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Boosting TWOC Efficiency: How Retrograde Voiding Method Improve Patient Voiding Outcomes
No full textRethinking Long-Term SPC Management: The Impact of No-Dressing Practices on Hypergranulation
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Ideological Bias and Trust in Information Sources
No full textWe study the role of endogenous trust in amplifying ideological bias. Agents in our model learn a sequence of states from sources whose accuracy is ex ante uncertain. Agents learn these accuracies by comparing their own reasoning about the states based on introspection or direct experience to the sources' reports. Small biases in this reasoning can cause large ideological differences in the agents' trust in information sources and their beliefs about the states, and may lead agents to become overconfident in their own reasoning. Disagreements can be similar in magnitude whether agents see only ideologically aligned sources or diverse sources.</p
A joint work package sizing and scheduling problem considering resource constraints with a look-ahead heterogeneous reinforcement learning method
No full textEffective work package sizing and project scheduling are crucial for construction project management. However, existing studies often address them as separate optimisation problems, neglecting the interactive nature of these processes. In practical scenarios with limited resources, there is an increasing demand for integrating work package sizing and project scheduling to enhance project management efficiency. This research aims to bridge this gap by developing an integer non-linear programming model that incorporates work package sizing and project scheduling while considering their interaction within a resource-constrained environment. Moreover, we introduce a novel look-ahead heterogeneous reinforcement learning approach that dynamically adjusts work package sizes and project schedules based on observed information at each decision step. A look-ahead sequential decision mechanism is proposed to effectively address the interdependencies and constraints inherent in the joint model. We extend the heterogeneous agent mirror learning technique to our problem to improve sample efficiency and ensure progressive enhancement of the joint policy. To evaluate our approach's effectiveness, we conduct experiments using datasets of 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 tasks from Rangen and PSPLIB and validate our method in a real-world modular integrated construction project. The experimental results reveal that a joint model integrating work package sizing and project scheduling offers a more comprehensive understanding of their interplay, leading to better resource utilisation and improved project schedules. A comparative analysis against existing state-of-the-art reinforcement learning and priority rule-based methods further substantiates the superior effectiveness of our proposed approach, yielding an approximate 5% reduction in total project cost.</p
First-principle study of hydrogen solubility in bcc iron
No full textTo design safe steel hydrogen gas pipelines, it is necessary to understand hydrogen solubility in iron in order to reduce the risk of hydrogen embrittlement. Here, density functional theory (DFT) and quasi-harmonic approximation (QHA) are used to compute the solution energy, and thus predict the lattice solubility of hydrogen in bcc iron in equilibrium with hydrogen gas for temperature up to 1000 K and pressure up to 1 GPa. Our results reveal that the solubility increases with temperature and pressure, and the well-known Sieverts’ law is obeyed within a wide range of conditions except at near 0 K, where a partial volume term dominates. Furthermore, the underlying driving force for this dependence comes from the gas component of the solution energy
Leveraging COVID-19 vaccine allergy evaluations with coincident drug allergy delabelling: Effectiveness and impact on quality of life
No full textBackground: Concerns of potential drug/vaccine-associated allergies significantly impact vaccine safety and hesitancy. Delabelling of incorrect drug allergy in the general public was previously impeded by limited access to allergist services, especially among less frequent healthcare utilisers in the community. COVID-19 vaccine allergy evaluation services have enabled individuals (mis)labelled with allergies to receive vaccinations safely and have provided opportunities to expand drug allergy delabeling access. We investigated the effectiveness of this coincident drug allergy delabelling and its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods: We recruited individuals labelled with drug allergies attending for COVID-19 vaccine evaluation in Hong Kong between 2021 and 2022. Demographics, comorbidities, drug allergy labels, COVID-19 vaccination and infection outcomes, as well as coincident delabelling rates were analysed. HRQoL was measured before and after evaluation in a subgroup of individuals. Results: Among 652 individuals, 1456 drug allergy labels were identified, with anti-infectives being the most common (606, 41.6 %). Beta-lactam antibiotics accounted for 55.1 % (334). Almost all individuals (99.4 %) safely proceeded with COVID-19 vaccinations, with an increased number of doses conferring better protection. 228 (35.0 %) individuals underwent drug allergy investigations, with coincident drug allergy delabelling successful in 223 (97.8 %), removing 317 (21.8 %) incorrect labels, of which 173 (51.8 %) were beta-lactams. Subgroup analysis showed improved serial health-related quality of life following delabelling (DrHy-Q 45.0 vs 33.3, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Services evaluating COVID-19 vaccine allergies have not only empowered individuals labelled with drug allergy to receive vaccinations safely, but have also enhanced access to drug allergy delabeling services for the general public
Sound-controlled fluidic processor
No full textPrecision processing of various liquids while maintaining their purity holds immense potential for many applications. However, liquids tend to leave residues that contaminate handling tools and compromise volumetric precision, necessitating contactless strategies to prevent liquid loss. Biological and chemical samples carried by fluids can be sensitive to physical stimuli, demanding mild but effective means to preserve integrity. Here, we report a sound-controlled fluidic processor for complete and well-controlled microfluidic functions, including moving, merging, mixing, and cleaving, in contactless and harmless manners. The processor generates an acoustophoretic force field that serves as a versatile toolbox for manipulating droplets with surface tension from 17.9 to 72 millinewtons per meter and volume from 1 nanoliter to 3 milliliters, offering a wealth of operations crucial to fundamental biomedical and chemical practices.</p
HPV Vaccine Communication and Administration for the Prevention of Oropharyngeal Cancer in Dental Primary Care: Perspectives of Professionals and Students—A Systematic Review
No full textBackground/Objectives: The rising prevalence of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) presents a significant concern, prompting dental professionals to play an increasingly vital role in HPV vaccination and prevention within primary healthcare. This study aimed to assess the current knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dental professionals and students regarding HPV, the HPV-OPC association, and HPV vaccine communication and administration in dental settings to pinpoint areas for improvement and develop targeted interventions. Methods: This study involved a literature search in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus for research outputs published from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2024. Eligible studies examined the knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors of dental professionals and students regarding HPV and HPV-OPC. The Risk of Bias Tool was used to evaluate the bias risk in all included studies Results: Forty-two studies with a low bias risk were analyzed. While general HPV knowledge was evident in both dental practitioners and students, deficiencies in understanding HPV-OPC and vaccination were identified. Only 9% of dental practitioners discussed HPV vaccination, but future students showed greater willingness (40–80%) to engage in these discussions. Among dental professionals, common barriers included discomfort and a lack of confidence in discussing HPV vaccination. Attitudes towards administering the HPV vaccine varied between dental practitioners and students, with an interest in training programs for readiness. Liability concerns were highlighted as a significant barrier for both groups, impacting their confidence in vaccine administration. Conclusions: The findings highlight the need for strategies and areas to enhance knowledge and confidence in discussing HPV vaccines in dental primary healthcare settings, offering valuable insights for researchers and policymakers to plan programs that enhance the readiness of dental professionals to administer HPV vaccines
Outcome Prediction After Tetralogy of Fallot Repair: A Prospective Clinical and Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Study
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Identification of individuals at risk for major adverse cardiovascular events is essential for contemporary management of patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot. We sought to identify clinical and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) predictors of adverse clinical outcomes in repaired tetralogy of Fallot. METHODS: Children and adults prospectively enrolled in the CORRELATE (Comprehensive Outcomes Registry Late After Tetralogy of Fallot Repair) registry followed in North American, European, and Asian centers were studied. All patients had at least moderate pulmonary regurgitation and CMR at enrollment. Time-to-event analyses were performed from CMR completion to primary outcome, defined as mortality, resuscitated sudden death, sustained ventricular arrhythmia, or heart failure admission. Principal component analysis was used to create distinct CMR scores that collectively captured 80% of the variance among 10 CMR measures (systolic function, biventricular volumes/mass, and biatrial areas). RESULTS: In 720 patients (55% male, median age 30.3±14 years, 78% adult) with mean follow-up 5.7±1.8 years, the primary outcome occurred in 38 patients (5.2%) at a rate of 0.9/100 patient-years. A well-calibrated risk scoring system was created for prediction of the primary outcome at 5 years based on 5 predictors: age, diabetes, right ventricular systolic pressure, and 2 CMR principal component scores (predominantly reflecting atrial areas in the first principal component score and ventricular volumes in the second principal component score) (c-statistic for the composite risk score 0.79 [95% Cl, 0.71-0.88]). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and imaging characteristics can contribute to risk prediction in repaired tetralogy of Fallot. Further study will be required to evaluate the utility of a risk scoring system for identification of individuals who may benefit from enhanced surveillance, intensified medical therapy, and/or optimally timed intervention.preprin