Minimum Change Research Articles

Effect of basil seed gum coating and ultrasound pretreatment on frying time, oil uptake, hardness, color indexes, and sensory properties of potato slices

Fried food products have low oil content with improved nutritional quality, higher crispiness, and better sensory attributes. Edible coatings can decrease the excessive oil uptake in deep-fat fried food products. Furthermore, ultrasound treatment before frying process decreased oil uptake of food products. So, in this study, the impact of gum edible coating and ultrasonic pretreatment (at two different power levels of 75 and 150 W) on the frying time of potato slices, and moisture percent, oil uptake, texture hardness, surface area change, color parameters (lightness, redness, yellowness, and total color change), and sensory attributes of fried potato slices were examined. Edible coating with basil seed gum (BSG) and ultrasonic pretreatment significantly increased the frying time of the slices (p < 0.05). The average moisture content of the fried slices changed from 49.48 % to 60.55 %, and was further increased by edible coating and ultrasonic treatment. The highest (26.92 %) and lowest (14.56 %) oil uptake were for the uncoated and coated-sonicated (150 W) fried potato slices, respectively. The ultrasound pretreatment significantly increased the hardness of fried potato slices (p < 0.05). The low and high intensity ultrasonic pretreatment (75 W and 150 W, respectively) significantly decreased the crust area change of fried potato slices (p < 0.05). The average lightness index of the fried samples changed from 63.30 to 71.58, and increased with increasing ultrasonic power. The minimum redness, yellowness, and total color change indexes were for the coated and high-power sonicated (150 W) samples, respectively. The highest appearance, odor, texture, flavor, and overall acceptance were for the coated and high-power sonicated (150 W) sample.

Fire-resistant and mechanically-robust phosphorus-doped MoS2/epoxy composite as barrier of the thermal runaway propagation of lithium-ion batteries

Thermal runaway propagation (TRP) is an utmost safety issue in battery modules owing to its derivative accidents of fire or explosion. This study develops a novel flame-retardant epoxy resin (EP) board to prevent the battery TRP. The phosphorus doped MoS2 nanowires (PR-MoS2) is designed and incorporated into EP matrix to acquire EP/3.0 PR-MoS2 composite. The composite shows 159.4 % increase in char yield, 56.7 % decrease in peak heat release rate, 56.6 % reduction in peak CO production rate. By using EP/PR-MoS2-3 (EP/3.0 PR-MoS2 composite with thickness of 3 mm) between 103450-pouch cells, TRP can be effectively stopped. Meanwhile, the temperature of surviving battery remains below 100 °C. Of note, the minimum changes in internal crystal structure, chemical composition and electrochemical characteristics are discerned for the surviving battery. This research will offer inspirations for the design of TRP suppression materials, guaranteeing the safety the battery.

Assessment of the effect of climate change on the yields and water footprint of crops in arid area

ABSTRACT Investigating the actual amount of water used by agricultural crop yield is very important. This research evaluates the impact of climate change on water demand, yields, and green and blue water footprint of barberry and jujube plants under SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. The results show that the amount of precipitation in the future under three scenarios varies from −13.08 to 5.13 mm during the future period. It shows maximum temperature changes from 1.07 to 1.25 °C and minimum temperature changes from 1.15 to 1.54 °C. The maximum and minimum temperatures under all three scenarios have an increasing trend compared to the base period. The results show that the values of water requirement, blue water footprint, green water footprint, total water footprint, and finally the relative values of both crop yields increase in all three scenarios in the future period (2022–2038) compared to the base period (2021–2005). Furthermore, according to the three proposed scenarios, the water footprint of the barberry crop in the future is estimated to be 98.74% blue water and 1.24% green water. The jujube crop's water footprint consists of 98.81% blue water and 1.20% green water.

Acute Effects of Handheld Vibration Massage on Posterior Shoulder Soft Tissues.

Interventions using vibration stimulation have been recognized for their potential for increasing range of motion (ROM) without compromising muscle strength. Handheld vibration massagers can efficiently deliver vibration therapy to the shoulder joint and may be a potential treatment. To evaluate the effects of vibration massage using a handheld device on the soft tissues of the posterior shoulder joint, particularly on internal rotation (IR) passive ROM and external rotation (ER) muscle strength. Crossover study design. A crossover study with a 5-min vibration massage and passive control condition was conducted in healthy male volunteers (mean age 20.5 ± 1.7 years). Vibration massage was applied to the posterior shoulder soft tissues of the dominant arm, with no intervention under control conditions. IR-ROM (vertebral level and in abduction) and strength of the external rotators (isometric and isokinetic) were measured before and immediately after the intervention. Vertebral levels were calculated as a ratio of lengths (ratio decreases with increased mobility). IR-ROM in abduction, the angle was measured. Statistical analysis was performed with two-way repeated measures ANOVA and paired t-test (Bonferroni correction). Vibration application decreased (improved) vertebral level IR ROM by -4.1% (p < 0.01, d = 0.445) and increased abduction position IR ROM by 11.4° (p < 0.01, d = 0.694). These changes exceeded the 95% confidence interval for the minimum detectable change. By contrast, the control condition produced no changes. IR-ROM (vertebral level and abduction) immediately after the intervention showed significant differences between the control and vibration conditions (p = 0.036, d = 0.273; p = 0.048, d = 0.483, respectively). Muscle strength did not show any interaction, time, or between-condition effects. A massage using a handheld vibration massager applied to the posterior shoulder soft tissues increased IR-ROM without negatively affecting muscle strength, suggesting its potential use as a means of warming up. Level 3.

Effects of heat stress and long photoperiod on the prostate of rats

Objective: To examine light and heat effects on the morphological, histological, and micrometric structure of the prostate of rats. Methods: Thirty adult male rats were divided into three groups. The control group was kept under 20 °C-22 °C and an artificial 12 h/12 h day/night cycle; the temperature group was under normal light and at (42±1) °C heat for 4 to 5 h daily, and the light group was exposed to 8 h/16 h day/night cycle with 20 °C-22 °C. Rats were weighed five times (at the beginning of the study and every seven days). Five milliliters (mL) of their peripheral blood were taken. The tissue staining was performed using the hematoxylin-eosin (H &amp; E) stain and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS). In the following, tissue and cellular reactions to the PAS were examined. Results: Folds were located entirely on the surface of the anterior lobe and periphery of the other lobes. The secretory units in the anterior lobe were more than the lateral lobe. A strong reaction of the secretory cells to the PAS was observed. Testosterone serum levels of the light group also significantly increased compared to the control group (P&lt;0.05). The most histometric changes of the lobes were established in the lateral lobes. Heat stress resulted in a significant decrease in testosterone levels and transformed prostate tissue. The epithelium and parenchyma to scaffold ratio in the temperature group decreased. Conclusions: Maximum and minimum changes in the ventral lobe happened under the ascent of temperature and light, respectively. The ventral lobe in the study of prostatic hyperplasia should be more considered.

Factors influencing the minimum audible change in talker head orientation cues using diotic stimuli.

The perception of a talker's head orientation is an ecologically relevant task. Humans are able to discriminate changes in talker head orientation using acoustic cues. Factors that may influence measures of this ability have not been well characterized. Here, we examined the minimum audible change in head orientation cues (MACHO) using diotic stimuli. The effects of several factors were tested: talker and gender, stimulus bandwidth (full-band vs low-pass filtered at 8 or 10 kHz), transducer (loudspeaker vs headphone), stimulus uncertainty (interleaved vs blocked presentation of four talkers), and vocal production mode (speech vs singing). The best performance of ∼41° was achieved for full-band, blocked presentation of speech over a loudspeaker. Greater stimulus uncertainty (interleaved presentation) worsened the MACHO by 26%. Bandlimiting at 8 and 10 kHz worsened performance by an additional 22% and 14%, respectively. At equivalent overall sound levels, performance was better for speech than for singing. There was some limited evidence for the transducer influencing the MACHO. These findings suggest the MACHO relies on multiple factors manipulated here. One of the largest, consistent effects was that of talker, suggesting head orientation cues are highly dependent on individual talker characteristics. This may be due to individual variability in speech directivity patterns.

Assessing Lower-Extremity Visuo-Motor Reaction Time in Young Male Soccer Players: Test-Retest Reliability and Minimum Detectable Change of the Brain Pro System.

A reliable, versatile means of assessing visuo-motor reaction time (V-MRT) is important to football (soccer) players for many reasons, including the fact that faster V-MRT is a critical sport skill that may even play a role in reducing common sports injuries to the lower muscle extremities that can be associated with lost time on the field. We aimed to determine the test-retest reliability and minimum detectable change (MDC) of the Brain Pro System for assessing lower-extremity V-MRT in young male football players. We had 68 participants (M age = 16.35, SD = 1.71years) perform two assessment sessions one-week apart. For test-retest reliability, we calculated a one-way intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) at the 95% confidence interval and provided the standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimum detectable change (MDC) (MDC = SEM × 1.96 × √2) for V-MRTs. We obtained excellent V-MRT test-retest reliability for dominant lower-extremity, non-dominant lower-extremity, and dominant and non-dominant lower-extremities (ICC2,1 = .93, 95%CI = .89-.96; ICC2,1 = .94, 95%CI = .91-.96; ICC2,1 = .96, 95%CI = .94-.97; respectively). The calculated MDC for the dominant lower-extremity V-MRT, the non-dominant lower-extremity V-MRT, and dominant and non-dominant lower-extremities (random) V-MRT were 1.21seconds, 1.13seconds, and 1.21seconds, respectively. Brain Pro System had excellent reliability for assessing lower-extremity V-MRT in young male football players. The MDC values at the 95% confidence level (MDC95) we obtained were reliable for assessing clinically meaningful V-MRT changes.

Temperature-dependent ejection evolution arising from active and passive effects in DNA viruses

Recent experiments have demonstrated that the ejection velocity of different species of DNA viruses is temperature dependent, potentially influencing the cellular infection mechanisms of these viruses. However, due to the challenge in quantifying the multiscale characteristics of DNA virus systems, there is currently a lack of systematic theoretical research on the temperature-dependent evolution of ejection dynamics. This work presents a multiscale model to quantitatively explore the temperature-dependent mechanical properties during the virus ejection process, and unveil the underlying mechanisms. Two different assumptions of DNA structures, featuring two or single domains, are used for the early and later stages of ejection, respectively. Temperature is introduced as an influencing variable into the mesoscopic energy model by considering the temperature dependence of Debye length, DNA persistence length, molecular kinetic energy, and other parameters. The results indicate that temperature variations alter the energy landscape associated with DNA structure, leading to the changes in the energy minimum and corresponding DNA structure remaining in the capsid. These changes affect both the active ejection force and passive friction during the DNA ejection, ultimately leading to a significant increase in ejection velocity at higher temperatures. Furthermore, our model supports the previous hypothesis that temperature-induced changes in the size of viral portal pore could dramatically enhance DNA ejection velocity.

Assessment of Germination and Seedling Development Factors of Soybean Cultivars in Different Salinity Levels

Salinity poses a significant abiotic stress factor that exerts detrimental effects on plant growth during germination and early seedling stages. The global prevalence of high salt concentration has transformed salinity into a serious problem, impacting vast expanses of land worldwide. This experiment aims to examine the effects of various concentrations of Sodium chloride (NaCl), including 200 mM, 150 mM, 50 mM, and 50 mM, on the seed development at early stage and germination of different cultivars of soybean to determine the variety with the highest value of tolerance, while exploring the underlying mechanisms responsible for salt tolerance in these plants. The parameters considered for measurement included relative injury rate, mean germination time, germination percentage, water uptake percentage, seedling height reduction, seedling biomass, and salt tolerance. Among these parameters, seedling height was highly affected with up to 72.58% reduction in 200 mM, followed by fresh weight and water uptake percentage. The parameters with minimum changes from 0 mM to 200 mM were mean germination time and relative injury rate. By assessing these parameters, a comprehensive understanding of the effects of salinity on soybean genotypes can be obtained. In conclusion, the study suggests that seedling traits are a reliable way to identify genotypes with increased tolerance to salinity stress by farmers according to the salinity situation in their soils.

Experimental investigation on a solar dryer assisted with minimum phase change material (PCM) placed on the inner walls of drying chamber

Solar dryers assisted with phase change material (PCM) speed up the drying process by compensating the negating effect of reduced or absence of solar energy under cloudy or non-sunshine hours respectively. The study of the relevant and recent literature indicated that the minimum quantity and proper placement of this PCM have not been explored to take full advantage of using them in solar dryers. Hence in this research work, experimental investigations on banana slice drying were carried out with 4 and 10 numbers of copper tubes filled with 176 and 494 kg of commercial paraffin wax respectively (correspondingly designated as SD-PCM1 and SD-PCM2). The copper tubes were placed in vertical and horizontal orientations on the inner wall of the drying chamber so that the upward movement of air would not disturbed. A comparison of the drying performance of a PCM-based unit with a natural convective solar dryer without PCM (SD) was also presented. As no appreciable differences between the mass loss during drying under SD and SD-PCM1 modes were observed, it was concluded that a mass of PCM greater than 176 g would enhance drying rates. Thus for the same final mass of dried banana slices, the drying time was about 15 and 9 h with SD and SD-PCM2 respectively. As the operating conditions of SD and SD-PCM vary considerably in terms of the thermal energy supplied during the drying process, the concept of a generalized drying curve with dimensionless time was used to study the drying kinetics. A close alignment of experimental data of moisture content ratio with the generalized drying curve under SD and SD-PCM modes indicates similar dryer performance irrespective of the differences in thermal energy supplied. The average exergetic efficiency of SD, SD-PCM1 and SD-PCM2 was 21, 26 and 28 % respectively. The sustainability index and environmental impact factor for SD-PCM2 were 1.41 and 2.5 respectively which was better compared to the respective values of 1.27 and 3.77 in SD mode favoring the use of PCM in solar dryers.

Psychometric properties of the arabic version of occupational value with pre-defined ítems

Background Perceived occupational value is closely linked with well-being and there is need worldwide for assessment tools that target this phenomenon. The Occupational Value with pre-defined items (OVal-pd), measuring three dimensions of occupational value; concrete, socio-symbolic and self-rewarding, was designed for that purpose. Aim To pilot an Arabic version of OVal-pd and evaluate its psychometric properties in terms of content validity, factor structure, homogeneity, construct validity, test-retest stability, floor and ceiling effects, and measurement error. Methods Snowball sampling was used to recruit Arabic-speaking persons living in Sweden (n = 55). They completed the OVal-pd and questionnaires addressing background factors, content validity and feasibility. Confirmatory factor analysis, Spearman’s rank correlation, Cronbach’s α, intraclass correlation coefficients, and minimum detectable change were calculated. Results A 22-item version of the Arabic OVal-pd was found to have acceptable content validity and feasibility and the proposed three occupational value dimensions were confirmed. Good properties in terms of construct validity, internal consistency and test-retest stability were also established. No floor or ceiling effects were observed. Conclusion The Arabic OVal-pd showed good validity and reliability on various psychometric aspects. Significance In today’s multicultural societies, the Arabic OVal-pd can be an important tool for occupational therapists working with Arabic-speaking clients.

Phytochemical characterization and quality evaluation of stirred goat milk yoghurt with added fruit and vegetable puree during storage

PurposeGoat milk yoghurt differs from cow milk yoghurt in that it has a different casein composition and content, which presents several technical challenges, including consistency with an appropriate flavor.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the antioxidant potential and phytochemical profiling of the fruits (pineapple and papaya) and vegetable (carrot) extracts was evaluated and the effect of their purees on the quality and stability of stirred goat milk yoghurt (GMY) were investigated. The qualities of stirred GMY with carrot (CrY), pineapple (PaY) and papaya (PpY) purees were assessed against the product without puree (CY).FindingsThe carrot puree had the highest moisture, ash contents and pH value. The carrot extract had the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, while the pineapple extract had the highest total phenolic value (1.59 µg GAE/g) and flavonoids content (0.203 µg CE/g). The scanning of all the puree extracts in GC-MS indicated that 5-hydroxymethylfurfural was a major component. The phytochemical quantification of the extracts through multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) against 16 compounds showed the presence of sinapic acid, cinnamic acid, pthalic acid, ferulic acid, 4-OH-benzoic acid, 3-OH-benzoic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid and vanillic acid in different quantities. The addition of purees and storage period had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on the moisture, pH, titratable acidity, syneresis, viscosity, color values and sensory properties of the products. In all the samples after 15 days of storage, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus counts remained above the recommended level of 106CFU/g. Stirred GMY sample produced with pineapple puree showed a higher syneresis and viscosity, but the CrY sample demonstrated the highest antioxidant activity. The developed formulations remained stable with minimum changes in quality and sensory attribute during refrigerated storage for 10 days.Originality/valueThis study suggests that addition of fruit and vegetable improve the viscosity and sensory perception of the product with minimal use of synthetic flavor and preservatives.

High sensitivity fiber optic current sensor based on Fabry–Perot interferometer manufactured by femtosecond laser

Abstract A novel fiber optic current sensor was prepared based on femtosecond laser processing technology and magnetostrictive material Terfenol-D. Its principle is to use the linear stretching of Terfenol-D material under the action of current to cause linear shift in the sensor spectrum. Firstly, we fabricated Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI1) using femtosecond laser in a tapered few mode fiber. Then, FPI2 was prepared using the end face of FPI1, quartz capillary, and single-mode fiber. When cascading FPI1 and FPI2, by adjusting the air-cavity length of FPI2, they form a harmonic vernier effect (HVE) sensor. In HVE sensors, FPI1 forms a cantilever beam inside the capillary, which is not affected by axial strain. Therefore, when the axial strain acts on the HVE sensor, the effective length of axial strain increases to the entire length of the quartz capillary, greatly amplifying the strain sensitivity. Finally, the Terfenol-D rod is pasted onto the HVE strain sensor, and the strain change coupled to the strain sensor caused by magnetic field changes is detected by measuring the wavelength shift of the sensor. As the magnetic field strength is directly proportional to the current in the energized coil, this sensor can measure current. The experiment found that the current sensitivity of the sensor is 5.30 nm A−1 in the range of 0.5 A–3.3 A, and the linear fitting coefficient is 0.9926. Additionally, the minimum measurable current change of the sensor is 23 mA. The current sensor is of advantages of high sensitivity, stable sensing performance, compact structure, easy fabrication and low cost, meaning wide application prospect.

Measurement of stress characteristics in flexible multi-thin-film substrates using tomography common optical path interferometry

Flexible displays are lightweight, thin, flexible, and impact-resistant, making them a major trend in the display industry. However, their short lifespan is a significant challenge. Thus, improving process parameters and extending product life through advanced measurement technology is crucial. Therefore, this study proposes using tomography common optical path interferometry (TCOPI) to measure and analyze the tomography stress characteristics of multi-thin-film flexible substrates in the folding direction. For polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyimide (PI), three thicknesses of indium tin oxide (ITO) were coated on the PET, graphene/PET, and graphene/PI flexible film substrates, and an automatic sliding-folding test platform was used to fold each flexible film substrate. Moreover, this study used TCOPI to measure and analyze the change in residual stress and the sheet resistance of the samples before and after folding. Additionally, this study conducted inward and outward folding tests on graphene/PET/graphene and graphene/PI/graphene substrates to analyze tomographic stress and sheet resistance in the folding direction. After 11,000 folding tests, the graphene/PET/graphene sample exhibited smaller stress and sheet resistance change rates compared to the graphene/PI/graphene sample, as measured by TCOPI. Consequently, the graphene/PET/graphene sample demonstrated better resistance to folding stress in this batch manufacturing process. Specifically, for the graphene layer of the graphene/PET/graphene sample, the minimum absolute value of the stress change rate before and after folding reached 5%. At the same time, the minimum sheet resistance value change rate was 8%. Based on the tomography stress measurements, suggestions for fine-tuning process parameters are provided to improve the flexible film substrate’s folding endurance.

Reliable Change Indices and Minimum Detectable Change for the Montreal Cognitive Assessment in Electroconvulsive Therapy for Depression.

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a commonly used brief cognitive screening tool for monitoring adverse cognitive effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The aim of this study was to examine three statistical methods for detecting reliable change in the MoCA following ECT. In a prospective cohort study, 47 patients (mean age 55.2 [SD = 12.8], 59.6% female) with unipolar or bipolar depression treated with an acute course of brief-pulse ECT (72.3% right unilateral) and 47 depressed controls without ECT exposure were tested on the MoCA at baseline and retested at comparable time intervals. ECT patients' performance was also compared to published normative data from a community-based sample of older adults. We calculated proportions of ECT patients remaining stable, declining, and improving following ECT using practice-corrected reliable change index, standardized regression-based formulas, and minimum detectable change cutoff of ±4 MoCA points. Using the three methods, 72.3%-78.7% of ECT patients remained stable, 17.0%-23.4% declined, and 4.3% improved in MoCA performance following ECT compared to the two control groups. All three methods yield consistent estimates of reliable change in MoCA scores from pre- to post-brief-pulse ECT. The minimum detectable change approach may be the most efficient and accessible method of detecting change due to simplicity of calculation.

Validity and reproducibility of the ARL-RSI score to assess psychological readiness before returning to sport after lateral ankle sprain.

Although multiple scales exist to evaluate psychological readiness before returning to sport post-lateral ankle sprain (LAS), no score has been validated specifically for LAS or chronic ankle instability. The main aim of the study is to evaluate the validity and reproducibility of the ankle ligament reconstruction-return to sport injury (ALR-RSI) scale in assessing psychological readiness after LAS and its ability to identify patients who can return to their preinjury level. A total of 64 patients (35 females and 29 males; 33.8 ± 13.2 years) who recently experienced an acute LAS were included in this study. All patients participated in a predictive validation component of the study and were assessed at 2 and 4 months following an LAS. The ALR-RSI was completed twice by 20 patients at a 7-day interval to evaluate the reliability of the score in patients suffering from LAS. The ALR-RSI was significantly (p < 0.001) and positively correlated with the other scores. The correlation was strong with the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure Sports: r = 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.78-0.83) and moderate with the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (r = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.60-0.78) and the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure Activities of Daily Living Scores (r = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.51-0.72). Two-month ALR-RSI scores had good ability for predicting nonreturners at 4 months (area under the curve = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.6-0.9; p = 0.005). A Youden index of 0.51 was observed at an ALR-RSI score of 46%, corresponding to a sensitivity of 67% and specificity of 83%. Test-retest reliability of the ALR-RSI was excellent, with an ICC of 0.98 (95% CI: 0.96-0.99), a standard error of measurement of 3.02% and a minimum detectable change of 8.37%. The results of the current study validated the ALR-RSI as an important questionnaire to assess psychological readiness to return to sport after LAS. Level II prospective cohort study.

Assessment of occlusion changes during laboratory phase of relining: An in vitro study.

Assessment of occlusion changes during laboratory phase of relining is essential to evaluate the occlusal discrepancies that could get incorporated in the denture with the use of different relining materials. Since the long term stability and functional success of the denture is heavily influenced by occlusion, an In-vitro study to assess these changes after relining is warranted. The aim of the study is to evaluate the changes in occlusion during laboratory phase of relining procedure. This is an in vitro study with a total of 30 specimen. A total of 30 maxillary standardized dentures were fabricated after mounting on a semi adjustable articulator. These samples will be divided into three groups based on the relining material used (Autopolymerizing resin, Heat-cure resin, Tissue conditioner). The vertical dimension, Centric contact points and eccentric contact points were measured before and after relining. The variables were tested to see if they had a normal distribution using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Parametric distribution was seen for ECP leading to further comparison using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Non-parametric distribution was found while testing the VD, CCP leading to adoption of Kruskal-wallis test for comparison of groups. Dunn Bonferroni test was done for VD since results were significant. The results of this in-vitro study showed statistically significant difference with respect to change in vertical dimension in all groups pre and post relining (P = 0.005). The centric contact points showed lesser variation in position when comparing the pre to the post relining phase with the use of autopolymerising resins, whereas heat cure resins and tissue conditioners showed statistically significant difference in the centric point contacts post relining. No statistically significant changes were seen in eccentric occlusion post relining in all groups. Tissue conditioners showed minimum mean changes in eccentric contacts. Within the limitations of this study, the use of autopolymerising resins depicted the most stable results with respect to occlusion, for relining of dentures.

Human Olivocochlear Effects: A Statistical Detection Approach Applied to the Cochlear Microphonic Evoked by Swept Tones.

The human medial olivocochlear (MOC) reflex was assessed by observing the effects of contralateral acoustic stimulation (CAS) on the cochlear microphonic (CM) across a range of probe frequencies. A frequency-swept probe tone (125-4757Hz, 90dB SPL) was presented in two directions (up sweep and down sweep) to normal-hearing young adults. This study assessed MOC effects on the CM in individual participants using a statistical approach that calculated minimum detectable changes in magnitude and phase based on CM signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Significant increases in CM magnitude, typically 1-2dB in size, were observed for most participants from 354 to 1414Hz, where the size and consistency of these effects depended on participant, probe frequency, sweep direction, and SNR. CAS-related phase lags were also observed, consistent with CM-based MOC studies in laboratory animals. Observed effects on CM magnitude and phase were in the opposite directions of reported effects on otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). OAEs are sensitive to changes in the motility of outer hair cells located near the peak region of the traveling wave, while the effects of CAS on the CM likely originate from MOC-related changes in the conductance of outer hair cells located in the basal tail of the traveling wave. Thus, MOC effects on the CM are complementary to those observed for OAEs.

Cost-benefit analysis for SHM systems based on minimum detectable parameter change

Value of information (VoI) analysis can be used to assess the benefit of monitoring the health of infrastructure such as bridges and waterway locks. Such information supports decision-making processes, guiding operators towards the best actions for the infrastructure. In recent studies, VoI analysis is integrated with the modeling of the temporal evolution of structural conditions, so that the value of Structural Health Monitoring (VoSHM) can be assessed over the life cycle of the infrastructure. However, none of these studies considers the ability of the measurement system to detect small changes and its impact on the assessment of the VoI. This paper presents an approach to VoI assessment based on the concept of minimum change detectability and Bayesian linear filters. By exploiting a feature of the Kalman filter whereby posterior covariance is independent of observations, it is possible to predict the minimum shift in the mean value of a structural parameter for which its posterior density function would exceed a user-defined safety threshold. By constructing the decision tree and considering the cost of monitoring and maintenance, the value of detecting smaller changes can be estimated, which is the value of early change detection and performing preventive maintenance. As a proof of concept, this approach is applied to assess the VoSHM for a navigation lock built with precast reinforced concrete elements, where the steel bars in the chamber are damaged by fatigue and corrosion. The VoSHM is compared with the VoI associated to other Non Destructive Tests. The paper then discusses the implications of applying Bayesian linear filters in SHM for parameter change detection, the main one being the development of refined scales for structural condition assessment before any data from the changed state is available. Ultimately, the VoSHM is the benefit brought by adopting these refined scales in maintenance management.

Calculation of the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) using different methodologies: case study and practical guide

IntroductionEstablishing thresholds of change that are actually meaningful for the patient in an outcome measurement instrument is paramount. This concept is called the minimum clinically important difference (MCID). We summarize available MCID calculation methods relevant to spine surgery, and outline key considerations, followed by a step-by-step working example of how MCID can be calculated, using publicly available data, to enable the readers to follow the calculations themselves.MethodsThirteen MCID calculations methods were summarized, including anchor-based methods, distribution-based methods, Reliable Change Index, 30% Reduction from Baseline, Social Comparison Approach and the Delphi method. All methods, except the latter two, were used to calculate MCID for improvement of Zurich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ) Symptom Severity of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Numeric Rating Scale for Leg Pain and Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire Walking Ability domain were used as anchors.ResultsThe MCID for improvement of ZCQ Symptom Severity ranged from 0.8 to 5.1. On average, distribution-based methods yielded lower MCID values, than anchor-based methods. The percentage of patients who achieved the calculated MCID threshold ranged from 9.5% to 61.9%.ConclusionsMCID calculations are encouraged in spinal research to evaluate treatment success. Anchor-based methods, relying on scales assessing patient preferences, continue to be the “gold-standard” with receiver operating characteristic curve approach being optimal. In their absence, the minimum detectable change approach is acceptable. The provided explanation and step-by-step example of MCID calculations with statistical code and publicly available data can act as guidance in planning future MCID calculation studies.