Search results for: diagnostic

Authors: Francesca Crivellari, Nicholas Mavrogiannis, Zachary Gagnon

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Portable diagnostic methods have become increasingly important for a number of different purposes: point-of-care screening in developing nations, environmental contamination studies, bio/chemical warfare agent detection, and end-user use for commercial health monitoring. The cheapest and most portable methods currently available are paper-based – lateral flow and dipstick methods are widely available in drug stores for use in pregnancy detection and blood glucose monitoring. These tests are successful because they are cheap to produce, easy to use, and require minimally invasive sampling. While adequate for their intended uses, in the realm of blood-borne pathogens and numerous cancers, these paper-based methods become unreliable, as they lack the nM/pM sensitivity currently achieved by clinical diagnostic methods. Clinical diagnostics, however, utilize techniques involving surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), which are expensive and unfeasible in terms of portability. To develop a better, competitive biosensor, we must reduce the cost of one, or increase the sensitivity of the other. Electric fields are commonly utilized in microfluidic devices to manipulate particles, biomolecules, and cells. Applications in this area, however, are primarily limited to interfaces formed between immiscible interfaces. Miscible, liquid-liquid interfaces are common in microfluidic devices, and are easily reproduced with simple geometries. Here, we demonstrate the use of electrical fields at liquid-liquid electrical interfaces, known as fluidic dielectrophoresis, (fDEP) for biodetection in a microfluidic device. In this work, we apply an AC electric field across concurrent laminar streams with differing conductivities and permittivities to polarize the interface and induce a discernible, near-immediate, frequency-dependent interfacial tilt. We design this aqueous electrical interface, which becomes the biosensing “substrate,” to be intelligent – it “moves” only when a target of interest is present. This motion requires neither labels nor expensive electrical equipment, so the biosensor is inexpensive and portable, yet still capable of sensitive detection. Nanoparticles, due to their high surface-area-to-volume ratio, are often incorporated to enhance detection capabilities of schemes like SPR and fluorimetric assays. Most studies currently investigate binding at an immobilized solid-liquid or solid-gas interface, where particles are adsorbed onto a planar surface, functionalized with a receptor to create a reactive substrate, and subsequently flushed with a fluid or gas with the relevant analyte. These typically involve many preparation and rinsing steps, and are susceptible to surface fouling. Our microfluidic device is continuously flowing and renewing the “substrate,” and is thus not subject to fouling. In this work, we demonstrate the ability to electrokinetically detect biomolecules binding to functionalized nanoparticles at liquid-liquid interfaces using fDEP. In biotin-streptavidin experiments, we report binding detection limits on the order of 1-10 pM, without amplifying signals or concentrating samples. We also demonstrate the ability to detect this interfacial motion, and thus the presence of binding, using impedance spectroscopy, allowing this scheme to become non-optical, in addition to being label-free.

Keywords: biodetection, dielectrophoresis, microfluidics, nanoparticles

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Authors: Chen Wang, Chun Liang

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Microsatellite instability (MSI) is characterized by high degree of polymorphism in microsatellite (MS) length due to a deficiency in mismatch repair (MMR) system. MSI is associated with several tumor types and its status can be considered as an important indicator for tumor prognostic. Conventional clinical diagnosis of MSI examines PCR products of a panel of MS markers using electrophoresis (MSI-PCR) which is laborious, time consuming, and less reliable. MSIpred, a python 2 package for automatic classification of MSI was released by this study. It computes important somatic mutation features from files in mutation annotation format (MAF) generated from paired tumor-normal exome sequencing data, subsequently using these to predict tumor MSI status with a support vector machine (SVM) classifier trained by MAF files of 1074 tumors belonging to four types. Evaluation of MSIpred on an independent 358-tumor test set achieved overall accuracy of over 98% and area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.967. These results indicated that MSIpred is a robust pan-cancer MSI classification tool and can serve as a complementary diagnostic to MSI-PCR in MSI diagnosis.

Keywords: microsatellite instability, pan-cancer classification, somatic mutation, support vector machine

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Authors: Jessica Chukwuyem Molua, Collins O Molua

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The effective dose of selected health care workers who are constantly exposed to X-ray radiation was measured using thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLD) placed over the lead apron at the chest region in all categories of medical personnel investigated. To measure radiation in all the selected hospitals to ascertain the exposure of x-ray machines at exactly 1m from the primary source. The work was carried out within a year in each of the selected centers. The personnel examination records containing the type of examination each day, peak tube voltage, tube current, and exposure time, including the actual number of films used, were obtained. A total of 40personel were examined in government hospital Agbor, 21 in central hospital Owa Alero and 18 in Okonye hospital The method used here has also been used by other researchers. Findings showed that the results obtained from the three hospitals investigated in this work were found to conform with the recommendations of the National Commission on radiological and protection {NCRP} 70 and 116 protocols. The Radiologist in the three study areas has the highest dose level, but of particular note is the dosage of the radiologist in Okonye hospital. This, as observed, is because the protective shielding parameters were inadequate and this could result in severe health consequences over time.

Keywords: radiology, health, Agbor, Owa

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Authors: Chandralekha Ashangari, Amer Suleman

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Background and Purpose: The Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) affects primarily young women. POTS is a form of dysautonomia that is estimated to impact between 1,000,000 and 3,000,000 Americans, and millions more around the world. POTS is a form of orthostatic intolerance that is associated with many Gastrointestinal disturbances. The aim of this study is to determine the Gastrointestinal disturbances in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) patients.2. Methods: 249 patients referred to our clinic from January to November with POTS. Reviewed the medical records of 249 POTS patients and gastrointestinal symptoms. Results: however out of 249 patients, 226 patients are female (90.76%; average age 32.69), 23 patients are male (9.24%; average age 27.91) Data analysis: Out of 249 patients 189 patients (76%) had vomiting or nausea, 150 patients (60%) had irritable bowel syndrome, 128 patients (51%) had bloating, 125 patients (50%) had constipation , 80 patients (32%) had abdominal pain, 56 patients (22%) had delayed gastric emptying, 24 patients (10%) had lactose intolerance, 8 patients (3%) had Gastroesophageal reflux disease, 5 patients (2%) had Iron deficiency anemia, 6 patients (2%) had Peptic ulcer disease, 4 patients (2%) had Celiac Disease. Conclusion: Patients with POTS have a very high prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms however the majority of abnormalities appear to be motility related. Motility testing should be performed be performed in POTS patients. The diagnostic yield of endoscopic procedures appears to be low.

Keywords: gastrointestinal disturbances, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), celiac disease, POTS patients

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Authors: Dana Gabriková, Martin Mistrík, Jarmila Bernasovská, Iveta Tóthová, Jana Kisková

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The Roma (Gypsies) is a transnational minority with a high degree of consanguineous marriages. Similar to other genetically isolated founder populations, the Roma harbor a number of unique or rare genetic disorders. This paper discusses about a rare form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease – type 4G (CMT4G), also called Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy type Russe, an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutation private to Roma characterized by abnormally increased density of non-myelinated axons. CMT4G was originally found in Bulgarian Roma and in 2009 two putative causative mutations in the HK1 gene were identified. Since then, several cases were reported in Roma families mainly from Bulgaria and Spain. Here we present a Slovak Roma family in which CMT4G was diagnosed on the basis of clinical examination and genetic testing. This case is a further proof of the role of the HK1 gene in pathogenesis of the disease. It confirms that mutation in the HK1 gene is a common cause of autosomal recessive CMT disease in Roma and should be considered as a common part of a diagnostic procedure.

Keywords: gypsies, HK1, HSMN-Russe, rare disease

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Authors: Valentina Milanova, Kalina Mihaylova, Iva Lazarova

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The mechanisms by which female genital infections are detected are varied and include clinician-collected high vaginal swabs, clinician-collected endocervical swabs, patient-collected vaginal swabs, and first-pass urine samples. Vaginal health screening has chronically low rates of uptake. This highlights the unmet need for a screening tool with comparable diagnostic accuracy which is familiar, convenient and easy to use for people. The Daye™ medical grade tampon offers an alternative to traditional sampling methods with the potential of increasing screening uptake among people previously too embarrassed or busy to attend gynecological appointments. In this white paper, the results of stability studies and a comparative clinical trial are discussed to assess the suitability of the device for the collection of vaginal samples for various clinical assessments. The tampon has demonstrated good sample stability and comparable sample quality compared to a self-collected vaginal swab and a clinician-collected cervical swab.

Keywords: vaginal microbiome, vaginal infections, gynaecological infections, female health, menstrual tampons, in vitro diagnostics

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Authors: Mohit Kumar, Mayur Betharia

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Healthcare domain, with the emergence of Electronic Medical Record (EMR), collects a lot of data which have been attracting Data Mining expert’s interest. In the past, doctors have relied on their intuition while making critical clinical decisions. This paper presents the means to analyze the Medical workflows to get business insights out of huge dumped medical databases. Market Basket Analysis (MBA) which is a special data mining technique, has been widely used in marketing and e-commerce field to discover the association between products bought together by customers. It helps businesses in increasing their sales by analyzing the purchasing behavior of customers and pitching the right customer with the right product. This paper is an attempt to demonstrate Market Basket Analysis applications in healthcare. In particular, it discusses the Market Basket Analysis Algorithm ‘Apriori’ applications within healthcare in major areas such as analyzing the workflow of diagnostic procedures, Up-selling and Cross-selling of Healthcare Systems, designing healthcare systems more user-friendly. In the paper, we have demonstrated the MBA applications using Angiography Systems, but can be extrapolated to other modalities as well.

Keywords: data mining, market basket analysis, healthcare applications, knowledge discovery in healthcare databases, customer relationship management, healthcare systems

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Authors: S. Alireza Mirghasemi, Narges Rahimi Gabaran

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Although sacral fractures in children are rare due to the fact that the occurrence of pelvic fracture is not common in childhood. Sacral fractures present a high risk of neurological damage. This kind of fracture is often missed because the routine pelvic X-rays imaging scarcely show this fracture. Also, the treatment is controversial, and it ranges from fine reduction to conservative treatments without any try to reduce the dislocation. In this article, a case of fracture dislocation of S1 and S2 along with a suggested diagnostic test and treatment based on similar cases are presented. The case investigates a 14-year-old boy who entered the hospital one week after a car accident that knocked him to the ground in crawling position and a rack fell down on his body. Pain and tenderness in the sacral region and a fracture in the left leg were notable--we detected incomplete bilateral palsy of L5, S1 and S2 roots. In radiographs of the spine fracture dislocation of S1, the sacral fracture was seen. The treatment included a skeletal traction with a halo over the patient’s head and two femoral pins. After one week, another surgery was performed in order to stabilize and reduce the fracture, and we employed a posterior approach with CD and a pedicular screw. After two years of follow-up, the fracture is completely cured without any loss of reduction.

Keywords: adolescent, fracture in adolescent, fracture dislocation, sacrum

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Authors: Sabiu Bala Muhammad, Rosli Saad

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Multiple linear regression (MLR) models for fast estimation of true subsurface resistivity from apparent resistivity field measurements are developed and assessed in this study. The parameters investigated were apparent resistivity (ρₐ), horizontal location (X) and depth (Z) of measurement as the independent variables; and true resistivity (ρₜ) as the dependent variable. To achieve linearity in both resistivity variables, datasets were first transformed into logarithmic domain following diagnostic checks of normality of the dependent variable and heteroscedasticity to ensure accurate models. Four MLR models were developed based on hierarchical combination of the independent variables. The generated MLR coefficients were applied to another data set to estimate ρₜ values for validation. Contours of the estimated ρₜ values were plotted and compared to the observed data plots at the colour scale and blanking for visual assessment. The accuracy of the models was assessed using coefficient of determination (R²), standard error (SE) and weighted mean absolute percentage error (wMAPE). It is concluded that the MLR models can estimate ρₜ for with high level of accuracy.

Keywords: apparent resistivity, depth, horizontal location, multiple linear regression, true resistivity

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Authors: Patricia Shirley Almeida Prado, Liz Brito, Selma Paixão Argollo, Gracie Moreira, Leticia Matos Sobrinho

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Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a degenerative bone disease also known as Forestier´s disease and ankylosing hyperostosis of the spine is characterized by a tendency toward ossification of half the anterior longitudinal spinal ligament without intervertebral disc disease. DISH is not considered to be osteoarthritis, although the two conditions commonly occur together. Diagnostic criteria include fusion of at least four vertebrae by bony bridges arising from the anterolateral aspect of the vertebral bodies. These vertebral bodies have a 'dripping candle wax' appearance, also can be seen periosteal new bone formation on the anterior surface of the vertebral bodies and there is no ankylosis at zygoapophyseal facet joint. Clinically, patients with DISH tend to be asymptomatic some patients mention moderate pain and stiffness in upper back. This disease is more common in man, uncommon in patients younger than 50 years and rare in patients under 40 years old. In modern populations, DISH is found in association with obesity, (type II) diabetes; abnormal vitamin A metabolism and also associated with higher levels of serum uric acid. There is also some association between the increase of risk of stroke or other cerebrovascular disease. The DISH condition can be confused with Heterotopic Ossification, what is the bone formation in the soft tissues as the result of trauma, wounding, surgery, burnings, prolonged immobility and some central nervous system disorder. All these conditions have been described extensively as myositis ossificans which can be confused with the fibrodysplasia (myositis) ossificans progressive. As in the DISH symptomatology it can be asymptomatic or extensive enough to impair joint function. A third confusion osteoarthritis disease that can bring confusion are the enthesopathies that occur in the entire skeleton being common on the ischial tuberosities, iliac crests, patellae, and calcaneus. Ankylosis of the sacroiliac joint by bony bridges may also be found. CASE 1: this case is skeletal remains presenting skull, some vertebrae and scapulae. This case remains unidentified and due to lack of bone remains. Sex, age and ancestry profile was compromised, however the DISH pathognomonic findings and diagnostic helps to estimate sex and age characteristics. Moreover to presenting DISH these skeletal remains also showed some bone alterations and non-metrics as fusion of the first vertebrae with occipital bone, maxillae and palatine torus and scapular foramen on the right scapulae. CASE 2: this skeleton remains shows an extensive bone heterotopic ossification on the great trochanter area of left femur, right fibula showed a healed fracture in its body however in its inteosseous crest there is an extensive bone growth, also in the Ilium at the region of inferior gluteal line can be observed some pronounced bone growth and the skull presented a pronounced mandibular, maxillary and palatine torus. Despite all these pronounced heterotopic ossification the whole skeleton presents moderate bone overgrowth that is not linked with aging, since the skeleton belongs to a young unidentified individual. The appropriate osteopathological diagnosis support the human identification process through medical reports and also assist with epidemiological data that can strengthen vulnerable anthropological estimates.

Keywords: bone disease, DISH, human identification, human remains

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Authors: Zafar Mahmood, Surayya Naz, Nazir Shah Khattak

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The degree of freedom relates to our capability to observe or model the energy paths within the system. Higher the number of energy paths being modeled leaves to us a higher degree of freedom, but increasing the time and modeling complexity rendering it useless for today’s world’s need for minimum time to market. Since the number of residuals that can be uniquely isolated are dependent on the number of independent outputs of the system, increasing the number of sensors required. The examples of discrete position sensors that may be used to form an array include limit switches, Hall effect sensors, optical sensors, magnetic sensors, etc. Their mechanical design can usually be tailored to fit in the transitional path of an STME in a variety of mechanical configurations. The case studies into multi-sensor system were carried out and actual data from sensors is used to test this generic framework. It is being investigated, how the proper modeling of limit switches as timing sensors, could lead to unified and neutral residual space while keeping the implementation cost reasonably low.

Keywords: low-cost limit sensors, fault diagnostics, Single Throw Mechanical Equipment (STME), parameter estimation, parity-space

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Authors: Nuhi Arslani, Stojan Potrc, Timotej Mikuljan

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Background: In Department of Abdominal and General Surgery of University Medical Centre Maribor, we treated 578 patients for rectal cancer between 2004 and 2014. During and after treatment we especially concentrated on monitoring local and systemic complications. Methods: For analysis, we used data gathered from preoperative diagnostic tests, reports gathered during operation, reports from the pathohistologic review, and reports on complications after surgery and follow up. Results: In the case of 573 (out of 578) patients (99.1%) we performed resection. R0 was achieved in 551 patients (96,1%). R1 was achieved in 8 patients (1,4%). R2 was achieved in 14 patients (2,4%). Local complications were reported in 78 (13.5%) patients and systemic complications were reported in 68 (11.7%). We would like to point out the low number of local and systemic complications. Conclusions: With advances in surgical techniques, with a multimodal-multidisciplinary approach and with the use of total mesorectal excision we experienced a significant improvement in reducing the number of local and systemic complications in patients with rectal cancer. However, there still remains the question for truly optimal care for each patient with rectal cancer and his quality of life after surgical treatment.

Keywords: local complications, rectal cancer, resection, systemic complications

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Authors: Maya Agarwala

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Objectives: Audit the quality of clinical photographs taken for Orthodontic patients at Queen’s hospital, Romford. Design and setting: All Orthodontic photographs are taken in the Medical Photography Department at Queen’s Hospital. Retrospective audit with data collected between January - March 2023. Gold standard: Institute of Medical Illustrators (IMI) standard 12 photographs: 6 extraoral and 6 intraoral. 100% of patients to have the standard 12 photographs meeting a satisfactory diagnostic quality. Materials and methods: 30 patients randomly selected. All photographs analysed against the IMI gold standard. Results: A total of 360 photographs were analysed. 100% of the photographs had the 12 photographic views. Of which, 93.1% met the gold standard. Of the extraoral photos: 99.4% met the gold standard, 0.6% had incorrect head positioning. Of the intraoral photographs: 87.2% met the gold standard. The most common intraoral errors were: the presence of saliva pooling (7.2%), insufficient soft tissue retraction (3.3%), incomplete occlusal surface visibility (2.2%) and mirror fogging (1.1%). Conclusion: The gold standard was not met, however the overall standard of Orthodontic photographs is high. Further training of the Medical Photography team is needed to improve the quality of photographs. Following the training, the audit will be repeated. High-quality clinical photographs are an important part of clinical record keeping.

Keywords: orthodontics, paediatric, photography, audit

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Authors: Wenxiao Liu, Kun Zhang, Yongqing Li

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Bovine herpesvirus 1, a member of the genus Variellovirus of the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae, has caused severe economic cost to the bovine industry. In this study, BoHV-1 glycerol protein gD was expressed in insect cells, and the purified gD was immunized in the Balb/C mice to generate monoclonal antibodies. Based on hybridoma cell fusion techniques, 20 monoclonal antibodies against Bovine herpesvirus 1 have been obtained. Further, mAb 3F8 with neutralizing activity and gD were applied to develop a blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa) for detecting neutralizing antibodies against BoHV-1, which shows a significant correlation between the blocking Elisa and VNT. The sensitivity and specificity of the test were estimated to be 94.59% and 93.42%, respectively. Furthermore, antibody pairing tests revealed that mAb 1B6 conjugated to fluorescence microspheres was used as the capture antibody, and mAb 3F9 was used as the detectable antibody to establish the immunochromatographic assay (ICS). The ICS was conducted to detect BoHV-1 in bovine samples with high sensitivity, specificity, and good stability. Clinical sample testing revealed that the results of ICS and real-time PCR have a coincidence rate of 95.42%. Our research confirmed that the ICS is a rapid and reliable method for the diagnosis of BoHV-1. In conclusion, our results lay a solid foundation for the prevention and control of BoHV-1 infection.

Keywords: bovine disease, BoHV-1, ELISA, ICS assay

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Authors: Sally Salah El Menshawy, Ghada M. Ahmed GabAllah, Doaa Khedr M. Khedr

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Background: Our study aims to detect the diagnostic role of DTI in the differentiation of salivary glands benign and malignant lesions. Results: Our study included 50 patients (25males and 25 females) divided into 4 groups (benign lesions n=20, malignant tumors n=13, post-operative changes n=10 and normal n=7). 28 patients were with parotid gland lesions, 4 patients were with submandibular gland lesions and only 1 case with sublingual gland affection. The mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of malignant salivary gland tumors (n = 13) (0.380±0.082 and 0.877±0.234× 10⁻³ mm² s⁻¹) were significantly different (P<0.001) than that of benign tumors (n = 20) (0.147±0.03 and 1.47±0.605 × 10⁻³ mm² s⁻¹), respectively. The mean FA and ADC of post-operative changes (n = 10) were (0.211±0.069 and 1.63±0.20× 10⁻³ mm² s⁻¹) while that of normal glands (n =7) was (0.251±0.034and 1.54±0.29× 10⁻³ mm² s⁻¹), respectively. Using ADC to differentiate malignant lesions from benign lesions has an (AUC) of 0.810, with an accuracy of 69.7%. ADC used to differentiate malignant lesions from post-operative changes has (AUC) of 1.0, and an accuracy of 95.7%. FA used to discriminate malignant from benign lesions has (AUC) of 1.0, and an accuracy of 93.9%. FA used to differentiate malignant from post-operative changes has (AUC) of 0.923, and an accuracy of 95.7%. Combined FA and ADC used to differentiate malignant from benign lesions has (AUC) of 1.0, and an accuracy of 100%. Combined FA and ADC used to differentiate malignant from post-operative changes has (AUC) of 1.0, and an accuracy of 100%. Conclusion: Combined FA and ADC can differentiate malignant tumors from benign salivary gland lesions.

Keywords: diffusion tensor imaging, MRI, salivary gland, tumors

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Authors: D. Suman, B. Nikitha, J. Sarvani, V. Archana

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Histological slides provide clinical diagnostic information about the subjects from the ancient times. Even with the advent of high resolution imaging cameras the image tend to have some background noise which makes the analysis complex. A study of the histological slides is done by using a nonlinear transfer function based image enhancement method. The method processes the raw, color images acquired from the biological microscope, which, in general, is associated with background noise. The images usually appearing blurred does not convey the intended information. In this regard, an enhancement method is proposed and implemented on 50 histological slides of human tissue by using nonlinear transfer function method. The histological image is converted into HSV color image. The luminance value of the image is enhanced (V component) because change in the H and S components could change the color balance between HSV components. The HSV image is divided into smaller blocks for carrying out the dynamic range compression by using a linear transformation function. Each pixel in the block is enhanced based on the contrast of the center pixel and its neighborhood. After the processing the V component, the HSV image is transformed into a colour image. The study has shown improvement of the characteristics of the image so that the significant details of the histological images were improved.

Keywords: HSV space, histology, enhancement, image

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Authors: Abebe Mulugojam Negash, Yongbin Yu, Ekong Favour, Bekalu Nigus Dawit, Molla Woretaw Teshome, Aynalem Birtukan Yirga

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Breast cancer remains a significant health concern, necessitating advancements in diagnostic methodologies. Addressing this, our paper confronts the notable challenges in breast cancer classification, particularly the imbalance in datasets and the constraints in the accuracy and interpretability of prevailing deep learning approaches. We proposed an attention-based residual neural network (ResNet), which effectively combines the robust features of ResNet with an advanced attention mechanism. Enhanced through strategic data augmentation and positive weight adjustments, this approach specifically targets the issue of data imbalance. The proposed model is tested on the BreakHis dataset and achieved accuracies of 99.00%, 99.04%, 98.67%, and 98.08% in different magnifications (40X, 100X, 200X, and 400X), respectively. We evaluated the performance by using different evaluation metrics such as precision, recall, and F1-Score and made comparisons with other state-of-the-art methods. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms existing approaches, achieving higher accuracy in breast cancer classification.

Keywords: residual neural network, attention mechanism, positive weight, data augmentation

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Authors: Nahid Banihashemi

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An emerging important area of the life sciences is systems biology, which involves understanding the integrated behavior of large numbers of components interacting via non-linear reaction terms. A centrally important problem in this area is an understanding of the co-metabolism of protein and carbohydrate, as it has been clearly demonstrated that the ratio of these metabolites in diet is a major determinant of obesity and related chronic disease. In this regard, we have considered a systems biology model for the co-metabolism of carbon and nitrogen in colonies of the fungus Mucor mucedo. Oscillations are an important diagnostic of underlying dynamical processes of this model. The maintenance of specific patterns of oscillation and its relation to the robustness of this system are the important issues which have been targeted in this paper. In this regard, parametric sensitivity approach as a theoretical approach has been considered for the analysis of the robustness of this model. As a result, the parameters of the model which produce the largest sensitivities have been identified. Furthermore, the largest changes that can be made in each parameter of the model without losing the oscillations in biomass production have been computed. The results are obtained from the implementation of parametric sensitivity analysis in Matlab.

Keywords: system biology, parametric sensitivity analysis, robustness, carbon and nitrogen co-metabolism, Mucor mucedo

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Authors: Sura Al-Khafaji, Phil Purnell

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Measurement of the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) is an important tool in diagnostic examination of concrete. In this method piezoelectric transducers are normally held in direct contact with the concrete surface. The current study aims to test the hypothesis that a preferential coupling effect might exist i.e. that the speed of sound measured depends on the couplant used. In this study, different coupling media of varying acoustic impedance were placed between the transducers and concrete samples made with constant aggregate content but with different compressive strengths. The preliminary results show that using coupling materials (both solid and a range of liquid substances) has an effect on the pulse velocity measured in a given concrete. The effect varies depending on the material used. The UPV measurements with solid coupling were higher than these from the liquid coupling at all strength levels. The tests using couplants generally recorded lower UPV values than the conventional test, except when carbon fiber composite was used, which retuned higher values. Analysis of variances (ANOVA) was performed to confirm that there are statistically significant differences between the measurements recorded using a conventional system and a coupled system.

Keywords: compressive strength, coupling effect, statistical analysis, ultrasonic

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Authors: Sayna Bahraini, Wendy Gifford, Ian Graham, Liquaa Wazni, Suzettee Bremault-Phillips, Rebekah Hackbusch, Catrine Demers, Mary Egan

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Objective: Guidelines for palliative and spiritual care emphasize the importance of screening patients for spiritual suffering. The aim of this review was to synthesize the research evidence on the accuracy of measures used to screen adults for spiritual suffering. Methods: A systematic review has been conducted. We searched five scientific databases to identify relevant articles. Two independent reviewers screened extracted data and assessed study methodological quality. Results: We identified five articles that yielded information on 24 spiritual screening measures. Among all identified measures, the 2-item Meaning/Joy & Self-Described Struggle has the highest sensitivity (82-87%), and the revised Rush protocol has the highest specificity (81-90%). The methodological quality of all included studies was low. Significance of Results: While most of the identified spiritual screening measures are brief (comprise 1 to 12 number of items), few have sufficient accuracy to effectively screen patients for spiritual suffering. We advise clinicians to use their critical appraisal skills and clinical judgment when selecting and using any of the identified measures to screen for spiritual suffering.

Keywords: screening, suffering, spirituality, diagnostic test accuracy, systematic review

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Authors: Badache Messaoud

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Geothermal thermosyphons (GTs) are increasingly used in many heating and cooling geothermal applications owing to their high heat transfer performance. This paper proposes a response surface methodology (RSM) to investigate and optimize the performance of a CO2 geothermal thermosyphon. The filling ratio (FR), temperature, and flow rate of the heat transfer fluid are selected as the designing parameters, and heat transfer rate and effectiveness are adopted as response parameters (objective functions). First, a dedicated experimental GT test bench filled with CO2 was built and subjected to different test conditions. An RSM was used to establish corresponding models between the input parameters and responses. Various diagnostic tests were used to assess evaluate the quality and validity of the best-fit models, which explain respectively 98.9% and 99.2% of the output result’s variability. Overall, it is concluded from the RSM analysis that the heat transfer fluid inlet temperatures and the flow rate are the factors that have the greatest impact on heat transfer (Q) rate and effectiveness (εff), while the FR has only a slight effect on Q and no effect on εff. The maximal heat transfer rate and effectiveness achieved are 1.86 kW and 47.81%, respectively. Moreover, these optimal values are associated with different flow rate levels (mc level = 1 for Q and -1 for εff), indicating distinct operating regions for maximizing Q and εff within the GT system. Therefore, a multilevel optimization approach is necessary to optimize both the heat transfer rate and effectiveness simultaneously.

Keywords: geothermal thermosiphon, co2, Response surface methodology, heat transfer performance

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Authors: Hargunjeet Shergill, Palwinder Singh

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The present paper analyzes the lack of teachers' awareness and knowledge regarding the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the college students. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder causes individuals to consistently display extreme inattention, impulsivity and in many cases hyperactivity as a result of the physiological differences of the brain. Teachers have a formative influence on their students and can play a key role in identifying and supporting students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Despite the pervasiveness and salience of this disorder, educators at college continue to labor under a number of misconceptions about the nature of ADHD. In order to fulfill this important role, it is imperative for teachers to have explicit knowledge about this disorder. ADHD in college students remains the most under-recognized and undertreated mental health condition. The overall aim of this study is to investigate teachers’ knowledge and misconceptions of ADHD with a particular focus on recognition, assessment and management of ADHD in adult college students. It designed to assess the college teachers' knowledge, opinions, and experience related to the diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and by maintaining open lines of communication with the students and understanding some key elements that can affect students’ overall growth and ability. The discussion focuses on the value of the role of teachers and their relationship with each college student dealing with ADHD.

Keywords: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, development of ADHD, diagnostic criteria, role of teachers

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Authors: Irmak Karaduman, Tugba Corlu, Sezin Galioglu, Burcu Akata, M. Ali Yildirim, Aytunç Ateş, Selim Acar

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Breath analysis represents a promising non-invasive, fast and cost-effective alternative to well-established diagnostic and monitoring techniques such as blood analysis, endoscopy, ultrasonic and tomographic monitoring. Portable, non-invasive, and low-cost breath analysis devices are becoming increasingly desirable for monitoring different diseases, especially asthma. Beacuse of this, NO gas sensing at low concentrations has attracted progressive attention for clinical analysis in asthma. Recently, nanomaterials based sensors are considered to be a promising clinical and laboratory diagnostic tool, because its large surface–to–volume ratio, controllable structure, easily tailored chemical and physical properties, which bring high sensitivity, fast dynamic processand even the increasing specificity. Among various nanomaterials, semiconducting metal oxides are extensively studied gas-sensing materials and are potential sensing elements for breathanalyzer due to their high sensitivity, simple design, low cost and good stability.The sensitivities of metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors can be enhanced by adding noble metals. Doping contents, distribution, and size of metallic or metal oxide catalysts are key parameters for enhancing gas selectivity as well as sensitivity. By manufacturing doping MOS structures, it is possible to develop more efficient sensor sensing layers. Zeolites are perhaps the most widely employed group of silicon-based nanoporous solids. Their well-defined pores of sub nanometric size have earned them the name of molecular sieves, meaning that operation in the size exclusion regime is possible by selecting, among over 170 structures available, the zeolite whose pores allow the pass of the desired molecule, while keeping larger molecules outside.In fact it is selective adsorption, rather than molecular sieving, the mechanism that explains most of the successful gas separations achieved with zeolite membranes. In view of their molecular sieving and selective adsorption properties, it is not surprising that zeolites have found use in a number of works dealing with gas sensing devices. In this study, the Cu doped ZnO nanostructure film was produced by SILAR method and investigated the NO gas sensing properties. To obtain the selectivity of the sample, the gases including CO,NH3,H2 and CH4 were detected to compare with NO. The maximum response is obtained at 85 C for 20 ppb NO gas. The sensor shows high response to NO gas. However, acceptable responses are calculated for CO and NH3 gases. Therefore, there are no responses obtain for H2 and CH4 gases. Enhanced to selectivity, Cu doped ZnO nanostructure film was coated with zeolite A thin film. It is found that the sample possess an acceptable response towards NO hardly respond to CO, NH3, H2 and CH4 at room temperature. This difference in the response can be expressed in terms of differences in the molecular structure, the dipole moment, strength of the electrostatic interaction and the dielectric constant. The as-synthesized thin film is considered to be one of the extremely promising candidate materials in electronic nose applications. This work is supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBİTAK) under Project No, 115M658 and Gazi University Scientific Research Fund under project no 05/2016-21.

Keywords: Cu doped ZnO, electrical characterization, gas sensing, zeolite

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Authors: Kalthoum Riahi, Max T. Rietberg, Javier Perez y Perez, Corné Dijkstra, Bennie ten Haken, Lejla Alic

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Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are widely used to facilitate magnetic particle imaging (MPI) which has the potential to become the leading diagnostic instrument for biomedical imaging. This comparative study assesses the effects of changing iron content and excitation frequency on point-spread function (PSF) representing the effect of magnetization reversal. PSF is quantified by features of interest for MPI: i.e., drive field amplitude and full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM). A superparamagnetic quantifier (SPaQ) is used to assess differential magnetic susceptibility of two commercially available MNPs: Synomag®-D50 and Synomag®-D70. For both MNPs, the signal output depends on increase in drive field frequency and amount of iron-oxide, which might be hampering the sensitivity of MPI systems that perform on higher frequencies. Nevertheless, there is a clear potential of Synomag®-D for a stable MPI resolution, especially in case of 70 nm version, that is independent of either drive field frequency or amount of iron-oxide.

Keywords: magnetic nanoparticles, MNPs, differential magnetic susceptibility, DMS, magnetic particle imaging, MPI, magnetic relaxation, Synomag®-D

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Authors: Yekta Ülgen, Fırat Matur

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Cole-Cole parameters of 40 post-menopausal women are compared with their DEXA bone mineral density measurements. Impedance characteristics of four extremities are compared; left and right extremities are statistically same, but lower extremities are statistically different than upper ones due to their different fat content. The correlation of Cole-Cole impedance parameters to bone mineral density (BMD) is observed to be higher for a dominant arm. With the post menopausal population, ANOVA tests of the dominant arm characteristic frequency, as a predictor for DEXA classified osteopenic and osteoporotic population around the lumbar spine, is statistically very significant. When used for total lumbar spine osteoporosis diagnosis, the area under the Receiver Operating Curve of the characteristic frequency is 0.875, suggesting that the Cole-Cole plot characteristic frequency could be a useful diagnostic parameter when integrated into standard screening methods for osteoporosis. Moreover, the characteristic frequency can be directly measured by monitoring frequency driven the angular behavior of the dominant arm without performing any complex calculation.

Keywords: bioimpedance spectroscopy, bone mineral density, osteoporosis, characteristic frequency, receiver operating curve

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Authors: Tatsuya Iizuka, Takushi Kawamorita, Tomoya Handa, Hitoshi Ishikawa

Abstract:

We report normative cone contrast sensitivity values and sensitivity and specificity values for a computer-based color vision test, the cone contrast test-HD (CCT-HD). The participants included 50 phakic eyes with normal color vision (NCV) and 20 dichromatic eyes (ten with protanopia and ten with deuteranopia). The CCT-HD was used to measure L, M, and S-CCT-HD scores (color vision deficiency, L-, M-cone logCS≦1.65, S-cone logCS≦0.425) to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of CCT-HD based on anomalous-type diagnosis with animalscope. The mean ± standard error L-, M-, S-cone logCS for protanopia were 0.90±0.04, 1.65±0.03, and 0.63±0.02, respectively; for deuteranopia 1.74±0.03, 1.31±0.03, and 0.61±0.06, respectively; and for age-matched NCV were 1.89±0.04, 1.84±0.04, and 0.60±0.03, respectively, with significant differences for each group except for S-CCT-HD (Bonferroni corrected α = 0.0167, p < 0.0167). The sensitivity and specificity of CCT-HD were 100% for protan and deutan in diagnosing abnormal types from 20 to 64 years of age, but the specificity decreased to 65% for protan and 55% for deutan in older persons > 65. CCT-HD is comparable to the diagnostic performance of the anomalous type in the anomaloscope for the 20-64-year-old age group. However, the results should be interpreted cautiously in those ≥ 65 years. They are more susceptible to acquired color vision deficiencies due to the yellowing of the crystalline lens and other factors.

Keywords: cone contrast test HD, color vision test, congenital color vision deficiency, red-green dichromacy, cone contrast sensitivity

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Authors: H. Feza Carlak, N. G. Gencer

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To increase the temperature contrast in thermal images, the characteristics of the electrical conductivity and thermal imaging modalities can be combined. In this experimental study, it is objected to observe whether the temperature contrast created by the tumor tissue can be improved just due to the current application within medical safety limits. Various thermal breast phantoms are developed to simulate the female breast tissue. In vitro experiments are implemented using a thermal infrared camera in a controlled manner. Since experiments are implemented in vitro, there is no metabolic heat generation and blood perfusion. Only the effects and results of the electrical stimulation are investigated. Experimental study is implemented with two-dimensional models. Temperature contrasts due to the tumor tissues are obtained. Cancerous tissue is determined using the difference and ratio of healthy and tumor images. 1 cm diameter single tumor tissue causes almost 40 °mC temperature contrast on the thermal-breast phantom. Electrode artifacts are reduced by taking the difference and ratio of background (healthy) and tumor images. Ratio of healthy and tumor images show that temperature contrast is increased by the current application.

Keywords: medical diagnostic imaging, breast phantom, active thermography, breast cancer detection

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Authors: Olena Mayboroda, Angel Gonzalez Benito, Jonathan Sabate Del Rio, Marketa Svobodova, Sandra Julich, Herbert Tomaso, Ciara K. O'Sullivan, Ioanis Katakis

Abstract:

DNA amplification is required for most molecular diagnostic applications but conventional PCR has disadvantages for field testing. Isothermal amplification techniques are being developed to respond to this problem. One of them is the Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) that operates at isothermal conditions without sacrificing specificity and sensitivity in easy-to-use formats. In this work RPA was used for the optical detection of solid-phase amplification of the potential biowarfare agent Yersinia pestis. Thiolated forward primers were immobilized on the surface of maleimide-activated microtitre plates for the quantitative detection of synthetic and genomic DNA, with elongation occurring only in the presence of the specific template DNA and solution phase reverse primers. Quantitative detection was achieved via the use of biotinylated reverse primers and post-amplification addition of streptavidin-HRP conjugate. The overall time of amplification and detection was less than 1 hour at a constant temperature of 37oC. Single-stranded and double-stranded DNA sequences were detected achieving detection limits of 4.04*10-13 M and 3.14*10-16 M, respectively. The system demonstrated high specificity with negligible responses to non-specific targets.

Keywords: recombinase polymerase amplification, Yersinia pestis, solid-phase detection, ELONA

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Authors: Simon B. N. Thompson

Abstract:

Cortisol is essential to the regulation of the immune system and yawning is a pathological symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). Electromyography activity (EMG) in the jaw muscles typically rises when the muscles are moved and with yawning is highly correlated with cortisol levels in healthy people. Saliva samples from 59 participants were collected at the start and after yawning, or at the end of the presentation of yawning-provoking stimuli, in the absence of a yawn, together with EMG data and questionnaire data: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Yawning Susceptibility Scale, General Health Questionnaire, demographic, health details. Exclusion criteria: chronic fatigue, diabetes, fibromyalgia, heart condition, high blood pressure, hormone replacement therapy, multiple sclerosis, stroke. Significant differences were found between the saliva cortisol samples for the yawners, t (23) = -4.263, p = 0.000, as compared with the non-yawners between rest and post-stimuli, which was non-significant. Significant evidence was found to support the Thompson Cortisol Hypothesis suggesting that rises in cortisol levels are associated with yawning. Further research is exploring the use of cortisol as an early diagnostic tool for MS. Ethics approval granted and professional code of conduct, confidentiality, and safety issues are approved therein.

Keywords: cortisol, multiple sclerosis, yawning, thompson cortisol hypothesis

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Authors: Alexander Dao, Oscar Wambuguh

Abstract:

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a heterogeneous functional bowel disease that is characterized by chronic visceral abdominal pain and abnormal bowel function and habits. Its multifactorial pathophysiology and mechanisms are still largely a mystery to the contemporary biomedical community, although there are many hypotheses to try to explain IBS’s presumed physiological, psychosocial, genetic, and environmental etiologies. IBS’s symptomatic presentation is varied and divided into four major subtypes: IBS-C, IBS-D, IBS-M, and IBS-U. Given its diverse presentation and unclear mechanisms, diagnosis is done through a combination of positive identification utilizing the “Rome IV Irritable Bowel Syndrome Criteria'' (Rome IV) diagnostic criteria while also excluding other potential conditions with similar symptoms. Treatment of IBS is focused on the management of symptoms using an assortment of pharmaceuticals, lifestyle changes, and dietary changes, with future potential in microbial treatment and psychotherapy as other therapy methods. Its chronic, heterogeneous nature and disruptive gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are negatively impactful on patients’ daily lives, health systems, and society. However, with a better understanding of the gaps in knowledge and technological advances in IBS’s pathophysiology, management, and treatment options, there is optimism for the millions of people worldwide who are suffering from the debilitating effects of IBS.

Keywords: irritable bowel syndrome, lifestyle, diet, functional gastrointestinal disorder

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