Cross-correlation Study Research Articles

Differences in the knowledge, attitudes, and needs of caregivers and healthcare providers regarding palliative care: a cross-sectional investigation in pediatric settings in China

BackgroundCountries abroad have implemented pediatric palliative treatment for several years; however, complete pediatric palliative treatment guidelines and legal guidance remain lacking in China, making the implementation of palliative care difficult.PurposeThis study aimed to understand the current situation, similarities, and differences in the knowledge, attitudes, and needs of caregivers and healthcare providers regarding palliative care for children.MethodsThis cross-correlation study collected data from pediatric and neonatal intensive care units of four hospitals in China. The participants comprised 180 caregivers and 172 healthcare providers. The measurement tools included the palliative care knowledge scale, palliative care attitude scale, and pediatric palliative care needs scale. This study adhered to the STROBE reporting guidelines.ResultsSignificant differences in palliative care knowledge, attitudes, and needs were observed between caregivers and healthcare providers (p < 0.005). Pediatric healthcare providers demonstrated higher knowledge and positive attitudes regarding palliative care than caregivers. Needs for communication in general and relief from pain and other symptoms of caregivers were higher than those of healthcare providers (p < 0.001). Furthermore, palliative care attitude and needs of healthcare providers were positively correlated with each other (r = 0.212, p < 0.005).ConclusionPediatric healthcare providers and caregivers demonstrated different perceptions of needs for palliative care. The results of this study can serve as a reference for the future development of guidelines related to children’s needs and related interventions.

Cerebrospinal fluid and blood serum biomarkers in neurodegenerative proteinopathies: A prospective, open, cross-correlation study.

Neurodegenerative diseases are a broad heterogeneous group affecting the nervous system. They are characterized, from a pathophysiological perspective, by the selective involvement of a subpopulation of nerve cells with a consequent clinical picture of a disease. Clinical diagnoses of neurodegenerative diseases are quite challenging and often not completely accurate because of their marked heterogeneity and frequently overlapping clinical pictures. Efforts are being made to define sufficiently specific and sensitive markers for individual neurodegenerative diseases or groups of diseases in order to increase the accuracy and speed of clinical diagnosis. Thus said, this present research aimed to identify biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum (α-synuclein [α-syn], tau protein [t-tau], phosphorylated tau protein [p-tau], β-amyloid [Aβ], clusterin, chromogranin A [chromogrA], cystatin C [cyst C], neurofilament heavy chains [NFH], phosphorylated form of neurofilament heavy chains [pNF-H], and ratio of tau protein/amyloid beta [Ind tau/Aβ]) that could help in the differential diagnosis and differentiation of the defined groups of α-synucleinopathies and four-repeat (4R-) tauopathies characterized by tau protein isoforms with four microtubule-binding domains. In this study, we analyzed a cohort of 229 patients divided into four groups: (1) Parkinson's disease (PD) + dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) (n = 82), (2) multiple system atrophy (MSA) (n = 25), (3) progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) + corticobasal syndrome (CBS) (n = 30), and (4) healthy controls (HC) (n = 92). We also focused on analyzing the biomarkers in relation to each other with the intention of determining whether they are useful in distinguishing among individual proteinopathies. Our results indicate that the proposed set of biomarkers, when evaluated in CSF, is likely to be useful for the differential diagnosis of MSA versus 4RT. However, these biomarkers do not seem to provide any useful diagnostic information when assessed in blood serum.

A Cross-correlation Study between IceCube Neutrino Events and the FERMI Unresolved Gamma-Ray Sky

With the coincident detections of electromagnetic radiation together with gravitational waves (GW170817) or neutrinos (TXS 0506+056), the new era of multimessenger astrophysics has begun. Of particular interest are the searches for correlation between the high-energy astrophysical neutrinos detected by the IceCube Observatory and gamma-ray photons detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). So far, only sources detected by the LAT have been considered in correlation with IceCube neutrinos, neglecting any emission from sources too faint to be resolved individually. Here we present the first cross-correlation analysis considering the unresolved gamma-ray background (UGRB) and IceCube events. We perform a thorough sensitivity study, and, given the lack of identified correlation, we place upper limits on the fraction of the observed neutrinos that would be produced in proton–proton or proton–γ interactions from the population of sources contributing to the UGRB emission and dominating its spatial anisotropy (aka blazars). Our analysis suggests that, under the assumption that there is no intrinsic cutoff and/or hardening of the spectrum above Fermi-LAT energies, and that all gamma rays from the unresolved blazars dominating the UGRB fluctuation field are produced by neutral pions from p–p (p–γ) interactions, up to 60% (30%) of such a population may contribute to the total neutrino events observed by IceCube. This translates into an O (1%) maximum contribution to the astrophysical high-energy neutrino flux observed by IceCube at 100 TeV.

Complementarity of neuroeconomic model and the Big5 taxonomy

The psychological Big5 Taxonomy is an alternative to the Neoclassical paradigm of Bounded Rationality. The neuroeconomic model of decision-making (NeM) roots behavioral science in the brain function. The relations between Big5 and NeM is described in a cross-correlation study ordering the Big5 by risk-willingness where extreme positive respective negative correlation is with Extrovertedness and Neuroticism. Conscientiousness is in the middle of the order. Agreeableness is characterized by a moderate risk-aversion in between Conscientiousness and Neuroticism. Open-mindedness as the fifth profile is a cultural product of upbringing, formal education and life experience integrating the qualities of Extravertedness and Conscientiousness. The Discussion focuses on two training applications. Firstly, how ordering of the Big5 can simplify sensitivity training. Secondly, secular guidance of meditative in-depth-relaxation as reinforcement of the Working Memory

A combined cuff electrode array for organ-specific selective stimulation of vagus nerve enabled by Electrical Impedance Tomography.

Previously developed spatially-selective Vagus Nerve Stimulation (sVNS) allows the targeting of specific nerve fascicles through current steering in a multi-electrode nerve cuff but relies on a trial-and-error strategy to identify the relative orientation between electrodes and fascicles. Fast Neural Electrical Impedance Tomography (FN-EIT) has been recently used for imaging neural traffic in the vagus nerves of pigs in a cross-correlation study with sVNS and MicroCT fascicle tracking. FN-EIT has the potential for allowing targeted sVNS; however, up to now, stimulation and imaging have been performed with separate electrode arrays. In this study, different options were evaluated in-silico to integrate EIT and stimulation into a single electrode array without affecting spatial selectivity. The original pig vagus EIT electrode array geometry was compared with a geometry integrating sVNS and EIT electrodes, and with direct use of sVNS electrodes for EIT imaging. Modelling results indicated that both new designs could achieve image quality similar to the original electrode geometry in all tested markers (e.g., co-localisation error <100 µm). The sVNS array was considered to be the simplest due to the lower number of electrodes. Experimental results from testing evoked EIT imaging of recurrent laryngeal activity using electrodes from the sVNS cuff returned a signal-to-noise ratio similar to our previous study (3.9 ± 2.4 vs. 4.1 ± 1.5, N = 4 nerves from 3 pigs) and a lower co-localisation error (≈14% nerve diameter vs. ≈25%, N = 2 nerves from 2 pigs). Performing FN-EIT and sVNS on the same nerve cuff will facilitate translation to humans, simplify surgery and enable targeted neuromodulation strategies.

New insights from cross-correlation studies between solar activity indices and cosmic-ray flux during Forbush decrease events

Observed galactic cosmic ray intensity can be subjected to a transient decrease. These so-called Forbush decreases are driven by coronal mass ejection induced shockwaves in the heliosphere. By combining in situ measurements by space borne instruments with ground-based cosmic ray observations, we investigate the relationship between solar energetic particle flux, various solar activity indices, and intensity measurements of cosmic rays during such an event. We present cross-correlation study done using proton flux data from the SOHO/ERNE instrument, as well as data collected during some of the strongest Forbush decreases over the last two completed solar cycles by the network of neutron monitor detectors and different solar observatories. We have demonstrated connection between the shape of solar energetic particles fluence spectra and selected coronal mass ejection and Forbush decrease parameters, indicating that power exponents used to model these fluence spectra could be valuable new parameters in similar analysis of mentioned phenomena. They appear to be better predictor variables of Forbush decrease magnitude in interplanetary magnetic field than coronal mass ejection velocities.

Cosmological free-free emission from dark matter halos in the ΛCDM model

We study the diffuse background free-free emission induced by dark matter halos. Since dark matter halos host ionized thermal plasma, they could be an essential source of cosmological free-free emission. We evaluate the global background intensity and the anisotropy of this free-free emission. We show that the dominant contribution comes from dark matter halos with a mass close to the Jeans mass, $M_{\mathrm{halo}}\sim 10^{10} M_\odot$, around the redshift $z \sim 3$. Therefore, the intensity of the free-free emission is sensitive to the small-scale primordial curvature perturbations that form such small-mass dark matter halos. Although our obtained intensity of the global and anisotropic free-free emission is smaller than the $10\%$ level of the free-free emission observed in the high galactic region, we find that the free-free emission signal is modified by $\sim 20 \%$ even in the parameter set of the spectral index and the running, which is consistent with the recent Planck result. Therefore, the measurement of the cosmological free-free signals has the potential to provide more stringent constraints on the abundance of small-mass dark matter halos and the curvature perturbations including the spectral index and the running, while carefully removing the Galactic free-free emission is required through the multifrequency radio observation or the cross-correlation study with the galaxy surveys or 21-cm intensity map.

Establishing a statistical relation between meteorological and hydrological drought indices

Abstract Investigation of the hydrological drought behaviour of the Bharathapuzha river basin of Kerala, India, on account of the meteorological drought condition of the watershed was carried out in this study with the aid of four popular drought indices. Statistical relations were established between the indices using polynomial regression models to help in predictions. A study on the decadal spatial variation of hydrological drought behaviour over the basin was also conducted. The cross-correlation study was also performed to understand the propagation of hydrological drought in the event of meteorological drought. The results reveal a slight decrease in the spatial extent of hydrological drought over time. The correlation between meteorological and hydrological drought indices was found to be more assertive at grid locations G1 and G4. According to the findings, the strongest correlation of 0.8 in the propagation of meteorological to hydrological drought was observed at a lag of 3 months over a 12 -month timescale. Run theory reveals that the river basin is subjected to hydrological drought over 54–65% of the months in the historic period. Regression analysis suggests that the cubic model outperforms the other models.

Characterizing Long-term Optical Variability Properties of γ-Ray-bright Blazars

Abstract Optical observations of a sample of 12 γ-ray-bright blazars from four optical data archives—American Association of Variable Star Observers, Small and Moderate Aperture Research Telescope System, Catalina, and Steward Observatory—are compiled to create densely sampled light curves spanning more than a decade. As a part of the blazar multiwavelength studies, several methods of analysis, e.g., flux distribution and rms–flux relation, are performed on the observations with the aim to compare the results with the similar ones in the γ-ray band presented in Bhatta &amp; Dhital. It is found that, similar to the γ-ray band, blazars display significant variability in the optical band that can be characterized with lognormal flux distribution and a power-law dependence of rms on flux. It could be an indication of a possible inherent linear rms–flux relation, yet the scatter in the data does not allow to rule out other possibilities. When comparing variability properties in the two bands, the blazars in the γ-rays are found to exhibit stronger variability with a steeper possible linear rms–flux relation and a flux distribution that is more skewed toward higher fluxes. The cross-correlation study shows that except for source 3C 273, the overall optical and the γ-ray emission in the sources are highly correlated, suggesting a cospatial existence of the particles responsible for both the optical and γ-ray emission. Moreover, sources S5 0716+714, Mrk 421, Mrk 501, PKS 1424-418, and PKS 2155-304 revealed possible evidence of quasiperiodic oscillations in the optical emission with the characteristic timescales, which are comparable to those in the γ-ray band detected in our previous work.

A Cross-correlation Study of High-energy Neutrinos and Tracers of Large-scale Structure

Abstract The origin of the bulk of the astrophysical neutrinos detected by the IceCube Observatory remains a mystery. Previous source-finding analyses compared the directions of IceCube events and individual sources in astrophysical catalogs. The source association method is technically challenging when the number of source candidates is much larger than the number of the observed astrophysical neutrinos. We show that in this large source number regime, a two-point cross-correlation analysis of neutrino data and source catalog can instead be used to constrain potential source populations for the high-energy astrophysical neutrinos, and provide spatial evidence for the existence of astrophysical neutrinos. We present an analysis of the cross-correlation of the IceCube 2010–2012 point-source data and a WISE–2MASS galaxy sample. While we find no significant detection of cross-correlation with the publicly available neutrino data set, we show that, when applied to the full IceCube data, which has a longer observation time and higher astrophysical neutrino purity, our method has sufficient statistical power to detect a cross-correlation signal if the neutrino sources trace the large-scale structure of the universe.

An empirical analysis of relationships between cyclical components of oil price and tanker freight rates

Oil prices directly impact its global transportation operation, which is mainly served by ocean tankers. Significant financial risks are observed by tanker transporters, which are attributed to uncertainties rooted in the complex non-linear stochastic relationship of oil and freight prices. The non-linearities in both prices are due to multiple factors inducing unique price sub-cycles of different timescales, which makes direct price co-movement analysis a flawed approach. To better address this problem, we propose an approach where we first extract constituent cycles, inter-relationships of which are then pairwise analyzed on corresponding timescales. We employed the Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (CEEMD) method for extracting the constituent cycles. A cross-correlation study was then performed between pairs of oil and freight price cycles. Using data from four major global tanker routes, we found several known and new shipping-based cycles. In terms of co-movements, we see increasingly strengthening relationships in medium to longer terms – mostly led by oil prices. Our findings highlight dissimilarities in relationships across routes that are attributable to route characteristics and tanker types.

Broadband Variability and Correlation Study of 3C 279 during Flares of 2017–2018

Abstract A multiwavelength temporal and spectral analysis of flares of 3C 279 during 2017 November–2018 July are presented in this work. Three bright gamma-ray flares were observed simultaneously in X-ray and optical/UV along with a prolonged quiescent state. A “harder-when-brighter” trend is observed in both gamma-rays and X-rays during the flaring period. The gamma-ray light curve for all the flares is binned in one day time bins and a day-scale variability is observed. Variability time constrains the size and location of the emission region to 2.1 × 1016 cm and 4.4 × 1017 cm, respectively. The fractional variability reveals that the source is more than 100% variable in gamma-rays and it decreases toward the lower energy. A cross-correlation study of the emission from different wavebands is done using the discrete correlations function method, which shows a strong correlation between them without any time lags. The zero time lag between different wavebands suggests their cospatial origin. This is the first time 3C 279 has shown a strong correlation between gamma-ray and X-ray emission with zero time lag. A single-zone emission model was adopted to model the multiwavelength spectral energy distributions by using the publicly available code GAMERA. The study reveals that a higher jet power in electrons is required to explain the gamma-ray flux during the flaring state, as much as 10 times that required for the quiescent state. However, more jet power in the magnetic field has been observed during the quiescent state compared to the flaring state.

Data for: Search Trends Preceding Increases in Suicide: A Cross-correlation Study with Transfer Function Models of Monthly Google Search Volume and Suicide Rate

Data for: Search Trends Preceding Increases in Suicide: A Cross-correlation Study with Transfer Function Models of Monthly Google Search Volume and Suicide Rate

Search trends preceding increases in suicide: A cross-correlation study of monthly Google search volume and suicide rate using transfer function models

BackgroundVarious associations between monthly Google search volumes (MGSVs) and monthly suicide rates (MSRs) have been reported. However, these studies often analyzed a limited number of search terms using suboptimal statistical methods. While controlling for spurious associations, this study examined a wide array of suicide-related search terms to elucidate if their MGSVs correlated with future MSRs. MethodsMGSVs of 111 candidate suicide-related terms were calculated by averaging 10 time-series data per term obtained from Google Trends. Box-Jenkins transfer function modeling was applied to time-series data of MGSV and MSR among the total, male, and female populations of the United States between 2004 and 2017. Cross-correlation coefficients between MGSVs and MSRs were calculated at lags -3, -2, and -1. Sensitivity analysis identified cross-correlations whose direction and significance (p<0.05) persisted in two other time spans: 126 and 84 months. ResultsEighty-nine terms were analyzed. MGSVs of 31 terms significantly correlated with MSRs in the total, male, or female population. In the sensitivity analysis, three terms stably exhibited significant positive correlation: “generalized anxiety disorder” (total; lag -3), “anxiety disorder” (total and male; lag -3), and “laid off” (total, male, and female; lag -2). The term sleep problem (total and female; lag -1) consistently showed significant negative correlations. LimitationsSex- or age-specific search-volume data, lags of less than a month, and potential confounding factors of MGSV and MSR were not explored. Conclusionstrends in MGSV of four terms tend to precede changes in MSR. These terms may enable more accurate forecasting of future suicides.

Statistical Measures to Test the Stability of Face Recognition Approach: Duplicating Human Faces based on Cross-correlation Study

Statistical Measures to Test the Stability of Face Recognition Approach: Duplicating Human Faces based on Cross-correlation Study

Annual, seasonal and diurnal variations of integrated water vapor using GPS observations over Hyderabad, a tropical station

This paper presents annual, seasonal and diurnal variations of integrated water vapor (IWV) derived from Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements for a tropical site, Hyderabad (17.4° N, 78.46° E). The zenith wet delay (ZWD) due to the troposphere has been computed using GPS observations and collocated meteorological data. ZWD is converted to IWV with very little added uncertainty. Mean monthly IWV values show maximum in July (~50 kg m−2) and minimum in December (~15 kg m−2). Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and Harmonic analyses methods have been adopted to extract amplitudes and phases of diurnal (24 h), semi-diurnal (12 h) and ter-diurnal (8 h) oscillations which yielded comparable results. Amplitude of the 24 h component is observed to be maximum in spring whereas 12 h and 8 h components maximize in summer. A cross-correlation study between available daily IWV values and corresponding surface temperatures over one year produced a good correlation coefficient (0.44). The correlation obtained for different seasons got reduced to 0.25, 0.02, −0.39 and 0.21 for winter, spring, summer and autumn seasons respectively. The correlation between IWV and rainfall is poor. The coefficients obtained for the whole year is 0.05 and −0.13 for the rainy season.

Local orientational order in self-assembled nanoparticle films: the role of ligand composition and salt

An X-ray cross-correlation study of the local orientational order in self-assembled films made from PEGylated gold nanoparticles is presented. The local structure of this model system is dominated by four- and sixfold order. Coadsorption of shorter ligands in the particle's ligand layer and variation of salt concentration in the suspension prior to self-assembly result in a change of local orientational order. The degree of sixfold order is reduced after salt addition. This decrease of order is less pronounced for the fourfold symmetry. The results presented here suggest complex symmetry-selective order formation upon ligand exchange and salt addition and demonstrate the versatility of X-ray cross-correlation methods for nanoparticle superlattices.

Cross-Correlation Among Visual Analog, Observational, and Behavioral Pain Scales of Oncological Patients Undergoing Major Abdominal Surgery

To determine the perception of postoperative pain intensity between nurses and oncology patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. A prospective cross-correlation study with 173 oncology patients undergoing major abdominal surgery, such as hepatectomy or pancreatectomy. Postoperative pain intensity was evaluated by clinical pain assessment tools such as critical-care pain observation tool (CPOT) and behavioral pain scale (BPS) recorded by the researcher, whereas the visual analog scale was completed by patients. Demographic and clinical data were recorded. The Cronbach's α for CPOT and BPS was α=0.738 for each. There was a significant correlation between CPOT and BPS (ρ=0.796, P < .001), whereas the visual analog scale was correlated with CPOT and BPS (ρ=0.351, P < .001 and ρ=0.352, P < .001, respectively), showing that nurses did not underestimate patients' pain levels. The management of postoperative pain intensity after major abdominal surgery requires clinical comprehension by nurses to achieve the reduction or suppression of pain.

Measurement of redshift-dependent cross-correlation of HSC clusters andFermiγ-rays

The cross-correlation study of the unresolved $\gamma$-ray background (UGRB) with galaxy clusters has a potential to reveal the nature of the UGRB. In this paper, we perform a cross-correlation analysis between $\gamma$-ray data by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) and a galaxy cluster catalogue from the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) survey. The Subaru HSC cluster catalogue provides a wide and homogeneous large-scale structure distribution out to the high redshift at $z=1.1$, which has not been accessible in previous cross-correlation studies. We conduct the cross-correlation analysis not only for clusters in the all redshift range ($0.1 < z < 1.1$) of the survey, but also for subsamples of clusters divided into redshift bins, the low redshift bin ($0.1 < z < 0.6$) and the high redshift bin ($0.6 < z < 1.1$), to utilize the wide redshift coverage of the cluster catalogue. We find the evidence of the cross-correlation signals with the significance of 2.0-2.3$\sigma$ for all redshift and low-redshift cluster samples. On the other hand, for high-redshift clusters, we find the signal with weaker significance level (1.6-1.9$\sigma$). We also compare the observed cross-correlation functions with predictions of a theoretical model in which the UGRB originates from $\gamma$-ray emitters such as blazars, star-forming galaxies and radio galaxies. We find that the detected signal is consistent with the model prediction.

Sodium-fluoride PET-CT for the non-invasive evaluation of coronary plaques in symptomatic patients with coronary artery disease: a cross-correlation study with intravascular ultrasound

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) coronary uptake compared to coronary intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease.Background18F-NaF PET enables the assessment of vascular osteogenesis by interaction with surface hydroxyapatite, while IVUS enables both identification and quantification of intra-plaque components.MethodsForty-four patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease were included in this prospective controlled trial, 32 of them (30 patients with unstable angina and 2 patients with stable angina), representing the final study cohort, got additional IVUS. All patients underwent cardiac 18F-NaF PET/CT and IVUS within 2 days. 18F-NaF maximum tissue-to-blood ratios (TBRmax) were calculated for 69 coronary plaques and correlated with IVUS plaque classification.ResultsSignificantly increased 18F-NaF uptake ratios were observed in fibrocalcific lesions (meanTBRmax = 1.42 ± 0.28), thin-cap atheroma with spotty calcifications (meanTBRmax = 1.32 ± 0.23), and thick-cap mixed atheroma (meanTBRmax = 1.28 ± 0.38), while fibrotic plaques showed no increased uptake (meanTBRmax = 0.96 ± 0.18). The 18F-NaF uptake ratio was consistently higher in atherosclerotic lesions with severe calcification (meanTBRmax = 1.34 ± 0.22). The regional 18F-NaF uptake was most likely localized in the border region of intensive calcification. Coronary lesions with positive 18F-NaF uptake showed some increased high-risk anatomical features on IVUS in comparison to 18F-NaF negative plaques. It included a significant severe plaque burden (70.1 ± 13.8 vs. 61.0 ± 13.8, p = 0.01) and positive remodeling index (1.03 ± 0.08 vs. 0.99 ± 0.07, p = 0.05), as well as a higher percentage of necrotic tissue (37.6 ± 13.3 vs. 29.3 ± 15.7, p = 0.02) in positive 18F-NaF lesions.Conclusions18F-NaF coronary uptake may provide a molecular insight for the characterization of coronary atherosclerotic lesions. Specific regional uptake is needed to be determined by histology.