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Scaling
Kinds of Scaling Terms modified by Scaling Selected AbstractsTHURSTONIAN MODELS AND VARIANCE II: EXPERIMENTAL CONFIRMATION OF THE EFFECTS OF VARIANCE ON THURSTONIAN MODELS OF SCALINGJOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 5 2006HEE-JIN KIM ABSTRACT Subjects rated taste intensities using category scales under a variety of experimental protocols, which induced differences in computed values of d,. These were explained in a Thurstonian/signal detection context, by variation in the effects of adaptation changing perceived intensities (perceptual variance), by the effects of forgetting (memory variance) and by differences in the idiosyncratic ways that subjects use category-rating scales (boundary variance). [source] HOW DO THE SIGNAL DETECTION INDICES REACT TO FREQUENCY CONTEXT BIAS FOR INTENSITY SCALING?JOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 1 2001HYE-SEONG LEE ABSTRACT Stimulus frequency context effects were noted for stimuli with positive, negative and no skew, using aqueous NaCl stimuli of different concentrations as a model system and orange juice stimuli with added amounts of sucrose as a beverage system. The hypothesis that analysis by signal detection ,m values, rather than individually rated intensity values, would result in the absence of the context effect, was not confirmed. [source] GOAL ATTAINMENT SCALING: AN EFFECTIVE OUTCOME MEASURE FOR RURAL AND REMOTE HEALTH SERVICESAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 5 2002Ruth Cox ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the utility of Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) as an effective, multidisciplinary measure of client outcomes for rural and remote health services. Goal Attainment Scaling was adopted by the Spinal Outreach Team (SPOT) as a client-focussed evaluation tool, as it is sensitive to the individual nature of clients' presenting issues and the multidisciplinary focus of the team. It enables individualised goals to be set on a five-point scale. Goal Attainment Scaling was introduced to the SPOT service after a pilot trial established guidelines for its effective implementation. An ongoing review process ensures that goal scaling remains realistic and relevant. Service outcomes can be effectively summarised using a frequency distribution of GAS scores. One of the important benefits of GAS is its facilitation of collaborative goal setting between clinician and client. Goal Attainment Scaling is recommended to rural and remote multidisciplinary health services because of its ability to summarise outcomes from heterogeneous service activities. [source] Scaling up Participatory Watershed Development in IndiaDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 2 2002Shashi Kolavalli ,Participation' is widely accepted as a prerequisite to successful watershed development in India, but there is no shared understanding of its meaning, nor of how to make it operational. Meaningful participation, in which communities work collectively, help make decisions and share costs, is limited primarily to projects implemented by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Participation in government projects is more superficial because staff lack the skills and incentive to engage in meaningful participation. Strategies to scale up meaningful participation require a large number of NGOs. However, the number of NGOs with the necessary skills and values is limited, so a realistic strategy must seek to improve the capabilities and incentives of government agencies. Their performance may improve by making them accountable through transparent processes and participatory monitoring and evaluation. NGO-facilitated access to information for communities can potentially change power relations and initiate political processes that make both community leaders and government agencies more accountable to communities. [source] Land-cover and land-use change and its contribution to the large-scale organization of Puerto Rico's bird assemblagesDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 1 2008Miguel A. Acevedo ABSTRACT Global biodiversity is changing rapidly driven by human alteration of habitat, and nowhere this is more dramatic than in insular habitats. Yet land-cover change is a complex phenomenon that not only involves habitat destruction but also forest recovery over different time scales. Therefore, we might expect species to respond in diverse ways with likely consequences for the reorganization of regional assemblages. These changes, however, may be different in tropical islands because of their low species richness, generalist habits and high proportion of endemics. Here, we focus on the island of Puerto Rico and ask how island-wide changes in land cover and land use has influenced the large-scale organization of bird assemblages. To address this question, we combined in a Geographical Information System (GIS) the first 6 years (1997,2002) of the Puerto Rican Breeding Bird Survey (PR-BBS) with land-cover and land-use data extracted from a published digital map derived from the classification of Landsat images. A Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS) ordination based on the composition and abundance of birds, and percentage land-use types showed that land use followed by climate could explain most of the variation observed among routes in terms of species composition and abundance. Moreover, endemic and exotic species were widely distributed throughout the island, but the proportion of endemic species is higher in closed forests while exotic species are more abundant in open habitats. However, historical accounts from the early 1900s indicate that endemic species were distributed across the entire island. Today, most of the land cover transformation in Puerto Rico occurs in the lowlands which may explain the high abundance of endemic species in cloud forests and the high abundance of exotic species in open habitats in the lowlands. [source] Scaling up evolutionary responses to elevated CO2: lessons from ArabidopsisECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 5 2004Joy K. Ward Abstract Results from norm of reaction studies and selection experiments indicate that elevated CO2 will act as a selective agent on natural plant populations, especially for C3 species that are most sensitive to changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration. Evolutionary responses to CO2 may alter plant physiology, development rate, growth, and reproduction in ways that cannot be predicted from single generation studies. Moreover, ecological and evolutionary changes in plant communities will have a range of consequences at higher spatial scales and may cause substantial deviations from ecosystem level predictions based on short-term responses to elevated CO2. Therefore, steps need to be taken to identify the plant traits that are most likely to evolve at elevated CO2, and to understand how these changes may affect net primary productivity within ecosystems. These processes may range in scale from molecular and physiological changes that occur among genotypes at the individual and population levels, to changes in community- and ecosystem-level productivity that result from the integrative effects of different plant species evolving simultaneously. In this review, we (1) synthesize recent studies investigating the role of atmospheric CO2 as a selective agent on plants, (2) discuss possible control points during plant development that may change in response to selection at elevated CO2 with an emphasis at the primary molecular level, and (3) provide a quantitative framework for scaling the evolutionary effects of CO2 on plants in order to determine changes in community and ecosystem productivity. Furthermore, this review points out that studies integrating the effects of plant evolution in response to elevated CO2 are lacking, and therefore more attention needs be devoted to this issue among the global change research community. [source] Examining Contextual Effects in a Practice Analysis: An Application of Dual ScalingEDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT: ISSUES AND PRACTICE, Issue 3 2007André F. De Champlain Practice analyses are routinely used in support of the development of occupational and professional certification and licensure examinations. These analyses usually survey incumbents to obtain importance ratings of (1) specific tasks and (2) knowledge, skill, and ability (KSA) statements deemed by subject matter experts as essential to safe and effective practice. Several researchers have made important criticisms of traditional practice analysis procedures, particularly the lack of attention to contextual constructs and the resulting problematic interpretation of mean importance ratings. The present study provides a framework for assessing the impact of context in practice analysis studies. It focuses on a practice analysis of a health profession that sought to enhance the meaning of incumbents' importance ratings by embedding the statements in the context of patient acuities. Results indicate that incumbents' importance ratings varied as a function of patient acuity. Dual scaling analysis was used to obtain a multidimensional visual representation of the associations between importance ratings and contextual content. The implications of the contextual component of the study design for future practice analysis studies are discussed as well as possible applications of this approach to professions in education. [source] IEF in microfluidic devicesELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 5 2009Greg J. Sommer Abstract IEF is one of the most powerful and prevalent techniques used in separation sciences. The power of IEF comes from the fact that it not only separates analytes based on their pI but also focuses them into highly resolved bands. In line with the miniaturization trend spurring the analytical community, the past decade has yielded a wealth of research focused on implementing IEF in microfluidic chip-based formats (,IEF). Scaling down the separation technique provides several advantages such as reduced sample sizes, assay automation, and significant improvements in assay speed without sacrificing separation performance. Besides presenting microscale adaptations of standard schemes, researchers have also developed improved detection techniques, demonstrated novel ,IEF assays, and incorporated ,IEF with other analytical methods for achieving on-chip multidimensional separations. This review provides a brief historical outline of IEF's beginnings, theoretical incentives driving miniaturization of the methodology, a thorough synopsis of ,IEF publications to date, and an outlook to the future. [source] Scaling of water flow through porous media and soilsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2008K. Roth Summary Scaling of fluid flow in general is outlined and contrasted to the scaling of water flow in porous media. It is then applied to deduce Darcy's law, thereby demonstrating that stationarity of the flow field at the scale of the representative elementary volume (REV) is a critical prerequisite. The focus is on the implications of the requirement of stationarity, or local equilibrium, in particular on the validity of the Richards equation for the description of water movement through soils. Failure to satisfy this essential requirement may occur at the scale of the REV or, particularly in numerical simulations, at the scale of the model discretization. The latter can be alleviated by allocation of more computational resources and by working on a finer-grained representation. In contrast, the former is fundamental and leads to an irrevocable failure of the Richards equation as is observed with infiltration instabilities that lead to fingered flow. [source] FLOX® Steam Reforming for PEM Fuel Cell Systems,FUEL CELLS, Issue 4 2004H.-P. Schmid Abstract Primary energy savings and CO2 reduction is one of the key motivations for the use of fuel cell systems in the energy sector. A benchmark of domestic cogeneration by PEMFC with existing large scale power production systems such as combined steam-gas turbine cycle, clearly reveals that only fuel cell systems optimising overall energy efficiency (>,85%) and electrical efficiencies (>,35%) show significant primary energy savings, about 10%, compared with the best competing technology. In this context, fuel processing technology plays a dominant role. A comparison of autothermal and steam reforming concepts in a PEMFC system shows inherent advantages in terms of efficiency at low complexity for the latter. The main reason for this is that steam reforming allows for the straightforward and effective use of the anode-off gas energy in the reformer burner. Consequently, practical electrical system efficiencies over 40% seem to be achievable, most likely by steam reformers. FLOX®-steam reforming technology has reached a high state of maturity, offering diverse advantages including: compact design, stable anode off-gas usage, high efficiency, as well as simple control behaviour. Scaling of the concept is straightforward and offers an opportunity for efficient adaptation to smaller (1,kW) and larger (50,kW) units. [source] Scaling of body temperature in mammals and birdsFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Andrew Clarke Summary 1We examine variation associated with phylogeny in the scaling of body temperature in endotherms, using data from 596 species of mammal and 490 species of bird. 2Among higher groups of mammals there is statistically significant scaling of body temperature with mass in Marsupialia (positive), Ferae and Ungulata (both negative). In mammalian orders where data are available for at least 10 species, scaling is negative in three orders (Carnivora, Erinaceomorpha and Artiodactyla), positive in one (Chiroptera) and not significant in seven others. There is no relationship apparent between the scaling of body temperature and the existence of gut fermentation. As expected, monotremes exhibit the lowest body temperatures, but within marsupials diprotodonts have a mean body temperature higher than several placental groups; the traditional ranking of body temperatures in the sequence monotremes , marsupials , placentals is thus misleading. 3In birds, scaling relationships are significant only for Ciconiiformes (strongly negative) and Passeriformes (weakly positive). 4When allowance is made for phylogenetic effects, there is no significant relationship between temperature in body mass in mammals overall, but an inverse and almost significant relationship in birds. 5This study indicates a complex relationship between body mass, body temperature and metabolic rate in mammals and birds, mediated through ecology. [source] Multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis of streamflow series of the Yangtze River basin, ChinaHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 26 2008Qiang Zhang Abstract Scaling and multifractal properties of the hydrological processes of the Yangtze River basin were explored by using a multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) technique. Long daily mean streamflow series from Cuntan, Yichang, Hankou and Datong stations were analyzed. Using shuffled streamflow series, the types of multifractality of streamflow series was also studied. The results indicate that the discharge series of the Yangtze River basin are non-stationary. Different correlation properties were identified within streamflow series of the upper, the middle and the lower Yangtze River basin. The discharge series of the upper Yangtze River basin are characterized by short memory or anti-persistence; while the streamflow series of the lower Yangtze River basin is characterized by long memory or persistence. h(q) vs q curves indicate multifractality of the hydrological processes of the Yangtze River basin. h(q) curves of shuffled streamflow series suggest that the multifractality of the streamflow series is mainly due to the correlation properties within the hydrological series. This study may be of practical and scientific importance in regional flood frequency analysis and water resource management in different parts of the Yangtze River basin. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Scaling up and out in runoff process understanding: insights from nested experimental catchment studiesHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 11 2006C. Soulsby First page of article [source] Estimating areal snowmelt infiltration into frozen soilsHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 16 2001D. M. Gray Abstract An algorithm for estimating areal snowmelt infiltration into frozen soils is developed. Frozen soils are grouped into classes according to surface entry condition as: (a) Restricted,water entry is impeded by surface conditions, (b) Limited,capillary flow predominates and water entry is influenced primarily by soil physical properties, and (c) Unlimited,gravity flow predominates and most of the meltwater infiltrates. For Limited soils cumulative infiltration over time is estimated by a parametric equation from surface saturation, initial soil moisture content (water + ice), initial soil temperature and infiltration opportunity time. Total infiltration into Unlimited and Limited soils is constrained by the available water storage capacity. This constraint is also used to determine when Limited soils have thawed. The minimum spatial scale of the infiltration model is established for Limited soils by the variabilities in surface saturation, snow water equivalent, soil infiltrability, soil moisture (water + ice) and depth of soil freezing. Since snowmelt infiltration is influenced by other processes and factors that affect snow ablation, it is assumed that the infiltrability spatial scale should be consistent with the scales used to describe these variables. For open, northern, cold regions the following order in spatial scales is hypothesized: frozen ground , snowmelt , snow water equivalent , frozen soil infiltrability , soil moisture (water + ice) and snow water. For mesoscale application of the infiltration model it is recommended that the infiltrability scale be taken equal to the scale used to describe the areal extent and distribution of the water equivalent of the snowcover that covers frozen ground. Scaling the infiltrability of frozen soils in this manner allows one to exploit established landscape-stratification methodology used to derive snow accumulation means and distribution. Scaling of soil infiltrability at small scales (microscale) is complicated and requires information on the association(s) between the spatial distributions of soil moisture (water + ice) and snow water. A flow chart of the algorithm is presented. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Scaling of geological discontinuity normal load,deformation response using fractal geometryINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 8 2001Michael E. Plesha Abstract The mechanical behaviour of discontinuities in rock, such as joints, is known to be size-dependent. It is also suspected that the behaviour of larger size features, such as faults, is also size-dependent. This size dependence has serious implications for performing numerical response simulations of geological media. In this paper, we develop a new mathematical theory for scaling of one particular discontinuity property, namely the interface normal stiffness. To accomplish this, we idealize an interface to have fractal geometry, and we develop analytical relations which show that the interface normal stiffness, which is commonly thought to be a size-independent property, is in fact a size-dependent property and has fractal characteristics that may be exploited to develop a fundamental theory for scaling. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Size Scaling of Tensile Failure Stress in a Float Soda,Lime,Silicate GlassINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED GLASS SCIENCE, Issue 2 2010Andrew A. Wereszczak The (tensile) strength,size scaling of a float soda,lime,silicate glass was studied using biaxial flexure and Hertzian ring crack initiation testing. The examined Weibull effective areas spanned ,0.4,48,000 mm2. Both the air and tin sides were tested. The air side was stronger than the tin side as others have observed; however, the differences in their characteristic strengths decreased with a decreasing effective area, and their strengths converged for effective areas smaller than ,100 mm2. The failure stress at the smallest effective area examined for the tin side was ,500% greater than that at the largest effective area, while that difference was ,250% for the air side. A Weibull modulus change at ,100 mm2 suggests different strength-limiting flaw types were dominant below and above this effective area. These results reinforce the importance of the interpretation and use of the tensile strength of glass in context to how much of its area is being subjected to tensile stress. [source] The effect of topical doxycycline usage on gingival crevicular fluid MMP-8 levels of chronic and aggressive periodontitis patients: a pilot studyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DENTAL HYGIENE, Issue 3 2006Abstract:, The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of topical subgingival application of doxycycline hyclate (DH) gel adjunctive to non-surgical periodontal therapy on gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 levels in chronic and aggressive periodontitis patients. Forty teeth of 10 chronic periodontitis patients and 32 teeth of eight aggressive periodontitis patients were screened for 6 months. Scaling and root planing (SRP) was applied to the control sites and DH gel adjunctive to SRP was applied to the test sites of each patient simultaneously. GCF MMP-8 levels were analysed at baseline, 7 days; and at 1, 3 and 6 months by Sandwich Elisa Method. At 1, 3 and 6 months, probing depth (P < 0.0051) and plaque scores and bleeding on probing values (P = 0.000) significantly decreased in each group when compared with the baseline, but there was no statistically significant difference between the test and control sites. GCF MMP-8 levels reduced presenting statistically significant differences on 7 days, 1, 3 and 6 months in four of the groups (P < 0.05); however, intergroup differences were not statistically significant. Developing functional and immunological-based chair-side MMP tests might serve as useful adjunctive diagnostic tools when monitoring the effects of DH gel application. [source] Scaling and Testing Multiplicative Combinations in the Expectancy,Value Model of AttitudesJOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 9 2008Icek Ajzen This article examines the multiplicative combination of belief strength by outcome evaluation in the expectancy,value model of attitudes. Because linear transformation of a belief strength measure results in a nonlinear transformation of its product with outcome evaluation, use of unipolar or bipolar scoring must be empirically justified. Also, the claim that the Belief × Evaluation product fails to explain significant variance in attitudes is found to be baseless. In regression analyses, the main effect of belief strength takes account of the outcome's valence, and the main effect of outcome evaluation incorporates the outcome's perceived likelihood. Simulated data showed that multiplication adds substantially to the prediction of attitudes only when belief and evaluation measures cover the full range of potential scores. [source] Moist lower montane rainforest classification: a case study from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, UgandaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Tomas Chaigneau Abstract Moist lower montane vegetation has rarely been classified beyond broad zonational belts over large altitudinal ranges due to highly diverse species composition and structure. This study shows it is possible to further classify such forest types within Bwindi-Impenetrable National Park (BINP), and that these assemblages can be explained by a combination of environmental conditions and past management. Botanical and environmental data were collected along some 4000 m of linear transects from the area surrounding Mubwindi Swamp, BINP. Ordination using Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) and classification using Two-way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) successfully identified four different species assemblages. These forest types were then named on the basis of the ecological characteristics of the species within the group, and the environmental conditions influencing the distribution and past disturbance of the forest. The techniques used were in agreement for three out of the four forest types identified. Analysis using an environmental overlay showed a significant association between forest type and altitude. The results of this study indicate that a regional classification of forest types within moist lower montane forest belt using only tree species is possible, and that the forest types identified can be explained by environmental conditions and past management. Résumé La végétation humide de basse montagne a rarement été classée au-delà de larges ceintures de zonage portant sur des étendues de grandes amplitudes altitudinales, en raison de compositions et de structures d'espèces extrêmement diverses. Cette étude montre qu'il est possible de classer plus précisément de tels types forestiers dans le Parc National de la Forêt Impénétrable de Bwindi (BINP), et que l'on peut expliquer ces assemblages par une combinaison de conditions environnementales et de gestion passée. Des données botaniques et environnementales ont été collectées le long de quelque 4,000 m de transects linéaires à partir de la zone entourant le Marais de Mubwindi, au BINP. L'ordination par la Gradation non métrique multidimensionnelle et la classification utilisant l'Analyse TWINSPAN (Two-way Indicator Species Analysis) ont réussi à identifier quatre assemblages d'espèces différents. Ces types forestiers furent alors nommés en se basant sur les caractéristiques écologiques des espèces au sein du groupe ainsi que sur les conditions environnementales qui influencent la distribution et des perturbations anciennes des forêts. Les techniques utilisées se sont montrées cohérentes pour trois des quatre types de forêt identifiés. L'analyse utilisant une superposition environnementale a révélé une association significative entre type forestier et altitude. Les résultats de cette étude indiquent qu'une classification régionale des types forestiers dans la ceinture forestière humide qui entoure la basse montagne est possible en n'utilisant que trois espèces d'arbres, et que les types forestiers identifiés peuvent s'expliquer par les conditions environnementales et par la gestion antérieure. [source] Scaling up by thinking small: a perspective on the use of scale-down techniques in process designJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 12 2006Nik Willoughby No abstract is available for this article. [source] Scaling and root planing, systemic metronidazole and professional plaque removal in the treatment of chronic periodontitis in a Brazilian population II , microbiological resultsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 4 2005L. H. Carvalho Abstract Objective: The current investigation evaluated changes in levels and proportions of 39 bacterial species in subgingival plaque samples after scaling and root planing (SRP) alone or in combination with systemic metronidazole and/or professional cleaning in subjects with chronic periodontitis. Methods: Forty-four adult subjects (mean age 45±6 years) with periodontitis were randomly assigned in four treatment groups, a control (C, n=10) that received SRP and placebo and three test groups treated as follows: T1 (n=12): SRP and metronidazole (M, 400 mg tid) for 10 days; T2 (n=12): SRP, weekly professional supragingival plaque removal for 3 months (PC) and placebo; and T3 (n=10): SRP, M and PC. Subgingival plaque samples were taken from seven sites per subject at baseline and 90 days post-therapy. Counts of 39 subgingival species were determined using checkerboard DNA,DNA hybridization. Significance of differences over time was determined using the Wilcoxon signed ranks test and among groups using ancova. Results: The mean counts of the majority of the species were reduced post-therapy in the 4 treatment groups. Counts (× 105±SEM) of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythensis and Treponema denticola were significantly reduced in groups T2 and T3. Levels of beneficial species, such as some Actinomyces species, Veillonella parvula, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus oralis and Streptococcus gordonii were minimally affected in levels when the combined therapy was applied (T3). Mean proportions of red complex species decreased from 18.4% at baseline to 3% at 90 days post-therapy in group T3 (p<0.01), from 25.8% to 2.3% in group T2 (p<0.01), from 17.7% to 5.6% in group T1 (p<0.05) and from 19.4% to 8.8% in group C (NS). Proportions of the suspected periodontal pathogens from the orange complex were also markedly reduced in groups T2 and T3. Conclusions: All treatments reduced counts and proportions of red complex species. Adjunctive therapy appeared to have a greater effect and also affected members of the orange complex. [source] Effect of a controlled-release chlorhexidine chip on clinical and microbiological parameters of periodontal syndromeJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 10 2002Daniela C. Grisi Abstract Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a controlled-released chlorhexidine chip (CHX) as adjunctive therapy to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. Material and methods: Twenty patients with at least four sites with probing depth ,,5 mm and bleeding on probing were selected. This randomized single-blind study was carried out in parallel design. The control group received SRP alone, while the test group received SRP plus CHX chip. The clinical parameters, Plaque Index (PlI), Papillary Bleeding Score (PBS), Bleeding on Probing (BOP), Gingival Recession (GR), Probing Depth (PD) and Relative Attachment Level (RAL), and the microbiological parameter BANA test were recorded at baseline and after 3, 6 and 9 months. Results: Both groups presented significant improvements in all parameters analyzed over the study period. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups for any parameter analyzed after 9 months, except for BOP, which was significantly reduced in the control group. The mean reductions on PD and RAL were 2.4 mm and 1.0 mm for the control group and 2.2 mm and 0.6 mm for the test group, respectively. Conclusion: The CHX chip did not provide any clinical or microbiological benefit beyond that achieved with conventional scaling and root planning, after a 9-month period. Zusammenfassung Wirkung eines Chlorhexidin-Chips mit kontrollierter Wirkstoff-Freisetzung auf klinische und mikrobiologische Parameter parodontaler Erkrankungen Zielsetzung: Das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war die Evaluierung der Wirksamkeit eines Chlorhexidin-Chips mit kontrollierter Wirkstoff-Freisetzung (CHX) als Adjunktivtherapie zu Zahnsteinentfernung (Scaling) und Wurzelglätten (Root planing) bei der Behandlung einer chronischen Parodontitis. Material und Methodik: Zur Teilnahme an der Studie wurden zwanzig Patienten mit mindestens vier Stellen mit einer Sondiertiefe von ,5 mm und Blutung bei der Sondierung ausgewählt. Diese randomisierte einfach-blinde Studie wurde mit Parallelgruppenaufbau durchgeführt. Die Kontrollgruppe erhielt ausschliesslich SRP, die Testgruppe dagegen erhielt SRP plus den CHX-Chip. Zu Baseline und nach 3, 6 und 9 Monaten wurden die klinischen Parameter Plaque-Index (PlI), Papillarblutungs-Score (PBS), Blutung bei Sondierung (BOP), Gingivaretraktion (GR), Sondiertiefe (PD), Relatives Attachmentniveau (RAL) und die mikrobiologischen Parameter (BANA-Test) verzeichnet. Ergebnisse: Beide Gruppen zeigten signifikante Verbesserungen aller analysierten Parameter über den Studienzeitraum. Nach 9 Monaten konnten mit Ausnahme von BOP, was in der Kontrollgruppe eine signifikante Reduktion zeigte, keine statistisch signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen den beiden Gruppen für die untersuchten Parameter festgestellt werden. Die durchschnittlichen Reduktionen bei PD und RAL waren 2,4 mm und 1,0 mm in der Kontrollgruppe und 2,2 mm bzw. 0,6 mm in der Testgruppe. Schlussfolgerung: Nach einer 9-monatigen Behandlungszeit konnten mit dem CHX-Chip zusätzlich zu dem durch konventionelles Scaling und Wurzelglätten erzielten klinischen und mikrobiologischen Nutzen keine weiteren Vorteile erzielt werden. Résumé Influence d'une capsule de chlorhexidine à libération contrôlée sur les paramètres cliniques et microbiologiques de la maladie parodontale But: Le but de cette étude était d'évaluer l'efficacité d'une capsule de chlorhexidine (CHX) à libération contrôlée comme thérapie complémentaire au détartrage et au surfaçage radiculaire (scaling and root planing, SRP) dans le traitement de la parodontite chronique. Matériaux et méthodes: Vingt patients avec au moins quatre sites présentant une profondeur au sondage ,5 mm et un saignement au sondage ont été sélectionnés. Cette étude randomisée en simple aveugle a été conduite en parallèle. Le groupe contrôle a uniquement bénéficié de SRP, tandis que le groupe test a reçu SRP plus une capsule CHX. Les paramètres cliniques, l'indice de plaque (plaque index, PlI), l'indice de saignement papillaire (papillary bleeding score, PBS), la saignement au sondage (bleeding on probing, BOP), la récession gingivale (gingival recession, GR), la profondeur au sondage (probing depth, PD), le niveau d'attache relatif (relative attachment level, RAL) et les paramètres microbiologiques (test BANA) ont été enregistrés à la base puis après 3, 6 et 9 mois. ésultats: Les deux groupes présentaient une amélioration significative de tous les paramètres analysés au cours de la période d'étude. Entre les deux groupes, il n'y avait de différence statistiquement significative pour aucun des paramètres analysés au bout de 9 mois, sauf pour le BOP qui était considérablement réduit dans le groupe contrôle. Les baisses moyennes de PD et RAL valaient respectivement 2,4 mm et 1,0 mm pour le groupe contrôle, et 2,2 mm et 0,6 mm pour le groupe test. Conclusion: A l'issue d'une période de 9 mois, la capsule CHX n'a apporté aucun bénéfice clinique ou microbiologique supérieur à celui obtenu par détartrage et surfaçage radiculaire conventionnels. [source] Suicide without explicit precursors: a state of secret despair?JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND OFFENDER PROFILING, Issue 3 2004David Canter Abstract Although it is usually assumed that all those who commit suicide give some prior indication of their intention to take their own life, there is growing evidence that a small but significant proportion of suicides occur without any clear, explicit indicators. It is proposed that these suicides share similar pathways to other suicides but that the despair involved is not expressed so clearly, often being kept secret. In order to identify such suicides and potential suicides it is helpful to have an indicator of the dominant sub-sets of constituents that are precursors to suicide. A 14-item Suicide Precursors Scale (SPS) was therefore developed. This was applied to 128 cases of suicide that occurred between January 1997 and December 2000 in Stockport (South Manchester, UK). A very high alpha coefficient of 0.98 supported the reliability and homogeneity of the SPS. A Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) analysis of the SPS revealed three prototypical sub-sets of expressions of suicidal actions,illness, life circumstances, and depressive history. These are offered as coherent themes in the life of potential suicides, which may be of assistance both in determining whether an equivocal death is suicide or not, and in alerting caring agencies to the potential for suicide even when the despair is kept secret. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Convection, diffusion, and exothermic zero-order reaction in a porous catalyst slab: Scaling and perturbation analysisAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 10 2009João P. Lopes Abstract The analysis of the interaction between transport phenomena and chemical reaction inside large-pore catalyst particles needs to include intraparticular convection as an additional mass/heat transfer mechanism. In this work, we describe by a 3D regime diagram the global behavior of a permeable catalyst slab, where an exothermic, zero-order reaction is occurring. An order of magnitude estimate for the maximum temperature change is obtained by scaling techniques in each regime of operation. Specific operating regimes of fast mass/heat transport, dominant reaction and strong intraparticular convection, are then studied in more detail using perturbation analysis. The results include approximate concentration and temperature profiles, which allow the estimation of both the effectiveness factor and maximum temperature attained inside the catalyst in these regimes. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009 [source] Adjusted Scaling of FDG Positron Emission Tomography Images for Statistical Evaluation in Patients With Suspected Alzheimer's DiseaseJOURNAL OF NEUROIMAGING, Issue 4 2005Ralph Buchert PhD ABSTRACT Background and Purpose. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) gained increasing acceptance for the voxel-based statistical evaluation of brain positron emission tomography (PET) with the glucose analog 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) in patients with suspected Alzheimer's disease (AD). To increase the sensitivity for detection of local changes, individual differences of total brain FDG uptake are usually compensated for by proportional scaling. However, in cases of extensive hypometabolic areas, proportional scaling overestimates scaled uptake. This may cause significant underestimation of the extent of hypometabolic areas by the statistical test. Methods. To detect this problem, the authors tested for hyper metabolism. In patients with no visual evidence of true focal hypermetabolism, significant clusters of hypermetabolism in the presence of extended hypometabolism were interpreted as false-positive findings, indicating relevant overestimation of scaled uptake. In this case, scaled uptake was reduced step by step until there were no more significant clusters of hypermetabolism. Results. In 22 consecutive patients with suspected AD, proportional scaling resulted in relevant overestimation of scaled uptake in 9 patients. Scaled uptake had to be reduced by 11.1%± 5.3% in these cases to eliminate the artifacts. Adjusted scaling resulted in extension of existing and appearance of new clusters of hypometabolism. Total volume of the additional voxels with significant hypometabolism depended linearly on the extent of the additional scaling and was 202 ± 118 mL on average. Conclusions. Adjusted scaling helps to identify characteristic metabolic patterns in patients with suspected AD. It is expected to increase specificity of FDGPET in this group of patients. [source] Projected Alcohol Dose Influences on the Activation of Alcohol Expectancies in College DrinkersALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2009Jennifer P. Read Background:, Alcohol expectancies have been linked to drinking behavior in college students, and vary according to a number of factors, including projected dose of alcohol. Research using Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) suggests that drinking may be influenced by activation of differing expectancy dimensions in memory, yet studies have not examined expectancy activation according to projected alcohol doses. Methods:, The present study used Individual Differences Scaling (INDSCAL) to map expectancy networks of college students (n = 334) who imagined varied drinking at high and low alcohol doses. Expectancy activation was modeled by dose, as well as by gender and by drinking patterns (typical quantity, blood alcohol content, heavy episodic drinking, and alcohol consequences). Expectancies were organized along positive,negative and arousal,sedation dimensions. Anticipation of a high dose of alcohol was associated with greater emphasis on the arousal,sedation dimension, whereas anticipation of a lower dose was associated with greater emphasis on the positive,negative dimension. Results:, Across heavy, medium, and light drinkers, expectancy dimensions were most distinguishable at higher doses; activation patterns were more similar across drinking groups at lighter doses. Modest evidence for the influence of gender on activation patterns was observed. Findings were consistent across alcohol involvement indices. Conclusions:, These data suggest that both dimensionality and context should be considered in the refinement of interventions designed to alter expectancies in order to decrease hazardous drinking. [source] Scaling Up Learning Models in Public Good GamesJOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMIC THEORY, Issue 2 2004Jasmina Arifovic We study three learning rules (reinforcement learning (RL), experience weighted attraction learning (EWA), and individual evolutionary learning (IEL)) and how they perform in three different Groves,Ledyard mechanisms. We are interested in how well these learning rules duplicate human behavior in repeated games with a continuum of strategies. We find that RL does not do well, IEL does significantly better, as does EWA, but only if given a small discretized strategy space. We identify four main features a learning rule should have in order to stack up against humans in a minimal competency test: (1) the use of hypotheticals to create history, (2) the ability to focus only on what is important, (3) the ability to forget history when it is no longer important, and (4) the ability to try new things. [source] Scaling of one-shot oscillation images with a reference data setJOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION, Issue 1 2004Kunio Hirata By combining a least-squares procedure with the program MOSFLM, a program SCLONE has been developed which processes diffraction images that do not contain serial oscillation images and may have a few or no full reflections. After each image was processed by MOSFLM, the partialities and structure amplitudes of the reflections were estimated using a least-squares method to refine the scaling factor, the relative temperature factor, the mosaic spread, cell constants, and missetting angles for each independent image. The SCLONE calculation significantly improved the quality of the intensities from the reflections obtained by the initial MOSFLM calculation and crystal structural refinement confirmed the improvement. The SCLONE calculation indicated that the reflection of the present crystal had a rocking curve that was steeper at the middle of the profile and more gradual at both ends of the profile than that assumed in the program MOSFLM. [source] Mechanism for Salt ScalingJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 4 2006John J. Valenza II Over the past 60 years, concrete infrastructure in cold climates has deteriorated by "salt scaling," which is superficial damage that occurs during freezing in the presence of saline water. It reduces mechanical integrity and necessitates expensive repair or replacement. The phenomenon can be demonstrated by pooling a solution on a block of concrete and subjecting it to freeze/thaw cycles. The most remarkable feature of salt scaling is that the damage is absent if the pool contains pure water, it becomes serious at concentrations of a few weight percent, and then stops at concentrations above about 6 wt%. In spite of a wealth of research, the mechanism responsible for this damage has only recently been identified. In this article, we show that salt scaling is a consequence of the fracture behavior of ice. The stress arises from thermal expansion mismatch between ice and concrete, which puts the ice in tension as the temperature drops. Considering the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of ice, it is shown that this mismatch will not cause pure ice to crack, but moderately concentrated solutions are expected to crack. Cracks in the brine ice penetrate into the substrate, resulting in superficial damage. At high concentrations, the ice does not form a rigid enough structure to result in significant stress, so no damage occurs. The morphology of cracking is predicted by fracture mechanics. [source] Pluralism and diversity: trends in the use and application of ordination methods 1990-2007JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 4 2009Henrik Von Wehrden Abstract Question: What are the trends and patterns in the application of ordination techniques in vegetation science since 1990? Location: Worldwide literature analysis. Methods: Evaluation of five major journals of vegetation science; search of all ISI-listed ecological journals. Data were analysed with ANCOVAs, Spearman rank correlations, GLMs, biodiversity indices and simple graphs. Results: The ISI search retrieved fewer papers that used ordinations than the manual evaluation of five selected journals. Both retrieval methods revealed a clear trend in increasing frequency of ordination applications from 1990 to the present. Canonical Correspondence Analysis was far more frequently detected by the ISI search than any other method. Applications such as Correspondence Analysis/Reciprocal Averaging and Detrended Correspondence Analysis have increasingly been used in studies published in "applied" journals, while Canonical Correspondence Analysis, Redundancy Analysis and Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling were more frequently used in journals focusing on more "basic" research. Overall, Detrended Correspondence Analysis was the most commonly applied method within the five major journals, although the number of publications slightly decreased over time. Use of Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling has increased over the last 10 years. Conclusion: The availability of suitable software packages has facilitated the application of certain techniques such as Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling. However, choices of ordination techniques are currently less driven by the constraints imposed by the software; there is also limited evidence that the choice of methods follows social considerations such as the need to use fashionable methods. Methodological diversity has been maintained or has even increased over time and reflects the researcher's need for diverse analytical tools suitable to address a wide range of questions. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||