Search results for "SAM"
showing 10 items of 7385 documents
The effect of interferon on the liver in chronic hepatitis C: a quantitative evaluation of histology by meta-analysis.
1997
Several randomized clinical trials of interferon in chronic hepatitis C have examined the histological changes in paired biopsy specimens. We have attempted a quantitative evaluation by meta-analysis.Randomized Clinical Trials found by MEDLINE search were included if: a) they compared different IFN regimens with non-active treatment or with each other, b) they obtained biopsies before starting and at the time of stopping IFN in a sizable proportion of the treated and control patients, and c) they assessed the biopsy-specimens semi-quantitatively according to Scheuer's numerical scoring system or Knodell's Histological Activity Index, with quantitation of fibrosis and of lobular, portal and …
Assessing Causality in normal and impaired short-term cardiovascular regulation via nonlinear prediction methods
2009
We investigated the ability of mutual nonlinear prediction methods to assess causal interactions in short-term cardiovascular variability during normal and impaired conditions. Directional interactions between heart period (RR interval of the ECG) and systolic arterial pressure (SAP) short-term variability series were quantified as the cross-predictability (CP) of one series given the other, and as the predictability improvement (PI) yielded by the inclusion of samples of one series into the prediction of the other series. Nonlinear prediction was performed through global approximation (GA), approximation with locally constant models (LA0) and approximation with locally linear models (LA1) …
Circulating miR-200–family micro-RNAs have altered plasma levels in patients with endometriosis and vary with blood collection time
2015
Objective To determine whether circulating micro-RNA (miR) 200a, miR-200b, and miR-141 have altered levels in patients with endometriosis compared with control individuals. Design Experimental laboratory study. Setting University. Patient(s) Patients with endometriosis (n = 61), laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis-free women (n = 35), and self-reported healthy women (n = 30) were included in the study. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Plasma miRNA levels in endometriosis patients and control subjects. Result(s) We found that the levels of studied miRNAs varied with blood collection time, being lower in the morning than in the evening. When blood collection time was taken i…
Accuracy of ASTER Level-2 thermal-infrared Standard Products of an agricultural area in Spain
2007
Abstract The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) collects five-channel thermal-infrared images that are calibrated, corrected for atmospheric effects, and then converted to land surface temperature and emissivity products by the ASTER Temperature/Emissivity Separation (TES) algorithm. TES scales low- and high-contrast surfaces differently, and has been validated over water (low contrast) and rock (high contrast). Performance of TES over agricultural areas, however, has not been evaluated specifically. To address this issue, field measurements of “ground truth” were made over bare soil in addition to green grass, alfalfa and corn, at an agricultural researc…
Design Issues and Sample Size when Exposure Measurement is Inaccurate
2001
AbstractMeasurement error often leads to biased estimates and incorrect tests in epidemiological studies. These problems can be corrected by design modifications which allow for refined statistical models, or in some situations by adjusted sample sizes to compensate a power reduction. The design options are mainly an additional replication or internal validation study. Sample size calculations for these designs are more complex, since usually there is no unique design solution to obtain a prespecified power. Thus, additionally to a power requirement, an optimal design should also fulfill the criteria of minimizing overall costs. In this review corresponding strategies and formulae are descr…
Thompson Sampling Guided Stochastic Searching on the Line for Non-stationary Adversarial Learning
2015
This paper reports the first known solution to the N-Door puzzle when the environment is both non-stationary and deceptive (adversarial learning). The Multi-Armed-Bandit (MAB) problem is the iconic representation of the exploration versus exploitation dilemma. In brief, a gambler repeatedly selects and play, one out of N possible slot machines or arms and either receives a reward or a penalty. The objective of the gambler is then to locate the most rewarding arm to play, while in the process maximize his winnings. In this paper we investigate a challenging variant of the MAB problem, namely the non-stationary N-Door puzzle. Here, instead of directly observing the reward, the gambler is only…
Drop-on-demand sample introduction system coupled with the flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow for direct molecular analysis of complex liquid mic…
2012
One of the fastest developing fields in analytical spectrochemistry in recent years is ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (ADI-MS). This burgeoning interest has been due to the demonstrated advantages of the method: simple mass spectra, little or no sample preparation, and applicability to samples in the solid, liquid, or gaseous state. One such ADI-MS source, the flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow (FAPA), is capable of direct analysis of solids just by aiming the source at the solid surface and sampling the produced ions into a mass spectrometer. However, direct introduction of significant volumes of liquid samples into this source has not been possible, as solvent loads c…
Gel Electrophoresis Coupled to Inductively Coupled Plasma−Mass Spectrometry Using Species-Specific Isotope Dilution for Iodide and Iodate Determinati…
2007
In this paper, we present an online coupling of gel electrophoresis (GE) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the determination of iodine species (iodide and iodate) in liquid (seawater) and aerosol samples. For the first time, this approach is applied to the analysis of small molecules, and initial systematic investigations revealed that the migration behavior as well as the detection sensitivity strongly depends on the matrix (e.g., high concentrations of chloride). These effects could consequently affect the accuracy of analytical results, so that they need to be considered for the analysis of real samples. The technique used for quantification is species-specifi…
Aerosol Lidar Intercomparison in the Framework of SPALINET—The Spanish Lidar Network: Methodology and Results
2009
Abstract—A group of eight Spanish lidars was formed in order to extend the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network–Advanced Sustainable Observation System (EARLINET-ASOS)project. This study presents intercomparisons at the hardware and software levels. Results of the system intercomparisons are based on range-square-corrected signals in cases where the lidars viewed the same atmospheres. Comparisons were also made for aeros backscatter coefficients at 1064 nm (2 systems) and 532 nm (all systems), and for extinction coefficients at 532 nm (2 systems). In total, three field campaigns were carried out between 2006 and 2007. Comparisons were limited to the highest layer found before the free tr…
Gudommelig gymnastikk – kroppslighetens plass i Rudolf Steiners pedagogiske tenkning
2019
ABSTRACT English title: Divine Gymnastics - The Significance of the Body in Rudolf Steiner's Pedagogy This article discusses how Rudolf Steiner’s belief in the importance of the body and movement inschool comes across in his book Oppdragelse og tidens andliv (1986) a collection of public lecturesheld in 1923 in Ilkley, England. I will juxtapose Steiner’s descriptions of the body’s significance forchildren’s processes of bildung with other ideas of reform pedagogy. My intention is to see whetherSteiner’s appreciation of the body and movement in school can be of relevance to today’s debate oneducational policy. Steiner views bodily processes as a foundation for mental processes and arguesthat…