Useful Tool For Comparison Research Articles

The status of water access, sanitation, and hygiene in schools: A cross sectional survey to identify capacities and assess coverage in Garoua, North Cameroon

There has been an increasing global interest in understanding, documenting, and monitoring water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in schools. This study is the first to identify existing WASH-in-school capacities and understand the magnitude of the gaps in WASH coverage in schools in the Northern Cameroon, a region of the country marked by recurrent sanitary emergencies, the highest prevalence of acute malnutrition, and representing the largest and heaviest focus of food and water insecurity. Using a cross-sectional design, relevant authorities of 176 schools in Garoua, were interviewed. The survey guide included core questions for monitoring WASH in schools from recommended guidelines. Eleven indicators-related variables were extracted from data to calculate the WASH-in-school indicators composite score, which could be used as a more reliable and useful tool for comparison across settings and can contribute to harmonize data with WASH in schools related indicators applied in national surveys. The results of this research showed suboptimal drinking water supply systems and sanitation facilities whereas most schools had hand washing points available. However, activities that aimed to promote and sustain a WASH positive environment among children still need to be put in place. The WASH-in-school indicators composite score predictive value corroborated the disparities related to WASH access in schools located in Garoua. This score hence provides an assessment of the spatial dimensions of reduced access to water in schools, improper hygiene practices, and inadequate sanitation facilities. Such a score could be used to identify hotspots lacking WASH infrastructural facilities and strategize optimal interventions to reduce the incidence of WASH related diseases in schools.

Ex Vivo Human and Porcine Skin Effectively Model Candida auris Colonization, Differentiating Robust and Poor Fungal Colonizers.

Candida auris proliferates and persists on the skin of patients, often leading to health care-associated infections with high mortality. Here, we describe 2 clinically relevant skin models and show that C. auris grows similarly on human and porcine skin. Additionally, we demonstrate that other Candida spp., including those with phylogenetic similarity to C. auris, do not display high growth in the skin microenvironment. These studies highlight the utility of 2 ex vivo models of C. auris colonization that allow reproducible differentiation among Candida spp., which should be a useful tool for comparison of C. auris clinical isolates and genetically mutated strains.

Identification of approximate symmetries in biological development.

Virtually all forms of life, from single-cell eukaryotes to complex, highly differentiated multicellular organisms, exhibit a property referred to as symmetry. However, precise measures of symmetry are often difficult to formulate and apply in a meaningful way to biological systems, where symmetries and asymmetries can be dynamic and transient, or be visually apparent but not reliably quantifiable using standard measures from mathematics and physics. Here, we present and illustrate a novel measure that draws on concepts from information theory to quantify the degree of symmetry, enabling the identification of approximate symmetries that may be present in a pattern or a biological image. We apply the measure to rotation, reflection and translation symmetries in patterns produced by a Turing model, as well as natural objects (algae, flowers and leaves). This method of symmetry quantification is unbiased and rigorous, and requires minimal manual processing compared to alternative measures. The proposed method is therefore a useful tool for comparison and identification of symmetries in biological systems, with potential future applications to symmetries that arise during development, as observed in vivo or as produced by mathematical models.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Recent progress and open frontiers in Turing’s theory of morphogenesis’.

A Q Methodology Study Into Vision of Italian L2 University Students: An Australian Perspective

AbstractThis study explores language learners’ motivation from the perspective of vision, a concept that has specifically been identified as one of the next challenges for motivation research. Having conceptualized vision as a powerful motivational component of the language learning process, and focusing on the learner's individual perspective, we employed Q methodology to identify the visions, as imagined here and now, of students’ second language (L2) selves. While Q methodology is becoming increasingly popular in applied linguistics, thanks to its ability to offer a scientific and holistic investigation of subjectivity, no study has previously employed it to gain in‐depth understanding of how learners of Italian in an Anglophone context envision themselves as future bilingual or multilingual speakers. Students from an Australian university ranked statements related to imagined scenarios of L2 selves, and factor analysis of these ranks exposed 3 motivational profiles: ‘the multilingual fan with an edge,’ ‘the mobile and linguistically competent,’ and ‘the lover of the Italian culture.’ By engaging in new and fresh ways to understand language students and their self‐visions, this study contributes to the understanding of motivation and provides a useful tool for comparison for other languages, as well as other institutional and geographical contexts.

Do performance measurement models have any impact on primary health care? A systematic review

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to analyze and compare between the frameworks of performance measurement in primary health care in the world. The subject of search is to compare if the frameworks of performance measurement in primary health care have an influence on performances of health centers.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted a systematic review of the literature to (1) identify the conceptual framework for measuring quality management systems, (2) assess the effects of conceptual framework on quality improvement and quality of care outcomes. We opted for the frameworks that are more cited in the literature and we analyzed and compared between these frameworks.FindingsEight dimensions were identified for assessing performance in Primary Health Care Facilities “PHCF” in more than 50% frameworks: Effectiveness, Safety, Accessibility, Equity, Efficiency, Acceptability, Patient Centeredness and Timeliness.Research limitations/implicationsThe limits of this study can be represented by the following elements: (1) lack of exhaustiveness with regard to the current Frameworks. (2) The evaluation of reliability and validity of the qualitative studies remains difficult to appreciate. (3) Most of the evaluation tools of the primary health care are not validated yet. (4) The difference in performance levels between countries, especially for the developed countries and the multitude of the frames of measure of performance, limits the comparability of the results.Practical implicationsThis study provides a conceptual and descriptive literature on the different conceptual frameworks for performance measurement in primary health care, and a practical and useful tool for comparison between the different conceptual frameworks. Several organisations of accreditation or certification introduced, developed, incorporated and checked the indicators of clinical quality in the organizations of health care. Some studies revealed links with the governance, the access, the continuity, the coordination, the efficiency and the strength primary care (Dionne Kringos, 2018). Improvements in the quality of care have been observed in the results of accreditation and certification bodies regarding hospital infection control infrastructure, organization and performance.Originality/valueEven if the links are not established within the framework of a scientific research, quality approaches are generally recognized as an essential tool to help establishments to improve the quality and the safety of the patients. Until now, it is not still common to make evaluation of the quality of care in the “PHCF” to obtain the relevant information. The necessity of having performance measurement tools, which puts in coherence the piloting of the operational level with the strategy, to integrate the organizational objectives into the measures of operational performances and make estimate its structures towards a real management by the quality.

Working Memory as an Indicator for Comparative Cognition - Detecting Qualitative and Quantitative Differences.

Working memory (WM), the representation of information held accessible for manipulation over time, is an essential component of all higher cognitive abilities. It allows for complex behaviors that go beyond simple stimulus-response associations and inflexible behavioral patterns. WM capacity determines how many different pieces of information (items) can be used for these cognitive processes, and in humans, it correlates with fluid intelligence. As such, WM might be a useful tool for comparison of cognition across species. WM can be tested using comparatively simple behavioral protocols, based on operant conditioning, in a multitude of different species. Species-specific contextual variables that influence an animal’s performance on a non-cognitive level are controlled by adapting the WM paradigm. The neuronal mechanisms by which WM emerges in the brain, as sustained neuronal activity, are comparable between the different species studied (mammals and birds), as are the areas of the brain in which WM activity can be measured. Thus WM is comparable between vastly different species within their respective niches, accounting for specific contextual variables and unique adaptations. By approaching the question of “general cognitive abilities” or “intelligence” within the animal kingdom from the perspective of WM, the complexity of the core question at hand is reduced to a fundamental memory system required to allow for complex cognitive abilities. This article argues that measuring WM can be a suitable addition to the toolkit of comparative cognition. By measuring WM on a behavioral level and going beyond behavior to the underlying physiological processes, qualitative and quantitative differences in cognition between different animal species can be identified, free of contextual restraints.

Effective spectroscopic factor of the doublet ground state: A useful tool for comparison with outcome of EPR experiments

A mutual relation between the effective spectroscopic factors of the doublet ground state implied by the magnetization at saturation and the low-temperature susceptibility is established. Useful tools for the comparison and consistency check of the outcome of the EPR experiment and the results of the magnetic measurements at low-temperature are developed. Numerical values of the effective spectroscopic factor implied by the magnetization at saturation are provided for instant reference. The presented findings may be of valuable assistance in rationalizing the physical implications of the powder sample EPR experiment.

Life table invasion models: spatial progression and species-specific partitioning.

Biological invasions are increasingly being considered important spatial processes that drive global changes, threatening biodiversity, regional economies, and ecosystem functions. A unifying conceptual model of the invasion dynamics could serve as a useful tool for comparison and classification of invasion processes involving different species across large geographic ranges. By dividing these geographic ranges that are subject to invasions into discrete spatial units, we here conceptualize the invasion process as the transition from pristine to invaded spatial units. We use California cities as the spatial units and a long-term database of invasive tropical tephritids to characterize the invasion patterns. A new life-table method based on insect demography, including the progression model of invasion stage transition and the species-specific partitioning model of multispecies invasions, was developed to analyze the invasion patterns. The progression model allows us to estimate the probability and rate of transition for individual cities from pristine to infested stages and subsequently differentiate the first year of detection from detection recurrences. Importantly, we show that the interval of invasive tephritid recurrence in a city declines with increasing invasion stages of the city. The species-specific partitioning model revealed profound differences in invasion outcome depending on which tephritid species was first detected (and then locally eradicated) in the early stage of invasion. Taken together, we discuss how these two life-table invasion models can cast new light on existing invasion concepts; in particular, on formulating invasion dynamics as the state transition of cities and partitioning species-specific roles during multispecies invasions. These models provide a new set of tools for predicting the spatiotemporal progression of invasion and providing early warnings of recurrent invasions for efficient management.

Evaluation of inner teat morphology by using high-resolution ultrasound: Changes due to milking and establishment of measurement traits of the distal teat canal

The teat canal is important in the defense against invading pathogens, but its functional features can be impeded by the milking process. The objective of our study was to compare teat morphology before and after a standard milking procedure using high-resolution ultrasonography. Tissue changes were determined by measuring inner traits of teat morphology: teat width, teat end width, teat cistern width, diameter of the lower and upper teat wall, teat canal length, and teat canal diameter. Additionally, 3 traits describing the distal teat canal and its external orifice were established: diameter of the distal teat canal orifice, distal teat canal perimeter, and distal teat canal surface. In the first trial, we verified the repeatability of scanning over time with a mixed model. During the second trial, significant changes after milking were observed for all measured traits of teat morphology except teat end width. The traits from the distal teat canal and its orifice were remarkably changed by milking: distal teat canal orifice, +28.9%; distal teat canal perimeter, +25.0%; and distal teat canal surface, +41.5%. Comparing multiparous versus primiparous cows, higher values of teat width, teat end width, and teat canal length were observed in the older animals. Testing the effect of milk yield on teat dimensions, cows with milk yields >11.0 kg/afternoon milking were found to have larger teat widths, teat end widths, and cistern widths before attachment of the cluster. Furthermore, we observed associations of inner teat morphology toward bacterial counts in the appropriate milk. Regarding this udder health-related parameter especially, the newly established traits showed a connection. Teats in which milk showed bacterial growth had larger distal teat canal perimeters and distal teat canal surfaces. High-resolution ultrasonographic scanning of dairy teats allowed a detailed visualization of the inner morphology. The applied procedure can therefore serve as a useful tool for comparison and evaluation of different milking techniques by analyzing the resulting changes of the morphological traits. The thorough description of teat tissue can also be applied for drawing conclusions on the status of the teat canal's physical and mechanical defense function.

Roughness as classicality indicator of a quantum state

We define a new quantifier of classicality for a quantum state, the Roughness, which is given by the L2(R2) distance between Wigner and Husimi functions. We show that the Roughness is bounded and therefore it is a useful tool for comparison between different quantum states for single bosonic systems. The state classification via the Roughness is not binary, but rather it is continuous in the interval [0,1], being the state more classic as the Roughness approaches to zero, and more quantum when it is closer to the unity. The Roughness is maximum for Fock states when its number of photons is arbitrarily large, and also for squeezed states at the maximum compression limit. On the other hand, the Roughness approaches its minimum value for thermal states at infinite temperature and, more generally, for infinite entropy states. The Roughness of a coherent state is slightly below one half, so we may say that it is more a classical state than a quantum one. Another important result is that the Roughness performs well for discriminating both pure and mixed states. Since the Roughness measures the inherent quantumness of a state, we propose another function, the Dynamic Distance Measure (DDM), which is suitable for measure how much quantum is a dynamics. Using DDM, we studied the quartic oscillator, and we observed that there is a certain complementarity between dynamics and state, i.e. when dynamics becomes more quantum, the Roughness of the state decreases, while the Roughness grows as the dynamics becomes less quantum.

Jensen–Shannon information of the coherent system lifetime

The signature of a coherent system with n components is an n-dimensional vector whose ith element is the probability that the ith failure of the components is fatal to the system. The signature depends only on the system design and provides useful tools for comparison of systems. We propose the Jensen–Shannon information (JS) criteria for comparison of systems, which is a scalar function of the signature and ranks systems based on their designs. The JS of a system is interpreted in terms of the remaining uncertainty about the system lifetime, the utility of dependence between the lifetime and the number of failures of components fatal to the system, and the Bayesian decision theory. The JS is non-negative and its minimum is attained by k-out-of-n systems, which are the least complex systems. This property offers JS as a measure of complexity of a system. Effects of expansion of a system on JS are studied. Application examples include comparisons of various sets of new systems and used but still working systems discussed in the literature. We also give an upper bound for the JS at the general level and compare it with a known upper bound.

An Experimental Model for Simultaneous Study of Migration of Cell Fragments, Single Cells, and Cell Sheets.

Recent studies have demonstrated distinctive motility and responses to extracellular cues of cells in isolation, cells collectively in groups, and cell fragments. Here we provide a protocol for generating cell sheets, isolated cells, and cell fragments of keratocytes from zebrafish scales. The protocol starts with a comprehensive fish preparation, followed by critical steps for scale processing and subsequent cell sheet generation, single cell isolation, and cell fragment induction, which can be accomplished in just 3 days including a 36-48 h incubation time. Compared to other approaches that usually produce single cells only or together with either fragments or cell groups, this facile and reliable methodology allows generation of all three motile forms simultaneously. With the powerful genetics in zebrafish our model system offers a useful tool for comparison of the mechanisms by which cell sheets, single cells, and cell fragments respond to extracellular stimuli.

An overview of air emission intensities and environmental performance of grey cement manufacturing in Canada

Air emissions generated in grey cement manufacturing originate primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels required to heat the kiln and the chemical reaction of raw materials in the pyroprocessing phase. Given that the kiln system is enclosed, air emissions generated, discharge from a single point source kiln stack. Unlike other industries, the point source kiln stack enables the cement sector to accurately monitor and record total air emissions. The largest contributors to air emissions from grey cement manufacturing are carbon dioxide (CO2), oxides of nitrogen (NO x ), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and dust/particulate matter (PM). In Canada, grey cement manufacturing facilities are required to annually report these emissions through the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI). Since CO2, NO x , SO2 and PM are the largest contributors to air emissions, and Canadian grey cement facilities are required to report these emissions, combining NPRI data with annual grey cement production data allows for the development of intensity-based environmental performance indicators. Based on data provided by NPRI, in combination with industry production, we can better understand the environmental performance of Canada’s grey cement manufacturing. On the global stage, intensity-based performance measures provide a useful tool for comparison and demonstrate a strong environmental performance for grey cement production in Canada. As an energy intensive and trade exposed (EITE) grey cement manufacturing is vulnerable to unbalanced environmental policy, which may ultimately result in leakage of production and air emissions to developing countries.

Target Detection Under Misspecified Models in Hyperspectral Images

In evaluating the performance of detectors such as the orthogonal subspace projection (OSP) detector, it is often assumed that the model under which the detector is constructed is the correct model. However, in practice, the ability to identify all background endmembers might be limited. Consequently, the OSP detector would use only a subset of all background endmembers. In this paper, we consider consequences of using such incomplete information. To this end, we contrast between two detectors, one that uses all endmembers and another one that uses only some endmembers. The remaining endmembers might be unknown or deliberately discarded if we believe that this would improve the detector performance. We provide formulas for detection power of the two detectors. We also calculate their relative efficiency, which is a useful tool for comparison of detectors without directly calculating the detection power. We then show some theorems that help us in understanding relationships between the power detection of the two detectors. We also provide numerical results demonstrating the consequences of our theorems in specific scenarios. We show when the detector using more information is more powerful, but we also show examples of the opposite to be true. Practical consequences of using a given number of endmembers in the OSP detector are evaluated using an AVIRIS hyperspectral image. The results show that using too many endmembers is not beneficial for the OSP detector, and the optimal number of endmembers to be used depends on the size of the target and the desired false alarm level.

Probabilistic analysis of slope stability towards the slip by the kinematic method

The analysis of slope stability or a slope is a complex problem that requires careful reflection and common sense. In effect because of the diversity of sites and especially their heterogeneity, each case is unique, the stability check is done by studying the general failure along the slip surface that is superficial, shallow, deep or very deep by conventional methods found in the literature such as the Bishop method, Jumbu, Fellenius etc. ... based on the determination of global minimum factor of safety.In this paper, we propose a mechanical model for calculating the failure along the sliding surface based on the kinematic method of rigid solids (Limit analysis).The statistical-probabilistic concept of safety is a very useful tool for comparison because it reflects the dispersion of random parameters (geometry, intrinsic characteristics of the soil load, etc. ...) will be applied to this model, the reliability of the system will expressed using the reliability index.The introduction of the concept of reliability index Geotechnical is a valuable tool capable of giving the engineer a greater objectivity in the design of slopes.We determine the critical slopes and the corresponding costs from the state equation R-S=0 limit of the present mechanism. Finally recommendations will be given for modeling the failure along the sliding surface [10].

A protein-DNA docking benchmark

We present a protein–DNA docking benchmark containing 47 unbound–unbound test cases of which 13 are classified as easy, 22 as intermediate and 12 as difficult cases. The latter shows considerable structural rearrangement upon complex formation. DNA-specific modifications such as flipped out bases and base modifications are included. The benchmark covers all major groups of DNA-binding proteins according to the classification of Luscombe et al., except for the zipper-type group. The variety in test cases make this non-redundant benchmark a useful tool for comparison and development of protein–DNA docking methods. The benchmark is freely available as download from the internet.

Scaling of NO x emissions from a laboratory-scale mild combustion furnace

A systematic experimental campaign has been carried out to investigate the scaling of NO x emissions from a moderate or intense low-oxygen dilution (MILD) combustion furnace operating with a parallel jet burner system in which the reactants and the exhaust ports are all mounted on the same wall. Its maximum capacity was 20 kW from the fuel and 3.3 kW from air preheat, with a turndown ratio of 1:3. The burner system was configured to achieve high dilution of the incoming reactants. A comprehensive data set comprising 191 global measurements of temperature and exhaust gas emissions is presented, together with temperature contours on the furnace centerline plane. It was found that, although heat extraction, air preheat, excess air, firing rate, dilution, and fuel type all affect global NO x emissions, they do not control NO x scaling. The combined effects of these global parameters can be ultimately characterized by a furnace temperature and a global residence time. A temperature–time scaling approach, previously reported for open jet diffusion flames, proved to be a useful tool for comparison of NO x emissions from highly diluted furnace environments regardless of the furnace/burner geometries. Regression-based predictions found the characteristic temperature to correlate with 85% of the data with an accuracy of only ±50%. The leading-order approach also showed that the jet exit Froude number is of limited value for NO x scaling in the MILD regime. Because of the weak dependence on temperature observed in the data and the moderate magnitude of the measured temperatures, it is deduced that the prompt-NO and/or N 2O-intermediate pathways are of significance comparable to that of the thermal-NO pathway. The analysis also suggests that NO x formation is controlled neither by kinetics nor by mixing, and hence the conditions inside this furnace approach or span the range in which Damköhler numbers are of order unity, Da = O ( 1 ) .

광학적 입자계수기를 이용한 2004년 황사기간 인천지역 에어로졸 특성

【The characteristics for the aerosol number distribution was studied during spring, 2004 in Incheon. Optical Particle Counter (OPC, HIAC/ROYCO 5230) was used in order to measure the number concentration of aerosol in the range of $0.3\~25{\mu}m.$ . The obtained results were compared with $PM_{2.5}\;and\;PM_{10}$ data during Asian dust events. The results show that the size resolved aerosol number concentration from OPC measurement has a similar tendency with $PM_{10}\;and\;PM_{2.5}$ mass concentration. During Asian dust periods, the number concentrations in large particle $(CH5\~CH8)$ increase more than small particles which diameter is less than $2.23{\mu}m(CH5)$ and the same results were shown when $PM_{10}$ was compared with $PM_{2.5}$ data compared with non-dust days, Consequently, this study shows that size resolved aerosol number concentration from OPC measurement can be used as a useful tool in comparison of mass concentration data.】

Evaluating the international standard procedure for testing solar cookers and reporting performance

The international standard procedure for testing solar cookers and reporting performance was proposed at the Third World Conference on Solar Cooking (Avinashilingam University, Coimbatore, India, 6–10 January, 1997) and revised by the committee over the following months. The standard sets limits for environmental conditions, specifies test procedures and calls for performance to be reported in terms of cooking power (W). While this value, like the fuel economy rating of an automobile, is not a guarantee of performance, it does provide a useful tool for comparison. The entire standard is presented in this paper. It was evaluated both by using it to analyze data previously collected and by using it to test one of the solar cookers in the historical data set. The test standard cooking power curve clearly distinguishes between solar cookers of differing design. Estimates of solar cooker performance for different locations and dates are fairly consistent when the test standard is employed. The criteria of being easy to use and presenting data predictive of thermal performance are also satisfied.

A Simple Statistical Parameter for Use in Evaluation and Validation of High Throughput Screening Assays.

The ability to identify active compounds (³hits²) from large chemical libraries accurately and rapidly has been the ultimate goal in developing high-throughput screening (HTS) assays. The ability to identify hits from a particular HTS assay depends largely on the suitability or quality of the assay used in the screening. The criteria or parameters for evaluating the ³suitability² of an HTS assay for hit identification are not well defined and hence it still remains difficult to compare the quality of assays directly. In this report, a screening window coefficient, called ³Z-factor,² is defined. This coefficient is reflective of both the assay signal dynamic range and the data variation associated with the signal measurements, and therefore is suitable for assay quality assessment. The Z-factor is a dimensionless, simple statistical characteristic for each HTS assay. The Z-factor provides a useful tool for comparison and evaluation of the quality of assays, and can be utilized in assay optimization and validation.