Assessment of interrater agreement using a binomial-based statistic: K(bin)

This project develops K(bin), a relatively simple, binomial based statistic for assessing interrater agreement in which expected agreement is calculated a priori from the number of raters involved in the study and number of categories on the rating tool. The statistic is logical in interpretation, easily calculated, stable for small sample sizes, and has application over a wide range of possible combinations from the simplest case of two raters using a binomial scale to multiple raters using a multiple level scale.^ Tables of expected agreement values and tables of critical values for K(bin) which include power to detect three levels of the population parameter K for n from 2 to 30 and observed agreement $\ge$.70 calculated at alpha =.05,.025, and.01 are included.^ An example is also included which describes the use of the tables for planning and evaluating an interrater reliability study using the statistic, K(bin). ^

Performance and Assessment of Rehabilitated Steel Culverts

This thesis explores the effects of rehabilitation on the structural performance of corrugated steel culverts. A full-scale laboratory experiment investigated the effects of grouted slip-liners on the performance of two buried circular corrugated steel culverts. One culvert was slip-lined and grouted using low strength grout, while the other was slip-lined and grouted using high strength grout. The performances of the culverts were measured before and after rehabilitation under service loads using single wheel pair loading at 0.45m of cover. Then, the rehabilitated culverts were loaded to their ultimate limit states. Results showed that the low and high strength grouted slip-liners provided strength well beyond requirements, with the low strength specimen failing at a load 2.4 times the fully factored service load, while the high strength specimen did not reach an ultimate limit state before bearing failure of the soil stopped testing. Results also showed that the low strength specimen behaved rigidly under service loads and flexibly under higher loads, while the high strength specimen behaved rigidly under all loads. A second full-scale experiment investigated the effect of a paved invert rehabilitation procedure on the performance of a deteriorated horizontal ellipse culvert. The performance of the culvert before and after rehabilitation was examined under service loads using tandem axle loading at 0.45m of cover. The rehabilitated culvert was then loaded up to its ultimate limit state. The culvert failed due to the formation of a plastic hinge at the West shoulder, while the paved invert cracked at the invert. Results showed that the rehabilitation increased the structural performance of the culvert, increasing the system stiffness and reducing average strains and local bending at critical locations in the culvert under service loads. A sustainability rating tool specifically for the evaluation of deteriorated culvert replacement or rehabilitation projects was also developed. A module for an existing tool, called GoldSET, was created and tested using two case studies, each comparing the replacement of a culvert using a traditional open-cut method with two trenchless rehabilitation techniques. In each case, the analyses showed that the trenchless techniques were the better alternatives in terms of sustainability.

Rating of perceived exertion as a tool for prescribing and self regulating interval training: a pilot study

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Investigation of punchability tests for electrical steels. [Final report on development of a punchability rating method for electrical steels, for the Research Fund of American Society of Tool and Manufacturing Engineers,

Cover title.

Construct and concurrent validation of omni-kayak rating of perceived exertion scale

This study tested the concurrent and construct validity of a newly developed OMNI-Kayak Scale, testing 8 male kayakers who performed a flatwater load-incremented ""shuttle"" test over a 500-m course and 3 estimation-production trials over a 1,000-m course. Velocity, blood lactate concentration, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE), using the OMNI-Kayak RPE Scale and the Borg 6-20 Scale were recorded. OMNI-Kayak Scale RPE was highly correlated with velocity, the Borg 6-20 Scale RPE, blood lactate, and heart rate for both load-incremented test (rs=.87-.96), and estimation trials (rs=.75-.90). There were no significant differences among velocities, heart rate and blood lactate concentration between estimation and production trials. The OMNI-Kayak RPE Scale showed concurrent and construct validity in assessing perception of effort in flatwater kayaking and is a valid tool for self-regulation of exercise intensity.

Further Study of the Psychometric Qualities of a Brief Screening Tool for Social Phobia (MINI-SPIN) Applied to Clinical and Nonclinical Samples

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to further assess the psychometric qualities of the Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (MS) to screen for social anxiety disorder (SAD). DESIGN AND METHODS. The MS and other self- and clinician-rated scales for anxiety and social anxiety were applied in 2,314 university students and in samples of SAD patients (n = 88) and nonpatients (n = 90). FINDINGS. The MS revealed adequate discriminative validity, internal consistency (alpha = 0.49-0.73), convergent validity with the Social Phobia Inventory, Brief Social Phobia Scale, and Self-Statements During Public Speaking Scale and convergent and divergent validity with the Beck Anxiety Inventory. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. The MS has shown to be a fast and efficient screening instrument for SAD in different cultures and contexts.

Phex: a computational tool for plate heat exchanges design problems

This paper presents a computational tool (PHEx) developed in Excel VBA for solving sizing and rating design problems involving Chevron type plate heat exchangers (PHE) with 1-pass-1-pass configuration. The rating methodology procedure used in the program is outlined, and a case study is presented with the purpose to show how the program can be used to develop sensitivity analysis to several dimensional parameters of PHE and to observe their effect on transferred heat and pressure drop.

Modelo de avaliação de risco de crédito - rating - uma abordagem

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada ao Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto para a obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Auditoria, sob a orientação de Mestre Adalmiro Álvaro Malheiro de Castro Andrade Pereira

The management of iron deficiency in inflammatory bowel disease--an online tool developed by the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method.

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency is a common and undertreated problem in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). AIM: To develop an online tool to support treatment choice at the patient-specific level. METHODS: Using the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method (RUAM), a European expert panel assessed the appropriateness of treatment regimens for a variety of clinical scenarios in patients with non-anaemic iron deficiency (NAID) and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA). Treatment options included adjustment of IBD medication only, oral iron supplementation, high-/low-dose intravenous (IV) regimens, IV iron plus erythropoietin-stimulating agent (ESA), and blood transfusion. The panel process consisted of two individual rating rounds (1148 treatment indications; 9-point scale) and three plenary discussion meetings. RESULTS: The panel reached agreement on 71% of treatment indications. 'No treatment' was never considered appropriate, and repeat treatment after previous failure was generally discouraged. For 98% of scenarios, at least one treatment was appropriate. Adjustment of IBD medication was deemed appropriate in all patients with active disease. Use of oral iron was mainly considered an option in NAID and mildly anaemic patients without disease activity. IV regimens were often judged appropriate, with high-dose IV iron being the preferred option in 77% of IDA scenarios. Blood transfusion and IV+ESA were indicated in exceptional cases only. CONCLUSIONS: The RUAM revealed high agreement amongst experts on the management of iron deficiency in patients with IBD. High-dose IV iron was more often considered appropriate than other options. To facilitate dissemination of the recommendations, panel outcomes were embedded in an online tool, accessible via http://ferroscope.com/.

A new rating scale to evaluate the potential benefit of therapeutic drug monitoring

Aims: Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is an established tool to optimize thepharmacotherapy with immunosupressants, antibiotics, antiretroviral agents, anticonvulsantsand psychotropic drugs. The TDM expert group of the Association ofNeuropsychopharmacolgy and Pharmacopsychiatry recommended clinical guidelinesfor TDM of psychotropic drugs in 2004 and in 2011. They allocate 4 levelsof recommendation based on studies reporting plasma concentrations and clinicaloutcomes. To evaluate the additional benefit for drugs without direct evidence forTDM and to verify the recommendation levels of the expert group the authorsbuilt a new rating scale. Methods: This rating scale included 28 items and wasdivided in 5 categories: Efficacy, toxicity, pharmacokinetics, patient characteristicsand cost effectiveness. A literature search was performed for 10 antidepressants,10 antipsychotics, 8 drugs used in the treatment of substance related disordersand lithium, thereafter, a comparison with the assessment of the TDMexpert group was carried out. Results: The antidepressants as well as the antipsychoticsshowed a high and significant correlation with the recommendations inthe consensus guidelines. However, meanderings could be detected for the drugsused in the therapy of substance related disorders, for which TDM is mostly notestablished yet. The result of the antidepressants and antipsychotics permits aclassification of the reachable points; upper 13 - TDM strongly recommended10 to 13 - TDM recommended, 8 to 10 - TDM useful and below 8 - TDMpotentially useful. Conclusion: These results suggest this rating scale is sensitiveto detect the appropriateness of TDM for drug treatment. For those drugs TDM isnot established a more objective estimation is possible, thus the scoring helps tofocus on the most likely drugs to require TDM.

French version validation of the psychotic symptom rating scales (PSYRATS) for outpatients with persistent psychotic symptoms.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Most scales that assess the presence and severity of psychotic symptoms often measure a broad range of experiences and behaviours, something that restricts the detailed measurement of specific symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations. The Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS) is a clinical assessment tool that focuses on the detailed measurement of these core symptoms. The goal of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the French version of the PSYRATS. METHODS: A sample of 103 outpatients suffering from schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders and presenting persistent psychotic symptoms over the previous three months was assessed using the PSYRATS. Seventy-five sample participants were also assessed with the Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). RESULTS: ICCs were superior to .90 for all items of the PSYRATS. Factor analysis replicated the factorial structure of the original version of the delusions scale. Similar to previous replications, the factor structure of the hallucinations scale was partially replicated. Convergent validity indicated that some specific PSYRATS items do not correlate with the PANSS delusions or hallucinations. The distress items of the PSYRATS are negatively correlated with the grandiosity scale of the PANSS. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are limited by the relatively small sample size as well as the selection of participants with persistent symptoms. The French version of the PSYRATS partially replicates previously published results. Differences in factor structure of the hallucinations scale might be explained by greater variability of its elements. The future development of the scale should take into account the presence of grandiosity in order to better capture details of the psychotic experience.

A Sufficiency Rating System for Secondary Roads in Iowa, HR-264, Volume I, 1985

County engineers in Iowa face the dual problems of rapidly escalating costs and a decreasing rate of growth of revenues. Various priority systems are in use, ranking projects for inclusion in road improvement programs, but they generally have weaknesses when used to compare one project with another in a different location. The sufficiency rating system has proven to be a useful tool in developing a priority list of projects for primary road systems, but there are none currently in use for secondary road systems. The research reported here was undertaken to develop a sufficiency rating system which could be used for secondary roads in Iowa and to produce the necessary forms and instructions to aid county engineering personnel in their efforts to complete the ratings for roads within their county.

A Sufficiency Rating System for Secondary Roads in Iowa, HR-264, Volume II, 1985

The goal of this study is to develop a usable sufficiency rating system for secondary roads. There are several assumptions that have been made at the outset. These are: 1. County engineers currently use at least a limited set of decision criteria to make decisions regarding project priorities. 2. Some degree of consensus exists among the county engineers in terms of which are the most important criteria and that there is some agreement on their relative importance. Accordingly, a questionnaire was developed which could be used as a survey tool. The results of the survey were used to develop a final list of weighted rating elements which were used as part of the proposed sufficiency rating system. State and local jurisdictions from other states were also surveyed to determine the status of the use of sufficiency rating systems for secondary roads outside of Iowa and to gather some applicable data.

A Spanish version of the short Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (sMARS)

The aim of this studywas to adapt and assess the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the sMARS in terms of evidence of validity and reliability of scores. The sMARS was administered to 342 students and, in order to assess convergent and discriminant validity, several subsamples completed a series of related tests. The factorial structure of the sMARSwas analyzed by means of a confirmatory factor analysis and results showed that the three-factor structure reported in the original test fits well with the data. Thus, three dimensions were established in the test: math test, numerical task and math course anxiety. The results of this study provide sound evidence that demonstrates the good psychometric properties of the scores of the Spanish version of the sMARS: strong internal consistency, high 7-week testretest reliability and good convergent/discriminant validity were evident. Overall, this study provides an instrument that allows us to obtain valid and reliable math anxiety measurements. This instrument may be a useful tool for educators and psychologists interested in identifying individuals that may have a low level of math mastery because of their anxiety.

Development of Railroad Highway Grade Crossing Consolidation Rating Formula, 2015

The goal of this project was to provide an objective methodology to support public agencies and railroads in making decisions related to consolidation of at-grade rail-highway crossings. The project team developed a weighted-index method and accompanying Microsoft Excel spreadsheet based tool to help evaluate and prioritize all public highway-rail grade crossings systematically from a possible consolidation impact perspective. Factors identified by stakeholders as critical were traffic volume, heavy-truck traffic volume, proximity to emergency medical services, proximity to schools, road system, and out-of-distance travel. Given the inherent differences between urban and rural locations, factors were considered, and weighted, differently, based on crossing location. Application of a weighted-index method allowed for all factors of interest to be included and for these factors to be ranked independently, as well as weighted according to stakeholder priorities, to create a single index. If priorities change, this approach also allows for factors and weights to be adjusted. The prioritization generated by this approach may be used to convey the need and opportunity for crossing consolidation to decision makers and stakeholders. It may also be used to quickly investigate the feasibility of a possible consolidation. Independently computed crossing risk and relative impact of consolidation may be integrated and compared to develop the most appropriate treatment strategies or alternatives for a highway-rail grade crossing. A crossing with limited- or low-consolidation impact but a high safety risk may be a prime candidate for consolidation. Similarly, a crossing with potentially high-consolidation impact as well as high risk may be an excellent candidate for crossing improvements or grade separation. The results of the highway-rail grade crossing prioritization represent a consistent and quantitative, yet preliminary, assessment. The results may serve as the foundation for more rigorous or detailed analysis and feasibility studies. Other pertinent site-specific factors, such as safety, maintenance costs, economic impacts, and location-specific access and characteristics should be considered.