Factor analysis of the clustering of common somatic symptoms: a preliminary study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Studies of outpatient department patients indicate that somatic discomforts such as headache, neck pain, chest pain, low back pain, and gastrointestinal discomfort are commonly found in patients with multiple complaints. Clustering of some symptoms has been found in common somatic symptom analyses. Because of the complexity involved in the diagnosis of patients with multiple complaints, the aim of this study is to identify and classify patterns of somatic symptoms in individuals assessed during a health examination.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 683 patients (437 males, 246 females) received a one-day physical examination and completed a structured survey during the period from May 2007 to April 2008. A physical symptoms interview was conducted, and medical and demographic data was collected.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Based on the factor analysis, 4 clusters of symptoms were identified: 1) pain symptoms, 2) cold symptoms, 3) cardiopulmonary symptoms, and 4) gastrointestinal symptoms. The distribution of symptoms differed between males and females. After varimax rotation of factor patterns, 4 extracted factors emerged. In males, the factors were 1) pain symptoms, 2) cold symptoms, 3) cardiopulmonary symptoms, and 4) gastrointestinal symptoms. In females, the factors were 1) pain symptoms, 2) cold symptoms, 3) cardiopulmonary symptoms, and 4) head and gastrointestinal symptoms.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Four clusters of somatic symptoms emerged for both males and females; however, the predominant symptoms were different in males and females. Females displayed more head-related symptoms than males. Patients should be thoroughly interviewed about additional symptoms within the same cluster after the recognition of a single somatic complaint.</p

Effects of Resource Limitations and Cost Influences on Computer Virus Epidemic Dynamics and Tipping Points

One of the most important assessment indicators of computer virus infections is epidemic tipping point. Although many researchers have focused on the effects of scale-free network power-law connectivity distributions on computer virus epidemic dynamics and tipping points, few have comprehensively considered resource limitations and costs. Our goals for this paper are to show that (a) opposed to the current consensus, a significant epidemic tipping point does exist when resource limitations and costs are considered and (b) it is possible to control the spread of a computer virus in a scale-free network if resources are restricted and if costs associated with infection events are significantly increased

Metabolic syndrome as a risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

[[abstract]]Background: Metabolic syndrome has been linked to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate metabolic syndrome as a risk factor for NAFLD in Taiwanese adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 876 subjects were enrolled. The diagnosis of NAFLD was made by abdominal ultrasonography. The Asia-Pacific modification of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III guideline was used to establish the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Results: NAFLD was diagnosed in 373 (42.6%) of the study population. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 202 (23.1%) of the study population, and it was independently associated with NAFLD (odds ratio [OR] = 2.37; P < 0.001). Among the components of metabolic syndrome, hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 2.24; P < 0.001), hyperglycemia (OR = 2.23; P = 0.001), increased waist circumference (OR = 1.76; P = 0.013), and the diagnostic components of metabolic syndrome were independently associated with NAFLD. Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome and some of its diagnostic components are independent risk factors for NAFLD

KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THREE DIFFERENT BADMINTON BACKHAND OVERHEAD STROKES

The purpose of this study was to analyze the performance of three different backhand overhead strokes (smash, clear and drop). In this study, we are interested in analyzing the phase of preparation position to the point of making contact with the shuttle. Two Redlake high-speed video cameras operating at 250Hz were simultaneously used to obtain 3-D data. A repeated one-way ANOVA and Pearson product moment correlation were used to test the selected variables at .05 significant levels. It was concluded that increasing the shoulder angle of drop and the wrist angular velocity of smash and clear will increase the shuttle velocity

Compact Dual-Band Dipole Antenna with Asymmetric Arms for WLAN Applications

A dual-band dipole antenna that consists of a horn- and a C-shaped metallic arm is presented. Depending on the asymmetric arms, the antenna provides two −10 dB impedance bandwidths of 225 MHz (about 9.2% at 2.45 GHz) and 1190 MHz (about 21.6% at 5.5 GHz), respectively. This feature enables it to cover the required bandwidths for wireless local area network (WLAN) operation at the 2.4 GHz band and 5.2/5.8 GHz bands for IEEE 802.11 a/b/g standards. More importantly, the compact size (7 mm × 24 mm) and good radiating performance of the antenna are profitable to be integrated with wireless communication devices on restricted RF-elements spaces

Do Seasons Have an Influence on the Incidence of Depression? The Use of an Internet Search Engine Query Data as a Proxy of Human Affect

Background: Seasonal depression has generated considerable clinical interest in recent years. Despite a common belief that people in higher latitudes are more vulnerable to low mood during the winter, it has never been demonstrated that human's moods are subject to seasonal change on a global scale. The aim of this study was to investigate large-scale seasonal patterns of depression using Internet search query data as a signature and proxy of human affect. Methodology/Principal Findings: Our study was based on a publicly available search engine database, Google Insights for Search, which provides time series data of weekly search trends from January 1, 2004 to June 30, 2009. We applied an empirical mode decomposition method to isolate seasonal components of health-related search trends of depression in 54 geographic areas worldwide. We identified a seasonal trend of depression that was opposite between the northern and southern hemispheres; this trend was significantly correlated with seasonal oscillations of temperature (USA: r = −0.872, <0.001; Australia: r = −0.656, <0.001). Based on analyses of search trends over 54 geological locations worldwide, we found that the degree of correlation between searching for depression and temperature was latitude-dependent (northern hemisphere: r = −0.686; <0.001; southern hemisphere: r = 0.871; <0.0001). Conclusions/Significance: Our findings indicate that Internet searches for depression from people in higher latitudes are more vulnerable to seasonal change, whereas this phenomenon is obscured in tropical areas. This phenomenon exists universally across countries, regardless of language. This study provides novel, Internet-based evidence for the epidemiology of seasonal depression

Deep Learning of Phase Transitions for Quantum Spin Chains from Correlation Aspects

Using machine learning (ML) to recognize different phases of matter and to infer the entire phase diagram has proven to be an effective tool given a large dataset. In our previous proposals, we have successfully explored phase transitions for topological phases of matter at low dimensions either in a supervised or an unsupervised learning protocol with the assistance of quantum information related quantities. In this work, we adopt our previous ML procedures to study quantum phase transitions of magnetism systems such as the XY and XXZ spin chains by using spin-spin correlation functions as the input data. We find that our proposed approach not only maps out the phase diagrams with accurate phase boundaries, but also indicates some new features that have not observed before. In particular, we define so-called relevant correlation functions to some corresponding phases that can always distinguish between those and their neighbors. Based on the unsupervised learning protocol we proposed [Phys. Rev. B 104, 165108 (2021)], the reduced latent representations of the inputs combined with the clustering algorithm show the connectedness or disconnectedness between neighboring clusters (phases), just corresponding to the continuous or disrupt quantum phase transition, respectively.Comment: 18 pages, 21 figure

High-Reliability Uncooled InGaAlAs Lasers with Unpumped Current Blocking Regions Near Cavity Facets

The facet heating of high-power laser diodes significantly influences device reliability. To mitigate facet temperature, current blocking (CB) regions are employed at both cavity facets of the laser. In this paper, we investigate the device characteristics of uncooled InGaAlAs lasers with CB facets. We observe two types of light versus current (LI) curves and propose corresponding physical models. Our findings demonstrate the high reliability performance of uncooled lasers with proper engineering design and CB process.&nbsp

Delayed Suspicion, Treatment and Isolation of Tuberculosis Patients in Pulmonology/Infectious Diseases and Non-Pulmonology/Infectious Diseases Wards

Background/PurposeDelayed diagnosis and isolation increases the risk of nosocomial transmission of tuberculosis (TB). To assess the risk of delayed management of TB, we analyzed the risk factors of prolonged delay in isolation of smear-positive TB patients in pulmonology/infectious diseases and other wards in a tertiary teaching hospital.MethodsWe enrolled smear-positive TB patients aged > 16 years with delayed respiratory isolation following hospitalization. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Time intervals between admission, order of sputum acid-fast staining, initiation of anti-tuberculous treatment and isolation were compared between pulmonology/infectious diseases wards (PIWs) and other wards. Risk factors were analyzed in patients with prolonged isolation delay of > 7 days in individual groups.ResultsIsolation was delayed in 191 (73.7%) of 259 hospitalized smear-positive TB patients. Median suspicion, treatment and isolation delays were 0, 3 and 4 days in PIWs and 1, 5 and 7 days in other wards. For patients admitted to non-PIWs, atypical chest radiographs, symptoms without dyspnea or not being admitted from the emergency department (ED) were risk factors for prolonged isolation delay exceeding 7 days. The only risk factor for delayed isolation in patients admitted to PIWs was age ≥ 70 years.ConclusionDelays in suspicion, treatment and isolation of TB patients were longer in non-PIWs. Clinicians should be alert to those admitted to non-PIWs with atypical chest radiographs, atypical symptoms, or not admitted from the ED