Scale Domain Research Articles

Study on Spatial Scale Selection Problem: Taking Port Spatial Expression as Example

Spatial scale is a key factor, which affects the accuracy of spatial expression and further influences the spatial planning of a research area. In order to help improve the efficiency and accuracy of optimal scale selection for all sizes of research areas, a universal two-layer theoretical framework for optimal scale selection was proposed in this paper. Port area was taken as an example to systematically clarify the application of the proposed framework, and the scale selection model for port spatial expression was established. Least-squares-based mean change point analysis was introduced into the model, and the concept of a comprehensive change point was proposed to form the criterion for optimal port scale selection. First, an appropriate scale domain was preliminarily determined by the upper scale selection model. Then, the lower scale selection model determined the final appropriate scale domain and took the corresponding scale of a minimum comprehensive change point as the final optimal scale for port spatial expression. Finally, a port area in Qingdao in eastern China was taken to verify the feasibility of the proposed model, and the optimal scale was suggested to be 14 m. The proposed framework in this paper helps ensure the accuracy of spatial expression and reduce spatial data redundancy, and it can provide the methodological references for planners to better spatialize a research area, which will guarantee the subsequent spatial planning work.

Development and Validation of a Simulation Model for Ureteral Stent Placement

Importance Currently, there are no validated training models for cystoscopy with ureteral stent placement. Objectives The objectives of this study were to develop and validate a novel endoscopic simulation model for training in ureteral stent placement. Study Design A low-cost, low-fidelity training model was developed to simulate ureteral stent placement. Recruited participants were divided into 3 groups: novices (postgraduate year 3/4 gynecology residents), advanced learners (urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery fellows), and experts (urology residents, urogynecology faculty, and urology faculty). Construct validity was measured using de-identified video-recorded performances on the model, which were evaluated by 2 expert reviewers using validated scales (Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills [GOALS], Global Rating Scale [GRS]) and procedure-specific metrics. Results The model was created using a hollow Styrofoam sphere, plastic tubing from a retropubic sling, and a silicone pacifier. Thirty-six surgeons were assessed performing the procedure using the model with cystoscopic equipment. The experts (n = 12) performed significantly better than the advanced learners (n = 17) and novices (n = 7) in total scores (max 75, median [IQR]: 75 [75–75], 61 [56.5–68.5], 45 [43–46], respectively; P < 0.001) and within each individual scale domain. Increasing experience with ureteral stent placement had a significant correlation (P < 0.001) with better performance on the model. A minimum total passing score of 63 was established. On post simulation assessment, most participants “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that the model closely approximates the feel of ureteral stent placement. Conclusion This ureteral stenting simulation model is easy to construct, affordable, and reproducible. The model is valid and reliable for practicing the procedure in preparation for live surgery.

Validation and Network Structure of the Kaufman Domains of Creativity Scale: A Psychometric Investigation in an Arabic Context

The Kaufman Domains of Creativity Scale (K-DOCS), a self-report measure designed to capture creative behaviors across various domains, has been utilized and validated across different cultural contexts. The present study sought to assess the psychometric properties of an Arabic version of the K-DOCS. Using exploratory graph analysis followed by confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory analysis, the factor structure of the K-DOCS was assessed. Additionally, the criterion validity of the K-DOCS was assessed in relation to measures of openness and emotional intelligence. Beyond validation, the study examined the network structure of the K-DOCS domains to understand their interconnections and investigated potential domain network differences based on gender, age, and academic major. Data were collected among 2,594 Egyptian university students. The results suggest that the K-DOCS has a five-factor structure broadly consistent with the theoretical factor structure and demonstrates acceptable criterion validity. The results further reveal that the K-DOCS domains cluster together into a single interconnected community, with significant differences in domain connectivity based on gender and age, but not on academic major. The implications of these results for the conceptualization and measurement of creativity are discussed.

High-Fidelity OC-Seislet Stacking Method for Low-SNR Seismic Data

Seismic stacking is a core technique in seismic data processing, aimed at enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of data by utilizing seismic data acquisition with multifold geometry. Traditional stacking methods always have certain limitations, such as the reliance on the accuracy of velocity analysis for dip moveout (DMO) in common midpoint (CMP) stacking. The seislet transform, a compression technique tailored to nonstationary seismic data, can compress and stack along the prediction direction of seismic data, which provides a new technical idea for high-fidelity seismic imaging based on the effectiveness of the compression. This paper introduces a high-order OC-seislet stacking method for low-SNR seismic data, capable of achieving the high-fidelity stacking of reflection and diffraction waves simultaneously. With the multi-scale analysis advantages of the seislet transform, this method addresses the dependency of DMO stacking on velocity analysis accuracy. In the frequency–wavenumber–scale domain, the correction compensation of the high-order CDF 9/7 basis function is used to obtain the compression coefficients of the high-order OC-seislet transform. This approach simultaneously stacks frequency–wavenumber information of reflection and diffraction waves with high fidelity while implementing DMO processing. After normalizing the weighting coefficients and applying soft thresholding for denoising, the final result is transformed back to the original time–space domain, yielding high-fidelity stacking sections. The results of applying this method to both synthetic and field data show that, compared with conventional DMO stacking methods, the high-order OC-seislet stacking technique reasonably represents dipping layers and fault amplitudes, and it can achieve a balance of a high SNR and high fidelity in stacked profiles.

Effect of multidisciplinary team-style continuity of care and nutritional nursing on lung cancer: randomized study.

Aim: The clinical efficacy of systemic chemotherapy is limited due to the nonspecific delivery of anticancer drugs and is associated with serious systemic adverse effects. Therefore, integrated treatment and comprehensive care are particularly important for postoperative chemotherapy patients with lung cancer.Materials & methods: This study aimed to ascertain the application effect of multidisciplinary team (MDT)-style continuity of care combined with whole-process nutritional nursing in postoperative chemotherapy patients with lung cancer. Nutritional indices, immune function, adverse emotions, self-efficacy, self-care ability, quality of life and toxic reactions during chemotherapy were recorded in postoperative chemotherapy patients with lung cancer receiving routine care (control group) and MDT-style continuity of care combined with whole-process nutritional care (intervention group).Results: After care, the intervention group performed higher BMI, PA, TP and ALB, CD3+, CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+, lower levels of CD8+, lower self-rating anxiety scale, self-rating depression scale and QLQ-C30 symptom domain scores and higher general self-efficacy scale, exercise of self-care agency scale and QLQ-C30 functional domain scores versus the control group (all p<0.05).Conclusion: MDT-style continuity of care combined with whole-process nutritional care can improve the nutritional status of postoperative chemotherapy patients with lung cancer, and in turn enhance their quality of life.

Patellar Tendon Thermographic Reference Values in Healthy People: A Systematic Review

Introduction: The physiological response of the tendon structure has been the subject of several studies using clinical thermography, although the lack of normal values limits clinical practice despite being, according to several authors, an optimal diagnostic tool for the study and therapeutic monitoring of soft tissues. To this end, the aim of this systematic review was to explore all the scientific information on thermography and reference values in the patellar tendon. Method: A search was carried out in different health science databases using the MeSH terms “Health”, “Patellar Ligament”, and “Thermography” with their synonyms in free terms to collect the studies to be included in the systematic review. This review was conducted according with PRISMA guidelines and includes all of the literature up to 19 December 2023. All studies that were in accordance with the PICOS strategy in title and abstract were included in this review, while studies that performed the baseline thermographic test in an altered physiological state were excluded after reading the full text. The TISEM scale was used to assess the quality of the studies; the risk of bias was assessed with the QUADAS-2 scale. Result: A total of 6 articles was selected (n = 148); these were analyzed for quality and found to be highly heterogenous; the risk of bias was low in most domains of the QUADAS-2 scale. Discussion and Conclusion: There are several variabilities that can induce changes in the thermoregulation process distorting the thermograms. Looking deeper into the evidence behind each item, we can deduce the need to follow the TISEM protocol as closely as possible for an accurate response. The heterogeneity in the way the results were provided and the low quality in some of the studies did not allow for a reference of thermographic values to be obtained.

Optogenetic stimulation recruits cortical neurons in a morphology-dependent manner.

Single-photon optogenetics enables precise, cell-type-specific modulation of neuronal circuits, making it a crucial tool in neuroscience. Its miniaturization in the form of fully implantable wide-field stimulator arrays enables long-term interrogation of cortical circuits and bares promise for Brain-Machine Interfaces for sensory and motor function restoration. However, achieving selective activation of functional cortical representations poses a challenge, as studies show that targeted optogenetic stimulation results in activity spread beyond one functional domain. While recurrent network mechanisms contribute to activity spread, here we demonstrate with detailed simulations of isolated pyramidal neurons from cat of unknown sex that already neuron morphology causes a complex spread of optogenetic activity at the scale of one cortical column. Since the shape of a neuron impacts its optogenetic response, we find that a single stimulator at the cortical surface recruits a complex spatial distribution of neurons that can be inhomogeneous and vary with stimulation intensity and neuronal morphology across layers. We explore strategies to enhance stimulation precision, finding that optimizing stimulator optics may offer more significant improvements than preferentially somatic expression of the opsin through genetic targeting. Our results indicate that, with the right optical setup, single-photon optogenetics can precisely activate isolated neurons at the scale of functional cortical domains spanning several hundred micrometers.Significance Statement Sensory features, such as the position or orientation of a visual stimulus, are mapped onto the surface of cortex as functional domains. Their selective activation, that may enable eliciting complex percepts, is intensively pursued for basic science and clinical applications. However, delivery of light into one functional domain in optogenetically transfected cortex results in complex, widespread neuronal activity, spreading beyond the targeted domain. Our computational study reveals that neuron morphology contributes to this diffuse response in a cortical-layer and intensity-dependent manner. We show that enhancing the stimulator optics is more effective than soma-targeting of the opsin in increasing spatial precision of stimulation. Our simulations provide insights for designing optogenetic stimulation protocols and hardware to achieve selective activation of functional domains.

Early Changes in Health-Related Quality of Life as a Biomarker of Survival in African Patients with HIV-Associated Kaposi Sarcoma.

Sub-Saharan Africa bears the largest public health burden of Kaposi sarcoma (KS), a leading cause of cancer mortality. Quality of life (QOL) assessments in cancer patients can provide information on prognosis beyond traditional biomarkers or biological measures. The prognostic value of QOL measures in patients with HIV-KS was evaluated. Prognostic associations of baseline QOL scores (by quartiles or thresholds for clinical importance) and changes in QOL scores (using minimum important difference) over the first 3 months of therapy were evaluated in 112 participants with HIV-KS randomised to receive ART, with or without chemotherapy. Cox's regression analysis assessed the prognostic contribution of QOL scores from the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Baseline QOL scores did not predict overall survival. The change in the 3-month QOL scores for the global health scale, fatigue, and pain domains was prognostic; the hazard ratios were 3.88 (95% CI 1.32-11.38, p = 0.01), 3.72 (95% CI 1.61-8.62, p = 0.00) and 5.96 (95% CI 2.46-14.43, p = 0.00), respectively. QOL assessments can provide useful prognostic information in patients with HIV-KS. Patients lacking meaningful improvement early into treatment represent a population at high risk of death.

The impact of demoralization on the stability of personality traits in a clinical sample.

This study examined whether reductions in the severity of personality disorders (PD) mainly reflect changes in personality traits or rather an alleviation of a demoralized state involving nonspecific unpleasant affect. We used 4 years of longitudinal data from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study, in which patients (N = 419) completed the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO-PI-R) three times over 4 years (at baseline and at 6-month and 4-year follow-up assessments). We compared the NEO Demoralization scale with NEO-PI-R domain scales adjusted for demoralization-related items to determine whether changes in demoralization are more pronounced than changes in adjusted personality traits. Results showed that adjusted Neuroticism and Demoralization changed at similar rates and both changed more than other traits. These changes were most pronounced in the first 6 months and tapered thereafter. Rank-order correlations were somewhat lower for Demoralization than adjusted traits. Our findings suggest that decreases in PD symptoms over time have to do with reductions in negative affect and that Demoralization as assessed via a subset of NEO-PI-R items is limited in its ability to distinguish negative affect from trait Neuroticism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The impact of a microaggressions-themed interprofessional education curriculum on attitudes, confidence, and collaboration competencies: A curricular resource for health professions learners

While attention has been paid to microaggressions (MAs) and interprofessional (IP) education independently, little attention has been paid to how training IP learners in MA can impact confidence and willingness to respond to MAs. We developed an online IPE activity, for six health professions, with asynchronous and synchronous components utilizing standardized patients (SPs) aiming to educate on MAs, their impacts, and how to appropriately respond as recipient, bystander, and source. Students from senior undergraduate nursing (BSN), second-year medical (MD), third-year pharmacy (PharmD), physician assistant/associate (PA) students, athletic training (BS), and graduate nursing (DNP) health professions programs participated.Objectives included: define MA; respond to a MA as the source, bystander, and recipient using Ackerman-Barger's Microaggressions Triangle model; respond to a MA when the source is lateral, in a position of authority, and a patient; and identify the ability of the activity to allow interprofessional collaboration across the six Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Scale (ICCAS) domains. The synchronous virtual session began with a large group didactic mini lecture and transitioned to IP small group activities. Within groups, students completed SP simulations where students role played responding to MAs as the recipient, bystander, and source. The session concluded with a faculty-led large group debrief. Students were pleased with the learning experience and demonstrated improvements in attitudes/confidence responding to MAs and ICCAS domains. The curriculum can be customized to meet the needs of a variety of health profession learners and is available for use from the authors.

Mild Behavioral Impairment and Quality of Life in Community Dwelling Older Adults.

Mild behavioral impairment (MBI) is a dementia risk indicator in older adults characterized by later-life emergent and persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms. Quality of life (QoL) is a multi-dimensional concept encompassing physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. QoL aims to measure and quantify perceptions of individual health, well-being, standard of living, personal fulfillment, and satisfaction. As MBI symptoms may arise from early-stage neurodegenerative disease, MBI may contribute to declining QoL before dementia onset. In this study, we investigated the relationship between symptoms of MBI and QoL in older adults. The sample comprised 1107 individuals aged ≥ 50years from the Canadian Platform for Research Online to Investigate Health, Quality of Life, Cognition, Behavior, Function, and Caregiving in Aging (CAN-PROTECT). Multivariable linear regressions were used to model the associations between MBI symptom severity (exposure), measured using the MBI Checklist (MBI-C), and QoL (outcome) assessed by the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D, higher score=poorer QoL) and the novel Quality of Life and Function Five Domain Scale (QFS-5) (QFS-5, lower score=poorer QoL). Covariates were age, sex, cognition, education, ethnocultural origin, marital status, employment status, high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. Moderation analysis explored potential sex differences. A sensitivity analysis was performed removing anxiety/depression items from the EQ-5D score. Across the sample (mean age=64.4±7.2, 79.4% female) every 1-point increase in MBI-C score was associated with a 0.06-point standard deviation (SD) increase in EQ-5D score (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.05-0.06, p<0.001) and 0.08 SD decrease in QFS-5 score (95% CI: -0.09 to -0.08, p<0.001). Neither association depended on sex (p=0.59 and p=0.41, respectively). The association remained significant after removing anxiety/depression items from the EQ-5D score (β=0.04, 95% CI: 0.03- 0.04, p<0.001). The study shows that MBI is associated with poorer QoL, independent of sex, on two QoL scales. We addressed depression/anxiety items in the EQ-5D as a potential confounder for the observed MBI-QoL association by conducting a sensitivity analysis that excluded those items from the EQ-5D total score and by employing a novel measure of QoL (QFS-5) that excludes psychiatric symptoms from measurement of QoL. Associations of MBI with the novel QFS-5 were similar to associations between MBI and the EQ-5D. Finding interventions to reduce the burden of MBI symptoms might improve quality of life.

Conventional structural magnetic resonance imaging in differentiating chronic disorders of consciousness

BACKGROUND: Differential diagnosis of chronic disorders of consciousness remains one of the most difficult problems even for experienced clinicians. AIM: To evaluate the inter-expert consistency and capacity of the researcher-developed structural scale based on magnetic resonance imaging to differentiate chronic disorders of consciousness, named, DOC-MRIDS, on a larger sample of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with a clinically stable status diagnosed with consciousness disorders (vegetative state, n=32; minimally conscious state, n=28) were enrolled. The revised coma recovery scale (CRS-R) was included in the clinical assessment. All patients underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging with 3.0-T Siemens scanners including T2 and T1 sequences. Structural changes were assessed using the DOC-MRIDS scale and included the following features: diffuse cortical atrophy, ventricular enlargement, gyri dilatation, leukoaraiosis, brainstem and/or thalamic degeneration, corpus callosum degeneration, and focal corpus callosum lesions. A total score was calculated. Magnetic resonance imaging data were analyzed by three neuroradiologists, and inter-observer agreement (Krippendorf’s alpha) was assessed. RESULTS: A high inter-examiner agreement of the DOC-MRIDS scale score was found, with α=0.806 (95% confidence interval 0.757–0.849). The vegetative state group had a higher DOC-MRIDS score than the minimally conscious state group (p 0.005). A negative correlation was obtained between CRS-R and DOC-MRIDS scale scores (ρ=–0.457, p 0.0001), individual clinical scale domains, and magnetic resonance imaging features. CONCLUSION: When assessing structural changes in patients with chronic consciousness disorders, the use of the DOC-MRIDS scale helps differentiate the type of such disorders with sufficient specificity, sensitivity, and inter-rater agreement. This scale can be used in clinical practice as an additional differential diagnostic tool.

Validation of a dispositional critical thinking scale using an original analytical methodology for addressing data from Google Trends

PurposeA methodological approach is required that complements studies based on surveys, providing a perspective with greater truthfulness and coverage. The study aims to develop a methodology to validate psychological/managerial constructs using data from Google Trends, taking as a case study a critical thinking (CT) scale in organizational domains previously supported by survey data.Design/methodology/approachThe developed methodology consists of eight stages, in which the following is integrated: (1) Internet search interest data (19 Spanish-speaking countries); (2) deductive research processes (e.g. theoretical model, linguistic manifestations, fieldwork, data matrix, analysis statistical, reporting); (3) psychometric properties (e.g. construct validity, criterion validity, reliability) and (4) objective data to examine criterion validity (e.g. unemployment rate).FindingsThe application of the methodology produces evidence that supports the reliability (Cronbach’s alpha, Guttman’s λ4), construct validity (intra-correlations and correlations with reference variables: “entrepreneurship,” “critical thinking,” “soccer,” “beer,” “pornography”) and criterion validity (prediction of unemployment rate) of the CT scale.Research limitations/implicationsThe methodology makes it possible to support or invalidate the quality of construct measurement scales by planning, capturing and processing data available on the internet.Practical implicationsThis manuscript is useful for research in business management (and related areas), which is intensive in the use of psychological/managerial constructs.Originality/valueThe methodology uses a new type of evidence; it is noninvasive, usually more truthful than responses to surveys, and has greater coverage of people participating indirectly in the study.

Health-Related Quality of Life with Six Domains: A Comparison of Healthcare Providers without Chronic Diseases and Participants with Chronic Diseases.

Background/Objectives: This study aims to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between healthcare providers without chronic diseases and participants with chronic diseases presenting with one of the four different primary diagnoses on the health-related quality of life with six domains (HRQ-6D) scale. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study to compare the HRQOL between healthcare providers without chronic diseases and participants with chronic diseases. Data collection was performed from May 2022 to May 2023. Data for the comparison group were taken from healthcare providers without chronic diseases, and for the participant group with chronic diseases, the data were collected from actual patients with one of four types of primary diagnoses who were recruited from specialist cardiology, oncology, psychiatry, and nephrology clinics. All the participants of this study filled in the HRQ-6D. Results: There were 238 (58.6%) healthcare providers without chronic diseases who participated in this study, as well as 41 (10.1%) patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), 48 (11.8%) patients with cancer, and 40 (9.9%) patients who were depressed, and the remaining patients had heart disease. The means (SD) of HRQ-6D scores among healthcare providers without chronic diseases for pain, physical strength, emotion, mobility, self-care, perception of future health, and overall HRQ-6D score were 75.3% (19.8), 74.5% (21.1), 85.6% (18.4%), 93.0% (12.3), 91.6% (13.9), 74.2% (23.3), and 82.4% (13.6), respectively. In comparisons between healthcare providers without chronic diseases and participants with chronic diseases, all mean differences of the overall HRQ-6D score and its domains and dimensions were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The overall score of the HRQ-6D, as well as its domains and dimensions are sensitive in detecting the study participants with chronic diseases from among those without chronic diseases. Therefore, the HRQ-6D is a reliable and valid scale to measure HRQOL. Future studies may use this scale for interventional, observational, and cost-effectiveness studies.

Enzyme activation by urea reveals the interplay between conformational dynamics and substrate binding: a single-molecule FRET study.

Proteins often harness extensive motions of domains and subunits to promote their function. Deciphering how these movements impact activity is key for understanding life's molecular machinery. The enzyme adenylate kinase is an intriguing example for this relationship; it ensures efficient catalysis by large-scale domain motions that lead to the enclosure of the bound substrates ATP and AMP. At high concentrations, AMP also operates as an allosteric inhibitor of the protein. Surprisingly, the enzyme is activated by urea, a compound commonly acting as a denaturant. Combining single-molecule FRET spectroscopy and enzymatic activity studies, we find that urea interferes with two key mechanisms that contribute to enzyme efficacy. First, urea promotes the open conformation of the enzyme, aiding the proper positioning of the substrates. Second, urea decreases AMP affinity, paradoxically facilitating a more efficient progression towards the catalytically active complex. These results signify the important interplay between conformational dynamics and chemical steps, including binding, in the activity of enzymes. State-of-the-art tools, such as single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, offer new insights into how enzymes balance different conformations to regulate activity.

Sexual Dysfunction in Women with Asthma and Associated Factors

Background: Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory airway disease. Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is frequently seen in asthmatics but often unnoticed in clinical practice. This study evaluated the associations between asthma disease characteristics and (FSD). Methods: A total of 73 female asthma patients who visited the chest department outpatient clinic and age-matched 73 healthy controls were enrolled. All the participants completed the questionnaires: female sexual function index (FSFI), BECK depression, and BECK anxiety inventory, and underwent pulmonary function tests. Patients with asthma completed an asthma quality of life questionnaire (AQLQ) and asthma control test (ACT). FSD risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. Results: About 68.8% of asthmatics had female sexual dysfunction. BECK anxiety and FSFI scores with all six subsets were statistically significantly lower than healthy individuals in asthmatics (p &lt; 0.001). CRP levels, BECK anxiety, and depression scores had inverse (r = -0.386 r = -0.343 r = -0.286), and FEV1% had a positive correlation with FSFI total scores. About 37.5% of asthma patients with FSD were current smokers, the most compromised domain of the FSFI scale was sexual arousal with a mean of 2.94 ± 0.56 and their FEV1% was lower, and CRP was higher than the asthma patients without FSD (p &lt; 0.001, p &lt; 0.021). Smoking, high levels of CRP and BECK anxiety scores, and low FEV1% were found to be risk factors for FSD in regression analysis. Conclusions: Female sexual dysfunction is frequently present in asthma patients. Smokers, patients who have anxiety, lower FEV1% predicted values, and higher CRP levels tend to be susceptible to sexual dysfunction, which implicates inflammation as an underlying mechanism.

Establishing minimal clinically important differences for the quality of life scale QLICD-SLE for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus based on ROC curve

The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) is an important concept with big appeal in a field struggling to interpret quality of life (QOL) and other patient-reported outcomes (PRO), is also a bridge between statistics and clinical medicine. This study uses the ROC curve to formulate the MCID value of the Quality of Life Instruments for Chronic Diseases of Systemic lupus erythematosus (QLICD-SLE V2.0) scale. Using the representative item “In general, would you say your health is” of the MOS item short form health survey(SF-36) as an anchor, the questionnaire of QLICD-SLE V2.0 and the anchor item were used to investigate the patients on the first day of hospitalization, and the day before the patient was discharged. 279 patients with lupus erythematosus were participated in this longitudinal follow-up study. The ROC curve was constructed by using the classification based on the anchor item as the gold standard and the difference score of the scale as the test variable. The cut-off point corresponding to the maximum value of the Youden index in the ROC curve is taken as the minimum clinical importance difference (MCID) value of the QLICD-SLE (V2.0) scale. The Results showed that the MCID of physical domain, psychological domain, social domain, general module, specific module and QLICD-SLE (V2.0) total scale are 8.3, 2.3, 2.5, 2.7, 9.2 and 3.2, respectively. Area under the ROC curve of QLICD-SLE (V2.0) is 0.898, P (Area = 0.5) < 0.001, the sensitivity is 100%, the specificity is 66.9%. It concluded that if the total scores after treatments changes at least 3.2 points positively, the treatment intervention can be considered as clinically significant. It is more convincing to use the corresponding cut-off point as the MCID for ROC curve method can visualize the sensitivity and specificity.

Frequency distribution-aware network based on discrete cosine transformation (DCT) for remote sensing image super resolution.

Single-image super-resolution technology based on deep learning is widely used in remote sensing. The non-local feature reflects the correlation information between different regions. Most neural networks extract various non-local information of images in the spatial domain but ignore the similarity characteristics of frequency distribution, which limits the performance of the algorithm. To solve this problem, we propose a frequency distribution aware network based on discrete cosine transformation for remote sensing image super-resolution. This network first proposes a frequency-aware module. This module can effectively extract the similarity characteristics of the frequency distribution between different regions by rearranging the frequency feature matrix of the image. A global frequency feature fusion module is also proposed. It can extract the non-local information of feature maps at different scales in the frequency domain with little computational cost. The experiments were on two commonly-used remote sensing datasets. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can effectively complete image reconstruction and performs better than some advanced super-resolution algorithms. The code is available at https://github.com/Liyszepc/FDANet.

The Impact of Estrogen-Suppressing Contraceptives on Behavioral and Functional Difficulties in Borderline Personality Disorder.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by rapidly shifting emotional, interpersonal, and behavioral symptoms, and is often co-morbid with mood and anxiety disorders. Females are more likely to be diagnosed with BPD than males and exhibit greater functional impairment. Hormonal fluctuations, particularly in estrogen levels, may influence the manifestation of BPD symptoms. Here we investigated the influence of estrogen-suppressing contraceptives on behavioral and functional difficulties in BPD. The analytical sample included 348 females ages 18-50 undergoing residential treatment for psychiatric disorders, with 131 having a BPD diagnosis. Patients were categorized based on their contraceptive method: 1) Estrogen-suppressing contraceptives (N=145) and 2) Naturally cycling (N=203). Interaction models tested the impact of estrogen-suppressing contraceptives on the relationship between BPD diagnosis and behavioral and functional difficulties at admission and discharge, assessed by the four Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-32) domains: difficulties in relationships, daily living, depression/anxiety, and impulsivity. Females with a BPD diagnosis were more likely to use estrogen-suppressing contraceptives compared to those without BPD (p=0.04). However, estrogen-suppressing contraceptive use was not associated with behavioral and functional difficulties at admission, discharge, or over time. Estrogen-suppressing contraceptives moderated the association between BPD diagnosis and difficulties in relationships (p=0.004), difficulties in daily living (p=0.01), and depression/anxiety symptoms (p=0.004). Patients with BPD expressed increased behavioral and functional difficulties at admission, discharge, and over time only if naturally cycling (p<0.003). Our findings suggest that estrogen-suppressing contraceptives may help to regulate the rapidly shifting emotional, interpersonal, and behavioral symptoms in females with BPD by stabilizing estrogen levels.

Cosmic topology. Part IVa. Classification of manifolds using machine learning: a case study with small toroidal universes

Non-trivial spatial topology of the Universe may give rise to potentially measurable signatures in the cosmic microwave background. We explore different machine learning approaches to classify harmonic-space realizations of the microwave background in the test case of Euclidean E 1 topology (the 3-torus) with a cubic fundamental domain of a size scale significantly smaller than the diameter of the last scattering surface. This is the first step toward developing a machine learning approach to classification of cosmic topology and likelihood-free inference of topological parameters. Different machine learning approaches are capable of classifying the harmonic-space realizations with accuracy greater than 99% if the topology scale is half of the diameter of the last-scattering surface and orientation of the topology is known. For distinguishing random rotations of these sky realizations from realizations of the covering space, the extreme gradient boosting classifier algorithm performs best with an accuracy of 88%. Slightly lower accuracies of 83% to 87% are obtained with the random forest classifier along with one- and two-dimensional convolutional neural networks. The techniques presented here can also accurately classify non-rotated cubic E 1 topology realizations with a topology scale slightly larger than the diameter of the last-scattering surface, if enough training data are provided. While information compressing methods like most machine learning approaches cannot exceed the statistical power of a likelihood-based approach that captures all available information, they potentially offer a computationally cheaper alternative. A principle challenge appears to be accounting for arbitrary orientations of a given topology, although this is also a significant hurdle for likelihood-based approaches.