Modelling biochemical oxygen demand using improved neuro-fuzzy approach by marine predators algorithm.

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is one of the most important parameters used for water quality assessment. Alternative methods are essential for accurately prediction of this parameter because the traditional method in predicting the BOD is time-consuming and it is inaccurate due to inconstancies in microbial multiplicity. In this study, the applicability of four hybrid neuro-fuzzy (ANFIS) methods, ANFIS with genetic algorithm (GA), ANFIS with particle swarm optimization (PSO), ANFIS with sine cosine algorithm (SCA), and ANFIS with marine predators algorithm (MPA), was investigated in predicting BOD using distinct input combinations such as potential of hydrogen (pH), dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC), water temperature (WT), suspended solids (SS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (T-P) acquired from two river stations, Gongreung and Gyeongan, South Korea. The applicability of multi-variate adaptive regression spline (MARS) in determination of the best input combination was examined. The ANFIS-MPA was found to be the best model with the lowest root mean square error and mean absolute error and the highest determination coefficient. It improved the root mean square error of ANFIS-PSO, ANFIS-GA, and ANFIS-SCA models by 13.8%, 12.1%, and 6.3% for Gongreung Station and by 33%, 25%, and 6.3% for Gyeongan Station in the test stage, respectively.

Unilateral versus simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty: A comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare pre-operative characteristics and peri-operative findings in patients undergoing unilateral total knee arthroplasty (UTKA) and simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA). To work out safety criterion for selection of patients for simultaneous BTKA. METHODS: Patients undergoing UTKA (39) and BTKA (36) in Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi from March 2014 to August 2014 were compared in terms of patient characteristics, underlying pathology, peri-operative blood loss, transfusion requirements and in hospital complications. RESULTS: The mean age of patients undergoing UTKA was 61±11 years and those undergoing BTKA was 64±8 years, with similar male to female ratio (1:1.8) in both groups. Males undergoing BTKA were significantly older than other patients (71±6 years). Primary osteoarthritis was the most common initial diagnosis (59% in UTKA and 89% in BTKA, p<0.05) followed by rheumatoid arthritis. Average blood loss per knee was higher in BTKA procedures but difference did not reach statistical significance. Blood transfusion requirements in BTKA patients not receiving antifibrinolytic agent were significantly higher than in similar UTKA patients (75% vs 17%, p<0.05) but were significantly reduced with peri-operative administration of antifibrolytic therapy (30% BTKA, p<0.05). Complication rates, low in both, were more frequent in BTKA patients with co-morbidities. CONCLUSIONS: In patients requiring bilateral knee replacements, staged total knee replacement [i.e. the two knees are replaced with a gap of at least 3 months] is a safe approach. Unilateral knee replacement is associated with lesser complications and blood transfusion requirements as compared to simultaneous bilateral total knee replacements.

Reference Evapotranspiration Modeling Using New Heuristic Methods.

The study investigates the potential of two new machine learning methods, least-square support vector regression with a gravitational search algorithm (LSSVR-GSA) and the dynamic evolving neural-fuzzy inference system (DENFIS), for modeling reference evapotranspiration (ETo) using limited data. The results of the new methods are compared with the M5 model tree (M5RT) approach. Previous values of temperature data and extraterrestrial radiation information obtained from three stations, in China, are used as inputs to the models. The estimation exactness of the models is measured by three statistics: root mean square error, mean absolute error, and determination coefficient. According to the results, the temperature or extraterrestrial radiation-based LSSVR-GSA models perform superiorly to the DENFIS and M5RT models in terms of estimating monthly ETo. However, in some cases, a slight difference was found between the LSSVR-GSA and DENFIS methods. The results indicate that better prediction accuracy may be obtained using only extraterrestrial radiation information for all three methods. The prediction accuracy of the models is not generally improved by including periodicity information in the inputs. Using optimum air temperature and extraterrestrial radiation inputs together generally does not increase the accuracy of the applied methods in the estimation of monthly ETo.

Comments on "Predicting permeability changes with injecting CO2 in coal seams during CO2 geological sequestration: A comparative study among six SVM-based hybrid models" Science of the Total Environment, 705, 135941 (2020).

In this study, some important mistakes related to model development process and missing information which should be carefully taken into account by the authors of the previous literature and other researchers are presented. Some important issues are presented to avoid propagation of similar mistakes in the scientific literature.

Early release of tourniquet in total knee arthroplasty: Is it worthwhile?

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of duration and timing of tourniquet release on perioperative blood loss, transfusion requirement, duration of surgery, length of hospital stay and early complications in total knee arthroplastywith and without additional anti-fibrinolytic therapy. METHODS: The prospective quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, from March to August 2014. The patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty were divided into two groups: in Group A tourniquet was released after closure of surgical wound and applying compressive dressing; and in Group-B tourniquet was deflated after cementation of implants following which closure was done. Each group was further divided into those who received tranexamic acid (A-T, B-T) and those who did not (A-C, B-C). Study variables were noted on a proforma and analysed. RESULTS: Of the 75 patients in the study, 27(36%) were male and 48(64%) were females. Calculated blood loss was 408mL and 422mL in group A-T and B-T respectively (p=0.73), and 615mL and 610mL in group A-C and B-C respectively (p=0.95). Tourniquet time was significantly shorter (p<0.0005) in group B whereas duration of surgery was significantly shorter (p<0.0001) in group A (68±9min vs 77±11min). Transfusion frequency was higher in group B. Complication rate in the two main groups was not significantly different (p=0.314). Mean length of hospital stay was not significantly different (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Earlier intra-operative release of tourniquet in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty was associated with increased surgery time and higher frequency of blood transfusion without conferring any significant benefit.