bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MAPPinfo, mapping quality of health information: study protocol for a validation study of an assessment instrument
Authors: Kasper Jürgen , Lühnen Julia , Hinneburg Jana , Siebenhofer Andrea , Posch Nicole , Berger-Höger Birte , Grafe Alexander , Keppler Jan , Steckelberg A
Published: November 2020

Introduction

Health information is a prerequisite of informed decision-making. Criteria for development, content and presentation have recently been published in a corresponding guideline. Within a systematic search, 27 relevant checklists were identified, none of them, however, complying with the guideline or providing reasonably operationalised measurement items. Therefore, a draft of a checklist with 19 criteria was drafted. The current study aims at developing and validating this measure of quality.

Methods and analysis

The validation design consists of five single studies to be conducted at the University of Halle-Wittenberg/Germany and Graz/Austria. (1) Achieving content validity through expert reviews of the first draft, (2) achieving feasibility using ‘think aloud’ in piloting with untrained users, (3) pretesting the instrument applied to health information materials without use of secondary sources: determining inter-rater reliability and criterion validity, (4) determining construct validity using information on proceedings and methods in the development process provided by the developers and (5) determining divergent validity in comparison with the Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQUIP) (expanded) Scale. The substudies will use varying samples of experts, students and developers and will apply the instrument to materials of various domains. Sample sizes will be adjusted to the particular research designs and questions. Analyses will employ qualitative methods, such as content analyses and discourse within the expert panel, and correlation-based methods both for determining inter-rater reliability and validity.

Ethics and dissemination

The project is approved by the ethics committee of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (approval number: 2019 115). Results will be published, and the instrument made accessible on public health platforms. It is meant to become a certification standard. MAPPinfo can be used as a screening instrument without training or secondary sources. Although developed in the German language, the instrument will be applicable also in other languages.

Trial registration number

AsPredected22546; date of registration: 24 July 2019.

Protocol version

July 2020.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy experiences in youth with inflammatory bowel disease and depression: findings from a mixed methods qualitative study
Authors: Ewais Tatjana , Begun Jake , Kenny Maura , Headey Alan , Tefay Merilyn , Kisely Steve
Published: November 2020

Objectives

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is effective in treating psychosocial comorbidities in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, there have been no qualitative studies of MBCT experiences among youth with IBD. We aimed to examine the experiences of youth with IBD and depression who completed an adapted MBCT group programme, and the impact of common psychotherapy and group factors.

Design

This mixed method qualitative study, nested within a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of MBCT for youth with IBD, employed thematic analysis of qualitative data from three focus groups and open-ended survey questions.

Setting

The study was conducted in the outpatient department of a tertiary hospital for young adults in Brisbane, Australia.

Participants

Out of sixty-four adolescents and young adults recruited to the RCT of MBCT for youth with IBD and depression, 29 completed the MBCT evaluation survey and 19 attended the focus groups.

Results

Four key themes emerged: ‘connectedness and shared understanding’, ‘growing in wisdom’, ‘therapeutic alliance’ and ‘barriers to mindfulness practice’. Participants described MBCT experiences as healing and transformative with the themes of connectedness, growing in wisdom and therapeutic alliance laying the foundation for therapeutic change. Main barriers included fatigue, depression, time and travel constraints.

Conclusions

The study identified key themes facilitating the process of therapeutic change within the MBCT programme for youth with IBD and elucidated common and group psychotherapy factors underlying the key themes. Participants perceived connecting with peers as essential for learning mindfulness skills which in turn strengthened the connection. Study findings will facilitate interpretation of the results of the RCT of MBCT in youth with IBD and inform the design of future studies of MBCT in this cohort.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12617000876392; Results.
Controlled observational study and economic evaluation of the effect of city-centre night-time alcohol intoxication management services on the emergency care system compared with usual care
Authors: Moore Simon , Young Tracey , Irving Andy , Goodacre Steve , Brennan Alan , Amos Yvette
Published: November 2020

Background

Alcohol intoxication management services (AIMS) provide an alternative care pathway for alcohol-intoxicated adults otherwise requiring emergency department (ED) services and at times of high incidence. We estimate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of AIMS on ED attendance rates with ED and ambulance service performance indicators as secondary outcomes.

Methods

A controlled longitudinal retrospective observational study in English and Welsh towns, six with AIMS and six without. Control and intervention cities were matched by sociodemographic characteristics. The primary outcome was ED attendance rate per night, secondary analyses explored hospital admission rates and ambulance response times. Interrupted time series analyses compared control and matched intervention sites pre-AIMS and post-AIMS. Cost-effectiveness analyses compared the component costs of AIMS to usual care before with results presented from the National Health Service and social care prospective. The number of diversions away from ED required for a service to be cost neutral was determined.

Results

Analyses found considerable variation across sites, only one service was associated with a significant reduction in ED attendances (−4.89, p<0.01). The services offered by AIMS varied. On average AIMS had 7.57 (mean minimum=1.33, SD=1.37 to mean maximum=24.66, SD=12.58) in attendance per session, below the 11.02 diversions away from ED at which services would be expected to be cost neutral.

Conclusions

AIMSs have variable effects on the emergency care system, reflecting variable structures and processes, but may be associated with modest reductions in the burden on ED and ambulance services. The more expensive model, supported by the ED, was the only configuration likely to divert patients away from ED. AIMS should be regarded as fledgling services that require further work to realise benefit.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN63096364.
Trainee burnout: when does the fire start?
Authors: Robinson David Bryan Thomas , James Osian Penri , Hopkins Luke , Brown Chris , Powell Arfon , Abdelrahman Tarig , Egan Richard John , Lewis Wyn
Published: November 2020

Purpose of the study

Burnout is an increasingly recognised phenomenon in acute healthcare specialities and associated with depersonalisation, ill health and training programme attrition. This study aimed to quantify contributory physiological variables that may indicate stress in newly qualified doctors.

Study design

Post Graduate Year 1 doctors (n=13, 7 f, 6 m) were fitted with a VivaLNK wellness device during four prior induction days, followed by their first 14 days work as qualified doctors. Minute-by-minute Heart Rate (HR), Respiratory Rate (RR), and Stress Index (SI) data were correlated with Maslach Burnout Inventories, Short Grit Scales (SGS) and clinical rota duties: Induction vs Normal Working-Day (NWD) versus On-call shift.

Results

In a total 125 recorded shift episodes, on comparing Induction versus NWD versus On-call shift work, no variation was observed in HR above baseline (25.47 vs 27.14 vs 24.34, p=0.240), RR above baseline (2.21 vs 1.86 vs 1.54, p=0.126) or SI (32.98 vs 38.02 vs 35.47, p=0.449). However, analysis of participant-specific temporal SIs correlated with shift-related clinical duties; that is, study participants who were most stressed during a NWD, were also more stressed during Induction (R2 0.442, p=0.026), and also during On-call shifts (R2 0.564, p=0.012). Higher SGS scores were inversely related to lower SIs (coefficient −32.52, 95% CI −45.881 to 19.154, p=0.001).

Conclusion

Stress and burnout stimulus appear to start on day one of induction for susceptible PGY1 doctors, and continues into front-line clinical work irrespective of shift pattern. Short Grit Scale questionnaires appear an effective tool to facilitate targeted stress countermeasures.
Evolution of non-operative management of liver trauma
Authors: Brooks Adam , Reilly John-Joe , Hope Carla , Navarro Alex , Naess Paal Aksel , Gaarder Christine
Published: November 2020

The management of complex liver injury has changed during the last 30 years. Operative management has evolved into a non-operative management (NOM) approach, with surgery reserved for those who present in extremis or become hemodynamically unstable despite resuscitation. This NOM approach has been associated with improved survival rates in severe liver injury and has been the mainstay of treatment for the last 20 years. Patients that fail NOM and require emergency surgery are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Better patient selection may have an impact not only on the rate of failure of NOM, but the mortality rate associated with it. The aim of this article is to review the evidence that helped shape the evolution of liver injury management during the last 30 years.
Accuracy of plain radiography in detecting fractures in older individuals after low-energy falls: current evidence
Authors: Pedersen Vera , Lampart Alina , Bingisser Roland , Nickel Christian Hans
Published: November 2020

Background

Older individuals sustaining low-energy falls (LEF) and presenting to the emergency department (ED) demand straightforward diagnostic measures for injury detection. Plain radiography (XR) series for diagnosis of fall-related injuries are standard of care, but frequently subsequent CT examination is required for diagnostic assurance. A systematic database search of diagnostic accuracy of XR for detection of fractures in older LEF patients was performed.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, WHO International Clinical Trial Platform, and Clinical trials.gov databases from inception to January 2020 for studies including older patients (≥65 years) with LEF and obtaining CT examination and XR of the skeleton in an ED setting.

Results

From 8944 references screened, 11 studies met the criteria for inclusion. Performance of XR for detection of fractures of the pelvic ring and hip was analyzed in nine studies, two studies investigated XR performance to detect rib fractures, and two studies compared diagnostic accuracy of thoracolumbar spine XR. Sensitivity estimates ranged from 10% to 58% and specificity estimates from 55% to 100%. Clinical and statistical heterogeneity was significant among included studies, with an overall considerable risk of bias.

Discussion

High-quality evidence on accurate imaging strategies in older patients with LEF is lacking to date. XR is missing a reasonable amount of fractures of the pelvic ring, rib cage, and thoracic and lumbar spine. However, the utility of first-line CT imaging and the benefit of diagnosing every fracture is unknown, demanding high-quality prospective trials considering patient-oriented outcome as well.
Initial clinical experience with the Quantra QStat System in adult trauma patients
Authors: Michelson Edward A , Cripps Michael W , Ray Bradford , Winegar Deborah A , Viola Francesco
Published: November 2020

Background

Whole blood viscoelastic testing (VET) devices are routinely used in a variety of clinical settings to assess hemostasis. The Quantra QStat System is a cartridge-based point of care VET device that measures changes in clot stiffness during coagulation and fibrinolysis using ultrasound detection of resonance. The objective of this study was to assess the ability of the Quantra QStat System to detect coagulopathies in trauma patients.

Methods

A multicenter observational study was conducted on adult subjects at two level 1 trauma centers. For each subject, whole blood samples were drawn upon arrival to the emergency department and again, in some cases, after administration of blood products and/or antifibrinolytics. Samples were analyzed on the Quantra in parallel to ROTEMdelta. The QStat cartridge provides measures of Clot Time (CT), Clot Stiffness (CS), Fibrinogen and Platelet Contributions to clot stiffness (FCS and PCS), and Clot Stability to Lysis (CSL). Data analyses included linear regression of Quantra and ROTEM parameters and an assessment of the concordance of the two devices for the assessment of hyperfibrinolysis.

Results

A total of 56 patients were analyzed. 42% of samples had a low QStat CS value suggestive of an hypocoagulable state. The low stiffness values could be attributed to either low PCS, FCS or combination. Additionally, 13% of samples showed evidence of hyperfibrinolysis based on the QStat CSL parameter. Samples analyzed with ROTEM assays showed a lower prevalence of low CS and hyperfibrinolysis based on EXTEM and FIBTEM results. The correlation of CS, FCS and CT versus equivalent ROTEM parameters was strong with r-values of 0.83, 0.79 and 0.79, respectively.

Discussion

This first clinical experience with the Quantra in trauma patients showed that the QStat Cartridge was strongly correlated with ROTEM parameters and that it could detect coagulopathies associated with critical bleeding.

Level of evidence

Diagnostic test, Level II.
Dexmedetomidine and ketamine simultaneous administration in tigers (Panthera tigris): pharmacokinetics and clinical effects
Authors: Di Cesare Federica , Cagnardi Petra , Villa Roberto , Rabbogliatti Vanessa , Lucatello Lorena , Capolongo Francesca , Gioeni Daniela , Capasso Michele , Magnone William , Ravasio Giuliano
Published: November 2020

Background

The study determines the pharmacokinetic profiles of dexmedetomidine (DEX), ketamine (KET) and its active metabolite, norketamine (NORKET), after simultaneous administration. Moreover, the study evaluates the sedative effects of this protocol, its influence on the main physiological variables and the occurrence of adverse effects.

Methods

Eighteen captive tigers were initially administered with a mixture of DEX (10 µg/kg) and KET (2 mg/kg) by remote intramuscular injection. In case of individual and specific needs, the protocol was modified and tigers could receive general anaesthesia, propofol or additional doses of DEX and KET.

Results

Based on the immobilisation protocol, nine animals were assigned to the standard protocol group and the other nine to the non‐standard protocol group. Higher area under the first moment curve (AUMC0‐last) and longer mean residence time (MRT0‐last) (P<0.05) were observed in the non‐standard protocol group for DEX, KET and NORKET, and higher area under the concentration‐time curve from administration to the last measurable concentration (AUC0‐last) only for KET. The KET metabolisation rate was similar (P=0.296) between groups. No differences between groups were detected in terms of stages of sedation and recoveries. All physiological variables remained within normality ranges during the whole observation period. During the hospitalisation period, no severe adverse reactions and signs of resedation were observed.

Conclusion

The simultaneous administration of 10 µg/kg of DEX and 2 mg/kg of KET can be considered an effective protocol for chemical immobilisation of captive tigers, along with dosage adjusments or when other drugs are needed.
Noether symmetries of Einstein-aether scalar field cosmology
Authors: Kucukakca Yusuf , Akbarieh Amin Rezaei
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we explore an Einstein-aether cosmological model by adding the scalar field in which it has an interaction with the aether field. For the cosmological implications of the model, we consider that the universe can be described by the spatially flat FRW metric together with the matter dominated universe. Applying Noether symmetry approach to the point-like Lagrangian we determine the explicit forms of unknown functions i.e. the potential and coupling function. We solve the analytical cosmological solutions of the field equations admitting the Noether symmetry, basically divided into two parts. Our results show that the obtained solutions lead to an accelerated expansion of the universe. We also discuss the tensor perturbations within the framework of this model in order to get information about the mass of gravitational waves.
Multicenter solutions in Eddington-inspired Born–Infeld gravity
Authors: Olmo Gonzalo J. , Orazi Emanuele , Rubiera-Garcia Diego
Published: November 2020

We find multicenter (Majumdar–Papapetrou type) solutions of Eddington-inspired Born–Infeld gravity coupled to electromagnetic fields governed by a Born–Infeld-like Lagrangian. We construct the general solution for an arbitrary number of centers in equilibrium and then discuss the properties of their one-particle configurations, including the existence of bounces and the regularity (geodesic completeness) of these spacetimes. Our method can be used to construct multicenter solutions in other theories of gravity.
Prospects for testing the inverse-square law and gravitomagnetism using quantum interference
Authors: Hammad Fayçal , Landry Alexandre , Mathieu Kaleb
Published: November 2020

We examine a simple tabletop experimental setup for probing the inverse-square law of gravity and detecting eventual deviations therefrom. The nature of the setup allows indeed to effectively reach for shorter distances compared to what is allowed by other methods. Furthermore, we show that the same setup could also in principle be used to probe the interaction between gravitomagnetism and the intrinsic angular spin of quantum particles. Moreover, we show that the setup allows to have a gravitationally induced harmonic oscillator, introducing thus the possibility of studying in a novel way the interaction between gravity and quantum particles.
Surface Electromyography-Based Muscle Fatigue Analysis Using Binary and Weighted Visibility Graph Features
Authors: Makaram Navaneethakrishna , Karthick P. A. , Gopinath Venugopal , Swaminathan Ramakrishnan
Published: November 2020

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a non-invasive technique to assess the electrical activity of contracting skeletal muscles. sEMG-based muscle fatigue detection plays a key role in sports medicine, ergonomics and rehabilitation. These signals are random, multicomponent, nonlinear and the degree of fluctuations is higher in dynamic contractions. Hence, the extraction of reliable biomarkers remains a challenging task. In this work, an attempt has been made to differentiate non-fatigue, and fatigue conditions using nonlinear techniques, namely, binary and weighted Visibility Graph (VG) features. For this, signals are recorded from the biceps brachii muscle of 52 healthy adult volunteers. These signals are preprocessed, and the contractions associated with the non-fatigue and fatigue conditions are segmented. The graph transformation is performed, and first-order and second-order statistics, along with entropy measures, are extracted from the degree distribution. Parametric and non-parametric machine learning methods are applied for the classification. The results show that the proposed VG approach is able to capture the fluctuations of the signals in non-fatigue and fatigue conditions. Further, all extracted features exhibit a significant difference with [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]. Maximum accuracy of 89.1% is achieved with information gain selected features and extreme learning machines classifier. Additionally, weighted VG features perform better than the binary version with a difference in the accuracy of 5%. It appears that the proposed approach could be used in real-time implementation for the monitoring of muscle fatigue conditions.
Algebraic approach to Rump’s results on relations between braces and pre-lie algebras
Authors: Smoktunowicz Agata
Published: November 2020

In 2014, Wolfgang Rump showed that there exists a correspondence between left nilpotent right [Formula: see text]-braces and pre-Lie algebras. This correspondence, established using a geometric approach related to flat affine manifolds and affine torsors, works locally. In this paper, we explain Rump’s correspondence using only algebraic formulae. An algebraic interpretation of the correspondence works for fields of sufficiently large prime characteristic as well as for fields of characteristic zero.
Intra-alveolar neutrophil-derived microvesicles are associated with disease severity in COPD
Authors: Soni Sanooj , Garner Justin L. , O’Dea Kieran P. , Koh Marissa , Finney Lydia , Tirlapur Nikhil , Srikanthan Karthi , Tenda Eric D. , Aboelhassan Arafa M. , Singh Suveer , Wilson Michael R. , Wedzicha Jadwiga A. , Kemp Samuel V. , Usmani Omar S. , Shah Pallav L. , Takata Masao
Published: November 2020

Despite advances in the pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), there is a distinct lack of biochemical markers to aid clinical management. Microvesicles (MVs) have been implicated in the pathophysiology of inflammatory diseases including COPD, but their association to COPD disease severity remains unknown. We analyzed different MV populations in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) taken from 62 patients with mild to very severe COPD (51% male; mean age: 65.9 yr). These patients underwent comprehensive clinical evaluation (symptom scores, lung function, and exercise testing), and the capacity of MVs to be clinical markers of disease severity was assessed. We successfully identified various MV subtype populations within BALF [leukocyte, polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN; i.e., neutrophil), monocyte, epithelial, and platelet MVs] and plasma (leukocyte, PMN, monocyte, and endothelial MVs) and compared each MV population to disease severity. BALF neutrophil MVs were the only population to significantly correlate with the clinical evaluation scores including forced expiratory volume in 1 s, modified Medical Research Council dyspnea score, 6-min walk test, hyperinflation, and gas transfer. BALF neutrophil MVs, but not neutrophil cell numbers, also strongly correlated with BODE index. We have undertaken, for the first time, a comprehensive evaluation of MV profiles within BALF/plasma of COPD patients. We demonstrate that BALF levels of neutrophil-derived MVs are unique in correlating with a number of key functional and clinically relevant disease severity indexes. Our results show the potential of BALF neutrophil MVs for a COPD biomarker that tightly links a key pathophysiological mechanism of COPD (intra-alveolar neutrophil activation) with clinical severity/outcome.
Impact of chorionic somatomammotropin RNA interference on uterine blood flow and placental glucose uptake in the absence of intrauterine growth restriction
Authors: Tanner Amelia R. , Lynch Cameron S. , Ali Asghar , Winger Quinton A. , Rozance Paul J. , Anthony Russell V.
Published: November 2020

Chorionic somatomammotropin (CSH) is one of the most abundantly produced placental hormones, yet its exact function remains elusive. Near-term [135 days of gestational age (dGA)], CSH RNA interference (RNAi) results in two distinct phenotypes: 1) pregnancies with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and 2) pregnancies with normal fetal and placental weights. Here, we report the physiological changes in CSH RNAi pregnancies without IUGR. The trophectoderm of hatched blastocysts (9 dGA) were infected with lentiviral-constructs expressing either a scrambled control (Control RNAi) or CSH-specific shRNA (CSH RNAi), prior to transfer into synchronized recipient ewes. At 126 dGA, Control RNAi ( n = 6) and CSH RNAi ( n = 6) pregnancies were fitted with maternal and fetal catheters. Uterine and umbilical blood flows were measured at 132 dGA and nutrient uptakes were calculated by the Fick’s principle. Control RNAi and CSH RNAi pregnancies were compared by analysis of variance, and significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Absolute (mL/min) and relative (mL/min/kg fetus) uterine blood flows were reduced ( P ≤ 0.05) in CSH RNAi pregnancies, but umbilical flows were not impacted. The uterine artery-to-vein glucose gradient (mmol/L) was significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) increased. The uteroplacental glucose uptake (μmoL/min/kg placenta) was increased ( P ≤ 0.05), whereas umbilical glucose uptake (μmoL/min/kg fetus) was reduced. Our results demonstrate that CSH RNAi has significant physiological ramifications, even in the absence of IUGR, and comparing CSH RNAi pregnancies exhibiting both IUGR and non-IUGR phenotypes may help determine the direct effects of CSH and its potential impact on fetal development.
Reliability of robotic transcranial magnetic stimulation motor mapping
Authors: Giuffre Adrianna , Kahl Cynthia K. , Zewdie Ephrem , Wrightson James G. , Bourgeois Anna , Condliffe Elizabeth G. , Kirton Adam
Published: November 2020

Robotic transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive and safe tool that produces cortical motor maps—individualized representations of the primary motor cortex (M1) topography—that may reflect developmental and interventional plasticity. This study is the first to evaluate short- and long-term relative and absolute reliability of TMS mapping outcomes at various M1 excitability levels using novel robotic neuronavigated TMS.
A Novel ULA-Difference-Coarray-Based DOA Estimation Method for General Coherent Signals
Authors: Chen Zhang , Wu Hao , Liu Yongxiang
Published: November 2020

In this article, a difference-coarray-based direction of arrival (DOA) method is introduced, which utilizes the uniform linear array (ULA) in a novel fashion to address the problem of DOA estimation for coherent signals. Inspired by the coarray-based estimators employed in cases of sparse arrays, we convert the sample covariance matrix of the observed signals into the difference coarray domain and process the signals using a spatial smoothing technique. The proposed method exhibits good accuracy and robustness in both the uncorrelated and coherent cases. Numerical simulations verify that the ULA difference coarray- (UDC-) based method can achieve good DOA estimation accuracy even when the SNR is very low. In addition, the UDC-based method is insensitive to the number of snapshots. Under extremely challenging conditions, the proposed UDC-ES-DOA method is preferred because of its outstanding robustness, while the UDC-MUSIC method is suitable for most moderate cases of lower complexity. Due to its demonstrated advantages, the proposed method is a promising and competitive solution for practical DOA estimation, especially for low-SNR or snapshot-limited applications.
Hemangiopericytoma: Incidence, Treatment, and Prognosis Analysis Based on SEER Database
Authors: Wang Kewei , Mei Fei , Wu Sisi , Tan Zui
Published: November 2020

Background. Hemangiopericytomas are rare tumors derived from pericytes surrounding the blood vessels. The clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of hemangiopericytoma patients remain mostly unknown. In this retrospective cohort study, we assessed the clinicopathological characteristics of hemangiopericytoma patients, as well as the clinical usefulness of different treatment modalities. Material and Methods. We collected the clinicopathological data (between 1975 and 2016) of hemangiopericytoma and hemangioendothelioma patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Incidence, treatment, and patient prognosis were assessed. Results. Data from 1474 patients were analyzed in our study cohort (hemangiopericytoma: n = 1243; hemangioendothelioma: n = 231). The incidence of hemangiopericytoma in 2016 was 0.060 per 100,000 individuals. The overall survival (OS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) did not differ between patients with hemangioendothelioma and those with hemangiopericytoma (P = 0.721, P = 0.544). The tumor grade had no effect on the OS of hemangiopericytoma patients. Multivariate analysis revealed the clinical usefulness of surgery in hemangiopericytoma patients (HR = 0.15, 95% confidence interval: 0.05‐0.41, P < 0.001). In contrast, radiotherapy did not improve OS (P = 0.497) or CSS (P = 0.584), and chemotherapy worsened patient survival (P < 0.001). Additionally, the combination of surgery and radiotherapy had a similar effect with surgery alone on hemangiopericytoma patient survival (OS: P = 0.900; CSS: P = 0.156). Surgery plus chemotherapy provided a worse clinical benefit than surgery alone (P < 0.001). Conclusions. Our findings suggested that hemangiopericytoma had a similar prognosis with hemangioendothelioma. Surgery was the only effective treatment that provided survival benefits in hemangiopericytoma patients, while the clinical usefulness of adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy was limited.
Grey Relation Evaluation and Truth Value Fusion of Rolling Bearing Multisource Residual Stress
Authors: Pang Xiaoxu , Wang Dongfeng , Chen Lihai , Ye Liang
Published: November 2020

Bearing ring residual stress test data obtained by µ-360 s residual stress analyzer have the characteristics of unknown probability distribution and limited samples. For this problem, this study introduces the uncertainty and proposes a grey relation method to estimate the true value of the bearing ring residual stress. Based on poor information theory (incomplete and insufficient information for the characteristic presented in the subject investigated) and by fusing the membership function method, maximum membership method, rolling mean method, and bootstrap method, the true value sequence of the residual stress is obtained. On this basis, true value fusion is implemented again using the grey bootstrap method, and the estimated true value of the residual stress for the bearing ring was obtained. The results show that the residual stresses of bearing rings are fused by multiple methods, and the overall estimated true value of the residual stress of the bearing ring is −578 MPa. Owing to different processing techniques, the true value of the residual stress varies in different parts of the ring as follows: −918 MPa on the large end surface of the ring, −673 MPa on the small end face of the ring, −228 MPa at the vertical test point on the outer surface of the ring, and −231 MPa at the parallel test point on the outer surface of the ring. The error between the estimated true value obtained using the grey relation method and that obtained through the fusion of multiple methods is generally 10% or less, thereby confirming the effectiveness of the grey relation method.
Research on Reliability for Servo Turret Based on Vibration Transmission Path System with Stiffness Degradation Model
Authors: Zhu Li-sha , Li Lian-sheng , Li Shang-jie , Wang Shan
Published: November 2020

The stiffness degradation of the servo turret will inevitably lead to accuracy reduction of the cutter head and the tool change. Considering the degradation process of servo turret with stiffness, by introducing the stiffness cumulative damage theory into the vibration differential equation, combined with stochastic finite element method and reliability theory, the mathematical model of the reliability and reliability sensitivity for vibration transmission path system with random parameters was established. Taking a typical power servo turret for example, the reliability and the reliability sensitivity to each random parameter at the mean value with the excitation frequency and time were obtained. The results showed that the shift of the reliability and reliability sensitivity to random parameters with time was caused by the stiffness degradation, the peak value of reliability sensitivity fluctuated with time, and the peak value in the frequency domain at the initial time was not necessarily the maximum value in the time domain. The accuracy of the proposed method was further proved by the Monte Carlo method. Optimizing sensitive parameters could enhance the system stability and effectively prevent the resonance failure caused by the change of the resonance region.
Study on the Construction Performance of Zeolite Asphalt Mixture Based on Macro‐Micro Scale
Authors: Li Zhuolin , Ren Junda , Zhu Jianping , Li Wei , Fu Xingsheng , Yang Liying
Published: November 2020

In order to explore the construction performance of zeolite asphalt mixture, the microproperties of zeolite and the macroproperties of zeolite asphalt mixture were studied. The structure composition, surface properties, and pore characteristics of zeolite were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy and pressure pump method. The structure, composition, and thermal stability of zeolite were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry, the mechanism of moisture absorption and loss of water was explored, and the properties of moisture absorption and loss of water were studied. The effect of the type and amount of zeolite on the viscosity of asphalt was studied by the viscosity test. According to the mixing current and the compaction void ratio, the influence of zeolite on the construction performance of zeolite asphalt mixture was studied. The results show that zeolite contains special zeolite water and the pore content of zeolite is much higher than that of mineral powder. Zeolite loses water at 90°C∼120°C, which is the necessary condition for zeolite to be used in warm mix asphalt mixture. The water absorption and loss capacity of zeolite mainly depend on pore volume. The larger the pore volume is, the stronger the water holding capacity of zeolite is. Meanwhile, the water holding capacity and loss capacity of zeolite are related to pore size distribution. According to the viscosity temperature equation, the mixing and compaction temperature of the asphalt mixture are determined. The mixing and initial pressure temperature of the zeolite asphalt mixture are lower than those of the hot asphalt mixture. Based on the principle of mixing current equivalence, the mixing temperature of zeolite asphalt mixture can be reduced by 20°C compared with that of hot asphalt mixture. The better the water loss performance of zeolite is, the easier the mixture is to be compacted. For the base asphalt mixture, the compaction temperature of the mixture is 120–130°C, and, for the modified asphalt mixture, the compaction temperature is 130–140°C.
Statistical Modeling of Determinants of Anemia Prevalence among Children Aged 6–59 Months in Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Ogunsakin Ropo Ebenezer , Babalola Bayowa Teniola , Akinyemi Oludare
Published: November 2020

Objective. Childhood anemia remains a significant public health challenge in developing countries, and it has negative consequences on the growth of the children. Therefore, it is essential to identify the determinants of childhood anemia, as these will help in formulating appropriate health policies in order to meet the United Nations MDG goal. This study aims to assess and model the determinants of the prevalence of anemia among children aged 6–59 months in Nigeria. To accomplish the aims of the study, the authors applied single-level and multilevel binary logistic regression models. Methods. To measure the relative impact of individual and household-level factors for childhood anemia among children aged 6–59 months, this study undertakes data from Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys with both binary logistic and multilevel logistic regression models. The fit of the model was assessed by Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit, variance inflation factor, and likelihood ratio tests. Results. The study established that about 67.01% of the children were anemic and identified sex of children, mother’s education, religion, household wealth status, total children ever born, age of children, place of residence, and region to have a statistical significant effect on the prevalence of anemia. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for anemia was 0.56 (95% CI = 0.50, 0.63) in children aged from 24 to 42 months and 0.40 (95% CI = 0.36, 0.45) in children aged from 43 to 59 months. Also, children who reside in certain geographical-political zones of Nigeria are associated with increased childhood anemia. Conclusion. This study has highlighted the high prevalence of childhood anemia in Nigeria and indicated the need to improve mothers’ education and regional variations. Findings from this study can help policymakers and public health institutions to map out programs targeting these regions as a measure of tackling the prevalence of anemia among the Nigerian populace.
Parameter Optimization and Experimental Analysis of Passive Energy Storage Power-Assisted Exoskeleton
Authors: Han Ming , Shi Baojun , Wang Shijie , Li Tiejun , Feng Jianbin , Ma Tao
Published: November 2020

To address the occurrence of lumbar spine disease among labor workers who carry heavy objects, a passive energy storage based exoskeletal apparatus was designed to assist, using springs as energy storage elements and utilizing the change in energy that occurs when the human body is bent during the process of lifting objects. First, the mechanism of the exoskeleton was statically modeled; the spring stiffnesses and the locations of support points were used as design variables to optimize the model by optimizing the effective moment on the lumbar spine. Next, an optimized algorithm (Optdes-Sqp) based on the Newton method for solving quadratic programming subproblems was applied to optimize the stiffnesses of compression and extension springs and the positions of the upper support points of each spring. The accuracy of the simulated model was also verified using MATLAB software. Finally, the effect of optimization was verified, and the respiratory rates and heart rates of subjects before and after wearing the exoskeleton were analyzed. The experimental results show that the exoskeleton designed in this study assisted the subjects, and the results lay the foundation for follow-up designs and studies of exoskeletons.
An Evaluation on Investment of Research Funds with a Neural Network Algorithm in “Double First-Class” Universities
Authors: Sun Jihong , Li Yahui , Zhao Xiaoyun , Zhang Nanxing
Published: November 2020

In the current context of the establishment of world-class universities and disciplines in China, this study examined the investment of research funds at universities. First, six variables were selected as evaluation indicators from the perspective of fixed assets, teaching configuration, research instruments, and the number of books in libraries. Seventy-two universities were investigated from 2013 to 2017. Second, an evaluation system was constructed using the BP (backpropagation) neural network method and its applicability was verified. Finally, by adjusting the six indicators, the investment of university research funds could be adjusted and predicted to provide a reference for the construction of “first-class” universities and disciplines.
Prognostic Values of the Gray‐to‐White Matter Ratio on Brain Computed Tomography Images for Neurological Outcomes after Cardiac Arrest: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Wang Wen Jie , Cui Jie , Lv Guang Wei , Feng Shun Yi , Zhao Yong , Zhang Su Li , Li Yong
Published: November 2020

Background and Purpose. The gray‐to‐white matter ratio (GWR) on brain computed tomography (CT) is associated with neurological outcomes after cardiac arrest (CA); however, the prognostic value of GWR in CA patients has yet to be confirmed. Therefore, we conducted a meta‐analysis of related studies to investigate the prognostic value of GWR on brain CT for neurological outcomes after CA. Materials and Methods. The PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched for all relevant articles published before March 31, 2020, without any language restrictions. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with a random‐effects model using Stata 14.0 software. Result. A total of 24 eligible studies with 2812 CA patients were recruited in the meta‐analysis. The pooled result showed that decreased GWR was correlated with poor neurological outcomes after CA (OR = 11.28, 95% CI: 6.29–20.21, and P < 0.001) with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 71.5%, P < 0.001). The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.58 (95% CI: 0.47–0.68) and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.87–0.98), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of GWR was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.80–0.87). Compared with GWR (cerebrum) and GWR (average), GWR using the basal ganglion level of brain CT had the highest AUC of 0.87 (0.84–0.90). Subgroup analysis indicated that heterogeneity may be derived from the time of CT measurement, preset specificity, targeted temperature management, or proportion of cardiac etiology. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the result was stable, and Deeks’ plot showed no possible publication bias (P = 0 .64). Conclusion. Current research suggests that GWR, especially using the basal ganglion level of brain CT, is a useful parameter for determining neurological outcomes after CA.
Prognosis and Multiobjective Optimization of the Sampling Plan for Cylindricity Evaluation
Authors: Mian Syed Hammad , Umer Usama , Abdulhameed Osama , Alkhalefah Hisham
Published: November 2020

The actualization of the befitting sampling strategy and the application of an appropriate evaluation algorithm have been elementary issues in the coordinate metrology. The decisions regarding their choice for a given geometrical feature customarily rely upon the user’s instinct or experience. As a consequence, the measurement results have to be accommodated between the accuracy and the inspection time. Certainly, a reliable and efficient sampling plan is imperative to accomplish a dependable inspection in minimal time, effort, and cost. This paper deals with the determination of an optimal sampling plan that minimizes the inspection cost, while still promising a measurement quality. A cylindrical-shaped component has been utilized in this work to achieve the desired objective. The inspection quality of the cylinder using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) can be enhanced by controlling the three main parameters, which are used as input variables in the data file, namely, point distribution schemes, total number of points, and form evaluation algorithms. These factors affect the inspection output, in terms of cylindricity and measurement time, which are considered as target variables. The dataset, which comprises input and intended parameters, has been acquired through experimentation on the CMM machine. This work has utilized state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms to establish predictive models, which can predict the inspection output. The different algorithms have been examined and compared to seek for the most relevant machine learning regression method. The best performance has been observed using the support vector regression for cylindricity, with a mean absolute error of 0.000508 mm and a root-mean-squared error of 0.000885 mm. Likewise, the best prediction performance for measuring time has been demonstrated by the decision trees. Finally, the optimal parameters are estimated by employing the grey relational analysis (GRA) and the fuzzy technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (FTOPSIS). It has been approved that the values obtained from GRA are comparable with those of the FTOPSIS. Moreover, the quality of the optimal results is bettered by incorporating the measurement uncertainty in the outcome.
A Short-Term Wind Speed Forecasting Hybrid Model Based on Empirical Mode Decomposition and Multiple Kernel Learning
Authors: Xu Yuanyuan , Yang Genke
Published: November 2020

Short-term wind speed forecasting plays an increasingly important role in the security, scheduling, and optimization of power systems. As wind speed signals are usually nonlinear and nonstationary, how to accurately forecast future states is a challenge for existing methods. In this paper, for highly complex wind speed signals, we propose a multiple kernel learning- (MKL-) based method to adaptively assign the weights of multiple prediction functions, which extends conventional wind speed forecasting methods using a support vector machine. First, empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is used to decompose complex signals into several intrinsic mode function component signals with different time scales. Then, for each channel, one multiple kernel model is constructed for forecasting the current sequence signal. Finally, several experiments are carried out on different New Zealand wind farm data, and the relevant prediction accuracy indexes and confidence intervals are evaluated. Extensive experimental results show that, compared with existing machine learning methods, the EMD-MKL model proposed in this paper has better performance in terms of the prediction accuracy evaluation indexes and confidence intervals and shows a better ability to generalize.
Unconstrained Face Identification Based on 3D Face Frontalization and Support Vector Guided Dictionary Learning
Authors: Zhang Zhi , Xu Xin , Liang Jiuzhen , Sun Bingyu
Published: November 2020

Face identification aims at putting a label on an unknown face with respect to some training set. Unconstrained face identification is a challenging problem because of the possible variations in face pose, illumination, occlusion, and facial expression. This paper presents an unconstrained face identification method based on face frontalization and learning-based data representation. Firstly, the frontal views of unconstrained face images are automatically generated by using a single, unchanged 3D face model. Then, we crop the face relevant regions of the frontal views to segment faces from the backgrounds. At last, to enhance the discriminative capability of the coding vectors, a support vector-guided dictionary learning (SVGDL) model is applied to adaptively assign different weights to different pairs of coding vectors. The performance of the proposed method FSVGDL (frontalization-based support vector guided dictionary learning) is evaluated on the Labeled Faces in the wild (LFW) database. After decision fusion, the identification accuracy yields 97.17% when using 7 images per individual for training and 3 images per individual for testing with 158 classes in total.
Antimicrobial Activity of Pomegranate Peel and Its Applications on Food Preservation
Authors: Chen Jing , Liao Chunling , Ouyang Xiaolu , Kahramanoğlu Ibrahim , Gan Yudi , Li Mingxi
Published: November 2020

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit is being cultivated since the civilization is known, and its production and consumption have been increased since the last century due to the scientific confirmation of its health benefits. Pomegranate fruits, fruit juice, its seeds, and peels are known to have higher contents of bioactive compounds, viz., phenolic acids, flavonoids, and hydrolysable tannins. The peels of pomegranate fruits are the major by-products produced during food processing of pomegranate enriched in antioxidants and broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents and can prevent food deterioration even. This health potential of pomegranate is known to vary significantly upon the varieties, growing conditions, cultivation practices, stages of the development, and the extraction methods. Herein, the biochemical composition of the pomegranate peel extract (PPE), its efficacy in food preservation, and antimicrobial activities are discussed to provide a comprehensive guide for farmers, food processing, and storage sectors and academia.