Interval-censored failure time data often occur in follow-up studies where subjects can only be followed periodically and the failure time can only be known to lie in an interval. In this paper we consider the problem of comparing two or more interval-censored samples. We propose a multiple imputation method for discrete interval-censored data to impute exact failure times from interval-censored observations and then apply existing test for exact data, such as the log-rank test, to imputed exact data. The test statistic and covariance matrix are calculated by our proposed multiple imputation technique. The formula of covariance matrix estimator is similar to the estimator used by Follmann, Proschan and Leifer (2003) for clustered data. Through simulation studies we find that the performance of the proposed log-rank type test is comparable to that of the test proposed by Finkelstein (1986), and is better than that of the two existing log-rank type tests proposed by Sun (2001) and Zhao and Sun (2004) due to the differences in the method of multiple imputation and the covariance matrix estimation. The proposed method is illustrated by means of an example involving patients with breast cancer. We also investigate applying our method to the other two-sample comparison tests for exact data, such as Mantel's test (1967) and the integrated weighted difference test.

In order to determine which interventions work best for which students, precision education researchers have examined aptitude-treatment interactions (ATI) or skill-by-treatment interactions (STI) by using multiple regression analysis. In recent years, technological innovation and greater accessibility to more advanced statistical techniques have allowed researchers to examine ATI or STI using longitudinal mixed modeling. Probing techniques for interaction effects like slopes difference tests fit well with an ATI or STI framework, but the power of using a slopes difference test in longitudinal mixed models is unknown. The current study used the simulation method to determine which factors influence the power of a slopes difference test in a longitudinal mixed model. Specifically, the study examined design conditions such as number of waves, number of clusters and participants per cluster, effect size, intraclass correlation, variances and covariance of the random effects, and proportion of treatment to non-treatment participants. These were examined in order to help ATI and STI researchers understand whether the slopes difference test in a longitudinal mixed model is sufficiently powered for their sample and study. Effect size, number of waves, number of clusters, and participants per cluster were found to be strong determinants of power and significantly impacted model convergence and rates of singularity. The slopes difference test was also found to have greater power in a longitudinal mixed model than was discovered for a cross-sectional multiple regression context.

Introduktion: Potatisfibern utgör ca 1 % av potatisens vikt och är en restprodukt vid tillverkningen av potatisstärkelse. Idag tillsätter flera välkända livsmedelsföretag potatisfiber i sina produkter. Den främsta anledningen till detta är för att fibern kan binda vätska 7–12 gånger sin egen vikt vilket kan ge en ekonomisk fördel. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att jämföra hur grovmalen respektive finmalen potatisfiber påverkar utvalda egenskaper i degen och brödet med särskilt fokus på brödets lagringsstabilitet. Metod: Pilottester Observationer av degegenskaper Mätning av vätskeförlust och brödvolym Instrumentell färgmätning med en kolorimeter Sensorisk bedömning av lagringsstabilitet   Resultat: Pilottester av båda malningsgraderna av potatisfibern visade att vid en jämförelse av olika förbehandlingar så som skållning, blötläggning och tillsats direkt i degen, gav direkt tillsats av potatisfiber i degen flest fördelar, främst gällande mjukheten i degen. Vid observationen fanns en synlig färgskillnad mellan bröden med tillsatts potatisfiber och referensbrödet men detta säkerställdes inte vid den instrumentella färgmätningen. Brödens volym och vattenhållande förmåga påverkades inte av tillsats av potatisfiber. Den sensoriska bedömningen visade en upplevd torrhetskänsla för bröd med tillsatt potatisfiber (båda malningsgraderna) när det testades mot ett referensbröd. Den finmalda fibern påverkade lagringsstabiliteten mer än den grovmalda fibern gjorde.   Slutsats: Malningsgraden gav inga märkbara skillnader på de utvalda deg- och brödegenskaperna. Potatisfiber hade inte tillräckligt stor påverkan på deg eller bröd för att antas vara lönsam att tillsätta vid brödbakning. / Introduction: The potato fiber constitutes about 1 % of the weight of the potato and is a residual product in the manufacture of potato starch. Today, several well-known companies add potato fiber to their products. The main reason for this is because the fiber can bind liquid 7–12 times its own weight, which gives an economic advantage. Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate how the grind of potato fiber affects selected characteristics in dough and bread, with particularly focus on the storage stability of the bread. Method: Pilot tests Observations of dough characteristics Measure of water exchange and bread volume Instrumental color measurement with a colorimeter Sensory evaluation of storage stability   Results: Pilot tests with both grinds of potato fiber showed that when comparing pre-treatments such as scalding, soaking and direct addition into the dough, a direct addition resulted with the most advantages, mainly regarding the softness of the dough. During the observations there was a visible difference in color between the potato fiber loaves and the reference loaf, which was not ensured in the instrumental color measurement. The volume and water retention in the bread was not affected by an addition of potato fiber. The sensory evaluation showed a perceived dryness for bread with added potato fiber (both grinds), when tested against a reference bread. The finely ground fiber affected the storage stability more than the coarse grounded fiber did. Conclusion: The grind gave no notable differences on the selected properties of dough and bread. The impact that grind had on dough characteristics and the finished bread were small.

Reducing disease and increasing fruit quality in vigorous vineyards with dense canopies is demanding of time and resources; unfortunately, vineyards of this nature are common in humid environments. This study investigated the effectiveness with which vine capacity and water status could be regulated as well as if they related to fruit quality and wine sensory perception. The treatments regulating vine size and water status were under-trellis groundcover, root manipulation, rootstocks, and irrigation. Treatments were arranged in a strip-split-split plot design before the introduction of the irrigation treatment resulted in incomplete replication in each block. Treatment levels were under-trellis cover crop (CC) compared to under-trellis herbicide (Herb); root restriction bags (RBG) compared to no root manipulation (NRM); three compared rootstocks (101-14, 420-A, riparia Gloire); low water stress (LOW) compared to high water stress (HIGH). Vines grown with RBG and CC regulated vegetative growth more so than conventional treatments, resulting in 56% and 23% greater cluster exposure flux availability (CEFA). High water stress (HIGH) and RBG reduced stem water potential and discriminated less against 13C. Vines grown with RBG and CC consistently reduced harvest berry weight by 17 and 6% compared to conventional treatments. Estimated phenolics were consistently increased by RBG and were correlated with berry weight, vine capacity and CEFA. Sensory attributes were significantly distinguishable between wines produced from vines that differed in both vine capacity and water status, amongst other responses. Treatments have been identified that can alter the sensory perception of wines, with the potential to improve wine quality. / Master of Science

Poa L., is known as a highly diverse cosmopolitan genus with taxonomic difficulties that includes unknown species and species with uncertain affinities mainly in West Asia and North Africa. Poa also exhibits a close relationship with two West Asian genera, Eremopoa Roshev. and Oreopoa H. Scholz & Parolly. This study was conducted to: 1) fill the gap of information on the affinities between Poa species with an emphasis on West Asian Poa; 2) revise and evaluate the accuracy of traditional infrageneric classification of West Asian Poa; and 3) clarify the relationship between Poa and two allied genera of Poaceae Barnhart, Eremopoa and Oreopoa. DNA molecular evidence from present phylogenetic analyses of West Asian species of Poa, Eremopoa and Oreopoa, resulted in some great findings as follow: I) Poa caucasica Trin., which is currently assigned to subsection Nivicolae of section Poa from subgenus Poa resolved as a unique new distinct lineage within Poa. II), New treatments are suggested for Poa densa Troitsky, Poa masenderana Freyn & Sint., Poa cenisia All., Poa psychrophila Boiss. & Heldr. and Poa lipskyi. III) Three unclassified species of Poa pseudobulbosa, Poa diversifolia and Poa aitchisonii are assigned here to subgenus Poa and supersection Poa. IV), The present molecular evidence supports inclusion of Eremopoa in Poa and confirms reduction of Eremopoa to a level of subgenus of Poa. V) Present phylogenetic analyses also indicate that monotypic genus Oreopoa H. Scholz & Parolly is part of Poa. These findings require an urgent modification in subgeneric and sectional classification of the genus Poa.