Selected sociodemographic and clinical predictors of the clock drawing test performance in Polish community dwelling seniors

Objectives: The clock drawing test (CDT) is a commonly used cognitive screening test. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of selected sociodemographic, clinical and lifestyle factors on the CDT performance in the Polish elderly population. Methods: CDT performance was assessed in 399 elderly subjects randomly selected out of all participants of a nationwide study on aging, PolSenior2, who met the inclusion criteria. CDT was scored using the Manos–Wu method. The short version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (15-item GDS) was used as a mood measuring tool. Results: Our study revealed a significant relationship between CDT performance and age. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated also that interactions between reading newspapers and gender and between playing games and GDS score were independent predictors of an incorrect CDT. Of note, even though years of education were related to the CDT score (0–10) in the correlation analysis, education did not predict the global CDT score in the regression analysis. Conclusions: Advanced age was related to incorrect CDT performance. Engagement in some leisure activities may predict the CDT score, while global CDT performance, as assessed by the Manos–Wu method, is relatively unaffected by education.

Selected sociodemographic and clinic alpredictors of the clock drawing test performance in Polish community dwelling seniors

Objectives: The clock drawing test (CDT) is a commonly used cognitive screening test. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of selected sociodemographic, clinical and lifestyle factors on the CDT performance in the Polish elderly population. Methods: CDT performance was assessed in 399 elderly subjects randomly selected out of all participants of a nationwide study on aging, PolSenior2, who met the inclusion criteria. CDT was scored using the Manos–Wu method. The short version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (15-item GDS) was used as a mood measuring tool. Results: Our study revealed a significant relationship between CDT performance and age. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated also that interactions between reading newspapers and gender and between playing games and GDS score were independent predictors of an incorrect CDT. Of note, even though years of education were related to the CDT score (0–10) in the correlation analysis, education did not predict the global CDT score in the regression analysis. Conclusions: Advanced age was related to incorrect CDT performance. Engagement in some leisure activities may predict the CDT score, while global CDT performance, as assessed by the Manos–Wu method, is relatively unaffected by education.

A Support Based Initialization Algorithm for Categorical Data Clustering

Several initial center selection algorithms are proposed in the literature for numerical data, but the values of the categorical data are unordered so, these methods are not applicable to a categorical data set. This article investigates the initial center selection process for the categorical data and after that present a new support based initial center selection algorithm. The proposed algorithm measures the weight of unique data points of an attribute with the help of support and then integrates these weights along the rows, to get the support of every row. Further, a data object having the largest support is chosen as an initial center followed by finding other centers that are at the greatest distance from the initially selected center. The quality of the proposed algorithm is compared with the random initial center selection method, Cao's method, Wu method and the method introduced by Khan and Ahmad. Experimental analysis on real data sets shows the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

On the assessment of autoignition delay for Diesel fuel and Biodiesel B20

The use of bio-fuels is a necessity nowadays, regulated by European legislation, which imposes to the EU-countries an increase in the substitution rate of classic fossil Diesel fuel. Biodiesel (B) fuel proves to be a reliable agent to fulfil this requirement, but a certain number of aspects have to be ameliorated regarding the compatibility of this kind of fuel with the existent compression ignition engines. One of these problems relies on the autoignition delay, on which the research results are still dispersed. The paper proposes an analysis of this autoignition delay when using a compression ignition (CI) engine fuelled with Diesel fuel and with blends of Diesel and Biodiesel fuels (B20 – 20% volumetric fraction of Biodiesel), starting from several correlations given by the literature, which are based on single-cycle analysis and application of the integral Livengood-Wu method. The obtained results offer an image of the in-cylinder processes complexity and of the B20 fuel behaviour related to the tested engine operation.

Level of Salivary Uric Acid in Gingivitis and Periodontitis Patients

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Periodontal disease is common chronic adult condition. Antioxidants are present in the body fluid as protection against free radical. Uric acid is one of antioxidants that can be found in saliva. Moreover, the relationship among the antioxidant enzymes activities and clinical periodontal status were investigated. <strong>Objectives:</strong> The aim of the study was to observe uric acid level activities in the saliva of gingivitis and periodontitis patients. <strong>Methods:</strong> Six patients with gingivitis and six patients with periodontitis in Dental Hospital Trisakti University were included in the study. Clinical condition of each subject, the plaque index, and probing depth were determined. The salivary uric acid level was measured using the Folin-Wu method. <strong>Result:</strong> Salivary uric acid levels in the periodontitis patients with a mean ± SD 7.40 ± 0.31 (p = 0.004) were found to be higher compared to the gingivitis patients (mean ± SD = 6.84 ± 0.19). In addition, there were no significant differences in salivary uric acid levels between gender (p = 0.641). <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Uric acid levels in periodontitis patients were found to be higher than in gingivitis patients. Moreover, uric acid has more role on periodontitis than in gingivitis as an antioxidant agent.</p>

Digital Method for Acquiring Discontinuity 2D Density Based on 3D Digital Traces Model

At present, manual method for acquiring discontinuity 2D density is inefficient and error-prone. This paper proposes a digital method based on 3D digital traces model. And Mauldon method has been chosen to estimate 2D density comparing with Kulatilake and Wu method. It makes study on 2D density much more convenient. The results of study with this method show feasibility and efficiency of the new method and Mauldon method for estimating has been tested to be accurate in this paper.