Completion Time Research Articles

Calibration of parameters and predictive control strategy of a wind turbine for improvement of energy harvesting

Applied mathematical modeling of the various energy resources has contributed widely in their design and operation improvements. Among renewable energy sources, wind energy systems have gained a significant attention for their rapid and continuous growth, which resulted from their cost effectiveness and clean power generation. However, research effort on the industry and university levels is still needed to enhance the characteristics of existing wind turbines and allow larger amounts of their share. This thesis presents an accurate model of a wind turbine (TWT-1.65) system for time-based dynamic simulations. The parameters of the power coefficient have been identified, calibrated and verified using different meta-heuristic optimization techniques, which are the Wild Horse Optimizer (WHO), Whale Optimizer (WO), and Genetic Algorithm (GA) to enhance the model accuracy over the previously related studies. The new version of the parameters has resulted in a higher accuracy while being practically meaningful, with the best achieved MSE of 0.006. The system model has been then integrated with two predictive controllers which are the linear Model Predictive Control (MPC) and Neural Network Predictive Control (NNPC) to regulate the pitch angle trends for the target of maximum energy harvesting. With proper selection of the controllers’ parameters, off-line simulation studies have shown improved production trends of the power output with constrained and safe trajectory of the pitch angle, which can be translated to be an improve in the total average harvested power of 34% and 44.5% over the complete time window of 5760 min using NNPC and Linear MPC respectively.

Does conservative or arthroscopic management of canine medial coronoid disease lead to improved outcomes?

Question In dogs diagnosed with medial coronoid disease, does arthroscopic surgical intervention, compared with conservative management, result in improved mobility and reduced pain? Clinical bottom line Category of research: Treatment. Number and type of study designs reviewed: Three studies were identified directly addressing the PICO question. One paper was a retrospective cohort study, another study was a prospective randomised control trial, and the third was a non-randomised non-blinded observational study. Strength of evidence: Weak. Outcomes reported: The first study was a prospective non-randomised study that did not identify a difference in gait evaluation at the 52 week recheck in dogs treated conservatively compared to those treated arthroscopically, with lameness exacerbated in the arthroscopic treatment group until the 26 week recheck. The second study, a retrospective non-randomised cohort study, showed greater, but not statistically different, owner-reported clinical metrology scores in dogs treated arthroscopically compared to those treated conservatively. Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD) and Pain Severity Scores (PSS) were higher but not statistically significant, yet Pain Interference Scores (PIS) were statistically significantly higher at 52 weeks in arthroscopically treated dogs compared to conservatively treated dogs. Age at diagnosis and at time of questionnaire completion were statistically significant for LOAD, PSS, and PIS, with older dogs having higher scores. The third study performed a non-blinded observational study assessing canine patients with bilateral medial coronoid disease, with unilateral arthroscopic subtotal coronoidectomy performed on the most clinically affected limb. Radiographs and computed tomography (CT) imaging were performed at diagnosis, with radiographs taken at follow-up. At the time of follow-up, arthroscopically treated limbs had a higher radiographic score than those treated conservatively, although a significant improvement in lameness was seen at the walk in arthroscopically treated limbs. Conservatively managed dogs showed an unchanged (non-significant) gait. Radiographic changes did not appear to correlate to severity of clinical signs. Conclusion: The quality of the published evidence available to answer the PICO question is weak, due to the design of the three reviewed studies. Low patient populations in these three studies also hinder the statistical power of any recommendations made. None of the three studies assesses the complex nature of medial coronoid disease to clearly answer the question posed. The decision to recommend arthroscopy over conservative management therefore depends on the judgement and experience of the veterinary surgeon attending the case. Additionally, assessment of the imaging findings is important when discussing prospective treatment options.

Voice Recordings from Short Mobile Sessions versus Clinical Interviews for Mental Illness Screening: A Comparative Study with Deep Transfer Learning

The prevalence of mental illness symptoms is increasing. While questionnaires are traditionally used, prior research applied machine learning to clinical interview recordings conducted by a virtual agent for depression screening. In this research, we compare their screening ability with brief mobile voice recordings. The latter reduces completion time while increasing access to screening. We collected 546 mobile voice recordings in response to four clinical interview questions from over 200 crowd-sourced adults reporting English fluency. We also collected responses to traditional screening questionnaires to use as labels in the classifiers. We extract textual transcripts from these voice recordings, facilitating both unimodal and multimodal classification. We compose acoustic and language representation models into deep learning architectures fine-tuned for mental illness screening. In our study, we compare the mental illness screening ability of four questions from mobile voice recordings and complete clinical interviews. When screening for depression, the brief mobile voice responses to individual questions proved as good or better for half of the interview questions. Overall, we achieved AUC of 0.76 for depression, 0.76 for anxiety, and 0.81 for suicidal ideation screening using our mobile voice recordings. Our findings can help guide the development of efficient and effective mental illness screening technologies.

Implementation Of Standard Minute Value (SMV) to Achieve Bra Production Target at PT Globalindo Intimates

Standard Minute Value (SMV) is a method for measuring the standard time for completion of a production process in achieving production targets in accordance with a predetermined plan. In this research, analysis related to SMV was carried out at PT Globalindo Intimates, which is a garment industry manufacturing company whose products are underwear or women's underwear. This research aims to determine the strategies and challenges in implementing SMV to achieve bra production targets. Data collection techniques were carried out using observation, interviews and documentation. Based on the research that has been carried out, the strategy used to implement SMV can be in the form of research to determine the level of difficulty in the production process and observation to see problems in the production process because each type of bra has a different level of difficulty. Factors that cause production targets to not be achieved are unplanned absences, operator skills, machine problems, and human error.

Top-view characterization of broiler walking ability and leg health using computer vision.

Impaired walking ability and leg health are commonly seen in broilers and can negatively impact their welfare. Commonly, walking ability and leg health are assessed manually, but this is time consuming and can be subjective. Automated approaches for scoring walking ability and leg health at the individual level could therefore have great added value. Here, we studied whether automatically extracted top-view walking features of broilers can be used as a proxy for walking ability and leg health. Top-view videos were collected of unmarked broilers walking through a corridor that was placed inside the home pen. From these videos, four top-view features were derived: 1) lateral body oscillation, calculated as deviations from the movement trajectory of the bird, 2) step count, 3) completion time, and 4) length-width ratio of the virtual bounding box encapsulating the bird while walking as an indicator of wing support. We assessed the relationship of these computer vision-based features with manual gait and leg health scores, including hock burn (HB) and footpad dermatitis (FPD). We observed that birds with worse gait scores (GS) had longer completion times, higher step counts and a trend for higher lateral body oscillation levels in the walkway setup. Unsupervised clustering using the K-means algorithm with these walking features showed potential to distinguish birds with GS3+, although differentiating between GS1 and GS2 proved more challenging. We concluded that the length-width ratio of the bounding box during walking was not a suitable proxy for poor gait. We found no relationship between top-view walking features and mild cases of HB and FPD in broilers. Overall, the results of this study indicate that top-view video recordings can provide insight into birds' walking ability, using features related to movement speed, step count and lateral body oscillation, making automated scoring more feasible on a larger scale in practice. However, these top view features provide little information about mild HB and FPD.

Assessing impact of postoperative outcomes and quality of life on decisional regret after resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

699 Background: Surgery is potentially curative for patients with localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Given the high rate of complications, decline in quality of life (QoL) postoperatively, and high rates of recurrence, clear preoperative communication and expectation setting is critical. This study investigates clinical outcomes that affect postoperative decisional regret (DR) in patients with PDAC. Methods: This mixed-methods study investigates the impact of clinical outcomes and QoL on the degree of DR in patients with PDAC who have undergone curative-intent resection at least 6 months prior to study recruitment. Patients completed validated surveys assessing DR and QoL by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). Groups are stratified by presence or absence of DR, assessed by the Decisional Regret Scale (DRS). Characteristics and survey scores were compared by chi-square, independent t-test, and median test. Narrative responses were thematically analyzed. Given significant findings, results of this interim analysis are reported below. Results: 45 patients met inclusion criteria and completed all questionnaires. 19 (42.2%) patients expressed regret about their decision to pursue curative-intent surgery, with 5 patients expressing moderate to severe regret (DRS ≥ 25). There was no significant difference in median postoperative timing of survey completion between groups (56 months in DR group vs 34 months, P=0.465). Baseline characteristics, medical treatments, and operative approaches were similar. Both groups had similar recurrence rates at time of survey completion. While 30 and 90 day readmission rates were similar, a greater proportion of the DR group had 30 day complications (42.1% vs 15.4%, P=0.045). Those expressing regret reported poorer physical functional status (mean score 79.30 ± 18.84 vs 92.31 ± 10.27, P=0.011) and greater impact on social activities (mean score 67.54 ± 33.55 vs 84.67 ± 19.19, P=0.038). Thematic analysis of narrative responses revealed that a majority of patients expressed a strong desire to have a greater focus on potential QoL changes during preoperative discussions. Conclusions: Patients expressing postoperative DR experienced more 30 day complications, and still report lasting effects on their current physical status and social activities. This emphasizes the importance of thorough preoperative counseling on surgical risks and potential changes in postoperative QoL so that patients may make the best informed decision.

Development and preliminary testing of a comprehensive Ecological Momentary Assessment of people with chronic pain.

Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) is a data collection method to understand people's real-time experience in daily life. To date, no standard instrument exists to measure the pain experience using EMA that provides relevant information for most chronic pain conditions. The goal of this study was to fill this gap by developing a comprehensive EMA pain instrument (cEMAp). Drawing on extant validated retrospective pain measures, the items represented the following pain-relevant constructs: (1) pain intensity, (2) pain fluctuations and patterns, (3) time in pain, (4) pain sensations, (5) pain location, (6) focusing on pain and distraction, (7) pain behavior, (8) other pain sensations, (9) pain impact, (10) pain concerns, (11) causes of pain relief and exacerbations, and (12) pain typicality. Subsequently, interviews with fifty-three adults (mean age=57 years, SD=13.4; female: 74%) with chronic pain were conducted to confirm the relevance and appropriateness of the selected items for real-time pain measurement. We then created an electronic version of the instrument utilizing information from 2-hour intervals. We examined its feasibility and acceptability in a 1-week EMA design in a separate sample of twenty adults with chronic pain (mean age=56 years, SD=14.2). Results showed that EMA completion time was reasonable (mean=3.8 minutes, SD=2.5). Participants reported that the prompts were non-disruptive, the questions overall captured their pain experience, and the frequent pain assessments were useful. We expect this new instrument will allow researchers and clinicians to paint a fine-grained and nuanced picture of people's everyday pain in a comprehensive and standardized way. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents the development of a new pain assessment based on Ecological Momentary Assessment to comprehensively measure chronic pain in daily life. Continued use and examination of the new instrument could facilitate standardization and comparability of momentary pain assessment methods across studies and chronic pain conditions.

TBM Performance Prediction Using Statistical and Machine Learning Algorithms: Case Study of Slurry TBM Used in Mumbai Metro Rail Tunnel Line–3 (UGC-03), India

ABSTRACT Estimating the performance of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) is vital for enhancing mining productivity and reducing tunnelling operations-related risks. Penetration rate (PR) is the most prominent TBM performance indicator, which majorly influences the project completion time, contractual activities, and overall cost of the project. Prediction of PR considering varying geotechnical parameters needs to be addressed. This study comprises 235 data points collected from a 3.572 km long twin-tunnel bored using two refurbished articulated single-shield slurry TBM, employed in a metro project in package-03, (UGC- 03) of Mumbai metro rail corporation line-3 (MMRCL-3), in Mumbai, India. The PR of the TBM is predicted using; uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), point load test (PLT (I50)), rock mass rating (RMR), rock quality designation (RQD), porosity (n), and Brazilian tensile strength (BTS) as the input parameters considering two statistical approaches i.e., multivariate linear regression (MVLR) and multivariate non-linear regression (MVNLR) and five machine learning (ML) algorithms i.e., random forests (RF), K-nearest neighbour (KNN), XG-Boost, support vector regression (SVR) and artificial neural networks (ANN). A 90: 10 train: test split was used on the 235 data points. The model developed using XG-Boost regression predicted the most accurate PR with R2 = 0.7877 / RMSE = 0.2113, where RF was the second-best model and closest to XG-Boost with R2 = 0.7679 / RMSE = 0.2200. The developed models indicate a considerable relationship between the input parameters and PR, and PR can be predicted accurately.

Exploring Oral Narrative Abilities of Chilean School-Age Children With Down Syndrome: A Preliminary Study.

Narrative abilities are essential for school achievement and quality of life, yet children with Down syndrome (DS) often struggle with these skills. This work explores the oral narrative abilities of school-age Chilean children with DS. The participants were 11 children with DS aged between 7;2 and 12;1 (years; months). All participated in a retelling task using a wordless picture book. Microstructural and macrostructural performance were analyzed and compared with data from a reference database of typically developing Spanish-speaking children, matched by chronological age or linguistic abilities. Children with DS showed proficiency in identifying introductory story elements but faced difficulties with cohesion. Restricted microstructural performance and task completion time were observed. Ethical-methodological challenges and recommendations for practice and research are discussed.

Development and Initial Validation of the MCL-PRO-CAT: A computerized adaptive test designed to measure multifocal contact lens performance from the patient's perspective.

To create a valid and reliable computer-adaptive testing (CAT) tool for assessing Multifocal Contact Lens (MCL) performance in presbyopic individuals, ensuring high precision. The self-administered tool will initially be accessible online in Spanish. Five steps were followed for the correct development of the instruments: item bank development, item refinement phase, item response theory calibration of the refined item bank, CAT simulations and design, and an initial validation study. A total of 1163 presbyopic patients were involved in the over-all study. Convergent validity was assessed by comparing results to the CLDQ-8 questionnaire, and repeatability assessment was performed two weeks after the initial completion. The final item bank consisted of 108 items assessing various relevant domains for MCL performance evaluation. The calibration study showed a person separation index of 4.69 and a reliability of 0.96 along with a measurement precision of 0.27. The final CAT distinguished between 16 levels of MCL performance by presenting an average of 10.61 ±1.00 items per patient, with an average completion time of 3:04±1:24min. Signs of convergent validity showed a correlation of 0.73 and repeatability was assessed showing an intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.881 with a 95% Confidence Interval 0,815-0,924, and Limits of Agreement of ±1.07. The MCL-PRO-CAT is a groundbreaking tool for evaluating MCL performance in presbyopic individuals. With automated scoring and fewer items, it was feasible, valid, and precise, enhancing clinical practicality.

Multi-resource constrained elective surgical scheduling with Nash equilibrium toward smart hospitals

This paper focuses on the elective surgical scheduling problem with multi-resource constraints, including material resources, such as operating rooms (ORs) and non-operating room (NOR) beds, and human resources (i.e., surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses). The objective of multi-resource constrained elective surgical scheduling (MESS) is to simultaneously minimize the average recovery completion time for all patients, the average overtime for medical staffs, and the total medical cost. This problem can be formulated as a mixed integer linear multi-objective optimization model, and the honey badger algorithm based on the Nash equilibrium (HBA-NE) is developed for the MESS. Experimental studies were carried out to test the performance of the proposed approach, and the performance of the proposed surgical scheduling scheme was validated. Finally, to narrow the gap between the optimal surgical scheduling solution and actual hospital operations, digital twin (DT) technology is adopted to build a physical-virtual hospital surgery simulation model. The experimental results show that by introducing a digital twin, the physical and virtual spaces of the smart hospital can be integrated to visually simulate and verify surgical processes.

Complexity of scheduling few types of jobs on related and unrelated machines

Abstract The task of scheduling jobs to machines while minimizing the total makespan, the sum of weighted completion times, or a norm of the load vector are among the oldest and most fundamental tasks in combinatorial optimization. Since all of these problems are in general -hard, much attention has been given to the regime where there is only a small number k of job types, but possibly the number of jobs n is large; this is the few job types, high-multiplicity regime. Despite many positive results, the hardness boundary of this regime was not understood until now. We show that makespan minimization on uniformly related machines ( $$Q|HM|C_{\max }$$ Q | H M | C max ) is -hard already with 6 job types, and that the related Cutting Stock problem is -hard already with 8 item types. For the more general unrelated machines model ( $$R|HM|C_{\max }$$ R | H M | C max ), we show that if the largest job size $$p_{\max }$$ p max or the number of jobs n is polynomially bounded in the instance size |I|, there are algorithms with complexity $$|I|^{{{\,\mathrm{\textrm{poly}}\,}}(k)}$$ | I | poly ( k ) . Our main result is that this is unlikely to be improved because $$Q||C_{\max }$$ Q | | C max is $$\mathsf {W[1]}$$ W [ 1 ] -hard parameterized by k already when n, $$p_{\max }$$ p max , and the numbers describing the machine speeds are polynomial in |I|; the same holds for $$R||C_{\max }$$ R | | C max (without machine speeds) when the job sizes matrix has rank 2. Our positive and negative results also extend to the objectives $$\ell _2$$ ℓ 2 -norm minimization of the load vector and, partially, sum of weighted completion times $$\sum w_j C_j$$ ∑ w j C j . Along the way, we answer affirmatively the question whether makespan minimization on identical machines ( $$P||C_{\max }$$ P | | C max ) is fixed-parameter tractable parameterized by k, extending our understanding of this fundamental problem. Together with our hardness results for $$Q||C_{\max }$$ Q | | C max , this implies that the complexity of $$P|HM|C_{\max }$$ P | H M | C max is the only remaining open case.

Comparison of laparoscopic performance using low-cost laparoscopy simulators versus state-of-the-art simulators: a multi-center prospective, randomized crossover trial.

Simulator training is an efficient method for the development of basic laparoscopic skills. We aimed to investigate if low-cost simulators are comparable to more expensive box trainers regarding surgeons usability, likability, and performance. This multi-center, randomized crossover study included 16 medical students, seven abdominal surgeons, and seven urological surgeons. Participants performed four laparoscopic tasks (peg transfer, circle cutting, balloon resection, suture and knot) on both, a "Low cost trainer" (LCT) or a "high cost trainer" (HCT) in a randomized order. The primary endpoint was the subjective rating of both training simulators in terms of camera view, depth perception, movement of instruments, pricing, and usability for training. Secondary endpoints were force parameters, task completion time, surgical errors, and psychological workload. Participants rated the LCT better concerning view (p < 0.001), depth perception (p = 0.003), pricing (p < 0.001), and usability for digital training (p < 0.001), but worse in terms of instrument movement (p = 0.004). Overall, the LCT was rated better than the HCT (p = 0.015). Regarding force parameters, participants showed a significantly lower force exertion on the HCT during the peg transfer task (p = 0.008). The force exertion in the other tasks were comparable between both trainers. Participants were significantly faster using the HCT during the peg transfer (p = 0.049) and significantly slower in balloon resection (p = 0.049) and suture and knot task (p = 0.026). The assessment of the participants' workload showed no differences. The LCT was generally rated better than the HCT. The differences concerning force exertion and task completion time showed better results during peg transfer at the HCT but were generally inconclusive and without systemic advantage for either trainer. However, the LCT could be a promising and cost-effective augmentation for modern laparoscopic training.

Dual tasking as a predictor of falls in post-stroke: A cross-sectional analysis comparing Walking While Talking versus Stops Walking While Talking

Background Dual-task assessments, including Walking While Talking (WWT) and Stops Walking While Talking (SWWT) tests, predict fall risk in stroke survivors. However, their effectiveness relative to established predictors, such as the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Falls Efficacy Scale (FES), remains unclear. This study evaluated the comparative predictive value of WWT and SWWT tests alongside BBS and FES among stroke survivors. Methods This cross-sectional study included 68 stroke survivors who completed WWT-Simple (WWT-S), WWT-Complex (WWT-C), and SWWT, as well as the BBS and FES. Spearman correlations assessed relationships between balance, fear of falling, and dual-task performance. Logistic regression identified fall risk predictors, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis evaluated predictive accuracy. The study adhered to STROBE guidelines. Results BBS scores were strongly negatively correlated with WWT-S (r = -0.734, p &lt; 0.0001) and WWT-C (r = -0.737, p &lt; 0.0001), indicating poorer balance with slower dual-task completion. Positive correlations were found between WWT-S and FES (r = 0.668, p &lt; 0.0001) and WWT-C and FES (r = 0.610, p &lt; 0.0001), linking slower completion times with higher fear of falling. SWWT was significantly negatively correlated with BBS (r = -0.625, p &lt; 0.0001). WWT tests had higher sensitivity (97.8%) and specificity (99%) than SWWT (sensitivity = 68.9%; specificity = 91.3%). Logistic regression identified SWWT (Positive) as a significant predictor of fall risk (p = 0.009), and ROC analysis showed an AUC of 0.911, indicating excellent predictive power. Conclusions Findings highlight the superior predictive value of WWT tests over SWWT in assessing fall risk among stroke survivors. Incorporating dual-task measures into clinical practice may enhance fall risk evaluation, supporting targeted stroke rehabilitation.

P-46. A Comparative Analysis of Vaccine Uptake in Face-to-Face vs. Virtual Care for Active Duty Air Force Members Living with HIV

Abstract Background Military regulation requires US Air Force (USAF) members living with HIV receive Infectious Disease evaluation at the Medical Evaluation Unit (MEU). With a worldwide distribution of the USAF, telehealth utilization began in 2020 with improvements in clinical outcomes and decreased costs. However, not all facets of care are easily amenable to telehealth. We aimed to review differences in vaccination rates since transition from face to face (F) to virtual (V) visits. Methods All USAF active-duty members with incident HIV diagnosis between 2018 and 2023 were included. Only airmen stationed local to the MEU were evaluated F after 2020. Demographic, and clinical information was compiled. Vaccines of interest were selected according to current guidelines: human papilloma virus (HPV), meningococcal ACWY, pneumococcal, recombinant zoster and Mpox vaccines. Vaccine completion rates and time from HIV diagnosis to first vaccine dose was compared between groups. Results All 108 patients were male. Forty-four percent of visits occurred F and 56% were V. Median age was similar, 27 years for F and 26 years for V (p=0.84). Overall, demographics were not significantly different between groups (Table 1). Initial CD4 count was lower among those who received V care (472 vs 567; p=0.01). It took longer for patients to receive their first vaccine dose with V visits compared to F visits (99 vs 3 days; p&amp;lt; 0.01) (Table 2). Likewise, days from HIV diagnosis to first dose of vaccine administration was longer with V visits compared to F (134 vs 36; p&amp;lt; 0.01). Vaccine completion rates varied by type. Pneumococcal and HPV completion rates were higher in the F group compared with V group (p=0.02). Completion rates of the meningococcal ACWY primary series were similarly higher in the V group 92% vs 55%; p=&amp;lt; 0.001). Mpox completion rates were higher with F visits but not statistically significant (8% vs 3%; p=0.4). Recombinant zoster vaccine completion rates were nearly identical (22% vs 23%; p=0.96). Conclusion Vaccination rates were lower and took longer among USAF personnel who underwent V visits compared to F. As healthcare systems increasingly employ telehealth, future studies should investigate provider and patient attitudes on vaccine counseling during V visits to ensure the delivery of high-quality care in the virtual era. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Accuracy of smartwatches in predicting distance running performance

ObjectiveThis study examined the accuracy of smartwatches in predicting running performance.MethodsA total of 154 amateur runners (123 males and 31 females) were recruited. After wearing the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner for a minimum of six weeks, the runners' actual completion times for 5 km, 10 km, and half marathon distances were measured, resulting in 288 test instances. The predicted completion times for the same distances displayed on the watch on the test day were recorded simultaneously.ResultsThe actual and predicted performances for the 5, 10, and 21.1 km distances were highly correlated, with r ≥ 0.95 (p &amp;lt; 0.001) and r2 ≥ 0.9 for all three distances, an error rate between the measured and predicted values of less than 3%, and intraclass correlation coefficient ≥0.9. The bias ± 95% limits of agreement were −20.4 ± 44.2 s for 5 km, 4.1 ± 299.1 s for 10 km, and 143.8 ± 400.4 s for the half marathon.ConclusionsThis study confirmed that the smartwatch exhibits high precision in predicting 5 km, 10 km, and half marathon performances, with an accuracy exceeding 97%. The performance prediction features of smartwatches can effectively guide amateur runners in setting reasonable competition goals and preparing for races.

P-29. Recombinant Zoster Vaccine Uptake Among Immunocompromised US Adults

Abstract Background In January 2022, ACIP recommended 2 doses of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) for herpes zoster (HZ) prevention in adults ≥ 19 years who are or will be immunodeficient or immunosuppressed because of disease or therapy. While this decision served to address an unmet medical need, its impact on vaccination is not fully understood as RZV uptake and series completion estimates among immunocompromised (IC) adults are lacking.Figure 1.RZV Uptake (&amp;gt;1 dose) by Patient Age and Autoimmune Disease, Immunocompromising Condition, or TreatmentAbbreviations: AID: autoimmune diseases, IC: immunocompromised, HIV: human immunodeficiency viruses, RZV: recombinant zoster vaccine. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional analysis used IQVIA open-source medical and pharmacy claims (10/20/2021 to 06/30/2023) to describe RZV uptake and series completion among adults ≥ 19 years old with evidence of an autoimmune disorder (AID) or immunocompromising disease. RZV uptake, series completion, and dosing schedule compliance were assessed descriptively, and Kaplan-Meier analyses estimated time to series completion. Generalized estimating equations, controlling for patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and social determinants of health, predicted the odds of both RZV uptake and series completion.Figure 2.RZV Series Completion by Patient Age and Autoimmune Disease, Immunocompromising Condition, or TreatmentAbbreviations: AID: autoimmune diseases, IC: immunocompromised, HIV: human immunodeficiency viruses, RZV: recombinant zoster vaccine. Results Cumulative RZV uptake was 8.2%, increased considerably starting at age 50 years, and ranged from 6.6% to 10.4% by IC condition (Figure 1). Series completion was 62.1% (6 months post-initial dose), increasing to 70% by 12 months, with a median completion time of 4.23 months (95% confidence interval: 4.20-4.23) and 88.5% of completers complied with the recommended dosing schedule. Both series completion and dosing schedule compliance varied by age and IC condition (Figures 2 &amp; 3). The odds of RZV uptake varied by AID/IC condition and were higher among females, those with higher incomes, minorities, and adults with more years of education. Few differences in the odds of RZV series completion by IC condition were observed; however, the odds were lower among younger and Black or Hispanic patients but increased among those with higher household incomes (Figure 4).Figure 3.RZV Series Dosing Schedule Compliance by Age and Autoimmune Disease, Immunocompromising Condition, or TreatmentNumbers reflect the proportion of series completers (2 doses) that did so within 6 months of the initial dose.Abbreviations: AID: autoimmune diseases, IC: immunocompromised, HIV: human immunodeficiency viruses, RZV: recombinant zoster vaccine. Conclusion RZV uptake among the adult IC population in the United States is suboptimal despite ACIP guidance, yet series completion is likely among those initially vaccinated. Given the elevated risk of HZ in these patients, concerted efforts across the care team are needed to address an ongoing unmet medical need. Funding: GSK (VEO-000679)Figure 4.Odds of RZV Uptake among Immunocompromised AdultsAbbreviations: CI: confidence interval. Disclosures Justin Gatwood, PhD, MPH, AstraZeneca: Grant/Research Support|Genentech: Advisor/Consultant|GSK: Employment|GSK: Stocks/Bonds (Public Company)|Merck &amp; Co.: Advisor/Consultant|Merck &amp; Co.: Grant/Research Support Catherine B. McGuiness, MA, MS, GSK: Advisor/Consultant Marie Yasuda, PharmD, MS, Amgen: Grant/Research Support|Bayer: Grant/Research Support|BMS: Grant/Research Support|GSK: Advisor/Consultant|Novartis: Grant/Research Support|Sandoz: Grant/Research Support|Servier: Grant/Research Support Chi-Chang Chen, PhD, MSPharm, Amgen: Grant/Research Support|Bayer: Grant/Research Support|BMS: Grant/Research Support|GSK: Advisor/Consultant|Novartis: Grant/Research Support|Regeneron: Grant/Research Support Nikita Stempniewicz, MSc, GSK: Employment|GSK: Stocks/Bonds (Public Company)

Cognitive Impairment in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma: A Case Control Study.

Cognitive impairment in multiple domains was observed in primary open angle glaucoma patients as compared to age and gender matched healthy controls. Evaluation of cognitive impairment in individuals with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG). In this case-control study, individuals with POAG (cases, n=70) were compared with age- and sex-matched healthy individuals (controls, n=70) using detailed ophthalmological evaluation, cognitive assessment and serum cortisol level. A multitude of tests were employed to comprehensively assess various domains of cognitive function: Addenbrooke Cognitive Examination (ACE-III; attention/orientation, memory, language, verbal fluency, and visuospatial skills), Post Graduate Institute Memory Scale (PGIMS; verbal and non verbal memory), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST; nonverbal executive functions), Go No-Go task (GNG; inhibitory control), and Trail Making Test (TMT; attention and working memory). Intraocular pressure and cup disc ratio were significantly higher (P <0.001) while retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness and mean deviation were significantly lower in cases as compared to controls. Cases had significantly lower scores on ACE-III and PGIMS (P<0.001) and longer test completion time in TMT-A (P=0.001). The performance of cases was also significantly worse on most parameters of the WCST and GNG tasks. Serum cortisol level was significantly higher in cases (11.75±7.41mcg/dl) compared to controls (7.93±2.39 mcg/dl; P=0.02). A significant correlation was observed between serum cortisol level and WCST correct response (P=0.04), WCST error response (P=0.002) and total time taken in TMT-A (P=0.03).Visual field mean deviation also exhibited a significant correlation with serum cortisol level (P<0.001) and total time taken on WCST (P=0.03) and TMT-A (P=0.03). Individuals with POAG exhibited higher cognitive impairment and raised serum cortisol levels than age-matched healthy controls. Early recognition and management of cognitive impairment are pivotal for enhancing the quality of life and implementing comprehensive glaucoma care.

Formulation and Evaluation of Antidandruff Hair Oil

Herbal hair oil is the formulation derived from ingredients of natural origin including the base, which promotes hair growth activity. An attempt was made to formulate a herbal product in which the appearance of hair oil i.e. colour and fragrance etc. is provided by the formulation itself and is devoid of any synthetic ingredient. Various ingredients were incorporated on the basis of their traditional use and their availability in commercially marketed herbal formulation. The aqueous extracts were prepared and incorporated into oil base of natural origin. The experimental paradigms used were primary skin irritation test and hair growth activity including number of hairs, length of hair, hair growth initiation as well as hair growth completion time. Significant increase in hair number and length were observed. The time required for complete hair growth was also considerably reduced. The result of treatment with formulated herbal hair oil was comparable with that of minoxidil, which was taken as a standard. Herbal formulations always have lesser or no side effects comparatively with synthetic. The aim of present study involves preparation of herbal hair oil using the herbal ingredients like., Amla, Raw garlic, Curry leaves, Methi. Based on the above observations, mixture of crude drugs was prepared in the form of herbal hair oil by boiling method. We have used five formulas using different herbal drugs and all the formulation are showing anti-hair fall property with some of other beneficial activities like anti-dandruff activity, improves blood circulation to the scalp and roots, reduce hair pigmentation, anti-fungal activity, reducing the whitening of the hair. The formulated herbal oil was evaluated by using various parameters such as Organoleptic properties, specific gravity, stability, viscosity, Acid value, pH etc. and the value obtained from it was found to be similar to that of the standard values like there is no sedimentation, no grittiness and shows satisfying organoleptic properties and the results were determined and are reported in this work. The coconut oil was used as base oil which make an effective anti-dandruff formulation with smooth and shiny hairs, also provide conditioning and promotes hair growth. The formulated shampoo was subjected to evaluation parameters like visual inspection, pH, viscosity, antidandruff test and stability studies, etc. The major goal of the present study is to formulate and evaluate anti-dandruff hair oil for treating various hair issues. The coconut oil was used as base oil which make an effective anti-dandruff formulation with smooth and shiny hairs, also provide conditioning and promotes hair growth. The formulated shampoo was subjected to evaluation parameters like visual inspection, pH, viscosity, antidandruff test and stability studies, etc. The major goal of the present study is to formulate and evaluate anti-dandruff hair oil for treating various hair issues.

Bi-Objective Integrated Scheduling of Job Shop Problems and Material Handling Robots with Setup Time

This work investigates the bi-objective integrated scheduling of job shop problems and material handling robots with setup time. The objective is to minimize the maximum completion time and the mean of earliness and tardiness simultaneously. First, a mathematical model is established to describe the problems. Then, different meta-heuristics and their variants are developed to solve the problems, including genetic algorithms, particle swarm optimization, and artificial bee colonies. To improve the performance of algorithms, seven local search operators are proposed. Moreover, two reinforcement learning algorithms, Q-learning and SARSA, are designed to help the algorithm select appropriate local search operators during iterations, further improving the convergence of algorithms. Finally, based on 82 benchmark cases with different scales, the effectiveness of the suggested algorithms is evaluated by comprehensive numerical experiments. The experimental results and discussions show that the genetic algorithm with SARSA is more competitive than its peers.