Reply to 'Statistical testing and distribution for lead chloride toxicity'

We are very grateful for the letter written by Dr Lange,and indeed apologize for the mistakes noted in the word-ing of our text regarding statistical analysis.This wasdue to changes carried out while revising the manuscriptat the request of reviewers,whom we thank for,point-ing out several issues that were actually similar to thosenoted by Dr.Lange.Unfortunately,we were unable todescribe and discuss our findings properly in the context

Reconstruction of shock wave pressure field based on distributed test system

A new distributed test system composed of multiple test nodes was designed by adopting storage test technology to test shock waves in explosion field. The advantage of the system is the application of sensor lattice whose rise time is microsecond level, which can quickly response to transient shock wave signals. In order to reduce dynamic response error, shock tube is employed to conduct dynamic calibration on the system. The overpressure peak values of the explosion shock wave collected by sensor lattice were used to construct a shock wave pressure field with B-spline interpolation algorithm.

Multiple UIO-based test sequence generation for distributed systems

In developing distributed systems, conformance testing is required to determine whether an implementation under test （IUT） conforms to its specification. With distributed test architectures involving multiple remote testers, testing approaches may become more complicated because of issues known as controllability and observability problems. Based on a finite state machine （FSM） representation of the system＇s specification, this paper proposes a new method to generate a test sequence utilizing multiple UIO sequences. The method is essentially guided by the way of minimizing the use of external coordination messages and input/output operations. Experiments are given to evaluate the proposed method.

Fractal characteristics of cracks and fragments generated in unloading rockburst tests

True triaxial rockburst experiments with four different unloading rates were performed on four prism specimens of granite sampled from Beishan, China. The damage evolution in the rockburst test was investigated from two aspects including fracture surface crack and fragment characteristics. The scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the micro crack information on fragment surface. Combing binarization and box counting dimensions, the fractal dimensions of cracks were obtained. Meanwhile,the fragments were collected and a sieving experiment was conducted. We weighed the fragments qualities, counted the amount of fragments and measured the fragments length, width and thickness.Utilizing four methods to calculate damage fractal dimensions of fragments, the trend of fractal value changing with unloading rates can be roughly described. It can be concluded from these experiments that the fractal dimension either for crack or for fragment holds a decreasing trend with the decreasing unloading rate, indicating a reduction of damage level.

Research on location of underground explosion center based on distributed testing system

Distributed testing system has strong applicability in the field of dynamic testing,which can centrally manage the testing equipment in different locations through the local area network,and meet the new requirements of the test.Based on the theory of seismic location,the location of underground explosion center was studied.The applicability of seismic location theory to the location of underground explosion center was verified by simulating the underground explosion with LS-DYNA simulation platform.Combined with distributed testing system theory and weighting method,the optimal distribution method of test points was summarized through data analysis.

Geographically distributed hybrid testing & collaboration between geotechnical centrifuge and structures laboratories

Distributed Hybrid Testing（DHT） is an experimental technique designed to capitalise on advances in modern networking infrastructure to overcome traditional laboratory capacity limitations. By coupling the heterogeneous test apparatus and computational resources of geographically distributed laboratories, DHT provides the means to take on complex, multi-disciplinary challenges with new forms of communication and collaboration. To introduce the opportunity and practicability afforded by DHT, here an exemplar multi-site test is addressed in which a dedicated fibre network and suite of custom software is used to connect the geotechnical centrifuge at the University of Cambridge with a variety of structural dynamics loading apparatus at the University of Oxford and the University of Bristol. While centrifuge time-scaling prevents real-time rates of loading in this test, such experiments may be used to gain valuable insights into physical phenomena, test procedure and accuracy. These and other related experiments have led to the development of the real-time DHT technique and the creation of a flexible framework that aims to facilitate future distributed tests within the UK and beyond. As a further example, a real-time DHT experiment between structural labs using this framework for testing across the Internet is also presented.

Similar fecal immunochemical test results in screening and referral colorectal cancer

AIM: To improve the interpretation of fecal immunochemical test (FIT) results in colorectal cancer (CRC) cases from screening and referral cohorts. METHODS: In this comparative observational study, two prospective cohorts of CRC cases were compared. The first cohort was obtained from 10 322 average risk subjects invited for CRC screening with FIT, of which, only subjects with a positive FIT were referred for colonoscopy. The second cohort was obtained from 3637 subjects scheduled for elective colonoscopy with a positive FIT result. The same FIT and positivity threshold (OC sensor; ≥ 50 ng/mL) was used in both cohorts. Colonoscopy was performed in all referral subjects and in FIT positive screening subjects. All CRC cases were selected from both cohorts. Outcome measurements were mean FIT results and FIT scores per tissue tumor stage (T stage). RESULTS: One hundred and eighteen patients with CRC were included in the present study: 28 cases obtained from the screening cohort (64% male; mean age 65 years, SD 6.5) and 90 cases obtained from the referral cohort (58% male; mean age 69 years, SD 9.8). The mean FIT results found were higher in the referral cohort (829 ± 302 ng/mLvs 613 ± 368 ng/mL,P = 0.02). Tissue tumor stage (T stage) distribution was dif-ferent between both populations [screening population: 13 (46%) T1, eight (29%) T2, six (21%) T3, one (4%) T4 carcinoma; referral population: 12 (13%) T1, 22 (24%) T2, 52 (58%) T3, four (4%) T4 carcinoma], and higher T stage was significantly associated with higher FIT results (P < 0.001). Per tumor stage, no significant difference in mean FIT results was observed (screening vs referral: T1 498 ± 382 ng/mL vs 725 ± 374 ng/mL, P = 0.22; T2 787 ± 303 ng/mL vs 794 ± 341 ng/mL, P = 0.79; T3 563 ± 368 ng/mLvs 870 ± 258 ng/mL,P = 0.13; T4 not available). After correction for T stage in logistic regression analysis, no significant differences in mean FIT results were observed between both types of cohorts (P = 0.10). CONCLUSION: Differences in T stage distribution largely explain differences in FIT results between screening and referral cohorts. Therefore, FIT results should be reported according to T stage.

RELIABILITY OF TEST LANDS TARGETING IN BED-OF-NAILS STYLE TEST FIXTURE

A systematic, accurate and robust evaluating method for fine pitch printed circuit board （PCB） positioning assessment in testing fixture is developed. Targeting reliability of bed-of-nails tester is successfully evaluated by the 2D pattern transform. Probe offset vector with its Weibull and Gaussian distribution estimates are obtained for further investigation about the causes of misalignment on the basis of a batch tests for same kind of PCBs.

Research on Time-Synchronization-Based Test and Control System of Aeroengine

This paper presents a method of NTP-based time synchronization and a strategy of master-slave server structured time synchronization to ensure the test and control system of aeroengine to be time-synchronized. Based on time synchronization, the hierarchy and the integration of the measurement and control system of aeroengine are investigated. In result, our method is successfully applied for multiple front-end tests in a simulative altitude test facility of aeroengine.

Effect of drying environment on engineering properties of an expansive soil and its microstructure

This paper investigates the effect of drying environment, i.e. temperature and relative humidity, on the engineering properties and microscopic pore size distribution of an expansive soil. The shrinkage tests under different drying temperatures and relative humidity are carried out in a constant climate chamber. Then, the undisturbed samples, prepared in different drying environment, are used for the triaxial tests and mercury intrusion tests. It is found that the drying environment has noticeable influence on the engineering properties of expansive soils and it can be characterized by the drying rate. The linear shrinkage and strength increase with the decrease of the drying rate. The non-uniform deformation tends to happen in the high drying rate, which subsequently furthers the development of cracks. In addition, during the drying process, the variation of pores mainly focuses on the inter-aggregate pores and inter-particle pores. The lower drying rate leads to larger variation of pore size distribution.

Probability density function and estimation for error of digitized map coordinates in GIS

Traditionally, it is widely accepted that measurement error usually obeys the normal distribution. However, in this paper a new idea is proposed that the error in digitized data which is a major derived data source in GIS does not obey the normal distribution but the p-norm distribution with a determinate parameter. Assuming that the error is random and has the same statistical properties, the probability density function of the normal distribution, Laplace distribution and p-norm distribution are derived based on the arithmetic mean axiom, median axiom and p-median axiom, which means that the normal distribution is only one of these distributions but not the least one. Based on this ideal distribution fitness tests such as Skewness and Kurtosis coefficient test, Pearson chi-square chi(2) test and Kolmogorov test for digitized data are conducted. The results show that the error in map digitization obeys the p-norm distribution whose parameter is close to 1.60. A least p-norm estimation and the least square estimation of digitized data are further analyzed, showing that the least p-norm adjustment is better than the least square adjustment for digitized data processing in GIS.

Generalized Method of Moments and Generalized Estimating Functions Based on Probability Generating Function for Count Models

Generalized method of moments based on probability generating function is considered. Estimation and model testing are unified using this approach which also leads to distribution free chi-square tests. The estimation methods developed are also related to estimation methods based on generalized estimating equations but with the advantage of having statistics for model testing. The methods proposed overcome numerical problems often encountered when the probability mass functions have no closed forms which prevent the use of maximum likelihood (ML) procedures and in general, ML procedures do not lead to distribution free model testing statistics.