Subjective assessment for an advanced driver assistance system:a case study in China

Purpose–This study aims to propose a novel subjective assessment(SA)method for level 2 or level 21 advanced driver assistance system(ADAS)with a customized case study in China.Design/methodology/approach–The proposed SA method contains six dimensions,including perception,driveability and stability,riding comfort,human–machine interaction,driver workload and trustworthiness and exceptional operating case,respectively.And each dimension subordinates several subsections,which describe the corresponding details under this dimension.Findings–Based on the proposed SA,a case study in China is conducted.Six drivers with different driving experiences are invited to give their subjective ratings for each subsection according to a predefined rating standard.The rating results show that the ADAS from Tesla outperforms the upcoming electric vehicle in most cases.Originality/value–The proposed SA method is beneficial for the original equipment manufacturers developing related technologies in the future.

Evaluation of Muscle Fatigue Based on Surface Electromyography and Subjective Assessment

To investigate the relationship between surface electromyography and subjective assessment of muscle fatigue, 20 young male volunteers participated in the experiment of pistol holding and aiming. sE MG of the anterior deltoid was recorded during the entire process, while fatigue assessments(Borg scale) were collected every 30 s. We divided the signal into several parts and then octave band method was used to calculate mean energy of each part, an equation was derived based on the relationship between the mean energy of sE MG and Borg scale. The results showed that the degree of local muscle fatigue could be described by a cubic curve, and could be used to evaluate and monitor muscle fatigue.

Validation of nutritional risk index method against patientgenerated subjective global assessment in screening malnutrition in colorectal cancer patients

Objective：To validate malnutrition screening tool of nutrition risk index （NRI） against patent-generated subjective global assessment （PG-SGA） as a gold standard tool in colorectal cancer patients before radiotherapy.Methods：Nutritional status of 52 volunteer colorectal cancer patients with a mean age of 54.1±16.8 years who referred to radiotherapy center were assessed by PG-SGA （gold standard method） and NRI.Serum albumin levels of patients were determined by colorimetric method.A contingency table was used to determine the sensitivity,specificity,and predictive value of the NRI in screening patients at risk of malnutrition,in comparison with the PG-SGA in patients before radiotherapy.Results：The findings of PG-SGA and NRI showed that 52％ and 45％ of patients in our study were moderately or severely malnourished respectively.The NRI had a sensitivity of 66％ and a specificity of 60％ against PG-SGA.The positive predictive value was 64％ and the negative predicative value was 62％.The agreement between NRI and PG-SGA was statistically insignificant （kappa =0.267; P＞0.05）.Conclusions：The findings of present study showed that the prevalence of malnutrition was high in patients with colorectal cancer.Moreover,NRI method had low sensitivity and specificity in assessing nutritional status of patients with cancer.It seems that the combination of anthropometric,laboratory parameters and a subjective scoring system may be helpful tools in screening of malnutrition in cancer patients.

Validity of the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment(PG SGA)in Colorectal Cancer Patients in China

Objective The patient-generated subjective global assessment(PG-SGA)is a nutritional assessment tool specially designed for cancer patients.This study tested the validity of the PG-SGA for the nutritional assessment of colorectal cancer(CRC)patients in China.Methods A total of 8,093 Chinese patients with any stage CRC were enrolled in this cross-sectional,observational study.Within the first 48 hours of admission,patients were evaluated using the PG-SGA,nutritional risk screening 2002(NRS 2002),Karnofsky Performance Status(KPS),and some anthropometric parameters,including the triceps skinfold thickness(TSF),mid-arm circumference(MAC),mid-arm muscle circumference(MAMC),hand grip strength(HGS),maximum left calf circumference(MLCC),and maximum right calf circumference(MRCC),among others.Spearman’s correlation test was performed to analyze item-total score correlations and correlations between the total PG-SGA score and other parameters or performance scores,further testing convergent validity.The discriminative ability of the PG-SGA was measured by comparing different characteristics between several nutritional groups.A principal component analysis was performed with selected parameters to evaluate the construct validity.Results The average total PG-SGA score of all patients was 5.69±4.46,and they had a median age of 59 years(interquartile range(IQR),51-67 years)and an average body mass index(BMI)of 22.57±3.29 kg/m^(2).The item-total correlations of the total PG-SGA score between the global PG-SGA rating(Spearman,r=0.94)and PG-SGA score(patient-generated)(Spearman,r=0.97)were strong.Significant correlations were also found between the total PG-SGA score and other nutritional screening tools,including the BMI(Spearman,r=-0.26),KPS(Spearman,r=-0.36),and NRS 2002(Spearman,r=-0.47).Well-nourished(41.2%),mildly or moderately malnourished(35.3%)and severely malnourished(23.5%)groups defined according to the PG-SGA had significantly different characteristics.Patients with a worse nutritional status tended to have a decreased BMI(well-nourished,23.32 kg/m^(2)vs.mildly or moderately malnourished,22.52 kg/m^(2)vs.severely malnourished,21.35 kg/m^(2);P<0.001),hemoglobin,body fat mass,muscle mass,protein mass,TSF,MAC,HGS,MAMC,and MLCC,and a dramatically increased C-reactive protein level.The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure was>0.7,and the P value of Bartlett’s test of sphericity was<0.001.One component was extracted by the principal component analysis,and the analysis showed that the total PG-SGA score explained the total variances of 97.3%.Conclusion The PG-SGA is a valid tool for evaluating the nutritional status for Chinese CRC patients.

Combining the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PGSGA) and Objective Nutrition Assessment Parameters Better Predicts Malnutrition in Elderly Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Background Malnutrition is common in colorectal cancer(CRC)patients,especially in elderly patients.The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment(PG-SGA)is a widely used tool developed to detect malnutrition.The aim of this study was to compare the value of the PG-SGA and objective nutrition assessment parameters,in order to identify a better predictive index for malnutrition in elderly patients with CRC.Methods A total of 131 elderly patients(age≥60 years)with CRC were included and were evaluated for their individual nutritional status using the PG-SGA.Anthropometric and serological indicators were also assayed within 48 h of admission to the hospital.Body composition analysis was implemented by bioelectrical impedance analysis(BIA)instrument.The Chi-squared test,univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis,or Spearman’s rank correlation analysis were used to determine the differences among the above indices and parameters with regard to predicting malnutrition.Results According to the PG-SGA score,the incidence of total malnutrition in elderly patients with CRC was 80.92%(PG-SGA score≥2),which increased with age.It was found that 28%of the patients with PG-SGA classification A(PG-SGA score 0-1)had a low fat-free mass index(FFMI).Compared with those with PG-SGA A,patients with PG-SGA C PG-SGA score≥9)showed an increased neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(NLR)and an increased platelet and lymphocyte ratio(PLR)(median=1.78 VS.2.35,P=0.015 and median=108.8 VS.141.6,P=0.001,respectively).In terms of objective nutrition assessment parameters,severely malnourished CRC patients had significantly lower values of serum albumin(ALB),and retinol conjugated protein(RBP)than those who were well-nourished[(38.35±4.84)g/L VS.(40.56±3.44)g/L,P=0.039 and(30.31±15.83)mg/L VS.(39.01±11.95)mg/L,P=0.033,respectively].The Spearman’s rank correlation analysis showed that the PG-SGA findings had positive correlations with the NLR and PLR;while it had negative correlations with the FFMI,body mass index(BMI),ALB,prealbumin,and RBP.Conclusions In clinical practice,a comprehensive nutritional diagnosis,including the PG-SGA score and these objective indicators,can avoid the underdiagnosis of malnutrition,and is more suitable to detect malnutrition(as well as its causes)in elderly patients with CRC.

Subjective Global Assessment as a Pre-Operative Nutrition Status Screening Tool for Head and Neck Cancer Patients of a Tertiary Health Care Setting

Introduction: In India, 57% of patients with head and neck cancers are documented with nutritional compromise. Active nutritional support has been shown to improve outcomes and reduce the cost of treatment in severely malnourished patients. The assessment of nutritional status should be a priority when initiating medical nutrition therapy. We evaluated the agreement between Subjective and Objective evaluation of pre-operative nutrition status of head and neck cancer patients in a tertiary cancer centre. Methods: Two hundred and thirty seven head and neck cancer patients who underwent surgery were eligible. The patients included both males (147) and females (90) with age varying between 23 - 88 years. All patients were screened for pre-operative nutrition status objectively as well as subjectively. The association of pre-operative SGA scores (A, B and C) subjectively, and PNS score (0, 1, 2) objectively were tested for statistical significance. Results: The cancer sites included tongue in 82, buccal mucosa in 30, thyroid in 28, alveolus in 18, glottis in 10, RMT in 10, nasal cavity in 9, FOM in 8. The pre-operative nutrition status based on subjective scores are A in 156 (65.8%), B in 75 (32%) and C in 6 (2.5%). The objective parameters obtained on the basis of BMI, % weight loss, PNI and S. albumin values are PNS 0 in 161 (67.9%), PNS 1 in 71 (30%) and PNS 2 in 5 (2.1%) patients. As the kappa coefficient p-0.56, there is moderate agreement between the pre-operative nutrition status subjectively as well as objectively. Conclusion: Subjective global assessment is a simple and inexpensive way to screen the pre-operative nutrition status when compared to the other objective assessment tool. SGA has moderate agreement with expensive and complicated objective assessment tools. So it can be a reliable tool for assessing the pre-operative nutrition status.

Perceptual Quality Assessment for Point Clouds:A Survey

A point cloud is considered a promising 3D representation that has achieved wide applications in several fields.However,quality degradation inevitably occurs during its acquisition and generation,communication and transmission,and rendering and display.Therefore,how to accurately perceive the visual quality of point clouds is a meaningful topic.In this survey,we first introduce the point cloud to emphasize the importance of point cloud quality assessment(PCQA).A review of subjective PCQA is followed,including common point cloud distortions,subjective experimental setups and subjective databases.Then we review and compare objective PCQA methods in terms of modelbased and projection-based.Finally,we provide evaluation criteria for objective PCQA methods and compare the performances of various methods across multiple databases.This survey provides an overview of classical methods and recent advances in PCQA.

Reliability assessment and correlation analysis of evaluating orthodontic treatment outcome in Chinese patients

This study aimed to assess the reliability of experienced Chinese orthodontists in evaluating treatment outcome and to determine the correlations between three diagnostic information sources. Sixty-nine experienced Chinese orthodontic specialists each evaluated the outcome of orthodontic treatment of 108 Chinese patients. Three different information sources： study casts （SC）, lateral cephalometric X-ray images （LX） and facial photographs （PH） were generated at the end of treatment for 108 patients selected randomly from six orthodontic treatment centers throughout China. Six different assessments of treatment outcome were made by each orthodontist using data from the three information sources separately and in combination. Each assessment included both ranking and grading for each patient. The rankings of each of the 69 judges for the 108 patients were correlated with the rankings of each of the other judges yielding 13 873 Spearman rs values, ranging from -0.08 to ＋0.85. Of these, 90% were greater than 0.4, showing moderate-to-high consistency among the 69 orthodontists. In the combined evaluations, study casts were the most significant predictive component （R2=0.86, P〈0.000 1）, while the inclusion of lateral cephalometric films and facial photographs also contributed to a more comprehensive assessment （R2=0.96, P〈0.000 1）. Grading scores for SC＋LX and SC＋PH were highly significantly correlated with those for SC＋LX＋PH （r（SC＋LX）vs.（SC＋LX＋PH）=0.96, r（SC＋PH）vs.（SC＋LX＋PH）=0.97）, showing that either SC＋LX or SC＋PH is an excellent substitute for all three combined assessment,

A NEW IMAGE QUALITY ASSESSMENT BASED ON HVS

This letter proposes a new kind of image quality philosophy—Modulate Quality based on Fixation Points (MQFP) based on Human Visual System (HVS) model. Dissimilar to the former HVS-based quality assessment, the new measure emphasizes particularly on modeling the jumping phenomenon of human sight instead of modeling the visual perception of human. In other words, to model the HVS using fixation points and stay-frequency instead of Contrast Sensitive Function (CSF) etc. which models the visual perception of HVS. The experiment on various frequency-distortion images indicates that the new measure is correlated with the subjective judgment more than the former HVS-based measure and is a robust measure.

Return to Sports after Lower Extremity Injuries:Assessment of Movement Quality

Numerous high performance athletes experience further damage or recurrent injuries even after successful rehabilitation. This is often caused by an insufficient movement quality, which has been very rarely assessed by test protocols which determine the point of reintegration into high performance sports (Return-to-Play, RTP). In order to assess the movement quality both objective and subjective test protocols exist. Objective methods like 3D-movement analysis are viewed as international gold standard, but are not the most practicable solutions for daily training routine. This study aims at reviewing the available literature on reliability and validity of existing subjective test protocols. Further their use within high-performance sports is evaluated. Up to now subjective methods fail to match sufficient validity. However some practical approaches for assessment of movement quality after injury are known. Based on selected criteria first recommendations for the use of different subjective screening test methods are given. In summary further research focusing on the validity of subjective tests is needed. The subjective testing methods should be used in combination with additional tests (e.g. strength testing) in order to identify other risk factors. Recurrent pre-injury screenings on movement quality should be carried out to enhance injury prevention.

Comparison of different nutritional assessments in detecting malnutrition among gastric cancer patients

AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of preoperative and postoperative malnutrition and the relationships between objective and subjective nutritional assessment of gastric cancer patients. METHODS: From October 2005 to July 2006, we studied 80 patients with no evidence of recurrent disease and no loss to follow-up after curative surgery for gastric cancer. In this group, 9 patients underwent total gastrectomy and 71 patients subtotal gastrectomy. At admission, 6 and 12 mo after surgery, the patients were assessed on the subjective global assessment (SGA), nutritional risk screening (NRS-2002), nutritional risk index (NRI) and by anthropometric measurements and laboratory data. Differences between the independent groups were assessed with the Student's t test and oneway analysis of variance. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were calculated to evaluate the association between the scores and variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of malnutrition at admissionwas 31% by SGA and 43% by NRS-2002. At admission, the anthropometric data were lower in the malnourished groups defined by the SGA and NRS-2002 assessments, but did not differ between the groups using the NRI assessment. Body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), triceps skin fold and midarm circumference were significantly reduced, but the total lymphocyte count, albumin, protein, cholesterol and serum iron levels did not decrease during the postoperative period. Six months after surgery, there was a good correlation between the nutritional assessment tools (SGA and NRS-2002) and the other nutritional measurement tools (BW, BMI, and anthropometric measurements). However, 12 mo after surgery, most patients who were assessed as malnourished by SGA and NRS-2002 had returned to their preoperative status, although their BW, BMI, and anthropometric measurements still indicated a malnourished status. CONCLUSION: A combination of objective and subjective assessments is needed for the early detection of the nutritional status in case of gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy.

Nutritional assessment with different tools in leukemia patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Objective： Correct nutritional assessment is essential for leukemia patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation （HSCT）. This study aimed to investigate the best nutritional assessment method for leukemia patients after HSCT, and find the possible nutritional risk of the patients during the transplantation process in order to intervene in the patients with nutritional risks and undernourished patients timely, so that the entire transplantation process could be successfully completed. Methods： A prospective study was performed in 108 leukemia patients after HSCT, and different nutritional assessment methods, including nutritional risk screening 2002 （NRS2002）, mini nutritional assessment （MNA）, subjective globe assessment （SGA） and malnutritional universal screening tools （MUST）, were used. The associations between nutritional status of these patients and nutritional assessment methods were analyzed. Results： A total of 108 patients completed SGA, and 99 patients completed NRS2002, MNA and MUST. During the treatment process, 85.2% of the patients lost weight, wherein, 50% lost weight greater than 5%, and 42.6% had significantly reduced food intake. For nutritional risk assessment, the positive rates of NRS2002, MNA and MUST were 100%, 74.7% and 63.6%, respectively. There was a significant difference （P〈0.05） among the positive rates of NRS2002, MNA and MUST. In undernutrition assessment, the positive rate of SGA （83.3%） was significantly higher than that of MNA （17.2%） （P〈0.05）, and the incidence rate of nutritional risk among leukemia patients _〈30 years old was greater than that of patients 〉30 years old （P〈0.05）. Conclusions： Patients with leukemia were in poor nutritional status during and after HSCT. The leukemia patients 〈30 years old had a greater incidence rate of nutritional risk. As nutritional risk screening tool, the specificity of NRS2002 is not high, but it can be used for evaluating nutritional deficiencies. MNA is a good nutritional risk screening tool, but not an adequate tool for nutritional assessment. If assessment of undernutrition is necessary, the combination of all these screening tools and clinical laboratory indicators should he applied to improve accuracy.

Comparison of two nutritional assessment methods in gastroenterology patients

AIM:To investigate and compare efficacy and differences in the nutritional status evaluation of gastroenterology patients by application of two methods:subjective global assessment(SGA) and nutritional risk index(NRI).METHODS:The investigation was performed on 299 hospitalized patients,aged 18-84 years(average life span 55.57 ± 12.84),with different gastrointe-stinal pathology,admitted to the Department of Gastroenterohepatology,Clinical and Hospital Center "Bezanijska Kosa" during a period of 180 d.All the patients,after being informed in detail about the study and signing a written consent,underwent nutritional status analysis,which included two different nutritional indices:SGA and NRI,anthropometric parameters,bioelectrical impedance analysis,and biochemical markers,within 24 h of admission.RESULTS:In our sample of 299 hospitalized patients,global malnutrition prevalence upon admission varied from 45.7% as assessed by the SGA to 63.9% by NRI.Two applied methods required different parameters for an adequate approach:glucose level(5.68 ± 1.06 mmol/L vs 4.83 ± 1.14 mmol/L,F = 10.63,P = 0.001);body mass index(26.03 ± 4.53 kg/m2 vs 18.17 ± 1.52 kg/m2,F = 58.36,P < 0.001);total body water(42.62 ± 7.98 kg vs 36.22 ± 9.32 kg,F = 7.95,P = 0.005);basal metabolic rate(1625.14 ± 304.91 kcal vs 1344.62 ± 219.08 kcal,F = 9.06,P = 0.003) were very important for SGA,and lymphocyte count was relevant for NRI:25.56% ± 8.94% vs 21.77% ± 10.08%,F = 11.55,P = 0.001.The number of malnourished patients rose with the length of hospital stay according to both nutritional indices.The discriminative function analysis(DFA) delineated the following parameters as important for prediction of nutritional status according to SGA assessment:concentration of albumins,level of proteins,SGA score and body weight.The DFA extracted MAMC,glucose level and NRI scores were variables of importance for the prediction of whether admitted patients would be classif ied as well or malnourished.CONCLUSION:SGA showed higher sensitivity to predictor factors.Assessment of nutritional status requires a multidimensional approach,which includes different clinical indices and various nutritional param eters.

The Role of the PNI and NLR in Nutritional Risk Screening and Assessment of Gastric Cancer Patients

Background The use of nutritional risk screening and assessment is becoming increasingly common in cancer patients.The Nutritional Risk Screening 2002(NRS 2002)is a nutritional risk screening programe with good utility.The patient generated-subjective global assessment(PG-SGA)is a method used to assess the nutritional status of cancer patients.The prognostic nutritional index(PNI)and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(NLR)are considered to be predictors of the prognosis following treatment for patients with a variety of cancers.However,the relationship between the PNI and NLR in the nutritional screening and assessment in patients with gastric cancer is unknown.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 378 patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from August 2019 to December 2020.NRS 2002 and PG-SGA were performed within 24 hours of admission,and indicators such as the serum albumin level,body mass index(BMI),PNI and NLR were measured.Results In the grouping based on the NRS2002,patients in the positive group(NRS 2002≥3)had a higher platelet value,a higher median NLR,and a lower PNI than those in the negative group(NRS 2002<3)(295.50±118.49×10^(9)/L vs.269.36±93.52×10^(9)/L,2.38 vs.1.77,42.36±5.96 vs.46.64±4.29).Based on the PG-SGA grouping,the serum albumin level and lymphocyte count were highest in the mild group(PG-SGA:score 2-3),(36.94±3.51 g/L and 1.91±0.7610^(9)/L)and lowest within the severe group(PG SGA score≥9)(34.09±4.18 g/L and 1.51±0.6410^(9)/L).The BMI was highest in the mild group(23.35±3.00 kg/m^(2))and lowest in the severe group(20.63±2.97 kg/m^(2)),and the PNI was also highest in the mild group(46.50±5.17)and lowest in the severe group(41.64±5.53).However,the NLR was lowest in the mild group(median 1.91)and highest in the severe group(median 2.44).Conclusion The PNI and NLR in gastric cancer patients are closely related to the results of the nutritional risk screening and assessment,suggesting that they may be useful to guide the nutritional interventions for gastric cancer patients.

Preliminary validation of Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria in cancer patients:A cross-sectional study

Background:The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition(GLIM)has been used in China since 2019.This study aimed to test the use of the GLIM criteria in Chinese cancer patients and to compare the diagnostic performance of the GLIM criteria with the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment(PG-SGA)and modified PG-SGA(mPG-SGA). Methods:A total of 2,000 cancer patients were consecutively screened using the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 instrument on ad-mission.Patients at nutritional risk(Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 score≥3)were enrolled to obtain the complete GLIM,PG-SGA,and mPG-SGA criteria.To evaluate the convergent validity,Spearman correlation analysis was used to compare the test-retest reliability of the GLIM criteria and its results with the scores of various nutritional tools and objective parameters.Kruskal-Wallis tests and χ2 tests were used to test the discriminant validity among groups with different nutritional status.We calculated the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,and negative predictive value for the various tools. Results:There were 562 patients found to be at nutritional risk,accounting for 28.1%of all patients.One hundred seventy-four patients(8.7%)were diagnosed as moderately malnourished,and 333 patients(16.6%)were severely malnourished based on the PG-SGA.When assessed using the GLIM criteria,185 patients(9.3%)were diagnosed as moderately malnourished and 311 patients(15.5%)were severely malnourished.The content validity of the GLIM criteria was 95%,evaluated by 60 medical staff members.The test-retest reliability was good.For the diagnosis of malnutrition versus the PG-SGA,the sensitivity of the GLIM was"good"(90.5%;95%confidence interval[95%CI]=88.0%-93.1%),with a positive predictive value of 92.5%(95%CI=90.2%-94.9%),but the spec-ificity and negative predictive value were"poor."Similar results were obtained when the mPG-SGA was used as the criterion. Conclusions:Overall,this cross-sectional study suggests that the GLIM criteria comprise a valid and reliable tool to assess the nutri-tional status of Chinese cancer patients.

Statistical Inference of User Experience of Multichannel Audio on Mobile Phones

Mobile phones and other handheld electronic devices are now ubiquitous and play an important role in our everyday lives.Over the last decade,we have seen a sharp rise in the sophistication of both hardware and software for these devices,thus significantly increasing their utility and use.Electronic devices are now commonly used for the streaming of audio and video and for the regular playback of music.Multichannel audio has now become a popular format and with recent updates in software,the latest audio codecs that support this format can effectively be played back on most electronic devices.As a result,more audio content that is now compatible with these devices is being produced.It is important to perform subjective quality tests for multichannel audio verses traditional stereo and mono on devices like mobile phones while using headphones.This paper presents the results and analysis of such listening tests that evaluate basic audio quality and quality of experience.The results show that while multichannel audio scores higher than stereo and mono for both of these attributes,the difference in score was less for the ratings of quality of experience.The results were processed using an Analysis of Variance(ANOVA)to show the statistical significance.Calculation of the effect size showed that the audio content had little bearing on the results.

Wavelet Packet-based Feedback System for Medical Image Fusion

In order to meet the requirements of medical research,diagnosis and treatment,a new algorithm for image fusion based on the wavelet packet transform in conjunction with both subjective and objective assessments is put forward in the paper.Compared to the wavelet transform,the wavelet packet transform is more intricate and effective for the medical image fusion.As indicated by the experimental results,parameters of the feedback system of the new algorithm are significantly superior to those of the wavelet transform,with practicability and accuracy.

Malnutrition negatively impacts the quality of life of patients with cirrhosis: An observational study

AIMTo verify how malnutrition is related to health-related quality of life (HRQL) impairment in patients with cirrhosis. METHODSData was retrospectively abstracted from medical records and obtained by direct interview. We included patients with cirrhosis from any etiology, evaluated at the Liver Clinic from Gastroenterology Department in a tertiary healthcare center, from June 2014 to June 2016. Child-Pugh score, data about complications, and demographic, clinical and anthropometric characteristics of patients were obtained. Nutritional status was evaluated by the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA). HRQL was evaluated through the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire. Patients were requested to assess their global HRQL with the following code: 0 = impairment of HRQL, when it was compared with other healthy subjects; 1 = good HRQL, if it was similar to the quality of life of other healthy subjects. To compare the primary outcome between malnourished and well-nourished groups, the χ2 test, Fisher’s exact test or Student’s t-test were used, based on the variable type. Associations between predictor variables and deterioration of HRQL were determined by calculating the hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTSA total of 127 patients with cirrhosis were included, and the mean age was 54.1 ± 12.3 years-old. According to Child-Pugh scoring, 25 (19.7%) were classified as A (compensated), 76 (59.8%) as B, and 26 (20.5%) as C (B/C = decompensated). According to SGA, 58 (45.7%) patients were classified as well-nourished. Sixty-nine patients identified HRQL as good, and 76 patients (59.8%) perceived impairment of their HRQL. Multivariate analysis to determine associations between predictor variables and self-perception of an impairment of HRQL found strong association with malnutrition (P P CONCLUSIONMalnutrition is a key factor related to impairment of HRQL in patients with cirrhosis.

Binaural integration abilities in bilateral cochlear implant user

Bilateral Cochlear implants (CIs) improved speech intelligibility, speech perception in background noise, and sound localization in quiet and noisy situations. However, it is unclear whether these advantages essentially result in binaural integration of acoustic stimuli from each ear. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of binaural integration by bilateral CIs placement using binaural hearing tests and subjective auditory perceptual assessment. A 61-year-old bilateral CIs subject underwent the following four tests:the Japanese Hearing in Noise Test (HINT-J), the dichotic listening test (DLT), the Rapidly Alternating Speech Perception (RASP) test, and subjective auditory perceptual assessment. The HINT-J score was significantly higher for bilateral CIs than for a unilateral CI. However, DLT and the RASP test revealed contradictory results. Subjective auditory perceptual assessment revealed active and bright impressions for bilateral hearing, which were also noisy and strong compared with those for unilateral hearing. The results of this study revealed that bilateral CIs improved speech perception in background noise and an improved auditory impression, although the bilateral integration abilities were not improved. This was probably because the patient was required to combine information from the two ears into a single perception in DLT and the RASP test. More longitudinal data should be collected and analyzed in future studies to evaluate the long-term effects of bilateral CIs. Copyright ? 2016, PLA General Hospital Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Production and hosting by Elsevier (Singapore) Pte Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Extension Protocol for the Investigation on Nutrition Status and Clinical Outcome of Patients with Common Cancers in China(INSCOC)Study:2021 update

Background Malnutrition is common in patients with cancer,and this adversely affects the survival and quality of life of patients.Chinese Society for Nutritional Oncology issued a multi-center,large-scale,long-term follow-up prospective study,the Investigation on Nutrition Status and Clinical Outcome of Patients with Common Cancers in China(INSCOC study)since 2013.This is an extension to the previous 2013-2020 study protocol.This study still sought to:①address the prognostic impact of nutritional factors and quality of life on cancer patient survival;②describe the overall and cancer-specific incidence and/or distribution of malnutrition and different measurements of patient quality of life.Methods and study design This is an observational,multi-centered,hospital-based prospective cohort study.Data collection will be performed at baseline(within 48 hours after patient admission),during the hospital stay and 30 days after hospital admission.Follow-up will be conducted for 1-20 years after enrollment.The primary outcome will be the all-cause mortality/overall survival,and secondary outcomes will be the length of hospital stay and costs of hospitalization.Study factors will include demographic characteristics,tumor characteristics,information about chronic diseases,hematological measurements(e.g.,red blood cell count,total lymphocyte counts,hemoglobin,albumin,prealbumin,creatinine,C-reactive protein,IL-6),anthropometric measurements(e.g.,height,weight,arm circumference,arm muscle circumference,triceps skinfold thickness,and waist circumference),body composition parameters,PG-SGA scores,quality of life(as indicated by the QLQ-C30 questionnaire),muscle mass(as indicated by the calf circumference),muscle strength(as indicated by the handgrip strength),muscle function(as indicated by the six-meter walking speed test)and physical status assessments(as indicated by the Karnofsky Performance Status scores).This clinical study protocol was approved by local Ethics Committees of all the participating hospitals.Written informed consent is required for each subject included.Discussion This multi-center,large-scale,long-term follow up prospective study will help improve the diagnosis of malnutrition in cancer patients and identify the risk factors associated with adverse clinical outcomes.The anticipated results of this study will highlight the need for a truly scientific appraisal of nutrition therapy in Chinese oncology populations,and finally help treat the potentially reversible elements of malnutrition in cancer patients to improve their clinical outcomes in the future.