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1
Rajendran, A., and P. Neelamegam. "Dielectric Constant Measurement Using an Artificial Neural Network." Instrumentation Science & Technology 32, no. 4 (December 27, 2004): 413–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1081/ci-120037673.
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Nagisetty, Balaji Ganesh, and Sri Hari Podala Venkata. "Sequential Procedure for Improving the Efficiency of CI Engine by Using Artificial Neural Networks." International Journal of Heat and Technology 38, no. 4 (December 31, 2020): 949–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.18280/ijht.380422.
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This work provides a sequential approach to improve efficiency of Combustion Ignition engines which involves both performance and emissions by using the artificial neural network (ANN). In recent years continuous work is going on for improving the output and reducing the emissions especially for Combustion Ignition engines which are mostly used for transportation purposes. In view of the above, the experimental data of a four stroke Combustion Ignition engine is taken as reference. However, the experimental data is split into three categories as input data, target data and output data in neural networks. All these data are trained using neural network toolbar in MATLAB with ten hidden layers by which error deviation are calculated, in order to reduce error deviation between neural network and experimental values, design of inlet manifolds is varied and performance parameters along with emissions is calculated and compared with neural network values. The results showed minimum error over the emission and performance parameters of CI engines from the manifold designs and ANN model. These results provide a sequential approach to improve efficiency of Combustion Ignition engines with the help of neural networks.
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Liu, Renyuan, Wenhui Wu, Qing Ye, Yucheng Gu, Junhui Zou, Xin Chen, Yongcheng Jiang, Feng Bai, Yun Xu, and Chun Wang. "Distinctive and Pervasive Alterations of Functional Brain Networks in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease with and without Cognitive Impairment." Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders 47, no. 1-2 (2019): 55–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000496455.
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Objective: To explore the within- and between-network patterns of the default mode network (DMN), the frontoparietal control network (FPCN), and the dorsal attention network (DAN) in cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) with and without cognitive impairment (CI). Methods: Twenty CSVD with CI subjects, 21 CSVD without CI subjects, and 25 healthy elderly controls were recruited. The within- and between-network patterns of the networks were identified based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data. Results: Compared with the control group, both the CSVD with CI group and the CSVD without CI group displayed decreased within-network function of the DMN and lower negative connectivity between the DMN and other networks (i.e., DMN and DAN, DMN and FPCN), whereas the CSVD with CI group additionally showed within- and between-network alterations of the FPCN (i.e., increased within-network function of the FPCN and lower negative connectivity between the FPCN and the DMN). Furthermore, these alterations of the FPCN were correlated with the cognitive function of CSVD subjects. Interestingly, the between-network connectivity of the FPCN and the DMN was negatively correlated with deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMH) volume in CSVD subjects. Conclusion: These findings suggest that cognitive alterations of CSVD subjects may be mainly regulated by the FPCN that correlates with DWMH burden, and shed light on the investigation of surrogate markers of CSVD.
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Nukavarapu, N., and S. Durbha. "HEALTHCARE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE STOCHASTIC INTERDEPENDENCIES SIMULATION MODEL FOR SMART CITIES: FLOOD DISASTER SCENARIO." ISPRS Annals of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences V-4-2020 (August 3, 2020): 123–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-v-4-2020-123-2020.
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Abstract. Healthcare Critical Infrastructure (HCI) is not an independent network; the operation of a healthcare facility depends on many other Critical Infrastructure (CI) networks such as electric supply CI, water supply CI, etc., forming an interdependent CI network. During a flooding disaster event, as the flood levels rise, the interdependent HCI network becomes vulnerable. A failure in one of the CI results in failure of the dependent CI. During a disaster event such as flooding, the failures propagate and cause cascading failures like a domino effect. The paper proposes an IoT based flood sensor network integrated with a stochastic Petri net interdependent healthcare critical infrastructure network simulation model. An IoT (Internet of Things) based flood water level sensor network can deliver real-time information on the flood conditions at the various interdependent CI facilities in the interdependent network, using the Sensor Observation Services (SOS). The Stochastic Petri Net (SCPN) based interdependent Healthcare Critical Infrastructure (HCI) simulation model, is used to model and simulate the stochastic interdependencies between the interdependent HCI networks. The real-time flood sensor network is integrated with the SCPN based interdependent HCI simulation model. The end to end system is developed in a spatiotemporal environment. This kind of an integrated simulation model will help the end-user to understand system dynamics in real-time, visualize and predict the propagation of cascading failure scenarios in an Interdependent HCI network in a spatiotemporal environment, during a flooding scenario. Real-time information simulation would help disaster response personnel to respond to the question, ‘what if something else happens?
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Islam, Md Shahidul. "Social networks and their effects on the choice of contraceptive use and method in Bangladesh." International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare 13, no. 1 (July 23, 2019): 58–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijhrh-07-2018-0045.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of social networks on contraceptive adoption in Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 430 couples; the age of men was between 15 and 49 years. χ2 test was applied to test the association between independent variables and current contraceptive use. Binary logistic regression was applied to examine the effects of social network on contraceptive use, and multinomial logistic regression was applied to examine the effect of social network on the choice of method. Findings Results from binary logistic regression reveal that social networks of both men (OR=2.71, 95% CI=1.371−5.354) and women (OR= 3.597, 95% CI=1.754−7.380) had a strong positive effect on current contraceptive use. The result from multinomial logistic regression also shows that men’s social network (OR= 2.74, 95% CI= 1.356−5.548) and women’s social network (OR=4.165,95% CI=1.958−8.860) were also associated with choosing a modern contraceptive method. Originality/value Social networks have a significant effect on current contraceptive use and modern method choice in Bangladesh. A social network approach should be included in family planning program in Bangladesh.
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Neelamegam, P., and A. Rajendran. "Classification of Surface Roughness and Distance Measurement Using Artificial Neural Network." Instrumentation Science & Technology 31, no. 4 (January 12, 2003): 417–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1081/ci-120025576.
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Ma, Yang, Guangquan Cheng, Zhong Liu, and Xingxing Liang. "Clustering-based link prediction in scientific coauthorship networks." International Journal of Modern Physics C 28, no. 06 (May 7, 2017): 1750082. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/s0129183117500826.
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Link prediction in social networks has become a growing concern among researchers. In this paper, the clustering method was used to exploit the grouping tendency of nodes, and a clustering index (CI) was proposed to predict potential links with characteristics of scientific cooperation network taken into consideration. Results showed that CI performed better than the traditional indices for scientific coauthorship networks by compensating for their disadvantages. Compared with traditional algorithms, this method for a specific type of network can better reflect the features of the network and achieve more accurate predictions.
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Mlecnik, Erwin. "Which factors determine the success of strategic niche developments?" Construction Innovation 14, no. 1 (January 6, 2014): 36–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ci-01-2012-0007.
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Purpose – The study ' s purpose is to review and discuss limitations of “strategic niche management” (SNM) success factors in relation to the experiences of an enterprise network to improve niche development for integrated design concepts. Design/methodology/approach – The emergence of a successful passive house innovation network in the Flemish Region is described. The innovation journey of the network is related to success factors detected in SNM literature regarding market niche development. Findings – The study identifies additional success factors for systemic innovation, such as involving small- and medium-sized innovators and demonstration projects and using a dedicated regional enterprise network. Research limitations/implications – The qualitative analysis specifically reflected on SNM success factors such as envisioning, learning, and network composition and formation. The study confirms the importance of these success factors by means of one detailed innovation journey. It identifies additional success factors and discusses opportunities to improve the relation of SNM literature with other seminal fields. Practical implications – Government seed money is important in providing a breakthrough in enterprise network initiatives. A focus on architectural innovation instead of technology innovation is to be preferred for stimulating integrated design concepts. Originality/value – The paper addresses the relevance and limitations of SNM success factors during the formation of enterprise networks. The study shows how an integrated design approach was used to cluster innovation opportunities and to inspire innovation development and collaboration for know-how development between multiple players.
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Kroenke, Candyce H., Yvonne Michael, Xiao-Ou Shu, Elizabeth Poole, Marilyn L. Kwan, Bette J. Caan, Sarah Nechuta, John P. Pierce, and Wendy Y. Chen. "Postdiagnosis social networks and lifestyle and treatment mechanisms in the Ater Breast Cancer Pooling Project (ABCPP)." Journal of Clinical Oncology 32, no. 26_suppl (September 10, 2014): 115. http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/jco.2014.32.26_suppl.115.
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115 Background: Larger social networks have been associated with better breast cancer survival. To investigate potential mediators, we evaluated associations of social network size and diversity with lifestyle and treatment factors associated with prognosis. Methods: We included 9,331 women from the After Breast Cancer Pooling Project who provided data on social networks within two years following diagnosis. A social network index was derived from information about the presence of a spouse or intimate partner, religious ties, community participation, friendship ties, and numbers of relatives. Diversity was assessed as variety of ties, independent of size. We used logistic regression to evaluate associations with outcomes and evaluated whether effect estimates differed using meta-analytic techniques. Results: Associations of social networks and outcomes generally did not differ by cohort. Because of the low prevalence of smoking and alcohol consumption in the Shanghai cohort, however, analyses of smoking and alcohol included US cohorts only. Women who were socially isolated (small networks) were more likely to be obese (body mass index>30 kg/m2, OR=1.21, 95% CI:1.03-1.42) and have low physical activity (<10 MET-h/wk, OR=1.53, 95% CI:1.34-1.75) compared to socially integrated women. Women with low network diversity were more likely to be current smokers (OR=3.68, 95% CI:2.19-6.19) and have high alcohol consumption (>15 g/d alcohol, OR=2.43, 95% CI:1.60-3.69). Among node positive cases, socially isolated women were more likely not to receive chemotherapy (OR=1.52, 95% CI:1.03-2.25). By contrast, low network diversity, but not social network size, was associated with greater odds of not receiving adjuvant hormonal therapy (OR=1.52, 95% CI:1.03-2.23). Associations with surgery were nonsignificant. Conclusions: In a large pooled cohort, small, less diverse social networks measured post-diagnosis were associated with more adverse lifestyle factors and less intensive cancer treatment, which may help to explain poorer breast cancer prognosis in socially isolated women.
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Sawka, Keri Jo, Gavin R. McCormack, Alberto Nettel-Aguirre, Anita Blackstaffe, Rosemary Perry, and Penelope Hawe. "Associations between Aspects of Friendship Networks, Physical Activity, and Sedentary Behaviour among Adolescents." Journal of Obesity 2014 (2014): 1–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/632689.
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Background.Adolescent friendships have been linked to physical activity levels; however, network characteristics have not been broadly examined.Method.In a cross-sectional analysis of 1061 adolescents (11–15 years), achieving 60 minutes/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and participating in over 2 hours/day of sedentary behaviour were determined based on friendship network characteristics (density; proportion of active/sedentary friends; betweenness centrality; popularity; clique membership) and perceived social support.Results.Adolescents with no friendship nominations participated in less MVPA. For boys and girls, a ten percent point increase in active friends was positively associated with achievement of 60 minutes/day of MVPA (OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.02–1.21, OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.02–1.27, resp.). For boys, higher social support from friends was negatively associated with achieving 60 minutes/day of MVPA (OR 0.63; 95% CI 0.42–0.96). Compared with low density networks, boys in higher density networks were more likely to participate in over 2 hours/day of sedentary behaviour (OR 2.93; 95% CI 1.32–6.49). Social support from friends also modified associations between network characteristics and MVPA and sedentary behaviour.Conclusion.Different network characteristics appeared to have different consequences. The proportion of active close friends was associated with MVPA, while network density was associated with sedentary behaviour. This poses challenges for intervention design.
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Meijer, Kim A., Anand J. C. Eijlers, Linda Douw, Bernard M. J. Uitdehaag, Frederik Barkhof, Jeroen J. G. Geurts, and Menno M. Schoonheim. "Increased connectivity of hub networks and cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis." Neurology 88, no. 22 (May 3, 2017): 2107–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000003982.
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Objective:To investigate default-mode network (DMN) and frontoparietal network (FPN) dysfunction in cognitively impaired (CI) patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) because these networks strongly relate to cognition and contain most of the hubs of the brain.Methods:Resting-state fMRI and neuropsychological assessments were performed in 322 patients with MS and 96 healthy controls (HCs). Patients with MS were classified as CI (z score < −2.0 on at least 2 tests; n = 87), mildly cognitively impaired (z score < −1.5 on at least 2 tests and not CI; n = 65), and cognitively preserved (CP; n = 180). Within-network connectivity, connectivity with the rest of the brain, and between-network connectivity were calculated and compared between groups. Connectivity values were normalized for individual means and SDs.Results:Only in CI, both the DMN and FPN showed increased connectivity with the rest of the brain compared to HCs and CP, with no change in within- or between-network connectivity. Regionally, this increased connectivity was driven by the inferior parietal, posterior cingulate, and angular gyri. Increased connectivity with the rest of the brain correlated with worse cognitive performance, namely attention for the FPN as well as information processing speed and working memory for both networks.Conclusions:In CI patients with MS, the DMN and FPN showed increased connectivity with the rest of the brain, while normal within- and between-network connectivity levels were maintained. These findings indicate that cognitive impairment in MS features disturbed communication of hub-rich networks, but only with the more peripheral (i.e., nonhub) regions of the brain.
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Garson, Mary J., Laura L. McConnell, and Lynn M. Soby. "Diversity in Science at the Global Women’s Breakfast Network." Chemistry International 43, no. 3 (July 1, 2021): 8–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ci-2021-0303.
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Abstract In a year marked by unprecedented challenges, IUPAC hosted the largest ever Global Women’s Breakfast (GWB2021) on 9 February 2021, bringing together more than 20,000 people around the world to celebrate the achievements of women scientists, to strengthen and expand professional networks, to inspire the next generations, and to challenge the status quo with respect to equality for women scientists in the workplace.
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Naeem, Tulat, Abdu Gumaei, Muhammad Kamran Jamil, Ahmed Alsanad, and Kifayat Ullah. "Connectivity Indices of Intuitionistic Fuzzy Graphs and Their Applications in Internet Routing and Transport Network Flow." Mathematical Problems in Engineering 2021 (August 14, 2021): 1–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/4156879.
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Connectivity index CI has a vital role in real-world problems especially in Internet routing and transport network flow. Intuitionistic fuzzy graphs IFGs allow to describe two aspects of information using membership and nonmembership degrees under uncertainties. Keeping in view the importance of CI s in real life problems and comprehension of IFGs , we aim to develop some CI s in the environment of IFGs . We introduce two types of CI s , namely, CI and average CI , in the frame of IFGs . In spite of that, certain kinds of nodes called IF connectivity enhancing node IFCEN , IF connectivity reducing node IFCRN , and IF neutral node are introduced for IFGs . We have introduced strongest strong cycles, θ -evaluation of vertices, cycle connectivity, and CI of strong cycle. Applications of the CI s in two different types of networks are done, Internet routing and transport network flow, followed by examples to show the applicability of the proposed work.
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Xiang, Feng, Linman Li, Jieling Lin, Shasha Li, and Guiyuan Peng. "Network Pharmacology and Bioinformatics Methods Reveal the Mechanism of Zao-Jiao-Ci in the Treatment of LSCC." Journal of Oncology 2021 (June 25, 2021): 1–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/8862821.
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Objective. Zao-Jiao-Ci (ZJC), a traditional Chinese medicine, is considered as a promising candidate to treat laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. Methods. Gene expression profiles of GSE36668 were available from the GEO database, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of LSCC were obtained by R package; subsequently, enrichment analysis on KEGG and GO of DEGs was performed. The active ingredients of ZJC were screened from the TCMSP database, and the matched candidate targets were obtained by PharmMapper. Furthermore, we constructed protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks of DEGs and candidate targets, respectively, and we screened the core network from the merged network through combining the two PPI networks using Cytoscape 3.7.2. The key targets derived from the core network were analyzed to find out the associated KEGG signal enrichment pathway. By the GEPIA online website, Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to complete the overall survival and disease-free survival of the selected genes in the core module. Results. We identified 96 candidate targets of ZJC and 86 DEGs of LSCC, the latter including 50 upregulated genes and 36 downregulated genes. DEGs were obviously enriched in the following biological functions: extracellular structure organization, the extracellular matrix organization, and endodermal cell differentiation. The 60 key targets from the core network were enriched in the signal pathways including transcriptional misregulation cancer, cell cycle, and so on. We found that LSCC patients with high expression of HIST1H3J, HIST1H3F, and ITGA4 had worse overall survival, while higher expression of NTRK1, COPS5, HIST1H3A, and HIST1H3G had significantly worse disease-free survival. Conclusion. It suggested that the interaction between ZJC and LSCC was related to the signal pathways of transcriptional misregulation cancer and cell cycle, revealing that it may be the mechanism of ZJC in the treatment of LSCC.
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Koyama, Yuna, Takeo Fujiwara, Aya Isumi, and Satomi Doi. "Association of parental social network diversity with behaviour problems and resilience of offspring in a large population-based study of Japanese children." BMJ Open 10, no. 10 (October 2020): e035100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035100.
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ObjectivesThe current study aimed to elucidate the impact of parental social network diversity on the behaviour problems and resilience of offspring.DesignWe used cross-sectional data from the Kochi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty study in 2016.Setting and participantsParticipants were first, fifth and eighth grade children living in Kochi prefecture, Japan (N=9653). We calculated parental social network diversity by counting the number of people with whom parents connected on a daily basis (ie, structural social network diversity) and by assessing perceived psychosocial support (ie, functional social network diversity).Primary outcome measuresChild behaviour problems and resilience were respectively assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Child’s Resilient Coping Scale (CRCS), as rated by caregivers.ResultsDiversity in parental structural and functional social networks showed an inverse association with SDQ total difficulties score (B=−0.16 (95% CI −0.25 to −0.07) and −0.20 (95% CI −0.27 to −0.13), respectively), and a positive association with prosocial behaviour score (B=0.11 (95% CI 0.08 to 0.15) and 0.09 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.12), respectively) and CRCS score (B=0.75 (95% CI 0.46 to 1.05) and 1.12 (95% CI 0.88 to 1.35), respectively) in the adjusted model. Parental mental health accounted for 36% and 43% of the total effects of structural and functional social network diversity respectively on the total difficulties score. For prosocial behaviour score, parental involvement accounted for 31% of the effects of functional social network diversity.ConclusionThe results shed light on new strategies to enhance child mental health that do not directly involve children but rather focus on parental social networking.
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Kanno, Yoichiro, Benjamin H. Letcher, Jason C. Vokoun, and Elise F. Zipkin. "Spatial variability in adult brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) survival within two intensively surveyed headwater stream networks." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 71, no. 7 (July 2014): 1010–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2013-0358.
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Headwater stream networks are considered heterogeneous riverscapes, but it is challenging to characterize spatial variability in demographic rates. We estimated site-scale (50 m) survival of adult (>age 1+) brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) within two intensively surveyed headwater stream networks by applying an open-population N-mixture approach to count data collected over two consecutive summers. The estimated annual apparent survival rate was 0.37 (95% CI: 0.28–0.46) in one network and 0.31 (95% CI: 0.15–0.45) in the other network. In both networks, trout survival was higher in stream sites characterized by more abundant pool habitats. Trout survival was negatively associated with mean depth in one network and positively associated with stream gradient in the other. Stream temperature was not related to trout survival in either network, possibly because the majority of sites were thermally suitable. A similar analytical approach can be useful for inferring survival rates when count data are available over space and time but individual tagging is not feasible.
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Weber, Manuel, David Kersting, Lale Umutlu, Michael Schäfers, Christoph Rischpler, Wolfgang P. Fendler, Irène Buvat, Ken Herrmann, and Robert Seifert. "Just another “Clever Hans”? Neural networks and FDG PET-CT to predict the outcome of patients with breast cancer." European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 48, no. 10 (March 5, 2021): 3141–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00259-021-05270-x.
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Abstract Background Manual quantification of the metabolic tumor volume (MTV) from whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT is time consuming and therefore usually not applied in clinical routine. It has been shown that neural networks might assist nuclear medicine physicians in such quantification tasks. However, little is known if such neural networks have to be designed for a specific type of cancer or whether they can be applied to various cancers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of a neural network in a cancer that was not used for its training. Methods Fifty consecutive breast cancer patients that underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT were included in this retrospective analysis. The PET-Assisted Reporting System (PARS) prototype that uses a neural network trained on lymphoma and lung cancer 18F-FDG PET/CT data had to detect pathological foci and determine their anatomical location. Consensus reads of two nuclear medicine physicians together with follow-up data served as diagnostic reference standard; 1072 18F-FDG avid foci were manually segmented. The accuracy of the neural network was evaluated with regard to lesion detection, anatomical position determination, and total tumor volume quantification. Results If PERCIST measurable foci were regarded, the neural network displayed high per patient sensitivity and specificity in detecting suspicious 18F-FDG foci (92%; CI = 79–97% and 98%; CI = 94–99%). If all FDG-avid foci were regarded, the sensitivity degraded (39%; CI = 30–50%). The localization accuracy was high for body part (98%; CI = 95–99%), region (88%; CI = 84–90%), and subregion (79%; CI = 74–84%). There was a high correlation of AI derived and manually segmented MTV (R2 = 0.91; p < 0.001). AI-derived whole-body MTV (HR = 1.275; CI = 1.208–1.713; p < 0.001) was a significant prognosticator for overall survival. AI-derived lymph node MTV (HR = 1.190; CI = 1.022–1.384; p = 0.025) and liver MTV (HR = 1.149; CI = 1.001–1.318; p = 0.048) were predictive for overall survival in a multivariate analysis. Conclusion Although trained on lymphoma and lung cancer, PARS showed good accuracy in the detection of PERCIST measurable lesions. Therefore, the neural network seems not prone to the clever Hans effect. However, the network has poor accuracy if all manually segmented lesions were used as reference standard. Both the whole body and organ-wise MTV were significant prognosticators of overall survival in advanced breast cancer.
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Shapiro, Jordan, Bin Zhang, and Eric J. Warm. "Residency as a Social Network: Burnout, Loneliness, and Social Network Centrality." Journal of Graduate Medical Education 7, no. 4 (December 1, 2015): 617–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.4300/jgme-d-15-00038.1.
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ABSTRACT Background Burnout is typically viewed as an individual condition, and no link has been identified between burnout and loneliness. Objective To investigate the association of burnout with loneliness and social network degree and centrality. Methods A survey containing the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), a 3-question loneliness scale, and a social connectivity component was sent to residents in a large urban academic medical center internal medicine residency program. Results The response rate was 77% (95 of 124 residents). We defined significant burnout as MBI subscores of ≥ 27 for emotional exhaustion (EE), ≥ 10 for depersonalization (DP), or both. This was met by 43 (45%), 47 (49%), and 31 (33%) out of 95 respondents, respectively. Those with significant burnout had higher loneliness scores: 5.6 versus 4.5 for EE (P = .002; OR = 1.50; 95% CI 1.15–1.95); 5.4 versus 4.6 for DP (P = .024; OR = 1.33; 95% CI 1.03–1.71); and 5.8 versus 4.6 for both EE and DP (P = .001; OR = 1.54; 95% CI 1.17–2.02). Rating a larger number of coresidents as closer connections on a 5-point Likert scale was not associated with lower burnout scores. No measures of centrality were associated with burnout scores for EE and/or DP. High personal accomplishment subscores on the MBI did correlate significantly with several measures of centrality. Conclusions Burnout was associated with loneliness in a dose-dependent fashion. Greater sense of personal accomplishment was associated with greater network centrality.
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Huiskamp, Marijn, Anand J. C. Eijlers, Tommy A. A. Broeders, Jasmin Pasteuning, Iris Dekker, Bernard M. J. Uitdehaag, Frederik Barkhof, et al. "Longitudinal Network Changes and Conversion to Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis." Neurology 97, no. 8 (June 7, 2021): e794-e802. http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000012341.
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ObjectiveTo characterize functional network changes related to conversion to cognitive impairment in a large sample of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) over a period of 5 years.MethodsTwo hundred twenty-seven patients with MS and 59 healthy controls of the Amsterdam MS cohort underwent neuropsychological testing and resting-state fMRI at 2 time points (time interval 4.9 ± 0.9 years). At both baseline and follow-up, patients were categorized as cognitively preserved (CP; n = 123), mildly impaired (MCI; z < −1.5 on ≥2 cognitive tests, n = 32), or impaired (CI; z < −2 on ≥2 tests, n = 72), and longitudinal conversion between groups was determined. Network function was quantified with eigenvector centrality, a measure of regional network importance, which was computed for individual resting-state networks at both time points.ResultsOver time, 18.9% of patients converted to a worse phenotype; 22 of 123 patients who were CP (17.9%) converted from CP to MCI, 10 of 123 from CP to CI (8.1%), and 12 of 32 patients with MCI converted to CI (37.5%). At baseline, default-mode network (DMN) centrality was higher in CI individuals compared to controls (p = 0.05). Longitudinally, ventral attention network (VAN) importance increased in CP, driven by stable CP and CP-to-MCI converters (p < 0.05).ConclusionsOf all patients, 19% worsened in their cognitive status over 5 years. Conversion from intact cognition to impairment is related to an initial disturbed functioning of the VAN, then shifting toward DMN dysfunction in CI. Because the VAN normally relays information to the DMN, these results could indicate that in MS normal processes crucial for maintaining overall network stability are progressively disrupted as patients clinically progress.
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McLaughlin, Deirdre, Dimitrios Vagenas, Nancy A. Pachana, Nelufa Begum, and Annette Dobson. "Gender Differences in Social Network Size and Satisfaction in Adults in Their 70s." Journal of Health Psychology 15, no. 5 (July 2010): 671–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1359105310368177.
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Strong social support is associated with lower mortality and morbidity and better self-rated health in later life. The aim of this study was to compare social network size and satisfaction in men ( N = 2589) and women ( n = 3152), aged 72—78 years. Women reported significantly larger networks (Difference 1.36, 95% CI 0.89, 1.83) than men. However, being separated, divorced or single had a significantly greater impact on men’s social networks (Difference 0.92, 95% CI 0.17, 1.68). Poor mental health and sensory impairments were associated with smaller networks and lower satisfaction with support for both men and women.
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Gunathilake, Madhawa, Jeonghee Lee, Il Ju Choi, Young-Il Kim, and Jeongseon Kim. "Identification of Dietary Pattern Networks Associated with Gastric Cancer Using Gaussian Graphical Models: A Case-Control Study." Cancers 12, no. 4 (April 23, 2020): 1044. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cancers12041044.
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Gaussian graphical models (GGMs) are novel approaches to deriving dietary patterns that assess how foods are consumed in relation to one another. We aimed to apply GGMs to identify dietary patterns and to investigate the associations between dietary patterns and gastric cancer (GC) risk in a Korean population. In this case-control study of 415 GC cases and 830 controls, food intake was assessed using a 106-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire that captured 33 food groups. The dietary pattern networks corresponding to the total population contained a main network and four subnetworks. For the vegetable and seafood network, those who were in the highest tertile of the network-specific score showed a significantly reduced risk of GC both in the total population (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.47–0.93, p for trend = 0.018) and in males (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.34–0.89, p for trend = 0.012). Most importantly, the fruit pattern network was inversely associated with the risk of GC for the highest tertile (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.38–0.81, p for trend = 0.002). The identified vegetable and seafood network and the fruit network showed a protective effect against GC development in Koreans.
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WANG, XIANPENG, GANG YU, and HONGTAO LU. "A LOCAL INFORMATION-BASED ROUTING STRATEGY ON THE SCALE-FREE NETWORK." Modern Physics Letters B 23, no. 10 (April 20, 2009): 1291–301. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/s0217984909019430.
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The efficiency of a routing strategy on complex networks can be reflected by two measurements, i.e. the system capacity and the average data packets travel time. In this paper, we propose a new routing strategy which is only based on local information of network topology. This strategy integrated the delivering capability and packets queue length of nodes for enhancing the efficiency of traffic on scale-free networks. The probability that a given node i with delivering capability Ci receives packets from its neighbors is proportional to (Ni+1)/Ci and Ni is the packets queue length of the node i. Simulation results show that there exists an optimal value by maximizing the networks delivering capability and minimizing the packet travel time. We simulated the strategy on BA network with different m (connectivity density) values and the results show that our strategy is more efficient than other local information-based routing strategies.
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Zhou, Xiaoxin, Dongdong Zhou, Juan Wang, and Guangmin Chen. "Treatment strategies for Graves’ ophthalmopathy: a network meta-analysis." British Journal of Ophthalmology 104, no. 4 (July 4, 2019): 551–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2018-313697.
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PurposeVarious treatments have been investigated for Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO). We aimed to provide an overall profile of the efficacy and tolerability of various interventions for active and moderate to severe GO.MethodsPubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched on 6 July 2018. Randomised controlled trials (RCT) investigating GO treatments were included. Two researchers independently extracted data according to a predefined form. A random effects network meta-analysis was performed using a frequentist approach. The primary outcome was efficacy, and the secondary outcome was tolerability (side effect discontinuation).ResultsThirty-three studies with 1846 patients with GO were included. Orbital radiotherapy (ORT) plus intravenous glucocorticoids (IVGC) (OR 27.11; 95% CI 4.57 to 160.92), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) (24.40, 95% CI 5.28 to 112.67), oral glucocorticoids (OGC) plus ciclosporin (20.22, 95% CI 1.60 to 255.20), IVGC plus MMF (12.08, 95% CI 2.96 to 49.35), teprotumumab (8.92, 95% CI 2.51 to 31.77), ORT plus OGC (4.88, 95% CI 1.25 to 19.06), rituximab (RTX) (4.85, 95% CI 1.18 to 19.86), somatostatin analogues (4.23, 95% CI 1.60 to 11.16), OGC plus azathioprine (AzA) (5.77, 95% CI 1.17 to 28.47) and IVGC (4.96, 95% CI 1.96 to 12.55) showed significantly better improvement than no treatment. ORT plus IVGC ranked first, followed by MMF. High heterogeneity and significant local inconsistency were observed in the RTX studies. The results of the sensitivity analyses were similar to those of the main analysis.ConclusionA robust recommendation regarding the best treatment cannot be made, because most evidence was rated as low or very low quality according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations framework. Large RCTs and individual participant data meta-analyses are necessary to confirm these results and explore potential moderators.PROPERO trial registration numberCRD42018103029.
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YOUNG, A. M., A. B. JONAS, and J. R. HAVENS. "Social networks and HCV viraemia in anti-HCV-positive rural drug users." Epidemiology and Infection 141, no. 2 (April 19, 2012): 402–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0950268812000696.
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SUMMARYAlthough social networks are known to play an important role in drug-using behaviours associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, literature on social networks and HCV is inconsistent. This exploratory study examined HCV RNA distribution within a social network of anti-HCV-positive non-medical prescription opioid users (NMPOUs) in rural Appalachia. Participants were tested serologically for HCV RNA, and behavioural, demographic, and network data were collected using interview-administered questionnaires. Multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression. Behavioural and demographic characteristics did not differ by RNA status. In the multivariate model, recent injecting drug users (IDUs) were more likely to be RNA positive [odds ratio (OR) 4·06, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·04–15·83], and turnover into an IDU's drug network was significantly protective (OR 0·15, 95% CI 0·03–0·75). This is the first study to date to examine HCV distribution in rural NMPOUs from a network perspective and demonstrates that network characteristics significantly contribute to the epidemiology of HCV in this understudied, high-risk population.
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d’Ambrosio, Alessandro, Paola Valsasina, Antonio Gallo, Nicola De Stefano, Deborah Pareto, Frederik Barkhof, Olga Ciccarelli, et al. "Reduced dynamics of functional connectivity and cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis." Multiple Sclerosis Journal 26, no. 4 (March 19, 2019): 476–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1352458519837707.
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Background: In multiple sclerosis (MS), abnormalities of brain network dynamics and their relevance for cognitive impairment have never been investigated. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the dynamic resting state (RS) functional connectivity (FC) on 62 relapsing-remitting MS patients and 65 sex-matched healthy controls enrolled at 7 European sites. Methods: MS patients underwent clinical and cognitive evaluation. Between-group network FC differences were evaluated using a dynamic approach (based on sliding-window correlation analysis) and grouping correlation matrices into recurrent FC states. Results: Dynamic FC analysis revealed, in healthy controls and MS patients, three recurrent FC states: two characterized by strong intra- and inter-network connectivity and one characterized by weak inter-network connectivity (State 3). A total of 23 MS patients were cognitively impaired (CI). Compared to cognitively preserved (CP), CI-MS patients had reduced RS-FC between subcortical and default-mode networks in the low-connectivity State 3 and lower dwell time (i.e. time spent in a given state) in the high-connectivity State 2. CI-MS patients also exhibited a lower number and a less frequent switching between meta-states, as well as a smaller distance traveled through connectivity states. Conclusion: Time-varying RS-FC was markedly less dynamic in CI- versus CP-MS patients, suggesting that slow inter-network connectivity contributes to cognitive dysfunction in MS.
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Hitzl, Wolfgang, Andrea Mistlberger, and Günther Grabner. "A Comparison of Different Prediction Models in Glaucoma Screening." Journal of Theoretical Medicine 5, no. 1 (2003): 37–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10273660310001631190.
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Purpose: This study analyses the possibility of risk-assessment the risk of developing glaucoma over the period of 1 year based on the “Number” (provided by the Nerve Fiber Analyzer) by using a multitude of parameters that are gathered by several different eye examination techniques at the initial investigation.Methods: Within the above-mentioned study, a total of 336 patients with an increased risk of having glaucoma were analyzed. The complete ophthalmological examination included biomicroscopy of the optic nerve head, achromatic automated perimetry (Humphrey Field Analyzer), quantitative disc (Topographic Scanning Systems, TopSS®) and nerve fiber layer measurements (Nerve Fiber Layer Analyzer, GDx®) at the beginning of the study and 1 year thereafter. Three visual field parameters (mean deviation, corrected pattern standard deviation, glaucoma hemifield test), 7 topographic and 19 polarimetric parameters were used for these statistical analyses.The problem was considered as a regression problem (RP) as well as a classification problem (CP): the simplest predictor, that is the “Number” at the initial investigation (CP), linear discriminant analyses without and with a forward stepwise variable selection algorithm (CP), four different classification tree analyses (CP) and different types of neural networks: regression networks (RP), linear networks (CP) and three layer perceptron networks (CP) with various variable selection algorithms and network architectures were applied in order to build models with sufficient prediction power. All models, except the simple predictor were tested with independent test set data, to ensure first a generalization for new patients and secondly that the results are not artifacts of the training process. The performance of the models was measured by sensitivity and specificity rates for CPs, multiple correlation coefficients between predicted and actual outcome for regression networks in each of the samples. Due to the large amount of computations, the models were computed for right eyes only.Results: The simple predictor showed a specificity rate of 73% (95% CI: 65–80%) based on all observations. The following specificity rates could be found in the test samples: the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) without variable selection algorithm could not be applied, LDA plus variable selection algorithm: 85% (95% CI: 75–93%), four different models based on classification tree analyses: 87% (95% CI: 70–96%), 90% (95% CI: 74–98%), %), 87% (95% CI: 70–96%) and 71% (95% CI: 52–86%); linear neural networks (not all eyes were classified due to the doubt option) 95% (95% CI: 75–100%) and three layer perceptron network (also with doubt option): 100% (95% CI: 81–100%). The simple predictor showed a sensitivity rate of 76% (95% CI: 69–83%) based on all observations. The following sensitivity rates were observed in the test samples: the LDA without variable selection algorithm could not be applied, LDA plus variable selection algorithm: 61% (95% CI: 49–72%), four different models based on classification tree analyses: 63% (95% CI: 47–77%), 58% (95% CI: 42–72%), 63% (95% CI: 47–77%) and 61% (95% CI: 44–75%); linear neural networks (not all eyes were classified due to the doubt option): 78% (95% CI: 56–100%) and three layer perceptron network (also with doubt option): 88% (95% CI: 47–100%). The regression network showed a correlation of 0.63 (95% CI: 0.49–0.76).Conclusion: This study yielded a negative result as to the initial exam, since in spite of different approaches none of the eight considered, quite elaborate models showed a considerably better performance than the simple predictor. Since the mean of the “Number” did not change considerably and the correlation of the “Number” (initial exam vs findings at 1 year) was moderate at best, we suggest to extend the prediction periods to 2 or even 5 years. During a longer prediction period, more changes of the “Number” may occur and further attempts can be made to find prediction models that can serve as an early warning system for the clinician.
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Danhof, N. A., R. Wang, M. van Wely, F. van der Veen, B. W. J. Mol, and M. H. Mochtar. "IUI for unexplained infertility—a network meta-analysis." Human Reproduction Update 26, no. 1 (December 5, 2019): 1–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmz035.
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ABSTRACT BACKGROUND IUI for unexplained infertility can be performed in a natural cycle or in combination with ovarian stimulation. A disadvantage of ovarian stimulation is an increased risk of multiple pregnancies with its inherent maternal and neonatal complication risks. Stimulation agents for ovarian stimulation are clomiphene citrate (CC), Letrozole or gonadotrophins. Although studies have compared two or three of these drugs to each other in IUI, they have never been compared to one another in one analysis. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The objective of this network meta-analysis was to compare the effectiveness and safety of IUI with CC, Letrozole or gonadotrophins with each other and with natural cycle IUI. SEARCH METHODS We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CENTRAL and the Clinical Trial Registration Database indexed up to 16 August 2018. We included randomized controlled trials that compared a stimulation regimen with CC, Letrozole or gonadotrophins to each other or to natural cycle IUI among couples with unexplained infertility. We performed the network meta-analysis within a multivariate random effects model. OUTCOMES We identified 26 studies reporting on 5316 women. The relative risk (RR) for live birth/ongoing pregnancy rates comparing IUI with CC to natural cycle IUI was 1.05 (95% CI 0.63–1.77, low quality of evidence), while comparing IUI with Letrozole to natural cycle IUI was 1.15 (95% CI 0.63–2.08, low quality of evidence) and comparing IUI with gonadotrophins to natural cycle IUI was 1.46 (95% CI 0.92–2.30, low quality of evidence). The RR for live birth/ongoing pregnancy rates comparing gonadotrophins to CC was 1.39 (95% CI 1.09–1.76, moderate quality of evidence), comparing Letrozole to CC was 1.09 (95% CI 0.76–1.57, moderate quality of evidence) and comparing Letrozole to gonadotrophins was 0.79 (95% CI 0.54–1.15, moderate quality of evidence). We did not perform network meta-analysis on multiple pregnancy due to high inconsistency. Pairwise meta-analyses showed an RR for multiple pregnancy rates of 9.11(95% CI 1.18–70.32) comparing IUI with gonadotrophins to natural cycle IUI. There was no data available on multiple pregnancy rates following IUI with CC or Letrozole compared to natural cycle IUI. The RR for multiple pregnancy rates comparing gonadotrophins to CC was 1.42 (95% CI 0.68–2.97), comparing Letrozole to CC was 0.97 (95% CI 0.47–2.01) and comparing Letrozole to gonadotrophins was 0.29 (95% CI 0.14–0.58). In a meta-analysis among studies with adherence to strict cancellation criteria, the RR for live births/ongoing pregnancy rates comparing gonadotrophins to CC was 1.20 (95% CI 0.95–1.51) and the RR for multiple pregnancy rates comparing gonadotropins to CC was 0.80 (95% CI 0.38–1.68). WIDER IMPLICATIONS Based on low to moderate quality of evidence in this network meta-analysis, IUI with gonadotrophins ranked highest on live birth/ongoing pregnancy rates, but women undergoing this treatment protocol were also at risk for multiple pregnancies with high complication rates. IUI regimens with adherence to strict cancellation criteria led to an acceptable multiple pregnancy rate without compromising the effectiveness. Within a protocol with adherence to strict cancellation criteria, gonadotrophins seem to improve live birth/ongoing pregnancy rates compared to CC. We, therefore, suggest performing IUI with ovarian stimulation using gonadotrophins within a protocol that includes strict cancellation criteria. Obviously, this ignores the impact of costs and patients preference.
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Mourant, Bailey, Lori Ferrins, Sophie Carenco, Natalie LaFranzo, and Catherine M. Rawlins. "The Inaugural IYCN General Assembly." Chemistry International 42, no. 1 (January 1, 2020): 16–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ci-2020-0105.
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AbstractThe International Younger Chemists Network (IYCN) began as a task force at the 2015 ACS National Meeting in Boston between a group of young chemists from the USA, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Europe. The ultimate goal was to create a unified international network for younger chemists to connect and share ideas. Successful efforts led to the official launch of IYCN as an associated organization of IUPAC at the 46th World Chemistry Congress (IUPAC2017) held in Brazil.
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Lu, Yihua, Xi Zhu, and Min Wang. "CI 24-Si: a Semiconducting Silicon Phase with an All-sp3 Bonding Network." ChemistrySelect 3, no. 2 (January 9, 2018): 451–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/slct.201702481.
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Gasperoni, Nicholas A., Xuguang Wang, Keith A. Brewster, and Frederick H. Carr. "Assessing Impacts of the High-Frequency Assimilation of Surface Observations for the Forecast of Convection Initiation on 3 April 2014 within the Dallas–Fort Worth Test Bed." Monthly Weather Review 146, no. 11 (October 31, 2018): 3845–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/mwr-d-18-0177.1.
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Abstract The Nationwide Network of Networks (NNoN) concept was introduced by the National Research Council to address the growing need for a national mesoscale observing system and the continued advancement toward accurate high-resolution numerical weather prediction. The research test bed known as the Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) Urban Demonstration Network was created to experiment with many kinds of mesoscale observations that could be used in a data assimilation system. Many nonconventional observations, including Earth Networks and Citizen Weather Observer Program surface stations, are combined with conventional operational data to form the test bed network. A principal component of the NNoN effort is the quantification of observation impact from several different sources of information. In this study, the GSI-based EnKF system was used together with the WRF-ARW Model to examine impacts of observations assimilated for forecasting convection initiation (CI) in the 3 April 2014 hail storm case. Data denial experiments tested the impact of high-frequency (5 min) assimilation of nonconventional data on the timing and location of CI and subsequent storm evolution. Results showed nonconventional observations were necessary to capture details in the dryline structure causing localized enhanced convergence and leading to CI. Diagnosis of denial-minus-control fields showed the cumulative influence each observing network had on the resulting CI forecast. It was found that most of this impact came from the assimilation of thermodynamic observations in sensitive areas along the dryline gradient. Accurate metadata were found to be crucial toward the future application of nonconventional observations in high-resolution assimilation and forecast systems.
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Gudzune, Kimberly A., Jennifer Peyton, Craig Evan Pollack, J. Hunter Young, David M. Levine, Carl A. Latkin, and Jeanne M. Clark. "Perceived Diet and Exercise Behaviors Among Social Network Members With Personal Lifestyle Habits of Public Housing Residents." Health Education & Behavior 45, no. 5 (February 19, 2018): 808–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1090198118757985.
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Our objective was to characterize the relationship between public housing residents’ diet/exercise habits with similar behaviors among their social network. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of randomly selected households in Baltimore, Maryland, from August 2014 to August 2015. Adult heads of household completed questions on diet, exercise, and perceived habits among network members. Our dependent variables were high added sugar intake (≥39.9 teaspoons/day), high fruit/vegetable intake (≥6.1 servings/day), and being physically active (≥moderately activity). Our network exposures were proportion of members perceived to daily consume (1) sugar-sweetened beverages, (2) sweets, (3) fruits, and (4) vegetables, as well as to weekly exercise (1) vigorously or (2) moderately. We used multivariate logistic regression to examine associations between habits with relevant network exposures. Our sample included 266 adults with mean age of 44.5 years, 86.1% women and 95.5% African American. We found a statistically significant association between study participants’ high daily intake of added sugar with perceived network exposure to daily sugar-sweetened beverages (odds ratio [OR] = 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.02, 1.20]) and daily sweets (OR = 1.10, 95% CI [1.02, 1.20]). Greater network exposure to weekly vigorous exercise was significantly associated with personally being physically active (OR = 1.15, 95% CI [1.04, 1.28]), but not network exposure to weekly moderate exercise. Among public housing residents, associations exist between individuals’ and perceived networks’ lifestyle habits of high added sugar foods consumption and vigorous exercise, which may hold promise for future social network interventions.
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Ferrins, Lori, Evijola Llabani, and Christine Dunne. "IUPAC and IYCN: Forging New Connections to Support Younger Chemists Worldwide." Chemistry International 40, no. 3 (July 1, 2018): 11–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ci-2018-0305.
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Abstract The International Younger Chemists Network (IYCN) is an organization that aims to connect chemists who are in the early stages of their career, including but not limited to graduate school, postdoctoral associates, chemists within five years of their terminal degree, and chemists newly transitioning into the field. Our core objective is to reach like-minded scientists globally and create a platform for scientific exchange. With a focus on building a worldwide network, we strive to spread scientific knowledge, mentorship, and encourage a passion for chemistry.
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Lim, Megan S. C., Jane L. Goller, Rebecca Guy, Judy Gold, Mark Stoove, Jane S. Hocking, Christopher K. Fairley, et al. "Correlates of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in a primary care sentinel surveillance network." Sexual Health 9, no. 3 (2012): 247. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sh11019.
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Background Chlamydia is the most commonly notified infection in Australia. Prevention strategies should be informed by routine data on at-risk populations. Methods: We calculated chlamydia positivity and correlates of infection using multivariable logistic regression for data collected between April 2006 and June 2009. Results: Chlamydia positivity was 5.6% in 12 233 females, 7.7% in 10 316 heterosexual males and 6.2% in 7872 men who have sex with men (MSM). Correlates of chlamydia positivity among females included younger age (odds ratio (OR) 2.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.92–2.69), being born overseas (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.25–1.82), multiple sex partners in the past year (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.40–2.11) and inconsistent condom use with regular sex partners (OR 3.44 ,95% CI 1.65–7.20). Sex work was protective for females (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53–0.86). Among heterosexual males, correlates of positivity were younger age (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.62–2.17), being born overseas (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.16–1.58), symptoms at the time of testing (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.40–1.92) and multiple sex partners in the past year (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.46–2.30). Correlates of positivity among MSM were being born overseas (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.00–1.51), being HIV-positive (OR 1.80, 95%CI 1.32–2.47), and reporting six or more anal sex partners in the past 6 months (OR 4.45, 95% CI 1.37–14.5). Conclusions: Our analysis identified subgroups at the highest risk of chlamydia in Victoria. These estimates will provide important baseline information to measure the impact of chlamydia control strategies.
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Nukavarapu, Nivedita, and Surya Durbha. "Interdependent Healthcare Critical Infrastructure Analysis in a Spatiotemporal Environment: A Case Study." ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information 9, no. 6 (June 11, 2020): 387. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijgi9060387.
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During an urban flooding scenario, Healthcare Critical Infrastructure (HCI) represents a critical and essential resource. As the flood levels rise and the existing HCI facilities struggle to keep up with the pace, the under-preparedness of most urban cities to address this challenge becomes evident. Due to the disruptions in the interdependent Critical Infrastructures (CI) network (i.e., water supply, communications, electricity, transportation, etc.), during an urban flooding event, the operations at the healthcare CI facilities are inevitably affected. Hence, there is a need to identify cascading CI failure scenarios to visualize the propagation of failure of one CI facility to another CI, which can impact vast geographical areas. The goal of this work is to develop an interdependent HCI simulation model in a spatiotemporal environment to understand the dynamics in real-time and model the propagation of cascading CI failures in an interdependent HCI network. The model is developed based on a real-world cascading CI failure case study on an interdependent HCI network during the flood disaster event in December 2015 at Chennai, TamilNadu, India. The interdependencies between the CI networks are modeled by using the Stochastic Colored Petri Net (SCPN) based modeling approach. SCPN is used to model a real-word process that occurs in parallel or concurrently. Furthermore, a geographic information system-based interface is integrated with the simulation model, to visualize the dynamic behavior of the interdependent HCI SCPN simulation model in a spatiotemporal environment. Such a dynamic simulation model can assist the decision-makers and emergency responders to rapidly simulate ‘what if’ kind of scenarios and consequently respond rapidly.
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Lee, Christine K., Ira Hofer, Eilon Gabel, Pierre Baldi, and Maxime Cannesson. "Development and Validation of a Deep Neural Network Model for Prediction of Postoperative In-hospital Mortality." Anesthesiology 129, no. 4 (October 1, 2018): 649–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/aln.0000000000002186.
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Abstract Editor’s Perspective What We Already Know about This Topic What This Article Tells Us That Is New Background The authors tested the hypothesis that deep neural networks trained on intraoperative features can predict postoperative in-hospital mortality. Methods The data used to train and validate the algorithm consists of 59,985 patients with 87 features extracted at the end of surgery. Feed-forward networks with a logistic output were trained using stochastic gradient descent with momentum. The deep neural networks were trained on 80% of the data, with 20% reserved for testing. The authors assessed improvement of the deep neural network by adding American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status Classification and robustness of the deep neural network to a reduced feature set. The networks were then compared to ASA Physical Status, logistic regression, and other published clinical scores including the Surgical Apgar, Preoperative Score to Predict Postoperative Mortality, Risk Quantification Index, and the Risk Stratification Index. Results In-hospital mortality in the training and test sets were 0.81% and 0.73%. The deep neural network with a reduced feature set and ASA Physical Status classification had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, 0.91 (95% CI, 0.88 to 0.93). The highest logistic regression area under the curve was found with a reduced feature set and ASA Physical Status (0.90, 95% CI, 0.87 to 0.93). The Risk Stratification Index had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, at 0.97 (95% CI, 0.94 to 0.99). Conclusions Deep neural networks can predict in-hospital mortality based on automatically extractable intraoperative data, but are not (yet) superior to existing methods.
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Lindsey, Robert, Aaron Daluiski, Sumit Chopra, Alexander Lachapelle, Michael Mozer, Serge Sicular, Douglas Hanel, et al. "Deep neural network improves fracture detection by clinicians." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115, no. 45 (October 22, 2018): 11591–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1806905115.
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Suspected fractures are among the most common reasons for patients to visit emergency departments (EDs), and X-ray imaging is the primary diagnostic tool used by clinicians to assess patients for fractures. Missing a fracture in a radiograph often has severe consequences for patients, resulting in delayed treatment and poor recovery of function. Nevertheless, radiographs in emergency settings are often read out of necessity by emergency medicine clinicians who lack subspecialized expertise in orthopedics, and misdiagnosed fractures account for upward of four of every five reported diagnostic errors in certain EDs. In this work, we developed a deep neural network to detect and localize fractures in radiographs. We trained it to accurately emulate the expertise of 18 senior subspecialized orthopedic surgeons by having them annotate 135,409 radiographs. We then ran a controlled experiment with emergency medicine clinicians to evaluate their ability to detect fractures in wrist radiographs with and without the assistance of the deep learning model. The average clinician’s sensitivity was 80.8% (95% CI, 76.7–84.1%) unaided and 91.5% (95% CI, 89.3–92.9%) aided, and specificity was 87.5% (95 CI, 85.3–89.5%) unaided and 93.9% (95% CI, 92.9–94.9%) aided. The average clinician experienced a relative reduction in misinterpretation rate of 47.0% (95% CI, 37.4–53.9%). The significant improvements in diagnostic accuracy that we observed in this study show that deep learning methods are a mechanism by which senior medical specialists can deliver their expertise to generalists on the front lines of medicine, thereby providing substantial improvements to patient care.
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Li, Jinlei, Zijuan Wang, Zhiwei Lian, Zhikai Zhu, and Yuanli Liu. "Social Networks, Community Engagement, and Cognitive Impairment among Community-Dwelling Chinese Older Adults." Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Extra 9, no. 3 (September 10, 2019): 330–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000502090.
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Aims: To examine the association of social networks and community engagement with cognitive impairment among community-dwelling Chinese older adults. Methods: From November 2017 to May 2018, we selected 1,115 elderly individuals from 3 Chinese communities (Beijing, Hefei, and Lanzhou) using a random-cluster sampling method, and recorded data on demographics, social network characteristics, community activities, and cognitive function. The odds ratios (ORs) of these associations were adjusted for potential confounders in logistic regression models. Results: The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 25.7% (n = 287). An adequate social network (OR 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33–0.91) and enough social support from friends (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.29–0.62) were negatively associated with cognitive impairment. Family support was not significantly associated with cognitive impairment (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.34–1.21). Taking part in elderly group travel, communication with others using WeChat, and community activities such as Tai Chi and walking together were negatively associated with cognitive impairment. Conclusion: Social network characteristics and community engagement were found to be related to cognitive function among community-dwelling Chinese elderly adults.
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Mahami, Hadi, Farnad Nasirzadeh, Ali Hosseininaveh Ahmadabadian, Farid Esmaeili, and Saeid Nahavandi. "Imaging network design to improve the automated construction progress monitoring process." Construction Innovation 19, no. 3 (July 7, 2019): 386–404. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ci-07-2018-0059.
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Purpose This paper aims to propose an automatic imaging network design to improve the efficiency and accuracy of automated construction progress monitoring. The proposed method will address two shortcomings of the previous studies, including the large number of captured images required and the incompleteness and inaccuracy of generated as-built models. Design/methodology/approach Using the proposed method, the number of required images is minimized in two stages. In the first stage, the manual photogrammetric network design is used to decrease the number of camera stations considering proper constraints. Then the image acquisition is done and the captured images are used to generate 3D points cloud model. In the second stage, a new software for automatic imaging network design is developed and used to cluster and select the optimal images automatically, using the existing dense points cloud model generated before, and the final optimum camera stations are determined. Therefore, the automated progress monitoring can be done by imaging at the selected camera stations to produce periodic progress reports. Findings The achieved results show that using the proposed manual and automatic imaging network design methods, the number of required images is decreased by 65 and 75 per cent, respectively. Moreover, the accuracy and completeness of points cloud reconstruction is improved and the quantity of performed work is determined with the accuracy, which is close to 100 per cent. Practical implications It is believed that the proposed method may present a novel and robust tool for automated progress monitoring using unmanned aerial vehicles and based on photogrammetry and computer vision techniques. Using the proposed method, the number of required images is minimized, and the accuracy and completeness of points cloud reconstruction is improved. Originality/value To generate the points cloud reconstruction based on close-range photogrammetry principles, more than hundreds of images must be captured and processed, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. There has been no previous study to reduce the large number of required captured images. Moreover, lack of images in some areas leads to an incomplete or inaccurate model. This research resolves the mentioned shortcomings.
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Schafer, Ellen J., Natalie A. Williams, Siri Digney, Marion E. Hare, and Sato Ashida. "Social Contexts of Infant Feeding and Infant Feeding Decisions." Journal of Human Lactation 32, no. 1 (July 6, 2015): 132–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0890334415592850.
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Background: Infant feeding takes place within a network of social relationships. However, the social context in which infant feeding advice is received remains underresearched. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the social contexts of infant feeding by examining individual and relationship characteristics of mothers and network members associated with advice to exclusively breastfeed, exclusively formula feed, or use a combination of breast milk and formula. Methods: Information about 287 network members was reported by 80 low-income mothers during a one-time survey. Characteristics of relationships associated with mothers receiving advice (exclusively breastfeed/formula feed, combination feed) from each network member were identified using 2-level logistic regression analyses. Results: Mothers had greater odds of receiving advice to exclusively breastfeed from network members who help make feeding decisions (odds ratio [OR], 2.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-4.42), exclusively breastfed their own child or children (OR, 6.99; 95% CI, 2.96-16.51), and were health care providers (OR, 4.82; 95% CI, 1.70-13.67). Mothers had greater odds of receiving advice to breastfeed in combination with formula from network members who provided emotional support (OR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.31-4.55), combination fed their own child or children (OR, 4.85; 95% CI, 1.80-13.05), and had an opinion that was important to the mother (OR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.13-6.33). Mothers had greater odds of receiving advice to exclusively formula feed from network members who exclusively formula fed their own child or children (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.07-4.66) than those who did not. Conclusion: Social relationship characteristics and network members’ infant feeding experiences may have implications for the advice new mothers receive. Future research should investigate social contexts of infant feeding longitudinally to inform interventions.
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Briggs, Janae, and Stephanie Child. "Adult Personal Network Characteristics Associated with Early Life Adversity." Innovation in Aging 4, Supplement_1 (December 1, 2020): 924. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaa057.3391.
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Abstract Early life adversity (ELA) is associated with poor health through social and economic pathways. ELA also shapes cognitive and emotional development, including self-perception, social attachment and mental well-being. As such, ELA may shape later life health through social relationships, yet few studies have examined these associations. Data from the UC Berkeley Social Network Study were used to examine ELA measured retrospectively and current personal network characteristics among young (21-30 years) and older adults (50-70 years). ELA was operationalized as a summary of six experiences occurring before age 18 (e.g., parents’ divorce/separation, violence/drug use in the home, etc.). Personal network characteristics included objective measures, such as the number of ties who provide or receive various types of support, and subjective assessments about the adequacy of support received. Multivariate regression models adjusted for gender, race/ethnicity, and level of education. Among young adults, ELA was associated with more ties who rely upon the ego for support (b=0.15, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.28, p=0.02). Among older adults, ELA was associated with more ties named as either an advisor (b=0.14, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.21, p=0.02) or difficult/demanding (b=0.12, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.21, p<0.01). Furthermore, ELA was associated with less confidence in family support available (b= -0.09, 95% CI: -0.16, -0.03, p<0.01) and fewer emotionally close family members (b= -0.18, 95% CI: -0.32, -0.03, p=0.02) among older adults. In conclusion, clear differences emerged in network characteristics by exposure to ELA, particularly among older adults. The findings highlight potential pathways through which ELA patterns later life health.
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Hsieh, Meng-Hsuen, Meng-Ju Hsieh, Chin-Ming Chen, Chia-Chang Hsieh, Chien-Ming Chao, and Chih-Cheng Lai. "An Artificial Neural Network Model for Predicting Successful Extubation in Intensive Care Units." Journal of Clinical Medicine 7, no. 9 (August 25, 2018): 240. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm7090240.
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Background: Successful weaning from mechanical ventilation is important for patients in intensive care units (ICUs). The aim was to construct neural networks to predict successful extubation in ventilated patients in ICUs. Methods: Data from 1 December 2009 through 31 December 2011 of 3602 patients with planned extubation in Chi-Mei Medical Center’s ICUs was used to train and test an artificial neural network (ANN). The input was 37 clinical risk factors, and the output was a failed extubation prediction. Results: One hundred eighty-five patients (5.1%) had a failed extubation. Multivariate analyses revealed that failure was positively associated with therapeutic intervention scoring system (TISS) scores (odds ratio [OR]: 1.814; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.283–2.563), chronic hemodialysis (OR: 12.264; 95% CI: 8.556–17.580), rapid shallow breathing (RSI) (OR: 2.003; 95% CI: 1.378–2.910), and pre-extubation heart rate (OR: 1.705; 95% CI: 1.173–2.480), but negatively associated with pre-extubation PaO2/FiO2 (OR: 0.529; 95%: 0.370–0.750) and maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) (OR: 0.610; 95% CI: 0.413–0.899). A multilayer perceptron ANN model with 19 neurons in a hidden layer was developed. The overall performance of this model was F1: 0.867, precision: 0.939, and recall: 0.822. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.85, which is better than any one of the following predictors: TISS: 0.58 (95% CI: 0.54–0.62; p < 0.001); 0.58 (95% CI: 0.53–0.62; p < 0.001); and RSI: 0.54 (95% CI: 0.49–0.58; p = 0.097). Conclusions: The ANN performed well when predicting failed extubation, and it will help predict successful planned extubation.
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Thuy, Luu Quang, Nguyen Hoang Thanh, Le Hong Trung, Pham Huy Tan, Hoang Thi Phuong Nam, Pham Thi Diep, Tran Thi Ha An, Bui Van San, Tran Nguyen Ngoc, and Ngo Van Toan. "Blood Pressure Control and Associations with Social Support among Hypertensive Outpatients in a Developing Country." BioMed Research International 2021 (April 3, 2021): 1–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/7420985.
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Relationships between social support characteristics with blood pressure control and recommended behaviors in Vietnamese hypertensive patients have not been investigated. This study is aimed at examining the role of social support characteristics in hypertension control and behaviors. Patients with hypertension ( n = 220 ) in Hanoi, Vietnam, were recruited into a cross-sectional study. Both functional and structural characteristics of social support and network were examined. Results showed that increasing total network size was related to 52% higher odds of uncontrolled hypertension ( adjusted OR = 1.52 , 95 % CI = 1.22 − 1.89 ). Higher network sizes on the provision of information support related to advice, emotional support related to decisions, and practical support related to sickness were associated with lower odds of uncontrolled hypertension. Every additional 1% of the percentage of network members having hypertension decreased 2% the odds of uncontrolled hypertension ( adjusted OR = 0.98 , 95 % CI = 0.96 − 1.00 ). A 1% additional network members who were living in the same household was associated with a decrease of 0.08 point of behavioral adherence score ( coef . = − 0.08 ; 95 % CI = − 0.12 − 0.03 ). Meanwhile, a 1% increase of network members who were friends on the provision of practical support related to sickness and jobs was related to an increase of 0.10 point and 0.19 point of behavioral adherence score ( coef . = 0.10 ; 95 % CI = 0.04 − 0.17 and coef . = 0.19 ; 95 % CI = 0.06 − 0.32 , respectively). The current study suggested that further interventions to improve hypertension management should address the potential effects of social network characteristics.
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Carvalho, Valério S., Miguel R. Picanço, André Volschan, and Daniel C. Bezerra. "Impact of simulation training on a telestroke network." International Journal of Stroke 14, no. 5 (July 24, 2018): 500–507. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1747493018791030.
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Background Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Brazil, where there are significant imbalances in access to specialized stroke care. Telemedicine networks allow patients to receive neurological evaluation and intravenous thrombolysis in underserved areas, where performance measures are challenging. Aims To describe the impact caused by adequate stroke care training, using realistic simulation, in a developing country telestroke network. Methods Retrospective observational study comparing the number of all stroke diagnoses, thrombolysis rate, door-to-needle time and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage after intravenous thrombolysis, during one year providing just algorithms and orientation in stroke care to spoke facilities (phase 1), with the results achieved along one year after the beginning of ongoing live training sessions (phase 2). Results The mean number of patients diagnosed with stroke increased from 7.5 to 16.58 per month ( P = 0.019) rising from 90 patients during phase 1 to 199 in phase 2. There was a reduction in the mean door-to-needle time from 137.1 to 95.5 min (−41.58; 95% CI −62.77 to −20.40). The thrombolysis and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage rates had a non-significant decrease from 21.31% to 18.18% (OR 0.82; 95% CI 0.39 to 1.71) and 12.5% to 7.69% (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.046 to 7.425), respectively. Conclusions Realistic simulation stroke care training provided by stroke centers to spoke facilities seems to significantly reduce door-to-needle time and enhance adherence in a telestroke network.
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Tyler, Kimberly, and Lisa Melander. "The effect of drug and sexual risk behaviours with social network and non-network members on homeless youths' sexually transmissible infections and HIV testing." Sexual Health 7, no. 4 (2010): 434. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sh09113.
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Background: The study examined whether engaging in drug and sexual risk behaviours with social network and non-network members (strangers) differentially affected the decision to test for sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and HIV. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 249 homeless youths aged 14–21 years. Results: Multivariate analyses revealed that females were over three times more likely than males to test for STIs (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.34; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.54–7.25). For every one unit increase in age, there was a 37% increase in the likelihood of having tested for STIs (AOR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.12–1.68). Youths who had sex after using alcohol and drugs with strangers were approximately 3.5 times more likely to have tested for STIs (AOR = 3.45; 95% CI = 1.38–8.61). For every one unit increase in age, there was a 26% increase in the likelihood of having tested for HIV (AOR = 1.26; 95% CI = 1.05–1.51). Youths who had sex with a stranger after using alcohol or drugs were over three times more likely to test for HIV (AOR = 3.22; 95% CI = 1.42–7.31). No social network variables reached significance for STI or HIV testing. Conclusions: Being older and engaging in drug and sexual risk behaviours with strangers are important correlates of STI and HIV testing. Females are more likely than males to be tested for STIs. Engaging in risky behaviours with social network members was not a key factor in deciding whether to be tested.
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Bellos, Ioannis, Georgia Fitrou, Raffaella Panza, and Aakash Pandita. "Comparative efficacy of methods for surfactant administration: a network meta-analysis." Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition 106, no. 5 (January 15, 2021): 474–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2020-319763.
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ObjectivesTo compare surfactant administration via thin catheters, laryngeal mask, nebulisation, pharyngeal instillation, intubation and surfactant administration followed by immediate extubation (InSurE) and no surfactant administration.DesignNetwork meta-analysis.SettingMedline, Scopus, CENTRAL, Web of Science, Google-scholar and Clinicaltrials.gov databases were systematically searched from inception to 15 February 2020.PatientsPreterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome.InterventionsLess invasive surfactant administration.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcomes were mortality, mechanical ventilation and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.ResultsOverall, 16 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and 20 observational studies were included (N=13 234). For the InSurE group, the median risk of mortality, mechanical ventilation and bronchopulmonary dysplasia were 7.8%, 42.1% and 10%, respectively. Compared with InSurE, administration via thin catheter was associated with significantly lower rates of mortality (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.54 to 0.76), mechanical ventilation (OR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.63), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.44 to 0.73), periventricular leukomalacia (OR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.53 to 0.82) with moderate quality of evidence and necrotising enterocolitis (OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.41 to 0.9, low quality of evidence). No significant differences were observed by comparing InSurE with administration via laryngeal mask, nebulisation or pharyngeal instillation. In RCTs, thin catheter administration lowered the rates of mechanical ventilation (OR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.26 to 0.60) but not the incidence of the remaining outcomes.ConclusionAmong preterm infants, surfactant administration via thin catheters was associated with lower likelihood of mortality, need for mechanical ventilation and bronchopulmonary dysplasia compared with InSurE. Further research is needed to reach firm conclusions about the efficacy of alternative minimally invasive techniques of surfactant administration.
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Henry, Jack, Michael Amoo, Joseph Taylor, and David P. O’Brien. "Complications of Cranioplasty in Relation to Material: Systematic Review, Network Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression." Neurosurgery 89, no. 3 (June 8, 2021): 383–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/neuros/nyab180.
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Abstract BACKGROUND Cranioplasty is a ubiquitous neurosurgical procedure consisting of reconstruction of a pre-existing calvarial defect. Many materials are available, including polymethylmethacrylate in hand-moulded (hPMMA) and prefabricated (pPMMA) form, hydroxyapatite (HA), polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and titanium (Ti). OBJECTIVE To perform a network meta-analysis (NMA) to assess the relationship between materials and complications of cranioplasty. METHODS PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, EMBASE, Scopus, and The Cochrane Library were searched from January 1, 1990 to February 14, 2021. Studies detailing rates of any of infections, implant exposure, or revision surgery were included. A frequentist NMA was performed for each complication. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% CIs were calculated for each material pair. RESULTS A total of 3620 abstracts were screened and 31 full papers were included. Surgical revision was reported in 18 studies and occurred in 316/2032 cases (14%; 95% CI 11-17). PEEK had the lowest risk of re-operation with a rate of 8/157 (5%; 95% CI 0-11) in 5 studies, superior to autografts (RR 0.20; 95% CI 0.07-0.57), hPMMA (RR 0.20; 95% CI 0.07-0.60), Ti (RR 0.39; 95% CI 0.17-0.92), and pPMMA (RR 0.14; 95% CI 0.04-0.51). Revision rate was 131/684 (19%; 95% CI 13-25; 10 studies) in autografts, 61/317 (18%; 95%CI 9-28; 7 studies) in hPMMA, 84/599 (13%; 95% CI 7-19; 11 studies) in Ti, 7/59 (9%; 95% CI 1-23; 3 studies) in pPMMA, and 25/216 (12%; 95% CI 4-24; 4 studies) in HA. Infection occurred in 463/4667 (8%; 95% CI 6-11) and implant exposure in 120/1651 (6%; 95% CI 4-9). CONCLUSION PEEK appears to have the lowest risk of cranioplasty revision, but further research is required to determine the optimal material.
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Wang, Wen, Wenwen Chen, Yanmei Liu, Reed Alexander C. Siemieniuk, Ling Li, Juan Pablo Díaz Martínez, Gordon H. Guyatt, and Xin Sun. "Antibiotics for uncomplicated skin abscesses: systematic review and network meta-analysis." BMJ Open 8, no. 2 (February 2018): e020991. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020991.
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ObjectiveTo assess the impact of adjunctive antibiotic therapy on uncomplicated skin abscesses.DesignSystematic review and network meta-analysis.Data sourcesMedline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and ClinicalTrials.gov.Study selectionA BMJ Rapid Recommendation panel provided input on design, important outcomes and the interpretation of the results. Eligible randomised controlled trials (RCTs) included a comparison of antibiotics against no antibiotics or a comparison of different antibiotics in patients with uncomplicated skin abscesses, and reported outcomes prespecified by the linked guideline panel.Review methodsReviewers independently screened abstracts and full texts for eligibility, assessed risk of bias and extracted data. We performed random-effects meta-analyses that compared antibiotics with no antibiotics, along with a limited number of prespecified subgroup hypotheses. We also performed network meta-analysis with a Bayesian framework to compare effects of different antibiotics. Quality of evidence was assessed with The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.ResultsFourteen RCTs including 4198 patients proved eligible. Compared with no antibiotics, antibiotics probably lower the risk of treatment failure (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.90; low quality), recurrence within 1 month (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.77; moderate quality), hospitalisation (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.94; moderate quality) and late recurrence (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.85; moderate quality). However, relative to no use, antibiotics probably increase the risk of gastrointestinal side effects (trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX): OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.58; moderate quality; clindamycin: OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.35 to 3.88; high quality) and diarrhoea (clindamycin: OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.50 to 4.89; high quality). Cephalosporins did not reduce the risk of treatment failure compared with placebo (moderate quality).ConclusionsIn patients with uncomplicated skin abscesses, moderate-to-high quality evidence suggests TMP-SMX or clindamycin confer a modest benefit for several important outcomes, but this is offset by a similar risk of adverse effects. Clindamycin has a substantially higher risk of diarrhoea than TMP-SMX. Cephalosporins are probably not effective.
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Huang, Wanling, Long Zhang, Yaoting Sun, Fangfang Chen, and Kai Wang. "The Prediction Analysis of Autistic and Schizotypal Traits in Attentional Networks." Psychiatry Investigation 18, no. 5 (May 25, 2021): 417–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.30773/pi.2020.0251.
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Objective Empirical findings confirmed that autistic and schizotypal traits are associated with attentional function as well as include various dimensions. So far, no study has reported which dimension of these traits relates to attentional networks. This study aimed to find out whether there are associations between attentional networks and autistic traits; and between attentional networks and schizotypal traits.Methods A total of 449 volunteers was included in this study, and autism-spectrum quotient (AQ), schizotypal personality questionnaire (SPQ), and attention network test (ANT) were used to measure autistic traits and schizotypal traits. The three independent attentional networks, including alerting network, orienting network, and executive control network, were also measured.Results Autistic traits were associated with the orienting network, whereas schizotypal traits were associated with the orienting network and executive control network. Furthermore, attentional networks could be predicted by specific dimensions of autistic and schizotypal traits. AQ-attention switching [0.104 (-1.175– -0.025), p=0.041] and AQ-attention to detail [-0.097 (-0.798– -0.001), p=0.049] were significant predictors of orienting network and gender were significant predictor of executive network (Beta=0.107; 95% CI=-0.476–10.139; p=0.031). Whereas, schizotypal dimension “interpersonal” was a significant predictor of all three attentional networks [Alerting: 0.147 (-0.010–0.861), p=0.045; Orienting: 0.147 (0.018–0.733), p=0.040; Executive: 0.198 (0.215–1.309), p=0.006].Conclusion This study demonstrated that autistic and schizotypal traits were associated with attentional networks. The specific dimensions of autistic and schizotypal traits could predict attentional networks. Nevertheless, the attentional networks predicted with these two traits were different.
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Zhong, Hao, Rodrigo Reyes Levalle, Mohsen Moghaddam, and Shimon Y. Nof. "Collaborative Intelligence - Definition and Measured Impacts on Internetworked e-Work." Management and Production Engineering Review 6, no. 1 (February 28, 2015): 67–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/mper-2015-0009.
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Abstract Internetworked e-Work is enabling new channels in cyber space for collaboration among physical and cyber agents, e.g., humans, robots, software agents. Research on Collaborative Control Theory (CCT) indicates that building and augmenting the Collaborative Intelligence (CI) of participants in cyber-physical networks can provide better support for achieving their individual and common goals. In spite of its rising significance and popularity, however, no clear and precise definition and universal quantitative measure has been proposed for the CI. In this article, we first formalize the CI by suggesting a formal definition, based on the definitions of its elements - collaboration and intelligence. We then propose a quantitative measure for the CI, adapted from the universal intelligence measure. For illustration, we analyze three recent collaborative e-Work studies at three different scales: (1) Telerobotenabled computer supported collaborative design; (2) Collaborative product line control in supply networks; (3) Demand and capacity sharing in multi-enterprise collaboration. From these case studies, common advantages such as work efficiency, network robustness and stability, service level, resource utilization, and collaboration cost are observed, analyzed, and translated into formal CI measures. Results indicate significant impacts of CI on the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of collaborative activities in emerging e-Work networks.
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Ray-Coquard, Isabelle, Thierry Philip, Guy de Laroche, Xavier Froger, Jean-Philippe Suchaud, Alain Voloch, Hélène Mathieu-Daudé, et al. "Persistence of Medical Change at Implementation of Clinical Guidelines on Medical Practice: A Controlled Study in a Cancer Network." Journal of Clinical Oncology 23, no. 19 (July 1, 2005): 4414–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/jco.2005.01.040.
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Purpose A cancer network of general or private hospitals of a French region was started in 1995 for improving quality of care and rationalizing medical prescriptions. The impact of implementing a clinical practice guidelines (CPG) project assessed conformity with guidelines in medical practice; significant changes were observed within the network, whereas no changes were observed in a control region without cancer network. In the present study, we evaluated the persistence of conformity to guidelines through a new medical audit. Patients and Methods In 1999, the hospitals of the previously compared experimental and control groups accepted to reassess the impact of CPG. A controlled transversal study was performed in the experimental group (cancer network) and in the control group (no regional cancer network). In 1996 (first audit) and in 1999 (present audit), all new patients with colon cancer (177 and 200 in experimental group and 118 and 100 in control group, respectively) and early breast cancer (444 and 381 in experimental group and 172 and 204 in control group, respectively) were selected. Results In the experimental group, the compliance of medical decisions with CPG was significantly higher in 1999 than in 1996 for colon cancer (73%; 95% CI, 67% to 79% v 56%; 95% CI, 49% to 63%, respectively; P = .003) and similar for the two periods for breast cancer (36%; 95% CI, 31% to 41% v 40%; 95% CI, 35% to 44%, respectively; P = .24). In the control group, compliance was significantly higher in 1999 than in 1996 for colon cancer (67%; 95% CI, 58% to 76% v 38%; 95% CI, 29% to 47%, respectively; P < .001) and identical for the two periods for breast cancer (4%; 95% CI, 1% to 7% v 7%; 95% CI, 3% to 11%, respectively; P = .19). Conclusion The CPG program for cancer management produced persistent changes in medical practice in our cancer network in terms of conformity with CPG.