bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The sustainability of stock price fluctuations: Explanation from a recursive dynamic model
Authors: Xie Jun , Xia Wenqian , Gao Bin
Published: August 2021

The sustainability of stock price fluctuations indicated by many empirical studies hardly reconciles with the existing models in standard financial theories. This paper proposes a recursive dynamic asset pricing model based on the comprehensive impact of the sentiment investor, the information trader and the noise trader. The dynamic process of the asset price is characterized and a numerical simulation of the model is provided. The model captures the features of the actual stock price that are consistent with the empirical evidence on the sustainability of stock price fluctuations. It also offers a partial explanation for other financial anomalies, for example, asset price’s overreaction, asset bubble and the financial crisis. The major finding is that investor sentiment is the key factor to understand the sustainability of stock price fluctuations.
Colonoscopy polyp detection and classification: Dataset creation and comparative evaluations
Authors: Li Kaidong , Fathan Mohammad I. , Patel Krushi , Zhang Tianxiao , Zhong Cuncong , Bansal Ajay , Rastogi Amit , Wang Jean S. , Wang Guanghui
Published: August 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common types of cancer with a high mortality rate. Colonoscopy is the preferred procedure for CRC screening and has proven to be effective in reducing CRC mortality. Thus, a reliable computer-aided polyp detection and classification system can significantly increase the effectiveness of colonoscopy. In this paper, we create an endoscopic dataset collected from various sources and annotate the ground truth of polyp location and classification results with the help of experienced gastroenterologists. The dataset can serve as a benchmark platform to train and evaluate the machine learning models for polyp classification. We have also compared the performance of eight state-of-the-art deep learning-based object detection models. The results demonstrate that deep CNN models are promising in CRC screening. This work can serve as a baseline for future research in polyp detection and classification.
Clusters of cause specific neonatal mortality and its association with per capita gross domestic product: A structured spatial analytical approach
Authors: Testoni Costa-Nobre Daniela , Kawakami Mandira Daripa , Areco Kelsy Catherina Nema , Sanudo Adriana , Balda Rita Cassia Xavier , Marinonio Ana Sílvia Scavacini , Miyoshi Milton Harumi , Konstantyner Tulio , Bandiera-Paiva Paulo , Freitas Rosa Maria Vieira , Morais Liliam Cristina Correia , Teixeira Mônica La Porte , Waldvogel Bernadette , Almeida Maria Fernanda Branco de , Guinsburg Ruth , Kiffer Carlos Roberto Veiga
Published: August 2021

Background

Infant mortality rate is a measure of population health and neonatal mortality account for great proportion of these deaths. Underdevelopment might be associated to higher neonatal mortality risk due to assistant related factors. Spatial and temporal distribution of mortality help identifying and developing strategies for interventions.

Objective

To investigate the cluster areas of asphyxia-associated neonatal mortality and to explore its association with per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in São Paulo State (SP), Brazil.

Methods

Ecological study including live births residents in SP from 2004–2013. Neonatal deaths (0–27 days) with perinatal asphyxia were defined as intrauterine hypoxia, birth asphyxia or meconium aspiration syndrome written in any line of the Death Certificate. Geoprocessing analytical approach included detection of first order effects through quintiles and spatial moving average maps, followed by second order effects by global and local spatial autocorrelation (Moran and LISA, respectively) before and after smoothing with local Bayesian estimates. Finally, Spearman correlation was applied between asphyxia-associated neonatal mortality and mean per capita GDP rates for the municipalities with significant LISA.

Results

There were 6,713 asphyxia-associated neonatal deaths among 5,949,267 live births (rate: 1.13/1000) in SP. Spatial moving average maps showed a non-random distribution among municipalities, with presence of clusters (I = 0.048; p = 0.023). LISA map identified clusters of asphyxia-associated neonatal mortality in the south, southeast and northwest. After applying local Bayes estimates, clusters were more pronounced (I = 0.589; p = 0.001). There was a partial overlap of the areas of higher asphyxia-associated neonatal mortality and lower mean per capita GDP.

Conclusions

Spatial analysis identified cluster areas of high asphyxia-associated neonatal mortality and low per capita GDP rates, with a significant negative correlation. This optimized, structured, and hierarchical approach to identify high-risk areas of cause-specific neonatal mortality may be helpful for guiding public health efforts to decrease neonatal mortality.
Differential privacy for eye tracking with temporal correlations
Authors: Bozkir Efe , Günlü Onur , Fuhl Wolfgang , Schaefer Rafael F. , Kasneci Enkelejda
Published: August 2021

New generation head-mounted displays, such as VR and AR glasses, are coming into the market with already integrated eye tracking and are expected to enable novel ways of human-computer interaction in numerous applications. However, since eye movement properties contain biometric information, privacy concerns have to be handled properly. Privacy-preservation techniques such as differential privacy mechanisms have recently been applied to eye movement data obtained from such displays. Standard differential privacy mechanisms; however, are vulnerable due to temporal correlations between the eye movement observations. In this work, we propose a novel transform-coding based differential privacy mechanism to further adapt it to the statistics of eye movement feature data and compare various low-complexity methods. We extend the Fourier perturbation algorithm, which is a differential privacy mechanism, and correct a scaling mistake in its proof. Furthermore, we illustrate significant reductions in sample correlations in addition to query sensitivities, which provide the best utility-privacy trade-off in the eye tracking literature. Our results provide significantly high privacy without any essential loss in classification accuracies while hiding personal identifiers.
Diabetes self-management education interventions in the WHO African Region: A scoping review
Authors: Kumah Emmanuel , Otchere Godfred , Ankomah Samuel Egyakwa , Fusheini Adam , Kokuro Collins , Aduo-Adjei Kofi , A. Amankwah Joseph
Published: August 2021

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the commonest chronic diseases worldwide. Self-Management Education (SME) is regarded as a critical element of treatment for all people with diabetes, as well as those at risk of developing the condition. While a great variety of diabetes self-management education (DSME) interventions are available in high-income countries, limited information exists on educational programs for the prevention and management of diabetes complications in Africa. This study, therefore, aimed at synthesizing information in the literature to describe the state of the science of DSME interventions in the WHO African Region.

Materials and methods

The study is a scoping review, which followed the standard PRISMA guidelines for conducting and reporting scoping reviews. A systematic keyword and subject headings searches were conducted on six electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) to identify relevant English language publications on DSME from 2000 through 2020. Titles and abstracts of the search results were screened to select eligible papers for full text reading. All eligible papers were retrieved and full text screening was done by three independent reviewers to select studies for inclusion in the final analysis.

Results

Nineteen studies were included in the review. The interventions identified were individually oriented, group-based, individually oriented & group-based, and information technology-based DSME programs. Outcomes of the interventions were mixed. While the majority yielded significant positive results on HbA1c, diabetes knowledge, blood pressure, blood sugar and foot care practices; few demonstrated positive outcomes on self-efficacy, BMI, physical activity; self-monitoring of blood glucose, medication adherence, smoking and alcohol consumption.

Conclusions

The limited studies available indicate that DSME interventions in the WHO African Region have mixed effects on patient behaviors and health outcomes. That notwithstanding, the majority of the interventions demonstrated statistically significant positive effects on HbA1c, the main outcome measure in most DSME intervention studies.
Computed tomography radiomic features hold prognostic utility for canine lung tumors: An analytical study
Authors: Able Hannah , Wolf-Ringwall Amber , Rendahl Aaron , Ober Christopher P. , Seelig Davis M. , Wilke Chris T. , Lawrence Jessica
Published: August 2021

Quantitative analysis of computed tomography (CT) radiomic features is an indirect measure of tumor heterogeneity, which has been associated with prognosis in human lung carcinoma. Canine lung tumors share similar features to human lung tumors and serve as a model in which to investigate the utility of radiomic features in differentiating tumor type and prognostication. The purpose of this study was to correlate first-order radiomic features from canine pulmonary tumors to histopathologic characteristics and outcome. Disease-free survival, overall survival time and tumor-specific survival were calculated as days from the date of CT scan. Sixty-seven tumors from 65 dogs were evaluated. Fifty-six tumors were classified as primary pulmonary adenocarcinomas and 11 were non-adenocarcinomas. All dogs were treated with surgical resection; 14 dogs received adjuvant chemotherapy. Second opinion histopathology in 63 tumors confirmed the histologic diagnosis in all dogs and further characterized 53 adenocarcinomas. The median overall survival time was longer (p = 0.004) for adenocarcinomas (339d) compared to non-adenocarcinomas (55d). There was wide variation in first-order radiomic statistics across tumors. Mean Hounsfield units (HU) ratio (p = 0.042) and median mean HU ratio (p = 0.042) were higher in adenocarcinomas than in non-adenocarcinomas. For dogs with adenocarcinoma, completeness of excision was associated with overall survival (p<0.001) while higher mitotic index (p = 0.007) and histologic score (p = 0.037) were associated with shorter disease-free survival. CT-derived tumor variables prognostic for outcome included volume, maximum axial diameter, and four radiomic features: integral total, integral total mean ratio, total HU, and max mean HU ratio. Tumor volume was also significantly associated with tumor invasion (p = 0.044). Further study of radiomic features in canine lung tumors is warranted as a method to non-invasively interrogate CT images for potential predictive and prognostic utility.
Automated detection of superficial fungal infections from microscopic images through a regional convolutional neural network
Authors: Koo Taehan , Kim Moon Hwan , Jue Mihn-Sook
Published: August 2021

Direct microscopic examination with potassium hydroxide is generally used as a screening method for diagnosing superficial fungal infections. Although this type of examination is faster than other diagnostic methods, it can still be time-consuming to evaluate a complete sample; additionally, it possesses the disadvantage of inconsistent reliability as the accuracy of the reading may differ depending on the performer’s skill. This study aims at detecting hyphae more quickly, conveniently, and consistently through deep learning using images obtained from microscopy used in real-world practice. An object detection convolutional neural network, YOLO v4, was trained on microscopy images with magnifications of 100×, 40×, and (100+40)×. The study was conducted at the Department of Dermatology at Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Korea between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019, using 3,707 images (1,255 images for training, 1,645 images for testing). The average precision was used to evaluate the accuracy of object detection. Precision recall curve analysis was performed for the hyphal location determination, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed on the image classification. The F1 score, sensitivity, and specificity values were used as measures of the overall performance. The sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, 95.2% and 100% in the 100× data model, and 99% and 86.6% in the 40× data model; the sensitivity and specificity in the combined (100+40)× data model were 93.2% and 89%, respectively. The performance of our model had high sensitivity and specificity, indicating that hyphae can be detected with reliable accuracy. Thus, our deep learning-based autodetection model can detect hyphae in microscopic images obtained from real-world practice. We aim to develop an automatic hyphae detection system that can be utilized in real-world practice through continuous research.
Direct detection of SARS-CoV-2 antisense and sense genomic RNA in human saliva by semi-autonomous fluorescence in situ hybridization: A proxy for contagiousness?
Authors: Jansen Gijsbert J. , Wiersma Marit , van Wamel Willem J. B. , Wijnberg Inge D.
Published: August 2021

Saliva is a matrix which may act as a vector for pathogen transmission and may serve as a possible proxy for SARS-CoV-2 contagiousness. Therefore, the possibility of detection of intracellular SARS-CoV-2 in saliva by means of fluorescence in situ hybridization is tested, utilizing probes targeting the antisense or sense genomic RNA of SARS-CoV-2. This method was applied in a pilot study with saliva samples collected from healthy persons and those presenting with mild or moderate COVID-19 symptoms. In all participants, saliva appeared a suitable matrix for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Among the healthy, mild COVID-19-symptomatic and moderate COVID-19-symptomatic persons, 0%, 90% and 100% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, respectively. Moreover, the procedure allows for simultaneous measurement of viral load (‘presence’, sense genomic SARS-CoV-2 RNA) and viral replication (‘activity’, antisense genomic SARS-CoV-2 RNA) and may yield qualitative results. In addition, the visualization of DNA in the cells in saliva provides an additional cytological context to the validity and interpretability of the test results. The method described in this pilot study may be a valuable diagnostic tool for detection of SARS-CoV-2, distinguishing between ‘presence’ (viral load) and ‘activity’ (viral replication) of the virus. Moreover, the method potentially gives more information about possible contagiousness.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Intracranial Tuberculosis – An Observational Study from Mangalore, India
Authors: Apkari Anvesh , Avantsa Rohini , Tejaswi Venkata
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND Intracranial tuberculosis is one of the more severe forms of TB and an important cause of morbidity and mortality in affected individuals. It comprises 10 % of total tuberculosis cases and 20 % among immunocompromised patients. Contrastenhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the imaging modality of choice, as it helps in its early diagnosis and to assess the complications of intracranial tuberculosis thereby reducing the morbidity and the mortality of the disease. The main objectives of this article were to revisit the spectrum of involvement and assess the tubercular lesions on MRI, determine the various presentations of intracranial tuberculosis and its associated complications. METHODS This is a single-center, hospital based, observational and retrospective study. The study included 25 patients who had proven intracranial tuberculosis and underwent MR examination of the brain from March 2015 to April 2020. All patients had been referred to the Department of Radiodiagnosis with clinical suspicion of intracranial pathology. The various manifestations and their complications were evaluated. RESULTS This present study comprised 15 males (60 %) and 10 females (40 %), having a male to female ratio of 1.5:1. The most common age group was 21 – 40 years and 51 – 60 years with a range of 16 – 68 years. The 25 cases diagnosed with intracranial TB had a varied presentation. The most common presentation was isolated tuberculoma 15 (60 %) followed by mixed presentation 7 (28 %). Complications were seen in 5 (20 %), which included hydrocephalus, ventriculitis and infarcts. CONCLUSIONS Contrast enhanced MRI is the established modality of choice to diagnose and monitor intracranial tuberculosis. Good knowledge of its various imaging characteristics and spectrum of involvement helps in the diagnosis and management. KEY WORDS Tuberculosis, MRI, Tuberculoma
Evaluation of Oral Hygiene in Type 2 Diabetics with and without Diabetic Retinopathy - A Comparative Study Done at Yenepoya Hospital
Authors: Shetty Mallika S. , Sarfaraz Hasan , Shetty Sanath Kumar , Wankhede Tushar Milind
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major microvascular complication of diabetes. It has a significant impact on the world’s health systems. Due to a rapid increase in disease burden globally, there arises the need for newer methods of early detection of DR to prevent various complications including total blindness. The association between periodontal problems and diabetes has been studied widely and a positive correlation has been found. Literature search revealed that no studies have been done so far comparing the oral hygiene status among type 2 diabetics with and without retinopathy, thus the purpose of the study was to compare oral hygiene status among type 2 diabetics with and without progressing diabetic retinopathy and thus look for any association between existing oral hygiene status and severity of diabetic retinopathy. METHODS Study was conducted on type 2 diabetic patients with and without progressing diabetic retinopathy visiting the Department of Opthalmology at the University Medical College. A thorough evaluation of oral hygiene status of patients participating in the study was done using OHI - S and Gingival Index. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference between the OHI - S and diabetic retinopathy, P value (0.522). The gingival index showed statistically significant relation with severity of diabetic retinopathy with P - value of 0.027. The intergroup comparison of the association between the mean OHI - S and GI scores and severity of diabetic retinopathy was found to be statistically insignificant P < 0.269 and P < 0.125. CONCLUSIONS There could be a plausible relationship between diabetic retinopathy and oral hygiene condition. Because of the regional variation in the oral hygiene condition further prospective studies on a large population are required to ascertain whether the existing oral hygiene status has a direct impact on the progression and severity of diabetic retinopathy. KEY WORDS Diabetic Retinopathy, Oral Hygiene, Periodontitis, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Oral Hygiene Index Simplified, Gingival Index
Giant Papilloma on the Back of the Knee Joint - A Case Report
Authors: Ravishankar M.V. , Sundar N.M. Shama , K. Pushpalatha
Published: August 2021

Papilloma is a benign tumour projecting above the surface of the skin. It grows from the epithelial tissue; develops as finger like fronds. Human contact with human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the important causes for its occurrence. It feels rubbery and semisolid in consistency. Papilloma is a slow growing and long-lasting common tumor seen in various parts of the body like skin, breast, cervix, conjunctiva, etc. Its location on the exposed parts of the body like, around the face, neck, limbs, etc. causes much discomfort. Hence most of them prefer an early medical and surgical intervention to restore the cosmetic profile of the body to avoid growing physiopsychological discomforts. Clinical resemblance of any such swellings may require a meticulous examination and evaluation to differentiate them from other commonly seen external growths from the body surface; like sebaceous cyst, dermoid cyst, wart, haemangioma, neurofibroma, etc. One such clinical rare case of unusually large papilloma in an elderly lady aged about 65 years was presented with a swelling in her left popliteal region and excised under local anaesthesia, will be presented along with discussions. Human body is prone to show some solitary or multiple swellings on the inner or outer surface of the body. For the clinical diagnosis of a swelling, it is important for a clinician to know its source of origin. Swellings may arise from the skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle, vessel, nerve, bone, etc. It is also important to consider whether it is a congenital or acquired defect or it is caused due to any trauma, or could be a mere inflammatory response which lasts temporarily.1 An abnormal growth of cells which grow more rapidly than other normal cells in the body are called neoplasms. They may be benign (harmless) or malignant (cancerous). Benign swellings are usually localized, may grow big without spreading or invading into other structures whereas malignant swellings can spread and invade the nearby tissues directly or through the blood or lymph nodes to different organs through metastasis, hence they need a thorough clinical evaluation. Soft tissue swelling especially in the young individuals often may be missed or delayed in the diagnosis of malignancy due to asymptomatic nature of the lesion with unfamiliar age. The nature of the swelling, its duration, location, and tissue of origin also matters in the final diagnosis. Hence it is important to differentiate a benign swelling from a malignant swelling at the earliest. 2
Ectopic Perforated Appendicitis in Supraumbilical Region in a Case of Incomplete Intestinal Rotation
Authors: Bhimarao Bhimarao , Nagaraju Rashmi Mysore , Patil Lingaraj B.
Published: August 2021

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdominal pain and the most common condition requiring emergency surgery. Intestinal malrotation is a relatively uncommon condition. Depending upon the location of the cecum and appendix, patients with acute appendicitis in intestinal malrotation present atypically with abdominal pain localized on the site of appendicitis. Due to atypical presentation of central abdominal pain, other differentials presenting in this region should be excluded and accurate diagnosis should be made. We present a patient who came with central abdominal pain with elevated markers of inflammation. Contrast enhanced CT of abdomen in this patient revealed ectopic appendicitis located in supraumbilical region with signs of incomplete rotation of the bowel. CT played a pivotal role in identifying the underlying rotational abnormality of bowel, in localizing the inflamed appendix, identifying complications (perforation) and excluding other possible intra-abdominal pathologies. It was also helpful in surgical planning. Emergency laparotomy with appendectomy and lavage were performed on this patient who subsequently recovered.
Pericarditis in Covid 19 - An Unusual Presentation
Authors: Wadekar Abhijit , Hepat Sanyauta , Acharya Sourya , Kumar Sunil
Published: August 2021

Corona virus disease-19 (COVID-19) infection causing the current pandemic began as a cluster of cases in Wuhan Province of China which has now progressed to the current dangerously exponential rise of billions of cases all over the world.1 COVID19 virus is a single stranded RNA virus having zoonotic origin. It’s ability to cause cross infection is the reason for the current devastating pandemic.2 Adding to that, COVID-19 is also called as novel corona virus as such a strain of virus had never affected mankind before. The spectrum of infection is also quite interesting. Cases range from asymptomatic, mild infections having cold, cough and fever, to life threatening instances of acute respiratory failure requiring ventilator support and intensive care admission.3 With fewer treatment options available, vaccination in the pipeline, the major mode of management is symptomatic treatment. Higher antibiotics, immunity stimulant drugs, oxygen supplementation currently form the mainstay of treatment. The management of Covid-19 still remains us shooting in the dark, exploring for ground-breaking options which prevent mortality and morbidity. Another lesser explored facet of the Covid-19 infection, is its ability to rapidly disseminate in the body and not be restricted just to the respiratory system. This rapid dissemination is the reason for the multi-systemic involvement in extreme cases of Covid-19.4 There have been reported cases of Covid-19 along with neurological and cardiovascular involvement. The cardiovascular involvement can also range from chest pain and palpitations to emergencies like cardiac tamponade and cardiac failure. As the aetiology and complete progression of this disease is yet to be fully understood, such cases with multi-systemic involvement pose imminent challenges in treatment and management.5 Here, we are presenting a case of 29-year-old male Covid positive patient, who presented with chest pain and tachycardia and diagnosed as pericarditis.
Naptej, fürdőruha... + helyi termék?A helyi termékek iránti kereslet a Balatont turisztikai céllal felkeresők körében = Suntan lotion, swimwear... + local products?The demand for local products among leisure travellers to Lake Balaton
Authors: Madarász Eszter , Sulyok Judit , Szmulai Éva
Published: August 2021

Napjainkban egyre több figyelmet kap az egészség, az egészséges életmód, melynek szerves része az egészséges, helyi alapanyagokra épülő étkezés. A nem élelmiszer jellegű termékek esetében is reneszánszát éljük a helyben, kis mennyiségben készült produktumoknak. Mindezen tendenciák éreztetik hatásukat a Balaton térségében: az elmúlt években zajlott fejlesztések kedveznek a helyi termékek iránti kereslet növekedésének – az igényeket a vendéglátóhelyek, a piacok és a fesztiválok autentikus termékekkel, szolgáltatásokkal, jó minőségű ajándéktárgyakkal igyekeznek kielégíteni. A helyi termékek autentikusan reprezentálhatják a célterületet, támogatják a fenntartható termelést és fogyasztást, és a turisztikai élménynek is van egy kézzelfogható eleme. Kutatásunk fókuszában a Balatont turisztikai céllal felkeresők állnak. A kvantitatív megkérdezés azt vizsgálta, hogy az utazók számára a helyi termékek mennyire vonzóak, vásárolnak-e és ha igen, hol az utazás során. Az utazók háromnegyede 2-3 helyi terméket vásárolt a Balatonnál, a termék típusától függően eltérő helyszíneken. A vásárlás helyszínét megvizsgálva arra teszünk javaslatokat, hogy a helyi termékek esetében az értékesítési csatornák közül milyen kombinációk alkalmazhatóak leghatékonyabban a nyári időszakban pihenési, kikapcsolódási céllal a Balatonhoz utazó látogatók körében.
NEIGHBORHOOD PERCEPTION AND OBESITY IN AGED MEXICAN AMERICANS
Authors: SIORDIA C. , SAENZ J.
Published: August 2021

Background:Hypotheses on the relationship between neighborhood perception and obesity (asmeasured by body mass index) seem to generally posit that a positive neighborhood perception may be relatedwith behaviors that positively moderate body weight. Objective:To determine if and how there is an associationbetween positive neighborhood perception and obesity—while accounting for frailty- and disability-relatedfactors. Design:Cross-sectional study from Wave-5 of the Hispanic Established Population for theEpidemiological Study of the Elderly (HEPESE). Setting:Data files housed by the Sociomedical Division in thedepartment of Community Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch inGalveston, Texas. Participants:A total of 889, aged 75-90 community-dwelling Mexican Americans in theSouthwest United States. Measurements:Body mass index (BMI=Kg/m2), neighborhood perception, gripstrength, gait speed, depression symptomatology, chronic conditions, presence of limitations with basic andinstrumental basic activities of daily living (ADLs), and other health and demographic variables are used inlogistic regressions predicting the likelihood of being obese (BMI > 30 Kg/m2) versus being of normal weight(BMI 18.5-25.4 Kg/m2). Results:The odds of being obese increase: as the level of positive neighborhoodperception increases; grip strength increases; and with having any limitations with basic-ADLs. Conclusions:These findings provide evidence that a positive neighborhood perception need not always be accompanied with areduced risk of being obese. Because functional limitations in older ages may influence how positiveneighborhood perception affects BMI, more research is needed.
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS AND FRAILTY IN OLDER ADULTS: THE FRADEA STUDY
Authors: ABIZANDA P. , ROMERO L. , SANCHEZ-JURADO P.M. , ATIENZAR-NÚÑEZ P. , ESQUINAS-REQUENA J.L. , GARCIA-NOGUERAS I.
Published: August 2021

Objectives:To determine the association between functional assessment instruments and frailty.Design:Concurrent cohort study. Setting:Albacete Health Area (Spain). Participants:993 subjects aged ≥ 70years, participating in the FRADEA Study. Measurements:The following functional instruments were applied:Barthel index, Lawton index and Short Form-Late Life Function and Disability Instrument (SF-LLFDI) asdisability questionnaires; Holden ́s Functional Ambulation Classification (FAC) as ambulation scale, and sevenperformance tests: gait speed (m/s), Timed up and go (TUG) (sec), unipodal balance time (sec), 5-chair-sit-to-stand test (sec), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), hand grip strength (kg) and elbow flexion strength(kg). Frailty was assessed by Fried ́s criteria. The association between functional instruments and frailty wasassessed, ROC curves were constructed and the area under the curves (AUC) calculated. The best cut-point wasidentified for each instrument and their sensitivity (S) and specificity (SP) are described. Results:16.9%participants were frail. The AUC, best cut-point, S and SP for each instrument were respectively: Barthel (0.916;≤ 85; 0.90, 0.82), Lawton (0.917; ≤ 3; 0.86, 0.93), SF-LLFDI (0.948; ≤ 90; 0.87, 0.91), FAC (0.885; ≤ 4; 0.81,0.83), gait speed (0.938; ≤ 0.62; 0.90, 0.90), TUG (0.984; ≥ 17.8; 0.93, 0.98), unipodal balance time (0.753; ≤ 5;0.73, 0.71), 5-chair-sit-to-stand test (0.880; ≥ 15; 0.78, 0.76), SPPB (0.956; ≤ 6; 0.88, 0.88), hand grip strength(0.807; ≤ 26; 0.75, 0.75) and elbow flexion strength (0.924; ≤ 15; 0.89, 0.87). Conclusion:The best performancetests to identify frail subjects are the Timed Up and Go test, gait speed and the SPPB, and the best questionnaireis the SF-LLFDI.
FRAILTY AND COGNITION: NOT AS STRAIGHT-FORWARD AS IT MIGHT APPEAR
Authors: Pérez-Zepeda M.U. , Arango-Lopera V.E. , García-Peña C.
Published: August 2021

To the Editor: In a previous issue of the Journal of Frailty & Aging, Houles and colleagues (1) presented a review paper entitled “Frailty and cognition”. The association between frailty and cognitive impairment was proposed, and Authors discussed a large amount of evidence. However, a number of conceptual and methodological issues should be taken into account as potentially affecting the possibility to include cognition in the operational definition of frailty (as suggested by Authors). Frailty should be considered as a construct under development and several concepts are still intensely discussed (2). We think the paper fails to fully cover the vast amount of on-going debate in this field. In particular:
Big Data Quantitative Risk Analysis Method for Machine Health Indicator Prediction
Authors: Jordan George , Brimicombe Allan , Li Yang
Published: August 2021

Various data-driven methods have been applied to predict machine health indicators especially in the field of prognostics. Machine health indicators reveal the condition of equipment and/or its components including bearings by monitoring their operation data such as frequency vibration. To aid the prediction of the machine health indicators, this study applies the BDQRA method to monitor the health of bearings as a component of the machine. The BDQRA method involves applying data compression techniques like feature extraction to the bearing vibration data, to extract the most important features like time-domain, frequency domain, and time–frequency domain features. Due to the complexity of the feature extraction process, this study proposes fast Fourier transformation for the data compression. This is followed by obtaining a time series profile of the bearing vibration data to analyse the health status of component bearing. It the uses change-point analysis to predict the period at which the bearing health deterioration is imminent. Since the bearing health deterioration could be due to the independent operation of a component bearing or through communication between the component bearing and other components (or bearings) within the process machinery, the method also applies the principle of interaction effect to investigate the contributions from the other components of the machinery to the health deterioration of the component bearing detected. The accuracy of the prediction of the point of imminent health deterioration of the component bearing is investigated by comparing the outcome of the BDQRA method with the outcome of other methods published in literature which have been applied to the dataset used in this study. The findings reveal the BDQRA method have comparative advantages to the methods used in the related studies.
A new equation for a mass and its speed
Authors: Wang Chong
Published: August 2021

This work showed that, when an object was accelerated, the substance quantity included in the object should remain a constant with that substance being redistributed within the object. For the same object, a different mass distribution could show a different momentum effect causing the measured mass to change. Based on this viewpoint, a new mass-speed equation was derived. Analysis showed that, without violating the law of conservation of mass, the new equation could be compatible with Special Relativity.
Atenção Primária à Saúde na Amazônia
Authors: Gonçalves Morais Cristiano , Neves Silva Larissa Ádna , Figueiredo Cunha Carlos Leonardo , Dos Santos Junior Hernane Guimarães , Gagno Lima Juliana
Published: August 2021

A atuação da Atenção Primária à Saúde – APS favorece a diminuição de casos e complicações da Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica – HAS, mas no contexto da Amazônia o cuidado da APS com hipertensos está sujeito à influência das fragilidades dos serviços de saúde na região. Diante disto, o objetivo do presente estudo é caracterizar a atenção à HAS no âmbito da APS desenvolvida no Oeste do Pará. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva e quantitativa, na qual foram utilizados dados secundários do Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica – PMAQ-AB da região de saúde do Baixo Amazonas. Os dados foram obtidos pelo Portal da Secretaria de Atenção Primária à Saúde. Para os dados referentes à HAS, utilizaram-se variáveis do ciclo 3 dos módulos II e III.  Para a organização dos dados, foram utilizados os programas Statistical Package for Social Science for Windows (SPSS 22.0) e Microsoft Excel. Foram realizados cálculos com porcentagens e frequências simples. Na análise, foi identificada a predominância do acesso e do uso de exames básicos como meios de subsidiar o cuidado da HAS, no entanto, evidenciaram-se fragilidades da atuação da APS na prevenção e no acompanhamento dos agravos associados a essa morbidade. A situação se agrava quando somada à dificuldade de realizar exames que requerem mais densidade tecnológica e especializada, pois a geografia e as distâncias se constituem como barreiras a serem transpostas pela RAS. O predomínio de ações mínimas no cuidado de HAS e a presença de lacunas nos serviços de saúde de responsabilidade da APS subsidiam indagações sobre sua atuação no desenvolvimento dos seus atributos essenciais na RAS, bem como, sugerem problemas no Oeste do Pará em articular e subsidiar meios de cuidado para HAS, de acordo com as necessidades e peculiaridades dos territórios de seus municípios.
A Bayesian updating of crack distributions in steam generator tubes
Authors: Francisco Alexandre Santos , Simões Tiago
Published: August 2021

The structural failure of steam generator tubes is a common problem that can a ect the availability and safety of nuclear power plants. To minimize the probability of occurrence of failure, it is needed to implement maintenance strategies such as periodic nondestructive inspections of tubes. Thus, a tube is repaired or plugged whenever it has detected a crack which a threshold size is overtaken. In general, uncertainties and errors in crack sizes are associated with the nondestructive inspections. These uncertainties and errors should be appropriately characterized to estimate the actual crack distribution. This work proposes a Bayesian approach for updating crack distributions, which in turn allows computing the failure probability of steam generator tubes at current and future times. The failure criterion is based on plastic collapse phenomenon, and the failure probability is computed by using the Monte-Carlo simulation. The failure probability at current and future times is in good agreement with the ones presented in the literature.
Determinação das características estruturais e mecânicas da liga de alta entropia Hf-Nb-Ta-Zr
Authors: Silva Andrade Jhonatan , Napoleão Bastos Ivan , Aliaga Luis César Rodríguez
Published: August 2021

Neste artigo, os comportamentos estrutural e mecânico da liga equiatômica de alta entropia Hf-Nb-Ta-Zr foram estudados mediante simulações computacionais de dinâmica molecular. As simulações foram realizadas no código livre LAMMPS, em um sistema composto de 154.000 átomos que interagiram sob o potencial Embedded Atom Method (EAM). O estudo focou na estrutura cúbica de corpo centrado (CCC). Esta estrutura apresenta a maior estabilidade estrutural ou a menor energia potencial a 0 K. A liga foi submetida a ensaios de nanoindentação utilizando um penetrador virtual esférico de diâmetro de 40 Å. Ensaiou-se à temperatura de 10 K para eliminar as contribuições térmicas dos átomos, em três planos cristalográficos (001), (011) e (111), e identificar efeitos de anisotropia. A evolução estrutural da liga foi analisada mediante as funções de distribuição radial parcial (PRDF), funções de distribuição radial total (TRDF) e também por difração de raios-X. As curvas de carregamento-descarregamento mostraram que a nanoindentação na superfície correspondente ao plano (011) requer a maior força de indentação, de cerca de 142 nN, enquanto que o plano (111) conduz à maior deformação elástica antes do início da deformação plástica.
Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for the evaluation of malignant focal liver lesions
Authors: Chammas Maria Cristina , Bordini André Leopoldino
Published: August 2021

In this review, the authors address the analysis of different types of malignant focal liver lesions (FLLs) using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS). The specific enhancing patterns of hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, and metastases are discussed and exemplified with images. In addition, the use of CEUS in malignant portal vein thrombosis is discussed. The advantages and limitations of CEUS for the analysis of malignant FLLs are also discussed.
La generación de empleo en el sector industrial en Colombia 2010-2018
Authors: Sotelo Forero Lorena , Vallejo Zamudio Luis E.
Published: August 2021

Este artículo busca explicar la relación existente entre la política laboral y la generación de empleo en el sector industrial en Colombia para el periodo 2010-2018. Para ello, inicialmente se reflexiona sobre el tema laboral en los planes de desarrollo de las dos administraciones del expresidente Juan Manuel Santos. En primer lugar, se realiza un diagnóstico del empleo industrial para el lapso referenciado a partir de los datos de la Encuesta Anual Manufacturera (EAM), del Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE). En segundo lugar, se examina la caracterización de la generación del empleo industrial, haciendo énfasis en la evolución de su participación en la ocupación total y su crecimiento, así como en la importancia de los subsectores industriales en la generación de empleo y la forma en que las nueve principales ciudades colombianas la integran en dichos subsectores. Una de las conclusiones más importantes es que el empleo industrial en Colombia ha respondido tanto a cambios coyunturales (desaceleración de la economía mundial, revaluación de la tasa de cambio, cierre del mercado venezolano) como a los cambios surgidos desde la apertura económica en materia laboral, en la búsqueda de una mayor flexibilización en el mercado de trabajo.
Las políticas de integridad corporativa como política económica en la OCDE
Authors: Leo-Castela Juan Ignacio , Sánchez-Macías José Ignacio
Published: August 2021

Durante el siglo XX, la doctrina económica tradicional se ha centrado en estudiar, desde distintas perspectivas, la relación entre la corrupción y los delitos económicos afines y el crecimiento y el desarrollo económico. Sin embargo, las nuevas políticas económicas y recomendaciones de la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económicos (OCDE) apuestan claramente por un mayor protagonismo de los factores institucionales en la prevención del daño social inherente a los delitos de corrupción. En la metodología de este trabajo se aplica, por un lado, el modelo econométrico de regresión probit y, por otro, el método estadístico de análisis de conglomerados por vinculación completa, para ilustrar la importancia creciente del cumplimiento corporativo en la OCDE, especialmente a partir de la regulación legal de la responsabilidad de las personas jurídicas y de la designación de un oficial de cumplimiento. Los resultados de investigación sugieren que ha existido una expansión geográfica de esta política de integridad desde los países de tradición anglosajona hacia el resto de los países miembro de la OCDE; asimismo, que los aspectos institucionales e historicistas están recuperando importancia en el funcionamiento de la economía mundial como palanca de cambio para la integridad en las corporaciones.
Bitcoin and the South Sea Company: A comparative analysis
Authors: Demmler Michael , Fernández Domínguez Amilcar Orlian
Published: August 2021

This paper examines historical Bitcoin price data together with the price data of a well-known and generally accepted historical asset price bubble (the 1720 South Sea Bubble) with the aim of identifying possible similarities. In order to find empirical evidence of speculative bubble tendencies, the article analyses distribution moments and autoregressive models of time series of both assets. Results show that historical daily prices of both assets—taking into account one year before and one year after the maximum price level—clearly show the two phases of bubble expansion and subsequent crash. Furthermore, various similarities between the South Sea Bubble and Bitcoin can be found in descriptive statistics, such as mean of return, standard deviation, and skewness. Statistical tests also show several explosive moments in the time series of the South Sea Company and Bitcoin returns, which implies that both assets exhibit more than one financial bubble.
The Relationship between Vitamin D Levels and Body Mass Index and Fasting Blood Glucose in Non-Obese Non-Diabetic Women
Authors: Yalçın Kadir Serkan
Published: August 2021

Introduction: Obesity is one of the most critical health problems in the world. Obesity is in the etiology of various chronic diseases, thus causes mortality and morbidity. Especially in recent studies, 25 hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH D3) deficiency has been associated with many different diseases and became a significant health problem. Although studies are suggesting an association between obesity and 25-OH D3 deficiency, there is no consensus yet. This study investigates the relationship between 25-OH D3 levels and blood glucose level and body mass index in non-obese and non-diabetic women. Methods: In this study, the data of female patients aged between 18–84 years, who were applied to the internal med- icine outpatient clinic between 2016 and 2018 and whose heights and weights were recorded, were retrospectively analyzed. The study included 201 female patients. Results: There was a negative correlation revealed between vitamin D levels and body mass index (r=0.222, p<0.01). Discussion and Conclusion: According to these results, 25-OH D3 deficiency should be considered in patients with a high body mass index.
Phonatory Characteristics of Male Patients with Classic Essential Tremor
Authors: Akkunje Preetie Shetty , Yamini Belur Keshavaprasad , Yadav Ravi , Shivashankar Nagarajarao , Malo Palash Kumar , Thennarasu Kandavel , Hegde Shantala , Pal Pramod Kumar
Published: August 2021

Objective Voice tremor (VT) is one of the characteristics of essential tremor (ET). This study was designed to describe the group and phonatory characteristics of classic ET patients with VT.Methods This retrospective case-control study compared classic ET patients with age and sex-matched controls. The ET population was subgrouped based on auditory perceptual voice analysis. Electroglottography and acoustic voice samples obtained from both groups were analyzed for contact quotient (CQ) and multidimensional voice program parameters, i.e., fundamental frequency (F0), perturbation, noise, and tremor parameters.Results The CQ, F0, perturbation, noise, and tremor characteristics significantly increased from the moderate VT group to the severe VT group.Conclusion The CQ, F0, and noise characteristics reflected the vocal folds’ functionality. The perturbation and tremor parameters variation were reasoned considering the tremor-related changes occurring in the laryngeal, vocal tract, and expiratory muscles in patients with ET. Thus, phonatory analysis may help in monitoring the progression of ET.
Borehole Magnetometry Test for Evaluating a Caisson’s Reinforced Depth: Experimental Results and Theoretical Modeling
Authors: Scarano Hemsi Paulo , de Souza Santos Matheus Carlos , de Jesus Souza Tiago , Gandolfo Otávio Coaracy Brasil , Alberto Mendonça Carlos
Published: August 2021

The borehole magnetometry (BM) test was performed to evaluate the foundation reinforcement depth at a site where a telecommunication tower is supported by a single 2.3-m-diameter caisson foundation of known as-built design. An optical televiewer probe containing a three-axial fluxgate magnetometer was lowered into a vertical borehole 2.35 m distant from the center of the caisson and the profiles for the total magnetic field flux density, and its vertical component were acquired and used to generate, by subtracting the International Geomagnetic Reference Field background, the profiles for the total, BA, and vertical component, Bz,A, anomalous magnetic field. Four distinct graphical methods were used to evaluate the reinforced depth from the anomalous profiles and their first- and second-order derivatives. Two of the methods, including the one proposed in this study, based on locating the inflection points in the derivative profiles, evaluated the reinforced depth very close to the as-built depth (8.0 m). The reinforcement intensity of magnetization was then evaluated using the BA profile and a method based on the bipolar model. Theoretical modeling of BA and Bz,A and the derivative profiles was then performed using a three-dimensional prismatic model. By comparing modeled and experimental results, the induced magnetization was found to be an unsuited modeling assumption, with remanent magnetization being a better representation of the magnetic field around the caisson’s steel reinforcement, in agreement with the theory, given the high Koenigsberger ratio for steel. Also, the modeling revealed the need for a more complex representation of the magnetic sources, with added prisms to represent the effects of a magnetically-noisy environment and above-ground structures, as well as the presence of inhomogeneity and polarization changes along the reinforcement length.