Rejection Criteria Research Articles

Absolute phase unwrapping for dual-camera system without embedding statistical features

This paper proposes an absolute phase unwrapping method for three-dimensional measurement that uses two cameras and one projector. On the left camera image, each pixel has one wrapped phase value, which corresponds to multiple projector candidates with different absolute phase values. We use the geometric relationship of the system to map projector candidates into the right camera candidates. By applying a series of candidate rejection criteria, a unique correspondence pair between two camera images can be determined. Then, the absolute phase is obtained by tracing the correspondence point back to the projector space. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed absolute phase unwrapping algorithm can successfully work on both complex geometry and multiple isolated objects measurement.

Processing of Facial Expressions in Autism: a Systematic Review of EEG/ERP Evidence

The aim of this systematic review is to examine electrophysiological differences in emotional facial expression processing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We identified 55 articles using PubMed. After application of the rejection criteria, in a two-step procedure, based on abstract and full-text reading, we selected 16 studies for review. We identified group differences and emotion by group interactions in most of the studies during facial emotion-processing tasks. Nine articles reported main effects of facial expression type. Smaller amplitudes and delayed latencies were consistently reported to emotional expressions in ASD subjects compared to controls. Right hemisphere dominance was found in both groups. Our systematic review confirms facial emotion-processing deficits in ASD, which are often linked with emotion recognition deficits.

Proactive QC: A Fully Flow-Dependent Quality Control Scheme Based on EFSO

AbstractDespite dramatic improvements over the last decades, operational NWP forecasts still occasionally suffer from abrupt drops in their forecast skill. Such forecast skill “dropouts” may occur even in a perfect NWP system because of the stochastic nature of NWP but can also result from flaws in the NWP system. Recent studies have shown that dropouts occur due not to a model’s deficiencies but to misspecified initial conditions, suggesting that they could be mitigated by improving the quality control (QC) system so that the observation-minus-background (O-B) innovations that would degrade a forecast can be detected and rejected. The ensemble forecast sensitivity to observations (EFSO) technique enables for the quantification of how much each observation has improved or degraded the forecast. A recent study has shown that 24-h EFSO can detect detrimental O-B innovations that caused regional forecast skill dropouts and that the forecast can be improved by not assimilating them. Inspired by that success, a new QC method is proposed, termed proactive QC (PQC), that detects detrimental innovations 6 h after the analysis using EFSO and then repeats the analysis and forecast without using them. PQC is implemented and tested on a lower-resolution version of NCEP’s operational global NWP system. It is shown that EFSO is insensitive to the choice of verification and lead time (24 or 6 h) and that PQC likely improves the analysis, as attested to by forecast improvements of up to 5 days and beyond. Strategies for reducing the computational costs and further optimizing the observation rejection criteria are also discussed.

Identifying extreme pluvials in the last millennia using optical dating of single grains of quartz from shorelines on Australia’s largest lake

The filling of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre (KT-LE), Australia’s ‘inland sea’ has captured scientific and cultural interest for over a century and a half. However, despite the presence of multiple shorelines around the modern playa at or near the modern maximum lake-filling levels, no quantitative estimates of major late-Holocene filling events have ever been documented. We develop a preliminary chronological data set using single-grain optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) on lake shoreline samples in order to determine the timing of large lake-filling events (equivalent to 1974 Common Era (CE) as Australia’s wettest year on record) for KT-LE, Australia’s largest lake basin. Despite quartz grains with very low natural dose luminescence (Ln) signal, we derive palaeodoses from geologically recent deposits (decades to centuries) using standard rejection criteria and highlight no signs of partial bleaching but occasional bioturbation in modern deposits. Major modern filling episodes, such as the1974 and 1949/1950 filling events, are successfully captured in the geochronological record, as are two major lake-filling episodes in 1854 ± 21 CE years and 1598–1654 CE. Two additional periods of potential lake-filling events have been identified at 1.2 ± 0.09 and 1.9 ± 0.14 ka, but stratigraphic control on these events is less robust. These chronostratigraphic records, while discontinuous, provide important hydrological evidence for extreme pluvial events akin to 1974 or 1949/1950, and the approach holds promise for identifying climate extremes and landscape response over the late Holocene.

A probabilistic approach for assessing discontinuities in structural steel components based on Charpy-V-notch tests

Abstract Available acceptance and rejection criteria for discontinuities in steel components of a welded assembly focus only on a minimum limit for the steel fracture toughness and a maximum limit for the size of the discontinuity. However, other critical parameters such as the uncertainty in the fracture toughness value and the working stress type in the steel component are not taken into account. The uncertainty in the fracture toughness increases as the steel component becomes thicker, which in combination with an increase in the demand for thick steel components in construction is cause for concern. Proposed in this paper is a probabilistic approach for the assessment of discontinuities that accounts for the variability of the fracture toughness throughout the material as well as the working stress type. A database of Charpy-V-notch (CVN) impact test results was developed for steel plates of different grades, thicknesses and at different temperatures. Each dataset was fitted with a statistical distribution, which was then converted to the corresponding fracture toughness. Through logistic regression and linear fracture mechanics an expression was developed to calculate the probability of a discontinuity’s stress intensity factor exceeding the fracture toughness of the material. By determining an acceptance limit of this probability value based on the working stress type of the component and assembly (importance) the proposed approach can be implemented to accept or refuse a discontinuity in a steel component.

Comparing acceptance and rejection in the classroom interaction of students who stutter and their peers: A social network analysis

PurposeRecent work has reported adverse effects of students’ stuttering on their social and emotional functioning at school. Yet, few studies have provided an in-depth examination of classroom interaction of students who stutter (SWS). The current study uses a network perspective to compare acceptance and rejection in the classroom interaction between SWS and their peers in secondary education. MethodsThe sample comprised 22 SWS and 403 non-stuttering peers (22 classes) of secondary education in Flanders (Belgium). Students' nominations regarding three acceptance and three rejection criteria were combined. Social network analysis offered procedures that considered direct and indirect interaction between all classmates. ResultsWe found few significant differences: SWS and their peers were distributed similarly across positive and negative status groups. Both considered and were considered by, on average, six or seven classmates as ‘a friend', who they liked and could count on, and nominated or were nominated by one or two classmates as ‘no friend', somebody who they disliked and could not count on. On average, SWS and their classmates also did not differ in terms of structural position in the class group (degree, closeness and betweenness), reciprocated rejection, and clique size. However, SWS do tend to be slightly more stringent or more careful in nominating peers, which led to fewer reciprocated friendships. ConclusionOur results suggest that SWS are quite accepted by peers in secondary education in Flanders. Such positive peer interaction can create a supportive and encouraging climate for SWS to deal with specific challenges.

Determining H0 with Bayesian hyper-parameters

We re-analyse recent Cepheid data to estimate the Hubble parameter H0 by using Bayesian hyper-parameters (HPs). We consider the two data sets from Riess et al. 2011 and 2016 (labelled R11 and R16, with R11 containing less than half the data of R16) and include the available anchor distances (megamaser system NGC4258, detached eclipsing binary distances to LMC and M31, and MW Cepheids with parallaxes), use a weak metallicity prior and no period cut for Cepheids. We find that part of the R11 data is down-weighted by the HPs but that R16 is mostly consistent with expectations for a Gaussian distribution, meaning that there is no need to down-weight the R16 data set. For R16, we find a value of H0 = 73.75 ± 2.11 km s−1 Mpc−1 if we use HPs for all data points (including Cepheid stars, supernovae type Ia, and the available anchor distances), which is about 2.6 σ larger than the Planck 2015 value of H0 = 67.81 ± 0.92 km s−1 Mpc−1 and about 3.1 σ larger than the updated Planck 2016 value 66.93 ± 0.62 km s−1 Mpc−1. If we perfom a standard χ2 analysis as in R16, we find H0 = 73.46 ± 1.40 (stat) km s−1 Mpc−1. We test the effect of different assumptions, and find that the choice of anchor distances affects the final value significantly. If we exclude the Milky Way from the anchors, then the value of H0 decreases. We find however no evident reason to exclude the MW data. The HP method used here avoids subjective rejection criteria for outliers and offers a way to test datasets for unknown systematics.

Ethylene Glycol Accelerated Weathering Test: An Improved, Objective Aggregate Durability Test Method

Ethylene glycol has been used extensively by the concrete and road construction industries to identify rock durability issues associated with smectite clay minerals. The presence of these clay minerals is synonymous with rock degradation under normal environmental wetting and drying cycles. However, such historical test methods are predominately based on a subjective visual interpretation, describing the observed degradation of individual rock pieces at fixed time intervals during the soaking process. In addition, some test methods include complex equations with multiple weighting factors applied to nominated degradation descriptors (e.g., spalling, fracture, and disintegration) used to calculate a single durability indicator. This paper describes the development and implementation of an alternative, nonsubjective accelerated weathering test that also uses ethylene glycol. The research included metamorphic and volcanic rock types used extensively in New Zealand for road construction. The greatest benefit of the proposed new test method is the ability to eliminate the subjective visual assessment described in historical test methods and adequately quantify results to specify contractual acceptance and rejection criteria. The test method also shows that good repeatability is possible from duplicate test samples. However, rock quality and quarry production consistency will influence the ability of the test method to report the same “percentage change in fines” over a prolonged test period. This phenomenon was particularly evident with problematic and lower quality rock. The test findings are well supported by observed field performance, thus giving confidence in the new method’s usefulness.

Pre-analytical Errors at the Chemical Pathology Laboratory of a Teaching Hospital

The Chemical Pathology Laboratory at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) processes specimens received from inpatients, the outpatient department and other medical facilities in Jamaica. Specific rejection criteria are used to determine samples unsuitable for analysis. It has been noted that despite efforts to reduce the number of unacceptable samples received in the laboratory, the problem persists. The study seeks to provide empirical evidence of the inadequacies from which improvements can be formulated. Errors recorded in the rejection log in the Chemical Pathology laboratory at the University Hospital of the West Indies for the period were assessed. The types and frequency of errors were determined manually. The yearly rejection ratios over a four-year period were evaluated. The most common causes for rejection were unlabelled samples (37%), incorrectly labelled specimens (23%), samples submitted in an inappropriate tube (14%) and incomplete or inaccurately completed requisition forms (14%). The rejection ratio for 2015-2016 was 2.1%. The laboratory must initiate programmes directed at improving the preanalytical process in order to ensure patient safety.

Thermally assisted OSL application for equivalent dose estimation; comparison of multiple equivalent dose values as well as saturation levels determined by luminescence and ESR techniques for a sedimentary sample collected from a fault gouge

Equivalent dose estimation (De) constitutes the most important part of either trap-charge dating techniques or dosimetry applications. In the present work, multiple, independent equivalent dose estimation approaches were adopted, using both luminescence and ESR techniques; two different minerals were studied, namely quartz as well as feldspathic polymineral samples. The work is divided into three independent parts, depending on the type of signal employed. Firstly, different De estimation approaches were carried out on both polymineral and contaminated quartz, using single aliquot regenerative dose protocols employing conventional OSL and IRSL signals, acquired at different temperatures. Secondly, ESR equivalent dose estimations using the additive dose procedure both at room temperature and at 90K were discussed. Lastly, for the first time in the literature, a single aliquot regenerative protocol employing a thermally assisted OSL signal originating from Very Deep Traps was applied for natural minerals. Rejection criteria such as recycling and recovery ratios are also presented. The SAR protocol, whenever applied, provided with compatible De estimations with great accuracy, independent on either the type of mineral or the stimulation temperature. Low temperature ESR signals resulting from Al and Ti centers indicate very large De values due to bleaching in-ability, associated with large uncertainty values. Additionally, dose saturation of different approaches was investigated. For the signal arising from Very Deep Traps in quartz saturation is extended almost by one order of magnitude. It is interesting that most of De values yielded using different luminescence signals agree with each other and ESR Ge center has very large D0 values. The results presented above highly support the argument that the stability and the initial ESR signal of the Ge center is highly sample-dependent, without any instability problems for the cases of quartz resulting from fault gouge.

PHS139 - The Health Economics Analysis of Unqualified Venous Blood Samples In The Chinese Tertiary Referral Hospital

To investigate the influence of unqualified samples on hospital operational efficiency and its economic impact, we analyzed the operation data and unqualified venous blood samples data from 9 domestic hospitals. Data of 12914 unqualified venous blood samples were collected. The health economic cost of the unqualified samples was divided into 2 categories: the direct cost, which was the cost of consumables for re-collection; and the indirect cost, including the labor cost for re-collection and unqualified sample registering, the instrument downtime cost and the patient treatment cost due to re-collection. The re-collection rates of unqualified samples were different greatly because of the different sample rejection criteria among hospitals. For the re-collected samples, the average re-testing interval was 9.55 hours in outpatients while 5.91 hours in inpatients. The direct cost represented only 1.5% of the total cost. In the indirect cost category, the patient treatment cost was the highest, represented 92% of the total cost, labor cost was 5.3% and the instrument downtime cost was 1.2%. The unqualified samples would not only influence the quality of medical care and reduce the hospital operation efficiency, but also bring huge economic losses, which could be assessed by both the direct cost and the significant indirect cost subsequently.

Safe Reduction of Blood Volume in the Blood Gas Laboratory.

Phlebotomy is a significant cause of iatrogenic anemia in the critical care environment. It is estimated that one-third of all transfusions of packed red blood cells in intensive care units (ICU) result from phlebotomy. The aims of this study were to determine if utilizing the 1mL blood gas syringe for an adult population would impact the rate at which specimens were acceptable for testing and result reporting based on lab specimen rejection criteria; and to compare blood utilization between the 2 different syringes. This study was conducted in 1 of the adult ICUs at the University of Utah Hospital. Over a baseline period a standard adult 3 mL blood gas syringe was utilized. Subsequently the standard adult syringe was replaced by a 1 mL syringe produced by the same manufacturer with the same heparin concentration. The change to the 1 mL syringe had no effect on specimen integrity in regards to laboratory's ability to process the specimen. With use of the 1 mL syringe there was a 60% reduction in the volume of blood drawn compared with the baseline period. Standardizing the 1 mL syringe for Blood Gas Laboratory tests will reduce patient blood loss without appreciably affecting specimen rejection relative to current rates.

Mammographic image reject rate analysis and cause – A National Maltese Study

Mammography is used as a first-line investigation in the detection of breast cancer and imaging is required to be of optimal quality and achieved without adverse effects on the health of individuals. Repeated images come at a cost in terms of radiation dose, discomfort to clients and unnecessary financial burdens. No studies investigating mammography quality in Malta had been previously undertaken. Hence, this research aimed to investigate whether mammography is being performed at an acceptable level, through the investigation of reject rates.Quantitative methodology was used to collect data from eight participating mammography units, which were utilising screen film (SFM), computed radiography (CR) and direct digital mammography (DDM). Data relating to the total number of images performed, rejects and causes was prospectively collected over two weeks, resulting in a sample of 2291 images. All units were also asked to answer a questionnaire which provided other data that could be used for analysis.The national mammography reject rate was found to be 2.62%; within the 3% acceptable range. Individual rates' analysis revealed unacceptably high or low reject rates in some units. Positioning was the main reject cause. No significant difference in rejection was found between different types of mammography units or radiographers' experience. Alternatively, radiographers' qualifications, employment conditions and use of rejection criteria were proven to affect reject rates.Whilst on a national level, images are being rejected at an acceptable rate, individual units revealed suboptimal rates; at the cost of extra radiation, added discomfort and financial burden.

Methodology for high-yield acquisition of functional near-infrared spectroscopy data from alert, upright infants

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) research to date has tended to publish group-averaged rather than individual infant data due to normative basic research goals. Acquisition of individual infant time courses holds interest, however, both for cognitive science and particularly for clinical applications. Infants are more difficult to study than adults as they cannot be instructed to remain still. In addressing this, upright infants pose several associated complications for the researcher. We identified and optimized the factors that affect the quality of fNIRS data from individual 6- to 9-month-old infants exposed to a visual stimulation paradigm. The fNIRS headpiece was reconfigured to reduce inertia, increase comfort, and improve conformity to the head, while preserving fiber density to avoid missing the visual cortex activation. The visual-stimulation protocol was modified to keep the attention of infants throughout the measurement, thus helping to reduce motion artifacts. Adequate optical contact was verified by checking power levels before each measurement. By revising our experimental process and our data rejection criteria to prioritize good optical contact, we report for the first time usable hemodynamic data from 83% of infants and that two-thirds of infants produced a statistically significant fNIRS response.

Bayesian background models for keyword spotting in handwritten documents

Background in a handwritten document can be anything other than the words we are interested in. The characteristics of the background are typically captured by a background model to achieve spotting in handwritten documents. We propose two such Bayesian background models for keyword spotting in handwritten documents. Firstly, we present a background model using the Bayesian generalized linear model called (VDBM) and secondly propose a Bayesian generalized kernel background model called BGKBM. Given a set of handwritten documents and a bunch of keyword and non-keyword scores, the models learn an efficient Bayesian rejection criteria to output the most confident keyword regions in the handwritten document. For the variational dynamic background model (VDBM) the inference of parameters is done using variational methods and for the Bayesian generalized kernel background model (BGKBM), the inference is done using a proposed Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach. The models are built on top of the scores returned by a handwritten recognizer for keywords and non-keywords. The approach is recognition based and works at line level. The methods have been validated on publicly available IAM dataset and compared with other state of the art line level keyword spotting approaches.

Quantitative fractography and modelling of fatigue crack propagation in high strength AerMet®100 steel repaired with a laser cladding process

Ultra-high strength steels employed in safety-critical applications, such as AerMet®100 used in aircraft landing gear structures, are managed on very conservative rejection criteria for small defects and repair options are limited. A novel repair technique using laser cladding has recently been developed. In the present paper we report a study of the fatigue endurance of AerMet®100 steel components repaired by the laser cladding process, and a fracture mechanics based model to predict the fatigue endurance of repaired components. Three different types of samples were tested; baseline AerMet®100 sample with a small electro-discharge machining notch to initiate a crack, as-clad repaired, and as-clad repaired followed by heat treatment to relieve residual stresses. The specimens were subjected to cyclic loading under a special sequence consisting of constant amplitude segments at two different stress-ratios (ratio of minimum to maximum cyclic stress). The test results showed that the crack propagation lives from a common initial depth of 0.25mm for the as-clad samples were significantly longer than the baseline samples by a factor of three to four. The longer life is attributed to the beneficial compressive residual stresses resulting from the repair process. The model predictions are found to correlate well with the results of quantitative fractography measurements from samples tested under variable amplitude cyclic loads.

Preanalítica de orina de 24 horas: qué hacemos y qué deberíamos hacer

IntroductionGiven the need to standardise procedures for the collection, transportation, handling, and analysis of 24-hour urine specimens, international guidelines have been developed with a series of recommendations that should be adapted to each laboratory depending on its circumstances. ObjectiveTo determine the level of compliance to these recommendations in Spanish laboratories. Material and methodsA survey was carried out, through the website of the Spanish Society of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Pathology, on the different pre-analytical procedures in the management of 24hour urine specimens. ResultsA total of 50 laboratories responded, two of which were not Spanish. Although most laboratories provide information about the collection of the specimen, there is variability in how this is done. Differences were observed in areas such as, patient access to containers for collecting urine without preservative, how to deliver the specimen, recording the associated information, and rejection criteria of a specimen not collected correctly. ConclusionsThere is variability in compliance with international recommendations. A possible bias of the survey is that the participants were those who are more motivated by this issue, and therefore more faithful compliance with these standards, thus the variability detected could be even higher. Finally, the main recommendations for the standardisation of the entire procedure is reviewed in order to obtain a specimen quality to ensure good results.

Критерии браковки литых деталей

The author examines the causes and patterns of situation with the growing number of fractures of bogie's side frame. The author proposes measures to improve reliability of cast parts in order to prevent possible defects and improve traffic safety. The article concerns factor analysis of reasons influencing fractures of bogie's side frames, development of rejection criteria by means of non-destructive testing of cast parts to detect internal defects in them, as well as use of radiation monitoring method in the course of diagnosing.

How business angel groups work: Rejection criteria in investment evaluation

In this article, we study the decision-making criteria that business angels (BAs) adopt when screening business opportunities in the different assessment phases (pre-screening, screening and due diligence). We exploit an original dataset of 1942 ventures that sought angel investment from 2008 to 2014 from the members of Italian Angels for Growth (IAG). Results have shown that the emphasis that BAs place on rejection criteria and contact channels varies along the three considered stages of the investment process. In particular, we found that business proposals brought to the attention of BAs by venture capitalists are more likely to get through the pre-screening stage, suggesting an important quality certification role played by venture capitalists. Moreover, at the screening stage (in comparison with the pre-screening stage), proposals are rejected more often for reasons related to the characteristics of the entrepreneur and management team and less often for the lack of business innovativeness. Finally, business proposals showing lower levels of profitability are more likely to be rejected after the due diligence.

Regularities of Acoustic Emission in the Freight Car Solebar Materials

Acoustic emission results which were obtained during tests of the samples, which were made from foundry solebars with the developing fatigue crack, are presented. The dependences of the acoustic emission event count, the force critical value during the stationary acoustic emission process, and the growth rate of the event count from the cycles number are determined. The amplitude signal distributions relating to the crack growth were received. It is offered to use the force critical value and the amplitude threshold in the rejection criteria.