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The article discusses the ineffectiveness of opioids in reducing pain for patients with acute low back or neck pain.

The article explores the effectiveness of high-intensity vs. low-intensity resistance training for knee osteoarthritis patients.

The article explores the effectiveness of a personalized care pathway for chronic knee pain after knee replacement surgery.

[Display omitted] • Fibre transfer from unconstrained physical assaults involving human subjects. • More fibres transfer in person-person contact than previous data suggests. • Realistic fibre transfer quantities to inform better decision making. • Care must be taken in assigning 'roles' in physical assaults using fibre evidence. • Broad fibre distribution maps evident despite garments stored in paper bags. Knowledge of the number of fibres transferred during a particular activity is essential for the interpretation of findings in similar criminal cases. In this regard, violent contacts and physical assaults still present a challenge, due to a lack of robust published data. Hereby, we present the outcome of an empirical study where different assault activities were simulated by a Jiu Jitsu team and participants were asked to play either the role of an aggressive 'assailant' or a defensive 'victim', wearing cotton garments (i.e., Gi's). Four different scenarios were simulated in replicates (n = 5), each of them involving different intensity levels (low and high) and duration times (30 and 60 s). Results showed that approximately 1,000 to 44,000 fibres were cross-transferred between the participants' garments, with noticeable differences between the different scenarios. These values were significantly larger than those published in previous studies and, therefore, suggested the possibility of a current underestimation of the number of fibres transferred in physical assaults. Furthermore, statistical analysis by ANOVA indicated that the all the variables tested (i.e., intensity level, duration time, and participants role) had a significant effect on the number of transferred fibres (p < 0.001) and, consequently, that some knowledge of the case circumstances may be important to make more educated estimations. This is the first time that such a methodology has been applied for the quantitative assessment of fibre transfer between participants in assault activities. Data are expected to help practitioners with the interpretation of findings in real casework and lead to a more robust evidential assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article comments on a research which examined the use of respiratory waveform analysis for the enhanced efficacy of mechanical insufflation-exsufflation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The article offers information on the task-oriented exercise which improved disability, pain and quality of life compared with general physiotherapy for surgically treated proximal humeral fractures.

The quality of the very early emotional experiences in a child's life are recognized today as foundational in the mental health of becoming an adult. Unsurprisingly, clinicians and health authorities agree on the importance of early detection and treatment of any mental health issues experienced by the preschool child. This is even more important and challenging as young children do not yet have the language skills necessary to express their distress. But do the caregivers in charge of these populations have the best tools at their disposal to carry out that important mission in an efficient and scientifically robust manner reflecting the latest research findings and scientific literature? This is the question we try to answer in this paper. We revisited the theoretical underpinnings behind the concept of mentalization as playing a key role in the ability to understand the other's inner reality. We then carried out an extensive review of scientific papers written over the past 30 years on the subject. We examined mental representations of the adult on the child and analyzed those mentalizations as key inputs. We focused on extracting cross analyses of the mentalizations of one child by several adults with different functions in the life of the child. In this process, we used the PRISMA methodology applied to large international medical databases. We found that the qualitative approach, usually associated with a lengthy process, has been overwhelmingly used in trying to assess patients' mental states and to analyze the mentalizations on the patient, adult or child. Furthermore, cross analyses of mentalizations from more than one adult on a given child were almost nonexistent, despite having high epistemic and clinical potential. There is a dearth of reliable quantitative tools, able to capture and analyze the mentalizations on a patient, that are scientifically robust, transposable, and easy to implement in a clinical setting. The absence of such tools for medical professionals in charge of assessing preschool children contributes, in our view, the low detection and poor treatment of mental disorders in that particularly vulnerable population. We believe there is here an urgent unmet need and that such tools should be designed, validated, and deployed into the target populations as early as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The 80 km/h speed limit is associated with a significant reduction in fatalities. • Estimated benefits are between 300 and 350 lives saved. • Estimated effects vary between counties, illustrating the potential impact depending on the local context. • The dynamics of the measure evolve over time. Introduction : Speeding is considered to be a major contributor to road fatalities and injuries worldwide. Inappropriate speeding behavior is associated with a high casualty burden. It could be responsible for at least 30% of road accidents. Method : In 2018, the French authorities decided to introduce a new speed limit. They lowered the speed limit to 80 km/h on the unseparated interurban network. The aim was to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries and to implement some measures in line with international commitments. This paper uses different econometric models applied to time series for different groups of counties. Results : The results show a significant positive contribution of the new speed limit. The estimated number of lives saved is between 300 and 350. The overall reduction in the number of fatalities is 10%. The results also show a differentiated impact according to the local context and the different dynamics at play. Conclusions and Practical Applications : The results of this paper are in line with the scientific literature on speed limit reductions. They represent a validation of a debated public decision, while at the same time consolidating the body of knowledge on the subject, helping the decision-maker to adopt an appropriate measure to improve road safety performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online fault diagnostics is a crucial consideration for fuel cell systems, particularly in mobile applications, to limit downtime and degradation, and to increase lifetime. Guided by a critical literature review, in this paper an overview of Health management systems classified in a scheme is presented, introducing commonly utilised methods to diagnose FCs in various applications. In this novel scheme, various Health management system methods are summarised and structured to provide an overview of existing systems including their associated tools. These systems are classified into four categories mainly focused on model-based and non-model-based systems. The individual methods are critically discussed when used individually or combined aimed at further understanding their functionality and suitability in different applications. Additionally, a tool is introduced to evaluate methods from each category based on the scheme presented. This tool applies the technique of matrix evaluation utilising several key parameters to identify the most appropriate methods for a given application. Based on this evaluation, the most suitable methods for each specific application are combined to build an integrated Health management system. • HMS methods for FC diagnosis are introduced and classified into three main categories. • New scheme is introduced categorising HMS methods by approach and characteristics. • Matrix evaluation is introduced rating HMS methods for individual FC application. • Method properties affect classification results requiring evaluation for each use case. • For FCs, feature extraction, reduction and fault classification methods are chosen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auto-contouring could revolutionise future planning of radiotherapy treatment. The lack of consensus on how to assess and validate auto-contouring systems currently limits clinical use. This review formally quantifies the assessment metrics used in studies published during one calendar year and assesses the need for standardised practice. A PubMed literature search was undertaken for papers evaluating radiotherapy auto-contouring published during 2021. Papers were assessed for types of metric and the methodology used to generate ground-truth comparators. Our PubMed search identified 212 studies, of which 117 met the criteria for clinical review. Geometric assessment metrics were used in 116 of 117 studies (99.1%). This includes the Dice Similarity Coefficient used in 113 (96.6%) studies. Clinically relevant metrics, such as qualitative, dosimetric and time-saving metrics, were less frequently used in 22 (18.8%), 27 (23.1%) and 18 (15.4%) of 117 studies, respectively. There was heterogeneity within each category of metric. Over 90 different names for geometric measures were used. Methods for qualitative assessment were different in all but two papers. Variation existed in the methods used to generate radiotherapy plans for dosimetric assessment. Consideration of editing time was only given in 11 (9.4%) papers. A single manual contour as a ground-truth comparator was used in 65 (55.6%) studies. Only 31 (26.5%) studies compared auto-contours to usual inter- and/or intra-observer variation. In conclusion, significant variation exists in how research papers currently assess the accuracy of automatically generated contours. Geometric measures are the most popular, however their clinical utility is unknown. There is heterogeneity in the methods used to perform clinical assessment. Considering the different stages of system implementation may provide a framework to decide the most appropriate metrics. This analysis supports the need for a consensus on the clinical implementation of auto-contouring. • A systematic review of auto-contouring assessment publications was performed. • Variation in the metrics used in auto-contouring research is demonstrated. • Geometric metrics are the most popular, but these may not be clinically meaningful. • There is significant heterogeneity in the "clinically relevant" assessment metrics. • There is a need to standardise auto-contouring assessment, to enable clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the rapidly evolving domain of Industry 4.0, effective management of software updates is crucial for maintaining system continuity and security. This paper presents a novel machine learning-based approach for a prompt and effective triage of software updates, leveraging an evaluation of six release note classifiers to categorize updates by component type, release type, and security risk. Our methodology, tested on a dataset of 1,000 release notes commonly encountered in Industry 4.0 ecosystems, demonstrates Logistic Regression as the most accurate classifier. The findings not only highlight the practical applicability of our approach in real-world data but also set the foundation for future enhancements to streamline the machine learning triage process further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of environmental impacts has become an inevitable necessity for many manufacturing companies – not only from a mere retrospective viewpoint but also for product design decisions. At the same time, economic feasibility must be constantly considered throughout all product design phases. For both dimensions, many different decision-support methods exist. However, there is a lack of combined assessment methods especially in early product design phases, when product characteristics, manufacturing technologies and corresponding data are still uncertain. The paper provides an overview and qualitative evaluation of different methods for economic and ecological assessment in product design stages. Based on this, a generalized procedure for combined economic and ecological decision-making during product design is derived, highlighting possible coping mechanisms for uncertain or insufficient data. Both, the evaluation of available assessment methods as well as the derived procedure are transferred to the specific requirements of wind turbines in urban areas. As a result, open research aspects and the next steps for method development are derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to high demand and capacity consumption, railway timetables are often sensitive to disturbances. To maintain punctual operations, it is important that timetables are robust, and methods are needed that make them robust without consuming too much capacity. In this paper, we demonstrate how a policy change in the form of new timetable planning rules can be used to achieve more robust timetables. We present the use of the rules in a real-world case from 2019, when our rules were applied for the Swedish Southern mainline. In this paper, we describe how a new policy for scheduling trains can be applied, and we discuss implications observed when going from research to practice. We also describe how the proposed rules affect train paths and runtimes. The outcome of the rules is measured in a comprehensive evaluation of the traffic performance based on empirical operational data. The results from this study show that practical knowledge is necessary when developing a policy, as well as when developing a timetabling model. Insights, given to us by experienced timetable planners, can be used to enhance optimisation models and make the models more applicable in the real world. The main contribution of this paper is to show that it is possible to increase timetable robustness with a minor policy change based on previously presented research results. Even with relatively small timetable modifications, we can learn from the operational data that the new rules had the intended effect and that overall punctuality can be increased. • A policy change using new timetable planning rules can increase railway punctuality. • Combining theoretical knowledge of robustness and practical expertise of planners. • Optimisation-based planning rules can be applied as manual planning rules. • Practical expertise is necessary when developing a policy as well as a timetabling model. • Relatively small timetable modifications increase the punctuality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we describe the selection of a modern build automation tool for an industry research partner of ours, namely an insurance company. Build automation has become increasingly important over the years. Today, build automation became one of the central concepts in topics such as cloud native development based on microservices and DevOps. Since more and more products for build automation have entered the market and existing tools have changed their functional scope, there is nowadays a large number of tools on the market that differ greatly in their functional scope. Based on requirements from our partner company, a build server analysis was conducted. This paper presents our analysis requirements, a detailed look at one of the examined tools and a summarized comparison of two tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Moon is a highly valued destination for human space exploration because it is close and it contains a wide array of lunar and Solar System science targets, which include resources that could be used to sustain humans on the lunar surface. These resources have the potential to enable sustainable human space exploration, develop a vibrant cislunar economy, and directly benefit society here on Earth. However, recent rhetoric about the importance and value of these resources has used the term as if we know they are reserves. An immediate and vital next step has not yet been realized to define the reserve potential of such resources, and that is designing and implementing a coordinated international lunar resource evaluation (prospecting) campaign. This paper outlines the issues that need to be addressed by such a campaign, including why it needs to be international in nature and how the coordination can be started and evolved, as well as exploring the benefits that would come from prospecting on the Moon. • A distinction between lunar resources and lunar reserves is defined. • Roadblocks in the in-situ resource value chain are highlighted. • Reserve potential of lunar resources requires a coordinated prospecting campaign. • The prospecting campaign must be international due to the scale of the task. • Coordination can start at the grassroots level with current and scheduled missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) significantly impacts climate change monitoring. GNSS RO is based mainly on the refraction of the GNSS signals transmitted by satellites and received by a receiver on a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite. Sentinel-6 (S6) is the first satellite from the Sentinel missions to retrieve atmospheric parameters using the RO technique. Temperature, pressure, and water vapor profiles can be retrieved using S6 based on the refraction of GNSS signals. This research evaluated the distribution and coverage of GNSS RO data from S6. This research also aims to evaluate the results of GNSS RO products, especially temperature from S6, from January 2022 to June 2022. The results of S6 are compared with the results from the Meteorological Operational Polar Satellite series (MetOp-B and MetOp-C) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Reanalysis v5 (ERA5) dataset. Our results indicate that S6 allows for many RO observations in space by receiving signals from the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS). S6 provides monthly RO profiles from GPS that are greater than monthly RO profiles from GLONASS. Results show that S6 provides more GNSS RO data than MetOp-B and MetOp-C. The findings indicate that the distribution of GNSS RO events from S6 over the globe is uniform in longitude and non-uniform at latitude, with the minimum number at the poles. This paper makes a significant contribution to exploring the atmosphere with the S6 as a promising satellite for weather forecasting and monitoring climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As many services convert to digital based on human-machine communication technology, older adults face considerable challenges. With the goal to identify ways to design digital services that are easier for older adults to use, this paper uses the strategy of making self-ordering kiosks more similar to the original version (i.e., paper menu) focusing on three familiarity design approaches: representation, manipulation, and organization. A 2 (skeuomorphic vs. flat design) x 2 (hierarchical vs. linear navigation structure) between-subject design experiment was conducted with individuals aged over 65 years (N = 60). Participants perceived that the skeuomorphic design was easier to use compared to the flat design, and the linear navigation structure increased perceived self-efficacy, usefulness, and intention to use compared to the hierarchical navigation structure. Participants also completed the tasks more quickly in the skeuomorphic design (vs. flat design) and linear navigation structure (vs. hierarchical structure) conditions. Interaction effects suggest that the task completion time was further reduced when skeuomorphic design was used with a linear navigation structure. Furthermore, fewer people requested assistance when they used a linear navigation structure. Serial multiple mediation results showed that the influence of linear navigation structure on intention to use was mediated by perceived self-efficacy and usefulness. • Skeuomorphic design offers better user experience for seniors than the flat one. • Linear navigation structure offers better user experience for seniors than the hierarchical one. • Combining skeuomorphism and linear structure decreases the task completion time. • The effect of linear navigation structure on intention to use is mediated by self-efficacy and perceived usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning is often a component, and sometimes an explicit goal, of sustainability transition projects. Despite a growing interest in designing, facilitating, and evaluating such exploratory initiatives with respect to their systemic, less work has focused on how such initiatives support learning and capacity-building among its partaking actors and institutions including building experimental governance capacity. In this paper, we aim to better understand how exploratory and experimental initiatives with transformative sustainability ambitions relate to and influence their partaking actors and institutions. We draw from the North Mid Sweden Challenge Lab, an initiative to adapt, test and learn a governance approach to navigate complex sustainability challenges and transformations. It was part of a high impact action within a pilot for regional industrial transition framed around experiments in governance and policy by the European Commission and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, where peer-learnings by and between regions was stated as an explicit goal. We focus on the kind of learning and knowledge creation processes that occur in these open-ended and multi-levelled social interaction processes. In this paper, we empirically engage with such learning processes with a focus on governance capacity, based on direct experiences from its participating actors and related institutions. This study builds on and extends conceptual understandings of scaling, embedding and other types of strategies and diffusion mechanisms in sustainability transformations and transitions with a focus on learning. We conclude that conducting exploratory initiatives seems to have functioned in legitimizing open-ended, cross-sectoral purposeful activities of deliberation, learning and search. However, sending out and leading explorations is not the same as preparing for and working with procedures to scale, transfer, embed and institutionalise learnings and results to alter mainstream ways of governing for complex challenges and systemic change – all key elements in developing experimental governance capacity in response to sustainability challenges. • Facilitating learning at – and between- different actor scales has potential to accelerate transitions and support docking with existing institutions. • Conducting exploratory initiatives seems to have functioned in legitimizing open-ended, cross-sectoral purposeful activities of deliberation, learning and search. • Preparation and procedures are required to scale, transfer, embed and institutionalise learnings and results to alter mainstream ways of governing for complex challenges and systemic change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation is a technique being used increasingly in healthcare education which offers opportunities to evaluate nursing proficiencies. The use of valid and reliable instruments is recognised as the foundation for a robust assessment, however competency-based health assessment courses for graduate nurses can consequently become reductionist in measuring proficiencies. The specific review question was: In simulation-based education, what are the criteria that evaluate graduate nursing student's competence in obtaining a health history and performance of patient assessment? Eleven studies were included in the review. Papers were critically appraised with The Joanna Briggs Institute quasi-experimental studies checklist. Bloom's taxonomy was used to structure this narrative review. Seven papers evaluated cognition through questionnaires and two papers used a Likert-scale to determine self-perceived knowledge. Six papers evaluated psychomotor skills with a behavioural checklist. Diversity of application was factored into the studies when testing affective skills. Three papers used Likert-scales to evaluate preparedness, six papers used Likert-scales to evaluate self-confidence and one used a Likert-scale to evaluate autonomy. Three papers used a checklist to evaluate professionalism. Four papers used faculty member/ standardised patient feedback. Reductionist evaluation instruments create a barrier when evaluating competency. The limited validity and reliability of assessment instruments in simulation, as well as the lack of standardisation of affective skills assessment, presents a challenge in simulation research. Affective skills encompass attitudes, behaviours and communication abilities, which pose a significant challenge for standardised assessments due to their subjective nature. This review of the simulation literature highlights a lack of robustness in the evaluation of the affective domain. This paper proposes that simulation assessment instruments should include the standardisation of affective domain proficiencies such as: adaptation to patients' cognitive function, ability to interpret and synthesise relevant information, ability to demonstrate clinical judgement, readiness to act, recognition of professional limitations and faculty/standardised-simulated patient feedback. The incorporation of the affective domain in standardised assessment instruments is important to ensure comprehensive assessment of simulation particularly in the development of health history and physical assessment proficiencies. Attention to all of the domains in Blooms taxonomy during simulation assessment has the potential to better prepare professionals for the patient care setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Here we demonstrate the evaluation of forensic evidence using a real life case of an alleged sexual assault. • We have used the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) guideline for evaluative reporting in forensic science. • We show evaluation is possible even when additional information is provided and some or all results are known. This paper demonstrates a logical framework for evaluating forensic evidence, first described by Cook et al. [1,2], using a casework example of an alleged sexual assault involving semen transfer. Here we show in real time how the case strategy can change with additional information and how to use available experience and published data to interpret the findings obtained, given the background information provided. The findings of the case are interpreted using the Bayesian approach and are reported by giving the strength of support of scientific findings for one proposition rather than a competing proposition, as per the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENSFI) guideline for evaluative reporting. We believe that using this paper as a template will aid other Forensic Science Practitioners (FSP) to add value and weight to their work by assisting them in evaluating and interpreting their own findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical motion analysis involves quantitative measurement of gait patterns to identify gait anomalies that currently or have the potential to impact function, activities of daily living and participation. Clinical motion analysis services are equipped with motion capture technology and comprise specialised staff who deliver 3-dimensional motion analysis services to children and adults who present with varying levels of gait impairment. Data is then used to inform intervention recommendations to clinicians with a view to maintaining independent, functional and pain free walking (or appropriate mobility). The ANZ-CMAG (established in 2013) identified a need to establish recommendations to assist in standardising practice guidelines for both current and new clinical motion analysis services within the region. The group serves to promote collaboration between services in quality assurance processes, clinical practices, data sets and research activities. The clinical practice recommendations described in this paper cover: i) requirements for a motion analysis service (including staffing, facilities and equipment), ii) patient assessments (requirements, clinical information and data gathered, reporting and interpretation of patient data), iii) quality assurance processes (including motion capture system / biomechanical models & limitations, marker placement, data storage / record keeping, creation of normative dataset); iv) helpful resources. Better outcomes for children and adults with gait deviations is dependent upon accurate measurement and evaluation of walking and requires input from multidisciplinary clinical teams with specialist knowledge and skills. The ANZ-CMAG hopes these clinical practice recommendations are beneficial to motion analysis services with an aim to improve clinical practices, patient outcomes, and support research collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A group of students who have applied for scholarships must be ranked. The committee responsible for determining this ranking consists of the students' advisors. While impartial towards other students, the advisors are biased towards favoring their students. This paper examines the implementation of the deserving ranking via backward induction. Some of the best-known sequential mechanisms utilized in the real world are ineffective. We present two simple and natural sequential mechanisms that prove to be effective. The first mechanism is suitable for when there are precisely three students, and the second is for four or more students. • A group of students who have applied for scholarships must be ranked. • The committee comprises the students' advisors. • We present mechanisms implementing the deserving ranking via backward induction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of farming and rural communities poses challenges to research and extension initiatives seeking industry-wide change. The effectiveness of these initiatives depends on factors ranging from individual psychology to the science of effects. Tools like intervention logic models, which visualise the causal chain of an intervention through to its impact, are useful for programme planning but are of limited usefulness for comparing the relative benefits of initiatives. Benefit-cost analysis can quantify relative benefits, but applications often oversimplify the causal chain and leave key impacts unquantified. This paper aims to develop a benefit-cost analysis modelling framework that both captures the important causal logic from intervention to impact as well as quantifying and monetising key benefit categories. We apply the framework to value the impacts of 'Hill Country Futures', a programme of research and extension designed to assist in future-proofing the environmental sustainability, profitability, and well-being of New Zealand's hill country farmers, their farm systems, and communities. The QUICK (Quantifying and Understanding the Impact of Capability and Knowledge) model uses an agent-based simulation to represent processes of skill development and practice improvement that result from both extension activities for management and research tools as well as the use of those tools. We calibrate the model using a combination of an external predictive adoption model, an expert workshop, and researcher judgment. We use a choice experiment to value simulated changes in financial, environmental, community, and well-being outcomes. We explore how optimising the programme of extension interventions through targeting could increase impact. Our results suggest that the benefits of the 'Hill Country Futures' programme outweigh the costs by a factor of 13.5. We find that targeting extension efforts towards building awareness could be slightly more beneficial than targeting both awareness and skill development. We find no evidence that targeting extension efforts towards the best resource would be beneficial. This paper combines desirable features from intervention logic models, benefit-cost analysis, choice modelling, and agent-based models to value the benefits of a large programme of research and extension. It highlights that such modelling can be useful for evaluating both planned and complete programmes. [Display omitted] • Programme evaluation is dominated by qualitative research and would often benefit from more quantitative analysis. • We evaluate Hill Country Futures, designed to improve the sustainability and profitability of hill country farmers. • We combine intervention logic models with benefit-cost analysis using an agent-based approach informed by choice modelling. • Our results suggest that the programme will deliver substantial benefits compared to costs, with a benefit-cost ratio of 13.5. • We show the potential of using intervention logic with benefit-cost analysis to value agricultural research and extension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concept hierarchies, as part of knowledge representation methods, play an important role in supporting the exchange and sharing of information. We developed and automated a concept hierarchies construction process which includes several artificial intelligence techniques. When automating their construction from an existing, more or less structured, body of knowledge, the evaluation of the resulting concept hierarchy is an important step. We propose an approach for concept hierarchy construction (CHC) from short sentences, that makes use of methods like Sentence Embedding, Clustering, and Automatic Labeling to create a hierarchical representation consisting of three layers. Our major focus in this paper is not on the algorithms used but on their evaluation using manual clustering by experts and fuzzy sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockmodeling refers to a variety of statistical methods for reducing and simplifying large and complex networks. While methods for blockmodeling networks observed at one time point are well established, it is only recently that researchers have proposed several methods for analysing dynamic networks (i.e., networks observed at multiple time points). The considered approaches are based on k-means or stochastic blockmodeling, with different ways being used to model time dependency among time points. Their novelty means they have yet to be extensively compared and evaluated and the paper therefore aims to compare and evaluate them using Monte Carlo simulations. Different network characteristics are considered, including whether tie formation is random or governed by local network mechanisms. The results show the Dynamic Stochastic Blockmodel (Matias and Miele 2017) performs best if the blockmodel does not change; otherwise, the Stochastic Blockmodel for Multipartite Networks (Bar-Hen et al. 2020) does. • We consider dynamic networks, i.e., networks measured at multiple time points. • We show which blockmodeling approach is preferred in different conditions. • Blockmodel stability should be considered while selecting a blockmodeling approach. • A larger network and greater differences among block densities produce better results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Convey the knowledge acquired by IKT during the last 25 years on CIPP lining. • Analyse the key variables for a transparent quality assessment for CIPP projects. • Identify crucial research gaps that need to be investigated in the future. Deterioration of buried water and sewer pipes is a significant concern among utilities around the world. Cured-In-Place-Pipe (CIPP) is one of the techniques commonly adopted to rehabilitate pipes. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a brief, but comprehensive, summary of information needed by researchers, engineers and municipalities to recognize the barriers and difficulties that may arise during CIPP sewer rehabilitation work. Thus, this paper outlines the issues and challenges associated with CIPP rehabilitation of main and lateral sewers by analyzing a series of projects conducted by IKT-Institute for Underground Infrastructure in Germany over the last two decades. Finally, ideas for further research are then proposed to reduce the obstacles and risks linked with this technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Atypical cultural goods offer novelty and influence how cultural markets evolve. • Measures taken to contain crises such as COVID-19 lockdowns induce negative affects. • Both cognition and affects determine how individuals evaluate categorical atypicality. • Negative affects negatively moderate the impact of atypicality on audiences' evaluations. This paper investigates the impact of atypicality on cultural goods reception. While prior research has assumed controlled and highly cognitive mechanisms in audience evaluations, this paper probes the influence of affective states. We suggest that crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, trigger affective states and sway evaluations of atypical cultural goods. In a longitudinal study on movie evaluations ("Study 1"), we analyze how the external shock of the COVID-19 lockdown announcement — proxying heightened negative affects including anxiety — interacted with movies' atypicality and their subsequent audience evaluations. Furthermore, two preregistered controlled experiments establish causal links at the individual level. Study 2 corroborates the causal relationship between the COVID-19 lockdown announcement and increased negative affects. Study 3 shows that higher negative affects moderate how perceived novelty mediates atypicality's effect on audience evaluations. Overall, this paper has important implications for research on categorization, social evaluations, and the consequences of COVID-19 policy consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive review of fifty-two studies co-designing conversational agents (CAs). Its objectives are to synthesise prior CA co-design efforts and provide actionable recommendations for future endeavours in CA co-design. The review systematically evaluates studies' methodological and contextual aspects, revealing trends and limitations. These insights converge into practical recommendations for co-designing CAs, including (1) selecting the most suitable design technique aligned with desired CA outcomes, (2) advocating continuous stakeholder involvement throughout the design process, and (3) emphasising the elicitation and embodiment of stakeholder values to ensure CA designs align with their perspectives. This paper contributes to standardising and enhancing co-design practices, promising to improve the quality of outcomes in the case of CAs while benefiting stakeholders and users. • A review of conversational agent co-design studies. • The review looks at what studies took place and how they were conducted. • Findings show variations across dimensions such as stakeholder proximity. • A set of recommendations is derived to provide best practices for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptable design is an increasingly utilized design paradigm that can effectively and efficiently create a new design by adapting an existing design to maintain, upgrade and extend the functionality of a product by enhancing its adaptability. This paper presents an approach integrating soft sets and entropy theories to develop a mapping model between design requirements and design solutions to evaluate the adaptability when the design or product has insufficient design information. The design adaptabilities of cylindrical gear machine tools were used to validate the feasibility of the proposed approach and a modified design with improved adaptability is realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ergonomics application in HSE management research for construction workers were evaluated. • Influential journals, scholars, and articles in applying ergonomics to enhance HSE were identified. • Research status and trends were analyzed by keyword co-occurrence, burst detection, and cluster analysis. • Five research themes and their relationships were qualitatively discussed. • A conceptual framework was proposed by linking research areas into future research directions. T he construction industry is one of the industries with worst safety records. With the increasing application of ergonomics, health, safety, and environment (HSE) management of construction workers has been improved. However, a thorough evaluation of ergonomics application in HSE management research for construction workers remains unavailable. This study aims to fill this gap by evaluating relevant peer-reviewed journal papers published from 2000 to 2021 to ascertain the status of this research area and identify future directions. After a literature search in Scopus and Web of Science and careful manual screening, a total of 252 articles were identified. The papers were analyzed in terms of contributing journals, prominent scholars, and critical articles as well as keyword co-occurrence, burst detection, and term clustering. A conceptual framework linking five research themes (ergonomic interventions, ergonomic training, ergonomic risk factors identification and evaluation, ergonomic posture recognition, and physiological monitoring) into corresponding future research directions was proposed based on a qualitative evaluation. The findings of this study provide useful references for future application of ergonomics in the enhanced HSE management of construction workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the development of the Couples Closeness Distance Scale (CCDS) a quantitative tool for evaluation of joint drawing tasks informed by attachment theory concepts of closeness and distance and art therapy-based phenomenological theory. The scale development process was based on the observer version of the Therapeutic-Distance-Scale (TDS-O). Fourteen romantically involved couples drew together on a shared sheet of paper twice, and then took part in a joint interview. Pictorial phenomena that may indicate issues of distance and closeness were identified by a five-member analysis team, and then added to the TDS items. During the process, adjustments were made in the wording of some of the TDS items for the purpose of the current scale. In the process of formulating the items, the ICC was calculated, and certain items were redefined for suitability and accuracy. The final version of the CCDS includes four dimensions: Too Distant (ICC 0.91–0.96), Too Close (ICC 0.66–0.92), Autonomy (ICC 0.70–0.81), and Engagement- Appropriate Closeness (ICC 0.75–0.97). The use of the scale is demonstrated by means of three examples. Potential uses and limitations of the scale are presented in the discussion section. • The paper describes the development of the Couples Closeness Distance Scale (CCDS). • CCDS is a quantitative tool for evaluation of joint drawing. • The CCDS is based on the observer version of the Therapeutic-Distance-Scale. • The CCDS relates to closeness and distance in the couple's drawings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underground tunnel structure is important and common in transport infrastructures. With the increasing service time, it is crucial to detect the deteriorations in the ageing tunnel linings and make informed retrofitting decisions to ensure their structural safety and extend their service life cycle. This emphasizes the importance of understanding the framework of tunnel lining detection, evaluation, and retrofitting. However, there is no up-to-date review available that covers the entire workflow of tunnel lining detection and retrofitting. This paper provides a comprehensive review of non-destructive testing (NDT) methods, health evaluation methods, and retrofitting methods for tunnel linings. The achievements, challenges, and development trends of these methods are illustrated. Specifically, NDT methods for three representative tunnel lining defects, including cracks, leakage, and voids, are introduced and analyzed to show the corresponding advantages and disadvantages. Based on the data obtained by the defect detection methods, the procedures for lining health status evaluation are also summarized to provide a systematic and quantitative evaluation of tunnel linings. Finally, the retrofitting methods and techniques that are suitable for lining structures are reviewed. This paper provides an insight into the development of structural health monitoring (SHM) and the maintenance of tunnel linings, offering a systematic guide for understanding the framework of tunnel lining detection and retrofitting. [Display omitted] • Review of the detection methods of tunnel lining defects and their applications • Review of the existing evaluation methods of tunnel lining conditions • Review of the available tunnel lining retrofitting methods • Gaps and outlook for tunnel lining detection and retrofitting research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting anomalies in telemetry data captured on-board a spacecraft is critical to ensure its safe operation. Although there exist various techniques for automatically detecting point, contextual, and collective anomalies from time-series data, quantifying their performance remains under-researched. In this paper, we thoroughly validate our approach for the task of anomalous event detection that is built upon a two-stage technique, in which the telemetry signal is predicted using a long short-term memory network based on the historical data, and then the prediction is compared with the actual (captured) data. If the difference between those two is sufficiently large, we can infer that an anomalous event has happened. To evaluate the capabilities of such detection techniques over the simulated and benchmark time-series data, we investigate a set of commonly used metrics obtained for a range of anomaly detection approaches, and present their shortcomings, especially related to their inability of capturing the temporal aspects of the detectors. We tackle this issue by introducing new quality metrics which enable us to objectively verify if the detectors can timely spot the anomalies in sequential data. The experimental study showed that inferring the conclusions based on a subset of metrics can lead to biased observations, as the best algorithms determined based on the overlap metrics, including the Dice coefficient, do not necessarily correspond to the algorithms that offer the fastest detection. Finally, we discuss the Antelope Toolbox—our software tool for simulating nominal telemetry data of given characteristics, alongside well-defined anomalous events, and to perform the quantitative and qualitative analysis of anomaly detection algorithms over such simulated events. • We investigate the quality metrics to verify anomaly detection in telemetry data. • We introduce new measures that capture temporal aspects of anomaly detectors. • We present an end-to-end machine learning pipeline for anomaly detection. • We objectively assess 15 anomaly detection algorithms using all metrics. • Exploiting only a subset of all metrics can easily lead to biased conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Search systems have played an essential role in improving user experience and information accessibility on the web, allowing users to express their information needs (provided as search queries) and serving users with the results that satisfy those needs. However, a user's search task can be complex and may not be expressed using a single search query, requiring the user to write several queries to fulfill all the aspects of his or her needs. In such scenarios, an intelligent search system would be beneficial to identify and understand the original search task issued by a user and then suggest several search tasks (in a form of key-phrases or short topics) related to the original search task. Aiming to tackle this limitation, this paper proposes a framework for applying several unsupervised learning approaches, including topic modeling and log mining. The results of applying these approaches to large user session data show that, indeed, these approaches would be applicable in search suggestion and task recommendation, reaching a significant improvement over a strong baseline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A road safety policy index consisting of 10 items is proposed. • The index is applied to evaluate road safety policy in Norway. • Different estimators of effect are compared. • Road safety policy has been effective in reducing fatal injury. The paper presents an exploratory study of a road safety policy index developed for Norway. The index consists of ten road safety measures for which data on their use from 1980 to 2021 are available. The ten measures were combined into an index which had an initial value of 50 in 1980 and increased to a value of 185 in 2021. To assess the application of the index in evaluating the effects of road safety policy, negative binomial regression models and multivariate time series models were developed for traffic fatalities, fatalities and serious injuries, and all injuries. The coefficient for the policy index was negative, indicating the road safety policy has contributed to reducing the number of fatalities and injuries. The size of this contribution can be estimated by means of at least three estimators that do not always produce identical values. There is little doubt about the sign of the relationship: a stronger road safety policy (as indicated by index values) is associated with a larger decline in fatalities and injuries. A precise quantification is, however, not possible. Different estimators of effect, all of which can be regarded as plausible, yield different results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Research into hazard perception training has focused primarily on drivers. • Training was found to improve hazard perception with moderate to large effects. • Training should employ a method which actively engages the participants. • There is considerable heterogeneity in the training methods and measures used. • Future research is needed in long-term retention. Hazard perception (HP) has been argued to improve with experience, with numerous training programs having been developed in an attempt to fast track the development of this critical safety skill. To date, there has been little synthesis of these methods. Objective: The present study sought to synthesise the literature for all road users to capture the breadth of methodologies and intervention types, and quantify their efficacy. Data Sources: A systematic review of both peer reviewed and non-peer-reviewed literature was completed. A total of 57 papers were found to have met inclusion criteria. Results: Research into hazard perception has focused primarily on drivers (with 42 studies), with a limited number of studies focusing on vulnerable road users, including motorcyclists (3 studies), cyclists (7 studies) and pedestrians (5 studies). Training was found to have a large significant effect on improving hazard perception skills for drivers (g = 0.78) and cyclists (g = 0.97), a moderate effect for pedestrians (g = 0.64) and small effect for motorcyclists (g = 0.42). There was considerable heterogeneity in the findings, with the efficacy of training varying as a function of the hazard perception skill being measured, the type of training enacted (active, passive or combined) and the number of sessions of training (single or multiple). Active training and single sessions were found to yield more consistent significant improvements in hazard perception. Conclusions: This study found that HP training improved HP skill across all road user groups with generally moderate to large effects identified. HP training should employ a training method that actively engages the participants in the training task. Preliminary results suggest that a single session of training may be sufficient to improve HP skill however more research is needed into the delivery of these single sessions and long-term retention. Further research is also required to determine whether improvements in early-stage skills translate to improvements in responses on the road, and the long-term retention of the skills developed through training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial environments present unique challenges in ensuring worker safety and optimizing productivity. The emergence of smart wearable technologies such as smart insoles has provided new opportunities to address these challenges through accurate unobtrusive monitoring and analysis of workers' activities and physical parameters. This systematic review aims to analyze the utilization of smart wearable insoles in industrial environments, focusing on their applications, employed analysis methods, and potential future directions. A comprehensive review was conducted, involving the analysis of 27 papers that utilized smart wearable insoles in industrial settings. The reviewed articles were evaluated to determine the trends in application and methodology, explore the implementation of smart insoles across different industries, and identify the prevalent machine learning models and analyzed activities in the relevant literature. The majority of the reviewed articles (67%) primarily focused on human activity recognition and gesture estimation using smart wearable insoles, aiming to enhance safety and productivity in industrial settings. Furthermore, 10% of the studies focused on fatigue identification, 10% on slip, trip, and fall hazard detection, and 13% on biomechanical analyses of workers' body joint loads. The construction industry accounted for approximately 60% of the studies conducted in industrial settings using smart insoles. The most prevalent machine learning models utilized in these studies were neural networks (48%), support vector machines (33%), k-nearest neighbors (30%), decision trees (26%), and random forests (15%). These models achieved median accuracies of 95%, 96%, 91%, 92%, and 95%, respectively. Among the analyzed activities, walking, bending with/without lifting/lowering a load, and carrying a load were the most frequently considered, with frequencies of 10, 10, and 7 out of the 27 studies, respectively. The findings of this systematic review demonstrate the growing interest in implementing smart wearable insoles in industrial environments to enhance safety and productivity. However, the effectiveness of these systems is dependent on factors such as accuracy, reliability, and generalizability of the models. The review highlights the need for further research to address these challenges and to explore the potential of these systems for use in other industrial applications such as manufacturing. Overall, this systematic review provides valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in the field of occupational health and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This invited discussion paper highlights key updates in the MRC/NIHR's revised framework for the development and evaluation of complex nursing interventions and reflects on the implications for nursing research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Establish an ecosystem service function assessment system applicable to high mountain and deep valley areas. • The refined valuation will help to accurately protect ecosystems in areas with complex topography. • EWM can be well applied to weight the study area with large spatial heterogeneity. • The southern part of the study area is more ecologically important than the northern part. Refined evaluation of ecosystem service functions in deep valleys in high mountain areas is an important means of precise protection of ecosystems. As the population continues to increase, human needs and demands on ecosystems continue to increase, and deep valleys in high mountain areas with good ecological integrity face the risk of development, it is urgent to balance protection and development and carry out precise protection of ecosystems. Based on the principles of typicality, specificity, feasibility and sustainability, this paper constructs an evaluation system for the ecosystem service function of the alpine deep valley area, consisting of 12 indicators from four aspects: Regulating functions, Provisioning functions, Supporting functions and Cultural functions. The Entropy Weight method was used to assign the weights of the relevant indicators in a hierarchical manner, and to complete the evaluation of the importance of ecosystem service functions and the importance zoning of the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that: the importance of the ecosystem service functions of the Southeast Tibetan Plateau gradually decreases from southwest to northeast; the extremely important area is mainly distributed in the forest ecosystems with good originality and integrity in the south, accounting for 2.61% of the total area of the region, which needs to focus on ecological protection; the slightly important area is mainly distributed in the northern high altitude area with low vegetation cover and weak soil and water conservation capacity and grassland ecosystem, accounting for 58.89% of the total area of the region, which can be prioritized for development. The results of the study provide new ideas for precise protection of ecosystems and resolution of conflicts between ecological protection and development, as well as for the planning of functional areas for ecosystem services in deep valleys of high mountains, and also provide scientific references for regional sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CUDA toolkits are widely used to develop applications running on NVIDIA GPUs. They include compilers and are frequently updated to integrate state-of-the-art compilation techniques. Hence, many HPC users believe that the latest CUDA toolkit will improve application performance; however, considering results from CPU compilers, there are cases where this is not true. In this paper, we thoroughly evaluate the impact of CUDA toolkit version on the performance, power consumption, and energy consumption of GPU applications with four GPU architectures. Our results show that though the latest CUDA toolkit obtains the best performance, power consumption, and energy consumption for many applications in most cases, but we found a few exceptions. For such applications, we conducted an in-depth analysis using the SASS to identify why older CUDA toolkit achieve performance improvement. Our analysis showed that the factors that caused them are by three phenomena: aggressive loop unrolling, inefficient instruction scheduling, and the impact of host compilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To promote energy saving, high efficiency and quality production in the mechanical manufacturing industry, a large number of studies have been conducted on modelling and evaluation. However, most of the approaches have focused on single objective modelling, evaluation and conventional machining method like unidirectional turning (UDT). This paper presents a multi-objective modelling and evaluation method for energy, efficiency, economy and quality using a new process of forward-and-reverse multidirectional turning (MDT). Firstly, the multi-objective influential factors of cutting parameters for energy consumption, cutting time, production cost and surface roughness of MDT are analyzed to establish the corresponding models, respectively. Then taking the energy consumption, cutting time, production cost and surface roughness as the objectives, the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is applied for the multi-objective evaluation through different processes. Finally, the case study shows the practicability of the MDT method and evaluation method for energy optimization and energy conservation. • Proposing a new method of energy saving and high efficiency production oriented multidirectional turning (MDT). • Illustrating the characteristics of MDT. • Establishing entropy-weight and fuzzy evaluation models. • Analyzing the practicability of the multi-objective evaluation and models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing share of the climate-sensitive renewable energy market supply in China, estimating future energy drought risk (ED) is essential. In this paper, based on CMIP6, energy demand and power generation are estimated from 2023 to 2100 under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 climate scenarios, and ED is defined from high demand (HD), low wind-solar generation (LWS), and residual load (RL). The results show that the ED exacerbation is relatively high under the SSP5-8.5. Between 2023 and 2100, the duration and severity of HD and RL notably increase, while LWS changes are relatively weak. We find that HD and RL exhibit high summer risks in the south and high winter risk in the north. The return periods vary significantly and extends over time in most regions. Moreover, there are few ED when the installed power generation capacity (IPGC) is increased. When the IPGC increases by 2%–5%, the LWS will decrease at least 20%–72%. With a 10% increase, the LWS will be mitigated by at least 80%, whereas the mitigation for RL is limited, approximately 3–17% at different rates. This work performs the first evaluation of future ED and provides the useful references for risk mitigation in China based on CMIP6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-agency initiatives as a response to complex crimes, such as stalking, pose conceptual and operational challenges for practitioners and evaluators. This study addresses these challenges, by combining a theory of change driven approach with the realist-inspired EMMIE evaluation framework to present findings from a pilot multi agency stalking intervention partnership in England and Wales. The study uses a mixed methods approach based on analysis of police data and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders to present a process and effect evaluation of a complex social intervention. Findings based on a small sample and limited follow up period show nonsignificant results in terms of reducing the harmful effects of stalking, but which are encouragingly in the right direction. The case study demonstrates the importance of a theory driven approach to multi-agency evaluation and identifies essential factors necessary for ensuring implementation success. A theory of change driven approach and an EMMIE-inspired evaluation can help identify whether interventions work, how they work, for whom they work, and under what conditions. It demonstrates the importance of data collection and provision for long term evaluation plans, especially for complex social interventions. The paper makes a significant methodological and empirical contribution to evaluation literature. • A complex crime like stalking requires a co-ordinated multi-agency, multi-strategic interventional approach. • Evaluations framed by a theory of change driven approach combined with an EMMIE inspired realist framework are valuable. • Our evaluation measures what works, as well asunderlying mechanisms and contextual conditions that make it work. • It provides practitioners and policy makers with a roadmap to set up future partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To present a guide for communication curriculum development in healthcare professions for educators and curriculum planners.Methods: We collated a selection of theories, frameworks and approaches to communication curriculum development to provide a roadmap of the main factors to consider when developing or enhancing communication skills curricula.Results: We present an evidence-based guide for developing and enhancing communication curriculum that can be applied to undergraduate and postgraduate healthcare education. Recommended steps to consider during the communication curricula development process include thoughtful examination of current communication education, needs assessment, focused learning goals and objectives, incorporation of experiential educational strategies allowing for skills practice and feedback and use of formative and summative assessment methods. A longitudinal, developmental and helical implementation approach contributes to reinforcement and sustainment of learners' knowledge and skills.Conclusion and Practice Implications: Drawing on best practices in developing communication curricula can be helpful in ensuring successful approaches to communication skills training for any level of learner or healthcare profession. This position paper provides a guide and identifies resources for new and established communication curriculum developers to reflect on strengths and opportunities in their own approaches to addressing the communication education needs of their learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart mirrors are gaining attention as a smart device that could integrate a set of functionalities intended to assist older adults in their day-to-day life. These devices are seamlessly integrated in the environment, providing a user-friendly interface and naturally fitting into the daily-care routines. People face a mirror several times a day, thus ensuring that any application running on a smart mirror will have several guaranteed interactions per day. It is therefore essential to detect when the user is in front of the mirror and also to interpret what he or she is doing. Very powerful and accurate libraries are currently available, but the limited computational resources and the need to work in real time limit the valid options for smart mirror devices. This paper therefore analyses and evaluates several body pose estimation models in order to determine which one can be deployed in a smart mirror-like device dedicated to supporting older adults in their physical rehabilitation routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the results of three studies that take key steps toward developing and validating a survey instrument to assess the readiness of individuals who are about to sojourn abroad – the Sojourn Readiness Assessment (SRA). The first study presents the development of 20 items to measure three readiness dimensions (knowledge, motivation, and anxiety) and the results of an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) performed on responses from 336 students about to study abroad. The EFA results led us to drop 10 items and one dimension (knowledge). In the second study, we administered a second 10-item version of the SRA to 154 students and ran a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), which confirmed the two-factor structure and further led us to drop two more items. In the third study, we translated the survey to Chinese and administered it to 136 Chinese students who were preparing to come to the U.S. The two-factor structure was confirmed through CFA for the Chinese version of the instrument. The three studies provide initial validity evidence for the Sojourn Readiness Assessment instrument. The need for further studies and some potential uses of the instrument are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer's radiomic phenotype may potentially inform clinical decision-making with respect to radical radiotherapy. At present there are no validated biomarkers available for the individualisation of radical radiotherapy in lung cancer and the mortality rate of this disease remains the highest of all other solid tumours. MEDLINE was searched using the terms 'radiomics' and 'lung cancer' according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Met-Analyses (PRISMA) guidance. Radiomics studies were defined as those manuscripts describing the extraction and analysis of at least 10 quantifiable imaging features. Only those studies assessing disease control, survival or toxicity outcomes for patients with lung cancer following radical radiotherapy ± chemotherapy were included. Study titles and abstracts were reviewed by two independent reviewers. The Radiomics Quality Score was applied to the full text of included papers. Of 244 returned results, 44 studies met the eligibility criteria for inclusion. End points frequently reported were local (17%), regional (17%) and distant control (31%), overall survival (79%) and pulmonary toxicity (4%). Imaging features strongly associated with clinical outcomes include texture features belonging to the subclasses Gray level run length matrix, Gray level co-occurrence matrix and kurtosis. The median cohort size for model development was 100 (15–645); in the 11 studies with external validation in a separate independent population, the median cohort size was 84 (21–295). The median number of imaging features extracted was 184 (10–6538). The median Radiomics Quality Score was 11% (0–47). Patient-reported outcomes were not incorporated within any studies identified. No studies externally validated a radiomics signature in a registered prospective study. Imaging-derived indices attained through radiomic analyses could equip thoracic oncologists with biomarkers for treatment response, patterns of failure, normal tissue toxicity and survival in lung cancer. Based on routine scans, their non-invasive nature and cost-effectiveness are major advantages over conventional pathological assessment. Improved tools are required for the appraisal of radiomics studies, as significant barriers to clinical implementation remain, such as standardisation of input scan data, quality of reporting and external validation of signatures in randomised, interventional clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity has been associated with increased perioperative complications following shoulder arthroplasty, though this finding has not been consistently reported. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize the correlation between elevated body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of perioperative complications and clinical outcomes following anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA). An extensive literature search of PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar was conducted up until October 2020. Clinical studies that specifically examined the association between BMI and/or various categories of obesity with perioperative complications and functional outcomes following aTSA were included. Public databases (NIS, ACS-NSQIP, PearlDiver, and statewide databases) were largely excluded from the analysis unless procedural codes allowed for differentiation between reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA) and aTSA. Eleven studies were included in this systematic review - 9 studies reported solely on perioperative complications, 1 study solely on functional outcomes, and 1 study on both complications and outcomes following aTSA. Seven papers had a MINORS (Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies) score of <16, indicating low methodological quality. There was no association found between elevated BMI and overall perioperative medical and surgical complications, surgical site infection (SSI), re-operation without revision, aseptic revision, periprosthetic fracture, intraoperative blood loss, need for blood transfusion, 90-day re-admission, absolute hospital LOS or short-term mortality. There is an increased risk for overall revision following aTSA and need for extended hospital LOS in patients with elevated BMI. Range of motion of the operative shoulder, pain, and patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) have generally demonstrated significant improvement following unconstrained arthroplasty. Increasing BMI was not found to be associated with an elevated risk for the majority of perioperative complications following aTSA. Range of motion and patient reported functional outcomes can be expected to improve, even amongst morbidly obese patients. Level IV; Review Article [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]