Development of “-omics” research in Schistosoma spp. and -omics-based new diagnostic tools for schistosomiasis

PubMed Central

Wang, Shuqi; Hu, Wei

2014-01-01

Schistosomiasis, caused by dioecious flatworms in the genus Schistosoma, is torturing people from many developing countries nowadays and frequently leads to severe morbidity and mortality of the patients. Praziquantel based chemotherapy and morbidity control for this disease adopted currently necessitate viable and efficient diagnostic technologies. Fortunately, those “-omics” researches, which rely on high-throughput experimental technologies to produce massive amounts of informative data, have substantially contributed to the exploitation and innovation of diagnostic tools of schistosomiasis. In its first section, this review provides a concise conclusion on the progresses pertaining to schistosomal “-omics” researches to date, followed by a comprehensive section on the diagnostic methods of schistosomiasis, especially those innovative ones based on the detection of antibodies, antigens, nucleic acids, and metabolites with a focus on those achievements inspired by “-omics” researches. Finally, suggestions about the design of future diagnostic tools of schistosomiasis are proposed, in order to better harness those data produced by “-omics” studies. PMID:25018752

Microfluidics-Enabled Diagnostic Systems: Markets, Challenges, and Examples.

PubMed

Becker, Holger; Gärtner, Claudia

2017-01-01

Microfluidics has become an important tool for the commercial product development in diagnostics. This article will focus on current technical demands during the development process such as material and integration challenges. Furthermore, we present data on the diagnostics market as well as examples of microfluidics-enabled systems currently under commercial development or already on the market.

The role of standards in the development and implementation of clinical laboratory tests: a domestic and global perspective.

PubMed

Michaud, Ginette Y

2005-01-01

In the field of clinical laboratory medicine, standardization is aimed at increasing the trueness and reliability of measured values. Standardization relies on the use of written standards, reference measurement procedures and reference materials. These are important tools for the design and validation of new tests, and for establishing the metrological traceability of diagnostic assays. Their use supports the translation of research technologies into new diagnostic assays and leads to more rapid advances in science and medicine, as well as improvements in the quality of patient care. The various standardization tools are described, as are the procedures by which written standards, reference procedures and reference materials are developed. Recent efforts to develop standards for use in the field of molecular diagnostics are discussed. The recognition of standardization tools by the FDA and other regulatory authorities is noted as evidence of their important role in ensuring the safety and performance of in vitro diagnostic devices.

Screening and syndromic approaches to identify gonorrhea and chlamydial infection among women.

PubMed

Sloan, N L; Winikoff, B; Haberland, N; Coggins, C; Elias, C

2000-03-01

The standard diagnostic tools to identify sexually transmitted infections are often expensive and have laboratory and infrastructure requirements that make them unavailable to family planning and primary health-care clinics in developing countries. Therefore, inexpensive, accessible tools that rely on symptoms, signs, and/or risk factors have been developed to identify and treat reproductive tract infections without the need for laboratory diagnostics. Studies were reviewed that used standard diagnostic tests to identify gonorrhea and cervical chlamydial infection among women and that provided adequate information about the usefulness of the tools for screening. Aggregation of the studies' results suggest that risk factors, algorithms, and risk scoring for syndromic management are poor indicators of gonorrhea and chlamydial infection in samples of both low and high prevalence and, consequently, are not effective mechanisms with which to identify or manage these conditions. The development and evaluation of other approaches to identify gonorrhea and chlamydial infections, including inexpensive and simple laboratory screening tools, periodic universal treatment, and other alternatives must be given priority.

Tuberculosis Diagnostics in 2015: Landscape, Priorities, Needs, and Prospects

PubMed Central

Pai, Madhukar; Schito, Marco

2015-01-01

In 2015, tuberculosis remains a major global health problem, and drug-resistant tuberculosis is a growing threat. Although tuberculosis diagnosis in many countries is still reliant on older tools, new diagnostics are changing the landscape. Stimulated, in part, by the success and roll out of Xpert MTB/RIF, there is now considerable interest in new technologies. The landscape looks promising, with a robust pipeline of new tools, particularly molecular diagnostics, and well over 50 companies actively engaged in product development. However, new diagnostics are yet to reach scale, and there needs to be greater convergence between diagnostics development and development of shorter-duration tuberculosis drug regimens. Another concern is the relative absence of non–sputum-based diagnostics in the pipeline for children and of biomarker tests for triage, cure, and progression of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Several initiatives, described in this supplement, have been launched to further stimulate product development and policy, including assessment of needs and priorities, development of target product profiles, compilation of data on resistance-associated mutations, and assessment of market size and potential for new diagnostics. Advocacy is needed to increase funding for tuberculosis research and development, and governments in high-burden countries must invest more in tuberculosis control to meet post-2015 targets for care, control, and prevention. PMID:25765103

The ITER bolometer diagnostic: Status and plansa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meister, H.; Giannone, L.; Horton, L. D.; Raupp, G.; Zeidner, W.; Grunda, G.; Kalvin, S.; Fischer, U.; Serikov, A.; Stickel, S.; Reichle, R.

2008-10-01

A consortium consisting of four EURATOM Associations has been set up to develop the project plan for the full development of the ITER bolometer diagnostic and to continue urgent R&D activities. An overview of the current status is given, including detector development, line-of-sight optimization, performance analysis as well as the design of the diagnostic components and their integration in ITER. This is complemented by the presentation of plans for future activities required to successfully implement the bolometer diagnostic, ranging from the detector development over diagnostic design and prototype testing to RH tools for calibration.

A novel modification of the Turing test for artificial intelligence and robotics in healthcare.

PubMed

Ashrafian, Hutan; Darzi, Ara; Athanasiou, Thanos

2015-03-01

The increasing demands of delivering higher quality global healthcare has resulted in a corresponding expansion in the development of computer-based and robotic healthcare tools that rely on artificially intelligent technologies. The Turing test was designed to assess artificial intelligence (AI) in computer technology. It remains an important qualitative tool for testing the next generation of medical diagnostics and medical robotics. Development of quantifiable diagnostic accuracy meta-analytical evaluative techniques for the Turing test paradigm. Modification of the Turing test to offer quantifiable diagnostic precision and statistical effect-size robustness in the assessment of AI for computer-based and robotic healthcare technologies. Modification of the Turing test to offer robust diagnostic scores for AI can contribute to enhancing and refining the next generation of digital diagnostic technologies and healthcare robotics. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Democratizing molecular diagnostics for the developing world.

PubMed

Abou Tayoun, Ahmad N; Burchard, Paul R; Malik, Imran; Scherer, Axel; Tsongalis, Gregory J

2014-01-01

Infectious diseases that are largely treatable continue to pose a tremendous burden on the developing world despite the availability of highly potent drugs. The high mortality and morbidity rates of these diseases are largely due to a lack of affordable diagnostics that are accessible to resource-limited areas and that can deliver high-quality results. In fact, modified molecular diagnostics for infectious diseases were rated as the top biotechnology to improve health in developing countries. In this review, we describe the characteristics of accessible molecular diagnostic tools and discuss the challenges associated with implementing such tools at low infrastructure sites. We highlight our experience as part of the "Grand Challenge" project supported by the Gates Foundation for addressing global health inequities and describe issues and solutions associated with developing adequate technologies or molecular assays needed for broad access in the developing world. We believe that sharing this knowledge will facilitate the development of new molecular technologies that are extremely valuable for improving global health.

Integrating Oil Debris and Vibration Measurements for Intelligent Machine Health Monitoring. Degree awarded by Toledo Univ., May 2002

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.

2003-01-01

A diagnostic tool for detecting damage to gears was developed. Two different measurement technologies, oil debris analysis and vibration were integrated into a health monitoring system for detecting surface fatigue pitting damage on gears. This integrated system showed improved detection and decision-making capabilities as compared to using individual measurement technologies. This diagnostic tool was developed and evaluated experimentally by collecting vibration and oil debris data from fatigue tests performed in the NASA Glenn Spur Gear Fatigue Rig. An oil debris sensor and the two vibration algorithms were adapted as the diagnostic tools. An inductance type oil debris sensor was selected for the oil analysis measurement technology. Gear damage data for this type of sensor was limited to data collected in the NASA Glenn test rigs. For this reason, this analysis included development of a parameter for detecting gear pitting damage using this type of sensor. The vibration data was used to calculate two previously available gear vibration diagnostic algorithms. The two vibration algorithms were selected based on their maturity and published success in detecting damage to gears. Oil debris and vibration features were then developed using fuzzy logic analysis techniques, then input into a multi sensor data fusion process. Results show combining the vibration and oil debris measurement technologies improves the detection of pitting damage on spur gears. As a result of this research, this new diagnostic tool has significantly improved detection of gear damage in the NASA Glenn Spur Gear Fatigue Rigs. This research also resulted in several other findings that will improve the development of future health monitoring systems. Oil debris analysis was found to be more reliable than vibration analysis for detecting pitting fatigue failure of gears and is capable of indicating damage progression. Also, some vibration algorithms are as sensitive to operational effects as they are to damage. Another finding was that clear threshold limits must be established for diagnostic tools. Based on additional experimental data obtained from the NASA Glenn Spiral Bevel Gear Fatigue Rig, the methodology developed in this study can be successfully implemented on other geared systems.

CLASSIFICATION FRAMEWORK FOR DIAGNOSTICS RESEARCH

EPA Science Inventory

The goal of Diagnostics Research is to provide tools to simplify diagnosis of the causes of biological impairment, in support of State and Tribe 303(d) impaired waters lists. The Diagnostics Workgroup has developed conceptual models for four major aquatic stressors that cause im...

Diagnosing schistosomiasis: where are we?

PubMed

Gomes, Luciana Inácia; Enk, Martin Johannes; Rabello, Ana

2014-01-01

In light of the World Health Organization's initiative to extend schistosomiasis morbidity and mortality control programs by including a disease elimination strategy in low endemic settings, this paper reviews diagnostic tools described during the last decades and provide an overview of ongoing efforts in making an efficient diagnostic tool available worldwide. A literature search on PubMed using the search criteria schistosomiasis and diagnosis within the period from 1978 to 2013 was carried out. Articles with abstract in English and that used laboratory techniques specifically developed for the detection of schistosomiasis in humans were included. Publications were categorized according to the methodology applied (parasitological, immunological, or molecular) and stage of development (in house development, limited field, or large scale field testing). The initial research generated 4,535 publications, of which only 643 met the inclusion criteria. The vast majority (537) of the publications focused on immunological techniques; 81 focused on parasitological diagnosis, and 25 focused on molecular diagnostic methods. Regarding the stage of development, 307 papers referred to in-house development, 202 referred to limited field tests, and 134 referred to large scale field testing. The data obtained show that promising new diagnostic tools, especially for Schistosoma antigen and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) detection, which are characterized by high sensitivity and specificity, are being developed. In combination with international funding initiatives these tools may result in a significant step forward in successful disease elimination and surveillance, which is to make efficient tests accessible and its large use self-sustainable for control programs in endemic countries.

Simulation of light transport in arthritic- and non-arthritic human fingers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milanic, Matija; Paluchowski, Lukasz A.; Randeberg, Lise L.

2014-03-01

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that frequently leads to joint destruction. It has high incidence rates worldwide, and the disease significantly reduces patient's quality of life due to pain, swelling and stiffness of the affected joints. Early diagnosis is necessary to improve course of the disease, therefore sensitive and accurate diagnostic tools are required. Optical imaging techniques have capability for early diagnosis and monitoring of arthritis. As compared to conventional diagnostic techniques optical technique is a noninvasive, noncontact and fast way of collecting diagnostic information. However, a realistic model of light transport in human joints is needed for understanding and developing of such optical diagnostic tools. The aim of this study is to develop a 3D numerical model of light transport in a human finger. The model will guide development of a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) diagnostic modality for arthritis in human fingers. The implemented human finger geometry is based on anatomical data. Optical data of finger tissues are adjusted to represent either an arthritic or an unaffected finger. The geometry and optical data serve as input into a 3D Monte Carlo method, which calculate diffuse reflectance, transmittance and absorbed energy distributions. The parameters of the model are optimized based on HIS-measurements of human fingers. The presented model serves as an important tool for understanding and development of HSI as an arthritis diagnostic modality. Yet, it can be applied to other optical techniques and finger diseases.

A Comparison of Optical, Electrochemical, Magnetic, and Colorimetric Point-of-Care Biosensors for Infectious Disease Diagnosis.

PubMed

Pashchenko, Oleksandra; Shelby, Tyler; Banerjee, Tuhina; Santra, Santimukul

2018-06-18

Each year, infectious diseases are responsible for millions of deaths, most of which occur in the rural areas of developing countries. Many of the infectious disease diagnostic tools used today require a great deal of time, a laboratory setting, and trained personnel. Due to this, the need for effective point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tools is greatly increasing with an emphasis on affordability, portability, sensitivity, specificity, timeliness, and ease of use. In this Review, we discuss the various diagnostic modalities that have been utilized toward this end and are being further developed to create POC diagnostic technologies, and we focus on potential effectiveness in resource-limited settings. The main modalities discussed herein are optical-, electrochemical-, magnetic-, and colorimetric-based modalities utilized in diagnostic technologies for infectious diseases. Each of these modalities feature pros and cons when considering application in POC settings but, overall, reveal a promising outlook for the future of this field of technological development.

A Review and Comparison of Diagnostic Instruments to Identify Students' Misconceptions in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gurel, Derya Kaltakci; Eryilmaz, Ali; McDermott, Lillian Christie

2015-01-01

Different diagnostic tools have been developed and used by researchers to identify students' conceptions. The present study aimed to provide an overview of the common diagnostic instruments in science to assess students' misconceptions. Also the study provides a brief comparison of these common diagnostic instruments with their strengths and…

Application of Diagnostic Analysis Tools to the Ares I Thrust Vector Control System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maul, William A.; Melcher, Kevin J.; Chicatelli, Amy K.; Johnson, Stephen B.

2010-01-01

The NASA Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle is being designed to support missions to the International Space Station (ISS), to the Moon, and beyond. The Ares I is undergoing design and development utilizing commercial-off-the-shelf tools and hardware when applicable, along with cutting edge launch technologies and state-of-the-art design and development. In support of the vehicle s design and development, the Ares Functional Fault Analysis group was tasked to develop an Ares Vehicle Diagnostic Model (AVDM) and to demonstrate the capability of that model to support failure-related analyses and design integration. One important component of the AVDM is the Upper Stage (US) Thrust Vector Control (TVC) diagnostic model-a representation of the failure space of the US TVC subsystem. This paper first presents an overview of the AVDM, its development approach, and the software used to implement the model and conduct diagnostic analysis. It then uses the US TVC diagnostic model to illustrate details of the development, implementation, analysis, and verification processes. Finally, the paper describes how the AVDM model can impact both design and ground operations, and how some of these impacts are being realized during discussions of US TVC diagnostic analyses with US TVC designers.

Diagnosing Chronic Pancreatitis: Comparison and Evaluation of Different Diagnostic Tools.

PubMed

Issa, Yama; van Santvoort, Hjalmar C; van Dieren, Susan; Besselink, Marc G; Boermeester, Marja A; Ahmed Ali, Usama

2017-10-01

This study aims to compare the M-ANNHEIM, Büchler, and Lüneburg diagnostic tools for chronic pancreatitis (CP). A cross-sectional analysis of the development of CP was performed in a prospectively collected multicenter cohort including 669 patients after a first episode of acute pancreatitis. We compared the individual components of the M-ANNHEIM, Büchler, and Lüneburg tools, the agreement between tools, and estimated diagnostic accuracy using Bayesian latent-class analysis. A total of 669 patients with acute pancreatitis followed-up for a median period of 57 (interquartile range, 42-70) months were included. Chronic pancreatitis was diagnosed in 50 patients (7%), 59 patients (9%), and 61 patients (9%) by the M-ANNHEIM, Lüneburg, and Büchler tools, respectively. The overall agreement between these tools was substantial (κ = 0.75). Differences between the tools regarding the following criteria led to significant changes in the total number of diagnoses of CP: abdominal pain, recurrent pancreatitis, moderate to marked ductal lesions, endocrine and exocrine insufficiency, pancreatic calcifications, and pancreatic pseudocysts. The Büchler tool had the highest sensitivity (94%), followed by the M-ANNHEIM (87%), and finally the Lüneburg tool (81%). Differences between diagnostic tools for CP are mainly attributed to presence of clinical symptoms, endocrine insufficiency, and certain morphological complications.

Automation of the NDT diagnostic using neural nets. Application: Inspection of Airbus longitudinal joints during maintenance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brousset, Christine; Baudrillard, Gilles

A neural network tool was developed to automate the Non Destructive Testing (NDT) of aeronautical structures carried out with the SIAM system. The SIAM system is used to reveal splits in longitudinal metal joints on the Airbus fuselage. The integration of the neural net tool within the SIAM control system is considered possible. The automatic diagnostic should provide the operator with an aid which will permit a greater reliability of maintenance control. The diagnostic performed with this tool would be rapid;: the control of 30,000 rivets on the Airbus fuselage would take approximately 45 minutes.

Modelling the impacts of new diagnostic tools for tuberculosis in developing countries to enhance policy decisions.

PubMed

Langley, Ivor; Doulla, Basra; Lin, Hsien-Ho; Millington, Kerry; Squire, Bertie

2012-09-01

The introduction and scale-up of new tools for the diagnosis of Tuberculosis (TB) in developing countries has the potential to make a huge difference to the lives of millions of people living in poverty. To achieve this, policy makers need the information to make the right decisions about which new tools to implement and where in the diagnostic algorithm to apply them most effectively. These decisions are difficult as the new tools are often expensive to implement and use, and the health system and patient impacts uncertain, particularly in developing countries where there is a high burden of TB. The authors demonstrate that a discrete event simulation model could play a significant part in improving and informing these decisions. The feasibility of linking the discrete event simulation to a dynamic epidemiology model is also explored in order to take account of longer term impacts on the incidence of TB. Results from two diagnostic districts in Tanzania are used to illustrate how the approach could be used to improve decisions.

A new diagnostic method for separating airborne and structureborne noise radiated by plates with applications for propeller driven aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgary, Michael C.

1988-01-01

The anticipated application of advanced turboprop propulsion systems is expected to increase the interior noise of future aircraft to unacceptably high levels. The absence of technically and economically feasible noise source-path diagnostic tools has been a prime obstacle in the development of efficient noise control treatments for propeller-driven aircraft. A new diagnostic method that permits the separation and prediction of the fully coherent airborne and structureborne components of the sound radiated by plates or thin shells has been developed. Analytical and experimental studies of the proposed method were performed on an aluminum plate. The results of the study indicate that the proposed method could be used in flight, and has fewer encumbrances than the other diagnostic tools currently available.

Development and Assessment of a Diagnostic Tool to Identify Organic Chemistry Students' Alternative Conceptions Related to Acid Strength

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClary, LaKeisha M.; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

2012-01-01

The central goal of this study was to create a new diagnostic tool to identify organic chemistry students' alternative conceptions related to acid strength. Twenty years of research on secondary and college students' conceptions about acids and bases has shown that these important concepts are difficult for students to apply to qualitative problem…

A manifesto for cardiovascular imaging: addressing the human factor†

PubMed Central

Fraser, Alan G

2017-01-01

Abstract Our use of modern cardiovascular imaging tools has not kept pace with their technological development. Diagnostic errors are common but seldom investigated systematically. Rather than more impressive pictures, our main goal should be more precise tests of function which we select because their appropriate use has therapeutic implications which in turn have a beneficial impact on morbidity or mortality. We should practise analytical thinking, use checklists to avoid diagnostic pitfalls, and apply strategies that will reduce biases and avoid overdiagnosis. We should develop normative databases, so that we can apply diagnostic algorithms that take account of variations with age and risk factors and that allow us to calculate pre-test probability and report the post-test probability of disease. We should report the imprecision of a test, or its confidence limits, so that reference change values can be considered in daily clinical practice. We should develop decision support tools to improve the quality and interpretation of diagnostic imaging, so that we choose the single best test irrespective of modality. New imaging tools should be evaluated rigorously, so that their diagnostic performance is established before they are widely disseminated; this should be a shared responsibility of manufacturers with clinicians, leading to cost-effective implementation. Trials should evaluate diagnostic strategies against independent reference criteria. We should exploit advances in machine learning to analyse digital data sets and identify those features that best predict prognosis or responses to treatment. Addressing these human factors will reap benefit for patients, while technological advances continue unpredictably. PMID:29029029

Developments in label-free microfluidic methods for single-cell analysis and sorting.

PubMed

Carey, Thomas R; Cotner, Kristen L; Li, Brian; Sohn, Lydia L

2018-04-24

Advancements in microfluidic technologies have led to the development of many new tools for both the characterization and sorting of single cells without the need for exogenous labels. Label-free microfluidics reduce the preparation time, reagents needed, and cost of conventional methods based on fluorescent or magnetic labels. Furthermore, these devices enable analysis of cell properties such as mechanical phenotype and dielectric parameters that cannot be characterized with traditional labels. Some of the most promising technologies for current and future development toward label-free, single-cell analysis and sorting include electronic sensors such as Coulter counters and electrical impedance cytometry; deformation analysis using optical traps and deformation cytometry; hydrodynamic sorting such as deterministic lateral displacement, inertial focusing, and microvortex trapping; and acoustic sorting using traveling or standing surface acoustic waves. These label-free microfluidic methods have been used to screen, sort, and analyze cells for a wide range of biomedical and clinical applications, including cell cycle monitoring, rapid complete blood counts, cancer diagnosis, metastatic progression monitoring, HIV and parasite detection, circulating tumor cell isolation, and point-of-care diagnostics. Because of the versatility of label-free methods for characterization and sorting, the low-cost nature of microfluidics, and the rapid prototyping capabilities of modern microfabrication, we expect this class of technology to continue to be an area of high research interest going forward. New developments in this field will contribute to the ongoing paradigm shift in cell analysis and sorting technologies toward label-free microfluidic devices, enabling new capabilities in biomedical research tools as well as clinical diagnostics. This article is categorized under: Diagnostic Tools > Biosensing Diagnostic Tools > Diagnostic Nanodevices. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ares I-X Ground Diagnostic Prototype

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwabacher, Mark; Martin, Rodney; Waterman, Robert; Oostdyk, Rebecca; Ossenfort, John; Matthews, Bryan

2010-01-01

Automating prelaunch diagnostics for launch vehicles offers three potential benefits. First, it potentially improves safety by detecting faults that might otherwise have been missed so that they can be corrected before launch. Second, it potentially reduces launch delays by more quickly diagnosing the cause of anomalies that occur during prelaunch processing. Reducing launch delays will be critical to the success of NASA's planned future missions that require in-orbit rendezvous. Third, it potentially reduces costs by reducing both launch delays and the number of people needed to monitor the prelaunch process. NASA is currently developing the Ares I launch vehicle to bring the Orion capsule and its crew of four astronauts to low-earth orbit on their way to the moon. Ares I-X will be the first unmanned test flight of Ares I. It is scheduled to launch on October 27, 2009. The Ares I-X Ground Diagnostic Prototype is a prototype ground diagnostic system that will provide anomaly detection, fault detection, fault isolation, and diagnostics for the Ares I-X first-stage thrust vector control (TVC) and for the associated ground hydraulics while it is in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and on the launch pad. It will serve as a prototype for a future operational ground diagnostic system for Ares I. The prototype combines three existing diagnostic tools. The first tool, TEAMS (Testability Engineering and Maintenance System), is a model-based tool that is commercially produced by Qualtech Systems, Inc. It uses a qualitative model of failure propagation to perform fault isolation and diagnostics. We adapted an existing TEAMS model of the TVC to use for diagnostics and developed a TEAMS model of the ground hydraulics. The second tool, Spacecraft Health Inference Engine (SHINE), is a rule-based expert system developed at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. We developed SHINE rules for fault detection and mode identification. The prototype uses the outputs of SHINE as inputs to TEAMS. The third tool, the Inductive Monitoring System (IMS), is an anomaly detection tool developed at NASA Ames Research Center and is currently used to monitor the International Space Station Control Moment Gyroscopes. IMS automatically "learns" a model of historical nominal data in the form of a set of clusters and signals an alarm when new data fails to match this model. IMS offers the potential to detect faults that have not been modeled. The three tools have been integrated and deployed to Hangar AE at KSC where they interface with live data from the Ares I-X vehicle and from the ground hydraulics. The outputs of the tools are displayed on a console in Hangar AE, one of the locations from which the Ares I-X launch will be monitored. The full paper will describe how the prototype performed before the launch. It will include an analysis of the prototype's accuracy, including false-positive rates, false-negative rates, and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. It will also include a description of the prototype's computational requirements, including CPU usage, main memory usage, and disk usage. If the prototype detects any faults during the prelaunch period then the paper will include a description of those faults. Similarly, if the prototype has any false alarms then the paper will describe them and will attempt to explain their causes.

Building Diagnostic Market Deployment - Final Report

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

Katipamula, S.; Gayeski, N.

2012-04-30

Operational faults are pervasive across the commercial buildings sector, wasting energy and increasing energy costs by up to about 30% (Mills 2009, Liu et al. 2003, Claridge et al. 2000, Katipamula and Brambley 2008, and Brambley and Katipamula 2009). Automated fault detection and diagnostic (AFDD) tools provide capabilities essential for detecting and correcting these problems and eliminating the associated energy waste and costs. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Building Technology Program (BTP) has previously invested in developing and testing of such diagnostic tools for whole-building (and major system) energy use, air handlers, chillers, cooling towers, chilled-water distribution systems, andmore » boilers. These diagnostic processes can be used to make the commercial buildings more energy efficient. The work described in this report was done as part of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and KGS Building LLC (KGS). PNNL and KGS both believe that the widespread adoption of AFDD tools will result in significant reduction to energy and peak energy consumption. The report provides an introduction and summary of the various tasks performed under the CRADA. The CRADA project had three major focus areas: (1) Technical Assistance for Whole Building Energy Diagnostician (WBE) Commercialization, (2) Market Transfer of the Outdoor Air/Economizer Diagnostician (OAE), and (3) Development and Deployment of Automated Diagnostics to Improve Large Commercial Building Operations. PNNL has previously developed two diagnostic tools: (1) whole building energy (WBE) diagnostician and (2) outdoor air/economizer (OAE) diagnostician. WBE diagnostician is currently licensed non-exclusively to one company. As part of this CRADA, PNNL developed implementation documentation and provided technical support to KGS to implement the tool into their software suite, Clockworks. PNNL also provided validation data sets and the WBE software tool to validate the KGS implementation. OAE diagnostician automatically detects and diagnoses problems with outdoor air ventilation and economizer operation for air handling units (AHUs) in commercial buildings using data available from building automation systems (BASs). As part of this CRADA, PNNL developed implementation documentation and provided technical support to KGS to implement the tool into their software suite. PNNL also provided validation data sets and the OAE software tool to validate the KGS implementation. Finally, as part of this CRADA project, PNNL developed new processes to automate parts of the re-tuning process and transfer those process to KGS for integration into their software product. The transfer of DOE-funded technologies will transform the commercial buildings sector by making buildings more energy efficient and also reducing the carbon footprint from the buildings. As part of the CRADA with PNNL, KGS implemented the whole building energy diagnostician, a portion of outdoor air economizer diagnostician and a number of measures that automate the identification of re-tuning measures.« less

Using hypermedia to develop an intelligent tutorial/diagnostic system for the Space Shuttle Main Engine Controller Lab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oreilly, Daniel; Williams, Robert; Yarborough, Kevin

1988-01-01

This is a tutorial/diagnostic system for training personnel in the use of the Space Shuttle Main Engine Controller (SSMEC) Simulation Lab. It also provides a diagnostic capable of isolating lab failures at least to the major lab component. The system was implemented using Hypercard, which is an program of hypermedia running on Apple Macintosh computers. Hypercard proved to be a viable platform for the development and use of sophisticated tutorial systems and moderately capable diagnostic systems. This tutorial/diagnostic system uses the basic Hypercard tools to provide the tutorial. The diagnostic part of the system uses a simple interpreter written in the Hypercard language (Hypertalk) to implement the backward chaining rule based logic commonly found in diagnostic systems using Prolog. Some of the advantages of Hypercard in developing this type of system include sophisticated graphics, animation, sound and voice capabilities, its ability as a hypermedia tool, and its ability to include digitized pictures. The major disadvantage is the slow execution time for evaluation of rules (due to the interpretive processing of the language). Other disadvantages include the limitation on the size of the cards, that color is not supported, that it does not support grey scale graphics, and its lack of selectable fonts for text fields.

Novel molecular diagnostic tools for malaria elimination: a review of options from the point of view of high-throughput and applicability in resource limited settings.

PubMed

Britton, Sumudu; Cheng, Qin; McCarthy, James S

2016-02-16

As malaria transmission continues to decrease, an increasing number of countries will enter pre-elimination and elimination. To interrupt transmission, changes in control strategies are likely to require more accurate identification of all carriers of Plasmodium parasites, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, using diagnostic tools that are highly sensitive, high throughput and with fast turnaround times preferably performed in local health service settings. Currently available immunochromatographic lateral flow rapid diagnostic tests and field microscopy are unlikely to consistently detect infections at parasite densities less than 100 parasites/µL making them insufficiently sensitive for detecting all carriers. Molecular diagnostic platforms, such as PCR and LAMP, are currently available in reference laboratories, but at a cost both financially and in turnaround time. This review describes the recent progress in developing molecular diagnostic tools in terms of their capacity for high throughput and potential for performance in non-reference laboratories for malaria elimination.

Tools and Strategies for Malaria Control and Elimination: What Do We Need to Achieve a Grand Convergence in Malaria?

PubMed Central

Hemingway, Janet; Shretta, Rima; Wells, Timothy N. C.; Bell, David; Djimdé, Abdoulaye A.; Achee, Nicole; Qi, Gao

2016-01-01

Progress made in malaria control during the past decade has prompted increasing global dialogue on malaria elimination and eradication. The product development pipeline for malaria has never been stronger, with promising new tools to detect, treat, and prevent malaria, including innovative diagnostics, medicines, vaccines, vector control products, and improved mechanisms for surveillance and response. There are at least 25 projects in the global malaria vaccine pipeline, as well as 47 medicines and 13 vector control products. In addition, there are several next-generation diagnostic tools and reference methods currently in development, with many expected to be introduced in the next decade. The development and adoption of these tools, bolstered by strategies that ensure rapid uptake in target populations, intensified mechanisms for information management, surveillance, and response, and continued financial and political commitment are all essential to achieving global eradication. PMID:26934361

Tools and Strategies for Malaria Control and Elimination: What Do We Need to Achieve a Grand Convergence in Malaria?

PubMed

Hemingway, Janet; Shretta, Rima; Wells, Timothy N C; Bell, David; Djimdé, Abdoulaye A; Achee, Nicole; Qi, Gao

2016-03-01

Progress made in malaria control during the past decade has prompted increasing global dialogue on malaria elimination and eradication. The product development pipeline for malaria has never been stronger, with promising new tools to detect, treat, and prevent malaria, including innovative diagnostics, medicines, vaccines, vector control products, and improved mechanisms for surveillance and response. There are at least 25 projects in the global malaria vaccine pipeline, as well as 47 medicines and 13 vector control products. In addition, there are several next-generation diagnostic tools and reference methods currently in development, with many expected to be introduced in the next decade. The development and adoption of these tools, bolstered by strategies that ensure rapid uptake in target populations, intensified mechanisms for information management, surveillance, and response, and continued financial and political commitment are all essential to achieving global eradication.

Development of Doppler Global Velocimetry as a Flow Diagnostics Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyers, James F.

1995-01-01

The development of Doppler global velocimetry is described from its inception to its use as a flow diagnostics tool. Its evolution is traced from an elementary one-component laboratory prototype, to a full three-component configuration operating in a wind tunnel at focal distances exceeding 15 m. As part of the developmental process, several wind tunnel flow field investigations were conducted. These included supersonic flow measurements about an oblique shock, subsonic and supersonic measurements of the vortex flow above a delta wing, and three-component measurements of a high-speed jet.

Development and validation of risk models and molecular diagnostics to permit personalized management of cancer.

PubMed

Pu, Xia; Ye, Yuanqing; Wu, Xifeng

2014-01-01

Despite the advances made in cancer management over the past few decades, improvements in cancer diagnosis and prognosis are still poor, highlighting the need for individualized strategies. Toward this goal, risk prediction models and molecular diagnostic tools have been developed, tailoring each step of risk assessment from diagnosis to treatment and clinical outcomes based on the individual's clinical, epidemiological, and molecular profiles. These approaches hold increasing promise for delivering a new paradigm to maximize the efficiency of cancer surveillance and efficacy of treatment. However, they require stringent study design, methodology development, comprehensive assessment of biomarkers and risk factors, and extensive validation to ensure their overall usefulness for clinical translation. In the current study, the authors conducted a systematic review using breast cancer as an example and provide general guidelines for risk prediction models and molecular diagnostic tools, including development, assessment, and validation. © 2013 American Cancer Society.

Assessing Disease Class-Specific Diagnostic Ability: A Practical Adaptive Test Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papa, Frank J.; Schumacker, Randall E.

Measures of the robustness of disease class-specific diagnostic concepts could play a central role in training programs designed to assure the development of diagnostic competence. In the pilot study, the authors used disease/sign-symptom conditional probability estimates, Monte Carlo procedures, and artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create…

A Quasi-Universal Nonword Repetition Task as a Diagnostic Tool for Bilingual Children Learning Dutch as a Second Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boerma, Tessel; Chiat, Shula; Leseman, Paul; Timmermeister, Mona; Wijnen, Frank; Blom, Elma

2015-01-01

Purpose: This study evaluated a newly developed quasi-universal nonword repetition task (Q-U NWRT) as a diagnostic tool for bilingual children with language impairment (LI) who have Dutch as a 2nd language. The Q-U NWRT was designed to be minimally influenced by knowledge of 1 specific language in contrast to a language-specific NWRT with which it…

A defect-driven diagnostic method for machine tool spindles

PubMed Central

Vogl, Gregory W.; Donmez, M. Alkan

2016-01-01

Simple vibration-based metrics are, in many cases, insufficient to diagnose machine tool spindle condition. These metrics couple defect-based motion with spindle dynamics; diagnostics should be defect-driven. A new method and spindle condition estimation device (SCED) were developed to acquire data and to separate system dynamics from defect geometry. Based on this method, a spindle condition metric relying only on defect geometry is proposed. Application of the SCED on various milling and turning spindles shows that the new approach is robust for diagnosing the machine tool spindle condition. PMID:28065985

Saliva diagnostics – Current views and directions

PubMed Central

Kaczor-Urbanowicz, Karolina Elżbieta; Martin Carreras-Presas, Carmen; Aro, Katri; Tu, Michael; Wong, David TW

2016-01-01

In this review, we provide an update on the current and future applications of saliva for diagnostic purposes. There are many advantages of using saliva as a biofluid. Its collection is fast, easy, inexpensive, and non-invasive. In addition, saliva, as a “mirror of the body,” can reflect the physiological and pathological state of the body. Therefore, it serves as a diagnostic and monitoring tool in many fields of science such as medicine, dentistry, and pharmacotherapy. Introduced in 2008, the term “Salivaomics” aimed to highlight the rapid development of knowledge about various “omics” constituents of saliva, including: proteome, transcriptome, micro-RNA, metabolome, and microbiome. In the last few years, researchers have developed new technologies and validated a wide range of salivary biomarkers that will soon make the use of saliva a clinical reality. However, a great need still exists for convenient and accurate point-of-care devices that can serve as a non-invasive diagnostic tool. In addition, there is an urgent need to decipher the scientific rationale and mechanisms that convey systemic diseases to saliva. Another promising technology called liquid biopsy enables detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and fragments of tumor DNA in saliva, thus enabling non-invasive early detection of various cancers. The newly developed technology—electric field-induced release and measurement (EFIRM) provides near perfect detection of actionable mutations in lung cancer patients. These recent advances widened the salivary diagnostic approach from the oral cavity to the whole physiological system, and thus point towards a promising future of salivary diagnostics for personalized individual medicine applications including clinical decisions and post-treatment outcome predictions. Impact statement The purpose of this mini-review is to make an update about the present and future applications of saliva as a diagnostic biofluid in many fields of science such as dentistry, medicine and pharmacotherapy. Using saliva as a fluid for diagnostic purposes would be a huge breakthrough for both patients and healthcare providers since saliva collection is easy, non-invasive and inexpensive. We will go through the current main diagnostic applications of saliva, and provide a highlight on the emerging, newly developing technologies and tools for cancer screening, detection and monitoring. PMID:27903834

Pig producer perspectives on the use of meat inspection as an animal health and welfare diagnostic tool in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

PubMed

Devitt, Catherine; Boyle, Laura; Teixeira, D L; O'Connell, N E; Hawe, M; Hanlon, Alison

2015-01-01

Currently, there is growing interest in developing ante and post mortem meat inspection (MI) to incorporate measures of pig health and welfare for use as a diagnostic tool on pig farms. However, the success of the development of the MI process requires stakeholder engagement with the process. Knowledge gaps and issues of trust can undermine the effective exchange and utilisation of information across the supply chain. A social science research methodology was employed to establish stakeholder perspectives towards the development of MI to include measures of pig health and welfare. In this paper the findings of semi-structured telephone interviews with 18 pig producers from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are presented. Producers recognised the benefit of the utilisation of MI data as a health and welfare diagnostic tool. This acknowledgment, however, was undermined for some by dissatisfaction with the current system of MI information feedback, by trust and fairness concerns, and by concerns regarding the extent to which data would be used in the producers' interests. Tolerance of certain animal welfare issues may also have a negative impact on how producers viewed the potential of MI data. The private veterinary practitioner was viewed as playing a vital role in assisting them with the interpretation of MI data for herd health planning. The development of positive relationships based on trust, commitment and satisfaction across the supply chain may help build a positive environment for the effective utilisation of MI data in improving pig health and welfare. The utilisation of MI as a diagnostic tool would benefit from the development of a communication strategy aimed at building positive relationships between stakeholders in the pig industry.

Diagnostics of Pupils' Meta-Subject Competence during Lessons on Mathematics in Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khuziakhmetova, Anvar N.; Naumova, Marina V.

2016-01-01

The relevance of diagnostic meta-subject competence measures in secondary schools is caused by the fact that the importance of a meta-subject competence formation was officially defined in educational standards, but there are still no qualitative and informative diagnostic tools for this competence development. The purpose of the article is to…

Tools for surveying and improving the quality of life: people with special needs in focus.

PubMed

Hoyningen-Süess, Ursula; Oberholzer, David; Stalder, René; Brügger, Urs

2012-01-01

This article seeks to describe online tools for surveying and improving quality of life for people with disabilities living in assisted living centers and special education service organizations. Ensuring a decent quality of life for disabled people is an important welfare state goal. Using well-accepted quality of life conceptions, online diagnostic and planning tools were developed during an Institute for Education, University of Zurich, research project. The diagnostic tools measure, evaluate and analyze disabled people's quality of life. The planning tools identify factors that can affect their quality of life and suggest improvements. Instrument validity and reliability are not tested according to the standard statistical procedures. This will be done at a more advanced stage of the project. Instead, the tool is developed, refined and adjusted in cooperation with practitioners who are constantly judging it according to best practice standards. The tools support staff in assisted living centers and special education service organizations. These tools offer comprehensive resources for surveying, quantifying, evaluating, describing and simulating quality of life elements.

Polar bear encephalitis: establishment of a comprehensive next-generation pathogen analysis pipeline for captive and free-living wildlife.

PubMed

Szentiks, C A; Tsangaras, K; Abendroth, B; Scheuch, M; Stenglein, M D; Wohlsein, P; Heeger, F; Höveler, R; Chen, W; Sun, W; Damiani, A; Nikolin, V; Gruber, A D; Grobbel, M; Kalthoff, D; Höper, D; Czirják, G Á; Derisi, J; Mazzoni, C J; Schüle, A; Aue, A; East, M L; Hofer, H; Beer, M; Osterrieder, N; Greenwood, A D

2014-05-01

This report describes three possibly related incidences of encephalitis, two of them lethal, in captive polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Standard diagnostic methods failed to identify pathogens in any of these cases. A comprehensive, three-stage diagnostic 'pipeline' employing both standard serological methods and new DNA microarray and next generation sequencing-based diagnostics was developed, in part as a consequence of this initial failure. This pipeline approach illustrates the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of these tools in determining pathogen caused deaths in non-model organisms such as wildlife species and why the use of a limited number of diagnostic tools may fail to uncover important wildlife pathogens. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Gear and Bearing Fatigue Damage Using Debris Particle Distributions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Lewicki, David G.; Decker, Harry J.

2004-01-01

A diagnostic tool was developed for detecting fatigue damage to spur gears, spiral bevel gears, and rolling element bearings. This diagnostic tool was developed and evaluated experimentally by collecting oil debris data from fatigue tests performed in the NASA Glenn Spur Gear Fatigue Rig, Spiral Bevel Gear Test Facility, and the 500hp Helicopter Transmission Test Stand. During each test, data from an online, in-line, inductance type oil debris sensor was monitored and recorded for the occurrence of pitting damage. Results indicate oil debris alone cannot discriminate between bearing and gear fatigue damage.

Improving the Efficiency and Quality of the Value Assessment Process for Companion Diagnostic Tests: The Companion test Assessment Tool (CAT).

PubMed

Canestaro, William J; Pritchard, Daryl E; Garrison, Louis P; Dubois, Robert; Veenstra, David L

2015-08-01

Companion diagnostic tests (CDTs) have emerged as a vital technology in the effective use of an increasing number of targeted drug therapies. Although CDTs can offer a multitude of potential benefits, assessing their value within a health technology appraisal process can be challenging because of a complex array of factors that influence clinical and economic outcomes. To develop a user-friendly tool to assist managed care and other health care decision makers in screening companion tests and determining whether an intensive technology review is necessary and, if so, where the review should be focused to improve efficiency. First, we conducted a systematic literature review of CDT cost-effectiveness studies to identify value drivers. Second, we conducted key informant interviews with a diverse group of stakeholders to elicit feedback and solicit any additional value drivers and identify desirable attributes for an evidence review tool. A draft tool was developed based on this information that captured value drivers, usability features, and had a particular focus on practical use by nonexperts. Finally, the tool was pilot tested with test developers and managed care evidence evaluators to assess face-validity and usability. The tool was also evaluated using several diverse examples of existing companion diagnostics and refined accordingly. We identified 65 cost-effectiveness studies of companion diagnostic technologies. The following factors were most commonly identified as value drivers from our literature review: clinical validity of testing; efficacy, safety, and cost of baseline and alternative treatments; cost and mortality of health states; and biomarker prevalence and testing cost. Stakeholders identified the following additional factors that they believed influenced the overall value of a companion test: regulatory status, actionability, utility, and market penetration. These factors were used to maximize the efficiency of the evidence review process. Stakeholders also stated that a tool should be easy to use and time efficient. Cognitive interviews with stakeholders led to minor changes in the draft tool to improve usability and relevance. The final tool consisted of 4 sections: (1) eligibility for review (2 questions), (2) prioritization of review (3 questions), (3) clinical review (3 questions), and (4) economic review (5 questions). Although the evaluation of CDTs can be challenging because of limited evidence and the added complexity of incorporating a diagnostic test into drug treatment decisions, using a pragmatic tool to identify tests that do not need extensive evaluation may improve the efficiency and effectiveness of CDT value assessments.

Laser speckle and skin cancer: skin roughness assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Tim K.; Tchvialeva, Lioudmila; Zeng, Haishan; McLean, David I.; Lui, Harvey

2009-10-01

Incidence of skin cancer has been increasing rapidly since the last few decades. Non-invasive optical diagnostic tools may improve the diagnostic accuracy. In this paper, skin structure, skin cancer statistics and subtypes of skin cancer are briefly reviewed. Among the subtypes, malignant melanoma is the most aggressive and dangerous; early detection dramatically improves the prognosis. Therefore, a non-invasive diagnostic tool for malignant melanoma is especially needed. In addition, in order for the diagnostic tool to be useful, it must be able to differentiate melanoma from common skin conditions such as seborrheic keratosis, a benign skin disease that resembles melanoma according to the well known clinical-assessment ABCD rule. The key diagnostic feature between these two diseases is surface roughness. Based on laser speckle contrast, our research team has recently developed a portable, optical, non-invasive, in-vivo diagnostic device for quantifying skin surface roughness. The methodology of our technique is described in details. Examining the preliminary data collected in a pilot clinical study for the prototype, we found that there was a difference in roughness between melanoma and seborrheic keratosis. In fact, there was a perfect cutoff value for the two diseases based on our initial data.

Energetic particle instabilities in fusion plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharapov, S. E.; Alper, B.; Berk, H. L.; Borba, D. N.; Breizman, B. N.; Challis, C. D.; Classen, I. G. J.; Edlund, E. M.; Eriksson, J.; Fasoli, A.; Fredrickson, E. D.; Fu, G. Y.; Garcia-Munoz, M.; Gassner, T.; Ghantous, K.; Goloborodko, V.; Gorelenkov, N. N.; Gryaznevich, M. P.; Hacquin, S.; Heidbrink, W. W.; Hellesen, C.; Kiptily, V. G.; Kramer, G. J.; Lauber, P.; Lilley, M. K.; Lisak, M.; Nabais, F.; Nazikian, R.; Nyqvist, R.; Osakabe, M.; Perez von Thun, C.; Pinches, S. D.; Podesta, M.; Porkolab, M.; Shinohara, K.; Schoepf, K.; Todo, Y.; Toi, K.; Van Zeeland, M. A.; Voitsekhovich, I.; White, R. B.; Yavorskij, V.; TG, ITPA EP; Contributors, JET-EFDA

2013-10-01

Remarkable progress has been made in diagnosing energetic particle instabilities on present-day machines and in establishing a theoretical framework for describing them. This overview describes the much improved diagnostics of Alfvén instabilities and modelling tools developed world-wide, and discusses progress in interpreting the observed phenomena. A multi-machine comparison is presented giving information on the performance of both diagnostics and modelling tools for different plasma conditions outlining expectations for ITER based on our present knowledge.

Diagnostic test accuracy of nutritional tools used to identify undernutrition in patients with colorectal cancer: a systematic review.

PubMed

Håkonsen, Sasja Jul; Pedersen, Preben Ulrich; Bath-Hextall, Fiona; Kirkpatrick, Pamela

2015-05-15

Effective nutritional screening, nutritional care planning and nutritional support are essential in all settings, and there is no doubt that a health service seeking to increase safety and clinical effectiveness must take nutritional care seriously. Screening and early detection of malnutrition is crucial in identifying patients at nutritional risk. There is a high prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized patients undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer. To synthesize the best available evidence regarding the diagnostic test accuracy of nutritional tools (sensitivity and specificity) used to identify malnutrition (specifically undernutrition) in patients with colorectal cancer (such as the Malnutrition Screening Tool and Nutritional Risk Index) compared to reference tests (such as the Subjective Global Assessment or Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment). Patients with colorectal cancer requiring either (or all) surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in secondary care. Focus of the review: The diagnostic test accuracy of validated assessment tools/instruments (such as the Malnutrition Screening Tool and Nutritional Risk Index) in the diagnosis of malnutrition (specifically under-nutrition) in patients with colorectal cancer, relative to reference tests (Subjective Global Assessment or Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment). Types of studies: Diagnostic test accuracy studies regardless of study design. Studies published in English, German, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian were considered for inclusion in this review. Databases were searched from their inception to April 2014. Methodological quality was determined using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies checklist. Data was collected using the data extraction form: the Standards for Reporting Studies of Diagnostic Accuracy checklist for the reporting of studies of diagnostic accuracy. The accuracy of diagnostic tests is presented in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values. In addition, the positive likelihood ratio (sensitivity/ [1 - specificity]) and negative likelihood ratio (1 - sensitivity)/ specificity), were also calculated and presented in this review to provide information about the likelihood that a given test result would be expected when the target condition is present compared with the likelihood that the same result would be expected when the condition is absent. Not all trials reported true positive, true negative, false positive and false negative rates, therefore these rates were calculated based on the data in the published papers. A two-by-two truth table was reconstructed for each study, and sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio were calculated for each study. A summary receiver operator characteristics curve was constructed to determine the relationship between sensitivity and specificity, and the area under the summary receiver operator characteristics curve which measured the usefulness of a test was calculated. Meta-analysis was not considered appropriate, therefore data was synthesized in a narrative summary. 1. One study evaluated the Malnutrition Screening Tool against the reference standard Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment. The sensitivity was 56% and the specificity 84%. The positive likelihood ratio was 3.100, negative likelihood ratio was 0.59, the diagnostic odds ratio (CI 95%) was 5.20 (1.09-24.90) and the Area Under the Curve (AUC) represents only a poor to fair diagnostic test accuracy. A total of two studies evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) (index test) compared to both Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) (reference standard) and PG-SGA (reference standard) in patients with colorectal cancer. In MUST vs SGA the sensitivity of the tool was 96%, specificity was 75%, LR+ 3.826, LR- 0.058, diagnostic OR (CI 95%) 66.00 (6.61-659.24) and AUC represented excellent diagnostic accuracy. In MUST vs PG-SGA the sensitivity of the tool was 72%, specificity 48.9%, LR+ 1.382, LR- 0.579, diagnostic OR (CI 95%) 2.39 (0.87-6.58) and AUC indicated that the tool failed as a diagnostic test to identify patients with colorectal cancer at nutritional risk,. The Nutrition Risk Index (NRI) was compared to SGA representing a sensitivity of 95.2%, specificity of 62.5%, LR+ 2.521, LR- 0.087, diagnostic OR (CI 95%) 28.89 (6.93-120.40) and AUC represented good diagnostic accuracy. In regard to NRI vs PG-SGA the sensitivity of the tool was 68%, specificity 64%, LR+ 1.947, LR- 0.487, diagnostic OR (CI 95%) 4.00 (1.23-13.01) and AUC indicated poor diagnostic test accuracy. There are no single, specific tools used to screen or assess the nutritional status of colorectal cancer patients. All tools showed varied diagnostic accuracies when compared to the reference standards SGA and PG-SGA. Hence clinical judgment combined with perhaps the SGA or PG-SGA should play a major role. The PG-SGA offers several advantages over the SGA tool: 1) the patient completes the medical history component, thereby decreasing the amount of time involved; 2) it contains more nutrition impact symptoms, which are important to the patient with cancer; and 3) it has a scoring system that allows patients to be triaged for nutritional intervention. Therefore, the PG-SGA could be used as a nutrition assessment tool as it allows quick identification and prioritization of colorectal cancer patients with malnutrition in combination with other parameters. This systematic review highlights the need for the following: Further studies needs to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of already existing nutritional screening tools in the context of colorectal cancer patients. If new screenings tools are developed, they should be developed and validated in the specific clinical context within the same patient population (colorectal cancer patients). The Joanna Briggs Institute.

A diagnostic interface for the ICOsahedral Non-hydrostatic (ICON) modelling framework based on the Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy v2.50)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kern, Bastian; Jöckel, Patrick

2016-10-01

Numerical climate and weather models have advanced to finer scales, accompanied by large amounts of output data. The model systems hit the input and output (I/O) bottleneck of modern high-performance computing (HPC) systems. We aim to apply diagnostic methods online during the model simulation instead of applying them as a post-processing step to written output data, to reduce the amount of I/O. To include diagnostic tools into the model system, we implemented a standardised, easy-to-use interface based on the Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy) into the ICOsahedral Non-hydrostatic (ICON) modelling framework. The integration of the diagnostic interface into the model system is briefly described. Furthermore, we present a prototype implementation of an advanced online diagnostic tool for the aggregation of model data onto a user-defined regular coarse grid. This diagnostic tool will be used to reduce the amount of model output in future simulations. Performance tests of the interface and of two different diagnostic tools show, that the interface itself introduces no overhead in form of additional runtime to the model system. The diagnostic tools, however, have significant impact on the model system's runtime. This overhead strongly depends on the characteristics and implementation of the diagnostic tool. A diagnostic tool with high inter-process communication introduces large overhead, whereas the additional runtime of a diagnostic tool without inter-process communication is low. We briefly describe our efforts to reduce the additional runtime from the diagnostic tools, and present a brief analysis of memory consumption. Future work will focus on optimisation of the memory footprint and the I/O operations of the diagnostic interface.

The Individual Basic Facts Assessment Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tait-McCutcheon, Sandi; Drake, Michael

2015-01-01

There is an identified and growing need for a levelled diagnostic basic facts assessment tool that provides teachers with formative information about students' mastery of a broad range of basic fact sets. The Individual Basic Facts Assessment tool has been iteratively and cumulatively developed, trialled, and refined with input from teachers and…

Update on Supersonic Jet Noise Research at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, Brenda

2010-01-01

An update on jet noise research conducted in the Fundamental Aeronautics and Integrated Systems Research Programs was presented. Highlighted research projects included those focused on the development of prediction tools, diagnostic tools, and noise reduction concepts.

DNA microarray technology in nutraceutical and food safety.

PubMed

Liu-Stratton, Yiwen; Roy, Sashwati; Sen, Chandan K

2004-04-15

The quality and quantity of diet is a key determinant of health and disease. Molecular diagnostics may play a key role in food safety related to genetically modified foods, food-borne pathogens and novel nutraceuticals. Functional outcomes in biology are determined, for the most part, by net balance between sets of genes related to the specific outcome in question. The DNA microarray technology offers a new dimension of strength in molecular diagnostics by permitting the simultaneous analysis of large sets of genes. Automation of assay and novel bioinformatics tools make DNA microarrays a robust technology for diagnostics. Since its development a few years ago, this technology has been used for the applications of toxicogenomics, pharmacogenomics, cell biology, and clinical investigations addressing the prevention and intervention of diseases. Optimization of this technology to specifically address food safety is a vast resource that remains to be mined. Efforts to develop diagnostic custom arrays and simplified bioinformatics tools for field use are warranted.

Diagnostic Machine Learning Models for Acute Abdominal Pain: Towards an e-Learning Tool for Medical Students.

PubMed

Khumrin, Piyapong; Ryan, Anna; Judd, Terry; Verspoor, Karin

2017-01-01

Computer-aided learning systems (e-learning systems) can help medical students gain more experience with diagnostic reasoning and decision making. Within this context, providing feedback that matches students' needs (i.e. personalised feedback) is both critical and challenging. In this paper, we describe the development of a machine learning model to support medical students' diagnostic decisions. Machine learning models were trained on 208 clinical cases presenting with abdominal pain, to predict five diagnoses. We assessed which of these models are likely to be most effective for use in an e-learning tool that allows students to interact with a virtual patient. The broader goal is to utilise these models to generate personalised feedback based on the specific patient information requested by students and their active diagnostic hypotheses.

Advancements in nano-enabled therapeutics for neuroHIV management.

PubMed

Kaushik, Ajeet; Jayant, Rahul Dev; Nair, Madhavan

This viewpoint is a global call to promote fundamental and applied research aiming toward designing smart nanocarriers of desired properties, novel noninvasive strategies to open the blood-brain barrier (BBB), delivery/release of single/multiple therapeutic agents across the BBB to eradicate neurohuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV), strategies for on-demand site-specific release of antiretroviral therapy, developing novel nanoformulations capable to recognize and eradicate latently infected HIV reservoirs, and developing novel smart analytical diagnostic tools to detect and monitor HIV infection. Thus, investigation of novel nanoformulations, methodologies for site-specific delivery/release, analytical methods, and diagnostic tools would be of high significance to eradicate and monitor neuroacquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Overall, these developments will certainly help to develop personalized nanomedicines to cure HIV and to develop smart HIV-monitoring analytical systems for disease management.

A computational framework for converting textual clinical diagnostic criteria into the quality data model.

PubMed

Hong, Na; Li, Dingcheng; Yu, Yue; Xiu, Qiongying; Liu, Hongfang; Jiang, Guoqian

2016-10-01

Constructing standard and computable clinical diagnostic criteria is an important but challenging research field in the clinical informatics community. The Quality Data Model (QDM) is emerging as a promising information model for standardizing clinical diagnostic criteria. To develop and evaluate automated methods for converting textual clinical diagnostic criteria in a structured format using QDM. We used a clinical Natural Language Processing (NLP) tool known as cTAKES to detect sentences and annotate events in diagnostic criteria. We developed a rule-based approach for assigning the QDM datatype(s) to an individual criterion, whereas we invoked a machine learning algorithm based on the Conditional Random Fields (CRFs) for annotating attributes belonging to each particular QDM datatype. We manually developed an annotated corpus as the gold standard and used standard measures (precision, recall and f-measure) for the performance evaluation. We harvested 267 individual criteria with the datatypes of Symptom and Laboratory Test from 63 textual diagnostic criteria. We manually annotated attributes and values in 142 individual Laboratory Test criteria. The average performance of our rule-based approach was 0.84 of precision, 0.86 of recall, and 0.85 of f-measure; the performance of CRFs-based classification was 0.95 of precision, 0.88 of recall and 0.91 of f-measure. We also implemented a web-based tool that automatically translates textual Laboratory Test criteria into the QDM XML template format. The results indicated that our approaches leveraging cTAKES and CRFs are effective in facilitating diagnostic criteria annotation and classification. Our NLP-based computational framework is a feasible and useful solution in developing diagnostic criteria representation and computerization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new molecular diagnostic tool for quantitatively detecting and genotyping “Candidatus Liberibacter species”

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A new molecular diagnostic method was developed for quantitative detection of “Candidatus Liberibacter” species associated with citrus Huanglongbing (“Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus”, “Ca. Liberibacter africanus” and “Ca. Liberibacter americanus”) and potato zebra chip disorder (“Ca. Liberibacter solana...

Sharing My Music with You: The Musical Presentation as a Tool for Exploring, Examining and Enhancing Self-Awareness in a Group Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bensimon, Moshe; Amir, Dorit

2010-01-01

Musical presentation (MP) is a diagnostic and therapeutic music therapy tool which focuses on the participant's emotional exploration and awareness-insight development. Using this tool people present themselves through music of their choice and subsequently receive feedback from their peers. This study investigates MP as a tool for enhancing…

Medical Community of Inquiry: A Diagnostic Tool for Learning, Assessment, and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nave, Rachel; Ackerman, Rakefet; Dori, Yehudit Judy

2017-01-01

Aim/Purpose: These days educators are expected to integrate technological tools into classes. Although they acquire relevant skills, they are often reluctant to use these tools. Background: We incorporated online forums for generating a Community of Inquiry (CoI) in a faculty development program. Extending the Technology, Pedagogy, and Content…

Remote skin tissue diagnostics in vivo by fiber optic evanescent wave Fourier transform infrared (FEW-FTIR) spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afanasyeva, Natalia I.; Kolyakov, Sergei F.; Butvina, Leonid N.

1998-04-01

The new method of fiber-optical evanescent wave Fourier transform IR (FEW-FTIR) spectroscopy has been applied to the diagnostics of normal tissue, as well as precancerous and cancerous conditions. The FEW-FTIR technique is nondestructive and sensitive to changes of vibrational spectra in the IR region, without heating and damaging human and animal skin tissue. Therefore this method and technique is an ideal diagnostic tool for tumor and cancer characterization at an early stage of development on a molecular level. The application of fiber optic technology in the middle IR region is relatively inexpensive and can be adapted easily to any commercially available tabletop FTIR spectrometers. This method of diagnostics is fast, remote, and can be applied to many fields Noninvasive medical diagnostics of skin cancer and other skin diseases in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro allow for the development convenient, remote clinical applications in dermatology and related fields. The spectral variations from normal to pathological skin tissue and environmental influence on skin have been measured and assigned in the regions of 850-4000 cm-1. The lipid structure changes are discussed. We are able to develop the spectral histopathology as a fast and informative tool of analysis.

Tissue microarrays and quantitative tissue-based image analysis as a tool for oncology biomarker and diagnostic development.

PubMed

Dolled-Filhart, Marisa P; Gustavson, Mark D

2012-11-01

Translational oncology has been improved by using tissue microarrays (TMAs), which facilitate biomarker analysis of large cohorts on a single slide. This has allowed for rapid analysis and validation of potential biomarkers for prognostic and predictive value, as well as for evaluation of biomarker prevalence. Coupled with quantitative analysis of immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, objective and standardized biomarker data from tumor samples can further advance companion diagnostic approaches for the identification of drug-responsive or resistant patient subpopulations. This review covers the advantages, disadvantages and applications of TMAs for biomarker research. Research literature and reviews of TMAs and quantitative image analysis methodology have been surveyed for this review (with an AQUA® analysis focus). Applications such as multi-marker diagnostic development and pathway-based biomarker subpopulation analyses are described. Tissue microarrays are a useful tool for biomarker analyses including prevalence surveys, disease progression assessment and addressing potential prognostic or predictive value. By combining quantitative image analysis with TMAs, analyses will be more objective and reproducible, allowing for more robust IHC-based diagnostic test development. Quantitative multi-biomarker IHC diagnostic tests that can predict drug response will allow for greater success of clinical trials for targeted therapies and provide more personalized clinical decision making.

Novel diagnostic techniques for celiac disease.

PubMed

Kurppa, Kalle; Taavela, Juha; Saavalainen, Päivi; Kaukinen, Katri; Lindfors, Katri

2016-07-01

The diagnosis of celiac disease has long been based on the demonstration of gluten-induced small-bowel mucosal damage. However, due to the constantly increasing disease prevalence and limitations in the histology-based criteria there is a pressure towards more serology-based diagnostics. The serological tools are being improved and new non-invasive methods are being developed, but the constantly refined endoscopic and histologic techniques may still prove helpful. Moreover, growing understanding of the disease pathogenesis has led researchers to suggest completely novel approaches to celiac disease diagnostics regardless of disease activity. In this review, we will elucidate the most recent development and possible future innovations in the diagnostic techniques for celiac disease.

Issues in contemporary and potential future molecular diagnostics for dengue.

PubMed

Sekaran, Shamala Devi; Soe, Hui Jen

2017-03-01

Dengue has been the most common arbovirus infection worldwide with 2.5 billion people living in over 100 endemic tropical and subtropical regions. Due to the high number of asymptomatic cases and the signs and symptoms being rather unspecific, dengue cases are often under-reported and might influence dengue surveillance programs. Therefore, a rapid, easy to use, inexpensive, and highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tool is essential for early and accurate diagnosis to ease the clinical management of patients as well as for the development of new interventions. Areas covered: This report discusses the contemporary dengue diagnostic tool, mainly from the aspect of molecular diagnosis where an overview of several nuclei acid amplification tests has been included. Potential molecular diagnostic tools such as biosensor and microarray are also discussed in this report. Expert commentary: Rapidness and accuracy in terms of sensitivity and specificity is imperative in dengue diagnosis for both clinical management and surveillance of dengue to ensure early treatment and corrective control measures can be carried out. In the next five years it is expected that there will be newer tests developed using not only the lateral flow techniques but more specifically biosensors and nanotechnology. These new technologies will have to be validated with the appropriate number and category of samples and to address the issue of cross-reactivity.

Microbial Diagnostic Array Workstation (MDAW): a web server for diagnostic array data storage, sharing and analysis

PubMed Central

Scaria, Joy; Sreedharan, Aswathy; Chang, Yung-Fu

2008-01-01

Background Microarrays are becoming a very popular tool for microbial detection and diagnostics. Although these diagnostic arrays are much simpler when compared to the traditional transcriptome arrays, due to the high throughput nature of the arrays, the data analysis requirements still form a bottle neck for the widespread use of these diagnostic arrays. Hence we developed a new online data sharing and analysis environment customised for diagnostic arrays. Methods Microbial Diagnostic Array Workstation (MDAW) is a database driven application designed in MS Access and front end designed in ASP.NET. Conclusion MDAW is a new resource that is customised for the data analysis requirements for microbial diagnostic arrays. PMID:18811969

Microbial Diagnostic Array Workstation (MDAW): a web server for diagnostic array data storage, sharing and analysis.

PubMed

Scaria, Joy; Sreedharan, Aswathy; Chang, Yung-Fu

2008-09-23

Microarrays are becoming a very popular tool for microbial detection and diagnostics. Although these diagnostic arrays are much simpler when compared to the traditional transcriptome arrays, due to the high throughput nature of the arrays, the data analysis requirements still form a bottle neck for the widespread use of these diagnostic arrays. Hence we developed a new online data sharing and analysis environment customised for diagnostic arrays. Microbial Diagnostic Array Workstation (MDAW) is a database driven application designed in MS Access and front end designed in ASP.NET. MDAW is a new resource that is customised for the data analysis requirements for microbial diagnostic arrays.

A preface on advances in diagnostics for infectious and parasitic diseases: detecting parasites of medical and veterinary importance.

PubMed

Stothard, J Russell; Adams, Emily

2014-12-01

There are many reasons why detection of parasites of medical and veterinary importance is vital and where novel diagnostic and surveillance tools are required. From a medical perspective alone, these originate from a desire for better clinical management and rational use of medications. Diagnosis can be at the individual-level, at close to patient settings in testing a clinical suspicion or at the community-level, perhaps in front of a computer screen, in classification of endemic areas and devising appropriate control interventions. Thus diagnostics for parasitic diseases has a broad remit as parasites are not only tied with their definitive hosts but also in some cases with their vectors/intermediate hosts. Application of current diagnostic tools and decision algorithms in sustaining control programmes, or in elimination settings, can be problematic and even ill-fitting. For example in resource-limited settings, are current diagnostic tools sufficiently robust for operational use at scale or are they confounded by on-the-ground realities; are the diagnostic algorithms underlying public health interventions always understood and well-received within communities which are targeted for control? Within this Special Issue (SI) covering a variety of diseases and diagnostic settings some answers are forthcoming. An important theme, however, throughout the SI is to acknowledge that cross-talk and continuous feedback between development and application of diagnostic tests is crucial if they are to be used effectively and appropriately.

[Virtual clinical diagnosis support system of degenerative stenosis of the lumbar spinal canal].

PubMed

Shevelev, I N; Konovalov, N A; Cherkashov, A M; Molodchenkov, A A; Sharamko, T G; Asiutin, D S; Nazarenko, A G

2013-01-01

The aim of the study was to develop a virtual clinical diagnostic support system of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis on database of spine registry. Choice of criteria's for diagnostic system was made on symptom analysis of 298 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Also was analysed a group of patient with disc herniation's for sensitivity and specify assessment of developed diagnostic support system. Represented clinical diagnostic support system allows identifying patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis on stage of patient's primary visit. System sensitivity and specify are 90 and 71% respectively. "Online" mode of diagnostic system in structure of spine registry provides maximal availability for specialists, regardless of their locations. Development of tools "medicine 2.0" is the actual direction for carrying out further researches with which carrying out the centralized baea collection by means of specialized registers helps.

Developing a Multi-Dimensional Early Elementary Mathematics Screener and Diagnostic Tool: The Primary Mathematics Assessment.

PubMed

Brendefur, Jonathan L; Johnson, Evelyn S; Thiede, Keith W; Strother, Sam; Severson, Herb H

2018-01-01

There is a critical need to identify primary level students experiencing difficulties in mathematics to provide immediate and targeted instruction that remediates their deficits. However, most early math screening instruments focus only on the concept of number, resulting in inadequate and incomplete information for teachers to design intervention efforts. We propose a mathematics assessment that screens and provides diagnostic information in six domains that are important to building a strong foundation in mathematics. This article describes the conceptual framework and psychometric qualities of a web-based assessment tool, the Primary Math Assessment (PMA). The PMA includes a screener to identify students at risk for poor math outcomes and a diagnostic tool to provide a more in-depth profile of children's specific strengths and weaknesses in mathematics. The PMA allows teachers and school personnel to make better instructional decisions by providing more targeted analyses.

The future of medical diagnostics: large digitized databases.

PubMed

Kerr, Wesley T; Lau, Edward P; Owens, Gwen E; Trefler, Aaron

2012-09-01

The electronic health record mandate within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will have a far-reaching affect on medicine. In this article, we provide an in-depth analysis of how this mandate is expected to stimulate the production of large-scale, digitized databases of patient information. There is evidence to suggest that millions of patients and the National Institutes of Health will fully support the mining of such databases to better understand the process of diagnosing patients. This data mining likely will reaffirm and quantify known risk factors for many diagnoses. This quantification may be leveraged to further develop computer-aided diagnostic tools that weigh risk factors and provide decision support for health care providers. We expect that creation of these databases will stimulate the development of computer-aided diagnostic support tools that will become an integral part of modern medicine.

High density plasmas and new diagnostics: An overview (invited).

PubMed

Celona, L; Gammino, S; Mascali, D

2016-02-01

One of the limiting factors for the full understanding of Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Sources (ECRISs) fundamental mechanisms consists of few types of diagnostic tools so far available for such compact machines. Microwave-to-plasma coupling optimisation, new methods of density overboost provided by plasma wave generation, and magnetostatic field tailoring for generating a proper electron energy distribution function, suitable for optimal ion beams formation, require diagnostic tools spanning across the entire electromagnetic spectrum from microwave interferometry to X-ray spectroscopy; these methods are going to be implemented including high resolution and spatially resolved X-ray spectroscopy made by quasi-optical methods (pin-hole cameras). The ion confinement optimisation also requires a complete control of cold electrons displacement, which can be performed by optical emission spectroscopy. Several diagnostic tools have been recently developed at INFN-LNS, including "volume-integrated" X-ray spectroscopy in low energy domain (2-30 keV, by using silicon drift detectors) or high energy regime (>30 keV, by using high purity germanium detectors). For the direct detection of the spatially resolved spectral distribution of X-rays produced by the electronic motion, a "pin-hole camera" has been developed also taking profit from previous experiences in the ECRIS field. The paper will give an overview of INFN-LNS strategy in terms of new microwave-to-plasma coupling schemes and advanced diagnostics supporting the design of new ion sources and for optimizing the performances of the existing ones, with the goal of a microwave-absorption oriented design of future machines.

Methods Developed by the Tools for Engine Diagnostics Task to Monitor and Predict Rotor Damage in Real Time

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baaklini, George Y.; Smith, Kevin; Raulerson, David; Gyekenyesi, Andrew L.; Sawicki, Jerzy T.; Brasche, Lisa

2003-01-01

Tools for Engine Diagnostics is a major task in the Propulsion System Health Management area of the Single Aircraft Accident Prevention project under NASA s Aviation Safety Program. The major goal of the Aviation Safety Program is to reduce fatal aircraft accidents by 80 percent within 10 years and by 90 percent within 25 years. The goal of the Propulsion System Health Management area is to eliminate propulsion system malfunctions as a primary or contributing factor to the cause of aircraft accidents. The purpose of Tools for Engine Diagnostics, a 2-yr-old task, is to establish and improve tools for engine diagnostics and prognostics that measure the deformation and damage of rotating engine components at the ground level and that perform intermittent or continuous monitoring on the engine wing. In this work, nondestructive-evaluation- (NDE-) based technology is combined with model-dependent disk spin experimental simulation systems, like finite element modeling (FEM) and modal norms, to monitor and predict rotor damage in real time. Fracture mechanics time-dependent fatigue crack growth and damage-mechanics-based life estimation are being developed, and their potential use investigated. In addition, wireless eddy current and advanced acoustics are being developed for on-wing and just-in-time NDE engine inspection to provide deeper access and higher sensitivity to extend on-wing capabilities and improve inspection readiness. In the long run, these methods could establish a base for prognostic sensing while an engine is running, without any overt actions, like inspections. This damage-detection strategy includes experimentally acquired vibration-, eddy-current- and capacitance-based displacement measurements and analytically computed FEM-, modal norms-, and conventional rotordynamics-based models of well-defined damages and critical mass imbalances in rotating disks and rotors.

Development of Molecular Methods to Detect Macrophomina phaseolina from Strawberry Plants and Soil.

PubMed

Burkhardt, Alyssa; Ramon, Marina L; Smith, Brett; Koike, Steven T; Martin, Frank N

2018-06-05

Macrophomina phaseolina is a broad-host range fungus that shows some degree of host preference on strawberry, and causes symptoms including crown rot and root rot. Recently, this pathogen has impacted strawberry production as fumigation practices have changed, leaving many growers in California and around the world in need of accurate, rapid diagnostic tools for M. phaseolina in soil and infected plants. This study uses next-generation sequencing and comparative genomics to identify a locus that is unique to isolates within a main genotype shared by a majority of isolates that infect strawberry. This locus was used to develop a quantitative single-tube nested TaqMan qPCR assay which is able to quantify as little as 2-3 microsclerotia/g of soil with 100% genotype specificity. An isothermal assay using recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) was developed from the same locus and has been validated on over 200 infected strawberry plants with a diagnostic sensitivity of 93% and a diagnostic specificity of 99%, respectively. Together, this work demonstrates the value of using new approaches to identify loci for detection and provides valuable diagnostic tools that can be used to monitor soil and strawberry plant samples for M. phaseolina.

The use of anti-Müllerian hormone as diagnostic for gonadectomy status in dogs.

PubMed

Themmen, Axel P N; Kalra, Bhanu; Visser, Jenny A; Kumar, Ajay; Savjani, Gopal; de Gier, Jeffrey; Jaques, Scott

2016-10-01

In the veterinary practice, there is a need for a diagnostic tool to check the gonadal status in female dogs because it may be difficult to determine whether a female animal has been spayed or whether there are ovarian remnants. Although less prevalent, a similar situation pertains to male dogs. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is an important regulator of gonadal function and is a specific gonadal product that can be determined in circulation. The objective of this study was to develop and test a canine blood AMH assay as a diagnostic tool to determine the presence of functional gonadal tissue in dogs. A prospective study with a training-validation set paradigm was used. A canine AMH assay was developed and serum and plasma AMH concentrations were determined in blood samples from 46 intact female dogs, 48 spayed females, 50 intact males, and 48 castrated males collected at two separate institutes. Using a training-validation set paradigm, it was found that using cutoff values of 1.1 ng/mL (female) and 5.5 ng/mL (male) AMH, the assay reported excellent specificity and sensitivity of 100% and 90% in female dogs, and good specificity and sensitivity of 100% and 76%, in male dogs, respectively. The sensitivity in male dogs could be further enhanced by including a serum testosterone determination. This newly developed canine AMH assay is a valuable diagnostic tool to determine gonadal status in veterinary medicine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ocular static and dynamic light scattering: a noninvasive diagnostic tool for eye research and clinical practice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ansari, Rafat R.

2004-01-01

The noninvasive techniques of static and dynamic light scattering are emerging as valuable diagnostic tools for the early detection of ocular and systemic diseases. These include corneal abnormalities, pigmentary dispersion syndrome, glaucoma, cataract, diabetic vitreopathy, and possibly macular degeneration. Systemic conditions such as diabetes and possibly Alzheimer's disease can potentially be detected early via ocular tissues. The current state of development of these techniques for application to ophthalmic research and ultimately clinical practice is reviewed. (c) 2004 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Computational diagnosis of canine lymphoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirkes, E. M.; Alexandrakis, I.; Slater, K.; Tuli, R.; Gorban, A. N.

2014-03-01

One out of four dogs will develop cancer in their lifetime and 20% of those will be lymphoma cases. PetScreen developed a lymphoma blood test using serum samples collected from several veterinary practices. The samples were fractionated and analysed by mass spectrometry. Two protein peaks, with the highest diagnostic power, were selected and further identified as acute phase proteins, C-Reactive Protein and Haptoglobin. Data mining methods were then applied to the collected data for the development of an online computer-assisted veterinary diagnostic tool. The generated software can be used as a diagnostic, monitoring and screening tool. Initially, the diagnosis of lymphoma was formulated as a classification problem and then later refined as a lymphoma risk estimation. Three methods, decision trees, kNN and probability density evaluation, were used for classification and risk estimation and several preprocessing approaches were implemented to create the diagnostic system. For the differential diagnosis the best solution gave a sensitivity and specificity of 83.5% and 77%, respectively (using three input features, CRP, Haptoglobin and standard clinical symptom). For the screening task, the decision tree method provided the best result, with sensitivity and specificity of 81.4% and >99%, respectively (using the same input features). Furthermore, the development and application of new techniques for the generation of risk maps allowed their user-friendly visualization.

The road map towards providing a robust Raman spectroscopy-based cancer diagnostic platform and integration into clinic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lau, Katherine; Isabelle, Martin; Lloyd, Gavin R.; Old, Oliver; Shepherd, Neil; Bell, Ian M.; Dorney, Jennifer; Lewis, Aaran; Gaifulina, Riana; Rodriguez-Justo, Manuel; Kendall, Catherine; Stone, Nicolas; Thomas, Geraint; Reece, David

2016-03-01

Despite the demonstrated potential as an accurate cancer diagnostic tool, Raman spectroscopy (RS) is yet to be adopted by the clinic for histopathology reviews. The Stratified Medicine through Advanced Raman Technologies (SMART) consortium has begun to address some of the hurdles in its adoption for cancer diagnosis. These hurdles include awareness and acceptance of the technology, practicality of integration into the histopathology workflow, data reproducibility and availability of transferrable models. We have formed a consortium, in joint efforts, to develop optimised protocols for tissue sample preparation, data collection and analysis. These protocols will be supported by provision of suitable hardware and software tools to allow statistically sound classification models to be built and transferred for use on different systems. In addition, we are building a validated gastrointestinal (GI) cancers model, which can be trialled as part of the histopathology workflow at hospitals, and a classification tool. At the end of the project, we aim to deliver a robust Raman based diagnostic platform to enable clinical researchers to stage cancer, define tumour margin, build cancer diagnostic models and discover novel disease bio markers.

A Genuine TEAM Player

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

Qualtech Systems, Inc. developed a complete software system with capabilities of multisignal modeling, diagnostic analysis, run-time diagnostic operations, and intelligent interactive reasoners. Commercially available as the TEAMS (Testability Engineering and Maintenance System) tool set, the software can be used to reveal unanticipated system failures. The TEAMS software package is broken down into four companion tools: TEAMS-RT, TEAMATE, TEAMS-KB, and TEAMS-RDS. TEAMS-RT identifies good, bad, and suspect components in the system in real-time. It reports system health results from onboard tests, and detects and isolates failures within the system, allowing for rapid fault isolation. TEAMATE takes over from where TEAMS-RT left off by intelligently guiding the maintenance technician through the troubleshooting procedure, repair actions, and operational checkout. TEAMS-KB serves as a model management and collection tool. TEAMS-RDS (TEAMS-Remote Diagnostic Server) has the ability to continuously assess a system and isolate any failure in that system or its components, in real time. RDS incorporates TEAMS-RT, TEAMATE, and TEAMS-KB in a large-scale server architecture capable of providing advanced diagnostic and maintenance functions over a network, such as the Internet, with a web browser user interface.

Integrating Oil Debris and Vibration Gear Damage Detection Technologies Using Fuzzy Logic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.

2002-01-01

A diagnostic tool for detecting damage to spur gears was developed. Two different measurement technologies, wear debris analysis and vibration, were integrated into a health monitoring system for detecting surface fatigue pitting damage on gears. This integrated system showed improved detection and decision-making capabilities as compared to using individual measurement technologies. This diagnostic tool was developed and evaluated experimentally by collecting vibration and oil debris data from fatigue tests performed in the NASA Glenn Spur Gear Fatigue Test Rig. Experimental data were collected during experiments performed in this test rig with and without pitting. Results show combining the two measurement technologies improves the detection of pitting damage on spur gears.

SMASH: A Diagnostic Tool to Monitor Student Metacognition, Affect, and Study Habits in an Undergraduate Science Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metzger, Kelsey J.; Smith, Brittany A.; Brown, Ethan; Soneral, Paula A. G.

2018-01-01

This study describes the development and implementation of an iterative diagnostic and intervention routine designed to elicit and quantitatively describe aspects of student metacognition, affect, and study habits in a first-year undergraduate biology course. The Student Metacognition, Affect, and Study Habits (SMASH) inventory is a…

Curidium Medica, plc.

PubMed

Caffo, Nathan A

2008-05-01

Curidium Medica, plc is a personalized medicine company intent on developing targeted medicines and their associated companion diagnostics to treat patients more effectively and safely. Through the use of its proprietary gene-expression analysis tool, Homomatrix ® , Curidium aims to reveal different patient subgroups characterized by distinct underlying disease mechanisms. This is anticipated to lead to the identification of diagnostics to subclassify patients within heterogeneous disease populations and improved therapies for different patient subgroups, ultimately resulting in the development of personalized medicines using companion diagnostics and targeted treatments. The company's initial focus on diseases of the CNS has resulted in the identification of a blood diagnostic tool, PsychINDx™, which classifies patients with schizophrenia/bipolar disorder into four subgroups. PsychINDx may have the potential to improve the treatment of patients with schizophrenia/bipolar disorder. Curidium aims to continue to use this approach to improve patient treatments in a variety of therapeutic areas and heterogeneous diseases. The first such additional application using Homomatrix has been initiated within a strategic research alliance with Takeda (Osaka, Japan) in the area of major depressive disorder.

Electrochemistry-based Approaches to Low Cost, High Sensitivity, Automated, Multiplexed Protein Immunoassays for Cancer Diagnostics

PubMed Central

Dixit, Chandra K.; Kadimisetty, Karteek; Otieno, Brunah A.; Tang, Chi; Malla, Spundana; Krause, Colleen E.; Rusling, James F.

2015-01-01

Early detection and reliable diagnostics are keys to effectively design cancer therapies with better prognoses. Simultaneous detection of panels of biomarker proteins holds great promise as a general tool for reliable cancer diagnostics. A major challenge in designing such a panel is to decide upon a coherent group of biomarkers which have higher specificity for a given type of cancer. The second big challenge is to develop test devices to measure these biomarkers quantitatively with high sensitivity and specificity, such that there are no interferences from the complex serum or tissue matrices. Lastly, integrating all these tests into a technology that doesn’t require exclusive training to operate, and can be used at point-of-care (POC) is another potential bottleneck in futuristic cancer diagnostics. In this article, we review electrochemistry-based tools and technologies developed and/or used in our laboratories to construct low-cost microfluidic protein arrays for highly sensitive detection of the panel of cancer-specific biomarkers with high specificity and at the same time have the potential to be translated into a POC. PMID:26525998

Electrochemistry-based approaches to low cost, high sensitivity, automated, multiplexed protein immunoassays for cancer diagnostics.

PubMed

Dixit, Chandra K; Kadimisetty, Karteek; Otieno, Brunah A; Tang, Chi; Malla, Spundana; Krause, Colleen E; Rusling, James F

2016-01-21

Early detection and reliable diagnostics are keys to effectively design cancer therapies with better prognoses. The simultaneous detection of panels of biomarker proteins holds great promise as a general tool for reliable cancer diagnostics. A major challenge in designing such a panel is to decide upon a coherent group of biomarkers which have higher specificity for a given type of cancer. The second big challenge is to develop test devices to measure these biomarkers quantitatively with high sensitivity and specificity, such that there are no interferences from the complex serum or tissue matrices. Lastly, integrating all these tests into a technology that does not require exclusive training to operate, and can be used at point-of-care (POC) is another potential bottleneck in futuristic cancer diagnostics. In this article, we review electrochemistry-based tools and technologies developed and/or used in our laboratories to construct low-cost microfluidic protein arrays for the highly sensitive detection of a panel of cancer-specific biomarkers with high specificity which at the same time has the potential to be translated into POC applications.

Web-Based Architecture to Enable Compute-Intensive CAD Tools and Multi-user Synchronization in Teleradiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehta, Neville; Kompalli, Suryaprakash; Chaudhary, Vipin

Teleradiology is the electronic transmission of radiological patient images, such as x-rays, CT, or MR across multiple locations. The goal could be interpretation, consultation, or medical records keeping. Information technology solutions have enabled electronic records and their associated benefits are evident in health care today. However, salient aspects of collaborative interfaces, and computer assisted diagnostic (CAD) tools are yet to be integrated into workflow designs. The Computer Assisted Diagnostics and Interventions (CADI) group at the University at Buffalo has developed an architecture that facilitates web-enabled use of CAD tools, along with the novel concept of synchronized collaboration. The architecture can support multiple teleradiology applications and case studies are presented here.

Diagnostic Tools for Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: GNRB, Lachman Test, and Telos.

PubMed

Ryu, Seung Min; Na, Ho Dong; Shon, Oog Jin

2018-06-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the accuracy of the GNRB arthrometer (Genourob), Lachman test, and Telos device (GmbH) in acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and to evaluate the accuracy of each diagnostic tool according to the length of time from injury to examination. From September 2015 to September 2016, 40 cases of complete ACL rupture were reviewed. We divided the time from injury to examination into three periods of 10 days each and analyzed the diagnostic tools according to the time frame. An analysis of the area under the curve (AUC) of a receiver operating characteristic curve showed that all diagnostic tools were fairly informative. The GNRB showed a higher AUC than other diagnostic tools. In 10 cases assessed within 10 days after injury, the GNRB showed statistically significant side-to-side difference in laxity (p＜0.001), whereas the Telos test and Lachman test did not show significantly different laxity (p=0.541 and p=0.413, respectively). All diagnostic values of the GNRB were better than other diagnostic tools in acute ACL injuries. The GNRB was more effective in acute ACL injuries examined within 10 days of injury. The GNRB arthrometer can be a useful diagnostic tool for acute ACL injuries.

Noncontact techniques for diesel engine diagnostics using exhaust waveform analysis

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

Gore, D.A.; Cooke, G.J.

1987-01-01

RCA Corporation's continuing efforts to develop noncontact test techniques for diesel engines have led to recent advancements in deep engine diagnostics. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Command (TACOM) has been working with RCA for the development of new noncontact sensors and test techniques which use these sensors in conjunction with their family of Simplified Test Equipment (STE) to perform vehicle diagnostics. The STE systems are microprocessor-based maintenance tools that assist the Army mechanic in diagnosing malfunctions in both tactical and combat vehicles. The test systems support the mechanic by providing the sophisticated signal processing capabilities necessary for a wide range ofmore » diagnostic testing including exhaust waveform analysis.« less

Development of a Three-Tier Test as a Valid Diagnostic Tool for Identification of Misconceptions Related to Carbohydrates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milenkovic, Dusica D.; Hrin, Tamara N.; Segedinac, Mirjana D.; Horvat, Sasa

2016-01-01

This study describes the development and application of a three-tier test as a valid and reliable tool in diagnosing students' misconceptions regarding some basic concepts about carbohydrates. The test was administrated to students of the Pharmacy Department at the University of Bijeljina (Serb Republic). The results denoted construct and content…

Demise of Polymerase Chain Reaction/Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry as an Infectious Diseases Diagnostic Tool.

PubMed

Özenci, Volkan; Patel, Robin; Ullberg, Måns; Strålin, Kristoffer

2018-01-18

Although there are several US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved/cleared molecular microbiology diagnostics for direct analysis of patient samples, all are single target or panel-based tests. There is no FDA-approved/cleared diagnostic for broad microbial detection. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (PCR/ESI-MS), commercialized as the IRIDICA system (Abbott) and formerly PLEX-ID, had been under development for over a decade and had become CE-marked and commercially available in Europe in 2014. Capable of detecting a large number of microorganisms, it was under review at the FDA when, in April 2017, Abbott discontinued it. This turn of events represents not only the loss of a potential diagnostic tool for infectious diseases but may be a harbinger of similar situations with other emerging and expensive microbial diagnostics, especially genomic tests. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Creation of a simple natural language processing tool to support an imaging utilization quality dashboard.

PubMed

Swartz, Jordan; Koziatek, Christian; Theobald, Jason; Smith, Silas; Iturrate, Eduardo

2017-05-01

Testing for venous thromboembolism (VTE) is associated with cost and risk to patients (e.g. radiation). To assess the appropriateness of imaging utilization at the provider level, it is important to know that provider's diagnostic yield (percentage of tests positive for the diagnostic entity of interest). However, determining diagnostic yield typically requires either time-consuming, manual review of radiology reports or the use of complex and/or proprietary natural language processing software. The objectives of this study were twofold: 1) to develop and implement a simple, user-configurable, and open-source natural language processing tool to classify radiology reports with high accuracy and 2) to use the results of the tool to design a provider-specific VTE imaging dashboard, consisting of both utilization rate and diagnostic yield. Two physicians reviewed a training set of 400 lower extremity ultrasound (UTZ) and computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) reports to understand the language used in VTE-positive and VTE-negative reports. The insights from this review informed the arguments to the five modifiable parameters of the NLP tool. A validation set of 2,000 studies was then independently classified by the reviewers and by the tool; the classifications were compared and the performance of the tool was calculated. The tool was highly accurate in classifying the presence and absence of VTE for both the UTZ (sensitivity 95.7%; 95% CI 91.5-99.8, specificity 100%; 95% CI 100-100) and CTPA reports (sensitivity 97.1%; 95% CI 94.3-99.9, specificity 98.6%; 95% CI 97.8-99.4). The diagnostic yield was then calculated at the individual provider level and the imaging dashboard was created. We have created a novel NLP tool designed for users without a background in computer programming, which has been used to classify venous thromboembolism reports with a high degree of accuracy. The tool is open-source and available for download at http://iturrate.com/simpleNLP. Results obtained using this tool can be applied to enhance quality by presenting information about utilization and yield to providers via an imaging dashboard. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Screening in toddlers and preschoolers at risk for autism spectrum disorder: Evaluating a novel mobile-health screening tool.

PubMed

Kanne, Stephen M; Carpenter, Laura Arnstein; Warren, Zachary

2018-05-07

There are many available tools with varying levels of accuracy designed to screen for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in young children, both in the general population and specifically among those referred for developmental concerns. With burgeoning waitlists for comprehensive diagnostic ASD assessments, finding accurate methods and tools for advancing diagnostic triage becomes increasingly important. The current study compares the efficacy of four oft used paper and pencil measures, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers Revised with Follow-up, the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition, and the Social Communication Questionnaire, and the Child Behavior Checklist to a novel mobile-health screening tool developed by Cognoa, Inc. (Cognoa) in a group of children 18-72 months of age. The Cognoa tool may have potential benefits as it integrates a series of parent-report questions with remote clinical ratings of brief video segments uploaded via parent's smartphones to calculate level of ASD risk. Participants were referred to one of three tertiary care diagnostic centers for ASD-related concerns (n = 230) and received a best estimate ASD diagnosis. Analysis and comparison of psychometric properties indicated potential advantages for Cognoa within this clinical sample across age ranges not often covered by another single measure/tool. Autism Res 2018. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. With the wait times getting longer for comprehensive Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic assessments, it is becoming increasingly important to find accurate tools to screen for ASD. The current study compares four screening measures that have been in use for some time to a novel mobile-health screening tool, called Cognoa. The Cognoa tool is novel because it integrates parent-report questions with clinical ratings of brief video segments uploaded via parent's smartphones to calculate ASD risk. Two hundred thirty children who were referred to one of three ASD specialty diagnostic centers to see if they had ASD participated in the study. A direct comparison indicated potential advantages for Cognoa not often covered by another single measure/tool. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Application of whole genome re-sequencing data in the development of diagnostic DNA markers tightly linked to a disease-resistance locus for marker-assisted selection in lupin (Lupinus angustifolius).

PubMed

Yang, Huaan; Jian, Jianbo; Li, Xuan; Renshaw, Daniel; Clements, Jonathan; Sweetingham, Mark W; Tan, Cong; Li, Chengdao

2015-09-02

Molecular marker-assisted breeding provides an efficient tool to develop improved crop varieties. A major challenge for the broad application of markers in marker-assisted selection is that the marker phenotypes must match plant phenotypes in a wide range of breeding germplasm. In this study, we used the legume crop species Lupinus angustifolius (lupin) to demonstrate the utility of whole genome sequencing and re-sequencing on the development of diagnostic markers for molecular plant breeding. Nine lupin cultivars released in Australia from 1973 to 2007 were subjected to whole genome re-sequencing. The re-sequencing data together with the reference genome sequence data were used in marker development, which revealed 180,596 to 795,735 SNP markers from pairwise comparisons among the cultivars. A total of 207,887 markers were anchored on the lupin genetic linkage map. Marker mining obtained an average of 387 SNP markers and 87 InDel markers for each of the 24 genome sequence assembly scaffolds bearing markers linked to 11 genes of agronomic interest. Using the R gene PhtjR conferring resistance to phomopsis stem blight disease as a test case, we discovered 17 candidate diagnostic markers by genotyping and selecting markers on a genetic linkage map. A further 243 candidate diagnostic markers were discovered by marker mining on a scaffold bearing non-diagnostic markers linked to the PhtjR gene. Nine out from the ten tested candidate diagnostic markers were confirmed as truly diagnostic on a broad range of commercial cultivars. Markers developed using these strategies meet the requirements for broad application in molecular plant breeding. We demonstrated that low-cost genome sequencing and re-sequencing data were sufficient and very effective in the development of diagnostic markers for marker-assisted selection. The strategies used in this study may be applied to any trait or plant species. Whole genome sequencing and re-sequencing provides a powerful tool to overcome current limitations in molecular plant breeding, which will enable plant breeders to precisely pyramid favourable genes to develop super crop varieties to meet future food demands.

Aptamers: novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools for diabetes mellitus and metabolic diseases.

PubMed

Hu, Jingping; Ye, Mao; Zhou, Zhiguang

2017-03-01

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic diseases that threatens human health in worldwide populations. Despite enormous efforts invested in the study of diabetes mellitus, the development of precise diagnoses and treatments for this disease remains difficult due to the limitations of current techniques. Therefore, new methods are currently being developed. Aptamers are oligonucleotides that bind to specific target molecules and have been widely applied as diagnostic and therapeutic tools. In recent years, aptamers have been utilized in the study of diabetes mellitus and metabolic diseases. In this review, we highlight recent developments and new perspectives on aptamers in the field of diabetes mellitus and other metabolic diseases. Aptamers could potentially provide the means for efficient diagnoses and therapies against diabetes mellitus.

Using the arthroscopic surgery skill evaluation tool as a pass-fail examination.

PubMed

Koehler, Ryan J; Nicandri, Gregg T

2013-12-04

Examination of arthroscopic skill requires evaluation tools that are valid and reliable with clear criteria for passing. The Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool was developed as a video-based assessment of technical skill with criteria for passing established by a panel of experts. The purpose of this study was to test the validity and reliability of the Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool as a pass-fail examination of arthroscopic skill. Twenty-eight residents and two sports medicine faculty members were recorded performing diagnostic knee arthroscopy on a left and right cadaveric specimen in our arthroscopic skills laboratory. Procedure videos were evaluated with use of the Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool by two raters blind to subject identity. Subjects were considered to pass the Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool when they attained scores of ≥ 3 on all eight assessment domains. The raters agreed on a pass-fail rating for fifty-five of sixty videos rated with an interclass correlation coefficient value of 0.83. Ten of thirty participants were assigned passing scores by both raters for both diagnostic arthroscopies performed in the laboratory. Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that logging more than eighty arthroscopic cases or performing more than thirty-five arthroscopic knee cases was predictive of attaining a passing Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool score on both procedures performed in the laboratory. The Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool is valid and reliable as a pass-fail examination of diagnostic arthroscopy of the knee in the simulation laboratory. This study demonstrates that the Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool may be a useful tool for pass-fail examination of diagnostic arthroscopy of the knee in the simulation laboratory. Further study is necessary to determine whether the Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool can be used for the assessment of multiple arthroscopic procedures and whether it can be used to evaluate arthroscopic procedures performed in the operating room.

The IDEA Assessment Tool: Assessing the Reporting, Diagnostic Reasoning, and Decision-Making Skills Demonstrated in Medical Students' Hospital Admission Notes.

PubMed

Baker, Elizabeth A; Ledford, Cynthia H; Fogg, Louis; Way, David P; Park, Yoon Soo

2015-01-01

Construct: Clinical skills are used in the care of patients, including reporting, diagnostic reasoning, and decision-making skills. Written comprehensive new patient admission notes (H&Ps) are a ubiquitous part of student education but are underutilized in the assessment of clinical skills. The interpretive summary, differential diagnosis, explanation of reasoning, and alternatives (IDEA) assessment tool was developed to assess students' clinical skills using written comprehensive new patient admission notes. The validity evidence for assessment of clinical skills using clinical documentation following authentic patient encounters has not been well documented. Diagnostic justification tools and postencounter notes are described in the literature (1,2) but are based on standardized patient encounters. To our knowledge, the IDEA assessment tool is the first published tool that uses medical students' H&Ps to rate students' clinical skills. The IDEA assessment tool is a 15-item instrument that asks evaluators to rate students' reporting, diagnostic reasoning, and decision-making skills based on medical students' new patient admission notes. This study presents validity evidence in support of the IDEA assessment tool using Messick's unified framework, including content (theoretical framework), response process (interrater reliability), internal structure (factor analysis and internal-consistency reliability), and relationship to other variables. Validity evidence is based on results from four studies conducted between 2010 and 2013. First, the factor analysis (2010, n = 216) yielded a three-factor solution, measuring patient story, IDEA, and completeness, with reliabilities of .79, .88, and .79, respectively. Second, an initial interrater reliability study (2010) involving two raters demonstrated fair to moderate consensus (κ = .21-.56, ρ =.42-.79). Third, a second interrater reliability study (2011) with 22 trained raters also demonstrated fair to moderate agreement (intraclass correlations [ICCs] = .29-.67). There was moderate reliability for all three skill domains, including reporting skills (ICC = .53), diagnostic reasoning skills (ICC = .64), and decision-making skills (ICC = .63). Fourth, there was a significant correlation between IDEA rating scores (2010-2013) and final Internal Medicine clerkship grades (r = .24), 95% confidence interval (CI) [.15, .33]. The IDEA assessment tool is a novel tool with validity evidence to support its use in the assessment of students' reporting, diagnostic reasoning, and decision-making skills. The moderate reliability achieved supports formative or lower stakes summative uses rather than high-stakes summative judgments.

Discussion of the quality control and performance testing of ultrasound diagnostic equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Junjie

2018-03-01

In recent years, with the rapid development of ultrasonography, the application and popularization of new technology used in ultrasound equipment, the level of providing diagnostic information for doctors enhances unceasingly, which has become the indispensable diagnostic tool for medical institutions. The performance of equipment is directly related to the doctor’s diagnosis and the patient’s health, therefore, it is very important to choose a good method for quality control and performance testing.

Frontiers of beam diagnostics in plasma accelerators: Measuring the ultra-fast and ultra-cold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cianchi, A.; Anania, M. P.; Bisesto, F.; Chiadroni, E.; Curcio, A.; Ferrario, M.; Giribono, A.; Marocchino, A.; Pompili, R.; Scifo, J.; Shpakov, V.; Vaccarezza, C.; Villa, F.; Mostacci, A.; Bacci, A.; Rossi, A. R.; Serafini, L.; Zigler, A.

2018-05-01

Advanced diagnostics are essential tools in the development of plasma-based accelerators. The accurate measurement of the quality of beams at the exit of the plasma channel is crucial to optimize the parameters of the plasma accelerator. 6D electron beam diagnostics will be reviewed with emphasis on emittance measurement, which is particularly complex due to large energy spread and divergence of the emerging beams, and on femtosecond bunch length measurements.

Intraoral ultrasonography: development of a specific high-frequency probe and clinical pilot study.

PubMed

Salmon, Benjamin; Le Denmat, Dominique

2012-04-01

Although ultrasonography is a non-invasive, inexpensive and painless diagnostic tool for soft tissue imaging, this technique is not currently used for oral exploration. Therefore, we developed a 25-MHz high-frequency ultrasound probe, specially designed for intraoral applications. This paper aims to present clinical intraoral ultrasound images actually interpretable, in order to identify the relevant applications of this novel tool and to design future oral studies. Two independent radiologists performed ultrasound examinations on three healthy volunteers. All the teeth were explored on the lingual and buccal sides (162 samples) to evaluate the ergonomics of the system and the visualisation of anatomic structures. Osseointegrated dental implants and a mucocele were also scanned. At the gingivodental junction of the maxillary and mandibular teeth, the device clearly identifies the tooth surfaces, the alveolar bone reflection with its surrounding subepithelial connective tissue of the gingiva and the gingival epithelia. The bone level and the thickness of soft tissue around the implant are measurable on the buccal and lingual sides. Therefore, intraoral ultrasonography provides additional morphological information that is not accessible by conventional dental x-rays. We propose a novel diagnostic tool that explores the biological width and is able to define the thin or thick nature of the gums. Moreover, intraoral ultrasonography may help to monitor precancerous lesions. This promising device requires large-scale clinical studies to determine whether it should remain a research tool or be used as a diagnostic tool for daily dental practice.

Tapered Roller Bearing Damage Detection Using Decision Fusion Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Kreider, Gary; Fichter, Thomas

2006-01-01

A diagnostic tool was developed for detecting fatigue damage of tapered roller bearings. Tapered roller bearings are used in helicopter transmissions and have potential for use in high bypass advanced gas turbine aircraft engines. A diagnostic tool was developed and evaluated experimentally by collecting oil debris data from failure progression tests conducted using health monitoring hardware. Failure progression tests were performed with tapered roller bearings under simulated engine load conditions. Tests were performed on one healthy bearing and three pre-damaged bearings. During each test, data from an on-line, in-line, inductance type oil debris sensor and three accelerometers were monitored and recorded for the occurrence of bearing failure. The bearing was removed and inspected periodically for damage progression throughout testing. Using data fusion techniques, two different monitoring technologies, oil debris analysis and vibration, were integrated into a health monitoring system for detecting bearing surface fatigue pitting damage. The data fusion diagnostic tool was evaluated during bearing failure progression tests under simulated engine load conditions. This integrated system showed improved detection of fatigue damage and health assessment of the tapered roller bearings as compared to using individual health monitoring technologies.

Aircraft Engine Gas Path Diagnostic Methods: Public Benchmarking Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, Donald L.; Borguet, Sebastien; Leonard, Olivier; Zhang, Xiaodong (Frank)

2013-01-01

Recent technology reviews have identified the need for objective assessments of aircraft engine health management (EHM) technologies. To help address this issue, a gas path diagnostic benchmark problem has been created and made publicly available. This software tool, referred to as the Propulsion Diagnostic Method Evaluation Strategy (ProDiMES), has been constructed based on feedback provided by the aircraft EHM community. It provides a standard benchmark problem enabling users to develop, evaluate and compare diagnostic methods. This paper will present an overview of ProDiMES along with a description of four gas path diagnostic methods developed and applied to the problem. These methods, which include analytical and empirical diagnostic techniques, will be described and associated blind-test-case metric results will be presented and compared. Lessons learned along with recommendations for improving the public benchmarking processes will also be presented and discussed.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Enterobius vermicularis and development of an 18S ribosomal DNA-targeted diagnostic PCR.

PubMed

Zelck, Ulrike E; Bialek, Ralf; Weiss, Michael

2011-04-01

We genetically characterized pinworms obtained from 37 children from different regions of Germany and established new species-specific molecular diagnostic tools. No ribosomal DNA diversity was found; the phylogenetic position of Enterobius vermicularis within the Oxyurida order and its close relationship to the Ascaridida and Spirurida orders was confirmed.

Diagnostic guide for evaluating surface distortions in veneered furniture and cabinetry

Treesearch

Alfred W. Christiansen; Mark Knaebe

2004-01-01

Manufacturers and installers of wood-veneered furniture and cabinetry sometimes find that their products eventually develop surface distortions, characterized by either buckling or cracking of the surface finish. The veneer itself sometimes buckles or cracks. Most surface distortions are caused by moisture changes in the product. This guide is a diagnostic tool for...

Thomson Parabola Spectrometer: a powerful tool to get on-line plasma information

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

Altana, C.; Universita degli Studi di Catania - Dip.to di Fisica e Astronomia - Catania; Schillaci, F.

2015-07-01

In this contribution we report the results of an experimental measurement performed with a TPS developed at INFN-LNS within the ELIMED project, by means of a powerful and self-consistent technique as a diagnostic tool for the ionic acceleration study in laser-generated-plasmas. (authors)

Conceptual Assessment Tool for Advanced Undergraduate Electrodynamics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baily, Charles; Ryan, Qing X.; Astolfi, Cecilia; Pollock, Steven J.

2017-01-01

As part of ongoing investigations into student learning in advanced undergraduate courses, we have developed a conceptual assessment tool for upper-division electrodynamics (E&M II): the Colorado UppeR-division ElectrodyNamics Test (CURrENT). This is a free response, postinstruction diagnostic with 6 multipart questions, an optional 3-question…

Continued Development of Expert System Tools for NPSS Engine Diagnostics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewandowski, Henry

1996-01-01

The objectives of this grant were to work with previously developed NPSS (Numerical Propulsion System Simulation) tools and enhance their functionality; explore similar AI systems; and work with the High Performance Computing Communication (HPCC) K-12 program. Activities for this reporting period are briefly summarized and a paper addressing the implementation, monitoring and zooming in a distributed jet engine simulation is included as an attachment.

INCLEN diagnostic tool for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (INDT-ADHD): development and validation.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Sharmila; Aneja, Satinder; Russell, Paul S S; Gulati, Sheffali; Deshmukh, Vaishali; Sagar, Rajesh; Silberberg, Donald; Bhutani, Vinod K; Pinto, Jennifer M; Durkin, Maureen; Pandey, Ravindra M; Nair, M K C; Arora, Narendra K

2014-06-01

To develop and validate INCLEN Diagnostic Tool for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (INDT-ADHD). Diagnostic test evaluation by cross sectional design. Tertiary care pediatric centers. 156 children aged 65-117 months. After randomization, INDT-ADHD and Connors 3 Parent Rating Scale (C3PS) were administered, followed by an expert evaluation by DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria. Psychometric evaluation of diagnostic accuracy, validity (construct, criterion and convergent) and internal consistency. INDT-ADHD had 18 items that quantified symptoms and impairment. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was identified in 57, 87 and 116 children by expert evaluation, INDT-ADHD and C3PS, respectively. Psychometric parameters of INDT-ADHD for differentiating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and normal children were: sensitivity 87.7%, specificity 97.2%, positive predictive value 98.0% and negative predictive value 83.3%, whereas for differentiating from other neuro-developmental disorders were 87.7%, 42.9%, 58.1% and 79.4%, respectively. Internal consistency was 0.91. INDT-ADHD has a 4-factor structure explaining 60.4% of the variance. Convergent validity with Conner's Parents Rating Scale was moderate (r =0.73, P= 0.001). INDT-ADHD is suitable for diagnosing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Indian children between the ages of 6 to 9 years.

Diagnostics of wear in aeronautical systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wedeven, L. D.

1979-01-01

The use of appropriate diagnostic tools for aircraft oil wetted components is reviewed, noting that it can reduce direct operating costs through reduced unscheduled maintenance, particularly in helicopter engine and transmission systems where bearing failures are a significant cost factor. Engine and transmission wear modes are described, and diagnostic methods for oil and wet particle analysis, the spectrometric oil analysis program, chip detectors, ferrography, in-line oil monitor and radioactive isotope tagging are discussed, noting that they are effective over a limited range of particle sizes but compliment each other if used in parallel. Fine filtration can potentially increase time between overhauls, but reduces the effectiveness of conventional oil monitoring techniques so that alternative diagnostic techniques must be used. It is concluded that the development of a diagnostic system should be parallel and integral with the development of a mechanical system.

Developing an automated database for monitoring ultrasound- and computed tomography-guided procedure complications and diagnostic yield.

PubMed

Itri, Jason N; Jones, Lisa P; Kim, Woojin; Boonn, William W; Kolansky, Ana S; Hilton, Susan; Zafar, Hanna M

2014-04-01

Monitoring complications and diagnostic yield for image-guided procedures is an important component of maintaining high quality patient care promoted by professional societies in radiology and accreditation organizations such as the American College of Radiology (ACR) and Joint Commission. These outcome metrics can be used as part of a comprehensive quality assurance/quality improvement program to reduce variation in clinical practice, provide opportunities to engage in practice quality improvement, and contribute to developing national benchmarks and standards. The purpose of this article is to describe the development and successful implementation of an automated web-based software application to monitor procedural outcomes for US- and CT-guided procedures in an academic radiology department. The open source tools PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) and MySQL were used to extract relevant procedural information from the Radiology Information System (RIS), auto-populate the procedure log database, and develop a user interface that generates real-time reports of complication rates and diagnostic yield by site and by operator. Utilizing structured radiology report templates resulted in significantly improved accuracy of information auto-populated from radiology reports, as well as greater compliance with manual data entry. An automated web-based procedure log database is an effective tool to reliably track complication rates and diagnostic yield for US- and CT-guided procedures performed in a radiology department.

Investigation of Tapered Roller Bearing Damage Detection Using Oil Debris Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Krieder, Gary; Fichter, Thomas

2006-01-01

A diagnostic tool was developed for detecting fatigue damage to tapered roller bearings. Tapered roller bearings are used in helicopter transmissions and have potential for use in high bypass advanced gas turbine aircraft engines. This diagnostic tool was developed and evaluated experimentally by collecting oil debris data from failure progression tests performed by The Timken Company in their Tapered Roller Bearing Health Monitoring Test Rig. Failure progression tests were performed under simulated engine load conditions. Tests were performed on one healthy bearing and three predamaged bearings. During each test, data from an on-line, in-line, inductance type oil debris sensor was monitored and recorded for the occurrence of debris generated during failure of the bearing. The bearing was removed periodically for inspection throughout the failure progression tests. Results indicate the accumulated oil debris mass is a good predictor of damage on tapered roller bearings. The use of a fuzzy logic model to enable an easily interpreted diagnostic metric was proposed and demonstrated.

Physical processes and diagnostics of gamma-ray burst emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harding, Alice K.

1992-01-01

With improved data from BATSE and other instruments, it is important to develop a range of diagnostic tools to link gamma-ray burst observations with theory. I will review some of the physical processes which may take place to form the spectrum of gamma-ray burst sources, assuming that the bursts originate on strongly magnetized neutron stars. The important diagnostics that these processes provide to probe the emission region and how they might be used to interpret observed spectra will also be discussed.

Nanotechnology-Based Surface Plasmon Resonance Affinity Biosensors for In Vitro Diagnostics

PubMed Central

Antiochia, Riccarda; Bollella, Paolo; Favero, Gabriele

2016-01-01

In the last decades, in vitro diagnostic devices (IVDDs) became a very important tool in medicine for an early and correct diagnosis, a proper screening of targeted population, and also assessing the efficiency of a specific therapy. In this review, the most recent developments regarding different configurations of surface plasmon resonance affinity biosensors modified by using several nanostructured materials for in vitro diagnostics are critically discussed. Both assembly and performances of the IVDDs tested in biological samples are reported and compared. PMID:27594884

Paper-based sample-to-answer molecular diagnostic platform for point-of-care diagnostics.

PubMed

Choi, Jane Ru; Tang, Ruihua; Wang, ShuQi; Wan Abas, Wan Abu Bakar; Pingguan-Murphy, Belinda; Xu, Feng

2015-12-15

Nucleic acid testing (NAT), as a molecular diagnostic technique, including nucleic acid extraction, amplification and detection, plays a fundamental role in medical diagnosis for timely medical treatment. However, current NAT technologies require relatively high-end instrumentation, skilled personnel, and are time-consuming. These drawbacks mean conventional NAT becomes impractical in many resource-limited disease-endemic settings, leading to an urgent need to develop a fast and portable NAT diagnostic tool. Paper-based devices are typically robust, cost-effective and user-friendly, holding a great potential for NAT at the point of care. In view of the escalating demand for the low cost diagnostic devices, we highlight the beneficial use of paper as a platform for NAT, the current state of its development, and the existing challenges preventing its widespread use. We suggest a strategy involving integrating all three steps of NAT into one single paper-based sample-to-answer diagnostic device for rapid medical diagnostics in the near future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of diagnostic tools that tertiary teachers can apply to profile their students' conceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, Madeleine; Lawrie, Gwendolyn A.; Bailey, Chantal H.; Bedford, Simon B.; Dargaville, Tim R.; O'Brien, Glennys; Tasker, Roy; Thompson, Christopher D.; Williams, Mark; Wright, Anthony H.

2017-03-01

A multi-institution collaborative team of Australian chemistry education researchers, teaching a total of over 3000 first year chemistry students annually, has explored a tool for diagnosing students' prior conceptions as they enter tertiary chemistry courses. Five core topics were selected and clusters of diagnostic items were assembled linking related concepts in each topic together. An ordered multiple choice assessment strategy was adopted to enable provision of formative feedback to students through combination of the specific distractors that they chose. Concept items were either sourced from existing research instruments or developed by the project team. The outcome is a diagnostic tool consisting of five topic clusters of five concept items that has been delivered in large introductory chemistry classes at five Australian institutions. Statistical analysis of data has enabled exploration of the composition and validity of the instrument including a comparison between delivery of the complete 25 item instrument with subsets of five items, clustered by topic. This analysis revealed that most items retained their validity when delivered in small clusters. Tensions between the assembly, validation and delivery of diagnostic instruments for the purposes of acquiring robust psychometric research data versus their pragmatic use are considered in this study.

The rapid evolution of molecular genetic diagnostics in neuromuscular diseases.

PubMed

Volk, Alexander E; Kubisch, Christian

2017-10-01

The development of massively parallel sequencing (MPS) has revolutionized molecular genetic diagnostics in monogenic disorders. The present review gives a brief overview of different MPS-based approaches used in clinical diagnostics of neuromuscular disorders (NMDs) and highlights their advantages and limitations. MPS-based approaches like gene panel sequencing, (whole) exome sequencing, (whole) genome sequencing, and RNA sequencing have been used to identify the genetic cause in NMDs. Although gene panel sequencing has evolved as a standard test for heterogeneous diseases, it is still debated, mainly because of financial issues and unsolved problems of variant interpretation, whether genome sequencing (and to a lesser extent also exome sequencing) of single patients can already be regarded as routine diagnostics. However, it has been shown that the inclusion of parents and additional family members often leads to a substantial increase in the diagnostic yield in exome-wide/genome-wide MPS approaches. In addition, MPS-based RNA sequencing just enters the research and diagnostic scene. Next-generation sequencing increasingly enables the detection of the genetic cause in highly heterogeneous diseases like NMDs in an efficient and affordable way. Gene panel sequencing and family-based exome sequencing have been proven as potent and cost-efficient diagnostic tools. Although clinical validation and interpretation of genome sequencing is still challenging, diagnostic RNA sequencing represents a promising tool to bypass some hurdles of diagnostics using genomic DNA.

Target prioritization and strategy selection for active case-finding of pulmonary tuberculosis: a tool to support country-level project planning.

PubMed

Nishikiori, Nobuyuki; Van Weezenbeek, Catharina

2013-02-02

Despite the progress made in the past decade, tuberculosis (TB) control still faces significant challenges. In many countries with declining TB incidence, the disease tends to concentrate in vulnerable populations that often have limited access to health care. In light of the limitations of the current case-finding approach and the global urgency to improve case detection, active case-finding (ACF) has been suggested as an important complementary strategy to accelerate tuberculosis control especially among high-risk populations. The present exercise aims to develop a model that can be used for county-level project planning. A simple deterministic model was developed to calculate the number of estimated TB cases diagnosed and the associated costs of diagnosis. The model was designed to compare cost-effectiveness parameters, such as the cost per case detected, for different diagnostic algorithms when they are applied to different risk populations. The model was transformed into a web-based tool that can support national TB programmes and civil society partners in designing ACF activities. According to the model output, tuberculosis active case-finding can be a costly endeavor, depending on the target population and the diagnostic strategy. The analysis suggests the following: (1) Active case-finding activities are cost-effective only if the tuberculosis prevalence among the target population is high. (2) Extensive diagnostic methods (e.g. X-ray screening for the entire group, use of sputum culture or molecular diagnostics) can be applied only to very high-risk groups such as TB contacts, prisoners or people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. (3) Basic diagnostic approaches such as TB symptom screening are always applicable although the diagnostic yield is very limited. The cost-effectiveness parameter was sensitive to local diagnostic costs and the tuberculosis prevalence of target populations. The prioritization of appropriate target populations and careful selection of cost-effective diagnostic strategies are critical prerequisites for rational active case-finding activities. A decision to conduct such activities should be based on the setting-specific cost-effectiveness analysis and programmatic assessment. A web-based tool was developed and is available to support national tuberculosis programmes and partners in the formulation of cost-effective active case-finding activities at the national and subnational levels.

Using Facet Clusters to Guide Teacher Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seeley, Lane; DeWater, L. S.; Vokos, S.; Kraus, P.

2006-12-01

The Department of Physics and the School of Education at Seattle Pacific University, together with FACET Innovations, LLC, are beginning the second year of a five-year NSF TPC project, Improving the Effectiveness of Teacher Diagnostic Skills and Tools. We are working in partnership with school districts in Washington State to help teachers make their classrooms into better diagnostic learning environments. In this talk, we describe initial efforts to construct content-rich professional development courses for teachers, which are infused with diagnostic assessment that target the fine structure of student ideas in specific topical areas. * Supported in part by NSF grant #ESI-0455796, The Boeing Corporation, and the SPU Science Initiative.

Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of Enterobius vermicularis and Development of an 18S Ribosomal DNA-Targeted Diagnostic PCR▿

PubMed Central

Zelck, Ulrike E.; Bialek, Ralf; Weiß, Michael

2011-01-01

We genetically characterized pinworms obtained from 37 children from different regions of Germany and established new species-specific molecular diagnostic tools. No ribosomal DNA diversity was found; the phylogenetic position of Enterobius vermicularis within the Oxyurida order and its close relationship to the Ascaridida and Spirurida orders was confirmed. PMID:21248085

Effects of Pattern Matching, Pattern Discrimination, and Experience in the Development of Diagnostic Expertise.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papa, Frank; And Others

1990-01-01

In this study an artificial intelligence assessment tool used disease-by-feature frequency estimates to create disease prototypes for nine common causes of acute chest pain. The tool then used each subject's prototypes and a pattern-recognition-based decision-making mechanism to diagnose 18 myocardial infarction cases. (MLW)

Systematic Clinical Reasoning in Physical Therapy (SCRIPT): Tool for the Purposeful Practice of Clinical Reasoning in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy.

PubMed

Baker, Sarah E; Painter, Elizabeth E; Morgan, Brandon C; Kaus, Anna L; Petersen, Evan J; Allen, Christopher S; Deyle, Gail D; Jensen, Gail M

2017-01-01

Clinical reasoning is essential to physical therapist practice. Solid clinical reasoning processes may lead to greater understanding of the patient condition, early diagnostic hypothesis development, and well-tolerated examination and intervention strategies, as well as mitigate the risk of diagnostic error. However, the complex and often subconscious nature of clinical reasoning can impede the development of this skill. Protracted tools have been published to help guide self-reflection on clinical reasoning but might not be feasible in typical clinical settings. This case illustrates how the Systematic Clinical Reasoning in Physical Therapy (SCRIPT) tool can be used to guide the clinical reasoning process and prompt a physical therapist to search the literature to answer a clinical question and facilitate formal mentorship sessions in postprofessional physical therapist training programs. The SCRIPT tool enabled the mentee to generate appropriate hypotheses, plan the examination, query the literature to answer a clinical question, establish a physical therapist diagnosis, and design an effective treatment plan. The SCRIPT tool also facilitated the mentee's clinical reasoning and provided the mentor insight into the mentee's clinical reasoning. The reliability and validity of the SCRIPT tool have not been formally studied. Clinical mentorship is a cornerstone of postprofessional training programs and intended to develop advanced clinical reasoning skills. However, clinical reasoning is often subconscious and, therefore, a challenging skill to develop. The use of a tool such as the SCRIPT may facilitate developing clinical reasoning skills by providing a systematic approach to data gathering and making clinical judgments to bring clinical reasoning to the conscious level, facilitate self-reflection, and make a mentored physical therapist's thought processes explicit to his or her clinical mentor. © 2017 American Physical Therapy Association

Analytical Utility of Mass Spectral Binning in Proteomic Experiments by SPectral Immonium Ion Detection (SPIID)*

PubMed Central

Kelstrup, Christian D.; Frese, Christian; Heck, Albert J. R.; Olsen, Jesper V.; Nielsen, Michael L.

2014-01-01

Unambiguous identification of tandem mass spectra is a cornerstone in mass-spectrometry-based proteomics. As the study of post-translational modifications (PTMs) by means of shotgun proteomics progresses in depth and coverage, the ability to correctly identify PTM-bearing peptides is essential, increasing the demand for advanced data interpretation. Several PTMs are known to generate unique fragment ions during tandem mass spectrometry, the so-called diagnostic ions, which unequivocally identify a given mass spectrum as related to a specific PTM. Although such ions offer tremendous analytical advantages, algorithms to decipher MS/MS spectra for the presence of diagnostic ions in an unbiased manner are currently lacking. Here, we present a systematic spectral-pattern-based approach for the discovery of diagnostic ions and new fragmentation mechanisms in shotgun proteomics datasets. The developed software tool is designed to analyze large sets of high-resolution peptide fragmentation spectra independent of the fragmentation method, instrument type, or protease employed. To benchmark the software tool, we analyzed large higher-energy collisional activation dissociation datasets of samples containing phosphorylation, ubiquitylation, SUMOylation, formylation, and lysine acetylation. Using the developed software tool, we were able to identify known diagnostic ions by comparing histograms of modified and unmodified peptide spectra. Because the investigated tandem mass spectra data were acquired with high mass accuracy, unambiguous interpretation and determination of the chemical composition for the majority of detected fragment ions was feasible. Collectively we present a freely available software tool that allows for comprehensive and automatic analysis of analogous product ions in tandem mass spectra and systematic mapping of fragmentation mechanisms related to common amino acids. PMID:24895383

Performance Assessment as a Diagnostic Tool for Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruit, Patricia; Oostdam, Ron; van den Berg, Ed; Schuitema, Jaap

2018-04-01

Information on students' development of science skills is essential for teachers to evaluate and improve their own education, as well as to provide adequate support and feedback to the learning process of individual students. The present study explores and discusses the use of performance assessments as a diagnostic tool for formative assessment to inform teachers and guide instruction of science skills in primary education. Three performance assessments were administered to more than 400 students in grades 5 and 6 of primary education. Students performed small experiments using real materials while following the different steps of the empirical cycle. The mutual relationship between the three performance assessments is examined to provide evidence for the value of performance assessments as useful tools for formative evaluation. Differences in response patterns are discussed, and the diagnostic value of performance assessments is illustrated with examples of individual student performances. Findings show that the performance assessments were difficult for grades 5 and 6 students but that much individual variation exists regarding the different steps of the empirical cycle. Evaluation of scores as well as a more substantive analysis of students' responses provided insight into typical errors that students make. It is concluded that performance assessments can be used as a diagnostic tool for monitoring students' skill performance as well as to support teachers in evaluating and improving their science lessons.

A grid matrix-based Raman spectroscopic method to characterize different cell milieu in biopsied axillary sentinel lymph nodes of breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Som, Dipasree; Tak, Megha; Setia, Mohit; Patil, Asawari; Sengupta, Amit; Chilakapati, C Murali Krishna; Srivastava, Anurag; Parmar, Vani; Nair, Nita; Sarin, Rajiv; Badwe, R

2016-01-01

Raman spectroscopy which is based upon inelastic scattering of photons has a potential to emerge as a noninvasive bedside in vivo or ex vivo molecular diagnostic tool. There is a need to improve the sensitivity and predictability of Raman spectroscopy. We developed a grid matrix-based tissue mapping protocol to acquire cellular-specific spectra that also involved digital microscopy for localizing malignant and lymphocytic cells in sentinel lymph node biopsy sample. Biosignals acquired from specific cellular milieu were subjected to an advanced supervised analytical method, i.e., cross-correlation and peak-to-peak ratio in addition to PCA and PC-LDA. We observed decreased spectral intensity as well as shift in the spectral peaks of amides and lipid bands in the completely metastatic (cancer cells) lymph nodes with high cellular density. Spectral library of normal lymphocytes and metastatic cancer cells created using the cellular specific mapping technique can be utilized to create an automated smart diagnostic tool for bench side screening of sampled lymph nodes. Spectral library of normal lymphocytes and metastatic cancer cells created using the cellular specific mapping technique can be utilized to develop an automated smart diagnostic tool for bench side screening of sampled lymph nodes supported by ongoing global research in developing better technology and signal and big data processing algorithms.

bcROCsurface: an R package for correcting verification bias in estimation of the ROC surface and its volume for continuous diagnostic tests.

PubMed

To Duc, Khanh

2017-11-18

Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) surface analysis is usually employed to assess the accuracy of a medical diagnostic test when there are three ordered disease status (e.g. non-diseased, intermediate, diseased). In practice, verification bias can occur due to missingness of the true disease status and can lead to a distorted conclusion on diagnostic accuracy. In such situations, bias-corrected inference tools are required. This paper introduce an R package, named bcROCsurface, which provides utility functions for verification bias-corrected ROC surface analysis. The shiny web application of the correction for verification bias in estimation of the ROC surface analysis is also developed. bcROCsurface may become an important tool for the statistical evaluation of three-class diagnostic markers in presence of verification bias. The R package, readme and example data are available on CRAN. The web interface enables users less familiar with R to evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic tests, and can be found at http://khanhtoduc.shinyapps.io/bcROCsurface_shiny/ .

Case-Deletion Diagnostics for Maximum Likelihood Multipoint Quantitative Trait Locus Linkage Analysis

PubMed Central

Mendoza, Maria C.B.; Burns, Trudy L.; Jones, Michael P.

2009-01-01

Objectives Case-deletion diagnostic methods are tools that allow identification of influential observations that may affect parameter estimates and model fitting conclusions. The goal of this paper was to develop two case-deletion diagnostics, the exact case deletion (ECD) and the empirical influence function (EIF), for detecting outliers that can affect results of sib-pair maximum likelihood quantitative trait locus (QTL) linkage analysis. Methods Subroutines to compute the ECD and EIF were incorporated into the maximum likelihood QTL variance estimation components of the linkage analysis program MAPMAKER/SIBS. Performance of the diagnostics was compared in simulation studies that evaluated the proportion of outliers correctly identified (sensitivity), and the proportion of non-outliers correctly identified (specificity). Results Simulations involving nuclear family data sets with one outlier showed EIF sensitivities approximated ECD sensitivities well for outlier-affected parameters. Sensitivities were high, indicating the outlier was identified a high proportion of the time. Simulations also showed the enormous computational time advantage of the EIF. Diagnostics applied to body mass index in nuclear families detected observations influential on the lod score and model parameter estimates. Conclusions The EIF is a practical diagnostic tool that has the advantages of high sensitivity and quick computation. PMID:19172086

Script-theory virtual case: A novel tool for education and research.

PubMed

Hayward, Jake; Cheung, Amandy; Velji, Alkarim; Altarejos, Jenny; Gill, Peter; Scarfe, Andrew; Lewis, Melanie

2016-11-01

Context/Setting: The script theory of diagnostic reasoning proposes that clinicians evaluate cases in the context of an "illness script," iteratively testing internal hypotheses against new information eventually reaching a diagnosis. We present a novel tool for teaching diagnostic reasoning to undergraduate medical students based on an adaptation of script theory. We developed a virtual patient case that used clinically authentic audio and video, interactive three-dimensional (3D) body images, and a simulated electronic medical record. Next, we used interactive slide bars to record respondents' likelihood estimates of diagnostic possibilities at various stages of the case. Responses were dynamically compared to data from expert clinicians and peers. Comparative frequency distributions were presented to the learner and final diagnostic likelihood estimates were analyzed. Detailed student feedback was collected. Over two academic years, 322 students participated. Student diagnostic likelihood estimates were similar year to year, but were consistently different from expert clinician estimates. Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive: students found the case was novel, innovative, clinically authentic, and a valuable learning experience. We demonstrate the successful implementation of a novel approach to teaching diagnostic reasoning. Future study may delineate reasoning processes associated with differences between novice and expert responses.

Gear Damage Detection Integrating Oil Debris and Vibration Measurement Technologies Developed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gyekeyeski, Andrew L.; Sawicki, Jerzy T.

2001-01-01

The development of highly reliable health-monitoring systems is one technology area recommended for reducing the number of helicopter accidents. Helicopter transmission diagnostics are an important part of a helicopter health-monitoring system because helicopters depend on the power train for propulsion, lift, and flight maneuvering. One technique currently being tested for increasing the reliability and decreasing the false alarm rate of current transmission diagnostic tools is the replacement of simple single-sensor limits with multisensor systems integrating different measurement technologies.

Design and development of a simple UV fluorescence multi-spectral imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tovar, Carlos; Coker, Zachary; Yakovlev, Vladislav V.

2018-02-01

Healthcare access in low-resource settings is compromised by the availability of affordable and accurate diagnostic equipment. The four primary poverty-related diseases - AIDS, pneumonia, malaria, and tuberculosis - account for approximately 400 million annual deaths worldwide as of 2016 estimates. Current diagnostic procedures for these diseases are prolonged and can become unreliable under various conditions. We present the development of a simple low-cost UV fluorescence multi-spectral imaging system geared towards low resource settings for a variety of biological and in-vitro applications. Fluorescence microscopy serves as a useful diagnostic indicator and imaging tool. The addition of a multi-spectral imaging modality allows for the detection of fluorophores within specific wavelength bands, as well as the distinction between fluorophores possessing overlapping spectra. The developed instrument has the potential for a very diverse range of diagnostic applications in basic biomedical science and biomedical diagnostics and imaging. Performance assessment of the microscope will be validated with a variety of samples ranging from organic compounds to biological samples.

INCLEN Diagnostic Tool for Autism Spectrum Disorder (INDT-ASD): development and validation.

PubMed

Juneja, Monica; Mishra, Devendra; Russell, Paul S S; Gulati, Sheffali; Deshmukh, Vaishali; Tudu, Poma; Sagar, Rajesh; Silberberg, Donald; Bhutani, Vinod K; Pinto, Jennifer M; Durkin, Maureen; Pandey, Ravindra M; Nair, M K C; Arora, Narendra K

2014-05-01

To develop and validate INCLEN Diagnostic Tool for Autism Spectrum Disorder (INDT-ASD). Diagnostic test evaluation by cross sectional design. Four tertiary pediatric neurology centers in Delhi and Thiruvanthapuram, India. Children aged 2-9 years were enrolled in the study. INDT-ASD and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) were administered in a randomly decided sequence by trained psychologist, followed by an expert evaluation by DSM-IV TR diagnostic criteria (gold standard). Psychometric parameters of diagnostic accuracy, validity (construct, criterion and convergent) and internal consistency. 154 children (110 boys, mean age 64.2 mo) were enrolled. The overall diagnostic accuracy (AUC=0.97, 95% CI 0.93, 0.99; P<0.001) and validity (sensitivity 98%, specificity 95%, positive predictive value 91%, negative predictive value 99%) of INDT-ASD for Autism spectrum disorder were high, taking expert diagnosis using DSM-IV-TR as gold standard. The concordance rate between the INDT-ASD and expert diagnosis for 'ASD group' was 82.52% [Cohen's k=0.89; 95% CI (0.82, 0.97); P=0.001]. The internal consistency of INDT-ASD was 0.96. The convergent validity with CARS (r = 0.73, P= 0.001) and divergent validity with Binet-Kamat Test of intelligence (r = -0.37; P=0.004) were significantly high. INDT-ASD has a 4-factor structure explaining 85.3% of the variance. INDT-ASD has high diagnostic accuracy, adequate content validity, good internal consistency high criterion validity and high to moderate convergent validity and 4-factor construct validity for diagnosis of Autistm spectrum disorder.

Diagnosis and therapy with CRISPR advanced CRISPR based tools for point of care diagnostics and early therapies.

PubMed

Uppada, Vanita; Gokara, Mahesh; Rasineni, Girish Kumar

2018-05-20

Molecular diagnostics is of critical importance to public health worldwide. It facilitates not only detection and characterization of diseases, but also monitors drug responses, assists in the identification of genetic modifiers and disease susceptibility. Based upon DNA variation, a wide range of molecular-based tests are available to assess/diagnose diseases. The CRISPR-Cas9 system has recently emerged as a versatile tool for biological and medical research. In this system, a single guide RNA (sgRNA) directs the endonuclease Cas9 to a targeted DNA sequence for site-specific manipulation. As designing CRISPR-guided nucleases can be done easily and relatively fast, the CRISPR/Cas9 system has evolved as widely used DNA editing tool. This technique led to a large number of gene editing studies in variety of organisms. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated diagnosis and therapy has picked up pace due to specificity and accuracy of CRISPR. The aim is not only to identify specific pathogens, especially virus but also to repair disease-causing alleles by changing the DNA sequence at the exact location on the chromosome. At present, PCR-based molecular diagnostic testing predominates; however, alternative technologies aimed at reducing genome complexity without PCR are anticipated to gain momentum in the coming years. Furthermore, development of integrated chip devices should allow point-of-care testing and facilitate genetic readouts from single cells and molecules. Together with molecular based therapy CRISPR based diagnostic testing will be a revolution in modern health care settings. In this review, we emphasize on current developing diagnostic techniques based upon CRISPR Cas approach along with short insights on its therapeutic usage. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Risk on bias assessment: (6) A Revised Tool for the Quality Assessment on Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2)].

PubMed

Qu, Y J; Yang, Z R; Sun, F; Zhan, S Y

2018-04-10

This paper introduced the Revised Tool for the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2), including the development and comparison with the original QUADAS, and illustrated the application of QUADAS-2 in a published paper related to the study on diagnostic accuracy which was included in systematic review and Meta-analysis. QUADAS-2 presented considerable improvement over the original tool. Confused items that included in QUADAS had disappeared and the quality assessment of the original study replaced by the rating of risk on bias and applicability. This was implemented through the description on the four main domains with minimal overlapping and answering the signal questions in each domain. The risk of bias and applicability with 'high','low' or 'unclear' was in line with the risk of bias assessment of intervention studies in Cochrane, so to replace the total score of quality assessment in QUADAS. Meanwhile, QUADAS-2 was also applicable to assess the diagnostic accuracy studies in which follow-up without prognosis was involved in golden standard. It was useful to assess the overall methodological quality of the study despite more time consuming than the original QUADAS. However, QUADAS-2 needs to be modified to apply in comparative studies on diagnostic accuracy and we hope the users would follow the updates and give their feedbacks on line.

An architecture for the development of real-time fault diagnosis systems using model-based reasoning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Gardiner A.; Schuetzle, James; Lavallee, David; Gupta, Uday

1992-01-01

Presented here is an architecture for implementing real-time telemetry based diagnostic systems using model-based reasoning. First, we describe Paragon, a knowledge acquisition tool for offline entry and validation of physical system models. Paragon provides domain experts with a structured editing capability to capture the physical component's structure, behavior, and causal relationships. We next describe the architecture of the run time diagnostic system. The diagnostic system, written entirely in Ada, uses the behavioral model developed offline by Paragon to simulate expected component states as reflected in the telemetry stream. The diagnostic algorithm traces causal relationships contained within the model to isolate system faults. Since the diagnostic process relies exclusively on the behavioral model and is implemented without the use of heuristic rules, it can be used to isolate unpredicted faults in a wide variety of systems. Finally, we discuss the implementation of a prototype system constructed using this technique for diagnosing faults in a science instrument. The prototype demonstrates the use of model-based reasoning to develop maintainable systems with greater diagnostic capabilities at a lower cost.

An Update on Clinical Burden, Diagnostic Tools, and Therapeutic Options of Staphylococcus aureus

PubMed Central

Reddy, Prakash Narayana; Srirama, Krupanidhi; Dirisala, Vijaya R

2017-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen responsible for a variety of diseases ranging from mild skin and soft tissue infections, food poisoning to highly serious diseases such as osteomyelitis, endocarditis, and toxic shock syndrome. Proper diagnosis of pathogen and virulence factors is important for providing timely intervention in the therapy. Owing to the invasive nature of infections and the limited treatment options due to rampant spread of antibiotic-resistant strains, the trend for development of vaccines and antibody therapy is increasing at rapid rate than development of new antibiotics. In this article, we have discussed elaborately about the host-pathogen interactions, clinical burden due to S aureus infections, status of diagnostic tools, and treatment options in terms of prophylaxis and therapy. PMID:28579798

Use of EEG to Diagnose ADHD

PubMed Central

Lenartowicz, Agatha; Loo, Sandra K.

2015-01-01

Electroencephalography (EEG) has, historically, played a focal role in the assessment of neural function in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We review here the most recent developments in the utility of EEG in the diagnosis of ADHD, with emphasis on the most commonly used and emerging EEG metrics and their reliability in diagnostic classification. Considering the clinical heterogeneity of ADHD and the complexity of information available from the EEG signals, we suggest that considerable benefits are to be gained from multivariate analyses and a focus towards understanding of the neural generators of EEG. We conclude that while EEG cannot currently be used as a diagnostic tool, vast developments in analytical and technological tools in its domain anticipate future progress in its utility in the clinical setting. PMID:25234074

Plasma diagnostic development and UHV testing for the ALPHA collaboration at Marquette University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tharp, T. D.; Alpha Collaboration

2017-10-01

At Marquette, we are developing the next generation of nonneutral plasma diagnostics for the ALPHA experiment at CERN. ALPHA is building a new vertical experiment to test the gravitational interaction of antihydrogen with Earth. This expansion requires significant changes to the design of our plasma diagnostic suites: the next generation of tools must be able to measure plasmas from two directions, and must be capable of operating in a horizontal position. The diagnostic suite includes measurements of plasma density, shape, and temperature. The hardware used includes a MicroChannel Plate (MCP), a Faraday Cup, and an electron gun. In addition, we are building a vacuum chamber to test the viability of 3-d printed components for UHV compatibility, with target pressures of 10-10 mbar.

Current challenges in diagnostic imaging of venous thromboembolism.

PubMed

Huisman, Menno V; Klok, Frederikus A

2015-01-01

Because the clinical diagnosis of deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism is nonspecific, integrated diagnostic approaches for patients with suspected venous thromboembolism have been developed over the years, involving both non-invasive bedside tools (clinical decision rules and D-dimer blood tests) for patients with low pretest probability and diagnostic techniques (compression ultrasound for deep-vein thrombosis and computed tomography pulmonary angiography for pulmonary embolism) for those with a high pretest probability. This combination has led to standardized diagnostic algorithms with proven safety for excluding venous thrombotic disease. At the same time, it has become apparent that, as a result of the natural history of venous thrombosis, there are special patient populations in which the current standard diagnostic algorithms are not sufficient. In this review, we present 3 evidence-based patient cases to underline recent developments in the imaging diagnosis of venous thromboembolism. © 2015 by The American Society of Hematology. All rights reserved.

Quality Assessment of Comparative Diagnostic Accuracy Studies: Our Experience Using a Modified Version of the QUADAS-2 Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wade, Ros; Corbett, Mark; Eastwood, Alison

2013-01-01

Assessing the quality of included studies is a vital step in undertaking a systematic review. The recently revised Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) tool (QUADAS-2), which is the only validated quality assessment tool for diagnostic accuracy studies, does not include specific criteria for assessing comparative studies. As…

Ontology-based tools to expedite predictive model construction.

PubMed

Haug, Peter; Holmen, John; Wu, Xinzi; Mynam, Kumar; Ebert, Matthew; Ferraro, Jeffrey

2014-01-01

Large amounts of medical data are collected electronically during the course of caring for patients using modern medical information systems. This data presents an opportunity to develop clinically useful tools through data mining and observational research studies. However, the work necessary to make sense of this data and to integrate it into a research initiative can require substantial effort from medical experts as well as from experts in medical terminology, data extraction, and data analysis. This slows the process of medical research. To reduce the effort required for the construction of computable, diagnostic predictive models, we have developed a system that hybridizes a medical ontology with a large clinical data warehouse. Here we describe components of this system designed to automate the development of preliminary diagnostic models and to provide visual clues that can assist the researcher in planning for further analysis of the data behind these models.

Current molecular and emerging nanobiotechnology approaches for the detection of microbial pathogens.

PubMed

Theron, Jacques; Eugene Cloete, Thomas; de Kwaadsteniet, Michele

2010-11-01

Waterborne microbial diseases are escalating worldwide increasing the need for powerful and sensitive diagnostics tools. Molecular methodologies, including immunological and nucleic acid-based methods, have only recently been applied in the water sector. Advances in nanotechnology and nanomaterials have opened the door for the development of new diagnostic tools with increased sensitivity and speed, and reduced cost and labor. Quantum dots, flo dots, gold nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, nanowires, and nanocantilevers, with their unique optical and physical properties, have already been applied in nanodiagnostics. Nanobiotechnology, once remaining technical and practical problems has been addressed, will play an important role in the detection of microbial pathogens.

Portable Diagnostics Technology Assessment for Space Missions. Part 1; General Technology Capabilities for NASA Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Emily S.; Chait, Arnon

2010-01-01

The changes in the scope of NASA s mission in the coming decade are profound and demand nimble, yet insightful, responses. On-board clinical and environmental diagnostics must be available for both mid-term lunar and long-term Mars exploration missions in an environment marked by scarce resources. Miniaturization has become an obvious focus. Despite solid achievements in lab-based devices, broad-based, robust tools for application in the field are not yet on the market. The confluence of rapid, wide-ranging technology evolution and internal planning needs are the impetus behind this work. This report presents an analytical tool for the ongoing evaluation of promising technology platforms based on mission- and application-specific attributes. It is not meant to assess specific devices, but rather to provide objective guidelines for a rational down-select of general categories of technology platforms. In this study, we have employed our expertise in the microgravity operation of fluidic devices, laboratory diagnostics for space applications, and terrestrial research in biochip development. A rating of the current state of technology development is presented using the present tool. Two mission scenarios are also investigated: a 30-day lunar mission using proven, tested technology in 5 years; and a 2- to 3-year mission to Mars in 10 to 15 years.

Extensional rheometry with a handheld mobile device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, Kristin A.; Liedtke, Aleesha M.; Todt, Anika H.; Walker, Travis W.

2017-06-01

The on-site characterization of complex fluids is important for a number of academic and industrial applications. Consequently, a need exists to develop portable rheometers that can provide in the field diagnostics and serve as tools for rapid quality assurance. With the advancement of smartphone technology and the widespread global ownership of smart devices, mobile applications are attractive as platforms for rheological characterization. The present work investigates the use of a smartphone device for the extensional characterization of a series of Boger fluids composed of glycerol/water and poly(ethylene oxide), taking advantage of the increasing high-speed video capabilities (currently up to 240 Hz capture rate at 720p) of smartphone cameras. We report a noticeable difference in the characterization of samples with slight variations in polymer concentration and discuss current device limitations. Potential benefits of a handheld extensional rheometer include its use as a point-of-care diagnostic tool, especially in developing communities, as well as a simple and inexpensive tool for assessing product quality in industry.

Diagnostics aid for mass spectrometer trouble-shooting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filby, E. E.; Rankin, R. A.; Webb, G. W.

The MS Expert system provides problem diagnostics for instruments used in the Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (MSL). The most critical results generated on these mass spectrometers are the uranium concentration and isotopic content data used for process control and materials accountability at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant. The two purposes of the system are: (1) to minimize instrument downtime and thereby provide the best possible support to the Plant, and (2) to improve long-term data quality. This system combines the knowledge of several experts on mass spectrometry to provide a diagnostic tool, and can make these skills available on a more timely basis. It integrates code written in the Pascal language with a knowledge base entered into a commercial expert system shell. The user performs some preliminary status checks, and then selects from among several broad diagnostic categories. These initial steps provide input to the rule base. The overall analysis provides the user with a set of possible solutions to the observed problems, graded as to their probabilities. Besides the trouble-shooting benefits expected from this system, it will also provide structures diagnostic training for lab personnel. In addition, development of the system knowledge base has already produced a better understanding of instrument behavior. Two key findings are that a good user interface is necessary for full acceptance of the tool, and a development system should include standard programming capabilities as well as the expert system shell.

Flexible Bronchoscopy.

PubMed

Miller, Russell J; Casal, Roberto F; Lazarus, Donald R; Ost, David E; Eapen, George A

2018-03-01

Flexible bronchoscopy has changed the course of pulmonary medicine. As technology advances, the role of the flexible bronchoscope for both diagnostic and therapeutic indications is continually expanding. This article reviews the historical development of the flexible bronchoscopy, fundamental uses of the flexible bronchoscope as a tool to examine the central airways and obtain diagnostic tissue, and the indications, complications, and contraindications to flexible bronchoscopy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Community-based benchmarking of the CMIP DECK experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gleckler, P. J.

2015-12-01

A diversity of community-based efforts are independently developing "diagnostic packages" with little or no coordination between them. A short list of examples include NCAR's Climate Variability Diagnostics Package (CVDP), ORNL's International Land Model Benchmarking (ILAMB), LBNL's Toolkit for Extreme Climate Analysis (TECA), PCMDI's Metrics Package (PMP), the EU EMBRACE ESMValTool, the WGNE MJO diagnostics package, and CFMIP diagnostics. The full value of these efforts cannot be realized without some coordination. As a first step, a WCRP effort has initiated a catalog to document candidate packages that could potentially be applied in a "repeat-use" fashion to all simulations contributed to the CMIP DECK (Diagnostic, Evaluation and Characterization of Klima) experiments. Some coordination of community-based diagnostics has the additional potential to improve how CMIP modeling groups analyze their simulations during model-development. The fact that most modeling groups now maintain a "CMIP compliant" data stream means that in principal without much effort they could readily adopt a set of well organized diagnostic capabilities specifically designed to operate on CMIP DECK experiments. Ultimately, a detailed listing of and access to analysis codes that are demonstrated to work "out of the box" with CMIP data could enable model developers (and others) to select those codes they wish to implement in-house, potentially enabling more systematic evaluation during the model development process.

Identification of facilitators and barriers to residents' use of a clinical reasoning tool.

PubMed

DiNardo, Deborah; Tilstra, Sarah; McNeil, Melissa; Follansbee, William; Zimmer, Shanta; Farris, Coreen; Barnato, Amber E

2018-03-28

While there is some experimental evidence to support the use of cognitive forcing strategies to reduce diagnostic error in residents, the potential usability of such strategies in the clinical setting has not been explored. We sought to test the effect of a clinical reasoning tool on diagnostic accuracy and to obtain feedback on its usability and acceptability. We conducted a randomized behavioral experiment testing the effect of this tool on diagnostic accuracy on written cases among post-graduate 3 (PGY-3) residents at a single internal medical residency program in 2014. Residents completed written clinical cases in a proctored setting with and without prompts to use the tool. The tool encouraged reflection on concordant and discordant aspects of each case. We used random effects regression to assess the effect of the tool on diagnostic accuracy of the independent case sets, controlling for case complexity. We then conducted audiotaped structured focus group debriefing sessions and reviewed the tapes for facilitators and barriers to use of the tool. Of 51 eligible PGY-3 residents, 34 (67%) participated in the study. The average diagnostic accuracy increased from 52% to 60% with the tool, a difference that just met the test for statistical significance in adjusted analyses (p=0.05). Residents reported that the tool was generally acceptable and understandable but did not recognize its utility for use with simple cases, suggesting the presence of overconfidence bias. A clinical reasoning tool improved residents' diagnostic accuracy on written cases. Overconfidence bias is a potential barrier to its use in the clinical setting.

The scope of cell phones in diabetes management in developing country health care settings.

PubMed

Ajay, Vamadevan S; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj

2011-05-01

Diabetes has emerged as a major public health concern in developing nations. Health systems in most developing countries are yet to integrate effective prevention and control programs for diabetes into routine health care services. Given the inadequate human resources and underfunctioning health systems, we need novel and innovative approaches to combat diabetes in developing-country settings. In this regard, the tremendous advances in telecommunication technology, particularly cell phones, can be harnessed to improve diabetes care. Cell phones could serve as a tool for collecting information on surveillance, service delivery, evidence-based care, management, and supply systems pertaining to diabetes from primary care settings in addition to providing health messages as part of diabetes education. As a screening/diagnostic tool for diabetes, cell phones can aid the health workers in undertaking screening and diagnostic and follow-up care for diabetes in the community. Cell phones are also capable of acting as a vehicle for continuing medical education; a decision support system for evidence-based management; and a tool for patient education, self-management, and compliance. However, for widespread use, we need robust evaluations of cell phone applications in existing practices and appropriate interventions in diabetes. © 2011 Diabetes Technology Society.

The Scope of Cell Phones in Diabetes Management in Developing Country Health Care Settings

PubMed Central

Ajay, Vamadevan S; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj

2011-01-01

Diabetes has emerged as a major public health concern in developing nations. Health systems in most developing countries are yet to integrate effective prevention and control programs for diabetes into routine health care services. Given the inadequate human resources and underfunctioning health systems, we need novel and innovative approaches to combat diabetes in developing-country settings. In this regard, the tremendous advances in telecommunication technology, particularly cell phones, can be harnessed to improve diabetes care. Cell phones could serve as a tool for collecting information on surveillance, service delivery, evidence-based care, management, and supply systems pertaining to diabetes from primary care settings in addition to providing health messages as part of diabetes education. As a screening/diagnostic tool for diabetes, cell phones can aid the health workers in undertaking screening and diagnostic and follow-up care for diabetes in the community. Cell phones are also capable of acting as a vehicle for continuing medical education; a decision support system for evidence-based management; and a tool for patient education, self-management, and compliance. However, for widespread use, we need robust evaluations of cell phone applications in existing practices and appropriate interventions in diabetes. PMID:21722593

Development of Pediatric Sleep Questionnaires as Diagnostic or Epidemiological Tools: A Brief Review of Do's and Don'ts

PubMed Central

Spruyt, Karen; Gozal, David

2010-01-01

Questionnaires are a useful and extensively used tool in clinical sleep medicine and in sleep research. The number of sleep questionnaires targeting the pediatric age range has tremendously increased in recent years, and with such explosion in the number of instruments, their heterogeneity has become all the more apparent. Here, we explore the theoretical and pragmatic processes required for instrument design and development, i.e., how any questionnaire, inventory, log, or diary should be created and evaluated, and also provide illustrative examples to further underline the potential pitfalls that are inherently embedded in every step of tool development. PMID:20952230

Diagnostics of underwater electrical wire explosion through a time- and space-resolved hard x-ray source

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

Sheftman, D.; Shafer, D.; Efimov, S.

2012-10-15

A time- and space-resolved hard x-ray source was developed as a diagnostic tool for imaging underwater exploding wires. A {approx}4 ns width pulse of hard x-rays with energies of up to 100 keV was obtained from the discharge in a vacuum diode consisting of point-shaped tungsten electrodes. To improve contrast and image quality, an external pulsed magnetic field produced by Helmholtz coils was used. High resolution x-ray images of an underwater exploding wire were obtained using a sensitive x-ray CCD detector, and were compared to optical fast framing images. Future developments and application of this diagnostic technique are discussed.

Diagnostics of underwater electrical wire explosion through a time- and space-resolved hard x-ray source.

PubMed

Sheftman, D; Shafer, D; Efimov, S; Gruzinsky, K; Gleizer, S; Krasik, Ya E

2012-10-01

A time- and space-resolved hard x-ray source was developed as a diagnostic tool for imaging underwater exploding wires. A ~4 ns width pulse of hard x-rays with energies of up to 100 keV was obtained from the discharge in a vacuum diode consisting of point-shaped tungsten electrodes. To improve contrast and image quality, an external pulsed magnetic field produced by Helmholtz coils was used. High resolution x-ray images of an underwater exploding wire were obtained using a sensitive x-ray CCD detector, and were compared to optical fast framing images. Future developments and application of this diagnostic technique are discussed.

A Model-Based Expert System for Space Power Distribution Diagnostics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quinn, Todd M.; Schlegelmilch, Richard F.

1994-01-01

When engineers diagnose system failures, they often use models to confirm system operation. This concept has produced a class of advanced expert systems that perform model-based diagnosis. A model-based diagnostic expert system for the Space Station Freedom electrical power distribution test bed is currently being developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The objective of this expert system is to autonomously detect and isolate electrical fault conditions. Marple, a software package developed at TRW, provides a model-based environment utilizing constraint suspension. Originally, constraint suspension techniques were developed for digital systems. However, Marple provides the mechanisms for applying this approach to analog systems such as the test bed, as well. The expert system was developed using Marple and Lucid Common Lisp running on a Sun Sparc-2 workstation. The Marple modeling environment has proved to be a useful tool for investigating the various aspects of model-based diagnostics. This report describes work completed to date and lessons learned while employing model-based diagnostics using constraint suspension within an analog system.

Malaria rapid diagnostic tests in elimination settings—can they find the last parasite?

PubMed Central

McMorrow, M. L.; Aidoo, M.; Kachur, S. P.

2016-01-01

Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria have improved the availability of parasite-based diagnosis throughout the malaria-endemic world. Accurate malaria diagnosis is essential for malaria case management, surveillance, and elimination. RDTs are inexpensive, simple to perform, and provide results in 15–20 min. Despite high sensitivity and specificity for Plasmodium falciparum infections, RDTs have several limitations that may reduce their utility in low-transmission settings: they do not reliably detect low-density parasitaemia (≤200 parasites/μL), many are less sensitive for Plasmodium vivax infections, and their ability to detect Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae is unknown. Therefore, in elimination settings, alternative tools with higher sensitivity for low-density infections (e.g. nucleic acid-based tests) are required to complement field diagnostics, and new highly sensitive and specific field-appropriate tests must be developed to ensure accurate diagnosis of symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers. As malaria transmission declines, the proportion of low-density infections among symptomatic and asymptomatic persons is likely to increase, which may limit the utility of RDTs. Monitoring malaria in elimination settings will probably depend on the use of more than one diagnostic tool in clinical-care and surveillance activities, and the combination of tools utilized will need to be informed by regular monitoring of test performance through effective quality assurance. PMID:21910780

A Quasi-Universal Nonword Repetition Task as a Diagnostic Tool for Bilingual Children Learning Dutch as a Second Language.

PubMed

Boerma, Tessel; Chiat, Shula; Leseman, Paul; Timmermeister, Mona; Wijnen, Frank; Blom, Elma

2015-12-01

This study evaluated a newly developed quasi-universal nonword repetition task (Q-U NWRT) as a diagnostic tool for bilingual children with language impairment (LI) who have Dutch as a 2nd language. The Q-U NWRT was designed to be minimally influenced by knowledge of 1 specific language in contrast to a language-specific NWRT with which it was compared. One hundred twenty monolingual and bilingual children with and without LI participated (30 per group). A mixed-design analysis of variance was used to investigate the effects of LI and bilingualism on the NWRTs. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were conducted to evaluate the instruments' diagnostic value. Large negative effects of LI were found on both NWRTs, whereas negative effects of bilingualism only occurred on the language-specific NWRT. Both instruments had high clinical accuracy in the monolingual group, but only the Q-U NWRT had high clinical accuracy in the bilingual group. This study indicates that the Q-U NWRT is a promising diagnostic tool to help identify LI in bilingual children learning Dutch as a 2nd language. The instrument was clinically accurate in both a monolingual and bilingual group of children and seems better able to disentangle LI from language disadvantage than more language-specific measures.

[Diagnostic tools for canine parvovirus infection].

PubMed

Proksch, A L; Hartmann, K

2015-01-01

Canine parvovirus (CPV) infection is one of the most important and common infectious diseases in dogs, in particular affecting young puppies when maternal antibodies have waned and vaccine-induced antibodies have not yet developed. The mortality rate remains high. Therefore, a rapid and safe diagnostic tool is essential to diagnose the disease to 1) provide intensive care treatment and 2) to identify virus-shedding animals and thus prevent virus spread. Whilst the detection of antibodies against CPV is considered unsuitable to diagnose the disease, there are several different methods to directly detect complete virus, virus antigen or DNA. Additionally, to test in commercial laboratories, rapid in-house tests based on ELISA are available worldwide. The specificity of the ELISA rapid in-house tests is reported to be excellent. However, results on sensitivity vary and high numbers of false-negative results are commonly reported, which potentially leads to misdiagnosis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a very sensitive and specific diagnostic tool. It also provides the opportunity to differentiate vaccine strains from natural infection when sequencing is performed after PCR.

MicroRNAs in osteosarcoma: diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.

PubMed

Miao, Jinglei; Wu, Song; Peng, Zhi; Tania, Mousumi; Zhang, Chaoyue

2013-08-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules, which can interfere with the expression of several genes and act as gene regulator. miRNAs have been proved as a successful diagnostic and therapeutic tool in several cancers. In this review, the differential expression of miRNAs in osteosarcoma and their possibility to be used as diagnostic and therapeutic tools have been discussed. Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor that mainly affects children and adolescents. The current treatment of osteosarcoma remains difficult, and osteosarcoma causes many deaths because of its complex pathogenesis and resistance to conventional treatments. Several studies demonstrated that the differential expression patterns of miRNAs are a promising tool for the diagnosis and treatment of osteosarcoma. Although some aspect of the mechanism of action of miRNAs in controlling osteosarcoma has been identified (e.g., targeting the Notch signaling pathway), it is far beyond to the clear understanding of miRNA targets in osteosarcoma. Identification of the specific target of miRNAs may aid molecular targets for drug development and future relief of osteosarcoma.

Screening for post-traumatic stress disorder after injury in the pediatric emergency department--a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Odenbach, Jeffrey; Newton, Amanda; Gokiert, Rebecca; Falconer, Cathy; Courchesne, Craig; Campbell, Sandra; Curtis, Sarah J

2014-03-02

Pediatric injury is highly prevalent and has significant impact both physically and emotionally. The majority of pediatric injuries are treated in emergency departments (EDs), where treatment of physical injuries is the main focus. In addition to physical trauma, children often experience significant psychological trauma, and the development of acute stress disorder (ASD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common. The consequences of failing to recognize and treat children with ASD and PTSD are significant and extend into adulthood. Currently, screening guidelines to identify children at risk for developing these stress disorders are not evident in the pediatric emergency setting. The goal of this systematic review is to summarize evidence on the psychometric properties, diagnostic accuracy, and clinical utility of screening tools that identify or predict PTSD secondary to physical injury in children. Specific research objectives are to: (1) identify, describe, and critically evaluate instruments available to screen for PTSD in children; (2) review and synthesize the test-performance characteristics of these tools; and (3) describe the clinical utility of these tools with focus on ED suitability. Computerized databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ISI Web of Science and PsycINFO will be searched in addition to conference proceedings, textbooks, and contact with experts. Search terms will include MeSH headings (post-traumatic stress or acute stress), (pediatric or children) and diagnosis. All articles will be screened by title/abstract and articles identified as potentially relevant will be retrieved in full text and assessed by two independent reviewers. Quality assessment will be determined using the QUADAS-2 tool. Screening tool characteristics, including type of instrument, number of items, administration time and training administrators level, will be extracted as well as gold standard diagnostic reference properties and any quantitative diagnostic data (specificity, positive and negative likelihood/odds ratios) where appropriate. Identifying screening tools to recognize children at risk of developing stress disorders following trauma is essential in guiding early treatment and minimizing long-term sequelae of childhood stress disorders. This review aims to identify such screening tools in efforts to improve routine stress disorder screening in the pediatric ED setting. PROSPERO registration: CRD42013004893.

Research Priorities in the Utilization and Interpretation of Diagnostic Imaging: Education, Assessment, and Competency.

PubMed

Lewiss, Resa E; Chan, Wilma; Sheng, Alexander Y; Soto, Jorge; Castro, Alexandra; Meltzer, Andrew C; Cherney, Alan; Kumaravel, Manickam; Cody, Dianna; Chen, Esther H

2015-12-01

The appropriate selection and accurate interpretation of diagnostic imaging is a crucial skill for emergency practitioners. To date, the majority of the published literature and research on competency assessment comes from the subspecialty of point-of-care ultrasound. A group of radiologists, physicists, and emergency physicians convened at the 2015 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference to discuss and prioritize a research agenda related to education, assessment, and competency in ordering and interpreting diagnostic imaging. A set of questions for the continued development of an educational curriculum on diagnostic imaging for trainees and competency assessment using specific assessment methods based on current best practices was delineated. The research priorities were developed through an iterative consensus-driven process using a modified nominal group technique that culminated in an in-person breakout session. The four recommendations are: 1) develop a diagnostic imaging curriculum for emergency medicine (EM) residency training; 2) develop, study, and validate tools to assess competency in diagnostic imaging interpretation; 3) evaluate the role of simulation in education, assessment, and competency measures for diagnostic imaging; 4) study is needed regarding the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria, an evidence-based peer-reviewed resource in determining the use of diagnostic imaging, to maximize its value in EM. In this article, the authors review the supporting reliability and validity evidence and make specific recommendations for future research on the education, competency, and assessment of learning diagnostic imaging. © 2015 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Development, validation and psychometric properties of a diagnostic/prognostic tool for breakthrough pain in mixed chronic-pain patients.

PubMed

Samolsky Dekel, Boaz Gedaliahu; Remondini, Francesca; Gori, Alberto; Vasarri, Alessio; Di Nino, GianFranco; Melotti, Rita Maria

2016-02-01

Breakthrough pain (BTP) shows variable prevalence in different clinical contexts of cancer and non-cancer patients. BTP diagnostic tools with demonstrated reliability, validation and prognostic capability are lacking. We report the development, psychometric and validation properties of a diagnostic/prognostic tool, the IQ-BTP, for BTP recognition, its likelihood and clinical features among chronic-pain (CP) patients. n=120 consecutive mixed cancer/non-cancer CP in/outpatients. Development, psychometric analyses and formal validation included: Face/Content validity (by 'experts' opinion and assessing the relationship between the IQ-BTP classes and criteria derived from BTP operational-case-definition); Construct validity, by Principle Component Analysis (PCA); and the strength of Spearman correlation between IQ-BTP classes and the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) items; Reliability, by Cronbach's alpha statistics. Associations with clinical/demographic moderators were assessed applying χ(2) analysis. Potential-BTP was found in 36.7% of patients (38.4% of non-cancer and 32.4% of cancer patients). Among these the likelihood for BTP diagnosis was 'high' in 25%, 'intermediate' in 41% and, 'low' 34% of patients. Analyses showed significant differences between IQ-BTP classes and between the latter BPI pain-item scores. Correlation between IQ-BTP classes and BPI items was moderate. PCA and scree test identified 3 components accounting for 62.3% of the variance. Cronbach's alpha was 0.71. The IQ-BTP showed satisfactory psychometric and validation properties. With adequate feasibility it enabled the allocating of cancer/non-cancer CP patients in three prognostic classes. Results are sufficient to warrant a subsequent impact study of the IQ-BTP as prognostic model and screening tool for BTP in both CP populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reporting completeness and transparency of meta-analyses of depression screening tool accuracy: A comparison of meta-analyses published before and after the PRISMA statement.

PubMed

Rice, Danielle B; Kloda, Lorie A; Shrier, Ian; Thombs, Brett D

2016-08-01

Meta-analyses that are conducted rigorously and reported completely and transparently can provide accurate evidence to inform the best possible healthcare decisions. Guideline makers have raised concerns about the utility of existing evidence on the diagnostic accuracy of depression screening tools. The objective of our study was to evaluate the transparency and completeness of reporting in meta-analyses of the diagnostic accuracy of depression screening tools using the PRISMA tool adapted for diagnostic test accuracy meta-analyses. We searched MEDLINE and PsycINFO from January 1, 2005 through March 13, 2016 for recent meta-analyses in any language on the diagnostic accuracy of depression screening tools. Two reviewers independently assessed the transparency in reporting using the PRISMA tool with appropriate adaptations made for studies of diagnostic test accuracy. We identified 21 eligible meta-analyses. Twelve of 21 meta-analyses complied with at least 50% of adapted PRISMA items. Of 30 adapted PRISMA items, 11 were fulfilled by ≥80% of included meta-analyses, 3 by 50-79% of meta-analyses, 7 by 25-45% of meta-analyses, and 9 by <25%. On average, post-PRISMA meta-analyses complied with 17 of 30 items compared to 13 of 30 items pre-PRISMA. Deficiencies in the transparency of reporting in meta-analyses of the diagnostic test accuracy of depression screening tools of meta-analyses were identified. Authors, reviewers, and editors should adhere to the PRISMA statement to improve the reporting of meta-analyses of the diagnostic accuracy of depression screening tools. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structure and Computation in Immunoreagent Design: From Diagnostics to Vaccines.

PubMed

Gourlay, Louise; Peri, Claudio; Bolognesi, Martino; Colombo, Giorgio

2017-12-01

Novel immunological tools for efficient diagnosis and treatment of emerging infections are urgently required. Advances in the diagnostic and vaccine development fields are continuously progressing, with reverse vaccinology and structural vaccinology (SV) methods for antigen identification and structure-based antigen (re)design playing increasingly relevant roles. SV, in particular, is predicted to be the front-runner in the future development of diagnostics and vaccines targeting challenging diseases such as AIDS and cancer. We review state-of-the-art methodologies for structure-based epitope identification and antigen design, with specific applicative examples. We highlight the implications of such methods for the engineering of biomolecules with improved immunological properties, potential diagnostic and/or therapeutic uses, and discuss the perspectives of structure-based rational design for the production of advanced immunoreagents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research Areas: Diagnosis

Cancer.gov

Accurate information derived from diagnostic tools is critical for making decisions at all stages of cancer care. NCI supports research on the development of tests and imaging technologies that can provide specific information about an individual’s cancer.

Validation of Quantitative Multimodality Analysis of Telomerase Activity in Urine Cells as a Noninvasive Diagnostic and Prognostic Tool for Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-08-01

present study, who was previously misdiagnosed with BPH and inflammation, eventually has revealed the prostate cancer with the Gleason score 7. Therefore...Noninvasive Diagnostic and Prognostic Tool for Prostate Cancer ...5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Urine Cells as a Noninvasive Diagnostic and Prognostic Tool for Prostate Cancer 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-04-1-0774 5c

Might telesonography be a new useful diagnostic tool aboard merchant ships? A pilot study.

PubMed

Nikolić, Nebojsa; Mozetić, Vladimir; Modrcin, Bob; Jaksić, Slaven

2006-01-01

Developments of new, ultra-light diagnostic ultrasound systems (UTS) and modern satellite telecommunication networks are opening new potential applications for diagnostic sonography. One such area is maritime medicine. It is our belief that ship officers can be trained to use diagnostic ultrasound systems with the aim to generate ultrasound images of sufficient quality to be interpreted by medical professionals qualified to read sonograms. To test our thesis we included lectures and hands on scanning practice to the current maritime medicine curriculum at the Faculty of Maritime Studies at the University of Rijeka. Following the didactic and practical training all participating students examined several patients, some with pathology some without. Images obtained by students were then submitted for interpretation to a qualified physician (specialist of general surgery trained in UTS) who was unaware of the patient's pathology. In total, 37 students performed 37 examinations and made 45 ultrasound images, on 3 patients. In this paper, results on this pilot study are presented. It is possible to teach ship officers to produce diagnostically usable ultrasound pictures aboard ships at sea. But before reaching final conclusion about applicability of telesonography on board merchant ships, further studies are necessary, that would include studies of economic feasibility, and on validity of introducing such a diagnostic tool to the maritime medical practice.

A Research Agenda for Malaria Eradication: Diagnoses and Diagnostics

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Many of malaria's signs and symptoms are indistinguishable from those of other febrile diseases. Detection of the presence of Plasmodium parasites is essential, therefore, to guide case management. Improved diagnostic tools are required to enable targeted treatment of infected individuals. In addition, field-ready diagnostic tools for mass screening and surveillance that can detect asymptomatic infections of very low parasite densities are needed to monitor transmission reduction and ensure elimination. Antibody-based tests for infection and novel methods based on biomarkers need further development and validation, as do methods for the detection and treatment of Plasmodium vivax. Current rapid diagnostic tests targeting P. vivax are generally less effective than those targeting Plasmodium falciparum. Moreover, because current drugs for radical cure may cause serious side effects in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, more information is needed on the distribution of G6PD-deficiency variants as well as tests to identify at-risk individuals. Finally, in an environment of very low or absent malaria transmission, sustaining interest in elimination and maintaining resources will become increasingly important. Thus, research is required into the context in which malaria diagnostic tests are used, into diagnostics for other febrile diseases, and into the integration of these tests into health systems. PMID:21311583

Analysis of laparoscopy in trauma.

PubMed

Villavicencio, R T; Aucar, J A

1999-07-01

The optimum roles for laparoscopy in trauma have yet to be established. To date, reviews of laparoscopy in trauma have been primarily descriptive rather than analytic. This article analyzes the results of laparoscopy in trauma. Outcome analysis was done by reviewing 37 studies with more than 1,900 trauma patients, and laparoscopy was analyzed as a screening, diagnostic, or therapeutic tool. Laparoscopy was regarded as a screening tool if it was used to detect or exclude a positive finding (eg, hemoperitoneum, organ injury, gastrointestinal spillage, peritoneal penetration) that required operative exploration or repair. Laparoscopy was regarded as a diagnostic tool when it was used to identify all injuries, rather than as a screening tool to identify the first indication for a laparotomy. It was regarded as a diagnostic tool only in studies that mandated a laparotomy (gold standard) after laparoscopy to confirm the diagnostic accuracy of laparoscopic findings. Costs and charges for using laparoscopy in trauma were analyzed when feasible. As a screening tool, laparoscopy missed 1% of injuries and helped prevent 63% of patients from having a trauma laparotomy. When used as a diagnostic tool, laparoscopy had a 41% to 77% missed injury rate per patient. Overall, laparoscopy carried a 1% procedure-related complication rate. Cost-effectiveness has not been uniformly proved in studies comparing laparoscopy and laparotomy. Laparoscopy has been applied safely and effectively as a screening tool in stable patients with acute trauma. Because of the large number of missed injuries when used as a diagnostic tool, its value in this context is limited. Laparoscopy has been reported infrequently as a therapeutic tool in selected patients, and its use in this context requires further study.

Autism detection in early childhood (ADEC): reliability and validity data for a Level 2 screening tool for autistic disorder.

PubMed

Nah, Yong-Hwee; Young, Robyn L; Brewer, Neil; Berlingeri, Genna

2014-03-01

The Autism Detection in Early Childhood (ADEC; Young, 2007) was developed as a Level 2 clinician-administered autistic disorder (AD) screening tool that was time-efficient, suitable for children under 3 years, easy to administer, and suitable for persons with minimal training and experience with AD. A best estimate clinical Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) diagnosis of AD was made for 70 children using all available information and assessment results, except for the ADEC data. A screening study compared these children on the ADEC with 57 children with other developmental disorders and 64 typically developing children. Results indicated high internal consistency (α = .91). Interrater reliability and test-retest reliability of the ADEC were also adequate. ADEC scores reliably discriminated different diagnostic groups after controlling for nonverbal IQ and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Composite scores. Construct validity (using exploratory factor analysis) and concurrent validity using performance on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Lord et al., 2000), the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (Le Couteur, Lord, & Rutter, 2003), and DSM-IV-TR criteria were also demonstrated. Signal detection analysis identified the optimal ADEC cutoff score, with the ADEC identifying all children who had an AD (N = 70, sensitivity = 1.0) but overincluding children with other disabilities (N = 13, specificity ranging from .74 to .90). Together, the reliability and validity data indicate that the ADEC has potential to be established as a suitable and efficient screening tool for infants with AD. 2014 APA

The National Ignition Facility Diagnostic Set at the Completion of the National Ignition Campaign, September 2012

DOE PAGES

Kilkenny, J. D.; Bell, P. M.; Bradley, D. K.; ...

2016-01-06

At the completion of the National Ignition Campaign (NIC), the National Ignition Facility (NIF) had about 36 different types of diagnostics. These were based on several decades of development on Nova and OMEGA and involved the whole U.S. inertial confinement fusion community. In 1994, the Joint Central Diagnostic Team documented a plan for a limited set of NIF diagnostics in the NIF Conceptual Design Report. Two decades later, these diagnostics, and many others, were installed workhorse tools for all users of NIF. We give a short description of each of the 36 different types of NIC diagnostics grouped by themore » function of the diagnostics, namely, target drive, target response and target assembly, stagnation, and burn. A comparison of NIF diagnostics with the Nova diagnostics shows that the NIF diagnostic capability is broadly equivalent to that of Nova in 1999. Although NIF diagnostics have a much greater degree of automation and rigor than Nova’s, new diagnostics are limited such as the higher-speed X-ray imager. Lastly, recommendations for future diagnostics on the NIF are discussed.« less

Spiral Bevel Gear Damage Detection Using Decision Fusion Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Handschuh, Robert F.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.

2002-01-01

A diagnostic tool for detecting damage to spiral bevel gears was developed. Two different monitoring technologies, oil debris analysis and vibration, were integrated using data fusion into a health monitoring system for detecting surface fatigue pitting damage on gears. This integrated system showed improved detection and decision-making capabilities as compared to using individual monitoring technologies. This diagnostic tool was evaluated by collecting vibration and oil debris data from fatigue tests performed in the NASA Glenn Spiral Bevel Gear Fatigue Rigs. Data was collected during experiments performed in this test rig when pitting damage occurred. Results show that combining the vibration and oil debris measurement technologies improves the detection of pitting damage on spiral bevel gears.

CONCEPTUAL MODELS AND METHODS TO GUIDE DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH INTO CAUSES OF IMPAIRMENT TO AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Methods and conceptual models to guide the development of tools for diagnosing the causes of biological impairment within aquatic ecosystems of the United States are described in this report. The conceptual models developed here address nutrients, suspended and bedded sediments (...

Diagnostic Tools for Performance Evaluation of Innovative In-Situ Remediation Technologies at Chlorinated Solvent-Contaminated Sites

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT...these innovative methods with conventional diagnostic tools that are currently used for assessing bioremediation performance. 132 Rula Deeb (510) 596...conventional diagnostic tools that are currently used for assessing bioremediation performance. DEMONSTRATION RESULTS 3-D multi-level systems

Novel calibration tools and validation concepts for microarray-based platforms used in molecular diagnostics and food safety control.

PubMed

Brunner, C; Hoffmann, K; Thiele, T; Schedler, U; Jehle, H; Resch-Genger, U

2015-04-01

Commercial platforms consisting of ready-to-use microarrays printed with target-specific DNA probes, a microarray scanner, and software for data analysis are available for different applications in medical diagnostics and food analysis, detecting, e.g., viral and bacteriological DNA sequences. The transfer of these tools from basic research to routine analysis, their broad acceptance in regulated areas, and their use in medical practice requires suitable calibration tools for regular control of instrument performance in addition to internal assay controls. Here, we present the development of a novel assay-adapted calibration slide for a commercialized DNA-based assay platform, consisting of precisely arranged fluorescent areas of various intensities obtained by incorporating different concentrations of a "green" dye and a "red" dye in a polymer matrix. These dyes present "Cy3" and "Cy5" analogues with improved photostability, chosen based upon their spectroscopic properties closely matching those of common labels for the green and red channel of microarray scanners. This simple tool allows to efficiently and regularly assess and control the performance of the microarray scanner provided with the biochip platform and to compare different scanners. It will be eventually used as fluorescence intensity scale for referencing of assays results and to enhance the overall comparability of diagnostic tests.

Diagnostic Tests to Support Late-Stage Control Programs for Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthiases.

PubMed

Hawkins, Kenneth R; Cantera, Jason L; Storey, Helen L; Leader, Brandon T; de Los Santos, Tala

2016-12-01

Global efforts to address schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) include deworming programs for school-aged children that are made possible by large-scale drug donations. Decisions on these mass drug administration (MDA) programs currently rely on microscopic examination of clinical specimens to determine the presence of parasite eggs. However, microscopy-based methods are not sensitive to the low-intensity infections that characterize populations that have undergone MDA. Thus, there has been increasing recognition within the schistosomiasis and STH communities of the need for improved diagnostic tools to support late-stage control program decisions, such as when to stop or reduce MDA. Failure to adequately address the need for new diagnostics could jeopardize achievement of the 2020 London Declaration goals. In this report, we assess diagnostic needs and landscape potential solutions and determine appropriate strategies to improve diagnostic testing to support control and elimination programs. Based upon literature reviews and previous input from experts in the schistosomiasis and STH communities, we prioritized two diagnostic use cases for further exploration: to inform MDA-stopping decisions and post-MDA surveillance. To this end, PATH has refined target product profiles (TPPs) for schistosomiasis and STH diagnostics that are applicable to these use cases. We evaluated the limitations of current diagnostic methods with regards to these use cases and identified candidate biomarkers and diagnostics with potential application as new tools. Based on this analysis, there is a need to develop antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) with simplified, field-deployable sample preparation for schistosomiasis. Additionally, there is a need for diagnostic tests that are more sensitive than the current methods for STH, which may include either a field-deployable molecular test or a simple, low-cost, rapid antigen-detecting test.

Technical Highlight: NREL Improves Building Energy Simulation Programs Through Diagnostic Testing

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

Polly, B.

2012-01-09

This technical highlight describes NREL research to develop Building Energy Simulation Test for Existing Homes (BESTEST-EX) to increase the quality and accuracy of energy analysis tools for the building retrofit market.

Optimal Combination of Non-Invasive Tools for the Early Detection of Potentially Life-Threatening Emergencies in Gynecology

PubMed Central

Varas, Catalina; Ravit, Marion; Mimoun, Camille; Panel, Pierre; Huchon, Cyrille; Fauconnier, Arnaud

2016-01-01

Objectives Potentially life-threatening gynecological emergencies (G-PLEs) are acute pelvic conditions that may spontaneously evolve into a life-threatening situation, or those for which there is a risk of sequelae or death in the absence of prompt diagnosis and treatment. The objective of this study was to identify the best combination of non-invasive diagnostic tools to ensure an accurate diagnosis and timely response when faced with G-PLEs for patients arriving with acute pelvic pain at the Gynecological Emergency Department (ED). Methods The data on non-invasive diagnostic tools were sourced from the records of patients presenting at the ED of two hospitals in the Parisian suburbs (France) with acute pelvic pain between September 2006 and April 2008. The medical history of the patients was obtained through a standardized questionnaire completed for a prospective observational study, and missing information was completed with data sourced from the medical forms. Diagnostic tool categories were predefined as a collection of signs or symptoms. We analyzed the association of each sign/symptom with G-PLEs using Pearson’s Chi-Square or Fischer’s exact tests. Symptoms and signs associated with G-PLEs (p-value < 0.20) were subjected to logistic regression to evaluate the diagnostic value of each of the predefined diagnostic tools and in various combinations. Results The data of 365 patients with acute pelvic pain were analyzed, of whom 103 were confirmed to have a PLE. We analyzed five diagnostic tools by logistic regression: Triage Process, History-Taking, Physical Examination, Ultrasonography, and Biological Exams. The combination of History-Taking and Ultrasonography had a C-index of 0.83, the highest for a model combining two tools. Conclusions The use of a standardized self-assessment questionnaire for history-taking and focal ultrasound examination were found to be the most successful tool combination for the diagnosis of gynecological emergencies in a Gynecological ED. Additional tools, such as physical examination, do not add substantial diagnostic value. PMID:27583697

Decision making about healthcare-related tests and diagnostic test strategies. Paper 3: a systematic review shows limitations in most tools designed to assess quality and develop recommendations.

PubMed

Mustafa, Reem A; Wiercioch, Wojtek; Falavigna, Maicon; Zhang, Yuan; Ivanova, Liudmila; Arevalo-Rodriguez, Ingrid; Cheung, Adrienne; Prediger, Barbara; Ventresca, Matthew; Brozek, Jan; Santesso, Nancy; Bossuyt, Patrick; Garg, Amit X; Lloyd, Nancy; Lelgemann, Monika; Bühler, Diedrich; Schünemann, Holger J

2017-12-01

The objective of this study was to identify and describe critical appraisal tools designed for assessing the quality of evidence (QoE) and/or strength of recommendations (SoRs) related to health care-related tests and diagnostic strategies (HCTDSs). We conducted a systematic review to identify tools applied in guidelines, methodological articles, and systematic reviews to assess HCTDS. We screened 5,534 titles and abstracts, 1,004 full-text articles, and abstracted data from 330 references. We identified 29 tools and 14 modifications of existing tools for assessing QoE and SoR. Twenty-three out of 29 tools acknowledge the importance of assessing the QoE and SoR separately, but in 8, the SoR is based solely on QoE. When making decisions about the use of tests, patient values and preferences and impact on resource utilization were considered in 6 and 8 tools, respectively. There is also confusion about the terminology that describes the various factors that influence the QoE and SoR. Although at least one approach includes all relevant criteria for assessing QoE and determining SoR, more detailed guidance about how to operationalize these assessments and make related judgments will be beneficial. There is a need for a better description of the framework for using evidence to make decisions and develop recommendations about HCTDS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigating the Effectiveness of Classroom Diagnostic Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, Robert K.

2012-01-01

The primary purposes of the study are to investigate what teachers experience while using the Classroom Diagnostic Tools (CDT) and to relate those experiences to the rate of growth in students' mathematics achievement. The CDT contains three components: an online computer adaptive diagnostic test, interactive web-based student reports, and…

Pediatric Sleep Questionnaires as Diagnostic or Epidemiological Tools: A Review of Currently Available Instruments

PubMed Central

Spruyt, Karen; Gozal, David

2010-01-01

An extensive list of published and unpublished instruments used to investigate or evaluate sleep issues in children was collected and assessed based on the fundamental operational principles of instrument development (11 steps). Of all the available tools identified, only a few were validated and standardized using appropriate psychometric criteria. In fact, only 2 fulfill all desirable criteria and approximately 11 instruments seem to adhere to most of the psychometric tool development requirements, and were therefore assessed in greater detail. Notwithstanding, in the rapidly developing scientific world of pediatric sleep, there are too many tools being used that have not undergone careful and methodical psychometric evaluation, and as such may be fraught with biased or invalid findings. It is hoped that this initial effort in categorizing and assessing available tools for pediatric sleep will serve as recognition of the relatively early developmental stage of our field, and provide the necessary impetus for future tool development using multicentered approaches and adequate methodologies. PMID:20934896

Structured syncope care pathways based on lean six sigma methodology optimises resource use with shorter time to diagnosis and increased diagnostic yield.

PubMed

Martens, Leon; Goode, Grahame; Wold, Johan F H; Beck, Lionel; Martin, Georgina; Perings, Christian; Stolt, Pelle; Baggerman, Lucas

2014-01-01

To conduct a pilot study on the potential to optimise care pathways in syncope/Transient Loss of Consciousness management by using Lean Six Sigma methodology while maintaining compliance with ESC and/or NICE guidelines. Five hospitals in four European countries took part. The Lean Six Sigma methodology consisted of 3 phases: 1) Assessment phase, in which baseline performance was mapped in each centre, processes were evaluated and a new operational model was developed with an improvement plan that included best practices and change management; 2) Improvement phase, in which optimisation pathways and standardised best practice tools and forms were developed and implemented. Staff were trained on new processes and change-management support provided; 3) Sustaining phase, which included support, refinement of tools and metrics. The impact of the implementation of new pathways was evaluated on number of tests performed, diagnostic yield, time to diagnosis and compliance with guidelines. One hospital with focus on geriatric populations was analysed separately from the other four. With the new pathways, there was a 59% reduction in the average time to diagnosis (p = 0.048) and a 75% increase in diagnostic yield (p = 0.007). There was a marked reduction in repetitions of diagnostic tests and improved prioritisation of indicated tests. Applying a structured Lean Six Sigma based methodology to pathways for syncope management has the potential to improve time to diagnosis and diagnostic yield.

Structured Syncope Care Pathways Based on Lean Six Sigma Methodology Optimises Resource Use with Shorter Time to Diagnosis and Increased Diagnostic Yield

PubMed Central

Martens, Leon; Goode, Grahame; Wold, Johan F. H.; Beck, Lionel; Martin, Georgina; Perings, Christian; Stolt, Pelle; Baggerman, Lucas

2014-01-01

Aims To conduct a pilot study on the potential to optimise care pathways in syncope/Transient Loss of Consciousness management by using Lean Six Sigma methodology while maintaining compliance with ESC and/or NICE guidelines. Methods Five hospitals in four European countries took part. The Lean Six Sigma methodology consisted of 3 phases: 1) Assessment phase, in which baseline performance was mapped in each centre, processes were evaluated and a new operational model was developed with an improvement plan that included best practices and change management; 2) Improvement phase, in which optimisation pathways and standardised best practice tools and forms were developed and implemented. Staff were trained on new processes and change-management support provided; 3) Sustaining phase, which included support, refinement of tools and metrics. The impact of the implementation of new pathways was evaluated on number of tests performed, diagnostic yield, time to diagnosis and compliance with guidelines. One hospital with focus on geriatric populations was analysed separately from the other four. Results With the new pathways, there was a 59% reduction in the average time to diagnosis (p = 0.048) and a 75% increase in diagnostic yield (p = 0.007). There was a marked reduction in repetitions of diagnostic tests and improved prioritisation of indicated tests. Conclusions Applying a structured Lean Six Sigma based methodology to pathways for syncope management has the potential to improve time to diagnosis and diagnostic yield. PMID:24927475

A software tool for analyzing multichannel cochlear implant signals.

PubMed

Lai, Wai Kong; Bögli, Hans; Dillier, Norbert

2003-10-01

A useful and convenient means to analyze the radio frequency (RF) signals being sent by a speech processor to a cochlear implant would be to actually capture and display them with appropriate software. This is particularly useful for development or diagnostic purposes. sCILab (Swiss Cochlear Implant Laboratory) is such a PC-based software tool intended for the Nucleus family of Multichannel Cochlear Implants. Its graphical user interface provides a convenient and intuitive means for visualizing and analyzing the signals encoding speech information. Both numerical and graphic displays are available for detailed examination of the captured CI signals, as well as an acoustic simulation of these CI signals. sCILab has been used in the design and verification of new speech coding strategies, and has also been applied as an analytical tool in studies of how different parameter settings of existing speech coding strategies affect speech perception. As a diagnostic tool, it is also useful for troubleshooting problems with the external equipment of the cochlear implant systems.

Molecular Profiles for Lung Cancer Pathogenesis and Detection in US Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

expression data was analyzed using the BRB-ArrayTools v .4.1.0 developed by Dr. Richard Simon and the BRB-ArrayTools Development Team and then normalized...14. Spira A, Beane J, Shah V , et al. Effects of cigarette smoke on the human airway epithelial cell transcriptome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2004;101...10143-10148 15. Spira A, Beane JE, Shah V , et al. Airway epithelial gene expression in the diagnostic evaluation of smokers with suspect lung cancer

Molecular Profiles for Lung Cancer Pathogenesis and Detection in US Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

data was analyzed using the BRB-ArrayTools v .4.1.0 developed by Dr. Richard Simon and the BRB-ArrayTools Development Team and then normalized and log...Spira A, Beane J, Shah V , et al. Effects of cigarette smoke on the human airway epithelial cell transcriptome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2004;101:10143...10148 15. Spira A, Beane JE, Shah V , et al. Airway epithelial gene expression in the diagnostic evaluation of smokers with suspect lung cancer. Nat

Model Diagnostics for the Department of Energy's Accelerated Climate Modeling for Energy (ACME) Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, B.

2015-12-01

In 2014, eight Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, four academic institutions, one company, and the National Centre for Atmospheric Research combined forces in a project called Accelerated Climate Modeling for Energy (ACME) with the goal to speed Earth system model development for climate and energy. Over the planned 10-year span, the project will conduct simulations and modeling on DOE's most powerful high-performance computing systems at Oak Ridge, Argonne, and Lawrence Berkeley Leadership Compute Facilities. A key component of the ACME project is the development of an interactive test bed for the advanced Earth system model. Its execution infrastructure will accelerate model development and testing cycles. The ACME Workflow Group is leading the efforts to automate labor-intensive tasks, provide intelligent support for complex tasks and reduce duplication of effort through collaboration support. As part of this new workflow environment, we have created a diagnostic, metric, and intercomparison Python framework, called UVCMetrics, to aid in the testing-to-production execution of the ACME model. The framework exploits similarities among different diagnostics to compactly support diagnosis of new models. It presently focuses on atmosphere and land but is designed to support ocean and sea ice model components as well. This framework is built on top of the existing open-source software framework known as the Ultrascale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools (UV-CDAT). Because of its flexible framework design, scientists and modelers now can generate thousands of possible diagnostic outputs. These diagnostics can compare model runs, compare model vs. observation, or simply verify a model is physically realistic. Additional diagnostics are easily integrated into the framework, and our users have already added several. Diagnostics can be generated, viewed, and manipulated from the UV-CDAT graphical user interface, Python command line scripts and programs, and web browsers. The framework is designed to be scalable to large datasets, yet easy to use and familiar to scientists using previous tools. Integration in the ACME overall user interface facilitates data publication, further analysis, and quick feedback to model developers and scientists making component or coupled model runs.

A systematic review of diagnostic criteria for psoriasis in adults and children: evidence from studies with a primary aim to develop or validate diagnostic criteria.

PubMed

Burden-Teh, E; Phillips, R C; Thomas, K S; Ratib, S; Grindlay, D; Murphy, R

2017-11-06

The diagnosis of psoriasis in adults and children is made clinically, for both patient management and the selection of participants in research. Diagnostic criteria provide a structure for clinical assessment, which in turn helps standardize patient recruitment into clinical trials and case definitions in observational studies. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and critically appraise the published studies to date that had a primary research aim to develop or validate diagnostic criteria for psoriasis. A search of Ovid MEDLINE and Ovid Embase was conducted in October 2016. The primary objective was to record the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic criteria for psoriasis. Secondary objectives included diagnostic recommendations, applicability to children and study characteristics. Diagnostic accuracy studies were critically appraised for risk of bias using the QUADAS-2 tool. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. None detailed clinical examination-based diagnostic criteria. The included criteria varied from genetic and molecular diagnostic models to skin imaging, histopathology, and questionnaire-based, computer-aided and traditional Chinese medicine criteria. High sensitivity and specificity (> 90%) were reported in many studies. However, the study authors often did not specify how the criteria would be used clinically or in research. This review identified studies with varying risk of bias, and due to each study developing separate criteria meta-analysis was not possible. Clinical examination-based diagnostic criteria are currently lacking for psoriasis. Future research could follow an international collaborative approach and employ study designs allowing high-quality diagnostic accuracy testing. Existing and newly developed criteria require validation. © 2017 British Association of Dermatologists.

Diagnostic Tools for the Systemic Reform of Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amsler, Mary; Kirsch, Kayla

This paper presents three interrelated diagnostic tools that can be used by school staff as they begin to plan a systemic reform effort. These tools are designed to help educators reflect on their experiences in creating changes in their school and to examine the current barriers to and supports for the change process. The tools help school design…

Measurement properties of screening and diagnostic tools for autism spectrum adults of mean normal intelligence: A systematic review.

PubMed

Baghdadli, A; Russet, F; Mottron, L

2017-07-01

The autism spectrum (AS) is a multifaceted neurodevelopmental variant associated with lifelong challenges. Despite the relevant importance of identifying AS in adults for epidemiological, public health, and quality of life issues, the measurement properties of the tools currently used to screen and diagnose adults without intellectual disabilities (ID) have not been assessed. This systematic review addresses the accuracy, reliability, and validity of the reported AS screening and diagnostic tools used in adults without ID. Electronic databases and bibliographies were searched, and identified papers evaluated against inclusion criteria. The PRISMA statement was used for reporting the review. We evaluated the quality of the papers using the COSMIN Checklist for psychometric data, and QUADAS-2 for diagnostic data. For the COSMIN assessment, evidence was considered to be strong when several methodologically good articles, or one excellent article, reported consistent evidence for or against a measurement property. For the QUADAS ratings, evidence was considered to be "satisfactory" if at least one study was rated with a low risk of bias and low concern about applicability. We included 38 articles comprising 32 studies, five reviews, and one book chapter and assessed nine tools (three diagnostic and six screening, including eight of their short versions). Among screening tools, only AQ-50, AQ-S, and RAADS-R and RAADS-14 were found to provide satisfactory or intermediate values for their psychometric properties, supported by strong or moderate evidence. Nevertheless, risks of bias and concerns on the applicability of these tools limit the evidence on their diagnostic properties. We found that none of the gold standard diagnostic tools used for children had satisfactory measurement properties. There is limited evidence for the measurement properties of the screening and diagnostic tools used for AS adults with a mean normal range of measured intelligence. This may lessen the validity of conclusions and public health decisions on an important fraction of the adult autistic population. This not only justifies further validation studies of screening and diagnostic tools for autistic adults, but also supports the parallel use of self-reported information and clinical expertise with these instruments during the diagnostic process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The methodological quality assessment tools for preclinical and clinical studies, systematic review and meta-analysis, and clinical practice guideline: a systematic review.

PubMed

Zeng, Xiantao; Zhang, Yonggang; Kwong, Joey S W; Zhang, Chao; Li, Sheng; Sun, Feng; Niu, Yuming; Du, Liang

2015-02-01

To systematically review the methodological assessment tools for pre-clinical and clinical studies, systematic review and meta-analysis, and clinical practice guideline. We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Reviewers Manual, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP), Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) up to May 20th, 2014. Two authors selected studies and extracted data; quantitative analysis was performed to summarize the characteristics of included tools. We included a total of 21 assessment tools for analysis. A number of tools were developed by academic organizations, and some were developed by only a small group of researchers. The JBI developed the highest number of methodological assessment tools, with CASP coming second. Tools for assessing the methodological quality of randomized controlled studies were most abundant. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias is the best available tool for assessing RCTs. For cohort and case-control studies, we recommend the use of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) is an excellent tool for assessing non-randomized interventional studies, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (ARHQ) methodology checklist is applicable for cross-sectional studies. For diagnostic accuracy test studies, the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool is recommended; the SYstematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) risk of bias tool is available for assessing animal studies; Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) is a measurement tool for systematic reviews/meta-analyses; an 18-item tool has been developed for appraising case series studies, and the Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation (AGREE)-II instrument is widely used to evaluate clinical practice guidelines. We have successfully identified a variety of methodological assessment tools for different types of study design. However, further efforts in the development of critical appraisal tools are warranted since there is currently a lack of such tools for other fields, e.g. genetic studies, and some existing tools (nested case-control studies and case reports, for example) are in need of updating to be in line with current research practice and rigor. In addition, it is very important that all critical appraisal tools remain subjective and performance bias is effectively avoided. © 2015 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Designing breathalyser technology for the developing world: how a single breath can fight the double disease burden.

PubMed

Krisher, Sarah; Riley, Alison; Mehta, Khanjan

2014-04-01

The meteoric rise in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, alongside already high rates of infectious diseases, is exacerbating the 'double disease burden' in the developing world. There is a desperate need for affordable, accessible and ruggedized diagnostic tools that detect diseases early and direct patients to the correct channels. Breath analysis, the science of utilizing biomarkers in the breath for diagnostic measures, is growing rapidly, especially for use in clinical diagnostic settings. Breathalyser technologies are improving scientifically, but are not yet ready for productization and dissemination to address healthcare challenges. How does one ensure that these new biomedical devices will be suitable for use in developing communities? This article presents a comprehensive review of breath analysis technologies followed by a discussion on how such devices can be designed to conform with WHO's ASSURED criteria so as to reach and sustain in developing countries where they are needed the most.

Investigation of Singly Ionized Iodine Spectroscopy in Support of Electrostatic Propulsion Diagnostics Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-02

from complex user interactions due to the use of liquid lasing medium with finite lifetime. Solid state lasers such as titanium sapphire (Ti:Sapphire...transitions for laser -induced fluorescence of an accelerated atomic iodine singly charged ion (I+). While the second spectrum of iodine has been analyzed...diagnostics tools, such as laser -induced fluorescence (LIF), to examine the plasma acceleration within an electro-static plasma propulsion thruster. While

Learning for Learning Providers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appleby, Alex; Robson, Andrew; Owen, Jane

2003-01-01

Presents the findings from a study of 48 Colleges of Further Education (FE) who have participated in a diagnostic benchmarking exercise using the learning probe methodology. Learning probe has been developed from the established service probe tool (developed originally by London Business School and IBM Consulting) to support colleges of FE in…

Studies on the foundation and development of diagnostic ultrasound

PubMed Central

Wagai, Toshio

2007-01-01

In recent years, various types of diagnostic imaging methods, such as CT, MRI, PET and Ultrasound, have been developed rapidly and become indispensable as clinical diagnostic tools. Among these imaging modalities, CT, MRI and PET all apply electromagnetic waves like radiation rays. In contrast, an ultrasound imaging method uses a completely different mechanical pressure wave: “sound”. Ultrasound has various features, including inaudible sound at very high frequencies, which allows its use in medical diagnoses. That is, ultrasound techniques can be applied in transmission, reflection and Doppler methods. Moreover, the sharp directivity of an ultrasound beam can also improve image resolution. Another big advantage of diagnostic ultrasound is that it does not harm the human body or cause any pain to patients. Given these various advantages, diagnostic ultrasound has recently been widely used in diagnosing cancer and cardiovascular disease and scanning fetuses (Fig. 1) as well as routine clinical examinations in hospitals. In this paper, I outline my almost 50-year history of diagnostic ultrasound research, particularly that performed at the early stage from 1950–56. PMID:24367150

The Role of Epigenomics in the Study of Cancer Biomarkers and in the Development of Diagnostic Tools.

PubMed

Verma, Mukesh

2015-01-01

Epigenetics plays a key role in cancer development. Genetics alone cannot explain sporadic cancer and cancer development in individuals with no family history or a weak family history of cancer. Epigenetics provides a mechanism to explain the development of cancer in such situations. Alterations in epigenetic profiling may provide important insights into the etiology and natural history of cancer. Because several epigenetic changes occur before histopathological changes, they can serve as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and risk assessment. Many cancers may remain asymptomatic until relatively late stages; in managing the disease, efforts should be focused on early detection, accurate prediction of disease progression, and frequent monitoring. This chapter describes epigenetic biomarkers as they are expressed during cancer development and their potential use in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Based on epigenomic information, biomarkers have been identified that may serve as diagnostic tools; some such biomarkers also may be useful in identifying individuals who will respond to therapy and survive longer. The importance of analytical and clinical validation of biomarkers is discussed, along with challenges and opportunities in this field.

Early diagnosis of osteoporosis using radiogrammetry and texture analysis from hand and wrist radiographs in Indian population.

PubMed

Areeckal, A S; Jayasheelan, N; Kamath, J; Zawadynski, S; Kocher, M; David S, S

2018-03-01

We propose an automated low cost tool for early diagnosis of onset of osteoporosis using cortical radiogrammetry and cancellous texture analysis from hand and wrist radiographs. The trained classifier model gives a good performance accuracy in classifying between healthy and low bone mass subjects. We propose a low cost automated diagnostic tool for early diagnosis of reduction in bone mass using cortical radiogrammetry and cancellous texture analysis of hand and wrist radiographs. Reduction in bone mass could lead to osteoporosis, a disease observed to be increasingly occurring at a younger age in recent times. Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), currently used in clinical practice, is expensive and available only in urban areas in India. Therefore, there is a need to develop a low cost diagnostic tool in order to facilitate large-scale screening of people for early diagnosis of osteoporosis at primary health centers. Cortical radiogrammetry from third metacarpal bone shaft and cancellous texture analysis from distal radius are used to detect low bone mass. Cortical bone indices and cancellous features using Gray Level Run Length Matrices and Laws' masks are extracted. A neural network classifier is trained using these features to classify healthy subjects and subjects having low bone mass. In our pilot study, the proposed segmentation method shows 89.9 and 93.5% accuracy in detecting third metacarpal bone shaft and distal radius ROI, respectively. The trained classifier shows training accuracy of 94.3% and test accuracy of 88.5%. An automated diagnostic technique for early diagnosis of onset of osteoporosis is developed using cortical radiogrammetric measurements and cancellous texture analysis of hand and wrist radiographs. The work shows that a combination of cortical and cancellous features improves the diagnostic ability and is a promising low cost tool for early diagnosis of increased risk of osteoporosis.

Development of a smartphone-based pulse oximeter with adaptive SNR/power balancing.

PubMed

Phelps, Tom; Haowei Jiang; Hall, Drew A

2017-07-01

Millions worldwide suffer from diseases that exhibit early warnings signs that can be detected by standard clinical-grade diagnostic tools. Unfortunately, such tools are often prohibitively expensive to the developing world leading to inadequate healthcare and high mortality rates. To address this problem, a smartphone-based pulse oximeter is presented that interfaces with the phone through the audio jack, enabling point-of-care measurements of heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ). The device is designed to utilize existing phone resources (e.g., the processor, battery, and memory) resulting in a more portable and inexpensive diagnostic tool than standalone equivalents. By adaptively tuning the LED driving signal, the device is less dependent on phone-specific audio jack properties than prior audio jack-based work making it universally compatible with all smartphones. We demonstrate that the pulse oximeter can adaptively optimize the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) within the power constraints of a mobile phone (<; 10mW) while maintaining high accuracy (HR error <; 3.4% and SpO 2 error <; 3.7%) against a clinical grade instrument.

A research protocol for developing a Point-Of-Care Key Evidence Tool 'POCKET': a checklist for multidimensional evidence reporting on point-of-care in vitro diagnostics.

PubMed

Huddy, Jeremy R; Ni, Melody; Mavroveli, Stella; Barlow, James; Williams, Doris-Ann; Hanna, George B

2015-07-10

Point-of-care in vitro diagnostics (POC-IVD) are increasingly becoming widespread as an acceptable means of providing rapid diagnostic results to facilitate decision-making in many clinical pathways. Evidence in utility, usability and cost-effectiveness is currently provided in a fragmented and detached manner that is fraught with methodological challenges given the disruptive nature these tests have on the clinical pathway. The Point-of-care Key Evidence Tool (POCKET) checklist aims to provide an integrated evidence-based framework that incorporates all required evidence to guide the evaluation of POC-IVD to meet the needs of policy and decisionmakers in the National Health Service (NHS). A multimethod approach will be applied in order to develop the POCKET. A thorough literature review has formed the basis of a robust Delphi process and validation study. Semistructured interviews are being undertaken with POC-IVD stakeholders, including industry, regulators, commissioners, clinicians and patients to understand what evidence is required to facilitate decision-making. Emergent themes will be translated into a series of statements to form a survey questionnaire that aims to reach a consensus in each stakeholder group to what needs to be included in the tool. Results will be presented to a workshop to discuss the statements brought forward and the optimal format for the tool. Once assembled, the tool will be field-tested through case studies to ensure validity and usability and inform refinement, if required. The final version will be published online with a call for comments. Limitations include unpredictable sample representation, development of compromise position rather than consensus, and absence of blinding in validation exercise. The Imperial College Joint Research Compliance Office and the Imperial College Hospitals NHS Trust R&D department have approved the protocol. The checklist tool will be disseminated through a PhD thesis, a website, peer-reviewed publication, academic conferences and formal presentations. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Designing a training tool for imaging mental models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dede, Christopher J.; Jayaram, Geetha

1990-01-01

The training process can be conceptualized as the student acquiring an evolutionary sequence of classification-problem solving mental models. For example a physician learns (1) classification systems for patient symptoms, diagnostic procedures, diseases, and therapeutic interventions and (2) interrelationships among these classifications (e.g., how to use diagnostic procedures to collect data about a patient's symptoms in order to identify the disease so that therapeutic measures can be taken. This project developed functional specifications for a computer-based tool, Mental Link, that allows the evaluative imaging of such mental models. The fundamental design approach underlying this representational medium is traversal of virtual cognition space. Typically intangible cognitive entities and links among them are visible as a three-dimensional web that represents a knowledge structure. The tool has a high degree of flexibility and customizability to allow extension to other types of uses, such a front-end to an intelligent tutoring system, knowledge base, hypermedia system, or semantic network.

Analytical Chemistry in the Regulatory Science of Medical Devices.

PubMed

Wang, Yi; Guan, Allan; Wickramasekara, Samanthi; Phillips, K Scott

2018-06-12

In the United States, regulatory science is the science of developing new tools, standards, and approaches to assess the safety, efficacy, quality, and performance of all Food and Drug Administration-regulated products. Good regulatory science facilitates consumer access to innovative medical devices that are safe and effective throughout the Total Product Life Cycle (TPLC). Because the need to measure things is fundamental to the regulatory science of medical devices, analytical chemistry plays an important role, contributing to medical device technology in two ways: It can be an integral part of an innovative medical device (e.g., diagnostic devices), and it can be used to support medical device development throughout the TPLC. In this review, we focus on analytical chemistry as a tool for the regulatory science of medical devices. We highlight recent progress in companion diagnostics, medical devices on chips for preclinical testing, mass spectrometry for postmarket monitoring, and detection/characterization of bacterial biofilm to prevent infections.

A game-based crowdsourcing platform for rapidly training middle and high school students to perform biomedical image analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Steve; Woo, Min-jae; Kim, Hannah; Kim, Eunso; Ki, Sojung; Shao, Lei; Ozcan, Aydogan

2016-03-01

We developed an easy-to-use and widely accessible crowd-sourcing tool for rapidly training humans to perform biomedical image diagnostic tasks and demonstrated this platform's ability on middle and high school students in South Korea to diagnose malaria infected red-blood-cells (RBCs) using Giemsa-stained thin blood smears imaged under light microscopes. We previously used the same platform (i.e., BioGames) to crowd-source diagnostics of individual RBC images, marking them as malaria positive (infected), negative (uninfected), or questionable (insufficient information for a reliable diagnosis). Using a custom-developed statistical framework, we combined the diagnoses from both expert diagnosticians and the minimally trained human crowd to generate a gold standard library of malaria-infection labels for RBCs. Using this library of labels, we developed a web-based training and educational toolset that provides a quantified score for diagnosticians/users to compare their performance against their peers and view misdiagnosed cells. We have since demonstrated the ability of this platform to quickly train humans without prior training to reach high diagnostic accuracy as compared to expert diagnosticians. Our initial trial group of 55 middle and high school students has collectively played more than 170 hours, each demonstrating significant improvements after only 3 hours of training games, with diagnostic scores that match expert diagnosticians'. Next, through a national-scale educational outreach program in South Korea we recruited >1660 students who demonstrated a similar performance level after 5 hours of training. We plan to further demonstrate this tool's effectiveness for other diagnostic tasks involving image labeling and aim to provide an easily-accessible and quickly adaptable framework for online training of new diagnosticians.

Measuring the impact of diagnostic decision support on the quality of clinical decision making: development of a reliable and valid composite score.

PubMed

Ramnarayan, Padmanabhan; Kapoor, Ritika R; Coren, Michael; Nanduri, Vasantha; Tomlinson, Amanda L; Taylor, Paul M; Wyatt, Jeremy C; Britto, Joseph F

2003-01-01

Few previous studies evaluating the benefits of diagnostic decision support systems have simultaneously measured changes in diagnostic quality and clinical management prompted by use of the system. This report describes a reliable and valid scoring technique to measure the quality of clinical decision plans in an acute medical setting, where diagnostic decision support tools might prove most useful. Sets of differential diagnoses and clinical management plans generated by 71 clinicians for six simulated cases, before and after decision support from a Web-based pediatric differential diagnostic tool (ISABEL), were used. A composite quality score was calculated separately for each diagnostic and management plan by considering the appropriateness value of each component diagnostic or management suggestion, a weighted sum of individual suggestion ratings, relevance of the entire plan, and its comprehensiveness. The reliability and validity (face, concurrent, construct, and content) of these two final scores were examined. Two hundred fifty-two diagnostic and 350 management suggestions were included in the interrater reliability analysis. There was good agreement between raters (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.79 for diagnoses, and 0.72 for management). No counterintuitive scores were demonstrated on visual inspection of the sets. Content validity was verified by a consultation process with pediatricians. Both scores discriminated adequately between the plans of consultants and medical students and correlated well with clinicians' subjective opinions of overall plan quality (Spearman rho 0.65, p < 0.01). The diagnostic and management scores for each episode showed moderate correlation (r = 0.51). The scores described can be used as key outcome measures in a larger study to fully assess the value of diagnostic decision aids, such as the ISABEL system.

The computerized adaptive diagnostic test for major depressive disorder (CAD-MDD): a screening tool for depression.

PubMed

Gibbons, Robert D; Hooker, Giles; Finkelman, Matthew D; Weiss, David J; Pilkonis, Paul A; Frank, Ellen; Moore, Tara; Kupfer, David J

2013-07-01

To develop a computerized adaptive diagnostic screening tool for depression that decreases patient and clinician burden and increases sensitivity and specificity for clinician-based DSM-IV diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD). 656 individuals with and without minor and major depression were recruited from a psychiatric clinic and a community mental health center and through public announcements (controls without depression). The focus of the study was the development of the Computerized Adaptive Diagnostic Test for Major Depressive Disorder (CAD-MDD) diagnostic screening tool based on a decision-theoretical approach (random forests and decision trees). The item bank consisted of 88 depression scale items drawn from 73 depression measures. Sensitivity and specificity for predicting clinician-based Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders diagnoses of MDD were the primary outcomes. Diagnostic screening accuracy was then compared to that of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). An average of 4 items per participant was required (maximum of 6 items). Overall sensitivity and specificity were 0.95 and 0.87, respectively. For the PHQ-9, sensitivity was 0.70 and specificity was 0.91. High sensitivity and reasonable specificity for a clinician-based DSM-IV diagnosis of depression can be obtained using an average of 4 adaptively administered self-report items in less than 1 minute. Relative to the currently used PHQ-9, the CAD-MDD dramatically increased sensitivity while maintaining similar specificity. As such, the CAD-MDD will identify more true positives (lower false-negative rate) than the PHQ-9 using half the number of items. Inexpensive (relative to clinical assessment), efficient, and accurate screening of depression in the settings of primary care, psychiatric epidemiology, molecular genetics, and global health are all direct applications of the current system. © Copyright 2013 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

The Malaria System MicroApp: A New, Mobile Device-Based Tool for Malaria Diagnosis.

PubMed

Oliveira, Allisson Dantas; Prats, Clara; Espasa, Mateu; Zarzuela Serrat, Francesc; Montañola Sales, Cristina; Silgado, Aroa; Codina, Daniel Lopez; Arruda, Mercia Eliane; I Prat, Jordi Gomez; Albuquerque, Jones

2017-04-25

Malaria is a public health problem that affects remote areas worldwide. Climate change has contributed to the problem by allowing for the survival of Anopheles in previously uninhabited areas. As such, several groups have made developing news systems for the automated diagnosis of malaria a priority. The objective of this study was to develop a new, automated, mobile device-based diagnostic system for malaria. The system uses Giemsa-stained peripheral blood samples combined with light microscopy to identify the Plasmodium falciparum species in the ring stage of development. The system uses image processing and artificial intelligence techniques as well as a known face detection algorithm to identify Plasmodium parasites. The algorithm is based on integral image and haar-like features concepts, and makes use of weak classifiers with adaptive boosting learning. The search scope of the learning algorithm is reduced in the preprocessing step by removing the background around blood cells. As a proof of concept experiment, the tool was used on 555 malaria-positive and 777 malaria-negative previously-made slides. The accuracy of the system was, on average, 91%, meaning that for every 100 parasite-infected samples, 91 were identified correctly. Accessibility barriers of low-resource countries can be addressed with low-cost diagnostic tools. Our system, developed for mobile devices (mobile phones and tablets), addresses this by enabling access to health centers in remote communities, and importantly, not depending on extensive malaria expertise or expensive diagnostic detection equipment. ©Allisson Dantas Oliveira, Clara Prats, Mateu Espasa, Francesc Zarzuela Serrat, Cristina Montañola Sales, Aroa Silgado, Daniel Lopez Codina, Mercia Eliane Arruda, Jordi Gomez i Prat, Jones Albuquerque. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 25.04.2017.

A Machine Learning-Based Analysis of Game Data for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Assessment.

PubMed

Heller, Monika D; Roots, Kurt; Srivastava, Sanjana; Schumann, Jennifer; Srivastava, Jaideep; Hale, T Sigi

2013-10-01

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is found in 9.5 percent of the U.S. population and poses lifelong challenges. Current diagnostic approaches rely on evaluation forms completed by teachers and/or parents, although they are not specifically trained to recognize cognitive disorders. The most accurate diagnosis is by a psychiatrist, often only available to children with severe symptoms. Development of a tool that is engaging and objective and aids medical providers is needed in the diagnosis of ADHD. The goal of this research is to work toward the development of such a tool. The proposed approach takes advantage of two trends: The rapid adoption of tangible user interface devices and the popularity of interactive videogames. CogCubed Inc. (Minneapolis, MN) has created "Groundskeeper," a game on the Sifteo Cubes (Sifteo, Inc., San Francisco, CA) game system with elements that exercise skills affected by ADHD. "Groundskeeper" was evaluated for 52 patients, with and without ADHD. Gameplay data were mathematically transformed into ADHD-indicative feature variables and subjected to machine learning algorithms to develop diagnostic models to aid psychiatric clinical assessments of ADHD. The effectiveness of the developed model was evaluated against the diagnostic impressions of two licensed child/adolescent psychiatrists using semistructured interviews. Our predictive algorithms were highly accurate in correctly predicting diagnoses based on gameplay of "Groundskeeper." The F-measure, a measure of diagnosis accuracy, from the predictive models gave values as follows: ADHD, inattentive type, 78 percent (P>0.05); ADHD, combined type, 75 percent (P<0.05); anxiety disorders, 71%; and depressive disorders, 76%. This represents a promising new approach to screening tools for ADHD.

Point-of-care diagnostic assay for the detection of Zika virus using the recombinase polymerase amplification method.

PubMed

Vasileva Wand, Nadina I; Bonney, Laura C; Watson, Robert J; Graham, Victoria; Hewson, Roger

2018-06-13

The sudden and explosive expansion of Zika virus (ZIKV) from the African continent through Oceania and culminating in the outbreak in South America has highlighted the importance of new rapid point-of-care diagnostic tools for the control and prevention of transmission. ZIKV infection has devastating consequences, such as neurological congenital malformations in infants born to infected mothers and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults. Additionally, its potential for transmission through vector bites, as well as from person to person through blood transfusions and sexual contact, are important considerations for prompt diagnosis. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), an isothermal method, was developed as an alternative field-applicable assay to PCR. Here we report the development of a novel ZIKV real-time reverse transcriptase RPA (RT-RPA) assay capable of detecting a range of different ZIKV strains from a variety of geographical locations. The ZIKV RT-RPA was shown to be highly sensitive, being capable of detecting as few as five copies of target nucleic acid per reaction, and suitable for use with a battery-operated portable device. The ZIKV RT-RPA demonstrated 100 % specificity and 83 % sensitivity in clinical samples. Furthermore, we determined that the ZIKV RT-RPA is a versatile assay that can be applied to crude samples, such as saliva and serum, and can be used as a vector surveillance tool on crude mosquito homogenates. Therefore, the developed ZIKV RT-RPA is a useful diagnostic tool that can be transferred to a resource-limited location, eliminating the need for a specialized and sophisticated laboratory environment and highly trained staff.

Frontiers of parasitology research in the People's Republic of China: infection, diagnosis, protection and surveillance

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Control and eventual elimination of human parasitic diseases in the People's Republic of China (P.R. China) requires novel approaches, particularly in the areas of diagnostics, mathematical modelling, monitoring, evaluation, surveillance and public health response. A comprehensive effort, involving the collaboration of 188 scientists (>85% from P.R. China) from 48 different institutions and universities (80% from P.R. China), covers this collection of 29 articles published in Parasites & Vectors. The research mainly stems from a research project entitled “Surveillance and diagnostic tools for major parasitic diseases in P.R. China” (grant no. 2008ZX10004-011) and highlights the frontiers of research in parasitology. The majority of articles in this thematic series deals with the most important parasitic diseases in P.R. China, emphasizing Schistosoma japonicum, Plasmodium vivax and Clonorchis sinensis plus some parasites of emerging importance such as Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Significant achievements have been made through the collaborative research programme in the following three fields: (i) development of strategies for the national control programme; (ii) updating the surveillance data of parasitic infections both in human and animals; and (iii) improvement of existing, and development of novel, diagnostic tools to detect parasitic infections. The progress is considerable and warrants broad validation efforts. Combined with the development of improved tools for diagnosis and surveillance, integrated and multi-pronged control strategies should now pave the way for elimination of parasitic diseases in P.R. China. Experiences and lessons learned can stimulate control and elimination efforts of parasitic diseases in other parts of the world. PMID:23036110

A software tool for advanced MRgFUS prostate therapy planning and follow up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Straaten, Dörte; Hoogenboom, Martijn; van Amerongen, Martinus J.; Weiler, Florian; Issawi, Jumana Al; Günther, Matthias; Fütterer, Jurgen; Jenne, Jürgen W.

2017-03-01

US guided HIFU/FUS ablation for the therapy of prostate cancer is a clinical established method, while MR guided HIFU/FUS applications for prostate recently started clinical evaluation. Even if MRI examination is an excellent diagnostic tool for prostate cancer, it is a time consuming procedure and not practicable within an MRgFUS therapy session. The aim of our ongoing work is to develop software to support therapy planning and post-therapy follow-up for MRgFUS on localized prostate cancer, based on multi-parametric MR protocols. The clinical workflow of diagnosis, therapy and follow-up of MR guided FUS on prostate cancer was deeply analyzed. Based on this, the image processing workflow was designed and all necessary components, e.g. GUI, viewer, registration tools etc. were defined and implemented. The software bases on MeVisLab with several implemented C++ modules for the image processing tasks. The developed software, called LTC (Local Therapy Control) will register and visualize automatically all images (T1w, T2w, DWI etc.) and ADC or perfusion maps gained from the diagnostic MRI session. This maximum of diagnostic information helps to segment all necessary ROIs, e.g. the tumor, for therapy planning. Final therapy planning will be performed based on these segmentation data in the following MRgFUS therapy session. In addition, the developed software should help to evaluate the therapy success, by synchronization and display of pre-therapeutic, therapy and follow-up image data including the therapy plan and thermal dose information. In this ongoing project, the first stand-alone prototype was completed and will be clinically evaluated.

Diagnostic tools for mixing models of stream water chemistry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hooper, Richard P.

2003-01-01

Mixing models provide a useful null hypothesis against which to evaluate processes controlling stream water chemical data. Because conservative mixing of end‐members with constant concentration is a linear process, a number of simple mathematical and multivariate statistical methods can be applied to this problem. Although mixing models have been most typically used in the context of mixing soil and groundwater end‐members, an extension of the mathematics of mixing models is presented that assesses the “fit” of a multivariate data set to a lower dimensional mixing subspace without the need for explicitly identified end‐members. Diagnostic tools are developed to determine the approximate rank of the data set and to assess lack of fit of the data. This permits identification of processes that violate the assumptions of the mixing model and can suggest the dominant processes controlling stream water chemical variation. These same diagnostic tools can be used to assess the fit of the chemistry of one site into the mixing subspace of a different site, thereby permitting an assessment of the consistency of controlling end‐members across sites. This technique is applied to a number of sites at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed located near Atlanta, Georgia.

Quality control in diagnostic immunohistochemistry: integrated on-slide positive controls.

PubMed

Bragoni, A; Gambella, A; Pigozzi, S; Grigolini, M; Fiocca, R; Mastracci, L; Grillo, F

2017-11-01

Standardization in immunohistochemistry is a priority in modern pathology and requires strict quality control. Cost containment has also become fundamental and auditing of all procedures must take into account both these principles. Positive controls must be routinely performed so that their positivity guarantees the appropriateness of the immunohistochemical procedure. The aim of this study is to develop a low cost (utilizing a punch biopsy-PB-tool) procedure to construct positive controls which can be integrated in the patient's tissue slide. Sixteen frequently used control blocks were selected and multiple cylindrical samples were obtained using a 5-mm diameter punch biopsy tool, separately re-embedding them in single blocks. For each diagnostic immunoreaction requiring a positive control, an integrated PB-control section (cut from the appropriate PB-control block) was added to the top right corner of the diagnostic slide before immunostaining. This integrated control technique permitted a saving of 4.75% in total direct lab costs and proved to be technically feasible and reliable. Our proposal is easy to perform and within the reach of all pathology labs, requires easily available tools, its application costs is less than using external paired controls and ensures that a specific control for each slide is always available.

Advances in genetics and genomics: use and limitations in achieving malaria elimination goals

PubMed Central

Gunawardena, Sharmini; Karunaweera, Nadira D.

2015-01-01

Success of the global research agenda towards eradication of malaria will depend on the development of new tools, including drugs, vaccines, insecticides and diagnostics. Genetic and genomic information now available for the malaria parasites, their mosquito vectors and human host, can be harnessed to both develop these tools and monitor their effectiveness. Here we review and provide specific examples of current technological advances and how these genetic and genomic tools have increased our knowledge of host, parasite and vector biology in relation to malaria elimination and in turn enhanced the potential to reach that goal. We then discuss limitations of these tools and future prospects for the successful achievement of global malaria elimination goals. PMID:25943157

Sugars Can Actually Be Good For Your Health (LBNL Science at the Theater)

ScienceCinema

Bertozzi, Carolyn

2018-05-25

Like peanut M&Ms, all cells are coated with sugars but the functions of these sugar coatings were a mystery until very recently. This presentation will highlight recent fascinating discoveries regarding why cells are coated with sugars, as well as new tools for cancer detection that take advantage of the cells sugar coating. Professor Bertozzis lab focuses on profiling changes in cell surface glycosylation associated with cancer, inflammation and bacterial infection, and exploiting this information for development of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. In addition, her group develops nanoscience-based technologies for probing cell function and for medical diagnostics.

Diagnostics barriers and innovations in rural areas: insights from junior medical doctors on the frontlines of rural care in Peru.

PubMed

Anticona Huaynate, Cynthia Fiorella; Pajuelo Travezaño, Monica Jehnny; Correa, Malena; Mayta Malpartida, Holger; Oberhelman, Richard; Murphy, Laura L; Paz-Soldan, Valerie A

2015-10-05

Worldwide, rural communities face barriers when accessing health services. In response, numerous initiatives have focused on fostering technological innovations, new management approaches and health policies. Research suggests that the most successful innovations are those involving stakeholders at all levels. However, there is little evidence exploring the opinions of local health providers that could contribute with further innovation development and research. The aims of this study were to explore the perspectives of medical doctors (MDs) working in rural areas of Peru, regarding the barriers impacting the diagnostic process, and ideas for diagnostic innovations that could assist them. Data gathered through three focus group discussions (FGG) and 18 individual semi-structured interviews (SSI) with MDs who had completed their medical service in rural areas of Peru in the last two years were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three types of barriers emerged. The first barrier was the limited access to point of care (POC) diagnostic tools. Tests were needed for: i) the differential diagnosis of malaria vs. pneumonia, ii) dengue vs. leptospirosis, iii) tuberculosis, iv) vaginal infections and cervical cancer, v) neurocysticercosis, and vi) heavy metal toxicity. Ultrasound was needed for the diagnosis of obstetric and intra-abdominal conditions. There were also health system-related barriers such as limited funding for diagnostic services, shortage of specialists, limited laboratory services and access to telecommunications, and lack of institutional support. Finally, the third type of barriers included patient related-barriers to follow through with diagnostic referrals. Ideas for innovations proposed included POC equipment and tests, and telemedicine. MDs at primary health facilities in rural Peru face diagnostic challenges that are difficult to overcome due to a limited access to diagnostic tools. Referrals to specialized facilities are constrained by deficiencies in the organization of health services and by barriers that impede the patients' travel to distant health facilities. Technological innovations suggested by the participants such as POC diagnostic tools and mobile-health (m-health) applications could help address part of the problem. However, other types of innovation to address social, adaptation and policy issues should not be dismissed.

Mobile Phones Democratize and Cultivate Next-Generation Imaging, Diagnostics and Measurement Tools

PubMed Central

Ozcan, Aydogan

2014-01-01

In this article, I discuss some of the emerging applications and the future opportunities and challenges created by the use of mobile phones and their embedded components for the development of next-generation imaging, sensing, diagnostics and measurement tools. The massive volume of mobile phone users, which has now reached ~7 billion, drives the rapid improvements of the hardware, software and high-end imaging and sensing technologies embedded in our phones, transforming the mobile phone into a cost-effective and yet extremely powerful platform to run e.g., biomedical tests and perform scientific measurements that would normally require advanced laboratory instruments. This rapidly evolving and continuing trend will help us transform how medicine, engineering and sciences are practiced and taught globally. PMID:24647550

Intuitive and interpretable visual communication of a complex statistical model of disease progression and risk.

PubMed

Jieyi Li; Arandjelovic, Ognjen

2017-07-01

Computer science and machine learning in particular are increasingly lauded for their potential to aid medical practice. However, the highly technical nature of the state of the art techniques can be a major obstacle in their usability by health care professionals and thus, their adoption and actual practical benefit. In this paper we describe a software tool which focuses on the visualization of predictions made by a recently developed method which leverages data in the form of large scale electronic records for making diagnostic predictions. Guided by risk predictions, our tool allows the user to explore interactively different diagnostic trajectories, or display cumulative long term prognostics, in an intuitive and easily interpretable manner.

Polarization of Coronal Forbidden Lines

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

Li, Hao; Qu, Zhongquan; Landi Degl’Innocenti, Egidio, E-mail: sayahoro@ynao.ac.cn

Since the magnetic field is responsible for most manifestations of solar activity, one of the most challenging problems in solar physics is the diagnostics of solar magnetic fields, particularly in the outer atmosphere. To this end, it is important to develop rigorous diagnostic tools to interpret polarimetric observations in suitable spectral lines. This paper is devoted to analyzing the diagnostic content of linear polarization imaging observations in coronal forbidden lines. Although this technique is restricted to off-limb observations, it represents a significant tool to diagnose the magnetic field structure in the solar corona, where the magnetic field is intrinsically weakmore » and still poorly known. We adopt the quantum theory of polarized line formation developed in the framework of the density matrix formalism, and synthesize images of the emergent linear polarization signal in coronal forbidden lines using potential-field source-surface magnetic field models. The influence of electronic collisions, active regions, and Thomson scattering on the linear polarization of coronal forbidden lines is also examined. It is found that active regions and Thomson scattering are capable of conspicuously influencing the orientation of the linear polarization. These effects have to be carefully taken into account to increase the accuracy of the field diagnostics. We also found that linear polarization observation in suitable lines can give valuable information on the long-term evolution of the magnetic field in the solar corona.« less

Nonlinear microscopy as diagnostic tool for the discrimination of activated T cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavgiotaki, E.; Filippidis, G.; Zerva, I.; Agelaki, S.; Georgoulias, V.; Athanassakis, I.

2017-07-01

Third Harmonic Generation (THG) imaging was applied to mouse resting and activated T-cells. Quantification of THG signal, which corresponded to lipid droplets, could distinguish activated Tcells, allowing follow-up of immune response development.

Evaluation of the MoleMate training program for assessment of suspicious pigmented lesions in primary care.

PubMed

Wood, Annabel; Morris, Helen; Emery, Jon; Hall, Per N; Cotton, Symon; Prevost, A Toby; Walter, Fiona M

2008-01-01

Pigmented skin lesions or 'moles' are a common presenting problem in general practice consultations: while the majority are benign, a minority are malignant melanomas. The MoleMate system is a novel diagnostic tool which incorporates spectrophotometric intracutaneous analysis (SIAscopy) within a non-invasive scanning technique and utilises a diagnostic algorithm specifically developed for use in primary care. The MoleMate training program is a short, computer-based course developed to train primary care practitioners to operate the MoleMate diagnostic tool. This pre-trial study used mixed methods to assess the effectiveness and acceptability of a computer-based training program CD-ROM, developed to teach primary care practitioners to identify the seven features of suspicious pigmented lesions (SPLs) seen with the MoleMate system. Twenty-five practitioners worked through the MoleMate training program: data on feature recognition and time taken to conduct the assessment of each lesion were collected. Acceptability of the training program and the MoleMate system in general was assessed by questionnaire. The MoleMate training program improved users' feature recognition by 10% (pre-test median 73.8%, p<0.001), and reduced the time taken to complete assessment of 30 SPLs (pre-test median 21 minutes 53 seconds, median improvement 3 minutes 17 seconds, p<0.001). All practitioners' feature recognition improved (21/21), with most also improving their time (18/21). Practitioners rated the training program as effective and easy to use. The MoleMate training program is a potentially effective and acceptable informatics tool to teach practitioners to recognise the features of SPLs identified by the MoleMate system. It will be used as part of the intervention in a randomised controlled trial to compare the diagnostic accuracy and appropriate referral rates of practitioners using the MoleMate system with best practice in primary care.

Machine learning classification with confidence: application of transductive conformal predictors to MRI-based diagnostic and prognostic markers in depression.

PubMed

Nouretdinov, Ilia; Costafreda, Sergi G; Gammerman, Alexander; Chervonenkis, Alexey; Vovk, Vladimir; Vapnik, Vladimir; Fu, Cynthia H Y

2011-05-15

There is rapidly accumulating evidence that the application of machine learning classification to neuroimaging measurements may be valuable for the development of diagnostic and prognostic prediction tools in psychiatry. However, current methods do not produce a measure of the reliability of the predictions. Knowing the risk of the error associated with a given prediction is essential for the development of neuroimaging-based clinical tools. We propose a general probabilistic classification method to produce measures of confidence for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. We describe the application of transductive conformal predictor (TCP) to MRI images. TCP generates the most likely prediction and a valid measure of confidence, as well as the set of all possible predictions for a given confidence level. We present the theoretical motivation for TCP, and we have applied TCP to structural and functional MRI data in patients and healthy controls to investigate diagnostic and prognostic prediction in depression. We verify that TCP predictions are as accurate as those obtained with more standard machine learning methods, such as support vector machine, while providing the additional benefit of a valid measure of confidence for each prediction. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated Diagnosis and Control of Complex Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurien, James; Plaunt, Christian; Cannon, Howard; Shirley, Mark; Taylor, Will; Nayak, P.; Hudson, Benoit; Bachmann, Andrew; Brownston, Lee; Hayden, Sandra;

New methodology to baseline and match AME polysilicon etcher using advanced diagnostic tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poppe, James; Shipman, John; Reinhardt, Barbara E.; Roussel, Myriam; Hedgecock, Raymond; Fonda, Arturo

1999-09-01

As process controls tighten in the semiconductor industry, the need to understand the variables that determine system performance become more important. For plasma etch systems, process success depends on the control of key parameters such as: vacuum integrity, pressure, gas flows, and RF power. It is imperative to baseline, monitor, and control these variables. This paper presents an overview of the methods and tools used by Motorola BMC fabrication facility to characterize an Applied Materials polysilicon etcher. Tool performance data obtained from our traditional measurement techniques are limited in their scope and do not provide a complete picture of the ultimate tool performance. Presently the BMC traditional characterization tools provide a snapshot of the static operation of the equipment under test (EUT); however, complete evaluation of the dynamic performance cannot be monitored without the aid of specialized diagnostic equipment. To provide us with a complete system baseline evaluation of the polysilicon etcher, three diagnostic tools were utilized: Lucas Labs Vacuum Diagnostic System, Residual Gas Analyzer, and the ENI Voltage/Impedance Probe. The diagnostic methodology used to baseline and match key parameters of qualified production equipment has had an immense impact on other equipment characterization in the facility. It has resulted in reduced cycle time for new equipment introduction as well.

The diagnostic value of the premature ejaculation diagnostic tool and its association with intravaginal ejaculatory latency time.

PubMed

Kam, Sung Chul; Han, Deok Hyun; Lee, Sung Won

2011-03-01

Premature ejaculation (PE) is the most prevalent male ejaculation disorder. The premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT) was developed to systematically apply the DSM-IV-TR criteria in diagnostic PE. To evaluate the diagnostic value of the PEDT and its association with intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT). (i) Korean validation of PEDT: data was collected from men interviewed by one of the two clinical experts, who made a diagnostic of present or absence of PE, using DSM-IV-TR criteria. A total of 103 patients with PE and 100 men without PE were enrolled into the study and requested to complete the PEDT; and (ii) The correlation between IELT and PEDT: 200 participants were enrolled and each participant was asked to make out PEDT. All participants were requested to measure IELT. Validity and reliability of the PEDT and its association with IELT. The geometric mean IELT of the PE group was 115.37 ± 78.14 seconds. The number of men reporting IELTs of <1, 1 to ≤ 2, and >2 minutes were 28 (28.6%), 29 (29.6%), and 41 (41.8%), respectively. The Cronbach's alpha score was calculated as 0.93, showing adequate internal consistency. The test-retest correlation coefficients of each item were higher than 0.72 and the correlation coefficients of the total score was 0.88. (P < 0.001) Sensitivity and specificity analyses suggested a score of ≤ 8 indicated no PE, 9 and 10 probable PE, and ≥ 11 PE. The PEDT total score and IELT showed an adequate negative correlation. (ρ = -0.77, P < 0.0001) also, the PEDT total score of the PE subgroup (IELT ≤ 2 minutes) and IELT showed a negative correlation. (ρ = -0.6, P < 0.0001) The PEDT was highly effective in detecting the presence of PE. The result of our study supports its validity as a diagnostic tool in the clinical setting. © 2010 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Loop mediated isothermal amplification: An innovative gene amplification technique for animal diseases.

PubMed

Sahoo, Pravas Ranjan; Sethy, Kamadev; Mohapatra, Swagat; Panda, Debasis

2016-05-01

India being a developing country mainly depends on livestock sector for its economy. However, nowadays, there is emergence and reemergence of more transboundary animal diseases. The existing diagnostic techniques are not so quick and with less specificity. To reduce the economy loss, there should be a development of rapid, reliable, robust diagnostic technique, which can work with high degree of sensitivity and specificity. Loop mediated isothermal amplification assay is a rapid gene amplification technique that amplifies nucleic acid under an isothermal condition with a set of designed primers spanning eight distinct sequences of the target. This assay can be used as an emerging powerful, innovative gene amplification diagnostic tool against various pathogens of livestock diseases. This review is to highlight the basic concept and methodology of this assay in livestock disease.

The Development of a Cognitively-Diagnostic Formative Assessment of the Early Concept of Angle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khasanova, Elvira

2016-01-01

Students' development of conceptual understandings is a central goal of mathematics education (CCSS-Mathematics, 2010). Such a challenging, yet ambiguous, goal cannot be achieved without empowering teachers with the knowledge and tools critical for their ability to adequately convey the content, and assess and interpret students' performance. This…

Development of Three-Tier Heat, Temperature and Internal Energy Diagnostic Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gurcay, Deniz; Gulbas, Etna

2015-01-01

Background: Misconceptions are major obstacles to learning physics, and the concepts of heat and temperature are some of the common misconceptions that are encountered in daily life. Therefore, it is important to develop valid and reliable tools to determine students' misconceptions about basic thermodynamics concepts. Three-tier tests are…

Candidate biomarker discovery and selection for ‘Granny Smith' superficial scald risk management and diagnosis, poster board

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Discovery of candidate biomarkers for superficial scald, a peel disorder that develops during storage of susceptible apple cultivars, is part of a larger project aimed at developing biomarker-based risk-management and diagnostic tools for multiple apple postharvest disorders (http://www.tfrec.wsu.ed...

Screening of microbial volatile organic compounds for detection of disease in cattle: development of lab-scale method

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The quest to find unique marker volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with human, livestock and wildlife diseases (Ellis et al., 2014) requires development of diagnostic non-invasive point-of-care tools and field surveillance technologies and strategies. The objective of this research was to ...

Recent Progress in the Development of Metabolome Databases for Plant Systems Biology

PubMed Central

Fukushima, Atsushi; Kusano, Miyako

2013-01-01

Metabolomics has grown greatly as a functional genomics tool, and has become an invaluable diagnostic tool for biochemical phenotyping of biological systems. Over the past decades, a number of databases involving information related to mass spectra, compound names and structures, statistical/mathematical models and metabolic pathways, and metabolite profile data have been developed. Such databases complement each other and support efficient growth in this area, although the data resources remain scattered across the World Wide Web. Here, we review available metabolome databases and summarize the present status of development of related tools, particularly focusing on the plant metabolome. Data sharing discussed here will pave way for the robust interpretation of metabolomic data and advances in plant systems biology. PMID:23577015

How to: evaluate a diagnostic test.

PubMed

Leeflang, Mariska M G; Allerberger, Franz

2018-06-12

The development of an in vitro diagnostic test from a good idea to a clinically relevant tool takes several steps, with more stringent requirements at every step. This article aims to summarize the necessary questions to be asked about a test and to illustrate study designs answering these questions. We also aim to relate the Regulation (EU) 2017/746 to the needs of evidence-based diagnostic testing, where applicable. We used literature on evidence-based diagnostics, a text book on clinical trials in the development and marketing of medical devices and the English version of Regulation 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council on in vitro diagnostic medical devices. The combination of different test uses and different stages of development determine the required test characteristics and suitability of study designs. In an earlier stage of test development it may be crucial to know whether a test can differentiate diseased persons from healthy controls, while this tells us little about how a test will perform in practice. Later stages focus on the diagnostic accuracy of a test in a clinically relevant situation. However, a test that perfectly distinguishes between patients with and without a certain condition may still have little effect on patient outcomes. Therefore, randomized controlled trials of testing may be needed, as well as post-marketing monitoring. Both researchers and users of tests need to be aware of the limitations of diagnostic test accuracy and realize that accuracy is only indirectly linked to people's health status. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Molecular Pathology and Personalized Medicine: The Dawn of a New Era in Companion Diagnostics-Practical Considerations about Companion Diagnostics for Non-Small-Cell-Lung-Cancer.

PubMed

Plönes, Till; Engel-Riedel, Walburga; Stoelben, Erich; Limmroth, Christina; Schildgen, Oliver; Schildgen, Verena

2016-01-15

Companion diagnostics (CDx) have become a major tool in molecular pathology and assist in therapy decisions in an increasing number of various cancers. Particularly, the developments in lung cancer have been most impressing in the last decade and consequently lung cancer mutation testing and molecular profiling has become a major business of diagnostic laboratories. However, it has become difficult to decide which biomarkers are currently relevant for therapy decisions, as many of the new biomarkers are not yet approved as therapy targets, remain in the status of clinical studies, or still have not left the experimental phase. The current review is focussed on those markers that do have current therapy implications, practical implications arising from the respective companion diagnostics, and thus is focused on daily practice.

Pediatric post-thrombotic syndrome in children: Toward the development of a new diagnostic and evaluative measurement tool.

PubMed

Avila, M L; Brandão, L R; Williams, S; Ward, L C; Montoya, M I; Stinson, J; Kiss, A; Lara-Corrales, I; Feldman, B M

2016-08-01

Our goal was to conduct the item generation and piloting phases of a new discriminative and evaluative tool for pediatric post-thrombotic syndrome. We followed a formative model for the development of the tool, focusing on the signs/symptoms (items) that define post-thrombotic syndrome. For item generation, pediatric thrombosis experts and subjects diagnosed with extremity post-thrombotic syndrome during childhood nominated items. In the piloting phase, items were cross-sectionally measured in children with limb deep vein thrombosis to examine item performance. Twenty-three experts and 16 subjects listed 34 items, which were then measured in 140 subjects with previous diagnosis of limb deep vein thrombosis (70 upper extremity and 70 lower extremity). The items with strongest correlation with post-thrombotic syndrome severity and largest area under the curve were pain (in older children), paresthesia, and swollen limb for the upper extremity group, and pain (in older children), tired limb, heaviness, tightness and paresthesia for the lower extremity group. The diagnostic properties of the items and their correlations with post-thrombotic syndrome severity varied according to the assessed venous territory. The information gathered in this study will help experts decide which item should be considered for inclusion in the new tool. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A case definition and photographic screening tool for the facial phenotype of fetal alcohol syndrome.

PubMed

Astley, S J; Clarren, S K

1996-07-01

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that a quantitative, multivariate case definition of the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) facial phenotype could be derived from photographs of individuals with FAS and to demonstrate how this case definition and photographic approach could be used to develop efficient, accurate, and precise screening tools, diagnostic aids, and possibly surveillance tools. Frontal facial photographs of 42 subjects (from birth to 27 years of age) with FAS were matched to 84 subjects without FAS. The study population was randomly divided in half. Group 1 was used to identify the facial features that best differentiated individuals with and without FAS. Group 2 was used for cross validation. In group 1, stepwise discriminant analysis identified three facial features (reduced palpebral fissure length/inner canthal distance ratio, smooth philtrum, and thin upper lip) as the cluster of features that differentiated individuals with and without FAS in groups 1 and 2 with 100% accuracy. Sensitivity and specificity were unaffected by race, gender, and age. The phenotypic case definition derived from photographs accurately distinguished between individuals with and without FAS, demonstrating the potential of this approach for developing screening, diagnostic, and surveillance tools. Further evaluation of the validity and generalizability of this method will be needed.

Rapid Accurate Identification of Tuberculous Meningitis Among South African Children Using a Novel Clinical Decision Tool.

PubMed

Goenka, Anu; Jeena, Prakash M; Mlisana, Koleka; Solomon, Tom; Spicer, Kevin; Stephenson, Rebecca; Verma, Arpana; Dhada, Barnesh; Griffiths, Michael J

2018-03-01

Early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is crucial to achieve optimum outcomes. There is no effective rapid diagnostic test for use in children. We aimed to develop a clinical decision tool to facilitate the early diagnosis of childhood TBM. Retrospective case-control study was performed across 7 hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (2010-2014). We identified the variables most predictive of microbiologically confirmed TBM in children (3 months to 15 years) by univariate analysis. These variables were modelled into a clinical decision tool and performance tested on an independent sample group. Of 865 children with suspected TBM, 3% (25) were identified with microbiologically confirmed TBM. Clinical information was retrieved for 22 microbiologically confirmed cases of TBM and compared with 66 controls matched for age, ethnicity, sex and geographical origin. The 9 most predictive variables among the confirmed cases were used to develop a clinical decision tool (CHILD TB LP): altered Consciousness; caregiver HIV infected; Illness length >7 days; Lethargy; focal neurologic Deficit; failure to Thrive; Blood/serum sodium <132 mmol/L; CSF >10 Lymphocytes ×10/L; CSF Protein >0.65 g/L. This tool successfully classified an independent sample of 7 cases and 21 controls with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 90%. The CHILD TB LP decision tool accurately classified microbiologically confirmed TBM. We propose that CHILD TB LP is prospectively evaluated as a novel rapid diagnostic tool for use in the initial evaluation of children with suspected neurologic infection presenting to hospitals in similar settings.

Synthetic biology platform technologies for antimicrobial applications.

PubMed

Braff, Dana; Shis, David; Collins, James J

2016-10-01

The growing prevalence of antibiotic resistance calls for new approaches in the development of antimicrobial therapeutics. Likewise, improved diagnostic measures are essential in guiding the application of targeted therapies and preventing the evolution of therapeutic resistance. Discovery platforms are also needed to form new treatment strategies and identify novel antimicrobial agents. By applying engineering principles to molecular biology, synthetic biologists have developed platforms that improve upon, supplement, and will perhaps supplant traditional broad-spectrum antibiotics. Efforts in engineering bacteriophages and synthetic probiotics demonstrate targeted antimicrobial approaches that can be fine-tuned using synthetic biology-derived principles. Further, the development of paper-based, cell-free expression systems holds promise in promoting the clinical translation of molecular biology tools for diagnostic purposes. In this review, we highlight emerging synthetic biology platform technologies that are geared toward the generation of new antimicrobial therapies, diagnostics, and discovery channels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid bacterial diagnostics via surface enhanced Raman microscopy.

PubMed

Premasiri, W R; Sauer-Budge, A F; Lee, J C; Klapperich, C M; Ziegler, L D

2012-06-01

There is a continuing need to develop new techniques for the rapid and specific identification of bacterial pathogens in human body fluids especially given the increasing prevalence of drug resistant strains. Efforts to develop a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based approach, which encompasses sample preparation, SERS substrates, portable Raman microscopy instrumentation and novel identification software, are described. The progress made in each of these areas in our laboratory is summarized and illustrated by a spiked infectious sample for urinary tract infection (UTI) diagnostics. SERS bacterial spectra exhibit both enhanced sensitivity and specificity allowing the development of an easy to use, portable, optical platform for pathogen detection and identification. SERS of bacterial cells is shown to offer not only reproducible molecular spectroscopic signatures for analytical applications in clinical diagnostics, but also is a new tool for studying biochemical activity in real time at the outer layers of these organisms.

Expert diagnostics system as a part of analysis software for power mission operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, Jennifer A.; Bahrami, Khosrow A.

1993-01-01

The operation of interplanetary spacecraft at JPL has become an increasingly complex activity. This complexity is due to advanced spacecraft designs and ambitious mission objectives which lead to operations requirements that are more demanding than those of any previous mission. For this reason, several productivity enhancement measures are underway at JPL within mission operations, particularly in the spacecraft analysis area. These measures aimed at spacecraft analysis include: the development of a multi-mission, multi-subsystem operations environment; the introduction of automated tools into this environment; and the development of an expert diagnostics system. This paper discusses an effort to integrate the above mentioned productivity enhancement measures. A prototype was developed that integrates an expert diagnostics system into a multi-mission, multi-subsystem operations environment using the Galileo Power / Pyro Subsystem as a testbed. This prototype will be discussed in addition to background information associated with it.

Molecular diagnostics for Chagas disease: up to date and novel methodologies.

PubMed

Alonso-Padilla, Julio; Gallego, Montserrat; Schijman, Alejandro G; Gascon, Joaquim

2017-07-01

Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It affects 7 million people, mainly in Latin America. Diagnosis is usually made serologically, but at some clinical scenarios serology cannot be used. Then, molecular detection is required for early detection of congenital transmission, treatment response follow up, and diagnosis of immune-suppression reactivation. However, present tests are technically demanding and require well-equipped laboratories which make them unfeasible in low-resources endemic regions. Areas covered: Available molecular tools for detection of T. cruzi DNA, paying particular attention to quantitative PCR protocols, and to the latest developments of user-friendly molecular diagnostic methodologies. Expert commentary: In the absence of appropriate biomarkers, molecular diagnosis is the only option for the assessment of treatment response. Besides, it is very useful for the early detection of acute infections, like congenital cases. Since current Chagas disease molecular tests are restricted to referential labs, research efforts must focus in the implementation of easy-to-use diagnostic tools in order to overcome the access to diagnosis gap.

Recent technological advancements in tuberculosis diagnostics - A review.

PubMed

Gupta, Shagun; Kakkar, Vipan

2018-09-15

Early diagnosis and on-time effective treatment are indispensable for Tuberculosis (TB) control - a life threatening infectious communicable disease. The conventional techniques for diagnosing TB normally take two to three weeks. This delay in diagnosis and further increase in detection complexity due to the emerging risks of XDR-TB (Extensively drug Resistant-TB) and MDR-TB (Multidrug Resistant-TB) are evoking interest of researchers in the field of developing rapid TB detection techniques such as biosensing and other point-of-care (POC) techniques. Biosensing technologies along with the collaboration with nanotechnology have enormous potential to boost the MTB detection and for overall management in clinical diagnosis. A diverse range of portable, sensitive and rapid biosensors based on different signal transducer principles and with different biomarkers detection capabilities have been developed for TB detection in the early stages. Further, a lot of progress has been achieved over the years in developing various point-of-care diagnostic tools including non-molecular methods and molecular techniques. The objective of this study is to present a succinct review of the available TB detection techniques that are either in use or under development. The focus of this review is on the current developments occurred in nano-biosensing technologies. A synopsis of ameliorations in different non-molecular diagnostic tools and progress in the field of molecular techniques along with the role of emerging Lab-on-Chip technology for diagnosing and mitigating the TB consequences have also been presented. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Laser machined plastic laminates. Towards portable diagnostic devices for use in low resource environments

DOE PAGES

Harper, Jason C.; Carson, Bryan D.; Bachand, George D.; ...

2015-07-14

Despite significant progress in development of bioanalytical devices cost, complexity, access to reagents and lack of infrastructure have prevented use of these technologies in resource-limited regions. To provide a sustainable tool in the global effort to combat infectious diseases the diagnostic device must be low cost, simple to operate and read, robust, and have sensitivity and specificity comparable to laboratory analysis. Thus, in this mini-review we describe recent work using laser machined plastic laminates to produce diagnostic devices that are capable of a wide variety of bioanalytical measurements and show great promise towards future use in low-resource environments.

Experience of the Development of a Regional Qualification Framework for the System of Vocational Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masalimova, Alfiya R.; Ovchinnikova, Iraida G.; Kurzaeva, Lubov V.; Samarokova, Irina V.

2016-01-01

The article dwells upon the methodological and technological aspects of the project to develop a framework of qualifications of the Ural region, which concerned with some of the features of the procedure of doing research, as well as the development of diagnostic tools. The work presents the methods of the processing of data collected during the…

Synthetic biology devices for in vitro and in vivo diagnostics.

PubMed

Slomovic, Shimyn; Pardee, Keith; Collins, James J

2015-11-24

There is a growing need to enhance our capabilities in medical and environmental diagnostics. Synthetic biologists have begun to focus their biomolecular engineering approaches toward this goal, offering promising results that could lead to the development of new classes of inexpensive, rapidly deployable diagnostics. Many conventional diagnostics rely on antibody-based platforms that, although exquisitely sensitive, are slow and costly to generate and cannot readily confront rapidly emerging pathogens or be applied to orphan diseases. Synthetic biology, with its rational and short design-to-production cycles, has the potential to overcome many of these limitations. Synthetic biology devices, such as engineered gene circuits, bring new capabilities to molecular diagnostics, expanding the molecular detection palette, creating dynamic sensors, and untethering reactions from laboratory equipment. The field is also beginning to move toward in vivo diagnostics, which could provide near real-time surveillance of multiple pathological conditions. Here, we describe current efforts in synthetic biology, focusing on the translation of promising technologies into pragmatic diagnostic tools and platforms.

Synthetic biology devices for in vitro and in vivo diagnostics

PubMed Central

Slomovic, Shimyn; Pardee, Keith; Collins, James J.

2015-01-01

There is a growing need to enhance our capabilities in medical and environmental diagnostics. Synthetic biologists have begun to focus their biomolecular engineering approaches toward this goal, offering promising results that could lead to the development of new classes of inexpensive, rapidly deployable diagnostics. Many conventional diagnostics rely on antibody-based platforms that, although exquisitely sensitive, are slow and costly to generate and cannot readily confront rapidly emerging pathogens or be applied to orphan diseases. Synthetic biology, with its rational and short design-to-production cycles, has the potential to overcome many of these limitations. Synthetic biology devices, such as engineered gene circuits, bring new capabilities to molecular diagnostics, expanding the molecular detection palette, creating dynamic sensors, and untethering reactions from laboratory equipment. The field is also beginning to move toward in vivo diagnostics, which could provide near real-time surveillance of multiple pathological conditions. Here, we describe current efforts in synthetic biology, focusing on the translation of promising technologies into pragmatic diagnostic tools and platforms. PMID:26598662

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

W. Davis; P. Roney; T. Carroll

The MDSplus data acquisition system has been used successfully since the 1999 startup of NSTX [National Spherical Torus Experiment] for control, data acquisition, and analysis for diagnostic subsystems. For each plasma ''shot'' on NSTX about 75 MBs of data is acquired and loaded into MDSplus hierarchical data structures in 2-3 minutes. Physicists adapted to the MDSplus software tools with no real difficulty. Some locally developed tools are described. The support from the developers at MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] was timely and insightful. The use of MDSplus has resulted in a significant cost savings for NSTX.

Molecular detection technologies for arboviruses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Arthropod-borne animal viruses (arboviruses) cause significant livestock and economic losses to world agriculture. This paper discusses the current and potential impact of these viruses, as well as the current and developing molecular diagnostic tools for these emerging and re-emerging insect transm...

Evaluating Causes of Ecological Impairments in the Estuaries of Ukraine

EPA Science Inventory

Ukrainian estuaries have not undergone a systematic evaluation of the causes of ecological impairments caused by anthropogenic contamination. The objective of this evaluation is to use recently developed diagnostic tools to determine the causes of benthic ecological impairments. ...

Textbook of respiratory medicine

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

Murray, J.F.; Nadel, J.

1987-01-01

This book presents a clinical reference of respiratory medicine. It also details basic science aspects of pulmonary physiology and describes recently developed, sophisticated diagnostic tools and therapeutic methods. It also covers anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and pathology; microbiologic, radiologic, nuclear medicine, and biopsy methods for diagnosis.

Optical diagnostic of hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) from human blood serum using Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anwar, Shahzad; Firdous, Shamaraz

2015-06-01

Hepatitis is the second most common disease worldwide with half of the cases arising in the developing world. The mortality associated with hepatitis B and C can be reduced if the disease is detected at the early stages of development. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of Raman spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool to detect biochemical changes accompanying hepatitis progression. Raman spectra were acquired from 20 individuals with six hepatitis B infected patients, six hepatitis C infected patients and eight healthy patients in order to gain an insight into the determination of biochemical changes for early diagnostic. The human blood serum was examined at a 532 nm excitation laser source. Raman characteristic peaks were observed in normal sera at 1006, 1157 and 1513 cm-1, while in the case of hepatitis B and C these peaks were found to be blue shifted with decreased intensity. New Raman peaks appeared in HBV and HCV infected sera at 1194, 1302, 844, 905, 1065 and 1303 cm-1 respectively. A Mat lab subroutine and frequency domain filter program is developed and applied to signal processing of Raman scattering data. The algorithms have been successfully applied to remove the signal noise found in experimental scattering signals. The results show that Raman spectroscopy displays a high sensitivity to biochemical changes in blood sera during disease progression resulting in exceptional prediction accuracy when discriminating between normal and malignant. Raman spectroscopy shows enormous clinical potential as a rapid non-invasive diagnostic tool for hepatitis and other infectious diseases.

Integration of Stable Droplet Formation on a CD Microfluidic Device for Extreme Point of Care Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesh, Shruthi Vatsyayani

With the advent of microfluidic technologies for molecular diagnostics, a lot of emphasis has been placed on developing diagnostic tools for resource poor regions in the form of Extreme Point of Care devices. To ensure commercial viability of such a device there is a need to develop an accurate sample to answer system, which is robust, portable, isolated yet highly sensitive and cost effective. This need has been a driving force for research involving integration of different microsystems like droplet microfluidics, Compact-disc (CD)microfluidics along with sample preparation and detection modules on a single platform. This work attempts to develop a proof of concept prototype of one such device using existing CD microfluidics tools to generate stable droplets used in point of care diagnostics (POC diagnostics). Apart from using a fairly newer technique for droplet generation and stabilization, the work aims to develop this method focused towards diagnostics for rural healthcare. The motivation for this work is first described with an emphasis on the current need for diagnostic testing in rural health-care and the general guidelines prescribed by WHO for such a sample to answer system. Furthermore, a background on CD and droplet microfluidics is presented to understand the merits and de-merits of each system and the need for integrating the two. This phase of the thesis also includes different methods employed/demonstrated to generate droplets on a spinning platform. An overview on the detection platforms is also presented to understand the challenges involved in building an extreme point of care device. In the third phase of the thesis, general manufacturing techniques and materials used to accomplish this work is presented. Lastly, design trials for droplet generation is presented. The shortcomings of these trials are solved by investigating mechanisms pertaining to design modification and use of agarose based droplet generation to ensure a more robust sample processing method. This method is further characterized and compared with non-agarose based system and the results are analyzed. In conclusion, future prospects of this work are discussed in relation to extreme POC applications.

Use of Aptamers as Diagnostics Tools and Antiviral Agents for Human Viruses.

PubMed

González, Víctor M; Martín, M Elena; Fernández, Gerónimo; García-Sacristán, Ana

2016-12-16

Appropriate diagnosis is the key factor for treatment of viral diseases. Time is the most important factor in rapidly developing and epidemiologically dangerous diseases, such as influenza, Ebola and SARS. Chronic viral diseases such as HIV-1 or HCV are asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic and the therapeutic success mainly depends on early detection of the infective agent. Over the last years, aptamer technology has been used in a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic applications and, concretely, several strategies are currently being explored using aptamers against virus proteins. From a diagnostics point of view, aptamers are being designed as a bio-recognition element in diagnostic systems to detect viral proteins either in the blood (serum or plasma) or into infected cells. Another potential use of aptamers is for therapeutics of viral infections, interfering in the interaction between the virus and the host using aptamers targeting host-cell matrix receptors, or attacking the virus intracellularly, targeting proteins implicated in the viral replication cycle. In this paper, we review how aptamers working against viral proteins are discovered, with a focus on recent advances that improve the aptamers' properties as a real tool for viral infection detection and treatment.

Use of Aptamers as Diagnostics Tools and Antiviral Agents for Human Viruses

PubMed Central

González, Víctor M.; Martín, M. Elena; Fernández, Gerónimo; García-Sacristán, Ana

2016-01-01

Appropriate diagnosis is the key factor for treatment of viral diseases. Time is the most important factor in rapidly developing and epidemiologically dangerous diseases, such as influenza, Ebola and SARS. Chronic viral diseases such as HIV-1 or HCV are asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic and the therapeutic success mainly depends on early detection of the infective agent. Over the last years, aptamer technology has been used in a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic applications and, concretely, several strategies are currently being explored using aptamers against virus proteins. From a diagnostics point of view, aptamers are being designed as a bio-recognition element in diagnostic systems to detect viral proteins either in the blood (serum or plasma) or into infected cells. Another potential use of aptamers is for therapeutics of viral infections, interfering in the interaction between the virus and the host using aptamers targeting host-cell matrix receptors, or attacking the virus intracellularly, targeting proteins implicated in the viral replication cycle. In this paper, we review how aptamers working against viral proteins are discovered, with a focus on recent advances that improve the aptamers’ properties as a real tool for viral infection detection and treatment. PMID:27999271

Multiplex PCR Tests for Detection of Pathogens Associated with Gastroenteritis

PubMed Central

Zhang, Hongwei; Morrison, Scott; Tang, Yi-Wei

2016-01-01

Synopsis A wide range of enteric pathogens can cause infectious gastroenteritis. Conventional diagnostic algorithms including culture, biochemical identification, immunoassay and microscopic examination are time consuming and often lack sensitivity and specificity. Advances in molecular technology have as allowed its use as clinical diagnostic tools. Multiplex PCR based testing has made its way to gastroenterology diagnostic arena in recent years. In this article we present a review of recent laboratory developed multiplex PCR tests and current commercial multiplex gastrointestinal pathogen tests. We will focus on two FDA cleared commercial syndromic multiplex tests: Luminex xTAG GPP and Biofire FimArray GI test. These multiplex tests can detect and identify multiple enteric pathogens in one test and provide results within hours. Multiplex PCR tests have shown superior sensitivity to conventional methods for detection of most pathogens. The high negative predictive value of these multiplex tests has led to the suggestion that they be used as screening tools especially in outbreaks. Although the clinical utility and benefit of multiplex PCR test are to be further investigated, implementing these multiplex PCR tests in gastroenterology diagnostic algorithm has the potential to improve diagnosis of infectious gastroenteritis. PMID:26004652

[Development of expert diagnostic system for common respiratory diseases].

PubMed

Xu, Wei-hua; Chen, You-ling; Yan, Zheng

2014-03-01

To develop an internet-based expert diagnostic system for common respiratory diseases. SaaS system was used to build architecture; pattern of forward reasoning was applied for inference engine design; ASP.NET with C# from the tool pack of Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 was used for website-interview medical expert system.The database of the system was constructed with Microsoft SQL Server 2005. The developed expert system contained large data memory and high efficient function of data interview and data analysis for diagnosis of various diseases.The users were able to perform this system to obtain diagnosis for common respiratory diseases via internet. The developed expert system may be used for internet-based diagnosis of various respiratory diseases,particularly in telemedicine setting.

Advances in the diagnosis of premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

PubMed

Futterman, Lori A

2010-01-01

Premenstrual disorders negatively impact the quality of life and functional ability of millions of women. The two generally recognized premenstrual disorders are premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). These disorders are characterized by a wide variety of nonspecific mood, somatic and behavioral symptoms that occur only during the late luteal phase of a woman's cycle and disappear soon after the onset of menstruation. This paper reviews the diagnostic criteria for PMS and PMDD, describes some of the more common symptom diaries and other tools used to diagnose premenstrual disorders, and discusses the challenges inherent in diagnosing PMS and PMDD. A survey of peer-reviewed articles and relevant texts provided diagnostic criteria, descriptions of diagnostic tools and information about diagnostic challenges. The many nonspecific symptoms associated with premenstrual disorders complicate the diagnostic process. The use of proven symptom diaries and other diagnostic tools should aid in the differential diagnosis of premenstrual disorders. Patients need to report bothersome premenstrual symptoms, and clinicians should become more proficient in the diagnostic process in order to prevent underdiagnosis of these disorders.

Remote Skin Tissue Diagnostics In Vivo By Fiber Optic Evanescent Wave Fourier Transform Infrared (FEW-FTIR) Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolyakov, Sergei; Afanasyeva, Natalia; Bruch, Reinhard; Afanasyeva, Natalia

1998-05-01

The new method of fiber optical evanescent wave Fourier transform infrared (FEW-FTIR) spectroscopy has been applied to the diagnostics of normal skin tissue, as well as precancerous and cancerous conditions. The FEW-FTIR technique is nondestructive and sensitive to changes of vibrational spectra in the IR region, without heating and damaging human and animal skin tissue. Therefore this method and technique is an ideal diagnostic tool for tumor and cancer characterization at an early stage of development on a molecular level. The application of fiber optic technology in the middle infrared (MIR) region is relatively inexpensive and can be adapted easily to any commercially available tabletop FTIR spectrometers. This method of diagnostics is fast (several seconds), and can be applied to many fields. Noninvasive medical diagnostics of skin cancer and other skin diseases in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro allow for the development of convenient, remote clinical applications in dermatology and related fields. The spectral variations from normal to pathological skin tissue and environmental influence on skin have been measured.

Getting expert systems off the ground: Lessons learned from integrating model-based diagnostics with prototype flight hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephan, Amy; Erikson, Carol A.

1991-01-01

As an initial attempt to introduce expert system technology into an onboard environment, a model based diagnostic system using the TRW MARPLE software tool was integrated with prototype flight hardware and its corresponding control software. Because this experiment was designed primarily to test the effectiveness of the model based reasoning technique used, the expert system ran on a separate hardware platform, and interactions between the control software and the model based diagnostics were limited. While this project met its objective of showing that model based reasoning can effectively isolate failures in flight hardware, it also identified the need for an integrated development path for expert system and control software for onboard applications. In developing expert systems that are ready for flight, artificial intelligence techniques must be evaluated to determine whether they offer a real advantage onboard, identify which diagnostic functions should be performed by the expert systems and which are better left to the procedural software, and work closely with both the hardware and the software developers from the beginning of a project to produce a well designed and thoroughly integrated application.

WATERSHED CLASSIFICATION AS A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL FOR CONSOLIDATED ASSESSMENT AND LISTING PROGRAMS

EPA Science Inventory

With over 40,000 TMDLs scheduled for development, the states, tribes, and EPA Regions need efficient streamlined approaches for watershed level inventory, monitoring, condition assessment, diagnosis of impairment, and prioritization of watersheds for restoration and future load r...

Pinpointing Predation Events: A different molecular approach.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), Homalodisca vitripennis, protien marking system has been developed as a diagnostic tool for quantifying predation rates via gut content analysis. A field study was conducted to quantify predation rates on each of the GWSS lifestages. Specifically, two GWSS nymp...

Custom oligonucleotide array-based CGH: a reliable diagnostic tool for detection of exonic copy-number changes in multiple targeted genes

PubMed Central

Vasson, Aurélie; Leroux, Céline; Orhant, Lucie; Boimard, Mathieu; Toussaint, Aurélie; Leroy, Chrystel; Commere, Virginie; Ghiotti, Tiffany; Deburgrave, Nathalie; Saillour, Yoann; Atlan, Isabelle; Fouveaut, Corinne; Beldjord, Cherif; Valleix, Sophie; Leturcq, France; Dodé, Catherine; Bienvenu, Thierry; Chelly, Jamel; Cossée, Mireille

2013-01-01

The frequency of disease-related large rearrangements (referred to as copy-number mutations, CNMs) varies among genes, and search for these mutations has an important place in diagnostic strategies. In recent years, CGH method using custom-designed high-density oligonucleotide-based arrays allowed the development of a powerful tool for detection of alterations at the level of exons and made it possible to provide flexibility through the possibility of modeling chips. The aim of our study was to test custom-designed oligonucleotide CGH array in a diagnostic laboratory setting that analyses several genes involved in various genetic diseases, and to compare it with conventional strategies. To this end, we designed a 12-plex CGH array (135k; 135 000 probes/subarray) (Roche Nimblegen) with exonic and intronic oligonucleotide probes covering 26 genes routinely analyzed in the laboratory. We tested control samples with known CNMs and patients for whom genetic causes underlying their disorders were unknown. The contribution of this technique is undeniable. Indeed, it appeared reproducible, reliable and sensitive enough to detect heterozygous single-exon deletions or duplications, complex rearrangements and somatic mosaicism. In addition, it improves reliability of CNM detection and allows determination of boundaries precisely enough to direct targeted sequencing of breakpoints. All of these points, associated with the possibility of a simultaneous analysis of several genes and scalability ‘homemade' make it a valuable tool as a new diagnostic approach of CNMs. PMID:23340513

Interactive visualisation for interpreting diagnostic test accuracy study results.

PubMed

Fanshawe, Thomas R; Power, Michael; Graziadio, Sara; Ordóñez-Mena, José M; Simpson, John; Allen, Joy

2018-02-01

Information about the performance of diagnostic tests is typically presented in the form of measures of test accuracy such as sensitivity and specificity. These measures may be difficult to translate directly into decisions about patient treatment, for which information presented in the form of probabilities of disease after a positive or a negative test result may be more useful. These probabilities depend on the prevalence of the disease, which is likely to vary between populations. This article aims to clarify the relationship between pre-test (prevalence) and post-test probabilities of disease, and presents two free, online interactive tools to illustrate this relationship. These tools allow probabilities of disease to be compared with decision thresholds above and below which different treatment decisions may be indicated. They are intended to help those involved in communicating information about diagnostic test performance and are likely to be of benefit when teaching these concepts. A substantive example is presented using C reactive protein as a diagnostic marker for bacterial infection in the older adult population. The tools may also be useful for manufacturers of clinical tests in planning product development, for authors of test evaluation studies to improve reporting and for users of test evaluations to facilitate interpretation and application of the results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Rapid molecular diagnostics for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in India.

PubMed

Ramachandran, Rajeswari; Muniyandi, M

2018-03-01

Rapid molecular diagnostic methods help in the detection of TB and Rifampicin resistance. These methods detect TB early, are accurate and play a crucial role in reducing the burden of drug resistant tuberculosis. Areas covered: This review analyses rapid molecular diagnostic tools used in the diagnosis of MDR-TB in India, such as the Line Probe Assay and GeneXpert. We have discussed the burden of MDR-TB and the impact of recent diagnostic tools on case detection and treatment outcomes. This review also discusses the costs involved in establishing these new techniques in India. Expert commentary: Molecular methods have considerable advantages for the programmatic management of drug resistant TB. These include speed, standardization of testing, potentially high throughput and reduced laboratory biosafety requirements. There is a desperate need for India to adopt modern, rapid, molecular tools with point-of-care tests being currently evaluated. New molecular diagnostic tests appear to be cost effective and also help in detecting missing cases. There is enough evidence to support the scaling up of these new tools in India.

DEVELOPMENT OF DIAGNOSTIC ANALYTICAL AND MECHANICAL ABILITY TESTS THROUGH FACET DESIGN AND ANALYSIS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GUTTMAN, LOUIS,; SCHLESINGER, I.M.

METHODOLOGY BASED ON FACET THEORY (MODIFIED SET THEORY) WAS USED IN TEST CONSTRUCTION AND ANALYSIS TO PROVIDE AN EFFICIENT TOOL OF EVALUATION FOR VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOL USE. THE TYPE OF TEST DEVELOPMENT UNDERTAKEN WAS LIMITED TO THE USE OF NONVERBAL PICTORIAL ITEMS. ITEMS FOR TESTING ABILITY TO IDENTIFY ELEMENTS BELONGING TO AN…

Meeting the Challenge of Students' Understanding of Formulae in High-School Physics: A Learning Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagno, Esther; Berger, Hana; Eylon, Bat-Sheva

2008-01-01

In this paper we describe a diagnostic study to investigate students' understanding of two basic formulae in physics. Based on the findings of the study, we have developed a classroom activity focused on the interpretation of formulae. The activity was developed cooperatively by physics education researchers and high-school physics teachers and…

3D equilibrium reconstruction with islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cianciosa, M.; Hirshman, S. P.; Seal, S. K.; Shafer, M. W.

2018-04-01

This paper presents the development of a 3D equilibrium reconstruction tool and the results of the first-ever reconstruction of an island equilibrium. The SIESTA non-nested equilibrium solver has been coupled to the V3FIT 3D equilibrium reconstruction code. Computed from a coupled VMEC and SIESTA model, synthetic signals are matched to measured signals by finding an optimal set of equilibrium parameters. By using the normalized pressure in place of normalized flux, non-equilibrium quantities needed by diagnostic signals can be efficiently mapped to the equilibrium. The effectiveness of this tool is demonstrated by reconstructing an island equilibrium of a DIII-D inner wall limited L-mode case with an n = 1 error field applied. Flat spots in Thomson and ECE temperature diagnostics show the reconstructed islands have the correct size and phase. ).

Saliva as a diagnostic tool for oral and systemic diseases

PubMed Central

Javaid, Mohammad A.; Ahmed, Ahad S.; Durand, Robert; Tran, Simon D.

2015-01-01

Early disease detection is not only vital to reduce disease severity and prevent complications, but also critical to increase success rate of therapy. Saliva has been studied extensively as a potential diagnostic tool over the last decade due to its ease and non-invasive accessibility along with its abundance of biomarkers, such as genetic material and proteins. This review will update the clinician on recent advances in salivary biomarkers to diagnose autoimmune diseases (Sjogren's syndrome, cystic fibrosis), cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, HIV, oral cancer, caries and periodontal diseases. Considering their accuracy, efficacy, ease of use and cost effectiveness, salivary diagnostic tests will be available in dental offices. It is expected that the advent of sensitive and specific salivary diagnostic tools and the establishment of defined guidelines and results following rigorous testing will allow salivary diagnostics to be used as chair-side tests for several oral and systemic diseases in the near future. PMID:26937373

Computer-aided diagnostic strategy selection.

PubMed

Greenes, R A

1986-03-01

Determination of the optimal diagnostic work-up strategy for the patient is becoming a major concern for the practicing physician. Overlap of the indications for various diagnostic procedures, differences in their invasiveness or risk, and high costs have made physicians aware of the need to consider the choice of procedure carefully, as well as its relation to management actions available. In this article, the author discusses research approaches that aim toward development of formal decision analytic methods to allow the physician to determine optimal strategy; clinical algorithms or rules as guides to physician decisions; improved measures for characterizing the performance of diagnostic tests; educational tools for increasing the familiarity of physicians with the concepts underlying these measures and analytic procedures; and computer-based aids for facilitating the employment of these resources in actual clinical practice.

A PCR-based tool for the cultivation-independent monitoring of Pandora neoaphidis.

PubMed

Fournier, A; Enkerli, J; Keller, S; Widmer, F

2008-09-01

Pandora neoaphidis is one of the most important fungal pathogens of aphids and has a great potential for use in biocontrol. Little is known on how this fungus persists in an area and in particular on its overwintering strategies. It is hypothesized that natural areas play an important role for survival and that soil may serve as a source of inoculum for new aphid populations in spring. To test these hypotheses, a cultivation-independent PCR-based diagnostic tool was developed, that allows the detection of P. neoaphidis in the environment. Two P. neoaphidis specific PCR primer pairs were designed, targeting sequences in the ribosomal RNA gene cluster. Specificity of both primer pairs was demonstrated with P. neoaphidis and non-target close entomophthoralean relatives. Moreover, single amplicons of expected sizes were obtained with both primer pairs from various environmental sample types, including aphid cadavers, plant material, and soil. The PCR-based diagnostic tool was applied to investigate the persistence of P. neoaphidis in soil samples obtained in 2004/2005 from a nettle field harboring infected aphids in fall 2004. P. neoaphidis was detected in every sample collected in November 2004 and March 2005, suggesting an overwintering stage of P. neoaphidis in top soil layers. The developed cultivation-independent PCR-based tool will be valuable for further investigation of the ecology of P. neoaphidis and for the development and future implementation of management strategies against aphids involving conservation biocontrol.

Modelling the transport of optical photons in scintillation detectors for diagnostic and radiotherapy imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roncali, Emilie; Mosleh-Shirazi, Mohammad Amin; Badano, Aldo

2017-10-01

Computational modelling of radiation transport can enhance the understanding of the relative importance of individual processes involved in imaging systems. Modelling is a powerful tool for improving detector designs in ways that are impractical or impossible to achieve through experimental measurements. Modelling of light transport in scintillation detectors used in radiology and radiotherapy imaging that rely on the detection of visible light plays an increasingly important role in detector design. Historically, researchers have invested heavily in modelling the transport of ionizing radiation while light transport is often ignored or coarsely modelled. Due to the complexity of existing light transport simulation tools and the breadth of custom codes developed by users, light transport studies are seldom fully exploited and have not reached their full potential. This topical review aims at providing an overview of the methods employed in freely available and other described optical Monte Carlo packages and analytical models and discussing their respective advantages and limitations. In particular, applications of optical transport modelling in nuclear medicine, diagnostic and radiotherapy imaging are described. A discussion on the evolution of these modelling tools into future developments and applications is presented. The authors declare equal leadership and contribution regarding this review.

Multimodal correlation and intraoperative matching of virtual models in neurosurgery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ceresole, Enrico; Dalsasso, Michele; Rossi, Aldo

1994-01-01

The multimodal correlation between different diagnostic exams, the intraoperative calibration of pointing tools and the correlation of the patient's virtual models with the patient himself, are some examples, taken from the biomedical field, of a unique problem: determine the relationship linking representation of the same object in different reference frames. Several methods have been developed in order to determine this relationship, among them, the surface matching method is one that gives the patient minimum discomfort and the errors occurring are compatible with the required precision. The surface matching method has been successfully applied to the multimodal correlation of diagnostic exams such as CT, MR, PET and SPECT. Algorithms for automatic segmentation of diagnostic images have been developed to extract the reference surfaces from the diagnostic exams, whereas the surface of the patient's skull has been monitored, in our approach, by means of a laser sensor mounted on the end effector of an industrial robot. An integrated system for virtual planning and real time execution of surgical procedures has been realized.

Toward theragnostics.

PubMed

Pene, Frédéric; Courtine, Emilie; Cariou, Alain; Mira, Jean-Paul

2009-01-01

Theragnostics is a treatment strategy that combines therapeutics with diagnostics. It associates both a diagnostic test that identifies patients most likely to be helped or harmed by a new medication, and targeted drug therapy based on the test results. Bioinformatics, genomics, proteomics, and functional genomics are molecular biology tools essential for the progress of molecular theragnostics. These tools generate the genetic and protein information required for the development of diagnostic assays. Theragnostics includes a wide range of subjects, including personalized medicine, pharmacogenomics, and molecular imaging to develop efficient new targeted therapies with adequate benefit/risk to patients and a better molecular understanding of how to optimize drug selection. Furthermore, theragnostics aims to monitor the response to the treatment, to increase drug efficacy and safety. In addition, theragnostics could eliminate the unnecessary treatment of patients for whom therapy is not appropriate, resulting in significant drug cost savings for the healthcare system. However, the introduction of theragnostic tests into routine health care requires both a demonstration of cost-effectiveness and the availability of appropriate accessible testing systems. This review reports validation studies in oncology and infectious diseases that have demonstrated the benefits of such approach in well-defined subpopulations of patients, moving the field from the drug development process toward clinical practice and routine application. Theragnostics may change the usual business model of pharmaceutical companies from the classic blockbuster model toward targeted therapies.

Surveillance of avian influenza in the Caribbean through the Caribbean Animal Health Network: surveillance tools and epidemiologic studies.

PubMed

Lefrançois, T; Hendrikx, P; Ehrhardt, N; Millien, M; Gomez, L; Gouyet, L; Gaidet, N; Gerbier, G; Vachiéry, N; Petitclerc, F; Carasco-Lacombe, C; Pinarello, V; Ahoussou, S; Levesque, A; Gongora, H V; Trotman, M

2010-03-01

The Caribbean region is considered to be at risk for avian influenza (AI) due to a large backyard poultry system, an important commercial poultry production system, the presence of migratory birds, and disparities in the surveillance systems. The Caribbean Animal Health Network (CaribVET) has developed tools to implement AI surveillance in the region with the goals to have 1) a regionally harmonized surveillance protocol and specific web pages for AI surveillance on www.caribvet.net, and 2) an active and passive surveillance for AI in domestic and wild birds. A diagnostic network for the Caribbean, including technology transfer and AI virus molecular diagnostic capability in Guadeloupe (real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for the AI virus matrix gene), was developed. Between 2006 and 2009, 627 samples from four Caribbean countries were tested for three circumstances: importation purposes, following a clinical suspicion of AI, or through an active survey of wild birds (mainly waders) during the southward and northward migration periods in Guadeloupe. None of the samples tested were positive, suggesting a limited role of these species in the AI virus ecology in the Caribbean. Following low pathogenic H5N2 outbreaks in the Dominican Republic in 2007, a questionnaire was developed to collect data for a risk analysis of AI spread in the region through fighting cocks. The infection pathway of the Martinique commercial poultry sector by AI, through introduction of infected cocks, was designed, and recommendations were provided to the Caribbean Veterinary Services to improve cock movement control and biosecurity measures. The CaribVET and its organization allowed interaction between diagnostic and surveillance tools on the one hand and epidemiologic studies on the other, both of them developed in congruence with regional strategies. Together, these CaribVET activities contribute to strengthening surveillance of avian influenza virus (AIV) in the Caribbean region and may allow the development of research studies on both AI risk analysis and on AIV ecology.

The SNAQ(RC), an easy traffic light system as a first step in the recognition of undernutrition in residential care.

PubMed

Kruizenga, H M; de Vet, H C W; Van Marissing, C M E; Stassen, E E P M; Strijk, J E; Van Bokhorst-de Van der Schueren, M A E; Horman, J C H; Schols, J M G A; Van Binsbergen, J J; Eliens, A; Knol, D L; Visser, M

2010-02-01

Development and validation of a quick and easy screening tool for the early detection of undernourished residents in nursing homes and residential homes. Multi-center, cross sectional observational study. Nursing homes and residential homes. The screening tool was developed in a total of 308 residents (development sample; sample A) and cross validated in a new sample of 720 residents (validation sample) consisting of 476 nursing home residents (Sample B1) and 244 residential home residents (sample B2). Patients were defined severely undernourished when they met at least one of the following criteria: BMI or= 5% unintentional weight loss in the past month and/or >or= 10% unintentional weight loss in the past 6 months. Patients were defined as moderately undernourished if they met the following criteria: BMI 20.1-22 kg/m2 and/or 5-10% unintentional weight loss in the past six months. The most predictive questions (originally derived from previously developed screening instruments) of undernourishment were selected in sample A and cross validated in sample B. In a second stage BMI was added to the SNAQRC in sample B. The diagnostic accuracy of the screening tool in the development and validation samples was expressed in sensitivity, specificity, and the negative and positive predictive value. The four most predictive questions for undernutrition related to: unintentional weight loss more than 6 kg during the past 6 months and more than 3 kg in the past month, capability of eating and drinking with help, and decreased appetite during the past month. The diagnostic accuracy of these questions alone was insufficient (Se=45%, Sp=87%, PPV=50% and NPV=84%). However, combining the questions with measured BMI sufficiently improved the diagnostic accuracy (Se=87%, Sp=82%, PPV=59% and NPV=95%). Early detection of undernourished nursing- and residential home residents is possible using four screening questions and measured BMI.

A Diagnostic System for Studying Energy Partitioning and Assessing the Response of the Ionosphere during HAARP Modification Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Djuth, Frank T.; Elder, John H.; Williams, Kenneth L.

1996-01-01

This research program focused on the construction of several key radio wave diagnostics in support of the HF Active Auroral Ionospheric Research Program (HAARP). Project activities led to the design, development, and fabrication of a variety of hardware units and to the development of several menu-driven software packages for data acquisition and analysis. The principal instrumentation includes an HF (28 MHz) radar system, a VHF (50 MHz) radar system, and a high-speed radar processor consisting of three separable processing units. The processor system supports the HF and VHF radars and is capable of acquiring very detailed data with large incoherent scatter radars. In addition, a tunable HF receiver system having high dynamic range was developed primarily for measurements of stimulated electromagnetic emissions (SEE). A separate processor unit was constructed for the SEE receiver. Finally, a large amount of support instrumentation was developed to accommodate complex field experiments. Overall, the HAARP diagnostics are powerful tools for studying diverse ionospheric modification phenomena. They are also flexible enough to support a host of other missions beyond the scope of HAARP. Many new research programs have been initiated by applying the HAARP diagnostics to studies of natural atmospheric processes.

Autonomous power expert fault diagnostic system for Space Station Freedom electrical power system testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truong, Long V.; Walters, Jerry L.; Roth, Mary Ellen; Quinn, Todd M.; Krawczonek, Walter M.

1990-01-01

The goal of the Autonomous Power System (APS) program is to develop and apply intelligent problem solving and control to the Space Station Freedom Electrical Power System (SSF/EPS) testbed being developed and demonstrated at NASA Lewis Research Center. The objectives of the program are to establish artificial intelligence technology paths, to craft knowledge-based tools with advanced human-operator interfaces for power systems, and to interface and integrate knowledge-based systems with conventional controllers. The Autonomous Power EXpert (APEX) portion of the APS program will integrate a knowledge-based fault diagnostic system and a power resource planner-scheduler. Then APEX will interface on-line with the SSF/EPS testbed and its Power Management Controller (PMC). The key tasks include establishing knowledge bases for system diagnostics, fault detection and isolation analysis, on-line information accessing through PMC, enhanced data management, and multiple-level, object-oriented operator displays. The first prototype of the diagnostic expert system for fault detection and isolation has been developed. The knowledge bases and the rule-based model that were developed for the Power Distribution Control Unit subsystem of the SSF/EPS testbed are described. A corresponding troubleshooting technique is also described.

Development and application of a universal Hemoplasma screening assay based on the SYBR green PCR principle.

PubMed

Willi, Barbara; Meli, Marina L; Lüthy, Ruedi; Honegger, Hanspeter; Wengi, Nicole; Hoelzle, Ludwig E; Reusch, Claudia E; Lutz, Hans; Hofmann-Lehmann, Regina

2009-12-01

Hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) are the causative agents of infectious anemia in several mammalian species. Their zoonotic potential has recently been substantiated by the identification of a feline hemoplasma isolate in an immunocompromised human patient. Although species-specific diagnostic molecular methods have been developed, their application as screening tools is limited due to the species diversity of hemoplasmas. The goals of this study were to develop a universal hemoplasma screening assay with broad specificity based on the SYBR green PCR principle, to compare the assay with hemoplasma-specific TaqMan PCR, and to analyze potential tick vectors and human blood samples to address the zoonotic potential. The newly developed PCR assay based on the 16S rRNA gene amplified feline, canine, bovine, porcine, camelid, and murine hemoplasmas, as well as Mycoplasma penetrans and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The lower detection limit for feline and canine hemoplasmas was 1 to 10 copies/PCR. The assay exhibited 98.2% diagnostic sensitivity and 92.1% diagnostic specificity for feline hemoplasmas. All 1,950 Ixodes ticks were PCR negative, suggesting that Ixodes ticks are not relevant vectors for the above-mentioned hemoplasma species in Switzerland. None of the 414 blood samples derived from anemic or immunocompromised human patients revealed a clear positive result. The SYBR green PCR assay described here is a suitable tool to screen for known and so-far-undiscovered hemoplasma species. Positive results should be confirmed by specific TaqMan PCR or sequencing.

A computer-aided ECG diagnostic tool.

PubMed

Oweis, Rami; Hijazi, Lily

2006-03-01

Jordan lacks companies that provide local medical facilities with products that are of help in daily performed medical procedures. Because of this, the country imports most of these expensive products. Consequently, a local interest in producing such products has emerged and resulted in serious research efforts in this area. The main goal of this paper is to provide local (the north of Jordan) clinics with a computer-aided electrocardiogram (ECG) diagnostic tool in an attempt to reduce time and work demands for busy physicians especially in areas where only one general medicine doctor is employed and a bulk of cases are to be diagnosed. The tool was designed to help in detecting heart defects such as arrhythmias and heart blocks using ECG signal analysis depending on the time-domain representation, the frequency-domain spectrum, and the relationship between them. The application studied here represents a state of the art ECG diagnostic tool that was designed, implemented, and tested in Jordan to serve wide spectrum of population who are from poor families. The results of applying the tool on randomly selected representative sample showed about 99% matching with those results obtained at specialized medical facilities. Costs, ease of interface, and accuracy indicated the usefulness of the tool and its use as an assisting diagnostic tool.

Investigation of cAMP microdomains as a path to novel cancer diagnostics.

PubMed

Desman, Garrett; Waintraub, Caren; Zippin, Jonathan H

2014-12-01

Understanding of cAMP signaling has greatly improved over the past decade. The advent of live cell imaging techniques and more specific pharmacologic modulators has led to an improved understanding of the intricacies by which cAMP is able to modulate such a wide variety of cellular pathways. It is now appreciated that cAMP is able to activate multiple effector proteins at distinct areas in the cell leading to the activation of very different downstream targets. The investigation of signaling proteins in cancer is a common route to the development of diagnostic tools, prognostic tools, and/or therapeutic targets, and in this review we highlight how investigation of cAMP signaling microdomains driven by the soluble adenylyl cyclase in different cancers has led to the development of a novel cancer biomarker. Antibodies directed against the soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) are highly specific markers for melanoma especially for lentigo maligna melanoma and are being described as "second generation" cancer diagnostics, which are diagnostics that determine the 'state' of a cell and not just identify the cell type. Due to the wide presence of cAMP signaling pathways in cancer, we predict that further investigation of both sAC and other cAMP microdomains will lead to additional cancer biomarkers. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The role of soluble adenylyl cyclase in health and disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of an indirect ELISA with epitope on nonstructural protein of Muscovy duck parvovirus for differentiating between infected and vaccinated Muscovy ducks.

PubMed

Yan, B; Ma, J-Z; Yu, T-F; Shao, S-L; Li, M; Fan, X-D

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to develop an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA) based on epitope AA503-509 (RANEPKE), which is on nonstructural protein of Muscovy duck parvovirus (MDPV). Sera (100) from negative and vaccinated Muscovy ducks were compared with infected sera (240) to establish the cut-off value of this i-ELISA. There was a significant difference between the positive and negative populations (P < 0·05). The adoption of this positive-negative threshold value for this i-ELISA assay resulted in specificity of 98·0%. This i-ELISA could be used as a diagnostic tool for differentiating infected Muscovy ducks from Muscovy ducks vaccinated with inactivated virus. In this study, we developed an i-ELISA based on epitope AA503-509 (RANEPKE), which is on nonstructural protein of MDPV. This i-ELISA could be used as a diagnostic tool for differentiating infected Muscovy ducks from Muscovy ducks vaccinated with inactivated virus. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Dermoscopy, Digital Dermoscopy and Other Diagnostic Tools in the Early Detection of Melanoma and Follow-up of High-risk Skin Cancer Patients.

PubMed

Thomas, Luc; Puig, Susana

2017-07-05

Early detection is a key strategy for reducing the mortality and economic burden associated with melanoma. Dermoscopy is a non-invasive and cost-effective tool for melanoma diagnosis, which has been shown to be a reliable and sensitive method for detecting early-stage skin cancer and reducing the number of unnecessary excisions. Patients at high risk of developing melanoma require long-term surveillance. Use of digital dermoscopy follow-up of these patients has led to improved outcomes. Combined follow-up programmes using total-body photography and digital dermoscopy have led to further improvements in early diagnosis and diagnostic accuracy. Dermoscopy is now widely used by dermatologists, but the public health impact of this tool is yet to be evaluated. Despite the clear advantages of dermoscopy and digital follow-up meth-ods, dermoscopy training and access to digital dermoscopy among dermatologists and general practitioners needs to be improved.

Sandia National Laboratories: Pulsed-Power Science and Technology

Science.gov Websites

Technology Partnerships Business, Industry, & Non-Profits Government Universities Center for Development Agreement (CRADA) Strategic Partnership Projects, Non-Federal Entity (SPP/NFE) Agreements New and diagnostic tools to analyze results from Z and other experimental platforms. The results also

Radiological Technology. Secondary Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Bruce; And Others

This curriculum guide was designed for use in postsecondary radiological technology education programs in Georgia. Its purpose is to provide for the development of entry level skills in radiological technology in the areas of knowledge, theoretical structure, tool usage, diagnostic ability, related supportive skills, and occupational survival…

Nanotechnology applications in hematological malignancies (Review).

PubMed

Samir, Ahmed; Elgamal, Basma M; Gabr, Hala; Sabaawy, Hatem E

2015-09-01

A major limitation to current cancer therapies is the development of therapy-related side-effects and dose limiting complications. Moreover, a better understanding of the biology of cancer cells and the mechanisms of resistance to therapy is rapidly developing. The translation of advanced knowledge and discoveries achieved at the molecular level must be supported by advanced diagnostic, therapeutic and delivery technologies to translate these discoveries into useful tools that are essential in achieving progress in the war against cancer. Nanotechnology can play an essential role in this aspect providing a transforming technology that can translate the basic and clinical findings into novel diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive tools useful in different types of cancer. Hematological malignancies represent a specific class of cancer, which attracts special attention in the applications of nanotechnology for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The aim of the present review is to elucidate the emerging applications of nanotechnology in cancer management and describe the potentials of nanotechnology in changing the key fundamental aspects of hematological malignancy diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

Nanotechnology applications in hematological malignancies (Review)

PubMed Central

SAMIR, AHMED; ELGAMAL, BASMA M; GABR, HALA; SABAAWY, HATEM E

2015-01-01

A major limitation to current cancer therapies is the development of therapy-related side-effects and dose limiting complications. Moreover, a better understanding of the biology of cancer cells and the mechanisms of resistance to therapy is rapidly developing. The translation of advanced knowledge and discoveries achieved at the molecular level must be supported by advanced diagnostic, therapeutic and delivery technologies to translate these discoveries into useful tools that are essential in achieving progress in the war against cancer. Nanotechnology can play an essential role in this aspect providing a transforming technology that can translate the basic and clinical findings into novel diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive tools useful in different types of cancer. Hematological malignancies represent a specific class of cancer, which attracts special attention in the applications of nanotechnology for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The aim of the present review is to elucidate the emerging applications of nanotechnology in cancer management and describe the potentials of nanotechnology in changing the key fundamental aspects of hematological malignancy diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. PMID:26134389

Impact and cost-effectiveness of current and future tuberculosis diagnostics: the contribution of modelling

PubMed Central

Houben, R.; Cohen, T.; Pai, M.; Cobelens, F.; Vassall, A.; Menzies, N. A.; Gomez, G. B.; Langley, I.; Squire, S. B.; White, R.

2014-01-01

SUMMARY The landscape of diagnostic testing for tuberculosis (TB) is changing rapidly, and stakeholders need urgent guidance on how to develop, deploy and optimize TB diagnostics in a way that maximizes impact and makes best use of available resources. When decisions must be made with only incomplete or preliminary data available, modelling is a useful tool for providing such guidance. Following a meeting of modelers and other key stakeholders organized by the TB Modelling and Analysis Consortium, we propose a conceptual framework for positioning models of TB diagnostics. We use that framework to describe modelling priorities in four key areas: Xpert® MTB/RIF scale-up, target product profiles for novel assays, drug susceptibility testing to support new drug regimens, and the improvement of future TB diagnostic models. If we are to maximize the impact and cost-effectiveness of TB diagnostics, these modelling priorities should figure prominently as targets for future research. PMID:25189546

Chasing helminths and their economic impact on farmed ruminants.

PubMed

Charlier, Johannes; van der Voort, Mariska; Kenyon, Fiona; Skuce, Philip; Vercruysse, Jozef

2014-07-01

Global agriculture will be required to intensify production from a shrinking natural resource base. Helminth infections of ruminants are a major constraint on efficient livestock production. The current challenge is to develop diagnostic methods that detect the production impact of helminth infections on farms in order to target control measures and contribute to the global challenge of preserving food security. We review here our understanding of the effects of helminth infections and control practices on productivity and the diagnostic tools that can inform on this. By combining advances in helminth laboratory diagnostics and animal health economics, sustainable management of helminth infections can be integrated into the whole-farm economic context. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intraoral fiber optic-based diagnostic for periodontal disease

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

Johnson, P W; Gutierrez, D M; Everett, M J

2000-01-21

The purpose of this initial study was to begin development of a new, objective diagnostic instrument that will allow simultaneous quantitation of multiple proteases within a single periodontal pocket using a chemical fiber optic sensor. This approach could potentially be adapted to use specific antibodies and chemiluminescence to detect and quantitate virtually any compound and compare concentrations of different compounds within the same periodontal pocket. The device could also be used to assay secretions in salivary ducts or from a variety of wounds. The applicability is, therefore, not solely limited to dentistry and the device would be important both formore » clinical diagnostics and as a research tool.« less

Role of Big Data and Machine Learning in Diagnostic Decision Support in Radiology.

PubMed

Syeda-Mahmood, Tanveer

2018-03-01

The field of diagnostic decision support in radiology is undergoing rapid transformation with the availability of large amounts of patient data and the development of new artificial intelligence methods of machine learning such as deep learning. They hold the promise of providing imaging specialists with tools for improving the accuracy and efficiency of diagnosis and treatment. In this article, we will describe the growth of this field for radiology and outline general trends highlighting progress in the field of diagnostic decision support from the early days of rule-based expert systems to cognitive assistants of the modern era. Copyright © 2018 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Educational and Scientific Applications of Climate Model Diagnostic Analyzer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S.; Pan, L.; Zhai, C.; Tang, B.; Kubar, T. L.; Zhang, J.; Bao, Q.

2016-12-01

Climate Model Diagnostic Analyzer (CMDA) is a web-based information system designed for the climate modeling and model analysis community to analyze climate data from models and observations. CMDA provides tools to diagnostically analyze climate data for model validation and improvement, and to systematically manage analysis provenance for sharing results with other investigators. CMDA utilizes cloud computing resources, multi-threading computing, machine-learning algorithms, web service technologies, and provenance-supporting technologies to address technical challenges that the Earth science modeling and model analysis community faces in evaluating and diagnosing climate models. As CMDA infrastructure and technology have matured, we have developed the educational and scientific applications of CMDA. Educationally, CMDA supported the summer school of the JPL Center for Climate Sciences for three years since 2014. In the summer school, the students work on group research projects where CMDA provide datasets and analysis tools. Each student is assigned to a virtual machine with CMDA installed in Amazon Web Services. A provenance management system for CMDA is developed to keep track of students' usages of CMDA, and to recommend datasets and analysis tools for their research topic. The provenance system also allows students to revisit their analysis results and share them with their group. Scientifically, we have developed several science use cases of CMDA covering various topics, datasets, and analysis types. Each use case developed is described and listed in terms of a scientific goal, datasets used, the analysis tools used, scientific results discovered from the use case, an analysis result such as output plots and data files, and a link to the exact analysis service call with all the input arguments filled. For example, one science use case is the evaluation of NCAR CAM5 model with MODIS total cloud fraction. The analysis service used is Difference Plot Service of Two Variables, and the datasets used are NCAR CAM total cloud fraction and MODIS total cloud fraction. The scientific highlight of the use case is that the CAM5 model overall does a fairly decent job at simulating total cloud cover, though simulates too few clouds especially near and offshore of the eastern ocean basins where low clouds are dominant.

Combining magnetic nanoparticle with biotinylated nanobodies for rapid and sensitive detection of influenza H3N2

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Our objective is to develop a rapid and sensitive assay based on magnetic beads to detect the concentration of influenza H3N2. The possibility of using variable domain heavy-chain antibodies (nanobody) as diagnostic tools for influenza H3N2 was investigated. A healthy camel was immunized with inactivated influenza H3N2. A nanobody library of 8 × 108 clones was constructed and phage displayed. After three successive biopanning steps, H3N2-specific nanobodies were successfully isolated, expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified. Sequence analysis of the nanobodies revealed that we possessed four classes of nanobodies against H3N2. Two nanobodies were further used to prepare our rapid diagnostic kit. Biotinylated nanobody was effectively immobilized onto the surface of streptavidin magnetic beads. The modified magnetic beads with nanobody capture specifically influenza H3N2 and can still be recognized by nanobodies conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugates. Under optimized conditions, the present immunoassay exhibited a relatively high sensitive detection with a limit of 50 ng/mL. In conclusion, by combining magnetic beads with specific nanobodies, this assay provides a promising influenza detection assay to develop a potential rapid, sensitive, and low-cost diagnostic tool to screen for influenza infections. PMID:25328501

Combining magnetic nanoparticle with biotinylated nanobodies for rapid and sensitive detection of influenza H3N2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Min; Hu, Yonghong; Li, Guirong; Ou, Weijun; Mao, Panyong; Xin, Shaojie; Wan, Yakun

2014-09-01

Our objective is to develop a rapid and sensitive assay based on magnetic beads to detect the concentration of influenza H3N2. The possibility of using variable domain heavy-chain antibodies (nanobody) as diagnostic tools for influenza H3N2 was investigated. A healthy camel was immunized with inactivated influenza H3N2. A nanobody library of 8 × 108 clones was constructed and phage displayed. After three successive biopanning steps, H3N2-specific nanobodies were successfully isolated, expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified. Sequence analysis of the nanobodies revealed that we possessed four classes of nanobodies against H3N2. Two nanobodies were further used to prepare our rapid diagnostic kit. Biotinylated nanobody was effectively immobilized onto the surface of streptavidin magnetic beads. The modified magnetic beads with nanobody capture specifically influenza H3N2 and can still be recognized by nanobodies conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugates. Under optimized conditions, the present immunoassay exhibited a relatively high sensitive detection with a limit of 50 ng/mL. In conclusion, by combining magnetic beads with specific nanobodies, this assay provides a promising influenza detection assay to develop a potential rapid, sensitive, and low-cost diagnostic tool to screen for influenza infections.

Separation of airborne and structureborne noise radiated by plates constructed of conventional and composite materials with applications for prediction of interior noise paths in propeller driven aircraft. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgary, M. C.

1986-01-01

The anticipated application of advanced turboprop propulsion systems and use of composite materials in primary structure is expected to increase the interior noise of future aircraft to unacceptability high levels. The absence of technically and economically feasible noise source-path diagnostic tools has been a primer obstacle in the development of efficient noise control treatments for propeller driven aircraft. A new diagnostic method which permits the separation and prediction of the fully coherent airborne and structureborne components of the sound radiated by plates or thin shells has been developed. Analytical and experimental studies of the proposed method were performed on plates constructed of both conventional and composite materials. The results of the study indicate that the proposed method can be applied to a variety of aircraft materials, could be used in flight, and has fewer encumbrances than the other diagnostic tools currently available. The study has also revealed that the noise radiation of vibrating plates in the low frequency regime due to combined airborne and structureborne inputs possesses a strong synergistic nature. The large influence of the interaction between the airborne and structureborne terms has been hitherto ignored by researchers of aircraft interior noise problems.

New diagnostics for latent and active tuberculosis: state of the art and future prospects.

PubMed

Pai, Madhukar; O'Brien, Richard

2008-10-01

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be the world's most important infectious cause of morbidity and mortality among adults. Nearly 9 million people develop TB disease each year, and an estimated 1.6 million die from the disease. Despite this enormous global burden, case detection rates are low, posing serious hurdles for TB control. Conventional TB diagnosis continues to rely on antiquated tests such as sputum smear microscopy, culture, tuberculin skin test, and chest radiography. These tests have several limitations and perform poorly in populations affected by the HIV epidemic. Conventional tests for detection of drug resistance are time consuming, tedious, and inaccessible in most settings. In this review, we describe recent advances in the diagnosis of latent and active TB, and detection of drug resistance. Although the perfect test will not be ready for large-scale roll-out and integration into routine TB care services for some time, substantial progress has been made in expanding the TB diagnostic product pipeline. With the resurgence of interest in the development of new tools for TB control, and the recent influx of funding and political support, it is likely that the next few years will see the introduction of new diagnostic tools into routine TB control programs.

Analysis Tools for the Ion Cyclotron Emission Diagnostic on DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Del Castillo, C. A.; Thome, K. E.; Pinsker, R. I.; Meneghini, O.; Pace, D. C.

2017-10-01

Ion cyclotron emission (ICE) waves are excited by suprathermal particles such as neutral beam particles and fusion products. An ICE diagnostic is in consideration for use at ITER, where it could provide important passive measurement of fast ions location and losses, which are otherwise difficult to determine. Simple ICE data analysis codes had previously been developed, but more sophisticated codes are required to facilitate data analysis. Several terabytes of ICE data were collected on DIII-D during the 2015-2017 campaign. The ICE diagnostic consists of antenna straps and dedicated magnetic probes that are both digitized at 200 MHz. A suite of Python spectral analysis tools within the OMFIT framework is under development to perform the memory-intensive analysis of this data. A fast and optimized analysis allows ready access to data visualizations as spectrograms and as plots of both frequency and time cuts of the data. A database of processed ICE data is being constructed to understand the relationship between the frequency and intensity of ICE and a variety of experimental parameters including neutral beam power and geometry, local and global plasma parameters, magnetic fields, and many others. Work supported in part by US DoE under the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program and under DE-FC02-04ER54698.

Towards a C2 Poly-Visualization Tool: Leveraging the Power of Social-Network Analysis and GIS

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

from Magsino.14 AutoMap, a product of CASOS at Carnegie Mellon University, is a text-mining tool that enables the extraction of network data from...enables community leaders to prepare for biological attacks using computational models. BioWar is a CASOS package that combines many factors into a...models, demographically accurate agent modes, wind dispersion models, and an error-diagnostic model. Construct, also developed by CASOS , is a

Space Laboratory on a Table Top: A Next Generative ECLSS design and diagnostic tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramachandran, N.

2005-01-01

This paper describes the development plan for a comprehensive research and diagnostic tool for aspects of advanced life support systems in space-based laboratories. Specifically it aims to build a high fidelity tabletop model that can be used for the purpose of risk mitigation, failure mode analysis, contamination tracking, and testing reliability. We envision a comprehensive approach involving experimental work coupled with numerical simulation to develop this diagnostic tool. It envisions a 10% scale transparent model of a space platform such as the International Space Station that operates with water or a specific matched index of refraction liquid as the working fluid. This allows the scaling of a 10 ft x 10 ft x 10 ft room with air flow to 1 ft x 1 ft x 1 ft tabletop model with water/liquid flow. Dynamic similitude for this length scale dictates model velocities to be 67% of full-scale and thereby the time scale of the model to represent 15% of the full- scale system; meaning identical processes in the model are completed in 15% of the full- scale-time. The use of an index matching fluid (fluid that matches the refractive index of cast acrylic, the model material) allows making the entire model (with complex internal geometry) transparent and hence conducive to non-intrusive optical diagnostics. So using such a system one can test environment control parameters such as core flows (axial flows), cross flows (from registers and diffusers), potential problem areas such as flow short circuits, inadequate oxygen content, build up of other gases beyond desirable levels, test mixing processes within the system at local nodes or compartments and assess the overall system performance. The system allows quantitative measurements of contaminants introduced in the system and allows testing and optimizing the tracking process and removal of contaminants. The envisaged system will be modular and hence flexible for quick configuration change and subsequent testing. The data and inferences from the tests will allow for improvements in the development and design of next generation life support systems and configurations. Preliminary experimental and modeling work in this area will be presented. This involves testing of a single inlet-exit model with detailed 3-D flow visualization and quantitative diagnostics and computational modeling of the system.

A simulation study to quantify the impacts of exposure ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A simulation study to quantify the impacts of exposure measurement error on air pollution health risk estimates in copollutant time-series models The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Computational Exposure Division (CED) develops and evaluates data, decision-support tools, and models to be applied to media-specific or receptor-specific problem areas. CED uses modeling-based approaches to characterize exposures, evaluate fate and transport, and support environmental diagnostics/forensics with input from multiple data sources. It also develops media- and receptor-specific models, process models, and decision support tools for use both within and outside of EPA.

Detection of Intestinal Protozoa in the Clinical Laboratory

PubMed Central

McHardy, Ian H.; Wu, Max; Shimizu-Cohen, Robyn; Couturier, Marc Roger

2014-01-01

Despite recent advances in diagnostic technology, microscopic examination of stool specimens remains central to the diagnosis of most pathogenic intestinal protozoa. Microscopy is, however, labor-intensive and requires a skilled technologist. New, highly sensitive diagnostic methods have been developed for protozoa endemic to developed countries, including Giardia lamblia (syn. G. intestinalis/G. duodenalis) and Cryptosporidium spp., using technologies that, if expanded, could effectively complement or even replace microscopic approaches. To date, the scope of such novel technologies is limited and may not include common protozoa such as Dientamoeba fragilis, Entamoeba histolytica, or Cyclospora cayetanensis. This minireview describes canonical approaches for the detection of pathogenic intestinal protozoa, while highlighting recent developments and FDA-approved tools for clinical diagnosis of common intestinal protozoa. PMID:24197877

Detection of intestinal protozoa in the clinical laboratory.

PubMed

McHardy, Ian H; Wu, Max; Shimizu-Cohen, Robyn; Couturier, Marc Roger; Humphries, Romney M

2014-03-01

Despite recent advances in diagnostic technology, microscopic examination of stool specimens remains central to the diagnosis of most pathogenic intestinal protozoa. Microscopy is, however, labor-intensive and requires a skilled technologist. New, highly sensitive diagnostic methods have been developed for protozoa endemic to developed countries, including Giardia lamblia (syn. G. intestinalis/G. duodenalis) and Cryptosporidium spp., using technologies that, if expanded, could effectively complement or even replace microscopic approaches. To date, the scope of such novel technologies is limited and may not include common protozoa such as Dientamoeba fragilis, Entamoeba histolytica, or Cyclospora cayetanensis. This minireview describes canonical approaches for the detection of pathogenic intestinal protozoa, while highlighting recent developments and FDA-approved tools for clinical diagnosis of common intestinal protozoa.

Companion diagnostics and molecular imaging-enhanced approaches for oncology clinical trials.

PubMed

Van Heertum, Ronald L; Scarimbolo, Robert; Ford, Robert; Berdougo, Eli; O'Neal, Michael

2015-01-01

In the era of personalized medicine, diagnostic approaches are helping pharmaceutical and biotechnology sponsors streamline the clinical trial process. Molecular assays and diagnostic imaging are routinely being used to stratify patients for treatment, monitor disease, and provide reliable early clinical phase assessments. The importance of diagnostic approaches in drug development is highlighted by the rapidly expanding global cancer diagnostics market and the emergent attention of regulatory agencies worldwide, who are beginning to offer more structured platforms and guidance for this area. In this paper, we highlight the key benefits of using companion diagnostics and diagnostic imaging with a focus on oncology clinical trials. Nuclear imaging using widely available radiopharmaceuticals in conjunction with molecular imaging of oncology targets has opened the door to more accurate disease assessment and the modernization of standard criteria for the evaluation, staging, and treatment responses of cancer patients. Furthermore, the introduction and validation of quantitative molecular imaging continues to drive and optimize the field of oncology diagnostics. Given their pivotal role in disease assessment and treatment, the validation and commercialization of diagnostic tools will continue to advance oncology clinical trials, support new oncology drugs, and promote better patient outcomes.

Development of the AOML Hurricane Research System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, K.; Gopalakrishnan, S.; Zhang, X.; Bao, J.; Quirino, T.; Sainani, V.; Rogers, R.; Aberson, S.; Marks, F.; Atlas, R.

2008-12-01

NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) has committed to the development of a modeling and data-assimilation system recently. This Hurricane Research System (HRS) aims to improve hurricane forecast by developing innovative modeling techniques, and by assimilating the hurricane inner-core data that is timely collected with aircrafts by the scientists at the AOML Hurricane Research Division (HRD), in addition to the data collected by other channels. We have started the development of the HRS by implementing a moving nest within a regional domain on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Nonhydrostatic Mesoscale Model (NMM). The dynamically moving nest is used to track the hurricane with an enhanced resolution to better simulate the hurricane structure with more accurate dynamical and physical processes. Combining with the diagnostic expertise at the HRD, and benefiting from the community efforts, we have quickly composed the HRS with excellent ingredients from various organizations. This baseline system has been in experimental operation for this hurricane season, and early result with these experiments seems quite promising. We have also developed a new visualization tool and an efficient post-processor emphasizing diagnostic functionality to facilitate hurricane research. Further development of the HRS includes the implementation of a third, moving nest to advance the model resolution to 1 km or higher with the limited computing resource. Innovative model initialization techniques and versatile hurricane-diagnostic tools are undergoing development. An Ensemble Kalman Filter is being constructed for the HRS to assimilate observation data. Physical parameterizations are being refined to improve the forcing and heating mechanisms, and ocean model coupling is to be implemented for realistic air-sea interactions. We will report the status up to date.

Development of reliable techniques for the differential diagnosis of avian tumor viruses by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the past, several techniques have been developed as diagnostic tools for the differential diagnosis of tumours produced by Marek’s disease virus (MDV) from those induced by avian leukosis virus (ALV) and reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV). However, most current techniques are unreliable using form...

Diagnostic tools in Rhinology EAACI position paper

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

This EAACI Task Force document aims at providing the readers with a comprehensive and complete overview of the currently available tools for diagnosis of nasal and sino-nasal disease. We have tried to logically order the different important issues related to history taking, clinical examination and additional investigative tools for evaluation of the severity of sinonasal disease into a consensus document. A panel of European experts in the field of Rhinology has contributed to this consensus document on Diagnostic Tools in Rhinology. PMID:22410181

Radioimmunoconjugates for treating cancer: recent advances and current opportunities.

PubMed

Bourgeois, Mickaël; Bailly, Clément; Frindel, Mathieu; Guerard, François; Chérel, Michel; Faivre-Chauvet, Alain; Kraeber-Bodéré, Françoise; Bodet-Milin, Caroline

2017-07-01

Radioimmunoconjugates have been used for 30 years to diagnose and treat cancer. For many years, the use of these therapeutic tools has been limited to haematological disorders, such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, given that they have only had a moderate effect on solid tumours. Areas covered: Recently, several strategies have revived the potential therapeutic application for radioimmunoconjugates. In this review, the authors review the advances in immunological engineering to develop new tools like monoclonal antibodies and their derivatives. Then, the authors summarize the development of radionuclides, the use of recombinant antibodies, pretargeting approaches, and dose fractionation techniques, providing opportunities for both therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Expert opinion: Radioimmunoconjugates used in nuclear medicine have entered a new era of development. These advances give rise to a variety of opportunities in the management of various cancers, where the radiolabelled antibodies may be particularly useful in immuno-specific phenotypic imaging e.g. companion diagnostics. Concerning therapeutic applications, radioimmunoconjugates have demonstrated their efficacy in the treatment of both haematological malignancies and solid tumours. Recent procedural developments are of great interest in optimising oncological targeted therapies. In the field of cancer theranostics, we believe that radioimmunoconjugated compounds are likely to play a large part in near future.

A TPACK Diagnostic Tool for Teacher Education Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graziano, Kevin J.; Herring, Mary C.; Carpenter, Jeffrey P.; Smaldino, Sharon; Finsness, Elizabeth S.

2017-01-01

Teacher education faculty must incorporate and model effective use of Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) in the classroom and across the curriculum. Teacher education leaders have a responsibility to set direction, develop people, and redesign their teacher preparation programs into TPACK ready environments. As such, a…

Operating Room Technology. Post Secondary Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Bruce; And Others

This curriculum guide was designed for use in postsecondary operating room technology education programs in Georgia. Its purpose is to provide for development of entry level skills in operating room technology in the areas of knowledge, theoretical structure, tool usage, diagnostic ability, related supportive skills, and occupational survival…

78 FR 27038 - Final Priorities; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research-Rehabilitation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-09

... observational research or research toward the development of diagnostic or outcome assessment tools. The... observational findings, and creating other sources of research-based information. This research stage may....133B-6] Final Priorities; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research--Rehabilitation...

Stakeholder perspectives on the use of pig meat inspection as a health and welfare diagnostic tool in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland; a SWOT analysis.

PubMed

Devitt, C; Boyle, L; Teixeira, D L; O'Connell, N E; Hawe, M; Hanlon, A

2016-01-01

A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis is a strategic management tool applied to policy planning and decision-making. This short report presents the results of a SWOT analysis, carried out with n  = 16 stakeholders i) involved in the pig industry in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and ii) in general animal welfare and food safety policy areas. As part of a larger study called PIGWELFIND, the analysis sought to explore the potential development of pig meat inspection as an animal welfare and diagnostic tool. The final SWOT framework comprised two strengths, three opportunities, six weaknesses, and five threats. Issues around relationships and communication between producers and their veterinary practitioner, processors and producers were common to both the strengths and weakness clusters. Practical challenges within the processing plant were also named. Overall, the SWOT framework complements results reported in Devitt et al. (Ir Vet J 69:2, 2016) regarding problematic issues within the current system of information feedback on meat inspection especially within the Republic of Ireland, and the wider challenges of communication and problems of distrust. The results of the SWOT analysis support the conclusions from Devitt et al. (Ir Vet J 69:2, 2016), that trust between all stakeholders across the supply chain will be essential for the development of an effective environment in which to realise the full diagnostic potential of MI data. Further stakeholder engagement could seek to apply the findings of the SWOT analysis to a policy Delphi methodology, as used elsewhere.

Development of Filtered Rayleigh Scattering for Accurate Measurement of Gas Velocity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, Richard B.; Lempert, Walter R.

1995-01-01

The overall goals of this research were to develop new diagnostic tools capable of capturing unsteady and/or time-evolving, high-speed flow phenomena. The program centers around the development of Filtered Rayleigh Scattering (FRS) for velocity, temperature, and density measurement, and the construction of narrow linewidth laser sources which will be capable of producing an order MHz repetition rate 'burst' of high power pulses.

The perspective of USDA APHIS Veterinary Services Emergency Management and Diagnostics in preparing and responding to Foreign Animal Diseases - plans, strategies, and countermeasures.

PubMed

Díez, J R; Styles, D K

2013-01-01

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) is charged with monitoring, controlling, and responding to select reportable diseases and all foreign animal diseases. Emergency Management and Diagnostics (EM&D) oversees Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) preparedness and response. In order to effectively prepare for and respond to FADs, such as highly pathogenic avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease, VS develops plans, strategies, and policies to effectively combat an intrusion. USDA APHIS VS has made significant gains in preparedness and response planning. However, much remains to be done especially in surveillance, diagnostic tools, and vaccines. There are significant needs for novel medical technologies to improve diagnostic capabilities and offer additional approaches for FAD response.

Spiral-Bevel-Gear Damage Detected Using Decision Fusion Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Handschuh, Robert F.

2003-01-01

Helicopter transmission integrity is critical to helicopter safety because helicopters depend on the power train for propulsion, lift, and flight maneuvering. To detect impending transmission failures, the ideal diagnostic tools used in the health-monitoring system would provide real-time health monitoring of the transmission, demonstrate a high level of reliable detection to minimize false alarms, and provide end users with clear information on the health of the system without requiring them to interpret large amounts of sensor data. A diagnostic tool for detecting damage to spiral bevel gears was developed. (Spiral bevel gears are used in helicopter transmissions to transfer power between nonparallel intersecting shafts.) Data fusion was used to integrate two different monitoring technologies, oil debris analysis and vibration, into a health-monitoring system for detecting surface fatigue pitting damage on the gears.

Transmission Bearing Damage Detection Using Decision Fusion Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Lewicki, David G.; Decker, Harry J.

2004-01-01

A diagnostic tool was developed for detecting fatigue damage to rolling element bearings in an OH-58 main rotor transmission. Two different monitoring technologies, oil debris analysis and vibration, were integrated using data fusion into a health monitoring system for detecting bearing surface fatigue pitting damage. This integrated system showed improved detection and decision-making capabilities as compared to using individual monitoring technologies. This diagnostic tool was evaluated by collecting vibration and oil debris data from tests performed in the NASA Glenn 500 hp Helicopter Transmission Test Stand. Data was collected during experiments performed in this test rig when two unanticipated bearing failures occurred. Results show that combining the vibration and oil debris measurement technologies improves the detection of pitting damage on spiral bevel gears duplex ball bearings and spiral bevel pinion triplex ball bearings in a main rotor transmission.

Investigation of Bearing Fatigue Damage Life Prediction Using Oil Debris Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Bolander, Nathan; Haynes, Chris; Toms, Allison M.

2011-01-01

Research was performed to determine if a diagnostic tool for detecting fatigue damage of helicopter tapered roller bearings can be used to determine remaining useful life (RUL). The taper roller bearings under study were installed on the tail gearbox (TGB) output shaft of UH- 60M helicopters, removed from the helicopters and subsequently installed in a bearing spall propagation test rig. The diagnostic tool was developed and evaluated experimentally by collecting oil debris data during spall progression tests on four bearings. During each test, data from an on-line, in-line, inductance type oil debris sensor was monitored and recorded for the occurrence of pitting damage. Results from the four bearings tested indicate that measuring the debris generated when a bearing outer race begins to spall can be used to indicate bearing damage progression and remaining bearing life.

3D equilibrium reconstruction with islands

DOE PAGES

Cianciosa, M.; Hirshman, S. P.; Seal, S. K.; ...

2018-02-15

This study presents the development of a 3D equilibrium reconstruction tool and the results of the first-ever reconstruction of an island equilibrium. The SIESTA non-nested equilibrium solver has been coupled to the V3FIT 3D equilibrium reconstruction code. Computed from a coupled VMEC and SIESTA model, synthetic signals are matched to measured signals by finding an optimal set of equilibrium parameters. By using the normalized pressure in place of normalized flux, non-equilibrium quantities needed by diagnostic signals can be efficiently mapped to the equilibrium. The effectiveness of this tool is demonstrated by reconstructing an island equilibrium of a DIII-D inner wallmore » limited L-mode case with an n = 1 error field applied. Finally, flat spots in Thomson and ECE temperature diagnostics show the reconstructed islands have the correct size and phase.« less

3D equilibrium reconstruction with islands

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

Cianciosa, M.; Hirshman, S. P.; Seal, S. K.

This study presents the development of a 3D equilibrium reconstruction tool and the results of the first-ever reconstruction of an island equilibrium. The SIESTA non-nested equilibrium solver has been coupled to the V3FIT 3D equilibrium reconstruction code. Computed from a coupled VMEC and SIESTA model, synthetic signals are matched to measured signals by finding an optimal set of equilibrium parameters. By using the normalized pressure in place of normalized flux, non-equilibrium quantities needed by diagnostic signals can be efficiently mapped to the equilibrium. The effectiveness of this tool is demonstrated by reconstructing an island equilibrium of a DIII-D inner wallmore » limited L-mode case with an n = 1 error field applied. Finally, flat spots in Thomson and ECE temperature diagnostics show the reconstructed islands have the correct size and phase.« less

Rationale for Quality Assurance in Fecal Egg Monitoring of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis

PubMed Central

Hoekendijk, David J. L.; Hill, Philip C.; Sowerby, Stephen J.

2016-01-01

Substantial investment has been made into the once “neglected” tropical disease, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, and into control programs that operate within a framework of mapping baseline disease distribution, measuring the effectiveness of applied interventions, establishing when to cease drug administration, and for posttreatment evaluations. However, critical to each of these stages is the determination of helminth infection. The limitations of traditional microscope-based fecal egg diagnostics have not provided quality assurance in the monitoring of parasite disease and suboptimal treatment regimes provide for the potential development of parasite resistance to anthelmintic drugs. Improved diagnostic and surveillance tools are required to protect therapeutic effectiveness and to maintain funder confidence. Such tools may be on the horizon with emergent technologies that offer potential for enhanced visualization and quality-assured quantitation of helminth eggs. PMID:27352875

Validation and Diagnostic Efficiency of the Mini-SPIN in Spanish-Speaking Adolescents

PubMed Central

Garcia-Lopez, LuisJoaquín; Moore, Harry T. A.

2015-01-01

Objectives Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is one of the most common mental disorders in adolescence. Many validated psychometric tools are available to diagnose individuals with SAD efficaciously. However, there is a demand for shortened self-report instruments that identify adolescents at risk of developing SAD. We validate the Mini-SPIN and its diagnostic efficiency in overcoming this problem in Spanish-speaking adolescents in Spain. Methods The psychometric properties of the 3-item Mini-SPIN scale for adolescents were assessed in a community (study 1) and clinical sample (study 2). Results Study 1 consisted of 573 adolescents, and found the Mini-SPIN to have appropriate internal consistency and high construct validity. Study 2 consisted of 354 adolescents (147 participants diagnosed with SAD and 207 healthy controls). Data revealed that the Mini-SPIN has good internal consistency, high construct validity and adequate diagnostic efficiency. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the Mini-SPIN has good psychometric properties on clinical and healthy control adolescents and general population, which indicates that it can be used as a screening tool in Spanish-speaking adolescents. Cut-off scores are provided. PMID:26317695

Model-based diagnostics for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fesq, Lorraine M.; Stephan, Amy; Martin, Eric R.; Lerutte, Marcel G.

1991-01-01

An innovative approach to fault management was recently demonstrated for the NASA LeRC Space Station Freedom (SSF) power system testbed. This project capitalized on research in model-based reasoning, which uses knowledge of a system's behavior to monitor its health. The fault management system (FMS) can isolate failures online, or in a post analysis mode, and requires no knowledge of failure symptoms to perform its diagnostics. An in-house tool called MARPLE was used to develop and run the FMS. MARPLE's capabilities are similar to those available from commercial expert system shells, although MARPLE is designed to build model-based as opposed to rule-based systems. These capabilities include functions for capturing behavioral knowledge, a reasoning engine that implements a model-based technique known as constraint suspension, and a tool for quickly generating new user interfaces. The prototype produced by applying MARPLE to SSF not only demonstrated that model-based reasoning is a valuable diagnostic approach, but it also suggested several new applications of MARPLE, including an integration and testing aid, and a complement to state estimation.

Validation and Diagnostic Efficiency of the Mini-SPIN in Spanish-Speaking Adolescents.

PubMed

Garcia-Lopez, LuisJoaquín; Moore, Harry T A

2015-01-01

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is one of the most common mental disorders in adolescence. Many validated psychometric tools are available to diagnose individuals with SAD efficaciously. However, there is a demand for shortened self-report instruments that identify adolescents at risk of developing SAD. We validate the Mini-SPIN and its diagnostic efficiency in overcoming this problem in Spanish-speaking adolescents in Spain. The psychometric properties of the 3-item Mini-SPIN scale for adolescents were assessed in a community (study 1) and clinical sample (study 2). Study 1 consisted of 573 adolescents, and found the Mini-SPIN to have appropriate internal consistency and high construct validity. Study 2 consisted of 354 adolescents (147 participants diagnosed with SAD and 207 healthy controls). Data revealed that the Mini-SPIN has good internal consistency, high construct validity and adequate diagnostic efficiency. Our findings suggest that the Mini-SPIN has good psychometric properties on clinical and healthy control adolescents and general population, which indicates that it can be used as a screening tool in Spanish-speaking adolescents. Cut-off scores are provided.

Climate Model Diagnostic Analyzer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Seungwon; Pan, Lei; Zhai, Chengxing; Tang, Benyang; Kubar, Terry; Zhang, Zia; Wang, Wei

2015-01-01

The comprehensive and innovative evaluation of climate models with newly available global observations is critically needed for the improvement of climate model current-state representation and future-state predictability. A climate model diagnostic evaluation process requires physics-based multi-variable analyses that typically involve large-volume and heterogeneous datasets, making them both computation- and data-intensive. With an exploratory nature of climate data analyses and an explosive growth of datasets and service tools, scientists are struggling to keep track of their datasets, tools, and execution/study history, let alone sharing them with others. In response, we have developed a cloud-enabled, provenance-supported, web-service system called Climate Model Diagnostic Analyzer (CMDA). CMDA enables the physics-based, multivariable model performance evaluations and diagnoses through the comprehensive and synergistic use of multiple observational data, reanalysis data, and model outputs. At the same time, CMDA provides a crowd-sourcing space where scientists can organize their work efficiently and share their work with others. CMDA is empowered by many current state-of-the-art software packages in web service, provenance, and semantic search.

Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): a tool for a better understanding of normal and abnormal brain development.

PubMed

Saleem, Sahar N

2013-07-01

Knowledge of the anatomy of the developing fetal brain is essential to detect abnormalities and understand their pathogenesis. Capability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to visualize the brain in utero and to differentiate between its various tissues makes fetal MRI a potential diagnostic and research tool for the developing brain. This article provides an approach to understand the normal and abnormal brain development through schematic interpretation of fetal brain MR images. MRI is a potential screening tool in the second trimester of pregnancies in fetuses at risk for brain anomalies and helps in describing new brain syndromes with in utero presentation. Accurate interpretation of fetal MRI can provide valuable information that helps genetic counseling, facilitates management decisions, and guides therapy. Fetal MRI can help in better understanding the pathogenesis of fetal brain malformations and can support research that could lead to disease-specific interventions.

Biosensors-on-chip: a topical review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Sensen; Shamsi, Mohtashim H.

2017-08-01

This review will examine the integration of two fields that are currently at the forefront of science, i.e. biosensors and microfluidics. As a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technology, microfluidics has been enriched by the integration of various detection tools for analyte detection and quantitation. The application of such microfluidic platforms is greatly increased in the area of biosensors geared towards point-of-care diagnostics. Together, the merger of microfluidics and biosensors has generated miniaturized devices for sample processing and sensitive detection with quantitation. We believe that microfluidic biosensors (biosensors-on-chip) are essential for developing robust and cost effective point-of-care diagnostics. This review is relevant to a variety of disciplines, such as medical science, clinical diagnostics, LOC technologies including MEMs/NEMs, and analytical science. Specifically, this review will appeal to scientists working in the two overlapping fields of biosensors and microfluidics, and will also help new scientists to find their directions in developing point-of-care devices.

Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Wang, Lulu

2017-07-05

Early-stage cancer detection could reduce breast cancer death rates significantly in the long-term. The most critical point for best prognosis is to identify early-stage cancer cells. Investigators have studied many breast diagnostic approaches, including mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, computerized tomography, positron emission tomography and biopsy. However, these techniques have some limitations such as being expensive, time consuming and not suitable for young women. Developing a high-sensitive and rapid early-stage breast cancer diagnostic method is urgent. In recent years, investigators have paid their attention in the development of biosensors to detect breast cancer using different biomarkers. Apart from biosensors and biomarkers, microwave imaging techniques have also been intensely studied as a promising diagnostic tool for rapid and cost-effective early-stage breast cancer detection. This paper aims to provide an overview on recent important achievements in breast screening methods (particularly on microwave imaging) and breast biomarkers along with biosensors for rapidly diagnosing breast cancer.

Rapid tests for diagnosis of leptospirosis: current tools and emerging technologies.

PubMed

Picardeau, Mathieu; Bertherat, Eric; Jancloes, Michel; Skouloudis, Andreas N; Durski, Kara; Hartskeerl, Rudy A

2014-01-01

Leptospirosis is an emerging zoonosis with a worldwide distribution but is more commonly found in impoverished populations in developing countries and tropical regions with frequent flooding. The rapid detection of leptospirosis is a critical step to effectively manage the disease and to control outbreaks in both human and animal populations. Therefore, there is a need for accurate and rapid diagnostic tests and appropriate surveillance and alert systems to identify outbreaks. This review describes current in-house methods and commercialized tests for the rapid diagnosis of acute leptospirosis. It focuses on diagnostic tests that can be performed with minimal training and limited equipment in less-developed and newly industrialized countries, particularly in resource-limited settings and with results in minutes to less than 4 hours. We also describe recent technological advances in the field of diagnostic tests that could allow for the development of innovative rapid tests in the near future. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts as target and tool in cancer therapeutics and diagnostics.

PubMed

De Vlieghere, Elly; Verset, Laurine; Demetter, Pieter; Bracke, Marc; De Wever, Olivier

2015-10-01

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are drivers of tumour progression and are considered as a target and a tool in cancer diagnostic and therapeutic applications. An increased abundance of CAFs or CAF signatures are recognized as a bad prognostic marker in several cancer types. Tumour-environment biomimetics strongly improve our understanding of the communication between CAFs, cancer cells and other host cells. Several experimental drugs targeting CAFs are in clinical trials for multiple tumour entities; alternatively, CAFs can be exploited as a tool to characterize the functionality of circulating tumour cells or to capture them as a tool to prevent metastasis. The continuous interaction between tissue engineers, biomaterial experts and cancer researchers creates the possibility to biomimic the tumour-environment and provides new opportunities in cancer diagnostics and management.

Understanding the structure and structural degradation mechanisms in high-voltage lithium-ion battery cathode oxides. A review of materials diagnostics

DOE PAGES

Mohanty, Debasish; Li, Jianlin; Nagpure, Shrikant C; ...

2015-12-21

Materials diagnostic techniques are the principal tools used in the development of low-cost, high-performance electrodes for next-generation lithium-based energy storage technologies. Also, this review highlights the importance of materials diagnostic techniques in unraveling the structure and the structural degradation mechanisms in high-voltage, high-capacity oxides that have the potential to be implemented in high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries for transportation that can use renewable energy and is less-polluting than today. The rise in CO 2 concentration in the earth’s atmosphere due to the use of petroleum products in vehicles and the dramatic increase in the cost of gasoline demand the replacement of currentmore » internal combustion engines in our vehicles with environmentally friendly, carbon free systems. Therefore, vehicles powered fully/partially by electricity are being introduced into today’s transportation fleet. As power requirements in all-electric vehicles become more demanding, lithium-ion battery (LiB) technology is now the potential candidate to provide higher energy density. Moreover, discovery of layered high-voltage lithium-manganese–rich (HV-LMR) oxides has provided a new direction toward developing high-energy-density LiBs because of their ability to deliver high capacity (~250 mA h/g) and to be operated at high operating voltage (~4.7 V). Unfortunately, practical use of HV-LMR electrodes is not viable because of structural changes in the host oxide during operation that can lead to fundamental and practical issues. This article provides the current understanding on the structure and structural degradation pathways in HV-LMR oxides, and manifests the importance of different materials diagnostic tools to unraveling the key mechanism(s). Furthermore, the fundamental insights reported, might become the tools to manipulate the chemical and/or structural aspects of HV-LMR oxides for low cost, high-energy-density LiB applications.« less

Development and Validation of a Natural Language Processing Tool to Identify Patients Treated for Pneumonia across VA Emergency Departments.

PubMed

Jones, B E; South, B R; Shao, Y; Lu, C C; Leng, J; Sauer, B C; Gundlapalli, A V; Samore, M H; Zeng, Q

2018-01-01

Identifying pneumonia using diagnosis codes alone may be insufficient for research on clinical decision making. Natural language processing (NLP) may enable the inclusion of cases missed by diagnosis codes. This article (1) develops a NLP tool that identifies the clinical assertion of pneumonia from physician emergency department (ED) notes, and (2) compares classification methods using diagnosis codes versus NLP against a gold standard of manual chart review to identify patients initially treated for pneumonia. Among a national population of ED visits occurring between 2006 and 2012 across the Veterans Affairs health system, we extracted 811 physician documents containing search terms for pneumonia for training, and 100 random documents for validation. Two reviewers annotated span- and document-level classifications of the clinical assertion of pneumonia. An NLP tool using a support vector machine was trained on the enriched documents. We extracted diagnosis codes assigned in the ED and upon hospital discharge and calculated performance characteristics for diagnosis codes, NLP, and NLP plus diagnosis codes against manual review in training and validation sets. Among the training documents, 51% contained clinical assertions of pneumonia; in the validation set, 9% were classified with pneumonia, of which 100% contained pneumonia search terms. After enriching with search terms, the NLP system alone demonstrated a recall/sensitivity of 0.72 (training) and 0.55 (validation), and a precision/positive predictive value (PPV) of 0.89 (training) and 0.71 (validation). ED-assigned diagnostic codes demonstrated lower recall/sensitivity (0.48 and 0.44) but higher precision/PPV (0.95 in training, 1.0 in validation); the NLP system identified more "possible-treated" cases than diagnostic coding. An approach combining NLP and ED-assigned diagnostic coding classification achieved the best performance (sensitivity 0.89 and PPV 0.80). System-wide application of NLP to clinical text can increase capture of initial diagnostic hypotheses, an important inclusion when studying diagnosis and clinical decision-making under uncertainty. Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart.

Prostate cancer diagnostics: Clinical challenges and the ongoing need for disruptive and effective diagnostic tools.

PubMed

Sharma, Shikha; Zapatero-Rodríguez, Julia; O'Kennedy, Richard

The increased incidence and the significant health burden associated with carcinoma of the prostate have led to substantial changes in its diagnosis over the past century. Despite technological advancements, the management of prostate cancer has become progressively more complex and controversial for both early and late-stage disease. The limitations and potential harms associated with the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as a diagnostic marker have stimulated significant investigation of numerous novel biomarkers that demonstrate varying capacities to detect prostate cancer and can decrease unnecessary biopsies. However, only a few of these markers have been approved for specific clinical settings while the others have not been adequately validated for use. This review systematically and critically assesses ongoing issues and emerging challenges in the current state of prostate cancer diagnostic tools and the need for disruptive next generation tools based on analysis of combinations of these biomarkers to enhance predictive accuracy which will benefit clinical diagnostics and patient welfare. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Spotlight on Fluorescent Biosensors—Tools for Diagnostics and Drug Discovery

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Fluorescent biosensors constitute potent tools for probing biomolecules in their natural environment and for visualizing dynamic processes in complex biological samples, living cells, and organisms. They are well suited for highlighting molecular alterations associated with pathological disorders, thereby offering means of implementing sensitive and alternative technologies for diagnostic purposes. They constitute attractive tools for drug discovery programs, from high throughput screening assays to preclinical studies. PMID:24900780

A Research Agenda for Helminth Diseases of Humans: Diagnostics for Control and Elimination Programmes

PubMed Central

McCarthy, James S.; Lustigman, Sara; Yang, Guo-Jing; Barakat, Rashida M.; García, Héctor H.; Sripa, Banchob; Willingham, Arve Lee; Prichard, Roger K.; Basáñez, María-Gloria

2012-01-01

Diagnostic tools appropriate for undertaking interventions to control helminth infections are key to their success. Many diagnostic tests for helminth infection have unsatisfactory performance characteristics and are not well suited for use in the parasite control programmes that are being increasingly implemented. Although the application of modern laboratory research techniques to improve diagnostics for helminth infection has resulted in some technical advances, uptake has not been uniform. Frequently, pilot or proof of concept studies of promising diagnostic technologies have not been followed by much needed product development, and in many settings diagnosis continues to rely on insensitive and unsatisfactory parasitological or serodiagnostic techniques. In contrast, PCR-based xenomonitoring of arthropod vectors, and use of parasite recombinant proteins as reagents for serodiagnostic tests, have resulted in critical advances in the control of specific helminth parasites. The Disease Reference Group on Helminths Infections (DRG4), established in 2009 by the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) was given the mandate to review helminthiases research and identify research priorities and gaps. In this review, the diagnostic technologies relevant to control of helminth infections, either available or in development, are reviewed. Critical gaps are identified and opportunities to improve needed technologies are discussed. PMID:22545166

Diagnosing clean margins through Raman spectroscopy in human and animal mammary tumour surgery: a short review

PubMed Central

Birtoiu, I. A.; Rizea, C.; Togoe, D.; Munteanu, R. M.; Micsa, C.; Rusu, M. I.; Tautan, M.; Braic, L.; Scoicaru, L. O.; Parau, A.; Becherescu-Barbu, N. D.; Udrea, M. V.; Tonetto, A.; Notonier, R.

2016-01-01

Breast cancer frequency in human and other mammal female populations has worryingly increased lately. The acute necessity for taxonomy of the aetiological factors along with seeking for new diagnostic tools and therapy procedures aimed at reducing mortality have yielded in an intense research effort worldwide. Surgery is a regular method to counteract extensive development of breast cancer and prevent metastases provided that negative surgical margins are achieved. This highly technical challenge requires fast, extremely sensitive and selective discrimination between malignant and benign tissues even down to molecular level. The particular advantages of Raman spectroscopy, such as high chemical specificity, and the ability to measure raw samples and optical responses in the visible or near-infrared spectral range, have recently recommended it as a means with elevated potential in precise diagnostic in oncology surgery. This review spans mainly the latter 10 years of exceptional efforts of scientists implementing Raman spectroscopy as a nearly real-time diagnostic tool for clean margins assessment in mastectomy and lumpectomy. Although greatly contributing to medical discoveries for the wealth of humanity, animals as patients have benefitted less from advances in surgery diagnostic using Raman spectroscopy. This work also dedicates a few lines to applications of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy in veterinary oncological surgery. PMID:27920899

Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of CMR T1-Mapping in Patients With Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction.

PubMed

Rommel, Karl-Philipp; Lücke, Christian; Lurz, Philipp

2017-10-01

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) presents a major challenge in modern cardiology. Although this syndrome is of increasing prevalence and is associated with unfavorable outcomes, treatment trials have failed to establish effective therapies. Currently, solutions to this dilemma are being investigated, including categorizing and characterizing patients more diversely to individualize treatment. In this regard, new imaging techniques might provide important information. Diastolic dysfunction is a diagnostic and pathophysiological cornerstone in HFpEF and is believed to be caused by systemic inflammation with the development of interstitial myocardial fibrosis and myocardial stiffening. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) T 1 -mapping is a novel tool, which allows noninvasive quantification of the extracellular space and diffuse myocardial fibrosis. This review provides an overview of the potential of myocardial tissue characterization with CMR T 1 mapping in HFpEF patients, outlining its diagnostic and prognostic implications and discussing future directions. We conclude that CMR T 1 mapping is potentially an effective tool for patient characterization in large-scale epidemiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic HFpEF trials beyond traditional imaging parameters. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

A Cryogenic Fluid System Simulation in Support of Integrated Systems Health Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barber, John P.; Johnston, Kyle B.; Daigle, Matthew

2013-01-01

Simulations serve as important tools throughout the design and operation of engineering systems. In the context of sys-tems health management, simulations serve many uses. For one, the underlying physical models can be used by model-based health management tools to develop diagnostic and prognostic models. These simulations should incorporate both nominal and faulty behavior with the ability to inject various faults into the system. Such simulations can there-fore be used for operator training, for both nominal and faulty situations, as well as for developing and prototyping health management algorithms. In this paper, we describe a methodology for building such simulations. We discuss the design decisions and tools used to build a simulation of a cryogenic fluid test bed, and how it serves as a core technology for systems health management development and maturation.

Verification of Functional Fault Models and the Use of Resource Efficient Verification Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bis, Rachael; Maul, William A.

2015-01-01

Functional fault models (FFMs) are a directed graph representation of the failure effect propagation paths within a system's physical architecture and are used to support development and real-time diagnostics of complex systems. Verification of these models is required to confirm that the FFMs are correctly built and accurately represent the underlying physical system. However, a manual, comprehensive verification process applied to the FFMs was found to be error prone due to the intensive and customized process necessary to verify each individual component model and to require a burdensome level of resources. To address this problem, automated verification tools have been developed and utilized to mitigate these key pitfalls. This paper discusses the verification of the FFMs and presents the tools that were developed to make the verification process more efficient and effective.

Space applications of artificial intelligence; Proceedings of the Annual Goddard Conference, Greenbelt, MD, May 16, 17, 1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rash, James L. (Editor); Dent, Carolyn P. (Editor)

1989-01-01

Theoretical and implementation aspects of AI systems for space applications are discussed in reviews and reports. Sections are devoted to planning and scheduling, fault isolation and diagnosis, data management, modeling and simulation, and development tools and methods. Particular attention is given to a situated reasoning architecture for space repair and replace tasks, parallel plan execution with self-processing networks, the electrical diagnostics expert system for Spacelab life-sciences experiments, diagnostic tolerance for missing sensor data, the integration of perception and reasoning in fast neural modules, a connectionist model for dynamic control, and applications of fuzzy sets to the development of rule-based expert systems.

A Diagnostics Tool to detect ensemble forecast system anomaly and guide operational decisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, G. H.; Srivastava, A.; Shrestha, E.; Thiemann, M.; Day, G. N.; Draijer, S.

2017-12-01

The hydrologic community is moving toward using ensemble forecasts to take uncertainty into account during the decision-making process. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) implements several types of ensemble forecasts in their decision-making process: ensemble products for a statistical model (Hirsch and enhanced Hirsch); the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) forecasts based on the classical Ensemble Streamflow Prediction (ESP) technique; and the new NWS Hydrologic Ensemble Forecasting Service (HEFS) forecasts. To remove structural error and apply the forecasts to additional forecast points, the DEP post processes both the AHPS and the HEFS forecasts. These ensemble forecasts provide mass quantities of complex data, and drawing conclusions from these forecasts is time-consuming and difficult. The complexity of these forecasts also makes it difficult to identify system failures resulting from poor data, missing forecasts, and server breakdowns. To address these issues, we developed a diagnostic tool that summarizes ensemble forecasts and provides additional information such as historical forecast statistics, forecast skill, and model forcing statistics. This additional information highlights the key information that enables operators to evaluate the forecast in real-time, dynamically interact with the data, and review additional statistics, if needed, to make better decisions. We used Bokeh, a Python interactive visualization library, and a multi-database management system to create this interactive tool. This tool compiles and stores data into HTML pages that allows operators to readily analyze the data with built-in user interaction features. This paper will present a brief description of the ensemble forecasts, forecast verification results, and the intended applications for the diagnostic tool.

The Microarray Revolution: Perspectives from Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewster, Jay L.; Beason, K. Beth; Eckdahl, Todd T.; Evans, Irene M.

2004-01-01

In recent years, microarray analysis has become a key experimental tool, enabling the analysis of genome-wide patterns of gene expression. This review approaches the microarray revolution with a focus upon four topics: 1) the early development of this technology and its application to cancer diagnostics; 2) a primer of microarray research,…

A Diagnostic Assessment for Introductory Molecular and Cell Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shi, Jia; Wood, William B.; Martin, Jennifer M.; Guild, Nancy A.; Vicens, Quentin; Knight, Jennifer K.

2010-01-01

We have developed and validated a tool for assessing understanding of a selection of fundamental concepts and basic knowledge in undergraduate introductory molecular and cell biology, focusing on areas in which students often have misconceptions. This multiple-choice Introductory Molecular and Cell Biology Assessment (IMCA) instrument is designed…

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CMAQ MODEL AEROSOL MODULE

EPA Science Inventory

This poster describes changes that were made to the aerosol module between CMAQ v4.4 and v4.5, as well as the effects of these changes on CMAQ model results. New aerosol diagnostic tools released with CMAQ v4.5 are also described and some illustrative results are provided

Learning Probe: Benchmarking for Excellence. Questionnaire. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owen, Jane; Yarrow, David; Appleby, Alex

This document is a questionnaire designed for work-based learning providers. It is a diagnostic benchmarking tool developed to give organizations a snapshot of their current state. Following a brief introduction, there are instructions for filling in the questionnaire, which includes both open-ended response and scoring according to a…

Newcastle Disease: Progress and gaps in the development of vaccines and diagnostic tools

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Newcastle disease (ND) is a contagious disease of birds that can have severe economic consequences for any poultry producer, including a serious impact on the international trade of poultry and eggs. Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolates are also called avian paramyxovirus serotype-1 isolates, but ...

Masonry. Post Secondary Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moye, Michael D.; And Others

This curriculum guide was designed for use in postsecondary masonry education programs in Georgia. Its purpose is to provide for the development of entry level skills in masonry in the areas of knowledge, theoretical structure, tool usage, diagnostic ability, related supportive skills, and occupational survival skills. The first two sections of 10…

Refrigeration, Heating & Air Conditioning. Post Secondary Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrison, Joe C.; And Others

This curriculum guide was designed for use in postsecondary refrigeration, heating and air conditioning education programs in Georgia. Its purpose is to provide for the development of entry level skills in refrigeration, heating, and air conditioning in the areas of air conditioning knowledge, theoretical structure, tool usage, diagnostic ability,…

Using Policy-Capturing to Measure Attitudes in Organizational Diagnosis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madden, Joseph M.

1981-01-01

Discusses an indirect method of attitude measurement, policy-capturing, that can be applied on an individual basis. In three experiments this method detected prejudicial attitudes toward females not detected with traditional methods. Can be used as a self-improvement diagnostic tool for developing awareness of behavior influences. (JAC)

Assessment of OmpATb as a Novel Antigen for the Diagnosis of Bovine Tuberculosis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In search for better tools to control bovine tuberculosis, the development of diagnostic tests with improved specificity and sensitivity has a high priority. We chose to search for novel immunodiagnostic reagents. In this study, Rv0899 (Outer membrane protein A of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, OmpATb)...

Contrast-enhanced postmortem computed tomography in clinical pathology: enhanced value of 20 clinical autopsies.

PubMed

Westphal, Saskia E; Apitzsch, Jonas C; Penzkofer, Tobias; Kuhl, Christiane K; Mahnken, Andreas H; Knüchel, Ruth

2014-09-01

Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is a modern tool that complements autopsy diagnostics. In clinical autopsies, a major cause of death is cardiovascular disease. To improve the performance of PMCT in cardiovascular disease, full body angiography was developed (PMCT angiography [PMCTA]). Twenty PMCTA scans generated before autopsy were compared with native PMCT and clinical autopsy. The objective of the study was to quantify the additional diagnostic value of adding angiography to native imaging and to compare PMCT and PMCTA findings to autopsy findings. The diagnosis of the cause of death was identical or overlapped in 80% of the cases that used PMCTA and 70% that used PMCT. The additional diagnostic yield given by PMCT and PMCTA in combination with autopsy was 55%. PMCT yielded additional diagnoses in the musculoskeletal system. The greatest additional diagnostic value of PMCTA was in association with cardiovascular diagnoses. The accuracy of PMCTA for cardiac causes of death was 80%, and the positive predictive value was 90%. The findings indicate that native PMCT cannot display the cardiovascular system sufficiently clearly for high-quality diagnostic assessment. However, PMCTA is a powerful tool in autopsy cases with a history of cardiovascular disease and/or a suspected cardiovascular cause of death. The combination of PMCTA and clinical autopsy enhances diagnostic quality and completeness of the autopsy report. Furthermore, in cases without consent or with a restricted consent for clinical autopsy, PMCTA has the potential to provide information on cardiovascular causes of death. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 1033.110 - Emission diagnostics-general requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... engine operation. (d) Record and store in computer memory any diagnostic trouble codes showing a... and understand the diagnostic trouble codes stored in the onboard computer with generic tools and...

Evaluating the Diagnostic Validity of a Facet-Based Formative Assessment System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeBarger, Angela Haydel; DiBello, Louis; Minstrell, Jim; Feng, Mingyu; Stout, William; Pellegrino, James; Haertel, Geneva; Harris, Christopher; Ructinger, Liliana

2011-01-01

This paper describes methods for an alignment study and psychometric analyses of a formative assessment system, Diagnoser Tools for physics. Diagnoser Tools begin with facet clusters as the interpretive framework for designing questions and instructional activities. Thus each question in the diagnostic assessments includes distractors that…

Field Effect Sensors for Nucleic Acid Detection: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

PubMed Central

Veigas, Bruno; Fortunato, Elvira; Baptista, Pedro V.

2015-01-01

In the last decade the use of field-effect-based devices has become a basic structural element in a new generation of biosensors that allow label-free DNA analysis. In particular, ion sensitive field effect transistors (FET) are the basis for the development of radical new approaches for the specific detection and characterization of DNA due to FETs’ greater signal-to-noise ratio, fast measurement capabilities, and possibility to be included in portable instrumentation. Reliable molecular characterization of DNA and/or RNA is vital for disease diagnostics and to follow up alterations in gene expression profiles. FET biosensors may become a relevant tool for molecular diagnostics and at point-of-care. The development of these devices and strategies should be carefully designed, as biomolecular recognition and detection events must occur within the Debye length. This limitation is sometimes considered to be fundamental for FET devices and considerable efforts have been made to develop better architectures. Herein we review the use of field effect sensors for nucleic acid detection strategies—from production and functionalization to integration in molecular diagnostics platforms, with special focus on those that have made their way into the diagnostics lab. PMID:25946631

Quantifying factors for the success of stratified medicine.

PubMed

Trusheim, Mark R; Burgess, Breon; Hu, Sean Xinghua; Long, Theresa; Averbuch, Steven D; Flynn, Aiden A; Lieftucht, Alfons; Mazumder, Abhijit; Milloy, Judy; Shaw, Peter M; Swank, David; Wang, Jian; Berndt, Ernst R; Goodsaid, Federico; Palmer, Michael C

2011-10-31

Co-developing a drug with a diagnostic to create a stratified medicine - a therapy that is targeted to a specific patient population on the basis of a clinical characteristic such as a biomarker that predicts treatment response - presents challenges for product developers, regulators, payers and physicians. With the aim of developing a shared framework and tools for addressing these challenges, here we present an analysis using data from case studies in oncology and Alzheimer's disease, coupled with integrated computational modelling of clinical outcomes and developer economic value, to quantify the effects of decisions related to key issues such as the design of clinical trials. This illustrates how such analyses can aid the coordination of diagnostic and drug development, and the selection of optimal development and commercialization strategies. It also illustrates the impact of the interplay of these factors on the economic feasibility of stratified medicine, which has important implications for public policy makers.

Development and clinical evaluation of a rapid diagnostic kit for feline leukemia virus infection.

PubMed

Kim, Won-Shik; Chong, Chom-Kyu; Kim, Hak-Yong; Lee, Gyu-Cheol; Jeong, Wooseog; An, Dong-Jun; Jeoung, Hye-Young; Lee, Jae-In; Lee, Young-Ki

2014-01-01

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) causes a range of neoplastic and degenerative diseases in cats. To obtain a more sensitive and convenient diagnosis of the disease, we prepared monoclonal antibodies specific for the FeLV p27 to develop a rapid diagnostic test with enhanced sensitivity and specificity. Among these antibodies, we identified two clones (hybridomas 8F8B5 and 8G7D1) that specifically bound to FeLV and were very suitable for a diagnostic kit. The affinity constants for 8F8B5 and 8G7D1 were 0.35 × 10⁸ and 0.86 × 10⁸, respectively. To investigate the diagnostic abilities of the rapid kit using these antibodies, we performed several clinical studies. Assessment of analytical sensitivity revealed that the detection threshold of the rapid diagnostic test was 2 ng/mL for recombinant p27 and 12.5 × 10⁴ IU/mL for FeLV. When evaluating 252 cat sera samples, the kit was found to have a kappa value of 0.88 compared to polymerase chain reaction (PCR), indicating a significant correlation between data from the rapid diagnostic test and PCR. Sensitivity and specificity of the kit were 95.2% (20/21) and 98.5% (257/261), respectively. Our results demonstrated that the rapid diagnostic test would be a suitable diagnostic tool for the rapid detection of FeLV infection in cats.

Artificial intelligence against breast cancer (A.N.N.E.S-B.C.-Project).

PubMed

Parmeggiani, Domenico; Avenia, Nicola; Sanguinetti, Alessandro; Ruggiero, Roberto; Docimo, Giovanni; Siciliano, Mattia; Ambrosino, Pasquale; Madonna, Imma; Peltrini, Roberto; Parmeggiani, Umberto

2012-01-01

Our preliminary study examined the development of an advanced innovative technology with the objectives of--developing methodologies and algorithms for a Artificial Neural Network (ANN) system, improving mammography and ultra-sonography images interpretation;--creating autonomous software as a diagnostic tool for the physicians, allowing the possibility for the advanced application of databases using Artificial Intelligence (Expert System). Since 2004 550 F patients over 40 yrs old were divided in two groups: 1) 310 pts underwent echo every 6 months and mammography every year by expert radiologists. 2) 240 pts had the same screening program and were also examined by our diagnosis software, developed with ANN-ES technology by the Engineering Aircraft Research Project team. The information was continually updated and returned to the Expert System, defining the principal rules of automatic diagnosis. In the second group we selected: Expert radiologist decision; ANN-ES decision; Expert radiologists with ANN-ES decision. The second group had significantly better diagnosis for cancer and better specificity for breast lesions risk as well as the highest percentage account when the radiologist's decision was helped by the ANN software. The ANN-ES group was able to select, by anamnestic, diagnostic and genetic means, 8 patients for prophylactic surgery, finding 4 cancers in a very early stage. Although it is only a preliminary study, this innovative diagnostic tool seems to provide better positive and negative predictive value in cancer diagnosis as well as in breast risk lesion identification.

WE-AB-206-01: Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging Quality Assurance

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

Zagzebski, J.

The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound and to provide updates in ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements. The first half of this workshop will include two presentations reviewing diagnostic ultrasound QA/QC and ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements. The second half of the workshop will include live demonstrations of basic QC tests. An array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be available for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environmentmore » with live demonstrations and on-site instructors. The targeted attendees are medical physicists in diagnostic imaging. Learning Objectives: Gain familiarity with common elements of a QA/QC program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging dentify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools Learn ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements Jennifer Walter is an employee of American College of Radiology on Ultrasound Accreditation.« less

Developing a modular architecture for creation of rule-based clinical diagnostic criteria.

PubMed

Hong, Na; Pathak, Jyotishman; Chute, Christopher G; Jiang, Guoqian

2016-01-01

With recent advances in computerized patient records system, there is an urgent need for producing computable and standards-based clinical diagnostic criteria. Notably, constructing rule-based clinical diagnosis criteria has become one of the goals in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11 revision. However, few studies have been done in building a unified architecture to support the need for diagnostic criteria computerization. In this study, we present a modular architecture for enabling the creation of rule-based clinical diagnostic criteria leveraging Semantic Web technologies. The architecture consists of two modules: an authoring module that utilizes a standards-based information model and a translation module that leverages Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL). In a prototype implementation, we created a diagnostic criteria upper ontology (DCUO) that integrates ICD-11 content model with the Quality Data Model (QDM). Using the DCUO, we developed a transformation tool that converts QDM-based diagnostic criteria into Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) representation. We evaluated the domain coverage of the upper ontology model using randomly selected diagnostic criteria from broad domains (n = 20). We also tested the transformation algorithms using 6 QDM templates for ontology population and 15 QDM-based criteria data for rule generation. As the results, the first draft of DCUO contains 14 root classes, 21 subclasses, 6 object properties and 1 data property. Investigation Findings, and Signs and Symptoms are the two most commonly used element types. All 6 HQMF templates are successfully parsed and populated into their corresponding domain specific ontologies and 14 rules (93.3 %) passed the rule validation. Our efforts in developing and prototyping a modular architecture provide useful insight into how to build a scalable solution to support diagnostic criteria representation and computerization.

A Sensor-Based Method for Diagnostics of Machine Tool Linear Axes.

PubMed

Vogl, Gregory W; Weiss, Brian A; Donmez, M Alkan

2015-01-01

A linear axis is a vital subsystem of machine tools, which are vital systems within many manufacturing operations. When installed and operating within a manufacturing facility, a machine tool needs to stay in good condition for parts production. All machine tools degrade during operations, yet knowledge of that degradation is illusive; specifically, accurately detecting degradation of linear axes is a manual and time-consuming process. Thus, manufacturers need automated and efficient methods to diagnose the condition of their machine tool linear axes without disruptions to production. The Prognostics and Health Management for Smart Manufacturing Systems (PHM4SMS) project at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed a sensor-based method to quickly estimate the performance degradation of linear axes. The multi-sensor-based method uses data collected from a 'sensor box' to identify changes in linear and angular errors due to axis degradation; the sensor box contains inclinometers, accelerometers, and rate gyroscopes to capture this data. The sensors are expected to be cost effective with respect to savings in production losses and scrapped parts for a machine tool. Numerical simulations, based on sensor bandwidth and noise specifications, show that changes in straightness and angular errors could be known with acceptable test uncertainty ratios. If a sensor box resides on a machine tool and data is collected periodically, then the degradation of the linear axes can be determined and used for diagnostics and prognostics to help optimize maintenance, production schedules, and ultimately part quality.

A Sensor-Based Method for Diagnostics of Machine Tool Linear Axes

PubMed Central

Vogl, Gregory W.; Weiss, Brian A.; Donmez, M. Alkan

2017-01-01

A linear axis is a vital subsystem of machine tools, which are vital systems within many manufacturing operations. When installed and operating within a manufacturing facility, a machine tool needs to stay in good condition for parts production. All machine tools degrade during operations, yet knowledge of that degradation is illusive; specifically, accurately detecting degradation of linear axes is a manual and time-consuming process. Thus, manufacturers need automated and efficient methods to diagnose the condition of their machine tool linear axes without disruptions to production. The Prognostics and Health Management for Smart Manufacturing Systems (PHM4SMS) project at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed a sensor-based method to quickly estimate the performance degradation of linear axes. The multi-sensor-based method uses data collected from a ‘sensor box’ to identify changes in linear and angular errors due to axis degradation; the sensor box contains inclinometers, accelerometers, and rate gyroscopes to capture this data. The sensors are expected to be cost effective with respect to savings in production losses and scrapped parts for a machine tool. Numerical simulations, based on sensor bandwidth and noise specifications, show that changes in straightness and angular errors could be known with acceptable test uncertainty ratios. If a sensor box resides on a machine tool and data is collected periodically, then the degradation of the linear axes can be determined and used for diagnostics and prognostics to help optimize maintenance, production schedules, and ultimately part quality. PMID:28691039

Use of electronic data and existing screening tools to identify clinically significant obstructive sleep apnea.

PubMed

Severson, Carl A; Pendharkar, Sachin R; Ronksley, Paul E; Tsai, Willis H

2015-01-01

To assess the ability of electronic health data and existing screening tools to identify clinically significant obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as defined by symptomatic or severe OSA. The present retrospective cohort study of 1041 patients referred for sleep diagnostic testing was undertaken at a tertiary sleep centre in Calgary, Alberta. A diagnosis of clinically significant OSA or an alternative sleep diagnosis was assigned to each patient through blinded independent chart review by two sleep physicians. Predictive variables were identified from online questionnaire data, and diagnostic algorithms were developed. The performance of electronically derived algorithms for identifying patients with clinically significant OSA was determined. Diagnostic performance of these algorithms was compared with versions of the STOP-Bang questionnaire and adjusted neck circumference score (ANC) derived from electronic data. Electronic questionnaire data were highly sensitive (>95%) at identifying clinically significant OSA, but not specific. Sleep diagnostic testing-determined respiratory disturbance index was very specific (specificity ≥95%) for clinically relevant disease, but not sensitive (<35%). Derived algorithms had similar accuracy to the STOP-Bang or ANC, but required fewer questions and calculations. These data suggest that a two-step process using a small number of clinical variables (maximizing sensitivity) and objective diagnostic testing (maximizing specificity) is required to identify clinically significant OSA. When used in an online setting, simple algorithms can identify clinically relevant OSA with similar performance to existing decision rules such as the STOP-Bang or ANC.

Target product profiles for the diagnosis of Taenia solium taeniasis, neurocysticercosis and porcine cysticercosis.

PubMed

Donadeu, Meritxell; Fahrion, Anna S; Olliaro, Piero L; Abela-Ridder, Bernadette

2017-09-01

Target Product Profiles (TPPs) are process tools providing product requirements to guide researchers, developers and manufacturers in their efforts to develop effective and useful products such as biologicals, drugs or diagnostics. During a WHO Stakeholders Meeting on Taenia solium diagnostics, several TPPs were initiated to address diagnostic needs for different stages in the parasite's transmission (taeniasis, human and porcine cysticercosis). Following the meeting, draft TPPs were completed and distributed for consultation to 100 people/organizations, including experts in parasitology, human and pig cysticercosis, diagnostic researchers and manufacturers, international organizations working with neglected or zoonotic diseases, Ministries of Health and Ministries of Livestock in some of the endemic countries, WHO regional offices and other interested parties. There were 53 respondents. All comments and feedback received were considered and discussions were held with different experts according to their area of expertise. The comments were consolidated and final TPPs are presented here. They are considered to be live documents which are likely to undergo review and updating in the future when new knowledge and technologies become available.

Target product profiles for the diagnosis of Taenia solium taeniasis, neurocysticercosis and porcine cysticercosis

PubMed Central

Fahrion, Anna S.; Olliaro, Piero L.; Abela-Ridder, Bernadette

2017-01-01

Target Product Profiles (TPPs) are process tools providing product requirements to guide researchers, developers and manufacturers in their efforts to develop effective and useful products such as biologicals, drugs or diagnostics. During a WHO Stakeholders Meeting on Taenia solium diagnostics, several TPPs were initiated to address diagnostic needs for different stages in the parasite’s transmission (taeniasis, human and porcine cysticercosis). Following the meeting, draft TPPs were completed and distributed for consultation to 100 people/organizations, including experts in parasitology, human and pig cysticercosis, diagnostic researchers and manufacturers, international organizations working with neglected or zoonotic diseases, Ministries of Health and Ministries of Livestock in some of the endemic countries, WHO regional offices and other interested parties. There were 53 respondents. All comments and feedback received were considered and discussions were held with different experts according to their area of expertise. The comments were consolidated and final TPPs are presented here. They are considered to be live documents which are likely to undergo review and updating in the future when new knowledge and technologies become available. PMID:28892472

Strategies in Ebola virus disease (EVD) diagnostics at the point of care.

PubMed

Coarsey, Chad T; Esiobu, Nwadiuto; Narayanan, Ramswamy; Pavlovic, Mirjana; Shafiee, Hadi; Asghar, Waseem

2017-11-01

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a devastating, highly infectious illness with a high mortality rate. The disease is endemic to regions of Central and West Africa, where there is limited laboratory infrastructure and trained staff. The recent 2014 West African EVD outbreak has been unprecedented in case numbers and fatalities, and has proven that such regional outbreaks can become a potential threat to global public health, as it became the source for the subsequent transmission events in Spain and the USA. The urgent need for rapid and affordable means of detecting Ebola is crucial to control the spread of EVD and prevent devastating fatalities. Current diagnostic techniques include molecular diagnostics and other serological and antigen detection assays; which can be time-consuming, laboratory-based, often require trained personnel and specialized equipment. In this review, we discuss the various Ebola detection techniques currently in use, and highlight the potential future directions pertinent to the development and adoption of novel point-of-care diagnostic tools. Finally, a case is made for the need to develop novel microfluidic technologies and versatile rapid detection platforms for early detection of EVD.

Diagnosis demystified: CT as diagnostic tool in endodontics

PubMed Central

Shruthi, Nagaraja; Sreenivasa Murthy, B V; Sundaresh, K J; Mallikarjuna, Rachappa

2013-01-01

Diagnosis in endodontics is usually based on clinical and radiographical presentations, which are only empirical methods. The role of healing profession is to apply knowledge and skills towards maintaining and restoring the patient's health. Recent advances in imaging technologies have added to correct interpretation and diagnosis. CT is proving to be an effective tool in solving endodontic mysteries through its three-dimensional visualisation. CT imaging offers many diagnostic advantages to produce reconstructed images in selected projection and low-contrast resolution far superior to that of all other X-ray imaging modalities. This case report is an endeavour towards effective treatment planning of cases with root fracture, root resorption using spiral CT as an adjuvant diagnostic tool. PMID:23814212

External quality assurance for HIV point-of-care testing in Africa: A collaborative country-partner approach to strengthen diagnostic services

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

It is important to consider the role of diagnostics and the critical need for quality diagnostics services in resource-limited settings. Accurate diagnostic tests play a key role in patient management and the prevention and control of most infectious diseases. As countries plan for implementation of HIV early infant diagnosis and viral load point-of-care testing, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has worked with countries and partners with an interest in external quality assurance to support quality point-of-care testing on the continent. Through a series of collaborative consultations and workshops, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has gathered lessons learned, tools, and resources and developed quality assurance models that will support point-of-care testing. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to the continued advancement of laboratory diagnostics in Africa and quality laboratory services and point-of-care testing. PMID:28879132

The Limpopo Non-Metropolitan Drinking Water Supplier Response to a Diagnostic Tool for Technical Compliance

PubMed Central

Nefale, Avhashoni D.; Kamika, Ilunga; Obi, Chikwelu L.

2017-01-01

Water services providers should supply water that is fit for human consumption, taking into account multi-barrier approaches and technical aspects such as design aspects, operation monitoring, final water quality compliance monitoring, plant monitoring practices, maintenance, and risk management practices. Against this background, this study focused on applying the diagnostic tool for technical compliance as well as assessing the compliance of water treatment plants with management norms. Six plants in the Vhembe District Municipality were selected; the Vondo, Malamulele, Mutshedzi, and Mutale plants (conventional), and the Dzingahe and Tshedza package plants. During the first assessment, four (Malamulele, Mutshedzi, Mutale and Dzingahe) plants scored between 44% and 49% and achieved Class 3 certification, revealing serious challenges requiring immediate intervention. Two water plants (Vondo and Tshedza, scoring 53% and 63%, respectively) were in the Class 2 category, revealing serious challenges requiring attention and improvement. During the second assessment, all plants scored between 63% and 87% (Class 2 category). The greatest improvement (30%) was noted for the Dzingahe and Tshedza plants, followed by the Malamulele plant, while the Mutale, Vondo, and Mutshedzi plants improved their scores by 20%, 17% and 14%, respectively. After corrective actions and re-measurement, no plant complied. It is recommended that Water Services Providers (WSPs) regularly apply the diagnostic tools and water safety plans as developed in order to comply with applicable standards. PMID:28753964

Assessment of a targeted resequencing assay as a support tool in the diagnosis of lysosomal storage disorders

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background With over 50 different disorders and a combined incidence of up to 1/3000 births, lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) constitute a major public health problem and place an enormous burden on affected individuals and their families. Many factors make LSD diagnosis difficult, including phenotype and penetrance variability, shared signs and symptoms, and problems inherent to biochemical diagnosis. Developing a powerful diagnostic tool could mitigate the protracted diagnostic process for these families, lead to better outcomes for current and proposed therapies, and provide the basis for more appropriate genetic counseling. Methods We have designed a targeted resequencing assay for the simultaneous testing of 57 lysosomal genes, using in-solution capture as the enrichment method and two different sequencing platforms. A total of 84 patients with high to moderate-or low suspicion index for LSD were enrolled in different centers in Spain and Portugal, including 18 positive controls. Results We correctly diagnosed 18 positive blinded controls, provided genetic diagnosis to 25 potential LSD patients, and ended with 18 diagnostic odysseys. Conclusion We report the assessment of a next–generation-sequencing-based approach as an accessory tool in the diagnosis of LSDs, a group of disorders which have overlapping clinical profiles and genetic heterogeneity. We have also identified and quantified the strengths and limitations of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology applied to diagnosis. PMID:24767253

The Limpopo Non-Metropolitan Drinking Water Supplier Response to a Diagnostic Tool for Technical Compliance.

PubMed

Nefale, Avhashoni D; Kamika, Ilunga; Obi, Chikwelu L; Momba, Maggy Nb

2017-07-19

Water services providers should supply water that is fit for human consumption, taking into account multi-barrier approaches and technical aspects such as design aspects, operation monitoring, final water quality compliance monitoring, plant monitoring practices, maintenance, and risk management practices. Against this background, this study focused on applying the diagnostic tool for technical compliance as well as assessing the compliance of water treatment plants with management norms. Six plants in the Vhembe District Municipality were selected; the Vondo, Malamulele, Mutshedzi, and Mutale plants (conventional), and the Dzingahe and Tshedza package plants. During the first assessment, four (Malamulele, Mutshedzi, Mutale and Dzingahe) plants scored between 44% and 49% and achieved Class 3 certification, revealing serious challenges requiring immediate intervention. Two water plants (Vondo and Tshedza, scoring 53% and 63%, respectively) were in the Class 2 category, revealing serious challenges requiring attention and improvement. During the second assessment, all plants scored between 63% and 87% (Class 2 category). The greatest improvement (30%) was noted for the Dzingahe and Tshedza plants, followed by the Malamulele plant, while the Mutale, Vondo, and Mutshedzi plants improved their scores by 20%, 17% and 14%, respectively. After corrective actions and re-measurement, no plant complied. It is recommended that Water Services Providers (WSPs) regularly apply the diagnostic tools and water safety plans as developed in order to comply with applicable standards.

Application of the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) technique as an efficient diagnostic tool for ciliate communities in soil.

PubMed

Jousset, Alexandre; Lara, Enrique; Nikolausz, Marcell; Harms, Hauke; Chatzinotas, Antonis

2010-02-01

Ciliates (or Ciliophora) are ubiquitous organisms which can be widely used as bioindicators in ecosystems exposed to anthropogenic and industrial influences. The evaluation of the environmental impact on soil ciliate communities with methods relying on morphology-based identification may be hampered by the large number of samples usually required for a statistically supported, reliable conclusion. Cultivation-independent molecular-biological diagnostic tools are a promising alternative to greatly simplify and accelerate such studies. In this present work a ciliate-specific fingerprint method based on the amplification of a phylogenetic marker gene (i.e. the 18S ribosomal RNA gene) with subsequent analysis by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was developed and used to monitor community shifts in a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) polluted soil. The semi-nested approach generated ciliate-specific amplification products from all soil samples and allowed to distinguish community profiles from a PAH-polluted and a non-polluted control soil. Subsequent sequence analysis of excised bands provided evidence that polluted soil samples are dominated by organisms belonging to the class Colpodea. The general DGGE approach presented in this study might thus in principle serve as a fast and reproducible diagnostic tool, complementing and facilitating future ecological and ecotoxicological monitoring of ciliates in polluted habitats. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Data-Driven Framework for Incorporating New Tools for ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This talk was given during the “Exposure-Based Toxicity Testing” session at the annual meeting of the International Society for Exposure Science. It provided an update on the state of the science and tools that may be employed in risk-based prioritization efforts. It outlined knowledge gained from the data provided using these high-throughput tools to assess chemical bioactivity and to predict chemical exposures and also identified future needs. It provided an opportunity to showcase ongoing research efforts within the National Exposure Research Laboratory and the National Center for Computational Toxicology within the Office of Research and Development to an international audience. The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Computational Exposure Division (CED) develops and evaluates data, decision-support tools, and models to be applied to media-specific or receptor-specific problem areas. CED uses modeling-based approaches to characterize exposures, evaluate fate and transport, and support environmental diagnostics/forensics with input from multiple data sources. It also develops media- and receptor-specific models, process models, and decision support tools for use both within and outside of EPA.

Metabolomics for laboratory diagnostics.

PubMed

Bujak, Renata; Struck-Lewicka, Wiktoria; Markuszewski, Michał J; Kaliszan, Roman

2015-09-10

Metabolomics is an emerging approach in a systems biology field. Due to continuous development in advanced analytical techniques and in bioinformatics, metabolomics has been extensively applied as a novel, holistic diagnostic tool in clinical and biomedical studies. Metabolome's measurement, as a chemical reflection of a current phenotype of a particular biological system, is nowadays frequently implemented to understand pathophysiological processes involved in disease progression as well as to search for new diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers of various organism's disorders. In this review, we discussed the research strategies and analytical platforms commonly applied in the metabolomics studies. The applications of the metabolomics in laboratory diagnostics in the last 5 years were also reviewed according to the type of biological sample used in the metabolome's analysis. We also discussed some limitations and further improvements which should be considered taking in mind potential applications of metabolomic research and practice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neurotechnological assessment of consciousness disorders: five ethical imperatives.

PubMed

Evers, Kathinka

2016-06-01

Disorders of consciousness (DOCs) cause great human suffering and material costs for society. Understanding of these disorders has advanced remarkably in recent years, but uncertainty remains with respect to the diagnostic criteria and standards of care. One of the most serious problems concerns misdiagnoses, their impact on medical decision-making, and on patients' well-being. Recent studies use neurotechnology to assess residual consciousness in DOC patients that traditional behavioral diagnostic criteria are unable to detect. The results show an urgent need to strengthen the development of new diagnostic tools and more refined diagnostic criteria. If residual consciousness may be inferred from robust and reproducible results from neurotechnological communication with DOC patients, this also raises ethical challenges. With reference to the moral notions of beneficence and fundamental rights, five ethical imperatives are here suggested in terms of diagnosis, communication, interpretation of subjective states, adaptation of living conditions, and care.

Development of terahertz otoscope for diagnosing otitis media (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Tae-In; Ji, Young Bin; Bark, Hyeon Sang; Noh, Sam Kyu; Oh, Seung Jae

2017-03-01

A novel terahertz (THz) otoscope is designed and fabricated to help physicians to diagnose otitis media (OM) with both THz diagnostics and conventional optical diagnostics. The inclusion of indium tin oxide (ITO) glass in the THz otoscope allows physicians to diagnose OM with both THz and conventional optical diagnostics. To determine THz diagnostics for OM, we observed reflection signals from samples behind a thin dielectric film and found that the presence of water behind the membrane could be distinguished based on THz pulse shape. We verified the potential of this tool for diagnosing OM using mouse skin tissue and a human tympanic membrane samples prior to clinical application. The presence of water absorbed by the human membrane was easily distinguished based on differences in pulse shapes and peak-to-peak amplitudes of reflected THz pulses. The potential for early OM diagnosis using the THz otoscope was confirmed by alteration of THz pulse depending on water absorption level.

Current ante-mortem techniques for diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis.

PubMed

Bezos, Javier; Casal, Carmen; Romero, Beatriz; Schroeder, Bjoern; Hardegger, Roland; Raeber, Alex J; López, Lissette; Rueda, Paloma; Domínguez, Lucas

2014-10-01

Bovine tuberculosis (TB), mainly caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a zoonotic disease with implications for Public Health and having an economic impact due to decreased production and limitations to the trade. Bovine TB is subjected to official eradication campaigns mainly based on a test and slaughter policy using diagnostic assays based on the cell-mediated immune response as the intradermal tuberculin test and the gamma-interferon (IFN-γ) assay. Moreover, several diagnostic assays based on the detection of specific antibodies (Abs) have been developed in the last few years with the aim of complementing the current diagnostic techniques in the near future. This review provides an overview of the current ante-mortem diagnostic tools for diagnosis of bovine TB regarding historical background, methodologies and sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) obtained in previous studies under different epidemiological situations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interferometric Reflectance Imaging Sensor (IRIS)—A Platform Technology for Multiplexed Diagnostics and Digital Detection

PubMed Central

Avci, Oguzhan; Lortlar Ünlü, Nese; Yalçın Özkumur, Ayça; Ünlü, M. Selim

2015-01-01

Over the last decade, the growing need in disease diagnostics has stimulated rapid development of new technologies with unprecedented capabilities. Recent emerging infectious diseases and epidemics have revealed the shortcomings of existing diagnostics tools, and the necessity for further improvements. Optical biosensors can lay the foundations for future generation diagnostics by providing means to detect biomarkers in a highly sensitive, specific, quantitative and multiplexed fashion. Here, we review an optical sensing technology, Interferometric Reflectance Imaging Sensor (IRIS), and the relevant features of this multifunctional platform for quantitative, label-free and dynamic detection. We discuss two distinct modalities for IRIS: (i) low-magnification (ensemble biomolecular mass measurements) and (ii) high-magnification (digital detection of individual nanoparticles) along with their applications, including label-free detection of multiplexed protein chips, measurement of single nucleotide polymorphism, quantification of transcription factor DNA binding, and high sensitivity digital sensing and characterization of nanoparticles and viruses. PMID:26205273

Laboratory activities involving transmissible spongiform encephalopathy causing agents

PubMed Central

Leunda, Amaya; Van Vaerenbergh, Bernadette; Baldo, Aline; Roels, Stefan; Herman, Philippe

2013-01-01

Since the appearance in 1986 of epidemic of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a new form of neurological disease in cattle which also affected human beings, many diagnostic and research activities have been performed to develop detection and therapeutic tools. A lot of progress was made in better identifying, understanding and controlling the spread of the disease by appropriate monitoring and control programs in European countries. This paper reviews the recent knowledge on pathogenesis, transmission and persistence outside the host of prion, the causative agent of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) in mammals with a particular focus on risk (re)assessment and management of biosafety measures to be implemented in diagnostic and research laboratories in Belgium. Also, in response to the need of an increasing number of European diagnostic laboratories stopping TSE diagnosis due to a decreasing number of TSE cases reported in the last years, decontamination procedures and a protocol for decommissioning TSE diagnostic laboratories is proposed. PMID:24055928

ROC curve analyses of eyewitness identification decisions: An analysis of the recent debate.

PubMed

Rotello, Caren M; Chen, Tina

2016-01-01

How should the accuracy of eyewitness identification decisions be measured, so that best practices for identification can be determined? This fundamental question is under intense debate. One side advocates for continued use of a traditional measure of identification accuracy, known as the diagnosticity ratio , whereas the other side argues that receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) should be used instead because diagnosticity is confounded with response bias. Diagnosticity proponents have offered several criticisms of ROCs, which we show are either false or irrelevant to the assessment of eyewitness accuracy. We also show that, like diagnosticity, Bayesian measures of identification accuracy confound response bias with witnesses' ability to discriminate guilty from innocent suspects. ROCs are an essential tool for distinguishing memory-based processes from decisional aspects of a response; simulations of different possible identification tasks and response strategies show that they offer important constraints on theory development.

Hair: A Diagnostic Tool to Complement Blood Serum and Urine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maugh, Thomas H., II

1978-01-01

Trace elements and some drugs can be identified in hair and it seems likely that other organic chemicals will be identifiable in the future. Since hair is so easily collected, stored, and analyzed it promises to be an ideal complement to serum and urine analysis as a diagnostic tool. (BB)

Delirium diagnosis, screening and management

PubMed Central

Lawlor, Peter G.; Bush, Shirley H.

2014-01-01

Purpose of review Our review focuses on recent developments across many settings regarding the diagnosis, screening and management of delirium, so as to inform these aspects in the context of palliative and supportive care. Recent findings Delirium diagnostic criteria have been updated in the long-awaited Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition. Studies suggest that poor recognition of delirium relates to its clinical characteristics, inadequate interprofessional communication and lack of systematic screening. Validation studies are published for cognitive and observational tools to screen for delirium. Formal guidelines for delirium screening and management have been rigorously developed for intensive care, and may serve as a model for other settings. Given that palliative sedation is often required for the management of refractory delirium at the end of life, a version of the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale, modified for palliative care, has undergone preliminary validation. Summary Although formal systematic delirium screening with brief but sensitive tools is strongly advocated for patients in palliative and supportive care, it requires critical evaluation in terms of clinical outcomes, including patient comfort. Randomized controlled trials are needed to inform the development of guidelines for the management of delirium in this setting. PMID:25004177

Modeling paradigms for medical diagnostic decision support: a survey and future directions.

PubMed

Wagholikar, Kavishwar B; Sundararajan, Vijayraghavan; Deshpande, Ashok W

2012-10-01

Use of computer based decision tools to aid clinical decision making, has been a primary goal of research in biomedical informatics. Research in the last five decades has led to the development of Medical Decision Support (MDS) applications using a variety of modeling techniques, for a diverse range of medical decision problems. This paper surveys literature on modeling techniques for diagnostic decision support, with a focus on decision accuracy. Trends and shortcomings of research in this area are discussed and future directions are provided. The authors suggest that-(i) Improvement in the accuracy of MDS application may be possible by modeling of vague and temporal data, research on inference algorithms, integration of patient information from diverse sources and improvement in gene profiling algorithms; (ii) MDS research would be facilitated by public release of de-identified medical datasets, and development of opensource data-mining tool kits; (iii) Comparative evaluations of different modeling techniques are required to understand characteristics of the techniques, which can guide developers in choice of technique for a particular medical decision problem; and (iv) Evaluations of MDS applications in clinical setting are necessary to foster physicians' utilization of these decision aids.

Development of microtitre plates for electrokinetic assays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burt, J. P. H.; Goater, A. D.; Menachery, A.; Pethig, R.; Rizvi, N. H.

2007-02-01

Electrokinetic processes have wide ranging applications in microsystems technology. Their optimum performance at micro and nano dimensions allows their use both as characterization and diagnostic tools and as a means of general particle manipulation. Within analytical studies, measurement of the electrokinesis of biological cells has the sensitivity and selectivity to distinguish subtle differences between cell types and cells undergoing changes and is gaining acceptance as a diagnostic tool in high throughput screening for drug discovery applications. In this work the development and manufacture of an electrokinetic-based microtitre plate is described. The plate is intended to be compatible with automated sample loading and handling systems. Manufacturing of the microtitre plate, which employs indium tin oxide microelectrodes, has been entirely undertaken using excimer and ultra-fast pulsed laser micromachining due to its flexibility in materials processing and accuracy in microstructuring. Laser micromachining has the ability to rapidly realize iterations in device prototype design while also having the capability to be scaled up for large scale manufacture. Device verification is achieved by the measurement of the electrorotation and dielectrophoretic properties of yeast cells while the flexibility of the developed microtitre plate is demonstrated by the selective separation of live yeast from polystyrene microbeads.

Assessment of the Asian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association Chronic Constipation Criteria: An Asian Multicenter Cross-sectional Study

PubMed Central

Gwee, Kok-Ann; Bergmans, Paul; Kim, JinYong; Coudsy, Bogdana; Sim, Angelia; Chen, Minhu; Lin, Lin; Hou, Xiaohua; Wang, Huahong; Goh, Khean-Lee; Pangilinan, John A; Kim, Nayoung; des Varannes, Stanislas Bruley

2017-01-01

Background/Aims There is a need for a simple and practical tool adapted for the diagnosis of chronic constipation (CC) in the Asian population. This study compared the Asian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association (ANMA) CC tool and Rome III criteria for the diagnosis of CC in Asian subjects. Methods This multicenter, cross-sectional study included subjects presenting at outpatient gastrointestinal clinics across Asia. Subjects with CC alert symptoms completed a combination Diagnosis Questionnaire to obtain a diagnosis based on 4 different diagnostic methods: self-defined, investigator’s judgment, ANMA CC tool, and Rome III criteria. The primary endpoint was the level of agreement/disagreement between the ANMA CC diagnostic tool and Rome III criteria for the diagnosis of CC. Results The primary analysis comprised of 449 subjects, 414 of whom had a positive diagnosis according to the ANMA CC tool. Rome III positive/ANMA positive and Rome III negative/ANMA negative diagnoses were reported in 76.8% and 7.8% of subjects, respectively, resulting in an overall percentage agreement of 84.6% between the 2 diagnostic methods. The overall percentage disagreement between these 2 diagnostic methods was 15.4%. A higher level of agreement was seen between the ANMA CC tool and self-defined (374 subjects [90.3%]) or investigator’s judgment criteria (388 subjects [93.7%]) compared with the Rome III criteria. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the ANMA CC tool can be a useful for Asian patients with CC. PMID:27764907

The application of genome-wide 5-hydroxymethylcytosine studies in cancer research.

PubMed

Thomson, John P; Meehan, Richard R

2017-01-01

Early detection and characterization of molecular events associated with tumorgenesis remain high priorities. Genome-wide epigenetic assays are promising diagnostic tools, as aberrant epigenetic events are frequent and often cancer specific. The deposition and analysis of multiple patient-derived cancer epigenomic profiles contributes to our appreciation of the underlying biology; aiding the detection of novel identifiers for cancer subtypes. Modifying enzymes and co-factors regulating these epigenetic marks are frequently mutated in cancers, and as epigenetic modifications themselves are reversible, this makes their study very attractive with respect to pharmaceutical intervention. Here we focus on the novel modified base, 5-hydoxymethylcytosine, and discuss how genome-wide 5-hydoxymethylcytosine profiling expedites our molecular understanding of cancer, serves as a lineage tracer, classifies the mode of action of potentially carcinogenic agents and clarifies the roles of potential novel cancer drug targets; thus assisting the development of new diagnostic/prognostic tools.

Rationale for Quality Assurance in Fecal Egg Monitoring of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis.

PubMed

Hoekendijk, David J L; Hill, Philip C; Sowerby, Stephen J

2016-09-07

Substantial investment has been made into the once "neglected" tropical disease, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, and into control programs that operate within a framework of mapping baseline disease distribution, measuring the effectiveness of applied interventions, establishing when to cease drug administration, and for posttreatment evaluations. However, critical to each of these stages is the determination of helminth infection. The limitations of traditional microscope-based fecal egg diagnostics have not provided quality assurance in the monitoring of parasite disease and suboptimal treatment regimes provide for the potential development of parasite resistance to anthelmintic drugs. Improved diagnostic and surveillance tools are required to protect therapeutic effectiveness and to maintain funder confidence. Such tools may be on the horizon with emergent technologies that offer potential for enhanced visualization and quality-assured quantitation of helminth eggs. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

A Looking-Glass of Non-Coding RNAs in Oral Cancer

PubMed Central

Irimie, Alexandra Iulia; Braicu, Cornelia; Sonea, Laura; Zimta, Alina Andreea; Diudea, Diana; Buduru, Smaranda; Berindan-Neagoe, Ioana

2017-01-01

Oral cancer is a multifactorial pathology and is characterized by the lack of efficient treatment and accurate diagnostic tools. This is mainly due the late diagnosis; therefore, reliable biomarkers for the timely detection of the disease and patient stratification are required. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are key elements in the physiological and pathological processes of various cancers, which is also reflected in oral cancer development and progression. A better understanding of their role could give a more thorough perspective on the future treatment options for this cancer type. This review offers a glimpse into the ncRNA involvement in oral cancer, which can help the medical community tap into the world of ncRNAs and lay the ground for more powerful diagnostic, prognostic and treatment tools for oral cancer that will ultimately help build a brighter future for these patients. PMID:29206174

Development and application of air quality models at the US ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Overview of the development and application of air quality models at the U.S. EPA, particularly focused on the development and application of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model developed within the Computation Exposure Division (CED) of the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL). This presentation will provide a simple overview of air quality model development and application geared toward a non-technical student audience. The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Computational Exposure Division (CED) develops and evaluates data, decision-support tools, and models to be applied to media-specific or receptor-specific problem areas. CED uses modeling-based approaches to characterize exposures, evaluate fate and transport, and support environmental diagnostics/forensics with input from multiple data sources. It also develops media- and receptor-specific models, process models, and decision support tools for use both within and outside of EPA.

Diagnostic methods for mastitis in cows are not appropriate for use in humans: commentary.

PubMed

Kvist, Linda J

2016-01-01

Healthcare workers are now being targeted for marketing of diagnostic tools for mastitis that were developed for the dairy industry and which aim to provide information regarding choice of antibiotic treatment. Meanwhile, scientists are striving to understand how the human microbiome affects health and wellbeing and the importance of maintenance of bacterial balance in the human body. Breast milk supplies a multitude of bacteria to populate the baby's intestinal tract and kick-start the immune system. Researchers propose a paradigm shift in the understanding of bacterial content in breast milk and an alternative paradigm for the understanding of lactational mastitis: there is the beginning of evidence that many cases of lactational mastitis will resolve spontaneously. An international group of researchers is attempting to answer how dietary habits, birth mode, genetics and environmental factors may impact the bacterial content of breast milk. Until we have more comprehensive knowledge about the human milk microbiome, diagnostic aids for identification of women in need of antibiotic therapy for mastitis remain unreliable. Diagnostic aids could lead to the injudicious use of antibiotic therapy, which in turn may rob the infant of bacteria valuable for development of its immune system. The marketing of diagnostic aids for use in human medicine, that were originally developed for use in cows, is neither evidence-based nor good ethical practice.

Ambient Ionization Mass Spectrometry for Cancer Diagnosis and Surgical Margin Evaluation

PubMed Central

Ifa, Demian R.; Eberlin, Livia S.

2017-01-01

Background There is a clinical need for new technologies that would enable rapid disease diagnosis based on diagnostic molecular signatures. Ambient ionization mass spectrometry has revolutionized the means by which molecular information can be obtained from tissue samples in real time and with minimal sample pretreatment. New developments in ambient ionization techniques applied to clinical research suggest that ambient ionization mass spectrometry will soon become a routine medical tool for tissue diagnosis. Content This review summarizes the main developments in ambient ionization techniques applied to tissue analysis, with focus on desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, probe electrospray ionization, touch spray, and rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry. We describe their applications to human cancer research and surgical margin evaluation, highlighting integrated approaches tested for ex vivo and in vivo human cancer tissue analysis. We also discuss the challenges for clinical implementation of these tools and offer perspectives on the future of the field. Summary A variety of studies have showcased the value of ambient ionization mass spectrometry for rapid and accurate cancer diagnosis. Small molecules have been identified as potential diagnostic biomarkers, including metabolites, fatty acids, and glycerophospholipids. Statistical analysis allows tissue discrimination with high accuracy rates (>95%) being common. This young field has challenges to overcome before it is ready to be broadly accepted as a medical tool for cancer diagnosis. Growing research in new, integrated ambient ionization mass spectrometry technologies and the ongoing improvements in the existing tools make this field very promising for future translation into the clinic. PMID:26555455

Sex chromosomal abnormalities associated with equine infertility: validation of a simple molecular screening tool in the Purebred Spanish Horse.

PubMed

Anaya, G; Molina, A; Valera, M; Moreno-Millán, M; Azor, P; Peral-García, P; Demyda-Peyrás, S

2017-08-01

Chromosomal abnormalities in the sex chromosome pair (ECAX and ECAY) are widely associated with reproductive problems in horses. However, a large proportion of these abnormalities remains undiagnosed due to the lack of an affordable diagnostic tool that allows for avoiding karyotyping tests. Hereby, we developed an STR (single-tandem-repeat)-based molecular method to determine the presence of the main sex chromosomal abnormalities in horses in a fast, cheap and reliable way. The frequency of five ECAX-linked (LEX026, LEX003, TKY38, TKY270 and UCDEQ502) and two ECAY-linked (EcaYH12 and SRY) markers was characterized in 261 Purebred Spanish Horses to determine the efficiency of the methodology developed to be used as a chromosomal diagnostic tool. All the microsatellites analyzed were highly polymorphic, with a sizeable number of alleles (polymorphic information content > 0.5). Based on this variability, the methodology showed 100% sensitivity and 99.82% specificity to detect the most important sex chromosomal abnormalities reported in horses (chimerism, Turner's syndrome and sex reversal syndromes). The method was also validated with 100% efficiency in 10 individuals previously diagnosed as chromosomally aberrant. This STR screening panel is an efficient and reliable molecular-cytogenetic tool for the early detection of sex chromosomal abnormalities in equines that could be included in breeding programs to save money, effort and time of veterinary practitioners and breeders. © 2017 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

Development and evaluation of a comprehensive clinical decision support taxonomy: comparison of front-end tools in commercial and internally developed electronic health record systems

PubMed Central

Sittig, Dean F; Ash, Joan S; Feblowitz, Joshua; Meltzer, Seth; McMullen, Carmit; Guappone, Ken; Carpenter, Jim; Richardson, Joshua; Simonaitis, Linas; Evans, R Scott; Nichol, W Paul; Middleton, Blackford

2011-01-01

Background Clinical decision support (CDS) is a valuable tool for improving healthcare quality and lowering costs. However, there is no comprehensive taxonomy of types of CDS and there has been limited research on the availability of various CDS tools across current electronic health record (EHR) systems. Objective To develop and validate a taxonomy of front-end CDS tools and to assess support for these tools in major commercial and internally developed EHRs. Study design and methods We used a modified Delphi approach with a panel of 11 decision support experts to develop a taxonomy of 53 front-end CDS tools. Based on this taxonomy, a survey on CDS tools was sent to a purposive sample of commercial EHR vendors (n=9) and leading healthcare institutions with internally developed state-of-the-art EHRs (n=4). Results Responses were received from all healthcare institutions and 7 of 9 EHR vendors (response rate: 85%). All 53 types of CDS tools identified in the taxonomy were found in at least one surveyed EHR system, but only 8 functions were present in all EHRs. Medication dosing support and order facilitators were the most commonly available classes of decision support, while expert systems (eg, diagnostic decision support, ventilator management suggestions) were the least common. Conclusion We developed and validated a comprehensive taxonomy of front-end CDS tools. A subsequent survey of commercial EHR vendors and leading healthcare institutions revealed a small core set of common CDS tools, but identified significant variability in the remainder of clinical decision support content. PMID:21415065

[Assessment of IDC-Pal as a Diagnostic Tool for Family Physicians to Identify Patients with Complex Palliative Care Needs in Germany: a Pilot Study].

PubMed

Comino, María Rosa Salvador; Garcia, Victor Regife; López, Maria Auxiliadora Fernández; Feddersen, Berend; Roselló, María Luisa Martin; Sanftenberg, Linda; Schelling, Jörg

2017-07-11

Background Palliative medicine is an essential component of the health care system. Basic palliative care should be provided by primary care services (family physician and home nursing) with palliative-medical basic qualification. Often it is very difficult to identify patients that would profit from a specialized palliative care team. For the evaluation of the case complexity of a palliative patient, we present a Spanish diagnostic tool IDC-Pal, which tries to specify when, why and where a palliative patient should be referred. The aims of this study were the translation and cultural adaptation of the diagnostic tool for complexity in palliative care IDC-Pal to the German language, and the measurement of its feasibility and face validity. Methods During the first phase, a forward-backward translation with linguistic and cultural adaptation of the tool IDC-Pal as well as the validation of its content by a review committee was performed. During the second phase, the preliminary version of the tool was tested by 38 family physicians that were asked for a qualitative assessment using a 10-points Likert scale (1 = "strongly disagree" and 10 = "totally agree"). Finally, a definitive version was developed. Results The translation and adaptation were achieved without major problems. Both feasibility and apparent validity of the tool IDC-Pal were rated as high. The mean response in the Likert scale was 7.79, with a SD of 0.36. Participants strongly agreed on the apparent validity of the tool with a mean of 7.82 and a SD of 0.26 and on its feasibility with a mean of 7.79, and a SD of 0.39. Conclusions A conceptually, culturally and linguistically equivalent version of the original instrument IDC-Pal was obtained. German family physicians agreed on the usability of IDC-Pal as a tool for rating the case complexity of palliative patients. These results indicate that physicians in Bavaria and eventually in Germany could benefit of the full validation of IDC-Pal. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Development and validation of an anti-N3 indirect immunofluorescent antibody test to be used as a companion diagnostic test in the framework of a "DIVA" vaccination strategy for avian influenza infections in poultry.

PubMed

Cattoli, Giovanni; Milani, Adelaide; Bettini, Francesca; Serena Beato, Maria; Mancin, Marzia; Terregino, Calogero; Capua, Ilaria

2006-04-01

Avian influenza (AI) infections have become of growing importance both for animal and human health. Vaccination has become a recommended tool to support eradication efforts and limit the economic losses caused by this disease. The "DIVA" system, using a vaccine containing a heterologous neuraminidase to the field virus, has been shown to be an effective tool in increasing the resistance of birds to field challenge, preventing clinical signs and reducing viral shedding in the environment. The companion diagnostic test to the vaccine, however, has been only partially validated in the field against one subtype of neuraminidase (N1). The present paper presents the results of a full laboratory and field validation of the diagnostic test developed to detect antibodies to the N3 subtype of AI in vaccinated and unvaccinated chickens and turkeys. Antibody kinetic studies conducted in the laboratory have shown that antibodies to the N protein may be detected earlier than antibodies to the haemagglutinin. The data derived from this extensive validation trial indicate the excellent capability of this assay in detecting the presence of active AI infection at an early stage in both unvaccinated and vaccinated birds and the lack of interference with vaccine-induced antibodies.

Adding Four- Dimensional Data Assimilation (aka grid ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Adding four-dimensional data assimilation (a.k.a. grid nudging) to MPAS.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is investigating the use of MPAS as the meteorological driver for its next-generation air quality model. To function as such, MPAS needs to operate in a diagnostic mode in much the same manner as the current meteorological driver, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The WRF operates in diagnostic mode using Four-Dimensional Data Assimilation, also known as "grid nudging". MPAS version 4.0 has been modified with the addition of an FDDA routine to the standard physics drivers to nudge the state variables for wind, temperature and water vapor towards MPAS initialization fields defined at 6-hour intervals from GFS-derived data. The results to be shown demonstrate the ability to constrain MPAS simulations to known historical conditions and thus provide the U.S. EPA with a practical meteorological driver for global-scale air quality simulations. The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Computational Exposure Division (CED) develops and evaluates data, decision-support tools, and models to be applied to media-specific or receptor-specific problem areas. CED uses modeling-based approaches to characterize exposures, evaluate fate and transport, and support environmental diagnostics/forensics with input from multiple data sources. It also develops media- and receptor-specific models, process models, and decision support tools for use bo

Utility of a brief assessment tool developed from the Dizziness Handicap Inventory to screen for Cervicogenic dizziness: A case control study.

PubMed

Reid, Susan A; Callister, Robin; Katekar, Michael G; Treleaven, Julia M

2017-08-01

Cervicogenic dizziness (CGD) is hard to diagnose as there is no objective test. Can a brief assessment tool be derived from the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) to assist in screening for CGD? Case-control study with split-sample analysis. 86 people with CGD and 86 people with general dizziness completed the DHI as part of the assessment of their dizziness. Descriptive statistics were used to assess how frequently each question on the DHI was answered 'yes' or 'sometimes' by participants with CGD and by participants with general dizziness. The questions that best discriminated between GCD and general dizziness were compiled into a brief assessment tool for CGD. Data from 80 participants (40 from each group) were used to generate a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to establish a cut-off score for that brief assessment tool. Then, data from the remaining 92 participants were used to try to validate the diagnostic ability of the brief assessment tool using that cut-off score. Questions 1, 9 and 11 were the most discriminatory and were combined to form the brief assessment tool. The ROC curve indicated an optimal threshold of 9. The diagnostic ability of the brief assessment tool among the remaining 46 participants from each group was: sensitivity 77% (95% CI: 67 to 84), specificity 66% (56-75), positive likelihood ratio 2.28 (1.66-3.13), and negative likelihood ratio 0.35 (0.23-0.53). A brief assessment tool of three questions appears to be helpful in screening for CGD. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Fall Risk Assessment Tools in People With Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

PubMed Central

Pohl, Patricia S.; Mahnken, Jonathan D.; Kluding, Patricia M.

2012-01-01

Background Diabetic peripheral neuropathy affects nearly half of individuals with diabetes and leads to increased fall risk. Evidence addressing fall risk assessment for these individuals is lacking. Objective The purpose of this study was to identify which of 4 functional mobility fall risk assessment tools best discriminates, in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, between recurrent “fallers” and those who are not recurrent fallers. Design A cross-sectional study was conducted. Setting The study was conducted in a medical research university setting. Participants The participants were a convenience sample of 36 individuals between 40 and 65 years of age with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Measurements Fall history was assessed retrospectively and was the criterion standard. Fall risk was assessed using the Functional Reach Test, the Timed “Up & Go” Test, the Berg Balance Scale, and the Dynamic Gait Index. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and overall diagnostic accuracy were calculated for each fall risk assessment tool. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to estimate modified cutoff scores for each fall risk assessment tool; indexes then were recalculated. Results Ten of the 36 participants were classified as recurrent fallers. When traditional cutoff scores were used, the Dynamic Gait Index and Functional Reach Test demonstrated the highest sensitivity at only 30%; the Dynamic Gait Index also demonstrated the highest overall diagnostic accuracy. When modified cutoff scores were used, all tools demonstrated improved sensitivity (80% or 90%). Overall diagnostic accuracy improved for all tests except the Functional Reach Test; the Timed “Up & Go” Test demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy at 88.9%. Limitations The small sample size and retrospective fall history assessment were limitations of the study. Conclusions Modified cutoff scores improved diagnostic accuracy for 3 of 4 fall risk assessment tools when testing people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. PMID:22836004

Full Life Cycle of Data Analysis with Climate Model Diagnostic Analyzer (CMDA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S.; Zhai, C.; Pan, L.; Tang, B.; Zhang, J.; Bao, Q.; Malarout, N.

2017-12-01

We have developed a system that supports the full life cycle of a data analysis process, from data discovery, to data customization, to analysis, to reanalysis, to publication, and to reproduction. The system called Climate Model Diagnostic Analyzer (CMDA) is designed to demonstrate that the full life cycle of data analysis can be supported within one integrated system for climate model diagnostic evaluation with global observational and reanalysis datasets. CMDA has four subsystems that are highly integrated to support the analysis life cycle. Data System manages datasets used by CMDA analysis tools, Analysis System manages CMDA analysis tools which are all web services, Provenance System manages the meta data of CMDA datasets and the provenance of CMDA analysis history, and Recommendation System extracts knowledge from CMDA usage history and recommends datasets/analysis tools to users. These four subsystems are not only highly integrated but also easily expandable. New datasets can be easily added to Data System and scanned to be visible to the other subsystems. New analysis tools can be easily registered to be available in the Analysis System and Provenance System. With CMDA, a user can start a data analysis process by discovering datasets of relevance to their research topic using the Recommendation System. Next, the user can customize the discovered datasets for their scientific use (e.g. anomaly calculation, regridding, etc) with tools in the Analysis System. Next, the user can do their analysis with the tools (e.g. conditional sampling, time averaging, spatial averaging) in the Analysis System. Next, the user can reanalyze the datasets based on the previously stored analysis provenance in the Provenance System. Further, they can publish their analysis process and result to the Provenance System to share with other users. Finally, any user can reproduce the published analysis process and results. By supporting the full life cycle of climate data analysis, CMDA improves the research productivity and collaboration level of its user.

Call for Standardized Definitions of Osteoarthritis and Risk Stratification for Clinical Trials and Clinical Use

PubMed Central

Kraus, Virginia Byers; Blanco, Francisco J.; Englund, Martin; Karsdal, Morten A.; Lohmander, L. Stefan

2015-01-01

Osteoarthritis is a heterogeneous disorder. The goals of this review are (1) To stimulate use of standardized nomenclature for osteoarthritis (OA) that could serve as building blocks for describing OA and defining OA phenotypes, in short to provide unifying disease concepts for a heterogeneous disorder; and (2) To stimulate establishment of ROAD (Risk of Osteoarthritis Development) and ROAP (Risk of Osteoarthritis Progression) tools analogous to the FRAX™ instrument for predicting risk of fracture in osteoporosis; and (3) To stimulate formulation of tools for identifying disease in its early preradiographic and/or molecular stages -- REDI (Reliable Early Disease Identification). Consensus around more sensitive and specific diagnostic criteria for OA could spur development of disease modifying therapies for this entity that has proved so recalcitrant to date. We fully acknowledge that as we move forward, we expect to develop more sophisticated definitions, terminology and tools. PMID:25865392

The Ocean Observatories Initiative: Data pre-Processing: Diagnostic Tools to Prepare Data for QA/QC Processing.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belabbassi, L.; Garzio, L. M.; Smith, M. J.; Knuth, F.; Vardaro, M.; Kerfoot, J.

2016-02-01

The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), funded by the National Science Foundation, provides users with access to long-term datasets from a variety of deployed oceanographic sensors. The Pioneer Array in the Atlantic Ocean off the Coast of New England hosts 10 moorings and 6 gliders. Each mooring is outfitted with 6 to 19 different instruments telemetering more than 1000 data streams. These data are available to science users to collaborate on common scientific goals such as water quality monitoring and scale variability measures of continental shelf processes and coastal open ocean exchanges. To serve this purpose, the acquired datasets undergo an iterative multi-step quality assurance and quality control procedure automated to work with all types of data. Data processing involves several stages, including a fundamental pre-processing step when the data are prepared for processing. This takes a considerable amount of processing time and is often not given enough thought in development initiatives. The volume and complexity of OOI data necessitates the development of a systematic diagnostic tool to enable the management of a comprehensive data information system for the OOI arrays. We present two examples to demonstrate the current OOI pre-processing diagnostic tool. First, Data Filtering is used to identify incomplete, incorrect, or irrelevant parts of the data and then replaces, modifies or deletes the coarse data. This provides data consistency with similar datasets in the system. Second, Data Normalization occurs when the database is organized in fields and tables to minimize redundancy and dependency. At the end of this step, the data are stored in one place to reduce the risk of data inconsistency and promote easy and efficient mapping to the database.

Diagnostic Tools for Performance Evaluation of Innovative In-Situ Remediation Technologies at Chlorinated Solvent-Contaminated Sites

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

within a groundwater sample or within a biofilm . FISH probes have been developed that target chlorinated solvent- degrading populations, such as...1988. Bacterial metabolism of protein and endogenous nitrogen compounds. In I.R. Rowland (ed.), Role of the gut flora in toxicity and cancer (p. 227

A new approach for detecting fungal and oomycete plant pathogens in next generation sequencing metagenome data utilising electronic probes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Early stage infections caused by fungal/oomycete spores can remain undetected until signs or symptoms develop. Serological and molecular techniques are currently used for detecting these pathogens. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has potential as a diagnostic tool, due to the capacity to target mul...

A Quantum Chemistry Concept Inventory for Physical Chemistry Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dick-Perez, Marilu; Luxford, Cynthia J.; Windus, Theresa L.; Holme, Thomas

2016-01-01

A 14-item, multiple-choice diagnostic assessment tool, the quantum chemistry concept inventory or QCCI, is presented. Items were developed based on published student misconceptions and content coverage and then piloted and used in advanced physical chemistry undergraduate courses. In addition to the instrument itself, data from both a pretest,…

Developing Teachers' Subject Didactic Competence through Problem Posing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ticha, Marie; Hospesova, Alena

2013-01-01

Problem posing (not only in lesson planning but also directly in teaching whenever needed) is one of the attributes of a teacher's subject didactic competence. In this paper, problem posing in teacher education is understood as an educational and a diagnostic tool. The results of the study were gained in pre-service primary school teacher…

Developing a Multi-Dimensional Early Elementary Mathematics Screener and Diagnostic Tool: The Primary Mathematics Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brendefur, Jonathan L.; Johnson, Evelyn S.; Thiede, Keith W.; Strother, Sam; Severson, Herb H.

2018-01-01

There is a critical need to identify primary level students experiencing difficulties in mathematics to provide immediate and targeted instruction that remediates their deficits. However, most early math screening instruments focus only on the concept of number, resulting in inadequate and incomplete information for teachers to design intervention…

Evaluation Methods Basis of Strategy Development Effectiveness of the Enterprise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zotova, Anna S.; Kandrashina, Elena A.; Ivliev, Andrey D.; Charaeva, Marina V.

2016-01-01

The urgency to study the problem is caused by the necessity to make management decisions in terms of reducing goods life cycle, reducing profitability of production, increasing speed of technological progress. In this context, this article aims to identify and elaborate the tools for integrated diagnostic of strategy efficiency, taking into…

Suggested Format and Content of a Work Sample Manual: [With Examples].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Univ. - Stout, Menomonie. Dept. of Rehabilitation and Manpower Services. Materials Development Center.

Work samples are job tasks used as a diagnostic tool in the evaluation of vocational rehabilitation clients. The manual was developed to provide a standardized format for the construction, administration, and interpretation of necessary information from work sample assessment techniques used by vocational evaluators. The outline is divided into…

77 FR 42504 - Prospective Grant of Exclusive License: Development of a Diagnostic Tool for Diagnosing Benign...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-19

...: [email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This technology is based on the discovery of... which are received by the NIH Office of Technology Transfer on or before August 20, 2012 will be... and Patenting Manager, Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive...

Assessment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis OmpATb as a Novel Antigen for the Diagnosis of Bovine Tuberculosis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In search for improved tools to control bovine tuberculosis, the development of diagnostic tests with improved specificity and sensitivity has a high priority. Such tests require the identification of enhanced immunodiagnostic reagents. In this study, we evaluated the potential of Rv0899 (Outer memb...

Collaborative Effort for a Centralized Worldwide Tuberculosis Relational Sequencing Data Platform.

PubMed

Starks, Angela M; Avilés, Enrique; Cirillo, Daniela M; Denkinger, Claudia M; Dolinger, David L; Emerson, Claudia; Gallarda, Jim; Hanna, Debra; Kim, Peter S; Liwski, Richard; Miotto, Paolo; Schito, Marco; Zignol, Matteo

2015-10-15

Continued progress in addressing challenges associated with detection and management of tuberculosis requires new diagnostic tools. These tools must be able to provide rapid and accurate information for detecting resistance to guide selection of the treatment regimen for each patient. To achieve this goal, globally representative genotypic, phenotypic, and clinical data are needed in a standardized and curated data platform. A global partnership of academic institutions, public health agencies, and nongovernmental organizations has been established to develop a tuberculosis relational sequencing data platform (ReSeqTB) that seeks to increase understanding of the genetic basis of resistance by correlating molecular data with results from drug susceptibility testing and, optimally, associated patient outcomes. These data will inform development of new diagnostics, facilitate clinical decision making, and improve surveillance for drug resistance. ReSeqTB offers an opportunity for collaboration to achieve improved patient outcomes and to advance efforts to prevent and control this devastating disease. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Development of class model based on blood biochemical parameters as a diagnostic tool of PSE meat.

PubMed

Qu, Daofeng; Zhou, Xu; Yang, Feng; Tian, Shiyi; Zhang, Xiaojun; Ma, Lin; Han, Jianzhong

2017-06-01

A fast, sensitive and effective method based on the blood biochemical parameters for the detection of PSE meat was developed in this study. A total of 200 pigs were slaughtered in the same slaughterhouse. Meat quality was evaluated by measuring pH, electrical conductivity and color at 45min, 2h and 24h after slaughtering in M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LD). Blood biochemical parameters were determined in blood samples collected during carcass bleeding. Principal component analysis (PCA) biplot showed that high levels of exsanguination Creatine Kinase, Lactate Dehydrogenase, Aspertate aminotransferase, blood glucose and lactate were associated with the PSE meat, and the five biochemical parameters were found to be good indicators of PSE meat Discriminant function analysis (DFA) was able to clearly identify PSE meat using the five biochemical parameters as input data, and the class model is an effective diagnostic tool in pigs which can be used to detect the PSE meat and reduce economic loss for the company. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Saliva-Based Biosensors: Noninvasive Monitoring Tool for Clinical Diagnostics

PubMed Central

Malon, Radha S. P.; Balakrishnan, Malarvili; Córcoles, Emma P.

2014-01-01

Saliva is increasingly recognised as an attractive diagnostic fluid. The presence of various disease signalling salivary biomarkers that accurately reflect normal and disease states in humans and the sampling benefits compared to blood sampling are some of the reasons for this recognition. This explains the burgeoning research field in assay developments and technological advancements for the detection of various salivary biomarkers to improve clinical diagnosis, management, and treatment. This paper reviews the significance of salivary biomarkers for clinical diagnosis and therapeutic applications, with focus on the technologies and biosensing platforms that have been reported for screening these biomarkers. PMID:25276835

Saliva-based biosensors: noninvasive monitoring tool for clinical diagnostics.

PubMed

Malon, Radha S P; Sadir, Sahba; Balakrishnan, Malarvili; Córcoles, Emma P

2014-01-01

Saliva is increasingly recognised as an attractive diagnostic fluid. The presence of various disease signalling salivary biomarkers that accurately reflect normal and disease states in humans and the sampling benefits compared to blood sampling are some of the reasons for this recognition. This explains the burgeoning research field in assay developments and technological advancements for the detection of various salivary biomarkers to improve clinical diagnosis, management, and treatment. This paper reviews the significance of salivary biomarkers for clinical diagnosis and therapeutic applications, with focus on the technologies and biosensing platforms that have been reported for screening these biomarkers.

Quantum Cascade Laser Absorption Spectroscopy as a Plasma Diagnostic Tool: An Overview

PubMed Central

Welzel, Stefan; Hempel, Frank; Hübner, Marko; Lang, Norbert; Davies, Paul B.; Röpcke, Jürgen

2010-01-01

The recent availability of thermoelectrically cooled pulsed and continuous wave quantum and inter-band cascade lasers in the mid-infrared spectral region has led to significant improvements and new developments in chemical sensing techniques using in-situ laser absorption spectroscopy for plasma diagnostic purposes. The aim of this article is therefore two-fold: (i) to summarize the challenges which arise in the application of quantum cascade lasers in such environments, and, (ii) to provide an overview of recent spectroscopic results (encompassing cavity enhanced methods) obtained in different kinds of plasma used in both research and industry. PMID:22163581

Quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy as a plasma diagnostic tool: an overview.

PubMed

Welzel, Stefan; Hempel, Frank; Hübner, Marko; Lang, Norbert; Davies, Paul B; Röpcke, Jürgen

2010-01-01

The recent availability of thermoelectrically cooled pulsed and continuous wave quantum and inter-band cascade lasers in the mid-infrared spectral region has led to significant improvements and new developments in chemical sensing techniques using in-situ laser absorption spectroscopy for plasma diagnostic purposes. The aim of this article is therefore two-fold: (i) to summarize the challenges which arise in the application of quantum cascade lasers in such environments, and, (ii) to provide an overview of recent spectroscopic results (encompassing cavity enhanced methods) obtained in different kinds of plasma used in both research and industry.

The definition, diagnostic testing, and management of chronic inducible urticarias - The EAACI/GA(2) LEN/EDF/UNEV consensus recommendations 2016 update and revision.

PubMed

Magerl, M; Altrichter, S; Borzova, E; Giménez-Arnau, A; Grattan, C E H; Lawlor, F; Mathelier-Fusade, P; Meshkova, R Y; Zuberbier, T; Metz, M; Maurer, M

2016-06-01

These recommendations for the definition, diagnosis and management of chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU) extend, revise and update our previous consensus report on physical urticarias and cholinergic urticaria (Allergy, 2009). The aim of these recommendations is to improve the diagnosis and management of patients with CIndU. Our recommendations acknowledge the latest changes in our understanding of CIndU, and the available therapeutic options, as well as the development of novel diagnostic tools. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Canine Hip Dysplasia: Diagnostic Imaging.

PubMed

Butler, J Ryan; Gambino, Jennifer

2017-07-01

Diagnostic imaging is the principal method used to screen for and diagnose hip dysplasia in the canine patient. Multiple techniques are available, each having advantages, disadvantages, and limitations. Hip-extended radiography is the most used method and is best used as a screening tool and for assessment for osteoarthritis. Distraction radiographic methods such as the PennHip method allow for improved detection of laxity and improved ability to predict future osteoarthritis development. More advanced techniques such as MRI, although expensive and not widely available, may improve patient screening and allow for improved assessment of cartilage health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in salivary cancer diagnostics enabled by biosensors and bioelectronics.

PubMed

Mishra, Saswat; Saadat, Darius; Kwon, Ohjin; Lee, Yongkuk; Choi, Woon-Seop; Kim, Jong-Hoon; Yeo, Woon-Hong

2016-07-15

There is a high demand for a non-invasive, rapid, and highly accurate tool for disease diagnostics. Recently, saliva based diagnostics for the detection of specific biomarkers has drawn significant attention since the sample extraction is simple, cost-effective, and precise. Compared to blood, saliva contains a similar variety of DNA, RNA, proteins, metabolites, and microbiota that can be compiled into a multiplex of cancer detection markers. The salivary diagnostic method holds great potential for early-stage cancer diagnostics without any complicated and expensive procedures. Here, we review various cancer biomarkers in saliva and compare the biomarkers efficacy with traditional diagnostics and state-of-the-art bioelectronics. We summarize biomarkers in four major groups: genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics/microbiota. Representative bioelectronic systems for each group are summarized based on various stages of a cancer. Systematic study of oxidative stress establishes the relationship between macromolecules and cancer biomarkers in saliva. We also introduce the most recent examples of salivary diagnostic electronics based on nanotechnologies that can offer rapid, yet highly accurate detection of biomarkers. A concluding section highlights areas of opportunity in the further development and applications of these technologies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A rational regulatory approach for positron emission tomography imaging probes: from "first in man" to NDA approval and reimbursement.

PubMed

Barrio, Jorge R; Marcus, Carol S; Hung, Joseph C; Keppler, Jennifer S

2004-01-01

We propose a new regulatory approach for positron emission tomography (PET) molecular imaging probes, essential tools in today's medicine. Even though the focus of this paper is on positron-emitting labeled probes, it is also justified to extend this proposed regulatory approach to other diagnostic nuclear medicine radiopharmaceuticals. Key aspects of this proposal include: (1) PET molecular imaging probes would be placed in a "no significant risk" category, similar to that category for devices in current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, based on overwhelming scientific evidence that demonstrates their faultless safety profile; (2) the FDA-sanctioned Radioactive Drug Research Committee (RDRC) will oversee all diagnostic research with these probes. The newly defined RDRC should approve "first in man" use; supervise a broader spectrum of diagnostic research protocols, including those looking to demonstrate initial efficacy, as well as multicenter clinical trials and the use of molecular imaging probes as a screening tool in drug discovery. The current investigational new drug (IND) mechanism is thus eliminated for these diagnostic probes; (3) when a molecular imaging probe has demonstrated diagnostic efficacy, FDA approval (i.e., NDA) will be sought. The review will be done by a newly constituted Radioactive Drug Advisory Committee (RDAC) composed of experts chosen by the professional societies, who would provide a binding assessment of the adequacy of the safety and efficacy data. When the RDAC recommends its diagnostic use on scientific and medical grounds, the molecular imaging probe becomes FDA approved. After a molecular imaging probe is approved for a diagnostic indication, the existing mechanism to seek reimbursement will be utilized; and (4) the FDA would retain its direct oversight function for traditional manufacturers engaged in commercial distribution of the approved diagnostic molecular imaging probes (i.e., under NDA) to monitor compliance with existing US Pharmacopeia (USP) requirements. With abbreviated and more appropriate regulations, new PET molecular imaging probes for diagnostic use would be then rapidly incorporated into the mainstream diagnostic medicine. Equally importantly, this approach would facilitate the use of molecular imaging in drug discovery and development, which would substantially reduce the costs and time required to bring new therapeutic drugs to market.

Development of an Internal Real-Time Wireless Diagnostic Tool for a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

PubMed Central

Lee, Chi-Yuan; Chen, Chia-Hung; Tsai, Chao-Hsuan; Wang, Yu-Syuan

2018-01-01

To prolong the operating time of unmanned aerial vehicles which use proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), the performance of PEMFC is the key. However, a long-term operation can make the Pt particles of the catalyst layer and the pollutants in the feedstock gas bond together (e.g., CO), so that the catalyst loses reaction activity. The performance decay and aging of PEMFC will be influenced by operating conditions, temperature, flow and CO concentration. Therefore, this study proposes the development of an internal real-time wireless diagnostic tool for PEMFC, and uses micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology to develop a wireless and thin (<50 μm) flexible integrated (temperature, flow and CO) microsensor. The technical advantages are (1) compactness and three wireless measurement functions; (2) elastic measurement position and accurate embedding; (3) high accuracy and sensitivity and quick response; (4) real-time wireless monitoring of dynamic performance of PEMFC; (5) customized design and development. The flexible integrated microsensor is embedded in the PEMFC, three important physical quantities in the PEMFC, which are the temperature, flow and CO, can be measured simultaneously and instantly, so as to obtain the authentic and complete reaction in the PEMFC to enhance the performance of PEMFC and to prolong the service life. PMID:29342832

Development of an Internal Real-Time Wireless Diagnostic Tool for a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell.

PubMed

Lee, Chi-Yuan; Chen, Chia-Hung; Tsai, Chao-Hsuan; Wang, Yu-Syuan

2018-01-13

To prolong the operating time of unmanned aerial vehicles which use proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), the performance of PEMFC is the key. However, a long-term operation can make the Pt particles of the catalyst layer and the pollutants in the feedstock gas bond together (e.g., CO), so that the catalyst loses reaction activity. The performance decay and aging of PEMFC will be influenced by operating conditions, temperature, flow and CO concentration. Therefore, this study proposes the development of an internal real-time wireless diagnostic tool for PEMFC, and uses micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology to develop a wireless and thin (<50 μm) flexible integrated (temperature, flow and CO) microsensor. The technical advantages are (1) compactness and three wireless measurement functions; (2) elastic measurement position and accurate embedding; (3) high accuracy and sensitivity and quick response; (4) real-time wireless monitoring of dynamic performance of PEMFC; (5) customized design and development. The flexible integrated microsensor is embedded in the PEMFC, three important physical quantities in the PEMFC, which are the temperature, flow and CO, can be measured simultaneously and instantly, so as to obtain the authentic and complete reaction in the PEMFC to enhance the performance of PEMFC and to prolong the service life.

Open Rotor - Analysis of Diagnostic Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Envia, Edmane

2011-01-01

NASA is researching open rotor propulsion as part of its technology research and development plan for addressing the subsonic transport aircraft noise, emission and fuel burn goals. The low-speed wind tunnel test for investigating the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of a benchmark blade set at the approach and takeoff conditions has recently concluded. A high-speed wind tunnel diagnostic test campaign has begun to investigate the performance of this benchmark open rotor blade set at the cruise condition. Databases from both speed regimes will comprise a comprehensive collection of benchmark open rotor data for use in assessing/validating aerodynamic and noise prediction tools (component & system level) as well as providing insights into the physics of open rotors to help guide the development of quieter open rotors.

Current advances in research and clinical applications of PLGA-based nanotechnology

PubMed Central

Lü, Jian-Ming; Wang, Xinwen; Marin-Muller, Christian; Wang, Hao; Lin, Peter H; Yao, Qizhi; Chen, Changyi

2009-01-01

Co-polymer poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanotechnology has been developed for many years and has been approved by the US FDA for the use of drug delivery, diagnostics and other applications of clinical and basic science research, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, vaccine and tissue engineering. This article presents the more recent successes of applying PLGA-based nanotechnologies and tools in these medicine-related applications. It focuses on the possible mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment effects of PLGA preparations and devices. This updated information will benefit to both new and established research scientists and clinical physicians who are interested in the development and application of PLGA nanotechnology as new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies for many diseases. PMID:19435455

Diagnosis and Management of Patients with Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity following Acute Brain Injuries Using a Consensus-Based Diagnostic Tool: A Single Institutional Case Series.

PubMed

Godo, Shigeo; Irino, Shigemi; Nakagawa, Atsuhiro; Kawazoe, Yu; Fujita, Motoo; Kudo, Daisuke; Nomura, Ryosuke; Shimokawa, Hiroaki; Kushimoto, Shigeki

2017-09-01

Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) is a distinct syndrome of episodic sympathetic hyperactivities following severe acquired brain injury, characterized by paroxysmal transient fever, tachycardia, hypertension, tachypnea, excessive diaphoresis and specific posturing. PSH remains to be an under-recognized condition with a diagnostic pitfall especially in the intensive care unit (ICU) settings due to the high prevalence of concomitant diseases that mimic PSH. A consensus set of diagnostic criteria named PSH-Assessment Measure (PSH-AM) has been developed recently, which is consisted of two components: a diagnosis likelihood tool derived from clinical characteristics of PSH, and a clinical feature scale assigned to the severity of each sympathetic hyperactivity. We herein present a case series of patients with PSH who were diagnosed and followed by using PSH-AM in our tertiary institutional medical and surgical ICU between April 2015 and March 2017 in order to evaluate the clinical efficacy of PSH-AM. Among 394 survivors of 521 patients admitted with acquired brain injury defined as acute brain injury at all levels of severity regardless of the presence of altered consciousness, including traumatic brain injury, stroke, infectious disease, and encephalopathy, 6 patients (1.5%) were diagnosed as PSH by using PSH-AM. PSH-AM served as a useful scoring system for early objective diagnosis, assessment of severity, and serial evaluation of treatment efficacy in the management of PSH in the ICU settings. In conclusion, critical care clinicians should consider the possibility of PSH and can use PSH-AM as a useful diagnostic and guiding tool in the management of PSH.

Impact of the US Patent System on the promise of personalized medicine.

PubMed

Solomon, Louis M; Sieczkiewicz, Gregory J

2007-09-01

The biotechnology revolution promises unfathomable future scientific discovery. One of the potential benefits is the accelerated introduction of new diagnostics and treatments to the general public. The right medication for the right patient is the goal of personalized medicine, which directly benefits from many of biotechnology's biggest and most recent advances. The US patent system rewards innovation in medicine and other arts and sciences by granting innovators, for a period of time, the right to exclude others from using what was invented. One of the purposes of the patent system is to trade that right to exclude, and in its stead obtain the patent holder's obligation to fully and publicly disclose the essence of the innovations so that they can be improved, thus advancing the common welfare. A tension exists between personalized medicine's need for access to and use of scientific advances and the patent system's reward of exclusive use or nonuse to innovators. This tension may result in fewer diagnostic and therapeutic tools brought to the market and generally adopted. The risk seems particularly acute with respect to the diagnostic and therapeutic tools arising from genetic testing that hold specific value for a subset of the population. The judicial system has introduced ethical exceptions that overcome a patent holder's right to exclude; these judicial overrides relate to the provision of certain types of medical procedures and the development of certain types of new drugs, and not, apparently, to the use of diagnostic and therapeutic tools essential to the success of personalized medicine. A serious question exists as to whether legislative action is necessary to increase public access to genetic testing.

WE-AB-206-03: Workshop

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

Lu, Z.

The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound and to provide updates in ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements. The first half of this workshop will include two presentations reviewing diagnostic ultrasound QA/QC and ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements. The second half of the workshop will include live demonstrations of basic QC tests. An array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be available for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environmentmore » with live demonstrations and on-site instructors. The targeted attendees are medical physicists in diagnostic imaging. Learning Objectives: Gain familiarity with common elements of a QA/QC program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging dentify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools Learn ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements Jennifer Walter is an employee of American College of Radiology on Ultrasound Accreditation.« less

Molecular diagnostics of inflammatory disease: New tools and perspectives.

PubMed

Garzorz-Stark, Natalie; Lauffer, Felix

2017-08-01

This essay reviews current approaches to establish novel molecular diagnostic tools for inflammatory skin diseases. Moreover, it highlights the importance of stratifying patients according to molecular signatures and revising current outdated disease classification systems to eventually reach the goal of personalized medicine. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development and evaluation of a Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) technique for the detection of hookworm (Necator americanus) infection in fecal samples.

PubMed

Mugambi, Robert Muriuki; Agola, Eric L; Mwangi, Ibrahim N; Kinyua, Johnson; Shiraho, Esther Andia; Mkoji, Gerald M

2015-11-06

Hookworm infection is a major concern in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in children and pregnant women. Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale are responsible for this condition. Hookworm disease is one of the Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that are targeted for elimination through global mass chemotherapy. To support this there is a need for reliable diagnostic tools. The conventional diagnostic test, Kato-Katz that is based on microscopic detection of parasite ova in faecal samples, is not effective due to its low sensitivity that is brought about mainly by non-random distribution of eggs in stool and day to day variation in egg output. It is tedious, cumbersome to perform and requires experience for correct diagnosis. LAMP-based tests are simple, relatively cheap, offer greater sensitivity, specificity than existing tests, have high throughput capability, and are ideal for use at the point of care. We have developed a LAMP diagnostic test for detection of hookworm infection in faecal samples. LAMP relies on auto cycling strand displacement DNA synthesis performed at isothermal temperature by Bst polymerase and a set of 4 specific primers. The primers used in the LAMP assay were based on the second Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS-2) region and designed using Primer Explorer version 4 Software. The ITS-2 region of the ribosomal gene (rDNA) was identified as a suitable target due to its low mutation rates and substantial differences between species. DNA was extracted directly from human faecal samples, followed by LAMP amplification at isothermal temperature of 63 °C for 1 h. Amplicons were visualized using gel electrophoresis and SYBR green dye. Both specificity and sensitivity of the assay were determined. The LAMP based technique developed was able to detect N. americanus DNA in faecal samples. The assay showed 100 % specificity and no cross-reaction was observed with other helminth parasites (S. mansoni, A. lumbricoides or T. trichiura). The developed LAMP assay was 97 % sensitive and DNA at concentrations as low as 0.4 fg were amplified. The LAMP assay developed is an appropriate diagnostic method for the detection of N. americanus DNA in human stool samples because of its simplicity, low cost, sensitivity, and specificity. It holds great promise as a useful diagnostic tool for use in disease control where infection intensities have been significantly reduced.

Reducing beam shaper alignment complexity: diagnostic techniques for alignment and tuning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lizotte, Todd E.

2011-10-01

Safe and efficient optical alignment is a critical requirement for industrial laser systems used in a high volume manufacturing environment. Of specific interest is the development of techniques to align beam shaping optics within a beam line; having the ability to instantly verify by a qualitative means that each element is in its proper position as the beam shaper module is being aligned. There is a need to reduce these types of alignment techniques down to a level where even a newbie to optical alignment will be able to complete the task. Couple this alignment need with the fact that most laser system manufacturers ship their products worldwide and the introduction of a new set of variables including cultural and language barriers, makes this a top priority for manufacturers. Tools and methodologies for alignment of complex optical systems need to be able to cross these barriers to ensure the highest degree of up time and reduce the cost of maintenance on the production floor. Customers worldwide, who purchase production laser equipment, understand that the majority of costs to a manufacturing facility is spent on system maintenance and is typically the largest single controllable expenditure in a production plant. This desire to reduce costs is driving the trend these days towards predictive and proactive, not reactive maintenance of laser based optical beam delivery systems [10]. With proper diagnostic tools, laser system developers can develop proactive approaches to reduce system down time, safe guard operational performance and reduce premature or catastrophic optics failures. Obviously analytical data will provide quantifiable performance standards which are more precise than qualitative standards, but each have a role in determining overall optical system performance [10]. This paper will discuss the use of film and fluorescent mirror devices as diagnostic tools for beam shaper module alignment off line or in-situ. The paper will also provide an overview methodology showing how it is possible to reduce complex alignment directions into a simplified set of instructions for layman service engineers.

The Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS) - an easy executable risk score for suspected paediatric patients with Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Mueller, Goetz C; Stark, Veronika; Steiner, Kristoffer; Weil, Jochen; von Kodolitsch, Yskert; Mir, Thomas S

2013-02-01

Due to age-dependent manifestations, diagnosis of Marfan syndrome (MFS) in children and adolescents is sophisticated. Although revised Ghent criteria is a major step forward, its utility in children is still restricted due to expensive and technically advanced diagnostics. As early diagnosis submits long-term benefits concerning prognosis, the need of an appropriate diagnostic tool for risk stratification of suspected paediatric patients with Marfan is justified. Sixty paediatric patients with Marfan were subject to a standardized diagnostic programme. All clinical symptoms of the revised Ghent nosology were analysed concerning age at first clinical manifestation, prevalence and likelihood ratio for MFS. Symptoms with early onset, high prevalence and high positive likelihood ratio were identified and combined for a risk score called Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS). Three risk categories for suspicion of Marfan syndrome were developed. Finally, the Kid-SMS was operated in 130 paediatric patients with suspected MFS. Kid-SMS identified significantly more suspected patients with Marfan compared with Ghent nosology, revised Ghent and genetics alone without oversensitivity. Whereas diagnosis of MFS in childhood is sophisticated, Kid-SMS is a useful tool for risk stratification of suspected paediatric patients with Marfan by easy executable diagnostics, especially for paediatricians and paediatric cardiologists. ©2012 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica ©2012 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

Raman spectroscopy and PCA-SVM as a non-invasive diagnostic tool to identify and classify qualitatively glycated hemoglobin levels in vivo.

PubMed

Villa-Manríquez, J F; Castro-Ramos, J; Gutiérrez-Delgado, F; Lopéz-Pacheco, M A; Villanueva-Luna, A E

2017-08-01

In this study we identify and classify high and low levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in healthy volunteers (HV) and diabetic patients (DP). Overall, 86 subjects were evaluated. The Raman spectrum was measured in three anatomical regions of the body: index fingertip, right ear lobe, and forehead. The measurements were performed to compare the difference between the HV and DP (22 well controlled diabetic patients (WCDP) (HbA1c <6.5%), and 49 not controlled diabetic patients (NCDP) (HbA1c ≥6.5%)). Multivariable methods such as principal components analysis (PCA) combined with support vector machine (SVM) were used to develop effective diagnostic algorithms for classification among these groups. The forehead of HV versus WCDP showed the highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%). Sensitivity (100%) and specificity (60%), were highest in the forehead of WCDP, versus NCDP. In HV versus NCDP, the fingertip had the highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (80%). The efficacy of the diagnostic algorithm by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was confirmed. Overall, our study demonstrated that the combination of Raman spectroscopy and PCA-SVM are feasible non-invasive diagnostic tool in diabetes to classify qualitatively high and low levels of HbA1c in vivo. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Priorities for future research into asthma diagnostic tools: A PAN-EU consensus exercise from the European asthma research innovation partnership (EARIP).

PubMed

Garcia-Marcos, L; Edwards, J; Kennington, E; Aurora, P; Baraldi, E; Carraro, S; Gappa, M; Louis, R; Moreno-Galdo, A; Peroni, D G; Pijnenburg, M; Priftis, K N; Sanchez-Solis, M; Schuster, A; Walker, S

2018-02-01

The diagnosis of asthma is currently based on clinical history, physical examination and lung function, and to date, there are no accurate objective tests either to confirm the diagnosis or to discriminate between different types of asthma. This consensus exercise reviews the state of the art in asthma diagnosis to identify opportunities for future investment based on the likelihood of their successful development, potential for widespread adoption and their perceived impact on asthma patients. Using a two-stage e-Delphi process and a summarizing workshop, a group of European asthma experts including health professionals, researchers, people with asthma and industry representatives ranked the potential impact of research investment in each technique or tool for asthma diagnosis and monitoring. After a systematic review of the literature, 21 statements were extracted and were subject of the two-stage Delphi process. Eleven statements were scored 3 or more and were further discussed and ranked in a face-to-face workshop. The three most important diagnostic/predictive tools ranked were as follows: "New biological markers of asthma (eg genomics, proteomics and metabolomics) as a tool for diagnosis and/or monitoring," "Prediction of future asthma in preschool children with reasonable accuracy" and "Tools to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath." © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Molecular Approaches to Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis

PubMed Central

Hsiao, Susan J.; Nikiforov, Yuri E.

2014-01-01

Thyroid nodules are common, and the accurate diagnosis of cancer or benign disease is important for the effective clinical management of these patients. Molecular markers are a helpful diagnostic tool, particularly for cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules. In the past few years, significant progress has been made in developing molecular markers for clinical use in fine needle aspiration (FNA) specimens, including gene mutation panels and gene expression classifiers. With the availability of next generation sequencing technology, gene mutation panels can be expanded to interrogate multiple genes simultaneously and to provide yet more accurate diagnostic information. In addition, recently several new molecular markers in thyroid cancer have been identified that offer diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic information that could potentially be of value in guiding individualized management of patients with thyroid nodules. PMID:24829266

Child maltreatment in DSM-5 and ICD-11.

PubMed

Slep, Amy M Smith; Heyman, Richard E; Foran, Heather M

2015-03-01

Child maltreatment is widespread and has a tremendous impact on child victims and their families. Over the past decade, definitions of child maltreatment have been developed that are operationalized, face valid, and can be reliably applied in clinical settings. These definitions have informed the revised Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) and are being considered for the International Classification of Disease-11 (World Health Organization). Now that these definitions are available in major diagnostic systems, primary healthcare providers and clinicians who see children and families are poised to help screen for, identify, prevent, and treat child maltreatment. This article reviews the definitions of maltreatment in these diagnostic systems, along with assessment and screening tools, and empirically supported prevention and intervention approaches. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

An Assessment of Integrated Health Management (IHM) Frameworks

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

N. Lybeck; M. Tawfik; L. Bond

In order to meet the ever increasing demand for energy, the United States nuclear industry is turning to life extension of existing nuclear power plants (NPPs). Economically ensuring the safe, secure, and reliable operation of aging nuclear power plants presents many challenges. The 2009 Light Water Reactor Sustainability Workshop identified online monitoring of active and structural components as essential to the better understanding and management of the challenges posed by aging nuclear power plants. Additionally, there is increasing adoption of condition-based maintenance (CBM) for active components in NPPs. These techniques provide a foundation upon which a variety of advanced onlinemore » surveillance, diagnostic, and prognostic techniques can be deployed to continuously monitor and assess the health of NPP systems and components. The next step in the development of advanced online monitoring is to move beyond CBM to estimating the remaining useful life of active components using prognostic tools. Deployment of prognostic health management (PHM) on the scale of a NPP requires the use of an integrated health management (IHM) framework - a software product (or suite of products) used to manage the necessary elements needed for a complete implementation of online monitoring and prognostics. This paper provides a thoughtful look at the desirable functions and features of IHM architectures. A full PHM system involves several modules, including data acquisition, system modeling, fault detection, fault diagnostics, system prognostics, and advisory generation (operations and maintenance planning). The standards applicable to PHM applications are indentified and summarized. A list of evaluation criteria for PHM software products, developed to ensure scalability of the toolset to an environment with the complexity of a NPP, is presented. Fourteen commercially available PHM software products are identified and classified into four groups: research tools, PHM system development tools, deployable architectures, and peripheral tools.« less

Diagnostic aids: the Surgical Sieve revisited.

PubMed

Chai, Jason; Evans, Lloyd; Hughes, Tom

2017-08-01

Diagnostic errors are well documented in the literature and emphasise the need to teach diagnostic skills at an early stage in medical school to create effective and safe clinicians. Hence, there may be a place for diagnostic aids (such as the Surgical Sieve) that provide a framework for generating ideas about diagnoses. With repeated use of the Surgical Sieve in teaching sessions with students, and prompted by the traditional handheld wheels used in antenatal clinics, we developed the Compass Medicine, a handheld diagnostic wheel comprising three concentric discs attached at the centre. We report a preliminary study comparing the Surgical Sieve and the Compass Medicine in generating differential diagnoses. A total of 48 third-year medical students from Cardiff University participated in a study aimed at measuring the efficacy of diagnostic aids (Surgical Sieve and Compass Medicine) in generating diagnoses. We quantified the effect each aid had on the number of diagnoses generated, and compared the size of the effect between the two diagnostic aids. There may be a place for diagnostic aids that provide a framework for generating ideas about diagnoses RESULTS: The study suggests that both diagnostic aids prompted users to generate a greater number of diagnoses, but there was no significant difference in the size of effect between the two diagnostic aids. We hope that our study with diagnostic aids will encourage the use of robust tools to teach medical students an easily visualised framework for diagnostic thinking. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

WE-AB-206-00: Diagnostic QA/QC Hands-On Workshop

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

NONE

The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound and to provide updates in ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements. The first half of this workshop will include two presentations reviewing diagnostic ultrasound QA/QC and ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements. The second half of the workshop will include live demonstrations of basic QC tests. An array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be available for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environmentmore » with live demonstrations and on-site instructors. The targeted attendees are medical physicists in diagnostic imaging. Learning Objectives: Gain familiarity with common elements of a QA/QC program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging dentify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools Learn ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements Jennifer Walter is an employee of American College of Radiology on Ultrasound Accreditation.« less

Developing a science of clinical utility in diagnostic classification systems field study strategies for ICD-11 mental and behavioral disorders.

PubMed

Keeley, Jared W; Reed, Geoffrey M; Roberts, Michael C; Evans, Spencer C; Medina-Mora, María Elena; Robles, Rebeca; Rebello, Tahilia; Sharan, Pratap; Gureje, Oye; First, Michael B; Andrews, Howard F; Ayuso-Mateos, José Luís; Gaebel, Wolfgang; Zielasek, Juergen; Saxena, Shekhar

2016-01-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse has developed a systematic program of field studies to evaluate and improve the clinical utility of the proposed diagnostic guidelines for mental and behavioral disorders in the Eleventh Revision of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11). The clinical utility of a diagnostic classification is critical to its function as the interface between health encounters and health information, and to making the ICD-11 be a more effective tool for helping the WHO's 194 member countries, including the United States, reduce the global disease burden of mental disorders. This article describes the WHO's efforts to develop a science of clinical utility in regard to one of the two major classification systems for mental disorders. We present the rationale and methodologies for an integrated and complementary set of field study strategies, including large international surveys, formative field studies of the structure of clinicians' conceptualization of mental disorders, case-controlled field studies using experimental methodologies to evaluate the impact of proposed changes to the diagnostic guidelines on clinicians' diagnostic decision making, and ecological implementation field studies of clinical utility in the global settings in which the guidelines will ultimately be implemented. The results of these studies have already been used in making decisions about the structure and content of ICD-11. If clinical utility is indeed among the highest aims of diagnostic systems for mental disorders, as their developers routinely claim, future revision efforts should continue to build on these efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Multimodal fiber-probe spectroscopy as a clinical tool for diagnosing and classifying biological tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cicchi, Riccardo; Anand, Suresh; Fantechi, Riccardo; Giordano, Flavio; Gacci, Mauro; Conti, Valerio; Nesi, Gabriella; Buccoliero, Anna Maria; Carini, Marco; Guerrini, Renzo; Pavone, Francesco Saverio

2017-07-01

An optical fiber probe for multimodal spectroscopy was designed, developed and used for tissue diagnostics. The probe, based on a fiber bundle with optical fibers of various size and properties, allows performing spectroscopic measurements with different techniques, including fluorescence, Raman, and diffuse reflectance, using the same probe. Two visible laser diodes were used for fluorescence spectroscopy, a laser diode emitting in the NIR was used for Raman spectroscopy, and a fiber-coupled halogen lamp for diffuse reflectance. The developed probe was successfully employed for diagnostic purposes on various tissues, including brain and bladder. In particular, the device allowed discriminating healthy tissue from both tumor and dysplastic tissue as well as to perform tumor grading. The diagnostic capabilities of the method, determined using a cross-validation method with a leave-one-out approach, demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for all the examined samples, as well as a good agreement with histopathological examination performed on the same samples. The obtained results demonstrated that the multimodal approach is crucial for improving diagnostic capabilities with respect to what can be obtained from individual techniques. The experimental setup presented here can improve diagnostic capabilities on a broad range of tissues and has the potential of being used clinically for guiding surgical resection in the near future.

[A case of partial 1p36.1 deletion and partial trisomy 6p diagnosed by karyotype].

PubMed

Fernández Pineda, Monica; Ramírez-Cheyne, Julián; Isaza, Carolina; Saldarriaga, Wilmar

The deletion of chromosomal region 1p36 is one of the most common sub-telomeric microdeletion syndromes and has distinctive dysmorphic features. On the other hand, partial trisomy of the short arm of chromosome 6 is a rare chromosomal abnormality with a variable phenotype. To report a case with both chromosome abnormalities, and to highlight the importance of the karyotype as a diagnostic tool in dysmorphology. The case of is presented of a two month-old infant with several craniofacial anomalies, neck haemangioma, sacral pit, rhizomelic shortening, small hands and feet, left unilateral cryptorchidism, and hypotonia. The infant also suffered intrauterine growth restriction and is the product of the eighth pregnancy of a 28 years old woman. Due to the unspecific findings in phenotype, a karyotype was requested, which showed a partial deletion of 1p36.1 and a partial trisomy of chromosome 6. The development of new techniques in molecular biology has improved diagnostic possibilities in medical genetics. However, the traditional karyotype remains as an important diagnostic tool in patients with multiple congenital anomalies. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Chilena de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Advanced bioanalytics for precision medicine.

PubMed

Roda, Aldo; Michelini, Elisa; Caliceti, Cristiana; Guardigli, Massimo; Mirasoli, Mara; Simoni, Patrizia

2018-01-01

Precision medicine is a new paradigm that combines diagnostic, imaging, and analytical tools to produce accurate diagnoses and therapeutic interventions tailored to the individual patient. This approach stands in contrast to the traditional "one size fits all" concept, according to which researchers develop disease treatments and preventions for an "average" patient without considering individual differences. The "one size fits all" concept has led to many ineffective or inappropriate treatments, especially for pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Now, precision medicine is receiving massive funding in many countries, thanks to its social and economic potential in terms of improved disease prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. Bioanalytical chemistry is critical to precision medicine. This is because identifying an appropriate tailored therapy requires researchers to collect and analyze information on each patient's specific molecular biomarkers (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites). In other words, precision diagnostics is not possible without precise bioanalytical chemistry. This Trend article highlights some of the most recent advances, including massive analysis of multilayer omics, and new imaging technique applications suitable for implementing precision medicine. Graphical abstract Precision medicine combines bioanalytical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, and imaging tools for performing accurate diagnoses and selecting optimal therapies for each patient.

TummyTrials: A Feasibility Study of Using Self-Experimentation to Detect Individualized Food Triggers.

PubMed

Karkar, Ravi; Schroeder, Jessica; Epstein, Daniel A; Pina, Laura R; Scofield, Jeffrey; Fogarty, James; Kientz, Julie A; Munson, Sean A; Vilardaga, Roger; Zia, Jasmine

2017-05-02

Diagnostic self-tracking, the recording of personal information to diagnose or manage a health condition, is a common practice, especially for people with chronic conditions. Unfortunately, many who attempt diagnostic self-tracking have trouble accomplishing their goals. People often lack knowledge and skills needed to design and conduct scientifically rigorous experiments, and current tools provide little support. To address these shortcomings and explore opportunities for diagnostic self-tracking, we designed, developed, and evaluated a mobile app that applies a self-experimentation framework to support patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in identifying their personal food triggers. TummyTrials aids a person in designing, executing, and analyzing self-experiments to evaluate whether a specific food triggers their symptoms. We examined the feasibility of this approach in a field study with 15 IBS patients, finding that participants could use the tool to reliably undergo a self-experiment. However, we also discovered an underlying tension between scientific validity and the lived experience of self-experimentation. We discuss challenges of applying clinical research methods in everyday life, motivating a need for the design of self-experimentation systems to balance rigor with the uncertainties of everyday life.

Biosensors in Health Care: The Milestones Achieved in Their Development towards Lab-on-Chip-Analysis

PubMed Central

Patel, Suprava; Nanda, Rachita; Sahoo, Sibasish; Mohapatra, Eli

2016-01-01

Immense potentiality of biosensors in medical diagnostics has driven scientists in evolution of biosensor technologies and innovating newer tools in time. The cornerstone of the popularity of biosensors in sensing wide range of biomolecules in medical diagnostics is due to their simplicity in operation, higher sensitivity, ability to perform multiplex analysis, and capability to be integrated with different function by the same chip. There remains a huge challenge to meet the demands of performance and yield to its simplicity and affordability. Ultimate goal stands for providing point-of-care testing facility to the remote areas worldwide, particularly the developing countries. It entails continuous development in technology towards multiplexing ability, fabrication, and miniaturization of biosensor devices so that they can provide lab-on-chip-analysis systems to the community. PMID:27042353

Torsional vibration signal analysis as a diagnostic tool for planetary gear fault detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Song; Howard, Ian

2018-02-01

This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of using the torsional vibration signal as a diagnostic tool for planetary gearbox faults detection. The traditional approach for condition monitoring of the planetary gear uses a stationary transducer mounted on the ring gear casing to measure all the vibration data when the planet gears pass by with the rotation of the carrier arm. However, the time variant vibration transfer paths between the stationary transducer and the rotating planet gear modulate the resultant vibration spectra and make it complex. Torsional vibration signals are theoretically free from this modulation effect and therefore, it is expected to be much easier and more effective to diagnose planetary gear faults using the fault diagnostic information extracted from the torsional vibration. In this paper, a 20 degree of freedom planetary gear lumped-parameter model was developed to obtain the gear dynamic response. In the model, the gear mesh stiffness variations are the main internal vibration generation mechanism and the finite element models were developed for calculation of the sun-planet and ring-planet gear mesh stiffnesses. Gear faults on different components were created in the finite element models to calculate the resultant gear mesh stiffnesses, which were incorporated into the planetary gear model later on to obtain the faulted vibration signal. Some advanced signal processing techniques were utilized to analyses the fault diagnostic results from the torsional vibration. It was found that the planetary gear torsional vibration not only successfully detected the gear fault, but also had the potential to indicate the location of the gear fault. As a result, the planetary gear torsional vibration can be considered an effective alternative approach for planetary gear condition monitoring.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Diagnostic Radiology: A Survey at a Single Radiology Residency Training Program.

PubMed

Collado-Mesa, Fernando; Alvarez, Edilberto; Arheart, Kris

2018-02-21

Advances in artificial intelligence applied to diagnostic radiology are predicted to have a major impact on this medical specialty. With the goal of establishing a baseline upon which to build educational activities on this topic, a survey was conducted among trainees and attending radiologists at a single residency program. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed. Comparisons of categorical data between groups (trainees and attending radiologists) were made using Pearson χ 2 analysis or an exact analysis when required. Comparisons were made using the Wilcoxon rank sum test when the data were not normally distributed. An α level of 0.05 was used. The overall response rate was 66% (69 of 104). Thirty-six percent of participants (n = 25) reported not having read a scientific medical article on the topic of artificial intelligence during the past 12 months. Twenty-nine percent of respondents (n = 12) reported using artificial intelligence tools during their daily work. Trainees were more likely to express doubts on whether they would have pursued diagnostic radiology as a career had they known of the potential impact artificial intelligence is predicted to have on the specialty (P = .0254) and were also more likely to plan to learn about the topic (P = .0401). Radiologists lack exposure to current scientific medical articles on artificial intelligence. Trainees are concerned by the implications artificial intelligence may have on their jobs and desire to learn about the topic. There is a need to develop educational resources to help radiologists assume an active role in guiding and facilitating the development and implementation of artificial intelligence tools in diagnostic radiology. Copyright © 2017 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bridging the gap between genome analysis and precision breeding in potato.

PubMed

Gebhardt, Christiane

2013-04-01

Efficiency and precision in plant breeding can be enhanced by using diagnostic DNA-based markers for the selection of superior cultivars. This technique has been applied to many crops, including potatoes. The first generation of diagnostic DNA-based markers useful in potato breeding were enabled by several developments: genetic linkage maps based on DNA polymorphisms, linkage mapping of qualitative and quantitative agronomic traits, cloning and functional analysis of genes for pathogen resistance and genes controlling plant metabolism, and association genetics in collections of tetraploid varieties and advanced breeding clones. Although these have led to significant improvements in potato genetics, the prediction of most, if not all, natural variation in agronomic traits by diagnostic markers ultimately requires the identification of the causal genes and their allelic variants. This objective will be facilitated by new genomic tools, such as genomic resequencing and comparative profiling of the proteome, transcriptome, and metabolome in combination with phenotyping genetic materials relevant for variety development. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consolidated Laser-Induced Fluorescence Diagnostic Systems for the NASA Ames Arc Jet Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grinstead, Jay H.; Wilder, Michael C.; Porter, Barry J.; Brown, Jeffrey D.; Yeung, Dickson; Battazzo, Stephen J.; Brubaker, Timothy R.

2016-01-01

The spectroscopic diagnostic technique of two photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) of atomic species for non-intrusive arc jet flow property measurement was first implemented at NASA Ames in the mid-1990s. In 2013-2014, NASA combined the agency's large-scale arc jet test capabilities at NASA Ames. Concurrent with that effort, the agency also sponsored a project to establish two comprehensive LIF diagnostic systems for the Aerodynamic Heating Facility (AHF) and Interaction Heating Facility (IHF) arc jets. The scope of the project enabled further engineering development of the existing IHF LIF system as well as the complete reconstruction of the AHF LIF system. The updated LIF systems are identical in design and capability. They represent the culmination of over 20 years of development experience in transitioning a specialized laboratory research tool into a measurement system for large-scale, high-demand test facilities. This paper will document the latest improvements of the LIF system design and demonstrations of the redeveloped AHF and IHF LIF systems.

Diagnostic tools based on minor groove binder probe technology for rapid identification of vaccinal and field strains of canine parvovirus type 2b.

PubMed

Decaro, Nicola; Martella, Vito; Elia, Gabriella; Desario, Costantina; Campolo, Marco; Buonavoglia, Domenico; Bellacicco, Anna Lucia; Tempesta, Maria; Buonavoglia, Canio

2006-12-01

TaqMan-based diagnostic tests have been developed for the identification of canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) strains in the faeces of dogs with diarrhoea, including a minor groove binder (MGB) probe assay for identification of type 2-based vaccines and field strains (types 2a, 2b and 2c). Since type 2b vaccines have been licensed recently in Europe, two novel MGB assays were developed for discrimination between type 2b vaccines and field strains of CPV. Such assays have been found to be highly sensitive, specific and reproducible, allowing for simultaneous detection of type 2b vaccinal and field strains present in the same specimens. These new assays will help resolution of the diagnostic problems related to the detection of a type 2b strain in the faeces of dogs shortly after the administration of a type 2b vaccine.

Exploring GPs' experiences of using diagnostic tools for cancer: a qualitative study in primary care.

PubMed

Green, Trish; Martins, Tanimola; Hamilton, William; Rubin, Greg; Elliott, Kathy; Macleod, Una

2015-02-01

The UK has an estimated 5-10000 extra cancer deaths each year when compared to other European countries and diagnostic delays are thought to make a significant contribution to this. One of the initiatives in England intended to support primary care professionals has been the development of cancer risk assessment tools (RATs). These tools assist in identifying and quantifying the risk of cancer in symptomatic primary care patients. To explore GPs' experiences of incorporating the RATs for lung and bowel cancers into their clinical practice and in so doing, identify constraints and facilitators to the wider dissemination of the tools in primary care. We conducted semi-structured interviews over the telephone with 11 project managers who implemented the study and 23 GPs who used the tool. The interviews were digitally recorded, professionally transcribed verbatim and analysed through the construction of a 'thematic framework'. The training and support package was fundamental to the successful integration of the RATs into GPs' daily routines. Ongoing support from cancer networks alongside acknowledgement of the clinical expertize of the GPs by those implementing the study enhanced GPs' uptake of the tool in practice. Findings suggest that the embedding of clinical decision support tools into clinical practice is more likely to be achieved when they are perceived to support but not supersede the clinical judgement of their users. This element of our findings is a focal point of this article. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Biomarkers for the development of new medications for cocaine dependence.

PubMed

Bough, Kristopher J; Amur, Shashi; Lao, Guifang; Hemby, Scott E; Tannu, Nilesh S; Kampman, Kyle M; Schmitz, Joy M; Martinez, Diana; Merchant, Kalpana M; Green, Charles; Sharma, Jyoti; Dougherty, Anne H; Moeller, F Gerard

2014-01-01

There has been significant progress in personalized drug development. In large part, this has taken place in the oncology field and been due to the ability of researchers/clinicians to discover and develop novel drug development tools (DDTs), such as biomarkers. In cancer treatment research, biomarkers have permitted a more accurate pathophysiological characterization of an individual patient, and have enabled practitioners to target mechanistically the right drug, to the right patient, at the right time. Similar to cancer, patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) present clinically with heterogeneous symptomatology and respond variably to therapeutic interventions. If comparable biomarkers could be identified and developed for SUDs, significant diagnostic and therapeutic advances could be made. In this review, we highlight current opportunities and difficulties pertaining to the identification and development of biomarkers for SUDs. We focus on cocaine dependence as an example. Putative diagnostic, pharmacodynamic (PD), and predictive biomarkers for cocaine dependence are discussed across a range of methodological approaches. A possible cocaine-dependent clinical outcome assessment (COA)--another type of defined DDT--is also discussed. At present, biomarkers for cocaine dependence are in their infancy. Much additional research will be needed to identify, validate, and qualify these putative tools prior to their potential use for medications development and/or application to clinical practice. However, with a large unmet medical need and an estimated market size of several hundred million dollars per year, if developed, biomarkers for cocaine dependence will hold tremendous value to both industry and public health.

Virtual guidance as a tool to obtain diagnostic ultrasound for spaceflight and remote environments.

PubMed

Martin, David S; Caine, Timothy L; Matz, Timothy; Lee, Stuart M C; Stenger, Michael B; Sargsyan, Ashot E; Platts, Steven H

2012-10-01

With missions planned to travel greater distances from Earth at ranges that make real-time two-way communication impractical, astronauts will be required to perform autonomous medical diagnostic procedures during future exploration missions. Virtual guidance is a form of just-in-time training developed to allow novice ultrasound operators to acquire diagnostically-adequate images of clinically relevant anatomical structures using a prerecorded audio/visual tutorial viewed in real-time. Individuals without previous experience in ultrasound were recruited to perform carotid artery (N = 10) and ophthalmic (N = 9) ultrasound examinations using virtual guidance as their only training tool. In the carotid group, each untrained operator acquired two-dimensional, pulsed and color Doppler of the carotid artery. In the ophthalmic group, operators acquired representative images of the anterior chamber of the eye, retina, optic nerve, and nerve sheath. Ultrasound image quality was evaluated by independent imaging experts. Of the studies, 8 of the 10 carotid and 17 of 18 of the ophthalmic images (2 images collected per study) were judged to be diagnostically adequate. The quality of all but one of the ophthalmic images ranged from adequate to excellent. Diagnostically-adequate carotid and ophthalmic ultrasound examinations can be obtained by previously untrained operators with assistance from only an audio/video tutorial viewed in real time while scanning. This form of just-in-time training, which can be applied to other examinations, represents an opportunity to acquire important information for NASA flight surgeons and researchers when trained medical personnel are not available or when remote guidance is impractical.

Soft X-ray tomography in support of impurity control in tokamaks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mlynar, J.; Mazon, D.; Imrisek, M.; Loffelmann, V.; Malard, P.; Odstrcil, T.; Tomes, M.; Vezinet, D.; Weinzettl, V.

2016-10-01

This contribution reviews an important example of current developments in diagnostic systems and data analysis tools aimed at improved understanding and control of transport processes in magnetically confined high temperature plasmas. The choice of tungsten for the plasma facing components of ITER and probably also DEMO means that impurity control in fusion plasmas is now a crucial challenge. Soft X-ray (SXR) diagnostic systems serve as a key sensor for experimental studies of plasma impurity transport with a clear prospective of its control via actuators based mainly on plasma heating systems. The SXR diagnostic systems typically feature high temporal resolution but limited spatial resolution due to access restrictions. In order to reconstruct the spatial distribution of the SXR radiation from line integrated measurements, appropriate tomographic methods have been developed and validated, while novel numerical methods relevant for real-time control have been proposed. Furthermore, in order to identify the main contributors to the SXR plasma radiation, at least partial control over the spectral sensitivity range of the detectors would be beneficial, which motivates for developments of novel SXR diagnostic methods. Last, but not least, semiconductor photosensitive elements cannot survive in harsh conditions of future fusion reactors due to radiation damage, which calls for development of radiation hard SXR detectors. Present research in this field is exemplified on recent results from tokamaks COMPASS, TORE SUPRA and the Joint European Torus JET. Further planning is outlined.

Diagnostic Validity of the Eppendorf Schizophrenia Inventory (ESI): A Self-Report Screen for Ultrahigh Risk and Acute Psychosis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niessen, Maurice A. J.; Dingemans, Peter M. A. J.; van de Fliert, Reinaud; Becker, Hiske E.; Nieman, Dorien H.; Linszen, Don

2010-01-01

Providers of mental health services need tools to screen for acute psychosis and ultrahigh risk (UHR) for transition to psychosis in help-seeking individuals. In this study, the Eppendorf Schizophrenia Inventory (ESI) was examined as a screening tool and for its ability to correctly predict diagnostic group membership (e.g., help seeking, mild…

Case Report: SPECT/CT as the New Diagnostic Tool for Specific Wrist Pathology.

PubMed

Linde, Musters; Ten Broek, M; Kraan, G A

2017-01-01

Single photon emission computed tomography has been introduced as a promising new diagnostic tool in orthopaedic pathology since the early 90'. Computed tomography, the combined with SPECT, gives insight in the specific sight of wrist pathology. Literature already supports introduction of SPECT/CT in wrist pathology, but clinical application is lagging. A 40yr old patient reported first in 2004 with persisting pain after a right distal radius fracture. Several diagnostics and operative interventions were performed, all unsuccessful. Because of the persisting pain a SPECT-CT was performed which showed a cyst in the hamate bone, which was successfully enucleated. The patient was finally pain free at recent follow-up. With a QDash-score of 43 and a PRW (H) E-DLV-score of 58/150. In this case report, SPECT/CT proved a very sensitive diagnostic tool for specific pathology of the wrist. It offered precise localisation and thereby the clinically suspected diagnosis was confirmed and the patient successfully treated.

A New Strategy for Job Enrichment. Technical Report No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hackman, J. Richard; And Others

In presenting a new strategy for redesigning jobs to increase the work motivation and satisfaction of employees, the paper examines a basic theory of job motivation, a group of core dimensions of jobs which create the conditions for such internal motivation to develop on the job, a set of diagnostic tools for evaluating jobs and people's reaction…

Exploring the Utility of Narrative Analysis in Diagnostic Decision Making: Picture-Bound Reference, Elaboration, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorne, John C.; Coggins, Truman E.; Olson, Heather Carmichael; Astley, Susan J.

2007-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate classification accuracy and clinical feasibility of a narrative analysis tool for identifying children with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Method: Picture-elicited narratives generated by 16 age-matched pairs of school-aged children (FASD vs. typical development [TD]) were coded for semantic elaboration and…

Development of biomarkers and a diagnostic tool for investigation of coinfections by and interactions between potato purple top and potato witches’-broom phytoplasmas in tomato

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Columbia Basin potato purple top (PPT) phytoplasma and Alaska potato witches’-broom (PWB) phytoplasma are two closely-related but mutually distinct pathogenic bacteria that infect potato and other vegetable crops. Inhabiting phloem sieve elements and being transmitted by phloem-feeding insect vecto...

Data mining: sophisticated forms of managed care modeling through artificial intelligence.

PubMed

Borok, L S

1997-01-01

Data mining is a recent development in computer science that combines artificial intelligence algorithms and relational databases to discover patterns automatically, without the use of traditional statistical methods. Work with data mining tools in health care is in a developmental stage that holds great promise, given the combination of demographic and diagnostic information.

Use of fecal volatile organic compound analysis to discriminate between non-vaccinated and BCG – vaccinated cattle prior to and after Mycobacterium bovis challenge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bovine tuberculosis is a zoonotic disease of global public health concern. Development of diagnostic tools that improve test accuracy and efficiency in domestic livestock and enable surveillance of wildlife reservoirs would improve disease management and eradication efforts. Use of volatile organi...

Flexible Simulation E-Learning Environment for Studying Digital Circuits and Possibilities for It Deployment as Semantic Web Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radoyska, P.; Ivanova, T.; Spasova, N.

2011-01-01

In this article we present a partially realized project for building a distributed learning environment for studying digital circuits Test and Diagnostics at TU-Sofia. We describe the main requirements for this environment, substantiate the developer platform choice, and present our simulation and circuit parameter calculation tools.…

Checklists for General Practitioner Diagnosis of Depression in Adults with Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torr, J.; Iacono, T.; Graham, M. J.; Galea, J.

2008-01-01

Background: In Australia, diagnosis and management of depression in adults with intellectual disability (ID) often occurs within the primary care setting. Few tools are available to assist general practitioners (GPs) in the diagnostic process. The study aim was to assess properties of carer and GP checklists developed to address this problem.…

Conceptual assessment tool for advanced undergraduate electrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baily, Charles; Ryan, Qing X.; Astolfi, Cecilia; Pollock, Steven J.

2017-12-01

As part of ongoing investigations into student learning in advanced undergraduate courses, we have developed a conceptual assessment tool for upper-division electrodynamics (E&M II): the Colorado UppeR-division ElectrodyNamics Test (CURrENT). This is a free response, postinstruction diagnostic with 6 multipart questions, an optional 3-question preinstruction test, and accompanying grading rubrics. The instrument's development was guided by faculty-consensus learning goals and research into common student difficulties. It can be used to gauge the effectiveness of transformed pedagogy, and to gain insights into student thinking in the covered topic areas. We present baseline data representing 500 students across 9 institutions, along with validity, reliability, and discrimination measures of the instrument and scoring rubric.

Point of care investigations in pediatric care to improve health care in rural areas.

PubMed

Walia, Kamini

2013-07-01

The good quality laboratory services in developing countries are often limited to major urban centers. As a result, many commercially available high-quality diagnostic tests for infectious diseases are neither accessible nor affordable to patients in the rural areas. Health facilities in rural areas are compromised and this limits the usability and performance of the best medical diagnostic technologies in rural areas as they are designed for air-conditioned laboratories, refrigerated storage of chemicals, a constant supply of calibrators and reagents, stable electrical power, highly trained personnel and rapid transportation of samples. The advent of new technologies have allowed miniaturization and integration of complex functions, which has made it possible for sophisticated diagnostic tools to move out of the developed-world laboratory in the form of a "point of care"(POC) tests. Many diagnostic tests are being developed using these platforms. However, the challenge is to develop diagnostics which are inexpensive, rugged and well suited to the medical and social contexts of the developing world and do not compromise on accuracy and reliability. The already available POC tests which are reliable and affordable, like for HIV infection, malaria, syphilis, and some neglected tropical diseases, and POC tests being developed for other diseases if correctly used and effectively regulated after rigorous evaluation, have the potential to make a difference in clinical management and improve surveillance. In order to use these tests effectively they would need to be supported by technically competent manpower, availability of good-quality reagents, and healthcare providers who value and are able to interpret laboratory results to guide treatment; and a system for timely communication between the laboratory and the healthcare provider. Strengthening the laboratories at the rural level can enable utilization of these diagnostics for improving the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases among children which require prompt treatment and thus, considerably reduce morbidity and mortality among the pediatric age group.

Escherichia coli: a brief review of diarrheagenic pathotypes and their role in diarrheal diseases in Iran

PubMed Central

Jafari, A; Aslani, MM; Bouzari, S

2012-01-01

Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli have developed different strategies for establishment of infection in their host. Understanding these pathogenic mechanisms has led to the development of specific diagnostic tools for identification and categorization of E. coli strains into different pathotypes. This review aims to provide an overview of the various categories of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli and the data obtained in Iran pertaining to these pathotypes. PMID:23066484

Development of a 3D ultrasound-guided system for thermal ablation of liver tumors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neshat, Hamid R. S.; Cool, Derek W.; Barker, Kevin; Gardi, Lori; Kakani, Nirmal; Fenster, Aaron

2013-03-01

Two-dimensional ultrasound (2D US) imaging is commonly used for diagnostic and intraoperative guidance of interventional abdominal procedures including percutaneous thermal ablation of focal liver tumors with radiofrequency (RF) or microwave (MW) induced energy. However, in many situations 2D US may not provide enough anatomical detail and guidance information. Therefore, intra-procedural CT or MR imaging are used in many centers for guidance purposes. These modalities are costly and are mainly utilized to confirm tool placement rather than guiding the insertion. Three-dimensional ultrasound (3D US) has been introduced to address these issues. In this paper, we present our integrated solution to provide 3D US images using a newly developed mechanical transducer with a large field-ofview and without the need for external tracking devices to combine diagnostic and planning information of different modalities for intraoperative guidance. The system provides tools to segment the target(s), plan the treatment, and detect the ablation applicators during the procedure for guiding purposes. We present experimental results used to ensure that our system generates accurate measurements and our early clinical evaluation results. The results suggest that 3D US used for focal liver ablation can provide a more reliable planning and guidance tool compared to 2D US only, and in many cases offers comparable measurements to other alternatives at significantly lower cost, faster time and with no harmful radiation.

Diagnostic tool for structural health monitoring: effect of material nonlinearity and vibro-impact process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiwarkar, V. R.; Babitsky, V. I.; Silberschmidt, V. V.

2013-07-01

Numerous techniques are available for monitoring structural health. Most of these techniques are expensive and time-consuming. In this paper, vibration-based techniques are explored together with their use as diagnostic tools for structural health monitoring. Finite-element simulations are used to study the effect of material nonlinearity on dynamics of a cracked bar. Additionally, several experiments are performed to study the effect of vibro-impact behavior of crack on its dynamics. It was observed that a change in the natural frequency of the cracked bar due to crack-tip plasticity and vibro-impact behavior linked to interaction of crack faces, obtained from experiments, led to generation of higher harmonics; this can be used as a diagnostic tool for structural health monitoring.

A perspective of nanotechnology in hypersensitivity reactions including drug allergy.

PubMed

Montañez, Maria Isabel; Ruiz-Sanchez, Antonio J; Perez-Inestrosa, Ezequiel

2010-08-01

We provide an overview of the application of the concepts of nanoscience and nanotechnology as a novel scientific approach to the area of nanomedicine related to the domain of the immune system. Particular emphasis will be paid to studies on drug allergy reactions. Several well defined chemical structures arranged in the dimension of the nanoscale are currently being studied for biomedical purposes. By interacting with the immune system, some of these show promising applications as vaccines, diagnostic tools and activators/effectors of the immune response. Even a brief listing of some key applications of nanostructured materials shows how broad and intense this area of nanomedicine is. As a result of the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology applied to medicine, new approaches can be envisioned for problems related to the modulation of the immune response, as well as in immunodiagnosis, and to design new tools to solve related medical challenges. Nanoparticles offer unique advantages with which to exploit new properties and for materials to play a major role in new diagnostic techniques and therapies. Fullerene-C60 and multivalent functionalized gold nanoparticles of various sizes have led to new tools and opened up new ways to study and interact with the immune system. Some of the most versatile nanostructures are dendrimers. In their interaction with the immune system they can naturally occurring macromolecules, taking advantage of the fact that dendrimers can be synthesized into nanosized structures. Their multivalence can be successfully exploited in vaccines and diagnostic tests for allergic reactions.

Super-Resolution Microscopy of Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers as a Tool for Alzheimer's Disease Diagnostics.

PubMed

Zhang, William I; Antonios, Gregory; Rabano, Alberto; Bayer, Thomas A; Schneider, Anja; Rizzoli, Silvio O

2015-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is neuropathologically characterized by aggregates of amyloid-β peptides (Aβ) and tau proteins. The consensus in the AD field is that Aβ and tau should serve as diagnostic biomarkers for AD. However, their aggregates have been difficult to investigate by conventional fluorescence microscopy, since their size is below the diffraction limit (∼200 nm). To solve this, we turned to a super-resolution imaging technique, stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, which has a high enough precision to allow the discrimination of low- and high-molecular weight aggregates prepared in vitro. We used STED to analyze the structural organization of Aβ and tau in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 36 AD patients, 11 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 21 controls. We measured the numbers of aggregates in the CSF samples, and the aggregate sizes and intensities. These parameters enabled us to distinguish AD patients from controls with a specificity of ∼87% and a sensitivity of ∼79% . In addition, the aggregate parameters determined with STED microscopy correlated with the severity of cognitive impairment in AD patients. Finally, these parameters may be useful as predictive tools for MCI cases. The STED parameters of two MCI patients who developed AD during the course of the study, as well as of MCI patients whose Aβ ELISA values fall within the accepted range for AD, placed them close to the AD averages. We suggest that super-resolution imaging is a promising tool for AD diagnostics.

Commercial Molecular Tests for Fungal Diagnosis from a Practical Point of View.

PubMed

Lackner, Michaela; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia

2017-01-01

The increasing interest in molecular diagnostics is a result of tremendously improved knowledge on fungal infections in the past 20 years and the rapid development of new methods, in particular polymerase chain reaction. High expectations have been placed on molecular diagnostics, and the number of laboratories now using the relevant technology is rapidly increasing-resulting in an obvious need for standardization and definition of laboratory organization. In the past 10 years, multiple new molecular tools were marketed for the detection of DNA, antibodies, cell wall components, or other antigens. In contrast to classical culture methods, molecular methods do not detect a viable organisms, but only molecules which indicate its presence; this can be nucleic acids, cell components (antigens), or antibodies (Fig. 1). In this chapter, an overview is provided on commercially available detection tools, their strength and how to use them. A main focus is laid on providing tips and tricks that make daily life easier. We try to focus and mention methodical details which are not highlighted in the manufacturer's instructions of these test kits, but are based on our personal experience in the laboratory. Important to keep in mind is that molecular tools cannot replace culture, microscopy, or a critical view on patients' clinical history, signs, and symptoms, but provide a valuable add on tool. Diagnosis should not be based solely on a molecular test, but molecular tools might deliver an important piece of information that helps matching the diagnostic puzzle to a diagnosis, in particular as few tests are in vitro diagnostic tests (IVD) or only part of the whole test carries the IVD certificate (e.g., DNA extraction is often not included). Please be aware that the authors do not claim to provide a complete overview on all commercially available diagnostic assays being currently marketed for fungal detection, as those are subject to constant change. A main focus is put on commonly used panfungal assays and pathogen-specific assays, including Aspergillus-specific, Candida-specific, Cryptococcus specific, Histoplasma-specific, and Pneumocystis-specific assays. Assays are categorized according to their underlying principle in either antigen-detecting or antibody-detecting or DNA-detecting (Fig. 1). Other non-DNA-detecting nucleic acid methods such as FISH and PNA FISH are not summarized in this chapter and an overview on test performance, common false positives, and the clinical evaluation of commercial tests in studies is provided already in a previous book series by Javier Yugueros Marcos and David H. Pincus (Marcos and Pincus, Methods Mol Biol 968:25-54, 2013).

Overuse of diagnostic tools and medications in acute rhinosinusitis in Spain: a population-based study (the PROSINUS study)

PubMed Central

Jaume, Francesca; Quintó, Llorenç; Alobid, Isam; Mullol, Joaquim

2018-01-01

Objectives Acute rhinosinusitis (ARS) has a high incidence. Diagnosis is clinical, and evolution is mostly self-limited. The aim of this study was to describe the sociodemographic characteristics and use of diagnostic tools and medications in patients with ARS. Design This is a prospective observational study in real-life clinical practice. Setting Patients with clinical diagnosis of ARS (n=2610) were included from ear, nose and throat clinics in Spain. A second visit at resolution was done. Participants Patients were classified according to the duration of symptoms: viral ARS (≤10 days), postviral ARS (>10 days, ≤12 weeks) and chronic rhinosinusitis (>12 weeks). Main outcome measures Sociodemographic characteristics, symptoms, disease severity, quality of life (Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-16), used diagnostic tools and medications, and the management performed by primary care physicians (PCPs) and by otorhinolaryngologists (ORLs) were assessed. Results Of the patients 36% were classified as having viral ARS, 63% postviral ARS and 1% as chronic rhinosinusitis. Working in a poorly air-conditioned environment was a risk factor (OR: 2.26, 95% CI 1.27 to 4.04) in developing postviral ARS. A higher number of diagnostic tools (rhinoscopy/endoscopy: 80% vs 70%; plain X-ray: 70% vs 55%; CT scan: 22% vs 12%; P<0.0001) were performed in postviral than viral cases. PCPs performed more X-rays than ORLs (P<0.0001). Patients, more those with postviral than viral ARS, received a high number of medications (oral antibiotics: 76% vs 62%; intranasal corticosteroids: 54% vs 38%; antihistamines: 46% vs 31%; mucolytic: 48% vs 60%; P<0.0001). PCPs prescribed more antibiotics, antihistamines and mucolytics than ORLs (P<0.0068). More patients with postviral than viral ARS reported symptoms of potential complications (1.5% vs 0.4%; P=0.0603). Independently of prescribed medications, quality of life was more affected in patients with postviral (38.7±14.2 vs 36.0±15.3; P=0.0031) than those with viral ARS. ARS resolution was obtained after 6.04 (viral) and 16.55 (postviral) days, with intranasal corticosteroids being associated with longer (OR: 1.07, 95% 1.02 to 1.12) and phytotherapy with shorter (OR: 0.95, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.00) duration. Conclusions There is a significant overuse of diagnostic tools and prescribed medications, predominantly oral antibiotics, by PCPs and ORLs, for viral and postviral ARS. PMID:29391364

Diagnostics for Magnetically Driven Implosions on the 1-MA MAIZE Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Paul; Yager-Elorriaga, David; Miller, Stephanie; Woolstrum, Jeff; Jones, Michael; Jordan, Nicholas; Lau, Y. Y.; Gilgenbach, Ronald; McBride, Ryan

2017-10-01

The Michigan Accelerator for Inductive Z-pinch Experiments (MAIZE) is a 3-m-diameter Linear Transformer Driver (LTD) at the University of Michigan which supplies a fast electrical pulse (0-1 MA in 100 ns, for matched loads) to various experimental configurations. In order to better investigate these loads, new diagnostics are being developed. First, an EUV/XUV micro-channel plate pinhole camera and a UV laser imaging system are being implemented to better observe the instability structures that form during implosions. Second, an x-pinch radiography diagnostic is being developed to probe deeper into the plasma loads. Third, Rogowski coils are being developed for enhanced load current measurements. Finally, a bolometry system and photo-conducting diamond (PCD) detectors will be implemented to measure x-ray power and energy. These new systems, combined with the existing twelve-frame laser shadowgraphy, and b-dot current monitors, will be powerful tools for the investigation of imploding z-pinch experiments. This research was supported by the DOE through award DE-SC0012328, Sandia National Laboratories contract DE-NA0003525, the National Science Foundation, and a Nuclear Regulatory Commission new-faculty development Grant. D.Y.E. was supported by an NSF fello.

The Rapid-Heat LAMPellet Method: A Potential Diagnostic Method for Human Urogenital Schistosomiasis

PubMed Central

Carranza-Rodríguez, Cristina; Pérez-Arellano, José Luis; Vicente, Belén; López-Abán, Julio; Muro, Antonio

2015-01-01

Background Urogenital schistosomiasis due to Schistosoma haematobium is a serious underestimated public health problem affecting 112 million people - particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Microscopic examination of urine samples to detect parasite eggs still remains as definitive diagnosis. This work was focussed on developing a novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for detection of S. haematobium DNA in human urine samples as a high-throughput, simple, accurate and affordable diagnostic tool to use in diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis. Methodology/Principal Findings A LAMP assay targeting a species specific sequence of S. haematobium ribosomal intergenic spacer was designed. The effectiveness of our LAMP was assessed in a number of patients´ urine samples with microscopy confirmed S. haematobium infection. For potentially large-scale application in field conditions, different DNA extraction methods, including a commercial kit, a modified NaOH extraction method and a rapid heating method were tested using small volumes of urine fractions (whole urine, supernatants and pellets). The heating of pellets from clinical samples was the most efficient method to obtain good-quality DNA detectable by LAMP. The detection limit of our LAMP was 1 fg/µL of S. haematobium DNA in urine samples. When testing all patients´ urine samples included in our study, diagnostic parameters for sensitivity and specificity were calculated for LAMP assay, 100% sensitivity (95% CI: 81.32%-100%) and 86.67% specificity (95% CI: 75.40%-94.05%), and also for microscopy detection of eggs in urine samples, 69.23% sensitivity (95% CI: 48.21% -85.63%) and 100% specificity (95% CI: 93.08%-100%). Conclusions/Significance We have developed and evaluated, for the first time, a LAMP assay for detection of S. haematobium DNA in heated pellets from patients´ urine samples using no complicated requirement procedure for DNA extraction. The procedure has been named the Rapid-Heat LAMPellet method and has the potential to be developed further as a field diagnostic tool for use in urogenital schistosomiasis-endemic areas. PMID:26230990

Development of a high-temperature diagnostics-while-drilling tool.

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

Chavira, David J.; Huey, David; Hetmaniak, Chris

2009-01-01

The envisioned benefits of Diagnostics-While-Drilling (DWD) are based on the principle that high-speed, real-time information from the downhole environment will promote better control of the drilling process. Although in practice a DWD system could provide information related to any aspect of exploration and production of subsurface resources, the current DWD system provides data on drilling dynamics. This particular set of new tools provided by DWD will allow quicker detection of problems, reduce drilling flat-time and facilitate more efficient drilling (drilling optimization) with the overarching result of decreased drilling costs. In addition to providing the driller with an improved, real-time picturemore » of the drilling conditions downhole, data generated from DWD systems provides researchers with valuable, high fidelity data sets necessary for developing and validating enhanced understanding of the drilling process. Toward this end, the availability of DWD creates a synergy with other Sandia Geothermal programs, such as the hard-rock bit program, where the introduction of alternative rock-reduction technologies are contingent on the reduction or elimination of damaging dynamic effects. More detailed descriptions of the rationale for the program and early development efforts are described in more detail by others [SAND2003-2069 and SAND2000-0239]. A first-generation low-temperature (LT) DWD system was fielded in a series of proof-of-concept tests (POC) to validate functionality. Using the LT system, DWD was subsequently used to support a single-laboratory/multiple-partner CRADA (Cooperative Research and Development Agreement) entitled Advanced Drag Bits for Hard-Rock Drilling. The drag-bit CRADA was established between Sandia and four bit companies, and involved testing of a PDC bit from each company [Wise, et al., 2003, 2004] in the same lithologic interval at the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) test facility near Catoosa, OK. In addition, the LT DWD system has been fielded in cost-sharing efforts with an industrial partner to support the development of new generation hard-rock drag bits. Following the demonstrated success of the POC DWD system, efforts were initiated in FY05 to design, fabricate and test a high-temperature (HT) capable version of the DWD system. The design temperature for the HT DWD system was 225 C. Programmatic requirements dictated that a HT DWD tool be developed during FY05 and that a working system be demonstrated before the end of FY05. During initial design discussions regarding a high-temperature system it was decided that, to the extent possible, the HT DWD system would maintain functionality similar to the low temperature system, that is, the HT DWD system would also be designed to provide the driller with real-time information on bit and bottom-hole-assembly (BHA) dynamics while drilling. Additionally, because of time and fiscal constraints associated with the HT system development, the design of the HT DWD tool would follow that of the LT tool. The downhole electronics package would be contained in a concentrically located pressure barrel and the use of externally applied strain gages with thru-tool connectors would also be used in the new design. Also, in order to maximize the potential wells available for the HT DWD system and to allow better comparison with the low-temperature design, the diameter of the tool was maintained at 7-inches. This report discusses the efforts associated with the development of a DWD system capable of sustained operation at 225 C. This report documents work performed in the second phase of the Diagnostics-While-Drilling (DWD) project in which a high-temperature (HT) version of the phase 1 low-temperature (LT) proof-of-concept (POC) DWD tool was built and tested. Descriptions of the design, fabrication and field testing of the HT tool are provided. Background on prior phases of the project can be found in SAND2003-2069 and SAND2000-0239.« less

An expert system for headache diagnosis: the Computerized Headache Assessment tool (CHAT).

PubMed

Maizels, Morris; Wolfe, William J

2008-01-01

Migraine is a highly prevalent chronic disorder associated with significant morbidity. Chronic daily headache syndromes, while less common, are less likely to be recognized, and impair quality of life to an even greater extent than episodic migraine. A variety of screening and diagnostic tools for migraine have been proposed and studied. Few investigators have developed and evaluated computerized programs to diagnose headache. To develop and determine the accuracy and utility of a computerized headache assessment tool (CHAT). CHAT was designed to identify all of the major primary headache disorders, distinguish daily from episodic types, and recognize medication overuse. CHAT was developed using an expert systems approach to headache diagnosis, with initial branch points determined by headache frequency and duration. Appropriate clinical criteria are presented relevant to brief and longer-lasting headaches. CHAT was posted on a web site using Microsoft active server pages and a SQL-server database server. A convenience sample of patients who presented to the adult urgent care department with headache, and patients in a family practice waiting room, were solicited to participate. Those who completed the on-line questionnaire were contacted for a diagnostic interview. One hundred thirty-five patients completed CHAT and 117 completed a diagnostic interview. CHAT correctly identified 35/35 (100%) patients with episodic migraine and 42/49 (85.7%) of patients with transformed migraine. CHAT also correctly identified 11/11 patients with chronic tension-type headache, 2/2 with episodic tension-type headache, and 1/1 with episodic cluster headache. Medication overuse was correctly recognized in 43/52 (82.7%). The most common misdiagnoses by CHAT were seen in patients with transformed migraine or new daily persistent headache. Fifty patients were referred to their primary care physician and 62 to the headache clinic. Of 29 patients referred to the PCP with a confirmed diagnosis of migraine, 25 made a follow-up appointment, the PCP diagnosed migraine in 19, and initiated migraine-specific therapy or prophylaxis in 17. The described expert system displays high diagnostic accuracy for migraine and other primary headache disorders, including daily headache syndromes and medication overuse. As part of a disease management program, CHAT led to patients receiving appropriate diagnoses and therapy. Limitations of the system include patient willingness to utilize the program, introducing such a process into the culture of medical care, and the difficult distinction of transformed migraine.

Strategies in Ebola virus disease (EVD) diagnostics at the point of care

PubMed Central

Coarsey, Chad T.; Esiobu, Nwadiuto; Narayanan, Ramswamy; Pavlovic, Mirjana; Shafiee, Hadi; Asghar, Waseem

2017-01-01

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a devastating, highly infectious illness with a high mortality rate. The disease is endemic to regions of Central and West Africa, where there is limited laboratory infrastructure and trained staff. The recent 2014 West African EVD outbreak has been unprecedented in case numbers and fatalities, and has proven that such regional outbreaks can become a potential threat to global public health, as it became the source for the subsequent transmission events in Spain and the USA. The urgent need for rapid and affordable means of detecting Ebola is crucial to control the spread of EVD and prevent devastating fatalities. Current diagnostic techniques include molecular diagnostics and other serological and antigen detection assays; which can be time-consuming, laboratory-based, often require trained personnel and specialized equipment. In this review, we discuss the various Ebola detection techniques currently in use, and highlight the potential future directions pertinent to the development and adoption of novel point-of-care diagnostic tools. Finally, a case is made for the need to develop novel microfluidic technologies and versatile rapid detection platforms for early detection of EVD. PMID:28440096

Intelligent model-based diagnostics for vehicle health management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Jianhui; Tu, Fang; Azam, Mohammad S.; Pattipati, Krishna R.; Willett, Peter K.; Qiao, Liu; Kawamoto, Masayuki

2003-08-01

The recent advances in sensor technology, remote communication and computational capabilities, and standardized hardware/software interfaces are creating a dramatic shift in the way the health of vehicles is monitored and managed. These advances facilitate remote monitoring, diagnosis and condition-based maintenance of automotive systems. With the increased sophistication of electronic control systems in vehicles, there is a concomitant increased difficulty in the identification of the malfunction phenomena. Consequently, the current rule-based diagnostic systems are difficult to develop, validate and maintain. New intelligent model-based diagnostic methodologies that exploit the advances in sensor, telecommunications, computing and software technologies are needed. In this paper, we will investigate hybrid model-based techniques that seamlessly employ quantitative (analytical) models and graph-based dependency models for intelligent diagnosis. Automotive engineers have found quantitative simulation (e.g. MATLAB/SIMULINK) to be a vital tool in the development of advanced control systems. The hybrid method exploits this capability to improve the diagnostic system's accuracy and consistency, utilizes existing validated knowledge on rule-based methods, enables remote diagnosis, and responds to the challenges of increased system complexity. The solution is generic and has the potential for application in a wide range of systems.

Portable Bio/Chemosensoristic Devices: Innovative Systems for Environmental Health and Food Safety Diagnostics

PubMed Central

Dragone, Roberto; Grasso, Gerardo; Muccini, Michele; Toffanin, Stefano

2017-01-01

This mini-review covers the newly developed biosensoristic and chemosensoristic devices described in recent literature for detection of contaminants in both environmental and food real matrices. Current needs in environmental and food surveillance of contaminants require new simplified, sensitive systems, which are portable and allow for rapid and on-site monitoring and diagnostics. Here, we focus on optical and electrochemical bio/chemosensoristic devices as promising tools with interesting analytical features that can be potentially exploited for innovative on-site and real-time applications for diagnostics and monitoring of environmental and food matrices (e.g., agricultural waters and milk). In near future, suitably developed and implemented bio/chemosensoristic devices will be a new and modern technological solution for the identification of new quality and safety marker indexes as well as for a more proper and complete characterization of abovementioned environmental and food matrices. Integrated bio/chemosensoristic devices can also allow an “holistic approach” that may prove to be more suitable for diagnostics of environmental and food real matrices, where the copresence of more bioactive substances is frequent. Therefore, this approach can be focused on the determination of net effect (mixture effect) of bioactive substances present in real matrices. PMID:28529937

Portable Bio/Chemosensoristic Devices: Innovative Systems for Environmental Health and Food Safety Diagnostics.

PubMed

Dragone, Roberto; Grasso, Gerardo; Muccini, Michele; Toffanin, Stefano

2017-01-01

This mini-review covers the newly developed biosensoristic and chemosensoristic devices described in recent literature for detection of contaminants in both environmental and food real matrices. Current needs in environmental and food surveillance of contaminants require new simplified, sensitive systems, which are portable and allow for rapid and on-site monitoring and diagnostics. Here, we focus on optical and electrochemical bio/chemosensoristic devices as promising tools with interesting analytical features that can be potentially exploited for innovative on-site and real-time applications for diagnostics and monitoring of environmental and food matrices (e.g., agricultural waters and milk). In near future, suitably developed and implemented bio/chemosensoristic devices will be a new and modern technological solution for the identification of new quality and safety marker indexes as well as for a more proper and complete characterization of abovementioned environmental and food matrices. Integrated bio/chemosensoristic devices can also allow an "holistic approach" that may prove to be more suitable for diagnostics of environmental and food real matrices, where the copresence of more bioactive substances is frequent. Therefore, this approach can be focused on the determination of net effect (mixture effect) of bioactive substances present in real matrices.

Biomarker Development for Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms Using Multiple Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Kim, Yikwon; Kang, MeeJoo; Han, Dohyun; Kim, Hyunsoo; Lee, KyoungBun; Kim, Sun-Whe; Kim, Yongkang; Park, Taesung; Jang, Jin-Young; Kim, Youngsoo

2016-01-04

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is a common precursor of pancreatic cancer (PC). Much clinical attention has been directed toward IPMNs due to the increase in the prevalence of PC. The diagnosis of IPMN depends primarily on a radiological examination, but the diagnostic accuracy of this tool is not satisfactory, necessitating the development of accurate diagnostic biomarkers for IPMN to prevent PC. Recently, high-throughput targeted proteomic quantification methods have accelerated the discovery of biomarkers, rendering them powerful platforms for the evolution of IPMN diagnostic biomarkers. In this study, a robust multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) pipeline was applied to discovery and verify IPMN biomarker candidates in a large cohort of plasma samples. Through highly reproducible MRM assays and a stringent statistical analysis, 11 proteins were selected as IPMN marker candidates with high confidence in 184 plasma samples, comprising a training (n = 84) and test set (n = 100). To improve the discriminatory power, we constructed a six-protein panel by combining marker candidates. The multimarker panel had high discriminatory power in distinguishing between IPMN and controls, including other benign diseases. Consequently, the diagnostic accuracy of IPMN can be improved dramatically with this novel plasma-based panel in combination with a radiological examination.

Advances in Alzheimer's Diagnosis and Therapy: The Implications of Nanotechnology.

PubMed

Hajipour, Mohammad Javad; Santoso, Michelle R; Rezaee, Farhad; Aghaverdi, Haniyeh; Mahmoudi, Morteza; Perry, George

2017-10-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a type of dementia that causes major issues for patients' memory, thinking, and behavior. Despite efforts to advance AD diagnostic and therapeutic tools, AD remains incurable due to its complex and multifactorial nature and lack of effective diagnostics/therapeutics. Nanoparticles (NPs) have demonstrated the potential to overcome the challenges and limitations associated with traditional diagnostics/therapeutics. Nanotechnology is now offering new tools and insights to advance our understanding of AD and eventually may offer new hope to AD patients. Here, we review the key roles of nanotechnologies in the recent literature, in both diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of AD, and discuss how these achievements may improve patient prognosis and quality of life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emerging applications of fluorescence spectroscopy in medical microbiology field.

PubMed

Shahzad, Aamir; Köhler, Gottfried; Knapp, Martin; Gaubitzer, Erwin; Puchinger, Martin; Edetsberger, Michael

2009-11-26

There are many diagnostic techniques and methods available for diagnosis of medically important microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. But, almost all these techniques and methods have some limitations or inconvenience. Most of these techniques are laborious, time consuming and with chances of false positive or false negative results. It warrants the need of a diagnostic technique which can overcome these limitations and problems. At present, there is emerging trend to use Fluorescence spectroscopy as a diagnostic as well as research tool in many fields of medical sciences. Here, we will critically discuss research studies which propose that Fluorescence spectroscopy may be an excellent diagnostic as well as excellent research tool in medical microbiology field with high sensitivity and specificity.

An electronic thesaurus of Evidence Based Laboratory Medicine hematological and biochemical diagnostic tests.

PubMed

Dorizzi, R M; Maconi, M; Giavarina, D; Loza, G; Aman, M; Moreira, J; Bisoffi, Z; Gennuso, C

2009-10-01

The adoption of Evidence Based Laboratory Medicine (EBLM) has been hampered until today by the lack of effective tools. The SIMeL EBLM e-Thesaurus (on-line Repertoire of the diagnostic effectiveness of the laboratory, radiology and cardiology test) provides a useful support to clinical laboratory professionals and to clinicians for the interpretation of the diagnostic tests. The e-Thesaurus is an application developed using Microsoft Active Server Pages technology and carried out with Web Server Microsoft Internet Information Server and is available at the SIMeL website using a browser running JavaScript scripts (Internet Explorer is recommended). It contains a database (in Italian, English and Spanish) of the sensitivity and specificity (including the 95% confidence interval), the positive and negative likelihood ratios, the Diagnostic Odds Ratio and the Number Needed to Diagnose of more than 2000 diagnostic (most laboratory but also cardiology and radiology) tests. The e-Thesaurus improves the previous SIMeL paper and CD Thesaurus; its main features are a three languages search and a continuous and an easy updating capability.

Image microarrays (IMA): Digital pathology's missing tool

PubMed Central

Hipp, Jason; Cheng, Jerome; Pantanowitz, Liron; Hewitt, Stephen; Yagi, Yukako; Monaco, James; Madabhushi, Anant; Rodriguez-canales, Jaime; Hanson, Jeffrey; Roy-Chowdhuri, Sinchita; Filie, Armando C.; Feldman, Michael D.; Tomaszewski, John E.; Shih, Natalie NC.; Brodsky, Victor; Giaccone, Giuseppe; Emmert-Buck, Michael R.; Balis, Ulysses J.

2011-01-01

Introduction: The increasing availability of whole slide imaging (WSI) data sets (digital slides) from glass slides offers new opportunities for the development of computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) algorithms. With the all-digital pathology workflow that these data sets will enable in the near future, literally millions of digital slides will be generated and stored. Consequently, the field in general and pathologists, specifically, will need tools to help extract actionable information from this new and vast collective repository. Methods: To address this limitation, we designed and implemented a tool (dCORE) to enable the systematic capture of image tiles with constrained size and resolution that contain desired histopathologic features. Results: In this communication, we describe a user-friendly tool that will enable pathologists to mine digital slides archives to create image microarrays (IMAs). IMAs are to digital slides as tissue microarrays (TMAs) are to cell blocks. Thus, a single digital slide could be transformed into an array of hundreds to thousands of high quality digital images, with each containing key diagnostic morphologies and appropriate controls. Current manual digital image cut-and-paste methods that allow for the creation of a grid of images (such as an IMA) of matching resolutions are tedious. Conclusion: The ability to create IMAs representing hundreds to thousands of vetted morphologic features has numerous applications in education, proficiency testing, consensus case review, and research. Lastly, in a manner analogous to the way conventional TMA technology has significantly accelerated in situ studies of tissue specimens use of IMAs has similar potential to significantly accelerate CAD algorithm development. PMID:22200030

Diagnostic Applications of Next Generation Sequencing in Immunogenetics and Molecular Oncology

PubMed Central

Grumbt, Barbara; Eck, Sebastian H.; Hinrichsen, Tanja; Hirv, Kaimo

2013-01-01

Summary With the introduction of the next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, remarkable new diagnostic applications have been established in daily routine. Implementation of NGS is challenging in clinical diagnostics, but definite advantages and new diagnostic possibilities make the switch to the technology inevitable. In addition to the higher sequencing capacity, clonal sequencing of single molecules, multiplexing of samples, higher diagnostic sensitivity, workflow miniaturization, and cost benefits are some of the valuable features of the technology. After the recent advances, NGS emerged as a proven alternative for classical Sanger sequencing in the typing of human leukocyte antigens (HLA). By virtue of the clonal amplification of single DNA molecules ambiguous typing results can be avoided. Simultaneously, a higher sample throughput can be achieved by tagging of DNA molecules with multiplex identifiers and pooling of PCR products before sequencing. In our experience, up to 380 samples can be typed for HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1 in high-resolution during every sequencing run. In molecular oncology, NGS shows a markedly increased sensitivity in comparison to the conventional Sanger sequencing and is developing to the standard diagnostic tool in detection of somatic mutations in cancer cells with great impact on personalized treatment of patients. PMID:23922545

Efficient genome-wide association in biobanks using topic modeling identifies multiple novel disease loci.

PubMed

McCoy, Thomas H; Castro, Victor M; Snapper, Leslie A; Hart, Kamber L; Perlis, Roy H

2017-08-31

Biobanks and national registries represent a powerful tool for genomic discovery, but rely on diagnostic codes that may be unreliable and fail to capture the relationship between related diagnoses. We developed an efficient means of conducting genome-wide association studies using combinations of diagnostic codes from electronic health records (EHR) for 10845 participants in a biobanking program at two large academic medical centers. Specifically, we applied latent Dirichilet allocation to fit 50 disease topics based on diagnostic codes, then conducted genome-wide common-variant association for each topic. In sensitivity analysis, these results were contrasted with those obtained from traditional single-diagnosis phenome-wide association analysis, as well as those in which only a subset of diagnostic codes are included per topic. In meta-analysis across three biobank cohorts, we identified 23 disease-associated loci with p<1e-15, including previously associated autoimmune disease loci. In all cases, observed significant associations were of greater magnitude than for single phenome-wide diagnostic codes, and incorporation of less strongly-loading diagnostic codes enhanced association. This strategy provides a more efficient means of phenome-wide association in biobanks with coded clinical data.

Efficient Genome-wide Association in Biobanks Using Topic Modeling Identifies Multiple Novel Disease Loci

PubMed Central

McCoy, Thomas H; Castro, Victor M; Snapper, Leslie A; Hart, Kamber L; Perlis, Roy H

2017-01-01

Biobanks and national registries represent a powerful tool for genomic discovery, but rely on diagnostic codes that can be unreliable and fail to capture relationships between related diagnoses. We developed an efficient means of conducting genome-wide association studies using combinations of diagnostic codes from electronic health records for 10,845 participants in a biobanking program at two large academic medical centers. Specifically, we applied latent Dirichilet allocation to fit 50 disease topics based on diagnostic codes, then conducted a genome-wide common-variant association for each topic. In sensitivity analysis, these results were contrasted with those obtained from traditional single-diagnosis phenome-wide association analysis, as well as those in which only a subset of diagnostic codes were included per topic. In meta-analysis across three biobank cohorts, we identified 23 disease-associated loci with p < 1e-15, including previously associated autoimmune disease loci. In all cases, observed significant associations were of greater magnitude than single phenome-wide diagnostic codes, and incorporation of less strongly loading diagnostic codes enhanced association. This strategy provides a more efficient means of identifying phenome-wide associations in biobanks with coded clinical data. PMID:28861588

The hallmarks of breast cancer by Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abramczyk, H.; Surmacki, J.; Brożek-Płuska, B.; Morawiec, Z.; Tazbir, M.

2009-04-01

This paper presents new biological results on ex vivo breast tissue based on Raman spectroscopy and demonstrates its power as diagnostic tool with the key advantage in breast cancer research. The results presented here demonstrate the ability of Raman spectroscopy to accurately characterize cancer tissue and distinguish between normal, malignant and benign types. The goal of the paper is to develop the diagnostic ability of Raman spectroscopy in order to find an optical marker of cancer in the breast tissue. Applications of Raman spectroscopy in breast cancer research are in the early stages of development in the world. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is one of the most statistically reliable reports (1100 spectra, 99 patients) on Raman spectroscopy-based diagnosis of breast cancers among the world women population.

Nanomedical innovation: the SEON-concept for an improved cancer therapy with magnetic nanoparticles.

PubMed

Lyer, Stefan; Tietze, Rainer; Unterweger, Harald; Zaloga, Jan; Singh, Raminder; Matuszak, Jasmin; Poettler, Marina; Friedrich, Ralf P; Duerr, Stephan; Cicha, Iwona; Janko, Christina; Alexiou, Christoph

2015-01-01

Nanomedicine offers tremendous opportunities for the development of novel therapeutic and diagnostic tools. During the last decades, extensive knowledge was gained about stabilizing and the coating of nanoparticles, their functionalization for drug binding and drug release and possible strategies for therapies and diagnostics of different diseases. Most recently, more and more emphasis has been placed on nanotoxicology and nanosafety aspects. The section of experimental oncology and nanomedicine developed a concept for translating this knowledge into clinical application of magnetic drug targeting for the treatment of cancer and other diseases using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. This approach includes reproducible synthesis, detailed characterization, nanotoxicological testing, evaluation in ex vivo models, preclinical animal studies and production of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles according to good manufacturing practice regulations.

Carbohydrate CuAAC click chemistry for therapy and diagnosis.

PubMed

He, Xiao-Peng; Zeng, Ya-Li; Zang, Yi; Li, Jia; Field, Robert A; Chen, Guo-Rong

2016-06-24

Carbohydrates are important as signaling molecules and for cellular recognition events, therefore offering scope for the development of carbohydrate-mimetic diagnostics and drug candidates. As a consequence, the construction of carbohydrate-based bioactive compounds and sensors has become an active research area. While the advent of click chemistry has greatly accelerated the progress of medicinal chemistry and chemical biology, recent literature has seen an extensive use of such approaches to construct functionally diverse carbohydrate derivatives. Here we summarize some of the progress, covering the period 2010 to mid-2015, in Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition CuAAC "click chemistry" of carbohydrate derivatives, in the context of potential therapeutic and diagnostic tool development. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Blood-based diagnostics of traumatic brain injuries

PubMed Central

Mondello, Stefania; Muller, Uwe; Jeromin, Andreas; Streeter, Jackson; Hayes, Ronald L; Wang, Kevin KW

2011-01-01

Traumatic brain injury is a major health and socioeconomic problem that affects all societies. However, traditional approaches to the classification of clinical severity are the subject of debate and are being supplemented with structural and functional neuroimaging, as the need for biomarkers that reflect elements of the pathogenetic process is widely recognized. Basic science research and developments in the field of proteomics have greatly advanced our knowledge of the mechanisms involved in damage and have led to the discovery and rapid detection of new biomarkers that were not available previously. However, translating this research for patients' benefits remains a challenge. In this article, we summarize new developments, current knowledge and controversies, focusing on the potential role of these biomarkers as diagnostic, prognostic and monitoring tools of brain-injured patients. PMID:21171922

Bench-to-bedside review: Rapid molecular diagnostics for bloodstream infection - a new frontier?

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Among critically ill patients, the diagnosis of bloodstream infection poses a major challenge. Current standard bacterial identification based on blood culture platforms is intrinsically time-consuming and slow. The continuous evolvement of molecular techniques has the potential of providing a faster, more sensitive and direct identification of causative pathogens without prior need for cultivation. This may ultimately impact clinical decision-making and antimicrobial treatment. This review summarises the currently available technologies, their strengths and limitations and the obstacles that have to be overcome in order to develop a satisfactory bedside point-of-care diagnostic tool for detection of bloodstream infection. PMID:22647543

MicroRNAs in prostate cancer: Functional role as biomarkers.

PubMed

Kanwal, Rajnee; Plaga, Alexis R; Liu, Xiaoqi; Shukla, Girish C; Gupta, Sanjay

2017-10-28

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous non-coding molecules that alters gene expression through post-transcriptional regulation of messenger RNA. Compelling evidence suggest the role of miRNA in cancer biology having potential as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers. This review summarizes the current knowledge on miRNA deregulated in prostate cancer and their role as oncogene, tumor suppressor and metastasis regulators. The emerging information elucidating the biological function of miRNA is promising and may lead to their potential usefulness as diagnostic/prognostic markers and development as effective therapeutic tools for management of prostate cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The diagnostic value of troponin in critically ill.

PubMed

Voga, Gorazd

2010-01-01

Troponin T and I are sensitive and specific markers of myocardial necrosis. They are used for the routine diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome. In critically ill patients they are basic diagnostic tool for diagnosis of myocardial necrosis due to myocardial ischemia. Moreover, the increase of troponin I and T is related with adverse outcome in many subgroups of critically ill patients. The new, high sensitivity tests which have been developed recently allow earlier and more accurate diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome. The use of the new tests has not been studied in critically ill patients, but they will probably replace the old tests and will be used on the routine basis.

Challenges to Global Implementation of Infrared Thermography Technology: Current Perspective

PubMed Central

Shterenshis, Michael

2017-01-01

Medical infrared thermography (IT) produces an image of the infrared waves emitted by the human body as part of the thermoregulation process that can vary in intensity based on the health of the person. This review analyzes recent developments in the use of infrared thermography as a screening and diagnostic tool in clinical and nonclinical settings, and identifies possible future routes for improvement of the method. Currently, infrared thermography is not considered to be a fully reliable diagnostic method. If standard infrared protocol is established and a normative database is available, infrared thermography may become a reliable method for detecting inflammatory processes. PMID:29138741

Challenges to Global Implementation of Infrared Thermography Technology: Current Perspective.

PubMed

Shterenshis, Michael

2017-01-01

Medical infrared thermography (IT) produces an image of the infrared waves emitted by the human body as part of the thermoregulation process that can vary in intensity based on the health of the person. This review analyzes recent developments in the use of infrared thermography as a screening and diagnostic tool in clinical and nonclinical settings, and identifies possible future routes for improvement of the method. Currently, infrared thermography is not considered to be a fully reliable diagnostic method. If standard infrared protocol is established and a normative database is available, infrared thermography may become a reliable method for detecting inflammatory processes.

Cone Beam Computed Tomography-Dawn of A New Imaging Modality in Orthodontics

PubMed Central

Mamatha, J; Chaitra, K R; Paul, Renji K; George, Merin; Anitha, J; Khanna, Bharti

2015-01-01

Today, we are in a world of innovations, and there are various diagnostics aids that help to take a decision regarding treatment in a well-planned way. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has been a vital tool for imaging diagnostic tool in orthodontics. This article reviews case reports during orthodontic treatment and importance of CBCT during the treatment evaluation. PMID:26225116

A Structural Health Monitoring Software Tool for Optimization, Diagnostics and Prognostics

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

A Structural Health Monitoring Software Tool for Optimization, Diagnostics and Prognostics Seth S . Kessler1, Eric B. Flynn2, Christopher T...technology more accessible, and commercially practical. 1. INTRODUCTION Currently successful laboratory non- destructive testing and monitoring...PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR( S ) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS(ES

[Infectious complications of long term intravenous devices: incidence, risk factors, diagnostic tools].

PubMed

Douard, M C; Ardoin, C; Payri, L; Tarot, J P

1999-03-01

Implantable venous ports and Hickman central venous catheters are widely used in patients with cancer, blood disorders, or HIV infection, both for in-hospital care and at home. Infectious complications are among the common causes for readmission in these patients. The present review discusses the incidence, risk factors, and diagnostic tools for infectious complications associated with long-term venous access devices.

WE-AB-206-02: ACR Ultrasound Accreditation: Requirements and Pitfalls

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

Walter, J.

The involvement of medical physicists in diagnostic ultrasound imaging service is increasing due to QC and accreditation requirements. The goal of this ultrasound hands-on workshop is to demonstrate quality control (QC) testing in diagnostic ultrasound and to provide updates in ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements. The first half of this workshop will include two presentations reviewing diagnostic ultrasound QA/QC and ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements. The second half of the workshop will include live demonstrations of basic QC tests. An array of ultrasound testing phantoms and ultrasound scanners will be available for attendees to learn diagnostic ultrasound QC in a hands-on environmentmore » with live demonstrations and on-site instructors. The targeted attendees are medical physicists in diagnostic imaging. Learning Objectives: Gain familiarity with common elements of a QA/QC program for diagnostic ultrasound imaging dentify QC tools available for testing diagnostic ultrasound systems and learn how to use these tools Learn ACR ultrasound accreditation requirements Jennifer Walter is an employee of American College of Radiology on Ultrasound Accreditation.« less