A dynamic pressure measuring system composed of long connecting tube, transducer, D-C amplifier and galvanometer oscillograph were used in a wind study conducted by the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute. The instrumentation was used to measure and record dynamic pressures due to wind velocity. Data recorded in that study indicated velocity head pressure oscillations on some surfaces of the test structure in excess of 100 Hz. This investigation was undertaken to see if the recorded oscillations could have been generated in the measuring system or if they were truly windpressure variations. Components of the pressure measuring system were modeled by transfer functions. From these transfer functions, a system operational transfer function was determined and used to define system frequency response. The frequency analysis indicated the system was severely limited in response by the oscillating air column constrained within the interconnecting tube. The usable frequency range of the system (+ 10% tolerable amplitude error allowable) was found to go from zero to 34.2 Hz. By eliminating the air column this frequency range could have been extended to 99.4 Hz. Phase shifts in these frequency ranges were found to be negligible. Transducers were mounted rigidly to exterior walls of the test structure. The measured fundamental natural frequencies of these walls (transducer mountings) were found to be well within the usable frequency range of the instrumentation; and, therefore, a source of vibration pickup. To improve the measuring system reliability, recommendations were made to eliminate the air column and stiffen the transducer mountings. / Master of Science

A noncontact two-color pyrometer, which uses an infrared (IR) transmitting rod and IR lenses to optically measure the temperature of a molten particle as it falls in an evacuated drop tube, has been designed and tested in the laboratory and in the field. The design uses a calcium fluoride (CaF₂) rod which transports optical energy radiated from the molten particle to a beam splitter, where it is split into two signals. Each signal is filtered and focused onto an indium antimonide (InSb) photodetector which is liquid nitrogen (LN₂) cooled. A ratio of the detectors' outputs indicates the temperature of the molten particle. In the laboratory, a blackbody calibrator is used as a source, and a shutter with a speed of 4 ms is used to simulate the particle dropping by the optical sensing port. The pyrometer has been calibrated for a particle temperature range of 650°C - 1200°C. / Master of Science

Thesis (M.Tech.:Chiropractic)-Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban Institute of Technology, 2005 x, 80 leaves / The aim of this study was to evaluate the Myofascial Diagnostic Scale, for its inter-examiner reliability and to assess its reliability and validity as an assessment tool in the diagnosis and treatment of Myofascial Pain Syndrome.

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A dissertation completed in partial compliance with the requirements for a Master's Degree in Technology Chiropractic, Durban Institute of Technology, 2006. / Neck pain is a common problem, globally, as well as in South Africa. Zulu is the first language of a very large proportion of the South African population, and as such, addressing the needs of this population group with respect to neck pain is a priority. Many reliable pain indexes exist in English to record the degree of disability with regards to neck pain. These are invaluable tools in aiding the health practitioner to assess the progress of treatment and the severity of the patient's disability. Two of the most credible and frequently used indexes are the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College Neck Disability Index (CMCC NDl) and the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SFMPQ). However, no such scale exists in Zulu. The purpose of this pilot investigation was, firstly, to analyze and critique the Zulu translations of the CMCC NDl and the SFMPQ in order to establish their face validity. Secondly, to establish their concurrent validity ensuring that the translated questionnaires are specific and sensitive enough to use as tools in data collection when compared to their English counterparts. Thirdly, to make recommendations for further improvement in terms of the Zulu questionnaires and lastly, to make recommendations for further studies for improvement in terms of the use of these questionnaires as research tools amongst the Zulu speaking population of South Africa. Firstly, the CMCC NDl and the SFMP questionnaires were translated into Zulu by means of a focus group. These versions were then assessed by means of a focus (or discussion) group, to assess their face validity. Changes were made to the original translations according to the recommendations of this group. These versions were then assessed with regards to their concurrent validity with the original English versions. Fifty volunteers, who were literate in both English and Zulu and who have suffered with neck pain, filled in both the Zulu and English versions of both questionnaires. / M

The problem addressed by this thesis is the need for a software measurement tool that enforces a uniform measurement algorithm on several programming languages. The introductory chapter discusses the concern for software measurement and provides background for the specific models and metrics that are studied. A multilingual software measurement tool is then introduced, that analyzes programs written in Ada, C, Pascal, or PL/I, and quantifies over thirty different program attributes. Metrics computed by the program include McCabe's measure of cyclomatic complexity and Halstead's software science metrics. Some results and conclusions of preliminary data analysis, using the tool, are also given. The appendices contain exhaustive counting algorithms for obtaining the metrics in each language.

A acurácia dos diagnósticos de enfermagem é importante para a escolha de intervenções adequadas, mas ainda pouco se conhece sobre os fatores que a influenciam. Objetivos: identificar os fatores preditores da acurácia de diagnósticos de enfermagem; descrever o grau de acurácia dos diagnósticos de enfermagem documentados na prática clínica e testar a concordância intra e entre avaliadores na aplicação da Escala de Acurácia de Diagnósticos de Enfermagem Versão 2. Método: estudo documental realizado num hospital público de ensino da cidade de São Paulo, Brasil. A acurácia dos diagnósticos de enfermagem documentados na admissão de pacientes foi estimada por meio da aplicação da EADE Versão 2, que possui 4 itens para o julgamento da presença, relevância, especificidade e coerência das pistas existentes para o diagnóstico em avaliação. As respostas aos itens são pontuadas e geram um escore final variando de 0 a 13,5 (0 / 1 / 2 / 4,5 / 5,5 / 9 / 10 / 12,5 ou 13,5). A amostra do estudo foi aleatória, composta pelos registros de admissão de 749 pacientes adultos internados na clínica médica ou cirúrgica entre julho de 2005 e junho 2008. Todos os enfermeiros que documentaram as admissões avaliadas forneceram informações de características pessoais e profissionais. Foram computados dados de caracterização dos pacientes que tiveram seus registros analisados. Foram realizados testes de associação entre o grau de acurácia dos diagnósticos e variáveis dos diagnósticos, variáveis dos pacientes e dos registros de admissão e variáveis dos enfermeiros. As variáveis que nos testes de associação com o grau de acurácia obtiveram valores de p 0,20 foram incluídas em modelos de regressão linear múltipla. Uma sub-amostra com 156 admissões foi sorteada para estimar a confiabilidade da escala intra avaliador e entre avaliadores. Resultados: Dos 749 registros de admissão foram avaliados 3.417 diagnósticos documentados por 21 enfermeiros. A maioria dos diagnósticos de enfermagem foi avaliada como altamente acurada (70,4%,) e a média geral da acurácia foi 9,8 (DP =5,6 e variação de 0 a 13,5). As análises de regressão linear múltipla permitiram ajustar três modelos (variáveis dos diagnósticos, variáveis dos pacientes e dos registros de admissão, variáveis dos enfermeiros). O modelo com as variáveis dos diagnósticos mostrou que diagnósticos de baixa frequência (p=0,000), diagnósticos do domínio funcional (p=0,000) e diagnósticos atuais (p=0,000) são preditores de graus mais elevados de acurácia, explicando 28% da variância; o modelo com as variáveis dos pacientes e registros de admissão mostrou que doenças crônicas (p=0,000), internações na clínica médica (p=0,000) e qualidade satisfatória dos registros (p=0,005) são preditores de acurácia mais elevada, com variância explicada de 14%; e o modelo com as variáveis dos enfermeiros mostrou que o relato da presença de conteúdo teórico e prático em diagnóstico de enfermagem na graduação (p = 0,011) foi preditor de graus elevados de acurácia, explicando 26% variância. O valor de Coeficiente de Correlação Intraclasse (ICC) intra avaliadores foi 0,96 e o ICC entre avaliadores foi 0,71 o que confere boa confiabilidade à EADE - Versão 2. Conclusão: O estudo oferece dados empíricos que contribuem para o conhecimento sobre os fatores preditores da acurácia dos diagnósticos de enfermagem. / The accuracy of nursing diagnoses is important in order to select appropriate interventions, however little is known about the factors that influence it. Objectives: To identify the predictors of accuracy of nursing diagnoses; describe the degree of accuracy of nursing diagnoses documented in clinical practice and to test the intra and interrater reliability of the Accuracy Scale for Nursing Diagnosis (NDAS) Version 2. Method: A documental study carried out in a public teaching hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. The accuracy of the nursing diagnoses documented during admission assessment of the patients was estimated by applying the NDAS Version 2, which has four items to judge the presence, relevance, specificity and consistency of the existing cues for a documented diagnosis. The responses to the items were scored and generated a final score ranging from 0 to 13.5 (0/1/2/4.5/5.5/9/10/12.5 or 13.5). The study sample was randomly composed of the admission records of 749 adult patients hospitalized in general medicine or surgical wards between July 2005 and June 2008. Each of the nurses who documented the admissions provided demographic and professional information. Also computed were the data of characteristics of patients who had their records reviewed. Association tests were performed between the degree of accuracy of diagnoses and variables of the diagnoses, variables of the patients and admission records and the variables of the nurses. The variables that obtained p values 0.20 in the association tests with the degree of accuracy were included in multiple regression models. A sub-sample of 156 admission records was randomly selected to estimate inter and intra-raters reliability of the scale. Results: Of the 749 admission records that were evaluated, 3.417 diagnoses were documented by 21 nurses. The majority of the nursing diagnoses were evaluated as highly accurate (70.4%) and average overall accuracy was 9.8 (DP = 5.6) and ranged from 0 to 13.5. Multiple linear regression analysis allows the adjustment of three models (variables of the diagnoses, variables of the patients and admission records and variables of the nurses). The model with variables of the diagnoses showed that diagnoses of low frequency (p = 0.000), diagnoses of the functional domain (p = 0.000) and actual diagnoses (p = 0.000) were predictors of a higher degrees of accuracy, explaining 28% of the variance; the model with variables of patients and admission records showed that chronic diseases (p = 0.000), admissions to the general medical ward (p = 0.000) and a satisfactory quality of the patient records (p=0.005) were predictors of higher accuracy, explaining 14% of the variance; and the model with variables of the nurses showed that reporting presence of theoretical and practical content of nursing diagnosis in the baccalaureate program (p = 0.011) was predictor of higher degrees of accuracy, explaining 26% of the variance. The ICC coefficient of intra and interraters was 0.96 and 0.71 respectfully, therefore demonstrating good reliability of the NDAS Version 2. Conclusion: This study provided empirical data to advance knowledge regarding predictors of the accuracy of nursing diagnoses.