Background: Warfarin reduces the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, but requires a moderate-to-high time in therapeutic range (TTR). We hypothesized that point-of-care (POC) testing ...for prothrombin time-internationalized normalized ratio (PT-INR) could improve the TTR in patients receiving warfarin. Methods and Results: Eight outpatient clinics that introduced POC testing for PT-INR participated in this study. We identified 148 consecutive patients who received warfarin for at least 12 months before and after the introduction of POC testing. We compared the TTR before and after the introduction of POC testing for each patient. TTR after the introduction of POC testing was significantly higher than that beforehand (51.9%±33.0% vs. 69.3%±26.3%; P<0.0001). The improvement in TTR was statistically significant in patients who had low TTR (<70%) before the introduction of POC testing. After the introduction of POC, the time spent above the target INR showed no significant change (3.7%±10.6% vs. 3.3%±6.3%, P=0.7322), while that spent below the target INR improved significantly (44.4%±34.4% vs. 27.4%±27.6%, P<0.0001). Conclusions: The introduction of POC testing was associated with an improvement in TTR, mainly through a reduction in the time spent below the target INR. (Circ J 2014; 78: 1342–1348)
Photovoltaic (PV) backsheets composed of polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films were evaluated via principal component analysis (PCA) of near infrared (NIR) ...spectral datasets obtained using a potable NIR spectrometer. The discrimination of material and the degree of deterioration of the backsheets following heating and humidifying or irradiating with UV light was examined. Multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis was also employed to evaluate the degree of deterioration. The reference values (peel and tensile strength) were obtained via the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61215 and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 1703 standard methods. The values of the peel strength and tensile strength after heating/humidifying treatment correlate quite strongly with the NIR predicted values (R2=0.946 and R2=0.973, respectively). These results show that the degree of deterioration of a PV backsheet can be nondestructively and easily determined via NIR spectroscopy.
A Deterioration of backsheet for photovoltaic (PV) devices is recently evaluated by its mechanical strength. A quick and nondestructive evaluation method for the deterioration of the backsheets is required, since the present method is destructive. The evaluation of the deterioration of the PV backsheet by means of near-infrared(NIR) spectroscopy have been studied.
It was found that the principal component analysis (PCA) of NIR spectra is very effective for the discrimination of the degree of the deterioration of backsheets. The mechanical strengths predicted by multiple linear regression (MLR) of NIR spectra were strongly correlated to the reference values by the standard method. These results show that the degree of deterioration of a PV backsheet can be nondestructively and easily determined via NIR spectroscopy. Display omitted
► The deterioration of the photovoltaic backsheets was evaluated by NIR spectroscopy. ► Principal component analysis allowed the discrimination of material of backsheets. ► The mechanical strengths predicted by NIR were strongly correlated to the reference values.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
The overview of standardization activities for shielding materials is described. We propose a basic approach for standardizing material composition used in radiation shielding design for nuclear and ...accelerator facilities. We have collected concrete composition data from actual concrete samples to organize a representative composition and its variance data. Then the sensitivity analysis of the composition variance has been performed through a simple 1-D dose calculation. Recent findings from the analysis are summarized.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Thirty-eight beers from different producing areas and/or makers were distinguished by principal component analysis (PCA) of the near infrared (NIR) spectra acquired by a portable NIR spectrometer. ...Classsification of Akita beers: beers locally produced in Akita prefecture, Japan, from other famous brand beers could be successfully performed, especially when the PCA was calculated on the standard normal variate (SNV) spectra. The classification equations use information related to water and CH2 absorption that reflected the differences in chemical com position of beers due to different production processes. In addition, the compositions of total polyphenol and total nitrogen were estimated from NIR spectra by multiple linear regression (MLR). This study showed that NIR spectroscopy is promising for beer quality evaluation, both for identifying multifarious beers including Akita beers using PCA and for rapid in-line quality control and inspection for beer production using the quantitative MLR analysis.
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The working group on shielding materials under the Standards Committee of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan has been studying the standard composition of shielding concrete that has a clear basis ...for use in the design of Japanese facilities. The policy for determining the composition, the procedure of study, the results obtained to date, and future tasks are described. Concrete is broadly classified into silicon type and calcium type depending on the aggregate. The reference mix design and composition were selected from the Japanese recommendation, and minor elements in the composition were replaced with silicon and calcium while preserving their weight in order to reduce regional differences. However, the penetration dose calculation for
235
U thermal fission neutrons indicated that iron and carbon should be retained. The penetration dose calculations for photons from
235
U prompt fission and radioisotopes showed that the attenuation ratios of silicon-type and calcium-type concretes differ in the energy region where electron pair production becomes dominant. The water content of concrete was found to vary with thickness as a result of moisture migration analysis over time. Finally, a draft composition of silicon-type concrete by thickness was determined using the residual water content at 60 years after placement. A method for correcting the elemental content under different mix conditions was also proposed.
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BFBNIB, GIS, IJS, KISLJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
Near-infrared analysis (NIRA) was applied to discriminate and determine the cadmium content levels of unpolished rice using canonical discriminant analysis (CDA). The overall correct classification ...rate was 85.2% for 318 NIR spectra, repeated three times for 106 samples. After a further improvement through decreased misclassification rates, NIRA could be useful as a rapid, nondestructive and convenient analytical method for primary screening and detecting of cadmium-polluted rice.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
A portable near infrared (NIR) spectrometer was used to accomplish rapid identification of plastics. Thirteen kinds of plastics were collected and their NIR spectra were measured. Standardised ...normalisation treatment of the original spectra reveals the differences of the spectra more clearly. Absorbance spectra can be used to distinguish easily between polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) with the absorption band of the methylene group at 1410 nm. The result can be used to discriminate PE, PP and the copolymer. This suggestion is supported by a principal component analysis of the second-order derivatives spectrum.
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We applied the rapid, non-destructive and convenient near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy method, using a portable NIR spectrometer, to the manufacturing process of noodle products (Inaniwa Udon). ...Characterisation of wheat flours, which are a primary ingredient of noodle products, was identified easily by the pricipal component (PC) score plots based on the standardised NIR spectra. We assessed these results not only from a practical standpoint, but also for the chemical interpretation of NIR spectra. Without any sample preparation, NIR spectra revealed moisture content in the products. Further investigation revealed that moisture content is proportional to viable bacterial counts in the products, so determining moisture content in products by the rapid, non-destructive and convenient method of using a portable NIR spectrometer, as used in this work, is extremely useful in the Inaniwa Udon quality control process.
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