Head Measurements Research Articles

Experimental study of the Effect of the Blades of Number on Characteristics Pico Bulb Turbine on Horizontal Flow

This study discusses the effect of the number of blades on a horizontal flow propeller turbine performance on a small scale experimentally. The development of small-scale water turbines has made many advances, including water turbines with the horizontal flow. Water turbines in horizontal flow can be applied to irrigation systems, piping systems, the wastewater treatment channel, and other closed channels. Pengukuran dynamic head pada aliran horisontal berdasarkan nilai pressure drop atau perbedaan tekanan sebelum dan sesudah turbin. Dynamic head measurement on the horizontal flow is based on pressure drop values or pressure before and after the turbine. Static bulbs placed before the turbine aim to increase the speed of water flow and potentially improve turbine performance. This study aims to determine the effect of the number of blades on the performance and efficiency of propeller turbines. The blade angle used is 200 with a bulb ratio of 0.6 to the pipe diameter. The variations in the number of blades used were 4, 5, 6, and 7, with each tested at 7 L / s, 9 L / s, 11 L / s, and 13 L / s. The results of this study indicate the number of blades 5 with a discharge of 13 L / s shows the best turbine performance compared to the number of other blades, besides that the number of blades 5 with a flow rate of 13 L / s shows the best efficiency value of around 40%.

Application of Indicator Kriging to hydraulic head data to test alternative conceptual models for spring source aquifers

Hydraulic head distributions can inform spring source-water characterisation by determining whether aquifers meet the thresholds required to sustain spring flow. Assessing hydraulic head data can be challenging in areas where data are sparsely distributed and subject to variable measurement uncertainty. Geostatistical methods can be used to estimate hydraulic head values at unmeasured locations with quantitative uncertainty estimates. While these methods have been applied extensively for hydraulic head estimation in management contexts, no studies have used these approaches for spring source-water conceptual model testing. In this study, an investigation into the hydraulic head distribution was conducted through the application of Ordinary Indicator Co-Kriging. Interpolated hydraulic head estimates were used to quantitatively assess the plausibility of source-aquifer conceptual models for the Doongmabulla Springs Complex (DSC), Queensland, Australia. The results offer insights into the likelihood of alternative source aquifers having adequate head to support flow to eight springs within the DSC. Probabilities of adequate head to support the springs ranged from 0.03 to 0.12 for the Permian Formations, compared to <0.01 to 0.49 for the Triassic Formations. Analyses indicated that the Triassic Formations are more likely to have adequate hydraulic head to support spring flow. However, significant uncertainty exists in the conceptual model assessment due to hydraulic head measurement scarcity, particularly in the vicinity of the springs. These findings have important implications given that the Permian Formations will be dewatered by the operation of the nearby Carmichael coal mine. The techniques employed here can inform conceptual model uncertainties arising from the interpretation of sparsely distributed hydraulic head datasets, a major benefit over traditional interpolation methods.

Effects on cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials of four clinically used head and neck measurement positions in healthy subjects

Background The most reliable head and neck position for cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) measurements yet to be determined. Aims/objectives To assess how four body positions used during clinical recordings of cVEMPs affect cVEMP parameters. Material and method cVEMPs of 10 healthy subjects (26-50 years old) were recorded in four body positions: A. sitting/head rotated; B. supine/head rotated; C. semi-recumbent/head rotated and elevated; D. supine/head elevated. Results Mean background sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) electrical activity was significantly higher in positions C and D than in positions A and B. The latencies of p13 and n23 differed significantly among the four positions. Raw p13-n23 complex amplitude was significantly greater in positions C and D than in A and B. These differences were reduced when amplitudes were corrected by SCM activity. For positions A and B, one and two subjects, respectively, had an abnormal raw asymmetry ratio (AR). After correction, all subjects had normal ARs in all positions. Conclusions and significance Body positions in which the head is elevated produce a quicker and larger cVEMP response compared to positions in which the head is not elevated. The difference in ARs among positions can be ignored as long as the correction is made.

Automated cortical thickness measurement of the mandibular condyle head on CBCT images using a deep learning method

This study proposes a deep learning model for cortical bone segmentation in the mandibular condyle head using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and an automated method for measuring cortical thickness with a color display based on the segmentation results. In total, 12,800 CBCT images from 25 normal subjects, manually labeled by an oral radiologist, served as the gold-standard. The segmentation model combined a modified U-Net and a convolutional neural network for target region classification. Model performance was evaluated using intersection over union (IoU) and the Hausdorff distance in comparison with the gold standard. The second automated model measured the cortical thickness based on a three-dimensional (3D) model rendered from the segmentation results and presented a color visualization of the measurements. The IoU and Hausdorff distance showed high accuracy (0.870 and 0.928 for marrow bone and 0.734 and 1.247 for cortical bone, respectively). A visual comparison of the 3D color maps showed a similar trend to the gold standard. This algorithm for automatic segmentation of the mandibular condyle head and visualization of the measured cortical thickness as a 3D-rendered model with a color map may contribute to the automated quantification of bone thickness changes of the temporomandibular joint complex on CBCT.

Fetal Thoracic Circumference and Lung Volume and Their Relation to Fetal Size and Pulmonary Artery Blood Flow.

Research on early origins of lung disease suggests the need for studying the relationships of thoracic and lung size with fetal size and pulmonary circulation. The primary aim of this study is therefore to explore the associations between fetal thoracic circumference, lung volume, and fetal size. We also aim to assess if lung volume and thoracic circumference are associated with fetal pulmonary artery blood flow velocity measures. Cross-sectional assessment of singleton pregnancies from the general population (n=447) at 30 gestational weeks (GW) was performed using ultrasound measurement of fetal thoracic circumference, lung volume, head and abdominal circumference, and femur length. We obtained Doppler blood flow velocity measures from the proximal branches of the fetal pulmonary artery. Associations between variables were studied using Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression analyses. Both thoracic circumference and lung volume correlated with fetal size measures, ranging from r=0.64 between thoracic circumference and abdominal circumference, to r=0.28 between lung volume and femur length. Adjustment for gestational age, maternal nicotine use, pre-pregnancy body mass index, and fetal sex marginally influenced the associations with abdominal circumference. The correlations of thoracic circumference and lung volume with pulmonary artery blood flow velocity measures were weak (r ≤ 0.17). We found moderate to low correlation between thoracic circumference, lung volume, and fetal size at 30 GW. The closest relationship was with the abdominal circumference. We found low correlations of thoracic circumference and lung volume with pulmonary artery blood flow velocity measures.

Morphological diversity and differentiation of Asian populations of pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha (Walbaum) of even generations

A morphological study of three Asian populations of pink salmon of the Ola, Bolshaya and Zhupanov rivers of adjacent even generations was carried out. For a quantitative description of the external appearance of pink salmon, a scheme of 17 measurements proposed by M.K. Glubokovsky [3] was used. On average, lower values of morphological diversity are characteristic of head measurements and fin heights, while indicators of body length and height have high indicators of morphological diversity. The hierarchical method of decomposition of morphological diversity makes it possible to find out the proportions of intrapopulation and interpopulation variability included in the total value of morphological diversity of each measurement. For females, the shares of morphological diversity averaged over all dimensions are as follows: sample — 48%, intra-annual — 19% and interpopulation — 33% share In males sample — 47%, intra-annual — 17% and interpopulation — 36% share. Thus, almost half of the total value of morphological diversity is determined by differences in morphological measurements between individuals within the sample, interpopulation differences make up one third of the total value, and the interannual share in the indicator of morphological differences is quite small. The rather high interpopulation proportion of morphological diversity indicates the possibility of using morphological measurements to distinguish populations from different parts of the range.

Groundwater level assessment and prediction in the Nebraska Sand Hills using LIDAR-derived lake water level

The spatial variability of groundwater levels is often inferred from sparsely located hydraulic head observations in wells. The spatial correlation structure derived from sparse observations is associated with uncertainties that spread to estimates at unsampled locations. In areas where surface water represents the nearby groundwater level, remote sensing techniques can estimate and increase the number of hydraulic head measurements. This research uses light detection and ranging (LIDAR) to estimate lake surface water level to characterize the groundwater level in the Nebraska Sand Hills (NSH), an area with few observation wells. The LIDAR derived lake groundwater level accuracy was within 40 cm mean square error (MSE) of the nearest observation wells. The lake groundwater level estimates were used to predict the groundwater level at unsampled locations using universal kriging (UK) and kriging with an external drift (KED). The results indicate unbiased estimates of groundwater level in the NSH. UK showed the influence of regional trends in groundwater level while KED revealed the local variation present in the groundwater level. A 10-fold cross-validation demonstrated KED with better mean squared error (ME) [−0.003, 0.007], root mean square error (RMSE) [2.39, 4.46], residual prediction deviation (RPD) [1.32, 0.71] and mean squared deviation ratio (MSDR) [1.01, 1.49] than UK. The research highlights that the lake groundwater level provides an accurate and cost-effective approach to measure and monitor the subtle changes in groundwater level in the NSH. This methodology can be applied to other locations where surface water bodies represent the water level of the unconfined aquifer and the results can aid in groundwater management and modeling.

Impaired neck motor control in chronic whiplash and tension-type headache.

The purpose of this study is twofold, first to present a new method based on head laser tracking designed to measure head or hand movements and second to further investigate if patients suffering from chronic whiplash or tension-type headache have impaired motor control of neck muscles. A new laser tracking instrument was designed to measure the ability of a test person to track a reference point moving on the wall by a laser fixed to the forehead or held in the hand. The reference point to be tracked moves in runs of a circle or a square at three different speeds 10, 20, or 30cm/s. We used a 1×1×1m setup geometry to provide head movements well below pain release. Groups of 22 patients diagnosed with chronic whiplash-associated disorder grade 2, 19 patients diagnosed with chronic tension-type headache, and 37 control persons were compared. A small but highly significant dyscoordination of head movements was observed in both patient groups and in whiplash also of the hand. Our study presents a new method based on laser tracking for precision quantitative measurements of head or hand movements during standardized conditions. The results confirm that motor control of head movements is impaired in both chronic whiplash and tension-type headache, and in whiplash also of the hand. This suggests involvement of the central nervous system in the pathology of these diseases.

Importance of real-time measurement of sperm head morphology in intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is an important technique in male infertility treatment. Currently, sperm selection for ICSI in human assisted reproductive technology (ART) is subjective, based on a visual assessment by the operator. Therefore, it is desirable to develop methods that can objectively provide an accurate assessment of the shape and size of sperm heads that use low-magnification microscopy available in most standard fertility clinics. Recent studies have shown a correlation between sperm head size and shape and chromosomal abnormalities, and fertilization rate, and various attempts have been made to establish automated computer-based measurement of the sperm head itself. For example, a dictionary-learning technique and a deep-learning-based method have both been developed. Recently, an automatic algorithm was reported that detects sperm head malformations in real time for selection of the best sperm for ICSI. These data suggest that a real-time sperm selection system for use in ICSI is necessary. Moreover, these systems should incorporate inverted microscopes (×400-600 magnification) but not the fluorescence microscopy techniques often used for a dictionary-learning technique and a deep-learning-based method. These advances are expected to improve future success rates of ARTs. In this review, we summarize recent reports on the assessment of sperm head shape, size, and acrosome status in relation to fertility, and propose further improvements that can be made to the ARTs used in infertility treatments.

Experiments and mechanistic modeling of viscosity effect on a multistage ESP performance under viscous fluid flow

Assembled in series with multistage, Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP) are widely used in offshore petroleum production due to the high production rate and efficiency. The hydraulic performance of ESPs is subjected to the fluid viscosity. High oil viscosity leads to the degradation of ESP boosting pressure compared to the catalog curves under water flow. In this paper, the influence of fluid viscosity on the performance of a 14-stage radial-type ESP under varying operational conditions, e.g. rotational speeds 1800–3500 r/min, viscosities 25–520 cP, was investigated. Numerical simulations were conducted on the same ESP model using a commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software. The simulated average pump head is comparable to the corresponding experimental data under different viscosities and rotational speeds with less than ±20% prediction error. A mechanistic model accounting for the viscosity effect on ESP boosting pressure is proposed based on the Euler head in a centrifugal pump. A conceptual best-match flowrate QBM is introduced, at which the impeller outlet flow direction matches the designed flow direction. The recirculation losses caused by the mismatch of velocity triangles and other head losses resulted from the flow direction change, friction loss and leakage flow etc., are included in the model. The comparison of model predicted pump head versus experimental measurements under viscous fluid flow conditions demonstrates good agreement. The overall prediction error is less than ±10%.

Deep Relation Transformer for Diagnosing Glaucoma With Optical Coherence Tomography and Visual Field Function

Glaucoma is the leading reason for irreversible blindness. Early detection and timely treatment of glaucoma are essential for preventing visual field loss or even blindness. In clinical practice, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Visual Field (VF) exams are two widely-used and complementary techniques for diagnosing glaucoma. OCT provides quantitative measurements of the optic nerve head (ONH) structure, while VF test is the functional assessment of peripheral vision. In this paper, we propose a Deep Relation Transformer (DRT) to perform glaucoma diagnosis with OCT and VF information combined. A novel deep reasoning mechanism is proposed to explore implicit pairwise relations between OCT and VF information in global and regional manners. With the pairwise relations, a carefully-designed deep transformer mechanism is developed to enhance the representation with complementary information for each modal. Based on reasoning and transformer mechanisms, three successive modules are designed to extract and collect valuable information for glaucoma diagnosis, the global relation module, the guided regional relation module, and the interaction transformer module, namely. Moreover, we build a large dataset, namely ZOC-OCT&VF dataset, which includes 1395 OCT-VF pairs for developing and evaluating our DRT. We conduct extensive experiments to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Experimental results show that our method achieves 88.3% accuracy and outperforms the existing single-modal approaches with a large margin. The codes and dataset will be publicly available in the future.

Whole-brain 3D MR fingerprinting brain imaging: clinical validation and feasibility to patients with meningioma

PurposeMR fingerprinting (MRF) is a MR technique that allows assessment of tissue relaxation times. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical application of this technique in patients with meningioma.Materials and methodsA whole-brain 3D isotropic 1mm3 acquisition under a 3.0T field strength was used to obtain MRF T1 and T2-based relaxometry values in 4:38 s. The accuracy of values was quantified by scanning a quantitative MR relaxometry phantom. In vivo evaluation was performed by applying the sequence to 20 subjects with 25 meningiomas. Regions of interest included the meningioma, caudate head, centrum semiovale, contralateral white matter and thalamus. For both phantom and subjects, mean values of both T1 and T2 estimates were obtained. Statistical significance of differences in mean values between the meningioma and other brain structures was tested using a Friedman’s ANOVA test.ResultsMR fingerprinting phantom data demonstrated a linear relationship between measured and reference relaxometry estimates for both T1 (r2 = 0.99) and T2 (r2 = 0.97). MRF T1 relaxation times were longer in meningioma (mean ± SD 1429 ± 202 ms) compared to thalamus (mean ± SD 1054 ± 58 ms; p = 0.004), centrum semiovale (mean ± SD 825 ± 42 ms; p < 0.001) and contralateral white matter (mean ± SD 799 ± 40 ms; p < 0.001). MRF T2 relaxation times were longer for meningioma (mean ± SD 69 ± 27 ms) as compared to thalamus (mean ± SD 27 ± 3 ms; p < 0.001), caudate head (mean ± SD 39 ± 5 ms; p < 0.001) and contralateral white matter (mean ± SD 35 ± 4 ms; p < 0.001)ConclusionsPhantom measurements indicate that the proposed 3D-MRF sequence relaxometry estimations are valid and reproducible. For in vivo, entire brain coverage was obtained in clinically feasible time and allows quantitative assessment of meningioma in clinical practice.

First trimester fetal proportion volumetric measurements using a Virtual Reality approach.

ObjectiveTo establish feasibility and reproducibility of fetal proportion volumetric measurements, using three‐dimensional (3D) ultrasound and a Virtual Reality (VR) system.MethodsWithin a population‐based prospective birth cohort, 3D ultrasound datasets of 50 fetuses in the late first trimester were collected by three ultrasonographers in a single research center. V‐scope software was used for volumetric measurements of total fetus, extremities, head‐trunk, head, trunk, thorax, and abdomen. All measurements were performed independently by two researchers. Intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility were analyzed using Bland and Altman methods.ResultsIntraobserver and interobserver analyses of volumetric measurements of total fetus, head‐trunk, head, trunk, thorax and abdomen showed intraclass correlation coefficients above 0.979, coefficients of variation below 7.51% and mean difference below 3.44%. The interobserver limits of agreement were within the ±10% range for volumetric measurements of total fetus, head–trunk, head and trunk. The interobserver limits of agreement for extremities, thorax and abdomen were −26.09% to 4.77%, −14.14% to 10.00% and −14.47% to 8.83%, respectively.ConclusionFirst trimester fetal proportion volumetric measurements using 3D ultrasound and VR are feasible and reproducible, except volumetric measurements of the fetal extremities. These novel volumetric measurements may be used in future research to enable detailed studies on first trimester fetal development and growth.

Statistical analysis of the differences of head and face features between terracotta warriors and modern multi ethnic groups based on 3D information extraction

The terracotta warriors excavated from Qin Shihuang’s mausoleum are precious materials of the Qin Dynasty. They have great historical, scientific and artistic research value and are considered to be the true portrayal of the Qin people. In anthropology, the measurement of head and face features is one of the important means to analyze the ethnic relationship. In this paper, the 3D laser scanner is used to collect the high-precision 3D point cloud data of the terracotta warriors, extract the head and face features of the terracotta warriors, and variance analyze (ANOVA) and cluster analysis with the collected head and face features of 29 modern ethnic groups. Variance analysis shows that there is no significant difference between the terracotta warriors and modern people in the shape of morphological facial length, bizygomatic breadth, nose height, the height of mucons lips, and mouth breadth. Cluster analysis based on head and face features shows that the terracotta warriors belong to the same group with 10 ethnic groups including Mongolian, and they have more similar head and face features.

Groundwater contributions of flow and nitrogen in a headwater agricultural watershed

AbstractNonpoint sources of nitrogen (N) and other nutrients are a major source of water pollution within the Chesapeake Bay watershed and other basins around the world. Human activities associated with agricultural practices can account for a large percentage of N loadings delivered to streams and rivers. This work aims to improve understanding of N transport from groundwater to surface waters, quantifying the principal hydrological processes driving water and N fluxes into and out of a headwater agricultural stream reach. The study site is a 175‐m stream reach in a heavily cultivated 40‐ha watershed in east‐central Pennsylvania. This subwatershed is underlain by fractured shale bedrock, and receives most of its baseflow from groundwater, either by diffuse matrix discharge through the streambed or by localized discharge through riparian seeps. Samples of stream, seep, and shallow groundwater were collected approximately monthly under steady hydrologic conditions in 2017. Calculated matrix flow from hydraulic head and conductivity measurements paired with differential stream gauging was used to solve for the riparian seep flux using a mass balance approach. Riparian seep fluxes ranged from 45 to 217 m3/d, transporting 0.6–4.2 kg N d−1 of nitrate‐N from the fractured bedrock aquifer to the stream. Hydrochemical data suggest that the stream is mainly disconnected from the underlying aquifer and that seeps supply essentially all water and N to the system. Seeps are likely sourced with N in nearby agricultural fields and accelerated through the system with shorter residence times than shallow groundwater. Water isotope data reinforced this notion. This study underscores the importance of agriculture as a source of N to ground and surface waters. Identifying source areas that are causing groundwater enrichment of N and seep areas where N discharges to streams is beneficial for developing N pollution mitigation strategies and implementing management practices that aim to reduce nutrient loads to the Chesapeake Bay.

Chemical evolution of an inland sabkha: a case study from Sabkha Matti, Saudi Arabia

Sabkha Matti is a potential discharge point for regional groundwater systems in the Rub’ al Khali topographic basin of Saudi Arabia. The hydrogeochemical evolution of this sabkha (salt flat) and the underlying aquifers were assessed by using a combination of geological, hydraulic, hydrochemical, and isotopic approaches. A compilation of the geologic structure and lithology in combination with boron isotope data attributed the origin of salinity in the regional aquifers underlying Sabkha Matti to the entrapment of ancient seawater in a coastal lagoon environment during the depositional time of the late Oligocene-Miocene formations. Major ionic constituents and strontium isotope ratios from the trapped paleo-seawater were observed to resemble those obtained from the near-surface sabkha brine. These data, along with hydrostatic head measurements, suggest that the origin of the solutes in Sabkha Matti is associated with brines ascending from the underlying formations. The data also show that solute concentrations in Sabkha Matti are increasing over time through a combination of evaporation, mineral dissolution by recharge, and a density-driven convection mechanism that circulates the solutes. On the other hand, stable isotopes of water (δ18O, δ2H) and radio isotope data (14C and 3H) suggest that the existing waters in the sabkha and the underlying aquifers are relatively recent and were recharged during the wet phase in the late Pleistocene-Holocene between 3,200 and 14,000 BP. This study shows that the water and solutes in Sabkha Matti area are a combination from different sources.

Repeatability of Macular and Optic Nerve Head Measurements by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Healthy Children

ABSTRACT Aims: To evaluate the repeatability of the peripapillary and macular vascular parameters using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) in healthy children. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study including 34 eyes of 34 healthy children. After a complete medical examination, two consecutive OCT-A exams were done using AngioPlex Cirrus 5000 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA, USA) in the same session. The scan area used was 6 × 6 mm for the analysis of the superficial vascular plexus (SVP) in the macula, and 4.5 × 4.5 mm for the peripapillary plexus. To study the repeatability of the measurements, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the coefficient of variation (CV) of each pair of exams were calculated. Results: The mean age of the children included was 10.77 ± 2.49 years (range 6 to 15 years). Good and excellent ICCs were obtained for all the parameters considered. Peripapillary vascular parameters showed greater reproducibility than macular ones (global peripapillary perfusion density (pPD): ICC = 0.834 CV = 0.89% vs. whole macular area PD (w-mPD): ICC = 0.697 CV = 3.49%; global peripapillary flux index (FI): ICC = 0.858 CV = 1.28%; whole macular area vascular density (VD): ICC = 0.699 CV = 3.30%). Amongst the macular parameters, the characteristics of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) were the ones showing higher rates of repeatability (FAZ circularity: ICC = 0.858 CV = 8.83%). Conclusion: OCT-A is a non-invasive, time-efficient technology that may be useful in the evaluation of the retinal and peripapillary vascular network in healthy children. The repeatability of the measures will allow the follow-up and evaluation of any change occurring in the macular or optic nerve perfusion.

Choice of Screws for Fixation of Mandibular Condyle Fractures Guided by Anthropometric Data

Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is becoming increasingly common in treatment of the condylar process, including mandible head fractures. This approach significantly improves the results in terms of anatomical reduction of bone fragments, and shortens the treatment time, allowing for early functional recovery. The success of ORIF is largely determined by the stability of the osteosynthesis. The stabilization effect depends on the screw type and length of the plate used, in addition to the diameter and length of the screws used. The aim of this study was to determine the largest possible screw length that can be used in ORIF of the mandibular condyle considering the variable bone thickness. A total of 500 condyles were examined using computer tomography (CT)-based 3D models in Caucasians. For all models, three measurements were made in the frontal projection in places typical for the stabilization of osteosynthesis plates in the fractures of the condylar process: the base, the top, and the sigmoid notch. In addition, one measurement of the mandible head was made in the place of the greatest width. The results showed that 8 mm screws should be used in the region of the condylar base as the longest anatomically justified screw, whereas in the area of a sigmoid notch only 1.5–2 mm screws should be used. Measurements in the area of the neck top revealed statistically significant differences in the measurements between the sex of patients, with average differences below 1 mm (p &lt; 0.05). In this area, the maximal length of the screw was found to be 10 mm. In mandibular head fractures, the use of long screws is extremely important due to the desired effect of fragment compression. Statistically significant differences were found in the measurement results between women and men. The maximal screw length for bicortical fixation was found to be 22 mm in men and 20 mm in women. In post-traumatic patients, the ability to obtain a clear measurement is often limited by a deformed anatomy. Taking into account the fact that the fracture stability is influenced by both the plate length and the length of the fixation screws, an assessment of the standard measurement values in a cohort group will improve the quality of the surgical fixations of the fractures.

Enabling cross-cultural data pooling in trials: linguistic validation of head and neck cancer measures for Indian patients

Head and neck cancers (HNC) and their treatments cause dysfunction and distress. Ongoing psychological assessment using disease-specific patient-reported measures may optimize clinical decision-making, facilitate interventions to reduce psychosocial burden. As most such measures are developed in English, non-English speaking patients are disadvantaged. This study translated HNC-specific measures (Body Image Scale, Patient Concerns Inventory, Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety and Depression Scales and Patient Health Questionnaire-9) into three Indian languages (Hindi, Tamil and Telugu) and linguistically validated them. Translation followed established guidelines on translation and linguistic validation of measures. Process involved two independent forward translations, reconciliation, two independent backward translations by bilingual experts, and cognitive debriefing interviews with nine healthcare professionals (HCPs) and 29 HNC patients. Translated versions were compared with the original versions for semantic, cultural and conceptual equivalence. Overall, 17 Hindi items, 19 Tamil items and 13 Telugu items were identified to have semantic, cultural and/or conceptual issues. These were resolved to achieve equivalence with the original measures. Interviews with HCPs indicated that equivalent terms for words such as anxiety, panicky, sexuality, and self-conscious might be difficult to understand. Interviews with patients indicated all items were understandable, easy, sensitive, unambiguous and relevant. Hence, no further revisions were made. The translated Hindi, Tamil and Telugu versions of the Body image scale, Patient concerns inventory, Zung's self-rating anxiety and depression scales and Patient health questionnaire-9 measures are conceptually and linguistically validated and equivalent with the original English versions. Psychometric validation of these measures with relevant patient populations is needed.

Measurement and analysis of motor-noise in underwater glider

Self-noise is a very disadvantageous factor for underwater glider to observe ocean ambient noise, in which the noise caused by motor is very significant. In order to grasp the characteristics of the motor-noise and its influence on the measurement of ocean ambient noise, a long-term sea trial was conducted in the South China Sea in May 2020, and the self-noise data of underwater glider under different working conditions are obtained. By analyzing the noise level and spectrum level of the motor noise, we obtained the self-noise spectrum characteristics and know that the influence of control motor noise on the noise measurement of head and tail hydrophone is mainly below 5 kHz band, and the influence of full-frequency noise level brought by motor is within 10dB and 5dB respectively. The results lay an important foundation for further analysis of ocean ambient noise measured by underwater glider.