Aligning physical elements with persons' attitude: an approach using Rasch measurement theory

Affective engineering uses mathematical models to convert the information obtained from persons' attitude to physical elements into an ergonomic design. However, applications in the domain have not in many cases met measurement assumptions. This paper proposes a novel approach based on Rasch measurement theory to overcome the problem. The research demonstrates that if data fit the model, further variables can be added to a scale. An empirical study was designed to determine the range of compliance where consumers could obtain an impression of a moisturizer cream when touching some product containers. Persons, variables and stimulus objects were parameterised independently on a linear continuum. The results showed that a calibrated scale preserves comparability although incorporating further variables

Polimorfismos no éxon 3 do gene JY-1 e suas associações com probabilidade de prenhez precoce e características de crescimento em novilhas da raça Nelore.

A probabilidade de prenhez precoce é uma característica importante devido ao alto valor econômico associado. Marcadores moleculares promovem diminuição do intervalo de gerações e aumento de ganho genético. A proteína JY-1 é uma proteína específica dos oócitos e atua nas células da granulosa e no desenvolvimento embrionário inicial. Marcadores moleculares foram usados para estudar o gene JY-1 e foram encontrados quatro polimorfismos do tipo SNP no éxon 3. As posições dos SNPs no referido éxon e as substituições são: 163 (T/C), 281(T/C), 321(T/C) e 679(T/C). O SNP 163 está em região codificante e causa substituição de uma prolina por uma leucina. Os demais SNPs estão em região 3?UTR. Os SNPs foram genotipados em 297 novilhas da raça Nelore. Os SNPs 163, 321 e 679 estavam em desequilíbrio de ligação entre si e em equilíbrio com o 281. Os genótipos foram correlacionados com probabilidade de prenhez precoce e características de crescimento, mas não se apresentaram significativos

Análise fenológica de acessos mantidos pelo Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o ciclo fenológico de 19 acessos mantidos no Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva

Fenologia de acessos mantidos pelo Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Uva (BAG-Uva).

Cultivares de videira com ciclos produtivos diferenciados são importantes para a viticultura praticada em clima tropical e temperado. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o ciclo fenológico de 43 acessos mantidos no BAG-Uva. Os acessos foram avaliados em condições padronizadas no campo por um período que variou entre 7 e 10 anos em clima temperado (29º09?S, 51º31'W, 680m de altitude)

Astrometry of the main satellites of Uranus: 18 years of observations

We determine accurate positions of the main satellites of Uranus: Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon. Positions of Uranus, as derived from those of these satellites, are also determined. The observational period spans from 1992 to 2011. All runs were made at the Pico dos Dias Observatory, Brazil. We used the software called Platform for Reduction of Astronomical Images Automatically (PRAIA) to minimise (digital coronography) the influence of the scattered light of Uranus on the astrometric measurements and to determine accurate positions of the main satellites. The positions of Uranus were then indirectly determined by computing the mean differences between the observed and ephemeris positions of these satellites. A series of numerical filters was applied to filter out spurious data. These filters are mostly based on the comparison between the positions of Oberon with those of the other satellites and on the offsets as given by the differences between the observed and ephemeris positions of all satellites. We have, for the overall offsets of the five satellites, -29 (+/-63) mas in right ascension and -27 (+/-46) mas in declination. For the overall difference between the offsets of Oberon and those of the other satellites, we have +3 (+/-30) mas in right ascension and -2 (+/-28) mas in declination. Ephemeris positions for the satellites were determined from DE432+ura111. Comparisons using other modern ephemerides for the solar system -INPOP13c- and for the motion of the satellites -NOE-7-2013- were also made. They confirm that the largest contribution to the offsets we find comes from the motion of the barycenter of the Uranus system around the barycenter of the solar system, as given by the planetary ephemerides. Catalogues with the observed positions are provided.Comment: 13 pages, 21 figure

Conceptualising computerized adaptive testing for measurement of latent variables associated with physical objects

The notion of that more or less of a physical feature affects in different degrees the users' impression with regard to an underlying attribute of a product has frequently been applied in affective engineering. However, those attributes exist only as a premise that cannot directly be measured and, therefore, inferences based on their assessment are error-prone. To establish and improve measurement of latent attributes it is presented in this paper the concept of a stochastic framework using the Rasch model for a wide range of independent variables referred to as an item bank. Based on an item bank, computerized adaptive testing (CAT) can be developed. A CAT system can converge into a sequence of items bracketing to convey information at a user's particular endorsement level. It is through item banking and CAT that the financial benefits of using the Rasch model in affective engineering can be realised

A GC-MS Method for the Determination of Isoxsuprine in Biological Fluids of the Horse Utilizing Electron Impact Ionization

Isoxsuprine is used to treat navicular disease and other lower-limb problems in the horse. Isoxsuprine is regulated as a class 4 compound by the Association of Racing Commissioners, International (ARCI) and, thus, requires regulatory monitoring. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method utilizing electron impact ionization was developed and validated for the quantitation of isoxsuprine in equine plasma or equine urine. The method utilized robotic solid-phase extraction and tri-methyl silyl ether products of derivatization. Products were bis-trimethylsilyl (TMS) isoxsuprine and tris-TMS ritodrine, which released intense quantifier ions m/z 178 for isoxsuprine and m/z 236 for ritodrine that were products of C-C cleavage. To our knowledge, this procedure is faster and more sensitive than other methods in the literature. Concentrations in urine and plasma of isoxsuprine were determined from a calibrator curve that was generated along with unknowns. Ritodrine was used as an internal standard and was, therefore, present in all samples, standards, and blanks. Validation data was also collected. The limit of detection of isoxsuprine in plasma was determined to be 2 ng/mL, the limit of quantitation of isoxsuprine in plasma was determined to be \u3c 5 ng/mL. The mean coefficient of determination for the calibrator curves for plasma was 0.9925 ± 0.0052 and for calibrator curves for urine 0.9904 ± 0.0075. The recovery efficiencies at concentrations of 50, 200, and 300 ng/mL were 76%, 73%, and 76%, respectively, in plasma and 92%, 89% and 91% in urine