Search results for "Linear"

Strategic adjustments in sperm production within and between two island populations of house mice

2012

Sperm production is physiologically costly. Consequently, males are expected to be prudent in their sperm production, and tailor their expenditure according to prevailing social conditions. Differences in sperm production have been found across island populations of house mice that differ in the level of selection from sperm competition. Here, we determined the extent to which these differences represent phenotypic plasticity and/or population divergence in sperm production. We sourced individuals from two populations at the extreme levels of sperm competition, and raised them under common-garden conditions while manipulating the social experience of developing males. Males from the high-sp…

Role of Neutrophil Gelatinase-associated Lipocalin in the Detection of Contrast-induced Nephropathy in Patients Undergoing a Coronary Angiography

2015

Pain and quality of life among residents of Norwegian nursing homes.

2008

Pain is a major problem in the nursing home population, with a prevalence range of 27% to 84%. Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage (International Association for the Study of Pain, 2008). It has an impact on many aspects of a person's emotional, social, and physical functioning, and on quality of life (QoL) The purpose of this study was to describe pain and QoL in a nursing home population that could self-report pain and to examine the association between QoL and pain in these patients. Pain was measured by a verbal rating scale from "no pain" to "severe pain." Quality of life was measu…

Prediction of the mesiodistal size of unerupted canines and premolars for a group of Romanian children: a comparative study

2013

Objectives The aim of the present study was to develop an optimization method of multiple linear regression equation (MLRE), using a genetic algorithm to determine a set of coefficients that minimize the prediction error for the sum of permanent premolars and canine dimensions in a group of young people from a central area of Romania represented by a city called Sibiu. Material and Methods To test the proposed method, we used a multiple linear regression equation derived from the estimation method proposed by Mojers, to which we adjusted regression coefficients using the Breeder genetic algorithm. A total of 92 children were selected with complete permanent teeth with no clinically visible …

Tracking and Changes in Daily Step Counts among Finnish Adults

2021

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the tracking and changes of steps per day in adults and their determinants over 13 yr. Methods A total of 2195 subjects (1236 women) 30-45 yr of age were randomly recruited from the ongoing Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study in 2007 and were followed up in 2020. Steps per day, including both total and aerobic steps per day, were monitored for seven consecutive days with a pedometer in 2007-2008 and 2011-2012 and with an accelerometer in 2018-2020. Tracking was analyzed using Spearman's correlation. Stability and changes of steps per day over time in both low-active and high-active groups (based on median values) were described by percentage agre…

Deep Learning Estimation of 10-2 and 24-2 Visual Field Metrics Based on Thickness Maps from Macula OCT.

2021

Purpose To develop deep learning (DL) systems estimating visual function from macula-centered spectral-domain (SD) OCT images. Design Evaluation of a diagnostic technology. Participants A total of 2408 10-2 visual field (VF) SD OCT pairs and 2999 24-2 VF SD OCT pairs collected from 645 healthy and glaucoma subjects (1222 eyes). Methods Deep learning models were trained on thickness maps from Spectralis macula SD OCT to estimate 10-2 and 24-2 VF mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD). Individual and combined DL models were trained using thickness data from 6 layers (retinal nerve fiber layer [RNFL], ganglion cell layer [GCL], inner plexiform layer [IPL], ganglion cell-IPL […

Effectiveness of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors in neovascular age-related macular degeneration and variables associated with visual acuity…

2021

Objective To assess the overall effectiveness of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy in treatment-naïve patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in a clinical practice setting. Study design EAGLE was a retrospective, 2-year, cohort observational, multicenter study conducted in Italy that analyzed secondary data of treatment-naïve patients with nAMD. The primary endpoint evaluated the mean annualized number of anti-VEGF injections at Years 1 and 2. The main secondary endpoints analyzed the mean change in visual acuity (VA) from baseline and variables associated with visual outcomes at Years 1 and 2. Results Of the 752 patients enrolled, 745 (99.07…

Learning outdoors: male lizards show flexible spatial learning under semi-natural conditions.

2012

Spatial cognition is predicted to be a fundamental component of fitness in many lizard species, and yet some studies suggest that it is relatively slow and inflexible. However, such claims are based on work conducted using experimental designs or in artificial contexts that may underestimate their cognitive abilities. We used a biologically realistic experimental procedure (using simulated predatory attacks) to study spatial learning and its flexibility in the lizard Eulamprus quoyii in semi-natural outdoor enclosures under similar conditions to those experienced by lizards in the wild. To evaluate the flexibility of spatial learning, we conducted a reversal spatial-learning task in which …

Standardized Map of Iodine Status in Europe

2020

Background: Knowledge about the population's iodine status is important, because it allows adjustment of iodine supply and prevention of iodine deficiency. The validity and comparability of iodine-related population studies can be improved by standardization, which was one of the goals of the EUthyroid project. The aim of this study was to establish the first standardized map of iodine status in Europe by using standardized urinary iodine concentration (UIC) data. Materials and Methods: We established a gold-standard laboratory in Helsinki measuring UIC by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A total of 40 studies from 23 European countries provided 75 urine samples covering the wh…

Penalized linear discriminant analysis and Discrete AdaBoost to distinguish human hair metal profiles: The case of adolescents residing near Mt. Etna

2016

The research focus of the present paper was twofold. First, we tried to document that human intake of trace elements is influenced by geological factors of the place of residence. Second, we showed that the elemental composition of human hair is a useful screening tool for assessing people's exposure to potentially toxic substances. For this purpose, we used samples of human hair from adolescents and applied two robust statistical approaches. Samples from two distinct geological and environmental sites were collected: the first one was characterized by the presence of the active volcano Mt. Etna (ETNA group) and the second one lithologically made up of sedimentary rocks (SIC group). Chemica…