Adjustment Technique Research Articles

Nanoemulsion: A Promising Nanotechnology Tool to Achieve the Unmet Oral Bioavailability Enhancement Needs

Background: Low oral permeability and low aqueous solubility are considered significant obstacles in achieving systemic therapeutic concentration to show optimum pharmacological response. Pharmaceutical scientists endeavored to overcome the above-stated problem after utilizing various approaches like salt formation, pro-drugs, co-solvency, complexation, solubilization, pH adjustment, sold dispersion, hydrotrophy, and nanotechnology-based techniques. Objective: Among these approaches, nanotechnology-based drug carrier systems have been investigated to address the challenges of the drugs exhibiting poor oral absorption. Essentially, these systems have the potential to overcome the limitations associated with the oral route of drug administration. Among various nano-technological tools, nanoemulsion plays an important role in the bioavailability enhancement of biopharmaceutical classification system Class II, and Class IV drugs, in general and, Class III, in particular. Method: A nanoemulsion is a colloidal system with a size in nanometers, an increased fraction of the dispersed phase, and intensified transparency. Either water is dispersed in oil (w/o type) or oil is dispersed in water (o/w type), and it has a longer shelf life. Results: Nanoemulsion is being utilized as an important drug carrier for bioavailability enhancement; however, it poses some challenges, such as clinical translation, large-scale manufacturing, and regulatory guidelines. Conclusion: The current review aims to compile and discuss the problems faced in the delivery of drugs exhibiting poor oral absorption, challenges faced in oral drug delivery, oral absorption enhancement techniques, mechanism of oral uptake using nanoemulsion, various modifications of nanoemulsion, clinical status, large-scale manufacturing, regulatory status, and new prospects in the future.

Simplified Technique for Correcting Intraocular Lens Decentration in Scleral-Sutured Fixation Surgery.

To describe a simplified technique for correcting intraocular lens (IOL) decentration during scleral-sutured IOL fixation surgery. During surgery, Purkinje images were utilized to assess IOL positioning. A straightforward IOL decentration adjustment technique was employed when necessary. Patients in whom IOL position were corrected and who were followed up for at least three months after surgery were included in the study. From June 2023 to February 2024, six patients with noticeable IOL decentration were successfully treated using this technique. After a mean follow-up of 3.17 ± 0.37 months, there was a significant change in spherical equivalent (preoperative +10.55 ± 2.48 D, postoperative -1.58 ± 2.19 D). While the best-corrected visual acuity, refractive cylinder, intraocular pressure, and corneal endothelium density remained unchanged. Importantly, the IOL was well-centered in all six patients, with average horizontal and vertical IOL decentration of 0.21 ± 0.16 mm and 0.20 ± 0.15 mm, respectively. This simple IOL decentration correction technique demonstrated favorable results and may enhance IOL positioning in scleral fixation procedures.

Emotional State as a Key Driver of Public Preferences for Flower Color

Flowers, as integral elements of urban landscapes, are critical not only for aesthetic purposes but also for fostering human–nature interactions in green spaces. However, research on flower color preferences has largely been descriptive, and there is a lack of exploration of potential mechanisms influencing flower color preferences, such as economic and social factors. This study created visual samples through precise color adjustment techniques and introduced the L*, a*, and b* parameters from the CIELAB color system to quantify the flower colors of the survey samples, conducting an online survey with 354 Chinese residents. The complex aesthetic process’s driving factors were unveiled through a comprehensive analysis using a Generalized Additive Model (GAM), a piecewise Structural Equation Model (SEM), and linear regression models. The results show that the public’s flower color preference is primarily related to the a* and b* parameters, which represent color dimensions in the CIELAB color space, and it is not significantly related to L* (lightness). Factors such as age, annual household income level (AI), personal income sources (PI), nature experience, and emotional state (TMD) significantly influence color preferences, with emotional state identified as the most critical factor. Lastly, linear regression models further explain the potential mechanism of the influencing factors. This study proposes a framework to assist urban planners in selecting flower colors that resonate with diverse populations, enhancing both the attractiveness of urban green spaces and their potential to promote pro-environmental behavior. By aligning flower color design with public preferences, this study contributes to sustainable urban planning practices aimed at improving human well-being and fostering deeper connections with nature.

WHO’S SARCOPENIC? AN ANALYSIS USING THE CANADIAN LONGITUDINAL STUDY ON AGING DATA

Abstract A limitation of the sarcopenia definitions used in our analyses is the use of DXA measured ALM to approximate muscle mass. Although many consider ALM to be the reference standard for measuring muscle mass for sarcopenia, it is actually a measure of lean mass that includes organ tissue, water, and all other non-bone and non-fat soft tissues in addition to muscle mass. The results may be substantially altered if more accurate measures of muscle mass such as the D3-creatine method were used. We have reported that there is generally slight to moderate agreement (Cohen’s κ values of.00–.60) between most of the combinations of variables used to ascertain sarcopenia status recommended by the expert group definitions. For definitions using lean mass, the agreement between different adjustment techniques for lean mass ranged from slight to substantial. These findings were consistent across the range of cutoffs for each variable that are either observed in the literature or recommended by the expert group definitions for sarcopenia. The general lack of agreement between sarcopenia definitions observed in our study underscores the importance of the sarcopenia research community identifying a unified ascertainment method for sarcopenia. Having multiple definitions of sarcopenia identifying different groups of individuals as sarcopenic may hinder vital research developing clinical management strategies for sarcopenia by decreasing the comparability between studies.

Identification of confounders and estimating the causal effect of place of birth on age-specific childhood vaccination

BackgroundIn causal analyses, some third factor may distort the relationship between the exposure and the outcome variables under study, which gives spurious results. In this case, treatment groups and control groups that receive and do not receive the exposure are different from one another in some other essential variables, called confounders.MethodPlace of birth was used as exposure variable and age-specific childhood vaccination status was used as outcome variables. Three approaches of confounder selection techniques such as all pre-treatment covariates, outcome cause covariates, and common cause covariates were proposed. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the propensity score for inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) confounder adjustment techniques. The proportional odds model was used to estimate the causal effect of place of birth on age-specific childhood vaccination. To validate the result obtained from observed data, we used a plasmode simulation of resampling 1000 samples from actual data 500 times.ResultOutcome cause and common cause confounder identification techniques gave comparable results in terms of treatment effect in the plasmode data. However, outcome causes that contain common causes and predictors of the outcome confounder identification gave relatively better treatment effect results. The treatment effect result in the IPTW confounder adjustment method was better than that of the regression adjustment method. The effect of place of birth on log odds of cumulative probability of age-specific childhood vaccination was 0.36 with odds ratio of 1.43 for higher level vaccination status. ConclusionIt is essential to use plasmode simulation data to validate the reproducibility of the proposed methods on the observed data. It is important to use outcome-cause covariates to adjust their confounding effect on the outcome. Using inverse probability treatment weighting gives unbiased treatment effect results as compared to the regression method of confounder adjustment. Institutional delivery increases the likelihood of childhood vaccination at the recommended schedule.

Impact of Camera Settings on 3D Reconstruction Quality: Insights from NeRF and Gaussian Splatting.

This paper explores the influence of various camera settings on the quality of 3D reconstructions, particularly in indoor crime scene investigations. Utilizing Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) and Gaussian Splatting for 3D reconstruction, we analyzed the impact of ISO, shutter speed, and aperture settings on the quality of the resulting 3D reconstructions. By conducting controlled experiments in a meeting room setup, we identified optimal settings that minimize noise and artifacts while maximizing detail and brightness. Our findings indicate that an ISO of 200, a shutter speed of 1/60 s, and an aperture of f/3.5 provide the best balance for high-quality 3D reconstructions. These settings are especially useful for forensic applications, architectural visualization, and cultural heritage preservation, offering practical guidelines for professionals in these fields. The study also highlights the potential for future research to expand on these findings by exploring other camera parameters and real-time adjustment techniques.

Impact of COVID-19 vaccination on preventive behavior: The importance of confounder adjustment in observational studies.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical role of observational studies in evaluating the effectiveness of public health strategies. However, although many studies have explored the true impact of vaccination on preventive behavior, their results may be skewed by potential biases and confounding variables. This study examines the application of covariate adjustment and propensity score (PS) estimation, particularly through inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW), to assess their performance in reducing bias in a framework featuring ordinal outcomes and cumulative logistic regression models, as commonly used in observational studies related to social sciences and psychology. Before applying these methods to the case study, we conducted a simulation study that accounted for the presence or absence of model misspecification in an observational scenario with ordinal outcomes, binary treatment, and a continuous confounder. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of combining covariate adjustment with PS methods in reducing bias and improving causal inference. These methods were subsequently applied to an Italian observational study on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy conducted during the initial phase of the vaccination campaign (April-May 2021). Our analysis revealed that vaccination status had a limited short-term impact on the adoption of preventive measures. This study highlights the importance of employing appropriate adjustment techniques in observational research, particularly when evaluating complex behavioral outcomes. The results support the combined use of covariate adjustment and PS methods to enhance the reliability of findings, ultimately contributing to more informed public health decision-making.

Sex differences in brain MRI using deep learning toward fairer healthcare outcomes.

This study leverages deep learning to analyze sex differences in brain MRI data, aiming to further advance fairness in medical imaging. We employed 3D T1-weighted Magnetic Resonance images from four diverse datasets: Calgary-Campinas-359, OASIS-3, Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, and Cambridge Center for Aging and Neuroscience, ensuring a balanced representation of sexes and a broad demographic scope. Our methodology focused on minimal preprocessing to preserve the integrity of brain structures, utilizing a Convolutional Neural Network model for sex classification. The model achieved an accuracy of 87% on the test set without employing total intracranial volume (TIV) adjustment techniques. We observed that while the model exhibited biases at extreme brain sizes, it performed with less bias when the TIV distributions overlapped more. Saliency maps were used to identify brain regions significant in sex differentiation, revealing that certain supratentorial and infratentorial regions were important for predictions. Furthermore, our interdisciplinary team, comprising machine learning specialists and a radiologist, ensured diverse perspectives in validating the results. The detailed investigation of sex differences in brain MRI in this study, highlighted by the sex differences map, offers valuable insights into sex-specific aspects of medical imaging and could aid in developing sex-based bias mitigation strategies, contributing to the future development of fair AI algorithms. Awareness of the brain's differences between sexes enables more equitable AI predictions, promoting fairness in healthcare outcomes. Our code and saliency maps are available at https://github.com/mahsadibaji/sex-differences-brain-dl.

Improved wind power assessments by bias adjusted reanalysed data with applications near Morocco’s coast

The wind energy requirements for high temporal and spatial observations, unavailable in many countries, are met by reanalysed wind data, which are increasingly used in wind power assessments. However, these data also include unrealistic features, making their validation compulsory. The validation analysis of ERA5 and MERRA-2 wind data, two of the most successful wind reanalyses, with observations near Morocco’s coast, highlighted the existence of bias in both datasets, and other shortcomings. The study was conducted at eight selected sites in the period 2011-2020 using linear and probability density function based statistical tests. The local ERA5-BA and MERRA-2 BA velocity fields were created using Bias Adjustment (BA) Techniques. Only part of the observed and modelled datasets (training period) were used to identify the transfer function. The BA fields were verified against observations during the remaining period (verification period). They outperformed their respective non-adjusted fields and also the WFDE5 (the global bias-corrected ERA5 wind field) in the wind potential assessments, represented by capacity factor and low-wind day. At every location, the relative errors in the latter’s estimates using ERA5-BA were lowered to less than 10 %, and the same was true for MERRA-2-BA. Thus, an observational dataset of reduced length can help overcome some reanalysed wind data limitations for wind power estimations. Additionally, this methodology can be applied to the correction of each reanalysis update.

The Impact of Twisting on The Extent of Lower Lumbar Spine Lateral Flexion Among Healthy Subjects

Background: It is acknowledged that 84% of cases of pain are related to the spine. In one instance, low back pain is reduced by the spinal adjustment technique, which is predicated on exerting external stresses on the shoulder and pelvis to twist the human spine. A deeper comprehension of the biomechanical behaviour of the typical lumbar spine in each lower trunk rotational position will yield important information that can be translated into improved physical treatment line. Objective of study: The objective of this study was to utilize MRI to find how different lower trunk twisting positions influenced the extent of lower lumbar spine lateral flexion. Materials and Methods: Sagittal T2 weighted Magnetic resonance images of fifteen males with healthy spine structures were collected in order to evaluate the consequences of right and left lumbar spine rotations on the extent of lateral flexion of their lower backs. The extent of the lateral flexion at each contiguous lower lumbar vertebrae was measured manually by using image J software. Results: In proportion to the lower lumbar twisting positions, the extent of lateral flexion at the last three lumbar levels increased. At all twisting positions, the lateral flexion degree was greatest at fourth- fifth lumbar level. The mean differences of lateral flexion angle were significant only in the left twisting position at the fourth and fifth lumbar levels. Conclusion: The extent of lateral flexion at all lower lumbar segments grew in synchrony with the lower lumbar twisting positions. fourth–fifth lumbar level had the largest lateral flexion angle. But only in the left rotational position did the effect become noticeable. Consequently, this level may be the primary target of manipulative therapy during treatment.

Statin use and its association with all-cause mortality and incident diabetes/prediabetes in African Americans: Findings from the jackson heart study

ObjectivesThis study investigates the association between statin use and all-cause mortality, as well as the association between statin use and incident diabetes or prediabetes among African Americans. MethodsThis study is based on the Jackson Heart Study (JHS), a community-based cohort study of African Americans (AAs). The baseline period for JHS was 9/26/2000 to 3/31/2004. The first follow-up period was from 10/1/2005 to 12/21/2008, and the second follow-up period was from 2/26/2009 to 1/31/2013. All study participants who were statin users or non-users at baseline were included in this study. We applied two common propensity score adjustment techniques to analyze the data: propensity score matching (PSM) and the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) algorithms. ResultsIn this cohort there were 510 deaths. The baseline prevalence of statin use was 13.95% (95% CI: 12.91% - 14.98%), while the baseline rate of all-cause mortality was 11.82% (95% CI: 10.87% - 12.82%). In crude analyses, statin users had an 80% higher risk of mortality compared to non-users, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.80 (95% CI: 1.43 - 2.27). However, after adjusting for confounders using PSM and IPTW, the adjusted ORs for the association between statin use and mortality were 0.77 (95% CI: 0.53 - 1.12) and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.68 - 0.95), respectively. A post hoc power analysis suggested that the matched analysis was underpowered.The incidence of diabetes/ prediabetes was 39.42% (95% CI: 37.39% - 41.45%), with 879 new cases observed. Statin users had a crude odds ratio (OR) of 2.02 (95% CI: 1.52 - 2.67) for developing diabetes/prediabetes compared to non-users. After adjusting for confounding using PSM) and IPTW, the adjusted ORs were 1.84 (95% CI: 1.21–2.81) and 1.82 (95% CI: 1.59–2.08), respectively. ConclusionStatin use was associated with a 20% decrease in all-cause mortality but an 80% increased risk of incident diabetes/prediabetes. Clinicians should consider the implications of these findings when prescribing statins to patients in this population.

Pore Engineering in Biomass-Derived Carbon Materials for Enhanced Energy, Catalysis, and Environmental Applications.

Biomass-derived carbon materials (BDCs) are highly regarded for their renewability, environmental friendliness, and broad potential for application. A significant advantage of these materials lies in the high degree of customization of their physical and chemical properties, especially in terms of pore structure. Pore engineering is a key strategy to enhance the performance of BDCs in critical areas, such as energy storage, catalysis, and environmental remediation. This review focuses on pore engineering, exploring the definition, classification, and adjustment techniques of pore structures, as well as how these factors affect the application performance of BDCs in energy, catalysis, and environmental remediation. Our aim is to provide a solid theoretical foundation and practical guidance for the pore engineering of BDCs to facilitate the rapid transition of these materials from the laboratory to industrial applications.

QUIROPRAXIA E ALÍVIO DAS DORES DE CABEÇA: EXPLORANDO AS CORRELAÇÕES ENTRE AJUSTES CERVICAIS E BEM-ESTAR

Objective: to analyze, using the Borg scale, the effects of cervical adjustment techniques on reducing headache complaints among employees of a private higher education institution in western Santa Catarina. Methods: this is a cross-sectional study, in which six chiropractic appointments were performed over a three-week period, and headache complaints (pain intensity) were assessed using the Borg Scale. Results: eight employees participated in the study, predominantly female (87.50%), with a mean age between 20 and 34 years. The results showed a significant reduction in the mean on the Borg Scale, from 7.88 (±1.73) at the beginning to 0.75 (±1.49) at the end (p = 0.001), with 75.00% of the participants achieving values equal to zero. Conclusion: Despite the low number of participants, the data suggest that chiropractic care may be an effective intervention for headache, and further research with a larger sample size and use of a control group is needed. It is concluded that chiropractic care is beneficial and can improve the quality of life of individuals suffering from chronic pain such as headache.

A More Efficient and Safer Improved Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Insertion Technique-Trajectory DynamicAdjustment Technique, Technical Note, and Clinical Efficacy.

Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation (PPSF) technique requires a very precise entry point of the Jamshidi needle, which leads to repeated adjustments, damaging the pedicle and increasing radiation exposure. This study was designed to propose an improved percutaneous pedicle screw fixation technique-trajectory dynamic adjustment (TDA) technique, and evaluate its feasibility and assess the clinical outcomes. A total of 445 patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis or lumbar spinal stenosis associated with instability from June 2017 to May 2022 were included in the retrospective study. They were randomly separated into two groups. Two hundred thirty-one patients underwent TDA technique (TDA group). Two hundred fourteen patients underwent traditional PPSF technique (PPSF group). All patients underwent postoperative CT to assess the accuracy of screw placement, superior facet joint violation (FJV). The evaluated clinical outcomes were needle insertion time, radiation exposure, blood loss, hospital stay, the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores for lower back pain (LBP), and leg pain, lumbar interbody fusion rate, and postoperative complications. The independent-sample t test and paired t-test were used for continuous data. The contingency table and Mann-Whitney U test were used for categorical data. The time of the insertion in TDA group was significantly lower than that in PPSF group (p < 0.05). Similarly, the fluoroscopy frequency in TDA group was significantly lower than that in PPSF group (p < 0.05). There was no difference in intraoperative blood loss and hospital stay between the two groups (p > 0.05). Overall, there was no significant difference in the proportion of clinically acceptable screws between the two groups (p > 0.05). In addition, the lateral screw misplacement in TDA group was higher. Moreover, FJV rate was significantly lower than that in PPSF group (p < 0.05). In both TDA group and PPSF group, postoperative back and leg pain and the JOA score were significantly improved (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the pre- and postoperative VAS score for back and leg pain and the JOA score, JOA recovery rate, intervertebral fusion rate, and complications rate between the two groups (p > 0.05). Compared to traditional PPSF technique, TDA technique is a safer and more effective procedure which has shorter surgical time, lower radiation exposure, and lower facet joint violation rate.

Robust and Efficient Estimation of Potential Outcome Means Under Random Assignment

We study efficiency improvements in randomized experiments for estimating a vector of potential outcome means using regression adjustment (RA) when there are more than two treatment levels. We show that linear RA which estimates separate slopes for each assignment level is never worse, asymptotically, than using the subsample averages. We also show that separate RA improves over pooled RA except in the obvious case where slope parameters in the linear projections are identical across the different assignment levels. We further characterize the class of nonlinear RA methods that preserve consistency of the potential outcome means despite arbitrary misspecification of the conditional mean functions. Finally, we apply these regression adjustment techniques to efficiently estimate the lower bound mean willingness to pay for an oil spill prevention program in California.

Physical and numerical tests on adjustable–height structures of high–speed railway transition section

The disparity in stiffness and differential settlement between the subgrade and rigid structures can lead to track irregularities within transition sections, resulting in significant train vibrations and impacts. This study proposes an adjustable–height subgrade structure for transition sections by introducing a raft slab to divide the subgrade into upper and lower parts. When settlement occurs in the subgrade, the raft slab can be elevated using height–adjustment techniques to compensate for the settlement. To this end, large–scale physical model tests are conducted under train loading to verify the design's rationality and to elucidate the influence of settlement magnitude and train speed on the stress and deformation of the slab. The experimental results indicate that the maximum principal stress and maximum shear stress of the slab generally increase with settlement magnitude and train speed, and the area near the abutment end is the most unfavorable position for the deformation of the slab. However, it is still lower than the design compressive strength of the C40 concrete structure. Thus, the designed adjustable–height structure meets the load–bearing requirements under train loading. Additionally, a numerical simulation model of the adjustable–height structure is developed to investigate the recovery capabilities and stress distribution of the settled raft slab. The results indicated that whether the lifting operation employed linear load or equal load methods, the raft slab primarily endured compressive stress, and there is stress concentration at the lifting points. For the same lifting displacement, the linear load method proved to be more reasonable than the equal load method. These findings have significant practical and theoretical implications for ensuring the safe and smooth operation of high–speed railways, effectively addressing the post–construction settlement deformation control challenges in ballastless track transition sections.

Research progress in processing technology of rabbit meat

AbstractRabbit meat is tender, high in protein, low in fat and cholesterol, and offers several nutritional benefits. However, it has a stronger taste and can be challenging to cook. The global rabbit industry has been developing steadily, and China's total rabbit meat production has exceeded half of the world's total production in 2021. Along with the progress of the production process, the meat of the nutrition and taste at the same time, to improve smell also can get better control, solved the problems met in rabbit meat production. This article discusses the attributes of rabbit meat and outlines the deodorization, texture adjustment, and water retention techniques currently used in rabbit meat processing, aiming to offer a theoretical foundation for the advancement of rabbit meat processing technology.

Directed evolution-based non-gradient method for structural topology optimization

Existing non-gradient optimizers often rely on stochastic search strategies, which require a large number of finite element analyses to evaluate the objective function. In this study, a directed evolution-based non-gradient topology optimization method is proposed to reduce the high computational cost. A directed generation strategy of load path components is presented, based on the idea of fixed-point enumeration. This strategy determines the position and direction of components by locating the region with the maximum stress and enumerating samples with different orientations at each iteration step. Then, an element removal criterion is developed to gradually eliminate the redundant elements from the components. Consequently, an adaptive adjustment technique of component size is presented to overcome the numerical instability. The applicability and effectiveness of the proposed method are illustrated through numerical examples. The results show that the proposed method can reasonably generate structural load paths with exceptional efficiency compared to existing non-gradient algorithms.

Improving Palimpsest Readability via Image Preprocessing: An Investigation into Adjustment Techniques

The palimpsests represent unique historical sources that hold the potential for new insights in the field of human history. These manuscripts, rewritten and reused over time, pose challenges in the research related to their readability and interpretation. The present study aims to investigate the readability of palimpsests through the use of image preprocessing techniques. The article focuses on methods for the preprocessing of palimpsests that could lead to a significant improvement in the readability of the 'hidden' text. The challenges encountered during the processing of palimpsests are explored and various techniques applicable to improving the readability of these manuscripts are analyzed. The primary goal of preprocessing in this context is to separate the 'hidden' text from the visible one, neutralizing material defects and aging. The article presents specific methods such as extracting specific color range from a palimsest image. The experimental techniques are highlighted with sample codes illustrating the application of the respective technology. The current research attempts to advance the development of methods for processing palimpsests and opens up new perspectives for extracting information from those historically valuable manuscripts.

On-Site Sensor Sensitivity Adjustment Technique for a Maintenance-Free Heat Flow Monitoring in Building Systems

In this paper, an advanced solution for measuring heat flow through opaque building elements is presented. The solution is based on the implementation of a computer-aided technique for continuous monitoring of heat flow sensor performance and silent checking of their accuracy. In principle, the technique provides an ex-post compensation of potential deviations and inaccuracies detected during the measurement, which can be done without interfering with the ongoing experiment. As a consequence, traditional ‘non-smart’ sensors can be turned into advanced sensors with self-sensing or self-adjustment features at nearly zero additional costs. The high efficiency of the proposed approach was validated against experimental data obtained from an independent set of advanced high-sensitive sensors. Considering the validation results, the proposed technique brings an entirely new potential for maintenance-free applications for thermal performance monitoring in the building sector, typically for long-term experiments or measurements under dynamic environments.