Objective In voice assessment, the evaluation of voice quality is a major component in which roughness has received wide acceptance as a major subtype of abnormal voice quality. The aim of the present study was to develop a new multivariate acoustic model for the evaluation of roughness. Method In total, 970 participants with dysphonia and 88 participants with normal voice were included. Concatenated voice samples of continuous speech and sustained vowel [a:] were perceptually judged on roughness severity. Acoustic analyses were conducted on the voiced segments of the continuous speech sample plus sustained vowel as well. A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was applied to construct an acoustic model of the best acoustic predictors. Concurrent validity, diagnostic accuracy, and cross-validation were verified on the basis of Spearman correlation coefficient (rs), several estimates of the receiver operating characteristics plus the likelihood ratio, and iterated internal cross-correlations. Results Six experts were included for perceptual analysis based on acceptable rater reliability. Stepwise multiple regression analysis yielded a 12-variable acoustic model. A marked correlation was identified between the model and the perceptual judgment (rs = 0.731, P = 0.000). The cross-correlations confirmed a high comparable degree of association. However, the receiver operating characteristics and likelihood ratio results showed the best diagnostic outcome at a threshold of 2.92, with a sensitivity of 51.9% and a specificity of 94.9%. Conclusions Currently, the newly developed roughness model is not recommended for clinical practice. Further research is needed to detect the acoustic complexity of roughness (eg, multiplophonia, irregularity, chaotic structure, glottal fry, etc).
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Sleep quality and maintenance of the optimal cognitive functioning is of crucial importance for aviation safety. Fatigue Risk Management (FRM) enables the operator to achieve the objectives set in their safety and FRM policies. As in any other risk management cycle, the FRM value can be realized by deploying suitable tools that aid robust decision-making. For the purposes of our article, we focus on fatigue hazard identification to explore the possible developments forward through the enhancement of objective tools in air transport operators. To this end we compare subjective and objective tools that could be employed by an FRM system. Specifically, we focus on an exploratory survey on 120 pilots and the analysis of 250 fatigue reports that are compared with objective fatigue assessment based on the polysomnographic (PSG) and neurocognitive assessment of three experimental cases. We highlight the significance of predictive objective tools that should be deployed by contemporary FRM models. We also report the need for utilization of scientific-based tools for predictive FRM, in which objective sleep quality and neurocognitive assessment should be the core aspect. We note the period of restructuring ahead as an opportunity for operators to rethink and restructure their FRM.
Background Objective gait analysis that fully captures the multi-segmental foot movement of a clubfoot may help in early identification of a relapse clubfoot. Unfortunately, this type of objective measure is still lacking in a clinical setting and it is unknown how it relates to clinical assessment. Research question The aim of this study was to identify differences in total gait and foot deviations between clubfoot patients with and without a relapse clubfoot and to evaluate their relationship with clinical status. Methods In this study, Ponseti-treated idiopathic clubfoot patients were included and divided into clubfoot patients with and without a relapse. Objective gait analysis was done resulting in total gait and foot scores and clinical assessment was performed using the Clubfoot Assessment Protocol (CAP). Additionally, a new clubfoot specific foot score, the clubFoot Deviation Index (cFDI*), was calculated to better capture foot kinematics of clubfoot patients. Results Clubfoot patients with a relapse show lower total gait quality (GDI*) and lower clinical status defined by the CAP than clubfoot patients without a relapse. Abnormal cFDI* was found in relapse patients, reflected by differences in corresponding variable scores. Moderate relationships were found for the subdomains of the CAP and total gait and foot quality in all clubfoot patients. Significance A new total foot score was introduced in this study, which was more relevant for the clubfoot population. The use of this new foot score (cFDI*) besides the GDI*, is recommended to identify gait and foot motion deviations. Along with clinical assessment, this will give an overview of the overall status of the complex, multi-segmental aspects of a (relapsed) clubfoot. The relationships found in this study suggest that clinical assessment might be indicative of a deviation in total gait and foot pattern, therefore hinting towards personalised screening for better treatment decision making.
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MUSE supports the CIVITAS Community to increase its impact on urban mobility policy making and advance it to a higher level of knowledge, exchange, and sustainability.As the current Coordination and Support Action for the CIVITAS Initiative, MUSE primarily engages in support activities to boost the impact of CIVITAS Community activities on sustainable urban mobility policy. Its main objectives are to:- Act as a destination for knowledge developed by the CIVITAS Community over the past twenty years.- Expand and strengthen relationships between cities and stakeholders at all levels.- Support the enrichment of the wider urban mobility community by providing learning opportunities.Through these goals, the CIVITAS Initiative strives to support the mobility and transport goals of the European Commission, and in turn those in the European Green Deal.Breda University of Applied Sciences is the task leader of Task 7.3: Exploitation of the Mobility Educational Network and Task 7.4: Mobility Powered by Youth Facilitation.
The primary objective of the project is to identify policies for the transformation of the Norwegian tourism sector to become resilient to climate change and carbon risks; to maintain and develop its economic benefits; and to significantly reduce its emissions-intensity per unit of economic output. Collaborative partnersStiftinga Vestlandforsking, Stiftelsen Handelshoyskolen, Stat Sentralbyra, Norges Handelshoyskole, Stiftelsen Nordlandsforskning, Fjord Norge, Hurtigruten, Neroyfjorden Verdsarvpark, Uni Waterloo, Uni Queensland, Desinasjon Voss, Stift Geirangerfjorden Verdsarv, Hogskulen Pa Vestlandet.
Digital transformation has been recognized for its potential to contribute to sustainability goals. It requires companies to develop their Data Analytic Capability (DAC), defined as their ability to collect, manage and analyze data effectively. Despite the governmental efforts to promote digitalization, there seems to be a knowledge gap on how to proceed, with 37% of Dutch SMEs reporting a lack of knowledge, and 33% reporting a lack of support in developing DAC. Participants in the interviews that we organized preparing this proposal indicated a need for guidance on how to develop DAC within their organization given their unique context (e.g. age and experience of the workforce, presence of legacy systems, high daily workload, lack of knowledge of digitalization). While a lot of attention has been given to the technological aspects of DAC, the people, process, and organizational culture aspects are as important, requiring a comprehensive approach and thus a bundling of knowledge from different expertise. Therefore, the objective of this KIEM proposal is to identify organizational enablers and inhibitors of DAC through a series of interviews and case studies, and use these to formulate a preliminary roadmap to DAC. From a structure perspective, the objective of the KIEM proposal will be to explore and solidify the partnership between Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas), Avans University of Applied Sciences (Avans), Logistics Community Brabant (LCB), van Berkel Logistics BV, Smink Group BV, and iValueImprovement BV. This partnership will be used to develop the preliminary roadmap and pre-test it using action methodology. The action research protocol and preliminary roadmap thereby developed in this KIEM project will form the basis for a subsequent RAAK proposal.
