Search results for "testing."
showing 10 items of 1654 documents
Empirical Likelihood-Based ANOVA for Trimmed Means
2016
In this paper, we introduce an alternative to Yuen’s test for the comparison of several population trimmed means. This nonparametric ANOVA type test is based on the empirical likelihood (EL) approach and extends the results for one population trimmed mean from Qin and Tsao (2002). The results of our simulation study indicate that for skewed distributions, with and without variance heterogeneity, Yuen’s test performs better than the new EL ANOVA test for trimmed means with respect to control over the probability of a type I error. This finding is in contrast with our simulation results for the comparison of means, where the EL ANOVA test for means performs better than Welch’s heteroscedastic…
Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification detection of an unknown large deletion of the CREB-binding protein gene in a patient with Rubinstein…
2013
Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant congenital disorder characterized by postnatal growth retardation, psychomotor developmental delay, skeletal anomalies, peculiar facial morphology, and tumorigenesis. Mutations in the gene encoding the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB, also known as CREBBP or CBP) on chromosome 16p13.3 have been identified. In addition, some patients with low intelligence quotients and autistic features bear large deletions. Based on these observations, we used multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification to search for large deletions affecting the CREBBP gene in a Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome patient. We identified a novel heterozygote dele…
Carrier screening for spinal muscular atrophy in Italian population
2014
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal-recessive neuromuscular disorder characterized by motor neuron degeneration in the anterior horn of the spinal cord and brain stem, resulting in progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. The responsible survival motor neuron gene (SMN1; HGNC: 11117) is localized in 5q11.2-13.3. Screening for carriers of SMA is necessary for effective clinical/prenatal diagnosis and genetic counselling. In this study, the copy number of SMN1 gene was determined from a southern Italian population to estimate carrier frequency. This is the first report addressing the estimation of SMA carrier frequency in an Italian population. Our results show that the SMA carrier …
Identification of a novel compound heterozygote SCO2 mutation in cytochrome c oxidase deficient fatal infantile cardioencephalomyopathy
2006
UNLABELLED Fatal infantile cardioencephalomyopathy (OMIM No. 604377) is a disorder of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and is characterised by neonatal progressive muscular hypotonia and cardiomyopathy because of severe Cytochrome c oxidase deficiency. Here we report a novel mutation in the Cytochrome c oxidase assembly gene SCO2 in an infant with fatal infantile cardioencephalomyopathy despite normal initial metabolic screening. CONCLUSION In newborns with unexplained muscular hypotonia and cardiomyopathy genetic testing of mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders might be helpful to establish a final diagnosis and guide treatment decisions.
Estimating the Number of Changepoints in Segmented Regression Models: Comparative Study and Application
2020
This paper deals with the problem of selecting the number of changepoints in segmented regression models. The aim is to review selection criteria, namely information criteria and hypothesis testing, and to propose a novel application in the context of students' careers in higher education. The performance of the selection criteria is assessed through simulation studies. Furthermore, we investigate the relationship between University students' performance and one of its main determinants, finding out that this relationship is actually broken-line.
Integrating the Analysis of Mental Operations Into Multilevel Models to Validate an Assessment of Higher Education Students’ Competency in Business a…
2016
The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing indicate that validation of assessments should include analyses of participants’ response processes. However, such analyses typically are conducted only to supplement quantitative field studies with qualitative data, and seldom are such data connected to quantitative data on student or item performance. This paper presents an example of how data from an analysis of mental operations collected using a sociocognitive approach can be quantitatively integrated with other data on student and item performance to validate in part an assessment of higher education students’ competency in business and economics. Evidence of forward reasoning an…
Granular chains for the assessment of thermal stress in slender structures
2015
Slender beams subjected to compressive stress are common in civil and mechanical engineering. The rapid in-situ measurement of this stress may prevent structural anomalies. In this paper, we describe the coupling mechanism between highly nonlinear solitary waves (HNSWs) propagating along an L-shaped granular system and a beam in contact with the granular medium. We evaluate the use of HNSWs as a tool to measure stress in thermally loaded structures and to estimate the neutral temperature, i.e. the temperature at which this stress is null. We investigated numerically and experimentally one and two L-shaped chains of spherical particles in contact with a prismatic beam subjected to heat. We f…
Influence of a Specific Aquatic Program on Social and Gross Motor Skills in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Three Case Reports
2019
Swimming pool activities revealed to be efficacious to train psychomotor skills and increase adaptive behaviors in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a specific multi-systemic aquatic therapy (CI-MAT) on gross motor and social skills in three adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Methods: three adolescents with ASD of which two boys (M1 with a chronological age of 10.3 years and a mental age of 4.7 years; M2 with a chronological age of 14.6 and a mental age inferior to 4 years) and one girl (chronological age of 14.0 and a mental age inferior to 4 years). The study was divided into three phases: …
Is large-scale rapid CoV-2 testing a substitute for lockdowns?
2021
Background Various forms of contact restrictions have been adopted in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Around February 2021, rapid testing appeared as a new policy instrument. Some claim it may serve as a substitute for contact restrictions. We study the strength of this argument by evaluating the effects of a unique policy experiment: In March and April 2021, the city of Tübingen set up a testing scheme while relaxing contact restrictions. Methods We compare case rates in Tübingen county to an appropriately identified control unit. We employ the synthetic control method. We base interpretations of our findings on an extended SEIR model. Findings The experiment led to an increase in the …
Ambient Temperature, Social Perception and Social Behavior
2020
The literature suggests that human perception and behavior vary with physical temperature. We provide an experimental test of how different ambient temperature conditions impact social behavior and social perception: Subjects went through a series of tasks measuring various aspects of social behavior and perception under three temperature conditions (cold vs. optimal vs. warm). Despite well-established findings on temperature effects, our data suggest that physical temperature has no relevant influence on social behavior and social perception. We corroborate our finding of a null effect by the use of equivalence testing and provide a discussion in the light of recent failed replication atte…