Index utility assessment

One example of a component-based testing method is the Vehicle Related Pedestrian Safety Index (VERPS) [73, 74]. This index utilizes a linear scale for both active and passive safety measures. The pedestrian head impact in frontal passenger vehicle collisions is assessed using the Head Injury Criterion (HIC) as metric. The method delivers specific results for a given vehicle and pedestrian combination. The evaluation process includes accident data analysis for relevant scenarios, kinematic analysis (via multi-body simulation), hardware component testing, and a procedure to obtain the VERPS index [73, 74]. The VERPS index takes only the probability for AIS3+ head injuries due to impact on the vehicle into account, since this probability can be derived from the HIC measurement. 

Of course, the problem is the danger of quantifying information that is not easily quantifiable. When data are too ambiguous or nebulous to be of utility, you can use a pseudo-quantification approach such as the hazard risk index. Risk assessment is based on the numerical comparison between risk events. Part of the risk assessment process is to compare, contrast, and evaluate risks. This risk evaluation becomes a ranking and comparison process and uses probability differences (matched with other factors such as severity of consequences) to do it. 

One study used quality-adjusted life years to capture the range of health-related dimensions that may affect the quality of life of patients. This measure also provides an estimate of the value or preferences for changes in health status (Neumann et al, 1999). The study used the Health Utility Index Mark II in a sample of patients and carers, which is a generic measure of the value of health-related quality of life. However, it is clear that further research is needed to explore (a) the key determinants or dimensions of quality of life that are important to people with dementia and their carers (b) whether existing instmments to measure and value health-related quality of life are able to detect differences in quality of life that are important to people with cognitive disability and their carers and (c) whether the assessment and... 

Fields can be utilized in virtual screening applications for assessing the similarity (alignment) or complementarity (docking) of molecules. Two similarity measures have achieved the most attention. These are the so-called Garbo- [195] and Hodgkin indexes [196] respectively. Others are Pearson s product moment correlation coefficient [169] and Spearman s rank correlation coefficient [169]. 

As new imaging tools have become available, such as CT and MRI, many attempts have been made to evaluate imaging criteria for assessing the severity of acute pancreatitis. The first severity index of acute pancreatitis was developed in 1990 by Balthazar et al. (B2). The CT Scoring Index (CTSI) is a 10-point system based on the degree and the type of changes in pancreatic parenchyma and peripancreatic tissues as well as the extent of pancreatic necrosis. The majority of studies confirm its clinical utility for prediction of severity of AP (K6, LI, M20, S14, VI) however, some authors report CT to be ineffective (L13, L14). 

Exergy consumption of resources that are renewable should also be considered. The overall cumulative exergy consumption index may help in assessing various energy utilization problems for a specified product, such as the relationships between the amounts of raw materials and the products, or the cost of raw materials and the alternative production technologies available. 

HRQOL as assessed by preference-based measures is a single overall index score on a scale anchored by 1.0 (full health) and 0.0 (dead). Health states considered worse than dead can be reflected by negative numbers on the scale. This approach combines the measurement of an individual s health status with an adjustment for the relative desirability of or preference for that health state. The preferences are measured or assigned empirically through a variety of procedures. Although often called health state utilities, the term preferences will be used in this chapter as the broader term because it subsumes both utilities and values. ... 

Furlong WJ, Feeny DH, Torrance GW, Barr RD. The Health Utilities Index (HUI) system for assessing health-related quality of life in clinical studies. Ann Med 2001 33 375-384. 

In semiquantitative methods, static images are utilized as in visual assessment to determine the tissue activity and compare the relative tumor uptake. One method uses an index, the tumor-to-normal tissue activity ratio (T/N), using data from the normal and tumor regions on the reconstructed images. The ratios are independent of the administered dosage, patient s weight or blood glucose level. The T/N ratio assessment is somewhat similar to visual assessment. The choice of an appropriate normal reference site, particularly in the abdomen and pelvic area, is critical in this analysis. 

Finally, these results showed that selected indexes - glutathione, glutathione S-transferases, glutathione peroxidases, and glyoxalase I and II - are very sensitive to harmful levels of mercury and emphasize the utility of biochemical responses as tools for assessing contaminant exposures and mercury toxicity in fish. 

Once a set of recommendations has been developed, the options must be analyzed to determine the benefits, or essentially the level of risk reduction. The risk analysis method utilized to assess the baseline operational risks should be the same method used to analyze each of the potential risk mitigation options. Therefore, if a semi-quantitative technique was used to assess the baseline risk, then the same assumptions, techniques, and risk evaluation criteria (risk matrix, risk index, etc.) should be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the risk reduction options. 

Most drug delivery systems currently used to treat pulmonary disease were developed and introduced into clinical practice long before assessments of pulmonary drug delivery were undertaken. The pharmaceutical companies have seen little reason to improve on the current devices, utilizing technology that is many decades old, because the current systems do produce useful therapeutic responses and are relatively safe ( therapeutic index ) if used effectively. 

Ouellet D. Benefit-risk assessment the use of clinical utility index. Expert Opinion on Drug Safety March 2010 9(2) 289-300. 

It is worth mentioning the link between our environment-related index and commonly used approaches such as life cycle assessment. According to our scope of research (see explanatory caveat in section 1.4) we limit our contribution to the design and operational space in the process life span. Thus, our focus is exclusively on the sustainability aspects that are under the control of the design and operational phases. In this regard, we aim at an operational efficiency, which means basically an effective utilization of resources in the process operation. Similar to life cycle assessment, we quantify the... 

The oxygen index test utilizes the flame radiation scaling technique for small samples and indirectly assesses heat flux from the flame through LOI. At or below the LOI value of a polymer, the heat flux requirements for CHF and TRP values for fire propagation are not satisfied. The higher is the LOI of a polymer, higher are its CHF and TRP values and/or lower is the heat flux provided by its flame, and the polymer is considered as fire hardened. 

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