Inadvertent Errors Research Articles

Temperature Dependence of Carbon Disulphide Emissions from Rubber

This paper has its origin via an inadvertent error wherein a length of rubber hose was added to the sampling line of a sulphur gas analyser at the Australian Baseline Station at Cape Grim. This carbon disulphide (CS2) contamination source was removed after a period of 10 weeks. In the interim, substantial data was collected and is here compared with the record of ambient station temperatures. CS2 was found to vary with ambient temperature over both short and monthly time scales. Comparisons of linear, natural log (ln) and log10 correlations yield the conclusion that log10 and ln CS2 emission vs. temperature (°C) associations provide the best correlations. No significant depletion of CS2 emission from the rubber over a 10-week period was detected. Implications for regional and global emission inventories of CS2 and carbonylsulphide (COS) are discussed.

Aberrant Mer receptor tyrosine kinase expression contributes to leukemogenesis in acute myeloid leukemia.

Correction to: Oncogene (2013) 32, 5359-5368; doi:10.1038/onc.2013.40; published online 11 March 2013 Since the publication of this article, the authors have identified two inadvertent errors in Figure 3. First, the phosphoarray in Figure 3c listed as Kasumi-1 was a duplicate of the NOMO-1 cell linephosphoarray.

Reducing inadvertent clinical errors: Guidelines from functional analytic psychotherapy.

Two common types of clinical errors, inadvertently reinforcing client problem behaviors or inadvertently punishing client improvements, are conceptualized from the viewpoint of Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP), a treatment that harnesses the power of the therapeutic relationship. Understanding the functions of client behaviors such as incessant talking and over compliance can lead to more compassionate and effective intervention, and a functional analysis of seemingly problematic behaviors such as silence and lack of cooperation indicate how they may be client improvements. Suggestions are provided for how to more accurately conceptualize whether client behaviors are problems or improvements, and to increase awareness of therapist vulnerabilities that can lead to errors. While FAP is rooted in a functional contextual philosophy, the goal of this article is to offer a framework that crosses theoretical boundaries to decrease the likelihood of clinical errors and to facilitate client growth. (PsycINFO Database Record

X-ray computed tomography datasets for forensic analysis of vertebrate fossils.

We describe X-ray computed tomography (CT) datasets from three specimens recovered from Early Cretaceous lakebeds of China that illustrate the forensic interpretation of CT imagery for paleontology. Fossil vertebrates from thinly bedded sediments often shatter upon discovery and are commonly repaired as amalgamated mosaics grouted to a solid backing slab of rock or plaster. Such methods are prone to inadvertent error and willful forgery, and once required potentially destructive methods to identify mistakes in reconstruction. CT is an efficient, nondestructive alternative that can disclose many clues about how a specimen was handled and repaired. These annotated datasets illustrate the power of CT in documenting specimen integrity and are intended as a reference in applying CT more broadly to evaluating the authenticity of comparable fossils.

Beyond Polemics: Poverty, Taxes, and Noncompliance

The earned income tax credit (EITC) is the most significant earnings-based refundable credit in the U.S. tax system. Designed as an anti-poverty program, it is a social benefit administered by the Internal Revenue Service. The EITC reaches more than 27 million households annually. Studies show it has a positive impact upon the children whose families receive it. Despite its many positives, however, the EITC is a program that for years has been plagued by taxpayer noncompliance: the estimated rate of improper payments on EITC claims has ranged between 20 and 30%, totaling billions of dollars annually. Though it is believed that the majority of EITC noncompliance may be unintentional, public reports of misconduct and fraud add fuel to the political rhetoric about a revenue system in which nearly half of Americans pay no federal income tax.This article unpacks the rhetoric. It describes why the term “improper payments” is not synonymous with fraud. It places EITC noncompliance within the broader context of the U.S. “tax gap” and examines what intentional EITC noncompliance has in common with sole proprietor noncompliance. It explores motivations for intentional EITC noncompliance and also examines the role of inadvertent error in the overclaim rate. It describes the ways in which self-prepared returns present wholly different challenges than those completed by paid preparers.Building on the above, the article critiques the Internal Revenue Service for its shortcomings in administering and enforcing the EITC program. The article calls upon the IRS to continue pursuing unscrupulous tax return preparers, but also highlights the need to design meaningful sanctions to punish and deter unscrupulous individuals who self-prepare.The article addresses these concerns within a comprehensive proposal to increase the amount of information required from all taxpayers (whether self-prepared or using a preparer) at the time of filing. It builds upon theories of taxpayer noncompliance in arguing that greater due diligence requirements will reduce both intentional and unintentional EITC errors. The article also proposes a program that would allow first-time EITC claimants the option to submit substantiating documentation at the time of filing in order to receive an expedited refund.The article concludes that increasing due diligence requirements at the time of filing, coupled with slowing down the refund process generally, is a reasonable way to improve administration of the EITC program without unduly burdening low-income taxpayers.

The Role of Clinical Proteomics, Lipidomics, and Genomics in the Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease.

The early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has become important to the reversal and treatment of neurodegeneration, which may be relevant to premature brain aging that is associated with chronic disease progression. Clinical proteomics allows the detection of various proteins in fluids such as the urine, plasma, and cerebrospinal fluid for the diagnosis of AD. Interest in lipidomics has accelerated with plasma testing for various lipid biomarkers that may with clinical proteomics provide a more reproducible diagnosis for early brain aging that is connected to other chronic diseases. The combination of proteomics with lipidomics may decrease the biological variability between studies and provide reproducible results that detect a community’s susceptibility to AD. The diagnosis of chronic disease associated with AD that now involves genomics may provide increased sensitivity to avoid inadvertent errors related to plasma versus cerebrospinal fluid testing by proteomics and lipidomics that identify new disease biomarkers in body fluids, cells, and tissues. The diagnosis of AD by various plasma biomarkers with clinical proteomics may now require the involvement of lipidomics and genomics to provide interpretation of proteomic results from various laboratories around the world.

300 Cities Virtual Experiment

Abstract : This report provides an overview of the preparations required for the virtual experiment we will conduct for the IRS as part of the 300 cities subproject. We briefly describe the tax gap and taxpayer issues, our revised approach, the Construct framework and the models developed for the multi-agent simulation. Where appropriate, we provide references to other technical reports that describe in more detail the models for intentional and inadvertent taxpayer errors, and paid preparers. We also briefly describe how we populate Construct with agents representative of the populations of U.S. cities by sampling from U.S. census data, deriving relevant taxpayer issues for each agent, generating empirically reasonable social networks for each agent, and building Construct input decks automatically. The generation of social networks based on the sociodemographic attributes of individuals found in census data is an advance worthy of the more detailed description found yet another technical report. We then briefly describe the design and anticipated analysis of the 300 cities virtual experiment. We conclude with a brief reference to the SmartCard application that will be used to deliver the results of the virtual experiment along with socio-demographic information and taxpayer issues for each of the cities. Details of the implementation of the SmartCard can be found in the referenced report.

Exploring key considerations when determining bona fide inadvertent errors resulting in understatements

Chapter 16 of the Tax Administration Act (28 of 2011) (the TA Act) deals with understatement penalties. In the event of an ‘understatement’, in terms of Section 222 of the TA Act, a taxpayer must pay an understatement penalty, unless the understatement results from a bona fide inadvertent error. The determining of a bona fide inadvertent error on taxpayers’ returns is a totally new concept in the tax fraternity. It is of utmost importance that this section is applied correctly based on sound evaluation principles and not on professional judgement when determining if the error was indeed the result of a bona fide inadvertent error. This research study focuses on exploring key considerations when determining bona fide inadvertent errors resulting in understatements. The role and importance of tax penalty provisions is explored and the meaning of the different components in the term ‘bona fide inadvertent error’ critically analysed with the purpose to find a possible definition for the term ‘bona fide inadvertent error’. The study also compares the provisions of other tax jurisdictions with regards to errors made resulting in tax understatements in order to find possible guidelines on the application of bona fide inadvertent errors as contained in Section 222 of the TA Act. The findings of the research study revealed that the term ‘bona fide inadvertent error’ contained in Section 222 of the TA Act should be defined urgently and that guidelines must be provided by SARS on the application of the new amendment. SARS should also clarify the application of a bona fide inadvertent error in light of the behaviours contained in Section 223 of the TA Act to avoid any confusion.

Urology technical and non-technical skills development: the emerging role of simulation.

To review the emerging role of technical and non-technical simulation in urological education and training. A review was conducted to examine the current role of simulation in urology training. A PUBMED search of the terms 'urology training', 'urology simulation' and 'urology education' revealed 11,504 titles. Three hundred and fifty-seven abstracts were identified as English language, peer reviewed papers pertaining to the role of simulation in urology and related topics. Key papers were used to explore themes. Some cross-referenced papers were also included. There is an ongoing need to ensure that training time is efficiently utilised while ensuring that optimal technical and non-technical skills are achieved. Changing working conditions and the need to minimise patient harm by inadvertent errors must be taken into account. Simulation models for specific technical aspects have been the mainstay of graduated step-wise low and high fidelity training. Whole scenario environments as well as non-technical aspects can be slowly incorporated into the curriculum. Doing so should also help define what have been challenging competencies to teach and evaluate. Dedicated time, resources and trainer up-skilling are important. Concurrent studies are needed to help evaluate the effectiveness of introducing step-wise simulation for technical and non-technical competencies. Simulation based learning remains the best avenue of progressing surgical education. Technical and non-technical simulation could be used in the selection process. There are good economic, logistic and safety reasons to pursue the process of ongoing development of simulation co-curricula. While the role of simulation is assured, its progress will depend on a structured program that takes advantage of what can be delivered via this medium. Overall, simulation can be developed further for urological training programs to encompass technical and non-technical skill development at all stages, including recertification.

NHash: Randomized N-Gram Hashing for Distributed Generation of Validatable Unique Study Identifiers in Multicenter Research.

BackgroundA unique study identifier serves as a key for linking research data about a study subject without revealing protected health information in the identifier. While sufficient for single-site and limited-scale studies, the use of common unique study identifiers has several drawbacks for large multicenter studies, where thousands of research participants may be recruited from multiple sites. An important property of study identifiers is error tolerance (or validatable), in that inadvertent editing mistakes during their transmission and use will most likely result in invalid study identifiers.ObjectiveThis paper introduces a novel method called "Randomized N-gram Hashing (NHash)," for generating unique study identifiers in a distributed and validatable fashion, in multicenter research. NHash has a unique set of properties: (1) it is a pseudonym serving the purpose of linking research data about a study participant for research purposes; (2) it can be generated automatically in a completely distributed fashion with virtually no risk for identifier collision; (3) it incorporates a set of cryptographic hash functions based on N-grams, with a combination of additional encryption techniques such as a shift cipher; (d) it is validatable (error tolerant) in the sense that inadvertent edit errors will mostly result in invalid identifiers.MethodsNHash consists of 2 phases. First, an intermediate string using randomized N-gram hashing is generated. This string consists of a collection of N-gram hashes f 1, f 2, ..., f k. The input for each function f i has 3 components: a random number r, an integer n, and input data m. The result, f i(r, n, m), is an n-gram of m with a starting position s, which is computed as (r mod |m|), where |m| represents the length of m. The output for Step 1 is the concatenation of the sequence f 1(r 1, n 1, m 1), f 2(r 2, n 2, m 2), ..., f k(r k, n k, m k). In the second phase, the intermediate string generated in Phase 1 is encrypted using techniques such as shift cipher. The result of the encryption, concatenated with the random number r, is the final NHash study identifier.ResultsWe performed experiments using a large synthesized dataset comparing NHash with random strings, and demonstrated neglegible probability for collision. We implemented NHash for the Center for SUDEP Research (CSR), a National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke-funded Center Without Walls for Collaborative Research in the Epilepsies. This multicenter collaboration involves 14 institutions across the United States and Europe, bringing together extensive and diverse expertise to understand sudden unexpected death in epilepsy patients (SUDEP).ConclusionsThe CSR Data Repository has successfully used NHash to link deidentified multimodal clinical data collected in participating CSR institutions, meeting all desired objectives of NHash.

Do genome‐scale models need exact solvers or clearer standards?

Constraint‐based analysis of genome‐scale models (GEMs) arose shortly after the first genome sequences became available. As numerous reviews of the field show, this approach and methodology has proven to be successful in studying a wide range of biological phenomena (McCloskey et al, 2013; Bordbar et al, 2014). However, efforts to expand the user base are impeded by hurdles in correctly formulating these problems to obtain numerical solutions. In particular, in a study entitled “An exact arithmetic toolbox for a consistent and reproducible structural analysis of metabolic network models” (Chindelevitch et al, 2014), the authors apply an exact solver to 88 genome‐scale constraint‐based models of metabolism. The authors claim that COBRA calculations (Orth et al, 2010) are inconsistent with their results and that many published and actively used (Lee et al, 2007; McCloskey et al, 2013) genome‐scale models do support cellular growth in existing studies only because of numerical errors. They base these broad claims on two observations: (i) three reconstructions (iAF1260, iIT341, and iNJ661) compute feasibly in COBRA, but are infeasible when exact numerical algorithms are used by their software (entitled MONGOOSE); (ii) linear programs generated by MONGOOSE for iIT341 were submitted to the NEOS Server (a Web site that runs linear programs through various solvers) and gave inconsistent results. They further claim that a large percentage of these COBRA models are actually unable to produce biomass flux. Here, we demonstrate that the claims made by Chindelevitch et al (2014) stem from an incorrect parsing of models from files rather than actual problems with numerical error or COBRA computations.

Structured Legislation: Toward the Synthesis of Better Law and Regulation of Electronic Communications

Why is it so difficult to draft laws and regulations that are coherent, consistent, and free of logical errors? Electronic communications laws in the European Union and in the United States (and probably everywhere else) are, we would contend, replete with ‘bugs’ – logical errors in their formulation. Some bugs are small, with limited effect. Others (notably in the United States) can have great effect. A great deal of effort has been invested over the years in the use of tools and formal methodologies to interpret existing laws (under the rubric of statutory construction), but surprisingly little in the use of formal logical methods to create better laws and regulations in the first place. Could ideas and tools be borrowed from other disciplines to enable the formulation of laws and regulations that more accurately express their intended purpose? We contend that the parallels between large computer programs and large laws and regulatory rulings are far closer than has been appreciated, and that some of the same techniques that have been developed over the past four decades to reduce the incidence of errors in computer programs might profitably be adapted to the task of reducing inadvertent logical errors in legislation and in regulation. This could serve to enhance both the accuracy and the maintainability of laws. The examples are drawn from telecommunications laws and regulations on both sides of the Atlantic, but the underlying principles are probably relevant to all laws.

Whispering gallery mode sensors: erratum

We present an erratum to correct inadvertent typographical errors in our paper [Adv. Opt. Photon.7, 168 (2015)AOPAC71943-820610.1364/AOP.7.000168] and to update Fig. 7 therein following a revised version from the original authors.

Dolch, L.-J. and Maréchal, E. Inventory of Fatty Acid Desaturases in the Pennate Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Mar. Drugs 2015, 13, 1317–1339

We have found eight inadvertent errors in our paper published in Mar. Drugs [1].

Fatal artesunate toxicity in a child

A 5-year-old boy from a malaria endemic region of our country was admitted to our unit after being diagnosed of Plasmodium vivax malaria and treated with rectal artesunate at a dose of 200 mg bid for 4 days (total dose 1,600 mg; 88 mg/kg/day). After a period of improvement, at the fifth day of treatment he developed unconsciousness, seizures, jaundice and gastrointestinal hemorrhage. New tests for Plasmodium were negative (blood smear, bone marrow examination and two rapid diagnostic tests for Plasmodium falciparum). Blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid bacterial cultures were negative as well as viral tests for central nervous system and liver infections. A computerized tomography scan of the brain demonstrated a diffuse brain swelling. Despite intensive treatment, the clinical condition worsened to status epilepticus, unresponsive hemodynamic collapse, pancytopenia, liver failure, coagulopathy, renal insufficiency and finally death 6 days after admission and 13 days after the first dose of artesunate. The Institutional Review Board waived the need for consent. The safety profile of artemisinin derivatives has been questioned because of their potential neurotoxic effects. In this case, the particular pharmacokinetic profile of artesunate suppositories and prescription error at a dose at seven fold higher than the maximum recommended for the drug, could have caused a protracted central nervous system exposure to very high levels of artesunate leading to toxicity especially to the brain stem, which explains the unresponsive hemodynamic collapse responsible for the death of our patient. To our knowledge, this could be the first reported case of artesunate intoxication in humans. Children are particularly vulnerable to inadvertent prescribing errors. We caution against using adult preparations for pediatric treatment and suggest that hospitals should update their prescribing formulary for pediatric treatment of malaria.

When mismatch repair met translesion synthesis

When mismatch repair met translesion synthesis

Pharmacist license revocation reversed

Regulatory agencies require pharmacists to follow specific rules asa condition of licensure. Likewise, these agencies are requiredto follow specific rules when they take action against a pharmacist'slicense. A court in Rhode Island recently held that a state agency hadviolated procedural rules in revoking a pharmacist's license on thebasis of an inadvertent error.

Oversight or Oversight?: Lessons Learnt about Managing and Governing Organizations Facing Disaster

Oversight can be defined in two ways: (I) “watchful and responsible care” or “regulatory supervision,” and (II) “inadvertent omission or error.” Research consistently suggests that the two forms of oversight (Type I and Type II) are likely at the heart of disasters or the prevention of disasters. Building on this year’s Academy of Management theme of “Opening Governance,” this panel symposium of leading scholars in disaster and learning from failure research opens a dialogue on the relationship between oversight and organizational failure, both in terms of lapses as well as monitoring and governance, and their relationships with organizational crises. This symposium offers a better understanding of these forms of oversight and how we can deliver a clearer understanding of why organizational, economic, and social disasters occur, as well as how to prevent them.

Spatial – Local Evaluation and Analysis of Crimes Using Time Series Model and ARCGIS Software

Subject of current research is illegal behaviors and acts and disorders known as crime during research time period which occurred in central part of Qazvin city. They are acts with are against society’s moral values and national rules and are defined as crime according to the law and punishment is determined for them and were recorded as crime in police centers during research time period and for which file has been formed. To this end, the crimes related to theft from March 2011 to February 2011 as well as two years ago and one year later crimes were recorded and investigated in ARCGIS Software. Spatial identification and analysis of crime vulnerable foci in central part of Qazvin city was done by developing a database for these thefts and using statistical and graphical tests in ARC GIS software environment. Results for temporal analysis in this research indicated applying specific time and location in providing spatial patterns for crimes is not useful, because times of presenting statistics may not be correct due to two wanted and unwanted mistakes: 1. Providing incorrect information by peopled being robbed for different reasons such as lack of presence at home or reluctance for referring in early hours of theft, and 2. intentional and inadvertent errors in recording statistics by system users for various reasons. Investigation of type, composition and level of use of lands in central part of city and frequency crime occurrence indicate most crimes occurred in commercial and administrative areas of this part of city denoting relationship between type of land use and the way of using lands of central part and formation of crime foci.

A probability tree model of audit quality

Abstract There remains little consensus about how to define and formulate audit quality. It does not have a consistent definition and operationalization across studies and this has troubled theorists for many years. This study contributes to this discussion by introducing a probability tree model of audit quality. This model is built up of characteristics to create an association with the four sets of audit quality indicators; inputs, process, context, and outcomes (Knechel, W. R, Krishnan, G. V., Pevzner, M., Shefchik, L. B., & Velury, U. (2012). Audit quality: Insights from the academic literature. Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory 32(1), 385–421). The purpose is to show how these indicators interplay in the context of audit quality. The model describes the audit program of an audit engagement as a random tree model based on a stochastic process. Following Simon's (Simon, H. A. (1956). Rational choice and the structure of the environment. Psychological Review 63(2), 129–138; Simon, H. A. (1957). Models of man. Social and rational. New York: John Wiley & Sons) description of adaptive behavior the model describes an audit program as an organic procedure where an auditor does not maximize but is seeking for material misstatements (inadvertent errors) in a random environment. If the auditor under a budget constraint does not (in spite of positive inherent risk) detect any misstatement, the audit program will erroneously end with an unqualified report (false negative outcome). In this context, we measure subjective audit quality as the probability of the complement of this event (probability of detecting one or more misstatements). We also introduce a concept of perfect auditor with optimal characteristics. Finally, we measure objective audit quality as the relation of the complement event probabilities between the auditor and the perfect auditor. The analytical results are demonstrated by numerical examples.