Beyond statistical significance:Embracing minimal clinically important difference for better patient care

The minimal clinically important difference(MCID)represents a pivotal metric in bridging the gap between statistical significance and clinical relevance,addressing the direct impact of medical interventions from the patient's perspective.This comprehensive review analyzes the evolution,applications,and challenges of MCID across medical specialties,emphasizing its necessity in ensuring that clinical outcomes not only demonstrate statistical significance but also offer genuine clinical utility that aligns with patient expectations and needs.We discuss the evolution of MCID since its inception in the 1980s,its current applications across various medical specialties,and the methodologies used in its calculation,highlighting both anchor-based and distribution-based approaches.Furthermore,the paper delves into the challenges associated with the application of MCID,such as methodological variability and the interpretation difficulties that arise in clinical settings.Recommendations for the future include standardizing MCID calculation methods,enhancing patient involvement in setting MCID thresholds,and extending research to incorporate diverse global perspectives.These steps are critical to refining the role of MCID in patient-centered healthcare,addressing existing gaps in methodology and interpretation,and ensuring that medical interventions lead to significant,patient-perceived improvements.

Research on a Monte Carlo global variance reduction method based on an automatic importance sampling method

Global variance reduction is a bottleneck in Monte Carlo shielding calculations.The global variance reduction problem requires that the statistical error of the entire space is uniform.This study proposed a grid-AIS method for the global variance reduction problem based on the AIS method,which was implemented in the Monte Carlo program MCShield.The proposed method was validated using the VENUS-Ⅲ international benchmark problem and a self-shielding calculation example.The results from the VENUS-Ⅲ benchmark problem showed that the grid-AIS method achieved a significant reduction in the variance of the statistical errors of the MESH grids,decreasing from 1.08×10^(-2) to 3.84×10^(-3),representing a 64.00% reduction.This demonstrates that the grid-AIS method is effective in addressing global issues.The results of the selfshielding calculation demonstrate that the grid-AIS method produced accurate computational results.Moreover,the grid-AIS method exhibited a computational efficiency approximately one order of magnitude higher than that of the AIS method and approximately two orders of magnitude higher than that of the conventional Monte Carlo method.

基于Null Importance和Stacking模型的知识追踪研究

为应对基于游戏的学习平台在知识追踪应用方面的不足,本研究利用Field Day Lab提供的教育游戏用户日志进行深入分析。采用方差法和Null Importance方法对数据集进行降维处理,并结合K折交叉验证与LightGBM算法,建立了一个高效的预测模型。此外,通过集成Logistic模型,构建起Stacking模型。研究表明,该模型在验证集上的Macro-F1值显著提升至0.699,同时也在测试集上显示出优异的泛化能力。本研究为教育游戏领域的知识追踪提供了创新方法,并为游戏开发与教育实践提供了宝贵参考,支持教育游戏的开发者为学生创造更有效的学习体验。

Identification of Important FPGA Modules Based on Complex Network

The globalization of hardware designs and supply chains,as well as the integration of third-party intellectual property(IP)cores,has led to an increased focus from malicious attackers on computing hardware.However,existing defense or detection approaches often require additional circuitry to perform security verification,and are thus constrained by time and resource limitations.Considering the scale of actual engineering tasks and tight project schedules,it is usually difficult to implement designs for all modules in field programmable gate array(FPGA)circuits.Some studies have pointed out that the failure of key modules tends to cause greater damage to the network.Therefore,under limited conditions,priority protection designs need to be made on key modules to improve protection efficiency.We have conducted research on FPGA designs including single FPGA systems and multi-FPGA systems,to identify key modules in FPGA systems.For the single FPGA designs,considering the topological structure,network characteristics,and directionality of FPGA designs,we propose a node importance evaluationmethod based on the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution(TOPSIS)method.Then,for the multi-FPGA designs,considering the influence of nodes in intra-layer and inter-layers,they are constructed into the interdependent network,and we propose a method based on connection strength to identify the important modules.Finally,we conduct empirical research using actual FPGA designs as examples.The results indicate that compared to other traditional indexes,node importance indexes proposed for different designs can better characterize the importance of nodes.

Development of endemicity and conservation importance indices for tropical forests and the floral diversity assessment of Mt.Natoo in Benguet,Philippines

The scientific community faces the challenge of measuring progress toward biodiversity targets and indices have been traditionally used.However,recent inventories in secondary tropical mountain forests using traditional biodiversity indices have yielded results that are indistinct with primary ones.This shows the need to develop complementary indices that goes beyond species count but integrates the distribution and conservation status of the species.This study developed endemicity and conservation importance index for tropical forest that incorporated the distribution and conservation status of the species.These indices were applied to Mt.Natoo,a remnant primary mossy forest in Buguias,Benguet,Philippines,that resulted to endemicity index of 81.07 and conservation importance index of 42.90.Comparing these with secondary forest sites with comparable Shannon-Wiener,Simpson,Evenness and Margalef’s indices,our endemicity and conservation indices clearly differentiates primary forest(our study site)with higher values from secondary forests with much lower values.Thus,we are proposing these indices for a direct but scientifically-informed identification of specific sites for conservation and protection in tropical forests.Additionally,our study documented a total of 168 vascular plant species(79 endemic and 12 locally threatened species)in Mt.Nato-o.Majority are of tropical elements for both generic and species levels with some temperate elements that could be attributed to the site's high elevation and semi-temperate climate.These are important baseline information for conservation plans and monitoring of tropical mossy forests.

An analysis of agarwood trade patterns,historical perspectives,and species identification challenges:repercussions for importing nations

Background:Agarwood,primarily derived from the Aquilaria and Gyrinops genera,holds significant economic importance.However,there is a lack of comprehensive investigations providing guidance to importing nations regarding cultivation quantities and expected yields of Agarwood from distinct species.This study aims to address this gap by exploring the historical context and trade evolution of Agarwood,highlighting its global importance,and the challenges associated with securing accurate species information.Method:On-site visits to Agarwood cultivation sites were conducted to gain a nuanced understanding of Aquilaria species and their cultivation requirements.Additionally,a thorough analysis of global export and import data for Agarwood products over the last decade was undertaken.Results:China Mainland emerged as the leading exporter of Agarwood,averaging an annual export value of USD 1 million.India’s substantial exports challenge the prevailing notion of limited Agarwood production within its borders.Hong Kong and Singapore are pivotal distribution hubs,while Hong Kong and Taipei feature prominently as import destinations.Our analysis uncovers anomalies in the representation of Agarwood producers from 2001 to 2008,suggesting potential misclassification of Aquilaria Agarwood as Gyrinops in global export information.These findings underscore the urgency of investigating classification and reporting practices in the Agarwood trade.Furthermore,A.filaria emerges as a notable source,while A.malaccensis is decline in prominence.Conclusion:This study provides crucial insights for policymakers,stakeholders,and industry players seeking to make informed decisions in the Agarwood trade landscape.The results highlight the need for accurate species identification,classification,and reporting practices to ensure sustainable cultivation and trade of Agarwood.

Importance-Weighted Transfer Learning for Fault Classification under Covariate Shift

In the process of fault detection and classification,the operation mode usually drifts over time,which brings great challenges to the algorithms.Because traditional machine learning based fault classification cannot dynamically update the trained model according to the probability distribution of the testing dataset,the accuracy of these traditional methods usually drops significantly in the case of covariate shift.In this paper,an importance-weighted transfer learning method is proposed for fault classification in the nonlinear multi-mode industrial process.It effectively alters the drift between the training and testing dataset.Firstly,the mutual information method is utilized to perform feature selection on the original data,and a number of characteristic parameters associated with fault classification are selected according to their mutual information.Then,the importance-weighted least-squares probabilistic classifier(IWLSPC)is utilized for binary fault detection and multi-fault classification in covariate shift.Finally,the Tennessee Eastman(TE)benchmark is carried out to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method.The experimental result shows that the covariate shift adaptation based on importance-weight sampling is superior to the traditional machine learning fault classification algorithms.Moreover,IWLSPC can not only be used for binary fault classification,but also can be applied to the multi-classification target in the process of fault diagnosis.

The Importance of Breathing Training in Folk Dance Teaching

The importance of breathing training in dance teaching is reflected in the two aspects of enhancing the quality of dance movements and sublimating the connotation of dance movements.For example,high-quality breathing can help performers complete the dance movements and improve the coordination of the movements;at the same time,the unique body rhythm formed by breathing can strengthen the visual effect of the performance and convey its spirit and soul to the audience.This requires folk dance teachers to carry out relevant training and teaching activities based on the categories and skills of dance breathing,such as changing students’ideological cognition,developing periodic breathing training courses,providing personalized guidance to students,and allowing students to adjust their learning and practice methods in the evaluation.

An Analysis of Innovative Contributions to the Important Discourse on the Development of New Quality Productivity

The discourse on developing high-quality productivity marks a significant theoretical innovation,which is conducive to the modernization and sinicization of Marxism.It refines our understanding of“new quality productivity,”defining it as an advanced form driven by innovation,embodying“high technology,efficiency,and quality,”with the aim of comprehensively enhancing productivity.It elucidates the necessity of cultivating such forces,asserting that they are crucial for achieving high-quality development,securing a leading position in global technology,and fulfilling the aspirations for a better life.Moreover,it outlines a new implementation route,emphasizing strategies such as fostering technological autonomy,nurturing emerging industries,integrating education and talent in technology,adopting a“build through challenges”approach,adjusting solutions locally,and providing categorized guidance,all of which are based on the ongoing comprehensive reforms.

Face tracking algorithm based on particle filter with mean shift importance sampling

The condensation tracking algorithm uses a prior transition probability as the proposal distribution, which does not make full use of the current observation. In order to overcome this shortcoming, a new face tracking algorithm based on particle filter with mean shift importance sampling is proposed. First, the coarse location of the face target is attained by the efficient mean shift tracker, and then the result is used to construct the proposal distribution for particle propagation. Because the particles obtained with this method can cluster around the true state region, particle efficiency is improved greatly. The experimental results show that the performance of the proposed algorithm is better than that of the standard condensation tracking algorithm.

大型过程建模的Import/Export解决方案

文章分析了大型复杂过程的建模需求，基于已研发的企事业过程建模系统EPMS，提出了将Import／Export技术用于大型过程建模的解决方案，通过过程模型的拆分和组装，从而支持过程模型的多人员、异地并行建模模式和过程重用。

Study on Determination Methods of Important Landscapes along the Mainstream of Yellow River

According to the response relationship between landscape and water resource,the selection principle of important landscapes was determined from the perspectives of nature and history in this study,and determination methods or steps of important landscapes along the mainstream of Yellow River were also established to select important landscapes that should be protected.

基于节点重要度的深层地下空间亚安全区选址研究

为防范化解深层地下疏散面临的安全风险,引入亚安全区的概念,在深地设置具有安全保障和疏散缓冲功能的临时避难场所。将深层地下空间模型抽象为拓扑网络,对各网络节点的节点重要度进行计算,进而基于深地疏散特征和节点重要度排序结果,确立亚安全区选址及分级依据。结果表明,与地面直接相接的一级垂直疏散体底部是重要的疏散节点,应选定为一级亚安全区;节点重要度排序前7.0%的节点多为水平疏散通道相互交接处的楼梯间前室,选定为二级亚安全区;节点重要度排序7.0%~18.4%的节点多为硐室内部楼梯间前室,选定为三级亚安全区。该文提出的深地亚安全区选址能有效保障深层地下空间人员的疏散安全,为建立地下空间安全疏散体系提供理论依据和技术支撑。

Analysis on the Epidemic Situation of Intercepted Alien Pests from Imported Hides in Hebei and the Countermeasures during 2013-2014

The situation of intercepted alien pests from imported hides in Hebei during 2013-2014 was systematically analyzed. The results showed that 163 batches of alien pests were intercepted, including 2 batches of quarantine weeds and they both were Italian cocklebur. According to the statistics of original countries, the intercepted hides from 21 countries all had alien pests, in which Australia was the largest number of batches and species of alien pests. The analysis results showed that there was severe risk in the imported hides carrying alien pests, thus to effectively prevent the invasion of alien pests to our country, several quarantine measures should be taken in the future, such as enhancing the quarantine inspection in ports, and promoting the personnel ability of interception and species identification of alien pests.

习近平关于新质生产力重要论述的理论体系和实践指向研究

习近平总书记关于新质生产力重要论述深刻阐明了新质生产力的基本内涵、本质特征、鲜明标志、核心要素、形成规律以及实现路径等重大理论和实践问题,是具有重大原创性、标识性、系统性、实践性的理论创新成果,是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的重要组成部分。习近平总书记关于新质生产力重要论述是在推进中国式现代化进程中形成的新的生产力理论,是指导我国经济社会高质量发展的学理化、体系化的理论体系,是具有深邃而丰富辩证法则的实践指向。

Variations in quantifying patient reported outcome measures to estimate treatment effect

In the practice of healthcare,patient-reported outcomes(PROs)and PRO measures(PROMs)are used as an attempt to observe the changes in complex clinical situations.They guide us in making decisions based on the evidence regarding patient care by recording the change in outcomes for a particular treatment to a given condition and finally to understand whether a patient will benefit from a particular treatment and to quantify the treatment effect.For any PROM to be usable in health care,we need it to be reliable,encapsulating the points of interest with the potential to detect any real change.Using structured outcome measures routinely in clinical practice helps the physician to understand the functional limitation of a patient that would otherwise not be clear in an office interview,and this allows the physician and patient to have a meaningful conver-sation as well as a customized plan for each patient.Having mentioned the rationale and the benefits of PROMs,understanding the quantification process is crucial before embarking on management decisions.A better interpretation of change needs to identify the treatment effect based on clinical relevance for a given condition.There are a multiple set of measurement indices to serve this effect and most of them are used interchangeably without clear demarcation on their differences.This article details the various quantification metrics used to evaluate the treatment effect using PROMs,their limitations and the scope of usage and implementation in clinical practice.

守正创新 勇担时代使命——中山大学学报自然科学版创刊70周年(1955—2024)

本文介绍《中山大学学报(自然科学版中英文)》的创刊与源流,分为创刊初期(1955—1966)、首批复刊(1973—1978)、改革开放后(1979—2012)和迈进新时代(2013—2023)四个时间段回顾该刊70年的办刊历程,着重介绍了在各个时期为该刊的发展壮大作出了重要贡献的中山大学学者及其发表的成果,展现中山大学与该刊在推动国家科学技术发展进步方面所作出的贡献。新时代以来,自然科学版致力于内涵式高质量发展取得了成效。该刊以建设世界一流科技期刊为目标,采取了策划组织大型专题专辑、变更期刊文种为中英文、实施稿件质量提升计划、不断完善数字化出版等重要办刊举措,大力推进国际化高水平科技期刊建设。

Dandyism in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest

In The Importance of Being Earnest,Oscar Wilde constructs a dandies’world,in which the persons mock at everything and subvert everything.This research analyzes the dandyish features of the character with the aid of Charles Baudelaire’s definition of dandy and dandyism,and studies Wilde’s subversion of the preexistent binary oppositions by referring to Jonathan Culler’s interpretation of Jacque Derrida’s deconstruction,and points out that Wilde’s writing in Earnest is a deconstructionist writing.He abandons all the so-called essential matters and only focuses on linguistic surface and comic effect.His stance of dandyism challenges the main-stream social norms at his time and foresees the coming artistic trend.

如何提高ORACLE数据库系统import性能

Import和Export是ORACLE数据库系统的两个配套的实用程序,Export把数据库中的数据卸出到操作系统文件中,而Import实用程序则把Export卸出的数据恢复到数据库中.import过程有时要花费几个小时甚至几天时间才能成功地完成.不幸的是,在许多情况下,import需要对数据库进行故障的恢复,这时对时间的要求比较高,因而这种性能是不能胜任的.笔者在从事ORACLE 7系统管理工作期间,总结出几个基本参数的改变可以减少import所需的时间.

提高ORACLE数据库系统import性能

本文主要从系统级别的改变、ｉｎｉｔ．ｏｒａ参数的改变、ｉｍｐｏｒｔ选项的改变三个崃介绍如何实现提高ＯＲＡＣＬＥ关系数据库系统的ｉｍｐｏｒｔ实用工具的性能，对广大ＯＲＡＣＬＥ系统管理员在进行数据库故障恢复时提高效率有较大意义。