: A Synthesis of Ten Studies from the ACT Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruxvoort, Katia J; Leurent, Baptiste; Chandler, Clare I R; Ansah, Evelyn K; Baiden, Frank; Björkman, Anders; Burchett, Helen E D; Clarke, Siân E; Cundill, Bonnie; DiLiberto, Debora D; Elfving, Kristina; Goodman, Catherine; Hansen, Kristian S; Kachur, S Patrick; Lal, Sham; Lalloo, David G; Leslie, Toby; Magnussen, Pascal; Mangham-Jefferies, Lindsay; Mårtensson, Andreas; Mayan, Ismail; Mbonye, Anthony K; Msellem, Mwinyi I; Onwujekwe, Obinna E; Owusu-Agyei, Seth; Rowland, Mark W; Shakely, Delér; Staedke, Sarah G; Vestergaard, Lasse S; Webster, Jayne; Whitty, Christopher J M; Wiseman, Virginia L; Yeung, Shunmay; Schellenberg, David; Hopkins, Heidi

2017-10-01

Since 2010, the World Health Organization has been recommending that all suspected cases of malaria be confirmed with parasite-based diagnosis before treatment. These guidelines represent a paradigm shift away from presumptive antimalarial treatment of fever. Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) are central to implementing this policy, intended to target artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT) to patients with confirmed malaria and to improve management of patients with nonmalarial fevers. The ACT Consortium conducted ten linked studies, eight in sub-Saharan Africa and two in Afghanistan, to evaluate the impact of mRDT introduction on case management across settings that vary in malaria endemicity and healthcare provider type. This synthesis includes 562,368 outpatient encounters (study size range 2,400-432,513). mRDTs were associated with significantly lower ACT prescription (range 8-69% versus 20-100%). Prescribing did not always adhere to malaria test results; in several settings, ACTs were prescribed to more than 30% of test-negative patients or to fewer than 80% of test-positive patients. Either an antimalarial or an antibiotic was prescribed for more than 75% of patients across most settings; lower antimalarial prescription for malaria test-negative patients was partly offset by higher antibiotic prescription. Symptomatic management with antipyretics alone was prescribed for fewer than 25% of patients across all scenarios. In community health worker and private retailer settings, mRDTs increased referral of patients to other providers. This synthesis provides an overview of shifts in case management that may be expected with mRDT introduction and highlights areas of focus to improve design and implementation of future case management programs.

Teaching clinical reasoning: case-based and coached.

Science.gov (United States)

Kassirer, Jerome P

2010-07-01

Optimal medical care is critically dependent on clinicians' skills to make the right diagnosis and to recommend the most appropriate therapy, and acquiring such reasoning skills is a key requirement at every level of medical education. Teaching clinical reasoning is grounded in several fundamental principles of educational theory. Adult learning theory posits that learning is best accomplished by repeated, deliberate exposure to real cases, that case examples should be selected for their reflection of multiple aspects of clinical reasoning, and that the participation of a coach augments the value of an educational experience. The theory proposes that memory of clinical medicine and clinical reasoning strategies is enhanced when errors in information, judgment, and reasoning are immediately pointed out and discussed. Rather than using cases artificially constructed from memory, real cases are greatly preferred because they often reflect the false leads, the polymorphisms of actual clinical material, and the misleading test results encountered in everyday practice. These concepts foster the teaching and learning of the diagnostic process, the complex trade-offs between the benefits and risks of diagnostic tests and treatments, and cognitive errors in clinical reasoning. The teaching of clinical reasoning need not and should not be delayed until students gain a full understanding of anatomy and pathophysiology. Concepts such as hypothesis generation, pattern recognition, context formulation, diagnostic test interpretation, differential diagnosis, and diagnostic verification provide both the language and the methods of clinical problem solving. Expertise is attainable even though the precise mechanisms of achieving it are not known.

Preliminary energy demand studies for Ireland: base case and high case for 1980, 1985 and 1990

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henry, E W

1981-01-01

The framework of the Base Case and the High Case for 1990 for Ireland, related to the demand modules of the medium-term European Communities (EC) Energy Model, is described. The modules are: Multi-national Macre-economic Module (EURECA); National Input-Output Model (EXPLOR); and National Energy Demand Model (EDM). The final results of the EXPLOR and EDM are described; one set related to the Base Case and the other related to the High Case. The forecast or projection is termed Base Case because oil prices are assumed to increase with general price inflation, at the same rate. The other forecast is termed High Case because oil prices are assumed to increase at 5% per year more rapidly than general price inflation. The EXPLOR-EDM methodology is described. The lack of data on energy price elasticities for Ireland is noted. A comparison of the Base Case with the High Case is made. (MCW)

Interactive case-based learning improves resident knowledge and confidence in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, Kara N; Tiegs, Ashley W; Uquillas, Kristen; Nachtigall, Margaret; Fino, M Elizabeth; Winkel, Abigail F; Lerner, Veronica

2017-06-01

Resident physicians' scores on the REI section of the CREOG exam are traditionally low, and nearly 40% of house staff nation-wide perceive their REI knowledge to be poor. We aimed to assess whether an interactive case-based group-learning curriculum would narrow the REI knowledge gap by improving understanding and retention of core REI concepts under the time constraints affecting residents. A three-hour case-based workshop was developed to address four primary CREOG objectives. A multiple-choice test was administered immediately before and after the intervention and 7 weeks post-workshop, to evaluate both knowledge and confidence. Following the intervention, residents self-reported increased confidence with counseling and treatment of PCOS, ovulation induction cycle monitoring, counseling and treatment of POI, and breaking bad news related to infertility (p < 0.05). The multiple-choice exam was re-administered 7 weeks post-intervention, and scores remained significantly improved compared to pre-workshop scores (p < 0.05). At that time, all residents either strongly agreed (91.7%) or agreed (8.3%) that the case-based interactive format was preferable to traditional lecture-based teaching. In conclusion, a nontraditional curriculum aimed at teaching core REI concepts to residents through interactive case-based learning can be successfully integrated into a residency curriculum, and significantly improves knowledge and confidence of critical concepts in REI.

Negative Exercise Stress Test: Does it Mean Anything? Case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassan A. Mohamed

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Despite its low sensitivity and specificity (67% and 72%, respectively, exercise testing has remained one of the most widely used noninvasive tests to determine the prognosis in patients with suspected or established coronary disease.As a screening test for coronary artery disease, the exercise stress test is useful in that it is relatively simple and inexpensive. It has been considered particularly helpful in patients with chest pain syndromes who have moderate probability for coronary artery disease, and in whom the resting electrocardiogram (ECG is normal. The following case presentation and discussion will question the predictive value of a negative stress testing in patients with moderate probability for coronary artery disease.

Making System Dynamics Cool II : New Hot Teaching and Testing Cases of Increasing Complexity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pruyt, E.

2010-01-01

This follow-up paper presents several actual cases for testing and teaching System Dynamics. The cases were developed between April 2009 and January 2010 for the Introductory System Dynamics courses at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. They can be used for teaching and testing

A Method to Select Software Test Cases in Consideration of Past Input Sequence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hee Eun; Kim, Bo Gyung; Kang, Hyun Gook

2015-01-01

In the Korea Nuclear I and C Systems (KNICS) project, the software for the fully-digitalized reactor protection system (RPS) was developed under a strict procedure. Even though the behavior of the software is deterministic, the randomness of input sequence produces probabilistic behavior of software. A software failure occurs when some inputs to the software occur and interact with the internal state of the digital system to trigger a fault that was introduced into the software during the software lifecycle. In this paper, the method to select test set for software failure probability estimation is suggested. This test set reflects past input sequence of software, which covers all possible cases. In this study, the method to select test cases for software failure probability quantification was suggested. To obtain profile of paired state variables, relationships of the variables need to be considered. The effect of input from human operator also have to be considered. As an example, test set of PZR-PR-Lo-Trip logic was examined. This method provides framework for selecting test cases of safety-critical software

Integrating non-animal test information into an adaptive testing strategy - skin sensitization proof of concept case.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaworska, Joanna; Harol, Artsiom; Kern, Petra S; Gerberick, G Frank

2011-01-01

There is an urgent need to develop data integration and testing strategy frameworks allowing interpretation of results from animal alternative test batteries. To this end, we developed a Bayesian Network Integrated Testing Strategy (BN ITS) with the goal to estimate skin sensitization hazard as a test case of previously developed concepts (Jaworska et al., 2010). The BN ITS combines in silico, in chemico, and in vitro data related to skin penetration, peptide reactivity, and dendritic cell activation, and guides testing strategy by Value of Information (VoI). The approach offers novel insights into testing strategies: there is no one best testing strategy, but the optimal sequence of tests depends on information at hand, and is chemical-specific. Thus, a single generic set of tests as a replacement strategy is unlikely to be most effective. BN ITS offers the possibility of evaluating the impact of generating additional data on the target information uncertainty reduction before testing is commenced.

Software requirements management based on use cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Jin

2009-01-01

In this paper, the requirements management based on use cases is theoretically explored, and a multi-layer use-case model is introduced, which combined with three levels of use cases and a single use-case refinement model. Through the practice in a software project, the multi-layer use-case model provides a good solution on how to control the requirements scope and change, and provides the balance of work assignment between customer departments, information management departments and software development outsourcing team. (authors)

Incidence of tuberculosis and the predictive value of ELISPOT and Mantoux tests in Gambian case contacts.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philip C Hill

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Studies of Tuberculosis (TB case contacts are increasingly being utilised for understanding the relationship between M. tuberculosis and the human host and for assessing new interventions and diagnostic tests. We aimed to identify the incidence rate of new TB cases among TB contacts and to relate this to their initial Mantoux and ELISPOT test results.After initial Mantoux and ELISPOT tests and exclusion of co-prevalent TB cases, we followed 2348 household contacts of sputum smear positive TB cases. We visited them at 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months, and investigated those with symptoms consistent with TB. Those who were diagnosed separately at a government clinic had a chest x-ray. Twenty six contacts were diagnosed with definite TB over 4312 person years of follow-up (Incidence rate 603/100,000 person years; 95% Confidence Interval, 370-830. Nine index and secondary case pairs had cultured isolates available for genotyping. Of these, 6 pairs were concordant and 3 were discordant. 2.5% of non-progressors were HIV positive compared to 12% of progressors (HR 6.2; 95% CI 1.7-22.5; p = 0.010. 25 secondary cases had initial Mantoux results, 14 (56% were positive ; 21 had initial ELISPOT results, 11 (52% were positive; 15 (71% of 21 tested were positive by one or the other test. Of the 6 contacts who had concordant isolates with their respective index case, 4 (67% were Mantoux positive at recruitment, 3 (50% were ELISPOT positive; 5 (83% were positive by one or other of the two tests. ELISPOT positive contacts, and those with discordant results, had a similar rate of progression to those who were Mantoux positive. Those negative on either or both tests had the lowest rate of progression.The incidence rate of TB disease in Gambian TB case contacts, after screening for co-prevalent cases, was 603/100,000 person years. Since initial ELISPOT test and Mantoux tests were each positive in only just over half of cases, but 71% were

Water Pollution Detection Based on Hypothesis Testing in Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xu Luo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Water pollution detection is of great importance in water conservation. In this paper, the water pollution detection problems of the network and of the node in sensor networks are discussed. The detection problems in both cases of the distribution of the monitoring noise being normal and nonnormal are considered. The pollution detection problems are analyzed based on hypothesis testing theory firstly; then, the specific detection algorithms are given. Finally, two implementation examples are given to illustrate how the proposed detection methods are used in the water pollution detection in sensor networks and prove the effectiveness of the proposed detection methods.

On school choice and test-based accountability.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damian W. Betebenner

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Among the two most prominent school reform measures currently being implemented in The United States are school choice and test-based accountability. Until recently, the two policy initiatives remained relatively distinct from one another. With the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB, a mutualism between choice and accountability emerged whereby school choice complements test-based accountability. In the first portion of this study we present a conceptual overview of school choice and test-based accountability and explicate connections between the two that are explicit in reform implementations like NCLB or implicit within the market-based reform literature in which school choice and test-based accountability reside. In the second portion we scrutinize the connections, in particular, between school choice and test-based accountability using a large western school district with a popular choice system in place. Data from three sources are combined to explore the ways in which school choice and test-based accountability draw on each other: state assessment data of children in the district, school choice data for every participating student in the district choice program, and a parental survey of both participants and non-participants of choice asking their attitudes concerning the use of school report cards in the district. Results suggest that choice is of benefit academically to only the lowest achieving students, choice participation is not uniform across different ethnic groups in the district, and parents' primary motivations as reported on a survey for participation in choice are not due to test scores, though this is not consistent with choice preferences among parents in the district. As such, our results generally confirm the hypotheses of choice critics more so than advocates. Keywords: school choice; accountability; student testing.

Cross-Mode Comparability of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) versus Paper-Pencil Based Testing (PPT): An Investigation of Testing Administration Mode among Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

Science.gov (United States)

Khoshsima, Hooshang; Hosseini, Monirosadat; Toroujeni, Seyyed Morteza Hashemi

2017-01-01

Advent of technology has caused growing interest in using computers to convert conventional paper and pencil-based testing (Henceforth PPT) into Computer-based testing (Henceforth CBT) in the field of education during last decades. This constant promulgation of computers to reshape the conventional tests into computerized format permeated the…

Making System Dynamics Cool? Using Hot Testing & Teaching Cases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pruyt, E.

2009-01-01

This paper deals with the use of ‘hot’ real-world cases for both testing and teaching purposes such as in the Introductory System Dynamics course at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. The paper starts with a brief overview of the System Dynamics curriculum. Then the problem-oriented

一个形式化基于规格说明类测试的方法%An approach to formalizing specification-based class testing

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

缪淮扣; 刘玲

2006-01-01

This paper presents a framework that can be used to formalize the specification-based single-class test generation process.Object-Z is used to describe both software requirements and the proposed framework. Using this framework, test engineers can automatically get the testing process model during the test generation process. With this model, properties of test cases (such as relationship between test cases and methods can easily be captured. Furthermore, with the framework, the test process model can be updated automatically with the test generation process. The properties of test cases can then be updated correspondingly. It will greatly facilitate the regression testing. The main contribution of this paper is that it provides an approach to formalizing testing process by extending existing framework to class testing, and a way to represent test cases as multi-part, multi-step, multi-level artifacts.

Tests of Selection in Pooled Case-Control Data: An Empirical Study

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Nitin eUdpa

2011-11-01

Full Text Available For smaller organisms with faster breeding cycles, artificial selection can be used to create sub-populations with different phenotypic traits. Genetic tests can be employed to identify the causal markers for the phenotypes, as a precursor to engineering strains with a combination of traits. Traditional approaches involve analyzing crosses of inbred strains to test for co-segregation with genetic markers. Here we take advantage of cheaper next generation sequencing techniques to identifygenetic signatures of adaptation to the selection constraints. Obtaining individual sequencing data is often unrealistic due to cost and sample issues, so we focus on pooled genomic data.In this paper, we explore a series of statistical tests for selection using pooled case (under selection and control populations. Extensive simulations are used to show that these approaches work well for a wide range of population divergence times and strong selective pressures. We show that pooling does not have a significant impact on statistical power. The tests are also robust to reasonable variations in several different parameters, including window size, base-calling error rate, and sequencing coverage. We then demonstrate the viability (and the challenges of one of these methods in two independent Drosophila populations (Drosophila melanogaster bred under selectionfor hypoxia and accelerated development, respectively. Testing for extreme hypoxia tolerance showed clear signals of selection, pointing to loci that are important for hypoxia adaptation.Overall, we outline a strategy for finding regions under selection using pooled sequences, then devise optimal tests for that strategy. The approaches show promise for detecting selection, even several generations after fixation of the beneficial allele has occurred.

Model-Based Software Testing for Object-Oriented Software

Science.gov (United States)

Biju, Soly Mathew

2008-01-01

Model-based testing is one of the best solutions for testing object-oriented software. It has a better test coverage than other testing styles. Model-based testing takes into consideration behavioural aspects of a class, which are usually unchecked in other testing methods. An increase in the complexity of software has forced the software industry…

The Application of Classification and Regression Trees for the Triage of Women for Referral to Colposcopy and the Estimation of Risk for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia: A Study Based on 1625 Cases with Incomplete Data from Molecular Tests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abraham Pouliakis

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. Nowadays numerous ancillary techniques detecting HPV DNA and mRNA compete with cytology; however no perfect test exists; in this study we evaluated classification and regression trees (CARTs for the production of triage rules and estimate the risk for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN in cases with ASCUS+ in cytology. Study Design. We used 1625 cases. In contrast to other approaches we used missing data to increase the data volume, obtain more accurate results, and simulate real conditions in the everyday practice of gynecologic clinics and laboratories. The proposed CART was based on the cytological result, HPV DNA typing, HPV mRNA detection based on NASBA and flow cytometry, p16 immunocytochemical expression, and finally age and parous status. Results. Algorithms useful for the triage of women were produced; gynecologists could apply these in conjunction with available examination results and conclude to an estimation of the risk for a woman to harbor CIN expressed as a probability. Conclusions. The most important test was the cytological examination; however the CART handled cases with inadequate cytological outcome and increased the diagnostic accuracy by exploiting the results of ancillary techniques even if there were inadequate missing data. The CART performance was better than any other single test involved in this study.

The Application of Classification and Regression Trees for the Triage of Women for Referral to Colposcopy and the Estimation of Risk for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia: A Study Based on 1625 Cases with Incomplete Data from Molecular Tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Pouliakis, Abraham; Karakitsou, Efrossyni; Chrelias, Charalampos; Pappas, Asimakis; Panayiotides, Ioannis; Valasoulis, George; Kyrgiou, Maria; Paraskevaidis, Evangelos; Karakitsos, Petros

2015-01-01

Nowadays numerous ancillary techniques detecting HPV DNA and mRNA compete with cytology; however no perfect test exists; in this study we evaluated classification and regression trees (CARTs) for the production of triage rules and estimate the risk for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in cases with ASCUS+ in cytology. We used 1625 cases. In contrast to other approaches we used missing data to increase the data volume, obtain more accurate results, and simulate real conditions in the everyday practice of gynecologic clinics and laboratories. The proposed CART was based on the cytological result, HPV DNA typing, HPV mRNA detection based on NASBA and flow cytometry, p16 immunocytochemical expression, and finally age and parous status. Algorithms useful for the triage of women were produced; gynecologists could apply these in conjunction with available examination results and conclude to an estimation of the risk for a woman to harbor CIN expressed as a probability. The most important test was the cytological examination; however the CART handled cases with inadequate cytological outcome and increased the diagnostic accuracy by exploiting the results of ancillary techniques even if there were inadequate missing data. The CART performance was better than any other single test involved in this study.

Team-Based Testing Improves Individual Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Vogler, Jane S.; Robinson, Daniel H.

2016-01-01

In two experiments, 90 undergraduates took six tests as part of an educational psychology course. Using a crossover design, students took three tests individually without feedback and then took the same test again, following the process of team-based testing (TBT), in teams in which the members reached consensus for each question and answered…

Interface-based software testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aziz Ahmad Rais

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Software quality is determined by assessing the characteristics that specify how it should work, which are verified through testing. If it were possible to touch, see, or measure software, it would be easier to analyze and prove its quality. Unfortunately, software is an intangible asset, which makes testing complex. This is especially true when software quality is not a question of particular functions that can be tested through a graphical user interface. The primary objective of software architecture is to design quality of software through modeling and visualization. There are many methods and standards that define how to control and manage quality. However, many IT software development projects still fail due to the difficulties involved in measuring, controlling, and managing software quality. Software quality failure factors are numerous. Examples include beginning to test software too late in the development process, or failing properly to understand, or design, the software architecture and the software component structure. The goal of this article is to provide an interface-based software testing technique that better measures software quality, automates software quality testing, encourages early testing, and increases the software’s overall testability

Validity evidence based on test content.

Science.gov (United States)

Sireci, Stephen; Faulkner-Bond, Molly

2014-01-01

Validity evidence based on test content is one of the five forms of validity evidence stipulated in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing developed by the American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, and National Council on Measurement in Education. In this paper, we describe the logic and theory underlying such evidence and describe traditional and modern methods for gathering and analyzing content validity data. A comprehensive review of the literature and of the aforementioned Standards is presented. For educational tests and other assessments targeting knowledge and skill possessed by examinees, validity evidence based on test content is necessary for building a validity argument to support the use of a test for a particular purpose. By following the methods described in this article, practitioners have a wide arsenal of tools available for determining how well the content of an assessment is congruent with and appropriate for the specific testing purposes.

Test Review: Test of English as a Foreign Language[TM]--Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT[R])

Science.gov (United States)

Alderson, J. Charles

2009-01-01

In this article, the author reviews the TOEFL iBT which is the latest version of the TOEFL, whose history stretches back to 1961. The TOEFL iBT was introduced in the USA, Canada, France, Germany and Italy in late 2005. Currently the TOEFL test is offered in two testing formats: (1) Internet-based testing (iBT); and (2) paper-based testing (PBT).…

Tests of selection in pooled case-control data: an empirical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Udpa, Nitin; Zhou, Dan; Haddad, Gabriel G; Bafna, Vineet

2011-01-01

For smaller organisms with faster breeding cycles, artificial selection can be used to create sub-populations with different phenotypic traits. Genetic tests can be employed to identify the causal markers for the phenotypes, as a precursor to engineering strains with a combination of traits. Traditional approaches involve analyzing crosses of inbred strains to test for co-segregation with genetic markers. Here we take advantage of cheaper next generation sequencing techniques to identify genetic signatures of adaptation to the selection constraints. Obtaining individual sequencing data is often unrealistic due to cost and sample issues, so we focus on pooled genomic data. We explore a series of statistical tests for selection using pooled case (under selection) and control populations. The tests generally capture skews in the scaled frequency spectrum of alleles in a region, which are indicative of a selective sweep. Extensive simulations are used to show that these approaches work well for a wide range of population divergence times and strong selective pressures. Control vs control simulations are used to determine an empirical False Positive Rate, and regions under selection are determined using a 1% FPR level. We show that pooling does not have a significant impact on statistical power. The tests are also robust to reasonable variations in several different parameters, including window size, base-calling error rate, and sequencing coverage. We then demonstrate the viability (and the challenges) of one of these methods in two independent Drosophila populations (Drosophila melanogaster) bred under selection for hypoxia and accelerated development, respectively. Testing for extreme hypoxia tolerance showed clear signals of selection, pointing to loci that are important for hypoxia adaptation. Overall, we outline a strategy for finding regions under selection using pooled sequences, then devise optimal tests for that strategy. The approaches show promise for

Beating the Odds! Build theory from emerging markets phenomenon and the emergence of case study research—A “Test-Tube” typology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kotapati Srinivasa Reddy

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The extant social sciences and management theoretical concepts and empirical literature have mostly determined based on western (developed economies institutional context. In the recent past, a number of researchers have argued that the western theories are inadequate to study the emerging markets phenomenon and described the problems relating to data collection, data analysis, and theory development. I also (experience confirm that major problems are relating to the research data collection, especially primary data (interview and survey methods. With this in mind, I develop a new case study research design, that is, “Test-Tube” typology, to build theory from emerging markets behavior as well as to add new knowledge to the mass of disciplines, particularly social sciences, medicine, travel, tourism and hospitality, sports, management, and information systems, and engineering. I design a typology that consists of eleven steps: case development, case selection, relatedness and pattern matching, case analysis, cross-case analysis, theoretical constructs, pre-testing and development, adjusting theoretical constructs, theory testing, building theory and testable propositions, and suggesting strategic swap model. Further, I suggest a set of few guidelines on how to measure the research quality and how to strengthen the research rigor in case study settings.

Evaluation of a case-based urology learning program.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Kirtishri; Snow-Lisy, Devon C; Ross, Jonathan; Goldfarb, David A; Goldman, Howard; Campbell, Steven C

2013-12-01

To address the challenges that today's trainees encounter, such as information overload and reduced immersion in the field, and recognizing their preference for novel educational resources, an electronic case-based urology learning program was developed. Each case was designed to illustrate the basic principles of the disease process and the fundamentals of evaluation and management using the Socratic method, recapitulating a prototypical patient encounter. A 21-question survey was developed after review of published reports of classroom and clinical learning environment surveys. The target group was 2 pilot urology training programs (the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals-Case Medical Center). The responses were entirely anonymous. A total of 32 trainees participated (8 fellows and 24 residents), representing a 53% response rate. Most trainees (79%) were able to process cases within an average of ≤ 10 minutes. Of the trainees, 91% reported referring back to particular cases for patient care, to review for examinations, or for studying. Most trainees believed a case-based urology learning program would be a potentially important resource for clinical practice (69%) and for preparing for the in-service (63%) or board (69%) examinations. Most trainees believed the program met its goals of illustrating the basics principles of the disease process (88%), outlining the fundamentals of evaluation and management (94%), and improving the trainees' knowledge base (91%). An electronic case-based urology learning program is feasible and useful and stimulates learning at all trainee levels. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhancing TB case detection: experience in offering upfront Xpert MTB/RIF testing to pediatric presumptive TB and DR TB cases for early rapid diagnosis of drug sensitive and drug resistant TB.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neeraj Raizada

Full Text Available Diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB in children is challenging due to difficulties in obtaining good quality sputum specimens as well as the paucibacillary nature of disease. Globally a large proportion of pediatric tuberculosis (TB cases are diagnosed based only on clinical findings. Xpert MTB/RIF, a highly sensitive and specific rapid tool, offers a promising solution in addressing these challenges. This study presents the results from pediatric groups taking part in a large demonstration study wherein Xpert MTB/RIF testing replaced smear microscopy for all presumptive PTB cases in public health facilities across India.The study covered a population of 8.8 million across 18 programmatic sub-district level tuberculosis units (TU, with one Xpert MTB/RIF platform established at each study TU. Pediatric presumptive PTB cases (both TB and Drug Resistant TB (DR-TB accessing any public health facilities in study area were prospectively enrolled and tested on Xpert MTB/RIF following a standardized diagnostic algorithm.4,600 pediatric presumptive pulmonary TB cases were enrolled. 590 (12.8%, CI 11.8-13.8 pediatric PTB were diagnosed. Overall 10.4% (CI 9.5-11.2 of presumptive PTB cases had positive results by Xpert MTB/RIF, compared with 4.8% (CI 4.2-5.4 who had smear-positive results. Upfront Xpert MTB/RIF testing of presumptive PTB and presumptive DR-TB cases resulted in diagnosis of 79 and 12 rifampicin resistance cases, respectively. Positive predictive value (PPV for rifampicin resistance detection was high (98%, CI 90.1-99.9, with no statistically significant variation with respect to past history of treatment.Upfront access to Xpert MTB/RIF testing in pediatric presumptive PTB cases was associated with a two-fold increase in bacteriologically-confirmed PTB, and increased detection of rifampicin-resistant TB cases under routine operational conditions across India. These results suggest that routine Xpert MTB/RIF testing is a promising

Simulation and case-based learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ørngreen, Rikke; Guralnick, David

2008-01-01

Abstract- This paper has its origin in the authors' reflection on years of practical experiences combined with literature readings in our preparation for a workshop on learn-by-doing simulation and case-based learning to be held at the ICELW 2008 conference (the International Conference on E-Learning...... in the Workplace). The purpose of this paper is to describe the two online learning methodologies and to raise questions for future discussion. In the workshop, the organizers and participants work with and discuss differences and similarities within the two pedagogical methodologies, focusing on how...... they are applied in workplace related and e-learning contexts. In addition to the organizers, a small number of invited presenters will attend, giving demonstrations of their work within learn-by-doing simulation and cases-based learning, but still leaving ample of time for discussion among all participants....

A Novel Approach to Medical Student Peer-assisted Learning Through Case-based Simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Jauregui, Joshua; Bright, Steven; Strote, Jared; Shandro, Jamie

2018-01-01

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is the development of new knowledge and skills through active learning support from peers. Benefits of PAL include introduction of teaching skills for students, creation of a safe learning environment, and efficient use of faculty time. We present a novel approach to PAL in an emergency medicine (EM) clerkship curriculum using an inexpensive, tablet-based app for students to cooperatively present and perform low-fidelity, case-based simulations that promotes accountability for student learning, fosters teaching skills, and economizes faculty presence. We developed five clinical cases in the style of EM oral boards. Fourth-year medical students were each assigned a unique case one week in advance. Students also received an instructional document and a video example detailing how to lead a case. During the 90-minute session, students were placed in small groups of 3-5 students and rotated between facilitating their assigned cases and participating as a team for the cases presented by their fellow students. Cases were supplemented with a half-mannequin that can be intubated, airway supplies, and a tablet-based app (SimMon, $22.99) to remotely display and update vital signs. One faculty member rotated among groups to provide additional assistance and clarification. Three EM faculty members iteratively developed a survey, based on the literature and pilot tested it with fourth-year medical students, to evaluate the course. 135 medical students completed the course and course evaluation survey. Learner satisfaction was high with an overall score of 4.6 on a 5-point Likert scale. In written comments, students reported that small groups with minimal faculty involvement provided a safe learning environment and a unique opportunity to lead a group of peers. They felt that PAL was more effective than traditional simulations for learning. Faculty reported that students remained engaged and required minimal oversight. Unlike other simulations, our

Do Test Design and Uses Influence Test Preparation? Testing a Model of Washback with Structural Equation Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Qin; Andrews, Stephen

2013-01-01

This study introduces Expectancy-value motivation theory to explain the paths of influences from perceptions of test design and uses to test preparation as a special case of washback on learning. Based on this theory, two conceptual models were proposed and tested via Structural Equation Modeling. Data collection involved over 870 test takers of…

Case-Base Maintenance for CCBR-Based Process Evolution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weber, B.; Reichert, M.U.; Wild, W.; Roth-Berghofer, T.; Göker, M.H.; Güvenir, H.A.

2006-01-01

The success of a company more and more depends on its ability to flexibly and quickly react to changes. Combining process management techniques and conversational case-based reasoning (CCBR) allows for flexibly aligning the business processes to new requirements by providing integrated process life

Making a Case for Case-Based Teaching in Data Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Riddle, Derek R.; Beck, Jori S.; Morgan, Joseph John; Brown, Nancy; Whitesides, Heather

2017-01-01

Building on a study conducted by the authors, this article provides strategies for teaching data literacy and outlines the case-based teaching method as an effective way of developing data-literate teachers.

ORNL results for Test Case 1 of the International Atomic Energy Agency's research program on the safety assessment of Near-Surface Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thorne, D.J.; McDowell-Boyer, L.M.; Kocher, D.C.; Little, C.A.; Roemer, E.K.

1993-01-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) started the Coordinated Research Program entitled '''The Safety Assessment of Near-Surface Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities.'' The program is aimed at improving the confidence in the modeling results for safety assessments of waste disposal facilities. The program has been given the acronym NSARS (Near-Surface Radioactive Waste Disposal Safety Assessment Reliability Study) for ease of reference. The purpose of this report is to present the ORNL modeling results for the first test case (i.e., Test Case 1) of the IAEA NSARS program. Test Case 1 is based on near-surface disposal of radionuclides that are subsequently leached to a saturated-sand aquifer. Exposure to radionuclides results from use of a well screened in the aquifer and from intrusion into the repository. Two repository concepts were defined in Test Case 1: a simple earth trench and an engineered vault

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2009-04-22

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

Mathematical Basis and Test Cases for Colloid-Facilitated Radionuclide Transport Modeling in GDSA-PFLOTRAN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reimus, Paul William [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-07-31

This report provides documentation of the mathematical basis for a colloid-facilitated radionuclide transport modeling capability that can be incorporated into GDSA-PFLOTRAN. It also provides numerous test cases against which the modeling capability can be benchmarked once the model is implemented numerically in GDSA-PFLOTRAN. The test cases were run using a 1-D numerical model developed by the author, and the inputs and outputs from the 1-D model are provided in an electronic spreadsheet supplement to this report so that all cases can be reproduced in GDSA-PFLOTRAN, and the outputs can be directly compared with the 1-D model. The cases include examples of all potential scenarios in which colloid-facilitated transport could result in the accelerated transport of a radionuclide relative to its transport in the absence of colloids. Although it cannot be claimed that all the model features that are described in the mathematical basis were rigorously exercised in the test cases, the goal was to test the features that matter the most for colloid-facilitated transport; i.e., slow desorption of radionuclides from colloids, slow filtration of colloids, and equilibrium radionuclide partitioning to colloids that is strongly favored over partitioning to immobile surfaces, resulting in a substantial fraction of radionuclide mass being associated with mobile colloids.

Case Based Asset Maintenance for the Electric Equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ji-Hyeon; Jung, Jae-Cheon; Chang, Young-Woo; Chang, Hoon-Seon; Kim, Jae-Cheol; Kim, Hang-Bae; Kim, Kyu-Ho; Hur, Yong; Lee, Dong-Chul

2006-01-01

The electric equipment maintenance strategies are changing from PM(Preventive Maintenance) or CM(Corrective Maintenance) to CBM(Condition Based Maintenance). The main benefits of CBM are reduced possibility of service failures of critical equipment and reduced costs or maintenance work. In CBM, the equipment status need to be monitored continuously and a decision should be made whether an equipment need to be repaired or replaced. For the maintenance decision making, the CBR(Case Base Reasoning) system is introduced. The CBR system receives the current equipment status and retrieves the case based historic database to determine any possible equipment failure under current conditions. In retrieving the case based historic data, the suggested DSS(Decision Support System) uses a reasoning engine with an equipment/asset ontology that describes the equipment subsumption relationships

Risk-Based, Hypothesis-Driven Framework for Hydrological Field Campaigns with Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Harken, B.; Rubin, Y.

2014-12-01

There are several stages in any hydrological modeling campaign, including: formulation and analysis of a priori information, data acquisition through field campaigns, inverse modeling, and prediction of some environmental performance metric (EPM). The EPM being predicted could be, for example, contaminant concentration or plume travel time. These predictions often have significant bearing on a decision that must be made. Examples include: how to allocate limited remediation resources between contaminated groundwater sites or where to place a waste repository site. Answering such questions depends on predictions of EPMs using forward models as well as levels of uncertainty related to these predictions. Uncertainty in EPM predictions stems from uncertainty in model parameters, which can be reduced by measurements taken in field campaigns. The costly nature of field measurements motivates a rational basis for determining a measurement strategy that is optimal with respect to the uncertainty in the EPM prediction. The tool of hypothesis testing allows this uncertainty to be quantified by computing the significance of the test resulting from a proposed field campaign. The significance of the test gives a rational basis for determining the optimality of a proposed field campaign. This hypothesis testing framework is demonstrated and discussed using various synthetic case studies. This study involves contaminated aquifers where a decision must be made based on prediction of when a contaminant will arrive at a specified location. The EPM, in this case contaminant travel time, is cast into the hypothesis testing framework. The null hypothesis states that the contaminant plume will arrive at the specified location before a critical amount of time passes, and the alternative hypothesis states that the plume will arrive after the critical time passes. The optimality of different field campaigns is assessed by computing the significance of the test resulting from each one

Correlations between power and test reactor data bases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guthrie, G.L.; Simonen, E.P.

1989-02-01

Differences between power reactor and test reactor data bases have been evaluated. Charpy shift data has been assembled from specimens irradiated in both high-flux test reactors and low-flux power reactors. Preliminary tests for the existence of a bias between test and power reactor data bases indicate a possible bias between the weld data bases. The bias is nonconservative for power predictive purposes, using test reactor data. The lesser shift for test reactor data compared to power reactor data is interpreted primarily in terms of greater point defect recombination for test reactor fluxes compared to power reactor fluxes. The possibility of greater thermal aging effects during lower damage rates is also discussed. 15 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs

Real-Time Extended Interface Automata for Software Testing Cases Generation

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Shunkun; Xu, Jiaqi; Man, Tianlong; Liu, Bin

2014-01-01

Testing and verification of the interface between software components are particularly important due to the large number of complex interactions, which requires the traditional modeling languages to overcome the existing shortcomings in the aspects of temporal information description and software testing input controlling. This paper presents the real-time extended interface automata (RTEIA) which adds clearer and more detailed temporal information description by the application of time words. We also establish the input interface automaton for every input in order to solve the problems of input controlling and interface covering nimbly when applied in the software testing field. Detailed definitions of the RTEIA and the testing cases generation algorithm are provided in this paper. The feasibility and efficiency of this method have been verified in the testing of one real aircraft braking system. PMID:24892080

Computer-aided beam arrangement based on similar cases in radiation treatment-planning databases for stereotactic lung radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magome, Taiki; Shioyama, Yoshiyuki; Arimura, Hidetaka

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a computer-aided method for determination of beam arrangements based on similar cases in a radiotherapy treatment-planning database for stereotactic lung radiation therapy. Similar-case-based beam arrangements were automatically determined based on the following two steps. First, the five most similar cases were searched, based on geometrical features related to the location, size and shape of the planning target volume, lung and spinal cord. Second, five beam arrangements of an objective case were automatically determined by registering five similar cases with the objective case, with respect to lung regions, by means of a linear registration technique. For evaluation of the beam arrangements five treatment plans were manually created by applying the beam arrangements determined in the second step to the objective case. The most usable beam arrangement was selected by sorting the five treatment plans based on eight plan evaluation indices, including the D95, mean lung dose and spinal cord maximum dose. We applied the proposed method to 10 test cases, by using an RTP database of 81 cases with lung cancer, and compared the eight plan evaluation indices between the original treatment plan and the corresponding most usable similar-case-based treatment plan. As a result, the proposed method may provide usable beam arrangements, which have no statistically significant differences from the original beam arrangements (P>0.05) in terms of the eight plan evaluation indices. Therefore, the proposed method could be employed as an educational tool for less experienced treatment planners. (author)

Cyber-Physical Energy Systems Modeling, Test Specification, and Co-Simulation Based Testing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van der Meer, A. A.; Palensky, P.; Heussen, Kai

2017-01-01

The gradual deployment of intelligent and coordinated devices in the electrical power system needs careful investigation of the interactions between the various domains involved. Especially due to the coupling between ICT and power systems a holistic approach for testing and validating is required....... Taking existing (quasi-) standardised smart grid system and test specification methods as a starting point, we are developing a holistic testing and validation approach that allows a very flexible way of assessing the system level aspects by various types of experiments (including virtual, real......, and mixed lab settings). This paper describes the formal holistic test case specification method and applies it to a particular co-simulation experimental setup. The various building blocks of such a simulation (i.e., FMI, mosaik, domain-specific simulation federates) are covered in more detail...

Acquiring skills in malignant hyperthermia crisis management: comparison of high-fidelity simulation versus computer-based case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vilma Mejía

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: The primary purpose of this study was to compare the effect of high fidelity simulation versus a computer-based case solving self-study, in skills acquisition about malignant hyperthermia on first year anesthesiology residents. Methods: After institutional ethical committee approval, 31 first year anesthesiology residents were enrolled in this prospective randomized single-blinded study. Participants were randomized to either a High Fidelity Simulation Scenario or a computer-based Case Study about malignant hyperthermia. After the intervention, all subjects' performance in was assessed through a high fidelity simulation scenario using a previously validated assessment rubric. Additionally, knowledge tests and a satisfaction survey were applied. Finally, a semi-structured interview was done to assess self-perception of reasoning process and decision-making. Results: 28 first year residents finished successfully the study. Resident's management skill scores were globally higher in High Fidelity Simulation versus Case Study, however they were significant in 4 of the 8 performance rubric elements: recognize signs and symptoms (p = 0.025, prioritization of initial actions of management (p = 0.003, recognize complications (p = 0.025 and communication (p = 0.025. Average scores from pre- and post-test knowledge questionnaires improved from 74% to 85% in the High Fidelity Simulation group, and decreased from 78% to 75% in the Case Study group (p = 0.032. Regarding the qualitative analysis, there was no difference in factors influencing the student's process of reasoning and decision-making with both teaching strategies. Conclusion: Simulation-based training with a malignant hyperthermia high-fidelity scenario was superior to computer-based case study, improving knowledge and skills in malignant hyperthermia crisis management, with a very good satisfaction level in anesthesia residents.

Program Helps Design Tests Of Developmental Software

Science.gov (United States)

Hops, Jonathan

1994-01-01

Computer program called "A Formal Test Representation Language and Tool for Functional Test Designs" (TRL) provides automatic software tool and formal language used to implement category-partition method and produce specification of test cases in testing phase of development of software. Category-partition method useful in defining input, outputs, and purpose of test-design phase of development and combines benefits of choosing normal cases having error-exposing properties. Traceability maintained quite easily by creating test design for each objective in test plan. Effort to transform test cases into procedures simplified by use of automatic software tool to create cases based on test design. Method enables rapid elimination of undesired test cases from consideration and facilitates review of test designs by peer groups. Written in C language.

Computer-based testing of the modified essay question: the Singapore experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Erle Chuen-Hian; Seet, Raymond Chee-Seong; Oh, Vernon M S; Chia, Boon-Lock; Aw, Marion; Quak, Seng-Hock; Ong, Benjamin K C

2007-11-01

The modified essay question (MEQ), featuring an evolving case scenario, tests a candidate's problem-solving and reasoning ability, rather than mere factual recall. Although it is traditionally conducted as a pen-and-paper examination, our university has run the MEQ using computer-based testing (CBT) since 2003. We describe our experience with running the MEQ examination using the IVLE, or integrated virtual learning environment (https://ivle.nus.edu.sg), provide a blueprint for universities intending to conduct computer-based testing of the MEQ, and detail how our MEQ examination has evolved since its inception. An MEQ committee, comprising specialists in key disciplines from the departments of Medicine and Paediatrics, was formed. We utilized the IVLE, developed for our university in 1998, as the online platform on which we ran the MEQ. We calculated the number of man-hours (academic and support staff) required to run the MEQ examination, using either a computer-based or pen-and-paper format. With the support of our university's information technology (IT) specialists, we have successfully run the MEQ examination online, twice a year, since 2003. Initially, we conducted the examination with short-answer questions only, but have since expanded the MEQ examination to include multiple-choice and extended matching questions. A total of 1268 man-hours was spent in preparing for, and running, the MEQ examination using CBT, compared to 236.5 man-hours to run it using a pen-and-paper format. Despite being more labour-intensive, our students and staff prefer CBT to the pen-and-paper format. The MEQ can be conducted using a computer-based testing scenario, which offers several advantages over a pen-and-paper format. We hope to increase the number of questions and incorporate audio and video files, featuring clinical vignettes, to the MEQ examination in the near future.

A Review of Case-Based Learning Practices in an Online MBA Program: A Program-Level Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seung-hee; Lee, Jieun; Liu, Xiaojing; Bonk, Curt J.; Magjuka, Richard J.

2009-01-01

This study examines how a case-based learning approach was used and facilitated in online business education. Perceptions of students and instructors regarding the practices of case-based learning in online environments are explored in terms of instructional design, facilitation, and technology support. This study finds case-based learning to be a…

Testing independence between two Poisson-generated multinomial variables in case-series and cohort studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Hocine, Mounia; Guillemot, Didier; Tubert-Bitter, Pascale; Moreau, Thierry

2005-12-30

In case-series or cohort studies, we propose a test of independence between the occurrences of two types of recurrent events (such as two repeated infections) related to an intermittent exposure (such as an antibiotic treatment). The test relies upon an extension of a recent method for analysing case-series data, in the presence of one type of recurrent event. The test statistic is derived from a bivariate Poisson generated-multinomial distribution. Simulations for checking the validity of the test concerning the type I error and the power properties are presented. The test is illustrated using data from a cohort on antibiotics bacterial resistance in schoolchildren. Copyright 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Computer-Aided Test Flow in Core-Based Design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zivkovic, V.; Tangelder, R.J.W.T.; Kerkhoff, Hans G.

2000-01-01

This paper copes with the efficient test-pattern generation in a core-based design. A consistent Computer-Aided Test (CAT) flow is proposed based on the required core-test strategy. It generates a test-pattern set for the embedded cores with high fault coverage and low DfT area overhead. The CAT

Case Reports, Case Series - From Clinical Practice to Evidence-Based Medicine in Graduate Medical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Sayre, Jerry W; Toklu, Hale Z; Ye, Fan; Mazza, Joseph; Yale, Steven

2017-08-07

Case reports and case series or case study research are descriptive studies that are prepared for illustrating novel, unusual, or atypical features identified in patients in medical practice, and they potentially generate new research questions. They are empirical inquiries or investigations of a patient or a group of patients in a natural, real-world clinical setting. Case study research is a method that focuses on the contextual analysis of a number of events or conditions and their relationships. There is disagreement among physicians on the value of case studies in the medical literature, particularly for educators focused on teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM) for student learners in graduate medical education. Despite their limitations, case study research is a beneficial tool and learning experience in graduate medical education and among novice researchers. The preparation and presentation of case studies can help students and graduate medical education programs evaluate and apply the six American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies in the areas of medical knowledge, patient care, practice-based learning, professionalism, systems-based practice, and communication. A goal in graduate medical education should be to assist residents to expand their critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. These attributes are required in the teaching and practice of EBM. In this aspect, case studies provide a platform for developing clinical skills and problem-based learning methods. Hence, graduate medical education programs should encourage, assist, and support residents in the publication of clinical case studies; and clinical teachers should encourage graduate students to publish case reports during their graduate medical education.

Ethernet-based test stand for a CAN network

Science.gov (United States)

Ziebinski, Adam; Cupek, Rafal; Drewniak, Marek

2017-11-01

This paper presents a test stand for the CAN-based systems that are used in automotive systems. The authors propose applying an Ethernet-based test system that supports the virtualisation of a CAN network. The proposed solution has many advantages compared to classical test beds that are based on dedicated CAN-PC interfaces: it allows the physical constraints associated with the number of interfaces that can be simultaneously connected to a tested system to be avoided, which enables the test time for parallel tests to be shortened; the high speed of Ethernet transmission allows for more frequent sampling of the messages that are transmitted by a CAN network (as the authors show in the experiment results section) and the cost of the proposed solution is much lower than the traditional lab-based dedicated CAN interfaces for PCs.

PENGEMBANGAN CASE BASE LEARNING PADA MATA KULIAH PEREKONOMIAN INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hastarini Dwi Atmani

2011-05-01

Full Text Available In this time, teacher centered learning is a methods in part of higher education in Indonsia. This method, students passively receive information.Case base learning is an instructional design model that is a variant of project oriented learning. Cases are factually-based, complex problems written to stimulate classroom discussion and collaborative analysis. This one, students construct knowledge through gathering and synthesizing information and integrating it with the general skills of inquiry, communication, critical thinking, and problem solving. Key words : active learning, case base learning.

Simulation of VVER MCCI reactor test case with ASTEC V2/MEDICIS computer code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stefanova, A.; Grudev, P.; Gencheva, R.

2011-01-01

This paper presents an application of the ASTEC v2, module MEDICIS for simulation of VVER Molten core concrete interaction test (MCCI) case without water injection. The main purpose of performed calculation is verification and improvement of module MEDICIS/ASTECv2 for better simulation of core concrete interaction processes. The VVER-1000 reference nuclear power plant was chosen as SARNET2 benchmark MCCI test-case. The initial conditions for MCCI test are taken after SBO scenario calculated with ASTEC version 1.3R2 by INRNE. (authors)

Optimization of the Case Based Reasoning Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed, A.H.

2014-01-01

Intrusion Detection System (IDS) have a great importance in saving the authority of the information widely spread all over the world through the networks. Many Case Based Systems concerned on the different methods of the unauthorized users/hackers that face the developers of the IDS. The proposed system introduces a new hybrid system that uses the genetic algorithm to optimize an IDS - case based system. It can detect the new anomalies appeared through the network and use the cases in the case library to determine the suitable solution for their behavior. The suggested system can solve the problem either by using an old identical solution or adapt the optimum one till have the targeted solution. The proposed system has been applied to block unauthorized users / hackers from attach the medical images for radiotherapy of the cancer diseases during their transmission through web. The proposed system can prove its accepted performance in this manner

Visualizing the Bayesian 2-test case: The effect of tree diagrams on medical decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Binder, Karin; Krauss, Stefan; Bruckmaier, Georg; Marienhagen, Jörg

2018-01-01

In medicine, diagnoses based on medical test results are probabilistic by nature. Unfortunately, cognitive illusions regarding the statistical meaning of test results are well documented among patients, medical students, and even physicians. There are two effective strategies that can foster insight into what is known as Bayesian reasoning situations: (1) translating the statistical information on the prevalence of a disease and the sensitivity and the false-alarm rate of a specific test for that disease from probabilities into natural frequencies, and (2) illustrating the statistical information with tree diagrams, for instance, or with other pictorial representation. So far, such strategies have only been empirically tested in combination for "1-test cases", where one binary hypothesis ("disease" vs. "no disease") has to be diagnosed based on one binary test result ("positive" vs. "negative"). However, in reality, often more than one medical test is conducted to derive a diagnosis. In two studies, we examined a total of 388 medical students from the University of Regensburg (Germany) with medical "2-test scenarios". Each student had to work on two problems: diagnosing breast cancer with mammography and sonography test results, and diagnosing HIV infection with the ELISA and Western Blot tests. In Study 1 (N = 190 participants), we systematically varied the presentation of statistical information ("only textual information" vs. "only tree diagram" vs. "text and tree diagram in combination"), whereas in Study 2 (N = 198 participants), we varied the kinds of tree diagrams ("complete tree" vs. "highlighted tree" vs. "pruned tree"). All versions were implemented in probability format (including probability trees) and in natural frequency format (including frequency trees). We found that natural frequency trees, especially when the question-related branches were highlighted, improved performance, but that none of the corresponding probabilistic visualizations did.

Real-Time Extended Interface Automata for Software Testing Cases Generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shunkun Yang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Testing and verification of the interface between software components are particularly important due to the large number of complex interactions, which requires the traditional modeling languages to overcome the existing shortcomings in the aspects of temporal information description and software testing input controlling. This paper presents the real-time extended interface automata (RTEIA which adds clearer and more detailed temporal information description by the application of time words. We also establish the input interface automaton for every input in order to solve the problems of input controlling and interface covering nimbly when applied in the software testing field. Detailed definitions of the RTEIA and the testing cases generation algorithm are provided in this paper. The feasibility and efficiency of this method have been verified in the testing of one real aircraft braking system.

High-dose calcium stimulation test in a case of insulinoma masquerading as hysteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Yoshio; Doi, Ryuichiro; Kohno, Yasuhiro; Shimono, Dai; Kuwamura, Naomitsu; Inoue, Koichi; Koshiyama, Hiroyuki; Imamura, Masayuki

2002-11-01

It is reported that some cases with insulinoma present with neuropsychiatric symptoms and are often misdiagnosed as psychosis. Here we report a case of insulinoma masquerading as hysteria, whose final diagnosis could be made using high-dose calcium stimulation test. A 28-yr-old woman was referred presenting with substupor, mutism, mannerism, restlessness, and incoherence. Laboratory examinations revealed hypoglycemia (33 mg/dL) and detectable insulin levels (9.7 microU/mL), suggesting the diagnosis of insulinoma. However, neither imaging studies nor selective arterial calcium injection (SACI) test with a conventional dose of calcium (0.025 mEq/kg) indicated the tumor. High-dose calcium injection (0.05 mEq/kg) evoked insulin secretion when injected into superior mesenteric artery. A solitary tumor in the head of the pancreas was resected, and her plasma glucose returned to normal. Postoperatively, iv injection of secretin resulted in a normal response of insulin, which was not found preoperatively. This case suggests the usefulness of the SACI test with high-dose of calcium in the case of insulinoma when the standard dose fails to detect such a tumor.

New web-based applications for mechanistic case diagramming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fred R. Dee

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The goal of mechanistic case diagraming (MCD is to provide students with more in-depth understanding of cause and effect relationships and basic mechanistic pathways in medicine. This will enable them to better explain how observed clinical findings develop from preceding pathogenic and pathophysiological events. The pedagogic function of MCD is in relating risk factors, disease entities and morphology, signs and symptoms, and test and procedure findings in a specific case scenario with etiologic pathogenic and pathophysiological sequences within a flow diagram. In this paper, we describe the addition of automation and predetermined lists to further develop the original concept of MCD as described by Engelberg in 1992 and Guerrero in 2001. We demonstrate that with these modifications, MCD is effective and efficient in small group case-based teaching for second-year medical students (ratings of ~3.4 on a 4.0 scale. There was also a significant correlation with other measures of competency, with a ‘true’ score correlation of 0.54. A traditional calculation of reliability showed promising results (α =0.47 within a low stakes, ungraded environment. Further, we have demonstrated MCD's potential for use in independent learning and TBL. Future studies are needed to evaluate MCD's potential for use in medium stakes assessment or self-paced independent learning and assessment. MCD may be especially relevant in returning students to the application of basic medical science mechanisms in the clinical years.

A Case-Based Learning Model in Orthodontics.

Science.gov (United States)

Engel, Francoise E.; Hendricson, William D.

1994-01-01

A case-based, student-centered instructional model designed to mimic orthodontic problem solving and decision making in dental general practice is described. Small groups of students analyze case data, then record and discuss their diagnoses and treatments. Students and instructors rated the seminars positively, and students reported improved…

Continuity and change in the development of category-based induction: The test case of diversity-based reasoning.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhodes, Marjorie; Liebenson, Peter

2015-11-01

The present research examined the extent to which the cognitive mechanisms available to support inductive inference stay constant across development or undergo fundamental change. Four studies tested how children (ages 5-10) incorporate information about sample composition into their category-based generalizations. Children's use of sample composition varied across age and type of category. For familiar natural kinds, children ages 5-8 generalized similarly from diverse and non-diverse samples of evidence, whereas older children generalized more broadly from more diverse sets. In contrast, for novel categories, children of each age made broader generalizations from diverse than non-diverse samples. These studies provide the first clear evidence that young children are able to incorporate sample diversity into their inductive reasoning. These findings suggest developmental continuity in the cognitive mechanisms available for inductive inference, but developmental changes in the role that prior knowledge plays in shaping these processes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the Clock Test and a questionnaire-based test for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Comparison of the Clock Test and a questionnaire-based test for screening for cognitive impairment in Nigerians. D J VanderJagt, S Ganga, M O Obadofin, P Stanley, M Zimmerman, B J Skipper, R H Glew ...

Prototype and Evaluation of AutoHelp: A Case-based, Web-accessible Help Desk System for EOSDIS

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Christine M.; Thurman, David A.

1999-01-01

case base, the user interface (including the category structure), interface with the current DAAC Help System, the development of tools to add new cases, and user testing and evaluation at (perhaps) the Goddard DAAC.

Test-Access Planning and Test Scheduling for Embedded Core-Based System Chips

OpenAIRE

Goel, Sandeep Kumar

2005-01-01

Advances in the semiconductor process technology enable the creation of a complete system on one single die, the so-called system chip or SOC. To reduce time-to-market for large SOCs, reuse of pre-designed and pre-veried blocks called cores is employed. Like the design style, testing of SOCs can be best approached in a core-based fashion. In order to enable core-based test development, an embedded core should be isolated from its surrounding circuitry and electrical test access from chip pins...

Sport-specific fitness testing and intervention for an adolescent with cerebral palsy: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenyon, Lisa K; Sleeper, Mark D; Tovin, Melissa M

2010-01-01

This case report describes the development, implementation, and outcomes of a fitness-related intervention program that addressed the sport-specific goals of an adolescent with cerebral palsy. The participant in this case was a 16-year-old African American male with spastic diplegia. The participant joined his high school wrestling team and asked to focus his physical therapy on interventions that would improve his wrestling performance. An examination was performed using the muscle power sprint test, the 10 x 5-m sprint test, strength tests, the 10-m shuttle run test, and the Gross Motor Function Measure. The intervention consisted of interval training, which focused on the demands of wrestling. Scores on all tests and measures were higher after the intervention. The outcomes of this case report seem to support the use of a fitness-related intervention program for addressing the sport-specific goals of an adolescent with cerebral palsy.

Wind turbine blade testing system using base excitation

Science.gov (United States)

Cotrell, Jason; Thresher, Robert; Lambert, Scott; Hughes, Scott; Johnson, Jay

2014-03-25

An apparatus (500) for fatigue testing elongate test articles (404) including wind turbine blades through forced or resonant excitation of the base (406) of the test articles (404). The apparatus (500) includes a testing platform or foundation (402). A blade support (410) is provided for retaining or supporting a base (406) of an elongate test article (404), and the blade support (410) is pivotally mounted on the testing platform (402) with at least two degrees of freedom of motion relative to the testing platform (402). An excitation input assembly (540) is interconnected with the blade support (410) and includes first and second actuators (444, 446, 541) that act to concurrently apply forces or loads to the blade support (410). The actuator forces are cyclically applied in first and second transverse directions. The test article (404) responds to shaking of its base (406) by oscillating in two, transverse directions (505, 507).

Rule-based Test Generation with Mind Maps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dimitry Polivaev

2012-02-01

Full Text Available This paper introduces basic concepts of rule based test generation with mind maps, and reports experiences learned from industrial application of this technique in the domain of smart card testing by Giesecke & Devrient GmbH over the last years. It describes the formalization of test selection criteria used by our test generator, our test generation architecture and test generation framework.

[Acquiring skills in malignant hyperthermia crisis management: comparison of high-fidelity simulation versus computer-based case study].

Science.gov (United States)

Mejía, Vilma; Gonzalez, Carlos; Delfino, Alejandro E; Altermatt, Fernando R; Corvetto, Marcia A

The primary purpose of this study was to compare the effect of high fidelity simulation versus a computer-based case solving self-study, in skills acquisition about malignant hyperthermia on first year anesthesiology residents. After institutional ethical committee approval, 31 first year anesthesiology residents were enrolled in this prospective randomized single-blinded study. Participants were randomized to either a High Fidelity Simulation Scenario or a computer-based Case Study about malignant hyperthermia. After the intervention, all subjects' performance in was assessed through a high fidelity simulation scenario using a previously validated assessment rubric. Additionally, knowledge tests and a satisfaction survey were applied. Finally, a semi-structured interview was done to assess self-perception of reasoning process and decision-making. 28 first year residents finished successfully the study. Resident's management skill scores were globally higher in High Fidelity Simulation versus Case Study, however they were significant in 4 of the 8 performance rubric elements: recognize signs and symptoms (p = 0.025), prioritization of initial actions of management (p = 0.003), recognize complications (p = 0.025) and communication (p = 0.025). Average scores from pre- and post-test knowledge questionnaires improved from 74% to 85% in the High Fidelity Simulation group, and decreased from 78% to 75% in the Case Study group (p = 0.032). Regarding the qualitative analysis, there was no difference in factors influencing the student's process of reasoning and decision-making with both teaching strategies. Simulation-based training with a malignant hyperthermia high-fidelity scenario was superior to computer-based case study, improving knowledge and skills in malignant hyperthermia crisis management, with a very good satisfaction level in anesthesia residents. Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights

A Test for the Presence of a Signal

OpenAIRE

Rolke, Wolfgang A.; Lopez, Angel M.

2006-01-01

We describe a statistical hypothesis test for the presence of a signal based on the likelihood ratio statistic. We derive the test for a case of interest and also show that for that case the test works very well, even far out in the tails of the distribution. We also study extensions of the test to cases where there are multiple channels.

Dose Prediction for surface nuclear explosions: case studies for Semipalatinsk and Lop Nur tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takada, Jun

2008-01-01

Dose prediction method RAPS after surface nuclear explosion has been developed by using the empirical dose function of USA nuclear test. This method which provides us external total dose, dose rate at any distant, at any time for any yield of nuclear explosion, is useful for radiation protection in case of nuclear events such as terrorism and nuclear war. The validity of RAPS has been confirmed by application to historical surface nuclear test explosions. The first test case study which was done for the first test explosion of the former USSR at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site on August 29th 1949, shows a good agreement with luminescence dosimetry on a brick. This dose prediction method was applied nuclear tests in Lop Nur. The results indicate dangerous nuclear radiation influences including fatal risk in the wide Uygur area. (author)

Airside HVAC BESTEST. Adaptation of ASHRAE RP 865 Airside HVAC Equipment Modeling Test Cases for ASHRAE Standard 140. Volume 1, Cases AE101-AE445

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neymark, J. [J. Neymark & Associates, Golden, CO (United States); Kennedy, M. [Mike D. Kennedy, Inc., Townsend, WA (United States); Judkoff, R. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Gall, J. [AAON, Inc., Tulsa, OK (United States); Knebel, D. [AAON, Inc., Tulsa, OK (United States); Henninger, R. [GARD Analytics, Inc., Arlington Heights, IL (United States); Witte, M. [GARD Analytics, Inc., Arlington Heights, IL (United States); Hong, T. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); McDowell, T. [Thermal Energy System Specialists, Madison, WI (United States); Yan, D. [Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China); Zhou, X. [Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China)

2016-03-01

This report documents a set of diagnostic analytical verification cases for testing the ability of whole building simulation software to model the air distribution side of typical heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. These cases complement the unitary equipment cases included in American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 140, Standard Method of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs, which test the ability to model the heat-transfer fluid side of HVAC equipment.

Combinatorial Testing for VDM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Peter Gorm; Lausdahl, Kenneth; Battle, Nick

2010-01-01

by forgotten preconditions as well as broken invariants and post-conditions. Trace definitions are defined as regular expressions describing possible sequences of operation calls, and are conceptually similar to UML sequence diagrams. In this paper we present a tool enabling test automation based on VDM traces......Abstract—Combinatorial testing in VDM involves the automatic generation and execution of a large collection of test cases derived from templates provided in the form of trace definitions added to a VDM specification. The main value of this is the rapid detection of run-time errors caused......, and explain how it is possible to reduce large collections of test cases in different ways. Its use is illustrated with a small case study....

Computer-Aided Test Flow in Core-Based Design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zivkovic, V.; Tangelder, R.J.W.T.; Kerkhoff, Hans G.

2000-01-01

This paper copes with the test-pattern generation and fault coverage determination in the core based design. The basic core-test strategy that one has to apply in the core-based design is stated in this work. A Computer-Aided Test (CAT) flow is proposed resulting in accurate fault coverage of

An authoring tool for building both mobile adaptable tests and web-based adaptive or classic tests

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Romero, C.; Ventura, S.; Hervás, C.; De Bra, P.M.E.; Wade, V.; Ashman, H.; Smyth, B.

2006-01-01

This paper describes Test Editor, an authoring tool for building both mobile adaptable tests and web-based adaptive or classic tests. This tool facilitates the development and maintenance of different types of XML-based multiple- choice tests for using in web-based education systems and wireless

An Explanatory Item Response Theory Approach for a Computer-Based Case Simulation Test

Science.gov (United States)

Kahraman, Nilüfer

2014-01-01

Problem: Practitioners working with multiple-choice tests have long utilized Item Response Theory (IRT) models to evaluate the performance of test items for quality assurance. The use of similar applications for performance tests, however, is often encumbered due to the challenges encountered in working with complicated data sets in which local…

Considerations on free public transport implementation - based on Krakow case

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zakowska, L.; Piwowarczyk, M.A.; Aleksandrowicz, J.H.

2016-07-01

New transport philosophy follows the equity criteria and should also lead toward sustainability and equity in building policies of public transport in cities. Implementation of free public transport for citizens is widely considered in different countries, cities and on several administrative government levels. However, there are not may examples of successful implementation if this concept in Europe. This work presents the discussion on multi-dimensional barriers, which make implementation of equity criteria to transport policies difficult. Both advantages and disadvantages of free of charge public transport system are presented, based on current discussions, as well as on some European examples, case studies and scientific evaluations. The case study simulation for the Krakow urban area is initiated and described, testing the effects of free of charge public transport on economic and mobility factors. Considerations presented in this work are based on current challenges to build green with multimodal transport, respecting factors of economy, traffic volumes, safety and environmental factors. It is predicted that success of free public transport for citizens could create a significant shift in travel demand from private car use toward trams and busses, reducing accident costs, decreasing congestion in city centers and limiting air pollution, contributing to social and economic growth of the whole metropolitan area. (Author)

A fuzzy ontology modeling for case base knowledge in diabetes mellitus domain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaker El-Sappagh

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Knowledge-Intensive Case-Based Reasoning Systems (KI-CBR mainly depend on ontologies. Ontology can play the role of case-base knowledge. The combination of ontology and fuzzy logic reasoning is critical in the medical domain. Case-base representation based on fuzzy ontology is expected to enhance the semantic and storage of CBR knowledge-base. This paper provides an advancement to the research of diabetes diagnosis CBR by proposing a novel case-base fuzzy OWL2 ontology (CBRDiabOnto. This ontology can be considered as the first fuzzy case-base ontology in the medical domain. It is based on a case-base fuzzy Extended Entity Relation (EER data model. It contains 63 (fuzzy classes, 54 (fuzzy object properties, 138 (fuzzy datatype properties, and 105 fuzzy datatypes. We populated the ontology with 60 cases and used SPARQL-DL for its query. The evaluation of CBRDiabOnto shows that it is accurate, consistent, and cover terminologies and logic of diabetes mellitus diagnosis.

Computer-Aided Test Flow in Core-Based Design

OpenAIRE

Zivkovic, V.; Tangelder, R.J.W.T.; Kerkhoff, Hans G.

2000-01-01

This paper copes with the test-pattern generation and fault coverage determination in the core based design. The basic core-test strategy that one has to apply in the core-based design is stated in this work. A Computer-Aided Test (CAT) flow is proposed resulting in accurate fault coverage of embedded cores. The CAT now is applied to a few cores within the Philips Core Test Pilot IC project

Deep in Data. Empirical Data Based Software Accuracy Testing Using the Building America Field Data Repository

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neymark, J. [J.Neymark and Associates, Golden, CO (United States); Roberts, D. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2013-06-01

This paper describes progress toward developing a usable, standardized, empirical data-based software accuracy test suite using home energy consumption and building description data. Empirical data collected from around the United States have been translated into a uniform Home Performance Extensible Markup Language format that may enable software developers to create translators to their input schemes for efficient access to the data. This could allow for modeling many homes expediently, and thus implementing software accuracy test cases by applying the translated data.

PCR-based verification of positive rapid diagnostic tests for intestinal protozoa infections with variable test band intensity.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Sören L; Müller, Ivan; Mertens, Pascal; Herrmann, Mathias; Zondie, Leyli; Beyleveld, Lindsey; Gerber, Markus; du Randt, Rosa; Pühse, Uwe; Walter, Cheryl; Utzinger, Jürg

2017-10-01

Stool-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for pathogenic intestinal protozoa (e.g. Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia intestinalis) allow for prompt diagnosis and treatment in resource-constrained settings. Such RDTs can improve individual patient management and facilitate population-based screening programmes in areas without microbiological laboratories for confirmatory testing. However, RDTs are difficult to interpret in case of 'trace' results with faint test band intensities and little is known about whether such ambiguous results might indicate 'true' infections. In a longitudinal study conducted in poor neighbourhoods of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, a total of 1428 stool samples from two cohorts of schoolchildren were examined on the spot for Cryptosporidium spp. and G. intestinalis using an RDT (Crypto/Giardia DuoStrip; Coris BioConcept). Overall, 121 samples were positive for G. intestinalis and the RDT suggested presence of cryptosporidiosis in 22 samples. After a storage period of 9-10 months in cohort 1 and 2-3 months in cohort 2, samples were subjected to multiplex PCR (BD Max™ Enteric Parasite Panel, Becton Dickinson). Ninety-three percent (112/121) of RDT-positive samples for G. intestinalis were confirmed by PCR, with a correlation between RDT test band intensity and quantitative pathogen load present in the sample. For Cryptosporidium spp., all positive RDTs had faintly visible lines and these were negative on PCR. The performance of the BD Max™ PCR was nearly identical in both cohorts, despite the prolonged storage at disrupted cold chain conditions in cohort 1. The Crypto/Giardia DuoStrip warrants further validation in communities with a high incidence of diarrhoea. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Case-Based Instruction: Improving Students' Conceptual Understanding through Cases in a Mechanical Engineering Course

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Aman; Vinh, Megan; Shaver, Gregory M.; Meckl, Peter; Firebaugh, Stephanie

2014-01-01

Recently, there has been a push within engineering curricula to adopt more learner-centered pedagogies, such as case-based instruction. Case-based instruction has been hypothesized to make the curriculum more relevant and motivating for students by pushing them to integrate the concepts they have learned with other experiences. The current study…

Safety Testing of Ammonium Nitrate Based Mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Jason; Lappo, Karmen; Phelan, James; Peterson, Nathan; Gilbert, Don

2013-06-01

Ammonium nitrate (AN)/ammonium nitrate based explosives have a lengthy documented history of use by adversaries in acts of terror. While historical research has been conducted on AN-based explosive mixtures, it has primarily focused on detonation performance while varying the oxygen balance between the oxidizer and fuel components. Similarly, historical safety data on these materials is often lacking in pertinent details such as specific fuel type, particle size parameters, oxidizer form, etc. A variety of AN-based fuel-oxidizer mixtures were tested for small-scale sensitivity in preparation for large-scale testing. Current efforts focus on maintaining a zero oxygen-balance (a stoichiometric ratio for active chemical participants) while varying factors such as charge geometry, oxidizer form, particle size, and inert diluent ratios. Small-scale safety testing was conducted on various mixtures and fuels. It was found that ESD sensitivity is significantly affected by particle size, while this is less so for impact and friction. Thermal testing is in progress to evaluate hazards that may be experienced during large-scale testing.

Efficient p-value evaluation for resampling-based tests

KAUST Repository

Yu, K.

2011-01-05

The resampling-based test, which often relies on permutation or bootstrap procedures, has been widely used for statistical hypothesis testing when the asymptotic distribution of the test statistic is unavailable or unreliable. It requires repeated calculations of the test statistic on a large number of simulated data sets for its significance level assessment, and thus it could become very computationally intensive. Here, we propose an efficient p-value evaluation procedure by adapting the stochastic approximation Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm. The new procedure can be used easily for estimating the p-value for any resampling-based test. We show through numeric simulations that the proposed procedure can be 100-500 000 times as efficient (in term of computing time) as the standard resampling-based procedure when evaluating a test statistic with a small p-value (e.g. less than 10( - 6)). With its computational burden reduced by this proposed procedure, the versatile resampling-based test would become computationally feasible for a much wider range of applications. We demonstrate the application of the new method by applying it to a large-scale genetic association study of prostate cancer.

Generating an Automated Test Suite by Variable Strength Combinatorial Testing for Web Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yin Li

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Testing Web Services has become the spotlight of software engineering as an important means to assure the quality of Web application. Due to lacking of graphic interface and source code, Web services need an automated testing method, which is an important part in efficiently designing and generating test suite. However, the existing testing methods may lead to the redundancy of test suite and the decrease of fault-detecting ability since it cannot handle scenarios where the strengths of the different interactions are not uniform. With the purpose of solving this problem, firstly the formal tree model based on WSDL is constructed and the actual interaction relationship of each node is made sufficient consideration into, then the combinatorial testing is proposed to generate variable strength combinatorial test suite based on One-test-at-a-time strategy. At last test cases are minimized according to constraint rules. The results show that compared with conventional random testing, the proposed approach can detect more errors with the same amount of test cases which turning out to be more ideal than existing ones in size.

Case-based discussion supporting learning and practice in optometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Bullock, Alison; Barnes, Emma; Ryan, Barbara; Sheen, Nik

2014-09-01

To enhance continuing professional development and address the risk that professional isolation poses, the UK General Optical Council introduced a requirement for all optometrists to engage in at least one case-based discussion per 3 year cycle of continuing education. In this paper, we explore participants' impression of the acceptability, effectiveness and long-term impact-on-practice of case-based discussion as a mode of continuing education. Case-based discussion participants attended an evening session comprising a lecture and a group discussion. They completed three questionnaires: prior to the session, immediately post-session and 3-4 months post-session. We coded the questionnaires to allow matching. Seventy-five case-based discussion groups were held with 379 participants; 377 completed both pre- and post-questionnaires and 331 (88%) returned a follow-up questionnaire. Case-based discussions were an acceptable method of learning, with many preferring it to distance-learning. Prior to the event, women, employees and part-time workers were more likely to have concerns about participating. In terms of learning, gaps in knowledge were more likely to be revealed in those who work in isolation. The respondents highlighted social aspects, reassurance of practice as well as new learning. Participants significantly improved self-confidence ratings in all key learning areas. At three months post-session, the majority (75%) self-reported that they had implemented their intended changes to practice. The evaluation showed that participants felt that case-based discussion developed their knowledge, notably for sole practitioners, and influenced later workplace practice. The peer interaction of this mode of continuing education can combat professional isolation. © 2014 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2014 The College of Optometrists.

Biological false-positive venereal disease research laboratory test in cerebrospinal fluid in the diagnosis of neurosyphilis - a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, S; Lin, R J; Chan, Y H; Ngan, C C L

2018-03-01

There is no clear consensus on the diagnosis of neurosyphilis. The Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has traditionally been considered the gold standard for diagnosing neurosyphilis but is widely known to be insensitive. In this study, we compared the clinical and laboratory characteristics of true-positive VDRL-CSF cases with biological false-positive VDRL-CSF cases. We retrospectively identified cases of true and false-positive VDRL-CSF across a 3-year period received by the Immunology and Serology Laboratory, Singapore General Hospital. A biological false-positive VDRL-CSF is defined as a reactive VDRL-CSF with a non-reactive Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA)-CSF and/or negative Line Immuno Assay (LIA)-CSF IgG. A true-positive VDRL-CSF is a reactive VDRL-CSF with a concordant reactive TPPA-CSF and/or positive LIA-CSF IgG. During the study period, a total of 1254 specimens underwent VDRL-CSF examination. Amongst these, 60 specimens from 53 patients tested positive for VDRL-CSF. Of the 53 patients, 42 (79.2%) were true-positive cases and 11 (20.8%) were false-positive cases. In our setting, a positive non-treponemal serology has 97.6% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value and 91.7% negative predictive value for a true-positive VDRL-CSF based on our laboratory definition. HIV seropositivity was an independent predictor of a true-positive VDRL-CSF. Biological false-positive VDRL-CSF is common in a setting where patients are tested without first establishing a serological diagnosis of syphilis. Serological testing should be performed prior to CSF evaluation for neurosyphilis. © 2017 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Gifted and Talented Education: A National Test Case in Peoria.

Science.gov (United States)

Fetterman, David M.

1986-01-01

This article presents a study of a program in Peoria, Illinois, for the gifted and talented that serves as a national test case for gifted education and minority enrollment. It was concluded that referral, identification, and selection were appropriate for the program model but that inequalities resulted from socioeconomic variables. (Author/LMO)

Security Considerations and Recommendations in Computer-Based Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saleh M. Al-Saleem

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Many organizations and institutions around the globe are moving or planning to move their paper-and-pencil based testing to computer-based testing (CBT. However, this conversion will not be the best option for all kinds of exams and it will require significant resources. These resources may include the preparation of item banks, methods for test delivery, procedures for test administration, and last but not least test security. Security aspects may include but are not limited to the identification and authentication of examinee, the risks that are associated with cheating on the exam, and the procedures related to test delivery to the examinee. This paper will mainly investigate the security considerations associated with CBT and will provide some recommendations for the security of these kinds of tests. We will also propose a palm-based biometric authentication system incorporated with basic authentication system (username/password in order to check the identity and authenticity of the examinee.

Security considerations and recommendations in computer-based testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Saleem, Saleh M; Ullah, Hanif

2014-01-01

Many organizations and institutions around the globe are moving or planning to move their paper-and-pencil based testing to computer-based testing (CBT). However, this conversion will not be the best option for all kinds of exams and it will require significant resources. These resources may include the preparation of item banks, methods for test delivery, procedures for test administration, and last but not least test security. Security aspects may include but are not limited to the identification and authentication of examinee, the risks that are associated with cheating on the exam, and the procedures related to test delivery to the examinee. This paper will mainly investigate the security considerations associated with CBT and will provide some recommendations for the security of these kinds of tests. We will also propose a palm-based biometric authentication system incorporated with basic authentication system (username/password) in order to check the identity and authenticity of the examinee.

Analysis of Base-Case Particle Tracking Results of the Base-Case Flow Fields (ID:U0160)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

C.K. Ho

2000-01-01

The purpose of this analysis is to provide insight into the unsaturated-zone (UZ) subsystem performance through particle tracking analyses of the base-case flow fields. The particle tracking analyses will not be used directly in total-system performance-assessment (TSPA) calculations per se. The objective of this activity is to evaluate the transport of radionuclides through the unsaturated zone and to determine how different system parameters such as matrix diffusion, sorption, water-table rise, and perched water influence the transport to the water table. Plots will be generated to determine normalized cumulative breakthrough curves for selected radionuclides. The scope of this work is limited to the particle tracking analyses of ''base-case'' flow fields that are to be used by the code FEHM (Finite Element Heat and Mass; Zyvoloski 1997) for particle tracking simulations in ''Total System Performance Assessment-Site Recommendation Report'' (TSPA-SR)

From cases to projects in problem-based medical education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana Stentoft

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Problem-based learning (PBL based on patient cases has become a well-established worldwide educational approach in medical education. Recent studies indicate that case-based PBL when used throughout an entire curriculum may develop into a counter-productive routine for students as well as teachers. Consequently, there is a need to develop PBL approaches further allowing students to work with more ill-defined problems and alternative learning structures. In this paper, we argue that this can be realised by introducing project-PBL into the medical curriculum, as in the medical education at Aalborg University, Denmark. We outline organisations of case- and project- PBL in the medical curriculum and present an explorative study of 116 first and second year students’ experiences working in the two settings of PBL. Results reveal that students generally rate their PBL experiences positively however, project-PBL is rated more positively than case-PBL on all parameters studied. These results invite further consideration of the differences in working with cases and projects. Two central differences are discussed; the nature of the problem as the trigger of learning and students' possibilities for directing their own learning processes. The study demonstrates that introducing project-PBL may contribute significantly in problem-based medical education. However, the need for extensive research into advantages and limitations of the combined use of case- and project-PBL is also emphasised.

Analysis of the single and combined non-destructive test approaches for on-site concrete strength assessment: General statements based on a real case-study

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Khoudja Ali-Benyahia

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The evaluation of the compressive strength of concrete in existing structures by coring is expensive, technically difficult in certain cases, and even impossible in others. The use of non-destructive testing (NDT is an interesting alternative method (i.e. affordable cost, portable, fast, etc.. However, the NDT estimation of strength requires a procedure of calibration of the model between NDT and compressive strength. The robustness of this calibration is a crucial point allowing better choice of the optimal number of cores. Studies which treat the calibration of proposed models are often based on laboratory experiments or synthetic data. The present study aims at identifying and optimizing the methodology of the calibration model on site. This paper is based on a broad campaign of auscultation using NDT (Rebound and Ultrasound and coring on an existing construction with 205 triplets of data (strengths and NDT results. Statistical data analysis enables to quantify the role of: the number of cores (NC used for the calibration, the use of only one or two-combined NDT techniques and the calibration method. The conclusions are focused on the improvement of the relevance and the effectiveness of NDT techniques in such operational situations.

A Case Study of Student Engagement in Collaborative Group Learning in a Blended Community Based (Service) Learning Module

OpenAIRE

McGarrigle, John G.

2009-01-01

Abstract: A participatory action research case study employed mixed methods to examine student collaboration and engagement in a Community Based (Service) learning module. A quasi experimental testing of Coates (2007) typology of student engagement found low agreement between students and lecturers in assigning the terms, passive, intense, independent or collaborative to student postings to discussion fora. Evidence from this case study found greater student collaboration in discussion fora w...

Location tests for biomarker studies: a comparison using simulations for the two-sample case.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheinhardt, M O; Ziegler, A

2013-01-01

Gene, protein, or metabolite expression levels are often non-normally distributed, heavy tailed and contain outliers. Standard statistical approaches may fail as location tests in this situation. In three Monte-Carlo simulation studies, we aimed at comparing the type I error levels and empirical power of standard location tests and three adaptive tests [O'Gorman, Can J Stat 1997; 25: 269 -279; Keselman et al., Brit J Math Stat Psychol 2007; 60: 267- 293; Szymczak et al., Stat Med 2013; 32: 524 - 537] for a wide range of distributions. We simulated two-sample scenarios using the g-and-k-distribution family to systematically vary tail length and skewness with identical and varying variability between groups. All tests kept the type I error level when groups did not vary in their variability. The standard non-parametric U-test performed well in all simulated scenarios. It was outperformed by the two non-parametric adaptive methods in case of heavy tails or large skewness. Most tests did not keep the type I error level for skewed data in the case of heterogeneous variances. The standard U-test was a powerful and robust location test for most of the simulated scenarios except for very heavy tailed or heavy skewed data, and it is thus to be recommended except for these cases. The non-parametric adaptive tests were powerful for both normal and non-normal distributions under sample variance homogeneity. But when sample variances differed, they did not keep the type I error level. The parametric adaptive test lacks power for skewed and heavy tailed distributions.

Testing Game-Based Performance in Team-Handball.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Herbert; Orwat, Matthias; Hinz, Matthias; Pfusterschmied, Jürgen; Bacharach, David W; von Duvillard, Serge P; Müller, Erich

2016-10-01

Wagner, H, Orwat, M, Hinz, M, Pfusterschmied, J, Bacharach, DW, von Duvillard, SP, and Müller, E. Testing game-based performance in team-handball. J Strength Cond Res 30(10): 2794-2801, 2016-Team-handball is a fast paced game of defensive and offensive action that includes specific movements of jumping, passing, throwing, checking, and screening. To date and to the best of our knowledge, a game-based performance test (GBPT) for team-handball does not exist. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and validate such a test. Seventeen experienced team-handball players performed 2 GBPTs separated by 7 days between each test, an incremental treadmill running test, and a team-handball test game (TG) (2 × 20 minutes). Peak oxygen uptake (V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak), blood lactate concentration (BLC), heart rate (HR), sprinting time, time of offensive and defensive actions as well as running intensities, ball velocity, and jump height were measured in the game-based test. Reliability of the tests was calculated using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Additionally, we measured V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak in the incremental treadmill running test and BLC, HR, and running intensities in the team-handball TG to determine the validity of the GBPT. For the test-retest reliability, we found an ICC >0.70 for the peak BLC and HR, mean offense and defense time, as well as ball velocity that yielded an ICC >0.90 for the V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak in the GBPT. Percent walking and standing constituted 73% of total time. Moderate (18%) and high (9%) intensity running in the GBPT was similar to the team-handball TG. Our results indicated that the GBPT is a valid and reliable test to analyze team-handball performance (physiological and biomechanical variables) under conditions similar to competition.

FOSS4G AS A KEY BUILDING BLOCK FOR CASE-BASED LEARNING IN GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION EDUCATION

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M. Minghini

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In the sector of Geographic Information (GI there is a gap between the education and training currently being offered by European universities and the knowledge and skills required by enterprises and public authorities. New forms of collaboration based on innovative methods are needed to cope with the challenges derived from the fast technological developments in the geospatial and ICT field. This paper presents the approach and the first findings of the EU Erasmus+ project giCASES – Creating a University-Enterprise Alliance for a Spatially Enabled Society (2016–2018 which addresses this challenge by introducing new methods for case-based and collaborative learning, and for the co-creation, management and sharing of knowledge between universities and enterprises. The aim of the project is to develop new training material and create innovative, multi-disciplinary learning processes based on real-world case studies (case-based learning. The paper focuses on the methodological approach developed during the first half of the project, and presents the 6 case studies where this approach will be tested during the second half. Despite the diversity of application domains (indoor mapping, environmental hazards, e-Government, utility networks, energy saving policies, and forestry, the case studies are all relevant to open source software and FOSS4G technologies will play a key role in their implementation, thus demonstrating their matureness and flexibility not only as GI teaching tools at the universities, but also as powerful means to develop innovative new services at the companies.

Avoiding pitfalls in molecular genetic testing: case studies of high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization testing in the definitive diagnosis of Mowat-Wilson syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Kluk, Michael Joseph; An, Yu; James, Philip; Coulter, David; Harris, David; Wu, Bai-Lin; Shen, Yiping

2011-05-01

The molecular testing options available for the diagnosis of genetic disorders are numerous and include a variety of different assay platforms. The consultative input of molecular pathologists and cytogeneticists, working closely with the ordering clinicians, is often important for definitive diagnosis. Herein, we describe two patients who had long histories of unexplained signs and symptoms with a high clinical suspicion of an underlying genetic etiology. Initial molecular testing in both cases was negative, but the application of high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization technology lead to definitive diagnosis in both cases. We summarize the clinical findings and molecular testing in each case, discuss the differential diagnoses, and review the clinical and pathological findings of Mowat-Wilson syndrome. This report highlights the importance for those involved in molecular testing to know the nature of the underlying genetic abnormalities associated with the suspected diagnosis, to recognize the limitations of each testing platform, and to persistently pursue repeat testing using high-resolution technologies when indicated. This concept is applicable to both germline and somatic molecular genetic testing. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Investigative Pathology and the Association for Molecular Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A LabVIEWTM-based detector testing system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Haori; Li Yuanjing; Wang Yi; Li Yulan; Li Jin

2003-01-01

The construction of a LabVIEW-based detector testing system is described in this paper. In this system, the signal of detector is magnified and digitized, so amplitude or time spectrum can be obtained. The Analog-to-Digital Converter is a peak-sensitive ADC based on VME bus. The virtual instrument constructed by LabVIEW can be used to acquire data, draw spectrum and save testing results

Course constructions: A case-base of forensic toxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Nan; Wu, Yeda; Su, Terry; Zhang, Liyong; Yin, Kun; Zheng, Da; Zheng, Jingjing; Huang, Lei; Wu, Qiuping; Cheng, Jianding

2017-08-01

Forensic toxicology education in China is limited by insufficient teaching methods and resources, resulting in students with adequate theoretical principles but lacking practice experience. Typical cases used as teaching materials vividly represent intoxication and provide students with an opportunity to practice and hone resolving skills. In 2013, the Department of Forensic Pathology at Zhongshan School of Medicine began to construct top-quality courses in forensic toxicology, with its first step, creating a base containing typical cases of intoxication. This essay reviews the construction process of said cases-base, which is intended to set an example of forensic toxicology education. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Remote-online case-based learning: A comparison of remote-online and face-to-face, case-based learning - a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicklen, Peter; Keating, Jenny L; Paynter, Sophie; Storr, Michael; Maloney, Stephen

2016-01-01

Case-based learning (CBL) is an educational approach where students work in small, collaborative groups to solve problems. Computer assisted learning (CAL) is the implementation of computer technology in education. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a remote-online CBL (RO-CBL) with traditional face-to-face CBL on learning the outcomes of undergraduate physiotherapy students. Participants were randomized to either the control (face-to-face CBL) or to the CAL intervention (RO-CBL). The entire 3rd year physiotherapy cohort (n = 41) at Monash University, Victoria, Australia, were invited to participate in the randomized controlled trial. Outcomes included a postintervention multiple-choice test evaluating the knowledge gained from the CBL, a self-assessment of learning based on examinable learning objectives and student satisfaction with the CBL. In addition, a focus group was conducted investigating perceptions and responses to the online format. Thirty-eight students (control n = 19, intervention n = 19) participated in two CBL sessions and completed the outcome assessments. CBL median scores for the postintervention multiple-choice test were comparable (Wilcoxon rank sum P = 0.61) (median/10 [range] intervention group: 9 [8-10] control group: 10 [7-10]). Of the 15 examinable learning objectives, eight were significantly in favor of the control group, suggesting a greater perceived depth of learning. Eighty-four percent of students (16/19) disagreed with the statement "I enjoyed the method of CBL delivery." Key themes identified from the focus group included risks associated with the implementation of, challenges of communicating in, and flexibility offered, by web-based programs. RO-CBL appears to provide students with a comparable learning experience to traditional CBL. Procedural and infrastructure factors need to be addressed in future studies to counter student dissatisfaction and decreased perceived depth of learning.

Formal Test Automation: The Conference Protocol with PHACT

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heerink, A.W.; Ural, Hasan; Probert, Robert L.; Feenstra, J.; Tretmans, G.J.; von Bochmann, Gregor

2000-01-01

We discuss a case study of automatic test generation and test execution based on formal methods. The case is the Conference Protocol, a simple, chatbox-like protocol, for which (formal) specifications and multiple implementations are publicly available and which is also used in other case study

Integrating collaborative concept mapping in case based learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfredo Tifi

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Different significance of collaborative concept mapping and collaborative argumentation in Case Based Learning are discussed and compared in the different perspectives of answering focus questions, of fostering reflective thinking skills and in managing uncertainty in problem solving in a scaffolded environment. Marked differences are pointed out between the way concepts are used in constructing concept maps and the way meanings are adopted in case based learning through guided argumentation activities. Shared concept maps should be given different scopes, as for example a as an advance organizer in preparing a background system of concepts that will undergo transformation while accompanying the inquiry activities on case studies or problems; b together with narratives, to enhance awareness of the situated epistemologies that are being entailed in choosing certain concepts during more complex case studies, and c after-learning construction of a holistic vision of the whole domain by means of the most inclusive concepts, while scaffoldedcollaborative writing of narratives and arguments in describing-treating cases could better serve as a source of situated-inspired tools to create-refine meanings for particular concepts.

Social inequality and HIV-testing: Comparing home- and clinic-based testing in rural Malawi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander A. Weinreb

2009-10-01

Full Text Available The plan to increase HIV testing is a cornerstone of the international health strategy against the HIV/AIDS epidemic, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper highlights a problematic aspect of that plan: the reliance on clinic- rather than home-based testing. First, drawing on DHS data from across Africa, we demonstrate the substantial differences in socio-demographic and economic profiles between those who report having ever had an HIV test, and those who report never having had one. Then, using data from a random household survey in rural Malawi, we show that substituting home-based for clinic-based testing may eliminate this source of inequality between those tested and those not tested. This result, which is stable across modeling frameworks, has important implications for accurately and equitably addressing the counseling and treatment programs that comprise the international health strategy against AIDS, and that promise to shape the future trajectory of the epidemic in Africa and beyond.

HIV testing in community based research: a case study of female ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Female genital schistosomiasis prevalence found was 10.3%, Trichomonas vaginalis, 2.1%, Candida albicans, 9.6%, Gardnerella vaginalis, 11.8% and HIV 6.6%. The study also showed that, the location of Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) services in rural communities in the Volta Basin were unavailable. The use ...

Space Launch System Base Heating Test: Experimental Operations & Results

Science.gov (United States)

Dufrene, Aaron; Mehta, Manish; MacLean, Matthew; Seaford, Mark; Holden, Michael

2016-01-01

NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) uses four clustered liquid rocket engines along with two solid rocket boosters. The interaction between all six rocket exhaust plumes will produce a complex and severe thermal environment in the base of the vehicle. This work focuses on a recent 2% scale, hot-fire SLS base heating test. These base heating tests are short-duration tests executed with chamber pressures near the full-scale values with gaseous hydrogen/oxygen engines and RSRMV analogous solid propellant motors. The LENS II shock tunnel/Ludwieg tube tunnel was used at or near flight duplicated conditions up to Mach 5. Model development was based on the Space Shuttle base heating tests with several improvements including doubling of the maximum chamber pressures and duplication of freestream conditions. Test methodology and conditions are presented, and base heating results from 76 runs are reported in non-dimensional form. Regions of high heating are identified and comparisons of various configuration and conditions are highlighted. Base pressure and radiometer results are also reported.

Excess cases of prostate cancer and estimated overdiagnosis associated with PSA testing in East Anglia

Science.gov (United States)

Pashayan, N; Powles, J; Brown, C; Duffy, S W

2006-01-01

This study aimed to estimate the extent of ‘overdiagnosis' of prostate cancer attributable to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing in the Cambridge area between 1996 and 2002. Overdiagnosis was defined conceptually as detection of prostate cancer through PSA testing that otherwise would not have been diagnosed within the patient's lifetime. Records of PSA tests in Addenbrookes Hospital were linked to prostate cancer registrations by NHS number. Differences in prostate cancer registration rates between those receiving and not receiving prediagnosis PSA tests were calculated. The proportion of men aged 40 years or over with a prediagnosis PSA test increased from 1.4 to 5.2% from 1996 to 2002. The rate of diagnosis of prostate cancer was 45% higher (rate ratios (RR)=1.45, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.02–2.07) in men with a history of prediagnosis PSA testing. Assuming average lead times of 5 to 10 years, 40–64% of the PSA-detected cases were estimated to be overdiagnosed. In East Anglia, from 1996 to 2000, a 1.6% excess of cases was associated with PSA testing (around a quarter of the 5.3% excess incidence cases observed in East Anglia from 1996 to 2000). Further quantification of the overdiagnosis will result from continued surveillance and from linkage of incidence to testing in other hospitals. PMID:16832417

Evaluation of Test-Driven Development : An Industrial Case Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wasmus, H.; Gross, H.G.

2007-01-01

Test-driven development is a novel software development practice and part of the Extreme Programming paradigm. It is based on the principle that tests should be designed and written for a module iteratively, while the code of the module is devised. This is the opposite of what is usual in current

The Constraints of Ghanaian Polytechnics in Adopting Competency Based Training (CBT): The Case of a Pilot-Tested Programme

Science.gov (United States)

Alhassan, Munkaila; Habib, Abdallah Mohammed

2016-01-01

Polytechnics in Ghana view Competency Based Training (CBT) as a major intervention to the perennial constraints confronting its education and training. On the basis of this, and by government policy, a pilot programme of CBT was instituted in all the 10 polytechnics of Ghana, and was pilot tested in, at least, one department. Agricultural…

Properties of permutation-based gene tests and controlling type 1 error using a summary statistic based gene test.

Science.gov (United States)

Swanson, David M; Blacker, Deborah; Alchawa, Taofik; Ludwig, Kerstin U; Mangold, Elisabeth; Lange, Christoph

2013-11-07

The advent of genome-wide association studies has led to many novel disease-SNP associations, opening the door to focused study on their biological underpinnings. Because of the importance of analyzing these associations, numerous statistical methods have been devoted to them. However, fewer methods have attempted to associate entire genes or genomic regions with outcomes, which is potentially more useful knowledge from a biological perspective and those methods currently implemented are often permutation-based. One property of some permutation-based tests is that their power varies as a function of whether significant markers are in regions of linkage disequilibrium (LD) or not, which we show from a theoretical perspective. We therefore develop two methods for quantifying the degree of association between a genomic region and outcome, both of whose power does not vary as a function of LD structure. One method uses dimension reduction to "filter" redundant information when significant LD exists in the region, while the other, called the summary-statistic test, controls for LD by scaling marker Z-statistics using knowledge of the correlation matrix of markers. An advantage of this latter test is that it does not require the original data, but only their Z-statistics from univariate regressions and an estimate of the correlation structure of markers, and we show how to modify the test to protect the type 1 error rate when the correlation structure of markers is misspecified. We apply these methods to sequence data of oral cleft and compare our results to previously proposed gene tests, in particular permutation-based ones. We evaluate the versatility of the modification of the summary-statistic test since the specification of correlation structure between markers can be inaccurate. We find a significant association in the sequence data between the 8q24 region and oral cleft using our dimension reduction approach and a borderline significant association using the

Couplex1 test case nuclear - Waste disposal far field simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

This first COUPLEX test case is to compute a simplified Far Field model used in nuclear waste management simulation. From the mathematical point of view the problem is of convection diffusion type but the parameters are highly varying from one layer to another. Another particularity is the very concentrated nature of the source, both in space and in time. (author)

Case Study: Converting Paper-based Case Report Forms to an Electronic Format (e-CRF) with ACASI Self-Report Integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Mierzwa, Stan; Souidi, Samir; Akello, Carolyne; Etima, Juliane; Ssebagala, Richard; Nolan, Monica; Kabwigu, Samuel; Nakablito, Clemensia

2017-01-01

This paper will discuss the integration of electronic Case Report Forms (e-CRFs) into an already existing Android-based Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview (ACASI) software solution that was developed for a public health project in Kampala, Uganda, the technical outcome results, and lessons learned that may be useful to other projects requiring or considering such a technology solution. The developed product can function without a connection to the Internet and allows for synchronizing collected data once connectivity is possible. Previously, only paper-based CRFs were utilized at the Uganda project site. A subset or select group of CRFs were targeted for integration with ACASI in order to test feasibility and success. Survey volume, error rate, and acceptance of the system, as well as the operational and technical design of the solution, will be discussed.

Case Management Reduces Length of Stay, Charges, and Testing in Emergency Department Frequent Users

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jameel Sughair

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Case management is an effective, short-term means to reduce emergency department (ED visits in frequent users of the ED. This study sought to determine the effectiveness of case management on frequent ED users, in terms of reducing ED and hospital length of stay (LOS, accrued costs, and utilization of diagnostic tests. Methods: The study consisted of a retrospective chart review of ED and inpatient visits in our hospital’s ED case management program, comparing patient visits made in the one year prior to enrollment in the program, to the visits made in the one year after enrollment in the program. We examined the LOS, use of diagnostic testing, and monetary charges incurred by these patients one year prior and one year after enrollment into case management. Results: The study consisted of 158 patients in case management. Comparing the one year prior to enrollment to the one year after enrollment, ED visits decreased by 49%, inpatient admissions decreased by 39%, the use of computed tomography imaging decreased 41%, the use of ultrasound imaging decreased 52%, and the use of radiographs decreased 38%. LOS in the ED and for inpatient admissions decreased by 39%, reducing total LOS for these patients by 178 days. ED and hospital charges incurred by these patients decreased by 5.8 million dollars, a 41% reduction. All differences were statistically significant. Conclusion: Case management for frequent users of the ED is an effective method to reduce patient visits, the use of diagnostic testing, length of stay, and cost within our institution.

HMD based virtual environments for military training - Two cases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuijper, F.

2000-01-01

This paper reports on two cases in which Head Mounted Display (HMD) based Virtual Environments (VE) are applied to military training. The first case deals with Forward Air Controller training, while the second case is aimed at Stinger training. Both applications are subjects of study within the VE

A comparative study of the typhidot (Dot-EIA) and Widal tests in blood culture positive cases of typhoid fever.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoharo, Haji Khan

2011-07-01

Seventy-six blood culture positive typhoid cases and forty-eight controls were studied. The typhidot test was positive in 74 (97.36%) cases, with a sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of 96%, 89.5%, and 95%, respectively, compared to the Widal test which was positive in 56 (73.68%) cases with a sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of 72%, 87%, and 87%, respectively (P = 0.001). In the control group, seven (14.5%) cases tested positive for the Widal test and two (4.16%) for the typhidot (P = 0.001), yielding the sensitivity and specificity for the Widal test and the typhidot test of 63% and 83%, and 85% and 97%, respectively. We conclude that the Dot-EIA (enzyme immunoassay; typhidot) is a more sensitive and specific test which is easy to perform and more reliable compared to the Widal test and that it is useful in early therapy.

Dermatitis herpetiformis – diagnostic difficulties based on the presentation of own cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarzyna Łoza

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction . Dermatitis herpetiformis (Duhring disease is an autoimmune blistering subepidermal dermatosis characterized by pruritic polymorphic skin eruption accompanied by a clinically asymptomatic gluten-sensitive enteropathy. The etiopathogenesis of the disease is associated with the presence of antibodies against tissue and epidermal transglutaminase. Diagnosis is based on direct immunopathological examination in which granular IgA deposits on the top of dermal papillae are detected. Sulfones are effective in the therapy of skin changes. Objective . The aim of the study is to present difficulties in evaluation of clinical picture, diagnosis and treatment, and monitoring the safety of the therapy in Duhring disease on the basis of three own cases. Case report . Case 1. 37-year-old patient. Itchy skin lesions occurred in mid-2012 and have been treated until now with antihistamines and local corticosteroids without improvement. The diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis was established on the basis of direct immunopathology test. Treated with gluten-free diet and dapsone 100 mg/day with improvement. Case 2. 62-year-old patient, in whom the first itchy eruption appeared in October 2012. Treated with antihistamines and topical corticosteroids without improvement. In laboratory examinations elevated level of IgE and triglycerides was found. Histopathological and immunological examinations confirmed the diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis. Treated with gluten-free diet and dapsone 150 mg/day with improvement. Case 3. 58-year-old patient. The first changes of typical morphology appeared about 2 years ago. The patient was treated with antihistamines and corticosteroids without improvement. Laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis of Duhring disease. The introduction of gluten-free diet and dapsone 100 mg/day caused regression of skin changes. Conclusions . Our cases, treated for a long time as eczematous changes, despite the lack of improvement

Automatic Testing with Formal Methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tretmans, G.J.; Belinfante, Axel

1999-01-01

The use of formal system specifications makes it possible to automate the derivation of test cases from specifications. This allows to automate the whole testing process, not only the test execution part of it. This paper presents the state of the art and future perspectives in testing based on

Unstandardized Measures: A Cross-Case Analysis of Test Prep in Two Urban

Science.gov (United States)

Kesler, Ted

2013-01-01

This article presents a cross-case analysis of two fourth-grade teachers' instruction while preparing their students for an English language arts test. Both teachers taught in high-needs urban public schools and were

Case-based ethics instruction: the influence of contextual and individual factors in case content on ethical decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Bagdasarov, Zhanna; Thiel, Chase E; Johnson, James F; Connelly, Shane; Harkrider, Lauren N; Devenport, Lynn D; Mumford, Michael D

2013-09-01

Cases have been employed across multiple disciplines, including ethics education, as effective pedagogical tools. However, the benefit of case-based learning in the ethics domain varies across cases, suggesting that not all cases are equal in terms of pedagogical value. Indeed, case content appears to influence the extent to which cases promote learning and transfer. Consistent with this argument, the current study explored the influences of contextual and personal factors embedded in case content on ethical decision-making. Cases were manipulated to include a clear description of the social context and the goals of the characters involved. Results indicated that social context, specifically the description of an autonomy-supportive environment, facilitated execution of sense making processes and resulted in greater decision ethicality. Implications for designing optimal cases and case-based training programs are discussed.

Modeling of a Parabolic Trough Solar Field for Acceptance Testing: A Case Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wagner, M. J.; Mehos, M. S.; Kearney, D. W.; McMahan, A. C.

2011-01-01

As deployment of parabolic trough concentrating solar power (CSP) systems ramps up, the need for reliable and robust performance acceptance test guidelines for the solar field is also amplified. Project owners and/or EPC contractors often require extensive solar field performance testing as part of the plant commissioning process in order to ensure that actual solar field performance satisfies both technical specifications and performance guaranties between the involved parties. Performance test code work is currently underway at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in collaboration with the SolarPACES Task-I activity, and within the ASME PTC-52 committee. One important aspect of acceptance testing is the selection of a robust technology performance model. NREL1 has developed a detailed parabolic trough performance model within the SAM software tool. This model is capable of predicting solar field, sub-system, and component performance. It has further been modified for this work to support calculation at subhourly time steps. This paper presents the methodology and results of a case study comparing actual performance data for a parabolic trough solar field to the predicted results using the modified SAM trough model. Due to data limitations, the methodology is applied to a single collector loop, though it applies to larger subfields and entire solar fields. Special consideration is provided for the model formulation, improvements to the model formulation based on comparison with the collected data, and uncertainty associated with the measured data. Additionally, this paper identifies modeling considerations that are of particular importance in the solar field acceptance testing process and uses the model to provide preliminary recommendations regarding acceptable steady-state testing conditions at the single-loop level.

Reducing test-data volume and test-power simultaneously in LFSR reseeding-based compression environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Weizheng; Kuang Jishun; You Zhiqiang; Liu Peng, E-mail: jshkuang@163.com [College of Information Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China)

2011-07-15

This paper presents a new test scheme based on scan block encoding in a linear feedback shift register (LFSR) reseeding-based compression environment. Meanwhile, our paper also introduces a novel algorithm of scan-block clustering. The main contribution of this paper is a flexible test-application framework that achieves significant reductions in switching activity during scan shift and the number of specified bits that need to be generated via LFSR reseeding. Thus, it can significantly reduce the test power and test data volume. Experimental results using Mintest test set on the larger ISCAS'89 benchmarks show that the proposed method reduces the switching activity significantly by 72%-94% and provides a best possible test compression of 74%-94% with little hardware overhead. (semiconductor integrated circuits)

Risk Based Optimal Fatigue Testing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, John Dalsgaard; Faber, M.H.; Kroon, I.B.

1992-01-01

Optimal fatigue life testing of materials is considered. Based on minimization of the total expected costs of a mechanical component a strategy is suggested to determine the optimal stress range levels for which additional experiments are to be performed together with an optimal value...

Adult age differences in perceptually based, but not conceptually based implicit tests of memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Small, B J; Hultsch, D F; Masson, M E

1995-05-01

Implicit tests of memory assess the influence of recent experience without requiring awareness of remembering. Evidence concerning age differences on implicit tests of memory suggests small age differences in favor of younger adults. However, the majority of research examining this issue has relied upon perceptually based implicit tests. Recently, a second type of implicit test, one that relies upon conceptually based processes, has been identified. The pattern of age differences on this second type of implicit test is less clear. In the present study, we examined the pattern of age differences on one conceptually based (fact completion) and one perceptually based (stem completion) implicit test of memory, as well as two explicit tests of memory (fact and word recall). Tasks were administered to 403 adults from three age groups (19-34 years, 58-73 years, 74-89 years). Significant age differences in favor of the young were found on stem completion but not fact completion. Age differences were present for both word and fast recall. Correlational analyses examining the relationship of memory performance to other cognitive variables indicated that the implicit tests were supported by different components than the explicit tests, as well as being different from each other.

A test case of the deformation rate analysis (DRA) stress measurement method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dight, P.; Hsieh, A. [Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Univ. of WA, Crawley (Australia); Johansson, E. [Saanio and Riekkola Oy, Helsinki (Finland); Hudson, J.A. [Rock Engineering Consultants (United Kingdom); Kemppainen, K.

2012-01-15

As part of Posiva's site and ONKALO investigations, the in situ rock stress has been measured by a variety of techniques, including hydraulic fracturing, overcoring, and convergence measurements. All these techniques involve direct measurements in a drillhole or at the rock surface. An alternative method is to test drillhole core in a way that enables estimation of the magnitudes and orientations of the in situ rock stress. The Kaiser Effect (KE) and Deformation Rate Analysis (DRA) are two ways to do this. In the work reported here, a 'blind' DRA test was conducted on core obtained from the POSE (Posiva's Olkiluoto Spalling Experiment) niche in the ONKALO. The term 'blind' means that the two first authors of this report, who conducted the tests at the Australian Centre for Geomechanics, did not know the depths below surface at which the cores had been obtained. The results of this DRA Test Case are presented, together with an explanation of the DRA procedure. Also, additional information that would help in such DRA testing and associated analysis is explained. One of the problems in comparing the DRA results with the known Olkiluoto stress field is that the latter is highly variable across the site, as experienced by the previous in situ stress measurements and as predicted by numerical analysis. The variability is mainly caused by the presence of the large brittle deformation zones which perturb the local stress state. However, this variability reduces with depth and the stress field becomes more stable at the {approx} 350 m at which the drillhole cores were obtained. Another compounding difficulty is that the stress quantity, being a second order tensor, requires six independent components for its specification. In other words, comparison of the DRA results and the known stress field requires comparison of six different quantities. In terms of the major principal stress orientation, the DRA results predict an orientation completely

A test case of the deformation rate analysis (DRA) stress measurement method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dight, P.; Hsieh, A.; Johansson, E.; Hudson, J.A.; Kemppainen, K.

2012-01-01

As part of Posiva's site and ONKALO investigations, the in situ rock stress has been measured by a variety of techniques, including hydraulic fracturing, overcoring, and convergence measurements. All these techniques involve direct measurements in a drillhole or at the rock surface. An alternative method is to test drillhole core in a way that enables estimation of the magnitudes and orientations of the in situ rock stress. The Kaiser Effect (KE) and Deformation Rate Analysis (DRA) are two ways to do this. In the work reported here, a 'blind' DRA test was conducted on core obtained from the POSE (Posiva's Olkiluoto Spalling Experiment) niche in the ONKALO. The term 'blind' means that the two first authors of this report, who conducted the tests at the Australian Centre for Geomechanics, did not know the depths below surface at which the cores had been obtained. The results of this DRA Test Case are presented, together with an explanation of the DRA procedure. Also, additional information that would help in such DRA testing and associated analysis is explained. One of the problems in comparing the DRA results with the known Olkiluoto stress field is that the latter is highly variable across the site, as experienced by the previous in situ stress measurements and as predicted by numerical analysis. The variability is mainly caused by the presence of the large brittle deformation zones which perturb the local stress state. However, this variability reduces with depth and the stress field becomes more stable at the ∼ 350 m at which the drillhole cores were obtained. Another compounding difficulty is that the stress quantity, being a second order tensor, requires six independent components for its specification. In other words, comparison of the DRA results and the known stress field requires comparison of six different quantities. In terms of the major principal stress orientation, the DRA results predict an orientation completely different to the NW-SE regional

Vibration measurement-based simple technique for damage detection of truss bridges: A case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudath C. Siriwardane

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The bridges experience increasing traffic volume and weight, deteriorating of components and large number of stress cycles. Therefore, assessment of the current condition of steel railway bridges becomes necessary. Most of the commonly available approaches for structural health monitoring are based on visual inspection and non-destructive testing methods. The visual inspection is unreliable as those depend on uncertainty behind inspectors and their experience. Also, the non-destructive testing methods are found to be expensive. Therefore, recent researches have noticed that dynamic modal parameters or vibration measurement-based structural health monitoring methods are economical and may also provide more realistic predictions to damage state of civil infrastructure. Therefore this paper proposes a simple technique to locate the damage region of railway truss bridges based on measured modal parameters. The technique is discussed with a case study. Initially paper describes the details of considered railway bridge. Then observations of visual inspection, material testing and in situ load testing are discussed under separate sections. Development of validated finite element model of the considered bridge is comprehensively discussed. Hence, variations of modal parameters versus position of the damage are plotted. These plots are considered as the main reference for locating the damage of the railway bridge in future periodical inspection by comparing the measured corresponding modal parameters. Finally the procedure of periodical vibration measurement and damage locating technique are clearly illustrated.

Geometrical error calibration in reflective surface testing based on reverse Hartmann test

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Zhidong; Wang, Daodang; Xu, Ping; Wang, Chao; Liang, Rongguang; Kong, Ming; Zhao, Jun; Mo, Linhai; Mo, Shuhui

2017-08-01

In the fringe-illumination deflectometry based on reverse-Hartmann-test configuration, ray tracing of the modeled testing system is performed to reconstruct the test surface error. Careful calibration of system geometry is required to achieve high testing accuracy. To realize the high-precision surface testing with reverse Hartmann test, a computer-aided geometrical error calibration method is proposed. The aberrations corresponding to various geometrical errors are studied. With the aberration weights for various geometrical errors, the computer-aided optimization of system geometry with iterative ray tracing is carried out to calibration the geometrical error, and the accuracy in the order of subnanometer is achieved.

Ballistic and Cyclic Rig Testing of Braided Composite Fan Case Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, William R.; Roberts, Gary D.; Pereira, J. Michael; Braley, Michael S.

2015-01-01

FAA fan blade-out certification testing on turbofan engines occurs very late in an engine's development program and is very costly. It is of utmost importance to approach the FAA Certification engine test with a high degree of confidence that the containment structure will not only contain the high-energy debris, but that it will also withstand the cyclic loads that occur with engine spooldown and continued rotation as the non-running engine maintains a low rotor RPM due to forced airflow as the engine-out aircraft returns to an airport. Accurate rig testing is needed for predicting and understanding material behavior of the fan case structure during all phases of this fan blade-out event.

Deep in Data: Empirical Data Based Software Accuracy Testing Using the Building America Field Data Repository: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neymark, J.; Roberts, D.

2013-06-01

An opportunity is available for using home energy consumption and building description data to develop a standardized accuracy test for residential energy analysis tools. That is, to test the ability of uncalibrated simulations to match real utility bills. Empirical data collected from around the United States have been translated into a uniform Home Performance Extensible Markup Language format that may enable software developers to create translators to their input schemes for efficient access to the data. This may facilitate the possibility of modeling many homes expediently, and thus implementing software accuracy test cases by applying the translated data. This paper describes progress toward, and issues related to, developing a usable, standardized, empirical data-based software accuracy test suite.