The stability study of the ongoing and recurring Amalpata landslide in Baglung in Nepal’s Gandaki Province is presented in this research. The impacted slope is around 200 meters high, with two terraces that have diff...The stability study of the ongoing and recurring Amalpata landslide in Baglung in Nepal’s Gandaki Province is presented in this research. The impacted slope is around 200 meters high, with two terraces that have different slope inclinations. The lower bench, located above the basement, consistently fails and sets others up for failure. The fluctuating water level of the slope, which travels down the slope masses, exacerbates the slide problem. The majority of these rocks are Amalpata landslide area experiences several structural disruptions. The area’s stability must be evaluated in order to prevent and control more harm from occurring to the nearby agricultural land and people living along the slope. The slopes’ failures increase the damages of house existing in nearby area and the erosion of the slope. Two modeling techniques the finite element approach and the limit equilibrium method were used to simulate the slope. The findings show that, in every case, the terrace above the basement is where the majority of the stress is concentrated, with a safety factor of near unity. Using probabilistic slope stability analysis, the failure probability was predicted to be between 98.90% and 100%.展开更多
This paper presents a quasi-Z-source based isolated bidirectional DC-DC converter(qZIBDC)for renewable energy applications.The converter utilizes a dual active bridge circuit with a quasi-Z-source network on both side...This paper presents a quasi-Z-source based isolated bidirectional DC-DC converter(qZIBDC)for renewable energy applications.The converter utilizes a dual active bridge circuit with a quasi-Z-source network on both sides,so the converter works as buck/boost converter from either side.It has a wider input/output voltage operating range,soft-switching capabilities without additional devices,and higher boost capability than a traditional dual active bridge circuit.Apart from that,shoot-through states are incorporated in its operating cycle to boost the input voltage resulting in high reliability of the proposed converter.Due to the symmetrical structure of the circuit,there is no defined high voltage or low voltage side as in traditional isolated bidirectional DC-DC converter.The operating principle and control strategy of the proposed converter are presented.Simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed converter topology and its control strategy.展开更多
The species richness and propagule number of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)are high in intensively-managed agricultural soils.Past research has shown that AMF improve crop phosphorus(P)uptake under low soil P condi...The species richness and propagule number of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)are high in intensively-managed agricultural soils.Past research has shown that AMF improve crop phosphorus(P)uptake under low soil P conditions,however it is unclear if AMF play a role in high Olsen-P soils.In this study,we investigated whether native fungal benefits exist under high P input field conditions in-situ and contribute to P utilization.We installed in-grow tubes which were sealed with different membrane pore sizes(30 or 0.45μm)to allow or prevent AMF hyphae access to the hyphal compartment and prevent cotton roots from penetrating the chamber.We used the depletion of soil available P(Olsen-P)in the hyphae accessed compartment to indicate P uptake by the native AMF community.Our results showed that the native AMF mediated P depletion and microbial biomass P(MBP)turnover and caused the largest Olsen-P depletion ratio and MBP turnover ratio in the high P treatments(Olsen-P:78.29 mg kg^(-1)).The cotton roots in each fertilization regime were colonized by a unique AMF community and Glomus and Paraglomus were the dominant genera,implying the longterm fertilization regimes domesticated the AMF community.We conclude that native AMF caused the P depletion and P turnover even under high soil Olsen-P conditions.展开更多
Functional response of a solitary, larval-pupal endoparasitoid of Liriomyza leafminers, Ganaspidium utilis Beardsley, was estimated on Liriomyza trifolii Burgess at three temperatures （17℃, 25℃, 29℃ ） and host de...Functional response of a solitary, larval-pupal endoparasitoid of Liriomyza leafminers, Ganaspidium utilis Beardsley, was estimated on Liriomyza trifolii Burgess at three temperatures （17℃, 25℃, 29℃ ） and host densities. A type Ⅱ random parasitoid equation （RPE） was used to estimate instantaneous search rate and handling time. The instantaneous search rate increased as temperature increased. All of the RPE regressions obtained for functional response of G. utilis at different temperatures were significant （P〈0.01）. The slope of RPE regression lines was lower across the temperatures. At 29±2℃, the maximum number of larvae parasitized was 7.8 per day. It decreased to 7.2 larvae parasitized at 25±2℃. At 17±2℃, no significant increment of parasitization was observed due to the host density increments. The estimated handling time was lowest at 17±2℃ and highest at 25 ± 2℃, respectively. The ability of G. utilis to find and parasitize L. trifolii over a wide range of temperatures makes them a good candidate for biological control of Liriomyza leafminers.展开更多
Cross laminated timber(CLT)is an innovative and environment friendly engineered timber product with superior structural performance.CLT offers strong resistance against both in-plane and out-of-plane loading.Hence,it ...Cross laminated timber(CLT)is an innovative and environment friendly engineered timber product with superior structural performance.CLT offers strong resistance against both in-plane and out-of-plane loading.Hence,it is widely used as floors,roofs or wall elements.Considerable experimental research on CLT under various loading conditions has been done in the recent past.This article presents a comprehensive review of various design methods to determine basic mechanical properties such as tension,compression and rolling shear strength of CLT with primary focus on Norway spruce.All relevant experimental data available from existing literature were collated and consequently been used to evaluate the performance of various methods to design CLT structures.The comparison revealed that different methods show considerable variance in predicting the capacity of CLT panels due to the variation in timber species,which affects the corresponding mechanical properties of the lamella.In addition to species,rolling shear properties can also vary considerably depending on the type of experimental technique used for testing.A predictive model has also been proposed to correlate rolling shear strength obtained from shear analogy method to that obtained using planar shear.展开更多
Background: Ciprofloxacin is commonly indicated for treating bacterial infections in dogs and cats and is generally not recommended for large animals like pig. Enrofloxacin on the other hand is specially developed for...Background: Ciprofloxacin is commonly indicated for treating bacterial infections in dogs and cats and is generally not recommended for large animals like pig. Enrofloxacin on the other hand is specially developed for veterinary use (small and large animals), however the main metabolite of enrofloxacin is ciprofloxacin and the data of ciprofloxacin residue in pork are limited. Objective: To evaluate the residue of ciprofloxacin in pork samples obtained from four different states namely Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram of North-East India. Method: 720 samples comprising of Liver, Kidney, and Muscle were collected in clear sterile container and transported to the laboratory in ice packs. The samples were kept at -20 °C till analysis. Ultra High Performance Chromatography (UHPLC) equipped with Diode Array Detector (DAD) was used for screening the samples. Level of detection was 0.001 μ/g. Result: Out of 720 samples, 49 samples were found with detectable level of ciprofloxacin residue however none of the residue levels were above the permissible limit (Maximum Residue Limit). Conclusion and Public Health Importance: This study clearly proved that although the residue has been detected in the marketed pork samples the levels of residue were below the permissible limit hence the pork obtained from these states is safe from public health point of view.展开更多
Aim: Brain abscess is a challenging clinical entity with substantial high case fatality rates despite significant advances in imaging techniques,laboratory modalities,surgical interventions,and antimicrobial treatment...Aim: Brain abscess is a challenging clinical entity with substantial high case fatality rates despite significant advances in imaging techniques,laboratory modalities,surgical interventions,and antimicrobial treatment.Otogenic and cardiogenic sources are among the most common.Classic clinical presentation is seen in very few cases only.Burr hole with aspiration works well with good clinical outcomes.Control of primary source in cases of ear infection in the single setting results in good outcomes,reduces for additional surgery,and decreases the duration of hospital stay.Methods: This is prospective observational study conducted at Institute of Medicine,Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital,Kathmandu,Nepal over the period of two and a half years(from September 2014 to March 2017).We analyzed the demographic profile,management strategies and outcome of these cases diagnosed with brain abscess using Microsoft Excel 2007.Results: A total of 51 cases were undertaken for surgical management.There were 35 males and 16 females with the male to female ratio of 2.18:1.The mean age of the study population was 16.76 years with age range from 4 months to 60 years.Otogenic source was the most common.Temporal lobe was the most common abscess location.Headache was the most common clinical presentation and was seen in 86.27%of the study population.All cases were initially managed with burrhole and aspiration of the abscess.Only 3.92%(n = 2)of cases subsequently required surgical excision of the abscess wall.Only 11.76%(n = 6)of the cases required multiple aspiration.Only 19.61%(n = 10)showed positive culture.Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E.coli were the most common organisms grown.Mortality rate among the study group was 3.92%.Conclusion: With the advent of modern technology in neuroimaging,mortality due to brain abscess has significantly decreased.Joint involvement of the otorhinolaryngology team and efforts in addressing the primary source have further helped in improving outcomes in cases of otogenic brain abscess.Hence,source c展开更多
Heavy metal pollution is a worldwide problem with many associated health risks, including bone loss, kidney damage, and several forms of cancer. There is a great need of bioremediation of these toxic metals from the e...Heavy metal pollution is a worldwide problem with many associated health risks, including bone loss, kidney damage, and several forms of cancer. There is a great need of bioremediation of these toxic metals from the environment, as well as implementing a monitoring system to control the spreading pollution. This study focuses on the bioremediation potential of Rhodobacter sphaeroides in the presence of the toxic gold chloride (AuCl3). Growth characteristics of the bacterial cells exposed to a range of toxic gold concentrations were analyzed through the growth kinetics and the colony forming units under aerobic, photosynthetic, and anaerobic growth conditions. The localization of the gold particles within two cellular fractions, cytoplasm and the plasma membrane, are analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Results of this study demonstrated the photosynthetic growth condition as best suited for the metal tolerance, compared to the aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions. Results also revealed the overall accumulation and localization of gold particles, while not different between the membrane and the cytoplasmic fractions increased at different concentrations of the gold contamination. The results of the localization under photosynthetic growth condition revealed the accumulation reached the highest very quickly, and an overall shift in localization of the gold particles from an equal distribution to an increase within the membrane fraction at the highest concentrations of gold contamination. The localization of the gold particles was validated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) where the results confirmed the increase in accumulation within the membrane, and photosynthetic membranes, of R. sphaeroides.展开更多
Purpose: Recent studies showed that African Americans (AA) breast cancer patients experience lower survival than any other race. The knowledge of cause-specific survival of such patients is necessary to investigate th...Purpose: Recent studies showed that African Americans (AA) breast cancer patients experience lower survival than any other race. The knowledge of cause-specific survival of such patients is necessary to investigate the different factors associated with the disease and support the clinical practice. Methods: The parametric competing risk method is applied to build up the survival models and the parametric mixture model is used to study the overall survival of these patients. The Kaplan-Meier survival estimation is also computed to compare the results. Results: The overall death rate decreases sharply immediately after the diagnosis and increases thereafter. The risk of death from breast cancer itself is the highest at the first five years;other causes, however, pose more threats to patients after this period. The patients who received only surgery have higher survival rate in long run. The use of radiation only does not have the significant effect on patients’ survival. Conclusion: Our study shows that the parametric competing risk models are promising in estimating the cause-specific survival of AA breast cancer patients and can be used for clinical practice. We also observed that heart and other diseases pose more threat to breast cancer patients in the long run.展开更多
This paper presents the results of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach for flood risk and sediment management in dynamic alluvial fan. The study is based on real problems of Koshi River, Nepal. Criteria wei...This paper presents the results of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach for flood risk and sediment management in dynamic alluvial fan. The study is based on real problems of Koshi River, Nepal. Criteria weighting for each measure were estimated using Entropy, AHP and AHP-Entropy techniques. Preference ranking of alternatives was prioritized using MCDM methods—ELECTRE, TOPSIS and SAW. Five alternate measures for flood risk management and eight alternate measures for sediment control with seven evaluation criteria comprising economic, social, environmental and political aspects were taken into account. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient between the criteria weighting techniques AHP and AHP-Entropy, Entropy and AHP-Entropy and AHP with Entropy were 0.964, 0.429 and 0.321 respectively. Preference ranks were determined using nine combinations of criteria weighting techniques and preference ranking methods. In the case of flood risk management, using of old Koshi channel was recommended as the highest prioritized solution. Similarly, for sediment control, reduction of upstream sediment supply was recommended as the top prioritized measures. The Euclidean distance test for each pairs of criteria weighting and prioritization methods showed all three MCDM methods of preference ranking were sensitive to weighting. On implementation of the recommended measures, local people of Sunsari, Saptari and Morang districts of Nepal will be highly benefited.展开更多
Developing a predictive model for detecting cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is crucial due to its high global fatality rate. With the advancements in artificial intelligence, the availability of large-scale data, and i...Developing a predictive model for detecting cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is crucial due to its high global fatality rate. With the advancements in artificial intelligence, the availability of large-scale data, and increased access to computational capability, it is feasible to create robust models that can detect CVDs with high precision. This study aims to provide a promising method for early diagnosis by employing various machine learning and deep learning techniques, including logistic regression, decision trees, random forest classifier, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and a sequential model from Keras. Our evaluation identifies the random forest classifier as the most effective model, achieving an accuracy of 0.91, surpassing other machine learning and deep learning approaches. Close behind are XGBoost (accuracy: 0.90), decision tree (accuracy: 0.86), and logistic regression (accuracy: 0.70). Additionally, our deep learning sequential model demonstrates promising classification performance, with an accuracy of 0.80 and a loss of 0.425 on the validation set. These findings underscore the potential of machine learning and deep learning methodologies in advancing cardiovascular disease prediction and management strategies.展开更多
Objective:The objective of this study was to assess the test–retest reliability and inter-rater agreement between the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)pulse diagnosis between two Indian TCM practitioners.Methods:A to...Objective:The objective of this study was to assess the test–retest reliability and inter-rater agreement between the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)pulse diagnosis between two Indian TCM practitioners.Methods:A total of 300 participants were evaluated for their bilateral pulse based on TCM independently by two investigators with similar years of experience but who graduated from different medical schools.The investigators who were blinded diagnosed the participants as per TCM based on the depth,rate,and strength of their pulse.Cronbachαand weighted kappa were used for assessing the reliability and repeatability.Results:The data of all the 300 participants were included in the analysis.The test–retest reliability computed using Cronbach's alpha indicated high reliability between the investigators(α=0.963).There were a total of 37 different types of diagnoses identified by both investigators.The investigators diagnoses matched for 116 participants out of 300 participants;whereas 184 cases were not matched between the investigators.The inter-rater agreement for the TCM diagnosis tested by weighted Kappa did not returned any significant agreement(Kappa=0.370).Discussion:The present study shows higher reliability between the pulse diagnoses between the investigators.However,the inter-rater agreement for TCM diagnosis based on pulse diagnosis was not significant probably due to the variation in subjective assessments.This calls for the standardization of training in TCM diagnostic methods among practitioners.Future studies should include the differences in training,medical education,and experience among the practitioners while determining the reliability of pulse diagnosis.展开更多
文摘The stability study of the ongoing and recurring Amalpata landslide in Baglung in Nepal’s Gandaki Province is presented in this research. The impacted slope is around 200 meters high, with two terraces that have different slope inclinations. The lower bench, located above the basement, consistently fails and sets others up for failure. The fluctuating water level of the slope, which travels down the slope masses, exacerbates the slide problem. The majority of these rocks are Amalpata landslide area experiences several structural disruptions. The area’s stability must be evaluated in order to prevent and control more harm from occurring to the nearby agricultural land and people living along the slope. The slopes’ failures increase the damages of house existing in nearby area and the erosion of the slope. Two modeling techniques the finite element approach and the limit equilibrium method were used to simulate the slope. The findings show that, in every case, the terrace above the basement is where the majority of the stress is concentrated, with a safety factor of near unity. Using probabilistic slope stability analysis, the failure probability was predicted to be between 98.90% and 100%.
文摘This paper presents a quasi-Z-source based isolated bidirectional DC-DC converter(qZIBDC)for renewable energy applications.The converter utilizes a dual active bridge circuit with a quasi-Z-source network on both sides,so the converter works as buck/boost converter from either side.It has a wider input/output voltage operating range,soft-switching capabilities without additional devices,and higher boost capability than a traditional dual active bridge circuit.Apart from that,shoot-through states are incorporated in its operating cycle to boost the input voltage resulting in high reliability of the proposed converter.Due to the symmetrical structure of the circuit,there is no defined high voltage or low voltage side as in traditional isolated bidirectional DC-DC converter.The operating principle and control strategy of the proposed converter are presented.Simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed converter topology and its control strategy.
基金financially supported by the Beijing Natural Science Foundation,China(6202015)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1703232)the Hatch Project(ALA014-1-16016)funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture,US Department of Agriculture。
文摘The species richness and propagule number of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)are high in intensively-managed agricultural soils.Past research has shown that AMF improve crop phosphorus(P)uptake under low soil P conditions,however it is unclear if AMF play a role in high Olsen-P soils.In this study,we investigated whether native fungal benefits exist under high P input field conditions in-situ and contribute to P utilization.We installed in-grow tubes which were sealed with different membrane pore sizes(30 or 0.45μm)to allow or prevent AMF hyphae access to the hyphal compartment and prevent cotton roots from penetrating the chamber.We used the depletion of soil available P(Olsen-P)in the hyphae accessed compartment to indicate P uptake by the native AMF community.Our results showed that the native AMF mediated P depletion and microbial biomass P(MBP)turnover and caused the largest Olsen-P depletion ratio and MBP turnover ratio in the high P treatments(Olsen-P:78.29 mg kg^(-1)).The cotton roots in each fertilization regime were colonized by a unique AMF community and Glomus and Paraglomus were the dominant genera,implying the longterm fertilization regimes domesticated the AMF community.We conclude that native AMF caused the P depletion and P turnover even under high soil Olsen-P conditions.
文摘Functional response of a solitary, larval-pupal endoparasitoid of Liriomyza leafminers, Ganaspidium utilis Beardsley, was estimated on Liriomyza trifolii Burgess at three temperatures （17℃, 25℃, 29℃ ） and host densities. A type Ⅱ random parasitoid equation （RPE） was used to estimate instantaneous search rate and handling time. The instantaneous search rate increased as temperature increased. All of the RPE regressions obtained for functional response of G. utilis at different temperatures were significant （P〈0.01）. The slope of RPE regression lines was lower across the temperatures. At 29±2℃, the maximum number of larvae parasitized was 7.8 per day. It decreased to 7.2 larvae parasitized at 25±2℃. At 17±2℃, no significant increment of parasitization was observed due to the host density increments. The estimated handling time was lowest at 17±2℃ and highest at 25 ± 2℃, respectively. The ability of G. utilis to find and parasitize L. trifolii over a wide range of temperatures makes them a good candidate for biological control of Liriomyza leafminers.
文摘Cross laminated timber(CLT)is an innovative and environment friendly engineered timber product with superior structural performance.CLT offers strong resistance against both in-plane and out-of-plane loading.Hence,it is widely used as floors,roofs or wall elements.Considerable experimental research on CLT under various loading conditions has been done in the recent past.This article presents a comprehensive review of various design methods to determine basic mechanical properties such as tension,compression and rolling shear strength of CLT with primary focus on Norway spruce.All relevant experimental data available from existing literature were collated and consequently been used to evaluate the performance of various methods to design CLT structures.The comparison revealed that different methods show considerable variance in predicting the capacity of CLT panels due to the variation in timber species,which affects the corresponding mechanical properties of the lamella.In addition to species,rolling shear properties can also vary considerably depending on the type of experimental technique used for testing.A predictive model has also been proposed to correlate rolling shear strength obtained from shear analogy method to that obtained using planar shear.
文摘Background: Ciprofloxacin is commonly indicated for treating bacterial infections in dogs and cats and is generally not recommended for large animals like pig. Enrofloxacin on the other hand is specially developed for veterinary use (small and large animals), however the main metabolite of enrofloxacin is ciprofloxacin and the data of ciprofloxacin residue in pork are limited. Objective: To evaluate the residue of ciprofloxacin in pork samples obtained from four different states namely Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram of North-East India. Method: 720 samples comprising of Liver, Kidney, and Muscle were collected in clear sterile container and transported to the laboratory in ice packs. The samples were kept at -20 °C till analysis. Ultra High Performance Chromatography (UHPLC) equipped with Diode Array Detector (DAD) was used for screening the samples. Level of detection was 0.001 μ/g. Result: Out of 720 samples, 49 samples were found with detectable level of ciprofloxacin residue however none of the residue levels were above the permissible limit (Maximum Residue Limit). Conclusion and Public Health Importance: This study clearly proved that although the residue has been detected in the marketed pork samples the levels of residue were below the permissible limit hence the pork obtained from these states is safe from public health point of view.
文摘Aim: Brain abscess is a challenging clinical entity with substantial high case fatality rates despite significant advances in imaging techniques,laboratory modalities,surgical interventions,and antimicrobial treatment.Otogenic and cardiogenic sources are among the most common.Classic clinical presentation is seen in very few cases only.Burr hole with aspiration works well with good clinical outcomes.Control of primary source in cases of ear infection in the single setting results in good outcomes,reduces for additional surgery,and decreases the duration of hospital stay.Methods: This is prospective observational study conducted at Institute of Medicine,Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital,Kathmandu,Nepal over the period of two and a half years(from September 2014 to March 2017).We analyzed the demographic profile,management strategies and outcome of these cases diagnosed with brain abscess using Microsoft Excel 2007.Results: A total of 51 cases were undertaken for surgical management.There were 35 males and 16 females with the male to female ratio of 2.18:1.The mean age of the study population was 16.76 years with age range from 4 months to 60 years.Otogenic source was the most common.Temporal lobe was the most common abscess location.Headache was the most common clinical presentation and was seen in 86.27%of the study population.All cases were initially managed with burrhole and aspiration of the abscess.Only 3.92%(n = 2)of cases subsequently required surgical excision of the abscess wall.Only 11.76%(n = 6)of the cases required multiple aspiration.Only 19.61%(n = 10)showed positive culture.Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E.coli were the most common organisms grown.Mortality rate among the study group was 3.92%.Conclusion: With the advent of modern technology in neuroimaging,mortality due to brain abscess has significantly decreased.Joint involvement of the otorhinolaryngology team and efforts in addressing the primary source have further helped in improving outcomes in cases of otogenic brain abscess.Hence,source c
文摘Heavy metal pollution is a worldwide problem with many associated health risks, including bone loss, kidney damage, and several forms of cancer. There is a great need of bioremediation of these toxic metals from the environment, as well as implementing a monitoring system to control the spreading pollution. This study focuses on the bioremediation potential of Rhodobacter sphaeroides in the presence of the toxic gold chloride (AuCl3). Growth characteristics of the bacterial cells exposed to a range of toxic gold concentrations were analyzed through the growth kinetics and the colony forming units under aerobic, photosynthetic, and anaerobic growth conditions. The localization of the gold particles within two cellular fractions, cytoplasm and the plasma membrane, are analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Results of this study demonstrated the photosynthetic growth condition as best suited for the metal tolerance, compared to the aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions. Results also revealed the overall accumulation and localization of gold particles, while not different between the membrane and the cytoplasmic fractions increased at different concentrations of the gold contamination. The results of the localization under photosynthetic growth condition revealed the accumulation reached the highest very quickly, and an overall shift in localization of the gold particles from an equal distribution to an increase within the membrane fraction at the highest concentrations of gold contamination. The localization of the gold particles was validated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) where the results confirmed the increase in accumulation within the membrane, and photosynthetic membranes, of R. sphaeroides.
文摘Purpose: Recent studies showed that African Americans (AA) breast cancer patients experience lower survival than any other race. The knowledge of cause-specific survival of such patients is necessary to investigate the different factors associated with the disease and support the clinical practice. Methods: The parametric competing risk method is applied to build up the survival models and the parametric mixture model is used to study the overall survival of these patients. The Kaplan-Meier survival estimation is also computed to compare the results. Results: The overall death rate decreases sharply immediately after the diagnosis and increases thereafter. The risk of death from breast cancer itself is the highest at the first five years;other causes, however, pose more threats to patients after this period. The patients who received only surgery have higher survival rate in long run. The use of radiation only does not have the significant effect on patients’ survival. Conclusion: Our study shows that the parametric competing risk models are promising in estimating the cause-specific survival of AA breast cancer patients and can be used for clinical practice. We also observed that heart and other diseases pose more threat to breast cancer patients in the long run.
文摘This paper presents the results of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach for flood risk and sediment management in dynamic alluvial fan. The study is based on real problems of Koshi River, Nepal. Criteria weighting for each measure were estimated using Entropy, AHP and AHP-Entropy techniques. Preference ranking of alternatives was prioritized using MCDM methods—ELECTRE, TOPSIS and SAW. Five alternate measures for flood risk management and eight alternate measures for sediment control with seven evaluation criteria comprising economic, social, environmental and political aspects were taken into account. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient between the criteria weighting techniques AHP and AHP-Entropy, Entropy and AHP-Entropy and AHP with Entropy were 0.964, 0.429 and 0.321 respectively. Preference ranks were determined using nine combinations of criteria weighting techniques and preference ranking methods. In the case of flood risk management, using of old Koshi channel was recommended as the highest prioritized solution. Similarly, for sediment control, reduction of upstream sediment supply was recommended as the top prioritized measures. The Euclidean distance test for each pairs of criteria weighting and prioritization methods showed all three MCDM methods of preference ranking were sensitive to weighting. On implementation of the recommended measures, local people of Sunsari, Saptari and Morang districts of Nepal will be highly benefited.
文摘Developing a predictive model for detecting cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is crucial due to its high global fatality rate. With the advancements in artificial intelligence, the availability of large-scale data, and increased access to computational capability, it is feasible to create robust models that can detect CVDs with high precision. This study aims to provide a promising method for early diagnosis by employing various machine learning and deep learning techniques, including logistic regression, decision trees, random forest classifier, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and a sequential model from Keras. Our evaluation identifies the random forest classifier as the most effective model, achieving an accuracy of 0.91, surpassing other machine learning and deep learning approaches. Close behind are XGBoost (accuracy: 0.90), decision tree (accuracy: 0.86), and logistic regression (accuracy: 0.70). Additionally, our deep learning sequential model demonstrates promising classification performance, with an accuracy of 0.80 and a loss of 0.425 on the validation set. These findings underscore the potential of machine learning and deep learning methodologies in advancing cardiovascular disease prediction and management strategies.
文摘Objective:The objective of this study was to assess the test–retest reliability and inter-rater agreement between the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)pulse diagnosis between two Indian TCM practitioners.Methods:A total of 300 participants were evaluated for their bilateral pulse based on TCM independently by two investigators with similar years of experience but who graduated from different medical schools.The investigators who were blinded diagnosed the participants as per TCM based on the depth,rate,and strength of their pulse.Cronbachαand weighted kappa were used for assessing the reliability and repeatability.Results:The data of all the 300 participants were included in the analysis.The test–retest reliability computed using Cronbach's alpha indicated high reliability between the investigators(α=0.963).There were a total of 37 different types of diagnoses identified by both investigators.The investigators diagnoses matched for 116 participants out of 300 participants;whereas 184 cases were not matched between the investigators.The inter-rater agreement for the TCM diagnosis tested by weighted Kappa did not returned any significant agreement(Kappa=0.370).Discussion:The present study shows higher reliability between the pulse diagnoses between the investigators.However,the inter-rater agreement for TCM diagnosis based on pulse diagnosis was not significant probably due to the variation in subjective assessments.This calls for the standardization of training in TCM diagnostic methods among practitioners.Future studies should include the differences in training,medical education,and experience among the practitioners while determining the reliability of pulse diagnosis.
