BACKGROUND: The validity of the ULTT is unclear, due to heterogeneity of test procedures and variability in the definition of a positive test OBJECTIVE: To evaluate test procedures and positive diagnostic criteria for the upper limb tension test (ULTT) in diagnostic test accuracy studies.
METHODS: A systematic review of diagnostic accuracy studies was performed. We conducted a search of the DiTA (Diagnostic Test Accuracy) database and selected primary studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of the ULTT. We assessed risk of bias, performed data extraction on study characteristics, test procedures, and positive diagnostic criteria, and performed a descriptive analysis.
RESULTS: We included nine studies (681 participants), four diagnosing people with cervical radiculopathy (CR), four diagnosing people with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and one included both CR and CTS. The risk of bias varied between 2 and 6 out of 6 positive items. Eight studies reported on the ULTT1 (median nerve). Overall, all studies clearly described their test procedures and positive diagnostic criteria although the order of movements and the diagnostic criteria between studies varied. We suggest a more standardised test procedure for the ULTT1 to consist of: 1) stabilising the shoulder in abduction, 2) extending the wrist/fingers, 3) supinating the forearm, 4) externally rotating the shoulder, 5) extending the elbow, and finally 6) performed structural differentiation by side bending (lateral flexion) of the neck. This proposed test procedure should reproduce the symptoms and enables the clinician to evaluate whether symptoms increase/decrease when stressing or relaxing the nerves.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings we proposed a more standardised test procedure for the ULTT1 with accompanying positive diagnostic criteria to facilitate homogeneity in future diagnostic accuracy studies of the ULTT.

Infrared thermography (IRT) is a technique increasingly used in building inspection. If in many applications it is sufficient to analyze the thermal patterns, others exist in which the exact determination of the surface temperature is a fundamental aspect. In these circumstances, the emissivity of the surfaces assumes special relevance, being probably the most important property in the definition of the boundary conditions. However, information on the uncertainty involved in its measurement, as well as the conditions that influence it, is scarce. This article presents an innovative contribution both to the characterization of the emissivity of various construction materials, and to the discussion of emissivity measurement procedures and the attendant uncertainty. In this sense, three experimental campaigns were carried out: T.I, preliminary tests to assess the initial conditions required for an accurate IRT measurement of the emissivity (reference tape and position of the camera); T.II, assessment of the emissivity of nine different building materials, in dry conditions, using the emissometer and the IRT and black tape methods; and T.III, assessment of the emissivity of three materials during the drying process. The results confirmed that emissivity is a crucial parameter for the accurate measurement of surface temperature. Emissivity measurements carried out with IRT (black tape method) and with the emissometer returned meaningful differences when compared with the values available in the literature. This disagreement led to surface temperature differences of up to 7 °C (emissometer versus reference values). This research also highlighted that the moisture content of the materials influences the emissivity values, with fluctuations that can be greater than 10%, and that the effect of moisture is visible even for low values of moisture content.

A channel congestion problem might occur when the traffic density increases because the number of basic safety messages carried on the communication channel also increases in vehicle-to-vehicle communications. A remedy algorithm proposed in SAE J2945/1 is designed to address the channel congestion issue by decreasing transmission frequency and radiated power. This study is to develop potential test procedures for evaluating or validating the congestion control algorithm.
Simulations of a reference unit transmitting at a higher frequency are implemented to emulate a number of onboard equipment (OBE) transmitting at the normal interval of 100 ms (10 Hz). When the transmitting interval is reduced to 1.25 ms (800 Hz), the reference unit emulates 80 vehicles transmitting at 10 Hz. By increasing the number of reference units transmitting at 800 Hz in the simulations, the corresponding channel busy percentages are obtained. An algorithm for Global Positioning System (GPS) data generation of virtual vehicles is developed for facilitating the validation of transmission intervals in the congestion control algorithm.
Channel busy percentage is the channel busy time over a specified period of time. Three or 4 reference units are needed to generate channel busy percentages between 50 and 80%, and 5 reference units can generate channel busy percentages above 80%. The proposed test procedures can verify the operation of congestion control algorithm when channel busy percentages are between 50 and 80% and above 80%. By using a GPS data generation algorithm, the test procedures can also verify the transmission intervals when traffic densities are 80 and 200 vehicles in a radius of 100 m. A suite of test tools with functional requirements is also proposed for facilitating the implementation of test procedures.
The potential test procedures for a congestion control algorithm are developed based on the simulation results of channel busy percentage and the GPS data generation algorithm. The test tools can examine the requirement compliance automatically and objectively. The required number of reference units should be further validated using real OBEs before implementing these potential test procedures.

In this work we present test procedures, approval criteria and results from two metrological inspections of a certified large volume (152)Eu source (drum about 200L) intended for calibration of HPGe gamma assay systems used for activity measurement of radioactive waste drums. The aim of the inspections was to prove the stability of the calibration source during its working life. The large volume source was designed and produced in 2007. It consists of 448 identical sealed radioactive sources (modules) apportioned in 32 transparent plastic tubes which were placed in a wooden matrix which filled the drum. During the inspections the modules were subjected to tests for verification of their certified characteristics. The results show a perfect compliance with the NIST basic guidelines for the properties of a radioactive certified reference material (CRM) and demonstrate the stability of the large volume CRM-drum after 7 years of operation.

Perimetry is the most common clinical diagnostic test procedure for evaluating the status of peripheral visual function in the management of ocular and neurologic diseases. This procedure has an extended history, and its design, implementation and interpretation is dependent on many principles that have been developed through visual psychophysical studies of target size, target duration, background adaptation level, chromatic characteristics and other stimulus properties (see Greve, 1973; Johnson, 1994, chap. 17, 1996, 2008, 2010, chap. 23; Johnson & Keltner, 1998, chap. 7; Johnson & Sample, 2002, chap. 22; Johnson & Wall, 2011, chap. 35; Wall & Johnson, 2005, chap. 2 for reviews). This paper will provide a general overview of the history of perimetry, selection of stimulus parameters, development of test strategies, clinical testing conditions, new procedures and approaches to perimetry, experimental design, analysis and interpretation methods, hypothesis testing, prediction and forecasting procedures, and other related topics. It is somewhat paradoxical that although there have been major advances in all of these areas that have significantly enhanced the utility and value of this clinical diagnostic test, the fundamental methodology has remained mostly unchanged for thousands of years. It is hoped that this overview will be of assistance to investigators and clinicians who wish to use or modify this diagnostic procedure for their ongoing career activities.