Methods for averaging time - intensity curves

Although there has been increased interest in the use of time-intensity(T-I) measures in sensory studies, there are weaknesses in existingmethods for the analysis and presentation of T-I data. Thispaper reviews the methods for averaging time—intensitycurves, pointing out their limitations. A new method is proposed,in which normalization of individual curves is carried out forboth intensity and time, and the resulting mean curve is unique.The method accommodates intensity plateaus, non-zero endpointsand non-monotonic curves. The main parameters of the mean curvesare averages of the corresponding parameters of the individualcurves.     

Methods of Estimating GFR - Different Equations Including CKD-EPI

The initiative for estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) derives from the limitations of interpreting plasma creatinine alone, the cost and complexities of determining a gold standard GFR with either inulin or radionuclides, and the inaccuracies inherent in measuring a 24 h urine creatinine clearance. In August 2005, the Australasian Creatinine Consensus Working Group recommended that an eGFR based on the abbreviated MDRD (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease) formula shall be automatically calculated for every request for creatinine in people over 18 years. Uptake was almost universal, though with appropriate caveats in place regarding potential limitations. Updated recommendations in 2007 recognised uniform standardisation of the plasma creatinine assay. A recent development is the CKD-Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation which confers less underestimation of GFR in subjects with normal renal function. Cystatin C and its derivative equations may have advantages in some situations.