bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating training-test data splitting strategies for automated
segmentation and scoring of COVID-19 lung ultrasound images
Authors: Roshankhah Roshan , Karbalaeisadegh Yasamin , Greer Hastings , Mento Federico , Soldati Gino , Smargiassi Andrea , Inchingolo Riccardo , Torri Elena , Perrone Tiziano , Aylward Stephen , Demi Libertario , Muller Marie
Published: December 2021

Ultrasound in point-of-care lung assessment is becoming increasingly relevant. This is further reinforced in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, where rapid decisions on the lung state must be made for staging and monitoring purposes. The lung structural changes due to severe COVID-19 modify the way ultrasound propagates in the parenchyma. This is reflected by changes in the appearance of the lung ultrasound images. In abnormal lungs, vertical artifacts known as B-lines appear and can evolve into white lung patterns in the more severe cases. Currently, these artifacts are assessed by trained physicians, and the diagnosis is qualitative and operator dependent. In this article, an automatic segmentation method using a convolutional neural network is proposed to automatically stage the progression of the disease. 1863 B-mode images from 203 videos obtained from 14 asymptomatic individual,14 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and 4 suspected COVID-19 cases were used. Signs of lung damage, such as the presence and extent of B-lines and white lung areas, are manually segmented and scored from zero to three (most severe). These manually scored images are considered as ground truth. Different test-training strategies are evaluated in this study. The results shed light on the efficient approaches and common challenges associated with automatic segmentation methods.
Linear Relationships Among the Hand and Clubhead Motion Characteristics in Golf Driving in Skilled Male Golfers
Authors: Kwon Young-Hoo , Tuttle Noelle J. , Hung Cheng-Ju , Levine Nicholas A. , Baek Seungho
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the linear relationships among the hand/clubhead motion characteristics in golf driving in skilled male golfers (n = 66; handicap ≤ 3). The hand motion plane (HMP) and functional swing plane (FSP) angles, the HMP–FSP angle gaps, the planarity characteristics of the off-plane motion of the clubhead, and the attack angles were computed from the drives captured by an optical motion capture system. The HMP angles were identified as the key variables, as the HMP and FSP angles were intercorrelated, but the plane angle gaps, the planarity bias, and the attack angles showed correlations to the HMP angles primarily. Three main swing pattern clusters were identified. The parallel HMP–FSP alignment pattern with a small direction gap was associated with neutral planarity and planar swing pattern. The inward alignment pattern with a large inward direction gap was characterized by flat planes, follow-through-centric planarity, spiral swing pattern, and inward/downward impact. The outward alignment pattern with a large outward direction gap was associated with steep planes, downswing-centric planarity, reverse spiral swing, and outward/upward impact. The findings suggest that practical drills targeting the hand motion pattern can be effective in holistically reprogramming the swing pattern.
Serendipity Reveals the Function and Physiological Role of a Large Family of Proteins
Authors: Downs Diana
Published: December 2021

Microbial metabolism involves a complex set of interactions between metabolic pathways that include proteins of both known and uncharacterized function. While investigating the physiological strategy used by actinomycetes with two RpoB paralogs, Damiano et al. uncovered the endonuclease activity of a member of the Rid family.
Deep Structure and Dynamics of the Central Balkan Peninsula from Seismic Data
Authors: Vinnik L. P. , Georgieva G. D. , Oreshin S. I. , Makeyeva L. I. , Dragomirov D. N. , Buchakchiev V. D. , Dimitrova L. D.
Published: December 2021

Abstract—Analysis of P- and S-receiver functions for 19 seismic stations on the Balkan Peninsula has been performed. Half of the stations are in Bulgaria. The crustal thickness varies from 28–30 to 50 km. The ratio of longitudinal and shear wave velocities in the upper crust reaches 2.0 in some places. In the southwest of the study area, the 410-km seismic boundary is uplifted by 10 km relative to nominal depth. The elevation may be caused by hydration and/or cooling of the mantle transition zone under the influence of the Hellenic subduction zone. A low S-wave velocity layer related to the 410-km boundary may be located atop this boundary. In the northwestern part of the study area this layer is present in spite of the absence of the 410-km boundary. A similar paradox has been previously noted in central Anatolia. Indications of a low-velocity layer are present at a depth exceeding 410 km. The simultaneous inversion of the receiver functions of the two types (P and S) and the Rayleigh wave phase velocities reveals a large (7–9%) decrease in the S-wave velocity in the upper mantle of southern Bulgaria and northern Greece. The thickness of the low-velocity layer (asthenosphere) is about 50 km. The lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) is at depths of 40 to 60 km. In terms of tectonics, this zone is characterized as the South Balkan extension system. To the north of 43° N, the S-wave velocity in the upper mantle is usually at least 4.4 km/s and the LAB is not detected or is detected at a depth of over 80 km. The SKS analysis of azimuthal anisotropy reveals lateral zoning in the upper mantle that is correlated to velocity zoning. Probably, the mechanically weak low-velocity mantle of the South Balkan system is easily deformed, and the azimuth of the fast direction of anisotropy (20°) indicates the direction of extension. At the northern stations, the fast direction (about –30°) may be a reflection of an older process.
Prevalence of lower airway dysfunction in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis by a subgroup of the IOC consensus group on ‘acute respiratory illness in the athlete’
Authors: Price Oliver J , Sewry Nicola , Schwellnus Martin , Backer Vibeke , Reier-Nilsen Tonje , Bougault Valerie , Pedersen Lars , Chenuel Bruno , Larsson Kjell , Hull James H
Published: December 2021

Objective

To report the prevalence of lower airway dysfunction in athletes and highlight risk factors and susceptible groups.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources

PubMed, EBSCOhost and Web of Science (1 January 1990 to 31 July 2020).

Eligibility criteria

Original full-text studies, including male or female athletes/physically active individuals/military personnel (aged 15–65 years) who had a prior asthma diagnosis and/or underwent screening for lower airway dysfunction via self-report (ie, patient recall or questionnaires) or objective testing (ie, direct or indirect bronchial provocation challenge).

Results

In total, 1284 studies were identified. Of these, 64 studies (n=37 643 athletes) from over 21 countries (81.3% European and North America) were included. The prevalence of lower airway dysfunction was 21.8% (95% CI 18.8% to 25.0%) and has remained stable over the past 30 years. The highest prevalence was observed in elite endurance athletes at 25.1% (95% CI 20.0% to 30.5%) (Q=293, I2=91%), those participating in aquatic (39.9%) (95% CI 23.4% to 57.1%) and winter-based sports (29.5%) (95% CI 22.5% to 36.8%). In studies that employed objective testing, the highest prevalence was observed in studies using direct bronchial provocation (32.8%) (95% CI 19.3% to 47.2%). A high degree of heterogeneity was observed between studies (I2=98%).

Conclusion

Lower airway dysfunction affects approximately one in five athletes, with the highest prevalence observed in those participating in elite endurance, aquatic and winter-based sporting disciplines. Further longitudinal, multicentre studies addressing causality (ie, training status/dose–response relationship) and evaluating preventative strategies to mitigate against the development of lower airway dysfunction remain an important priority for future research.
Atrial cardiopathy and non-stenotic intracranial complicated atherosclerotic plaque in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source
Authors: Tao Lin , Dai Ying-Jie , Shang Zi-Yang , Li Xiao-Qiu , Wang Xin-Hong , Ntaios George , Chen Hui-Sheng
Published: December 2021

Objective

To assess (1) the association between atrial cardiopathy (AC) and non-stenotic intracranial complicated atherosclerotic plaque (NICAP) in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) or small-vessel disease (SVD), and (2) the performance of previously proposed biomarkers to identify AC as the underlying aetiology in ESUS.

Methods

Based on our high-resolution MRI (HR-MRI) cohort, 403 subjects (243 ESUS and 160 SVD) were enrolled in the final analysis. All patients underwent intracranial HR-MRI to assess the presence of ipsilateral NICAP. Biomarkers of AC (ie, P-wave terminal force in lead V1 (PTFV1) on ECG, N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T and left atrial diameter) were collected within 24 hours after admission.

Results

Among patients without ipsilateral NICAP, we found an association between the presence of AC (adjusted OR (aOR): 4.76, 95% CI 2.48 to 9.14), increased PTFV1 (aOR: 5.70, 95% CI: 2.43 to 13.39) and NT-proBNP (aOR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.16 to 2.35) with ESUS. This association was not evident among patients with ipsilateral NICAP. The discrimination between ESUS versus SVD by AC/AC-related biomarkers was significantly improved after excluding ipsilateral NICAP. Similarly, the discrimination between ESUS and SVD by ipsilateral NICAP was notably augmented after excluding AC, PTFV1 and NT-proBNP.

Interpretation

AC is more prevalent in patients who had ESUS without ipsilateral NICAP compared with patients with, implying that AC and ipsilateral NICAP are two distinct, competing aetiologies of ESUS. Among the AC biomarkers studied in this analysis, PTFV1 seems to be the most informative.
Preoperative pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block for total hip arthroplasty: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Zheng Jun , Pan Danyang , Zheng Bin , Ruan Xiangcai
Published: December 2021

Background

We hypothesized that the addition of a preoperative pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block to intra-articular local anesthetic injection would improve analgesia after total hip arthroplasty.

Method

In this double-blinded trial, 71 patients scheduled for primary total hip arthroplasty were randomized to receive preoperative PENG block with 20 mL 0.5% ropivacaine (PENG group) or 20 mL saline (placebo group). All the patients received an intra-articular injection of 20 mL 0.5% ropivacaine by surgeon after the completion of the procedure. The primary outcome was the highest pain score reported in the recovery room. The secondary outcomes included quadriceps strength, pain scores, opioid use, and opioid-related side effects up to 48 hours after surgery.

Results

Seventy patients were included in the final analysis. The highest visual analog scale in the recovery room showed significant intergroup difference (placebo: 5.2±3.1 vs PENG: 3.3±2.7, p<0.01) but the difference did not persist after discharge from the recovery room. The two groups’ postoperative pain scores at rest were similar. A lower intraoperative morphine equivalent dose and lower postoperative vomiting were found in the PENG group. There were no differences in the other outcomes.

Conclusion

The addition of a preoperative PENG block to intra-articular injections of local anesthetic provides a limited benefit to postoperative analgesia in the recovery room with no discernible benefits thereafter.

Trial registration number

NCT04480320.
Chebyshev polynomials and inequalities for Kleinian groups
Authors: Alaqad Hala , Gong Jianhua , Martin Gaven
Published: December 2021

The principal character of a representation of the free group of rank two into [Formula: see text] is a triple of complex numbers that determines an irreducible representation uniquely up to conjugacy. It is a central problem in the geometry of discrete groups and low dimensional topology to determine when such a triple represents a discrete group which is not virtually abelian, that is, a Kleinian group. A classical necessary condition is Jørgensen’s inequality. Here, we use certain shifted Chebyshev polynomials and trace identities to determine new families of such inequalities, some of which are best possible. The use of these polynomials also shows how we can identify the principal character of some important subgroups from that of the group itself.
Analyzing the Sustainability of Water-Cultural Industry and Their Influencing Factors in China
Authors: Qiu Shubing , Liu Yong , Ye Yang
Published: December 2021

This study is an empirical analysis of China’s “sustainable development ability of water cultural industry” based on the attributes of water cultural industry (economic attribute and cultural ideology). First, using “factor analysis” and “grey relational analysis theory,” establish an indicator-system for the level of sustainable development of the cultural industry, then quantify the relationships between the water cultural industry and its influencing factors, and finally, propose some solutions for enhancing the sustainable development of the water cultural industry from the perspective of “improving resiliency.”
The Correlation between the Development of IoT Robot Technology and the Effect of Economic Development
Authors: Huang Haiting
Published: December 2021

In order to explore the application of IoT technology in robots and the promotion of IoT robot technology to the economy, by comparing traditional technology and IoT intelligent robot technology, this article combines it with economic development to analyze the promotion of IoT robot to economic development. Based on the ultra-wideband ranging method, this paper designs an ultra-wideband radio frequency positioning system and applies it to the robot’s positioning process. Moreover, this article combines the application of robots in the current social and economic development to construct the system structure, and conducts functional analysis with manufacturing robots and monitoring robots as the main body. After constructing an intelligent robot based on the Internet of Things technology, by comparing the traditional technology and the intelligent robot technology of the Internet of Things, this article combines it with economic development to analyze the promotion of IoT robot to economic development. From the analysis results of this article, it can be seen that the advancement of IoT robot technology can effectively promote economic development.
Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of MOF-Derived Nitrogen-Enriched Porous Carbon Coated with Ag as the Cathode for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Zhao Wei , Feng Wangjun , Shi Zhaojiao , Chen Jingzhou
Published: December 2021

To fulfill the increasing energy demand, lithium-sulfur batteries (LIBs) are considered one of the most promising energy storage devices for the next generation because of their high specific capacity (1675[Formula: see text]mAh[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] and high energy density (2600[Formula: see text]Wh[Formula: see text]kg[Formula: see text]. However, the low conductivity of electrode materials, large volume expansion rate and shuttle effect, rapid decline of battery capacity and low cycle lifetime have restricted the commercialization of LIBs. In this paper, a type of silver-coated Co@NC porous carbon (ZIF-67 derivatives) is used as the principal material of the lithium-sulfur battery cathode (denoted Ag–Co@NC). These composites not only confine the active materials to the ordered pore structure composites but also inhibit the free migration of polysulfide and improve the redox reaction. Furthermore, uniformly modified silver nanoparticles are beneficial for enhancing the conductivity of Li2S, thus exhibiting good rate performance and capacity and effectively improving the electrochemical performance of the material.
Dynamics of a delayed within host model for dengue infection with immune response and Beddington–DeAngelis incidence
Authors: Wang Haifeng , Tian Xiaohong
Published: December 2021

In this paper, a new delayed within host model for dengue fever with immune response and Beddington–DeAngelis incidence is investigated. The basic reproduction number is computed. In addition, a detailed analysis on the local and global dynamics of the model is conducted. Finally, sensitivity analysis is carried out on basic reproduction number and numerical simulations are given to elucidate our theoretical results.
Letter from SIGecom executive committee
Authors: Immorlica Nicole , Kominers Scott Duke , Ligett Katrina
Published: December 2021

Despite the challenges of the past year, the SIGecom community has continued to grow, and to embrace opportunities to gather and connect (virtually).
SIGecom job market candidate profiles 2022
Authors: Gkatzelis Vasilis , Hartline Jason
Published: December 2021

This is the seventh annual collection of profiles of the junior faculty job market candidates of the SIGecom community. The twenty four candidates for 2022 are listed alphabetically and indexed by research areas that define the interests of the community. The candidates can be contacted individually or via the moderated mailing list ecom-candidates2022@acm.org.
Market design job market candidate profiles 2022
Authors: Gonczarowski Yannai A. , Romm Assaf , Shorrer Ran
Published: December 2021

Inspired by the SIGecom Exchanges' annual survey of job market candidates,
1
this is the second annual collection of profiles of the junior faculty job market candidates of the market design community. The nine candidates are listed alphabetically. Along with information regarding the candidate's bio, job market paper, other representative papers, and short research summary, each profile also contains links to the candidate's homepage and CV.
Professional development workshop for new and aspiring educators at SIGCSE 2022
Authors: Horton Diane , Allen Meghan
Published: December 2021

A successful career as an educator involves more than a deep understanding of a research area. Even so, many new CS educators experience relatively little training as educators - and face more questions than answers, e.g., How do I find a career path and institution that are right for me? What strategies can I use during the job search and interviewing process to achieve my goals? What tips could help me organize a course, scaffold engaging experiences, and build lasting relationships with students? What practical steps can I take to support equity, diversity, and inclusion in my work?
Galvanostatic Intermittent Titration Technique Reinvented: Part I. A Critical Review
Authors: Kang Stephen Dongmin , Chueh William C.
Published: December 2021

The galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT), introduced in 1977 by Weppner and Huggins, provided a readily accessible means to measuring the chemical diffusion coefficient of electrochemical electrode materials. The method continues to be widely used today, but the reported diffusivity values are highly inconsistent, ranging as much as four orders of magnitude for some Li layered oxide compositions. Even qualitative trends of diffusivity are inconsistent, suggesting significant flaws in the implementation of the method. Other variants of the GITT method also suffer from similar inconsistency problems. Here we identify numerous sources of significant error including composition-dependent reaction overpotentials, mathematical flaws in the relaxation analysis methods, finite-size and non-planar geometry effects, inter-particle inhomogeneity issues, early transient effects, and surface area uncertainties. We propose a simple relaxation analysis scheme using the time variable

t

relax

+
τ

−

t

relax

, where t
relax is relaxation time and τ is the galvanostatic pulse duration. We also propose to use dense diffusion-limited samples to isolate the bulk-diffusion process in the time domain. Chemical diffusivity can be extracted much more reliably with this improved implementation of the GITT method.
3-Total Edge Product Cordial Labeling for Stellation of Square Grid Graph
Authors: Ullah Rizwan , Rahmat Gul , Numan Muhammad , Anoh Yannick Kraidi , Aslam Adnan
Published: December 2021

Let

G

be a simple graph with vertex set

V

G

and edge set

E

G

. An edge labeling

δ
:
E

G

⟶

0,1
,
…
,
p
−
1

, where

p

is an integer,

1
≤
p
≤

E

G

, induces a vertex labeling

δ

∗

:
V

H

⟶

0,1
,
…
,
p
−
1

defined by

δ

∗

v

=
δ

e

1

δ

e

2

⋅
δ

e

n

mod
p

, where

e

1

,

e

2

,
…
,

e

n

are edges incident to

v

. The labeling

δ

is said to be

p

-total edge product cordial (TEPC) labeling of

G

if

e

δ

i

+

v

δ

∗

i

−

e

δ

j

+

v

δ

∗

j

≤
1

for every

i
,
j

,

0
≤
i
≤
j
≤
p
−
1

, where

e

δ

i

and

v

δ

∗

i

are numbers of edges and vertices labeled with integer

i

, respectively. In this paper, we have proved that the stellation of square grid graph admits a 3-total edge product cordial labeling.
Quantification of the Spectral Variability of Ore-Bearing Granodiorite under Supervised and Semisupervised Conditions: An Upscaling Approach
Authors: Ogen Yaron , Denk Michael , Glaesser Cornelia , Eichstaedt Holger , Kahnt Rene , Loeser Ralf , Suppes Rudolf , Chimeddorj Munkhjargal , Tsedenbaljir Tugsbuyan , Alyeksandr Undrakhtamir , Oyunbuyan Tsedendamba
Published: December 2021

Reflectance spectroscopy is a nondestructive, rapid, and easy-to-use technique which can be used to assess the composition of rocks qualitatively or quantitatively. Although it is a powerful tool, it has its limitations especially when it comes to measurements of rocks with a phaneritic texture. The external variability is reflected only in spectroscopy and not in the chemical-mineralogical measurements that are performed on crushed rock in certified laboratories. Hence, the spectral variability of the surface of an uncrushed rock will, in most cases, be higher than the internal chemical-mineralogical variability, which may impair statistical models built on field measurements. For this reason, studying ore-bearing rocks and evaluating their spectral variability in different scales is an important procedure to better understand the factors that may influence the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the rocks. The objectives are to quantify the spectral variability of three types of altered granodiorite using well-established statistical methods with an upscaling approach. With this approach, the samples were measured in the laboratory under supervised ambient conditions and in the field under semisupervised conditions. This study further aims to conclude which statistical method provides the best practical and accurate classification for use in future studies. Our results showed that all statistical methods enable the separation of the rock types, although two types of rocks have exhibited almost identical spectra. Furthermore, the statistical methods that supplied the most significant results for classification purposes were principal component analysis combined with k-nearest neighbor with a classification accuracy for laboratory and field measurements of 68.1% and 100%, respectively.
In Vitro Antiviral Activity of Green Tea Polyphenon-60 against Avian Paramyxoviruses
Authors: Pham Hang Minh
Published: December 2021

Avian paramyxoviruses (APMVs) have caused an economically significant drop in global domestic poultry production because of their high morbidity and mortality rates. Polyphenols are the major components of green tea that have great antiviral effects. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-APMV activities of polyphenon-60. Twelve APMV-1 strains representing three different pathotypes, two strains of APMV-2, one strain of APMV-3, and one strain of APMV-7 were propagated in chicken embryos. To determine the cytotoxic effect, chicken embryo fibroblasts were treated with the test compound in various concentrations. To assess the antiviral properties, time-dependent, dose-dependent, and virulence-dependent experiments were conducted in both cell and chicken embryo models. A reduction in virus titers was measured by the hemagglutination test. The inhibitory effect on virus adsorption to the chicken red blood cell (RBC) surface was examined by the hemagglutination inhibition test. The results showed that lentogenic and mesogenic APMV-1 strains, APMV-3 strain, and APMV-7 strain were significantly inhibited (

p
<
0.05

) by polyphenon-60 at 50 μg/ml, while the 50% cytotoxic concentration of the compound was 345 μg/ml. Polyphenon-60 also exhibited the inhibitory activity against hemagglutination by NDV. Taken together, the results suggest that polyphenon-60 has shown promise as an antiviral agent that has wide safety margins against APMVs, and challenge studies to evaluate its efficacy in chickens are necessary.
Machine-Type Video Communication Using Pretrained Network for Internet of Things
Authors: Li Ran , Hao Peinan , Sun Fengyuan , Li Yanling , You Lei
Published: December 2021

With the increasing demand for internet of things (IoT) applications, machine-type video communications have become an indispensable means of communication. It is changing the way we live and work. In machine-type video communications, the quality and delay of the video transmission should be guaranteed to satisfy the requirements of communication devices at the condition of limited resources. It is necessary to reduce the burden of transmitting video by losing frames at the video sender and then to increase the frame rate of transmitting video at the receiver. In this paper, based on the pretrained network, we proposed a frame rate up-conversion (FRUC) algorithm to guarantee low-latency video transmitting in machine-type video communications. At the IoT node, by periodically discarding the video frames, the video sequences are significantly compressed. At the IoT cloud, a pretrained network is used to extract the feature layers of the transmitted video frames, which is fused into the bidirectional matching to produce the motion vectors (MVs) of the losing frames, and according to the output MVs, the motion-compensated interpolation is implemented to recover the original frame rate of the video sequence. Experimental results show that the proposed FRUC algorithm effectively improve both objective and subjective qualities of the transmitted video sequences.
Design and Performance Simulation of Computer Control System for Automatic Monitoring of Upper Computer Communication Operation State
Authors: Yang Li , Zhang Huitao
Published: December 2021

The upper computer communication operation state automatic monitoring system is mainly used to remotely monitor the equipment, obtain various parameter indexes in the operation process of remote equipment, realize remote monitoring and fault diagnosis, and improve the management efficiency of decentralized equipment. This paper completes the design of communication, data storage, query, and other subsystems of upper and lower computers. The lower computer establishes a data channel with the OPC server through the MPI protocol and uploads the collected data to the OPC server in real time. The upper computer reads the data through the OPC server and displays the changes of monitored parameters in real time through the monitoring interface, so as to give an alarm under abnormal conditions. In addition, since the default database of Kingview is access, considering that the Microsoft Access database can store up to 2G of content, in order to upgrade and expand the subsequent system, SQL Server database is selected for data query, backup, and saving. The parameter setting method of communication control system is analyzed, the simulation model of industrial boiler control system is established by using Matlab/Simulink, and the interface between host computer software (IBCCS-e) and the model is provided. This paper analyzes the results of communication parameter adjustment. The simulation results show that the industrial boiler computer control system (IBCCS) has stable performance, low cost, convenient operation, and good maintainability. After further improvement, it has certain application value in the operation transformation of new small- and medium-sized boilers and original boilers.
A Discriminative Target Equation-Based Face Recognition Method for Teaching Attendance
Authors: Xu Feng , Wang Haiwei
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we use discriminative objective equations to conduct an in-depth study and analysis of face recognition methods in teaching attendance and use the model in actual teaching attendance. It focuses on the design and implementation of the attendance module, which uses wireless network technology to record students’ access to classrooms in real time, and relies on face recognition technology to identify students’ sign-in images to achieve attendance records of students’ independent attendance sign-in. Real-time detection of student attendance is achieved by combining face detection and face recognition technology through regular camera photography and automatic attendance check-in by the server. Based on the recognition results of the attendance check-in image, an attendance mechanism is proposed, and the attendance score of the student for the current course can be calculated using the attendance mechanism, which realizes the automatic management of student attendance. For the face recognition process, the system uses the Ad boost algorithm based on Hear features to achieve face detection, preprocesses the face samples with gray normalization, rotation correction, and size correction, and uses the method based on LBP features to achieve face recognition. Firstly, a combination of histogram equalization and wavelet denoising is chosen to preprocess the training sample images to obtain the face image light invariance description, and then, the initial dictionary is constructed using the dimensionality reduction performance of the PCA method; next, the initial dictionary is updated, and a new dictionary with representation and discrimination capabilities is obtained using the LC-KSVD algorithm that makes improvements in the dictionary update stage. The sparse coefficients of the feature matrix of the test sample image under the new dictionary are calculated, and the class correlation reconstruction is performed on the feature matrix of the test sample image, and the corresponding reconstruction error is solved; finally, the discriminative classification of the test sample image is achieved according to the solved class correlation reconstruction error. The relevant experiments on the face database prove that the algorithm can improve the recognition accuracy to a certain extent and better solve the influence of changing lighting conditions on the face recognition accuracy.
Blood and Urine Biomarkers Predicting Worsening Kidney Function in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Post-Acute Coronary Syndrome: An Analysis from the EXAMINE Trial
Authors: Ferreira João Pedro , Rossignol Patrick , Bakris George , Mehta Cyrus , White William B. , Zannad Faiez
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Worsening kidney function (WKF) is frequent among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and a recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and is associated with a poor prognosis. An accurate prediction of WKF is clinically important. Aims: Using data from the Cardiovascular Outcomes Study of Alogliptin in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Acute Coronary Syndrome trial including patients with T2D and a recent ACS, and a large biomarker panel incorporating proteins measured both in blood and urine, we aim to determine those with best performance for WKF prediction. Methods: WKF was defined as a ≥40% estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) drop from baseline, eGFR <15 mL/min, or dialysis. Mixed-effects and time-updated Cox models were used. Results: 5,131 patients were included from whom 222 (4.3%) developed at least one WKF episode over a median follow-up of 18 months. Patients who developed WKF were more frequently women, had longer diabetes duration, a more frequent heart failure history, higher anemia prevalence, and impaired kidney function. In multivariable models including all variables (clinical and biomarkers) independently associated with WKF with a p value ≤0.0001, blood kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1) was (by far) the variable with strongest WKF association, followed by anemia. KIM-1 alone provided good discrimination for WKF prediction (area under the curve = 0.73). Patients in the high KIM-1-derived risk tertile had a 6.7-fold higher risk of any WKF than patients classified as low risk. In time-updated Cox models, the occurrence of WKF was independently associated with a higher risk of death: adjusted hazard ratio = 4.93 (3.06–7.96), p value <0.0001. Conclusion: Blood KIM-1 was the biomarker with the strongest association with WKF. The occurrence of WKF was independently associated with a higher risk of subsequent cardiovascular events and mortality.
Evolution of Survival Impact of Molecular Target Agents in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Kobayashi Kazufumi , Ogasawara Sadahisa , Takahashi Aya , Seko Yuya , Unozawa Hidemi , Sato Rui , Watanabe Shunji , Moriguchi Michihisa , Morimoto Naoki , Tsuchiya Satoshi , Iwai Kenji , Inoue Masanori , Ogawa Keita , Ishino Takamasa , Iwanaga Terunao , Sakuma Takafumi , Fujita Naoto , Kanzaki Hiroaki , Koroki Keisuke , Nakamura Masato , Kanogawa Naoya , Kiyono Soichiro , Kondo Takayuki , Saito Tomoko , Nakagawa Ryo , Suzuki Eiichiro , Ooka Yoshihiko , Nakamoto Shingo , Tawada Akinobu , Chiba Tetsuhiro , Arai Makoto , Kanda Tatsuo , Maruyama Hitoshi , Nagashima Kengo , Kato Jun , Isoda Norio , Aramaki Takeshi , Itoh Yoshito , Kato Naoya
Published: December 2021

Background and Aims: The prognosis of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is expected to improve as multiple molecular target agents (MTAs) are now available. However, the impact of the availability of sequential MTAs has not been fully verified yet. Approach and Results: We retrospectively collected the data on the whole clinical course of 877 patients who received any MTAs as first-line systemic therapy for advanced HCC between June 2009 and March 2019. The study population was divided into 3 groups according to the date of first-line MTA administration (period 1: 2009–2012, n = 267; period 2: 2013–2016, n = 352; period 3: 2017–2019, n = 258). Then, we compared the number of MTAs used, overall survival (OS), and MTA treatment duration among the 3 groups. Analysis was also performed separately for advanced-stage and nonadvanced-stage HCC. The proportion of patients who received multiple MTAs was remarkably increased over time (1.1%, 10.2%, and 42.6% in periods 1, 2, and 3, respectively, p < 0.001). The median OS times were prolonged to 10.4, 11.3, and 15.2 months in periods 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p = 0.016). Similarly, the MTA treatment durations were extended (2.7, 3.2, and 6.6 months in periods 1, 2, and 3, respectively; p < 0.001). We confirmed that the correlation between OS and MTA treatment duration was strengthened (period 1: 0.395, period 2: 0.505, and period 3: 0.667). All these trends were pronounced in the patients with advanced-stage HCC but limited in the patients with nonadvanced-stage HCC. Conclusions: The availability of multiple MTAs had steadily improved the prognosis of patients with advanced HCC patients, particularly advanced-stage HCC patients.
Vulnerabilidad social y comunicación verbal y no-verbal en infancia temprana: revisión sistemática
Authors: Gago-Galvagno Lucas Gustavo , Passarini Luciana A. , Elgier Ángel M.
Published: December 2021

(analítico)El objetivo de la siguiente revisión sistemática fue indagar sobre la contribución diferencial del entorno socioeconómico en la capacidad de comunicación verbal y no verbal en los primeros tres años de vida. Se revisaron artículos de investigación empírica de los últimos 30 años en infantes con desarrollo típico. Se encontraron, en general, menores niveles respecto del desarrollo del habla y la comunicación expresiva y productiva en infantes de contextos vulnerables. Sin embargo, los resultados fueron inconsistentes respecto a la comunicación no verbal. Se concluye que se deben realizar más estudios con medidas directas comportamentales en comunicación no verbal para poder paliar las inconsistencias en los resultados actuales sobre la temática.
Palabras clave: Pobreza, comunicación verbal, comunicación no verbal, infancia.
Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the short version of COPSOQ II-Brazil
Authors: Gonçalves Josiane Sotrate , Moriguchi Cristiane Shinohara , Chaves Thaís Cristina , Sato Tatiana de Oliveira
Published: December 2021

OBJECTIVES Translate and culturally adapt the short version of Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire II (COPSOQ II) into Brazilian Portuguese (COPSOQ II-Br) and evaluate its psychometric properties. METHODS Translation and cultural adaptation followed the standardized guidelines. Structural validity was assessed using exploratory factorial analysis. Test-retest reliability was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC3,1) and internal consistency by Cronbach’s alpha. Floor and ceiling effect was considered acceptable if less than 15% of participants reported the lowest or highest scores. Measurement error was assessed by standard error of measurement (SEM), while construct validity was tested by correlating the COPSOQ II-Br, the Job Content Questionnaire and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. RESULTS The study evaluated a total of 211 civil servants and service providers in the test and 157 in the retest. After cross-cultural adaptation, the COPSOQ II-Br structure comprised seven domains and 11 dimensions. Most dimensions showed acceptable floor and ceiling effects, excepting “Work family conflicts” (floor effect of 26.1%), and “Meaning and commitment” and “Job satisfaction,” with ceiling floor of 27.5% and 22.3%, respectively. Cronbach’s alpha values reached the recommended levels (varied between 0.70 and 0.87). Test-retest reliability indicated that all dimensions had ICC between 0.71 and 0.81. SEM ranged from 0.6 to 2.2 and the construct validity showed good results with the tested instruments (significant positive and negative correlations). CONCLUSIONS All psychometric properties of the short version COPSOQ II-Br are suitable for use in Brazil. The instrument is thus validated and can be used by occupational health and human resources professionals to evaluate psychosocial working conditions.
Mortalidad por diabetes mellitus y su impacto en la esperanza de vida a los 60 años en México
Authors: Vega-López María Guadalupe , González-Pérez Guillermo Julián
Published: December 2021

OBJETIVOS Analizar el comportamiento de la mortalidad por diabetes mellitus (DM) para ambos sexos en México entre 1998 y 2018 y su impacto sobre la esperanza de vida (EV) entre los 60 y 85 años de edad en los trienios 1998–2000 y 2016–2018 – en comparación con otras causas de muerte –, así como determinar la pérdida de años de esperanza de vida asociados a la DM en cada trienio. MÉTODOS El presente estudio es observacional y descriptivo. Se calcularon tasas de mortalidad por DM ajustadas por edad para cada sexo entre 1998 y 2018. Se construyeron tablas de vida por sexo para 1998–2000 y 2016–2018 y se calculó tanto la EV entre 60 y 85 años, como los años de esperanza de vida perdidos (AEVP) por DM, y causas seleccionadas, entre ambas edades. RESULTADOS Entre 1998 y 2018 la tasa ajustada de mortalidad masculina por DM creció 55% en la población de 60 y más, y la femenina 20%. Entre 1998–2000 y 2016–2018, la EV masculina entre 60 y 85 años se redujo 0,22 años, en tanto la femenina aumentó 0,24. En 2016–2018 la DM fue responsable, para los hombres, de 1,30 AEVP entre 60 y 85 años, (19% del total de AEVP) y para las mujeres 1,24 AEVP (24% del total), más que el resto de causas analizadas. CONCLUSIONES El incremento de la mortalidad por DM ha contribuido de manera sustancial tanto a reducir la EV de los hombres adultos mayores, como a ralentizar el aumento de la EV de las mujeres de 60 años y más en lo que va de siglo. Así, resulta necesario implementar políticas preventivas desde edades tempranas que permitan reducir los altos niveles de sobrepeso y obesidad existentes en el país, y por ende, la notable proporción de población que padece DM.
A produção socioambiental da malária em três municípios da região de Carajás, Pará, Brasil
Authors: Pereira Alba Lucia Ribeiro Raithy , Miranda Claudia do Socorro Carvalho , Guedes Juan Andrade , Oliveira Rafael Aleixo Coelho de , Campos Pedro Silvestre da Silva , Palácios Vera Regina Da Cunha Menezes , Faria Camylle Maia Costa , Filgueiras Tainara Carvalho G. M. , Figueiredo Roberto Carlos , Gonçalves Nelson Veiga
Published: December 2021

OBJETIVO Analisar a produção ambiental da malária nos municípios de Marabá, Parauapebas e Canaã dos Carajás, no Pará, entre 2014 e 2018. MÉTODOS Estudo ecológico e transversal a partir de dados epidemiológicos do Sistema de Informações de Vigilância Epidemiológica da Malária, da Secretaria de Saúde do Estado do Pará. Foram utilizados também dados cartográficos do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) e ambientais do projeto TerraClass, do Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). As análises estatísticas utilizaram o cálculo de percentuais e o teste qui-quadrado e as espaciais as técnicas de Kernel e de Moran global bivariado (I). RESULTADOS Foram analisados 437 casos confirmados de malária, na área e periodo de estudo. O maior percentual de casos ocorreu em indivíduos do sexo masculino, adultos, morador da zona rural, com atividades de garimpagem e agropecuária, sendo o Plasmodium vivax a espécie de maior frequência e o diagnóstico mais utilizado a gota espessa/esfregaço. A distribuição da malária não ocorreu de forma homogênea, com evidências de dependência espacial entre áreas com ocorrência de casos e diferentes tipos de uso da terra. Foram observadas também autocorrelações espaciais relacionadas à alta variabilidade dos tipos antropismos, ocorrida nos municípios. CONCLUSÃO A produção ambiental da malária está associada principalmente à pastagem e à mineração, antropismos relacionados às formas de uso e ocupação da terra nos municípios estudados. As tecnologias de análises de dados espaciais em saúde foram satisfatórias para a construção do cenário epidemiológico da doença.
Energetics of Transient Eddies Related to the Midwinter Minimum of the North Pacific Storm-Track Activity
Authors: Okajima Satoru , Nakamura Hisashi , Kaspi Yohai
Published: December 2021

Storm-track activity over the North Pacific (NP) climatologically exhibits a clear minimum in midwinter, when the westerly jet speed sharply maximizes. This counterintuitive phenomenon, referred to as the “midwinter minimum (MWM),” has been investigated from various perspectives, but the mechanisms are still to be unrevealed. Toward better understanding of this phenomenon, the present study delineates the detailed seasonal evolution of climatological-mean Eulerian statistics and energetics of migratory eddies along the NP storm track over 60 years. As a comprehensive investigation of the mechanisms for the MWM, this study has revealed that the net eddy conversion/generation rate normalized by the eddy total energy, which is independent of eddy amplitude, is indeed reduced in midwinter. The reduction from early winter occurs mainly due to the decreased effectiveness of the baroclinic energy conversion through seasonally weakened temperature fluctuations and the resultant poleward eddy heat flux. The reduced net normalized conversion/generation rate in midwinter is also found to arise in part from the seasonally enhanced kinetic energy conversion from eddies into the strongly diffluent Pacific jet around its exit. The seasonality of the net energy influx also contributes especially to the spring recovery of the net normalized conversion/generation rate. The midwinter reduction in the normalized rates of both the net energy conversion/generation and baroclinic energy conversion was more pronounced in the period before the late 1980s, during which the MWM of the storm-track activity was climatologically more prominent.
Validation of Satellite Rainfall Estimates over Equatorial East Africa
Authors: Ageet Simon , Fink Andreas H. , Maranan Marlon , Diem Jeremy E. , Hartter Joel , Ssali Andrew L. , Ayabagabo Prosper
Published: December 2021

Rain gauge data sparsity over Africa is known to impede the assessments of hydrometeorological risks and of the skill of numerical weather prediction models. Satellite rainfall estimates (SREs) have been used as surrogate fields for a long time and are continuously replaced by more advanced algorithms and new sensors. Using a unique daily rainfall dataset from 36 stations across equatorial East Africa for the period 2001–18, this study performs a multiscale evaluation of gauge-calibrated SREs, namely, IMERG, TMPA, CHIRPS, and MSWEP (v2.2 and v2.8). Skills were assessed from daily to annual time scales, for extreme daily precipitation, and for TMPA and IMERG near-real-time (NRT) products. Results show that 1) the SREs reproduce the annual rainfall pattern and seasonal rainfall cycle well, despite exhibiting biases of up to 9%; 2) IMERG is the best for shorter temporal scales while MSWEPv2.2 and CHIRPS perform best at the monthly and annual time steps, respectively; 3) the performance of all the SREs varies spatially, likely due to an inhomogeneous degree of gauge calibration, with the largest variation seen in MSWEPv2.2; 4) all the SREs miss between 79% (IMERG-NRT) and 98% (CHIRPS) of daily extreme rainfall events recorded by the rain gauges; 5) IMERG-NRT is the best regarding extreme event detection and accuracy; and 6) for return values of extreme rainfall, IMERG, and MSWEPv2.2 have the least errors while CHIRPS and MSWEPv2.8 cannot be recommended. The study also highlights improvements of IMERG over TMPA, the decline in performance of MSWEPv2.8 compared to MSWEPv2.2, and the potential of SREs for flood risk assessment over East Africa.
Identifying the Impact-Related Data Uses and Gaps for Hydrometeorological Impact Forecasts and Warnings
Authors: Harrison Sara E. , Potter Sally H. , Prasanna Raj , Doyle Emma E. H. , Johnston David
Published: December 2021

Impact forecasts and warnings (IFW) are key to resilience for hydrometeorological hazards. Communicating the potential social, economic, and environmental hazard impacts allows individuals and communities to adjust their plans and better prepare for the consequences of the hazard. IFW systems require additional knowledge about impacts and underlying vulnerability and exposure. Lack of data or knowledge about impacts, vulnerability, and exposure has been identified as a challenge for IFW implementation. In this study, we begin to address this challenge by developing an understanding of the data needs and uses for IFWs. Using the grounded theory method, we conducted a series of interviews with users and creators of hazard, impact, vulnerability, and exposure data (e.g., warning services, forecasters, meteorologists, hydrologists, emergency managers, data specialists, risk modelers) to understand where these data are needed and used in the warning value chain, a concept used to represent and understand the flow of information among actors in the warning chain. In support of existing research, we found a growing need for creating, gathering, and using impact, vulnerability, and exposure data for IFWs. Furthermore, we identified different approaches for impact forecasting and defining impact thresholds using objective models and subjective impact-oriented discussions depending on the data available. We also provided new insight into a growing need to identify, model, and warn for social and health impacts, which have typically taken a back seat to modeling and forecasting physical and infrastructure impacts. Our findings on the data needs and uses within IFW systems will help guide their development and provide a pathway for identifying specific relevant data sources.