Time Discrepancy Research Articles

Evolution and extinction in a supercontinental world: did the breakup of Rodinia provide metazoans with evolutionary salvation?

A time discrepancy of at least 200–300 million years exists between the generally accepted onset of metazoan evolution as currently evidenced from fossils compared with that from studies at the molecular level. That temporal disparity coincides with the existence and subsequent breakup of the Rodinia Supercontinent when the earliest evolutionary crucibles were isolated intracratonic basins rather than the globally connected shallow seaways of subsequent eras. However, the discovery of fossil evidence to complement the extrapolations from molecular data has been, and continues to be, hampered, by both the geographical limitations of these isolated intracratonic basins and the fact that any such discovery would conflict with the global geological mindset that macrofossils of such age do not exist. Yet recently identified within the intracratonic Amadeus Basin of central Australia is a suite of macroscopic metazoan fossils that dates to ca 850–840 Ma, exemplifying an early attempt at animal evolution within the restrictions of the Rodinia Supercontinent. Such early metazoan evolution within such isolated crucibles, however, was extremely vulnerable to variations in climatic conditions, which threatened total extinction because the isolation of these basins limited metazoan distribution by denying them the possibility of migrating to safer havens. The Amadeus Basin evidence suggests that early metazoan evolution perhaps comprised cycles of about 10 million years when evolution flourished followed by climate change induced extinction and a subsequent evolutionary void of between 50 and 100 million years. Such cycles possibly characterised metazoan evolution until the Rodinia Supercontinent broke-up, after which connections between smaller oceans, shallow seas and narrow waterways provided metazoan life passageway to sanctuary during times of environmental stress. As the Amadeus Basin was just one of a number of isolated Rodinian-aged intracratonic basins, it is likely that similar fossils of the earliest metazoans are preserved elsewhere awaiting discovery.

Investigation of compound occurrence of storm surge and river flood in Mikawa Bay, Japan, using typhoon track ensemble experiments

The risk of high river flow and peak storm surge superimposing in the estuary of small-and medium-sized rivers can be more severe during typhoon landfalls than at other times. In this study, 30 cases of typhoon track ensemble experiments for five rivers in Mikawa Bay, Japan, were evaluated using an atmospheric-river-ocean model. The results showed that storm surges coincided with high river flows when typhoons crossed the western side of Mikawa Bay, with the highest potential observed when typhoons passed northwest of the Bay. The average time discrepancy for the five rivers between the storm surge occurrence and increased river flow in the minimum time difference case was 48 min at the river mouth. Distinct trends in the time difference between a storm surge and river flow were observed for each river mouth. The order of time differences corresponded to the drainage area scale: Toyo (188 min), Umeda (112 min), Otowa (114 min), Sana (96 min), and Yagyu (88 min). Time difference trends also varied based on the distance between the typhoon center and each river mouth. For Toyo River, storm surges and high river flows did not substantially overlap, regardless of distance. However, for medium-and small-sized rivers, the time difference increased proportionally with the distance from the typhoon. The Yagyu River showed the highest potential for compound occurrence of a storm surge and river flood because of the synchronization of storm surge peaks and high river flow peaks, with a time difference of 1–2 h for small-and medium-sized rivers within 100 km2 of the basin.

Quality issues of implied volatilities of index and stock options in the OptionMetrics IvyDB database

AbstractFor stock and index options in the United States, OptionMetrics records prices at 3:59 p.m., not 4:00 p.m. as assumed in previous literature. The resulting 1‐min time discrepancy with closing share prices creates artificial variability in implied volatility spreads and strongly affects market‐wide spreads. It leads to particularly large distortions at the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic. For index options in Europe, OptionMetrics data show large deviations from put‐call parity even though the original option prices match the parity exactly. Finally, the implied volatilities of stock options in Europe show clusters of exceptional deviations due to incorrect dividend information.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for insomnia decreases the discrepancy between objective and subjective measures of sleep.

Individuals with insomnia disorder often exhibit differences between reported experiences of sleep and objectively measured sleep parameters; however, the implications of this subjective-objective sleep discrepancy during treatment remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) on the discrepancy between objective and subjective measures of sleep, and to assess whether changes in clinical variables such as depression, anxiety, fatigue, and beliefs about sleep, were related to changes in discrepancy. Twenty-five participants with insomnia disorder were enrolled in group CBT-I. Sleep measures were continually sampled from baseline until 2 weeks post-treatment with both objective (i.e., actigraphy) and subjective (i.e., sleep diary) methods. The subjective-objective discrepancy significantly decreased from baseline early on in treatment (following the second session) and were maintained at post-treatment for sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset (WASO) and sleep efficiency (SE). Total sleep time (TST) discrepancy and misperception decreased from baseline to post-treatment. Improvement in depression symptoms, fatigue symptoms, and negative beliefs about sleep were significantly correlated with the decrease in the discrepancy for WASO and SE. These findings suggest that CBT-I resolves the mismatch between objective and subjective sleep parameters early in treatment for adults with insomnia. Sleep misperception improved from underestimating to accurately estimating TST. Improvement of psychological symptoms were related to decrease in sleep discrepancies across treatment. Future research is needed to explore how feedback on objective and subjective sleep discrepancy may impact sleep perception across treatment with CBT-I.

Fresh Frozen Plasma Versus Solvent Detergent Plasma for Cardiopulmonary Bypass Priming in Neonates and Infants Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study

ObjectiveCompared with Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP), Omniplasma has been attributed to an increased coagulation potential and an increased fibrinolytic potential. This study aimed to compare Omniplasma and FFP used for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) priming regarding the incidence of post-operative thrombotic-or haemorrhagic complications and outcome in paediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery. DesignA retrospective observational cohort study SettingThis single-center study was performed in the University Medical Center Groningen ParticipantAll paediatric patients up to 10 kg undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB. InterventionsProcedures where FFP was used for CPB priming were compared with those where Omniplasma was used. Measurements and main resultsThe primary outcome parameter was a composite endpoint consisting of 1) Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) mortality, 2) thromboembolic complications, and 3) haemorrhagic complications during PICU stay. We included 143 procedures in the analyses, 90 (63%) in the FFP- and 53 (37%) in the Omniplasma-group. The occurrence of the combined primary endpoint (FFP 20% vs omniplasma 11%, p=0.18 and its components did not differ between the used CPB priming agent). Omniplasma for CPB priming was associated with decreased Unfractionated Heparin administration per kg bodyweight (585 IU vs 510 IU, p=0.03), a higher pre- and post-operative Activated Clotting Time (ACT) discrepancy (90% vs 94%, p=0.03), a lower post-operative ACT value (125 seconds vs 118 seconds, p=0.01), and less Red Blood Cell transfusion per kilogram bodyweight (78 ml vs. 55 ml, p=0.02). However, none of the variables differed statistically significant in the multivariate logistic regression analyses. ConclusionsWe did not find an association between the used plasma for CPB priming and thromboembolic, haemorrhagic complication, and death in neonates and infants undergoing cardiac surgery. Omniplasma seems to be safe to use in this population.

Інфляція як мірило незалежності центральних банків

The aim of the article is to study the process of formation of the modern paradigm of independence of central banks, determine the role of inflation in it, outline the criteria for independence and determine the dynamics of legal indicators of autonomy of monetary institutions. It is noted that the impetus for changes in relations between governments and central banks of many industrialized countries was the episodes of high inflation in the 1970s. Awareness of the problem of the time discrepancy between the short-term perspective of political decisions and their long-term impact on the economy provoked institutional changes in the status of monetary institutions. They envisaged the prioritization of central banks’ activities to ensure a consistently low level of inflation and provide independence to achieve it. It is also noted that in countries with economies in transition, the tendency to separate central banks into an independent institution was implemented during the 1990s. The criteria for the independence of central banks are determined by legislation and their charters. These usually include the following: isolation of central bank leadership from political pressure; prohibition to give instructions to central banks in the conduct of monetary policy; a clearly defined purpose of monetary policy; restrictions on lending to government programs and budget deficits. In addition to the formally defined independence, there is also the actual independence of central banks, which is usually outlined through the index of management turnover of monetary institutions and its correlation with the inflation rate. But this does not take into account other (exogenous) factors that affect the inflation rate, which makes the studies less relevant. In addition, the construction of any indices includes an arbitrary weight value of each of them, which reflects the sensitivity of the results obtained depending on their composition. As noted in the study, instead of a static analysis of the indicators of independence of central banks, it is more expedient to determine their modification from the beginning of the formation of the modern paradigm of independence to the present day. The analysis showed that since the beginning of the 1970s, most of the countries studied have changed the rules prohibiting central banks from financing (in any form) the budget deficit. At the same time, obstacles to interference in monetary policy were established. This suggests that the change in these criteria had the greatest impact on the downward trend in the level and volatility of inflation in the period under study.

Petroleum generation and migration through the Faroe–Shetland Basin – the role of igneous intrusions

Previous basin modelling of the Faroe–Shetland Basin (FSB, offshore UK) has suggested mid-Cretaceous petroleum generation, which predates the deposition of the working Paleogene reservoirs and traps. To justify the time discrepancy between generation, reservoir, and trap formation, factors such as intermediary accumulations and overpressure have been invoked. However, across much of the FSB, the Cretaceous sequences that overly the Kimmeridgian source rock are heavily intruded by Paleogene-aged intrusions. Recent modelling has shown that the emplacement of the intrusions, coupled with lower radiogenic heat production from underlying basement, leads to estimates of petroleum generation occurring up to 40 myr more recently than suggested by previous models. In this work, we seek to better understand the role that igneous intrusions have exerted on petroleum generation and migration in the FSB. Models with varying thicknesses of Paleogene intrusions are compared with those that consider the Cretaceous sequence as purely sedimentary (i.e. similar to assumptions in previous modelling). The estimated times of petroleum generation are compared with geochronological constraints on the ages of oils (i.e. c . 90–68 Ma) along with the deposition and formation of other petroleum system elements. By considering only the effect of igneous intrusions, the expulsion onset from the source rock is retarded by up to 12 myr. In addition, our models show the impact of the intrusions on petroleum saturation and migration, suggesting that intrusions have potentially compartmentalized the basin, trapping petroleum beneath or within the sill complex. Finally, our findings suggest that basin models in regions impacted by significant magmatism need to consider the impact of intrusions to more accurately constrain both petroleum generation and migration. Thematic collection: This article is part of the New learning from exploration and development in the UKCS Atlantic Margin collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/new-learning-from-exploration-and-development-in-the-ukcs-atlantic-margin

Analysis of Swarm Earthquakes on the Territory of the Elbrus Volcanic Center

The paper presents the results of the analysis of swarm seismic events recorded in 2018 in the area of the Elbrus volcanic center by the North Caucasian seismological network of the FRC GS RAS. The standard method of station processing shows the hypocenters of recorded events in the area of the Elbrus volcanic center. The hypocenters of seismic events in swarm sequences were refined using the LOS software package, a complex combined location algorithm, methods of minimizing the time discrepancy in the source and grid search with depth enumeration. The described approach improves the reliability of location due to accounting for inaccuracies associated with incorrectly taken times of phase arrivals and minor deviations in travel times, depending on the velocity model of the medium used. According to the results of the study of the focal mechanisms of the strongest earthquakes, the type of movement was established, which is consistent with the kinematics of the Elbrus-Mineralnye Vody fault zone. Correlation analysis of the waveforms of the vertical component filtered in the frequency range of 1‒10 Hz, including P and S waves, for the nearest station shows a high coincidence of the analyzed data (correlation coefficient R ≥ 0.85), which indicates a high probability that events have similar sources and paths propagation of seismic waves. Comparison of the power spectral density of individual earthquakes in swarm sequences also demonstrates high similarity.

Characteristics and Discrepancies in Publication of Clinical Trials Related to Foot and Ankle Surgery

Category: Other Introduction/Purpose: The significance of trial registration has grown rapidly as an increasing number of journals require NCT IDs prior to publication. Although various reports have been published in different medical fields, including several orthopaedic subspecialties, no study has examined the discrepancies between trial registries and publications in the area of foot and ankle surgery. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate (1) the characteristics of foot and ankle surgery-related clinical trials registered in the widely used Clinicaltrials.gov (CTG) clinical trials database, (2) the publication rates, (3) inconsistencies between the original trial plans and final publications, and (4) possible risk factors that could contribute to discrepancies. The hypothesis was that foot and ankle surgery-related trials would have a low publication rate, and discrepancies would exist between trial registries and final published results. Methods: The study used the CTG database to identify eligible trials based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) related to foot and ankle surgery, (2) interventional study, (3) randomized controlled, and (4) anticipated completion date before the end of 2018. Exclusion criteria consisted of (1) ongoing trials, (2) trials assessing vascular surgeries or anesthetic procedures, and (3) trials examining conservative treatment methods without any surgical intervention. The search was performed on January 1, 2021, allowing the authors at least 24 months from trial completion to publication. The corresponding publications of the included trials were searched using various databases, including Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. NCT ID, title, keywords, and the name of the principal investigator provided in CTG were used for literature search, and the title and abstract of the publications were reviewed to confirm the match with the trial. Results: Out of all the trials analyzed, 67.5% were registered either during the trial period or after completion. Industry funded 46.5% of trials. A reported 54.8% of trials were completed, and only 42% (66 trials) were published in a journal. Among the analyzed trials, 57.6% had a sample size discrepancy, 28.8% had a follow-up time discrepancy, 45.5% had a primary outcome discrepancy, and 89.4% had an inclusion/exclusion criteria discrepancy. Trials funded by industry exhibited significantly more sample size and inclusion/exclusion criteria discrepancies (p=0.024, 0.001, 0.037, respectively). Furthermore, industry-funded studies had a higher frequency of positive results (p=0.011). Conclusion: The findings of this study draw attention to the existing issues in clinical trials related to foot and ankle surgery. The results not only serve as a warning to researchers regarding potential inconsistencies but also support the need for stricter trial registry regulations. Registering a trial does not guarantee its publication or ensure that there will be no modifications to the methodology during the trial period. Therefore, it is crucial to register trials before enrolling the first patient to minimize the risk of bias.

Time discrepancy for tuberculosis-negative microscopy and culture - the diagnostic gap remains: systematic analysis from a large tertiary care tuberculosis-clinic, Germany 2013-2017

ObjectivesPatients with open pulmonary tuberculosis (opTB) are subject to strict isolation rules. Sputum smear microscopy is used to determine infectivity, but sensitivity is lower than for culture. This study aimed to investigate the clinical relevance of this mismatch in contemporary settings. MethodsDifferential results between microscopy and culture were determined at the time of microscopic sputum conversion, from all patients with opTB between 01/2013 and 12/2017. In addition, data on HIV, multi/extensive drug-resistant TB status, time to smear- and cultural-negativity conversion were analyzed; and a Kaplan-Meier curve was developed. ResultsOf 118 patients with opTB, 58 had demographic data available for microbiological and clinical follow-up analysis; among these, 26 (44.8%) had still at least one positive culture result. Median time from opTB-treatment initiation to full microscopic sputum- or culture conversion, was 16.5 days (range 2-105), and 20 days (1-105), respectively (median difference: +3.5 days). Sixteen days after de-isolation, >90% had converted culturally. HIV- or multi/extensive drug-resistant TB status did not impact conversion time. ConclusionWhen patients with opTB were de-isolated after 3 negative sputum smear microscopy tests, a substantial part still revealed cultural growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, but it remains unclear, whether smear-negative and culturally-positive individuals on therapy are really infective. Thus, the clinical relevance of this finding warrants further investigation.

Insight of electrocardiographic and electrophysiological parameters on the left ventricular function in patients with ventricular arrhythmia from left ventricular summit.

Ventricular arrhythmia (VA) commonly originate from the left ventricular summit (LVS) and results in left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in some patients; however, factors related to LV cardiomyopathy have not been well elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the risk factors for LV cardiomyopathy and the outcomes of patients with LVS VA. Between 2013 and 2018, a total of 139 patients (60.7% men; mean age 53.2 ± 13.9 years old) underwent catheter ablation for LVS VA in two centers. Detailed patient demographics, electrocardiograms, electrophysiological characteristics, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. LV cardiomyopathy was defined as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%. Acute procedural success was achieved in 92.8% of patients. There were 40 patients (28.8%) with LV cardiomyopathy, and the mean LVEF improved from 37.5 ± 9.3% to 48.5 ± 10.2% after ablation (p < .001). After multivariate analysis, the independent factors of LV dysfunction were wider QRS duration (QRSd) of the VA (odds ratio [OR] 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00-1.04; p = .046) and the absolute earliest activation time discrepancy (AEAD) between epicardium and endocardium (OR 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00-1.09; p = .048). After ablation, the LV function was completely recovered in 20 patients (50%). The factors for LV dysfunction without recovery included wider premature ventricular complex (PVC) QRSd (OR 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02-1.17; p = .012) and poorer LVEF (OR 0.85; 95% CI: 0.74-0.97; p = .020). In patients with VA from the LVS, PVC QRSd and AEAD are factors associated with deteriorating LV systolic function. Catheter ablation can reverse LV remodeling. Narrower QRSd and better LVEF are associated with better recovery of LV function after ablation.

Influence of port opening dynamics on the acoustic signature of pneumatic marine seismic sources

Numerical modeling is a powerful tool for predicting the acoustic signature of pneumatic marine seismic sources to maximize low-frequency content and minimize excessively high-frequency content that may harm marine life. Idealized source models often overpredict the peak acoustic pressure, a key quantity in assessing source performance. The dynamics of the shuttle, the mechanical component that controls the early time gas flow rate from the source, contribute to this signal overprediction but often are neglected. We have computed the numerical solution of a quasi-1D model of a large volume source fired underwater. In our model, we couple the shuttle dynamics to the gas dynamics in multiple adjacent chambers in the source. The source is coupled to a spherical bubble through mass and energy conservation conditions. To capture the compressible effect of flow area change in the air exiting the source, we invoke a set of steady-state nozzle flow approximations. We compare model results against data from field tests, where acoustic pressure signals, local pressure within and just outside the source, and temperature inside the source were measured. The maximum value and slope of the initial acoustic pressure peak are overpredicted by the model, but internal pressure and temperature data agree with model predictions. We attribute early time discrepancy between the model and data to unmodeled pressure losses in the gas flow to the bubble and discrepancy over the bubble oscillation timescale to the bubble modeling error. We provide first-order corrections that reduce the model discrepancy in a manner consistent with internal thermodynamic data and quantify the effects of design parameters on the source dynamics.

Influence of the time discrepancy (TD) between the first grinding wheel cut-out and the second cut-in of two-pass grinding on the hardened layer

A grind-hardening experiment on nodular cast iron QT400 was done with a surface grinder. The effects of the time discrepancy(TD) between the first cut-out of the grinding wheel and the second cut-in of the two-pass grinding on the grinding force, microstructure, micro-hardness and uniformity of the hardened layer depth were studied. Then, by using the measured tangential grinding force to establish a simulation model of the grinding temperature field. We concluded that increasing TD with the same grinding parameters can reduce micro-hardness and the depth of the hardened layer; indeed, the uniformity of the hardened layer can also be improved. However, the change of TD has no noticeable influence on the grinding force and microstructure of the hardened layer. The simulation results show that with the same grinding parameters, reducing the TD can increase the temperature of the workpiece in the second grinding. The experimental results are consistent with the simulation results, and the relative error of the hardened layer depth is 9%. Under the consistent grinding parameters, when TD = 6 s, the hardened layer depth is moderate and its uniformity is good.

Single-Position Location of a Radiation Source with a Curvilinear Motion and Allowance for Signal Period Evolution at the Reception Point

A single-position method of non-bearing passive location has been developed with allowance for the periodicity of a radiated pulsed radio signal during the motion of a radiation source along a curvilinear trajectory. The method does not require the current Doppler frequency to be estimated and the measuredparameter is the time discrepancy between the periods of the emitted and received signals caused by the motion of a source. The problems of the computational correctness and accuracy of the method are discussed and practical recommendations are made. A numerical example is given.

Addressing time discrepancy between digital and physical twins

Digital twins (DTs) represent a key technology in the development, real-time monitoring and optimisation of cyber–physical systems (CPSs). Such potential emerges as a result of the real-time coupling between DTs and their physical counterparts, where it is possible to make use of operational data as it is being generated in order to aid decision-making. Harnessing this potential presents several design challenges, such as the parallel operation of the DT and its physical twin (PT), and the necessary synchronisation thereof, to ensure coherent execution of the system in ensemble. In this paper we present an approach that handles situations where a DT and its PT get out of sync as a result of disturbances in the normal operational conditions of the DT–PT system, e.g., due to network degradation or temporary network drop. The purpose is to provide a best-effort functionality covering: user notification, degradation of DT to digital shadow (DS), with recovery mechanisms to re-establish the synchronisation between DT and PT.

Gender-based time discrepancy in diagnosis of coronary artery disease based on data analytics of electronic medical records.

Women continue to have worse Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) outcomes than men. The causes of this discrepancy have yet to be fully elucidated. The main objective of this study is to detect gender discrepancies in the diagnosis and treatment of CAD. We used data analytics to risk stratify ~32,000 patients with CAD of the total 960,129 patients treated at the UCSF Medical Center over an 8 year period. We implemented a multidimensional data analytics framework to trace patients from admission through treatment to create a path of events. Events are any medications or noninvasive and invasive procedures. The time between events for a similar set of paths was calculated. Then, the average waiting time for each step of the treatment was calculated. Finally, we applied statistical analysis to determine differences in time between diagnosis and treatment steps for men and women. There is a significant time difference from the first time of admission to diagnostic Cardiac Catheterization between genders (p-value = 0.000119), while the time difference from diagnostic Cardiac Catheterization to CABG is not statistically significant. Women had a significantly longer interval between their first physician encounter indicative of CAD and their first diagnostic cardiac catheterization compared to men. Avoiding this delay in diagnosis may provide more timely treatment and a better outcome for patients at risk. Finally, we conclude by discussing the impact of the study on improving patient care with early detection and managing individual patients at risk of rapid progression of CAD.

TH2.3 Elective versus emergency management of gallstone disease at a tertiary referral centre amidst the COVID-19 pandemic - should the protocol be altered?

BackgroundGallstones are a common pathology affecting approximately 15% of the population in UK, 20% of which are symptomatic. It is suggested symptomatic patients undergo cholecystectomies. Guidelines recommend this is performed within one week of initial emergency presentation or 52 weeks for elective case. Surgical capacity to manage emergency cholecystectomies was limited due to the COVID pandemic. We assessed wait time discrepancy between elective and emergency cholecystectomies.MethodsA retrospective review of all patients undergoing cholecystectomies between January and November 2021 in a major tertiary referral centre in London was undertaken. Initial pathology at the time of presentation, elective vs emergency presentation, pre-surgical biliary complications along and wait times were reviewed.Results219 (74 elective, 145 emergency) patients underwent surgery, mean age 48 years (23% Male and 77% Female). Average wait times for elective cholecystectomies were 69.7 days (min 0, max 246) in comparison to 68.9 days (min 1, max 253) for emergency surgery. 22 (15%) of the patients of initial emergency presentation re-attended hospital and 6 (4%) had adverse events such as gallbladder perforation or pancreatitis due to delayed treatment. Comparatively, 9 (12%) elective patients attended A&E due to pain, with no adverse outcomes.ConclusionsOverall wait time of emergency vs elective cholecystectomies were similar. This review indicates emergency cases require prioritisation over elective cholecystectomies due to the higher number of re-attendance and adverse events. Emergency cases need to be prioritised to meet guidelines, which could also reduce complication rates whilst awaiting surgery and lead to fewer adverse outcomes.

Uncovering Discrepancies in IV Vancomycin Infusion Records between Pump Logs and EHR Documentation.

Infusion start time, completion time, and interruptions are the key data points needed in both area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)- and trough-based vancomycin therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). However, little is known about the accuracy of documented times of drug infusions compared with automated recorded events in the infusion pump system. A traditional approach of direct observations of infusion practice is resource intensive and impractical to scale. We need a new methodology to leverage the infusion pump event logs to understand the prevalence of timestamp discrepancies as documented in the electronic health records (EHRs). We aimed to analyze timestamp discrepancies between EHR documentation (the information used for clinical decision making) and pump event logs (actual administration process) for vancomycin treatment as it may lead to suboptimal data used for therapeutic decisions. We used process mining to study the conformance between pump event logs and EHR data for a single hospital in the United States from July to December 2016. An algorithm was developed to link records belonging to the same infusions. We analyzed discrepancies in infusion start time, completion time, and interruptions. Of the 1,858 infusions, 19.1% had infusion start time discrepancy more than ± 10 minutes. Of the 487 infusion interruptions, 2.5% lasted for more than 20 minutes before the infusion resumed. 24.2% (312 of 1,287) of 1-hour infusions and 32% (114 of 359) of 2-hour infusions had over 10-minute completion time discrepancy. We believe those discrepancies are inherent part of the current EHR documentation process commonly found in hospitals, not unique to the care facility under study. We demonstrated pump event logs and EHR data can be utilized to study time discrepancies in infusion administration at scale. Such discrepancy should be further investigated at different hospitals to address the prevalence of the problem and improvement effort.

A 64-Channel Data Acquisition System-Based Ultralow Noise Transimpedance Amplifier for an Ionization Profile Monitor

To meet the high time-resolution requirements of a fast ionization profile monitor (IPM), a 64-channel electrical signal acquisition system with a fast response frequency of 1 MHz has been developed. This article initially describes an ultralow noise transimpedance amplifier, which is an analog front-end (AFE) electronics aiming to achieve a balance between the accuracy and bandwidth, as well as to truly reflect the microstructure of short beam pulses. Subsequently, a synchronized multichannel data transmission system based on field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) transmits data streaming with the low latency and high throughput, and meanwhile, it provides data homogeneity in time across channels. The system is designed in a modular way to easily extend up to 128 channels. The nonlinearity of the readout electronics is less than 0.2% in the dynamic range of 15 nA– <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$15~\mu \text{A}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> , and the relative resolution is 0.15% at the input current of 15 <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{A}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> . The spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) is about 82.43 dB at a fundamental frequency of 1 kHz, and the effective number of bits (ENOB) of the analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) is better than 13 bits. The relative synchronization time discrepancy between channels is better than 2.5% of the sampling cycle. Finally, the system is deployed for the beam profile measurement with an IPM. The obtained peak value shows a good proportionality with the beam intensity increment, and all the electronics properties achieve reasonable and excellent performance.

Psychological state of the fishing fleet employees during continued sea voyages: a review

INTRODUCTION:The adaptive human characteristics are time bound, hence an abrupt change of environmental conditions is crucial in adaptation process, specifically relevant maritime medicine.OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY:Based on literature data, to frame the issue of changes in psychological adaptive process among the fishing industry staff during long sea journeys and to justify the need of their constant medical supervision for early identification of possible health problems in the voyage period as well as during crew readaptation to the shore conditions.MATERIALS AND METHODS:The literature has been searched in the international electronic databases of Web of Science, Scopus, also in the domestic library system eLibrary. The sources with a full-text access to the e-library are used. Time depth of the analysed literature coverage is the last 20–25 years, yet more than half of the sources are less than 5–7 years. The key words in the search engine are maritime labour, adverse occupational factors of maritime activities, the health of fishing transport staff, psychological adaptation of the sailing vessel crew.RESULTS:Specificity of the adaptation problem in maritime medicine is primarily that seamen’s body should adjust to a significant number of adversities in a relatively short time. Time discrepancy between these processes leads to the emergence of disadaptation disorders which might evoke pathological lesion. Psychological status has a pronounced impact on human adaptation to working environment. Individuals with pronounced weakness of nervous processes often experience breakdowns in tense navigation conditions. The literary data analysis of seamen’s psycho-emotional state study in navigation conditions shows that even while short-term journey in the Arctic Basin seas most sailors experience mental tension of the central nervous system by the midterm. At long-term journey during a year-round Arctic navigation the phasal nature of psychological adaptation course is identified. In the first third of the journey the development of orienting response was observed due to the staff change and familiar social environment. By the middle of the journey there was a period of mental stabilization. By the end of the journey signs of psychological disadaptation were detected and intensified. Disadaptation changes include emotional instability, increased lability of the nervous system, particularly reflected in irritation, sleep disturbance, increased neuromuscular excitability, decline in mental and physical performance.CONCLUSION:Seamen require constant psychophysiological monitoring to identify adaptive changes in the journey period and during crew readaptation to the shore conditions. Within the system of medical support to the water transport staff, an integrated manner of adverse conditions in professional environment is required in order to create high-quality and safe working conditions.