Relevancy of Force Concept Inventory and Mechanics Baseline Test in Excerpting Conceptual Understanding of High-Performing Students

In the topics of mechanics, readily available instruments such as the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) and the Mechanics Baseline Test (MBT) have been extensively used to assess students’ conceptual understanding, especially for high school and undergraduate students. In this paper, the relevancy of these two instruments in excerpting conceptual understanding of high-performing students was examined and the results were elaborated. The findings in this paper suggest that the FCI and MBT are indeed effective to show students’ basic conceptual understanding in mechanics but should not be used to assess improvement after learning intervention or to differentiate students’ conceptual understanding in a population of high performers. More advanced assessments, such as those that comprise higher order thinking questions, should be used for such purposes.

High-Accuracy Detection of Maize Leaf Diseases CNN Based on Multi-Pathway Activation Function Module

Maize leaf disease detection is an essential project in the maize planting stage. This paper proposes the convolutional neural network optimized by a Multi-Activation Function (MAF) module to detect maize leaf disease, aiming to increase the accuracy of traditional artificial intelligence methods. Since the disease dataset was insufficient, this paper adopts image pre-processing methods to extend and augment the disease samples. This paper uses transfer learning and warm-up method to accelerate the training. As a result, three kinds of maize diseases, including maculopathy, rust, and blight, could be detected efficiently and accurately. The accuracy of the proposed method in the validation set reached 97.41%. This paper carried out a baseline test to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. First, three groups of CNNs with the best performance were selected. Then, ablation experiments were conducted on five CNNs. The results indicated that the performances of CNNs have been improved by adding the MAF module. In addition, the combination of Sigmoid, ReLU, and Mish showed the best performance on ResNet50. The accuracy can be improved by 2.33%, proving that the model proposed in this paper can be well applied to agricultural production.

Effects of Water Restriction and Supplementation on Cognitive Performances and Mood among Young Adults in Baoding, China: A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)

The brain is approximately 75% water. Therefore, insufficient water intake may affect the cognitive performance of humans. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of water restriction and supplementation on cognitive performances and mood, and the optimum amount of water to alleviate the detrimental effects of dehydration, among young adults. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 76 young, healthy adults aged 18–23 years old from Baoding, China. After fasting overnight for 12 h, at 8:00 a.m. of day 2, the osmolality of the first morning urine and blood, cognitive performance, and mood were measured as a baseline test. After water restriction for 24 h, at 8:00 a.m. of day 3, the same indexes were measured as a dehydration test. Participants were randomly assigned into four groups: water supplementation group (WS group) 1, 2, or 3 (given 1000, 500, or 200 mL purified water), and the no water supplementation group (NW group). Furthermore, participants were instructed to drink all the water within 10 min. Ninety minutes later, the same measurements were performed as a rehydration test. Compared with the baseline test, participants were all in dehydration and their scores on the portrait memory test, vigor, and self-esteem decreased (34 vs. 27, p < 0.001; 11.8 vs. 9.2, p < 0.001; 7.8 vs. 6.4, p < 0.001). Fatigue and TMD (total mood disturbance) increased (3.6 vs. 4.8, p = 0.004; 95.7 vs. 101.8, p < 0.001) in the dehydration test. Significant interactions between time and volume were found in hydration status, fatigue, vigor, TMD, symbol search test, and operation span test (F = 6.302, p = 0.001; F = 3.118, p = 0.029; F = 2.849, p = 0.043; F = 2.859, p = 0.043; F = 3.463, p = 0.021) when comparing the rehydration and dehydration test. Furthermore, the hydration status was better in WS group 1 compared to WS group 2; the fatigue and TMD scores decreased, and the symbol search test and operation span test scores increased, only in WS group 1 and WS group 2 (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between them (p > 0.05). Dehydration impaired episodic memory and mood. Water supplementation improved processing speed, working memory, and mood, and 1000 mL was the optimum volume.

Comparison of a practice-based versus theory-based training program for conducting vacuum-assisted deliveries: a randomized-controlled trial

Purpose Vacuum-assisted deliveries (VAD) are complex procedures that require training and experience to be performed proficiently. We aimed to evaluate if a more resource intensive practice-based training program for conducting VAD is more efficient compared to a purely theory-based training program, with respect to immediate training effects and persistence of skills 4–8 weeks after the initial training. Methods In this randomized-controlled study conducted in maternity staff, participants performed a simulated low-cavity non-rotational vacuum delivery before (baseline test) and immediately after the training (first post-training test) as well as 4–8 weeks thereafter (second post-training test). The study’s primary endpoint was to compare training effectiveness between the two study groups using a validated objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) rating scale. Results Sixty-two participants were randomized to either the theory-based group (n = 31) or the practice-based group (n = 31). Total global and specific OSATS scores, as well as distance of cup application to the flexion point improved significantly from baseline test to the first post-training test in both groups (pall < 0.007). Skill deterioration after 4–8 weeks was only found in the theory-based group, whereas skills remained stable in the practice-based group. Conclusion A practice-based training program for conducting VAD results in comparable immediate improvement of skills compared to a theory-based training program, but the retention of skills 4–8 weeks after training is superior in a practice-based program. Future studies need to evaluate, whether VAD simulation training improves maternal and neonatal outcome after VAD.

Comparative Reliability of a Novel Electromechanical Device and Handheld Ruler for Measuring First Ray Mobility

Background: Quantifying first ray mobility is crucial to understand aberrant foot biomechanics. A novel device (MAP1st) that can perform measurements of first ray mobility in different weightbearing conditions, foot alignments, and normalization was tested. The reliability of these measurement techniques was assessed in comparison to a handheld ruler considered representative of the common clinical examination. Methods: The study included 25 participants (50 feet). Two independent raters performed baseline, test-retest, and remove-replace measurements of first ray mobility with MAP1st and the handheld device. The effects of non-, partial, and full weightbearing in subtalar joint neutral and the resting calcaneal stance position were assessed. Measurement normalization relative to foot size was also investigated. Intra- and interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated for each device between the 2 raters. In addition, Bland-Altman plots were constructed to determine if fixed biases or substantial outliers were present. Results: Similar intrarater ICC values were found for both devices (≥0.85). However, interrater ICC values were substantially improved by MAP1st compared with the handheld device (0.58 vs 0.06). Bland-Altman plots demonstrated biases of 1.27 mm for the handheld ruler, and 2.88 to 0.05 mm and −1.16 to 0.00 for linear and normalized MAP1st measurements, respectively. Improved reliability was achieved with MAP1st for normalized assessments of first ray mobility while the foot was placed in partial- and full-weightbearing resting calcaneal stance positions. Conclusion: MAP1st provided reliable assessments of partial- and full-weightbearing first ray mobility. It should help investigators to explore the potential relationships between first ray function and aberrant foot biomechanics in future research. Level of Evidence: Level II, prospective cohort study.

Non-motor predictors of 36-month quality of life after subthalamic stimulation in Parkinson disease

To identify predictors of 36-month follow-up quality of life (QoL) outcome after bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) in Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this ongoing, prospective, multicenter international study (Cologne, Manchester, London) including 73 patients undergoing STN-DBS, we assessed the following scales preoperatively and at 6-month and 36-month follow-up: PD Questionnaire-8 (PDQ-8), NMSScale (NMSS), Scales for Outcomes in PD (SCOPA)-motor examination, -activities of daily living, and -complications, and levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD). We analyzed factors associated with QoL improvement at 36-month follow-up based on (1) correlations between baseline test scores and QoL improvement, (2) step-wise linear regressions with baseline test scores as independent and QoL improvement as dependent variables, (3) logistic regressions and receiver operating characteristic curves using a dichotomized variable “QoL responders”/“non-responders”. At both follow-ups, NMSS total score, SCOPA-motor examination, and -complications improved and LEDD was reduced significantly. PDQ-8 improved at 6-month follow-up with subsequent decrements in gains at 36-month follow-up when 61.6% of patients were categorized as “QoL non-responders”. Correlations, linear, and logistic regression analyses found greater PDQ-8 improvements in patients with younger age, worse PDQ-8, and worse specific NMS at baseline, such as ‘difficulties experiencing pleasure’ and ‘problems sustaining concentration’. Baseline SCOPA scores were not associated with PDQ-8 changes. Our results provide evidence that 36-month QoL changes depend on baseline neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric non-motor symptoms burden. These findings highlight the need for an assessment of a wide range of non-motor and motor symptoms when advising and selecting individuals for DBS therapy.

Reliability, construct and concurrent validity of a smartphone-based cognition test in multiple sclerosis

Background: Early detection and monitoring of cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) may be enabled with smartphone-adapted tests that allow frequent measurements in the everyday environment. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the reliability, construct and concurrent validity of a smartphone-adapted Symbol Digit Modalities Test (sSDMT). Methods: During a 28-day follow-up, 102 patients with MS and 24 healthy controls (HC) used the MS sherpa® app to perform the sSDMT every 3 days on their own smartphone. Patients performed the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS at baseline. Test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients, ICC), construct validity (group analyses between cognitively impaired (CI), cognitively preserved (CP) and HC for differences) and concurrent validity (correlation coefficients) were assessed. Results: Patients with MS and HC completed an average of 23.2 ( SD = 10.0) and 18.3 ( SD = 10.2) sSDMT, respectively. sSDMT demonstrated high test–retest reliability (ICCs > 0.8) with a smallest detectable change of 7 points. sSDMT scores were different between CI patients, CP patients and HC (all ps < 0.05). sSDMT correlated modestly with the clinical SDMT (highest r = 0.690), verbal (highest r = 0.516) and visuospatial memory (highest r = 0.599). Conclusion: Self-administered smartphone-adapted SDMT scores were reliable and different between patients who were CI, CP and HC and demonstrated concurrent validity in assessing information processing speed.

Effects of Non-Nutritive Sweeteners on Energy Intake, Body Weight and Postprandial Glycemia in Healthy and with Altered Glycemic Response Rats

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) consumption on energy intake, body weight and postprandial glycemia in healthy and with altered glycemic response rats. Animals on normal diet (ND) or high-fat diet (HFD) were divided to receive NNS (sucralose, aspartame, stevia, rebaudioside A) or nutritive sweeteners (glucose, sucrose) for 8 weeks. The NNS were administered at doses equivalent to the human acceptable daily intake (ADI). A test using rapidly digestible starch was performed before and after treatments to estimate glycemic response. No effects of NNS consumption were observed on energy intake or body weight. Sucrose provoked an increased fluid consumption, however, energy intake, and weight gain were not altered. In ND, no effects of NNS on glycemic response were observed. In HFD, the glycemic response was increased after sucralose and stevia when only the final tolerance test was considered, however, after including the baseline test, these results were no longer significant compared to glucose. These findings provide further evidence suggesting that at the recommended doses, NNS do not alter feeding behavior, body weight or glycemic tolerance in healthy and with altered glycemic rats.