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Evaluation Program (evaluation + program)
Selected AbstractsEvaluation of the SWEEP model during high winds on the Columbia Plateau ,EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 11 2009G. Feng Abstract A standalone version of the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) erosion submodel, the Single-event Wind Erosion Evaluation Program (SWEEP), was released in 2007. A limited number of studies exist that have evaluated SWEEP in simulating soil loss subject to different tillage systems under high winds. The objective of this study was to test SWEEP under contrasting tillage systems employed during the summer fallow phase of a winter wheat,summer fallow rotation within eastern Washington. Soil and PM10 (particulate matter ,10 µm in diameter) loss and soil and crop residue characteristics were measured in adjacent fields managed using conventional and undercutter tillage during summer fallow in 2005 and 2006. While differences in soil surface conditions resulted in measured differences in soil and PM10 loss between the tillage treatments, SWEEP failed to simulate any difference in soil or PM10 loss between conventional and undercutter tillage. In fact, the model simulated zero erosion for all high wind events observed over the two years. The reason for the lack of simulated erosion is complex owing to the number of parameters and interaction of these parameters on erosion processes. A possible reason might be overestimation of the threshold friction velocity in SWEEP since friction velocity must exceed the threshold to initiate erosion. Although many input parameters are involved in the estimation of threshold velocity, internal empirical coefficients and equations may affect the simulation. Calibration methods might be useful in adjusting the internal coefficients and empirical equations. Additionally, the lack of uncertainty analysis is an important gap in providing reliable output from this model. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Evaluation of anisotropic small-angle neutron scattering data; a faster approachJOURNAL OF APPLIED CRYSTALLOGRAPHY, Issue 3-1 2003Pavel Strunz An improvement of the anisotropic small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) data evaluation program is presented. The program is particularly suited for treatment of data from dense precipitate systems like those appearing in single crystal Ni-base superalloys. A new model of the precipitate microstructure was implemented allowing for a significant shortening of the evaluation time which is necessary mainly for in-situ studies. The change concerns the mode in which the size distribution is calculated. The local random smearing of the size as well as the distance of particles was introduced, too, which leads to a more realistic look of the microstructure model. The form of individual cuboidal particle was changed as well. The characteristics of the new microstructure model with respect to the SANS data modeling are tested on several measured as well as simulated data. [source] Cancer-specific worry interference in women attending a breast and ovarian cancer risk evaluation program: impact on emotional distress and health functioningPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 5 2001Peter C. Trask Intrusive thoughts about cancer, often identified as ,cancer-specific worries' or ,cancer-specific distress', have been postulated to be associated with dysfunction in women at increased risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. The current study discusses the development and validation of a measure designed to assess women's perceptions of the interference such worries create in their daily functioning. Analyses revealed that approximately two-thirds of a high-risk breast cancer clinic sample perceived worries about breast cancer as interfering with their functioning across a variety of life domains. Multiple regression analyses indicated that worry interference scores predicted Profile of Mood States (POMS) Anxiety and Confusion, and Short Form-36 (SF-36) Role-Emotional and Mental Health scores after the effects of other variables such as frequency of worry about breast cancer, and having a family history of cancer had been considered. Women who perceived their worries as interfering with their functioning reported higher levels of anxiety and confusion, and diminished mental health and role functioning. The results add to the expanding area of anxiety/distress in at-risk populations by providing (1) a direct measure of the perceived interference associated with breast cancer-specific thoughts, (2) a validation of the measure via its associations with standard measures of emotional distress and health functioning, and (3) evidence of the measure's incremental predictive value in explaining distress and quality of life, after consideration of background variables, such as having a family history of cancer. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Evaluating for long-term impact of an environmental education program at the Kalinzu Forest Reserve, UgandaAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2010C.W. Kuhar Abstract Although the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of conservation education programs cannot be underestimated, few evaluations of these programs and their resulting impact on the environment have been conducted. A partnership between scientists, educators, and local administrators on an evaluation program has been developed to evaluate a model of education program evaluation that includes short- and long-term evaluation of (1) knowledge and attitude change, (2) behavior change, and (3) positive biological impact. Previous work has shown short-term knowledge retention from this education program. In the current study follow-up evaluations were collected from students at 14 schools outside the Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Uganda. By comparing performance 30 days, 1 year and 2 years after the initial program we demonstrate that knowledge gain from this program is not transient. However, although knowledge is a prerequisite for appropriate conservation actions it does not guarantee appropriate behaviors will be performed. Anecdotal evidence of behavior change and positive biological impact is discussed within the context of the challenges with changing behavior and evaluating the true biological impacts of those behaviors. Ultimately, conservation professionals will need to partner with educators and social scientists to effectively measure the impact of conservation education and human-based conservation programs on primate populations and their habitat. Am. J. Primatol. 72:407,413, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] INTEGRATION OF PROSPECTIVE QUALITY OF LIFE AND NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT AS ROUTINE COMPONENTS OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY CARE OF PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND NECK CANCERANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 1-2 2008Justine Oates Background: Quality of life (QOL) and nutritional assessment of patients with head and neck cancer can provide additional information about the effects of treatment beyond the standard measures of disease control and survival. Integrating a prospective evaluation program into a multidisciplinary service may ensure that a more holistic model of care is developed. Methods: Prospective evaluation of QOL and nutrition before and after treatment for head and neck cancer was implemented in 2001. All patients enrolled in the program were treated with curative intent. Patients completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core QOL Questionnaire and Head and Neck Specific Module before treatment and at 3, 6 and 12 months after completion of therapy. In conjunction, patients underwent nutritional assessment by body mass index, biochemical parameters and the patient-generated subjective global assessment tool. Results: Among 288 patients who consented to participate in this study, 134 patients completed the QOL assessment criteria and were eligible for evaluation. Examples of QOL and nutritional data for patients with cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, nasopharynx, larynx, hypopharynx, parotid gland and paranasal sinus, and also unknown primary cancers are given. Implementation of this prospective assessment program required appropriate resources and was hampered by time constraints, logistics with blood tests and patient compliance. Conclusions: Despite difficulties with implementation, the information concerning QOL and nutritional status obtained in this study provided an appreciation of the long-term functional effects of treatment for head and neck cancer. Prospective QOL assessment and nutritional evaluation should become integral components of the care of patients with cancers of the head and neck. [source] Parallel Synthesis of O -Phenoxyethyl and O -Adamantyl N- acyl Thiocarbamates Endowed with Antiproliferative ActivityARCHIV DER PHARMAZIE, Issue 6 2009Andrea Spallarossa Abstract In order to further explore the antiproliferative properties of O -phenoxyethyl and O -adamantyl acylthiocarbamates (ATCs), a series of 14 derivatives was prepared by a parallel adaptation of a highly convergent one-pot three-step procedure. Ten acylthiocarbamates were selected by the National Cancer Institute drug evaluation program and screened against a panel of 55 to 58 cell lines derived from nine different types of human cancers. In general, the tested compounds showed a widespread micromolar activity with some specificity against leukemia, renal UO-31, central nervous system (CNS) SNB-75, and non-small cell lung HOP-92 cancer cell lines. Bioinformatic COMPARE analyses were carried out to identify possible mechanism(s) of action for acylthiocarbamate antiproliferative activity. [source] Evaluation of Liver Support Systems for Preclinical Testing by Animal TrialsARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 10 2006Oleksandr Seleverstov Abstract:, In the present review, various animal models of acute liver failure are reviewed with respect to their suitability for evaluating liver support systems (LSS) according to envisaged modes of therapy. In order to increase the value of the preclinical testing of LSS, it would be advantageous to include more than one animal model in the evaluation program. It is possible to identify appropriate sets of models, which make a suitable test system for particular clinical applications. A standardization of evaluation methods between testing groups would also be beneficial to the field of liver support. [source] | |||||||||||||