Hierarchical Scoring System Research Articles

Volcano Routing: A Multi-Pipe High-Throughput Routing Protocol with Hole Avoidance for Multi-Beam Directional Mesh Networks

The emergence of multi-beam directional antennas (MBDAs) has paved the way for fast and high-throughput data communications by providing concurrent multi-directional transmissions. However, the existing routing protocols are not capable of utilizing the advantages of MBDAs. In this paper, we have developed a new routing scheme, called volcano routing, which can exploit the concurrent packet dispatching capability of MBDAs for high-throughput data delivery. Its topology resembles the flow of volcano lava and several routing “pipes” are used, which can detour around the network “holes” or blocked areas. The routing process consists of two phases: 1) Main path search phase: There is a main path at the core of each pipe. Multiple optimal main paths are formed that have a high potential of adding side nodes to enable multi-beam communications. A hierarchical scoring system and the performance metrics are used to evaluate the quality of the main paths. 2) Volcano establishment phase: The top-quality main paths are selected, and side paths are formed around each main path to establish the volcano pipes. A multi-beam traffic scheduling and dispatching policy is also proposed to achieve better performance. Our results show that the volcano routing scheme can exploit the advantages of MBDAs for achieving high data rates.

ReHabgame: A non-immersive virtual reality rehabilitation system with applications in neuroscience

This paper proposes the use of a non-immersive virtual reality rehabilitation system “ReHabgame” developed using Microsoft Kinect™ and the Thalmic™ Labs Myo gesture control armband. The ReHabgame was developed based on two third-person video games that provide a feasible possibility of assessing postural control and functional reach tests. It accurately quantifies specific postural control mechanisms including timed standing balance, functional reach tests using real-time anatomical landmark orientation, joint velocity, and acceleration while end trajectories were calculated using an inverse kinematics algorithm. The game was designed to help patients with neurological impairment to be subjected to physiotherapy activity and practice postures of daily activities. The subjective experience of the ReHabgame was studied through the development of an Engagement Questionnaire (EQ) for qualitative, quantitative and Rasch model.The Monte-Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) and Random object (ROG) generator algorithms were used to adapt the physical and gameplay intensity in the ReHabgame based on the Motor Assessment Scale (MAS) and Hierarchical Scoring System (HSS). Rasch analysis was conducted to assess the psychometric characteristics of the ReHabgame and to identify if these are any misfitting items in the game.Rasch rating scale model (RSM) was used to assess the engagement of players in the ReHabgame and evaluate the effectiveness and attractiveness of the game. The results showed that the scales assessing the rehabilitation process met Rasch expectations of reliability, and unidimensionality. Infit and outfit mean squares values are in the range of (0.68–1.52) for all considered 16 items. The Root Mean Square Residual (RMSR) and the person separation reliability were acceptable. The item/person map showed that the persons and items were clustered symmetrically.

Rasch analysis of a new hierarchical scoring system for evaluating hand function on the motor assessment scale for stroke.

Objectives. (1) To develop two independent measurement scales for use as items assessing hand movements and hand activities within the Motor Assessment Scale (MAS), an existing instrument used for clinical assessment of motor performance in stroke survivors; (2) To examine the psychometric properties of these new measurement scales. Design. Scale development, followed by a multicenter observational study. Setting. Inpatient and outpatient occupational therapy programs in eight hospital and rehabilitation facilities in the United States and Canada. Participants. Patients (N = 332) receiving stroke rehabilitation following left (52%) or right (48%) cerebrovascular accident; mean age 64.2 years (sd 15); median 1 month since stroke onset. Intervention. Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures. Data were tested for unidimensionality and reliability, and behavioral criteria were ordered according to difficulty level with Rasch analysis. Results. The new scales assessing hand movements and hand activities met Rasch expectations of unidimensionality and reliability. Conclusion. Following a multistep process of test development, analysis, and refinement, we have redesigned the two scales that comprise the hand function items on the MAS. The hand movement scale contains an empirically validated 10-behavior hierarchy and the hand activities item contains an empirically validated 8-behavior hierarchy.

Smart pricing scheme: A multi-layered scoring rule application

Defining appropriate pricing strategy for smart environment is important and complex task at the same time. It holds the primal fraction in Demand Response (DR) program. In our work, we devise an incentive based smart dynamic pricing scheme for consumers facilitating a multi-layered scoring rule. The proposed strategy characterizes both incentive based DR and price based DR programs facilities. This mechanism is applied between consumer agents (CA) to electricity provider agent (EP) and EP to Generation Company (GENCO). Based on the Continuous Ranked Probability Score (CRPS), a hierarchical scoring system is formed among these entities, CA–EP–GENCO. As CA receives the dynamic day-ahead pricing signal from EP, it will schedule the household appliances to lower price period and report the prediction in a form of a probability distribution function to EP. EP, in similar way reports the aggregated demand prediction to GENCO. Finally, GENCO computes the base discount after running a cost-optimization problem. GENCO will reward EP with a fraction of discount based on their prediction accuracy. EP will do the same to CA based on how truthful they were reporting their intentions on device scheduling. The method is tested on real data provided by Ontario Power Company and we show that this scheme is capable to reduce energy consumption and consumers’ payment.

A proposal for the stratification of the risk of locoregional failure after surgical resection, perioperative high dose rate brachytherapy, and external beam irradiation: The University of Navarre predictive model

To develop a simple clinical model predictive of locoregional failure after complete surgical resection followed by perioperative high-dose-rate brachytherapy (PHDRB) and external beam irradiation (EBRT). Patients (n=166) enrolled in several PHDRB prospective studies conducted at the University of Navarre were analyzed. PHDRB was given to total doses of 16 Gy/4 b.i.d. or 24 Gy/6 b.i.d. treatments for negative or close/positive margins along with 45Gy of EBRT. After a median followup of 7.4 years (range, 3-12+), 50 patients have failed and 116 remain controlled at last followup. Tumor size, with a cutoff point set at 3cm (p=0.041) and margin status (positive and <1mm vs. negative ≥1mm, p=0.0001) were independent predictors of locoregional control. These two parameters were used to develop a four-tiered, hierarchical scoring system that stratified patients into low-risk (negative ≥1mm margins and size ≤3cm), intermediate-risk (negative ≥1mm margins, and size >3cm), high-risk (positive and <1mm margins and size ≤3cm), and very high-risk categories (positive and <1mm margins and size >3cm). This classification yields 5-year locoregional control rates of 92.3%, 78.0%, 65.5%, and 48.0% for low-, intermediate-, high-, and very high-risk categories, respectively. The predictive ability of the model is highly significant (p=0.0001) with an area under the curve of 0.72 (0.64-0.81). The risk of locoregional failure after combined surgical resection, PHDRB, and EBRT is mainly determined by the number of residual clonogens, which is inversely proportional to the status of the surgical margins and directly related to the size of the resected tumor. These two parameters generate a four-tiered predictive model that seems to be valid for a number of different common tumors and clinical settings.

Assessing Arm and Hand Function After Stroke: A Validity Test of the Hierarchical Scoring System Used in the Motor Assessment Scale for Stroke

Sabari JS, Lim AL, Velozo CA, Lehman L, Kieran O, Lai JS. Assessing arm and hand function after stroke: a validity test of the hierarchical scoring system used in the motor assessment scales for stroke. Objective To evaluate the validity of the scoring hierarchy for the 3 upper-limb items on the Motor Assessment Scale (MAS). Design Application of Rasch analysis to 3 independent measurement scales, each representing the upper-arm function, hand movements, and advanced hand activities items of the MAS. Setting Inpatient and outpatient occupational therapy (OT) programs in a department of rehabilitation of an urban hospital center. Participants One hundred patients (67 men, 33 women; average age, 54.3±14.4y; average time since stroke onset, 104d) attending OT for stroke rehabilitation. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure The MAS for stroke (upper-arm function, hand movements, and advanced hand activities sections). Results Rasch analysis provided support for the validity of hierarchical scoring criteria for the upper-arm scale. This analysis, however, identified inconsistencies in the hierarchical scoring criteria for the hand function and advanced hand activities scales and, when considering measurement error, only small differences in difficulty level between several behavioral criteria. Conclusions The findings lead to suggestions for changes in the behavioral criteria hierarchy for upper-limb items on the MAS and highlight the importance of using statistical analyses to test the validity of proposed hierarchies of behavioral criteria in functional assessments.

A search for the gene(s) predisposing to idiopathic clubfoot

Clinical GeneticsVolume 67, Issue 4 p. 361-362 A search for the gene(s) predisposing to idiopathic clubfoot FR Dietz, Corresponding Author FR Dietz Frederick Dietz, MD Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation University of Iowa, 01024 JPP 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA Tel.: +1 319 356 3523 Fax: +1 319 353 6754 e-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorWG Cole, WG ColeSearch for more papers by this authorLL Tosi, LL TosiSearch for more papers by this authorNC Carroll, NC CarrollSearch for more papers by this authorRD Wemer, RD WemerSearch for more papers by this authorD Comstock, D ComstockSearch for more papers by this authorJC Murray, JC MurraySearch for more papers by this author FR Dietz, Corresponding Author FR Dietz Frederick Dietz, MD Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation University of Iowa, 01024 JPP 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA Tel.: +1 319 356 3523 Fax: +1 319 353 6754 e-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorWG Cole, WG ColeSearch for more papers by this authorLL Tosi, LL TosiSearch for more papers by this authorNC Carroll, NC CarrollSearch for more papers by this authorRD Wemer, RD WemerSearch for more papers by this authorD Comstock, D ComstockSearch for more papers by this authorJC Murray, JC MurraySearch for more papers by this author First published: 08 February 2005 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-0004.2005.00407.xCitations: 19Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume67, Issue4April 2005Pages 361-362 RelatedInformation

Diabetic neuropathy examination: a hierarchical scoring system to diagnose distal polyneuropathy in diabetes.

Existing physical examination scoring systems for distal diabetic polyneuropathy (PNP) do not fulfill all of the following criteria: validity, manageability, predictive value, and hierarchy The aim of this study was to adapt the Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS) to diagnose PNP in diabetes so that it fulfills these criteria. A total of 73 patients with diabetes were examined with the NDS. Monofilaments and biothesiometry were used as clinical standards for PNP to modify the NDS. A total of 43 men and 30 women were studied; mean duration of diabetes was 15 years (1-43), and mean age was 57 years (19-90). A total of 24 patients had type 1 diabetes, and 49 patients had type 2 diabetes. Clinically relevant items were selected from the original 35 NDS items (specific item scored positive in >3 patients). The resulting 8-item Diabetic Neuropathy Examination (DNE) score could accurately predict the results of the clinical standards and is strongly hierarchical (H value 0.53). The sensitivity and specificity of the DNE at a cut-off level of 3 to 4 were 0.96 and 0.51 for abnormal monofilament scores, respectively. For abnormal vibration perception threshold scores, these values were 0.97 and 0.59, respectively. Reproducibility as assessed by inter- and intrarater agreement was good. The DNE is a sensitive and well-validated hierarchical scoring system that is fast and easy to perform in clinical practice.