Search results for "Test performance"
showing 10 items of 10 documents
Effects of training on postural control and agility when wearing socks of different compression levels
2017
Summary Study aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of training while wearing socks differing in compression level (clinical, sub-clinical, regular) on performance of static and dynamic balancing and agility tasks in healthy, physically active people. We sought to understand whether socks with different compression properties supported postural regulation and agility task performance by enhancing somatosensory perception, unskewed by specific age range effects. Material and methods: Participants comprised 61 adults aged 18-75 years, divided into three groups (two experimental groups wearing clinical or sub-clinical level compression socks, and one control group wearing regu…
Detection and identification of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni from symptomless plant material: results of an Italian test performance study
2015
Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni, the causal agent of bacterial spot disease of stone fruits, is a regulated quarantine pathogen in the European Union, listed as an A2 pest by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). Because detection and identification of this pathogen is key for its management and to ensure the production of pest free propagation material, it should be based on reliable tests, in particular when dealing with symptomless material. The current EPPO diagnostic Standard (PM 7/64) does not provide specific molecular methods for detection of this pest. The present paper summarizes the results of a test-performance study (TPS) to validate, at a nation…
The role of genetics and environment in lifting force and isometric trunk extensor endurance.
2004
Background and Purpose. Our understanding of what different back performance tests are measuring is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative contributions of genetics and unique and common environmental factors for 3 tests of back muscle performance in a classic twin analysis. Subjects. The subjects were a population-based sample of 122 monozygotic and 131 dizygotic male twin pairs aged 35 to 69 years (X̄=49.9, SD=7.7). Methods. Variance component analysis was applied to estimate genetic and environmental influences on isokinetic and psychophysical lifting and isometric trunk extensor endurance test performance. The Cholesky decomposition genetic factor model was u…
Cuffaro, Pirandello e Schillaci: forse i siciliani non sono tutti uguali. L’effetto dell’entitatività percepita sulla minaccia indotta dallo stereoti…
2008
The goal of this study was to test the role of perceived entitativity as a potential moderator of underperformance typically associated with stereotype threat. The results of two experiments confirmed our hypotheses: Study 1 showed a lesser decrease in performance in a task of syllogistic abilities when the threat was directed to Sicilians (social category, low entitativity) rather than to their family (intimate group, high entitativity). Study 2 confirmed and extended these results through a direct measure of entitativity. Theoretical implications of these results are discussed.
Setting up of a machine learning algorithm for the identification of severe liver fibrosis profile in the general US population cohort
2022
Background: The progress of digital transformation in clinical practice opens the door to transforming the current clinical line for liver disease diagnosis from a late-stage diagnosis approach to an early-stage based one. Early diagnosis of liver fibrosis can prevent the progression of the disease and decrease liver-related morbidity and mortality. We developed here a machine learning (ML) algorithm containing standard parameters that can identify liver fibrosis in the general US population.Materials and methods: Starting from a public database (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES), representative of the American population with 7265 eligible subjects (control populati…
Test fairness: a DIF analysis of an L2 vocabulary test
2000
The purpose of this study is to analyse gender-uniform differential item functioning (DIF) in a second language (L2) vocabulary test with the tools of item response theory (the separate calibration t-method) and to study potential gender impact on the test performance measured by different item composites. The results of the study show that despite the fact that there are test items with indications of DIF in favour of either females or males, the test as a whole is not gender-biased. In spite of this, it was demonstrated that some item composites are gender-biased. In view of item bank building and use, it means that some of the tests constructed on the basis of an item bank might be bias…
Technical and health governance aspects of the External Quality Assessment Scheme for the SARS-CoV-2 molecular tests: institutional experience perfor…
2022
Abstract Objectives Since December 2019, the worldwide public health has been threatened by a severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by Coronavirus-2. From the beginning, a turning point has been the identification of new cases of infection, in order to minimize the virus spreading among the population. For this reason, it was necessary introducing a panel of tests able to identify positive cases, which became crucial for all countries. Methods As a Regional Reference Centre, the CRQ Laboratory (Regional Laboratory for the Quality Control) developed and conducted an External Quality Assessment (EQA) panel of assay, so as to evaluate the quality of real-time reverse transcription polymeras…
Critical Analysis on the NHTSA Acceptance Criteria for In-Vehicle Electronic Devices
2014
We tested a commercial in-car navigation system prototype against the NHTSA criteria for acceptance testing of in-vehicle electronic devices, in order to see what types of in-car tasks fail the acceptance test and why. In addition, we studied the visual demands of the driving scenario recommended by NHTSA for task acceptance testing. In the light of the results, NHTSA guidelines and acceptance criteria need to be further developed. In particular visual demands of the driving scenario and for different simulators need to be standardized in order to enable fair testing and comparable test results. We suggest the visual occlusion method for finding a driving scenario that corresponds better wi…
Detection of gastric atrophy by circulating pepsinogens: A comparison of three assays.
2017
Background Circulating levels of pepsinogens have been used in high gastric cancer-risk Asian and European populations to triage endoscopic evaluation for more severe pathology. There are different analytic methods with uncertain correlations. We therefore compared diagnostic performance of three commonly used pepsinogen assays to detect histologically confirmed gastric atrophy. Methods We tested plasma samples from adult patients with (n=50) and without (n=755) moderate or severe gastric corpus atrophy, as determined histologically by consensus of three expert pathologists. A single laboratory measured pepsinogens I (PgI) and II (PgII) using commercially available assays: two ELISA assays …
THE INFLUENCE OF TRAINING ON THE LEVEL OF TEST PERFORMANCE AND THE FACTOR STRUCTURE OF INTELLIGENCE TESTS
1965
An attempt was made to study whether it is possible by specific training on one test to produce changes in the level of performance on similar tests and in the factor structure of a set of intelligence tests. Considerable improvement occurred in the level of performance on the test on which training was given, but no significant transfer effects to the performance on other tests were found. Slight differentiation was observed in the factor structure.