scholarly journals Learning a Reliable Estimate of the Number of Fiber Directions in Diffusion MRI

Author(s):  
Thomas Schultz
2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-435
Author(s):  
Patricia C. Mancini ◽  
Richard S. Tyler ◽  
Hyung Jin Jun ◽  
Tang-Chuan Wang ◽  
Helena Ji ◽  
...  

Purpose The minimum masking level (MML) is the minimum intensity of a stimulus required to just totally mask the tinnitus. Treatments aimed at reducing the tinnitus itself should attempt to measure the magnitude of the tinnitus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the MML. Method Sample consisted of 59 tinnitus patients who reported stable tinnitus. We obtained MML measures on two visits, separated by about 2–3 weeks. We used two noise types: speech-shaped noise and high-frequency emphasis noise. We also investigated the relationship between the MML and tinnitus loudness estimates and the Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire (THQ). Results There were differences across the different noise types. The within-session standard deviation averaged across subjects varied between 1.3 and 1.8 dB. Across the two sessions, the Pearson correlation coefficients, range was r = .84. There was a weak relationship between the dB SL MML and loudness, and between the MML and the THQ. A moderate correlation ( r = .44) was found between the THQ and loudness estimates. Conclusions We conclude that the dB SL MML can be a reliable estimate of tinnitus magnitude, with expected standard deviations in trained subjects of about 1.5 dB. It appears that the dB SL MML and loudness estimates are not closely related.


2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (S 01) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Wilke ◽  
S Groeschel ◽  
M Schuhmann ◽  
S Rona ◽  
M Alber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

1987 ◽  
Vol 57 (02) ◽  
pp. 201-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Y Scarabin ◽  
L Strain ◽  
C A Ludlam ◽  
J Jones ◽  
E M Kohner

SummaryDuring the collection of samples for plasma β-thromboglobulin (β-TG) determination, it is well established that artificially high values can be observed due to in-vitro release. To estimate the reliability of a single β-TG measurement, blood samples were collected simultaneously from both arms on two separate occasions in 56 diabetic patients selected for a clinical trial. From each arm, blood was taken into two tubes containing an anticoagulant mixture with (tube A) and without (tube B) PGE!. The overall mean value of B-TG in tube B was 1.14 times higher than in tube A (p <0.01). The markedly large between-arms variation accounted for the most part of within-subject variation in both tubes and was significantly greater in tube B than in tube A. Based on the difference between B-TG values from both arms, the number of subjects with artifically high B-TG values was significantly higher in tube B than in tube A on each occasion (overall rate: 28% and 14% respectively). Estimate of between-occasions variation showed that B-TG levels were relatively stable for each subject between two occasions in each tube. It is concluded that the use of PGEi decreases falsely high B-TG levels, but a single measurement of B-TG does not provide a reliable estimate of the true B-TG value in vivo.


1995 ◽  
Vol 74 (02) ◽  
pp. 580-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
B P C Koeleman ◽  
D van Rumpt ◽  
K Hamulyák ◽  
P H Reitsma ◽  
R M Bertina

SummaryWe recently reported a high prevalence of the FV Leiden mutation (R506Q, responsible for Activated Protein C resistance) among symptomatic protein C deficient probands (19%), and the involvement of the FV Leiden mutation in the expression of thrombophilia in six protein C deficient families. Here, we report the results of a similar study in protein S deficient probands and families. Among 16 symptomatic protein S deficient probands the prevalence of the FV Leiden mutation was high (38%). This high prevalence is significantly different from that in the normal population, and is probably caused by the selection of probands for familial thrombosis and protein S deficiency. In 4 families, the segregation of the FV Leiden mutation and the protein S deficiency could be studied. In sibships where both abnormalities were segregating, the percentage of symptomatic individuals with both abnormalities was 80%. Three of the seven subjects with only the FV Leiden mutation, and two out of the three subjects with only protein S deficiency had developed thrombosis. These results indicate that in the families presented here the combination of the FV Leiden mutation and the protein S deficiency is associated with a high risk for thrombosis. A reliable estimate of the penetrance of the single defects is not possible, because the number of individuals with a single defect is too low.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-112
Author(s):  
Marian Manciu ◽  
Sorour Hosseini ◽  
Joscelyne Guzman-Gonzalez

Background: Statistical methods commonly used in survival analysis typically provide the probability that the difference between groups is due to chance, but do not offer a reliable estimate of the average survival time difference between groups (the difference between median survival time is usually reported). Objective: We suggest a Maximum-Entropy estimator for the average Survival Time Difference (MESTD) between groups. Methods: The estimator is based on the extra survival time, which should be added to each member of the group, to produce the maximum entropy of the result (resulting in the groups becoming most similar). The estimator is calculated only from time to event data, does not necessarily assume hazard proportionality and provides the magnitude of the clinical differences between the groups. Results: Monte Carlo simulations show that, even at low sample numbers (much lower than the ones needed to prove that the two groups are statistically different), the MESTD estimator is a reliable predictor of the clinical differences between the groups, and therefore can be used to estimate from (low sample numbers) preliminary data whether or not the large sample number experiment is worth pursuing. Conclusion: By providing a reasonable estimate for the efficacy of a treatment (e.g., for cancer) even for low sample data, it might provide useful insight in testing new methods for treatment (for example, for quick testing of multiple combinations of cancer drugs).


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document