2,623 research outputs found
An evaluation of the quality of statistical design and analysis of published medical research : results from a systematic survey of general orthopaedic journals
Background:
The application of statistics in reported research in trauma and orthopaedic surgery has become ever more important and complex. Despite the extensive use of statistical analysis, it is still a subject which is often not conceptually well understood, resulting in clear methodological flaws and inadequate reporting in many papers.
Methods:
A detailed statistical survey sampled 100 representative orthopaedic papers using a validated questionnaire that assessed the quality of the trial design and statistical analysis methods.
Results:
The survey found evidence of failings in study design, statistical methodology and presentation of the results. Overall, in 17% (95% confidence interval; 10–26%) of the studies investigated the conclusions were not clearly justified by the results, in 39% (30–49%) of studies a different analysis should have been undertaken and in 17% (10–26%) a different analysis could have made a difference to the overall conclusions.
Conclusion:
It is only by an improved dialogue between statistician, clinician, reviewer and journal editor that the failings in design methodology and analysis highlighted by this survey can be addressed
The periodic standing-wave approximation: eigenspectral computations for linear gravity and nonlinear toy models
The periodic standing wave approach to binary inspiral assumes rigid rotation
of gravitational fields and hence helically symmetric solutions. To exploit the
symmetry, numerical computations must solve for ``helical scalars,'' fields
that are functions only of corotating coordinates, the labels on the helical
Killing trajectories. Here we present the formalism for describing linearized
general relativity in terms of helical scalars and we present solutions to the
mixed partial differential equations of the linearized gravity problem (and to
a toy nonlinear problem) using the adapted coordinates and numerical techniques
previously developed for scalar periodic standing wave computations. We argue
that the formalism developed may suffice for periodic standing wave
computations for post-Minkowskian computations and for full general relativity.Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures, RevTe
Examining the Effect of Pore Size Distribution and Shape on Flow through Unsaturated Peat using Computer Tomography
The hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated peat soil is controlled by the air-filled porosity, pore size and geometric distribution as well as other physical properties of peat materials. This study investigates how the size and shape of pores affects the flow of water through peat soils. In this study we used X-ray Computed Tomography (CT), at 45ÎĽm resolution under 5 specific soil-water pressure head levels to provide 3-D, high-resolution images that were used to detect the inner pore structure of peat samples under a changing water regime. Pore structure and configuration were found to be irregular, which affected the rate of water transmission through peat soils. The 3-D analysis suggested that pore distribution is dominated by a single large pore-space. At low pressure head, this single large air-filled pore imparted a more effective flowpath compared to smaller pores. Smaller pores were disconnected and the flowpath was more tortuous than in the single large air-filled pore, and their contribution to flow was negligible when the single large pore was active. We quantify the pore structure of peat soil that affects the hydraulic conductivity in the unsaturated condition, and demonstrate the validity of our estimation of peat unsaturated hydraulic conductivity by making a comparison with a standard permeameter-based method. Estimates of unsaturated hydraulic conductivities were made for the purpose of testing the sensitivity of pore shape and geometry parameters on the hydraulic properties of peats and how to evaluate the structure of the peat and its affects on parameterization. We also studied the ability to quantify these factors for different soil moisture contents in order to define how the factors controlling the shape coefficient vary with changes in soil water pressure head. The relation between measured and estimated unsaturated hydraulic conductivity at various heads shows that rapid initial drainage, that changes the air-filled pore properties, creates a sharp decline in hydraulic conductivity. This is because the large pores readily lose water, the peat rapidly becomes less conductive and the flow path among pores, more tortuous
The periodic standing-wave approximation: post-Minkowski computation
The periodic standing wave method studies circular orbits of compact objects
coupled to helically symmetric standing wave gravitational fields. From this
solution an approximation is extracted for the strong field, slowly
inspiralling motion of black holes and binary stars. Previous work on this
model has dealt with nonlinear scalar models, and with linearized general
relativity. Here we present the results of the method for the post-Minkowski
(PM) approximation to general relativity, the first step beyond linearized
gravity. We compute the PM approximation in two ways: first, via the standard
approach of computing linearized gravitational fields and constructing from
them quadratic driving sources for second-order fields, and second, by solving
the second-order equations as an ``exact'' nonlinear system. The results of
these computations have two distinct applications: (i) The computational
infrastructure for the ``exact'' PM solution will be directly applicable to
full general relativity. (ii) The results will allow us to begin supplying
initial data to collaborators running general relativistic evolution codes.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, RevTe
Iteration Stability for Simple Newtonian Stellar Systems
For an equation of state in which pressure is a function only of density, the
analysis of Newtonian stellar structure is simple in principle if the system is
axisymmetric, or consists of a corotating binary. It is then required only to
solve two equations: one stating that the "injection energy", , a
potential, is constant throughout the stellar fluid, and the other being the
integral over the stellar fluid to give the gravitational potential. An
iterative solution of these equations generally diverges if is held
fixed, but converges with other choices. We investigate the mathematical reason
for this convergence/divergence by starting the iteration from an approximation
that is perturbatively different from the actual solution. A cycle of iteration
is then treated as a linear "updating" operator, and the properties of the
linear operator, especially its spectrum, determine the convergence properties.
For simplicity, we confine ourselves to spherically symmetric models in which
we analyze updating operators both in the finite dimensional space
corresponding to a finite difference representation of the problem, and in the
continuum, and we find that the fixed- operator is self-adjoint and
generally has an eigenvalue greater than unity; in the particularly important
case of a polytropic equation of state with index greater than unity, we prove
that there must be such an eigenvalue. For fixed central density, on the other
hand, we find that the updating operator has only a single eigenvector, with
zero eigenvalue, and is nilpotent in finite dimension, thereby giving a
convergent solution.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figure
Georges Bank : an annotated bibliography of atlases, inventories and map series
The bibliography reviews inventory-like studies of the Georges
Bank region and presents information on the scope of the work, topics
treated, geographic area of concern, and audience. The primary purpose
was to evaluate the nature and type of maps used in the works reviewed
so the notations include the number of maps, their formats and scales,
cartographic quality and base map content .Prepared by the Marine Policy and Ocean Management Program and the
Coastal Research Center with funds from the Pew Memorial Trust, the
Mellon Foundation and the Department of Commerce, NOAA Office of Sea
Grant under Grant #NA 80AA-D-00077
Adam Smith and the theory of punishment
A distinctive theory of punishment plays a central role in Smith's moral and legal theory. According to this theory, we regard the punishment of a crime as deserved only to the extent that an impartial spectator would go along with the actual or supposed resentment of the victim. The first part of this paper argues that Smith's theory deserves serious consideration and relates it to other theories such as utilitarianism and more orthodox forms of retributivism. The second part considers the objection that, because Smith's theory implies that punishment is justified only when there is some person or persons who is the victim of the crime, it cannot explain the many cases where punishment is imposed purely for the public good. It is argued that Smith's theory could be extended to cover such cases. The third part defends Smith's theory against the objection that, because it relies on our natural feelings, it cannot provide an adequate moral justification of punishment
Colliding black holes: how far can the close approximation go?
We study the head-on collision of two equal-mass momentarily stationary black
holes, using black hole perturbation theory up to second order. Compared to
first-order results, this significantly improves agreement with numerically
computed waveforms and energy. Much more important, second-order results
correctly indicate the range of validity of perturbation theory. This use of
second-order, to provide ``error bars,'' makes perturbation theory a viable
tool for providing benchmarks for numerical relativity in more generic
collisions and, in some range of collision parameters, for supplying waveform
templates for gravitational wave detection.Comment: 6 pages, RevTeX, 2 figures included with eps
The periodic standing-wave approximation: computations in full general relativity
The periodic standing wave method studies circular orbits of compact objects
coupled to helically symmetric standing wave gravitational fields. From this
solution an approximation is extracted for the strong field, slowly
inspiralling motion of binary black holes and binary neutron stars. Previous
work on this project has developed a method using a few multipoles of specially
adapted coordinates well suited both to the radiation and the source regions.
This method had previously been applied to linear and nonlinear scalar field
models, to linearized gravity, and to a post-Minkowski approximation. Here we
present the culmination of this approach: the application of the method in full
general relativity. The fundamental equations had previously been developed and
the challenge presented by this step is primarily a computational one which was
approached with an innovative technique. The numerical results of these
computations are compared with the corresponding results from linearized and
post-Minkowksi computations.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure
- …