Significant Differences In Trends Research Articles

Spatiotemporal interactive dynamic adaptive adversarial graph convolution network for traffic flow forecasting

Accurate traffic flow forecasting is important for intelligent traffic management and control. To address the inability of existing methods to simultaneously capture the spatiotemporal dependence of traffic flows and the significant trend differences between predicted and real values, a traffic flow forecasting method based on a Spatiotemporal Interactive Dynamic Adaptive Convolutional Network (STIDAAG) is proposed. First, an interactive learning structure is designed to dynamically aggregate the spatiotemporal characteristics of the hidden nodes in the traffic network. Second, a dynamic adaptive graph generation network is designed based on the current and historical state to further capture the dynamic spatiotemporal characteristics. Finally, the adversarial graph convolutional network is used to optimize the loss for adversarial training to reduce the trend difference between the predicted and true values. The results of the experiment on four publicly available datasets indicate that STIDAAG outperforms both typical and advanced methods in terms of predictive performance.

The Effectiveness of Compassion-focused Therapy on Patients with Bipolar Disorder, A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Multifarious complications are attributed to the bipolar disorder; while existing treatments are not yet fully effective. we evaluated effects of Compassion-focused therapy (CFT), an integrated psychological technique to include kinder thinking habit. Materials and Methods: This was a randomized trial (IRCT20211206053298N1) on a total of 26 individuals satisfying the diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder who were allocated in two study arms by simple random allocation method, first receiving both CFT and conventional therapy (n=13) and seconds receiving traditional therapy alone (n=13). Compassion-focused therapy received consisted of ten sessions of CFT in conjunction with the customary treatment. Various psychological constructs, including self-compassion, self-criticism, shame, and distress associated with bipolar disorder were examined at beginning of study, after finishing the sessions, and 2 months later. Data analysis involved using repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) with statistically significant threshold of under 0.05 in SPSS V. 21. Results: There were no differences in educational level, gender, occupation, history of hospitalization, medical illness, and marital status between the study groups (P>0.05). There was a significant difference in trend of changes of studied variables. Intervention group showed a significant sharp decrease in shame (from baseline value of 12.76±4.38 to 4.46±7.26 two months later), self-criticism scores (26.61±6.57 at baseline and 14.76±5.74 at two-months period), and distress scores (21.0±2.29 at baseline to 11.75 ±2.00 at two-months period) from study beginning to final follow up that also had a more substantial decline than the control group (P<0.05). Both groups showed increased self-compassion score during the time with no differences among their increasing trend (P=0.725). Conclusion: The effect of CFT on the psychological treatment outcomes for individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder appears to be significant, while it was not as effective on the self-compassion score. So, further studies would be helpful to draw a more precise conclusion.

Controlled ovarian stimulation leads to cardiovascular changes in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization

ObjectiveTo study hemodynamic changes along controlled ovarian stimulation in women undergoing in vitro fertilization. Study designProspective observational cohort study conducted at Mother and Child Department of University Hospital Federico II, in Naples, Italy, between April 2021 and July 2022. Sixty-eight infertile patients undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation with gonadotropin, antagonist protocol and a fresh embryo transfer were included. Haemodynamic assessment was carried out using UltraSonic Cardiac Output Monitor at baseline (T1), estradiol peak (T2), fresh embryo-transfer day (T3). To evaluate relationships between quantitative variables and groups a Student T test for independent data was assessed. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the differences between the means of three time points (T1, T2 and T3) for quantitative variables. A mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the differences between groups, among time points (T1, T2 and T3). ResultsSixty-eight patients were included. Significant differences over the three time points have been observed for CO (f = 3.78 l/min; p = 0.025), SVI (f = 3.56 ml/m2;p = 0.013), and RSVI (f = 4.84 dscm-5 m2; p = 0.009). No significant differences in trends have been found between beta hCG positive and beta hCG negative groups. There were no significant differences in maternal hemodynamic parameters at time-point T3 between patients treated with hCG 10,000 UI and with Triptorelin. Patients considered at increased risk of hyperstimulation reported a significant increase in SVI at baseline (26.9 ± 9.0 mL/m2 vs 21.9 ± 7.0 mL/m2; p = 0.010). ConclusionAccording to the results of our study, during controlled ovarian stimulation with antagonist protocol, patients undergo significant changes in maternal cardiovascular parameters over a very short period.

Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Mortality Rate Trends by Demographic Status in the USA.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy that arises when plasma cells undergo malignant monoclonal proliferation. This study aimed to assess the demographic disparities and temporal trends in the mortality rates of this disease. We employed the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database. We found that for the overall U.S. population, the age-adjusted mortality rate per 1,000,000 (AAMR) decreased from 1999 to 2020. However, rates differed between demographic groups. In addition, we sought to find a significant average annual percent change (AAPC) in mortality rate from 1999 to 2020 for various demographic populations and compared groups to find disparities in mortality rate trend. In 2020, the AAMR due to MM was 38.0 and for women 24.1. The AAPC in AAMR from 1999 to 2020 in men was -1.0% (95%CI=-1.3 to -0.7) and in women was -1.6% (95%CI=-1.6 to -2.3). A significant difference in trend by sex was found, where women had a higher rate of decline. In 2020, the AAMR for the American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) population was 15.0, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) had 14.8, the Black and African American population had an AAMR of 55.6 and the White population had an AAMR of 28.1. The AAPC for the AI/AN population was -2.2% (95%CI=-3.5 to -0.9), for the AAPI population it was -0.9% (95%CI=-1.5 to -0.4), the Black and African American population had -1.5% (95%CI=-2.2 to -0.8) and the AAPC for the White population was -1.1% (95%CI=-1.6 to -0.6). A significant difference in trend of decline was found between the AAPI and Black and African American populations and between the AI/AN and Black and African American populations. When assessing the U.S. by states, the mid-southeast U.S. had the greatest density of the states with high AAMRs. These findings suggest which populations are at increased risk for mortality due to multiple myeloma and where we should apply additional resources and research.

Topic evolution before fall incidents in new fallers through natural language processing of general practitioners' clinical notes.

Falls involve dynamic risk factors that change over time, but most studies on fall-risk factors are cross-sectional and do not capture this temporal aspect. The longitudinal clinical notes within electronic health records (EHR) provide an opportunity to analyse fall risk factor trajectories through Natural Language Processing techniques, specifically dynamic topic modelling (DTM). This study aims to uncover fall-related topics for new fallers and track their evolving trends leading up to falls. This case-cohort study utilised primary care EHR data covering information on older adults between 2016 and 2019. Cases were individuals who fell in 2019 but had no falls in the preceding three years (2016-18). The control group was randomly sampled individuals, with similar size to the cases group, who did not endure falls during the whole study follow-up period. We applied DTM on the clinical notes collected between 2016 and 2018. We compared the trend lines of the case and control groups using the slopes, which indicate direction and steepness of the change over time. A total of 2,384 fallers (cases) and an equal number of controls were included. We identified 25 topics that showed significant differences in trends between the case and control groups. Topics such as medications, renal care, family caregivers, hospital admission/discharge and referral/streamlining diagnostic pathways exhibited a consistent increase in steepness over time within the cases group before the occurrence of falls. Early recognition of health conditions demanding care is crucial for applying proactive and comprehensive multifactorial assessments that address underlying causes, ultimately reducing falls and fall-related injuries.

Preferential Regime of the Russian Arctic: Tendencies and First Results from Realization of the World’s Largest Special Economic Zone

The preferential regime of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation is the latest regulatory mechanism designed to overcome negative socio-economic trends in the macroregion. The accumulated factual data over the three-year period of this work have made it possible to make the first reasonable estimates of its effects on the regional economy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the presence of transformational changes in the relationship between employment and investment due to the introduction of the preferential regime for key sectors in the regions that are fully or partially included in the Russian Arctic. The relationship between investment and employment in regional industries was studied using least squares regression analysis using Advanced Grapher 2.2 software. The results show, firstly, significant differences in trends in the implementation of preferential treatment: increased economic specialization of some regions and diversification of the economies of other regions. Secondly, there is a slowdown in the emergence of new projects. Thirdly, the markedly different employment effects across industries and regions of the Russian Arctic, as well as the changing nature of the relationship between investment and employment, require a significant revision of regulatory measures and economic policies to maximize regime effects and achieve sustainable long-term regional development.

Differences in Utilization Trends of Vitamins D, A, C and B

Background: An increase has been seen in the consumption of vitamin supplements over the last two decades in patients and the general population alike, owing to the treatment of deficiencies and the perceived benefits in health and general well-being. Objective: This study aims to offer an insight into trends of vitamin supplement consumption over a 15-year period, and a possible explanation of the differences in trends. Methods: The study was designed as secondary research, based on a collection of published data on the Serbian Drug Agency web page covering drug utilization and in articles published in medical journals data on the global prevalence of vitamin A, D, C, and B deficiency during the observation period, and on number of diseases associated with deficiency of each of the abovementioned vitamins. Results: There were significant differences in trends of utilization of vitamins during the observation period. While vitamin D showed a significant increasing trend of utilization during the whole observation period, the fixed combination of vitamin D and A showed a significant decreasing trend. In the same period, utilization of vitamins C and B remained almost constant, without any significant trend. Conclusion: While vitamin D utilization has increased significantly, suggesting heightened awareness and proactive health measures, the steady use of vitamin C, high variance of vitamin B utilization and the decrease in combined vitamin A and D usage suggest a more targeted and informed approach to vitamin supplementation.

Mapping potentially avoidable premature mortality in Mexico: subnational, sex, and age group trends.

This study aimed to analyze the trends and disparities in preventable or treatable mortality rates among different age groups, sexes, and states in Mexico from 2000 to 2019. Using national data from 2000 to 2019, we examined potentially avoidable premature mortality (PAPM) rates, disaggregated into preventable and treatable deaths. Trends over time were visualized using the average annual percent change (AAPC) derived from joinpoint analysis. Subnational analysis was conducted to identify state-specific trends for each sex and age group. The national PAPM rate decreased from 297 deaths per 100,000 in 2000 to 281 per 100,000 in 2019. Potentially preventable premature mortality (PPPM) rates were more pronounced than potentially treatable premature mortality (PTPM) rates, with 170 deaths per 100,000 and 111 per 100,000, respectively. Sex-based disparities were observed particularly in the working-age population. Our analysis at the state level revealed significant differences in trends, as certain regions experienced reductions while others rises. These disparities became more evident when examining the different aspects of PAPM, especially in terms of PTPM. Our study highlights the differences in PAPM rates across age groups, sexes, and states in Mexico. Despite a general downward trend, upward trends were observed in the male working-age group. There was also wide variation among states, highlighting the need to use PAPM in conjunction with other health metrics for a holistic health analysis.

Acute Respiratory Illness Is Associated with Memory T Cell Differentiation and Other Immune Cell Changes in an Age-Associated Manner.

Respiratory viruses such as influenza are encountered multiple times through infection and/or vaccination and thus have the potential to shape immune cell phenotypes over time. In particular, memory T cell compartments may be affected, as both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses likely contribute to viral control. In this study, we assessed immune phenotypes using cytometry by time of flight in the peripheral blood of 22 humans with acute respiratory illness and 22 age-matched noninfected controls. In younger infected individuals (1-19 y of age), we found decreased B and NK cell frequencies and a shift toward more effector-like CD4+ and CD8+ T cell phenotypes, compared with young healthy controls. Significant differences between noninfected and infected older individuals (30-74 y of age) were not seen. We also observed a decrease in naive CD4+ T cells and CD27+CD8+ T cells as well as an increase in effector memory CD8+ T cells and NKT cells in noninfected individuals with age. When cell frequencies were regressed against age for infected versus noninfected subjects, significant differences in trends with age were observed for multiple cell types. These included B cells and various subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. We conclude that acute respiratory illness drives T cell differentiation and decreases circulating B cell frequencies preferentially in young compared with older individuals.

Trends in adverse pregnancy outcomes among women with systemic sclerosis in the United States

ObjectivesWe sought to examine temporal trends in adverse pregnancy outcomes among SSc pregnancies in a large nationwide sample. MethodsWe used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2000 – 2017 to derive national estimates of delivery-associated hospitalizations in the United States among patients with SSc. Each SSc delivery was matched to 100 non-SSc deliveries by age, delivery year, and race. We evaluated adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) including maternal and fetal death, cesarean delivery, hospital length of stay, preterm delivery, intrauterine growth restriction, and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. We used multivariable regression models with an interaction term between SSc and year and adjusting for race, advanced maternal age, diabetes mellitus, and pre-existing hypertension to evaluate temporal trends in APOs among SSc and non-SSc deliveries. ResultsFrom 2000 to 2017, there were 3740 delivery-associated hospitalizations for women with SSc. SSc was associated with an increased risk of all APOs compared to non-SSc deliveries. Fetal death declined in SSc deliveries from 49.0 per 1000 delivery-related admissions in 2000 – 2005 to 16.2 per 1000 in 2012 – 2017. There was a significant difference in trends for fetal death between SSc and non-SSc deliveries (p = 0.043), but the trends for other APOs did not differ between the two groups. ConclusionsIn this large nationwide sample, the risk of fetal death among women with SSc markedly improved over the past 18 years. The risk for other APOs remained high in SSc deliveries compared to non-SSc deliveries, and further studies are needed to determine what strategies can improve these outcomes.

Epidemiology of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Brunei Darussalam: a retrospective cohort study

ObjectivesWe reported the incidence and associated factors of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB).DesignA retrospective cohort study.SettingBrunei Darussalam, an intermediate tuberculosis (TB)-burden country with stagnating annual TB rates.ParticipantsAll active TB cases identified in...

SYSTEMATIC LONG COVID SYMPTOMS ASSESSMENT IN HYPERTENSIVE AND NON-HYPERTENSIVE INDIVIDUALS DURING THE 12-MONTHS FOLLOW-UP AFTER HOSPITAL DISCHARGE

Objective: To study the impact of hypertension on the dynamics of physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms during the 12-months follow-up after hospitalization for COVID-19. Design and method: 212 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 (50% hypertensive, 53% female, mean age 53,4±13,6 years) underwent comprehensive questionnaire survey evaluating physical (CAT, CCQ and mMRC dyspnea scales for respiratory and EFTER-COVID for other related symptoms), emotional (HADS) and cognitive well-being (Memory, Thinking and Communication subscale of SBQ-LC questionnaire, MTC-SBQ-LC) that was performed pre-discharge and repeated after 1, 3, and 12 months. Results: Despite being older (57,8±11,8 vs 50,7±13,9, p<0,001) and having higher BMI (31,7±5,3 vs 27,4±4,4 kg/m2, p<0,001), hypertensive patrticipants had similar baseline summary scores of symptoms severity but slightly higher mMRC dyspnea score (2,7±1,1 vs 2,3±1,1, p = 0,023), and no significant difference in trends of summary scores have been detected by ANOVA (see graphic abstract). Non-hypertensive subjects had worse baseline limitation of everyday activity, cough and sputum production by respective CAT and CCQ sections that were characterized by better dynamics during follow-up. The residual level of respiratory-related symptoms at 12 months was higher in hypertensive cohort (CAT score 8,1±5,1 vs 5,8±5,0, p = 0,003, CCQ score 7,5±6,1 vs 4,5±5,1, p<0,001, mMRC dyspnea score 1,57±0,63 vs 1,27±0,54, p<0,001), most likely due to more frequent concomitant obesity and diastolic dysfunction. The most striking data was obtained in the MTC-SBQ-LC: yonger and healthier non-hypertensive participants displayed similar trends of most cognitive symptoms to the hypertensive cohort, but had persistently worse brain fog, difficulties in understanding others’ speech, planning, concentrating, and word-finding, that resulted in significantly higher summary score at 12 months after discharge (1,71±2,36 vs 0,96±1,30, p = 0,010). No differences were detected in anxiety and depression levels as assessed by HADS. Conclusions: Hypertensive patients that had been hospitalized for COVID-19 displayed similar trends of resolving physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms throughout the 12-month follow-up but had higher levels of residual respiratory-related symptoms and dyspnoea compared to the non-hypertensive participants, whereas the latter were characterized by significantly higher level of cognitive dysfunction as assessed by the dedicated SBQ-LC subscale.

PD20-06 RACE-BASED TRENDS IN THE PROPORTION OF METASTATIC PROSTATE CANCER AT DIAGNOSIS BETWEEN 2005 AND 2020: FINDINGS FROM THE NATIONAL CANCER DATABASE

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023PD20-06 RACE-BASED TRENDS IN THE PROPORTION OF METASTATIC PROSTATE CANCER AT DIAGNOSIS BETWEEN 2005 AND 2020: FINDINGS FROM THE NATIONAL CANCER DATABASE Muhieddine Labban, Brittany D. Berk, Benjamin V. Stone, David-Dan Nguyen, Dejan K. Filipas, Edoardo Beatrici, Sandeep S. Voleti, Firas Abdollah, Adam S. Kibel, and Quoc-Dien Trinh Muhieddine LabbanMuhieddine Labban More articles by this author , Brittany D. BerkBrittany D. Berk More articles by this author , Benjamin V. StoneBenjamin V. Stone More articles by this author , David-Dan NguyenDavid-Dan Nguyen More articles by this author , Dejan K. FilipasDejan K. Filipas More articles by this author , Edoardo BeatriciEdoardo Beatrici More articles by this author , Sandeep S. VoletiSandeep S. Voleti More articles by this author , Firas AbdollahFiras Abdollah More articles by this author , Adam S. KibelAdam S. Kibel More articles by this author , and Quoc-Dien TrinhQuoc-Dien Trinh More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003286.06AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Inequity in access to prostate cancer screening, diagnosis, and definitive treatment is widely described. Herein, we sought to evaluate the Black-White differences in the proportion of metastatic status at diagnosis between 2005 and 2020. METHODS: We retrospectively queried the National Cancer Database between 2005 and 2020 to identify non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) men who received a clinical or pathologic diagnosis of metastatic prostatic cancer across four time periods (2005-2008; 2009-2012; 2013-2016; and 2017-2020). For NHB and NHW men, we compared patient sociodemographics, rural/urban residence, and the region and type of facility where care was sought. Then, we fitted a logistic regression adjusting for covariates to predict metastatic status at diagnosis with an interaction term for race and period of diagnosis. Interaction analysis was used to predict the odds of metastatic status at diagnosis for NHB compared to NHW men across periods. RESULTS: The cohort included 1,838,368 men of which 287,395 (15.6%) were NHB. NHB men were more likely to have Medicaid insurance or to be uninsured and to seek care at non-academic institutions (p<0.001). After adjusting for covariates, NHB men had a higher proportion of metastatic prostate cancer at diagnosis (aOR 1.37; 95%CI 1.34-1.40). We found an interaction between race and time periods (p<0.001) suggesting a statistically significant difference in trends over time by race. In margin analysis, the odds in the proportion of metastatic status at diagnosis among NHB compared to NHW were highest for the 2005-2008 period, narrowed for the 2009-2012 period, and were stable over the last decade (Figure 1). CONCLUSIONS: Although Black-White disparities in the proportion of metastatic prostate cancer at diagnosis narrowed between 2005-2012, they remained stable between 2013-2020. Since the dataset is not a population-based registry, these results cannot be used to determine the incidence or prevalence of metastatic disease. In addition, trends in the proportion of metastatic disease might also be influenced by changes in the definition of low-risk disease. Nevertheless, our findings suggest that there remain significant structural barriers to achieving equity. Source of Funding: None © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e585 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Muhieddine Labban More articles by this author Brittany D. Berk More articles by this author Benjamin V. Stone More articles by this author David-Dan Nguyen More articles by this author Dejan K. Filipas More articles by this author Edoardo Beatrici More articles by this author Sandeep S. Voleti More articles by this author Firas Abdollah More articles by this author Adam S. Kibel More articles by this author Quoc-Dien Trinh More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Detecting the Spatiotemporal Variation of Vegetation Phenology in Northeastern China Based on MODIS NDVI and Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence Dataset

Vegetation phenology is a crucial biological indicator for monitoring changes in terrestrial ecosystems and global climate. Currently, there are limitations in using traditional vegetation indices for phenology monitoring (e.g., greenness saturation in high-density vegetation areas). Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), a novel remote sensing product, has great potential in depicting seasonal vegetation dynamics across various regions with different vegetation covers and latitudes. In this study, based on the GOSIF and MODIS NDVI data from 2001 to 2020, we extracted vegetation phenological parameters in Northeastern China by using Double Logistic (D-L) fitting function and the dynamic threshold method. Then, we analyzed the discrepancy in phenological period and temporal trend derived from SIF and NDVI data at multiple spatiotemporal scales. Furthermore, we explored the response of vegetation phenology to climate change and the persistence of phenological trends (Hurst exponent) in Northeastern China. Generally, there is a significant difference in trends between SIF and NDVI, but with similar spatial patterns of phenology. However, the dates of key phenological parameters are distinct based on SIF and MODIS NDVI data. Specifically, the start of season (SOS) of SIF started later (about 10 days), and the end of season (EOS) ended earlier (about 36 days on average). In contrast, the fall attenuation of SIF showed a lag process compared to NDVI. This implies that the actual period of photosynthesis, that is, length of season (LOS), was shorter (by 46 days on average) than the greenness index. The position of peak (POP) is almost the same between them. The great difference in results from SIF and NDVI products indicated that the vegetation indexes seem to overestimate the time of vegetation photosynthesis in Northeastern China. The Hurst exponent identified that the future trend of SOS, EOS, and POP is dominated by weak inverse sustainability, indicating that the future trend may be opposite to the past. The future trend of LOSSIF and LOSNDVI are opposite; the former is dominated by weak inverse sustainability, and the latter is mainly weak positive sustainability. In addition, we speculate that the difference between SIF and NDVI phenology is closely related to their different responses to climate. The vegetation phenology estimated by SIF is mainly controlled by temperature, while NDVI is mainly controlled by precipitation and relative humidity. Different phenological periods based on SIF and NDVI showed inconsistent responses to pre-season climate. This may be the cause of the difference in the phenology of SIF and NDVI extraction. Our results imply that canopy structure-based vegetation indices overestimate the photosynthetic cycle, and the SIF product can better track the phenological changes. We conclude that the two data products provide a reference for monitoring the phenology of photosynthesis and vegetation greenness, and the results also have a certain significance for the response of plants to climate change.

Analysis of Rainfall Trend and Pattern in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

The study analyzed the rainfall trend and pattern for Owerri municipal, Imo state. The data collected is secondary. A remote sensing daily rainfall data from 1981 to 2020 from CHIRPS data archive given in millimeter (mm) was downloaded. In order to achieve the aim of the research, data analysis was conducted on the rainfall data. Some of the statistical methods used includes mean, variance, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and standardized anomaly index (S.A.I). The annual rainfall and monthly rainfall for Owerri municipal, Imo state were analyzed and charts were presented which show fluctuation in rainfall trend and pattern. The least annual rainfall happened to be in 1983 of about 1662.9mm, which is followed by that of 2001 of 1828mm. The wettest annual rainfall occurred in the year 1995 of 2962.2mm which happened to be the peak of the study, followed by 1999 of 2837.9mm. It was shown that the month July from 1981 to 2020 experienced more rainfall than that of August. The four decadal rainfall presented for the study shows; near normal condition to very wet condition (1981 – 1990), near normal condition (1991 – 2000), extremely dry conditions to near normal condition (2001 – 2010), and near normal condition to extremely dry condition (2010 - 2020). The hypothesis was tested using chi-square, the results shows there is no significant difference in trend and pattern of rainfall in owerri, thus, the null hypothesis was accepted. The study generally show there is a little or no singnificant change in the rainfall pattern and trend in Owerri from 1998-2020 and hence recommend that there should be more monitoring of rainfall activities in order to curtail it excesses in flooding and agricultural loss.

Design and Validation of a Multimodal Wearable Device for Simultaneous Collection of Electrocardiogram, Electromyogram, and Electrodermal Activity.

Bio-signals are being increasingly used for the assessment of pathophysiological conditions including pain, stress, fatigue, and anxiety. For some approaches, a single signal is not sufficient to provide a comprehensive diagnosis; however, there is a growing consensus that multimodal approaches allow higher sensitivity and specificity. For instance, in visceral pain subjects, the autonomic activation can be inferred using electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate variability derived from the electrocardiogram (ECG), but including the muscle activation detected from the surface electromyogram (sEMG) can better differentiate the disease that causes the pain. There is no wearable device commercially capable of collecting these three signals simultaneously. This paper presents the validation of a novel multimodal low profile wearable data acquisition device for the simultaneous collection of EDA, ECG, and sEMG signals. The device was validated by comparing its performance to laboratory-scale reference devices. N = 20 healthy subjects were recruited to participate in a four-stage study that exposed them to an array of cognitive, orthostatic, and muscular stimuli, ensuring the device is sensitive to a range of stressors. Time and frequency domain analyses for all three signals showed significant similarities between our device and the reference devices. Correlation of sEMG metrics ranged from 0.81 to 0.95 and EDA/ECG metrics showed few instances of significant difference in trends between our device and the references. With only minor observed differences, we demonstrated the ability of our device to collect EDA, sEMG, and ECG signals. This device will enable future practical and impactful advances in the field of chronic pain and stress measurement and can confidently be implemented in related studies.

Validation metrics and turbulence frequency limits for LES-based wind load evaluation for low-rise buildings

The accuracy of Large-Eddy-Simulation (LES) in modeling wind loads, especially components and cladding loads, does not currently fulfill its potential. The lack of extensive consideration for wind loading requirements and their direct influence on LES duration and mesh size are identified as research gaps. This study presents a validation metric for LES modeling of low-rise buildings, including the wind field and aerodynamics. Most of the proposed validation requirements are adapted from Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel (BLWT) testing requirements to highlight the challenges and opportunities for LES. The turbulence spectral frequency limits significantly contribute to the cost-accuracy trade-off in LES. A stationarity test of recorded time histories is proposed to determine the optimal duration, i.e., low-frequency limit, for statistical parameters other than the peak. An analytical expression is proposed for the LES mesh size estimation from the target maximum frequency limit and corresponding spectral energies. The proposed validation metric is demonstrated with LES models of a low-rise building targeting respective BLWT tests in three wind directions and in three exposures. Despite some limitations, the peak Cp error was within ±10% of the BLWT value range. The optimal normalized durations from LES were one order of magnitude shorter than those from the BLWT cases. The peak values did not show a significant difference in trend from BLWT; hence the duration dependence of peak uncertainties remains relevant for LES. The BLWT data supports the previously proposed high-frequency limit of two. LES models can produce reasonably acceptable wind loads with proper attention to the existing and new requirements, as shown in the present study.

Seasonal Patterns and Trends in Dermatoses in Poland.

Background: The amount of data available online is constantly increasing, including search behavior and tracking trends in domains such as Google. Analyzing the data helps to predict patient needs and epidemiological events more accurately. Our study aimed to identify dermatology-related terms that occur seasonally and any search anomalies during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Methods: The data were gathered using Google Trends, with 69 entries between January-2010 and December-2020 analyzed. We conducted the Seasonal Mann–Kendal Test to determine the strength of trends. The month with the highest seasonal component (RSV) and the lowest seasonal component (RSV) was indicated for every keyword. Groups of keywords occurring together regularly at specific periods of the year were shown. Results: We found that some topics were seasonally searched in winter (e.g., herpes, scabies, candida) and others in summer (e.g., erythema, warts, urticaria). Conclusions: Interestingly, downward trends in searches on sexually transmitted diseases in comparison with increased infection rates reported officially show a strong need for improved sexual education in Poland. There were no significant differences in trends for coronavirus-related cutaneous symptoms during 2020. We have shown that the seasonality of dermatologically related terms searched in Poland via Google did not differ significantly during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Numerical modeling and synchrotron diffraction measurements of residual stresses in laser powder bed fusion manufactured alloy 625

Residual stresses in metal additive manufactured components are a well-known problem. It causes distortion of the samples when removing them from the build plate, as well as acting detrimental with regard to fatigue. The understanding of how residual stresses in a printed sample are affected by process parameters is crucial to allow manufacturers to tune their process parameters, or the design of their component, to limit the negative influence of residual stresses. In this paper, residual stresses in additive manufactured samples are simulated using a thermo-mechanical finite element model. The elasto-plastic behavior of the material is described by a mechanism-based material model that accounts for microstructural and relaxation effects. The heat source in the finite element model is calibrated by fitting the model to experimental data. The residual stress field from the finite element model is compared with experimental results attained from synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements. The results from the model and measurement give the same trend in the residual stress field. In addition, it is shown that there is no significant difference in trend and magnitude of the resulting residual stresses for an alternation in laser power and scanning speed.

An evaluation of five regional health information technology-based programmes to improve health and social care coordination: A quasi-experimental controlled before/after mixed design.

Health information technology (HIT) can help coordinate health and social actors involved in patients' pathways. We assess five regional HIT-based programmes ('Territoires de Soins Numériques' or TSN) introduced in France, covering the period 2012-2018. This was a quasi-experimental controlled before/after mixed design. We used data from the French National Health Insurance database, qualitative and quantitative surveys, and information extracted from project documents and databases. We assessed the impact of TSN using four main impact indicators: emergency room visits, unplanned hospitalizations, avoidable hospitalizations and rehospitalization within 30days. We also collected qualitative and secondary quantitative data covering perceived needs, knowledge, use, satisfaction, adoption and understanding of projects, pathway experience, impact on professional practices and appropriateness of hospitalizations. TSN implemented a heterogeneous mix of HIT. Implementation was slower than expected and was not well documented. Users perceived the HIT as having a positive but weak overall effect. There were no significant differences in trends for the main impact indicators, nor on the appropriateness of hospitalizations, but favourable trends on secondary polypharmacy indicators. If similar innovations take place in future, they should be based on a logical framework that defines causal, measurable links between services provided and expected impacts.