scholarly journals Does Training Improve Sanitary Inspection Answer Agreement between Inspectors? Quantitative Evidence from the Mukono District, Uganda

Resources ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard King ◽  
Kenan Okurut ◽  
Jo Herschan ◽  
Dan J. Lapworth ◽  
Rosalind Malcolm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dispersion Analysis ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Risk Level ◽  
Concordance Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Variation Analysis ◽  
Concordance Correlation ◽  
Quantitative Evidence ◽  
Mukono District ◽  
Safety Of Drinking Water ◽  
Positive Effect

Sanitary inspections (SIs) are checklists of questions used for achieving/maintaining the safety of drinking-water supplies by identifying observable actual and potential sources and pathways of contamination. Despite the widespread use of SIs, the effects of training on SI response are understudied. Thirty-six spring supplies were inspected on two occasions, pre- and post-training, by an instructor from the research team and four local inspectors in the Mukono District of Uganda. SI score agreement between the instructor and each inspector was calculated using Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient. Average SI score agreement between the instructor and all inspectors increased post-training for the Yes/No answer type (0.262 to 0.490). For the risk level answer type (e.g., No, Low, Medium, High), average SI score agreement between the instructor and all inspectors increased post-training (0.301 to 0.380). Variability of SI scores between the four inspectors was calculated using coefficient of variation analysis. Average SI score variability between inspectors reduced post-training for both answer types, Yes/No (21.25 to 16.16) and risk level (24.12 to 19.62). Consistency of answer agreement between the four inspectors for each individual SI question was calculated using index of dispersion analysis. Average answer dispersion between inspectors reduced post-training for both answer types, Yes/No (0.41 to 0.27) and risk level (0.55 to 0.41). The findings indicate that training has a positive effect on improving answer agreement between inspectors. However, advanced training or tailoring of SI questions to the local context may be required where inconsistency of responses between inspectors persists, especially for the risk level answer type that requires increased use of inspector risk perception. Organisations should be aware of the potential inconsistency of results between inspectors so that this may be rectified with appropriate training and, where necessary, better SI design and customisation.

scholarly journals Transcranial Evoked Potentials Can Be Reliably Recorded with Active Electrodes

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 145
Author(s):  
Marco Mancuso ◽  
Valerio Sveva ◽  
Alessandro Cruciani ◽  
Katlyn Brown ◽  
Jaime Ibáñez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
The Other ◽  
Concordance Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Concordance Correlation ◽  
Eeg Signals ◽  
Active Electrode ◽  
Viable Solution ◽  
Space Projection

Electroencephalographic (EEG) signals evoked by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are usually recorded with passive electrodes (PE). Active electrode (AE) systems have recently become widely available; compared to PE, they allow for easier electrode preparation and a higher-quality signal, due to the preamplification at the electrode stage, which reduces electrical line noise. The performance between the AE and PE can differ, especially with fast EEG voltage changes, which can easily occur with TMS-EEG; however, a systematic comparison in the TMS-EEG setting has not been made. Therefore, we recorded TMS-evoked EEG potentials (TEPs) in a group of healthy subjects in two sessions, one using PE and the other using AE. We stimulated the left primary motor cortex and right medial prefrontal cortex and used two different approaches to remove early TMS artefacts, Independent Component Analysis and Signal Space Projection—Source Informed Recovery. We assessed statistical differences in amplitude and topography of TEPs, and their similarity, by means of the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC). We also tested the capability of each system to approximate the final TEP waveform with a reduced number of trials. The results showed that TEPs recorded with AE and PE do not differ in amplitude and topography, and only few electrodes showed a lower-than-expected CCC between the two methods of amplification. We conclude that AE are a viable solution for TMS-EEG recording.

A repeated measures concordance correlation coefficient

2007 ◽  
Vol 26 (16) ◽  
pp. 3095-3113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tonya S. King ◽  
Vernon M. Chinchilli ◽  
Josep L. Carrasco
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Concordance Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Concordance Correlation

scholarly journals Estimation of coronary wave intensity analysis using noninvasive techniques and its application to exercise physiology

2016 ◽  
Vol 310 (5) ◽  
pp. H619-H627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Broyd ◽  
Sukhjinder Nijjer ◽  
Sayan Sen ◽  
Ricardo Petraco ◽  
Siana Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coronary Circulation ◽  
Exercise Physiology ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Wave Intensity ◽  
Concordance Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Intensity Analysis ◽  
Wave Intensity Analysis ◽  
Concordance Correlation ◽  
Decompression Wave ◽  
Pulsed Wave Doppler

Wave intensity analysis (WIA) has found particular applicability in the coronary circulation where it can quantify traveling waves that accelerate and decelerate blood flow. The most important wave for the regulation of flow is the backward-traveling decompression wave (BDW). Coronary WIA has hitherto always been calculated from invasive measures of pressure and flow. However, recently it has become feasible to obtain estimates of these waveforms noninvasively. In this study we set out to assess the agreement between invasive and noninvasive coronary WIA at rest and measure the effect of exercise. Twenty-two patients (mean age 60) with unobstructed coronaries underwent invasive WIA in the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Immediately afterwards, noninvasive LAD flow and pressure were recorded and WIA calculated from pulsed-wave Doppler coronary flow velocity and central blood pressure waveforms measured using a cuff-based technique. Nine of these patients underwent noninvasive coronary WIA assessment during exercise. A pattern of six waves were observed in both modalities. The BDW was similar between invasive and noninvasive measures [peak: 14.9 ± 7.8 vs. −13.8 ± 7.1 × 104 W·m−2·s−2, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC): 0.73, P < 0.01; cumulative: −64.4 ± 32.8 vs. −59.4 ± 34.2 × 102 W·m−2·s−1, CCC: 0.66, P < 0.01], but smaller waves were underestimated noninvasively. Increased left ventricular mass correlated with a decreased noninvasive BDW fraction ( r = −0.48, P = 0.02). Exercise increased the BDW: at maximum exercise peak BDW was −47.0 ± 29.5 × 104 W·m−2·s−2 ( P < 0.01 vs. rest) and cumulative BDW −19.2 ± 12.6 × 103 W·m−2·s−1 ( P < 0.01 vs. rest). The BDW can be measured noninvasively with acceptable reliably potentially simplifying assessments and increasing the applicability of coronary WIA.

scholarly journals MRI texture feature repeatability and image acquisition factor robustness, a phantom study and in silico study

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Shur ◽  
Matthew Blackledge ◽  
James D’Arcy ◽  
David J. Collins ◽  
Maria Bali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Coefficient Of Variation ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Image Acquisition ◽  
Texture Feature ◽  
Texture Features ◽  
Concordance Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Concordance Correlation ◽  
Simulation Data ◽  
Mri Features

Abstract Purpose To evaluate robustness and repeatability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) texture features in water and tissue phantom test-retest study. Materials and methods Separate water and tissue phantoms were imaged twice with the same protocol in a test-retest experiment using a 1.5-T scanner. Protocols were acquired to favour signal-to-noise ratio and resolution. Forty-six features including first order statistics and second-order texture features were extracted, and repeatability was assessed by calculating the concordance correlation coefficient. Separately, base image noise and resolution were manipulated in an in silico experiment, and robustness of features was calculated by assessing percentage coefficient of variation and linear correlation of features with noise and resolution. These simulation data were compared with the acquired data. Features were classified by their degree (high, intermediate, or low) of robustness and repeatability. Results Eighty percent of the MRI features were repeatable (concordance correlation coefficient > 0.9) in the phantom test-retest experiment. The majority (approximately 90%) demonstrated a strong or intermediate correlation with image acquisition parameter, and 19/46 (41%) and 13/46 (28%) of features were highly robust to noise and resolution, respectively (coefficient of variation < 5%). Agreement between the acquired and simulation data varied, with the range of agreement within feature classes between 11 and 92%. Conclusion Most MRI features were repeatable in a phantom test-retest study. This phantom data may serve as a lower limit of feature MRI repeatability. Robustness of features varies with acquisition parameter, and appropriate features can be selected for clinical validation studies.

scholarly journals AB0798 IS THERE A REPRODUCIBILITY OF THE HISTOGRAM AND GRAY SCALE IN ECOEXTRUCTURAL DAMAGES IN RHEUMATOTOLOGICAL DISEASES?

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1423.2-1424
Author(s):  
J. A. Mendonça ◽  
I. Siste de Almeida Aoki ◽  
C. C. Cavuto ◽  
V. A. Leandro-Merhi ◽  
J. L. B. D. Aquino
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Intraclass Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Rheumatic Diseases ◽  
Femoral Condyle ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Concordance Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Image Method ◽  
Concordance Correlation ◽  
Gray Scale

Background:The gray scale (GS) in high resolution ultrasound is already well validated for use in rheumatological diseases, but the color map or the histogram, can be considered a new proposal, to better define and complement the echotextural damages detection1.Objectives:To calculate the lesions area measures reproducibility index in arthropathies, between 3 blind evaluators and correlate these measures using the GS and the histogram.Methods:Observational and retrospective study approved by the ethics committee of the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas, with the opinion number: 1.526.307. A total of 29 patients have been assessed (31% males and 69% females) on period 2014 to 2019 in Rheumatology service. A MyLab 50 -Esaote equipment was used with frequency transducer that ranged between 6.0 and 18.0 MHz, 10 different area measures were performed from each recorded images previously, by the GS and the histogram. Statistical analysis: Spearman’s correlation coefficients, Lin’s concordance coefficient (CCC) and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and their respective 95% confidence intervals, with the SPSS software package for Windows v. 17.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).Results:Average age 43.5 ± 21.5 years of age; with disease duration that varied between ≤ 1 month (48.3%) and ≥36 months (24.1%); with the following diseases: juvenile idiopathic arthritis (17.24%); osteoarthritis (13.79%); psoriatic arthritis (13.79%); undifferentiated spondyloarthritis (3.44%); gout (20.68%); rheumatoid arthritis (27.58%) and reactive arthritis (3.44%). A total of 840 measures of exudative (27.58%), proliferative (27.58%) and snowstorm appearance (6.89%) synovitis were performed; femoral-condyle cartilage (3.44%); synovial cyst (3.44%); paratendinitis (6.89%); calcification (3.44%); nail enthesitis (3.44%); tenosynovitis (6.89%) and tophi (10.34%) (Figure 1). The concordance correlation coefficient showed values closer to 1; p <0.001, the intraclass correlation coefficients with excellent reproducibility (ICC ≥ 0.75); p <0.001, always in relation to the three evaluators (Table 1) and the Spearman correlation between the GS and the histogram ranged from rs = 0.665 to rs = 1,000; p <0.001.Conclusion:The histogram can be considered an image method to better identify echotextural damages.References:[1]Mendonça J, Provenza J, Guissa V, et al AB1059 2D Histogram Ultrasound and 3D Ultrasound Correlation in Rheumatic Diseases Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2015; 74:1253-1254.Table 1.Concordance Correlation Coefficient (CCC) and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC):EvaluatorsGS - CCC(IC 95%)p-valorHistogram (IC 95%)p-valor1 e 20,998(0,994-0,999)<0,0010,999(0,995-1,000)<0,0011 e 30,998(0,995-0,999)<0,0010,999(0,995-1,000)<0,0012 e 30,992(0,980-0,997)<0,010,996(0,979-0,999)<0,01Standard by US 2DICCp-valorGS0,997(0,992-0,999)<0,001Histogram0,998(0,992-0,999)<0,001Legends: Gray Scale (GS).Figure 1.Patient with gout: A and B: Tophi area measures (star) in right metatarsos and efusion (arrow) by GS (45 mm2) and histogram (39 mm2), respectively.Disclosure of Interests:José Alexandre Mendonça Speakers bureau: Novartis, Janssen, Bristol, UCB, Isabella Siste de Almeida Aoki: None declared, Caique Chagas Cavuto: None declared, Vânia Aparecida Leandro-Merhi: None declared, José Luis Braga de Aquino: None declared

A Bayesian Framework for Estimating the Concordance Correlation Coefficient Using Skew-elliptical Distributions

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dai Feng ◽  
Richard Baumgartner ◽  
Vladimir Svetnik
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Study ◽  
Missing Data ◽  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Bayesian Framework ◽  
Concordance Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Elliptical Distributions ◽  
Concordance Correlation ◽  
Heavy Tailed ◽  
Biomarker Data

Abstract The concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) is a widely used scaled index in the study of agreement. In this article, we propose estimating the CCC by a unified Bayesian framework that can (1) accommodate symmetric or asymmetric and light- or heavy-tailed data; (2) select model from several candidates; and (3) address other issues frequently encountered in practice such as confounding covariates and missing data. The performance of the proposal was studied and demonstrated using simulated as well as real-life biomarker data from a clinical study of an insomnia drug. The implementation of the proposal is accessible through a package in the Comprehensive R Archive Network.

scholarly journals Slaughter Qualities and Chemical Composition of the Meat of the Broiler Chickens Fed with Thyme Extract

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 4113-4117
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Broiler Chickens ◽  
Reference Group ◽  
Dispersion Analysis ◽  
Anatomical Dissection ◽  
The Third ◽  
Broiler Farm ◽  
Low Temperature Drying ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Effect Of Feeding

The effect of various dosages of the extract of the thyme medicinal plant on the slaughter qualities and the chemical composition of the meat of broiler chickens has been studied. The preparation was obtained by the method of water-ethanol extraction followed by low-temperature drying at the Agroecologia research laboratory of the Kuzbass State Agricultural Academy. The scientific economic experiment with the duration of 40 days was performed with broiler chickens of the Hubbard ISA F 15 cross at the broiler farm. One reference and five experimental groups of day-old broiler chickens were formed, 37 chickens in each group. The chickens in the reference group received basic diet, while the broilers in the experimental groups additionally received thyme extract in the following daily dosages: the first — 2 mg/kg, the second — 4 mg/kg, the third — 6 mg/kg, the fourth — 8 mg/kg, and the fifth — 10 mg/kg of body weight. At the end of the studies, the positive effect of feeding thyme extract on the characteristics of anatomical dissection of broiler chickens' carcasses was found. In the third, the fourth, and the fifth experimental groups, no significant differences were found, compared to the reference group. By the results of dispersion analysis of the data, a significant effect of thyme extract on the contents of lysine, threonine, and methionine has been found by the amino acid composition of the meat of broiler chickens.

scholarly journals Standard area diagram set for scab quantification in trilobed leaves of the sour passion fruit

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Pinheiro Costa ◽  
José Ricardo Peixoto ◽  
Luiz Eduardo Bassay Blum ◽  
Alexandre Bosco de Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Bias Correction ◽  
Systematic Errors ◽  
Passion Fruit ◽  
Coefficient Of Determination ◽  
Concordance Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Concordance Correlation ◽  
Improve Accuracy ◽  
Severity Levels ◽  
Sour Passion Fruit

ABSTRACT: The study aimed to develop and validate a standard area diagram set (SADs) to improve accuracy, precision, and reproducibility in the assessment of scab severity in trilobed leaves of the sour passion fruit. The SADs comprised six severity levels (1%; 3%; 6%; 11%; 21%; and 33%). The SADs increased the accuracy of the estimates by reducing the constant and systematic errors, and the tendency to overestimate the actual severity, limited the number of evaluators who presented this trend, in addition to increasing the bias correction factor. The inexperienced evaluators were the ones that benefited the most from the SADs use. Once the SADs was introduced, 80% and 100% evaluators gave estimates free from constant and systematic errors, respectively. The improvement in precision was verified by the increase in the coefficient of determination and Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient, by reducing absolute errors and increasing the reproducibility of the estimates.

scholarly journals Differences between 3D isovoxel fat suppression VIBE MRI and CT models of proximal femur osseous anatomy: A preliminary study for bone tumor resection planning

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0250334
Author(s):  
Choong Guen Chee ◽  
Hye Won Chung ◽  
Wanlim Kim ◽  
Min A. Yoon ◽  
So Myoung Shin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Proximal Femur ◽  
Femoral Shaft ◽  
Fat Suppression ◽  
Concordance Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Maximum Difference ◽  
Reference Standard ◽  
3D Mri ◽  
Concordance Correlation ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Mean Differences

Purpose To evaluate the osseous anatomy of the proximal femur extracted from a 3D-MRI volumetric interpolated breath-hold (VIBE) sequence using either a Dixon or water excitation (WE) fat suppression method, and to measure the overall difference using CT as a reference standard. Material and methods This retrospective study reviewed imaging of adult patients with hip pain who underwent 3D hip MRI and CT. A semi-automatically segmented CT model served as the reference standard, and MRI segmentation was performed manually for each unilateral hip joint. The differences between Dixon-VIBE-3D-MRI vs. CT, and WE-VIBE-3D-MRI vs. CT, were measured. Equivalence tests between Dixon-VIBE and WE-VIBE models were performed with a threshold of 0.1 mm. Bland–Altman plots and Lin’s concordance-correlation coefficient were used to analyze the agreement between WE and Dixon sequences. Subgroup analyses were performed for the femoral head/neck, intertrochanteric, and femoral shaft areas. Results The mean and maximum differences between Dixon-VIBE-3D-MRI vs. CT were 0.2917 and 3.4908 mm, respectively, whereas for WE-VIBE-3D-MRI vs. CT they were 0.3162 and 3.1599 mm. The mean differences of the WE and Dixon methods were equivalent (P = 0.0292). However, the maximum difference was not equivalent between the two methods and it was higher in WE method. Lin’s concordance-correlation coefficient showed poor agreement between Dixon and WE methods. The mean differences between the CT and 3D-MRI models were significantly higher in the femoral shaft area (P = 0.0004 for WE and P = 0.0015 for Dixon) than in the other areas. The maximum difference was greatest in the intertrochanteric area for both techniques. Conclusion The difference between 3D-MR and CT models were acceptable with a maximal difference below 3.5mm. WE and Dixon fat suppression methods were equivalent. The mean difference was highest at the femoral shaft area, which was off-center from the magnetization field.

scholarly journals Combining F-Scan and GAITRite® for use in Clinical Gait Analysis: A Validation Study.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Speight ◽  
Selina Reidy ◽  
John Stephenson ◽  
Sarah Reel
Keyword(s):  
Gait Analysis ◽  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Intraclass Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Concordance Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Concordance Correlation ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Level Of Agreement

Abstract BackgroundClinical gait analysis is widely used to aid the assessment and diagnosis of symptomatic pathologies. Equipment based analysis provides clinicians with a more comprehensive assessment using pressure systems such as F-scan, or analysis of the spatial-temporal parameters of gait using GAITRite. There are systems however such as Strideway™ that can measure these parameters simultaneously, but can be expensive. This study aimed to determine whether standalone systems can be used collectively while still providing quality data, as a cost-effective alternative.MethodsTwenty-six participants walked on a standard floor and a GAITRite walkway, three times wearing the F-Scan system. Mid gait protocols were utilised by analysing the contact pressure of the 2 nd metatarsophalangeal joint of the third, fifth and seventh step from each walk. The Bland-Altman method was used to determine a level of agreement between the two surfaces, using mean values from all walks of all participants who successfully completed all required walks. The intraclass correlation coefficient and Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient were calculated as indices of reliability.ResultsThe intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated to be 0.991 and Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient for the data was calculated to be 0.956, indicating very good reproducibility.ConclusionsThe level of agreement in plantar pressures observed on the two surfaces was very high, suggesting that it is feasible to use F-Scan and GAITRite® together in a clinical setting, as an alternative to other less cost-effective standalone systems.

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