Validation of LPD Scale for the Assessment of Pressure Ulcer at Home

Objectives: This study was designed to test and validate the new LPD scale in a home care setting. The specific objectives are to validate the LPD scale for subjects cared for at home;and to compare LPD to the Braden scale for internal validity. Method: This multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted in the domestic environment of subjects cared for Home Care services from North to South of Italy. Data collection lasted 8 months, between June 2018 and September 2020, and consisted of the simultaneous compilation of the new LPD, and the Braden scale. Home Care Expert nurses could interface with the recruited subjects and/or caregivers. The parameters considered to validate the new scale were sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive predictive values (PPV), odds ratio (OR), and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: Of the 679 recruited subjects, 63.2% were women, and more than 50% did not have a pressure ulcer. 48.2% of the sample aged over 85 years old;69% was affected by multiple disease, and 76.6% took a lot of drugs. 91.6% of the subjects were affected by a partial or total functional dependency. Around 50% of subjects presented double incontinence, and 43% were conscious and collaborated. 85.4% of subjects lived in a healthy environment. The predictive validity parameters showed: Se 77.25%, Sp 84.04%, PPV 91.37%, and the area under the curve (AUC) 0.88% with a confidence interval (CI) 95%. These values mean a moderately accuracy of the test. Conclusions: The new LPD scale has demonstrated a good capacity for identifying the subjects at risk of pressure ulcer and had a better discriminatory power rather than Braden scale.

Research on Analytical Method of Fatigue Characteristics of Soft Yoke Mooring System Based on Full-Scale Measurement

By focusing on the vulnerability of the structure of marine equipments, together with considering the randomness of meta-ocean load in statistics, a kind of analytical method of fatigue characteristics of marine structure based on full- scale and actual measurement of prototype is proposed. On the basis of short-term field measurement results of structural response, research is carried out on the fatigue analysis of hinge joints at the upper part of the Soft Yoke single point Mooring System （SYMS） by simultaneously monitoring the environmental load and considering the design criteria of offshore structure. Through analysis of finite element modeling, the time-histories of typical stress response are obtained, and then the assessment of fatigue damage at key hinge joints is conducted. The simulation results indicate that the proposed method can accurately analyze the fatigue damage of offshore engineering structure caused by the effect of wave load. The present analytical method of fatigue characteristics can be extended on other offshore engineering structures subjected to meta-ocean load.

Scaled radar cross section measurement method for lossy targets via dynamically matching reflection coefficients in THz band

In the terahertz band,the dispersive characteristic of dielectric material is one of the major problems in the scaled radar cross section(RCS)measurement,which is inconsistent with the electrodynamics similitude deducted according to the Maxwell’s equations.Based on the high-frequency estimation method of physical optics(PO),a scaled RCS measurement method for lossy objects is proposed through dynamically matching the reflection coefficients according to the distribution of the object facets.Simulations of the model of SLICY are conducted,and the inversed RCS of the lossy prototype is obtained using the proposed method.Comparing the inversed RCS with the calculated results,the validity of the proposed method is demonstrated.The proposed method provides an effective solution to the scaled RCS measurement for lossy objects in the THz band.

Re-measuring International Short-term Capital Flow into China with Varying Methods

This paper.fi＇rst conducts a systematic review of domestic and foreign scholars＇ approaches to predicting short-term capital flows, then employs a combination of both direct and indirect methods to carry out its analysis. Three kinds of indicators, both specific and general, are applied in both methods. Thorough consideration is given to short-term international capital inflow from trade, other current account items, capital account, and errors and omissions, as well as other channels through which short term capital might accrue to a nation＇s balance. Based on a comprehensive comparison of year-on-year data, this paper also estimates monthly data using a simplified, indirect calculation approach. Estimates show that, despite a degree of difference in results between methods, most estimates are highly consistent for a given period. Based on monthly estimates, we conclude that turbulence in international financial markets （i.e., the United States subprime mortgage crisis and the European sovereign debt crisis） has had a major impact on China ＇s short-term capital flow.

Why Do Divers Want to Liveaboard?Measuring SCUBA Divers’Motivations of Liveaboard Using a Cruise Perspective

Diving is a recreational activity of growing significance in many countries.In the recreational SCUBA diving industry,a liveaboard service offers tourists to stay on board for several nights and that allows time to travel to more distant dive sites.SCUBA diving belongs to an adventure tourism,while cruise is much more leisure tourism activity.However,they share a similar travel mode,so it is very interesting to find the reason behind.Do cruise tourists be the potential diving tourists?The paper adopted the cruising motivation scale for diving tourists to develop a scale for SCUBA divers’motivations of liveaboard.Convenience sampling was used to select participants for the study.After exploratory factor analysis(EFA),the results showed that there were six dimension of SCUBA divers’liveaboard motivation,and the added dimension of divers’preference was valid.Finally,a measurement scale of SCUBA divers’liveaboard motivation was proposed in this study,and the discussion and implication were also presented in the paper.

Shape Measures for the Distribution of a Qualitative Variable

There are several shape measures for quantitative variables, some of which can also be applied to ordinal variables. In quantitative variables, symmetry, peakedness, and kurtosis are essential properties to evaluate the deviation from assumptions, particularly normality. They aid in selecting the most appropriate method for estimating parameters and testing hypotheses. Initially, these properties serve a descriptive role in qualitative variables. Once defined, they can be considered to check for non-compliance with assumptions and to propose modifications for testing procedures. The objective of this article is to present three measures of the shape of the distribution of a qualitative variable. The concepts of qualitative asymmetry and peakedness are defined. The measurement of the first concept involves calculating the average frequency difference between qualitative categories matched by frequency homogeneity or proximity. For the second concept, the peak-to-shoulder difference and the qualitative percentile kurtosis are taken into consideration. This last measurement is a less effective option than the peak-to-shoulder difference to measure peakedness. A simulated example of the application of these three measures is given and the paper closes with some conclusions and suggestions.

Shape Measures for the Distribution of a Qualitative Variable

There are several shape measures for quantitative variables, some of which can also be applied to ordinal variables. In quantitative variables, symmetry, peakedness, and kurtosis are essential properties to evaluate the deviation from assumptions, particularly normality. They aid in selecting the most appropriate method for estimating parameters and testing hypotheses. Initially, these properties serve a descriptive role in qualitative variables. Once defined, they can be considered to check for non-compliance with assumptions and to propose modifications for testing procedures. The objective of this article is to present three measures of the shape of the distribution of a qualitative variable. The concepts of qualitative asymmetry and peakedness are defined. The measurement of the first concept involves calculating the average frequency difference between qualitative categories matched by frequency homogeneity or proximity. For the second concept, the peak-to-shoulder difference and the qualitative percentile kurtosis are taken into consideration. This last measurement is a less effective option than the peak-to-shoulder difference to measure peakedness. A simulated example of the application of these three measures is given and the paper closes with some conclusions and suggestions.

Influence of Traditional Chinese Values on Consumer Behavior:the Case of Mobile in Shanghai

This study investigates how traditional Chinese values influence Chinese consumer behavior directly and indirectly through the impact on people's lifestyles and perceived values.The empirical research is conducted in the context of the mobile phone market in Shanghai.The study establishes measurement scales of Confucian value,lifestyle,and customer perceived value for Chinese market.Relationships of multiple factors are tested in the structural equation model and their impacts on consumer behavior are elaborated.Findings indicate that Confucian values not only have a direct impact on Chinese consumer behavior but also indirectly influence this behavior through impacting people's lifestyles and perceived values.

Development and Evaluation of Chinese Medicine Fire-Heat Syndrome Scale in Oral Cavity for Measuring Chinese Herb Toothpaste

Objective： To formulate the standard measuring tool for the evaluations on fire-heat syndrome in oral cavity by means of Chinese medicine （CM）. Methods： The measuring scale for fire-heat syndrome in the oral cavity by means of CM was investigated by symptom collection, item pool formulation, item selection, pre-investigation, evaluations on the reliability, validity and reactivity of the measuring scale, according to the principles for measuring scale design and under the guidance of CM theories. Results： The measuring scale was composed of two integrative parts： the self-filling section and the interview section. As far as the reliability was concerned, the total Cronbach a coefficient of the measuring scale was 0.866, the total test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.726 and the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.851. As far as the validity was concerned, the scores for the subjects of fire-heat syndrome in oral cavity and healthy people in their oral cavity in the items of symptoms were statistically different （P〈0.01）; three common divisors were extracted according to the theoretical dimensions, the accumulated contribution rate was 63.468%. As far as the reactivity was concerned, the difference between the symptom scores before and after the test in which 31 subjects used the Chinese herb toothpaste was statistically significant （P〈O.01）. Conclusions： This measuring scale has relatively good reliability, validity and reactivity, and it can be used in an objective quantitative evaluation on patients suffering from fire-heat syndrome in oral cavity, and thus lay the foundations for the evaluations on the therapeutic effects of Chinese herb toothpaste on fire-heat syndrome in oral cavity.

Corticoreticular tract lesion in children with developmental delay presenting with gait dysfunction and trunk instability

The corticoreticular tract （CRT） is known to be involved in walking and postural control. Using diffusion tensor tractography （DTT）, we investigated the relationship between the CRT and gait dysfunction, includ- ing trunk instability, in pediatric patients. Thirty patients with delayed development and 15 age-matched, typically-developed （TD） children were recruited. Fifteen patients with gait dysfunction （bilateral trunk instability） were included in the group A, and the other 15 patients with gait dysfunction （unilateral trunk instability） were included in the group B. The Growth Motor Function Classification System, Functional Ambulation Category scale, and Functional Ambulation Category scale were used for measurement of functional state. Fractional anisotropy, apparent diffusion coefficient, fiber number, and tract integrity of the CRT and corticospinal tract were measured. Diffusion parameters or integrity of corticospinal tract were not significantly different in the three study groups. However, CRT results revealed that both CRTs were disrupted in the group A, whereas CRT disruption in the hemispheres contralateral to clinical mani- festations was observed in the group B. Fractional anisotropy values and fiber numbers in both CRTs were decreased in the group A than in the group TD. The extents of decreases of fractional anisotropy values and fiber numbers on the ipsilateral side relative to those on the contralateral side were greater in the group B than in the group TD. Functional evaluation data and clinical manifestations were found to show strong correlations with CRT status, rather than with corticospinal tract status. These findings suggest that CRT status appears to be clinically important for gait function and trunk stability in pediatric patients and DTT can help assess CRT status in pediatric patients with gait dysfunction.

New multi-camera calibration algorithm based on 1D objects

A new calibration algorithm for multi-camera systems using 1D calibration objects is proposed. The algorithm inte- grates the rank-4 factorization with Zhang (2004)'s method. The intrinsic parameters as well as the extrinsic parameters are re- covered by capturing with cameras the 1D object's rotations around a fixed point. The algorithm is based on factorization of the scaled measurement matrix, the projective depth of which is estimated in an analytical equation instead of a recursive form. For more than three points on a 1D object, the approach of our algorithm is to extend the scaled measurement matrix. The obtained parameters are finally refined through the maximum likelihood inference. Simulations and experiments with real images verify that the proposed technique achieves a good trade-off between the intrinsic and extrinsic camera parameters.

STABILITY OF LINEAR MEASURE LARGE SCALE SYSTEMS WITH IMPULSIVE EFFECT

Many impulsive phenomena from physics, control theory, and economics urge us toinvestigate measure large scale systems. In this paper, the variation of parameters formulaof the large scale systems containing measures is established. By means of inequality methods and comparison theory, the stability, uniform stability, asymptotic stability, uniformasymptotic stability, and exponential stability properties of linear measure large scale systems are studied.

Full scale measurement for FPSO on motions in six-degrees of freedom and environmental loads and deduction of mooring system loads

A joint industry project on a full scale measurement of Fenjin FPSO,headed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and sponsored by CNOOC,was initiated in October 2007 and has been going on for more than 25 months.The purpose of the project is to measure and collect the motions in six-degrees of freedom of an FPSO,and to collect the environmental loads at the offshore oil-field.A motion data measuring system is designed and installed on the FPSO.Another environmental data measuring system is installed on a fixed jacket platform nearby.A large quantity of valuable first-hand data is obtained.With the data collected,motion characteristics of the FPSO in a long-term period are concluded.A short-term analysis for the FPSO in one of the typhoons is also completed.The mean periods of wave-frequency motions are calculated by the spectrum analysis.The tension loads of the mooring system,which is of great concern,are calculated by the decoupled technique.

Estimation on structural responses using multi scale measurements

Different measurands from the different types of sensors can obtain different information regarding the structural behavior in a real structural health monitoring system.To enrich information and estimate the structural responses based on much more known information,the estimation on structural responses using multi scale measurements from multi-type sensors is proposed in this paper.Pattern identification is constructed with the pattern library given by strain measurements and deformation measurements.Considering the uncertainty of the measurements as well as to enhance the robustness of the proposed algorithm,more than one best pattern is selected to synthesize the finally estimated stress responses.To validate the capacity of the proposed acquisition method using multi scale measurements,finite element model analysis is conducted to estimate the structural stress response in Shenzhen Bay Stadium as an example.The performance of the pattern identifications,constructed by two kinds of pattern libraries captured by sole strain measurement,and multi scale measurements which are constructed by both kinds of strain measurements and deformation measurements,respectively,are compared in this paper to observe measurements constructed from strain measurements and deformation measurements outperformed others.Errors analysis for a series of parametric studies in which noise at different levels has also included in the measurements are further carried out,and robustness of the proposed information acquisition scheme under noisy measurement is demonstrated.

MEASUREMENT OF NANOMETER SCALE CADMIUM SELENIDE NANOCRYSTALS AND CLUSTER MOLECULES

High performance Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) has been used to determine the hydrodynamic di-ameters of CdSe nanocrystals as well as CdSe cluster molecules in a size range of 1 to 10 nm (Eichh鰂er et al., 2001). The method enables the determination of their particle size, including their ligand shells, in solution. The results are consistent with the blue shift of the absorption bands, as well as Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) experiments. The sizes of the cluster molecules were estimated from space filling models constructed from the results of a single crystal X-ray structure determination. DLS gave comparable results for the size of both types of compound, indicating that it is potentially an important additional measurement technique to TEM, which uses harsh measurement conditions, and to powder X-ray diffraction, which is difficult to interpret below 5 nm.

Stability of Singular and Time－Delay Measure Differential Large－Scale Systems with Impulse Effects

This paper is devoted to the investigation of stability for singular and time-delay measure differential large scale systems with impulsive solution.With the help of Drazin inverse,the variation of parameters formula of large scale singular systems containing measures and delays is obtained.Employing inequality methods and comparison theory,the stability properties of large scale systems are studied.

VECTOR COMPARISON PRINCIPLE FOR THE STABILITY OF MEASURE DIFFERENTIAL LARGE SCALE SYSTEMS

This paper is devoted to the investigation of Lyapunov's second method for the stability of measure differential large scale systems containing impulses. The vector comparison principle of the stability of measure differential large scale systems is first established. An application of the vector comparison theorem is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our result.

Epidemic modeling:Diffusion approximation vs.stochastic differential equations allowing reflection

A birth-death process is considered as an epidemic model with recovery and transmittance from outside.The fraction of infected individuals is for huge population sizes approximated by a solution of an ordinary differential equation taking values in[0,1].For intermediate size or semilarge populations,the fraction of infected individuals is approximated by a diffusion formulated as a stochastic differential equation.That diffusion approximation however needs to be killed at the boundary{0}U{1}.An alternative stochastic differential equation model is investigated which instead allows a more natural reflection at the boundary.