Sample records for accurate non-invasive estimation

  1. A systematic approach for the accurate non-invasive estimation of blood glucose utilizing a novel light-tissue interaction adaptive modelling scheme

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rybynok, V. O.; Kyriacou, P. A.

    2007-10-01

    Diabetes is one of the biggest health challenges of the 21st century. The obesity epidemic, sedentary lifestyles and an ageing population mean prevalence of the condition is currently doubling every generation. Diabetes is associated with serious chronic ill health, disability and premature mortality. Long-term complications including heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease and amputations, make the greatest contribution to the costs of diabetes care. Many of these long-term effects could be avoided with earlier, more effective monitoring and treatment. Currently, blood glucose can only be monitored through the use of invasive techniques. To date there is no widely accepted and readily available non-invasive monitoring technique to measure blood glucose despite the many attempts. This paper challenges one of the most difficult non-invasive monitoring techniques, that of blood glucose, and proposes a new novel approach that will enable the accurate, and calibration free estimation of glucose concentration in blood. This approach is based on spectroscopic techniques and a new adaptive modelling scheme. The theoretical implementation and the effectiveness of the adaptive modelling scheme for this application has been described and a detailed mathematical evaluation has been employed to prove that such a scheme has the capability of extracting accurately the concentration of glucose from a complex biological media.

  2. Development and validation of a MRgHIFU non-invasive tissue acoustic property estimation technique.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Sara L; Dillon, Christopher; Odéen, Henrik; Parker, Dennis; Christensen, Douglas; Payne, Allison

    2016-11-01

    MR-guided high-intensity focussed ultrasound (MRgHIFU) non-invasive ablative surgeries have advanced into clinical trials for treating many pathologies and cancers. A remaining challenge of these surgeries is accurately planning and monitoring tissue heating in the face of patient-specific and dynamic acoustic properties of tissues. Currently, non-invasive measurements of acoustic properties have not been implemented in MRgHIFU treatment planning and monitoring procedures. This methods-driven study presents a technique using MR temperature imaging (MRTI) during low-temperature HIFU sonications to non-invasively estimate sample-specific acoustic absorption and speed of sound values in tissue-mimicking phantoms. Using measured thermal properties, specific absorption rate (SAR) patterns are calculated from the MRTI data and compared to simulated SAR patterns iteratively generated via the Hybrid Angular Spectrum (HAS) method. Once the error between the simulated and measured patterns is minimised, the estimated acoustic property values are compared to the true phantom values obtained via an independent technique. The estimated values are then used to simulate temperature profiles in the phantoms, and compared to experimental temperature profiles. This study demonstrates that trends in acoustic absorption and speed of sound can be non-invasively estimated with average errors of 21% and 1%, respectively. Additionally, temperature predictions using the estimated properties on average match within 1.2 °C of the experimental peak temperature rises in the phantoms. The positive results achieved in tissue-mimicking phantoms presented in this study indicate that this technique may be extended to in vivo applications, improving HIFU sonication temperature rise predictions and treatment assessment.

  3. Accurate discrimination of the wake-sleep states of mice using non-invasive whole-body plethysmography.

    PubMed

    Bastianini, Stefano; Alvente, Sara; Berteotti, Chiara; Lo Martire, Viviana; Silvani, Alessandro; Swoap, Steven J; Valli, Alice; Zoccoli, Giovanna; Cohen, Gary

    2017-01-31

    A major limitation in the study of sleep breathing disorders in mouse models of pathology is the need to combine whole-body plethysmography (WBP) to measure respiration with electroencephalography/electromyography (EEG/EMG) to discriminate wake-sleep states. However, murine wake-sleep states may be discriminated from breathing and body movements registered by the WBP signal alone. Our goal was to compare the EEG/EMG-based and the WBP-based scoring of wake-sleep states of mice, and provide formal guidelines for the latter. EEG, EMG, blood pressure and WBP signals were simultaneously recorded from 20 mice. Wake-sleep states were scored based either on EEG/EMG or on WBP signals and sleep-dependent respiratory and cardiovascular estimates were calculated. We found that the overall agreement between the 2 methods was 90%, with a high Cohen's Kappa index (0.82). The inter-rater agreement between 2 experts and between 1 expert and 1 naïve sleep investigators gave similar results. Sleep-dependent respiratory and cardiovascular estimates did not depend on the scoring method. We show that non-invasive discrimination of the wake-sleep states of mice based on visual inspection of the WBP signal is accurate, reliable and reproducible. This work may set the stage for non-invasive high-throughput experiments evaluating sleep and breathing patterns on mouse models of pathophysiology.

  4. A Non-Invasive Method for Estimating Cardiopulmonary Variables Using Breath-by-Breath Injection of Two Tracer Gases.

    PubMed

    Clifton, Lei; Clifton, David A; Hahn, Clive E W; Farmeryy, Andrew D

    2013-01-01

    Conventional methods for estimating cardiopulmonary variables usually require complex gas analyzers and the active co-operation of the patient. Therefore, they are not compatible with the crowded environment of the intensive care unit (ICU) or operating theatre, where patient co-operation is typically impossible. However, it is these patients that would benefit the most from accurate estimation of cardiopulmonary variables, because of their critical condition. This paper describes the results of a collaborative development between an anesthesiologists and biomedical engineers to create a compact and non-invasive system for the measurement of cardiopulmonary variables such as lung volume, airway dead space volume, and pulmonary blood flow. In contrast with conventional methods, the compact apparatus and non-invasive nature of the proposed method allow it to be used in the ICU, as well as in general clinical settings. We propose the use of a non-invasive method, in which tracer gases are injected into the patient's inspired breath, and the concentration of the tracer gases is subsequently measured. A novel breath-by-breath tidal ventilation model is then used to estimate the value of a patient's cardiopulmonary variables. Experimental results from an artificial lung demonstrate minimal error in the estimation of known parameters using the proposed method. Results from analysis of a cohort of 20 healthy volunteers (within the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust) show that the values of estimated cardiopulmonary variables from these subjects lies within the expected ranges. Advantages of this method are that it is non-invasive, compact, portable, and can perform analysis in real time with less than 1 min of acquired respiratory data.

  5. The roadmap for estimation of cell-type-specific neuronal activity from non-invasive measurements

    PubMed Central

    Uhlirova, Hana; Kılıç, Kıvılcım; Tian, Peifang; Sakadžić, Sava; Thunemann, Martin; Desjardins, Michèle; Saisan, Payam A.; Nizar, Krystal; Yaseen, Mohammad A.; Hagler, Donald J.; Vandenberghe, Matthieu; Djurovic, Srdjan; Andreassen, Ole A.; Silva, Gabriel A.; Masliah, Eliezer; Vinogradov, Sergei; Buxton, Richard B.; Einevoll, Gaute T.; Boas, David A.; Dale, Anders M.; Devor, Anna

    2016-01-01

    The computational properties of the human brain arise from an intricate interplay between billions of neurons connected in complex networks. However, our ability to study these networks in healthy human brain is limited by the necessity to use non-invasive technologies. This is in contrast to animal models where a rich, detailed view of cellular-level brain function with cell-type-specific molecular identity has become available due to recent advances in microscopic optical imaging and genetics. Thus, a central challenge facing neuroscience today is leveraging these mechanistic insights from animal studies to accurately draw physiological inferences from non-invasive signals in humans. On the essential path towards this goal is the development of a detailed ‘bottom-up’ forward model bridging neuronal activity at the level of cell-type-specific populations to non-invasive imaging signals. The general idea is that specific neuronal cell types have identifiable signatures in the way they drive changes in cerebral blood flow, cerebral metabolic rate of O2 (measurable with quantitative functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and electrical currents/potentials (measurable with magneto/electroencephalography). This forward model would then provide the ‘ground truth’ for the development of new tools for tackling the inverse problem—estimation of neuronal activity from multimodal non-invasive imaging data. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Interpreting BOLD: a dialogue between cognitive and cellular neuroscience’. PMID:27574309

  6. Non-invasive pressure difference estimation from PC-MRI using the work-energy equation

    PubMed Central

    Donati, Fabrizio; Figueroa, C. Alberto; Smith, Nicolas P.; Lamata, Pablo; Nordsletten, David A.

    2015-01-01

    Pressure difference is an accepted clinical biomarker for cardiovascular disease conditions such as aortic coarctation. Currently, measurements of pressure differences in the clinic rely on invasive techniques (catheterization), prompting development of non-invasive estimates based on blood flow. In this work, we propose a non-invasive estimation procedure deriving pressure difference from the work-energy equation for a Newtonian fluid. Spatial and temporal convergence is demonstrated on in silico Phase Contrast Magnetic Resonance Image (PC-MRI) phantoms with steady and transient flow fields. The method is also tested on an image dataset generated in silico from a 3D patient-specific Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation and finally evaluated on a cohort of 9 subjects. The performance is compared to existing approaches based on steady and unsteady Bernoulli formulations as well as the pressure Poisson equation. The new technique shows good accuracy, robustness to noise, and robustness to the image segmentation process, illustrating the potential of this approach for non-invasive pressure difference estimation. PMID:26409245

  7. Comparison of different models for non-invasive FFR estimation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mirramezani, Mehran; Shadden, Shawn

    2017-11-01

    Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. Fractional flow reserve (FFR), derived from invasively measuring the pressure drop across a stenosis, is considered the gold standard to diagnose disease severity and need for treatment. Non-invasive estimation of FFR has gained recent attention for its potential to reduce patient risk and procedural cost versus invasive FFR measurement. Non-invasive FFR can be obtained by using image-based computational fluid dynamics to simulate blood flow and pressure in a patient-specific coronary model. However, 3D simulations require extensive effort for model construction and numerical computation, which limits their routine use. In this study we compare (ordered by increasing computational cost/complexity): reduced-order algebraic models of pressure drop across a stenosis; 1D, 2D (multiring) and 3D CFD models; as well as 3D FSI for the computation of FFR in idealized and patient-specific stenosis geometries. We demonstrate the ability of an appropriate reduced order algebraic model to closely predict FFR when compared to FFR from a full 3D simulation. This work was supported by the NIH, Grant No. R01-HL103419.

  8. Non-invasive indices for the estimation of the anaerobic threshold of oarsmen.

    PubMed

    Erdogan, A; Cetin, C; Karatosun, H; Baydar, M L

    2010-01-01

    This study compared four common non-invasive indices with an invasive index for determining the anaerobic threshold (AT) in 22 adult male rowers using a Concept2 rowing ergometer. A criterion-standard progressive incremental test (invasive method) measured blood lactate concentrations to determine the 4 mmol/l threshold (La4-AT) and Dmax AT (Dm-AT). This was compared with three indices obtained by analysis of respiratory gases and one that was based on the heart rate (HR) deflection point (HRDP) all of which used the Conconi test (non-invasive methods). In the Conconi test, the HRDP was determined whilst continuously increasing the power output (PO) by 25 W/min and measuring respiratory gases and HR. The La4-AT and Dm-AT values differed slightly with respect to oxygen uptake, PO and HR however, AT values significantly correlated with each other and with the four non-invasive methods. In conclusion, the non-invasive indices were comparable with the invasive index and could, therefore, be used in the assessment of AT during rowing ergometer use. In this population of elite rowers, Conconi threshold (Con-AT), based on the measurement of HRDP tended to be the most adequate way of estimating AT for training regulation purposes.

  9. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of achondroplasia and thanatophoric dysplasia: next-generation sequencing allows for a safer, more accurate, and comprehensive approach

    PubMed Central

    Chitty, Lyn S; Mason, Sarah; Barrett, Angela N; McKay, Fiona; Lench, Nicholas; Daley, Rebecca; Jenkins, Lucy A

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Objective Accurate prenatal diagnosis of genetic conditions can be challenging and usually requires invasive testing. Here, we demonstrate the potential of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for the analysis of cell-free DNA in maternal blood to transform prenatal diagnosis of monogenic disorders. Methods Analysis of cell-free DNA using a PCR and restriction enzyme digest (PCR–RED) was compared with a novel NGS assay in pregnancies at risk of achondroplasia and thanatophoric dysplasia. Results PCR–RED was performed in 72 cases and was correct in 88.6%, inconclusive in 7% with one false negative. NGS was performed in 47 cases and was accurate in 96.2% with no inconclusives. Both approaches were used in 27 cases, with NGS giving the correct result in the two cases inconclusive with PCR–RED. Conclusion NGS provides an accurate, flexible approach to non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of de novo and paternally inherited mutations. It is more sensitive than PCR–RED and is ideal when screening a gene with multiple potential pathogenic mutations. These findings highlight the value of NGS in the development of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis for other monogenic disorders. © 2015 The Authors. Prenatal Diagnosis published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. What's already known about this topic? Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) using PCR-based methods has been reported for the detection or exclusion of individual paternally inherited or de novo alleles in maternal plasma. What does this study add? NIPD using next generation sequencing provides an accurate, more sensitive approach which can be used to detect multiple mutations in a single assay and so is ideal when screening a gene with multiple potential pathogenic mutations. Next generation sequencing thus provides a flexible approach to non-invasive prenatal diagnosis ideal for use in a busy service laboratory. PMID:25728633

  10. Intracranial Pressure Monitoring: Invasive versus Non-Invasive Methods—A Review

    PubMed Central

    Raboel, P. H.; Bartek, J.; Andresen, M.; Bellander, B. M.; Romner, B.

    2012-01-01

    Monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) has been used for decades in the fields of neurosurgery and neurology. There are multiple techniques: invasive as well as noninvasive. This paper aims to provide an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the most common and well-known methods as well as assess whether noninvasive techniques (transcranial Doppler, tympanic membrane displacement, optic nerve sheath diameter, CT scan/MRI and fundoscopy) can be used as reliable alternatives to the invasive techniques (ventriculostomy and microtransducers). Ventriculostomy is considered the gold standard in terms of accurate measurement of pressure, although microtransducers generally are just as accurate. Both invasive techniques are associated with a minor risk of complications such as hemorrhage and infection. Furthermore, zero drift is a problem with selected microtransducers. The non-invasive techniques are without the invasive methods' risk of complication, but fail to measure ICP accurately enough to be used as routine alternatives to invasive measurement. We conclude that invasive measurement is currently the only option for accurate measurement of ICP. PMID:22720148

  11. Non-invasive estimation of dissipation from non-equilibrium fluctuations in chemical reactions.

    PubMed

    Muy, S; Kundu, A; Lacoste, D

    2013-09-28

    We show how to extract an estimate of the entropy production from a sufficiently long time series of stationary fluctuations of chemical reactions. This method, which is based on recent work on fluctuation theorems, is direct, non-invasive, does not require any knowledge about the underlying dynamics and is applicable even when only partial information is available. We apply it to simple stochastic models of chemical reactions involving a finite number of states, and for this case, we study how the estimate of dissipation is affected by the degree of coarse-graining present in the input data.

  12. Bridging the gaps between non-invasive genetic sampling and population parameter estimation

    Treesearch

    Francesca Marucco; Luigi Boitani; Daniel H. Pletscher; Michael K. Schwartz

    2011-01-01

    Reliable estimates of population parameters are necessary for effective management and conservation actions. The use of genetic data for capture­recapture (CR) analyses has become an important tool to estimate population parameters for elusive species. Strong emphasis has been placed on the genetic analysis of non-invasive samples, or on the CR analysis; however,...

  13. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of achondroplasia and thanatophoric dysplasia: next-generation sequencing allows for a safer, more accurate, and comprehensive approach.

    PubMed

    Chitty, Lyn S; Mason, Sarah; Barrett, Angela N; McKay, Fiona; Lench, Nicholas; Daley, Rebecca; Jenkins, Lucy A

    2015-07-01

    Accurate prenatal diagnosis of genetic conditions can be challenging and usually requires invasive testing. Here, we demonstrate the potential of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for the analysis of cell-free DNA in maternal blood to transform prenatal diagnosis of monogenic disorders. Analysis of cell-free DNA using a PCR and restriction enzyme digest (PCR-RED) was compared with a novel NGS assay in pregnancies at risk of achondroplasia and thanatophoric dysplasia. PCR-RED was performed in 72 cases and was correct in 88.6%, inconclusive in 7% with one false negative. NGS was performed in 47 cases and was accurate in 96.2% with no inconclusives. Both approaches were used in 27 cases, with NGS giving the correct result in the two cases inconclusive with PCR-RED. NGS provides an accurate, flexible approach to non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of de novo and paternally inherited mutations. It is more sensitive than PCR-RED and is ideal when screening a gene with multiple potential pathogenic mutations. These findings highlight the value of NGS in the development of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis for other monogenic disorders. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Detection theory for accurate and non-invasive skin cancer diagnosis using dynamic thermal imaging

    PubMed Central

    Godoy, Sebastián E.; Hayat, Majeed M.; Ramirez, David A.; Myers, Stephen A.; Padilla, R. Steven; Krishna, Sanjay

    2017-01-01

    Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States with over 3.5M annual cases. Presently, visual inspection by a dermatologist has good sensitivity (> 90%) but poor specificity (< 10%), especially for melanoma, which leads to a high number of unnecessary biopsies. Here we use dynamic thermal imaging (DTI) to demonstrate a rapid, accurate and non-invasive imaging system for detection of skin cancer. In DTI, the lesion is cooled down and the thermal recovery is recorded using infrared imaging. The thermal recovery curves of the suspected lesions are then utilized in the context of continuous-time detection theory in order to define an optimal statistical decision rule such that the sensitivity of the algorithm is guaranteed to be at a maximum for every prescribed false-alarm probability. The proposed methodology was tested in a pilot study including 140 human subjects demonstrating a sensitivity in excess of 99% for a prescribed specificity in excess of 99% for detection of skin cancer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest reported accuracy for any non-invasive skin cancer diagnosis method. PMID:28736673

  15. Non-Invasive markers for hepatic fibrosis

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    With great advancements in the therapeutic modalities used for the treatment of chronic liver diseases, the accurate assessment of liver fibrosis is a vital need for successful individualized management of disease activity in patients. The lack of accurate, reproducible and easily applied methods for fibrosis assessment has been the major limitation in both the clinical management and for research in liver diseases. However, the problem of the development of biomarkers capable of non-invasive staging of fibrosis in the liver is difficult due to the fact that the process of fibrogenesis is a component of the normal healing response to injury, invasion by pathogens, and many other etiologic factors. Current non-invasive methods range from serum biomarker assays to advanced imaging techniques such as transient elastography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Among non-invasive methods that gain strongest clinical foothold are FibroScan elastometry and serum-based APRI and FibroTest. There are many other tests that are not yet widely validated, but are none the less, promising. The rate of adoption of non-invasive diagnostic tests for liver fibrosis differs from country to country, but remains limited. At the present time, use of non-invasive procedures could be recommended as pre-screening that may allow physicians to narrow down the patients' population before definitive testing of liver fibrosis by biopsy of the liver. This review provides a systematic overview of these techniques, as well as both direct and indirect biomarkers based approaches used to stage fibrosis and covers recent developments in this rapidly advancing area. PMID:21849046

  16. Non-invasively estimated ICP pulse amplitude strongly correlates with outcome after TBI.

    PubMed

    Budohoski, Karol P; Schmidt, Bernhard; Smielewski, Peter; Kasprowicz, Magdalena; Plontke, Ronny; Pickard, John D; Klingelhöfer, Jurgen; Czosnyka, Marek

    2012-01-01

    An existing monitoring database of brain signal recordings in patients with head injury has been re-evaluated with regard to the accuracy of estimation of non-invasive ICP (nICP) and its components, with a particular interest in the implications for outcome after head injury. Middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (FV), ICP and arterial blood pressure (ABP) were recorded. Non-invasive ICP (nICP) was calculated using a mathematical model. Other signals analysed included components of ICP (n" indicates non-invasive): ICP pulse amplitude (Amp, nAmp), amplitude of the respiratory component (Resp, nResp), amplitude of slow vasogenic waves of ICP (Slow, nSlow) and index of compensatory reserve (RAP, nRAP). Mean values of analysed signals were compared against each other and between patients who died and survived. The correlation between ICP and nICP was moderately strong, R = 0.51 (95% prediction interval [PI] 17 mm Hg). The components of nICP and ICP were also moderately correlated with each other: the strongest correlation was observed for Resp vs. nResp (r = 0.66), while weaker for Amp vs. nAmp (r = 0.41). Non-invasive pulse amplitude of ICP showed the strongest association with outcome, with the -difference between those who survived and those who died reaching a significance level of p < 0.000001. When compared between patients who died and who survived mean nAmp showed the greatest difference, suggesting its potential to predict mortality after TBI.

  17. Non-Invasive In Vivo Ultrasound Temperature Estimation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bayat, Mahdi

    New emerging technologies in thermal therapy require precise monitoring and control of the delivered thermal dose in a variety of situations. The therapeutic temperature changes in target tissues range from few degrees for releasing chemotherapy drugs encapsulated in the thermosensitive liposomes to boiling temperatures in complete ablation of tumors via cell necrosis. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has emerged as a promising modality for noninvasive surgery due to its ability to create precise mechanical and thermal effects at the target without affecting surrounding tissues. An essential element in all these procedures, however, is accurate estimation of the target tissue temperature during the procedure to ensure its safety and efficacy. The advent of diagnostic imaging tools for guidance of thermal therapy was a key factor in the clinical acceptance of these minimally invasive or noninvasive methods. More recently, ultrasound and magnetic resonance (MR) thermography techniques have been proposed for guidance, monitoring, and control of noninvasive thermal therapies. MR thermography has shown acceptable sensitivity and accuracy in imaging temperature change and it is currently FDA-approved on clinical HIFU units. However, it suffers from limitations like cost of integration with ultrasound therapy system and slow rate of imaging for real time guidance. Ultrasound, on the other hand, has the advantage of real time imaging and ease of integration with the therapy system. An infinitesimal model for imaging temperature change using pulse-echo ultrasound has been demonstrated, including in vivo small-animal imaging. However, this model suffers from limitations that prevent demonstration in more clinically-relevant settings. One limitation stems from the infinitesimal nature of the model, which results in spatial inconsistencies of the estimated temperature field. Another limitation is the sensitivity to tissue motion and deformation during in vivo, which

  18. Non-invasive spectroscopic techniques in the diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drakaki, E.; Sianoudis, IA; Zois, EN; Makropoulou, M.; Serafetinides, AA; Dessinioti, C.; Stefanaki, E.; Stratigos, AJ; Antoniou, C.; Katsambas, A.; Christofidou, E.

    2017-11-01

    The number of non-melanoma skin cancers is increasing worldwide and has become an important health and economic issue. Early detection and treatment of skin cancer can significantly improve patient outcome. Therefore there is an increase in the demand for proper management and effective non-invasive diagnostic modalities in order to avoid relapses or unnecessary treatments. Although the gold standard of diagnosis for non-melanoma skin cancers is biopsy followed by histopathology evaluation, optical non-invasive diagnostic tools have obtained increased attention. Emerging non-invasive or minimal invasive techniques with possible application in the diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancers include high-definition optical coherence tomography, fluorescence spectroscopy, oblique incidence diffuse reflectance spectrometry among others spectroscopic techniques. Our findings establish how those spectrometric techniques can be used to more rapidly and easily diagnose skin cancer in an accurate and automated manner in the clinic.

  19. Reproductive effort in invasive and non-invasive Rubus.

    PubMed

    McDowell, Susan C; Turner, David P

    2002-10-01

    We quantified the physiological costs and the total amount of resources allocated to reproduction in two closely related species of Rubus, one of which is invasive. These two species share several morphological and life-history characteristics and grow together in the Pacific Northwestern United States. Reproductive effort was manipulated in canes of both species by removing flower buds. The non-invasive species, R. ursinus, exhibited significantly greater water stress in the reproductive canes, as indicated by lower leaf water potential (Ψ) and reduced stomatal conductance (g s ). This species also showed a reduction in leaf nitrogen concentration ([N]) associated with reproduction. Combined, these factors led to reduced photosynthesis (A) on a diurnal basis, lower water-use efficiency as inferred from δ 13 C, and reduced photosynthetic capacity. All of these effects were more pronounced during the fruiting stage than in the flowering stage. The invasive species, R. discolor, showed no changes in water stress, [N], δ 13 C, or A associated with reproduction. A model was used to estimate total gross photosynthesis (A gross ) for reproductive and non-reproductive canes of both species over cane lifetime. Reproduction was associated with a greater decline in A gross for the non-invasive R. ursinus than for the invasive R. discolor. Although R. discolor allocated more resources directly to flowers and fruit than R. ursinus, the invasive species had significantly lower reproductive effort, or total amount of resources diverted from vegetative activity to reproduction, than the non-invasive species. By minimizing the reduction of photosynthesis associated with reproduction, this invasive species may be able to minimize the trade-offs commonly associated with reproduction.

  20. Limitations of Stroke Volume Estimation by Non-Invasive Blood Pressure Monitoring in Hypergravity

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Background Altitude and gravity changes during aeromedical evacuations induce exacerbated cardiovascular responses in unstable patients. Non-invasive cardiac output monitoring is difficult to perform in this environment with limited access to the patient. We evaluated the feasibility and accuracy of stroke volume estimation by finger photoplethysmography (SVp) in hypergravity. Methods Finger arterial blood pressure (ABP) waveforms were recorded continuously in ten healthy subjects before, during and after exposure to +Gz accelerations in a human centrifuge. The protocol consisted of a 2-min and 8-min exposure up to +4 Gz. SVp was computed from ABP using Liljestrand, systolic area, and Windkessel algorithms, and compared with reference values measured by echocardiography (SVe) before and after the centrifuge runs. Results The ABP signal could be used in 83.3% of cases. After calibration with echocardiography, SVp changes did not differ from SVe and values were linearly correlated (p<0.001). The three algorithms gave comparable SVp. Reproducibility between SVp and SVe was the best with the systolic area algorithm (limits of agreement −20.5 and +38.3 ml). Conclusions Non-invasive ABP photoplethysmographic monitoring is an interesting technique to estimate relative stroke volume changes in moderate and sustained hypergravity. This method may aid physicians for aeronautic patient monitoring. PMID:25798613

  1. Non-Invasive Monitoring of Cardiac Output in Critical Care Medicine.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, Lee S; Squara, Pierre

    2017-01-01

    Critically ill patients require close hemodynamic monitoring to titrate treatment on a regular basis. It allows administering fluid with parsimony and adjusting inotropes and vasoactive drugs when necessary. Although invasive monitoring is considered as the reference method, non-invasive monitoring presents the obvious advantage of being associated with fewer complications, at the expanse of accuracy, precision, and step-response change. A great many methods and devices are now used over the world, and this article focuses on several of them, providing with a brief review of related underlying physical principles and validation articles analysis. Reviewed methods include electrical bioimpedance and bioreactance, respiratory-derived cardiac output (CO) monitoring technique, pulse wave transit time, ultrasound CO monitoring, multimodal algorithmic estimation, and inductance thoracocardiography. Quality criteria with which devices were reviewed included: accuracy (closeness of agreement between a measurement value and a true value of the measured), precision (closeness of agreement between replicate measurements on the same or similar objects under specified conditions), and step response change (delay between physiological change and its indication). Our conclusion is that the offer of non-invasive monitoring has improved in the past few years, even though further developments are needed to provide clinicians with sufficiently accurate devices for routine use, as alternative to invasive monitoring devices.

  2. On the possibility of non-invasive multilayer temperature estimation using soft-computing methods.

    PubMed

    Teixeira, C A; Pereira, W C A; Ruano, A E; Ruano, M Graça

    2010-01-01

    This work reports original results on the possibility of non-invasive temperature estimation (NITE) in a multilayered phantom by applying soft-computing methods. The existence of reliable non-invasive temperature estimator models would improve the security and efficacy of thermal therapies. These points would lead to a broader acceptance of this kind of therapies. Several approaches based on medical imaging technologies were proposed, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) being appointed as the only one to achieve the acceptable temperature resolutions for hyperthermia purposes. However, MRI intrinsic characteristics (e.g., high instrumentation cost) lead us to use backscattered ultrasound (BSU). Among the different BSU features, temporal echo-shifts have received a major attention. These shifts are due to changes of speed-of-sound and expansion of the medium. The originality of this work involves two aspects: the estimator model itself is original (based on soft-computing methods) and the application to temperature estimation in a three-layer phantom is also not reported in literature. In this work a three-layer (non-homogeneous) phantom was developed. The two external layers were composed of (in % of weight): 86.5% degassed water, 11% glycerin and 2.5% agar-agar. The intermediate layer was obtained by adding graphite powder in the amount of 2% of the water weight to the above composition. The phantom was developed to have attenuation and speed-of-sound similar to in vivo muscle, according to the literature. BSU signals were collected and cumulative temporal echo-shifts computed. These shifts and the past temperature values were then considered as possible estimators inputs. A soft-computing methodology was applied to look for appropriate multilayered temperature estimators. The methodology involves radial-basis functions neural networks (RBFNN) with structure optimized by the multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA). In this work 40 operating conditions were

  3. Tissue-Informative Mechanism for Wearable Non-invasive Continuous Blood Pressure Monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Woo, Sung Hun; Choi, Yun Young; Kim, Dae Jung; Bien, Franklin; Kim, Jae Joon

    2014-10-01

    Accurate continuous direct measurement of the blood pressure is currently available thru direct invasive methods via intravascular needles, and is mostly limited to use during surgical procedures or in the intensive care unit (ICU). Non-invasive methods that are mostly based on auscultation or cuff oscillometric principles do provide relatively accurate measurement of blood pressure. However, they mostly involve physical inconveniences such as pressure or stress on the human body. Here, we introduce a new non-invasive mechanism of tissue-informative measurement, where an experimental phenomenon called subcutaneous tissue pressure equilibrium is revealed and related for application in detection of absolute blood pressure. A prototype was experimentally verified to provide an absolute blood pressure measurement by wearing a watch-type measurement module that does not cause any discomfort. This work is supposed to contribute remarkably to the advancement of continuous non-invasive mobile devices for 24-7 daily-life ambulatory blood-pressure monitoring.

  4. The risk of coronary artery disease estimated non-invasively in patients with essential hypertension environmentally exposed to cigarette smoke.

    PubMed

    Gać, Paweł; Jaźwiec, Przemysław; Poręba, Małgorzata; Mazur, Grzegorz; Pawlas, Krystyna; Sobieszczańska, Małgorzata; Poręba, Rafał

    2017-12-01

    The relationship between environmental exposure of non-smokers to cigarette smoke and the coronary artery calcium scores has not been sufficiently documented. The aim of the study was to identify the relationship between environmental exposure to cigarette smoke and the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) estimated non-invasively through measurement of coronary artery calcium score by computed tomography in patients with essential hypertension. The study was conducted on 67 patients with essential hypertension, non-smokers environmentally exposed to cigarette smoke (group A) and on 67 patients with essential hypertension, non-smokers not exposed to cigarette smoke (group B), selected using the case to case. Environmental exposure to cigarette smoke was evaluated using a questionnaire. The risk of development of coronary artery disease was estimated non-invasively through measurement of coronary artery calcium score (CA CS ) by computed tomography. Group A was characterised by significantly higher CA CS and left anterior descending (LAD CS ) calcium scores than group B. Compared to group B, group A had significantly higher percentage of patients with significant risk of CAD estimated on the basis of CA CS values, and significantly lower percentage of patients with practically no risk of CAD estimated with the same method. Advanced age, peripheral artery diseases and environmental exposure to cigarette smoke are independent risk factors associated with increased CA CS and LAD CS values. In addition, higher BMI and hypercholesterolemia are independent risk factors for increased values of LAD CS . In patients with essential hypertension environmental exposure to cigarette smoke may result in elevated risk of coronary artery disease estimated non-invasively through measurement of coronary artery calcium score by computed tomography. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Using GIS to integrate FIA and remotely sensed data to estimate the invasibility of major forest types by non-native invasive plants in the Upper Midwest, USA

    Treesearch

    Zhaofei Fan; W. Keith Moser; Michael K. Crosby; Weiming Yu

    2012-01-01

    Non-native invasive plants (NNIP) are rapidly spreading into natural ecosystems such as forests in the Upper Midwest. Using the strategic inventory data from the 2005-2006 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program and forest land cover data, we estimated the regional-invasibility patterns of NNIPs for major...

  6. Non-invasive, non-radiological quantification of anteroposterior knee joint ligamentous laxity

    PubMed Central

    Russell, D. F.; Deakin, A. H.; Fogg, Q. A.; Picard, F.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives We performed in vitro validation of a non-invasive skin-mounted system that could allow quantification of anteroposterior (AP) laxity in the outpatient setting. Methods A total of 12 cadaveric lower limbs were tested with a commercial image-free navigation system using trackers secured by bone screws. We then tested a non-invasive fabric-strap system. The lower limb was secured at 10° intervals from 0° to 60° of knee flexion and 100 N of force was applied perpendicular to the tibia. Acceptable coefficient of repeatability (CR) and limits of agreement (LOA) of 3 mm were set based on diagnostic criteria for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) insufficiency. Results Reliability and precision within the individual invasive and non-invasive systems was acceptable throughout the range of flexion tested (intra-class correlation coefficient 0.88, CR 1.6 mm). Agreement between the two systems was acceptable measuring AP laxity between full extension and 40° knee flexion (LOA 2.9 mm). Beyond 40° of flexion, agreement between the systems was unacceptable (LOA > 3 mm). Conclusions These results indicate that from full knee extension to 40° flexion, non-invasive navigation-based quantification of AP tibial translation is as accurate as the standard validated commercial system, particularly in the clinically and functionally important range of 20° to 30° knee flexion. This could be useful in diagnosis and post-operative evaluation of ACL pathology. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2013;2:233–7. PMID:24184443

  7. Neuro-genetic non-invasive temperature estimation: intensity and spatial prediction.

    PubMed

    Teixeira, César A; Ruano, M Graça; Ruano, António E; Pereira, Wagner C A

    2008-06-01

    The existence of proper non-invasive temperature estimators is an essential aspect when thermal therapy applications are envisaged. These estimators must be good predictors to enable temperature estimation at different operational situations, providing better control of the therapeutic instrumentation. In this work, radial basis functions artificial neural networks were constructed to access temperature evolution on an ultrasound insonated medium. The employed models were radial basis functions neural networks with external dynamics induced by their inputs. Both the most suited set of model inputs and number of neurons in the network were found using the multi-objective genetic algorithm. The neural models were validated in two situations: the operating ones, as used in the construction of the network; and in 11 unseen situations. The new data addressed two new spatial locations and a new intensity level, assessing the intensity and space prediction capacity of the proposed model. Good performance was obtained during the validation process both in terms of the spatial points considered and whenever the new intensity level was within the range of applied intensities. A maximum absolute error of 0.5 degrees C+/-10% (0.5 degrees C is the gold-standard threshold in hyperthermia/diathermia) was attained with low computationally complex models. The results confirm that the proposed neuro-genetic approach enables foreseeing temperature propagation, in connection to intensity and space parameters, thus enabling the assessment of different operating situations with proper temperature resolution.

  8. Method for non-invasive detection of ocular melanoma

    DOEpatents

    Lambrecht, Richard M.; Packer, Samuel

    1984-01-01

    There is described an apparatus and method for diagnosing ocular cancer that is both non-invasive and accurate which comprises two radiation detectors positioned before each of the patient's eyes which will measure the radiation level produced in each eye after the administration of a tumor-localizing radiopharmaceutical such as gallium-67.

  9. Non-invasive method for the aortic blood pressure waveform estimation using the measured radial EBI

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krivoshei, Andrei; Lamp, Jürgen; Min, Mart; Uuetoa, Tiina; Uuetoa, Hasso; Annus, Paul

    2013-04-01

    The paper presents a method for the Central Aortic Pressure (CAP) waveform estimation from the measured radial Electrical Bio-Impedance (EBI). The method proposed here is a non-invasive and health-safe approach to estimate the cardiovascular system parameters, such as the Augmentation Index (AI). Reconstruction of the CAP curve from the EBI data is provided by spectral domain transfer functions (TF), found on the bases of data analysis. Clinical experiments were carried out on 30 patients in the Center of Cardiology of East-Tallinn Central Hospital during coronary angiography on patients in age of 43 to 80 years. The quality and reliability of the method was tested by comparing the evaluated augmentation indices obtained from the invasively measured CAP data and from the reconstructed curve. The correlation coefficient r = 0.89 was calculated in the range of AICAP values from 5 to 28. Comparing to the traditional tonometry based method, the developed one is more convenient to use and it allows long-term monitoring of the AI, what is not possible with tonometry probes.

  10. Method for non-invasive detection of ocular melanoma

    DOEpatents

    Lambrecht, R.M.; Packer, S.

    1984-10-30

    An apparatus and method is disclosed for diagnosing ocular cancer that is both non-invasive and accurate. The apparatus comprises two radiation detectors positioned before each of the patient's eyes which will measure the radiation level produced in each eye after the administration of a tumor-localizing radiopharmaceutical such as gallium-67. 2 figs.

  11. Non-Invasive Pneumothorax Detector

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-04-01

    AD_________________ Award Number: W81XWH-09-2-0092 TITLE: Non-Invasive Pneumothorax Detector...REPORT TYPE Final 3. DATES COVERED 27 July 2009 – 31 August 2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Non-Invasive Pneumothorax ...that form the scope of work support the development and clinical testing of a non-invasive pneumothorax detector. Goal and objectives are reflected in

  12. Non-invasive genetic censusing and monitoring of primate populations.

    PubMed

    Arandjelovic, Mimi; Vigilant, Linda

    2018-03-01

    Knowing the density or abundance of primate populations is essential for their conservation management and contextualizing socio-demographic and behavioral observations. When direct counts of animals are not possible, genetic analysis of non-invasive samples collected from wildlife populations allows estimates of population size with higher accuracy and precision than is possible using indirect signs. Furthermore, in contrast to traditional indirect survey methods, prolonged or periodic genetic sampling across months or years enables inference of group membership, movement, dynamics, and some kin relationships. Data may also be used to estimate sex ratios, sex differences in dispersal distances, and detect gene flow among locations. Recent advances in capture-recapture models have further improved the precision of population estimates derived from non-invasive samples. Simulations using these methods have shown that the confidence interval of point estimates includes the true population size when assumptions of the models are met, and therefore this range of population size minima and maxima should be emphasized in population monitoring studies. Innovations such as the use of sniffer dogs or anti-poaching patrols for sample collection are important to ensure adequate sampling, and the expected development of efficient and cost-effective genotyping by sequencing methods for DNAs derived from non-invasive samples will automate and speed analyses. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Direct estimation of the permeation of topical excipients through artificial membranes and human skin with non-invasive Terahertz time-domain techniques.

    PubMed

    Lopez-Dominguez, Victor; Boix-Montañes, Antoni; Redo-Sanchez, Albert; Tejada-Palacios, Javier

    2016-07-01

    Drug permeation through skin, or a synthetic membrane, from locally acting pharmaceutical products can be influenced by the permeation behaviour of pharmaceutical excipients. Terahertz time-domain technology is investigated as a non-invasive method for a direct and accurate measurement of excipients permeation through synthetic membranes or human skin. A series of in-vitro release and skin permeation experiments of liquid excipients (e.g. propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol 400) has been conducted with vertical diffusion cells. The permeation profiles of excipients through different synthetic membranes or skin were obtained using Terahertz pulses providing a direct measurement. Corresponding permeation flux and permeability coefficient values were calculated based on temporal changes of the terahertz pulses. The influence of different experimental conditions, such as the polarity of the membrane and the viscosity of the permeant, was assessed in release experiments. Specific transmembrane flux values of those excipients were directly calculated with statistical differences between cases. Finally, an attempt to estimate the skin permeation of propylene glycol with this technique was also achieved. All these permeation results were likely comparable to those obtained by other authors with usual analytical techniques. Terahertz time-domain technology is shown to be a suitable technique for an accurate and non-destructive measurement of the permeation of liquid substances through different synthetic membranes or even human skin. © 2016 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

  14. HyperART: non-invasive quantification of leaf traits using hyperspectral absorption-reflectance-transmittance imaging.

    PubMed

    Bergsträsser, Sergej; Fanourakis, Dimitrios; Schmittgen, Simone; Cendrero-Mateo, Maria Pilar; Jansen, Marcus; Scharr, Hanno; Rascher, Uwe

    2015-01-01

    Combined assessment of leaf reflectance and transmittance is currently limited to spot (point) measurements. This study introduces a tailor-made hyperspectral absorption-reflectance-transmittance imaging (HyperART) system, yielding a non-invasive determination of both reflectance and transmittance of the whole leaf. We addressed its applicability for analysing plant traits, i.e. assessing Cercospora beticola disease severity or leaf chlorophyll content. To test the accuracy of the obtained data, these were compared with reflectance and transmittance measurements of selected leaves acquired by the point spectroradiometer ASD FieldSpec, equipped with the FluoWat device. The working principle of the HyperART system relies on the upward redirection of transmitted and reflected light (range of 400 to 2500 nm) of a plant sample towards two line scanners. By using both the reflectance and transmittance image, an image of leaf absorption can be calculated. The comparison with the dynamically high-resolution ASD FieldSpec data showed good correlation, underlying the accuracy of the HyperART system. Our experiments showed that variation in both leaf chlorophyll content of four different crop species, due to different fertilization regimes during growth, and fungal symptoms on sugar beet leaves could be accurately estimated and monitored. The use of leaf reflectance and transmittance, as well as their sum (by which the non-absorbed radiation is calculated) obtained by the HyperART system gave considerably improved results in classification of Cercospora leaf spot disease and determination of chlorophyll content. The HyperART system offers the possibility for non-invasive and accurate mapping of leaf transmittance and absorption, significantly expanding the applicability of reflectance, based on mapping spectroscopy, in plant sciences. Therefore, the HyperART system may be readily employed for non-invasive determination of the spatio-temporal dynamics of various plant

  15. A novel environmental DNA approach to quantify the cryptic invasion of non-native genotypes.

    PubMed

    Uchii, Kimiko; Doi, Hideyuki; Minamoto, Toshifumi

    2016-03-01

    The invasion of non-native species that are closely related to native species can lead to competitive elimination of the native species and/or genomic extinction through hybridization. Such invasions often become serious before they are detected, posing unprecedented threats to biodiversity. A Japanese native strain of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) has become endangered owing to the invasion of non-native strains introduced from the Eurasian continent. Here, we propose a rapid environmental DNA-based approach to quantitatively monitor the invasion of non-native genotypes. Using this system, we developed a method to quantify the relative proportion of native and non-native DNA based on a single-nucleotide polymorphism using cycling probe technology in real-time PCR. The efficiency of this method was confirmed in aquarium experiments, where the quantified proportion of native and non-native DNA in the water was well correlated to the biomass ratio of native and non-native genotypes. This method provided quantitative estimates for the proportion of native and non-native DNA in natural rivers and reservoirs, which allowed us to estimate the degree of invasion of non-native genotypes without catching and analysing individual fish. Our approach would dramatically facilitate the process of quantitatively monitoring the invasion of non-native conspecifics in aquatic ecosystems, thus revealing a promising method for risk assessment and management in biodiversity conservation. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Differential radioactivity monitor for non-invasive detection of ocular melanoma

    DOEpatents

    Lambrecht, R.M.; Packer, S.

    1982-09-23

    There is described an apparatus and method for diagnosing ocular cancer that is both non-invasive and accurate which comprises two radiation detectors positioned before each of the patient's eyes which will measure the radiation level produced in each eye after the administration of a tumor-localizing radiopharmaceutical such as gallium-67.

  17. Radio frequency energy for non-invasive and minimally invasive skin tightening.

    PubMed

    Mulholland, R Stephen

    2011-07-01

    This article reviews the non-invasive and minimally invasive options for skin tightening, focusing on peer-reviewed articles and presentations and those technologies with the most proven or promising RF non-excisional skin-tightening results for excisional surgeons. RF has been the mainstay of non-invasive skin tightening and has emerged as the "cutting edge" technology in the minimally invasive skin-tightening field. Because these RF skin-tightening technologies are capital equipment purchases with a significant cost associated, this article also discusses some business issues and models that have proven to work in the plastic surgeon's office for non-invasive and minimally invasive skin-tightening technologies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Mark-recapture with multiple, non-invasive marks.

    PubMed

    Bonner, Simon J; Holmberg, Jason

    2013-09-01

    Non-invasive marks, including pigmentation patterns, acquired scars, and genetic markers, are often used to identify individuals in mark-recapture experiments. If animals in a population can be identified from multiple, non-invasive marks then some individuals may be counted twice in the observed data. Analyzing the observed histories without accounting for these errors will provide incorrect inference about the population dynamics. Previous approaches to this problem include modeling data from only one mark and combining estimators obtained from each mark separately assuming that they are independent. Motivated by the analysis of data from the ECOCEAN online whale shark (Rhincodon typus) catalog, we describe a Bayesian method to analyze data from multiple, non-invasive marks that is based on the latent-multinomial model of Link et al. (2010, Biometrics 66, 178-185). Further to this, we describe a simplification of the Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm of Link et al. (2010, Biometrics 66, 178-185) that leads to more efficient computation. We present results from the analysis of the ECOCEAN whale shark data and from simulation studies comparing our method with the previous approaches. © 2013, The International Biometric Society.

  19. [Meta-analyses on measurement precision of non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring technologies in adults].

    PubMed

    Pestel, G; Fukui, K; Higashi, M; Schmidtmann, I; Werner, C

    2018-06-01

    An ideal non-invasive monitoring system should provide accurate and reproducible measurements of clinically relevant variables that enables clinicians to guide therapy accordingly. The monitor should be rapid, easy to use, readily available at the bedside, operator-independent, cost-effective and should have a minimal risk and side effect profile for patients. An example is the introduction of pulse oximetry, which has become established for non-invasive monitoring of oxygenation worldwide. A corresponding non-invasive monitoring of hemodynamics and perfusion could optimize the anesthesiological treatment to the needs in individual cases. In recent years several non-invasive technologies to monitor hemodynamics in the perioperative setting have been introduced: suprasternal Doppler ultrasound, modified windkessel function, pulse wave transit time, radial artery tonometry, thoracic bioimpedance, endotracheal bioimpedance, bioreactance, and partial CO 2 rebreathing have been tested for monitoring cardiac output or stroke volume. The photoelectric finger blood volume clamp technique and respiratory variation of the plethysmography curve have been assessed for monitoring fluid responsiveness. In this manuscript meta-analyses of non-invasive monitoring technologies were performed when non-invasive monitoring technology and reference technology were comparable. The primary evaluation criterion for all studies screened was a Bland-Altman analysis. Experimental and pediatric studies were excluded, as were all studies without a non-invasive monitoring technique or studies without evaluation of cardiac output/stroke volume or fluid responsiveness. Most studies found an acceptable bias with wide limits of agreement. Thus, most non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring technologies cannot be considered to be equivalent to the respective reference method. Studies testing the impact of non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring technologies as a trend evaluation on outcome, as well as

  20. Automatic and Robust Delineation of the Fiducial Points of the Seismocardiogram Signal for Non-invasive Estimation of Cardiac Time Intervals.

    PubMed

    Khosrow-Khavar, Farzad; Tavakolian, Kouhyar; Blaber, Andrew; Menon, Carlo

    2016-10-12

    The purpose of this research was to design a delineation algorithm that could detect specific fiducial points of the seismocardiogram (SCG) signal with or without using the electrocardiogram (ECG) R-wave as the reference point. The detected fiducial points were used to estimate cardiac time intervals. Due to complexity and sensitivity of the SCG signal, the algorithm was designed to robustly discard the low-quality cardiac cycles, which are the ones that contain unrecognizable fiducial points. The algorithm was trained on a dataset containing 48,318 manually annotated cardiac cycles. It was then applied to three test datasets: 65 young healthy individuals (dataset 1), 15 individuals above 44 years old (dataset 2), and 25 patients with previous heart conditions (dataset 3). The algorithm accomplished high prediction accuracy with the rootmean- square-error of less than 5 ms for all the test datasets. The algorithm overall mean detection rate per individual recordings (DRI) were 74, 68, and 42 percent for the three test datasets when concurrent ECG and SCG were used. For the standalone SCG case, the mean DRI was 32, 14 and 21 percent. When the proposed algorithm applied to concurrent ECG and SCG signals, the desired fiducial points of the SCG signal were successfully estimated with a high detection rate. For the standalone case, however, the algorithm achieved high prediction accuracy and detection rate for only the young individual dataset. The presented algorithm could be used for accurate and non-invasive estimation of cardiac time intervals.

  1. Use of Advanced Machine-Learning Techniques for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Hemorrhage

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-04-01

    that state-of-the-art machine learning techniques when integrated with novel non-invasive monitoring technologies could detect subtle, physiological...decompensation. Continuous, non-invasively measured hemodynamic signals (e.g., ECG, blood pressures, stroke volume) were used for the development of machine ... learning algorithms. Accuracy estimates were obtained by building models using 27 subjects and testing on the 28th. This process was repeated 28 times

  2. Non-invasive hemoglobin monitoring.

    PubMed

    Joseph, Bellal; Haider, Ansab; Rhee, Peter

    2016-09-01

    Technology has transformed the practice of medicine and surgery in particular over the last several decades. This change in practice has allowed diagnostic and therapeutic tests to be performed less invasively. Hemoglobin monitoring remains one of the most commonly performed diagnostic tests in the United States. Recently, non-invasive hemoglobin monitoring technology has gained popularity. The aim of this article is to review the principles of how this technology works, pros and cons, and the implications of non-invasive hemoglobin technology particularly in trauma surgery. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Invasive candidiasis: future directions in non-culture based diagnosis.

    PubMed

    Posch, Wilfried; Heimdörfer, David; Wilflingseder, Doris; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia

    2017-09-01

    Delayed initial antifungal therapy is associated with high mortality rates caused by invasive candida infections, since accurate detection of the opportunistic pathogenic yeast and its identification display a diagnostic challenge. diagnosis of candida infections relies on time-consuming methods such as blood cultures, serologic and histopathologic examination. to allow for fast detection and characterization of invasive candidiasis, there is a need to improve diagnostic tools. trends in diagnostics switch to non-culture-based methods, which allow specified diagnosis within significantly shorter periods of time in order to provide early and appropriate antifungal treatment. Areas covered: within this review comprise novel pathogen- and host-related testing methods, e.g. multiplex-PCR analyses, T2 magnetic resonance, fungus-specific DNA microarrays, microRNA characterization or analyses of IL-17 as biomarker for early detection of invasive candidiasis. Expert commentary: Early recognition and diagnosis of fungal infections is a key issue for improved patient management. As shown in this review, a broad range of novel molecular based tests for the detection and identification of Candida species is available. However, several assays are in-house assays and lack standardization, clinical validation as well as data on sensitivity and specificity. This underscores the need for the development of faster and more accurate diagnostic tests.

  4. Accurate position estimation methods based on electrical impedance tomography measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vergara, Samuel; Sbarbaro, Daniel; Johansen, T. A.

    2017-08-01

    Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a technology that estimates the electrical properties of a body or a cross section. Its main advantages are its non-invasiveness, low cost and operation free of radiation. The estimation of the conductivity field leads to low resolution images compared with other technologies, and high computational cost. However, in many applications the target information lies in a low intrinsic dimensionality of the conductivity field. The estimation of this low-dimensional information is addressed in this work. It proposes optimization-based and data-driven approaches for estimating this low-dimensional information. The accuracy of the results obtained with these approaches depends on modelling and experimental conditions. Optimization approaches are sensitive to model discretization, type of cost function and searching algorithms. Data-driven methods are sensitive to the assumed model structure and the data set used for parameter estimation. The system configuration and experimental conditions, such as number of electrodes and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), also have an impact on the results. In order to illustrate the effects of all these factors, the position estimation of a circular anomaly is addressed. Optimization methods based on weighted error cost functions and derivate-free optimization algorithms provided the best results. Data-driven approaches based on linear models provided, in this case, good estimates, but the use of nonlinear models enhanced the estimation accuracy. The results obtained by optimization-based algorithms were less sensitive to experimental conditions, such as number of electrodes and SNR, than data-driven approaches. Position estimation mean squared errors for simulation and experimental conditions were more than twice for the optimization-based approaches compared with the data-driven ones. The experimental position estimation mean squared error of the data-driven models using a 16-electrode setup was less

  5. Non-invasive algorithm for bowel motility estimation using a back-propagation neural network model of bowel sounds.

    PubMed

    Kim, Keo-Sik; Seo, Jeong-Hwan; Song, Chul-Gyu

    2011-08-10

    Radiological scoring methods such as colon transit time (CTT) have been widely used for the assessment of bowel motility. However, these radiograph-based methods need cumbersome radiological instruments and their frequent exposure to radiation. Therefore, a non-invasive estimation algorithm of bowel motility, based on a back-propagation neural network (BPNN) model of bowel sounds (BS) obtained by an auscultation, was devised. Twelve healthy males (age: 24.8 ± 2.7 years) and 6 patients with spinal cord injury (6 males, age: 55.3 ± 7.1 years) were examined. BS signals generated during the digestive process were recorded from 3 colonic segments (ascending, descending and sigmoid colon), and then, the acoustical features (jitter and shimmer) of the individual BS segment were obtained. Only 6 features (J1, 3, J3, 3, S1, 2, S2, 1, S2, 2, S3, 2), which are highly correlated to the CTTs measured by the conventional method, were used as the features of the input vector for the BPNN. As a results, both the jitters and shimmers of the normal subjects were relatively higher than those of the patients, whereas the CTTs of the normal subjects were relatively lower than those of the patients (p < 0.01). Also, through k-fold cross validation, the correlation coefficient and mean average error between the CTTs measured by a conventional radiograph and the values estimated by our algorithm were 0.89 and 10.6 hours, respectively. The jitter and shimmer of the BS signals generated during the peristalsis could be clinically useful for the discriminative parameters of bowel motility. Also, the devised algorithm showed good potential for the continuous monitoring and estimation of bowel motility, instead of conventional radiography, and thus, it could be used as a complementary tool for the non-invasive measurement of bowel motility.

  6. Single non-invasive model to diagnose non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

    PubMed

    Otgonsuren, Munkhzul; Estep, Michael J; Hossain, Nayeem; Younossi, Elena; Frost, Spencer; Henry, Linda; Hunt, Sharon; Fang, Yun; Goodman, Zachary; Younossi, Zobair M

    2014-12-01

    Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the progressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A liver biopsy is considered the "gold standard" for diagnosing/staging NASH. Identification of NAFLD/NASH using non-invasive tools is important for intervention. The study aims were to: develop/validate the predictive performance of a non-invasive model (index of NASH [ION]); assess the performance of a recognized non-invasive model (fatty liver index [FLI]) compared with ION for NAFLD diagnosis; determine which non-invasive model (FLI, ION, or NAFLD fibrosis score [NFS]) performed best in predicting age-adjusted mortality. From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III database, anthropometric, clinical, ultrasound, laboratory, and mortality data were obtained (n = 4458; n = 861 [19.3%] NAFLD by ultrasound) and used to develop the ION model, and then to compare the ION and FLI models for NAFLD diagnosis. For validation and diagnosis of NASH, liver biopsy data were used (n = 152). Age-adjusted Cox proportional hazard modeling estimated the association among the three non-invasive tests (FLI, ION, and NFS) and mortality. FLI's threshold score > 60 and ION's threshold score > 22 had similar specificity (FLI = 80% vs ION = 82%) for NAFLD diagnosis; FLI < 30 (80% sensitivity) and ION < 11 (81% sensitivity) excluded NAFLD. An ION score > 50 predicted histological NASH (92% specificity); the FLI model did not predict NASH or mortality. The ION model was best in predicting cardiovascular/diabetes-related mortality; NFS predicted overall or diabetes-related mortality. The ION model was superior in predicting NASH and mortality compared with the FLI model. Studies are needed to validate ION. © 2014 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  7. Non-invasive means of measuring hepatic fat content.

    PubMed

    Mehta, Sanjeev-R; Thomas, E-Louise; Bell, Jimmy-D; Johnston, Desmond-G; Taylor-Robinson, Simon-D

    2008-06-14

    Hepatic steatosis affects 20% to 30% of the general adult population in the western world. Currently, the technique of choice for determining hepatic fat deposition and the stage of fibrosis is liver biopsy. However, it is an invasive procedure and its use is limited, particularly in children. It may also be subject to sampling error. Non-invasive techniques such as ultrasound, computerised tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) can detect hepatic steatosis, but currently cannot distinguish between simple steatosis and steatohepatitis, or stage the degree of fibrosis accurately. Ultrasound is widely used to detect hepatic steatosis, but its sensitivity is reduced in the morbidly obese and also in those with small amounts of fatty infiltration. It has been used to grade hepatic fat content, but this is subjective. CT can detect hepatic steatosis, but exposes subjects to ionising radiation, thus limiting its use in longitudinal studies and in children. Recently, magnetic resonance (MR) techniques using chemical shift imaging have provided a quantitative assessment of the degree of hepatic fatty infiltration, which correlates well with liver biopsy results in the same patients. Similarly, in vivo (1)H MRS is a fast, safe, non-invasive method for the quantification of intrahepatocellular lipid (IHCL) levels. Both techniques will be useful tools in future longitudinal clinical studies, either in examining the natural history of conditions causing hepatic steatosis (e.g. non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), or in testing new treatments for these conditions.

  8. Accurate State Estimation and Tracking of a Non-Cooperative Target Vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thienel, Julie K.; Sanner, Robert M.

    2006-01-01

    Autonomous space rendezvous scenarios require knowledge of the target vehicle state in order to safely dock with the chaser vehicle. Ideally, the target vehicle state information is derived from telemetered data, or with the use of known tracking points on the target vehicle. However, if the target vehicle is non-cooperative and does not have the ability to maintain attitude control, or transmit attitude knowledge, the docking becomes more challenging. This work presents a nonlinear approach for estimating the body rates of a non-cooperative target vehicle, and coupling this estimation to a tracking control scheme. The approach is tested with the robotic servicing mission concept for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Such a mission would not only require estimates of the HST attitude and rates, but also precision control to achieve the desired rate and maintain the orientation to successfully dock with HST.

  9. Estimation of the velocity and trajectory of three-dimensional reaching movements from non-invasive magnetoencephalography signals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yeom, Hong Gi; Sic Kim, June; Chung, Chun Kee

    2013-04-01

    Objective. Studies on the non-invasive brain-machine interface that controls prosthetic devices via movement intentions are at their very early stages. Here, we aimed to estimate three-dimensional arm movements using magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals with high accuracy. Approach. Whole-head MEG signals were acquired during three-dimensional reaching movements (center-out paradigm). For movement decoding, we selected 68 MEG channels in motor-related areas, which were band-pass filtered using four subfrequency bands (0.5-8, 9-22, 25-40 and 57-97 Hz). After the filtering, the signals were resampled, and 11 data points preceding the current data point were used as features for estimating velocity. Multiple linear regressions were used to estimate movement velocities. Movement trajectories were calculated by integrating estimated velocities. We evaluated our results by calculating correlation coefficients (r) between real and estimated velocities. Main results. Movement velocities could be estimated from the low-frequency MEG signals (0.5-8 Hz) with significant and considerably high accuracy (p <0.001, mean r > 0.7). We also showed that preceding (60-140 ms) MEG signals are important to estimate current movement velocities and the intervals of brain signals of 200-300 ms are sufficient for movement estimation. Significance. These results imply that disabled people will be able to control prosthetic devices without surgery in the near future.

  10. Prognostic value of the frequency of vascular invasion in stage I non-small cell lung cancer.

    PubMed

    Okada, Satoshi; Mizuguchi, Shinjiro; Izumi, Nobuhiro; Komatsu, Hiroaki; Toda, Michihito; Hara, Kantaro; Okuno, Takahiro; Shibata, Toshihiko; Wanibuchi, Hideki; Nishiyama, Noritoshi

    2017-01-01

    There is no standard pathological method for determining vessel invasion in lung cancer. Herein, we examine whether vessel invasion can be accurately assessed using hematoxylin-eosin staining alone, and investigate the prognostic impact of the presence and frequency of vessel invasion in lung cancer. Vessel invasion was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin, Victoria blue, and D2-40 in 251 completely resected stage I non-small cell lung cancer patients. Vessel invasion was classified into 3 grades according to the number of invaded vessels. Using hematoxylin-eosin and Victoria blue, vascular invasion was detected in 27 (10.8 %) and 75 (29.9 %) of patients, respectively. Lymphatic permeation was detected in 126 (50.2 %) and 70 (27.9 %) of patients using hematoxylin-eosin and D2-40 staining. Hematoxylin-eosin staining did not accurately detect a high frequency of vessel invasion; only 5 and 21.7 % of high-frequency vascular invasion and lymphatic permeation cases diagnosed with Victoria blue and D2-40 were detected. Multivariate analysis based on elastic stain and immunostaining indicated that plural invasion, a high frequency of vascular invasion (hazard ratio 4.00), and a high frequency of lymphatic permeation (hazard ratio 2.30) were independent predictors of cancer recurrence within 3 years. Likewise, an age ≥70 years, male, and a high frequency of vascular invasion (hazard ratio 3.41) were independent predictors of overall survival. Vascular invasion should be confirmed by elastic stains, and the frequency, not but the presence, of vascular invasion is a powerful independent prognostic factor in completely resected stage I non-small cell lung cancer patients.

  11. A simulation test of the effectiveness of several methods for error-checking non-invasive genetic data

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Roon, David A.; Waits, L.P.; Kendall, K.C.

    2005-01-01

    Non-invasive genetic sampling (NGS) is becoming a popular tool for population estimation. However, multiple NGS studies have demonstrated that polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genotyping errors can bias demographic estimates. These errors can be detected by comprehensive data filters such as the multiple-tubes approach, but this approach is expensive and time consuming as it requires three to eight PCR replicates per locus. Thus, researchers have attempted to correct PCR errors in NGS datasets using non-comprehensive error checking methods, but these approaches have not been evaluated for reliability. We simulated NGS studies with and without PCR error and 'filtered' datasets using non-comprehensive approaches derived from published studies and calculated mark-recapture estimates using CAPTURE. In the absence of data-filtering, simulated error resulted in serious inflations in CAPTURE estimates; some estimates exceeded N by ??? 200%. When data filters were used, CAPTURE estimate reliability varied with per-locus error (E??). At E?? = 0.01, CAPTURE estimates from filtered data displayed < 5% deviance from error-free estimates. When E?? was 0.05 or 0.09, some CAPTURE estimates from filtered data displayed biases in excess of 10%. Biases were positive at high sampling intensities; negative biases were observed at low sampling intensities. We caution researchers against using non-comprehensive data filters in NGS studies, unless they can achieve baseline per-locus error rates below 0.05 and, ideally, near 0.01. However, we suggest that data filters can be combined with careful technique and thoughtful NGS study design to yield accurate demographic information. ?? 2005 The Zoological Society of London.

  12. Health technology assessment of non-invasive interventions for weight loss and body shape in Iran

    PubMed Central

    Nojomi, Marzieh; Moradi-Lakeh, Maziar; Velayati, Ashraf; Naghibzadeh-Tahami, Ahmad; Dadgostar, Haleh; Ghorabi, Gholamhossein; Moradi-Joo, Mohammad; Yaghoubi, Mohsen

    2016-01-01

    Background: The burden of obesity and diet-related chronic diseases is increasing in Iran, and prevention and treatment strategies are needed to address this problem. The aim of this study was to determine the outcome, cost, safety and cost-consequence of non-invasive weight loss interventions in Iran. Methods: We performed a systematic review to compare non-invasive interventions (cryolipolysis and radiofrequency/ ultrasonic cavitation) with semi-invasive (lipolysis) and invasive (liposuction). A sensitive electronic searching was done to find available interventional studies. Reduction of abdomen circumference (cm), reduction in fat layer thickness (%) and weight reduction (kg) were outcomes of efficacy. Meta-analysis with random models was used for pooling efficacy estimates among studies with the same follow-up duration. Average cost per intervention was estimated based on the capital, maintenance, staff, consumable and purchase costs. Results: Of 3,111 studies identified in our reviews, 13 studies assessed lipolysis, 10 cryolipolysis and 8 considered radiofrequency. Nine studies with the same follow-up duration in three different outcome group were included in meta-analysis. Radiofrequency showed an overall pooled estimate of 2.7 cm (95% CI; 2.3-3.1) of mean reduction in circumference of abdomen after intervention. Pooled estimate of reduction in fat layer thickness was 78% (95% CI; 73%-83%) after Lipolysis and a pooled estimate of weight loss was 3.01 kg (95% CI; 2.3-3.6) after lipousuction. The cost analysis revealed no significant differences between the costs of these interventions. Conclusion: The present study showed that non-invasive interventions appear to have better clinical efficacy, specifically in the body shape measurement, and less cost compared to invasive intervention (liposuction) PMID:27390717

  13. Non-invasive prenatal detection of achondroplasia using circulating fetal DNA in maternal plasma.

    PubMed

    Lim, Ji Hyae; Kim, Mee Jin; Kim, Shin Young; Kim, Hye Ok; Song, Mee Jin; Kim, Min Hyoung; Park, So Yeon; Yang, Jae Hyug; Ryu, Hyun Mee

    2011-02-01

    To perform a reliable non-invasive detection of the fetal achondroplasia using maternal plasma. We developed a quantitative fluorescent-polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) method suitable for detection of the FGFR3 mutation (G1138A) causing achondroplasia. This method was applied in a non-invasive detection of the fetal achondroplasia using circulating fetal-DNA (cf-DNA) in maternal plasma. Maternal plasmas were obtained at 27 weeks of gestational age from women carrying an achondroplasia fetus or a normal fetus. Two percent or less achondroplasia DNA was reliably detected by QF-PCR. In a woman carrying a normal fetus, analysis of cf-DNA showed only one peak of the wild-type G allele. In a woman expected an achondroplasia fetus, analysis of cf-DNA showed the two peaks of wild-type G allele and mutant-type A allele and accurately detected the fetal achondroplasia. The non-invasive method using maternal plasma and QF-PCR may be useful for diagnosis of the fetal achondroplasia.

  14. Artificial neural networks can be effectively used to model changes of intracranial pressure (ICP) during spinal surgery using different non invasive ICP surrogate estimators.

    PubMed

    Watad, Abdulla; Bragazzi, Nicola L; Bacigaluppi, Susanna; Amital, Howard; Watad, Samaa; Sharif, Kassem; Bisharat, Bishara; Siri, Anna; Mahamid, Ala; Abu Ras, Hakim; Nasr, Ahmed; Bilotta, Federico; Robba, Chiara; Adawi, Mohammad

    2018-02-23

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques play a major role in anesthesiology, even though their importance is often overlooked. In the extant literature, AI approaches, such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), have been underutilized, mainly being used to model patient's consciousness state, to predict the precise amount of anesthetic gases, the level of analgesia, or the need of anesthesiological blocks, among others. In the field of neurosurgery, ANNs have been effectively applied to the diagnosis and prognosis of cerebral tumors, seizures, low back pain, and also to the monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP). A MultiLayer Perceptron (MLP), which is a feedforward ANN, with hyperbolic tangent as activation function in the input/hidden layers, softmax as activation function in the output layer, and cross-entropy as error function, was used to model the impact of prone versus supine position and the use of positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) on ICP in a sample of 30 patients undergoing spinal surgery. Different non invasive surrogate estimations of ICP have been used and compared: namely, mean optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), non invasive estimated cerebral perfusion pressure (NCPP), pulsatility index (PI), ICP derived from PI (ICP-PI), and flow velocity diastolic formula (FVDICP). ONSD proved to be a more robust surrogate estimation of ICP, with a predictive power of 75%, whilst the power of NCPP, ICP-PI, PI, and FVDICP were 60.5%, 54.8%, 53.1%, and 47.7%, respectively. Our MLP analysis confirmed our findings previously obtained with regression, correlation, multivariate Receiving Operator Curve (multi-ROC) analyses. ANNs can be successfully used to predict the effects of prone versus supine position and PEEP on ICP in patients undergoing spinal surgery using different non invasive surrogate estimators of ICP.

  15. Invasive and non-invasive measurement in medicine and biology: calibration issues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rolfe, P.; Zhang, Yan; Sun, Jinwei; Scopesi, F.; Serra, G.; Yamakoshi, K.; Tanaka, S.; Yamakoshi, T.; Yamakoshi, Y.; Ogawa, M.

    2010-08-01

    Invasive and non-invasive measurement sensors and systems perform vital roles in medical care. Devices are based on various principles, including optics, photonics, and plasmonics, electro-analysis, magnetics, acoustics, bio-recognition, etc. Sensors are used for the direct insertion into the human body, for example to be in contact with blood, which constitutes Invasive Measurement. This approach is very challenging technically, as sensor performance (sensitivity, response time, linearity) can deteriorate due to interactions between the sensor materials and the biological environment, such as blood or interstitial fluid. Invasive techniques may also be potentially hazardous. Alternatively, sensors or devices may be positioned external to the body surface, for example to analyse respired breath, thereby allowing safer Non-Invasive Measurement. However, such methods, which are inherently less direct, often requiring more complex calibration algorithms, perhaps using chemometric principles. This paper considers and reviews the issue of calibration in both invasive and non-invasive biomedical measurement systems. Systems in current use usually rely upon periodic calibration checks being performed by clinical staff against a variety of laboratory instruments and QC samples. These procedures require careful planning and overall management if reliable data are to be assured.

  16. Impact of Reclassification on Thyroid Nodules with Architectural Atypia: From Non-Invasive Encapsulated Follicular Variant Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas to Non-Invasive Follicular Thyroid Neoplasm with Papillary-Like Nuclear Features

    PubMed Central

    Jeon, Min Ji; Song, Dong Eun; Jung, Chan Kwon; Kim, Won Gu; Kwon, Hyemi; Lee, Yu-Mi; Sung, Tae-Yon; Yoon, Jong Ho; Chung, Ki-Wook; Hong, Suck Joon; Baek, Jung Hwan; Lee, Jeong Hyun; Kim, Tae Yong; Shong, Young Kee; Kim, Won Bae

    2016-01-01

    Background The follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer (FVPTC), especially the encapsulated non-invasive subtype, is a controversial entity. Recent study suggested using ‘non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP)’ for these indolent carcinomas. We evaluated the impact of reclassification from non-invasive encapsulated FVPTCs (EFVPTCs) to NIFTPs in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules with architectural atypia. Methods We reviewed 1301 thyroid nodules with architectural atypia in core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens obtained from March 2012 to February 2013. Nodules were classified into atypia of undetermined significance with architectural atypia (AUS-A, 984, 76%) or follicular neoplasm/suspicious for a follicular neoplasm (FN/SFN, 317, 24%). Among them, diagnostic surgery was performed in 384 nodules (30%). Results In total, 160 nodules (42%) presented final malignant diagnoses including 39 non-invasive encapsulated FVPTCs (10%). The malignancy rate was estimated to be 7–35% in AUS-A nodules and 28–49% in FN/SFN nodules. After reclassification, the malignancy rate was much decreased and estimated to be 5–24% in AUS-A nodules, and 23–39% in FN/SFN nodules. Thyroid nodules with final malignant diagnoses were significantly more likely to have a FN/SFN CNB diagnosis, malignant US features and concomitant nuclear atypia in CNB specimens. However, these factors could not differentiate NIFTPs from other malignancies. Conclusions After reclassification of non-invasive EFVPTCs to NIFTPs, the malignancy rate of thyroid nodules with architectural atypia in CNB specimens was decreased. However, there were no preoperative factors differentiating other malignancies from NIFTPs. The presence of malignant US features or concomitant nuclear atypia might help clinicians deciding diagnostic surgery but, these features also might indicate NIFTPs. PMID:27936121

  17. Non-invasive estimation of coral tentacle material properties using underwater PIV data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Staples, Anne; Asher, Shai; Shavit, Uri

    2016-11-01

    With corals worldwide currently undergoing a third global bleaching event, understanding a detailed picture of local coral colony flow transport processes is more crucial than ever. Many coral species invest energy in extending flexible organs such as tentacles, that extrude from the coral's soft tissue surface and are used in either a passive or active manner for feeding, competitor sensing and even egg release. The significant role of these organs in transport and mixing processes is just beginning to be understood. For example, Xeniidea's rhythmic pulsation of its tentacles has recently been shown to intensify mixing and enhance photosynthesis (Kremien et al., 2013). A critical part of modeling these tentacle-induced flows is obtaining measurements of the tentacles' material properties. Obtaining such measurements, however, is challenging, since the tentacle is expected to have significantly different material properties than a harvested specimen. Here, we demonstrate a non-invasive, in situ approach for estimating these material properties forFavia favus tentacles using underwater particle image velocimetry (PIV) data and tentacle-tracking data, along with structural dynamics models of the tentacles. In this data, 2.7x2 [cm2] 1392x1024 pixel images were collected at a rate of 5 Hz 7mm above the crest of two separate Favia Favuscolonies in Eilat, Israel. Using the data and models, we are able to estimate the Young's modulus for the tentacles, which is found to be a function of the wave frequency. Partial funding by the Fulbright and Israel Science Foundations.

  18. Invasibility of major forest types by non-native Chinese tallow in East Texas

    Treesearch

    Zhaofei Fan

    2015-01-01

    Non-native invasive Chinese tallow trees [Triadica sebifera (L.) Small,formerly Sapium sebiferum (L.) Roxb.] are rapidly spreading into natural ecosystems such as forests in the southeastern United States. Using the 2001-2010 USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data and forest land cover data, we estimated the regional invasibility of major forest...

  19. Validation of Non-Invasive Tracer Kinetic Analysis of 18F-Florbetaben PET Using a Dual Time-Window Acquisition Protocol.

    PubMed

    Bullich, Santiago; Barthel, Henryk; Koglin, Norman; Becker, Georg A; De Santi, Susan; Jovalekic, Aleksandar; Stephens, Andrew W; Sabri, Osama

    2017-11-24

    demonstrates accurate non-invasive kinetic modeling of 18 F-florbetaben PET data using a dual time-window acquisition protocol, thus providing a good compromise between quantification accuracy, scan duration and patient burden. The influence of CBF and radiotracer clearance changes on amyloid-beta load estimates was small. For most clinical research applications, the SUVR approach is appropriate. However, for longitudinal studies in which a maximum quantification accuracy is desired, this non-invasive dual time-window acquisition protocol and kinetic analysis is recommended. Copyright © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

  20. Advances in thickness measurements and dynamic visualization of the tear film using non-invasive optical approaches.

    PubMed

    Bai, Yuqiang; Nichols, Jason J

    2017-05-01

    The thickness of tear film has been investigated under both invasive and non-invasive methods. While invasive methods are largely historical, more recent noninvasive methods are generally based on optical approaches that provide accurate, precise, and rapid measures. Optical microscopy, interferometry, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) have been developed to characterize the thickness of tear film or certain aspects of the tear film (e.g., the lipid layer). This review provides an in-depth overview on contemporary optical techniques used in studying the tear film, including both advantages and limitations of these approaches. It is anticipated that further developments of high-resolution OCT and other interferometric methods will enable a more accurate and precise measurement of the thickness of the tear film and its related dynamic properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. A new CFD based non-invasive method for functional diagnosis of coronary stenosis.

    PubMed

    Xie, Xinzhou; Zheng, Minwen; Wen, Didi; Li, Yabing; Xie, Songyun

    2018-03-22

    Accurate functional diagnosis of coronary stenosis is vital for decision making in coronary revascularization. With recent advances in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), fractional flow reserve (FFR) can be derived non-invasively from coronary computed tomography angiography images (FFR CT ) for functional measurement of stenosis. However, the accuracy of FFR CT is limited due to the approximate modeling approach of maximal hyperemia conditions. To overcome this problem, a new CFD based non-invasive method is proposed. Instead of modeling maximal hyperemia condition, a series of boundary conditions are specified and those simulated results are combined to provide a pressure-flow curve for a stenosis. Then, functional diagnosis of stenosis is assessed based on parameters derived from the obtained pressure-flow curve. The proposed method is applied to both idealized and patient-specific models, and validated with invasive FFR in six patients. Results show that additional hemodynamic information about the flow resistances of a stenosis is provided, which cannot be directly obtained from anatomy information. Parameters derived from the simulated pressure-flow curve show a linear and significant correlations with invasive FFR (r > 0.95, P < 0.05). The proposed method can assess flow resistances by the pressure-flow curve derived parameters without modeling of maximal hyperemia condition, which is a new promising approach for non-invasive functional assessment of coronary stenosis.

  2. Clinical role of non-invasive assessment of portal hypertension.

    PubMed

    Bolognesi, Massimo; Di Pascoli, Marco; Sacerdoti, David

    2017-01-07

    Measurement of portal pressure is pivotal in the evaluation of patients with liver cirrhosis. The measurement of the hepatic venous pressure gradient represents the reference method by which portal pressure is estimated. However, it is an invasive procedure that requires significant hospital resources, including experienced staff, and is associated with considerable cost. Non-invasive methods that can be reliably used to estimate the presence and the degree of portal hypertension are urgently needed in clinical practice. Biochemical and morphological parameters have been proposed for this purpose, but have shown disappointing results overall. Splanchnic Doppler ultrasonography and the analysis of microbubble contrast agent kinetics with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography have shown better accuracy for the evaluation of patients with portal hypertension. A key advancement in the non-invasive evaluation of portal hypertension has been the introduction in clinical practice of methods able to measure stiffness in the liver, as well as stiffness/congestion in the spleen. According to the data published to date, it appears to be possible to rule out clinically significant portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis ( i.e ., hepatic venous pressure gradient ≥ 10 mmHg) with a level of clinically-acceptable accuracy by combining measurements of liver stiffness and spleen stiffness along with Doppler ultrasound evaluation. It is probable that the combination of these methods may also allow for the identification of patients with the most serious degree of portal hypertension, and ongoing research is helping to ensure progress in this field.

  3. Clinical role of non-invasive assessment of portal hypertension

    PubMed Central

    Bolognesi, Massimo; Di Pascoli, Marco; Sacerdoti, David

    2017-01-01

    Measurement of portal pressure is pivotal in the evaluation of patients with liver cirrhosis. The measurement of the hepatic venous pressure gradient represents the reference method by which portal pressure is estimated. However, it is an invasive procedure that requires significant hospital resources, including experienced staff, and is associated with considerable cost. Non-invasive methods that can be reliably used to estimate the presence and the degree of portal hypertension are urgently needed in clinical practice. Biochemical and morphological parameters have been proposed for this purpose, but have shown disappointing results overall. Splanchnic Doppler ultrasonography and the analysis of microbubble contrast agent kinetics with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography have shown better accuracy for the evaluation of patients with portal hypertension. A key advancement in the non-invasive evaluation of portal hypertension has been the introduction in clinical practice of methods able to measure stiffness in the liver, as well as stiffness/congestion in the spleen. According to the data published to date, it appears to be possible to rule out clinically significant portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis (i.e., hepatic venous pressure gradient ≥ 10 mmHg) with a level of clinically-acceptable accuracy by combining measurements of liver stiffness and spleen stiffness along with Doppler ultrasound evaluation. It is probable that the combination of these methods may also allow for the identification of patients with the most serious degree of portal hypertension, and ongoing research is helping to ensure progress in this field. PMID:28104976

  4. Non-invasive monitoring of spreading depression.

    PubMed

    Bastany, Zoya J R; Askari, Shahbaz; Dumont, Guy A; Speckmann, Erwin-Josef; Gorji, Ali

    2016-10-01

    Spreading depression (SD), a slow propagating depolarization wave, plays an important role in pathophysiology of different neurological disorders. Yet, research into SD-related disorders has been hampered by the lack of non-invasive recording techniques of SD. Here we compared the manifestations of SD in continuous non-invasive electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings to invasive electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings in order to obtain further insights into generator structures and electrogenic mechanisms of surface recording of SD. SD was induced by KCl application and simultaneous SD recordings were performed by scalp EEG as well as ECoG electrodes of somatosensory neocortex of rats using a novel homemade EEG amplifier, AgCl recording electrodes, and high chloride conductive gel. Different methods were used to analyze the data; including the spectrogram, bi-spectrogram, pattern distribution, relative spectrum power, and multivariable Gaussian fit analysis. The negative direct current (DC) shifts recorded by scalp electrodes exhibited a high homogeneity to those recorded by ECoG electrodes. Furthermore, this novel method of recording and analysis was able to separate SD recorded by scalp electrodes from non-neuronal DC shifts induced by other potential generators, such as the skin, muscles, arteries, dura, etc. These data suggest a novel application for continuous non-invasive monitoring of DC potential changes, such as SD. Non-invasive monitoring of SD would allow early intervention and improve outcome in SD-related neurological disorders. Copyright © 2016 IBRO. All rights reserved.

  5. Changing Brain Networks Through Non-invasive Neuromodulation

    PubMed Central

    To, Wing Ting; De Ridder, Dirk; Hart Jr., John; Vanneste, Sven

    2018-01-01

    Background/Objective: Non-invasive neuromodulation techniques, such as repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), have increasingly been investigated for their potential as treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders. Despite widespread dissemination of these techniques, the underlying therapeutic mechanisms and the ideal stimulation site for a given disorder remain unknown. Increasing evidence support the possibility of non-invasive neuromodulation affecting a brain network rather than just the local stimulation target. In this article, we present evidence in a clinical setting to support the idea that non-invasive neuromodulation changes brain networks. Method: This article addresses the idea that non-invasive neuromodulation modulates brain networks, rather than just the local stimulation target, using neuromodulation studies in tinnitus and major depression as examples. We present studies that support this hypothesis from different perspectives. Main Results/Conclusion: Studies stimulating the same brain region, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), have shown to be effective for several disorders and studies using different stimulation sites for the same disorder have shown similar results. These findings, as well as results from studies investigating brain network connectivity on both macro and micro levels, suggest that non-invasive neuromodulation affects a brain network rather than just the local stimulation site targeted. We propose that non-invasive neuromodulation should be approached from a network perspective and emphasize the therapeutic potential of this approach through the modulation of targeted brain networks. PMID:29706876

  6. Changing Brain Networks Through Non-invasive Neuromodulation.

    PubMed

    To, Wing Ting; De Ridder, Dirk; Hart, John; Vanneste, Sven

    2018-01-01

    Background/Objective : Non-invasive neuromodulation techniques, such as repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), have increasingly been investigated for their potential as treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders. Despite widespread dissemination of these techniques, the underlying therapeutic mechanisms and the ideal stimulation site for a given disorder remain unknown. Increasing evidence support the possibility of non-invasive neuromodulation affecting a brain network rather than just the local stimulation target. In this article, we present evidence in a clinical setting to support the idea that non-invasive neuromodulation changes brain networks. Method : This article addresses the idea that non-invasive neuromodulation modulates brain networks, rather than just the local stimulation target, using neuromodulation studies in tinnitus and major depression as examples. We present studies that support this hypothesis from different perspectives. Main Results/Conclusion : Studies stimulating the same brain region, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), have shown to be effective for several disorders and studies using different stimulation sites for the same disorder have shown similar results. These findings, as well as results from studies investigating brain network connectivity on both macro and micro levels, suggest that non-invasive neuromodulation affects a brain network rather than just the local stimulation site targeted. We propose that non-invasive neuromodulation should be approached from a network perspective and emphasize the therapeutic potential of this approach through the modulation of targeted brain networks.

  7. Non-invasive detection of vulnerable coronary plaque

    PubMed Central

    Sharif, Faisal; Lohan, Derek G; Wijns, William

    2011-01-01

    Critical coronary stenoses have been shown to contribute to only a minority of acute coronary syndromes and sudden cardiac death. Autopsy studies have identified a subgroup of high-risk patients with disrupted vulnerable plaque and modest stenosis. Consequently, a clinical need exists to develop methods to identify these plaques prospectively before disruption and clinical expression of disease. Recent advances in invasive and non-invasive imaging techniques have shown the potential to identify these high-risk plaques. Non-invasive imaging with magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and positron emission tomography holds the potential to differentiate between low- and high-risk plaques. There have been significant technological advances in non-invasive imaging modalities, and the aim is to achieve a diagnostic sensitivity for these technologies similar to that of the invasive modalities. Molecular imaging with the use of novel targeted nanoparticles may help in detecting high-risk plaques that will ultimately cause acute myocardial infarction. Moreover, nanoparticle-based imaging may even provide non-invasive treatments for these plaques. However, at present none of these imaging modalities are able to detect vulnerable plaque nor have they been shown to definitively predict outcome. Further trials are needed to provide more information regarding the natural history of high-risk but non-flow-limiting plaque to establish patient specific targeted therapy and to refine plaque stabilizing strategies in the future. PMID:21860703

  8. Precision Pointing Control to and Accurate Target Estimation of a Non-Cooperative Vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    VanEepoel, John; Thienel, Julie; Sanner, Robert M.

    2006-01-01

    In 2004, NASA began investigating a robotic servicing mission for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Such a mission would not only require estimates of the HST attitude and rates in order to achieve capture by the proposed Hubble Robotic Vehicle (HRV), but also precision control to achieve the desired rate and maintain the orientation to successfully dock with HST. To generalize the situation, HST is the target vehicle and HRV is the chaser. This work presents a nonlinear approach for estimating the body rates of a non-cooperative target vehicle, and coupling this estimation to a control scheme. Non-cooperative in this context relates to the target vehicle no longer having the ability to maintain attitude control or transmit attitude knowledge.

  9. RAPIDR: an analysis package for non-invasive prenatal testing of aneuploidy

    PubMed Central

    Lo, Kitty K.; Boustred, Christopher; Chitty, Lyn S.; Plagnol, Vincent

    2014-01-01

    Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) of fetal aneuploidy using cell-free fetal DNA is becoming part of routine clinical practice. RAPIDR (Reliable Accurate Prenatal non-Invasive Diagnosis R package) is an easy-to-use open-source R package that implements several published NIPT analysis methods. The input to RAPIDR is a set of sequence alignment files in the BAM format, and the outputs are calls for aneuploidy, including trisomies 13, 18, 21 and monosomy X as well as fetal sex. RAPIDR has been extensively tested with a large sample set as part of the RAPID project in the UK. The package contains quality control steps to make it robust for use in the clinical setting. Availability and implementation: RAPIDR is implemented in R and can be freely downloaded via CRAN from here: http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/RAPIDR/index.html. Contact: kitty.lo@ucl.ac.uk Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:24990604

  10. Non-invasive prediction of forthcoming cirrhosis-related complications

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Wonseok; Kim, Seung Up; Ahn, Sang Hoon

    2014-01-01

    In patients with chronic liver diseases, identification of significant liver fibrosis and cirrhosis is essential for determining treatment strategies, assessing therapeutic response, and stratifying long-term prognosis. Although liver biopsy remains the reference standard for evaluating the extent of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases, several non-invasive methods have been developed as alternatives to liver biopsies. Some of these non-invasive methods have demonstrated clinical accuracy for diagnosing significant fibrosis or cirrhosis in many cross-sectional studies with the histological fibrosis stage as a reference standard. However, non-invasive methods cannot be fully validated through cross-sectional studies since liver biopsy is not a perfect surrogate endpoint marker. Accordingly, recent studies have focused on assessing the performance of non-invasive methods through long-term, longitudinal, follow-up studies with solid clinical endpoints related to advanced stages of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. As a result, current view is that these alternative methods can independently predict future cirrhosis-related complications, such as hepatic decompensation, liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma, or liver-related death. The clinical role of non-invasive models seems to be shifting from a simple tool for predicting the extent of fibrosis to a surveillance tool for predicting future liver-related events. In this article, we will summarize recent longitudinal studies of non-invasive methods for predicting forthcoming complications related to liver cirrhosis and discuss the clinical value of currently available non-invasive methods based on evidence from the literature. PMID:24627597

  11. European multicentre validation study of the accuracy of E/e' ratio in estimating invasive left ventricular filling pressure: EURO-FILLING study.

    PubMed

    Galderisi, Maurizio; Lancellotti, Patrizio; Donal, Erwan; Cardim, Nuno; Edvardsen, Thor; Habib, Gilbert; Magne, Julien; Maurer, Gerald; Popescu, Bogdan A

    2014-07-01

    The non-invasive estimation of left ventricular filling pressures (LVFPs) represents a main goal in the clinical setting. Current recommendations encourage the use of pulsed-wave Tissue Doppler for calculating the ratio between the preload-dependent transmitral E velocity and the average of septal and lateral early diastolic velocities (e') of the mitral annulus. Despite its wide use, real utility of the E/e' ratio has been recently challenged in patients with either very advanced heart failure or preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction. However, only few studies performed the invasive and non-invasive estimation of LVFP simultaneously. The EURO-FILLING Study will validate the E/e' ratio (and additional non-invasive estimates) against simultaneously measured LVFP obtained by left heart catheterization in a multicentre study involving reference European echo laboratories collecting a wide population sample size of cardiac patients with and without heart failure. The EURO-FILLING study is a large, prospective observational study in which simultaneous assessment of invasive and non-invasive measurements of LVFP will be acquired in eight reference European centres. Centralized reading of the collected parameters will be performed in a core laboratory. Not only standardized echo Doppler measurements but also novel echo parameters such as LV global longitudinal strain and global atrial strain (obtainable by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography) will be tested for predicting invasive measurements of LVFP. The EURO-FILLING study is expected to provide important information on non-invasive assessment of LVFP and to contribute to the standardization of this assessment in clinical practice. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2014. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  12. Non-invasive subcutaneous fat reduction: a review.

    PubMed

    Kennedy, J; Verne, S; Griffith, R; Falto-Aizpurua, L; Nouri, K

    2015-09-01

    The risks, financial costs and lengthy downtime associated with surgical procedures for fat reduction have led to the development of a number of non-invasive techniques. Non-invasive body contouring now represents the fastest growing area of aesthetic medicine. There are currently four leading non-invasive techniques for reducing localized subcutaneous adipose tissue: low-level laser therapy (LLLT), cryolipolysis, radio frequency (RF) and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). To review and compare leading techniques and clinical outcomes of non-invasive subcutaneous fat reduction. The terms 'non-invasive', 'low-level laser', 'cryolipolysis', 'ultrasound' and 'radio frequency' were combined with 'lipolysis', 'fat reduction' or 'body contour' during separate searches in the PubMed database. We identified 31 studies (27 prospective clinical studies and four retrospective chart reviews) with a total of 2937 patients that had been treated with LLLT (n = 1114), cryolipolysis (n = 706), HIFU (n = 843) or RF (n = 116) or other techniques (n = 158) for fat reduction or body contouring. A majority of these patients experienced significant and satisfying results without any serious adverse effects. The studies investigating these devices have all varied in treatment regimen, body locations, follow-up times or outcome operationalization. Each technique differs in offered advantages and severity of adverse effects. However, multiple non-invasive devices are safe and effective for circumferential reduction in local fat tissue by 2 cm or more across the abdomen, hips and thighs. Results are consistent and reproducible for each device and none are associated with any serious or permanent adverse effects. © 2015 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

  13. Non-invasive hyperthermia apparatus including coaxial applicator having a non-invasive radiometric receiving antenna incorporated therein and method of use thereof

    DOEpatents

    Ross, Michael P.

    1996-01-01

    A coaxial hyperthermia applicator for applying non-invasively electromagnetic energy to a body against which it is placed. The coaxial applicator antenna has formed integrally within it a non-invasive radiometric antenna for receiving thermoelectromagnetic emissions. The coaxial-configured applicator produces a bell-shaped radiation pattern symmetric about the axis of symmetry of the coaxial applicator. Integrating the radiometric antenna within the coaxial applicator produces a single device that performs dual functions. The first function is to transmit non-invasively energy for heating a subcutaneous tumor. The second function is to receive non-invasively thermal electromagnetic radiation from the tumor by which temperature is sensed and fed back to control the output of the coaxial applicator.

  14. [Non-invasive estimation of aortic flow by local electrical impedance changes].

    PubMed

    Okuda, N; Ohashi, N; Yamada, M; Fujinami, T

    1986-09-01

    Aortic flow velocity was measured by catheter-tip flow transducer in 25 patients who underwent left cardiac catheterization for non-invasive estimates by the impedance method. Disk electrodes were attached to the skin at the levels of the second thoracic vertebra in the posterior median line and the V8 lead position for electrocardiography. Alternating current, 350 micro-amperes, 50 KHz constant, was applied to the outer electrode, and impedance changes were detected via the inner electrode. The e wave, or height of the first derivative dz/dt wave of the electrical impedance was lower in cases of old myocardial infarction and higher in cases of aortic valve regurgitation, as compared with the values of the healthy control group. The time lag between the start of the upward deflection and the peak value of the dz/dt wave coincided with that of the aortic flow curve as measured at the aortic arch and descending aorta. These time lags were about 20 to 30 msec as compared with the ascending aortic flow curve, and were -20 to -30 msec as compared with the abdominal aortic flow curve. There was a close correlation between the maximum flow velocity measured at the aortic arch and the height of the e waves. The regression equation was: Y = 0.21X - 1.53, r = 0.88, p less than 0.01. These data suggest that the first derivative of electrical impedance change as obtained by the disk electrode method reflects aortic flow at the arch and descending aorta.

  15. The complexity underlying invasiveness precludes the identification of invasive traits: A comparative study of invasive and non-invasive heterocarpic Atriplex congeners

    PubMed Central

    Doudová, Jana; Douda, Jan; Mandák, Bohumil

    2017-01-01

    Heterocarpy enables species to effectively spread under unfavourable conditions by producing two or more types of fruit differing in ecological characteristics. Although it is frequent in annuals occupying disturbed habitats that are vulnerable to invasion, there is still a lack of congeneric studies addressing the importance of heterocarpy for species invasion success. We compared two pairs of heterocarpic Atriplex species, each of them comprising one invasive and one non-invasive non-native congener. In two common garden experiments, we (i) simulated the influence of different levels of nutrients and population density on plants grown from different types of fruits and examined several traits that are generally positively associated with invasion success, and (ii) grew plants in a replacement series experiment to evaluate resource partitioning between them and to compare their competitive ability. We found that specific functional traits or competitiveness of species cannot explain the invasiveness of Atriplex species, indicating that species invasiveness involves more complex interactions of traits that are important only in certain ecological contexts, i.e. in specific environmental conditions and only some habitats. Interestingly, species trait differences related to invasion success were found between plants growing from the ecologically most contrasting fruit types. We suggest that fruit types differing in ecological behaviour may be essential in the process of invasion or in the general spreading of heterocarpic species, as they either the maximize population growth (type C fruit) or enhance the chance of survival of new populations (type A fruit). Congeners offer the best available methodical framework for comparing traits among phylogenetically closely related invasive and non-invasive species. However, as indicated by our results, this approach is unlikely to reveal invasive traits because of the complexity underlying invasiveness. PMID:28445514

  16. Non-invasive hyperthermia apparatus including coaxial applicator having a non-invasive radiometric receiving antenna incorporated therein and method of use thereof

    DOEpatents

    Ross, M.P.

    1996-08-27

    A coaxial hyperthermia applicator is disclosed for applying non-invasively electromagnetic energy to a body against which it is placed. The coaxial applicator antenna has formed integrally within it a non-invasive radiometric antenna for receiving thermoelectromagnetic emissions. The coaxial-configured applicator produces a bell-shaped radiation pattern symmetric about the axis of symmetry of the coaxial applicator. Integrating the radiometric antenna within the coaxial applicator produces a single device that performs dual functions. The first function is to transmit non-invasively energy for heating a subcutaneous tumor. The second function is to receive non-invasively thermal electromagnetic radiation from the tumor by which temperature is sensed and fed back to control the output of the coaxial applicator. 11 figs.

  17. Age as a Confounding Factor for the Accurate Non-Invasive Diagnosis of Advanced NAFLD Fibrosis.

    PubMed

    McPherson, Stuart; Hardy, Tim; Dufour, Jean-Francois; Petta, Salvatore; Romero-Gomez, Manuel; Allison, Mike; Oliveira, Claudia P; Francque, Sven; Van Gaal, Luc; Schattenberg, Jörn M; Tiniakos, Dina; Burt, Alastair; Bugianesi, Elisabetta; Ratziu, Vlad; Day, Christopher P; Anstee, Quentin M

    2017-05-01

    Non-invasive fibrosis scores are widely used to identify/exclude advanced fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, these scores were principally developed and validated in patients aged between 35 and 65 years of age. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of age on the performance of non-invasive fibrosis tests in NAFLD. Patients were recruited from European specialist hepatology clinics. The cohort was divided into five age-based groups: ≤35 (n=74), 36-45 (n=96), 46-55 (n=197), 56-64 (n=191), and ≥65 years (n=76), and the performance of the aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine transaminase (ALT) ratio, fibrosis 4 (FIB-4), and NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) for advanced fibrosis (stage F3-F4) for each group was assessed using liver biopsy as the standard. Six hundred and thirty-four patients were included. The diagnostic accuracy of the AST/ALT ratio was lower than NFS and FIB-4 in all the age groups. The AST/ALT ratio, NFS, and FIB-4 score performed poorly for a diagnosis of advanced fibrosis in those aged ≤35 years (area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs 0.52, 0.52, and 0.60, respectively). For all groups >35 years, AUROCs for advanced fibrosis were similar for the NFS and FIB-4 score (range 0.77-0.84). However, the specificity for advanced fibrosis using the FIB-4 and NFS declined with age, becoming unacceptably low in those aged ≥65 years (35% for FIB-4 and 20% for NFS). New cutoffs were derived (and validated) for those aged ≥65 years, which improved specificity to 70% without adversely affecting sensitivity (FIB-4 2.0, sensitivity 77%; NFS 0.12, sensitivity 80%). The NFS and FIB-4 scores have similar accuracy for advanced fibrosis in patients aged >35 years. However, the specificity for advanced fibrosis is unacceptably low in patients aged ≥65 years, resulting in a high false positive rate. New thresholds for use in patients aged ≥65 years are proposed to address this

  18. Age as a Confounding Factor for the Accurate Non-Invasive Diagnosis of Advanced NAFLD Fibrosis

    PubMed Central

    McPherson, Stuart; Hardy, Tim; Dufour, Jean-Francois; Petta, Salvatore; Romero-Gomez, Manuel; Allison, Mike; Oliveira, Claudia P; Francque, Sven; Van Gaal, Luc; Schattenberg, Jörn M; Tiniakos, Dina; Burt, Alastair; Bugianesi, Elisabetta; Ratziu, Vlad; Day, Christopher P; Anstee, Quentin M

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: Non-invasive fibrosis scores are widely used to identify/exclude advanced fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, these scores were principally developed and validated in patients aged between 35 and 65 years of age. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of age on the performance of non-invasive fibrosis tests in NAFLD. METHODS: Patients were recruited from European specialist hepatology clinics. The cohort was divided into five age-based groups: ≤35 (n=74), 36–45 (n=96), 46–55 (n=197), 56–64 (n=191), and ≥65 years (n=76), and the performance of the aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine transaminase (ALT) ratio, fibrosis 4 (FIB-4), and NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) for advanced fibrosis (stage F3–F4) for each group was assessed using liver biopsy as the standard. RESULTS: Six hundred and thirty-four patients were included. The diagnostic accuracy of the AST/ALT ratio was lower than NFS and FIB-4 in all the age groups. The AST/ALT ratio, NFS, and FIB-4 score performed poorly for a diagnosis of advanced fibrosis in those aged ≤35 years (area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs 0.52, 0.52, and 0.60, respectively). For all groups >35 years, AUROCs for advanced fibrosis were similar for the NFS and FIB-4 score (range 0.77–0.84). However, the specificity for advanced fibrosis using the FIB-4 and NFS declined with age, becoming unacceptably low in those aged ≥65 years (35% for FIB-4 and 20% for NFS). New cutoffs were derived (and validated) for those aged ≥65 years, which improved specificity to 70% without adversely affecting sensitivity (FIB-4 2.0, sensitivity 77% NFS 0.12, sensitivity 80%). CONCLUSIONS: The NFS and FIB-4 scores have similar accuracy for advanced fibrosis in patients aged >35 years. However, the specificity for advanced fibrosis is unacceptably low in patients aged ≥65 years, resulting in a high false positive rate. New thresholds for use in

  19. Fluid challenge: tracking changes in cardiac output with blood pressure monitoring (invasive or non-invasive).

    PubMed

    Lakhal, Karim; Ehrmann, Stephan; Perrotin, Dominique; Wolff, Michel; Boulain, Thierry

    2013-11-01

    To assess whether invasive and non-invasive blood pressure (BP) monitoring allows the identification of patients who have responded to a fluid challenge, i.e., who have increased their cardiac output (CO). Patients with signs of circulatory failure were prospectively included. Before and after a fluid challenge, CO and the mean of four intra-arterial and oscillometric brachial cuff BP measurements were collected. Fluid responsiveness was defined by an increase in CO ≥10 or ≥15% in case of regular rhythm or arrhythmia, respectively. In 130 patients, the correlation between a fluid-induced increase in pulse pressure (Δ500mlPP) and fluid-induced increase in CO was weak and was similar for invasive and non-invasive measurements of BP: r² = 0.31 and r² = 0.29, respectively (both p < 0.001). For the identification of responders, invasive Δ500mlPP was associated with an area under the receiver-operating curve (AUC) of 0.82 (0.74-0.88), similar (p = 0.80) to that of non-invasive Δ500mlPP [AUC of 0.81 (0.73-0.87)]. Outside large gray zones of inconclusive values (5-23% for invasive Δ500mlPP and 4-35% for non-invasive Δ500mlPP, involving 35 and 48% of patients, respectively), the detection of responsiveness or unresponsiveness to fluid was reliable. Cardiac arrhythmia did not impair the performance of invasive or non-invasive Δ500mlPP. Other BP-derived indices did not outperform Δ500mlPP. As evidenced by large gray zones, BP-derived indices poorly reflected fluid responsiveness. However, in our deeply sedated population, a high increase in invasive pulse pressure (>23%) or even in non-invasive pulse pressure (>35%) reliably detected a response to fluid. In the absence of a marked increase in pulse pressure (<4-5%), a response to fluid was unlikely.

  20. Can intracranial pressure be measured non-invasively bedside using a two-depth Doppler-technique?

    PubMed

    Koskinen, Lars-Owe D; Malm, Jan; Zakelis, Rolandas; Bartusis, Laimonas; Ragauskas, Arminas; Eklund, Anders

    2017-04-01

    Measurement of intracranial pressure (ICP) is necessary in many neurological and neurosurgical diseases. To avoid lumbar puncture or intracranial ICP probes, non-invasive ICP techniques are becoming popular. A recently developed technology uses two-depth Doppler to compare arterial pulsations in the intra- and extra-cranial segments of the ophthalmic artery for non-invasive estimation of ICP. The aim of this study was to investigate how well non-invasively-measured ICP and invasively-measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure correlate. We performed multiple measurements over a wide ICP span in eighteen elderly patients with communicating hydrocephalus. As a reference, an automatic CSF infusion apparatus was connected to the lumbar space. Ringer's solution was used to create elevation to pre-defined ICP levels. Bench tests of the infusion apparatus showed a random error (95 % CI) of less than ±0.9 mmHg and a systematic error of less than ±0.5 mmHg. Reliable Doppler signals were obtained in 13 (72 %) patients. An infusion test could not be performed in one patient. Thus, twelve patients and a total of 61 paired data points were studied. The correlation between invasive and non-invasive ICP measurements was good (R = 0.74), and the 95 % limits of agreements were -1.4 ± 8.8 mmHg. The within-patient correlation varied between 0.47 and 1.00. This non-invasive technique is promising, and these results encourage further development and evaluation before the method can be recommended for use in clinical practice.

  1. From mini-invasive to non-invasive treatment using monopolar radiofrequency: the next orthopaedic frontier.

    PubMed

    Whipple, Terry L

    2009-10-01

    Tendinopathy arises from a failed tendon healing process. Current non-invasive therapeutic alternatives are anti-inflammatory in nature, and outcomes are unpredictable. The benefit of invasive alternatives resides in the induction of the healing response. A new technology that uses non-invasive monopolar capacitive coupled radiofrequency has demonstrated the ability to raise temperatures in tendons and ligaments above 50 degrees C, the threshold for collagen modulation, tissue shrinkage and recruitment of macrophages, fibroblasts, and heat shock protein factors, without damaging the overlying structures, resulting in activation of the wound healing response. Monopolar capacitive-coupled radiofrequency offers a new non-invasive choice for tendinopathies and sprained ligaments. It does not interfere with subsequent surgical procedures should they become necessary.

  2. [Non-invasive assessment of fatty liver].

    PubMed

    Egresi, Anna; Lengyel, Gabriella; Hagymási, Krisztina

    2015-04-05

    As the result of various harmful effects (infectious agents, metabolic diseases, unhealthy diet, obesity, toxic agents, autoimmune processes) hepatic damage may develop, which can progress towards liver steatosis, and fibrosis as well. The most common etiological factors of liver damages are hepatitis B and C infection, alcohol consumption and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Liver biopsy is considered as the gold standard for the diagnosis of chronic liver diseases. Due to the dangers and complications of liver biopsy, studies are focused on non-invasive markers and radiological imaging for liver steatosis, progression of fatty liver, activity of the necroinflammation and the severity of the fibrosis. Authors review the possibilities of non-invasive assessment of liver steatosis. The statistical features of the probes (positive, negative predictive values, sensitivity, specificity) are reviewed. The role of radiological imaging is also discussed. Although the non-invasive methods discussed in this article are useful to assess liver steatosis, further studies are needed to validate to follow progression of the diseases and to control therapeutic response.

  3. Non-invasive diagnosis of hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Sangheun; Kim, Do Young

    2014-01-01

    Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection is a major public health problem associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Twenty-three percent of patients with CHB progress naturally to liver cirrhosis, which was earlier thought to be irreversible. However, it is now known that cirrhosis can in fact be reversed by treatment with oral anti-nucleotide drugs. Thus, early and accurate diagnosis of cirrhosis is important to allow an appropriate treatment strategy to be chosen and to predict the prognosis of patients with CHB. Liver biopsy is the reference standard for assessment of liver fibrosis. However, the method is invasive, and is associated with pain and complications that can be fatal. In addition, intra- and inter-observer variability compromises the accuracy of liver biopsy data. Only small tissue samples are obtained and fibrosis is heterogeneous in such samples. This confounds the two types of observer variability mentioned above. Such limitations have encouraged development of non-invasive methods for assessment of fibrosis. These include measurements of serum biomarkers of fibrosis; and assessment of liver stiffness via transient elastography, acoustic radiation force impulse imaging, real-time elastography, or magnetic resonance elastography. Although significant advances have been made, most work to date has addressed the diagnostic utility of these techniques in the context of cirrhosis caused by chronic hepatitis C infection. In the present review, we examine the advantages afforded by use of non-invasive methods to diagnose cirrhosis in patients with CHB infections and the utility of such methods in clinical practice. PMID:24574713

  4. Invasive versus Non Invasive Methods Applied to Mummy Research: Will This Controversy Ever Be Solved?

    PubMed Central

    Day, Jasmine; Bianucci, Raffaella

    2015-01-01

    Advances in the application of non invasive techniques to mummified remains have shed new light on past diseases. The virtual inspection of a corpse, which has almost completely replaced classical autopsy, has proven to be important especially when dealing with valuable museum specimens. In spite of some very rewarding results, there are still many open questions. Non invasive techniques provide information on hard and soft tissue pathologies and allow information to be gleaned concerning mummification practices (e.g., ancient Egyptian artificial mummification). Nevertheless, there are other fields of mummy studies in which the results provided by non invasive techniques are not always self-explanatory. Reliance exclusively upon virtual diagnoses can sometimes lead to inconclusive and misleading interpretations. On the other hand, several types of investigation (e.g., histology, paleomicrobiology, and biochemistry), although minimally invasive, require direct contact with the bodies and, for this reason, are often avoided, particularly by museum curators. Here we present an overview of the non invasive and invasive techniques currently used in mummy studies and propose an approach that might solve these conflicts. PMID:26345295

  5. Towards a smart non-invasive fluid loss measurement system.

    PubMed

    Suryadevara, N K; Mukhopadhyay, S C; Barrack, L

    2015-04-01

    In this article, a smart wireless sensing non-invasive system for estimating the amount of fluid loss, a person experiences while physical activity is presented. The system measures three external body parameters, Heart Rate, Galvanic Skin Response (GSR, or skin conductance), and Skin Temperature. These three parameters are entered into an empirically derived formula along with the user's body mass index, and estimation for the amount of fluid lost is determined. The core benefit of the developed system is the affluence usage in combining with smart home monitoring systems to care elderly people in ambient assisted living environments as well in automobiles to monitor the body parameters of a motorist.

  6. Non-invasive prenatal testing for aneuploidy: a systematic review of Internet advertising to potential users by commercial companies and private health providers.

    PubMed

    Skirton, Heather; Goldsmith, Lesley; Jackson, Leigh; Lewis, Celine; Chitty, Lyn S

    2015-12-01

    The development of non-invasive prenatal testing has increased accessibility of fetal testing. Companies are now advertising prenatal testing for aneuploidy via the Internet. The aim of this systematic review of websites advertising non-invasive prenatal testing for aneuploidy was to explore the nature of the information being provided to potential users. We systematically searched two Internet search engines for relevant websites using the following terms: 'prenatal test', 'antenatal test', 'non-invasive test', 'noninvasive test', 'cell-free fetal DNA', 'cffDNA', 'Down syndrome test' or 'trisomy test'. We examined the first 200 websites identified through each search. Relevant web-based text was examined, and key topics were identified, tabulated and counted. To analyse the text further, we used thematic analysis. Forty websites were identified. Whilst a number of sites provided balanced, accurate information, in the majority supporting evidence was not provided to underpin the information and there was inadequate information on the need for an invasive test to definitely diagnose aneuploidy. The information provided on many websites does not comply with professional recommendations. Guidelines are needed to ensure that companies offering prenatal testing via the Internet provide accurate and comprehensible information. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Neuro-ophthalmological presentation of non-invasive Aspergillus sinus disease in the non-immunocompromised host.

    PubMed Central

    Brown, P; Demaerel, P; McNaught, A; Revesz, T; Graham, E; Kendall, B E; Plant, G

    1994-01-01

    Two cases of non-invasive aspergillosis of the nose and paranasal sinuses are described. The first presented with left proptosis and ophthalmoplegia. Imaging and histology showed a maxillary sinus aspergilloma. The second case presented as a compressive optic neuropathy and histology showed allergic aspergillus sinusitis. The pathological distinction between invasive and non-invasive forms of aspergillus sinusitis is important as in invasive aspergillosis surgical treatment is most effectively combined with systemic antifungal treatment, whereas in aspergilloma of the paranasal sinuses surgical drainage of the sinuses alone is usually sufficient, and in allergic aspergillus sinusitis surgery is best combined with systemic or topical steroids. The distinction between invasive and non-invasive forms is particularly important as both may present with cranial neuropathies. Images PMID:8126516

  8. Novel blood pressure and pulse pressure estimation based on pulse transit time and stroke volume approximation.

    PubMed

    Lee, Joonnyong; Sohn, JangJay; Park, Jonghyun; Yang, SeungMan; Lee, Saram; Kim, Hee Chan

    2018-06-18

    Non-invasive continuous blood pressure monitors are of great interest to the medical community due to their value in hypertension management. Recently, studies have shown the potential of pulse pressure as a therapeutic target for hypertension, but not enough attention has been given to non-invasive continuous monitoring of pulse pressure. Although accurate pulse pressure estimation can be of direct value to hypertension management and indirectly to the estimation of systolic blood pressure, as it is the sum of pulse pressure and diastolic blood pressure, only a few inadequate methods of pulse pressure estimation have been proposed. We present a novel, non-invasive blood pressure and pulse pressure estimation method based on pulse transit time and pre-ejection period. Pre-ejection period and pulse transit time were measured non-invasively using electrocardiogram, seismocardiogram, and photoplethysmogram measured from the torso. The proposed method used the 2-element Windkessel model to model pulse pressure with the ratio of stroke volume, approximated by pre-ejection period, and arterial compliance, estimated by pulse transit time. Diastolic blood pressure was estimated using pulse transit time, and systolic blood pressure was estimated as the sum of the two estimates. The estimation method was verified in 11 subjects in two separate conditions with induced cardiovascular response and the results were compared against a reference measurement and values obtained from a previously proposed method. The proposed method yielded high agreement with the reference (pulse pressure correlation with reference R ≥ 0.927, diastolic blood pressure correlation with reference R ≥ 0.854, systolic blood pressure correlation with reference R ≥ 0.914) and high estimation accuracy in pulse pressure (mean root-mean-squared error ≤ 3.46 mmHg) and blood pressure (mean root-mean-squared error ≤ 6.31 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure and ≤ 8.41

  9. [Interest of non invasive navigation in total knee arthroplasty].

    PubMed

    Zorman, D; Leclercq, G; Cabanas, J Juanos; Jennart, H

    2015-01-01

    During surgery of total knee arthroplasty, we use a computerized non invasive navigation (Brainlab Victor Vision CT-free) to assess the accuracy of the bone cuts (navigation expresse). The purpose of this study is to evaluate non invasive navigation when a total knee arthroplasty is achieved by conventional instrumentation. The study is based on forty total knee arthroplasties. The accuracy of the tibial and distal femoral bone cuts, checked by non invasive navigation, is evaluated prospectively. In our clinical series, we have obtained, with the conventional instrumentation, a correction of the mechanical axis only in 90 % of cases (N = 36). With non invasive navigation, we improved the positioning of implants and obtained in all cases the desired axiometry in the frontal plane. Although operative time is increased by about 15 minutes, the non invasive navigation does not induce intraoperative or immediate postoperative complications. Despite the cost of this technology, we believe that the reliability of the procedure is enhanced by a simple and reproducible technique.

  10. Use of non-invasive genetics to generate core-area population estimates of a threatened predator in the Superior National Forest, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Barber-Meyer, Shannon; Ryan, Daniel; Grosshuesch, David; Catton, Timothy; Malick-Wahls, Sarah

    2018-01-01

    core areas and averaged 52.3 (SD=8.3, range=43-59) during 2015-2017 in the larger core areas. We found no evidence for a decrease or increase in abundance during either period. Lynx density estimates were approximately 7-10 times lower than densities of lynx in northern populations at the low of the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) population cycle. To our knowledge, our results are the first attempt to estimate abundance, trend and density of lynx in Minnesota using non-invasive genetic capture-mark-recapture. Estimates such as ours provide useful benchmarks for future comparisons by providing a context with which to assess 1) potential changes in forest management that may affect lynx recovery and conservation, and 2) possible effects of climate change on the depth, density, and duration of annual snow cover and correspondingly, potential effects on snowshoe hares as well.

  11. Laryngeal closure impedes non-invasive ventilation at birth

    PubMed Central

    Crawshaw, Jessica R; Kitchen, Marcus J; Binder-Heschl, Corinna; Thio, Marta; Wallace, Megan J; Kerr, Lauren T; Roehr, Charles C; Lee, Katie L; Buckley, Genevieve A; Davis, Peter G; Flemmer, Andreas; te Pas, Arjan B; Hooper, Stuart B

    2018-01-01

    Background Non-invasive ventilation is sometimes unable to provide the respiratory needs of very premature infants in the delivery room. While airway obstruction is thought to be the main problem, the site of obstruction is unknown. We investigated whether closure of the larynx and epiglottis is a major site of airway obstruction. Methods We used phase contrast X-ray imaging to visualise laryngeal function in spontaneously breathing premature rabbits immediately after birth and at approximately 1 hour after birth. Non-invasive respiratory support was applied via a facemask and images were analysed to determine the percentage of the time the glottis and the epiglottis were open. Hypothesis Immediately after birth, the larynx is predominantly closed, only opening briefly during a breath, making non-invasive intermittent positive pressure ventilation (iPPV) ineffective, whereas after lung aeration, the larynx is predominantly open allowing non-invasive iPPV to ventilate the lung. Results The larynx and epiglottis were predominantly closed (open 25.5%±1.1% and 17.1%±1.6% of the time, respectively) in pups with unaerated lungs and unstable breathing patterns immediately after birth. In contrast, the larynx and the epiglottis were mostly open (90.5%±1.9% and 72.3%±2.3% of the time, respectively) in pups with aerated lungs and stable breathing patterns irrespective of time after birth. Conclusion Laryngeal closure impedes non-invasive iPPV at birth and may reduce the effectiveness of non-invasive respiratory support in premature infants immediately after birth. PMID:29054974

  12. Invasive clonal plant species have a greater root-foraging plasticity than non-invasive ones.

    PubMed

    Keser, Lidewij H; Dawson, Wayne; Song, Yao-Bin; Yu, Fei-Hai; Fischer, Markus; Dong, Ming; van Kleunen, Mark

    2014-03-01

    Clonality is frequently positively correlated with plant invasiveness, but which aspects of clonality make some clonal species more invasive than others is not known. Due to their spreading growth form, clonal plants are likely to experience spatial heterogeneity in nutrient availability. Plasticity in allocation of biomass to clonal growth organs and roots may allow these plants to forage for high-nutrient patches. We investigated whether this foraging response is stronger in species that have become invasive than in species that have not. We used six confamilial pairs of native European clonal plant species differing in invasion success in the USA. We grew all species in large pots under homogeneous or heterogeneous nutrient conditions in a greenhouse, and compared their nutrient-foraging response and performance. Neither invasive nor non-invasive species showed significant foraging responses to heterogeneity in clonal growth organ biomass or in aboveground biomass of clonal offspring. Invasive species had, however, a greater positive foraging response in terms of root and belowground biomass than non-invasive species. Invasive species also produced more total biomass. Our results suggest that the ability for strong root foraging is among the characteristics promoting invasiveness in clonal plants.

  13. Towards understanding knee joint laxity: errors in non-invasive assessment of joint rotation can be corrected.

    PubMed

    Moewis, P; Boeth, H; Heller, M O; Yntema, C; Jung, T; Doyscher, R; Ehrig, R M; Zhong, Y; Taylor, W R

    2014-07-01

    The in vivo quantification of rotational laxity of the knee joint is of importance for monitoring changes in joint stability or the outcome of therapies. While invasive assessments have been used to study rotational laxity, non-invasive methods are attractive particularly for assessing young cohorts. This study aimed to determine the conditions under which tibio-femoral rotational laxity can be assessed reliably and accurately in a non-invasive manner. The reliability and error of non-invasive examinations of rotational joint laxity were determined by comparing the artefact associated with surface mounted markers against simultaneous measurements using fluoroscopy in five knees including healthy and ACL deficient joints. The knees were examined at 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° flexion using a device that allows manual axial rotation of the joint. With a mean RMS error of 9.6°, the largest inaccuracy using non-invasive assessment was present at 0° knee flexion, whereas at 90° knee flexion, a smaller RMS error of 5.7° was found. A Bland and Altman assessment indicated that a proportional bias exists between the non-invasive and fluoroscopic approaches, with limits of agreement that exceeded 20°. Correction using average linear regression functions resulted in a reduction of the RMS error to below 1° and limits of agreement to less than ±1° across all knees and flexion angles. Given the excellent reliability and the fact that a correction of the surface mounted marker based rotation values can be achieved, non-invasive evaluation of tibio-femoral rotation could offer opportunities for simplified devices for use in clinical settings in cases where invasive assessments are not justified. Although surface mounted marker based measurements tend to overestimate joint rotation, and therefore joint laxity, our results indicate that it is possible to correct for this error. Copyright © 2014 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Non-invasive neural stimulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tyler, William J.; Sanguinetti, Joseph L.; Fini, Maria; Hool, Nicholas

    2017-05-01

    Neurotechnologies for non-invasively interfacing with neural circuits have been evolving from those capable of sensing neural activity to those capable of restoring and enhancing human brain function. Generally referred to as non-invasive neural stimulation (NINS) methods, these neuromodulation approaches rely on electrical, magnetic, photonic, and acoustic or ultrasonic energy to influence nervous system activity, brain function, and behavior. Evidence that has been surmounting for decades shows that advanced neural engineering of NINS technologies will indeed transform the way humans treat diseases, interact with information, communicate, and learn. The physics underlying the ability of various NINS methods to modulate nervous system activity can be quite different from one another depending on the energy modality used as we briefly discuss. For members of commercial and defense industry sectors that have not traditionally engaged in neuroscience research and development, the science, engineering and technology required to advance NINS methods beyond the state-of-the-art presents tremendous opportunities. Within the past few years alone there have been large increases in global investments made by federal agencies, foundations, private investors and multinational corporations to develop advanced applications of NINS technologies. Driven by these efforts NINS methods and devices have recently been introduced to mass markets via the consumer electronics industry. Further, NINS continues to be explored in a growing number of defense applications focused on enhancing human dimensions. The present paper provides a brief introduction to the field of non-invasive neural stimulation by highlighting some of the more common methods in use or under current development today.

  15. Between-day reliability of a method for non-invasive estimation of muscle composition.

    PubMed

    Simunič, Boštjan

    2012-08-01

    Tensiomyography is a method for valid and non-invasive estimation of skeletal muscle fibre type composition. The validity of selected temporal tensiomyographic measures has been well established recently; there is, however, no evidence regarding the method's between-day reliability. Therefore it is the aim of this paper to establish the between-day repeatability of tensiomyographic measures in three skeletal muscles. For three consecutive days, 10 healthy male volunteers (mean±SD: age 24.6 ± 3.0 years; height 177.9 ± 3.9 cm; weight 72.4 ± 5.2 kg) were examined in a supine position. Four temporal measures (delay, contraction, sustain, and half-relaxation time) and maximal amplitude were extracted from the displacement-time tensiomyogram. A reliability analysis was performed with calculations of bias, random error, coefficient of variation (CV), standard error of measurement, and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) with a 95% confidence interval. An analysis of ICC demonstrated excellent agreement (ICC were over 0.94 in 14 out of 15 tested parameters). However, lower CV was observed in half-relaxation time, presumably because of the specifics of the parameter definition itself. These data indicate that for the three muscles tested, tensiomyographic measurements were reproducible across consecutive test days. Furthermore, we indicated the most possible origin of the lowest reliability detected in half-relaxation time. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. The role of invasive and non-invasive procedures in diagnosing fever of unknown origin.

    PubMed

    Mete, Bilgul; Vanli, Ersin; Yemisen, Mucahit; Balkan, Ilker Inanc; Dagtekin, Hilal; Ozaras, Resat; Saltoglu, Nese; Mert, Ali; Ozturk, Recep; Tabak, Fehmi

    2012-01-01

    The etiology of fever of unknown origin has changed because of the recent advances in and widespread use of invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tools. However, undiagnosed patients still constitute a significant number. To determine the etiological distribution and role of non-invasive and invasive diagnostic tools in the diagnosis of fever of unknown origin. One hundred patients who were hospitalized between June 2001 and 2009 with a fever of unknown origin were included in this study. Clinical and laboratory data were collected from the patients' medical records retrospectively. Fifty three percent of the patients were male, with a mean age of 45 years. The etiology of fever was determined to be infectious diseases in 26, collagen vascular diseases in 38, neoplastic diseases in 14, miscellaneous in 2 and undiagnosed in 20 patients. When the etiologic distribution was analyzed over time, it was noted that the rate of infectious diseases decreased, whereas the rate of rheumatological and undiagnosed diseases relatively increased because of the advances in imaging and microbiological studies. Seventy patients had a definitive diagnosis, whereas 10 patients had a possible diagnosis. The diagnoses were established based on clinical features and non-invasive tests for 61% of the patients and diagnostic benefit was obtained for 49% of the patients undergoing invasive tests. Biopsy procedures contributed a rate of 42% to diagnoses in patients who received biopsies. Clinical features (such as detailed medical history-taking and physical examination) may contribute to diagnoses, particularly in cases of collagen vascular diseases. Imaging studies exhibit certain pathologies that guide invasive studies. Biopsy procedures contribute greatly to diagnoses, particularly for malignancies and infectious diseases that are not diagnosed by non-invasive procedures.

  17. Power spectral estimation of high-harmonics in echoes of wall resonances to improve resolution in non-invasive measurements of wall mechanical properties in rubber tube and ex-vivo artery.

    PubMed

    Bazan, I; Ramos, A; Balay, G; Negreira, C

    2018-07-01

    The aim of this work is to develop a new type of ultrasonic analysis of the mechanical properties of an arterial wall with improved resolution, and to confirm its feasibility under laboratory conditions. it is expected that this would facilitate a non-invasive path for accurate predictive diagnosis that enables an early detection & therapy of vascular pathologies. In particular, the objective is to detect and quantify the small elasticity changes (in Young's modulus E) of arterial walls, which precede pathology. A submicron axial resolution is required for this analysis, as the periodic widening of the wall (under oscillatory arterial pressure) varies between ±10 and 20 μm. This high resolution represents less than 1% of the parietal thickness (e.g., < 7 μm in carotid arteries). The novelty of our proposal is the new technique used to estimate the modulus E of the arterial walls, which achieves the requisite resolution. It calculates the power spectral evolution associated with the temporal dynamics in higher harmonics of the wall internal resonance f 0 . This was attained via the implementation of an autoregressive parametric algorithm that accurately detects parietal echo-dynamics during a heartbeat. Thus, it was possible to measure the punctual elasticity of the wall, with a higher resolution (> an order of magnitude) compared to conventional approaches. The resolution of a typical ultrasonic image is limited to several hundred microns, and thus, such small changes are undetected. The proposed procedure provides a non-invasive and direct measure of elasticity by doing an estimation of changes in the Nf 0 harmonics and wall thickness with a resolution of 0.1%, for first time. The results obtained by using the classic temporal cross-correlation method (TCC) were compared to those obtained with the new procedure. The latter allowed the evaluation of alterations in the elastic properties of arterial walls that are 30 times smaller than those being

  18. A Non-Invasive Deep Tissue PH Monitor.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1995-08-11

    disturbances in acid-base regulation may have serious effects on metabolic activity, circulation, and the central nervous system. Currently, acid-base...to tissue ischemia than is arterial pH. Consequently, a non-invasive deep tissue pH monitor has enormous value as a mechanism for rapid and effective ...achieved, and improve our understanding of what physical effects are important to successful non-invasive deep tissue pH monitoring. This last statement

  19. Laryngeal closure impedes non-invasive ventilation at birth.

    PubMed

    Crawshaw, Jessica R; Kitchen, Marcus J; Binder-Heschl, Corinna; Thio, Marta; Wallace, Megan J; Kerr, Lauren T; Roehr, Charles C; Lee, Katie L; Buckley, Genevieve A; Davis, Peter G; Flemmer, Andreas; Te Pas, Arjan B; Hooper, Stuart B

    2018-03-01

    Non-invasive ventilation is sometimes unable to provide the respiratory needs of very premature infants in the delivery room. While airway obstruction is thought to be the main problem, the site of obstruction is unknown. We investigated whether closure of the larynx and epiglottis is a major site of airway obstruction. We used phase contrast X-ray imaging to visualise laryngeal function in spontaneously breathing premature rabbits immediately after birth and at approximately 1 hour after birth. Non-invasive respiratory support was applied via a facemask and images were analysed to determine the percentage of the time the glottis and the epiglottis were open. Immediately after birth, the larynx is predominantly closed, only opening briefly during a breath, making non-invasive intermittent positive pressure ventilation (iPPV) ineffective, whereas after lung aeration, the larynx is predominantly open allowing non-invasive iPPV to ventilate the lung. The larynx and epiglottis were predominantly closed (open 25.5%±1.1% and 17.1%±1.6% of the time, respectively) in pups with unaerated lungs and unstable breathing patterns immediately after birth. In contrast, the larynx and the epiglottis were mostly open (90.5%±1.9% and 72.3%±2.3% of the time, respectively) in pups with aerated lungs and stable breathing patterns irrespective of time after birth. Laryngeal closure impedes non-invasive iPPV at birth and may reduce the effectiveness of non-invasive respiratory support in premature infants immediately after birth. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  20. Topical Therapy for non-invasive penile cancer (Tis)-updated results and toxicity.

    PubMed

    Manjunath, Aditya; Brenton, Thomas; Wylie, Sarah; Corbishley, Catherine M; Watkin, Nick A

    2017-10-01

    Penile cancer is a rare malignancy estimated to affect 26,000 men globally each year. The association with penile cancer, in particular non-invasive disease, and human papilloma virus (HPV) is well known. Ninety-five percent of cases of penile cancer are squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which are staged using the TNM staging system. Terminology describing the histological appearance of non-invasive penile cancer has changed with all cases grouped under the umbrella term of penile intraepithelial neoplasia (PeIN); either undifferentiated or differentiated. This replaces previous terms such as carcinoma in situ (CIS) and eponymous names such as Bowen's disease. This change is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The topical treatments most commonly used for PeIN are 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and imiquimod (IQ). Other treatments such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) are used but to a lesser degree. The evidence for all of these treatments is heterogenous with no randomised data available. Overall up to 57% complete response has been reported with a low number of serious adverse events. In this article, we aim to review the available evidence for the topical treatment of non-invasive penile cancer specifically regarding its efficacy and toxicity.

  1. Mitochondrial DNA as a non-invasive biomarker: Accurate quantification using real time quantitative PCR without co-amplification of pseudogenes and dilution bias

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Malik, Afshan N., E-mail: afshan.malik@kcl.ac.uk; Shahni, Rojeen; Rodriguez-de-Ledesma, Ana

    2011-08-19

    Highlights: {yields} Mitochondrial dysfunction is central to many diseases of oxidative stress. {yields} 95% of the mitochondrial genome is duplicated in the nuclear genome. {yields} Dilution of untreated genomic DNA leads to dilution bias. {yields} Unique primers and template pretreatment are needed to accurately measure mitochondrial DNA content. -- Abstract: Circulating mitochondrial DNA (MtDNA) is a potential non-invasive biomarker of cellular mitochondrial dysfunction, the latter known to be central to a wide range of human diseases. Changes in MtDNA are usually determined by quantification of MtDNA relative to nuclear DNA (Mt/N) using real time quantitative PCR. We propose that themore » methodology for measuring Mt/N needs to be improved and we have identified that current methods have at least one of the following three problems: (1) As much of the mitochondrial genome is duplicated in the nuclear genome, many commonly used MtDNA primers co-amplify homologous pseudogenes found in the nuclear genome; (2) use of regions from genes such as {beta}-actin and 18S rRNA which are repetitive and/or highly variable for qPCR of the nuclear genome leads to errors; and (3) the size difference of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes cause a 'dilution bias' when template DNA is diluted. We describe a PCR-based method using unique regions in the human mitochondrial genome not duplicated in the nuclear genome; unique single copy region in the nuclear genome and template treatment to remove dilution bias, to accurately quantify MtDNA from human samples.« less

  2. Numerically accurate computational techniques for optimal estimator analyses of multi-parameter models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berger, Lukas; Kleinheinz, Konstantin; Attili, Antonio; Bisetti, Fabrizio; Pitsch, Heinz; Mueller, Michael E.

    2018-05-01

    Modelling unclosed terms in partial differential equations typically involves two steps: First, a set of known quantities needs to be specified as input parameters for a model, and second, a specific functional form needs to be defined to model the unclosed terms by the input parameters. Both steps involve a certain modelling error, with the former known as the irreducible error and the latter referred to as the functional error. Typically, only the total modelling error, which is the sum of functional and irreducible error, is assessed, but the concept of the optimal estimator enables the separate analysis of the total and the irreducible errors, yielding a systematic modelling error decomposition. In this work, attention is paid to the techniques themselves required for the practical computation of irreducible errors. Typically, histograms are used for optimal estimator analyses, but this technique is found to add a non-negligible spurious contribution to the irreducible error if models with multiple input parameters are assessed. Thus, the error decomposition of an optimal estimator analysis becomes inaccurate, and misleading conclusions concerning modelling errors may be drawn. In this work, numerically accurate techniques for optimal estimator analyses are identified and a suitable evaluation of irreducible errors is presented. Four different computational techniques are considered: a histogram technique, artificial neural networks, multivariate adaptive regression splines, and an additive model based on a kernel method. For multiple input parameter models, only artificial neural networks and multivariate adaptive regression splines are found to yield satisfactorily accurate results. Beyond a certain number of input parameters, the assessment of models in an optimal estimator analysis even becomes practically infeasible if histograms are used. The optimal estimator analysis in this paper is applied to modelling the filtered soot intermittency in large eddy

  3. Simultaneous head tissue conductivity and EEG source location estimation.

    PubMed

    Akalin Acar, Zeynep; Acar, Can E; Makeig, Scott

    2016-01-01

    Accurate electroencephalographic (EEG) source localization requires an electrical head model incorporating accurate geometries and conductivity values for the major head tissues. While consistent conductivity values have been reported for scalp, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid, measured brain-to-skull conductivity ratio (BSCR) estimates have varied between 8 and 80, likely reflecting both inter-subject and measurement method differences. In simulations, mis-estimation of skull conductivity can produce source localization errors as large as 3cm. Here, we describe an iterative gradient-based approach to Simultaneous tissue Conductivity And source Location Estimation (SCALE). The scalp projection maps used by SCALE are obtained from near-dipolar effective EEG sources found by adequate independent component analysis (ICA) decomposition of sufficient high-density EEG data. We applied SCALE to simulated scalp projections of 15cm(2)-scale cortical patch sources in an MR image-based electrical head model with simulated BSCR of 30. Initialized either with a BSCR of 80 or 20, SCALE estimated BSCR as 32.6. In Adaptive Mixture ICA (AMICA) decompositions of (45-min, 128-channel) EEG data from two young adults we identified sets of 13 independent components having near-dipolar scalp maps compatible with a single cortical source patch. Again initialized with either BSCR 80 or 25, SCALE gave BSCR estimates of 34 and 54 for the two subjects respectively. The ability to accurately estimate skull conductivity non-invasively from any well-recorded EEG data in combination with a stable and non-invasively acquired MR imaging-derived electrical head model could remove a critical barrier to using EEG as a sub-cm(2)-scale accurate 3-D functional cortical imaging modality. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Simultaneous head tissue conductivity and EEG source location estimation

    PubMed Central

    Acar, Can E.; Makeig, Scott

    2015-01-01

    Accurate electroencephalographic (EEG) source localization requires an electrical head model incorporating accurate geometries and conductivity values for the major head tissues. While consistent conductivity values have been reported for scalp, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid, measured brain-to-skull conductivity ratio (BSCR) estimates have varied between 8 and 80, likely reflecting both inter-subject and measurement method differences. In simulations, mis-estimation of skull conductivity can produce source localization errors as large as 3 cm. Here, we describe an iterative gradient-based approach to Simultaneous tissue Conductivity And source Location Estimation (SCALE). The scalp projection maps used by SCALE are obtained from near-dipolar effective EEG sources found by adequate independent component analysis (ICA) decomposition of sufficient high-density EEG data. We applied SCALE to simulated scalp projections of 15 cm2-scale cortical patch sources in an MR image-based electrical head model with simulated BSCR of 30. Initialized either with a BSCR of 80 or 20, SCALE estimated BSCR as 32.6. In Adaptive Mixture ICA (AMICA) decompositions of (45-min, 128-channel) EEG data from two young adults we identified sets of 13 independent components having near-dipolar scalp maps compatible with a single cortical source patch. Again initialized with either BSCR 80 or 25, SCALE gave BSCR estimates of 34 and 54 for the two subjects respectively. The ability to accurately estimate skull conductivity non-invasively from any well-recorded EEG data in combination with a stable and non-invasively acquired MR imaging-derived electrical head model could remove a critical barrier to using EEG as a sub-cm2-scale accurate 3-D functional cortical imaging modality. PMID:26302675

  5. Non-invasive assessment of low- and intermediate-risk patients with chest pain

    PubMed Central

    Balfour, Pelbreton C.; Gonzalez, Jorge A.; Kramer, Christopher M.

    2016-01-01

    Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a significant global public health burden despite advancements in prevention and therapeutic strategies. Common non-invasive imaging modalities, anatomic and functional, are available for the assessment of patients with stable chest pain. Exercise electrocardiography is a long-standing method for evaluation for CAD and remains the initial test for the majority of patients who can exercise adequately with a baseline interpretable electrocardiogram. The addition of cardiac imaging to exercise testing provides incremental benefit for accurate diagnosis for CAD and is particularly useful in patients who are unable to exercise adequately and/or have uninterpretable electrocardiograms. Radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging and echocardiography with exercise or pharmacological stress provide high sensitivity and specificity in the detection and further risk stratification of patients with CAD. Recently, coronary computed tomography angiography has demonstrated its growing role to rule out significant CAD given its high negative predictive value. Although less available, stress cardiac magnetic resonance provides a comprehensive assessment of cardiac structure and function and provides a high diagnostic accuracy in the detection of CAD. The utilization of non-invasive testing is complex due to various advantages and limitations, particularly in the assessment of low- and intermediate-risk patients with chest pain, where no single study is suitable for all patients. This review will describe currently available non-invasive modalities, along with current evidence-based guidelines and appropriate use criteria in the assessment of low- and intermediate-risk patients with suspected, stable CAD. PMID:27717538

  6. Capacitive Sensing for Non-Invasive Breathing and Heart Monitoring in Non-Restrained, Non-Sedated Laboratory Mice.

    PubMed

    González-Sánchez, Carlos; Fraile, Juan-Carlos; Pérez-Turiel, Javier; Damm, Ellen; Schneider, Jochen G; Zimmermann, Heiko; Schmitt, Daniel; Ihmig, Frank R

    2016-07-07

    Animal testing plays a vital role in biomedical research. Stress reduction is important for improving research results and increasing the welfare and the quality of life of laboratory animals. To estimate stress we believe it is of great importance to develop non-invasive techniques for monitoring physiological signals during the transport of laboratory animals, thereby allowing the gathering of information on the transport conditions, and, eventually, the improvement of these conditions. Here, we study the suitability of commercially available electric potential integrated circuit (EPIC) sensors, using both contact and contactless techniques, for monitoring the heart rate and breathing rate of non-restrained, non-sedated laboratory mice. The design has been tested under different scenarios with the aim of checking the plausibility of performing contactless capture of mouse heart activity (ideally with an electrocardiogram). First experimental results are shown.

  7. Non-invasive, transient determination of the core temperature of a heat-generating solid body

    PubMed Central

    Anthony, Dean; Sarkar, Daipayan; Jain, Ankur

    2016-01-01

    While temperature on the surface of a heat-generating solid body can be easily measured using a variety of methods, very few techniques exist for non-invasively measuring the temperature inside the solid body as a function of time. Measurement of internal temperature is very desirable since measurement of just the surface temperature gives no indication of temperature inside the body, and system performance and safety is governed primarily by the highest temperature, encountered usually at the core of the body. This paper presents a technique to non-invasively determine the internal temperature based on the theoretical relationship between the core temperature and surface temperature distribution on the outside of a heat-generating solid body as functions of time. Experiments using infrared thermography of the outside surface of a thermal test cell in a variety of heating and cooling conditions demonstrate good agreement of the predicted core temperature as a function of time with actual core temperature measurement using an embedded thermocouple. This paper demonstrates a capability to thermally probe inside solid bodies in a non-invasive fashion. This directly benefits the accurate performance prediction and control of a variety of engineering systems where the time-varying core temperature plays a key role. PMID:27804981

  8. Non-invasive, transient determination of the core temperature of a heat-generating solid body

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anthony, Dean; Sarkar, Daipayan; Jain, Ankur

    2016-11-01

    While temperature on the surface of a heat-generating solid body can be easily measured using a variety of methods, very few techniques exist for non-invasively measuring the temperature inside the solid body as a function of time. Measurement of internal temperature is very desirable since measurement of just the surface temperature gives no indication of temperature inside the body, and system performance and safety is governed primarily by the highest temperature, encountered usually at the core of the body. This paper presents a technique to non-invasively determine the internal temperature based on the theoretical relationship between the core temperature and surface temperature distribution on the outside of a heat-generating solid body as functions of time. Experiments using infrared thermography of the outside surface of a thermal test cell in a variety of heating and cooling conditions demonstrate good agreement of the predicted core temperature as a function of time with actual core temperature measurement using an embedded thermocouple. This paper demonstrates a capability to thermally probe inside solid bodies in a non-invasive fashion. This directly benefits the accurate performance prediction and control of a variety of engineering systems where the time-varying core temperature plays a key role.

  9. 1NON-INVASIVE RADIOIODINE IMAGING FOR ACCURATE QUANTITATION OF NIS REPORTER GENE EXPRESSION IN TRANSPLANTED HEARTS

    PubMed Central

    Ricci, Davide; Mennander, Ari A; Pham, Linh D; Rao, Vinay P; Miyagi, Naoto; Byrne, Guerard W; Russell, Stephen J; McGregor, Christopher GA

    2008-01-01

    Objectives We studied the concordance of transgene expression in the transplanted heart using bicistronic adenoviral vector coding for a transgene of interest (human carcinoembryonic antigen: hCEA - beta human chorionic gonadotropin: βhCG) and for a marker imaging transgene (human sodium iodide symporter: hNIS). Methods Inbred Lewis rats were used for syngeneic heterotopic cardiac transplantation. Donor rat hearts were perfused ex vivo for 30 minutes prior to transplantation with University of Wisconsin (UW) solution (n=3), with 109 pfu/ml of adenovirus expressing hNIS (Ad-NIS; n=6), hNIS-hCEA (Ad-NIS-CEA; n=6) and hNIS-βhCG (Ad-NIS-CG; n=6). On post-operative day (POD) 5, 10, 15 all animals underwent micro-SPECT/CT imaging of the donor hearts after tail vein injection of 1000 μCi 123I and blood sample collection for hCEA and βhCG quantification. Results Significantly higher image intensity was noted in the hearts perfused with Ad-NIS (1.1±0.2; 0.9±0.07), Ad-NIS-CEA (1.2±0.3; 0.9±0.1) and Ad-NIS-CG (1.1±0.1; 0.9±0.1) compared to UW group (0.44±0.03; 0.47±0.06) on POD 5 and 10 (p<0.05). Serum levels of hCEA and βhCG increased in animals showing high cardiac 123I uptake, but not in those with lower uptake. Above this threshold, image intensities correlated well with serum levels of hCEA and βhCG (R2=0.99 and R2=0.96 respectively). Conclusions These data demonstrate that hNIS is an excellent reporter gene for the transplanted heart. The expression level of hNIS can be accurately and non-invasively monitored by serial radioisotopic single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. High concordance has been demonstrated between imaging and soluble marker peptides at the maximum transgene expression on POD 5. PMID:17980613

  10. Tissue Damage Characterization Using Non-invasive Optical Modalities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Diaz, David

    The ability to determine the degree of cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue damage is essential for proper wound assessment and a significant factor for determining patient treatment and morbidity. Accurate characterization of tissue damage is critical for a number of medical applications including surgical removal of nonviable tissue, severity assessment of subcutaneous ulcers, and depth assessment of visually open wounds. The main objective of this research was to develop a non-invasive method for identifying the extent of tissue damage underneath intact skin that is not apparent upon visual examination. This work investigated the relationship between tissue optical properties, blood flow, and tissue viability by testing the hypotheses that (a) changes in tissue oxygenation and/or microcirculatory blood flow measurable by Diffuse Near Infrared Spectroscopy (DNIRS) and Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy (DCS) differ between healthy and damaged tissue and (b) the magnitude of those changes differs for different degrees of tissue damage. This was accomplished by developing and validating a procedure for measuring microcirculatory blood flow and tissue oxygenation dynamics at multiple depths (up to 1 centimeter) using non-invasive DCS and DNIRS technologies. Due to the lack of pressure ulcer animal models that are compatible with our optical systems, a proof of concept was conducted in a porcine burn model prior to conducting clinical trials in order to assess the efficacy of the system in-vivo. A reduction in total hemoglobin was observed for superficial (5%) and deep burns (35%) along with a statistically significant difference between the optical properties of superficial and deep burns (p < 0.05). Burn depth and viable vessel density were estimated via histological samples. 42% of vessels in the dermal layer were viable for superficial burns, compared to 25% for deep burns. The differences detected in optical properties and hemoglobin content by optical measurements

  11. [Research on a non-invasive pulse wave detection and analysis system].

    PubMed

    Li, Ting; Yu, Gang

    2008-10-01

    A novel non-invasive pulse wave detection and analysis system has been developed, including the software and the hardware. Bi-channel signals can be acquired, stored and shown on the screen dynamically at the same time. Pulse wave can be reshown and printed after pulse wave analysis and pulse wave velocity analysis. This system embraces a computer which is designed for fast data saving, analyzing and processing, and a portable data sampling machine which is based on a singlechip. Experimental results have shown that the system is stable and easy to use, and the parameters are calculated accurately.

  12. Accurately estimating PSF with straight lines detected by Hough transform

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Ruichen; Xu, Liangpeng; Fan, Chunxiao; Li, Yong

    2018-04-01

    This paper presents an approach to estimating point spread function (PSF) from low resolution (LR) images. Existing techniques usually rely on accurate detection of ending points of the profile normal to edges. In practice however, it is often a great challenge to accurately localize profiles of edges from a LR image, which hence leads to a poor PSF estimation of the lens taking the LR image. For precisely estimating the PSF, this paper proposes firstly estimating a 1-D PSF kernel with straight lines, and then robustly obtaining the 2-D PSF from the 1-D kernel by least squares techniques and random sample consensus. Canny operator is applied to the LR image for obtaining edges and then Hough transform is utilized to extract straight lines of all orientations. Estimating 1-D PSF kernel with straight lines effectively alleviates the influence of the inaccurate edge detection on PSF estimation. The proposed method is investigated on both natural and synthetic images for estimating PSF. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms the state-ofthe- art and does not rely on accurate edge detection.

  13. Hybrid CARS for Non-Invasive Blood Glucose Monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Xi; Pestov, Dmitry; Zhang, Aihua; Murawski, Robert; Sokolov, Alexei; Welch, George; Laane, Jaan; Scully, Marlan

    2007-10-01

    We develop a spectroscopy technique that combines the advantages of both the frequency-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) and the time-resolved CARS. We use broadband preparation pulses to get an instantaneous coherent excitation of multiplex molecular vibration levels and subsequent optically shaped time-delayed narrowband probing pulse to detect these vibrations. This technique can suppress the nonresonant background and retrieve the molecular fingerprint signal efficiently and rapidly. We employ this technique to glucose detection, the final goal of which is accurate, non-invasive (i.e. painless) and continuous monitoring of blood glucose concentration in the Diabetes diagnosis to replace the current glucose measurement process, which requires painful fingerpricks and therefore cannot be performed more than a few times a day. We have gotten the CARS spectra of glucose aqueous solution down to 2 mM.

  14. Profiling neuronal ion channelopathies with non-invasive brain imaging and dynamic causal models: Case studies of single gene mutations

    PubMed Central

    Gilbert, Jessica R.; Symmonds, Mkael; Hanna, Michael G.; Dolan, Raymond J.; Friston, Karl J.; Moran, Rosalyn J.

    2016-01-01

    Clinical assessments of brain function rely upon visual inspection of electroencephalographic waveform abnormalities in tandem with functional magnetic resonance imaging. However, no current technology proffers in vivo assessments of activity at synapses, receptors and ion-channels, the basis of neuronal communication. Using dynamic causal modeling we compared electrophysiological responses from two patients with distinct monogenic ion channelopathies and a large cohort of healthy controls to demonstrate the feasibility of assaying synaptic-level channel communication non-invasively. Synaptic channel abnormality was identified in both patients (100% sensitivity) with assay specificity above 89%, furnishing estimates of neurotransmitter and voltage-gated ion throughput of sodium, calcium, chloride and potassium. This performance indicates a potential novel application as an adjunct for clinical assessments in neurological and psychiatric settings. More broadly, these findings indicate that biophysical models of synaptic channels can be estimated non-invasively, having important implications for advancing human neuroimaging to the level of non-invasive ion channel assays. PMID:26342528

  15. Combustion characteristics of north-eastern USA vegetation tested in the cone calorimeter: invasive versus non-invasive plants

    Treesearch

    Alison C. Dibble; Robert H. White; Patricia K. Lebow

    2007-01-01

    In the north-eastern United States, invasive plants alter forest fuels, but their combustion characteristics are largely unknown. We assessed unground samples of foliage and twigs in the cone calorimeter for 21 non-invasive, native species, paired with 21 invasive species (18 non-native). Variables included sustained ignition, peak heat release rate, total heat release...

  16. Non-invasive continuous blood pressure measurement based on mean impact value method, BP neural network, and genetic algorithm.

    PubMed

    Tan, Xia; Ji, Zhong; Zhang, Yadan

    2018-04-25

    Non-invasive continuous blood pressure monitoring can provide an important reference and guidance for doctors wishing to analyze the physiological and pathological status of patients and to prevent and diagnose cardiovascular diseases in the clinical setting. Therefore, it is very important to explore a more accurate method of non-invasive continuous blood pressure measurement. To address the shortcomings of existing blood pressure measurement models based on pulse wave transit time or pulse wave parameters, a new method of non-invasive continuous blood pressure measurement - the GA-MIV-BP neural network model - is presented. The mean impact value (MIV) method is used to select the factors that greatly influence blood pressure from the extracted pulse wave transit time and pulse wave parameters. These factors are used as inputs, and the actual blood pressure values as outputs, to train the BP neural network model. The individual parameters are then optimized using a genetic algorithm (GA) to establish the GA-MIV-BP neural network model. Bland-Altman consistency analysis indicated that the measured and predicted blood pressure values were consistent and interchangeable. Therefore, this algorithm is of great significance to promote the clinical application of a non-invasive continuous blood pressure monitoring method.

  17. Diversity and distribution of genetic variation in gammarids: Comparing patterns between invasive and non-invasive species.

    PubMed

    Baltazar-Soares, Miguel; Paiva, Filipa; Chen, Yiyong; Zhan, Aibin; Briski, Elizabeta

    2017-10-01

    Biological invasions are worldwide phenomena that have reached alarming levels among aquatic species. There are key challenges to understand the factors behind invasion propensity of non-native populations in invasion biology. Interestingly, interpretations cannot be expanded to higher taxonomic levels due to the fact that in the same genus, there are species that are notorious invaders and those that never spread outside their native range. Such variation in invasion propensity offers the possibility to explore, at fine-scale taxonomic level, the existence of specific characteristics that might predict the variability in invasion success. In this work, we explored this possibility from a molecular perspective. The objective was to provide a better understanding of the genetic diversity distribution in the native range of species that exhibit contrasting invasive propensities. For this purpose, we used a total of 784 sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA-COI) collected from seven Gammaroidea, a superfamily of Amphipoda that includes species that are both successful invaders ( Gammarus tigrinus , Pontogammarus maeoticus, and Obesogammarus crassus ) and strictly restricted to their native regions ( Gammarus locusta , Gammarus salinus , Gammarus zaddachi, and Gammarus oceanicus ). Despite that genetic diversity did not differ between invasive and non-invasive species, we observed that populations of non-invasive species showed a higher degree of genetic differentiation. Furthermore, we found that both geographic and evolutionary distances might explain genetic differentiation in both non-native and native ranges. This suggests that the lack of population genetic structure may facilitate the distribution of mutations that despite arising in the native range may be beneficial in invasive ranges. The fact that evolutionary distances explained genetic differentiation more often than geographic distances points toward that deep lineage

  18. Fibrogenic Lung Injury Induces Non-Cell-Autonomous Fibroblast Invasion.

    PubMed

    Ahluwalia, Neil; Grasberger, Paula E; Mugo, Brian M; Feghali-Bostwick, Carol; Pardo, Annie; Selman, Moisés; Lagares, David; Tager, Andrew M

    2016-06-01

    Pathologic accumulation of fibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis appears to depend on their invasion through basement membranes and extracellular matrices. Fibroblasts from the fibrotic lungs of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) have been demonstrated to acquire a phenotype characterized by increased cell-autonomous invasion. Here, we investigated whether fibroblast invasion is further stimulated by soluble mediators induced by lung injury. We found that bronchoalveolar lavage fluids from bleomycin-challenged mice or patients with IPF contain mediators that dramatically increase the matrix invasion of primary lung fibroblasts. Further characterization of this non-cell-autonomous fibroblast invasion suggested that the mediators driving this process are produced locally after lung injury and are preferentially produced by fibrogenic (e.g., bleomycin-induced) rather than nonfibrogenic (e.g., LPS-induced) lung injury. Comparison of invasion and migration induced by a series of fibroblast-active mediators indicated that these two forms of fibroblast movement are directed by distinct sets of stimuli. Finally, knockdown of multiple different membrane receptors, including platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β, lysophosphatidic acid 1, epidermal growth factor receptor, and fibroblast growth factor receptor 2, mitigated the non-cell-autonomous fibroblast invasion induced by bronchoalveolar lavage from bleomycin-injured mice, suggesting that multiple different mediators drive fibroblast invasion in pulmonary fibrosis. The magnitude of this mediator-driven fibroblast invasion suggests that its inhibition could be a novel therapeutic strategy for pulmonary fibrosis. Further elaboration of the molecular mechanisms that drive non-cell-autonomous fibroblast invasion consequently may provide a rich set of novel drug targets for the treatment of IPF and other fibrotic lung diseases.

  19. Non-invasive prediction of oesophageal varices in cirrhosis

    PubMed Central

    Sen, Sambit; Griffiths, William JH

    2008-01-01

    Non-invasive predictors of varices in cirrhosis would reduce the need for screening endoscopies. Platelet count and spleen size have been shown to be useful parameters, in mixed groups of cirrhotics with different aetiologies. We evaluated this in two homogeneous groups with cirrhosis due to hepatitis C and alcohol. Non-invasive predictors appear promising in the former group, but less so in the latter group. PMID:18416480

  20. Invasive and non-invasive diagnosis of cirrhosis and portal hypertension

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Moon Young; Jeong, Woo Kyoung; Baik, Soon Koo

    2014-01-01

    With advances in the management and treatment of advanced liver disease, including the use of antiviral therapy, a simple, one stage description for advanced fibrotic liver disease has become inadequate. Although refining the diagnosis of cirrhosis to reflect disease heterogeneity is essential, current diagnostic tests have not kept pace with the progression of this new paradigm. Liver biopsy and hepatic venous pressure gradient measurement are the gold standards for the estimation of hepatic fibrosis and portal hypertension (PHT), respectively, and they have diagnostic and prognostic value. However, they are invasive and, as such, cannot be used repeatedly in clinical practice. The ideal noninvasive test should be safe, easy to perform, inexpensive, reproducible as well as to give numerical and accurate results in real time. It should be predictive of long term outcomes related with fibrosis and PHT to allow prognostic stratification. Recently, many types of noninvasive alternative tests have been developed and are under investigation. In particular, imaging and ultrasound based tests, such as transient elastography, have shown promising results. Although most of these noninvasive tests effectively identify severe fibrosis and PHT, the methods available for diagnosing moderate disease status are still insufficient, and further investigation is essential to predict outcomes and individualize therapy in this field. PMID:24764667

  1. [Isolated left ventricular non-compaction associated with Ebstein's anomaly. Multimodality non-invasive imaging for the assessment of congenital heart disease].

    PubMed

    Renilla, Alfredo; Santamarta, Elena; Corros, Cecilia; Martín, María; Barreiro, Manuel; de la Hera, Jesús

    2013-01-01

    To establish the etiology of heart failure in patients with congenital heart disease can be challenging. Multiple concomitant anomalies that can be missed after an initial diagnosis could be seen in these patients. In patients with congenital heart disease, a more accurate evaluation of cardiac morphology and left ventricular systolic function could be evaluated by recent non-invasive cardiac imaging techniques. We present a rare case where multimodal cardiac imaging was useful to establish the final diagnosis of left ventricular non-compaction associated with Ebstein's anomaly. Copyright © 2012 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

  2. Description of the Pathogenic Features of Streptococcus pyogenes Isolates from Invasive and Non-Invasive Diseases in Aichi, Japan.

    PubMed

    Matsumoto, Masakado; Yamada, Kazuhiro; Suzuki, Masahiro; Adachi, Hirokazu; Kobayashi, Shinichi; Yamashita, Teruo; Minagawa, Hiroko; Tatsuno, Ichiro; Hasegawa, Tadao

    2016-07-22

    We identified hypervirulent Streptococcus pyogenes in 27 and 420 isolates from patients with invasive and non-invasive diseases, respectively, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, between 2003 and 2012, in an attempt to understand why the prevalence of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) suddenly increased in this location during 2011. Hypervirulent strains belong to the emm1 genotype, with a mutation in the covR/S genes that regulate many other genes, encoding virulence determinants and resulting in the absence of the proteinase streptococcal exotoxin B and the production of virulence factors such as the superantigen streptococcal exotoxin A, the nuclease streptococcal DNase, the cytotoxin NAD-glycohydrolase, and the hemolysin streptolysin O. We found 1 strain from invasive disease and 1 from non-invasive disease with traits similar to those of hypervirulent strains, except that the sda1 gene was absent. We also found 1 non-emm1 strain with phenotypic and genetic traits identical to those of the emm1 hypervirulent strains except that it did not belong to emm1 genotype, from non-invasive diseases cases in 2011. These findings suggested that hypervirulent and hypervirulent-like strains from invasive and non-invasive disease cases could have at least partially contributed to the sudden increase in the number of patients with STSS in Aichi during 2011.

  3.  Invasibility of three major non-native invasive shrubs and associated factors in Upper Midwest U.S. forest lands

    Treesearch

    W. Keith Moser; Zhaofei Fan; Mark H. Hansen; Michael K. Crosby; Shirley X. Fan

    2016-01-01

    We used non-native invasive plant data from the US Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, spatial statistical methods, and the space (cover class)-for-time approach to quantify the invasion potential and success ("invasibility") of three major invasive shrubs (multiflora rose, non-native bush honeysuckles, and common buckthorn...

  4. Non-invasive Diagnosis of Fibrosis in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

    PubMed Central

    Arora, Anil; Sharma, Praveen

    2012-01-01

    Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in developed as well as in developing countries. Its prevalence continues to rise currently affecting approximately 20-30% of adults and 10% of children in the United States. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease represents a wide spectrum of conditions ranging from fatty liver, which in general follows a benign non-progressive clinical course, to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a more serious form of NAFLD that may progress to cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. Liver biopsy remains the gold standard for evaluating the degree of hepatic necroinflammation and fibrosis; however, several non-invasive investigations, such as serum biomarkers, have been developed to establish the diagnosis and also to evaluate treatment response. There has been a substantial development of non-invasive risk scores, biomarker panels, and radiological modalities to identify at risk patients with NAFLD without recourse to liver biopsy on a routine basis. Examples include combination of serum markers like NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS), BARD score, fibrometer, FIB4, and non-invasive tools like fibroscan which assess fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. Other markers of fibrosis that have been evaluated include high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, plasma pentraxin 3, interleukin-6, and cytokeratin-18. This review focuses on the methods currently available in daily clinical practice in hepatology and touches briefly on the potential future markers under investigation. PMID:25755423

  5. Adding Fuel to the Fire: The Impacts of Non-Native Grass Invasion on Fire Management at a Regional Scale

    PubMed Central

    Setterfield, Samantha A.; Rossiter-Rachor, Natalie A.; Douglas, Michael M.; Wainger, Lisa; Petty, Aaron M.; Barrow, Piers; Shepherd, Ian J.; Ferdinands, Keith B.

    2013-01-01

    Background Widespread invasion by non-native plants has resulted in substantial change in fire-fuel characteristics and fire-behaviour in many of the world's ecosystems, with a subsequent increase in the risk of fire damage to human life, property and the environment. Models used by fire management agencies to assess fire risk are dependent on accurate assessments of fuel characteristics but there is little evidence that they have been modified to reflect landscape-scale invasions. There is also a paucity of information documenting other changes in fire management activities that have occurred to mitigate changed fire regimes. This represents an important limitation in information for both fire and weed risk management. Methodology/Principal Findings We undertook an aerial survey to estimate changes to landscape fuel loads in northern Australia resulting from invasion by Andropogon gayanus (gamba grass). Fuel load within the most densely invaded area had increased from 6 to 10 t ha−1 in the past two decades. Assessment of the effect of calculating the Grassland Fire Danger Index (GFDI) for the 2008 and 2009 fire seasons demonstrated that an increase from 6 to 10 t ha−1 resulted in an increase from five to 38 days with fire risk in the ‘severe’ category in 2008 and from 11 to 67 days in 2009. The season of severe fire weather increased by six weeks. Our assessment of the effect of increased fuel load on fire management practices showed that fire management costs in the region have increased markedly (∼9 times) in the past decade due primarily to A. gayanus invasion. Conclusions/Significance This study demonstrated the high economic cost of mitigating fire impacts of an invasive grass. This study demonstrates the need to quantify direct and indirect invasion costs to assess the risk of further invasion and to appropriately fund fire and weed management strategies. PMID:23690917

  6. Adding fuel to the fire: the impacts of non-native grass invasion on fire management at a regional scale.

    PubMed

    Setterfield, Samantha A; Rossiter-Rachor, Natalie A; Douglas, Michael M; Wainger, Lisa; Petty, Aaron M; Barrow, Piers; Shepherd, Ian J; Ferdinands, Keith B

    2013-01-01

    Widespread invasion by non-native plants has resulted in substantial change in fire-fuel characteristics and fire-behaviour in many of the world's ecosystems, with a subsequent increase in the risk of fire damage to human life, property and the environment. Models used by fire management agencies to assess fire risk are dependent on accurate assessments of fuel characteristics but there is little evidence that they have been modified to reflect landscape-scale invasions. There is also a paucity of information documenting other changes in fire management activities that have occurred to mitigate changed fire regimes. This represents an important limitation in information for both fire and weed risk management. We undertook an aerial survey to estimate changes to landscape fuel loads in northern Australia resulting from invasion by Andropogon gayanus (gamba grass). Fuel load within the most densely invaded area had increased from 6 to 10 t ha(-1) in the past two decades. Assessment of the effect of calculating the Grassland Fire Danger Index (GFDI) for the 2008 and 2009 fire seasons demonstrated that an increase from 6 to 10 t ha(-1) resulted in an increase from five to 38 days with fire risk in the 'severe' category in 2008 and from 11 to 67 days in 2009. The season of severe fire weather increased by six weeks. Our assessment of the effect of increased fuel load on fire management practices showed that fire management costs in the region have increased markedly (∼9 times) in the past decade due primarily to A. gayanus invasion. This study demonstrated the high economic cost of mitigating fire impacts of an invasive grass. This study demonstrates the need to quantify direct and indirect invasion costs to assess the risk of further invasion and to appropriately fund fire and weed management strategies.

  7. Do native parasitic plants cause more damage to exotic invasive hosts than native non-invasive hosts? An implication for biocontrol.

    PubMed

    Li, Junmin; Jin, Zexin; Song, Wenjing

    2012-01-01

    Field studies have shown that native, parasitic plants grow vigorously on invasive plants and can cause more damage to invasive plants than native plants. However, no empirical test has been conducted and the mechanism is still unknown. We conducted a completely randomized greenhouse experiment using 3 congeneric pairs of exotic, invasive and native, non-invasive herbaceous plant species to quantify the damage caused by parasitic plants to hosts and its correlation with the hosts' growth rate and resource use efficiency. The biomass of the parasitic plants on exotic, invasive hosts was significantly higher than on congeneric native, non-invasive hosts. Parasites caused more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to congeneric, native, non-invasive hosts. The damage caused by parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the biomass of parasitic plants. The damage of parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the relative growth rate and the resource use efficiency of its host plants. It may be the mechanism by which parasitic plants grow more vigorously on invasive hosts and cause more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to native, non-invasive hosts. These results suggest a potential biological control effect of native, parasitic plants on invasive species by reducing the dominance of invasive species in the invaded community.

  8. Do Native Parasitic Plants Cause More Damage to Exotic Invasive Hosts Than Native Non-Invasive Hosts? An Implication for Biocontrol

    PubMed Central

    Li, Junmin; Jin, Zexin; Song, Wenjing

    2012-01-01

    Field studies have shown that native, parasitic plants grow vigorously on invasive plants and can cause more damage to invasive plants than native plants. However, no empirical test has been conducted and the mechanism is still unknown. We conducted a completely randomized greenhouse experiment using 3 congeneric pairs of exotic, invasive and native, non-invasive herbaceous plant species to quantify the damage caused by parasitic plants to hosts and its correlation with the hosts' growth rate and resource use efficiency. The biomass of the parasitic plants on exotic, invasive hosts was significantly higher than on congeneric native, non-invasive hosts. Parasites caused more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to congeneric, native, non-invasive hosts. The damage caused by parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the biomass of parasitic plants. The damage of parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the relative growth rate and the resource use efficiency of its host plants. It may be the mechanism by which parasitic plants grow more vigorously on invasive hosts and cause more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to native, non-invasive hosts. These results suggest a potential biological control effect of native, parasitic plants on invasive species by reducing the dominance of invasive species in the invaded community. PMID:22493703

  9. A study on a robot arm driven by three-dimensional trajectories predicted from non-invasive neural signals.

    PubMed

    Kim, Yoon Jae; Park, Sung Woo; Yeom, Hong Gi; Bang, Moon Suk; Kim, June Sic; Chung, Chun Kee; Kim, Sungwan

    2015-08-20

    the non-invasive neural signal is less accurate. However the success rate could be sufficiently improved for practical applications by using additional sensors. Robot arm control based on hand trajectories predicted from EEG would allow for portability, and the performance with EEG was comparable to that with MEG.

  10. Non-Invasive Measurement of Intracranial Pressure Pulsation using Ultrasound

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ueno, Toshiaki; Ballard, R. E.; Yost, W. T.; Hargens, A. R.

    1997-01-01

    Exposure to microgravity causes a cephalad fluid shift which may elevate intracranial pressure (ICP). Elevation in ICP may affect cerebral hemodynamics in astronauts during space flight. ICP is, however, a difficult parameter to measure due to the invasiveness of currently available techniques. We already reported our development of a non-invasive ultrasound device for measurement of ICP. We recently modified the device so that we might reproducibly estimate ICP changes in association with cardiac cycles. In the first experiment, we measured changes in cranial distance with the ultrasound device in cadavera while changing ICP by infusing saline into the lateral ventricle. In the second experiment, we measured changes in cranial distance in five healthy volunteers while placing them in 60 deg, 30 deg head-up tilt, supine, and 10 deg head-down tilt position. In the cadaver study, fast Fourier transformation revealed that cranial pulsation is clearly associated with ICP pulsation. The ratio of cranial distance and ICP pulsation is 1.3microns/mmHg. In the tilting study, the magnitudes of cranial pulsation are linearly correlated to tilt angles (r=0.87). The ultrasound device has sufficient sensitivity to detect cranial pulsation in association with cardiac cycles. By analyzing the magnitude of cranial pulsation, estimates of ICP during space flight are possible.

  11. A review on the non-invasive evaluation of skeletal muscle oxygenation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Halim, A. A. A.; Laili, M. H.; Aziz, N. A.; Laili, A. R.; Salikin, M. S.; Rusop, M.

    2016-07-01

    The aim of this review is to conduct a feasibility study of non-invasive evaluation in skeletal muscle oxygenation. This non-invasive evaluation could extract many information using a safe non-invasive method regarding to the oxygenation and microcirculation status in human blood muscle. This brief review highlights the progress of the application of NIRS to evaluate skeletal muscle oxygenation in various activity of human nature from the historical point of view to the present advancement. Since the discovery of non-invasive optical method during 1992, there are many non-invasive techniques uses optical properties on human subject such as near infrared spectroscopy NIRS, optical topography, functional near infrared spectroscopy fNIRS and imaging fNIRI. Furthermore, in this paper we discuss the light absorption potential (LAP) towards chromophores content inside human muscle. Modified beer lambert law was studied in order to build a better understanding toward LAP between chromophores under tissue multilayers in human muscle. This paper will describe the NIRS principle and the basis for its proposed used in skeletal muscle oxygenation. This will cover the advantages and limitation of such application. Thus, these non-invasive techniques could open other possibilities to study muscle performance diagnosis.

  12. Southwest Exotic Mapping Program 2007: Occurrence summary and maps of select invasive, non-native plants in Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thomas, Kathryn A.; Guertin, Patricia

    2007-01-01

    An important aspect of management of invasive, non-native plants (invasive plants) is information on the type, location, and magnitude of infestations. Regional development of this information requires an integrated program of data collection, management, and delivery. The Southwest Exotic Plant Mapping Program (SWEMP), coordinated through the U.S. Geological Survey’s Southwest Biological Science Center, annually compiles occurrence records for infestations of invasive plants. Operating since 1998, the SWEMP team has accepted occurrence records contributed voluntarily by federal, tribal, state, and private collaborators and has compiled these contributions accumulatively with previous versions of SWEMP. The SWEMP 2007 regional database update, SWEMP07, contains 62,000 records for 221 plant species with records dating as far back as 1911 and up to December, 2006. Records include invasive plants in Arizona, eastern California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. SWEMP07 is available through the Southwest Exotic Plant Information Clearinghouse (http://sbsc.wr.usgs.gov/research/projects/swepic/swepic.asp, click SWEMP).Not all invasive plants are non-native and not all invasive plants are even invasive. The Arizona Invasive Species Advisory Council (2006) defined an invasive species as “a species that is (1) non-native to the ecosystem under consideration and, (2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health”. SWEMP uses the U.S. Department of Agriculture PLANTS database (http://plants.usda.gov/) to determine if a plant is native or not to Arizona. As SWEMP does not independently assess the current or potential impact of invasive plants, we include most non-native plant records contributed. We have not included agricultural crops that are non-native, for example apples, oranges, etc.In this open-file-report, we use the SWEMP07 update to summarize the occurrence of invasive plants in Arizona and present

  13. The Development of a Plant Risk Evaluation (PRE) Tool for Assessing the Invasive Potential of Ornamental Plants

    PubMed Central

    Conser, Christiana; Seebacher, Lizbeth; Fujino, David W.; Reichard, Sarah; DiTomaso, Joseph M.

    2015-01-01

    Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) methods for evaluating invasiveness in plants have evolved rapidly in the last two decades. Many WRA tools exist, but none were specifically designed to screen ornamental plants prior to being released into the environment. To be accepted as a tool to evaluate ornamental plants for the nursery industry, it is critical that a WRA tool accurately predicts non-invasiveness without falsely categorizing them as invasive. We developed a new Plant Risk Evaluation (PRE) tool for ornamental plants. The 19 questions in the final PRE tool were narrowed down from 56 original questions from existing WRA tools. We evaluated the 56 WRA questions by screening 21 known invasive and 14 known non-invasive ornamental plants. After statistically comparing the predictability of each question and the frequency the question could be answered for both invasive and non-invasive species, we eliminated questions that provided no predictive power, were irrelevant in our current model, or could not be answered reliably at a high enough percentage. We also combined many similar questions. The final 19 remaining PRE questions were further tested for accuracy using 56 additional known invasive plants and 36 known non-invasive ornamental species. The resulting evaluation demonstrated that when “needs further evaluation” classifications were not included, the accuracy of the model was 100% for both predicting invasiveness and non-invasiveness. When “needs further evaluation” classifications were included as either false positive or false negative, the model was still 93% accurate in predicting invasiveness and 97% accurate in predicting non-invasiveness, with an overall accuracy of 95%. We conclude that the PRE tool should not only provide growers with a method to accurately screen their current stock and potential new introductions, but also increase the probability of the tool being accepted for use by the industry as the basis for a nursery certification program

  14. The development of a plant risk evaluation (PRE) tool for assessing the invasive potential of ornamental plants.

    PubMed

    Conser, Christiana; Seebacher, Lizbeth; Fujino, David W; Reichard, Sarah; DiTomaso, Joseph M

    2015-01-01

    Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) methods for evaluating invasiveness in plants have evolved rapidly in the last two decades. Many WRA tools exist, but none were specifically designed to screen ornamental plants prior to being released into the environment. To be accepted as a tool to evaluate ornamental plants for the nursery industry, it is critical that a WRA tool accurately predicts non-invasiveness without falsely categorizing them as invasive. We developed a new Plant Risk Evaluation (PRE) tool for ornamental plants. The 19 questions in the final PRE tool were narrowed down from 56 original questions from existing WRA tools. We evaluated the 56 WRA questions by screening 21 known invasive and 14 known non-invasive ornamental plants. After statistically comparing the predictability of each question and the frequency the question could be answered for both invasive and non-invasive species, we eliminated questions that provided no predictive power, were irrelevant in our current model, or could not be answered reliably at a high enough percentage. We also combined many similar questions. The final 19 remaining PRE questions were further tested for accuracy using 56 additional known invasive plants and 36 known non-invasive ornamental species. The resulting evaluation demonstrated that when "needs further evaluation" classifications were not included, the accuracy of the model was 100% for both predicting invasiveness and non-invasiveness. When "needs further evaluation" classifications were included as either false positive or false negative, the model was still 93% accurate in predicting invasiveness and 97% accurate in predicting non-invasiveness, with an overall accuracy of 95%. We conclude that the PRE tool should not only provide growers with a method to accurately screen their current stock and potential new introductions, but also increase the probability of the tool being accepted for use by the industry as the basis for a nursery certification program.

  15. Non-invasive optical estimate of tissue composition to differentiate malignant from benign breast lesions: A pilot study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taroni, Paola; Paganoni, Anna Maria; Ieva, Francesca; Pifferi, Antonio; Quarto, Giovanna; Abbate, Francesca; Cassano, Enrico; Cubeddu, Rinaldo

    2017-01-01

    Several techniques are being investigated as a complement to screening mammography, to reduce its false-positive rate, but results are still insufficient to draw conclusions. This initial study explores time domain diffuse optical imaging as an adjunct method to classify non-invasively malignant vs benign breast lesions. We estimated differences in tissue composition (oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin, lipid, water, collagen) and absorption properties between lesion and average healthy tissue in the same breast applying a perturbative approach to optical images collected at 7 red-near infrared wavelengths (635-1060 nm) from subjects bearing breast lesions. The Discrete AdaBoost procedure, a machine-learning algorithm, was then exploited to classify lesions based on optically derived information (either tissue composition or absorption) and risk factors obtained from patient’s anamnesis (age, body mass index, familiarity, parity, use of oral contraceptives, and use of Tamoxifen). Collagen content, in particular, turned out to be the most important parameter for discrimination. Based on the initial results of this study the proposed method deserves further investigation.

  16. Topical Therapy for non-invasive penile cancer (Tis)—updated results and toxicity

    PubMed Central

    Brenton, Thomas; Wylie, Sarah; Corbishley, Catherine M.; Watkin, Nick A.

    2017-01-01

    Penile cancer is a rare malignancy estimated to affect 26,000 men globally each year. The association with penile cancer, in particular non-invasive disease, and human papilloma virus (HPV) is well known. Ninety-five percent of cases of penile cancer are squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which are staged using the TNM staging system. Terminology describing the histological appearance of non-invasive penile cancer has changed with all cases grouped under the umbrella term of penile intraepithelial neoplasia (PeIN); either undifferentiated or differentiated. This replaces previous terms such as carcinoma in situ (CIS) and eponymous names such as Bowen’s disease. This change is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The topical treatments most commonly used for PeIN are 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and imiquimod (IQ). Other treatments such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) are used but to a lesser degree. The evidence for all of these treatments is heterogenous with no randomised data available. Overall up to 57% complete response has been reported with a low number of serious adverse events. In this article, we aim to review the available evidence for the topical treatment of non-invasive penile cancer specifically regarding its efficacy and toxicity. PMID:29184776

  17. Non-stationary noise estimation using dictionary learning and Gaussian mixture models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hughes, James M.; Rockmore, Daniel N.; Wang, Yang

    2014-02-01

    Stationarity of the noise distribution is a common assumption in image processing. This assumption greatly simplifies denoising estimators and other model parameters and consequently assuming stationarity is often a matter of convenience rather than an accurate model of noise characteristics. The problematic nature of this assumption is exacerbated in real-world contexts, where noise is often highly non-stationary and can possess time- and space-varying characteristics. Regardless of model complexity, estimating the parameters of noise dis- tributions in digital images is a difficult task, and estimates are often based on heuristic assumptions. Recently, sparse Bayesian dictionary learning methods were shown to produce accurate estimates of the level of additive white Gaussian noise in images with minimal assumptions. We show that a similar model is capable of accu- rately modeling certain kinds of non-stationary noise processes, allowing for space-varying noise in images to be estimated, detected, and removed. We apply this modeling concept to several types of non-stationary noise and demonstrate the model's effectiveness on real-world problems, including denoising and segmentation of images according to noise characteristics, which has applications in image forensics.

  18. Serial fusion of Eulerian and Lagrangian approaches for accurate heart-rate estimation using face videos.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Puneet; Bhowmick, Brojeshwar; Pal, Arpan

    2017-07-01

    Camera-equipped devices are ubiquitous and proliferating in the day-to-day life. Accurate heart rate (HR) estimation from the face videos acquired from the low cost cameras in a non-contact manner, can be used in many real-world scenarios and hence, require rigorous exploration. This paper has presented an accurate and near real-time HR estimation system using these face videos. It is based on the phenomenon that the color and motion variations in the face video are closely related to the heart beat. The variations also contain the noise due to facial expressions, respiration, eye blinking and environmental factors which are handled by the proposed system. Neither Eulerian nor Lagrangian temporal signals can provide accurate HR in all the cases. The cases where Eulerian temporal signals perform spuriously are determined using a novel poorness measure and then both the Eulerian and Lagrangian temporal signals are employed for better HR estimation. Such a fusion is referred as serial fusion. Experimental results reveal that the error introduced in the proposed algorithm is 1.8±3.6 which is significantly lower than the existing well known systems.

  19. Non-invasive method and apparatus for monitoring intracranial pressure and pressure volume index in humans

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cantrell, John H. (Inventor); Yost, William T. (Inventor)

    1994-01-01

    Non-invasive measuring devices responsive to changes in a patient's intracranial pressure (ICP) can be accurately calibrated for monitoring purposes by providing known changes in ICP by non-invasive methods, such as placing the patient on a tilting bed and calculating a change in ICP from the tilt angle and the length of the patient's cerebrospinal column, or by placing a pressurized skull cap on the patient and measuring the inflation pressure. Absolute values for the patient's pressure-volume index (PVI) and the steady state ICP can then be determined by inducing two known changes in the volume of cerebrospinal fluid while recording the corresponding changes in ICP by means of the calibrated measuring device. The two pairs of data for pressure change and volume change are entered into an equation developed from an equation describing the relationship between ICP and cerebrospinal fluid volume. PVI and steady state ICP are then determined by solving the equation. Methods for inducing known changes in cerebrospinal fluid volume are described.

  20. Non-invasive method and apparatus for monitoring intracranial pressure and pressure volume index in humans

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yost, William T. (Inventor); Cantrell, Jr., John H. (Inventor)

    1997-01-01

    Non-invasive measuring devices responsive to changes in a patient's intracranial pressure (ICP) can be accurately calibrated for monitoring purposes by providing known changes in ICP by non-invasive methods, such as placing the patient on a tilting bed and calculating a change in ICP from the tilt angle and the length of the patient's cerebrospinal column, or by placing a pressurized skull cap on the patient and measuring the inflation pressure. Absolute values for the patient's pressure-volume index (PVI) and the steady state ICP can then be determined by inducing two known changes in the volume of cerebrospinal fluid while recording the corresponding changes in ICP by means of the calibrated measuring device. The two pairs of data for pressure change and volume change are entered into an equation developed from an equation describing the relationship between ICP and cerebrospinal fluid volume. PVI and steady state ICP are then determined by solving the equation. Methods for inducing known changes in cerebrospinal fluid volume are described.

  1. Accurate Attitude Estimation Using ARS under Conditions of Vehicle Movement Based on Disturbance Acceleration Adaptive Estimation and Correction

    PubMed Central

    Xing, Li; Hang, Yijun; Xiong, Zhi; Liu, Jianye; Wan, Zhong

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes a disturbance acceleration adaptive estimate and correction approach for an attitude reference system (ARS) so as to improve the attitude estimate precision under vehicle movement conditions. The proposed approach depends on a Kalman filter, where the attitude error, the gyroscope zero offset error and the disturbance acceleration error are estimated. By switching the filter decay coefficient of the disturbance acceleration model in different acceleration modes, the disturbance acceleration is adaptively estimated and corrected, and then the attitude estimate precision is improved. The filter was tested in three different disturbance acceleration modes (non-acceleration, vibration-acceleration and sustained-acceleration mode, respectively) by digital simulation. Moreover, the proposed approach was tested in a kinematic vehicle experiment as well. Using the designed simulations and kinematic vehicle experiments, it has been shown that the disturbance acceleration of each mode can be accurately estimated and corrected. Moreover, compared with the complementary filter, the experimental results have explicitly demonstrated the proposed approach further improves the attitude estimate precision under vehicle movement conditions. PMID:27754469

  2. Accurate Attitude Estimation Using ARS under Conditions of Vehicle Movement Based on Disturbance Acceleration Adaptive Estimation and Correction.

    PubMed

    Xing, Li; Hang, Yijun; Xiong, Zhi; Liu, Jianye; Wan, Zhong

    2016-10-16

    This paper describes a disturbance acceleration adaptive estimate and correction approach for an attitude reference system (ARS) so as to improve the attitude estimate precision under vehicle movement conditions. The proposed approach depends on a Kalman filter, where the attitude error, the gyroscope zero offset error and the disturbance acceleration error are estimated. By switching the filter decay coefficient of the disturbance acceleration model in different acceleration modes, the disturbance acceleration is adaptively estimated and corrected, and then the attitude estimate precision is improved. The filter was tested in three different disturbance acceleration modes (non-acceleration, vibration-acceleration and sustained-acceleration mode, respectively) by digital simulation. Moreover, the proposed approach was tested in a kinematic vehicle experiment as well. Using the designed simulations and kinematic vehicle experiments, it has been shown that the disturbance acceleration of each mode can be accurately estimated and corrected. Moreover, compared with the complementary filter, the experimental results have explicitly demonstrated the proposed approach further improves the attitude estimate precision under vehicle movement conditions.

  3. Non-Invasive Seismic Methods for Earthquake Site Classification Applied to Ontario Bridge Sites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bilson Darko, A.; Molnar, S.; Sadrekarimi, A.

    2017-12-01

    How a site responds to earthquake shaking and its corresponding damage is largely influenced by the underlying ground conditions through which it propagates. The effects of site conditions on propagating seismic waves can be predicted from measurements of the shear wave velocity (Vs) of the soil layer(s) and the impedance ratio between bedrock and soil. Currently the seismic design of new buildings and bridges (2015 Canadian building and bridge codes) requires determination of the time-averaged shear-wave velocity of the upper 30 metres (Vs30) of a given site. In this study, two in situ Vs profiling methods; Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) and Ambient Vibration Array (AVA) methods are used to determine Vs30 at chosen bridge sites in Ontario, Canada. Both active-source (MASW) and passive-source (AVA) surface wave methods are used at each bridge site to obtain Rayleigh-wave phase velocities over a wide frequency bandwidth. The dispersion curve is jointly inverted with each site's amplification function (microtremor horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio) to obtain shear-wave velocity profile(s). We apply our non-invasive testing at three major infrastructure projects, e.g., five bridge sites along the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway in Windsor, Ontario. Our non-invasive testing is co-located with previous invasive testing, including Standard Penetration Test (SPT), Cone Penetration Test and downhole Vs data. Correlations between SPT blowcount and Vs are developed for the different soil types sampled at our Ontario bridge sites. A robust earthquake site classification procedure (reliable Vs30 estimates) for bridge sites across Ontario is evaluated from available combinations of invasive and non-invasive site characterization methods.

  4. Non-invasive localization of atrial ectopic beats by using simulated body surface P-wave integral maps

    PubMed Central

    Godoy, Eduardo J.; Lozano, Miguel; Martínez-Mateu, Laura; Atienza, Felipe; Saiz, Javier; Sebastian, Rafael

    2017-01-01

    Non-invasive localization of continuous atrial ectopic beats remains a cornerstone for the treatment of atrial arrhythmias. The lack of accurate tools to guide electrophysiologists leads to an increase in the recurrence rate of ablation procedures. Existing approaches are based on the analysis of the P-waves main characteristics and the forward body surface potential maps (BSPMs) or on the inverse estimation of the electric activity of the heart from those BSPMs. These methods have not provided an efficient and systematic tool to localize ectopic triggers. In this work, we propose the use of machine learning techniques to spatially cluster and classify ectopic atrial foci into clearly differentiated atrial regions by using the body surface P-wave integral map (BSPiM) as a biomarker. Our simulated results show that ectopic foci with similar BSPiM naturally cluster into differentiated non-intersected atrial regions and that new patterns could be correctly classified with an accuracy of 97% when considering 2 clusters and 96% for 4 clusters. Our results also suggest that an increase in the number of clusters is feasible at the cost of decreasing accuracy. PMID:28704537

  5. State-of-the-Art Sensor Technology in Spain: Invasive and Non-Invasive Techniques for Monitoring Respiratory Variables

    PubMed Central

    Domingo, Christian; Blanch, Lluis; Murias, Gaston; Luján, Manel

    2010-01-01

    The interest in measuring physiological parameters (especially arterial blood gases) has grown progressively in parallel to the development of new technologies. Physiological parameters were first measured invasively and at discrete time points; however, it was clearly desirable to measure them continuously and non-invasively. The development of intensive care units promoted the use of ventilators via oral intubation ventilators via oral intubation and mechanical respiratory variables were progressively studied. Later, the knowledge gained in the hospital was applied to out-of-hospital management. In the present paper we review the invasive and non-invasive techniques for monitoring respiratory variables. PMID:22399898

  6. State-of-the-art sensor technology in Spain: invasive and non-invasive techniques for monitoring respiratory variables.

    PubMed

    Domingo, Christian; Blanch, Lluis; Murias, Gaston; Luján, Manel

    2010-01-01

    The interest in measuring physiological parameters (especially arterial blood gases) has grown progressively in parallel to the development of new technologies. Physiological parameters were first measured invasively and at discrete time points; however, it was clearly desirable to measure them continuously and non-invasively. The development of intensive care units promoted the use of ventilators via oral intubation ventilators via oral intubation and mechanical respiratory variables were progressively studied. Later, the knowledge gained in the hospital was applied to out-of-hospital management. In the present paper we review the invasive and non-invasive techniques for monitoring respiratory variables.

  7. Orbital invasion routes of non-melanoma skin cancers and survival outcomes.

    PubMed

    Dundar, Yusuf; Cannon, Richard; Wiggins, Richard; Monroe, Marcus M; Buchmann, Luke O; Hunt, Jason P

    2018-02-21

    Overall non-melanoma head and neck skin cancer has a good prognosis; however, rarely patients have an aggressive variant which results in orbital invasion via perineural spread or direct extension. Despite these consequences, there are limited published studies defining this clinical entity. The main objectives of the current study are to describe orbital invasion patterns of non-melanoma head and neck skin cancers and their impact on survival. Retrospective case series from a tertiary-care, academic institution performed between 2004 and 2014. Demographic and tumour characteristics are reported as well as patterns of orbital invasion, types of treatments received, and survival outcomes. There were 17 consecutive patients with non-melanoma skin cancer and orbital invasion who met inclusion criteria. Average age at orbital invasion diagnosis was 70.8 years old. 76% were male. Mean follow-up time was 28.5 months. Of these patients, 71% had squamous cell carcinoma and 29% had basal cell carcinoma. Brow (41%) was the most common primary sub-site followed by cheek (23%) and temple (12%). 76% of patients had a history of prior treatment. The lateral orbital wall (41%) was the most common site of invasion, followed by the medial orbital wall (29%) and antero-superior invasion (23%). Age, histology, and location of orbital invasion were associated with disease-specific and overall survival. Orbital invasion for non-melanoma head and neck skin cancers creates a treatment dilemma and the patterns of invasion are described. In addition, the location of orbital invasion is associated with survival outcomes.

  8. Frontal Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Modulates Antisaccade Preparation in Non-Human Primates

    PubMed Central

    Valero-Cabre, Antoni; Wattiez, Nicolas; Monfort, Morgane; François, Chantal; Rivaud-Péchoux, Sophie; Gaymard, Bertrand; Pouget, Pierre

    2012-01-01

    A combination of oculometric measurements, invasive electrophysiological recordings and microstimulation have proven instrumental to study the role of the Frontal Eye Field (FEF) in saccadic activity. We hereby gauged the ability of a non-invasive neurostimulation technology, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), to causally interfere with frontal activity in two macaque rhesus monkeys trained to perform a saccadic antisaccade task. We show that online single pulse TMS significantly modulated antisaccade latencies. Such effects proved dependent on TMS site (effects on FEF but not on an actively stimulated control site), TMS modality (present under active but not sham TMS on the FEF area), TMS intensity (intensities of at least 40% of the TMS machine maximal output required), TMS timing (more robust for pulses delivered at 150 ms than at 100 post target onset) and visual hemifield (relative latency decreases mainly for ipsilateral AS). Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using TMS to causally modulate antisaccade-associated computations in the non-human primate brain and support the use of this approach in monkeys to study brain function and its non-invasive neuromodulation for exploratory and therapeutic purposes. PMID:22701691

  9. Non-invasive molecular imaging for preclinical cancer therapeutic development

    PubMed Central

    O'Farrell, AC; Shnyder, SD; Marston, G; Coletta, PL; Gill, JH

    2013-01-01

    Molecular and non-invasive imaging are rapidly emerging fields in preclinical cancer drug discovery. This is driven by the need to develop more efficacious and safer treatments, the advent of molecular-targeted therapeutics, and the requirements to reduce and refine current preclinical in vivo models. Such bioimaging strategies include MRI, PET, single positron emission computed tomography, ultrasound, and optical approaches such as bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging. These molecular imaging modalities have several advantages over traditional screening methods, not least the ability to quantitatively monitor pharmacodynamic changes at the cellular and molecular level in living animals non-invasively in real time. This review aims to provide an overview of non-invasive molecular imaging techniques, highlighting the strengths, limitations and versatility of these approaches in preclinical cancer drug discovery and development. PMID:23488622

  10. Quantifying Accurate Calorie Estimation Using the "Think Aloud" Method

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holmstrup, Michael E.; Stearns-Bruening, Kay; Rozelle, Jeffrey

    2013-01-01

    Objective: Clients often have limited time in a nutrition education setting. An improved understanding of the strategies used to accurately estimate calories may help to identify areas of focused instruction to improve nutrition knowledge. Methods: A "Think Aloud" exercise was recorded during the estimation of calories in a standard dinner meal…

  11. Cellular phone enabled non-invasive tissue classifier.

    PubMed

    Laufer, Shlomi; Rubinsky, Boris

    2009-01-01

    Cellular phone technology is emerging as an important tool in the effort to provide advanced medical care to the majority of the world population currently without access to such care. In this study, we show that non-invasive electrical measurements and the use of classifier software can be combined with cellular phone technology to produce inexpensive tissue characterization. This concept was demonstrated by the use of a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier to distinguish through the cellular phone between heart and kidney tissue via the non-invasive multi-frequency electrical measurements acquired around the tissues. After the measurements were performed at a remote site, the raw data were transmitted through the cellular phone to a central computational site and the classifier was applied to the raw data. The results of the tissue analysis were returned to the remote data measurement site. The classifiers correctly determined the tissue type with a specificity of over 90%. When used for the detection of malignant tumors, classifiers can be designed to produce false positives in order to ensure that no tumors will be missed. This mode of operation has applications in remote non-invasive tissue diagnostics in situ in the body, in combination with medical imaging, as well as in remote diagnostics of biopsy samples in vitro.

  12. Cellular Phone Enabled Non-Invasive Tissue Classifier

    PubMed Central

    Laufer, Shlomi; Rubinsky, Boris

    2009-01-01

    Cellular phone technology is emerging as an important tool in the effort to provide advanced medical care to the majority of the world population currently without access to such care. In this study, we show that non-invasive electrical measurements and the use of classifier software can be combined with cellular phone technology to produce inexpensive tissue characterization. This concept was demonstrated by the use of a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier to distinguish through the cellular phone between heart and kidney tissue via the non-invasive multi-frequency electrical measurements acquired around the tissues. After the measurements were performed at a remote site, the raw data were transmitted through the cellular phone to a central computational site and the classifier was applied to the raw data. The results of the tissue analysis were returned to the remote data measurement site. The classifiers correctly determined the tissue type with a specificity of over 90%. When used for the detection of malignant tumors, classifiers can be designed to produce false positives in order to ensure that no tumors will be missed. This mode of operation has applications in remote non-invasive tissue diagnostics in situ in the body, in combination with medical imaging, as well as in remote diagnostics of biopsy samples in vitro. PMID:19365554

  13. Clinical, social and ethical issues associated with non-invasive prenatal testing for aneuploidy.

    PubMed

    Griffin, Blanche; Edwards, Samantha; Chitty, Lyn S; Lewis, Celine

    2018-03-01

    Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), based on analysis of cell-free foetal DNA, is rapidly becoming a preferred method to screen for chromosomal aneuploidy with the technology now available in over 90 countries. This review provides an up-to-date discussion of the key clinical, social and ethical implications associated with this revolutionary technology. Stakeholders are positive about a test that is highly accurate, safe, can be perfomed early in pregnancy, identifies affected pregnancies that might otherwise have been missed and reduces the need for invasive testing. Nevertheless, professional societies currently recommend it as an advanced screening test due to the low false positive rate (FPR). Despite the practical and psychological benefits, a number of concerns have been raised which warrant attention. These include the potential for routinisation of testing and subsequent impact on informed decision-making, an "easy" blood test inadvertently contributing to women feeling pressured to take the test, fears NIPT will lead to less tolerance and support for those living with Down syndrome and the heightened expectation of having "perfect babies". These issues can be addressed to some extent through clinician education, patient information and establishing national and international consensus in the development of comprehensive and regularly updated guidelines. As the number of conditions we are able to test for non-invasively expands it will be increasingly important to ensure pre-test counselling can be delivered effectively supported by knowledgeable healthcare professionals.

  14. Non-invasive reproductive and stress endocrinology in amphibian conservation physiology

    PubMed Central

    Narayan, E. J.

    2013-01-01

    Non-invasive endocrinology utilizes non-invasive biological samples (such as faeces, urine, hair, aquatic media, and saliva) for the quantification of hormones in wildlife. Urinary-based enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and radio-immunoassay have enabled the rapid quantification of reproductive and stress hormones in amphibians (Anura: Amphibia). With minimal disturbance, these methods can be used to assess the ovarian and testicular endocrine functions as well as physiological stress in captive and free-living populations. Non-invasive endocrine monitoring has therefore greatly advanced our knowledge of the functioning of the stress endocrine system (the hypothalamo–pituitary–interrenal axis) and the reproductive endocrine system (the hypothalamo–pituitary–gonadal axis) in the amphibian physiological stress response, reproductive ecology, health and welfare, and survival. Biological (physiological) validation is necessary for obtaining the excretory lag time of hormone metabolites. Urinary-based EIA for the major reproductive hormones, estradiol and progesterone in females and testosterone in males, can be used to track the reproductive hormone profiles in relationship to reproductive behaviour and environmental data in free-living anurans. Urinary-based corticosterone metabolite EIA can be used to assess the sublethal impacts of biological stressors (such as invasive species and pathogenic diseases) as well as anthropogenic induced environmental stressors (e.g. extreme temperatures) on free-living populations. Non-invasive endocrine methods can also assist in the diagnosis of success or failure of captive breeding programmes by measuring the longitudinal patterns of changes in reproductive hormones and corticosterone within captive anurans and comparing the endocrine profiles with health records and reproductive behaviour. This review paper focuses on the reproductive and the stress endocrinology of anurans and demonstrates the uses of non-invasive endocrinology

  15. Review of invasive urodynamics and progress towards non-invasive measurements in the assessment of bladder outlet obstruction

    PubMed Central

    Griffiths, C. J.; Pickard, R. S.

    2009-01-01

    Objective: This article defines the need for objective measurements to help diagnose the cause of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). It describes the conventional techniques available, mainly invasive, and then summarizes the emerging range of non-invasive measurement techniques. Methods: This is a narrative review derived form the clinical and scientific knowledge of the authors together with consideration of selected literature. Results: Consideration of measured bladder pressure urinary flow rate during voiding in an invasive pressure flow study is considered the gold standard for categorization of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). The diagnosis is currently made by plotting the detrusor pressure at maximum flow (pdetQmax) and maximum flow rate (Qmax) on the nomogram approved by the International Continence Society. This plot will categorize the void as obstructed, equivocal or unobstructed. The invasive and relatively complex nature of this investigation has led to a number of inventive techniques to categorize BOO either by measuring bladder pressure non-invasively or by providing a proxy measure such as bladder weight. Conclusion: Non-invasive methods of diagnosing BOO show great promise and a few have reached the stage of being commercially available. Further studies are however needed to validate the measurement technique and assess their worth in the assessment of men with LUTS. PMID:19468436

  16. Estimating Trabecular Bone Mechanical Properties From Non-Invasive Imaging

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hogan, Harry A.; Webster, Laurie

    1997-01-01

    An important component in developing countermeasures for maintaining musculoskeletal integrity during long-term space flight is an effective and meaningful method of monitoring skeletal condition. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an attractive non-invasive approach because it avoids the exposure to radiation associated with X-ray based imaging and also provides measures related to bone microstructure rather than just density. The purpose of the research for the 1996 Summer Faculty Fellowship period was to extend the usefulness of the MRI data to estimate the mechanical properties of trabecular bone. The main mechanical properties of interest are the elastic modulus and ultimate strength. Correlations are being investigated between these and fractal analysis parameters, MRI relaxation times, apparent densities, and bone mineral densities. Bone specimens from both human and equine donors have been studied initially to ensure high-quality MR images. Specimens were prepared and scanned from human proximal tibia bones as well as the equine distal radius. The quality of the images from the human bone appeared compromised due to freezing artifact, so only equine bone was included in subsequent procedures since these specimens could be acquired and imaged fresh before being frozen. MRI scans were made spanning a 3.6 cm length on each of 5 equine distal radius specimens. The images were then sent to Dr. Raj Acharya of the State University of New York at Buffalo for fractal analysis. Each piece was cut into 3 slabs approximately 1.2 cm thick and high-resolution contact radiographs were made to provide images for comparing fractal analysis with MR images. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans were also made of each slab for subsequent bone mineral density determination. Slabs were cut into cubes for mechanical using a slow-speed diamond blade wafering saw (Buehler Isomet). The dimensions and wet weights of each cube specimen were measured and recorded. Wet weights

  17. Base pair probability estimates improve the prediction accuracy of RNA non-canonical base pairs

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Prediction of RNA tertiary structure from sequence is an important problem, but generating accurate structure models for even short sequences remains difficult. Predictions of RNA tertiary structure tend to be least accurate in loop regions, where non-canonical pairs are important for determining the details of structure. Non-canonical pairs can be predicted using a knowledge-based model of structure that scores nucleotide cyclic motifs, or NCMs. In this work, a partition function algorithm is introduced that allows the estimation of base pairing probabilities for both canonical and non-canonical interactions. Pairs that are predicted to be probable are more likely to be found in the true structure than pairs of lower probability. Pair probability estimates can be further improved by predicting the structure conserved across multiple homologous sequences using the TurboFold algorithm. These pairing probabilities, used in concert with prior knowledge of the canonical secondary structure, allow accurate inference of non-canonical pairs, an important step towards accurate prediction of the full tertiary structure. Software to predict non-canonical base pairs and pairing probabilities is now provided as part of the RNAstructure software package. PMID:29107980

  18. Non-Invasive Breast Cancer Diagnosis through Electrochemical Biosensing at Different Molecular Levels

    PubMed Central

    Campuzano, Susana

    2017-01-01

    The rapid and accurate determination of specific circulating biomarkers at different molecular levels with non- or minimally invasive methods constitutes a major challenge to improve the breast cancer outcomes and life quality of patients. In this field, electrochemical biosensors have demonstrated to be promising alternatives against more complex conventional strategies to perform fast, accurate and on-site determination of circulating biomarkers at low concentrations in minimally treated body fluids. In this article, after discussing briefly the relevance and current challenges associated with the determination of breast cancer circulating biomarkers, an updated overview of the electrochemical affinity biosensing strategies emerged in the last 5 years for this purpose is provided highlighting the great potentiality of these methodologies. After critically discussing the most interesting features of the electrochemical strategies reported so far for the single or multiplexed determination of such biomarkers with demonstrated applicability in liquid biopsy analysis, existing challenges still to be addressed and future directions in this field will be pointed out. PMID:28858236

  19. Doppler ultrasonography combined with transient elastography improves the non-invasive assessment of fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases.

    PubMed

    Alempijevic, Tamara; Zec, Simon; Nikolic, Vladimir; Veljkovic, Aleksandar; Stojanovic, Zoran; Matovic, Vera; Milosavljevic, Tomica

    2017-01-31

    Accurate clinical assessment of liver fibrosis is essential and the aim of our study was to compare and combine hemodynamic Doppler ultrasonography, liver stiffness by transient elastography, and non-invasive serum biomarkers with the degree of fibrosis confirmed by liver biopsy, and thereby to determine the value of combining non-invasive method in the prediction significant liver fibrosis. We included 102 patients with chronic liver disease of various etiology. Each patient was evaluated using Doppler ultrasonography measurements of the velocity and flow pattern at portal trunk, hepatic and splenic artery, serum fibrosis biomarkers, and transient elastography. These parameters were then input into a multilayer perceptron artificial neural network with two hidden layers, and used to create models for predicting significant fibrosis. According to METAVIR score, clinically significant fibrosis (≥F2) was detected in 57.8% of patients. A model based only on Doppler parameters (hepatic artery diameter, hepatic artery systolic and diastolic velocity, splenic artery systolic velocity and splenic artery Resistance Index), predicted significant liver fibrosis with a sensitivity and specificity of75.0% and 60.0%. The addition of unrelated non-invasive tests improved the diagnostic accuracy of Doppler examination. The best model for prediction of significant fibrosis was obtained by combining Doppler parameters, non-invasive markers (APRI, ASPRI, and FIB-4) and transient elastography, with a sensitivity and specificity of 88.9% and 100%. Doppler parameters alone predict the presence of ≥F2 fibrosis with fair accuracy. Better prediction rates are achieved by combining Doppler variables with non-invasive markers and liver stiffness by transient elastography.

  20. MicroRNA and protein profiles in invasive versus non-invasive oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells in vitro

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Korvala, Johanna, E-mail: johanna.korvala@oulu.fi; Jee, Kowan; Department of Pathology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki

    Complex molecular pathways regulate cancer invasion. This study overviewed proteins and microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) invasion. The human highly aggressive OTSCC cell line HSC-3 was examined in a 3D organotypic human leiomyoma model. Non-invasive and invasive cells were laser-captured and protein expression was analyzed using mass spectrometry-based proteomics and miRNA expression by microarray. In functional studies the 3D invasion assay was replicated after silencing candidate miRNAs, miR-498 and miR-940, in invasive OTSCC cell lines (HSC-3 and SCC-15). Cell migration, proliferation and viability were also studied in the silenced cells. In HSC-3 cells, 67 proteinsmore » and 53 miRNAs showed significant fold-changes between non-invasive vs. invasive cells. Pathway enrichment analyses allocated “Focal adhesion” and “ECM-receptor interaction” as most important for invasion. Significantly, in HSC-3 cells, miR-498 silencing decreased the invasion area and miR-940 silencing reduced invasion area and depth. Viability, proliferation and migration weren’t significantly affected. In SCC-15 cells, down-regulation of miR-498 significantly reduced invasion and migration. This study shows HSC-3 specific miRNA and protein expression in invasion, and suggests that miR-498 and miR-940 affect invasion in vitro, the process being more influenced by mir-940 silencing in aggressive HSC-3 cells than in the less invasive SCC-15.« less

  1. Raman spectroscopy for highly accurate estimation of the age of refrigerated porcine muscle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Timinis, Constantinos; Pitris, Costas

    2016-03-01

    The high water content of meat, combined with all the nutrients it contains, make it vulnerable to spoilage at all stages of production and storage even when refrigerated at 5 °C. A non-destructive and in situ tool for meat sample testing, which could provide an accurate indication of the storage time of meat, would be very useful for the control of meat quality as well as for consumer safety. The proposed solution is based on Raman spectroscopy which is non-invasive and can be applied in situ. For the purposes of this project, 42 meat samples from 14 animals were obtained and three Raman spectra per sample were collected every two days for two weeks. The spectra were subsequently processed and the sample age was calculated using a set of linear differential equations. In addition, the samples were classified in categories corresponding to the age in 2-day steps (i.e., 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 or 14 days old), using linear discriminant analysis and cross-validation. Contrary to other studies, where the samples were simply grouped into two categories (higher or lower quality, suitable or unsuitable for human consumption, etc.), in this study, the age was predicted with a mean error of ~ 1 day (20%) or classified, in 2-day steps, with 100% accuracy. Although Raman spectroscopy has been used in the past for the analysis of meat samples, the proposed methodology has resulted in a prediction of the sample age far more accurately than any report in the literature.

  2. A review of invasive and non-invasive sensory feedback in upper limb prostheses.

    PubMed

    Svensson, Pamela; Wijk, Ulrika; Björkman, Anders; Antfolk, Christian

    2017-06-01

    The constant challenge to restore sensory feedback in prosthetic hands has provided several research solutions, but virtually none has reached clinical fruition. A prosthetic hand with sensory feedback that closely imitates an intact hand and provides a natural feeling may induce the prosthetic hand to be included in the body image and also reinforces the control of the prosthesis. Areas covered: This review presents non-invasive sensory feedback systems such as mechanotactile, vibrotactile, electrotactile and combinational systems which combine the modalities; multi-haptic feedback. Invasive sensory feedback has been tried less, because of the inherent risk, but it has successfully shown to restore some afferent channels. In this review, invasive methods are also discussed, both extraneural and intraneural electrodes, such as cuff electrodes and transverse intrafascicular multichannel electrodes. The focus of the review is on non-invasive methods of providing sensory feedback to upper-limb amputees. Expert commentary: Invoking embodiment has shown to be of importance for the control of prosthesis and acceptance by the prosthetic wearers. It is a challenge to provide conscious feedback to cover the lost sensibility of a hand, not be overwhelming and confusing for the user, and to integrate technology within the constraint of a wearable prosthesis.

  3. Non-invasive diagnosis of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis

    PubMed Central

    Sharma, Suraj; Khalili, Korosh; Nguyen, Geoffrey Christopher

    2014-01-01

    Liver cirrhosis is a common and growing public health problem globally. The diagnosis of cirrhosis portends an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Liver biopsy is considered the gold standard for diagnosis of cirrhosis and staging of fibrosis. However, despite its universal use, liver biopsy is an invasive and inaccurate gold standard with numerous drawbacks. In order to overcome the limitations of liver biopsy, a number of non-invasive techniques have been investigated for the assessment of cirrhosis. This review will focus on currently available non-invasive markers of cirrhosis. The evidence behind the use of these markers will be highlighted, along with an assessment of diagnostic accuracy and performance characteristics of each test. Non-invasive markers of cirrhosis can be radiologic or serum-based. Radiologic techniques based on ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and elastography have been used to assess liver fibrosis. Serum-based biomarkers of cirrhosis have also been developed. These are broadly classified into indirect and direct markers. Indirect biomarkers reflect liver function, which may decline with the onset of cirrhosis. Direct biomarkers, reflect extracellular matrix turnover, and include molecules involved in hepatic fibrogenesis. On the whole, radiologic and serum markers of fibrosis correlate well with biopsy scores, especially when excluding cirrhosis or excluding fibrosis. This feature is certainly clinically useful, and avoids liver biopsy in many cases. PMID:25492996

  4. Imperfect pathogen detection from non-invasive skin swabs biases disease inference

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    DiRenzo, Graziella V.; Grant, Evan H. Campbell; Longo, Ana; Che-Castaldo, Christian; Zamudio, Kelly R.; Lips, Karen

    2018-01-01

    1. Conservation managers rely on accurate estimates of disease parameters, such as pathogen prevalence and infection intensity, to assess disease status of a host population. However, these disease metrics may be biased if low-level infection intensities are missed by sampling methods or laboratory diagnostic tests. These false negatives underestimate pathogen prevalence and overestimate mean infection intensity of infected individuals. 2. Our objectives were two-fold. First, we quantified false negative error rates of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on non-invasive skin swabs collected from an amphibian community in El Copé, Panama. We swabbed amphibians twice in sequence, and we used a recently developed hierarchical Bayesian estimator to assess disease status of the population. Second, we developed a novel hierarchical Bayesian model to simultaneously account for imperfect pathogen detection from field sampling and laboratory diagnostic testing. We evaluated the performance of the model using simulations and varying sampling design to quantify the magnitude of bias in estimates of pathogen prevalence and infection intensity. 3. We show that Bd detection probability from skin swabs was related to host infection intensity, where Bd infections < 10 zoospores have < 95% probability of being detected. If imperfect Bd detection was not considered, then Bd prevalence was underestimated by as much as 16%. In the Bd-amphibian system, this indicates a need to correct for imperfect pathogen detection caused by skin swabs in persisting host communities with low-level infections. More generally, our results have implications for study designs in other disease systems, particularly those with similar objectives, biology, and sampling decisions. 4. Uncertainty in pathogen detection is an inherent property of most sampling protocols and diagnostic tests, where the magnitude of bias depends on the study system, type of infection, and false negative error rates. Given that it may

  5. Ankle Brachial Index: simple non-invasive estimation of peripheral artery disease

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pieniak, Marcin; Cieślicki, Krzysztof; Żyliński, Marek; Górski, Piotr; Murgrabia, Agnieszka; Cybulski, Gerard

    2014-11-01

    According to international guidelines, patients with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) are burdened with high cardiovascular risk. One of the simplest, non-invasive methods for PAD detection is the ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurement. The ABI is calculated as the ratio of systolic blood pressure at the ankle (pressure in the posterior tibial artery or the dorsal artery) to the systolic pressure in the arm (in the brachial artery) when the body is in a horizontal position. The physiological value of the ABI is assumed to be between 1 and 1.3; however, these limits vary from study to study. A value less than 0.9 indicates PAD. Some authors propose also measuring the ABI on both sides of the body to highlight possible differences in blood pressure between the opposite arterial segments. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of the ABI diagnostic criteria used in different publications. Additionally, ABI measurements were performed on 19 healthy patients in age ranged from 20 to 63 years. The results showed a slight dependence between age and the differences between the values obtained from left and right sides of the body.

  6. Retrieving accurate temporal and spatial information about Taylor slug flows from non-invasive NIR photometry measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Helmers, Thorben; Thöming, Jorg; Mießner, Ulrich

    2017-11-01

    In this article, we introduce a novel approach to retrieve spatial- and time-resolved Taylor slug flow information from a single non-invasive photometric flow sensor. The presented approach uses disperse phase surface properties to retrieve the instantaneous velocity information from a single sensor's time-scaled signal. For this purpose, a photometric sensor system is simulated using a ray-tracing algorithm to calculate spatially resolved near-infrared transmission signals. At the signal position corresponding to the rear droplet cap, a correlation factor of the droplet's geometric properties is retrieved and used to extract the instantaneous droplet velocity from the real sensor's temporal transmission signal. Furthermore, a correlation for the rear cap geometry based on the a priori known total superficial flow velocity is developed, because the cap curvature is velocity sensitive itself. Our model for velocity derivation is validated, and measurements of a first prototype showcase the capability of the device. Long-term measurements visualize systematic fluctuations in droplet lengths, velocities, and frequencies that could otherwise, without the observation on a larger timescale, have been identified as measurement errors and not systematic phenomenas.

  7. Non-invasive Monitoring of Intracranial Pressure Using Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography: Is It Possible?

    PubMed

    Cardim, Danilo; Robba, C; Bohdanowicz, M; Donnelly, J; Cabella, B; Liu, X; Cabeleira, M; Smielewski, P; Schmidt, B; Czosnyka, M

    2016-12-01

    Although intracranial pressure (ICP) is essential to guide management of patients suffering from acute brain diseases, this signal is often neglected outside the neurocritical care environment. This is mainly attributed to the intrinsic risks of the available invasive techniques, which have prevented ICP monitoring in many conditions affecting the intracranial homeostasis, from mild traumatic brain injury to liver encephalopathy. In such scenario, methods for non-invasive monitoring of ICP (nICP) could improve clinical management of these conditions. A review of the literature was performed on PUBMED using the search keywords 'Transcranial Doppler non-invasive intracranial pressure.' Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is a technique primarily aimed at assessing the cerebrovascular dynamics through the cerebral blood flow velocity (FV). Its applicability for nICP assessment emerged from observation that some TCD-derived parameters change during increase of ICP, such as the shape of FV pulse waveform or pulsatility index. Methods were grouped as: based on TCD pulsatility index; aimed at non-invasive estimation of cerebral perfusion pressure and model-based methods. Published studies present with different accuracies, with prediction abilities (AUCs) for detection of ICP ≥20 mmHg ranging from 0.62 to 0.92. This discrepancy could result from inconsistent assessment measures and application in different conditions, from traumatic brain injury to hydrocephalus and stroke. Most of the reports stress a potential advantage of TCD as it provides the possibility to monitor changes of ICP in time. Overall accuracy for TCD-based methods ranges around ±12 mmHg, with a great potential of tracing dynamical changes of ICP in time, particularly those of vasogenic nature.

  8. Comparison of non-invasive tear film stability measurement techniques.

    PubMed

    Wang, Michael Tm; Murphy, Paul J; Blades, Kenneth J; Craig, Jennifer P

    2018-01-01

    Measurement of tear film stability is commonly used to give an indication of tear film quality but a number of non-invasive techniques exists within the clinical setting. This study sought to compare three non-invasive tear film stability measurement techniques: instrument-mounted wide-field white light clinical interferometry, instrument-mounted keratoscopy and hand-held keratoscopy. Twenty-two subjects were recruited in a prospective, randomised, masked, cross-over study. Tear film break-up or thinning time was measured non-invasively by independent experienced examiners, with each of the three devices, in a randomised order, within an hour. Significant correlation was observed between instrument-mounted interferometric and keratoscopic measurements (p < 0.001) but not between the hand-held device and the instrument-mounted techniques (all p > 0.05). Tear film stability values obtained from the hand-held device were significantly shorter and demonstrated narrower spread than the other two instruments (all p < 0.05), while no significant differences were observed between the two instrument-mounted devices (all p > 0.05). Good clinical agreement exists between the instrument-mounted interferometric and keratoscopic measurements but not between the hand-held device and either of the instrument-mounted techniques. The results highlight the importance of specifying the instrument employed to record non-invasive tear film stability. © 2017 Optometry Australia.

  9. Non-invasive collection and analysis of semen in wild macaques.

    PubMed

    Thomsen, Ruth

    2014-04-01

    Assessments of primate male fertility via semen analyses are so far restricted to captivity. This study describes a non-invasive method to collect and analyse semen in wild primates, based on fieldwork with Yakushima macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui). Over nine mating seasons between 1993 and 2010, 128 masturbatory ejaculations were recorded in 21 males of 5 study troops, and in 11 non-troop males. In 55%, ejaculate volume was directly estimated, and in 37%, pH-value, sperm vitality, numbers, morphology and swimming velocity could also be determined. This approach of assessing semen production rates and individual male fertility can be applied to other primate taxa, in particular to largely terrestrial populations where males masturbate frequently, such as macaques and baboons. Furthermore, since explanations of male reproductive skew in non-human primate populations have until now ignored the potential role of semen quality, the method presented here will also help to answer this question.

  10. Early invasive versus non-invasive treatment in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (FRISC-II): 15 year follow-up of a prospective, randomised, multicentre study.

    PubMed

    Wallentin, Lars; Lindhagen, Lars; Ärnström, Elisabet; Husted, Steen; Janzon, Magnus; Johnsen, Søren Paaske; Kontny, Frederic; Kempf, Tibor; Levin, Lars-Åke; Lindahl, Bertil; Stridsberg, Mats; Ståhle, Elisabeth; Venge, Per; Wollert, Kai C; Swahn, Eva; Lagerqvist, Bo

    2016-10-15

    The FRISC-II trial was the first randomised trial to show a reduction in death or myocardial infarction with an early invasive versus a non-invasive treatment strategy in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome. Here we provide a remaining lifetime perspective on the effects on all cardiovascular events during 15 years' follow-up. The FRISC-II prospective, randomised, multicentre trial was done at 58 Scandinavian centres in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. Between June 17, 1996, and Aug 28, 1998, we randomly assigned (1:1) 2457 patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome to an early invasive treatment strategy, aiming for revascularisation within 7 days, or a non-invasive strategy, with invasive procedures at recurrent symptoms or severe exercise-induced ischaemia. Plasma for biomarker analyses was obtained at randomisation. For long-term outcomes, we linked data with national health-care registers. The primary endpoint was a composite of death or myocardial infarction. Outcomes were compared as the average postponement of the next event, including recurrent events, calculated as the area between mean cumulative count-of-events curves. Analyses were done by intention to treat. At a minimum of 15 years' follow-up on Dec 31, 2014, data for survival status and death were available for 2421 (99%) of the initially recruited 2457 patients, and for other events after 2 years for 2182 (89%) patients. During follow-up, the invasive strategy postponed death or next myocardial infarction by a mean of 549 days (95% CI 204-888; p=0·0020) compared with the non-invasive strategy. This effect was larger in non-smokers (mean gain 809 days, 95% CI 402-1175; p interaction =0·0182), patients with elevated troponin T (778 days, 357-1165; p interaction =0·0241), and patients with high concentrations of growth differentiation factor-15 (1356 days, 507-1650; p interaction =0·0210). The difference was mainly driven by postponement of new myocardial infarction

  11. Non-invasive Assessments of Adipose Tissue Metabolism In Vitro.

    PubMed

    Abbott, Rosalyn D; Borowsky, Francis E; Quinn, Kyle P; Bernstein, David L; Georgakoudi, Irene; Kaplan, David L

    2016-03-01

    Adipose tissue engineering is a diverse area of research where the developed tissues can be used to study normal adipose tissue functions, create disease models in vitro, and replace soft tissue defects in vivo. Increasing attention has been focused on the highly specialized metabolic pathways that regulate energy storage and release in adipose tissues which affect local and systemic outcomes. Non-invasive, dynamic measurement systems are useful to track these metabolic pathways in the same tissue model over time to evaluate long term cell growth, differentiation, and development within tissue engineering constructs. This approach reduces costs and time in comparison to more traditional destructive methods such as biochemical and immunochemistry assays and proteomics assessments. Towards this goal, this review will focus on important metabolic functions of adipose tissues and strategies to evaluate them with non-invasive in vitro methods. Current non-invasive methods, such as measuring key metabolic markers and endogenous contrast imaging will be explored.

  12. Non-invasive different modalities of treatment for temporomandibular disorders: review of literature

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are diseases that affect the temporomandibular joint and supporting structures. The goal of treatment for TMDs is elimination or reduction of pain and return to normal temporomandibular joint function. Initial treatment for TMDs is non-invasive and conservative, not surgical. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons should fully understand and actively care about non-invasive treatments for TMDs. The purpose of this study is to review the validity and outcomes of non-invasive and surgical treatment modalities for TMDs. PMID:29732308

  13. Non-invasive mechanical ventilation with spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery.

    PubMed

    Erdogan, G; Okyay, D Z; Yurtlu, S; Hanci, V; Ayoglu, H; Koksal, B; Turan, I O

    2010-10-01

    We present the successful use of perioperative non-invasive mechanical ventilation in a morbidly obese pregnant woman with bronchial asthma, severe preeclampsia and pulmonary edema undergoing an emergency cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia. The combination of non-invasive mechanical ventilation with neuraxial anesthesia may be of value in selected parturients with acute or chronic respiratory insufficiency requiring surgery. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. An accurate and adaptable photogrammetric approach for estimating the mass and body condition of pinnipeds using an unmanned aerial system

    PubMed Central

    Hinke, Jefferson T.; Perryman, Wayne L.; Goebel, Michael E.; LeRoi, Donald J.

    2017-01-01

    Measurements of body size and mass are fundamental to pinniped population management and research. Manual measurements tend to be accurate but are invasive and logistically challenging to obtain. Ground-based photogrammetric techniques are less invasive, but inherent limitations make them impractical for many field applications. The recent proliferation of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in wildlife monitoring has provided a promising new platform for the photogrammetry of free-ranging pinnipeds. Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are an apex predator in coastal Antarctica whose body condition could be a valuable indicator of ecosystem health. We aerially surveyed leopard seals of known body size and mass to test the precision and accuracy of photogrammetry from a small UAS. Flights were conducted in January and February of 2013 and 2014 and 50 photogrammetric samples were obtained from 15 unrestrained seals. UAS-derived measurements of standard length were accurate to within 2.01 ± 1.06%, and paired comparisons with ground measurements were statistically indistinguishable. An allometric linear mixed effects model predicted leopard seal mass within 19.40 kg (4.4% error for a 440 kg seal). Photogrammetric measurements from a single, vertical image obtained using UAS provide a noninvasive approach for estimating the mass and body condition of pinnipeds that may be widely applicable. PMID:29186134

  15. An accurate and adaptable photogrammetric approach for estimating the mass and body condition of pinnipeds using an unmanned aerial system.

    PubMed

    Krause, Douglas J; Hinke, Jefferson T; Perryman, Wayne L; Goebel, Michael E; LeRoi, Donald J

    2017-01-01

    Measurements of body size and mass are fundamental to pinniped population management and research. Manual measurements tend to be accurate but are invasive and logistically challenging to obtain. Ground-based photogrammetric techniques are less invasive, but inherent limitations make them impractical for many field applications. The recent proliferation of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in wildlife monitoring has provided a promising new platform for the photogrammetry of free-ranging pinnipeds. Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are an apex predator in coastal Antarctica whose body condition could be a valuable indicator of ecosystem health. We aerially surveyed leopard seals of known body size and mass to test the precision and accuracy of photogrammetry from a small UAS. Flights were conducted in January and February of 2013 and 2014 and 50 photogrammetric samples were obtained from 15 unrestrained seals. UAS-derived measurements of standard length were accurate to within 2.01 ± 1.06%, and paired comparisons with ground measurements were statistically indistinguishable. An allometric linear mixed effects model predicted leopard seal mass within 19.40 kg (4.4% error for a 440 kg seal). Photogrammetric measurements from a single, vertical image obtained using UAS provide a noninvasive approach for estimating the mass and body condition of pinnipeds that may be widely applicable.

  16. Combination of the non-invasive tests for the diagnosis of endometriosis.

    PubMed

    Nisenblat, Vicki; Prentice, Lucy; Bossuyt, Patrick M M; Farquhar, Cindy; Hull, M Louise; Johnson, Neil

    2016-07-13

    About 10% of women of reproductive age suffer from endometriosis, a costly chronic disease causing pelvic pain and subfertility. Laparoscopy is the gold standard diagnostic test for endometriosis, but is expensive and carries surgical risks. Currently, there are no non-invasive tests available in clinical practice to accurately diagnose endometriosis. This review assessed the diagnostic accuracy of combinations of different non-invasive testing modalities for endometriosis and provided a summary of all the reviews in the non-invasive tests for endometriosis series. To estimate the diagnostic accuracy of any combination of non-invasive tests for the diagnosis of pelvic endometriosis (peritoneal and/or ovarian or deep infiltrating) compared to surgical diagnosis as a reference standard. The combined tests were evaluated as replacement tests for diagnostic surgery and triage tests to assist decision-making to undertake diagnostic surgery for endometriosis. We did not restrict the searches to particular study designs, language or publication dates. We searched CENTRAL to July 2015, MEDLINE and EMBASE to May 2015, as well as the following databases to April 2015: CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, LILACS, OAIster, TRIP, ClinicalTrials.gov, DARE and PubMed. We considered published, peer-reviewed, randomised controlled or cross-sectional studies of any size, including prospectively collected samples from any population of women of reproductive age suspected of having one or more of the following target conditions: ovarian, peritoneal or deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE). We included studies comparing the diagnostic test accuracy of a combination of several testing modalities with the findings of surgical visualisation of endometriotic lesions. Three review authors independently collected and performed a quality assessment of the data from each study by using the QUADAS-2 tool. For each test, the data were classified as positive or negative for the surgical detection of

  17. Bone orientation and position estimation errors using Cosserat point elements and least squares methods: Application to gait.

    PubMed

    Solav, Dana; Camomilla, Valentina; Cereatti, Andrea; Barré, Arnaud; Aminian, Kamiar; Wolf, Alon

    2017-09-06

    The aim of this study was to analyze the accuracy of bone pose estimation based on sub-clusters of three skin-markers characterized by triangular Cosserat point elements (TCPEs) and to evaluate the capability of four instantaneous physical parameters, which can be measured non-invasively in vivo, to identify the most accurate TCPEs. Moreover, TCPE pose estimations were compared with the estimations of two least squares minimization methods applied to the cluster of all markers, using rigid body (RBLS) and homogeneous deformation (HDLS) assumptions. Analysis was performed on previously collected in vivo treadmill gait data composed of simultaneous measurements of the gold-standard bone pose by bi-plane fluoroscopy tracking the subjects' knee prosthesis and a stereophotogrammetric system tracking skin-markers affected by soft tissue artifact. Femur orientation and position errors estimated from skin-marker clusters were computed for 18 subjects using clusters of up to 35 markers. Results based on gold-standard data revealed that instantaneous subsets of TCPEs exist which estimate the femur pose with reasonable accuracy (median root mean square error during stance/swing: 1.4/2.8deg for orientation, 1.5/4.2mm for position). A non-invasive and instantaneous criteria to select accurate TCPEs for pose estimation (4.8/7.3deg, 5.8/12.3mm), was compared with RBLS (4.3/6.6deg, 6.9/16.6mm) and HDLS (4.6/7.6deg, 6.7/12.5mm). Accounting for homogeneous deformation, using HDLS or selected TCPEs, yielded more accurate position estimations than RBLS method, which, conversely, yielded more accurate orientation estimations. Further investigation is required to devise effective criteria for cluster selection that could represent a significant improvement in bone pose estimation accuracy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Potential of mid-infrared spectroscopy as a non-invasive diagnostic test in urine for endometrial or ovarian cancer.

    PubMed

    Paraskevaidi, Maria; Morais, Camilo L M; Lima, Kássio M G; Ashton, Katherine M; Stringfellow, Helen F; Martin-Hirsch, Pierre L; Martin, Francis L

    2018-06-07

    The current lack of an accurate, cost-effective and non-invasive test that would allow for screening and diagnosis of gynaecological carcinomas, such as endometrial and ovarian cancer, signals the necessity for alternative approaches. The potential of spectroscopic techniques in disease investigation and diagnosis has been previously demonstrated. Here, we used attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to analyse urine samples from women with endometrial (n = 10) and ovarian cancer (n = 10), as well as from healthy individuals (n = 10). After applying multivariate analysis and classification algorithms, biomarkers of disease were pointed out and high levels of accuracy were achieved for both endometrial (95% sensitivity, 100% specificity; accuracy: 95%) and ovarian cancer (100% sensitivity, 96.3% specificity; accuracy 100%). The efficacy of this approach, in combination with the non-invasive method for urine collection, suggest a potential diagnostic tool for endometrial and ovarian cancers.

  19. Comparison of non-invasive measures of cholinergic and allergic airway responsiveness in rats.

    PubMed

    Glaab, T; Hecker, H; Stephan, M; Baelder, R; Braun, A; Korolewitz, R; Krug, N; Hoymann, H G

    2006-04-01

    Non-invasive analysis of tidal expiratory flow parameters such as Tme/TE (time needed to reach peak expiratory flow divided by total expiratory time) or midexpiratory tidal flow (EF50) has been shown useful for phenotypic characterization of lung function in humans and animal models. In this study, we aimed to compare the utility of two non-invasive measures, EF50 and Tme/TE, to monitor bronchoconstriction to inhaled cholinergic and allergic challenges in Brown-Norway rats. Non-invasive measurements of Tme/TE and EF50 were paralleled by invasive recordings of Tme/TE, EF50 and pulmonary conductance (GL). First, dose-response studies with acetylcholine were performed in naive rats, showing that EF50 better than Tme/TE reflected the dose-related changes as observed with the classical invasive outcome parameter GL. The subsequent determination of allergen-specific early airway responsiveness (EAR) showed that ovalbumin-sensitized and -challenged rats exhibited airway inflammation and allergen-specific EAR. Again, EF50 was more sensitive than Tme/TE in detecting the allergen-specific EAR recorded with invasive and non-invasive lung function methods and agreed well with classical GL measurements. We conclude that non-invasive assessment of EF50 is significantly superior to Tme/TE and serves as a suitable and valid tool for phenotypic screening of cholinergic and allergic airway responsiveness in rats.

  20. Invasive Non-typhoidal Salmonella Disease – epidemiology, pathogenesis and diagnosis

    PubMed Central

    Gordon, Melita A

    2012-01-01

    Purpose of review To highlight and discuss important publications over the past 12 months providing new insights on invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella disease (iNTS). Recent findings There have been informative new estimates of the burden of iNTS in Asia and in high-resource low-incidence settings. Important information has emerged in the last year about the relationships between HIV, malaria, iNTS and typhoid fever in adults and children in Africa. HIV causes susceptibility to iNTS disease, but has been shown to be protective against typhoid fever. Clinical guidelines for presumptive diagnosis frequently fail to identify iNTS disease in Africa, and there remains a need for improved diagnostic tools. Experimental studies in humans have helped us to understand the intracellular pathogenesis of iNTS and to direct the search for appropriate protein vaccine targets. Summary The most important remaining gap in our knowledge is probably an understanding of how NTS are transmitted, and the nature of the relationship between diarrhoeal disease, carriage and invasive disease in Africa, so that diagnostic and prevention tools can be appropriately directed. PMID:21844803

  1. Non-invasive measurements of tissue hemodynamics with hybrid diffuse optical methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Durduran, Turgut

    Diffuse optical techniques were used to measure hemodynamics of tissues non-invasively. Spectroscopy and tomography of the brain, muscle and implanted tumors were carried out in animal models and humans. Two qualitatively different methods, diffuse optical tomography and diffuse correlation tomography, were hybridized permitting simultaneous measurement of total hemoglobin concentration, blood oxygen saturation and blood flow. This combination of information was processed further to derive estimates of oxygen metabolism (e.g. CMRO 2) in tissue. The diffuse correlation measurements of blood flow were demonstrated in human tissues, for the first time, demonstrating continous, non-invasive imaging of oxygen metabolism in large tissue volumes several centimeters below the tissue surface. The bulk of these investigations focussed on cerebral hemodynamics. Extensive validation of this methodology was carried out in in vivo rat brain models. Three dimensional images of deep tissue hemodynamics in middle cerebral artery occlusion and cortical spreading depression (CSD) were obtained. CSD hemodynamics were found to depend strongly on partial pressure of carbon dioxide. The technique was then adapted for measurement of human brain. All optical spectroscopic measurements of CMRO2 during functional activation were obtained through intact human skull non-invasively. Finally, a high spatio-temporal resolution measurement of cerebral blood flow due to somatosensory cortex activation following electrical forepaw stimulation in rats was carried out with laser speckle flowmetry. New analysis methods were introduced for laser speckle flowmetry. In other organs, deep tissue hemodynamics were measured on human calf muscle during exercise and cuff-ischemia and were shown to have some clinical utility for peripheral vascular disease. In mice tumor models, the measured hemodynamics were shown to be predictive of photodynamic therapy efficacy, again suggesting promise of clinical utility

  2. Coplanar electrode microfluidic chip enabling accurate sheathless impedance cytometry.

    PubMed

    De Ninno, Adele; Errico, Vito; Bertani, Francesca Romana; Businaro, Luca; Bisegna, Paolo; Caselli, Federica

    2017-03-14

    Microfluidic impedance cytometry offers a simple non-invasive method for single-cell analysis. Coplanar electrode chips are especially attractive due to ease of fabrication, yielding miniaturized, reproducible, and ultimately low-cost devices. However, their accuracy is challenged by the dependence of the measured signal on particle trajectory within the interrogation volume, that manifests itself as an error in the estimated particle size, unless any kind of focusing system is used. In this paper, we present an original five-electrode coplanar chip enabling accurate particle sizing without the need for focusing. The chip layout is designed to provide a peculiar signal shape from which a new metric correlating with particle trajectory can be extracted. This metric is exploited to correct the estimated size of polystyrene beads of 5.2, 6 and 7 μm nominal diameter, reaching coefficient of variations lower than the manufacturers' quoted values. The potential impact of the proposed device in the field of life sciences is demonstrated with an application to Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast.

  3. Non-invasive diagnostic platforms in management of non-small cell lung cancer: opportunities and challenges

    PubMed Central

    Pennell, Nathan A.

    2017-01-01

    Several non-invasive diagnostic platforms are already being incorporated in routine clinical practice in the work up and monitoring of patients with lung cancer. These approaches have great potential to improve patient selection and monitor patients while on therapy, however several challenges exist in clinical validation and standardization of such platforms. In this review, we summarize the current technologies available for non-invasive diagnostic evaluation from the blood of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and discuss the technical and logistical challenges associated incorporating such testing in clinical practice. PMID:29057238

  4. Toenail as Non-invasive Biomarker in Metal Toxicity Measurement of Welding Fumes Exposure - A Review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bakri, S. F. Z.; Hariri, A.; Ma'arop, N. F.; Hussin, N. S. A. W.

    2017-01-01

    Workers are exposed to a variety of heavy metal pollutants that are released into the environment as a consequence of workplace activities. This chemical pollutants are incorporated into the human by varies of routes entry and can then be stored and distributed in different tissues, consequently have a potential to lead an adverse health effects and/or diseases. As to minimize the impact, a control measures should be taken to avoid these effects and human biological marker is a very effective tool in the assessment of occupational exposure and potential related risk as the results is normally accurate and reproducible. Toenail is the ideal matrix for most common heavy metals due to its reliability and practicality compared to other biological samples as well as it is a non-invasive and this appears as a huge advantage of toenail as a biomarker. This paper reviews studies that measure the heavy metals concentration in toenail as non-invasive matrix which later may adapt in the investigation of metal fume emitted from welding process. The development of new methodology and modern analytical techniques has allowed the use of toenail as non-invasive approach. The presence of a heavy metal in this matrix reflects an exposure but the correlations between heavy metal levels in the toenail must be established to ensure that these levels are related to the total body burden. These findings suggest that further studies on interactions of these heavy metals in metal fumes utilizing toenail biomarker endpoints are highly warranted especially among welders.

  5. Non-invasive Foetal ECG – a Comparable Alternative to the Doppler CTG?

    PubMed Central

    Reinhard, J.; Louwen, F.

    2012-01-01

    This review discusses the alternative of using the non-invasive foetal ECG compared with the conventionally used Doppler CTG. Non-invasive abdominal electrocardiograms (ECG) have been approved for clinical routine since 2008; subsequently they were also approved for antepartum and subpartum procedures. The first study results have been published. Non-invasive foetal ECG is especially indicated during early pregnancy, while the Doppler CTG is recommended for the vernix period. Beyond the vernix period no difference has been recorded in the success rate of either approach. The foetal ECG signal quality is independent of the BMI, whereas the success rate of the Doppler CTG is diminished with an increased BMI. During the first stage of labour, non-invasive foetal ECG demonstrates better signal quality; however during the second stage of labour no difference has been identified between the methods. PMID:25308981

  6. Ultrasound non-invasive measurement of intracranial pressure in neurointensive care: A prospective observational study

    PubMed Central

    Cardim, Danilo; Tajsic, Tamara; Bulman, Michael; Lavinio, Andrea; Gupta, Arun; Hutchinson, Peter J. A.; Czosnyka, Marek

    2017-01-01

    Background The invasive nature of the current methods for monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) has prevented their use in many clinical situations. Several attempts have been made to develop methods to monitor ICP non-invasively. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between ultrasound-based non-invasive ICP (nICP) and invasive ICP measurement in neurocritical care patients. Methods and findings This was a prospective, single-cohort observational study of patients admitted to a tertiary neurocritical care unit. Patients with brain injury requiring invasive ICP monitoring were considered for inclusion. nICP was assessed using optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), venous transcranial Doppler (vTCD) of straight sinus systolic flow velocity (FVsv), and methods derived from arterial transcranial Doppler (aTCD) on the middle cerebral artery (MCA): MCA pulsatility index (PIa) and an estimator based on diastolic flow velocity (FVd). A total of 445 ultrasound examinations from 64 patients performed from 1 January to 1 November 2016 were included. The median age of the patients was 53 years (range 37–64). Median Glasgow Coma Scale at admission was 7 (range 3–14), and median Glasgow Outcome Scale was 3 (range 1–5). The mortality rate was 20%. ONSD and FVsv demonstrated the strongest correlation with ICP (R = 0.76 for ONSD versus ICP; R = 0.72 for FVsv versus ICP), whereas PIa and the estimator based on FVd did not correlate with ICP significantly. Combining the 2 strongest nICP predictors (ONSD and FVsv) resulted in an even stronger correlation with ICP (R = 0.80). The ability to detect intracranial hypertension (ICP ≥ 20 mm Hg) was highest for ONSD (area under the curve [AUC] 0.91, 95% CI 0.88–0.95). The combination of ONSD and FVsv methods showed a statistically significant improvement of AUC values compared with the ONSD method alone (0.93, 95% CI 0.90–0.97, p = 0.01). Major limitations are the heterogeneity and small number of patients

  7. Hypercapnic encephalopathy syndrome: a new frontier for non-invasive ventilation?

    PubMed

    Scala, Raffaele

    2011-08-01

    According to the classical international guidelines, non-invasive ventilation is contraindicated in hypercapnic encephalopathy syndrome (HES) due to the poor compliance to ventilatory treatment of confused/agitated patients and the risk of aspirative pneumonia related to lack of airways protection. As a matter of fact, conventional mechanical ventilation has been recommended as "golden standard" in these patients. However, up to now there are not controlled data that have demonstrated in HES the advantage of conventional mechanical ventilation vs non-invasive ventilation. In fact, patients with altered mental status have been systematically excluded from the randomised and controlled trials performed with non-invasive ventilation in hypercapnic acute respiratory failure. Recent studies have clearly demonstrated that an initial cautious NPPV trial in selected HES patients may be attempt as long as there are no other contraindications and the technique is provided by experienced caregivers in a closely monitored setting where ETI is always readily available. The purpose of this review is to report the physiologic rationale, the clinical feasibility and the still open questions about the careful use of non-invasive ventilation in HES as first-line ventilatory strategy in place of conventional mechanical ventilation via endotracheal intubation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Elastography methods for the non-invasive assessment of portal hypertension.

    PubMed

    Roccarina, Davide; Rosselli, Matteo; Genesca, Joan; Tsochatzis, Emmanuel A

    2018-02-01

    The gold standard to assess the presence and severity of portal hypertension remains the hepatic vein pressure gradient, however the recent development of non-invasive assessment using elastography techniques offers valuable alternatives. In this review, we discuss the diagnostic accuracy and utility of such techniques in patients with portal hypertension due to cirrhosis. Areas covered: A literature search focused on liver and spleen stiffness measurement with different elastographic techniques for the assessment of the presence and severity of portal hypertension and oesophageal varices in people with chronic liver disease. The combination of elastography with parameters such as platelet count and spleen size is also discussed. Expert commentary: Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis and portal hypertension is a validated tool for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients. Baveno VI recommended the combination of transient elastography and platelet count for ruling out varices needing treatment in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease. Assessment of aetiology specific cut-offs for ruling in and ruling out clinically significant portal hypertension is an unmet clinical need. The incorporation of spleen stiffness measurements in non-invasive algorithms using validated software and improved measuring scales might enhance the non-invasive diagnosis of portal hypertension in the next 5 years.

  9. Optimal Non-Invasive Fault Classification Model for Packaged Ceramic Tile Quality Monitoring Using MMW Imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Agarwal, Smriti; Singh, Dharmendra

    2016-04-01

    Millimeter wave (MMW) frequency has emerged as an efficient tool for different stand-off imaging applications. In this paper, we have dealt with a novel MMW imaging application, i.e., non-invasive packaged goods quality estimation for industrial quality monitoring applications. An active MMW imaging radar operating at 60 GHz has been ingeniously designed for concealed fault estimation. Ceramic tiles covered with commonly used packaging cardboard were used as concealed targets for undercover fault classification. A comparison of computer vision-based state-of-the-art feature extraction techniques, viz, discrete Fourier transform (DFT), wavelet transform (WT), principal component analysis (PCA), gray level co-occurrence texture (GLCM), and histogram of oriented gradient (HOG) has been done with respect to their efficient and differentiable feature vector generation capability for undercover target fault classification. An extensive number of experiments were performed with different ceramic tile fault configurations, viz., vertical crack, horizontal crack, random crack, diagonal crack along with the non-faulty tiles. Further, an independent algorithm validation was done demonstrating classification accuracy: 80, 86.67, 73.33, and 93.33 % for DFT, WT, PCA, GLCM, and HOG feature-based artificial neural network (ANN) classifier models, respectively. Classification results show good capability for HOG feature extraction technique towards non-destructive quality inspection with appreciably low false alarm as compared to other techniques. Thereby, a robust and optimal image feature-based neural network classification model has been proposed for non-invasive, automatic fault monitoring for a financially and commercially competent industrial growth.

  10. Non-invasive Glucose Measurements Using Wavelength Modulated Differential Photothermal Radiometry (WM-DPTR)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, X.; Mandelis, A.; Zinman, B.

    2012-11-01

    Wavelength-modulated differential laser photothermal radiometry (WM-DPTR) is introduced for potential development of clinically viable non-invasive glucose biosensors. WM-DPTR features unprecedented glucose-specificity and sensitivity by combining laser excitation by two out-of-phase modulated beams at wavelengths near the peak and the baseline of a prominent and isolated mid-IR glucose absorption band. Measurements on water-glucose phantoms (0 to 300 mg/dl glucose concentration) demonstrate high sensitivity to meet wide clinical detection requirements ranging from hypoglycemia to hyperglycemia. The measurement results have been validated by simulations based on fully developed WM-DPTR theory. For sensitive and accurate glucose measurements, the key is the selection and tight control of the intensity ratio and the phase shift of the two laser beams.

  11. Invasive non-native plants have a greater effect on neighbouring natives than other non-natives.

    PubMed

    Kuebbing, Sara E; Nuñez, Martin A

    2016-09-12

    Human activity is creating a global footprint by changing the climate, altering habitats and reshuffling the distribution of species. The movement of species around the globe has led to the naturalization and accumulation of multiple non-native species within ecosystems, which is frequently associated with habitat disturbance and changing environmental conditions. However, interactions among species will also influence community composition, but little is known about the full range of direct and indirect interactions among native and non-native species. Here, we show through a meta-analysis of 1,215 pairwise plant interactions between 274 vascular plant species in 21 major habitat types that interactions between non-native plants are asymmetrical with interactions between non-native and native plants. Non-native plants were always bad neighbours, but the negative effect of non-natives on natives was around two times greater than the effect of non-natives on other non-natives. In contrast, the performance of non-native plants was five times higher in the presence of a neighbouring native plant species than in the presence of a neighbouring non-native plant species. Together, these results demonstrate that invaded plant communities may accumulate additional non-native species even if direct interactions between non-natives species are negative. Put another way, invasions may be more likely to lead to more invasions, requiring more active management of ecosystems by promoting native species restoration to undermine invasive positive feedback and to assist native species recovery in invaded ecosystems.

  12. Non-Invasive Measurements of Carboxyhemoglobin and Methemoglobin in Children with Sickle Cell Disease

    PubMed Central

    Caboot, Jason B.; Jawad, Abbas F.; McDonough, Joseph M.; Bowdre, Cheryl Y.; Arens, Raanan; Marcus, Carole L.; Mason, Thornton B.A.; Smith-Whitley, Kim; Ohene-Frempong, Kwaku; Allen, Julian L.

    2012-01-01

    SUMMARY Assessment of oxyhemoglobin saturation in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) is vital for prompt recognition of hypoxemia. The accuracy of pulse oximeter measurements of blood oxygenation in SCD patients is variable, partially due to carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and methemoglobin (MetHb), which decrease the oxygen content of blood. This study evaluated the accuracy and reliability of a non-invasive pulse co-oximeter in measuring COHb and MetHb percentages (SpCO and SpMet) in children with SCD. We hypothesized that measurements of COHb and MetHb by non-invasive pulse co-oximetry agree within acceptable clinical accuracy with those made by invasive whole blood co-oximetry. Fifty children with SCD-SS underwent pulse co-oximetry and blood co-oximetry while breathing room air. Non-invasive COHb and MetHb readings were compared to the corresponding blood measurements. The pulse co-oximeter bias was 0.1% for COHb and −0.22% for MetHb. The precision of the measured SpCO was ±2.1% within a COHb range of 0.4–6.1%, and the precision of the measured SpMet was ±0.33% within a MetHb range of 0.1–1.1%. Non-invasive pulse co-oximetry was useful in measuring COHb and MetHb levels in children with SCD. Although the non-invasive technique slightly overestimated the invasive COHb measurements and slightly underestimated the invasive MetHb measurements, there was close agreement between the two methods. PMID:22328189

  13. Non-invasive measurements of carboxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin in children with sickle cell disease.

    PubMed

    Caboot, Jason B; Jawad, Abbas F; McDonough, Joseph M; Bowdre, Cheryl Y; Arens, Raanan; Marcus, Carole L; Mason, Thornton B A; Smith-Whitley, Kim; Ohene-Frempong, Kwaku; Allen, Julian L

    2012-08-01

    Assessment of oxyhemoglobin saturation in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) is vital for prompt recognition of hypoxemia. The accuracy of pulse oximeter measurements of blood oxygenation in SCD patients is variable, partially due to carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and methemoglobin (MetHb), which decrease the oxygen content of blood. This study evaluated the accuracy and reliability of a non-invasive pulse co-oximeter in measuring COHb and MetHb percentages (SpCO and SpMet) in children with SCD. We hypothesized that measurements of COHb and MetHb by non-invasive pulse co-oximetry agree within acceptable clinical accuracy with those made by invasive whole blood co-oximetry. Fifty children with SCD-SS underwent pulse co-oximetry and blood co-oximetry while breathing room air. Non-invasive COHb and MetHb readings were compared to the corresponding blood measurements. The pulse co-oximeter bias was 0.1% for COHb and -0.22% for MetHb. The precision of the measured SpCO was ± 2.1% within a COHb range of 0.4-6.1%, and the precision of the measured SpMet was ± 0.33% within a MetHb range of 0.1-1.1%. Non-invasive pulse co-oximetry was useful in measuring COHb and MetHb levels in children with SCD. Although the non-invasive technique slightly overestimated the invasive COHb measurements and slightly underestimated the invasive MetHb measurements, there was close agreement between the two methods. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Non-native plant invasions of United States National parks

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Allen, J.A.; Brown, C.S.; Stohlgren, T.J.

    2009-01-01

    The United States National Park Service was created to protect and make accessible to the public the nation's most precious natural resources and cultural features for present and future generations. However, this heritage is threatened by the invasion of non-native plants, animals, and pathogens. To evaluate the scope of invasions, the USNPS has inventoried non-native plant species in the 216 parks that have significant natural resources, documenting the identity of non-native species. We investigated relationships among non-native plant species richness, the number of threatened and endangered plant species, native species richness, latitude, elevation, park area and park corridors and vectors. Parks with many threatened and endangered plants and high native plant species richness also had high non-native plant species richness. Non-native plant species richness was correlated with number of visitors and kilometers of backcountry trails and rivers. In addition, this work reveals patterns that can be further explored empirically to understand the underlying mechanisms. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008.

  15. Non Invasive Sensors for Monitoring the Efficiency of AC Electrical Rotating Machines

    PubMed Central

    Zidat, Farid; Lecointe, Jean-Philippe; Morganti, Fabrice; Brudny, Jean-François; Jacq, Thierry; Streiff, Frédéric

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents a non invasive method for estimating the energy efficiency of induction motors used in industrial applications. This method is innovative because it is only based on the measurement of the external field emitted by the motor. The paper describes the sensors used, how they should be placed around the machine in order to decouple the external field components generated by both the air gap flux and the winding end-windings. The study emphasizes the influence of the eddy currents flowing in the yoke frame on the sensor position. A method to estimate the torque from the external field use is proposed. The measurements are transmitted by a wireless module (Zig-Bee) and they are centralized and stored on a PC computer. PMID:22163631

  16. Non invasive sensors for monitoring the efficiency of AC electrical rotating machines.

    PubMed

    Zidat, Farid; Lecointe, Jean-Philippe; Morganti, Fabrice; Brudny, Jean-François; Jacq, Thierry; Streiff, Frédéric

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents a non invasive method for estimating the energy efficiency of induction motors used in industrial applications. This method is innovative because it is only based on the measurement of the external field emitted by the motor. The paper describes the sensors used, how they should be placed around the machine in order to decouple the external field components generated by both the air gap flux and the winding end-windings. The study emphasizes the influence of the eddy currents flowing in the yoke frame on the sensor position. A method to estimate the torque from the external field use is proposed. The measurements are transmitted by a wireless module (Zig-Bee) and they are centralized and stored on a PC computer.

  17. The estimation of the thyroid volume before surgery--an important prerequisite for minimally invasive thyroidectomy.

    PubMed

    Ruggieri, M; Fumarola, A; Straniero, A; Maiuolo, A; Coletta, I; Veltri, A; Di Fiore, A; Trimboli, P; Gargiulo, P; Genderini, M; D'Armiento, M

    2008-09-01

    Actually, thyroid volume >25 ml, obtained by preoperative ultrasound evaluation, is a very important exclusion criteria for minimally invasive thyroidectomy. So far, among different imaging techniques, two-dimensional ultrasonography has become the more accepted method for the assessment of thyroid volume (US-TV). The aims of this study were: (1) to estimate the preoperative thyroid volume in patients undergoing minimally invasive total thyroidectomy using a mathematical formula and (2) to verify its validity by comparing it with the postsurgical TV (PS-TV). In 53 patients who underwent minimally invasive total thyroidectomy (from January 2003 to December 2007), US-TV, obtained by ellipsoid volume formula, was compared to PS-TV determined by the Archimedes' principle. A mathematical formula able to predict the TV from the US-TV was applied in 34 cases in the last 2 years. Mean US-TV (14.4 +/- 5.9 ml) was significantly lower than mean PS-TV (21.7 +/- 10.3 ml). This underestimation was related to gland multinodularity and/or nodular involvement of the isthmus. A mathematical formula to reduce US-TV underestimation and predict the real TV was developed using a linear model. Mean predicted TV (16.8 +/- 3.7 ml) perfectly matched mean PS-TV, underestimating PS-TV in 19% of cases. We verified the accuracy of this mathematical model in patients' eligibility for minimally invasive total thyroidectomy, and we demonstrated that a predicted TV <25 ml was confirmed post-surgery in 94% of cases. We demonstrated that using a linear model, it is possible to predict from US the PS-TV with high accuracy. In fact, the mean predicted TV perfectly matched the mean PS-TV in all cases. In particular, the percentage of cases in which the predicted TV perfectly matched the PS-TV increases from 23%, estimated by US, to 43%. Moreover, the percentage of TV underestimation was reduced from 77% to 19%, as well as the range of the disagreement from up to 200% to 80%. This study shows that two

  18. Non-invasive Optical Molecular Imaging for Cancer Detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Zhen

    ), which can selectively target plasma membrane of cells based on lower extracellular pH. 20 pairs of clinically normal and abnormal biopsies were obtained from consenting patients at UCDMC. Fluorescence intensity of tissue biopsies before and after topical delivery of 2-NBDG and Alexa-647 labeled pHLIP was measured non-invasively by widefield imaging and confocal microscope. Uptake of propargyl choline was measured after topical delivery using confocal microscope. The results of all three molecular imagine probes were further correlated with pathological diagnosis. The imaging results of clinical biopsies demonstrated that 2-NBDG, propargyl choline and pHLIP peptide can accurately distinguish the pathologically normal and abnormal biopsies. Topical application of the contrast agents generated significantly higher fluorescence signal intensity in all neoplastic tissues as compared to clinically normal biopsies irrespective of the anatomic location or patient. This unpaired comparison across all the cancer patients in this study highlights the specificity of the imaging approach. Furthermore, the results indicated that changes in intracellular glucose, choline metabolism and cancer acidosis are initiated in the early stages of cancer and these changes are correlated with the progression of the disease. In conclusion, these novel optical molecular imaging approaches to measure multiple biomarkers in cancer have significant potential to be a useful tool for improving early detection and prognostic evaluation of oral neoplasia.

  19. Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation: A New Strategy in Mild Cognitive Impairment?

    PubMed

    Birba, Agustina; Ibáñez, Agustín; Sedeño, Lucas; Ferrari, Jesica; García, Adolfo M; Zimerman, Máximo

    2017-01-01

    Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques can significantly modulate cognitive functions in healthy subjects and patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. Recently, they have been applied in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) to prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we review this emerging empirical corpus and discuss therapeutic effects of NIBS on several target functions (e.g., memory for face-name associations and non-verbal recognition, attention, psychomotor speed, everyday memory). Available studies have yielded mixed results, possibly due to differences among their tasks, designs, and samples, let alone the latter's small sizes. Thus, the impact of NIBS on cognitive performance in MCI and SCI remains to be determined. To foster progress in this direction, we outline methodological approaches that could improve the efficacy and specificity of NIBS in both conditions. Furthermore, we discuss the need for multicenter studies, accurate diagnosis, and longitudinal approaches combining NIBS with specific training regimes. These tenets could cement biomedical developments supporting new treatments for MCI and preventive therapies for AD.

  20. Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation: A New Strategy in Mild Cognitive Impairment?

    PubMed Central

    Birba, Agustina; Ibáñez, Agustín; Sedeño, Lucas; Ferrari, Jesica; García, Adolfo M.; Zimerman, Máximo

    2017-01-01

    Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques can significantly modulate cognitive functions in healthy subjects and patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. Recently, they have been applied in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) to prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here we review this emerging empirical corpus and discuss therapeutic effects of NIBS on several target functions (e.g., memory for face-name associations and non-verbal recognition, attention, psychomotor speed, everyday memory). Available studies have yielded mixed results, possibly due to differences among their tasks, designs, and samples, let alone the latter’s small sizes. Thus, the impact of NIBS on cognitive performance in MCI and SCI remains to be determined. To foster progress in this direction, we outline methodological approaches that could improve the efficacy and specificity of NIBS in both conditions. Furthermore, we discuss the need for multicenter studies, accurate diagnosis, and longitudinal approaches combining NIBS with specific training regimes. These tenets could cement biomedical developments supporting new treatments for MCI and preventive therapies for AD. PMID:28243198

  1. Skin Rejuvenation with Non-Invasive Pulsed Electric Fields

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Golberg, Alexander; Khan, Saiqa; Belov, Vasily; Quinn, Kyle P.; Albadawi, Hassan; Felix Broelsch, G.; Watkins, Michael T.; Georgakoudi, Irene; Papisov, Mikhail; Mihm, Martin C., Jr.; Austen, William G., Jr.; Yarmush, Martin L.

    2015-05-01

    Degenerative skin diseases affect one third of individuals over the age of sixty. Current therapies use various physical and chemical methods to rejuvenate skin; but since the therapies affect many tissue components including cells and extracellular matrix, they may also induce significant side effects, such as scarring. Here we report on a new, non-invasive, non-thermal technique to rejuvenate skin with pulsed electric fields. The fields destroy cells while simultaneously completely preserving the extracellular matrix architecture and releasing multiple growth factors locally that induce new cells and tissue growth. We have identified the specific pulsed electric field parameters in rats that lead to prominent proliferation of the epidermis, formation of microvasculature, and secretion of new collagen at treated areas without scarring. Our results suggest that pulsed electric fields can improve skin function and thus can potentially serve as a novel non-invasive skin therapy for multiple degenerative skin diseases.

  2. Non-invasive estimate of blood glucose and blood pressure from a photoplethysmograph by means of machine learning techniques.

    PubMed

    Monte-Moreno, Enric

    2011-10-01

    This work presents a system for a simultaneous non-invasive estimate of the blood glucose level (BGL) and the systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, using a photoplethysmograph (PPG) and machine learning techniques. The method is independent of the person whose values are being measured and does not need calibration over time or subjects. The architecture of the system consists of a photoplethysmograph sensor, an activity detection module, a signal processing module that extracts features from the PPG waveform, and a machine learning algorithm that estimates the SBP, DBP and BGL values. The idea that underlies the system is that there is functional relationship between the shape of the PPG waveform and the blood pressure and glucose levels. As described in this paper we tested this method on 410 individuals without performing any personalized calibration. The results were computed after cross validation. The machine learning techniques tested were: ridge linear regression, a multilayer perceptron neural network, support vector machines and random forests. The best results were obtained with the random forest technique. In the case of blood pressure, the resulting coefficients of determination for reference vs. prediction were R(SBP)(2)=0.91, R(DBP)(2)=0.89, and R(BGL)(2)=0.90. For the glucose estimation, distribution of the points on a Clarke error grid placed 87.7% of points in zone A, 10.3% in zone B, and 1.9% in zone D. Blood pressure values complied with the grade B protocol of the British Hypertension society. An effective system for estimate of blood glucose and blood pressure from a photoplethysmograph is presented. The main advantage of the system is that for clinical use it complies with the grade B protocol of the British Hypertension society for the blood pressure and only in 1.9% of the cases did not detect hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Decoding of Ankle Flexion and Extension from Cortical Current Sources Estimated from Non-invasive Brain Activity Recording Methods.

    PubMed

    Mejia Tobar, Alejandra; Hyoudou, Rikiya; Kita, Kahori; Nakamura, Tatsuhiro; Kambara, Hiroyuki; Ogata, Yousuke; Hanakawa, Takashi; Koike, Yasuharu; Yoshimura, Natsue

    2017-01-01

    The classification of ankle movements from non-invasive brain recordings can be applied to a brain-computer interface (BCI) to control exoskeletons, prosthesis, and functional electrical stimulators for the benefit of patients with walking impairments. In this research, ankle flexion and extension tasks at two force levels in both legs, were classified from cortical current sources estimated by a hierarchical variational Bayesian method, using electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recordings. The hierarchical prior for the current source estimation from EEG was obtained from activated brain areas and their intensities from an fMRI group (second-level) analysis. The fMRI group analysis was performed on regions of interest defined over the primary motor cortex, the supplementary motor area, and the somatosensory area, which are well-known to contribute to movement control. A sparse logistic regression method was applied for a nine-class classification (eight active tasks and a resting control task) obtaining a mean accuracy of 65.64% for time series of current sources, estimated from the EEG and the fMRI signals using a variational Bayesian method, and a mean accuracy of 22.19% for the classification of the pre-processed of EEG sensor signals, with a chance level of 11.11%. The higher classification accuracy of current sources, when compared to EEG classification accuracy, was attributed to the high number of sources and the different signal patterns obtained in the same vertex for different motor tasks. Since the inverse filter estimation for current sources can be done offline with the present method, the present method is applicable to real-time BCIs. Finally, due to the highly enhanced spatial distribution of current sources over the brain cortex, this method has the potential to identify activation patterns to design BCIs for the control of an affected limb in patients with stroke, or BCIs from motor imagery in patients

  4. Using microRNA profiling in urine samples to develop a non-invasive test for bladder cancer.

    PubMed

    Mengual, Lourdes; Lozano, Juan José; Ingelmo-Torres, Mercedes; Gazquez, Cristina; Ribal, María José; Alcaraz, Antonio

    2013-12-01

    Current standard methods used to detect and monitor bladder urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) are invasive or have low sensitivity. The incorporation into clinical practice of a non-invasive tool for UCC assessment would enormously improve patients' quality of life and outcome. This study aimed to examine the microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles in urines of UCC patients in order to develop a non-invasive accurate and reliable tool to diagnose and provide information on the aggressiveness of the tumor. We performed a global miRNA expression profiling analysis of the urinary cells from 40 UCC patients and controls using TaqMan Human MicroRNA Array followed by validation of 22 selected potentially diagnostic and prognostic miRNAs in a separate cohort of 277 samples using a miRCURY LNA qPCR system. miRNA-based signatures were developed by multivariate logistic regression analysis and internally cross-validated. In the initial cohort of patients, we identified 40 and 30 aberrantly expressed miRNA in UCC compared with control urines and in high compared with low grade tumors, respectively. Quantification of 22 key miRNAs in an independent cohort resulted in the identification of a six miRNA diagnostic signature with a sensitivity of 84.8% and specificity of 86.5% (AUC = 0.92) and a two miRNA prognostic model with a sensitivity of 84.95% and a specificity of 74.14% (AUC = 0.83). Internal cross-validation analysis confirmed the accuracy rates of both models, reinforcing the strength of our findings. Although the data needs to be externally validated, miRNA analysis in urine appears to be a valuable tool for the non-invasive assessment of UCC. Copyright © 2013 UICC.

  5. Two non-invasive diagnostic tools for invasive aspergilosis: (1-3)-beta-D-glucan and the galactomannan assay.

    PubMed

    Kelaher, Amy

    2006-01-01

    Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a serious cause of morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised patients. Prompt and non-invasive methods for diagnosing IA are needed to improve the management of this life-threatening infection in patients with hematological disorders. In summary, this retrospective review of studies performed on the two assays finds that both assays have high sensitivity and specificity but are more useful when used together as a diagnostic strategy for patients with invasive aspergillosis.

  6. An advanced algorithm for fetal heart rate estimation from non-invasive low electrode density recordings.

    PubMed

    Dessì, Alessia; Pani, Danilo; Raffo, Luigi

    2014-08-01

    Non-invasive fetal electrocardiography is still an open research issue. The recent publication of an annotated dataset on Physionet providing four-channel non-invasive abdominal ECG traces promoted an international challenge on the topic. Starting from that dataset, an algorithm for the identification of the fetal QRS complexes from a reduced number of electrodes and without any a priori information about the electrode positioning has been developed, entering into the top ten best-performing open-source algorithms presented at the challenge.In this paper, an improved version of that algorithm is presented and evaluated exploiting the same challenge metrics. It is mainly based on the subtraction of the maternal QRS complexes in every lead, obtained by synchronized averaging of morphologically similar complexes, the filtering of the maternal P and T waves and the enhancement of the fetal QRS through independent component analysis (ICA) applied on the processed signals before a final fetal QRS detection stage. The RR time series of both the mother and the fetus are analyzed to enhance pseudoperiodicity with the aim of correcting wrong annotations. The algorithm has been designed and extensively evaluated on the open dataset A (N = 75), and finally evaluated on datasets B (N = 100) and C (N = 272) to have the mean scores over data not used during the algorithm development. Compared to the results achieved by the previous version of the algorithm, the current version would mark the 5th and 4th position in the final ranking related to the events 1 and 2, reserved to the open-source challenge entries, taking into account both official and unofficial entrants. On dataset A, the algorithm achieves 0.982 median sensitivity and 0.976 median positive predictivity.

  7. On the relative merits of invasive and non-invasive pre-surgical brain mapping: New tools in ablative epilepsy surgery.

    PubMed

    Papanicolaou, Andrew C; Rezaie, Roozbeh; Narayana, Shalini; Choudhri, Asim F; Abbas-Babajani-Feremi; Boop, Frederick A; Wheless, James W

    2018-05-01

    Cortical Stimulation Mapping (CSM) and the Wada procedure have long been considered the gold standard for localizing motor and language-related cortical areas and for determining the language and memory-dominant hemisphere, respectively. In recent years, however, non-invasive methods such as magnetoencephalography (MEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have emerged as promising alternatives to the aforementioned procedures, particularly in cases where the invasive localization of eloquent cortex has proven to be challenging. To illustrate this point, we will first introduce the evidence of the compatibility of invasive and non-invasive methods and subsequently outline the rationale and the conditions where the latter methods are applicable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Non-invasive coronary angiography with multislice computed tomography. Technology, methods, preliminary experience and prospects.

    PubMed

    Traversi, Egidio; Bertoli, Giuseppe; Barazzoni, Giancarlo; Baldi, Maurizia; Tramarin, Roberto

    2004-02-01

    The recent technical developments in multislice computed tomography (MSCT), with ECG retro-gated image reconstruction, have elicited great interest in the possibility of accurate non-invasive imaging of the coronary arteries. The latest generation of MSCT systems with 8-16 rows of detectors permits acquisition of the whole cardiac volume during a single 15-20 s breath-hold with a submillimetric definition of the images and an outstanding signal-to-noise ratio. Thus the race which, between MSCT, electron beam computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, can best provide routine and reliable imaging of the coronary arteries in clinical practice has recommenced. Currently available MSCT systems offer different options for both cardiac image acquisition and reconstruction, including multiplanar and curved multiplanar reconstruction, three-dimensional volume rendering, maximum intensity projection, and virtual angioscopy. In our preliminary experience including 176 patients suffering from known or suspected coronary artery disease, MSCT was feasible in 161 (91.5%) and showed a sensitivity of 80.4% and a specificity of 80.3%, with respect to standard coronary angiography, in detecting critical stenosis in coronary arteries and artery or venous bypass grafts. These results correspond to a positive predictive value of 58.6% and a negative predictive value of 92.2%. The true role that MSCT is likely to play in the future in non-invasive coronary imaging is still to be defined. Nevertheless, the huge amount of data obtainable by MSCT along with the rapid technological advances, shorter acquisition times and reconstruction algorithm developments will make the technique stronger, and possible applications are expected not only for non-invasive coronary angiography, but also for cardiac function and myocardial perfusion evaluation, as an all-in-one examination.

  9. Non invasive tools for the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis

    PubMed Central

    Soresi, Maurizio; Giannitrapani, Lydia; Cervello, Melchiorre; Licata, Anna; Montalto, Giuseppe

    2014-01-01

    Liver cirrhosis (LC), the end stage of many forms of chronic hepatitis of different etiologies is a diffuse process characterized by fibrosis and the conversion of normal liver architecture into structurally abnormal nodules surrounded by annular fibrosis. This chronic progressive clinical condition, leads to liver cell failure and portal hypertension, which can favour the onset of hepatocellular carcinoma. Defining the phase of the natural history is crucial for therapeutic choice and prognosis. Liver biopsy is currently considered the best available standard of reference but it has some limits, so alternative tools have been developed to substitute liver biopsy when assessing liver fibrosis. Serum markers offer a cost-effective alternative to liver biopsy being less invasive and theoretically without complications. They can be classified into direct and indirect markers which may be used alone or in combination to produce composite scores. Diagnostic imaging includes a number of instruments and techniques to estimate liver fibrosis and cirrhosis like ultrasound (US), US Doppler, contrast enhanced US and Elastography. US could be used for the diagnosis of advanced LC while is not able to evaluate progression of fibrosis, in this case Elastography is more reliable. This review aims to revise the most recent data from the literature about non invasive methods useful in defining liver fibrosis. PMID:25561782

  10. Non invasive tools for the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis.

    PubMed

    Soresi, Maurizio; Giannitrapani, Lydia; Cervello, Melchiorre; Licata, Anna; Montalto, Giuseppe

    2014-12-28

    Liver cirrhosis (LC), the end stage of many forms of chronic hepatitis of different etiologies is a diffuse process characterized by fibrosis and the conversion of normal liver architecture into structurally abnormal nodules surrounded by annular fibrosis. This chronic progressive clinical condition, leads to liver cell failure and portal hypertension, which can favour the onset of hepatocellular carcinoma. Defining the phase of the natural history is crucial for therapeutic choice and prognosis. Liver biopsy is currently considered the best available standard of reference but it has some limits, so alternative tools have been developed to substitute liver biopsy when assessing liver fibrosis. Serum markers offer a cost-effective alternative to liver biopsy being less invasive and theoretically without complications. They can be classified into direct and indirect markers which may be used alone or in combination to produce composite scores. Diagnostic imaging includes a number of instruments and techniques to estimate liver fibrosis and cirrhosis like ultrasound (US), US Doppler, contrast enhanced US and Elastography. US could be used for the diagnosis of advanced LC while is not able to evaluate progression of fibrosis, in this case Elastography is more reliable. This review aims to revise the most recent data from the literature about non invasive methods useful in defining liver fibrosis.

  11. Non-invasive prenatal testing for single gene disorders: exploring the ethics.

    PubMed

    Deans, Zuzana; Hill, Melissa; Chitty, Lyn S; Lewis, Celine

    2013-07-01

    Non-invasive prenatal testing for single gene disorders is now clearly on the horizon. This new technology offers obvious clinical benefits such as safe testing early in pregnancy. Before widespread implementation, it is important to consider the possible ethical implications. Four hypothetical scenarios are presented that highlight how ethical ideals of respect for autonomy, privacy and fairness may come into play when offering non-invasive prenatal testing for single gene disorders. The first scenario illustrates the moral case for using these tests for 'information only', identifying a potential conflict between larger numbers of women seeking the benefits of the test and the wider social impact of funding tests that do not offer immediate clinical benefit. The second scenario shows how the simplicity and safety of non-invasive prenatal testing could lead to more autonomous decision-making and, conversely, how this could also lead to increased pressure on women to take up testing. In the third scenario we show how, unless strong safeguards are put in place, offering non-invasive prenatal testing could be subject to routinisation with informed consent undermined and that woman who are newly diagnosed as carriers may be particularly vulnerable. The final scenario introduces the possibility of a conflict of the moral rights of a woman and her partner through testing for single gene disorders. This analysis informs our understanding of the potential impacts of non-invasive prenatal testing for single gene disorders on clinical practice and has implications for future policy and guidelines for prenatal care.

  12. The description of a method for accurately estimating creatinine clearance in acute kidney injury.

    PubMed

    Mellas, John

    2016-05-01

    Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and serious condition encountered in hospitalized patients. The severity of kidney injury is defined by the RIFLE, AKIN, and KDIGO criteria which attempt to establish the degree of renal impairment. The KDIGO guidelines state that the creatinine clearance should be measured whenever possible in AKI and that the serum creatinine concentration and creatinine clearance remain the best clinical indicators of renal function. Neither the RIFLE, AKIN, nor KDIGO criteria estimate actual creatinine clearance. Furthermore there are no accepted methods for accurately estimating creatinine clearance (K) in AKI. The present study describes a unique method for estimating K in AKI using urine creatinine excretion over an established time interval (E), an estimate of creatinine production over the same time interval (P), and the estimated static glomerular filtration rate (sGFR), at time zero, utilizing the CKD-EPI formula. Using these variables estimated creatinine clearance (Ke)=E/P * sGFR. The method was tested for validity using simulated patients where actual creatinine clearance (Ka) was compared to Ke in several patients, both male and female, and of various ages, body weights, and degrees of renal impairment. These measurements were made at several serum creatinine concentrations in an attempt to determine the accuracy of this method in the non-steady state. In addition E/P and Ke was calculated in hospitalized patients, with AKI, and seen in nephrology consultation by the author. In these patients the accuracy of the method was determined by looking at the following metrics; E/P>1, E/P<1, E=P in an attempt to predict progressive azotemia, recovering azotemia, or stabilization in the level of azotemia respectively. In addition it was determined whether Ke<10 ml/min agreed with Ka and whether patients with AKI on renal replacement therapy could safely terminate dialysis if Ke was greater than 5 ml/min. In the simulated patients there

  13. Non-invasive MR-guided HIFU Therapy of TSC-Associated Renal Angiomyolipomas

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-07-01

    AD_________________ Award Number: W81XWH-11-1-0299 TITLE: Non- invasive MR-guided HIFU Therapy...3. DATES COVERED 1 July 2011-30 June 2012 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Non- invasive MR-guided HIFU Therapy of TSC-Associated Renal Angiomyolipomas 5a... focused on technological development for thermal ablation in mice. Our goal was to establish a small-animal MR-guided HIFU experimental system that

  14. Intracoastal shipping drives patterns of regional population expansion by an invasive marine invertebrate

    EPA Science Inventory

    Understanding the factors contributing to expansion of non-native populations is a critical step toward accurate risk assessment and effective management of biological invasions. Numerous studies have attempted to predict spread of invasive populations by assessing habitat suitab...

  15. Benefits of Manometer in Non-Invasive Ventilatory Support.

    PubMed

    Lacerda, Rodrigo Silva; de Lima, Fernando Cesar Anastácio; Bastos, Leonardo Pereira; Fardin Vinco, Anderson; Schneider, Felipe Britto Azevedo; Luduvico Coelho, Yves; Fernandes, Heitor Gomes Costa; Bacalhau, João Marcus Ramos; Bermudes, Igor Matheus Simonelli; da Silva, Claudinei Ferreira; da Silva, Luiza Paterlini; Pezato, Rogério

    2017-12-01

    Introduction Effective ventilation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality rates in cardiac arrest. Hyperventilation during CPR reduces the efficiency of compressions and coronary perfusion. Problem How could ventilation in CPR be optimized? The objective of this study was to evaluate non-invasive ventilator support using different devices. The study compares the regularity and intensity of non-invasive ventilation during simulated, conventional CPR and ventilatory support using three distinct ventilation devices: a standard manual resuscitator, with and without airway pressure manometer, and an automatic transport ventilator. Student's t-test was used to evaluate statistical differences between groups. P values <.05 were regarded as significant. Peak inspiratory pressure during ventilatory support and CPR was significantly increased in the group with manual resuscitator without manometer when compared with the manual resuscitator with manometer support (MS) group or automatic ventilator (AV) group. The study recommends for ventilatory support the use of a manual resuscitator equipped with MS or AVs, due to the risk of reduction in coronary perfusion pressure and iatrogenic thoracic injury during hyperventilation found using manual resuscitator without manometer. Lacerda RS , de Lima FCA , Bastos LP , Vinco AF , Schneider FBA , Coelho YL , Fernandes HGC , Bacalhau JMR , Bermudes IMS , da Silva CF , da Silva LP , Pezato R . Benefits of manometer in non-invasive ventilatory support. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(6):615-620.

  16. Non-invasive cortical stimulation improves post-stroke attention decline.

    PubMed

    Kang, Eun Kyoung; Baek, Min Jae; Kim, Sangyun; Paik, Nam-Jong

    2009-01-01

    Attention decline after stroke is common and hampers the rehabilitation process, and non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has the potential to elicit behavioral changes by modulating cortical excitability. The authors tested the hypothesis that a single session of non-invasive cortical stimulation with excitatory anodal tDCS applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) can improve attention in stroke patients. Ten patients with post-stroke cognitive decline (MMSE 25) and 10 age-matched healthy controls participated in this double blind, sham-controlled, crossover study involving the administration of real (2 mA for 20 min) or sham stimulation (2 mA for 1 min) to the left DLPFC. Attention was measured using a computerized Go/No-Go test before and after intervention. Improvements in accuracy and speed after stimulation relative to baseline were compared for real and sham stimulations. In healthy controls, no significant improvement in Go/No-Go test was observed after either real or sham stimulation. However, in stroke patients, tDCS led to a significant improvement in response accuracy at 1 hour post-stimulation relative to baseline, and this improvement was maintained until 3 hours post-stimulation (P< 0.05), whereas sham stimulation did not lead to a significant improvement in response accuracy (P> 0.05). Changes in reaction times were comparable for the two stimulations (P> 0.05). Non invasive anodal tDCS applied to the left DLPFC was found to improve attention versus sham stimulation in stroke patients, which suggests that non-invasive cortical intervention could potentially be used during rehabilitative training to improve attention.

  17. Hepatic steatosis and fibrosis: Non-invasive assessment

    PubMed Central

    Karanjia, Rustam N; Crossey, Mary M E; Cox, I Jane; Fye, Haddy K S; Njie, Ramou; Goldin, Robert D; Taylor-Robinson, Simon D

    2016-01-01

    Chronic liver disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and usually develops over many years, as a result of chronic inflammation and scarring, resulting in end-stage liver disease and its complications. The progression of disease is characterised by ongoing inflammation and consequent fibrosis, although hepatic steatosis is increasingly being recognised as an important pathological feature of disease, rather than being simply an innocent bystander. However, the current gold standard method of quantifying and staging liver disease, histological analysis by liver biopsy, has several limitations and can have associated morbidity and even mortality. Therefore, there is a clear need for safe and non-invasive assessment modalities to determine hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis. This review covers key mechanisms and the importance of fibrosis and steatosis in the progression of liver disease. We address non-invasive imaging and blood biomarker assessments that can be used as an alternative to information gained on liver biopsy. PMID:28018096

  18. Ultrasonic non invasive techniques for microbiological instrumentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elvira, L.; Sierra, C.; Galán, B.; Resa, P.

    2010-01-01

    Non invasive techniques based on ultrasounds have advantageous features to study, characterize and monitor microbiological and enzymatic reactions. These processes may change the sound speed, viscosity or particle distribution size of the medium where they take place, which makes possible their analysis using ultrasonic techniques. In this work, two different systems for the analysis of microbiological liquid media based on ultrasounds are presented. In first place, an industrial application based on an ultrasonic monitoring technique for microbiological growth detection in milk is shown. Such a system may improve the quality control strategies in food production factories, being able to decrease the time required to detect possible contaminations in packed products. Secondly, a study about the growing of the Escherichia coli DH5 α in different conditions is presented. It is shown that the use of ultrasonic non invasive characterization techniques in combination with other conventional measurements like optical density provides complementary information about the metabolism of these bacteria.

  19. Non-invasive pulmonary function test on Morquio Patients

    PubMed Central

    Kubaski, Francyne; Tomatsu, Shunji; Patel, Pravin; Shimada, Tsutomu; Xie, Li; Yasuda, Eriko; Mason, Robert; Mackenzie, William G.; Theroux, Mary; Bober, Michael B.; Oldham, Helen M.; Orii, Tadao; Shaffer, Thomas H.

    2015-01-01

    In clinical practice, respiratory function tests are difficult to perform in Morquio syndrome patients due to their characteristic skeletal dysplasia, small body size and lack of cooperation of young patients, where in some cases, conventional spirometry for pulmonary function is too challenging. To establish feasible clinical pulmonary endpoints and determine whether age impacts lung function in Morquio patients non-invasive pulmonary tests and conventional spirometry were evaluated. The non-invasive pulmonary tests: impulse oscillometry system, pneumotachography, and respiratory inductance plethysmography in conjunction with conventional spirometry were evaluated in twenty-two Morquio patients (18 Morquio A and 4 Morquio B) (7 males), ranging from 3 and 40 years of age. Twenty-two patients were compliant with non-invasive tests (100%) with exception of IOS (81.8%–18 patients). Seventeen patients (77.3%) were compliant with spirometry testing. All subjects had normal vital signs at rest including > 95% oxygen saturation, end tidal CO2 (38–44 mmHg), and age-appropriate heart rate (mean=98.3, standard deviation=19) (two patients were deviated). All patients preserved normal values in impulse oscillometry system, pneumotachography, and respiratory inductance plethysmography, although predicted forced expiratory volume total (72.8 ± 6.9 SE%) decreased with age and was below normal; phase angle (35.5 ± 16.5 Degrees), %Rib Cage (41.6 ± 12.7%), resonant frequency, and forced expiratory volume in one second/forced expiratory volume total (110.0 ± 3.2 SE%) were normal and not significantly impacted by age. The proposed non-invasive pulmonary function tests are able to cover a greater number of patients (young patients and/or wheel-chair bound), thus providing a new diagnostic approach for the assessment of lung function in Morquio syndrome which in many cases may be difficult to evaluate. Morquio patients studied herein demonstrated no clinical or functional signs

  20. Expression of the Ly6/uPAR-domain proteins C4.4A and Haldisin in non-invasive and invasive skin lesions.

    PubMed

    Kriegbaum, Mette C; Clausen, Ole P F; Lærum, Ole D; Ploug, Michael

    2015-02-01

    C4.4A and Haldisin belong to the Ly6/uPAR/α-neurotoxin protein domain family. They exhibit highly regulated expression profiles in normal epidermis, where they are confined to early (C4.4A) and late (Haldisin) squamous differentiation. We have now explored if dysregulated expressions occur in non-invasive and invasive skin lesions. In non-invasive lesions, their expression signatures were largely maintained as defined by that of normal epidermis. The scenario was, however, markedly different in the progression towards invasive squamous cell carcinomas. In its non-invasive stage (carcinoma in situ), a pronounced attenuation of C4.4A expression was observed, but upon transition to malignant invasive squamous cell carcinomas, the invasive fronts regained high expression of C4.4A. A similar progression was observed for the early stages of benign infiltrating keratoacanthomas. Interestingly, this transition was accompanied by a shift in the predominant association of C4.4A expression with CK1/10 in the normal epidermis to CK5/14 in the invasive lesions. In contrast, Haldisin expression maintained its confinement to the most-differentiated cells and was hardly expressed in the invasive lesions. Because this altered expression of C4.4A was seen in the invasive front of benign (keratoacanthomas) and malignant (squamous cell carcinomas) neoplasms, we propose that this transition of expression is primarily related to the invasive process. © The Author(s) 2014.

  1. Easy and accurate variance estimation of the nonparametric estimator of the partial area under the ROC curve and its application.

    PubMed

    Yu, Jihnhee; Yang, Luge; Vexler, Albert; Hutson, Alan D

    2016-06-15

    The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is a popular technique with applications, for example, investigating an accuracy of a biomarker to delineate between disease and non-disease groups. A common measure of accuracy of a given diagnostic marker is the area under the ROC curve (AUC). In contrast with the AUC, the partial area under the ROC curve (pAUC) looks into the area with certain specificities (i.e., true negative rate) only, and it can be often clinically more relevant than examining the entire ROC curve. The pAUC is commonly estimated based on a U-statistic with the plug-in sample quantile, making the estimator a non-traditional U-statistic. In this article, we propose an accurate and easy method to obtain the variance of the nonparametric pAUC estimator. The proposed method is easy to implement for both one biomarker test and the comparison of two correlated biomarkers because it simply adapts the existing variance estimator of U-statistics. In this article, we show accuracy and other advantages of the proposed variance estimation method by broadly comparing it with previously existing methods. Further, we develop an empirical likelihood inference method based on the proposed variance estimator through a simple implementation. In an application, we demonstrate that, depending on the inferences by either the AUC or pAUC, we can make a different decision on a prognostic ability of a same set of biomarkers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Non-invasive peripheral nerve stimulation via focused ultrasound in vivo

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Downs, Matthew E.; Lee, Stephen A.; Yang, Georgiana; Kim, Seaok; Wang, Qi; Konofagou, Elisa E.

    2018-02-01

    Focused ultrasound (FUS) has been employed on a wide range of clinical applications to safely and non-invasively achieve desired effects that have previously required invasive and lengthy procedures with conventional methods. Conventional electrical neuromodulation therapies that are applied to the peripheral nervous system (PNS) are invasive and/or non-specific. Recently, focused ultrasound has demonstrated the ability to modulate the central nervous system and ex vivo peripheral neurons. Here, for the first time, noninvasive stimulation of the sciatic nerve eliciting a physiological response in vivo is demonstrated with FUS. FUS was applied on the sciatic nerve in mice with simultaneous electromyography (EMG) on the tibialis anterior muscle. EMG signals were detected during or directly after ultrasound stimulation along with observable muscle contraction of the hind limb. Transecting the sciatic nerve downstream of FUS stimulation eliminated EMG activity during FUS stimulation. Peak-to-peak EMG response amplitudes and latency were found to be comparable to conventional electrical stimulation methods. Histology along with behavioral and thermal testing did not indicate damage to the nerve or surrounding regions. The findings presented herein demonstrate that FUS can serve as a targeted, safe and non-invasive alternative to conventional peripheral nervous system stimulation to treat peripheral neuropathic diseases in the clinic.

  3. Emerging non-invasive Raman methods in process control and forensic applications.

    PubMed

    Macleod, Neil A; Matousek, Pavel

    2008-10-01

    This article reviews emerging Raman techniques (Spatially Offset and Transmission Raman Spectroscopy) for non-invasive, sub-surface probing in process control and forensic applications. New capabilities offered by these methods are discussed and several application examples are given including the non-invasive detection of counterfeit drugs through blister packs and opaque plastic bottles and the rapid quantitative analysis of the bulk content of pharmaceutical tablets and capsules without sub-sampling.

  4. Costs and clinical outcomes for non-invasive versus invasive diagnostic approaches to patients with suspected in-stent restenosis.

    PubMed

    Min, James K; Hasegawa, James T; Machacz, Susanne F; O'Day, Ken

    2016-02-01

    This study compared costs and clinical outcomes of invasive versus non-invasive diagnostic evaluations for patients with suspected in-stent restenosis (ISR) after percutaneous coronary intervention. We developed a decision model to compare 2 year diagnosis-related costs for patients who presented with suspected ISR and were evaluated by: (1) invasive coronary angiography (ICA); (2) non-invasive stress testing strategy of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with referral to ICA based on MPI; (3) coronary CT angiography-based testing strategy with referral to ICA based on CCTA. Costs were modeled from the payer's perspective using 2014 Medicare rates. 56 % of patients underwent follow-up diagnostic testing over 2 years. Compared to ICA, MPI (98.6 %) and CCTA (98.1 %) exhibited lower rates of correct diagnoses. Non-invasive strategies were associated with reduced referrals to ICA and costs compared to an ICA-based strategy, with diagnostic costs lower for CCTA than MPI. Overall 2-year costs were highest for ICA for both metallic as well as BVS stents ($1656 and $1656, respectively) when compared to MPI ($1444 and $1411) and CCTA. CCTA costs differed based upon stent size and type, and were highest for metallic stents >3.0 mm followed by metallic stents <3.0 mm, BVS < 3.0 mm and BVS > 3.0 mm ($1466 vs. $1242 vs. $855 vs. $490, respectively). MPI for suspected ISR results in lower costs and rates of complications than invasive strategies using ICA while maintaining high diagnostic performance. Depending upon stent size and type, CCTA results in lower costs than MPI.

  5. Non-invasive and non-destructive measurements of confluence in cultured adherent cell lines.

    PubMed

    Busschots, Steven; O'Toole, Sharon; O'Leary, John J; Stordal, Britta

    2015-01-01

    Many protocols used for measuring the growth of adherent monolayer cells in vitro are invasive, destructive and do not allow for the continued, undisturbed growth of cells within flasks. Protocols often use indirect methods for measuring proliferation. Microscopy techniques can analyse cell proliferation in a non-invasive or non-destructive manner but often use expensive equipment and software algorithms. In this method images of cells within flasks are captured by photographing under a standard inverted phase contract light microscope using a digital camera with a camera lens adaptor. Images are analysed for confluence using ImageJ freeware resulting in a measure of confluence known as an Area Fraction (AF) output. An example of the AF method in use on OVCAR8 and UPN251 cell lines is included. •Measurements of confluence from growing adherent cell lines in cell culture flasks is obtained in a non-invasive, non-destructive, label-free manner.•The technique is quick, affordable and eliminates sample manipulation.•The technique provides an objective, consistent measure of when cells reach confluence and is highly correlated to manual counting with a haemocytometer. The average correlation co-efficient from a Spearman correlation (n = 3) was 0.99 ± 0.008 for OVCAR8 (p = 0.01) and 0.99 ± 0.01 for UPN251 (p = 0.01) cell lines.

  6. Non-Invasive Investigation of Bone Adaptation in Humans to Mechanical Loading

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Whalen, R.

    1999-01-01

    Experimental studies have identified peak cyclic forces, number of loading cycles, and loading rate as contributors to the regulation of bone metabolism. We have proposed a theoretical model that relates bone density to a mechanical stimulus derived from average daily cumulative peak cyclic 'effective' tissue stresses. In order to develop a non-invasive experimental model to test the theoretical model we need to: (1) monitor daily cumulative loading on a bone, (2) compute the internal stress state(s) resulting from the imposed loading, and (3) image volumetric bone density accurately, precisely, and reproducibly within small contiguous volumes throughout the bone. We have chosen the calcaneus (heel) as an experimental model bone site because it is loaded by ligament, tendon and joint contact forces in equilibrium with daily ground reaction forces that we can measure; it is a peripheral bone site and therefore more easily and accurately imaged with computed tomography; it is composed primarily of cancellous bone; and it is a relevant site for monitoring bone loss and adaptation in astronauts and the general population. This paper presents an overview of our recent advances in the areas of monitoring daily ground reaction forces, biomechanical modeling of the forces on the calcaneus during gait, mathematical modeling of calcaneal bone adaptation in response to cumulative daily activity, accurate and precise imaging of the calcaneus with quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and application to long duration space flight.

  7. Central blood pressure in children and adolescents: non-invasive development and testing of novel transfer functions.

    PubMed

    Cai, T Y; Qasem, A; Ayer, J G; Butlin, M; O'Meagher, S; Melki, C; Marks, G B; Avolio, A; Celermajer, D S; Skilton, M R

    2017-12-01

    Central blood pressure can be estimated from peripheral pulses in adults using generalised transfer functions (TF). We sought to create and test age-specific non-invasively developed TFs in children, with comparison to a pre-existing adult TF. We studied healthy children from two sites at two time points, 8 and 14 years of age, split by site into development and validation groups. Radial and carotid pressure waveforms were obtained by applanation tonometry. Central systolic pressure was derived from carotid waveforms calibrated to brachial mean and diastolic pressures. Age-specific TFs created in the development groups (n=50) were tested in the validation groups aged 8 (n=137) and 14 years (n=85). At 8 years of age, the age-specific TF estimated 82, 99 and 100% of central systolic pressure values within 5, 10 and 15 mm Hg of their measured values, respectively. This TF overestimated central systolic pressure by 2.2 (s.d. 3.7) mm Hg, compared to being underestimated by 5.6 (s.d. 3.9) mm Hg with the adult TF. At 14 years of age, the age-specific TF estimated 60, 87 and 95% of values within 5, 10 and 15 mm Hg of their measured values, respectively. This TF underestimated central systolic pressure by 0.5 (s.d. 6.7) mm Hg, while the adult TF underestimated it by 6.8 (s.d. 6.0) mm Hg. In conclusion, age-specific TFs more accurately predict central systolic pressure measured at the carotid artery in children than an existing adult TF.

  8. Recording human cortical population spikes non-invasively--An EEG tutorial.

    PubMed

    Waterstraat, Gunnar; Fedele, Tommaso; Burghoff, Martin; Scheer, Hans-Jürgen; Curio, Gabriel

    2015-07-30

    Non-invasively recorded somatosensory high-frequency oscillations (sHFOs) evoked by electric nerve stimulation are markers of human cortical population spikes. Previously, their analysis was based on massive averaging of EEG responses. Advanced neurotechnology and optimized off-line analysis can enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of sHFOs, eventually enabling single-trial analysis. The rationale for developing dedicated low-noise EEG technology for sHFOs is unfolded. Detailed recording procedures and tailored analysis principles are explained step-by-step. Source codes in Matlab and Python are provided as supplementary material online. Combining synergistic hardware and analysis improvements, evoked sHFOs at around 600 Hz ('σ-bursts') can be studied in single-trials. Additionally, optimized spatial filters increase the signal-to-noise ratio of components at about 1 kHz ('κ-bursts') enabling their detection in non-invasive surface EEG. sHFOs offer a unique possibility to record evoked human cortical population spikes non-invasively. The experimental approaches and algorithms presented here enable also non-specialized EEG laboratories to combine measurements of conventional low-frequency EEG with the analysis of concomitant cortical population spike responses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Does mesenteric venous imaging assessment accurately predict pathologic invasion in localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma?

    PubMed

    Clanton, Jesse; Oh, Stephen; Kaplan, Stephen J; Johnson, Emily; Ross, Andrew; Kozarek, Richard; Alseidi, Adnan; Biehl, Thomas; Picozzi, Vincent J; Helton, William S; Coy, David; Dorer, Russell; Rocha, Flavio G

    2018-05-09

    Accurate prediction of mesenteric venous involvement in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is necessary for adequate staging and treatment. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in PDAC patients at a single institution. All patients with resected PDAC and staging CT and EUS between 2003 and 2014 were included and sub-divided into "upfront resected" and "neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC)" groups. Independent imaging re-review was correlated to venous resection and venous invasion. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were then calculated. A total of 109 patients underwent analysis, 60 received upfront resection, and 49 NAC. Venous resection (30%) and vein invasion (13%) was less common in patients resected upfront than those who received NAC (53% and 16%, respectively). Both CT and EUS had poor sensitivity (14-44%) but high specificity (75-95%) for detecting venous resection and vein invasion in patients resected upfront, whereas sensitivity was high (84-100%) and specificity was low (27-44%) after NAC. Preoperative CT and EUS in PDAC have similar efficacy but different predictive capacity in assessing mesenteric venous involvement depending on whether patients are resected upfront or received NAC. Both modalities appear to significantly overestimate true vascular involvement and should be interpreted in the appropriate clinical context. Copyright © 2018 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. A robust motion estimation system for minimal invasive laparoscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marcinczak, Jan Marek; von Öhsen, Udo; Grigat, Rolf-Rainer

    2012-02-01

    Laparoscopy is a reliable imaging method to examine the liver. However, due to the limited field of view, a lot of experience is required from the surgeon to interpret the observed anatomy. Reconstruction of organ surfaces provide valuable additional information to the surgeon for a reliable diagnosis. Without an additional external tracking system the structure can be recovered from feature correspondences between different frames. In laparoscopic images blurred frames, specular reflections and inhomogeneous illumination make feature tracking a challenging task. We propose an ego-motion estimation system for minimal invasive laparoscopy that can cope with specular reflection, inhomogeneous illumination and blurred frames. To obtain robust feature correspondence, the approach combines SIFT and specular reflection segmentation with a multi-frame tracking scheme. The calibrated five-point algorithm is used with the MSAC robust estimator to compute the motion of the endoscope from multi-frame correspondence. The algorithm is evaluated using endoscopic videos of a phantom. The small incisions and the rigid endoscope limit the motion in minimal invasive laparoscopy. These limitations are considered in our evaluation and are used to analyze the accuracy of pose estimation that can be achieved by our approach. The endoscope is moved by a robotic system and the ground truth motion is recorded. The evaluation on typical endoscopic motion gives precise results and demonstrates the practicability of the proposed pose estimation system.

  11. Non-invasive Prediction of Pork Loin Tenderness

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The present experiment was conducted to develop a non-invasive method to predict tenderness of pork loins. Boneless pork loins (n = 901) were evaluated either on line on the loin boning and trimming line of large-scale commercial plants (n = 465) or at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center abattoir ...

  12. Three-Dimensional Echocardiography-Derived Non-Invasive Right Ventricular Pressure-Volume Analysis.

    PubMed

    Huang, Kuan-Chih; Lin, Lian-Yu; Hwang, Juey-Jen; Lin, Lung-Chun

    2017-09-01

    In patients with pulmonary hypertension, repeated evaluations of right ventricular (RV) function are still required for clinical decision making, but the invasive nature of current pressure-volume analysis makes conducting regular follow-ups in a clinical setting infeasible. We enrolled 12 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and 10 with pulmonary venous hypertension (PVH) May 2016-October 2016. All patients underwent a clinically indicated right heart catheterization (RHC), from which the yielded right ventricular pressure recordings were conjugated with RV volume by 3-D echocardiography to generate a pressure-volume loop. A continuous-wave Doppler envelope of tricuspid regurgitation was transformed into a pressure gradient recording by the simplified Bernoulli equation, and then a systolic pressure gradient-volume (PG-V) diagram was generated from similar methods. The area enclosed by the pressure-volume loop was calculated to represent semi-invasive right ventricular stroke work (RVSW RHC ). The area between the PG-V diagram and x-axis was calculated to estimate non-invasive RVSW (RVSW echo ). Patients with PAH have higher RV pressure, lower pulmonary arterial wedge pressure and larger RV volume that was contributed by the dilation of RV mid-cavity minor dimension. We found no significant difference of traditional parameters between these two groups, but RVSW values were significantly higher in PAH patients. The RVSW values of these two methods were significantly correlated by the equation RVSW echo  = 0.8447 RVSW RHC  + 129.38 (R 2  = 0.9151, p < 0.001). The linearity remained satisfactory in both groups. We conclude that a PG-V diagram is a reliable method to estimate RVSW and to depict pathophysiological status. Copyright © 2017 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Modelling the introduction and spread of non-native species: international trade and climate change drive ragweed invasion.

    PubMed

    Chapman, Daniel S; Makra, László; Albertini, Roberto; Bonini, Maira; Páldy, Anna; Rodinkova, Victoria; Šikoparija, Branko; Weryszko-Chmielewska, Elżbieta; Bullock, James M

    2016-09-01

    Biological invasions are a major driver of global change, for which models can attribute causes, assess impacts and guide management. However, invasion models typically focus on spread from known introduction points or non-native distributions and ignore the transport processes by which species arrive. Here, we developed a simulation model to understand and describe plant invasion at a continental scale, integrating repeated transport through trade pathways, unintentional release events and the population dynamics and local anthropogenic dispersal that drive subsequent spread. We used the model to simulate the invasion of Europe by common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), a globally invasive plant that causes serious harm as an aeroallergen and crop weed. Simulations starting in 1950 accurately reproduced ragweed's current distribution, including the presence of records in climatically unsuitable areas as a result of repeated introduction. Furthermore, the model outputs were strongly correlated with spatial and temporal patterns of ragweed pollen concentrations, which are fully independent of the calibration data. The model suggests that recent trends for warmer summers and increased volumes of international trade have accelerated the ragweed invasion. For the latter, long distance dispersal because of trade within the invaded continent is highlighted as a key invasion process, in addition to import from the native range. Biosecurity simulations, whereby transport through trade pathways is halted, showed that effective control is only achieved by early action targeting all relevant pathways. We conclude that invasion models would benefit from integrating introduction processes (transport and release) with spread dynamics, to better represent propagule pressure from native sources as well as mechanisms for long-distance dispersal within invaded continents. Ultimately, such integration may facilitate better prediction of spatial and temporal variation in invasion

  14. Non-invasive brain stimulation in children: applications and future directions

    PubMed Central

    Rajapakse, Thilinie; Kirton, Adam

    2013-01-01

    Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a neurostimulation and neuromodulation technique that has provided over two decades of data in focal, non-invasive brain stimulation based on the principles of electromagnetic induction. Its minimal risk, excellent tolerability and increasingly sophisticated ability to interrogate neurophysiology and plasticity make it an enviable technology for use in pediatric research with future extension into therapeutic trials. While adult trials show promise in using TMS as a novel, non-invasive, non-pharmacologic diagnostic and therapeutic tool in a variety of nervous system disorders, its use in children is only just emerging. TMS represents an exciting advancement to better understand and improve outcomes from disorders of the developing brain. PMID:24163755

  15. Accurate estimation of sigma(exp 0) using AIRSAR data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holecz, Francesco; Rignot, Eric

    1995-01-01

    During recent years signature analysis, classification, and modeling of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data as well as estimation of geophysical parameters from SAR data have received a great deal of interest. An important requirement for the quantitative use of SAR data is the accurate estimation of the backscattering coefficient sigma(exp 0). In terrain with relief variations radar signals are distorted due to the projection of the scene topography into the slant range-Doppler plane. The effect of these variations is to change the physical size of the scattering area, leading to errors in the radar backscatter values and incidence angle. For this reason the local incidence angle, derived from sensor position and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data must always be considered. Especially in the airborne case, the antenna gain pattern can be an additional source of radiometric error, because the radar look angle is not known precisely as a result of the the aircraft motions and the local surface topography. Consequently, radiometric distortions due to the antenna gain pattern must also be corrected for each resolution cell, by taking into account aircraft displacements (position and attitude) and position of the backscatter element, defined by the DEM data. In this paper, a method to derive an accurate estimation of the backscattering coefficient using NASA/JPL AIRSAR data is presented. The results are evaluated in terms of geometric accuracy, radiometric variations of sigma(exp 0), and precision of the estimated forest biomass.

  16. Cutting Edge Methods for Non-Invasive Disease Diagnosis Using E-Tongue and E-Nose Devices

    PubMed Central

    Fitzgerald, Jessica

    2017-01-01

    Biomimetic cross-reactive sensor arrays (B-CRSAs) have been used to detect and diagnose a wide variety of diseases including metabolic disorders, mental health diseases, and cancer by analyzing both vapor and liquid patient samples. Technological advancements over the past decade have made these systems selective, sensitive, and affordable. To date, devices for non-invasive and accurate disease diagnosis have seen rapid improvement, suggesting a feasible alternative to current standards for medical diagnostics. This review provides an overview of the most recent B-CRSAs for diagnostics (also referred to electronic noses and tongues in the literature) and an outlook for future technological development. PMID:29215588

  17. Gonadosomatic index and fecundity of Lower Missouri and Middle Mississippi River endangered pallid sturgeon estimated using minimally invasive techniques

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Albers, J.L.; Wildhaber, M.L.; DeLonay, A.J.

    2013-01-01

    Minimally invasive, non-lethal methods of ultrasonography were used to assess sex, egg diameter, fecundity, gonad volume, and gonadosomatic index, as well as endoscopy to visually assess the reproductive stage of Scaphirhynchus albus. Estimated mean egg diameters of 2.202 ± 0.187 mm and mean fecundity of 44 531 ± 23 940 eggs were similar to previous studies using invasive techniques. Mean S. albus gonadosomatic indices (GSI) for reproductive and non-reproductive females were 16.16 and 1.26%, respectively, while reproductive and non-reproductive male GSI were 2.00 and 0.43%, respectively. There was no relationship between hybrid status or capture location and GSI. Mean fecundity was 48.5% higher than hatchery spawn estimates. Fecundity increased as fork length increased but did so more dramatically in the upper river kilometers of the Missouri River. By examining multiple fish over multiple years, the reproductive cycle periodicity for hatchery female S. albus was found to be 2–4 years and river dwelling males 1–4 years. The use of ultrasonic and endoscopic methods in combination was shown to be helpful in tracking individual gonad characteristics over multi-year reproductive cycles.

  18. Wavelength-modulated differential photoacoustic radar imager (WM-DPARI): accurate monitoring of absolute hemoglobin oxygen saturation

    PubMed Central

    Choi, Sung Soo Sean; Lashkari, Bahman; Dovlo, Edem; Mandelis, Andreas

    2016-01-01

    Accurate monitoring of blood oxy-saturation level (SO2) in human breast tissues is clinically important for predicting and evaluating possible tumor growth at the site. In this work, four different non-invasive frequency-domain photoacoustic (PA) imaging modalities were compared for their absolute SO2 characterization capability using an in-vitro sheep blood circulation system. Among different PA modes, a new WM-DPAR imaging modality could estimate the SO2 with great accuracy when compared to a commercial blood gas analyzer. The developed WM-DPARI theory was further validated by constructing SO2 tomographic images of a blood-containing plastisol phantom. PMID:27446691

  19. A novel fibrosis index comprising a non-cholesterol sterol accurately predicts HCV-related liver cirrhosis.

    PubMed

    Ydreborg, Magdalena; Lisovskaja, Vera; Lagging, Martin; Brehm Christensen, Peer; Langeland, Nina; Buhl, Mads Rauning; Pedersen, Court; Mørch, Kristine; Wejstål, Rune; Norkrans, Gunnar; Lindh, Magnus; Färkkilä, Martti; Westin, Johan

    2014-01-01

    Diagnosis of liver cirrhosis is essential in the management of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Liver biopsy is invasive and thus entails a risk of complications as well as a potential risk of sampling error. Therefore, non-invasive diagnostic tools are preferential. The aim of the present study was to create a model for accurate prediction of liver cirrhosis based on patient characteristics and biomarkers of liver fibrosis, including a panel of non-cholesterol sterols reflecting cholesterol synthesis and absorption and secretion. We evaluated variables with potential predictive significance for liver fibrosis in 278 patients originally included in a multicenter phase III treatment trial for chronic HCV infection. A stepwise multivariate logistic model selection was performed with liver cirrhosis, defined as Ishak fibrosis stage 5-6, as the outcome variable. A new index, referred to as Nordic Liver Index (NoLI) in the paper, was based on the model: Log-odds (predicting cirrhosis) = -12.17+ (age × 0.11) + (BMI (kg/m(2)) × 0.23) + (D7-lathosterol (μg/100 mg cholesterol)×(-0.013)) + (Platelet count (x10(9)/L) × (-0.018)) + (Prothrombin-INR × 3.69). The area under the ROC curve (AUROC) for prediction of cirrhosis was 0.91 (95% CI 0.86-0.96). The index was validated in a separate cohort of 83 patients and the AUROC for this cohort was similar (0.90; 95% CI: 0.82-0.98). In conclusion, the new index may complement other methods in diagnosing cirrhosis in patients with chronic HCV infection.

  20. Non-invasive ventilation after surgery in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Olivieri, C; Castioni, C A; Livigni, S; Bersano, E; Cantello, R; Della Corte, F; Mazzini, L

    2014-04-01

    Surgery in patients affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) presents a particular anesthetic challenge because of the risk of post-operative pulmonary complications. We report on the use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) to prevent post-operative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in nine patients affected by ALS enrolled in a phase-1 clinical trial with stem cell transplantation. All patients were treated with autologous mesenchymal stem cells implanted into the spinal cord with a surgical procedure. Anesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with remifentanil and sevoflurane. No muscle relaxant was used. After awakening and regain of spontaneous breathing, patients were tracheally extubated. Non-invasive ventilation through nasal mask was delivered and non-invasive positive pressure ventilation and continuous positive pressure ventilation were started. The average time on NIV after surgery was 3 h and 12 min. All patients regained stable spontaneous breathing after NIV discontinuation and had no episodes of respiratory failure until the following day. Our case series suggest that the use of NIV after surgery can be a safe strategy to prevent PPCs in patients affected by ALS. The perioperative procedure we chose for these patients appeared safe even in patients with advanced functional stage of the disease. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Determination of NIR informative wavebands for transmission non-invasive blood glucose measurement using a Fourier transform spectrometer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Wenming; Liao, Ningfang; Cheng, Haobo; Li, Yasheng; Bai, Xueqiong; Deng, Chengyang

    2018-03-01

    Non-invasive blood glucose measurement using near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy relies on wavebands that provide reliable information about spectral absorption. In this study, we investigated wavebands which are informative for blood glucose in the NIR shortwave band (900˜1450 nm) and the first overtone band (1450˜1700 nm) through a specially designed NIR Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS), which featured a test fixture (where a sample or subject's finger could be placed) and all-reflective optics, except for a Michelson structure. Different concentrations of glucose solution and seven volunteers who had undergone oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were studied to acquire transmission spectra in the shortwave band and the first overtone band. Characteristic peaks of glucose absorption were identified from the spectra of glucose aqueous solution by second-order derivative processing. The wavebands linked to blood glucose were successfully estimated through spectra of the middle fingertip of OGTT participants by a simple linear regression and correlation coefficient. The light intensity difference showed that glucose absorption in the first overtone band was much more prominent than it was in the shortwave band. The results of the SLR model established from seven OGTTs in total on seven participants enabled a positive estimation of the glucose-linked wavelength. It is suggested that wavebands with prominent characteristic peaks, a high correlation coefficient between blood glucose and light intensity difference and a relatively low standard deviation of predicted values will be the most informative wavebands for transmission non-invasive blood glucose measurement methods. This work provides a guidance for waveband selection for the development of non-invasive NIR blood glucose measurement.

  2. Methods for the accurate estimation of confidence intervals on protein folding ϕ-values

    PubMed Central

    Ruczinski, Ingo; Sosnick, Tobin R.; Plaxco, Kevin W.

    2006-01-01

    ϕ-Values provide an important benchmark for the comparison of experimental protein folding studies to computer simulations and theories of the folding process. Despite the growing importance of ϕ measurements, however, formulas to quantify the precision with which ϕ is measured have seen little significant discussion. Moreover, a commonly employed method for the determination of standard errors on ϕ estimates assumes that estimates of the changes in free energy of the transition and folded states are independent. Here we demonstrate that this assumption is usually incorrect and that this typically leads to the underestimation of ϕ precision. We derive an analytical expression for the precision of ϕ estimates (assuming linear chevron behavior) that explicitly takes this dependence into account. We also describe an alternative method that implicitly corrects for the effect. By simulating experimental chevron data, we show that both methods accurately estimate ϕ confidence intervals. We also explore the effects of the commonly employed techniques of calculating ϕ from kinetics estimated at non-zero denaturant concentrations and via the assumption of parallel chevron arms. We find that these approaches can produce significantly different estimates for ϕ (again, even for truly linear chevron behavior), indicating that they are not equivalent, interchangeable measures of transition state structure. Lastly, we describe a Web-based implementation of the above algorithms for general use by the protein folding community. PMID:17008714

  3. Influence of hemoglobin on non-invasive optical bilirubin sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Jingying; Gong, Qiliang; Zou, Da; Xu, Kexin

    2012-03-01

    Since the abnormal metabolism of bilirubin could lead to diseases in the human body, especially the jaundice which is harmful to neonates. Traditional invasive measurements are difficult to be accepted by people because of pain and infection. Therefore, the real-time and non-invasive measurement of bilirubin is of great significance. However, the accuracy of currently transcutaneous bilirubinometry(TcB) is generally not high enough, and affected by many factors in the human skin, mostly by hemoglobin. In this talk, absorption spectra of hemoglobin and bilirubin have been collected and analyzed, then the Partial Least Squares (PLS) models have been built. By analyzing and comparing the Correlation and Root Mean Square Error of Prediction(RMSEP), the results show that the Correlation of bilirubin solution model is larger than that of the mixture solution added with hemoglobin, and its RMSEP value is smaller than that of mixture solution. Therefore, hemoglobin has influences on the non-invasive optical bilirubin sensing. In next step, it is necessary to investigate how to eliminate the influence.

  4. [Pulmonary non invasive infection by Scedosporium apiospermum].

    PubMed

    Cruz, Rodrigo; Barros, Manuel; Reyes, Mirtha

    2015-08-01

    We reported a case of non-invasive pulmonary infection by Scedosporium apiospermum in 67 years old female with bronchiectasis and caverns secondary to tuberculosis. Diagnosis was made with lung CT and bronchial lavage cultures. The patient was initially treated with itraconazole for six weeks without success and then voriconazole for 16 weeks, with good clinical response.

  5. Non-invasive in vivo measurement of macular carotenoids

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lambert, James L. (Inventor); Borchert, Mark S. (Inventor)

    2009-01-01

    A non-invasive in vivo method for assessing macular carotenoids includes performing Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) on a retina of a subject. A spatial representation of carotenoid levels in the macula based on data from the OCT of the retina can be generated.

  6. Accurate Satellite-Derived Estimates of Tropospheric Ozone Radiative Forcing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Joiner, Joanna; Schoeberl, Mark R.; Vasilkov, Alexander P.; Oreopoulos, Lazaros; Platnick, Steven; Livesey, Nathaniel J.; Levelt, Pieternel F.

    2008-01-01

    Estimates of the radiative forcing due to anthropogenically-produced tropospheric O3 are derived primarily from models. Here, we use tropospheric ozone and cloud data from several instruments in the A-train constellation of satellites as well as information from the GEOS-5 Data Assimilation System to accurately estimate the instantaneous radiative forcing from tropospheric O3 for January and July 2005. We improve upon previous estimates of tropospheric ozone mixing ratios from a residual approach using the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) by incorporating cloud pressure information from OMI. Since we cannot distinguish between natural and anthropogenic sources with the satellite data, our estimates reflect the total forcing due to tropospheric O3. We focus specifically on the magnitude and spatial structure of the cloud effect on both the shortand long-wave radiative forcing. The estimates presented here can be used to validate present day O3 radiative forcing produced by models.

  7. Development of a non-invasive LED based device for adipose tissue thickness measurements in vivo

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Volceka, K.; Jakovels, D.; Arina, Z.; Zaharans, J.; Kviesis, E.; Strode, A.; Svampe, E.; Ozolina-Moll, L.; Butnere, M. M.

    2012-06-01

    There are a number of techniques for body composition assessment in clinics and in field-surveys, but in all cases the applied methods have advantages and disadvantages. High precision imaging methods are available, though expensive and non-portable, however, the methods devised for the mass population, often suffer from the lack of precision. Therefore, the development of a safe, mobile, non-invasive, optical method that would be easy to perform, precise and low-cost, but also would offer an accurate assessment of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) both in lean and in obese persons is required. Thereof, the diffuse optical spectroscopy is advantageous over the aforementioned techniques. A prototype device using an optical method for measurement of the SAT thickness in vivo has been developed. The probe contained multiple LEDs (660nm) distributed at various distances from the photo-detector which allow different light penetration depths into the subcutaneous tissue. The differences of the reflected light intensities were used to create a non-linear model, and the computed values were compared with the corresponding thicknesses of SAT, assessed by B-mode ultrasonography. The results show that with the optical system used in this study, accurate results of different SAT thicknesses can be obtained, and imply a further potential for development of multispectral optical system to observe changes of SAT thickness as well as to determine the percentage of total body fat.

  8. The use of non-invasive fetal electrocardiography in diagnosing second-degree fetal atrioventricular block.

    PubMed

    Lakhno, Igor; Behar, Joachim A; Oster, Julien; Shulgin, Vyacheslav; Ostras, Oleksii; Andreotti, Fernando

    2017-01-01

    Complete atrioventricular block in fetuses is known to be mostly associated with autoimmune disease and can be irreversible if no steroids treatment is provided. Conventional methods used in clinical practice for diagnosing fetal arrhythmia are limited since they do not reflect the primary electrophysiological conduction processes that take place in the myocardium. The non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram has the potential to better support fetal arrhythmias diagnosis through the continuous analysis of the beat to beat variation of the fetal heart rate and morphological analysis of the PQRST complex. We present two retrospective case reports on which atrioventricular block diagnosis could have been supported by the non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram. The two cases comprised a 22-year-old pregnant woman with the gestational age of 31 weeks and a 25-year-old pregnant woman with the gestational age of 41 weeks. Both women were admitted to the Department of Maternal and Fetal Medicine at the Kyiv and Kharkiv municipal perinatal clinics. Patients were observed using standard fetal monitoring methods as well as the non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram. The non-invasive fetal electrocardiographic recordings were analyzed retrospectively, where it is possible to identify the presence of the atrioventricular block. This study demonstrates, for the first time, the feasibility of the non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram as a supplementary method to diagnose of the fetal atrioventricular block. Combined with current fetal monitoring techniques, non-invasive fetal electrocardiography could support clinical decisions.

  9. Accurate age estimation in small-scale societies

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Daniel; Gerbault, Pascale; Dyble, Mark; Migliano, Andrea Bamberg; Thomas, Mark G.

    2017-01-01

    Precise estimation of age is essential in evolutionary anthropology, especially to infer population age structures and understand the evolution of human life history diversity. However, in small-scale societies, such as hunter-gatherer populations, time is often not referred to in calendar years, and accurate age estimation remains a challenge. We address this issue by proposing a Bayesian approach that accounts for age uncertainty inherent to fieldwork data. We developed a Gibbs sampling Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm that produces posterior distributions of ages for each individual, based on a ranking order of individuals from youngest to oldest and age ranges for each individual. We first validate our method on 65 Agta foragers from the Philippines with known ages, and show that our method generates age estimations that are superior to previously published regression-based approaches. We then use data on 587 Agta collected during recent fieldwork to demonstrate how multiple partial age ranks coming from multiple camps of hunter-gatherers can be integrated. Finally, we exemplify how the distributions generated by our method can be used to estimate important demographic parameters in small-scale societies: here, age-specific fertility patterns. Our flexible Bayesian approach will be especially useful to improve cross-cultural life history datasets for small-scale societies for which reliable age records are difficult to acquire. PMID:28696282

  10. Accurate age estimation in small-scale societies.

    PubMed

    Diekmann, Yoan; Smith, Daniel; Gerbault, Pascale; Dyble, Mark; Page, Abigail E; Chaudhary, Nikhil; Migliano, Andrea Bamberg; Thomas, Mark G

    2017-08-01

    Precise estimation of age is essential in evolutionary anthropology, especially to infer population age structures and understand the evolution of human life history diversity. However, in small-scale societies, such as hunter-gatherer populations, time is often not referred to in calendar years, and accurate age estimation remains a challenge. We address this issue by proposing a Bayesian approach that accounts for age uncertainty inherent to fieldwork data. We developed a Gibbs sampling Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm that produces posterior distributions of ages for each individual, based on a ranking order of individuals from youngest to oldest and age ranges for each individual. We first validate our method on 65 Agta foragers from the Philippines with known ages, and show that our method generates age estimations that are superior to previously published regression-based approaches. We then use data on 587 Agta collected during recent fieldwork to demonstrate how multiple partial age ranks coming from multiple camps of hunter-gatherers can be integrated. Finally, we exemplify how the distributions generated by our method can be used to estimate important demographic parameters in small-scale societies: here, age-specific fertility patterns. Our flexible Bayesian approach will be especially useful to improve cross-cultural life history datasets for small-scale societies for which reliable age records are difficult to acquire.

  11. Instrumentation for Non-Invasive Assessment of Cardiovascular Regulation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cohen, Richard J.

    1999-01-01

    It is critically important to be able to assess alterations in cardiovascular regulation during and after space flight. We propose to develop an instrument for the non-invasive assessment of such alterations that can be used on the ground and potentially during space flight. This instrumentation would be used by the Cardiovascular Alterations Team at multiple sites for the study of the effects of space flight on the cardiovascular system and the evaluation of countermeasures. In particular, the Cardiovascular Alterations Team will use this instrumentation in conjunction with ground-based human bed-rest studies and during application of acute stresses e.g., tilt, lower body negative pressure, and exercise. In future studies, the Cardiovascular Alterations Team anticipates using this instrumentation to study astronauts before and after space flight and ultimately, during space flight. The instrumentation may also be used by the Bone Demineralization/Calcium Metabolism Team, the Neurovestibular Team and the Human Performance Factors, Sleep and Chronobiology Team to measure changes in autonomic nervous function. The instrumentation will be based on a powerful new technology - cardiovascular system identification (CSI) - which has been developed in our laboratory. CSI provides a non-invasive approach for the study of alterations in cardiovascular regulation. This approach involves the analysis of second-to-second fluctuations in physiologic signals such as heart rate and non-invasively measured arterial blood pressure in order to characterize quantitatively the physiologic mechanisms responsible for the couplings between these signals. Through the characterization of multiple physiologic mechanisms, CSI provides a closed-loop model of the cardiovascular regulatory state in an individual subject.

  12. Estimating health benefits and cost-savings for achieving the Healthy People 2020 objective of reducing invasive colorectal cancer.

    PubMed

    Hung, Mei-Chuan; Ekwueme, Donatus U; White, Arica; Rim, Sun Hee; King, Jessica B; Wang, Jung-Der; Chang, Su-Hsin

    2018-01-01

    This study aims to quantify the aggregate potential life-years (LYs) saved and healthcare cost-savings if the Healthy People 2020 objective were met to reduce invasive colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence by 15%. We identified patients (n=886,380) diagnosed with invasive CRC between 2001 and 2011 from a nationally representative cancer dataset. We stratified these patients by sex, race/ethnicity, and age. Using these data and data from the 2001-2011 U.S. life tables, we estimated a survival function for each CRC group and the corresponding reference group and computed per-person LYs saved. We estimated per-person annual healthcare cost-savings using the 2008-2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. We calculated aggregate LYs saved and cost-savings by multiplying the reduced number of CRC patients by the per-person LYs saved and lifetime healthcare cost-savings, respectively. We estimated an aggregate of 84,569 and 64,924 LYs saved for men and women, respectively, accounting for healthcare cost-savings of $329.3 and $294.2 million (in 2013$), respectively. Per person, we estimated 6.3 potential LYs saved related to those who developed CRC for both men and women, and healthcare cost-savings of $24,000 for men and $28,000 for women. Non-Hispanic whites and those aged 60-64 had the highest aggregate potential LYs saved and cost-savings. Achieving the HP2020 objective of reducing invasive CRC incidence by 15% by year 2020 would potentially save nearly 150,000 life-years and $624 million on healthcare costs. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Microwave Quantitative NDE Technique for Dielectric Slab Thickness Estimation Using the Music Algorithm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abou-Khousa, M. A.; Zoughi, R.

    2007-03-01

    Non-invasive monitoring of dielectric slab thickness is of great interest in various industrial applications. This paper focuses on estimating the thickness of dielectric slabs, and consequently monitoring their variations, utilizing wideband microwave signals and the MUtiple SIgnal Characterization (MUSIC) algorithm. The performance of the proposed approach is assessed by validating simulation results with laboratory experiments. The results clearly indicate the utility of this overall approach for accurate dielectric slab thickness evaluation.

  14. Client views and attitudes to non-invasive prenatal diagnosis for sickle cell disease, thalassaemia and cystic fibrosis.

    PubMed

    Hill, Melissa; Compton, Cecilia; Karunaratna, Madhavi; Lewis, Celine; Chitty, Lyn

    2014-12-01

    In the near future the availability of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) for single gene disorders will change the prenatal diagnosis options available to couples who are carriers of conditions such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disorder and thalassaemia. Client opinions about NIPD are needed to inform the implementation of NIPD for single gene disorders. This qualitative study used two focus groups (n = 12) and one-to-one interviews (n = 16) with carriers and support group representatives of sickle cell disease, thalassaemia and cystic fibrosis. Discussions were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Opinions about NIPD were very positive and participants valued the opportunity to have safe and early testing. Uptake of prenatal testing is likely to increase as women who had previously declined invasive testing expressed interest in having NIPD. Participant concerns about NIPD centred on the need for accuracy to be high to be used for subsequent decision making about termination of pregnancy. Participants also raised concerns that less thought may be given to having a blood test compared to an invasive test and that the perceived ease of a blood test may bring increased pressure to have testing. Participants thought NIPD should be offered through existing specialist services to ensure appropriate genetic counseling and support. Maintaining all testing options is important as some people may prefer invasive testing over NIPD if invasive testing was more accurate or if invasive testing could give information about other conditions such as Down syndrome.

  15. Drivers of Non-Native Aquatic Species Invasions across the ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Background/Question/Methods Mapping the geographic distribution of non-native aquatic species is a critically important precursor to understanding the anthropogenic and environmental factors that drive freshwater biological invasions. Such efforts are often limited to local scales and/or to a single taxa, missing the opportunity to observe and understand the drivers of macroscale invasion patterns at sub-continental or continental scales. Here we map the distribution of exotic freshwater species richness across the continental United States using publicly accessible species occurrence data (e.g GBIF) and investigate the role of human activity in driving macroscale patterns of aquatic invasion. Using a dasymetric model of human population density and a spatially explicit model of recreational freshwater fishing demand, we analyzed the effect of these metrics of human influence on non-native aquatic species richness at the watershed scale, while controlling for spatial and sampling bias. We also assessed the effects that a temporal mismatch between occurrence data (collected since 1815) and cross-sectional predictors (developed using 2010 data) may have on model fit. Results/Conclusions Our results indicated that non-native aquatic species richness exhibits a highly patchy distribution, with hotspots in the Northeast, Great Lakes, Florida, and human population centers on the Pacific coast. These richness patterns are correlated with population density, but are m

  16. A non-invasive method for studying an index of pupil diameter and visual performance in the rhesus monkey.

    PubMed

    Fairhall, Sarah J; Dickson, Carol A; Scott, Leah; Pearce, Peter C

    2006-04-01

    A non-invasive model has been developed to estimate gaze direction and relative pupil diameter, in minimally restrained rhesus monkeys, to investigate the effects of low doses of ocularly administered cholinergic compounds on visual performance. Animals were trained to co-operate with a novel device, which enabled eye movements to be recorded using modified human eye-tracking equipment, and to perform a task which determined visual threshold contrast. Responses were made by gaze transfer under twilight conditions. 4% w/v pilocarpine nitrate was studied to demonstrate the suitability of the model. Pilocarpine induced marked miosis for >3 h which was accompanied by a decrement in task performance. The method obviates the need for invasive surgery and, as the position of point of gaze can be approximately defined, the approach may have utility in other areas of research involving non-human primates.

  17. Robust Accurate Non-Invasive Analyte Monitor

    DOEpatents

    Robinson, Mark R.

    1998-11-03

    An improved method and apparatus for determining noninvasively and in vivo one or more unknown values of a known characteristic, particularly the concentration of an analyte in human tissue. The method includes: (1) irradiating the tissue with infrared energy (400 nm-2400 nm) having at least several wavelengths in a given range of wavelengths so that there is differential absorption of at least some of the wavelengths by the tissue as a function of the wavelengths and the known characteristic, the differential absorption causeing intensity variations of the wavelengths incident from the tissue; (2) providing a first path through the tissue; (3) optimizing the first path for a first sub-region of the range of wavelengths to maximize the differential absorption by at least some of the wavelengths in the first sub-region; (4) providing a second path through the tissue; and (5) optimizing the second path for a second sub-region of the range, to maximize the differential absorption by at least some of the wavelengths in the second sub-region. In the preferred embodiment a third path through the tissue is provided for, which path is optimized for a third sub-region of the range. With this arrangement, spectral variations which are the result of tissue differences (e.g., melanin and temperature) can be reduced. At least one of the paths represents a partial transmission path through the tissue. This partial transmission path may pass through the nail of a finger once and, preferably, twice. Also included are apparatus for: (1) reducing the arterial pulsations within the tissue; and (2) maximizing the blood content i the tissue.

  18. Non-invasive and Non-destructive Characterization of Tissue Engineered Constructs Using Ultrasound Imaging Technologies: A Review.

    PubMed

    Kim, Kang; Wagner, William R

    2016-03-01

    With the rapid expansion of biomaterial development and coupled efforts to translate such advances toward the clinic, non-invasive and non-destructive imaging tools to evaluate implants in situ in a timely manner are critically needed. The required multi-level information is comprehensive, including structural, mechanical, and biological changes such as scaffold degradation, mechanical strength, cell infiltration, extracellular matrix formation and vascularization to name a few. With its inherent advantages of non-invasiveness and non-destructiveness, ultrasound imaging can be an ideal tool for both preclinical and clinical uses. In this review, currently available ultrasound imaging technologies that have been applied in vitro and in vivo for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are discussed and some new emerging ultrasound technologies and multi-modality approaches utilizing ultrasound are introduced.

  19. Non-invasive and non-destructive characterization of tissue engineered constructs using ultrasound imaging technologies: a review

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Kang; Wagner, William R.

    2015-01-01

    With the rapid expansion of biomaterial development and coupled efforts to translate such advances toward the clinic, non-invasive and non-destructive imaging tools to evaluate implants in situ in a timely manner are critically needed. The required multilevel information is comprehensive, including structural, mechanical, and biological changes such as scaffold degradation, mechanical strength, cell infiltration, extracellular matrix formation and vascularization to name a few. With its inherent advantages of non-invasiveness and non-destructiveness, ultrasound imaging can be an ideal tool for both preclinical and clinical uses. In this review, currently available ultrasound imaging technologies that have been applied in vitro and in vivo for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are discussed and some new emerging ultrasound technologies and multi-modality approaches utilizing ultrasound are introduced. PMID:26518412

  20. Time of non-invasive ventilation.

    PubMed

    Nava, Stefano; Navalesi, Paolo; Conti, Giorgio

    2006-03-01

    Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a safe, versatile and effective technique that can avert side effects and complications associated with endotracheal intubation. The success of NIV relies on several factors, including the type and severity of acute respiratory failure, the underlying disease, the location of treatment, and the experience of the team. The time factor is also important. NIV is primarily used to avert the need for endotracheal intubation in patients with early-stage acute respiratory failure and post-extubation respiratory failure. It can also be used as an alternative to invasive ventilation at a more advanced stage of acute respiratory failure or to facilitate the process of weaning from mechanical ventilation. NIV has been used to prevent development of acute respiratory failure or post-extubation respiratory failure. The number of days of NIV and hours of daily use differ, depending on the severity and course of the acute respiratory failure and the timing of application. In this review article, we analyse, compare and discuss the results of studies in which NIV was applied at various times during the evolution of acute respiratory failure.

  1. Robust, non-invasive methods for metering groundwater well extraction in remote environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bulovic, Nevenka; Keir, Greg; McIntyre, Neil

    2017-04-01

    Quantifying the rate of extraction from groundwater wells can be essential for regional scale groundwater management and impact assessment. This is especially the case in regions heavily dependent on groundwater such as the semi-arid Surat and Bowen Basins in Queensland, Australia. Of the 30 000+ groundwater wells in this area, the majority of which are used for stock watering and domestic purposes, almost none have flow metering devices installed. As part of a research project to estimate regional groundwater extraction, we have undertaken a small scale flow metering program on a selected set of wells. Conventional in-line flow meters were unsuitable for our project, as both non-invasiveness and adaptability / suitability to a variety of discharge pipe characteristics was critical. We describe the use of two metering technologies not widely used in groundwater applications, non-invasive, clamp-on ultrasonic transit time flow meters and tipping bucket flow meters, as semi-permanent installations on discharge pipes of various artesian and sub-artesian groundwater wells. We present examples of detailed extraction rate time-series, which are of particular value in developing predictive models of water well extraction in data limited areas where water use dynamics and drivers are poorly understood. We conclude by discussing future project trajectories, which include expansion of the monitoring network through development of novel metering techniques and telemetry across large areas of poor connectivity.

  2. Non-invasive mechanical ventilation and mortality in elderly immunocompromised patients hospitalized with pneumonia: a retrospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Christopher S; Frei, Christopher R; Metersky, Mark L; Anzueto, Antonio R; Mortensen, Eric M

    2014-01-27

    Mortality after pneumonia in immunocompromised patients is higher than for immunocompetent patients. The use of non-invasive mechanical ventilation for patients with severe pneumonia may provide beneficial outcomes while circumventing potential complications associated with invasive mechanical ventilation. The aim of our study was to determine if the use of non-invasive mechanical ventilation in elderly immunocompromised patients with pneumonia is associated with higher all-cause mortality. In this retrospective cohort study, data were obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs administrative databases. We included veterans age ≥65 years who were immunocompromised and hospitalized due to pneumonia. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the use of invasive versus non-invasive mechanical ventilation and 30-day and 90-day mortality. Of 1,946 patients in our cohort, 717 received non-invasive mechanical ventilation and 1,229 received invasive mechanical ventilation. There was no significant association between all-cause 30-day mortality and non-invasive versus invasive mechanical ventilation in our adjusted model (odds ratio (OR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66-1.10). However, those patients who received non-invasive mechanical ventilation had decreased 90-day mortality (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.52-0.84). Additionally, receipt of guideline-concordant antibiotics in our immunocompromised cohort was significantly associated with decreased odds of 30-day mortality (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.24-0.39) and 90-day mortality (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.31-0.53). Our findings suggest that physicians should consider the use of non-invasive mechanical ventilation, when appropriate, for elderly immunocompromised patients hospitalized with pneumonia.

  3. An Accurate Link Correlation Estimator for Improving Wireless Protocol Performance

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Zhiwei; Xu, Xianghua; Dong, Wei; Bu, Jiajun

    2015-01-01

    Wireless link correlation has shown significant impact on the performance of various sensor network protocols. Many works have been devoted to exploiting link correlation for protocol improvements. However, the effectiveness of these designs heavily relies on the accuracy of link correlation measurement. In this paper, we investigate state-of-the-art link correlation measurement and analyze the limitations of existing works. We then propose a novel lightweight and accurate link correlation estimation (LACE) approach based on the reasoning of link correlation formation. LACE combines both long-term and short-term link behaviors for link correlation estimation. We implement LACE as a stand-alone interface in TinyOS and incorporate it into both routing and flooding protocols. Simulation and testbed results show that LACE: (1) achieves more accurate and lightweight link correlation measurements than the state-of-the-art work; and (2) greatly improves the performance of protocols exploiting link correlation. PMID:25686314

  4. Utility of spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) and laser speckle imaging (LSI) to non-invasively diagnose burn depth in a porcine model☆

    PubMed Central

    Burmeister, David M.; Ponticorvo, Adrien; Yang, Bruce; Becerra, Sandra C.; Choi, Bernard; Durkin, Anthony J.; Christy, Robert J.

    2015-01-01

    Surgical intervention of second degree burns is often delayed because of the difficulty in visual diagnosis, which increases the risk of scarring and infection. Non-invasive metrics have shown promise in accurately assessing burn depth. Here, we examine the use of spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) and laser speckle imaging (LSI) for predicting burn depth. Contact burn wounds of increasing severity were created on the dorsum of a Yorkshire pig, and wounds were imaged with SFDI/LSI starting immediately after-burn and then daily for the next 4 days. In addition, on each day the burn wounds were biopsied for histological analysis of burn depth, defined by collagen coagulation, apoptosis, and adnexal/vascular necrosis. Histological results show that collagen coagulation progressed from day 0 to day 1, and then stabilized. Results of burn wound imaging using non-invasive techniques were able to produce metrics that correlate to different predictors of burn depth. Collagen coagulation and apoptosis correlated with SFDI scattering coefficient parameter ( μs′) and adnexal/vascular necrosis on the day of burn correlated with blood flow determined by LSI. Therefore, incorporation of SFDI scattering coefficient and blood flow determined by LSI may provide an algorithm for accurate assessment of the severity of burn wounds in real time. PMID:26138371

  5. Trends in Nanomaterial-Based Non-Invasive Diabetes Sensing Technologies

    PubMed Central

    Makaram, Prashanth; Owens, Dawn; Aceros, Juan

    2014-01-01

    Blood glucose monitoring is considered the gold standard for diabetes diagnostics and self-monitoring. However, the underlying process is invasive and highly uncomfortable for patients. Furthermore, the process must be completed several times a day to successfully manage the disease, which greatly contributes to the massive need for non-invasive monitoring options. Human serums, such as saliva, sweat, breath, urine and tears, contain traces of glucose and are easily accessible. Therefore, they allow minimal to non-invasive glucose monitoring, making them attractive alternatives to blood measurements. Numerous developments regarding noninvasive glucose detection techniques have taken place over the years, but recently, they have gained recognition as viable alternatives, due to the advent of nanotechnology-based sensors. Such sensors are optimal for testing the amount of glucose in serums other than blood thanks to their enhanced sensitivity and selectivity ranges, in addition to their size and compatibility with electronic circuitry. These nanotechnology approaches are rapidly evolving, and new techniques are constantly emerging. Hence, this manuscript aims to review current and future nanomaterial-based technologies utilizing saliva, sweat, breath and tears as a diagnostic medium for diabetes monitoring. PMID:26852676

  6. Trends in Nanomaterial-Based Non-Invasive Diabetes Sensing Technologies.

    PubMed

    Makaram, Prashanth; Owens, Dawn; Aceros, Juan

    2014-04-21

    Blood glucose monitoring is considered the gold standard for diabetes diagnostics and self-monitoring. However, the underlying process is invasive and highly uncomfortable for patients. Furthermore, the process must be completed several times a day to successfully manage the disease, which greatly contributes to the massive need for non-invasive monitoring options. Human serums, such as saliva, sweat, breath, urine and tears, contain traces of glucose and are easily accessible. Therefore, they allow minimal to non-invasive glucose monitoring, making them attractive alternatives to blood measurements. Numerous developments regarding noninvasive glucose detection techniques have taken place over the years, but recently, they have gained recognition as viable alternatives, due to the advent of nanotechnology-based sensors. Such sensors are optimal for testing the amount of glucose in serums other than blood thanks to their enhanced sensitivity and selectivity ranges, in addition to their size and compatibility with electronic circuitry. These nanotechnology approaches are rapidly evolving, and new techniques are constantly emerging. Hence, this manuscript aims to review current and future nanomaterial-based technologies utilizing saliva, sweat, breath and tears as a diagnostic medium for diabetes monitoring.

  7. Toward accurate and precise estimates of lion density.

    PubMed

    Elliot, Nicholas B; Gopalaswamy, Arjun M

    2017-08-01

    Reliable estimates of animal density are fundamental to understanding ecological processes and population dynamics. Furthermore, their accuracy is vital to conservation because wildlife authorities rely on estimates to make decisions. However, it is notoriously difficult to accurately estimate density for wide-ranging carnivores that occur at low densities. In recent years, significant progress has been made in density estimation of Asian carnivores, but the methods have not been widely adapted to African carnivores, such as lions (Panthera leo). Although abundance indices for lions may produce poor inferences, they continue to be used to estimate density and inform management and policy. We used sighting data from a 3-month survey and adapted a Bayesian spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) model to estimate spatial lion density in the Maasai Mara National Reserve and surrounding conservancies in Kenya. Our unstructured spatial capture-recapture sampling design incorporated search effort to explicitly estimate detection probability and density on a fine spatial scale, making our approach robust in the context of varying detection probabilities. Overall posterior mean lion density was estimated to be 17.08 (posterior SD 1.310) lions >1 year old/100 km 2 , and the sex ratio was estimated at 2.2 females to 1 male. Our modeling framework and narrow posterior SD demonstrate that SECR methods can produce statistically rigorous and precise estimates of population parameters, and we argue that they should be favored over less reliable abundance indices. Furthermore, our approach is flexible enough to incorporate different data types, which enables robust population estimates over relatively short survey periods in a variety of systems. Trend analyses are essential to guide conservation decisions but are frequently based on surveys of differing reliability. We therefore call for a unified framework to assess lion numbers in key populations to improve management and

  8. [Non-invasive mechanical ventilation in the pre- and intraoperative period and difficult airway].

    PubMed

    Esquinas, A M; Jover, J L; Úbeda, A; Belda, F J

    2015-11-01

    Non-invasive mechanical ventilation is a method of ventilatory assistance aimed at increasing alveolar ventilation, thus achieving, in selected subjects, the avoidance of endotracheal intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation, with the consequent improvement in survival. There has been a systematic review and study of the technical, clinical experiences, and recommendations concerning the application of non-invasive mechanical ventilation in the pre- and intraoperative period. The use of prophylactic non-invasive mechanical ventilation before surgery that involves significant alterations in the ventilatory function may decrease the incidence of postoperative respiratory complications. Its intraoperative use will mainly depend on the type of surgery, type of anaesthetic technique, and the clinical status of the patient. Its use allows greater anaesthetic depth without deterioration of oxygenation and ventilation of patients. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  9. An Accurate Non-Cooperative Method for Measuring Textureless Spherical Target Based on Calibrated Lasers.

    PubMed

    Wang, Fei; Dong, Hang; Chen, Yanan; Zheng, Nanning

    2016-12-09

    Strong demands for accurate non-cooperative target measurement have been arising recently for the tasks of assembling and capturing. Spherical objects are one of the most common targets in these applications. However, the performance of the traditional vision-based reconstruction method was limited for practical use when handling poorly-textured targets. In this paper, we propose a novel multi-sensor fusion system for measuring and reconstructing textureless non-cooperative spherical targets. Our system consists of four simple lasers and a visual camera. This paper presents a complete framework of estimating the geometric parameters of textureless spherical targets: (1) an approach to calibrate the extrinsic parameters between a camera and simple lasers; and (2) a method to reconstruct the 3D position of the laser spots on the target surface and achieve the refined results via an optimized scheme. The experiment results show that our proposed calibration method can obtain a fine calibration result, which is comparable to the state-of-the-art LRF-based methods, and our calibrated system can estimate the geometric parameters with high accuracy in real time.

  10. An Accurate Non-Cooperative Method for Measuring Textureless Spherical Target Based on Calibrated Lasers

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Fei; Dong, Hang; Chen, Yanan; Zheng, Nanning

    2016-01-01

    Strong demands for accurate non-cooperative target measurement have been arising recently for the tasks of assembling and capturing. Spherical objects are one of the most common targets in these applications. However, the performance of the traditional vision-based reconstruction method was limited for practical use when handling poorly-textured targets. In this paper, we propose a novel multi-sensor fusion system for measuring and reconstructing textureless non-cooperative spherical targets. Our system consists of four simple lasers and a visual camera. This paper presents a complete framework of estimating the geometric parameters of textureless spherical targets: (1) an approach to calibrate the extrinsic parameters between a camera and simple lasers; and (2) a method to reconstruct the 3D position of the laser spots on the target surface and achieve the refined results via an optimized scheme. The experiment results show that our proposed calibration method can obtain a fine calibration result, which is comparable to the state-of-the-art LRF-based methods, and our calibrated system can estimate the geometric parameters with high accuracy in real time. PMID:27941705

  11. Non-invasive detection of cocaine dissolved in beverages using displaced Raman spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Eliasson, C; Macleod, N A; Matousek, P

    2008-01-21

    We demonstrate the potential of Raman spectroscopy to detect cocaine concealed inside transparent glass bottles containing alcoholic beverages. A clear Raman signature of cocaine with good signal-to-noise was obtained from a approximately 300 g solution of adulterated cocaine (purity 75%) in a 0.7 L authentic brown bottle of rum with 1 s acquisition time. The detection limit was estimated to be of the order of 9 g of pure cocaine per 0.7 L (approximately 0.04 moles L(-1)) with 1 s acquisition time. The technique holds great promise for the fast, non-invasive, detection of concealed illicit compounds inside beverages using portable Raman instruments, thus permitting drug trafficking to be combated more effectively.

  12. Towards non-invasive characterization of breast cancer and cancer metabolism with diffuse optics

    PubMed Central

    Busch, David R.; Choe, Regine; Durduran, Turgut; Yodh, Arjun G.

    2013-01-01

    We review recent developments in diffuse optical imaging and monitoring of breast cancer, i.e. optical mammography. Optical mammography permits non-invasive, safe and frequent measurement of tissue hemodynamics oxygen metabolism and components (lipids, water, etc.), the development of new compound indices indicative of the risk and malignancy, and holds potential for frequent non-invasive longitudinal monitoring of therapy progression. PMID:24244206

  13. Non-invasive quality evaluation of confluent cells by image-based orientation heterogeneity analysis.

    PubMed

    Sasaki, Kei; Sasaki, Hiroto; Takahashi, Atsuki; Kang, Siu; Yuasa, Tetsuya; Kato, Ryuji

    2016-02-01

    In recent years, cell and tissue therapy in regenerative medicine have advanced rapidly towards commercialization. However, conventional invasive cell quality assessment is incompatible with direct evaluation of the cells produced for such therapies, especially in the case of regenerative medicine products. Our group has demonstrated the potential of quantitative assessment of cell quality, using information obtained from cell images, for non-invasive real-time evaluation of regenerative medicine products. However, image of cells in the confluent state are often difficult to evaluate, because accurate recognition of cells is technically difficult and the morphological features of confluent cells are non-characteristic. To overcome these challenges, we developed a new image-processing algorithm, heterogeneity of orientation (H-Orient) processing, to describe the heterogeneous density of cells in the confluent state. In this algorithm, we introduced a Hessian calculation that converts pixel intensity data to orientation data and a statistical profiling calculation that evaluates the heterogeneity of orientations within an image, generating novel parameters that yield a quantitative profile of an image. Using such parameters, we tested the algorithm's performance in discriminating different qualities of cellular images with three types of clinically important cell quality check (QC) models: remaining lifespan check (QC1), manipulation error check (QC2), and differentiation potential check (QC3). Our results show that our orientation analysis algorithm could predict with high accuracy the outcomes of all types of cellular quality checks (>84% average accuracy with cross-validation). Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. British Thoracic Society Quality Standards for acute non-invasive ventilation in adults

    PubMed Central

    Davies, Michael; Allen, Martin; Bentley, Andrew; Bourke, Stephen C; Creagh-Brown, Ben; D’Oliveiro, Rachel; Glossop, Alastair; Gray, Alasdair; Jacobs, Phillip; Mahadeva, Ravi; Moses, Rachael; Setchfield, Ian

    2018-01-01

    Introduction The purpose of the quality standards document is to provide healthcare professionals, commissioners, service providers and patients with a guide to standards of care that should be met for the provision of acute non-invasive ventilation in adults together with measurable markers of good practice. Methods Development of British Thoracic Society (BTS) Quality Standards follows the BTS process of quality standard production based on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence process manual for the development of quality standards. Results 6 quality statements have been developed, each describing a standard of care for the provision of acute non-invasive ventilation in the UK, together with measurable markers of good practice. Conclusion BTS Quality Standards for acute non-invasive ventilation in adults form a key part of the range of supporting materials that the Society produces to assist in the dissemination and implementation of guideline’s recommendations. PMID:29636979

  15. A non-invasive tool for detecting cervical cancer odor by trained scent dogs.

    PubMed

    Guerrero-Flores, Héctor; Apresa-García, Teresa; Garay-Villar, Ónix; Sánchez-Pérez, Alejandro; Flores-Villegas, David; Bandera-Calderón, Artfy; García-Palacios, Raúl; Rojas-Sánchez, Teresita; Romero-Morelos, Pablo; Sánchez-Albor, Verónica; Mata, Osvaldo; Arana-Conejo, Víctor; Badillo-Romero, Jesús; Taniguchi, Keiko; Marrero-Rodríguez, Daniel; Mendoza-Rodríguez, Mónica; Rodríguez-Esquivel, Miriam; Huerta-Padilla, Víctor; Martínez-Castillo, Andrea; Hernández-Gallardo, Irma; López-Romero, Ricardo; Bandala, Cindy; Rosales-Guevara, Juan; Salcedo, Mauricio

    2017-01-26

    Cervical Cancer (CC) has become a public health concern of alarming proportions in many developing countries such as Mexico, particularly in low income sectors and marginalized regions. As such, an early detection is a key medical factor in improving not only their population's quality of life but also its life expectancy. Interestingly, there has been an increase in the number of reports describing successful attempts at detecting cancer cells in human tissues or fluids using trained (sniffer) dogs. The great odor detection threshold exhibited by dogs is not unheard of. However, this represented a potential opportunity to develop an affordable, accessible, and non-invasive method for detection of CC. Using clicker training, a male beagle was trained to recognize CC odor. During training, fresh CC biopsies were used as a reference point. Other samples used included cervical smears on glass slides and medical surgical bandages used as intimate sanitary pads by CC patients. A double-blind procedure was exercised when testing the beagle's ability to discriminate CC from control samples. The beagle was proven able to detect CC-specific volatile organic compounds (VOC) contained in both fresh cervical smear samples and adsorbent material samples. Beagle's success rate at detecting and discriminating CC and non-CC odors, as indicated by specificity and sensitivity values recorded during the experiment, stood at an overall high (>90%). CC-related VOC in adsorbent materials were detectable after only eight hours of use by CC patients. Present data suggests different applications for VOC from the uterine cervix to be used in the detection and diagnosis of CC. Furthermore, data supports the use of trained dogs as a viable, affordable, non-invasive and, therefore, highly relevant alternative method for detection of CC lesions. Additional benefits of this method include its quick turnaround time and ease of use while remaining highly accurate and robust.

  16. Non-invasive hypoglycemia monitoring system using extreme learning machine for Type 1 diabetes.

    PubMed

    Ling, Sai Ho; San, Phyo Phyo; Nguyen, Hung T

    2016-09-01

    Hypoglycemia is a very common in type 1 diabetic persons and can occur at any age. It is always threatening to the well-being of patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) since hypoglycemia leads to seizures or loss of consciousness and the possible development of permanent brain dysfunction under certain circumstances. Because of that, an accurate continuing hypoglycemia monitoring system is a very important medical device for diabetic patients. In this paper, we proposed a non-invasive hypoglycemia monitoring system using the physiological parameters of electrocardiography (ECG) signal. To enhance the detection accuracy, extreme learning machine (ELM) is developed to recognize the presence of hypoglycemia. A clinical study of 16 children with T1DM is given to illustrate the good performance of ELM. Copyright © 2016 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Thiomers: potential excipients for non-invasive peptide delivery systems.

    PubMed

    Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas; Krauland, Alexander H; Leitner, Verena M; Palmberger, Thomas

    2004-09-01

    In recent years thiolated polymers or so-called thiomers have appeared as a promising alternative in the arena of non-invasive peptide delivery. Thiomers are generated by the immobilisation of thiol-bearing ligands to mucoadhesive polymeric excipients. By formation of disulfide bonds with mucus glycoproteins, the mucoadhesive properties of these polymers are improved up to 130-fold. Due to formation of inter- and intramolecular disulfide bonds within the thiomer itself, dosage forms such as tablets or microparticles display strong cohesive properties resulting in comparatively higher stability, prolonged disintegration times and a more controlled release of the embedded peptide drug. The permeation of peptide drugs through mucosa can be improved by the use of thiolated polymers. Additionally some thiomers exhibit improved inhibitory properties towards peptidases. The efficacy of thiomers in non-invasive peptide delivery could be demonstrated by various in vivo studies. Tablets comprising a thiomer and pegylated insulin, for instance, resulted in a pharmacological efficacy of 7% after oral application to diabetic mice. Furthermore, a pharmacological efficacy of 1.3% was achieved in rats by oral administration of calcitonin tablets comprising a thiomer. Human growth hormone in a thiomer-gel was applied nasally to rats and led to a bioavailability of 2.75%. In all these studies, formulations comprising the corresponding unmodified polymer had only a marginal or no effect. According to these results drug carrier systems based on thiomers seem to be a promising tool for non-invasive peptide drug delivery.

  18. Accurate Biomass Estimation via Bayesian Adaptive Sampling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wheeler, Kevin R.; Knuth, Kevin H.; Castle, Joseph P.; Lvov, Nikolay

    2005-01-01

    The following concepts were introduced: a) Bayesian adaptive sampling for solving biomass estimation; b) Characterization of MISR Rahman model parameters conditioned upon MODIS landcover. c) Rigorous non-parametric Bayesian approach to analytic mixture model determination. d) Unique U.S. asset for science product validation and verification.

  19. Advances in non-invasive drug delivery for atherosclerotic heart disease.

    PubMed

    Maranhão, Raul C; Tavares, Elaine R

    2015-07-01

    Apart from statins, anti-platelet agents and invasive procedures, the anti-atherosclerotic medical weaponry for coronary heart disease (CHD) is scarce and only partially protects CHD patients from major adverse cardiac events. Several novel non-invasive strategies are being developed to widen the therapeutic options. Among them, drug delivery tools were tested in vivo encompassing liposomes, micelles, polymeric, metallic and lipid nanoparticles used as carriers of statins, corticosteroids, a bisphosphonate, a glitazone, anti-cancer agents, a mycotoxin, a calcium channel blocker and a compound of traditional Chinese medicine. All preparations improved parameters related to atherosclerotic lesions induced in rabbits, rats and mice and reduced neointima formation in experiments aiming to prevent post-stenting restenosis. In subjects submitted to percutaneous coronary intervention, nanoparticle formulations of paclitaxel and alendronate showed safety but are still not conclusive regarding in-stent late loss. The experience of our group in atherosclerotic rabbits treated with non-protein lipid nanoparticles associated with anti-cancer drugs such as paclitaxel, etoposide and methotrexate is summarized, and preliminary safety data in CHD patients are anticipated. Taken together, these studies show that non-invasive drug-delivery systems may become promising tools to rescue CHD patients from the risks of severe and life-threatening lesions that should be more energetically treated.

  20. Biomechanics of subcellular structures by non-invasive Brillouin microscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Antonacci, Giuseppe; Braakman, Sietse

    2016-11-01

    Cellular biomechanics play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of several diseases. Unfortunately, current methods to measure biomechanical properties are invasive and mostly limited to the surface of a cell. As a result, the mechanical behaviour of subcellular structures and organelles remains poorly characterised. Here, we show three-dimensional biomechanical images of single cells obtained with non-invasive, non-destructive Brillouin microscopy with an unprecedented spatial resolution. Our results quantify the longitudinal elastic modulus of subcellular structures. In particular, we found the nucleoli to be stiffer than both the nuclear envelope (p < 0.0001) and the surrounding cytoplasm (p < 0.0001). Moreover, we demonstrate the mechanical response of cells to Latrunculin-A, a drug that reduces cell stiffness by preventing cytoskeletal assembly. Our technique can therefore generate valuable insights into cellular biomechanics and its role in pathophysiology.

  1. Inferring invasive species abundance using removal data from management actions

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Davis, Amy J.; Hooten, Mevin B.; Miller, Ryan S.; Farnsworth, Matthew L.; Lewis, Jesse S.; Moxcey, Michael; Pepin, Kim M.

    2016-01-01

    Evaluation of the progress of management programs for invasive species is crucial for demonstrating impacts to stakeholders and strategic planning of resource allocation. Estimates of abundance before and after management activities can serve as a useful metric of population management programs. However, many methods of estimating population size are too labor intensive and costly to implement, posing restrictive levels of burden on operational programs. Removal models are a reliable method for estimating abundance before and after management using data from the removal activities exclusively, thus requiring no work in addition to management. We developed a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate abundance from removal data accounting for varying levels of effort, and used simulations to assess the conditions under which reliable population estimates are obtained. We applied this model to estimate site-specific abundance of an invasive species, feral swine (Sus scrofa), using removal data from aerial gunning in 59 site/time-frame combinations (480–19,600 acres) throughout Oklahoma and Texas, USA. Simulations showed that abundance estimates were generally accurate when effective removal rates (removal rate accounting for total effort) were above 0.40. However, when abundances were small (<50) the effective removal rate needed to accurately estimates abundances was considerably higher (0.70). Based on our post-validation method, 78% of our site/time frame estimates were accurate. To use this modeling framework it is important to have multiple removals (more than three) within a time frame during which demographic changes are minimized (i.e., a closed population; ≤3 months for feral swine). Our results show that the probability of accurately estimating abundance from this model improves with increased sampling effort (8+ flight hours across the 3-month window is best) and increased removal rate. Based on the inverse relationship between inaccurate abundances and

  2. Inferring invasive species abundance using removal data from management actions.

    PubMed

    Davis, Amy J; Hooten, Mevin B; Miller, Ryan S; Farnsworth, Matthew L; Lewis, Jesse; Moxcey, Michael; Pepin, Kim M

    2016-10-01

    Evaluation of the progress of management programs for invasive species is crucial for demonstrating impacts to stakeholders and strategic planning of resource allocation. Estimates of abundance before and after management activities can serve as a useful metric of population management programs. However, many methods of estimating population size are too labor intensive and costly to implement, posing restrictive levels of burden on operational programs. Removal models are a reliable method for estimating abundance before and after management using data from the removal activities exclusively, thus requiring no work in addition to management. We developed a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate abundance from removal data accounting for varying levels of effort, and used simulations to assess the conditions under which reliable population estimates are obtained. We applied this model to estimate site-specific abundance of an invasive species, feral swine (Sus scrofa), using removal data from aerial gunning in 59 site/time-frame combinations (480-19,600 acres) throughout Oklahoma and Texas, USA. Simulations showed that abundance estimates were generally accurate when effective removal rates (removal rate accounting for total effort) were above 0.40. However, when abundances were small (<50) the effective removal rate needed to accurately estimates abundances was considerably higher (0.70). Based on our post-validation method, 78% of our site/time frame estimates were accurate. To use this modeling framework it is important to have multiple removals (more than three) within a time frame during which demographic changes are minimized (i.e., a closed population; ≤3 months for feral swine). Our results show that the probability of accurately estimating abundance from this model improves with increased sampling effort (8+ flight hours across the 3-month window is best) and increased removal rate. Based on the inverse relationship between inaccurate abundances and

  3. Non-invasive acoustic-based monitoring of uranium in solution and H/D ratio

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pantea, Cristian; Beedle, Christopher Craig; Sinha, Dipen N.

    The primary objective of this project is to adapt existing non-invasive acoustic techniques (Swept-Frequency Acoustic Interferometry and Gaussian-pulse acoustic technique) for the purpose of demonstrating the ability to quantify U or H/D ratios in solution. Furthermore, a successful demonstration will provide an easily implemented, low cost, and non-invasive method for remote and unattended uranium mass measurements for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

  4. Non-invasive neural stem cells become invasive in vitro by combined FGF2 and BMP4 signaling.

    PubMed

    Sailer, Martin H M; Gerber, Alexandra; Tostado, Cristóbal; Hutter, Gregor; Cordier, Dominik; Mariani, Luigi; Ritz, Marie-Françoise

    2013-08-15

    Neural stem cells (NSCs) typically show efficient self-renewal and selective differentiation. Their invasion potential, however, is not well studied. In this study, Sox2-positive NSCs from the E14.5 rat cortex were found to be non-invasive and showed only limited migration in vitro. By contrast, FGF2-expanded NSCs showed a strong migratory and invasive phenotype in response to the combination of FGF2 and BMP4. Invasive NSCs expressed Podoplanin (PDPN) and p75NGFR (Ngfr) at the plasma membrane after exposure to FGF2 and BMP4. FGF2 and BMP4 together upregulated the expression of Msx1, Snail1, Snail2, Ngfr, which are all found in neural crest (NC) cells during or after epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), but not in forebrain stem cells. Invasive cells downregulated the expression of Olig2, Sox10, Egfr, Pdgfra, Gsh1/Gsx1 and Gsh2/Gsx2. Migrating and invasive NSCs had elevated expression of mRNA encoding Pax6, Tenascin C (TNC), PDPN, Hey1, SPARC, p75NGFR and Gli3. On the basis of the strongest upregulation in invasion-induced NSCs, we defined a group of five key invasion-related genes: Ngfr, Sparc, Snail1, Pdpn and Tnc. These genes were co-expressed and upregulated in seven samples of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) compared with normal human brain controls. Induction of invasion and migration led to low expression of differentiation markers and repressed proliferation in NSCs. Our results indicate that normal forebrain stem cells have the inherent ability to adopt a glioma-like invasiveness. The results provide a novel in vitro system to study stem cell invasion and a novel glioma invasion model: tumoral abuse of the developmental dorsoventral identity regulation.

  5. Non-invasive prediction of bloodstain age using the principal component and a back propagation artificial neural network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Huimin; Meng, Yaoyong; Zhang, Pingli; Li, Yajing; Li, Nan; Li, Caiyun; Guo, Zhiyou

    2017-09-01

    The age determination of bloodstains is an important and immediate challenge for forensic science. No reliable methods are currently available for estimating the age of bloodstains. Here we report a method for determining the age of bloodstains at different storage temperatures. Bloodstains were stored at 37 °C, 25 °C, 4 °C, and  -20 °C for 80 d. Bloodstains were measured using Raman spectroscopy at various time points. The principal component and a back propagation artificial neural network model were then established for estimating the age of the bloodstains. The results were ideal; the square of correlation coefficient was up to 0.99 (R 2  >  0.99) and the root mean square error of the prediction at lowest reached 55.9829 h. This method is real-time, non-invasive, non-destructive and highly efficiency. It may well prove that Raman spectroscopy is a promising tool for the estimation of the age of bloodstains.

  6. Linking Climate Suitability, Spread Rates and Host-Impact When Estimating the Potential Costs of Invasive Pests

    PubMed Central

    Kriticos, Darren J.; Leriche, Agathe; Palmer, David J.; Cook, David C.; Brockerhoff, Eckehard G.; Stephens, Andréa E. A.; Watt, Michael S.

    2013-01-01

    Biosecurity agencies need robust bioeconomic tools to help inform policy and allocate scarce management resources. They need to estimate the potential for each invasive alien species (IAS) to create negative impacts, so that relative and absolute comparisons can be made. Using pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa sensu lato) as an example, these needs were met by combining species niche modelling, dispersal modelling, host impact and economic modelling. Within its native range (the Mediterranean Basin and adjacent areas), T. pityocampa causes significant defoliation of pines and serious urticating injuries to humans. Such severe impacts overseas have fuelled concerns about its potential impacts, should it be introduced to New Zealand. A stochastic bioeconomic model was used to estimate the impact of PPM invasion in terms of pine production value lost due to a hypothetical invasion of New Zealand by T. pityocampa. The bioeconomic model combines a semi-mechanistic niche model to develop a climate-related damage function, a climate-related forest growth model, and a stochastic spread model to estimate the present value (PV) of an invasion. Simulated invasions indicate that Thaumetopoea pityocampa could reduce New Zealand’s merchantable and total pine stem volume production by 30%, reducing forest production by between NZ$1,550 M to NZ$2,560 M if left untreated. Where T. pityocampa is controlled using aerial application of an insecticide, projected losses in PV were reduced, but still significant (NZ$30 M to NZ$2,210 M). The PV estimates were more sensitive to the efficacy of the spray program than the potential rate of spread of the moth. Our novel bioeconomic method provides a refined means of estimating potential impacts of invasive alien species, taking into account climatic effects on asset values, the potential for pest impacts, and pest spread rates. PMID:23405097

  7. Non-invasive blood glucose monitor based on spectroscopy using a smartphone.

    PubMed

    Dantu, Vishnu; Vempati, Jagannadh; Srivilliputhur, Srinivasan

    2014-01-01

    Development of a novel method for non-invasive measurement of blood glucose concentration using smartphone is discussed. Our research work has three major contributions to society and science. First, we modified and extended the Beer-Lambert's law in physics to accommodate for multiple wavelengths. This extension can aid researchers who wish to perform optical spectroscopy. Second, we successfully developed a creative and non-invasive way for diabetic patients to measure glucose levels via a smartphone. Researchers and chemists can now use their smartphones to determine the absorbance and, therefore, concentration of a chemical. Third, we created an inexpensive way to perform optical spectroscopy by using a smartphone. Monitoring blood glucose using a smartphone application that simply uses equipment already available on smartphones will improve the lives of diabetic patients who can continuously check their blood glucose levels while avoiding the current inconvenient, unhygienic, and costly invasive glucose meters.

  8. Long Term Non-Invasive Imaging of Embryonic Stem Cells Using Reporter Genes

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Ning; Lee, Andrew; Wu, Joseph C.

    2013-01-01

    Development of non-invasive and accurate methods to track cell fate following delivery will greatly expedite transition of embryonic stem (ES) cell therapy to the clinic. Here we describe a protocol for the in vivo monitoring of stem cell survival, proliferation, and migration using reporter genes. We established stable ES cell lines constitutively expressing double fusion (DF; enhanced green fluorescent protein and firefly luciferase) or triple fusion (TF; monomeric red fluorescent protein, firefly luciferase, and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase) reporter genes using lentiviral transduction. We used fluorescence activated cell sorting to purify these populations in vitro, bioluminescence imaging and positron emission tomography imaging to track them in vivo, and fluorescence immunostaining to confirm the results ex vivo. Unlike other methods of cell tracking such as iron particle and radionuclide labeling, reporter genes are inherited genetically and can be used to monitor cell proliferation and survival for the lifetime of transplanted cells and their progeny. PMID:19617890

  9. [Statement of the Association of Pneumological Clinics and the German Respiratory Society on the coding of invasive and non-invasive ventilation in intensity care].

    PubMed

    2013-07-01

    Mechanical ventilation in patients with respiratory failure represents one of the most important aspects of intensity care. It can be performed invasively and non-invasively depending on the clinical situation and the underlying disease. The expenditure and consumption of resources is the basis of the compensation for each patient case in the German diagnosis related group system. For ventilated patients it is calculated based on the hours of ventilation, according to the standard coding guideline. In this statement, the German Respiratory Society and the Association of Pneumological Clinics aim to clarify some aspects of the coding of invasive and non-invasive ventilation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  10. Magneto-electric nano-particles for non-invasive brain stimulation.

    PubMed

    Yue, Kun; Guduru, Rakesh; Hong, Jeongmin; Liang, Ping; Nair, Madhavan; Khizroev, Sakhrat

    2012-01-01

    This paper for the first time discusses a computational study of using magneto-electric (ME) nanoparticles to artificially stimulate the neural activity deep in the brain. The new technology provides a unique way to couple electric signals in the neural network to the magnetic dipoles in the nanoparticles with the purpose to enable a non-invasive approach. Simulations of the effect of ME nanoparticles for non-invasively stimulating the brain of a patient with Parkinson's Disease to bring the pulsed sequences of the electric field to the levels comparable to those of healthy people show that the optimized values for the concentration of the 20-nm nanoparticles (with the magneto-electric (ME) coefficient of 100 V cm(-1) Oe(-1) in the aqueous solution) is 3 × 10(6) particles/cc, and the frequency of the externally applied 300-Oe magnetic field is 80 Hz.

  11. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) for single gene disorders: cost analysis of NIPD and invasive testing pathways.

    PubMed

    Verhoef, Talitha I; Hill, Melissa; Drury, Suzanne; Mason, Sarah; Jenkins, Lucy; Morris, Stephen; Chitty, Lyn S

    2016-07-01

    Evaluate the costs of offering non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) for single gene disorders compared to traditional invasive testing to inform NIPD implementation into clinical practice. Total costs of diagnosis using NIPD or invasive testing pathways were compared for a representative set of single gene disorders. For autosomal dominant conditions, where NIPD molecular techniques are straightforward, NIPD cost £314 less than invasive testing. NIPD for autosomal recessive and X-linked conditions requires more complicated technical approaches and total costs were more than invasive testing, e.g. NIPD for spinal muscular atrophy was £1090 more than invasive testing. Impact of test uptake on costs was assessed using sickle cell disorder as an example. Anticipated high uptake of NIPD resulted in an incremental cost of NIPD over invasive testing of £48 635 per 100 pregnancies at risk of sickle cell disorder. Total costs of NIPD are dependent upon the complexity of the testing technique required. Anticipated increased demand for testing may have economic implications for prenatal diagnostic services. Ethical issues requiring further consideration are highlighted including directing resources to NIPD when used for information only and restricting access to safe tests if it is not cost-effective to develop NIPD for rare conditions. © 2016 The Authors. Prenatal Diagnosis published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2016 The Authors. Prenatal Diagnosis published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Efficient distinction of invasive aquatic plant species from non-invasive related species using DNA barcoding.

    PubMed

    Ghahramanzadeh, R; Esselink, G; Kodde, L P; Duistermaat, H; van Valkenburg, J L C H; Marashi, S H; Smulders, M J M; van de Wiel, C C M

    2013-01-01

    Biological invasions are regarded as threats to global biodiversity. Among invasive aliens, a number of plant species belonging to the genera Myriophyllum, Ludwigia and Cabomba, and to the Hydrocharitaceae family pose a particular ecological threat to water bodies. Therefore, one would try to prevent them from entering a country. However, many related species are commercially traded, and distinguishing invasive from non-invasive species based on morphology alone is often difficult for plants in a vegetative stage. In this regard, DNA barcoding could become a good alternative. In this study, 242 samples belonging to 26 species from 10 genera of aquatic plants were assessed using the chloroplast loci trnH-psbA, matK and rbcL. Despite testing a large number of primer sets and several PCR protocols, the matK locus could not be amplified or sequenced reliably and therefore was left out of the analysis. Using the other two loci, eight invasive species could be distinguished from their respective related species, a ninth one failed to produce sequences of sufficient quality. Based on the criteria of universal application, high sequence divergence and level of species discrimination, the trnH-psbA noncoding spacer was the best performing barcode in the aquatic plant species studied. Thus, DNA barcoding may be helpful with enforcing a ban on trade of such invasive species, such as is already in place in the Netherlands. This will become even more so once DNA barcoding would be turned into machinery routinely operable by a nonspecialist in botany and molecular genetics. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  13. Non-invasive biophysical measurement of travelling waves in the insect inner ear

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Frequency analysis in the mammalian cochlea depends on the propagation of frequency information in the form of a travelling wave (TW) across tonotopically arranged auditory sensilla. TWs have been directly observed in the basilar papilla of birds and the ears of bush-crickets (Insecta: Orthoptera) and have also been indirectly inferred in the hearing organs of some reptiles and frogs. Existing experimental approaches to measure TW function in tetrapods and bush-crickets are inherently invasive, compromising the fine-scale mechanics of each system. Located in the forelegs, the bush-cricket ear exhibits outer, middle and inner components; the inner ear containing tonotopically arranged auditory sensilla within a fluid-filled cavity, and externally protected by the leg cuticle. Here, we report bush-crickets with transparent ear cuticles as potential model species for direct, non-invasive measuring of TWs and tonotopy. Using laser Doppler vibrometry and spectroscopy, we show that increased transmittance of light through the ear cuticle allows for effective non-invasive measurements of TWs and frequency mapping. More transparent cuticles allow several properties of TWs to be precisely recovered and measured in vivo from intact specimens. Our approach provides an innovative, non-invasive alternative to measure the natural motion of the sensilla-bearing surface embedded in the intact inner ear fluid. PMID:28573026

  14. Non-invasive characterization of structure and morphology of silk fibroin biomaterials using non-linear microscopy

    PubMed Central

    Rice, William L.; Firdous, Shamaraz; Gupta, Sharad; Hunter, Martin; Foo, Cheryl Wong Po; Wang, Yongzhong; Kim, Hyeon Joo; Kaplan, David L.; Georgakoudi, Irene

    2009-01-01

    Designing biomaterial scaffolds remains a major challenge in tissue engineering. Key to this challenge is improved understanding of the relationships between the scaffold properties and its degradation kinetics, as well as the cell interactions and the promotion of new matrix deposition. Here we present the use of non-linear spectroscopic imaging as a non-invasive method to characterize not only morphological, but also structural aspects of silkworm silk fibroin-based biomaterials, relying entirely on endogenous optical contrast. We demonstrate that two photon excited fluorescence and second harmonic generation are sensitive to the hydration, overall β sheet content and molecular orientation of the sample. Thus, the functional content and high resolution afforded by these non-invasive approaches offer promise for identifying important connections between biomaterial design and functional engineered tissue development. The strategies described also have broader implications for understanding and tracking the remodeling of degradable biomaterials under dynamic conditions both in vitro and in vivo. PMID:18291520

  15. Polynomial Fitting of DT-MRI Fiber Tracts Allows Accurate Estimation of Muscle Architectural Parameters

    PubMed Central

    Damon, Bruce M.; Heemskerk, Anneriet M.; Ding, Zhaohua

    2012-01-01

    Fiber curvature is a functionally significant muscle structural property, but its estimation from diffusion-tensor MRI fiber tracking data may be confounded by noise. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of polynomial fitting of fiber tracts for improving the accuracy and precision of fiber curvature (κ) measurements. Simulated image datasets were created in order to provide data with known values for κ and pennation angle (θ). Simulations were designed to test the effects of increasing inherent fiber curvature (3.8, 7.9, 11.8, and 15.3 m−1), signal-to-noise ratio (50, 75, 100, and 150), and voxel geometry (13.8 and 27.0 mm3 voxel volume with isotropic resolution; 13.5 mm3 volume with an aspect ratio of 4.0) on κ and θ measurements. In the originally reconstructed tracts, θ was estimated accurately under most curvature and all imaging conditions studied; however, the estimates of κ were imprecise and inaccurate. Fitting the tracts to 2nd order polynomial functions provided accurate and precise estimates of κ for all conditions except very high curvature (κ=15.3 m−1), while preserving the accuracy of the θ estimates. Similarly, polynomial fitting of in vivo fiber tracking data reduced the κ values of fitted tracts from those of unfitted tracts and did not change the θ values. Polynomial fitting of fiber tracts allows accurate estimation of physiologically reasonable values of κ, while preserving the accuracy of θ estimation. PMID:22503094

  16. An advanced design of non-radioactive image capturing and management system for applications in non-invasive skin disorder diagnosis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Carol Y. B.; Luk, David C. K.; Zhou, Kany S. Y.; So, Bryan M. K.; Louie, Derek C. H.

    2015-03-01

    Due to the increasing incidences of malignant melanoma, there is a rising demand for assistive technologies for its early diagnosis and improving the survival rate. The commonly used visual screening method is with limited accuracy as the early phase of melanoma shares many clinical features with an atypical nevus, while conventional dermoscopes are not user-friendly in terms of setup time and operations. Therefore, the development of an intelligent and handy system to assist the accurate screening and long-term monitoring of melanocytic skin lesions is crucial for early diagnosis and prevention of melanoma. In this paper, an advanced design of non-invasive and non-radioactive dermoscopy system was reported. Computer-aided simulations were conducted for optimizing the optical design and uniform illumination distribution. Functional prototype and the software system were further developed, which could enable image capturing at 10x amplified and general modes, convenient data transmission, analysis of dermoscopic features (e.g., asymmetry, border irregularity, color, diameter and dermoscopic structure) for assisting the early detection of melanoma, extract patient information (e.g. code, lesion location) and integrate with dermoscopic images, thus further support long term monitoring of diagnostic analysis results. A clinical trial study was further conducted on 185 Chinese children (0-18 years old). The results showed that for all subjects, skin conditions diagnosed based on the developed system accurately confirmed the diagnoses by conventional clinical procedures. Besides, clinical analysis on dermoscopic features and a potential standard approach by the developed system to support identifying specific melanocytic patterns for dermoscopic examination in Chinese children were also reported.

  17. Outcomes of non-invasive diagnostic modalities for the detection of coronary artery disease: network meta-analysis of diagnostic randomised controlled trials

    PubMed Central

    Siontis, George CM; Mavridis, Dimitris; Greenwood, John P; Coles, Bernadette; Nikolakopoulou, Adriani; Jüni, Peter; Salanti, Georgia

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Objective To evaluate differences in downstream testing, coronary revascularisation, and clinical outcomes following non-invasive diagnostic modalities used to detect coronary artery disease. Design Systematic review and network meta-analysis. Data sources Medline, Medline in process, Embase, Cochrane Library for clinical trials, PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and Clinicaltrials.gov. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Diagnostic randomised controlled trials comparing non-invasive diagnostic modalities in patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of low risk acute coronary syndrome or stable coronary artery disease. Data synthesis A random effects network meta-analysis synthesised available evidence from trials evaluating the effect of non-invasive diagnostic modalities on downstream testing and patient oriented outcomes in patients with suspected coronary artery disease. Modalities included exercise electrocardiograms, stress echocardiography, single photon emission computed tomography-myocardial perfusion imaging, real time myocardial contrast echocardiography, coronary computed tomographic angiography, and cardiovascular magnetic resonance. Unpublished outcome data were obtained from 11 trials. Results 18 trials of patients with low risk acute coronary syndrome (n=11 329) and 12 trials of those with suspected stable coronary artery disease (n=22 062) were included. Among patients with low risk acute coronary syndrome, stress echocardiography, cardiovascular magnetic resonance, and exercise electrocardiograms resulted in fewer invasive referrals for coronary angiography than coronary computed tomographic angiography (odds ratio 0.28 (95% confidence interval 0.14 to 0.57), 0.32 (0.15 to 0.71), and 0.53 (0.28 to 1.00), respectively). There was no effect on the subsequent risk of myocardial infarction, but estimates were imprecise. Heterogeneity and inconsistency were low. In patients with

  18. Detecting Lung Diseases from Exhaled Aerosols: Non-Invasive Lung Diagnosis Using Fractal Analysis and SVM Classification

    PubMed Central

    Xi, Jinxiang; Zhao, Weizhong; Yuan, Jiayao Eddie; Kim, JongWon; Si, Xiuhua; Xu, Xiaowei

    2015-01-01

    Background Each lung structure exhales a unique pattern of aerosols, which can be used to detect and monitor lung diseases non-invasively. The challenges are accurately interpreting the exhaled aerosol fingerprints and quantitatively correlating them to the lung diseases. Objective and Methods In this study, we presented a paradigm of an exhaled aerosol test that addresses the above two challenges and is promising to detect the site and severity of lung diseases. This paradigm consists of two steps: image feature extraction using sub-regional fractal analysis and data classification using a support vector machine (SVM). Numerical experiments were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the breath test in four asthmatic lung models. A high-fidelity image-CFD approach was employed to compute the exhaled aerosol patterns under different disease conditions. Findings By employing the 10-fold cross-validation method, we achieved 100% classification accuracy among four asthmatic models using an ideal 108-sample dataset and 99.1% accuracy using a more realistic 324-sample dataset. The fractal-SVM classifier has been shown to be robust, highly sensitive to structural variations, and inherently suitable for investigating aerosol-disease correlations. Conclusion For the first time, this study quantitatively linked the exhaled aerosol patterns with their underlying diseases and set the stage for the development of a computer-aided diagnostic system for non-invasive detection of obstructive respiratory diseases. PMID:26422016

  19. Non-Invasive Acoustic-Based Monitoring of Heavy Water and Uranium Process Solutions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pantea, Cristian; Sinha, Dipen N.; Lakis, Rollin Evan

    This presentation includes slides on Project Goals; Heavy Water Production Monitoring: A New Challenge for the IAEA; Noninvasive Measurements in SFAI Cell; Large Scatter in Literature Values; Large Scatter in Literature Values; Highest Precision Sound Speed Data Available: New Standard in H/D; ~400 pts of data; Noninvasive Measurements in SFAI Cell; New funding from NA241 SGTech; Uranium Solution Monitoring: Inspired by IAEA Challenge in Kazakhstan; Non-Invasive Acoustic-Based Monitoring of Uranium in Solutions; Non-Invasive Acoustic-Based Monitoring of Uranium in Solutions; and finally a summary.

  20. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis.

    PubMed

    Meaney, Cathy; Norbury, Gail

    2011-01-01

    The discovery of cell-free fetal DNA in the maternal plasma of pregnant women has facilitated the development of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD). This has been successfully implemented in diagnostic laboratories for Rhesus typing and fetal sex determination for X-linked disorders and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) from 7 weeks gestation. Using real-time PCR, fluorescently labelled target gene specific probes can identify and quantify low copy number fetal-specific sequences in a high background of maternal DNA in the cell-free DNA extracted from maternal plasma.NIPD to detect specific fetal mutations in single gene disorders, currently by standard PCR techniques, can only be undertaken for paternally derived or de novo mutations because of the background maternal DNA. For routine use, this testing is limited by the large amounts of cell-free maternal DNA in the sample, the lack of universal fetal markers, and appropriate reference materials.

  1. Non invasive diagnostic methods for better screening of peripheral arterial disease.

    PubMed

    Nirala, Neelamshobha; Periyasamy, R; Kumar, Awanish

    2018-05-16

    Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to extremities usually legs. It does not receive enough blood flow to keep up with demand. This causes symptoms, most notably leg pain while walking which is known as claudication. It is a common manifestation of type II Diabetes, but the relationship between other vascular diseases and lower limb (LL)-PAD has been poorly understood and investigated. When assessing a patient with clinically LLPAD, two questions are in order to establish a diagnosis: one is non-invasive testing and other is invasive. Invasive methods are painful and get so bad that some people need to have a leg surgery. People with Diabetes are at increased risk for amputation and it is used only when the damage is very severe. Diagnosis of LLPAD begins with a physical examination, patient history, certain questionnaire and non invasive mode of diagnosis is started for the screening of patients. Clinicians check for weak pulses in the legs and then decide for further diagnosis. Paper discusses the prevalence of LLPAD worldwide and in India along with the clinical effectiveness and limitations of these methods in case of Diabetes. The focus of this review is to discuss only those non invasive methods which are widely used for screening of LLPAD like Ankle brachial index (ABI), Toe brachial Index (TBI), and use of photoplethysmogram (PPG) specially in case of Diabetic patients. Also, this paper gives an overview of the work done using ABI, TBI, and PPG for detection of LLPAD. These tests are not painful and could be performed in a cost-effective manner to avoid delays in screening/diagnosis and also reduce costs. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  2. Comparison of non-invasive assessment to diagnose liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B and C patients.

    PubMed

    Stibbe, Krista J M; Verveer, Claudia; Francke, Jan; Hansen, Bettina E; Zondervan, Pieter E; Kuipers, Ernst J; de Knegt, Robert J; van Vuuren, Anneke J

    2011-07-01

    Chronic viral hepatitis B and C cause liver fibrosis, leading to cirrhosis. Fibrosis assessment is essential to establish prognosis and treatment indication. We compared seven non-invasive tests, separately and in combination, in chronic hepatitis patients to detect early stages of fibrosis according to the Metavir score in liver biopsy. Galactose and methacetin breath tests (GBT and MBT), biomarkers (hyaluronic acid (HA), aspartate aminotransferase platelet ratio index (APRI), FibroTest, and Fib-4) and transient elastography (TE) were evaluated in 89 patients. Additionally, 31 healthy controls were included for evaluation of breath tests and biomarkers. Serum markers (HA, APRI, FibroTest, and Fib-4) and elastography significantly distinguished non-cirrhotic (F0123) from cirrhotic (F4) patients (p < 0.001, p = 0.015, p < 0.001, p = 0.005, p = 0.006, respectively). GBT, HA, APRI, FibroTest, Fib-4, and TE detected F01 from F234 (p = 0.04, p = 0.011, p = 0.009, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). A combination of different tests (TE, HA, and FibroTest) improved the performance statistically, area under the curve (AUC) = 0.87 for F234, 0.92 for F34, and 0.90 for F4. HA, APRI, FibroTest, Fib-4, and TE reliably distinguish non-cirrhotic and cirrhotic patients. Except for MBT, all tests discriminate between mild and moderate fibrosis. As single tests: FibroTest, Fib-4, and TE were the most accurate for detecting early fibrosis; combining different non-invasive tests increased the accuracy for detection of liver fibrosis to such an extent and thus might be acceptable to replace liver biopsy.

  3. Minimally invasive plate augmentation in the treatment of long-bone non-unions.

    PubMed

    Park, Ki-Chul; Oh, Chang-Wug; Kim, Joon-Woo; Park, Kyeong-Hyeon; Oh, Jong-Keon; Park, Il-Hyung; Kyung, Hee-Soo; Heo, Jeong

    2017-11-01

    Exchange nailing is most acceptable for treating hypertrophic non-union of the long bones, requiring the removal of previously fixed implant. However, its main effect of mechanical stabilization is controversial in non-isthmal area. We hypothesized that minimally invasive plate augmentation over the non-union site may have a better option, without the need of bone grafting or removing pre-existing implants. Seventeen patients with hypertrophic non-union of the long bones between 2010 and 2014 on radiography who previously underwent intramedullary (IM) nailing or plate osteosynthesis for long-bone fractures were included. A locking compression plate was inserted with at least three mono- or bicortical screws at each proximal and distal segment. Broken or loosened interlocking screws of IM nail were simultaneously re-fixed. Fracture site exposure, pre-fixed implant removal, and bone grafting were not performed. We investigated whether union occurred and analyzed functional outcomes and complications. Eleven femoral and six tibial non-unions were prospectively included. In the pre-existing implants, 13 nails and 4 plates were found. All cases achieved union at a mean 22.7 weeks. One case of superficial infection was managed with oral antibiotics. Deep infection or implant failure did not occur. Minimally invasive plate augmentation can achieve additional stability and promote healing of hypertrophic non-union of the long bones. When indicated, this technique is the least invasive alternative to exchange nailing and reduces surgical risks in the treatment of diaphyseal non-union.

  4. Invasions by two non-native insects alter regional forest species composition and successional trajectories

    Treesearch

    Randall S. Morin; Andrew M. Liebhold

    2015-01-01

    While invasions of individual non-native phytophagous insect species are known to affect growth and mortality of host trees, little is known about how multiple invasions combine to alter forest dynamics over large regions. In this study we integrate geographical data describing historical invasion spread of the hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae...

  5. Pilot study for supervised target detection applied to spatially registered multiparametric MRI in order to non-invasively score prostate cancer.

    PubMed

    Mayer, Rulon; Simone, Charles B; Skinner, William; Turkbey, Baris; Choykey, Peter

    2018-03-01

    Gleason Score (GS) is a validated predictor of prostate cancer (PCa) disease progression and outcomes. GS from invasive needle biopsies suffers from significant inter-observer variability and possible sampling error, leading to underestimating disease severity ("underscoring") and can result in possible complications. A robust non-invasive image-based approach is, therefore, needed. Use spatially registered multi-parametric MRI (MP-MRI), signatures, and supervised target detection algorithms (STDA) to non-invasively GS PCa at the voxel level. This study retrospectively analyzed 26 MP-MRI from The Cancer Imaging Archive. The MP-MRI (T2, Diffusion Weighted, Dynamic Contrast Enhanced) were spatially registered to each other, combined into stacks, and stitched together to form hypercubes. Multi-parametric (or multi-spectral) signatures derived from a training set of registered MP-MRI were transformed using statistics-based Whitening-Dewhitening (WD). Transformed signatures were inserted into STDA (having conical decision surfaces) applied to registered MP-MRI determined the tumor GS. The MRI-derived GS was quantitatively compared to the pathologist's assessment of the histology of sectioned whole mount prostates from patients who underwent radical prostatectomy. In addition, a meta-analysis of 17 studies of needle biopsy determined GS with confusion matrices and was compared to the MRI-determined GS. STDA and histology determined GS are highly correlated (R = 0.86, p < 0.02). STDA more accurately determined GS and reduced GS underscoring of PCa relative to needle biopsy as summarized by meta-analysis (p < 0.05). This pilot study found registered MP-MRI, STDA, and WD transforms of signatures shows promise in non-invasively GS PCa and reducing underscoring with high spatial resolution. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Assessment of perioperative minute ventilation in obese versus non-obese patients with a non-invasive respiratory volume monitor.

    PubMed

    Mehta, Jaideep H; Cattano, Davide; Brayanov, Jordan B; George, Edward E

    2017-04-26

    Monitoring the adequacy of spontaneous breathing is a major patient safety concern in the post-operative setting. Monitoring is particularly important for obese patients, who are at a higher risk for post-surgical respiratory complications and often have increased metabolic demand due to excess weight. Here we used a novel, noninvasive Respiratory Volume Monitor (RVM) to monitor ventilation in both obese and non-obese orthopedic patients throughout their perioperative course, in order to develop better monitoring strategies. We collected respiratory data from 62 orthopedic patients undergoing elective joint replacement surgery under general anesthesia using a bio-impedance based RVM with an electrode PadSet placed on the thorax. Patients were stratified into obese (BMI ≥ 30) and non-obese cohorts and minute ventilation (MV) at various perioperative time points was compared against each patient's predicted minute ventilation (MV PRED ) based on ideal body weight (IBW) and body surface area (BSA). The distributions of MV measurements were also compared across obese and non-obese cohorts. Obese patients had higher MV than the non-obese patients before, during, and after surgery. Measured MV of obese patients was significantly higher than their MV PRED from IBW formulas, with BSA-based MV PRED being a closer estimate. Obese patients also had greater variability in MV post-operatively when treated with standard opioid dosing. Our study demonstrated that obese patients have greater variability in ventilation post-operatively when treated with standard opioid doses, and despite overall higher ventilation, many of them are still at risk for hypoventilation. BSA-based MV PRED formulas may be more appropriate than IBW-based ones when estimating the respiratory demand of obese patients. The RVM allows for the continuous and non-invasive assessment of respiratory function in both obese and non-obese patients.

  7. Non-invasive assessments of adipose tissue metabolism in vitro

    PubMed Central

    Abbott, Rosalyn D.; Borowsky, Francis E.; Quinn, Kyle P.; Bernstein, David L.; Georgakoudi, Irene; Kaplan, David L.

    2015-01-01

    Adipose tissue engineering is a diverse area of research where the developed tissues can be used to study normal adipose tissue functions, create disease models in vitro, and replace soft tissue defects in vivo. Increasing attention has been focused on the highly specialized metabolic pathways that regulate energy storage and release in adipose tissues which affect local and systemic outcomes. Non-invasive, dynamic measurement systems are useful to track these metabolic pathways in the same tissue model over time to evaluate long term cell growth, differentiation, and development within tissue engineering constructs. This approach reduces costs and time in comparison to more traditional destructive methods such as biochemical and immunochemistry assays and proteomics assessments. Towards this goal, this review will focus on important metabolic functions of adipose tissues and strategies to evaluate them with noninvasive in vitro methods. Current non-invasive methods, such as measuring key metabolic markers and endogenous contrast imaging will be explored. PMID:26399988

  8. Molecular Landscape of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer.

    PubMed

    Meeks, Joshua J; Lerner, Seth P

    2017-11-13

    In this issue of Cancer Cell, Hurst et al. report an integrated analysis of non-invasive (stage Ta) bladder cancer. Two genomic subtypes are distinguished by chromosome 9q loss, resulting in increased AKT/PI3K/mTOR signaling. Tumors from female patients have a higher frequency of KDM6A mutations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Non-invasive determination of the complete elastic moduli of spider silks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koski, Kristie J.; Akhenblit, Paul; McKiernan, Keri; Yarger, Jeffery L.

    2013-03-01

    Spider silks possess nature’s most exceptional mechanical properties, with unrivalled extensibility and high tensile strength. Unfortunately, our understanding of silks is limited because the complete elastic response has never been measured—leaving a stark lack of essential fundamental information. Using non-invasive, non-destructive Brillouin light scattering, we obtain the entire stiffness tensors (revealing negative Poisson’s ratios), refractive indices, and longitudinal and transverse sound velocities for major and minor ampullate spider silks: Argiope aurantia, Latrodectus hesperus, Nephila clavipes, Peucetia viridans. These results completely quantify the linear elastic response for all possible deformation modes, information unobtainable with traditional stress-strain tests. For completeness, we apply the principles of Brillouin imaging to spatially map the elastic stiffnesses on a spider web without deforming or disrupting the web in a non-invasive, non-contact measurement, finding variation among discrete fibres, junctions and glue spots. Finally, we provide the stiffness changes that occur with supercontraction.

  10. [Clinical guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of patients with non-invasive breast cancer].

    PubMed

    Brnijć, Zoran; Brkljacić, Boris; Drinković, Ivan; Jakić-Razumović, Jasminka; Kardum-Skelin, Ika; Krajina, Zdenko; Margaritoni, Marko; Strnad, Marija; Sarcević, Bozena; Tomić, Snjezana; Zic, Rado

    2012-01-01

    Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women. Early diagnosis and more effective treatment of invasive breast cancer resulted in significant mortality reduction, improvement of survival and the quality of life of the patients. The management od non-invasive breast cancer, on the contrary, is still controversial and the problem of overdiagnosis and overtreatment of patients come to evidence. In the following text a multidisciplinary team of experts brings the first consensus guidelines aimed to standardize and optimize the criteria and management in diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of non-invasive breast cancer patients in the Republic of Croatia.

  11. [Observation on non-invasive electrode pulse electric stimulation for treatment of Bell's palsy].

    PubMed

    Guo, Qing-Hua; Yan, Jian-Zhen; Yan, Wu-Shen; Xiao, Mei-Zhen

    2006-12-01

    To explore non-invasive therapy for treatment of Bell palsy. Two hundred and seventy-six were randomly divided into two groups, a treatment group and a control group, 138 cases in each group. The treatment group were treated with non-invasive electrode pulse electric stimulation at Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Sibai (ST 2), Qianzheng (Extra), Dicang (ST 4), and the control group with routine medicine (prednisone, dibazol, vitamine B complex and Qianzheng Powder), once each day, 10 days constituting one course. After two courses, their therapeutic effects were compared. The cured rate and the effective rate were 83.3% and 99.3% in the treatment group, and 48.5% and 88.4% in the control group respectively with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). Non-invasive electrode pulse electric stimulation at facial points has obvious therapeutic effect on Bell palsy.

  12. Research of transmissive near infrared spectroscopy for non-invasive blood glucose measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Wenming; Liao, Ningfang; Li, Yasheng; Shao, Liwei; Huang, Dehuang

    2016-10-01

    Near infrared (NIR) has prospectively applied in non-invasive blood glucose measurement due to glucose absorption among the 1.0-2.5m spectral bands. However, this significant technology is hard to be developed because of other blood components and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In this work, we presented a non-invasive glucose measurement system using Fourier transform spectrometer which will work in fingertips or other human body tissues. A refrigerated InGaAs detector with high quantum efficiency performing well in the range of 1.0-1.7μm wavelength is used to acquire transmissive radiation. Preliminary experiment investigations were set up to test glucose levels of aqueous solutions with different concentrations. The analytical modeling of the interferogram data is based on arithmetic Fourier transform and supported by the curvilineal characterization. Experimental results show the variation of light intensity among different glucose concentrations and emphasize the obvious absorption of glucose in NIR wave-range. This study confirms the suitability that NIR can be developed in non-invasive glucose measurement.

  13. Comparison of accuracy of fibrosis degree classifications by liver biopsy and non-invasive tests in chronic hepatitis C.

    PubMed

    Boursier, Jérôme; Bertrais, Sandrine; Oberti, Frédéric; Gallois, Yves; Fouchard-Hubert, Isabelle; Rousselet, Marie-Christine; Zarski, Jean-Pierre; Calès, Paul

    2011-11-30

    .9% (0.9%), p < 10-3 (p < 10-3). The accuracy in detailed fibrosis classification of the best-performing blood test outperforms liver biopsy read by a local pathologist, i.e., in clinical practice; however, the classification precision is apparently lesser. This detailed classification accuracy is much lower than that of significant fibrosis with Fibroscan and even Fibrotest but higher with FibroMeter3G. FibroMeter classification accuracy was significantly higher than those of other non-invasive tests. Finally, for hepatitis C evaluation in clinical practice, fibrosis degree can be evaluated using an accurate blood test.

  14. Comparison of accuracy of fibrosis degree classifications by liver biopsy and non-invasive tests in chronic hepatitis C

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    .7% (6.0%), FibroMeter3G: 0.9% (0.9%), p < 10-3 (p < 10-3). Conclusions The accuracy in detailed fibrosis classification of the best-performing blood test outperforms liver biopsy read by a local pathologist, i.e., in clinical practice; however, the classification precision is apparently lesser. This detailed classification accuracy is much lower than that of significant fibrosis with Fibroscan and even Fibrotest but higher with FibroMeter3G. FibroMeter classification accuracy was significantly higher than those of other non-invasive tests. Finally, for hepatitis C evaluation in clinical practice, fibrosis degree can be evaluated using an accurate blood test. PMID:22129438

  15. Non-invasive method of measuring cerebral spinal fluid pressure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Borchert, Mark S. (Inventor); Lambert, James L. (Inventor)

    2000-01-01

    The invention provides a method of non-invasively determining intracranial pressure from measurements of an eye. A parameter of an optic nerve of the eye is determined, along with an intraocular pressure of the eye. The intracranial pressure may be determined from the intraocular pressure and the parameter.

  16. Asian-Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) consensus guidelines on invasive and non-invasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis: a 2016 update.

    PubMed

    Shiha, Gamal; Ibrahim, Alaa; Helmy, Ahmed; Sarin, Shiv Kumar; Omata, Masao; Kumar, Ashish; Bernstien, David; Maruyama, Hitushi; Saraswat, Vivek; Chawla, Yogesh; Hamid, Saeed; Abbas, Zaigham; Bedossa, Pierre; Sakhuja, Puja; Elmahatab, Mamun; Lim, Seng Gee; Lesmana, Laurentius; Sollano, Jose; Jia, Ji-Dong; Abbas, Bahaa; Omar, Ashraf; Sharma, Barjesh; Payawal, Diana; Abdallah, Ahmed; Serwah, Abdelhamid; Hamed, Abdelkhalek; Elsayed, Aly; AbdelMaqsod, Amany; Hassanein, Tarek; Ihab, Ahmed; GHaziuan, Hamsik; Zein, Nizar; Kumar, Manoj

    2017-01-01

    Hepatic fibrosis is a common pathway leading to liver cirrhosis, which is the end result of any injury to the liver. Accurate assessment of the degree of fibrosis is important clinically, especially when treatments aimed at reversing fibrosis are being evolved. Despite the fact that liver biopsy (LB) has been considered the "gold standard" of assessment of hepatic fibrosis, LB is not favored by patients or physicians owing to its invasiveness, limitations, sampling errors, etc. Therefore, many alternative approaches to assess liver fibrosis are gaining more popularity and have assumed great importance, and many data on such approaches are being generated. The Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) set up a working party on liver fibrosis in 2007, with a mandate to develop consensus guidelines on various aspects of liver fibrosis relevant to disease patterns and clinical practice in the Asia-Pacific region. The first consensus guidelines of the APASL recommendations on hepatic fibrosis were published in 2009. Due to advances in the field, we present herein the APASL 2016 updated version on invasive and non-invasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis. The process for the development of these consensus guidelines involved review of all available published literature by a core group of experts who subsequently proposed consensus statements followed by discussion of the contentious issues and unanimous approval of the consensus statements. The Oxford System of the evidence-based approach was adopted for developing the consensus statements using the level of evidence from one (highest) to five (lowest) and grade of recommendation from A (strongest) to D (weakest). The topics covered in the guidelines include invasive methods (LB and hepatic venous pressure gradient measurements), blood tests, conventional radiological methods, elastography techniques and cost-effectiveness of hepatic fibrosis assessment methods, in addition to fibrosis assessment in

  17. Non-invasive nursing technologies for pain relief during childbirth--the Brazilian nurse midwives' view.

    PubMed

    Vargens, Octavio M C; Silva, Alexandra C V; Progianti, Jane M

    2013-11-01

    to describe the non-invasive care technologies most frequently used by nurse midwives to relieve childbirth pain, and provide a synthesis of studies published by Brazilian nurse midwives on the use of such technologies. a systematic literature review focusing on the non-invasive pain relief strategies used by nurse midwives in Brazil. Surveys of three databases (BDENF, CINAHL and MEDLINE) were conducted between 2002 and 2012. The inclusion criteria were: (1) full-text article available; (2) published between 2002 and 2012; (3) written by Brazilian nurse midwives, and (4) fitting the descriptors: childbirth pain; non-invasive technologies; labour; and pain relief. For purposes of analysis, the technologies mentioned were classified into four main categories of support as they relate to environment, position, tactile stimulation, and energy level. we located 21 scientific articles that met the inclusion criteria and addressed the non-invasive technologies that nurse midwives use to provide pain relief during labour. The technologies most used was: stimulation of breathing and relaxation; use of massage with essential oils; encouraging freedom to move, to walk and the free choice for vertical positioning; use of showers and baths; use of birth ball. Brazilian nurse midwives have made efforts to focus care during delivery on the parturient. By studying and publishing about the non-invasive care technologies they have strengthened de-medicalised knowledge, based on scientific evidence and good outcomes in pain relief during labour. the study presented ideas towards improved theoretical foundations and strategies for establishing practice consonant with humanised care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Hyperspectral imaging coupled with chemometric analysis for non-invasive differentiation of black pens

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chlebda, Damian K.; Majda, Alicja; Łojewski, Tomasz; Łojewska, Joanna

    2016-11-01

    Differentiation of the written text can be performed with a non-invasive and non-contact tool that connects conventional imaging methods with spectroscopy. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a relatively new and rapid analytical technique that can be applied in forensic science disciplines. It allows an image of the sample to be acquired, with full spectral information within every pixel. For this paper, HSI and three statistical methods (hierarchical cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and spectral angle mapper) were used to distinguish between traces of modern black gel pen inks. Non-invasiveness and high efficiency are among the unquestionable advantages of ink differentiation using HSI. It is also less time-consuming than traditional methods such as chromatography. In this study, a set of 45 modern gel pen ink marks deposited on a paper sheet were registered. The spectral characteristics embodied in every pixel were extracted from an image and analysed using statistical methods, externally and directly on the hypercube. As a result, different black gel inks deposited on paper can be distinguished and classified into several groups, in a non-invasive manner.

  19. Prediction of human core body temperature using non-invasive measurement methods.

    PubMed

    Niedermann, Reto; Wyss, Eva; Annaheim, Simon; Psikuta, Agnes; Davey, Sarah; Rossi, René Michel

    2014-01-01

    The measurement of core body temperature is an efficient method for monitoring heat stress amongst workers in hot conditions. However, invasive measurement of core body temperature (e.g. rectal, intestinal, oesophageal temperature) is impractical for such applications. Therefore, the aim of this study was to define relevant non-invasive measures to predict core body temperature under various conditions. We conducted two human subject studies with different experimental protocols, different environmental temperatures (10 °C, 30 °C) and different subjects. In both studies the same non-invasive measurement methods (skin temperature, skin heat flux, heart rate) were applied. A principle component analysis was conducted to extract independent factors, which were then used in a linear regression model. We identified six parameters (three skin temperatures, two skin heat fluxes and heart rate), which were included for the calculation of two factors. The predictive value of these factors for core body temperature was evaluated by a multiple regression analysis. The calculated root mean square deviation (rmsd) was in the range from 0.28 °C to 0.34 °C for all environmental conditions. These errors are similar to previous models using non-invasive measures to predict core body temperature. The results from this study illustrate that multiple physiological parameters (e.g. skin temperature and skin heat fluxes) are needed to predict core body temperature. In addition, the physiological measurements chosen in this study and the algorithm defined in this work are potentially applicable as real-time core body temperature monitoring to assess health risk in broad range of working conditions.

  20. Non-Invasive Imaging of In Vivo Breast Cancer Tissue Utilizing Metabolically Incorporated Unnatural Sugars

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-08-01

    or misdiagnosed (4). Therefore, much effort is now directed toward developing alternative breast cancer detection technologies that exploit the...AD Award Number: DAMD17-03-1-0548 TITLE: Non-Invasive Imaging of In Vivo Breast Cancer Tissue Utilizing Metabolically Incorporated Unnatrual Sugars...5. FUNDING NUMBERS Non-Invasive Imaging of In Vivo Breast Cancer Tissue DAMD17-03-1-0548 Utilizing Metabolically Incorporated Unnatrual Sugars 6. A

  1. Non-invasive primate head restraint using thermoplastic masks.

    PubMed

    Drucker, Caroline B; Carlson, Monica L; Toda, Koji; DeWind, Nicholas K; Platt, Michael L

    2015-09-30

    The success of many neuroscientific studies depends upon adequate head fixation of awake, behaving animals. Typically, this is achieved by surgically affixing a head-restraint prosthesis to the skull. Here we report the use of thermoplastic masks to non-invasively restrain monkeys' heads. Mesh thermoplastic sheets become pliable when heated and can then be molded to an individual monkey's head. After cooling, the custom mask retains this shape indefinitely for day-to-day use. We successfully trained rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) to perform cognitive tasks while wearing thermoplastic masks. Using these masks, we achieved a level of head stability sufficient for high-resolution eye-tracking and intracranial electrophysiology. Compared with traditional head-posts, we find that thermoplastic masks perform at least as well during infrared eye-tracking and single-neuron recordings, allow for clearer magnetic resonance image acquisition, enable freer placement of a transcranial magnetic stimulation coil, and impose lower financial and time costs on the lab. We conclude that thermoplastic masks are a viable non-invasive form of primate head restraint that enable a wide range of neuroscientific experiments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Non-invasive primate head restraint using thermoplastic masks

    PubMed Central

    Drucker, Caroline B.; Carlson, Monica L.; Toda, Koji; DeWind, Nicholas K.; Platt, Michael L.

    2015-01-01

    Background The success of many neuroscientific studies depends upon adequate head fixation of awake, behaving animals. Typically, this is achieved by surgically affixing a head-restraint prosthesis to the skull. New Method Here we report the use of thermoplastic masks to non-invasively restrain monkeys’ heads. Mesh thermoplastic sheets become pliable when heated and can then be molded to an individual monkey’s head. After cooling, the custom mask retains this shape indefinitely for day-to-day use. Results We successfully trained rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) to perform cognitive tasks while wearing thermoplastic masks. Using these masks, we achieved a level of head stability sufficient for high-resolution eye-tracking and intracranial electrophysiology. Comparison with Existing Method Compared with traditional head-posts, we find that thermoplastic masks perform at least as well during infrared eye-tracking and single-neuron recordings, allow for clearer magnetic resonance image acquisition, enable freer placement of a transcranial magnetic stimulation coil, and impose lower financial and time costs on the lab. Conclusions We conclude that thermoplastic masks are a viable non-invasive form of primate head restraint that enable a wide range of neuroscientific experiments. PMID:26112334

  3. Non-invasive assessment of the liver using imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thorling Thompson, Camilla; Wang, Haolu; Liu, Xin; Liang, Xiaowen; Crawford, Darrell H.; Roberts, Michael S.

    2016-12-01

    Chronic liver disease causes 2,000 deaths in Australia per year and early diagnosis is crucial to avoid progression to cirrhosis and end stage liver disease. There is no ideal method to evaluate liver function. Blood tests and liver biopsies provide spot examinations and are unable to track changes in function quickly. Therefore better techniques are needed. Non-invasive imaging has the potential to extract increased information over a large sampling area, continuously tracking dynamic changes in liver function. This project aimed to study the ability of three imaging techniques, multiphoton and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, infrared thermography and photoacoustic imaging, in measuring liver function. Collagen deposition was obvious in multiphoton and fluorescence lifetime imaging in fibrosis and cirrhosis and comparable to conventional histology. Infrared thermography revealed a significantly increased liver temperature in hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, multiphoton and fluorescence lifetime imaging and photoacoustic imaging could both track uptake and excretion of indocyanine green in rat liver. These results prove that non-invasive imaging can extract crucial information about the liver continuously over time and has the potential to be translated into clinic in the assessment of liver disease.

  4. Smartphone spectrometer for non-invasive diffuse reflectance spectroscopy based hemoglobin sensing (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edwards, Perry S.

    2016-10-01

    Fiber-optic based diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is shown to be a highly specific and highly sensitive method for non-invasive detection of various cancers (e.g. cervical and oral) as well as many other diseases. Fiber-optic DRS diagnosis relies on non-invasive biomarker detection (e.g. oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin) and can be done without the need for sophisticated laboratory analysis of samples. Thus, it is highly amenable for clinical adoption especially in resource scarce regions that have limited access to such developed laboratory infrastructure. Despite the demonstrated effectiveness of fiber-optic DRS, such systems remain cost prohibitive in many of these regions, mainly due to the use of bulky and expensive spectrometers. Here, a fiber-optic DRS system is coupled to a smartphone spectrometer and is proposed as a low-cost solution for non-invasive tissue hemoglobin sensing. The performance of the system is assessed by measuring tissue phantoms with varying hemoglobin concentrations. A DRS retrieval algorithm is used to extract hemoglobin parameters from the measurements and determine the accuracy of the system. The results are then compared with those of a previously reported fiber-optic DRS system which is based on a larger more expensive spectrometer system. The preliminary results are encouraging and indicate the potential of the smartphone spectrometer as a viable low-cost option for non-invasive tissue hemoglobin sensing.

  5. Non-invasive continuous blood pressure monitoring of tachycardic episodes during interventional electrophysiology

    PubMed Central

    Maggi, Roberto; Viscardi, Valentina; Furukawa, Toshiyuki; Brignole, Michele

    2010-01-01

    Aims We thought to evaluate feasibility of continuous non-invasive blood pressure monitoring during procedures of interventional electrophysiology. Methods and results We evaluated continuous non-invasive finger blood pressure (BP) monitoring by means of the Nexfin device in 22 patients (mean age 70 ± 24 years), undergoing procedures of interventional electrophysiology, in critical situations of hypotension caused by tachyarrhythmias or by intermittent incremental ventricular temporary pacing till to the maximum tolerated systolic BP fall (mean 61 ± 14 mmHg per patient at a rate of 195 ± 37 bpm). In all patients, Nexfin was able to detect immediately, at the onset of tachyarrythmia, the changes in BP and recorded reliable waveforms. The quality of the signal was arbitrarily classified as excellent in 11 cases, good in 10 cases, and sufficient in 1 case. In basal conditions, calibrations of the signal occurred every 49.2 ± 24.3 s and accounted for 4% of total monitoring time; during tachyarrhythmias their frequency increased to one every 12.7 s and accounted for 19% of total recording duration. A linear correlation for a range of BP values from 41 to 190 mmHg was found between non-invasive and intra-arterial BP among a total of 1055 beats from three patients who underwent simultaneous recordings with both methods (coefficient of correlation of 0.81, P < 0.0001). Conclusion In conclusion, continuous non-invasive BP monitoring is feasible in the clinical practise of an interventional electrophysiology laboratory without the need of utilization of an intra-arterial BP line. PMID:20837572

  6. Non-invasive continuous blood pressure monitoring of tachycardic episodes during interventional electrophysiology.

    PubMed

    Maggi, Roberto; Viscardi, Valentina; Furukawa, Toshiyuki; Brignole, Michele

    2010-11-01

    We thought to evaluate feasibility of continuous non-invasive blood pressure monitoring during procedures of interventional electrophysiology. We evaluated continuous non-invasive finger blood pressure (BP) monitoring by means of the Nexfin device in 22 patients (mean age 70 ± 24 years), undergoing procedures of interventional electrophysiology, in critical situations of hypotension caused by tachyarrhythmias or by intermittent incremental ventricular temporary pacing till to the maximum tolerated systolic BP fall (mean 61 ± 14 mmHg per patient at a rate of 195 ± 37 bpm). In all patients, Nexfin was able to detect immediately, at the onset of tachyarrythmia, the changes in BP and recorded reliable waveforms. The quality of the signal was arbitrarily classified as excellent in 11 cases, good in 10 cases, and sufficient in 1 case. In basal conditions, calibrations of the signal occurred every 49.2 ± 24.3 s and accounted for 4% of total monitoring time; during tachyarrhythmias their frequency increased to one every 12.7 s and accounted for 19% of total recording duration. A linear correlation for a range of BP values from 41 to 190 mmHg was found between non-invasive and intra-arterial BP among a total of 1055 beats from three patients who underwent simultaneous recordings with both methods (coefficient of correlation of 0.81, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, continuous non-invasive BP monitoring is feasible in the clinical practise of an interventional electrophysiology laboratory without the need of utilization of an intra-arterial BP line.

  7. Using counterfactuals to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of controlling biological invasions.

    PubMed

    McConnachie, Matthew M; van Wilgen, Brian W; Ferraro, Paul J; Forsyth, Aurelia T; Richardson, David M; Gaertner, Mirijam; Cowling, Richard M

    2016-03-01

    Prioritizing limited conservation funds for controlling biological invasions requires accurate estimates of the effectiveness of interventions to remove invasive species and their cost-effectiveness (cost per unit area or individual). Despite billions of dollars spent controlling biological invasions worldwide, it is unclear whether those efforts are effective, and cost-effective. The paucity of evidence results from the difficulty in measuring the effect of invasive species removal: a researcher must estimate the difference in outcomes (e.g. invasive species cover) between where the removal program intervened and what might have been observed if the program had not intervened. In the program evaluation literature, this is called a counterfactual analysis, which formally compares what actually happened and what would have happened in the absence of an intervention. When program implementation is not randomized, estimating counterfactual outcomes is especially difficult. We show how a thorough understanding of program implementation, combined with a matching empirical design can improve the way counterfactual outcomes are estimated in nonexperimental contexts. As a practical demonstration, we estimated the cost-effectiveness of South Africa's Working for Water program, arguably the world's most ambitious invasive species control program, in removing invasive alien trees from different land use types, across a large area in the Cape Floristic Region. We estimated that the proportion of the treatment area covered by invasive trees would have been 49% higher (5.5% instead of 2.7% of the grid cells occupied) had the program not intervened. Our estimates of cost per hectare to remove invasive species, however, are three to five times higher than the predictions made when the program was initiated. Had there been no control (counter-factual), invasive trees would have spread on untransformed land, but not on land parcels containing plantations or land transformed by

  8. EAU Guidelines on Non-Muscle-invasive Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder: Update 2016.

    PubMed

    Babjuk, Marko; Böhle, Andreas; Burger, Maximilian; Capoun, Otakar; Cohen, Daniel; Compérat, Eva M; Hernández, Virginia; Kaasinen, Eero; Palou, Joan; Rouprêt, Morgan; van Rhijn, Bas W G; Shariat, Shahrokh F; Soukup, Viktor; Sylvester, Richard J; Zigeuner, Richard

    2017-03-01

    The European Association of Urology (EAU) panel on Non-muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) released an updated version of the guidelines on Non-muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer. To present the 2016 EAU guidelines on NMIBC. A broad and comprehensive scoping exercise covering all areas of the NMIBC guidelines published between April 1, 2014, and May 31, 2015, was performed. Databases covered by the search included Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Libraries. Previous guidelines were updated, and levels of evidence and grades of recommendation were assigned. Tumours staged as TaT1 or carcinoma in situ (CIS) are grouped as NMIBC. Diagnosis depends on cystoscopy and histologic evaluation of the tissue obtained by transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB) in papillary tumours or by multiple bladder biopsies in CIS. In papillary lesions, a complete TURB is essential for the patient's prognosis. If the initial resection is incomplete, there is no muscle in the specimen, or a high-grade or T1 tumour is detected, a second TURB should be performed within 2-6 wk. The risks of both recurrence and progression may be estimated for individual patients using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) scoring system and risk tables. The stratification of patients into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups is pivotal to recommending adjuvant treatment. For patients with a low-risk tumour and intermediate-risk patients at a lower risk of recurrence, one immediate instillation of chemotherapy is recommended. Patients with an intermediate-risk tumour should receive 1 yr of full-dose bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) intravesical immunotherapy or instillations of chemotherapy for a maximum of 1 yr. In patients with high-risk tumours, full-dose intravesical BCG for 1-3 yr is indicated. In patients at highest risk of tumour progression, immediate radical cystectomy (RC) should be considered. RC is recommended in BCG-refractory tumours. The long version of

  9. Phenotypes and genotypes of erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes strains isolated from invasive and non-invasive infections from Mexico and the USA during 1999-2010.

    PubMed

    Villaseñor-Sierra, Alberto; Katahira, Eva; Jaramillo-Valdivia, Abril N; Barajas-García, María de los Angeles; Bryant, Amy; Morfín-Otero, Rayo; Márquez-Díaz, Francisco; Tinoco, Juan Carlos; Sánchez-Corona, José; Stevens, Dennis L

    2012-03-01

    To compare the prevalence, phenotypes, and genes responsible for erythromycin resistance among Streptococcus pyogenes isolates from Mexico and the USA. Eighty-nine invasive and 378 non-invasive isolates from Mexico, plus 148 invasive, 21 non-invasive, and five unclassified isolates from the USA were studied. Susceptibilities to penicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, ceftriaxone, and vancomycin were evaluated according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) standards. Phenotypes of erythromycin resistance were identified by triple disk test, and screening for mefA, ermTR, and ermB genes was carried out by PCR. All isolates were susceptible to penicillin, ceftriaxone, and vancomycin. Erythromycin resistance was found in 4.9% of Mexican strains and 5.2% of USA strains. Phenotypes in Mexican strains were 95% M and 5% cMLS; in strains from the USA, phenotypes were 33.3% iMLS, 33.3% iMLS-D, and 33.3% M. Erythromycin resistance genes in strains from Mexico were mefA (95%) and ermB (5%); USA strains harbored ermTR (56%), mefA (33%), and none (11%). In Mexico, all erythromycin-resistant strains were non-invasive, whereas 89% of strains from the USA were invasive. Erythromycin resistance continues to exist at low levels in both Mexico and the USA, although the genetic mechanisms responsible differ between the two nations. These genetic differences may be related to the invasive character of the S. pyogenes isolated. Copyright © 2011 International Society for Infectious Diseases. All rights reserved.

  10. Non-invasive glucose monitor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lambert, James L. (Inventor); Borchert, Mark S. (Inventor)

    2001-01-01

    A non-invasive method for determining blood level of an analyte of interest, such as glucose, comprises: generating an excitation laser beam (e.g., at a wavelength of 700 to 900 nanometers); focusing the excitation laser beam into the anterior chamber of an eye of the subject so that aqueous humor in the anterior chamber is illuminated; detecting (preferably confocally detecting) a Raman spectrum from the illuminated aqueous humor; and then determining the blood glucose level (or the level of another analyte of interest) for the subject from the Raman spectrum. Preferably, the detecting step is followed by the step of subtracting a confounding fluorescence spectrum from the Raman spectrum to produce a difference spectrum; and determining the blood level of the analyte of interest for the subject from that difference spectrum, preferably using linear or nonlinear multivariate analysis such as partial least squares analysis. Apparatus for carrying out the foregoing method is also disclosed.

  11. Non-invasive, investigative methods in skin aging.

    PubMed

    Longo, C; Ciardo, S; Pellacani, G

    2015-12-01

    A precise and noninvasive quantification of aging is of outmost importance for in vivo assessment of the skin aging "stage", and thus acts to minimize it. Several bioengineering methods have been proposed to objectively, precisely, and non-invasively measure skin aging, and to detect early skin damage, that is sub-clinically observable. In this review we have described the most relevant methods that have emerged from recently introduced technologies, aiming at quantitatively assessing the effects of aging on the skin.

  12. Non-invasive imaging of atherosclerosis regression with magnetic resonance to guide drug development.

    PubMed

    Raggi, Paolo; Baldassarre, Damiano; Day, Simon; de Groot, Eric; Fayad, Z A

    2016-08-01

    Slowing of progression and inducing the regression of atherosclerosis with medical therapy have been shown to be associated with an extensive reduction in risk of cardiovascular events. This proof of concept was obtained with invasive angiographic studies but these are, for obvious reasons, impractical for sequential investigations. Non-invasive imaging has henceforth replaced the more cumbersome invasive studies and has proven extremely valuable in numerous occasions. Because of excellent reproducibility and no radiation exposure, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become the non-invasive method of choice to assess the efficacy of anti-atherosclerotic drugs. The high accuracy of this technology is particularly helpful in rare diseases where the small number of affected patients makes the conduct of outcome-trials in large cohorts impractical. With MRI it is possible to assess the extent, as well as the composition, of atherosclerotic plaques and this further enhances the utility of this technology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Evaluation of non-invasive trunk sprays and trunk-injected emamectic benzoate

    Treesearch

    Deborah G. McCullough; D.L. Cappaert; T.M. Poland; A.C. Anulewicz; P. Lewis; J. Molongoski

    2008-01-01

    In 2007, we continued to evaluate two neo-nicotinoid insecticides, imidacloprid and dinotefuron, applied as non-invasive trunk sprays to control emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire. Neo-nicotinoid products are widely used to protect landscape ash trees because they are relatively safe for humans and non-target species. These...

  14. The Dispersal and Persistence of Invasive Marine Species

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glick, E. R.; Pringle, J.

    2007-12-01

    The spread of invasive marine species is a continuing problem throughout the world, though not entirely understood. Why do some species invade more easily than the rest? How are the range limits of these species set? Recent research (Byers & Pringle 2006, Pringle & Wares 2007) has produced retention criteria that determine whether a coastal species with a benthic adult stage and planktonic larvae can be retained within its range and invade in the direction opposite that of the mean current experienced by the larvae (i.e. upstream). These results however, are only accurate for Gaussian dispersal kernels. For kernels whose kurtosis differs from a Gaussian's, the retention criteria becomes increasingly inaccurate as the mean current increases. Using recent results of Lutscher (2006), we find an improved retention criterion which is much more accurate for non- Gaussian dispersal kernels. The importance of considering non-Gaussian kernels is illustrated for a number of commonly used dispersal kernels, and the relevance of these calculations is illustrated by considering the northward limit of invasion of Hemigrapsus sanguineus, an important invader in the Gulf of Maine.

  15. Non-invasive monitoring of pulmonary artery pressure from timing information by EIT: experimental evaluation during induced hypoxia.

    PubMed

    Proença, Martin; Braun, Fabian; Solà, Josep; Adler, Andy; Lemay, Mathieu; Thiran, Jean-Philippe; Rimoldi, Stefano F

    2016-06-01

    Monitoring of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in pulmonary hypertensive patients is currently limited to invasive solutions. We investigate a novel non-invasive approach for continuous monitoring of PAP, based on electrical impedance tomography (EIT), a safe, low-cost and non-invasive imaging technology. EIT recordings were performed in three healthy subjects undergoing hypoxia-induced PAP variations. The pulmonary pulse arrival time (PAT), a timing parameter physiologically linked to the PAP, was automatically calculated from the EIT signals. Values were compared to systolic PAP values from Doppler echocardiography, and yielded strong correlation scores ([Formula: see text]) for all three subjects. Results suggest the feasibility of non-invasive, unsupervised monitoring of PAP.

  16. Estimating suitable environments for invasive plant species across large landscapes: A remote sensing strategy using Landsat 7 ETM+

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The key to reducing ecological and economic damage caused by invasive plant species is to locate and eradicate new invasions before they threaten native biodiversity and ecological processes. We used Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus imagery to estimate suitable environments for four invasive pl...

  17. Wireless non-invasive continuous respiratory monitoring with FMCW radar: a clinical validation study.

    PubMed

    van Loon, K; Breteler, M J M; van Wolfwinkel, L; Rheineck Leyssius, A T; Kossen, S; Kalkman, C J; van Zaane, B; Peelen, L M

    2016-12-01

    Altered respiratory rate is one of the first symptoms of medical conditions that require timely intervention, e.g., sepsis or opioid-induced respiratory depression. To facilitate continuous respiratory rate monitoring on general hospital wards a contactless, non-invasive, prototype monitor was developed using frequency modulated continuous wave radar. We aimed to study whether radar can reliably measure respiratory rate in postoperative patients. In a diagnostic cross-sectional study patients were monitored with the radar and the reference monitor (pneumotachograph during mechanical ventilation and capnography during spontaneous breathing). Eight patients were included; yielding 796 min of observation time during mechanical ventilation and 521 min during spontaneous breathing. After elimination of movement artifacts the bias and 95 % limits of agreement for mechanical ventilation and spontaneous breathing were -0.12 (-1.76 to 1.51) and -0.59 (-5.82 to 4.63) breaths per minute respectively. The radar was able to accurately measure respiratory rate in mechanically ventilated patients, but the accuracy decreased during spontaneous breathing.

  18. Scanning superlens microscopy for non-invasive large field-of-view visible light nanoscale imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Feifei; Liu, Lianqing; Yu, Haibo; Wen, Yangdong; Yu, Peng; Liu, Zhu; Wang, Yuechao; Li, Wen Jung

    2016-12-01

    Nanoscale correlation of structural information acquisition with specific-molecule identification provides new insight for studying rare subcellular events. To achieve this correlation, scanning electron microscopy has been combined with super-resolution fluorescent microscopy, despite its destructivity when acquiring biological structure information. Here we propose time-efficient non-invasive microsphere-based scanning superlens microscopy that enables the large-area observation of live-cell morphology or sub-membrane structures with sub-diffraction-limited resolution and is demonstrated by observing biological and non-biological objects. This microscopy operates in both non-invasive and contact modes with ~200 times the acquisition efficiency of atomic force microscopy, which is achieved by replacing the point of an atomic force microscope tip with an imaging area of microspheres and stitching the areas recorded during scanning, enabling sub-diffraction-limited resolution. Our method marks a possible path to non-invasive cell imaging and simultaneous tracking of specific molecules with nanoscale resolution, facilitating the study of subcellular events over a total cell period.

  19. Neurophotonics: non-invasive optical techniques for monitoring brain functions

    PubMed Central

    Torricelli, Alessandro; Contini, Davide; Mora, Alberto Dalla; Pifferi, Antonio; Re, Rebecca; Zucchelli, Lucia; Caffini, Matteo; Farina, Andrea; Spinelli, Lorenzo

    2014-01-01

    Summary The aim of this review is to present the state of the art of neurophotonics, a recently founded discipline lying at the interface between optics and neuroscience. While neurophotonics also includes invasive techniques for animal studies, in this review we focus only on the non-invasive methods that use near infrared light to probe functional activity in the brain, namely the fast optical signal, diffuse correlation spectroscopy, and functional near infrared spectroscopy methods. We also present an overview of the physical principles of light propagation in biological tissues, and of the main physiological sources of signal. Finally, we discuss the open issues in models, instrumentation, data analysis and clinical approaches. PMID:25764252

  20. Non-invasive quantification of melanin in the stratum corneum: a novel indicator of skin lesions in pigmentation diseases.

    PubMed

    Matsunaka, H; Yamamoto, Y; Furukawa, F

    2017-02-01

    Skin melanin content is an important indicator for ascertaining the pathology of skin pigmentation diseases, but its analysis necessitates a biopsy or other means of collecting tissue, posing a considerable burden to the patient, and making it difficult to observe how a given skin site changes over time. Here, we aimed to establish a non-invasive method for quantifying the eumelanin and pheomelanin content of the stratum corneum. Sun-exposed and non-exposed samples from 10 healthy Japanese subjects were compared. We harvested the outermost layer of the stratum corneum by tape-stripping, considering the outer side of the forearm as a sun-exposed area, and medial side of the upper arm as a non-exposed area. Four additional subjects were included in the analysis of change in melanin content over time at the same skin site. The anterior lower leg received a single exposure to two minimal erythema dose sunlight, and the stratum corneum was harvested from the same site over a period of 20 weeks; we subsequently quantified the levels of eumelanin and pheomelanin using high-performance liquid chromatography. We were able to accurately quantify the eumelanin and pheomelanin contents of the stratum corneum, and to observe the evolution of the same skin site over time. Eumelanin levels were significantly higher in the sun-exposed area, with a peak in melanin observed after 11-15 weeks of sun exposure. This non-invasive method can serve as a marker for pathology of skin pigmentation diseases such as malignant tumors. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Non-native megaherbivores: the case for novel function to manage plant invasions on islands

    PubMed Central

    Hansen, Dennis M.

    2015-01-01

    There is a heated debate about whether all non-native species are ‘guilty until proven innocent’, or whether some should be accepted or even welcomed. Further fanning the flames, I here present a case where introductions of carefully vetted, non-native species could provide a net conservation benefit. On many islands, native megaherbivores (flightless birds, tortoises) recently went extinct. Here, rewilding with carefully selected non-native species as ecological replacements is increasingly considered a solution, reinstating a herbivory regime that largely benefits the native flora. Based on these efforts, I suggest that restoration practitioners working on islands without a history of native megaherbivores that are threatened by invasive plants should consider introducing a non-native island megaherbivore, and that large and giant tortoises are ideal candidates. Such tortoises would be equally useful on islands where eradication of invasive mammals has led to increased problems with invasive plants, or on islands that never had introduced mammalian herbivores, but where invasive plants are a problem. My proposal may seem radical, but the reversibility of using giant tortoises means that nothing is lost from trying, and that indeed much is to be gained. As an easily regulated adaptive management tool, it represents an innovative, hypothesis-driven ‘innocent until proven guilty’ approach. PMID:26194166

  2. [Non-invasive mechanical ventilation in the treatment of acute heart failure].

    PubMed

    Alfonso Megido, Joaquín; González Franco, Alvaro

    2014-03-01

    When acute heart failure progresses and there is acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema, routine therapeutic measures should be accompanied by other measures that help to correct oxygenation of the patient. The final and most drastic step is mechanical ventilation. Non-invasive ventilation has been developed in the last few years as a method that attempts to improve oxygenation without the need for intubation, thus, in theory, reducing morbidity and mortality in these patients. The present article describes the controversies surrounding the results of this technique and discusses its indications. The article also discusses how to start non-invasive ventilation in patients with acute pulmonary edema from a practical point of view. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  3. Actinic Keratosis and Non-Invasive Diagnostic Techniques: An Update

    PubMed Central

    Casari, Alice; Chester, Johanna; Pellacani, Giovanni

    2018-01-01

    Actinic keratosis represents the earliest manifestation of non-melanoma skin cancer. Because of their risk of progression to invasive squamous cell carcinoma, an earlier diagnosis and treatment are mandatory. Their diagnosis sometimes could represent a challenge even for expert dermatologists. Dermoscopy, confocal laser microscopy and optical coherence tomography could help clinicians in diagnosis. PMID:29316678

  4. Promoting social plasticity in developmental disorders with non-invasive brain stimulation techniques

    PubMed Central

    Boggio, Paulo S.; Asthana, Manish K.; Costa, Thiago L.; Valasek, Cláudia A.; Osório, Ana A. C.

    2015-01-01

    Being socially connected directly impacts our basic needs and survival. People with deficits in social cognition might exhibit abnormal behaviors and face many challenges in our highly social-dependent world. These challenges and limitations are associated with a substantial economical and subjective impact. As many conditions where social cognition is affected are highly prevalent, more treatments have to be developed. Based on recent research, we review studies where non-invasive neuromodulatory techniques have been used to promote Social Plasticity in developmental disorders. We focused on three populations where non-invasive brain stimulation seems to be a promising approach in inducing social plasticity: Schizophrenia, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Williams Syndrome (WS). There are still very few studies directly evaluating the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the social cognition of these populations. However, when considering the promising preliminary evidences presented in this review and the limited amount of clinical interventions available for treating social cognition deficits in these populations today, it is clear that the social neuroscientist arsenal may profit from non-invasive brain stimulation techniques for rehabilitation and promotion of social plasticity. PMID:26388712

  5. Fecal Glucocorticoid Analysis: Non-invasive Adrenal Monitoring in Equids.

    PubMed

    Yarnell, Kelly; Purcell, Rebecca S; Walker, Susan L

    2016-04-25

    Adrenal activity can be assessed in the equine species by analysis of feces for corticosterone metabolites. During a potentially aversive situation, corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) is released from the hypothalamus in the brain. This stimulates the release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary gland, which in turn stimulates release of glucocorticoids from the adrenal gland. In horses the glucocorticoid corticosterone is responsible for several adaptations needed to support equine flight behaviour and subsequent removal from the aversive situation. Corticosterone metabolites can be detected in the feces of horses and assessment offers a non-invasive option to evaluate long term patterns of adrenal activity. Fecal assessment offers advantages over other techniques that monitor adrenal activity including blood plasma and saliva analysis. The non-invasive nature of the method avoids sampling stress which can confound results. It also allows the opportunity for repeated sampling over time and is ideal for studies in free ranging horses. This protocol describes the enzyme linked immunoassay (EIA) used to assess feces for corticosterone, in addition to the associated biochemical validation.

  6. New non-invasive safe, quick, economical method of detecting various cancers was found using QRS complex or rising part of T-wave of recorded ECGs. Cancers can be screened along with their biochemical parameters & therapeutic effects of any cancer treatments can be evaluated using recorded ECGs of the same individual.

    PubMed

    Omura, Yoshiaki; Lu, Dominic; O'Young, Brian; Jones, Marilyn; Nihrane, Abdallah; Duvvi, Harsha; Shimotsuura, Yasuhiro; Ohki, Motomu

    2015-01-01

    There are many methods of detecting cancers including detection of cancer markers by blood test, (which is invasive, time consuming and relatively expensive), detection of cancers by non-invasive methods such as X-Ray, CT scan, and MRI & PET Scan (which are non-invasive and quick but very expensive). Our research was performed to develop new non-invasive, safe, quick economical method of detecting cancers and the 1st author already developed for clinically important non-invasive new methods including early stage of present method using his method of localizing accurate organ representation areas of face, eyebrows, upper lip, lower lip, surface and dorsal part of the tongue, surface backs, and palm side of the hands. This accurate localization of the organ representation area of the different parts of the body was performed using electromagnetic field resonance phenomenon between 2 identical molecules or tissues based on our US patented non-invasive method in 1993. Since year 2000, we developed the following non-invasive diagnostic methods that can be quickly identified by the patented simple non-invasive method without using expensive or bulky instrument at any office or field where there is no electricity or instrument available. The following are examples of non-invasive quick method of diagnosis and treatment of cancers using different approaches: 1) Soft red laser beam scanning of different parts of body; 2) By speaking voice; 3) Visible and invisible characteristic abnormalities on different organ representation areas of the different parts of the body, and 4) Mouth, Hand, and Foot Writings of both right and left side of the body. As a consequence of our latest research, we were able to develop a simple method of detecting cancer from existing recorded electrocardiograms. In this article, we are going to describe the method and result of clinical applications on many different cancers of different organs including lung, esophagus, breast, stomach, colon

  7. Non-invasive diagnostic methods in dentistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Todea, Carmen

    2016-03-01

    The paper, will present the most important non-invasive methods for diagnostic, in different fields of dentistry. Moreover, the laser-based methods will be emphasis. In orthodontics, 3D laser scanners are increasingly being used to establish database for normative population and cross-sectional growth changes but also to asses clinical outcomes in orthognatic surgical and non-surgical treatments. In prevention the main methods for diagnostic of demineralization and caries detection in early stages are represented by laser fluorescence - Quantitative Light Florescence (QLF); DiagnoDent-system-655nm; FOTI-Fiberoptic transillumination; DIFOTI-Digital Imaging Fiberoptic transillumination; and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). In odontology, Laser Doppler Flowmetry (LDF) is a noninvasive real time method used for determining the tooth vitality by monitoring the pulp microcirculation in traumatized teeth, fractured teeth, and teeth undergoing different conservative treatments. In periodontology, recently study shows the ability of LDF to evaluate the health of gingival tissue in periodontal tissue diseases but also after different periodontal treatments.

  8. Non-invasive ventilation in prone position for refractory hypoxemia after bilateral lung transplantation.

    PubMed

    Feltracco, Paolo; Serra, Eugenio; Barbieri, Stefania; Persona, Paolo; Rea, Federico; Loy, Monica; Ori, Carlo

    2009-01-01

    Temporary graft dysfunction with gas exchange abnormalities is a common finding during the postoperative course of a lung transplant and is often determined by the post-reimplantation syndrome. Supportive measures including oxygen by mask, inotropes, diuretics, and pulmonary vasodilators are usually effective in non-severe post-reimplantation syndromes. However, in less-responsive clinical pictures, tracheal intubation with positive pressure ventilation, or non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIV), is necessary. We report on the clinical course of two patients suffering from refractory hypoxemia due to post-reimplantation syndrome treated with NIV in the prone and Trendelenburg positions. NIV was well tolerated and led to resolution of atelectactic areas and dishomogeneous lung infiltrates. Repeated turning from supine to prone under non invasive ventilation determined a stable improvement of gas exchange and prevented a more invasive approach. Even though NIV in the prone position has not yet entered into clinical practice, it could be an interesting option to achieve a better match between ventilation and perfusion. This technique, which we successfully applied in lung transplantation, can be easily extended to other lung diseases with non-recruitable dorso-basal areas.

  9. On the accurate estimation of gap fraction during daytime with digital cover photography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hwang, Y. R.; Ryu, Y.; Kimm, H.; Macfarlane, C.; Lang, M.; Sonnentag, O.

    2015-12-01

    Digital cover photography (DCP) has emerged as an indirect method to obtain gap fraction accurately. Thus far, however, the intervention of subjectivity, such as determining the camera relative exposure value (REV) and threshold in the histogram, hindered computing accurate gap fraction. Here we propose a novel method that enables us to measure gap fraction accurately during daytime under various sky conditions by DCP. The novel method computes gap fraction using a single DCP unsaturated raw image which is corrected for scattering effects by canopies and a reconstructed sky image from the raw format image. To test the sensitivity of the novel method derived gap fraction to diverse REVs, solar zenith angles and canopy structures, we took photos in one hour interval between sunrise to midday under dense and sparse canopies with REV 0 to -5. The novel method showed little variation of gap fraction across different REVs in both dense and spares canopies across diverse range of solar zenith angles. The perforated panel experiment, which was used to test the accuracy of the estimated gap fraction, confirmed that the novel method resulted in the accurate and consistent gap fractions across different hole sizes, gap fractions and solar zenith angles. These findings highlight that the novel method opens new opportunities to estimate gap fraction accurately during daytime from sparse to dense canopies, which will be useful in monitoring LAI precisely and validating satellite remote sensing LAI products efficiently.

  10. Non-lethal effects of an invasive species in the marine environment: the importance of early life-history stages.

    PubMed

    Rius, Marc; Turon, Xavier; Marshall, Dustin J

    2009-04-01

    Studies examining the effects of invasive species have focussed traditionally on the direct/lethal effects of the invasive on the native community but there is a growing recognition that invasive species may also have non-lethal effects. In terrestrial systems, non-lethal effects of invasive species can disrupt early life-history phases (such as fertilisation, dispersal and subsequent establishment) of native species, but in the marine environment most studies focus on adult rather than early life-history stages. Here, we examine the potential for an introduced sessile marine invertebrate (Styela plicata) to exert both lethal and non-lethal effects on a native species (Microcosmus squamiger) across multiple early life-history stages. We determined whether sperm from the invasive species interfered with the fertilisation of eggs from the native species and found no effect. However, we did find strong effects of the invasive species on the post-fertilisation performance of the native species. The invasive species inhibited the settlement of native larvae and, in the field, the presence of the invasive species was associated with a ten-fold increase in the post-settlement mortality of the native species, as well as an initial reduction of growth in the native. Our results suggest that larvae of the native species avoid settling near the invasive species due to reduced post-settlement survival in its presence. Overall, we found that invasive species can have complex and pervasive effects (both lethal and non-lethal) across the early life-history stages of the native species, which are likely to result in its displacement and to facilitate further invasion.

  11. Phenotypes and genotypes of erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes strains isolated from invasive and non-invasive infections from Mexico and the USA during 1999–2010

    PubMed Central

    Villaseñor-Sierra, Alberto; Katahira, Eva; Jaramillo-Valdivia, Abril N.; de los Angeles Barajas-García, María; Bryant, Amy; Morfín-Otero, Rayo; Márquez-Díaz, Francisco; Tinoco, Juan Carlos; Sánchez-Corona, José; Stevens, Dennis L.

    2012-01-01

    Summary Objective To compare the prevalence, phenotypes, and genes responsible for erythromycin resistance among Streptococcus pyogenes isolates from Mexico and the USA. Methods Eighty-nine invasive and 378 non-invasive isolates from Mexico, plus 148 invasive, 21 non-invasive, and five unclassified isolates from the USA were studied. Susceptibilities to penicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, ceftriaxone, and vancomycin were evaluated according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) standards. Phenotypes of erythromycin resistance were identified by triple disk test, and screening for mefA, ermTR, and ermB genes was carried out by PCR. Results All isolates were susceptible to penicillin, ceftriaxone, and vancomycin. Erythromycin resistance was found in 4.9% of Mexican strains and 5.2% of USA strains. Phenotypes in Mexican strains were 95% M and 5% cMLS; in strains from the USA, phenotypes were 33.3% iMLS, 33.3% iMLS-D, and 33.3% M. Erythromycin resistance genes in strains from Mexico were mefA (95%) and ermB (5%); USA strains harbored ermTR (56%), mefA (33%), and none (11%). In Mexico, all erythromycin-resistant strains were non-invasive, whereas 89% of strains from the USA were invasive. Conclusions Erythromycin resistance continues to exist at low levels in both Mexico and the USA, although the genetic mechanisms responsible differ between the two nations. These genetic differences may be related to the invasive character of the S. pyogenes isolated. PMID:22217469

  12. A phantom with pulsating artificial vessels for non-invasive fetal pulse oximetry.

    PubMed

    Laqua, Daniel; Pollnow, Stefan; Fischer, Jan; Ley, Sebastian; Husar, Peter

    2014-01-01

    Arterial oxygen saturation of the fetus is an important parameter for monitoring its physical condition. During labor and delivery the transabdominal non-invasive fetal pulse oximetry could minimize the risk for mother and fetus, compared to other existing invasive examination methods. In this contribution, we developed a physical-like phantom to investigate new sensor circuits and algorithms of a non-invasive diagnostic method for fetal pulse oximetry. Hence, the developed artificial vascular system consists of two independent tube systems representing the maternal and fetal vessel system. The arterial blood pressure is reproduced with a pre-pressure and an artificial vascular system. Each pulse wave can be reproduced, by digital control of a proportional valve, adjustable viscoelastic elements, and resistances. The measurements are performed by pressure transducers, optical sensor units, and a coplanar capacitive sensor. Transmission and reflection measurements have shown that the fetal and maternal pulse waves can be reproduced qualitatively. The measured light represents the transabdominal modulated signal on an abdomen of a pregnant woman.

  13. Estimating the Effective Permittivity for Reconstructing Accurate Microwave-Radar Images.

    PubMed

    Lavoie, Benjamin R; Okoniewski, Michal; Fear, Elise C

    2016-01-01

    We present preliminary results from a method for estimating the optimal effective permittivity for reconstructing microwave-radar images. Using knowledge of how microwave-radar images are formed, we identify characteristics that are typical of good images, and define a fitness function to measure the relative image quality. We build a polynomial interpolant of the fitness function in order to identify the most likely permittivity values of the tissue. To make the estimation process more efficient, the polynomial interpolant is constructed using a locally and dimensionally adaptive sampling method that is a novel combination of stochastic collocation and polynomial chaos. Examples, using a series of simulated, experimental and patient data collected using the Tissue Sensing Adaptive Radar system, which is under development at the University of Calgary, are presented. These examples show how, using our method, accurate images can be reconstructed starting with only a broad estimate of the permittivity range.

  14. Non-Invasive Monitoring of Streptococcus pyogenes Vaccine Efficacy Using Biophotonic Imaging

    PubMed Central

    Alam, Faraz M.; Bateman, Colin; Turner, Claire E.; Wiles, Siouxsie; Sriskandan, Shiranee

    2013-01-01

    Streptococcus pyogenes infection of the nasopharynx represents a key step in the pathogenic cycle of this organism and a major focus for vaccine development, requiring robust models to facilitate the screening of potentially protective antigens. One antigen that may be an important target for vaccination is the chemokine protease, SpyCEP, which is cell surface-associated and plays a role in pathogenesis. Biophotonic imaging (BPI) can non-invasively characterize the spatial location and abundance of bioluminescent bacteria in vivo. We have developed a bioluminescent derivative of a pharyngeal S. pyogenes strain by transformation of an emm75 clinical isolate with the luxABCDE operon. Evaluation of isogenic recombinant strains in vitro and in vivo confirmed that bioluminescence conferred a growth deficit that manifests as a fitness cost during infection. Notwithstanding this, bioluminescence expression permitted non-invasive longitudinal quantitation of S. pyogenes within the murine nasopharynx albeit with a detection limit corresponding to approximately 105 bacterial colony forming units (CFU) in this region. Vaccination of mice with heat killed streptococci, or with SpyCEP led to a specific IgG response in the serum. BPI demonstrated that both vaccine candidates reduced S. pyogenes bioluminescence emission over the course of nasopharyngeal infection. The work suggests the potential for BPI to be used in the non-invasive longitudinal evaluation of potential S. pyogenes vaccines. PMID:24278474

  15. Non-invasive cortisol measurements as indicators of physiological stress responses in guinea pigs

    PubMed Central

    Pschernig, Elisabeth; Wallner, Bernard; Millesi, Eva

    2016-01-01

    Non-invasive measurements of glucocorticoid (GC) concentrations, including cortisol and corticosterone, serve as reliable indicators of adrenocortical activities and physiological stress loads in a variety of species. As an alternative to invasive analyses based on plasma, GC concentrations in saliva still represent single-point-of-time measurements, suitable for studying short-term or acute stress responses, whereas fecal GC metabolites (FGMs) reflect overall stress loads and stress responses after a species-specific time frame in the long-term. In our study species, the domestic guinea pig, GC measurements are commonly used to indicate stress responses to different environmental conditions, but the biological relevance of non-invasive measurements is widely unknown. We therefore established an experimental protocol based on the animals’ natural stress responses to different environmental conditions and compared GC levels in plasma, saliva, and fecal samples during non-stressful social isolations and stressful two-hour social confrontations with unfamiliar individuals. Plasma and saliva cortisol concentrations were significantly increased directly after the social confrontations, and plasma and saliva cortisol levels were strongly correlated. This demonstrates a high biological relevance of GC measurements in saliva. FGM levels measured 20 h afterwards, representing the reported mean gut passage time based on physiological validations, revealed that the overall stress load was not affected by the confrontations, but also no relations to plasma cortisol levels were detected. We therefore measured FGMs in two-hour intervals for 24 h after another social confrontation and detected significantly increased levels after four to twelve hours, reaching peak concentrations already after six hours. Our findings confirm that non-invasive GC measurements in guinea pigs are highly biologically relevant in indicating physiological stress responses compared to circulating

  16. Non-invasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis

    PubMed Central

    Lurie, Yoav; Webb, Muriel; Cytter-Kuint, Ruth; Shteingart, Shimon; Lederkremer, Gerardo Z

    2015-01-01

    The evaluation and follow up of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis have been traditionally performed by liver biopsy. However, during the last 20 years, it has become evident that this “gold-standard” is imperfect; even according to its proponents, it is only “the best” among available methods. Attempts at uncovering non-invasive diagnostic tools have yielded multiple scores, formulae, and imaging modalities. All are better tolerated, safer, more acceptable to the patient, and can be repeated essentially as often as required. Most are much less expensive than liver biopsy. Consequently, their use is growing, and in some countries the number of biopsies performed, at least for routine evaluation of hepatitis B and C, has declined sharply. However, the accuracy and diagnostic value of most, if not all, of these methods remains controversial. In this review for the practicing physician, we analyze established and novel biomarkers and physical techniques. We may be witnessing in recent years the beginning of the end of the first phase for the development of non-invasive markers. Early evidence suggests that they might be at least as good as liver biopsy. Novel experimental markers and imaging techniques could produce a dramatic change in diagnosis in the near future. PMID:26556987

  17. BrainStorm: a psychosocial game suite design for non-invasive cross-generational cognitive capabilities data collection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmad, Faizan; Chen, Yiqiang; Hu, Lisha; Wang, Shuangquan; Wang, Jindong; Chen, Zhenyu; Jiang, Xinlong; Shen, Jianfei

    2017-11-01

    Currently available traditional as well as videogame-based cognitive assessment techniques are inappropriate due to several reasons. This paper presents a novel psychosocial game suite, BrainStorm, for non-invasive cross-generational cognitive capabilities data collection, which additionally provides cross-generational social support. A motivation behind the development of presented game suite is to provide an entertaining and exciting platform for its target users in order to collect gameplay-based cognitive capabilities data in a non-invasive manner. An extensive evaluation of the presented game suite demonstrated high acceptability and attraction for its target users. Besides, the data collection process is successfully reported as transparent and non-invasive.

  18. Eyeblink Conditioning: A Non-Invasive Biomarker for Neurodevelopmental Disorders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reeb-Sutherland, Bethany C.; Fox, Nathan A.

    2015-01-01

    Eyeblink conditioning (EBC) is a classical conditioning paradigm typically used to study the underlying neural processes of learning and memory. EBC has a well-defined neural circuitry, is non-invasive, and can be employed in human infants shortly after birth making it an ideal tool to use in both developing and special populations. In addition,…

  19. Intracoastal shipping drives patterns of regional population expansion by an invasive marine invertebrate.

    PubMed

    Darling, John A; Herborg, Leif-Matthias; Davidson, Ian C

    2012-10-01

    Understanding the factors contributing to expansion of nonnative populations is a critical step toward accurate risk assessment and effective management of biological invasions. Nevertheless, few studies have attempted explicitly to test hypotheses regarding factors driving invasive spread by seeking correlations between patterns of vector movement and patterns of genetic connectivity. Herein, we describe such an attempt for the invasive tunicate Styela clava in the northeastern Pacific. We utilized microsatellite data to estimate gene flow between samples collected throughout the known range of S. clava in the region, and assessed correlation of these estimates with patterns of intracoastal commercial vessel traffic. Our results suggest that recent shipping patterns have contributed to the contemporary distribution of genetic variation. However, the analysis also indicates that other factors-including a complex invasion history and the influence of other vectors-have partially obscured genetic patterns associated with intracoastal population expansion.

  20. Non invasive evaluation of cardiomechanics in patients undergoing MitrClip procedure

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background In the last recent years a new percutaneous procedure, the MitraClip, has been validated for the treatment of mitral regurgitation. MitraClip procedure is a promising alternative for patients unsuitable for surgery as it reduces the risk of death related to surgery ensuring a similar result. Few data are present in literature about the variation of hemodynamic parameters and ventricular coupling after Mitraclip implantation. Methods Hemodynamic data of 18 patients enrolled for MitraClip procedure were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. Echocardiographic measurements were obtained the day before the procedure (T0) and 21 ± 3 days after the procedure (T1), including evaluation of Ejection Fraction, mitral valve regurgitation severity and mechanism, forward Stroke Volume, left atrial volume, estimated systolic pulmonary pressure, non invasive echocardiographic estimation of single beat ventricular elastance (Es(sb)), arterial elastance (Ea) measured as systolic pressure • 0.9/ Stroke Volume, ventricular arterial coupling (Ea/Es(sb) ratio). Data were expressed as median and interquartile range. Measures obtained before and after the procedure were compared using Wilcoxon non parametric test for paired samples. Results Mitraclip procedure was effective in reducing regurgitation. We observed an amelioration of echocardiographic parameters with a reduction of estimated systolic pulmonary pressure (45 to 37,5 p = 0,0002) and left atrial volume (110 to 93 p = 0,0001). Despite a few cases decreasing in ejection fraction (37 to 35 p = 0,035), the maintained ventricular arterial coupling after the procedure (P = 0,67) was associated with an increasing in forward stroke volume (60,3 to 78 p = 0,05). Conclusion MitraClip is effective in reducing mitral valve regurgitation and determines an amelioration of hemodynamic parameters with preservation of ventricular arterial coupling. PMID:23642140

  1. 5.0 Monitoring methods for forests vulnerable to non-native invasive pest species

    Treesearch

    David W. Williams; Michael E. Montgomery; Kathleen S. Shields; Richard A. Evans

    2008-01-01

    Non-native invasive species pose a serious threat to forest resources, requiring programs to monitor their spatial spread and the damage they inflict on forest ecosystems. Invasive species research in the Delaware River Basin (DRB) had three primary objectives: to develop and evaluate monitoring protocols for selected pests and resulting ecosystem damage at the IMRAs...

  2. Urinary biomarkers for the non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis.

    PubMed

    Liu, Emily; Nisenblat, Vicki; Farquhar, Cindy; Fraser, Ian; Bossuyt, Patrick M M; Johnson, Neil; Hull, M Louise

    2015-12-23

    About 10% of reproductive-aged women suffer from endometriosis which is a costly chronic disease that causes pelvic pain and subfertility. Laparoscopy is the 'gold standard' diagnostic test for endometriosis, but it is expensive and carries surgical risks. Currently, there are no simple non-invasive or minimally-invasive tests available in clinical practice that accurately diagnoses endometriosis. 1. To provide summary estimates of the diagnostic accuracy of urinary biomarkers for the diagnosis of pelvic endometriosis compared to surgical diagnosis as a reference standard.2. To assess the diagnostic utility of biomarkers that could differentiate ovarian endometrioma from other ovarian masses.Urinary biomarkers were evaluated as replacement tests for surgical diagnosis and as triage tests to inform decisions to undertake surgery for endometriosis. The searches were not restricted to particular study design, language or publication dates. We searched the following databases to 20 April - 31 July 2015: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, LILACS, OAIster, TRIP and ClinicalTrials.gov (trial register). MEDION, DARE, and PubMed were also searched to identify reviews and guidelines as reference sources of potentially relevant studies. Recently published papers not yet indexed in the major databases were also sought. The search strategy incorporated words in the title, abstract, text words across the record and the medical subject headings (MeSH) and was modified for each database. Published peer-reviewed, randomised controlled or cross-sectional studies of any size were considered, which included prospectively collected samples from any population of reproductive-aged women suspected of having one or more of the following target conditions: ovarian, peritoneal or deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE). We included studies comparing the diagnostic test accuracy of one or more urinary biomarkers with surgical visualisation of endometriotic lesions. Two

  3. Challenges on non-invasive ventilation to treat acute respiratory failure in the elderly.

    PubMed

    Scala, Raffaele

    2016-11-15

    Acute respiratory failure is a frequent complication in elderly patients especially if suffering from chronic cardio-pulmonary diseases. Non-invasive mechanical ventilation constitutes a successful therapeutic tool in the elderly as, like in younger patients, it is able to prevent endotracheal intubation in a wide range of acute conditions; moreover, this ventilator technique is largely applied in the elderly in whom invasive mechanical ventilation is considered not appropriated. Furthermore, the integration of new technological devices, ethical issues and environment of treatment are still largely debated in the treatment of acute respiratory failure in the elderly.This review aims at reporting and critically analyzing the peculiarities in the management of acute respiratory failure in elderly people, the role of noninvasive mechanical ventilation, the potential advantages of applying alternative or integrated therapeutic tools (i.e. high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy, non-invasive and invasive cough assist devices and low-flow carbon-dioxide extracorporeal systems), drawbacks in physician's communication and "end of life" decisions. As several areas of this topic are not supported by evidence-based data, this report takes in account also "real-life" data as well as author's experience.The choice of the setting and of the timing of non-invasive mechanical ventilation in elderly people with advanced cardiopulmonary disease should be carefully evaluated together with the chance of using integrated or alternative supportive devices. Last but not least, economic and ethical issues may often challenges the behavior of the physicians towards elderly people who are hospitalized for acute respiratory failure at the end stage of their cardiopulmonary and neoplastic diseases.

  4. Isavuconazole Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis Using Nonparametric Estimation in Patients with Invasive Fungal Disease (Results from the VITAL Study)

    PubMed Central

    Kovanda, Laura L.; Desai, Amit V.; Lu, Qiaoyang; Townsend, Robert W.; Akhtar, Shahzad; Bonate, Peter

    2016-01-01

    Isavuconazonium sulfate (Cresemba; Astellas Pharma Inc.), a water-soluble prodrug of the triazole antifungal agent isavuconazole, is available for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis (IA) and invasive mucormycosis. A population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model was constructed using nonparametric estimation to compare the pharmacokinetic (PK) behaviors of isavuconazole in patients treated in the phase 3 VITAL open-label clinical trial, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of the drug for treatment of renally impaired IA patients and patients with invasive fungal disease (IFD) caused by emerging molds, yeasts, and dimorphic fungi. Covariates examined were body mass index (BMI), weight, race, impact of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) on clearance (CL), and impact of weight on volume. PK parameters were compared based on IFD type and other patient characteristics. Simulations were performed to describe the MICs covered by the clinical dosing regimen. Concentrations (n = 458) from 136 patients were used to construct a 2-compartment model (first-order absorption compartment and central compartment). Weight-related covariates affected clearance, but eGFR did not. PK parameters and intersubject variability of CL were similar across different IFD groups and populations. Target attainment analyses demonstrated that the clinical dosing regimen would be sufficient for total drug area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)/MIC targets ranging from 50.5 for Aspergillus spp. (up to the CLSI MIC of 0.5 mg/liter) to 270 and 5,053 for Candida albicans (up to MICs of 0.125 and 0.004 mg/liter, respectively) and 312 for non-albicans Candida spp. (up to a MIC of 0.125 mg/liter). The estimations for Candida spp. were exploratory considering that no patients with Candida infections were included in the current analyses. (The VITAL trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under number NCT00634049.) PMID:27185799

  5. Non-invasive Imaging based Detection and Mapping of Brain Oxidative Stress and its Correlation with Cognitive Functions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-05-14

    AFRL-AFOSR-JP-TR-2017-0052 Non-invasive Imaging based Detection and Mapping of Brain Oxidative Stress and its Correlation with Cognative Functions...invasive Imaging based Detection and Mapping of Brain Oxidative Stress and its Correlation with Cognative Functions 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.  GRANT...SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Brain stress level measurement (non-invasively) in quantitative term is very helpful to correlate with various

  6. Non invasive Imaging based Detection and Mapping of Brain Oxidative Stress and its Correlation with Cognative Functions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-05-14

    AFRL-AFOSR-JP-TR-2017-0052 Non-invasive Imaging based Detection and Mapping of Brain Oxidative Stress and its Correlation with Cognative Functions...invasive Imaging based Detection and Mapping of Brain Oxidative Stress and its Correlation with Cognative Functions 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.  GRANT...SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Brain stress level measurement (non-invasively) in quantitative term is very helpful to correlate with various

  7. APRI test and hyaluronic acid as non-invasive diagnostic tools for post HCV liver fibrosis: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    El Serafy, Magdy Amin; Kassem, Abdel Meguid; Omar, Heba; Mahfouz, Mohammad Shaaban; El Said El Raziky, Maissa

    2017-06-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) accounts for a sizable proportion of chronic liver disease cases and represents the most common indication for liver transplantation. Precise diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis stage is considered a funnel-neck in proper management and follow-up of HCV-infected patients. Given the possible complications of liver biopsy, a non-invasive method for assessing hepatic fibrosis is needed. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of APRI and hyaluronic acid as non-invasive diagnostic assessment tools for post HCV liver fibrosis. Systematic literature searching identified studies performed on Egyptian territory to evaluate APRI and hyaluronic acid as non-invasive tests of fibrosis and using liver biopsy as the reference standard. Meta-analysis was performed for areas with an adequate number of publications. Validation of meta- analysis on APRI was done on a subset of 150 treatment-naïve post-hepatitis C patients. Both APRI and hyaluronic acid have superior predictive power for hepatic cirrhosis (F4) than for significant fibrosis (F2-F3). The pooled estimate for sensitivities and specificities of APRI and hyaluronic acid to diagnose F4 were (84% and 82%) and (83% and 89%) respectively. In the subgroup of treatment naïve post-hepatitis C patients, APRI had higher diagnostic performance to diagnose liver cirrhosis with 93.8% sensitivity and 72.4% specificity (AUC; 0.908, 95%CI; 0.851-0.965, p-value; <0.001) compared to its accuracy to diagnose significant hepatic fibrosis with 65.1% sensitivity and 77.8% (AUC; 0.685, 95% CI; 0.59-0.78, p-value; 0.001). APRI score and hyaluronic acid levels are simple and reliable non-invasive markers to detect advanced fibrosis among post-hepatitis C patients. Copyright © 2017 Pan-Arab Association of Gastroenterology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. [Application of droplet digital PCR for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of single gene disease in two families].

    PubMed

    Xu, Peiwen; Zou, Yang; Li, Jie; Huang, Sexin; Gao, Ming; Kang, Ranran; Xie, Hongqiang; Wang, Lijuan; Yan, Junhao; Gao, Yuan

    2018-04-10

    To assess the value of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of single gene disease in two families. Paternal mutation in cell-free DNA derived from the maternal blood and amniotic fluid DNA was detected by ddPCR. Suspected mutation in the amniotic fluid DNA was verified with Sanger sequencing. The result of ddPCR and Sanger sequencing indicated that the fetuses have carried pathogenic mutations from the paternal side in both families. Droplet digital PCR can accurately detect paternal mutation carried by the fetus, and it is sensitive and reliable for analyzing trace samples. This method may be applied for the diagnosis of single gene diseases caused by paternal mutation using peripheral blood sample derived from the mother.

  9. Non-invasive optical detection of glucose in cell culture nutrient medium

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cote, Gerald L.

    1993-01-01

    The objective of the proposed research was to begin the development of a non-invasive optical sensor for measuring glucose concentration in the output medium of cell cultures grown in a unique NASA bioreactor referred to as an integrated rotating-wall vessel (IRWV). The input, a bovine serum based nutrient media, has a known glucose concentration. The cells within the bioreactor digest a portion of the glucose. Thus, the non-invasive optical sensor is needed to monitor the decrease in glucose due to cellular consumption since the critical parameters for sustained cellular productivity are glucose and pH. Previous glucose sensing techniques have used chemical reactions to quantify the glucose concentration. Chemical reactions, however, cannot provide for continuous, real time, non-invasive measurement as is required in this application. Our effort while in the fellowship program was focused on the design, optical setup, and testing of one bench top prototype non-invasive optical sensor using a mid-infrared absorption spectroscopy technique. Glucose has a fundamental vibrational absorption peak in the mid-infrared wavelength range at 9.6 micron. Preliminary absorption data using a CO2 laser were collected at this wavelength for water based glucose solutions at different concentrations and one bovine serum based nutrient medium (GTSF) with added glucose. The results showed near linear absorption responses for the glucose-in-water data with resolutions as high at 108 mg/dl and as low as 10 mg/dl. The nutrient medium had a resolution of 291 mg/dl. The variability of the results was due mainly to thermal and polarization drifts of the laser while the decrease in sensitivity to glucose in the nutrient medium was expected due to the increase in the number of confounders present in the nutrient medium. A multispectral approach needs to be used to compensate for these confounders. The CO2 laser used for these studies was wavelength tunable (9.2 to 10.8 micrometers), however

  10. [Evolution of non-invasive ventilation in acute bronchiolitis].

    PubMed

    Toledo del Castillo, B; Fernández Lafever, S N; López Sanguos, C; Díaz-Chirón Sánchez, L; Sánchez da Silva, M; López-Herce Cid, J

    2015-08-01

    The aim of the study was to analyse the evolution, over a12-year period, of the use of non-invasive (NIV) and invasive ventilation (IV) in children admitted to a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) due to acute bronchiolitis. A retrospective observational study was performed including all children who were admitted to the PICU requiring NIV or IV between 2001 and 2012. Demographic characteristics, ventilation assistance and clinical outcome were analysed. A comparison was made between the first six years and the last 6 years of the study. A total of 196 children were included; 30.1% of the subjects required IV and 93.3% required NIV. The median duration of IV was 9.5 days and NIV duration was 3 days. The median PICU length of stay was 7 days, and 2% of the patients died. The use of NIV increased from 79.4% in first period to 100% in the second period (P<.0001) and IV use decreased from 46% in first period to 22.6% in the last 6 years (P<.0001). Continuous positive airway pressure and nasopharyngeal tube were the most frequently used modality and interface, although the use of bi-level non-invasive ventilation (P<.001) and of nasal cannulas significantly increased (P<.0001) in the second period, and the PICU length of stay was shorter (P=.011). The increasing use of NIV in bronchiolitis in our PICU during the last 12 years was associated with a decrease in the use of IV and length of stay in the PICU. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  11. Pulmonary infiltrates in non-HIV immunocompromised patients: a diagnostic approach using non-invasive and bronchoscopic procedures

    PubMed Central

    Rano, A; Agusti, C; Jimenez, P; Angrill, J; Benito, N; Danes, C; Gonzalez, J; Rovira, M; Pumarola, T; Moreno, A; Torres, A

    2001-01-01

    BACKGROUND—The development of pulmonary infiltrates is a frequent life threatening complication in immunocompromised patients, requiring early diagnosis and specific treatment. In the present study non-invasive and bronchoscopic diagnostic techniques were applied in patients with different non-HIV immunocompromised conditions to determine the aetiology of the pulmonary infiltrates and to evaluate the impact of these methods on therapeutic decisions and outcome in this population.
METHODS—The non-invasive diagnostic methods included serological tests, blood antigen detection, and blood, nasopharyngeal wash (NPW), sputum and tracheobronchial aspirate (TBAS) cultures. Bronchoscopic techniques included fibrobronchial aspirate (FBAS), protected specimen brush (PSB), and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Two hundred consecutive episodes of pulmonary infiltrates were prospectively evaluated during a 30 month period in 52 solid organ transplant recipients, 53 haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients, 68 patients with haematological malignancies, and 27 patients requiring chronic treatment with corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressive drugs.
RESULTS—An aetiological diagnosis was obtained in 162 (81%) of the 200 patients. The aetiology of the pulmonary infiltrates was infectious in 125 (77%) and non-infectious in 37 (23%); 38 (19%) remained undiagnosed. The main infectious aetiologies were bacterial (48/125, 24%), fungal (33/125, 17%), and viral (20/125, 10%), and the most frequent pathogens were Aspergillus fumigatus (n=29), Staphylococcus aureus (n=17), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=12). Among the non-infectious aetiologies, pulmonary oedema (16/37, 43%) and diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (10/37, 27%) were the most common causes. Non-invasive techniques led to the diagnosis of pulmonary infiltrates in 41% of the cases in which they were used; specifically, the diagnostic yield of blood cultures was 30/191 (16%); sputum cultures 27/88 (31%); NPW 9/50 (18

  12. Non-native plant invasion along elevation and canopy closure gradients in a Middle Rocky Mountain ecosystem

    Treesearch

    Joshua P. Averett; Bruce McCune; Catherine G. Parks; Bridgett J. Naylor; Tim DelCurto; Ricardo Mata-Gonz??lez; RunGuo Zang

    2016-01-01

    Mountain environments are currently among the ecosystems least invaded by non-native species; however, mountains are increasingly under threat of non-native plant invasion. The slow pace of exotic plant invasions in mountain ecosystems is likely due to a combination of low anthropogenic disturbances, low propagule supply, and extreme/steep environmental gradients. The...

  13. Fast diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) for non-invasive measurement of intracranial pressure (ICP) (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Farzam, Parisa; Sutin, Jason; Wu, Kuan-Cheng; Zimmermann, Bernhard B.; Tamborini, Davide; Dubb, Jay; Boas, David A.; Franceschini, Maria Angela

    2017-02-01

    Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring has a key role in the management of neurosurgical and neurological injuries. Currently, the standard clinical monitoring of ICP requires an invasive transducer into the parenchymal tissue or the brain ventricle, with possibility of complications such as hemorrhage and infection. A non-invasive method for measuring ICP, would be highly preferable, as it would allow clinicians to promptly monitor ICP during transport and allow for monitoring in a larger number of patients. We have introduced diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) as a non-invasive ICP monitor by fast measurement of pulsatile cerebral blood flow (CBF). The method is similar to Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD), which derives ICP from the amplitude of the pulsatile cerebral blood flow velocity, with respect to the amplitude of the pulsatile arterial blood pressure. We believe DCS measurement is superior indicator of ICP than TCD estimation because DCS directly measures blood flow, not blood flow velocity, and the small cortical vessels measured by DCS are more susceptible to transmural pressure changes than the large vessels. For fast DCS measurements to recover pulsatile CBF we have developed a custom high-power long-coherent laser and a strategy for delivering it to the tissue within ANSI standards. We have also developed a custom FPGA-based correlator board, which facilitates DCS data acquisitions at 50-100 Hz. We have tested the feasibility of measuring pulsatile CBF and deriving ICP in two challenging scenarios: humans and rats. SNR is low in human adults due to large optode distances. It is similarly low in rats because the fast heart rate in this setting requires a high repetition rate.

  14. Uterine molecular changes for non-invasive embryonic attachment in the marsupials Macropus eugenii (Macropodidae) and Trichosurus vulpecula (Phalangeridae).

    PubMed

    Laird, Melanie K; Dargan, Jessica R; Paterson, Lillian; Murphy, Christopher R; McAllan, Bronwyn M; Shaw, Geoff; Renfree, Marilyn B; Thompson, Michael B

    2017-10-01

    Pregnancy in mammals requires remodeling of the uterus to become receptive to the implanting embryo. Remarkably similar morphological changes to the uterine epithelium occur in both eutherian and marsupial mammals, irrespective of placental type. Nevertheless, molecular differences in uterine remodeling indicate that the marsupial uterus employs maternal defences, including molecular reinforcement of the uterine epithelium, to regulate embryonic invasion. Non-invasive (epitheliochorial) embryonic attachment in marsupials likely evolved secondarily from invasive attachment, so uterine defences in these species may prevent embryonic invasion. We tested this hypothesis by identifying localization patterns of Talin, a key basal anchoring molecule, in the uterine epithelium during pregnancy in the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii; Macropodidae) and the brush tail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula; Phalangeridae). Embryonic attachment is non-invasive in both species, yet Talin undergoes a clear distributional change during pregnancy in M. eugenii, including recruitment to the base of the uterine epithelium just before attachment, that closely resembles that of invasive implantation in the marsupial species Sminthopsis crassicaudata. Basal localization occurs throughout pregnancy in T. vulpecula, although, as for M. eugenii, this pattern is most specific prior to attachment. Such molecular reinforcement of the uterine epithelium for non-invasive embryonic attachment in marsupials supports the hypothesis that less-invasive and non-invasive embryonic attachment in marsupials may have evolved via accrual of maternal defences. Recruitment of basal molecules, including Talin, to the uterine epithelium may have played a key role in this transition. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. The management of non-invasive bladder tumours with Doxorubicin intravesical instillation after transurethral resection.

    PubMed

    Al-Gallab, Musa I; Naddaf, Louai A; Kanan, Mohamad R

    2009-04-01

    Evaluation of the intravesical instillation of doxorubicin for its effect on disease recurrence for patients with non-invasive bladder tumour. The study was performed at Al Assad University Hospital in Lattakia, Syria and included patients with non-invasive bladder tumours who were managed with transurethral resection and induction and maintenance therapy with intravesical doxorubicin. They were followed up by cystoscopy every 3 months for 2 years and every 6 months thereafter with special emphasis on recurrence rates. The study included 85 patients with non-invasive bladder tumours: 23 with non-invasive papillary carcinoma (Stage Ta), 62 with tumour invading subepithelial connective tissue (Stage T1). Twelve patients had well differentiated tumours (Grade 1), 48 had moderately differentiated (Grade 2), 25 had poorly differentiated (Grade 3) tumours. The total recurrence rate was 23%. The rates of recurrence were 56% in Grade 3 and 0% in Grade 1. The recurrence rate was 41% in patients with large tumours versus 17% in those with small tumours; 44% in those with multiple tumours compared to 18% in those with solitary tumours; 30% of Stage Ta tumours recurred and 21% of Stage T1 tumours. In short term follow-up, our rate of recurrence was 23%. Adjuvant intravesical doxorubicin was shown to reduce the recurrence of superficial bladder cancer. Tumour grade, size and number were shown to be prognostic factors for recurrence.

  16. Cost analysis of non-invasive fractional flow reserve derived from coronary computed tomographic angiography in Japan.

    PubMed

    Kimura, Takeshi; Shiomi, Hiroki; Kuribayashi, Sachio; Isshiki, Takaaki; Kanazawa, Susumu; Ito, Hiroshi; Ikeda, Shunya; Forrest, Ben; Zarins, Christopher K; Hlatky, Mark A; Norgaard, Bjarne L

    2015-01-01

    Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) based on fractional flow reserve (FFRcath) measurement during invasive coronary angiography (CAG) results in improved patient outcome and reduced healthcare costs. FFR can now be computed non-invasively from standard coronary CT angiography (cCTA) scans (FFRCT). The purpose of this study is to determine the potential impact of non-invasive FFRCT on costs and clinical outcomes of patients with suspected coronary artery disease in Japan. Clinical data from 254 patients in the HeartFlowNXT trial, costs of goods and services in Japan, and clinical outcome data from the literature were used to estimate the costs and outcomes of 4 clinical pathways: (1) CAG-visual guided PCI, (2) CAG-FFRcath guided PCI, (3) cCTA followed by CAG-visual guided PCI, (4) cCTA-FFRCT guided PCI. The CAG-visual strategy demonstrated the highest projected cost ($10,360) and highest projected 1-year death/myocardial infarction rate (2.4 %). An assumed price for FFRCT of US $2,000 produced equivalent clinical outcomes (death/MI rate: 1.9 %) and healthcare costs ($7,222) for the cCTA-FFRCT strategy and the CAG-FFRcath guided PCI strategy. Use of the cCTA-FFRCT strategy to select patients for PCI would result in 32 % lower costs and 19 % fewer cardiac events at 1 year compared to the most commonly used CAG-visual strategy. Use of cCTA-FFRCT to select patients for CAG and PCI may reduce costs and improve clinical outcome in patients with suspected coronary artery disease in Japan.

  17. Proposed Application of Fast Fourier Transform in Near Infra Red Based Non Invasive Blood Glucose Monitoring System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jenie, R. P.; Iskandar, J.; Kurniawan, A.; Rustami, E.; Syafutra, H.; Nurdin, N. M.; Handoyo, T.; Prabowo, J.; Febryarto, R.; Rahayu, M. S. K.; Damayanthi, E.; Rimbawan; Sukandar, D.; Suryana, Y.; Irzaman; Alatas, H.

    2017-03-01

    Worldwide emergence of glycaemic status related health disorders, such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome, is growing in alarming rate. The objective was to propose new methods for non invasive blood glucose level measurement system, based on implementation of Fast Fourier Transform methods. This was an initial-lab-scale-research. Data on non invasive blood glucose measurement are referred from Scopus, Medline, and Google Scholar, from 2011 until 2016, and was used as design references, combined with in house verification. System was developed in modular fashion, based on aforementioned compiled references. Several preliminary tests to understand relationship between LED and photo-diode responses have been done. Several references were used as non invasive blood glucose measurement tools design basis. Solution is developed in modular fashion. we have proven different sensor responses to water and glucose. Human test for non invasive blood glucose level measurement system is needed.

  18. Non-Invasive In Vivo Imaging of Calcium Signaling in Mice

    PubMed Central

    Rogers, Kelly L.; Picaud, Sandrine; Roncali, Emilie; Boisgard, Raphaël; Colasante, Cesare; Stinnakre, Jacques; Tavitian, Bertrand; Brûlet, Philippe

    2007-01-01

    Rapid and transient elevations of Ca2+ within cellular microdomains play a critical role in the regulation of many signal transduction pathways. Described here is a genetic approach for non-invasive detection of localized Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]) rises in live animals using bioluminescence imaging (BLI). Transgenic mice conditionally expressing the Ca2+-sensitive bioluminescent reporter GFP-aequorin targeted to the mitochondrial matrix were studied in several experimental paradigms. Rapid [Ca2+] rises inside the mitochondrial matrix could be readily detected during single-twitch muscle contractions. Whole body patterns of [Ca2+] were monitored in freely moving mice and during epileptic seizures. Furthermore, variations in mitochondrial [Ca2+] correlated to behavioral components of the sleep/wake cycle were observed during prolonged whole body recordings of newborn mice. This non-invasive imaging technique opens new avenues for the analysis of Ca2+ signaling whenever whole body information in freely moving animals is desired, in particular during behavioral and developmental studies. PMID:17912353

  19. Non-invasive imaging using reporter genes altering cellular water permeability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mukherjee, Arnab; Wu, Di; Davis, Hunter C.; Shapiro, Mikhail G.

    2016-12-01

    Non-invasive imaging of gene expression in live, optically opaque animals is important for multiple applications, including monitoring of genetic circuits and tracking of cell-based therapeutics. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could enable such monitoring with high spatiotemporal resolution. However, existing MRI reporter genes based on metalloproteins or chemical exchange probes are limited by their reliance on metals or relatively low sensitivity. Here we introduce a new class of MRI reporters based on the human water channel aquaporin 1. We show that aquaporin overexpression produces contrast in diffusion-weighted MRI by increasing tissue water diffusivity without affecting viability. Low aquaporin levels or mixed populations comprising as few as 10% aquaporin-expressing cells are sufficient to produce MRI contrast. We characterize this new contrast mechanism through experiments and simulations, and demonstrate its utility in vivo by imaging gene expression in tumours. Our results establish an alternative class of sensitive, metal-free reporter genes for non-invasive imaging.

  20. Global Health Estimate of Invasive Mycobacterium chimaera Infections Associated with Heater-Cooler Devices in Cardiac Surgery.

    PubMed

    Sommerstein, Rami; Hasse, Barbara; Marschall, Jonas; Sax, Hugo; Genoni, Michele; Schlegel, Matthias; Widmer, Andreas F

    2018-03-01

    Investigations of a worldwide epidemic of invasive Mycobacterium chimaera associated with heater-cooler devices in cardiac surgery have been hampered by low clinical awareness and challenging diagnoses. Using data from Switzerland, we estimated the burden of invasive M. chimaera to be 156-282 cases/year in 10 major cardiac valve replacement market countries.

  1. Non-native earthworms promote plant invasion by ingesting seeds and modifying soil properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clause, Julia; Forey, Estelle; Lortie, Christopher J.; Lambert, Adam M.; Barot, Sébastien

    2015-04-01

    Earthworms can have strong direct effects on plant communities through consumption and digestion of seeds, however it is unclear how earthworms may influence the relative abundance and composition of plant communities invaded by non-native species. In this study, earthworms, seed banks, and the standing vegetation were sampled in a grassland of central California. Our objectives were i) to examine whether the abundances of non-native, invasive earthworm species and non-native grassland plant species are correlated, and ii) to test whether seed ingestion by these worms alters the soil seed bank by evaluating the composition of seeds in casts relative to uningested soil. Sampling locations were selected based on historical land-use practices, including presence or absence of tilling, and revegetation by seed using Phalaris aquatica. Only non-native earthworm species were found, dominated by the invasive European species Aporrectodea trapezoides. Earthworm abundance was significantly higher in the grassland blocks dominated by non-native plant species, and these sites had higher carbon and moisture contents. Earthworm abundance was also positively related to increased emergence of non-native seedlings, but had no effect on that of native seedlings. Plant species richness and total seedling emergence were higher in casts than in uningested soils. This study suggests that there is a potential effect of non-native earthworms in promoting non-native and likely invasive plant species within grasslands, due to seed-plant-earthworm interactions via soil modification or to seed ingestion by earthworms and subsequent cast effects on grassland dynamics. This study supports a growing body of literature for earthworms as ecosystem engineers but highlights the relative importance of considering non-native-native interactions with the associated plant community.

  2. Non-Invasive Thrombolysis Using Pulsed Ultrasound Cavitation Therapy – Histotripsy

    PubMed Central

    Maxwell, Adam D.; Cain, Charles A.; Duryea, Alexander P.; Yuan, Lingqian; Gurm, Hitinder S.; Xu, Zhen

    2009-01-01

    Clinically available thrombolysis techniques are limited by either slow reperfusion (drugs) or invasiveness (catheters), and carry significant risks of bleeding. In this study, the feasibility of using histotripsy as an efficient and non-invasive thrombolysis technique was investigated. Histotripsy fractionates soft tissue through controlled cavitation using focused, short, high-intensity ultrasound pulses. In-vitro blood clots formed from fresh canine blood were treated by histotripsy. The treatment was applied using a focused 1-MHz transducer, with 5-cycle pulses at a pulse repetition rate of 1 kHz. Acoustic pressures varying from 2 – 12 MPa peak negative pressure were tested. Our results show that histotripsy can perform effective thrombolysis with ultrasound energy alone. Histotripsy thrombolysis only occurred at peak negative pressure ≥6 MPa when initiation of a cavitating bubble cloud was detected using acoustic backscatter monitoring. Blood clots weighing 330 mg were completely broken down by histotripsy in 1.5 – 5 minutes. The clot was fractionated to debris with >96% weight smaller than 5 μm diameter. Histotripsy thrombolysis treatment remained effective under a fast, pulsating flow (a circulatory model) as well as in static saline. Additionally, we observed that fluid flow generated by a cavitation cloud can attract, trap, and further break down clot fragments. This phenomenon may provide a non-invasive method to filter and eliminate hazardous emboli during thrombolysis. PMID:19854563

  3. Performance of non-invasive models of fibrosis in predicting mild to moderate fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

    PubMed

    Siddiqui, Mohammad S; Patidar, Kavish R; Boyett, Sherry; Luketic, Velimir A; Puri, Puneet; Sanyal, Arun J

    2016-04-01

    In non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, presence of fibrosis is predictive of long-term liver-related complications. Currently, there are no reliable and non-invasive means of quantifying fibrosis in those with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the performance of a panel of non-invasive models in predicting fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The accuracy of FibroMeter non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, fibrosis 4 and four other non-invasive models in predicting fibrosis in those with biopsy proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was compared. These models were constructed post hoc in patients who had necessary clinical information collected within 2 months of a liver biopsy. The areas under receiver operating characteristics curves were compared for each model using Delong analysis. Optimum cut-off for each model and fibrosis stage were calculated using the Youden index. The area under receiver operating characteristics curves for F ≥ 1 fibrosis for fibrosis 4 and FibroMeter non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was 0.821 and 0.801 respectively. For F ≥ 3, the area under receiver operating characteristics curves was 0.866 for fibrosis 4 and 0.862 for FibroMeter non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Delong analysis showed the area under receiver operating characteristics curves was statistically different for fibrosis 4 and FibroMeter non-alcoholic fatty liver disease compared with BARD, BAAT and aspartate aminotransferase:alanine aminotransferase ratio for F ≥ 1 and F ≥ 3. Area under receiver operating characteristics curves were significantly different for fibrosis 4 and FibroMeter non-alcoholic fatty liver disease for F ≥ 3 compared with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score. At a fixed sensitivity of 90%, FibroMeter non-alcoholic fatty liver disease had the highest specificity for F ≥ 1 (52.4%) and F ≥ 3 (63.8%). In contrast, at a fixed specificity of 90%, fibrosis 4 outperformed other models with a

  4. Non-invasive Markers of Liver Fibrosis: Adjuncts or Alternatives to Liver Biopsy?

    PubMed Central

    Chin, Jun L.; Pavlides, Michael; Moolla, Ahmad; Ryan, John D.

    2016-01-01

    Liver fibrosis reflects sustained liver injury often from multiple, simultaneous factors. Whilst the presence of mild fibrosis on biopsy can be a reassuring finding, the identification of advanced fibrosis is critical to the management of patients with chronic liver disease. This necessity has lead to a reliance on liver biopsy which itself is an imperfect test and poorly accepted by patients. The development of robust tools to non-invasively assess liver fibrosis has dramatically enhanced clinical decision making in patients with chronic liver disease, allowing a rapid and informed judgment of disease stage and prognosis. Should a liver biopsy be required, the appropriateness is clearer and the diagnostic yield is greater with the use of these adjuncts. While a number of non-invasive liver fibrosis markers are now used in routine practice, a steady stream of innovative approaches exists. With improvement in the reliability, reproducibility and feasibility of these markers, their potential role in disease management is increasing. Moreover, their adoption into clinical trials as outcome measures reflects their validity and dynamic nature. This review will summarize and appraise the current and novel non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis, both blood and imaging based, and look at their prospective application in everyday clinical care. PMID:27378924

  5. A method to accurately estimate the muscular torques of human wearing exoskeletons by torque sensors.

    PubMed

    Hwang, Beomsoo; Jeon, Doyoung

    2015-04-09

    In exoskeletal robots, the quantification of the user's muscular effort is important to recognize the user's motion intentions and evaluate motor abilities. In this paper, we attempt to estimate users' muscular efforts accurately using joint torque sensor which contains the measurements of dynamic effect of human body such as the inertial, Coriolis, and gravitational torques as well as torque by active muscular effort. It is important to extract the dynamic effects of the user's limb accurately from the measured torque. The user's limb dynamics are formulated and a convenient method of identifying user-specific parameters is suggested for estimating the user's muscular torque in robotic exoskeletons. Experiments were carried out on a wheelchair-integrated lower limb exoskeleton, EXOwheel, which was equipped with torque sensors in the hip and knee joints. The proposed methods were evaluated by 10 healthy participants during body weight-supported gait training. The experimental results show that the torque sensors are to estimate the muscular torque accurately in cases of relaxed and activated muscle conditions.

  6. A Method to Accurately Estimate the Muscular Torques of Human Wearing Exoskeletons by Torque Sensors

    PubMed Central

    Hwang, Beomsoo; Jeon, Doyoung

    2015-01-01

    In exoskeletal robots, the quantification of the user’s muscular effort is important to recognize the user’s motion intentions and evaluate motor abilities. In this paper, we attempt to estimate users’ muscular efforts accurately using joint torque sensor which contains the measurements of dynamic effect of human body such as the inertial, Coriolis, and gravitational torques as well as torque by active muscular effort. It is important to extract the dynamic effects of the user’s limb accurately from the measured torque. The user’s limb dynamics are formulated and a convenient method of identifying user-specific parameters is suggested for estimating the user’s muscular torque in robotic exoskeletons. Experiments were carried out on a wheelchair-integrated lower limb exoskeleton, EXOwheel, which was equipped with torque sensors in the hip and knee joints. The proposed methods were evaluated by 10 healthy participants during body weight-supported gait training. The experimental results show that the torque sensors are to estimate the muscular torque accurately in cases of relaxed and activated muscle conditions. PMID:25860074

  7. A robust and accurate center-frequency estimation (RACE) algorithm for improving motion estimation performance of SinMod on tagged cardiac MR images without known tagging parameters.

    PubMed

    Liu, Hong; Wang, Jie; Xu, Xiangyang; Song, Enmin; Wang, Qian; Jin, Renchao; Hung, Chih-Cheng; Fei, Baowei

    2014-11-01

    A robust and accurate center-frequency (CF) estimation (RACE) algorithm for improving the performance of the local sine-wave modeling (SinMod) method, which is a good motion estimation method for tagged cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) images, is proposed in this study. The RACE algorithm can automatically, effectively and efficiently produce a very appropriate CF estimate for the SinMod method, under the circumstance that the specified tagging parameters are unknown, on account of the following two key techniques: (1) the well-known mean-shift algorithm, which can provide accurate and rapid CF estimation; and (2) an original two-direction-combination strategy, which can further enhance the accuracy and robustness of CF estimation. Some other available CF estimation algorithms are brought out for comparison. Several validation approaches that can work on the real data without ground truths are specially designed. Experimental results on human body in vivo cardiac data demonstrate the significance of accurate CF estimation for SinMod, and validate the effectiveness of RACE in facilitating the motion estimation performance of SinMod. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Non-Invasive Prostate Cancer Characterization with Diffusion-Weighted MRI: Insight from In silico Studies of a Transgenic Mouse Model

    PubMed Central

    Hill, Deborah K.; Heindl, Andreas; Zormpas-Petridis, Konstantinos; Collins, David J.; Euceda, Leslie R.; Rodrigues, Daniel N.; Moestue, Siver A.; Jamin, Yann; Koh, Dow-Mu; Yuan, Yinyin; Bathen, Tone F.; Leach, Martin O.; Blackledge, Matthew D.

    2017-01-01

    Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) enables non-invasive, quantitative staging of prostate cancer via measurement of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water within tissues. In cancer, more advanced disease is often characterized by higher cellular density (cellularity), which is generally accepted to correspond to a lower measured ADC. A quantitative relationship between tissue structure and in vivo measurements of ADC has yet to be determined for prostate cancer. In this study, we establish a theoretical framework for relating ADC measurements with tissue cellularity and the proportion of space occupied by prostate lumina, both of which are estimated through automatic image processing of whole-slide digital histology samples taken from a cohort of six healthy mice and nine transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) mice. We demonstrate that a significant inverse relationship exists between ADC and tissue cellularity that is well characterized by our model, and that a decrease of the luminal space within the prostate is associated with a decrease in ADC and more aggressive tumor subtype. The parameters estimated from our model in this mouse cohort predict the diffusion coefficient of water within the prostate-tissue to be 2.18 × 10−3 mm2/s (95% CI: 1.90, 2.55). This value is significantly lower than the diffusion coefficient of free water at body temperature suggesting that the presence of organelles and macromolecules within tissues can drastically hinder the random motion of water molecules within prostate tissue. We validate the assumptions made by our model using novel in silico analysis of whole-slide histology to provide the simulated ADC (sADC); this is demonstrated to have a significant positive correlation with in vivo measured ADC (r2 = 0.55) in our mouse population. The estimation of the structural properties of prostate tissue is vital for predicting and staging cancer aggressiveness, but prostate

  9. Near-Infrared Spectroscopy as a Novel Non-Invasive Tool to Assess Spiny Lobster Nutritional Condition

    PubMed Central

    Rodemann, Thomas; Carter, Chris G.

    2016-01-01

    Rapid non-invasive monitoring of spiny lobster nutritional condition has considerable application in the established fishery, live market and prospective aquaculture. The aim of this research was to test the feasibility of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a novel non-invasive tool to assess the nutritional condition of three lobster species. Lobster (n = 92) abdominal muscle dry matter (AMDM) and carbon content (AMC) correlated significantly with indices of nutritional condition including hepatopancreas dry matter (HPDM; rho = 0.83, 0.78), total lipid content (HPTL; rho = 0.85, 0.87) and haemolymph total protein (TP; rho = 0.89, 0.87 respectively). Abdominal muscle nitrogen content (AMN) was a poor correlate of nutritional condition. Models based on FT-NIR scanning of whole lobster tails successfully predicted AMDM, AMN and AMC (RMSECV = 1.41%, 0.35% and 0.91%; R2 = 0.75, 0.65, 0.77, respectively), and to a lower accuracy HPDM, HPTL and TP (RMSECV = 6.22%, 8.37%, 18.4 g l-1; R2 = 0.51, 0.70, 0.83, respectively). NIRS was applied successfully to assess the condition of spiny lobsters non-invasively. This pilot study paves the way for the development of crustacean condition models using portable non-invasive devices in the laboratory or in the field. PMID:27442242

  10. Non-invasive 3D time-of-flight imaging technique for tumour volume assessment in subcutaneous models.

    PubMed

    Delgado San Martin, J A; Worthington, P; Yates, J W T

    2015-04-01

    Subcutaneous tumour xenograft volumes are generally measured using callipers. This method is susceptible to inter- and intra-observer variability and systematic inaccuracies. Non-invasive 3D measurement using ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been considered, but require immobilization of the animal. An infrared-based 3D time-of-flight (3DToF) camera was used to acquire a depth map of tumour-bearing mice. A semi-automatic algorithm based on parametric surfaces was applied to estimate tumour volume. Four clay mouse models and 18 tumour-bearing mice were assessed using callipers (applying both prolate spheroid and ellipsoid models) and 3DToF methods, and validated using tumour weight. Inter-experimentalist variability could be up to 25% in the calliper method. Experimental results demonstrated good consistency and relatively low error rates for the 3DToF method, in contrast to biased overestimation using callipers. Accuracy is currently limited by camera performance; however, we anticipate the next generation 3DToF cameras will be able to support the development of a practical system. Here, we describe an initial proof of concept for a non-invasive, non-immobilized, morphology-independent, economical and potentially more precise tumour volume assessment technique. This affordable technique should maximize the datapoints per animal, by reducing the numbers required in experiments and reduce their distress. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  11. Global Health Estimate of Invasive Mycobacterium chimaera Infections Associated with Heater–Cooler Devices in Cardiac Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Hasse, Barbara; Marschall, Jonas; Sax, Hugo; Genoni, Michele; Schlegel, Matthias; Widmer, Andreas F.

    2018-01-01

    Investigations of a worldwide epidemic of invasive Mycobacterium chimaera associated with heater–cooler devices in cardiac surgery have been hampered by low clinical awareness and challenging diagnoses. Using data from Switzerland, we estimated the burden of invasive M. chimaera to be 156–282 cases/year in 10 major cardiac valve replacement market countries. PMID:29460746

  12. Prognostic Value of Non-Invasive Fibrosis and Steatosis Tools, Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient (HVPG) and Histology in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

    PubMed

    Sebastiani, Giada; Alshaalan, Rasha; Wong, Philip; Rubino, Maria; Salman, Ayat; Metrakos, Peter; Deschenes, Marc; Ghali, Peter

    2015-01-01

    Non-invasive diagnostic methods for liver fibrosis predict clinical outcomes in viral hepatitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We specifically evaluated prognostic value of non-invasive fibrosis methods in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) against hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) and liver histology. This was a retrospective cohort study of 148 consecutive patients who met the following criteria: transjugular liver biopsy with HVPG measurement; biopsy-proven NASH; absence of decompensation; AST-to-Platelets Ratio Index (APRI), fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), NAFLD fibrosis score, ultrasound, hepatic steatosis index and Xenon-133 scan available within 6 months from biopsy; a minimum follow-up of 1 year. Outcomes were defined by death, liver transplantation, cirrhosis complications. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were employed to estimate incidence and predictors of outcomes, respectively. Prognostic value was expressed as area under the curve (AUC). During a median follow-up of 5 years (interquartile range 3-8), 16.2% developed outcomes, including 7.4% who died or underwent liver transplantation. After adjustment for age, sex, diabetes, the following fibrosis tools predicted outcomes: HVPG >10mmHg (HR=9.60; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.07-30.12), histologic fibrosis F3-F4 (HR=3.14; 1.41-6.95), APRI >1.5 (HR=5.02; 1.6-15.7), FIB-4 >3.25 (HR=6.33; 1.98-20.2), NAFLD fibrosis score >0.676 (HR=11.9; 3.79-37.4). Prognostic value was as follows: histologic fibrosis stage, AUC=0.85 (95% CI 0.76-0.93); HVPG, AUC=0.81 (0.70-0.91); APRI, AUC=0.89 (0.82-0.96); FIB-4, AUC=0.89 (0.83-0.95); NAFLD fibrosis score, AUC=0.79 (0.69-0.91). Neither histologic steatosis nor non-invasive steatosis methods predicted outcomes (AUC<0.50). Non-invasive methods for liver fibrosis predict outcomes of patients with NASH. They could be used for serial monitoring, risk stratification and targeted interventions.

  13. Characterisation of a novel transmission Raman spectroscopy platform for non-invasive detection of breast micro-calcifications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghita, Adrian; Matousek, Pavel; Stone, Nick

    2018-02-01

    Our work focuses on the development of a medical Raman spectroscopy based platform to non-invasively detect and determine in-vivo molecular information deep inside biological tissues by monitoring the chemical composition of breast calcifications. The ultimate goal is to replace a needle biopsy which typically follows the detection of an abnormality in mammographic images. Here we report the non-invasive detection of calcium oxalate monohydrate in tissue through 40 mm of phantom tissues using our recently developed advanced Raman instrument complementing our previous detection of calcium hydroxyapatite through this thickness of tissue. The ability to detect these two key types of calcifications opens avenues for the development of non-invasive in-vivo breast cancer diagnostic tool in the future.

  14. Non-invasive treatment efficacy evaluation for high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy using magnetically induced magnetoacoustic measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Gepu; Wang, Jiawei; Ma, Qingyu; Tu, Juan; Zhang, Dong

    2018-04-01

    Although the application of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been demonstrated to be a non-invasive treatment technology for tumor therapy, the real-time temperature monitoring is still a key issue in the practical application. Based on the temperature-impedance relation, a fixed-point magnetically induced magnetoacoustic measurement technology of treatment efficacy evaluation for tissue thermocoagulation during HIFU therapy is developed with a sensitive indicator of critical temperature monitoring in this study. With the acoustic excitation of a focused transducer in the magnetoacoustic tomography with the magnetic induction system, the distributions of acoustic pressure, temperature, electrical conductivity, and acoustic source strength in the focal region are simulated, and the treatment time dependences of the peak amplitude and the corresponding amplitude derivative under various acoustic powers are also achieved. It is proved that the strength peak of acoustic sources is generated by tissue thermocoagulation with a sharp conductivity variation. The peak amplitude of the transducer collected magnetoacoustic signal increases accordingly along with the increase in the treatment time under a fixed acoustic power. When the temperature in the range with the radial and axial widths of about ±0.46 mm and ±2.2 mm reaches 69 °C, an obvious peak of the amplitude derivative can be achieved and used as a sensitive indicator of the critical status of treatment efficacy. The favorable results prove the feasibility of real-time non-invasive temperature monitoring and treatment efficacy evaluation for HIFU ablation using the magnetically induced magnetoacoustic measurement, and might provide a new strategy for accurate dose control during HIFU therapy.

  15. Non-invasive electric current stimulation for restoration of vision after unilateral occipital stroke.

    PubMed

    Gall, Carolin; Silvennoinen, Katri; Granata, Giuseppe; de Rossi, Francesca; Vecchio, Fabrizio; Brösel, Doreen; Bola, Michał; Sailer, Michael; Waleszczyk, Wioletta J; Rossini, Paolo M; Tatlisumak, Turgut; Sabel, Bernhard A

    2015-07-01

    Occipital stroke often leads to visual field loss, for which no effective treatment exists. Little is known about the potential of non-invasive electric current stimulation to ameliorate visual functions in patients suffering from unilateral occipital stroke. One reason is the traditional thinking that visual field loss after brain lesions is permanent. Since evidence is available documenting vision restoration by means of vision training or non-invasive electric current stimulation future studies should also consider investigating recovery processes after visual cortical strokes. Here, protocols of repetitive transorbital alternating current stimulation (rtACS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are presented and the European consortium for restoration of vision (REVIS) is introduced. Within the consortium different stimulation approaches will be applied to patients with unilateral occipital strokes resulting in homonymous hemianopic visual field defects. The aim of the study is to evaluate effects of current stimulation of the brain on vision parameters, vision-related quality of life, and physiological parameters that allow concluding about the mechanisms of vision restoration. These include EEG-spectra and coherence measures, and visual evoked potentials. The design of stimulation protocols involves an appropriate sham-stimulation condition and sufficient follow-up periods to test whether the effects are stable. This is the first application of non-invasive current stimulation for vision rehabilitation in stroke-related visual field deficits. Positive results of the trials could have far-reaching implications for clinical practice. The ability of non-invasive electrical current brain stimulation to modulate the activity of neuronal networks may have implications for stroke rehabilitation also in the visual domain. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. The Book of Kells: A non-invasive MOLAB investigation by complementary spectroscopic techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doherty, B.; Daveri, A.; Clementi, C.; Romani, A.; Bioletti, S.; Brunetti, B.; Sgamellotti, A.; Miliani, C.

    2013-11-01

    This paper highlights the efficacy of non-invasive portable spectroscopy for assessing the execution technique and constituent materials in one of the most important medieval manuscripts, the Book of Kells. An aimed campaign of in situ measurements by the MObile LABoratory (MOLAB) has analyzed its elemental composition and vibrational and electronic molecular properties. The ample analytical toolbox has afforded complementary diagnostic information of the pigment palette permitting the characterization of both inorganic and organic materials as pigments and dyes in the white, purple, blue, red, orange, green and black areas. In particular, the novel widespread use of calcinated gypsum (anhydrite) as both a white pigment and in correlation to the organic dyes in this manuscript has been noted. The non-invasive identification of the organic dye orchil is significant considering its rare non invasive detection in medieval manuscripts. Finally the occurrence of particular alterations of the organic black areas giving rise to calcium carboxylate and calcium oxalate has been specifically highlighted. Importantly, this work elaborates complex aspects of the employed painting materials which have given rise to numerous significant points of interest for a more elaborate understanding of this Irish treasure.

  17. Are native songbird populations affected by non-native plant invasion?

    Treesearch

    Amanda M. Conover; Christopher K. Williams; Vincent. D' Amico

    2011-01-01

    Development into forested areas is occurring rapidly across the United States, and many of the remnant forests within suburban landscapes are being fragmented into smaller patches, impacting the quality of this habitat for avian species. An ecological effect linked to forest fragmentation is the invasion of non-native plants into the ecosystem.

  18. Non-invasive brain stimulation in neurorehabilitation: local and distant effects for motor recovery

    PubMed Central

    Liew, Sook-Lei; Santarnecchi, Emilliano; Buch, Ethan R.; Cohen, Leonardo G.

    2014-01-01

    Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) may enhance motor recovery after neurological injury through the causal induction of plasticity processes. Neurological injury, such as stroke, often results in serious long-term physical disabilities, and despite intensive therapy, a large majority of brain injury survivors fail to regain full motor function. Emerging research suggests that NIBS techniques, such as transcranial magnetic (TMS) and direct current (tDCS) stimulation, in association with customarily used neurorehabilitative treatments, may enhance motor recovery. This paper provides a general review on TMS and tDCS paradigms, the mechanisms by which they operate and the stimulation techniques used in neurorehabilitation, specifically stroke. TMS and tDCS influence regional neural activity underlying the stimulation location and also distant interconnected network activity throughout the brain. We discuss recent studies that document NIBS effects on global brain activity measured with various neuroimaging techniques, which help to characterize better strategies for more accurate NIBS stimulation. These rapidly growing areas of inquiry may hold potential for improving the effectiveness of NIBS-based interventions for clinical rehabilitation. PMID:25018714

  19. Non-encapsulated strains reveal novel insights in invasion and survival of Streptococcus suis in epithelial cells.

    PubMed

    Benga, L; Goethe, R; Rohde, M; Valentin-Weigand, P

    2004-09-01

    Streptococcus suis is a porcine and human pathogen causing invasive diseases, such as meningitis or septicaemia. Host cell interactions of S. suis have been studied mainly with serotype 2 strains, but multiple capsular serotypes as well as non-typeable strains exist with diverse virulence features. At present, S. suis is considered an extracellular pathogen. However, whether or not it can also invade host cells is a matter of controversial discussions. We have assessed adherence and invasion of S. suis for HEp-2 epithelial cells by comparing 10 serotype 2 strains and four non-typeable (NT) strains. Only the NT strains and a non-encapsulated serotype 2 mutant strain, but none of the serotype 2 strains, adhered strongly and were invasive. Invasion seemed to be affected by environmental signals, as suggested from comparison of strains grown in different media. Further phenotypic and genotypic characterization revealed a high diversity among the different strains. Electron microscopic analysis of invasion of selected invasive NT strains indicated different uptake mechanisms. One strain induced large invaginations comparable to those seen in 'caveolae' mediated uptake, whereas invasion of the other strains was accompanied by formation of filipodia-like membrane protrusions. Invasion of all strains, however, was similarly susceptible to hypertonic sucrose, which inhibits receptor-mediated endocytosis. Irrespective of the uptake pathway, streptococci resided in acidified phago-lysosome like vacuoles. All strains, except one, survived intracellularly as well as extracellular acidic conditions. Survival seemed to be associated with the AdiS protein, an environmentally regulated arginine deiminase of S. suis. Concluding, invasion and survival of NT strains of S. suis in epithelial cells revealed novel evidence that S. suis exhibits a broad variety of virulence-associated features depending on genetic variation and regulation.

  20. Improvement of Olfactory Function With High Frequency Non-invasive Auricular Electrostimulation in Healthy Humans

    PubMed Central

    Maharjan, Ashim; Wang, Eunice; Peng, Mei; Cakmak, Yusuf O.

    2018-01-01

    In past literature on animal models, invasive vagal nerve stimulation using high frequencies has shown to be effective at modulating the activity of the olfactory bulb (OB). Recent advances in invasive vagal nerve stimulation in humans, despite previous findings in animal models, used low frequency stimulation and found no effect on the olfactory functioning. The present article aimed to test potential effects of non-invasive, high and low frequency vagal nerve stimulation in humans, with supplementary exploration of the orbitofrontal cortex using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Healthy, male adult participants (n = 18) performed two olfactory tests [odor threshold test (OTT) and supra-threshold test (STT)] before and after receiving high-, low frequency vagal nerve stimulation and placebo (no stimulation). Participant's olfactory functioning was monitored using NIRS, and assessed with two behavioral olfactory tests. NIRS data of separate stimulation parameters were statistically analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA across different stages. Data from olfactory tests were analyzed using paired parametric and non-parametric statistical tests. Only high frequency, non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation was able to positively modulate the performance of the healthy participants in the STT (p = 0.021, Wilcoxon sign-ranked test), with significant differences in NIRS (p = 0.014, post-hoc with Bonferroni correction) recordings of the right hemispheric, orbitofrontal cortex. The results from the current article implore further exploration of the neurocircuitry involved under vagal nerve stimulation and the effects of non-invasive, high frequency, vagal nerve stimulation toward olfactory dysfunction which showcase in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Diseases. Despite the sufficient effect size (moderate effect, correlation coefficient (r): 0.39 for the STT) of the current study, future research should replicate the current findings with a larger cohort. PMID:29740266

  1. Improvement of Olfactory Function With High Frequency Non-invasive Auricular Electrostimulation in Healthy Humans.

    PubMed

    Maharjan, Ashim; Wang, Eunice; Peng, Mei; Cakmak, Yusuf O

    2018-01-01

    In past literature on animal models, invasive vagal nerve stimulation using high frequencies has shown to be effective at modulating the activity of the olfactory bulb (OB). Recent advances in invasive vagal nerve stimulation in humans, despite previous findings in animal models, used low frequency stimulation and found no effect on the olfactory functioning. The present article aimed to test potential effects of non-invasive, high and low frequency vagal nerve stimulation in humans, with supplementary exploration of the orbitofrontal cortex using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Healthy, male adult participants ( n = 18) performed two olfactory tests [odor threshold test (OTT) and supra-threshold test (STT)] before and after receiving high-, low frequency vagal nerve stimulation and placebo (no stimulation). Participant's olfactory functioning was monitored using NIRS, and assessed with two behavioral olfactory tests. NIRS data of separate stimulation parameters were statistically analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA across different stages. Data from olfactory tests were analyzed using paired parametric and non-parametric statistical tests. Only high frequency, non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation was able to positively modulate the performance of the healthy participants in the STT ( p = 0.021, Wilcoxon sign-ranked test), with significant differences in NIRS ( p = 0.014, post-hoc with Bonferroni correction ) recordings of the right hemispheric, orbitofrontal cortex. The results from the current article implore further exploration of the neurocircuitry involved under vagal nerve stimulation and the effects of non-invasive, high frequency, vagal nerve stimulation toward olfactory dysfunction which showcase in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Diseases. Despite the sufficient effect size (moderate effect, correlation coefficient (r): 0.39 for the STT) of the current study, future research should replicate the current findings with a larger cohort.

  2. Non-invasive measurements of soil water content using a pulsed 14 MeV neutron generator

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Most current techniques of setting crop irrigation schedules use invasive, labor-intensive soil-water content measurements. We developed a cart-mounted neutron probe capable of non-invasive measurements of volumetric soil moisture contents. The instrument emits neutrons which are captured by hydroge...

  3. A fast and accurate frequency estimation algorithm for sinusoidal signal with harmonic components

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Jinghua; Pan, Mengchun; Zeng, Zhidun; Hu, Jiafei; Chen, Dixiang; Tian, Wugang; Zhao, Jianqiang; Du, Qingfa

    2016-10-01

    Frequency estimation is a fundamental problem in many applications, such as traditional vibration measurement, power system supervision, and microelectromechanical system sensors control. In this paper, a fast and accurate frequency estimation algorithm is proposed to deal with low efficiency problem in traditional methods. The proposed algorithm consists of coarse and fine frequency estimation steps, and we demonstrate that it is more efficient than conventional searching methods to achieve coarse frequency estimation (location peak of FFT amplitude) by applying modified zero-crossing technique. Thus, the proposed estimation algorithm requires less hardware and software sources and can achieve even higher efficiency when the experimental data increase. Experimental results with modulated magnetic signal show that the root mean square error of frequency estimation is below 0.032 Hz with the proposed algorithm, which has lower computational complexity and better global performance than conventional frequency estimation methods.

  4. State estimation of stochastic non-linear hybrid dynamic system using an interacting multiple model algorithm.

    PubMed

    Elenchezhiyan, M; Prakash, J

    2015-09-01

    In this work, state estimation schemes for non-linear hybrid dynamic systems subjected to stochastic state disturbances and random errors in measurements using interacting multiple-model (IMM) algorithms are formulated. In order to compute both discrete modes and continuous state estimates of a hybrid dynamic system either an IMM extended Kalman filter (IMM-EKF) or an IMM based derivative-free Kalman filters is proposed in this study. The efficacy of the proposed IMM based state estimation schemes is demonstrated by conducting Monte-Carlo simulation studies on the two-tank hybrid system and switched non-isothermal continuous stirred tank reactor system. Extensive simulation studies reveal that the proposed IMM based state estimation schemes are able to generate fairly accurate continuous state estimates and discrete modes. In the presence and absence of sensor bias, the simulation studies reveal that the proposed IMM unscented Kalman filter (IMM-UKF) based simultaneous state and parameter estimation scheme outperforms multiple-model UKF (MM-UKF) based simultaneous state and parameter estimation scheme. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Non-invasive and micro-destructive investigation of the Domus Aurea wall painting decorations.

    PubMed

    Clementi, Catia; Ciocan, Valeria; Vagnini, Manuela; Doherty, Brenda; Tabasso, Marisa Laurenzi; Conti, Cinzia; Brunetti, Brunetto Giovanni; Miliani, Costanza

    2011-10-01

    The paper reports on the exploitation of an educated multi-technique analytical approach based on a wide non invasive step followed by a focused micro-destructive step, aimed at the minimally invasive identification of the pigments decorating the ceiling of the Gilded Vault of the Domus Aurea in Rome. The combination of elemental analysis with molecular characterization provided by X-ray fluorescence and UV-vis spectroscopies, respectively, allowed for the in situ non-invasive identification of a remarkable number of pigments, namely Egyptian blue, green earth, cinnabar, red ochre and an anthraquinonic lake. The study was completed with the Raman analysis of two bulk samples, in particular, SERS measurements allowed for the speciation of the anthraquinonic pigment. Elemental mapping by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometer combined with micro-fluorimetry on cross-section gave an insight into both the distribution of different blend of pigments and on the nature of the inorganic support of the red dye.

  6. State of the Art: Neonatal Non-invasive Respiratory Support: Physiological Implications

    PubMed Central

    Shaffer, Thomas H.; Alapati, Deepthi; Greenspan, Jay S.; Wolfson, Marla R.

    2013-01-01

    Summary The introduction of assisted ventilation for neonatal pulmonary insufficiency has resulted in the successful treatment of many previously fatal diseases. During the past three decades, refinement of invasive mechanical ventilation techniques has dramatically improved survival of many high-risk neonates. However, as with many advances in medicine, while mortality has been reduced, morbidity has increased in the surviving high-risk neonate. In this regard, introduction of assisted ventilation has been associated with chronic lung injury, also known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia. This disease, unknown prior to the appearance of mechanical ventilation, has produced a population of patients characterized by ventilator or oxygen dependence with serious accompanying pulmonary and neurodevelopmental morbidity. The purpose of this article is to review non-invasive respiratory support methodologies to address the physiologic mechanisms by which these methods may prevent the pathophysiologic effects of invasive mechanical ventilation. PMID:22777738

  7. A Non-invasive Real-time Localization System for Enhanced Efficacy in Nasogastric Intubation.

    PubMed

    Sun, Zhenglong; Foong, Shaohui; Maréchal, Luc; Tan, U-Xuan; Teo, Tee Hui; Shabbir, Asim

    2015-12-01

    Nasogastric (NG) intubation is one of the most commonly performed clinical procedures. Real-time localization and tracking of the NG tube passage at the larynx region into the esophagus is crucial for safety, but is lacking in current practice. In this paper, we present the design, analysis and evaluation of a non-invasive real-time localization system using passive magnetic tracking techniques to improve efficacy of the clinical NG intubation process. By embedding a small permanent magnet at the insertion tip of the NG tube, a wearable system containing embedded sensors around the neck can determine the absolute position of the NG tube inside the body in real-time to assist in insertion. In order to validate the feasibility of the proposed system in detecting erroneous tube placement, typical reference intubation trajectories are first analyzed using anatomically correct models and localization accuracy of the system are evaluated using a precise robotic platform. It is found that the root-mean-squared tracking accuracy is within 5.3 mm for both the esophagus and trachea intubation pathways. Experiments were also designed and performed to demonstrate that the system is capable of tracking the NG tube accurately in biological environments even in presence of stationary ferromagnetic objects (such as clinical instruments). With minimal physical modification to the NG tube and clinical process, this system allows accurate and efficient localization and confirmation of correct NG tube placement without supplemental radiographic methods which is considered the current clinical standard.

  8. Non-invasive imaging of global and regional cardiac function in pulmonary hypertension

    PubMed Central

    Crowe, Tim; Jayasekera, Geeshath

    2017-01-01

    Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive illness characterized by elevated pulmonary artery pressure; however, the main cause of mortality in PH patients is right ventricular (RV) failure. Historically, improving the hemodynamics of pulmonary circulation was the focus of treatment; however, it is now evident that cardiac response to a given level of pulmonary hemodynamic overload is variable but plays an important role in the subsequent prognosis. Non-invasive tests of RV function to determine prognosis and response to treatment in patients with PH is essential. Although the right ventricle is the focus of attention, it is clear that cardiac interaction can cause left ventricular dysfunction, thus biventricular assessment is paramount. There is also focus on the atrial chambers in their contribution to cardiac function in PH. Furthermore, there is evidence of regional dysfunction of the two ventricles in PH, so it would be useful to understand both global and regional components of dysfunction. In order to understand global and regional cardiac function in PH, the most obvious non-invasive imaging techniques are echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI). Both techniques have their advantages and disadvantages. Echocardiography is widely available, relatively inexpensive, provides information regarding RV function, and can be used to estimate RV pressures. CMRI, although expensive and less accessible, is the gold standard of biventricular functional measurements. The advent of 3D echocardiography and techniques including strain analysis and stress echocardiography have improved the usefulness of echocardiography while new CMRI technology allows the measurement of strain and measuring cardiac function during stress including exercise. In this review, we have analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of the two techniques and discuss pre-existing and novel forms of analysis where echocardiography and CMRI can be used to examine atrial

  9. Infrared thermography: A non-invasive window into thermal physiology.

    PubMed

    Tattersall, Glenn J

    2016-12-01

    Infrared thermography is a non-invasive technique that measures mid to long-wave infrared radiation emanating from all objects and converts this to temperature. As an imaging technique, the value of modern infrared thermography is its ability to produce a digitized image or high speed video rendering a thermal map of the scene in false colour. Since temperature is an important environmental parameter influencing animal physiology and metabolic heat production an energetically expensive process, measuring temperature and energy exchange in animals is critical to understanding physiology, especially under field conditions. As a non-contact approach, infrared thermography provides a non-invasive complement to physiological data gathering. One caveat, however, is that only surface temperatures are measured, which guides much research to those thermal events occurring at the skin and insulating regions of the body. As an imaging technique, infrared thermal imaging is also subject to certain uncertainties that require physical modelling, which is typically done via built-in software approaches. Infrared thermal imaging has enabled different insights into the comparative physiology of phenomena ranging from thermogenesis, peripheral blood flow adjustments, evaporative cooling, and to respiratory physiology. In this review, I provide background and guidelines for the use of thermal imaging, primarily aimed at field physiologists and biologists interested in thermal biology. I also discuss some of the better known approaches and discoveries revealed from using thermal imaging with the objective of encouraging more quantitative assessment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Lamb mode selection for accurate wall loss estimation via guided wave tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huthwaite, P.; Ribichini, R.; Lowe, M. J. S.; Cawley, P.

    2014-02-01

    Guided wave tomography offers a method to accurately quantify wall thickness losses in pipes and vessels caused by corrosion. This is achieved using ultrasonic waves transmitted over distances of approximately 1-2m, which are measured by an array of transducers and then used to reconstruct a map of wall thickness throughout the inspected region. To achieve accurate estimations of remnant wall thickness, it is vital that a suitable Lamb mode is chosen. This paper presents a detailed evaluation of the fundamental modes, S0 and A0, which are of primary interest in guided wave tomography thickness estimates since the higher order modes do not exist at all thicknesses, to compare their performance using both numerical and experimental data while considering a range of challenging phenomena. The sensitivity of A0 to thickness variations was shown to be superior to S0, however, the attenuation from A0 when a liquid loading was present was much higher than S0. A0 was less sensitive to the presence of coatings on the surface of than S0.

  11. SATe-II: very fast and accurate simultaneous estimation of multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic trees.

    PubMed

    Liu, Kevin; Warnow, Tandy J; Holder, Mark T; Nelesen, Serita M; Yu, Jiaye; Stamatakis, Alexandros P; Linder, C Randal

    2012-01-01

    Highly accurate estimation of phylogenetic trees for large data sets is difficult, in part because multiple sequence alignments must be accurate for phylogeny estimation methods to be accurate. Coestimation of alignments and trees has been attempted but currently only SATé estimates reasonably accurate trees and alignments for large data sets in practical time frames (Liu K., Raghavan S., Nelesen S., Linder C.R., Warnow T. 2009b. Rapid and accurate large-scale coestimation of sequence alignments and phylogenetic trees. Science. 324:1561-1564). Here, we present a modification to the original SATé algorithm that improves upon SATé (which we now call SATé-I) in terms of speed and of phylogenetic and alignment accuracy. SATé-II uses a different divide-and-conquer strategy than SATé-I and so produces smaller more closely related subsets than SATé-I; as a result, SATé-II produces more accurate alignments and trees, can analyze larger data sets, and runs more efficiently than SATé-I. Generally, SATé is a metamethod that takes an existing multiple sequence alignment method as an input parameter and boosts the quality of that alignment method. SATé-II-boosted alignment methods are significantly more accurate than their unboosted versions, and trees based upon these improved alignments are more accurate than trees based upon the original alignments. Because SATé-I used maximum likelihood (ML) methods that treat gaps as missing data to estimate trees and because we found a correlation between the quality of tree/alignment pairs and ML scores, we explored the degree to which SATé's performance depends on using ML with gaps treated as missing data to determine the best tree/alignment pair. We present two lines of evidence that using ML with gaps treated as missing data to optimize the alignment and tree produces very poor results. First, we show that the optimization problem where a set of unaligned DNA sequences is given and the output is the tree and alignment of

  12. A non-invasive technique for rapid extraction of DNA from fish scales.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Ravindra; Singh, Poonam Jayant; Nagpure, N S; Kushwaha, Basdeo; Srivastava, S K; Lakra, W S

    2007-11-01

    DNA markers are being increasingly used in studies related to population genetics and conservation biology of endangered species. DNA isolation for such studies requires a source of biological material that is easy to collect, non-bulky and reliable. Further, the sampling strategies based on non-invasive procedures are desirable, especially for the endangered fish species. In view of above, a rapid DNA extraction method from fish scales has been developed with the use of a modified lysis buffer that require about 2 hr duration. This methodology is non-invasive, less expensive and reproducible with high efficiency of DNA recovery. The DNA extracted by this technique, have been found suitable for performing restriction enzyme digestion and PCR amplification. Therefore, the present DNA extraction procedure can be used as an alternative technique in population genetic studies pertaining to endangered fish species. The technique was also found equally effective for DNA isolation from fresh, dried and ethanol preserved scales.

  13. Electromyography data for non-invasive naturally-controlled robotic hand prostheses

    PubMed Central

    Atzori, Manfredo; Gijsberts, Arjan; Castellini, Claudio; Caputo, Barbara; Hager, Anne-Gabrielle Mittaz; Elsig, Simone; Giatsidis, Giorgio; Bassetto, Franco; Müller, Henning

    2014-01-01

    Recent advances in rehabilitation robotics suggest that it may be possible for hand-amputated subjects to recover at least a significant part of the lost hand functionality. The control of robotic prosthetic hands using non-invasive techniques is still a challenge in real life: myoelectric prostheses give limited control capabilities, the control is often unnatural and must be learned through long training times. Meanwhile, scientific literature results are promising but they are still far from fulfilling real-life needs. This work aims to close this gap by allowing worldwide research groups to develop and test movement recognition and force control algorithms on a benchmark scientific database. The database is targeted at studying the relationship between surface electromyography, hand kinematics and hand forces, with the final goal of developing non-invasive, naturally controlled, robotic hand prostheses. The validation section verifies that the data are similar to data acquired in real-life conditions, and that recognition of different hand tasks by applying state-of-the-art signal features and machine-learning algorithms is possible. PMID:25977804

  14. Snowpack, fire, and forest disturbance: interactions affect montane invasions by non-native shrubs.

    PubMed

    Stevens, Jens T; Latimer, Andrew M

    2015-06-01

    Montane regions worldwide have experienced relatively low plant invasion rates, a trend attributed to increased climatic severity, low rates of disturbance, and reduced propagule pressure relative to lowlands. Manipulative experiments at elevations above the invasive range of non-native species can clarify the relative contributions of these mechanisms to montane invasion resistance, yet such experiments are rare. Furthermore, global climate change and land use changes are expected to cause decreases in snowpack and increases in disturbance by fire and forest thinning in montane forests. We examined the importance of these factors in limiting montane invasions using a field transplant experiment above the invasive range of two non-native lowland shrubs, Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) and Spanish broom (Spartium junceum), in the rain-snow transition zone of the Sierra Nevada of California. We tested the effects of canopy closure, prescribed fire, and winter snow depth on demographic transitions of each species. Establishment of both species was most likely at intermediate levels of canopy disturbance, but at this intermediate canopy level, snow depth had negative effects on winter survival of seedlings. We used matrix population models to show that an 86% reduction in winter snowfall would cause a 2.8-fold increase in population growth rates in Scotch broom and a 3.5-fold increase in Spanish broom. Fall prescribed fire increased germination rates, but decreased overall population growth rates by reducing plant survival. However, at longer fire return intervals, population recovery between fires is likely to keep growth rates high, especially under low snowpack conditions. Many treatment combinations had positive growth rates despite being above the current invasive range, indicating that propagule pressure, disturbance, and climate can all strongly affect plant invasions in montane regions. We conclude that projected reductions in winter snowpack and increases in

  15. Responses of the soil fungal communities to the co-invasion of two invasive species with different cover classes.

    PubMed

    Wang, C; Zhou, J; Liu, J; Jiang, K; Xiao, H; Du, D

    2018-01-01

    Soil fungal communities play an important role in the successful invasion of non-native species. It is common for two or more invasive plant species to co-occur in invaded ecosystems. This study aimed to determine the effects of co-invasion of two invasive species (Erigeron annuus and Solidago canadensis) with different cover classes on soil fungal communities using high-throughput sequencing. Invasion of E. annuus and/or S. canadensis had positive effects on the sequence number, operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness, Shannon diversity, abundance-based cover estimator (ACE index) and Chao1 index of soil fungal communities, but negative effects on the Simpson index. Thus, invasion of E. annuus and/or S. canadensis could increase diversity and richness of soil fungal communities but decrease dominance of some members of these communities, in part to facilitate plant further invasion, because high soil microbial diversity could increase soil functions and plant nutrient acquisition. Some soil fungal species grow well, whereas others tend to extinction after non-native plant invasion with increasing invasion degree and presumably time. The sequence number, OTU richness, Shannon diversity, ACE index and Chao1 index of soil fungal communities were higher under co-invasion of E. annuus and S. canadensis than under independent invasion of either individual species. The co-invasion of the two invasive species had a positive synergistic effect on diversity and abundance of soil fungal communities, partly to build a soil microenvironment to enhance competitiveness of the invaders. The changed diversity and community under co-invasion could modify resource availability and niche differentiation within the soil fungal communities, mediated by differences in leaf litter quality and quantity, which can support different fungal/microbial species in the soil. © 2017 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  16. Accurate Initial State Estimation in a Monocular Visual–Inertial SLAM System

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Jing; Zhou, Zixiang; Leng, Zhen; Fan, Lei

    2018-01-01

    The fusion of monocular visual and inertial cues has become popular in robotics, unmanned vehicles and augmented reality fields. Recent results have shown that optimization-based fusion strategies outperform filtering strategies. Robust state estimation is the core capability for optimization-based visual–inertial Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) systems. As a result of the nonlinearity of visual–inertial systems, the performance heavily relies on the accuracy of initial values (visual scale, gravity, velocity and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) biases). Therefore, this paper aims to propose a more accurate initial state estimation method. On the basis of the known gravity magnitude, we propose an approach to refine the estimated gravity vector by optimizing the two-dimensional (2D) error state on its tangent space, then estimate the accelerometer bias separately, which is difficult to be distinguished under small rotation. Additionally, we propose an automatic termination criterion to determine when the initialization is successful. Once the initial state estimation converges, the initial estimated values are used to launch the nonlinear tightly coupled visual–inertial SLAM system. We have tested our approaches with the public EuRoC dataset. Experimental results show that the proposed methods can achieve good initial state estimation, the gravity refinement approach is able to efficiently speed up the convergence process of the estimated gravity vector, and the termination criterion performs well. PMID:29419751

  17. Effect of prophylactic non-invasive mechanical ventilation on functional capacity after heart valve replacement: a clinical trial

    PubMed Central

    de Araújo-Filho, Amaro Afrânio; de Cerqueira-Neto, Manoel Luiz; de Assis Pereira Cacau, Lucas; Oliveira, Géssica Uruga; Cerqueira, Telma Cristina Fontes; de Santana-Filho, Valter Joviniano

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: During cardiac surgery, several factors contribute to the development of postoperative pulmonary complications. Non-invasive ventilation is a promising therapeutic tool for improving the functionality of this type of patient. The aim of this study is to evaluate the functional capacity and length of stay of patients in a nosocomial intensive care unit who underwent prophylactic non-invasive ventilation after heart valve replacement. METHOD: The study was a controlled clinical trial, comprising 50 individuals of both sexes who were allocated by randomization into two groups with 25 patients in each group: the control group and experimental group. After surgery, the patients were transferred to the intensive care unit and then participated in standard physical therapy, which was provided to the experimental group after 3 applications of non-invasive ventilation within the first 26 hours after extubation. For non-invasive ventilation, the positive pressure was 10 cm H2O, with a duration of 1 hour. The evaluation was performed on the 7th postoperative day/discharge and included a 6-minute walk test. The intensive care unit and hospitalization times were monitored in both groups. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (REBeC): RBR number 8bxdd3. RESULTS: Analysis of the 6-minute walk test showed that the control group walked an average distance of 264.34±76 meters and the experimental group walked an average distance of 334.07±71 meters (p=0.002). The intensive care unit and hospitalization times did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSION: Non-invasive ventilation as a therapeutic resource was effective toward improving functionality; however, non-invasive ventilation did not influence the intensive care unit or hospitalization times of the studied cardiac patients. PMID:29160424

  18. Past and estimated future impact of invasive alien mammals on insular threatened vertebrate populations

    PubMed Central

    McCreless, Erin E.; Huff, David D.; Croll, Donald A.; Tershy, Bernie R.; Spatz, Dena R.; Holmes, Nick D.; Butchart, Stuart H. M.; Wilcox, Chris

    2016-01-01

    Invasive mammals on islands pose severe, ongoing threats to global biodiversity. However, the severity of threats from different mammals, and the role of interacting biotic and abiotic factors in driving extinctions, remain poorly understood at a global scale. Here we model global extirpation patterns for island populations of threatened and extinct vertebrates. Extirpations are driven by interacting factors including invasive rats, cats, pigs, mustelids and mongooses, native species taxonomic class and volancy, island size, precipitation and human presence. We show that controlling or eradicating the relevant invasive mammals could prevent 41–75% of predicted future extirpations. The magnitude of benefits varies across species and environments; for example, managing invasive mammals on small, dry islands could halve the extirpation risk for highly threatened birds and mammals, while doing so on large, wet islands may have little benefit. Our results provide quantitative estimates of conservation benefits and, when combined with costs in a return-on-investment framework, can guide efficient conservation strategies. PMID:27535095

  19. Non-invasive evaluation of stable renal allograft function using point shear-wave elastography.

    PubMed

    Kim, Bom Jun; Kim, Chan Kyo; Park, Jung Jae

    2018-01-01

    To investigate the feasibility of point shear-wave elastography (SWE) in evaluating patients with stable renal allograft function who underwent protocol biopsies. 95 patients with stable renal allograft function that underwent ultrasound-guided biopsies at predefined time points (10 days or 1 year after transplantation) were enrolled. Ultrasound and point SWE examinations were performed immediately before protocol biopsies. Patients were categorized into two groups: subclinical rejection (SCR) and non-SCR. Tissue elasticity (kPa) on SWE was measured in the cortex of all renal allografts. SCR was pathologically confirmed in 34 patients. Tissue elasticity of the SCR group (31.0 kPa) was significantly greater than that of the non-SCR group (24.5 kPa) (=0.016), while resistive index value did not show a significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.112). Tissue elasticity in renal allografts demonstrated significantly moderate negative correlation with estimated glomerular filtration rate (correlation coefficient = -0.604, p < 0.001). Tissue elasticity was not independent factor for SCR prediction on multivariate analysis. As a non-invasive tool, point SWE appears feasible in distinguishing between patients with SCR and without SCR in stable functioning renal allografts. Moreover, it may demonstrate the functional state of renal allografts. Advances in knowledge: On point SWE, SCR has greater tissue elasticity than non-SCR.

  20. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis for cystic fibrosis: detection of paternal mutations, exploration of patient preferences and cost analysis.

    PubMed

    Hill, Melissa; Twiss, Philip; Verhoef, Talitha I; Drury, Suzanne; McKay, Fiona; Mason, Sarah; Jenkins, Lucy; Morris, Stephen; Chitty, Lyn S

    2015-10-01

    We aim to develop non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) for cystic fibrosis (CF) and determine costs and implications for implementation. A next-generation sequencing assay was developed to detect ten common CF mutations for exclusion of the paternal mutation in maternal plasma. Using uptake data from a study exploring views on NIPD for CF, total test-related costs were estimated for the current care pathway and compared with those incorporating NIPD. The assay reliably predicted mutation status in all control and maternal plasma samples. Of carrier or affected adults with CF (n = 142) surveyed, only 43.5% reported willingness to have invasive testing for CF with 94.4% saying they would have NIPD. Using these potential uptake data, the incremental costs of NIPD over invasive testing per 100 pregnancies at risk of CF are £9025 for paternal mutation exclusion, and £26,510 for direct diagnosis. We have developed NIPD for risk stratification in around a third of CF families. There are economic implications due to potential increased test demand to inform postnatal management rather than to inform decisions around termination of an affected pregnancy. © 2015 The Authors. Prenatal Diagnosis published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. Non-invasive assessment of skeletal muscle activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Merletti, Roberto; Orizio, Claudio; di Prampero, Pietro E.; Tesch, Per

    2005-10-01

    After the first 3 years (2002-2005), the MAP project has made available: - systems fo electrodes, signal conditioning and digital processing for multichannel simultaneously-detected EMG and MMG as well as for simultaneous electrical stimulation and EMG detection with artifact cancellation. - innovative non-invasive techniques for the extraction of individual motor unit action potentials (MUAPS) and individual motor and MMG contributions from the surface EMG interference signal and the MMG signal. - processing techniques for extractions of indicators of progressive fatigue from the electrically-elicited (M-wave) EMG signal. - techniques for the analysis of dynamic multichannel EMG during cyclic or explosive exercise (in collaboration with project EXER/MAP-MED-027).

  2. Non-invasive determination of absolute lung resistivity in adults using electrical impedance tomography.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jie; Patterson, Robert

    2010-08-01

    Lung resistivity is a physiological parameter that describes the electrical characteristics of the lungs. Lung composition changes due to changes in the lung tissues, fluid and air volume. Various diseases that can cause a change in lung composition may be monitored by measuring lung resistivity. Currently, there is no accepted non-invasive method to measure lung resistivity. In this study, we presented a method and framework to non-invasively determine lung resistivity using electrical impedance tomography (EIT). By comparing actual measurements from subjects with data from a 3D human thorax model, an EIT image can be reconstructed to show a resistivity difference between the model and the subject. By adjusting the lung resistivity in the model, the resistivity difference in the lung regions can be reduced to near zero. This resistivity value then is the estimation of the lung resistivity of the subject. Using the proposed method, the lung resistivities of four normal adult males (43 +/- 13 years, 78 +/- 10 kg) in the supine position at air volumes starting at functional residual capacity (FRC--end expiration) and increasing in 0.5 l steps to 1.5 l were studied. The averaged lung resistivity changes 12.59%, from 1406 Omega cm to 1583 Omega cm, following the inspiration of 1.5 l air from FRC. The coefficients of variation (CV) of precision for the four subjects are less than 10%. The experiment was repeated five times at each air volume on a subject to test the reproducibility. The CVs are less than 3%. The results show that it is feasible to determine absolute lung resistivity using an EIT-based method.

  3. Non-invasive monitoring of chewing and swallowing for objective quantification of ingestive behavior

    PubMed Central

    Sazonov, Edward; Schuckers, Stephanie; Lopez-Meyer, Paulo; Makeyev, Oleksandr; Sazonova, Nadezhda; Melanson, Edward L.; Neuman, Michael

    2008-01-01

    A methodology of studying of ingestive behavior by non-invasive monitoring of swallowing (deglutition) and chewing (mastication) has been developed. The target application for the developed methodology is to study the behavioral patterns of food consumption and producing volumetric and weight estimates of energy intake. Monitoring is non-invasive based on detecting swallowing by a sound sensor located over laryngopharynx or by a bone conduction microphone and detecting chewing through a below-the-ear strain sensor. Proposed sensors may be implemented in a wearable monitoring device, thus enabling monitoring of ingestive behavior in free living individuals. In this paper, the goals in the development of this methodology are two-fold. First, a system comprised of sensors, related hardware and software for multimodal data capture is designed for data collection in a controlled environment. Second, a protocol is developed for manual scoring of chewing and swallowing for use as a gold standard. The multi-modal data capture was tested by measuring chewing and swallowing in twenty one volunteers during periods of food intake and quiet sitting (no food intake). Video footage and sensor signals were manually scored by trained raters. Inter-rater reliability study for three raters conducted on the sample set of 5 subjects resulted in high average intra-class correlation coefficients of 0.996 for bites, 0.988 for chews, and 0.98 for swallows. The collected sensor signals and the resulting manual scores will be used in future research as a gold standard for further assessment of sensor design, development of automatic pattern recognition routines, and study of the relationship between swallowing/chewing and ingestive behavior. PMID:18427161

  4. Non-invasive monitoring of chewing and swallowing for objective quantification of ingestive behavior.

    PubMed

    Sazonov, Edward; Schuckers, Stephanie; Lopez-Meyer, Paulo; Makeyev, Oleksandr; Sazonova, Nadezhda; Melanson, Edward L; Neuman, Michael

    2008-05-01

    A methodology of studying of ingestive behavior by non-invasive monitoring of swallowing (deglutition) and chewing (mastication) has been developed. The target application for the developed methodology is to study the behavioral patterns of food consumption and producing volumetric and weight estimates of energy intake. Monitoring is non-invasive based on detecting swallowing by a sound sensor located over laryngopharynx or by a bone-conduction microphone and detecting chewing through a below-the-ear strain sensor. Proposed sensors may be implemented in a wearable monitoring device, thus enabling monitoring of ingestive behavior in free-living individuals. In this paper, the goals in the development of this methodology are two-fold. First, a system comprising sensors, related hardware and software for multi-modal data capture is designed for data collection in a controlled environment. Second, a protocol is developed for manual scoring of chewing and swallowing for use as a gold standard. The multi-modal data capture was tested by measuring chewing and swallowing in 21 volunteers during periods of food intake and quiet sitting (no food intake). Video footage and sensor signals were manually scored by trained raters. Inter-rater reliability study for three raters conducted on the sample set of five subjects resulted in high average intra-class correlation coefficients of 0.996 for bites, 0.988 for chews and 0.98 for swallows. The collected sensor signals and the resulting manual scores will be used in future research as a gold standard for further assessment of sensor design, development of automatic pattern recognition routines and study of the relationship between swallowing/chewing and ingestive behavior.

  5. Non-invasive quantification of lower limb mechanical alignment in flexion

    PubMed Central

    Deakin, Angela; Fogg, Quentin A.; Picard, Frederic

    2014-01-01

    Objective Non-invasive navigation techniques have recently been developed to determine mechanical femorotibial alignment (MFTA) in extension. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the precision and accuracy of an image-free navigation system with new software designed to provide multiple kinematic measurements of the knee. The secondary aim was to test two types of strap material used to attach optical trackers to the lower limb. Methods Seventy-two registrations were carried out on 6 intact embalmed cadaveric specimens (mean age: 77.8 ± 12 years). A validated fabric strap, bone screws and novel rubber strap were used to secure the passive tracker baseplate for four full experiments with each knee. The MFTA angle was measured under the conditions of no applied stress, valgus stress, and varus stress. These measurements were carried out at full extension and at 30°, 40°, 50° and 60° of flexion. Intraclass correlation coefficients, repeatability coefficients, and limits of agreement (LOA) were used to convey precision and agreement in measuring MFTA with respect to each of the independent variables, i.e., degree of flexion, applied coronal stress, and method of tracker fixation. Based on the current literature, a repeatability coefficient and LOA of ≤3° were deemed acceptable. Results The mean fixed flexion for the 6 specimens was 12.8° (range: 6–20°). The mean repeatability coefficient measuring MFTA in extension with screws or fabric strapping of the baseplate was ≤2°, compared to 2.3° using rubber strapping. When flexing the knee, MFTA measurements taken using screws or fabric straps remained precise (repeatability coefficient ≤3°) throughout the tested range of flexion (12.8–60°); however, using rubber straps, the repeatability coefficient was >3° beyond 50° flexion. In general, applying a varus/valgus stress while measuring MFTA decreased precision beyond 40° flexion. Using fabric strapping, excellent repeatability

  6. Invasive Acer negundo outperforms native species in non-limiting resource environments due to its higher phenotypic plasticity

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background To identify the determinants of invasiveness, comparisons of traits of invasive and native species are commonly performed. Invasiveness is generally linked to higher values of reproductive, physiological and growth-related traits of the invasives relative to the natives in the introduced range. Phenotypic plasticity of these traits has also been cited to increase the success of invasive species but has been little studied in invasive tree species. In a greenhouse experiment, we compared ecophysiological traits between an invasive species to Europe, Acer negundo, and early- and late-successional co-occurring native species, under different light, nutrient availability and disturbance regimes. We also compared species of the same species groups in situ, in riparian forests. Results Under non-limiting resources, A. negundo seedlings showed higher growth rates than the native species. However, A. negundo displayed equivalent or lower photosynthetic capacities and nitrogen content per unit leaf area compared to the native species; these findings were observed both on the seedlings in the greenhouse experiment and on adult trees in situ. These physiological traits were mostly conservative along the different light, nutrient and disturbance environments. Overall, under non-limiting light and nutrient conditions, specific leaf area and total leaf area of A. negundo were substantially larger. The invasive species presented a higher plasticity in allocation to foliage and therefore in growth with increasing nutrient and light availability relative to the native species. Conclusions The higher level of plasticity of the invasive species in foliage allocation in response to light and nutrient availability induced a better growth in non-limiting resource environments. These results give us more elements on the invasiveness of A. negundo and suggest that such behaviour could explain the ability of A. negundo to outperform native tree species, contributes to its spread

  7. Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis: Between prediction/prevention of outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

    PubMed

    Stasi, Cristina; Milani, Stefano

    2016-01-28

    The assessment of the fibrotic evolution of chronic hepatitis has always been a challenge for the clinical hepatologist. Over the past decade, various non-invasive methods have been proposed to detect the presence of fibrosis, including the elastometric measure of stiffness, panels of clinical and biochemical parameters, and combinations of both methods. The aim of this review is to analyse the most recent data on non-invasive techniques for the evaluation of hepatic fibrosis with particular attention to cost-effectiveness. We searched for relevant studies published in English using the PubMed database from 2009 to the present. A large number of studies have suggested that elastography and serum markers are useful techniques for diagnosing severe fibrosis and cirrhosis and for excluding significant fibrosis in hepatitis C virus patients. In addition, hepatic stiffness may also help to prognosticate treatment response to antiviral therapy. It has also been shown that magnetic resonance elastography has a high accuracy for staging and differentiating liver fibrosis. Finally, studies have shown that non-invasive methods are becoming increasingly precise in either positively identifying or excluding liver fibrosis, thus reducing the need for liver biopsy. However, both serum markers and transient elastography still have "grey area" values of lower accuracy. In this case, liver biopsy is still required to properly assess liver fibrosis. Recently, the guidelines produced by the World Health Organization have suggested that the AST-to-platelet ratio index or FIB-4 test could be utilised for the evaluation of liver fibrosis rather than other, more expensive non-invasive tests, such as elastography or FibroTest.

  8. Attacking invasive grasses

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Keeley, Jon E.

    2015-01-01

    In grasslands fire may play a role in the plant invasion process, both by creating disturbances that potentially favour non-native invasions and as a possible tool for controlling alien invasions. Havill et al. (Applied Vegetation Science, 18, 2015, this issue) determine how native and non-native species respond to different fire regimes as a first step in understanding the potential control of invasive grasses.

  9. Novel serologic biomarkers provide accurate estimates of recent Plasmodium falciparum exposure for individuals and communities

    PubMed Central

    Helb, Danica A.; Tetteh, Kevin K. A.; Felgner, Philip L.; Skinner, Jeff; Hubbard, Alan; Arinaitwe, Emmanuel; Mayanja-Kizza, Harriet; Ssewanyana, Isaac; Kamya, Moses R.; Beeson, James G.; Tappero, Jordan; Smith, David L.; Crompton, Peter D.; Rosenthal, Philip J.; Dorsey, Grant; Drakeley, Christopher J.; Greenhouse, Bryan

    2015-01-01

    Tools to reliably measure Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) exposure in individuals and communities are needed to guide and evaluate malaria control interventions. Serologic assays can potentially produce precise exposure estimates at low cost; however, current approaches based on responses to a few characterized antigens are not designed to estimate exposure in individuals. Pf-specific antibody responses differ by antigen, suggesting that selection of antigens with defined kinetic profiles will improve estimates of Pf exposure. To identify novel serologic biomarkers of malaria exposure, we evaluated responses to 856 Pf antigens by protein microarray in 186 Ugandan children, for whom detailed Pf exposure data were available. Using data-adaptive statistical methods, we identified combinations of antibody responses that maximized information on an individual’s recent exposure. Responses to three novel Pf antigens accurately classified whether an individual had been infected within the last 30, 90, or 365 d (cross-validated area under the curve = 0.86–0.93), whereas responses to six antigens accurately estimated an individual’s malaria incidence in the prior year. Cross-validated incidence predictions for individuals in different communities provided accurate stratification of exposure between populations and suggest that precise estimates of community exposure can be obtained from sampling a small subset of that community. In addition, serologic incidence predictions from cross-sectional samples characterized heterogeneity within a community similarly to 1 y of continuous passive surveillance. Development of simple ELISA-based assays derived from the successful selection strategy outlined here offers the potential to generate rich epidemiologic surveillance data that will be widely accessible to malaria control programs. PMID:26216993

  10. Novel serologic biomarkers provide accurate estimates of recent Plasmodium falciparum exposure for individuals and communities.

    PubMed

    Helb, Danica A; Tetteh, Kevin K A; Felgner, Philip L; Skinner, Jeff; Hubbard, Alan; Arinaitwe, Emmanuel; Mayanja-Kizza, Harriet; Ssewanyana, Isaac; Kamya, Moses R; Beeson, James G; Tappero, Jordan; Smith, David L; Crompton, Peter D; Rosenthal, Philip J; Dorsey, Grant; Drakeley, Christopher J; Greenhouse, Bryan

    2015-08-11

    Tools to reliably measure Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) exposure in individuals and communities are needed to guide and evaluate malaria control interventions. Serologic assays can potentially produce precise exposure estimates at low cost; however, current approaches based on responses to a few characterized antigens are not designed to estimate exposure in individuals. Pf-specific antibody responses differ by antigen, suggesting that selection of antigens with defined kinetic profiles will improve estimates of Pf exposure. To identify novel serologic biomarkers of malaria exposure, we evaluated responses to 856 Pf antigens by protein microarray in 186 Ugandan children, for whom detailed Pf exposure data were available. Using data-adaptive statistical methods, we identified combinations of antibody responses that maximized information on an individual's recent exposure. Responses to three novel Pf antigens accurately classified whether an individual had been infected within the last 30, 90, or 365 d (cross-validated area under the curve = 0.86-0.93), whereas responses to six antigens accurately estimated an individual's malaria incidence in the prior year. Cross-validated incidence predictions for individuals in different communities provided accurate stratification of exposure between populations and suggest that precise estimates of community exposure can be obtained from sampling a small subset of that community. In addition, serologic incidence predictions from cross-sectional samples characterized heterogeneity within a community similarly to 1 y of continuous passive surveillance. Development of simple ELISA-based assays derived from the successful selection strategy outlined here offers the potential to generate rich epidemiologic surveillance data that will be widely accessible to malaria control programs.

  11. Non-invasive detection of urothelial cancer through the analysis of driver gene mutations and aneuploidy

    PubMed Central

    Li, Lu; Douville, Christopher; Wang, Yuxuan; Cohen, Joshua David; Taheri, Diana; Silliman, Natalie; Schaefer, Joy; Ptak, Janine; Dobbyn, Lisa; Papoli, Maria; Kinde, Isaac; Afsari, Bahman; Tregnago, Aline C; Bezerra, Stephania M; VandenBussche, Christopher; Fujita, Kazutoshi; Ertoy, Dilek; Cunha, Isabela W; Yu, Lijia; Bivalacqua, Trinity J; Grollman, Arthur P; Diaz, Luis A; Karchin, Rachel; Danilova, Ludmila; Huang, Chao-Yuan; Shun, Chia-Tung; Turesky, Robert J; Yun, Byeong Hwa; Rosenquist, Thomas A; Pu, Yeong-Shiau; Hruban, Ralph H; Tomasetti, Cristian; Papadopoulos, Nickolas; Kinzler, Ken W

    2018-01-01

    Current non-invasive approaches for detection of urothelial cancers are suboptimal. We developed a test to detect urothelial neoplasms using DNA recovered from cells shed into urine. UroSEEK incorporates massive parallel sequencing assays for mutations in 11 genes and copy number changes on 39 chromosome arms. In 570 patients at risk for bladder cancer (BC), UroSEEK was positive in 83% of those who developed BC. Combined with cytology, UroSEEK detected 95% of patients who developed BC. Of 56 patients with upper tract urothelial cancer, 75% tested positive by UroSEEK, including 79% of those with non-invasive tumors. UroSEEK detected genetic abnormalities in 68% of urines obtained from BC patients under surveillance who demonstrated clinical evidence of recurrence. The advantages of UroSEEK over cytology were evident in low-grade BCs; UroSEEK detected 67% of cases whereas cytology detected none. These results establish the foundation for a new non-invasive approach for detection of urothelial cancer. PMID:29557778

  12. Fleshy fruit removal and nutritional composition of winter-fruiting plants: a comparison of non-native invasive and native species

    Treesearch

    Cathryn H. Greenberg; Scott T. Walter

    2010-01-01

    Invasive, non-native plants threaten forest ecosystems by reducing native plant species richness and potentially altering ecosystem processes. Seed dispersal is critical for successful invasion and range expansion by non-native plants; dispersal is likely to be enhanced if they can successfully compete with native plants for disperser services. Fruit production by non-...

  13. Estimating suitable environments for invasive plant species across large landscapes: a remote sensing strategy using Landsat 7 ETM+

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Young, Kendal E.; Abbott, Laurie B.; Caldwell, Colleen A.; Schrader, T. Scott

    2013-01-01

    The key to reducing ecological and economic damage caused by invasive plant species is to locate and eradicate new invasions before they threaten native biodiversity and ecological processes. We used Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus imagery to estimate suitable environments for four invasive plants in Big Bend National Park, southwest Texas, using a presence-only modeling approach. Giant reed (Arundo donax), Lehmann lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana), horehound (Marrubium vulgare) and buffelgrass (Pennisteum ciliare) were selected for remote sensing spatial analyses. Multiple dates/seasons of imagery were used to account for habitat conditions within the study area and to capture phenological differences among targeted species and the surrounding landscape. Individual species models had high (0.91 to 0.99) discriminative ability to differentiate invasive plant suitable environments from random background locations. Average test area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) ranged from 0.91 to 0.99, indicating that plant predictive models exhibited high discriminative ability to differentiate suitable environments for invasive plant species from random locations. Omission rates ranged from <1.0 to 18%. We demonstrated that useful models estimating suitable environments for invasive plants may be created with <50 occurrence locations and that reliable modeling using presence-only datasets can be powerful tools for land managers.

  14. The effects of non-invasive respiratory support on oropharyngeal temperature and humidity: a neonatal manikin study.

    PubMed

    Roberts, Calum T; Kortekaas, Rebecca; Dawson, Jennifer A; Manley, Brett J; Owen, Louise S; Davis, Peter G

    2016-05-01

    Heating and humidification of inspired gases is routine during neonatal non-invasive respiratory support. However, little is known about the temperature and humidity delivered to the upper airway. The International Standards Organization (ISO) specifies that for all patients with an artificial airway humidifiers should deliver ≥33 g/m(3) absolute humidity (AH). We assessed the oropharyngeal temperature and humidity during different non-invasive support modes in a neonatal manikin study. Six different modes of non-invasive respiratory support were applied at clinically relevant settings to a neonatal manikin, placed in a warmed and humidified neonatal incubator. Oropharyngeal temperature and relative humidity (RH) were assessed using a thermohygrometer. AH was subsequently calculated. Measured temperature and RH varied between devices. Bubble and ventilator continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) produced temperatures >34°C and AH >38 g/m(3). Variable flow CPAP resulted in lower levels of AH than bubble or ventilator CPAP, and AH decreased with higher gas flow. High-flow (HF) therapy delivered by Optiflow Junior produced higher AH with higher gas flow, whereas with Vapotherm HF the converse was true. Different non-invasive devices deliver inspiratory gases of variable temperature and humidity. Most AH levels were above the ISO recommendation; however, with some HF and variable flow CPAP devices at higher gas flow this was not achieved. Clinicians should be aware of differences in the efficacy of heating and humidification when choosing modes of non-invasive respiratory support. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  15. Non-destructive and non-invasive observation of friction and wear of human joints and of fracture initiation by acoustic emission.

    PubMed

    Schwalbe, H J; Bamfaste, G; Franke, R P

    1999-01-01

    Quality control in orthopaedic diagnostics according to DIN EN ISO 9000ff requires methods of non-destructive process control, which do not harm the patient by radiation or by invasive examinations. To obtain an improvement in health economy, quality-controlled and non-destructive measurements have to be introduced into the diagnostics and therapy of human joints and bones. A non-invasive evaluation of the state of wear of human joints and of the cracking tendency of bones is, as of today's point of knowledge, not established. The analysis of acoustic emission signals allows the prediction of bone rupture far below the fracture load. The evaluation of dry and wet bone samples revealed that it is possible to conclude from crack initiation to the bone strength and thus to predict the probability of bone rupture.

  16. Non-invasive techniques for determining musculoskeleton body composition

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cohn, S.H.

    1984-01-01

    In vivo neutron activation analysis, combined with gamma spectrometry, has ushered in a new era of clinical diagnosis and evaluation of therapies, as well as investigation into and modelling of body composition in both normal individuals and patients suffering from various diseases and dysfunctions. Body composition studies have provided baseline data on such vital constituents as nitrogen, potassium and calcium. The non-invasive measurement techniques are particularly suitable for study of the musculo-skeletal changes in body composition. Of particular relevance here is the measurement of calcium loss in astronauts during prolonged space flights.

  17. The Book of Kells: a non-invasive MOLAB investigation by complementary spectroscopic techniques.

    PubMed

    Doherty, B; Daveri, A; Clementi, C; Romani, A; Bioletti, S; Brunetti, B; Sgamellotti, A; Miliani, C

    2013-11-01

    This paper highlights the efficacy of non-invasive portable spectroscopy for assessing the execution technique and constituent materials in one of the most important medieval manuscripts, the Book of Kells. An aimed campaign of in situ measurements by the MObile LABoratory (MOLAB) has analyzed its elemental composition and vibrational and electronic molecular properties. The ample analytical toolbox has afforded complementary diagnostic information of the pigment palette permitting the characterization of both inorganic and organic materials as pigments and dyes in the white, purple, blue, red, orange, green and black areas. In particular, the novel widespread use of calcinated gypsum (anhydrite) as both a white pigment and in correlation to the organic dyes in this manuscript has been noted. The non-invasive identification of the organic dye orchil is significant considering its rare non invasive detection in medieval manuscripts. Finally the occurrence of particular alterations of the organic black areas giving rise to calcium carboxylate and calcium oxalate has been specifically highlighted. Importantly, this work elaborates complex aspects of the employed painting materials which have given rise to numerous significant points of interest for a more elaborate understanding of this Irish treasure. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Mid-Infrared Photoacoustic Detection of Glucose in Human Skin: Towards Non-Invasive Diagnostics

    PubMed Central

    Kottmann, Jonas; Rey, Julien M.; Sigrist, Markus W.

    2016-01-01

    Diabetes mellitus is a widespread metabolic disease without cure. Great efforts are being made to develop a non-invasive monitoring of the blood glucose level. Various attempts have been made, including a number of non-optical approaches as well as optical techniques involving visible, near- and mid-infrared light. However, no true breakthrough has been achieved so far, i.e., there is no fully non-invasive monitoring device available. Here we present a new study based on mid-infrared spectroscopy and photoacoustic detection. We employ two setups, one with a fiber-coupled photoacoustic (PA) cell and a tunable quantum cascade laser (QCL), and a second setup with two QCLs at different wavelengths combined with PA detection. In both cases, the PA cells are in direct skin contact. The performance is tested with an oral glucose tolerance test. While the first setup often gives reasonable qualitative agreement with ordinary invasive blood glucose measurements, the dual-wavelength approach yields a considerably improved stability and an uncertainty of only ±30 mg/dL of the blood glucose concentration level at a confidence level of 90%. This result is achieved without advanced data treatment such as principal component analysis involving extended wavelength ranges. PMID:27735878

  19. Non-invasive prediction of hematocrit levels by portable visible and near-infrared spectrophotometer.

    PubMed

    Sakudo, Akikazu; Kato, Yukiko Hakariya; Kuratsune, Hirohiko; Ikuta, Kazuyoshi

    2009-10-01

    After blood donation, in some individuals having polycythemia, dehydration causes anemia. Although the hematocrit (Ht) level is closely related to anemia, the current method of measuring Ht is performed after blood drawing. Furthermore, the monitoring of Ht levels contributes to a healthy life. Therefore, a non-invasive test for Ht is warranted for the safe donation of blood and good quality of life. A non-invasive procedure for the prediction of hematocrit levels was developed on the basis of a chemometric analysis of visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectra of the thumbs using portable spectrophotometer. Transmittance spectra in the 600- to 1100-nm region from thumbs of Japanese volunteers were subjected to a partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis and leave-out cross-validation to develop chemometric models for predicting Ht levels. Ht levels of masked samples predicted by this model from Vis-NIR spectra provided a coefficient of determination in prediction of 0.6349 with a standard error of prediction of 3.704% and a detection limit in prediction of 17.14%, indicating that the model is applicable for normal and abnormal value in Ht level. These results suggest portable Vis-NIR spectrophotometer to have potential for the non-invasive measurement of Ht levels with a combination of PLSR analysis.

  20. Simple non-invasive assessment of advanced glycation endproduct accumulation.

    PubMed

    Meerwaldt, R; Graaff, R; Oomen, P H N; Links, T P; Jager, J J; Alderson, N L; Thorpe, S R; Baynes, J W; Gans, R O B; Smit, A J

    2004-07-01

    The accumulation of AGE is thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic complications of diabetes mellitus and renal failure. All current measurements of AGE accumulation require invasive sampling. We exploited the fact that several AGE exhibit autofluorescence to develop a non-invasive tool for measuring skin AGE accumulation, the Autofluorescence Reader (AFR). We validated its use by comparing the values obtained using the AFR with the AGE content measured in extracts from skin biopsies of diabetic and control subjects. Using the AFR with an excitation light source of 300-420 nm, fluorescence of the skin was measured at the arm and lower leg in 46 patients with diabetes (Type 1 and 2) and in 46 age- and sex-matched control subjects, the majority of whom were Caucasian. Autofluorescence was defined as the average fluorescence per nm over the entire emission spectrum (420-600 nm) as ratio of the average fluorescence per nm over the 300-420-nm range. Skin biopsies were obtained from the same site of the arm, and analysed for collagen-linked fluorescence (CLF) and specific AGE: pentosidine, N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) and N(epsilon)-(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL). Autofluorescence correlated with CLF, pentosidine, CML, and CEL ( r=0.47-0.62, pinvasive measurement of AGE accumulation and, to date, has been validated in non-pigmented skin. The AFR may prove to be a useful clinical tool for rapid risk assessment of AGE-related long-term complications in diabetes mellitus and in other conditions associated with AGE accumulation.

  1. Neonatal non-invasive respiratory support: synchronised NIPPV, non-synchronised NIPPV or bi-level CPAP: what is the evidence in 2013?

    PubMed

    Roberts, C T; Davis, P G; Owen, L S

    2013-01-01

    Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) has proven to be an effective mode of non-invasive respiratory support in preterm infants; however, many infants still require endotracheal ventilation, placing them at an increased risk of morbidities such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Several other modes of non-invasive respiratory support beyond NCPAP, including synchronised and non-synchronised nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (SNIPPV and nsNIPPV) and bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) are now also available. These techniques require different approaches, and the exact mechanisms by which they act remain unclear. SNIPPV has been shown to reduce the rate of reintubation in comparison to NCPAP when used as post-extubation support, but the evidence for nsNIPPV and BiPAP in this context is less convincing. There is some evidence that NIPPV (whether synchronised or non-synchronised) used as primary respiratory support is beneficial, but the variation in study methodology makes this hard to translate confidently into clinical practice. There is currently no evidence to suggest a reduction in mortality or important morbidities such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, with NIPPV or BiPAP in comparison to NCPAP, and there is a lack of appropriately designed studies in this area. This review discusses the different approaches and proposed mechanisms of action of SNIPPV, nsNIPPV and BiPAP, the challenges of applying the available evidence for these distinct modalities of non-invasive respiratory support to clinical practice, and possible areas of future research. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  2. Uptake of non-invasive prenatal testing in Chinese women: money matters.

    PubMed

    Han, J; Zhen, L; Pan, M; Yang, X; Ou, Y-M; Liao, C; Li, D-Z

    2015-12-01

    To determine the influence of free invasive prenatal testing on the uptake of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). Over a 2-year period at a Chinese tertiary prenatal diagnostic unit, women at risk of fetal trisomy were given the option of NIPT or invasive prenatal testing. Invasive prenatal testing was offered free of charge to women with a local Hukou (household registration); however, women without a local Hukou were charged for invasive prenatal testing. Both women with and without a local Hukou were charged for NIPT. During the first year, 2647 women with a positive trisomy 21 screening test were referred (474 women with a local Hukou and 2173 women without a local Hukou). Only 1.6% of the women with a local Hukou underwent NIPT, while this proportion was 20.6% in the women without a local Hukou. During the second year, the price of NIPT was reduced. The total number of women referred was 3047 (502 women with a local Hukou and 2545 women without a local Hukou). The uptake of NIPT in women without a local Hukou doubled, but the uptake of NIPT remained stable in women with a local Hukou. The financial impact on the uptake of NIPT should not be underestimated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Capture-Recapture Estimators in Epidemiology with Applications to Pertussis and Pneumococcal Invasive Disease Surveillance

    PubMed Central

    Braeye, Toon; Verheagen, Jan; Mignon, Annick; Flipse, Wim; Pierard, Denis; Huygen, Kris; Schirvel, Carole; Hens, Niel

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Surveillance networks are often not exhaustive nor completely complementary. In such situations, capture-recapture methods can be used for incidence estimation. The choice of estimator and their robustness with respect to the homogeneity and independence assumptions are however not well documented. Methods We investigated the performance of five different capture-recapture estimators in a simulation study. Eight different scenarios were used to detect and combine case-information. The scenarios increasingly violated assumptions of independence of samples and homogeneity of detection probabilities. Belgian datasets on invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and pertussis provided motivating examples. Results No estimator was unbiased in all scenarios. Performance of the parametric estimators depended on how much of the dependency and heterogeneity were correctly modelled. Model building was limited by parameter estimability, availability of additional information (e.g. covariates) and the possibilities inherent to the method. In the most complex scenario, methods that allowed for detection probabilities conditional on previous detections estimated the total population size within a 20–30% error-range. Parametric estimators remained stable if individual data sources lost up to 50% of their data. The investigated non-parametric methods were more susceptible to data loss and their performance was linked to the dependence between samples; overestimating in scenarios with little dependence, underestimating in others. Issues with parameter estimability made it impossible to model all suggested relations between samples for the IPD and pertussis datasets. For IPD, the estimates for the Belgian incidence for cases aged 50 years and older ranged from 44 to58/100,000 in 2010. The estimates for pertussis (all ages, Belgium, 2014) ranged from 24.2 to30.8/100,000. Conclusion We encourage the use of capture-recapture methods, but epidemiologists should preferably

  4. Non-invasive, Multimodal Functional Imaging of the Intestine with Frozen Micellar Naphthalocyanines

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Yumiao; Jeon, Mansik; Rich, Laurie J.; Hong, Hao; Geng, Jumin; Zhang, Yin; Shi, Sixiang; Barnhart, Todd E.; Alexandridis, Paschalis; Huizinga, Jan D.; Seshadri, Mukund; Cai, Weibo; Kim, Chulhong; Lovell, Jonathan F.

    2014-01-01

    Overview There is a need for safer and improved methods for non-invasive imaging of the gastrointestinal tract. Modalities based on X-ray radiation, magnetic resonance and ultrasound suffer from limitations with respect to safety, accessibility or lack of adequate contrast. Functional intestinal imaging of dynamic gut processes has not been practical using existing approaches. Here, we report the development of a family of nanoparticles that can withstand the harsh conditions of the stomach and intestine, avoid systemic absorption, and give rise to good optical contrast for photoacoustic imaging. The hydrophobicity of naphthalocyanine dyes was exploited to generate purified ~20 nm frozen micelles, which we call nanonaps, with tunable and large near-infrared absorption values (>1000). Unlike conventional chromophores, nanonaps exhibited non-shifting spectra at ultrahigh optical densities and, following oral administration in mice, passed safely through the gastrointestinal tract. Non-invasive, non-ionizing photoacoustic techniques were used to visualize nanonap intestinal distribution with low background and remarkable resolution with 0.5 cm depth, and enabled real-time intestinal functional imaging with ultrasound co-registration. Positron emission tomography following seamless nanonap radiolabelling allowed complementary whole body imaging. PMID:24997526

  5. Do We Know Whether Researchers and Reviewers are Estimating Risk and Benefit Accurately?

    PubMed

    Hey, Spencer Phillips; Kimmelman, Jonathan

    2016-10-01

    Accurate estimation of risk and benefit is integral to good clinical research planning, ethical review, and study implementation. Some commentators have argued that various actors in clinical research systems are prone to biased or arbitrary risk/benefit estimation. In this commentary, we suggest the evidence supporting such claims is very limited. Most prior work has imputed risk/benefit beliefs based on past behavior or goals, rather than directly measuring them. We describe an approach - forecast analysis - that would enable direct and effective measure of the quality of risk/benefit estimation. We then consider some objections and limitations to the forecasting approach. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Non-invasive Measurement of Thermal Diffusivity Using High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound and Through-Transmission Ultrasonic Imaging.

    PubMed

    Yeshurun, Lilach; Azhari, Haim

    2016-01-01

    Thermal diffusivity at the site ablated by high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) plays an important role in the final therapeutic outcome, as it influences the temperature's spatial and temporal distribution. Moreover, as tissue thermal diffusivity is different in tumors as compared with normal tissue, it could also potentially be used as a new source of imaging contrast. The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of combining through-transmission ultrasonic imaging and HIFU to estimate thermal diffusivity non-invasively. The concept was initially evaluated using a computer simulation. Then it was experimentally tested on phantoms made of agar and ex vivo porcine fat. A computerized imaging system combined with a HIFU system was used to heat the phantoms to temperatures below 42°C to avoid irreversible damage. Through-transmission scanning provided the time-of-flight values in a region of interest during its cooling process. The time-of-flight values were consequently converted into mean values of speed of sound. Using the speed-of-sound profiles along with the developed model, we estimated the changes in temperature profiles over time. These changes in temperature profiles were then used to calculate the corresponding thermal diffusivity of the studied specimen. Thermal diffusivity for porcine fat was found to be lower by one order of magnitude than that obtained for agar (0.313×10(-7)m(2)/s vs. 4.83×10(-7)m(2)/s, respectively, p < 0.041). The fact that there is a substantial difference between agar and fat implies that non-invasive all-ultrasound thermal diffusivity mapping is feasible. The suggested method may particularly be suitable for breast scanning. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Non-invasive detection of candidate pregnancy protein biomarkers in the feces of captive polar bears (Ursus maritimus).

    PubMed

    Curry, E; Stoops, M A; Roth, T L

    2012-07-15

    Currently, there is no method of accurately and non-invasively diagnosing pregnancy in polar bears. Specific proteins may exhibit altered profiles in the feces of pregnant bears, but predicting appropriate candidate proteins to investigate is speculative at best. The objective of this study was to identify potential pregnancy biomarker proteins based on their increased abundance in the feces of pregnant polar bears compared to pseudopregnant females (controls) using two-dimensional in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and mass spectrometry (MS). Three 2D-DIGE gels were performed to evaluate fecal protein profiles from controls (n=3) and pregnant polar bears (n=3). There were 2224.67±52.39 (mean±SEM) spots resolved per gel. Of these, only five proteins were elevated in the pregnant group (P<0.05), and seven additional spots tended to be higher (0.0599.9% confidence interval. The 11 spots represented seven distinct proteins, five of which were significantly more abundant in the pregnant group: IgGFc-binding protein, filamin-C, carboxypeptidase B, transthyretin, and immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region. To our knowledge, this was the first study that employed 2D-DIGE to identify differentially expressed proteins in fecal samples to characterize a physiological condition other than those related to gastrointestinal disorders. These promising results provided a strong foundation for ensuing efforts to develop a non-invasive pregnancy assay for use in both captive and wild polar bears. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. NON-INVASIVE RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION OF CANCER TARGETED BY GOLD NANOPARTICLES

    PubMed Central

    Cardinal, Jon; Klune, John Robert; Chory, Eamon; Jeyabalan, Geetha; Kanzius, John S.; Nalesnik, Michael; Geller, David A.

    2008-01-01

    Introduction Current radiofrequency ablation (RFA) techniques require invasive needle placement and are limited by accuracy of targeting. The purpose of this study was to test a novel non-invasive radiowave machine that uses RF energy to thermally destroy tissue. Gold nanoparticles were designed and produced to facilitate tissue heating by the radiowaves. Methods A solid state radiowave machine consisting of a power generator and transmitting/receiving couplers which transmit radiowaves at 13.56 MHz was used. Gold nanoparticles were produced by citrate reduction and exposed to the RF field either in solutions testing or after incubation with HepG2 cells. A rat hepatoma model using JM-1 cells and Fisher rats was employed using direct injection of nanoparticles into the tumor to focus the radiowaves for select heating. Temperatures were measured using a fiber-optic thermometer for real-time data. Results Solutions containing gold nanoparticles heated in a time- and power-dependent manner. HepG2 liver cancer cells cultured in the presence of gold nanoparticles achieved adequate heating to cause cell death upon exposure to the RF field with no cytotoxicity attributable to the gold nanoparticles themselves. In vivo rat exposures at 35W using gold nanoparticles for tissue injection resulted in significant temperature increases and thermal injury at subcutaneous injection sites as compared to vehicle (water) injected controls. Discussion These data show that non-invasive radiowave thermal ablation of cancer cells is feasible when facilitated by gold nanoparticles. Future studies will focus on tumor selective targeting of nanoparticles for in vivo tumor destruction. PMID:18656617

  9. Intraocular lens power estimation by accurate ray tracing for eyes underwent previous refractive surgeries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Que; Wang, Shanshan; Wang, Kai; Zhang, Chunyu; Zhang, Lu; Meng, Qingyu; Zhu, Qiudong

    2015-08-01

    For normal eyes without history of any ocular surgery, traditional equations for calculating intraocular lens (IOL) power, such as SRK-T, Holladay, Higis, SRK-II, et al., all were relativley accurate. However, for eyes underwent refractive surgeries, such as LASIK, or eyes diagnosed as keratoconus, these equations may cause significant postoperative refractive error, which may cause poor satisfaction after cataract surgery. Although some methods have been carried out to solve this problem, such as Hagis-L equation[1], or using preoperative data (data before LASIK) to estimate K value[2], no precise equations were available for these eyes. Here, we introduced a novel intraocular lens power estimation method by accurate ray tracing with optical design software ZEMAX. Instead of using traditional regression formula, we adopted the exact measured corneal elevation distribution, central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, axial length, and estimated effective lens plane as the input parameters. The calculation of intraocular lens power for a patient with keratoconus and another LASIK postoperative patient met very well with their visual capacity after cataract surgery.

  10. Echo-Doppler estimation of left ventricular filling pressure: results of the multicentre EACVI Euro-Filling study.

    PubMed

    Lancellotti, Patrizio; Galderisi, Maurizio; Edvardsen, Thor; Donal, Erwan; Goliasch, Georg; Cardim, Nuno; Magne, Julien; Laginha, Sara; Hagendorff, Andreas; Haland, Trine F; Aaberge, Lars; Martinez, Christophe; Rapacciuolo, Antonio; Santoro, Ciro; Ilardi, Federica; Postolache, Adriana; Dulgheru, Raluca; Mateescu, Anca D; Beladan, Carmen C; Deleanu, Dan; Marchetta, Stella; Auffret, Vincent; Schwammenthal, Ehud; Habib, Gilbert; Popescu, Bogdan A

    2017-09-01

    The present Euro-Filling report aimed at comparing the diagnostic accuracy of the 2009 and 2016 echocardiographic grading algorithms for predicting invasively measured left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP). A total of 159 patients who underwent simultaneous evaluation of echo estimates of LVFP and invasive measurements of LV end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) were enrolled at nine EACVI centres. Thirty-nine (25%) patients had a reduced LV ejection fraction (<50%), 77 (64%) were in NYHA ≥ II, and 85 (53%) had coronary artery disease. Sixty-four (40%) patients had elevated LVEDP (≥15 mmHg). Taken individually, all echocardiographic Doppler estimates of LVFP (E/A, E/e', left atrial volume, tricuspid regurgitation jet velocity) were marginally correlated with LVEDP. By using the 2016 recommendations, 65% of patients with normal non-invasive estimate of LVFP had normal LVEDP, while 79% of those with elevated non-invasive LVFP had elevated invasive LVEDP. By using 2009 recommendations, 68% of the patients with normal non-invasive LVFP had normal LVEDP, while 55% of those with elevated non-invasive LVFP had elevated LVEDP. The 2016 recommendations (sensitivity 75%, specificity 74%, positive predictive value 39%, negative predictive value 93%, AUC 0.78) identified slightly better patients with elevated invasive LVEDP (≥ 15 mmHg) as compared with the 2009 recommendations (sensitivity 43%, specificity 75%, positive predictive value 49%, negative predictive value 71%, AUC 0.68). The present Euro-Filling study demonstrates that the new 2016 recommendations for assessing LVFP non-invasively are fairly reliable and clinically useful, as well as superior to the 2009 recommendations in estimating invasive LVEDP. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. Investigation of metabolite changes in the transition from pre-invasive to invasive cervical cancer measured using (1)H and (31)P magic angle spinning MRS of intact tissue.

    PubMed

    De Silva, Sonali S; Payne, Geoffrey S; Thomas, Valerie; Carter, Paul G; Ind, Thomas E J; deSouza, Nandita M

    2009-02-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the metabolic changes in the transition from pre-invasive to invasive cervical cancer using high-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) MRS. Biopsy specimens were obtained from women with histologically normal cervix (n = 5), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN; mild, n = 5; moderate/severe, n = 40), and invasive cancer (n = 23). (1)H HR-MAS MRS data were acquired using a Bruker Avance 11.74 T spectrometer (Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill sequence; TR = 4.8 s; TE = 135 ms; 512 scans; 41 min acquisition). (31)P HR-MAS spectra were obtained from the normal subjects and cancer patients only (as acetic acid applied before tissue sampling in patients with CIN impaired spectral quality) using a (1)H-decoupled pulse-acquire sequence (TR = 2.82 s; 2048 scans; 96 min acquisition). Peak assignments were based on values reported in the literature. Peak areas were measured using the AMARES algorithm. Estimated metabolite concentrations were compared between patient diagnostic categories and tissue histology using independent samples t tests. Comparisons based on patient category at diagnosis showed significantly higher estimated concentrations of choline (P = 0.0001) and phosphocholine (P = 0.002) in tissue from patients with cancer than from patients with high-grade dyskaryosis, but no differences between non-cancer groups. Division by histology of the sample also showed increases in choline (P = 0.002) and phosphocholine (P = 0.002) in cancer compared with high-grade CIN tissue. Phosphoethanolamine was increased in cancer compared with normal tissue (P = 0.0001). Estimated concentrations of alanine (P = 0.01) and creatine (P = 0.008) were significantly reduced in normal tissue from cancer patients compared with normal tissue from non-cancer patients. The estimated concentration of choline was significantly increased in CIN tissue from cancer patients compared with CIN tissue from non-cancer patients (P = 0.0001). Estimated

  12. Invasive and non-invasive techniques for detecting portal hypertension and predicting variceal bleeding in cirrhosis: a review.

    PubMed

    Zardi, Enrico Maria; Di Matteo, Francesco Maria; Pacella, Claudio Maurizio; Sanyal, Arun J

    2014-02-01

    Portal hypertension is a severe syndrome that may derive from pre-sinusoidal, sinusoidal, and post-sinusoidal causes. As a consequence, several complications (i.e. ascites, oesophageal varices) may develop. In sinusoidal portal hypertension, hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) is a reliable method for defining the grade of portal pressure, establishing the effectiveness of the treatment, and predicting the occurrence of complications; however, some questions exist regarding its ability to discriminate bleeding from non-bleeding varices in cirrhotic patients. Other imaging techniques (transient elastography, endoscopy, endosonography, and duplex Doppler sonography) for assessing causes and complications of portal hypertensive syndrome are available and may be valuable for the management of these patients. In this review, we evaluate invasive and non-invasive techniques currently employed to obtain a clinical prediction of deadly complications, such as variceal bleeding in patients affected by sinusoidal portal hypertension, in order to create a diagnostic algorithm to manage them. Again, HVPG appears to be the reference standard to evaluate portal hypertension and monitor the response to treatment, but its ability to predict several complications and support management decisions might be further improved through the diagnostic combination with other imaging techniques.

  13. Noninvasive estimation of assist pressure for direct mechanical ventricular actuation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    An, Dawei; Yang, Ming; Gu, Xiaotong; Meng, Fan; Yang, Tianyue; Lin, Shujing

    2018-02-01

    Direct mechanical ventricular actuation is effective to reestablish the ventricular function with non-blood contact. Due to the energy loss within the driveline of the direct cardiac compression device, it is necessary to acquire the accurate value of assist pressure acting on the heart surface. To avoid myocardial trauma induced by invasive sensors, the noninvasive estimation method is developed and the experimental device is designed to measure the sample data for fitting the estimation models. By examining the goodness of fit numerically and graphically, the polynomial model presents the best behavior among the four alternative models. Meanwhile, to verify the effect of the noninvasive estimation, the simplified lumped parameter model is utilized to calculate the pre-support and the post-support left ventricular pressure. Furthermore, by adjusting the driving pressure beyond the range of the sample data, the assist pressure is estimated with the similar waveform and the post-support left ventricular pressure approaches the value of the adult healthy heart, indicating the good generalization ability of the noninvasive estimation method.

  14. Accurate estimation of human body orientation from RGB-D sensors.

    PubMed

    Liu, Wu; Zhang, Yongdong; Tang, Sheng; Tang, Jinhui; Hong, Richang; Li, Jintao

    2013-10-01

    Accurate estimation of human body orientation can significantly enhance the analysis of human behavior, which is a fundamental task in the field of computer vision. However, existing orientation estimation methods cannot handle the various body poses and appearances. In this paper, we propose an innovative RGB-D-based orientation estimation method to address these challenges. By utilizing the RGB-D information, which can be real time acquired by RGB-D sensors, our method is robust to cluttered environment, illumination change and partial occlusions. Specifically, efficient static and motion cue extraction methods are proposed based on the RGB-D superpixels to reduce the noise of depth data. Since it is hard to discriminate all the 360 (°) orientation using static cues or motion cues independently, we propose to utilize a dynamic Bayesian network system (DBNS) to effectively employ the complementary nature of both static and motion cues. In order to verify our proposed method, we build a RGB-D-based human body orientation dataset that covers a wide diversity of poses and appearances. Our intensive experimental evaluations on this dataset demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method.

  15. Accurate Estimation of Solvation Free Energy Using Polynomial Fitting Techniques

    PubMed Central

    Shyu, Conrad; Ytreberg, F. Marty

    2010-01-01

    This report details an approach to improve the accuracy of free energy difference estimates using thermodynamic integration data (slope of the free energy with respect to the switching variable λ) and its application to calculating solvation free energy. The central idea is to utilize polynomial fitting schemes to approximate the thermodynamic integration data to improve the accuracy of the free energy difference estimates. Previously, we introduced the use of polynomial regression technique to fit thermodynamic integration data (Shyu and Ytreberg, J Comput Chem 30: 2297–2304, 2009). In this report we introduce polynomial and spline interpolation techniques. Two systems with analytically solvable relative free energies are used to test the accuracy of the interpolation approach. We also use both interpolation and regression methods to determine a small molecule solvation free energy. Our simulations show that, using such polynomial techniques and non-equidistant λ values, the solvation free energy can be estimated with high accuracy without using soft-core scaling and separate simulations for Lennard-Jones and partial charges. The results from our study suggest these polynomial techniques, especially with use of non-equidistant λ values, improve the accuracy for ΔF estimates without demanding additional simulations. We also provide general guidelines for use of polynomial fitting to estimate free energy. To allow researchers to immediately utilize these methods, free software and documentation is provided via http://www.phys.uidaho.edu/ytreberg/software. PMID:20623657

  16. Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis: Between prediction/prevention of outcomes and cost-effectiveness

    PubMed Central

    Stasi, Cristina; Milani, Stefano

    2016-01-01

    The assessment of the fibrotic evolution of chronic hepatitis has always been a challenge for the clinical hepatologist. Over the past decade, various non-invasive methods have been proposed to detect the presence of fibrosis, including the elastometric measure of stiffness, panels of clinical and biochemical parameters, and combinations of both methods. The aim of this review is to analyse the most recent data on non-invasive techniques for the evaluation of hepatic fibrosis with particular attention to cost-effectiveness. We searched for relevant studies published in English using the PubMed database from 2009 to the present. A large number of studies have suggested that elastography and serum markers are useful techniques for diagnosing severe fibrosis and cirrhosis and for excluding significant fibrosis in hepatitis C virus patients. In addition, hepatic stiffness may also help to prognosticate treatment response to antiviral therapy. It has also been shown that magnetic resonance elastography has a high accuracy for staging and differentiating liver fibrosis. Finally, studies have shown that non-invasive methods are becoming increasingly precise in either positively identifying or excluding liver fibrosis, thus reducing the need for liver biopsy. However, both serum markers and transient elastography still have “grey area” values of lower accuracy. In this case, liver biopsy is still required to properly assess liver fibrosis. Recently, the guidelines produced by the World Health Organization have suggested that the AST-to-platelet ratio index or FIB-4 test could be utilised for the evaluation of liver fibrosis rather than other, more expensive non-invasive tests, such as elastography or FibroTest. PMID:26819535

  17. Evaluation of a Non-Invasive Alternative Glucose Monitor System in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-01-07

    Diabetes Mellitus New Protocol Title: Evaluation of a Non-Invasive Alternative Glucose Monitor System in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus PRINCIPAL...Invasive Alternative Glucose Monitor System in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus 5b. GRANT NUMBER Coop Agreement # 05216002 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER...Flexible Medical Systems was approved by the Department of Clinical Investigation at WRAMC in January 2008. FY08 AAMTI funding will support the

  18. Parametrically defined cerebral blood vessels as non-invasive blood input functions for brain PET studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Asselin, Marie-Claude; Cunningham, Vincent J.; Amano, Shigeko; Gunn, Roger N.; Nahmias, Claude

    2004-03-01

    A non-invasive alternative to arterial blood sampling for the generation of a blood input function for brain positron emission tomography (PET) studies is presented. The method aims to extract the dimensions of the blood vessel directly from PET images and to simultaneously correct the radioactivity concentration for partial volume and spillover. This involves simulation of the tomographic imaging process to generate images of different blood vessel and background geometries and selecting the one that best fits, in a least-squares sense, the acquired PET image. A phantom experiment was conducted to validate the method which was then applied to eight subjects injected with 6-[18F]fluoro-L-DOPA and one subject injected with [11C]CO-labelled red blood cells. In the phantom study, the diameter of syringes filled with an 11C solution and inserted into a water-filled cylinder were estimated with an accuracy of half a pixel (1 mm). The radioactivity concentration was recovered to 100 ± 4% in the 8.7 mm diameter syringe, the one that most closely approximated the superior sagittal sinus. In the human studies, the method systematically overestimated the calibre of the superior sagittal sinus by 2-3 mm compared to measurements made in magnetic resonance venograms on the same subjects. Sources of discrepancies related to the anatomy of the blood vessel were found not to be fundamental limitations to the applicability of the method to human subjects. This method has the potential to provide accurate quantification of blood radioactivity concentration from PET images without the need for blood samples, corrections for delay and dispersion, co-registered anatomical images, or manually defined regions of interest.

  19. Inventory shows extent of non-native invasive plants in Minnesota forests

    Treesearch

    W. Keith Moser; Mark D. Nelson; Mark H. Hansen

    2009-01-01

    Readers are no doubt aware of the impact that non-native invasive plants (NNIP) present to Minnesota's ecosystems. The U.S. Forest Service's Northern Research Station (NRS) Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program is studying what determines where these plants are found, including forest type, tree density, disturbance, productivity, and topography.

  20. Non-invasive measurement of proppant pack deformation

    DOE PAGES

    Walsh, Stuart D. C.; Smith, Megan; Carroll, Susan A.; ...

    2016-05-26

    In this study, we describe a method to non-invasively study the movement of proppant packs at the sub-fracture scale by applying three-dimensional digital image correlation techniques to X-ray tomography data. Proppant movement is tracked in a fractured core of Marcellus shale placed under a series of increasing confining pressures up to 10,000 psi. The analysis reveals the sudden failure of a region of the proppant pack, accompanied by the large-scale rearrangement of grains across the entire fracture surface. The failure of the pack coincides with the appearance of vortex-like grain motions similar to features observed in biaxial compression of twomore » dimensional granular assemblies.« less

  1. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy for non-invasive assessment of water content in biological samples.

    PubMed

    Borovkova, Mariia; Khodzitsky, Mikhail; Demchenko, Petr; Cherkasova, Olga; Popov, Alexey; Meglinski, Igor

    2018-05-01

    We apply terahertz time-domain spectroscopy for the quantitative non-invasive assessment of the water content in biological samples, such as Carpinus caroliniana tree leaves and pork muscles. The developed experimental terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system operates both in transmission and reflection modes. The Landau-Looyenga-Lifshitz-based model is used for the calculation of the water concentration within the samples. The results of the water concentration measurements are compared with the results of the gravimetric measurements. The obtained results show that the water content in biological samples can be measured non-invasively, with a high accuracy, utilizing terahertz waves in transmission and reflection modes.

  2. [Non-invasive mechanical ventilation in postoperative patients. A clinical review].

    PubMed

    Esquinas, A M; Jover, J L; Úbeda, A; Belda, F J

    2015-11-01

    Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a method of ventilatory support that is increasing in importance day by day in the management of postoperative respiratory failure. Its role in the prevention and treatment of atelectasis is particularly important in the in the period after thoracic and abdominal surgeries. Similarly, in the transplanted patient, NIV can shorten the time of invasive mechanical ventilation, reducing the risk of infectious complications in these high-risk patients. It has been performed A systematic review of the literature has been performed, including examining the technical, clinical experiences and recommendations concerning the application of NIV in the postoperative period. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  3. Development of Star Tracker System for Accurate Estimation of Spacecraft Attitude

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-12-01

    For a high- cost spacecraft with accurate pointing requirements, the use of a star tracker is the preferred method for attitude determination. The...solutions, however there are certain costs with using this algorithm. There are significantly more features a triangle can provide when compared to an...to the other. The non-rotating geocentric equatorial frame provides an inertial frame for the two-body problem of a satellite in orbit. In this

  4. Non-invasive Fetal ECG Signal Quality Assessment for Multichannel Heart Rate Estimation.

    PubMed

    Andreotti, Fernando; Graser, Felix; Malberg, Hagen; Zaunseder, Sebastian

    2017-12-01

    The noninvasive fetal ECG (NI-FECG) from abdominal recordings offers novel prospects for prenatal monitoring. However, NI-FECG signals are corrupted by various nonstationary noise sources, making the processing of abdominal recordings a challenging task. In this paper, we present an online approach that dynamically assess the quality of NI-FECG to improve fetal heart rate (FHR) estimation. Using a naive Bayes classifier, state-of-the-art and novel signal quality indices (SQIs), and an existing adaptive Kalman filter, FHR estimation was improved. For the purpose of training and validating the proposed methods, a large annotated private clinical dataset was used. The suggested classification scheme demonstrated an accuracy of Krippendorff's alpha in determining the overall quality of NI-FECG signals. The proposed Kalman filter outperformed alternative methods for FHR estimation achieving accuracy. The proposed algorithm was able to reliably reflect changes of signal quality and can be used in improving FHR estimation. NI-ECG signal quality estimation and multichannel information fusion are largely unexplored topics. Based on previous works, multichannel FHR estimation is a field that could strongly benefit from such methods. The developed SQI algorithms as well as resulting classifier were made available under a GNU GPL open-source license and contributed to the FECGSYN toolbox.

  5. Non-invasive characterization of colorants by portable diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy and chemometrics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manfredi, Marcello; Barberis, Elettra; Aceto, Maurizio; Marengo, Emilio

    2017-06-01

    During the last years the need for non-invasive and non-destructive analytical methods brought to the development and application of new instrumentation and analytical methods for the in-situ analysis of cultural heritage objects. In this work we present the application of a portable diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) method for the non-invasive characterization of colorants prepared according to ancient recipes and using egg white and Gum Arabic as binders. Approximately 50 colorants were analyzed with the DRIFT spectroscopy: we were able to identify and discriminate the most used yellow (i.e. yellow ochres, Lead-tin Yellow, Orpiment, etc.), red (i.e. red ochres, Hematite) and blue (i.e. Lapis Lazuli, Azurite, indigo) colorants, creating a complete DRIFT spectral library. The Principal Component Analysis-Discriminant Analysis (PCA-DA) was then employed for the colorants classification according to the chemical/mineralogical composition. The DRIFT analysis was also performed on a gouache painting of the artist Sutherland; and the colorants used by the painter were identified directly in-situ and in a non-invasive manner.

  6. Skin temperature over the carotid artery provides an accurate noninvasive estimation of core temperature in infants and young children during general anesthesia.

    PubMed

    Jay, Ollie; Molgat-Seon, Yannick; Chou, Shirley; Murto, Kimmo

    2013-12-01

    The accurate measurement of core temperature is an essential aspect of intraoperative management in children. Invasive measurement sites are accurate but carry some health risks and cannot be used in certain patients. An accurate form of noninvasive thermometry is therefore needed. Our aim was to develop, and subsequently validate, separate models for estimating core temperature using different skin temperatures with an individualized correction factor. Forty-eight pediatric patients (0-36 months) undergoing elective surgery were separated into a modeling group (MG, n = 28) and validation group (VG, n = 20). Skin temperature was measured over the carotid artery (Tsk_carotid ), upper abdomen (Tsk_abd ), and axilla (Tsk_axilla ), while nasopharyngeal temperature (Tnaso ) was measured as a reference. In the MG, derived models for estimating Tnaso were: Tsk_carotid  + 0.52; Tsk_abd  + (0.076[body mass] + 0.02); and Tsk_axilla  + (0.081[body mass]-0.66). After adjusting raw Tsk_carotid, Tsk_abd , and Tsk_axilla values in the independent VG using these models, the mean bias (Predicted Tnaso - Actual Tnaso [with 95% confidence intervals]) was +0.03[+0.53, -0.50]°C, -0.05[+1.02, -1.07]°C, and -0.06[+1.21, -1.28°C], respectively. The percentage of values within ±0.5°C of Tnaso was 93.2%, 75.4%, and 66.1% for Tsk_carotid, Tsk_abd , and Tsk_axilla , respectively. Sensitivity and specificity for detecting hypothermia (Tnaso  < 36.0°C) was 0.88 and 0.91 for Tsk_carotid , 0.61 and 0.76 for Tsk_abd , and 0.91 and 0.73 for Tsk_axilla . Goodness-of-fit (R(2) ) relative to the line-of-identity was 0.74 (Tsk_carotid ), 0.34 (Tsk_abd ), and 0.15 (Tsk_axilla ). Skin temperature over the carotid artery, with a simple correction factor of +0.52°C, provides a viable noninvasive estimate of Tnaso in young children during elective surgery with a general anesthetic. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Proof of concept non-invasive estimation of peripheral venous oxygen saturation.

    PubMed

    Khan, Musabbir; Pretty, Chris G; Amies, Alexander C; Balmer, Joel; Banna, Houda E; Shaw, Geoffrey M; Geoffrey Chase, J

    2017-05-19

    Pulse oximeters continuously monitor arterial oxygen saturation. Continuous monitoring of venous oxygen saturation (SvO 2 ) would enable real-time assessment of tissue oxygen extraction (O 2 E) and perfusion changes leading to improved diagnosis of clinical conditions, such as sepsis. This study presents the proof of concept of a novel pulse oximeter method that utilises the compliance difference between arteries and veins to induce artificial respiration-like modulations to the peripheral vasculature. These modulations make the venous blood pulsatile, which are then detected by a pulse oximeter sensor. The resulting photoplethysmograph (PPG) signals from the pulse oximeter are processed and analysed to develop a calibration model to estimate regional venous oxygen saturation (SpvO 2 ), in parallel to arterial oxygen saturation estimation (SpaO 2 ). A clinical study with healthy adult volunteers (n = 8) was conducted to assess peripheral SvO 2 using this pulse oximeter method. A range of physiologically realistic SvO 2 values were induced using arm lift and vascular occlusion tests. Gold standard, arterial and venous blood gas measurements were used as reference measurements. Modulation ratios related to arterial and venous systems were determined using a frequency domain analysis of the PPG signals. A strong, linear correlation (r 2  = 0.95) was found between estimated venous modulation ratio (R Ven ) and measured SvO 2 , providing a calibration curve relating measured R Ven to venous oxygen saturation. There is a significant difference in gradient between the SpvO 2 estimation model (SpvO 2  = 111 - 40.6*R) and the empirical SpaO 2 estimation model (SpaO 2  = 110 - 25*R), which yields the expected arterial-venous differences. Median venous and arterial oxygen saturation accuracies of paired measurements between pulse oximeter estimated and gold standard measurements were 0.29 and 0.65%, respectively, showing good accuracy of the pulse oximeter system

  8. Real-Time Radar-Based Tracking and State Estimation of Multiple Non-Conformant Aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cook, Brandon; Arnett, Timothy; Macmann, Owen; Kumar, Manish

    2017-01-01

    In this study, a novel solution for automated tracking of multiple unknown aircraft is proposed. Many current methods use transponders to self-report state information and augment track identification. While conformant aircraft typically report transponder information to alert surrounding aircraft of its state, vehicles may exist in the airspace that are non-compliant and need to be accurately tracked using alternative methods. In this study, a multi-agent tracking solution is presented that solely utilizes primary surveillance radar data to estimate aircraft state information. Main research challenges include state estimation, track management, data association, and establishing persistent track validity. In an effort to realize these challenges, techniques such as Maximum a Posteriori estimation, Kalman filtering, degree of membership data association, and Nearest Neighbor Spanning Tree clustering are implemented for this application.

  9. Cluster analysis and subgrouping to investigate inter-individual variability to non-invasive brain stimulation: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Pellegrini, Michael; Zoghi, Maryam; Jaberzadeh, Shapour

    2018-01-12

    Cluster analysis and other subgrouping techniques have risen in popularity in recent years in non-invasive brain stimulation research in the attempt to investigate the issue of inter-individual variability - the issue of why some individuals respond, as traditionally expected, to non-invasive brain stimulation protocols and others do not. Cluster analysis and subgrouping techniques have been used to categorise individuals, based on their response patterns, as responder or non-responders. There is, however, a lack of consensus and consistency on the most appropriate technique to use. This systematic review aimed to provide a systematic summary of the cluster analysis and subgrouping techniques used to date and suggest recommendations moving forward. Twenty studies were included that utilised subgrouping techniques, while seven of these additionally utilised cluster analysis techniques. The results of this systematic review appear to indicate that statistical cluster analysis techniques are effective in identifying subgroups of individuals based on response patterns to non-invasive brain stimulation. This systematic review also reports a lack of consensus amongst researchers on the most effective subgrouping technique and the criteria used to determine whether an individual is categorised as a responder or a non-responder. This systematic review provides a step-by-step guide to carrying out statistical cluster analyses and subgrouping techniques to provide a framework for analysis when developing further insights into the contributing factors of inter-individual variability in response to non-invasive brain stimulation.

  10. A simple highly efficient non invasive EMG-based HMI.

    PubMed

    Vitiello, N; Olcese, U; Oddo, C M; Carpaneto, J; Micera, S; Carrozza, M C; Dario, P

    2006-01-01

    Muscle activity recorded non-invasively is sufficient to control a mobile robot if it is used in combination with an algorithm for its asynchronous analysis. In this paper, we show that several subjects successfully can control the movements of a robot in a structured environment made up of six rooms by contracting two different muscles using a simple algorithm. After a small training period, subjects were able to control the robot with performances comparable to those achieved manually controlling the robot.

  11. Anthropometric and Biochemical Characteristics of Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Diagnosed by Non-Invasive Diagnostic Methods

    PubMed Central

    Novakovic, Tatjana; Mekic, Mevludin; Smilic, Ljiljana; Smilic, Tanja; Inić-Kostic, Biljana; Jovicevic, Ljiljana; Mirkovic, Zlatica; Milinic, Srbislava

    2014-01-01

    ABSTRACT Introduction: Non-alcoholic (NAFLD) encompasses a spectrum of disease states, from steatosis (fatty liver) to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (also called NASH steatosis with inflammatory changes) followed by progression to fibrosis and cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma Excess liver fat is believed to be a manifestation of the metabolic syndrome and not surprisingly NASH is associated with obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes in humans. Aim of the study: is to establish anthropometric and biochemical specificities in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis diagnosed with non-invasive diagnostic methods Material and methods: Study enrolled 170 participants, 130 with NASH steatosis. The non-alcoholic group (control), consisted of 40 normal weight patients without metabolic syndrome. Alcohol intake was estimated with established protocol. Routine biochemistry analysis were performed by standard laboratory procedures; serum levels of serum levels of fasting cholesterol and triglycerides, fasting glucose and insulin, insulin resistance estimated by HOMA index (Homeostasis model assessment), biochemistry tests and a liver ultrasound examination. Results: In study participants group, patients were more obese comparing with controls p < 0, 01, waist line extent also was of greater statistical significance in the non-alcoholic group fatty liver (p < 0, 01). Comparing biochemical parameter values, significant statistical deference has been noted in glaucosis and insulin levels, total cholesterol and gama-glutamil transferase levels, between groups (p<0, 01). Fasting glucose and insulin levels, HOMA-IR were significantly greater in study cohort group patients, as was significantly positive correlation between BMI and waist line extent. Conclusion: Patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver are excessively obese, have greater waist line extent, consequently insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance

  12. Individually customisable non-invasive head immobilisation system for non-human primates with an option for voluntary engagement.

    PubMed

    Slater, Heather; Milne, Alice E; Wilson, Benjamin; Muers, Ross S; Balezeau, Fabien; Hunter, David; Thiele, Alexander; Griffiths, Timothy D; Petkov, Christopher I

    2016-08-30

    Head immobilisation is often necessary for neuroscientific procedures. A number of Non-invasive Head Immobilisation Systems (NHIS) for monkeys are available, but the need remains for a feasible integrated system combining a broad range of essential features. We developed an individualised macaque NHIS addressing several animal welfare and scientific needs. The system comprises a customised-to-fit facemask that can be used separately or combined with a back piece to form a full-head helmet. The system permits presentation of visual and auditory stimuli during immobilisation and provides mouth access for reward. The facemask was incorporated into an automated voluntary training system, allowing the animals to engage with it for increasing periods leading to full head immobilisation. We evaluated the system during performance on several auditory or visual behavioural tasks with testing sessions lasting 1.5-2h, used thermal imaging to monitor for and prevent pressure points, and measured head movement using MRI. A comprehensive evaluation of the system is provided in relation to several scientific and animal welfare requirements. Behavioural results were often comparable to those obtained with surgical implants. Cost-benefit analyses were conducted comparing the system with surgical options, highlighting the benefits of implementing the non-invasive option. The system has a number of potential applications and could be an important tool in neuroscientific research, when direct access to the brain for neuronal recordings is not required, offering the opportunity to conduct non-invasive experiments while improving animal welfare and reducing reliance on surgically implanted head posts. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Non-invasive prediction of hemoglobin levels by principal component and back propagation artificial neural network

    PubMed Central

    Ding, Haiquan; Lu, Qipeng; Gao, Hongzhi; Peng, Zhongqi

    2014-01-01

    To facilitate non-invasive diagnosis of anemia, specific equipment was developed, and non-invasive hemoglobin (HB) detection method based on back propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) was studied. In this paper, we combined a broadband light source composed of 9 LEDs with grating spectrograph and Si photodiode array, and then developed a high-performance spectrophotometric system. By using this equipment, fingertip spectra of 109 volunteers were measured. In order to deduct the interference of redundant data, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to reduce the dimensionality of collected spectra. Then the principal components of the spectra were taken as input of BP-ANN model. On this basis we obtained the optimal network structure, in which node numbers of input layer, hidden layer, and output layer was 9, 11, and 1. Calibration and correction sample sets were used for analyzing the accuracy of non-invasive hemoglobin measurement, and prediction sample set was used for testing the adaptability of the model. The correlation coefficient of network model established by this method is 0.94, standard error of calibration, correction, and prediction are 11.29g/L, 11.47g/L, and 11.01g/L respectively. The result proves that there exist good correlations between spectra of three sample sets and actual hemoglobin level, and the model has a good robustness. It is indicated that the developed spectrophotometric system has potential for the non-invasive detection of HB levels with the method of BP-ANN combined with PCA. PMID:24761296

  14. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis for cystic fibrosis: detection of paternal mutations, exploration of patient preferences and cost analysis

    PubMed Central

    Hill, Melissa; Twiss, Philip; Verhoef, Talitha I; Drury, Suzanne; McKay, Fiona; Mason, Sarah; Jenkins, Lucy; Morris, Stephen; Chitty, Lyn S

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Objectives We aim to develop non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) for cystic fibrosis (CF) and determine costs and implications for implementation. Methods A next-generation sequencing assay was developed to detect ten common CF mutations for exclusion of the paternal mutation in maternal plasma. Using uptake data from a study exploring views on NIPD for CF, total test-related costs were estimated for the current care pathway and compared with those incorporating NIPD. Results The assay reliably predicted mutation status in all control and maternal plasma samples. Of carrier or affected adults with CF (n = 142) surveyed, only 43.5% reported willingness to have invasive testing for CF with 94.4% saying they would have NIPD. Using these potential uptake data, the incremental costs of NIPD over invasive testing per 100 pregnancies at risk of CF are £9025 for paternal mutation exclusion, and £26 510 for direct diagnosis. Conclusions We have developed NIPD for risk stratification in around a third of CF families. There are economic implications due to potential increased test demand to inform postnatal management rather than to inform decisions around termination of an affected pregnancy. © 2015 The Authors. Prenatal Diagnosis published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID:25708280

  15. A statistical evaluation of non-ergodic variogram estimators

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Curriero, F.C.; Hohn, M.E.; Liebhold, A.M.; Lele, S.R.

    2002-01-01

    Geostatistics is a set of statistical techniques that is increasingly used to characterize spatial dependence in spatially referenced ecological data. A common feature of geostatistics is predicting values at unsampled locations from nearby samples using the kriging algorithm. Modeling spatial dependence in sampled data is necessary before kriging and is usually accomplished with the variogram and its traditional estimator. Other types of estimators, known as non-ergodic estimators, have been used in ecological applications. Non-ergodic estimators were originally suggested as a method of choice when sampled data are preferentially located and exhibit a skewed frequency distribution. Preferentially located samples can occur, for example, when areas with high values are sampled more intensely than other areas. In earlier studies the visual appearance of variograms from traditional and non-ergodic estimators were compared. Here we evaluate the estimators' relative performance in prediction. We also show algebraically that a non-ergodic version of the variogram is equivalent to the traditional variogram estimator. Simulations, designed to investigate the effects of data skewness and preferential sampling on variogram estimation and kriging, showed the traditional variogram estimator outperforms the non-ergodic estimators under these conditions. We also analyzed data on carabid beetle abundance, which exhibited large-scale spatial variability (trend) and a skewed frequency distribution. Detrending data followed by robust estimation of the residual variogram is demonstrated to be a successful alternative to the non-ergodic approach.

  16. Non-invasive assessment of pulsatile intracranial pressure with phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging

    PubMed Central

    Lindstrøm, Erika Kristina; Vatnehol, Svein Are Sirirud; Mardal, Kent-André; Emblem, Kyrre Eeg; Eide, Per Kristian

    2017-01-01

    Invasive monitoring of pulsatile intracranial pressure can accurately predict shunt response in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus, but may potentially cause complications such as bleeding and infection. We tested how a proposed surrogate parameter for pulsatile intracranial pressure, the phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging derived pulse pressure gradient, compared with its invasive counterpart. In 22 patients with suspected idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus, preceding invasive intracranial pressure monitoring, and any surgical shunt procedure, we calculated the pulse pressure gradient from phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging derived cerebrospinal fluid flow velocities obtained at the upper cervical spinal canal using a simplified Navier-Stokes equation. Repeated measurements of the pulse pressure gradient were also undertaken in four healthy controls. Of 17 shunted patients, 16 responded, indicating high proportion of “true” normal pressure hydrocephalus in the patient cohort. However, there was no correlation between the magnetic resonance imaging derived pulse pressure gradient and pulsatile intracranial pressure (R = -.18, P = .43). Pulse pressure gradients were also similar in patients and healthy controls (P = .26), and did not differ between individuals with pulsatile intracranial pressure above or below established thresholds for shunt treatment (P = .97). Assessment of pulse pressure gradient at level C2 was therefore not found feasible to replace invasive monitoring of pulsatile intracranial pressure in selection of patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus for surgical shunting. Unlike invasive, overnight monitoring, the pulse pressure gradient from magnetic resonance imaging comprises short-term pressure fluctuations only. Moreover, complexity of cervical cerebrospinal fluid flow and -pulsatility at the upper cervical spinal canal may render the pulse pressure gradient a poor surrogate marker for

  17. Non-invasive assessment of pulsatile intracranial pressure with phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging.

    PubMed

    Ringstad, Geir; Lindstrøm, Erika Kristina; Vatnehol, Svein Are Sirirud; Mardal, Kent-André; Emblem, Kyrre Eeg; Eide, Per Kristian

    2017-01-01

    Invasive monitoring of pulsatile intracranial pressure can accurately predict shunt response in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus, but may potentially cause complications such as bleeding and infection. We tested how a proposed surrogate parameter for pulsatile intracranial pressure, the phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging derived pulse pressure gradient, compared with its invasive counterpart. In 22 patients with suspected idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus, preceding invasive intracranial pressure monitoring, and any surgical shunt procedure, we calculated the pulse pressure gradient from phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging derived cerebrospinal fluid flow velocities obtained at the upper cervical spinal canal using a simplified Navier-Stokes equation. Repeated measurements of the pulse pressure gradient were also undertaken in four healthy controls. Of 17 shunted patients, 16 responded, indicating high proportion of "true" normal pressure hydrocephalus in the patient cohort. However, there was no correlation between the magnetic resonance imaging derived pulse pressure gradient and pulsatile intracranial pressure (R = -.18, P = .43). Pulse pressure gradients were also similar in patients and healthy controls (P = .26), and did not differ between individuals with pulsatile intracranial pressure above or below established thresholds for shunt treatment (P = .97). Assessment of pulse pressure gradient at level C2 was therefore not found feasible to replace invasive monitoring of pulsatile intracranial pressure in selection of patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus for surgical shunting. Unlike invasive, overnight monitoring, the pulse pressure gradient from magnetic resonance imaging comprises short-term pressure fluctuations only. Moreover, complexity of cervical cerebrospinal fluid flow and -pulsatility at the upper cervical spinal canal may render the pulse pressure gradient a poor surrogate marker for

  18. Fast and accurate spectral estimation for online detection of partial broken bar in induction motors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Samanta, Anik Kumar; Naha, Arunava; Routray, Aurobinda; Deb, Alok Kanti

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, an online and real-time system is presented for detecting partial broken rotor bar (BRB) of inverter-fed squirrel cage induction motors under light load condition. This system with minor modifications can detect any fault that affects the stator current. A fast and accurate spectral estimator based on the theory of Rayleigh quotient is proposed for detecting the spectral signature of BRB. The proposed spectral estimator can precisely determine the relative amplitude of fault sidebands and has low complexity compared to available high-resolution subspace-based spectral estimators. Detection of low-amplitude fault components has been improved by removing the high-amplitude fundamental frequency using an extended-Kalman based signal conditioner. Slip is estimated from the stator current spectrum for accurate localization of the fault component. Complexity and cost of sensors are minimal as only a single-phase stator current is required. The hardware implementation has been carried out on an Intel i7 based embedded target ported through the Simulink Real-Time. Evaluation of threshold and detectability of faults with different conditions of load and fault severity are carried out with empirical cumulative distribution function.

  19. Non-muscle myosin IIB is critical for nuclear translocation during 3D invasion

    PubMed Central

    Yenepalli, Aishwarya; Denais, Celine Marie; Rape, Andrew; Beach, Jordan R.; Wang, Yu-li; Schiemann, William P.; Baskaran, Harihara; Lammerding, Jan

    2015-01-01

    Non-muscle myosin II (NMII) is reported to play multiple roles during cell migration and invasion. However, the exact biophysical roles of different NMII isoforms during these processes remain poorly understood. We analyzed the contributions of NMIIA and NMIIB in three-dimensional (3D) migration and in generating the forces required for efficient invasion by mammary gland carcinoma cells. Using traction force microscopy and microfluidic invasion devices, we demonstrated that NMIIA is critical for generating force during active protrusion, and NMIIB plays a major role in applying force on the nucleus to facilitate nuclear translocation through tight spaces. We further demonstrate that the nuclear membrane protein nesprin-2 is a possible linker coupling NMIIB-based force generation to nuclear translocation. Together, these data reveal a central biophysical role for NMIIB in nuclear translocation during 3D invasive migration, a result with relevance not only to cancer metastasis but for 3D migration in other settings such as embryonic cell migration and wound healing. PMID:26261182

  20. A stepwise algorithm using an at-a-glance first-line test for the non-invasive diagnosis of advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.

    PubMed

    Boursier, Jérôme; de Ledinghen, Victor; Leroy, Vincent; Anty, Rodolphe; Francque, Sven; Salmon, Dominique; Lannes, Adrien; Bertrais, Sandrine; Oberti, Frederic; Fouchard-Hubert, Isabelle; Calès, Paul

    2017-06-01

    Chronic liver diseases (CLD) are common, and are therefore mainly managed by non-hepatologists. These physicians lack access to the best non-invasive tests of liver fibrosis, and consequently cannot accurately determine the disease severity. Referral to a hepatologist is then needed. We aimed to implement an algorithm, comprising a new first-line test usable by all physicians, for the detection of advanced liver fibrosis in all CLD patients. Diagnostic study: 3754 CLD patients with liver biopsy were 2:1 randomized into derivation and validation sets. Prognostic study: longitudinal follow-up of 1275 CLD patients with baseline fibrosis tests. Diagnostic study: the easy liver fibrosis test (eLIFT), an "at-a-glance" sum of points attributed to age, gender, gamma-glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), platelets and prothrombin time, was developed for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis. In the validation set, eLIFT and fibrosis-4 (FIB4) had the same sensitivity (78.0% vs. 76.6%, p=0.470) but eLIFT gave fewer false positive results, especially in patients ≥60years old (53.8% vs. 82.0%, p<0.001), and was thus more suitable as screening test. FibroMeter with vibration controlled transient elastography (VCTE) was the most accurate among the eight fibrosis tests evaluated. The sensitivity of the eLIFT-FM VCTE algorithm (first-line eLIFT, second-line FibroMeter VCTE ) was 76.1% for advanced fibrosis and 92.1% for cirrhosis. Prognostic study: patients diagnosed as having "no/mild fibrosis" by the algorithm had excellent liver-related prognosis with thus no need for referral to a hepatologist. The eLIFT-FM VCTE algorithm extends the detection of advanced liver fibrosis to all CLD patients and reduces unnecessary referrals of patients without significant CLD to hepatologists. Blood fibrosis tests and transient elastography accurately diagnose advanced liver fibrosis in the large population of patients having chronic liver disease, but these non-invasive tests

  1. The value of non-invasive ventilation.

    PubMed

    Hull, Jeremy

    2014-11-01

    Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) use has increased markedly over the last 10 years. Children being treated with NIV are now a common sight in most paediatric intensive care units and high dependency units and nearly all tertiary respiratory units will look after a cohort of children who use NIV at home. Although the published evidence base for use of NIV in acute and chronic respiratory failure is relatively weak, it is now very unlikely that there will be any more randomised controlled trials of this intervention. Effectiveness of NIV will need to be evaluated on each child as it used. It is important to define the purpose of using NIV in each child, and then determine whether it is effective. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  2. Ultrahigh-speed non-invasive widefield angiography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blatter, Cedric; Klein, Thomas; Grajciar, Branislav; Schmoll, Tilman; Wieser, Wolfgang; Andre, Raphael; Huber, Robert; Leitgeb, Rainer A.

    2012-07-01

    Retinal and choroidal vascular imaging is an important diagnostic benefit for ocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration. The current gold standard for vessel visualization is fluorescence angiography. We present a potential non-invasive alternative to image blood vessels based on functional Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). For OCT to compete with the field of view and resolution of angiography while maintaining motion artifacts to a minimum, ultrahigh-speed imaging has to be introduced. We employ Fourier domain mode locking swept source technology that offers high quality imaging at an A-scan rate of up to 1.68 MHz. We present retinal angiogram over ˜48 deg acquired in a few seconds in a single recording without the need of image stitching. OCT at 1060 nm allows for high penetration in the choroid and efficient separate characterization of the retinal and choroidal vascularization.

  3. Report on Non-invasive acoustic monitoring of D2O concentration Oct 31 2017

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pantea, Cristian; Sinha, Dipen N.; Lakis, Rollin Evan

    There is an urgent need for real-time monitoring of the hydrogen /deuterium ratio (H/D) for heavy water production monitoring. Based upon published literature, sound speed is sensitive to the deuterium content of heavy water and can be measured using existing acoustic methods to determine the deuterium concentration in heavy water solutions. We plan to adapt existing non-invasive acoustic techniques (Swept-Frequency Acoustic Interferometry and Gaussian-pulse acoustic technique) for the purpose of quantifying H/D ratios in solution. A successful demonstration will provide an easily implemented, low cost, and non-invasive method for remote and unattended H/D ratio measurements with a resolution of lessmore » than 0.2% vol.« less

  4. Non-invasive neuroimaging using near-infrared light

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Strangman, Gary; Boas, David A.; Sutton, Jeffrey P.

    2002-01-01

    This article reviews diffuse optical brain imaging, a technique that employs near-infrared light to non-invasively probe the brain for changes in parameters relating to brain function. We describe the general methodology, including types of measurements and instrumentation (including the tradeoffs inherent in the various instrument components), and the basic theory required to interpret the recorded data. A brief review of diffuse optical applications is included, with an emphasis on research that has been done with psychiatric populations. Finally, we discuss some practical issues and limitations that are relevant when conducting diffuse optical experiments. We find that, while diffuse optics can provide substantial advantages to the psychiatric researcher relative to the alternative brain imaging methods, the method remains substantially underutilized in this field.

  5. The extent of selected non-native invasive plants on Missouri forestland

    Treesearch

    W. Keith Moser; Mark H. Hansen; Mark D. Nelson

    2008-01-01

    The Northern Research Station's Forest Inventory and Analysis Program (NRSFIA) collects forest-related data throughout a 24-state region in the northeastern United States, ranging from North Dakota to Maine and Kansas to Maryland. Based on discussions with stakeholders and others, NRS-FIA found that the impact of non-native invasive plants (NNIPs) may be known at...

  6. Changes in the Pincate Reserve ecosystems: Invasion of non-native plants

    Treesearch

    Denise Z. Avila-Jimenez

    2005-01-01

    Over the years, humans have modified the Sonoran Desert by introducing invasive plants that prosper in disturbed and non-disturbed habitats. These invaders modify the dynamics and structure of populations and the composition of communities, which in turn can result in radical changes in wildlife habitat. The natural landscape of the Sonoran Desert is characterized by...

  7. Non-invasive detection of language-related prefrontal high gamma band activity with beamforming MEG.

    PubMed

    Hashimoto, Hiroaki; Hasegawa, Yuka; Araki, Toshihiko; Sugata, Hisato; Yanagisawa, Takufumi; Yorifuji, Shiro; Hirata, Masayuki

    2017-10-27

    High gamma band (>50 Hz) activity is a key oscillatory phenomenon of brain activation. However, there has not been a non-invasive method established to detect language-related high gamma band activity. We used a 160-channel whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG) system equipped with superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) gradiometers to non-invasively investigate neuromagnetic activities during silent reading and verb generation tasks in 15 healthy participants. Individual data were divided into alpha (8-13 Hz), beta (13-25 Hz), low gamma (25-50 Hz), and high gamma (50-100 Hz) bands and analysed with the beamformer method. The time window was consecutively moved. Group analysis was performed to delineate common areas of brain activation. In the verb generation task, transient power increases in the high gamma band appeared in the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) at the 550-750 ms post-stimulus window. We set a virtual sensor on the left MFG for time-frequency analysis, and high gamma event-related synchronization (ERS) induced by a verb generation task was demonstrated at 650 ms. In contrast, ERS in the high gamma band was not detected in the silent reading task. Thus, our study successfully non-invasively measured language-related prefrontal high gamma band activity.

  8. Invasive Non-Typhoidal Salmonella Typhimurium ST313 Are Not Host-Restricted and Have an Invasive Phenotype in Experimentally Infected Chickens

    PubMed Central

    Parsons, Bryony N.; Humphrey, Suzanne; Salisbury, Anne Marie; Mikoleit, Julia; Hinton, Jay C. D.; Gordon, Melita A.; Wigley, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium Sequence Type (ST) 313 is a major cause of invasive non-Typhoidal salmonellosis in sub-Saharan Africa. No animal reservoir has been identified, and it has been suggested that ST313 is adapted to humans and transmission may occur via person-to-person spread. Here, we show that ST313 cause severe invasive infection in chickens as well as humans. Oral infection of chickens with ST313 isolates D23580 and Q456 resulted in rapid infection of spleen and liver with all birds infected at these sites by 3 days post-infection. In contrast, the well-defined ST19 S. Typhimurium isolates F98 and 4/74 were slower to cause invasive disease. Both ST19 and ST313 caused hepatosplenomegaly, and this was most pronounced in the ST313-infected animals. At 3 and 7 days post-infection, colonization of the gastrointestinal tract was lower in birds infected with the ST313 isolates compared with ST19. Histological examination and expression of CXCL chemokines in the ileum showed that both D23580 (ST313) and 4/74 (ST19) strains caused increased CXCL expression at 3 days post-infection, and this was significantly higher in the ileum of D23580 vs 4/74 infected birds. At 7 days post-infection, reduced chemokine expression occurred in the ileum of the D23580 but not 4/74-infected birds. Histological analysis showed that D23580 infection resulted in rapid inflammation and pathology including villous flattening and fusion at 3 days post-infection, and subsequent resolution by 7 days. In contrast, 4/74 induced less inflammation and pathology at 3 days post-infection. The data presented demonstrate that ST313 is capable of causing invasive disease in a non-human host. The rapid invasive nature of infection in the chicken, coupled with lower gastrointestinal colonization, supports the hypothesis that ST313 is a distinct pathovariant of S. Typhimurium that has evolved to become a systemic pathogen that can cause disease in several hosts. PMID:24130915

  9. The Role of RNAs and microRNAs in Non-Invasive Prenatal Diagnosis

    PubMed Central

    Farina, Antonio

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, all possible clinical applications of circulating mRNA and miRNA for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis appearing in the medical literature so far are described. Data from the literature have also been reported and commented on along with some possible future applications. PMID:26237384

  10. Non-invasive prenatal testing using cell-free fetal DNA in maternal circulation.

    PubMed

    Liao, Gary J W; Gronowski, Ann M; Zhao, Zhen

    2014-01-20

    The identification of cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in maternal circulation has made non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) possible. Maternal plasma cell free DNA is a mixture of maternal and fetal DNA, of which, fetal DNA represents a minor population in maternal plasma. Therefore, methods with high sensitivity and precision are required to detect and differentiate fetal DNA from the large background of maternal DNA. In recent years, technical advances in the molecular analysis of fetal DNA (e.g., digital PCR and massively parallel sequencing (MPS)) has enabled the successful implementation of noninvasive testing into clinical practice, such as fetal sex assessment, RhD genotyping, and fetal chromosomal aneuploidy detection.With the ability to decipher the entire fetal genome from maternal plasma DNA, we foresee that an increased number of non-invasive prenatal tests will be available for detecting many single-gene disorders in the near future. This review briefly summarizes the technical aspects of the NIPT and application of NIPT in clinical practice.

  11. [Therapeutic effect of mitomycin C in the immediate postoperative period in patients with intermediate-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder tumors].

    PubMed

    Jalón Monzón, A; Fernández Gómez, J M; Escaf Barmadah, S; Alvarez Múgica, M; Martín Benito, J L; Regadera Sejas, F J

    2008-10-01

    Approximately 70-85% of transitional bladder cell carcinomas are non-muscle-invasive. After an initial surgery, around 60-90% will have a recurrence, being the highest risk period the first two years. Urothelium instability could be the main reason for recurrence in mid grade tumours, reason why a single dose of a chemotherapy after transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB) might be insufficient. That is why a deferred therapy in occasions associated with maintenance is recommended. A prospective, controlled and randomized study was performed. We included non-muscle-invasive mid risk bladder tumours. All patients had initially a TURB performed and were randomized to receive a single dose of mitomycin C (MMC), in the immediate postoperative period. A total of 105 patients were included. Mean follow-up was 22, 70 +/- 8, 15 months. MMC was administered to 53 patients. Of these 66, 0% had no recurrence and 34.0% had a non-muscle-invasive recurrence. Of the 52 patients in the non MMC group, 53.8% had no recurrence and 44.2% had a non-muscle-invasive recurrence and only 1 patient had a muscle-invasive progression. We did not find significantly differences in time to recurrence in mid risk tumours when using immediate postoperative single dose of MMC or deferred therapy. There was only one case of myelosuppression. In mid risk non-muscle-invasive tumors, some studies suggest that early intravesical instillation of chemotherapy reduces the risk of recurrence after TURB. We could not show significantly differences when comparing postoperatorive MMC versus traditional deferred instillations.

  12. Invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae in Sweden 1997-2009; evidence of increasing incidence and clinical burden of non-type b strains.

    PubMed

    Resman, F; Ristovski, M; Ahl, J; Forsgren, A; Gilsdorf, J R; Jasir, A; Kaijser, B; Kronvall, G; Riesbeck, K

    2011-11-01

    Introduction of a conjugated vaccine against encapsulated Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) has led to a dramatic reduction of invasive Hib disease. However, an increasing incidence of invasive disease by H. influenzae non-type b has recently been reported. Non-type b strains have been suggested to be opportunists in an invasive context, but information on clinical consequences and related medical conditions is scarce. In this retrospective study, all H. influenzae isolates (n = 410) from blood and cerebrospinal fluid in three metropolitan Swedish regions between 1997 and 2009 from a population of approximately 3 million individuals were identified. All available isolates were serotyped by PCR (n = 250). We observed a statistically significant increase in the incidence of invasive H. influenzae disease, ascribed to non-typeable H. influenzae (NTHi) and encapsulated strains type f (Hif) in mainly individuals >60 years of age. The medical reports from a subset of 136 cases of invasive Haemophilus disease revealed that 48% of invasive NTHi cases and 59% of invasive Hif cases, respectively, met the criteria of severe sepsis or septic shock according to the ACCP/SCCM classification of sepsis grading. One-fifth of invasive NTHi cases and more than one-third of invasive Hif cases were admitted to intensive care units. Only 37% of patients with invasive non-type b disease had evidence of immunocompromise, of which conditions related to impaired humoral immunity was the most common. The clinical burden of invasive non-type b H. influenzae disease, measured as days of hospitalization/100 000 individuals at risk and year, increased significantly throughout the study period. © 2011 The Authors. Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2011 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

  13. GPZ: non-stationary sparse Gaussian processes for heteroscedastic uncertainty estimation in photometric redshifts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Almosallam, Ibrahim A.; Jarvis, Matt J.; Roberts, Stephen J.

    2016-10-01

    The next generation of cosmology experiments will be required to use photometric redshifts rather than spectroscopic redshifts. Obtaining accurate and well-characterized photometric redshift distributions is therefore critical for Euclid, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope and the Square Kilometre Array. However, determining accurate variance predictions alongside single point estimates is crucial, as they can be used to optimize the sample of galaxies for the specific experiment (e.g. weak lensing, baryon acoustic oscillations, supernovae), trading off between completeness and reliability in the galaxy sample. The various sources of uncertainty in measurements of the photometry and redshifts put a lower bound on the accuracy that any model can hope to achieve. The intrinsic uncertainty associated with estimates is often non-uniform and input-dependent, commonly known in statistics as heteroscedastic noise. However, existing approaches are susceptible to outliers and do not take into account variance induced by non-uniform data density and in most cases require manual tuning of many parameters. In this paper, we present a Bayesian machine learning approach that jointly optimizes the model with respect to both the predictive mean and variance we refer to as Gaussian processes for photometric redshifts (GPZ). The predictive variance of the model takes into account both the variance due to data density and photometric noise. Using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR12 data, we show that our approach substantially outperforms other machine learning methods for photo-z estimation and their associated variance, such as TPZ and ANNZ2. We provide a MATLAB and PYTHON implementations that are available to download at https://github.com/OxfordML/GPz.

  14. Evaluation of non-invasive treatment applied to occlusal surfaces.

    PubMed

    Flório, F M; Pereira, A C; Meneghim, M de C; Ramacciato, J C

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of non-invasive methods of treatment for active incipent occlusal caries. Anamnesis, professional prophylaxis, and visual inspection were used to classify 250 Brazilian pre-school-children. First permanent decayed molars (n=98) from thirty-one subjects (6 years+ 6 months) were selected and divided into three groups. Group 1: fissure sealants with resin-modified glass ionomer - Vitremer (n=29); Group 2: fluoride varnish -Duraphat (n=36) and control group: tooth brushing and 0.2 percent NaF weekly mouthwashes (n=33). Four clinical evaluations were carried out over three, six, nine, and twelve months. Caries activity and progression were observed through clinical and radiographic evaluation. The results were analyzed by Fisher=s Exact test. After twelve months, the results showed 100 percent of arrestment of caries activity for Group 1, 83.3 percent for group 2, and 72.7 percent for control group. At the same time, the results showed 0 percent of caries progression for group 1, 5.5 percent for Group 2, and 6.1 percent for control group. Group 1 showed a better inactivation property than the other groups (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in caries progression among these groups (p>0.05). It was concluded that this non-invasive methods were able to arrest the progression of occlusal caries, but fissure sealant showed better results in controlling caries activity.

  15. Branch and bound algorithm for accurate estimation of analytical isotropic bidirectional reflectance distribution function models.

    PubMed

    Yu, Chanki; Lee, Sang Wook

    2016-05-20

    We present a reliable and accurate global optimization framework for estimating parameters of isotropic analytical bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) models. This approach is based on a branch and bound strategy with linear programming and interval analysis. Conventional local optimization is often very inefficient for BRDF estimation since its fitting quality is highly dependent on initial guesses due to the nonlinearity of analytical BRDF models. The algorithm presented in this paper employs L1-norm error minimization to estimate BRDF parameters in a globally optimal way and interval arithmetic to derive our feasibility problem and lower bounding function. Our method is developed for the Cook-Torrance model but with several normal distribution functions such as the Beckmann, Berry, and GGX functions. Experiments have been carried out to validate the presented method using 100 isotropic materials from the MERL BRDF database, and our experimental results demonstrate that the L1-norm minimization provides a more accurate and reliable solution than the L2-norm minimization.

  16. The potential of non-invasive pre- and post-mortem carcass measurements to predict the contribution of carcass components to slaughter yield of guinea pigs.

    PubMed

    Barba, Lida; Sánchez-Macías, Davinia; Barba, Iván; Rodríguez, Nibaldo

    2018-06-01

    Guinea pig meat consumption is increasing exponentially worldwide. The evaluation of the contribution of carcass components to carcass quality potentially can allow for the estimation of the value added to food animal origin and make research in guinea pigs more practicable. The aim of this study was to propose a methodology for modelling the contribution of different carcass components to the overall carcass quality of guinea pigs by using non-invasive pre- and post mortem carcass measurements. The selection of predictors was developed through correlation analysis and statistical significance; whereas the prediction models were based on Multiple Linear Regression. The prediction results showed higher accuracy in the prediction of carcass component contribution expressed in grams, compared to when expressed as a percentage of carcass quality components. The proposed prediction models can be useful for the guinea pig meat industry and research institutions by using non-invasive and time- and cost-efficient carcass component measuring techniques. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Invasive non-native species' provision of refugia for endangered native species.

    PubMed

    Chiba, Satoshi

    2010-08-01

    The influence of non-native species on native ecosystems is not predicted easily when interspecific interactions are complex. Species removal can result in unexpected and undesired changes to other ecosystem components. I examined whether invasive non-native species may both harm and provide refugia for endangered native species. The invasive non-native plant Casuarina stricta has damaged the native flora and caused decline of the snail fauna on the Ogasawara Islands, Japan. On Anijima in 2006 and 2009, I examined endemic land snails in the genus Ogasawarana. I compared the density of live specimens and frequency of predation scars (from black rats [Rattus rattus]) on empty shells in native vegetation and Casuarina forests. The density of land snails was greater in native vegetation than in Casuarina forests in 2006. Nevertheless, radical declines in the density of land snails occurred in native vegetation since 2006 in association with increasing predation by black rats. In contrast, abundance of Ogasawarana did not decline in the Casuarina forest, where shells with predation scars from rats were rare. As a result, the density of snails was greater in the Casuarina forest than in native vegetation. Removal of Casuarina was associated with an increased proportion of shells with predation scars from rats and a decrease in the density of Ogasawarana. The thick and dense litter of Casuarina appears to provide refugia for native land snails by protecting them from predation by rats; thus, eradication of rats should precede eradication of Casuarina. Adaptive strategies, particularly those that consider the removal order of non-native species, are crucial to minimizing the unintended effects of eradication on native species. In addition, my results suggested that in some cases a given non-native species can be used to mitigate the impacts of other non-native species on native species.

  18. Non-invasive estimation of middle-ear input impedance and efficiency.

    PubMed

    Lewis, James D; Neely, Stephen T

    2015-08-01

    A method to transform the impedance measured in the ear canal, ZEC, to the plane of the eardrum, ZED, is described. The portion of the canal between the probe and eardrum was modeled as a concatenated series of conical segments, allowing for spatial variations in its cross-sectional area. A model of the middle ear (ME) and cochlea terminated the ear-canal model, which permitted estimation of ME efficiency. Acoustic measurements of ZEC were made at two probe locations in 15 normal-hearing subjects. ZEC was sensitive to measurement location, especially near frequencies of canal resonances and anti-resonances. Transforming ZEC to ZED reduced the influence of the canal, decreasing insertion-depth sensitivity of ZED between 1 and 12 kHz compared to ZEC. Absorbance, A, was less sensitive to probe placement than ZEC, but more sensitive than ZED above 5 kHz. ZED and A were similarly insensitive to probe placement between 1 and 5 kHz. The probe-placement sensitivity of ZED below 1 kHz was not reduced from that of either A or ZEC. ME efficiency had a bandpass shape with greatest efficiency between 1 and 4 kHz. Estimates of ZED and ME efficiency could extend the diagnostic capability of wideband-acoustic immittance measurements.

  19. Thermal Imaging to Study Stress Non-invasively in Unrestrained Birds.

    PubMed

    Jerem, Paul; Herborn, Katherine; McCafferty, Dominic; McKeegan, Dorothy; Nager, Ruedi

    2015-11-06

    Stress, a central concept in biology, describes a suite of emergency responses to challenges. Among other responses, stress leads to a change in blood flow that results in a net influx of blood to key organs and an increase in core temperature. This stress-induced hyperthermia is used to assess stress. However, measuring core temperature is invasive. As blood flow is redirected to the core, the periphery of the body can cool. This paper describes a protocol where peripheral body temperature is measured non-invasively in wild blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) using infrared thermography. In the field we created a set-up bringing the birds to an ideal position in front of the camera by using a baited box. The camera takes a short thermal video recording of the undisturbed bird before applying a mild stressor (closing the box and therefore capturing the bird), and the bird's response to being trapped is recorded. The bare skin of the eye-region is the warmest area in the image. This allows an automated extraction of the maximum eye-region temperature from each image frame, followed by further steps of manual data filtering removing the most common sources of errors (motion blur, blinking). This protocol provides a time series of eye-region temperature with a fine temporal resolution that allows us to study the dynamics of the stress response non-invasively. Further work needs to demonstrate the usefulness of the method to assess stress, for instance to investigate whether eye-region temperature response is proportional to the strength of the stressor. If this can be confirmed, it will provide a valuable alternative method of stress assessment in animals and will be useful to a wide range of researchers from ecologists, conservation biologists, physiologists to animal welfare researchers.

  20. Thermal Imaging to Study Stress Non-invasively in Unrestrained Birds

    PubMed Central

    Jerem, Paul; Herborn, Katherine; McCafferty, Dominic; McKeegan, Dorothy; Nager, Ruedi

    2015-01-01

    Stress, a central concept in biology, describes a suite of emergency responses to challenges. Among other responses, stress leads to a change in blood flow that results in a net influx of blood to key organs and an increase in core temperature. This stress-induced hyperthermia is used to assess stress. However, measuring core temperature is invasive. As blood flow is redirected to the core, the periphery of the body can cool. This paper describes a protocol where peripheral body temperature is measured non-invasively in wild blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) using infrared thermography. In the field we created a set-up bringing the birds to an ideal position in front of the camera by using a baited box. The camera takes a short thermal video recording of the undisturbed bird before applying a mild stressor (closing the box and therefore capturing the bird), and the bird’s response to being trapped is recorded. The bare skin of the eye-region is the warmest area in the image. This allows an automated extraction of the maximum eye-region temperature from each image frame, followed by further steps of manual data filtering removing the most common sources of errors (motion blur, blinking). This protocol provides a time series of eye-region temperature with a fine temporal resolution that allows us to study the dynamics of the stress response non-invasively. Further work needs to demonstrate the usefulness of the method to assess stress, for instance to investigate whether eye-region temperature response is proportional to the strength of the stressor. If this can be confirmed, it will provide a valuable alternative method of stress assessment in animals and will be useful to a wide range of researchers from ecologists, conservation biologists, physiologists to animal welfare researchers. PMID:26575985