In this chapter, an innovative model for age replacement is proposed. The costs included in the age replacement model are not assumed to be constants. For effective optimization of statistical decisions for age replacement problems under parametric uncertainty, based on a past random sample of lifetimes, the pivotal quantity averaging (PQA) approach is suggested. The PQA approach represents a s...

the literature on language teaching and learning has mostly accentuated motivation as one of the crucial factors influencing learners, but demotivating factors can be of crucial importance as well. in this vein, considering a grounded theory approach, this study has tried to investigate the demotivating factors influencing iranian university students of non-english majors utilizing an interview...

BACKGROUND Acute kidney injury is a common and devastating complication of critical illness, for which renal replacement therapy is frequently needed to manage severe cases. While a recent systematic review suggested that "earlier" initiation of renal replacement therapy improves survival, completed trials are limited due to small size, single-centre status, and use of variable definitions to d...

In the predicted secondary structures of 20 of the 22 tRNAs encoded in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecules of the nematodes, Caenorhabditis elegans and Ascaris suum, the T psi C arm and variable loop are replaced with a loop of 6 to 12 nucleotides: the TV-replacement loop. From considerations of patterns of nucleotide correlations in the central regions of these tRNAs, it seems highly likely th...

PURPOSE It has been suggested that macular pigment (MP) and melanin may protect against age-related maculopathy (ARM). To check this, MP and melanin optical density were measured in a random population-based sample of subjects 55 years of age or older. METHODS Spectral fundus reflectance of the fovea was measured in one eye per subject in a 2.3 degrees detection field with a fundus reflectome...

purpose the purpose of this study was to estimate the dominant handgrip strength and its correlations with some hand and arm anthropometric variables in 101 randomly selected indian inter-university female volleyball players aged 18-25 years (mean age 20.52±1.40) from six indian universities. methods three anthropometric variables, i.e. height, weight, bmi, two hand anthropometric variables, vi...

BACKGROUND Early outcomes after tricuspid valve replacement in young children are ill defined. The experience of the Pediatric Cardiac Care Consortium (45 centers, 1984 to 2002) was reviewed to evaluate the results of tricuspid valve replacement in children <6 years of age. METHODS AND RESULTS Ninety-seven patients who underwent initial tricuspid valve replacement are included in the present ...