Best-fit Line Research Articles

Predicting Growth of Individual Trees Directly and Indirectly Using 20-Year Bitemporal Airborne Laser Scanning Point Cloud Data

Reviewing forest carbon sinks is of the utmost importance in efforts to control climate change. This study focuses on reporting the 20-year boreal forest growth values acquired with airborne laser scanning (ALS). The growth was examined on the Kalkkinen research site in southern Finland as a continuation of several earlier growth studies performed in the same area. The data for the study were gathered with three totally different airborne laser scanning systems, namely using Toposys-I Falcon in June 2000 and Riegl VUX-1HA and miniVUX-3UAV in June 2021 with approximate point densities of 11, 1360, and 460 points/m2, respectively. The ALS point cloud was preprocessed to identify individual trees, from each of which different features were extracted either for direct or indirect growth measurement. In the direct method, the growth value is predicted based on differences of features, whereas in the indirect method, the growth value is obtained by subtracting the results of two independent predictions of different years. The growth in individual tree attributes, such as growth in height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and stem volume, were calculated for direct estimation. Field reference campaigns were performed in the summer of 2001 and in November 2021 to validate the obtained growth values. The study showed that long-term series growth of height, DBH, and stem volume are possible to record with a high-to-moderate coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.90, 0.48, and 0.45 in the best-case scenarios. The respective root-mean-squared errors (RMSE) values were 0.98 m, 0.02 m, and 0.17 m3, and the biases were −0.06 m, 0.00 m, and 0.17 m3. The direct method produced better metrics in terms of RMSE-% and bias, but the indirect method produced better best-fit lines. Additionally, the mean growth values for height, diameter, and stem volume intervals were compared, and they are presumed to be usable even for forest modelling.

3D cloud envelope and cloud development velocity from simulated CLOUD (C3IEL) stereo images

Abstract. A method to derive the 3D cloud envelope and the cloud development velocity from high spatial and temporal resolution satellite imagery is presented. The CLOUD instrument of the recently proposed C3IEL mission lends itself well to observing at high spatial and temporal resolutions the development of convective cells. Space-borne visible cameras simultaneously image, under multiple view angles, the same surface domain every 20 s over a time interval of 200 s. In this paper, we present a method for retrieving cloud development velocity from simulated multi-angular, high-resolution top of the atmosphere (TOA) radiance cloud fields. The latter are obtained via the image renderer Mitsuba for a cumulus case generated via the atmospheric research model SAM and via the radiative transfer model 3DMCPOL, coupled with the outputs of an orbit, attitude, and camera simulator for a deep convective cloud case generated via the atmospheric research model Meso-NH. Matching cloud features are found between simulations via block matching. Image coordinates of tie points are mapped to spatial coordinates via 3D stereo reconstruction of the external cloud envelope for each acquisition. The accuracy of the retrieval of cloud topography is quantified in terms of RMSE and bias that are, respectively, less than 25 and 5 m for the horizontal components and less than 40 and 25 m for the vertical components. The inter-acquisition 3D velocity is then derived for each pair of tie points separated by 20 s. An independent method based on minimising the RMSE for a continuous horizontal shift of the cloud top, issued from the atmospheric research model, allows for the obtainment of a ground estimate of the velocity from two consecutive acquisitions. The mean values of the distributions of the stereo and ground velocities exhibit small biases. The width of the distributions is significantly different, with higher a distribution width for the stereo-retrieved velocity. An alternative way to derive an average velocity over 200 s, which relies on tracking clusters of points via image feature matching over several acquisitions, was also implemented and tested. For each cluster of points, mean stereo and ground positions were derived every 20 s over 200 s. The mean stereo and ground velocities, obtained as the slope of the line of best fit to the mean positions, are in good agreement.

The Shoulder Arthroplasty Smart Score Correlates Well With Legacy Outcome Scores Without a Ceiling Effect.

The Shoulder Arthroplasty Smart (SAS) score is a new, validated machine learning-derived outcome measure that requires six input parameters. The SAS score has the potential to replace legacy shoulder outcome scores. We conducted a retrospective review of a multinational shoulder arthroplasty database of one platform shoulder prosthesis (used interchangeably for anatomic and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty). All primary shoulder arthroplasties with a minimum of two-year follow-up and an available SAS score were evaluated. Associations between scoring systems were assessed using Pearson correlations, with 95% confidence intervals stratified by time point (preoperatively and postoperatively at 2- and 5-year follow-ups, respectively) and procedure (anatomic verses reverse total shoulder arthroplasty). Conversion equations were developed using the best-fit line from linear regression analysis. Ceiling effects were assessed based on two definitions: (1) >15% of participants scoring the maximal possible score and (2) a standardized distance less than 1.0, whereby the standardized distance is calculated by subtracting the mean from the maximal score and dividing by the standard deviation. Two thousand four hundred six shoulders were evaluated at 4,553 clinical encounters. For preoperatively collected data, the SAS score correlated strongly with the Constant (R = 0.83), University of California at Los Angeles (R = 0.85), and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (R = -0.70) scores and moderately with the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (R = 0.69) and Simple Shoulder Test (R = 0.65) scores. The SAS score strongly correlated (R > 0.7) with all legacy outcome scores collected at 2- and 5-year postoperative visits. Score predictions made using the conversion equations between the SAS score and legacy outcome scores strongly correlated with their actual values. Neither the SAS nor the Constant score were influenced by ceiling effects. All other outcome scores evaluated demonstrated ceiling effects. The SAS score correlates well with legacy shoulder scores after primary shoulder arthroplasty while mitigating ceiling effects. Surgeons may decrease patient questionnaire burden by using the brief six-question SAS score.

Severe Gastro-Intestinal Complications of Radiation Therapy in Rectal Cancer: Modeling the Influence of Age Based upon Population Level Data

<h3>Purpose/Objective(s)</h3> Gastro-intestinal (GI) side effects are dose limiting for pelvic & abdominal radiation therapy (RT). Advanced-age is hypothesized to be an aggravating factor in severe radiation toxicity, but this has not been well defined. We sought to quantify the effect of age on grade IV / V gastro-intestinal complications of RT by combining information from two US population-based databases. <h3>Materials/Methods</h3> The absolute number of complications was obtained by querying the National Inpatient Database (NIS) of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, which contains discharge data from a 20% stratified sample of all US non-federal hospitals. Inclusion criteria were inpatient episodes between 2015-18, with listed diagnoses of both ‘Malignant neoplasm of rectum' (ICD-10-CM Code C20), and ‘Gastroenteritis and colitis due to radiation' (ICD-10-CM Code K52.0). A grade IV complication was defined as a hospitalization, alive on discharge; whereas grade V was defined as a hospitalization culminating in death. The relative age-distribution of patients with rectal cancer treated with RT was obtained from the SEER database. Relative toxicity incidence by age group was obtained by normalizing the absolute number of toxic events obtained from NIS with the age-distribution treatment data from SEER. Statistical techniques included best-fit linear regression and multivariate logistic regression. <h3>Results</h3> Within the NIS database there were 31,878 hospitalizations with a listed diagnosis of rectal cancer (median age 63 years), of whom 290 had grade IV (median age 66) and 10 grade V (median age 76.5) radiation gastroenteritis / colitis. There were no grade 4 toxicities under the age of 20, and no grade 5 toxicities under the age of 70. After adjusting for the baseline age distribution of rectal cancer patients receiving radiation derived from SEER data, the relative risk (RR) of grade IV toxicity was 0.44 for subjects aged 20-39, and 0.53 for subjects aged 40-59 and 1.0 for 60-79 (the comparator). The RR for grade V toxicity was zero for <60, 1.0 for 60-79 (the comparator), and 1.26 for subjects aged 80-99. Best-fit linear regression line for grade IV toxicity was defined by [0.0084* age(yrs)* + 0.2], and for grade V toxicity by [0.024* age(yrs)* - 0.87]. On multivariate logistic regression, amongst all those with grade 4-5 radiation gastroenteritis / colitis, age was the only clinical predictor of death (dosimetric factors were not available). <h3>Conclusion</h3> We demonstrate that the risk of acute severe radiation-induced bowel toxicity in rectal cancer patients rises linearly with age. Modelling demonstrates that the gradient is far steeper for grade V toxicity than grade IV toxicity. Importantly, our results facilitate the incorporated of age into existing NTCP models of bowel toxicity. Age-adjusted radiation dose constraints for the bowel should be adopted.

Glenoid Inclination: Choosing the Transverse Axis Is Critical-A 3D Automated versus Manually Measured Study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the variation in measured glenoid inclination measurements between each of the most used methods for measuring the scapular transverse axis with computed tomography (CT) scans, and to investigate the underlying causes that explain the differences. Methods: The glenoid center, trigonum and supraspinatus fossa were identified manually by four expert shoulder surgeons on 82 scapulae CT-scans. The transverse axis was generated either from the identified landmarks (Glenoid-Trigonum line (GT-line), Best-Fit Line Fossa (BFLF)) or by an automatic software (Y-axis). An assessment of the interobserver reliability was performed. We compared the measured glenoid inclination when modifying the transverse axis to assess its impact. Results: Glenoid inclination remained stable between 6.3 and 8.5°. The variations occurred significantly when changing the method that determined the transverse axis with a mean biase from −1.7 (BFLF vs. Y-axis) to 0.6 (BFLF vs. GT-line). The Y-axis method showed higher stability to the inclination variation (p = 0.030). 9% of cases presented more than 5° of discrepancies between the methods. The manual methods presented a lower ICC (BFLF = 0.96, GT-line = 0.87) with the widest dispersion. Conclusion: Methods that determine the scapular transverse axis could have a critical impact on the measurement of the glenoid inclination. Despite an overall good concordance, around 10% of cases may provide high discrepancies (≥5°) between the methods with a possible impact on surgeon clinical choice. Trigonum should be used with caution as its anatomy is highly variable and more than two single points provide a better interrater concordance. The Y-axis is the most stable referential for the glenoid inclination.

Mechanics Of Running Grade Ability

Variation exists between runners in their ability to run uphill versus downhill. The determination of what leads to one runner being more economical at one grade versus another may be due to biomechanical, physiological, neuromechanical, or perhaps other factors. PURPOSE: In this study, we focused on determining whether certain running mechanics would predict a runner’s ability to perform uphill versus downhill running. METHODS: Twenty-one experienced runners ran uphill, level, and downhill while having oxygen uptake measured. Conditions were performed in random order and repeated on a second day. Speeds of uphill, level, and downhill running were selected with the intent to have similar efforts on average for each grade. Runners used the Saucony TypeA shoe for all conditions. Oxygen measures were averaged over the final three minutes of each five minutes run at each condition. A best-fitting line was generated through oxygen uptake versus grade to classify uphill/downhill running ability. The steepness of this slope indicated whether runners were more economical at uphill or downhill running. Various running mechanics were measured using Vicon Nexus and a Bertec treadmill. A linear regression determined any correlations between peak vertical force, stride rate, plantar velocity, and ground time against uphill/downhill running ability. RESULTS: Peak force was the only factor associated with uphill/downhill running ability (t = 3.05, R2 = 0.53, p < 0.01). The slope of oxygen uptake versus grade averaged 0.076 ± 0.278 ((ml/kg/min)/%grade) with slopes ranging from -0.39 to 0.57 ((ml/kg/min)/%grade). CONCLUSIONS: Runners that prefer a greater vertical ground reaction force while running on level ground were more economical during downhill running than uphill.

Wet Sliding Wear Behavior of EN31 Rolling Contact Bearings for Screw Compressor Application with Statistical Analysis

The aim of this work is to estimate the wear rate of EN31 material &amp; obtain the line of best fit using statistical analysis of wear. In industrial screw compressors, EN31 is used as a material of construction for cylindrical roller bearings. The wet sliding phenomenon between the outer surface of the inner race of the rolling contact bearing &amp; the outer surface of the cylindrical roller is simulated using pin-on-disk tribometer. Measurement of wear, friction force &amp; friction coefficient is carried out by rubbing different cylinders of hardened EN31 against hardened EN31 disk of the pin-on-disk tribometer. Total 25 tests each of 10 minutes time duration are performed to estimate wear with variable loads in the range of 20 N to 100 N and speed in the range of 692 RPM to 1246 RPM. From experimental investigation using pin-on-disk tribometer &amp; statistical analysis using MINITAB© commercial software, it is observed that the material wear rate of EN31 increases with the increase in load as well as increase in speed. From pin-on-disk experimentation &amp; statistical analysis it is concluded that the load factor has higher effect on wear than the speed factor. It was observed that the wear increases with the load as well as with the speed.

The Sky-Status Climatology of Greece: Emphasis on Sunshine Duration and Atmospheric Scattering

The aim of this work is the study of the sky conditions climatology over Greece based on the diffuse-fraction (kd) limits, for clear, kd ∈ [0, 0.26]; intermediate, kd ∈ (0.26, 0.78); and overcast, kd ∈ (0.78, 1) skies. kd is, therefore, used here to characterise the sky conditions over a site. Its values are estimated from diffuse and global horizontal solar irradiances the typical meteorological years of 43 selected Greek sites. The kd values in each specific range are equivalent to sunshine durations (SSDs) under the particular sky conditions. Annual, seasonal, and intra-annual variations in SSDs are estimated with regression equations to fit their means. Clear skies comprise 33%, intermediate 40%, and overcast 27% of the time in a year. kd, as an atmospheric scattering index (ASI), shows dependence on the sites’ geographical latitude: best-fit lines mean ASIs are derived showing no trend, while overcast skies show a slight negative trend. A comparison of the clear-sky SSDs for four Greek sites from the Global Climate Data and one site from the Academy of Sciences of Moldova with those derived from kd shows a remarkable difference. A new methodology is developed that results in much smaller differences. Finally, maps of the annual SSDs and ASIs are derived for Greece.

Dust masses for a large sample of core-collapse supernovae from optical emission line asymmetries: dust formation on 30-year time-scales

ABSTRACT Modelling the red–blue asymmetries seen in the broad emission lines of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) is a powerful technique to quantify total dust mass formed in the ejecta at late times (&amp;gt;5 yr after outburst) when ejecta dust temperatures become too low to be detected by mid-infrared (IR) instruments. Following our success in using the Monte Carlo radiative transfer code damocles to measure the dust mass evolution in SN 1987A and other CCSNe, we present the most comprehensive sample of dust mass measurements yet made with damocles, for CCSNe aged between 4 and 60 yr after outburst. Our sample comprises multi-epoch late-time optical spectra taken with the Gemini/Gemini Multi-Object Spectrographs (GMOS) and Very Large Telescope (VLT) X-Shooter spectrographs, supplemented by archival spectra. For the 14 CCSNe that we have modelled, we confirm a dust mass growth with time that can be fit by a sigmoid curve that is found to saturate beyond an age of ∼30 yr, at a mass of 0.23$^{+0.17}_{-0.12}$ M⊙. For an expanded sample including dust masses found in the literature for a further 11 CCSNe and six CCSN remnants, the dust mass at saturation is found to be 0.42$^{+0.09}_{-0.05}$ M⊙. Uncertainty limits for our dust masses were determined from a Bayesian analysis using the affine invariant Markov chain Monte Carlo ensemble sampler emcee with damocles. The best-fitting line profile models for our sample all required grain radii between 0.1 and 0.5 $\mu$m. Our results are consistent with CCSNe forming enough dust in their ejecta to significantly contribute to the dust budget of the Universe.

Effect of the biologically effective dose of electron beam radiation therapy on recurrence rate after keloid excision: A meta-analysis

Background and purposeAdjuvant electron beam radiation therapy after keloid excision has been proven as highly effective in reducing local recurrence. We performed a meta-analysis of studies on hypofractionated electron beam radiation therapy after keloid excision based on accurate radiation dose information to provide a more precise estimate of the effect of the biologically effective dose (BED) on recurrence rate. Materials and methodsA literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for the period from 1990 to December 2021. Studies that provided information on the recurrence rate for the exact prescription dose were selected for analysis. The recurrence rate with respect to the BED was evaluated using forest plots and the best-fit lines on scatter plots. ResultsFrom the 28 studies that were included for analysis, a total of 37 radiation dose datasets were extracted and 3128 excised keloids were identified. The recurrence rate for all sites and for the ear was 0.16 (95% confidence interval, 0.12–0.21; P < 0.01) and 0.11 (95% confidence interval, 0.06–0.20; P < 0.01), respectively. The estimated recurrence rate for all sites and the ear was calculated as “−1.992 + 1018.226/BED2” or “2.982 + 330.51/BED10” and “−16.8 + 1597.84/BED2” or “−14.65 + 656.58/BED10,” respectively. ConclusionsPostoperative radiation therapy with higher BED resulted in lower recurrence rates. As expected, ear keloids had lower estimated recurrence rates than all keloids at all sites. We derived a model for estimating the recurrence rate using the dose fractionation scheme.

0687 The circadian misalignment is associated with reduced slow-wave sleep in individuals with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract Introduction Sleep disturbances are one of the key features among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many studies have uncovered critical developmental links between cognition, behavior, and sleep. It is suggested that the circadian system desynchronization plays a vital role in the development of ASD. While research on sleep disruption and circadian disturbance has accumulated, only a few studies have investigated a relationship between sleep architecture and circadian rhythm of individuals with ASD to date. We aim to elucidate the relation using the methods of dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) and ambulatory PSG. Methods Eleven individuals with autism (3 females, age: 13.07 ± 4.76 years; age range: 8-23 years) were recruited. After a week of systematic desensitization, an ambulatory overnight PSG was conducted in the participant’s home. Participants collected saliva samples independently at home on two consecutive days. The first evening sample took place 3 hours before the average sleep onset time and continued each 30-minute interval afterward for a total of 5 evening samples. The DLMO was calculated for each day by plotting melatonin levels against the time of saliva sampling. Linear regression was used to determine the best-fit line equation for each plot to calculate when melatonin levels first reached 4 pg/mL and continued to rise. Results The percentage of Stage N3 sleep across the night was significantly negatively associated with phase angle (time between DLMO and sleep onset), revealing that Stage N3 percentage decreases as the phase angle increases. The Phase angle showed a significant positive association with REM percentage across the night. Additionally, a significant difference was found between the mean phase angle for the ASD subjects in this study and the mean phase angle expected from a group of age-matched, typically developing (TD) individuals. Conclusion Our data revealed that circadian misalignment in individuals with ASD is associated with sleep architecture characterized by reduced slow-wave sleep and increased REM sleep. Given the importance of slow-wave sleep for memory and cognitive functions, this finding may contribute to understanding the relationship between sleep alterations and brain development in ASD. Support (If Any)

Best-fit lines and the AP Physics test

In the past 15 years especially, the AP Physics exams have asked students to make and interpret best-fit trend lines on data-based or lab-based questions. These constant slopes can be used to find relationships between variables and determine natural constants. This skill is tested on all AP Physics exams (including the discontinued B exam). In this article, I explain precisely how students can create best-fit lines that earn points and provide several example labs that include this specific skill.

Assessment of one-year risk of ischemic stroke versus major bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation

BackgroundPatients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF) are at increased risk of stroke. Several guidelines to assess the risk of ischemic stroke and major bleeding in AF patients have been published. The CHA2DS2-VASc score has been adopted widely for predicting stroke within one year of the index AF diagnosis and is used to guide the prescription of anticoagulants. Anticoagulation therapy increases the risk of bleeding and scoring systems such as HAS-BLED assess the risk of major bleeding in anticoagulated patients. Despite these advances, no study has examined the risks of the two outcomes simultaneously. How patients’ fear of particular outcomes affects these risks also remains unknown. MethodsWe incorporated the risks of ischemic stroke and major bleeding within one year of the index AF admission as well as the fear of stroke and bleeding of each individual patient. The patients enrolled in this retrospective observational study were identified using hospital admission data from the Myocardial Infarction Data Acquisition System (MIDAS), a statewide database including all hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease in New Jersey. Probabilities of the outcomes (ischemic stroke, major bleeding, both, or neither within one year of the index AF admission) were estimated using multinomial regression with patient demographics and comorbidities (heart failure [HF], hypertension [HTN], diabetes mellitus [DM], anemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], kidney disease [KD], prior stroke or transient ischemic attack [TIA]) as predictors. These estimates were used in a Deming regression to model the association of ischemic stroke and major bleeding in grouped patients. The assessment of the importance of each outcome was superimposed on the final model to arrive at a recommendation for anticoagulation therapy. ResultsThe results of the Deming regression indicated a positive relationship between ischemic stroke and major bleeding (slope = 1.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37 to 1.97). Estimates of the risks of the two outcomes and the lines of best fit from Deming regression were determined. This model for risk assessment of stroke and major bleeding within one year of the index AF hospital admission combined objective data and subjective assessment of the relative fear of stroke versus bleeding by each hypothetical patient on 0–100 scale. Examples with the fears of stroke versus major bleeding being equal (50-50) and a higher fear of stroke (80–20) are presented. ConclusionsThe new model for risk assessment of ischemic stroke and major bleeding within one year of the index AF hospital admission proposed in this work used objective, empirically driven measures, and subjective assessment of the outcomes’ importance for individual patients. Such models may assist physicians in their decision making regarding anticoagulation therapy.

Healthcare coverage and out-of-pocket medical expenses: evidence from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the medical expense deduction

ObjectivesThis study examines the link between health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses at the state level using data on the medical expense deduction obtained from the Internal Revenue Service. We exploit the fact that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowered the threshold for the medical expense deduction in 2017 and examine whether health insurance coverage is related to the medical expense deduction based on the assumption that the lower threshold affected states with more people with large medical expenses. Study designThis was a state-level cross-sectional study. MethodsData on medical expense deductions are obtained from the Internal Revenue Service and combined with health insurance coverage data from the Small Area Health Insurance Estimates. The ordinary least squares are used to measure the relationship, and the best-fit lines are shown along with scatterplots to describe the finding. ResultsWe find that the new law that allowed more taxpayers to take the benefit of medical expense deductions increased the share of tax returns with a medical expense deduction and the total medical expense deduction amounts in all states, but the increase was greater in states with larger uninsured populations. ConclusionsThe finding highlights the role of employer-sponsored and private health insurance in reducing out-of-pocket medical expenses among the general population.

Data-based optimization of a simple shortwave fadeout absorption model

Electron density enhancement caused by electromagnetic radiation emitted during a solar X-ray flare has the potential to increase high frequency (HF; 3–30 MHz) absorption in the dayside D-region ionosphere, impacting shortwave radio signals by reducing the signal strength, a phenomenon commonly referred to as shortwave fadeout. Data-based optimization of a simple absorption model is performed incorporating solar X-ray flux data and 30 MHz riometer data from stations distributed across Canada. In a single event study the data-based optimization model is shown to overestimate absorption by 1% for the duration of an X2.1 solar X-ray flare. This corrects an underestimation by the NOAA D-region Absorption Prediction (D-RAP) model. In a statistical study, based on 87 events, data-based optimization performed on an event-by-event basis showed excellent overall agreement between measured and modelled data: the Pearson correlation coefficient was R = 0.88, and the slope of the best-fit line to the data was m = 0.91. A generalized model was developed using data from all 87 events collectively. Although good agreement was found between the measured and modelled data sets, correlation and slope were slightly reduced to R = 0.75 and m = 0.80. Model accuracy is characterized by prediction efficiency (PE) which peaked at PE = 0.78 for the event-by-event evaluation and PE = 0.48 for the collective data set. The results of this study highlight the advantages of data-based optimization in modelling absorption due to shortwave fadeout.

Time series analysis of animal bite cases attending anti-rabies clinic.

Rabies is a disease transmitted mostly through animal bites in humans, and seasonal variation in animal bites has been reported by different studies. There has been no study in India using time series analysis for studying monthly variation in animal bite cases. (a) To find out long-term trends and monthly variations in new animal bite cases. (b) To make projections for new animal bite cases. (c) To find out the difference between actual and projected new animal bite cases following the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrolective, record-based study was conducted in a tertiary care facility, Jaipur, and data of new Category II and Category III animal bite cases were taken from January 2007 to December 2021. A multiplicative model was used for conducting time series analysis. The projected monthly number of cases was estimated using the line of best fit based on the least square method. An increasing trend in the annual number of animal bite cases was observed from 7,982 in 2007 to 10,134 in 2019. The monthly index was lowest for the months July to November (0.88 to 0.95), peaked in January (1.14), remained higher from January to June, and fell in July (0.95). The monthly number of new animal bite cases from April 2020 to December 2021 was significantly lower than the projected number (P-value < 0.001). Because the monthly index of animal bite cases was high from January onward, information education and communication (IEC) activities should be increased in the preceding months (November onward) for making people aware of immediate care to be provided to animal bite cases and seek prompt medical care.

Rapid and Stable Liquid Chromatographic Tandem Mass Spectrometric Method for Simultaneous Estimation of Pioglitazone, Keto Pioglitazone and Hydroxy Pioglitazone in Human Plasma: Application to Bioequivalence Study

High performance liquid chromatographic tandem mass spectrometric method for the determination of pioglitazone, keto pioglitazone (M-III) and hydroxy pioglitazone (M-IV) in human plasma has been developed and validated using pioglitazone-D4, keto pioglitazone-D4 and hydroxy pioglitazone-D5 as internal standards. Solid phase extraction was carried out for sample preparation to extract analyte and internal standard from human plasma. The extracted sample was injected through autosampler in HPLC connected with Hypersil Gold, 100 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm using mobile phase consisting of methanol:solution A:solution B - 80:10:10 v/v/v). Pioglitazone, keto pioglitazone (M-III) and hydroxy pioglitazone (M-IV) were chromatographically separated and detected using the MS detector. The best-fit lines using weighting factor (1/concentration2) linear least square regression analysis were obtained by peak area ratio of pioglitazone, keto pioglitazone (M-III) and hydroxy pioglitazone (M-IV) with their internal standards pioglitazone-D4, keto pioglitazone-D4 and hydroxy pioglitazone-D5, respectively. This report provides the results of various validation parameters including stability studies and extended precision and accuracy which is required for long study samples batch analysis. This analytical method is valid for the determination of pioglitazone in the range of 18.9 ng/mL to 2994.4 ng/mL), keto pioglitazone (M-III) (3.23 ng/mL to 512.60 ng/mL), hydroxy pioglitazone (M-IV) 10.1 ng/mL to 1603.8 ng/mL) and using pioglitazone-D4, keto pioglitazone-D4, hydroxy pioglitazone-D5, respectively as internal standards in human plasma using a Hypersil Gold, 100 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm column.

Is the Planus Foot Type Associated With First Ray Hypermobility?

Background:Many foot pathologies have been associated with foot type. However, the association of first ray hypermobility remains enigmatic. The purpose of this study was to investigate first ray hypermobility among participants with planus and rectus foot types and its influence on static measures of foot structure.Methods:Twenty asymptomatic participants with planus (n = 23 feet) and rectus (n = 17 feet) foot types were enrolled. Several parameters of static foot structure (arch height index, arch height flexibility, first metatarsophalangeal joint flexibility, and first ray mobility) were measured. Participants were further stratified into groups with nonhypermobile (n = 26 feet) and hypermobile (n = 14 feet) first rays. First ray mobility ≥8 mm was used to define “first ray hypermobility”. Generalized estimating equations, best-fit regression lines, and stepwise linear regression were used to identify significant differences and predictors between the study variablesResults:Overall, 86% of subjects categorized with first ray hypermobility exhibited a planus foot type. Arch height flexibility, weightbearing first ray mobility, and first metatarsophalangeal joint flexibility showed no significant between-group differences. However, weightbearing ray mobility and first metatarsophalangeal joint laxity were associated with partial weightbearing first ray mobility, accounting for 38% of the model variance.Conclusion:The planus foot type was found to be associated with first ray hypermobility. Furthermore, weightbearing first ray mobility and first metatarsophalangeal joint laxity were predictive of partial weightbearing first ray mobility, demonstrating an interaction between the translation and rotational mechanics of the first ray.Clinical Relevance:Association of first ray hypermobility with foot type and first metatarsophalangeal joint flexibility may help understand the sequela to symptomatic pathologies of the foot.

Lab activities on temperature and thermodynamics

In this article I introduce three lab activities, appropriate for a high school physics course, that are related to temperature and thermodynamics. The first of these is a graphing lab where a dual Fahrenheit-Celsius thermometer is used to create a best-fit trend line that serves to introduce this graphing skill. The second is an experiment to find the melting point of coconut oil, which is a convenient and widely available substance, with a phase change in a safe temperature range. The third is a safer alternative or follow-up to the classic “Burn a Peanut” lab, where I have students investigate how many calories are in a “heat pack” hand warmer. The labs are designed to be affordable, easy to set up, and work well as inquiry investigations.

Radiative transfer modeling of the observed line profiles in G31.41+0.31

An inverse P-Cygni profile of H13CO+ (1-0) in G31.41+0.31 was recently observed, which indicates the presence of an infalling gas envelope. Also, an outflow tracer, SiO, was observed. Here, exclusive radiative transfer modelings have been implemented to generate synthetic spectra of some key species (H13 CO+, HCN, SiO, NH3, CH3 CN, CH3OH, CH3SH, and CH3NCO) and extract the physical features to infer the excitation conditions of the surroundings where they observed. The gas envelope is assumed to be accreting in a spherically symmetric system towards the central hot core region. Our principal intention was to reproduce the observed line profiles toward G31.41+0.31 and extract various physical parameters. The LTE calculation with CASSIS and non-LTE analysis with the RATRAN radiative transfer codes are considered for the modeling purpose. The best-fitted line parameters are derived, which represents the prevailing physical condition of the gas envelope. Our results suggest that an infalling gas could explain the observed line profiles of all the species mentioned above except SiO. An additional outflow component is required to confer the SiO line profile. Additionally, an astrochemical model is implemented to explain the observed abundancests various species in this source.