Simultaneous Determination of Potassium Clavulanate and Amoxicillin Trihydrate in Bulk, Pharmaceutical Formulations and in Human Urine Samples by UV Spectrophotometry

PubMed Central

Gujral, Rajinder Singh; Haque, Sk Manirul

2010-01-01

A simple and sensitive UV spectrophotometric method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of Potassium Clavulanate (PC) and Amoxicillin Trihydrate (AT) in bulk, pharmaceutical formulations and in human urine samples. The method was linear in the range of 0.2–8.5 μg/ml for PC and 6.4–33.6 μg/ml for AT. The absorbance was measured at 205 and 271 nm for PC and AT respectively. The method was validated with respect to accuracy, precision, specificity, ruggedness, robustness, limit of detection and limit of quantitation. This method was used successfully for the quality assessment of four PC and AT drug products and in human urine samples with good precision and accuracy. This is found to be simple, specific, precise, accurate, reproducible and low cost UV Spectrophotometric method. PMID:23675211

Uncertainty for Part Density Determination: An Update

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

Valdez, Mario Orlando

2016-12-14

Accurate and precise density measurements by hydrostatic weighing requires the use of an analytical balance, configured with a suspension system, to both measure the weight of a part in water and in air. Additionally, the densities of these liquid media (water and air) must be precisely known for the part density determination. To validate the accuracy and precision of these measurements, uncertainty statements are required. The work in this report is a revision of an original report written more than a decade ago, specifically applying principles and guidelines suggested by the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM)more » for determining the part density uncertainty through sensitivity analysis. In this work, updated derivations are provided; an original example is revised with the updated derivations and appendix, provided solely to uncertainty evaluations using Monte Carlo techniques, specifically using the NIST Uncertainty Machine, as a viable alternative method.« less

Design and Validation of CRISPR/Cas9 Systems for Targeted Gene Modification in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

PubMed

Lee, Ciaran M; Zhu, Haibao; Davis, Timothy H; Deshmukh, Harshahardhan; Bao, Gang

2017-01-01

The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a powerful tool for precision genome editing. The ability to accurately modify genomic DNA in situ with single nucleotide precision opens up new possibilities for not only basic research but also biotechnology applications and clinical translation. In this chapter, we outline the procedures for design, screening, and validation of CRISPR/Cas9 systems for targeted modification of coding sequences in the human genome and how to perform genome editing in induced pluripotent stem cells with high efficiency and specificity.

Evaluation of analytical techniques to determine AQUI-S(R) 20E (eugenol) concentrations in water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meinertz, Jeffery R.; Hess, Karina R.

2013-01-01

There is a critical need in U.S. public aquaculture and fishery management programs for an immediate-release sedative, i.e. a compound that can be safely and effectively used to sedate fish and subsequently, allow for their immediate release. AQUI-S® 20E (10% active ingredient, eugenol; any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government) is being pursued for U.S. approval as an immediate-release sedative. As part of the approval process, data describing animal safety and efficacy are needed. Essential to conducting studies that generate those data, is a method to accurately and precisely determine AQUI-S® 20E concentrations in exposure baths. Spectrophotometric and solid phase extraction (SPE)–high pressure liquid chromatography (LC) methods were developed and evaluated as methods to determine AQUI-S® 20E (eugenol) concentrations in water, methods that could be applied to any situation where eugenol was being evaluated as a fish sedative. The spectrophotometric method was accurate and precise (accuracy, > 87%; precision, < 0.70 %CV) when determining eugenol concentrations in solutions of 50 to 1000 mg/L AQUI-S® 20E made with LC grade water and water with varying pH and hardness. The spectrophotometric method's accuracy was negatively affected when analyzing water containing fish feed. The SPE–LC method was also accurate and precise (accuracy > 86%; precision < 8.9 %CV) when determining eugenol concentrations in solutions of 50 to 1000 mg/L AQUI-S® 20E made with LC grade water and water with varying pH and hardness. The SPE–LC method was influenced to a lesser degree by the presence of fish feed indicating greater specificity for eugenol.

Accurate and precise determination of isotopic ratios by MC-ICP-MS: a review.

PubMed

Yang, Lu

2009-01-01

For many decades the accurate and precise determination of isotope ratios has remained a very strong interest to many researchers due to its important applications in earth, environmental, biological, archeological, and medical sciences. Traditionally, thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) has been the technique of choice for achieving the highest accuracy and precision. However, recent developments in multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) have brought a new dimension to this field. In addition to its simple and robust sample introduction, high sample throughput, and high mass resolution, the flat-topped peaks generated by this technique provide for accurate and precise determination of isotope ratios with precision reaching 0.001%, comparable to that achieved with TIMS. These features, in combination with the ability of the ICP source to ionize nearly all elements in the periodic table, have resulted in an increased use of MC-ICP-MS for such measurements in various sample matrices. To determine accurate and precise isotope ratios with MC-ICP-MS, utmost care must be exercised during sample preparation, optimization of the instrument, and mass bias corrections. Unfortunately, there are inconsistencies and errors evident in many MC-ICP-MS publications, including errors in mass bias correction models. This review examines "state-of-the-art" methodologies presented in the literature for achievement of precise and accurate determinations of isotope ratios by MC-ICP-MS. Some general rules for such accurate and precise measurements are suggested, and calculations of combined uncertainty of the data using a few common mass bias correction models are outlined.

Virtual Preoperative Planning and Intraoperative Navigation in Facial Prosthetic Reconstruction: A Technical Note.

PubMed

Verma, Suzanne; Gonzalez, Marianela; Schow, Sterling R; Triplett, R Gilbert

This technical protocol outlines the use of computer-assisted image-guided technology for the preoperative planning and intraoperative procedures involved in implant-retained facial prosthetic treatment. A contributing factor for a successful prosthetic restoration is accurate preoperative planning to identify prosthetically driven implant locations that maximize bone contact and enhance cosmetic outcomes. Navigational systems virtually transfer precise digital planning into the operative field for placing implants to support prosthetic restorations. In this protocol, there is no need to construct a physical, and sometimes inaccurate, surgical guide. The report addresses treatment workflow, radiologic data specifications, and special considerations in data acquisition, virtual preoperative planning, and intraoperative navigation for the prosthetic reconstruction of unilateral, bilateral, and midface defects. Utilization of this protocol for the planning and surgical placement of craniofacial bone-anchored implants allows positioning of implants to be prosthetically driven, accurate, precise, and efficient, and leads to a more predictable treatment outcome.

Suicide Risk among Violent and Sexual Criminal Offenders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Roger T.; Shaw, Jenny; Stevens, Hanne; Mortensen, Preben B.; Appleby, Louis; Qin, Ping

2012-01-01

Risk of suicide in people who have perpetrated specific forms of violent or sexual criminal offenses has not been quantified accurately or precisely. Also, gender comparisons have not been possible due to sparse data problems in the smaller studies that have been conducted to date. We therefore aimed to estimate these effects in the whole Danish…

A precise and accurate acupoint location obtained on the face using consistency matrix pointwise fusion method.

PubMed

Yanq, Xuming; Ye, Yijun; Xia, Yong; Wei, Xuanzhong; Wang, Zheyu; Ni, Hongmei; Zhu, Ying; Xu, Lingyu

2015-02-01

To develop a more precise and accurate method, and identified a procedure to measure whether an acupoint had been correctly located. On the face, we used an acupoint location from different acupuncture experts and obtained the most precise and accurate values of acupoint location based on the consistency information fusion algorithm, through a virtual simulation of the facial orientation coordinate system. Because of inconsistencies in each acupuncture expert's original data, the system error the general weight calculation. First, we corrected each expert of acupoint location system error itself, to obtain a rational quantification for each expert of acupuncture and moxibustion acupoint location consistent support degree, to obtain pointwise variable precision fusion results, to put every expert's acupuncture acupoint location fusion error enhanced to pointwise variable precision. Then, we more effectively used the measured characteristics of different acupuncture expert's acupoint location, to improve the measurement information utilization efficiency and acupuncture acupoint location precision and accuracy. Based on using the consistency matrix pointwise fusion method on the acupuncture experts' acupoint location values, each expert's acupoint location information could be calculated, and the most precise and accurate values of each expert's acupoint location could be obtained.

Precision manometer gauge

DOEpatents

McPherson, Malcolm J.; Bellman, Robert A.

1984-01-01

A precision manometer gauge which locates a zero height and a measured height of liquid using an open tube in communication with a reservoir adapted to receive the pressure to be measured. The open tube has a reference section carried on a positioning plate which is moved vertically with machine tool precision. Double scales are provided to read the height of the positioning plate accurately, the reference section being inclined for accurate meniscus adjustment, and means being provided to accurately locate a zero or reference position.

Precision manometer gauge

DOEpatents

McPherson, M.J.; Bellman, R.A.

1982-09-27

A precision manometer gauge which locates a zero height and a measured height of liquid using an open tube in communication with a reservoir adapted to receive the pressure to be measured. The open tube has a reference section carried on a positioning plate which is moved vertically with machine tool precision. Double scales are provided to read the height of the positioning plate accurately, the reference section being inclined for accurate meniscus adjustment, and means being provided to accurately locate a zero or reference position.

Value of Sample Return and High Precision Analyses: Need for A Resource of Compelling Stories, Metaphors and Examples for Public Speakers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allton, J. H.

2017-01-01

There is widespread agreement among planetary scientists that much of what we know about the workings of the solar system comes from accurate, high precision measurements on returned samples. Precision is a function of the number of atoms the instrumentation is able to count. Accuracy depends on the calibration or standardization technique. For Genesis, the solar wind sample return mission, acquiring enough atoms to ensure precise SW measurements and then accurately quantifying those measurements were steps known to be non-trivial pre-flight. The difficulty of precise and accurate measurements on returned samples, and why they cannot be made remotely, is not communicated well to the public. In part, this is be-cause "high precision" is abstract and error bars are not very exciting topics. This paper explores ideas for collecting and compiling compelling metaphors and colorful examples as a resource for planetary science public speakers.

Optical Comb from a Whispering Gallery Mode Resonator for Spectroscopy and Astronomy Instruments Calibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strekalov, Dmitry V.; Yu, Nam; Thompson, Robert J.

2012-01-01

The most accurate astronomical data is available from space-based observations that are not impeded by the Earth's atmosphere. Such measurements may require spectral samples taken as long as decades apart, with the 1 cm/s velocity precision integrated over a broad wavelength range. This raises the requirements specifically for instruments used in astrophysics research missions -- their stringent wavelength resolution and accuracy must be maintained over years and possibly decades. Therefore, a stable and broadband optical calibration technique compatible with spaceflights becomes essential. The space-based spectroscopic instruments need to be calibrated in situ, which puts forth specific requirements to the calibration sources, mainly concerned with their mass, power consumption, and reliability. A high-precision, high-resolution reference wavelength comb source for astronomical and astrophysics spectroscopic observations has been developed that is deployable in space. The optical comb will be used for wavelength calibrations of spectrographs and will enable Doppler measurements to better than 10 cm/s precision, one hundred times better than the current state-of-the- art.

UV Spectrophotometric Method for Estimation of Polypeptide-K in Bulk and Tablet Dosage Forms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, P.; Singh, S. Kumar; Gulati, M.; Vaidya, Y.

2016-01-01

An analytical method for estimation of polypeptide-k using UV spectrophotometry has been developed and validated for bulk as well as tablet dosage form. The developed method was validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, specificity, robustness, detection, and quantitation limits. The method has shown good linearity over the range from 100.0 to 300.0 μg/ml with a correlation coefficient of 0.9943. The percentage recovery of 99.88% showed that the method was highly accurate. The precision demonstrated relative standard deviation of less than 2.0%. The LOD and LOQ of the method were found to be 4.4 and 13.33, respectively. The study established that the proposed method is reliable, specific, reproducible, and cost-effective for the determination of polypeptide-k.

Accelerated spike resampling for accurate multiple testing controls.

PubMed

Harrison, Matthew T

2013-02-01

Controlling for multiple hypothesis tests using standard spike resampling techniques often requires prohibitive amounts of computation. Importance sampling techniques can be used to accelerate the computation. The general theory is presented, along with specific examples for testing differences across conditions using permutation tests and for testing pairwise synchrony and precise lagged-correlation between many simultaneously recorded spike trains using interval jitter.

Simultaneous Determination of Ofloxacin and Flavoxate Hydrochloride by Absorption Ratio and Second Derivative UV Spectrophotometry

PubMed Central

Attimarad, Mahesh

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop simple, precise, accurate and sensitive UV spectrophotometric methods for the simultaneous determination of ofloxacin (OFX) and flavoxate HCl (FLX) in pharmaceutical formulations. The first method is based on absorption ratio method, by formation of Q absorbance equation at 289 nm (λmax of OFX) and 322.4 nm (isoabsorptive point). The linearity range was found to be 1 to 30 μg/ml for FLX and OFX. In the method-II second derivative absorption at 311.4 nm for OFX (zero crossing for FLX) and at 246.2 nm for FLX (zero crossing for OFX) was used for the determination of the drugs and the linearity range was found to be 2 to 30 μg/ml for OFX and 2-75 μg /ml for FLX. The accuracy and precision of the methods were determined and validated statistically. Both the methods showed good reproducibility and recovery with % RSD less than 1.5%. Both the methods were found to be rapid, specific, precise and accurate and can be successfully applied for the routine analysis of OFX and FLX in combined dosage form PMID:24826003

Cutting force measurement of electrical jigsaw by strain gauges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazup, L.; Varadine Szarka, A.

2016-11-01

This paper describes a measuring method based on strain gauges for accurate specification of electric jigsaw's cutting force. The goal of the measurement is to provide an overall perspective about generated forces in a jigsaw's gearbox during a cutting period. The lifetime of the tool is affected by these forces primarily. This analysis is part of the research and development project aiming to develop a special linear magnetic brake for realizing automatic lifetime tests of electric jigsaws or similar handheld tools. The accurate specification of cutting force facilitates to define realistic test cycles during the automatic lifetime test. The accuracy and precision resulted by the well described cutting force characteristic and the possibility of automation provide new dimension for lifetime testing of the handheld tools with alternating movement.

Correlation of the turbo-MP RIA with ImmunoCAP FEIA for determination of food allergen-specific immunoglobulin E.

PubMed

Kontis, Kris J; Valcour, Andre; Patel, Ashok; Chen, Andy; Wang, Jan; Chow, Julia; Nayak, Narayan

2006-01-01

It has been reported that in vitro measurement of food-specific IgE can be used to accurately predict food allergy and reduce the risk associated with double-blinded placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFC). Our objective was to assess the performance characteristics of the Hycor Turbo-MP quantitative radioimmunoassay for food-specific IgE and to determine this method's comparability to another assay, the Pharmacia ImmunoCAP fluorescence enzyme immunoassay (FEIA). The dynamic range of the Turbo-MP assay is 0.05 to 100 IU/ml, compared to 0.35 to 100 IU/ml for the FEIA. Performance characteristics of the Turbo-MP assay (ie, reproducibility of the calibration curve, within-run precision, total precision, parallelism, and linearity) were determined using samples from the Hycor serum bank. The precision (CV) of IgE calibrator replicates was <10%. The total precision (CV) of the Turbo-MP assay ranged from 8.8% to 18.4% for specific IgE concentrations between 0.28 to 31.4 IU/ml. Testing of serial dilutions of sera with IgE specificities for egg white, cow's milk, codfish, wheat, peanut, and soybean showed that the assay is linear over the entire dynamic range. Serial dilution data (slopes of 1.01 to 1.10) showed parallelism to serial dilutions of the IgE calibrator (slope of 0.96). The Turbo-MP and FEIA methods were both used for quantitative assays of food-specific IgE in 457 serum samples obtained from a clinical reference laboratory. Comparison of specific IgE results by the Turbo-MP and FEIA methods for 6 major food allergens exhibited a slope of 0.99 (0.92 to 1.03) with a correlation coefficient of 0.81.

Evaluation of analytical techniques to determine AQUI-S® 20E (eugenol) concentrations in water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meinertz, Jeffery R.; Hess, Karina R.

2014-01-01

There is a critical need in U.S. public aquaculture and fishery management programs for an immediate-release sedative, i.e. a compound that can be safely and effectively used to sedate fish and subsequently, allow for their immediate release. AQUI-S® 20E (10% active ingredient, eugenol; any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government) is being pursued for U.S. approval as an immediate-release sedative. As part of the approval process, data describing animal safety and efficacy are needed. Essential to conducting studies that generate those data, is a method to accurately and precisely determine AQUI-S® 20E concentrations in exposure baths. Spectrophotometric and solid phase extraction (SPE)–high pressure liquid chromatography (LC) methods were developed and evaluated as methods to determine AQUI-S® 20E (eugenol) concentrations in water, methods that could be applied to any situation where eugenol was being evaluated as a fish sedative. The spectrophotometric method was accurate and precise (accuracy, > 87%; precision, 86%; precision < 8.9 %CV) when determining eugenol concentrations in solutions of 50 to 1000 mg/L AQUI-S® 20E made with LC grade water and water with varying pH and hardness. The SPE–LC method was influenced to a lesser degree by the presence of fish feed indicating greater specificity for eugenol.

Precise measurement of ultra-narrow laser linewidths using the strong coherent envelope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Shihong; Zhu, Tao; Liu, Min; Huang, Wei

2017-02-01

Laser linewidth narrowing down to kHz or even Hz is an important topic in areas like clock synchronization technology, laser radars, quantum optics, and high-precision detection. Conventional decoherence measurement methods like delayed self-heterodyne/homodyne interferometry cannot measure such narrow linewidths accurately. This is because a broadening of the Gaussian spectrum, which hides the laser’s intrinsic Lorentzian linewidth, cannot be avoided. Here, we introduce a new method using the strong coherent envelope to characterize the laser’s intrinsic linewidth through self-coherent detection. This method can eliminate the effect of the broadened Gaussian spectrum induced by the 1/f frequency noise. We analyze, in detail, the relationship between intrinsic laser linewidth, contrast difference with the second peak and the second trough (CDSPST) of the strong coherent envelope, and the length of the delaying fiber. The correct length for the delaying fiber can be chosen by combining the estimated laser linewidth (Δfest) with a specific CDSPST (ΔS) to obtain the accurate laser linewidth (Δf). Our results indicate that this method can be used as an accurate detection tool for measurements of narrow or super-narrow linewidths.

HIT'nDRIVE: patient-specific multidriver gene prioritization for precision oncology

PubMed Central

Hodzic, Ermin; Sauerwald, Thomas; Dao, Phuong; Wang, Kendric; Yeung, Jake; Anderson, Shawn; Vandin, Fabio; Haffari, Gholamreza; Collins, Colin C.; Sahinalp, S. Cenk

2017-01-01

Prioritizing molecular alterations that act as drivers of cancer remains a crucial bottleneck in therapeutic development. Here we introduce HIT'nDRIVE, a computational method that integrates genomic and transcriptomic data to identify a set of patient-specific, sequence-altered genes, with sufficient collective influence over dysregulated transcripts. HIT'nDRIVE aims to solve the “random walk facility location” (RWFL) problem in a gene (or protein) interaction network, which differs from the standard facility location problem by its use of an alternative distance measure: “multihitting time,” the expected length of the shortest random walk from any one of the set of sequence-altered genes to an expression-altered target gene. When applied to 2200 tumors from four major cancer types, HIT'nDRIVE revealed many potentially clinically actionable driver genes. We also demonstrated that it is possible to perform accurate phenotype prediction for tumor samples by only using HIT'nDRIVE-seeded driver gene modules from gene interaction networks. In addition, we identified a number of breast cancer subtype-specific driver modules that are associated with patients’ survival outcome. Furthermore, HIT'nDRIVE, when applied to a large panel of pan-cancer cell lines, accurately predicted drug efficacy using the driver genes and their seeded gene modules. Overall, HIT'nDRIVE may help clinicians contextualize massive multiomics data in therapeutic decision making, enabling widespread implementation of precision oncology. PMID:28768687

COSMOS: accurate detection of somatic structural variations through asymmetric comparison between tumor and normal samples

PubMed Central

Yamagata, Koichi; Yamanishi, Ayako; Kokubu, Chikara; Takeda, Junji; Sese, Jun

2016-01-01

An important challenge in cancer genomics is precise detection of structural variations (SVs) by high-throughput short-read sequencing, which is hampered by the high false discovery rates of existing analysis tools. Here, we propose an accurate SV detection method named COSMOS, which compares the statistics of the mapped read pairs in tumor samples with isogenic normal control samples in a distinct asymmetric manner. COSMOS also prioritizes the candidate SVs using strand-specific read-depth information. Performance tests on modeled tumor genomes revealed that COSMOS outperformed existing methods in terms of F-measure. We also applied COSMOS to an experimental mouse cell-based model, in which SVs were induced by genome engineering and gamma-ray irradiation, followed by polymerase chain reaction-based confirmation. The precision of COSMOS was 84.5%, while the next best existing method was 70.4%. Moreover, the sensitivity of COSMOS was the highest, indicating that COSMOS has great potential for cancer genome analysis. PMID:26833260

Age Determination by Back Length for African Savanna Elephants: Extending Age Assessment Techniques for Aerial-Based Surveys

PubMed Central

Trimble, Morgan J.; van Aarde, Rudi J.; Ferreira, Sam M.; Nørgaard, Camilla F.; Fourie, Johan; Lee, Phyllis C.; Moss, Cynthia J.

2011-01-01

Determining the age of individuals in a population can lead to a better understanding of population dynamics through age structure analysis and estimation of age-specific fecundity and survival rates. Shoulder height has been used to accurately assign age to free-ranging African savanna elephants. However, back length may provide an analog measurable in aerial-based surveys. We assessed the relationship between back length and age for known-age elephants in Amboseli National Park, Kenya, and Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa. We also compared age- and sex-specific back lengths between these populations and compared adult female back lengths across 11 widely dispersed populations in five African countries. Sex-specific Von Bertalanffy growth curves provided a good fit to the back length data of known-age individuals. Based on back length, accurate ages could be assigned relatively precisely for females up to 23 years of age and males up to 17. The female back length curve allowed more precise age assignment to older females than the curve for shoulder height does, probably because of divergence between the respective growth curves. However, this did not appear to be the case for males, but the sample of known-age males was limited to ≤27 years. Age- and sex-specific back lengths were similar in Amboseli National Park and Addo Elephant National Park. Furthermore, while adult female back lengths in the three Zambian populations were generally shorter than in other populations, back lengths in the remaining eight populations did not differ significantly, in support of claims that growth patterns of African savanna elephants are similar over wide geographic regions. Thus, the growth curves presented here should allow researchers to use aerial-based surveys to assign ages to elephants with greater precision than previously possible and, therefore, to estimate population variables. PMID:22028925

Droplet Digital™ PCR Next-Generation Sequencing Library QC Assay.

PubMed

Heredia, Nicholas J

2018-01-01

Digital PCR is a valuable tool to quantify next-generation sequencing (NGS) libraries precisely and accurately. Accurately quantifying NGS libraries enable accurate loading of the libraries on to the sequencer and thus improve sequencing performance by reducing under and overloading error. Accurate quantification also benefits users by enabling uniform loading of indexed/barcoded libraries which in turn greatly improves sequencing uniformity of the indexed/barcoded samples. The advantages gained by employing the Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR™) library QC assay includes the precise and accurate quantification in addition to size quality assessment, enabling users to QC their sequencing libraries with confidence.

Novel spectrophotometric methods for simultaneous determination of timolol and dorzolamide in their binary mixture.

PubMed

Lotfy, Hayam Mahmoud; Hegazy, Maha A; Rezk, Mamdouh R; Omran, Yasmin Rostom

2014-05-21

Two smart and novel spectrophotometric methods namely; absorbance subtraction (AS) and amplitude modulation (AM) were developed and validated for the determination of a binary mixture of timolol maleate (TIM) and dorzolamide hydrochloride (DOR) in presence of benzalkonium chloride without prior separation, using unified regression equation. Additionally, simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods manipulating ratio spectra were developed and validated for simultaneous determination of the binary mixture namely; simultaneous ratio subtraction (SRS), ratio difference (RD), ratio subtraction (RS) coupled with extended ratio subtraction (EXRS), constant multiplication method (CM) and mean centering of ratio spectra (MCR). The proposed spectrophotometric procedures do not require any separation steps. Accuracy, precision and linearity ranges of the proposed methods were determined and the specificity was assessed by analyzing synthetic mixtures of both drugs. They were applied to their pharmaceutical formulation and the results obtained were statistically compared to that of a reported spectrophotometric method. The statistical comparison showed that there is no significant difference between the proposed methods and the reported one regarding both accuracy and precision. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous quantification of withanolides in Withania somnifera by a validated high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method.

PubMed

Srivastava, Pooja; Tiwari, Neerja; Yadav, Akhilesh K; Kumar, Vijendra; Shanker, Karuna; Verma, Ram K; Gupta, Madan M; Gupta, Anil K; Khanuja, Suman P S

2008-01-01

This paper describes a sensitive, selective, specific, robust, and validated densitometric high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method for the simultaneous determination of 3 key withanolides, namely, withaferin-A, 12-deoxywithastramonolide, and withanolide-A, in Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) plant samples. The separation was performed on aluminum-backed silica gel 60F254 HPTLC plates using dichloromethane-methanol-acetone-diethyl ether (15 + 1 + 1 + 1, v/v/v/v) as the mobile phase. The withanolides were quantified by densitometry in the reflection/absorption mode at 230 nm. Precise and accurate quantification could be performed in the linear working concentration range of 66-330 ng/band with good correlation (r2 = 0.997, 0.999, and 0.996, respectively). The method was validated for recovery, precision, accuracy, robustness, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, and specificity according to International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. Specificity of quantification was confirmed using retention factor (Rf) values, UV-Vis spectral correlation, and electrospray ionization mass spectra of marker compounds in sample tracks.

Development and Validation of an HPLC Method for Karanjin in Pongamia pinnata linn. Leaves.

PubMed

Katekhaye, S; Kale, M S; Laddha, K S

2012-01-01

A rapid, simple and specific reversed-phase HPLC method has been developed for analysis of karanjin in Pongamia pinnata Linn. leaves. HPLC analysis was performed on a C(18) column using an 85:13.5:1.5 (v/v) mixtures of methanol, water and acetic acid as isocratic mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 ml/min. UV detection was at 300 nm. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, linearity, specificity. Validation revealed the method is specific, accurate, precise, reliable and reproducible. Good linear correlation coefficients (r(2)>0.997) were obtained for calibration plots in the ranges tested. Limit of detection was 4.35 μg and limit of quantification was 16.56 μg. Intra and inter-day RSD of retention times and peak areas was less than 1.24% and recovery was between 95.05 and 101.05%. The established HPLC method is appropriate enabling efficient quantitative analysis of karanjin in Pongamia pinnata leaves.

Development and Validation of an HPLC Method for Karanjin in Pongamia pinnata linn. Leaves

PubMed Central

Katekhaye, S; Kale, M. S.; Laddha, K. S.

2012-01-01

A rapid, simple and specific reversed-phase HPLC method has been developed for analysis of karanjin in Pongamia pinnata Linn. leaves. HPLC analysis was performed on a C18 column using an 85:13.5:1.5 (v/v) mixtures of methanol, water and acetic acid as isocratic mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 ml/min. UV detection was at 300 nm. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, linearity, specificity. Validation revealed the method is specific, accurate, precise, reliable and reproducible. Good linear correlation coefficients (r2>0.997) were obtained for calibration plots in the ranges tested. Limit of detection was 4.35 μg and limit of quantification was 16.56 μg. Intra and inter-day RSD of retention times and peak areas was less than 1.24% and recovery was between 95.05 and 101.05%. The established HPLC method is appropriate enabling efficient quantitative analysis of karanjin in Pongamia pinnata leaves. PMID:23204626

The Along Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) for ERS1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delderfield, J.; Llewellyn-Jones, D. T.; Bernard, R.; de Javel, Y.; Williamson, E. J.

1986-01-01

The ATSR is an infrared imaging radiometer which has been selected to fly aboard the ESA Remote Sensing Satellite No. 1 (ERS1) with the specific objective of accurately determining global Sea Surface Temperature (SST). Novel features, including the technique of 'along track' scanning, a closed Stirling cycle cooler, and the precision on-board blackbodies are described. Instrument subsystems are identified and their design trade-offs discussed.

Fully automated laboratory and field-portable goniometer used for performing accurate and precise multiangular reflectance measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harms, Justin D.; Bachmann, Charles M.; Ambeau, Brittany L.; Faulring, Jason W.; Ruiz Torres, Andres J.; Badura, Gregory; Myers, Emily

2017-10-01

Field-portable goniometers are created for a wide variety of applications. Many of these applications require specific types of instruments and measurement schemes and must operate in challenging environments. Therefore, designs are based on the requirements that are specific to the application. We present a field-portable goniometer that was designed for measuring the hemispherical-conical reflectance factor (HCRF) of various soils and low-growing vegetation in austere coastal and desert environments and biconical reflectance factors in laboratory settings. Unlike some goniometers, this system features a requirement for "target-plane tracking" to ensure that measurements can be collected on sloped surfaces, without compromising angular accuracy. The system also features a second upward-looking spectrometer to measure the spatially dependent incoming illumination, an integrated software package to provide full automation, an automated leveling system to ensure a standard frame of reference, a design that minimizes the obscuration due to self-shading to measure the opposition effect, and the ability to record a digital elevation model of the target region. This fully automated and highly mobile system obtains accurate and precise measurements of HCRF in a wide variety of terrain and in less time than most other systems while not sacrificing consistency or repeatability in laboratory environments.

Development and validation of new spectrophotometric ratio H-point standard addition method and application to gastrointestinal acting drugs mixtures.

PubMed

Yehia, Ali M

2013-05-15

New, simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric technique utilizing ratio spectra is developed for simultaneous determination of two different binary mixtures. The developed ratio H-point standard addition method (RHPSAM) was managed successfully to resolve the spectral overlap in itopride hydrochloride (ITO) and pantoprazole sodium (PAN) binary mixture, as well as, mosapride citrate (MOS) and PAN binary mixture. The theoretical background and advantages of the newly proposed method are presented. The calibration curves are linear over the concentration range of 5-60 μg/mL, 5-40 μg/mL and 4-24 μg/mL for ITO, MOS and PAN, respectively. Specificity of the method was investigated and relative standard deviations were less than 1.5. The accuracy, precision and repeatability were also investigated for the proposed method according to ICH guidelines. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of new spectrophotometric ratio H-point standard addition method and application to gastrointestinal acting drugs mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yehia, Ali M.

2013-05-01

New, simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric technique utilizing ratio spectra is developed for simultaneous determination of two different binary mixtures. The developed ratio H-point standard addition method (RHPSAM) was managed successfully to resolve the spectral overlap in itopride hydrochloride (ITO) and pantoprazole sodium (PAN) binary mixture, as well as, mosapride citrate (MOS) and PAN binary mixture. The theoretical background and advantages of the newly proposed method are presented. The calibration curves are linear over the concentration range of 5-60 μg/mL, 5-40 μg/mL and 4-24 μg/mL for ITO, MOS and PAN, respectively. Specificity of the method was investigated and relative standard deviations were less than 1.5. The accuracy, precision and repeatability were also investigated for the proposed method according to ICH guidelines.

Novel spectrophotometric determination of flumethasone pivalate and clioquinol in their binary mixture and pharmaceutical formulation.

PubMed

Abdel-Aleem, Eglal A; Hegazy, Maha A; Sayed, Nour W; Abdelkawy, M; Abdelfatah, Rehab M

2015-02-05

This work is concerned with development and validation of three simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods for determination of flumethasone pivalate (FP) and clioquinol (CL) in their binary mixture and ear drops. Method A is a ratio subtraction spectrophotometric one (RSM). Method B is a ratio difference spectrophotometric one (RDSM), while method C is a mean center spectrophotometric one (MCR). The calibration curves are linear over the concentration range of 3-45 μg/mL for FP, and 2-25 μg/mL for CL. The specificity of the developed methods was assessed by analyzing different laboratory prepared mixtures of the FP and CL. The three methods were validated as per ICH guidelines; accuracy, precision and repeatability are found to be within the acceptable limits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Engineering the Mechanical Properties of Polymer Networks with Precise Doping of Primary Defects.

PubMed

Chan, Doreen; Ding, Yichuan; Dauskardt, Reinhold H; Appel, Eric A

2017-12-06

Polymer networks are extensively utilized across numerous applications ranging from commodity superabsorbent polymers and coatings to high-performance microelectronics and biomaterials. For many applications, desirable properties are known; however, achieving them has been challenging. Additionally, the accurate prediction of elastic modulus has been a long-standing difficulty owing to the presence of loops. By tuning the prepolymer formulation through precise doping of monomers, specific primary network defects can be programmed into an elastomeric scaffold, without alteration of their resulting chemistry. The addition of these monomers that respond mechanically as primary defects is used both to understand their impact on the resulting mechanical properties of the materials and as a method to engineer the mechanical properties. Indeed, these materials exhibit identical bulk and surface chemistry, yet vastly different mechanical properties. Further, we have adapted the real elastic network theory (RENT) to the case of primary defects in the absence of loops, thus providing new insights into the mechanism for material strength and failure in polymer networks arising from primary network defects, and to accurately predict the elastic modulus of the polymer system. The versatility of the approach we describe and the fundamental knowledge gained from this study can lead to new advancements in the development of novel materials with precisely defined and predictable chemical, physical, and mechanical properties.

Large-scale extraction of accurate drug-disease treatment pairs from biomedical literature for drug repurposing

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background A large-scale, highly accurate, machine-understandable drug-disease treatment relationship knowledge base is important for computational approaches to drug repurposing. The large body of published biomedical research articles and clinical case reports available on MEDLINE is a rich source of FDA-approved drug-disease indication as well as drug-repurposing knowledge that is crucial for applying FDA-approved drugs for new diseases. However, much of this information is buried in free text and not captured in any existing databases. The goal of this study is to extract a large number of accurate drug-disease treatment pairs from published literature. Results In this study, we developed a simple but highly accurate pattern-learning approach to extract treatment-specific drug-disease pairs from 20 million biomedical abstracts available on MEDLINE. We extracted a total of 34,305 unique drug-disease treatment pairs, the majority of which are not included in existing structured databases. Our algorithm achieved a precision of 0.904 and a recall of 0.131 in extracting all pairs, and a precision of 0.904 and a recall of 0.842 in extracting frequent pairs. In addition, we have shown that the extracted pairs strongly correlate with both drug target genes and therapeutic classes, therefore may have high potential in drug discovery. Conclusions We demonstrated that our simple pattern-learning relationship extraction algorithm is able to accurately extract many drug-disease pairs from the free text of biomedical literature that are not captured in structured databases. The large-scale, accurate, machine-understandable drug-disease treatment knowledge base that is resultant of our study, in combination with pairs from structured databases, will have high potential in computational drug repurposing tasks. PMID:23742147

Development and Validation of Liquid Chromatographic Method for Estimation of Naringin in Nanoformulation

PubMed Central

Musmade, Kranti P.; Trilok, M.; Dengale, Swapnil J.; Bhat, Krishnamurthy; Reddy, M. S.; Musmade, Prashant B.; Udupa, N.

2014-01-01

A simple, precise, accurate, rapid, and sensitive reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method with UV detection has been developed and validated for quantification of naringin (NAR) in novel pharmaceutical formulation. NAR is a polyphenolic flavonoid present in most of the citrus plants having variety of pharmacological activities. Method optimization was carried out by considering the various parameters such as effect of pH and column. The analyte was separated by employing a C18 (250.0 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column at ambient temperature in isocratic conditions using phosphate buffer pH 3.5: acetonitrile (75 : 25% v/v) as mobile phase pumped at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. UV detection was carried out at 282 nm. The developed method was validated according to ICH guidelines Q2(R1). The method was found to be precise and accurate on statistical evaluation with a linearity range of 0.1 to 20.0 μg/mL for NAR. The intra- and interday precision studies showed good reproducibility with coefficients of variation (CV) less than 1.0%. The mean recovery of NAR was found to be 99.33 ± 0.16%. The proposed method was found to be highly accurate, sensitive, and robust. The proposed liquid chromatographic method was successfully employed for the routine analysis of said compound in developed novel nanopharmaceuticals. The presence of excipients did not show any interference on the determination of NAR, indicating method specificity. PMID:26556205

The joy of six: how to control your crossovers.

PubMed

Globus, Samuel T; Keeney, Scott

2012-03-30

Meiotic cells tightly regulate the number and distribution of crossovers to promote accurate chromosome segregation. Yokoo and colleagues uncover a metazoan-specific, cyclin-like protein that is crucial for crossover formation. They utilize this protein's unique properties to explore a remarkable example of biological numerology, whereby nearly every meiotic cell in C. elegans makes precisely six crossovers, one for each of its six chromosome pairs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Precise Repositioning Instrument for Genioplasty and a Three-Dimensional Printing Technique for Treatment of Complex Facial Asymmetry.

PubMed

Wang, Lin; Tian, Dan; Sun, Xiumei; Xiao, Yanju; Chen, Li; Wu, Guomin

2017-08-01

Facial asymmetry is very common in maxillofacial deformities. It is difficult to achieve accurate reconstruction. With the help of 3D printing models and surgical templates, the osteotomy line and the amount of bone grinding can be accurate. Also, by means of the precise repositioning instrument, the repositioning of genioplasty can be accurate and quick. In this study, we present a three-dimensional printing technique and the precise repositioning instrument to guide the osteotomy and repositioning, and illustrate their feasibility and validity. Eight patients with complex facial asymmetries were studied. A precise 3D printing model was obtained. We made the preoperative design and surgical templates according to it. The surgical templates and precise repositioning instrument were used to obtain an accurate osteotomy and repositioning during the operation. Postoperative measurements were made based on computed tomographic data, including chin point deviation as well as the symmetry of the mandible evaluated by 3D curve functions. All patients obtained satisfactory esthetic results, and no recurrences occurred during follow-up. The results showed that we achieved clinically acceptable precision for the mandible and chin. The mean and SD of ICC between R-Post and L-Post were 0.973 ± 0.007. The mean and SD of chin point deviation 6 months after the operation were 0.63 ± 0.19 mm. The results of this study suggest that the three-dimensional printing technique and the precise repositioning instrument could aid in making better operation designs and more accurate manipulation in orthognathic surgery for complex facial asymmetry. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Combined fabrication technique for high-precision aspheric optical windows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Hao; Song, Ci; Xie, Xuhui

2016-07-01

Specifications made on optical components are becoming more and more stringent with the performance improvement of modern optical systems. These strict requirements not only involve low spatial frequency surface accuracy, mid-and-high spatial frequency surface errors, but also surface smoothness and so on. This presentation mainly focuses on the fabrication process for square aspheric window which combines accurate grinding, magnetorheological finishing (MRF) and smoothing polishing (SP). In order to remove the low spatial frequency surface errors and subsurface defects after accurate grinding, the deterministic polishing method MRF with high convergence and stable material removal rate is applied. Then the SP technology with pseudo-random path is adopted to eliminate the mid-and-high spatial frequency surface ripples and high slope errors which is the defect for MRF. Additionally, the coordinate measurement method and interferometry are combined in different phase. Acid-etched method and ion beam figuring (IBF) are also investigated on observing and reducing the subsurface defects. Actual fabrication result indicates that the combined fabrication technique can lead to high machining efficiency on manufaturing the high-precision and high-quality optical aspheric windows.

In situ, accurate, surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection of cancer cell nucleus with synchronous location by an alkyne-labeled biomolecular probe.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing; Liang, Lijia; Guan, Xin; Deng, Rong; Qu, Huixin; Huang, Dianshuai; Xu, Shuping; Liang, Chongyang; Xu, Weiqing

2018-01-01

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method for in situ detection and analysis of the intranuclear biomolecular information of a cell has been developed based on a small, biocompatible, nuclear-targeting alkyne-tagged deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) probe (5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, EDU) that can specially accumulate in the cell nucleus during DNA replications to precisely locate the nuclear region without disturbance in cell biological activities and functions. Since the specific alkyne group shows a Raman peak in the Raman-silent region of cells, it is an interior label to visualize the nuclear location synchronously in real time when measuring the SERS spectra of a cell. Because no fluorescent-labeled dyes were used for locating cell nuclei, this method is simple, nondestructive, non- photobleaching, and valuable for the in situ exploration of vital physiological processes with DNA participation in cell organelles. Graphical abstract A universal strategy was developed to accurately locate the nuclear region and obtain precise molecular information of cell nuclei by SERS.

COSMOS: accurate detection of somatic structural variations through asymmetric comparison between tumor and normal samples.

PubMed

Yamagata, Koichi; Yamanishi, Ayako; Kokubu, Chikara; Takeda, Junji; Sese, Jun

2016-05-05

An important challenge in cancer genomics is precise detection of structural variations (SVs) by high-throughput short-read sequencing, which is hampered by the high false discovery rates of existing analysis tools. Here, we propose an accurate SV detection method named COSMOS, which compares the statistics of the mapped read pairs in tumor samples with isogenic normal control samples in a distinct asymmetric manner. COSMOS also prioritizes the candidate SVs using strand-specific read-depth information. Performance tests on modeled tumor genomes revealed that COSMOS outperformed existing methods in terms of F-measure. We also applied COSMOS to an experimental mouse cell-based model, in which SVs were induced by genome engineering and gamma-ray irradiation, followed by polymerase chain reaction-based confirmation. The precision of COSMOS was 84.5%, while the next best existing method was 70.4%. Moreover, the sensitivity of COSMOS was the highest, indicating that COSMOS has great potential for cancer genome analysis. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Analytical Validation of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry for Pharmaceutical Development: the Measurement of Carbon-14 Isotope Ratio.

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

Keck, B D; Ognibene, T; Vogel, J S

2010-02-05

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is an isotope based measurement technology that utilizes carbon-14 labeled compounds in the pharmaceutical development process to measure compounds at very low concentrations, empowers microdosing as an investigational tool, and extends the utility of {sup 14}C labeled compounds to dramatically lower levels. It is a form of isotope ratio mass spectrometry that can provide either measurements of total compound equivalents or, when coupled to separation technology such as chromatography, quantitation of specific compounds. The properties of AMS as a measurement technique are investigated here, and the parameters of method validation are shown. AMS, independent of anymore » separation technique to which it may be coupled, is shown to be accurate, linear, precise, and robust. As the sensitivity and universality of AMS is constantly being explored and expanded, this work underpins many areas of pharmaceutical development including drug metabolism as well as absorption, distribution and excretion of pharmaceutical compounds as a fundamental step in drug development. The validation parameters for pharmaceutical analyses were examined for the accelerator mass spectrometry measurement of {sup 14}C/C ratio, independent of chemical separation procedures. The isotope ratio measurement was specific (owing to the {sup 14}C label), stable across samples storage conditions for at least one year, linear over 4 orders of magnitude with an analytical range from one tenth Modern to at least 2000 Modern (instrument specific). Further, accuracy was excellent between 1 and 3 percent while precision expressed as coefficient of variation is between 1 and 6% determined primarily by radiocarbon content and the time spent analyzing a sample. Sensitivity, expressed as LOD and LLOQ was 1 and 10 attomoles of carbon-14 (which can be expressed as compound equivalents) and for a typical small molecule labeled at 10% incorporated with {sup 14}C corresponds to 30 fg equivalents. AMS provides an sensitive, accurate and precise method of measuring drug compounds in biological matrices.« less

Simultaneous determination of related substances of telmisartan and hydrochlorothiazide in tablet dosage form by using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic method

PubMed Central

Mukhopadhyay, Sutirtho; Kadam, Kiran; Sawant, Laxman; Nachane, Dhanashree; Pandita, Nancy

2011-01-01

Objective: Telmisartan is a potent, long-lasting, nonpeptide antagonist of the angiotensin II type-1 (AT1) receptor that is indicated for the treatment of essential hypertension. Hydrochlorothiazide is a widely prescribed diuretic and it is indicated for the treatment of edema, control of essential hypertension and management of diabetes insipidus. In the current article a new, accurate, sensitive, precise, rapid, reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method was developed for determination of related substances of Telmisartan and Hydrochlorthiazide in tablet dosage form. Materials and Methods: Simultaneous determination of related substances was performed on Kromasil C18 analytical column (250 × 4.6 mm; 5μm pertical size) column at 40°C employing a gradient elution. Mobile phase consisting of solvent A (solution containing 2.0 g of potassium dihydrogen phosphate anhydrous and 1.04 g of Sodium 1- Hexane sulphonic acid monohydrate per liter of water, adjusted to pH 3.0 with orthophosphoric acid) and solvent B (mixture of Acetonitrile: Methanol in the ratio 80:20 v/v) was used at a flow rate of 1.0 ml min–1. UV detection was performed at 270 nm. Results: During method validation parameter such as precision, linearity, accuracy, specificity, limit of detection and quantification were evaluated, which remained within acceptable limits. Conclusions: HPLC analytical method is linear, accurate, precise, robust and specific, being able to separate the main drug from its degradation products. It may find application for the routine analysis of the related substances of both Telmisartan and Hydrochlorthiazide in this combination tablets. PMID:21966158

Localizing on-scalp MEG sensors using an array of magnetic dipole coils.

PubMed

Pfeiffer, Christoph; Andersen, Lau M; Lundqvist, Daniel; Hämäläinen, Matti; Schneiderman, Justin F; Oostenveld, Robert

2018-01-01

Accurate estimation of the neural activity underlying magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals requires co-registration i.e., determination of the position and orientation of the sensors with respect to the head. In modern MEG systems, an array of hundreds of low-Tc SQUID sensors is used to localize a set of small, magnetic dipole-like (head-position indicator, HPI) coils that are attached to the subject's head. With accurate prior knowledge of the positions and orientations of the sensors with respect to one another, the HPI coils can be localized with high precision, and thereby the positions of the sensors in relation to the head. With advances in magnetic field sensing technologies, e.g., high-Tc SQUIDs and optically pumped magnetometers (OPM), that require less extreme operating temperatures than low-Tc SQUID sensors, on-scalp MEG is on the horizon. To utilize the full potential of on-scalp MEG, flexible sensor arrays are preferable. Conventional co-registration is impractical for such systems as the relative positions and orientations of the sensors to each other are subject-specific and hence not known a priori. Herein, we present a method for co-registration of on-scalp MEG sensors. We propose to invert the conventional co-registration approach and localize the sensors relative to an array of HPI coils on the subject's head. We show that given accurate prior knowledge of the positions of the HPI coils with respect to one another, the sensors can be localized with high precision. We simulated our method with realistic parameters and layouts for sensor and coil arrays. Results indicate co-registration is possible with sub-millimeter accuracy, but the performance strongly depends upon a number of factors. Accurate calibration of the coils and precise determination of the positions and orientations of the coils with respect to one another are crucial. Finally, we propose methods to tackle practical challenges to further improve the method.

Localizing on-scalp MEG sensors using an array of magnetic dipole coils

PubMed Central

Andersen, Lau M.; Lundqvist, Daniel; Hämäläinen, Matti; Schneiderman, Justin F.; Oostenveld, Robert

2018-01-01

Accurate estimation of the neural activity underlying magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals requires co-registration i.e., determination of the position and orientation of the sensors with respect to the head. In modern MEG systems, an array of hundreds of low-Tc SQUID sensors is used to localize a set of small, magnetic dipole-like (head-position indicator, HPI) coils that are attached to the subject’s head. With accurate prior knowledge of the positions and orientations of the sensors with respect to one another, the HPI coils can be localized with high precision, and thereby the positions of the sensors in relation to the head. With advances in magnetic field sensing technologies, e.g., high-Tc SQUIDs and optically pumped magnetometers (OPM), that require less extreme operating temperatures than low-Tc SQUID sensors, on-scalp MEG is on the horizon. To utilize the full potential of on-scalp MEG, flexible sensor arrays are preferable. Conventional co-registration is impractical for such systems as the relative positions and orientations of the sensors to each other are subject-specific and hence not known a priori. Herein, we present a method for co-registration of on-scalp MEG sensors. We propose to invert the conventional co-registration approach and localize the sensors relative to an array of HPI coils on the subject’s head. We show that given accurate prior knowledge of the positions of the HPI coils with respect to one another, the sensors can be localized with high precision. We simulated our method with realistic parameters and layouts for sensor and coil arrays. Results indicate co-registration is possible with sub-millimeter accuracy, but the performance strongly depends upon a number of factors. Accurate calibration of the coils and precise determination of the positions and orientations of the coils with respect to one another are crucial. Finally, we propose methods to tackle practical challenges to further improve the method. PMID:29746486

γγ coincidence spectrometer for instrumental neutron-activation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomlin, B. E.; Zeisler, R.; Lindstrom, R. M.

2008-05-01

Neutron-activation analysis (NAA) is an important technique for the accurate and precise determination of trace and ultra-trace elemental compositions. The application of γγ coincidence counting to NAA in order to enhance specificity was first explored over 40 years ago but has not evolved into a regularly used technique. A γγ coincidence spectrometer has been constructed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, using two HPGe γ-ray detectors and an all-digital data-acquisition system, for the purpose of exploring coincidence NAA and its value in characterizing reference materials. This paper describes the initial evaluation of the quantitative precision of coincidence counting versus singles spectrometry, based upon a sample of neutron-irradiated bovine liver material.

Unmasking molecular profiles of bladder cancer.

PubMed

Piao, Xuan-Mei; Byun, Young Joon; Kim, Wun-Jae; Kim, Jayoung

2018-03-01

Precision medicine is designed to tailor treatments for individual patients by factoring in each person's specific biology and mechanism of disease. This paradigm shifted from a "one size fits all" approach to "personalized and precision care" requires multiple layers of molecular profiling of biomarkers for accurate diagnosis and prediction of treatment responses. Intensive studies are also being performed to understand the complex and dynamic molecular profiles of bladder cancer. These efforts involve looking bladder cancer mechanism at the multiple levels of the genome, epigenome, transcriptome, proteome, lipidome, metabolome etc. The aim of this short review is to outline the current technologies being used to investigate molecular profiles and discuss biomarker candidates that have been investigated as possible diagnostic and prognostic indicators of bladder cancer.

Radiographic evaluation of BFX acetabular component position in dogs.

PubMed

Renwick, Alasdair; Gemmill, Toby; Pink, Jonathan; Brodbelt, David; McKee, Malcolm

2011-07-01

To assess the reliability of radiographic measurement of angle of lateral opening (ALO) and angle of version of BFX acetabular cups. In vitro radiographic study. BFX cups (24, 28, and 32 mm). Total hip replacement constructs (cups, 17 mm femoral head and a #7 CFX stem) were mounted on an inclinometer. Ventrodorsal radiographs were obtained with ALO varying between 21° and 70° and inclination set at 0°, 10°, 20°, and 30°. Radiographs were randomized using a random sequence generator. Three observers blinded to the radiograph order assessed ALO using 3 methods: (1) an ellipse method based on trigonometry; (2) using a measurement from the center of the femoral head to the truncated surface of the cup; (3) by visual estimation using a reference chart. Version was measured by assessing the ventral edge of the truncated surface. ALO methods 2 and 3 were accurate and precise to within 10° and were significantly more accurate and precise than method 1 (P < .001). All methods were significantly less accurate with increasing inclination. Version measurement was accurate and precise to within 7° with 0-20° of inclination, but significantly less accurate with 30° of inclination. Methods 2 and 3, but not method 1, were sufficiently accurate and precise to be clinically useful. Version measurement was clinically useful when inclination was ≤ 20°. © Copyright 2011 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Application of Smart Infrastructure Systems approach to precision medicine.

PubMed

Govindaraju, Diddahally R; Annaswamy, Anuradha M

2015-12-01

All biological variation is hierarchically organized dynamic network system of genomic components, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, individuals, families, populations and metapopulations. Individuals are axial in this hierarchy, as they represent antecedent, attendant and anticipated aspects of health, disease, evolution and medical care. Humans show individual specific genetic and clinical features such as complexity, cooperation, resilience, robustness, vulnerability, self-organization, latent and emergent behavior during their development, growth and senescence. Accurate collection, measurement, organization and analyses of individual specific data, embedded at all stratified levels of biological, demographic and cultural diversity - the big data - is necessary to make informed decisions on health, disease and longevity; which is a central theme of precision medicine initiative (PMI). This initiative also calls for the development of novel analytical approaches to handle complex multidimensional data. Here we suggest the application of Smart Infrastructure Systems (SIS) approach to accomplish some of the goals set forth by the PMI on the premise that biological systems and the SIS share many common features. The latter has been successfully employed in managing complex networks of non-linear adaptive controls, commonly encountered in smart engineering systems. We highlight their concordance and discuss the utility of the SIS approach in precision medicine programs.

Optimized efficient liver T1ρ mapping using limited spin lock times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Jing; Zhao, Feng; Griffith, James F.; Chan, Queenie; Wang, Yi-Xiang J.

2012-03-01

T1ρ relaxation has recently been found to be sensitive to liver fibrosis and has potential to be used for early detection of liver fibrosis and grading. Liver T1ρ imaging and accurate mapping are challenging because of the long scan time, respiration motion and high specific absorption rate. Reduction and optimization of spin lock times (TSLs) are an efficient way to reduce scan time and radiofrequency energy deposition of T1ρ imaging, but maintain the near-optimal precision of T1ρ mapping. This work analyzes the precision in T1ρ estimation with limited, in particular two, spin lock times, and explores the feasibility of using two specific operator-selected TSLs for efficient and accurate liver T1ρ mapping. Two optimized TSLs were derived by theoretical analysis and numerical simulations first, and tested experimentally by in vivo rat liver T1ρ imaging at 3 T. The simulation showed that the TSLs of 1 and 50 ms gave optimal T1ρ estimation in a range of 10-100 ms. In the experiment, no significant statistical difference was found between the T1ρ maps generated using the optimized two-TSL combination and the maps generated using the six TSLs of [1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50] ms according to one-way ANOVA analysis (p = 0.1364 for liver and p = 0.8708 for muscle).

Using Precision in STEM Language: A Qualitative Look

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capraro, Mary M.; Bicer, Ali; Grant, Melva R.; Lincoln, Yvonna S.

2017-01-01

Teachers need to develop a variety of pedagogical strategies that can encourage precise and accurate communication--an extremely important 21st century skill. Precision with STEM oral language is essential. Emphasizing oral communication with precise language in combination with increased spatial skills with modeling can improve the chances of…

Nanomaterials for Cancer Precision Medicine.

PubMed

Wang, Yilong; Sun, Shuyang; Zhang, Zhiyuan; Shi, Donglu

2018-04-01

Medical science has recently advanced to the point where diagnosis and therapeutics can be carried out with high precision, even at the molecular level. A new field of "precision medicine" has consequently emerged with specific clinical implications and challenges that can be well-addressed by newly developed nanomaterials. Here, a nanoscience approach to precision medicine is provided, with a focus on cancer therapy, based on a new concept of "molecularly-defined cancers." "Next-generation sequencing" is introduced to identify the oncogene that is responsible for a class of cancers. This new approach is fundamentally different from all conventional cancer therapies that rely on diagnosis of the anatomic origins where the tumors are found. To treat cancers at molecular level, a recently developed "microRNA replacement therapy" is applied, utilizing nanocarriers, in order to regulate the driver oncogene, which is the core of cancer precision therapeutics. Furthermore, the outcome of the nanomediated oncogenic regulation has to be accurately assessed by the genetically characterized, patient-derived xenograft models. Cancer therapy in this fashion is a quintessential example of precision medicine, presenting many challenges to the materials communities with new issues in structural design, surface functionalization, gene/drug storage and delivery, cell targeting, and medical imaging. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Precision Oncology beyond Targeted Therapy: Combining Omics Data with Machine Learning Matches the Majority of Cancer Cells to Effective Therapeutics.

PubMed

Ding, Michael Q; Chen, Lujia; Cooper, Gregory F; Young, Jonathan D; Lu, Xinghua

2018-02-01

Precision oncology involves identifying drugs that will effectively treat a tumor and then prescribing an optimal clinical treatment regimen. However, most first-line chemotherapy drugs do not have biomarkers to guide their application. For molecularly targeted drugs, using the genomic status of a drug target as a therapeutic indicator has limitations. In this study, machine learning methods (e.g., deep learning) were used to identify informative features from genome-scale omics data and to train classifiers for predicting the effectiveness of drugs in cancer cell lines. The methodology introduced here can accurately predict the efficacy of drugs, regardless of whether they are molecularly targeted or nonspecific chemotherapy drugs. This approach, on a per-drug basis, can identify sensitive cancer cells with an average sensitivity of 0.82 and specificity of 0.82; on a per-cell line basis, it can identify effective drugs with an average sensitivity of 0.80 and specificity of 0.82. This report describes a data-driven precision medicine approach that is not only generalizable but also optimizes therapeutic efficacy. The framework detailed herein, when successfully translated to clinical environments, could significantly broaden the scope of precision oncology beyond targeted therapies, benefiting an expanded proportion of cancer patients. Mol Cancer Res; 16(2); 269-78. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Nanoscale tailor-made membranes for precise and rapid molecular sieve separation.

PubMed

Wang, Jing; Zhu, Junyong; Zhang, Yatao; Liu, Jindun; Van der Bruggen, Bart

2017-03-02

The precise and rapid separation of different molecules from aqueous, organic solutions and gas mixtures is critical to many technologies in the context of resource-saving and sustainable development. The strength of membrane-based technologies is well recognized and they are extensively applied as cost-effective, highly efficient separation techniques. Currently, empirical-based approaches, lacking an accurate nanoscale control, are used to prepare the most advanced membranes. In contrast, nanoscale control renders the membrane molecular specificity (sub-2 nm) necessary for efficient and rapid molecular separation. Therefore, as a growing trend in membrane technology, the field of nanoscale tailor-made membranes is highlighted in this review. An in-depth analysis of the latest advances in tailor-made membranes for precise and rapid molecule sieving is given, along with an outlook to future perspectives of such membranes. Special attention is paid to the established processing strategies, as well as the application of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation in nanoporous membrane design. This review will provide useful guidelines for future research in the development of nanoscale tailor-made membranes with a precise and rapid molecular sieve separation property.

Using hyperspectral data in precision farming applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Precision farming practices such as variable rate applications of fertilizer and agricultural chemicals require accurate field variability mapping. This chapter investigated the value of hyperspectral remote sensing in providing useful information for five applications of precision farming: (a) Soil...

A validated ultra high-pressure liquid chromatography method for separation of candesartan cilexetil impurities and its degradents in drug product

PubMed Central

Kumar, Namala Durga Atchuta; Babu, K. Sudhakar; Gosada, Ullas; Sharma, Nitish

2012-01-01

Introduction: A selective, specific, and sensitive “Ultra High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography” (UPLC) method was developed for determination of candesartan cilexetil impurities as well asits degradent in tablet formulation. Materials and Methods: The chromatographic separation was performed on Waters Acquity UPLC system and BEH Shield RP18 column using gradient elution of mobile phase A and B. 0.01 M phosphate buffer adjusted pH 3.0 with Orthophosphoric acid was used as mobile phase A and 95% acetonitrile with 5% Milli Q Water was used as mobile phase B. Ultraviolet (UV) detection was performed at 254 nm and 210 nm, where (CDS-6), (CDS-5), (CDS-7), (Ethyl Candesartan), (Desethyl CCX), (N-Ethyl), (CCX-1), (1 N Ethyl Oxo CCX), (2 N Ethyl Oxo CCX), (2 N Ethyl) and any unknown impurity were monitored at 254 nm wavelength, and two process-related impurities, trityl alcohol and MTE impurity, were estimated at 210 nm. Candesartan cilexetil andimpurities were chromatographed with a total run time of 20 min. Results: Calibration showed that the response of impurity was a linear function of concentration over the range limit of quantification to 2 μg/mL (r2≥0.999) and the method was validated over this range for precision, intermediate precision, accuracy, linearity, and specificity. For the precision study, percentage relative standard deviation of each impurity was <15% (n=6). Conclusion: The method was found to be precise, accurate, linear, and specific. The proposed method was successfully employed for estimation of candesartan cilexetil impurities in pharmaceutical preparations. PMID:23781475

Relating centrality to impact parameter in nucleus-nucleus collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Sruthy Jyothi; Giacalone, Giuliano; Monard, Pierre-Amaury; Ollitrault, Jean-Yves

2018-01-01

In ultrarelativistic heavy-ion experiments, one estimates the centrality of a collision by using a single observable, say n , typically given by the transverse energy or the number of tracks observed in a dedicated detector. The correlation between n and the impact parameter b of the collision is then inferred by fitting a specific model of the collision dynamics, such as the Glauber model, to experimental data. The goal of this paper is to assess precisely which information about b can be extracted from data without any specific model of the collision. Under the sole assumption that the probability distribution of n for a fixed b is Gaussian, we show that the probability distribution of the impact parameter in a narrow centrality bin can be accurately reconstructed up to 5 % centrality. We apply our methodology to data from the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and the Large Hadron Collider. We propose a simple measure of the precision of the centrality determination, which can be used to compare different experiments.

Precise dielectric property measurements and E-field probe calibration for specific absorption rate measurements using a rectangular waveguide

PubMed Central

Hakim, B M; Beard, B B; Davis, C C

2018-01-01

Specific absorption rate (SAR) measurements require accurate calculations of the dielectric properties of tissue-equivalent liquids and associated calibration of E-field probes. We developed a precise tissue-equivalent dielectric measurement and E-field probe calibration system. The system consists of a rectangular waveguide, electric field probe, and data control and acquisition system. Dielectric properties are calculated using the field attenuation factor inside the tissue-equivalent liquid and power reflectance inside the waveguide at the air/dielectric-slab interface. Calibration factors were calculated using isotropicity measurements of the E-field probe. The frequencies used are 900 MHz and 1800 MHz. The uncertainties of the measured values are within ±3%, at the 95% confidence level. Using the same waveguide for dielectric measurements as well as calibrating E-field probes used in SAR assessments eliminates a source of uncertainty. Moreover, we clearly identified the system parameters that affect the overall uncertainty of the measurement system. PMID:29520129

Hydrogen atoms can be located accurately and precisely by x-ray crystallography.

PubMed

Woińska, Magdalena; Grabowsky, Simon; Dominiak, Paulina M; Woźniak, Krzysztof; Jayatilaka, Dylan

2016-05-01

Precise and accurate structural information on hydrogen atoms is crucial to the study of energies of interactions important for crystal engineering, materials science, medicine, and pharmacy, and to the estimation of physical and chemical properties in solids. However, hydrogen atoms only scatter x-radiation weakly, so x-rays have not been used routinely to locate them accurately. Textbooks and teaching classes still emphasize that hydrogen atoms cannot be located with x-rays close to heavy elements; instead, neutron diffraction is needed. We show that, contrary to widespread expectation, hydrogen atoms can be located very accurately using x-ray diffraction, yielding bond lengths involving hydrogen atoms (A-H) that are in agreement with results from neutron diffraction mostly within a single standard deviation. The precision of the determination is also comparable between x-ray and neutron diffraction results. This has been achieved at resolutions as low as 0.8 Å using Hirshfeld atom refinement (HAR). We have applied HAR to 81 crystal structures of organic molecules and compared the A-H bond lengths with those from neutron measurements for A-H bonds sorted into bonds of the same class. We further show in a selection of inorganic compounds that hydrogen atoms can be located in bridging positions and close to heavy transition metals accurately and precisely. We anticipate that, in the future, conventional x-radiation sources at in-house diffractometers can be used routinely for locating hydrogen atoms in small molecules accurately instead of large-scale facilities such as spallation sources or nuclear reactors.

Hydrogen atoms can be located accurately and precisely by x-ray crystallography

PubMed Central

Woińska, Magdalena; Grabowsky, Simon; Dominiak, Paulina M.; Woźniak, Krzysztof; Jayatilaka, Dylan

2016-01-01

Precise and accurate structural information on hydrogen atoms is crucial to the study of energies of interactions important for crystal engineering, materials science, medicine, and pharmacy, and to the estimation of physical and chemical properties in solids. However, hydrogen atoms only scatter x-radiation weakly, so x-rays have not been used routinely to locate them accurately. Textbooks and teaching classes still emphasize that hydrogen atoms cannot be located with x-rays close to heavy elements; instead, neutron diffraction is needed. We show that, contrary to widespread expectation, hydrogen atoms can be located very accurately using x-ray diffraction, yielding bond lengths involving hydrogen atoms (A–H) that are in agreement with results from neutron diffraction mostly within a single standard deviation. The precision of the determination is also comparable between x-ray and neutron diffraction results. This has been achieved at resolutions as low as 0.8 Å using Hirshfeld atom refinement (HAR). We have applied HAR to 81 crystal structures of organic molecules and compared the A–H bond lengths with those from neutron measurements for A–H bonds sorted into bonds of the same class. We further show in a selection of inorganic compounds that hydrogen atoms can be located in bridging positions and close to heavy transition metals accurately and precisely. We anticipate that, in the future, conventional x-radiation sources at in-house diffractometers can be used routinely for locating hydrogen atoms in small molecules accurately instead of large-scale facilities such as spallation sources or nuclear reactors. PMID:27386545

Precise montaging and metric quantification of retinal surface area from ultra-widefield fundus photography and fluorescein angiography.

PubMed

Croft, Daniel E; van Hemert, Jano; Wykoff, Charles C; Clifton, David; Verhoek, Michael; Fleming, Alan; Brown, David M

2014-01-01

Accurate quantification of retinal surface area from ultra-widefield (UWF) images is challenging due to warping produced when the retina is projected onto a two-dimensional plane for analysis. By accounting for this, the authors sought to precisely montage and accurately quantify retinal surface area in square millimeters. Montages were created using Optos 200Tx (Optos, Dunfermline, U.K.) images taken at different gaze angles. A transformation projected the images to their correct location on a three-dimensional model. Area was quantified with spherical trigonometry. Warping, precision, and accuracy were assessed. Uncorrected, posterior pixels represented up to 79% greater surface area than peripheral pixels. Assessing precision, a standard region was quantified across 10 montages of the same eye (RSD: 0.7%; mean: 408.97 mm(2); range: 405.34-413.87 mm(2)). Assessing accuracy, 50 patients' disc areas were quantified (mean: 2.21 mm(2); SE: 0.06 mm(2)), and the results fell within the normative range. By accounting for warping inherent in UWF images, precise montaging and accurate quantification of retinal surface area in square millimeters were achieved. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

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

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.

Sex differences in accuracy and precision when judging time to arrival: data from two Internet studies.

PubMed

Sanders, Geoff; Sinclair, Kamila

2011-12-01

We report two Internet studies that investigated sex differences in the accuracy and precision of judging time to arrival. We used accuracy to mean the ability to match the actual time to arrival and precision to mean the consistency with which each participant made their judgments. Our task was presented as a computer game in which a toy UFO moved obliquely towards the participant through a virtual three-dimensional space on route to a docking station. The UFO disappeared before docking and participants pressed their space bar at the precise moment they thought the UFO would have docked. Study 1 showed it was possible to conduct quantitative studies of spatiotemporal judgments in virtual reality via the Internet and confirmed reports that men are more accurate because women underestimate, but found no difference in precision measured as intra-participant variation. Study 2 repeated Study 1 with five additional presentations of one condition to provide a better measure of precision. Again, men were more accurate than women but there were no sex differences in precision. However, within the coincidence-anticipation timing (CAT) literature, of those studies that report sex differences, a majority found that males are both more accurate and more precise than females. Noting that many CAT studies report no sex differences, we discuss appropriate interpretations of such null findings. While acknowledging that CAT performance may be influenced by experience we suggest that the sex difference may have originated among our ancestors with the evolutionary selection of men for hunting and women for gathering.

Validation of a quantitative magnetic resonance method for measuring human body composition.

PubMed

Napolitano, Antonella; Miller, Sam R; Murgatroyd, Peter R; Coward, W Andrew; Wright, Antony; Finer, Nick; De Bruin, Tjerk W; Bullmore, Edward T; Nunez, Derek J

2008-01-01

To evaluate a novel quantitative magnetic resonance (QMR) methodology (EchoMRI-AH, Echo Medical Systems) for measurement of whole-body fat and lean mass in humans. We have studied (i) the in vitro accuracy and precision by measuring 18 kg Canola oil with and without 9 kg water (ii) the accuracy and precision of measures of simulated fat mass changes in human subjects (n = 10) and (iii) QMR fat and lean mass measurements compared to those obtained using the established 4-compartment (4-C) model method (n = 30). (i) QMR represented 18 kg of oil at 40 degrees C as 17.1 kg fat and 1 kg lean while at 30 degrees C 15.8 kg fat and 4.7 kg lean were reported. The s.d. of repeated estimates was 0.13 kg for fat and 0.23 kg for lean mass. Adding 9 kg of water reduced the fat estimates, increased misrepresentation of fat as lean, and degraded the precision. (ii) the simulated change in the fat mass of human volunteers was accurately represented, independently of added water. (iii) compared to the 4-C model, QMR underestimated fat and over-estimated lean mass. The extent of difference increased with body mass. The s.d. of repeated measurements increased with adiposity, from 0.25 kg (fat) and 0.51 kg (lean) with BMI <25 kg/m(2) to 0.43 kg and 0.81 kg respectively with BMI >30 kg/m(2). EchoMRI-AH prototype showed shortcomings in absolute accuracy and specificity of fat mass measures, but detected simulated body composition change accurately and with precision roughly three times better than current best measures. This methodology should reduce the study duration and cohort number needed to evaluate anti-obesity interventions.

A novel knowledge-based potential for RNA 3D structure evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yi; Gu, Qi; Zhang, Ben-Gong; Shi, Ya-Zhou; Shao, Zhi-Gang

2018-03-01

Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) play a vital role in biology, and knowledge of their three-dimensional (3D) structure is required to understand their biological functions. Recently structural prediction methods have been developed to address this issue, but a series of RNA 3D structures are generally predicted by most existing methods. Therefore, the evaluation of the predicted structures is generally indispensable. Although several methods have been proposed to assess RNA 3D structures, the existing methods are not precise enough. In this work, a new all-atom knowledge-based potential is developed for more accurately evaluating RNA 3D structures. The potential not only includes local and nonlocal interactions but also fully considers the specificity of each RNA by introducing a retraining mechanism. Based on extensive test sets generated from independent methods, the proposed potential correctly distinguished the native state and ranked near-native conformations to effectively select the best. Furthermore, the proposed potential precisely captured RNA structural features such as base-stacking and base-pairing. Comparisons with existing potential methods show that the proposed potential is very reliable and accurate in RNA 3D structure evaluation. Project supported by the National Science Foundation of China (Grants Nos. 11605125, 11105054, 11274124, and 11401448).

In trans paired nicking triggers seamless genome editing without double-stranded DNA cutting.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaoyu; Janssen, Josephine M; Liu, Jin; Maggio, Ignazio; 't Jong, Anke E J; Mikkers, Harald M M; Gonçalves, Manuel A F V

2017-09-22

Precise genome editing involves homologous recombination between donor DNA and chromosomal sequences subjected to double-stranded DNA breaks made by programmable nucleases. Ideally, genome editing should be efficient, specific, and accurate. However, besides constituting potential translocation-initiating lesions, double-stranded DNA breaks (targeted or otherwise) are mostly repaired through unpredictable and mutagenic non-homologous recombination processes. Here, we report that the coordinated formation of paired single-stranded DNA breaks, or nicks, at donor plasmids and chromosomal target sites by RNA-guided nucleases based on CRISPR-Cas9 components, triggers seamless homology-directed gene targeting of large genetic payloads in human cells, including pluripotent stem cells. Importantly, in addition to significantly reducing the mutagenicity of the genome modification procedure, this in trans paired nicking strategy achieves multiplexed, single-step, gene targeting, and yields higher frequencies of accurately edited cells when compared to the standard double-stranded DNA break-dependent approach.CRISPR-Cas9-based gene editing involves double-strand breaks at target sequences, which are often repaired by mutagenic non-homologous end-joining. Here the authors use Cas9 nickases to generate coordinated single-strand breaks in donor and target DNA for precise homology-directed gene editing.

Programmable oligonucleotide probes design and applications for in situ and in vivo RNA imaging in cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheglakov, Zoya

Unequal spreading of mRNA is a frequent experience observed in varied cell lines. The study of cellular processes dynamics and precise localization of mRNAs offers a vital toolbox to target specific proteins in precise cytoplasmic areas and provides a convenient instrument to uncover their mechanisms and functions. Latest methodological innovations have allowed imaging of a single mRNA molecule in situ and in vivo. Today, Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) methods allow the studying of mRNA expression and offer a vital toolbox for accurate biological models. Studies enable analysis of the dynamics of an individual mRNA, have uncovered the multiplex RNA transport systems. With all current approaches, a single mRNA tracking in the mammalian cells is still challenging. This thesis describes mRNA detection methods based on programmable fluorophore-labeled DNA structures complimentary to native targets providing an accurate mRNA imaging in mammalian cells. First method represents beta-actin (ACTB) transcripts in situ detection in human cells, the technique strategy is based on programmable DNA probes, amplified by rolling circle amplification (RCA). The method reports precise localization of molecule of interest with an accuracy of a single-cell. Visualization and localization of specific endogenous mRNA molecules in real-time in vivo has the promising to innovate cellular biology studies, medical analysis and to provide a vital toolbox in drugs invention area. Second method described in this thesis represents miR-21 miRNA detection within a single live-cell resolution. The method using fluorophore-labeled short synthetic DNAs probes forming a stem-loop shape and generating Fluorescent Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) as a result of target-probes hybridization. Catalytic nucleic acid (DNAzymes) probes are cooperative tool for precise detection of different mRNA targets. With assistance of a complementary fluorophore-quencher labeled substrate, the DNAzymes provide a beneficial strategy for simultaneous tracking readily accomplished by multicolor imaging with diverse fluorescent tags. The third method in this thesis will demonstrate the advantage of DNAzymes probes amplification, and offers potential strategy to monitor miRNAs in mammalian live cells.

High spatial precision nano-imaging of polarization-sensitive plasmonic particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yunbo; Wang, Yipei; Lee, Somin Eunice

2018-02-01

Precise polarimetric imaging of polarization-sensitive nanoparticles is essential for resolving their accurate spatial positions beyond the diffraction limit. However, conventional technologies currently suffer from beam deviation errors which cannot be corrected beyond the diffraction limit. To overcome this issue, we experimentally demonstrate a spatially stable nano-imaging system for polarization-sensitive nanoparticles. In this study, we show that by integrating a voltage-tunable imaging variable polarizer with optical microscopy, we are able to suppress beam deviation errors. We expect that this nano-imaging system should allow for acquisition of accurate positional and polarization information from individual nanoparticles in applications where real-time, high precision spatial information is required.

Basic research and data analysis for the earth and ocean physics applications program and for the National Geodetic Satellite Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Data analysis and supporting research in connection with the following objectives are discussed: (1) provide a precise and accurate geometric description of the earth's surface, (2) provide a precise and accurate mathematical description of the earth's gravitational field, and (3) determine time variations of the geometry of the ocean surface, the solid earth, the gravity field and other geophysical parameters.

Fixed-Wing Micro Aerial Vehicle for Accurate Corridor Mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehak, M.; Skaloud, J.

2015-08-01

In this study we present a Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) equipped with precise position and attitude sensors that together with a pre-calibrated camera enables accurate corridor mapping. The design of the platform is based on widely available model components to which we integrate an open-source autopilot, customized mass-market camera and navigation sensors. We adapt the concepts of system calibration from larger mapping platforms to MAV and evaluate them practically for their achievable accuracy. We present case studies for accurate mapping without ground control points: first for a block configuration, later for a narrow corridor. We evaluate the mapping accuracy with respect to checkpoints and digital terrain model. We show that while it is possible to achieve pixel (3-5 cm) mapping accuracy in both cases, precise aerial position control is sufficient for block configuration, the precise position and attitude control is required for corridor mapping.

Medical image segmentation using 3D MRI data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voronin, V.; Marchuk, V.; Semenishchev, E.; Cen, Yigang; Agaian, S.

2017-05-01

Precise segmentation of three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image can be a very useful computer aided diagnosis (CAD) tool in clinical routines. Accurate automatic extraction a 3D component from images obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a challenging segmentation problem due to the small size objects of interest (e.g., blood vessels, bones) in each 2D MRA slice and complex surrounding anatomical structures. Our objective is to develop a specific segmentation scheme for accurately extracting parts of bones from MRI images. In this paper, we use a segmentation algorithm to extract the parts of bones from Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data sets based on modified active contour method. As a result, the proposed method demonstrates good accuracy in a comparison between the existing segmentation approaches on real MRI data.

Automated Gravimetric Calibration to Optimize the Accuracy and Precision of TECAN Freedom EVO Liquid Handler

PubMed Central

Bessemans, Laurent; Jully, Vanessa; de Raikem, Caroline; Albanese, Mathieu; Moniotte, Nicolas; Silversmet, Pascal; Lemoine, Dominique

2016-01-01

High-throughput screening technologies are increasingly integrated into the formulation development process of biopharmaceuticals. The performance of liquid handling systems is dependent on the ability to deliver accurate and precise volumes of specific reagents to ensure process quality. We have developed an automated gravimetric calibration procedure to adjust the accuracy and evaluate the precision of the TECAN Freedom EVO liquid handling system. Volumes from 3 to 900 µL using calibrated syringes and fixed tips were evaluated with various solutions, including aluminum hydroxide and phosphate adjuvants, β-casein, sucrose, sodium chloride, and phosphate-buffered saline. The methodology to set up liquid class pipetting parameters for each solution was to split the process in three steps: (1) screening of predefined liquid class, including different pipetting parameters; (2) adjustment of accuracy parameters based on a calibration curve; and (3) confirmation of the adjustment. The run of appropriate pipetting scripts, data acquisition, and reports until the creation of a new liquid class in EVOware was fully automated. The calibration and confirmation of the robotic system was simple, efficient, and precise and could accelerate data acquisition for a wide range of biopharmaceutical applications. PMID:26905719

Extensively Parameterized Mutation-Selection Models Reliably Capture Site-Specific Selective Constraint.

PubMed

Spielman, Stephanie J; Wilke, Claus O

2016-11-01

The mutation-selection model of coding sequence evolution has received renewed attention for its use in estimating site-specific amino acid propensities and selection coefficient distributions. Two computationally tractable mutation-selection inference frameworks have been introduced: One framework employs a fixed-effects, highly parameterized maximum likelihood approach, whereas the other employs a random-effects Bayesian Dirichlet Process approach. While both implementations follow the same model, they appear to make distinct predictions about the distribution of selection coefficients. The fixed-effects framework estimates a large proportion of highly deleterious substitutions, whereas the random-effects framework estimates that all substitutions are either nearly neutral or weakly deleterious. It remains unknown, however, how accurately each method infers evolutionary constraints at individual sites. Indeed, selection coefficient distributions pool all site-specific inferences, thereby obscuring a precise assessment of site-specific estimates. Therefore, in this study, we use a simulation-based strategy to determine how accurately each approach recapitulates the selective constraint at individual sites. We find that the fixed-effects approach, despite its extensive parameterization, consistently and accurately estimates site-specific evolutionary constraint. By contrast, the random-effects Bayesian approach systematically underestimates the strength of natural selection, particularly for slowly evolving sites. We also find that, despite the strong differences between their inferred selection coefficient distributions, the fixed- and random-effects approaches yield surprisingly similar inferences of site-specific selective constraint. We conclude that the fixed-effects mutation-selection framework provides the more reliable software platform for model application and future development. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Tracking multiple surgical instruments in a near-infrared optical system.

PubMed

Cai, Ken; Yang, Rongqian; Lin, Qinyong; Wang, Zhigang

2016-12-01

Surgical navigation systems can assist doctors in performing more precise and more efficient surgical procedures to avoid various accidents. The near-infrared optical system (NOS) is an important component of surgical navigation systems. However, several surgical instruments are used during surgery, and effectively tracking all of them is challenging. A stereo matching algorithm using two intersecting lines and surgical instrument codes is proposed in this paper. In our NOS, the markers on the surgical instruments can be captured by two near-infrared cameras. After automatically searching and extracting their subpixel coordinates in the left and right images, the coordinates of the real and pseudo markers are determined by the two intersecting lines. Finally, the pseudo markers are removed to achieve accurate stereo matching by summing the codes for the distances between a specific marker with the other two markers on the surgical instrument. Experimental results show that the markers on the different surgical instruments can be automatically and accurately recognized. The NOS can accurately track multiple surgical instruments.

ISO/IEC 17025 Sysmex R-500 hematology reticulocyte analyzer validation.

PubMed

Dimopoulou, H A; Theodoridis, T; Galea, V; Christopoulou-Cokkinou, V; Spyridaki, M-H E; Georgakopoulos, C G

2007-01-01

The Sysmex R-500 (R-500) Hematology Analyzer is a bench-top system appropriate for the analysis of limited batches of blood samples. The R-500 provides percentage proportional (RET%), absolute reticulocyte (RET#), and absolute red blood cell (RBC#) counts. The system was validated at the Doping Control Laboratory of Athens, according to the International Committee for Standardization in Hematology, International Standards Organization (ISO/IEC) 17025, and World Antidoping Agency (WADA) specifications. The instrument calibration was performed according to the manufacturer and validation parameters comprised linearity, precision, uncertainty (intermediate and long-term precision), comparability, effect of drift, carryover, stability, and accuracy. The linearity and the comparability studies for RET#, RET%, and RBC# were expressed in regression factors (R2) and coefficients of correlation [r(x, y)], respectively. For the precision studies, the coefficients of variation for RET#, RET%, and RBC# were 9.49%, 9.83%, and <1.5%, respectively. For the intermediate precision studies, the coefficients of variation for RET#, RET%, and RBC# were 3.1%, 3.6%, and 0.6%, respectively. Carryover was found to be negligible. Sample stability was demonstrated at both room temperature and at 4 degrees C over a 24-hour period. Comparability studies for the R-500 were performed using a Sysmex SE-9500. The total evaluation led to the conclusion that the R-500 is an accurate and precise analyzer and because of to its relatively limited size, it can be considered a portable instrument, capable to be used in sports competition and training sites, where doping control and health tests are conducted. The analytical methodology of RET% measurement by the R-500 has been incorporated into the Doping Control Laboratory of Athens' Scope of Accreditation according to the ISO/IEC 17025 and WADA specifications.

A wavefront orientation method for precise numerical determination of tsunami travel time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fine, I. V.; Thomson, R. E.

2013-04-01

We present a highly accurate and computationally efficient method (herein, the "wavefront orientation method") for determining the travel time of oceanic tsunamis. Based on Huygens principle, the method uses an eight-point grid-point pattern and the most recent information on the orientation of the advancing wave front to determine the time for a tsunami to travel to a specific oceanic location. The method is shown to provide improved accuracy and reduced anisotropy compared with the conventional multiple grid-point method presently in widespread use.

Microbiological assay for the determination of meropenem in pharmaceutical dosage form.

PubMed

Mendez, Andreas S L; Weisheimer, Vanessa; Oppe, Tércio P; Steppe, Martin; Schapoval, Elfrides E S

2005-04-01

Meropenem is a highly active carbapenem antibiotic used in the treatment of a wide range of serious infections. The present work reports a microbiological assay, applying the cylinder-plate method, for the determination of meropenem in powder for injection. The validation method yielded good results and included linearity, precision, accuracy and specificity. The assay is based on the inhibitory effect of meropenem upon the strain of Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341 used as the test microorganism. The results of assay were treated statistically by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and were found to be linear (r=0.9999) in the range of 1.5-6.0 microg ml(-1), precise (intra-assay: R.S.D.=0.29; inter-assay: R.S.D.=0.94) and accurate. A preliminary stability study of meropenem was performed to show that the microbiological assay is specific for the determination of meropenem in the presence of its degradation products. The degraded samples were also analysed by the HPLC method. The proposed method allows the quantitation of meropenem in pharmaceutical dosage form and can be used for the drug analysis in routine quality control.

Physical Examination of the Wrist: Useful Provocative Maneuvers.

PubMed

Kleinman, William B

2015-07-01

Chronic wrist pain resulting from partial interosseous ligament injury remains a diagnostic dilemma for many hand and orthopedic surgeons. Overuse of costly diagnostic studies including magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography scans, and bone scans can be further frustrating to the clinician because of their inconsistent specificity and reliability in these cases. Physical diagnosis is an effective (and underused) means of establishing a working diagnosis of partial ligament injury to the wrist. Carefully performed provocative maneuvers can be used by the clinician to reproduce the precise character of a patient's problem, reliably establish a working diagnosis, and initiate a plan of treatment. Using precise physical examination techniques, the examiner introduces energy into the wrist in a manner that puts load on specific support ligaments of the carpus, leading to an accurate diagnosis. This article provides a broad spectrum of physical diagnostic tools to help the surgeon develop a working diagnosis of partial wrist ligament injuries in the face of chronic wrist pain and normal x-rays. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Basic research and data analysis for the National Geodetic Satellite Program and for the Earth and Ocean Physics Application Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Accomplishments in the continuing programs are reported. The data were obtained in support of the following broad objectives: (1) to provide a precise and accurate geometric description of the earth's surface; (2) to provide a precise and accurate mathematical description of the earth's gravitational field; and (3) to determine time variations of the geometry of the ocean surface, the solid earth, the gravity field, and other geophysical parameters.

Crop Yield Predictions - High Resolution Statistical Model for Intra-season Forecasts Applied to Corn in the US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Y.

2017-12-01

Accurately forecasting crop yields has broad implications for economic trading, food production monitoring, and global food security. However, the variation of environmental variables presents challenges to model yields accurately, especially when the lack of highly accurate measurements creates difficulties in creating models that can succeed across space and time. In 2016, we developed a sequence of machine-learning based models forecasting end-of-season corn yields for the US at both the county and national levels. We combined machine learning algorithms in a hierarchical way, and used an understanding of physiological processes in temporal feature selection, to achieve high precision in our intra-season forecasts, including in very anomalous seasons. During the live run, we predicted the national corn yield within 1.40% of the final USDA number as early as August. In the backtesting of the 2000-2015 period, our model predicts national yield within 2.69% of the actual yield on average already by mid-August. At the county level, our model predicts 77% of the variation in final yield using data through the beginning of August and improves to 80% by the beginning of October, with the percentage of counties predicted within 10% of the average yield increasing from 68% to 73%. Further, the lowest errors are in the most significant producing regions, resulting in very high precision national-level forecasts. In addition, we identify the changes of important variables throughout the season, specifically early-season land surface temperature, and mid-season land surface temperature and vegetation index. For the 2017 season, we feed 2016 data to the training set, together with additional geospatial data sources, aiming to make the current model even more precise. We will show how our 2017 US corn yield forecasts converges in time, which factors affect the yield the most, as well as present our plans for 2018 model adjustments.

Accuracy, precision, usability, and cost of portable silver test methods for ceramic filter factories.

PubMed

Meade, Rhiana D; Murray, Anna L; Mittelman, Anjuliee M; Rayner, Justine; Lantagne, Daniele S

2017-02-01

Locally manufactured ceramic water filters are one effective household drinking water treatment technology. During manufacturing, silver nanoparticles or silver nitrate are applied to prevent microbiological growth within the filter and increase bacterial removal efficacy. Currently, there is no recommendation for manufacturers to test silver concentrations of application solutions or filtered water. We identified six commercially available silver test strips, kits, and meters, and evaluated them by: (1) measuring in quintuplicate six samples from 100 to 1,000 mg/L (application range) and six samples from 0.0 to 1.0 mg/L (effluent range) of silver nanoparticles and silver nitrate to determine accuracy and precision; (2) conducting volunteer testing to assess ease-of-use; and (3) comparing costs. We found no method accurately detected silver nanoparticles, and accuracy ranged from 4 to 91% measurement error for silver nitrate samples. Most methods were precise, but only one method could test both application and effluent concentration ranges of silver nitrate. Volunteers considered test strip methods easiest. The cost for 100 tests ranged from 36 to 1,600 USD. We found no currently available method accurately and precisely measured both silver types at reasonable cost and ease-of-use, thus these methods are not recommended to manufacturers. We recommend development of field-appropriate methods that accurately and precisely measure silver nanoparticle and silver nitrate concentrations.

Feeling-of-knowing for proper names.

PubMed

Izaute, Marie; Chambres, Patrick; Larochelle, Serge

2002-12-01

The main objective of the presented study was to study feeling-of-knowing (FOK) in proper name retrieval. Many studies show that FOK can predict performance on a subsequent criterion test. Although feeling-of-knowing studies involve questions about proper names, none make this distinction between proper names and common names. Nevertheless, the specific character of proper names as a unique label referring to a person should allow participants to target precisely the desired verbal label. Our idea here was that the unique character of proper name information should result in more accurate FOK evaluations. In the experiment, participants evaluated feeling-of-knowing for proper and common name descriptions. The study demonstrates that FOK judgments are more accurate for proper names than for common names. The implications of the findings for proper names are briefly discussed in terms of feeling-of-knowing hypotheses.

ISHM-oriented adaptive fault diagnostics for avionics based on a distributed intelligent agent system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jiuping; Zhong, Zhengqiang; Xu, Lei

2015-10-01

In this paper, an integrated system health management-oriented adaptive fault diagnostics and model for avionics is proposed. With avionics becoming increasingly complicated, precise and comprehensive avionics fault diagnostics has become an extremely complicated task. For the proposed fault diagnostic system, specific approaches, such as the artificial immune system, the intelligent agents system and the Dempster-Shafer evidence theory, are used to conduct deep fault avionics diagnostics. Through this proposed fault diagnostic system, efficient and accurate diagnostics can be achieved. A numerical example is conducted to apply the proposed hybrid diagnostics to a set of radar transmitters on an avionics system and to illustrate that the proposed system and model have the ability to achieve efficient and accurate fault diagnostics. By analyzing the diagnostic system's feasibility and pragmatics, the advantages of this system are demonstrated.

Facile synthesis, pharmacokinetic and systemic clearance evaluation, and positron emission tomography cancer imaging of 64Cu-Au alloy nanoclusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yongfeng; Sultan, Deborah; Detering, Lisa; Luehmann, Hannah; Liu, Yongjian

2014-10-01

Gold nanoparticles have been widely used for oncological applications including diagnosis and therapy. However, the non-specific mononuclear phagocyte system accumulation and potential long-term toxicity have significantly limited clinical translation. One strategy to overcome these shortcomings is to reduce the size of gold nanoparticles to allow renal clearance. Herein, we report the preparation of 64Cu alloyed gold nanoclusters (64CuAuNCs) for in vivo evaluation of pharmacokinetics, systemic clearance, and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in a mouse prostate cancer model. The facile synthesis in acqueous solution allowed precisely controlled 64Cu incorporation for high radiolabeling specific activity and stability for sensitive and accurate detection. Through surface pegylation with 350 Da polyethylene glycol (PEG), the 64CuAuNCs-PEG350 afforded optimal biodistribution and significant renal and hepatobiliary excretion. PET imaging showed low non-specific tumor uptake, indicating its potential for active targeting of clinically relevant biomarkers in tumor and metastatic organs.Gold nanoparticles have been widely used for oncological applications including diagnosis and therapy. However, the non-specific mononuclear phagocyte system accumulation and potential long-term toxicity have significantly limited clinical translation. One strategy to overcome these shortcomings is to reduce the size of gold nanoparticles to allow renal clearance. Herein, we report the preparation of 64Cu alloyed gold nanoclusters (64CuAuNCs) for in vivo evaluation of pharmacokinetics, systemic clearance, and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in a mouse prostate cancer model. The facile synthesis in acqueous solution allowed precisely controlled 64Cu incorporation for high radiolabeling specific activity and stability for sensitive and accurate detection. Through surface pegylation with 350 Da polyethylene glycol (PEG), the 64CuAuNCs-PEG350 afforded optimal biodistribution and significant renal and hepatobiliary excretion. PET imaging showed low non-specific tumor uptake, indicating its potential for active targeting of clinically relevant biomarkers in tumor and metastatic organs. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr04569f

Moving to the Beat and Singing are Linked in Humans

PubMed Central

Dalla Bella, Simone; Berkowska, Magdalena; Sowiński, Jakub

2015-01-01

The abilities to sing and to move to the beat of a rhythmic auditory stimulus emerge early during development, and both engage perceptual, motor, and sensorimotor processes. These similarities between singing and synchronization to a beat may be rooted in biology. Patel (2008) has suggested that motor synchronization to auditory rhythms may have emerged during evolution as a byproduct of selection for vocal learning (“vocal learning and synchronization hypothesis”). This view predicts a strong link between vocal performance and synchronization skills in humans. Here, we tested this prediction by asking occasional singers to tap along with auditory pulse trains and to imitate familiar melodies. Both vocal imitation and synchronization skills were measured in terms of accuracy and precision or consistency. Accurate and precise singers tapped more in the vicinity of the pacing stimuli (i.e., they were more accurate) than less accurate and less precise singers. Moreover, accurate singers were more consistent when tapping to the beat. These differences cannot be ascribed to basic motor skills or to motivational factors. Individual differences in terms of singing proficiency and synchronization skills may reflect the variability of a shared sensorimotor translation mechanism. PMID:26733370

Variable-pulse switching circuit accurately controls solenoid-valve actuations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillett, J. D.

1967-01-01

Solid state circuit generating adjustable square wave pulses of sufficient power operates a 28 volt dc solenoid valve at precise time intervals. This circuit is used for precise time control of fluid flow in combustion experiments.

Single-molecule FRET unveils induced-fit mechanism for substrate selectivity in flap endonuclease 1

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

Rashid, Fahad; Harris, Paul D.; Zaher, Manal S.

Human flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) and related structure-specific 5’nucleases precisely identify and incise aberrant DNA structures during replication, repair and recombination to avoid genomic instability. Yet, it is unclear how the 5’nuclease mechanisms of DNA distortion and protein ordering robustly mediate efficient and accurate substrate recognition and catalytic selectivity. Here, single-molecule sub-millisecond and millisecond analyses of FEN1 reveal a protein-DNA induced-fit mechanism that efficiently verifies substrate and suppresses off-target cleavage. FEN1 sculpts DNA with diffusion-limited kinetics to test DNA substrate. This DNA distortion mutually ‘locks’ protein and DNA conformation and enables substrate verification with extreme precision. Strikingly, FEN1 never missesmore » cleavage of its cognate substrate while blocking probable formation of catalytically competent interactions with noncognate substrates and fostering their pre-incision dissociation. These findings establish FEN1 has practically perfect precision and that separate control of induced-fit substrate recognition sets up the catalytic selectivity of the nuclease active site for genome stability.« less

Single-molecule FRET unveils induced-fit mechanism for substrate selectivity in flap endonuclease 1

DOE PAGES

Rashid, Fahad; Harris, Paul D.; Zaher, Manal S.; ...

2017-02-23

Human flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) and related structure-specific 5’nucleases precisely identify and incise aberrant DNA structures during replication, repair and recombination to avoid genomic instability. Yet, it is unclear how the 5’nuclease mechanisms of DNA distortion and protein ordering robustly mediate efficient and accurate substrate recognition and catalytic selectivity. Here, single-molecule sub-millisecond and millisecond analyses of FEN1 reveal a protein-DNA induced-fit mechanism that efficiently verifies substrate and suppresses off-target cleavage. FEN1 sculpts DNA with diffusion-limited kinetics to test DNA substrate. This DNA distortion mutually ‘locks’ protein and DNA conformation and enables substrate verification with extreme precision. Strikingly, FEN1 never missesmore » cleavage of its cognate substrate while blocking probable formation of catalytically competent interactions with noncognate substrates and fostering their pre-incision dissociation. These findings establish FEN1 has practically perfect precision and that separate control of induced-fit substrate recognition sets up the catalytic selectivity of the nuclease active site for genome stability.« less

A comparative study of smart spectrophotometric methods for simultaneous determination of a skeletal muscle relaxant and an analgesic in combined dosage form

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salem, Hesham; Mohamed, Dalia

2015-04-01

Six simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods were developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of the analgesic drug; paracetamol (PARA) and the skeletal muscle relaxant; dantrolene sodium (DANT). Three methods are manipulating ratio spectra namely; ratio difference (RD), ratio subtraction (RS) and mean centering (MC). The other three methods are utilizing the isoabsorptive point either at zero order namely; absorbance ratio (AR) and absorbance subtraction (AS) or at ratio spectrum namely; amplitude modulation (AM). The proposed spectrophotometric procedures do not require any preliminary separation step. The accuracy, precision and linearity ranges of the proposed methods were determined. The selectivity of the developed methods was investigated by analyzing laboratory prepared mixtures of the drugs and their combined dosage form. Standard deviation values are less than 1.5 in the assay of raw materials and capsules. The obtained results were statistically compared with each other and with those of reported spectrophotometric ones. The comparison showed that there is no significant difference between the proposed methods and the reported methods regarding both accuracy and precision.

Single-molecule FRET unveils induced-fit mechanism for substrate selectivity in flap endonuclease 1

PubMed Central

Rashid, Fahad; Harris, Paul D; Zaher, Manal S; Sobhy, Mohamed A; Joudeh, Luay I; Yan, Chunli; Piwonski, Hubert; Tsutakawa, Susan E; Ivanov, Ivaylo; Tainer, John A; Habuchi, Satoshi; Hamdan, Samir M

2017-01-01

Human flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) and related structure-specific 5’nucleases precisely identify and incise aberrant DNA structures during replication, repair and recombination to avoid genomic instability. Yet, it is unclear how the 5’nuclease mechanisms of DNA distortion and protein ordering robustly mediate efficient and accurate substrate recognition and catalytic selectivity. Here, single-molecule sub-millisecond and millisecond analyses of FEN1 reveal a protein-DNA induced-fit mechanism that efficiently verifies substrate and suppresses off-target cleavage. FEN1 sculpts DNA with diffusion-limited kinetics to test DNA substrate. This DNA distortion mutually ‘locks’ protein and DNA conformation and enables substrate verification with extreme precision. Strikingly, FEN1 never misses cleavage of its cognate substrate while blocking probable formation of catalytically competent interactions with noncognate substrates and fostering their pre-incision dissociation. These findings establish FEN1 has practically perfect precision and that separate control of induced-fit substrate recognition sets up the catalytic selectivity of the nuclease active site for genome stability. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21884.001 PMID:28230529

Assessment of the performance of automated focimeters in the measurement of single vision spectacle lenses.

PubMed

Chu, Byoung-Sun; Ngo, Thao P T; Cheng, Brian B; Dain, Stephen J

2014-07-01

The accuracy and precision of any instrument should not be taken for granted. While there is an international standard for checking focimeters, there is no report of any study on their performance. A sample set of 51 focimeters (11 brands), were used to measure the spherical power of a set of lenses and the prismatic power of two lenses complying with ISO 9342-1:2005 and other calibrated prismatic lenses and the spherical power of some grey filters. The mean measured spherical power corresponded very closely with the calibrated values; however, the spread of results was substantial and 10 focimeters did not comply with ISO 8598:1996. The measurement of prism was much more accurate and precise and all the focimeters complied easily. With the grey filters, about one-third of the focimeters either showed erratic reading or an error with the equivalent of category 4 sunglasses. On the other hand, nine focimeters had stable and accurate reading on a filter with a luminous transmittance of 0.5 per cent. These results confirm that, in common with all other measurement instruments, there is a need to ensure that a focimeter is reading accurately and precisely over the range of refractive powers and luminous transmittances. The accurate and precise performance of an automated focimeter over its working life cannot be assumed. Checking before purchase with a set of calibrated lenses and some dark sunglass tints will indicate the suitability of a focimeter. Routine checking with the calibrated lenses will inform the users if a focimeter continues to indicate accurately. © 2014 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Optometry © 2014 Optometrists Association Australia.

[The accuracy of palpation from orientation points for the navigated implantation of knee prostheses].

PubMed

Fuiko, R; Kotten, B; Zettl, R; Ritschl, P

2004-03-01

Cinematic and pointing procedures are used for non-image based navigated implantation during total knee replacement. Pointing procedures require an exact knowledge of the landmarks. In this anatomical study, landmarks are defined and repeatedly referenced. Precision and reproducibility are evaluated by means of an inter- and an intra-observer study. The axes of the femur and tibia are calculated using the landmarks. The specific landmarks of 30 femurs and 27 tibias were palpated by three surgeons and digitised by means of a photogrammetric system, as used intra-operatively. The recorded data were statistically evaluated. The specific landmarks can be referenced with great precision. The vectors that influence the implant position show a mean femoral deviation of 0.9 mm and a mean tibial deviation of 1.0 mm. The repeating accuracy of every observer was 1.5 mm femoral and 1.0 mm tibial. The calculated long axes at the femur and tibia thus reach a precision of 0.1 degrees (min.-max.: 0-0.9 degrees) at the femur and 0.2 degrees (.0-1.1 degrees) at the tibia. The short axes at the distal femur and proximal tibia exhibit an average deviation of from 0.7 degrees to 1.9 degrees (0-11.3 degrees). Long axes (mechanical axes) can be determined exactly but the precision of the short axes (rotational axes) is unsatisfactory, although palpation of landmarks was accurate. Therefore, palpation of more than one rotational axis at the femur and tibia is mandatory and should be visualized on the monitor during surgery.

Determination of dasatinib in the tablet dosage form by ultra high performance liquid chromatography, capillary zone electrophoresis, and sequential injection analysis.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Aroa Garcia; Taraba, Lukáš; Hraníček, Jakub; Kozlík, Petr; Coufal, Pavel

2017-01-01

Dasatinib is a novel oral prescription drug proposed for treating adult patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. Three analytical methods, namely ultra high performance liquid chromatography, capillary zone electrophoresis, and sequential injection analysis, were developed, validated, and compared for determination of the drug in the tablet dosage form. The total analysis time of optimized ultra high performance liquid chromatography and capillary zone electrophoresis methods was 2.0 and 2.2 min, respectively. Direct ultraviolet detection with detection wavelength of 322 nm was employed in both cases. The optimized sequential injection analysis method was based on spectrophotometric detection of dasatinib after a simple colorimetric reaction with folin ciocalteau reagent forming a blue-colored complex with an absorbance maximum at 745 nm. The total analysis time was 2.5 min. The ultra high performance liquid chromatography method provided the lowest detection and quantitation limits and the most precise and accurate results. All three newly developed methods were demonstrated to be specific, linear, sensitive, precise, and accurate, providing results satisfactorily meeting the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry, and can be employed for the routine determination of the active pharmaceutical ingredient in the tablet dosage form. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Rapid Detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Types 1 and 2 by Use of an Improved Piezoelectric Biosensor

PubMed Central

Severns, Virginia; Branch, Darren W.; Edwards, Thayne L.; Larson, Richard S.

2013-01-01

Disasters can create situations in which blood donations can save lives. However, in emergency situations and when resources are depleted, on-site blood donations require the rapid and accurate detection of blood-borne pathogens, including human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2). Techniques such as PCR and antibody capture by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for HIV-1 and HIV-2 are precise but time-consuming and require sophisticated equipment that is not compatible with emergency point-of-care requirements. We describe here a prototype biosensor based on piezoelectric materials functionalized with specific antibodies against HIV-1 and HIV-2. We show the rapid and accurate detection of HIV-1 and HIV-2 in both simple and complex solutions, including human serum, and in the presence of a cross-confounding virus. We report detection limits of 12 50% tissue culture infective doses (TCID50s) for HIV-1 and 87 TCID50s for HIV-2. The accuracy, precision of measurements, and operation of the prototype biosensor compared favorably to those for nucleic acid amplification. We conclude that the biosensor has significant promise as a successful point-of-care diagnostic device for use in emergency field applications requiring rapid and reliable testing for blood-borne pathogens. PMID:23515541

Accurate de novo design of hyperstable constrained peptides

PubMed Central

Bhardwaj, Gaurav; Mulligan, Vikram Khipple; Bahl, Christopher D.; Gilmore, Jason M.; Harvey, Peta J.; Cheneval, Olivier; Buchko, Garry W.; Pulavarti, Surya V.S.R.K.; Kaas, Quentin; Eletsky, Alexander; Huang, Po-Ssu; Johnsen, William A.; Greisen, Per; Rocklin, Gabriel J.; Song, Yifan; Linsky, Thomas W.; Watkins, Andrew; Rettie, Stephen A.; Xu, Xianzhong; Carter, Lauren P.; Bonneau, Richard; Olson, James M.; Coutsias, Evangelos; Correnti, Colin E.; Szyperski, Thomas; Craik, David J.; Baker, David

2016-01-01

Summary Naturally occurring, pharmacologically active peptides constrained with covalent crosslinks generally have shapes evolved to fit precisely into binding pockets on their targets. Such peptides can have excellent pharmaceutical properties, combining the stability and tissue penetration of small molecule drugs with the specificity of much larger protein therapeutics. The ability to design constrained peptides with precisely specified tertiary structures would enable the design of shape-complementary inhibitors of arbitrary targets. Here we describe the development of computational methods for de novo design of conformationally-restricted peptides, and the use of these methods to design 15–50 residue disulfide-crosslinked and heterochiral N-C backbone-cyclized peptides. These peptides are exceptionally stable to thermal and chemical denaturation, and twelve experimentally-determined X-ray and NMR structures are nearly identical to the computational models. The computational design methods and stable scaffolds presented here provide the basis for development of a new generation of peptide-based drugs. PMID:27626386

Human leader and robot follower team: correcting leader's position from follower's heading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borenstein, Johann; Thomas, David; Sights, Brandon; Ojeda, Lauro; Bankole, Peter; Fellars, Donald

2010-04-01

In multi-agent scenarios, there can be a disparity in the quality of position estimation amongst the various agents. Here, we consider the case of two agents - a leader and a follower - following the same path, in which the follower has a significantly better estimate of position and heading. This may be applicable to many situations, such as a robotic "mule" following a soldier. Another example is that of a convoy, in which only one vehicle (not necessarily the leading one) is instrumented with precision navigation instruments while all other vehicles use lower-precision instruments. We present an algorithm, called Follower-derived Heading Correction (FDHC), which substantially improves estimates of the leader's heading and, subsequently, position. Specifically, FHDC produces a very accurate estimate of heading errors caused by slow-changing errors (e.g., those caused by drift in gyros) of the leader's navigation system and corrects those errors.

A comparative study of the novel spectrophotometric methods versus conventional ones for the simultaneous determination of Esomeprazole magnesium trihydrate and Naproxen in their binary mixture.

PubMed

Lotfy, Hayam M; Amer, Sawsan M; Zaazaa, Hala E; Mostafa, Noha S

2015-01-01

Two novel simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods manipulating ratio spectra are developed and validated for simultaneous determination of Esomeprazole magnesium trihydrate (ESO) and Naproxen (NAP) namely; absorbance subtraction and ratio difference. The results were compared to that of the conventional spectrophotometric methods namely; dual wavelength and isoabsorptive point coupled with first derivative of ratio spectra and derivative ratio. The suggested methods were validated in compliance with the ICH guidelines and were successfully applied for determination of ESO and NAP in their laboratory prepared mixtures and pharmaceutical preparation. No preliminary separation steps are required for the proposed spectrophotometeric procedures. The statistical comparison showed that there is no significant difference between the proposed methods and the reported method with respect to both accuracy and precision. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Three different spectrophotometric methods manipulating ratio spectra for determination of binary mixture of Amlodipine and Atorvastatin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darwish, Hany W.; Hassan, Said A.; Salem, Maissa Y.; El-Zeiny, Badr A.

2011-12-01

Three simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods manipulating ratio spectra are developed for the simultaneous determination of Amlodipine besylate (AM) and Atorvastatin calcium (AT) in tablet dosage forms. The first method is first derivative of the ratio spectra ( 1DD), the second is ratio subtraction and the third is the method of mean centering of ratio spectra. The calibration curve is linear over the concentration range of 3-40 and 8-32 μg/ml for AM and AT, respectively. These methods are tested by analyzing synthetic mixtures of the above drugs and they are applied to commercial pharmaceutical preparation of the subjected drugs. Standard deviation is <1.5 in the assay of raw materials and tablets. Methods are validated as per ICH guidelines and accuracy, precision, repeatability and robustness are found to be within the acceptable limit.

Three different methods for determination of binary mixture of Amlodipine and Atorvastatin using dual wavelength spectrophotometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darwish, Hany W.; Hassan, Said A.; Salem, Maissa Y.; El-Zeany, Badr A.

2013-03-01

Three simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods depending on the proper selection of two wavelengths are developed for the simultaneous determination of Amlodipine besylate (AML) and Atorvastatin calcium (ATV) in tablet dosage forms. The first method is the new Ratio Difference method, the second method is the Bivariate method and the third one is the Absorbance Ratio method. The calibration curve is linear over the concentration range of 4-40 and 8-32 μg/mL for AML and ATV, respectively. These methods are tested by analyzing synthetic mixtures of the above drugs and they are applied to commercial pharmaceutical preparation of the subjected drugs. Methods are validated according to the ICH guidelines and accuracy, precision, repeatability and robustness are found to be within the acceptable limit. The mathematical explanation of the procedures is illustrated.

Quantitative Large-Scale Three-Dimensional Imaging of Human Kidney Biopsies: A Bridge to Precision Medicine in Kidney Disease.

PubMed

Winfree, Seth; Dagher, Pierre C; Dunn, Kenneth W; Eadon, Michael T; Ferkowicz, Michael; Barwinska, Daria; Kelly, Katherine J; Sutton, Timothy A; El-Achkar, Tarek M

2018-06-05

Kidney biopsy remains the gold standard for uncovering the pathogenesis of acute and chronic kidney diseases. However, the ability to perform high resolution, quantitative, molecular and cellular interrogation of this precious tissue is still at a developing stage compared to other fields such as oncology. Here, we discuss recent advances in performing large-scale, three-dimensional (3D), multi-fluorescence imaging of kidney biopsies and quantitative analysis referred to as 3D tissue cytometry. This approach allows the accurate measurement of specific cell types and their spatial distribution in a thick section spanning the entire length of the biopsy. By uncovering specific disease signatures, including rare occurrences, and linking them to the biology in situ, this approach will enhance our understanding of disease pathogenesis. Furthermore, by providing accurate quantitation of cellular events, 3D cytometry may improve the accuracy of prognosticating the clinical course and response to therapy. Therefore, large-scale 3D imaging and cytometry of kidney biopsy is poised to become a bridge towards personalized medicine for patients with kidney disease. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Optimization of tissue physical parameters for accurate temperature estimation from finite-element simulation of radiofrequency ablation.

PubMed

Subramanian, Swetha; Mast, T Douglas

2015-10-07

Computational finite element models are commonly used for the simulation of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatments. However, the accuracy of these simulations is limited by the lack of precise knowledge of tissue parameters. In this technical note, an inverse solver based on the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) is proposed to optimize values for specific heat, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity resulting in accurately simulated temperature elevations. A total of 15 RFA treatments were performed on ex vivo bovine liver tissue. For each RFA treatment, 15 finite-element simulations were performed using a set of deterministically chosen tissue parameters to estimate the mean and variance of the resulting tissue ablation. The UKF was implemented as an inverse solver to recover the specific heat, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity corresponding to the measured area of the ablated tissue region, as determined from gross tissue histology. These tissue parameters were then employed in the finite element model to simulate the position- and time-dependent tissue temperature. Results show good agreement between simulated and measured temperature.

Design of a soil cutting resistance sensor for application in site-specific tillage.

PubMed

Agüera, Juan; Carballido, Jacob; Gil, Jesús; Gliever, Chris J; Perez-Ruiz, Manuel

2013-05-10

One objective of precision agriculture is to provide accurate information about soil and crop properties to optimize the management of agricultural inputs to meet site-specific needs. This paper describes the development of a sensor equipped with RTK-GPS technology that continuously and efficiently measures soil cutting resistance at various depths while traversing the field. Laboratory and preliminary field tests verified the accuracy of this prototype soil strength sensor. The data obtained using a hand-operated soil cone penetrometer was used to evaluate this field soil compaction depth profile sensor. To date, this sensor has only been tested in one field under one gravimetric water content condition. This field test revealed that the relationships between the soil strength profile sensor (SSPS) cutting force and soil cone index values are assumed to be quadratic for the various depths considered: 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm (r2 = 0.58, 0.45 and 0.54, respectively). Soil resistance contour maps illustrated its practical value. The developed sensor provides accurate, timely and affordable information on soil properties to optimize resources and improve agricultural economy.

Evaluation of immunoturbidimetric rheumatoid factor method from Diagam on Abbott c8000 analyzer: comparison with immunonephelemetric method.

PubMed

Dupuy, Anne Marie; Hurstel, Rémy; Bargnoux, Anne Sophie; Badiou, Stéphanie; Cristol, Jean Paul

2014-01-01

Rheumatoid factor (RF) consists of autoantibodies and because of its heterogeneity its determination is not easy. Currently, nephelometry and Elisa method are considered as reference methods. Due to consolidation, many laboratories have fully automated turbidimetric apparatus, and specific nephelemetric systems are not always available. In addition, nephelemetry is more accurate, but time consuming, expensive, and requires a specific device, resulting in a lower efficiency. Turbidimetry could be an attractive alternative. The turbidimetric RF test from Diagam meets the requirements of accuracy and precision for optimal clinical use, with an acceptable measuring range, and could be an alternative in the determination of RF, without the associated cost of a dedicated instrument, making consolidation and saving blood possible.

The Rényi divergence enables accurate and precise cluster analysis for localisation microscopy.

PubMed

Staszowska, Adela D; Fox-Roberts, Patrick; Hirvonen, Liisa M; Peddie, Christopher J; Collinson, Lucy M; Jones, Gareth E; Cox, Susan

2018-06-01

Clustering analysis is a key technique for quantitatively characterising structures in localisation microscopy images. To build up accurate information about biological structures, it is critical that the quantification is both accurate (close to the ground truth) and precise (has small scatter and is reproducible). Here we describe how the Rényi divergence can be used for cluster radius measurements in localisation microscopy data. We demonstrate that the Rényi divergence can operate with high levels of background and provides results which are more accurate than Ripley's functions, Voronoi tesselation or DBSCAN. Data supporting this research will be made accessible via a web link. Software codes developed for this work can be accessed via http://coxphysics.com/Renyi_divergence_software.zip. Implemented in C ++. Correspondence and requests for materials can be also addressed to the corresponding author. adela.staszowska@gmail.com or susan.cox@kcl.ac.uk. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Computing many-body wave functions with guaranteed precision: the first-order Møller-Plesset wave function for the ground state of helium atom.

PubMed

Bischoff, Florian A; Harrison, Robert J; Valeev, Edward F

2012-09-14

We present an approach to compute accurate correlation energies for atoms and molecules using an adaptive discontinuous spectral-element multiresolution representation for the two-electron wave function. Because of the exponential storage complexity of the spectral-element representation with the number of dimensions, a brute-force computation of two-electron (six-dimensional) wave functions with high precision was not practical. To overcome the key storage bottlenecks we utilized (1) a low-rank tensor approximation (specifically, the singular value decomposition) to compress the wave function, and (2) explicitly correlated R12-type terms in the wave function to regularize the Coulomb electron-electron singularities of the Hamiltonian. All operations necessary to solve the Schrödinger equation were expressed so that the reconstruction of the full-rank form of the wave function is never necessary. Numerical performance of the method was highlighted by computing the first-order Møller-Plesset wave function of a helium atom. The computed second-order Møller-Plesset energy is precise to ~2 microhartrees, which is at the precision limit of the existing general atomic-orbital-based approaches. Our approach does not assume special geometric symmetries, hence application to molecules is straightforward.

Chemical separation and mass spectrometry of Cr, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Cu in terrestrial and extraterrestrial materials using thermal ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Yamakawa, Akane; Yamashita, Katsuyuki; Makishima, Akio; Nakamura, Eizo

2009-12-01

A sequential chemical separation technique for Cr, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Cu in terrestrial and extraterrestrial silicate rocks was developed for precise and accurate determination of elemental concentration by the isotope dilution method (ID). The technique uses a combination of cation-anion exchange chromatography and Eichrom nickel specific resin. The method was tested using a variety of matrixes including bulk meteorite (Allende), terrestrial peridotite (JP-1), and basalt (JB-1b). Concentrations of each element was determined by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) using W filaments and a Si-B-Al type activator for Cr, Fe, Ni, and Zn and a Re filament and silicic acid-H3PO4 activator for Cu. The method can be used to precisely determine the concentrations of these elements in very small silicate samples, including meteorites, geochemical reference samples, and mineral standards for microprobe analysis. Furthermore, the Cr mass spectrometry procedure developed in this study can be extended to determine the isotopic ratios of 53Cr/52Cr and 54Cr/52Cr with precision of approximately 0.05epsilon and approximately 0.10epsilon (1epsilon = 0.01%), respectively, enabling cosmochemical applications such as high precision Mn-Cr chronology and investigation of nucleosynthetic isotopic anomalies in meteorites.

E/N effects on K0 values revealed by high precision measurements under low field conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauck, Brian C.; Siems, William F.; Harden, Charles S.; McHugh, Vincent M.; Hill, Herbert H.

2016-07-01

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is used to detect chemical warfare agents, explosives, and narcotics. While IMS has a low rate of false positives, their occurrence causes the loss of time and money as the alarm is verified. Because numerous variables affect the reduced mobility (K0) of an ion, wide detection windows are required in order to ensure a low false negative response rate. Wide detection windows, however, reduce response selectivity, and interferents with similar K0 values may be mistaken for targeted compounds and trigger a false positive alarm. Detection windows could be narrowed if reference K0 values were accurately known for specific instrumental conditions. Unfortunately, there is a lack of confidence in the literature values due to discrepancies in the reported K0 values and their lack of reported error. This creates the need for the accurate control and measurement of each variable affecting ion mobility, as well as for a central accurate IMS database for reference and calibration. A new ion mobility spectrometer has been built that reduces the error of measurements affecting K0 by an order of magnitude less than ±0.2%. Precise measurements of ±0.002 cm2 V-1 s-1 or better have been produced and, as a result, an unexpected relationship between K0 and the electric field to number density ratio (E/N) has been discovered in which the K0 values of ions decreased as a function of E/N along a second degree polynomial trend line towards an apparent asymptote at approximately 4 Td.

The precision-recall plot is more informative than the ROC plot when evaluating binary classifiers on imbalanced datasets.

PubMed

Saito, Takaya; Rehmsmeier, Marc

2015-01-01

Binary classifiers are routinely evaluated with performance measures such as sensitivity and specificity, and performance is frequently illustrated with Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) plots. Alternative measures such as positive predictive value (PPV) and the associated Precision/Recall (PRC) plots are used less frequently. Many bioinformatics studies develop and evaluate classifiers that are to be applied to strongly imbalanced datasets in which the number of negatives outweighs the number of positives significantly. While ROC plots are visually appealing and provide an overview of a classifier's performance across a wide range of specificities, one can ask whether ROC plots could be misleading when applied in imbalanced classification scenarios. We show here that the visual interpretability of ROC plots in the context of imbalanced datasets can be deceptive with respect to conclusions about the reliability of classification performance, owing to an intuitive but wrong interpretation of specificity. PRC plots, on the other hand, can provide the viewer with an accurate prediction of future classification performance due to the fact that they evaluate the fraction of true positives among positive predictions. Our findings have potential implications for the interpretation of a large number of studies that use ROC plots on imbalanced datasets.

Identifying the Genotypes of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) with DNA Origami Label.

PubMed

Liu, Ke; Pan, Dun; Wen, Yanqin; Zhang, Honglu; Chao, Jie; Wang, Lihua; Song, Shiping; Fan, Chunhai; Shi, Yongyong

2018-02-01

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotyping may profoundly affect the accurate diagnosis and antiviral treatment of viral hepatitis. Existing genotyping methods such as serological, immunological, or molecular testing are still suffered from substandard specificity and low sensitivity in laboratory or clinical application. In a previous study, a set of high-efficiency hybridizable DNA origami-based shape ID probes to target the templates through which genetic variation could be determined in an ultrahigh resolution of atomic force microscopy (AFM) nanomechanical imaging are established. Here, as a further confirmatory research to explore the sensitivity and applicability of this assay, differentially predesigned DNA origami shape ID probes are also developed for precisely HBV genotyping. Through the specific identification of visualized DNA origami nanostructure with clinical HBV DNA samples, the genetic variation information of genotypes can be directly identified under AFM. As a proof-of-concept, five genotype B and six genotype C are detected in 11 HBV-infected patients' blood DNA samples of Han Chinese population in the single-blinded test. The AFM image-based DNA origami shape ID genotyping approach shows high specificity and sensitivity, which could be promising for virus infection diagnosis and precision medicine in the future. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Precision Agriculture. Reaping the Benefits of Technological Growth. Resources in Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadley, Joel F.

1998-01-01

Technological innovations have revolutionized farming. Using precision farming techniques, farmers get an accurate picture of a field's attributes, such as soil properties, yield rates, and crop characteristics through the use of Differential Global Positioning Satellite hardware. (JOW)

High-precision measurement of phenylalanine δ15N values for environmental samples: a new approach coupling high-pressure liquid chromatography purification and elemental analyzer isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Broek, Taylor A B; Walker, Brett D; Andreasen, Dyke H; McCarthy, Matthew D

2013-11-15

Compound-specific isotope analysis of individual amino acids (CSI-AA) is a powerful new tool for tracing nitrogen (N) source and transformation in biogeochemical cycles. Specifically, the δ(15)N value of phenylalanine (δ(15)N(Phe)) represents an increasingly used proxy for source δ(15)N signatures, with particular promise for paleoceanographic applications. However, current derivatization/gas chromatography methods require expensive and relatively uncommon instrumentation, and have relatively low precision, making many potential applications impractical. A new offline approach has been developed for high-precision δ(15)N measurements of amino acids (δ(15)N(AA)), optimized for δ(15)N(Phe) values. Amino acids (AAs) are first purified via high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), using a mixed-phase column and automated fraction collection. The δ(15)N values are determined via offline elemental analyzer-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS). The combined HPLC/EA-IRMS method separated most protein AAs with sufficient resolution to obtain accurate δ(15)N values, despite significant intra-peak isotopic fractionation. For δ(15)N(Phe) values, the precision was ±0.16‰ for standards, 4× better than gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS; ±0.64‰). We also compared a δ(15)N(Phe) paleo-record from a deep-sea bamboo coral from Monterey Bay, CA, USA, using our method versus GC/C/IRMS. The two methods produced equivalent δ(15)N(Phe) values within error; however, the δ(15)N(Phe) values from HPLC/EA-IRMS had approximately twice the precision of GC/C/IRMS (average stdev of 0.27‰ ± 0.14‰ vs 0.60‰ ± 0.20‰, respectively). These results demonstrate that offline HPLC represents a viable alternative to traditional GC/C/IMRS for δ(15)N(AA) measurement. HPLC/EA-IRMS is more precise and widely available, and therefore useful in applications requiring increased precision for data interpretation (e.g. δ(15)N paleoproxies). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

High-accuracy measurements of N2O concentration and site-specific nitrogen isotopes in small or high concentration samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmer, M. R.; Arata, C.; Huang, K.

2014-12-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) gas is among the major contributors to global warming and ozone depletion in stratosphere. Quantitative estimate of N­2O production in various pathways and N­2O fluxes across different reservoirs is the key to understanding the role of N­2O in the global change. To achieve this goal, accurate and concurrent measurement of both N2O concentration ([N2O]) and its site-specific isotopic composition (SP-δ15N), namely δ15Nα and δ15Nβ, is desired. Recent developments in Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) have enabled high precision measurements of [N2O] and SP-δ15N of a continuous gas flow. However, many N­­2O samples are discrete with limited volume (< 500 ml), and/or high [N2O] (> 2 ppm), and are not suitable for direct measurements by CRDS. Here we present results of a Small Sample Isotope Module 2 (SSIM2) which is coupled to and automatically coordinated with a Picarro isotopic N2O CRDS analyzer to handle and measure high concentration and/or small volume samples. The SSIM2 requires 20 ml of sample per analysis, and transfers the sample to the CRDS for high precision measurement. When the sample injection is < 20 ml, a zero gas is optionally filled to make up the volume. We used the SSIM2 to dilute high [N2O] samples and < 20 ml samples, and tested the effect of dilution on the measured SP-δ15N. In addition, we employed and tested a newly developed double injection method for samples adequate for two 20 ml injections. After the SSIM2 and the CRDS cavity was primed with the first injection, the second injection, which has negligible dilution of the sample, can be accurately measured for both [N2O] and SP-δ15N. Results of these experiments indicate that the precision of SSIM2-CRDS is similar to that of the continuous measurements using the CRDS alone, and that dilution has minimal effect on SP-δ15N, as along as the [N2O] is > 300 ppb after dilution. Overall, the precision of SP-δ15N measured using the SSIM2 is < 0.5 ‰.

Running head: What color is it

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Andrew T.

1988-01-01

Color vision provides low-resolution spectrophotometric information about candidate materials for planetary surfaces that is comparable in precision to wideband photoelectric photometry, and considerably superior to Voyager TV data. Briefly explained are the basic concepts, teminology, and notation of color science. Also shown is how to convert a reflectance spectrum into a color specification. An Appendix lists a simple computer subroutine to convert spectral reflectance into CIE coordinates, and the text explains how to convert these to a surface color in a standard color atlas. Target and printed Solar System colors are compared to show how accurate are the printed colors.

Miniaturized high-precision piezo driven two axes stepper goniometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, H.; Schwarz, A.; Wiesendanger, R.

2014-04-01

A miniaturized inertial stepper goniometer with two orthogonal axes (θ and φ axes) has been realized using four shear piezo based actuators arranged in a tetrahedral configuration tangent with a polished sapphire spherical rotor. The measured sensitivity is about 11.5 microdegree (μ°) per Volt. The smallest angular step size, achieved with a minimal peak-to-peak voltage Upp of 200 V is about 0.6 millidegree (m°). The crosstalk between both axes is below 10%. Our specific design is used to accurately position a glass fiber, but the concept can be utilized for many different applications as well.

Stability indicating methods for the analysis of cefprozil in the presence of its alkaline induced degradation product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Attia, Khalid A. M.; Nassar, Mohammed W. I.; El-Zeiny, Mohamed B.; Serag, Ahmed

2016-04-01

Three simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods were developed for the determination of cefprozil (CZ) in the presence of its alkaline induced degradation product (DCZ). The first method was the bivariate method, while the two other multivariate methods were partial least squares (PLS) and spectral residual augmented classical least squares (SRACLS). The multivariate methods were applied with and without variable selection procedure (genetic algorithm GA). These methods were tested by analyzing laboratory prepared mixtures of the above drug with its alkaline induced degradation product and they were applied to its commercial pharmaceutical products.

Salivary diagnostics and its impact in dentistry, research, education, and the professional community.

PubMed

Slavkin, H C; Fox, C H; Meyer, D M

2011-10-01

Oral fluid-based (salivary) tests have the potential to create practical, point-of-care clinical instruments that are convenient, practical, and comfortable to use in dentistry and medicine. Currently, there are no simple, accurate, and inexpensive sampling, screening, or detection methods to support definitive diagnostic platforms across dental and medical disciplines. Though the benefits from advancing screening and detection technologies seem eminent, analytical, chemical, molecular, genetic, and protein markers are still under development. Clinical applications in patient care must be validated independently to ensure that they are clinically accurate, reliable, precise, and uniformly consistent for screening and detecting specific diseases or conditions. As technology designed to improve patient care through risk assessment, prevention, and disease management is transferred into clinical practice, dentistry may need to reassess its role in general health care. © International & American Associations for Dental Research

System to Measure Thermal Conductivity and Seebeck Coefficient for Thermoelectrics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Hyun-Jung; Skuza, Jonathan R.; Park, Yeonjoon; King, Glen C.; Choi, Sang H.; Nagavalli, Anita

2012-01-01

The Seebeck coefficient, when combined with thermal and electrical conductivity, is an essential property measurement for evaluating the potential performance of novel thermoelectric materials. However, there is some question as to which measurement technique(s) provides the most accurate determination of the Seebeck coefficient at elevated temperatures. This has led to the implementation of nonstandardized practices that have further complicated the confirmation of reported high ZT materials. The major objective of the procedure described is for the simultaneous measurement of the Seebeck coefficient and thermal diffusivity within a given temperature range. These thermoelectric measurements must be precise, accurate, and reproducible to ensure meaningful interlaboratory comparison of data. The custom-built thermal characterization system described in this NASA-TM is specifically designed to measure the inplane thermal diffusivity, and the Seebeck coefficient for materials in the ranging from 73 K through 373 K.

Test and Validation of the Mars Science Laboratory Robotic Arm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, M.; Collins, C.; Leger, P.; Kim, W.; Carsten, J.; Tompkins, V.; Trebi-Ollennu, A.; Florow, B.

2013-01-01

The Mars Science Laboratory Robotic Arm (RA) is a key component for achieving the primary scientific goals of the mission. The RA supports sample acquisition by precisely positioning a scoop above loose regolith or accurately preloading a percussive drill on Martian rocks or rover-mounted organic check materials. It assists sample processing by orienting a sample processing unit called CHIMRA through a series of gravity-relative orientations and sample delivery by positioning the sample portion door above an instrument inlet or the observation tray. In addition the RA facilitates contact science by accurately positioning the dust removal tool, Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) relative to surface targets. In order to fulfill these seemingly disparate science objectives the RA must satisfy a variety of accuracy and performance requirements. This paper describes the necessary arm requirement specification and the test campaign to demonstrate these requirements were satisfied.

Transition State Geometry Measurements from 13C Isotope Effects. The Experimental Transition State for the Epoxidation of Alkenes with Oxaziridines

PubMed Central

Hirschi, Jennifer S.; Takeya, Tetsuya; Hang, Chao; Singleton, Daniel A.

2009-01-01

We suggest here and evaluate a methodology for the measurement of specific interatomic distances from a combination of theoretical calculations and experimentally measured 13C kinetic isotope effects. This process takes advantage of a broad diversity of transition structures available for the epoxidation of 2-methyl-2-butene with oxaziridines. From the isotope effects calculated for these transition structures, a theory-independent relationship between the C-O bond distances of the newly forming bonds and the isotope effects is established. Within the precision of the measurement, this relationship in combination with the experimental isotope effects provides a highly accurate picture of the C-O bonds forming at the transition state. The diversity of transition structures also allows an evaluation of the Schramm process for defining transition state geometries based on calculations at non-stationary points, and the methodology is found to be reasonably accurate. PMID:19146405

Accurate reconstruction of viral quasispecies spectra through improved estimation of strain richness

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background Estimating the number of different species (richness) in a mixed microbial population has been a main focus in metagenomic research. Existing methods of species richness estimation ride on the assumption that the reads in each assembled contig correspond to only one of the microbial genomes in the population. This assumption and the underlying probabilistic formulations of existing methods are not useful for quasispecies populations where the strains are highly genetically related. The lack of knowledge on the number of different strains in a quasispecies population is observed to hinder the precision of existing Viral Quasispecies Spectrum Reconstruction (QSR) methods due to the uncontrolled reconstruction of a large number of in silico false positives. In this work, we formulated a novel probabilistic method for strain richness estimation specifically targeting viral quasispecies. By using this approach we improved our recently proposed spectrum reconstruction pipeline ViQuaS to achieve higher levels of precision in reconstructed quasispecies spectra without compromising the recall rates. We also discuss how one other existing popular QSR method named ShoRAH can be improved using this new approach. Results On benchmark data sets, our estimation method provided accurate richness estimates (< 0.2 median estimation error) and improved the precision of ViQuaS by 2%-13% and F-score by 1%-9% without compromising the recall rates. We also demonstrate that our estimation method can be used to improve the precision and F-score of ShoRAH by 0%-7% and 0%-5% respectively. Conclusions The proposed probabilistic estimation method can be used to estimate the richness of viral populations with a quasispecies behavior and to improve the accuracy of the quasispecies spectra reconstructed by the existing methods ViQuaS and ShoRAH in the presence of a moderate level of technical sequencing errors. Availability http://sourceforge.net/projects/viquas/ PMID:26678073

A Monte Carlo Simulation Comparing the Statistical Precision of Two High-Stakes Teacher Evaluation Methods: A Value-Added Model and a Composite Measure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Bryden

2016-01-01

Value-added models are a class of growth models used in education to assign responsibility for student growth to teachers or schools. For value-added models to be used fairly, sufficient statistical precision is necessary for accurate teacher classification. Previous research indicated precision below practical limits. An alternative approach has…

Analysis of the Effect of UTI-UTC to High Precision Orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Dongseok; Kwak, Sunghee; Kim, Tag-Gon

1999-12-01

As the spatial resolution of remote sensing satellites becomes higher, very accurate determination of the position of a LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite is demanding more than ever. Non-symmetric Earth gravity is the major perturbation force to LEO satellites. Since the orbit propagation is performed in the celestial frame while Earth gravity is defined in the terrestrial frame, it is required to convert the coordinates of the satellite from one to the other accurately. Unless the coordinate conversion between the two frames is performed accurately the orbit propagation calculates incorrect Earth gravitational force at a specific time instant, and hence, causes errors in orbit prediction. The coordinate conversion between the two frames involves precession, nutation, Earth rotation and polar motion. Among these factors, unpredictability and uncertainty of Earth rotation, called UTI-UTC, is the largest error source. In this paper, the effect of UTI-UTC on the accuracy of the LEO propagation is introduced, tested and analzed. Considering the maximum unpredictability of UTI-UTC, 0.9 seconds, the meaningful order of non-spherical Earth harmonic functions is derived.

How Advances in Imaging Will Affect Precision Radiation Oncology.

PubMed

Jaffray, David A; Das, Shiva; Jacobs, Paula M; Jeraj, Robert; Lambin, Philippe

2018-06-01

Radiation oncology is 1 of the most structured disciplines in medicine. It is of a highly technical nature with reliance on robotic systems to deliver intervention, engagement of diverse expertise, and early adoption of digital approaches to optimize and execute the application of this highly effective cancer treatment. As a localized intervention, the dependence on sensitive, specific, and accurate imaging to define the extent of disease, its heterogeneity, and adjacency to normal tissues directly affects the therapeutic ratio. Image-based in vivo temporal monitoring of the response to treatment enables adaptation and further affects the therapeutic ratio. Thus, more precise intervention will enable fractionation schedules that better interoperate with advances such as immunotherapy. In the data set-rich era that promises precision and personalized medicine, the radiation oncology field will integrate these new data into highly protocoled pathways of care that begin with multimodality prediction and enable patient-specific adaptation of therapy based on quantitative measures of the individual's dose-volume temporal trajectory and midtherapy predictions of response. In addition to advancements in computed tomography imaging, emerging technologies, such as ultra-high-field magnetic resonance and molecular imaging will bring new information to the design of treatments. Next-generation image guided radiation therapy systems will inject high specificity and sensitivity data and stimulate adaptive replanning. In addition, a myriad of pre- and peritherapeutic markers derived from advances in molecular pathology (eg, tumor genomics), automated and comprehensive imaging analytics (eg, radiomics, tumor microenvironment), and many other emerging biomarkers (eg, circulating tumor cell assays) will need to be integrated to maximize the benefit of radiation therapy for an individual patient. We present a perspective on the promise and challenges of fully exploiting imaging data in the pursuit of personalized radiation therapy, drawing from the presentations and broader discussions at the 2016 American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology-National Cancer Institute workshop on Precision Medicine in Radiation Oncology (Bethesda, MD). Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Statistical analysis of an RNA titration series evaluates microarray precision and sensitivity on a whole-array basis

PubMed Central

Holloway, Andrew J; Oshlack, Alicia; Diyagama, Dileepa S; Bowtell, David DL; Smyth, Gordon K

2006-01-01

Background Concerns are often raised about the accuracy of microarray technologies and the degree of cross-platform agreement, but there are yet no methods which can unambiguously evaluate precision and sensitivity for these technologies on a whole-array basis. Results A methodology is described for evaluating the precision and sensitivity of whole-genome gene expression technologies such as microarrays. The method consists of an easy-to-construct titration series of RNA samples and an associated statistical analysis using non-linear regression. The method evaluates the precision and responsiveness of each microarray platform on a whole-array basis, i.e., using all the probes, without the need to match probes across platforms. An experiment is conducted to assess and compare four widely used microarray platforms. All four platforms are shown to have satisfactory precision but the commercial platforms are superior for resolving differential expression for genes at lower expression levels. The effective precision of the two-color platforms is improved by allowing for probe-specific dye-effects in the statistical model. The methodology is used to compare three data extraction algorithms for the Affymetrix platforms, demonstrating poor performance for the commonly used proprietary algorithm relative to the other algorithms. For probes which can be matched across platforms, the cross-platform variability is decomposed into within-platform and between-platform components, showing that platform disagreement is almost entirely systematic rather than due to measurement variability. Conclusion The results demonstrate good precision and sensitivity for all the platforms, but highlight the need for improved probe annotation. They quantify the extent to which cross-platform measures can be expected to be less accurate than within-platform comparisons for predicting disease progression or outcome. PMID:17118209

Obtaining accurate amounts of mercury from mercury compounds via electrolytic methods

DOEpatents

Grossman, Mark W.; George, William A.

1987-01-01

A process for obtaining pre-determined, accurate rate amounts of mercury. In one embodiment, predetermined, precise amounts of Hg are separated from HgO and plated onto a cathode wire. The method for doing this involves dissolving a precise amount of HgO which corresponds to a pre-determined amount of Hg desired in an electrolyte solution comprised of glacial acetic acid and H.sub.2 O. The mercuric ions are then electrolytically reduced and plated onto a cathode producing the required pre-determined quantity of Hg. In another embodiment, pre-determined, precise amounts of Hg are obtained from Hg.sub.2 Cl.sub.2. The method for doing this involves dissolving a precise amount of Hg.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 in an electrolyte solution comprised of concentrated HCl and H.sub.2 O. The mercurous ions in solution are then electrolytically reduced and plated onto a cathode wire producing the required, pre-determined quantity of Hg.

Precision Timing of PSR J0437-4715: An Accurate Pulsar Distance, a High Pulsar Mass, and a Limit on the Variation of Newton's Gravitational Constant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verbiest, J. P. W.; Bailes, M.; van Straten, W.; Hobbs, G. B.; Edwards, R. T.; Manchester, R. N.; Bhat, N. D. R.; Sarkissian, J. M.; Jacoby, B. A.; Kulkarni, S. R.

2008-05-01

Analysis of 10 years of high-precision timing data on the millisecond pulsar PSR J0437-4715 has resulted in a model-independent kinematic distance based on an apparent orbital period derivative, dot Pb , determined at the 1.5% level of precision (Dk = 157.0 +/- 2.4 pc), making it one of the most accurate stellar distance estimates published to date. The discrepancy between this measurement and a previously published parallax distance estimate is attributed to errors in the DE200 solar system ephemerides. The precise measurement of dot Pb allows a limit on the variation of Newton's gravitational constant, |Ġ/G| <= 23 × 10-12 yr-1. We also constrain any anomalous acceleration along the line of sight to the pulsar to |a⊙/c| <= 1.5 × 10-18 s-1 at 95% confidence, and derive a pulsar mass, mpsr = 1.76 +/- 0.20 M⊙, one of the highest estimates so far obtained.

Obtaining accurate amounts of mercury from mercury compounds via electrolytic methods

DOEpatents

Grossman, M.W.; George, W.A.

1987-07-07

A process is described for obtaining pre-determined, accurate rate amounts of mercury. In one embodiment, predetermined, precise amounts of Hg are separated from HgO and plated onto a cathode wire. The method for doing this involves dissolving a precise amount of HgO which corresponds to a pre-determined amount of Hg desired in an electrolyte solution comprised of glacial acetic acid and H[sub 2]O. The mercuric ions are then electrolytically reduced and plated onto a cathode producing the required pre-determined quantity of Hg. In another embodiment, pre-determined, precise amounts of Hg are obtained from Hg[sub 2]Cl[sub 2]. The method for doing this involves dissolving a precise amount of Hg[sub 2]Cl[sub 2] in an electrolyte solution comprised of concentrated HCl and H[sub 2]O. The mercurous ions in solution are then electrolytically reduced and plated onto a cathode wire producing the required, pre-determined quantity of Hg. 1 fig.

Ultra-accurate collaborative information filtering via directed user similarity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Q.; Song, W.-J.; Liu, J.-G.

2014-07-01

A key challenge of the collaborative filtering (CF) information filtering is how to obtain the reliable and accurate results with the help of peers' recommendation. Since the similarities from small-degree users to large-degree users would be larger than the ones in opposite direction, the large-degree users' selections are recommended extensively by the traditional second-order CF algorithms. By considering the users' similarity direction and the second-order correlations to depress the influence of mainstream preferences, we present the directed second-order CF (HDCF) algorithm specifically to address the challenge of accuracy and diversity of the CF algorithm. The numerical results for two benchmark data sets, MovieLens and Netflix, show that the accuracy of the new algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art CF algorithms. Comparing with the CF algorithm based on random walks proposed by Liu et al. (Int. J. Mod. Phys. C, 20 (2009) 285) the average ranking score could reach 0.0767 and 0.0402, which is enhanced by 27.3% and 19.1% for MovieLens and Netflix, respectively. In addition, the diversity, precision and recall are also enhanced greatly. Without relying on any context-specific information, tuning the similarity direction of CF algorithms could obtain accurate and diverse recommendations. This work suggests that the user similarity direction is an important factor to improve the personalized recommendation performance.

Precision Medicine in Multiple Sclerosis: Future of PET Imaging of Inflammation and Reactive Astrocytes

PubMed Central

Poutiainen, Pekka; Jaronen, Merja; Quintana, Francisco J.; Brownell, Anna-Liisa

2016-01-01

Non-invasive molecular imaging techniques can enhance diagnosis to achieve successful treatment, as well as reveal underlying pathogenic mechanisms in disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The cooperation of advanced multimodal imaging techniques and increased knowledge of the MS disease mechanism allows both monitoring of neuronal network and therapeutic outcome as well as the tools to discover novel therapeutic targets. Diverse imaging modalities provide reliable diagnostic and prognostic platforms to better achieve precision medicine. Traditionally, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been considered the golden standard in MS research and diagnosis. However, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging can provide functional information of molecular biology in detail even prior to anatomic changes, allowing close follow up of disease progression and treatment response. The recent findings support three major neuroinflammation components in MS: astrogliosis, cytokine elevation, and significant changes in specific proteins, which offer a great variety of specific targets for imaging purposes. Regardless of the fact that imaging of astrocyte function is still a young field and in need for development of suitable imaging ligands, recent studies have shown that inflammation and astrocyte activation are related to progression of MS. MS is a complex disease, which requires understanding of disease mechanisms for successful treatment. PET is a precise non-invasive imaging method for biochemical functions and has potential to enhance early and accurate diagnosis for precision therapy of MS. In this review we focus on modulation of different receptor systems and inflammatory aspect of MS, especially on activation of glial cells, and summarize the recent findings of PET imaging in MS and present the most potent targets for new biomarkers with the main focus on experimental MS research. PMID:27695400

A shared, flexible neural map architecture reflects capacity limits in both visual short-term memory and enumeration.

PubMed

Knops, André; Piazza, Manuela; Sengupta, Rakesh; Eger, Evelyn; Melcher, David

2014-07-23

Human cognition is characterized by severe capacity limits: we can accurately track, enumerate, or hold in mind only a small number of items at a time. It remains debated whether capacity limitations across tasks are determined by a common system. Here we measure brain activation of adult subjects performing either a visual short-term memory (vSTM) task consisting of holding in mind precise information about the orientation and position of a variable number of items, or an enumeration task consisting of assessing the number of items in those sets. We show that task-specific capacity limits (three to four items in enumeration and two to three in vSTM) are neurally reflected in the activity of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC): an identical set of voxels in this region, commonly activated during the two tasks, changed its overall response profile reflecting task-specific capacity limitations. These results, replicated in a second experiment, were further supported by multivariate pattern analysis in which we could decode the number of items presented over a larger range during enumeration than during vSTM. Finally, we simulated our results with a computational model of PPC using a saliency map architecture in which the level of mutual inhibition between nodes gives rise to capacity limitations and reflects the task-dependent precision with which objects need to be encoded (high precision for vSTM, lower precision for enumeration). Together, our work supports the existence of a common, flexible system underlying capacity limits across tasks in PPC that may take the form of a saliency map. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/349857-10$15.00/0.

Improving 14C dating precision in dynamic, brackish waters by one order of magnitude: 87Sr/86Sr isotopes as a quantitative proxy for 14C reservoir age.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lougheed, B.; Davies, G.; Filipsson, H. L.; van der Lubbe, J.; Snowball, I.

2016-12-01

Accurate geochronologies are crucial for reconstructing the sensitivity of brackish and estuarine environments to external impacts. A common geochronological method used for such studies is radiocarbon (14C) dating, but its application in brackish environments is severely limited by an inability to quantify spatiotemporal variations in 14C reservoir age, or R(t), due to dynamic interplay between river runoff and marine water in these environments. Additionally, old carbon effects and species-specific behavioural processes also influence 14C ages. Using the world's largest brackish water body (the estuarine Baltic Sea) as a test-bed, combined with a comprehensive approach that objectively excludes both old carbon and species-specific effects, we demonstrate that it is possible to use 87Sr/86Sr ratios to quantify R(t) in ubiquitous mollusc shell material, leading to an almost one order of magnitude increase in Baltic Sea 14C geochronological precision over the current state-of-the-art. We propose that this novel proxy method can be developed for other brackish water bodies worldwide, thereby improving geochronological control in these climate sensitive, near-coastal environments.

Application of a temperature-dependent fluorescent dye (Rhodamine B) to the measurement of radiofrequency radiation-induced temperature changes in biological samples.

PubMed

Chen, Yuen Y; Wood, Andrew W

2009-10-01

We have applied a non-contact method for studying the temperature changes produced by radiofrequency (RF) radiation specifically to small biological samples. A temperature-dependent fluorescent dye, Rhodamine B, as imaged by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) was used to do this. The results were calibrated against real-time temperature measurements from fiber optic probes, with a calibration factor of 3.4% intensity change degrees C(-1) and a reproducibility of +/-6%. This non-contact method provided two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of temperature change and distributions in biological samples, at a spatial resolution of a few micrometers and with an estimated absolute precision of around 1.5 degrees C, with a differential precision of 0.4 degree C. Temperature rise within tissue was found to be non-uniform. Estimates of specific absorption rate (SAR) from absorbed power measurements were greater than those estimated from rate of temperature rise, measured at 1 min intervals, probably because this interval is too long to permit accurate estimation of initial temperature rise following start of RF exposure. Future experiments will aim to explore this.

Smart manipulation of ratio spectra for resolving a pharmaceutical mixture of Methocarbamol and Paracetamol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Essam, Hebatallah M.; Abd-El Rahman, Mohamed K.

2015-04-01

Two smart, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods manipulating ratio spectra are developed for simultaneous determination of Methocarbamol (METH) and Paracetamol (PAR) in their combined pharmaceutical formulation without preliminary separation. Method A, is an extended ratio subtraction one (EXRSM) coupled with ratio subtraction method (RSM), which depends on subtraction of the plateau values from the ratio spectrum. Method B is a ratio difference spectrophotometric one (RDM) which measures the difference in amplitudes of ratio spectra between 278 and 286 nm for METH and 247 and 260 nm for PAR. The calibration curves are linear over the concentration range of 10-100 μg mL-1 and 2-20 μg mL-1 for METH and PAR, respectively. The specificity of the developed methods was investigated by analyzing different laboratory prepared mixtures of the two drugs. Both methods were applied successfully for the determination of the selected drugs in their combined dosage form. Furthermore, validation was performed according to ICH guidelines; accuracy, precision and repeatability are found to be within the acceptable limits. Statistical studies showed that both methods can be competitively applied in quality control laboratories.

The Geoscience Laser Altimetry/Ranging System (GLARS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, S. C.; Degnan, J. J.; Bufton, J. L.; Garvin, J. B.; Abshire, J. B.

1986-01-01

The Geoscience Laser Altimetry Ranging System (GLARS) is a highly precise distance measurement system to be used for making extremely accurate geodetic observations from a space platform. It combines the attributes of a pointable laser ranging system making observations to cube corner retroreflectors placed on the ground with those of a nadir looking laser altimeter making height observations to ground, ice sheet, and oceanic surfaces. In the ranging mode, centimeter-level precise baseline and station coordinate determinations will be made on grids consisting of 100 to 200 targets separated by distances from a few tens of kilometers to about 1000 km. These measurements will be used for studies of seismic zone crustal deformations and tectonic plate motions. Ranging measurements will also be made to a coarser, but globally distributed array of retroreflectors for both precise geodetic and orbit determination applications. In the altimetric mode, relative height determinations will be obtained with approximately decimeter vertical precision and 70 to 100 meter horizontal resolution. The height data will be used to study surface topography and roughness, ice sheet and lava flow thickness, and ocean dynamics. Waveform digitization will provide a measure of the vertical extent of topography within each footprint. The planned Earth Observing System is an attractive candidate platform for GLARS since the GLAR data can be used both for direct analyses and for highly precise orbit determination needed in the reduction of data from other sensors on the multi-instrument platform. (1064, 532, and 355 nm)Nd:YAG laser meets the performance specifications for the system.

Preformed Frequencies of Cytomegalovirus (CMV)–Specific Memory T and B Cells Identify Protected CMV-Sensitized Individuals Among Seronegative Kidney Transplant Recipients

PubMed Central

Lúcia, Marc; Crespo, Elena; Melilli, Edoardo; Cruzado, Josep M.; Luque, Sergi; Llaudó, Inés; Niubó, Jordi; Torras, Joan; Fernandez, Núria; Grinyó, Josep M.; Bestard, Oriol

2014-01-01

Background. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection remains a major complication after kidney transplantation. Baseline CMV risk is typically determined by the serological presence of preformed CMV-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies, even though T-cell responses to major viral antigens are crucial when controlling viral replication. Some IgG-seronegative patients who receive an IgG-seropositive allograft do not develop CMV infection despite not receiving prophylaxis. We hypothesized that a more precise evaluation of pretransplant CMV-specific immune-sensitization using the B and T-cell enzyme-linked immunospot assays may identify CMV-sensitized individuals more accurately, regardless of serological evidence of CMV-specific IgG titers. Methods. We compared the presence of preformed CMV-specific memory B and T cells in kidney transplant recipients between 43 CMV IgG–seronegative (sR−) and 86 CMV IgG–seropositive (sR+) patients. Clinical outcome was evaluated in both groups. Results. All sR+ patients showed a wide range of CMV-specific memory T- and B-cell responses. High memory T- and B-cell frequencies were also clearly detected in 30% of sR− patients, and those with high CMV-specific T-cell frequencies had a significantly lower incidence of late CMV infection after prophylactic therapy. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for predicting CMV viremia and disease showed a high area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (>0.8), which translated into a high sensitivity and negative predictive value of the test. Conclusions. Assessment of CMV-specific memory T- and B-cell responses before kidney transplantation among sR− recipients may help identify immunized individuals more precisely, being ultimately at lower risk for CMV infection. PMID:25048845

Assessing the likely value of gravity and drawdown measurements to constrain estimates of hydraulic conductivity and specific yield during unconfined aquifer testing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blainey, Joan B.; Ferré, Ty P.A.; Cordova, Jeffrey T.

2007-01-01

Pumping of an unconfined aquifer can cause local desaturation detectable with high‐resolution gravimetry. A previous study showed that signal‐to‐noise ratios could be predicted for gravity measurements based on a hydrologic model. We show that although changes should be detectable with gravimeters, estimations of hydraulic conductivity and specific yield based on gravity data alone are likely to be unacceptably inaccurate and imprecise. In contrast, a transect of low‐quality drawdown data alone resulted in accurate estimates of hydraulic conductivity and inaccurate and imprecise estimates of specific yield. Combined use of drawdown and gravity data, or use of high‐quality drawdown data alone, resulted in unbiased and precise estimates of both parameters. This study is an example of the value of a staged assessment regarding the likely significance of a new measurement method or monitoring scenario before collecting field data.

A robust statistical estimation (RoSE) algorithm jointly recovers the 3D location and intensity of single molecules accurately and precisely

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazidi, Hesam; Nehorai, Arye; Lew, Matthew D.

2018-02-01

In single-molecule (SM) super-resolution microscopy, the complexity of a biological structure, high molecular density, and a low signal-to-background ratio (SBR) may lead to imaging artifacts without a robust localization algorithm. Moreover, engineered point spread functions (PSFs) for 3D imaging pose difficulties due to their intricate features. We develop a Robust Statistical Estimation algorithm, called RoSE, that enables joint estimation of the 3D location and photon counts of SMs accurately and precisely using various PSFs under conditions of high molecular density and low SBR.

Linear signal noise summer accurately determines and controls S/N ratio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sundry, J. L.

1966-01-01

Linear signal noise summer precisely controls the relative power levels of signal and noise, and mixes them linearly in accurately known ratios. The S/N ratio accuracy and stability are greatly improved by this technique and are attained simultaneously.

Specific material recognition by small peptides mediated by the interfacial solvent structure.

PubMed

Schneider, Julian; Ciacchi, Lucio Colombi

2012-02-01

We present evidence that specific material recognition by small peptides is governed by local solvent density variations at solid/liquid interfaces, sensed by the side-chain residues with atomic-scale precision. In particular, we unveil the origin of the selectivity of the binding motif RKLPDA for Ti over Si using a combination of metadynamics and steered molecular dynamics simulations, obtaining adsorption free energies and adhesion forces in quantitative agreement with corresponding experiments. For an accurate description, we employ realistic models of the natively oxidized surfaces which go beyond the commonly used perfect crystal surfaces. These results have profound implications for nanotechnology and materials science applications, offering a previously missing structure-function relationship for the rational design of materials-selective peptide sequences. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Augmented reality system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chien-Liang; Su, Yu-Zheng; Hung, Min-Wei; Huang, Kuo-Cheng

2010-08-01

In recent years, Augmented Reality (AR)[1][2][3] is very popular in universities and research organizations. The AR technology has been widely used in Virtual Reality (VR) fields, such as sophisticated weapons, flight vehicle development, data model visualization, virtual training, entertainment and arts. AR has characteristics to enhance the display output as a real environment with specific user interactive functions or specific object recognitions. It can be use in medical treatment, anatomy training, precision instrument casting, warplane guidance, engineering and distance robot control. AR has a lot of vantages than VR. This system developed combines sensors, software and imaging algorithms to make users feel real, actual and existing. Imaging algorithms include gray level method, image binarization method, and white balance method in order to make accurate image recognition and overcome the effects of light.

Breslow Density Is a Novel Prognostic Feature That Adds Value to Melanoma Staging.

PubMed

Saldanha, Gerald; Yarrow, Jeremy; Pancholi, Jay; Flatman, Katarina; Teo, Kah Wee; Elsheik, Somaia; Harrison, Rebecca; O'Riordan, Marie; Bamford, Mark

2018-06-01

Histomorphologic prognostic biomarkers that can be measured using only an hematoxylin and eosin stain are very attractive because they are simple and cheap. We conceived an entirely novel biomarker of this type, the Breslow density (BD), which measures invasive melanoma cell density at the site where Breslow thickness (BT) is measured. This study assessed BD's prognostic value. In this study, BD was measured in 1329 melanoma patients. Measurement accuracy and precision was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Survival was assessed with a primary end-point of melanoma-specific survival (MSS) and also overall survival and metastasis-free survival. We found that BD measurement was accurate compared with gold standard image analysis (ICC, 0.84). Precision was excellent for 3 observers with different experience (ICC, 0.93) and for an observer using only written instructions (ICC, 0.93). BD was a highly significant predictor in multivariable analysis for overall survival, MSS, and metastasis-free survival (each, P<0.001) and it explained MSS better than BT, but BT and BD together had best explanatory capability. A BD cut point of ≥65% was trained in 970 melanomas and validated in 359. This cut point showed promise as a novel way to upstage melanoma from T stage "a" to "b." BD was combined with BT to create a targeted burden score. This was a validated as an adjunct to American Joint Committee on Cancer stage. In summary, BD can be measured accurately and precisely. It demonstrated independent prognostic value and explained MSS better than BT alone. Notably, we demonstrated ways that BD could be used with American Joint Committee on Cancer version 8 staging.

Development and validation of high-performance liquid chromatography and high-performance thin-layer chromatography methods for the quantification of khellin in Ammi visnaga seed

PubMed Central

Kamal, Abid; Khan, Washim; Ahmad, Sayeed; Ahmad, F. J.; Saleem, Kishwar

2015-01-01

Objective: The present study was used to design simple, accurate and sensitive reversed phase-high-performance liquid chromatography RP-HPLC and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) methods for the development of quantification of khellin present in the seeds of Ammi visnaga. Materials and Methods: RP-HPLC analysis was performed on a C18 column with methanol: Water (75: 25, v/v) as a mobile phase. The HPTLC method involved densitometric evaluation of khellin after resolving it on silica gel plate using ethyl acetate: Toluene: Formic acid (5.5:4.0:0.5, v/v/v) as a mobile phase. Results: The developed HPLC and HPTLC methods were validated for precision (interday, intraday and intersystem), robustness and accuracy, limit of detection and limit of quantification. The relationship between the concentration of standard solutions and the peak response was linear in both HPLC and HPTLC methods with the concentration range of 10–80 μg/mL in HPLC and 25–1,000 ng/spot in HPTLC for khellin. The % relative standard deviation values for method precision was found to be 0.63–1.97%, 0.62–2.05% in HPLC and HPTLC for khellin respectively. Accuracy of the method was checked by recovery studies conducted at three different concentration levels and the average percentage recovery was found to be 100.53% in HPLC and 100.08% in HPTLC for khellin. Conclusions: The developed HPLC and HPTLC methods for the quantification of khellin were found simple, precise, specific, sensitive and accurate which can be used for routine analysis and quality control of A. visnaga and several formulations containing it as an ingredient. PMID:26681890

High precision, rapid laser hole drilling

DOEpatents

Chang, Jim J.; Friedman, Herbert W.; Comaskey, Brian J.

2007-03-20

A laser system produces a first laser beam for rapidly removing the bulk of material in an area to form a ragged hole. The laser system produces a second laser beam for accurately cleaning up the ragged hole so that the final hole has dimensions of high precision.

High precision, rapid laser hole drilling

DOEpatents

Chang, Jim J.; Friedman, Herbert W.; Comaskey, Brian J.

2005-03-08

A laser system produces a first laser beam for rapidly removing the bulk of material in an area to form a ragged hole. The laser system produces a second laser beam for accurately cleaning up the ragged hole so that the final hole has dimensions of high precision.

High precision, rapid laser hole drilling

DOEpatents

Chang, Jim J.; Friedman, Herbert W.; Comaskey, Brian J.

2013-04-02

A laser system produces a first laser beam for rapidly removing the bulk of material in an area to form a ragged hole. The laser system produces a second laser beam for accurately cleaning up the ragged hole so that the final hole has dimensions of high precision.

Delay times of a LiDAR-guided precision sprayer control system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Accurate flow control systems in triggering sprays against detected targets are needed for precision variable-rate sprayer development. System delay times due to the laser-sensor data buffer, software operation, and hydraulic-mechanical component response were determined for a control system used fo...

A Statistical Guide to the Design of Deep Mutational Scanning Experiments

PubMed Central

Matuszewski, Sebastian; Hildebrandt, Marcel E.; Ghenu, Ana-Hermina; Jensen, Jeffrey D.; Bank, Claudia

2016-01-01

The characterization of the distribution of mutational effects is a key goal in evolutionary biology. Recently developed deep-sequencing approaches allow for accurate and simultaneous estimation of the fitness effects of hundreds of engineered mutations by monitoring their relative abundance across time points in a single bulk competition. Naturally, the achievable resolution of the estimated fitness effects depends on the specific experimental setup, the organism and type of mutations studied, and the sequencing technology utilized, among other factors. By means of analytical approximations and simulations, we provide guidelines for optimizing time-sampled deep-sequencing bulk competition experiments, focusing on the number of mutants, the sequencing depth, and the number of sampled time points. Our analytical results show that sampling more time points together with extending the duration of the experiment improves the achievable precision disproportionately compared with increasing the sequencing depth or reducing the number of competing mutants. Even if the duration of the experiment is fixed, sampling more time points and clustering these at the beginning and the end of the experiment increase experimental power and allow for efficient and precise assessment of the entire range of selection coefficients. Finally, we provide a formula for calculating the 95%-confidence interval for the measurement error estimate, which we implement as an interactive web tool. This allows for quantification of the maximum expected a priori precision of the experimental setup, as well as for a statistical threshold for determining deviations from neutrality for specific selection coefficient estimates. PMID:27412710

Improving precise positioning of surgical robotic instruments by a three-side-view presentation system on telesurgery.

PubMed

Hori, Kenta; Kuroda, Tomohiro; Oyama, Hiroshi; Ozaki, Yasuhiko; Nakamura, Takehiko; Takahashi, Takashi

2005-12-01

For faultless collaboration among the surgeon, surgical staffs, and surgical robots in telesurgery, communication must include environmental information of the remote operating room, such as behavior of robots and staffs, vital information of a patient, named supporting information, in addition to view of surgical field. "Surgical Cockpit System, " which is a telesurgery support system that has been developed by the authors, is mainly focused on supporting information exchange between remote sites. Live video presentation is important technology for Surgical Cockpit System. Visualization method to give precise location/posture of surgical instruments is indispensable for accurate control and faultless operation. In this paper, the authors propose three-side-view presentation method for precise location/posture control of surgical instruments in telesurgery. The experimental results show that the proposed method improved accurate positioning of a telemanipulator.

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

Buehler, Marc; Tartaglia, Michael; Tompkins, John

The Mu2e experiment at Fermilab is designed to explore charged lepton flavor violation by searching for muon-to-electron conversion. The magnetic field generated by a system of solenoids is crucial for Mu2e and requires accurate characterization to detect any flaws and to produce a detailed field map. Stringent physics goals are driving magnetic field specifications for the Mu2e solenoids. A field mapper is being designed, which will produce detailed magnetic field maps. The uniform field region of the spectrometer volume requires the highest level of precision (1 Gauss per 1 Tesla). During commissioning, multiple magnetic field maps will be generated tomore » verify proper alignment of all magnet coils, and to create the final magnetic field map. In order to design and build a precise field mapping system consisting of Hall and NRM probes, tolerances and precision for such a system need to be evaluated. In this paper we present a design for the Mu2e field mapping hardware, and discuss results from OPERA-3D simulations to specify parameters for Hall and NMR probes. We also present a fitting procedure for the analytical treatment of our expected magnetic measurements.« less

A comparative study of smart spectrophotometric methods for simultaneous determination of a skeletal muscle relaxant and an analgesic in combined dosage form.

PubMed

Salem, Hesham; Mohamed, Dalia

2015-04-05

Six simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods were developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of the analgesic drug; paracetamol (PARA) and the skeletal muscle relaxant; dantrolene sodium (DANT). Three methods are manipulating ratio spectra namely; ratio difference (RD), ratio subtraction (RS) and mean centering (MC). The other three methods are utilizing the isoabsorptive point either at zero order namely; absorbance ratio (AR) and absorbance subtraction (AS) or at ratio spectrum namely; amplitude modulation (AM). The proposed spectrophotometric procedures do not require any preliminary separation step. The accuracy, precision and linearity ranges of the proposed methods were determined. The selectivity of the developed methods was investigated by analyzing laboratory prepared mixtures of the drugs and their combined dosage form. Standard deviation values are less than 1.5 in the assay of raw materials and capsules. The obtained results were statistically compared with each other and with those of reported spectrophotometric ones. The comparison showed that there is no significant difference between the proposed methods and the reported methods regarding both accuracy and precision. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validation of a motor activity system by a robotically controlled vehicle and using standard reference compounds.

PubMed

Patterson, John P; Markgraf, Carrie G; Cirino, Maria; Bass, Alan S

2005-01-01

A series of experiments were undertaken to evaluate the accuracy, precision, specificity, and sensitivity of an automated, infrared photo beam-based open field motor activity system, the MotorMonitor v. 4.01, Hamilton-Kinder, LLC, for use in a good laboratory practices (GLP) Safety Pharmacology laboratory. This evaluation consisted of two phases: (1) system validation, employing known inputs using the EM-100 Controller Photo Beam Validation System, a robotically controlled vehicle representing a rodent and (2) biologic validation, employing groups of rats treated with the standard pharmacologic agents diazepam or D-amphetamine. The MotorMonitor's parameters that described the open-field activity of a subject were: basic movements, total distance, fine movements, x/y horizontal ambulations, rearing, and total rest time. These measurements were evaluated over a number of zones within each enclosure. System validation with the EM-100 Controller Photo Beam Validation System showed that all the parameters accurately and precisely measured what they were intended to measure, with the exception of fine movements and x/y ambulations. Biologic validation using the central nervous system depressant diazepam at 1, 2, or 5 mg/kg, i.p. produced the expected dose-dependent reduction in rat motor activity. In contrast, the central nervous system stimulant D-amphetamine produced the expected increases in rat motor activity at 0.1 and 1 mg/kg, i.p, demonstrating the specificity and sensitivity of the system. Taken together, these studies of the accuracy, precision, specificity, and sensitivity show the importance of both system and biologic validation in the evaluation of an automated open field motor activity system for use in a GLP compliant laboratory.

FRBs: We are realfast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bower, Geoffrey C.; Spolaor, Sarah; Law, Casey J.; Demorest, Paul; Butler, Bryan J.; Rupen, Michael P.; Lazio, T. Joseph W.; Vander Wiel, Scott; Lawrence, Earl

2016-01-01

We present "realfast": a new quasi-real-time system on the Very Large Array to search for and precisely localize fast radio bursts and other millisecond transients. Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are dispersed, millisecond-duration radio signals whose origins have remained a mystery since their first discovery in 2007. Circumstantial evidence has been building of an extragalactic origin for FRBs, and real-time systems on single dish telescopes have enabled extensive follow-up of recent discoveries at other wavelengths. However, the single dishes that have discovered FRBs to date cannot sufficiently localize FRBs to tie them to a specific origin; they also are unable to accurately measure a flux density of FRBs. The ability to perform sub-arcsecond localization of an FRB is absolutely critical for both tying its origin to a host (galaxy, star, blank field, etc.), for enabling extensive tracking to identify the FRB progenitor, and for enabling confident intensity measurements.The realfast system on the VLA has now been implemented to perform imaging at 5ms cadence and has a survey speed comparable to that of the world's most prodigious FRB-finder, Parkes Telescope. In this presentation we will describe the implementation of the realfast system, and demonstrate our unique ability to precisely localize FRBs in quasi-real-time. Our observing system is well-characterized, which also allows us to provide accurate sensitivity limits and flux measurements upon FRB detection.

Simultaneous Estimation of Withaferin A and Z-Guggulsterone in Marketed Formulation by RP-HPLC.

PubMed

Agrawal, Poonam; Vegda, Rashmi; Laddha, Kirti

2015-07-01

A simple, rapid, precise and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for simultaneous estimation of withaferin A and Z-guggulsterone in a polyherbal formulation containing Withania somnifera and Commiphora wightii. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Purosphere RP-18 column (particle size 5 µm) with a mobile phase consisting of Solvent A (acetonitrile) and Solvent B (water) with the following gradients: 0-7 min, 50% A in B; 7-9 min, 50-80% A in B; 9-20 min, 80% A in B at a flow rate of 1 mL/min and detection at 235 nm. The marker compounds were well separated on the chromatogram within 20 min. The results obtained indicate accuracy and reliability of the developed simultaneous HPLC method for the quantification of withaferin A and Z-guggulsterone. The proposed method was found to be reproducible, specific, precise and accurate for simultaneous estimation of these marker compounds in a combined dosage form. The HPLC method was appropriate and the two markers are well resolved, enabling efficient quantitative analysis of withaferin A and Z-guggulsterone. The method can be successively used for quantitative analysis of these two marker constituents in combination of marketed polyherbal formulation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Liquid chromatographic determination of oxytetracycline in edible fish fillets from six species of fish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meinertz, J.R.; Stehly, G.R.; Gingerich, W.H.

1998-01-01

The approved use of oxytetracycline (OTC) in U.S. Aquaculture is limited to specific diseases in salmonids and channel catfish. OTC may also be effective in controlling diseases in other fish species important to public aquaculture, but before approved use of OTC can be augmented, an analytical method for determining OTC in fillet tissue from multiple species of fish will be required to support residue depletion studies. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a liquid chromatographic (LC) method that is accurate, precise, and sensitive for OTC in edible fillets from multiple species of fish. Homogenized fillet tissues from walleye, Atlantic salmon, striped bass, white sturgeon, rainbow trout, and channel catfish were fortified with OTC at nominal concentrations of 10, 20, 100, 1000, and 5000 ng/g. In tissues fortified with OTC at 100, 1000, and 5000 ng/g, mean recoveries ranged from 83 to 90%, and relative standard deviations (RSDs) ranged from 0.9 to 5.8%. In all other tissues, mean recoveries ranged from 59 to 98%, and RSDs ranged from 3.3 to 20%. Method quantitation limits ranged from 6 to 22 ng/g for the 6 species. The LC parameters produced easily integratable OTC peaks without coelution of endogenous compounds. The method is accurate, precise, and sensitive for OTC in fillet tissue from 6 species of fish from 5 phylogenetically diverse groups.

Assessment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Imagery for Quantitative Monitoring of Wheat Crop in Small Plots

PubMed Central

Lelong, Camille C. D.; Burger, Philippe; Jubelin, Guillaume; Roux, Bruno; Labbé, Sylvain; Baret, Frédéric

2008-01-01

This paper outlines how light Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) can be used in remote sensing for precision farming. It focuses on the combination of simple digital photographic cameras with spectral filters, designed to provide multispectral images in the visible and near-infrared domains. In 2005, these instruments were fitted to powered glider and parachute, and flown at six dates staggered over the crop season. We monitored ten varieties of wheat, grown in trial micro-plots in the South-West of France. For each date, we acquired multiple views in four spectral bands corresponding to blue, green, red, and near-infrared. We then performed accurate corrections of image vignetting, geometric distortions, and radiometric bidirectional effects. Afterwards, we derived for each experimental micro-plot several vegetation indexes relevant for vegetation analyses. Finally, we sought relationships between these indexes and field-measured biophysical parameters, both generic and date-specific. Therefore, we established a robust and stable generic relationship between, in one hand, leaf area index and NDVI and, in the other hand, nitrogen uptake and GNDVI. Due to a high amount of noise in the data, it was not possible to obtain a more accurate model for each date independently. A validation protocol showed that we could expect a precision level of 15% in the biophysical parameters estimation while using these relationships. PMID:27879893

Using Expectancy Theory to quantitatively dissociate the neural representation of motivation from its influential factors in the human brain: An fMRI study.

PubMed

Kohli, Akshay; Blitzer, David N; Lefco, Ray W; Barter, Joseph W; Haynes, M Ryan; Colalillo, Sam A; Ly, Martina; Zink, Caroline F

2018-05-08

Researchers have yet to apply a formal operationalized theory of motivation to neurobiology that would more accurately and precisely define neural activity underlying motivation. We overcome this challenge with the novel application of the Expectancy Theory of Motivation to human fMRI to identify brain activity that explicitly reflects motivation. Expectancy Theory quantitatively describes how individual constructs determine motivation by defining motivation force as the product of three variables: expectancy - belief that effort will better performance; instrumentality - belief that successful performance leads to particular outcome, and valence - outcome desirability. Here, we manipulated information conveyed by reward-predicting cues such that relative cue-evoked activity patterns could be statistically mapped to individual Expectancy Theory variables. The variable associated with activity in any voxel is only reported if it replicated between two groups of healthy participants. We found signals in midbrain, ventral striatum, sensorimotor cortex, and visual cortex that specifically map to motivation itself, rather than other factors. This is important because, for the first time, it empirically clarifies approach motivation neural signals during reward anticipation. It also highlights the effectiveness of the application of Expectancy Theory to neurobiology to more precisely and accurately probe motivation neural correlates than has been achievable previously. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

27 CFR 30.23 - Use of precision hydrometers and thermometers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... hydrometers and thermometers. 30.23 Section 30.23 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO... Use of precision hydrometers and thermometers. Care should be exercised to obtain accurate hydrometer... entire quantity. The hydrometers should be kept clean and free of any oily substance. Immediately before...

Precision Teaching, Frequency-Building, and Ballet Dancing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lokke, Gunn E. H.; Lokke, Jon A.; Arntzen, Erick

2008-01-01

This article reports the effectiveness of a brief intervention aimed at achieving fluency in basic ballet moves in a 9-year-old Norwegian girl by use of frequency-building and Precision Teaching procedures. One nonfluent ballet move was pinpointed, and instructional and training procedures designed to increase the frequency of accurate responding…

Active remote sensing.

Treesearch

Hans-Erik Andersen; Stephen E. Reutebuch; Robert J. McGaughey

2006-01-01

The development of remote sensing technologies increases the potential to support more precise, efficient, and ecologically-sensitive approaches to forest resource management. One of the primary requirements of precision forest management is accurate and detailed 3D spatial data relating to the type and condition of forest stands and characteristics of the underlying...

MEASURING THE MASS OF SOLAR SYSTEM PLANETS USING PULSAR TIMING

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

Champion, D. J.; Hobbs, G. B.; Manchester, R. N.

High-precision pulsar timing relies on a solar system ephemeris in order to convert times of arrival (TOAs) of pulses measured at an observatory to the solar system barycenter. Any error in the conversion to the barycentric TOAs leads to a systematic variation in the observed timing residuals; specifically, an incorrect planetary mass leads to a predominantly sinusoidal variation having a period and phase associated with the planet's orbital motion about the Sun. By using an array of pulsars (PSRs J0437-4715, J1744-1134, J1857+0943, J1909-3744), the masses of the planetary systems from Mercury to Saturn have been determined. These masses are consistentmore » with the best-known masses determined by spacecraft observations, with the mass of the Jovian system, 9.547921(2) x10{sup -4} M {sub sun}, being significantly more accurate than the mass determined from the Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft, and consistent with but less accurate than the value from the Galileo spacecraft. While spacecraft are likely to produce the most accurate measurements for individual solar system bodies, the pulsar technique is sensitive to planetary system masses and has the potential to provide the most accurate values of these masses for some planets.« less

Determination of soluble immunoglobulin G in bovine colostrum products by Protein G affinity chromatography-turbidity correction and method validation.

PubMed

Holland, Patrick T; Cargill, Anne; Selwood, Andrew I; Arnold, Kate; Krammer, Jacqueline L; Pearce, Kevin N

2011-05-25

Immunoglobulin-containing food products and nutraceuticals such as bovine colostrum are of interest to consumers as they may provide health benefits. Commercial scale colostrum products are valued for their immunoglobulin G (IgG) content and therefore require accurate analysis. One of the most commonly used methods for determining total soluble IgG in colostrum products is based on affinity chromatography using a Protein G column and UV detection. This paper documents improvements to the accuracy of the Protein G analysis of IgG in colostrum products, especially those containing aggregated forms of IgG. Capillary electrophoresis-sodium dodecyl sulfate (CE-SDS) analysis confirmed that aggregated IgG measured by Protein G does not contain significant amounts of casein or other milk proteins. Size exclusion chromatography identified the content of soluble IgG as mainly monomeric IgG and aggregated material MW > 450 kDa with small amounts of dimer and trimer. The turbidity of the eluting IgG, mainly associated with aggregated IgG, had a significant effect on the quantitative results. Practical techniques were developed to correct affinity LC data for turbidity on an accurate, consistent, and efficient basis. The method was validated in two laboratories using a variety of colostrum powders. Precision for IgG was 2-3% (RSD(r)) and 3-12% (RSD(R)). Recovery was 100.2 ± 2.4% (mean ± RSD, n = 10). Greater amounts of aggregated IgG were solubilized by a higher solution:sample ratio and extended times of mixing or sonication, especially for freeze-dried material. It is concluded that the method without acid precipitation and with turbidity correction provides accurate, precise, and robust data for total soluble IgG and is suitable for product specification and quality control of colostrum products.

Myocardial T1 mapping at 3.0 tesla using an inversion recovery spoiled gradient echo readout and bloch equation simulation with slice profile correction (BLESSPC) T1 estimation algorithm.

PubMed

Shao, Jiaxin; Rapacchi, Stanislas; Nguyen, Kim-Lien; Hu, Peng

2016-02-01

To develop an accurate and precise myocardial T1 mapping technique using an inversion recovery spoiled gradient echo readout at 3.0 Tesla (T). The modified Look-Locker inversion-recovery (MOLLI) sequence was modified to use fast low angle shot (FLASH) readout, incorporating a BLESSPC (Bloch Equation Simulation with Slice Profile Correction) T1 estimation algorithm, for accurate myocardial T1 mapping. The FLASH-MOLLI with BLESSPC fitting was compared with different approaches and sequences with regards to T1 estimation accuracy, precision and image artifact based on simulation, phantom studies, and in vivo studies of 10 healthy volunteers and three patients at 3.0 Tesla. The FLASH-MOLLI with BLESSPC fitting yields accurate T1 estimation (average error = -5.4 ± 15.1 ms, percentage error = -0.5% ± 1.2%) for T1 from 236-1852 ms and heart rate from 40-100 bpm in phantom studies. The FLASH-MOLLI sequence prevented off-resonance artifacts in all 10 healthy volunteers at 3.0T. In vivo, there was no significant difference between FLASH-MOLLI-derived myocardial T1 values and "ShMOLLI+IE" derived values (1458.9 ± 20.9 ms versus 1464.1 ± 6.8 ms, P = 0.50); However, the average precision by FLASH-MOLLI was significantly better than that generated by "ShMOLLI+IE" (1.84 ± 0.36% variance versus 3.57 ± 0.94%, P < 0.001). The FLASH-MOLLI with BLESSPC fitting yields accurate and precise T1 estimation, and eliminates banding artifacts associated with bSSFP at 3.0T. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of an automatic MR-based gold fiducial marker localisation method for MR-only prostate radiotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maspero, Matteo; van den Berg, Cornelis A. T.; Zijlstra, Frank; Sikkes, Gonda G.; de Boer, Hans C. J.; Meijer, Gert J.; Kerkmeijer, Linda G. W.; Viergever, Max A.; Lagendijk, Jan J. W.; Seevinck, Peter R.

2017-10-01

An MR-only radiotherapy planning (RTP) workflow would reduce the cost, radiation exposure and uncertainties introduced by CT-MRI registrations. In the case of prostate treatment, one of the remaining challenges currently holding back the implementation of an RTP workflow is the MR-based localisation of intraprostatic gold fiducial markers (FMs), which is crucial for accurate patient positioning. Currently, MR-based FM localisation is clinically performed manually. This is sub-optimal, as manual interaction increases the workload. Attempts to perform automatic FM detection often rely on being able to detect signal voids induced by the FMs in magnitude images. However, signal voids may not always be sufficiently specific, hampering accurate and robust automatic FM localisation. Here, we present an approach that aims at automatic MR-based FM localisation. This method is based on template matching using a library of simulated complex-valued templates, and exploiting the behaviour of the complex MR signal in the vicinity of the FM. Clinical evaluation was performed on seventeen prostate cancer patients undergoing external beam radiotherapy treatment. Automatic MR-based FM localisation was compared to manual MR-based and semi-automatic CT-based localisation (the current gold standard) in terms of detection rate and the spatial accuracy and precision of localisation. The proposed method correctly detected all three FMs in 15/17 patients. The spatial accuracy (mean) and precision (STD) were 0.9 mm and 0.5 mm respectively, which is below the voxel size of 1.1 × 1.1 × 1.2 mm3 and comparable to MR-based manual localisation. FM localisation failed (3/51 FMs) in the presence of bleeding or calcifications in the direct vicinity of the FM. The method was found to be spatially accurate and precise, which is essential for clinical use. To overcome any missed detection, we envision the use of the proposed method along with verification by an observer. This will result in a semi-automatic workflow facilitating the introduction of an MR-only workflow.

Validation of different spectrophotometric methods for determination of vildagliptin and metformin in binary mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdel-Ghany, Maha F.; Abdel-Aziz, Omar; Ayad, Miriam F.; Tadros, Mariam M.

New, simple, specific, accurate, precise and reproducible spectrophotometric methods have been developed and subsequently validated for determination of vildagliptin (VLG) and metformin (MET) in binary mixture. Zero order spectrophotometric method was the first method used for determination of MET in the range of 2-12 μg mL-1 by measuring the absorbance at 237.6 nm. The second method was derivative spectrophotometric technique; utilized for determination of MET at 247.4 nm, in the range of 1-12 μg mL-1. Derivative ratio spectrophotometric method was the third technique; used for determination of VLG in the range of 4-24 μg mL-1 at 265.8 nm. Fourth and fifth methods adopted for determination of VLG in the range of 4-24 μg mL-1; were ratio subtraction and mean centering spectrophotometric methods, respectively. All the results were statistically compared with the reported methods, using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The developed methods were satisfactorily applied to analysis of the investigated drugs and proved to be specific and accurate for quality control of them in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Design of a Soil Cutting Resistance Sensor for Application in Site-Specific Tillage

PubMed Central

Agüera, Juan; Carballido, Jacob; Gil, Jesús; Gliever, Chris J.; Perez-Ruiz, Manuel

2013-01-01

One objective of precision agriculture is to provide accurate information about soil and crop properties to optimize the management of agricultural inputs to meet site-specific needs. This paper describes the development of a sensor equipped with RTK-GPS technology that continuously and efficiently measures soil cutting resistance at various depths while traversing the field. Laboratory and preliminary field tests verified the accuracy of this prototype soil strength sensor. The data obtained using a hand-operated soil cone penetrometer was used to evaluate this field soil compaction depth profile sensor. To date, this sensor has only been tested in one field under one gravimetric water content condition. This field test revealed that the relationships between the soil strength profile sensor (SSPS) cutting force and soil cone index values are assumed to be quadratic for the various depths considered: 0–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm (r2 = 0.58, 0.45 and 0.54, respectively). Soil resistance contour maps illustrated its practical value. The developed sensor provides accurate, timely and affordable information on soil properties to optimize resources and improve agricultural economy. PMID:23666127

Changes in body composition of neonatal piglets during growth

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

During studies of neonatal piglet growth it is important to be able to accurately assess changes in body composition. Previous studies have demonstrated that quantitative magnetic resonance (QMR) provides precise and accurate measurements of total body fat mass, lean mass and total body water in non...

Accuracy of Surgery Clerkship Performance Raters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Littlefield, John H.; And Others

1991-01-01

Interrater reliability in numerical ratings of clerkship performance (n=1,482 students) in five surgery programs was studied. Raters were classified as accurate or moderately or significantly stringent or lenient. Results indicate that increasing the proportion of accurate raters would substantially improve the precision of class rankings. (MSE)

On-Orbit Autonomous Assembly from Nanosatellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murchison, Luke S.; Martinez, Andres; Petro, Andrew

2015-01-01

The On-Orbit Autonomous Assembly from Nanosatellites (OAAN) project will demonstrate autonomous control algorithms for rendezvous and docking maneuvers; low-power reconfigurable magnetic docking technology; and compact, lightweight and inexpensive precision relative navigation using carrier-phase differential (CD) GPS with a three-degree of freedom ground demonstration. CDGPS is a specific relative position determination method that measures the phase of the GPS carrier wave to yield relative position data accurate to.4 inch (1 centimeter). CDGPS is a technology commonly found in the surveying industry. The development and demonstration of these technologies will fill a current gap in the availability of proven autonomous rendezvous and docking systems for small satellites.

Anatomically accurate individual face modeling.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; Prakash, Edmond C; Sung, Eric

2003-01-01

This paper presents a new 3D face model of a specific person constructed from the anatomical perspective. By exploiting the laser range data, a 3D facial mesh precisely representing the skin geometry is reconstructed. Based on the geometric facial mesh, we develop a deformable multi-layer skin model. It takes into account the nonlinear stress-strain relationship and dynamically simulates the non-homogenous behavior of the real skin. The face model also incorporates a set of anatomically-motivated facial muscle actuators and underlying skull structure. Lagrangian mechanics governs the facial motion dynamics, dictating the dynamic deformation of facial skin in response to the muscle contraction.

The along track scanning radiometer for ERS-1 - Scan geometry and data simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prata, A. J. Fred; Cechet, Robert P.; Barton, Ian J.; Llewellyn-Jones, David T.

1990-01-01

The first European remote-sensing satellite (ERS-1), due to be launched in 1990, will carry the along track scanning radiometer (ATSR), which has been specifically designed to give accurate satellite measurements of sea surface temperature (SST). Details of the novel scanning technique used by the ATSR are given, and data from the NOAA-9 AVHRR instrument are used to simulate raw ATSR imagery. Because of the high precision of the onboard blackbodies, the active cooling of the detectors, 12-b digitization, and dual-angle capability, the ATSR promises to achieve higher-accuracy satellite-derived SSTs than are currently available.

The aluminium content of breast tissue taken from women with breast cancer.

PubMed

House, Emily; Polwart, Anthony; Darbre, Philippa; Barr, Lester; Metaxas, George; Exley, Christopher

2013-10-01

The aetiology of breast cancer is multifactorial. While there are known genetic predispositions to the disease it is probable that environmental factors are also involved. Recent research has demonstrated a regionally specific distribution of aluminium in breast tissue mastectomies while other work has suggested mechanisms whereby breast tissue aluminium might contribute towards the aetiology of breast cancer. We have looked to develop microwave digestion combined with a new form of graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry as a precise, accurate and reproducible method for the measurement of aluminium in breast tissue biopsies. We have used this method to test the thesis that there is a regional distribution of aluminium across the breast in women with breast cancer. Microwave digestion of whole breast tissue samples resulted in clear homogenous digests perfectly suitable for the determination of aluminium by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The instrument detection limit for the method was 0.48 μg/L. Method blanks were used to estimate background levels of contamination of 14.80 μg/L. The mean concentration of aluminium across all tissues was 0.39 μg Al/g tissue dry wt. There were no statistically significant regionally specific differences in the content of aluminium. We have developed a robust method for the precise and accurate measurement of aluminium in human breast tissue. There are very few such data currently available in the scientific literature and they will add substantially to our understanding of any putative role of aluminium in breast cancer. While we did not observe any statistically significant differences in aluminium content across the breast it has to be emphasised that herein we measured whole breast tissue and not defatted tissue where such a distribution was previously noted. We are very confident that the method developed herein could now be used to provide accurate and reproducible data on the aluminium content in defatted tissue and oil from such tissues and thereby contribute towards our knowledge on aluminium and any role in breast cancer. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Experimental Null Method to Guide the Development of Technical Procedures and to Control False-Positive Discovery in Quantitative Proteomics.

PubMed

Shen, Xiaomeng; Hu, Qiang; Li, Jun; Wang, Jianmin; Qu, Jun

2015-10-02

Comprehensive and accurate evaluation of data quality and false-positive biomarker discovery is critical to direct the method development/optimization for quantitative proteomics, which nonetheless remains challenging largely due to the high complexity and unique features of proteomic data. Here we describe an experimental null (EN) method to address this need. Because the method experimentally measures the null distribution (either technical or biological replicates) using the same proteomic samples, the same procedures and the same batch as the case-vs-contol experiment, it correctly reflects the collective effects of technical variability (e.g., variation/bias in sample preparation, LC-MS analysis, and data processing) and project-specific features (e.g., characteristics of the proteome and biological variation) on the performances of quantitative analysis. To show a proof of concept, we employed the EN method to assess the quantitative accuracy and precision and the ability to quantify subtle ratio changes between groups using different experimental and data-processing approaches and in various cellular and tissue proteomes. It was found that choices of quantitative features, sample size, experimental design, data-processing strategies, and quality of chromatographic separation can profoundly affect quantitative precision and accuracy of label-free quantification. The EN method was also demonstrated as a practical tool to determine the optimal experimental parameters and rational ratio cutoff for reliable protein quantification in specific proteomic experiments, for example, to identify the necessary number of technical/biological replicates per group that affords sufficient power for discovery. Furthermore, we assessed the ability of EN method to estimate levels of false-positives in the discovery of altered proteins, using two concocted sample sets mimicking proteomic profiling using technical and biological replicates, respectively, where the true-positives/negatives are known and span a wide concentration range. It was observed that the EN method correctly reflects the null distribution in a proteomic system and accurately measures false altered proteins discovery rate (FADR). In summary, the EN method provides a straightforward, practical, and accurate alternative to statistics-based approaches for the development and evaluation of proteomic experiments and can be universally adapted to various types of quantitative techniques.

Simultaneous determination of diclofenac potassium and methocarbamol in ternary mixture with guaifenesin by reversed phase liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Elkady, Ehab F

2010-09-15

New, simple, rapid and precise reversed phase liquid chromatographic (RP-LC) method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of diclofenac potassium (DP) and methocarbamol (MT) in ternary mixture with guaifenesin (GF), degradation product of methocarbamol. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Symmetry Waters C18 column (150 mm x 4. 6mm, 5 microm). Gradient elution based on phosphate buffer pH (8)-acetonitrile at a flow rate of 1 mL min(-1) was applied. The UV detector was operated at 282 nm for DP and 274 nm for MT and GF. Linearity, accuracy and precision were found to be acceptable over the concentration ranges of 0.05-16, 0.5-160 and 0.5-160 microg mL(-1) for DP, MT and GF, respectively. The optimized method proved to be specific, robust and accurate for the quality control of the cited drugs in pharmaceutical preparation. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

System-independent characterization of materials using dual-energy computed tomography

DOE PAGES

Azevedo, Stephen G.; Martz, Jr., Harry E.; Aufderheide, III, Maurice B.; ...

2016-02-01

In this study, we present a new decomposition approach for dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) called SIRZ that provides precise and accurate material description, independent of the scanner, over diagnostic energy ranges (30 to 200 keV). System independence is achieved by explicitly including a scanner-specific spectral description in the decomposition method, and a new X-ray-relevant feature space. The feature space consists of electron density, ρ e, and a new effective atomic number, Z e, which is based on published X-ray cross sections. Reference materials are used in conjunction with the system spectral response so that additional beam-hardening correction is not necessary.more » The technique is tested against other methods on DECT data of known specimens scanned by diverse spectra and systems. Uncertainties in accuracy and precision are less than 3% and 2% respectively for the (ρ e, Z e) results compared to prior methods that are inaccurate and imprecise (over 9%).« less

Development and Validation of RP-LC Method for the Determination of Cinnarizine/Piracetam and Cinnarizine/Heptaminol Acefyllinate in Presence of Cinnarizine Reported Degradation Products

PubMed Central

EL-Houssini, Ola M.; Zawilla, Nagwan H.; Mohammad, Mohammad A.

2013-01-01

Specific stability indicating reverse-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) assay method (SIAM) was developed for the determination of cinnarizine (Cinn)/piracetam (Pira) and cinnarizine (Cinn)/heptaminol acefyllinate (Hept) in the presence of the reported degradation products of Cinn. A C18 column and gradient mobile phase was applied for good resolution of all peaks. The detection was achieved at 210 nm and 254 nm for Cinn/Pira and Cinn/Hept, respectively. The responses were linear over concentration ranges of 20–200, 20–1000 and 25–1000 μgmL−1 for Cinn, Pira, and Hept respectively. The proposed method was validated for linearity, accuracy, repeatability, intermediate precision, and robustness via statistical analysis of the data. The method was shown to be precise, accurate, reproducible, sensitive, and selective for the analysis of Cinn/Pira and Cinn/Hept in laboratory prepared mixtures and in pharmaceutical formulations. PMID:24137049

A validated high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of glibenclamide in human plasma and its application to pharmacokinetic studies.

PubMed

Niopas, Ioannis; Daftsios, Athanasios C

2002-05-15

Glibenclamide is a potent second generation oral sulfonylurea antidiabetic agent widely used for the treatment of type II diabetes melitus. A rapid, sensitive, precise, accurate and specific HPLC assay for the determination of glibenclamide in human plasma was developed and validated. After addition of flufenamic acid as internal standard, the analytes were isolated from human plasma by liquid-liquid extraction. The method was linear in the 10-400 ng/ml concentration range (r > 0.999). Recovery for glibenclamide was greater than 91.5% and for internal standard was 93.5%. Within-day and between-day precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation (RSD%), ranged from 1.4 to 5.9% and 5.8 to 6.6%, respectively. Assay accuracy was better than 93.4%. The assay was used to estimate the pharmacokinetics of glibenclamide after oral administration of a 5 mg tablet of glibenclamide to 18 healthy volunteers.

BOLDSync: a MATLAB-based toolbox for synchronized stimulus presentation in functional MRI.

PubMed

Joshi, Jitesh; Saharan, Sumiti; Mandal, Pravat K

2014-02-15

Precise and synchronized presentation of paradigm stimuli in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is central to obtaining accurate information about brain regions involved in a specific task. In this manuscript, we present a new MATLAB-based toolbox, BOLDSync, for synchronized stimulus presentation in fMRI. BOLDSync provides a user friendly platform for design and presentation of visual, audio, as well as multimodal audio-visual (AV) stimuli in functional imaging experiments. We present simulation experiments that demonstrate the millisecond synchronization accuracy of BOLDSync, and also illustrate the functionalities of BOLDSync through application to an AV fMRI study. BOLDSync gains an advantage over other available proprietary and open-source toolboxes by offering a user friendly and accessible interface that affords both precision in stimulus presentation and versatility across various types of stimulus designs and system setups. BOLDSync is a reliable, efficient, and versatile solution for synchronized stimulus presentation in fMRI study. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The development of magnetic field measurement system for drift-tube linac quadrupole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Jianxin; Kang, Wen; Yin, Baogui; Peng, Quanling; Li, Li; Liu, Huachang; Gong, Keyun; Li, Bo; Chen, Qiang; Li, Shuai; Liu, Yiqin

2015-06-01

In the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) linac, a conventional 324 MHz drift-tube linac (DTL) accelerating an H- ion beam from 3 MeV to 80 MeV has been designed and manufactured. The electromagnetic quadrupoles (EMQs) are widely used in a DTL accelerator. The main challenge of DTLQ's structure is to house a strong gradient EMQ in the much reduced space of the drift-tube (DT). To verify the DTLQ's design specifications and fabrication quality, a precision harmonic coil measurement system has been developed, which is based on the high precision movement platform, the harmonic coil with ceramic frame and the special method to make the harmonic coil and the quadrupoles coaxial. After more than one year's continuous running, the magnetic field measurement system still performs accurately and stably. The field measurement of more than one hundred DTLQ has been finished. The components and function of the measurement system, the key point of the technology and the repeatability of the measurement results are described in this paper.

A Fluorescent Tile DNA Diagnocode System for In Situ Rapid and Selective Diagnosis of Cytosolic RNA Cancer Markers

PubMed Central

Park, Kyung Soo; Shin, Seung Won; Jang, Min Su; Shin, Woojung; Yang, Kisuk; Min, Junhong; Cho, Seung-Woo; Oh, Byung-Keun; Bae, Jong Wook; Jung, Sunghwan; Choi, Jeong-Woo; Um, Soong Ho

2015-01-01

Accurate cancer diagnosis often requires extraction and purification of genetic materials from cells, and sophisticated instrumentations that follow. Otherwise in order to directly treat the diagnostic materials to cells, multiple steps to optimize dose concentration and treatment time are necessary due to diversity in cellular behaviors. These processes may offer high precision but hinder fast analysis of cancer, especially in clinical situations that need rapid detection and characterization of cancer. Here we present a novel fluorescent tile DNA nanostructure delivered to cancer cytosol by employing nanoparticle technology. Its structural anisotropicity offers easy manipulation for multifunctionalities, enabling the novel DNA nanostructure to detect intracellular cancer RNA markers with high specificity within 30 minutes post treatment, while the nanoparticle property bypasses the requirement of treatment optimization, effectively reducing the complexity of applying the system for cancer diagnosis. Altogether, the system offers a precise and rapid detection of cancer, suggesting the future use in the clinical fields. PMID:26678430

Rapid measurement of macronutrients in breast milk: How reliable are infrared milk analyzers?✩

PubMed Central

Fusch, Gerhard; Rochow, Niels; Choi, Arum; Fusch, Stephanie; Poeschl, Susanna; Ubah, Adelaide Obianuju; Lee, Sau-Young; Raja, Preeya; Fusch, Christoph

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Background & aims Significant biological variation in macronutrient content of breast milk is an important barrier that needs to be overcome to meet nutritional needs of preterm infants. To analyze macronutrient content, commercial infrared milk analyzers have been proposed as efficient and practical tools in terms of efficiency and practicality. Since milk analyzers were originally developed for the dairy industry, they must be validated using a significant number of human milk samples that represent the broad range of variation in macronutrient content in preterm and term milk. Aim of this study was to validate two milk analyzers for breast milk analysis with reference methods and to determine an effective sample pretreatment. Current evidence for the influence of (i) aliquoting, (ii) storage time and (iii) temperature, and (iv) vessel wall adsorption on stability and availability of macronutrients in frozen breast milk is reviewed. Methods Breast milk samples (n = 1188) were collected from 63 mothers of preterm and term infants. Milk analyzers: (A) Near-infrared milk analyzer (Unity SpectraStar, USA) and (B) Mid-infrared milk analyzer (Miris, Sweden) were compared to reference methods, e.g. ether extraction, elemental analysis, and UPLC-MS/MS for fat, protein, and lactose, respectively. Results For fat analysis, (A) measured precisely but not accurately (y = 0.55x + 1.25, r2 = 0.85), whereas (B) measured precisely and accurately (y = 0.93x + 0.18, r2 = 0.86). For protein analysis, (A) was precise but not accurate (y = 0.55x + 0.54, r2 = 0.67) while (B) was both precise and accurate (y = 0.78x + 0.05, r2 = 0.73). For lactose analysis, both devices (A) and (B) showed two distinct concentration levels and measured therefore neither accurately nor precisely (y = 0.02x + 5.69, r2 = 0.01 and y = −0.09x + 6.62, r2 = 0.02 respectively). Macronutrient levels were unchanged in two independent samples of stored breast milk (−20 °C measured with IR; −80 °C measured with wet chemistry) over a period of 14 months. Conclusions Milk analyzers in the current configuration have the potential to be introduced in clinical routine to measure fat and protein content, but will need major adjustments. PMID:24912866

Rapid measurement of macronutrients in breast milk: How reliable are infrared milk analyzers?

PubMed

Fusch, Gerhard; Rochow, Niels; Choi, Arum; Fusch, Stephanie; Poeschl, Susanna; Ubah, Adelaide Obianuju; Lee, Sau-Young; Raja, Preeya; Fusch, Christoph

2015-06-01

Significant biological variation in macronutrient content of breast milk is an important barrier that needs to be overcome to meet nutritional needs of preterm infants. To analyze macronutrient content, commercial infrared milk analyzers have been proposed as efficient and practical tools in terms of efficiency and practicality. Since milk analyzers were originally developed for the dairy industry, they must be validated using a significant number of human milk samples that represent the broad range of variation in macronutrient content in preterm and term milk. Aim of this study was to validate two milk analyzers for breast milk analysis with reference methods and to determine an effective sample pretreatment. Current evidence for the influence of (i) aliquoting, (ii) storage time and (iii) temperature, and (iv) vessel wall adsorption on stability and availability of macronutrients in frozen breast milk is reviewed. Breast milk samples (n = 1188) were collected from 63 mothers of preterm and term infants. Milk analyzers: (A) Near-infrared milk analyzer (Unity SpectraStar, USA) and (B) Mid-infrared milk analyzer (Miris, Sweden) were compared to reference methods, e.g. ether extraction, elemental analysis, and UPLC-MS/MS for fat, protein, and lactose, respectively. For fat analysis, (A) measured precisely but not accurately (y = 0.55x + 1.25, r(2) = 0.85), whereas (B) measured precisely and accurately (y = 0.93x + 0.18, r(2) = 0.86). For protein analysis, (A) was precise but not accurate (y = 0.55x + 0.54, r(2) = 0.67) while (B) was both precise and accurate (y = 0.78x + 0.05, r(2) = 0.73). For lactose analysis, both devices (A) and (B) showed two distinct concentration levels and measured therefore neither accurately nor precisely (y = 0.02x + 5.69, r(2) = 0.01 and y = -0.09x + 6.62, r(2) = 0.02 respectively). Macronutrient levels were unchanged in two independent samples of stored breast milk (-20 °C measured with IR; -80 °C measured with wet chemistry) over a period of 14 months. Milk analyzers in the current configuration have the potential to be introduced in clinical routine to measure fat and protein content, but will need major adjustments. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Ultrathin conformal devices for precise and continuous thermal characterization of human skin

PubMed Central

Webb, R. Chad; Bonifas, Andrew P.; Behnaz, Alex; Zhang, Yihui; Yu, Ki Jun; Cheng, Huanyu; Shi, Mingxing; Bian, Zuguang; Liu, Zhuangjian; Kim, Yun-Soung; Yeo, Woon-Hong; Park, Jae Suk; Song, Jizhou; Li, Yuhang; Huang, Yonggang; Gorbach, Alexander M.; Rogers, John A.

2013-01-01

Precision thermometry of the skin can, together with other measurements, provide clinically relevant information about cardiovascular health, cognitive state, malignancy and many other important aspects of human physiology. Here, we introduce an ultrathin, compliant skin-like sensor/actuator technology that can pliably laminate onto the epidermis to provide continuous, accurate thermal characterizations that are unavailable with other methods. Examples include non-invasive spatial mapping of skin temperature with millikelvin precision, and simultaneous quantitative assessment of tissue thermal conductivity. Such devices can also be implemented in ways that reveal the time-dynamic influence of blood flow and perfusion on these properties. Experimental and theoretical studies establish the underlying principles of operation, and define engineering guidelines for device design. Evaluation of subtle variations in skin temperature associated with mental activity, physical stimulation and vasoconstriction/dilation along with accurate determination of skin hydration through measurements of thermal conductivity represent some important operational examples. PMID:24037122

Apparatus and method for variable angle slant hole collimator

DOEpatents

Lee, Seung Joon; Kross, Brian J.; McKisson, John E.

2017-07-18

A variable angle slant hole (VASH) collimator for providing collimation of high energy photons such as gamma rays during radiological imaging of humans. The VASH collimator includes a stack of multiple collimator leaves and a means of quickly aligning each leaf to provide various projection angles. Rather than rotate the detector around the subject, the VASH collimator enables the detector to remain stationary while the projection angle of the collimator is varied for tomographic acquisition. High collimator efficiency is achieved by maintaining the leaves in accurate alignment through the various projection angles. Individual leaves include unique angled cuts to maintain a precise target collimation angle. Matching wedge blocks driven by two actuators with twin-lead screws accurately position each leaf in the stack resulting in the precise target collimation angle. A computer interface with the actuators enables precise control of the projection angle of the collimator.

Ultrathin conformal devices for precise and continuous thermal characterization of human skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, R. Chad; Bonifas, Andrew P.; Behnaz, Alex; Zhang, Yihui; Yu, Ki Jun; Cheng, Huanyu; Shi, Mingxing; Bian, Zuguang; Liu, Zhuangjian; Kim, Yun-Soung; Yeo, Woon-Hong; Park, Jae Suk; Song, Jizhou; Li, Yuhang; Huang, Yonggang; Gorbach, Alexander M.; Rogers, John A.

2013-10-01

Precision thermometry of the skin can, together with other measurements, provide clinically relevant information about cardiovascular health, cognitive state, malignancy and many other important aspects of human physiology. Here, we introduce an ultrathin, compliant skin-like sensor/actuator technology that can pliably laminate onto the epidermis to provide continuous, accurate thermal characterizations that are unavailable with other methods. Examples include non-invasive spatial mapping of skin temperature with millikelvin precision, and simultaneous quantitative assessment of tissue thermal conductivity. Such devices can also be implemented in ways that reveal the time-dynamic influence of blood flow and perfusion on these properties. Experimental and theoretical studies establish the underlying principles of operation, and define engineering guidelines for device design. Evaluation of subtle variations in skin temperature associated with mental activity, physical stimulation and vasoconstriction/dilation along with accurate determination of skin hydration through measurements of thermal conductivity represent some important operational examples.

Research about the high precision temperature measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, J.; Yu, J.; Zhu, X.; Zeng, Z.; Deng, Y.

2012-12-01

High precision temperature control system is one of most important support conditions for tunable birefringent filter.As the first step,we researched some high precision temperature measurement methods for it. Firstly, circuits with a 24 bit ADC as the sensor's reader were carefully designed; Secondly, an ARM porcessor is used as the centrol processing unit, it provides sufficient reading and procesing ability; Thirdly, three kinds of sensors, PT100, Dale 01T1002-5 thermistor, Wheatstone bridge(constructed by pure copper and manganin) as the senor of the temperature were tested respectively. The resolution of the measurement with these three kinds of sensors are all better than 0.001 that's enough for 0.01 stability temperature control. Comparatively, Dale 01T1002-5 thermistor could get the most accurate temperature of the key point, Wheatstone bridge could get the most accurate mean temperature of the whole layer, both of them will be used in our futrue temperature controll system.

Distinguishing Provenance Equivalence of Earth Science Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilmes, Curt; Yesha, Ye; Halem, M.

2010-01-01

Reproducibility of scientific research relies on accurate and precise citation of data and the provenance of that data. Earth science data are often the result of applying complex data transformation and analysis workflows to vast quantities of data. Provenance information of data processing is used for a variety of purposes, including understanding the process and auditing as well as reproducibility. Certain provenance information is essential for producing scientifically equivalent data. Capturing and representing that provenance information and assigning identifiers suitable for precisely distinguishing data granules and datasets is needed for accurate comparisons. This paper discusses scientific equivalence and essential provenance for scientific reproducibility. We use the example of an operational earth science data processing system to illustrate the application of the technique of cascading digital signatures or hash chains to precisely identify sets of granules and as provenance equivalence identifiers to distinguish data made in an an equivalent manner.

Evaluation of the precision agricultural landscape modeling system (PALMS) in the semiarid Texas southern high plains

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Accurate models to simulate the soil water balance in semiarid cropping systems are needed to evaluate management practices for soil and water conservation in both irrigated and dryland production systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the application of the Precision Agricultural Land...

Evaluation of the Precision Agricultural Landscape Modeling System (PALMS) in the Semiarid Texas Southern High Plains

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Accurate models to simulate the soil water balance in semiarid cropping systems are needed to evaluate management practices for soil and water conservation in both irrigated and dryland production systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the application of the Precision Agricultural Land...

High-throughput dual-colour precision imaging for brain-wide connectome with cytoarchitectonic landmarks at the cellular level

PubMed Central

Gong, Hui; Xu, Dongli; Yuan, Jing; Li, Xiangning; Guo, Congdi; Peng, Jie; Li, Yuxin; Schwarz, Lindsay A.; Li, Anan; Hu, Bihe; Xiong, Benyi; Sun, Qingtao; Zhang, Yalun; Liu, Jiepeng; Zhong, Qiuyuan; Xu, Tonghui; Zeng, Shaoqun; Luo, Qingming

2016-01-01

The precise annotation and accurate identification of neural structures are prerequisites for studying mammalian brain function. The orientation of neurons and neural circuits is usually determined by mapping brain images to coarse axial-sampling planar reference atlases. However, individual differences at the cellular level likely lead to position errors and an inability to orient neural projections at single-cell resolution. Here, we present a high-throughput precision imaging method that can acquire a co-localized brain-wide data set of both fluorescent-labelled neurons and counterstained cell bodies at a voxel size of 0.32 × 0.32 × 2.0 μm in 3 days for a single mouse brain. We acquire mouse whole-brain imaging data sets of multiple types of neurons and projections with anatomical annotation at single-neuron resolution. The results show that the simultaneous acquisition of labelled neural structures and cytoarchitecture reference in the same brain greatly facilitates precise tracing of long-range projections and accurate locating of nuclei. PMID:27374071

Safe and accurate midcervical pedicle screw insertion procedure with the patient-specific screw guide template system.

PubMed

Kaneyama, Shuichi; Sugawara, Taku; Sumi, Masatoshi

2015-03-15

Clinical trial for midcervical pedicle screw insertion using a novel patient-specific intraoperative screw guiding device. To evaluate the availability of the "Screw Guide Template" (SGT) system for insertion of midcervical pedicle screws. Despite many efforts for accurate midcervical pedicle screw insertion, there still remain unacceptable rate of screw malpositioning that might cause neurovascular injuries. We developed patient-specific SGT system for safe and accurate intraoperative screw navigation tool and have reported its availability for the screw insertion to C2 vertebra and thoracic spine. Preoperatively, the bone image on computed tomography was analyzed and the trajectories of the screws were designed in 3-dimensional format. Three types of templates were created for each lamina: location template, drill guide template, and screw guide template. During the operations, after engaging the templates directly with the laminae, drilling, tapping, and screwing were performed with each template. We placed 80 midcervical pedicle screws for 20 patients. The accuracy and safety of the screw insertion by SGT system were evaluated using postoperative computed tomographic scan by calculation of screw deviation from the preplanned trajectory and evaluation of screw breach of pedicle wall. All templates fitted the laminae and screw navigation procedures proceeded uneventfully. All screws were inserted accurately with the mean screw deviation from planned trajectory of 0.29 ± 0.31 mm and no neurovascular complication was experienced. We demonstrated that our SGT system could support the precise screw insertion in midcervical pedicle. SGT prescribes the safe screw trajectory in a 3-dimensional manner and the templates fit and lock directly to the target laminae, which prevents screwing error along with the change of spinal alignment during the surgery. These advantages of the SGT system guarantee the high accuracy in screw insertion, which allowed surgeons to insert cervical pedicle screws safely. 3.

Concomitant ion effects on isotope ratio measurements with liquid sampling – atmospheric pressure glow discharge ion source Orbitrap mass spectrometry

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

Hoegg, Edward D.; Marcus, R. Kenneth; Hager, George J.

RATIONALE: The field of highly accurate and precise isotope ratio (IR) analysis has been dominated by inductively coupled plasma and thermal ionization mass spectrometers. While these instruments are considered the gold standard for IR analysis, the International Atomic Energy Agency desires a field deployable instrument capable of accurately and precisely measuring U isotope ratios. METHODS: The proposed system interfaces the liquid sampling – atmospheric pressure glow discharge (LS-APGD) ion source with a high resolution Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometer. With this experimental setup certified U isotope standards and unknown samples were analyzed. The accuracy and precision of the system were thenmore » determined. RESULTS: The LS-APGD /Exactive instrument measures a certified reference material of natural U (235U/238U = 0.007258) as 0.007041 with a relative standard deviation of 0.158% meeting the International Target Values for Uncertainty for the destructive analysis of U. Additionally, when three unknowns measured and compared to the results from an ICP multi collector instrument, there is no statistical difference between the two instruments.CONCLUSIONS: The LS-APGD / Orbitrap system, while still in the preliminary stages of development, offers highly accurate and precise IR analysis that suggest a paradigm shift in the world of IR analysis. Furthermore, the portability of the LS-APGD as an elemental ion source combined with the low overhead and small size of the Orbitrap suggest that the instrumentation is capable of being field deployable.With liquid sampling glow discharge-Orbitrap MS, isotope ratio and precision performance improves with rejection of concomitant ion species.« less

Salivary Biomarkers in Cancer Detection

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaoqian; Kaczor-Urbanowicz, Karolina Elżbieta; Wong, David T.W.

2017-01-01

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States. Its symptoms are often not specific and absent, until the tumors have already metastasized. Therefore, there is an urgent demand for developing rapid, highly accurate and non-invasive tools for cancer screening, early detection, diagnostics, staging and prognostics. Saliva as a multi-constituent oral fluid, comprises secretions from the major and minor salivary glands, extensively supplied by blood. Molecules such as DNAs, RNAs, proteins, metabolites, and microbiota, present in blood, could be also found in saliva. Recently, salivary diagnostics has drawn significant attention for the detection of specific biomarkers, since the sample collection and processing are simple, cost-effective, precise and do not cause patient discomfort. Here, we review recent salivary candidate biomarkers for systemic cancers by dividing them according to their origin into: genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic and microbial types. PMID:27943101

Superior accuracy of model-based radiostereometric analysis for measurement of polyethylene wear

PubMed Central

Stilling, M.; Kold, S.; de Raedt, S.; Andersen, N. T.; Rahbek, O.; Søballe, K.

2012-01-01

Objectives The accuracy and precision of two new methods of model-based radiostereometric analysis (RSA) were hypothesised to be superior to a plain radiograph method in the assessment of polyethylene (PE) wear. Methods A phantom device was constructed to simulate three-dimensional (3D) PE wear. Images were obtained consecutively for each simulated wear position for each modality. Three commercially available packages were evaluated: model-based RSA using laser-scanned cup models (MB-RSA), model-based RSA using computer-generated elementary geometrical shape models (EGS-RSA), and PolyWare. Precision (95% repeatability limits) and accuracy (Root Mean Square Errors) for two-dimensional (2D) and 3D wear measurements were assessed. Results The precision for 2D wear measures was 0.078 mm, 0.102 mm, and 0.076 mm for EGS-RSA, MB-RSA, and PolyWare, respectively. For the 3D wear measures the precision was 0.185 mm, 0.189 mm, and 0.244 mm for EGS-RSA, MB-RSA, and PolyWare respectively. Repeatability was similar for all methods within the same dimension, when compared between 2D and 3D (all p > 0.28). For the 2D RSA methods, accuracy was below 0.055 mm and at least 0.335 mm for PolyWare. For 3D measurements, accuracy was 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.3 mm for EGS-RSA, MB-RSA and PolyWare respectively. PolyWare was less accurate compared with RSA methods (p = 0.036). No difference was observed between the RSA methods (p = 0.10). Conclusions For all methods, precision and accuracy were better in 2D, with RSA methods being superior in accuracy. Although less accurate and precise, 3D RSA defines the clinically relevant wear pattern (multidirectional). PolyWare is a good and low-cost alternative to RSA, despite being less accurate and requiring a larger sample size. PMID:23610688

Precision measurement of transition matrix elements via light shift cancellation.

PubMed

Herold, C D; Vaidya, V D; Li, X; Rolston, S L; Porto, J V; Safronova, M S

2012-12-14

We present a method for accurate determination of atomic transition matrix elements at the 10(-3) level. Measurements of the ac Stark (light) shift around "magic-zero" wavelengths, where the light shift vanishes, provide precise constraints on the matrix elements. We make the first measurement of the 5s - 6p matrix elements in rubidium by measuring the light shift around the 421 and 423 nm zeros through diffraction of a condensate off a sequence of standing wave pulses. In conjunction with existing theoretical and experimental data, we find 0.3235(9)ea(0) and 0.5230(8)ea(0) for the 5s - 6p(1/2) and 5s - 6p(3/2) elements, respectively, an order of magnitude more accurate than the best theoretical values. This technique can provide needed, accurate matrix elements for many atoms, including those used in atomic clocks, tests of fundamental symmetries, and quantum information.

Daily FOUR score assessment provides accurate prognosis of long-term outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

PubMed

Weiss, N; Venot, M; Verdonk, F; Chardon, A; Le Guennec, L; Llerena, M C; Raimbourg, Q; Taldir, G; Luque, Y; Fagon, J-Y; Guerot, E; Diehl, J-L

2015-05-01

The accurate prediction of outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is of major importance. The recently described Full Outline of UnResponsiveness (FOUR) is well adapted to mechanically ventilated patients and does not depend on verbal response. To evaluate the ability of FOUR assessed by intensivists to accurately predict outcome in OHCA. We prospectively identified patients admitted for OHCA with a Glasgow Coma Scale below 8. Neurological assessment was performed daily. Outcome was evaluated at 6 months using Glasgow-Pittsburgh Cerebral Performance Categories (GP-CPC). Eighty-five patients were included. At 6 months, 19 patients (22%) had a favorable outcome, GP-CPC 1-2, and 66 (78%) had an unfavorable outcome, GP-CPC 3-5. Compared to both brainstem responses at day 3 and evolution of Glasgow Coma Scale, evolution of FOUR score over the three first days was able to predict unfavorable outcome more precisely. Thus, absence of improvement or worsening from day 1 to day 3 of FOUR had 0.88 (0.79-0.97) specificity, 0.71 (0.66-0.76) sensitivity, 0.94 (0.84-1.00) PPV and 0.54 (0.49-0.59) NPV to predict unfavorable outcome. Similarly, the brainstem response of FOUR score at 0 evaluated at day 3 had 0.94 (0.89-0.99) specificity, 0.60 (0.50-0.70) sensitivity, 0.96 (0.92-1.00) PPV and 0.47 (0.37-0.57) NPV to predict unfavorable outcome. The absence of improvement or worsening from day 1 to day 3 of FOUR evaluated by intensivists provides an accurate prognosis of poor neurological outcome in OHCA. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Performance Evaluation of Real-Time Precise Point Positioning Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alcay, Salih; Turgut, Muzeyyen

2017-12-01

Post-Processed Precise Point Positioning (PPP) is a well-known zero-difference positioning method which provides accurate and precise results. After the experimental tests, IGS Real Time Service (RTS) officially provided real time orbit and clock products for the GNSS community that allows real-time (RT) PPP applications. Different software packages can be used for RT-PPP. In this study, in order to evaluate the performance of RT-PPP, 3 IGS stations are used. Results, obtained by using BKG Ntrip Client (BNC) Software v2.12, are examined in terms of both accuracy and precision.

Fluorescence confocal mosaicing microscopy of basal cell carcinomas ex vivo: demonstration of rapid surgical pathology with high sensitivity and specificity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gareau, Daniel S.; Karen, Julie K.; Dusza, Stephen W.; Tudisco, Marie; Nehal, Kishwer S.; Rajadhyaksha, Milind

2009-02-01

Mohs surgery, for the precise removal of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), consists of a series of excisions guided by the surgeon's examination of the frozen histology of the previous excision. The histology reveals atypical nuclear morphology, identifying cancer. The preparation of frozen histology is accurate but labor-intensive and slow. Nuclear pathology can be achieved by staining with acridine orange (1 mM, 20 s) BCCs in Mohs surgical skin excisions within 5-9 minutes, compared to 20-45 for frozen histology. For clinical utility, images must have high contrast and high resolution. We report tumor contrast of 10-100 fold over the background dermis and submicron (diffraction limited) resolution over a cm field of view. BCCs were detected with an overall sensitivity of 96.6%, specificity of 89.2%, positive predictive value of 93.0% and negative predictive value of 94.7%. The technique was therefore accurate for normal tissue as well as tumor. We conclude that fluorescence confocal mosaicing serves as a sensitive and rapid pathological tool. Beyond Mohs surgery, this technology may be extended to suit other pathological needs with the development of new contrast agents. The technique reported here accurately detects all subtypes of BCC in skin excisions, including the large nodular, small micronodular, and tiny sclerodermaform tumors. However, this technique may be applicable to imaging tissue that is larger, more irregular and of various mechanical compliances with further engineering of the tissue mounting and staging mechanisms.

Biosensors for spatiotemporal detection of reactive oxygen species in cells and tissues.

PubMed

Erard, Marie; Dupré-Crochet, Sophie; Nüße, Oliver

2018-05-01

Redox biology has become a major issue in numerous areas of physiology. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have a broad range of roles from signal transduction to growth control and cell death. To understand the nature of these roles, accurate measurement of the reactive compounds is required. An increasing number of tools for ROS detection is available; however, the specificity and sensitivity of these tools are often insufficient. Furthermore, their specificity has been rarely evaluated in complex physiological conditions. Many ROS probes are sensitive to environmental conditions in particular pH, which may interfere with ROS detection and cause misleading results. Accurate detection of ROS in physiology and pathophysiology faces additional challenges concerning the precise localization of the ROS and the timing of their production and disappearance. Certain ROS are membrane permeable, and certain ROS probes move across cells and organelles. Targetable ROS probes such as fluorescent protein-based biosensors are required for accurate localization. Here we analyze these challenges in more detail, provide indications on the strength and weakness of current tools for ROS detection, and point out developments that will provide improved ROS detection methods in the future. There is no universal method that fits all situations in physiology and cell biology. A detailed knowledge of the ROS probes is required to choose the appropriate method for a given biological problem. The knowledge of the shortcomings of these probes should also guide the development of new sensors.

PSORTb 3.0: improved protein subcellular localization prediction with refined localization subcategories and predictive capabilities for all prokaryotes.

PubMed

Yu, Nancy Y; Wagner, James R; Laird, Matthew R; Melli, Gabor; Rey, Sébastien; Lo, Raymond; Dao, Phuong; Sahinalp, S Cenk; Ester, Martin; Foster, Leonard J; Brinkman, Fiona S L

2010-07-01

PSORTb has remained the most precise bacterial protein subcellular localization (SCL) predictor since it was first made available in 2003. However, the recall needs to be improved and no accurate SCL predictors yet make predictions for archaea, nor differentiate important localization subcategories, such as proteins targeted to a host cell or bacterial hyperstructures/organelles. Such improvements should preferably be encompassed in a freely available web-based predictor that can also be used as a standalone program. We developed PSORTb version 3.0 with improved recall, higher proteome-scale prediction coverage, and new refined localization subcategories. It is the first SCL predictor specifically geared for all prokaryotes, including archaea and bacteria with atypical membrane/cell wall topologies. It features an improved standalone program, with a new batch results delivery system complementing its web interface. We evaluated the most accurate SCL predictors using 5-fold cross validation plus we performed an independent proteomics analysis, showing that PSORTb 3.0 is the most accurate but can benefit from being complemented by Proteome Analyst predictions. http://www.psort.org/psortb (download open source software or use the web interface). psort-mail@sfu.ca Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Seizing an Opportunity with Carefully Designed Geoscience Education Professional Development (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holzer, M. A.

2013-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are providing science education with opportunities to improve classroom practice and student learning within the domain of Earth and space science education. However, accurate and precise interpretation and implementation are the keys to meeting the goals of NGSS. Through their networks, our national geoscience organizations, like National Earth Science Teachers Association, are well positioned to ensure accuracy and precision is achieved in the interpretation and implementation of the NGSS. Nevertheless there are numerous challenges in designing appropriate resources and professional development aligned with the NGSS. This presentation will highlight the challenges and offer solutions to ensuring NGSS specific professional development will assist teachers and increase student learning. In the race to "align" instructional materials with the NGSS a rubber stamp must be avoided, and instead, careful vetting is necessary. The Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas (NRC, 2011) set the groundwork for the creation of the NGSS, which then melded the three dimensions (science and engineering practices, cross-cutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas) into the performance expectations within the standards. When instructional materials are aligned, assessment for the explicit integration of all three dimensions must be included if the materials are to be truly aligned. The NGSS team is designing an instructional material alignment rubric to be used in the vetting process. Once the rubric has been created it will be a tool used by anyone creating instructional materials, and once an educator understands how to use the rubric and how to interpret the rubric score, it will increase the likelihood that the NGSS will be implemented with fidelity. As much as it is a challenge to identify instructional materials that "align" with the NGSS, it will be more of a challenge to design and implement appropriate professional development to assist our science educators with the integration of the NGSS into their classrooms. Careful planning in the creation of professional development follows a professional development design framework such as the one in Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science and Mathematics (Loucks-Horsely, et al, 2009) in which a commitment to a vision is created and data on student learning is considered before setting professional development goals, and planning, implementing, and evaluating are done. Those in geoscience organizations offering instructional materials and professional development have the expertise available to ensure their members and audiences are receiving accurate and precise information about the NGSS. However it is imperative that time and care be taken to make sure what is communicate is truly accurate and precise.

Transthoracic echocardiography: an accurate and precise method for estimating cardiac output in the critically ill patient.

PubMed

Mercado, Pablo; Maizel, Julien; Beyls, Christophe; Titeca-Beauport, Dimitri; Joris, Magalie; Kontar, Loay; Riviere, Antoine; Bonef, Olivier; Soupison, Thierry; Tribouilloy, Christophe; de Cagny, Bertrand; Slama, Michel

2017-06-09

Cardiac output (CO) monitoring is a valuable tool for the diagnosis and management of critically ill patients. In the critical care setting, few studies have evaluated the level of agreement between CO estimated by transthoracic echocardiography (CO-TTE) and that measured by the reference method, pulmonary artery catheter (CO-PAC). The objective of the present study was to evaluate the precision and accuracy of CO-TTE relative to CO-PAC and the ability of transthoracic echocardiography to track variations in CO, in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients. Thirty-eight mechanically ventilated patients fitted with a PAC were included in a prospective observational study performed in a 16-bed university hospital ICU. CO-PAC was measured via intermittent thermodilution. Simultaneously, a second investigator used standard-view TTE to estimate CO-TTE as the product of stroke volume and the heart rate obtained during the measurement of the subaortic velocity time integral. Sixty-four pairs of CO-PAC and CO-TTE measurements were compared. The two measurements were significantly correlated (r = 0.95; p < 0.0001). The median bias was 0.2 L/min, the limits of agreement (LOAs) were -1.3 and 1.8 L/min, and the percentage error was 25%. The precision was 8% for CO-PAC and 9% for CO-TTE. Twenty-six pairs of ΔCO measurements were compared. There was a significant correlation between ΔCO-PAC and ΔCO-TTE (r = 0.92; p < 0.0001). The median bias was -0.1 L/min and the LOAs were -1.3 and +1.2 L/min. With a 15% exclusion zone, the four-quadrant plot had a concordance rate of 94%. With a 0.5 L/min exclusion zone, the polar plot had a mean polar angle of 1.0° and a percentage error LOAs of -26.8 to 28.8°. The concordance rate was 100% between 30 and -30°. When using CO-TTE to detect an increase in ΔCO-PAC of more than 10%, the area under the receiving operating characteristic curve (95% CI) was 0.82 (0.62-0.94) (p < 0.001). A ΔCO-TTE of more than 8% yielded a sensitivity of 88% and specificity of 66% for detecting a ΔCO-PAC of more than 10%. In critically ill mechanically ventilated patients, CO-TTE is an accurate and precise method for estimating CO. Furthermore, CO-TTE can accurately track variations in CO.

Calibrating GPS With TWSTFT For Accurate Time Transfer

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

40th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval (PTTI) Meeting 577 CALIBRATING GPS WITH TWSTFT FOR ACCURATE TIME TRANSFER Z. Jiang1 and...primary time transfer techniques are GPS and TWSTFT (Two-Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer, TW for short). 83% of UTC time links are...Calibrating GPS With TWSTFT For Accurate Time Transfer 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT

Learning to combine high variability with high precision: lack of transfer to a different task.

PubMed

Wu, Yen-Hsun; Truglio, Thomas S; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M; Latash, Mark L

2015-01-01

The authors studied effects of practicing a 4-finger accurate force production task on multifinger coordination quantified within the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis. During practice, task instability was modified by changing visual feedback gain based on accuracy of performance. The authors also explored the retention of these effects, and their transfer to a prehensile task. Subjects practiced the force production task for 2 days. After the practice, total force variability decreased and performance became more accurate. In contrast, variance of finger forces showed a tendency to increase during the first practice session while in the space of finger modes (hypothetical commands to fingers) the increase was under the significance level. These effects were retained for 2 weeks. No transfer of these effects to the prehensile task was seen, suggesting high specificity of coordination changes. The retention of practice effects without transfer to a different task suggests that further studies on a more practical method of improving coordination are needed.

Adaptive Environmental Source Localization and Tracking with Unknown Permittivity and Path Loss Coefficients †

PubMed Central

Fidan, Barış; Umay, Ilknur

2015-01-01

Accurate signal-source and signal-reflector target localization tasks via mobile sensory units and wireless sensor networks (WSNs), including those for environmental monitoring via sensory UAVs, require precise knowledge of specific signal propagation properties of the environment, which are permittivity and path loss coefficients for the electromagnetic signal case. Thus, accurate estimation of these coefficients has significant importance for the accuracy of location estimates. In this paper, we propose a geometric cooperative technique to instantaneously estimate such coefficients, with details provided for received signal strength (RSS) and time-of-flight (TOF)-based range sensors. The proposed technique is integrated to a recursive least squares (RLS)-based adaptive localization scheme and an adaptive motion control law, to construct adaptive target localization and adaptive target tracking algorithms, respectively, that are robust to uncertainties in aforementioned environmental signal propagation coefficients. The efficiency of the proposed adaptive localization and tracking techniques are both mathematically analysed and verified via simulation experiments. PMID:26690441

Determination of Carbonyl Functional Groups in Bio-oils by Potentiometric Titration: The Faix Method.

PubMed

Black, Stuart; Ferrell, Jack R

2017-02-07

Carbonyl compounds present in bio-oils are known to be responsible for bio-oil property changes upon storage and during upgrading. Specifically, carbonyls cause an increase in viscosity (often referred to as 'aging') during storage of bio-oils. As such, carbonyl content has previously been used as a method of tracking bio-oil aging and condensation reactions with less variability than viscosity measurements. Additionally, carbonyls are also responsible for coke formation in bio-oil upgrading processes. Given the importance of carbonyls in bio-oils, accurate analytical methods for their quantification are very important for the bio-oil community. Potentiometric titration methods based on carbonyl oximation have long been used for the determination of carbonyl content in pyrolysis bio-oils. Here, we present a modification of the traditional carbonyl oximation procedures that results in less reaction time, smaller sample size, higher precision, and more accurate carbonyl determinations. While traditional carbonyl oximation methods occur at room temperature, the Faix method presented here occurs at an elevated temperature of 80 °C.

Spectrophotometric Methods for the Determination of Sitagliptin and Vildagliptin in Bulk and Dosage Forms

PubMed Central

El-Bagary, Ramzia I.; Elkady, Ehab F.; Ayoub, Bassam M.

2011-01-01

Simple, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the determination of sitagliptin and vildagliptin in bulk and dosage forms. The proposed methods are based on the charge transfer complexes of sitagliptin phosphate and vildagliptin with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ), 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone (p-chloranil). All the variables were studied to optimize the reactions conditions. For sitagliptin, Beer’s law was obeyed in the concentration ranges of 50-300 μg/ml, 20-120 μg/ml and 100-900 μg/ml with DDQ, TCNQ and p-chloranil, respectively. For vildagliptin, Beer’s law was obeyed in the concentration ranges of 50-300 μg/ml, 10-85 μg/ml and 50-350 μg/ml with DDQ, TCNQ and p-chloranil, respectively. The developed methods were validated and proved to be specific and accurate for the quality control of the cited drugs in pharmaceutical dosage forms. PMID:23675221

Validation of high throughput screening of human sera for detection of anti-PA IgG by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) as an emergency response to an anthrax incident

PubMed Central

Semenova, Vera A.; Steward-Clark, Evelene; Maniatis, Panagiotis; Epperson, Monica; Sabnis, Amit; Schiffer, Jarad

2017-01-01

To improve surge testing capability for a response to a release of Bacillus anthracis, the CDC anti-Protective Antigen (PA) IgG Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was re-designed into a high throughput screening format. The following assay performance parameters were evaluated: goodness of fit (measured as the mean reference standard r2), accuracy (measured as percent error), precision (measured as coefficient of variance (CV)), lower limit of detection (LLOD), lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), dilutional linearity, diagnostic sensitivity (DSN) and diagnostic specificity (DSP). The paired sets of data for each sample were evaluated by Concordance Correlation Coefficient (CCC) analysis. The goodness of fit was 0.999; percent error between the expected and observed concentration for each sample ranged from −4.6% to 14.4%. The coefficient of variance ranged from 9.0% to 21.2%. The assay LLOQ was 2.6 μg/mL. The regression analysis results for dilutional linearity data were r2 = 0.952, slope = 1.02 and intercept = −0.03. CCC between assays was 0.974 for the median concentration of serum samples. The accuracy and precision components of CCC were 0.997 and 0.977, respectively. This high throughput screening assay is precise, accurate, sensitive and specific. Anti-PA IgG concentrations determined using two different assays proved high levels of agreement. The method will improve surge testing capability 18-fold from 4 to 72 sera per assay plate. PMID:27814939

A Statistical Guide to the Design of Deep Mutational Scanning Experiments.

PubMed

Matuszewski, Sebastian; Hildebrandt, Marcel E; Ghenu, Ana-Hermina; Jensen, Jeffrey D; Bank, Claudia

2016-09-01

The characterization of the distribution of mutational effects is a key goal in evolutionary biology. Recently developed deep-sequencing approaches allow for accurate and simultaneous estimation of the fitness effects of hundreds of engineered mutations by monitoring their relative abundance across time points in a single bulk competition. Naturally, the achievable resolution of the estimated fitness effects depends on the specific experimental setup, the organism and type of mutations studied, and the sequencing technology utilized, among other factors. By means of analytical approximations and simulations, we provide guidelines for optimizing time-sampled deep-sequencing bulk competition experiments, focusing on the number of mutants, the sequencing depth, and the number of sampled time points. Our analytical results show that sampling more time points together with extending the duration of the experiment improves the achievable precision disproportionately compared with increasing the sequencing depth or reducing the number of competing mutants. Even if the duration of the experiment is fixed, sampling more time points and clustering these at the beginning and the end of the experiment increase experimental power and allow for efficient and precise assessment of the entire range of selection coefficients. Finally, we provide a formula for calculating the 95%-confidence interval for the measurement error estimate, which we implement as an interactive web tool. This allows for quantification of the maximum expected a priori precision of the experimental setup, as well as for a statistical threshold for determining deviations from neutrality for specific selection coefficient estimates. Copyright © 2016 by the Genetics Society of America.

Validation of high throughput screening of human sera for detection of anti-PA IgG by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) as an emergency response to an anthrax incident.

PubMed

Semenova, Vera A; Steward-Clark, Evelene; Maniatis, Panagiotis; Epperson, Monica; Sabnis, Amit; Schiffer, Jarad

2017-01-01

To improve surge testing capability for a response to a release of Bacillus anthracis, the CDC anti-Protective Antigen (PA) IgG Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was re-designed into a high throughput screening format. The following assay performance parameters were evaluated: goodness of fit (measured as the mean reference standard r 2 ), accuracy (measured as percent error), precision (measured as coefficient of variance (CV)), lower limit of detection (LLOD), lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), dilutional linearity, diagnostic sensitivity (DSN) and diagnostic specificity (DSP). The paired sets of data for each sample were evaluated by Concordance Correlation Coefficient (CCC) analysis. The goodness of fit was 0.999; percent error between the expected and observed concentration for each sample ranged from -4.6% to 14.4%. The coefficient of variance ranged from 9.0% to 21.2%. The assay LLOQ was 2.6 μg/mL. The regression analysis results for dilutional linearity data were r 2  = 0.952, slope = 1.02 and intercept = -0.03. CCC between assays was 0.974 for the median concentration of serum samples. The accuracy and precision components of CCC were 0.997 and 0.977, respectively. This high throughput screening assay is precise, accurate, sensitive and specific. Anti-PA IgG concentrations determined using two different assays proved high levels of agreement. The method will improve surge testing capability 18-fold from 4 to 72 sera per assay plate. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Using sensors to measure activity in people with stroke.

PubMed

Fulk, George D; Sazonov, Edward

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of a novel shoe-based sensor that uses accelerometers, pressure sensors, and pattern recognition with a support vector machine (SVM) to accurately identify sitting, standing, and walking postures in people with stroke. Subjects with stroke wore the shoe-based sensor while randomly assuming 3 main postures: sitting, standing, and walking. A SVM classifier was used to train and validate the data to develop individual and group models, which were tested for accuracy, recall, and precision. Eight subjects participated. Both individual and group models were able to accurately identify the different postures (99.1% to 100% individual models and 76.9% to 100% group models). Recall and precision were also high for both individual (0.99 to 1.00) and group (0.82 to 0.99) models. The unique combination of accelerometer and pressure sensors built into the shoe was able to accurately identify postures. This shoe sensor could be used to provide accurate information on community performance of activities in people with stroke as well as provide behavioral enhancing feedback as part of a telerehabilitation intervention.

Using a traffic simulation model (VISSIM) with an emissions model (MOVES) to predict emissions from vehicles on a limited-access highway.

PubMed

Abou-Senna, Hatem; Radwan, Essam; Westerlund, Kurt; Cooper, C David

2013-07-01

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that baseline global GHG emissions may increase 25-90% from 2000 to 2030, with carbon dioxide (CO2 emissions growing 40-110% over the same period. On-road vehicles are a major source of CO2 emissions in all the developed countries, and in many of the developing countries in the world. Similarly, several criteria air pollutants are associated with transportation, for example, carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO(x)), and particulate matter (PM). Therefore, the need to accurately quantify transportation-related emissions from vehicles is essential. The new US. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mobile source emissions model, MOVES2010a (MOVES), can estimate vehicle emissions on a second-by-second basis, creating the opportunity to combine a microscopic traffic simulation model (such as VISSIM) with MOVES to obtain accurate results. This paper presents an examination of four different approaches to capture the environmental impacts of vehicular operations on a 10-mile stretch of Interstate 4 (I-4), an urban limited-access highway in Orlando, FL. First (at the most basic level), emissions were estimated for the entire 10-mile section "by hand" using one average traffic volume and average speed. Then three advanced levels of detail were studied using VISSIM/MOVES to analyze smaller links: average speeds and volumes (AVG), second-by-second link drive schedules (LDS), and second-by-second operating mode distributions (OPMODE). This paper analyzes how the various approaches affect predicted emissions of CO, NO(x), PM2.5, PM10, and CO2. The results demonstrate that obtaining precise and comprehensive operating mode distributions on a second-by-second basis provides more accurate emission estimates. Specifically, emission rates are highly sensitive to stop-and-go traffic and the associated driving cycles of acceleration, deceleration, and idling. Using the AVG or LDS approach may overestimate or underestimate emissions, respectively, compared to an operating mode distribution approach. Transportation agencies and researchers in the past have estimated emissions using one average speed and volume on a long stretch of roadway. With MOVES, there is an opportunity for higher precision and accuracy. Integrating a microscopic traffic simulation model (such as VISSIM) with MOVES allows one to obtain precise and accurate emissions estimates. The proposed emission rate estimation process also can be extended to gridded emissions for ozone modeling, or to localized air quality dispersion modeling, where temporal and spatial resolution of emissions is essential to predict the concentration of pollutants near roadways.

Evaluation of leaf wetness duration models for operational use in strawberry disease-warning systems in four US states.

PubMed

Montone, Verona O; Fraisse, Clyde W; Peres, Natalia A; Sentelhas, Paulo C; Gleason, Mark; Ellis, Michael; Schnabel, Guido

2016-11-01

Leaf wetness duration (LWD) plays a key role in disease development and is often used as an input in disease-warning systems. LWD is often estimated using mathematical models, since measurement by sensors is rarely available and/or reliable. A strawberry disease-warning system called "Strawberry Advisory System" (SAS) is used by growers in Florida, USA, in deciding when to spray their strawberry fields to control anthracnose and Botrytis fruit rot. Currently, SAS is implemented at six locations, where reliable LWD sensors are deployed. A robust LWD model would facilitate SAS expansion from Florida to other regions where reliable LW sensors are not available. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of mathematical models to estimate LWD and time of spray recommendations in comparison to on site LWD measurements. Specific objectives were to (i) compare model estimated and observed LWD and resulting differences in timing and number of fungicide spray recommendations, (ii) evaluate the effects of weather station sensors precision on LWD models performance, and (iii) compare LWD models performance across four states in the USA. The LWD models evaluated were the classification and regression tree (CART), dew point depression (DPD), number of hours with relative humidity equal or greater than 90 % (NHRH ≥90 %), and Penman-Monteith (P-M). P-M model was expected to have the lowest errors, since it is a physically based and thus portable model. Indeed, the P-M model estimated LWD most accurately (MAE <2 h) at a weather station with high precision sensors but was the least accurate when lower precision sensors of relative humidity and estimated net radiation (based on solar radiation and temperature) were used (MAE = 3.7 h). The CART model was the most robust for estimating LWD and for advising growers on fungicide-spray timing for anthracnose and Botrytis fruit rot control and is therefore the model we recommend for expanding the strawberry disease warning beyond Florida, to other locations where weather stations may be deployed with lower precision sensors, and net radiation observations are not available.

Evaluation of leaf wetness duration models for operational use in strawberry disease-warning systems in four US states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montone, Verona O.; Fraisse, Clyde W.; Peres, Natalia A.; Sentelhas, Paulo C.; Gleason, Mark; Ellis, Michael; Schnabel, Guido

2016-11-01

Leaf wetness duration (LWD) plays a key role in disease development and is often used as an input in disease-warning systems. LWD is often estimated using mathematical models, since measurement by sensors is rarely available and/or reliable. A strawberry disease-warning system called "Strawberry Advisory System" (SAS) is used by growers in Florida, USA, in deciding when to spray their strawberry fields to control anthracnose and Botrytis fruit rot. Currently, SAS is implemented at six locations, where reliable LWD sensors are deployed. A robust LWD model would facilitate SAS expansion from Florida to other regions where reliable LW sensors are not available. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of mathematical models to estimate LWD and time of spray recommendations in comparison to on site LWD measurements. Specific objectives were to (i) compare model estimated and observed LWD and resulting differences in timing and number of fungicide spray recommendations, (ii) evaluate the effects of weather station sensors precision on LWD models performance, and (iii) compare LWD models performance across four states in the USA. The LWD models evaluated were the classification and regression tree (CART), dew point depression (DPD), number of hours with relative humidity equal or greater than 90 % (NHRH ≥90 %), and Penman-Monteith (P-M). P-M model was expected to have the lowest errors, since it is a physically based and thus portable model. Indeed, the P-M model estimated LWD most accurately (MAE <2 h) at a weather station with high precision sensors but was the least accurate when lower precision sensors of relative humidity and estimated net radiation (based on solar radiation and temperature) were used (MAE = 3.7 h). The CART model was the most robust for estimating LWD and for advising growers on fungicide-spray timing for anthracnose and Botrytis fruit rot control and is therefore the model we recommend for expanding the strawberry disease warning beyond Florida, to other locations where weather stations may be deployed with lower precision sensors, and net radiation observations are not available.

Measurement accuracy of FBG used as a surface-bonded strain sensor installed by adhesive.

PubMed

Xue, Guangzhe; Fang, Xinqiu; Hu, Xiukun; Gong, Libin

2018-04-10

Material and dimensional properties of surface-bonded fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) can distort strain measurement, thereby lowering the measurement accuracy. To accurately assess measurement precision and correct obtained strain, a new model, considering reinforcement effects on adhesive and measured object, is proposed in this study, which is verified to be accurate enough by the numerical method. Meanwhile, a theoretical strain correction factor is obtained, which is demonstrated to be significantly sensitive to recoating material and bonding length, as suggested by numerical and experimental results. It is also concluded that a short grating length as well as a thin but large-area (preferably covering the whole FBG) adhesive can enhance the correction precision.

Precision medicine for psychopharmacology: a general introduction.

PubMed

Shin, Cheolmin; Han, Changsu; Pae, Chi-Un; Patkar, Ashwin A

2016-07-01

Precision medicine is an emerging medical model that can provide accurate diagnoses and tailored therapeutic strategies for patients based on data pertaining to genes, microbiomes, environment, family history and lifestyle. Here, we provide basic information about precision medicine and newly introduced concepts, such as the precision medicine ecosystem and big data processing, and omics technologies including pharmacogenomics, pharamacometabolomics, pharmacoproteomics, pharmacoepigenomics, connectomics and exposomics. The authors review the current state of omics in psychiatry and the future direction of psychopharmacology as it moves towards precision medicine. Expert commentary: Advances in precision medicine have been facilitated by achievements in multiple fields, including large-scale biological databases, powerful methods for characterizing patients (such as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, diverse cellular assays, and even social networks and mobile health technologies), and computer-based tools for analyzing large amounts of data.

The double-edged sword of high-precision U-Pb geochronology or be careful what you wish for. (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowring, S. A.

2010-12-01

Over the past two decades, U-Pb geochronology by ID-TIMS has been refined to achieve internal (analytical) uncertainties on a single grain analysis of ± ~ 0.1-0.2%, and 0.05% or better on weighted mean dates. This level of precision enables unprecedented evaluation of the rates and durations of geological processes, from magma chamber evolution to mass extinctions and recoveries. The increased precision, however, exposes complexity in magmatic/volcanic systems and highlights the importance of corrections related to disequilibrium partitioning of intermediate daughter products, and raises questions as to how best to interpret the complex spectrum of dates characteristic of many volcanic rocks. In addition, the increased precision requires renewed emphasis on the accuracy of U decay constants, the isotopic composition of U, the calibration of isotopic tracers, and the accurate propagation of uncertainties It is now commonplace in the high precision dating of volcanic ash-beds to analyze 5-20 single grains of zircon in an attempt to resolve the eruption/depositional age. Data sets with dispersion far in excess of analytical uncertainties are interpreted to reflect Pb-loss, inheritance, and protracted crystallization, often supported with zircon chemistry. In most cases, a weighted mean of the youngest reproducible dates is interpreted as the time of eruption/deposition. Crystallization histories of silicic magmatic systems recovered from plutonic rocks may also be protracted, though may not be directly applicable to silicic eruptions; each sample must be evaluated independently. A key to robust interpretations is the integration high-spatial resolution zircon trace element geochemistry with high-precision ID-TIMS analyses. The EARTHTIME initiative has focused on many of these issues, and the larger subject of constructing a timeline for earth history using both U-Pb and Ar-Ar chronometers. Despite continuing improvements in both, comparing dates for the same rock with both chronometers is not straightforward. Compelling issues range from pre-eruptive magma chamber residence, recognizing open system behavior, accurately correcting for disequilibrium amounts of 230Th and 231Pa, precise and accurate dates of fluence monitors for 40Ar/39Ar, and inter-laboratory biases. At present, despite the level of internal precision achievable by each technique, obstacles remain to combining both chronometers.

The Use of Scale-Dependent Precision to Increase Forecast Accuracy in Earth System Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornes, Tobias; Duben, Peter; Palmer, Tim

2016-04-01

At the current pace of development, it may be decades before the 'exa-scale' computers needed to resolve individual convective clouds in weather and climate models become available to forecasters, and such machines will incur very high power demands. But the resolution could be improved today by switching to more efficient, 'inexact' hardware with which variables can be represented in 'reduced precision'. Currently, all numbers in our models are represented as double-precision floating points - each requiring 64 bits of memory - to minimise rounding errors, regardless of spatial scale. Yet observational and modelling constraints mean that values of atmospheric variables are inevitably known less precisely on smaller scales, suggesting that this may be a waste of computer resources. More accurate forecasts might therefore be obtained by taking a scale-selective approach whereby the precision of variables is gradually decreased at smaller spatial scales to optimise the overall efficiency of the model. To study the effect of reducing precision to different levels on multiple spatial scales, we here introduce a new model atmosphere developed by extending the Lorenz '96 idealised system to encompass three tiers of variables - which represent large-, medium- and small-scale features - for the first time. In this chaotic but computationally tractable system, the 'true' state can be defined by explicitly resolving all three tiers. The abilities of low resolution (single-tier) double-precision models and similar-cost high resolution (two-tier) models in mixed-precision to produce accurate forecasts of this 'truth' are compared. The high resolution models outperform the low resolution ones even when small-scale variables are resolved in half-precision (16 bits). This suggests that using scale-dependent levels of precision in more complicated real-world Earth System models could allow forecasts to be made at higher resolution and with improved accuracy. If adopted, this new paradigm would represent a revolution in numerical modelling that could be of great benefit to the world.

Automatic Organ Segmentation for CT Scans Based on Super-Pixel and Convolutional Neural Networks.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaoming; Guo, Shuxu; Yang, Bingtao; Ma, Shuzhi; Zhang, Huimao; Li, Jing; Sun, Changjian; Jin, Lanyi; Li, Xueyan; Yang, Qi; Fu, Yu

2018-04-20

Accurate segmentation of specific organ from computed tomography (CT) scans is a basic and crucial task for accurate diagnosis and treatment. To avoid time-consuming manual optimization and to help physicians distinguish diseases, an automatic organ segmentation framework is presented. The framework utilized convolution neural networks (CNN) to classify pixels. To reduce the redundant inputs, the simple linear iterative clustering (SLIC) of super-pixels and the support vector machine (SVM) classifier are introduced. To establish the perfect boundary of organs in one-pixel-level, the pixels need to be classified step-by-step. First, the SLIC is used to cut an image into grids and extract respective digital signatures. Next, the signature is classified by the SVM, and the rough edges are acquired. Finally, a precise boundary is obtained by the CNN, which is based on patches around each pixel-point. The framework is applied to abdominal CT scans of livers and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans of lungs. The experimental CT scans are derived from two public datasets (Sliver 07 and a Chinese local dataset). Experimental results show that the proposed method can precisely and efficiently detect the organs. This method consumes 38 s/slice for liver segmentation. The Dice coefficient of the liver segmentation results reaches to 97.43%. For lung segmentation, the Dice coefficient is 97.93%. This finding demonstrates that the proposed framework is a favorable method for lung segmentation of HRCT scans.

MO-A-BRB-01: TG191: Clinical Use of Luminescent Dosimeters

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

Kry, S.

This presentation will highlight the upcoming TG-191 report: Clinical Use of Luminescent Dosimeters. Luminescent dosimetry based on TLD and OSLD is a practical, accurate, and precise technique for point dosimetry in medical physics applications. The charges of Task Group 191 were to detail the methodologies for practical and optimal luminescent dosimetry in a clinical setting. This includes (1) To review the variety of TLD/OSL materials available, including features and limitations of each. (2) To outline the optimal steps to achieve accurate and precise dosimetry with luminescent detectors and to evaluate the uncertainty induced when less rigorous procedures are used. (3)more » To develop consensus guidelines on the optimal use of luminescent dosimeters for clinical practice. (4) To develop guidelines for special medically relevant uses of TLDs/OSLs (e.g., mixed field i.e. photon/neutron dosimetry, particle beam dosimetry, skin dosimetry). While this report provides general guidelines for arbitrary TLD and OSLD processes, the report, and therefore this presentation, provide specific guidance for TLD-100 (LiF:Ti,Mg) and nanoDot (Al2O3:C) dosimeters because of their prevalence in clinical practice. Learning Objectives: Understand the available dosimetry systems, and basic theory of their operation Understand the range of dose determination methodologies and the uncertainties associated with them Become familiar with special considerations for TLD/OSLD relevant for special clinical situations Learn recommended commissioning and QA procedures for these dosimetry systems.« less

MO-A-BRB-00: TG191: Clinical Use of Luminescent Dosimeters

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

NONE

This presentation will highlight the upcoming TG-191 report: Clinical Use of Luminescent Dosimeters. Luminescent dosimetry based on TLD and OSLD is a practical, accurate, and precise technique for point dosimetry in medical physics applications. The charges of Task Group 191 were to detail the methodologies for practical and optimal luminescent dosimetry in a clinical setting. This includes (1) To review the variety of TLD/OSL materials available, including features and limitations of each. (2) To outline the optimal steps to achieve accurate and precise dosimetry with luminescent detectors and to evaluate the uncertainty induced when less rigorous procedures are used. (3)more » To develop consensus guidelines on the optimal use of luminescent dosimeters for clinical practice. (4) To develop guidelines for special medically relevant uses of TLDs/OSLs (e.g., mixed field i.e. photon/neutron dosimetry, particle beam dosimetry, skin dosimetry). While this report provides general guidelines for arbitrary TLD and OSLD processes, the report, and therefore this presentation, provide specific guidance for TLD-100 (LiF:Ti,Mg) and nanoDot (Al2O3:C) dosimeters because of their prevalence in clinical practice. Learning Objectives: Understand the available dosimetry systems, and basic theory of their operation Understand the range of dose determination methodologies and the uncertainties associated with them Become familiar with special considerations for TLD/OSLD relevant for special clinical situations Learn recommended commissioning and QA procedures for these dosimetry systems.« less

Open source machine-learning algorithms for the prediction of optimal cancer drug therapies.

PubMed

Huang, Cai; Mezencev, Roman; McDonald, John F; Vannberg, Fredrik

2017-01-01

Precision medicine is a rapidly growing area of modern medical science and open source machine-learning codes promise to be a critical component for the successful development of standardized and automated analysis of patient data. One important goal of precision cancer medicine is the accurate prediction of optimal drug therapies from the genomic profiles of individual patient tumors. We introduce here an open source software platform that employs a highly versatile support vector machine (SVM) algorithm combined with a standard recursive feature elimination (RFE) approach to predict personalized drug responses from gene expression profiles. Drug specific models were built using gene expression and drug response data from the National Cancer Institute panel of 60 human cancer cell lines (NCI-60). The models are highly accurate in predicting the drug responsiveness of a variety of cancer cell lines including those comprising the recent NCI-DREAM Challenge. We demonstrate that predictive accuracy is optimized when the learning dataset utilizes all probe-set expression values from a diversity of cancer cell types without pre-filtering for genes generally considered to be "drivers" of cancer onset/progression. Application of our models to publically available ovarian cancer (OC) patient gene expression datasets generated predictions consistent with observed responses previously reported in the literature. By making our algorithm "open source", we hope to facilitate its testing in a variety of cancer types and contexts leading to community-driven improvements and refinements in subsequent applications.

Use of patient specific 3D printed (3DP) neurovascular phantoms for mechanical assessment of devices used in image guided minimally invasive procedures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabaczynski, Janelle R.; Stoll, Thomas; Shepard, Lauren; Siddiqui, Mohamed I. G.; Karkhanis, Nitant V.; Sommer, Kelsey; Siddiqui, Adnan H.; Ionita, Ciprian N.

2018-03-01

Patient-specific 3D printed phantoms (3DP) can reproduce accurate patient geometry and provide precise tools for Endovascular Image Guided Interventions (EIGI) simulations. We propose to build and test 3DP phantoms which mimic the arterial wall elasticity and surface properties and demonstrate their utility in comprehensive EIGI simulations. 3DP idealized and patient specific vascular phantoms were manufactured using Stratasys Objet 500 Connex 3. The idealized phantoms were created using a sine wave shape, patient specific phantoms were based on CT- angiography volumes. The phantoms were coated with a hydrophilic material to mimic vascular surface properties. We tested various endovascular procedures using an Interventional Device Testing Equipment (IDTE) 2000 and measured push/pull force used to actuate endovascular devices during EIGIs. The force needed to advance devices in neurovascular phantoms varied based on tortuosity, material and coating, ranging from -3 to 21 grams-force. Hydrophilic coating reduced maximum force from 21 to 4.8 grams-force in the same model. IDTE 2000 results of neurovascular models were compared to hand manipulation of guidewire access using a six-axis force sensor with forces ranging from -50 to 440 grams. The clot retriever tested in carotid models experienced most friction around tortuous bends ranging from -65 to -90 grams-force, with increasing rigidity of materials creating increased friction. Sine wave model forces varied from -2 to 105 grams. 3DP allows manufacturing of vascular phantoms with precise mechanical and surface properties which can be used for EIGI simulations for imaging protocol optimization and device behavior assessment.

ACCURATE ORBITAL INTEGRATION OF THE GENERAL THREE-BODY PROBLEM BASED ON THE D'ALEMBERT-TYPE SCHEME

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

Minesaki, Yukitaka

2013-03-15

We propose an accurate orbital integration scheme for the general three-body problem that retains all conserved quantities except angular momentum. The scheme is provided by an extension of the d'Alembert-type scheme for constrained autonomous Hamiltonian systems. Although the proposed scheme is merely second-order accurate, it can precisely reproduce some periodic, quasiperiodic, and escape orbits. The Levi-Civita transformation plays a role in designing the scheme.

New Stability-Indicating RP-HPLC Method for Determination of Diclofenac Potassium and Metaxalone from their Combined Dosage Form

PubMed Central

Panda, Sagar Suman; Patanaik, Debasis; Ravi Kumar, Bera V. V.

2012-01-01

A simple, precise and accurate isocratic RP-HPLC stability-indicating assay method has been developed to determine diclofenac potassium and metaxalone in their combined dosage forms. Isocratic separation was achieved on a Hibar-C18, Lichrosphere-100® (250 mm × 4.6 mm i.d., particle size 5 μm) column at room temperature in isocratic mode, the mobile phase consists of methanol: water (80:20, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min, the injection volume was 20 μl and UV detection was carried out at 280nm. The drug was subjected to acid and alkali hydrolysis, oxidation, photolysis and heat as stress conditions. The method was validated for specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, robustness and system suitability. The method was linear in the drug concentration range of 2.5–30 μg/ml and 20–240 μg/ml for diclofenac potassium and metaxalone, respectively. The precision (RSD) of six samples was 0.83 and 0.93% for repeatability, and the intermediate precision (RSD) among six-sample preparation was 1.63 and 0.49% for diclofenac potassium and metaxalone, respectively. The mean recoveries were between 100.99–102.58% and 99.97–100.01% for diclofenac potassium and metaxalone, respectively. The proposed method can be used successfully for routine analysis of the drug in bulk and combined pharmaceutical dosage forms. PMID:22396909

Simultaneous Determination of Soyasaponins and Isoflavones in Soy (Glycine max L.) Products by HPTLC-densitometry-Multiple Detection.

PubMed

Shawky, Eman; Sallam, Shaimaa M

2017-11-01

A new high-throughput method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of isoflavones and soyasaponnins in Soy (Glycine max L.) products by high-performance thin-layer chromatography with densitometry and multiple detection. Silica gel was used as the stationary phase and ethyl acetate:methanol:water:acetic acid (100:20:16:1, v/v/v/v) as the mobile phase. After chromatographic development, multi-wavelength scanning was carried out by: (i) UV-absorbance measurement at 265 nm for genistin, daidzin and glycitin, (ii) Vis-absorbance measurement at 650 nm for Soyasaponins I and III, after post-chromatographic derivatization with anisaldehyde/sulfuric acid reagent. Validation of the developed method was found to meet the acceptance criteria delineated by ICH guidelines with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision, specificity and robustness. Calibrations were linear with correlation coefficients of >0.994. Intra-day precisions relative standard deviation (RSD)% of all substances in matrix were determined to be between 0.7 and 0.9%, while inter-day precisions (RSD%) ranged between 1.2 and 1.8%. The validated method was successfully applied for determination of the studied analytes in soy-based infant formula and soybean products. The new method compares favorably to other reported methods in being as accurate and precise and in the same time more feasible and cost-effective. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Differential porosimetry and permeametry for random porous media.

PubMed

Hilfer, R; Lemmer, A

2015-07-01

Accurate determination of geometrical and physical properties of natural porous materials is notoriously difficult. Continuum multiscale modeling has provided carefully calibrated realistic microstructure models of reservoir rocks with floating point accuracy. Previous measurements using synthetic microcomputed tomography (μ-CT) were based on extrapolation of resolution-dependent properties for discrete digitized approximations of the continuum microstructure. This paper reports continuum measurements of volume and specific surface with full floating point precision. It also corrects an incomplete description of rotations in earlier publications. More importantly, the methods of differential permeametry and differential porosimetry are introduced as precision tools. The continuum microstructure chosen to exemplify the methods is a homogeneous, carefully calibrated and characterized model for Fontainebleau sandstone. The sample has been publicly available since 2010 on the worldwide web as a benchmark for methodical studies of correlated random media. High-precision porosimetry gives the volume and internal surface area of the sample with floating point accuracy. Continuum results with floating point precision are compared to discrete approximations. Differential porosities and differential surface area densities allow geometrical fluctuations to be discriminated from discretization effects and numerical noise. Differential porosimetry and Fourier analysis reveal subtle periodic correlations. The findings uncover small oscillatory correlations with a period of roughly 850μm, thus implying that the sample is not strictly stationary. The correlations are attributed to the deposition algorithm that was used to ensure the grain overlap constraint. Differential permeabilities are introduced and studied. Differential porosities and permeabilities provide scale-dependent information on geometry fluctuations, thereby allowing quantitative error estimates.

Development of real-time PCR assays for the detection of Moraxella macacae associated with bloody nose syndrome in rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and cynomolgus (Macaca fascicularis) macaques

PubMed Central

Whitehouse, Chris A.; Chase, Kitty; Embers, Monica E.; Kulesh, David A.; Ladner, Jason T.; Palacios, Gustavo F.; Minogue, Timothy D.

2016-01-01

Background Moraxella macacae is a recently described bacterial pathogen that causes epistaxis or so-called bloody nose syndrome in captive macaques. The aim of this study was to develop specific molecular diagnostic assays for M. macacae and to determine their performance characteristics. Methods We developed six real-time PCR assays on the Roche LightCycler. The accuracy, precision, selectivity, and limit of detection (LOD) were determined for each assay, in addition to further validation by testing nasal swabs from macaques presenting with epistaxis at the Tulane National Primate Research Center. Results All assays exhibited 100% specificity and were highly sensitive with an LOD of 10 fg for chromosomal assays and 1 fg for the plasmid assay. Testing of nasal swabs from 10 symptomatic macaques confirmed the presence of M. macacae in these animals. Conclusions We developed several accurate, sensitive, and species-specific real-time PCR assays for the detection of M. macacae in captive macaques. PMID:26365904

Accuracy and Precision in Measurements of Biomass Oxidative Ratio and Carbon Oxidation State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallagher, M. E.; Masiello, C. A.; Randerson, J. T.; Chadwick, O. A.; Robertson, G. P.

2007-12-01

Ecosystem oxidative ratio (OR) is a critical parameter in the apportionment of anthropogenic CO2 between the terrestrial biosphere and ocean carbon reservoirs. OR is the ratio of O2 to CO2 in gas exchange fluxes between the terrestrial biosphere and atmosphere. Ecosystem OR is linearly related to biomass carbon oxidation state (Cox), a fundamental property of the earth system describing the bonding environment of carbon in molecules. Cox can range from -4 to +4 (CH4 to CO2). Variations in both Cox and OR are driven by photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition. We are developing several techniques to accurately measure variations in ecosystem Cox and OR; these include elemental analysis, bomb calorimetry, and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A previous study, comparing the accuracy and precision of elemental analysis versus bomb calorimetry for pure chemicals, showed that elemental analysis-based measurements are more accurate, while calorimetry- based measurements yield more precise data. However, the limited biochemical range of natural samples makes it possible that calorimetry may ultimately prove most accurate, as well as most cost-effective. Here we examine more closely the accuracy of Cox and OR values generated by calorimetry on a large set of natural biomass samples collected from the Kellogg Biological Station-Long Term Ecological Research (KBS-LTER) site in Michigan.

An analysis of genetic stock identification on a small geographical scale using microsatellite markers, and its application in the management of a mixed-stock fishery for Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in Ireland.

PubMed

Ensing, D; Crozier, W W; Boylan, P; O'Maoiléidigh, N; McGinnity, P

2013-06-01

A genetic stock identification (GSI) study was undertaken in a fishery for Atlantic salmon Salmo salar to determine the effects of restrictive fishery management measures on the stock composition of the fishery, and if accurate and precise stock composition estimates could be achieved on the small geographical scale where this fishery operates, using a suite of only seven microsatellite loci. The stock composition of the Foyle fishery was shown to comprise almost exclusively of Foyle origin fish in the 3 years after restrictive measures were introduced in 2007, compared to 85% the year before. This showed that the restrictive measures resulted in the Foyle fishery being transformed from a mixed-stock fishery to an almost exclusively single-stock fishery, and showed how GSI studies can guide and evaluate management decisions to successfully manage these fisheries. Highly accurate and precise stock composition estimates were achieved in this study, using both cBAYES and ONCOR genetic software packages. This suggests accurate and precise stock composition is possible even on small geographical scales. © 2013 AFBINI. Journal of Fish Biology © 2013 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Comparison of Vehicle-Broadcasted Fuel Consumption Rates against Precise Fuel Measurements for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles and Engines

DOE PAGES

Pink, Alex; Ragatz, Adam; Wang, Lijuan; ...

2017-03-28

Vehicles continuously report real-time fuel consumption estimates over their data bus, known as the controller area network (CAN). However, the accuracy of these fueling estimates is uncertain to researchers who collect these data from any given vehicle. To assess the accuracy of these estimates, CAN-reported fuel consumption data are compared against fuel measurements from precise instrumentation. The data analyzed consisted of eight medium/heavy-duty vehicles and two medium-duty engines. Varying discrepancies between CAN fueling rates and the more accurate measurements emerged but without a vehicular trend-for some vehicles the CAN under-reported fuel consumption and for others the CAN over-reported fuel consumption.more » Furthermore, a qualitative real-time analysis revealed that the operating conditions under which these fueling discrepancies arose varied among vehicles. A drive cycle analysis revealed that while CAN fueling estimate accuracy differs for individual vehicles, that CAN estimates capture the relative fuel consumption differences between drive cycles within 4% for all vehicles and even more accurately for some vehicles. Furthermore, in situations where only CAN-reported data are available, CAN fueling estimates can provide relative fuel consumption trends but not accurate or precise fuel consumption rates.« less

Comparison of Vehicle-Broadcasted Fuel Consumption Rates against Precise Fuel Measurements for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles and Engines

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

Pink, Alex; Ragatz, Adam; Wang, Lijuan

Vehicles continuously report real-time fuel consumption estimates over their data bus, known as the controller area network (CAN). However, the accuracy of these fueling estimates is uncertain to researchers who collect these data from any given vehicle. To assess the accuracy of these estimates, CAN-reported fuel consumption data are compared against fuel measurements from precise instrumentation. The data analyzed consisted of eight medium/heavy-duty vehicles and two medium-duty engines. Varying discrepancies between CAN fueling rates and the more accurate measurements emerged but without a vehicular trend-for some vehicles the CAN under-reported fuel consumption and for others the CAN over-reported fuel consumption.more » Furthermore, a qualitative real-time analysis revealed that the operating conditions under which these fueling discrepancies arose varied among vehicles. A drive cycle analysis revealed that while CAN fueling estimate accuracy differs for individual vehicles, that CAN estimates capture the relative fuel consumption differences between drive cycles within 4% for all vehicles and even more accurately for some vehicles. Furthermore, in situations where only CAN-reported data are available, CAN fueling estimates can provide relative fuel consumption trends but not accurate or precise fuel consumption rates.« less

Limits on Lorentz violation in gravity from worldwide superconducting gravimeters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Cheng-Gang; Chen, Ya-Fen; Sun, Rong; Cao, Lu-Shuai; Zhou, Min-Kang; Hu, Zhong-Kun; Yu, Chenghui; Müller, Holger

2018-01-01

We have investigated Lorentz violation through analyzing tides-subtracted gravity data measured by superconducting gravimeters. At the level of precision of superconducting gravimeters, we have brought up and resolved an existing issue of accuracy due to unaccounted local tidal effects in previous solid-earth tidal model used. Specifically, we have taken local tides into account with a brand new first-principles tidal model with ocean tides included, as well as removed potential bias from local tides by using a worldwide array of 12 superconducting gravimeters. Compared with previous test with local gravimeters, a more accurate and competitive bound on space-space components of gravitational Lorentz violation has been achieved up to the order of 10-10.

Molecular Imaging and Precision Medicine: PET/Computed Tomography and Therapy Response Assessment in Oncology.

PubMed

Sheikhbahaei, Sara; Mena, Esther; Pattanayak, Puskar; Taghipour, Mehdi; Solnes, Lilja B; Subramaniam, Rathan M

2017-01-01

A variety of methods have been developed to assess tumor response to therapy. Standardized qualitative criteria based on 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose PET/computed tomography have been proposed to evaluate the treatment effectiveness in specific cancers and these allow more accurate therapy response assessment and survival prognostication. Multiple studies have addressed the utility of the volumetric PET biomarkers as prognostic indicators but there is no consensus about the preferred segmentation methodology for these metrics. Heterogeneous intratumoral uptake was proposed as a novel PET metric for therapy response assessment. PET imaging techniques will be used to study the biological behavior of cancers during therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optical head tracking for functional magnetic resonance imaging using structured light.

PubMed

Zaremba, Andrei A; MacFarlane, Duncan L; Tseng, Wei-Che; Stark, Andrew J; Briggs, Richard W; Gopinath, Kaundinya S; Cheshkov, Sergey; White, Keith D

2008-07-01

An accurate motion-tracking technique is needed to compensate for subject motion during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) procedures. Here, a novel approach to motion metrology is discussed. A structured light pattern specifically coded for digital signal processing is positioned onto a fiduciary of the patient. As the patient undergoes spatial transformations in 6 DoF (degrees of freedom), a high-resolution CCD camera captures successive images for analysis on a computing platform. A high-speed image processing algorithm is used to calculate spatial transformations in a time frame commensurate with patient movements (10-100 ms) and with a precision of at least 0.5 microm for translations and 0.1 deg for rotations.

A Critical Evaluation of the Thermophysical Properties of Mercury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holman, G. J. F.; ten Seldam, C. A.

1994-09-01

For the use of a mercury column for precise pressure measurements—such as the pressurized 30 meter mercury-in-steel column used at the Van der Waals-Zeeman Laboratory for the calibration of piston gauges up to nearly 300 MPa—it is highly important to have accurate knowledge of such properties of mercury as density, isobaric secant and tangent volume thermal expansion coefficients, and isothermal secant and tangent compressibilities as functions of temperature and pressure. In this paper we present a critical assessment of the available information on these properties. Recommended values are given for the properties mentioned and, in addition, for properties derived from theses such as entropy, enthalpy, internal energy, and the specific heat capacities.

Rapid and precise determination of ATP using a modified photometer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shultz, David J.; Stephens, Doyle W.

1980-01-01

An inexpensive delay timer was designed to modify a commercially available ATP photometer which allows a disposable tip pipette to be used for injecting either enzyme or sample into the reaction cuvette. The disposable tip pipette is as precise and accurate as a fixed-needle syringe but eliminates the problem of sample contamination and decreases analytical time. (USGS)

Measuring "g" Using a Magnetic Pendulum and Telephone Pickup

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinacore, J.; Takai, H.

2010-01-01

The simple pendulum has long been used to measure "g", the acceleration due to gravity, with a precision of a few percent. Achieving agreement with the accepted value of less than 1% is feasible in the high school laboratory, though it requires some care. The precision of the measurement is bound by how accurately the period and the pendulum…

Accommodating Uncertainty in Prior Distributions

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

Picard, Richard Roy; Vander Wiel, Scott Alan

2017-01-19

A fundamental premise of Bayesian methodology is that a priori information is accurately summarized by a single, precisely de ned prior distribution. In many cases, especially involving informative priors, this premise is false, and the (mis)application of Bayes methods produces posterior quantities whose apparent precisions are highly misleading. We examine the implications of uncertainty in prior distributions, and present graphical methods for dealing with them.

Precision laser aiming system

DOEpatents

Ahrens, Brandon R [Albuquerque, NM; Todd, Steven N [Rio Rancho, NM

2009-04-28

A precision laser aiming system comprises a disrupter tool, a reflector, and a laser fixture. The disrupter tool, the reflector and the laser fixture are configurable for iterative alignment and aiming toward an explosive device threat. The invention enables a disrupter to be quickly and accurately set up, aligned, and aimed in order to render safe or to disrupt a target from a standoff position.

Effect of plot and sample size on timing and precision of urban forest assessments

Treesearch

David J. Nowak; Jeffrey T. Walton; Jack C. Stevens; Daniel E. Crane; Robert E. Hoehn

2008-01-01

Accurate field data can be used to assess ecosystem services from trees and to improve urban forest management, yet little is known about the optimization of field data collection in the urban environment. Various field and Geographic Information System (GIS) tests were performed to help understand how time costs and precision of tree population estimates change with...

Applications of an automated stem measurer for precision forestry

Treesearch

N. Clark

2001-01-01

Accurate stem measurements are required for the determination of many silvicultural prescriptions, i.e., what are we going to do with a stand of trees. This would only be amplified in a precision forestry context. Many methods have been proposed for optimal ways to evaluate stems for a variety of characteristics. These methods usually involve the acquisition of total...

Accurate, precise, and efficient theoretical methods to calculate anion-π interaction energies in model structures.

PubMed

Mezei, Pál D; Csonka, Gábor I; Ruzsinszky, Adrienn; Sun, Jianwei

2015-01-13

A correct description of the anion-π interaction is essential for the design of selective anion receptors and channels and important for advances in the field of supramolecular chemistry. However, it is challenging to do accurate, precise, and efficient calculations of this interaction, which are lacking in the literature. In this article, by testing sets of 20 binary anion-π complexes of fluoride, chloride, bromide, nitrate, or carbonate ions with hexafluorobenzene, 1,3,5-trifluorobenzene, 2,4,6-trifluoro-1,3,5-triazine, or 1,3,5-triazine and 30 ternary π-anion-π' sandwich complexes composed from the same monomers, we suggest domain-based local-pair natural orbital coupled cluster energies extrapolated to the complete basis-set limit as reference values. We give a detailed explanation of the origin of anion-π interactions, using the permanent quadrupole moments, static dipole polarizabilities, and electrostatic potential maps. We use symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) to calculate the components of the anion-π interaction energies. We examine the performance of the direct random phase approximation (dRPA), the second-order screened exchange (SOSEX), local-pair natural-orbital (LPNO) coupled electron pair approximation (CEPA), and several dispersion-corrected density functionals (including generalized gradient approximation (GGA), meta-GGA, and double hybrid density functional). The LPNO-CEPA/1 results show the best agreement with the reference results. The dRPA method is only slightly less accurate and precise than the LPNO-CEPA/1, but it is considerably more efficient (6-17 times faster) for the binary complexes studied in this paper. For 30 ternary π-anion-π' sandwich complexes, we give dRPA interaction energies as reference values. The double hybrid functionals are much more efficient but less accurate and precise than dRPA. The dispersion-corrected double hybrid PWPB95-D3(BJ) and B2PLYP-D3(BJ) functionals perform better than the GGA and meta-GGA functionals for the present test set.

Age estimation of burbot using pectoral fin rays, brachiostegal rays, and otoliths

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klein, Zachary B.; Terrazas, Marc M.; Quist, Michael C.

2014-01-01

Throughout much of its native distribution, burbot (Lota lota) is a species of conservation concern. Understanding dynamic rate functions is critical for the effective management of sensitive burbot populations, which necessitates accurate and precise age estimates. Managing sensitive burbot populations requires an accurate and precise non-lethal alternative. In an effort to identify a non-lethal ageing structure, we compared the precision of age estimates obtained from otoliths, pectoral fin rays, dorsal fin rays and branchiostegal rays from 208 burbot collected from the Green River drainage, Wyoming. Additionally, we compared the accuracy of age estimates from pectoral fin rays, dorsal fin rays and branchiostegal rays to those of otoliths. Dorsal fin rays were immediately deemed a poor ageing structure and removed from further analysis. Age-bias plots of consensus ages derived from branchiostegal rays and pectoral fin rays were appreciably different from those obtained from otoliths. Exact agreement between readers and reader confidence was highest for otoliths and lowest for branchiostegal rays. Age-bias plots indicated that age estimates obtained from branchiostegal rays and pectoral fin rays were substantially different from age estimates obtained from otoliths. Our results indicate that otoliths provide the most precise age estimates for burbot.

Mass spectrometry in Earth sciences: the precise and accurate measurement of time.

PubMed

Schaltegger, Urs; Wotzlaw, Jörn-Frederik; Ovtcharova, Maria; Chiaradia, Massimo; Spikings, Richard

2014-01-01

Precise determinations of the isotopic compositions of a variety of elements is a widely applied tool in Earth sciences. Isotope ratios are used to quantify rates of geological processes that occurred during the previous 4.5 billion years, and also at the present time. An outstanding application is geochronology, which utilizes the production of radiogenic daughter isotopes by the radioactive decay of parent isotopes. Geochronological tools, involving isotopic analysis of selected elements from smallest volumes of minerals by thermal ionization mass spectrometry, provide precise and accurate measurements of time throughout the geological history of our planet over nine orders of magnitude, from the accretion of the proto-planetary disk, to the timing of the last glaciation. This article summarizes the recent efforts of the Isotope Geochemistry, Geochronology and Thermochronology research group at the University of Geneva to advance the U-Pb geochronological tool to achieve unprecedented precision and accuracy, and presents two examples of its application to two significant open questions in Earth sciences: what are the triggers and timescales of volcanic supereruptions, and what were the causes of mass extinctions in the geological past, driven by global climatic and environmental deterioration?

Improved regulatory element prediction based on tissue-specific local epigenomic signatures

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

He, Yupeng; Gorkin, David U.; Dickel, Diane E.

Accurate enhancer identification is critical for understanding the spatiotemporal transcriptional regulation during development as well as the functional impact of disease-related noncoding genetic variants. Computational methods have been developed to predict the genomic locations of active enhancers based on histone modifications, but the accuracy and resolution of these methods remain limited. Here, we present an algorithm, regulator y element prediction based on tissue-specific local epigenetic marks (REPTILE), which integrates histone modification and whole-genome cytosine DNA methylation profiles to identify the precise location of enhancers. We tested the ability of REPTILE to identify enhancers previously validated in reporter assays. Compared withmore » existing methods, REPTILE shows consistently superior performance across diverse cell and tissue types, and the enhancer locations are significantly more refined. We show that, by incorporating base-resolution methylation data, REPTILE greatly improves upon current methods for annotation of enhancers across a variety of cell and tissue types.« less

A Dual-Responsive Self-Assembled Monolayer for Specific Capture and On-Demand Release of Live Cells.

PubMed

Gao, Xia; Li, Qiang; Wang, Fengchao; Liu, Xuehui; Liu, Dingbin

2018-06-22

We report a dual-responsive self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a well-defined rough gold substrate for dynamic capture and release of live cells. By incorporating 5'-triphosphate (ATP) aptamer into a SAM, we can accurately isolate specific cell types and subsequently release captured cells at either population or desired-group (or even single-cell) levels. On one hand, the whole SAMs can be disassembled through addition of ATP solution, leading to the entire release of the captured cells from the supported substrate. On the other hand, desired cells can be selectively released by using near-infrared light (NIR) irradiation, with relatively high spatial and temporal precision. The proposed dual-responsive cell capture-and-release system is biologically friendly and is reusable with another round of modification, showing great usefulness in cancer diagnosis and molecular analysis.

Evaluation of Raman spectroscopy in comparison to commonly performed dengue diagnostic tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Saranjam; Ullah, Rahat; Khurram, Muhammad; Ali, Hina; Mahmood, Arshad; Khan, Ajmal; Ahmed, Mushtaq

2016-09-01

This study demonstrates the evaluation of Raman spectroscopy as a rapid diagnostic test in comparison to commonly performed tests for an accurate detection of dengue fever in human blood sera. Blood samples of 104 suspected dengue patients collected from Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, have been used in this study. Out of 104 samples, 52 (50%) were positive based on immunoglobulin G (IgG), whereas 54 (52%) were positive based on immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody tests. For the determination of the diagnostic capabilities of Raman spectroscopy, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and false positive rate have been calculated in comparison to normally performed IgM and IgG captured enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests. Accuracy, precision, specificity, and sensitivity for Raman spectroscopy in comparison to IgM were found to be 66%, 70%, 72%, and 61%, whereas based on IgG they were 47%, 46%, 52%, and 43%, respectively.

Improved regulatory element prediction based on tissue-specific local epigenomic signatures

DOE PAGES

He, Yupeng; Gorkin, David U.; Dickel, Diane E.; ...

2017-02-13

Accurate enhancer identification is critical for understanding the spatiotemporal transcriptional regulation during development as well as the functional impact of disease-related noncoding genetic variants. Computational methods have been developed to predict the genomic locations of active enhancers based on histone modifications, but the accuracy and resolution of these methods remain limited. Here, we present an algorithm, regulator y element prediction based on tissue-specific local epigenetic marks (REPTILE), which integrates histone modification and whole-genome cytosine DNA methylation profiles to identify the precise location of enhancers. We tested the ability of REPTILE to identify enhancers previously validated in reporter assays. Compared withmore » existing methods, REPTILE shows consistently superior performance across diverse cell and tissue types, and the enhancer locations are significantly more refined. We show that, by incorporating base-resolution methylation data, REPTILE greatly improves upon current methods for annotation of enhancers across a variety of cell and tissue types.« less

Optogenetic control of ATP release

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Matthew A.; Joshi, Bipin; Gu, Ling; Feranchak, Andrew; Mohanty, Samarendra K.

2013-03-01

Controlled release of ATP can be used for understanding extracellular purinergic signaling. While coarse mechanical forces and hypotonic stimulation have been utilized in the past to initiate ATP release from cells, these methods are neither spatially accurate nor temporally precise. Further, these methods cannot be utilized in a highly effective cell-specific manner. To mitigate the uncertainties regarding cellular-specificity and spatio-temporal release of ATP, we herein demonstrate use of optogenetics for ATP release. ATP release in response to optogenetic stimulation was monitored by Luciferin-Luciferase assay (North American firefly, photinus pyralis) using luminometer as well as mesoscopic bioluminescence imaging. Our result demonstrates repetitive release of ATP subsequent to optogenetic stimulation. It is thus feasible that purinergic signaling can be directly detected via imaging if the stimulus can be confined to single cell or in a spatially-defined group of cells. This study opens up new avenue to interrogate the mechanisms of purinergic signaling.

Proof of principle in vitro study of a prototype ultrasound technology to size stone fragments during ureteroscopy.

PubMed

Sorensen, Mathew D; Teichman, Joel M H; Bailey, Michael R

2009-07-01

Proof-of-principle in vitro experiments evaluated a prototype ultrasound technology to size kidney stone fragments. Nineteen human stones were measured using manual calipers. A 10-MHz, 1/8'' (10F) ultrasound transducer probe pinged each stone on a kidney tissue phantom submerged in water using two methods. In Method 1, the instrument was aligned such that the ultrasound pulse traveled through the stone. In Method 2, the instrument was aligned partially over the stone such that the ultrasound pulse traveled through water. For Method 1, the correlation between caliper- and ultrasound-determined stone size was r(2) = 0.71 (P < 0.0001). All but two stone measurements were accurate and precise to within 1 mm. For Method 2, the correlation was r(2) = 0.99 (P < 0.0001), and measurements were accurate and precise to within 0.25 mm. The prototype technology and either method measured stone size with good accuracy and precision. This technology may be possible to incorporate into ureteroscopy.

In-airway molecular flow sensing: A new technology for continuous, noninvasive monitoring of oxygen consumption in critical care.

PubMed

Ciaffoni, Luca; O'Neill, David P; Couper, John H; Ritchie, Grant A D; Hancock, Gus; Robbins, Peter A

2016-08-01

There are no satisfactory methods for monitoring oxygen consumption in critical care. To address this, we adapted laser absorption spectroscopy to provide measurements of O2, CO2, and water vapor within the airway every 10 ms. The analyzer is integrated within a novel respiratory flow meter that is an order of magnitude more precise than other flow meters. Such precision, coupled with the accurate alignment of gas concentrations with respiratory flow, makes possible the determination of O2 consumption by direct integration over time of the product of O2 concentration and flow. The precision is illustrated by integrating the balance gas (N2 plus Ar) flow and showing that this exchange was near zero. Measured O2 consumption changed by <5% between air and O2 breathing. Clinical capability was illustrated by recording O2 consumption during an aortic aneurysm repair. This device now makes easy, accurate, and noninvasive measurement of O2 consumption for intubated patients in critical care possible.

In-airway molecular flow sensing: A new technology for continuous, noninvasive monitoring of oxygen consumption in critical care

PubMed Central

Ciaffoni, Luca; O’Neill, David P.; Couper, John H.; Ritchie, Grant A. D.; Hancock, Gus; Robbins, Peter A.

2016-01-01

There are no satisfactory methods for monitoring oxygen consumption in critical care. To address this, we adapted laser absorption spectroscopy to provide measurements of O2, CO2, and water vapor within the airway every 10 ms. The analyzer is integrated within a novel respiratory flow meter that is an order of magnitude more precise than other flow meters. Such precision, coupled with the accurate alignment of gas concentrations with respiratory flow, makes possible the determination of O2 consumption by direct integration over time of the product of O2 concentration and flow. The precision is illustrated by integrating the balance gas (N2 plus Ar) flow and showing that this exchange was near zero. Measured O2 consumption changed by <5% between air and O2 breathing. Clinical capability was illustrated by recording O2 consumption during an aortic aneurysm repair. This device now makes easy, accurate, and noninvasive measurement of O2 consumption for intubated patients in critical care possible. PMID:27532048

An open-source, extensible system for laboratory timing and control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaskell, Peter E.; Thorn, Jeremy J.; Alba, Sequoia; Steck, Daniel A.

2009-11-01

We describe a simple system for timing and control, which provides control of analog, digital, and radio-frequency signals. Our system differs from most common laboratory setups in that it is open source, built from off-the-shelf components, synchronized to a common and accurate clock, and connected over an Ethernet network. A simple bus architecture facilitates creating new and specialized devices with only moderate experience in circuit design. Each device operates independently, requiring only an Ethernet network connection to the controlling computer, a clock signal, and a trigger signal. This makes the system highly robust and scalable. The devices can all be connected to a single external clock, allowing synchronous operation of a large number of devices for situations requiring precise timing of many parallel control and acquisition channels. Provided an accurate enough clock, these devices are capable of triggering events separated by one day with near-microsecond precision. We have achieved precisions of ˜0.1 ppb (parts per 109) over 16 s.

Complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) activity of a humanized anti Lewis-Y antibody: FACS-based assay versus the 'classical' radioactive method -- qualification, comparison and application of the FACS-based approach.

PubMed

Nechansky, A; Szolar, O H J; Siegl, P; Zinoecker, I; Halanek, N; Wiederkum, S; Kircheis, R

2009-05-01

The fully humanized Lewis-Y carbohydrate specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) IGN311 is currently tested in a passive immunotherapy approach in a clinical phase I trail and therefore regulatory requirements demand qualified assays for product analysis. To demonstrate the functionality of its Fc-region, the capacity of IGN311 to mediate complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) against human breast cancer cells was evaluated. The "classical" radioactive method using chromium-51 and a FACS-based assay were established and qualified according to ICH guidelines. Parameters evaluated were specificity, response function, bias, repeatability (intra-day precision), intermediate precision (operator-time different), and linearity (assay range). In the course of a fully nested design, a four-parameter logistic equation was identified as appropriate calibration model for both methods. For the radioactive assay, the bias ranged from -6.1% to -3.6%. The intermediate precision for future means of duplicate measurements revealed values from 12.5% to 15.9% and the total error (beta-expectation tolerance interval) of the method was found to be <40%. For the FACS-based assay, the bias ranged from -8.3% to 0.6% and the intermediate precision for future means of duplicate measurements revealed values from 4.2% to 8.0%. The total error of the method was found to be <25%. The presented data demonstrate that the FACS-based CDC is more accurate than the radioactive assay. Also, the elimination of radioactivity and the 'real-time' counting of apoptotic cells further justifies the implementation of this method which was subsequently applied for testing the influence of storage at 4 degrees C and 25 degrees C ('stability testing') on the potency of IGN311 drug product. The obtained results demonstrate that the qualified functional assay represents a stability indicating test method.

Correlative imaging across microscopy platforms using the fast and accurate relocation of microscopic experimental regions (FARMER) method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huynh, Toan; Daddysman, Matthew K.; Bao, Ying; Selewa, Alan; Kuznetsov, Andrey; Philipson, Louis H.; Scherer, Norbert F.

2017-05-01

Imaging specific regions of interest (ROIs) of nanomaterials or biological samples with different imaging modalities (e.g., light and electron microscopy) or at subsequent time points (e.g., before and after off-microscope procedures) requires relocating the ROIs. Unfortunately, relocation is typically difficult and very time consuming to achieve. Previously developed techniques involve the fabrication of arrays of features, the procedures for which are complex, and the added features can interfere with imaging the ROIs. We report the Fast and Accurate Relocation of Microscopic Experimental Regions (FARMER) method, which only requires determining the coordinates of 3 (or more) conspicuous reference points (REFs) and employs an algorithm based on geometric operators to relocate ROIs in subsequent imaging sessions. The 3 REFs can be quickly added to various regions of a sample using simple tools (e.g., permanent markers or conductive pens) and do not interfere with the ROIs. The coordinates of the REFs and the ROIs are obtained in the first imaging session (on a particular microscope platform) using an accurate and precise encoded motorized stage. In subsequent imaging sessions, the FARMER algorithm finds the new coordinates of the ROIs (on the same or different platforms), using the coordinates of the manually located REFs and the previously recorded coordinates. FARMER is convenient, fast (3-15 min/session, at least 10-fold faster than manual searches), accurate (4.4 μm average error on a microscope with a 100x objective), and precise (almost all errors are <8 μm), even with deliberate rotating and tilting of the sample well beyond normal repositioning accuracy. We demonstrate this versatility by imaging and re-imaging a diverse set of samples and imaging methods: live mammalian cells at different time points; fixed bacterial cells on two microscopes with different imaging modalities; and nanostructures on optical and electron microscopes. FARMER can be readily adapted to any imaging system with an encoded motorized stage and can facilitate multi-session and multi-platform imaging experiments in biology, materials science, photonics, and nanoscience.

High-Precision Registration of Point Clouds Based on Sphere Feature Constraints.

PubMed

Huang, Junhui; Wang, Zhao; Gao, Jianmin; Huang, Youping; Towers, David Peter

2016-12-30

Point cloud registration is a key process in multi-view 3D measurements. Its precision affects the measurement precision directly. However, in the case of the point clouds with non-overlapping areas or curvature invariant surface, it is difficult to achieve a high precision. A high precision registration method based on sphere feature constraint is presented to overcome the difficulty in the paper. Some known sphere features with constraints are used to construct virtual overlapping areas. The virtual overlapping areas provide more accurate corresponding point pairs and reduce the influence of noise. Then the transformation parameters between the registered point clouds are solved by an optimization method with weight function. In that case, the impact of large noise in point clouds can be reduced and a high precision registration is achieved. Simulation and experiments validate the proposed method.

High-Precision Registration of Point Clouds Based on Sphere Feature Constraints

PubMed Central

Huang, Junhui; Wang, Zhao; Gao, Jianmin; Huang, Youping; Towers, David Peter

2016-01-01

Point cloud registration is a key process in multi-view 3D measurements. Its precision affects the measurement precision directly. However, in the case of the point clouds with non-overlapping areas or curvature invariant surface, it is difficult to achieve a high precision. A high precision registration method based on sphere feature constraint is presented to overcome the difficulty in the paper. Some known sphere features with constraints are used to construct virtual overlapping areas. The virtual overlapping areas provide more accurate corresponding point pairs and reduce the influence of noise. Then the transformation parameters between the registered point clouds are solved by an optimization method with weight function. In that case, the impact of large noise in point clouds can be reduced and a high precision registration is achieved. Simulation and experiments validate the proposed method. PMID:28042846

Quantum Metrology Assisted by Abstention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gendra, B.; Ronco-Bonvehi, E.; Calsamiglia, J.; Muñoz-Tapia, R.; Bagan, E.

2013-03-01

The main goal of quantum metrology is to obtain accurate values of physical parameters using quantum probes. In this context, we show that abstention, i.e., the possibility of getting an inconclusive answer at readout, can drastically improve the measurement precision and even lead to a change in its asymptotic behavior, from the shot-noise to the Heisenberg scaling. We focus on phase estimation and quantify the required amount of abstention for a given precision. We also develop analytical tools to obtain the asymptotic behavior of the precision and required rate of abstention for arbitrary pure states.

High precision NC lathe feeding system rigid-flexible coupling model reduction technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xuan, He; Hua, Qingsong; Cheng, Lianjun; Zhang, Hongxin; Zhao, Qinghai; Mao, Xinkai

2017-08-01

This paper proposes the use of dynamic substructure method of reduction of order to achieve effective reduction of feed system for high precision NC lathe feeding system rigid-flexible coupling model, namely the use of ADAMS to establish the rigid flexible coupling simulation model of high precision NC lathe, and then the vibration simulation of the period by using the FD 3D damper is very effective for feed system of bolt connection reduction of multi degree of freedom model. The vibration simulation calculation is more accurate, more quickly.

Accuracy and precision of pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling perfusion during baseline and hypercapnia: a head-to-head comparison with ¹⁵O H₂O positron emission tomography.

PubMed

Heijtel, D F R; Mutsaerts, H J M M; Bakker, E; Schober, P; Stevens, M F; Petersen, E T; van Berckel, B N M; Majoie, C B L M; Booij, J; van Osch, M J P; Vanbavel, E; Boellaard, R; Lammertsma, A A; Nederveen, A J

2014-05-15

Measurements of the cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) provide useful information about cerebrovascular condition and regional metabolism. Pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) is a promising non-invasive MRI technique to quantitatively measure the CBF, whereas additional hypercapnic pCASL measurements are currently showing great promise to quantitatively assess the CVR. However, the introduction of pCASL at a larger scale awaits further evaluation of the exact accuracy and precision compared to the gold standard. (15)O H₂O positron emission tomography (PET) is currently regarded as the most accurate and precise method to quantitatively measure both CBF and CVR, though it is one of the more invasive methods as well. In this study we therefore assessed the accuracy and precision of quantitative pCASL-based CBF and CVR measurements by performing a head-to-head comparison with (15)O H₂O PET, based on quantitative CBF measurements during baseline and hypercapnia. We demonstrate that pCASL CBF imaging is accurate during both baseline and hypercapnia with respect to (15)O H₂O PET with a comparable precision. These results pave the way for quantitative usage of pCASL MRI in both clinical and research settings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pre-treatment patient-specific stopping power by combining list-mode proton radiography and x-ray CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins-Fekete, Charles-Antoine; Brousmiche, Sébastien; Hansen, David C.; Beaulieu, Luc; Seco, Joao

2017-09-01

The relative stopping power (RSP) uncertainty is the largest contributor to the range uncertainty in proton therapy. The purpose of this work was to develop a systematic method that yields accurate and patient-specific RSPs by combining (1) pre-treatment x-ray CT and (2) daily proton radiography of the patient. The method was formulated as a penalized least squares optimization problem (argmin(\\Vert {A}{x}-{b}\\Vert _22 )). The parameter A represents the cumulative path-length crossed by the proton in each material, separated by thresholding on the HU. The material RSPs (water equivalent thickness/physical thickness) are denoted by x. The parameter b is the list-mode proton radiography produced using Geant4 simulations. The problem was solved using a non-negative linear-solver with {x}≥slant0 . A was computed by superposing proton trajectories calculated with a cubic or linear spline approach to the CT. The material’s RSP assigned in Geant4 were used for reference while the clinical HU-RSP calibration curve was used for comparison. The Gammex RMI-467 phantom was first investigated. The standard deviation between the estimated material RSP and the calculated RSP is 0.45%. The robustness of the techniques was then assessed as a function of the number of projections and initial proton energy. Optimization with two initial projections yields precise RSP (⩽1.0%) for 330 MeV protons. 250 MeV protons have shown higher uncertainty (⩽2.0%) due to the loss of precision in the path estimate. Anthropomorphic phantoms of the head, pelvis, and lung were subsequently evaluated. Accurate RSP has been obtained for the head (μ =0.21+/-1.63% ), the lung (μ=0.06+/-0.99% ) and the pelvis (μ=0.90+/-3.87% ). The range precision has been optimized using the calibration curves obtained with the algorithm, yielding a mean R80 difference to the reference of 0.11  ±0.09%, 0.28  ±  0.34% and 0.05 +/- 0.06% in the same order. The solution’s accuracy is limited by the assumed HU/RSP bijection, neglecting inherent degeneracy. The proposed formulation of the problem with prior knowledge x-ray CT demonstrates potential to increase the accuracy of present RSP estimates.

Pre-treatment patient-specific stopping power by combining list-mode proton radiography and x-ray CT.

PubMed

Collins-Fekete, Charles-Antoine; Brousmiche, Sébastien; Hansen, David C; Beaulieu, Luc; Seco, Joao

2017-08-03

The relative stopping power (RSP) uncertainty is the largest contributor to the range uncertainty in proton therapy. The purpose of this work was to develop a systematic method that yields accurate and patient-specific RSPs by combining (1) pre-treatment x-ray CT and (2) daily proton radiography of the patient. The method was formulated as a penalized least squares optimization problem (argmin([Formula: see text])). The parameter A represents the cumulative path-length crossed by the proton in each material, separated by thresholding on the HU. The material RSPs (water equivalent thickness/physical thickness) are denoted by x. The parameter b is the list-mode proton radiography produced using Geant4 simulations. The problem was solved using a non-negative linear-solver with [Formula: see text]. A was computed by superposing proton trajectories calculated with a cubic or linear spline approach to the CT. The material's RSP assigned in Geant4 were used for reference while the clinical HU-RSP calibration curve was used for comparison. The Gammex RMI-467 phantom was first investigated. The standard deviation between the estimated material RSP and the calculated RSP is 0.45%. The robustness of the techniques was then assessed as a function of the number of projections and initial proton energy. Optimization with two initial projections yields precise RSP (⩽1.0%) for 330 MeV protons. 250 MeV protons have shown higher uncertainty (⩽2.0%) due to the loss of precision in the path estimate. Anthropomorphic phantoms of the head, pelvis, and lung were subsequently evaluated. Accurate RSP has been obtained for the head ([Formula: see text]), the lung ([Formula: see text]) and the pelvis ([Formula: see text]). The range precision has been optimized using the calibration curves obtained with the algorithm, yielding a mean [Formula: see text] difference to the reference of 0.11  ±0.09%, 0.28  ±  0.34% and [Formula: see text] in the same order. The solution's accuracy is limited by the assumed HU/RSP bijection, neglecting inherent degeneracy. The proposed formulation of the problem with prior knowledge x-ray CT demonstrates potential to increase the accuracy of present RSP estimates.

Comparison and Analysis of Geometric Correction Models of Spaceborne SAR

PubMed Central

Jiang, Weihao; Yu, Anxi; Dong, Zhen; Wang, Qingsong

2016-01-01

Following the development of synthetic aperture radar (SAR), SAR images have become increasingly common. Many researchers have conducted large studies on geolocation models, but little work has been conducted on the available models for the geometric correction of SAR images of different terrain. To address the terrain issue, four different models were compared and are described in this paper: a rigorous range-doppler (RD) model, a rational polynomial coefficients (RPC) model, a revised polynomial (PM) model and an elevation derivation (EDM) model. The results of comparisons of the geolocation capabilities of the models show that a proper model for a SAR image of a specific terrain can be determined. A solution table was obtained to recommend a suitable model for users. Three TerraSAR-X images, two ALOS-PALSAR images and one Envisat-ASAR image were used for the experiment, including flat terrain and mountain terrain SAR images as well as two large area images. Geolocation accuracies of the models for different terrain SAR images were computed and analyzed. The comparisons of the models show that the RD model was accurate but was the least efficient; therefore, it is not the ideal model for real-time implementations. The RPC model is sufficiently accurate and efficient for the geometric correction of SAR images of flat terrain, whose precision is below 0.001 pixels. The EDM model is suitable for the geolocation of SAR images of mountainous terrain, and its precision can reach 0.007 pixels. Although the PM model does not produce results as precise as the other models, its efficiency is excellent and its potential should not be underestimated. With respect to the geometric correction of SAR images over large areas, the EDM model has higher accuracy under one pixel, whereas the RPC model consumes one third of the time of the EDM model. PMID:27347973

Accurate determination of the fine-structure intervals in the 3P ground states of C-13 and C-12 by far-infrared laser magnetic resonance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooksy, A. L.; Saykally, R. J.; Brown, J. M.; Evenson, K. M.

1986-01-01

Accurate values are presented for the fine-structure intervals in the 3P ground state of neutral atomic C-12 and C-13 as obtained from laser magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The rigorous analysis of C-13 hyperfine structure, the measurement of resonant fields for C-12 transitions at several additional far-infrared laser frequencies, and the increased precision of the C-12 measurements, permit significant improvement in the evaluation of these energies relative to earlier work. These results will expedite the direct and precise measurement of these transitions in interstellar sources and should assist in the determination of the interstellar C-12/C-13 abundance ratio.

A new technique for radiographic measurement of acetabular cup orientation.

PubMed

Derbyshire, Brian; Diggle, Peter J; Ingham, Christopher J; Macnair, Rory; Wimhurst, James; Jones, Henry Wynn

2014-02-01

Accurate radiographic measurement of acetabular cup orientation is required in order to assess susceptibility to impingement, dislocation, and edge loading wear. In this study, the accuracy and precision of a new radiographic cup orientation measurement system were assessed and compared to those of two commercially available systems. Two types of resurfacing hip prostheses and an uncemented prosthesis were assessed. Radiographic images of each prosthesis were created with the cup set at different, known angles of version and inclination in a measurement jig. The new system was the most accurate and precise and could repeatedly measure version and inclination to within a fraction of a degree. In addition it has a facility to distinguish cup retroversion from anteversion on anteroposterior radiographs. © 2013.

Precise and accurate isotope ratio measurements by ICP-MS.

PubMed

Becker, J S; Dietze, H J

2000-09-01

The precise and accurate determination of isotope ratios by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) is important for quite different application fields (e.g. for isotope ratio measurements of stable isotopes in nature, especially for the investigation of isotope variation in nature or age dating, for determining isotope ratios of radiogenic elements in the nuclear industry, quality assurance of fuel material, for reprocessing plants, nuclear material accounting and radioactive waste control, for tracer experiments using stable isotopes or long-lived radionuclides in biological or medical studies). Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS), which used to be the dominant analytical technique for precise isotope ratio measurements, is being increasingly replaced for isotope ratio measurements by ICP-MS due to its excellent sensitivity, precision and good accuracy. Instrumental progress in ICP-MS was achieved by the introduction of the collision cell interface in order to dissociate many disturbing argon-based molecular ions, thermalize the ions and neutralize the disturbing argon ions of plasma gas (Ar+). The application of the collision cell in ICP-QMS results in a higher ion transmission, improved sensitivity and better precision of isotope ratio measurements compared to quadrupole ICP-MS without the collision cell [e.g., for 235U/238U approximately 1 (10 microg x L(-1) uranium) 0.07% relative standard deviation (RSD) vs. 0.2% RSD in short-term measurements (n = 5)]. A significant instrumental improvement for ICP-MS is the multicollector device (MC-ICP-MS) in order to obtain a better precision of isotope ratio measurements (with a precision of up to 0.002%, RSD). CE- and HPLC-ICP-MS are used for the separation of isobaric interferences of long-lived radionuclides and stable isotopes by determination of spallation nuclide abundances in an irradiated tantalum target.

The 230Th correction is the 1st priority for accurate dates of young zircons: U/Th partitioning experiments and measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krawczynski, M.; McLean, N.

2017-12-01

One of the most accurate and useful ways of determining the age of rocks that formed more than about 500,000 years ago is uranium-lead (U-Pb) geochronology. Earth scientists use U-Pb geochronology to put together the geologic history of entire regions and of specific events, like the mass extinction of all non-avian dinosaurs about 66 million years ago or the catastrophic eruptions of supervolcanoes like the one currently centered at Yellowstone. The mineral zircon is often utilized because it is abundant, durable, and readily incorporates uranium into its crystal structure. But it excludes thorium, whose isotope 230Th is part of the naturally occurring isotopic decay chain from 238U to 206Pb. Calculating a date from the relative abundances of 206Pb and 238U therefore requires a correction for the missing 230Th. Existing experimental and observational constraints on the way U and Th behave when zircon crystallizes from a melt are not known precisely enough, and thus currently the uncertainty in dates introduced by they `Th correction' is one of the largest sources of systematic error in determining dates. Here we present preliminary results on our study of actinide partitioning between zircon and melt. Experiments have been conducted to grow zircon from melts doped with U and Th that mimic natural magmas at a range of temperatures, and compositions. Synthetic zircons are separated from their coexisting glass and using high precision and high-spatial-resolution techniques, the abundance and distribution of U and Th in each phase is determined. These preliminary experiments are the beginning of a study that will result in precise determination of the zircon/melt uranium and thorium partition coefficients under a wide variety of naturally occurring conditions. This data will be fit to a multidimensional surface using maximum likelihood regression techniques, so that the ratio of partition coefficients can be calculated for any set of known parameters. The results of this study will reduce the largest source of uncertainty in dating young zircons and improve the accuracy of U-Pb dates, improving our ability to tell time during geologic processes. The attainment of more accurate timing of the geologic timescale is important to geologists of all disciplines, from paleontology to planetary cosmochemistry to geobiology.

pH-dependent equilibrium isotope fractionation associated with the compound specific nitrogen and carbon isotope analysis of substituted anilines by SPME-GC/IRMS.

PubMed

Skarpeli-Liati, Marita; Turgeon, Aurora; Garr, Ashley N; Arnold, William A; Cramer, Christopher J; Hofstetter, Thomas B

2011-03-01

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/IRMS) was used to elucidate the effects of N-atom protonation on the analysis of N and C isotope signatures of selected aromatic amines. Precise and accurate isotope ratios were measured using polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) as the SPME fiber material at solution pH-values that exceeded the pK(a) of the substituted aniline's conjugate acid by two pH-units. Deviations of δ(15)N and δ(13)C-values from reference measurements by elemental analyzer IRMS were small (<0.9‰) and within the typical uncertainties of isotope ratio measurements by SPME-GC/IRMS. Under these conditions, the detection limits for accurate isotope ratio measurements were between 0.64 and 2.1 mg L(-1) for δ(15)N and between 0.13 and 0.54 mg L(-1) for δ(13)C, respectively. Substantial inverse N isotope fractionation was observed by SPME-GC/IRMS as the fraction of protonated species increased with decreasing pH leading to deviations of -20‰ while the corresponding δ(13)C-values were largely invariant. From isotope ratio analysis at different solution pHs and theoretical calculations by density functional theory, we derived equilibrium isotope effects, EIEs, pertinent to aromatic amine protonation of 0.980 and 1.001 for N and C, respectively, which were very similar for all compounds investigated. Our work shows that N-atom protonation can compromise accurate compound-specific N isotope analysis of aromatic amines.

A Simple yet Accurate Method for the Estimation of the Biovolume of Planktonic Microorganisms.

PubMed

Saccà, Alessandro

2016-01-01

Determining the biomass of microbial plankton is central to the study of fluxes of energy and materials in aquatic ecosystems. This is typically accomplished by applying proper volume-to-carbon conversion factors to group-specific abundances and biovolumes. A critical step in this approach is the accurate estimation of biovolume from two-dimensional (2D) data such as those available through conventional microscopy techniques or flow-through imaging systems. This paper describes a simple yet accurate method for the assessment of the biovolume of planktonic microorganisms, which works with any image analysis system allowing for the measurement of linear distances and the estimation of the cross sectional area of an object from a 2D digital image. The proposed method is based on Archimedes' principle about the relationship between the volume of a sphere and that of a cylinder in which the sphere is inscribed, plus a coefficient of 'unellipticity' introduced here. Validation and careful evaluation of the method are provided using a variety of approaches. The new method proved to be highly precise with all convex shapes characterised by approximate rotational symmetry, and combining it with an existing method specific for highly concave or branched shapes allows covering the great majority of cases with good reliability. Thanks to its accuracy, consistency, and low resources demand, the new method can conveniently be used in substitution of any extant method designed for convex shapes, and can readily be coupled with automated cell imaging technologies, including state-of-the-art flow-through imaging devices.

A Simple yet Accurate Method for the Estimation of the Biovolume of Planktonic Microorganisms

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Determining the biomass of microbial plankton is central to the study of fluxes of energy and materials in aquatic ecosystems. This is typically accomplished by applying proper volume-to-carbon conversion factors to group-specific abundances and biovolumes. A critical step in this approach is the accurate estimation of biovolume from two-dimensional (2D) data such as those available through conventional microscopy techniques or flow-through imaging systems. This paper describes a simple yet accurate method for the assessment of the biovolume of planktonic microorganisms, which works with any image analysis system allowing for the measurement of linear distances and the estimation of the cross sectional area of an object from a 2D digital image. The proposed method is based on Archimedes’ principle about the relationship between the volume of a sphere and that of a cylinder in which the sphere is inscribed, plus a coefficient of ‘unellipticity’ introduced here. Validation and careful evaluation of the method are provided using a variety of approaches. The new method proved to be highly precise with all convex shapes characterised by approximate rotational symmetry, and combining it with an existing method specific for highly concave or branched shapes allows covering the great majority of cases with good reliability. Thanks to its accuracy, consistency, and low resources demand, the new method can conveniently be used in substitution of any extant method designed for convex shapes, and can readily be coupled with automated cell imaging technologies, including state-of-the-art flow-through imaging devices. PMID:27195667

Anatomical brain images alone can accurately diagnose chronic neuropsychiatric illnesses.

PubMed

Bansal, Ravi; Staib, Lawrence H; Laine, Andrew F; Hao, Xuejun; Xu, Dongrong; Liu, Jun; Weissman, Myrna; Peterson, Bradley S

2012-01-01

Diagnoses using imaging-based measures alone offer the hope of improving the accuracy of clinical diagnosis, thereby reducing the costs associated with incorrect treatments. Previous attempts to use brain imaging for diagnosis, however, have had only limited success in diagnosing patients who are independent of the samples used to derive the diagnostic algorithms. We aimed to develop a classification algorithm that can accurately diagnose chronic, well-characterized neuropsychiatric illness in single individuals, given the availability of sufficiently precise delineations of brain regions across several neural systems in anatomical MR images of the brain. We have developed an automated method to diagnose individuals as having one of various neuropsychiatric illnesses using only anatomical MRI scans. The method employs a semi-supervised learning algorithm that discovers natural groupings of brains based on the spatial patterns of variation in the morphology of the cerebral cortex and other brain regions. We used split-half and leave-one-out cross-validation analyses in large MRI datasets to assess the reproducibility and diagnostic accuracy of those groupings. In MRI datasets from persons with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Schizophrenia, Tourette Syndrome, Bipolar Disorder, or persons at high or low familial risk for Major Depressive Disorder, our method discriminated with high specificity and nearly perfect sensitivity the brains of persons who had one specific neuropsychiatric disorder from the brains of healthy participants and the brains of persons who had a different neuropsychiatric disorder. Although the classification algorithm presupposes the availability of precisely delineated brain regions, our findings suggest that patterns of morphological variation across brain surfaces, extracted from MRI scans alone, can successfully diagnose the presence of chronic neuropsychiatric disorders. Extensions of these methods are likely to provide biomarkers that will aid in identifying biological subtypes of those disorders, predicting disease course, and individualizing treatments for a wide range of neuropsychiatric illnesses.

LAI-2000 Accuracy, Precision, and Application to Visual Estimation of Leaf Area Index of Loblolly Pine

Treesearch

Jason A. Gatch; Timothy B. Harrington; James P. Castleberry

2002-01-01

Leaf area index (LAI) is an important parameter of forest stand productivity that has been used to diagnose stand vigor and potential fertilizer response of southern pines. The LAI-2000 was tested for its ability to provide accurate and precise estimates of LAI of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). To test instrument accuracy, regression was used to...

Accurate Measurements of Refractive Indices for Dielectrics in an Undergraduate Optics Laboratory for Science and Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Wei-Tai; Bahrim, Cristian

2009-01-01

Based on our novel method recently published in the "Am. J. Phys." 77 337-43 (2009) for finding precise values of the indices of refraction for dielectrics from measurements of the polarized light reflected by the surface, in this paper we propose an improved technique for finding Brewster angles with a better precision, of 0.001 degrees, using…

Validation of HPLC and UV spectrophotometric methods for the determination of meropenem in pharmaceutical dosage form.

PubMed

Mendez, Andreas S L; Steppe, Martin; Schapoval, Elfrides E S

2003-12-04

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method and a UV spectrophotometric method for the quantitative determination of meropenem, a highly active carbapenem antibiotic, in powder for injection were developed in present work. The parameters linearity, precision, accuracy, specificity, robustness, limit of detection and limit of quantitation were studied according to International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. Chromatography was carried out by reversed-phase technique on an RP-18 column with a mobile phase composed of 30 mM monobasic phosphate buffer and acetonitrile (90:10; v/v), adjusted to pH 3.0 with orthophosphoric acid. The UV spectrophotometric method was performed at 298 nm. The samples were prepared in water and the stability of meropenem in aqueous solution at 4 and 25 degrees C was studied. The results were satisfactory with good stability after 24 h at 4 degrees C. Statistical analysis by Student's t-test showed no significant difference between the results obtained by the two methods. The proposed methods are highly sensitive, precise and accurate and can be used for the reliable quantitation of meropenem in pharmaceutical dosage form.

Development and validation of liquid chromatographic and UV derivative spectrophotometric methods for the determination of famciclovir in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

PubMed

Srinubabu, Gedela; Sudharani, Batchu; Sridhar, Lade; Rao, Jvln Seshagiri

2006-06-01

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method and a UV derivative spectrophotometric method for the determination of famciclovir, a highly active antiviral agent, in tablets were developed in the present work. The various parameters, such as linearity, precision, accuracy, specificity, robustness, limit of detection and limit of quantitation were studied according to International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. HPLC was carried out by using the reversed-phase technique on an RP-18 column with a mobile phase composed of 50 mM monobasic phosphate buffer and methanol (50 : 50; v/v), adjusted to pH 3.05 with orthophosphoric acid. The mobile phase was pumped at a flow rate of 1 ml/min and detection was made at 242 nm with UV dual absorbance detector. The first derivative UV spectrophotometric method was performed at 226.5 nm. Statistical analysis was done by Student's t-test and F-test, which showed no significant difference between the results obtained by the two methods. The proposed methods are highly sensitive, precise and accurate and therefore can be used for its Intended purpose.

Simultaneous Determination of Withanolide A and Bacoside A in Spansules by High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography

PubMed Central

Shinde, P B; Aragade, P D; Agrawal, M R; Deokate, U A; Khadabadi, S S

2011-01-01

The objective of this work was to develop and validate a simple, rapid, precise, and accurate high performance thin layer chromatography method for simultaneous determination of withanolide A and bacoside A in combined dosage form. The stationary phase used was silica gel G60F254. The mobile phase used was mixture of ethyl acetate: methanol: toluene: water (4:1:1:0.5 v/v/v/v). The detection of spots was carried out at 320 nm using absorbance reflectance mode. The method was validated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision and specificity. The calibration curve was found to be linear between 200 to 800 ng/spot for withanolide A and 50 to 350 ng/spot for bacoside A. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for the withanolide A were found to be 3.05 and 10.06 ng/spot, respectively and for bacoside A 8.3 and 27.39 ng/spot, respectively. The proposed method can be successfully used to determine the drug content of marketed formulation. PMID:22303073

Simultaneous determination of withanolide a and bacoside a in spansules by high-performance thin-layer chromatography.

PubMed

Shinde, P B; Aragade, P D; Agrawal, M R; Deokate, U A; Khadabadi, S S

2011-03-01

The objective of this work was to develop and validate a simple, rapid, precise, and accurate high performance thin layer chromatography method for simultaneous determination of withanolide A and bacoside A in combined dosage form. The stationary phase used was silica gel G60F(254). The mobile phase used was mixture of ethyl acetate: methanol: toluene: water (4:1:1:0.5 v/v/v/v). The detection of spots was carried out at 320 nm using absorbance reflectance mode. The method was validated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision and specificity. The calibration curve was found to be linear between 200 to 800 ng/spot for withanolide A and 50 to 350 ng/spot for bacoside A. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for the withanolide A were found to be 3.05 and 10.06 ng/spot, respectively and for bacoside A 8.3 and 27.39 ng/spot, respectively. The proposed method can be successfully used to determine the drug content of marketed formulation.

[Assessment of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer: status quo, recent advances and new perspectives].

PubMed

Tu, Min; Zhu, Zhen-shu; Shi, Lin-sen; Jiang, Xi-qun; Wang, Hao; Guan, Wen-xian

2012-02-01

The precondition of accurate gastric cancer surgery is precise assessment of lymph node metastasis. To date, no imaging modality achieves both high sensitivity and high specificity in detecting lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer. Intraoperative sentinel node tracing and biopsy are the most popular method to identify the localization of tumor cell, but is limited to early gastric cancer. Nano-composite materials, designed for tumor imaging and tracing, show us a newly emerging domain for tumor detection in gastric cancer. The function of these nano-composite materials to detect lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer relies on the effective backflow of lymph system. However, the lymph vessels can be obstructed by tumor cells in advanced gastric cancer, which may restrain the application of these nanoparticles. Therefore, more methods to detect lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer should be explored. This review summarizes the characteristic of the targeted nanosphere. Based on the reported studies, a novel idea is conceived that targeted multifunctional nanosphere may be a potential method to achieve precise assessment of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer.

Peptide protected gold clusters: chemical synthesis and biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Qing; Wang, Yaling; Zhao, Lina; Liu, Ru; Gao, Fuping; Gao, Liang; Gao, Xueyun

2016-06-01

Bridging the gap between atoms and nanoparticles, noble metal clusters with atomic precision continue to attract considerable attention due to their important applications in catalysis, energy transformation, biosensing and biomedicine. Greatly different to common chemical synthesis, a one-step biomimetic synthesis of peptide-conjugated metal clusters has been developed to meet the demand of emerging bioapplications. Under mild conditions, multifunctional peptides containing metal capturing, reactive and targeting groups are rationally designed and elaborately synthesized to fabricate atomically precise peptide protected metal clusters. Among them, peptide-protected Au Cs (peptide-Au Cs) possess a great deal of exceptional advantages such as nanometer dimensions, high photostability, good biocompatibility, accurate chemical formula and specific protein targeting capacity. In this review article, we focus on the recent advances in potential theranostic fields by introducing the rising progress of peptide-Au Cs for biological imaging, biological analysis and therapeutic applications. The interactions between Au Cs and biological systems as well as potential mechanisms are also our concerned theme. We expect that the rapidly growing interest in Au Cs-based theranostic applications will attract broader concerns across various disciplines.

Validated modified Lycopodium spore method development for standardisation of ingredients of an ayurvedic powdered formulation Shatavaryadi churna.

PubMed

Kumar, Puspendra; Jha, Shivesh; Naved, Tanveer

2013-01-01

Validated modified lycopodium spore method has been developed for simple and rapid quantification of herbal powdered drugs. Lycopodium spore method was performed on ingredients of Shatavaryadi churna, an ayurvedic formulation used as immunomodulator, galactagogue, aphrodisiac and rejuvenator. Estimation of diagnostic characters of each ingredient of Shatavaryadi churna individually was carried out. Microscopic determination, counting of identifying number, measurement of area, length and breadth of identifying characters were performed using Leica DMLS-2 microscope. The method was validated for intraday precision, linearity, specificity, repeatability, accuracy and system suitability, respectively. The method is simple, precise, sensitive, and accurate, and can be used for routine standardisation of raw materials of herbal drugs. This method gives the ratio of individual ingredients in the powdered drug so that any adulteration of genuine drug with its adulterant can be found out. The method shows very good linearity value between 0.988-0.999 for number of identifying character and area of identifying character. Percentage purity of the sample drug can be determined by using the linear equation of standard genuine drug.

Development and validation of a HPTLC method for simultaneous estimation of lornoxicam and thiocolchicoside in combined dosage form.

PubMed

Sahoo, Madhusmita; Syal, Pratima; Hable, Asawaree A; Raut, Rahul P; Choudhari, Vishnu P; Kuchekar, Bhanudas S

2011-07-01

To develop a simple, precise, rapid and accurate HPTLC method for the simultaneous estimation of Lornoxicam (LOR) and Thiocolchicoside (THIO) in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms. The separation of the active compounds from pharmaceutical dosage form was carried out using methanol:chloroform:water (9.6:0.2:0.2 v/v/v) as the mobile phase and no immiscibility issues were found. The densitometric scanning was carried out at 377 nm. The method was validated for linearity, accuracy, precision, LOD (Limit of Detection), LOQ (Limit of Quantification), robustness and specificity. The Rf values (±SD) were found to be 0.84 ± 0.05 for LOR and 0.58 ± 0.05 for THIO. Linearity was obtained in the range of 60-360 ng/band for LOR and 30-180 ng/band for THIO with correlation coefficients r(2) = 0.998 and 0.999, respectively. The percentage recovery for both the analytes was in the range of 98.7-101.2 %. The proposed method was optimized and validated as per the ICH guidelines.

Isotope-ratio-monitoring gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: methods for isotopic calibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merritt, D. A.; Brand, W. A.; Hayes, J. M.

1994-01-01

In trial analyses of a series of n-alkanes, precise determinations of 13C contents were based on isotopic standards introduced by five different techniques and results were compared. Specifically, organic-compound standards were coinjected with the analytes and carried through chromatography and combustion with them; or CO2 was supplied from a conventional inlet and mixed with the analyte in the ion source, or CO2 was supplied from an auxiliary mixing volume and transmitted to the source without interruption of the analyte stream. Additionally, two techniques were investigated in which the analyte stream was diverted and CO2 standards were placed on a near-zero background. All methods provided accurate results. Where applicable, methods not involving interruption of the analyte stream provided the highest performance (sigma = 0.00006 at.% 13C or 0.06% for 250 pmol C as CO2 reaching the ion source), but great care was required. Techniques involving diversion of the analyte stream were immune to interference from coeluting sample components and still provided high precision (0.0001 < or = sigma < or = 0.0002 at.% or 0.1 < or = sigma < or = 0.2%).

Structural design of morphing trailing edge actuated by SMA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qi; Xu, Zhiwei; Zhu, Qian

2013-09-01

In this paper, the morphing trailing edge is designed to achieve the up and down deflection under the aerodynamic load. After a detailed and accurate computational analysis to determine the SMA specifications and layout programs, a solid model is created in CATIA and the structures of the morphing wing trailing edge are produced by CNC machining. A set of DSP measurement and control system is designed to accomplish the controlling experiment of the morphing wing trailing edge. At last, via the force analysis, the trailing edge is fabricated with four sections of aluminum alloy, and the arrangement scheme of SMA wires is determined. Experiment of precise control integral has been performed to survey the control effect. The experiment consists of deflection angle tests of the third joint and the integral structure. Primarily, the ultimate deflection angle is tested in these two experiments. Therefore, the controlling experiment of different angles could be performed within this range. The results show that the deflection error is less than 4%and response time is less than 6.7 s, the precise controlling of the morphing trailing edge is preliminary realized.

Localization of premature ventricular contractions from the papillary muscles using the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram: a feasibility study using a novel cardiac isochrone positioning system.

PubMed

van Dam, Peter M; Boyle, Noel G; Laks, Michael M; Tung, Roderick

2016-12-01

The precise localization of the site of origin of a premature ventricular contraction (PVC) prior to ablation can facilitate the planning and execution of the electrophysiological procedure. In clinical practice, the targeted ablation site is estimated from the standard 12-lead ECG. The accuracy of this qualitative estimation has limitations, particularly in the localization of PVCs originating from the papillary muscles. Clinical available electrocardiographic imaging (ECGi) techniques that incorporate patient-specific anatomy may improve the localization of these PVCs, but require body surface maps with greater specificity for the epicardium. The purpose of this report is to demonstrate that a novel cardiac isochrone positioning system (CIPS) program can accurately detect the specific location of the PVC on the papillary muscle using only a 12-lead ECG. Cardiac isochrone positioning system uses three components: (i) endocardial and epicardial cardiac anatomy and torso geometry derived from MRI, (ii) the patient-specific electrode positions derived from an MRI model registered 3D image, and (iii) the 12-lead ECG. CIPS localizes the PVC origin by matching the anatomical isochrone vector with the ECG vector. The predicted PVC origin was compared with the site of successful ablation or stimulation. Three patients who underwent electrophysiological mapping and ablation of PVCs originating from the papillary muscles were studied. CIPS localized the PVC origin for all three patients to the correct papillary muscle and specifically to the base, mid, or apical region. A simplified form of ECGi utilizing only 12 standard electrocardiographic leads may facilitate accurate localization of the origin of papillary muscle PVCs. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Highly accurate pulse-per-second timing distribution over optical fibre network using VCSEL side-mode injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wassin, Shukree; Isoe, George M.; Gamatham, Romeo R. G.; Leitch, Andrew W. R.; Gibbon, Tim B.

2017-01-01

Precise and accurate timing signals distributed between a centralized location and several end-users are widely used in both metro-access and speciality networks for Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), GPS satellite systems, banking, very long baseline interferometry and science projects such as SKA radio telescope. Such systems utilize time and frequency technology to ensure phase coherence among data signals distributed across an optical fibre network. For accurate timing requirements, precise time intervals should be measured between successive pulses. In this paper we describe a novel, all optical method for quantifying one-way propagation times and phase perturbations in the fibre length, using pulse-persecond (PPS) signals. The approach utilizes side mode injection of a 1550nm 10Gbps vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) at the remote end. A 125 μs one-way time of flight was accurately measured for 25 km G655 fibre. Since the approach is all-optical, it avoids measurement inaccuracies introduced by electro-optical conversion phase delays. Furthermore, the implementation uses cost effective VCSEL technology and suited to a flexible range of network architectures, supporting a number of end-users conducting measurements at the remote end.

Accuracy and precision of four value-added blood glucose meters: the Abbott Optium, the DDI Prodigy, the HDI True Track, and the HypoGuard Assure Pro.

PubMed

Sheffield, Catherine A; Kane, Michael P; Bakst, Gary; Busch, Robert S; Abelseth, Jill M; Hamilton, Robert A

2009-09-01

This study compared the accuracy and precision of four value-added glucose meters. Finger stick glucose measurements in diabetes patients were performed using the Abbott Diabetes Care (Alameda, CA) Optium, Diagnostic Devices, Inc. (Miami, FL) DDI Prodigy, Home Diagnostics, Inc. (Fort Lauderdale, FL) HDI True Track Smart System, and Arkray, USA (Minneapolis, MN) HypoGuard Assure Pro. Finger glucose measurements were compared with laboratory reference results. Accuracy was assessed by a Clarke error grid analysis (EGA), a Parkes EGA, and within 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of the laboratory value criteria (chi2 analysis). Meter precision was determined by calculating absolute mean differences in glucose values between duplicate samples (Kruskal-Wallis test). Finger sticks were obtained from 125 diabetes patients, of which 90.4% were Caucasian, 51.2% were female, 83.2% had type 2 diabetes, and average age of 59 years (SD 14 years). Mean venipuncture blood glucose was 151 mg/dL (SD +/-65 mg/dL; range, 58-474 mg/dL). Clinical accuracy by Clarke EGA was demonstrated in 94% of Optium, 82% of Prodigy, 61% of True Track, and 77% of the Assure Pro samples (P < 0.05 for Optium and True Track compared to all others). By Parkes EGA, the True Track was significantly less accurate than the other meters. Within 5% accuracy was achieved in 34%, 24%, 29%, and 13%, respectively (P < 0.05 for Optium, Prodigy, and Assure Pro compared to True Track). Within 10% accuracy was significantly greater for the Optium, Prodigy, and Assure Pro compared to True Track. Significantly more Optium results demonstrated within 15% and 20% accuracy compared to the other meter systems. The HDI True Track was significantly less precise than the other meter systems. The Abbott Optium was significantly more accurate than the other meter systems, whereas the HDI True Track was significantly less accurate and less precise compared to the other meter systems.

Biomarkers of exposure to new and emerging tobacco delivery products.

PubMed

Schick, Suzaynn F; Blount, Benjamin C; Jacob, Peyton; Saliba, Najat A; Bernert, John T; El Hellani, Ahmad; Jatlow, Peter; Pappas, R Steven; Wang, Lanqing; Foulds, Jonathan; Ghosh, Arunava; Hecht, Stephen S; Gomez, John C; Martin, Jessica R; Mesaros, Clementina; Srivastava, Sanjay; St Helen, Gideon; Tarran, Robert; Lorkiewicz, Pawel K; Blair, Ian A; Kimmel, Heather L; Doerschuk, Claire M; Benowitz, Neal L; Bhatnagar, Aruni

2017-09-01

Accurate and reliable measurements of exposure to tobacco products are essential for identifying and confirming patterns of tobacco product use and for assessing their potential biological effects in both human populations and experimental systems. Due to the introduction of new tobacco-derived products and the development of novel ways to modify and use conventional tobacco products, precise and specific assessments of exposure to tobacco are now more important than ever. Biomarkers that were developed and validated to measure exposure to cigarettes are being evaluated to assess their use for measuring exposure to these new products. Here, we review current methods for measuring exposure to new and emerging tobacco products, such as electronic cigarettes, little cigars, water pipes, and cigarillos. Rigorously validated biomarkers specific to these new products have not yet been identified. Here, we discuss the strengths and limitations of current approaches, including whether they provide reliable exposure estimates for new and emerging products. We provide specific guidance for choosing practical and economical biomarkers for different study designs and experimental conditions. Our goal is to help both new and experienced investigators measure exposure to tobacco products accurately and avoid common experimental errors. With the identification of the capacity gaps in biomarker research on new and emerging tobacco products, we hope to provide researchers, policymakers, and funding agencies with a clear action plan for conducting and promoting research on the patterns of use and health effects of these products.

Percutaneous Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement: Patient-specific Three-dimensional Computer-based Heart Model and Prototyping.

PubMed

Vaquerizo, Beatriz; Theriault-Lauzier, Pascal; Piazza, Nicolo

2015-12-01

Mitral regurgitation is the most prevalent valvular heart disease worldwide. Despite the widespread availability of curative surgical intervention, a considerable proportion of patients with severe mitral regurgitation are not referred for treatment, largely due to the presence of left ventricular dysfunction, advanced age, and comorbid illnesses. Transcatheter mitral valve replacement is a promising therapeutic alternative to traditional surgical valve replacement. The complex anatomical and pathophysiological nature of the mitral valvular complex, however, presents significant challenges to the successful design and implementation of novel transcatheter mitral replacement devices. Patient-specific 3-dimensional computer-based models enable accurate assessment of the mitral valve anatomy and preprocedural simulations for transcatheter therapies. Such information may help refine the design features of novel transcatheter mitral devices and enhance procedural planning. Herein, we describe a novel medical image-based processing tool that facilitates accurate, noninvasive assessment of the mitral valvular complex, by creating precise three-dimensional heart models. The 3-dimensional computer reconstructions are then converted to a physical model using 3-dimensional printing technology, thereby enabling patient-specific assessment of the interaction between device and patient. It may provide new opportunities for a better understanding of the mitral anatomy-pathophysiology-device interaction, which is of critical importance for the advancement of transcatheter mitral valve replacement. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Advancing Precision Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging for Lymphoma.

PubMed

Wright, Chadwick L; Maly, Joseph J; Zhang, Jun; Knopp, Michael V

2017-01-01

PET with fluorodeoxyglucose F 18 ( 18 F FDG-PET) is a meaningful biomarker for the detection, targeted biopsy, and treatment of lymphoma. This article reviews the evolution of 18 F FDG-PET as a putative biomarker for lymphoma and addresses the current capabilities, challenges, and opportunities to enable precision medicine practices for lymphoma. Precision nuclear medicine is driven by new imaging technologies and methodologies to more accurately detect malignant disease. Although quantitative assessment of response is limited, such technologies will enable a more precise metabolic mapping with much higher definition image detail and thus may make it a robust and valid quantitative response assessment methodology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The cancer precision medicine knowledge base for structured clinical-grade mutations and interpretations.

PubMed

Huang, Linda; Fernandes, Helen; Zia, Hamid; Tavassoli, Peyman; Rennert, Hanna; Pisapia, David; Imielinski, Marcin; Sboner, Andrea; Rubin, Mark A; Kluk, Michael; Elemento, Olivier

2017-05-01

This paper describes the Precision Medicine Knowledge Base (PMKB; https://pmkb.weill.cornell.edu ), an interactive online application for collaborative editing, maintenance, and sharing of structured clinical-grade cancer mutation interpretations. PMKB was built using the Ruby on Rails Web application framework. Leveraging existing standards such as the Human Genome Variation Society variant description format, we implemented a data model that links variants to tumor-specific and tissue-specific interpretations. Key features of PMKB include support for all major variant types, standardized authentication, distinct user roles including high-level approvers, and detailed activity history. A REpresentational State Transfer (REST) application-programming interface (API) was implemented to query the PMKB programmatically. At the time of writing, PMKB contains 457 variant descriptions with 281 clinical-grade interpretations. The EGFR, BRAF, KRAS, and KIT genes are associated with the largest numbers of interpretable variants. PMKB's interpretations have been used in over 1500 AmpliSeq tests and 750 whole-exome sequencing tests. The interpretations are accessed either directly via the Web interface or programmatically via the existing API. An accurate and up-to-date knowledge base of genomic alterations of clinical significance is critical to the success of precision medicine programs. The open-access, programmatically accessible PMKB represents an important attempt at creating such a resource in the field of oncology. The PMKB was designed to help collect and maintain clinical-grade mutation interpretations and facilitate reporting for clinical cancer genomic testing. The PMKB was also designed to enable the creation of clinical cancer genomics automated reporting pipelines via an API. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

The cancer precision medicine knowledge base for structured clinical-grade mutations and interpretations

PubMed Central

Huang, Linda; Fernandes, Helen; Zia, Hamid; Tavassoli, Peyman; Rennert, Hanna; Pisapia, David; Imielinski, Marcin; Sboner, Andrea; Rubin, Mark A; Kluk, Michael

2017-01-01

Objective: This paper describes the Precision Medicine Knowledge Base (PMKB; https://pmkb.weill.cornell.edu), an interactive online application for collaborative editing, maintenance, and sharing of structured clinical-grade cancer mutation interpretations. Materials and Methods: PMKB was built using the Ruby on Rails Web application framework. Leveraging existing standards such as the Human Genome Variation Society variant description format, we implemented a data model that links variants to tumor-specific and tissue-specific interpretations. Key features of PMKB include support for all major variant types, standardized authentication, distinct user roles including high-level approvers, and detailed activity history. A REpresentational State Transfer (REST) application-programming interface (API) was implemented to query the PMKB programmatically. Results: At the time of writing, PMKB contains 457 variant descriptions with 281 clinical-grade interpretations. The EGFR, BRAF, KRAS, and KIT genes are associated with the largest numbers of interpretable variants. PMKB’s interpretations have been used in over 1500 AmpliSeq tests and 750 whole-exome sequencing tests. The interpretations are accessed either directly via the Web interface or programmatically via the existing API. Discussion: An accurate and up-to-date knowledge base of genomic alterations of clinical significance is critical to the success of precision medicine programs. The open-access, programmatically accessible PMKB represents an important attempt at creating such a resource in the field of oncology. Conclusion: The PMKB was designed to help collect and maintain clinical-grade mutation interpretations and facilitate reporting for clinical cancer genomic testing. The PMKB was also designed to enable the creation of clinical cancer genomics automated reporting pipelines via an API. PMID:27789569

Is digital photography an accurate and precise method for measuring range of motion of the hip and knee?

PubMed

Russo, Russell R; Burn, Matthew B; Ismaily, Sabir K; Gerrie, Brayden J; Han, Shuyang; Alexander, Jerry; Lenherr, Christopher; Noble, Philip C; Harris, Joshua D; McCulloch, Patrick C

2017-09-07

Accurate measurements of knee and hip motion are required for management of musculoskeletal pathology. The purpose of this investigation was to compare three techniques for measuring motion at the hip and knee. The authors hypothesized that digital photography would be equivalent in accuracy and show higher precision compared to the other two techniques. Using infrared motion capture analysis as the reference standard, hip flexion/abduction/internal rotation/external rotation and knee flexion/extension were measured using visual estimation, goniometry, and photography on 10 fresh frozen cadavers. These measurements were performed by three physical therapists and three orthopaedic surgeons. Accuracy was defined by the difference from the reference standard, while precision was defined by the proportion of measurements within either 5° or 10°. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-tests, and chi-squared tests were used. Although two statistically significant differences were found in measurement accuracy between the three techniques, neither of these differences met clinical significance (difference of 1.4° for hip abduction and 1.7° for the knee extension). Precision of measurements was significantly higher for digital photography than: (i) visual estimation for hip abduction and knee extension, and (ii) goniometry for knee extension only. There was no clinically significant difference in measurement accuracy between the three techniques for hip and knee motion. Digital photography only showed higher precision for two joint motions (hip abduction and knee extension). Overall digital photography shows equivalent accuracy and near-equivalent precision to visual estimation and goniometry.

The need for accurate total cholesterol measurement. Recommended analytical goals, current state of reliability, and guidelines for better determinations.

PubMed

Naito, H K

1989-03-01

We have approached a dawn of a new era in detection, evaluation, treatment, and monitoring of individuals with elevated blood cholesterol levels who are at increased risk for CHD. The NHLBI's National Cholesterol Education Program will be the major force underlying this national awareness program, which is dependent on the clinical laboratories providing reliable data. Precision or reproducibility of results is not a problem for most of the laboratories, but accuracy is a major concern. Both the manufacturers and laboratorians need to standardize the measurement for cholesterol so that the accuracy base is traceable to the NCCLS NRS/CHOL. The manufacturers need to adopt a uniform policy that will ensure that the values assigned to calibration, quality control, and quality assurance or survey materials are accurate and traceable to the NCCLS/CHOL. Since, at present, there are some limitations of these materials caused by matrix effects, laboratories are encouraged to use the CDC-NHLBI National Reference Laboratory Network to evaluate and monitor their ability to measure patient blood cholesterol levels accurately. Major areas of analytical problems are identified and general, as well as specific, recommendations are provided to help ensure reliable measurement of cholesterol in patient specimens.

Robust Hidden Markov Model based intelligent blood vessel detection of fundus images.

PubMed

Hassan, Mehdi; Amin, Muhammad; Murtza, Iqbal; Khan, Asifullah; Chaudhry, Asmatullah

2017-11-01

In this paper, we consider the challenging problem of detecting retinal vessel networks. Precise detection of retinal vessel networks is vital for accurate eye disease diagnosis. Most of the blood vessel tracking techniques may not properly track vessels in presence of vessels' occlusion. Owing to problem in sensor resolution or acquisition of fundus images, it is possible that some part of vessel may occlude. In this scenario, it becomes a challenging task to accurately trace these vital vessels. For this purpose, we have proposed a new robust and intelligent retinal vessel detection technique on Hidden Markov Model. The proposed model is able to successfully track vessels in the presence of occlusion. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is evaluated on publically available standard DRIVE dataset of the fundus images. The experiments show that the proposed technique not only outperforms the other state of the art methodologies of retinal blood vessels segmentation, but it is also capable of accurate occlusion handling in retinal vessel networks. The proposed technique offers better average classification accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of 95.7%, 81.0%, 97.0%, and 90.0% respectively, which shows the usefulness of the proposed technique. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Advanced Mass Spectrometric Methods for the Rapid and Quantitative Characterization of Proteomes

DOE PAGES

Smith, Richard D.

2002-01-01

Progress is reviewedmore » towards the development of a global strategy that aims to extend the sensitivity, dynamic range, comprehensiveness and throughput of proteomic measurements based upon the use of high performance separations and mass spectrometry. The approach uses high accuracy mass measurements from Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR) to validate peptide ‘accurate mass tags’ (AMTs) produced by global protein enzymatic digestions for a specific organism, tissue or cell type from ‘potential mass tags’ tentatively identified using conventional tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). This provides the basis for subsequent measurements without the need for MS/ MS. High resolution capillary liquid chromatography separations combined with high sensitivity, and high resolution accurate FTICR measurements are shown to be capable of characterizing peptide mixtures of more than 10 5 components. The strategy has been initially demonstrated using the microorganisms Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Deinococcus radiodurans. Advantages of the approach include the high confidence of protein identification, its broad proteome coverage, high sensitivity, and the capability for stableisotope labeling methods for precise relative protein abundance measurements. Abbreviations : LC, liquid chromatography; FTICR, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance; AMT, accurate mass tag; PMT, potential mass tag; MMA, mass measurement accuracy; MS, mass spectrometry; MS/MS, tandem mass spectrometry; ppm, parts per million.« less

An accurate bacterial DNA quantification assay for HTS library preparation of human biological samples.

PubMed

Seashols-Williams, Sarah; Green, Raquel; Wohlfahrt, Denise; Brand, Angela; Tan-Torres, Antonio Limjuco; Nogales, Francy; Brooks, J Paul; Singh, Baneshwar

2018-05-17

Sequencing and classification of microbial taxa within forensically relevant biological fluids has the potential for applications in the forensic science and biomedical fields. The quantity of bacterial DNA from human samples is currently estimated based on quantity of total DNA isolated. This method can miscalculate bacterial DNA quantity due to the mixed nature of the sample, and consequently library preparation is often unreliable. We developed an assay that can accurately and specifically quantify bacterial DNA within a mixed sample for reliable 16S ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA) library preparation and high throughput sequencing (HTS). A qPCR method was optimized using universal 16S rDNA primers, and a commercially available bacterial community DNA standard was used to develop a precise standard curve. Following qPCR optimization, 16S rDNA libraries from saliva, vaginal and menstrual secretions, urine, and fecal matter were amplified and evaluated at various DNA concentrations; successful HTS data were generated with as low as 20 pg of bacterial DNA. Changes in bacterial DNA quantity did not impact observed relative abundances of major bacterial taxa, but relative abundance changes of minor taxa were observed. Accurate quantification of microbial DNA resulted in consistent, successful library preparations for HTS analysis. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Precision and repeatability of the Optotrak 3020 motion measurement system.

PubMed

States, R A; Pappas, E

2006-01-01

Several motion analysis systems are used by researchers to quantify human motion and to perform accurate surgical procedures. The Optotrak 3020 is one of these systems and despite its widespread use there is not any published information on its precision and repeatability. We used a repeated measures design study to evaluate the precision and repeatability of the Optotrak 3020 by measuring distance and angle in three sessions, four distances and three conditions (motion, static vertical, and static tilted). Precision and repeatability were found to be excellent for both angle and distance although they decreased with increasing distance from the sensors and with tilt from the plane of the sensors. Motion did not have a significant effect on the precision of the measurements. In conclusion, the measurement error of the Optotrak is minimal. Further studies are needed to evaluate its precision and repeatability under human motion conditions.

Accuracy and precision of protein-ligand interaction kinetics determined from chemical shift titrations.

PubMed

Markin, Craig J; Spyracopoulos, Leo

2012-12-01

NMR-monitored chemical shift titrations for the study of weak protein-ligand interactions represent a rich source of information regarding thermodynamic parameters such as dissociation constants (K ( D )) in the micro- to millimolar range, populations for the free and ligand-bound states, and the kinetics of interconversion between states, which are typically within the fast exchange regime on the NMR timescale. We recently developed two chemical shift titration methods wherein co-variation of the total protein and ligand concentrations gives increased precision for the K ( D ) value of a 1:1 protein-ligand interaction (Markin and Spyracopoulos in J Biomol NMR 53: 125-138, 2012). In this study, we demonstrate that classical line shape analysis applied to a single set of (1)H-(15)N 2D HSQC NMR spectra acquired using precise protein-ligand chemical shift titration methods we developed, produces accurate and precise kinetic parameters such as the off-rate (k ( off )). For experimentally determined kinetics in the fast exchange regime on the NMR timescale, k ( off ) ~ 3,000 s(-1) in this work, the accuracy of classical line shape analysis was determined to be better than 5 % by conducting quantum mechanical NMR simulations of the chemical shift titration methods with the magnetic resonance toolkit GAMMA. Using Monte Carlo simulations, the experimental precision for k ( off ) from line shape analysis of NMR spectra was determined to be 13 %, in agreement with the theoretical precision of 12 % from line shape analysis of the GAMMA simulations in the presence of noise and protein concentration errors. In addition, GAMMA simulations were employed to demonstrate that line shape analysis has the potential to provide reasonably accurate and precise k ( off ) values over a wide range, from 100 to 15,000 s(-1). The validity of line shape analysis for k ( off ) values approaching intermediate exchange (~100 s(-1)), may be facilitated by more accurate K ( D ) measurements from NMR-monitored chemical shift titrations, for which the dependence of K ( D ) on the chemical shift difference (Δω) between free and bound states is extrapolated to Δω = 0. The demonstrated accuracy and precision for k ( off ) will be valuable for the interpretation of biological kinetics in weakly interacting protein-protein networks, where a small change in the magnitude of the underlying kinetics of a given pathway may lead to large changes in the associated downstream signaling cascade.

Automatical and accurate segmentation of cerebral tissues in fMRI dataset with combination of image processing and deep learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Zhenglun; Luo, Junyi; Xu, Shengpu; Li, Ting

2018-02-01

Image segmentation plays an important role in medical science. One application is multimodality imaging, especially the fusion of structural imaging with functional imaging, which includes CT, MRI and new types of imaging technology such as optical imaging to obtain functional images. The fusion process require precisely extracted structural information, in order to register the image to it. Here we used image enhancement, morphometry methods to extract the accurate contours of different tissues such as skull, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) on 5 fMRI head image datasets. Then we utilized convolutional neural network to realize automatic segmentation of images in deep learning way. Such approach greatly reduced the processing time compared to manual and semi-automatic segmentation and is of great importance in improving speed and accuracy as more and more samples being learned. The contours of the borders of different tissues on all images were accurately extracted and 3D visualized. This can be used in low-level light therapy and optical simulation software such as MCVM. We obtained a precise three-dimensional distribution of brain, which offered doctors and researchers quantitative volume data and detailed morphological characterization for personal precise medicine of Cerebral atrophy/expansion. We hope this technique can bring convenience to visualization medical and personalized medicine.

Evaluating Continuous-Time Slam Using a Predefined Trajectory Provided by a Robotic Arm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koch, B.; Leblebici, R.; Martell, A.; Jörissen, S.; Schilling, K.; Nüchter, A.

2017-09-01

Recently published approaches to SLAM algorithms process laser sensor measurements and output a map as a point cloud of the environment. Often the actual precision of the map remains unclear, since SLAMalgorithms apply local improvements to the resulting map. Unfortunately, it is not trivial to compare the performance of SLAMalgorithms objectively, especially without an accurate ground truth. This paper presents a novel benchmarking technique that allows to compare a precise map generated with an accurate ground truth trajectory to a map with a manipulated trajectory which was distorted by different forms of noise. The accurate ground truth is acquired by mounting a laser scanner on an industrial robotic arm. The robotic arm is moved on a predefined path while the position and orientation of the end-effector tool are monitored. During this process the 2D profile measurements of the laser scanner are recorded in six degrees of freedom and afterwards used to generate a precise point cloud of the test environment. For benchmarking, an offline continuous-time SLAM algorithm is subsequently applied to remove the inserted distortions. Finally, it is shown that the manipulated point cloud is reversible to its previous state and is slightly improved compared to the original version, since small errors that came into account by imprecise assumptions, sensor noise and calibration errors are removed as well.

Comparative Performance of Four Single Extreme Outlier Discordancy Tests from Monte Carlo Simulations

PubMed Central

Díaz-González, Lorena; Quiroz-Ruiz, Alfredo

2014-01-01

Using highly precise and accurate Monte Carlo simulations of 20,000,000 replications and 102 independent simulation experiments with extremely low simulation errors and total uncertainties, we evaluated the performance of four single outlier discordancy tests (Grubbs test N2, Dixon test N8, skewness test N14, and kurtosis test N15) for normal samples of sizes 5 to 20. Statistical contaminations of a single observation resulting from parameters called δ from ±0.1 up to ±20 for modeling the slippage of central tendency or ε from ±1.1 up to ±200 for slippage of dispersion, as well as no contamination (δ = 0 and ε = ±1), were simulated. Because of the use of precise and accurate random and normally distributed simulated data, very large replications, and a large number of independent experiments, this paper presents a novel approach for precise and accurate estimations of power functions of four popular discordancy tests and, therefore, should not be considered as a simple simulation exercise unrelated to probability and statistics. From both criteria of the Power of Test proposed by Hayes and Kinsella and the Test Performance Criterion of Barnett and Lewis, Dixon test N8 performs less well than the other three tests. The overall performance of these four tests could be summarized as N2≅N15 > N14 > N8. PMID:24737992

Comparative performance of four single extreme outlier discordancy tests from Monte Carlo simulations.

PubMed

Verma, Surendra P; Díaz-González, Lorena; Rosales-Rivera, Mauricio; Quiroz-Ruiz, Alfredo

2014-01-01

Using highly precise and accurate Monte Carlo simulations of 20,000,000 replications and 102 independent simulation experiments with extremely low simulation errors and total uncertainties, we evaluated the performance of four single outlier discordancy tests (Grubbs test N2, Dixon test N8, skewness test N14, and kurtosis test N15) for normal samples of sizes 5 to 20. Statistical contaminations of a single observation resulting from parameters called δ from ±0.1 up to ±20 for modeling the slippage of central tendency or ε from ±1.1 up to ±200 for slippage of dispersion, as well as no contamination (δ = 0 and ε = ±1), were simulated. Because of the use of precise and accurate random and normally distributed simulated data, very large replications, and a large number of independent experiments, this paper presents a novel approach for precise and accurate estimations of power functions of four popular discordancy tests and, therefore, should not be considered as a simple simulation exercise unrelated to probability and statistics. From both criteria of the Power of Test proposed by Hayes and Kinsella and the Test Performance Criterion of Barnett and Lewis, Dixon test N8 performs less well than the other three tests. The overall performance of these four tests could be summarized as N2≅N15 > N14 > N8.

Optical coherence tomography allows for the reliable identification of laryngeal epithelial dysplasia and for precise biopsy: a clinicopathological study of 61 patients undergoing microlaryngoscopy.

PubMed

Just, Tino; Lankenau, Eva; Prall, Friedrich; Hüttmann, Gereon; Pau, Hans Wilhelm; Sommer, Konrad

2010-10-01

A newly developed microscope-based spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) device and an endoscope-based time-domain OCT (TD-OCT) were used to assess the inter-rater reliability, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of benign and dysplastic laryngeal epithelial lesions. Prospective study. OCT during microlaryngoscopy was done on 35 patients with an endoscope-based TD-OCT, and on 26 patients by an SD-OCT system integrated into an operating microscope. Biopsies were taken from microscopically suspicious lesions allowing comparative study of OCT images and histology. Thickness of the epithelium was seen to be the main criterion for degree of dysplasia. The inter-rater reliability for two observers was found to be kappa = 0.74 (P <.001) for OCT. OCT provided test outcomes for differentiation between benign laryngeal lesions and dysplasia/CIS with sensitivity of 88%, specificity of 89%, PPV of 85%, NPV of 91%, and predictive accuracy of 88%. However, because of the limited penetration depth of the laser light primarily in hyperkeratotic lesions (thickness above 1.5 mm), the basal cell layer was no longer visible, precluding reliable assessment of such lesions. OCT allows for a fairly accurate assessment of benign and dysplastic laryngeal epithelial lesion and greatly facilitates the taking of precise biopsies. Laryngoscope, 2010.

Stress Degradation Studies on Varenicline Tartrate and Development of a Validated Stability-Indicating HPLC Method

PubMed Central

Pujeri, Sudhakar S.; Khader, Addagadde M. A.; Seetharamappa, Jaldappagari

2012-01-01

A simple, rapid and stability-indicating reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method was developed for the assay of varenicline tartrate (VRT) in the presence of its degradation products generated from forced decomposition studies. The HPLC separation was achieved on a C18 Inertsil column (250 mm × 4.6 mm i.d. particle size is 5 μm) employing a mobile phase consisting of ammonium acetate buffer containing trifluoroacetic acid (0.02M; pH 4) and acetonitrile in gradient program mode with a flow rate of 1.0 mL min−1. The UV detector was operated at 237 nm while column temperature was maintained at 40 °C. The developed method was validated as per ICH guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, robustness and limit of quantification. The method was found to be simple, specific, precise and accurate. Selectivity of the proposed method was validated by subjecting the stock solution of VRT to acidic, basic, photolysis, oxidative and thermal degradation. The calibration curve was found to be linear in the concentration range of 0.1–192 μg mL−1 (R2 = 0.9994). The peaks of degradation products did not interfere with that of pure VRT. The utility of the developed method was examined by analyzing the tablets containing VRT. The results of analysis were subjected to statistical analysis. PMID:22396908

ACTION-SPACE CLUSTERING OF TIDAL STREAMS TO INFER THE GALACTIC POTENTIAL

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

Sanderson, Robyn E.; Helmi, Amina; Hogg, David W., E-mail: robyn@astro.columbia.edu

2015-03-10

We present a new method for constraining the Milky Way halo gravitational potential by simultaneously fitting multiple tidal streams. This method requires three-dimensional positions and velocities for all stars to be fit, but does not require identification of any specific stream or determination of stream membership for any star. We exploit the principle that the action distribution of stream stars is most clustered when the potential used to calculate the actions is closest to the true potential. Clustering is quantified with the Kullback-Leibler Divergence (KLD), which also provides conditional uncertainties for our parameter estimates. We show, for toy Gaia-like datamore » in a spherical isochrone potential, that maximizing the KLD of the action distribution relative to a smoother distribution recovers the input potential. The precision depends on the observational errors and number of streams; using K III giants as tracers, we measure the enclosed mass at the average radius of the sample stars accurate to 3% and precise to 20%-40%. Recovery of the scale radius is precise to 25%, biased 50% high by the small galactocentric distance range of stars in our mock sample (1-25 kpc, or about three scale radii, with mean 6.5 kpc). 20-25 streams with at least 100 stars each are required for a stable confidence interval. With radial velocities (RVs) to 100 kpc, all parameters are determined with ∼10% accuracy and 20% precision (1.3% accuracy for the enclosed mass), underlining the need to complete the RV catalog for faint halo stars observed by Gaia.« less

Multitemporal spectroscopy for crop stress detection using band selection methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mewes, Thorsten; Franke, Jonas; Menz, Gunter

2008-08-01

A fast and precise sensor-based identification of pathogen infestations in wheat stands is essential for the implementation of site-specific fungicide applications. Several works have shown possibilities and limitations for the detection of plant stress using spectral sensor data. Hyperspectral data provide the opportunity to collect spectral reflectance in contiguous bands over a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Individual phenomena like the light absorption of leaf pigments can be examined in detail. The precise knowledge of stress-dependent shifting in certain spectral wavelengths provides great advantages in detecting fungal infections. This study focuses on band selection techniques for hyperspectral data to identify relevant and redundant information in spectra regarding a detection of plant stress caused by pathogens. In a laboratory experiment, five 1 sqm boxes with wheat were multitemporarily measured by a ASD Fieldspec® 3 FR spectroradiometer. Two stands were inoculated with Blumeria graminis - the pathogen causing powdery mildew - and one stand was used to simulate the effect of water deficiency. Two stands were kept healthy as control stands. Daily measurements of the spectral reflectance were taken over a 14-day period. Three ASD Pro Lamps were used to illuminate the plots with constant light. By applying band selection techniques, the three types of different wheat vitality could be accurately differentiated at certain stages. Hyperspectral data can provide precise information about pathogen infestations. The reduction of the spectral dimension of sensor data by means of band selection procedures is an appropriate method to speed up the data supply for precision agriculture.

Calorimetric determination of the thermoneutral potential for Li/BrCl in SOCl2 (BCX) cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darcy, Eric C.; Kalu, Eric E.; White, Ralph E.

1991-01-01

Proliferation of lithium cells into large modular battery packs are projected for future space applications. Assuring battery design safety while maintaining high energy density requires accurate and precise knowledge of the thermal parameters of the battery cell. Specifically, the thermoneutral potential was determined using heat conduction calorimetry on Li/BrCl in SOCl2 (BCX) DD-cells and compared to measurements obtained on Li/SOCl2 D-cells. Over 20 to 60 C, the Li/BCX cells were found to have a thermoneutral potential significantly higher (near 4.0 volts) than that for the Li/SOCl2 cells tested. The higher heat generation measured during discharge reflects the higher electrochemical polarization observed with the BCX cells.

Genetic testing for inherited ocular disease: delivering on the promise at last?

PubMed

Gillespie, Rachel L; Hall, Georgina; Black, Graeme C

2014-01-01

Genetic testing is of increasing clinical utility for diagnosing inherited eye disease. Clarifying a clinical diagnosis is important for accurate estimation of prognosis, facilitating genetic counselling and management of families, and in the future will direct gene-specific therapeutic strategies. Often, precise diagnosis of genetic ophthalmic conditions is complicated by genetic heterogeneity, a difficulty that the so-called 'next-generation sequencing' technologies promise to overcome. Despite considerable counselling and ethical complexities, next-generation sequencing offers to revolutionize clinical practice. This will necessitate considerable adjustment to standard practice but has the power to deliver a personalized approach to genomic medicine for many more patients and enhance the potential for preventing vision loss. © 2013 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

An extended set of yeast-based functional assays accurately identifies human disease mutations

PubMed Central

Sun, Song; Yang, Fan; Tan, Guihong; Costanzo, Michael; Oughtred, Rose; Hirschman, Jodi; Theesfeld, Chandra L.; Bansal, Pritpal; Sahni, Nidhi; Yi, Song; Yu, Analyn; Tyagi, Tanya; Tie, Cathy; Hill, David E.; Vidal, Marc; Andrews, Brenda J.; Boone, Charles; Dolinski, Kara; Roth, Frederick P.

2016-01-01

We can now routinely identify coding variants within individual human genomes. A pressing challenge is to determine which variants disrupt the function of disease-associated genes. Both experimental and computational methods exist to predict pathogenicity of human genetic variation. However, a systematic performance comparison between them has been lacking. Therefore, we developed and exploited a panel of 26 yeast-based functional complementation assays to measure the impact of 179 variants (101 disease- and 78 non-disease-associated variants) from 22 human disease genes. Using the resulting reference standard, we show that experimental functional assays in a 1-billion-year diverged model organism can identify pathogenic alleles with significantly higher precision and specificity than current computational methods. PMID:26975778

Epitaxial Growth of an Organic p-n Heterojunction: C60 on Single-Crystal Pentacene.

PubMed

Nakayama, Yasuo; Mizuno, Yuta; Hosokai, Takuya; Koganezawa, Tomoyuki; Tsuruta, Ryohei; Hinderhofer, Alexander; Gerlach, Alexander; Broch, Katharina; Belova, Valentina; Frank, Heiko; Yamamoto, Masayuki; Niederhausen, Jens; Glowatzki, Hendrik; Rabe, Jürgen P; Koch, Norbert; Ishii, Hisao; Schreiber, Frank; Ueno, Nobuo

2016-06-01

Designing molecular p-n heterojunction structures, i.e., electron donor-acceptor contacts, is one of the central challenges for further development of organic electronic devices. In the present study, a well-defined p-n heterojunction of two representative molecular semiconductors, pentacene and C60, formed on the single-crystal surface of pentacene is precisely investigated in terms of its growth behavior and crystallographic structure. C60 assembles into a (111)-oriented face-centered-cubic crystal structure with a specific epitaxial orientation on the (001) surface of the pentacene single crystal. The present experimental findings provide molecular scale insights into the formation mechanisms of the organic p-n heterojunction through an accurate structural analysis of the single-crystalline molecular contact.

A lattice calculation of the hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to (g - 2)µ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Della Morte, M.; Francis, A.; Gérardin, A.; Gülpers, V.; Herdoíza, G.; von Hippel, G.; Horch, H.; Jäger, B.; Meyer, H. B.; Nyffeler, A.; Wittig, H.

2018-03-01

We present results of calculations of the hadronic vacuum polarisation contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment. Specifically, we focus on controlling the infrared regime of the vacuum polarisation function. Our results are corrected for finite-size effects by combining the Gounaris-Sakurai parameterisation of the timelike pion form factor with the Lüscher formalism. The impact of quark-disconnected diagrams and the precision of the scale determination is discussed and included in our final result in two-flavour QCD, which carries an overall uncertainty of 6%. We present preliminary results computed on ensembles with Nf = 2 + 1 dynamical flavours and discuss how the long-distance contribution can be accurately constrained by a dedicated spectrum calculation in the iso-vector channel.

Field precision machining technology of target chamber in ICF lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yuanli; Wu, Wenkai; Shi, Sucun; Duan, Lin; Chen, Gang; Wang, Baoxu; Song, Yugang; Liu, Huilin; Zhu, Mingzhi

2016-10-01

In ICF lasers, many independent laser beams are required to be positioned on target with a very high degree of accuracy during a shot. The target chamber provides a precision platform and datum reference for final optics assembly and target collimation and location system. The target chamber consists of shell with welded flanges, reinforced concrete pedestal, and lateral support structure. The field precision machining technology of target chamber in ICF lasers have been developed based on ShenGuangIII (SGIII). The same center of the target chamber is adopted in the process of design, fabrication, and alignment. The technologies of beam collimation and datum reference transformation are developed for the fabrication, positioning and adjustment of target chamber. A supporting and rotating mechanism and a special drilling machine are developed to bore the holes of ports. An adjustment mechanism is designed to accurately position the target chamber. In order to ensure the collimation requirements of the beam leading and focusing and the target positioning, custom-machined spacers are used to accurately correct the alignment error of the ports. Finally, this paper describes the chamber center, orientation, and centering alignment error measurements of SGIII. The measurements show the field precision machining of SGIII target chamber meet its design requirement. These information can be used on similar systems.

Technologies That Enable Accurate and Precise Nano- to Milliliter-Scale Liquid Dispensing of Aqueous Reagents Using Acoustic Droplet Ejection.

PubMed

Sackmann, Eric K; Majlof, Lars; Hahn-Windgassen, Annett; Eaton, Brent; Bandzava, Temo; Daulton, Jay; Vandenbroucke, Arne; Mock, Matthew; Stearns, Richard G; Hinkson, Stephen; Datwani, Sammy S

2016-02-01

Acoustic liquid handling uses high-frequency acoustic signals that are focused on the surface of a fluid to eject droplets with high accuracy and precision for various life science applications. Here we present a multiwell source plate, the Echo Qualified Reservoir (ER), which can acoustically transfer over 2.5 mL of fluid per well in 25-nL increments using an Echo 525 liquid handler. We demonstrate two Labcyte technologies-Dynamic Fluid Analysis (DFA) methods and a high-voltage (HV) grid-that are required to maintain accurate and precise fluid transfers from the ER at this volume scale. DFA methods were employed to dynamically assess the energy requirements of the fluid and adjust the acoustic ejection parameters to maintain a constant velocity droplet. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the HV grid enhances droplet velocity and coalescence at the destination plate. These technologies enabled 5-µL per destination well transfers to a 384-well plate, with accuracy and precision values better than 4%. Last, we used the ER and Echo 525 liquid handler to perform a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay to demonstrate an application that benefits from the flexibility and larger volume capabilities of the ER. © 2015 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Accuracy and practicality of a portable ozone monitor for personal exposure estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagona, Jessica A.; Weisel, Clifford P.; Meng, Qingyu

2018-02-01

Accurate measurements of personal exposure to atmospheric pollutants such as ozone are important for understanding health risks. We tested a new personal ozone monitor (POM; 2B Technologies) for accuracy, precision, and ease of use. The POM's measurements were compared to simultaneous ozone measurements from a 2B Model 205 monitor and a ThermoScientific 49i monitor, and multiple POMs were placed side-by-side to check precision. Tests were undertaken in a controlled environmental facility, outdoors, and in a private residence. Additionally, ten volunteers wore a POM for five days and answered a questionnaire about its ease of use. The POM measured ozone accurately compared to the 49i ozone monitor, with average relative differences of less than 8%. In the controlled environment tests, the POM's ozone measurements did not change in the presence of additional atmospheric constituents with similar absorption lines to ozone, though there may have been a small decrease in precision and accuracy. Precision between POMs varied by environment (r2 = 0.98 outdoors; r2 = 0.3 to 0.9 in controlled lab conditions). Volunteers reported that the POM was reasonably comfortable to wear, although all reported that they felt that it was too noisy. Overall, the POM is a viable option for personal ozone monitoring.

Serial Scanning and Registration of High Resolution Quantitative Computed Tomography Volume Scans for the Determination of Local Bone Density Changes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whalen, Robert T.; Napel, Sandy; Yan, Chye H.

1996-01-01

Progress in development of the methods required to study bone remodeling as a function of time is reported. The following topics are presented: 'A New Methodology for Registration Accuracy Evaluation', 'Registration of Serial Skeletal Images for Accurately Measuring Changes in Bone Density', and 'Precise and Accurate Gold Standard for Multimodality and Serial Registration Method Evaluations.'

Value for controlling flow of cryogenic fluid

DOEpatents

Knapp, Philip A.

1996-01-01

A valve is provided for accurately controlling the flow of cryogenic fluids such as liquid nitrogen. The valve comprises a combination of disc and needle valves affixed to a valve stem in such a manner that the disc and needle are free to rotate about the stem, but are constrained in lateral and vertical movements. This arrangement provides accurate and precise fluid flow control and positive fluid isolation.

Development of an Integrated Thermocouple for the Accurate Sample Temperature Measurement During High Temperature Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (HT-ESEM) Experiments.

PubMed

Podor, Renaud; Pailhon, Damien; Ravaux, Johann; Brau, Henri-Pierre

2015-04-01

We have developed two integrated thermocouple (TC) crucible systems that allow precise measurement of sample temperature when using a furnace associated with an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). Sample temperatures measured with these systems are precise (±5°C) and reliable. The TC crucible systems allow working with solids and liquids (silicate melts or ionic liquids), independent of the gas composition and pressure. These sample holder designs will allow end users to perform experiments at high temperature in the ESEM chamber with high precision control of the sample temperature.

Accurate Wavelength Measurement of High-Energy Gamma Rays from the 35Cl(n,{gamma}) Reactions

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

Belgya, T.; Molnar, G.L.; Mutti, P.

2005-05-24

The energies of eight gamma rays in the 36Cl level scheme have been measured with high precision using the 35Cl(n,{gamma}) reaction and the GAMS4 spectrometer. From these energies, a skeleton decay scheme for 36Cl was constructed, and the binding energy of 36Cl was determined to higher precision than previously. It is shown that using this new information, binding energy determination from Ge detector experiments for other nuclei can also be made with higher precision than now available. The measurement of additional weaker 36Cl gamma rays is continuing.

Cometary Astrometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeomans, D. K. (Editor); West, R. M. (Editor); Harrington, R. S. (Editor); Marsden, B. G. (Editor)

1984-01-01

Modern techniques for making cometary astrometric observations, reducing these observations, using accurate reference star catalogs, and computing precise orbits and ephemerides are discussed in detail and recommendations and suggestions are given in each area.

Area estimation of crops by digital analysis of Landsat data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, M. E.; Hixson, M. M.; Davis, B. J.

1978-01-01

The study for which the results are presented had these objectives: (1) to use Landsat data and computer-implemented pattern recognition to classify the major crops from regions encompassing different climates, soils, and crops; (2) to estimate crop areas for counties and states by using crop identification data obtained from the Landsat identifications; and (3) to evaluate the accuracy, precision, and timeliness of crop area estimates obtained from Landsat data. The paper describes the method of developing the training statistics and evaluating the classification accuracy. Landsat MSS data were adequate to accurately identify wheat in Kansas; corn and soybean estimates for Indiana were less accurate. Systematic sampling of entire counties made possible by computer classification methods resulted in very precise area estimates at county, district, and state levels.

Virtual reality technique to assist measurement of degree of shaking of two minarets of an ancient building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Homainejad, Amir S.; Satari, Mehran

2000-05-01

VR is possible which brings users to the reality by computer and VE is a simulated world which takes users to any points and directions of the object. VR and VE can be very useful if accurate and precise data are sued, and allows users to work with realistic model. Photogrammetry is a technique which is able to collect and provide accurate and precise data for building 3D model in a computer. Data can be collected from various sensor and cameras, and methods of data collector are vary based on the method of image acquiring. Indeed VR includes real-time graphics, 3D model, and display and it has application in the entertainment industry, flight simulators, industrial design.

Development of MMC Gamma Detectors for Precise Characterization of Uranium Isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, G. B.; Flynn, C. C.; Kempf, S.; Gastaldo, L.; Fleischmann, A.; Enss, C.; Friedrich, S.

2018-06-01

Precise nuclear data from radioactive decays are important for the accurate non-destructive assay of fissile materials in nuclear safeguards. We are developing high energy resolution gamma detectors based on metallic magnetic calorimeters (MMCs) to accurately measure gamma-ray energies and branching ratios of uranium isotopes. Our MMC gamma detectors exhibit good linearity, reproducibility and a consistent response function for low energy gamma-rays. We illustrate the capabilities of MMCs to improve literature values of nuclear data with an analysis of gamma spectra of U-233. In this context, we also improve the value of the energy for the single gamma-ray of the U-233 daughter Ra-225 by over an order of magnitude from 40.09 ± 0.05 to 40.0932 ± 0.0007 keV.

A novel high sensitivity HPLC assay for topiramate, using 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan as pre-column fluorescence derivatizing agent.

PubMed

Bahrami, Gholamreza; Mohammadi, Bahareh

2007-05-01

A new, sensitive and simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method for analysis of topiramate, an antiepileptic agent, using 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan as pre-column derivatization agent is described. Following liquid-liquid extraction of topiramate and an internal standard (amlodipine) from human serum, derivatization of the drugs was performed by the labeling agent in the presence of dichloromethane, methanol, acetonitrile and borate buffer (0.05 M; pH 10.6). A mixture of sodium phosphate buffer (0.05 M; pH 2.4): methanol (35:65 v/v) was eluted as mobile phase and chromatographic separation was achieved using a Shimpack CLC-C18 (150 x 4.6 mm) column. In this method the limit of quantification of 0.01 microg/mL was obtained and the procedure was validated over the concentration range of 0.01 to 12.8 microg/mL. No interferences were found from commonly co-administrated antiepileptic drugs including phenytoin, phenobarbital carbamazepine, lamotrigine, zonisamide, primidone, gabapentin, vigabatrin, and ethosuximide. The analysis performance was carried-out in terms of specificity, sensitivity, linearity, precision, accuracy and stability and the method was shown to be accurate, with intra-day and inter-day accuracy from -3.4 to 10% and precise, with intra-day and inter-day precision from 1.1 to 18%.

High-throughput spectral and lifetime-based FRET screening in living cells to identify small-molecule effectors of SERCA

PubMed Central

Schaaf, Tory M.; Peterson, Kurt C.; Grant, Benjamin D.; Bawaskar, Prachi; Yuen, Samantha; Li, Ji; Muretta, Joseph M.; Gillispie, Gregory D.; Thomas, David D.

2017-01-01

A robust high-throughput screening (HTS) strategy has been developed to discover small-molecule effectors targeting the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), based on a fluorescence microplate reader that records both the nanosecond decay waveform (lifetime mode) and the complete emission spectrum (spectral mode), with high precision and speed. This spectral unmixing plate reader (SUPR) was used to screen libraries of small molecules with a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor expressed in living cells. Ligand binding was detected by FRET associated with structural rearrangements of green (GFP, donor) and red (RFP, acceptor) fluorescent proteins fused to the cardiac-specific SERCA2a isoform. The results demonstrate accurate quantitation of FRET along with high precision of hit identification. Fluorescence lifetime analysis resolved SERCA’s distinct structural states, providing a method to classify small-molecule chemotypes on the basis of their structural effect on the target. The spectral analysis was also applied to flag interference by fluorescent compounds. FRET hits were further evaluated for functional effects on SERCA’s ATPase activity via both a coupled-enzyme assay and a FRET-based calcium sensor. Concentration-response curves indicated excellent correlation between FRET and function. These complementary spectral and lifetime FRET detection methods offer an attractive combination of precision, speed, and resolution for HTS. PMID:27899691

Advances in Multicollector ICPMS for precise and accurate isotope ratio measurements of Uranium isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouman, C.; Lloyd, N. S.; Schwieters, J.

2011-12-01

The accurate and precise determination of uranium isotopes is challenging, because of the large dynamic range posed by the U isotope abundances and the limited available sample material. Various mass spectrometric techniques are used for the measurement of U isotopes, where TIMS is the most accepted and accurate one. Multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) can offer higher productivity compared to TIMS, but is traditionally limited by low efficiency of sample utilisation. This contribution will discuss progress in MC-ICPMS for detecting 234U, 235U, 236U and 238U in various uranium reference materials from IRMM and NBL. The Thermo Scientific NEPTUNE Plus with Jet Interface offers a modified dry plasma ICP interface using a large interface pump combined with a special set of sample and skimmer cones giving ultimate sensitivity for all elements across the mass range. For uranium, an ion yield of > 3 % was reported previously [1]. The NEPTUNE Plus also offers Multi Ion Counting using discrete dynode electron multipliers as well as two high abundance-sensitivity filters to discriminate against peak tailing effects on 234U and 236U originating from the major uranium beams. These improvements in sensitivity and dynamic range allow accurate measurements of 234U, 235U and 236U abundances on very small samples and at low concentration. In our approach, minor U isotopes 234U and 236U were detected on ion counters with high abundance sensitivity filters, whereas 235U and 238U were detected on Faraday Cups using a high gain current amplifier (10e12 Ohm) for 235U. Precisions and accuracies for 234U and 236U were down to ~1%. For 235U, subpermil levels were reached.

Radiometer calibration methods and resulting irradiance differences: Radiometer calibration methods and resulting irradiance differences

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

Habte, Aron; Sengupta, Manajit; Andreas, Afshin

Accurate solar radiation measured by radiometers depends on instrument performance specifications, installation method, calibration procedure, measurement conditions, maintenance practices, location, and environmental conditions. This study addresses the effect of different calibration methodologies and resulting differences provided by radiometric calibration service providers such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and manufacturers of radiometers. Some of these methods calibrate radiometers indoors and some outdoors. To establish or understand the differences in calibration methodologies, we processed and analyzed field-measured data from radiometers deployed for 10 months at NREL's Solar Radiation Research Laboratory. These different methods of calibration resulted in a difference ofmore » +/-1% to +/-2% in solar irradiance measurements. Analyzing these differences will ultimately assist in determining the uncertainties of the field radiometer data and will help develop a consensus on a standard for calibration. Further advancing procedures for precisely calibrating radiometers to world reference standards that reduce measurement uncertainties will help the accurate prediction of the output of planned solar conversion projects and improve the bankability of financing solar projects.« less

MOWGLI: prediction of protein-MannOse interacting residues With ensemble classifiers usinG evoLutionary Information.

PubMed

Pai, Priyadarshini P; Mondal, Sukanta

2016-10-01

Proteins interact with carbohydrates to perform various cellular interactions. Of the many carbohydrate ligands that proteins bind with, mannose constitute an important class, playing important roles in host defense mechanisms. Accurate identification of mannose-interacting residues (MIR) may provide important clues to decipher the underlying mechanisms of protein-mannose interactions during infections. This study proposes an approach using an ensemble of base classifiers for prediction of MIR using their evolutionary information in the form of position-specific scoring matrix. The base classifiers are random forests trained by different subsets of training data set Dset128 using 10-fold cross-validation. The optimized ensemble of base classifiers, MOWGLI, is then used to predict MIR on protein chains of the test data set Dtestset29 which showed a promising performance with 92.0% accurate prediction. An overall improvement of 26.6% in precision was observed upon comparison with the state-of-art. It is hoped that this approach, yielding enhanced predictions, could be eventually used for applications in drug design and vaccine development.

Visual Perspective and Feedback Guidance for VR Free-Throw Training.

PubMed

Covaci, Alexandra; Olivier, Anne-Hélène; Multon, Franck

2015-01-01

Accurate distance perception and natural interactions are mandatory conditions when training precision aiming tasks in VR. However, many factors specific to virtual environments (VEs) lead to differences in the way users execute a motor task in VR versus the real world. To investigate these differences, the authors performed a study on basketball beginners' free-throw performance in VEs under different visual conditions. Although the success rate is not statistically different, some adaptations occurred in the way the users performed the task, depending on the visual conditions. In the third-person perspective visual condition, the release parameters indicate that the users more accurately estimated distance to target. Adding visual guidance information (gradual depth information showing the ideal ball trajectory) also led to more natural motor behavior. The final aim of this study was to develop a reliable basketball free-throw training system in VEs, so the authors compared beginners' performances in VR with experts' models of performance. Their results show that most of the performance variables tended to evolve closer to the experts' performance during the training in the VE.

Determination of Carbonyl Functional Groups in Bio-oils by Potentiometric Titration: The Faix Method

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

Black, Stuart; Ferrell, Jack R.

We know that carbonyl compounds, present in bio-oils, are responsible for bio-oil property changes upon storage and during upgrading. Specifically, carbonyls cause an increase in viscosity (often referred to as 'aging') during storage of bio-oils. As such, carbonyl content has previously been used as a method of tracking bio-oil aging and condensation reactions with less variability than viscosity measurements. In addition, carbonyls are also responsible for coke formation in bio-oil upgrading processes. Given the importance of carbonyls in bio-oils, accurate analytical methods for their quantification are very important for the bio-oil community. Potentiometric titration methods based on carbonyl oximation havemore » long been used for the determination of carbonyl content in pyrolysis bio-oils. Here, we present a modification of the traditional carbonyl oximation procedures that results in less reaction time, smaller sample size, higher precision, and more accurate carbonyl determinations. And while traditional carbonyl oximation methods occur at room temperature, the Faix method presented here occurs at an elevated temperature of 80 degrees C.« less

Specific energy yield comparison between crystalline silicon and amorphous silicon based PV modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferenczi, Toby; Stern, Omar; Hartung, Marianne; Mueggenburg, Eike; Lynass, Mark; Bernal, Eva; Mayer, Oliver; Zettl, Marcus

2009-08-01

As emerging thin-film PV technologies continue to penetrate the market and the number of utility scale installations substantially increase, detailed understanding of the performance of the various PV technologies becomes more important. An accurate database for each technology is essential for precise project planning, energy yield prediction and project financing. However recent publications showed that it is very difficult to get accurate and reliable performance data of theses technologies. This paper evaluates previously reported claims the amorphous silicon based PV modules have a higher annual energy yield compared to crystalline silicon modules relative to their rated performance. In order to acquire a detailed understanding of this effect, outdoor module tests were performed at GE Global Research Center in Munich. In this study we examine closely two of the five reported factors that contribute to enhanced energy yield of amorphous silicon modules. We find evidence to support each of these factors and evaluate their relative significance. We discuss aspects for improvement in how PV modules are sold and identify areas for further study further study.

Magnetic resonance imaging atlas of the cervical spine musculature.

PubMed

Au, John; Perriman, Diana M; Pickering, Mark R; Buirski, Graham; Smith, Paul N; Webb, Alexandra L

2016-07-01

The anatomy of the cervical spine musculature visible on magnetic resonance (MR) images is poorly described in the literature. However, the correct identification of individual muscles is clinically important because certain conditions of the cervical spine, for example whiplash associated disorders, idiopathic neck pain, cervical nerve root avulsion and cervical spondylotic myelopathy, are associated with different morphological changes in specific muscles visible on MR images. Knowledge of the precise structure of different cervical spine muscles is crucial when comparisons with the contralateral side or with normal are required for accurate description of imaging pathology, management and assessment of treatment efficacy. However, learning the intricate arrangement of 27 muscles is challenging. A multi-level cross-sectional depiction combined with three-dimensional reconstructions could facilitate the understanding of this anatomically complex area. This paper presents a comprehensive series of labeled axial MR images from one individual and serves as a reference atlas of the cervical spine musculature to guide clinicians, researchers, and anatomists in the accurate identification of these muscles on MR imaging. Clin. Anat. 29:643-659, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Determination of Carbonyl Functional Groups in Bio-oils by Potentiometric Titration: The Faix Method

DOE PAGES

Black, Stuart; Ferrell, Jack R.

2017-02-07

We know that carbonyl compounds, present in bio-oils, are responsible for bio-oil property changes upon storage and during upgrading. Specifically, carbonyls cause an increase in viscosity (often referred to as 'aging') during storage of bio-oils. As such, carbonyl content has previously been used as a method of tracking bio-oil aging and condensation reactions with less variability than viscosity measurements. In addition, carbonyls are also responsible for coke formation in bio-oil upgrading processes. Given the importance of carbonyls in bio-oils, accurate analytical methods for their quantification are very important for the bio-oil community. Potentiometric titration methods based on carbonyl oximation havemore » long been used for the determination of carbonyl content in pyrolysis bio-oils. Here, we present a modification of the traditional carbonyl oximation procedures that results in less reaction time, smaller sample size, higher precision, and more accurate carbonyl determinations. And while traditional carbonyl oximation methods occur at room temperature, the Faix method presented here occurs at an elevated temperature of 80 degrees C.« less

Subaperture metrology technologies extend capabilities in optics manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tricard, Marc; Forbes, Greg; Murphy, Paul

2005-10-01

Subaperture polishing technologies have radically changed the landscape of precision optics manufacturing and enabled the production of higher precision optics with increasingly difficult figure requirements. However, metrology is a critical piece of the optics fabrication process, and the dependence on interferometry is especially acute for computer-controlled, deterministic finishing. Without accurate full-aperture metrology, figure correction using subaperture polishing technologies would not be possible. QED Technologies has developed the Subaperture Stitching Interferometer (SSI) that extends the effective aperture and dynamic range of a phase measuring interferometer. The SSI's novel developments in software and hardware improve the capacity and accuracy of traditional interferometers, overcoming many of the limitations previously faced. The SSI performs high-accuracy automated measurements of spheres, flats, and mild aspheres up to 200 mm in diameter by stitching subaperture data. The system combines a six-axis precision workstation, a commercial Fizeau interferometer of 4" or 6" aperture, and dedicated software. QED's software automates the measurement design, data acquisition, and mathematical reconstruction of the full-aperture phase map. The stitching algorithm incorporates a general framework for compensating several types of errors introduced by the interferometer and stage mechanics. These include positioning errors, viewing system distortion, the system reference wave error, etc. The SSI has been proven to deliver the accurate and flexible metrology that is vital to precision optics fabrication. This paper will briefly review the capabilities of the SSI as a production-ready, metrology system that enables costeffective manufacturing of precision optical surfaces.

French Meteor Network for High Precision Orbits of Meteoroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atreya, P.; Vaubaillon, J.; Colas, F.; Bouley, S.; Gaillard, B.; Sauli, I.; Kwon, M. K.

2011-01-01

There is a lack of precise meteoroids orbit from video observations as most of the meteor stations use off-the-shelf CCD cameras. Few meteoroids orbit with precise semi-major axis are available using film photographic method. Precise orbits are necessary to compute the dust flux in the Earth s vicinity, and to estimate the ejection time of the meteoroids accurately by comparing them with the theoretical evolution model. We investigate the use of large CCD sensors to observe multi-station meteors and to compute precise orbit of these meteoroids. An ideal spatial and temporal resolution to get an accuracy to those similar of photographic plates are discussed. Various problems faced due to the use of large CCD, such as increasing the spatial and the temporal resolution at the same time and computational problems in finding the meteor position are illustrated.

[Assessment of precision and accuracy of digital surface photogrammetry with the DSP 400 system].

PubMed

Krimmel, M; Kluba, S; Dietz, K; Reinert, S

2005-03-01

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the precision and accuracy of facial anthropometric measurements obtained through digital 3-D surface photogrammetry with the DSP 400 system in comparison to traditional 2-D photogrammetry. Fifty plaster casts of cleft infants were imaged and 21 standard anthropometric measurements were obtained. For precision assessment the measurements were performed twice in a subsample. Accuracy was determined by comparison of direct measurements and indirect 2-D and 3-D image measurements. Precision of digital surface photogrammetry was almost as good as direct anthropometry and clearly better than 2-D photogrammetry. Measurements derived from 3-D images showed better congruence to direct measurements than from 2-D photos. Digital surface photogrammetry with the DSP 400 system is sufficiently precise and accurate for craniofacial anthropometric examinations.

Analytical characteristics and comparative evaluation of Aptima HIV-1 Quant Dx assay with Ampliprep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 test v2.0.

PubMed

Hatzakis, Angelos; Papachristou, Helen; Nair, Sangeetha J; Fortunko, Jacqueline; Foote, Tracy; Kim, HeeCheol; Peling, Tashi L; Worlock, Andrew J

2016-10-21

Quantitation of HIV-RNA is critically important for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, monitoring and assessment of infectivity in HIV-1 infection. The objective of this study was to assess performance characteristics of the Aptima HIV-1 Quant Dx assay (Aptima), a new transcription mediated amplification (TMA), fully integrated and automated assay from Hologic Inc., San Diego, CA, USA. The analytical sensitivity, analytical specificity, precision and detection of HIV-1 subtypes were tested based on commercially available international standards or panels. A selected group of 244 anti-HIV-1 (+) plasma samples was used for comparison with Roche COBAS Ampliprep/COBAS TaqMan HIV- 1 test v2.0 (Roche CAP/CTM), (Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, CA). The 50 and 95 % limit of detection were estimated at 4.9 (95 % CI 3.9-5.7) and 17.6 (15.2-21.2) IU/mL respectively. The specificity was found 99.83 (99.06-99.97) %. The standard deviations and coefficient of variations for panels with 50 and 100 copies/mL (1.7 and 2 log copies/mL) were 0.14 log copies/mL (8.67 %CV) and 0.18 log copies/mL (9.91 %CV) respectively. The detection rate for Aptima and Roche assays was 220/244 (90.2 %) and 217/244 (88.9 %) respectively. The Aptima assay is a sensitive, specific, precise and accurate test for measuring HIV-1 viral loads and for the detection of HIV-1 infections.

A simple customized surgical guide for orthodontic miniplates with tube.

PubMed

Paek, Janghyun; Su, Ming-Jeaun; Kwon, Soon-Yong; Kim, Seong-Hun; Chung, Kyu-Rhim; Nelson, Gerald

2012-09-01

This article reports the use of a customized surgical guide for simple and precise C-tube plate placement with minimized incision. Patients who were planning to have orthodontic miniplate treatment because of narrow interradicular space were recruited for this study. A combined silicone and stainless steel wire surgical guide for the C-tube was fabricated on the cast model. The taller wire of the positioning guide is used to accurately start the incision. The incision guide-wire position is verified by placing the miniplate on the coronal horizontal wire to confirm that the incision will coordinate with the screw holes. Because the miniplate is firmly held in place, there is no risk of the miniplate anchoring screws (diameter, 1.5 mm; length, 4 mm) sliding on the bone surface during placement with a manual hand driver. The surgical guide was placed on the clinical site, and it allowed precise placement of the miniplate with minimum incision and preventing from slippage or path-of-insertion angulation errors that might interfere with accurate placement. Customized surgical guide enables precise planning for miniplate positions in anatomically complex sites.

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

Design and control of a macro-micro robot for precise force applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Yulun; Mangaser, Amante; Laby, Keith; Jordan, Steve; Wilson, Jeff

1993-01-01

Creating a robot which can delicately interact with its environment has been the goal of much research. Primarily two difficulties have made this goal hard to attain. The execution of control strategies which enable precise force manipulations are difficult to implement in real time because such algorithms have been too computationally complex for available controllers. Also, a robot mechanism which can quickly and precisely execute a force command is difficult to design. Actuation joints must be sufficiently stiff, frictionless, and lightweight so that desired torques can be accurately applied. This paper describes a robotic system which is capable of delicate manipulations. A modular high-performance multiprocessor control system was designed to provide sufficient compute power for executing advanced control methods. An 8 degree of freedom macro-micro mechanism was constructed to enable accurate tip forces. Control algorithms based on the impedance control method were derived, coded, and load balanced for maximum execution speed on the multiprocessor system. Delicate force tasks such as polishing, finishing, cleaning, and deburring, are the target applications of the robot.

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.

Self-Stabilizing Measurement of Phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinjanampathy, Sai

2014-05-01

Measuring phase accurately constitutes one of the most important task in precision measurement science. Such measurements can be deployed to measure everything from fundamental constants to measuring detuning and tunneling rates of atoms more precisely. Quantum mechanics enhances the ultimate bounds on the precision of such measurements possible, and exploit coherence and entanglement to reduce the phase uncertainty. In this work, we will describe a method to stabilize a decohering two-level atom and use the stabilizing measurements to learn the unknown phase acquired by the atom. Such measurements will employ a Bayesian learner to do active feedback control on the atom. We will discuss some ultimate bounds employed in precision metrology and an experimental proposal for the implementation of this scheme. Financial support from Ministry of Education, Singapore.

A phase match based frequency estimation method for sinusoidal signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yan-Lin; Tu, Ya-Qing; Chen, Lin-Jun; Shen, Ting-Ao

2015-04-01

Accurate frequency estimation affects the ranging precision of linear frequency modulated continuous wave (LFMCW) radars significantly. To improve the ranging precision of LFMCW radars, a phase match based frequency estimation method is proposed. To obtain frequency estimation, linear prediction property, autocorrelation, and cross correlation of sinusoidal signals are utilized. The analysis of computational complex shows that the computational load of the proposed method is smaller than those of two-stage autocorrelation (TSA) and maximum likelihood. Simulations and field experiments are performed to validate the proposed method, and the results demonstrate the proposed method has better performance in terms of frequency estimation precision than methods of Pisarenko harmonic decomposition, modified covariance, and TSA, which contribute to improving the precision of LFMCW radars effectively.

Laser-Induced Focused Ultrasound for Cavitation Treatment: Toward High-Precision Invisible Sonic Scalpel.

PubMed

Lee, Taehwa; Luo, Wei; Li, Qiaochu; Demirci, Hakan; Guo, L Jay

2017-10-01

Beyond the implementation of the photoacoustic effect to photoacoustic imaging and laser ultrasonics, this study demonstrates a novel application of the photoacoustic effect for high-precision cavitation treatment of tissue using laser-induced focused ultrasound. The focused ultrasound is generated by pulsed optical excitation of an efficient photoacoustic film coated on a concave surface, and its amplitude is high enough to produce controllable microcavitation within the focal region (lateral focus <100 µm). Such microcavitation is used to cut or ablate soft tissue in a highly precise manner. This work demonstrates precise cutting of tissue-mimicking gels as well as accurate ablation of gels and animal eye tissues. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Precision of DVC approaches for strain analysis in bone imaged with μCT at different dimensional levels.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dall'Ara, Enrico; Peña-Fernández, Marta; Palanca, Marco; Giorgi, Mario; Cristofolini, Luca; Tozzi, Gianluca

2017-11-01

Accurate measurement of local strain in heterogeneous and anisotropic bone tissue is fundamental to understand the pathophysiology of musculoskeletal diseases, to evaluate the effect of interventions from preclinical studies, and to optimize the design and delivery of biomaterials. Digital volume correlation (DVC) can be used to measure the three-dimensional displacement and strain fields from micro-Computed Tomography (µCT) images of loaded specimens. However, this approach is affected by the quality of the input images, by the morphology and density of the tissue under investigation, by the correlation scheme, and by the operational parameters used in the computation. Therefore, for each application the precision of the method should be evaluated. In this paper we present the results collected from datasets analyzed in previous studies as well as new data from a recent experimental campaign for characterizing the relationship between the precision of two different DVC approaches and the spatial resolution of the outputs. Different bone structures scanned with laboratory source µCT or Synchrotron light µCT (SRµCT) were processed in zero-strain tests to evaluate the precision of the DVC methods as a function of the subvolume size that ranged from 8 to 2500 micrometers. The results confirmed that for every microstructure the precision of DVC improves for larger subvolume size, following power laws. However, for the first time large differences in the precision of both local and global DVC approaches have been highlighted when SRµCT or in vivo µCT images were used instead of conventional ex vivo µCT. These findings suggest that in situ mechanical testing protocols applied in SRµCT facilities should be optimized in order to allow DVC analyses of localized strain measurements. Moreover, for in vivo µCT applications DVC analyses should be performed only with relatively course spatial resolution for achieving a reasonable precision of the method. In conclusion, we have extensively shown that the precision of both tested DVC approaches is affected by different bone structures, different input image resolution and different subvolume sizes. Before each specific application DVC users should always apply a similar approach to find the best compromise between precision and spatial resolution of the measurements.

Atomic Precision Plasma Processing - Modeling Investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauf, Shahid

2016-09-01

Sub-nanometer precision is increasingly being required of many critical plasma processes in the semiconductor industry. Some of these critical processes include atomic layer etch and plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition. Accurate control over ion energy and ion / radical composition is needed during plasma processing to meet the demanding atomic-precision requirements. While improvements in mainstream inductively and capacitively coupled plasmas can help achieve some of these goals, newer plasma technologies can expand the breadth of problems addressable by plasma processing. Computational modeling is used to examine issues relevant to atomic precision plasma processing in this paper. First, a molecular dynamics model is used to investigate atomic layer etch of Si and SiO2 in Cl2 and fluorocarbon plasmas. Both planar surfaces and nanoscale structures are considered. It is shown that accurate control of ion energy in the sub-50 eV range is necessary for atomic scale precision. In particular, if the ion energy is greater than 10 eV during plasma processing, several atomic layers get damaged near the surface. Low electron temperature (Te) plasmas are particularly attractive for atomic precision plasma processing due to their low plasma potential. One of the most attractive options in this regard is energetic-electron beam generated plasma, where Te <0.5 eV has been achieved in plasmas of molecular gases. These low Te plasmas are computationally examined in this paper using a hybrid fluid-kinetic model. It is shown that such plasmas not only allow for sub-5 eV ion energies, but also enable wider range of ion / radical composition. Coauthors: Jun-Chieh Wang, Jason Kenney, Ankur Agarwal, Leonid Dorf, and Ken Collins.

Fire Consortia for Advanced Modeling of Meteorology and Smoke-FCAMMS: a National Paradigm for Wildland Fire and Smoke Management

Treesearch

A. R. Riebau; D. G. Fox

2003-01-01

Fires can be catastrophic, but only when the weather permits. Predicting the weather more than a few hours into the future with accuracy, precision and reliability is an on-going challenge to researchers. Accurate and precise forecasting for more than a few hours into the future has been virtually unrealizable until the latter half of the 20th Century. In the modern...

Comparison between McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC methods for the enumeration of Eimeria maxima oocysts in poultry excreta.

PubMed

Bortoluzzi, C; Paras, K L; Applegate, T J; Verocai, G G

2018-04-30

Monitoring Eimeria shedding has become more important due to the recent restrictions to the use of antibiotics within the poultry industry. Therefore, there is a need for the implementation of more precise and accurate quantitative diagnostic techniques. The objective of this study was to compare the precision and accuracy between the Mini-FLOTAC and the McMaster techniques for quantitative diagnosis of Eimeria maxima oocyst in poultry. Twelve pools of excreta samples of broiler chickens experimentally infected with E. maxima were analyzed for the comparison between Mini-FLOTAC and McMaster technique using, the detection limits (dl) of 23 and 25, respectively. Additionally, six excreta samples were used to compare the precision of different dl (5, 10, 23, and 46) using the Mini-FLOTAC technique. For precision comparisons, five technical replicates of each sample (five replicate slides on one excreta slurry) were read for calculating the mean oocyst per gram of excreta (OPG) count, standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), and precision of both aforementioned comparisons. To compare accuracy between the methods (McMaster, and Mini-FLOTAC dl 5 and 23), excreta from uninfected chickens was spiked with 100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, or 10,000 OPG; additional samples remained unspiked (negative control). For each spiking level, three samples were read in triplicate, totaling nine reads per spiking level per technique. Data were transformed using log10 to obtain normality and homogeneity of variances. A significant correlation (R = 0.74; p = 0.006) was observed between the mean OPG of the McMaster dl 25 and the Mini-FLOTAC dl 23. Mean OPG, CV, SD, and precision were not statistically different between the McMaster dl 25 and Mini-FLOTAC dl 23. Despite the absence of statistical difference (p > 0.05), Mini-FLOTAC dl 5 showed a numerically lower SD and CV than Mini-FLOTAC dl 23. The Pearson correlation coefficient revealed significant and positive correlation among the four dl (p ≤ 0.05). In the accuracy study, it was observed that the Mini-FLOTAC dl 5 and 23 were more accurate than the McMaster for 100 OPG, and the Mini-FLOTAC dl 23 had the highest accuracy for 500 OPG. The McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC dl 23 techniques were more accurate than the Mini-FLOTAC dl 5 for 5,000 OPG, and both dl of the Mini-FLOTAC were less accurate for 10,000 OPG counts than the McMaster technique. However, the overall accuracy of the Mini-FLOTAC dl 23 was higher than the McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC dl 5 techniques. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validation of a CD1b tetramer assay for studies of human mycobacterial infection or vaccination.

PubMed

Layton, Erik D; Yu, Krystle K Q; Smith, Malisa T; Scriba, Thomas J; De Rosa, Stephen C; Seshadri, Chetan

2018-07-01

CD1 tetramers loaded with lipid antigens facilitate the identification of rare lipid-antigen specific T cells present in human blood and tissue. Because CD1 proteins are structurally non-polymorphic, these tetramers can be applied to genetically diverse human populations, unlike MHC-I and MHC-II tetramers. However, there are no standardized assays to quantify and characterize lipid antigen-specific T cells present within clinical samples. We incorporated CD1b tetramers loaded with the mycobacterial lipid glucose monomycolate (GMM) into a multi-parameter flow cytometry assay. Using a GMM-specific T-cell line, we demonstrate that the assay is linear, reproducible, repeatable, precise, accurate, and has a limit of detection of approximately 0.007%. Having formally validated this assay, we performed a cross-sectional study of healthy U.S. controls and South African adolescents with and without latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). We show that GMM-specific T cells are specifically detected in South African subjects with LTBI and not in U.S. healthy controls. This assay can be expanded to include additional tetramers or phenotypic markers to characterize GMM-specific T cells in studies of mycobacterial infection, disease, or vaccination. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

a Method of Generating dem from Dsm Based on Airborne Insar Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, W.; Zhang, J.; Xue, G.; Wang, C.

2018-04-01

Traditional methods of terrestrial survey to acquire DEM cannot meet the requirement of acquiring large quantities of data in real time, but the DSM can be quickly obtained by using the dual antenna synthetic aperture radar interferometry and the DEM generated by the DSM is more fast and accurate. Therefore it is most important to acquire DEM from DSM based on airborne InSAR data. This paper aims to the method that generate DEM from DSM accurately. Two steps in this paper are applied to acquire accurate DEM. First of all, when the DSM is generated by interferometry, unavoidable factors such as overlay and shadow will produce gross errors to affect the data accuracy, so the adaptive threshold segmentation method is adopted to remove the gross errors and the threshold is selected according to the coherence of the interferometry. Secondly DEM will be generated by the progressive triangulated irregular network densification filtering algorithm. Finally, experimental results are compared with the existing high-precision DEM results. The results show that this method can effectively filter out buildings, vegetation and other objects to obtain the high-precision DEM.

GFR Estimation: From Physiology to Public Health

PubMed Central

Levey, Andrew S.; Inker, Lesley A.; Coresh, Josef

2014-01-01

Estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is essential for clinical practice, research, and public health. Appropriate interpretation of estimated GFR (eGFR) requires understanding the principles of physiology, laboratory medicine, epidemiology and biostatistics used in the development and validation of GFR estimating equations. Equations developed in diverse populations are less biased at higher GFR than equations developed in CKD populations and are more appropriate for general use. Equations that include multiple endogenous filtration markers are more precise than equations including a single filtration marker. The Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equations are the most accurate GFR estimating equations that have been evaluated in large, diverse populations and are applicable for general clinical use. The 2009 CKD-EPI creatinine equation is more accurate in estimating GFR and prognosis than the 2006 Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study equation and provides lower estimates of prevalence of decreased eGFR. It is useful as a “first” test for decreased eGFR and should replace the MDRD Study equation for routine reporting of serum creatinine–based eGFR by clinical laboratories. The 2012 CKD-EPI cystatin C equation is as accurate as the 2009 CKD-EPI creatinine equation in estimating eGFR, does not require specification of race, and may be more accurate in patients with decreased muscle mass. The 2012 CKD-EPI creatinine–cystatin C equation is more accurate than the 2009 CKD-EPI creatinine and 2012 CKD-EPI cystatin C equations and is useful as a confirmatory test for decreased eGFR as determined by an equation based on serum creatinine. Further improvement in GFR estimating equations will require development in more broadly representative populations, including diverse racial and ethnic groups, use of multiple filtration markers, and evaluation using statistical techniques to compare eGFR to “true GFR”. PMID:24485147

Reliable low precision simulations in land surface models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, Andrew; Düben, Peter D.; MacLeod, David A.; Palmer, Tim N.

2017-12-01

Weather and climate models must continue to increase in both resolution and complexity in order that forecasts become more accurate and reliable. Moving to lower numerical precision may be an essential tool for coping with the demand for ever increasing model complexity in addition to increasing computing resources. However, there have been some concerns in the weather and climate modelling community over the suitability of lower precision for climate models, particularly for representing processes that change very slowly over long time-scales. These processes are difficult to represent using low precision due to time increments being systematically rounded to zero. Idealised simulations are used to demonstrate that a model of deep soil heat diffusion that fails when run in single precision can be modified to work correctly using low precision, by splitting up the model into a small higher precision part and a low precision part. This strategy retains the computational benefits of reduced precision whilst preserving accuracy. This same technique is also applied to a full complexity land surface model, resulting in rounding errors that are significantly smaller than initial condition and parameter uncertainties. Although lower precision will present some problems for the weather and climate modelling community, many of the problems can likely be overcome using a straightforward and physically motivated application of reduced precision.

Detection of nucleotide-specific CRISPR/Cas9 modified alleles using multiplex ligation detection

PubMed Central

KC, R.; Srivastava, A.; Wilkowski, J. M.; Richter, C. E.; Shavit, J. A.; Burke, D. T.; Bielas, S. L.

2016-01-01

CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing has emerged as a powerful tool to create mutant alleles in model organisms. However, the precision with which these mutations are created has introduced a new set of complications for genotyping and colony management. Traditional gene-targeting approaches in many experimental organisms incorporated exogenous DNA and/or allele specific sequence that allow for genotyping strategies based on binary readout of PCR product amplification and size selection. In contrast, alleles created by non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair of double-stranded DNA breaks generated by Cas9 are much less amenable to such strategies. Here we describe a novel genotyping strategy that is cost effective, sequence specific and allows for accurate and efficient multiplexing of small insertion-deletions and single-nucleotide variants characteristic of CRISPR/Cas9 edited alleles. We show that ligation detection reaction (LDR) can be used to generate products that are sequence specific and uniquely detected by product size and/or fluorescent tags. The method works independently of the model organism and will be useful for colony management as mutant alleles differing by a few nucleotides become more prevalent in experimental animal colonies. PMID:27557703

Precise Restraightening of Bent Studs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boardman, R. E.

1982-01-01

Special tool quickly bends studs back into shape accurately and safely by force applied by hydraulic ram, with deflection being measured by dial indicator. Ram and indicator can be interchanged for straightening in reverse direction.

DOTD standards for GPS data collection accuracy.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-01

The Center for GeoInformatics at Louisiana State University conducted a three-part study addressing accurate, : precise, and consistent positional control for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. : First, this study focused on ...

HPTLC Determination of Artemisinin and Its Derivatives in Bulk and Pharmaceutical Dosage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, Suraj P.; Ahuja, Shipra

A simple, selective, accurate, and precise high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method has been established and validated for the analysis of artemisinin and its derivatives (artesunate, artemether, and arteether) in the bulk drugs and formulations. The artemisinin, artesunate, artemether, and arteether were separated on aluminum-backed silica gel 60 F254 plates with toluene:ethyl acetate (10:1), toluene: ethyl acetate: acetic acid (2:8:0.2), toluene:butanol (10:1), and toluene:dichloro methane (0.5:10) mobile phase, respectively. The linear detector response for concentrations between 100 and 600 ng/spot showed good linear relationship with r value 0.9967, 0.9989, 0.9981 and 0.9989 for artemisinin, artesunate, artemether, and arteether, respectively. Statistical analysis proves that the method is precise, accurate, and reproducible and hence can be employed for the routine analysis.

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.

The white dwarf mass-radius relation with Gaia, Hubble and FUSE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joyce, Simon R. G.; Barstow, Martin A.; Casewell, Sarah L.; Holberg, Jay B.; Bond, Howard E.

2018-04-01

White dwarfs are becoming useful tools for many areas of astronomy. They can be used as accurate chronometers over Gyr timescales. They are also clues to the history of star formation in our galaxy. Many of these studies require accurate estimates of the mass of the white dwarf. The theoretical mass-radius relation is often invoked to provide these mass estimates. While the theoretical mass-radius relation is well developed, observational tests of this relation show a much larger scatter in the results than expected. High precision observational tests to confirm this relation are required. Gaia is providing distance measurements which will remove one of the main source of uncertainty affecting most previous observations. We combine Gaia distances with spectra from the Hubble and FUSE satelites to make precise tests of the white dwarf mass-radius relation.

A strategy to apply machine learning to small datasets in materials science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ying; Ling, Chen

2018-12-01

There is growing interest in applying machine learning techniques in the research of materials science. However, although it is recognized that materials datasets are typically smaller and sometimes more diverse compared to other fields, the influence of availability of materials data on training machine learning models has not yet been studied, which prevents the possibility to establish accurate predictive rules using small materials datasets. Here we analyzed the fundamental interplay between the availability of materials data and the predictive capability of machine learning models. Instead of affecting the model precision directly, the effect of data size is mediated by the degree of freedom (DoF) of model, resulting in the phenomenon of association between precision and DoF. The appearance of precision-DoF association signals the issue of underfitting and is characterized by large bias of prediction, which consequently restricts the accurate prediction in unknown domains. We proposed to incorporate the crude estimation of property in the feature space to establish ML models using small sized materials data, which increases the accuracy of prediction without the cost of higher DoF. In three case studies of predicting the band gap of binary semiconductors, lattice thermal conductivity, and elastic properties of zeolites, the integration of crude estimation effectively boosted the predictive capability of machine learning models to state-of-art levels, demonstrating the generality of the proposed strategy to construct accurate machine learning models using small materials dataset.

Use of an automated chromium reduction system for hydrogen isotope ratio analysis of physiological fluids applied to doubly labeled water analysis.

PubMed

Schoeller, D A; Colligan, A S; Shriver, T; Avak, H; Bartok-Olson, C

2000-09-01

The doubly labeled water method is commonly used to measure total energy expenditure in free-living subjects. The method, however, requires accurate and precise deuterium abundance determinations, which can be laborious. The aim of this study was to evaluate a fully automated, high-throughput, chromium reduction technique for the measurement of deuterium abundances in physiological fluids. The chromium technique was compared with an off-line zinc bomb reduction technique and also subjected to test-retest analysis. Analysis of international water standards demonstrated that the chromium technique was accurate and had a within-day precision of <1 per thousand. Addition of organic matter to water samples demonstrated that the technique was sensitive to interference at levels between 2 and 5 g l(-1). Physiological samples could be analyzed without this interference, plasma by 10000 Da exclusion filtration, saliva by sedimentation and urine by decolorizing with carbon black. Chromium reduction of urine specimens from doubly labeled water studies indicated no bias relative to zinc reduction with a mean difference in calculated energy expenditure of -0.2 +/- 3.9%. Blinded reanalysis of urine specimens from a second doubly labeled water study demonstrated a test-retest coefficient of variation of 4%. The chromium reduction method was found to be a rapid, accurate and precise method for the analysis of urine specimens from doubly labeled water. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Temporally precise single-cell resolution optogenetics

PubMed Central

Shemesh, Or A.; Tanese, Dimitrii; Zampini, Valeria; Linghu, Changyang; Piatkevich, Kiryl; Ronzitti, Emiliano; Papagiakoumou, Eirini; Boyden, Edward S.; Emiliani, Valentina

2017-01-01

Optogenetic control of individual neurons with high temporal precision, within intact mammalian brain circuitry, would enable powerful explorations of how neural circuits operate. Two-photon computer generated holography enables precise sculpting of light, and could in principle enable simultaneous illumination of many neurons in a network, with the requisite temporal precision to simulate accurate neural codes. We designed a high efficacy soma-targeted opsin, finding that fusing the N-terminal 150 residues of kainate receptor subunit 2 (KA2) to the recently discovered high-photocurrent channelrhodopsin CoChR restricted expression of this opsin primarily to the cell body of mammalian cortical neurons. In combination with two-photon holographic stimulation, we found that this somatic CoChR (soCoChR) enabled photostimulation of individual cells in intact cortical circuits with single cell resolution and <1 millisecond temporal precision, and use soCoChR to perform connectivity mapping on intact cortical circuits. PMID:29184208

Gene expression during blow fly development: improving the precision of age estimates in forensic entomology.

PubMed

Tarone, Aaron M; Foran, David R

2011-01-01

Forensic entomologists use size and developmental stage to estimate blow fly age, and from those, a postmortem interval. Since such estimates are generally accurate but often lack precision, particularly in the older developmental stages, alternative aging methods would be advantageous. Presented here is a means of incorporating developmentally regulated gene expression levels into traditional stage and size data, with a goal of more precisely estimating developmental age of immature Lucilia sericata. Generalized additive models of development showed improved statistical support compared to models that did not include gene expression data, resulting in an increase in estimate precision, especially for postfeeding third instars and pupae. The models were then used to make blind estimates of development for 86 immature L. sericata raised on rat carcasses. Overall, inclusion of gene expression data resulted in increased precision in aging blow flies. © 2010 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

High-precision R-branch transition frequencies in the ν2 fundamental band of H 3+ %A Perry, Adam J.; Hodges, James N.; Markus, Charles R.; Kocheril, G. Stephen; McCall, Benjamin J.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perry, Adam J.; Hodges, James N.; Markus, Charles R.; Kocheril, G. Stephen; McCall, Benjamin J.

2015-11-01

The H3+ molecular ion has served as a long-standing benchmark for state-of-the-art ab initio calculations of molecular potentials and variational calculations of rovibrational energy levels. However, the accuracy of such calculations would not have been confirmed if not for the wealth of spectroscopic data that has been made available for this molecule. Recently, a new high-precision ion spectroscopy technique was demonstrated by Hodges et al., which led to the first highly accurate and precise (∼MHz) H3+ transition frequencies. As an extension of this work, we present ten additional R-branch transitions measured to similar precision as a next step toward the ultimate goal of producing a comprehensive high-precision survey of this molecule, from which rovibrational energy levels can be calculated.

Sine-Bar Attachment For Machine Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mann, Franklin D.

1988-01-01

Sine-bar attachment for collets, spindles, and chucks helps machinists set up quickly for precise angular cuts that require greater precision than provided by graduations of machine tools. Machinist uses attachment to index head, carriage of milling machine or lathe relative to table or turning axis of tool. Attachment accurate to 1 minute or arc depending on length of sine bar and precision of gauge blocks in setup. Attachment installs quickly and easily on almost any type of lathe or mill. Requires no special clamps or fixtures, and eliminates many trial-and-error measurements. More stable than improvised setups and not jarred out of position readily.

In vivo thermoluminescence dosimetry for total body irradiation.

PubMed

Palkosková, P; Hlavata, H; Dvorák, P; Novotný, J; Novotný, J

2002-01-01

An improvement in the clinical results obtained using total body irradiation (TBI) with photon beams requires precise TBI treatment planning, reproducible irradiation, precise in vivo dosimetry, accurate documentation and careful evaluation. In vivo dosimetry using LiF Harshaw TLD-100 chips was used during the TBI treatments performed in our department. The results of in vivo thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD) show that using TLD measurements and interactive adjustment of some treatment parameters based on these measurements, like monitor unit calculations, lung shielding thickness and patient positioning, it is possible to achieve high precision in absorbed dose delivery (less than 0.5%) as well as in homogeneity of irradiation (less than 6%).

Number-Density Measurements of CO2 in Real Time with an Optical Frequency Comb for High Accuracy and Precision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholten, Sarah K.; Perrella, Christopher; Anstie, James D.; White, Richard T.; Al-Ashwal, Waddah; Hébert, Nicolas Bourbeau; Genest, Jérôme; Luiten, Andre N.

2018-05-01

Real-time and accurate measurements of gas properties are highly desirable for numerous real-world applications. Here, we use an optical-frequency comb to demonstrate absolute number-density and temperature measurements of a sample gas with state-of-the-art precision and accuracy. The technique is demonstrated by measuring the number density of 12C16O2 with an accuracy of better than 1% and a precision of 0.04% in a measurement and analysis cycle of less than 1 s. This technique is transferable to numerous molecular species, thus offering an avenue for near-universal gas concentration measurements.

Laminated magnet field coil sheath

DOEpatents

Skaritka, John R.

1987-12-01

a method for manufacturing a magnet cable trim coil in a sheath assembly for use in a cryogenic particle accelerator. A precisely positioned pattern of trim coil turns is bonded to a flexible substrate sheath that is capable of withstanding cryogenic operating conditions. In the method of the invention the flexible sheath, with the trim coil pattern precisely positioned thereon, is accurately positioned at a precise location relative to a bore tube assembly of an accelerator and is then bonded to the bore tube with a tape suitable for cryogenic application. The resultant assembly can be readily handled and installed within an iron magnet yoke assembly of a suitable cryogenic particle accelerator.

Accuracy of complete-arch dental impressions: a new method of measuring trueness and precision.

PubMed

Ender, Andreas; Mehl, Albert

2013-02-01

A new approach to both 3-dimensional (3D) trueness and precision is necessary to assess the accuracy of intraoral digital impressions and compare them to conventionally acquired impressions. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate whether a new reference scanner is capable of measuring conventional and digital intraoral complete-arch impressions for 3D accuracy. A steel reference dentate model was fabricated and measured with a reference scanner (digital reference model). Conventional impressions were made from the reference model, poured with Type IV dental stone, scanned with the reference scanner, and exported as digital models. Additionally, digital impressions of the reference model were made and the digital models were exported. Precision was measured by superimposing the digital models within each group. Superimposing the digital models on the digital reference model assessed the trueness of each impression method. Statistical significance was assessed with an independent sample t test (α=.05). The reference scanner delivered high accuracy over the entire dental arch with a precision of 1.6 ±0.6 µm and a trueness of 5.3 ±1.1 µm. Conventional impressions showed significantly higher precision (12.5 ±2.5 µm) and trueness values (20.4 ±2.2 µm) with small deviations in the second molar region (P<.001). Digital impressions were significantly less accurate with a precision of 32.4 ±9.6 µm and a trueness of 58.6 ±15.8µm (P<.001). More systematic deviations of the digital models were visible across the entire dental arch. The new reference scanner is capable of measuring the precision and trueness of both digital and conventional complete-arch impressions. The digital impression is less accurate and shows a different pattern of deviation than the conventional impression. Copyright © 2013 The Editorial Council of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid and sensitive gas chromatography ion-trap mass spectrometry method for the determination of tobacco specific N-nitrosamines in secondhand smoke

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

SLEIMAN, Mohamad; MADDALENA, Randy L.; GUNDEL, Lara A.

Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) are some of the most potent carcinogens in tobacco and cigarette smoke. Accurate quantification of these chemicals is needed to help assess public health risks. We developed and validated a specific and sensitive method to measure four TSNAs in both the gas- and particle-phase of secondhand smoke (SHS) using gas chromatography and ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry,. A smoking machine in an 18-m3 room-sized chamber generated relevant concentrations of SHS that were actively sampled on Teflon coated fiber glass (TCFG) filters, and passively sampled on cellulose substrates. A simple solid-liquid extraction protocol using methanol as solvent was successfullymore » applied to both filters with high recoveries ranging from 85 to 115percent. Tandem MS parameters were optimized to obtain the best sensitivity in terms of signal to-noise ratio (S/N) for the target compounds. For each TSNA, the major fragmentation pathways as well as ion structures were elucidated and compared with previously published data. The method showed excellent performances with a linear dynamic range between 2 and 1000 ng mL-1, low detection limits (S/N> 3) of 30-300 pg.ml-1 and precision with experimental errors below 10percent for all compounds. Moreover, no interfering peaks were observed indicating a high selectivity of MS/MS without the need for a sample clean up step. The sampling and analysis method provides a sensitive and accurate tool to detect and quantify traces of TSNA in SHS polluted indoor environments.« less

Use of micro-CT-based finite element analysis to accurately quantify peri-implant bone strains: a validation in rat tibiae.

PubMed

Torcasio, Antonia; Zhang, Xiaolei; Van Oosterwyck, Hans; Duyck, Joke; van Lenthe, G Harry

2012-05-01

Although research has been addressed at investigating the effect of specific loading regimes on bone response around the implant, a precise quantitative understanding of the local mechanical response close to the implant site is still lacking. This study was aimed at validating micro-CT-based finite element (μFE) models to assess tissue strains after implant placement in a rat tibia. Small implants were inserted at the medio-proximal site of 8 rat tibiae. The limbs were subjected to axial compression loading; strain close to the implant was measured by means of strain gauges. Specimen-specific μFE models were created and analyzed. For each specimen, 4 different models were created corresponding to different representations of the bone-implant interface: bone and implant were assumed fully osseointegrated (A); a low stiffness interface zone was assumed with thickness of 40 μm (B), 80 μm (C), and 160 μm (D). In all cases, measured and computational strains correlated highly (R (2) = 0.95, 0.92, 0.93, and 0.95 in A, B, C, and D, respectively). The averaged calculated strains were 1.69, 1.34, and 1.15 times higher than the measured strains for A, B, and C, respectively, and lower than the experimental strains for D (factor = 0.91). In conclusion, we demonstrated that specimen-specific FE analyses provide accurate estimates of peri-implant bone strains in the rat tibia loading model. Further investigations of the bone-implant interface are needed to quantify implant osseointegration.

Apparatus for continuous, fast, and precise measurements of position and velocity of a small spherical particle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venkataraman, T. S.; Eidson, W. W.; Cohen, L. D.; Farina, J. D.; Acquista, C.

1983-01-01

The position and velocity of optically levitated glass spheres (radii 10-20 microns) movng in a gas are measured accurately, rapidly, and continuously using a high-speed rotating polygon mirror. The experimental technique developed here has repeatable position accuracies better than 20 microns. Each measurement takes less than 1 microsec and can be repeated every 100 microsec. The position of the levitated glass spheres can be manipulated accurately by modulating the laser power with an acoustic optic modulator. The technique provides a fast and accurate method to study general particle dynamics in a fluid.

Improved regulatory element prediction based on tissue-specific local epigenomic signatures

PubMed Central

He, Yupeng; Gorkin, David U.; Dickel, Diane E.; Nery, Joseph R.; Castanon, Rosa G.; Lee, Ah Young; Shen, Yin; Visel, Axel; Pennacchio, Len A.; Ren, Bing; Ecker, Joseph R.

2017-01-01

Accurate enhancer identification is critical for understanding the spatiotemporal transcriptional regulation during development as well as the functional impact of disease-related noncoding genetic variants. Computational methods have been developed to predict the genomic locations of active enhancers based on histone modifications, but the accuracy and resolution of these methods remain limited. Here, we present an algorithm, regulatory element prediction based on tissue-specific local epigenetic marks (REPTILE), which integrates histone modification and whole-genome cytosine DNA methylation profiles to identify the precise location of enhancers. We tested the ability of REPTILE to identify enhancers previously validated in reporter assays. Compared with existing methods, REPTILE shows consistently superior performance across diverse cell and tissue types, and the enhancer locations are significantly more refined. We show that, by incorporating base-resolution methylation data, REPTILE greatly improves upon current methods for annotation of enhancers across a variety of cell and tissue types. REPTILE is available at https://github.com/yupenghe/REPTILE/. PMID:28193886

CCD Camera Lens Interface for Real-Time Theodolite Alignment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wake, Shane; Scott, V. Stanley, III

2012-01-01

Theodolites are a common instrument in the testing, alignment, and building of various systems ranging from a single optical component to an entire instrument. They provide a precise way to measure horizontal and vertical angles. They can be used to align multiple objects in a desired way at specific angles. They can also be used to reference a specific location or orientation of an object that has moved. Some systems may require a small margin of error in position of components. A theodolite can assist with accurately measuring and/or minimizing that error. The technology is an adapter for a CCD camera with lens to attach to a Leica Wild T3000 Theodolite eyepiece that enables viewing on a connected monitor, and thus can be utilized with multiple theodolites simultaneously. This technology removes a substantial part of human error by relying on the CCD camera and monitors. It also allows image recording of the alignment, and therefore provides a quantitative means to measure such error.

Entropy of Leukemia on Multidimensional Morphological and Molecular Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilar, Jose M. G.

2014-04-01

Leukemia epitomizes the class of highly complex diseases that new technologies aim to tackle by using large sets of single-cell-level information. Achieving such a goal depends critically not only on experimental techniques but also on approaches to interpret the data. A most pressing issue is to identify the salient quantitative features of the disease from the resulting massive amounts of information. Here, I show that the entropies of cell-population distributions on specific multidimensional molecular and morphological landscapes provide a set of measures for the precise characterization of normal and pathological states, such as those corresponding to healthy individuals and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. I provide a systematic procedure to identify the specific landscapes and illustrate how, applied to cell samples from peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirates, this characterization accurately diagnoses AML from just flow cytometry data. The methodology can generally be applied to other types of cell populations and establishes a straightforward link between the traditional statistical thermodynamics methodology and biomedical applications.

Authentication of medicinal herbs using PCR-amplified ITS2 with specific primers.

PubMed

Chiou, Shu-Jiau; Yen, Jui-Hung; Fang, Cheng-Li; Chen, Hui-Ling; Lin, Tsai-Yun

2007-10-01

Different parts of medicinal herbs have long been used as traditional Chinese drugs for treating many diseases, whereas materials of similar morphology and chemical fingerprints are often misidentified. Analyses of sequence variations in the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) internal transcribed spacer (ITS) have become a valid method for authentication of medicinal herbs at the intergenic and interspecific levels. DNA extracted from processed materials is usually severely degraded or contaminated by microorganisms, thus generates no or unexpected PCR products. The goal of this study is to apply the ITS fragments selectively amplified with two designed primer sets for efficient and precise authentication of medicinal herbs. The designed primers led to an accurate PCR product of the specific region in ITS2, which was confirmed with DNA extracted from 55 processed medicinal herbs belonging to 48 families. Moreover, the selectively amplified ITS2 authenticated five sets of easily confusable Chinese herbal materials. The designed primers were proven to be suitable for a broad application in the authentication of herbal materials.

A study of gas solubilities and transport properties in fuel cell electrolytes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, R. D. J.

1972-01-01

An analysis of the rate of heat generation on the dissolution of sparingly soluble gas in electrolytes was made, and it leads to the conclusion that the temperature changes to be expected are much too small to be measured with precision owing to the slowness of the gas dissolution. It appears that more accurate gas solubility measurements are the only real hope of improved precision in heats of solution and other thermodynamic properties.

High precision triangular waveform generator

DOEpatents

Mueller, Theodore R.

1983-01-01

An ultra-linear ramp generator having separately programmable ascending and descending ramp rates and voltages is provided. Two constant current sources provide the ramp through an integrator. Switching of the current at current source inputs rather than at the integrator input eliminates switching transients and contributes to the waveform precision. The triangular waveforms produced by the waveform generator are characterized by accurate reproduction and low drift over periods of several hours. The ascending and descending slopes are independently selectable.

High-precision triangular-waveform generator

DOEpatents

Mueller, T.R.

1981-11-14

An ultra-linear ramp generator having separately programmable ascending and decending ramp rates and voltages is provided. Two constant current sources provide the ramp through an integrator. Switching of the current at current source inputs rather than at the integrator input eliminates switching transients and contributes to the waveform precision. The triangular waveforms produced by the waveform generator are characterized by accurate reproduction and low drift over periods of several hours. The ascending and descending slopes are independently selectable.

Spectrophotometric simultaneous determination of Rabeprazole Sodium and Itopride Hydrochloride in capsule dosage form

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabnis, Shweta S.; Dhavale, Nilesh D.; Jadhav, Vijay. Y.; Gandhi, Santosh V.

2008-03-01

A new simple, economical, rapid, precise and accurate method for simultaneous determination of rabeprazole sodium and itopride hydrochloride in capsule dosage form has been developed. The method is based on ratio spectra derivative spectrophotometry. The amplitudes in the first derivative of the corresponding ratio spectra at 231 nm (minima) and 260 nm were selected to determine rabeprazole sodium and itopride hydrochloride, respectively. The method was validated with respect to linearity, precision and accuracy.

Spectrophotometric simultaneous determination of rabeprazole sodium and itopride hydrochloride in capsule dosage form.

PubMed

Sabnis, Shweta S; Dhavale, Nilesh D; Jadhav, Vijay Y; Gandhi, Santosh V

2008-03-01

A new simple, economical, rapid, precise and accurate method for simultaneous determination of rabeprazole sodium and itopride hydrochloride in capsule dosage form has been developed. The method is based on ratio spectra derivative spectrophotometry. The amplitudes in the first derivative of the corresponding ratio spectra at 231nm (minima) and 260nm were selected to determine rabeprazole sodium and itopride hydrochloride, respectively. The method was validated with respect to linearity, precision and accuracy.

Preliminary exploration of the measurement of walking speed for the apoplectic people based on UHF RFID.

PubMed

Huang Hua-Lin; Mo Ling-Fei; Liu Ying-Jie; Li Cheng-Yang; Xu Qi-Meng; Wu Zhi-Tong

2015-08-01

The number of the apoplectic people is increasing while population aging is quickening its own pace. The precise measurement of walking speed is very important to the rehabilitation guidance of the apoplectic people. The precision of traditional measuring methods on speed such as stopwatch is relatively low, and high precision measurement instruments because of the high cost cannot be used widely. What's more, these methods have difficulty in measuring the walking speed of the apoplectic people accurately. UHF RFID tag has the advantages of small volume, low price, long reading distance etc, and as a wearable sensor, it is suitable to measure walking speed accurately for the apoplectic people. In order to measure the human walking speed, this paper uses four reader antennas with a certain distance to reads the signal strength of RFID tag. Because RFID tag has different RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) in different distances away from the reader, researches on the changes of RSSI with time have been done by this paper to calculate walking speed. The verification results show that the precise measurement of walking speed can be realized by signal processing method with Gaussian Fitting-Kalman Filter. Depending on the variance of walking speed, doctors can predict the rehabilitation training result of the apoplectic people and give the appropriate rehabilitation guidance.

The GLAS Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document for Precision Orbit Determination (POD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rim, Hyung Jin; Yoon, S. P.; Schultz, Bob E.

2013-01-01

The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) was the sole instrument for NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) laser altimetry mission. The primary purpose of the ICESat mission was to make ice sheet elevation measurements of the polar regions. Additional goals were to measure the global distribution of clouds and aerosols and to map sea ice, land topography and vegetation. ICESat was the benchmark Earth Observing System (EOS) mission to be used to determine the mass balance of the ice sheets, as well as for providing cloud property information, especially for stratospheric clouds common over polar areas. The GLAS instrument operated from 2003 to 2009 and provided multi-year elevation data needed to determine changes in sea ice freeboard, land topography and vegetation around the globe, in addition to elevation changes of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. This document describes the Precision Orbit Determination (POD) algorithm for the ICESat mission. The problem of determining an accurate ephemeris for an orbiting satellite involves estimating the position and velocity of the satellite from a sequence of observations. The ICESatGLAS elevation measurements must be very accurately geolocated, combining precise orbit information with precision pointing information. The ICESat mission POD requirement states that the position of the instrument should be determined with an accuracy of 5 and 20 cm (1-s) in radial and horizontal components, respectively, to meet the science requirements for determining elevation change.

Variation of Static-PPP Positioning Accuracy Using GPS-Single Frequency Observations (Aswan, Egypt)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farah, Ashraf

2017-06-01

Precise Point Positioning (PPP) is a technique used for position computation with a high accuracy using only one GNSS receiver. It depends on highly accurate satellite position and clock data rather than broadcast ephemeries. PPP precision varies based on positioning technique (static or kinematic), observations type (single or dual frequency) and the duration of collected observations. PPP-(dual frequency receivers) offers comparable accuracy to differential GPS. PPP-single frequency receivers has many applications such as infrastructure, hydrography and precision agriculture. PPP using low cost GPS single-frequency receivers is an area of great interest for millions of users in developing countries such as Egypt. This research presents a study for the variability of single frequency static GPS-PPP precision based on different observation durations.

Application of GPS Measurements for Ionospheric and Tropospheric Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajendra Prasad, P.; Abdu, M. A.; Furlan, Benedito. M. P.; Koiti Kuga, Hélio

military navigation. The DOD's primary purposes were to use the system in precision weapon delivery and providing a capability that would help reverse the proliferation of navigation systems in military. Subsequently, it was very quickly realized that civil use and scientific utility would far outstrip military use. A variety of scientific applications are uniquely suited to precise positioning capabilities. The relatively high precision, low cost, mobility and convenience of GPS receivers make positioning attractive. The other applications being precise time measurement, surveying and geodesy purposes apart from orbit and attitude determination along with many user services. The system operates by transmitting radio waves from satellites to receivers on the ground, aircraft, or other satellites. These signals are used to calculate location very accurately. Standard Positioning Services (SPS) which restricts access to Coarse/Access (C/A) code and carrier signals on the L1 frequency only. The accuracy thus provided by SPS fall short of most of the accuracy requirements of users. The upper atmosphere is ionized by the ultra violet radiation from the sun. The significant errors in positioning can result when the signals are refracted and slowed by ionospheric conditions, the parameter of the ionosphere that produces most effects on GPS signals is the total number of electrons in the ionospheric propagation path. This integrated number of electrons, called Total Electron Content (TEC) varies, not only from day to night, time of the year and solar flux cycle, but also with geomagnetic latitude and longitude. Being plasma the ionosphere affects the radio waves propagating through it. Effects of scintillation on GPS satellite navigation systems operating at L1 (1.5754 GHz), L2 (1.2276 GHz) frequencies have not been estimated accurately. It is generally recognized that GPS navigation systems are vulnerable in the polar and especially in the equatorial region during the solar maximum period. In the equatorial region the irregularity structures are highly elongated in the north-south direction and are discrete in the east-west direction with dimensions of several hundred km. With such spatial distribution of irregularities needs to determine how often the GPS receivers fails to provide navigation aid with the available constellation. The effects of scintillation on the performance of GPS navigation systems in the equatorial region can be analyzed through commissioning few ground receivers. Incidentally there are few GPS receivers near these latitudes. Despite the recent advances in the ionosphere and tropospheric delay modeling for geodetic applications of GPS, the models currently used are not very precise. The conventional and operational ionosphere models viz. Klobuchar, Bent, and IRI models have certain limitations in providing very precise accuracies at all latitudes. The troposphere delay modeling also suffers in accuracy. The advances made in both computing power and knowledge of the atmosphere leads to make an effort to upgrade some of these models for improving delay corrections in GPS navigation. The ionospheric group delay corrections for orbit determination can be minimized using duel frequency. However in single frequency measurements the group delay correction is an involved task. In this paper an investigation is carried out to estimate the model coefficients of ionosphere along with precise orbit determination modeling using GPS measurements. The locations of the ground-based receivers near equator are known very exactly. Measurements from these ground stations to a precisely known satellite carrying duel receiver is used for orbit determination. The ionosphere model parameters can be refined corresponding to spatially distributed GPS receivers spread over Brazil. The tropospheric delay effects are not significant for the satellites by choosing appropriate elevation angle. However it needs to be analyzed for user like aircraft for an effective use. In this paper brief description of GPS data utilization, Navigational message, orbit computation and precise orbit determination and Ionosphere and troposphere models are summarized. The methodology towards refining ionosphere model coefficients is presented. Some of the plots and results related to orbit determination are presented. The study demonstrated the feasibility of estimating ionosphere group delay at specific latitudes and could be improved through refining some of the model coefficients using GPS measurements. It is possible to accurately determine the tropospheric delay, which may be used for an aircraft in flight without access to real time meteorological information.

Tracking Honey Bees Using LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) Technology

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

BENDER, SUSAN FAE ANN; RODACY, PHILIP J.; SCHMITT, RANDAL L.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has recognized that biological and chemical toxins are a real and growing threat to troops, civilians, and the ecosystem. The Explosives Components Facility at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has been working with the University of Montana, the Southwest Research Institute, and other agencies to evaluate the feasibility of directing honeybees to specific targets, and for environmental sampling of biological and chemical ''agents of harm''. Recent work has focused on finding and locating buried landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). Tests have demonstrated that honeybees can be trained to efficiently and accurately locate explosive signaturesmore » in the environment. However, it is difficult to visually track the bees and determine precisely where the targets are located. Video equipment is not practical due to its limited resolution and range. In addition, it is often unsafe to install such equipment in a field. A technology is needed to provide investigators with the standoff capability to track bees and accurately map the location of the suspected targets. This report documents Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) tests that were performed by SNL. These tests have shown that a LIDAR system can be used to track honeybees. The LIDAR system can provide both the range and coordinates of the target so that the location of buried munitions can be accurately mapped for subsequent removal.« less

Targeted numerical simulations of binary black holes for GW170104

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Healy, J.; Lange, J.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Lousto, C. O.; Campanelli, M.; Williamson, A. R.; Zlochower, Y.; Calderón Bustillo, J.; Clark, J. A.; Evans, C.; Ferguson, D.; Ghonge, S.; Jani, K.; Khamesra, B.; Laguna, P.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Boyle, M.; García, A.; Hemberger, D. A.; Kidder, L. E.; Kumar, P.; Lovelace, G.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Scheel, M. A.; Teukolsky, S. A.

2018-03-01

In response to LIGO's observation of GW170104, we performed a series of full numerical simulations of binary black holes, each designed to replicate likely realizations of its dynamics and radiation. These simulations have been performed at multiple resolutions and with two independent techniques to solve Einstein's equations. For the nonprecessing and precessing simulations, we demonstrate the two techniques agree mode by mode, at a precision substantially in excess of statistical uncertainties in current LIGO's observations. Conversely, we demonstrate our full numerical solutions contain information which is not accurately captured with the approximate phenomenological models commonly used to infer compact binary parameters. To quantify the impact of these differences on parameter inference for GW170104 specifically, we compare the predictions of our simulations and these approximate models to LIGO's observations of GW170104.

Bioprinting for Neural Tissue Engineering.

PubMed

Knowlton, Stephanie; Anand, Shivesh; Shah, Twisha; Tasoglu, Savas

2018-01-01

Bioprinting is a method by which a cell-encapsulating bioink is patterned to create complex tissue architectures. Given the potential impact of this technology on neural research, we review the current state-of-the-art approaches for bioprinting neural tissues. While 2D neural cultures are ubiquitous for studying neural cells, 3D cultures can more accurately replicate the microenvironment of neural tissues. By bioprinting neuronal constructs, one can precisely control the microenvironment by specifically formulating the bioink for neural tissues, and by spatially patterning cell types and scaffold properties in three dimensions. We review a range of bioprinted neural tissue models and discuss how they can be used to observe how neurons behave, understand disease processes, develop new therapies and, ultimately, design replacement tissues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of baseline and orientation between distributed aerospace platforms.

PubMed

Wang, Wen-Qin

2013-01-01

Distributed platforms play an important role in aerospace remote sensing, radar navigation, and wireless communication applications. However, besides the requirement of high accurate time and frequency synchronization for coherent signal processing, the baseline between the transmitting platform and receiving platform and the orientation of platform towards each other during data recording must be measured in real time. In this paper, we propose an improved pulsed duplex microwave ranging approach, which allows determining the spatial baseline and orientation between distributed aerospace platforms by the proposed high-precision time-interval estimation method. This approach is novel in the sense that it cancels the effect of oscillator frequency synchronization errors due to separate oscillators that are used in the platforms. Several performance specifications are also discussed. The effectiveness of the approach is verified by simulation results.

Recent assessment of the performance and accuracy of a chemiluminescent rocket sonde for upper atmospheric ozone measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilsenrath, E.; Kirschner, P. T.

1980-01-01

The chemiluminescent rocket ozonesonde utilizing rhodamine-B as a detector and self-pumping for air sampling has been improved. The instrument employs standard meteorological sounding systems and is the only technique available for routine nighttime ozone measurements above balloon altitudes. The chemiluminescent detector, when properly calibrated, is shown to be specific to ozone, stable, and of sufficient sensitivity for accurate measurements of ozone from about 65-20 km. An error analysis indicates that the measured ozone profiles have an absolute accuracy of about + or - 12% and a precision of about + or - 6%. Approximately 20 flights have been conducted for geophysical investigations, while additional flights were conducted with other rocket and satellite ozone soundings for comparisons. In general, these comparisons showed good agreement.

[Simultaneous determination of five active constitutents in Xiaochaihu Tang by HPLC].

PubMed

Liu, Qingchun; Zhao, Junning; Yan, Liangchun; Yi, Jinhai; Song, Jun

2010-03-01

To establish a HPLC-PDA method for the determination of baicalin, wogonoside, baicalein, wogonin and glycyrrhizic acid in Xiaochaihu Tang. A Symmetry Shield RP18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5.0 microm) was used with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.01% H3PO4 in gradient elution. The detection wavelength was 251 nm,the flow rate was 0.45 mL x min(-1) and the column temperature was maintained at 30 degrees C. The accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity and linearity of this method met the requirements. The contents of the five effective fractions were determined simultaneously. The method is rapid,simple and accurate and it can be suitable for the determination of baicalin, wogonoside, baicalein, wogonin and glycyrrhizic acid in Xiaochaihu Tang simultaneously.

Model-Based Localization and Tracking Using Bluetooth Low-Energy Beacons

PubMed Central

Cemgil, Ali Taylan

2017-01-01

We introduce a high precision localization and tracking method that makes use of cheap Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) beacons only. We track the position of a moving sensor by integrating highly unreliable and noisy BLE observations streaming from multiple locations. A novel aspect of our approach is the development of an observation model, specifically tailored for received signal strength indicator (RSSI) fingerprints: a combination based on the optimal transport model of Wasserstein distance. The tracking results of the entire system are compared with alternative baseline estimation methods, such as nearest neighboring fingerprints and an artificial neural network. Our results show that highly accurate estimation from noisy Bluetooth data is practically feasible with an observation model based on Wasserstein distance interpolation combined with the sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) method for tracking. PMID:29109375

Model-Based Localization and Tracking Using Bluetooth Low-Energy Beacons.

PubMed

Daniş, F Serhan; Cemgil, Ali Taylan

2017-10-29

We introduce a high precision localization and tracking method that makes use of cheap Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) beacons only. We track the position of a moving sensor by integrating highly unreliable and noisy BLE observations streaming from multiple locations. A novel aspect of our approach is the development of an observation model, specifically tailored for received signal strength indicator (RSSI) fingerprints: a combination based on the optimal transport model of Wasserstein distance. The tracking results of the entire system are compared with alternative baseline estimation methods, such as nearest neighboring fingerprints and an artificial neural network. Our results show that highly accurate estimation from noisy Bluetooth data is practically feasible with an observation model based on Wasserstein distance interpolation combined with the sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) method for tracking.

A computer-based maintenance reminder and record-keeping system for clinical laboratories.

PubMed

Roberts, B I; Mathews, C L; Walton, C J; Frazier, G

1982-09-01

"Maintenance" is all the activity an organization devotes to keeping instruments within performance specifications to assure accurate and precise operation. The increasing use of complex analytical instruments as "workhorses" in clinical laboratories requires more maintenance awareness by laboratory personnel. Record-keeping systems that document maintenance completion and that should prompt the continued performance of maintenance tasks have not kept up with instrumentation development. We report here a computer-based record-keeping and reminder system that lists weekly the maintenance items due for each work station in the laboratory, including the time required to complete each item. Written in BASIC, the system uses a DATABOSS data base management system running on a time-shared Digital Equipment Corporation PDP 11/60 computer with a RSTS V 7.0 operating system.

Improving the sensitivity and specificity of a bioanalytical assay for the measurement of certolizumab pegol.

PubMed

Smeraglia, John; Silva, John-Paul; Jones, Kieran

2017-08-01

In order to evaluate placental transfer of certolizumab pegol (CZP), a more sensitive and selective bioanalytical assay was required to accurately measure low CZP concentrations in infant and umbilical cord blood. Results & methodology: A new electrochemiluminescence immunoassay was developed to measure CZP levels in human plasma. Validation experiments demonstrated improved selectivity (no matrix interference observed) and a detection range of 0.032-5.0 μg/ml. Accuracy and precision met acceptance criteria (mean total error ≤20.8%). Dilution linearity and sample stability were acceptable and sufficient to support the method. The electrochemiluminescence immunoassay was validated for measuring low CZP concentrations in human plasma. The method demonstrated a more than tenfold increase in sensitivity compared with previous assays, and improved selectivity for intact CZP.

Tellurium Stable Isotope Fractionation in Chondritic Meteorites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fehr, M. A.; Hammond, S. J.; Parkinson, I. J.

2014-09-01

New Te double spike procedures were set up to obtain high-precision accurate Te stable isotope data. Tellurium stable isotope data for 16 chondrite falls are presented, providing evidence for significant Te stable isotope fractionation.

Testing Fundamental Gravity with Interplanetary Laser Ranging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turyshev, S. G.; Shao, M.; Hahn, I.

2018-02-01

Very accurate range measurements with the Interplanetary Laser Ranging Terminal (ILRT) will push high-precision tests of astrophysics/gravitation into a new regime. It could be used for navigation and investigations in planetary/lunar science.

One-wire thermocouple

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodrich, W. D.; Staimach, C. J.

1977-01-01

Nickel alloy/constantan device accurately measures surface temperature at precise locations. Device is moderate in cost and simplifies fabrication of highly-instrumented seamless-surface heat-transfer models. Device also applies to metal surfaces if constantan wire has insulative coat.

A bioanalytical HPLC method for coumestrol quantification in skin permeation tests followed by UPLC-QTOF/HDMS stability-indicating method for identification of degradation products.

PubMed

Bianchi, Sara E; Teixeira, Helder F; Kaiser, Samuel; Ortega, George G; Schneider, Paulo Henrique; Bassani, Valquiria L

2016-05-01

Coumestrol is present in several species of the Fabaceae family widely distributed in plants. The estrogenic and antioxidant activities of this molecule show its potential as skin anti-aging agent. These characteristics reveal the interest in developing analytical methodology for permeation studies, as well as to know the stability of coumestrol identifying the major degradation products. Thus, the present study was designed, first, to develop and validate a versatile liquid chromatography (HPLC) method to quantify coumestrol in a hydrogel formulation in different porcine skin layers (stratum corneum, epidermis, and dermis) in permeation tests. In the stability-indicating test coumestrol samples were exposed to stress conditions: temperature, UVC light, oxidative, acid and alkaline media. The degradation products, as well as the constituents extracted from the hydrogel, adhesive tape or skin were not eluted in the retention time of the coumestrol. Hence, the HPLC method showed to be versatile, specific, accurate, precise and robust showing excellent performance for quantifying coumestrol in complex matrices involving skin permeation studies. Coumestrol recovery from porcine ear skin was found to be in the range of 97.07-107.28 μg/mL; the intra-day precision (repeatability) and intermediate precision (inter-day precision), respectively lower than 4.71% and 2.09%. The analysis using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight high definition mass spectrometry detector (UPLC-QTOF/HDMS) suggest the MS fragmentation patterns and the chemical structure of the main degradation products. These results represent new and relevant findings for the development of coumestrol pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reverse phase HPLC method for detection and quantification of lupin seed γ-conglutin.

PubMed

Mane, Sharmilee; Bringans, Scott; Johnson, Stuart; Pareek, Vishnu; Utikar, Ranjeet

2017-09-15

A simple, selective and accurate reverse phase HPLC method was developed for detection and quantitation of γ-conglutin from lupin seed extract. A linear gradient of water and acetonitrile containing trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) on a reverse phase column (Agilent Zorbax 300SB C-18), with a flow rate of 0.8ml/min was able to produce a sharp and symmetric peak of γ-conglutin with a retention time at 29.16min. The identity of γ-conglutin in the peak was confirmed by mass spectrometry (MS/MS identification) and sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis. The data obtained from MS/MS analysis was matched against the specified database to obtain the exact match for the protein of interest. The proposed method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, sensitivity, precision, recovery and accuracy. The analytical parameters revealed that the validated method was capable of selectively performing a good chromatographic separation of γ-conglutin from the lupin seed extract with no interference of the matrix. The detection and quantitation limit of γ-conglutin were found to be 2.68μg/ml and 8.12μg/ml respectively. The accuracy (precision and recovery) analysis of the method was conducted under repeatable conditions on different days. Intra-day and inter-day precision values less than 0.5% and recovery greater than 97% indicated high precision and accuracy of the method for analysis of γ-conglutin. The method validation findings were reproducible and can be successfully applied for routine analysis of γ-conglutin from lupin seed extract. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-precision measurement of (186)Os/(188)Os and (187)Os/(188)Os: isobaric oxide corrections with in-run measured oxygen isotope ratios.

PubMed

Chu, Zhu-Yin; Li, Chao-Feng; Chen, Zhi; Xu, Jun-Jie; Di, Yan-Kun; Guo, Jing-Hui

2015-09-01

We present a novel method for high precision measurement of (186)Os/(188)Os and (187)Os/(188)Os ratios, applying isobaric oxide interference correction based on in-run measurements of oxygen isotopic ratios. For this purpose, we set up a static data collection routine to measure the main Os(16)O3(-) ion beams with Faraday cups connected to conventional 10(11) amplifiers, and (192)Os(16)O2(17)O(-) and (192)Os(16)O2(18)O(-) ion beams with Faraday cups connected to 10(12) amplifiers. Because of the limited number of Faraday cups, we did not measure (184)Os(16)O3(-) and (189)Os(16)O3(-) simultaneously in-run, but the analytical setup had no significant influence on final (186)Os/(188)Os and (187)Os/(188)Os data. By analyzing UMd, DROsS, an in-house Os solution standard, and several rock reference materials, including WPR-1, WMS-1a, and Gpt-5, the in-run measured oxygen isotopic ratios were proven to present accurate Os isotopic data. However, (186)Os/(188)Os and (187)Os/(188)Os data obtained with in-run O isotopic compositions for the solution standards and rock reference materials show minimal improvement in internal and external precision, compared to the conventional oxygen correction method. We concluded that, the small variations of oxygen isotopes during OsO3(-) analytical sessions are probably not the main source of error for high precision Os isotopic analysis. Nevertheless, use of run-specific O isotopic compositions is still a better choice for Os isotopic data reduction and eliminates the requirement of extra measurements of the oxygen isotopic ratios.

Evaluation of the Q analyzer, a new cap-piercing fully automated coagulometer with clotting, chromogenic, and immunoturbidometric capability.

PubMed

Kitchen, Steve; Woolley, Anita

2013-01-01

The Q analyzer is a recently launched fully automated photo-optical analyzer equipped with primary tube cap-piercing and capable of clotting, chromogenic, and immunoturbidometric tests. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the performance characteristics of the Q analyzer with reagents from the instrument manufacturer. We assessed precision and throughput when performing coagulation screening tests, prothrombin time (PT)/international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and fibrinogen assay by Clauss assay. We compared results with established reagent instrument combinations in widespread use. Precision of PT/INR and APTT was acceptable as indicated by total precision of around 3%. The time to first result was 3  min for an INR and 5  min for PT/APTT. The system produced 115 completed samples per hour when processing only INRs and 60 samples (120 results) per hour for PT/APTT combined. The sensitivity of the DG-APTT Synth/Q method to mild deficiency of factor VIII (FVIII), IX, and XI was excellent (as indicated by APTTs being prolonged above the upper limit of the reference range). The Q analyzer was associated with high precision, acceptable throughput, and good reliability. When used in combination with DG-PT reagent and manufacturer's instrument-specific international sensitivity index, the INRs obtained were accurate. The Q analyzer with DG-APTT Synth reagent demonstrated good sensitivity to isolated mild deficiency of FVIII, IX, and XI and had the advantage of relative insensitivity to mild FXII deficiency. Taken together, our data indicate that the Q hemostasis analyzer was suitable for routine use in combination with the reagents evaluated.

Determination of plutonium in spent nuclear fuel using high resolution X-ray

DOE PAGES

McIntosh, Kathryn G.; Reilly, Sean D.; Havrilla, George J.

2015-05-30

Characterization of Pu is an essential aspect of safeguards operations at nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities. A novel analysis technique called hiRX (high resolution X-ray) has been developed for the direct measurement of Pu in spent nuclear fuel dissolver solutions. hiRX is based on monochromatic wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (MWDXRF), which provides enhanced sensitivity and specificity compared with conventional XRF techniques. A breadboard setup of the hiRX instrument was calibrated using spiked surrogate spent fuel (SSF) standards prepared as dried residues. Samples of actual spent fuel were utilized to evaluate the performance of the hiRX. The direct detection of just 39more » ng of Pu is demonstrated. Initial quantitative results, with error of 4–27% and precision of 2% relative standard deviation (RSD), were obtained for spent fuel samples. The limit of detection for Pu (100 s) within an excitation spot of 200 μm diameter was 375 pg. This study demonstrates the potential for the hiRX technique to be utilized for the rapid, accurate, and precise determination of Pu. Moreover, the results highlight the analytical capability of hiRX for other applications requiring sensitive and selective nondestructive analyses.« less

Quantitative determination and validation of octreotide acetate using 1 H-NMR spectroscopy with internal standard method.

PubMed

Yu, Chen; Zhang, Qian; Xu, Peng-Yao; Bai, Yin; Shen, Wen-Bin; Di, Bin; Su, Meng-Xiang

2018-01-01

Quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) is a well-established technique in quantitative analysis. We presented a validated 1 H-qNMR method for assay of octreotide acetate, a kind of cyclic octopeptide. Deuterium oxide was used to remove the undesired exchangeable peaks, which was referred to as proton exchange, in order to make the quantitative signals isolated in the crowded spectrum of the peptide and ensure precise quantitative analysis. Gemcitabine hydrochloride was chosen as the suitable internal standard. Experimental conditions, including relaxation delay time, the numbers of scans, and pulse angle, were optimized first. Then method validation was carried out in terms of selectivity, stability, linearity, precision, and robustness. The assay result was compared with that by means of high performance liquid chromatography, which is provided by Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The statistical F test, Student's t test, and nonparametric test at 95% confidence level indicate that there was no significant difference between these two methods. qNMR is a simple and accurate quantitative tool with no need for specific corresponding reference standards. It has the potential of the quantitative analysis of other peptide drugs and standardization of the corresponding reference standards. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A validated HPLC determination of the flavone aglycone diosmetin in human plasma.

PubMed

Kanaze, Feras Imad; Bounartzi, Melpomeni I; Niopas, Ioannis

2004-12-01

Diosmetin, 3',5,7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxy flavone, is the aglycone of the flavonoid glycoside diosmin that occurs naturally in foods of plant origin. Diosmin exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, improves venous tone and it is used for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. Diosmin is hydrolyzed by enzymes of intestinal micro flora before absorption of its aglycone diosmetin. A specific, sensitive, precise, accurate and robust HPLC assay for the determination of diosmetin in human plasma was developed and validated. Diosmetin and the internal standard 7-ethoxycoumarin were isolated from plasma by liquid-liquid extraction and separated on a C8 reversed-phase column with methanol-water-acetic acid (55:43:2, v/v/v) as the mobile phase at 43 degrees C. Peaks were monitored at 344 nm. The method was linear in the 10-300 ng/mL concentration range (r > 0.999). Recovery for diosmetin and internal standard was greater than 89.7 and 86.8%, respectively. Intra-day and inter-day precision for diosmetin ranged from 1.6 to 4.6 and from 2.2 to 5.3%, respectively, and accuracy was better than 97.9%. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Validated univariate and multivariate spectrophotometric methods for the determination of pharmaceuticals mixture in complex wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riad, Safaa M.; Salem, Hesham; Elbalkiny, Heba T.; Khattab, Fatma I.

2015-04-01

Five, accurate, precise, and sensitive univariate and multivariate spectrophotometric methods were developed for the simultaneous determination of a ternary mixture containing Trimethoprim (TMP), Sulphamethoxazole (SMZ) and Oxytetracycline (OTC) in waste water samples collected from different cites either production wastewater or livestock wastewater after their solid phase extraction using OASIS HLB cartridges. In univariate methods OTC was determined at its λmax 355.7 nm (0D), while (TMP) and (SMZ) were determined by three different univariate methods. Method (A) is based on successive spectrophotometric resolution technique (SSRT). The technique starts with the ratio subtraction method followed by ratio difference method for determination of TMP and SMZ. Method (B) is successive derivative ratio technique (SDR). Method (C) is mean centering of the ratio spectra (MCR). The developed multivariate methods are principle component regression (PCR) and partial least squares (PLS). The specificity of the developed methods is investigated by analyzing laboratory prepared mixtures containing different ratios of the three drugs. The obtained results are statistically compared with those obtained by the official methods, showing no significant difference with respect to accuracy and precision at p = 0.05.

Development and validation of a HPTLC method for simultaneous estimation of lornoxicam and thiocolchicoside in combined dosage form

PubMed Central

Sahoo, Madhusmita; Syal, Pratima; Hable, Asawaree A.; Raut, Rahul P.; Choudhari, Vishnu P.; Kuchekar, Bhanudas S.

2011-01-01

Aim: To develop a simple, precise, rapid and accurate HPTLC method for the simultaneous estimation of Lornoxicam (LOR) and Thiocolchicoside (THIO) in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms. Materials and Methods: The separation of the active compounds from pharmaceutical dosage form was carried out using methanol:chloroform:water (9.6:0.2:0.2 v/v/v) as the mobile phase and no immiscibility issues were found. The densitometric scanning was carried out at 377 nm. The method was validated for linearity, accuracy, precision, LOD (Limit of Detection), LOQ (Limit of Quantification), robustness and specificity. Results: The Rf values (±SD) were found to be 0.84 ± 0.05 for LOR and 0.58 ± 0.05 for THIO. Linearity was obtained in the range of 60–360 ng/band for LOR and 30–180 ng/band for THIO with correlation coefficients r2 = 0.998 and 0.999, respectively. The percentage recovery for both the analytes was in the range of 98.7–101.2 %. Conclusion: The proposed method was optimized and validated as per the ICH guidelines. PMID:23781452

Intraoperative imaging-guided cancer surgery: from current fluorescence molecular imaging methods to future multi-modality imaging technology.

PubMed

Chi, Chongwei; Du, Yang; Ye, Jinzuo; Kou, Deqiang; Qiu, Jingdan; Wang, Jiandong; Tian, Jie; Chen, Xiaoyuan

2014-01-01

Cancer is a major threat to human health. Diagnosis and treatment using precision medicine is expected to be an effective method for preventing the initiation and progression of cancer. Although anatomical and functional imaging techniques such as radiography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) have played an important role for accurate preoperative diagnostics, for the most part these techniques cannot be applied intraoperatively. Optical molecular imaging is a promising technique that provides a high degree of sensitivity and specificity in tumor margin detection. Furthermore, existing clinical applications have proven that optical molecular imaging is a powerful intraoperative tool for guiding surgeons performing precision procedures, thus enabling radical resection and improved survival rates. However, detection depth limitation exists in optical molecular imaging methods and further breakthroughs from optical to multi-modality intraoperative imaging methods are needed to develop more extensive and comprehensive intraoperative applications. Here, we review the current intraoperative optical molecular imaging technologies, focusing on contrast agents and surgical navigation systems, and then discuss the future prospects of multi-modality imaging technology for intraoperative imaging-guided cancer surgery.

Nanolock-Nanopore Facilitated Digital Diagnostics of Cancer Driver Mutation in Tumor Tissue.

PubMed

Wang, Yong; Tian, Kai; Shi, Ruicheng; Gu, Amy; Pennella, Michael; Alberts, Lindsey; Gates, Kent S; Li, Guangfu; Fan, Hongxin; Wang, Michael X; Gu, Li-Qun

2017-07-28

Cancer driver mutations are clinically significant biomarkers. In precision medicine, accurate detection of these oncogenic changes in patients would enable early diagnostics of cancer, individually tailored targeted therapy, and precise monitoring of treatment response. Here we investigated a novel nanolock-nanopore method for single-molecule detection of a serine/threonine protein kinase gene BRAF V600E mutation in tumor tissues of thyroid cancer patients. The method lies in a noncovalent, mutation sequence-specific nanolock. We found that the nanolock formed on the mutant allele/probe duplex can separate the duplex dehybridization procedure into two sequential steps in the nanopore. Remarkably, this stepwise unzipping kinetics can produce a unique nanopore electric marker, with which a single DNA molecule of the cancer mutant allele can be unmistakably identified in various backgrounds of the normal wild-type allele. The single-molecule sensitivity for mutant allele enables both binary diagnostics and quantitative analysis of mutation occurrence. In the current configuration, the method can detect the BRAF V600E mutant DNA lower than 1% in the tumor tissues. The nanolock-nanopore method can be adapted to detect a broad spectrum of both transversion and transition DNA mutations, with applications from diagnostics to targeted therapy.

Design and analysis of a tendon-based computed tomography-compatible robot with remote center of motion for lung biopsy.

PubMed

Yang, Yunpeng; Jiang, Shan; Yang, Zhiyong; Yuan, Wei; Dou, Huaisu; Wang, Wei; Zhang, Daguang; Bian, Yuan

2017-04-01

Nowadays, biopsy is a decisive method of lung cancer diagnosis, whereas lung biopsy is time-consuming, complex and inaccurate. So a computed tomography-compatible robot for rapid and precise lung biopsy is developed in this article. According to the actual operation process, the robot is divided into two modules: 4-degree-of-freedom position module for location of puncture point is appropriate for patient's almost all positions and 3-degree-of-freedom tendon-based orientation module with remote center of motion is compact and computed tomography-compatible to orientate and insert needle automatically inside computed tomography bore. The workspace of the robot surrounds patient's thorax, and the needle tip forms a cone under patient's skin. A new error model of the robot based on screw theory is proposed in view of structure error and actuation error, which are regarded as screw motions. Simulation is carried out to verify the precision of the error model contrasted with compensation via inverse kinematics. The results of insertion experiment on specific phantom prove the feasibility of the robot with mean error of 1.373 mm in laboratory environment, which is accurate enough to replace manual operation.

A real-time detector system for precise timing of audiovisual stimuli.

PubMed

Henelius, Andreas; Jagadeesan, Sharman; Huotilainen, Minna

2012-01-01

The successful recording of neurophysiologic signals, such as event-related potentials (ERPs) or event-related magnetic fields (ERFs), relies on precise information of stimulus presentation times. We have developed an accurate and flexible audiovisual sensor solution operating in real-time for on-line use in both auditory and visual ERP and ERF paradigms. The sensor functions independently of the used audio or video stimulus presentation tools or signal acquisition system. The sensor solution consists of two independent sensors; one for sound and one for light. The microcontroller-based audio sensor incorporates a novel approach to the detection of natural sounds such as multipart audio stimuli, using an adjustable dead time. This aids in producing exact markers for complex auditory stimuli and reduces the number of false detections. The analog photosensor circuit detects changes in light intensity on the screen and produces a marker for changes exceeding a threshold. The microcontroller software for the audio sensor is free and open source, allowing other researchers to customise the sensor for use in specific auditory ERP/ERF paradigms. The hardware schematics and software for the audiovisual sensor are freely available from the webpage of the authors' lab.

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

McIntosh, Kathryn G.; Reilly, Sean D.; Havrilla, George J.

Characterization of Pu is an essential aspect of safeguards operations at nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities. A novel analysis technique called hiRX (high resolution X-ray) has been developed for the direct measurement of Pu in spent nuclear fuel dissolver solutions. hiRX is based on monochromatic wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (MWDXRF), which provides enhanced sensitivity and specificity compared with conventional XRF techniques. A breadboard setup of the hiRX instrument was calibrated using spiked surrogate spent fuel (SSF) standards prepared as dried residues. Samples of actual spent fuel were utilized to evaluate the performance of the hiRX. The direct detection of just 39more » ng of Pu is demonstrated. Initial quantitative results, with error of 4–27% and precision of 2% relative standard deviation (RSD), were obtained for spent fuel samples. The limit of detection for Pu (100 s) within an excitation spot of 200 μm diameter was 375 pg. This study demonstrates the potential for the hiRX technique to be utilized for the rapid, accurate, and precise determination of Pu. Moreover, the results highlight the analytical capability of hiRX for other applications requiring sensitive and selective nondestructive analyses.« less

Capture, Learning, and Classification of Upper Extremity Movement Primitives in Healthy Controls and Stroke Patients

PubMed Central

Guerra, Jorge; Uddin, Jasim; Nilsen, Dawn; Mclnerney, James; Fadoo, Ammarah; Omofuma, Isirame B.; Hughes, Shatif; Agrawal, Sunil; Allen, Peter; Schambra, Heidi M.

2017-01-01

There currently exist no practical tools to identify functional movements in the upper extremities (UEs). This absence has limited the precise therapeutic dosing of patients recovering from stroke. In this proof-of-principle study, we aimed to develop an accurate approach for classifying UE functional movement primitives, which comprise functional movements. Data were generated from inertial measurement units (IMUs) placed on upper body segments of older healthy individuals and chronic stroke patients. Subjects performed activities commonly trained during rehabilitation after stroke. Data processing involved the use of a sliding window to obtain statistical descriptors, and resulting features were processed by a Hidden Markov Model (HMM). The likelihoods of the states, resulting from the HMM, were segmented by a second sliding window and their averages were calculated. The final predictions were mapped to human functional movement primitives using a Logistic Regression algorithm. Algorithm performance was assessed with a leave-one-out analysis, which determined its sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for all classified primitives. In healthy control and stroke participants, our approach identified functional movement primitives embedded in training activities with, on average, 80% precision. This approach may support functional movement dosing in stroke rehabilitation. PMID:28813877

Segmentation of fluorescence microscopy cell images using unsupervised mining.

PubMed

Du, Xian; Dua, Sumeet

2010-05-28

The accurate measurement of cell and nuclei contours are critical for the sensitive and specific detection of changes in normal cells in several medical informatics disciplines. Within microscopy, this task is facilitated using fluorescence cell stains, and segmentation is often the first step in such approaches. Due to the complex nature of cell issues and problems inherent to microscopy, unsupervised mining approaches of clustering can be incorporated in the segmentation of cells. In this study, we have developed and evaluated the performance of multiple unsupervised data mining techniques in cell image segmentation. We adapt four distinctive, yet complementary, methods for unsupervised learning, including those based on k-means clustering, EM, Otsu's threshold, and GMAC. Validation measures are defined, and the performance of the techniques is evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively using synthetic and recently published real data. Experimental results demonstrate that k-means, Otsu's threshold, and GMAC perform similarly, and have more precise segmentation results than EM. We report that EM has higher recall values and lower precision results from under-segmentation due to its Gaussian model assumption. We also demonstrate that these methods need spatial information to segment complex real cell images with a high degree of efficacy, as expected in many medical informatics applications.

Validated univariate and multivariate spectrophotometric methods for the determination of pharmaceuticals mixture in complex wastewater.

PubMed

Riad, Safaa M; Salem, Hesham; Elbalkiny, Heba T; Khattab, Fatma I

2015-04-05

Five, accurate, precise, and sensitive univariate and multivariate spectrophotometric methods were developed for the simultaneous determination of a ternary mixture containing Trimethoprim (TMP), Sulphamethoxazole (SMZ) and Oxytetracycline (OTC) in waste water samples collected from different cites either production wastewater or livestock wastewater after their solid phase extraction using OASIS HLB cartridges. In univariate methods OTC was determined at its λmax 355.7 nm (0D), while (TMP) and (SMZ) were determined by three different univariate methods. Method (A) is based on successive spectrophotometric resolution technique (SSRT). The technique starts with the ratio subtraction method followed by ratio difference method for determination of TMP and SMZ. Method (B) is successive derivative ratio technique (SDR). Method (C) is mean centering of the ratio spectra (MCR). The developed multivariate methods are principle component regression (PCR) and partial least squares (PLS). The specificity of the developed methods is investigated by analyzing laboratory prepared mixtures containing different ratios of the three drugs. The obtained results are statistically compared with those obtained by the official methods, showing no significant difference with respect to accuracy and precision at p=0.05. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validation of four different spectrophotometric methods for simultaneous determination of Domperidone and Ranitidine in bulk and pharmaceutical formulation.

PubMed

Abdel-Ghany, Maha F; Abdel-Aziz, Omar; Mohammed, Yomna Y

2015-01-01

Four simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods were developed and validated for simultaneous determination of Domperidone (DP) and Ranitidine Hydrochloride (RT) in bulk powder and pharmaceutical formulation. The first method was simultaneous ratio subtraction (SRS), the second was ratio subtraction (RS) coupled with zero order spectrophotometry (D(0)), the third was first derivative of the ratio spectra ((1)DD) and the fourth method was mean centering of ratio spectra (MCR). The calibration curve is linear over the concentration range of 0.5-5 and 1-45 μg mL(-1) for DP and RT, respectively. The proposed spectrophotometric methods can analyze both drugs without any prior separation steps. The selectivity of the adopted methods was tested by analyzing synthetic mixtures of the investigated drugs, also in their pharmaceutical formulation. The suggested methods were validated according to International Conference of Harmonization (ICH) guidelines and the results revealed that; they were precise and reproducible. All the obtained results were statistically compared with those of the reported method, where there was no significant difference. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intraoperative Imaging-Guided Cancer Surgery: From Current Fluorescence Molecular Imaging Methods to Future Multi-Modality Imaging Technology

PubMed Central

Chi, Chongwei; Du, Yang; Ye, Jinzuo; Kou, Deqiang; Qiu, Jingdan; Wang, Jiandong; Tian, Jie; Chen, Xiaoyuan

2014-01-01

Cancer is a major threat to human health. Diagnosis and treatment using precision medicine is expected to be an effective method for preventing the initiation and progression of cancer. Although anatomical and functional imaging techniques such as radiography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) have played an important role for accurate preoperative diagnostics, for the most part these techniques cannot be applied intraoperatively. Optical molecular imaging is a promising technique that provides a high degree of sensitivity and specificity in tumor margin detection. Furthermore, existing clinical applications have proven that optical molecular imaging is a powerful intraoperative tool for guiding surgeons performing precision procedures, thus enabling radical resection and improved survival rates. However, detection depth limitation exists in optical molecular imaging methods and further breakthroughs from optical to multi-modality intraoperative imaging methods are needed to develop more extensive and comprehensive intraoperative applications. Here, we review the current intraoperative optical molecular imaging technologies, focusing on contrast agents and surgical navigation systems, and then discuss the future prospects of multi-modality imaging technology for intraoperative imaging-guided cancer surgery. PMID:25250092

Modeling structured population dynamics using data from unmarked individuals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grant, Evan H. Campbell; Zipkin, Elise; Thorson, James T.; See, Kevin; Lynch, Heather J.; Kanno, Yoichiro; Chandler, Richard; Letcher, Benjamin H.; Royle, J. Andrew

2014-01-01

The study of population dynamics requires unbiased, precise estimates of abundance and vital rates that account for the demographic structure inherent in all wildlife and plant populations. Traditionally, these estimates have only been available through approaches that rely on intensive mark–recapture data. We extended recently developed N-mixture models to demonstrate how demographic parameters and abundance can be estimated for structured populations using only stage-structured count data. Our modeling framework can be used to make reliable inferences on abundance as well as recruitment, immigration, stage-specific survival, and detection rates during sampling. We present a range of simulations to illustrate the data requirements, including the number of years and locations necessary for accurate and precise parameter estimates. We apply our modeling framework to a population of northern dusky salamanders (Desmognathus fuscus) in the mid-Atlantic region (USA) and find that the population is unexpectedly declining. Our approach represents a valuable advance in the estimation of population dynamics using multistate data from unmarked individuals and should additionally be useful in the development of integrated models that combine data from intensive (e.g., mark–recapture) and extensive (e.g., counts) data sources.

Comparison of the efficacy of three PubMed search filters in finding randomized controlled trials to answer clinical questions.

PubMed

Yousefi-Nooraie, Reza; Irani, Shirin; Mortaz-Hedjri, Soroush; Shakiba, Behnam

2013-10-01

The aim of this study was to compare the performance of three search methods in the retrieval of relevant clinical trials from PubMed to answer specific clinical questions. Included studies of a sample of 100 Cochrane reviews which recorded in PubMed were considered as the reference standard. The search queries were formulated based on the systematic review titles. Precision, recall and number of retrieved records for limiting the results to clinical trial publication type, and using sensitive and specific clinical queries filters were compared. The number of keywords, presence of specific names of intervention and syndrome in the search keywords were used in a model to predict the recalls and precisions. The Clinical queries-sensitive search strategy retrieved the largest number of records (33) and had the highest recall (41.6%) and lowest precision (4.8%). The presence of specific intervention name was the only significant predictor of all recalls and precisions (P = 0.016). The recall and precision of combination of simple clinical search queries and methodological search filters to find clinical trials in various subjects were considerably low. The limit field strategy yielded in higher precision and fewer retrieved records and approximately similar recall, compared with the clinical queries-sensitive strategy. Presence of specific intervention name in the search keywords increased both recall and precision. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

27 CFR 30.25 - Use of precision specific gravity hydrometers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... gravity hydrometers. 30.25 Section 30.25 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX... precision specific gravity hydrometers. The provisions of § 30.23 respecting the care, handling, and use of... specific gravity hydrometers. Specific gravity hydrometers shall be read to the nearest subdivision...

27 CFR 30.25 - Use of precision specific gravity hydrometers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... gravity hydrometers. 30.25 Section 30.25 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX... precision specific gravity hydrometers. The provisions of § 30.23 respecting the care, handling, and use of... specific gravity hydrometers. Specific gravity hydrometers shall be read to the nearest subdivision...

27 CFR 30.25 - Use of precision specific gravity hydrometers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... gravity hydrometers. 30.25 Section 30.25 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX... precision specific gravity hydrometers. The provisions of § 30.23 respecting the care, handling, and use of... specific gravity hydrometers. Specific gravity hydrometers shall be read to the nearest subdivision...

27 CFR 30.25 - Use of precision specific gravity hydrometers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... gravity hydrometers. 30.25 Section 30.25 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX... precision specific gravity hydrometers. The provisions of § 30.23 respecting the care, handling, and use of... specific gravity hydrometers. Specific gravity hydrometers shall be read to the nearest subdivision...

27 CFR 30.25 - Use of precision specific gravity hydrometers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... gravity hydrometers. 30.25 Section 30.25 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX... precision specific gravity hydrometers. The provisions of § 30.23 respecting the care, handling, and use of... specific gravity hydrometers. Specific gravity hydrometers shall be read to the nearest subdivision...

LC-MS/MS assay for the quantitation of the ATR kinase inhibitor VX-970 in human plasma.

PubMed

Kiesel, Brian F; Scemama, Jonas; Parise, Robert A; Villaruz, Liza; Iffland, Andre; Doyle, Austin; Ivy, Percy; Chu, Edward; Bakkenist, Christopher J; Beumer, Jan H

2017-11-30

DNA damaging chemotherapy and radiation are widely used standard-of-care modalities for the treatment of cancer. Nevertheless, the outcome for many patients remains poor and this may be attributed, at least in part, to highly effective DNA repair mechanisms. Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated and Rad3-related (ATR) is a key regulator of the DNA-damage response (DDR) that orchestrates the repair of damaged replication forks. ATR is a serine/threonine protein kinase and ATR kinase inhibitors potentiate chemotherapy and radiation. The ATR kinase inhibitor VX-970 (NSC 780162) is in clinical development in combination with primary cytotoxic agents and as a monotherapy for tumors harboring specific mutations. We have developed and validated an LC-MS/MS assay for the sensitive, accurate and precise quantitation of VX-970 in human plasma. A dilute-and-shoot method was used to precipitate proteins followed by chromatographic separation with a Phenomenex Polar-RP 80Å (4μm, 50×2mm) column and a gradient acetonitrile-water mobile phase containing 0.1% formic acid from a 50μL sample volume. Detection was achieved using an API 4000 mass spectrometer using electrospray positive ionization mode. The assay was linear from 3 to 5,000ng/mL, proved to be accurate (94.6-104.2%) and precise (<8.4% CV), and fulfilled criteria from the FDA guidance for bioanalytical method validation. This LC-MS/MS assay will be a crucial tool in defining the clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacology of VX-970 as it progresses through clinical development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

"Polymeromics": Mass spectrometry based strategies in polymer science toward complete sequencing approaches: a review.

PubMed

Altuntaş, Esra; Schubert, Ulrich S

2014-01-15

Mass spectrometry (MS) is the most versatile and comprehensive method in "OMICS" sciences (i.e. in proteomics, genomics, metabolomics and lipidomics). The applications of MS and tandem MS (MS/MS or MS(n)) provide sequence information of the full complement of biological samples in order to understand the importance of the sequences on their precise and specific functions. Nowadays, the control of polymer sequences and their accurate characterization is one of the significant challenges of current polymer science. Therefore, a similar approach can be very beneficial for characterizing and understanding the complex structures of synthetic macromolecules. MS-based strategies allow a relatively precise examination of polymeric structures (e.g. their molar mass distributions, monomer units, side chain substituents, end-group functionalities, and copolymer compositions). Moreover, tandem MS offer accurate structural information from intricate macromolecular structures; however, it produces vast amount of data to interpret. In "OMICS" sciences, the software application to interpret the obtained data has developed satisfyingly (e.g. in proteomics), because it is not possible to handle the amount of data acquired via (tandem) MS studies on the biological samples manually. It can be expected that special software tools will improve the interpretation of (tandem) MS output from the investigations of synthetic polymers as well. Eventually, the MS/MS field will also open up for polymer scientists who are not MS-specialists. In this review, we dissect the overall framework of the MS and MS/MS analysis of synthetic polymers into its key components. We discuss the fundamentals of polymer analyses as well as recent advances in the areas of tandem mass spectrometry, software developments, and the overall future perspectives on the way to polymer sequencing, one of the last Holy Grail in polymer science. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A rapid and accurate quantification method for real-time dynamic analysis of cellular lipids during microalgal fermentation processes in Chlorella protothecoides with low field nuclear magnetic resonance.

PubMed

Wang, Tao; Liu, Tingting; Wang, Zejian; Tian, Xiwei; Yang, Yi; Guo, Meijin; Chu, Ju; Zhuang, Yingping

2016-05-01

The rapid and real-time lipid determination can provide valuable information on process regulation and optimization in the algal lipid mass production. In this study, a rapid, accurate and precise quantification method of in vivo cellular lipids of Chlorella protothecoides using low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) was newly developed. LF-NMR was extremely sensitive to the algal lipids with the limits of the detection (LOD) of 0.0026g and 0.32g/L in dry lipid samples and algal broth, respectively, as well as limits of quantification (LOQ) of 0.0093g and 1.18g/L. Moreover, the LF-NMR signal was specifically proportional to the cellular lipids of C. protothecoides, thus the superior regression curves existing in a wide detection range from 0.02 to 0.42g for dry lipids and from 1.12 to 8.97gL(-1) of lipid concentration for in vivo lipid quantification were obtained with all R(2) higher than 0.99, irrespective of the lipid content and fatty acids profile variations. The accuracy of this novel method was further verified to be reliable by comparing lipid quantification results to those obtained by GC-MS. And the relative standard deviation (RSD) of LF-NMR results were smaller than 2%, suggesting the precision of this method. Finally, this method was successfully used in the on-line lipid monitoring during the algal lipid fermentation processes, making it possible for better understanding of the lipid accumulation mechanism and dynamic bioprocess control. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Initial 230TH/232TH in Sumatran Corals and its Influence on the Accurate Dating of Young Corals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiang, H.; Shen, C.; Meltzner, A. J.; Philibosian, B.; WU, C.; Sieh, K. E.; Wang, X.

2012-12-01

Accurate and precise determination of initial 230Th/232Th (230Th/232Th0) is important in dating young fossil corals, and it can significantly influence our understanding of paleoclimate, paleoceanographic and paleoseismic histories. A total of 47 unpublished and published isochrons (Shen et al., 2008; Meltzner et al., 2010, 2012; Philibosian et al., 2012), covering most of the Sumatran outer-arc islands, provide a more robust estimate of the 230Th/232Th0 variability in the region. The weighted average of 230Th/232Th0 atomic values is 4.7 (+5.5/-4.7) × 10-6 (2σ), consistent with the previously reported value of 6.5 ± 6.5 × 10-6 obtained from a handful of samples from the southern part of Sumatran outer-arc. Specifically, the calculated 230Th/232Th0 in the north and south are identical. The weighted mean of 3.5 (+7.0/-3.5) × 10-6 for fossil corals of 300-2000-yr old is slightly lower than the value of 5.4 ± 4.5 × 10-6 obtained from corals younger than 300 yrs B.P.. For corals containing less than 2 ppb of thorium, however, the age offset will be less than 10 yr by using different 230Th/232Th0, which is acceptable for most studies. We hereby recommend an updated 230Th/232Th0 value of 4.7 (+5.5/-4.7) × 10-6 for corals throughout the Sumatran outer-arc islands. For very high-precision age determination (<10 yr), coral samples with low Th concentration (< 2 ppb) are preferred.; ;

Estimating Glomerular Filtration Rate in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Comparing a Novel Equation With Commonly Used Equations in this Population

PubMed Central

Salvador, Cathrin L.; Hartmann, Anders; Åsberg, Anders; Bergan, Stein; Rowe, Alexander D.; Mørkrid, Lars

2017-01-01

Background Assessment of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is important in kidney transplantation. The aim was to develop a kidney transplant specific equation for estimating GFR and evaluate against published equations commonly used for GFR estimation in these patients. Methods Adult kidney recipients (n = 594) were included, and blood samples were collected 10 weeks posttransplant. GFR was measured by 51Cr-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid clearance. Patients were randomized into a reference group (n = 297) to generate a new equation and a test group (n = 297) for comparing it with 7 alternative equations. Results Two thirds of the test group were males. The median (2.5-97.5 percentile) age was 52 (23-75) years, cystatin C, 1.63 (1.00-3.04) mg/L; creatinine, 117 (63-220) μmol/L; and measured GFR, 51 (29-78) mL/min per 1.73 m2. We also performed external evaluation in 133 recipients without the use of trimethoprim, using iohexol clearance for measured GFR. The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation was the most accurate of the creatinine-equations. The new equation, estimated GFR (eGFR) = 991.15 × (1.120sex/([age0.097] × [cystatin C0.306] × [creatinine0.527]); where sex is denoted: 0, female; 1, male, demonstrating a better accuracy with a low bias as well as good precision compared with reference equations. Trimethoprim did not influence the performance of the new equation. Conclusions The new equation demonstrated superior accuracy, precision, and low bias. The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation was the most accurate of the creatinine-based equations. PMID:29536033

Development and validation of sensitive LC/MS/MS method for quantitative bioanalysis of levonorgestrel in rat plasma and application to pharmacokinetics study.

PubMed

Ananthula, Suryatheja; Janagam, Dileep R; Jamalapuram, Seshulatha; Johnson, James R; Mandrell, Timothy D; Lowe, Tao L

2015-10-15

Rapid, sensitive, selective and accurate LC/MS/MS method was developed for quantitative determination of levonorgestrel (LNG) in rat plasma and further validated for specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, matrix effect, recovery efficiency and stability. Liquid-liquid extraction procedure using hexane:ethyl acetate mixture at 80:20 v:v ratio was employed to efficiently extract LNG from rat plasma. Reversed phase Luna column C18(2) (50×2.0mm i.d., 3μM) installed on a AB SCIEX Triple Quad™ 4500 LC/MS/MS system was used to perform chromatographic separation. LNG was identified within 2min with high specificity. Linear calibration curve was drawn within 0.5-50ng·mL(-1) concentration range. The developed method was validated for intra-day and inter-day accuracy and precision whose values fell in the acceptable limits. Matrix effect was found to be minimal. Recovery efficiency at three quality control (QC) concentrations 0.5 (low), 5 (medium) and 50 (high) ng·mL(-1) was found to be >90%. Stability of LNG at various stages of experiment including storage, extraction and analysis was evaluated using QC samples, and the results showed that LNG was stable at all the conditions. This validated method was successfully used to study the pharmacokinetics of LNG in rats after SubQ injection, providing its applicability in relevant preclinical studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Encoding of Natural Sounds at Multiple Spectral and Temporal Resolutions in the Human Auditory Cortex

PubMed Central

Santoro, Roberta; Moerel, Michelle; De Martino, Federico; Goebel, Rainer; Ugurbil, Kamil; Yacoub, Essa; Formisano, Elia

2014-01-01

Functional neuroimaging research provides detailed observations of the response patterns that natural sounds (e.g. human voices and speech, animal cries, environmental sounds) evoke in the human brain. The computational and representational mechanisms underlying these observations, however, remain largely unknown. Here we combine high spatial resolution (3 and 7 Tesla) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with computational modeling to reveal how natural sounds are represented in the human brain. We compare competing models of sound representations and select the model that most accurately predicts fMRI response patterns to natural sounds. Our results show that the cortical encoding of natural sounds entails the formation of multiple representations of sound spectrograms with different degrees of spectral and temporal resolution. The cortex derives these multi-resolution representations through frequency-specific neural processing channels and through the combined analysis of the spectral and temporal modulations in the spectrogram. Furthermore, our findings suggest that a spectral-temporal resolution trade-off may govern the modulation tuning of neuronal populations throughout the auditory cortex. Specifically, our fMRI results suggest that neuronal populations in posterior/dorsal auditory regions preferably encode coarse spectral information with high temporal precision. Vice-versa, neuronal populations in anterior/ventral auditory regions preferably encode fine-grained spectral information with low temporal precision. We propose that such a multi-resolution analysis may be crucially relevant for flexible and behaviorally-relevant sound processing and may constitute one of the computational underpinnings of functional specialization in auditory cortex. PMID:24391486

Determination of 25-OH-PPD in rat plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and its application in rat pharmacokinetic studies.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiangrong; Zhang, Dan; Xu, Jinghua; Gu, Jingkai; Zhao, Yuqing

2007-10-15

A sensitive and specific liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method was developed for the investigation of the pharmacokinetics of 20(R)-dammarane-3beta,12beta,20,25-tetrol (25-OH-PPD) in rat. Ginsenoside Rh(2) was employed as an internal standard. The plasma samples were pretreated by liquid-liquid extraction and analyzed using LC/MS/MS with an electrospray ionization interface. The mobile phase consisted of methanol-acetonitrile-10 mmol/l aqueous ammonium acetate (42.5:42.5:15, v:v:v), which was pumped at 0.4 ml/min. The analytical column (50 mm x 2.1 mm i.d.) was packed with Venusil XBP C8 material (3.5 microm). The standard curve was linear from 10 to 3000 ng/ml. The assay was specific, accurate (accuracy between -1.19 and 2.57% for all quality control samples), precise and reproducible (within- and between-day precisions measured as relative standard deviation were <5% and <7%, respectively). 25-OH-PPD in rat plasma was stable over three freeze-thaw cycles and at ambient temperatures for 6h. The method had a lower limit of quantitation of 10 ng/ml, which offered a satisfactory sensitivity for the determination of (25-OH-PPD) in plasma. This quantitation method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic studies of 25-OH-PPD after both an oral and an intravenous administration to rats and the absolute bioavailability is 64.8+/-14.3%.

Determination of dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban by ultra-performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and coagulation assays for therapy monitoring of novel direct oral anticoagulants.

PubMed

Schmitz, E M H; Boonen, K; van den Heuvel, D J A; van Dongen, J L J; Schellings, M W M; Emmen, J M A; van der Graaf, F; Brunsveld, L; van de Kerkhof, D

2014-10-01

Three novel direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have recently been registered by the Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency Commission: dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban. To quantify DOACs in plasma, various dedicated coagulation assays have been developed. To develop and validate a reference ultra-performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method and to evaluate the analytical performance of several coagulation assays for quantification of dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban. The developed UPLC-MS/MS method was validated by determination of precision, accuracy, specificity, matrix effects, lower limits of detection, carry-over, recovery, stability, and robustness. The following coagulation assays were evaluated for accuracy and precision: laboratory-developed (LD) diluted thrombin time (dTT), Hemoclot dTT, Pefakit PiCT, ECA, Liquid anti-Xa, Biophen Heparin (LRT), and Biophen DiXal anti-Xa. Agreement between the various coagulation assays and UPLC-MS/MS was determined with random samples from patients using dabigatran or rivaroxaban. The UPLC-MS/MS method was shown to be accurate, precise, sensitive, stable, and robust. The dabigatran coagulation assay showing the best precision, accuracy and agreement with the UPLC-MS/MS method was the LD dTT test. For rivaroxaban, the anti-factor Xa assays were superior to the PiCT-Xa assay with regard to precision, accuracy, and agreement with the reference method. For apixaban, the Liquid anti-Xa assay was superior to the PiCT-Xa assay. Statistically significant differences were observed between the various coagulation assays as compared with the UPLC-MS/MS reference method. It is currently unknown whether these differences are clinically relevant. When DOACs are quantified with coagulation assays, comparison with a reference method as part of proficiency testing is therefore pivotal. © 2014 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Features of precision slot cutting with a large number of calibers using the radiation of a single-mode fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitshas, A. A.; Zelentsov, A. G.; Lopota, V. A.; Menakhin, V. P.; Panchenko, V. P.; Soroka, A. M.

2014-02-01

The results of the experimental and theoretical investigations aimed at determining the characteristics and features of precision slot cutting with a large number of calibers in sheets of low-carbon steel using the radiation of a single-mode fiber laser with pulse power up to 1 kW are presented. The description of the experimental installation, performance conditions of investigations, and variable parameters are described. Precision cutting of low-carbon steel up to 10 mm with the number of calibers ranging from 30 to 70 at a slot width of ≈60 μm is performed for the first time. Such cutting occurs only in the pulsed-periodic mode using single-mode radiation with a pulse duration of 2-3 ms, a pulse ratio of 2-4, and oxygen, whose influence differs in principle both in various cut regions over the sheet thickness and from cutting with a CO2 laser. The cutting velocity (100-50 mm/min) of sheet steel up to thicknesses of 10 mm with deep channeling, roughness parameters, hardness of the cut surface, which insignificantly (by ≈20%) exceeds the hardness of untreated steel, the phase structure of steel, and the scales of their varying inside metal are measured. The efficiency (≈3%) of precision cutting and the efficiency of transportation of radiation (25%) in large-caliber slot orifices in the "waveguide" mode are determined by the experimental data. The useful specific energy contribution of the laser radiation is w l = N l/( hbv) ≈ 2 × 1012 J/m2 for all studied thicknesses of sheet samples accurate to 20%. A qualitative model of the laser-oxygen precision cutting with deep channeling, which explains the cyclic and interrupting character of cutting and necessity of using oxygen as the cutting gas, is proposed.

Is digital photography an accurate and precise method for measuring range of motion of the shoulder and elbow?

PubMed

Russo, Russell R; Burn, Matthew B; Ismaily, Sabir K; Gerrie, Brayden J; Han, Shuyang; Alexander, Jerry; Lenherr, Christopher; Noble, Philip C; Harris, Joshua D; McCulloch, Patrick C

2018-03-01

Accurate measurements of shoulder and elbow motion are required for the management of musculoskeletal pathology. The purpose of this investigation was to compare three techniques for measuring motion. The authors hypothesized that digital photography would be equivalent in accuracy and show higher precision compared to the other two techniques. Using infrared motion capture analysis as the reference standard, shoulder flexion/abduction/internal rotation/external rotation and elbow flexion/extension were measured using visual estimation, goniometry, and digital photography on 10 fresh frozen cadavers. These measurements were performed by three physical therapists and three orthopaedic surgeons. Accuracy was defined by the difference from the reference standard (motion capture analysis), while precision was defined by the proportion of measurements within the authors' definition of clinical significance (10° for all motions except for elbow extension where 5° was used). Analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-tests, and chi-squared tests were used. Although statistically significant differences were found in measurement accuracy between the three techniques, none of these differences met the authors' definition of clinical significance. Precision of the measurements was significantly higher for both digital photography (shoulder abduction [93% vs. 74%, p < 0.001], shoulder internal rotation [97% vs. 83%, p = 0.001], and elbow flexion [93% vs. 65%, p < 0.001]) and goniometry (shoulder abduction [92% vs. 74%, p < 0.001] and shoulder internal rotation [94% vs. 83%, p = 0.008]) than visual estimation. Digital photography was more precise than goniometry for measurements of elbow flexion only [93% vs. 76%, p < 0.001]. There was no clinically significant difference in measurement accuracy between the three techniques for shoulder and elbow motion. Digital photography showed higher measurement precision compared to visual estimation for shoulder abduction, shoulder internal rotation, and elbow flexion. However, digital photography was only more precise than goniometry for measurements of elbow flexion. Overall digital photography shows equivalent accuracy to visual estimation and goniometry, but with higher precision than visual estimation. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Estimating sensitivity and specificity for technology assessment based on observer studies.

PubMed

Nishikawa, Robert M; Pesce, Lorenzo L

2013-07-01

The goal of this study was to determine the accuracy and precision of using scores from a receiver operating characteristic rating scale to estimate sensitivity and specificity. We used data collected in a previous study that measured the improvements in radiologists' ability to classify mammographic microcalcification clusters as benign or malignant with and without the use of a computer-aided diagnosis scheme. Sensitivity and specificity were estimated from the rating data from a question that directly asked the radiologists their biopsy recommendations, which was used as the "truth," because it is the actual recall decision, thus it is their subjective truth. By thresholding the rating data, sensitivity and specificity were estimated for different threshold values. Because of interreader and intrareader variability, estimated sensitivity and specificity values for individual readers could be as much as 100% in error when using rating data compared to using the biopsy recommendation data. When pooled together, the estimates using thresholding the rating data were in good agreement with sensitivity and specificity estimated from the recommendation data. However, the statistical power of the rating data estimates was lower. By simply asking the observer his or her explicit recommendation (eg, biopsy or no biopsy), sensitivity and specificity can be measured directly, giving a more accurate description of empirical variability and the power of the study can be maximized. Copyright © 2013 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

NCLscan: accurate identification of non-co-linear transcripts (fusion, trans-splicing and circular RNA) with a good balance between sensitivity and precision.

PubMed

Chuang, Trees-Juen; Wu, Chan-Shuo; Chen, Chia-Ying; Hung, Li-Yuan; Chiang, Tai-Wei; Yang, Min-Yu

2016-02-18

Analysis of RNA-seq data often detects numerous 'non-co-linear' (NCL) transcripts, which comprised sequence segments that are topologically inconsistent with their corresponding DNA sequences in the reference genome. However, detection of NCL transcripts involves two major challenges: removal of false positives arising from alignment artifacts and discrimination between different types of NCL transcripts (trans-spliced, circular or fusion transcripts). Here, we developed a new NCL-transcript-detecting method ('NCLscan'), which utilized a stepwise alignment strategy to almost completely eliminate false calls (>98% precision) without sacrificing true positives, enabling NCLscan outperform 18 other publicly-available tools (including fusion- and circular-RNA-detecting tools) in terms of sensitivity and precision, regardless of the generation strategy of simulated dataset, type of intragenic or intergenic NCL event, read depth of coverage, read length or expression level of NCL transcript. With the high accuracy, NCLscan was applied to distinguishing between trans-spliced, circular and fusion transcripts on the basis of poly(A)- and nonpoly(A)-selected RNA-seq data. We showed that circular RNAs were expressed more ubiquitously, more abundantly and less cell type-specifically than trans-spliced and fusion transcripts. Our study thus describes a robust pipeline for the discovery of NCL transcripts, and sheds light on the fundamental biology of these non-canonical RNA events in human transcriptome. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Studies on Antiretroviral Drug Concentrations in Breast Milk: Validation of a Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometric Method for the Determination of 7 Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Medications

PubMed Central

Rezk, Naser L.; White, Nicole; Bridges, Arlene S.; Abdel-Megeed, Mohamed F.; Mohamed, Tarek M.; Moselhy, Said S.; Kashuba, Angela D. M.

2010-01-01

Studying the pharmacokinetics of antiretroviral drugs in breast milk has important implications for the health of both the mother and the infant, particularly in resource-poor countries. Breast milk is a highly complex biological matrix, yet it is necessary to develop and validate methods in this matrix, which simultaneously measure multiple analytes, as women may be taking any number of drug combinations to combat human immunodeficiency virus infection. Here, we report a novel extraction method coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry for the accurate, precise, and specific measurement of 7 antiretroviral drugs currently prescribed to infected mothers. Using 200 µL of human breast milk, simultaneous quantification of lamivudine (3TC), stavudine (d4T), zidovudine (ZDV), nevirapine (NVP), nelfinavir (NFV), ritonavir, and lopinavir was validated over the range of 10–10,000 ng/mL. Intraday accuracy and precision for all analytes were 99.3% and 5.0 %, respectively. Interday accuracy and precision were 99.4 % and 7.8%, respectively. Cross-assay validation with UV detection was performed using clinical breast milk samples, and the results of the 2 assays were in good agreement (P = 0.0001, r = 0.97). Breast milk to plasma concentration ratios for the different antiretroviral drugs were determined as follows: 3TC = 2.96, d4T = 1.73, ZDV = 1.17, NVP = 0.82, and NFV = 0.21. PMID:18758393

Mechanically based generative laws of morphogenesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beloussov, Lev V.

2008-03-01

A deep (although at the first glance naïve) question which may be addressed to embryonic development is why during this process quite definite and accurately reproduced successions of precise and complicated shapes are taking place, or why, in several cases, the result of development is highly precise in spite of an extensive variability of intermediate stages. This problem can be attacked in two different ways. One of them, up to now just slightly employed, is to formulate robust macroscopic generative laws from which the observed successions of shapes could be derived. Another one, which dominates in modern embryology, regards the development as a succession of highly precise 'micropatterns', each of them arising due to the action of specific factors, having, as a rule, nothing in common with each other. We argue that the latter view contradicts a great bulk of firmly established data and gives no satisfactory answers to the main problems of development. Therefore we intend to follow the first way. By doing this, we regard developing embryos as self-organized systems transpierced by feedbacks among which we pay special attention to those linked with mechanical stresses (MS). We formulate a hypothesis of so-called MS hyper-restoration as a common basis for the developmentally important feedback loops. We present a number of examples confirming this hypothesis and use it for reconstructing prolonged chains of developmental events. Finally, we discuss the application of the same set of assumptions to the first steps of egg development and to the internal differentiation of embryonic cells.

A comparative study of smart spectrophotometric methods for simultaneous determination of sitagliptin phosphate and metformin hydrochloride in their binary mixture.

PubMed

Lotfy, Hayam M; Mohamed, Dalia; Mowaka, Shereen

2015-01-01

Simple, specific, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods were developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of the oral antidiabetic drugs; sitagliptin phosphate (STG) and metformin hydrochloride (MET) in combined pharmaceutical formulations. Three methods were manipulating ratio spectra namely; ratio difference (RD), ratio subtraction (RS) and a novel approach of induced amplitude modulation (IAM) methods. The first two methods were used for determination of STG, while MET was directly determined by measuring its absorbance at λmax 232 nm. However, (IAM) was used for the simultaneous determination of both drugs. Moreover, another three methods were developed based on derivative spectroscopy followed by mathematical manipulation steps namely; amplitude factor (P-factor), amplitude subtraction (AS) and modified amplitude subtraction (MAS). In addition, in this work the novel sample enrichment technique named spectrum addition was adopted. The proposed spectrophotometric methods did not require any preliminary separation step. The accuracy, precision and linearity ranges of the proposed methods were determined. The selectivity of the developed methods was investigated by analyzing laboratory prepared mixtures of the drugs and their combined pharmaceutical formulations. Standard deviation values were less than 1.5 in the assay of raw materials and tablets. The obtained results were statistically compared to that of a reported spectrophotometric method. The statistical comparison showed that there was no significant difference between the proposed methods and the reported one regarding both accuracy and precision. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A rapid method for the simultaneous determination of 25 anti-hypertensive compounds in dietary supplements using ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Heo, Seok; Yoo, Geum Joo; Choi, Ji Yeon; Park, Hyoung Joon; Park, Sung-Kwan; Baek, Sun Young

2016-11-01

A novel, stable, simple and specific ultra-performance liquid chromatography method with ultraviolet detection (205 nm) for the simultaneous analysis of 25 anti-hypertensive substances was developed. The method was validated according to the International Conference of Harmonisation guidelines with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ) and stability. From the ultra-performance liquid chromatography results, we identified the LOD and LOQ of solid samples to be 0.20-1.00 and 0.60-3.00 μg ml -1 , respectively, while those of liquid samples were 0.30-1.20 and 0.90-3.60 μg ml -1 , respectively. The linearity exceeded 0.9999, and the intra- and inter-day precisions were 0.15-6.48% and 0.28-8.67%, respectively. The intra- and inter-day accuracies were 82.25-111.42% and 80.70-115.64%, respectively, and the stability was lower than 12.9% (relative standard deviation). This method was applied to the monitoring of 97 commercially available dietary supplements obtained in Korea, such as pills, soft capsules, hard capsules, liquids, powders and tablets. The proposed method is accurate, precise and of high quality, and can be used for the routine, reproducible analysis and control of 25 anti-hypertensive substances in various dietary supplements. The work presented herein may help to prevent incidents related to food adulteration and restrict the illegal food market.

Cyclic Voltammetry Probe Approach Curves with Alkali Amalgams at Mercury Sphere-Cap Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy Probes.

PubMed

Barton, Zachary J; Rodríguez-López, Joaquín

2017-03-07

We report a method of precisely positioning a Hg-based ultramicroelectrode (UME) for scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) investigations of any substrate. Hg-based probes are capable of performing amalgamation reactions with metal cations, which avoid unwanted side reactions and positive feedback mechanisms that can prove problematic for traditional probe positioning methods. However, prolonged collection of ions eventually leads to saturation of the amalgam accompanied by irreversible loss of Hg. In order to obtain negative feedback positioning control without risking damage to the SECM probe, we implement cyclic voltammetry probe approach surfaces (CV-PASs), consisting of CVs performed between incremental motor movements. The amalgamation current, peak stripping current, and integrated stripping charge extracted from a shared CV-PAS give three distinct probe approach curves (CV-PACs), which can be used to determine the tip-substrate gap to within 1% of the probe radius. Using finite element simulations, we establish a new protocol for fitting any CV-PAC and demonstrate its validity with experimental results for sodium and potassium ions in propylene carbonate by obtaining over 3 orders of magnitude greater accuracy and more than 20-fold greater precision than existing methods. Considering the timescales of diffusion and amalgam saturation, we also present limiting conditions for obtaining and fitting CV-PAC data. The ion-specific signals isolated in CV-PACs allow precise and accurate positioning of Hg-based SECM probes over any sample and enable the deployment of CV-PAS SECM as an analytical tool for traditionally challenging conditions.

Accuracy of the HST Standard Astrometric Catalogs w.r.t. Gaia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozhurina-Platais, V.; Grogin, N.; Sabbi, E.

2018-02-01

The goal of astrometric calibration of the HST ACS/WFC and WFC3/UVIS imaging instruments is to provide a coordinate system free of distortion to the precision level of 0.1 pixel 4-5 mas or better. This astrometric calibration is based on two HST astrometric standard fields in the vicinity of the globular clusters, 47 Tuc and omega Cen, respectively. The derived calibration of the geometric distortion is assumed to be accurate down to 2-3 mas. Is this accuracy in agreement with the true value? Now, with the access to globally accurate positions from the first Gaia data release (DR1), we found that there are measurable offsets, rotation, scale and other deviations of distortion parameters in two HST standard astrometric catalogs. These deviations from the distortion-free and properly aligned coordinate system should be accounted and corrected for, so that the high precision HST positions are free of any systematic errors. We also found that the precision of the HST pixel coordinates is substantially better than the accuracy listed in the Gaia DR1. Therefore, in order to finalize the components of distortion in the HST standard catalogs, the next release of Gaia data is needed.

Multisensory Self-Motion Compensation During Object Trajectory Judgments

PubMed Central

Dokka, Kalpana; MacNeilage, Paul R.; DeAngelis, Gregory C.; Angelaki, Dora E.

2015-01-01

Judging object trajectory during self-motion is a fundamental ability for mobile organisms interacting with their environment. This fundamental ability requires the nervous system to compensate for the visual consequences of self-motion in order to make accurate judgments, but the mechanisms of this compensation are poorly understood. We comprehensively examined both the accuracy and precision of observers' ability to judge object trajectory in the world when self-motion was defined by vestibular, visual, or combined visual–vestibular cues. Without decision feedback, subjects demonstrated no compensation for self-motion that was defined solely by vestibular cues, partial compensation (47%) for visually defined self-motion, and significantly greater compensation (58%) during combined visual–vestibular self-motion. With decision feedback, subjects learned to accurately judge object trajectory in the world, and this generalized to novel self-motion speeds. Across conditions, greater compensation for self-motion was associated with decreased precision of object trajectory judgments, indicating that self-motion compensation comes at the cost of reduced discriminability. Our findings suggest that the brain can flexibly represent object trajectory relative to either the observer or the world, but a world-centered representation comes at the cost of decreased precision due to the inclusion of noisy self-motion signals. PMID:24062317

A Method for Assessing the Accuracy of a Photogrammetry System for Precision Deployable Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Ashley

2005-01-01

The measurement techniques used to validate analytical models of large deployable structures are an integral Part of the technology development process and must be precise and accurate. Photogrammetry and videogrammetry are viable, accurate, and unobtrusive methods for measuring such large Structures. Photogrammetry uses Software to determine the three-dimensional position of a target using camera images. Videogrammetry is based on the same principle, except a series of timed images are analyzed. This work addresses the accuracy of a digital photogrammetry system used for measurement of large, deployable space structures at JPL. First, photogrammetry tests are performed on a precision space truss test article, and the images are processed using Photomodeler software. The accuracy of the Photomodeler results is determined through, comparison with measurements of the test article taken by an external testing group using the VSTARS photogrammetry system. These two measurements are then compared with Australis photogrammetry software that simulates a measurement test to predict its accuracy. The software is then used to study how particular factors, such as camera resolution and placement, affect the system accuracy to help design the setup for the videogrammetry system that will offer the highest level of accuracy for measurement of deploying structures.

A new, high-precision measurement of the X-ray Cu K α spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendenhall, Marcus H.; Cline, James P.; Henins, Albert; Hudson, Lawrence T.; Szabo, Csilla I.; Windover, Donald

2016-03-01

One of the primary measurement issues addressed with NIST Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) for powder diffraction is that of line position. SRMs for this purpose are certified with respect to lattice parameter, traceable to the SI through precise measurement of the emission spectrum of the X-ray source. Therefore, accurate characterization of the emission spectrum is critical to a minimization of the error bounds on the certified parameters. The presently accepted sources for the SI traceable characterization of the Cu K α emission spectrum are those of Härtwig, Hölzer et al., published in the 1990s. The structure of the X-ray emission lines of the Cu K α complex has been remeasured on a newly commissioned double-crystal instrument, with six-bounce Si (440) optics, in a manner directly traceable to the SI definition of the meter. In this measurement, the entire region from 8020 eV to 8100 eV has been covered with a highly precise angular scale and well-defined system efficiency, providing accurate wavelengths and relative intensities. This measurement is in modest disagreement with reference values for the wavelength of the Kα1 line, and strong disagreement for the wavelength of the Kα2 line.

Rapid and precise determination of total sulphur in soda-lime-silica glasses.

PubMed

Beesley, W J; Chamberlain, B R

1974-04-01

A method is described for the determination of total sulphur in small amounts of soda-lime-silica glasses (100 mg or less). The crushed glass is mixed with vanadium pentoxide and decomposed at 1450 degrees under oxygen. The sulphur is quantitatively removed from the glass and determined by a conductometric technique. The method is standardized by accurately injecting sulphur dioxide into the furnace tube. The analysis time is about 10 min and the overall precision (2s) is of the order of 5%.

Measuring Turbulence from Moored Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters. A Manual to Quantifying Inflow at Tidal Energy Sites

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

Kilcher, Levi; Thomson, Jim; Talbert, Joe

This work details a methodology for measuring hub height inflow turbulence using moored acoustic Doppler velocimiters (ADVs). This approach is motivated by the shortcomings of alternatives. For example, remote velocity measurements (i.e., from acoustic Doppler profilers) lack sufficient precision for device simulation, and rigid tower-mounted measurements are very expensive and technically challenging in the tidal environment. Moorings offer a low-cost, site-adaptable and robust deployment platform, and ADVs provide the necessary precision to accurately quantify turbulence.

Measuring g Using a Magnetic Pendulum and Telephone Pickup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinacore, J.; Takai, H.

2010-10-01

The simple pendulum has long been used to measure g, the acceleration due to gravity, with a precision of a few percent. Achieving agreement with the accepted value of less than 1% is feasible in the high school laboratory, though it requires some care. The precision of the measurement is bound by how accurately the period and the pendulum length are determined. To improve on the period measurement, we have developed a simple and inexpensive method using a magnet and telephone pickup.2

Solar Power Tower Integrated Layout and Optimization Tool | Concentrating

Science.gov Websites

methods to reduce the overall computational burden while generating accurate and precise results. These methods have been developed as part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Initiative research

Spot-Welding Gun With Adjustable Pneumatic Spring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burley, Richard K.

1990-01-01

Proposed spot-welding gun equipped with pneumatic spring, which could be bellows or piston and cylinder, exerts force independent of position along stroke. Applies accurate controlled force to joint welded, without precise positioning at critical position within stroke.

Physical habitat in the national wadeable streams assessment

EPA Science Inventory

Effective environmental policy decisions require stream habitat information that is accurate, precise, and relevant. The recent National Wadeable Streams Assessment (NWSA) carried out by the U.S. EPA required physical habitat information sufficiently comprehensive to facilitate i...

Retinotopic memory is more precise than spatiotopic memory.

PubMed

Golomb, Julie D; Kanwisher, Nancy

2012-01-31

Successful visually guided behavior requires information about spatiotopic (i.e., world-centered) locations, but how accurately is this information actually derived from initial retinotopic (i.e., eye-centered) visual input? We conducted a spatial working memory task in which subjects remembered a cued location in spatiotopic or retinotopic coordinates while making guided eye movements during the memory delay. Surprisingly, after a saccade, subjects were significantly more accurate and precise at reporting retinotopic locations than spatiotopic locations. This difference grew with each eye movement, such that spatiotopic memory continued to deteriorate, whereas retinotopic memory did not accumulate error. The loss in spatiotopic fidelity is therefore not a generic consequence of eye movements, but a direct result of converting visual information from native retinotopic coordinates. Thus, despite our conscious experience of an effortlessly stable spatiotopic world and our lifetime of practice with spatiotopic tasks, memory is actually more reliable in raw retinotopic coordinates than in ecologically relevant spatiotopic coordinates.

PRESAGE® as a solid 3-D radiation dosimeter: A review article

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khezerloo, Davood; Nedaie, Hassan Ali; Takavar, Abbas; Zirak, Alireza; Farhood, Bagher; Movahedinejhad, Hadi; Banaee, Nooshin; Ahmadalidokht, Isa; Knuap, Courtney

2017-12-01

Radiation oncology has been rapidly improved by the application of new equipment and techniques. With the advent of new complex and precise radiotherapy techniques such as intensity modulated radiotherapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, and volumetric modulated arc therapy, the demand for an accurate and feasible three-dimensional (3-D) dosimetry system has increased. The most important features of a 3-D dosimeter, apart from being precise, accurate and reproducible, include also its low cost, feasibility, and availability. In 2004 a new generation of solid plastic dosimeters which demonstrate a radiochromic response to ionizing radiation was introduced. PRESAGE® plastic dosimeter lacks the limitations of previous Ferric and polymer plastic 3-D dosimeters such as diffusion, sensitivity to oxygen, fabrication problems, scanning and read out challenges. In this decade, a large number of efforts have been carried out to enhance PRESAGE® structure and scanning methods. This article attempts to review and reflect on the results of these investigations.

Proper motion and secular variations of Keplerian orbital elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butkevich, Alexey G.

2018-05-01

High-precision observations require accurate modelling of secular changes in the orbital elements in order to extrapolate measurements over long time intervals, and to detect deviation from pure Keplerian motion caused, for example, by other bodies or relativistic effects. We consider the evolution of the Keplerian elements resulting from the gradual change of the apparent orbit orientation due to proper motion. We present rigorous formulae for the transformation of the orbit inclination, longitude of the ascending node and argument of the pericenter from one epoch to another, assuming uniform stellar motion and taking radial velocity into account. An approximate treatment, accurate to the second-order terms in time, is also given. The proper motion effects may be significant for long-period transiting planets. These theoretical results are applicable to the modelling of planetary transits and precise Doppler measurements as well as analysis of pulsar and eclipsing binary timing observations.

INAA Application for Trace Element Determination in Biological Reference Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atmodjo, D. P. D.; Kurniawati, S.; Lestiani, D. D.; Adventini, N.

2017-06-01

Trace element determination in biological samples is often used in the study of health and toxicology. Determination change to its essentiality and toxicity of trace element require an accurate determination method, which implies that a good Quality Control (QC) procedure should be performed. In this study, QC for trace element determination in biological samples was applied by analyzing the Standard Reference Material (SRM) Bovine muscle 8414 NIST using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Three selected trace element such as Fe, Zn, and Se were determined. Accuracy of the elements showed as %recovery and precision as %coefficient of variance (%CV). The result showed that %recovery of Fe, Zn, and Se were in the range between 99.4-107%, 92.7-103%, and 91.9-112%, respectively, whereas %CV were 2.92, 3.70, and 5.37%, respectively. These results showed that INAA method is precise and accurate for trace element determination in biological matrices.

An improved wavelet neural network medical image segmentation algorithm with combined maximum entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xiaoqian; Tao, Jinxu; Ye, Zhongfu; Qiu, Bensheng; Xu, Jinzhang

2018-05-01

In order to solve the problem of medical image segmentation, a wavelet neural network medical image segmentation algorithm based on combined maximum entropy criterion is proposed. Firstly, we use bee colony algorithm to optimize the network parameters of wavelet neural network, get the parameters of network structure, initial weights and threshold values, and so on, we can quickly converge to higher precision when training, and avoid to falling into relative extremum; then the optimal number of iterations is obtained by calculating the maximum entropy of the segmented image, so as to achieve the automatic and accurate segmentation effect. Medical image segmentation experiments show that the proposed algorithm can reduce sample training time effectively and improve convergence precision, and segmentation effect is more accurate and effective than traditional BP neural network (back propagation neural network : a multilayer feed forward neural network which trained according to the error backward propagation algorithm.

Optical computed tomography in PRESAGE® three-dimensional dosimetry: Challenges and prospective.

PubMed

Khezerloo, Davood; Nedaie, Hassan Ali; Farhood, Bagher; Zirak, Alireza; Takavar, Abbas; Banaee, Nooshin; Ahmadalidokht, Isa; Kron, Tomas

2017-01-01

With the advent of new complex but precise radiotherapy techniques, the demands for an accurate, feasible three-dimensional (3D) dosimetry system have been increased. A 3D dosimeter system generally should not only have accurate and precise results but should also feasible, inexpensive, and time consuming. Recently, one of the new candidates for 3D dosimetry is optical computed tomography (CT) with a radiochromic dosimeter such as PRESAGE®. Several generations of optical CT have been developed since the 90s. At the same time, a large attempt has been also done to introduce the robust dosimeters that compatible with optical CT scanners. In 2004, PRESAGE® dosimeter as a new radiochromic solid plastic dosimeters was introduced. In this decade, a large number of efforts have been carried out to enhance optical scanning methods. This article attempts to review and reflect on the results of these investigations.

Dating Tips for Divergence-Time Estimation.

PubMed

O'Reilly, Joseph E; Dos Reis, Mario; Donoghue, Philip C J

2015-11-01

The molecular clock is the only viable means of establishing an accurate timescale for Life on Earth, but it remains reliant on a capricious fossil record for calibration. 'Tip-dating' promises a conceptual advance, integrating fossil species among their living relatives using molecular/morphological datasets and evolutionary models. Fossil species of known age establish calibration directly, and their phylogenetic uncertainty is accommodated through the co-estimation of time and topology. However, challenges remain, including a dearth of effective models of morphological evolution, rate correlation, the non-random nature of missing characters in fossil data, and, most importantly, accommodating uncertainty in fossil age. We show uncertainty in fossil-dating propagates to divergence-time estimates, yielding estimates that are older and less precise than those based on traditional node calibration. Ultimately, node and tip calibrations are not mutually incompatible and may be integrated to achieve more accurate and precise evolutionary timescales. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

METHOD 544. DETERMINATION OF MICROCYSTINS AND ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Method 544 is an accurate and precise analytical method to determine six microcystins (including MC-LR) and nodularin in drinking water using solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC/MS/MS). The advantage of this SPE-LC/MS/MS is its sensitivity and ability to speciate the microcystins. This method development task establishes sample preservation techniques, sample concentration and analytical procedures, aqueous and extract holding time criteria and quality control procedures. Draft Method 544 undergone a multi-laboratory verification to ensure other laboratories can implement the method and achieve the quality control measures specified in the method. It is anticipated that Method 544 may be used in UCMR 4 to collect nationwide occurrence data for selected microcystins in drinking water. The purpose of this research project is to develop an accurate and precise analytical method to concentrate and determine selected MCs and nodularin in drinking water.

Neglecting primordial non-Gaussianity threatens future cosmological experiment accuracy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camera, Stefano; Carbone, Carmelita; Fedeli, Cosimo; Moscardini, Lauro

2015-02-01

Future galaxy redshift surveys aim at probing the clustering of the cosmic large-scale structure with unprecedented accuracy, thus complementing cosmic microwave background experiments in the quest to deliver the most precise and accurate picture ever of our Universe. Analyses of such measurements are usually performed within the context of the so-called vanilla Λ CDM model—the six-parameter phenomenological model which, for instance, emerges from best fits against the recent data obtained by the Planck satellite. Here, we show that such an approach is prone to subtle systematics when the Gaussianity of primordial fluctuations is concerned. In particular, we demonstrate that, if we neglect even a tiny amount of primordial non-Gaussianity—fully consistent with current limits—we shall introduce spurious biases in the reconstruction of cosmological parameters. This is a serious issue that must be properly accounted for in view of accurate (as well as precise) cosmology.

Comparison of the Performance of Noise Metrics as Predictions of the Annoyance of Stage 2 and Stage 3 Aircraft Overflights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearsons, Karl S.; Howe, Richard R.; Sneddon, Matthew D.; Fidell, Sanford

1996-01-01

Thirty audiometrically screened test participants judged the relative annoyance of two comparison (variable level) and thirty-four standard (fixed level) signals in an adaptive paired comparison psychoacoustic study. The signal ensemble included both FAR Part 36 Stage 2 and 3 aircraft overflights, as well as synthesized aircraft noise signatures and other non-aircraft signals. All test signals were presented for judgment as heard indoors, in the presence of continuous background noise, under free-field listening conditions in an anechoic chamber. Analyses of the performance of 30 noise metrics as predictors of these annoyance judgments confirmed that the more complex metrics were generally more accurate and precise predictors than the simpler methods. EPNL was somewhat less accurate and precise as a predictor of the annoyance judgments than a duration-adjusted variant of Zwicker's Loudness Level.

Biological Matrix Effects in Quantitative Tandem Mass Spectrometry-Based Analytical Methods: Advancing Biomonitoring

PubMed Central

Panuwet, Parinya; Hunter, Ronald E.; D’Souza, Priya E.; Chen, Xianyu; Radford, Samantha A.; Cohen, Jordan R.; Marder, M. Elizabeth; Kartavenka, Kostya; Ryan, P. Barry; Barr, Dana Boyd

2015-01-01

The ability to quantify levels of target analytes in biological samples accurately and precisely, in biomonitoring, involves the use of highly sensitive and selective instrumentation such as tandem mass spectrometers and a thorough understanding of highly variable matrix effects. Typically, matrix effects are caused by co-eluting matrix components that alter the ionization of target analytes as well as the chromatographic response of target analytes, leading to reduced or increased sensitivity of the analysis. Thus, before the desired accuracy and precision standards of laboratory data are achieved, these effects must be characterized and controlled. Here we present our review and observations of matrix effects encountered during the validation and implementation of tandem mass spectrometry-based analytical methods. We also provide systematic, comprehensive laboratory strategies needed to control challenges posed by matrix effects in order to ensure delivery of the most accurate data for biomonitoring studies assessing exposure to environmental toxicants. PMID:25562585

[The development of vaporizers. A question of precise dose].

PubMed

Petermann, Heike

2009-05-01

Since the beginning of anaesthesia it was well known that anaesthetic agents administered by inhalation must be capable of existing in gaseous form. For vaporization various types tried to work accurately. Since oxygen was available there could be realized new concepts like the principles of injection or bubble through. With Copper Kettle (1948) for ether and chloroform and Draeger Vapor (1958) for Halothane accurate administration of volatile anaesthetics was available. Today vaporizers are part of anaesthetic machines.

Force-Measuring Clamp

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nunnelee, Mark (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A precision clamp that accurately measures force over a wide range of conditions is described. Using a full bridge or other strain gage configuration. the elastic deformation of the clamp is measured or detected by the strain gages. Thc strain gages transmit a signal that corresponds to the degree of stress upon the clamp. Thc strain gage signal is converted to a numeric display. Calibration is achieved by ero and span potentiometers which enable accurate measurements by the force-measuring clamp.

An accurate registration technique for distorted images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delapena, Michele; Shaw, Richard A.; Linde, Peter; Dravins, Dainis

1990-01-01

Accurate registration of International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) images is crucial because the variability of the geometrical distortions that are introduced by the SEC-Vidicon cameras ensures that raw science images are never perfectly aligned with the Intensity Transfer Functions (ITFs) (i.e., graded floodlamp exposures that are used to linearize and normalize the camera response). A technique for precisely registering IUE images which uses a cross correlation of the fixed pattern that exists in all raw IUE images is described.

An eclipsing-binary distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud accurate to two per cent.

PubMed

Pietrzyński, G; Graczyk, D; Gieren, W; Thompson, I B; Pilecki, B; Udalski, A; Soszyński, I; Kozłowski, S; Konorski, P; Suchomska, K; Bono, G; Moroni, P G Prada; Villanova, S; Nardetto, N; Bresolin, F; Kudritzki, R P; Storm, J; Gallenne, A; Smolec, R; Minniti, D; Kubiak, M; Szymański, M K; Poleski, R; Wyrzykowski, L; Ulaczyk, K; Pietrukowicz, P; Górski, M; Karczmarek, P

2013-03-07

In the era of precision cosmology, it is essential to determine the Hubble constant to an accuracy of three per cent or better. At present, its uncertainty is dominated by the uncertainty in the distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), which, being our second-closest galaxy, serves as the best anchor point for the cosmic distance scale. Observations of eclipsing binaries offer a unique opportunity to measure stellar parameters and distances precisely and accurately. The eclipsing-binary method was previously applied to the LMC, but the accuracy of the distance results was lessened by the need to model the bright, early-type systems used in those studies. Here we report determinations of the distances to eight long-period, late-type eclipsing systems in the LMC, composed of cool, giant stars. For these systems, we can accurately measure both the linear and the angular sizes of their components and avoid the most important problems related to the hot, early-type systems. The LMC distance that we derive from these systems (49.97 ± 0.19 (statistical) ± 1.11 (systematic) kiloparsecs) is accurate to 2.2 per cent and provides a firm base for a 3-per-cent determination of the Hubble constant, with prospects for improvement to 2 per cent in the future.

Manufacturing plastic injection optical molds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourque, David

2008-08-01

ABCO Tool & Die, Inc. is a mold manufacturer specializing in the manufacturing of plastic injection molds for molded optical parts. The purpose of this presentation is to explain the concepts and procedures required to build a mold that produces precision optical parts. Optical molds can produce a variety of molded parts ranging from safety eyewear to sophisticated military lens parts, which must meet precise optical specifications. The manufacturing of these molds begins with the design engineering of precision optical components. The mold design and the related optical inserts are determined based upon the specific optical criteria and optical surface geometry. The mold manufacturing techniques will be based upon the optical surface geometry requirements and specific details. Manufacturing processes used will be specific to prescribed geometrical surface requirements of the molded part. The combined efforts result in a robust optical mold which can produce molded parts that meet the most precise optical specifications.

Research on precise modeling of buildings based on multi-source data fusion of air to ground

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yongqiang; Niu, Lubiao; Yang, Shasha; Li, Lixue; Zhang, Xitong

2016-03-01

Aims at the accuracy problem of precise modeling of buildings, a test research was conducted based on multi-source data for buildings of the same test area , including top data of air-borne LiDAR, aerial orthophotos, and façade data of vehicle-borne LiDAR. After accurately extracted the top and bottom outlines of building clusters, a series of qualitative and quantitative analysis was carried out for the 2D interval between outlines. Research results provide a reliable accuracy support for precise modeling of buildings of air ground multi-source data fusion, on the same time, discussed some solution for key technical problems.

High recall document content extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, Chang; Baird, Henry S.

2011-01-01

We report methodologies for computing high-recall masks for document image content extraction, that is, the location and segmentation of regions containing handwriting, machine-printed text, photographs, blank space, etc. The resulting segmentation is pixel-accurate, which accommodates arbitrary zone shapes (not merely rectangles). We describe experiments showing that iterated classifiers can increase recall of all content types, with little loss of precision. We also introduce two methodological enhancements: (1) a multi-stage voting rule; and (2) a scoring policy that views blank pixels as a "don't care" class with other content classes. These enhancements improve both recall and precision, achieving at least 89% recall and at least 87% precision among three content types: machine-print, handwriting, and photo.

Precision diagnostics: moving towards protein biomarker signatures of clinical utility in cancer.

PubMed

Borrebaeck, Carl A K

2017-03-01

Interest in precision diagnostics has been fuelled by the concept that early detection of cancer would benefit patients; that is, if detected early, more tumours should be resectable and treatment more efficacious. Serum contains massive amounts of potentially diagnostic information, and affinity proteomics has risen as an accurate approach to decipher this, to generate actionable information that should result in more precise and evidence-based options to manage cancer. To achieve this, we need to move from single to multiplex biomarkers, a so-called signature, that can provide significantly increased diagnostic accuracy. This Opinion article focuses on the progress being made in identifying protein biomarker signatures of clinical utility, using blood-based proteomics.

GPS-based precision orbit determination - A Topex flight experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melbourne, William G.; Davis, Edgar S.

1988-01-01

Plans for a Topex/Poseiden flight experiment to test the accuracy of using GPS data for precision orbit determination of earth satellites are presented. It is expected that the GPS-based precision orbit determination will provide subdecimeter accuracies in the radial component of the Topex orbit when the extant gravity model is tuned for wavelengths longer than about 1000 kms. The concept, design, flight receiver, antenna system, ground processing, and data processing of GPS are examined. Also, an accurate quasi-geometric orbit determination approach called nondynamic or reduced dynamic tracking which relies on the use of the pseudorange and the carrier phase measurements to reduce orbit errors arising from mismodeled dynamics is discussed.

Method for measuring retardation of infrared wave-plate by modulated-polarized visible light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ying; Song, Feijun

2012-11-01

A new method for precisely measuring the optical phase retardation of wave-plates in the infrared spectral region is presented by using modulated-polarized visible light. An electro-optic modulator is used to accurately determine the zero point by the frequency-doubled signal of the Modulated-polarized light. A Babinet-Soleil compensator is employed to make the phase delay compensation. Based on this method, an instrument is set up to measure the retardations of the infrared wave-plates with visible region laser. Measurement results with high accuracy and sound repetition are obtained by simple calculation. Its measurement precision is less than and repetitive precision is within 0.3%.

High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Five Compounds in the Pulp and Seed of Sea Buckthorn.

PubMed

Zhao, Lu; Wen, E; Upur, Halmuart; Tian, Shuge

2017-01-01

Sea buckthorn ( Hippophae rhamnoides L.) as a traditional Chinese medicinal plant has various uses in Xinjiang. A reversed-phase rapid-resolution liquid-chromatography method with diode array detector was developed for simultaneous determination of protocatechuic acid, rutin, quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin in the pulp and seed of sea buckthorn, a widely used traditional Chinese medicine for promoting metabolism and treating scurvy and other diseases. Compounds were separated on an Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18 column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm; USA) with gradient elution using methanol and 0.4% phosphoric acid (v/v) at 1.0 mL/min. Detection wavelength was set at 280 nm. The fruits of wild sea buckthorn were collected from Wushi County in Aksu, Xinjiang Province. The RSD of precision test of the five compounds were in the range of 0.60-2.22%, and the average recoveries ranged from 97.36% to 101.19%. Good linearity between specific chromatographic peak and component qualities were observed in the investigated ranges for all the analytes ( R 2 > 0.9997). The proposed method was successfully applied to determine the levels of five active components in sea buckthorn samples from Aksu in Xinjiang. The proposed method is simple, fast, sensitive, accurate, and suitable for quantitative assessment of the pulp and seed of sea buckthorn. Quantitative analysis method of protocatechuic acid, rutin, quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin in the extract of sea buckthorn pulp and seed is developed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) diode array detection.This method is simple and accurate; has strong specificity, good precision, and high recovery rate; and provides a reliable basis for further development of the substances in the pulp and seed of sea buckthorn.The method is widely used for content determination of active ingredients or physiologically active components in traditional Chinese medicine and its preparation Abbreviation used: PR: protocatechuic acid, RU: rutin, QU: quercetin, KA: kaempferol, IS: isorhamnetin, HPLC: high-performance liquid chromatography, HPLC-DAD: high performance liquid chromatographydiode array detector, LOD: linearity and limit of detection, LOQ: limit of quantitation, RSD: relative standard deviation.

Developing a lower-cost atmospheric CO2 monitoring system using commercial NDIR sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arzoumanian, E.; Bastos, A.; Gaynullin, B.; Laurent, O.; Vogel, F. R.

2017-12-01

Cities release to the atmosphere about 44 % of global energy-related CO2. It is clear that accurate estimates of the magnitude of anthropogenic and natural urban emissions are needed to assess their influence on the carbon balance. A dense ground-based CO2 monitoring network in cities would potentially allow retrieving sector specific CO2 emission estimates when combined with an atmospheric inversion framework using reasonably accurate observations (ca. 1 ppm for hourly means). One major barrier for denser observation networks can be the high cost of high precision instruments or high calibration cost of cheaper and unstable instruments. We have developed and tested a novel inexpensive NDIR sensors for CO2 measurements which fulfils cost and typical parameters requirements (i.e. signal stability, efficient handling, and connectivity) necessary for this task. Such sensors are essential in the market of emissions estimates in cities from continuous monitoring networks as well as for leak detection of MRV (monitoring, reporting, and verification) services for industrial sites. We conducted extensive laboratory tests (short and long-term repeatability, cross-sensitivities, etc.) on a series of prototypes and the final versions were also tested in a climatic chamber. On four final HPP prototypes the sensitivity to pressure and temperature were precisely quantified and correction&calibration strategies developed. Furthermore, we fully integrated these HPP sensors in a Raspberry PI platform containing the CO2 sensor and additional sensors (pressure, temperature and humidity sensors), gas supply pump and a fully automated data acquisition unit. This platform was deployed in parallel to Picarro G2401 instruments in the peri-urban site Saclay - next to Paris, and in the urban site Jussieu - Paris, France. These measurements were conducted over several months in order to characterize the long-term drift of our HPP instruments and the ability of the correction and calibration scheme to provide bias free observations. From the lessons learned in the laboratory tests and field measurements, we developed a specific correction and calibration strategy for our NDIR sensors. Latest results and calibration strategies will be shown.

A comparison of force and acoustic emission sensors in monitoring precision cylindrical grinding; Technical Digest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsh, Eric R.; Couey, Jeremiah A.; Knapp, Byron R.; Vallance, R. R.

2005-05-01

Aerostatic spindles are used in precision grinding applications requiring high stiffness and very low error motions (5 to 25 nm). Forces generated during precision grinding are small and present challenges for accurate and reliable process monitoring. These challenges are met by incorporating non-contact displacement sensors into an aerostatic spindle that are calibrated to measure grinding forces from rotor motion. Four experiments compare this force-sensing approach to acoustic emission (AE) in detecting workpiece contact, process monitoring with small depths of cut, detecting workpiece defects, and evaluating abrasive wheel wear/loading. Results indicate that force measurements are preferable to acoustic emission in precision grinding since the force sensor offers improved contact sensitivity, higher resolution, and is capable of detecting events occurring within a single revolution of the grinding wheel.

A novel design of the high-precision magnetic locator with three-dimension measurement capability applying dynamically sensing mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wen-Nan; Chen, Po-Shen; Chen, Mu-Ping; Teng, Ching-Cheng

2006-09-01

A novel design of the magnetic locator, for obtaining the high-precision measurement information of variety of the buried metal pipes, is presented in this paper. The concept of dynamically sensing mechanism, including the vibrating and moving devices, proposed herein is a simple and effective way to improve the precision of three-dimension location sensing for the underground utilities. Based on the primary magnetism of Lenz's law and Faraday's law, the functions of the amplifying effect for the sensing magnetic signals, as well as the distinguishing effect by the simple filtering algorithms embedded in processing programs, are achieved while the relatively strong noise exists. The verification results of these integration designs demonstrate the effectiveness both by precise locating for the buried utility, and accurate measurement for the depth.

Optimal reference polarization states for the calibration of general Stokes polarimeters in the presence of noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Tingkui; Bao, Donghao; Zhang, Chunmin; Chen, Zeyu; Song, Jionghui

2018-07-01

During the calibration of the system matrix of a Stokes polarimeter using reference polarization states (RPSs) and pseudo-inversion estimation method, the measurement intensities are usually noised by the signal-independent additive Gaussian noise or signal-dependent Poisson shot noise, the precision of the estimated system matrix is degraded. In this paper, we present a paradigm for selecting RPSs to improve the precision of the estimated system matrix in the presence of both types of noise. The analytical solution of the precision of the system matrix estimated with the RPSs are derived. Experimental measurements from a general Stokes polarimeter show that accurate system matrix is estimated with the optimal RPSs, which are generated using two rotating quarter-wave plates. The advantage of using optimal RPSs is a reduction in measurement time with high calibration precision.

Evaluating sampling designs by computer simulation: A case study with the Missouri bladderpod

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morrison, L.W.; Smith, D.R.; Young, C.; Nichols, D.W.

2008-01-01

To effectively manage rare populations, accurate monitoring data are critical. Yet many monitoring programs are initiated without careful consideration of whether chosen sampling designs will provide accurate estimates of population parameters. Obtaining accurate estimates is especially difficult when natural variability is high, or limited budgets determine that only a small fraction of the population can be sampled. The Missouri bladderpod, Lesquerella filiformis Rollins, is a federally threatened winter annual that has an aggregated distribution pattern and exhibits dramatic interannual population fluctuations. Using the simulation program SAMPLE, we evaluated five candidate sampling designs appropriate for rare populations, based on 4 years of field data: (1) simple random sampling, (2) adaptive simple random sampling, (3) grid-based systematic sampling, (4) adaptive grid-based systematic sampling, and (5) GIS-based adaptive sampling. We compared the designs based on the precision of density estimates for fixed sample size, cost, and distance traveled. Sampling fraction and cost were the most important factors determining precision of density estimates, and relative design performance changed across the range of sampling fractions. Adaptive designs did not provide uniformly more precise estimates than conventional designs, in part because the spatial distribution of L. filiformis was relatively widespread within the study site. Adaptive designs tended to perform better as sampling fraction increased and when sampling costs, particularly distance traveled, were taken into account. The rate that units occupied by L. filiformis were encountered was higher for adaptive than for conventional designs. Overall, grid-based systematic designs were more efficient and practically implemented than the others. ?? 2008 The Society of Population Ecology and Springer.

Variational calculation of second-order reduced density matrices by strong N-representability conditions and an accurate semidefinite programming solver.

PubMed

Nakata, Maho; Braams, Bastiaan J; Fujisawa, Katsuki; Fukuda, Mituhiro; Percus, Jerome K; Yamashita, Makoto; Zhao, Zhengji

2008-04-28

The reduced density matrix (RDM) method, which is a variational calculation based on the second-order reduced density matrix, is applied to the ground state energies and the dipole moments for 57 different states of atoms, molecules, and to the ground state energies and the elements of 2-RDM for the Hubbard model. We explore the well-known N-representability conditions (P, Q, and G) together with the more recent and much stronger T1 and T2(') conditions. T2(') condition was recently rederived and it implies T2 condition. Using these N-representability conditions, we can usually calculate correlation energies in percentage ranging from 100% to 101%, whose accuracy is similar to CCSD(T) and even better for high spin states or anion systems where CCSD(T) fails. Highly accurate calculations are carried out by handling equality constraints and/or developing multiple precision arithmetic in the semidefinite programming (SDP) solver. Results show that handling equality constraints correctly improves the accuracy from 0.1 to 0.6 mhartree. Additionally, improvements by replacing T2 condition with T2(') condition are typically of 0.1-0.5 mhartree. The newly developed multiple precision arithmetic version of SDP solver calculates extraordinary accurate energies for the one dimensional Hubbard model and Be atom. It gives at least 16 significant digits for energies, where double precision calculations gives only two to eight digits. It also provides physically meaningful results for the Hubbard model in the high correlation limit.

Assessment Study of Using Online (CSRS) GPS-PPP Service for Mapping Applications in Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abd-Elazeem, Mohamed; Farah, Ashraf; Farrag, Farrag

2011-09-01

Many applications in navigation, land surveying, land title definitions and mapping have been made simpler and more precise due to accessibility of Global Positioning System (GPS) data, and thus the demand for using advanced GPS techniques in surveying applications has become essential. The differential technique was the only source of accurate positioning for many years, and remained in use despite of its cost. The precise point positioning (PPP) technique is a viable alternative to the differential positioning method in which a user with a single receiver can attain positioning accuracy at the centimeter or decimeter scale. In recent years, many organizations introduced online (GPS-PPP) processing services capable of determining accurate geocentric positions using GPS observations. These services provide the user with receiver coordinates in free and unlimited access formats via the internet. This paper investigates the accuracy of the Canadian Spatial Reference System (CSRS) Precise Point Positioning (PPP) (CSRS-PPP) service supervised by the Geodetic Survey Division (GSD), Canada. Single frequency static GPS observations have been collected at three points covering time spans of 60, 90 and 120 minutes. These three observed sites form baselines of 1.6, 7, and 10 km, respectively. In order to assess the CSRS-PPP accuracy, the discrepancies between the CSRS-PPP estimates and the regular differential GPS solutions were computed. The obtained results illustrate that the PPP produces a horizontal error at the scale of a few decimeters; this is accurate enough to serve many mapping applications in developing countries with a savings in both cost and experienced labor.

Accurate LC peak boundary detection for ¹⁶O/¹⁸O labeled LC-MS data.

PubMed

Cui, Jian; Petritis, Konstantinos; Tegeler, Tony; Petritis, Brianne; Ma, Xuepo; Jin, Yufang; Gao, Shou-Jiang S J; Zhang, Jianqiu Michelle

2013-01-01

In liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), parts of LC peaks are often corrupted by their co-eluting peptides, which results in increased quantification variance. In this paper, we propose to apply accurate LC peak boundary detection to remove the corrupted part of LC peaks. Accurate LC peak boundary detection is achieved by checking the consistency of intensity patterns within peptide elution time ranges. In addition, we remove peptides with erroneous mass assignment through model fitness check, which compares observed intensity patterns to theoretically constructed ones. The proposed algorithm can significantly improve the accuracy and precision of peptide ratio measurements.