Search results for "optimal"

THE OPTIMIZATION OF INTERFERON FOR MS STUDY: 375 MICROG INTERFERON BETA-1B IN SUBOPTIMAL RESPONDERS.

2008

We aimed to evaluate the safety and MRI efficacy of interferon beta-1b (IFNbeta-1b) 375 microg (subcutaneously [sc] every other day [eod]) in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients with a suboptimal response to IFNbeta-1b 250 microg, i.e., with MRI activity or relapses. The OPTimization of Interferon for MS (OPTIMS) study was a prospective multicenter randomized phase 2 trial comprising a 6-month run-in phase (to identify suboptimal responders) and a 6-month randomized phase of open-label clinical and blinded MRI follow-up. During run-in all patients were treated with IFNbeta-1b 250 microg sc eod; during the study phase suboptimal treatment responders were randomized either …

Elements of Significance Testing with Equivalence Problems

1991

AbstractThe paper outlines an approach to the general methodological problem of equivalence assessment which is based on the classical theory of testing statistical hypotheses. Within this frame of reference it is natural to search for decision rules satisfying the same criteria of optimality which are customarily applied in deriving solutions to one- and two-sided testing problems. For three standard situations very frequently encountered in medical applications of statistics, a concise account of such an optimal test for equivalence is presented. It is pointed out that tests based on the well-known principle of confidence interval inclusion are valid in the sense 1 of guaranteeing the pre…

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…

Extraordinarily White: The De/Spectacularization of the Albinotic Body and the Normalization of Its Audience

2018

This chapter discusses three cultural institutions–freak show, art photography and fashion modelling–and the respective figures they produced by presenting albinotic bodies. How are bodily deviance and norm negotiated in these cases of structured seeing? Spectacularizing the ‘albino freak’ as a categorical in-between phenomenon, the freak show drew a sharp distinction between the extraordinary figure on stage and its audience while bestowing the latter with normality. On the other hand, Rick Guidotti’s photographic activism invoking ‘positive exposure’ personalizes albinotic subjects and thus partly breaks down the differentiation between deviant other and normal spectator. Finally, in the …

A simplified framework to optimize MRI contrast preparation

2018

PURPOSE This article proposes a rigorous optimal control framework for the design of preparation schemes that optimize MRI contrast based on relaxation time differences. METHODS Compared to previous optimal contrast preparation schemes, a drastic reduction of the optimization parameter number is performed. The preparation scheme is defined as a combination of several block pulses whose flip angles, phase terms and inter-pulse delays are optimized to control the magnetization evolution. RESULTS The proposed approach reduces the computation time of B 0 -robust preparation schemes to around a minute (whereas several hours were required with previous schemes), with negligible performance loss. …

Sequential Mining Classification

2017

Sequential pattern mining is a data mining technique that aims to extract and analyze frequent subsequences from sequences of events or items with time constraint. Sequence data mining was introduced in 1995 with the well-known Apriori algorithm. The algorithm studied the transactions through time, in order to extract frequent patterns from the sequences of products related to a customer. Later, this technique became useful in many applications: DNA researches, medical diagnosis and prevention, telecommunications, etc. GSP, SPAM, SPADE, PrefixSPan and other advanced algorithms followed. View the evolution of data mining techniques based on sequential data, this paper discusses the multiple …

An innovative approach to manage uncertainties and stock diversity in the EPBD cost-optimal methodology

2018

The EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) 2010/31/EU is a step in the right direction to promote near zero energy buildings (NZEB) in a step-wise manner, starting with minimum energy performance and cost optimal thresholds for “reference buildings” (RBs) for each category. Nevertheless, a standard method for defining RBs does not exist, which led to a great divergence between MS in the level of detail used to define RBs for the EPBD cost-optimal analysis. Such lack of harmonisation between MS is further evident given the resulting large discrepancies in energy performance indicators even between countries having similar climate. Furthermore, discrepancies of 30% or higher betw…

Safer Reinforcement Learning for Agents in Industrial Grid-Warehousing

2020

In mission-critical, real-world environments, there is typically a low threshold for failure, which makes interaction with learning algorithms particularly challenging. Here, current state-of-the-art reinforcement learning algorithms struggle to learn optimal control policies safely. Loss of control follows, which could result in equipment breakages and even personal injuries.

Using HYDRUS-2D model to assess the optimal drip lateral depth for eggplant crop in a sandy loam soil of central Tunisia

2016

The main objective of the work is to assess the optimal drip lateral depth for Eggplant crop (Solanum melongena L.) irrigated with a drip system in a sandy loam soil by means of field measurements and simulation models. Initially, the performance of Hydrus-2D was assessed based on the comparison between simulated soil water contents (SWC) and the corresponding measured in two plots, in which laterals with co-extruded emitters were laid on the soil surface (drip irrigation, DI-0) and at 20 cm depth (subsurface drip irrigation, SDI-20), respectively. In order to identify the optimal position of the lateral, the results of different scenarios, obtained by changing the installation depth of the…

2013

To identify factors limiting performance in multitone intensity discrimination, we presented sequences of five pure tones alternating in level between loud (85 dB SPL) and soft (30, 55, or 80 dB SPL). In the “overall-intensity task”, listeners detected a level increment on all of the five tones. In the “masking task”, the level increment was imposed only on the soft tones, rendering the soft tones targets and loud tones task-irrelevant maskers. Decision weights quantifying the importance of the five tone levels for the decision were estimated using methods of molecular psychophysics. Compatible with previous studies, listeners placed higher weights on the loud tones than on the soft tones i…