Precise Agreement Research Articles

IDENTIFICATION OF MODEL STRUCTURAL STABILITY THROUGH COMPARISON OF HYDROLOGIC MODELS

No matter how sophisticated and accurate hydrologic models may be, prediction uncertainty is unavoidable problem in rainfall-runoff modeling and it stems from various components. Therefore, it is essential to identify and reduce sources of uncertainty for more precise agreement between model prediction and observations in the real system. In the context of uncertainty issues, the problem of model structural uncertainty or stability is an issue of increasing interest in recent research. This paper examines a nature of model structural inadequacy using a single-objective global optimization method in hydrological modeling and proposes a framework to assess model structural stability through a comparison of two hydrologic models.

External quality assessment in the measurement of haemoglobin by blood gas analysers in Belgium

Objective. The Belgian national External Quality Assessment Scheme (EQAS) for haematology organized a survey to assess the reliability of haemoglobin (Hb) measurements with the blood gas analysers (BGAs) currently available in Belgian hospitals. Material and methods. All hospital laboratories received two specimens of fresh EDTA anticoagulated whole blood and were asked to determine the Hb concentration using both the conventional haematology analyser (HA) and all BGAs in the hospital. Ninety‐seven hospital laboratories participated in the study and a total of 166 results were reported. The BGAs used (grouped according to technology) were Rapidlab 845, 855, 865 (Bayer 1, n = 41), Rapidlab 1245, 1265, Rapidpoint 405 (Bayer 2, n = 19), GEM Premier 3000 (Instrumentation Laboratory, IL, n = 13), ABL 500 and 600 series (Radiometer 1, n = 13), ABL 700 and 800 series (Radiometer 2, n = 35), Omni C, S5 (Roche 1, n = 7), Omni 3, 6, 9, S2, S4, S6 (Roche 2, n = 21). Results. For the BGAs from Bayer, Radiometer and Roche, interlaboratory variation ranged from 0.6 % to 4.1 %, indicating good precision and close agreement between centres. A significant negative bias observed on the GEM Premier 3000 using the EDTA anticoagulated blood samples did not appear to be present in fresh heparinized whole blood samples. There was no significant difference in imprecision and bias between Hb measurements on BGA situated in and outside the central laboratory.

Error rates in buccal-dental microwear quantification using scanning electron microscopy

Dental microwear, usually analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques, is a good indicator of the abrasive potential of past human population diets. Scanning electron microscopy secondary electrons provide excellent images of dental enamel relief for characterizing striation density, average length, and orientation. However, methodological standardization is required for interobserver comparisons since semiautomatic counting procedures are still used for micrograph characterization. The analysis of normally distributed variables allows the characterization of small interpopulation differences. However, the interobserver error rates associated with SEM experience and the degree of expertise in measuring striations are critical to population dietary interpretation. The interobserver comparisons made here clearly indicate that the precision of SEM buccal microwear measurements depends heavily on variable definition and the researcher's expertise. Moreover, error rates are not the only concern for dental microwear research. Low error rates do not guarantee that all researchers are measuring the same magnitudes of the variables considered. The results obtained show that researchers tend to maintain high intrapopulation homogeneity and low measurement error rates, whereas significant interobserver differences appear. Such differences are due to a differential interpretation of SEM microwear features and variable definitions that require detailed and precise agreement among researchers. The substitution of semiautomatic with fully automated procedures will completely avoid interobserver error rate differences.

On the scattering of magnon boundstates

We study the scattering of magnon boundstates in the spin-chain description of planar N=4 SUSY Yang-Mills. Starting from the conjectured exact S-matrix for magnons in the SU(2) sector, we calculate the corresponding S-matrix for boundstates with an arbitrary number of constituent magnons. The resulting expression has an interesting analytic structure with both simple and double poles. We also calculate the semiclassical S-matrix for the scattering of the corresponding excitations on the string worldsheet known as Dyonic Giant Magnons. We find precise agreement with the magnon boundstate S-matrix in the limit of large 't Hooft coupling.

MODELING SWITCHING DELAY OF FERROELECTRIC DOMAINS FOR FERROELECTRIC CAPACITOR

ABSTRACT A ferroelectric capacitor compact model based on physical basis with model parameters extracted from experimental measurements is proposed. A compact equivalent circuit of this model is presented for circuit simulation. Phenomena of hysteresis loops concerning switching delay of ferroelectric domains are described, and modification are made to the compact model to express the transient characteristics due to switching delay of ferroelectric domains. After the modification to the model, precise agreement is achieved between the measurements and simulation results over a wide range of operation.

Local Thermalization in d+Au Collisions

The extent of a locally equilibrated parton plasma in d + Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV is investigated as a function of centrality in a nonequilibrium-statistical framework. Based on a three-sources model, analytical solutions of a relativistic diffusion equation are in precise agreement with recent data for charged-particle pseudorapidity distributions. The moving midrapidity source indicates the size of the local thermal equilibrium region after hadronization. In central d + Au collisions it contains 19% of the produced particles.

BLACK HOLE ENTROPY IN STRING THEORY: GOING BEYOND BEKENSTEIN AND HAWKING

In this talk I summarize some recent progress in string theory in understanding the entropy of a class of black holes including corrections to the Bekenstein–Hawking formula. The quantum corrected entropy is in precise numerical agreement with the logarithm of the number of microstates once quantum corrections are correctly taken into account.

Critical Examination of the Use of Coherent Gradient Sensing in Measuring Fracture Parameters in Functionally Graded Materials

Specific relations for out-of-plane deformation near crack tips of linearly graded materials are introduced and used with the optical method of coherent gradient sensing (CGS) to interpret experimentally obtained fringes. Stress intensity factors are thus derived and used to reconstruct synthetic fringes that are then compared to experimental ones. An error function is used with sets of 2-6 terms in the asymptotic solution to gage the incremental accuracy contributed by using these additional terms with the experimental results. The study reveals the necessity of using up to the sixth higher-order term to obtain a precise agreement between the analytical solution and the experimental interferograms. Specimen configurations with cracks consecutively positioned at the stiffer, and then at the more compliant end of the gradient are used. Distinct features of the interferograms indicate the benefits of having the crack on the compliant side of the elastic modulus variation.

Entropy function for 4-charge extremal black holes in type IIA superstring theory

We calculate the entropy of 4-charge extremal black holes in Type IIA supersting theory by using Sen's entropy function method. Using the low-energy effective actions in both 10D and 4D, we find precise agreements with the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of the black hole. We also calculate the higher-order corrections to the entropy and find that they depend on the exact form of the higher-order corrections to the effective action.

Holographic entanglement entropy of de Sitter braneworld

We study the holographic representation of the entanglement entropy, recently proposed by Ryu and Takayanagi, in a braneworld context. The holographic entanglement entropy of a de Sitter brane embedded in an anti--de Sitter (AdS) spacetime is evaluated using geometric quantities, and it is compared with two kinds of de Sitter entropy: a quarter of the area of the cosmological horizon on the brane and entropy calculated from the Euclidean path integral. We show that the three entropies coincide with each other in a certain limit. Remarkably, the entropy obtained from the Euclidean path integral is in precise agreement with the holographic entanglement entropy in all dimensions. We also comment on the case of a five-dimensional braneworld model with the Gauss-Bonnet term in the bulk.

NoncommutativeD3-brane, black holes, and attractor mechanism

We revisit the $4D$ generalized black hole geometries, obtained by us [14], with a renewed interest, to unfold some aspects of effective gravity in a noncommutative ${D}_{3}$-brane formalism. In particular, we argue for the existence of extra dimensions in the gravity decoupling limit in the theory. We show that the theory is rather described by an ordinary geometry and is governed by an effective string theory in $5D$. The extremal black hole geometry ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{5}$ obtained in effective string theory is shown to be in precise agreement with the gravity dual proposed for ${D}_{3}$-brane in a constant magnetic field. Kaluza-Klein compactification is performed to obtain the corresponding charged black hole geometries in $4D$. Interestingly, they are shown to be governed by the extremal black hole geometries known in string theory. The attractor mechanism is exploited in effective string theory underlying a noncommutative ${D}_{3}$-brane and the macroscopic entropy of a charged black hole is computed. We show that the generalized black hole geometries in a noncommutative ${D}_{3}$-brane theory are precisely identical to the extremal black holes known in $4D$ effective string theory.

Weiterentwicklung und Validierung eines Verfahrens zur Visitation von Rehabilitationseinrichtungen

Visitations (audits) are considered an instrument of external quality assurance by which the structural and organizational set-up of health facilities can be assessed on site by external experts. The Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund (including the former Bundesversicherungsanstalt für Angestellte, BfA, the statutory pension insurance agency for white collar employees) is the largest body responsible for rehabilitation in Germany, and it regularly carries out visitations in the approximately 650 rehab centres it sends its patients to. The project presented in this article aimed at developing a manual with detailed descriptions of the procedures and criteria of the assessment, as well as at checking the inter-rater-reliability of the assessment. The manual was developed in cooperation with experts of the Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund. It contains a description of the areas to be assessed during a visitation as well as leading questions and criteria for the evaluation of single features. The manual was examined in "test visitations" in 10 centres, each of which was visited by three visitation teams (1 medical and 1 administrative expert) simultaneously. When the resulting 30 assessments were compared, the criterion "overall quality of the centre" (which was assessed on a 10-point scale) showed precise agreement in 47 %, and a deviation by 1 point in 33 % of the cases. Single features assessed on a three-point scale (no improvement needed/improvement recommended/immediate improvement obligatory) resulted in precise agreement in between 80 % ("medical and therapeutic processes") and 86 % ("structural features") of the cases. Two-point scales (condition fulfilled or not fulfilled) showed an agreement between 89 % ("internal quality management") and 97 % ("single structural features"). In order to maintain and further develop this good inter-rater-reliability, the visitors of Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund are continually trained in applying the visitation manual. In addition to transferring knowledge, these internal training courses are aimed at exchanging views and experience in order to enhance consensus among the visitors. This approach of Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund could be regarded as "internal quality assurance" of its visitation procedure.

Time evolution of relativistic d + Au and Au + Au collisions

AbstractThe evolution of charged‐particle production in collisions of heavy ions at relativistic energies is investigated as function of centrality in a nonequilibrium‐statistical framework. Precise agreement with recent d + Au and Au + Au data at = 200 GeV is found in a Relativistic Diffusion Model with three sources for particle production. Only the midrapidity source comes very close to local equilibrium, whereas the analyses of the overall pseudorapidity distributions show that the systems remain far from statistical equilibrium.

E11, ten forms and supergravity

We extend the previously given non-linear realisation of E_{11} for the decomposition appropriate to IIB supergravity to include the ten forms that were known to be present in the adjoint representation. We find precise agreement with the results on ten forms found by closing the IIB supersymmetry algebra.

Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless transitions in the six-state clock model

Classical 2D clock model is known to have a critical phase with Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless(BKT) transitions. These transitions have logarithmic corrections which make numerical analysis difficult. In order to resolve this difficulty, one of the authors has proposed the method called level spectroscopy, which is based on the conformal field theory. We extend this method to the multi-degenerated case. As an example, we study the classical 2D 6-clock model which can be mapped to the quantum self-dual 1D 6-clock model. Additionally, we confirm that the self-dual point has a precise numerical agreement with the analytical result, and we argue the degeneracy of the excitation states at the self-dual point from the effective field theoretical point of view.

Comparison of two alternative methods for CD4+ T‐cell determination (Coulter manual CD4 count and CyFlow) against standard dual platform flow cytometry in Uganda

In this study we evaluated alternative CD4(+) T-cell counting methods in clients of a PMTCT Programme in rural Uganda. The Coulter Manual CD4 Count method for CD4(+) T-cell enumeration (Cyto-Spheres) and an automated method (volumetric, single-platform flow cytometry; CyFlow) were compared with a standard, dual-platform flow cytometry protocol (DPFC, FACScan). Correlation and precision of agreement were higher for the CyFlow method (r = 0.929 and eta = 0.08) when compared to DPFC than for the Cyto-Spheres method (r = 0.725 and eta = 0.3). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that CD4(+) cell counts by the CyFlow method were a stronger predictor for results of DPFC than those of the Cyto-Spheres method (r(2) = 0.864 and r(2) = 0.552, respectively). When compared to DPFC the CyFlow method generated higher CD4(+) cell counts than the Cyto-Spheres method, as expressed by a higher median and mean difference (+70 and +90 cells for CyFlow, +28 and -1.4 cells for Cyto-Spheres). Both, the manual Cyto-Spheres method and the CyFlow method can be used for the enumeration of CD4(+) cells in resource-limited settings. Under supervised conditions, the CyFlow method produced results more consistent with the reference method than the Cyto-Spheres method.

Precision Microstate Counting of Small Black Rings

We examine certain two-charge supersymmetric states with spin in five-dimensional string theories which can be viewed as small black rings when the gravitational coupling is large. Using the 4D-5D connection, these small black rings correspond to four-dimensional nonspinning small black holes. Using this correspondence, we compute the degeneracy of the microstates of the small black rings exactly and show that it is in precise agreement with the macroscopic degeneracy to all orders in an asymptotic expansion. Furthermore, we analyze the five-dimensional small black ring geometry and show qualitatively that the Regge bound arises from the requirement that closed timelike curves be absent.

Analytical performance of a new two-step ADVIA Centaur® estradiol immunoassay during ovarian stimulation

Measurement of estradiol is useful in women undergoing ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). The analytical performance of a new two-step estradiol assay (ADVIA Centaur) estradiol-6 III from Bayer Diagnostics) was evaluated in 41 sera from 11 women undergoing ovarian stimulation. The results were compared to those obtained with two radioimmunoassays (RIAs; RIA Estradiol Immunotech IM 1663 from Beckmann Coulter and Coat-A-Count Estradiol from Diagnostic Products Corporation) and with one chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA; ADVIA Centaur estradiol-6). The ADVIA Centaur) estradiol-6 III assay was the most sensitive assay, with a functional sensitivity of 55 pmol/L. Within- and between-run coefficients of variation calculated for the new ADVIA Centaur assay ranged from 3.3% to 9%, which was better than the precision obtained for the other assays. A dilution test showed serum interferences when estradiol was measured in non-diluted samples. No statistical difference was observed between the estradiol results obtained in diluted sera with the new two-step ADVIA Centaur assay and those measured with the Immunotech RIA and the other CLIA. In conclusion, this new, two-step estradiol assay performed on the ADVIA Centaur system displays suitable sensitivity, precision and intermethod agreement with the Immunotech RIA for the measurement of serum estradiol concentrations in women undergoing ovarian stimulation and IVF-ET. For correct linearity, estradiol measurement should be performed on diluted samples.

Local thermalization in the [formula omitted] system

The extent of a locally equilibrated parton plasma in d+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV is investigated as a function of collision centrality in a nonequilibrium-statistical framework. Based on a three-sources model, analytical solutions of a relativistic diffusion equation are in precise agreement with recent data for charged-particle pseudorapidity distributions. The moving midrapidity source indicates the size of the local thermal equilibrium region after hadronization. In central d+Au collisions it contains about 19% of the produced particles, and its relative importance rises with decreasing centrality.

Quantitation of adenovirus type 5 empty capsids

Adenovirus empty capsids are immature intermediates that lack DNA and viral core proteins. Highly purified preparations of empty and full capsids were generated by subjecting purified adenovirus preparations to repeated cesium chloride gradient separations. PAGE results revealed that empty capsids contain at least five bands that correspond to proteins absent from the mature virus proteome. Peptide mapping by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS revealed that three of these bands correspond to varying forms of L1 52/55 kDa, a protein involved in the encapsidation of the viral DNA. One band at around 31 kDa was found to include precursors to proteins VI and VIII. These precursors correspond to proteins that have not been cleaved by the adenovirus-encoded protease and are not present in the mature full capsids. The precursor to protein VIII (pVIII), a capsid cement protein, is used in this study as a marker in reverse-phased HPLC (RP-HPLC) analyses of adenovirus for the quantitation of empty capsids. A novel calculation method applied to the integration of RP-HPLC chromatograms allowed for the generation of a percentage empty capsid value in a given adenovirus preparation. The percentage empty capsid values generated to date by this method show a high degree of precision and good agreement with a cesium chloride gradient/SDS–PAGE quantitation method of empty capsids. The advantage of this method lies in the accurate, precise, and rapid generation of the percentage of empty capsids in a given purified virus preparation without relying on tedious and time-consuming cesium chloride gradient separations and extractions.