Traditional Measurement Approaches Research Articles

Evaluation of imaging dose for the cone beam computed tomography system of the ring-shaped radiotherapy unit using the different International Electrotechnical Commission approaches

PurposeDaily imaging is mandatory for the Halcyon and Ethos, which are the new ring-shaped radiotherapy units. This study quantified the imaging dose of the cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) system of the new ring-shaped radiotherapy units using the latest International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) measurement approach. Furthermore, we investigated the influence of collimation width on the imaging dose and compared the imaging dose values obtained using three IEC measurement approaches. MethodsThe IEC has proposed three approaches for measuring CTDI100: traditional, transition, and the latest measurement approach. In addition to the dose measured on the CTDI phantom, the latest IEC approach uses correction factors measured in free air for CTDI100 measurement. The imaging dose was measured for all scanning protocols using the latest IEC approach. To investigate the influence of the collimation width on the imaging dose, the associated dose metric values were evaluated and compared using different IEC approaches to increase the collimation width (2–28 cm). Furthermore, the imaging system output stability was evaluated by repeated measurements. ResultsIn the repeated measurements, the standard deviation of CTDIw value for the pelvis and head protocol was 0.05 mGy and 0.01 mGy, respectively. And the coefficient of variation was 0.21% and 0.23%, respectively. The measured CTDIw values of the clinical protocols were higher than the vendor-provided value, except for the pelvis protocol. The value of CTDIw changes little with increasing collimation width using the latest IEC approach. The traditional and transition approaches either underestimated or overestimated the value of CTDIw, as measured by the latest IEC approach, with increasing collimation width. ConclusionsThe new ring-shaped radiotherapy units imaging system has good output stability. The CTDIw values measured for clinical scanning protocols generally exceeded the vendor-provided values. Compared with the latest IEC CTDI100 measurement approach, the traditional and transition measurement approaches were more influenced by beam width. For wide CBCT scans, rationalizing the choice of imaging dose measurement approach is important.

High Frequency and Addressable Impedance Measurement System for On-Site Droplet Analysis in Digital Microfluidics

Digital microfluidics is a novel technique for manipulating discrete droplets with the advantages of programmability, small device size, low cost, and easy integration. The development of droplet sensing methods advances the automation control of digital microfluidics. Impedance measurement emerges as a promising technique for droplet localization and characterization due to its non-invasive nature, high sensitivity, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness. However, traditional impedance measurement approaches in digital microfluidics based on the high-voltage actuating signal are limited in sensing accuracy in practical applications. In this paper, we propose a novel droplet impedance sensing system for digital microfluidics by introducing a low-voltage and addressable measurement circuit, which enables impedance measurement over a wide frequency range. The proposed measurement system has also been used for detecting the droplet composition, size, and position in a digital microfluidic chip. The improved impedance sensing method can also promote the applications of the digital microfluidic, which requires high accuracy, real-time, and contactless sensing with automatic sample pretreatment.

High‐Throughput Optimization of Magnetoresistance Materials Based on Lock‐In Thermography

AbstractWith the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect serving as a vital component in modern spintronic technologies, researchers are dedicating significant efforts to improve the performance of GMR devices through material exploration and design optimization. However, traditional GMR measurement approaches are inefficient for comprehensive material and device optimization. This study proposes a high‐throughput current‐in‐plane GMR measurement technique based on thermal imaging of Joule heating utilizing lock‐in thermography (LIT). This LIT‐based technique is advantageous for efficiently evaluating films with varying compositions and thickness gradients, which is crucial for ongoing material exploration and design optimization to enhance the GMR ratio. First, it is demonstrated that using CoFe/Cu multilayers, the simple Joule heating measurement based on LIT enables quantitative estimation of the GMR ratio. Then, to confirm the usefulness of the proposed method in high‐throughput material screening, a case study is shown to investigate the GMR of CoCu‐based granular films with a composition gradient. These techniques allow to determine the optimum composition with maximum GMR ratio using the single composition‐gradient film and reveal Co22Cu78as the optimal composition, yielding the largest GMR ratio among the reported polycrystalline CoCu‐based granular films. This demonstration accelerates the material and structural optimization of GMR devices.

Harnessing impact evaluation to build evidence in upstream conservation initiatives

The conservation community needs to improve the quality and quantity of evidence to address urgent and complex environmental challenges. The growth of Upstream Conservation Initiatives (UCIs) such as those designed to eliminate deforestation by shifting consumer or corporate behavior, exemplify the tension between the urgency to act and the need to build evidence to enable progressive improvements in implementation. These initiatives—often led by non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—are rarely evaluated rigorously in terms of their causal effect on intended outcomes, contributing to the evidence deficit. Impact evaluations have been useful tools to analyze effectiveness and build evidence in other fields. However, they are seldom used in the conservation field broadly or in UCIs specifically. To help practitioners involved in UCIs make better use of these tools, we introduce the field of impact evaluation, its core concepts, and how it contrasts with and complements traditional performance measurement approaches. Using these concepts, we propose a guidance process which can be used by practitioners at the project design phase to weigh tradeoffs and consider the most appropriate impact evaluation methodologies. We then use this guidance process to analyze two UCIs implemented by an NGO in Indonesia. Through these case studies we show how impact evaluation concepts could have been employed in project design to improve implementation and promote progressive learning, even if actual impact evaluations were infeasible. We conclude by proposing recommendations on how implementers, donors, and academia can build off these ideas to improve learning and strengthen the evidence base.

MAPPING THE INVESTMENT EFFICIENCY: A CO-CITATION ANALYSIS

This research pioneers a shift in investment efficiency exploration by transcending traditional measurement approaches. The study identifies three main research areas: (1) Factors influencing investment efficiency, (2) Competition, green Research and Development (R&D) and cooperation in the supply chain, and (3) Environmental and renewable considerations in investment efficiency. This is achieved through a document co-citation analysis of 38 highly cited documents. Multidimensional scaling visually maps the intellectual landscape, emphasising the dominance of factors influencing investment efficiency. A 10-year analysis reveals dynamic trends with implications for financial transparency, strategic ownership, social responsibility and technological advancements. The study offers actionable insights for scholars and practitioners, emphasising the necessity of aligning financial goals with sustainability. Despite acknowledged limitations related to data source bias, this research contributes a nuanced understanding of investment efficiency trends, paving the way for future explorations in this vital domain.

The Southeast Florida Surface Urban Heat Island and Hispanic Ethnic Exposure Inequalities

abstract: Urban heat islands (UHI) present serious health risks as urban growth continues and thermal conditions warm. However, UHI studies on urban agglomerations are comparatively fewer while presenting notable challenges not encountered when examining individual cities. This analysis exploring the Southeast Florida urban agglomeration surface UHI (SUHI) quantified SUHI intensity (SUHII) using five measurement approaches. Multiple regression illuminated the influence of demographic and socioeconomic variables on respective SUHII indicators. Since prior urban heat analyses considered His-panics broadly and Southeast Florida features a diverse Hispanic population exceeding two million, a Hispanic ethnicity analysis was performed granularly examining exposure differences. Results demonstrated positive statistical correlation yet noteworthy numerical disparities between SUHII indicators, while demographic and socioeconomic variables explained 40-73 percent of observed variation. Collectively, Hispanics were disproportionately exposed to higher intensity with Cubans, Hondurans, Nicaraguans, and Other Central Americans exceedingly at risk. Results underscore a need to advance beyond traditional SUHII measurement approaches when analyzing urban agglomerations and emphasize the importance of distinguishing ethnicities when conducting urban-environmental studies in places with diverse Hispanic populations.

Optical Angle Barcodes Enabled by a Pixelated Metasurface for Absolute Micro‐Angle Measurement

AbstractEfficient and ultra‐sensitive measurements of micro‐angle are critical technological requirements in various fields. Traditional measurement approaches have disadvantages in terms of accuracy and system complexity. Here, a micro‐angle measurement scheme based on the pixelated metasurface is reported. By utilizing the interaction between a C‐band optical frequency comb (OFC) laser source and the plasmonic metasurface, precise angle encoding is achieved, enabling each meta‐pixel within the pixelated metasurface to exhibit ultra‐sensitive responses to angular changes. Experimental results demonstrate a resolution as low as 2.8 μrad for angle sensing. Furthermore, by controlling the dimensions of the meta‐atom structural dimensions and designing specific combinations of meta‐pixels, the unique angle response of individual pixels is manipulated, effectively creating an angle barcode. This technique allows for highly efficient acquisition of angle information, and based on this, it demonstrates absolute angle measurement with an average error at 7 μrad. The robustness and stability of the proposed scheme is also evaluated.

Developing Dimensions and Indicators to Measure Decentralization in Decentralized Autonomous Organizations

Decentralization holds a significant role in the context of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), with its nature being not a fixed value but a comparative spectrum. Prior research investigating the measurement of decentralization in nations’ governance system provides a foundation for our current study. This research aims to integrate these insights to define dimensions and indicators, tailored explicitly for assessing decentralization levels within DAOs. Then, the article undertakes an examination of the suitability of traditional decentralization measurement approaches within the unique DAO context, employing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) as our analytical tool based on a total of 44 DAOs. Hence, the results suggest that DAOs have three dimensions for measuring decentralization, ‘political decentralization as a participatory engagement’, ‘economic decentralization as a resource distribution’, and ‘administrative decentralization as the self-governing execution of decisions’. By substantiating the applicability of established decentralization measurement frameworks within the unique context of DAOs, the findings not only enhance the understanding of this emergent governance paradigm but also provide DAO practitioners, policymakers, and researchers with invaluable insights.

Measuring Tree Diameter with Photogrammetry Using Mobile Phone Cameras

Tree inventories are a cornerstone of forest science and management. Inventories are essential for quantifying forest growth rates, determining biomass and carbon stock variation, assessing species diversity, and evaluating the impacts of both forest management and climate change. Recent advances in digital sensing technologies on mobile phones have the potential to improve traditional forest inventories through increased efficiency in measurement and transcription and potentially through increasing participation in data collection by non-experts. However, the degree to which digital sensing tools (e.g., camera-enabled smartphone applications) can accurately determine the tree parameters measured during forest inventories remains unclear. In this study, we assess the ability of a smartphone application to perform a user-assisted tree inventory and compare digital estimates of tree diameter to measurements made using traditional forestry field sampling approaches. The results suggest that digital sensing tools on mobile phones can accurately measure tree diameter (R2 = 0.95; RMSE = 2.71 cm compared to manual measurements) while saving time during both the data-collection stage and data-entry stage of field sampling. Importantly, we compare measurements of the same tree across users of the phone application in order to determine the per-user, per-tree, and per-species uncertainty associated with each form of measurement. Strong agreement between manual and digital measurements suggests that digital sensing technologies have the potential to facilitate the efficient collection of high-quality and auditable data collected by non-experts but with some important limitations compared to traditional tree measurement approaches. Most people in the world own a smartphone. Enabling accurate tree inventory data collection through mobile phones at scale can improve our understanding of tree growth and biomass accumulation and the key factors (e.g., climate change or management practices) that affect these processes, ultimately advancing forest science and management.

Characterization of a high throughput approach for large scale retention measurement in liquid chromatography

Many contemporary challenges in liquid chromatography—such as the need for “smarter” method development tools, and deeper understanding of chromatographic phenomena—could be addressed more efficiently and effectively with larger volumes of experimental retention data than are available. The paucity of publicly accessible, high-quality measurements needed for the development of retention models and simulation tools has largely been due to the high cost in time and resources associated with traditional retention measurement approaches. Recently we described an approach to improve the throughput of such measurements by using very short columns (typically 5 mm), while maintaining measurement accuracy. In this paper we present a perspective on the characteristics of a dataset containing about 13,000 retention measurements obtained using this approach, and describe a different sample introduction method that is better suited to this application than the approach we used in prior work. The dataset comprises results for 35 different small molecules, nine different stationary phases, and several mobile phase compositions for each analyte/phase combination. During the acquisition of these data, we have interspersed repeated measurements of a small number of compounds for quality control purposes. The data from these measurements not only enable detection of outliers but also assessment of the repeatability and reproducibility of retention measurements over time. For retention factors greater than 1, the mean relative standard deviation (RSD) of replicate (typically n=5) measurements is 0.4%, and the standard deviation of RSDs is 0.4%. Most differences between selectivity values measured six months apart for 15 non-ionogenic compounds were in the range of +/- 1%, indicating good reproducibility. A critically important observation from these analyses is that selectivity defined as retention of a given analyte relative to the retention of a reference compound (kx/kref) is a much more consistent measure of retention over a time span of months compared to the retention factor alone. While this work and dataset also highlight the importance of stationary phase stability over time for achieving reliable retention measurements, we are nevertheless optimistic that this approach will enable the compilation of large databases (>> 10,000 measurements) of retention values over long time periods (years), which can in turn be leveraged to address some of the most important contemporary challenges in liquid chromatography. All the data discussed in the manuscript are provided as Supplemental Information.

Wearable Passive Samplers for Assessing Environmental Exposure to Organic Chemicals: Current Approaches and Future Directions.

We are continuously exposed to dynamic mixtures of airborne contaminants that vary by location. Understanding the compositional diversity of these complex mixtures and the levels to which we are each exposed requires comprehensive exposure assessment. This comprehensive analysis is often lacking in population-based studies due to logistic and analytical challenges associated with traditional measurement approaches involving active air sampling and chemical-by-chemical analysis. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of wearable passive samplers as alternative tools to active samplers in environmental health research. The review highlights the advances and challenges in using wearable passive samplers for assessing personal exposure to organic chemicals and further presents a framework to enable quantitative measurements of exposure and expanded use of this monitoring approach to the population scale. Overall, wearable passive samplers are promising tools for assessing personal exposure to environmental contaminants, evident by the increased adoption and use of silicone-based devices in recent years. When combined with high throughput chemical analysis, these exposure assessment tools present opportunities for advancing our ability to assess personal exposures to complex mixtures. Most designs of wearable passive samplers used for assessing exposure to semi-volatile organic chemicals are currently uncalibrated, thus, are mostly used for qualitative research. The challenge with using wearable samplers for quantitative exposure assessment mostly lies with the inherent complexity in calibrating these wearable devices. Questions remain regarding how they perform under various conditions and the uncertainty of exposure estimates. As popularity of these samplers grows, it is critical to understand the uptake kinetics of chemicals and the different environmental and meteorological conditions that can introduce variability. Wearable passive samplers enable evaluation of exposure to hundreds of chemicals. The review presents the state-of-the-art of technology for assessing personal exposure to environmental chemicals. As more studies calibrate wearable samplers, these tools present promise for quantitatively assessing exposure at both the individual and population levels.

Reflections on measuring disordered thoughts as expressed via language

Thought disorder, as inferred from disorganized and incoherent speech, is an important part of the clinical presentation in schizophrenia. Traditional measurement approaches essentially count occurrences of certain speech events which may have restricted their usefulness. Applying speech technologies in assessment can help automate traditional clinical rating tasks and thereby complement the process. Adopting these computational approaches affords clinical translational opportunities to enhance the traditional assessment by applying such methods remotely and scoring various parts of the assessment automatically. Further, digital measures of language may help detect subtle clinically significant signs and thus potentially disrupt the usual manner by which things are conducted. If proven beneficial to patient care, methods where patients’ voice are the primary data source could become core components of future clinical decision support systems that improve risk assessment. However, even if it is possible to measure thought disorder in a sensitive, reliable and efficient manner, there remain many challenges to then translate into a clinically implementable tool that can contribute towards providing better care. Indeed, embracing technology - notably artificial intelligence - requires vigorous standards for reporting underlying assumptions so as to ensure a trustworthy and ethical clinical science.

Quality improvement in urological care: Core methodological principles

Objectives: The aim of this article is to summarise core quality improvement (QI) methodologies and concepts to assist urology teams in conducting well-designed improvement projects. Materials and Methods: We provide an introduction to the methodological foundations of QI, including the model for improvement, plan-do-study-act, lean and six sigma and present some useful QI tools such as process modelling and pareto charts with examples of how they might be applied to urological care. We also introduce the concept of measurement for QI and describe how this differs from the more traditional measurement approaches used in research. Results: The key to successful QI work undoubtedly lies in the careful planning and appropriate selection of the available QI tools and methods, alongside pragmatic approaches to measurement that yield enough data to spot meaningful variation in outcomes. Conclusions: To support these core methods, QI leadership and stakeholder engagement will be critical to embedding QI into urological care and ensuring that improvements can be sustained once QI projects come to an end. Level of evidence: Not applicable.

Geometric Quality Assessment of Prefabricated Steel Box Girder Components Using 3D Laser Scanning and Building Information Model

Prefabricated steel box girders (SBGs) are widely adopted in bridge engineering due to their light weight and low lifecycle cost. To smoothly assemble SBG components on a construction site, it is necessary to inspect their geometric quality and ensure that all the as-is SBG components have the correct dimensions. However, the traditional inspection method is time-consuming and error-prone. This study developed a non-contact geometric quality assessment technique based on 3D laser scanning to accurately assess the locations and dimensions of SBG components. First, a robust normal-based region-growing algorithm was developed to divide the SBG components into segments with different labels. The scanned data related to the T ribs were then extracted through the proposed subtraction algorithm after the identification of the steel cabin. Lastly, the required items for geometric quality inspection were calculated based on the extracted as-is SBG components. The feasibility of the proposed geometric quality assessment method was validated through a real SBG project. Field test results showed that the developed inspection technique could assess the geometric quality of prefabricated SBG components in a more accurate and efficient manner compared to traditional measurement approaches.

Advancing Educational Research on Children’s Self-Regulation With Observational Measures

Self-regulation is crucial for children’s development and learning. Almost by convention, it is assumed that self-regulation is a relatively stable skill, and little is known about its dynamic nature and context dependency. Traditional measurement approaches such as single direct assessments and adult reports are not well suited to address questions around variations of self-regulation within individuals and influences from social-contextual factors. Measures relying on child observations are uniquely positioned to address these questions and to advance the field by shedding light on self-regulatory variability and incremental growth. In this paper, we review traditional measurement approaches (direct assessments and adult reports) and recently developed observational measures. We discuss which questions observational measures are best suited to address and why traditional measurement approaches fall short. Finally, we share lessons learned based on our experiences using child observations in educational settings and discuss how measurement approaches should be carefully aligned to the research questions.

Acoustic measurement of velocity filed using improved radial basic function neural network

In coal-fired boilers, the aerodynamic field directly affects the combustion conditions of the boiler and safety of the furnace. In this work, a new method based on acoustic tomography (AT) is proposed to measure the velocity field by using radial basis function neural network (RBFNN). First, we establish the proposed RBFNN model to reconstruct the velocity field and study the influence of various parameters including the number and arrangement of sensors, the shape parameters and the number of center points in RBF, and the hyper parameters in the neural network to improve the reconstruction performance. Second, a novel improved RBFNN acoustic algorithm is used to reconstruct different two-dimensional velocity fields based on numerical simulations. The reconstruction results obtained using the proposed algorithms have higher accuracy, better real-time performance, and noise immunity as compared with other classical acoustic algorithms. Third, the physical experiments are conducted in lab to further assess the proposed algorithm. The results exhibit that the proposed RBFNN acoustic method provided satisfactory consistency as compared to the traditional measurement approaches. This proves the effectiveness of the proposed acoustic method in practical velocity field measurement.

A new insight into dynamic contact angle measurements: Implementation of smooth splines method

The contact angle (CA) of a drop is a common quantitative measurement that describes a surface’s wettability. However, manual selection of the drop’s solid–liquid–vapor contact points (CPs) by the user introduces substantial human error to the final measured CA. Hence, in this article we introduce a novel method for CA measurement that uses a smoothing spline function to simultaneously cancel probable image noise, find the solid–liquid contact point, and calculate the CA at the contact point. The accuracy of this technique is tested through measurement of a series of synthetic drop images with known CAs ranging from 5°to 175°, which are generated using a new mathematical approach and include a reflection area to accurately model real experiments. In these tests, the smoothing splines approach is shown to be extremely accurate in measuring both the CP position and the CA, with negligible error (R2=0.9999). Then, for added validation, the smoothing splines approach is tested on four real surfaces of different wettability: glass, single crystal silicon, polished polytetrafluoroethylene, and patterned superhydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene. When tested on real surfaces, the smoothing splines measurement approach provides reliable contact angle data for all four different surfaces tested, while also reducing human error. Overall, our proposed measurement approach for the CA is shown to be more accurate than traditional measurement approaches such as the commonly used polynomial fitting approach, and the more recently introduced mask approach, which also includes automatic CP detection.

The assessment of psychometric properties for the subjective wellbeing-5 dimensions (SWB-5D) questionnaire in the general Dutch population

PurposeFinancial resources for health care are limited, so assessment of intervention effectiveness in terms of health in relation to its costs is important. Measuring health outcomes in cost-effectiveness analyses is usually done by health-related quality of life measures, like the EQ-5D. However, over the past decade, innovations on the conceptual level of health have evolved and novel approaches are rising such as the capability approach, subjective wellbeing, and Positive Health. This study assesses the psychometric properties of the subjective wellbeing-5 dimension (SWB-5D) outcome measure.MethodsA quantitative, cross-sectional study design was used to determine the concurrent and construct (convergent and known group) validity for the SWB-5D. Concurrent and convergent validity were estimated as correlations between the SWB-5D and the Dutch version of the EQ-5D, ICECAP-A, and PH-17. Assessment of known-groups validity was based on the variables illness, education, and the overall happiness (Cantril Ladder) and overall health scale (EQ-5D VAS).ResultsA representative sample of 1016 respondents of the Dutch population completed an online questionnaire. The SWB-5D showed reasonable concurrent validity and showed good convergent and known-group validity. The SWB-5D had a lower ceiling effect compared to the EQ-5D and ICECAP-A.ConclusionCompared to traditional health measurement approaches, novel approaches are more focused on the mental and social pillars of health. The SWB-5D shows psychometric feasibility of comprehensive measurement of health, as indicated by a range of validity measures in a large representative sample of the Dutch population.

Environmentally appropriate vector control is facilitated by standard metrics for simulation-based evaluation

As anthropogenic factors contribute to the introduction and expansion of new and established vector species, the geographic incidence of mosquito-borne disease is shifting. Computer simulations, informed by field data where possible, facilitate the cost-effective evaluation of available public health interventions and are a powerful tool for informing appropriate policy action. However, a variety of measurements are used in such assessments; this can complicate direct comparisons across both vector control technologies and the models used to simulate them. The expansion of biocontrol to include genetically engineered organisms is now prompting additional metrics with no analogy to traditional measurement approaches. We propose Standard Entomological Metrics (SEMs) to facilitate the model-based appraisal of both existing and novel intervention tools and define two examples: Suppression Efficacy Score and Time to Reduction Target. We formulate twelve synthetic case studies featuring two vector control technologies over three years of observed daily temperature in Cairns, Australia. After calculating Suppression Efficacy Score and Time to Reduction Target results, we apply these example outcomes to a discussion of health policy decision-making using SEMs. We submit that SEMs such as Suppression Efficacy Score and Time to Reduction Target facilitate the wholistic and environmentally appropriate simulation-based evaluation of intervention programs and invite the community to further discussion on this topic.

Fuel poverty measurements in residential America. Who are the most vulnerable?

There is much debate on which measurement approach to use when attempting to quantify fuel poverty. We propose a new multidimensional measurement to gauge the extent of fuel poverty in the US. Using our measure, we find that approximately 10 per cent less households are categorised as fuel poor compared with traditional measurement approaches. The likelihood of being fuel poor is higher; if a household is occupied by renters, is non-white, or has elderly people and children, for all regions. These results have useful implications for policy formation and targeting appropriate supports to address this issue.