517 research outputs found
Water vapour effects of cyclic oxidation on Fe-Cr alloys
Fe-Cr alloys (Cr: 9-30 wt%) were subjected to cyclic oxidation in Ar-20%O2, Ar-20%O2-5%H2O and Ar-10%H2-5%H2O (partial pressure of oxygen, pO2 = 1.1 „ 10-16atm). Oxidation weight change measurement showed that in general, increasing Cr content reduced the oxidation rate. At Cr 25%, the weight gain became very low due to formation of Cr2O3 layer. Adding 5%H2O to Ar-20%O2 accelerated the oxidation rate of alloys with Cr < 20%. However, this accelerating effect did not appear in high chromium content alloys. XRD analysis showed that for alloys with Cr < 20%, wustite and spinel were formed at low pO2, while at high pO2, hematite, iron oxide and spinel were formed. For high Cr content alloy only Cr2O3 was detected. Cross-section analysis showed that the spinel was formed by internal oxidation. The thickness and size of this internal oxide zone increased with increasing Cr content. A dense chromia layer was observed when the Cr content was above 25%. The oxides scales formed in water vapour were more porous and less compact than the scale formed in dry oxygen. The accelerating effect of water vapour on Fe-Cr oxidation is discussed in terms of gas-solid interactions
Thresholds for clinical importance for four key domains of the EORTC QLQ-C30:Physical functioning, emotional functioning, fatigue and pain
Thresholds for clinical importance for four key domains of the EORTC QLQ-C30:Physical functioning, emotional functioning, fatigue and pain
When does the action start and finish? Making the case for an ethnographic action research in educational research
This paper explores how ethnographic and action research methodologies can be justifiably combined to create a new methodological approach in educational research. It draws on existing examples in both educational research and
development studies that have discussed the use of ethnography and action research in specific projects. Interpretations of ethnography and action research
are developed that aim to minimise the epistemological differences between them.
The paper also contextualises an âethnographic action researchâ approach with reference to an example of the authorâs research into participation in three âreceptionâ (first year of schooling) classes in the United Kingdom. It is argued that research into the theme of participation in early years education, using participative methods, was particularly suitable for this new methodological
approach
Deriving a preference-based utility measure for cancer patients from the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer's Quality of Life Questionnaire C30: a confirmatory versus exploratory approach
Background: Multi attribute utility instruments (MAUIs) are preference-based measures that
comprise a health state classification system (HSCS) and a scoring algorithm that assigns a utility
value to each health state in the HSCS. When developing a MAUI from a health-related quality
of life (HRQOL) questionnaire, first a HSCS must be derived. This typically involves selecting
a subset of domains and items because HRQOL questionnaires typically have too many items
to be amendable to the valuation task required to develop the scoring algorithm for a MAUI.
Currently, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) followed by Rasch analysis is recommended for
deriving a MAUI from a HRQOL measure.
Aim: To determine whether confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is more appropriate and efficient
than EFA to derive a HSCS from the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment
of Cancerâs core HRQOL questionnaire, Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30), given its
well-established domain structure.
Methods: QLQ-C30 (Version 3) data were collected from 356 patients receiving palliative
radiotherapy for recurrent/metastatic cancer (various primary sites). The dimensional structure
of the QLQ-C30 was tested with EFA and CFA, the latter informed by the established QLQC30
structure and views of both patients and clinicians on which are the most relevant items.
Dimensions determined by EFA or CFA were then subjected to Rasch analysis.
Results: CFA results generally supported the proposed QLQ-C30 structure (comparative fit
index =0.99, TuckerâLewis index =0.99, root mean square error of approximation =0.04). EFA
revealed fewer factors and some items cross-loaded on multiple factors. Further assessment
of dimensionality with Rasch analysis allowed better alignment of the EFA dimensions with
those detected by CFA.
Conclusion: CFA was more appropriate and efficient than EFA in producing clinically interpretable
results for the HSCS for a proposed new cancer-specific MAUI. Our findings suggest
that CFA should be recommended generally when deriving a preference-based measure from a
HRQOL measure that has an established domain structure
Thresholds for clinical importance were defined for the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Computer Adaptive Testing Coreâan adaptive measure of core quality of life domains in oncology clinical practice and research
Thresholds for clinical importance were established to improve interpretation of the EORTC QLQ-C30 in clinical practice and research
General population normative data for the EORTC QLQ-C30 health-related quality of life questionnaire based on 15,386 persons across 13 European countries, Canada and the Unites States
Frame Theory for Signal Processing in Psychoacoustics
This review chapter aims to strengthen the link between frame theory and
signal processing tasks in psychoacoustics. On the one side, the basic concepts
of frame theory are presented and some proofs are provided to explain those
concepts in some detail. The goal is to reveal to hearing scientists how this
mathematical theory could be relevant for their research. In particular, we
focus on frame theory in a filter bank approach, which is probably the most
relevant view-point for audio signal processing. On the other side, basic
psychoacoustic concepts are presented to stimulate mathematicians to apply
their knowledge in this field
Transient deformation associated with explosive eruption measured at Masaya volcano (Nicaragua) using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar
Deformation caused by processes within a volcanic conduit are localised, transient, and therefore challenging to measure. However, observations of such deformation are important because they provide insight into conditions preceding explosive activity, and are important for hazard assessment. Here, we present measurements of low magnitude, transient deformation covering an area of âŒ4 km2 at Masaya volcano spanning a period of explosive eruptions (30th April - 17th May 2012). Radial uplift of duration 24 days and peak displacements of a few millimetres occurred in the month before the eruption, but switched to subsidence âŒ27 days before the onset of the explosive eruption on 30th of April. Uplift resumed during, and continued for âŒ16 days after the end of the explosive eruption period. We use a finite element modelling approach to investigate a range of possible source geometries for this deformation, and find that the changes in pressurisation of a conduit 450 m below the surface vent (radius 160 m and length 700 m), surrounded by a halo of brecciated material with a Youngâs modulus of 15 GPa, gave a good fit to the InSAR displacements. We propose that the pre-eruptive deformation sequence at Masaya is likely to have been caused by the movement of magma through a constriction within the shallow conduit system. Although measuring displacements associated with conduit processes remains challenging, new high resolution InSAR datasets will increasingly allow the measurement of transient and lower magnitude deformation signals, improving the methodâs applicability for observing transitions between volcanic activity characterised by an open and a closed conduit system
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