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This study evaluates the efficacy of using textile waste blended with paper waste to form biodegradable seedling pots. A bio-composite blend of cotton (20% cotton, 40% newspaper, and 40% corrugated cardboard) and polycotton (20% polycotton, 40% newspaper, and 40% corrugated cardboard) with an optimum strength was formed into seedling pots. The appreciated seedling pots (untreated blends of cotton and polycotton) were compared with the commercial pots (cardboard seed starter pot and Jiffy pot) in terms of mechanical properties (tensile strength and compressive strength), biodegradability (soil burial test and anaerobic digestion), and seed germination. The untreated blends of cotton and polycotton pots demonstrated a comparable optimum strength, while the Jiffy pot and cardboard seed starter pot obtained the least tensile and compressive strengths, respectively. The anaerobic biodegradability assay suggests that the cotton blend pot, polycotton blend pot, and cardboard seed starter pot can degrade anaerobically because of high biogas and methane generation potential. A 100% seed germination was observed from the four seedling pots tested. Thus, the results demonstrate the efficacy of utilizing textile waste and paper waste to develop seedling pots with desirable strength and biodegradability compared to the commercial pots.

The aim of this study was to assess postures and movements of the trunk and upper arm during paper mill work, and to determine the extent to which they differ depending on method of assessment. For each of 28 paper mill workers, postures and movements were assessed during three full shifts using inclinometer registration and observation from video. Summary metrics for each shift, e.g., 10th, 50th, and 90th posture percentile, were averaged across shifts and across workers. In addition, the standard deviation between workers, and the standard deviation between shifts within worker were computed. The results showed that trunk and arm postures during paper mill work were similar to other occupations involving manual materials handling, but the velocities of arm movements were lower. While postures determined by inclinometry and observation were similar on a group level, substantial differences were found between results obtained by the two methods for individual workers, particularly for extreme postures. Thus, measurements by either method on individuals or small groups should be interpreted with caution.

Reagents and analytical tools for rapid analysis should be standardized and lead to the requirements of the State Pharmacopoeia of Ukraine. Newsprint paper is used as the main analytical tool for rapid analysis of substances with primary aromatic amino group, but it can’t be standardized. The development of test systems based on filter paper and modified with pharmacopeia reagents can be the problem solution. Aim. The aim of the work is development and implementation of test-kits based on filter paper for rapid analysis of compounded preparations that contain primary aromatic amino group in conditions of pharmacies. Methods. Methods of physical immobilization; determination of physical stability of test kits; economic and statistical methods (cost calculation); validation of analytical methods; statistical methods of data processing chemical experiment. Results. Filter paper and pharmacopeia solution of vanillin were used to develop test systems; the possibility of using the test system in practice was investigated with the application of rapid analysis of sulfacetamide and sulfathiazole sodium. The possibility of using of the test system for rapid analysis of 5% aqueous solutions of derivatives of sulfanilic acid amides has been proved; the following detection limits and unreliability intervals for the rapid analysis method using test systems were established: 5.0-9.0 mg/ml for sodium sulfacetamide and 5.3-9.6 mg/ml for sodium sulfathiazole. The test system is stable during 5 months of storage. Manufacturing cost of 1 test system is 0.34 and 0.16 UAH for the first and the next batches, respectively. Conclusions. The proposed test system is stable and accessible for usage in pharmacy as an analytical tool for rapid analysis of derivatives of sulfanilic acid amides

A lack of quality control tools limits the enforcement of fortification policies. In alignment with the World Health Organization&rsquo, s ASSURED criteria (affordable, sensitive, specific, user-friendly, rapid and robust, equipment-free, and deliverable), a paper-based assay that interfaces with a smartphone application for the quantification of iron fortificants is presented. The assay is based on the Ferrozine colorimetric method. The reaction started after deposition of the 5 &micro, L aqueous sample and drying. After developing color, pixel intensity values were obtained using a smartphone camera and image processing software or a mobile application, Nu3px. From these values, the actual iron concentration from ferrous sulfate and ferrous fumarate was calculated. The limits of detection, quantification, linearity, range, and errors (systematic and random) were ascertained. The paper-based values from real samples (wheat flour, nixtamalized corn flour, and infant formula) were compared against atomic emission spectroscopy. The comparison of several concentrations of atomic iron between the spectrophotometric and paper-based assays showed a strong positive linear correlation (y = 47.01x + 126.18, R2 = 0.9932). The dynamic range (5.0&ndash, 100 &micro, g/mL) and limit of detection (3.691 &micro, g/mL) of the paper-based assay are relevant for fortified food matrices. Random and systematic errors were 15.9% and + 8.65 &micro, g/g food, respectively. The concept can be applied to limited-resource settings to measure iron in fortified foods.

Although regression models play a central role in the analysis of medical research projects, there still exist many misconceptions on various aspects of modeling leading to faulty analyses. Indeed, the rapidly developing statistical methodology and its recent advances in regression modeling do not seem to be adequately reflected in many medical publications. This problem of knowledge transfer from statistical research to application was identified by some medical journals, which have published series of statistical tutorials and (shorter) papers mainly addressing medical researchers. The aim of this review was to assess the current level of knowledge with regard to regression modeling contained in such statistical papers. We searched for target series by a request to international statistical experts. We identified 23 series including 57 topic-relevant articles. Within each article, two independent raters analyzed the content by investigating 44 predefined aspects on regression modeling. We assessed to what extent the aspects were explained and if examples, software advices, and recommendations for or against specific methods were given. Most series (21/23) included at least one article on multivariable regression. Logistic regression was the most frequently described regression type (19/23), followed by linear regression (18/23), Cox regression and survival models (12/23) and Poisson regression (3/23). Most general aspects on regression modeling, e.g. model assumptions, reporting and interpretation of regression results, were covered. We did not find many misconceptions or misleading recommendations, but we identified relevant gaps, in particular with respect to addressing nonlinear effects of continuous predictors, model specification and variable selection. Specific recommendations on software were rarely given. Statistical guidance should be developed for nonlinear effects, model specification and variable selection to better support medical researchers who perform or interpret regression analyses.

Cooperation among kin is common in animal societies. Kin groups may form by individuals directly discriminating relatives based on kin recognition cues, or form passively through natal philopatry and limited dispersal. We describe the genetic landscape for a primitively eusocial wasp, Polistes dominula, and ask whether individuals choose cooperative partners that are nearby and/or that are genetic relatives. Firstly, we genotyped an entire sub-population of 1361 wasps and found genetic structuring on an extremely fine scale: the probability of finding genetic relatives decreases exponentially within just a few meters of an individual’s nest. At the same time, however, we found a lack of genetic structuring between natural nest aggregations within the population. Secondly, in a separate dataset where ~2000 wasps were genotyped, we show that wasps forced experimentally to make a new nest choice tended to choose new nests near to their original nests, and that these nests tended to contain some full sisters. However, a significant fraction of wasps chose nests that did not contain sisters, despite sisters being present in nearby nests. Although we cannot rule out a role for direct kin recognition or natal nest-mate recognition, our data suggest that kin groups may form via a philopatric rule-of-thumb, whereby wasps simply select groups and nesting sites that are nearby. The result is that most subordinate helpers obtain indirect fitness benefits by breeding cooperatively.

Dyslexia is a type of Specific Learning Disability (SLD) that affects the educational development of a student, as it is the reason of difficulties not only in writing or reading but also in other disciplines like Mathematics. Research has proven that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can have a positive effect to the educational development of a dyslexic student. In this paper, twenty 6th-grade primary-school students were observed while using computers during exams - ten with Dyslexia and ten with no SLDs. All students were called to solve a digital test and a paper test that were including some basic mathematic operations. The researcher recorded and examined the differences between the results from the two tests. Descriptive and deductive statistical analysis showed that students had better results when examined via a computer compared to a traditional written examination.

Many complex physical systems exhibit a rich variety of discrete behavioural modes. Often, the system complexity limits the applicability of standard modelling tools. Hence, understanding the underlying physics of different behaviours and distinguishing between them is challenging. Although traditional machine learning techniques could predict and classify behaviour well, typically they do not provide any meaningful insight into the underlying physics of the system. In this paper we present a novel method for extracting physically meaningful clusters of discrete behaviour from limited experimental observations. This method obtains a set of physically plausible functions that both facilitate behavioural clustering and aid in system understanding. We demonstrate the approach on the V-shaped falling paper system, a new falling paper type system that exhibits four distinct behavioural modes depending on a few morphological parameters. Using just 49 experimental observations, the method discovered a set of candidate functions that distinguish behaviours with an error of 2.04%, while also aiding insight into the physical phenomena driving each behaviour. © 2019 Howison et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

The success of a scientist depends on their production of scientific papers and the impact factor of the journal in which they publish. Because most major scientific journals are published in English, success is related to publishing in this language. Currently, 98% of publications in science are written in English, including researchers from English as a Foreign Language (EFL) countries. Colombia is among the countries with the lowest English proficiency in the world. Thus, understanding the disadvantages that Colombians face in publishing is crucial to reducing global inequality in science. This paper quantifies the disadvantages that result from the language hegemony in scientific publishing by examining the additional costs that communicating in English creates in the production of articles. It was identified that more than 90% of the scientific articles published by Colombian researchers are in English, and that publishing in a second language creates additional financial costs to Colombian doctoral students and results in problems with reading comprehension, writing ease and time, and anxiety. Rejection or revision of their articles because of the English grammar was reported by 43.5% of the doctoral students, and 33% elected not to attend international conferences and meetings due to the mandatory use of English in oral presentations. Finally, among the translation/editing services reviewed, the cost per article is between one-quarter and one-half of a doctoral monthly salary in Colombia. Of particular note, we identified a positive correlation between English proficiency and higher socioeconomic origin of the researcher. Overall, this study exhibits the negative consequences of hegemony of English that preserves the global gap in science. Although having a common language is important for science communication, generating multilinguistic alternatives would promote diversity while conserving a communication channel. Such an effort should come from different actors and should not fall solely on EFL researchers.

Blotter paper is among the most common forms of consumption of new psychotropic substances (NPS), formerly referred as designer drugs. In many cases, users are misled to believe they are taking LSD when, in fact, they are taking newer and less known drugs like the NBOMEs or other substituted phenethylamines. We report our findings in quick testing of blotter papers for illicit substances like NBOMEs and other NPS by taking ATR-FTIR spectra directly from blotters seized on the streets, without any sample preparation. Both sides (front and back) of each blotter were tested. Collected data were analyzed by single- and multi-component spectral matching and submitted to chemometric discriminant analysis. Our results showed that, on 66.7% of the cases analyzed, seized blotters contained one or more types of NBOMEs, confirming the growing presence of this novel substances on the market. Matching IR signals were detected on both or just one side of the blotters and showed variable strength. Although no quantitative analysis was made, detection of these substances by the proposed approach serves as indication of variable and possibly higher dosages per blotter when compared to LSD, which showed to be below the detection limit of the applied method. Blotters containing a mescaline-like compound, later confirmed by GC-MS and LC-MS to be MAL (methallylescaline), a substance very similar to mescaline, were detected among the samples tested. Validity of direct ATR-FTIR testing was confirmed by checking the obtained results against independent GC-MS or LC-MS results for the same cases/samples.

There is demand from science funders, industry, and the public that science should become more risk-taking, more out-of-the-box, and more interdisciplinary. Is it possible to tell how interdisciplinary and out-of-the-box scientific papers are, or which papers are mainstream? Here we use the bibliographic coupling network, derived from all physics papers that were published in the Physical Review journals in the past century, to try to identify them as mainstream, out-of-the-box, or interdisciplinary. We show that the network clusters into scientific fields. The position of individual papers with respect to these clusters allows us to estimate their degree of mainstreamness or interdisciplinary. We show that over the past decades the fraction of mainstream papers increases, the fraction of out-of-the-box decreases, and the fraction of interdisciplinary papers remains constant. Studying the rewards of papers, we find that in terms of absolute citations, both, mainstream and interdisciplinary papers are rewarded. In the long run, mainstream papers perform less than interdisciplinary ones in terms of citation rates. We conclude that to avoid a trend towards mainstreamness a new incentive scheme is necessary., 12 pages, 9 figures

Background There is widespread evidence that statistical methods play an important role in original research articles, especially in medical research. The evaluation of statistical methods and reporting in journals suffers from a lack of standardized methods for assessing the use of statistics. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate an instrument to assess the statistical intensity in research articles in a standardized way. Methods A checklist-type measure scale was developed by selecting and refining items from previous reports about the statistical contents of medical journal articles and from published guidelines for statistical reporting. A total of 840 original medical research articles that were published between 2007–2015 in 16 journals were evaluated to test the scoring instrument. The total sum of all items was used to assess the intensity between sub-fields and journals. Inter-rater agreement was examined using a random sample of 40 articles. Four raters read and evaluated the selected articles using the developed instrument. Results The scale consisted of 66 items. The total summary score adequately discriminated between research articles according to their study design characteristics. The new instrument could also discriminate between journals according to their statistical intensity. The inter-observer agreement measured by the ICC was 0.88 between all four raters. Individual item analysis showed very high agreement between the rater pairs, the percentage agreement ranged from 91.7% to 95.2%. Conclusions A reliable and applicable instrument for evaluating the statistical intensity in research papers was developed. It is a helpful tool for comparing the statistical intensity between sub-fields and journals. The novel instrument may be applied in manuscript peer review to identify papers in need of additional statistical review.

The NBOMes are classified as new psychoactive substances and have recently become popular as drugs of abuse, being associated with several intoxication cases and even deaths, leading to its ban in several countries. Until now, the most widely used analytical instrument among forensic laboratories in Brazil is GC-MS. In this study, this instrumentation was employed for routine analyzes of twenty blotter paper seizure by Brazilian Federal Police (BFP) in the southernmost state of the country. However, to acquire more information about these samples, LC-QTOF/MS was used as a supplementary analysis to determinate degradation products, metabolites and unknown compounds. The GC-MS analysis detected only 25B-NBOMe, while the LC-QTOF/MS analysis detected 25B-NBOMe, 2C-B and MDMA. The compounds found in these analyzes are quite different from that found in the national profile of seizures by BFP, suggesting that another rout or supplier act in this region. For research and drug intelligence purposes the use of more versatile, sensitive and specific analytical tool provides a greater number of information that could be employed as a valuable strategy in the drug trafficking combat.

In this study, regressive models were employed to predict the blood velocity by using independent variables which measured by 3 sensors, such as electrocardiogram (ECG), photo-plethysmogram (PPG), pulse diagnosis sensor, without ultrasound device at high cost. In experiment, the high predictable model was induced to estimate the blood velocity correctly by comparing correlation values and significance probabilities between independent variables and blood velocities. Results showed that the model induced by two or three independent variables had a higher predictability than those by a single independent variable.

The ability to compare symbolic numerical magnitudes correlates with children’s concurrent and future mathematics achievement. We developed and evaluated a quick timed paper-and-pencil measure that can easily be used, for example in large scale research, in which children have to cross out the numerically larger of 2 Arabic 1- and 2-digit numbers (SYMP Test). We investigated performance on this test in 1,588 primary school children (Grades 1 – 6) and examined in each grade its associations with mathematics achievement. The SYMP Test had satisfactory test retest reliability. The SYMP Test showed significant and stable correlations with mathematics achievement for both 1-digit and 2-digit comparison, across all grades. This replicates the previously observed association between symbolic numerical magnitude processing and mathematics achievement, but extends it by showing that the association is observed in all grades in primary education and occurs for single- as well as multi-digit processing. Children with mathematical learning difficulties performed significantly lower on 1-digit comparison and 2-digit comparison in all grades. This all suggests satisfactory construct and criterion-related validity of the SYMP Test, which can be used in research, when performing large-scale (intervention) studies, and by practitioners, as screening measure to identify children at risk for mathematical difficulties or dyscalculia. ispartof: Behavior Research Methods vol:49 issue:4 pages:1361-1373 ispartof: location:United States status: published

BACKGROUND: Sponsors that seek to commercialize new drugs apply to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which independently analyzes the raw data and reports the results on its website.OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine if there are differences between the FDA assessments and journal reports on biologic agents developed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.METHODS: Available data on FDA-approved drugs were extracted from the website, and a systematic literature search was conducted to identify matching studies in peer-reviewed medical journals. Outcome measures were the American College of Rheumatology response criteria ACR20 (efficacy) and withdrawal due to adverse events (safety). As effect size odds ratios were estimated for each active trial arm vs. control arm (i.e. for both sources: FDA and journal report), followed by calculation of the ratios of the FDA and journal report odds ratios. A ratio of odds ratios not equal to 1 was categorized as a discrepancy.RESULTS: FDA reports were available for 8 of 9 FDA-approved biologic agents for rheumatoid arthritis; all identified trials (34) except one were published in peer-reviewed journals. Overall, discrepancies were noted for 20 of the 33 evaluated trials. Differences in the apparent benefit reporting were found in 39% (24/61) pairwise comparisons and in 11 cases these were statistically significant; the FDA report showed greater benefit than the journal publication in 15 comparisons and lesser benefit in 9. Differences in the reported harms were found in 51% (28/55) pairwise comparisons and were statistically significant in 5. The "signal" in FDA reports showed a less harmful effect than the journal publication in 17 comparisons whereas a more harmful effect in 11. The differences were attributed to differences in analytic approach, patient inclusion, rounding effect, and counting discrepancies. However, no differences were categorized as critical.CONCLUSION: There was no empirical evidence to suggest biased estimates between the two sources. Increased and detailed transparency in publications would improve the understanding and credibility of published results. Further, the FDA report was found to be a useful source when data are missing in the published report (i.e. reporting bias).

Moderate-to-severe psoriasis is associated with significant comorbidity, an impaired quality of life, and increased medical costs, including those associated with treatments. Systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) of randomized clinical trials are considered two of the best approaches to the summarization of high-quality evidence. However, methodological bias can reduce the validity of conclusions from these types of studies and subsequently impair the quality of decision making. As co-authorship is among the most well-documented forms of research collaboration, the present study aimed to explore whether authors' collaboration methods might influence the methodological quality of SRs and MAs of psoriasis. Methodological quality was assessed by two raters who extracted information from full articles. After calculating total and per-item Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) scores, reviews were classified as low (0-4), medium (5-8), or high (9-11) quality. Article metadata and journal-related bibliometric indices were also obtained. A total of 741 authors from 520 different institutions and 32 countries published 220 reviews that were classified as high (17.2%), moderate (55%), or low (27.7%) methodological quality. The high methodological quality subnetwork was larger but had a lower connection density than the low and moderate methodological quality subnetworks; specifically, the former contained relatively fewer nodes (authors and reviews), reviews by authors, and collaborators per author. Furthermore, the high methodological quality subnetwork was highly compartmentalized, with several modules representing few poorly interconnected communities. In conclusion, structural differences in author-paper affiliation network may influence the methodological quality of SRs and MAs on psoriasis. As the author-paper affiliation network structure affects study quality in this research field, authors who maintain an appropriate balance between scientific quality and productivity are more likely to develop higher quality reviews.

Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) is one of the most valuable wood species found in the American Continent. This study is an evaluation of the production of particleboards using wood residues from the branches and trunk of a mahogany tree. It was designed to test the feasibility of production and the mechanical and physical characteristics of the finished particleboards, as well as to compare the results with similar studies and the requirements of normative documents. The particles were generated from the trunk and branches of a mahogany tree separately and mixed in different proportions to test their influence on the final product. They were bonded using 12% polyurethane resin from renewable resources and pressed under 90º C and 3.5 MPa for 10 minutes. The specimens were prepared and tested according to the guidelines established by the NBR 14810 regarding the static bending, internal bond, stiffness and thickness swelling (24h) tests. The results indicated that there is no significant correlation between the trunk-branches proportion and the Modulus of Elasticity/Rupture values. The production of the particleboards using the residues is feasible and the results of most of the tests fitted the normative requirements, which means that with the refinement of the production process it is possible to have a good product that fully complies with the technical standards. Resumo A madeira de mogno (Swietenia macrophylla King) é uma das mais valiosas encontradas no Continente Americano. Esse trabalho visou avaliar a produção de painéis de partículas de resíduos dos galhos e troncos dessa espécie. Foram avaliados a viabilidade de produção, as propriedades físicas e mecânicas e, além disso, foi realizada a comparação dos resultados com estudos similares e requisitos de normas. Os painéis foram fabricados a partir dos resíduos do tronco e dos galhos, de forma separada e misturados em diferentes proporções para testar sua influência no produto final. Foram aglomerados usando resina de poliuretano e prensados a 90°C e 3,5 MPa por 10 minutos. As amostras foram testadas para flexão estática, aderência interna, rigidez e inchamento (24 h), de acordo com as recomendações da NBR 14810. Os resultados indicaram que não houve correlação significativa entre a proporção tronco-galhos e os valores de módulo de elasticidade/ruptura. A produção dos painéis foi considerada viável e os resultados da maioria dos testes atenderam aos requisitos normativos.

The anterolateral thigh flap and the tensor fasciae latae flap are supplied by the lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA). Different branching patterns of the LCFA have been described, leading to confusion, discrepancies and difficulties in clinical and cadaveric study comparisons. The aim of this study was to evaluate the branching patterns of the LCFA in dissected lower limbs and propose a simplified nomenclature. One hundred and two lower limbs fixed with Thiel's method were investigated. Meticulous dissection was performed, and the branching pattern of the arteries was documented by illustration and photography. These were analysed and allocated to the currently existing terminologies regarding the numbers of the branches (Part 1), and these subgroups were evaluated according to the variability of the trunk formations (Part 2). In Part 1, four subgroups could be classified (A, B, C and D). Group A included a total number of three branches (n = 50), Group B included four (n = 41), Group C included five (n = 5) and Group D included only two branches (n = 6). Part 2 showed in total 11 different trunk variations. Group A had four trunk variations: A1 (n = 38), A2 (n = 5), A3 (n = 2) and A4 (n = 6); Group B also had four variations: B1 (n = 16), B2 (n = 18), B3 (n = 3) and B4 (n = 4); Group C displayed two variations: C1 (n = 1) and C2 (n = 4); and in Group D, there was only one variation observed D1 (n = 6). Branching patterns were highly variable and inconsistent in terms of the number of branches and trunk variations, which resulted in different possible and justified interpretations and classifications. A new terminology should be defined cooperatively among anatomists and clinicians that will be useful for everybody. We propose a terminology oriented to the associated muscles., The manuscript indicates confusing terminologies used for the branching pattern of the lateral circumflex femoral artery. No existing terminology could be used for the results found in this manuscript, as they do not include trunk formations which were found in this investigation. Therfore, we recommend a new terminology focussing on the supplied muscles.

Background Inaccurate documentation of sampling and infusion times is a potential source of error in personalizing busulfan doses using therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). Planned times rather than the actual times for sampling and infusion time are often documented. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the robustness of a limited sampling TDM of busulfan with regard to inaccurate documentation. Methods A pharmacometric analysis was conducted in NONMEM® 7.4.3 and “R” by performing stochastic simulation and estimation with four, two and one sample(s) per patient on the basis of a one-compartment- (1CMT) and two-compartment (2CMT) population pharmacokinetic model. The dosing regimens consisted of i.v. busulfan (0.8 mg/kg) every 6 h (Q6H) or 3.2 mg/kg every 24 h (Q24H) with a 2 h- and 3 h infusion time, respectively. The relative prediction error (rPE) and relative root-mean-square error (rRmse) were calculated in order to determine the accuracy and precision of the individual AUC estimation. Results A noticeable impact on the estimated AUC based on a 1CMT-model was only observed if uncertain documentation reached ± 30 min (1.60% for Q24H and 2.19% for Q6H). Calculated rPEs and rRmse for Q6H indicate a slightly lower level of accuracy and precision when compared to Q24H. Spread of rPE’s and rRmse for the 2CMT-model were wider and higher compared to estimations based on a 1CMT-model. Conclusions The estimated AUC was not affected substantially by inaccurate documentation of sampling and infusion time. The calculated rPEs and rRmses of estimated AUC indicate robustness and reliability for TDM of busulfan, even in presence of erroneous records.

Purpose In this study we compare the biomechanical properties of a novel suture technique that we developed called the continuous double knots technique for repairing flexor tendon injuries with the standard 4-strand double-modified Kessler technique. Methods This was an experimental study. Eighty porcine flexor digitorum profundus tendons were harvested and divided randomly into two groups of 40. The first group (N = 40) was repaired using the 4-strand double modified Kessler technique and the second group (N = 40) was repaired using our new continuous double knots technique. The two groups were randomly divided and the ultimate failure load (n = 20) and cyclic testing to failure (n = 20) were compared. Results The mean ultimate failure load was 25.90 ± 7.11 (N) and cyclic testing to failure 88 ± 47.87 (cycles) for the 4-strand double modified Kessler technique and 34.56 ± 6.60 (N) and 189 ± 66.36 (cycles) for our new continuous double knots technique. The T-test revealed a significant difference between the 2 techniques (p Conclusions The continuous double knots technique suture technique had significantly higher maximum tensile strength and cyclic testing than the 4-strand double modified Kessler technique in an in vitro study, and in thus an optional technique for flexor tendon repair.

This research was funded by project PID2020-113961GB-I00 of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (also supported by the FEDER program), project FQM-307 of the Government of Andalusia (Spain) and the PhD grant (FPU18/01779) awarded to Christian Acal. The authors also thank the support of the University of Granada, Spain, under project for young researchers PPJIB2020-01., Faced with novel coronavirus outbreak, the most hard-hit countries adopted a lockdown strategy to contrast the spread of virus. Many studies have already documented that the COVID-19 control actions have resulted in improved air quality locally and around the world. Following these lines of research, we focus on air quality changes in the urban territory of Chieti-Pescara (Central Italy), identified as an area of criticality in terms of air pollution. Concentrations of NO2, PM10, PM2.5 and benzene are used to evaluate air pollution changes in this Region. Data were measured by several monitoring stations over two specific periods: from 1st February to 10 th March 2020 (before lockdown period) and from 11st March 2020 to 18 th April 2020 (during lockdown period). The impact of lockdown on air quality is assessed through functional data analysis. Our work makes an important contribution to the analysis of variance for functional data (FANOVA). Specifically, a novel approach based on multivariate functional principal component analysis is introduced to tackle the multivariate FANOVA problem for independent measures, which is reduced to test multivariate homogeneity on the vectors of the most explicative principal components scores. Results of the present study suggest that the level of each pollutant changed during the confinement. Additionally, the differences in the mean functions of all pollutants according to the location and type of monitoring stations (background vs traffic), are ascribable to the PM10 and benzene concentrations for pre-lockdown and during-lockdown tenure, respectively. FANOVA has proven to be beneficial to monitoring the evolution of air quality in both periods of time. This can help environmental protection agencies in drawing a more holistic picture of air quality status in the area of interest., Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation - FEDER program PID2020-113961GB-I00, Government of Andalusia (Spain) FQM-307, University of Granada, Spain PPJIB2020-01- FPU18/01779

In order to explore the topological alterations in functional brain networks between multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients and healthy controls (HC), a new joint analysis method of static and dynamic functional connectivity (FC) is proposed in this paper. Twenty-four MSA patients and twenty HCs were enrolled in this study. We constructed static and dynamic brain networks from resting-state fMRI data and calculated four graph theory attributes. Statistical comparisons and correlation analysis were carried out for static and dynamic FC separately before combining both cases. We found decreased local efficiency (LE) and weighted degree (WD) in cerebellum from both static and dynamic graph attributes. For static FC alone, we identified increased betweenness centrality (BC) at left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, left Cerebellum_Crus9 and decreased WD at Vermis_6. For dynamic FC alone, decreased BC, clustering coefficients and LE at several cortical regions and cerebellum were identified. All the features had significant correlation with total UMSARS scores. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that dynamic features had the highest area under the curve value. Our work not only added new evidence for the underlying neurobiology and disrupted dynamic disconnection syndrome of MSA, but also proved the possibility of disease diagnosis and progression tracking using rs-fMRI.

We analyze the stability of a unique coexistence equilibrium point of a system of ordinary differential equations (ODE system) modelling the dynamics of a metapopulation, more specifically, a set of local populations inhabiting discrete habitat patches that are connected to one another through dispersal or migration. We assume that the inter-patch migrations are detailed balanced and that the patches are identical with intra-patch dynamics governed by a mean-field ODE system with a coexistence equilibrium. By making use of an appropriate Lyapunov function coupled with LaSalle’s invariance principle, we are able to show that the coexistence equilibrium point within each patch is locally asymptotically stable if the inter-patch dispersal network is heterogeneous, whereas it is neutrally stable in the case of a homogeneous network. These results provide a mathematical proof confirming the existing numerical simulations and broaden the range of networks for which they are valid.

Vertebral compression fracture is a deformity of vertebral bodies found on lateral spine images. To diagnose vertebral compression fracture, accurate measurement of vertebral compression ratio is required. Therefore, rapid and accurate segmentation of vertebra is important for measuring the vertebral compression ratio. In this study, we used 339 data of lateral thoracic and lumbar vertebra images for training and testing a deep learning model for segmentation. The result of segmentation by the model was compared with the manual measurement, which is performed by a specialist. As a result, the average sensitivity of the dataset was 0.937, specificity was 0.995, accuracy was 0.992, and dice similarity coefficient was 0.929, area under the curve of receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.987, and the precision recall curve was 0.916. The result of correlation analysis shows no statistical difference between the manually measured vertebral compression ratio and the vertebral compression ratio using the data segmented by the model in which the correlation coefficient was 0.929. In addition, the Bland–Altman plot shows good equivalence in which VCR values are in the area within average ± 1.96. In conclusion, vertebra segmentation based on deep learning is expected to be helpful for the measurement of vertebral compression ratio.

The aim of this study was to analyse the high density EEG during movement execution guided by visual attention to reveal the detailed topographic distributions of delta and theta oscillations. Twenty right-handed young subjects performed a finger tapping task, paced by a continuously transited repeating visual stimuli. Baseline corrected power of scalp current density transformed EEG was statistically assessed with cluster-based permutation testing. Delta and theta activities revealed differences in their spatial properties at the time of finger tapping execution. Theta synchronization showed a contralateral double activation in the parietal and fronto-central regions, while delta activity appeared in the central contralateral channels. Differences in the spatiotemporal topography between delta and theta activity in the course of movement execution were identified on high density EEG.

Non-invasive estimation of the pressure gradient in cardiovascular stenosis has much clinical importance in assisting the diagnosis and treatment of stenotic diseases. In this research, a systematic comparison is conducted to investigate the accuracy of a group of stenosis models against the MRI- and catheter-measured patient data under the aortic coarctation condition. Eight analytical stenosis models, including six from the literature and two proposed in this study, are investigated to examine their prediction accuracy against the clinical data. The two improved models proposed in this study consider comprehensively the Poiseuille loss, the Bernoulli loss in its exact form, and the entrance effect, of the blood flow. Comparison of the results shows that one of the proposed models demonstrates a cycle-averaged mean prediction error of −0.15 ± 3.03 mmHg, a peak-to-peak prediction error of −1.8 ± 6.89 mmHg, which is the best among the models studied., This research was funded by the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under the grant agreement number 224495 (euHeart project).

A norma NBR ISO/IEC 17025:2005 especifica os requisitos gerenciais e técnicos para a implementação do sistema de gestão da qualidade em laboratórios de ensaio e calibração e tem como um dos requisitos a garantia da qualidade dos resultados. Materiais de referência (MR) e materiais de referência certificados (MRC) são recomendados para essa finalidade. A utilização de MR e MRC vem aumentando nos laboratórios para o controle de qualidade, calibração de equipamentos e desenvolvimento de metodologias, atividades que demandam medidas confiáveis e rastreáveis. A produção desses materiais na área de resíduos de medicamentos veterinários é muito inferior à demanda. No Brasil ainda não há produtores de MR de resíduos de medicamentos veterinários em alimentos, dificultando o acesso a esses produtos e aumentando o custo para os laboratórios nacionais. O objetivo desse trabalho foi produzir um MR do antibiótico oxitetraciclina na matriz leite, usando um leite naturalmente contaminado e utilizando como técnica de preservação a liofilização. A determinação da concentração foi realizada pela técnica de cromatografia a líquido acoplada a espectrometria de massas sequencial (CLAE-EM/EM). Os lotes de MR 1 e 2 produzidos apresentaram-se suficientemente homogêneos, com concentração média de 177.3 e 165.1 mg/L, respectivamente. Os lotes foram considerados suficientemente estáveis durante seis meses armazenados a (-20 ± 1ºC) e (6 ± 1ºC) e durante sete dias a (6 ± 1ºC) e (40 ± 1ºC). Conclui-se que a técnica de liofilização se mostrou adequada como processo de secagem para produção de MR contendo oxitetraciclina em matriz leite. A produção deste MR de oxitetraciclina em leite no Brasil permitirá a melhoria da qualidade das análises dos laboratórios de alimentos e consequentemente no suporte às ações de controle e fiscalização sanitária, além da possibilidade da elaboração de um ensaio de proficiência.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis has gained traction as a precise and cost-effective method for species and waterways management. To date, publications on eDNA protocol optimization have focused primarily on DNA yield. Therefore, it has not been possible to evaluate the cost and speed of specific components of the eDNA protocol, such as water filtration and DNA extraction method when designing or choosing an eDNA protocol. At the same time, these two parameters are essential for the experimental design of a project. Here we evaluate and rank 27 different eDNA protocols in the context of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) eDNA detection in an estuarine environment. We present a comprehensive evaluation of multiple eDNA protocol parameters, balancing time, cost and DNA yield. We collected samples composed of 500 mL estuarine water from Deverton Slough (38°11'16.7"N 121°58'34.5"W) and 500 mL from tank water containing 1.3 juvenile Chinook Salmon per liter. Then, we compared extraction methods, filter types, use of inhibitor removal kit for DNA yield, processing time, and protocol cost. Lastly, we used an MCMC algorithm together with machine learning to understand the DNA yield of each step of the protocol as well as the interactions between those steps. Glass fiber filtration was to be the most resilient to high turbidites, filtering the samples in 2.32 ± 0.08 min instead of 14.16 ± 1.86 min and 6.72 ± 1.99 min for nitrocellulose and paper filter N1, respectively. The filtration DNA yield percentages for paper filter N1, glass fiber, and nitrocellulose were 0.00045 ± 0.00013, 0.00107 ± 0.00013, 0.00172 ± 0.00013. The DNA extraction yield percentage for QIagen, dipstick, NaOH, magnetic beads, and direct dipstick ranged from 0.047 ± 0.0388 to 0.475 ± 0.0357. For estuarine waters, which are challenging for eDNA studies due to high turbidity, variable salinity, and the presence of PCR inhibitors, we found that a protocol combining glass filters, magnetic beads, and an extra step for PCR inhibitor removal, is the method that best balances time, cost, and yield. In addition, we provide a generalized decision tree for determining the optimal eDNA protocol for other studies in aquatic systems. Our findings should be applicable to most aquatic environments and provide a clear guide for determining which eDNA protocol should be used under different study constraints.

Objective:To conduct nutrition-related analyses on large-scale health surveys, two aspects of the survey must be incorporated into the analysis: the sampling weights and the sample design; a practice which is not always observed. The present paper compares three analyses: (1) unweighted; (2) weighted but not accounting for the complex sample design; and (3) weighted and accounting for the complex design using replicate weights.Design:Descriptive statistics are computed and a logistic regression investigation of being overweight/obese is conducted using Stata.Setting:Cross-sectional health survey with complex sample design where replicate weights are supplied rather than the variables containing sample design information.Participants:Responding adults from the National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (NNPAS) part of the Australian Health Survey (2011–2013).Results:Unweighted analysis produces biased estimates and incorrect estimates of se. Adjusting for the sampling weights gives unbiased estimates but incorrect se estimates. Incorporating both the sampling weights and the sample design results in unbiased estimates and the correct se estimates. This can affect interpretation; for example, the incorrect estimate of the OR for being a current smoker in the unweighted analysis was 1·20 (95 % CI 1·06, 1·37), t= 2·89, P = 0·004, suggesting a statistically significant relationship with being overweight/obese. When the sampling weights and complex sample design are correctly incorporated, the results are no longer statistically significant: OR = 1·06 (95 % CI 0·89, 1·27), t = 0·71, P = 0·480.Conclusions:Correct incorporation of the sampling weights and sample design is crucial for valid inference from survey data.

An outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic is a major public health disease as well as a challenging task to people with comorbidity worldwide. According to a report, comorbidity enhances the risk factors with complications of COVID-19. Here, we propose and explore a mathematical framework to study the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 with comorbidity. Within this framework, the model is calibrated by using new daily confirmed COVID-19 cases in India. The qualitative properties of the model and the stability of feasible equilibrium are studied. The model experiences the scenario of backward bifurcation by parameter regime accounting for progress in susceptibility to acquire infection by comorbidity individuals. The endemic equilibrium is asymptotically stable if recruitment of comorbidity becomes higher without acquiring the infection. Moreover, a larger backward bifurcation regime indicates the possibility of more infection in susceptible individuals. A dynamics in the mean fluctuation of the force of infection is investigated with different parameter regimes. A significant correlation is established between the force of infection and corresponding Shannon entropy under the same parameters, which provides evidence that infection reaches a significant proportion of the susceptible.

Resumen Introducción. Con frecuencia, la fruta de piña que se cosecha, no puede ser enfriada y empacada inmediatamente, debido a la distancia que existe entre el campo hasta la planta empacadora. La industria indica que seis horas es el tiempo máximo conveniente, pero no hay información publicada al respecto. Objetivo. Determinar el efecto del retraso en iniciar el enfriamiento sobre la calidad de piña (Ananas comosus) var. Dorada Extra Dulce, con simulación de transporte. Materiales y métodos. Se realizaron 4 ensayos en diferentes zonas y épocas (seca y lluviosa). La fruta recién cosechada fue expuesta a temperatura ambiente durante 6, 12, 24 y 48 horas, luego de estos períodos, cada lote de fruta fue desinfectado con cloro a razón de 150 mg.l-1. Se le aplicó fungicida prochloraz 300 mg.l-1, se enceró (cera con base de aceite vegetal), se enfrió por aire forzado durante 4-5 horas hasta alcanzar 12-13°C. Se realizó luego una simulación de transporte y finalmente se almacenó por 21 días a 7,5°C y 85-90% HR. Se evaluó el impacto de los tratamientos sobre variables de calidad: pérdida de peso, color externo e interno, moho en pedúnculo, deshidratación parcial, translucidez, firmeza, acidez y sólidos solubles. Resultados. Después de 12 horas de retraso en el enfriamiento, la calidad de la fruta disminuyó, con un impacto más evidente en la deshidratación, el desarrollo de moho y reducción en la firmeza de la pulpa. El color externo e interno, la translucidez, la acidez titulable y los sólidos solubles totales no se vieron afectados. Conclusiones. El retraso del enfriamiento tuvo un impacto negativo en la calidad de la fruta de piña, especialmente en el desarrollo de moho y la deshidratación parcial de la fruta y un impacto menor en la firmeza de la pulpa. Bajo las condiciones del presente estudio, el retraso máximo permitido en el enfriamiento de la fruta fue de 12 horas. Abstract Introduction. Frequently, harvested pineapple fruit experience cooling delays due to the distance from the field to the packing plant. The industry reports 6 hours as the maximum convenient time however, there is no published information about it. Objetive. To determine the effect of the time between harvest and cooling on quality of pineapple (Ananas comosus) var. Golden Extra Sweet, with transport simulation. Materials and methods. Four trials were conducted in different regions and seasons (dry and rainy season). Freshly harvested fruits were exposed to ambient conditions for 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours before cooling, after these periods fruits were disinfected with chlorine at 150 mg.l-1. Prochloraz fungicide at 300 mg.l-1 was applied, fruits were waxed (vegetable oil based wax), packed, and forced air cooled for 4-5 hours until they reached 12-13°C. They were them subject to transport simulation and stored for 21 days at 7,5°C and 85-90% R.H. Treatment effects were evaluated on quality variables: weight loss, external and internal color, mold on peduncle, partial fruit dehydration, flesh translucency, flesh firmness, acidity and total soluble solids. Results. After 12 hours of cooling delay, fruit quality declined, with more evident impact on dehydration and mold development, and reduction o pulp firmness. External and internal color, translucency, titratable acidity and total soluble solids were not affected. Conclusions. Cooling delay had a negative impact on pineapple fruit quality, especially on mold development and partial fruit dehydration and a minor impact on flesh firmness. Under the conditions of this study, maximum allowable delay in cooling the fruit was 12 hours.

The spread of novel virus SARS‐CoV‐2, well known as COVID‐19 has become a major health issue currently which has turned up to a pandemic worldwide. The treatment recommendations are variable. Lack of appropriate medication has worsened the disease. On the basis of prior research, scientists are testing drugs based on medical therapies for SARS and MERS. Many drugs which include lopinavir, ritonavir and thalidomide are listed in the new recommendations. A topological index is a type of molecular descriptor that simply defines numerical values associated with the molecular structure of a compound that is effectively used in modeling many physicochemical properties in numerous quantitative structure–property/activity relationship (QSPR/QSAR) studies. In this study, several degree‐based and neighborhood degree sum‐based topological indices for several antiviral drugs were investigated by using a M‐polynomial and neighborhood M‐polynomial methods. In addition, a QSPR was established between the various topological indices and various physicochemical properties of these antiviral drugs along with remdesivir, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine and theaflavin was performed in order to assess the efficacy of the calculated topological indices. The obtained results reveal that topological indices under study have strong correlation with the physicochemical characteristics of the potential antiviral drugs. A biological activity (pIC50) of these compounds were also investigated by using multiple linear regressions (MLR) analysis., The main results of this paper are several degree based and neighborhood degree based topological indices of antiviral drugs for the treatment of COVID‐19 like Lopinavir, Ritonavir, Arbidol and Thalidomide through M‐polynomial and NM‐polynomial by analyzing their molecular structures. Moreover it establishes a strong correlation between physicochemical properties of antiviral drugs and the topological indices tested.

The aim of this study was to develop an automated segmentation approach for small gross tumor volumes (GTVs) in 3D planning computed tomography (CT) images using dense V-networks (DVNs) that offer more advantages in segmenting smaller structures than conventional V-networks. Regions of interest (ROI) with dimensions of 50 × 50 × 6–72 pixels in the planning CT images were cropped based on the GTV centroids when applying stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) to patients. Segmentation accuracy of GTV contours for 192 lung cancer patients [with the following tumor types: 118 solid, 53 part-solid types and 21 pure ground-glass opacity (pure GGO)], who underwent SBRT, were evaluated based on a 10-fold cross-validation test using Dice’s similarity coefficient (DSC) and Hausdorff distance (HD). For each case, 11 segmented GTVs consisting of three single outputs, four logical AND outputs, and four logical OR outputs from combinations of two or three outputs from DVNs were obtained by three runs with different initial weights. The AND output (combination of three outputs) achieved the highest values of average 3D-DSC (0.832 ± 0.074) and HD (4.57 ± 2.44 mm). The average 3D DSCs from the AND output for solid, part-solid and pure GGO types were 0.838 ± 0.074, 0.822 ± 0.078 and 0.819 ± 0.059, respectively. This study suggests that the proposed approach could be useful in segmenting GTVs for planning lung cancer SBRT.

Highlights • Fully automatic estimation of the peak frequency of the posterior dominant rhythm. • Automatic estimates are very similar to human ratings. • Algorithm made available with a simple graphical interface., Objective To develop and test a fully automated method for estimation of the peak frequency of the posterior dominant rhythm (PDR) in a large retrospective EEG cohort. Methods Thresholding was used to select suitable EEG data segments for spectral estimation for electrode O1 and O2. A random sample of 100 peak frequency estimates were blindly rated by two independent raters to validate the results of the automatic PDR peak frequency estimates. We investigated the relationship with age, sex and binary EEG classification. Results There were 9197 eligible EEGs which resulted in a total of 6104 PDR peak frequency estimates. The relationship between automatic estimates and age was found to be consistent with the literature. The correlation between human ratings and automatic scoring was very high, rho = 0.94–0.95. There was a sex difference of d = 0.33 emerging at puberty with females having a faster PDR peak frequency than males. Conclusions Fully automatic PDR peak frequency estimation not dependent on annotated EEG produced results that are very close to human ratings. Significance PDR peak frequency can be automatically estimated. A compiled version of the algorithm is included as an app for independent use.

The purpose of this research was to improve the weight-loss percentage of PVC artificial leather products manufactured by the calendering process. It was noticed that the weight-loss percentage was greater than 5% which did not pass the specification given by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Hence, the DMAIC Six Sigma methodology was applied to improve the situation. The cause-and-effect matrix and the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) were adopted to identify the potential factors that affect the quality of the products. After that, the design of experiment (DOE) was used to determine significant factors and optimal parameter settings for the production process to prevent a recurrence. The result shown that the average weight-loss percentage was reduced to only 0.9% after applying new parameter settings.

In this paper an existing in vivo parameter identification method for arteries is extended to account for smooth muscle activity. Within this method a continuum-mechanical model, whose parameters relate to the mechanical properties of the artery, is fit to clinical data by solving a minimization problem. Including smooth muscle activity in the model increases the number of parameters. This may lead to overparameterization, implying that several parameter combinations solve the minimization problem equally well and it is therefore not possible to determine which set of parameters represents the mechanical properties of the artery best. To prevent overparameterization the model is fit to clinical data measured at different levels of smooth muscle activity. Three conditions are considered for the human abdominal aorta: basal during rest; constricted, induced by lower-body negative pressure; and dilated, induced by physical exercise. By fitting the model to these three arterial conditions simultaneously a unique set of model parameters is identified and the model prediction agrees well with the clinical data. Funding Agencies|Linkoping University; Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research CouncilEuropean Commission [621-2014-4165]

The intrathoracic pressure and breathing strategy on bench press (BP) performance is highly discussed in strength competition practice. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze whether different breathing techniques can influence the time and track characteristics of the sticking region (SR) during the 1RM BP exercise. 24 healthy, male adults (age 23 ± 2.4 yrs., body mass 85 ± 9.2 kg, height 181 ± 5.4 cm) performed a 1 repetition BP using the breathing technique of Valsalva maneuver (VM), hold breath, lung packing (PAC), and reverse breathing (REVB), while maximum lifted load and concentric phase kinematics were recorded. The results of ANOVA showed that the REVB breathing decreased absolute (p < 0.04) and relative lifted load (p < 0.01). The VM showed lower (p = 0.01) concentric time of the lift than the other breathing techniques. The VM and PAC showed lower SR time than other breathing techniques, where PAC showed a lower SR time than VM (p = 0.02). The PAC techniques resulted in shorter SR and pre-SR track than other breathing techniques and the REVB showed longer SR track than the other considered breathing techniques (p = 0.04). Thus, PAC or VM should be used for 1RM BP lifting according to preferences, experiences and lifting comfort of an athlete. The hold breath technique does not seem to excessively decrease the lifting load, but this method will increase the lifting time and the time spend in the sticking region, therefore its use does not provide any lifting benefit. The authors suggest that the REVB should not be used during 1 RM lifts.

To investigate and compare the reliability of reactive strength index-modified (RSImod) and its associated variables (jump height [JH] and [time to take-off]) 20 combat fighters and 18 physically active men participated in this study. They visited the laboratory three times; firstly, for jump familiarization and two sessions for test-retest (2-7 days apart). For both groups, the between-day changes in performance were trivial to small (≤ 1.1%). The coefficient of variation (CV) comparisons (i.e. CV ratio) demonstrated that combat athletes had a lower test-retest variation for RSImod (0.87) and JH (0.80) than non-athletes. Combat athletes demonstrated a greater JH than physically active men (0.43 vs 0.37; p = 0.03, g = 0.73), but small and non-significant differences were observed for RSImod (0.60 vs 0.55; p = 0.24, g = 0.38) and TTT (0.70 vs 0.72; p = 0.32, g = 0.33). RSImod was more positively correlated with JH (r = 0.75-0.87; p < 0.001) than negatively correlated with TTT (r = 0.45-0.54; p < 0.001). This study suggests that RSImod is a reliable variable obtained during CMJ testing in combat athletes and physically active men, with scores being slightly better for combat athletes. In terms of performance, combat athletes jumped higher than physically active men, but no differences in RSImod or TTT were observed. Lastly, RSImod was more strongly related to JH than TTT, and this was more evident in athletes than nonathletes. This indicates that the combat athletes were able to better utilize their (equal) time spent jumping (higher), possibly via greater utilization of the stretch shortening cycle, faster or more optimal motor unit recruitment, or an array of other factors.

Aim This in vitro study intend to compare the cleaning effectiveness of Protaper universal sequence with reciprocating F2 Protaper and single rotary file One shape. Materials and method 30 extracted human 1st mandibular molars were chosen for the analysis. Three NiTi file systems were used for mechanical preparation, ProTaper full sequence in rotary motion, single F2 Protaper file used in reciprocating motion, and One shape single file used in a circular motion. Irrigation was carried out after each instrument use using 5 ml of 5% NaOCl followed by normal saline. The root canal surface was evaluated at three different areas (coronal, middle and apical thirds) using Scanning Electron Microscopy. Debris and the Smear layer were evaluated. Data were analyzed statistically using the Friedman test and Kruskal–Wallis test (p ≤ 0.05). Results A statistically significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) was observed in the debris score of the Protaper universal group when the 3 thirds of the root were compared. Intergroup comparisons confirmed a statistically significant difference at the coronal and apical third of the roots when debris scores were evaluated. Intragroup comparison for the smear layer demonstrated a statistically significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) at all the 3 levels of the radicular canal for the 3 groups studied. Intergroup comparisons revealed a statistically significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) in the middle and apical 1/3rd when the smear layer was evaluated. Conclusion The Protaper full sequence group provided better results than Single F2 ProTaper and One shape groups when debris and smear layer removal was investigated.

The purpose of this study was threefold: i) to analyse the load-velocity relationship of the shoulder press (SP) exercise, ii) to investigate the stability (intra-individual variability) of this load-velocity relationship for athletes with different relative strength levels, and after a 10-week velocity-based resistance training (VBT), and iii) to describe the velocity-time pattern of the SP: first peak velocity [V max1 ], minimum velocity [V min ], and second peak velocity [V max2 ]. This study involves a cross-sectional (T1, n = 48 subjects with low, medium and high strength levels) and longitudinal (T2, n = 24 subjects randomly selected from T1 sample) design. In T1, subjects completed a progressive loading test up to the 1RM in the SP exercise. The barbell mean, peak and mean propulsive velocities (MV, PV and MPV) were monitored. In T2, subjects repeated the loading test after 10 weeks of VBT. There were very close relationships between the %1RM and velocity attained in the three velocity outcomes (T1, R2 : MV = 0.970; MPV = 0.969; PV = 0.954), being even stronger at the individual level (T1, R2 = 0.973–0.997). The MPV attained at the 1RM (~0.19 m·s-1) was consistent among different strength levels. Despite the fact that 1RM increased ~17.5% after the VBT programme, average MPV along the load-velocity relationship remained unaltered between T1 and T2 (0.69 ± 0.06 vs. 0.70 ± 0.06 m·s-1). Lastly, the three key parameters of the velocity-time curve were detected from loads > 74.9% 1RM at 14.3% (V max1 ), 46.1% (V min ), and 88.7% (V max2 ) of the concentric phase. These results may serve as a practical guideline to effectively implement the velocity-based method in the SP exercise.

To design a new breast vacuum bag to reduce global and local setup errors in post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT). A total of 24 PMRT patients were immobilized with an old vacuum bag and 26 PMRT patients were immobilized with a new vacuum bag. The registration results were analysed using four regions of interest (ROI): the global ROI [including the whole region of the planning target volume (PTV), GROI], the supraclavicular area (SROI), the ipsilateral chest wall region (CROI) and the ipsilateral arm region (AROI). The global and local setup errors of the two groups were compared. The global setup errors of the new vacuum group were significantly smaller than those in the old vacuum group with the exception of yaw axes (P

In vitro simulation of three-dimensional (3D) shoulder motion using in vivo kinematics obtained from human subjects allows investigation of clinical conditions in the context of physiologically relevant biomechanics. Herein, we present a framework for laboratory simulation of subject-specific kinematics that combines individual 3D scapular and humeral control in cadavers. The objectives were to: (1) robotically simulate seven healthy subject-specific 3D scapulothoracic and glenohumeral kinematic trajectories in six cadavers, (2) characterize system performance using kinematic orientation accuracy and repeatability, and muscle force repeatability metrics, and (3) analyze effects of input kinematics and cadaver specimen variability. Using an industrial robot to orient the scapula range of motion (ROM), errors with repeatability of ±0.1 mm and

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the reference intervals (RIs) for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3) and FT3/FT4 ratio using indirect methods. Methods: We analyzed 1256 results TSH, FT4 and FT3 collected from a laboratory information system between 2017 and 2021. All measurements were performed on a Siemens ADVIA Centaur XP analyzer using the chemiluminescent immunoassay. We calculated the values of the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles as recommended by the IFCC (CLSI C28-A3). Results: The RIs derived for TSH, FT4, FT3 and FT3/FT4 ratio were 0.34–4.10 mIU/L, 11.3–20.6 pmol/L, 3.5–6.32 pmol/L and 0.21–0.47, respectively. We found a significant difference between calculated RIs for the TSH and FT4 and those recommended by the manufacturer. Also, FT3 values were significantly higher in the group younger than 30 years relative to the fourth decade (5.26 vs. 5.02, p=0.005), the fifth decade (5.26 vs. 4.94, p=0.001), the sixth decade (5.26 vs. 4.87, p

In this article, the analysis of an arbitrary order Ebola virus disease model is conducted to find out its reliable solution. The fractional derivative is taken in Liouville-Caputo sense. The solution of this nonlinear model is achieved using fractional variational iteration scheme. The convergence analysis of the obtained solution is also presented which confirms that it is positive, bounded and convergent. The outcomes are discussed with figures explaining variation of susceptible, infected, recovered population and number of disease induced deaths with time. The negligible error in successive iterations of various population shows the competency of the presented scheme. The results endorse that FVIM is extremely effective, powerful and easy in usage.

Significance Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men. An accurate diagnosis of its severity at detection plays a major role in improving their survival. Recently, machine learning models using biomarkers identified from Raman micro-spectroscopy discriminated intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P) from cancer tissue with a ≥85 % detection accuracy and differentiated high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) from IDC-P with a ≥97.8 % accuracy. Aim To improve the classification performance of machine learning models identifying different types of prostate cancer tissue using a new dimensional reduction technique. Approach A radial basis function (RBF) kernel support vector machine (SVM) model was trained on Raman spectra of prostate tissue from a 272-patient cohort (Centre hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal, CHUM) and tested on two independent cohorts of 76 patients [University Health Network (UHN)] and 135 patients (Centre hospitalier universitaire de Quebec-Universite Laval, CHUQc-UL). Two types of engineered features were used. Individual intensity features, i.e., Raman signal intensity measured at particular wavelengths and novel Raman spectra fitted peak features consisting of peak heights and widths. Results Combining engineered features improved classification performance for the three aforementioned classification tasks. The improvements for IDC-P/cancer classification for the UHN and CHUQc-UL testing sets in accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) are (numbers in parenthesis are associated with the CHUQc-UL testing set): +4 % (+8 % ), +7 % (+9 % ), +2 % (6%), +9 (+9) with respect to the current best models. Discrimination between HGPIN and IDC-P was also improved in both testing cohorts: +2.2 % (+1.7 % ), +4.5 % (+3.6 % ), +0 % (+0 % ), +2.3 (+0). While no global improvements were obtained for the normal versus cancer classification task [+0 % (-2 % ), +0 % (-3 % ), +2 % (-2 % ), +4 (+3)], the AUC was improved in both testing sets. Conclusions Combining individual intensity features and novel Raman fitted peak features, improved the classification performance on two independent and multicenter testing sets in comparison to using only individual intensity features.

This paper presents a methodology to optimise the manufacturing strategy of structural cross-banded laminated veneer lumbers (LVL-C) manufactured by mixing species. The methodology is illustrated by blending native-forest spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora) with plantation southern pine (Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. elliottii)) veneers. The aim is to minimise the cost of a family of products (i.e. several types of product manufactured from the same veneered stock) using a maximum allowable number of hardwood veneers, and in which each product has different targeted stiffness and embedment strength. Genetic algorithm, which is widely used in the optimisation of structural products, was selected as the optimisation algorithm. The orientation of the veneers and veneer grades are considered as design variables. Results show that the developed algorithm was able to consistently converge to similar solutions for all investigated cases, demonstrating its robustness. For all cases, the “high” modulus of elasticity graded spotted gum and southern pine veneers were found to be predominant in the final products. LVL-C are found in cases with high targeted embedment strength. Finally, the obtained optimum construction strategies are validated against experimental results.

PURPOSE: To achieve 3D T2 w imaging of the prostate with 1-mm isotropic resolution in less than 3 min.METHODS: We devised and implemented a 3D T2 -prepared multishot balanced steady state free precession (T2 prep-bSSFP) acquisition sequence with a variable density undersampled trajectory combined with a total variation regularized iterative SENSE (TV-SENSE) reconstruction. Prospectively undersampled images of the prostate (acceleration factor R = 3) were acquired in 11 healthy subjects in an institutional review board-approved study. Image quality metrics (subjective signal-to-noise ratio, contrast, sharpness, and overall prostate image quality) were evaluated by 2 radiologists. Scores of the proposed accelerated sequence were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank and Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric tests to prostate images acquired using a fully sampled 3D T2 prep-bSSFP acquisition, and with clinical standard 2D and 3D turbo spin echo (TSE) T2 w acquisitions. A P-value < 0.05 was considered significant.RESULTS: The 3× accelerated 3D T2 prep-bSSFP images required a scan time (min:s) of 2:45, while the fully sampled 3D T2 prep-bSSFP and clinical standard 3D TSE images were acquired in 8:23 and 7:29, respectively. Image quality scores (contrast, sharpness, and overall prostate image quality) of the accelerated 3D T2 prep-bSSFP, fully sampled T2 prep-bSSFP, and clinical standard 3D TSE acquisitions along all 3 spatial dimensions were not significantly different (P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: 3D T2 w images of the prostate with 1-mm isotropic resolution can be acquired in less than 3 min, with image quality that is comparable to a clinical standard 3D TSE sequence but only takes a third of the acquisition time.

Uphill walking gait has been extensively studied, but the optimal uphill speed able to enhance the metabolic demand without increasing fatigability has so far received little attention. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the metabolic/kinematic demand at constant speed (6 km·h−1 G0 level, G2 2% uphill, G7 7% uphill) and at iso-efficiency speeds (G2IES 5.2 km·h−1 2% uphill and G7IES 3.9 km·h−1 7% uphill). For this aim, physically active women (n:24, Age 33.40 ± 4.97 years, BMI 21.62 ± 2.06 kg/m-2) after an 8-min warm-up were studied on a treadmill for 10ʹ for every walking condition with a 5ʹ rest in between. Average heart rate (AVG-HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and kinematic variables (stance time, swing time, stride length, stride cycle, stride-length variability, stride-cycle variability and internal work) were studied. Modif ications in stance time, stride length and stride cycle (p

The study investigated the effects cutting fluids on tool wearing on high speed steel (HSS) using mild steel workpiece for teaching machining operation. Two specific objectives guided the study, two corresponding research questions were poised and two null hypotheses were formulated. The theoretical frame work for the study was hinged on experiential learning theory as propounded by Rogers (1969). The growing demand for biodegradable materials has opened an avenue for using vegetable oils such as neem seed oil, castor oil and water melon seed oil as an alternative to conventional cutting fluids. In this study, some aspects of the turning process on mild steel using HSS cutting tool at variety of spindle speed, feed rate and constant depth of cut were observed using neem seed oil, soluble oil and straight oil in comparison. The data collected from the study was analyzed using mean and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The decision rule was that, the smaller the mean value obtained the more effective the cutting fluid and the higher the mean value, the less effective the cutting fluid. The hypotheses were tested at α=0.05 significance level using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings of the study revealed that soluble oil is more effective in reducing tool wearing than neem oil and straight oil at variety of feed rates and spindle speeds during machining operation. Also there is no significant difference in the mean readings of tool wearing when using neem oil, soluble oil, and straight oil as cutting fluid. It was therefore recommended that machinists should be encouraged to use soluble oil which has greater advantage over neem and straight oils in machining operations