Pearson Correlation Coefficient Research Articles

Engineering G protein-coupled receptors for stabilization.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are one of the most important families of targets for drug discovery. One of the limiting steps in the study of GPCRs has been their stability, with significant and time-consuming protein engineering often used to stabilize GPCRs for structural characterization and drug screening. Unfortunately, computational methods developed using globular soluble proteins have translated poorly to the rational engineering of GPCRs. To fill this gap, we propose GPCR-tm, a novel and personalized structurally driven web-based machine learning tool to study the impacts of mutations on GPCR stability. We show that GPCR-tm performs as well as or better than alternative methods, and that it can accurately rank the stability changes of a wide range of mutations occurring in various types of class A GPCRs. GPCR-tm achieved Pearson's correlation coefficients of 0.74 and 0.46 on 10-fold cross-validation and blind test sets, respectively. We observed that the (structural) graph-based signatures were the most important set of features for predicting destabilizing mutations, which points out that these signatures properly describe the changes in the environment where the mutations occur. More specifically, GPCR-tm was able to accurately rank mutations based on their effect on protein stability, guiding their rational stabilization. GPCR-tm is available through a user-friendly web server at https://biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/gpcr_tm/.

Comparative study of eating behavior between patients with mental illness and healthy controls using the Japanese version of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire.

To examine the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ-J) for patients with mental illness, and to determine the characteristics of eating behavior among these patients when compared with healthy controls. In May 2018, 120 outpatients with mental illness and 132 healthy controls were surveyed. First, exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the DEBQ-J statement responses for both patients and healthy controls. Next, reliability coefficients were calculated for the eating behavior scale scores (emotional, restrained, and external eating) extracted from the factor analysis. The association between BMI and eating behavior was examined using Student's t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient. The DEBQ-J had a similar factor structure to that of the original DEBQ for healthy controls, with a cumulative contribution of 52.4% for the three factors, and alpha coefficients ranging from 0.87 to 0.91. For patients, factor analysis showed that four statements classified as emotional eating items in the original DEBQ were recategorized as external eating items, and the percentage of patients with obesity (BMI≥25) was 57.5%, compared with only 25.4% among the healthy controls. The patients with obesity tended to score higher on the external eating scale than did those with BMI<25. Patients tended to blur the distinction between emotional feelings of mental irritability or anxiety and feelings in response to external stimuli. Monitoring of the DEBQ-J external eating score and appropriate intervention among patients living with mental illness may help to prevent obesity.

Validity of severity of dependence scale-Indonesia in patients with drug and alcohol dependence

A quick and self-administrative screening tool to detect dependence on various substances is vital in the early detection of multiple substance dependence. This study aimed to validate the severity of the dependence scale Indonesian version (SDS-Ina) in a sample of clinically diagnosed substance-related disorder subjects. The study was an observational study and rapid assessment of suspected patients with drug and alcohol dependence in an outpatient psychiatric unit in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The translated severity of dependence scale-Indonesia (SDS-Ina) questionnaire was given out to 65 subjects through an online form. The content validity of the translated SDS was assessed with Aiken’s V, and concurrent validity was analyzed in comparison to the Diagnostic of Statistical and Manual Mental Disorder IV (DSM-IV) diagnosis criteria with Pearson correlation coefficient and factor validity through principal component analysis (PCA). Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha and test-retest reliability. Aiken’s V index concluded that our content validity was valid (all&amp;gt;0.75). A Pearson correlation coefficient of=0.93 (P&amp;lt;0.001), PCA of all items ≥0.60 further validates the SDS-Ina. Internal reliability of Cronbach’s Alpha 0.907 and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC): all≥0.75). In conclusion, the translated SDS is a valid and reliable tool to measure the psychological dependence of Indonesian subjects involved in this study.

Religious orientations on attitude toward a secular state: Case of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in north regions of Kazakhstan

The main objective of this study was to explore the connections between orientations (Quest, Intrinsic, and Extrinsic) and peoples' attitudes towards a secular state among members of the Evangelical Lutheran Churches in the northern regions of Kazakhstan. To achieve this, established scales were used to assess participants' perspectives on secularism and their religious orientations. The article analyses the opinion on the separation of church and state using measures of tendency. There were also calculated Pearson correlation coefficients to understand how religious beliefs interacted with views on governance. The findings indicated that there was an inclination towards secularism among the participants. While some respondents valued the guidance provided by the Church in decisions, others preferred a separation between religious institutions and legislative affairs. However, when examining orientations, none showed a significant influence on attitudes towards a secular state. This highlights the relationship between religious beliefs and societal views on governance. Overall, this study emphasises that while religious orientation provides insights into beliefs, it does not solely determine attitudes towards secularism. It underscores that belief systems are multifaceted and interact intricately with governance perspectives. Future research should focus on uncovering factors that influence these perspectives within and beyond the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

간호대학생의 환자 개인정보보호 인식, SNS 중독경향성, 간호정보활용 역량이 간호전문직관에 미치는 영향

Objectives This study was conducted to provide basic data necessary for the formation of nursing professional values by identifying the effects of nursing students' awareness of patient personal information protection, SNS addiction tendency, and nursing information literacy competency on nursing professional values. Methods A structured self-report questionnaire was used to measure awareness of patient personal information protection, SNS addiction tendency, and nursing information literacy competency to nursing professional values. Data were collected from January 3 to January 20, 2023. Participants were 200 nursing students studying in 1 uni-versity within Gumi Province. Data were analyzed using Independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation co-efficients, and Hierarchical Multiple regression with the SPSS Statistic 27.0 program. Results The general characteristics that showed significant differences in nursing professional vlaues of nursing students were the average daily use of SNS(F=8.19, p&lt;.001), and the necessity of patient personal information protection education(F=3.21, p&lt;.05). Awareness of Patient Personal Information Protection(r=.529, p&lt;.001) and nursing Information Literacy Competency(r=.647 p&lt;.001) showed a significant positive correlation, and SNS ad-diction tendency(r=.148, p&lt;.05) showed a weak positive correlation. Through Model 2, in which significant general characteristics were input as control variables and independent variables were added, it was found that nursing Information Literacy Competency and awareness of Patient Personal Information Protection had a high influence on nursing professional vlaues of nursing students in that order, and the explanatory power was 47.5%. In other words, the higher the nursing Information Literacy Competency and the higher the awareness of personal in-formation protection, the higher nursing professional vlaues. Conclusions Based on the results of this study, in order to form a nursing professional values for nursing students living in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it is necessary to develop the ability to utilize nursing in-formation, manage patients' personal information with high protection awareness, and actively utilize the net function of SNS through real-time access to share new information and form relationships with others as a professional.

Levels of emotional intelligence and years of experience on resilience among working adults

Emotional intelligence scores and resilience levels were evaluated to investigate the correlations between them. Analyzing the impact of years of experience and emotional intelligence on resilience was one of the objectives. Resilience, years of experience, and emotional intelligence were defined operationally, and hypotheses were developed. 151 Indian working professionals between the ages of 21 and 35 provided self-report questionnaires from which data was gathered. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire - Short Form and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale were employed. To analyze the data, multiple regression analysis and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used. The findings showed that emotional intelligence and resilience were positively correlated, with emotional intelligence being a substantial predictor of resilience. There was, however, little proof that years of expertise and resilience were related. Sample and response biases, a cross-sectional design, a focus on demographics, and confounding variables were among the limitations. To achieve a thorough grasp of emotional intelligence, years of experience, and resilience across varied groups, future research should make use of demographic diversification, random sampling, longitudinal investigations, and objective assessments.

A correlational study between Eye Hand coordination and Balance among Geriatric Badminton players

Playing badminton demands a high level of footwork, balance, grip, coordination, strokes, and serves accuracy. The study aims in measuring eye hand coordination and balance among geriatric badminton players. 43 geriatric badminton players, for Eye-hand coordination was assessed using the ruler drop test, while balance was evaluated using the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI). The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between eye-hand coordination and balance among geriatric badminton players. A correlational study was conducted with 43, geriatric badminton players [71.35±4.99], and Participants completed the ruler drop test and the DGI to assess eye-hand coordination and balance, respectively. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was performed to determine the relationship between eye-hand coordination and balance. Results: Contrary to expectations, the correlational analysis revealed no significant correlation between eye-hand coordination and balance among geriatric badminton players (r = [0.12], p &gt; [0.416]). Thus, the findings suggest that there is no discernible relationship between these two factors in this population.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding dengue among non-health undergraduate students of Nepal.

Dengue poses a significant public health concern worldwide. It is identified as a recent emerging infectious disease in Nepal. Understanding the situation and dynamics between knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to dengue among students is crucial for effective prevention and control strategies. This study aimed to assess the KAP and their associated factors of dengue among non-health undergraduate students of Nepal to identify gaps and suggest appropriate interventions. A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 429 non-health undergraduate students at eleven Nepalese Universities, with 80% of participants from the four most prominent ones in the country. Self-administered online forms were administered via Google Forms platform predominantly through social media for data collection. Data was cleaned and then exported to IBM SPSS Statistics 20.0 for analysis. Demographic characteristics of respondents were described using descriptive statistics. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to determine the association between individual characteristics and KAP. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the association between knowledge-attitude, attitude-practice, and knowledge-practice. Statistical significance was determined at the p-value < 0.05. Around half of the participants were female (50.3%). The majority of participants were between 22 to 37 years, unmarried, and belonged to the Brahmin/Chhetri ethnic group. This study demonstrated a significant gap in KAP. Only 15.2% of participants had good knowledge while 25.9% and 68.3% of participants exhibited good attitudes and practices respectively. Marital status (AOR = 3.32, CI: 1.32-8.34), third-year educational level (AOR = 3.59, CI:1.34-9.57), and fourth-year educational level (AOR = 4.93, CI:1.88-12.94) were significantly associated with knowledge regarding dengue. Age (AOR = 1.73, CI: 1.10-3.01) was significantly associated with preventive practice regarding dengue. None of the demographic or socio-economic characteristics of respondents was associated with attitude on dengue. The knowledge-attitude (rka = 0.01), knowledge-practice (rkp = 0.22), and attitude-practice (rap = 0.01) were positively correlated in this study.

Optical diffractive neural network imaging through double diffusive mediums

The optical diffractive neural network (ODNN) offers the benefits of high-speed parallelism and low energy consumption. This kind of method holds great potential in the task of reconstructing diffusive images. In this work, we capture a double-scattering dataset by designing optical experiments and use it to evaluate the image reconstruction capability of the constructed ODNNs under more complex scattering scenarios. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient, which is used as a quantitative index of the reconstruction performance, shows that the constructed diffractive networks enable to achieve high performance in the direct recovery of double-scattering data, as well as in the recovery task of stitching images based on two different kinds of double-scattering data. Meanwhile, due to the high redundancy of valid information in the speckle patterns of scattering images, even if parts of the information in the speckle patterns are blocked, the constructed diffractive networks can also show high reconstruction performance without retraining. The capability of the proposed ODNN to reconstruct double-scattering images indicates that the optical diffractive network has the potential to bring transformative applications in more complex scattering scenarios.

Dietary risk assessment of drinking water and fish from cultivated wetlands of Ndop

ABSTRACT This study evaluated pesticide exposure practices, and the potential health risks of consuming drinking water and fish from the cultivated wetlands of Ndop, Cameroon. Six hundred and twenty-six questionnaires were conveniently administered to farmers (≥26 years old) in a cross-sectional study to assess exposure practices and dietary risks. The Chi-square and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to establish relationships between variables. The PRIMET model was used to predict a worst-case dietary risk. The exposure practices of 90% of farmers were inadequate. Chlorpyriphos, lambda-cyhalothrin, fipronil, and paraquat dichloride posed a possible dietary risk at recommended and applied doses, with chlorpyrifos having the highest exposure toxicity ratio (ETRdiet = 36.72). Paraquat dichloride, fipronil, and lambda-cyhalothrin posed a possible dietary risk at 26.3, 58.3, and 62.2% of their recommended concentrations, respectively. Remarkably, the dietary risk for cypermethrin was acceptable at 5.8 times its recommended dose (ETRdietR = 0.29). The significant positive correlation (p = 0.000) between PECfish and ETRdiet suggests a possible health risk of consuming fish and drinking water harvested from the wetlands, thus the urgent need of replacing pesticides posing possible risks at lower or recommended concentrations with less toxic alternatives and to train farmers on pesticide application practices.

A pilot study of virtual liver segment projection technology in subsegment-oriented laparoscopic anatomical liver resection when indocyanine green staining fails (with video).

Precision surgery for liver tumors favors laparoscopic anatomical liver resection (LALR), involving the removal of specific liver segments or subsegments. Indocyanine green (ICG)-negative staining is a commonly used method for defining resection boundaries but may be prone to failure. The challenge arises when ICG staining fails, as it cannot be repeated during surgery. In this study, we employed the virtual liver segment projection (VLSP) technology as a salvage approach for precise boundary determination. Our aim was to assess the feasibility of the VLSP to be used for the determination of the boundaries of the liver resection in this situation. Between January 2021 and June 2023, 12 consecutive patients undergoing subsegment-oriented LALR were included in this pilot series. The VLSP technology was utilized to define the resection boundaries at the time of ICG-negative staining failure. Routine surgical parameters and short-term outcomes were evaluated to assess the safety of VLSP in this procedure. In addition, its feasibility was assessed by analyzing the accuracy between the predicted resected liver volume (PRLV) and actual resected liver volume (ARLV). Of the 12 enrolled patients, the mean operation time was 444.58 ± 101.70min (range 290-570min), with a mean blood loss of 125.00 ± 96.53ml (range 50-400mL). One patient (8.3%) was converted to laparotomy for subsequent parenchymal transection, four (33.3%) received blood transfusions and four (33.3%) had postoperative complications. All patients received an R0 resection. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) between PRLV and ARLV was 0.98 (R2 = 0.96, p < 0.05), and the relative error (RE) was 8.62 ± 6.66% in the 12 patients, indicating agreement. Failure of intraoperative ICG-negative staining during subsegment-oriented LALR is possible, and VLSP may be an alternative to define the resection boundaries in such cases.

Inter-array cabling optimization in offshore wind power plants, a new reliability indicator for radial grids

The inter-array grid relates to a significant share of the investments into an offshore wind power plant (OWPP). Optimizing the cable connections regarding costs and reliability is a mathematically complex task due to the high variety of possible wind and component (wind turbine or cable) failure scenarios. This paper presents a novel mixed integer linear programming approach to support investment decisions into OWPPs by trading off cabling purchase and installation costs with power capacity risk (PCR), which is defined as a length-weighed cumulative power flow summation that reflects the consequences of cable failures. Then, quasi-random Monte Carlo simulations assess the optimized collection grids (CGs) to quantify their levelized cost of energy (LCOE). To construct relevant case studies, this work investigates the real OWPPs Ormonde, Horns Rev 1, Thanet, and London Array, which contain 30, 80, 100, and 175 wind turbines. The results reveal Pearson correlation coefficients around 0.99 between the proposed PCR and the expected energy not supplied. Furthermore, this paper’s findings indicate that minimum-cost CGs do not necessarily present the lowest LCOE.

Initial evaluation of the relationship between maximal axial vertebra rotation and the rotation deformity in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

This study evaluated the relationship between maximal axial vertebra rotation (maxAVR) and other clinical and radiological indexes, compared to apical vertebra rotation (AVR) in idiopathic adolescent scoliosis (AIS). Forty consecutive patients of AIS with Cobb angle of major curve > 40° were included. They were scanned by an EOS imaging system and had trunk rotational angle (TRA) measured by scoliometer. The correlation between variables was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and loaded onto a meta-analysis model. There were (34 girls and 6 boys) with an average age of 13.8 ± 1.6years. AVR was maxAVR in only 47.5% (19/40) cases of the major curves and 42.3% (11/26) cases of the minor curves. The correlation between maxAVR and TRA was significantly higher than the correlation between AVR and TRA for the MT curves (p = 0.0001) and TL/L curves (p = 0.0001). On multivariate regression analysis, the magnitude of maxAVR showed a significant correlation with TRA (p = 0.0002), Cobb angle (p = 0.001), and coronal deformity angular ratio (C-DAR) (p = 0.027). The apical vertebra was not the most rotated in most cases. The correlation between maxAVR and TRA was significantly higher than the correlation between AVR and TRA. Moreover, the maxAVR was multivariately related to TRA, Cobb angle, and C-DAR. Level II, diagnostic.

Age-related changes of intraocular pressure in Dutch belted rabbits.

This study investigated intraocular pressure (IOP) in Dutch belted rabbits using two different tonometers, rebound tonometry (TonoVet Plus; TVP) and a Tonopen (Tono-Pen AVIA Vet; TPA). Post-pubescent male Dutch belted rabbits aged 36weeks (n = 10 animals) were used in the study. IOP measurements were conducted every 2weeks for 22weeks using TVP and TPA on both eyes of each rabbit. The average IOP measurements were compared by the paired Student's t-test. Pairwise Pearson's correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman statistics were used. The overall mean IOP measured with TPA was significantly higher than that with TVP (23.5 ± 4.9 vs. 21.8 ± 2.4mmHg for the right eyes; P = 0.045, and 23.0 ± 4.7 vs. 21.5 ± 2.4mmHg for the left eyes; P = 0.047). Both tonometers tended to show increased IOP readings with age, and positive correlations between IOP and age were observed with both TPA (r = 0.95, P < 0.001 for right eyes; r = 0.95, P < 0.001 for left eyes) and TVP (r = 0.91, P < 0.001 for right eyes; r = 0.64, P = 0.024 for left eyes). The average bias calculated by subtracting TPA from TVP was - 1.60(95% confidence intervals - 1.927, - 1.281)mmHg. IOP in post-pubescent Dutch belted rabbits tended to increase with age throughout the 22week study.

Spatial variability of pollution source contributions during two (2012–2013 and 2018–2019) sampling campaigns at ten sites in Los Angeles basin

This study assessed the spatial variability of PM2.5 source contributions across ten sites located in the South Coast Air Basin, California. Eight pollution sources and their contributions were obtained using positive matrix factorization (PMF) from the PM2.5 compositional data collected during the two sampling campaigns (2012/13 and 2018/19) of the Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study (MATES). The identified sources were “gasoline vehicles”, “aged sea salt”, “biomass burning”, “secondary nitrate”, “secondary sulfate”, “diesel vehicles”, “soil/road dust” and “OP-rich”. Among them, “gasoline vehicle” was the largest contributor to the PM2.5 mass. The spatial distributions of source contributions to PM2.5 at the sites were characterized by the Pearson correlation coefficients as well as coefficients of determination and divergence. The highest spatial variability was found for the contributions from the “OP-rich” source in both MATES campaigns suggesting varying influences of the wildfires in the Los Angeles Basin. Alternatively, the smallest spatial variabilities were observed for the contributions of the “secondary sulfate” and “aged sea salt” sources resolved for the MATES campaign in 2012/13. The “soil/road dust” contributions of the sites from the 2018/19 campaign were also highly correlated. Compared to the other sites, the source contribution patterns observed for Inland Valley and Rubidoux were the most diverse from the others likely due to their remote locations from the other sites, the major urban area, and the Pacific Ocean.

Radiomics features of the cardiac blood pool to indicate hemodynamic changes in pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (PH-HFpEF).

To test the hypothesis that cine MRI-derived radiomics features of the cardiac blood pool can represent hemodynamic characteristics of pulmonary hypertension-heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (PH-HFpEF). Nineteen PH-HFpEF patients (9 male, 57.8 ± 14.7 years) and 19 healthy controls (13 male, 50.3 ± 13.6 years) were enrolled. All participants underwent a cardiac MRI scan. One hundred and seven radiomics features (7 classes) of the blood pool in the left and right ventricles/atrium (LV/RV/LA/RA) were extracted from 4-chamber cine (2D images) at the stages of systole, rapid filling, diastasis, and atrial contraction within a cardiac cycle. For PH-HFpEF patients, features acquired from LV/LA were related to the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP); features acquired from RV/RA were related to the mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to test the capability of radiomics features in discriminating 2 subject groups. Features acquired from different chambers at various periods present diverse properties in representing hemodynamic indices of PH-HFpEF. Multiple radiomics features blood pool were significantly related to PCWP and/or mPAP (r: 0.4-0.679, p < 0.05). In addition, multiple features of blood pools acquired at various time points within a cardiac cycle can efficiently discriminate PH-HFpEF from controls (individual AUC: 0.7-0.864). Cine MRI-derived radiomics features of the cardiac blood pool have the potential to characterize hemodynamic abnormalities in the context of PH-HFpEF.

Auditory Electrophysiological Thresholds With Different Chirps and Their Correlation With Behavioral Thresholds in Hearing-Impaired Children.

Research focusing on changes in the clinical practice of audiological diagnosis has become increasingly necessary, particularly in pediatric audiology. The pursuit of accurate and reliable examinations has intensified given the importance of early detection and intervention in cases of childhood hearing loss. Thus, this study aims to investigate the correlation between electrophysiological auditory thresholds, as obtained through frequency-specific auditory brainstem responses with two distinct chirp stimuli (narrow-band CE-Chirp Level Specific and narrow-band iChirp), in children with hearing impairments. In addition, this research set out to correlate these thresholds with behavioral responses while simultaneously comparing the examination durations relative to the type of stimuli and the degree of hearing loss. A cohort of 20 children (aged 6 months to 12 years) with varying degrees of hearing impairment (ranging from mild to profound) were recruited. The participants underwent bilateral measurement of their electrophysiological thresholds via auditory brainstem responses across different frequencies (500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz), and the timeframe for determining these thresholds was carefully recorded. Subsequently, behavioral thresholds were ascertained using pure-tone audiometry or visual reinforcement audiometry based on the child's age. The data collected was subsequently analyzed using Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients. To compare examination times, the Student t test and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used. There was a pronounced correlation between the thresholds obtained through both narrow-band chirp stimuli. Moreover, a substantial correlation was found between electrophysiological and behavioral thresholds at 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz, especially when compared with pure-tone audiometry. The mean differences between the electrophysiological and behavioral thresholds were below 6 dB nHL, and the exam duration was relatively consistent across both devices, averaging 47.63 (±19.41) min for the narrow-band CE-Chirp Level Specific and 52.42 (±26) min for the narrow-band iChirp. Notably, variations in exam duration did not relate to varying degrees of hearing loss when using the narrow-band CE-Chirp Level Specific. Nevertheless, the narrow-band iChirp indicated significantly shorter durations in instances of profound degree measurements, demonstrating a statistically significant difference. The narrow-band CE-Chirp Level Specific and narrow-band iChirp stimuli provided similar estimates of electrophysiological auditory thresholds in children with hearing impairments, giving accurate estimations of behavioral thresholds. The time it took to complete the assessment is comparable between both stimuli. For the narrow-band iChirp, the degree of hearing loss was shown to impact the testing time, and children with profound hearing loss underwent faster exams. Ultimately, this study exhibits significant clinical implications as it reveals that the narrow-band CE-Chirp Level Specific and narrow-band iChirp stimuli could be remarkably promising for clinically exploring electrophysiological thresholds in children with hearing impairments.

Advancing non-invasive fetal health monitoring: A time–frequency approach to extracting fetal electrocardiogram signals

The fetal electrocardiogram (FECG) provides an important way for clinicians to assess fetal health and to monitor pregnancy conditions. Although FECG can be captured through abdominal electrocardiogram (AECG) recordings from pregnant women, it often receives interference from maternal cardiac activity and other external sources. Particularly, as the high-amplitude maternal electrocardiogram (MECG) typically obscures the waveform of the FECG, isolating FECG from the AECG signals is challenging. Nevertheless, the differences in frequency patterns between MECG and FECG suggest a potential way for reconstructing FECG by combining the frequency and amplitude information. To this end, we proposed a novel method for separating FECG signals from the AECG via the time–frequency representation. We designed an encoder–decoder architecture based hierarchical multiscale-aware network to capture features embedded in both the time and frequency domains. Equipped with a holistic attention-aware module (HAA), the model extracts and consolidates fetal heart activity-related features in the time–frequency domain. Further introducingan attention gate module (AG) to emphasize key features during encoder-to-decoder transmission, the model enhances the quality and efficiency of FECG extraction without any redundancy in high-quality feature mapping. The model was trained using a hybrid time-domain and frequency-domain loss function and validated on two public databases. Excellent performances, such as an average Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.85 for estimating the quality of FECG signals, were observed demonstrating its excellent performance and providing a promising non-invasive method for monitoring fetal health. These findings indicate that the proposed method effectively captures the amplitude differences between fetal and maternal heartbeats across various frequency components within the AECG, leading to the extraction of high-quality FECG signals.

Enhanced reliability and time efficiency of deep learning-based posterior tibial slope measurement over manual techniques.

Multifaceted factors contribute to inferior outcomes following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery. A particular focus is placed on the posterior tibial slope (PTS). This study introduces the integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) for efficient measurements of tibial slopes on magnetic resonance imaging images as a promising solution. This advancement aims to enhance risk stratification, diagnostic insights, intervention prognosisand surgical planning for ACL injuries. Images and demographic information from 120 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction surgery were used for this study. An AI-driven model was developed to measure the posterior lateral tibial slope using the YOLOv8 algorithm. The accuracy of the lateral tibial slope, medial tibial slopeand tibial longitudinal axis measurements was assessed, and the results reached high levels of reliability. This study employed machine learning and AI techniques to provide objective, consistentand efficient measurements of tibial slopes on MR images. Three distinct models were developed to derive AI-based measurements. The study results revealed a substantial correlation between the measurements obtained from the AI models and those obtained by the orthopaedic surgeon across three parameters: lateral tibial slope, medial tibial slopeand tibial longitudinal axis. Specifically, the Pearson correlation coefficients were 0.673, 0.850and 0.839, respectively. The Spearman rank correlation coefficients were 0.736, 0.861and 0.738, respectively. Additionally, the interclass correlation coefficients were 0.63, 0.84and 0.84, respectively. This study establishes that the deep learning-based method for measuring posterior tibial slopes strongly correlates with the evaluations of expert orthopaedic surgeons. The time efficiency and consistency of this technique suggest its utility in clinical practice, promising to enhance workflow, risk assessmentand the customization of patient treatment plans. Level III, cross-sectional diagnostic study.

App-based analysis of the femoral tunnel position in ACL reconstruction using the quadrant method.

The purpose of this study was to examine the intra- and interobserver variability of an app-based analysis of the femoral tunnel position using the quadrant method in primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Between 12/2020 und 12/2021 50 patients who underwent primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were included in this retrospective study. Intraoperative strictly lateral fluoroscopic images of the knee with marked femoral tunnel were analyzed by four observers using the quadrant method. For retest reliability analysis, measurements were repeated once by 2 observers after 4 weeks. The femoral tunnel position of all included patients averaged 27.86% in the depth relation and 15.61% in the height relation. Statistical analysis showed an almost perfect intra- and interobserver reliability in the depth and height relation. The ICC was 0.92 in the depth relation and 0.84 in the height relation. The Pearson's correlation coefficient in the depth and height relation of observer 1 (0.94/0.81) was only slightly different from the Pearson's correlation coefficient of observer 2 (0.92/0.85). The app-based tunnel analysis took on average 59 ± 16s per measurement. The femoral tunnel analysis with the app-based quadrant method has an almost perfect intra- and interobserver reliability. By smartphone camera, a fast and highly accurate, if necessary also intraoperative, control of the tunnel position can be performed. Level 3-diagnostic retrospective cohort study.