Multinomial tree models for assessing the status of the reference in studies of the accuracy of tools for binary classification

Studies that evaluate the accuracy of binary classification tools are needed. Such studies provide 2x2 cross-classifications of test outcomes and the categories according to an unquestionable reference (or gold standard). However, sometimes a suboptimal reliability reference is employed. Several methods have been proposed to deal with studies where the observations are cross-classified with an imperfect reference. These methods require that the status of the reference, as a gold standard or as an imperfect reference, is known. In this paper a procedure for determining whether it is appropriate to maintain the assumption that the reference is a gold standard or an imperfect reference, is proposed. This procedure fits two nested multinomial tree models, and assesses and compares their absolute and incremental fit. Its implementation requires the availability of the results of several independent studies. These should be carried out using similar designs to provide frequencies of cross-classification between a test and the reference under investigation. The procedure is applied in two examples with real data

Recent development of VUV-based processes for air pollutants degradation

As air pollution become more and more serious nowadays, it is essential to find out a way to efficiently degrade the air pollutants. Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV)-based processes are an emerging and promising technologies for environmental remediation such as air cleaning, wastewater treatment and air/water disinfection. With VUV irradiation, photolysis, photocatalyst is and ozone-assisted oxidation are involved at the same time, resulting in the fast degradation of air pollutants because of their strong oxidizing capacity. The mechanisms of how the oxidants are produced and reacted are discussed in this review. This paper mainly focuses on the three VUV-based oxidation processes including VUV photolysis, VUV combined with ozone-assisted oxidation and VUV-PCO with emphasis on their mechanisms and applications. Also, the outlooks of these processes are outlined in this paper