6,366 research outputs found
Agreement between methods of measurement with multiple observations per individual
Limits of agreement provide a straightforward and intuitive approach to agreement between different methods for measuring the same quantity. When pairs of observations using the two methods are independent, i.e., on different subjects, the calculations are very simple and straightforward. Some authors collect repeated data, either as repeated pairs of measurements on the same subject, whose true value of the measured quantity may be changing, or more than one measurement by one or both methods of an unchanging underlying quantity. In this paper we describe methods for analysing such clustered observations, both when the underlying quantity is assumed to be changing and when it is not
Computer Programs for Calculating and Plotting the Stability Characteristics of a Balloon Tethered in a Wind
Computer programs for calculating the stability characteristics of a balloon tethered in a steady wind are presented. Equilibrium conditions, characteristic roots, and modal ratios are calculated for a range of discrete values of velocity for a fixed tether-line length. Separate programs are used: (1) to calculate longitudinal stability characteristics, (2) to calculate lateral stability characteristics, (3) to plot the characteristic roots versus velocity, (4) to plot the characteristic roots in root-locus form, (5) to plot the longitudinal modes of motion, and (6) to plot the lateral modes for motion. The basic equations, program listings, and the input and output data for sample cases are presented, with a brief discussion of the overall operation and limitations. The programs are based on a linearized, stability-derivative type of analysis, including balloon aerodynamics, apparent mass, buoyancy effects, and static forces which result from the tether line
Human resources needs for universal access to antiretroviral therapy in South Africa: a time and motion study
<p>Background - Although access to life-saving treatment for patients infected with HIV in South Africa has improved substantially since 2004, treating all eligible patients (universal access) remains elusive. As the prices of antiretroviral drugs have dropped over the past years, availability of human resources may now be the most important barrier to achieving universal access to HIV treatment in Africa. We quantify the number of HIV health workers (HHWs) required to be added to the current HIV workforce to achieve universal access to HIV treatment in South Africa, under different eligibility criteria.</p>
<p>Methods - We performed a time and motion study in three HIV clinics in a rural, primary care-based HIV treatment program in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to estimate the average time per patient visit for doctors, nurses, and counselors. We estimated the additional number of HHWs needed to achieve universal access to HIV treatment within one year.</p>
<p>Results - For universal access to HIV treatment for all patients with a CD4 cell count of ≤350 cells/μl, an additional 2,200 nurses, 3,800 counselors, and 300 doctors would be required, at additional annual salary cost of 929 million South African rand (ZAR), equivalent to US 400 million).</p>
<p>Conclusions - Universal access to HIV treatment for patients with a CD4 cell count of ≤350 cells/μl in South Africa may be affordable, but the number of HHWs available for HIV treatment will need to be substantially increased. Treatment as prevention strategies will require considerable additional financial and human resources commitments.</p>
MMTF: The Maryland-Magellan Tunable Filter
This paper describes the Maryland-Magellan Tunable Filter (MMTF) on the
Magellan-Baade 6.5-meter telescope. MMTF is based on a 150-mm clear aperture
Fabry-Perot (FP) etalon that operates in low orders and provides transmission
bandpass and central wavelength adjustable from ~5 to ~15 A and from ~5000 to
over ~9200 A, respectively. It is installed in the Inamori Magellan Areal
Camera and Spectrograph (IMACS) and delivers an image quality of ~0.5" over a
field of view of 27' in diameter (monochromatic over ~10'). This versatile and
easy-to-operate instrument has been used over the past three years for a wide
variety of projects. This paper first reviews the basic principles of FP
tunable filters, then provides a detailed description of the hardware and
software associated with MMTF and the techniques developed to observe with this
instrument and reduce the data. The main lessons learned in the course of the
commissioning and implementation of MMTF are highlighted next, before
concluding with a brief outlook on the future of MMTF and of similar facilities
which are soon coming on line.Comment: 38 pages, 12 figures, 3 tables, now accepted for publication to the
Astronomical Journa
Instability of Rotationally Tuned Dipolar Bose-Einstein Condensates
The possibility of effectively inverting the sign of the dipole-dipole
interaction, by fast rotation of the dipole polarization, is examined within a
harmonically trapped dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate. Our analysis is based on
the stationary states in the Thomas-Fermi limit, in the corotating frame, as
well as direct numerical simulations in the Thomas-Fermi regime, explicitly
accounting for the rotating polarization. The condensate is found to be
inherently unstable due to the dynamical instability of collective modes. This
ultimately prevents the realization of robust and long-lived rotationally tuned
states. Our findings have major implications for experimentally accessing this
regime.Comment: 9 pages with 5 figure
Magnetoswitching of current oscillations in diluted magnetic semiconductor nanostructures
Strongly nonlinear transport through Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor
multiquantum wells occurs due to the interplay between confinement, Coulomb and
exchange interaction. Nonlinear effects include the appearance of spin
polarized stationary states and self-sustained current oscillations as possible
stable states of the nanostructure, depending on its configuration and control
parameters such as voltage bias and level splitting due to an external magnetic
field. Oscillatory regions grow in size with well number and level splitting. A
systematic analysis of the charge and spin response to voltage and magnetic
field switching of II-VI Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor multiquantum wells is
carried out. The description of stationary and time-periodic spin polarized
states, the transitions between them and the responses to voltage or magnetic
field switching have great importance due to the potential implementation of
spintronic devices based on these nanostructures.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, Revtex, to appear in PR
A Measure of the Factors Impacting the Effectiveness and Efficiency of eBay in the Supply Chain of Online Firms
This research investigates the auction properties that influence eBay\u27s effectiveness (ability to attract bidders) and efficiency (ability to maximize price and profit) as the distribution link of the supply chain. The research extends the literature pioneered by Lucking-Reiley (2000) on eBay auctions. We found that the effectiveness of using eBay is influenced by the item description in the auction heading, the initial price, the timing of the auction and the operating condition of the item, in our case an inexpensive, functional HP 12-C financial calculator. The efficiency of eBay, on the other hand, is influenced by the ability to attract bidders, the pricing factors set up by the seller, the product\u27s description, its operating condition, the timing of the auction, and the method of payment options available to the buyer
Four layer bandage compared with short stretch bandage for venous leg ulcers: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials with data from individual patients
<p><b>Objective:</b> To compare the effectiveness of two types of compression treatment (four layer bandage and short stretch bandage) in people with venous leg ulceration.</p>
<p><b>Design:</b> Systematic review and meta-analysis of patient level data.</p>
<p><b>Data:</b> sources Electronic databases (the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and National Research Register) and reference lists of retrieved articles searched to identify relevant trials and primary investigators. Primary investigators of eligible trials were invited to contribute raw data for re-analysis.</p>
<p><b>Review:</b> methods Randomised controlled trials of four layer bandage compared with short stretch bandage in people with venous leg ulceration were eligible for inclusion. The primary outcome for the meta-analysis was time to healing. Cox proportional hazards models were run to compare the methods in terms of time to healing with adjustment for independent predictors of healing. Secondary outcomes included incidence and number of adverse events per patient.</p>
<p><b>Results:</b> Seven eligible trials were identified (887 patients), and patient level data were retrieved for five (797 patients, 90% of known randomised patients). The four layer bandage was associated with significantly shorter time to healing: hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) from multifactorial model based on five trials was 1.31 (1.09 to 1.58), P=0.005. Larger ulcer area at baseline, more chronic ulceration, and previous ulceration were all independent predictors of delayed healing. Data from two trials showed no evidence of a difference in adverse event profiles between the two bandage types.</p>
<p><b>Conclusions:</b> Venous leg ulcers in patients treated with four layer bandages heal faster, on average, than those of people treated with the short stretch bandage. Benefits were consistent across patients with differing prognostic profiles.</p>
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