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We propose a survey of the research contributions on the field of Educational Timetabling with a specific focus on "standard" formulations and the corresponding benchmark instances. We identify six of such formulations and we discuss their features, pointing out their relevance and usability. Other available formulations and datasets are also reviewed and briefly discussed. Subsequently, we report the main state-of-the-art results on the selected benchmarks, in terms of solution quality (upper and lower bounds), search techniques, running times, statistical distributions, and other side settings.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reproducibility of peripapillary, optic nerve head (ONH-PP) and macular vessel density (VD) by Spectral Domain optical coherence tomography angiography (SD OCT-A) in glaucoma patients and healthy subjects. METHODS: Cross-sectional study assessing 63 eyes of 63 subjects, including 33 glaucoma patients and 30 healthy subjects. Glaucoma was classified in mild, moderate, or advanced. Two consecutive scans were acquired by Spectralis Module OCT-A (Heidelberg, Germany), and provided images of the superficial vascular complex (SVC), nerve fiber layer vascular plexus (NFLVP), superficial vascular plexus (SVP); deep vascular complex (DVC), intermediate capillary plexus (ICP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP). VD (%) was calculated by AngioTool. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated. RESULTS: Among ONH-PP VD, better ICC presented advanced (0.83-0.97) and moderate glaucoma (0.86-0.96) compared with mild glaucoma (0.64-0.86). For the macular VD reproducibility, ICC results for superficial retinal layers were better for mild glaucoma (0.94-0.96) followed by moderated (0.88-0.93) and advanced glaucoma (0.85-0.91), and for deeper retinal layers ICC was better for moderate glaucoma (0.96-0.95) followed by advanced (0.80-0.86) and mild glaucoma (0.74-0.91). CVs ranged from 2.2% to 10.94%. Among healthy subjects, ICCs for the ONH-PP VD measurements (0.91-0.99) and for the macular VD measurements (0.93-0.97) were excellent in all layers, with CVs from 1.65% to 10.33%. CONCLUSIONS: SD OCT-A used to quantify macular and ONH-PP VD showed excellent and good reproducibility in most layers of the retina, both in healthy subjects and in glaucoma patients regardless of the severity of the disease.

Information on the dimensional changes in maxillary and mandibular dentures made by using computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) techniques under uniform testing conditions is lacking.The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the dimensional changes and reproducibility of maxillary and mandibular dentures by using CAD-CAM-milled and 3D-printed techniques.Maxillary and mandibular edentulous models with wax occlusal rims were scanned, and dentures were designed by using a CAD software program and fabricated by using 2 techniques and materials: CAD-CAM-milled (CCM) and 3D-printed (3DP). The 3DP fabrications included 4 subgroups: dentures printed with a 90-degree build angle with UV light polymerization on the reference model (3DP 90M), dentures printed with a 90-degree build angle and light polymerization without the reference model (3DP 90), dentures printed with a 45-degree build angle with light polymerization on the reference model (3DP 45M), and dentures printed with a 45-degree build angle and light polymerization without the reference model (3DP 45). The preprocessing and postprocessing scan files of each denture produced by CCM and 3DP were superimposed by using a surface matching software program. Ten points each on maxillary and mandibular dentures were measured for deviations after processing. Additionally, for each denture, the widths were measured between the canines and molars, the anteroposterior plane from cusp tips between the canines and molars, and the vertical plane from the cusp tip of the canines to the marginal gingiva. They were then compared with those in the denture design CAD cast. The Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance test was used for statistical analyses (α=.05).According to digital superimposition, CCM had the smallest values of deviation with no statistical difference (P.05), indicating more uniform results from measurement points in both maxillary and mandibular dentures, followed by 3DP 90M, 3DP 90, 3DP 45M, and 3DP 45. Regarding the width measurements, CCM had the smallest values of deviation (P.05). In 3DP, smaller deviation values were observed at the vertical plane from the tip of the canine to the marginal gingiva, and larger values were observed in the intermolar width (P.05).CCM exhibited smaller dimensional changes and better reproducibility among the tested techniques. In 3DP, the build angle and methods of light postprocessing influenced the dimensional stability. The 90-degree build angle with additional light polymerization on the cast improved the dimensional deviations.

International audience; Data sharing is gradually becoming a requirement across all fields of science, owing to its key benefits in verifying the reproducibility of findings and reusing existent data for new purposes. Although meta-research studies are complex, time-consuming and hinge on the availability of data produced and curated by others, there has been little focus on how they make their own data available. This is in stark contrast with the heightened attention data sharing has received in clinical research. Yet, as secondary data users par excellence, meta-researchers are ethically bound to both improving and evaluating data sharing practices, as well as correctly sharing their own data. We contrast particularities of data sharing in meta-research and clinical research, such as benefits, barriers, inadequate and potentially pervasive sharing practices. We conclude with an array of concrete and tailored recommendations for improvement.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy has been employed as a rapid analysis technology for food security inspection recently. Nowadays, it is still a great challenge to rapidly quantify multiple trace antibiotics potentially abused in aquaculture industry. In this work, a magnetic Ti3C2Tx/Fe3O4/Ag substrate was prepared for the development of a reliable rapid SERS quantification method for multiple trace sulfonamides in aquatic products. This magnetic substrate had good uniformity, reproducibility, stability and SERS activity. Moreover, this substrate could integrate the magnetic separation-enrichment and matrix clean-up without cross contamination, which endowed it with good selectivity and anti-interference capability during real sample analysis. The electromagnetic enhancement and chemical enhancement mechanism of this magnetic substrate were studied in detail to reveal its good separation-enrichment performance and SERS activity. Finally, a rapid SERS quantification method was established and practically applied for trace phthalic sulfathiazole (PST) and silver sulfadiazine (SSD) in aquatic products by using Ti3C2Tx/Fe3O4/Ag magnetic substrates. Trace PST and SSD could be actually detected and quantified as 55.9 μg/kg and 64.0 μg/kg in aquatic products respectively. Good recoveries of 83.9%-116% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.5%-3.2% for PST and 80.2%-102% with RSDs of 1.3%-5.8% for SSD were obtained. This work proposed an efficient and reliable method for rapid quantification of trace multiple sulfonamides in complex aquatic samples during food security inspection.

© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to United States & Canadian Academy of Pathology.The advancing edge profile is a powerful determinant of tumor behavior in many organs. In this study, a grading system assessing the tumor-host interface was developed and tested in 181 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs), 63 of which were

Introduction The current technique of angulating for a skyline knee projection relies heavily on the radiographer's estimation of the patella tilt, rendering it subjective and prone to errors. This study therefore aims to (i) examine the correlation between angle ABC measured on the lateral X-ray image and skyline angulation (measured in degrees) and (ii) determine the inter-rater reliability of angle ABC measurements. Methods 145 sets of lateral and skyline X-ray images from patients aged 40–70 years old were retrospectively analysed. Angle ABC was measured using prominent landmarks such as the trochlear sulcus, tibial tuberosity and the anterior border of the patella on the lateral knee radiograph. It was then retrospectively compared with the skyline tube angulations to identify any correlation between the two. An inter-rater reliability test was also conducted using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to determine the reproducibility of the measurement method. Results A weak correlation was found between angle ABC and skyline angulation (r = 0.1, p = 0.25). The proposed method of measurement shows good inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.77 to 0.84). Conclusion There is insufficient evidence to indicate a correlation between angle ABC and skyline angulation. However, angle ABC can be reliably measured, implying the replicability of the measurement method for other purposes. Implications for practice The proposed measurement method of angle ABC on the lateral view could have future applications in other areas such as in the measurement of patellofemoral alignment and trochlear morphology.

To compare the performance of CT and MRI radiomics for predicting the malignant potential of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas, and to investigate their value compared to the revised 2017 international consensus Fukuoka guidelines.Sixty patients with surgically confirmed IPMNs (37 malignant and 23 benign) were included. Radiomics features were extracted from arterial and venous phase images of CT and T2-weighted images of MRI, respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficients for the radiomics features were calculated to assess the interobserver reproducibility. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm was used for feature selection. Radiomics models were constructed based on selected features with logistic regression (LR) and support vector machine (SVM). A clinical and imaging model was constructed based on independent predictors of the revised 2017 Fukuoka guidelines determined in multivariate logistic regression with forward elimination.The reproducibility of MRI radiomics features was higher than that of CT radiomics features, regardless of arterial or venous phase features (all p0.001). MRI radiomics models achieved improved AUCs (0.879 with LR and 0.940 with SVM, respectively), than that of CT radiomics models (0.811 with LR and 0.864 with SVM, respectively). All radiomics models provided better predictive performance than the clinical and imaging model (AUC = 0.764).The MRI radiomics models with higher reproducibility radiomics features performed better than CT radiomics models for predicting the malignant potential of IPMNs. The performance of radiomics models was superior to the clinical and imaging model based on Fukuoka guidelines.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor is an emerging technology in analysis as the advantage of fast response, high sensitivity and uncomplicated operation. In this study, an effective label-free PEC sensor for bisphenol A (BPA) detecting is constructed, in which ZnIn2S4/g-C3N4 heterojunction is prepared via a simple hydrothermal method. The characterization outcomes display that the formation of p-n heterojunction helps for promoting the separation efficiency of photo-generated carrier. Under visible light irradiation, the ZnIn2S4/g-C3N4 modified electrode exhibits broader liner range from 0.05 mmol/L to 30 mmol/L and lower detection limit of 0.016 μmol/L (S/N=3) with remarkable stability and reproducibility of detection BPA under visible light irradiation. Furthermore, the constructed PEC sensor displays favorable potential for detection of BPA in practical applications.

الملخص: أهداف البحث: تقارن هذه الدراسة دقة وموثوقية ''ويبسيف'' (برنامج قائم على الويب لتحليل قياس الرأس) مع برنامج الكمبيوتر أوتوكاد. طرق البحث: تم تحليل عينة من مخططات رأسية جانبية رقمية لـ ٥٠ مريضا لتقويم الأسنان قبل المعالجة باستخدام برنامج ''ويبسيف'' وبرنامج أوتوكاد (كمقياس قياسي). في كل مخطط رأسي، تم وضع علامة على ١٧ معلما و١١ قياسا وتنفيذها كمعلمات للهيكل العظمي والأسنان والأنسجة الرخوة. استخدمنا ست زوايا وخمس قياسات خطية. كما تم استخدام اختبار تي المقترن لتقييم التحيز المنهجي. واستخدام تحليل الارتباط داخل الطبقة واختطاط بلاند-ألتمان مع تحليل الانحدار الخطي لتقييم التوافق بين الطريقتين. النتائج: كانت هناك موثوقية كافية للقياسات باستخدام ''ويبسيف'' وأوتوكاد. أظهر اختبار تي المقترن فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية لخمس زوايا واثنين من القياسات الخطية. كما أظهر اختبار الارتباط داخل الطبقة بين ''ويبسيف'' وأوتوكاد توافقا جيدا جدا إلى ممتاز لجميع القياسات باستثناء القاطعة السفلية لزاوية مستوى الفك السفلي. وأظهر اختطاط بلاند-ألتمان حدا مقبولا نسبيا للاتفاق لثلاث زواويا واثنين من القياسات الخطية فقط، وكشف تحليل الانحدار الخطي عن تحيز نسبي كبير بين الطريقتين لأربع زوايا وخط تجميل الشفة العليا. وتم تحسين التحيز المنهجي ومستوى الاتفاق باستخدام ''ويبسيف'' شبه التلقائي. الاستنتاجات: هناك مشاكل مختلفة متأصلة في ''ويبسيف'' التلقائي مثل ضعف تحديد المعالم / تتبع الأنسجة الرخوة وعدم اتساق القياسات. يمكن لـ ''ويبسيف'' شبه التلقائي التغلب على بعض قيود ''ويبسيف'' التلقائي، الذي يجب استخدامه لتحليل قياس الرأس بقدر كبير من الحذر. Abstract: Objective: This study compares the accuracy and reliability of WebCeph (web-based program for cephalometric analysis) with the AutoCAD computer software. Materials and methods: A sample of pretreatment digital lateral cephalograms of 50 orthodontic patients was analysed with WebCeph and AutoCAD software (as a standard measure). On each cephalogram, 17 landmarks and 11 measurements were marked and performed as skeletal, dental, and soft–tissue parameters. We used six angular and five linear measurements. A paired t-test was used to assess the systematic bias. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland–Altman plot with linear regression analysis were used to assess the agreement between the two methods. Results: There was adequate reproducibility for the measurements with both WebCeph and AutoCAD. The paired t-test showed statistically significant differences for five angular and two linear measurements (P

Objective ranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuro-modulation technique that delivers current through the scalp by a pair of patch electrodes (2-Patch). This study proposes a new multi-channel tDCS (mc-tDCS) optimization method, the distributed constrained maximum intensity (D-CMI) approach. For targeting the P20/N20 somatosensory source at Brodmann area 3b, an integrated combined magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) source analysis is used with individualized skull conductivity calibrated realistic head modeling. Methods Simulated electric fields (EF) for our new D-CMI method and the already known maximum intensity (MI), alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) and 2-Patch methods were produced and compared for the individualized P20/N20 somatosensory target for 10 subjects. Results D-CMI and MI showed highest intensities parallel to the P20/N20 target compared to ADMM and 2-Patch, with ADMM achieving highest focality. D-CMI showed a slight reduction in intensity compared to MI while reducing side effects and skin level sensations by current distribution over multiple stimulation electrodes. Conclusion Individualized D-CMI montages are preferred for our follow up somatosensory experiment to provide a good balance between high current intensities at the target and reduced side effects and skin sensations. Significance An integrated combined MEG and EEG source analysis with D-CMI montages for mc-tDCS stimulation potentially can improve control, reproducibility and reduce sensitivity differences between sham and real stimulations.

PURPOSE In this study, we compared hyperpolarized 3He and 129Xe images from patients with cystic fibrosis using two commonly applied magnetic resonance sequences, standard gradient echo (GRE) and balanced steady-state free precession (TrueFISP) to quantify regional similarities and differences in signal distribution and defect analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten patients (7M/3F) with cystic fibrosis underwent hyperpolarized gas MR imaging with both 3He and 129Xe. Six had MRI with both GRE, and TrueFISP sequences and four patients had only GRE sequence but not TrueFISP. Ventilation defect percentages (VDPs) were calculated as lung voxels with

The detection and quantification of soy protein is important for food allergen management and identifying the presence of undeclared soy proteins. Heat processing and matrix interactions can affect the accuracy of allergen detection methods. The sensitivity of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods can be compromised if protein epitopes are modified during processing. Therefore, a mass spectrometry (MS)-based method was evaluated for the recovery of total soy protein in incurred matrices. MS-based quantification of total soy protein was assessed by using a combination of external and internal standards. The reproducibility of the standard curves was investigated by comparing within-day and among-day variation. Incurred samples were prepared using bread and frankfurters as model food matrices. Several soy-derived ingredients were used to prepare the matrices with varying levels of soy protein (1, 10, 50, or 100 ppm of total soy protein). A pooled standard curve was used to estimate the total soy protein concentration of the incurred food matrices and the percent total protein recovery. The variation of replicate standard curves between days and among all days was not significant. The differences in slopes obtained from replicate standards run on different days were minimal. The most influential factor on the quantitative protein recovery in incurred samples was the effect of the physical matrix structure on protein extraction. The lowest percent protein recoveries, less than 50%, were calculated for uncooked matrices. The cooked matrices had percentage recoveries between 50 and 150% for all total soy protein levels. Other factors, such as type of ingredient, were determined to be not as impactful on recovery. The MS method described in this study was able to provide sensitive detection and accurate quantification of total soy protein from various soy-derived ingredients present in processed food matrices.

BACKGROUND Preoperative planning for total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) may change according to the measured degree of glenoid version. Both 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomographic (CT) scans are used to measure glenoid version, with no consensus on which method is more accurate. However, it is generally accepted that 3D measurements are more reliable, yet most 3D reconstruction software currently in clinical use have never been directly compared to 2D. The purpose of this study is to directly compare 2D and 3D glenoid version measurements and determine the differences between the two. METHODS CT scans were performed preoperatively on 315 shoulders undergoing either anatomic or reverse TSA. 2D measurements of glenoid version were obtained manually using the Friedman method, whereas 3D measurements were obtained using the Equinoxe Planning Application (Exactech Inc.) 3D-reconstruction software. Negative version values indicate retroversion, whereas positive values indicate anteversion. Two observers collected the 2D measurements 2 separate times, and intra- and interobserver measurements were calculated. Groups were compared for variability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and for differences in sample means using Student t tests. Additionally, samples were stratified by version value in order to better understand the potential sources of error between measurement techniques. RESULTS For the 2D measurements, intraobserver variability indicated excellent reproducibility for both observer 1 (ICC = 0.928, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.911-0.942) and observer 2 (ICC = 0.964, 95% CI 0.955-0.971). Interobserver variability measurements also indicated excellent reproducibility (ICC = 0.915, 95% CI 0.778-0.956). The overall 2D version measurement average (-4.9° ± 10.3°) was significantly less retroverted than the 3D measurement average (-8.4° ± 9.1°) (P < .001), with 3D measurements yielding a more retroverted value 73% of the time. When stratified on the basis of version value with outliers excluded, there was no significant difference in the distribution of high-error samples within the data. DISCUSSION There was excellent reproducibility between the 2 observers in terms of both intra- and interobserver variability. The 3D measurement techniques were significantly more likely to return a more retroverted measurement, and high-error samples were evenly distributed throughout the data, indicating that there were no discernable trends in the degree of error observed. Shoulder surgeons should be aware that different glenoid version measurement strategies can yield different version measurements, as these can affect preoperative planning and surgeon decision making.

At the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, physical human phantoms were developed to evaluate various radiation protection quantities, based on the mesh-type reference computational phantoms of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. The physical human phantoms were fabricated such that a radiophotoluminescent glass dosimeter (RPLGD) with a Tin filter, namely GD-352M, could be inserted into them. A Tin filter is used to eliminate the overestimated signals in low-energy photons below 100 keV. The measurement uncertainty of the RPLGD reader system based on GD-352M should be analyzed for obtaining reliable protection quantities before using it for practical applications. Generally, the measurement uncertainty of RPLGD systems without Tin filters is analyzed for quality assurance of radiotherapy units using a high-energy photon beam. However, in this study, the measurement uncertainty of GD-352M was analyzed for evaluating the protection quantities. The measurement uncertainty factors in the RPLGD include the reference irradiation, regression curve, reproducibility, uniformity, energy dependence, and angular dependence, as described by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). These factors were calculated using the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement method, applying ISO/ASTM standards 51261(2013), 51707(2015), and SS-ISO 22127(2019). The measurement uncertainties of the RPLGD reader system with a coverage factor of k = 2 were calculated to be 9.26% from 0.005 to 1 Gy and 8.16% from 1 to 10 Gy. A blind test was conducted to validate the RPLGD reader system, which demonstrated that the readout doses included blind doses of 0.1, 1, 2, and 5 Gy. Overall, the En values were considered satisfactory.

Rationale and Objectives Standardized Uptake Value (SUV) is an important semiquantitative measurement used in the clinical and research domains to assess radiopharmaceutical concentration in tumors versus normal organs, but is susceptible to many factors beyond the tumor biological environment. So, the aim of this study is to identify the optimum internal reference among organs with physiological uptake in 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT (DOTA PET/CT) scans. Materials and Methods This HIPAA-compliant, IRB-approved study with waiver of consent included retrospective imaging review of 180 consecutive patients with neuroendocrine tumors presenting for DOTA PET/CT image acquisition: Ga-68 DOTATATE dose was reported as (0.054 mCi/Kg) scans between September 2018 and May 2019. Mean value of body weight normalized SUV (SUVbw) and lean body mass normalized SUV (SUL) of liver and spleen were measured. Information about the patients and scan characteristics were collected. The paired Grambsch test was used to compare variance among the measured SUVs. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to assess correlation between SUVs and potential patient- and scan-specific confounding factors. Results Variance of SUL was significantly lower than variance of SUVbw in both liver and spleen (p-value Conclusion SUL is a more reproducible, less variable, and therefore more reliable quantitative measure in DOTA PET/CT scans, compared SUVbw. Among the available organs with physiological uptake, liver SUL is the optimum internal reference given the liver's larger size and uniform SUL values resulting in lower variability and better reproducibility.

Science is experiencing an ongoing reproducibility crisis. In light of this crisis, our objective is to investigate whether machine learning platforms provide out-of-the-box reproducibility. Our method is twofold: First, we survey machine learning platforms for whether they provide features that simplify making experiments reproducible out-of-the-box. Second, we conduct the exact same experiment on four different machine learning platforms, and by this varying the processing unit and ancillary software only. The survey shows that no machine learning platform supports the feature set described by the proposed framework while the experiment reveals statstically significant difference in results when the exact same experiment is conducted on different machine learning platforms. The surveyed machine learning platforms do not on their own enable users to achieve the full reproducibility potential of their research. Also, the machine learning platforms with most users provide less functionality for achieving it. Furthermore, results differ when executing the same experiment on the different platforms. Wrong conclusions can be inferred at the at 95% confidence level. Hence, we conclude that machine learning platforms do not provide reproducibility out-of-the-box and that results generated from one machine learning platform alone cannot be fully trusted.

The Focused Ultrasound Foundation has developed a low-cost, validated, open-source hydrophone scanner for the spatial characterization of ultrasound transducers. Assembly instructions and a MATLAB control graphical user interface are provided such that the device can be easily replicated for less than $1000 in roughly 40 person-hours. The low-cost scanning tank's performance was compared with data collected with a commercial automated scanning tank. Pressure measurements of a focused transducer and a planar transducer had less than a 10% difference between the two scanning systems. Two-dimensional automated scans (20 × 20 mm at 0.25-mm resolution) took the low-cost scanning tank 45 min compared with the commercial system's 30 min. A reproducibility study found that the low-cost scanner made consistent peak negative pressure measurements as reflected by the low coefficient of variation for both focused (1.88%) and planar (0.98%) transducers. The low-cost scanner described here is a viable alternative for ultrasound laboratories needing efficient, accurate characterization of ultrasound transducers.

Progression in digital pathology has yielded new opportunities for a remote work environment. We evaluated the utility of digital review of breast cancer immunohistochemical prognostic markers (IHC) using whole slide images (WSI) from formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) cytology cell block specimens (CB) using three different scanners.CB from 20 patients with breast cancer diagnosis and available IHC were included. Glass slides including 20 Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), 20 Estrogen Receptor (ER), 20 Progesterone Receptor (PR), 16 Androgen Receptor (AR), and 20 Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) were scanned on 3 different scanners. Four breast pathologists reviewed the WSI and recorded their semi-quantitative scoring for each marker. Kappa concordance was defined as complete agreement between glass/digital pairs. Discordances between microscopic and digital reads were classified as a major when a clinically relevant change was seen. Minor discordances were defined as differences in scoring percentages/staining pattern that would not have resulted in a clinical implication. Scanner precision was tabulated according to the success rate of each scan on all three scanners.In total, we had 228 paired glass/digital IHC reads on all 3 scanners. There was strong concordance kappa ≥0.85 for all pathologists when comparing paired microscopic/digital reads. Strong concordance (kappa ≥0.86) was also seen when comparing reads between scanners.Twenty-three percent of the WSI required rescanning due to barcode detection failures, 14% due to tissue detection failures, and 2% due to focus issues. Scanner 1 had the best average precision of 92%. HER2 IHC had the lowest intra-scanner precision (64%) among all stains.This study is the first to address the utility of WSI in breast cancer IHC in CB and to validate its reporting using 3 different scanners. Digital images are reliable for breast IHC assessment in CB and offer similar reproducibility to microscope reads.

Abnormalities in structural and functional MRI connectivity measures have been reported in cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). Previous research has shown that whole-brain structural connectivity was highly reproducible in SVD patients, while whole-brain functional connectivity showed low reproducibility. It remains unclear whether the lower reproducibility of functional networks reported in SVD is due to selective disruption of reproducibility in specific networks or is generalised in patients with SVD. In this case-control study 15 SVD and 10 age-matched control participants were imaged twice with diffusion tensor imaging and resting state fMRI. Structural and functional connectivity matrices were constructed from this data and the default mode, fronto-parietal, limbic, salience, somatomotor and visual networks were extracted and the average connectivity between connections calculated and used to determine their reproducibility. Regional structural networks were more reproducible than functional networks, all structural networks showed ICC values ≥0.64 (except the salience network in SVD). The functional networks showed greater reproducibility in the controls compared to SVD with ICC values >0.7 for control participants and

Purpose The aim of the study was to test the reproducibility of performing conventional point shear wave elastography (pSWE), auto-pSWE, and ultrasound derived fat fraction (UDFF) in adult livers. Methods The Institutional Review Board approved the study and all participants provided written informed consent. Conventional pSWE (obtaining 10 measurements through 10 acquisitions), auto-pSWE (automatically obtaining 15 measurements by a single acquisition), and UDFF (one measurement obtained by one acquisition) of the liver were prospectively performed in 21 participants (10 men, 11 women, mean age 63y) by senior and junior operators in February-May 2021. Shear wave velocity (SWV, m/s) of the liver was measured by conventional pSWE and auto-pSWE. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman limits of agreement were used to test intra-observer repeatability and inter-observer reproducibility in measuring pSWE, auto-pSWE, and UDFF. Results ICC for testing intra-observer repeatability and inter-observer reproducibility in performing pSWE, auto-pSWE, and UDFF was >0.85 (95% confidence interval 0.85-0.99). The mean difference of 95% Bland-Altman limits of agreement was -0.02 (upper 0.09, lower -0.12) and the correlation of SWV measured between conventional pSWE and auto-pSWE methods was strong (r2 = 0.87). Conclusion Our results suggest good repeatability and reproducibility in measuring UDFF and SWV in adult livers. The auto-pSWE has higher reliability, reproducibility and time efficacy in measuring SWV of adult livers when compared to conventional pSWE method.

Hydroxyapatites have been known as high adsorption capacity, inexpensive, and available absorbents. In this study, nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) adsorbent was synthesized, characterized, and employed as an efficient absorbent packed inside Needle Trap Device (NTD) as an environmentally friendly technique for sampling and analysis of phenolic compounds (phenol, 2-chlorophenol, o-cresol, and p-cresol) in the air. The effect of important parameters including the carryover, storage capability, repeatability, and reproducibility was investigated by Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The obtained results by the nano-hydroxyapatite packed NTD (nHAP-NTD) showed that the limit of detection and quantification of the studied analytes were in the range of 0.001–0.01 and 0.004–0.023 ng mL−1, respectively. Also, the storage stability of the studied compounds in the nHAP-NTD was above 98% after 60 days at 4 °C. The finding results indicated a high correlation (R2 = 0.98) between the proposed method (nHAP-NTD) and the XAD-7 sorbent tube (standard method NIOSH 2546). Finally, the proposed NTD-GC-FID method was successfully used to sample and determine the levels of the phenolic compounds in the real samples. The proposed nHAP-NTD method can be an eco-friendly, reliable, and efficient method for sampling and determination of the phenolic compounds compared to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) method.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Skeletal muscle mass measurement is the most important element for diagnosing sarcopenia. MRI has an excellent soft-tissue contrast, which can non-invasively assess abdominal skeletal muscle area (SMA) as well as CT. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of abdominal SMA measurement by comparing CT and MRI based on the fat image of IDEAL-IQ sequence at the lumbar level mid-L3. MATERIALS AND METHODS CT and MRI images of 32 patients diagnosed with various kidney diseases were used to analyze intra-observer variability among abdominal SMA measurements. This was done to evaluate the correlation of SMA between CT and fat images of MRI. SMA images were segmented using Materialise Mimics software before quantification. Interobserver reliability and validation of measurements was evaluated by two independent investigators. Abdominal SMA reproducibility and correlation between CT and MRI were then assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CV), Bland-Altman plot, and Pearson's correlation coefficient respectively. RESULTS The interobserver reliability of MRI was excellent. The CV value was 2.82% while the ICC values ranged between 0.996 and 0.999. Validity was high (CV was 1.7% and ICC ranged between 0.986 and 0.996) for measurements by MRI and CT. Bland Altman analysis revealed an average difference of 2.2% between MRI and CT. The Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.995 (p < 0.0001). This result revealed that there was a strong correlation between the two technologies. CONCLUSION MRI exhibited good interobserver reliability and excellent agreement with CT for quantification of abdominal SMA.

Sulfate mass transfer coefficient (MTC) is a sensitive parameter to evaluate the kinetic leakage of anion exchange resin used in condensate polishing system of thermal and nuclear power plant. However, a sufficiently precise determination method has not been well established. In this paper, the final expression of sulfate MTC derived based on plug flow reactor model is the same as Harries’ model, which is widely acknowledged in this field. In the determining system we constructed, in-situ calibration of the concentration of sulfate and its cation conductivity was conducted and sulfate MTC of four typical strongly basic anion exchange resin samples were determined. The systematic error is 8.26 % and the calibrated curve used for quantifying sulfate is obtained. The repeatability and reproducibility standard deviation are 0.05×10-4 m·s-1 and 0.07×10-4 m·s-1 respectively, which are lower than previous works. By controlling test condition accurately, this study has developed a more precise sulfate MTC determining method. This method provides a basis for further research.

Purpose To assess the reliability and reproducibility of a new semi automated evaluation method Rotix for intraocular lens rotation (IOL) and to define a standardized evaluation method for future toric IOL studies. Design Reliability and reproducibility study Setting Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna Patient Population A dataset of 25 patients with 2 consecutive follow-up visits was created to test the intra- and inter-rater reliability. A datatest set of 10 patients including 30 pictures taken 5 minutes apart was created to test the short-term reproducibility. Intervention Evaluation of IOLs rotational stability using non-toric implants in 25 × 2 consecutive follow-up visits. Two experienced graders performed axis evaluation 3 times in a randomized order. One experienced grader performed axis evaluation for the short-term reproducibility study. Reference landmarks at the end of operation were used to assess the IOL axis. Main Outcome measures Intra-, inter-rater reliability and short-term reproducibility of axis measurements. Results Mean standard deviation for intra-rater reliability was 0.16 degrees. The intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were 0.97 for grader 1 and 0.96 for grader 2, respectively. A very high inter-rater correlation of 0.95 was found. The mean individual difference between grader 1 and grader 2 was 0.061± 0.28 degrees. Short-term reproducibility showed a mean standard deviation of 0.22±0.14 degrees. Conclusion The novel semi automated evaluation method showed an accurate inter- and intra-rater reliability. Short-term reproducibility was below 0.25 degrees. The method of using non-movable reference landmarks showed reliable results and should be used as a standard in future toric IOL studies.

OBJECTIVE Conventional two-dimensional ultrasound (2D-US) has been the recommended and preferred modality for the diagnosis and surveillance of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Measurement of the aneurysm diameter using three-dimensional ultrasound (3D-US) has shown promising results in a research setting, improving agreement and reproducibility. However, studies evaluating 3D-US in a clinical context are lacking, which could hinder the optimal usage of this new modality. In the present study, we investigated the clinical value of 3D-US for AAA surveillance compared with the current standard 2D-US examination. METHODS Data from 126 patients with infrarenal AAAs

In the domain of 3D food printing, previously developed 3D candy printers focused majorly on soft candy materials, such as chocolate, gum, and jelly. These techniques also presented limitations in terms of reproducibility and model diversity. Accordingly, this study aimed to address these problems via investigation of the behavior of sugar, a printing material, with respect to the extrusion process of 3D hard candy manufacture and analysis of the reproducibility. Moreover, the relationship among the nozzle movement speed, extrusion speed, and pattern spacing was analyzed to derive the optimal conditions for the extrusion process for reproducing a 3D virtual model. It was observed that the pattern spacing was optimized at 0.9 mm, considering a stable manufacturing process and manufacturing speed. The optimized parameter values of nozzle diameter, nozzle-substrate distance, pneumatic pressure, control temperature, printing speed, and standoff distance were computed through a correlation analysis conducted with pattern spacing. Under these conditions, moldings with a total height of 6 cm could be built. Moreover, a considerably high reproducibility of the 3D model was achieved on consideration of changes in the pattern thickness according to the nozzle movement speed and extrusion speed. Overall, this study contributes to literature and bridges a gap therein by presenting a process technology for guaranteeing the reproducibility of 3D models. It also demonstrates that the production of personalized custom shapes will be effective and feasible in the future.

Introduction There is no consensus for interpretation of p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) in cytology preparations. Our study aims to assess p16 IHC staining in formalin-fixed cytology cell blocks (CBs) from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens in comparison with surgical pathology p16 staining and to determine the reproducibility of p16 IHC scoring in CBs. Methods A total of 40 FNAs from 2014 to 2019 of HNSCC with p16 IHC were obtained. CB p16 staining was scored independently by 5 cytopathologists as interval percentages of tumor cell positivity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were examined to determine optimal cutoffs for each pathologist based on sensitivity and specificity values. Gwet’s coefficient (AC1) was calculated to assess inter-rater reliability. Results Greater than 10% was the lowest threshold to reach 100% specificity with high sensitivity (55%-84%) in all 5 raters. Rater performances were similar, with areas under the curve (AUCs) ranging from 0.89 to 0.95. Using the >10% threshold, Gwet’s AC1 = 0.72 (95% CI: 0.56-0.89). Diagnostic performance improved further when low-cellularity cases were excluded, with AUC ranging from 0.94 to 0.99 and Gwet's AC1 = 0.79 (95% CI: 0.61-0.98). Conclusion p16 IHC performed on cytology CBs can serve as a surrogate marker for the detection of HPV with high sensitivity and specificity levels. Using a threshold lower than that recommended for surgical pathology for the interpretation of p16 positivity may be appropriate for FNA cytology CB preparations. All cytopathologists in our study displayed reproducible high sensitivity and specificity values at the >10% threshold.

Background During management of Achilles tendon rupture, determination of tendon-end approximation, either clinically or by ultrasound is difficult, following brace application of during loading. The Radiographic Achilles Tendon Loading Angle (RadATLA) is proposed as a method of measuring ankle position whilst loading in a brace during the management of Achilles tendon rupture. This study aims to determine the reliability and reproducibility of the RadATLA. Methods A loaded true lateral ankle radiograph including the fifth metatarsal head was taken when wearing a brace at the 6-week time point in 18 patients (19 ankles). following Achilles tendon repair or reconstruction. The RadATLA was compared with the Tibio-talar angle, other radiographic and clinical measures used to quantify foot and ankle position during the first 6 weeks of early rehabilitation in a resting position and during loading. Results The intra-rater reliability of both angles was found to be good (>0.8). The RadATLA was found to have an excellent intra-rater reliability with Intra-class correlation of (ICC) 0.992−0.996 (95%CI 0.889−0.999), standard error of the measurement (SEM) 1.03–3.65 and Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) 2.86−10.12. The inter-rater reliability was good with ICC of 0.798−0.969 (95%CI−0.03 to 0.964), SEM 2.9–7.6, and MDC 8.1–20.9. The RadATLA loaded at 6 weeks in all patients was at mean (SD) (range) 41.9˚ (16.5), (18.5−75.9). There was a significant difference between the patients in the Repair group compared with patients in the Reconstruction group both in RadATLA loaded at 6 weeks: 35.6˚ (11.2), (18.5−56.5) versus 55.5˚ (19), (20−75.9), (p = 0.01). The amount loaded in all patients was at mean (SD) (range) 29.2Kg (17.7), (2−56) and the percentage Body Weight was 30.7% (19), (2.1−63.2). There were no differences between the groups neither in amount loaded nor in percentage Body weight (p = 0.614−0.651). Conclusions The RadATLA is a reliable and reproducible angle and can be used to determine the position of the ankle, when loaded in a brace during rehabilitation following Achilles tendon rupture.

Bone mineral density (BMD) measurement using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is considered a diagnostic parameter for osteoporosis by the World Health Organization (WHO). DXA densitometers have different scanning modes for BMD measurements, although the specific scanning modes vary based upon the manufacturer. For DXA machines manufactured by Hologic, which are used globally, a range of scanning modes exist, including but not limited to (in order of decreasing spatial resolution) Array, Fast Array, and Express Array. Only a handful of prior studies have compared the reproducibility of BMD measurements across scan modes. The present study aimed to add to this body of literature by investigating the differences in BMD measured between 3 scanning modes in Hologic DXA machines at 19 different health centers. As part of cross-calibration activities for two multi-center studies in China measuring BMD, the European spine phantom (ESP, 1.000 g/cm(2)) was scanned on 19 different Hologic DXA machines. To measure differences in BMD between the 3 scan modes most commonly found on the Hologic models available (i.e., Array, Fast Array, Express Array), the ESP measurement was performed 10 times for each scan mode on each Hologic DXA machine. One-sample t test was used to compare the average difference between the measured ESP results of the 3 scanning modes at each hospital and reference ESP values. Single factor analysis of variance was performed to compare the average differences between the pairs of scanning modes using the reference ESP. Statistically significant differences between the measured ESP results with reference ESP values were found with each scanning mode at 19 hospitals (all p values

BACKGROUND Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and anemia are the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in children globally. The dried blood spot (DBS) method has been used in prevalence studies of VAD and anemia in different age groups. However, it has not yet been validated for children. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to assess the reproducibility and validity of DBS in the diagnosis of VAD and anemia in preschoolers. METHODS Venous and capillary blood samples were collected from a representative sample of children

Summary Purpose To examine the reproducibility of spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) segmented ganglion cell complex and circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) measurements in children with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) in comparison with healthy children. Methods 12 children with PCG (G1) and 24 healthy children (G2) were recruited. The following SD-OCT measurements (Spectralis, Heidelberg Engineering) were made in one eye per child: total macular thickness (MT), thicknesses in several subfields and volumes of the three inner macular layers, macular retinal nerve fiber layer (mRNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), and inner plexiform layer (IPL) and cpRNFL thickness. In a single day, an expert operator obtained 3 circumpapillary and 3 macular measurements in each participant to determine intraoperator variability. Intraoperator repeatability was defined by the coefficient of variation (CoV) and intraclass correlation (ICC). Results ICC was excellent in both groups for cpRNFL measurements (G1 ICC = 0.950 and G2 ICC = 0.995) and for MT was excellent in G1 (ICC= 0.957) and moderate in G2 (ICC = 552). For the inner macular layer measurements, all ICCs were better in PCG group (mRNFL-ICC: 0.915 vs. 0.765; ICC-GCL: 0.584 vs. 0.263 and ICC-IPL: 0.979 vs. 0.742; G1 and G2 respectively). Greater CoV were recorded for macular measurements (from 0.71% to 9.82%) compared to cpRNFL measurements (from 0.52% to 1.50%). Conclusion In children with PCG, Spectralis SD-OCT showed excellent intrasession repeatability for cpRNFL, MT, mRNFL and IPL measurements and moderated for GCL measurements. For all macular measurements, ICC were higher in children with PCG than healthy children.

Background Physical health is an important factor for what is considered successful aging. Using valid and reproducible tools to classify PH of older adults may help to develop appropriate rehabilitation protocols for this population. Objective To evaluate the convergent validity and reproducibility of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) core set to classify the physical health of older adults. Methods A total of 101 older adults were evaluated for handgrip strength, physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery), and physical activity level (International Physical Activity Questionnaire). Physical health was classified with the ICF core set (14 categories of body functions, 4 of body structures, 9 of activity and participation, and 3 environmental factors) and an impairment index was calculated for each component. Results Higher levels of physical activity were associated to lower impairment index in the body function and activity and participation components, but was not associated to environmental factors. Better physical performance and handgrip strength were also related to lower impairment index in all components. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient analysis indicated good reproducibility for body function, body structure, the capacity component of the activity and participation, and for two environmental factors (use of medications and assistive devices), but moderate reproducibility for the performance component of activity and participation, and poor reproducibility for the environmental factor related to access to health services. Conclusion The ICF core set for the physical health of older adults is a valid and reproducible tool and can be used in clinical practice and research.

Objectives The fetal thymus gland has been shown to involute in response to intrauterine infection, and therefore could be used as a non-invasive marker of fetal compartment infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate how accurately 2D ultrasound-derived measurements of the fetal thymus reflect the 3D volume of the gland derived from motion corrected MRI images. Study design A retrospective study was performed using paired ultrasound and MRI datasets from the iFIND project ( http://www.ifindproject.com ). To obtain 3D volumetry of the thymus gland, T2-weighted single shot turbo spin echo (ssTSE) sequences of the fetal thorax were acquired. Thymus volumes were manually segmented from deformable slice-to-volume reconstructed images. To obtain 2D ultrasound measurements, previously stored fetal cine loops were used and measurements obtained at the 3-vessel-view (3VV) and 3-vessel-trachea view (3VT): anterior-posterior diameter (APD), intrathoracic diameter (ITD), transverse diameter (TD), perimeter and 3-vessel-edge (3VE). Inter-observer and intra-observer reliability (ICC) was calculated for both MRI and ultrasound measurements. Pearson correlation coefficients (PCC) were used to compare 2D-parameters with acceptable ICC to TV. Results 38 participants were identified. Adequate visualisation was possible on 37 MRI scans and 31 ultrasound scans. Of the 30 datasets where both MRI and ultrasound data were available, MRI had good interobserver reliability (ICC 0.964) and all ultrasound 3VV 2D-parameters and 3VT 3VE had acceptable ICC (>0.75). Four 2D parameters were reflective of the 3D thymus volume: 3VV TD r = 0.540 (P = 0.002); 3VV perimeter r = 0.446 (P = 0.013); 3VV APD r = 0.435 (P = 0.110) and 3VT TD r = 0.544 (P = 0.002). Conclusions MRI appeared superior to ultrasound for visualization of the thymus gland and reproducibility of measurements. Three 2D US parameters, 3VV TD, perimeter and 3VT APD, correlated well with TV. Therefore, these represent a more accurate reflection of the true size of the gland than other 2D measurements, where MRI is not available.

Chimerism analysis is widely used to aid in the clinical management of patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Many laboratories currently use assays based on PCR followed by capillary electrophoresis, with a limit of quantification of 1% to 5%. Assays with a lower limit of quantification could allow for earlier relapse detection, resulting in improved patient care. This study investigated the analytical, clinical, technical, and practical performance of the Devyser next-generation sequencing chimerism assay, a commercial high-throughput sequencing-based assay for chimerism analysis. Performance of this assay was compared with that of the Promega PowerPlex 16 HS assay, a commercial capillary electrophoresis-based assay. A limit of quantification of 0.1% was achievable with the Devyser assay. The repeatability, reproducibility, trueness, and linearity of the Devyser assay were acceptable. The Devyser assay showed potential for earlier relapse detection compared with the Promega assay. Conclusive analysis was not possible for 3% of donor-recipient pairs with the Devyser assay due to an insufficient number of informative markers; this factor was not an issue for the Promega assay. Further improvements in assay design or data analysis may allow the assay's applicability to be extended to all donor-recipient pairs studied. Technical performance criteria for chimerism analysis by high-throughput sequencing were suggested and evaluated. Both assays were found to be practical for use in a clinical diagnostics laboratory.

This study investigated the important role of agitation in obtaining consistent and reproducible results when moving from preliminary qualitative screenings for protein crystallisation to quantitative batch crystallisation experiments. Lysozyme-thaumatin binary protein mixture was used as the model protein system in this study. Poor reproducibility between batches were observed for non-agitated crystallisation conditions even if the same sampling timing and frequency applied. With agitation, from 0 to 200 rpm investigated in this study, improved reproducibility of protein crystallisation was observed with increased agitation. Additionally, agitation also had impacts on supersaturation exhaustion rate, yield and crystal size. Moreover, in agitated batch crystallisation, it was found that target protein crystallisation process was decelerated in the presence of protein impurity. In conclusion, we emphasised the essential role of agitation in protein crystallisation experiments else misleading conclusions with inconsistency might be drawn from non-agitated systems.

This research explores the possibilities and limitations of WD-XRF, applied as a method for quantification of 20 elements in plant material, using spiked cellulose standards for calibration. Three different analytical methods were investigated: 1) standards created from pure spiked cellulose; 2) spiked cellulose mixed with 20% of binder and 3) spiked cellulose applied as a thin layer on an inert carrier. Sensitivity, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, repeatability, intralaboratory reproducibility, and accuracy were determined and compared. The accuracy of the investigated methods was tested by analysis of standard reference materials and comparison with other routinely used analytical techniques (ICP-OES and ICP-MS). The comparison included real plant samples which were collected from the environment characterized by different pollution levels. The accuracy of the semiquantitative standardless method was also considered and compared with other investigated methods. Tested methods can be very precise, with good intralaboratory reproducibility over wide linear range. Supplementary material: [https://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/4615] This is the peer-reviewed version of the article: Orlić, J., Gržetić, I., Goessler, W., Braeuer, S., Čáslavský, J., Pořízka, J.,& Ilijević, K.. (2021). Artificial cellulose standards as calibration standards for wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis of elements in plant samples. in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms Elsevier., 502, 106-117. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2021.06.012]

ispartof: JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE vol:202 status: accepted

Photoacoustic mesoscopy visualises vascular architecture and associated tissue structures at high resolution at up to 3 mm depth. The technique has shown promise in both preclinical and clinical imaging studies, with possible applications in oncology and dermatology, however, the accuracy and precision of photoacoustic mesoscopy has not been well established. Here, we present a performance evaluation of a commercial photoacoustic mesoscopy system for imaging vascular structures. Typical artefact types are first highlighted and limitations due to non-isotropic illumination and detection are evaluated with respect to rotation, angularity, and depth of the target. Then, using tailored phantoms and mouse models we demonstrate high system precision, with acceptable coefficients of variation (COV) between repeated scans (short term (1h): COV=1.2%; long term (25 days): COV=9.6%), from target repositioning (without: COV=1.2%, with: COV=4.1%), or from varyingin vivouser experience (experienced: COV=15.9%, unexperienced: COV=20.2%). While our findings support the robustness of the technique, they also underscore the general challenges of limited field-of-view photoacoustic systems in accurately imaging vessel-like structures, thereby guiding users to correctly interpret biologically-relevant information.

Ascorbic acid (AA) is one of the vital water-soluble antioxidants in blood serum and can function as a key blood serum biomarker for oxidative stress. Therefore, we have developed a highly sensitive and selective AA electrochemical sensor based on novel porous silicon-mesoporous carbon nanocomposites (PSi-MC NCs) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The structural properties and morphological investigation of the PSi-MC NCs were systematically studied by different techniques. This newly designed PSi-MC/GCE-based non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor can measure an extremely wide range of AA (0.5–2473 μM) in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) with a sensitivity 0.1982 μAμM−1cm−2 and a logical limit of detection (LOD) 30.0±0.1 nM. The proposed AA sensor was also applied to detect possible interference from common interfering substances that are present in human blood, showing highly selective performance. The proposed AA sensor also showed highly acceptable results towards the detection of AA levels in human blood serum and vitamin C tablets. This new combination of active material PSi-MC NCs provided steady, excellent reproducibility, repeatability, and long-term stability.

Rationale and Objectives PSA density (PSAd), an important decision-making parameter for patients with suspected prostate cancer (PCa), is dependent on magnetic resonance imaging prostate volume (PV) estimation. We aimed to compare the accuracy of the ellipsoid and bullet-shaped formulas with manual whole-gland segmentation as reference standard and to evaluate the corresponding PSAd diagnostic accuracy in predicting clinically significant PCa. Materials and Methods We retrospectively analysed 195 patients with suspected PCa who underwent magnetic resonance imaging and prostate biopsy. Patients with PCa were categorized according to ISUP score. PV and corresponding PSAd were calculated with manual segmentation (mPV and mPSAd) as well as with ellipsoid (ePV and ePSAd) and bullet-shaped (bPV and bPSAd) formulas. Inter and intra-reader reproducibility were assessed with Lin's concordance correlation coefficient and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). A 2-way analysis of variance with post-hoc Bonferroni test was used for assessing PV differences. Predictive values of PSAd calculated with different methods for detecting clinically significant PCa were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and Youden's index. Results Both intra (ρ = 0.99, ICC = 0.99) and inter-reader (ρ = 0.98, ICC = 0.98) reproducibility were excellent. No significant difference was found between ePV and reference standard (p = 1.00). bPV was significantly different from both (p = 0.00). PSAd (mPSAd/ePSAd cut-off ≥ 0.15, bPSAd cut-off ≥ 0.12) had sensitivity = 69–70%, specificity = 72–75%, areas under the curve = 0.757–0.760 (p = 0.70–0.88). Conclusions Our work shows that when using bullet-shaped formula, a different PSAd cut-off must be considered to avoid PCa under-diagnosis and inaccurate risk-stratification.

This study was aimed at evaluating the performance of the innovative technique Smart Fetus (SF) developed to recognize the planes and obtain the basic biometric measurements of fetuses automatically. This prospective study included 1005 uncomplicated singleton pregnancies undergoing routine examinations. For every pregnancy, planes, including the transverse section of the thalami, transverse section of the abdomen and longitudinal section of the femur, were acquired, and standard biometric measurements, including biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur length, were obtained using SF and traditional ultrasound technique (TUT). The accuracy, reproducibility and time required for the analysis of SF were compared with those of TUT. In 998 of 1005 cases (99.30%), SF successfully acquired the sections and made all measurements. The agreement between the techniques was high for all measurements. The time to obtain sections and measure biometric parameters or solely measure biometric parameters was significantly shorter with SF than with TUT. No significant differences were found in SF repeated measurements obtained by two independent observers. The SF technique helped in the acquisition of reliable standard sections and biometric measurements and saved time. It might serve as a novel ultrasound scanning approach and improve workflow efficiency.

Low-power consumption and high sensitivity are highly desirable for a vast range of NH3 sensing applications. As a new type of two-dimension (2D) material, Ti3C2Tx is extensively studied for room temperature NH3 sensors recently. However, the Ti3C2Tx MXene based gas sensors suffer mainly from low sensitivity. Herein, we report a sensitive Ti3C2Tx/WO3 composite resistive sensor for NH3 detection. The Ti3C2Tx/WO3 composite consisting of WO3 nanoparticles anchored on Ti3C2Tx nanoflakes were synthesized successfully with a facile ultra-sonication technique. The composite sensor with optimized components exhibits a high sensitivity of 22.3% for 1 ppm NH3 at room temperature, which is 15.4 times higher than the pure Ti3C2Tx sensor. Furthermore, the composite sensor has excellent reproducibility, good long-term stability, and high selectivity to NH3. The relative humidity influence on NH3 gas sensing properties of the sensors was systematically studied. This research provides an efficient route for the preparation of novel MXene-based sensitive materials for high-performance NH3 sensors.

Introduction Although breast compression is required in routine mammographic practices, current subjective protocols enforcing ‘breast tautness’ have minimal clinical reproducibility. Whilst objective guidelines of target force (daN) do not consider breast volumes, new measures of pressure (kPa) account for associated variations. The study aims to determine characteristic compressive forces applied at an Australian diagnostic breast clinic, thereby establishing performance success in achieving ideal pressures of 10 kPa. Methods Parameters of 1972 mammograms were analysed retrospectively from a South Australian diagnostic breast clinic. Raw data were processed using VolparaDensity software; applied compression (force/pressure), breast thickness, breast volume, breast density and average glandular dose estimates were investigated based on breast/paddle contact areas. Results Distributions of applied average forces is large, yet distributions of applied average pressures are larger; this is internationally comparable. Regarding force-compressions, 98.6% are >5 daN, 16.6% are >10 daN, and 0.0% are >15 daN. Regarding pressure-compressions, 94.5% are >5 kPa, 36.0% are >10 kPa, and 6.3% are >15 kPa. Measures of average breast thickness, volume and density show anatomically consistent trends, with average glandular dose values constant, albeit high. Conclusions There was a high level of variation of applied compression forces in relation to breast/paddle contact area and an even higher variation in applied pressure. This is comparable with existing literature. Real-time compression pressure standardisation may benefit examination consistency. The relationship between breast volume, contact area, compression force and resultant compression pressure may aid in developing an objective compression protocol for clinical practice. Implications for practice Practical guidelines may increase the reproducibility of image acquisition, whilst optimizing patient discomfort and additional radiation dose from image repeats. Patient compliance may increase in accordance with perceived advantages of mechanical standardisation, ultimately aiding in the detection of early-stage breast cancer.

Background Right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) has emerged as an important technique for clinical evaluation of (RV) function. The routine application of RVGLS in pediatrics remains limited by a lack of data on agreement between vendors. The aim of this study was to investigate intervendor agreement for RVGLS between the two commonly used analysis vendors in pediatrics, hypothesizing that RVGLS has good intervendor agreement, although it is likely lower than intravendor agreement (inter- and intraobserver reproducibility). Methods Seventy infants and children with normal cardiac anatomy and varying ventricular function were included after prospectively obtaining RV-focused four-chamber apical images on the GE Vivid E95. Images were analyzed for RVGLS at acquired frame rates in EchoPAC (GE) and TomTec (TT) and in the compressed Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine format in TT. Intraclass correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots were used to test intervendor agreement and intravendor reproducibility. Results RVGLS measurements were equally feasible using TT and EchoPAC analysis (92%). There was good to excellent agreement for RVGLS between TT and EchoPAC analysis, with a relatively higher intraclass correlation coefficient between GE and TT at the acquired frame rate (0.85) than between GE and TT at the compressed frame rate (0.75) and significantly higher agreement in patients with abnormal RV function (0.7–0.9) than those with normal function (0.4–0.6). Intra- andinterobserver reproducibility for RVGLS was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.74–0.96). Heart rate ≥ 100 beats/min and acquisition frame rate/heart rate ≤ 0.7 were associated with diminished agreement, especially when compressed data were involved. Conclusions RVGLS analyzed using EchoPAC and TT show good agreement, especially when analyzed at acquisition frame rates and in the setting of abnormal RV function. Otherwise, RVGLS should ideally be analyzed using the same vendor, and intervendor comparisons should be undertaken with caution, particularly if data are in a compressed format.