Interpretation Ability Research Articles

The Situation of the National Music Curriculum Implementation: what do the Arts Maturity Examination Results Reveal

After the restoration of Lithuanian independence, since 1994 the preparation of the national curriculums for general education schools started. However, through this period the actual situation of the national music curriculum implementation has been explored to a limited extent. As the awareness of the importance of an evidences and data to the formation and creation of the education content is notably growing nowadays, it is important to collect various data about the actual situation of music education on purpose to improve it. In this article the results of the analysis of the arts maturity examination works in the music field are introduced and some generalized propositions are given about the actual situation of music education and the emerging fields of the music education practice, which are problemic or need to be improved. Research aim is to describe the situation of Lithuanian national music curriculum implementation on the ground of an analysis of student’s art maturity examination works in the music field. Research method is analysis of pedagogical literature, education documents and content of student’s art maturity examination works in musical field. Research organization and results. Since 2013 a new arts maturity examination has been implemented, which has a music direction and is a long-term task, consisting of these examined parts: a creative process, an art work (an interpretation of music works or the musical production), description of creative work and its presentation. National examination center, which coordinates the implementation of examination, under its determinate order has selected and presented 43 works of music interpretation and 10 works of musical production for the analysis, while the total number of performed works is 241. The material for analysis consisted of the description of a creative work (scanned variant of an original text), audio and video recordings of presentations of creative works. Material was analyzed on the grounds of examination evaluation criteria. When analysis was done, the generalized propositions of fulfilment to criteria in student works were presented and they also were compared to the national music curriculum provisions and the parallels with its implementation situation were drawn. Analysis of 30 video recordings of music interpretation examination, in which students performing their prepared program were recorded, has shown that 19 of them have chosen works that does not correspond to their abilities, i. e. are too difficult or too easy. Only 9 of these works show an original interpretation. It emerged that those students who have demonstrated the interpretation abilities while implementing an exam program, in the creative work description have also gone deep to the nuances of the style, genre and work’s impressiveness and have described their conception on the grounds of analysis of works’ texts and context. With reference to the analysis of 43 descriptions of creative works it is possible to state that only 5 of them fully correspond to criteria. Analyzed descriptions revealed that students’ capacities to analyze musical works, explore context and use concepts purposefully are not explicit. It was quite difficult for the students to formulate the idea and conception of a creative work and to use data of the context exploration to describe their project. Also the mistakes of general writing rules, grammar, style, selection and generalization of information and citation were noticed. From 10 analyzed musical composition 5 students’ works can be evaluated as excellent, they fully corresponds to the examination evaluation criteria. 3 works are weak, they could not be characterized as authentic works. It was discovered that students, who have chosen an examination in musical creation field, were inspired by their own experience and that music lessons have had a little influence on their choice. Half of the students, who have chosen this direction, has demonstrated very good results of both creative work and description writing.

Simultaneous determination of 24 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in edible oil by tandem solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography coupled/tandem mass spectrometry.

An efficient and fast tandem SPE method followed by GC/MS/MS has been developed for the determination and the quantification of 24 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in edible oil. This method includes the monitoring of 15 + 1 PAHs designated as a priority by the European Union in their 2005/108/EC recommendation and 16 PAHs listed by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. The sample preparation procedures were based on SPE in which PAH-dedicated cartridges with molecularly imprinted polymers and graphitized carbon black were used in series. The novel tandem SPE combination of selective extraction and purification of light and heavy PAHs provided highly purified analytes. Identification and quantification of 24 target PAHs were performed using GC/MS/MS with the isotope dilution approaches using D-labeled and (13)C-labeled PAHs. The advantages of GC/MS/MS as compared to other detection methods include high sensitivity, selectivity, and interpretation ability. The method showed satisfactory linearity (R(2) > 0.998) over the range assayed (0.5-200 μg/kg); the LODs ranged from 0.03 to 0.6 μg/kg, and LOQs from 0.1 to 2.0 μg/kg. The recoveries using this method at three spiked concentration levels (2, 10, and 50 μg/kg) ranged from 56.8 to 117.7%. The RSD was lower than 12.7% in all cases. The proposed analytical method has been successfully applied for the analysis of the 24 PAHs in edible oil.

PCA-based sea-ice image fusion of optical data by HIS transform and SAR data by wavelet transform

Sea ice as a disaster has recently attracted a great deal of attention in China. Its monitoring has become a routine task for the maritime sector. Remote sensing, which depends mainly on SAR and optical sensors, has become the primary means for sea-ice research. Optical images contain abundant sea-ice multi-spectral information, whereas SAR images contain rich sea-ice texture information. If the characteristic advantages of SAR and optical images could be combined for sea-ice study, the ability of sea-ice monitoring would be improved. In this study, in accordance with the characteristics of sea-ice SAR and optical images, the transformation and fusion methods for these images were chosen. Also, a fusion method of optical and SAR images was proposed in order to improve sea-ice identification. Texture information can play an important role in sea-ice classification. Haar wavelet transformation was found to be suitable for the sea-ice SAR images, and the texture information of the sea-ice SAR image from Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) loaded on ENVISAT was documented. The results of our studies showed that, the optical images in the hue-intensity-saturation (HIS) space could reflect the spectral characteristics of the sea-ice types more efficiently than in the red-green-blue (RGB) space, and the optical image from the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS-02B) was transferred from the RGB space to the HIS space. The principal component analysis (PCA) method could potentially contain the maximum information of the sea-ice images by fusing the HIS and texture images. The fusion image was obtained by a PCA method, which included the advantages of both the sea-ice SAR image and the optical image. To validate the fusion method, three methods were used to evaluate the fused image, i.e., objective, subjective, and comprehensive evaluations. It was concluded that the fusion method proposed could improve the ability of image interpretation and sea-ice identification.

A Dirichlet process mixture model for survival outcome data: assessing nationwide kidney transplant centers.

Mortality rates are probably the most important indicator for the performance of kidney transplant centers. Motivated by the national evaluation of mortality rates at kidney transplant centers in the USA, we seek to categorize the transplant centers based on the mortality outcome. We describe a Dirichlet process model and a Dirichlet process mixture model with a half-cauchy prior for the estimation of the risk-adjusted effects of the transplant centers, with strategies for improving the model performance, interpretability, and classification ability. We derive statistical measures and create graphical tools to rate transplant centers and identify outlying groups of centers with exceptionally good or poor performance. The proposed method was evaluated through simulation and then applied to assess kidney transplant centers from a national organ failure registry.

Needing to Acquire a Physical Impairment/Disability: (Re)Thinking the Connections between Trans and Disability Studies through Transability

This article discusses the acquisition of a physical impairment/disability through voluntary body modification, or transability. From the perspectives of critical genealogy and feminist intersectional analysis, the article considers the ability and cis*/trans* axes in order to question the boundaries between trans and transabled experience and examines two assumptions impeding the conceptualization of their placement on the same continuum: 1) trans studies assumes an able‐bodied trans identity and able‐bodied trans subject of analysis; and 2) disability studies assumes a cis* disabled identity. The perception of transsexuality and transability as mutually exclusive phenomena results from a nonintersectional analysis of transsexuality as an issue of sex/gender, but not of ability, and of transability as an issue of ability, but not of sex/gender. Difficulty recognizing continuities between these phenomena thus stems from an ableist interpretation of sex/gender and a cis(gender)normative* interpretation of ability. This article aims to: 1) enrich intersectional analysis in trans and disability studies and transability scholarship; 2) complicate disability studies, in which disabilities are often presumed to be “involuntary,” and encourage the decentering of a cis* subject; 3) encourage trans studies to decenter an able‐bodied subject; and 4) advocate for increased dialogue and the creation of alliances between trans and disability studies and movements.

Analysis of Nascent Managers’ Worldviews through the Weltanschauung – Ego Questionnaire

Abstract Through the ample and interdisciplinary research “Personality and Weltanschauung”, which contains like a puzzle piece the present article, I am developing a study on the adolescent personality searching for the special treat Weltanschauung which designates and describes one's ego in symbolic form, his frame of reference, his worldview. The test sample includes 100 matriculates of the Faculty of Management, Economical Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development within the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest; they are attending license studies within 2012 – 2016, aged 19-22, coming from both urban and rural areas, and both genders. I applied on them four various and complementary investigative tools: 1. the personality questionnaire Weltanschauung - Ego; 2. the Smiescheck's questionnaire for pronounced predispositions; 3. a brief test on mental flexibility; 4 the projective test DAT. The personality questionnaire Weltanschauung – Ego, whose foundation structure, apology and function were described in a former article, was especially conceived for this research and the present paper represents the statistical analysis and approach of the main data gathered through it. The results showed that the interviewees come under the psychological profile of the adolescent, with the observation that 60% of subjects have modest practice regarding the logical-formal structures and systemic thinking, the ability of interpretation and assessment, planning, anticipation, prediction, critical thinking and self-critical thinking, while 40% of subjects practiced these structures and have them developed or in active developing process.

Effect of Gaze Direction on Orienting of Attention in Patients with Schizophrenia: Attention or Social Cognition Deficit?

Introduction: the ability to use the gaze direction of another person to guide attention is part of a complex construct named Social Cognition. Schizophrenics showed impairments in domains of social cognition. Aim and objectives: the aim of this study was to investigate whether gaze cueing of attention is compromised in schizophrenic subjects. Materials and methods: we tested 18 schizophrenics and 18 controls who were presented with gaze and arrow cues in a modified version of the Posner’s spatial cueing paradigm. Results: The performance of schizophrenics was compromised when the cue is represented by the gaze rather than by the arrow. In fact, our results showed that two groups differ only for gaze condition both in reaction times (F1,34=61.557; p=0.0001) and number of errors (F1,34=6.39; p=0.002). Moreover, the correlation analysis showed that the Eyes Task negatively correlates with invalid condition when the cue was the gaze (r=-0.504, p=0.03). This result underlines the crucial relation between the emotional recognition capacity of the another person’s gaze and the orienting of attention capacity through the interpretation of other people’s gazes. These capacities seem to be precursors for good development of Social Cognition. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings suggest that schizophrenics showed a specific deficit in social attention, that is part of social cognition construct. Deficit in attention to gaze direction in patients with schizophrenia may contribute to interpersonal and social cognitive difficulties. Thus, the gaze interpretation ability can be considered as an important part in rehabilitation strategies for schizophrenics

Assessment of quality and interpretation of panoramic radiographs obtained in the Lao People's Democratic Republic as part of a teleradiology collaboration with Japan.

As part of quality assessment of a teleradiology program we evaluated the validity of patient information received, the quality of panoramic radiography imaging in Laos, and the ability of a Laotian radiologist to detect temporomandibular joint abnormalities. The amount of patient information gathered from 2,021 scans of panoramic radiographs was evaluated by triage before image diagnosis. Among the radiographs from 2,021 patients, primary triage indicated that there was insufficient information for 794 (39.3%) patients. Secondary triage to assess imaging failure included 1,227 radiographs, four of which were excluded from imaging diagnosis because of unacceptable image flaws. In total, 2,446 joints from 1,223 radiographs were evaluated for temporomandibular joint abnormalities in order to compare the image interpretation abilities of Laotian and Japanese radiologists. The kappa coefficient was 0.836 (P < 0.01) for the agreement between the two observers in detecting temporomandibular joint abnormalities on radiographs. We conclude that additional efforts are needed in order to overcome the challenges of maintaining quality in imaging techniques and diagnoses in Laos.

Electrocardiogram interpretation skills among ambulance nurses

To describe ambulance nurses' practical electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation skills and to measure the correlation between these skills and factors that may impact on the level of knowledge. This study was conducted using a prospective quantitative survey with questionnaires and a knowledge test. A convenience sample collection was conducted among ambulance nurses in three different districts in western Sweden. The knowledge test consisted of nine different ECGs. The score of the ECG test were correlated against the questions in the questionnaire regarding both general ECG interpretation skill and ability to identify acute myocardial infarction using Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman's rank correlation. On average, the respondents had 54% correct answers on the test and identified 46% of the ECGs indicating acute myocardial infarction. The median total score was 9 of 16 (interquartile range 7-11) and 1 of 3 (IQR 1-2) in infarction points. No correlation between ECG interpretation skill and factors such as education and professional experience was found, except that coronary care unit experience was associated with better results on the ECG test. Ambulance nurses have deficiencies in their ECG interpretation skills. This also applies to conditions where the ambulance crew has great potential to improve the outcome of the patient's health, such as myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest. Neither education, extensive experience in ambulance service nor in nursing contributed to an improved result. The only factor of importance for higher ECG interpretation knowledge was prior experience of working in a coronary care unit.

The importance of being apt: metaphor comprehension in Alzheimer's disease.

We investigated the effect of aptness in the comprehension of copular metaphors (e.g., Lawyers are sharks) by Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients. Aptness is the extent to which the vehicle (e.g., shark) captures salient properties of the topic (e.g., lawyers). A group of AD patients provided interpretations for metaphors that varied both in aptness and familiarity. Compared to healthy controls, AD patients produced worse interpretations, but interpretation ability was related to a metaphor's aptness rather than to its familiarity level, and patients with superior abstraction ability produced better interpretations. Therefore, the ability to construct figurative interpretations for metaphors is not always diminished in AD patients nor is it dependent only on the novelty level of the expression. We show that Alzheimer's patients' capacity to build figurative interpretations for metaphors is related to both item variables, such as aptness, and participant variables, such as abstraction ability.

The development and implementation of an instrument to assess students' data analysis skills in molecular biology.

Developing visual literacy skills is an important component of scientific literacy in undergraduate science education. Comprehension, analysis, and interpretation are parts of visual literacy that describe related data analysis skills important for learning in the biological sciences. The Molecular Biology Data Analysis Test (MBDAT) was developed to measure students’ data analysis skills connected with scientific reasoning when analyzing and interpreting scientific data generated from experimental research. The skills analyzed included basic skills, such as identification of patterns and trends in data and connecting a method that generated the data, and advanced skills, such as distinguishing positive and negative controls, synthesizing conclusions, determining if data supports a hypothesis, and predicting alternative or next-step experiments. Construct and content validity were established and calculated statistical parameters demonstrate that the MBDAT is valid and reliable for measuring students’ data analysis skills in molecular and cell biology contexts. The instrument also measures students’ perceived confidence in their data interpretation abilities. As scientific research continues to evolve in complexity, interpretation of scientific information in visual formats will continue to be an important component of scientific literacy. Thus science education will need to support and assess students’ development of these skills as part of students’ scientific training.

Doctors and numbers: an assessment of the critical risk interpretation test.

Risk interpretation affects decision making. Yet, there is no valid assessment of how clinicians interpret the risk data that they commonly encounter. To establish the reliability and validity of a 20-item test of clinicians' risk interpretation. The Critical Risk Interpretation Test (CRIT) measures clinicians' abilities to 1) modify the interpretation based on meaningful differences in the outcome (e.g., disease specific v. all-cause mortality) and time period (e.g., lifetime v. 10-year mortality), 2) maintain a stable interpretation for different risk framings (e.g., relative v. absolute risk), and 3) correctly interpret how diagnostic testing modifies risk. There were 658 clinicians and medical trainees who participated: 116 nurse practitioners (NPs) at a national conference, 273 medical students at 1 institution, 148 residents in internal medicine at 2 institutions, and 121 internists at 1 institution. Participants completed a self-administered paper test during educational conferences. Seventeen evidence-based medicine experts took the test online and formally assessed content validity. Eighteen second-year medical students were recruited to take the test and a retest 3 weeks later to explore test-retest correlation. Expert review supported test clarity and content validity. Factor analysis supported that the CRIT identifies at least 3 separable areas of clinician knowledge. Test-retest correlation was fair (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.65; standard error = 0.15). Scores on our test correlated with other tests of related abilities. Mean test scores varied among groups, with differences in prior evidence-based medicine training and experience (93 for NPs, 101 for medical students, 101 for residents, 103 for academic internists, and 110 for physician experts; P < 0.001). Our results provide supporting evidence for the reliability and validity of the CRIT as an index of critical risk interpretation abilities, which is acceptable and feasible to administer in an educational setting.

Automation of Communication for Improving Autonomous Interpretation Abilities

In the course of improving autonomous interpretation abilities, different methods will be used. At the same time, different channels will also been taken into consideration for improving autonomous interpretation abilities. Automation of communication is one of the channels, which plays an important role in this course with the development of information technology. In the paper, the author has collected some information about automation of communication and at the same time, the author also investigated the scientific channels for learners’? using automation of communucation in different ways. After the investigation and interview of the author, some scientific results will be found after detail analysis of the author. At the same time, some shortcomings of the application of automation of communication can also be found. Some effective improving measures will be put forward to overcome the shortcoming for reform.

Location selection using fuzzy-connective-based aggregation networks: a case study of the food and beverage chain industry in Taiwan

Location selection is a significant part of strategic management activities. The plurality and interactions of the evaluation criteria involved in the problem complicates the decision-making process. This study successfully proposes a set of systematic procedure for location selection using fuzzy-connective-based aggregation networks. The fuzzy-connective-based aggregation network can aggregate the relative status or achievement among locations in various location-related variables through a hierarchical decision-making structure. Finally, an overall evaluation of location is produced from various aspects. The trained model approximates the relationship between turnover and individual location-related factors, which can be used to predict the potential performance of candidate sites and to answer "what if" questions. The transparency and interpretation ability also makes the proposed method desirable. The weights and parameters in the evaluation model help identify the major factors influencing the turnover and the compensatory relationship among location-related factors. The effectiveness and applicability are confirmed through a case study of the food and beverage chain industry in Taiwan.

Tourist Destination Marketing Supported by Electronic Capitalization of Knowledge

Marketing for tourist destinations, either as strategic planning or as short-term marketing-mix specification, has a lot to gain from computerized information tools. In this paper, we present knowledge engineering methods for the extraction and modeling of findings from market surveys and data analytics in the form of reusable and sharable knowledge. In contrast to information-based systems which are able to store and provide high quality information but their user relies on his own interpretation and decision abilities, we focus on a knowledge-based approach where data analysis and reasoning are consolidated and the system is thus able to provide solutions to common marketing problems. Data analysis methods suitable for discovering factors, associations, clusters and in general hidden patterns that explain a market phenomenon or customer behavior, are applied on multiple surveys related to tourist destination marketing. In addition, a computerized knowledge management process, utilizing ontologies and a rule-based inference engine, is developed to capitalize the extracted knowledge and offer it to support marketing planning problems. Preliminary results are presented on capturing the image of Thessaloniki as tourist destination and suggesting important factors for improving its promotion to individual visitor groups.

Attitudes of radiographers to radiographer-led discharge: A survey

BackgroundThe traditional role of the Diagnostic Radiographer in image acquisition has gradually been extended through skill-mix, particularly to include abnormality detection. AimsThis research focused on the attitudes of Radiographers to Radiographer-led Discharge (RLD), where Radiographers discharge patients with minor injuries and perform tasks previously undertaken by Accident and Emergency staff. The effects of job role, hospital type, experience and whether RLD was used in the participant's trust were examined. MethodA multiple-indicator online questionnaire assessed attitudes to RLD. Snowball sampling was used with advertisement via emails, posters and cards, containing Quick Response (QR) codes. Statement responses were coded, with reverse coding for negative statements and total scores were calculated. A higher score represented a more positive attitude. Results101 questionnaires were completed (an estimated 30% response rate) and the mean total score was 84/115. 95% of participants supported radiographer involvement in abnormality detection, with 46.5% selecting RLD as the preferred system for minor injuries patients vs 48.5% preferring commenting alone. DiscussionParticipants were positive about extending their role through RLD and felt confident in their image interpretation abilities, though expressed concern for the legal consequences of the role and adequate pay. Generalization of the results is limited due to the possible low response rate. ConclusionOverall, participants demonstrated positive attitudes towards RLD but they also indicate the need for appropriate payment for any additional responsibility. These findings are promising for successful implementation of RLD, though larger-scale research including radiologists, business managers, A&E staff and patients would be beneficial.

USING READER RESPONSE APPROACH TO GET ENGAGED IN ENGLISH TEXTS OF THE PAST

Abstract : This study investigates the students’ interpretations of English literary texts produced in the heyday of British and American Literature –the Victorian Age and Modernism. The fact that the texts are so distant from the students’ time and cultural contexts often becomes the obstacles in understanding, in particular, canonized literary texts. Moreover, in EFL classes where students do not use English in daily basis, the problem is multifold. On the other hand, despite the advice to use texts that are more contextual and meaningful to EFL learners, it is unavoidable for EFL students majoring English literature to read some canonical texts. Although the use of canonical works may present ideological and political bias (see (Said, 1979) and (McCallum & Stephen, 2011)), Lazar (2005) argues that literature, among others, opens access to cultural background, expands students’ language awareness and develops students’ interpretative abilities. Confronting with time and space so different from the students’ own, this study employing reader response theory and analyzes how these EFL students majoring English literature construct meaning from three texts they read and its effects towards their interpretative abilities. The data were collected through students’ responses, questionnaires and focus group discussions. Key words : English literature, canonized literary texts, EFL contexts, reader response

Arabic-speaking migrants' experiences of the use of interpreters in healthcare: a qualitative explorative study.

IntroductionArabic-speaking migrants have constituted a growing population in recent years. This entails major challenges to ensure good communication in the healthcare encounter in order to provide individual and holistic healthcare. One of the solutions to ensure good communication between patient and healthcare staff who do not share the same language is to use a professional interpreter. To our knowledge, no previous qualitative studies have been found concerning Arabic-speaking migrants and the use of interpreters. This study aims to ascertain their individual experiences which can help extend our understanding of the studied area.MethodA purposive sample of 13 Arabic-speaking persons with experience of using interpreters in healthcare encounters. Data were collected between November 2012 and March 2013 by four focus-group interviews and analysed with qualitative analysis according to a method described for focus groups.ResultsFour categories appeared from the analysis: 1) The professional interpreter as spokesperson; 2) Different types of interpreters and modes of interpretation adapting to the healthcare encounter; 3) The professional interpreter’s task and personal properties affected the use of professional interpreters in a healthcare encounter; 4) Future planning of the use of professional interpreters in a healthcare encounter. The main findings were that the use of interpreters was experienced both as a possibility and as a problem. The preferred type of interpreters depended on the interpreter’s dialect and ability to interpret correctly. Besides the professional interpreter’s qualities of good skill in language and medical terminology, translation ability, neutrality and objectivity, Arabic-speaking participants stated that professional interpreters need to share the same origin, religion, dialect, gender and political views as the patient in order to facilitate the interpreter use and avoid inappropriate treatment.ConclusionThe study showed that the personal qualities of a good interpreter not only cover language ability but also origin, religion, dialect, gender and political views. Thus, there is need to develop strategies for personalized healthcare in order to avoid inappropriate communication, to satisfy the preferences of the person in need of interpreters and improve the impact of interpretation on the quality of healthcare.

Description and classification of granular time series

The study is concerned with a concept and a design of granular time series and granular classifiers. In contrast to the plethora of various models of time series, which are predominantly numeric, we propose to effectively exploit the idea of information granules in the description and classification of time series. The numeric (optimization-oriented) and interpretation abilities of granular time series and their classifiers are highlighted and quantified. A general topology of the granular classifier involving a formation of a granular feature space and the usage of the framework of relational structures (relational equations) in the realization of the classifiers is presented. A detailed design process is elaborated on along with a discussion of the pertinent optimization mechanisms. A series of experiments is covered leading to a quantitative assessment of the granular classifiers and their parametric analysis.

Statistical HOmogeneous Cluster SpectroscopY (SHOCSY): an optimized statistical approach for clustering of ¹H NMR spectral data to reduce interference and enhance robust biomarkers selection.

We propose a novel statistical approach to improve the reliability of 1H NMR spectral analysis in complex metabolic studies. The Statistical HOmogeneous Cluster SpectroscopY (SHOCSY) algorithm aims to reduce the variation within biological classes by selecting subsets of homogeneous 1H NMR spectra that contain specific spectroscopic metabolic signatures related to each biological class in a study. In SHOCSY, we used a clustering method to categorize the whole data set into a number of clusters of samples with each cluster showing a similar spectral feature and hence biochemical composition, and we then used an enrichment test to identify the associations between the clusters and the biological classes in the data set. We evaluated the performance of the SHOCSY algorithm using a simulated 1H NMR data set to emulate renal tubule toxicity and further exemplified this method with a 1H NMR spectroscopic study of hydrazine-induced liver toxicity study in rats. The SHOCSY algorithm improved the predictive ability of the orthogonal partial least-squares discriminatory analysis (OPLS-DA) model through the use of “truly” representative samples in each biological class (i.e., homogeneous subsets). This method ensures that the analyses are no longer confounded by idiosyncratic responders and thus improves the reliability of biomarker extraction. SHOCSY is a useful tool for removing irrelevant variation that interfere with the interpretation and predictive ability of models and has widespread applicability to other spectroscopic data, as well as other “omics” type of data.