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Sample records for preliminary screening method

  1. Preliminary Phytochemical Screening of Fresh and Dried Moringa ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The preliminary phytochemical screening of the crude aqueous extract of fresh and dried Moringa oleifera leaves, of the organic solvent and residual fractions of the extract was carried out according to the standard methods. Chemical constituents of the crude aqueous extract of the fresh leaves were found to be tannins, ...

  2. Methods for Rapid Screening in Woody Plant Herbicide Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William Stanley

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Methods for woody plant herbicide screening were assayed with the goal of reducing resources and time required to conduct preliminary screenings for new products. Rapid screening methods tested included greenhouse seedling screening, germinal screening, and seed screening. Triclopyr and eight experimental herbicides from Dow AgroSciences (DAS 313, 402, 534, 548, 602, 729, 779, and 896 were tested on black locust, loblolly pine, red maple, sweetgum, and water oak. Screening results detected differences in herbicide and species in all experiments in much less time (days to weeks than traditional field screenings and consumed significantly less resources (<500 mg acid equivalent per herbicide per screening. Using regression analysis, various rapid screening methods were linked into a system capable of rapidly and inexpensively assessing herbicide efficacy and spectrum of activity. Implementation of such a system could streamline early-stage herbicide development leading to field trials, potentially freeing resources for use in development of beneficial new herbicide products.

  3. Phytochemical Screening and Preliminary Evaluation of Analgesic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this study, the methanolic root extract of Cissus polyantha was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening, analgesic and anti-inflammatory studies. Phytochemical studies was carried out using standard phytochemical protocol while the analgesic studies was carried out using acetic acid-induced writhing tests in ...

  4. Smartphone-based fluorescence spectroscopy device aiding in preliminary skin screening

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahoo, Aparajita; Wahi, Akshat; Das, Anshuman

    2018-02-01

    Preliminary diagnosis of closely resembling skin conditions can be highly subjective for dermatologists. In ambiguous cases, it often leads to performing invasive procedures like biopsies. Different skin conditions, however, have varying concentrations of fluorophores (like collagen, NADH) and chromophores (like melanin, hemoglobin) which can alter their fluorescence spectra. We demonstrate a handheld, portable, smartphone-based spectrometer that leverages these alterations in skin autofluorescence spectra for rapid screening of skin conditions. This methodology involves excitation of affected skin areas with ultraviolet (UV-A) 385 nm light, capturing the generated fluorescence spectra and sending the data wirelessly to a companion mobile application for data storage, analysis and visualization. By collecting the fluorescence spectral signals from healthy and unhealthy skin conditions, we establish that the signals collected using this portable device can be used to develop a classification method to help in differentially diagnosing these conditions. It shows promise as a useful skin screening tool for both dermatologists and primary health care workers. This device can enable quick, non-invasive and a more objective preliminary examination. We envision the device to be especially useful in primary healthcare centers of developing countries where availability of dermatologists is limited.

  5. Development and preliminary validation of a screen for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Development and preliminary validation of a screen for interpersonal childhood trauma experiences among school-going youth in Durban, South Africa. ... validity in the sense that all scales were significantly correlated with scores on clinical measures of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or complex PTSD.

  6. Preliminary biological screening of microbes isolated from cow dung ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Preliminary biological screening of microbes isolated from cow dung in Kampar. KC Teo, SM Teoh. Abstract. Five distinct morphologically and physiologically isolates were isolated from cow dung at Kampar, Perak, Malaysia and cultured on nutrient agar (NA) plates. Morphological studies including microscopic examination ...

  7. Universal newborn hearing screening: preliminary experience at the University Hospital of Cagliari

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giulia Pinna

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Bilateral congenital or acquired sensorineural hearing loss is a pathological condition affecting 1-2 children per 1,000 live births; it represents a major issue in public health because its late identification can negatively affect speech and language development. The aim of hearing screening is to obtain diagnosis and management of hearing loss as soon as possible; in fact early diagnosis and treatment allow children with congenital hearing impairment to acquire adequate linguistic competence. The present study reports our preliminary experience in newborn hearing screening at Neonatology services of University of Cagliari (Italy. During the first semester of surveillance, between January 2012 and June 2012, hearing screening was performed on a total of 901 babies using two different methods, TEOAEs in healthy neonates and automated ABR in high-risk babies. All infants were screened prior to hospital discharge; in some cases, especially for preterm infants of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Puericulture Institute, the screening was performed after discharge, to achieve a possible better global and acoustic maturation; 5 cases of hearing impairment were found. In the present study the Authors confirmed that it is possible to start a universal hearing screening in a relatively short time reaching the percentages suggested by Joint Committee on Infant Hearing.

  8. 1ST-TRIMESTER SCREENING FOR FETAL CHROMOSOMAL-ABNORMALITIES - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    VANLITH, JMM

    We have started a multicentre trial to study the possibilities of first-trimester maternal serum screening for fetal chromosomal abnormalities. Maternal blood samples were obtained before 13 weeks of gestation. We present the preliminary results of the first 950 patients on alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).

  9. QSAR Methods to Screen Endocrine Disruptors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicola Porta

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The identification of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs is one of the important goals of environmental chemical hazard screening. We report on in silico methods addressing toxicological studies about EDCs with a special focus on the application of QSAR models for screening purpose. Since Estrogen-like (ER activity has been extensively studied, the majority of the available models are based on ER-related endpoints. Some of these models are here reviewed and described. As example for their application, we screen an assembled dataset of candidate substitutes for some known EDCs belonging to the chemical classes of phthalates, bisphenols and parabens, selected considering their toxicological relevance and broad application, with the general aim of preliminary assessing their ED potential. The goal of the substitution processes is to advance inherently safer chemicals and products, consistent with the principles of green chemistry. Results suggest that the integration of a family of different models accounting for different endpoints can be a convenient way to describe ED as properly as possible and allow also both to increase the confidence of the predictions and to maximize the probability that most active compounds are correctly found.

  10. An Algorithm for Glaucoma Screening in Clinical Settings and Its Preliminary Performance Profile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S-Farzad Mohammadi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: To devise and evaluate a screening algorithm for glaucoma in clinical settings. Methods: Screening included examination of the optic disc for vertical cupping (≥0.4 and asymmetry (≥0.15, Goldmann applanation tonometry (≥21 mmHg, adjusted or unadjusted for central corneal thickness, and automated perimetry. In the diagnostic step, retinal nerve fiber layer imaging was performed using scanning laser polarimetry. Performance of the screening protocol was assessed in an eye hospital-based program in which 124 non-physician personnel aged 40 years or above were examined. A single ophthalmologist carried out the examinations and in equivocal cases, a glaucoma subspecialist′s opinion was sought. Results: Glaucoma was diagnosed in six cases (prevalence 4.8%; 95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.09 of whom five were new. The likelihood of making a definite diagnosis of glaucoma for those who were screened positively was 8.5 times higher than the estimated baseline risk for the reference population; the positive predictive value of the screening protocol was 30%. Screening excluded 80% of the initial population. Conclusion: Application of a formal screening protocol (such as our algorithm or its equivalent in clinical settings can be helpful in detecting new cases of glaucoma. Preliminary performance assessment of the algorithm showed its applicability and effectiveness in detecting glaucoma among subjects without any visual complaint.

  11. Preliminary ten year results from a randomised single centre mass screening trial for abdominal aortic aneurysm

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindholt, Jes Sanddal; Juul, Søren; Fasting, H

    2006-01-01

    At present, several regions and countries are considering screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). However, The Chichester Aneurysms Screening Trial has reported poor long term benefit of screening for AAA. We therefore supplement previously published data with a preliminary analysis...

  12. Preliminary screening of plant essential oils against larvae of Culex ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Preliminary screenings of 22 plant essential oils were tested for mortality of the mosquito larvae Culex quinquefasciatus under laboratory conditions. Percent (%) mortality of the mosquito larvae were obtained for each essential oil. At different exposure periods, viz. 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h among the 22 plant oils tested, eight ...

  13. A brief review on newborn screening methods for hemoglobinopathies and preliminary results selecting beta thalassemia carriers at birth by quantitative estimation of the HbA fraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mantikou, Eleni; Arkesteijn, Sandra G; Beckhoven van, Jaqueline M; Kerkhoffs, Jean-Louis; Harteveld, Cornelis L; Giordano, Piero Carlo

    2009-12-01

    We present in a brief summary the basic aspects of the most rational technologies used for new born screening (NBS) of the hemoglobinopathies and we report the preliminary results for the identification of beta-thalassemia carriers at birth by measuring the expression of the HbA fraction. Separation and measurement of the Hb fractions in 1.500 cord blood samples collected among the multi-ethnic Dutch population using different methods. By using a cut of thalassemia can be preselected at birth with a reasonable degree of sensitivity and be confirmed by parent analysis.

  14. Surface electromyography as a screening method for evaluation of dysphagia and odynophagia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaiman, Michael; Eviatar, Ephraim

    2009-01-01

    Objective Patients suspected of having swallowing disorders, could highly benefit from simple diagnostic screening before being referred to specialist evaluations. The article analyzes various instrumental methods of dysphagia assessment, introduces surface electromyography (sEMG) to carry out rapid assessment of such patients, and debates proposed suggestions for sEMG screening protocol in order to identify abnormal deglutition. Data sources Subject related books and articles from 1813 to 2007 were obtained through library search, MEDLINE (1949–2007) and EMBASE (1975–2007). Methods Specifics steps for establishing the protocol for applying the technique for screening purposes (e.g., evaluation of specific muscles), the requirements for diagnostic sEMG equipment, the sEMG technique itself, and defining the tests suitable for assessing deglutition (e.g., saliva, normal, and excessive swallows and uninterrupted drinking of water) are presented in detail. SEMG is compared with other techniques in terms of cost, timing, involvement of radiation, etc. Results According to the published data, SEMG of swallowing is a simple and reliable method for screening and preliminary differentiation among dysphagia and odynophagia of various origins. This noninvasive radiation-free examination has a low level of discomfort, and is simple, time-saving and inexpensive to perform. The major weakness of the method seems to be inability for precise diagnostic of neurologically induced dysphagia. Conclusion With standardization of the technique and an established normative database, sEMG might serve as a reliable screening method for optimal patient management but cannot serve for proper investigation of neurogenic dysphagia. PMID:19232090

  15. Methods for simulating turbulent phase screen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Jianzhu; Zhang Feizhou; Wu Yi

    2012-01-01

    Some methods for simulating turbulent phase screen are summarized, and their characteristics are analyzed by calculating the phase structure function, decomposing phase screens into Zernike polynomials, and simulating laser propagation in the atmosphere. Through analyzing, it is found that, the turbulent high-frequency components are well contained by those phase screens simulated by the FFT method, but the low-frequency components are little contained. The low-frequency components are well contained by screens simulated by Zernike method, but the high-frequency components are not contained enough. The high frequency components contained will be improved by increasing the order of the Zernike polynomial, but they mainly lie in the edge-area. Compared with the two methods above, the fractal method is a better method to simulate turbulent phase screens. According to the radius of the focal spot and the variance of the focal spot jitter, there are limitations in the methods except the fractal method. Combining the FFT and Zernike method or combining the FFT method and self-similar theory to simulate turbulent phase screens is an effective and appropriate way. In general, the fractal method is probably the best way. (authors)

  16. Screening diagnostics of antivital experiences and propensity toward impulsive, autoagressive behavior in adolescents (preliminary results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bannikov G.S.,

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Development of methods for revealing antivital experiences and propensity to autoaggressive behavior in educational institutions is one of the key steps in developing strategies for the primary prevention of suicidal behavior in adolescents. The purpose of this study was to develop an effective screening diagnostic package aimed at identifying antivital experiences and propensity to autoaggressive behavior. The survey methods we used were: Beck Hopelessness Scale, Russell Loneliness Scale, A.G. Shmelev Suicide Risk Questionnaire, PDQ-IV Borderline disorder and Narcissism scales. At the first stage we examined 750 minors aged 12-18 and identified risk group (85 people – 11.4%, which included adolescents with high levels of both individual scales, and their combination. At the second stage we examined 10 adolescents at risk. In 7 of them (70% were identified antivital, suicidal thoughts of passive or compulsive nature, signs of subjective and objective socio- psychological maladjustment. Our preliminary conclusion is that high levels of hopelessness and loneliness in adolescents are stable predictors of mental and emotional distress and psychosocial maladjustment in the period of psychological crises and decompensation of character accentuation of borderline and narcissistic types. These scales can be recommended for primary screening of antivital (depressive experiences and propensity to autoaggressive behavior in adolescents.

  17. Method for in vitro screening of aquatic fungicides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, T.A.

    1983-01-01

    Methods were developed for in vitro screening of candidate aquatic fungicides for efficacy against Achlya fiagellata, A. racemosa, Saprolegnia hypogyna and S. megasperma. Agar plugs containing fungal hyphae, removed from the edge of actively growing colonies, were placed in the depressions of spot plates containing 1a??0, 10a??0 and 100 mg/I of the candidate compounds for 15 or 60 min. After exposure, the plugs were transferred on to filter papers (0a??45-A?m pore) in a holder, rinsed, and then placed on cornmeal agar medium in tri-petri dishes. The plates were checked for mycelial growth after 48, 96 and 168 h of incubation in a lighted (400-800 A?m) environmental control chamber at 20A?2A?C. Criteria for the acceptance or rejection of candidate aquatic fungicides for further study were based on the antifungal spectrum index (ASI) comparisons between respective compounds and malachite green after 48 h and the concentration level producing complete growth inhibition. Candidate compounds whose ASI was less than 50% that of malachite green after 48 h or did not inhibit growth at levels less than 100 mg/l were rejected. This method provides a base from which in vivo and definitive test regimens can be developed. Preliminary in vitro screening of candidate fungicides reduces the need for costly in vivo tests on compounds that have low antifungal activity.

  18. Weldon Spring, Missouri, Raffinate Pits 1, 2, 3, and 4: Preliminary grout development screening studies for in situ waste immobilization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McDaniel, E.W.; Gilliam, T.M.; Dole, L.R.; West, G.A.

    1987-04-01

    Results of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's initial support program to develop a preliminary grout formula to solidify in situ the Weldon Spring waste are presented. The screening study developed preliminary formulas based on a simulated composite waste and then tested the formulas on actual waste samples. Future data needs are also discussed. 1 ref., 6 figs., 9 tabs

  19. LANL seismic screening method for existing buildings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dickson, S.L.; Feller, K.C.; Fritz de la Orta, G.O.

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Seismic Screening Method is to provide a comprehensive, rational, and inexpensive method for evaluating the relative seismic integrity of a large building inventory using substantial life-safety as the minimum goal. The substantial life-safety goal is deemed to be satisfied if the extent of structural damage or nonstructural component damage does not pose a significant risk to human life. The screening is limited to Performance Category (PC) -0, -1, and -2 buildings and structures. Because of their higher performance objectives, PC-3 and PC-4 buildings automatically fail the LANL Seismic Screening Method and will be subject to a more detailed seismic analysis. The Laboratory has also designated that PC-0, PC-1, and PC-2 unreinforced masonry bearing wall and masonry infill shear wall buildings fail the LANL Seismic Screening Method because of their historically poor seismic performance or complex behavior. These building types are also recommended for a more detailed seismic analysis. The results of the LANL Seismic Screening Method are expressed in terms of separate scores for potential configuration or physical hazards (Phase One) and calculated capacity/demand ratios (Phase Two). This two-phase method allows the user to quickly identify buildings that have adequate seismic characteristics and structural capacity and screen them out from further evaluation. The resulting scores also provide a ranking of those buildings found to be inadequate. Thus, buildings not passing the screening can be rationally prioritized for further evaluation. For the purpose of complying with Executive Order 12941, the buildings failing the LANL Seismic Screening Method are deemed to have seismic deficiencies, and cost estimates for mitigation must be prepared. Mitigation techniques and cost-estimate guidelines are not included in the LANL Seismic Screening Method

  20. Preliminary screening analysis of the off-site environment downstream of the US Department of Energy Oak Ridge Reservation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blaylock, B.G.; Hoffman, F.O.; Frank, M.L.

    1990-01-01

    Operations and waste disposal activities at the Y-12 Plant, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP), located on the US Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) in eastern Tennessee, have introduced airborne, liquid, and solid wastes into the surrounding environment. Some of these wastes may affect off-site areas by entering local streams that ultimately drain into the Clinch River. Previously reported concentrations of radionuclides, metals, and organic compounds in water, sediment, and biota of the Clinch River and Watts Bar Reservoir suggest the presence of contaminants of possible concern to the protection of human health and the environment. A preliminary screening was conducted of contaminants in the off-site surface water environments downstream of the DOE ORR. This screening analysis represents part of a scoping phase of the Clinch River Resource Conservation and Recovery Facilities Investigation (CRRFI). The purpose of this preliminary screening analysis is to use existing data on off-site contaminant concentrations to identify and prioritize potential contaminants of concern for further evaluation and investigation. The primary objective of this screening analysis is to ensure that CRRFI sampling and analysis efforts focus on those contaminants that may possibly contribute to human health or environmental risk. 8 refs., 3 figs., 6 tabs

  1. Preliminary Phytochemical and Biological Screening of Cyclamen coum a Member of Palestinian Flora

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nidal Amin Jaradat, Motasem Al-Masri, Fatmeh Hussen, Abed Naser Zaid, Iyad Ali, Ala Tammam, Doaa Mostafa Odeh, Omaima Hussein Shakarneh, Areej Rajabi

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Since ancient times, the treatment of various diseases has relied on medicinal plants. The replacement of chemically synthesized drugs with natural medications gave the later advantageous due to their safety for humans. This study aimed to screen and to evaluate preliminarily phytoconstituents, total contents of flavonoids, tannins, and phenols also to evaluate the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of Cyclamen coum aerial parts methanol extract. Methods: Screening of phytoconstituents, total flavonoids, tannins and phenols contents, as well as antioxidant properties, were investigated for the Cyclamen coum aerial parts by using standard phytochemical and analytical methods. Evaluation of antibacterial activity of the plant methanolic extract was performed by using broth microdilution method. American Type Culture Collections of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA were utilized to evaluate antibacterial activity. Results: Preliminary phytochemical qualitative analysis of the plant methanolic extract showed that the plant aerial parts contained amino acids, reducing sugar, carbohydrate, tannin, flavonoid, phenol, saponin, cardiac glycoside, and steroids. Total flavonoids, phenols, and tannins in plant methanolic extract were 60.88 mg QUE/g, 32.7 mg GAE/g and 11.7 mg CAE/g, respectively. Meanwhile, the antioxidant activity was estimated to be 31 µg/mL and has very weak antibacterial activity on the studied pathogens. Conclusion: In the present study, evaluation of total phenolic, tannins and flavonoid content from the aerial parts of C. coum can be an antioxidant naturally potent source. The results of in-vitro antibacterial studies showed that the studied plant has very weak antibacterial activity. In addition, the presence of antioxidant compounds in C. coum makes it a good candidate for manufacturing dietary supplements and food preservatives

  2. Electron screening effects in (p,α) reactions induced on boron isotopes studied via the Trojan Horse Method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamia, L; Spitaleri, C; Cherubini, S; Gulino, M; Puglia, S M R; Rapisarda, G G; Romano, S; Sergi, M L; Carlin, N; Gameiro Munhoz, M; Gimenez Del Santo, M; Kiss, G G; Somorjai, E; Kroha, V; Kubono, S; La Cognata, M; Pizzone, R G; Li, C; Wen, Qungang; Mukhamedzhanov, A

    2013-01-01

    The Trojan Horse Method is a powerful indirect technique allowing one to measure the bare nucleus S(E)-factor and the electron screening potential for astrophysically relevant reactions without the needs of extrapolations. The case of the (p,α) reactions induced on the two boron isotopes 10,11 B is here discussed in view of the recent Trojan Horse (TH) applications to the quasi-free 10,11 B+ 2 H reactions. The comparison between the TH and the low-energy direct data allowed us to determine the electron screening potential for the 11 B(p,α) reaction, while preliminary results on the 10 B(p,α) reaction have been extracted.

  3. Preliminary pharmacognostic screening of Achyranthes coynei stem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinayak Upadhya

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Achyranthes coynei is a rare, endemic perennial shrub reported from Karnataka and Maharashtra states of India. The plant is used to treat various disorders by folk healers and was proven to have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The present study was undertaken to evaluate microscopic and macroscopic characters of A. coynei stem, along with its physicochemical parameters. ProgRes ® CapturePro and Microsoft Excel were used for statistical analysis. Perennial, shrubby nature and woody stem were the distinguishing morphological characters observed. Transverse section (TS illustrated quadrangular outline of the stem and showed the presence of two types of trichomes on the thick-walled epidermis. TS also showed number of rosette calcium oxalates crystals; prismatic and microsphenoid crystals; conjoint, collateral open secondary vascular bundles; and two amphixylic medullary bundles in the pith. Ash and extractive values, micro and macro elements and nutritive factors were estimated in the present study. The presence of alkaloids, saponins and triterpenoids were observed in preliminary phytochemical screening. High-performance thin layer chromatographic analysis yielded different bands and also indicated the presence of oleanolic acid. The studied parameters for A. coynei stem will be useful for identification and authentication of the plant material.

  4. Preliminary pharmacognostic screening of Achyranthes coynei stem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Upadhya, Vinayak; Ankad, Gireesh M; Pai, Sandeep R; Hegde, Shruti V; Hegde, Harsha V

    2015-01-01

    Achyranthes coynei is a rare, endemic perennial shrub reported from Karnataka and Maharashtra states of India. The plant is used to treat various disorders by folk healers and was proven to have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The present study was undertaken to evaluate microscopic and macroscopic characters of A. coynei stem, along with its physicochemical parameters. ProgRes(®) CapturePro and Microsoft Excel were used for statistical analysis. Perennial, shrubby nature and woody stem were the distinguishing morphological characters observed. Transverse section (TS) illustrated quadrangular outline of the stem and showed the presence of two types of trichomes on the thick-walled epidermis. TS also showed number of rosette calcium oxalates crystals; prismatic and microsphenoid crystals; conjoint, collateral open secondary vascular bundles; and two amphixylic medullary bundles in the pith. Ash and extractive values, micro and macro elements and nutritive factors were estimated in the present study. The presence of alkaloids, saponins and triterpenoids were observed in preliminary phytochemical screening. High-performance thin layer chromatographic analysis yielded different bands and also indicated the presence of oleanolic acid. The studied parameters for A. coynei stem will be useful for identification and authentication of the plant material.

  5. Comparison of Cardiovascular Risk Screening Methods and Mortality Data among Hungarian Primary Care Population: Preliminary Results of the First Government-Financed Managed Care Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Móczár, Csaba; Rurik, Imre

    2015-09-01

    Besides participation in the primary prevention, screening as secondary prevention is an important requirement for primary care services. The effect of this work is influenced by the characteristics of individual primary care practices and doctors' screening habits, as well as by the regulation of screening processes and available financial resources. Between 1999 and 2009, a managed care program was introduced and carried out in Hungary, financed by the government. This financial support and motivation gave the opportunity to increase the number of screenings. 4,462 patients of 40 primary care practices were screened on the basis of SCORE risk assessment. The results of the screening were compared on the basis of two groups of patients, namely: those who had been pre-screened (pre-screening method) for known risk factors in their medical history (smoking, BMI, age, family cardiovascular history), and those randomly screened. The authors also compared the mortality data of participating primary care practices with the regional and national data. The average score was significantly higher in the pre-screened group of patients, regardless of whether the risk factors were considered one by one or in combination. Mortality was significantly lower in the participating primary practices than had been expected on the basis of the national mortality data. This government-financed program was a big step forward to establish a proper screening method within Hungarian primary care. Performing cardiovascular screening of a selected target group is presumably more appropriate than screening within a randomly selected population. Both methods resulted in a visible improvement in regional mortality data, though it is very likely that with pre-screening a more cost-effective selection for screening may be obtained.

  6. Screening the nutritional status in oncology: a preliminary report on 1,000 outpatients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bozzetti, Federico

    2009-03-01

    This study presents the preliminary data of a prospective multi-centre investigation on the screening of the nutritional status of cancer outpatients with the purpose to define: (1) prevalence and rate of weight loss and nutritional risk in this patient population, and (2) to assess the association among some patient-dependent, tumour-dependent and therapy-dependent variables with the nutritional status and the nutritional risk. Seventeen centres were involved to collect demographic data (age and sex), oncologic data (site of primary tumour, stage, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance State, oncologic therapy) and presence and severity of systemic and digestive/nutritional symptoms (fatigue, anorexia, nausea/vomiting, early satiety, dysgeusia/dysosmia, dysphagia/odynophagia, diarrhoea/constipation). Furthermore, the percentage of the weight loss on the usual body weight and the body mass index were computed. The nutritional risk was assessed according to the Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 questionnaire which scores the risk from 0 to 7. On the first 1,000 screened patients, a significant weight loss (>or=10%) and a nutritional risk score >or=3 were observed in 39.7% and 33.8% of patients, respectively. Weight loss was higher in upper gastrointestinal tumours, in advanced stages of disease and in patients with a poor performance status. Similarly, the nutritional risk was higher in esophageal and pancreatic cancer and in those with a worse performance status. There was a good correlation between the severity of anorexia and the rate of the weight loss The majority of patients with no weight loss or a weight loss anorexia. Weight loss and nutritional risk are frequent in an unselected series of cancer outpatients. Site of primary tumour, stage and performance state appear to be associated, at a preliminary analysis, with significant weight loss and nutritional risk. Anorexia and weight loss are closely related, and this supports the concept that nutritional

  7. Breast cancer screening (BCS) chart: a basic and preliminary model for making screening mammography more productive and efficient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poorolajal, Jalal; Akbari, Mohammad Esmaeil; Ziaee, Fatane; Karami, Manoochehr; Ghoncheh, Mahshid

    2017-05-15

    The breast cancer screening (BCS) chart is suggested as a basic and preliminary tool to improve efficiency of screening mammography. We conducted this case-control study in 2016 and enrolled 1422 women aged 30-75 years, including 506 women with breast cancer (cases) and 916 women without breast cancer (controls). We developed the BCS chart using a multiple logistic regression analysis. We combined the risks of breast cancer to predict the individual risk of breast cancer. Then, we stratified and colored the predicted risk probabilities as follows: green), 05-09% (yellow), 10-14% (orange), 15-19% (red), 20-24% (brown) and ≥25% (black). The BCS chart provides the risk probability of breast cancer, based on age, body mass index, late menopause, having a benign breast disease and a positive family history of breast cancer among the first-degree or the second/third-degree relatives. According to this chart, an individual can be classified in a category of low risk (green), medium risk (yellow and orange), high risk (red and brown) and very high risk (black) for breast cancer. This chart is a flexible and easy to use tool that can detect high-risk subjects and make the screening program more efficient and productive. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  8. Screening for Malnutrition in Community Dwelling Older Japanese: Preliminary Development and Evaluation of the Japanese Nutritional Risk Screening Tool (NRST).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Htun, N C; Ishikawa-Takata, K; Kuroda, A; Tanaka, T; Kikutani, T; Obuchi, S P; Hirano, H; Iijima, K

    2016-02-01

    Early and effective screening for age-related malnutrition is an essential part of providing optimal nutritional care to older populations. This study was performed to evaluate the adaptation of the original SCREEN II questionnaire (Seniors in the Community: Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition, version II) for use in Japan by examining its measurement properties and ability to predict nutritional risk and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older Japanese people. The ultimate objective of this preliminary validation study is to develop a license granted full Japanese version of the SCREEN II. The measurement properties and predictive validity of the NRST were examined in this cross-sectional study of 1921 community-dwelling older Japanese people. Assessments included medical history, and anthropometric and serum albumin measurements. Questions on dietary habits that corresponded to the original SCREEN II were applied to Nutritional Risk Screening Tool (NRST) scoring system. Nutritional risk was assessed by the Geriatric Nutrition Risk Index (GNRI) and the short form of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF). Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People. The nutritional risk prevalences determined by the GNRI and MNA-SF were 5.6% and 34.7%, respectively. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 13.3%. Mean NRST scores were significantly lower in the nutritionally at-risk than in the well-nourished groups. Concurrent validity analysis showed significant correlations between NRST scores and both nutritional risk parameters (GNRI or MNA-SF) and sarcopenia. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) of NRST for the prediction of nutritional risk were 0.635 and 0.584 as assessed by GNRI and MNA-SF, respectively. AUCs for the prediction of sarcopenia were 0.602 (NRST), 0.655 (age-integrated NRST), and 0.676 (age and BMI-integrated NRST). These results indicate that the NRST is a

  9. Method of preliminary localization of the iris in biometric access control systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minacova, N.; Petrov, I.

    2015-10-01

    This paper presents a method of preliminary localization of the iris, based on the stable brightness features of the iris in images of the eye. In tests on images of eyes from publicly available databases method showed good accuracy and speed compared to existing methods preliminary localization.

  10. A new screening method for discovering antibacterial agents from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A new screening method for discovering antibacterial agents from filamentous fungi. ... African Journal of Biotechnology ... Keywords: Drug-resistant bacterial pathogens, novel antibiotics; screening method, filamentous fungi products ...

  11. Preliminary design of the beam screen cooling for the Future Circular Collider of hadron beams

    CERN Document Server

    Kotnig, C

    2015-01-01

    Following recommendations of the recent update of the European strategy in particle physics, CERN has undertaken an international study of possible future circular colliders beyond the LHC. This study considers an option for a very high energy (100 TeV) hadron-hadron collider located in a quasi-circular underground tunnel having a circumference of 80 to 100 km. The synchrotron radiation emitted by the high-energy hadron beam increases by more than two orders of magnitude compared to the LHC. To reduce the entropic load on the superconducting magnets' refrigeration system, beam screens are indispensable to extract the heat load at a higher temperature level. After illustrating the decisive constraints of the beam screen's refrigeration design, this paper presents a preliminary design of the length of a continuous cooling loop comparing helium and neon, for different cooling channel geometries with emphasis on the cooling length limitations and the exergetic efficiency.

  12. Preliminary design of the beam screen cooling for the Future Circular Collider of hadron beams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotnig, C.; Tavian, L.

    2015-12-01

    Following recommendations of the recent update of the European strategy in particle physics, CERN has undertaken an international study of possible future circular colliders beyond the LHC. This study considers an option for a very high energy (100 TeV) hadron-hadron collider located in a quasi-circular underground tunnel having a circumference of 80 to 100 km. The synchrotron radiation emitted by the high-energy hadron beam increases by more than two orders of magnitude compared to the LHC. To reduce the entropic load on the superconducting magnets’ refrigeration system, beam screens are indispensable to extract the heat load at a higher temperature level. After illustrating the decisive constraints of the beam screen's refrigeration design, this paper presents a preliminary design of the length of a continuous cooling loop comparing helium and neon, for different cooling channel geometries with emphasis on the cooling length limitations and the exergetic efficiency.

  13. Down syndrome screening methods in Iranian pregnant women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azizeh Farshbaf Khalili

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Down syndrome is one of the most prevalent genetic diseases. Screening methods for this syndrome are easy and safe and are recommended to all pregnant wom-en particularly mothers over 35 years of age. This study aimed to review the status of Down syndrome screening and related factors in Iranian pregnant women. Methods: This descriptive analytical study was carried out in 2011. It included 400 women who were randomly selected from those referring to Alzahra Hospital (Tabriz, Iran during their third trimester of pregnancy. Data was collected through a question-naire whose reliability and validity have been approved. The data was analyzed by chi-square test in SPSS13. Results: The results showed that while 28 and 26 women imple-mented screening tests during the first and second trimesters, respectively, only 5 sub-jects benefited from both (integrated test. Chi-square test showed significant correla-tions between the implementation of screening methods and age, education level, in-come, and the location of prenatal care (p < 0.05. Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed women to poorly implement Down syndrome screening methods. Therefore, the necessity of providing appropriate educational programs for health staff and mothers seems undeniable. Moreover, paying attention to the related factors such as income, educational level, and adequate training of mothers during pregnancy is essential.

  14. Preliminary study on the establishment of the radionuclide declaration methods for radionuclides in LILW radioactive waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, K. H.; Lee, K. J.; Jung, C. W.

    2003-01-01

    The preliminary study on declaration methods has been done for each radionuclide in LILW radwaste drum in Korean NPPs. View from the preliminary establishment of radio nuclide declaration methods, The selection of assessment target nuclide through the qualitative method and preliminary criteria for routine declaration methods in each radio nuclide was derived. First of all, selection criteria and preliminary assessment method for each target radionuclide was surveyed and investigated. And, the selection criteria and selected the target radio nuclides from the basis on criteria was derived. And the preliminary suggestion about the declaration methods for each target radio nuclide was established

  15. Targeted prostate cancer screening in men with mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 detects aggressive prostate cancer: preliminary analysis of the results of the IMPACT study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mitra, Anita V; Bancroft, Elizabeth K; Barbachano, Yolanda

    2011-01-01

    mutations were offered annual prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing, and those with PSA >3 ng/mL, were offered a prostate biopsy. Controls were men age-matched (± 5 years) who were negative for the familial mutation. RESULTS: In total, 300 men were recruited (205 mutation carriers; 89 BRCA1, 116 BRCA2......Study Type - Diagnostic (validating cohort)
Level of Evidence 1b OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the role of targeted prostate cancer screening in men with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, an international study, IMPACT (Identification of Men with a genetic predisposition to ProstAte Cancer: Targeted screening...... in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and controls), was established. This is the first multicentre screening study targeted at men with a known genetic predisposition to prostate cancer. A preliminary analysis of the data is reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Men aged 40-69 years from families with BRCA1 or BRCA2...

  16. A Method for Rapid Measurement of Contrast Sensitivity on Mobile Touch-Screens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulligan, Jeffrey B.

    2016-01-01

    Touch-screen displays in cell phones and tablet computers are now pervasive, making them an attractive option for vision testing outside of the laboratory or clinic. Here we de- scribe a novel method in which subjects use a finger swipe to indicate the transition from visible to invisible on a grating which is swept in both contrast and frequency. Because a single image can be swiped in about a second, it is practical to use a series of images to zoom in on particular ranges of contrast or frequency, both to increase the accuracy of the measurements and to obtain an estimate of the reliability of the subject. Sensitivities to chromatic and spatio-temporal modulations are easily measured using the same method. A proto- type has been developed for Apple Computer's iPad/iPod/iPhone family of devices, implemented using an open-source scripting environment known as QuIP (QUick Image Processing, http://hsi.arc.nasa.gov/groups/scanpath/research.php). Preliminary data show good agreement with estimates obtained from traditional psychophysical methods as well as newer rapid estimation techniques. Issues relating to device calibration are also discussed.

  17. Mammography-based screening program: preliminary results from a first 2-year round in a Brazilian region using mobile and fixed units

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haikel Raphael

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide. The use of mobile mammography units to offer screening to women living in remote areas is a rational strategy to increase the number of women examined. This study aimed to evaluate results from the first 2 years of a government-organized mammography screening program implemented with a mobile unit (MU and a fixed unit (FU in a rural county in Brazil. The program offered breast cancer screening to women living in Barretos and the surrounding area. Methods Based on epidemiologic data, 54 238 women, aged 40 to 69 years, were eligible for breast cancer screening. The study included women examined from April 1, 2003 to March 31, 2005. The chi-square test and Bonferroni correction analyses were used to evaluate the frequencies of tumors and the importance of clinical parameters and tumor characteristics. Significance was set at p Results Overall, 17 964 women underwent mammography. This represented 33.1% of eligible women in the area. A mean of 18.6 and 26.3 women per day were examined in the FU and MU, respectively. Seventy six patients were diagnosed with breast cancer (41 (54% in the MU. This represented 4.2 cases of breast cancer per 1000 examinations. The number of cancers detected was significantly higher in women aged 60 to 69 years than in those aged 50 to 59 years (p Conclusions Preliminary results indicate that this mammography screening program is feasible for implementation in a rural Brazilian territory and favor program continuation.

  18. Performance of machine learning methods for ligand-based virtual screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plewczynski, Dariusz; Spieser, Stéphane A H; Koch, Uwe

    2009-05-01

    Computational screening of compound databases has become increasingly popular in pharmaceutical research. This review focuses on the evaluation of ligand-based virtual screening using active compounds as templates in the context of drug discovery. Ligand-based screening techniques are based on comparative molecular similarity analysis of compounds with known and unknown activity. We provide an overview of publications that have evaluated different machine learning methods, such as support vector machines, decision trees, ensemble methods such as boosting, bagging and random forests, clustering methods, neuronal networks, naïve Bayesian, data fusion methods and others.

  19. A Preliminary Rubric Design to Evaluate Mixed Methods Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burrows, Timothy J.

    2013-01-01

    With the increase in frequency of the use of mixed methods, both in research publications and in externally funded grants there are increasing calls for a set of standards to assess the quality of mixed methods research. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to conduct a multi-phase analysis to create a preliminary rubric to evaluate mixed…

  20. In vitro screening methods for assessing plant disease resistance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lebeda, A.; Svabova, L.

    2010-01-01

    A combination of biotechnological and phytopathological techniques provides an alternative approach to classical resistance breeding methods. Such techniques have been increasingly used since the 1980s, in parallel with the progress in plant biotechnology. In the approach of resistance screening and selection in vitro, both experimental objects, i.e., the plant and the pathogen, must first be transferred to in vitro conditions, and finally, the plant material must be transferred back to in vivo conditions and adapted to the outside settings. Specific attention must be paid to the methods of pathogen preparation for use in screening and selection in vitro. The selection agents are classified according to their origin, the methods of preparation, nature and content of active substances, and effective utilisation for screening or selection in vitro. Basic principles and methodological aspects of the in vitro work (explant cultures, sources of in vitro variability, screening and selection methods, types of selection agents) as well as examples of practical applications in the breeding of different crops are critically reviewed in this chapter. (author)

  1. Novel Data Mining Methods for Virtual Screening of Biological Active Chemical Compounds

    KAUST Repository

    Soufan, Othman M.

    2016-11-23

    Drug discovery is a process that takes many years and hundreds of millions of dollars to reveal a confident conclusion about a specific treatment. Part of this sophisticated process is based on preliminary investigations to suggest a set of chemical compounds as candidate drugs for the treatment. Computational resources have been playing a significant role in this part through a step known as virtual screening. From a data mining perspective, availability of rich data resources is key in training prediction models. Yet, the difficulties imposed by big expansion in data and its dimensionality are inevitable. In this thesis, I address the main challenges that come when data mining techniques are used for virtual screening. In order to achieve an efficient virtual screening using data mining, I start by addressing the problem of feature selection and provide analysis of best ways to describe a chemical compound for an enhanced screening performance. High-throughput screening (HTS) assays data used for virtual screening are characterized by a great class imbalance. To handle this problem of class imbalance, I suggest using a novel algorithm called DRAMOTE to narrow down promising candidate chemicals aimed at interaction with specific molecular targets before they are experimentally evaluated. Existing works are mostly proposed for small-scale virtual screening based on making use of few thousands of interactions. Thus, I propose enabling large-scale (or big) virtual screening through learning millions of interaction while exploiting any relevant dependency for a better accuracy. A novel solution called DRABAL that incorporates structure learning of a Bayesian Network as a step to model dependency between the HTS assays, is showed to achieve significant improvements over existing state-of-the-art approaches.

  2. LC-MS (/MS) in clinical toxicology screening methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viette, Véronique; Hochstrasser, Denis; Fathi, Marc

    2012-01-01

    Toxicological screening is the analysis of biological samples to detect and identify unknown compounds. The high selectivity and sensitivity of liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) or tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) technology provide an attractive alternative to the current methods (LC-UV, GC/MS, etc.). For these reasons, an increasing number of applications are being published. This paper is a brief overview of LC-MS(/MS) screening methods developed for clinical toxicology in recent years. Various sample treatments, chromatographic separations and detection by mass spectrometry can be combined to obtain screening methods adapted to the constraints and needs of clinical toxicology laboratories. Currently the techniques are in the hands of specialists, mainly in academic institutions. However, the evolution in technology should allow application of these techniques as a tool in toxicology laboratories, thus allowing a more widespread exploitation of their potential.

  3. A rapid method for screening arrayed plasmid cDNA library by PCR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Yingchun; Zhang Kaitai; Wu Dechang; Li Gang; Xiang Xiaoqiong

    1999-01-01

    Objective: To develop a PCR-based method for rapid and effective screening of arrayed plasmid cDNA library. Methods: The plasmid cDNA library was arrayed and screened by PCR with a particular set of primers. Results: Four positive clones were obtained through about one week. Conclusion: This method can be applied to screening not only normal cDNA clones, but also cDNA clones-containing small size fragments. This method offers significant advantages over traditional screening method in terms of sensitivity, specificity and efficiency

  4. Solubility tests and the peripheral blood film method for screening ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective. To determine the cost benefit of screening for sicklecell disease among infants at district health centres in Uganda using sickling, solubility tests and the peripheral blood film method. Methods. Pilot screening services were established at district health centres. Cost benefit analysis (CBA) was performed in four ...

  5. 77 FR 4544 - CPSC Symposium on Phthalates Screening and Testing Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-30

    ... Screening and Testing Methods AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The... symposium on phthalates screening and testing methods. The symposium will be held at the CPSC's National... submit comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC-2012-0008, by any of the following methods: Electronic...

  6. An alternative green screen keying method for film visual effects

    OpenAIRE

    Zhi, Jin

    2015-01-01

    This study focuses on a green screen keying method developed especially for film visual effects. There are a series of ways of using existing tools for creating mattes from green or blue screen plates. However, it is still a time-consuming process, and the results vary especially when it comes to retaining tiny details, such as hair and fur. This paper introduces an alternative concept and method for retaining edge details of characters on a green screen plate, also, a number of connected mat...

  7. Intravenous DSA as a screening method for cerebral aneurysms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukaya, Hiroyuki; Sunami, Kaneo; Hoshi, Seiichiro; Komiya, Hirokazu; Saeki, Naokatsu.

    1990-01-01

    Intravenous DSA (IVDSA) was evaluated as a screening method for cerebral aneurysms. It was performed 390 times in 372 cases. Clinically useful images were obtained in 94.1% in all examinations. Nineteen aneurysms were visualized in cerebral angiography among 21 cases with SAH or 3rd nerve palsy, whereas in IVDSA 15 aneurysms were noted. Aneurysms not visualized in IVDSA were all 4 mm or less in size. Therefore, aneurysms, more than 4 mm in size, which have higher risks for rupture, were detectable in IVDSA. Based on these findings, IVDSA is considered to be clinically useful in screening for aneurysms. In all 372 cases, 33 aneurysms were suspected in IVDSA findings, whereas in cerebral angiography 21 of them turned to be aneurysms. Such 12 false positive cases were distributed mainly at anterior communicating and middle cerebral arteries. Improvement of image resolution, avoidance of vessel overlapping and proper selection of screened cases should be investigated for further development of this screening method. (author)

  8. Screening-Level Ecological Risk Assessment Methods, Revision 3

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mirenda, Richard J. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2012-08-16

    This document provides guidance for screening-level assessments of potential adverse impacts to ecological resources from release of environmental contaminants at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or the Laboratory). The methods presented are based on two objectives, namely: to provide a basis for reaching consensus with regulators, managers, and other interested parties on how to conduct screening-level ecological risk investigations at the Laboratory; and to provide guidance for ecological risk assessors under the Environmental Programs (EP) Directorate. This guidance promotes consistency, rigor, and defensibility in ecological screening investigations and in reporting those investigation results. The purpose of the screening assessment is to provide information to the risk managers so informed riskmanagement decisions can be made. This document provides examples of recommendations and possible risk-management strategies.

  9. An approximate-reasoning-based method for screening high-level waste tanks for flammable gas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eisenhawer, S.W.; Bott, T.F.; Smith, R.E.

    1998-01-01

    The in situ retention of flammable gas produced by radiolysis and thermal decomposition in high-level waste can pose a safety problem if the gases are released episodically into the dome space of a storage tank. Screening efforts at Hanford have been directed at identifying tanks in which this situation could exist. Problems encountered in screening motivated an effort to develop an improved screening methodology. Approximate reasoning (AR) is a formalism designed to emulate the kinds of complex judgments made by subject matter experts. It uses inductive logic structures to build a sequence of forward-chaining inferences about a subject. AR models incorporate natural language expressions known as linguistic variables to represent evidence. The use of fuzzy sets to represent these variables mathematically makes it practical to evaluate quantitative and qualitative information consistently. The authors performed a pilot study to investigate the utility of AR for flammable gas screening. They found that the effort to implement such a model was acceptable and that computational requirements were reasonable. The preliminary results showed that important judgments about the validity of observational data and the predictive power of models could be made. These results give new insights into the problems observed in previous screening efforts

  10. An Approximate Reasoning-Based Method for Screening High-Level-Waste Tanks for Flammable Gas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eisenhawer, Stephen W.; Bott, Terry F.; Smith, Ronald E.

    2000-01-01

    The in situ retention of flammable gas produced by radiolysis and thermal decomposition in high-level waste can pose a safety problem if the gases are released episodically into the dome space of a storage tank. Screening efforts at the Hanford site have been directed at identifying tanks in which this situation could exist. Problems encountered in screening motivated an effort to develop an improved screening methodology. Approximate reasoning (AR) is a formalism designed to emulate the kinds of complex judgments made by subject matter experts. It uses inductive logic structures to build a sequence of forward-chaining inferences about a subject. Approximate-reasoning models incorporate natural language expressions known as linguistic variables to represent evidence. The use of fuzzy sets to represent these variables mathematically makes it practical to evaluate quantitative and qualitative information consistently. In a pilot study to investigate the utility of AR for flammable gas screening, the effort to implement such a model was found to be acceptable, and computational requirements were found to be reasonable. The preliminary results showed that important judgments about the validity of observational data and the predictive power of models could be made. These results give new insights into the problems observed in previous screening efforts

  11. An approximate reasoning-based method for screening high-level-waste tanks for flammable gas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eisenhawer, S.W.; Bott, T.F.; Smith, R.E.

    2000-01-01

    The in situ retention of flammable gas produced by radiolysis and thermal decomposition in high-level waste can pose a safety problem if the gases are released episodically into the dome space of a storage tank. Screening efforts at the Hanford site have been directed at identifying tanks in which this situation could exist. Problems encountered in screening motivated an effort to develop and improved screening methodology. Approximate reasoning (AR) is a formalism designed to emulate the kinds of complex judgments made by subject matter experts. It uses inductive logic structures to build a sequence of forward-chaining inferences about a subject. Approximate-reasoning models incorporate natural language expressions known as linguistic variables to represent evidence. The use of fuzzy sets to represent these variables mathematically makes it practical to evaluate quantitative and qualitative information consistently. In a pilot study to investigate the utility of AR for flammable gas screening, the effort to implement such a model was found to be acceptable, and computational requirements were found to be reasonable. The preliminary results showed that important judgments about the validity of observational data and the predictive power of models could be made. These results give new insights into the problems observed in previous screening efforts

  12. An approximate reasoning-based method for screening high-level-waste tanks for flammable gas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eisenhawer, S.W.; Bott, T.F.; Smith, R.E.

    2000-06-01

    The in situ retention of flammable gas produced by radiolysis and thermal decomposition in high-level waste can pose a safety problem if the gases are released episodically into the dome space of a storage tank. Screening efforts at the Hanford site have been directed at identifying tanks in which this situation could exist. Problems encountered in screening motivated an effort to develop and improved screening methodology. Approximate reasoning (AR) is a formalism designed to emulate the kinds of complex judgments made by subject matter experts. It uses inductive logic structures to build a sequence of forward-chaining inferences about a subject. Approximate-reasoning models incorporate natural language expressions known as linguistic variables to represent evidence. The use of fuzzy sets to represent these variables mathematically makes it practical to evaluate quantitative and qualitative information consistently. In a pilot study to investigate the utility of AR for flammable gas screening, the effort to implement such a model was found to be acceptable, and computational requirements were found to be reasonable. The preliminary results showed that important judgments about the validity of observational data and the predictive power of models could be made. These results give new insights into the problems observed in previous screening efforts.

  13. Hanford ferrocyanide waste chemistry and reactivity preliminary catalyst and initiator screening studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scheele, R.D.; Bryan, S.A.; Johnston, J.W.; Tingey, J.M.; Burger, L.L.; Hallen, R.T.

    1992-05-01

    During the 1950s, ferrocyanide was used to scavenge radiocesium from aqueous nitrate-containing Hanford wastes. During the production of defense materials and while these wastes were stored in high-level waste tanks at the Hanford Site, some of these wastes were likely mixed with other waste constituents and materials. Recently, Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) was commissioned by Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) to investigate the chemical reactivity of these ferrocyanide-bearing wastes. Because of known or potential thermal reactivity hazards associated with ferrocyanide- and nitrate-bearing wastes, and because of the potential for different materials to act as catalysts or initiators of the reactions about which there is concern, we at PNL have begun investigating the effects of the other potential waste constituents. This report presents the results of a preliminary screening study to identify classes of materials that might be in the Hanford high-level waste tanks and that could accelerate or reduce the starting temperature of the reaction(s) of concern. We plan to use the resulted of this study to determine which materials or class of materials merit additional research

  14. Genealogical series method. Hyperpolar points screen effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gorbatov, A.M.

    1991-01-01

    The fundamental values of the genealogical series method -the genealogical integrals (sandwiches) have been investigated. The hyperpolar points screen effect has been found. It allows one to calculate the sandwiches for the Fermion systems with large number of particles and to ascertain the validity of the iterated-potential method as well. For the first time the genealogical-series method has been realized numerically for the central spin-independent potential

  15. Automatic teleaudiometry: a low cost method to auditory screening

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Campelo, Victor Eulálio Sousa

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The auditory screening' benefits has been demonstrated, however these programs has been restricted to the big centers. Objectives: (a Developing a auditory screening method to distance; (b Testing its accuracy and comparing to the screening audiometry test (AV. Method: The teleaudiometry (TA, consists in a developed software, installed in a computer with phone TDH39. It was realized a study in series in 73 individuals between 17 and 50 years, being 57,%% of the female sex, they were randomly selected between patients and companions of the Hospital das Clínicas. Before were subjected to a symptom questionnaire and otoscopy, the individuals realized the tests of TA AV, with scanning in 20dB in the frequencies of 1,2 and 4kHz following the ASHA (1997 protocol and to the gold standard test of audiometry of pure tones in soundproof booth in aleatory order. Results: the TA has lasted average 125+11s and the AV 65+18s. 69 individuals (94,5% declaring to be found difficult or very easy to performing the TA and 61 (83,6% have considered easy or very easy the AV. The accuracy results of TA and AV were respectively: sensibility (86,7% / 86,7%, specificity (75,9%/ 72,4% and negative predictive value (95,7% / 95,5%, positive predictive value (48,1% / 55,2%. Conclusion: The teleaudiometry has showed a good option as an auditory screening method, presenting accuracy next to screening audiometry. In comparison with this method, the teleaudiometry has presented a similar sensibility, major specificity, negative predictive value and endurance time and, under positive predictive value.

  16. Screening for dioxin contamination in fish oil by PARAFAC and N-PLSR analysis of fluorescence landscapes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjær Pedersen, D.; Munck, L.; Balling Engelsen, S.

    2002-01-01

    A preliminary investigation of fish oils demonstrates that fluorescence excitation-emission landscapes evaluated by 3-way chemometric methods may be a candidate for an inexpensive screening method to indicate the level of contamination by dioxins and PCB’s which are normally analysed with expensive...

  17. A new promising screening method for cognitive functioning in elderly patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuin, Y.; Nijsten, J.M.H.; Stok-Koch, E.G.H.J.; Jansen, R.W.M.M.

    1996-01-01

    The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is frequently used as a screening method to detect cognitive dysfunctioning. However, the MMSE has limited sensitivity to detect mild impairment. We aimed to develop a new screening method to discriminate between normal and mild cognitive functioning in older

  18. Proximate composition, phytochemical screening and antianaemic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this study, the phytochemical screening and anti-anaemic effect of Aloe barbadensis leaves was investigated in nutritionally stressed rats. Preliminary phytochemical screening test of the plant revealed that it contained tannins, flavonoids, anthraquinones, saponins, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides. Sets of male albino ...

  19. A virtual screening method for inhibitory peptides of Angiotensin I-converting enzyme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Hongxi; Liu, Yalan; Guo, Mingrong; Xie, Jingli; Jiang, XiaMin

    2014-09-01

    Natural small peptides from foods have been proven to be efficient inhibitors of Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) for the regulation of blood pressure. The traditional ACE inhibitory peptides screening method is both time consuming and money costing, to the contrary, virtual screening method by computation can break these limitations. We establish a virtual screening method to obtain ACE inhibitory peptides with the help of Libdock module of Discovery Studio 3.5 software. A significant relationship between Libdock score and experimental IC(50) was found, Libdock score = 10.063 log(1/IC(50)) + 68.08 (R(2) = 0.62). The credibility of the relationship was confirmed by testing the coincidence of the estimated log(1/IC(50)) and measured log(1/IC(50)) (IC(50) is 50% inhibitory concentration toward ACE, in μmol/L) of 5 synthetic ACE inhibitory peptides, which was virtual hydrolyzed and screened from a kind of seafood, Phascolosoma esculenta. Accordingly, Libdock method is a valid IC(50) estimation tool and virtual screening method for small ACE inhibitory peptides. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

  20. Phytochemical screening and antiproliferative effects of methanol ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Preliminary Phytochemical screening. Thin layer chromatographic profile (TLC) of methanol crude extract and antiproliferative studies were carried out in this research. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of carbohydrate, glycoside, anthraquinone, steroid, triterpenes, saponin, tannins, flavonoids and alkaloid.

  1. Evaluating two methods of digital photography in retinopathy screening

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Chen

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available AIM:To evaluate the advantages of non-mydriatic fundus photography(NMFCSand mydriatic fundus photography(MFCSas eye-bottom screening and diagnosis methods in compared with gold standard fluorescein fundus angiography(FFA. METHODS: A total of 276 patients which involved in Chronic Diabetes Management Achieves within 4 streets of Pudong District Shanghai, were enrolled for diabetic retinopathy(DRexamination including NMFCS, MFCS and FFA. These DR examinations were proceeded after vision, slit-lamp and dioptroscopy tests, and reported by professionals. For those with suspicious fundus diseases, we would make appointments with specialist for further treatment. RESULTS: A total of 1104 colorful fundus images, and 1056 images(95.65%could be used to analyze. There were 408 appreciable images, 116 basically appreciable images and 28 unusable images in 552 NMFCS images. In addition, there were 432 appreciable images, 100 basically appreciable images and 20 unusable images in 552 MFCS images. There was no significant differences between NMFCS and MFCS(P>0.05. Compared with FFA with DRⅠ as the critical value, the specificity of digital photography for NMFCS was 95.71%, the sensitivity was 93.56%; however, MFCS are 95.43% and 98.02%. There was no statistically significant difference between the two screening methods(P>0.05. Compared with FFA with DRⅡ as the critical value, the specificity of digital photography for NMFCS was 95.35% and the sensitivity was 93.44%; however, for MFCS were 95.81% and 98.36%. There was no statistically significant difference between the two screening methods(P>0.05. CONCLUSION: Both NMFCS and MFCS could be used for the diagnosis and screening for eye diseases. NMFCS is easier and faster for digital photography, which is suitable for mass screening. MFCS is more likely to provide detailed information about the follow-up of the disease.

  2. Three screening methods for cognitive dysfunction using the Mini-Mental State Examination and Korean Dementia Screening Questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Seong Hye; Park, Moon Ho

    2016-02-01

    To screen for and determine cognitive dysfunction, cognitive tests and/or informant reports are commonly used. However, these cognitive tests and informant reports are not always available. The present study investigated three screening methods using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) as the cognitive test, and the Korean dementia screening questionnaire (KDSQ) as the informant report. Participants were recruited from the Korea Clinical Research Center for Dementia of South Korea, and included 2861 patients with Alzheimer's disease (dementia), 3519 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 1375 controls with no cognitive dysfunction. Three screening methods were tested: (i) MMSE alone (MMSE(cut-off) ); (ii) a conventional combination of MMSE and KDSQ (MMSE+KDSQ(cut-off) ); and (iii) a decision tree with MMSE and KDSQ (MMSE+KDSQ(decision tree) ). For discriminating any cognitive dysfunction from controls, MMSE+KDSQ(cut-off) had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.784). For discriminating dementia from controls, MMSE+KDSQ(cut-off) had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.899). For discriminating mild cognitive impairment from controls, MMSE(cut-off) had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.683). MMSE+KDSQ(decision tree) showed the highest sensitivity for all discriminations. For overall classification accuracy, MMSE+KDSQ(decision tree) had the highest value (70.0%). These three methods had different advantageous properties for screening and staging cognitive dysfunction. As there might be different availability across clinical settings, these three methods can be selected and used according to situational needs. © 2015 Japan Geriatrics Society.

  3. Introducing Bayesian thinking to high-throughput screening for false-negative rate estimation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Xin; Gao, Lin; Zhang, Xiaolei; Qian, Hong; Rowan, Karen; Mark, David; Peng, Zhengwei; Huang, Kuo-Sen

    2013-10-01

    High-throughput screening (HTS) has been widely used to identify active compounds (hits) that bind to biological targets. Because of cost concerns, the comprehensive screening of millions of compounds is typically conducted without replication. Real hits that fail to exhibit measurable activity in the primary screen due to random experimental errors will be lost as false-negatives. Conceivably, the projected false-negative rate is a parameter that reflects screening quality. Furthermore, it can be used to guide the selection of optimal numbers of compounds for hit confirmation. Therefore, a method that predicts false-negative rates from the primary screening data is extremely valuable. In this article, we describe the implementation of a pilot screen on a representative fraction (1%) of the screening library in order to obtain information about assay variability as well as a preliminary hit activity distribution profile. Using this training data set, we then developed an algorithm based on Bayesian logic and Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the number of true active compounds and potential missed hits from the full library screen. We have applied this strategy to five screening projects. The results demonstrate that this method produces useful predictions on the numbers of false negatives.

  4. Simplified methods and application to preliminary design of piping for elevated temperature service

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Severud, L.K.

    1975-01-01

    A number of simplified stress analysis methods and procedures that have been used on the FFTF project for preliminary design of piping operating at elevated temperatures are described. The rationale and considerations involved in developing the procedures and preliminary design guidelines are given. Applications of the simplified methods to a few FFTF pipelines are described and the success of these guidelines are measured by means of comparisons to pipeline designs that have had detailed Code type stress analyses. (U.S.)

  5. A screening method for banana weevil ( Cosmopolites sordidus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The banana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus Germar) is a serious pest in most banana-growing areas of the world. Host-plant resistance is considered to be the most feasible and sustainable method for its control. However, a quick and effective method for screening banana genotypes for resistance against the banana ...

  6. A method for calculating effective lifetime risk of radiation-induced cancer from screening mammography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, R.M.; England, A.; McEntee, M.F.; Hogg, P.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: To propose a method for evaluating the effective lifetime risk of radiation-induced cancer from screening mammography and to present initial data for the UK National Breast Screening Programme. Material and methods: The imaging was undertaken using a Hologic Selenia full field digital mammographic unit. The proposed method utilises an ATOM phantom containing thermoluminescent dosimeters and a perspex-polyethylene breast phantom to measure organ doses during a standard four view screening mammogram. Effective dose was calculated and effective risk was modelled for a range of client ages. The total lifetime effective risk was then calculated for the UK national screening programme. Calculation of effective risk includes the radiation dose to examined and contralateral breasts in addition to other body organs; this is an advantage over the mean glandular dose. Results: The contralateral breast, thyroid, thymus, brain, lung, salivary glands, and bone marrow all receive more than 1 μGy radiation dose during screening mammography. A major difference exists for total effective lifetime risk of radiation-induced cancer between clients with average and high breast cancer risk. Differences are attributed to the commencement age of screening and time interval between screens. Conclusion: This study proposes a method to evaluate effective lifetime risk of radiation-induced cancer from screening mammography in order to compare different mammography screening programmes. - Highlights: • We proposed a method for the calculation of radiation-induced cancer from screening mammography. • We measured the radiation absorbed dose of different organs during screening mammography. • There are major differences between mammography screening programme categories with regard to radiation effective risk.

  7. Statistical methods for determining the effect of mammography screening

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lophaven, Søren

    2016-01-01

    In an overview of five randomised controlled trials from Sweden, a reduction of 29% was found in breast cancer mortality in women aged 50-69 at randomisation after a follow up of 5-13 years. Organised, population based, mammography service screening was introduced on the basis of these resultsin...... in 2007-2008. Women aged 50-69 were invited to screening every second year. Taking advantage of the registers of population and health, we present statistical methods for evaluating the effect of mammography screening on breast cancer mortality (Olsen et al. 2005, Njor et al. 2015 and Weedon-Fekjær etal...

  8. A deep learning method for early screening of lung cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Kunpeng; Jiang, Huiqin; Ma, Ling; Gao, Jianbo; Yang, Xiaopeng

    2018-04-01

    Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men. In this paper, we propose a pulmonary nodule detection method for early screening of lung cancer based on the improved AlexNet model. In order to maintain the same image quality as the existing B/S architecture PACS system, we convert the original CT image into JPEG format image by analyzing the DICOM file firstly. Secondly, in view of the large size and complex background of CT chest images, we design the convolution neural network on basis of AlexNet model and sparse convolution structure. At last we train our models on the software named DIGITS which is provided by NVIDIA. The main contribution of this paper is to apply the convolutional neural network for the early screening of lung cancer and improve the screening accuracy by combining the AlexNet model with the sparse convolution structure. We make a series of experiments on the chest CT images using the proposed method, of which the sensitivity and specificity indicates that the method presented in this paper can effectively improve the accuracy of early screening of lung cancer and it has certain clinical significance at the same time.

  9. Time-resolved luminescence screening method for enrofloxacin in beef serum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enrofloxacin is one of only two fluoroquinolone antibiotics approved for use in cattle in the U.S. Microbial screening methods currently used in the U.S. for monitoring veterinary drug residues are not sensitive or selective for fluoroquinolones. In this work, a luminescence-based screening assay ...

  10. Development and evaluation of nursing user interface screens using multiple methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyun, Sookyung; Johnson, Stephen B; Stetson, Peter D; Bakken, Suzanne

    2009-12-01

    Building upon the foundation of the Structured Narrative Electronic Health Record (EHR) model, we applied theory-based (combined Technology Acceptance Model and Task-Technology Fit Model) and user-centered methods to explore nurses' perceptions of functional requirements for an electronic nursing documentation system, design user interface screens reflective of the nurses' perspectives, and assess nurses' perceptions of the usability of the prototype user interface screens. The methods resulted in user interface screens that were perceived to be easy to use, potentially useful, and well-matched to nursing documentation tasks associated with Nursing Admission Assessment, Blood Administration, and Nursing Discharge Summary. The methods applied in this research may serve as a guide for others wishing to implement user-centered processes to develop or extend EHR systems. In addition, some of the insights obtained in this study may be informative to the development of safe and efficient user interface screens for nursing document templates in EHRs.

  11. Preliminary Evaluation of Method to Monitor Landfills Resilience against Methane Emission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chusna, Noor Amalia; Maryono, Maryono

    2018-02-01

    Methane emission from landfill sites contribute to global warming and un-proper methane treatment can pose an explosion hazard. Stakeholder and government in the cities in Indonesia been found significant difficulties to monitor the resilience of landfill from methane emission. Moreover, the management of methane gas has always been a challenging issue for long waste management service and operations. Landfills are a significant contributor to anthropogenic methane emissions. This study conducted preliminary evaluation of method to manage methane gas emission by assessing LandGem and IPCC method. From the preliminary evaluation, this study found that the IPCC method is based on the availability of current and historical country specific data regarding the waste disposed of in landfills while from the LandGEM method is an automated tool for estimating emission rates for total landfill gas this method account total gas of methane, carbon dioxide and other. The method can be used either with specific data to estimate emissions in the site or default parameters if no site-specific data are available. Both of method could be utilize to monitor the methane emission from landfill site in cities of Central Java.

  12. High throughput screening method for assessing heterogeneity of microorganisms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ingham, C.J.; Sprenkels, A.J.; van Hylckama Vlieg, J.E.T.; Bomer, Johan G.; de Vos, W.M.; van den Berg, Albert

    2006-01-01

    The invention relates to the field of microbiology. Provided is a method which is particularly powerful for High Throughput Screening (HTS) purposes. More specific a high throughput method for determining heterogeneity or interactions of microorganisms is provided.

  13. Reverse screening methods to search for the protein targets of chemopreventive compounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Hongbin; Zhang, Guigui; Zhou, Yuquan; Lin, Chenru; Chen, Suling; Lin, Yutong; Mai, Shangkang; Huang, Zunnan

    2018-05-01

    This article is a systematic review of reverse screening methods used to search for the protein targets of chemopreventive compounds or drugs. Typical chemopreventive compounds include components of traditional Chinese medicine, natural compounds and Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs. Such compounds are somewhat selective but are predisposed to bind multiple protein targets distributed throughout diverse signaling pathways in human cells. In contrast to conventional virtual screening, which identifies the ligands of a targeted protein from a compound database, reverse screening is used to identify the potential targets or unintended targets of a given compound from a large number of receptors by examining their known ligands or crystal structures. This method, also known as in silico or computational target fishing, is highly valuable for discovering the target receptors of query molecules from terrestrial or marine natural products, exploring the molecular mechanisms of chemopreventive compounds, finding alternative indications of existing drugs by drug repositioning, and detecting adverse drug reactions and drug toxicity. Reverse screening can be divided into three major groups: shape screening, pharmacophore screening and reverse docking. Several large software packages, such as Schrödinger and Discovery Studio; typical software/network services such as ChemMapper, PharmMapper, idTarget and INVDOCK; and practical databases of known target ligands and receptor crystal structures, such as ChEMBL, BindingDB and the Protein Data Bank (PDB), are available for use in these computational methods. Different programs, online services and databases have different applications and constraints. Here, we conducted a systematic analysis and multilevel classification of the computational programs, online services and compound libraries available for shape screening, pharmacophore screening and reverse docking to enable non-specialist users to quickly learn and

  14. [Thoughts on optimizing the breast cancer screening strategies and implementation effects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, K J

    2018-02-01

    Reasonable and effective breast cancer screening can make early diagnosis of breast cancer, improve the cure rate, prolong survival and improve the patients' quality of life. China has made preliminary exploration and attempt in breast cancer screening, however, there are still some problems that have not been solved in terms of the proportion of opportunistic screening, the selection of screening targets, methods and frequency, and the judgment of screening results. Therefore, this article analyzes the above problems in details, and presents some thoughts and recommendations on how to optimize the breast cancer screening strategies and implementation effects in China, from the experience of clinical practice, under the background of constantly emerging new research results and techniques and the rapid development of artificial intelligence, that is, to adjust measures to local conditions, provide personalized strategies, achieve precise screening, preach and educate, ensure health insurance coverage, improve quality control, offer technical support and employ artificial intelligence.

  15. The evolving role of new imaging methods in breast screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houssami, Nehmat; Ciatto, Stefano

    2011-09-01

    The potential to avert breast cancer deaths through screening means that efforts continue to identify methods which may enhance early detection. While the role of most new imaging technologies remains in adjunct screening or in the work-up of mammography-detected abnormalities, some of the new breast imaging tests (such as MRI) have roles in screening groups of women defined by increased cancer risk. This paper highlights the evidence and the current role of new breast imaging technologies in screening, focusing on those that have broader application in population screening, including digital mammography, breast ultrasound in women with dense breasts, and computer-aided detection. It highlights that evidence on new imaging in screening comes mostly from non-randomised studies that have quantified test detection capability as adjunct to mammography, or have compared measures of screening performance for new technologies with that of conventional mammography. Two RCTs have provided high-quality evidence on the equivalence of digital and conventional mammography and on outcomes of screen-reading complemented by CAD. Many of these imaging technologies enhance cancer detection but also increase recall and false positives in screening. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Phytochemical Screening of Aqueous Extract of Luffa aegyptiaca (Sponge gourd) Leave Sample from Northern Nigeria: A Short Communication

    OpenAIRE

    Mhya DH; Mankilik, M

    2014-01-01

    Aqueous extract of the leaves of Luffa aegyptiaca was preliminary screened with the aim of assessing the availability of some biologically active compounds. Pulverized leaves sample of Luffa aegyptiaca was extracted with water; the filtrate was concentrated on water bath and then air-dried at 25oC. The prepared aqueous-extract was used for the phytochemical screening study which was carried out using standard methods. The phytochemicals screened from the aqueous extract of Luffa aegyptiaca sh...

  17. Two cytological methods for screening for cervical cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirschner, B.; Simonsen, K.; Junge, J.

    2008-01-01

    -based cytology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 2002, the Department of Pathology, Hvidovre Hospital changed over from the conventional Papanicolaou smear screening method to SurePath liquid-based cytology. This article is based on a retrospective comparison on data from the population screening programme for cervical...... cancer in the Municipality of Copenhagen. RESULTS: The number of tests with the diagnosis of "normal cells" decreased 1% after the conversion to liquid-based cytology, whilst the number of tests with "atypical cells" and "cells suspicious for malignancy" increased by 64.3% and 41.2% respectively...... of cervical precancerous lesions with liquid-based cytology. Follow-up histology showed no increase of false positive tests, whilst the share of tests which were "unsatisfactory for evaluation" decreased significantly. Overall, the liquid-based technique would seem to have several advantages compared...

  18. Virtual screening methods as tools for drug lead discovery from large chemical libraries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, X H; Zhu, F; Liu, X; Shi, Z; Zhang, J X; Yang, S Y; Wei, Y Q; Chen, Y Z

    2012-01-01

    Virtual screening methods have been developed and explored as useful tools for searching drug lead compounds from chemical libraries, including large libraries that have become publically available. In this review, we discussed the new developments in exploring virtual screening methods for enhanced performance in searching large chemical libraries, their applications in screening libraries of ~ 1 million or more compounds in the last five years, the difficulties in their applications, and the strategies for further improving these methods.

  19. [Screening methods for mild cognitive impairment in primary care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freire Pérez, Alberto

    2017-06-01

    Diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is always clinical and screening methods only indicate that the patient has a higher risk of this condition. In MCI, there is a slight decline in some cognitive abilities that does not affect activities of daily living and therefore does not produce social or occupational disability. The definitive diagnosis of MCI requires a considerable time investment that is very rarely possible to provide in primary care (PC) consultations. Hence the need for PC physicians to employ rapid and simple screening methods (brief cognitive assessment -BCA-) that allow objective identification of patients likely to have MCI in a few minutes. This article reviews the BCA tools that can truly be applied in less than 10 minutes. The phototest is a brief screening tool that is easy to use and interpret by physicians and is well accepted by patients. Consequently, it is one of the most useful tests in PC for screening of both MCI and dementia. In addition to BCA, instrumental activities of daily living scales should also be applied to differentiate MCI from dementia. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Geriatría y Gerontología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  20. Availability and accessibility of subsidized mammogram screening program in peninsular Malaysia: A preliminary study using travel impedance approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmud, Aidalina; Aljunid, Syed Mohamed

    2018-01-01

    Access to healthcare is essential in the pursuit of universal health coverage. Components of access are availability, accessibility (spatial and non-spatial), affordability and acceptability. Measuring spatial accessibility is common approach to evaluating access to health care. This study aimed to determine the availability and spatial accessibility of subsidised mammogram screening in Peninsular Malaysia. Availability was determined from the number and distribution of facilities. Spatial accessibility was determined using the travel impedance approach to represent the revealed access as opposed to potential access measured by other spatial measurement methods. The driving distance of return trips from the respondent's residence to the facilities was determined using a mapping application. The travel expenditure was estimated by multiplying the total travel distance by a standardised travel allowance rate, plus parking fees. Respondents in this study were 344 breast cancer patients who received treatment at 4 referral hospitals between 2015 and 2016. In terms of availability, there were at least 6 major entities which provided subsidised mammogram programs. Facilities with mammogram involved with these programs were located more densely in the central and west coast region of the Peninsula. The ratio of mammogram facility to the target population of women aged 40-74 years ranged between 1: 10,000 and 1:80,000. In terms of accessibility, of the 3.6% of the respondents had undergone mammogram screening, their mean travel distance was 53.4 km (SD = 34.5, range 8-112 km) and the mean travel expenditure was RM 38.97 (SD = 24.00, range RM7.60-78.40). Among those who did not go for mammogram screening, the estimated travel distance and expenditure had a skewed distribution with median travel distance of 22.0 km (IQR 12.0, 42.0, range 2.0-340.0) and the median travel cost of RM 17.40 (IQR 10.40, 30.00, range 3.40-240.00). Higher travel impedance was noted among those who

  1. Validity and cost-effectiveness of methods for screening of primary open angle glaucoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fröschl, Barbara

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available Health political background: About 950,000 people are affected by glaucoma in Germany, about 50% of which are undiagnosed. The German Ophthalmological Society and the German Association of Ophthalmologists recommend a screening for glaucoma according to their guidelines. The Federal Joint Committee disapproved a glaucoma-screening program on expense of the compulsory health insurance in 2004. Scientific background: Primary open angle glaucoma is diagnosed by evaluation of the optic disc, the retinal fibre layer and the visual field. The main examinations are ophthalmoscopy, scanning laser polarimetry, confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, retinal thickness analysis and optical coherence tomography. Scotomas are diagnosed by perimetry (standard automated perimetry, short wavelength automated perimetry and frequency doubling perimetry. The intraocular pressure is the most important treatable risk factor and is measured by (contact or non-contact tonometry. Research questions: The aim of this HTA-report is to investigate the diagnostic validity and cost effectiveness of diagnostic techniques or combinations of these methods with respect to the use in a screening setting in Germany. Methods: A systematic literature research was performed in 35 international databases and yielded 2602 articles. Overall 57 publications were included for assessment, according to predefined selection criteria. Results: The 55 medical articles deal mainly with frequency doubling perimetry, confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and scanning laser polarimetry. Few articles cover short wavelength automated perimetry, tonometry and ophalmocopic evaluations by ophthalmologists. The quality of the papers is generally low, as far as the evidence in respect of screening is concerned. No single method exists with both, high sensitivity and high specificity for screening purpose. Data are also not sufficient to recommend combinations of methods. Only two economic models on cost

  2. Tumour screening by means of tomography methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diederich, S.

    2005-01-01

    Tomography methods such as computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance tomography (MRT), and sonography/ultrasound examinations make it possible to detect small asymptomatic tumours, thus potentially preventing their manifestation at an advanced stage and improving survival prospects for the patients concerned. There are data available on various common tumours which show that modern tomography methods are capable of detecting not only small asymptomatic tumours but also their benign precursors (e.g. polyps of the large intestine). This has been demonstrated for lung cancer, colon cancer and breast cancer. However, it has not been possible to date to show for any tomography method or any type of tumour that the systematic use of such diagnostic procedures does anything to lower the mortality rate for that tumour. For other types of tumour (pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, ovary cancer) the above named methods are either not sufficiently sensitive or the body of data that has accumulated on their respective use is too small to judge the benefit of tomography screenings. Current technical developments make it appear probable that for many types of cancer the reliability with which small tumours can be detected will improve in future. Studies aimed at clarifying the potential of screenings for reducing mortality rates are already underway for lung cancer and would be worthwhile performing for other tumour types

  3. DEVELOPMENT OF A RISK SCREENING METHOD FOR CREDITED OPERATOR ACTIONS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    HIGGINS, J.C.; O'HARA, J.M.; LEWIS, P.M.; PERSENSKY, J.; BONGARRA, J.

    2002-01-01

    DEVELOPMENT OF A RISK SCREENING METHOD FOR CREDITED OPERATOR ACTIONS. THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) REVIEWS THE HUMAN FACTORS ASPECTS OF PROPOSED LICENSE AMENDMENTS THAT IMPACT HUMAN ACTIONS THAT ARE CREDITED IN A PLANTS SAFETY ANALYSIS. THE STAFF IS COMMITTED TO A GRADED APPROACH TO THESE REVIEWS THAT FOCUS RESOURCES ON THE MOST RISK IMPORTANT CHANGES. THEREFORE, A RISK INFORMED SCREENING METHOD WAS DEVELOPED BASED ON AN ADAPTATION OF EXISTING GUIDANCE FOR RISK INFORMED REGULATION AND HUMAN FACTORS. THE METHOD USES BOTH QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE INFORMATION TO DIVIDE THE AMENDMENT REQUESTS INTO DIFFERENT LEVELS OF REVIEW. THE METHOD WAS EVALUATED USING A VARIETY OF TESTS. THIS PAPER WILL SUMMARIZE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE METHODOLOGY AND THE EVALUATIONS THAT WERE PERFORMED TO VERIFY ITS USEFULNESS

  4. A simple method to estimate the episode and programme sensitivity of breast cancer screening programmes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zorzi, Manuel; Guzzinati, Stefano; Puliti, Donella; Paci, Eugenio

    2010-01-01

    The estimation of breast cancer screening sensitivity is a major aim in the quality assessment of screening programmes. The proportional incidence method for the estimation of the sensitivity of breast cancer screening programmes is rarely used to estimate the underlying incidence rates. We present a method to estimate episode and programme sensitivity of screening programmes, based solely on cancers detected within screening cycles (excluding breast cancer cases at prevalent screening round) and on the number of incident cases in the total target population (steady state). The assumptions, strengths and limitations of the method are discussed. An example of calculation of episode and programme sensitivities is given, on the basis of the data from the IMPACT study, a large observational study of breast cancer screening programmes in Italy. The programme sensitivity from the fifth year of screening onwards ranged between 41% and 48% of the total number of cases in the target population. At steady state episode sensitivity was 0.70, with a trend across age groups, with lowest values in women aged 50-54 years (0.52) and highest in those 65-69 (0.77). The method is a very serviceable tool for estimating sensitivity in service screening programmes, and the results are comparable with those of other methods of estimation.

  5. Development of thermal stress screening method. Application of green function method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furuhashi, Ichiro; Shibamoto, Hiroshi; Kasahara, Naoto

    2004-01-01

    This work was achieved for the development of the screening method of thermal transient stresses in FBR components. We proposed an approximation method for evaluations of thermal stress under variable heat transfer coefficients (non-linear problems) using the Green functions of thermal stresses with constant heat transfer coefficients (linear problems). Detailed thermal stress analyses provided Green functions for a skirt structure and a tube-sheet of Intermediate Heat Exchanger. The upper bound Green functions were obtained by the analyses using those upper bound heat transfer coefficients. The medium and the lower bound Green functions were got by the analyses of those under medium and the lower bound heat transfer coefficients. Conventional evaluations utilized the upper bound Green functions. On the other hand, we proposed a new evaluation method by using the upper bound, medium and the lower bound Green functions. The comparison of above results gave the results as follows. The conventional evaluations were conservative and appropriate for the cases under one fluid thermal transient structure such as the skirt. The conventional evaluations were generally conservative for the complicated structures under two or more fluids thermal transients such as the tube-sheet. But the danger locations could exists for the complicated structures under two or more fluids transients, namely the conventional evaluations were non-conservative. The proposed evaluations gave good estimations for these complicated structures. Though above results, we have made the basic documents of the screening method of thermal transient stresses using the conventional method and the new method. (author)

  6. A novel test tube method of screening for hemoglobin E.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tatu, T; Kasinrerk, W

    2012-02-01

    Hemoglobin (Hb) E is a β-structural variant common worldwide. This Hb disorder can form a compound heterozygous state with the β-thalassemia gene, leading to life-threatening hereditary hemolytic anemia, HbE/β-thalassemia. Screening of HbE has proven to be a challenging practice in prevention and control of the HbE/β-thalassemia. A novel test tube method for HbE screening using diethyl aminoethyl (DEAE)-cellulose resin was described. With the developed system, HbE/A(2) did not bind to the resin and remained dissolved in the supernatant, whereas other Hbs completely bound to the resin. The red color of the supernatant observed in the test tube indicated the presence of HbE. Colorless or markedly pale color of the supernatant indicates the absence of HbE. Accuracy and efficiency of the established method in detecting HbE was comparable with the standard cellulose acetate electrophoresis method. The developed method is cheap and simple with no requirement of sophisticated equipment. The reagent could be stored at 4 °C for up to 5 months. Hemolysate samples aged up to 5 months were still suitable for this test. The described novel test tube method could be an alternative method of mass population screening for HbE, particularly in small health care facilities. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  7. Screening of Potential Remediation Methods for the 200-ZP-1 Operable Unit at the Hanford Site

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Truex, Michael J.; Nimmons, Michael J.; Johnson, Christian D.; Dresel, P EVAN.; Murray, Christopher J.

    2006-08-07

    A screening-level evaluation of potential remediation methods for application to the contaminants of concern (COC) in the 200-ZP-1 Operable Unit at the Hanford Site was conducted based on the methods outlined in the Guidance for Conducting Remedial Investigations and Feasibility Studies under CERCLA Interim Final. The scope of this screening was to identify the most promising remediation methods for use in the more detailed analysis of remediation alternatives that will be conducted as part of the full feasibility study. The screening evaluation was conducted for the primary COC (potential major risk drivers). COC with similar properties were grouped for the screening evaluation. The screening evaluation was conducted in two primary steps. The initial screening step evaluated potential remediation methods based on whether they can be effectively applied within the environmental setting of the 200-ZP-1 Operable Unit for the specified contaminants. In the second step, potential remediation methods were screened using scoping calculations to estimate the scale of infrastructure, overall quantities of reagents, and conceptual approach for applying the method for each defined grouping of COC. Based on these estimates, each method was screened with respect to effectiveness, implementability, and relative cost categories of the CERCLA feasibility study screening process defined in EPA guidance.

  8. Proposal of a simple screening method for a rapid preliminary evaluation of ''heavy metals'' mobility in soils of contaminated sites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pinto, Valentina; Chiusolo, Francesca; Cremisini, Carlo [ENEA - Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Environment, Rome (Italy). Section PROTCHIM

    2010-09-15

    Risks associated to ''heavy metals'' (HM) soil contamination depend not only on their total content but, mostly, on their mobility. Many extraction procedures have been developed to evaluate HM mobility in contaminated soils, but they are generally time consuming (especially the sequential extraction procedures (SEPs)) and consequently applicable on a limited number of samples. For this reason, a simple screening method, applicable even ''in field'', has been proposed in order to obtain a rapid evaluation of HM mobility in polluted soils, mainly focused on the fraction associated to Fe and Mn oxide/hydroxides. A buffer solution of trisodium citrate and hydroxylamine hydrochloride was used as extractant for a single-step leaching test. The choice of this buffered solution was strictly related to the possibility of directly determining, via titration with dithizone (DZ), the content of Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd, which are among the most representative contaminants in highly mineralised soils. Moreover, the extraction solution is similar, aside from for the pH value, which is the one used in the BCR SEP second step. The analysis of bivalents ions through DZ titration was exploited in order to further simplify and quicken the whole procedure. The proposed method generically measures, in few minutes, the concentration of total extractable ''heavy metals'' expressed as molL{sup -1} without distinguishing between elements. The proposed screening method has been developed and applied on soil samples collected from rural, urban and mining areas, representing different situation of soil contamination. Results were compared with data obtained from the BCR procedure. The screening method demonstrated to be a reliable tool for a rapid evaluation of metals mobility. Therefore, it could be very useful, even ''in field'', both to guide the sampling activity on site and to monitor the efficacy of the subsequent

  9. High-throughput method for optimum solubility screening for homogeneity and crystallization of proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sung-Hou [Moraga, CA; Kim, Rosalind [Moraga, CA; Jancarik, Jamila [Walnut Creek, CA

    2012-01-31

    An optimum solubility screen in which a panel of buffers and many additives are provided in order to obtain the most homogeneous and monodisperse protein condition for protein crystallization. The present methods are useful for proteins that aggregate and cannot be concentrated prior to setting up crystallization screens. A high-throughput method using the hanging-drop method and vapor diffusion equilibrium and a panel of twenty-four buffers is further provided. Using the present methods, 14 poorly behaving proteins have been screened, resulting in 11 of the proteins having highly improved dynamic light scattering results allowing concentration of the proteins, and 9 were crystallized.

  10. Preliminary phytochemical screening and in vitro antibacterial activity of Bauhinia variegata Linn. against human pathogens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonam Pandey

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To investigate the antimicrobial and phytochemical properties of hydromethanolic extracts of Bauhinia variegata Linn. (B. variegata (leaf, stem bark and flower to justify the traditional claim endowed upon this herbal drug as a rasayana in Ayurveda. This study thus can be further utilized to formulate the natural antioxidant which can be used as a dietary supplement to fight against several diseases such as cancer, ageing, arthrosclerosis, etc. Methods: The study showed that the number of different phytoconstituents present in the plant which makes it remarkable for its use by traditional practitioners. On the another set of experiment, the hydromethanolic extract of B. variegata (leaf, stem bark and flower were evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative by using disk diffusion assay. Results: Phytochemical screening of all extracts showed the presence of alkaloids, steroids, phenolic compounds, tannins, saponin, carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids and organic acids. The antibacterial activity of all the extracts (leaf, stem bark and flower of B. variegata was determined by agar well diffusion method at four different concentrations i.e., 1 000 mg/mL, 750 mg/mL, 500 mg/mL and 250 mg/mL using Gram-positive Bacillus subtilius, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus epidermidis and Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Shegilla flexineria, Pseudomonas auriginosa bacteria. Conclusions: These studies show that hydromethanolic extracts of B. variegata (leaf, stem bark and flower inhibited the growth of microorganism ’s in dose dependently. B. variegata leaf, stem bark and flower extracts have several phytochemical constituents who possess the antimicrobial activity. A tiny amount of data is presented, as the preliminary antimicrobial properties of the B. variegata here accessed, under the urgent necessity of new antibiotics in the market and in face of the increased resistance of infectious microorganisms to antimicrobials.

  11. An efficient method for qualitative screening of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehta, S; Nautiyal, C S

    2001-07-01

    An efficient protocol was developed for qualitative screening of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, based upon visual observation. Our results indicate that, by using our formulation containing bromophenol blue, it is possible to quickly screen on a qualitative basis the phosphate-solubilizing bacteria. Qualitative analysis of the phosphate solubilized by various groups correlated well with grouping based upon quantitative analysis of bacteria isolated from soil, effect of carbon, nitrogen, salts, and phosphate solubilization-defective transposon mutants. However, unlike quantitative analysis methods that involve time-consuming biochemical procedures, the time for screening phosphate-solubilizing bacteria is significantly reduced by using our simple protocol. Therefore, it is envisaged that usage of this formulation based upon qualitative analysis will be salutary for the quick screening of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria. Our results indicate that the formulation can also be used as a quality control test for expeditiously screening the commercial bioinoculant preparations, based on phosphate solubilizers.

  12. Revisiting EOR Projects in Indonesia through Integrated Study: EOR Screening, Predictive Model, and Optimisation

    KAUST Repository

    Hartono, A. D.; Hakiki, Farizal; Syihab, Z.; Ambia, F.; Yasutra, A.; Sutopo, S.; Efendi, M.; Sitompul, V.; Primasari, I.; Apriandi, R.

    2017-01-01

    EOR preliminary analysis is pivotal to be performed at early stage of assessment in order to elucidate EOR feasibility. This study proposes an in-depth analysis toolkit for EOR preliminary evaluation. The toolkit incorporates EOR screening, predictive, economic, risk analysis and optimisation modules. The screening module introduces algorithms which assimilates statistical and engineering notions into consideration. The United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) predictive models were implemented in the predictive module. The economic module is available to assess project attractiveness, while Monte Carlo Simulation is applied to quantify risk and uncertainty of the evaluated project. Optimization scenario of EOR practice can be evaluated using the optimisation module, in which stochastic methods of Genetic Algorithms (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Evolutionary Strategy (ES) were applied in the algorithms. The modules were combined into an integrated package of EOR preliminary assessment. Finally, we utilised the toolkit to evaluate several Indonesian oil fields for EOR evaluation (past projects) and feasibility (future projects). The attempt was able to update the previous consideration regarding EOR attractiveness and open new opportunity for EOR implementation in Indonesia.

  13. Revisiting EOR Projects in Indonesia through Integrated Study: EOR Screening, Predictive Model, and Optimisation

    KAUST Repository

    Hartono, A. D.

    2017-10-17

    EOR preliminary analysis is pivotal to be performed at early stage of assessment in order to elucidate EOR feasibility. This study proposes an in-depth analysis toolkit for EOR preliminary evaluation. The toolkit incorporates EOR screening, predictive, economic, risk analysis and optimisation modules. The screening module introduces algorithms which assimilates statistical and engineering notions into consideration. The United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) predictive models were implemented in the predictive module. The economic module is available to assess project attractiveness, while Monte Carlo Simulation is applied to quantify risk and uncertainty of the evaluated project. Optimization scenario of EOR practice can be evaluated using the optimisation module, in which stochastic methods of Genetic Algorithms (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Evolutionary Strategy (ES) were applied in the algorithms. The modules were combined into an integrated package of EOR preliminary assessment. Finally, we utilised the toolkit to evaluate several Indonesian oil fields for EOR evaluation (past projects) and feasibility (future projects). The attempt was able to update the previous consideration regarding EOR attractiveness and open new opportunity for EOR implementation in Indonesia.

  14. Electromagnetic radiation screening of semiconductor devices for long life applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, T. C.; Brammer, W. G.

    1972-01-01

    A review is presented of the mechanism of interaction of electromagnetic radiation in various spectral ranges, with various semiconductor device defects. Previous work conducted in this area was analyzed as to its pertinence to the current problem. The task was studied of implementing electromagnetic screening methods in the wavelength region determined to be most effective. Both scanning and flooding type stimulation techniques are discussed. While the scanning technique offers a considerably higher yield of useful information, a preliminary investigation utilizing the flooding approach is first recommended because of the ease of implementation, lower cost and ability to provide go-no-go information in semiconductor screening.

  15. Preliminary phytochemical and antimicrobial screening of 50 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Ethanolic extracts of 50 plant species were screened for their antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. The results indicated that of the 50 plant extracts, 28 plant extracts inhibited the growth of one or more test pathogens.

  16. Isotope angiocardiography. Method and preliminary own studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stepinska, J; Ruzyllo, W; Konieczny, W [Centrum Medyczne Ksztalcenia Podyplomowego, Warsaw (Poland)

    1979-01-01

    Method of technetium isotope 99 m pass through the heart recording with the aid of radioisotope scanner connected with seriograph and computer is being presented. Preliminary tests were carried out in 26 patients with coronary disease without or with previous myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, ventricular septal defect and in patients with artificial mitral and aortic valves. The obtained scans were evaluated qualitatively and compared with performed later contrast X-rays of the heart. Size of the right ventricle, volume and rate of left atrial evacuation, size and contractability of left ventricle were evaluated. Similarity of direct and isotope angiocardiographs, non-invasional character and repeatability of isotope angiocardiography advocate its usefulness.

  17. A sensitive immunoblotting method for screening of microalbuminuria in diabetic patient's urine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdolkhaleg, D.; Behrooz, S.

    2005-01-01

    Urinary albumin excretion is a useful marker in the prognosis of diabetic nephropathy and microvascular diseases. Methods such as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), radio immunoassay(RIA), radial immunodiffusion, albu screen, micro bumin and micral test are usually used for detection and screening of microalbuminuria in these patients. With consideration to the cost of an assay, methods such as ELISA and RIA are not suitable methods for screening purpose. Therefore, the aim of this work is to set a dot immunoblotting method for the measurement and screening of microalbumin in urine samples. The study was conducted during the period August 2001 to June 2003 at the National Research Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NRCGEB) and Pars Hospital Laboratory of Tehran, Iran on 96 diabetic patients urine samples. First, anti human albumin antibodies (Abs) were produced in rabbit and immunoglobulin G (IgG) fraction was purified by protein-A affinity chromatography. Titer of Abs and optimum incubation conditions were tested by direct ELISA. Then different concentration of human albumin (0-300 mg/l) was loaded to nitrocellulose membranes and was assayed by dot immunoblotting method. The specificity and cross reactivity of Abs was tested by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and western immunoblotting. The sensitivity of the method was calculated from human albumin calibration curve and compared with commercial immunoturbidimetric assays. Our results indicates that in using IgG with the concentrations 0.5-1 ug/ml (2 x 10-5 to 10-4 dilutions) the intensity of color directly increased with the increase of human albumin standards in blots. Western immunoblotting of urine samples did not show any cross reactivity with other urine proteins. Comparison of results of this method by commercial immunoturbidimetric methods indicates the correlation regression of approximately 0.979. The sensitivity of the method was approximately 5 mg/L of human albumin. This simple

  18. A comparison of two psychological screening methods currently used for inpatients in a UK burns service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shepherd, Laura; Tew, Victoria; Rai, Lovedeep

    2017-12-01

    Various types of psychological screening are currently used in the UK to identify burn patients who are experiencing psychological distress and may need additional support and intervention during their hospital admission. This audit compared two types of psychological screening in 40 burn inpatients. One screening method was an unpublished questionnaire designed to explore multiple areas of potential distress for those who have experienced burns. The other method was an indirect psychological screen via discussions within multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings where a Clinical Psychologist was present to guide and prompt psychological discussions. Data was collected between November 2012 and September 2016. Results suggested that both screening methods were similar in identifying patients who benefit from more formal psychological assessment. Indeed, statistical analysis reported no difference between the two screening methods (N=40, p=.424, two-tailed). In conclusion, measuring distress in burns inpatients using a burns-specific questionnaire and psychological discussions within MDT meetings are similar in their ability to identify patients in need of more thorough psychological assessment. However, both screening methods identified patients who were in need of psychological input when the other did not. This suggests that psychological screening of burns inpatients, and the psychological difficulties that they can present with, is complex. The advantages and disadvantages of both methods of screening are discussed. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Pi sampling: a methodical and flexible approach to initial macromolecular crystallization screening

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gorrec, Fabrice; Palmer, Colin M.; Lebon, Guillaume; Warne, Tony

    2011-01-01

    Pi sampling, derived from the incomplete factorial approach, is an effort to maximize the diversity of macromolecular crystallization conditions and to facilitate the preparation of 96-condition initial screens. The Pi sampling method is derived from the incomplete factorial approach to macromolecular crystallization screen design. The resulting ‘Pi screens’ have a modular distribution of a given set of up to 36 stock solutions. Maximally diverse conditions can be produced by taking into account the properties of the chemicals used in the formulation and the concentrations of the corresponding solutions. The Pi sampling method has been implemented in a web-based application that generates screen formulations and recipes. It is particularly adapted to screens consisting of 96 different conditions. The flexibility and efficiency of Pi sampling is demonstrated by the crystallization of soluble proteins and of an integral membrane-protein sample

  20. Modeling granular phosphor screens by Monte Carlo methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liaparinos, Panagiotis F.; Kandarakis, Ioannis S.; Cavouras, Dionisis A.; Delis, Harry B.; Panayiotakis, George S.

    2006-01-01

    The intrinsic phosphor properties are of significant importance for the performance of phosphor screens used in medical imaging systems. In previous analytical-theoretical and Monte Carlo studies on granular phosphor materials, values of optical properties, and light interaction cross sections were found by fitting to experimental data. These values were then employed for the assessment of phosphor screen imaging performance. However, it was found that, depending on the experimental technique and fitting methodology, the optical parameters of a specific phosphor material varied within a wide range of values, i.e., variations of light scattering with respect to light absorption coefficients were often observed for the same phosphor material. In this study, x-ray and light transport within granular phosphor materials was studied by developing a computational model using Monte Carlo methods. The model was based on the intrinsic physical characteristics of the phosphor. Input values required to feed the model can be easily obtained from tabulated data. The complex refractive index was introduced and microscopic probabilities for light interactions were produced, using Mie scattering theory. Model validation was carried out by comparing model results on x-ray and light parameters (x-ray absorption, statistical fluctuations in the x-ray to light conversion process, number of emitted light photons, output light spatial distribution) with previous published experimental data on Gd 2 O 2 S:Tb phosphor material (Kodak Min-R screen). Results showed the dependence of the modulation transfer function (MTF) on phosphor grain size and material packing density. It was predicted that granular Gd 2 O 2 S:Tb screens of high packing density and small grain size may exhibit considerably better resolution and light emission properties than the conventional Gd 2 O 2 S:Tb screens, under similar conditions (x-ray incident energy, screen thickness)

  1. Comparative analysis of machine learning methods in ligand-based virtual screening of large compound libraries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Xiao H; Jia, Jia; Zhu, Feng; Xue, Ying; Li, Ze R; Chen, Yu Z

    2009-05-01

    Machine learning methods have been explored as ligand-based virtual screening tools for facilitating drug lead discovery. These methods predict compounds of specific pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic or toxicological properties based on their structure-derived structural and physicochemical properties. Increasing attention has been directed at these methods because of their capability in predicting compounds of diverse structures and complex structure-activity relationships without requiring the knowledge of target 3D structure. This article reviews current progresses in using machine learning methods for virtual screening of pharmacodynamically active compounds from large compound libraries, and analyzes and compares the reported performances of machine learning tools with those of structure-based and other ligand-based (such as pharmacophore and clustering) virtual screening methods. The feasibility to improve the performance of machine learning methods in screening large libraries is discussed.

  2. A new screening method for selection of desired recombinant ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A new screening method for selection of desired recombinant plasmids in molecular cloning. ... African Journal of Biotechnology ... Regarding the facts of this study, after digestion process, the products directly were subjected to ligation. Due to ...

  3. Simple Screening Methods for Drought and Heat Tolerance in Cowpea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, B. B.

    2000-10-01

    Success in breeding for drought tolerance has not been as pronounced as for other traits. This is partly due to lack of simple, cheap and reliable screening methods to select drought tolerant plants/progenies from the segregating populations and partly due to complexity of factors involved in drought tolerance. Measuring drought tolerance through physiological parameters is expensive, time consuming and difficult to use for screening large numbers of lines and segregating populations. Since several factors/mechanisms (in shoot and root) operate independently and/or jointly to enable plants to cope with drought stress, drought tolerance appears as a complex trait. However, if these factors/mechanisms can be separated and studied individually, the components leading to drought tolerance will appear less complex and may be easy to manipulate by breeders. We have developed a simple box screening method for shoot drought tolerance in cowpea, which eliminates the effects of roots and permits non-destructive visual identification of shoot dehydration tolerance. We have also developed a 'root-box pin-board' method to study two dimensional root architecture of individual plants. Using these methods, we have identified two mechanisms of shoot drought tolerance in cowpea which are controlled by single dominant genes and major difference for root architecture among cowpea varieties. Combining deep and dense root system with shoot dehydration tolerance results into highly drought tolerant plants

  4. Comparison of screening methods for anaemia in pregnant women in Awassa, Ethiopia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gies, S.; Brabin, B. J.; Yassin, M. A.; Cuevas, L. E.

    2003-01-01

    Screening for anaemia in pregnancy is essential for implementing and monitoring effective antenatal programmes. We compared the diagnostic accuracy of invasive and non-invasive screening methods in a cross-sectional survey of 403 pregnant women attending an urban health centre in Awassa, southern

  5. [CT-Screening for Lung Cancer - what is the Evidence?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watermann, Iris; Reck, Martin

    2018-04-01

    In patients with lung cancer treatment opportunities and prognosis are correlated to the stage of disease with a chance for curative treatment in patients with early stage disease. Therefore, early detection of lung cancer is of paramount importance for improving the prognosis of lung cancer patients.The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) has already shown that low-dose CT increases the number of identified early stage lung cancer patients and reduces lung cancer related mortality. Critically considered in terms of CT-screening are false-positive results, overdiagnosis and unessential invasive clarification. Preliminary results of relatively small European trials haven´t yet confirmed the results of the NLST-study.Until now Lung Cancer Screening by low dose CT-scan or other methods is neither approved nor available in Germany.To improve the efficacy of CT-Screening and to introduce early detection of lung cancer in standard practice, additional, complementing methods should be further evaluated. One option might be the supplementary analysis of biomarkers in liquid biopsies or exhaled breath condensates. In addition, defining the high-risk population is of great relevance to identify candidates who might benefit of early detection programs. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  6. Validity of a method for the self-screening of cardiovascular risk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barroso M

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available María Barroso,1–3 Silvia Pérez-Fernández,1,4 M Mar Vila,1,4,5 M Dolors Zomeño,6,7 Ruth Martí-Lluch,8 Ferran Cordon,9 Rafel Ramos,8,10,11 Roberto Elosua,1,4 Irene R Degano,1,4 Montse Fitó,5,12 Carmen Cabezas,13 Gemma Salvador,13 Conxa Castell,13 María Grau1,4,14 1Cardiovascular Epidemiology and Genetics Research Group, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, 2Centre d’Atenció Primària La Marina, Direcció d’Atenció Primària Barcelona, Institut Català de la Salut, 3Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 4Consortium for Biomedical Research in Cardiovascular Disease (CIBERCV, 5Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Barcelona, 6Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, 7School of Health Sciences, Blanquerna-Ramon Llull University, Barcelona, Spain; 8Unitat de Suport a la Recerca de Girona, Institut Universitari d’Investigació en Atenció Primària Jordi Gol, 9Centre d’Atenció Primària Montilivi, Direcció d’Atenció Primària Girona, Institut Català de la Salut, 10Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Girona, 11Girona Biomedical Research Institute, Girona, Spain; 12Consortium for Biomedical Research in Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN, 13Catalan Agency of Public Health, 14Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Background: The validity of a cardiovascular risk self-screening method was assessed. The results obtained for self-measurement of blood pressure, a point-of-care system’s assessment of lipid profile and glycated hemoglobin, and a self-administered questionnaire (sex, age, diabetes, tobacco consumption were compared with the standard screening (gold standard conducted by a health professional. Methods: Crossover clinical trial on a population-based sample from Girona (north-eastern Spain, aged 35–74, with no

  7. Studying Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior of Breast Cancer Screening Methods among Behshahr Dwelling Women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdolhasan Naghibi

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background and purpose: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among all widespread cancers worldwide. After lung cancer, breast cancer is the main cause of death among women. One of the best ways to detect this disease early is to do screening. This study has been done to analyze the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of women regarding the breast cancer screening methods. Materials & Methods: The study is of cross-sectional descriptive type. The participants were 500 Behshahr dwelling women above 20 years old selected based on cluster sampling. The instrument used was a 34-item questionnaire to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of the women. The data has been analyzed through inferential statistical methods. Results: The participants' age mean was 35.16. The average knowledge score of the disease and screening methods was 1.3 and 54.6. The average attitude score of was 82.5. Regarding behavior, 13.1 percent do regular self-examination, and 15.2 percent do regular clinical examination. 16.7 percent of women have one experience of doing mammography. In the present study, there was a significant relation among knowledge, attitude and behavior. Conclusion: Since the knowledge of women was at average level and the behavior of using the screening methods was weak, planning to enable and motivate women to use the screening methods is highly emphasized.

  8. Preliminary identification of contaminating α- and β-emitting radionuclides in nuclear facilities to be decommissioned through Digital Autoradiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haudebourg, Raphael; Fichet, Pascal

    2016-01-01

    In previous publications, we presented how Digital Autoradiography (DA) could be of the most useful help in a preparation to decommissioning context: with this technique, a radiological mapping of the facility to dismantle can be obtained at a rate of around 2 weeks/100 m 2 . The technique is sensitive to all types of radioactivity (including α and 3 H- or 14 C-emitted β) and to both labile and fixed radioactivity. The method (radiosensitive screens exposure followed by a scanning step at the laboratory in a small-size device) neither involves nuclear material transportation, neither produces wastes, nor requires operators' presence during signal acquisition. The purpose is to accurately locate possible contamination spots, in order to relevantly perform targeted sampling and thus limit destructive analyses runs at the laboratory. In the latest developments, additional methods were implemented to analyze various nuclear samples (wastes, blocks, rubbles, pieces of furniture, drilled cores...) through this technique, to preliminary check for contamination, and to evaluate contamination location, homogeneity, and activity. These methods have proven themselves relevant and useful to build appropriate analyses and optimized decontamination protocols at the LASE (Laboratory of Analyses and Operators' Support). In this paper, we propose a new autoradiographic tool providing the identification of the contaminating radionuclide of a sample or an area, based on the stacking of several screens. The decrease of the signal screen after screen could be considered specific to one radionuclide. Modeling results obtained through Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code (MCNP) were in excellent agreement with experimental results obtained with sealed sources. Moreover, a method was developed to scan all the screens in the stack in only one run (instead of as many runs as screens) to shorten analysis duration. In the case of non-penetrating radiations (α particles, 3 H- or

  9. Danish method study on cervical screening in women offered HPV vaccination as girls (Trial23)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thamsborg, Lise Holst; Andersen, Berit; Larsen, Lise Grupe

    2018-01-01

    arm) or present screening plus an HPV test (HPV arm). The study started 1 February 2017 and will run over three screening rounds corresponding to 7-8 years. ANALYSES: The primary endpoint is cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 or above. The trial is undertaken as a non-inferiority study......INTRODUCTION: The first birth cohorts of women offered human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination as girls are now entering cervical screening. However, there is no international consensus on how to screen HPV vaccinated women. These women are better protected against cervical cancer and could...... vaccination as girls. METHODS: Trial23 is a method study embedded in the existing cervical screening programme in four out of five Danish regions. Without affecting the screening programme, women born in 1994 are randomised to present screening with liquid-based cytology every third year (present programme...

  10. The use of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography and structure-activity modeling for screening and preliminary risk assessment of organic contaminants in soil, sediment, and surface water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moreira Bastos, Patricia; Haglund, Peter [Umeaa Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Chemistry

    2012-08-15

    Purpose: This article aims to investigate the use and benefits of using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) and structure-activity relationship modeling for screening and prioritization of organic contaminants in complex matrices. The benefit of applying comprehensive screening techniques to samples with high organic contaminant content is primarily that compounds with diverse physicochemical properties can be analyzed simultaneously. Here, a heavily contaminated industrial area was surveyed for organic pollutants by analyzing soil, sediment, and surface water samples. The hazard of the pollutants were ranked using SARs. Material and methods: The water samples were liquid-liquid extracted using dichloromethane and directly analyzed by GC x GC-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC x GC-TofMS). Soil and sediment samples were extracted with dichloromethane in an ultrasonic bath and subjected to gel permeation chromatography to eliminate lipids and humic matter. The low molecular weight fraction was then analyzed with GC x GC-TofMS. Results and discussion: More than 10,000 components were found in each sample, of which ca. 300 individual compounds were unambiguously identified using the National Institute of Standards and Technology mass spectra library and authentic reference standards. Alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and phthalates were generally the most abundant and were found in all matrices. In contrast, chlorinated compounds such as chlorophenols, biphenyls, and chlorinated pesticides were only detected in samples from a few hotspot regions. The toxicities of the most frequently detected compounds and of the compounds detected at the highest concentrations in samples from hotspot regions were estimated by ecological structure-activity relationships. The ratio of the measured concentration to the predicted toxicity level was then calculated for each compound and used for an initial risk assessment in order to prioritize compounds

  11. Rapid screening of guar gum using portable Raman spectral identification methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, Hirsch K; Wolfgang, Steven; Rodriguez, Jason D

    2016-01-25

    Guar gum is a well-known inactive ingredient (excipient) used in a variety of oral pharmaceutical dosage forms as a thickener and stabilizer of suspensions and as a binder of powders. It is also widely used as a food ingredient in which case alternatives with similar properties, including chemically similar gums, are readily available. Recent supply shortages and price fluctuations have caused guar gum to come under increasing scrutiny for possible adulteration by substitution of cheaper alternatives. One way that the U.S. FDA is attempting to screen pharmaceutical ingredients at risk for adulteration or substitution is through field-deployable spectroscopic screening. Here we report a comprehensive approach to evaluate two field-deployable Raman methods--spectral correlation and principal component analysis--to differentiate guar gum from other gums. We report a comparison of the sensitivity of the spectroscopic screening methods with current compendial identification tests. The ability of the spectroscopic methods to perform unambiguous identification of guar gum compared to other gums makes them an enhanced surveillance alternative to the current compendial identification tests, which are largely subjective in nature. Our findings indicate that Raman spectral identification methods perform better than compendial identification methods and are able to distinguish guar gum from other gums with 100% accuracy for samples tested by spectral correlation and principal component analysis. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Method of evaluation of structural (screen) and quantum graininess of X-ray pictures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gurvich, A M; Shamanov, A A; Erofeeva, N D [Nauchno-Issledovatel' skij Inst. Rentgenologii i Radiologii, Moscow (USSR)

    1979-03-01

    Proposed is a method for quantitative determination of graininess of X-ray pictures (gamma-ray images), the graininess being conditioned by the structure of amplifying screens and quantum fluctuations. The method is based on the determination of threshold brightness at which the picture graininess becomes obvious. It is shown that at low effective quantum energy (Esub(eff.) <= 50 keV) the graininess observed is for the most part structural (screen). Its growth is connected with quantum fluctuations when increasing Esub(eff.) up to 150 keV and using screens with high output values of X-ray luminescence and the coefficient of spectral accordance to the film.

  13. Cognitive dissonance and attitudes toward unpleasant medical screenings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ent, Michael R; Gerend, Mary A

    2016-09-01

    Two studies suggest that cognitive dissonance can lead people to adopt negative attitudes toward beneficial-yet unpleasant-medical screenings. People who thought that they were candidates for an unpleasant medical screening reported less favorable attitudes toward the screening than people who thought that they were ineligible (Study 1). The unpleasantness of a medical screening affected candidates' attitudes toward the screening to a greater extent than non-candidate's attitudes (Study 2). Limitations, including ambiguity regarding the extent to which participants' attitudes were affected specifically by dissonance, are discussed. This preliminary research suggests people attempt to reduce dissonance associated with their anticipated behavior. © The Author(s) 2015.

  14. Circling motion and screen edges as an alternative input method for on-screen target manipulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ka, Hyun W; Simpson, Richard C

    2017-04-01

    To investigate a new alternative interaction method, called circling interface, for manipulating on-screen objects. To specify a target, the user makes a circling motion around the target. To specify a desired pointing command with the circling interface, each edge of the screen is used. The user selects a command before circling the target. To evaluate the circling interface, we conducted an experiment with 16 participants, comparing the performance on pointing tasks with different combinations of selection method (circling interface, physical mouse and dwelling interface) and input device (normal computer mouse, head pointer and joystick mouse emulator). A circling interface is compatible with many types of pointing devices, not requiring physical activation of mouse buttons, and is more efficient than dwell-clicking. Across all common pointing operations, the circling interface had a tendency to produce faster performance with a head-mounted mouse emulator than with a joystick mouse. The performance accuracy of the circling interface outperformed the dwelling interface. It was demonstrated that the circling interface has the potential as another alternative pointing method for selecting and manipulating objects in a graphical user interface. Implications for Rehabilitation A circling interface will improve clinical practice by providing an alternative pointing method that does not require physically activating mouse buttons and is more efficient than dwell-clicking. The Circling interface can also work with AAC devices.

  15. Evaluation of a fluorescence-based method for antibabesial drug screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guswanto, Azirwan; Sivakumar, Thillaiampalam; Rizk, Mohamed Abdo; Elsayed, Shimaa Abd Elsalam; Youssef, Mohamed Ahmed; ElSaid, ElSaid El Shirbini; Yokoyama, Naoaki; Igarashi, Ikuo

    2014-08-01

    In vitro evaluation of chemotherapeutic agents against Babesia and Theileria parasites has become routine, and the effectiveness of these chemicals is usually determined by comparing the parasitemia dynamics of untreated and treated parasites. Although microscopy is widely used to calculate parasitemia, several disadvantages are associated with this technique. The present study evaluated a fluorescence-based method using SYBR green I stain (SG I) to screen antibabesial agents in in vitro cultures of Babesia bovis. The linearity between relative fluorescence units (RFU) and parasitemia was found to be well correlated with a 0.9944 goodness-of-fit (r(2)) value. Subsequently, 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values were calculated for 3 antiprotozoan agents, diminazene aceturate, nimbolide, and gedunin, by this method. For diminazene aceturate and nimbolide, the IC(50)s determined by the fluorescence-based method (408 nM and 8.13 μM, respectively) and microscopy (400.3 nM and 9.4 μM, respectively) were in agreement. Furthermore, the IC50 of gedunin determined by the fluorescence-based method (19 μM) was similar to the recently described microscopy-based value (21.7 μM) for B. bovis. Additionally, the Z' factor (0.80 to 0.90), signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio (44.15 to 87.64), coefficient of variation at the maximum signal (%CVmax) (0.50 to 2.85), and coefficient of variation at the minimum signal (%CVmin) (1.23 to 2.21) calculated for the fluorescence method using diminazene aceturate were comparable to those previously determined in malaria research for this assay. These findings suggest that the fluorescence-based method might be useful for antibabesial drug screening and may have potential to be developed into a high-throughput screening (HTS) assay. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  16. Apparatus and method for radioactive waste screening

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akers, Douglas W.; Roybal, Lyle G.; Salomon, Hopi; Williams, Charles Leroy

    2012-09-04

    An apparatus and method relating to screening radioactive waste are disclosed for ensuring that at least one calculated parameter for the measurement data of a sample falls within a range between an upper limit and a lower limit prior to the sample being packaged for disposal. The apparatus includes a radiation detector configured for detecting radioactivity and radionuclide content of the of the sample of radioactive waste and generating measurement data in response thereto, and a collimator including at least one aperture to direct a field of view of the radiation detector. The method includes measuring a radioactive content of a sample, and calculating one or more parameters from the radioactive content of the sample.

  17. Barriers to Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening in Singapore: a Mixed Methods Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malhotra, Chetna; Bilger, Marcel; Liu, Joy; Finkelstein, Eric

    2016-01-01

    In order to increase breast and cervical cancer screening uptake in Singapore, women's perceived barriers to screening need to be identified and overcome. Using data from both focus groups and surveys, we aimed to assess perceived barriers and motivations for breast and cervical cancer screening. We conducted 8 focus groups with 64 women, using thematic analysis to identify overarching themes related to women's attitudes towards screening. Based on recurring themes from focus groups, several hypotheses regarding potential barriers and motivations to screen were generated and tested through a national survey of 801 women aged 25-64. Focus group participants had misconceptions related to screening, believing that the procedures were painful. Cost was an issue, as well as efficacy and fatalism. By identifying barriers to and motivators for screening through a mixed-method design that has both nuance and external validity, this study offers valuable suggestions to policymakers to improve breast and cervical cancer screening uptake in Singapore.

  18. Combining pharmacophore fingerprints and PLS-discriminant analysis for virtual screening and SAR elucidation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Askjær, Sune; Langgård, Morten

    2008-01-01

    The criterion of success for the initial stages of a ligand-based drug-discovery project is dual. First, a set of suitable lead compounds has to be identified. Second, a level of a preliminary structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the identified ligands has to be established in order to guide ...... by the protein-binding site known from X-ray complexes. The result of this analysis assists in explaining the efficiency of 2D pharmacophore fingerprints as descriptors in virtual screening....... the lead optimization toward a final drug candidate. This paper presents a combined approach to solving these two problems of ligand-based virtual screening and elucidation of SAR based on interplay between pharmacophore fingerprints and interpretation of PLS-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) models....... The virtual screening capability of the PLS-DA method is compared to group fusion maximum similarity searching in a test using four graph-based pharmacophore fingerprints over a range of 10 diverse targets. The PLS-DA method was generally found to do better than the Smax method. The GpiDAPH3 and PCH...

  19. Microbial screening methods for detection of antibiotic residues in slaughter animals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pikkemaat, M.G.

    2009-01-01

    Monitoring of food products from animal origin for the presence of antimicrobial residues is preferably done using microbial screening methods because of their high cost-effectiveness. Traditionally applied methods fail to detect the maximum residue limits which were established when EU Council

  20. Original Article PRELIMINARY BIOAUTOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Sierra Leone 2Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, ... the seeds are used in the treatment of skin infections. ... Screening with DPPH showed prominent antioxidant spots on silica at Rf 0.8, 0.5, 0.4 .... underpins conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, ..... As a follow-up to the preliminary TLC studies.

  1. Concurrent Driving Method with Fast Scan Rate for Large Mutual Capacitance Touch Screens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Gamal Ahmed Mohamed

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A novel touch screen control technique is introduced, which scans each frame in two steps of concurrent multichannel driving and differential sensing. The proposed technique substantially increases the scan rate and reduces the ambient noise effectively. It is also extended to a multichip architecture to support excessively large touch screens with great scan rate improvement. The proposed method has been implemented using 0.18 μm CMOS TowerJazz process and tested with FPGA and AFE board connecting a 23-inch touch screen. Experimental results show a scan rate improvement of up to 23.8 times and an SNR improvement of 24.6 dB over the conventional method.

  2. Screening methods for post-stroke visual impairment: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanna, Kerry Louise; Hepworth, Lauren Rachel; Rowe, Fiona

    2017-12-01

    assess all potential post-stroke visual impairments. The current tools screen for only a number of potential stroke-related impairments, which means many visual defects may be missed. The sensitivity of those which screen for all impairments is significantly lowered when patients are unable to report their visual symptoms. Future research is required to develop a tool capable of assessing stroke patients which encompasses all potential visual deficits and can also be easily performed by both the patients and administered by health care professionals in order to ensure all stroke survivors with visual impairment are accurately identified and managed. Implications for Rehabilitation Over 65% of stroke survivors will suffer from a visual impairment, whereas 45% of stroke units do not assess vision. Visual impairment significantly reduces the quality of life, such as being unable to return to work, driving and depression. This review outlines the available screening methods to accurately identify stroke survivors with visual impairments. Identifying visual impairment after stroke can aid general rehabilitation and thus, improve the quality of life for these patients.

  3. Abdominal ultrasound-scanning versus non-contrast computed tomography as screening method for abdominal aortic aneurysm

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liisberg, Mads; Diederichsen, Axel C.; Lindholt, Jes S.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Validating non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography (nCT) compared to ultrasound sonography (US) as screening method for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening. Methods: Consecutively attending men (n = 566) from the pilot study of the randomized Danish CardioVascular Screening......CT seems superior to US concerning sensitivity, and is able to detect aneurysmal lesions not detectable with US. Finally, the prevalence of AAA in Denmark seems to remain relatively high, in this small pilot study group....

  4. Development of an analytical method coupling cell membrane chromatography with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry via microextraction by packed sorbent and its application in the screening of volatile active compounds in natural products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Miao; Wang, Sicen; He, Langchong

    2015-01-01

    Natural products (NPs) are important sources of lead compounds in modern drug discovery. To facilitate the screening of volatile active compounds in NPs, we have developed a new biochromatography method that uses rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), which are rich in L-type calcium channels (LCC), to prepare the stationary phase. This integrated method, which couples cell membrane chromatography (CMC) with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) via microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) technology, has been termed VSMC/CMC-MEPS-GC-MS. Methodological validation confirmed its specificity, reliability and convenience. Screening results for Radix Angelicae Dahuricae and Fructus Cnidii obtained using VSMC/CMC-MEPS-GC-MS were consistent with those obtained using VSMC/CMC-offline-GC-MS. MEPS connection plays as simplified solid-phase extraction and replaces the uncontrollable evaporation operation in reported offline connections, so our new method is supposed to be more efficient and reliable than the offline ones, especially for compounds that are volatile, thermally unstable or difficult to purify. In application, senkyunolide A and ligustilide were preliminary identified as the volatile active components in Rhizoma Chuanxiong. We have thus confirmed the suitability of VSMC/CMC-MEPS-GC-MS for volatile active compounds screening in NP. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. MASS SPECTROMETRY PROTEOMICS METHOD AS A RAPID SCREENING TOOL FOR BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION OF FOOD

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-06-01

    MASS SPECTROMETRY PROTEOMICS METHOD AS A RAPID SCREENING TOOL FOR BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION OF FOOD ECBC-TR...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Method as a Rapid Screening Tool for Bacterial Contamination of Food 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b...the MSPM to correctly classify whether or not food samples were contaminated with Salmonella enterica serotype Newport in this blinded pilot study

  6. Functional requirements regarding medical registries--preliminary results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oberbichler, Stefan; Hörbst, Alexander

    2013-01-01

    The term medical registry is used to reference tools and processes to support clinical or epidemiologic research or provide a data basis for decisions regarding health care policies. In spite of this wide range of applications the term registry and the functional requirements which a registry should support are not clearly defined. This work presents preliminary results of a literature review to discover functional requirements which form a registry. To extract these requirements a set of peer reviewed articles was collected. These set of articles was screened by using methods from qualitative research. Up to now most discovered functional requirements focus on data quality (e. g. prevent transcription error by conducting automatic domain checks).

  7. Preliminary screening and identification of the hepatocarcinoma cell-binding peptide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Xiaohua; Wu Hua

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To explore the feasibility of screening and isolating homing peptides that bind specifically, or preferentially, to hepatocarcinoma cells using phage display random peptide library and to develop a new peptide which may be potentially used as targeting delivery carrier in the biological targeted diagnosis or therapy for liver cancer. Methods: A 12-mer peptide phage display library was used to screen and isolate peptides that bind to human hepatocarcinoma cells, and four rounds of subtractive panning were carried out with the human hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2 as the target. The affinities of selected phage clones for human hepatocarcinoma cells were determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared with that to human liver cell and other tumor cells of different tissue origins, respectively. In addition, the binding site in the tumor cells was observed with immunofluorescence analysis under confocal light microscopy. The amino acid sequences of phages that bind HepG2 specifically were deduced through DNA sequencing. Based on the results of DNA sequence, a 16-mer peptide (WH16) was designed and synthesized. Binding ability of the new peptide, WH16, was determined with competitive inhibition test. Results: After four rounds of panning, the phages that were bound to and internalized in human hepatocarcinoma cells were isolated. ELISA and immunofluorescence analysis confirmed the affinity of these phages for hepatocarcinoma cells. 56.67%(17/30) of the isolated phages displayed repeated sequence FLLEPHLMDTSM, and FLEP was defined as conservative motif . Binding of the selected phage to HepG2 cells was inhibited by synthesized peptide WH16, that strongly support that cellular binding of the phage is mediated through its displayed peptide, and WH16 can also bind to HepG2. Conclusions: It is feasible to screen and isolate homing peptides that bind specifically, or preferentially, to hepatocarcinoma cells using phage display random peptide

  8. Preliminary screening and identification of the hepatocarcinoma cell-binding peptide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiaohua, Zhu; Hua, Wu [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong Univ. of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China)

    2004-12-15

    Objective: To explore the feasibility of screening and isolating homing peptides that bind specifically, or preferentially, to hepatocarcinoma cells using phage display random peptide library and to develop a new peptide which may be potentially used as targeting delivery carrier in the biological targeted diagnosis or therapy for liver cancer. Methods: A 12-mer peptide phage display library was used to screen and isolate peptides that bind to human hepatocarcinoma cells, and four rounds of subtractive panning were carried out with the human hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2 as the target. The affinities of selected phage clones for human hepatocarcinoma cells were determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared with that to human liver cell and other tumor cells of different tissue origins, respectively. In addition, the binding site in the tumor cells was observed with immunofluorescence analysis under confocal light microscopy. The amino acid sequences of phages that bind HepG2 specifically were deduced through DNA sequencing. Based on the results of DNA sequence, a 16-mer peptide (WH16) was designed and synthesized. Binding ability of the new peptide, WH16, was determined with competitive inhibition test. Results: After four rounds of panning, the phages that were bound to and internalized in human hepatocarcinoma cells were isolated. ELISA and immunofluorescence analysis confirmed the affinity of these phages for hepatocarcinoma cells. 56.67%(17/30) of the isolated phages displayed repeated sequence FLLEPHLMDTSM, and FLEP was defined as conservative motif . Binding of the selected phage to HepG2 cells was inhibited by synthesized peptide WH16, that strongly support that cellular binding of the phage is mediated through its displayed peptide, and WH16 can also bind to HepG2. Conclusions: It is feasible to screen and isolate homing peptides that bind specifically, or preferentially, to hepatocarcinoma cells using phage display random peptide

  9. Screening for Developmental Disorders in 3- and 4-Year-Old Italian Children: A Preliminary Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Catino

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundThe “Osserviamo” project, coordinated by the Municipality of Rome and the Department of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry of Sapienza University, aimed to validate an Italian version of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3 and to collect, for the first time in Italy, data on developmental disorders in a sample of 4,000 children aged 3 and 4 years. The present paper presents the preliminary results of the “Osserviamo” project.Methods600 parents of children between 39 and 50 months of age (divided in two age stages: 42 and 48 months were contacted from 15 kindergarden schools.Results23.35% of the whole sample scored in the risk range of at least one developmental area of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3rd Edition (ASQ-3 and 7.78% scored in the clinical range. Specifically, 23.97% of the children in the 42-month age stage scored in the risk range and 5.79% scored in the clinical range. Males scored lower than females in the fine motor skills and personal–social development domains. Moreover, 22.79% of the children in the 48-month age stage scored in the risk range, while 9.55% scored in the clinical range. Males scored lower than females in fine motor skills.ConclusionItalian validation of the ASQ-3 and recruitment of all 4,000 participants will allow these data on the distribution of developmental disorders to be extended to the general Italian pediatric population. One main limitation of the study is the lack of clinical confirmation of the data yielded by the screening programme, which the authors aim to obtain in later stages of the study.

  10. Universal Developmental Screening: Preliminary Studies in Galicia, Spain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarmiento Campos, Jose A.; Squires, Jane; Ponte, Jaime

    2011-01-01

    "A_Tempo" is a research project that is currently under development in Galicia, an autonomous community of Spain. Its main aim is to propose an effective universal screening procedure for early identification of developmental disorders in children from zero to three years of age who attend Galician pre-primary schools.…

  11. Carbamazepine-Fumaric Acid Co-Crystal Screening Using Solution Based Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abd Rahim Syarifah

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Co-crystals is a multi-component system which connected by non-covalent interactions, present physically as a solid form under ambient conditions. Nowadays, co-crystal has becoming as an alternative approach to improve the bioavailability of poor water soluble drugs especially for a weakly ionisable groups or neutral compounds. In this study the co-crystal screening was carried out for carbamazepine (CBZ and fumaric acid (FUM co-crystal former (CCF using non-stoichiometric method (addition of CBZ to CCF saturated solution and stoichiometric method (evaporation of 1:1 molar ratio of CBZ to CCF in acetonitrile, ethyl acetate, propanol, ethanol and formic acid solvent systems. The crystals produced from the screening were characterized using Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR. The PXRD analysis had confirmed that the co-crystal was successfully formed in both methods for all of the solvent system studied with an exception to formic acid in the stoichiometric method where no crystal was found precipitate. The findings from this study revealed that Form A and Form B of CBZ-FUM co-crystal had been successfully formed from different solvent systems.

  12. Neuropsychological screening as a standard of care during discharge from psychiatric hospitalization: the preliminary psychometrics of the CNS Screen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levy, Boaz; Celen-Demirtas, Selda; Surguladze, Tinatin; Eranio, Sara; Ellison, James

    2014-03-30

    Cost-prohibitive factors currently prevent a warranted integration of neuropsychological screenings into routine psychiatric evaluations, as a standard of care. To overcome this challenge, the current study examined the psychometric properties of a new computerized measure-the CNS Screen. One hundred and twenty six psychiatric inpatients completed the CNS Screen, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Rated (QIDS-SR₁₆) on the day of hospital discharge. Statistical analysis established convergent validity with a moderate correlation between the self-administered CNS Screen and the clinician-administered MoCA (r=0.64). Discriminant validity was implicated by a non-significant correlation with the QIDS-SR₁₆. Concurrent validity was supported by a moderate, negative correlation with patients' age (r=-0.62). In addition, consistent with previous findings, patients with psychotic disorders exhibited significantly poorer performance on the CNS Screen than patients with a mood disorder. Similarly, patients with a formal disability status scored significantly lower than other patients. The CNS Screen was well tolerated by all patients. With further development, this type of measure may provide a cost-effective approach to expanding neuropsychological screenings on inpatient psychiatric units. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Determination of in vitro susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to cephalosporins by radiometric and conventional methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heifets, L.B.; Iseman, M.D.; Cook, J.L.; Lindholm-Levy, P.J.; Drupa, I.

    1985-01-01

    Among eight cephalosporins and cephamycins tested in preliminary in vitro screening against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the most promising for further study was found to be ceforanide, followed by ceftizoxime, cephapirin, and cefotaxime. Moxalactam, cefoxitin, cefamandole, and cephalothin were found to be not active enough against M. tuberculosis to be considered for further in vitro studies. The antibacterial activity of various ceforanide concentrations was investigated by three methods: (i) the dynamics of radiometric readings (growth index) in 7H12 broth; (ii) the number of CFU in the same medium; and (iii) the proportion method on 7H11 agar plates. There was a good correlation among the results obtained with these methods. The MIC for most strains ranged from 6.0 to 25.0 micrograms/ml. The BACTEC radiometric method is a reliable, rapid, and convenient method for preliminary screening and determination of the level of antibacterial activity of drugs not commonly used against M. tuberculosis

  14. A new screening method to identify inhibitors of the Lol (localization of lipoproteins) system, a novel antibacterial target.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Hideaki; Ura, Atsushi; Oyamada, Yoshihiro; Yoshida, Hiroaki; Yamagishi, Jun-Ichi; Narita, Shin-Ichiro; Matsuyama, Shin-Ichi; Tokuda, Hajime

    2007-01-01

    As the Lol system, which is involved in localization of lipoproteins, is essential for Escherichia coli growth and widely conserved among gram-negative bacteria, it is considered to be a promising target for the development of anti-gram-negative bacterial agents. However, no high-throughput screening method has so far been developed to screen for Lol system inhibitors. By combining three assay systems (anucleate cell blue assay, Lpp assay, and LolA-dependent release inhibition assay) and a drug susceptibility test, we have successfully developed a new screening method for identification of compounds that inhibit the Lol system. Using this new screening method, we screened 23,600 in-house chemical compounds and found 2 Lol system inhibitors. We therefore conclude that our new screening method can efficiently identify new antibacterial agents that target the Lol system.

  15. Comparison of three noninvasive methods for hemoglobin screening of blood donors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ardin, Sergey; Störmer, Melanie; Radojska, Stela; Oustianskaia, Larissa; Hahn, Moritz; Gathof, Birgit S

    2015-02-01

    To prevent phlebotomy of anemic individuals and to ensure hemoglobin (Hb) content of the blood units, Hb screening of blood donors before donation is essential. Hb values are mostly evaluated by measurement of capillary blood obtained from fingerstick. Rapid noninvasive methods have recently become available and may be preferred by donors and staff. The aim of this study was to evaluate for the first time all different noninvasive methods for Hb screening. Blood donors were screened for Hb levels in three different trials using three different noninvasive methods (Haemospect [MBR Optical Systems GmbH & Co. KG], NBM 200 [LMB Technology GmbH], Pronto-7 [Masimo Europe Ltd]) in comparison to the established fingerstick method (CompoLab Hb [Fresenius Kabi GmbH]) and to levels obtained from venous samples on a cell counter (Sysmex [Sysmex Europe GmbH]) as reference. The usability of the noninvasive methods was assessed with an especially developed survey. Technical failures occurred by using the Pronto-7 due to nail polish, skin color, or ambient light. The NBM 200 also showed a high sensitivity to ambient light and noticeably lower Hb levels for women than obtained from the Sysmex. The statistical analysis showed the following bias and standard deviation of differences of all methods in comparison to the venous results: Haemospect, -0.22 ± 1.24; NBM, 200 -0.12 ± 1.14; Pronto-7, -0.50 ± 0.99; and CompoLab Hb, -0.53 ± 0.81. Noninvasive Hb tests represent an attractive alternative by eliminating pain and reducing risks of blood contamination. The main problem for generating reliable results seems to be preanalytical variability in sampling. Despite the sensitivity to environmental stress, all methods are suitable for Hb measurement. © 2014 AABB.

  16. Screening cotton genotypes for seedling drought tolerance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Penna Julio C. Viglioni

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available The objectives of this study were to adapt a screening method previously used to assess seedling drought tolerance in cereals for use in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. and to identify tolerant accessions among a wide range of genotypes. Ninety genotypes were screened in seven growth chamber experiments. Fifteen-day-old seedlings were subjected to four 4-day drought cycles, and plant survival was evaluated after each cycle. Three cycles are probably the minimum required in cotton work. Significant differences (at the 0.05 level or lower among entries were obtained in four of the seven experiments. A "confirmation test" with entries previously evaluated as "tolerant" (high survival and "susceptible" (low survival was run. A number of entries duplicated their earlier performance, but others did not, which indicates the need to reevaluate selections. Germplasms considered tolerant included: `IAC-13-1', `IAC-RM4-SM5', `Minas Sertaneja', `Acala 1517E-1' and `4521'. In general, the technique is simple, though time-consuming, with practical value for screening a large number of genotypes. Results from the screening tests generally agreed with field information. The screening procedure is suitable to select tolerant accessions from among a large number of entries in germplasm collections as a preliminary step in breeding for drought tolerance. This research also demonstrated the need to characterize the internal lack of uniformity in growth chambers to allow for adequate designs of experiments.

  17. Development of methods for screening pesticide residues in plant matrices in Ghana

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lowor, Samuel Tetteh

    1999-12-01

    TLC has been used in combination with micro-extraction and clean-up methods to provide an alternative cost effective analytical procedure for screening pesticide residues in plant matrices. Thirty-five (35) agrochemicals, which are used in priority crops in Ghana, were used in this study. Ethylacetate extraction in the presence of anhydrous sodium sulphate, followed by gel permeation chromatographic clean up and additional purification on silica gel cartridges provided clean extracts enabling the application of 300mg sample equivalent on the TLC plates. Detection method involving the use of O-tolidine was found to be suitable for general screening of residues, having medium sensitivity for several compounds. The method involving the use of silver nitrate was the only one found to be most suitable for detecting the organo chlorine pesticides. Lindane was the most sensitive to this reagent and had a Minimum Detectable Quantity (MDQ) value of 5ng/5 uL. This method was suitable for use on only alumina plates and detection was also possible even under sunlight. The enzyme inhibition methods were very sensitive to the carbamate and phosphoric acid type insecticides with MDQ values between 0.2 and 2000ng. Other detection methods involving p-nitrobenzene, p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde and photosynthesis inhibition were also tried and discussed. The database developed has been successfully used for screening and semiquantitative determination of some ranges of pesticide residue in soil and plant matrices. (au)

  18. METHOD FOR NUMERICAL MODELING OF UNSTEADY SEPARATED FLOW AROUND AIRFOILS MOVING CLOSE TO FLAT SCREEN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Pogrebnaya Tamara

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this article an attempt is made to explain the nature of differences in measurements of forces and moments, which influence an aircraft at take-off and landing when testing on different types of stands. An algorithm for numerical simulation of unsteady separated flow around airfoil is given. The algorithm is based on the combination of discrete vortex method and turbulent boundary layer equations. An unsteady flow separation modeling has been used. At each interval vortex method was used to calculate the potential flow around airfoils located near a screen. Calculated pressures and velocities were then used in boundary layer calculations to determine flow separation points and separated vortex in- tensities. After that calculation were made to determine free vortex positions to next time step and the process was fulfilled for next time step. The proposed algorithm allows using numeric visualization to understand physical picture of flow around airfoil moving close to screen. Three different ways of flow modeling (mirror method, fixed or movable screens were tested. In each case the flow separation process, which determines pressure distribution over airfoil surface and influ- ences aerodynamic performance, was viewed. The results of the calculations showed that at low atitudes of airfoil over screen mirror method over predicts lift force compared with movable screen, while fixed screen under predicts it. The data obtained can be used when designing equipment for testing in wind tunnels.

  19. On the Development of a Web-Based M-Learning System for Dual Screen Handheld Game Consoles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hend S. Al-Khalifa

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents our experience on the design and development of an M-Learning web-based system for the Nintendo DSi game console. The paper starts by addressing the difficulties that emerged from the lack of resources on design guidelines for dual screen devices also the absence of adequate techniques and methods to support the design decisions. Then it explains how we overcame these challenges by adopting a design decision suitable for the screen requirements of the Nintendo DSi console. Finally, we present the components of our M-Learning system and the results of a preliminary usability evaluation.

  20. Preliminary evaluation of a telephone-based smoking cessation intervention in the lung cancer screening setting: A randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Kathryn L; Hagerman, Charlotte J; Luta, George; Bellini, Paula G; Stanton, Cassandra; Abrams, David B; Kramer, Jenna A; Anderson, Eric; Regis, Shawn; McKee, Andrea; McKee, Brady; Niaura, Ray; Harper, Harry; Ramsaier, Michael

    2017-06-01

    Incorporating effective smoking cessation interventions into lung cancer screening (LCS) programs will be essential to realizing the full benefit of screening. We conducted a pilot randomized trial to determine the feasibility and efficacy of a telephone-counseling (TC) smoking cessation intervention vs. usual care (UC) in the LCS setting. In collaboration with 3 geographically diverse LCS programs, we enrolled current smokers (61.5% participation rate) who were: registered to undergo LCS, 50-77 years old, and had a 20+ pack-year smoking history. Eligibility was not based on readiness to quit. Participants completed pre-LCS (T0) and post-LCS (T1) telephone assessments, were randomized to TC (N=46) vs. UC (N=46), and completed a final 3-month telephone assessment (T2). Both study arms received a list of evidence-based cessation resources. TC participants also received up to 6 brief counseling calls with a trained cessation counselor. Counseling calls incorporated motivational interviewing and utilized the screening result as a motivator for quitting. The outcome was biochemically verified 7-day point prevalence cessation at 3-months post-randomization. Participants (56.5% female) were 60.2 (SD=5.4) years old and reported 47.1 (SD=22.2) pack years; 30% were ready to stop smoking in the next 30 days. TC participants completed an average of 4.4 (SD=2.3) sessions. Using intent-to-treat analyses, biochemically verified quit rates were 17.4% (TC) vs. 4.3% (UC), p<.05. This study provides preliminary evidence that telephone-based cessation counseling is feasible and efficacious in the LCS setting. As millions of current smokers are now eligible for lung cancer screening, this setting represents an important opportunity to exert a large public health impact on cessation among smokers who are at very high risk for multiple tobacco-related diseases. If this evidence-based, brief, and scalable intervention is replicated, TC could help to improve the overall cost

  1. Non-destructive screening method for radiation hardened performance of large scale integration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou Dong; Xi Shanbin; Guo Qi; Ren Diyuan; Li Yudong; Sun Jing; Wen Lin

    2013-01-01

    The space radiation environment could induce radiation damage on the electronic devices. As the performance of commercial devices is generally superior to that of radiation hardened devices, it is necessary to screen out the devices with good radiation hardened performance from the commercial devices and applying these devices to space systems could improve the reliability of the systems. Combining the mathematical regression analysis with the different physical stressing experiments, we investigated the non-destructive screening method for radiation hardened performance of the integrated circuit. The relationship between the change of typical parameters and the radiation performance of the circuit was discussed. The irradiation-sensitive parameters were confirmed. The pluralistic linear regression equation toward the prediction of the radiation performance was established. Finally, the regression equations under stress conditions were verified by practical irradiation. The results show that the reliability and accuracy of the non-destructive screening method can be elevated by combining the mathematical regression analysis with the practical stressing experiment. (authors)

  2. Current role of liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry in clinical toxicology screening methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viette, Véronique; Fathi, Marc; Rudaz, Serge; Hochstrasser, Denis; Veuthey, Jean-Luc

    2011-07-01

    Abstract Toxicological screening is the analysis of a biological specimen to detect and identify compounds in patients admitted to the hospital with acute intoxication of unknown origin. The screening of a wide range of toxicologically relevant compounds in biological samples is a serious challenge for clinical laboratories. The high selectivity and sensitivity of liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry or tandem mass spectrometry technology provides an attractive alternative to the current methods. For these reasons, an increasing number of applications for multi-target screening or general screening of unknown compounds in biological matrices are being published. This paper is an overview of sample clean-up, chromatographic separation and mass spectrometry detection procedures which can be combined to obtain screening methods adapted to the constraints and needs of various laboratories, and none specifically in clinical toxicology. Currently the techniques are in the hands of specialists, principally in academic institutes. However, the evolution in technology should allow application of the techniques as a tool in toxicology laboratories and thus more widespread exploitation of their potential.

  3. A fluorescence high throughput screening method for the detection of reactive electrophiles as potential skin sensitizers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Avonto, Cristina; Chittiboyina, Amar G. [National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677 (United States); Rua, Diego [The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD 20740 (United States); Khan, Ikhlas A., E-mail: ikhan@olemiss.edu [National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677 (United States); Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677 (United States)

    2015-12-01

    Skin sensitization is an important toxicological end-point in the risk assessment of chemical allergens. Because of the complexity of the biological mechanisms associated with skin sensitization, integrated approaches combining different chemical, biological and in silico methods are recommended to replace conventional animal tests. Chemical methods are intended to characterize the potential of a sensitizer to induce earlier molecular initiating events. The presence of an electrophilic mechanistic domain is considered one of the essential chemical features to covalently bind to the biological target and induce further haptenation processes. Current in chemico assays rely on the quantification of unreacted model nucleophiles after incubation with the candidate sensitizer. In the current study, a new fluorescence-based method, ‘HTS-DCYA assay’, is proposed. The assay aims at the identification of reactive electrophiles based on their chemical reactivity toward a model fluorescent thiol. The reaction workflow enabled the development of a High Throughput Screening (HTS) method to directly quantify the reaction adducts. The reaction conditions have been optimized to minimize solubility issues, oxidative side reactions and increase the throughput of the assay while minimizing the reaction time, which are common issues with existing methods. Thirty-six chemicals previously classified with LLNA, DPRA or KeratinoSens™ were tested as a proof of concept. Preliminary results gave an estimated 82% accuracy, 78% sensitivity, 90% specificity, comparable to other in chemico methods such as Cys-DPRA. In addition to validated chemicals, six natural products were analyzed and a prediction of their sensitization potential is presented for the first time. - Highlights: • A novel fluorescence-based method to detect electrophilic sensitizers is proposed. • A model fluorescent thiol was used to directly quantify the reaction products. • A discussion of the reaction workflow

  4. A fluorescence high throughput screening method for the detection of reactive electrophiles as potential skin sensitizers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Avonto, Cristina; Chittiboyina, Amar G.; Rua, Diego; Khan, Ikhlas A.

    2015-01-01

    Skin sensitization is an important toxicological end-point in the risk assessment of chemical allergens. Because of the complexity of the biological mechanisms associated with skin sensitization, integrated approaches combining different chemical, biological and in silico methods are recommended to replace conventional animal tests. Chemical methods are intended to characterize the potential of a sensitizer to induce earlier molecular initiating events. The presence of an electrophilic mechanistic domain is considered one of the essential chemical features to covalently bind to the biological target and induce further haptenation processes. Current in chemico assays rely on the quantification of unreacted model nucleophiles after incubation with the candidate sensitizer. In the current study, a new fluorescence-based method, ‘HTS-DCYA assay’, is proposed. The assay aims at the identification of reactive electrophiles based on their chemical reactivity toward a model fluorescent thiol. The reaction workflow enabled the development of a High Throughput Screening (HTS) method to directly quantify the reaction adducts. The reaction conditions have been optimized to minimize solubility issues, oxidative side reactions and increase the throughput of the assay while minimizing the reaction time, which are common issues with existing methods. Thirty-six chemicals previously classified with LLNA, DPRA or KeratinoSens™ were tested as a proof of concept. Preliminary results gave an estimated 82% accuracy, 78% sensitivity, 90% specificity, comparable to other in chemico methods such as Cys-DPRA. In addition to validated chemicals, six natural products were analyzed and a prediction of their sensitization potential is presented for the first time. - Highlights: • A novel fluorescence-based method to detect electrophilic sensitizers is proposed. • A model fluorescent thiol was used to directly quantify the reaction products. • A discussion of the reaction workflow

  5. Novel method for screening of enteric film coatings properties with magnetic resonance imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dorożyński, Przemysław; Jamróz, Witold; Niwiński, Krzysztof; Kurek, Mateusz; Węglarz, Władysław P; Jachowicz, Renata; Kulinowski, Piotr

    2013-11-18

    The aim of the study is to present the concept of novel method for fast screening of enteric coating compositions properties without the need of preparation of tablets batches for fluid bed coating. Proposed method involves evaluation of enteric coated model tablets in specially designed testing cell with application of MRI technique. The results obtained in the testing cell were compared with results of dissolution studies of mini-tablets coated in fluid bed apparatus. The method could be useful in early stage of formulation development for screening of film coating properties that will shorten and simplify the development works. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography in recalls from the Dutch breast cancer screening program : validation of results in a large multireader, multicase study

    OpenAIRE

    Lalji, U C; Houben, I P L; Prevos, R; Gommers, S; van Goethem, M; Vanwetswinkel, S; Pijnappel, R; Steeman, R; Frotscher, C; Mok, W; Nelemans, P; Smidt, M L; Beets-Tan, R G; Wildberger, J E; Lobbes, M B I

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) is a promising problem-solving tool in women referred from a breast cancer screening program. We aimed to study the validity of preliminary results of CESM using a larger panel of radiologists with different levels of CESM experience. METHODS: All women referred from the Dutch breast cancer screening program were eligible for CESM. 199 consecutive cases were viewed by ten radiologists. Four had extensive CESM experience, three had no C...

  7. Screening specifications for Gulf Coast salt domes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brunton, G.D.; Laughon, R.B.; McClain, W.C.

    1978-01-01

    A reconnaissance survey of the salt domes of Mississippi, Louisiana, and east Texas is being planned to identify study areas for potential sites for radioactive waste disposal. Preliminary screening specifications were derived for each of the geological evaluation criteria by application of the significant factors that will have an impact on the reconnaissance survey. The procedure for the derivation of each screening specification is discussed. The screening specifications are the official OWI values to be used for the first-cut acceptance for salt dome study areas along the Gulf Coast. The derivation of the screening specifications is illustrated by (1) a statement of the geological evaluation criterion, (2) a discussion of the pertinent factors affecting the criterion, and (3) the evaluation of the value of the specification

  8. Proposal of Screening Method of Sleep Disordered Breathing Using Fiber Grating Vision Sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aoki, Hirooki; Nakamura, Hidetoshi; Nakajima, Masato

    Every conventional respiration monitoring technique requires at least one sensor to be attached to the body of the subject during measurement, thereby imposing a sense of restraint that results in aversion against measurements that would last over consecutive days. To solve this problem, we developed a respiration monitoring system for sleepers, and it uses a fiber-grating vision sensor, which is a type of active image sensor to achieve non-contact respiration monitoring. In this paper, we verified the effectiveness of the system, and proposed screening method of the sleep disordered breathing. It was shown that our system could equivalently measure the respiration with thermistor and accelerograph. And, the respiratory condition of sleepers can be grasped by our screening method in one look, and it seems to be useful for the support of the screening of sleep disordered breathing.

  9. The prevalence and screening methods of postpartum depression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Özgür Erdem

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Postpartum Depression is the most common complicationof the delivery and affects approximately 10%-15% ofwomen who had just gave birth. During a period in whichwomen believe that they should be happy, the depressivemood experienced by most women leads to feelings ofguilt, hiding the symptoms, and postpartum depressionto be overlooked. Although the incidence of serious psychiatricdisorders during pregnancy is low, it is reportedthat the incidence shows a dramatic increase during thepostpartum period and this risky period may continue upto six months, one year or even two years.As the onset of postpartum depression is insidious it caneasily be overlooked if the patient’s seeking help is notsupported, especially when the severity of postpartum depressionis mild or moderate. In these cases, postpartumdepression may persist for a long time and at last it can beso severe that hospitalization would be needed. Therefore,early diagnose is very important and primary carephysicians and other health care workers should be alert.Postpartum Depression should be diagnosed using reliabledescriptive methods in puerperant women. Thescales such as Postnatal Depression Screening Scale,Beck Depression Inventory, Edinburgh Postnatal DepressionScale and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, all of whichwere tested for validity and reliability in our country can beused during follow-up of pregnant and puerperal women.Key words: Postpartum depression, screening methods,primary health care professionals

  10. Real-time and online screening method for materials emitting volatile organic compounds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Changhyuk [University of Minnesota, Department of Mechanical Engineering (United States); Sul, Yong Tae [Hoseo University (Korea, Republic of); Pui, David Y. H., E-mail: dyhpui@umn.edu [University of Minnesota, Department of Mechanical Engineering (United States)

    2016-09-15

    In the semiconductor industry, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the cleanroom air work as airborne molecular contamination, which reduce the production yield of semiconductor chips by forming nanoparticles and haze on silicon wafers and photomasks under ultraviolet irradiation during photolithography processes. Even though VOCs in outdoor air are removed by gas filters, VOCs can be emitted from many kinds of materials used in cleanrooms, such as organic solvents and construction materials (e.g., adhesives, flame retardants and sealants), threatening the production of semiconductors. Therefore, finding new replacements that emit lower VOCs is now essential in the semiconductor industry. In this study, we developed a real-time and online method to screen materials for developing the replacements by converting VOCs into nanoparticles under soft X-ray irradiation. This screening method was applied to measure VOCs emitted from different kinds of organic solvents and adhesives. Our results showed good repeatability and high sensitivity for VOCs, which come from aromatic compounds, some alcohols and all tested adhesives (Super glue and cleanroom-use adhesives). In addition, the overall trend of measured VOCs from cleanroom-use adhesives was well matched with those measured by a commercial thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, which is a widely used off-line method for analyzing VOCs. Based on the results, this screening method can help accelerate the developing process for reducing VOCs in cleanrooms.

  11. Specification and Preliminary Validation of IAT (Integrated Analysis Techniques) Methods: Executive Summary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1985-03-01

    conceptual framwork , and preliminary validation of IAT concepts. Planned work for FY85, including more extensive validation, is also described. 20...Developments: Required Capabilities .... ......... 10 2-1 IAT Conceptual Framework - FY85 (FEO) ..... ........... 11 2-2 Recursive Nature of Decomposition...approach: 1) Identify needs & requirements for IAT. 2) Develop IAT conceptual framework. 3) Validate IAT methods. 4) Develop applications materials. To

  12. Women with learning disabilities and access to cervical screening: retrospective cohort study using case control methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reynolds, Fiona; Stanistreet, Debbi; Elton, Peter

    2008-01-01

    Background Several studies in the UK have suggested that women with learning disabilities may be less likely to receive cervical screening tests and a previous local study in had found that GPs considered screening unnecessary for women with learning disabilities. This study set out to ascertain whether women with learning disabilities are more likely to be ceased from a cervical screening programme than women without; and to examine the reasons given for ceasing women with learning disabilities. It was carried out in Bury, Heywood-and-Middleton and Rochdale. Methods Carried out using retrospective cohort study methods, women with learning disabilities were identified by Read code; and their cervical screening records were compared with the Call-and-Recall records of women without learning disabilities in order to examine their screening histories. Analysis was carried out using case-control methods – 1:2 (women with learning disabilities: women without learning disabilities), calculating odds ratios. Results 267 women's records were compared with the records of 534 women without learning disabilities. Women with learning disabilities had an odds ratio (OR) of 0.48 (Confidence Interval (CI) 0.38 – 0.58; X2: 72.227; p.value learning disabilities. Conclusion The reasons given for ceasing and/or not screening suggest that merely being coded as having a learning disability is not the sole reason for these actions. There are training needs among smear takers regarding appropriate reasons not to screen and providing screening for women with learning disabilities. PMID:18218106

  13. A novel accelerated oxidative stability screening method for pharmaceutical solids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Donghua Alan; Zhang, Geoff G Z; George, Karen L S T; Zhou, Deliang

    2011-08-01

    Despite the fact that oxidation is the second most frequent degradation pathway for pharmaceuticals, means of evaluating the oxidative stability of pharmaceutical solids, especially effective stress testing, are still lacking. This paper describes a novel experimental method for peroxide-mediated oxidative stress testing on pharmaceutical solids. The method utilizes urea-hydrogen peroxide, a molecular complex that undergoes solid-state decomposition and releases hydrogen peroxide vapor at elevated temperatures (e.g., 30°C), as a source of peroxide. The experimental setting for this method is simple, convenient, and can be operated routinely in most laboratories. The fundamental parameter of the system, that is, hydrogen peroxide vapor pressure, was determined using a modified spectrophotometric method. The feasibility and utility of the proposed method in solid form selection have been demonstrated using various solid forms of ephedrine. No degradation was detected for ephedrine hydrochloride after exposure to the hydrogen peroxide vapor for 2 weeks, whereas both anhydrate and hemihydrate free base forms degraded rapidly under the test conditions. In addition, both the anhydrate and the hemihydrate free base degraded faster when exposed to hydrogen peroxide vapor at 30°C under dry condition than at 30°C/75% relative humidity (RH). A new degradation product was also observed under the drier condition. The proposed method provides more relevant screening conditions for solid dosage forms, and is useful in selecting optimal solid form(s), determining potential degradation products, and formulation screening during development. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  14. Method for screening the Nevada Test Site and contiguous areas for nuclear waste repository locations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sinnock, S.; Fernandez, J.A.; Neal, J.T.; Stephens, H.P.; Hartway, B.L.; Los Alamos Technical Associates, Inc., NM)

    1982-01-01

    This paper outlines the general concepts of a technical method for systematic screening of the Nevada Test Site (NTS), Nye County, Nevada, for potentially suitable nuclear waste repository locations. After a general discussion of the organization and the purpose of the current screening activity, the paper addresses the steps of the screening method. These steps include: hierarchically organizing technical objectives for repository performance (an objectives tree); identifying and mapping pertinent physical characteristics of a site and its setting (physical attributes); relating the physical conditions to the objectives (favorability curves); identifying alternative locations and numerically evaluating their relative merits; investigating the effects of subjective judgments on the evaluations (sensitivity analyses); documenting the assumptions, logic, and results of the method. 19 references, 10 figures

  15. A new motor screening assessment for children at risk for motor disorders: construct validity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paola Matiko Martins Okuda

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: To develop a motor screening assessment and provide preliminary evidence of its psychometric properties. Methods: A sample of 365 elementary school students was assessed, with structural equation modeling applied to obtain evidence of the adequacy of the factor structure of the motor screening assessment. As well, differential item functioning was used to evaluate whether various identifiable subgroups of children (i.e., sex and grade perform particular tasks differently. Results: Overall, girls obtained higher scores than boys while, for both sexes, the assessment scores increased with age. Furthermore, differential item function analysis revealed that the precision of the test was highest for those with moderate to low motor performance, suggesting that this tool would be appropriate for identifying individuals with movement difficulties. Conclusion: Although further tests of its psychometric properties are required, the motor screening assessment appears to be a reliable, valid, and quickly-administered tool for screening children's movements.

  16. Screening, sensitivity, and uncertainty for the CREAM method of Human Reliability Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bedford, Tim; Bayley, Clare; Revie, Matthew

    2013-01-01

    This paper reports a sensitivity analysis of the Cognitive Reliability and Error Analysis Method for Human Reliability Analysis. We consider three different aspects: the difference between the outputs of the Basic and Extended methods, on the same HRA scenario; the variability in outputs through the choices made for common performance conditions (CPCs); and the variability in outputs through the assignment of choices for cognitive function failures (CFFs). We discuss the problem of interpreting categories when applying the method, compare its quantitative structure to that of first generation methods and discuss also how dependence is modelled with the approach. We show that the control mode intervals used in the Basic method are too narrow to be consistent with the Extended method. This motivates a new screening method that gives improved accuracy with respect to the Basic method, in the sense that (on average) halves the uncertainty associated with the Basic method. We make some observations on the design of a screening method that are generally applicable in Risk Analysis. Finally, we propose a new method of combining CPC weights with nominal probabilities so that the calculated probabilities are always in range (i.e. between 0 and 1), while satisfying sensible properties that are consistent with the overall CREAM method

  17. Efficacy of screening methods used in breeding for black pod ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The disease affects the pods, beans, flower cushions, leaves, stems and roots. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of resistance screening methods used in breeding black pod disease resistance in cocoa. The resistance of cocoa leaves and pods to Phytophthora palmivora was investigated in twenty five ...

  18. Using the Screened Coulomb Potential to Illustrate the Variational Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuniga, Jose; Bastida, Adolfo; Requena, Alberto

    2012-01-01

    The screened Coulomb potential, or Yukawa potential, is used to illustrate the application of the single and linear variational methods. The trial variational functions are expressed in terms of Slater-type functions, for which the integrals needed to carry out the variational calculations are easily evaluated in closed form. The variational…

  19. A rapid colorimetric screening method for vanillic acid and vanillin-producing bacterial strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamzuri, N A; Abd-Aziz, S; Rahim, R A; Phang, L Y; Alitheen, N B; Maeda, T

    2014-04-01

    To isolate a bacterial strain capable of biotransforming ferulic acid, a major component of lignin, into vanillin and vanillic acid by a rapid colorimetric screening method. For the production of vanillin, a natural aroma compound, we attempted to isolate a potential strain using a simple screening method based on pH change resulting from the degradation of ferulic acid. The strain Pseudomonas sp. AZ10 UPM exhibited a significant result because of colour changes observed on the assay plate on day 1 with a high intensity of yellow colour. The biotransformation of ferulic acid into vanillic acid by the AZ10 strain provided the yield (Yp/s ) and productivity (Pr ) of 1·08 mg mg(-1) and 53·1 mg L(-1) h(-1) , respectively. In fact, new investigations regarding lignin degradation revealed that the strain was not able to produce vanillin and vanillic acid directly from lignin; however, partially digested lignin by mixed enzymatic treatment allowed the strain to produce 30·7 mg l(-1) and 1·94 mg l(-1) of vanillic acid and biovanillin, respectively. (i) The rapid colorimetric screening method allowed the isolation of a biovanillin producer using ferulic acid as the sole carbon source. (ii) Enzymatic treatment partially digested lignin, which could then be utilized by the strain to produce biovanillin and vanillic acid. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the use of a rapid colorimetric screening method for bacterial strains producing vanillin and vanillic acid from ferulic acid. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  20. Development of a first-principles code based on the screened KKR method for large super-cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doi, S; Ogura, M; Akai, H

    2013-01-01

    The procedures of performing first-principles electronic structure calculation using the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker (KKR) and the screened KKR methods are reviewed with an emphasis put on their numerical efficiency. It is shown that an iterative matrix inversion combined with a suitable preconditioning greatly improves the computational time of screened KKR method. The method is well parallelized and also has an O(N) scaling property

  1. Pharmacy diabetes care program: analysis of two screening methods for undiagnosed type 2 diabetes in Australian community pharmacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krass, I; Mitchell, B; Clarke, P; Brillant, M; Dienaar, R; Hughes, J; Lau, P; Peterson, G; Stewart, K; Taylor, S; Wilkinson, J; Armour, C

    2007-03-01

    To compare the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of two methods of screening for undiagnosed type 2 diabetes in Australian community pharmacy. A random sample of 30 pharmacies were allocated into two groups: (i) tick test only (TTO); or (ii) sequential screening (SS) method. Both methods used the same initial risk assessment for type 2 diabetes. Subjects with one or more risk factors in the TTO group were offered a referral to their general practitioner (GP). Under the SS method, patients with risk factors were offered a capillary blood glucose test and those identified as being at risk referred to a GP. The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of these approaches was assessed. A total of 1286 people were screened over a period of 3 months. The rate of diagnosis of diabetes was significantly higher for SS compared with the TTO method (1.7% versus 0.2%; p=0.008). The SS method resulted in fewer referrals to the GP and a higher uptake of referrals than the TTO method and so was the more cost-effective screening method. SS is the superior method from a cost and efficacy perspective. It should be considered as the preferred option for screening by community based pharmacists in Australia.

  2. Women with learning disabilities and access to cervical screening: retrospective cohort study using case control methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanistreet Debbi

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Several studies in the UK have suggested that women with learning disabilities may be less likely to receive cervical screening tests and a previous local study in had found that GPs considered screening unnecessary for women with learning disabilities. This study set out to ascertain whether women with learning disabilities are more likely to be ceased from a cervical screening programme than women without; and to examine the reasons given for ceasing women with learning disabilities. It was carried out in Bury, Heywood-and-Middleton and Rochdale. Methods Carried out using retrospective cohort study methods, women with learning disabilities were identified by Read code; and their cervical screening records were compared with the Call-and-Recall records of women without learning disabilities in order to examine their screening histories. Analysis was carried out using case-control methods – 1:2 (women with learning disabilities: women without learning disabilities, calculating odds ratios. Results 267 women's records were compared with the records of 534 women without learning disabilities. Women with learning disabilities had an odds ratio (OR of 0.48 (Confidence Interval (CI 0.38 – 0.58; X2: 72.227; p.value X2: 24.236; p.value X2: 286.341; p.value Conclusion The reasons given for ceasing and/or not screening suggest that merely being coded as having a learning disability is not the sole reason for these actions. There are training needs among smear takers regarding appropriate reasons not to screen and providing screening for women with learning disabilities.

  3. A Preliminary Study of the Effectiveness of Different Recitation Teaching Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Endorf, Robert J.; Koenig, Kathleen M.; Braun, Gregory A.

    2006-02-01

    We present preliminary results from a comparative study of student understanding for students who attended recitation classes which used different teaching methods. Student volunteers from our introductory calculus-based physics course attended a special recitation class that was taught using one of four different teaching methods. A total of 272 students were divided into approximately equal groups for each method. Students in each class were taught the same topic, "Changes in energy and momentum," from Tutorials in Introductory Physics. The different teaching methods varied in the amount of student and teacher engagement. Student understanding was evaluated through pretests and posttests given at the recitation class. Our results demonstrate the importance of the instructor's role in teaching recitation classes. The most effective teaching method was for students working in cooperative learning groups with the instructors questioning the groups using Socratic dialogue. These results provide guidance and evidence for the teaching methods which should be emphasized in training future teachers and faculty members.

  4. Rapid in vivo screening method for the evaluation of new anti ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Rapid in vivo screening method for the evaluation of new anti helicobacter ... Six to eight week-old mice pre-treated (7 days) with Amoxicillin/Metronidazole (25 ... These findings were used as a mouse model of Helicobacter pylori infection to ...

  5. A Rapid and Efficient Screening Method for Antibacterial Compound-Producing Bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hettiarachchi, Sachithra; Lee, Su-Jin; Lee, Youngdeuk; Kwon, Young-Kyung; De Zoysa, Mahanama; Moon, Song; Jo, Eunyoung; Kim, Taeho; Kang, Do-Hyung; Heo, Soo-Jin; Oh, Chulhong

    2017-08-28

    Antibacterial compounds are widely used in the treatment of human and animal diseases. The overuse of antibiotics has led to a rapid rise in the prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria, making the development of new antibacterial compounds essential. This study focused on developing a fast and easy method for identifying marine bacteria that produce antibiotic compounds. Eight randomly selected marine target bacterial species ( Agrococcus terreus, Bacillus algicola, Mesoflavibacter zeaxanthinifaciens, Pseudoalteromonas flavipulchra, P. peptidolytica, P. piscicida, P. rubra , and Zunongwangia atlantica ) were tested for production of antibacterial compounds against four strains of test bacteria ( B. cereus, B. subtilis, Halomonas smyrnensis , and Vibrio alginolyticus ). Colony picking was used as the primary screening method. Clear zones were observed around colonies of P. flavipulchra, P. peptidolytica, P. piscicida , and P. rubra tested against B. cereus, B. subtilis , and H. smyrnensis . The efficiency of colony scraping and broth culture methods for antimicrobial compound extraction was also compared using a disk diffusion assay. P. peptidolytica, P. piscicida , and P. rubra showed antagonistic activity against H. smyrnensis, B. cereus , and B. subtilis , respectively, only in the colony scraping method. Our results show that colony picking and colony scraping are effective, quick, and easy methods of screening for antibacterial compound-producing bacteria.

  6. Cone penetrometer tests and HydroPunch sampling: A screening technique for plume definition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smolley, M.; Kappmeyer, J.C.

    1991-01-01

    Cone penetrometer tests and HydroPunch sampling were used to define the extent of volatile organic compounds in ground water. The investigation indicated that the combination of the these techniques is effective for obtaining ground water samples for preliminary plume definition. HydroPunch samples can be collected in unconsolidated sediments and the analytical results obtained from these samples are comparable to those obtained from adjacent monitoring wells. This sampling method is a rapid and cost-effective screening technique for characterizing the extent of contaminant plumes in soft sediment environments. Use of this screening technique allowed monitoring wells to be located at the plume boundary, thereby reducing the number of wells installed and the overall cost of the plume definition program

  7. Preliminary screening and identification of the peptide binding to hepatocarcinoma cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Xiaohua; Wu Ha

    2004-01-01

    Objective: The present study was performed to screen and isolate homing peptides that bind specifically, or preferentially, to hepatocarcinoma cells using phage display of random peptide library with the purpose of developing a new peptide which may be potentially used as target delivery carrier in the biological target diagnosis or therapy for liver cancer. Methods: A peptide 12-mer phage display library was used to screen and isolate peptide that bind to human hepatocarcinoma cell, and four rounds subtractive panning were carried out with the human hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2 as the target. The affinities of selected phage clones to human hepatocarcinoma cell were determined with ELISA and compared with human liver cell and other tumor cells of different tissue origins respectively. In addition, the binding site in the tumor cells was observed with immunofluorescence analysis under confocal light microscopy. The amino acid sequences of phages that bind HepG2 specifically were deduced though DNA sequencing. Based on the results of DNA sequence, a 16-mer peptide (WH16) was designed and synthesized. Binding ability of the new peptide WH16 was determined with competitive inhibition test. Results: After four rounds panning, the phages that bound to and internalized in human hepatocarcinoma cell were isolated. ELISA and immunofluorescence analysis confirmed the affinity of these phages to hepatpcarcinoma cells 56.57%(17/30) of the isolated phages displayed repeated sequence FLLEPHLMDTSM, and FLEP was defined as conservative motif. Binding of the selected phage to HepG2 cells was inhibited by synthesized peptide WH16, which strongly support that cellular binding of phage is mediated though its displayed peptide and WH16 can also bind to HepG2. Conclusion: It is feasible to screen and isolate homing peptides that bind specifically, or preferentially, to hepatocarcinoma cells using phage display of random peptide libraries. The sequence of peptide that can bind to

  8. Preliminary screening and identification of the peptide binding to hepatocarcinoma cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiaohua, Zhu; Ha, Wu [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China)

    2004-07-01

    Objective: The present study was performed to screen and isolate homing peptides that bind specifically, or preferentially, to hepatocarcinoma cells using phage display of random peptide library with the purpose of developing a new peptide which may be potentially used as target delivery carrier in the biological target diagnosis or therapy for liver cancer. Methods: A peptide 12-mer phage display library was used to screen and isolate peptide that bind to human hepatocarcinoma cell, and four rounds subtractive panning were carried out with the human hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2 as the target. The affinities of selected phage clones to human hepatocarcinoma cell were determined with ELISA and compared with human liver cell and other tumor cells of different tissue origins respectively. In addition, the binding site in the tumor cells was observed with immunofluorescence analysis under confocal light microscopy. The amino acid sequences of phages that bind HepG2 specifically were deduced though DNA sequencing. Based on the results of DNA sequence, a 16-mer peptide (WH16) was designed and synthesized. Binding ability of the new peptide WH16 was determined with competitive inhibition test. Results: After four rounds panning, the phages that bound to and internalized in human hepatocarcinoma cell were isolated. ELISA and immunofluorescence analysis confirmed the affinity of these phages to hepatpcarcinoma cells 56.57%(17/30) of the isolated phages displayed repeated sequence FLLEPHLMDTSM, and FLEP was defined as conservative motif. Binding of the selected phage to HepG2 cells was inhibited by synthesized peptide WH16, which strongly support that cellular binding of phage is mediated though its displayed peptide and WH16 can also bind to HepG2. Conclusion: It is feasible to screen and isolate homing peptides that bind specifically, or preferentially, to hepatocarcinoma cells using phage display of random peptide libraries. The sequence of peptide that can bind to

  9. Assessment of Sediment Heavy Metals Pollution Using Screening Methods (XRF, TGA/MS, XRPD and Earthworms Bioassay)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Findoráková, Lenka; Šestinová, Ol'ga; Hančul'ák, Jozef; Fedorová, Erika; Zorkovská, Anna

    2016-10-01

    The aim of this study is focused on the use of screening methods (TG/DTA coupled with MS, XRF, AAS, XRPD and earthworm bioassay) for sediments pollution assessing by heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Hg) coming from the former mining workloads in the central Spis, Eastern Slovakia. The screening methods (XRF, AAS) indicated pollution of studied sediments by Cu, Zn, Pb, Hg. The earthworms Dendrobaena veneta caused in some studied samples decrease of heavy metals concentration after their 7 days’ exposure in sediments. The other screening methods such as thermal analysis and XRPD analysis, does not confirm the specifically changes in physicochemical properties comparing the properties before and after 7 days’ earthworm's exposure.

  10. A novel tandem mass spectrometry method for first-line screening of mainly beta-thalassemia from dried blood spots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Chaowen; Huang, Shuodan; Wang, Ming; Zhang, Juan; Liu, Hao; Yuan, Zhaojian; Wang, Xingbin; He, Xiaoyan; Wang, Jie; Zou, Lin

    2017-02-10

    Traditional methods for thalassemia screening are time-consuming and easily affected by cell hemolysis or hemoglobin degradation in stored blood samples. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) proved to be an effective technology for sickle cell disorders (SCD) screening. Here, we developed a novel MS/MS method for β-thalassemia screening from dried blood spots (DBS). Stable isotopic-labeled peptides were used as internal standards for quantification and calculation of the α:β-globin ratios. We used the α:β-globin ratio cutoffs to differentiate between normal individuals and patients with thalassemia. About 781 patients and 300 normal individuals were analyzed. The α:β-globin ratios showed significant difference between normal and β-thalassemia patients (Pthalassemia mutation. In the parallel study, all cases screened for suspected thalassemia from six hundred DBS samples by using this MS/MS method were successfully confirmed by genotyping. The intra-assay and inter-assay CVs of the ratios ranged from 2.4% to 3.9% and 4.7% to 7.1%, and there was no significant sample carryover or matrix effect for this MS/MS method. Combined with SCD screening, this MS/MS method could be used as a first-line screening assay for both structural and expression abnormalities of human hemoglobin. Traditional methods for thalassemia screening were depending on the structural integrity of tetramers and could be affected by hemolysis and degradation of whole blood samples, especially when stored. We used proteospecific peptides produced by the tryptic digestion of each globin to evaluate the production ratio between α- and β-globin chains, which turned out to be quite stable even when stored for more than two months. Though most of the peptides were specific to α-globin or β-globin, we only chose four most informative peptides and its stable isotopic-labeled peptides as internal standards for analysis, which could obtain a high accuracy. Currently, we are the first to address the

  11. Cost-effectiveness analysis of neonatal hearing screening program in china: should universal screening be prioritized?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huang Li-Hui

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Neonatal hearing screening (NHS has been routinely offered as a vital component of early childhood care in developed countries, whereas such a screening program is still at the pilot or preliminary stage as regards its nationwide implementation in developing countries. To provide significant evidence for health policy making in China, this study aims to determine the cost-effectiveness of NHS program implementation in case of eight provinces of China. Methods A cost-effectiveness model was conducted and all neonates annually born from 2007 to 2009 in eight provinces of China were simulated in this model. The model parameters were estimated from the established databases in the general hospitals or maternal and child health hospitals of these eight provinces, supplemented from the published literature. The model estimated changes in program implementation costs, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs, average cost-effectiveness ratio (ACER, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER for universal screening compared to targeted screening in eight provinces. Results and discussion A multivariate sensitivity analysis was performed to determine uncertainty in health effect estimates and cost-effectiveness ratios using a probabilistic modeling technique. Targeted strategy trended to be cost-effective in Guangxi, Jiangxi, Henan, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Hebei, Shandong, and Beijing from the level of 9%, 9%, 8%, 4%, 3%, 7%, 5%, and 2%, respectively; while universal strategy trended to be cost-effective in those provinces from the level of 70%, 70%, 48%, 10%, 8%, 28%, 15%, 4%, respectively. This study showed although there was a huge disparity in the implementation of the NHS program in the surveyed provinces, both universal strategy and targeted strategy showed cost-effectiveness in those relatively developed provinces, while neither of the screening strategy showed cost-effectiveness in those relatively developing provinces. This

  12. Nigerian Journal of Chemical Research Vol.12, 2007 Preliminary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HP USER

    Preliminary Studies on the Phytochemical and Pharmacological Screening of Alchornea Cordifolia. M. O. Edema* and O. P. Osarumwense ... leaves extract used by local medicine practitioners for the treatment of ... plant in Africa and is used in the traditional medicine ... presence of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, saponins,.

  13. Validation of cervical cancer screening methods in HIV positive women from Johannesburg South Africa.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cynthia Firnhaber

    Full Text Available HIV-infected women are at increased risk for developing cervical cancer. Women living in resource-limited countries are especially at risk due to poor access to cervical cancer screening and treatment. We evaluated three cervical cancer screening methods to detect cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 and above (CIN 2+ in HIV-infected women in South Africa; Pap smear, visual inspection with 5% acetic acid (VIA and human papillomavirus detection (HPV.HIV-infected women aged 18-65 were recruited in Johannesburg. A cross-sectional study evaluating three screening methods for the detection of the histologically-defined gold standard CIN-2 + was performed. Women were screened for cervical abnormalities with the Digene HC2 assay (HPV, Pap smear and VIA. VIA was performed by clinic nurses, digital photographs taken and then later reviewed by specialist physicians. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive valves for CIN-2 + were calculated using maximum likelihood estimators.1,202 HIV-infected women participated, with a median age of 38 years and CD4 counts of 394 cells/mm(3. One third of women had a high grade lesion on cytology. VIA and HPV were positive in 45% and 61% of women respectively. Estimated sensitivity/specificity for HPV, Pap smear and VIA for CIN 2+ was 92%/51.4%, 75.8%/83.4% and 65.4/68.5% (nurse reading, respectively. Sensitivities were similar, and specificities appeared significantly lower for the HPV test, cytology and VIA among women with CD4 counts ≤200 cells/mm(3 as compared to CD4 counts >350 cells/mm(3.Although HPV was the most sensitive screening method for detecting CIN 2+, it was less specific than conventional cytology and VIA with digital imaging review. Screening programs may need to be individualized in context of the resources and capacity in each area.

  14. SCREENING METHODS FOR SELECTION OF SURFACTANT FORMULATIONS FOR IOR FROM FRACTURED CARBONATE RESERVOIRS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    William A. Goddard III; Yongchun Tang; Patrick Shuler; Mario Blanco; Yongfu Wu; Seung Soon Jang

    2005-07-01

    This topical report presents details of the laboratory work performed to complete Task 1 of this project; developing rapid screening methods to assess surfactant performance for IOR (Improved Oil Recovery) from fractured carbonate reservoirs. The desired outcome is to identify surfactant formulations that increase the rate and amount of aqueous phase imbibition into oil-rich, oil-wet carbonate reservoir rock. Changing the wettability from oil-wet to water-wet is one key to enhancing this water-phase imbibition process that in turn recovers additional oil from the matrix portion of a carbonate reservoir. The common laboratory test to evaluate candidate surfactant formulations is to measure directly the aqueous imbibition rate and oil recovery from small outcrop or reservoir cores, but this procedure typically requires several weeks. Two methods are presented here for the rapid screening of candidate surfactant formulations for their potential IOR performance in carbonate reservoirs. One promising surfactant screening protocol is based on the ability of a surfactant solution to remove aged crude oil that coats a clear calcite crystal (Iceland Spar). Good surfactant candidate solutions remove the most oil the quickest from the chips, plus change the apparent contact angle of the remaining oil droplets on the surface that thereby indicate increased water-wetting. The other fast surfactant screening method is based on the flotation behavior of powdered calcite in water. In this test protocol, first the calcite power is pre-treated to make the surface oil-wet. The next step is to add the pre-treated powder to a test tube and add a candidate aqueous surfactant formulation; the greater the percentage of the calcite that now sinks to the bottom rather than floats, the more effective the surfactant is in changing the solids to become now preferentially water-wet. Results from the screening test generally are consistent with surfactant performance reported in the literature.

  15. Rapid screening of mixed edible oils and gutter oils by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ng, Tsz-Tsun; So, Pui-Kin; Zheng, Bo [Food Safety and Technology Research Centre, State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China); Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Food Biological Safety Control and State Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine and Molecular Pharmacology (Incubation), Shenzhen Research Institute of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Shenzhen (China); Yao, Zhong-Ping, E-mail: zhongping.yao@polyu.edu.hk [Food Safety and Technology Research Centre, State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China); Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Food Biological Safety Control and State Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine and Molecular Pharmacology (Incubation), Shenzhen Research Institute of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Shenzhen (China)

    2015-07-16

    Highlights: • Simplified sample preparation method for direct analysis of edible oils by MALDI-MS. • Establishment of a preliminary MALDI-MS spectral database of edible oils. • Rapid screening of mixed edible oils and gutter oils. - Abstract: Authentication of edible oils is a long-term issue in food safety, and becomes particularly important with the emergence and wide spread of gutter oils in recent years. Due to the very high analytical demand and diversity of gutter oils, a high throughput analytical method and a versatile strategy for authentication of mixed edible oils and gutter oils are highly desirable. In this study, an improved matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) method has been developed for direct analysis of edible oils. This method involved on-target sample loading, automatic data acquisition and simple data processing. MALDI-MS spectra with high quality and high reproducibility have been obtained using this method, and a preliminary spectral database of edible oils has been set up. The authenticity of an edible oil sample can be determined by comparing its MALDI-MS spectrum and principal component analysis (PCA) results with those of its labeled oil in the database. This method is simple and the whole process only takes several minutes for analysis of one oil sample. We demonstrated that the method was sensitive to change in oil compositions and can be used for measuring compositions of mixed oils. The capability of the method for determining mislabeling enables it for rapid screening of gutter oils since fraudulent mislabeling is a common feature of gutter oils.

  16. Rapid screening of mixed edible oils and gutter oils by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ng, Tsz-Tsun; So, Pui-Kin; Zheng, Bo; Yao, Zhong-Ping

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Simplified sample preparation method for direct analysis of edible oils by MALDI-MS. • Establishment of a preliminary MALDI-MS spectral database of edible oils. • Rapid screening of mixed edible oils and gutter oils. - Abstract: Authentication of edible oils is a long-term issue in food safety, and becomes particularly important with the emergence and wide spread of gutter oils in recent years. Due to the very high analytical demand and diversity of gutter oils, a high throughput analytical method and a versatile strategy for authentication of mixed edible oils and gutter oils are highly desirable. In this study, an improved matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) method has been developed for direct analysis of edible oils. This method involved on-target sample loading, automatic data acquisition and simple data processing. MALDI-MS spectra with high quality and high reproducibility have been obtained using this method, and a preliminary spectral database of edible oils has been set up. The authenticity of an edible oil sample can be determined by comparing its MALDI-MS spectrum and principal component analysis (PCA) results with those of its labeled oil in the database. This method is simple and the whole process only takes several minutes for analysis of one oil sample. We demonstrated that the method was sensitive to change in oil compositions and can be used for measuring compositions of mixed oils. The capability of the method for determining mislabeling enables it for rapid screening of gutter oils since fraudulent mislabeling is a common feature of gutter oils

  17. Gain versus loss-framed messaging and colorectal cancer screening among African Americans: A preliminary examination of perceived racism and culturally targeted dual messaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucas, Todd; Hayman, Lenwood W; Blessman, James E; Asabigi, Kanzoni; Novak, Julie M

    2016-05-01

    This preliminary study examined the effect of gain versus loss-framed messaging as well as culturally targeted personal prevention messaging on African Americans' receptivity to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. This research also examined mechanistic functions of perceived racism in response to message framing. Community samples of African Americans (N = 132) and White Americans (N = 50) who were non-compliant with recommended CRC screening completed an online education module about CRC, and were either exposed to a gain-framed or loss-framed message about CRC screening. Half of African Americans were exposed to an additional and culturally targeted self-control message about personal prevention of CRC. Theory of planned behavior measures of attitudes, normative beliefs, perceived behavioural control, and intentions to obtain a CRC screen served as primary outcomes. The effect of messaging on perceived racism was also measured as an outcome. Consistent with prior research, White Americans were more receptive to CRC screening when exposed to a loss-framed message. However, African Americans were more receptive when exposed to a gain-framed message. The contrary effect of loss-framed messaging on receptivity to screening among African Americans was mediated by an increase in perceived racism. However, including an additional and culturally targeted prevention message mitigated the adverse effect of a loss-framed message. This study identifies an important potential cultural difference in the effect of message framing on illness screening among African Americans, while also suggesting a culturally relevant linking mechanism. This study also suggests the potential for simultaneously presented and culturally targeted messaging to alter the effects of gain and loss-framed messaging on African Americans. What is already known on this subject? African Americans are at an increased risk of both developing and dying from colorectal cancer (CRC). These disparities can be

  18. Comparison of a fluoroquinolone surface plasmon resonance biosensor screening assay with established methods

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weigel, S.; Pikkemaat, M.G.; Elferink, J.W.A.; Mulder, P.P.J.; Huet, A.C.; Delahaut, P.; Schittko, S.; Flerus, R.; Nielen, M.W.F.

    2009-01-01

    The performance of a previously developed immunochemical biosensor screening method for fluoroquinolone (FQ) antibiotics in poultry muscle, fish and egg was compared with established methods. Blank sample material of the target matrices was individually spiked with the FQs at half maximum residue

  19. Preliminary studies on the behavioural effects of the methanol ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The behavioural tests employed were diazepam-induced sleep onset and duration, hole board assay for exploratory activity, mouse beam walk assay for motor coordination, and the staircase test for the detection of anxiolytic compounds. Preliminary phytochemical screening was also carried out on the extract. Results: The ...

  20. Preliminary Screening Assessment of the Potential Impact of the Phosphate Fertilizer Industry on Wildlife

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vandenhove, Hildegarde; Sweeck, Lieve; Vives i Batlle, Jordi [SCK.CEN, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol (Belgium)

    2014-07-01

    The activities of the phosphate industry may lead to enhanced levels of naturally occurring radioactivity in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. We here perform a preliminary environmental risk assessment (ERA) of the activities of the phosphate industry (phosphate ore mining, phosphate fertilizer factories, phosphate export platforms). We evaluated the environmental impact of 5 phosphate fertilizer plants (located in Belgium, Spain, Syria, Egypt, Brazil) and one phosphate-mine and phosphate-export platforms in the harbour(both located in Syria). These sites were selected because of the enhanced concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides in the surrounding environments. The ERICA non-human biota assessment tool was used to predict radiation dose rates to the reference organisms and associated risks. Reference organisms were those assigned as default by the ERICA Tool. Potential impact is expressed as a risk quotient (RQ) based on a radiation screening value of 10 μGy h{sup -1}. If RQ ≤ 1, the environment is unlikely at risk and further radiological assessment is deemed not to be required. For all the cases assessed, RQ exceeded 1 for at least one of the reference organisms. {sup 226}Ra or {sup 210}Po were generally the highest contributors to the dose. The aquatic ecosystems in the vicinity of the phosphate fertilizer plants in Tessenderlo (Belgium), Huelva (Spain), Goias (Brazil) and the terrestrial environment around the phosphate mine in Palmyra (Syria) are the ecosystems predicted most at risk. (authors)

  1. HIGH THROUGHPUT SCREENING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ANALYSING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SURFACES WITH DIFFERENT TOPOGRAPHY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Boer, Jan; van Blitterswijk, Clemens; Unadkat, H.V.; Stamatialis, Dimitrios; Papenburg, B.J.; Wessling, Matthias

    2009-01-01

    The invention is directed to a high throughput screening method for analysing and interaction between a surface of a material and an environment. The screening method of the invention comprises: providing a micro-array comprising said material and having a multitude of units at least part of which

  2. Review of Dosimetric Methods for Mammography in the UK Breast Screening Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Young, K.C.; Ramsdale, M.L.; Bignell, F.

    1998-01-01

    The two methods used to monitor dose in mammography in the UK Breast Screening Programme are reviewed. The first is the measurement of mean glandular dose to a standard breast. The second is the estimation of mean glandular dose for individual women using the X ray exposure factors. Neither method takes account of variations in breast composition and the effect of this on estimates of glandular dose are reported. Applying the standard breast model using PMMA resulted in substantial overestimates of breast doses for women with large compressed breast thicknesses because they tend to have low glandular content. Conversely the use of post-exposure data to estimate the MGDs in women attending screening with large breasts resulted in underestimates of their doses unless the relatively low levels of glandularity were taken into account. When estimating the MGDs for breasts of different sizes, it is important that the models and methods used take account of the strong variation in breast composition with compressed thickness. (author)

  3. Pyridoxylamine reactivity kinetics as an amine based nucleophile for screening electrophilic dermal sensitizers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chipinda, Itai; Mbiya, Wilbes; Adigun, Risikat Ajibola; Morakinyo, Moshood K.; Law, Brandon F.; Simoyi, Reuben H.; Siegel, Paul D.

    2015-01-01

    Chemical allergens bind directly, or after metabolic or abiotic activation, to endogenous proteins to become allergenic. Assessment of this initial binding has been suggested as a target for development of assays to screen chemicals for their allergenic potential. Recently we reported a nitrobenzenethiol (NBT) based method for screening thiol reactive skin sensitizers, however, amine selective sensitizers are not detected by this assay. In the present study we describe an amine (pyridoxylamine (PDA)) based kinetic assay to complement the NBT assay for identification of amine-selective and non-selective skin sensitizers. UV-Vis spectrophotometry and fluorescence were used to measure PDA reactivity for 57 chemicals including anhydrides, aldehydes, and quinones where reaction rates ranged from 116 to 6.2 × 10−6 M−1 s−1 for extreme to weak sensitizers, respectively. No reactivity towards PDA was observed with the thiol-selective sensitizers, non-sensitizers and prohaptens. The PDA rate constants correlated significantly with their respective murine local lymph node assay (LLNA) threshold EC3 values (R2 = 0.76). The use of PDA serves as a simple, inexpensive amine based method that shows promise as a preliminary screening tool for electrophilic, amine-selective skin sensitizers. PMID:24333919

  4. A new screening method for amphetamine and methamphetamine using dansyl chloride derivatization and cartridge fluorescence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamada, H; Ikeda-Wada, S; Oguri, K

    1998-07-01

    A new screening method for amphetamines was developed. It consists of derivatization with dansyl chloride, extraction of the derivative using a Sep-Pak C18 or a Bond Elut C18, solid phase extraction columns, and visualization of the fluorescence of the cartridge. A control test using drug-free urine showed no fluorescence. Amphetamine, methamphetamine and the methylenedioxy derivatives exhibited strong fluorescence, while related compounds, such as N-ethylamphetamine and fenetylline, were negative or weakly positive. The disadvantage of the present method is that it is a multi-step procedure and 20-30 min is required for screening. However, since it has a different specificity from the widely used immunochemical technique, it is suggested to be a useful screen for amphetamines.

  5. Combining Pathway Identification and Breast Cancer Survival Prediction via Screening-Network Methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonella Iuliano

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Breast cancer is one of the most common invasive tumors causing high mortality among women. It is characterized by high heterogeneity regarding its biological and clinical characteristics. Several high-throughput assays have been used to collect genome-wide information for many patients in large collaborative studies. This knowledge has improved our understanding of its biology and led to new methods of diagnosing and treating the disease. In particular, system biology has become a valid approach to obtain better insights into breast cancer biological mechanisms. A crucial component of current research lies in identifying novel biomarkers that can be predictive for breast cancer patient prognosis on the basis of the molecular signature of the tumor sample. However, the high dimension and low sample size of data greatly increase the difficulty of cancer survival analysis demanding for the development of ad-hoc statistical methods. In this work, we propose novel screening-network methods that predict patient survival outcome by screening key survival-related genes and we assess the capability of the proposed approaches using METABRIC dataset. In particular, we first identify a subset of genes by using variable screening techniques on gene expression data. Then, we perform Cox regression analysis by incorporating network information associated with the selected subset of genes. The novelty of this work consists in the improved prediction of survival responses due to the different types of screenings (i.e., a biomedical-driven, data-driven and a combination of the two before building the network-penalized model. Indeed, the combination of the two screening approaches allows us to use the available biological knowledge on breast cancer and complement it with additional information emerging from the data used for the analysis. Moreover, we also illustrate how to extend the proposed approaches to integrate an additional omic layer, such as copy number

  6. Application of EU guidelines for the validation of screening methods for veterinary drugs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stolker, A.A.M.

    2012-01-01

    Commission Decision (CD) 2002/657/EC describes detailed rules for method validation within the framework of residue monitoring programmes. The approach described in this CD is based on criteria. For (qualitative) screening methods, the most important criteria is that the CCß has to be below any

  7. Comparison of different screening methods for blood pressure disorders in children and adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felipe Alves Mourato

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To compare different methods of screening for blood pressure disorders in children and adolescents. METHOD: A database with 17,083 medical records of patients from a pediatric cardiology clinic was used. After analyzing the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 5,650 were selected. These were divided into two age groups: between 5 and 13 years and between 13 and 18 years. The blood pressure measurement was classified as normal, pre-hypertensive, or hypertensive, consistent with recent guidelines and the selected screening methods. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were then calculated according to gender and age range. RESULTS: The formulas proposed by Somu and Ardissino's table showed low sensitivity in identifying pre-hypertension in all age groups, whereas the table proposed by Kaelber showed the best results. The ratio between blood pressure and height showed low specificity in the younger age group, but showed good performance in adolescents. CONCLUSION: Screening tools used for the assessment of blood pressure disorders in children and adolescents may be useful to decrease the current rate of underdiagnosis of this condition. The table proposed by Kaelber showed the best results; however, the ratio between BP and height demonstrated specific advantages, as it does not require tables.

  8. A Multi-Projector Calibration Method for Virtual Reality Simulators with Analytically Defined Screens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Portalés

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The geometric calibration of projectors is a demanding task, particularly for the industry of virtual reality simulators. Different methods have been developed during the last decades to retrieve the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of projectors, most of them being based on planar homographies and some requiring an extended calibration process. The aim of our research work is to design a fast and user-friendly method to provide multi-projector calibration on analytically defined screens, where a sample is shown for a virtual reality Formula 1 simulator that has a cylindrical screen. The proposed method results from the combination of surveying, photogrammetry and image processing approaches, and has been designed by considering the spatial restrictions of virtual reality simulators. The method has been validated from a mathematical point of view, and the complete system—which is currently installed in a shopping mall in Spain—has been tested by different users.

  9. Preliminary Screening Analysis for the Environmental Risk Evaluation System: Task 2.1.1: Evaluating Effects of Stressors – Fiscal Year 2010 Progress Report: Environmental Effects of Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anderson, Richard M.; Copping, Andrea E.; Van Cleve, Frances B.

    2010-11-15

    Possible environmental effects of marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) energy development are not well understood, and yet regulatory agencies are required to make decisions in spite of substantial uncertainty about environmental impacts and their long-term effects. An understanding of risk associated with likely interactions between MHK installations and aquatic receptors, including animals, habitats, and ecosystems, can help reduce the level of uncertainty and focus regulatory actions and scientific studies on interactions of most concern. As a first step in developing the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Environmental Risk Evaluation System (ERES), PNNL scientists conducted a preliminary risk screening analysis on three initial MHK cases - a tidal project in Puget Sound using Open Hydro turbines, a wave project off the coast of Oregon using Ocean Power Technologies point attenuator buoys, and a riverine current project in the Mississippi River using Free Flow turbines. Through an iterative process, the screening analysis revealed that top-tier stressors in all three cases were the effects of the dynamic physical presence of the device (e.g., strike), accidents, and effects of the static physical presence of the device (e.g., habitat alteration). Receptor interactions with these stressors at the four highest tiers of risk were dominated by marine mammals (cetaceans and pinnipeds) and birds (diving and non-diving); only the riverine case (Free Flow) included different receptors in the third tier (fish) and the fourth tier (benthic invertebrates). Although this screening analysis provides a preliminary analysis of vulnerability of environmental receptors to stressors associated with MHK installations, probability analysis, especially of risk associated with chemical toxicity and accidents such as oil spills or lost gear, will be necessary to further understand high-priority risks. Subject matter expert review of this process and results is required and is

  10. A new microplate screening method for the simultaneous activity quantification of feruloyl esterases, tannases, and chlorogenate esterases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramírez, L; Arrizon, J; Sandoval, G; Cardador, A; Bello-Mendoza, R; Lappe, P; Mateos-Díaz, J C

    2008-12-01

    Feruloyl, chlorogenate esterases, and tannases are enzymes useful in phenolic modifications of pharmaceutical relevance as protectors against several degenerative human diseases. Therefore, there is a growing interest in discovering new sources of these enzymes. However, traditional methods for their activity measurements are time-consuming and poorly adapted for high-throughput screening. In this study, a successful new microplate high-throughput screening method for the simultaneous quantification of all mentioned activities is demonstrated. This method allows the detection of activities as low as 1.7 mU ml(-1). Furthermore, reaction rates increased proportionally with the amount of enzyme added, and no interferences with the other commercial hydrolases tested were found. The utility of the method was demonstrated after simultaneously screening feruloyl, chlorogenate esterase, and tannase activities in solid state fermentation extracts obtained during the kinetics of production of 20 fungal strains. Among these, seven strains were positive for at least one of the esterase activities tested. This result shows the potential for the rapid routine screening assays for multiple samples of moderate low to high enzymatic levels.

  11. Developing the clinical components of a complex intervention for a glaucoma screening trial: a mixed methods study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Glaucoma is a leading cause of avoidable blindness worldwide. Open angle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma. No randomised controlled trials have been conducted evaluating the effectiveness of glaucoma screening for reducing sight loss. It is unclear what the most appropriate intervention to be evaluated in any glaucoma screening trial would be. The purpose of this study was to develop the clinical components of an intervention for evaluation in a glaucoma (open angle screening trial that would be feasible and acceptable in a UK eye-care service. Methods A mixed-methods study, based on the Medical Research Council (MRC framework for complex interventions, integrating qualitative (semi-structured interviews with 46 UK eye-care providers, policy makers and health service commissioners, and quantitative (economic modelling methods. Interview data were synthesised and used to revise the screening interventions compared within an existing economic model. Results The qualitative data indicated broad based support for a glaucoma screening trial to take place in primary care, using ophthalmic trained technical assistants supported by optometry input. The precise location should be tailored to local circumstances. There was variability in opinion around the choice of screening test and target population. Integrating the interview findings with cost-effectiveness criteria reduced 189 potential components to a two test intervention including either optic nerve photography or screening mode perimetry (a measure of visual field sensitivity with or without tonometry (a measure of intraocular pressure. It would be more cost-effective, and thus acceptable in a policy context, to target screening for open angle glaucoma to those at highest risk but for both practicality and equity arguments the optimal strategy was screening a general population cohort beginning at age forty. Conclusions Interventions for screening for open angle

  12. Preliminary phytochemical screening of roots and aerial parts of leptadenia pyrotechnica

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Munazir, M.; Qureshi, R.; Munir, M.

    2015-01-01

    Leptadenia pyrotechnica (Forssk.) Decne is a medicinal plant that is native to hot deserts of Pakistan. This plant is sporadically known with reference to bioactivity including phytochemical screening especially from Pakistan. The present study was designed to screen out four major groups of phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and tannins from eight solvents based roots and aerial parts extracts viz., hexane, chloroform, acetone, ethyl acetate, butanol, ethanol, methanol and water of the selected plant. The qualitative screening showed the presence of all major groups of phytochemicals in both plant parts extracts in which methanolic ones were the most efficient that extracted all the selected classes of phytochemicals. Quantitative screening revealed various concentrations of selected phytochemicals in both plant parts. The alkaloid contents were 3.267±0.643and 3±0.6 in roots and aerial parts respectively (p>0.05). The total flavonoid content was 76.867±2.266 and 139.448±8.677 QE/100g in roots and aerial parts respectively. In the case of total saponin contents, the proportions were 0.34±0.013% and 0.4 0.010% in roots and aerial parts respectively, whereas; total tannin contents were 62.713±4.841 and154.961±5.853 mg of TAE/100g of extract in roots and aerial parts, respectively. This study will serve as a benchmark for further pharmacological studies on the said plant that may be harnessed for drug development in the future. (author)

  13. A method to screen obstructive sleep apnea using multi-variable non-intrusive measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Silva, S; Abeyratne, U R; Hukins, C

    2011-01-01

    Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious sleep disorder. The current standard OSA diagnosis method is polysomnography (PSG) testing. PSG requires an overnight hospital stay while physically connected to 10–15 channels of measurement. PSG is expensive, inconvenient and requires the extensive involvement of a sleep technologist. As such, it is not suitable for community screening. OSA is a widespread disease and more than 80% of sufferers remain undiagnosed. Simplified, unattended and cheap OSA screening methods are urgently needed. Snoring is commonly associated with OSA but is not fully utilized in clinical diagnosis. Snoring contains pseudo-periodic packets of energy that produce characteristic vibrating sounds familiar to humans. In this paper, we propose a multi-feature vector that represents pitch information, formant information, a measure of periodic structure existence in snore episodes and the neck circumference of the subject to characterize OSA condition. Snore features were estimated from snore signals recorded in a sleep laboratory. The multi-feature vector was applied to a neural network for OSA/non-OSA classification and K-fold cross-validated using a random sub-sampling technique. We also propose a simple method to remove a specific class of background interference. Our method resulted in a sensitivity of 91 ± 6% and a specificity of 89 ± 5% for test data for AHI THRESHOLD = 15 for a database consisting of 51 subjects. This method has the potential as a non-intrusive, unattended technique to screen OSA using snore sound as the primary signal

  14. Method for screening prevention and control measures and technologies based on groundwater pollution intensity assessment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Juan, E-mail: lijuan@craes.org.cn [College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Beijing, 100012 (China); Yang, Yang [College of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Beijing, 100012 (China); Huan, Huan; Li, Mingxiao [Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Beijing, 100012 (China); Xi, Beidou, E-mail: xibd413@yeah.net [Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Beijing, 100012 (China); Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070 (China); Lv, Ningqing [Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Beijing, 100012 (China); Wu, Yi [Guizhou Academy of Environmental Science and Designing, Guizhou 550000 (China); Xie, Yiwen, E-mail: qin3201@126.com [School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan, 523808 (China); Li, Xiang; Yang, Jinjin [Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Beijing, 100012 (China)

    2016-05-01

    This paper presents a system for determining the evaluation and gradation indices of groundwater pollution intensity (GPI). Considering the characteristics of the vadose zone and pollution sources, the system decides which anti-seepage measures should be implemented at the contaminated site. The pollution sources hazards (PSH) and groundwater intrinsic vulnerability (GIV) are graded by the revised Nemerow Pollution Index and an improved DRTAS model, respectively. GPI is evaluated and graded by a double-sided multi-factor coupling model, which is constructed by the matrix method. The contaminated sites are categorized as prior, ordinary, or common sites. From the GPI results, we develop guiding principles for preventing and removing pollution sources, procedural interruption and remediation, and end treatment and monitoring. Thus, we can select appropriate prevention and control technologies (PCT). To screen the technological schemes and optimize the traditional analytical hierarchy process (AHP), we adopt the technique for order preference by the similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method. Our GPI approach and PCT screening are applied to three types of pollution sites: the refuse dump of a rare earth mine development project (a potential pollution source), a chromium slag dump, and a landfill (existing pollution sources). These three sites are identified as ordinary, prior, and ordinary sites, respectively. The anti-seepage materials at the refuse dump should perform as effectively as a 1.5-m-thick clay bed. The chromium slag dump should be preferentially treated by soil flushing and in situ chemical remediation. The landfill should be treated by natural attenuation technology. The proposed PCT screening approach was compared with conventional screening methods results at the three sites and proved feasible and effective. The proposed method can provide technical support for the monitoring and management of groundwater pollution in China. - Highlights: • An

  15. Method for screening prevention and control measures and technologies based on groundwater pollution intensity assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Juan; Yang, Yang; Huan, Huan; Li, Mingxiao; Xi, Beidou; Lv, Ningqing; Wu, Yi; Xie, Yiwen; Li, Xiang; Yang, Jinjin

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents a system for determining the evaluation and gradation indices of groundwater pollution intensity (GPI). Considering the characteristics of the vadose zone and pollution sources, the system decides which anti-seepage measures should be implemented at the contaminated site. The pollution sources hazards (PSH) and groundwater intrinsic vulnerability (GIV) are graded by the revised Nemerow Pollution Index and an improved DRTAS model, respectively. GPI is evaluated and graded by a double-sided multi-factor coupling model, which is constructed by the matrix method. The contaminated sites are categorized as prior, ordinary, or common sites. From the GPI results, we develop guiding principles for preventing and removing pollution sources, procedural interruption and remediation, and end treatment and monitoring. Thus, we can select appropriate prevention and control technologies (PCT). To screen the technological schemes and optimize the traditional analytical hierarchy process (AHP), we adopt the technique for order preference by the similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method. Our GPI approach and PCT screening are applied to three types of pollution sites: the refuse dump of a rare earth mine development project (a potential pollution source), a chromium slag dump, and a landfill (existing pollution sources). These three sites are identified as ordinary, prior, and ordinary sites, respectively. The anti-seepage materials at the refuse dump should perform as effectively as a 1.5-m-thick clay bed. The chromium slag dump should be preferentially treated by soil flushing and in situ chemical remediation. The landfill should be treated by natural attenuation technology. The proposed PCT screening approach was compared with conventional screening methods results at the three sites and proved feasible and effective. The proposed method can provide technical support for the monitoring and management of groundwater pollution in China. - Highlights: • An

  16. Overview of a workshop on screening methods for detecting potential (anti-) estrogenic/androgenic chemicals in wildlife

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ankley, Gerald T.; Mihaich, Ellen; Stahl, Ralph G.; Tillitt, Donald E.; Colborn, Theo; McMaster, Suzzanne; Miller, Ron; Bantle, John; Campbell, Pamela; Denslow, Nancy; Dickerson, Richard L.; Folmar, Leroy C.; Fry, Michael; Giesy, John P.; Gray, L. Earl; Guiney, Patrick; Hutchinson, Thomas; Kennedy, Sean W.; Kramer, Vincent; LeBlanc, Gerald A.; Mayes, Monte; Nimrod, Alison; Patino, Reynaldo; Peterson, Richard; Purdy, Richard; Ringer, Robert; Thomas, Peter C.; Touart, Les; Van Der Kraak, Glen; Zacharewski, Tim

    1998-01-01

    The U.S. Congress has passed legislation requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to develop, validate, and implement screening tests for identifying potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals within 3 years. To aid in the identification of methods suitable for this purpose, the U.S. EPA, the Chemical Manufacturers Association, and the World Wildlife Fund sponsored several workshops, including the present one, which dealt with wildlife species. This workshop was convened with 30 international scientists representing multiple disciplines in March 1997 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Participants at the meeting identified methods in terms of their ability to indicate (anti-) estrogenic/androgenic effects, particularly in the context of developmental and reproductive processes. Data derived from structure-activity relationship models and in vitro test systems, although useful in certain contexts, cannot at present replace in vivo tests as the sole basis for screening. A consensus was reached that existing mammalian test methods (e.g., with rats or mice) generally are suitable as screens for assessing potential (anti-) estrogenic/ androgenic effects in mammalian wildlife. However, due to factors such as among-class variation in receptor structure and endocrine function, it is uncertain if these mammalian assays would be of broad utility as screens for other classes of vertebrate wildlife. Existing full and partial life-cycle tests with some avian and fish species could successfully identify chemicals causing endocrine disruption; however, these long-term tests are not suitable for routine screening. However, a number of short-term tests with species from these two classes exist that could serve as effective screening tools for chemicals inducing (anti-) estrogenic/androgenic effects. Existing methods suitable for identifying chemicals with these mechanisms of action in reptiles and amphibians are limited, but in the future, tests with species from

  17. Elastic and inelastic methods of piping systems analysis: a preliminary review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reich, M.; Esztergar, E.P.; Spence, J.; Boyle, J.; Chang, T.Y.

    1975-02-01

    A preliminary review of the methods used for elastic and inelastic piping system analysis is presented. The following principal conclusions are reached: techniques for the analysis of complex piping systems operating in the high temperature creep regime should be further developed; accurate analysis of a complete pipework system in creep using the ''complete shell finite element methods'' is not feasible at the present, and the ''reduced shell finite element method'' still requires excessive computer time and also requires further investigation regarding the compatibility problems associated with the pipe bend element, particularly when applied to cases involving general loading conditions; and with the current size of proposed high temperature systems requiring the evaluation of long-term operating life (30 to 40 years), it is important to adopt a simplified analysis method. A design procedure for a simplified analysis method based on currently available techniques applied in a three-stage approach is outlined. The work required for implementation of these procedures together with desirable future developments are also briefly discussed. Other proposed simplified approximations also are reviewed in the text. 101 references. (U.S.)

  18. Preliminary phytochemical screening, Antibacterial potential and GC-MS analysis of two medicinal plant extracts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vijayaram, Seerangaraj; Kannan, Suruli; Saravanan, Konda Mani; Vasantharaj, Seerangaraj; Sathiyavimal, Selvam; P, Palanisamy Senthilkumar

    2016-05-01

    The presence study was aimed to catalyze the primary metabolites and their confirmation by using GC-MS analysis and antibacterial potential of leaf extract of two important medicinal plant viz., Eucalyptus and Azadirachta indica. The antibacterial potential of the methanol leaf extract of the studied species was tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiellap neumoniae, Streptococcus pyogens, Staphylococcus aureus using by agar well diffusion method. The higher zone of inhibition (16mm) was observed against the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 100μl concentration of methanol leaf extract. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of studied species shows that presence of phytochemical compounds like steroids, phenolic compounds and flavonoids. GC-MS analysis confirms the occurrence of 20 different compounds in the methanol leaf extract of the both studied species.

  19. Laboratory, greenhouse and field methods for screening rust-resistant wheat cultivars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mashaal, S.F.; Kiraly, Z.; Barabas, Z.; Barna, B.; Cereal Research Inst., Szeged, Hungary)

    1977-01-01

    Detached flag leaf cultures were not suitable for evaluation of stem-rust resistance in our screening programme. On the basis of yield evaluation it was possible to screen out ten stem-rust ''tolerant'' wheat lines in field experiments. Rusted and protected microplots of each line were paired within a replicate. After artificial inoculation, the protected plants were sprayed with fungicides (benomyl plus dithiocarbamate plus copper salt) at weekly intervals until maturation to keep each protected plot rust-free. The thousand-kernel weights of rusted and protected plots were compared. When the thousand-kernel weight of protected plot increased only slightly and the rust reaction type of plants was susceptible in the rusted plot, the line was screened out as putative ''tolerant''. On the basis of three-year field trial ten ''tolerant'' lines were selected. Nine out of ten lines proved to be resistant to two stem-rust races in greenhouse tests in the seedling stage, when resistance was determined on the basis of reduced spore production instead of infection types. Resistance of these seedlings related partly to the reduced number of pustules and partly to a slow rusting character of plants. It seems possible to screen resistant cultivars in the greenhouse by the method outlined in this paper, when resistance is determined on the basis of a reduced number of infection sites and/or by the slow rusting capacity. (author)

  20. HAMS: High-Affinity Mass Spectrometry Screening. A High-Throughput Screening Method for Identifying the Tightest-Binding Lead Compounds for Target Proteins with No False Positive Identifications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imaduwage, Kasun P; Go, Eden P; Zhu, Zhikai; Desaire, Heather

    2016-11-01

    A major challenge in drug discovery is the identification of high affinity lead compounds that bind a particular target protein; these leads are typically identified by high throughput screens. Mass spectrometry has become a detection method of choice in drug screening assays because the target and the ligand need not be modified. Label-free assays are advantageous because they can be developed more rapidly than assays requiring labels, and they eliminate the risk of the label interfering with the binding event. However, in commonly used MS-based screening methods, detection of false positives is a major challenge. Here, we describe a detection strategy designed to eliminate false positives. In this approach, the protein and the ligands are incubated together, and the non-binders are separated for detection. Hits (protein binders) are not detectable by MS after incubation with the protein, but readily identifiable by MS when the target protein is not present in the incubation media. The assay was demonstrated using three different proteins and hundreds of non-inhibitors; no false positive hits were identified in any experiment. The assay can be tuned to select for ligands of a particular binding affinity by varying the quantity of protein used and the immobilization method. As examples, the method selectively detected inhibitors that have K i values of 0.2 μM, 50 pM, and 700 pM. These findings demonstrate that the approach described here compares favorably with traditional MS-based screening methods. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

  1. Methods for external event screening quantification: Risk Methods Integration and Evaluation Program (RMIEP) methods development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ravindra, M.K.; Banon, H.

    1992-07-01

    In this report, the scoping quantification procedures for external events in probabilistic risk assessments of nuclear power plants are described. External event analysis in a PRA has three important goals; (1) the analysis should be complete in that all events are considered; (2) by following some selected screening criteria, the more significant events are identified for detailed analysis; (3) the selected events are analyzed in depth by taking into account the unique features of the events: hazard, fragility of structures and equipment, external-event initiated accident sequences, etc. Based on the above goals, external event analysis may be considered as a three-stage process: Stage I: Identification and Initial Screening of External Events; Stage II: Bounding Analysis; Stage III: Detailed Risk Analysis. In the present report, first, a review of published PRAs is given to focus on the significance and treatment of external events in full-scope PRAs. Except for seismic, flooding, fire, and extreme wind events, the contributions of other external events to plant risk have been found to be negligible. Second, scoping methods for external events not covered in detail in the NRC's PRA Procedures Guide are provided. For this purpose, bounding analyses for transportation accidents, extreme winds and tornadoes, aircraft impacts, turbine missiles, and chemical release are described

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nirala, Neelamshobha; Periyasamy, R; Kumar, Awanish

    2018-05-16

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

  3. Development of nondestructive screening methods for single kernel characterization of wheat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, J.P.; Pedersen, D.K.; Munck, L.

    2003-01-01

    predictability. However, by applying an averaging approach, in which single seed replicate measurements are mathematically simulated, a very good NIT prediction model was achieved. This suggests that the single seed NIT spectra contain hardness information, but that a single seed hardness method with higher......The development of nondestructive screening methods for single seed protein, vitreousness, density, and hardness index has been studied for single kernels of European wheat. A single kernel procedure was applied involving, image analysis, near-infrared transmittance (NIT) spectroscopy, laboratory...

  4. Trojan Horse Method: A tool to explore electron screening effect

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pizzone, R G; Spitaleri, C; Cherubini, S; Cognata, M La; Lamia, L; Romano, S; Sergi, M L [Laboratori Nazionali del Sud-INFN, Catania (Italy) and Dipartimento di Metodologie Fisiche e Chimiche per l' Ingegneria, Universita di Catania, Catania (Italy); Rolfs, C; Strieder, F [Ruhr Universitaet Bochum (Germany); Burjan, V; Kroha, V; Mrazek, J [Cyclotron Institute, Academy of Science, Rez (Czech Republic); Li, C; Wen, Q; Zhou, S [CIAE, Beijing (China); Tumino, A, E-mail: rgpizzone@lns.infn.i [Universita Kore, Erma (Italy)

    2010-01-01

    Owing the presence of the Coulomb barrier at astrophysically relevant energies, it is very difficult, or sometimes impossible to measure reaction rates for charged particle induced reactions. Moreover due to the presence of the electron screening effect in direct measurements, the relevant nuclear input for astrophysics, i.e. the bare nucleus S(E)-factor, can hardly be extracted. This is why different indirect techniques are being used along with direct measurements. The THM is an unique: indirect technique which allows one to measure reactions cross sections of astrophysical interest down the thermal energies typical of the different scenarios. The basic principle and a review of the main applications of the Trojan Horse Method are given. The applications aiming at the extraction of the bare S{sub b}(E) astrophysical factor and electron screening potentials U{sub e} for several two body processes are discussed.

  5. Design of a multi-purpose fragment screening library using molecular complexity and orthogonal diversity metrics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, Wan F.; Withka, Jane M.; Hepworth, David; Magee, Thomas V.; Du, Yuhua J.; Bakken, Gregory A.; Miller, Michael D.; Hendsch, Zachary S.; Thanabal, Venkataraman; Kolodziej, Steve A.; Xing, Li; Hu, Qiyue; Narasimhan, Lakshmi S.; Love, Robert; Charlton, Maura E.; Hughes, Samantha; van Hoorn, Willem P.; Mills, James E.

    2011-07-01

    Fragment Based Drug Discovery (FBDD) continues to advance as an efficient and alternative screening paradigm for the identification and optimization of novel chemical matter. To enable FBDD across a wide range of pharmaceutical targets, a fragment screening library is required to be chemically diverse and synthetically expandable to enable critical decision making for chemical follow-up and assessing new target druggability. In this manuscript, the Pfizer fragment library design strategy which utilized multiple and orthogonal metrics to incorporate structure, pharmacophore and pharmacological space diversity is described. Appropriate measures of molecular complexity were also employed to maximize the probability of detection of fragment hits using a variety of biophysical and biochemical screening methods. In addition, structural integrity, purity, solubility, fragment and analog availability as well as cost were important considerations in the selection process. Preliminary analysis of primary screening results for 13 targets using NMR Saturation Transfer Difference (STD) indicates the identification of uM-mM hits and the uniqueness of hits at weak binding affinities for these targets.

  6. Who Gets the Job? First-Generation College Students' Perceptions of Employer Screening Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parks-Yancy, Rochelle; Cooley, Delonia

    2018-01-01

    What are first-generation college students' (FGCS) perspectives of employment screening methods? The authors investigate which methods FGCS believe are likely to cause an employer to extend a job offer and which methods yield the best pool of job applicants. Survey data were collected from undergraduate business majors. They were analyzed using…

  7. Screening of Plant Extracts for Antioxidant Activity: a Comparative Study on Three Testing Methods

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koleva, I.; Beek, van T.A.; Linssen, J.P.H.; Groot, de Æ.; Evstatieva, L.N.

    2002-01-01

    Three methods widely employed in the evaluation of antioxidant activity, namely 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method, static headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC) and -carotene bleaching test (BCBT), have been compared with regard to their application in the screening of

  8. Screening method for Staphylococcus aureus identification in subclinical bovine mastitis from dairy farms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natapol Pumipuntu

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important contagious bacteria causing subclinical bovine mastitis. This bacterial infection is commonly identified by determine the pathogen in bovine milk samples through conventional technique including coagulase test. However, this test has several disadvantages as low sensitivity, risk of biohazard, cost expensive, and limited preparation especially in local area. Aim: Aim of this study was to compare and assess the screening method, Mannitol fermentation test (Mannitol salt agar [MSA], and deoxyribonuclease (DNase test, for S. aureus identification in milk samples. Materials and Methods: A total of 224 subclinical bovine mastitis milk samples were collected from four provinces of Thailand and determined S. aureus using conventional method and also subjected to the screening test, MSA and DNase test. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV, and negative predictive value (NPV among both tests were analyzed and compared to the tube coagulase test (TCT, as reference method. Immunological test by latex agglutination and molecular assay by determined spa gene were also used to identify and differentiate S. aureus. Results: A total of 130 staphylococci were isolated by selective media, Gram-stain, and catalase test. The number of S. aureus which identified using TCT, MSA and DNase test were 32, 102, and 74 isolates, respectively. All TCT results were correlated to results of latex agglutination and spa gene which were 32 S. aureus. MSA showed 100% sensitivity, 28.57% specificity, 31.37% PPV, and 100% NPV, whereas DNase showed 53.13% sensitivity, 41.84% specificity, 22.97% PPV, and 73.21% NPV. DNase test showed higher specificity value than MSA but the test presented 26.79% false negative results whereas no false-negative result from MSA when comparing to TCT. Conclusion: MSA had a tendency to be a good preference for screening S. aureus because of its high sensitivity and

  9. Robust high-throughput batch screening method in 384-well format with optical in-line resin quantification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kittelmann, Jörg; Ottens, Marcel; Hubbuch, Jürgen

    2015-04-15

    High-throughput batch screening technologies have become an important tool in downstream process development. Although continuative miniaturization saves time and sample consumption, there is yet no screening process described in the 384-well microplate format. Several processes are established in the 96-well dimension to investigate protein-adsorbent interactions, utilizing between 6.8 and 50 μL resin per well. However, as sample consumption scales with resin volumes and throughput scales with experiments per microplate, they are limited in costs and saved time. In this work, a new method for in-well resin quantification by optical means, applicable in the 384-well format, and resin volumes as small as 0.1 μL is introduced. A HTS batch isotherm process is described, utilizing this new method in combination with optical sample volume quantification for screening of isotherm parameters in 384-well microplates. Results are qualified by confidence bounds determined by bootstrap analysis and a comprehensive Monte Carlo study of error propagation. This new approach opens the door to a variety of screening processes in the 384-well format on HTS stations, higher quality screening data and an increase in throughput. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. A fast, simple method for screening radiation susceptibility genes by RNA interference

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuji, Atsushi B.; Sudo, Hitomi; Sugyo, Aya; Otsuki, Marika; Miyagishi, Makoto; Taira, Kazunari; Imai, Takashi; Harada, Yoshi-nobu

    2005-01-01

    Radiotherapy can cause unacceptable levels of damage to normal tissues in some cancer patients. To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying radiation-induced physiological responses, and to be able to predict the radiation susceptibility of normal tissues in individual patients, it is important to identify a comprehensive set of genes responsible for radiation susceptibility. We have developed a simple and rapid 96-well screening protocol using cell proliferation assays and RNA interference to identify genes associated with radiation susceptibility. We evaluated the performance of alamarBlue-, BrdU-, and sulforhodamine B-based cell proliferation assays using the 96-well format. Each proliferation assay detected the known radiation susceptibility gene, PRKDC. In a trial screen using 28 shRNA vectors, another known gene, CDKN1A, and one new radiation susceptibility gene, ATP5G3, were identified. Our results indicate that this method may be useful for large-scale screens designed to identify novel radiation susceptibility genes

  11. The effectiveness of scoliosis screening programs: methods for systematic review and expert panel recommendations formulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Literature on scoliosis screening is vast, however because of the observational nature of available data and methodological flaws, data interpretation is often complex, leading to incomplete and sometimes, somewhat misleading conclusions. The need to propose a set of methods for critical appraisal of the literature about scoliosis screening, a comprehensive summary and rating of the available evidence appeared essential. Methods To address these gaps, the study aims were: i) To propose a framework for the assessment of published studies on scoliosis screening effectiveness; ii) To suggest specific questions to be answered on screening effectiveness instead of trying to reach a global position for or against the programs; iii) To contextualize the knowledge through expert panel consultation and meaningful recommendations. The general methodological approach proceeds through the following steps: Elaboration of the conceptual framework; Formulation of the review questions; Identification of the criteria for the review; Selection of the studies; Critical assessment of the studies; Results synthesis; Formulation and grading of recommendations in response to the questions. This plan follows at best GRADE Group (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) requirements for systematic reviews, assessing quality of evidence and grading the strength of recommendations. Conclusions In this article, the methods developed in support of this work are presented since they may be of some interest for similar reviews in scoliosis and orthopaedic fields. PMID:23883346

  12. CORALINA: a universal method for the generation of gRNA libraries for CRISPR-based screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Köferle, Anna; Worf, Karolina; Breunig, Christopher; Baumann, Valentin; Herrero, Javier; Wiesbeck, Maximilian; Hutter, Lukas H; Götz, Magdalena; Fuchs, Christiane; Beck, Stephan; Stricker, Stefan H

    2016-11-14

    The bacterial CRISPR system is fast becoming the most popular genetic and epigenetic engineering tool due to its universal applicability and adaptability. The desire to deploy CRISPR-based methods in a large variety of species and contexts has created an urgent need for the development of easy, time- and cost-effective methods enabling large-scale screening approaches. Here we describe CORALINA (comprehensive gRNA library generation through controlled nuclease activity), a method for the generation of comprehensive gRNA libraries for CRISPR-based screens. CORALINA gRNA libraries can be derived from any source of DNA without the need of complex oligonucleotide synthesis. We show the utility of CORALINA for human and mouse genomic DNA, its reproducibility in covering the most relevant genomic features including regulatory, coding and non-coding sequences and confirm the functionality of CORALINA generated gRNAs. The simplicity and cost-effectiveness make CORALINA suitable for any experimental system. The unprecedented sequence complexities obtainable with CORALINA libraries are a necessary pre-requisite for less biased large scale genomic and epigenomic screens.

  13. A novel two-step method for screening shade tolerant mutant plants via dwarfism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Li

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available When subjected to shade, plants undergo rapid shoot elongation, which often makes them more prone to disease and mechanical damage. Shade-tolerant plants can be difficult to breed; however, they offer a substantial benefit over other varieties in low-light areas. Although perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L. is a popular species of turf grasses because of their good appearance and fast establishment, the plant normally does not perform well under shade conditions. It has been reported that, in turfgrass, induced dwarfism can enhance shade tolerance. Here we describe a two-step procedure for isolating shade tolerant mutants of perennial ryegrass by first screening for dominant dwarf mutants, and then screening dwarf plants for shade tolerance. The two-step screening process to isolate shade tolerant mutants can be done efficiently with limited space at early seedling stages, which enables quick and efficient isolation of shade tolerant mutants, and thus facilitates development of shade tolerant new cultivars of turfgrasses. Using the method, we isolated 136 dwarf mutants from 300,000 mutagenized seeds, with 65 being shade tolerant (0.022%. When screened directly for shade tolerance, we recovered only four mutants from a population of 150,000 (0.003% mutagenized seeds. One shade tolerant mutant, shadow-1, was characterized in detail. In addition to dwarfism, shadow-1 and its sexual progeny displayed high degrees of tolerance to both natural and artificial shade. We showed that endogenous gibberellin (GA content in shadow-1 was higher than wild-type controls, and shadow-1 was also partially GA insensitive. Our novel, simple and effective two-step screening method should be applicable to breeding shade tolerant cultivars of turfgrasses, ground covers, and other economically important crop plants that can be used under canopies of existing vegetation to increase productivity per unit area of land.

  14. Preliminary screening of bacterial isolates from mining wastes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodino S.,

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Developing innovative biotechnology for obtaining new resources of high tech critical metals is strongly influenced by the need to reduce the potential risk of shortages, to support the development of industry at European level. To set up these new technologies is essential to isolate strains with high potential in bioleaching of ore, tailings and mine wastes and bioaccumulation of high tech critical metals. Microorganisms are capable of mediating metal and mineral bioprecipitation. In this paper are presented preliminary studies performed for the isolation of strains existing in mining residues containing high tech critical metals. Were used samples collected from various depths in an area of mining wastes containing high tech critical metals. The samples were fine grounded and the powder was washed with sterile saline water. Exact quantities of samples were dispersed in sterile saline water, shaken for a period of 60 minutes, diluted and plated in triplicate on selective agar. After several steps were isolated 3 strains of gram negative bacteria.

  15. Initial screening of thermal desorption for soil remediation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yezzi, J.J. Jr.; Tafuri, A.N.; Rosenthal, S.; Troxler, W.L.

    1994-01-01

    Petroleum-contaminated soils--caused by spills, leaks, and accidental discharges--exist at many sites throughout the United States. Thermal desorption technologies which are increasingly being employed to treat these soils, have met soil cleanup criteria for a variety of petroleum products. Currently the United States Environmental Protection Agency is finalizing a technical report entitled Use of Thermal Desorption for Treating Petroleum-Contaminated Soils to assist remedial project managers, site owners, remediation contractors, and equipment vendors in evaluating the use of thermal desorption technologies for petroleum-contaminated soil applications. The report will present a three-level screening method to help a reader predict the success of applying thermal desorption at a specific site. The objective of screening level one is to determine the likelihood of success in a specific application of thermal desorption. It will take into account procedures for collecting and evaluating data on site characteristics, contaminant characteristics, soil characteristics, and regulatory requirements. This level will establish whether or not thermal desorption should be evaluated further for site remediation, whether treatment should occur on-site or off-site, and if on-site is a viable option, what system size will be most cost-effective. The scope of this paper addresses only screening level one which provides a preliminary assessment of the applicability of thermal desorption to a particular site. This topic encompasses worksheets that are an integral part of the ''user friendly'' screening process. Level one screening provides a foundation for the subsequent two levels which follow a similar ''user friendly'' worksheet approach to evaluating thermal desorption technologies and establishing costs for thermal desorption in an overall remediation project

  16. Development and exploitation of the slit method for the characterization of x-ray screen-film combinations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoeschen, D.

    1987-01-01

    For the determination of the modulation transfer function (MTF) of screen-film combinations which are used in medical x-ray diagnostics a measuring method has been developed: the screen-film combination is exposed to x-rays behind a thin slit and the modulation transfer function is calculated from the resulting rather broad slit images on the film. After solving many technical and photographic problems, the slit method provides high precision in the MTF determination. The only objection against this method is the necessary high dose variation which has to be provided by the x-ray machine

  17. Ethnobotanical Survey, Preliminary Physico-Chemical and Phytochemical Screening of Salvia argentea (L.) Used by Herbalists of the Saïda Province in Algeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benabdesslem, Yasmina; Hachem, Kadda; Kahloula, Khaled; Slimani, Miloud

    2017-12-05

    An ethnobotanical study was carried out in the Saïda region among herbalists to evaluate the use of Salvia argentea (L.), a plant species native from North Africa belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Forty-two herbalists were interviewed individually, aged between 30 and 70 years, all males, 52.38% of them having received a secondary education level and having performing their duties for more than a decade. This study showed that Salvia argentea is used specifically in the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system. The leaves are the most commonly used part, usually in the form of powder and exclusively administered orally. The preliminary results of the physicochemical characterization and the phytochemical screening of the powdered leaves of Salvia argentea attest to their safety and confer them a guarantee of phytotherapeutic quality.

  18. Development of a computer-based automated pure tone hearing screening device: a preliminary clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gan, Kok Beng; Azeez, Dhifaf; Umat, Cila; Ali, Mohd Alauddin Mohd; Wahab, Noor Alaudin Abdul; Mukari, Siti Zamratol Mai-Sarah

    2012-10-01

    Hearing screening is important for the early detection of hearing loss. The requirements of specialized equipment, skilled personnel, and quiet environments for valid screening results limit its application in schools and health clinics. This study aimed to develop an automated hearing screening kit (auto-kit) with the capability of realtime noise level monitoring to ensure that the screening is performed in an environment that conforms to the standard. The auto-kit consists of a laptop, a 24-bit resolution sound card, headphones, a microphone, and a graphical user interface, which is calibrated according to the American National Standards Institute S3.6-2004 standard. The auto-kit can present four test tones (500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz) at 25 or 40 dB HL screening cut-off level. The clinical results at 40 dB HL screening cut-off level showed that the auto-kit has a sensitivity of 92.5% and a specificity of 75.0%. Because the 500 Hz test tone is not included in the standard hearing screening procedure, it can be excluded from the auto-kit test procedure. The exclusion of 500 Hz test tone improved the specificity of the auto-kit from 75.0% to 92.3%, which suggests that the auto-kit could be a valid hearing screening device. In conclusion, the auto-kit may be a valuable hearing screening tool, especially in countries where resources are limited.

  19. LC-ESI/MS/MS method for rapid screening and confirmation of 44 exogenous anabolic steroids in human urine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, Byoung Wook; Yoo, Hye Hyun; Jeong, Eun Sook; Kim, Ho Jun; Jin, Changbae; Kim, Dong Hyun; Lee, Jaeick

    2011-09-01

    A sensitive and rapid method based on liquid chromatography-triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI) has been developed and validated for the screening and confirmation of 44 exogenous anabolic steroids (29 parent steroids and 15 metabolites) in human urine. The method involves an enzymatic hydrolysis, liquid-liquid extraction, and detection by LC-MS/MS. A triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer was operated in positive ESI mode with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode for the screening and product ion scan mode for the confirmation. The protonated molecular ions were used as precursor ions for the SRM analysis and product ion scan. The intraday and interday precisions of the target analytes at concentrations of the minimum required performance levels for the screening were 2-14% and 2-15%, respectively. The limits of detection for the screening and confirmation method were 0.1-10 ng/mL and 0.2-10 ng/mL, respectively, for 44 steroids. This method was successfully applied to analysis of urine samples from suspected anabolic steroid abusers.

  20. Ultra-high-throughput screening method for the directed evolution of glucose oxidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ostafe, Raluca; Prodanovic, Radivoje; Nazor, Jovana; Fischer, Rainer

    2014-03-20

    Glucose oxidase (GOx) is used in many industrial processes that could benefit from improved versions of the enzyme. Some improvements like higher activity under physiological conditions and thermal stability could be useful for GOx applications in biosensors and biofuel cells. Directed evolution is one of the currently available methods to engineer improved GOx variants. Here, we describe an ultra-high-throughput screening system for sorting the best enzyme variants generated by directed evolution that incorporates several methodological refinements: flow cytometry, in vitro compartmentalization, yeast surface display, fluorescent labeling of the expressed enzyme, delivery of glucose substrate to the reaction mixture through the oil phase, and covalent labeling of the cells with fluorescein-tyramide. The method enables quantitative screening of gene libraries to identify clones with improved activity and it also allows cells to be selected based not only on the overall activity but also on the specific activity of the enzyme. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Methods for efficient high-throughput screening of protein expression in recombinant Pichia pastoris strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camattari, Andrea; Weinhandl, Katrin; Gudiminchi, Rama K

    2014-01-01

    The methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris is becoming one of the favorite industrial workhorses for protein expression. Due to the widespread use of integration vectors, which generates significant clonal variability, screening methods allowing assaying hundreds of individual clones are of particular importance. Here we describe methods to detect and analyze protein expression, developed in a 96-well format for high-throughput screening of recombinant P. pastoris strains. The chapter covers essentially three common scenarios: (1) an enzymatic assay for proteins expressed in the cell cytoplasm, requiring cell lysis; (2) a whole-cell assay for a fungal cytochrome P450; and (3) a nonenzymatic assay for detection and quantification of tagged protein secreted into the supernatant.

  2. Screening for Depression, Sleep-Related Disturbances, and Anxiety in Patients with Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas: A Preliminary Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew D. Boyd

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Screening for depression, sleep-related disturbances, and anxiety in patients with diagnosed adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Materials and Methods. Patients were evaluated at initial consultation and subsequent visits at the multidisciplinary pancreatic cancer clinic at our University Cancer Center. Cross-sectional and longitudinal psychosocial distress was assessed utilizing Personal Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ9 to screen for depression and monitor symptoms, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ for generalized anxiety, and the University of Michigan Sleep Questionnaire to monitor sleep symptoms. Results. Twenty-two patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer participated during the 6-month pilot study with longitudinal followup for thirteen patients. In this study, mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms, anxiety, and potential sleep problems were common. The main finding of the study was 23% of the patients who were part of this pilot project screened positive for moderately severe major depressive symptoms, likely anxiety disorder or a potential sleep disorder during the study. One patient screened positive for moderately severe depressive symptoms in longitudinal followup. Conclusions. Depression, anxiety, and sleep problems are evident in patients with pancreatic cancer. Prospective, longitudinal studies, with larger groups of patients, are needed to determine if these comorbid symptoms impact outcome and clinical course.

  3. Microengineering methods for cell-based microarrays and high-throughput drug-screening applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Feng; Wu Jinhui; Wang Shuqi; Gurkan, Umut Atakan; Demirci, Utkan; Durmus, Naside Gozde

    2011-01-01

    Screening for effective therapeutic agents from millions of drug candidates is costly, time consuming, and often faces concerns due to the extensive use of animals. To improve cost effectiveness, and to minimize animal testing in pharmaceutical research, in vitro monolayer cell microarrays with multiwell plate assays have been developed. Integration of cell microarrays with microfluidic systems has facilitated automated and controlled component loading, significantly reducing the consumption of the candidate compounds and the target cells. Even though these methods significantly increased the throughput compared to conventional in vitro testing systems and in vivo animal models, the cost associated with these platforms remains prohibitively high. Besides, there is a need for three-dimensional (3D) cell-based drug-screening models which can mimic the in vivo microenvironment and the functionality of the native tissues. Here, we present the state-of-the-art microengineering approaches that can be used to develop 3D cell-based drug-screening assays. We highlight the 3D in vitro cell culture systems with live cell-based arrays, microfluidic cell culture systems, and their application to high-throughput drug screening. We conclude that among the emerging microengineering approaches, bioprinting holds great potential to provide repeatable 3D cell-based constructs with high temporal, spatial control and versatility.

  4. Microengineering methods for cell-based microarrays and high-throughput drug-screening applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu Feng; Wu Jinhui; Wang Shuqi; Gurkan, Umut Atakan; Demirci, Utkan [Department of Medicine, Demirci Bio-Acoustic-MEMS in Medicine (BAMM) Laboratory, Center for Biomedical Engineering, Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States); Durmus, Naside Gozde, E-mail: udemirci@rics.bwh.harvard.edu [School of Engineering and Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI (United States)

    2011-09-15

    Screening for effective therapeutic agents from millions of drug candidates is costly, time consuming, and often faces concerns due to the extensive use of animals. To improve cost effectiveness, and to minimize animal testing in pharmaceutical research, in vitro monolayer cell microarrays with multiwell plate assays have been developed. Integration of cell microarrays with microfluidic systems has facilitated automated and controlled component loading, significantly reducing the consumption of the candidate compounds and the target cells. Even though these methods significantly increased the throughput compared to conventional in vitro testing systems and in vivo animal models, the cost associated with these platforms remains prohibitively high. Besides, there is a need for three-dimensional (3D) cell-based drug-screening models which can mimic the in vivo microenvironment and the functionality of the native tissues. Here, we present the state-of-the-art microengineering approaches that can be used to develop 3D cell-based drug-screening assays. We highlight the 3D in vitro cell culture systems with live cell-based arrays, microfluidic cell culture systems, and their application to high-throughput drug screening. We conclude that among the emerging microengineering approaches, bioprinting holds great potential to provide repeatable 3D cell-based constructs with high temporal, spatial control and versatility.

  5. A virtual test of screening technology based on the AGEIA PhysX

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ai-min Li; Rui-ling Lv; Chu-sheng Liu [China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou (China). School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering

    2008-06-15

    The authors have created a virtual test of vibration particle-screening using Autodesk's 3ds Max software, the MAXScript scripting language and the AGEIA PhysX physics processing unit (PPU). The affect of various parameters on screening efficiency were modeled. The parameters included vibration amplitude, frequency and direction. The length and inclination of the vibrating surface were also varied. The virtual experiment is in basic agreement with results predicted from screening theory. This shows that the virtual screener can be used for preliminary investigations and the results used to evaluate screen design. In addition it can help with theoretical research. 11 refs., 7 figs., 7 tabs.

  6. Ultrasensitive Single Fluorescence-Labeled Probe-Mediated Single Universal Primer-Multiplex-Droplet Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction for High-Throughput Genetically Modified Organism Screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, Chenqi; Xu, Yuancong; Zhang, Chao; Zhu, Pengyu; Huang, Kunlun; Luo, Yunbo; Xu, Wentao

    2018-05-01

    As genetically modified (GM) technology develops and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) become more available, GMOs face increasing regulations and pressure to adhere to strict labeling guidelines. A singleplex detection method cannot perform the high-throughput analysis necessary for optimal GMO detection. Combining the advantages of multiplex detection and droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR), a single universal primer-multiplex-ddPCR (SUP-M-ddPCR) strategy was proposed for accurate broad-spectrum screening and quantification. The SUP increases efficiency of the primers in PCR and plays an important role in establishing a high-throughput, multiplex detection method. Emerging ddPCR technology has been used for accurate quantification of nucleic acid molecules without a standard curve. Using maize as a reference point, four heterologous sequences ( 35S, NOS, NPTII, and PAT) were selected to evaluate the feasibility and applicability of this strategy. Surprisingly, these four genes cover more than 93% of the transgenic maize lines and serve as preliminary screening sequences. All screening probes were labeled with FAM fluorescence, which allows the signals from the samples with GMO content and those without to be easily differentiated. This fiveplex screening method is a new development in GMO screening. Utilizing an optimal amplification assay, the specificity, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantitation (LOQ) were validated. The LOD and LOQ of this GMO screening method were 0.1% and 0.01%, respectively, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) < 25%. This method could serve as an important tool for the detection of GM maize from different processed, commercially available products. Further, this screening method could be applied to other fields that require reliable and sensitive detection of DNA targets.

  7. Danish method study on cervical screening in women offered HPV vaccination as girls (Trial23): a study protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thamsborg, Lise Holst; Andersen, Berit; Larsen, Lise Grupe; Christensen, Jette; Johansen, Tonje; Hariri, Jalil; Christiansen, Sanne; Rygaard, Carsten; Lynge, Elsebeth

    2018-05-26

    The first birth cohorts of women offered human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination as girls are now entering cervical screening. However, there is no international consensus on how to screen HPV vaccinated women. These women are better protected against cervical cancer and could therefore be offered less intensive screening. Primary HPV testing is more sensitive than cytology, allowing for a longer screening interval. The aim of Trial23 is to investigate if primary HPV testing with cytology triage of HPV positive samples is a reasonable screening scheme for women offered HPV vaccination as girls. Trial23 is a method study embedded in the existing cervical screening programme in four out of five Danish regions. Without affecting the screening programme, women born in 1994 are randomised to present screening with liquid-based cytology every third year (present programme arm) or present screening plus an HPV test (HPV arm). The study started 1 February 2017 and will run over three screening rounds corresponding to 7-8 years. The primary endpoint is cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 or above. The trial is undertaken as a non-inferiority study including intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses. The potential effect of primary HPV screening with a 6-year interval will be calculated from the observed data. The study protocol has been submitted to the ethical committee and deemed a method study. All women are screened according to routine guidelines. The study will contribute new evidence on the future screening of HPV vaccinated birth cohorts of women. All results will be published in open-access journal. NCT03049553; Pre-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.

  8. Preliminary experiment of fast neutron imaging with direct-film method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pei Yuyang; Tang Guoyou; Guo Zhiyu; Zhang Guohui

    2005-01-01

    A preliminary experiment is conducted with direct-film method under the condition that fast neutron is generated by the reaction of 9 Be(d, n) on the Beijing University 4.5 MV Van de Graaff, whose energy is lower than 7 MeV. Basic characteristics of direct-film neutron radiography system are investigated with the help of samples in different materials, different thickness and holes of different diameter. The fast neutron converter, which is vital for fast neutron imaging, is produced with the materials made in China. The result indicates that fast neutron converter can meet the requirement of fast neutron imaging; further research of fast neutron imaging can be conducted on the accelerator and neutron-generator in China. (authors)

  9. Inverse design-momentum, a method for the preliminary design of horizontal axis wind turbines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Battisti, L; Soraperra, G; Fedrizzi, R; Zanne, L

    2007-01-01

    Wind turbine rotor prediction methods based on generalized momentum theory BEM routinely used in industry and vortex wake methods demand the use of airfoil tabulated data and geometrical specifications such as the blade spanwise chord distribution. They belong to the category of 'direct design' methods. When, on the other hand, the geometry is deduced from some design objective, we refer to 'inverse design' methods. This paper presents a method for the preliminary design of wind turbine rotors based on an inverse design approach. For this purpose, a generalized theory was developed without using classical tools such as BEM. Instead, it uses a simplified meridional flow analysis of axial turbomachines and is based on the assumption that knowing the vortex distribution and appropriate boundary conditions is tantamount to knowing the velocity distribution. The simple conservation properties of the vortex components consistently cope with the forces and specific work exchange expressions through the rotor. The method allows for rotor arbitrarily radial load distribution and includes the wake rotation and expansion. Radial pressure gradient is considered in the wake. The capability of the model is demonstrated first by a comparison with the classical actuator disk theory in investigating the consistency of the flow field, then the model is used to predict the blade planform of a commercial wind turbine. Based on these validations, the authors postulate the use of a different vortex distribution (i.e. not-uniform loading) for blade design and discuss the effect of such choices on blade chord and twist, force distribution and power coefficient. In addition to the method's straightforward application to the pre-design phase, the model clearly shows the link between blade geometry and performance allowing quick preliminary evaluation of non uniform loading on blade structural characteristics

  10. Cost and effectiveness comparison of two methods for screening potential blood donors for anaemia in Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tyrrell, A; Worrall, E; Que, T N; Bates, I

    2011-06-01

    To compare the cost and effectiveness of Copper Sulphate (CS) and HemoCue (HC) methods for screening blood donors for anaemia. Robust information from developing countries about cost and effectiveness of anaemia screening methods for blood donors is scarce. In such countries there are widespread shortages of blood, so the most cost-effective method should maximise blood supply without compromising donor safety. Economic data (e.g. staff time, equipment and buildings) were collected from direct observation of procedures and purchase data from Hanoi's Central Blood Bank administrative department. A framework for comparing the cost and effectiveness of anaemia screening methods was developed and a cost per effective (i.e. usable and accurate) test was generated for each method. Samples from 100 potential donors from the Hanoi Central Blood Bank (static) and 198 from two mobile units were tested. The mean probability of an ineffective anaemia test was 0·1 (0·05-0·2). The average cost of an HC test was $0·75 (static $0·61 and mobile $0·89) and a CS test was $0·31 (static $0·17 and mobile $0·45). The difference between static and mobile units was predominantly due to transport costs; the difference between the two methods was predominantly due to the HC microcuvettes. In this setting the CS yields greater value for money than the HC method for screening blood donors. The relative cost and effectiveness of CS and HC may be different in places with higher staff turnover, lower test accuracy, higher anaemia prevalence or lower workload than in Vietnam. © 2010 Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Transfusion Medicine © 2010 British Blood Transfusion Society.

  11. Prediction of Phase Behavior of Spray-Dried Amorphous Solid Dispersions: Assessment of Thermodynamic Models, Standard Screening Methods and a Novel Atomization Screening Device with Regard to Prediction Accuracy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aymeric Ousset

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The evaluation of drug–polymer miscibility in the early phase of drug development is essential to ensure successful amorphous solid dispersion (ASD manufacturing. This work investigates the comparison of thermodynamic models, conventional experimental screening methods (solvent casting, quench cooling, and a novel atomization screening device based on their ability to predict drug–polymer miscibility, solid state properties (Tg value and width, and adequate polymer selection during the development of spray-dried amorphous solid dispersions (SDASDs. Binary ASDs of four drugs and seven polymers were produced at 20:80, 40:60, 60:40, and 80:20 (w/w. Samples were systematically analyzed using modulated differential scanning calorimetry (mDSC and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD. Principal component analysis (PCA was used to qualitatively assess the predictability of screening methods with regards to SDASD development. Poor correlation was found between theoretical models and experimentally-obtained results. Additionally, the limited ability of usual screening methods to predict the miscibility of SDASDs did not guarantee the appropriate selection of lead excipient for the manufacturing of robust SDASDs. Contrary to standard approaches, our novel screening device allowed the selection of optimal polymer and drug loading and established insight into the final properties and performance of SDASDs at an early stage, therefore enabling the optimization of the scaled-up late-stage development.

  12. Standard test method for conducting friction tests of piston ring and cylinder liner materials under lubricated conditions

    CERN Document Server

    American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

    2011-01-01

    1.1 This test method covers procedures for conducting laboratory bench-scale friction tests of materials, coatings, and surface treatments intended for use in piston rings and cylinder liners in diesel or spark-ignition engines. The goal of this procedure is to provide a means for preliminary, cost-effective screening or evaluation of candidate ring and liner materials. A reciprocating sliding arrangement is used to simulate the contact that occurs between a piston ring and its mating liner near the top-dead-center position in the cylinder where liquid lubrication is least effective, and most wear is known to occur. Special attention is paid to specimen alignment, running-in, and lubricant condition. 1.2 This test method does not purport to simulate all aspects of a fired engine’s operating environment, but is intended to serve as a means for preliminary screening for assessing the frictional characteristics of candidate piston ring and liner material combinations in the presence of fluids that behave as u...

  13. Development of Convenient Screening Method for Resistant Radish to Plasmodiophora brassicae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Su-Jung Jo

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available To establish simple and reliable screening method for resistant radish to Plasmodiophora brassicae Woron. using soil-drenching inoculation, the development of clubroot on radish seedlings inoculated with P. brassicae GN-1 isolate according to several conditions such as inoculum concentration, plant growth stage and incubation period after inoculation was studied. To select resistant radish against clubroot, 10-day-old seedlings were inoculated with P. brassicae by drenching the roots with the spore suspension of the pathogen to give 1×10(9 spores/pot. The inoculated seedlings were incubated in a growth chamber at 20℃ for 3 days then cultivated in a greenhouse (20±5℃ for 6 weeks. Under the optimum conditions, 46 commercial cultivars of radish were tested for resistance to YC-1 (infecting 15 clubroot-resistant cultivars of Chinese cabbage and GN-1 (wild type isolates of P. brassicae. Among them, thirty-five cultivars showed resistance to both isolates and one cultivar represented susceptible response to the pathogens. On the other hand, the other cultivars showed different responses against the tested P. brassicae pathogens. The results suggest that this method is an efficient system for screening radish with resistance to clubroot.

  14. Study on a noninvasive method for rapid screening Human Serum albumin injectables by Raman spectroscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Zhao

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Human serum albumin (HSA injectable product is a severely afflicted area on drug safety due to its high price and restricted supply. Raman spectroscopy performances high specificity on HSA detection and it is even possible to determine HSA injectable products noninvasively. In this study, we developed a noninvasive rapid screening method for of HSA injectable products by using portable Raman spectrometer. Qualitative models were established by using principal component analysis combined with classical least squares (PCA-CLS algorithm, while quantitative model was established by using partial least squares (PLS algorithm. Model transfer in different instruments of both the same and different apparatus modules was further discussed in this paper. A total of 34 HSA injectable samples collected from markets were used for verification. The identification results showed 100% accuracy and the predicted concentrations of those identified as true HSA were consistent with their labeled concentrations. The quantitative results also indicated that model transfer was excellent in the same apparatus modules of Raman spectrometer at all concentration levels, and still good enough in the different apparatus modules although the relative standard deviation (RSD value showed a little increasing trend at low HSA concentration level. In conclusion, the method was proved to be feasible and efficient for screening HSA injections, especially on its screening speed and the consideration of glass containers. Moreover, with inspiring results on the model transfer, the method could be used as a universal screening mean to different Raman instruments.

  15. New method of scoliosis assessment: preliminary results using computerized photogrammetry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aroeira, Rozilene Maria Cota; Leal, Jefferson Soares; de Melo Pertence, Antônio Eustáquio

    2011-09-01

    A new method for nonradiographic evaluation of scoliosis was independently compared with the Cobb radiographic method, for the quantification of scoliotic curvature. To develop a protocol for computerized photogrammetry, as a nonradiographic method, for the quantification of scoliosis, and to mathematically relate this proposed method with the Cobb radiographic method. Repeated exposure to radiation of children can be harmful to their health. Nevertheless, no nonradiographic method until now proposed has gained popularity as a routine method for evaluation, mainly due to a low correspondence to the Cobb radiographic method. Patients undergoing standing posteroanterior full-length spine radiographs, who were willing to participate in this study, were submitted to dorsal digital photography in the orthostatic position with special surface markers over the spinous process, specifically the vertebrae C7 to L5. The radiographic and photographic images were sent separately for independent analysis to two examiners, trained in quantification of scoliosis for the types of images received. The scoliosis curvature angles obtained through computerized photogrammetry (the new method) were compared to those obtained through the Cobb radiographic method. Sixteen individuals were evaluated (14 female and 2 male). All presented idiopathic scoliosis, and were between 21.4 ± 6.1 years of age; 52.9 ± 5.8 kg in weight; 1.63 ± 0.05 m in height, with a body mass index of 19.8 ± 0.2. There was no statistically significant difference between the scoliosis angle measurements obtained in the comparative analysis of both methods, and a mathematical relationship was formulated between both methods. The preliminary results presented demonstrate equivalence between the two methods. More studies are needed to firmly assess the potential of this new method as a coadjuvant tool in the routine following of scoliosis treatment.

  16. Jaw-opening force test to screen for Dysphagia: preliminary results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hara, Koji; Tohara, Haruka; Wada, Satoko; Iida, Takatoshi; Ueda, Koichiro; Ansai, Toshihiro

    2014-05-01

    To assess the jaw-opening force test (JOFT) for dysphagia screening. Criterion standard. University dental hospital. Patients complaining of dysphagia (N=95) and with symptoms of dysphagia with chronic underlying causes (mean age ± SD, 79.3±9.61y; range, 50-94y; men: n=49; mean age ± SD, 77.03±9.81y; range, 50-94y; women: n=46; mean age ± SD, 75.42±9.73y; range, 51-93y) admitted for treatment between May 2011 and December 2012 were included. None. All patients were administered the JOFT and underwent fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). The mean jaw-opening strength was compared with aspiration (ASP) and pharyngeal residue observations of the FEES, which was used as the criterion standard. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed. Forces of ≤3.2kg for men and ≤4kg for women were appropriate cutoff values for predicting ASP with a sensitivity and specificity of .57 and .79 for men and .93 and .52 for women, respectively. Based on the ROC analyses for predicting pharyngeal residue, forces of ≤5.3kg in men and ≤3.9kg in women were appropriate cutoff values, with a sensitivity and specificity of .80 and .88 for men and .83 and .81 for women, respectively. The JOFT could be a useful screening tool for predicting pharyngeal residue and could provide useful information to aid in the referral of patients for further diagnostic imaging testing. However, given its low sensitivity to ASP the JOFT should be paired with other screening tests that predict ASP. Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Comparison of different screening methods for blood pressure disorders in children and adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mourato, Felipe Alves; Lima Filho, José Luiz; Mattos, Sandra da Silva

    2015-01-01

    To compare different methods of screening for blood pressure disorders in children and adolescents. A database with 17,083 medical records of patients from a pediatric cardiology clinic was used. After analyzing the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 5,650 were selected. These were divided into two age groups: between 5 and 13 years and between 13 and 18 years. The blood pressure measurement was classified as normal, pre-hypertensive, or hypertensive, consistent with recent guidelines and the selected screening methods. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were then calculated according to gender and age range. The formulas proposed by Somu and Ardissino's table showed low sensitivity in identifying pre-hypertension in all age groups, whereas the table proposed by Kaelber showed the best results. The ratio between blood pressure and height showed low specificity in the younger age group, but showed good performance in adolescents. Screening tools used for the assessment of blood pressure disorders in children and adolescents may be useful to decrease the current rate of underdiagnosis of this condition. The table proposed by Kaelber showed the best results; however, the ratio between BP and height demonstrated specific advantages, as it does not require tables. Copyright © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  18. Trojan Horse Method: a useful tool for electron screening effect investigation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pizzone, R.G.; Spitaleri, C.; Cherubini, S.; La Cognata, M.; Lamia, L.; Romano, S.; Sergi, M.L. [Laboratori Nazionali del Sud-INFN and DMFCI Universita di Catania, Catania (Italy); Tumino, A. [Universita Kore, Enna (Italy); Li, C.; Wen, Q.; Zhou, S. [Department of Nuclear Physics, CIAE, Beijing (China); Burjan, V.; Kroha, V.; Mrazek, J. [Cyclotron Institute, Academy of Science, Rez, Czech Rep. (Czech Republic); Carlin, N.; Gimenez del Santo, M.; Szanto de Toledo, A. [Departamento de Fisica, Universidad de Sao Paulo (Brazil); Kubono, S.; Wakabayashi, T.; Yamaguchi, H. [CNS, University of Tokyo, Wako (Japan)

    2010-03-01

    Direct measurements in the last decades have highlighted a new problem related to the lowering of the Coulomb barrier between the interacting nuclei due to the presence of the 'electron screening' in the laboratory measurements. It was systematically observed that the presence of the electronic cloud around the interacting ions in measurements of nuclear reactions cross sections at astrophysical energies gives rise to an enhancement of the astrophysical S(E)-factor as lower and lower energies are explored [H. Assenbaum, K. Langanke, C. Rolfs, Z. Phys. 327 (1987) 461]. Moreover, at present such an effect is not well understood as the value of the potential for screening extracted from these measurements is higher than the upper limit of theoretical predictions (adiabatic limit). On the other hand, the electron screening potential in laboratory measurement is different from that occurring in stellar plasmas thus the quantity of interest in astrophysics is the so-called 'bare nucleus cross section'. This quantity can only be extrapolated in direct measurements. These are the reasons that led to a considerable growth on interest in indirect measurement techniques and in particular the Trojan Horse Method (THM) [G. Baur, Phys. Lett. B 178, (1986) 135; S. Cherubini et al. Ap. J. 457, (1996) 855] Results concerning the bare nucleus cross sections measurements will be shown in several cases of astrophysical interest. In those cases the screening potential evaluated by means of the THM will be compared with the adiabatic limit and results arising from extrapolation in direct measurements.

  19. Survey of South African fruit juices using a fast screening HILIC-MS method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stander, Marietjie A; Kühn, Wernich; Hiten, Nicholas F

    2013-01-01

    Adulteration of fruit juices--by the addition of sugar or other less expensive fruit juices as well as preservatives, artificial sweeteners and colours--was tested for by using a developed screening method. The method employs hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS) using electrospray ionisation in the negative mode and ultraviolet light detection. Different fruit juices can be differentiated by the content of marker compounds like sorbitol, certain phenolic molecules and their saccharide profile. This method was used to test 46 fruit juice samples from the retail market as well as 12 control samples. The study focused on the main types of fruit juices consumed on the South African market including apple, orange, grape and blends of these juices with other fruits like mango, pear and guava. Overall, the 46 samples tested mostly agreed with label claims. One grape juice sample was adulterated, probably with apple juice. Natamycin above the legal limits was found in two samples. In addition, two samples contained natamycin and one sample benzoate without it being indicated on the label. The method is well suited as a quick screening method for fruit juice adulteration and if used routinely would reduce fruit juice adulteration without the cost of the current array of tests needed for authenticity testing.

  20. A screen-printed flexible flow sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moschos, A; Kaltsas, G; Syrovy, T; Syrova, L

    2017-01-01

    A thermal flow sensor was printed on a flexible plastic substrate using exclusively screen-printing techniques. The presented device was implemented with custom made screen-printed thermistors, which allows simple, cost-efficient production on a variety of flexible substrates while maintaining the typical advantages of thermal flow sensors. Evaluation was performed for both static (zero flow) and dynamic conditions using a combination of electrical measurements and IR imaging techniques in order to determine important characteristics, such as temperature response, output repeatability, etc. The flow sensor was characterized utilizing the hot-wire and calorimetric principles of operation, while the preliminary results appear to be very promising, since the sensor was successfully evaluated and displayed adequate sensitivity in a relatively wide flow range. (paper)

  1. Methods for Cervical Cancer Screening

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatiana Vargas-Revilla

    2014-12-01

    This article is divided in three sections: the first one focuses on the general impact of cervical cancer has hadin CostaRica, these condsection gathers information about different methodologies used around the world to detect this cancer and the third one makes reference to the current development of the screening devise in Mexico that works as a monitoring system and can used by women without external assistance.

  2. Newborn Screening for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency in Israel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erez Rechavi

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Newborn screening (NBS programs for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID, the most severe type of primary immunodeficiency, are being implemented in more and more countries with every passing year. Since October 2015, SCID screening via T cell receptor excision circle (TREC quantification in dried blood spots (DBS has been part of the Israeli NBS program. As an NBS program in its infancy, SCID screening is still evolving, making gathering input from the various programs crucial for compiling an ideal screening algorithm. The relatively high rate of consanguineous marriages in Israel, especially among non-Jews, correlates with an increased incidence of SCID. The Israeli algorithm uses a commercial kit and consists of a two-Guthrie card confirmation system prior to referral to a national immunology center. Preliminary data from the first year and a half of SCID screening in Israel has identified a surprisingly high prevalence of DNA cross-link repair protein 1c (DCLRE1C; ARTEMIS mutations as the cause of SCID in Israel. The clinically unbiased nature of SCID screening helps unearth mild/leaky SCID phenotypes, resulting in a better understanding of true SCID prevalence and etiology.

  3. Optimal Methods to Screen Men and Women for Intimate Partner Violence: Results from an Internal Medicine Residency Continuity Clinic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapur, Nitin A.; Windish, Donna M.

    2011-01-01

    Contradictory data exist regarding optimal methods and instruments for intimate partner violence (IPV) screening in primary care settings. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal method and screening instrument for IPV among men and women in a primary-care resident clinic. We conducted a cross-sectional study at an urban, academic,…

  4. A mix-and-read drop-based in vitro two-hybrid method for screening high-affinity peptide binders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Naiwen; Zhang, Huidan; Schneider, Nils; Tao, Ye; Asahara, Haruichi; Sun, Zhiyi; Cai, Yamei; Koehler, Stephan A.; de Greef, Tom F. A.; Abbaspourrad, Alireza; Weitz, David A.; Chong, Shaorong

    2016-01-01

    Drop-based microfluidics have recently become a novel tool by providing a stable linkage between phenotype and genotype for high throughput screening. However, use of drop-based microfluidics for screening high-affinity peptide binders has not been demonstrated due to the lack of a sensitive functional assay that can detect single DNA molecules in drops. To address this sensitivity issue, we introduced in vitro two-hybrid system (IVT2H) into microfluidic drops and developed a streamlined mix-and-read drop-IVT2H method to screen a random DNA library. Drop-IVT2H was based on the correlation between the binding affinity of two interacting protein domains and transcriptional activation of a fluorescent reporter. A DNA library encoding potential peptide binders was encapsulated with IVT2H such that single DNA molecules were distributed in individual drops. We validated drop-IVT2H by screening a three-random-residue library derived from a high-affinity MDM2 inhibitor PMI. The current drop-IVT2H platform is ideally suited for affinity screening of small-to-medium-sized libraries (103–106). It can obtain hits within a single day while consuming minimal amounts of reagents. Drop-IVT2H simplifies and accelerates the drop-based microfluidics workflow for screening random DNA libraries, and represents a novel alternative method for protein engineering and in vitro directed protein evolution. PMID:26940078

  5. Smart Plasmonic Glucose Nanosensors as Generic Theranostic Agents for Targeting-Free Cancer Cell Screening and Killing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Limei; Li, Haijuan; He, Haili; Wu, Haoxi; Jin, Yongdong

    2015-07-07

    Fast and accurate identification of cancer cells from healthy normal cells in a simple, generic way is very crucial for early cancer detection and treatment. Although functional nanoparticles, like fluorescent quantum dots and plasmonic Au nanoparticles (NPs), have been successfully applied for cancer cell imaging and photothermal therapy, they suffer from the main drawback of needing time-consuming targeting preparation for specific cancer cell detection and selective ablation. The lack of a generic and effective method therefore limits their potential high-throughput cancer cell preliminary screening and theranostic applications. We report herein a generic in vitro method for fast, targeting-free (avoiding time-consuming preparations of targeting moiety for specific cancer cells) visual screening and selective killing of cancer cells from normal cells, by using glucose-responsive/-sensitive glucose oxidase-modified Ag/Au nanoshells (Ag/Au-GOx NSs) as a smart plasmonic theranostic agent. The method is generic to some extent since it is based on the distinct localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) responses (and colors) of the smart nanoprobe with cancer cells (typically have a higher glucose uptake level) and normal cells.

  6. DRABAL: novel method to mine large high-throughput screening assays using Bayesian active learning

    KAUST Repository

    Soufan, Othman; Ba Alawi, Wail; Afeef, Moataz A.; Essack, Magbubah; Kalnis, Panos; Bajic, Vladimir B.

    2016-01-01

    Mining high-throughput screening (HTS) assays is key for enhancing decisions in the area of drug repositioning and drug discovery. However, many challenges are encountered in the process of developing suitable and accurate methods

  7. Development of automatic image analysis methods for high-throughput and high-content screening

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Di, Zi

    2013-01-01

    This thesis focuses on the development of image analysis methods for ultra-high content analysis of high-throughput screens where cellular phenotype responses to various genetic or chemical perturbations that are under investigation. Our primary goal is to deliver efficient and robust image analysis

  8. Method for screening prevention and control measures and technologies based on groundwater pollution intensity assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Juan; Yang, Yang; Huan, Huan; Li, Mingxiao; Xi, Beidou; Lv, Ningqing; Wu, Yi; Xie, Yiwen; Li, Xiang; Yang, Jinjin

    2016-05-01

    This paper presents a system for determining the evaluation and gradation indices of groundwater pollution intensity (GPI). Considering the characteristics of the vadose zone and pollution sources, the system decides which anti-seepage measures should be implemented at the contaminated site. The pollution sources hazards (PSH) and groundwater intrinsic vulnerability (GIV) are graded by the revised Nemerow Pollution Index and an improved DRTAS model, respectively. GPI is evaluated and graded by a double-sided multi-factor coupling model, which is constructed by the matrix method. The contaminated sites are categorized as prior, ordinary, or common sites. From the GPI results, we develop guiding principles for preventing and removing pollution sources, procedural interruption and remediation, and end treatment and monitoring. Thus, we can select appropriate prevention and control technologies (PCT). To screen the technological schemes and optimize the traditional analytical hierarchy process (AHP), we adopt the technique for order preference by the similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method. Our GPI approach and PCT screening are applied to three types of pollution sites: the refuse dump of a rare earth mine development project (a potential pollution source), a chromium slag dump, and a landfill (existing pollution sources). These three sites are identified as ordinary, prior, and ordinary sites, respectively. The anti-seepage materials at the refuse dump should perform as effectively as a 1.5-m-thick clay bed. The chromium slag dump should be preferentially treated by soil flushing and in situ chemical remediation. The landfill should be treated by natural attenuation technology. The proposed PCT screening approach was compared with conventional screening methods results at the three sites and proved feasible and effective. The proposed method can provide technical support for the monitoring and management of groundwater pollution in China. Copyright © 2015

  9. Preliminary Groundwater Assessment using Electrical Method at Quaternary Deposits Area

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazreek, Z. A. M.; Raqib, A. G. A.; Aziman, M.; Azhar, A. T. S.; Khaidir, A. T. M.; Fairus, Y. M.; Rosli, S.; Fakhrurrazi, I. M.; Izzaty, R. A.

    2017-08-01

    Alternative water sources using groundwater has increasingly demand in recent years. In the past, proper and systematic study of groundwater potential was varies due to several constraints. Conventionally, tube well point was drilled based on subjective judgment of several parties which may lead to the uncertainties of the project success. Hence, this study performed an electrical method to investigate the groundwater potential at quaternary deposits area particularly using resistivity and induced polarization technique. Electrical method was performed using ABEM SAS4000 equipment based on pole dipole array and 2.5 m electrode spacing. Resistivity raw data was analyzed using RES2DINV software. It was found that groundwater was able to be detected based on resistivity and chargeability values which varied at 10 - 100 Ωm and 0 - 1 ms respectively. Moreover, suitable location of tube well was able to be proposed which located at 80 m from the first survey electrode in west direction. Verification of both electrical results with established references has shown some good agreement thus able to convince the result reliability. Hence, the establishment of electrical method in preliminary groundwater assessment was able to assist several parties in term groundwater prospective at study area which efficient in term of cost, time, data coverage and sustainability.

  10. 43 CFR 11.25 - Preassessment screen-preliminary identification of resources potentially at risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... pathways. (1) The authorized official shall make a preliminary identification of potential exposure... toxicological properties of the oil or hazardous substance. (3) Pathways to be considered shall include, as appropriate, direct contact, surface water, ground water, air, food chains, and particulate movement. (b...

  11. A Desktop Screen Sharing System based on Various Connection Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Negishi, Yuya; Kawaguchi, Nobuo

    Recently it became very common to use information devices such as PCs during presentations and discussions. In these situations, a need arises for techniques that allow a smooth switch of presenters without changing cables, or an easy screen sharing in case of remote videoconferences. In this paper, we propose a desktop screen sharing system that can be used for such purposes and situations. For that, we designed an automatic control of connections in the VNC system that can be operated remotely over the network. We also suggested an interface that assigns a role such as “Screen sender" or “Screen receiver" to each terminal. In the proposed system, while sharing a screen between multiple terminals, one can easily display and browse the screen without having to understand how the others are connected. We also implemented a “role card" using contactless IC card, where roles are assigned only by placing the card in the IC reader.

  12. New multiplex PCR methods for rapid screening of genetically modified organisms in foods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Datukishvili, Nelly; Kutateladze, Tamara; Gabriadze, Inga; Bitskinashvili, Kakha; Vishnepolsky, Boris

    2015-01-01

    We present novel multiplex PCR methods for rapid and reliable screening of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). New designed PCR primers targeting four frequently used GMO specific sequences permitted identification of new DNA markers, in particular 141 bp fragment of cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter, 224 bp fragment of Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase (NOS) terminator, 256 bp fragment of 5-enolppyruvylshikimate-phosphate synthase (epsps) gene and 258 bp fragment of Cry1Ab delta-endotoxin (cry1Ab) gene for GMO screening. The certified reference materials containing Roundup Ready soybean (RRS) and maize MON 810 were applied for the development and optimization of uniplex and multiplex PCR systems. Evaluation of amplification products by agarose gel electrophoresis using negative and positive controls confirmed high specificity and sensitivity at 0.1% GMO for both RRS and MON 810. The fourplex PCR was developed and optimized that allows simultaneous detection of three common transgenic elements, such as: CaMV 35S promoter, NOS terminator, epsps gene together with soybean-specific lectin gene. The triplex PCR developed enables simultaneous identification of transgenic elements, such as: 35S promoter and cry1Ab gene together with maize zein gene. The analysis of different processed foods demonstrated that multiplex PCR methods developed in this study are useful for accurate and fast screening of GM food products.

  13. New multiplex PCR methods for rapid screening of genetically modified organisms in foods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nelly eDatukishvili

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available We present novel multiplex PCR methods for rapid and reliable screening of genetically modified organisms (GMOs. New designed PCR primers targeting four frequently used GMO specific sequences permitted identification of new DNA markers, in particular 141 bp fragment of cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV 35S promoter, 224 bp fragment of Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase (NOS terminator, 256 bp fragment of 5-enolppyruvylshikimate-phosphate synthase (epsps gene and 258 bp fragment of Cry1Ab delta-endotoxin (cry1Ab gene for GMO screening. The certified reference materials containing Roundup Ready soybean (RRS and maize MON 810 were applied for the development and optimization of uniplex and multiplex PCR systems. Evaluation of amplification products by agarose gel electrophoresis using negative and positive controls confirmed high specificity and sensitivity at 0.1% GMO for both RRS and MON 810. The fourplex PCR was developed and optimized that allows simultaneous detection of three common transgenic elements, such as: CaMV 35S promoter, NOS terminator, epsps gene together with soybean-specific lectin gene. The triplex PCR developed enables simultaneous identification of transgenic elements, such as: 35S promoter and cry1Ab gene together with maize zein gene. The analysis of different processed foods demonstrated that multiplex PCR methods developed in this study are useful for accurate and fast screening of GM food products.

  14. In-bead screening

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2013-01-01

    The present invention relates to screening of one-bead-one-compound (OBOC) combinatorial libraries which is useful for the discovery of compounds displaying molecular interactions with a biological or a physicochemical system, such as substrates and inhibitors of enzymes and the like. The invention...... provides a method for screening a library of compounds for their interaction with a physico- chemical or biological system and a corresponding kit for performing the method of screening a one-bead-one-compound library of compounds....

  15. Prospective memory tasks: a more sensitive method for screening cognitive impairment in ALS?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ji Ying

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cognitive change is prevalent in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, but still lack a widely accepted and sensitive screening method. In this study, we try to find a sensitive screening battery for detecting subtle cognitive deficits in patients with ALS. Methods Eighty consecutive ALS patients and 57 matched normal controls underwent the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE, the verbal fluency test (VFT, the Stroop Color Word Interference Test (CWT, and the prospective memory (PM tests, including event-based (EBPM and time-based (TBPM. Results The patients did not differ from the controls in the MMSE, the VFT and the CWT. By contrast, statistically significant differences were found in the PM tests (EBPM: P=0.043; TBPM: P Conclusions Prefrontal lobar dysfunction does exist among ALS patients and may spread from the medial to the lateral region. The PM tests seem more sensitive in ALS patients with frontotemporal dysfunction than are the classical cognitive measures.

  16. Just-in-Time Compound Pooling Increases Primary Screening Capacity without Compromising Screening Quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elkin, L L; Harden, D G; Saldanha, S; Ferguson, H; Cheney, D L; Pieniazek, S N; Maloney, D P; Zewinski, J; O'Connell, J; Banks, M

    2015-06-01

    Compound pooling, or multiplexing more than one compound per well during primary high-throughput screening (HTS), is a controversial approach with a long history of limited success. Many issues with this approach likely arise from long-term storage of library plates containing complex mixtures of compounds at high concentrations. Due to the historical difficulties with using multiplexed library plates, primary HTS often uses a one-compound-one-well approach. However, as compound collections grow, innovative strategies are required to increase the capacity of primary screening campaigns. Toward this goal, we have developed a novel compound pooling method that increases screening capacity without compromising data quality. This method circumvents issues related to the long-term storage of complex compound mixtures by using acoustic dispensing to enable "just-in-time" compound pooling directly in the assay well immediately prior to assay. Using this method, we can pool two compounds per well, effectively doubling the capacity of a primary screen. Here, we present data from pilot studies using just-in-time pooling, as well as data from a large >2-million-compound screen using this approach. These data suggest that, for many targets, this method can be used to vastly increase screening capacity without significant reduction in the ability to detect screening hits. © 2015 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

  17. Screening DNA chip and event-specific multiplex PCR detection methods for biotech crops.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seong-Hun

    2014-11-01

    There are about 80 biotech crop events that have been approved by safety assessment in Korea. They have been controlled by genetically modified organism (GMO) and living modified organism (LMO) labeling systems. The DNA-based detection method has been used as an efficient scientific management tool. Recently, the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA chip have been developed as simultaneous detection methods for several biotech crops' events. The event-specific multiplex PCR method was developed to detect five biotech maize events: MIR604, Event 3272, LY 038, MON 88017 and DAS-59122-7. The specificity was confirmed and the sensitivity was 0.5%. The screening DNA chip was developed from four endogenous genes of soybean, maize, cotton and canola respectively along with two regulatory elements and seven genes: P35S, tNOS, pat, bar, epsps1, epsps2, pmi, cry1Ac and cry3B. The specificity was confirmed and the sensitivity was 0.5% for four crops' 12 events: one soybean, six maize, three cotton and two canola events. The multiplex PCR and DNA chip can be available for screening, gene-specific and event-specific analysis of biotech crops as efficient detection methods by saving on workload and time. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  18. Comparison of real-time PCR with disk diffusion, agar screen and E-test methods for detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shariati, Laleh; Validi, Majid; Tabatabaiefar, Mohammad Amin; Karimi, Ali; Nafisi, Mohammad Reza

    2010-12-01

    Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a nosocomial pathogen. Our main objective was to compare oxacillin disk test, oxacillin E-test, and oxacillin agar screen for detection of methicillin resistance in S. aureus, using real-time PCR for mecA as the "gold standard" comparison assay. 196 S. aureus isolates were identified out of 284 Staphylococcus isolates. These isolates were screened for MRSA with several methods: disk diffusion, agar screen (6.0 μg/ml), oxacillin E-test, and real-time PCR for detection of mecA gene. Of the 196 S. aureus isolates tested, 96 isolates (49%) were mecA-positive and 100 isolates (51%) mecA-negative. All methods tested had a statistically significant agreement with real-time PCR. E-test was 100% sensitive and specific for mecA presence. The sensitivity and specificity of oxacillin agar screen method were 98 and 99%, respectively and sensitivity and specificity of oxacillin disk diffusion method were 95 and 93%, respectively. In the present study, oxacillin E-test is proposed as the best phenotypic method. For economic reasons, the oxacillin agar screen method (6.0 μg/ml), which is suitable for the detection of MRSA, is recommended due to its accuracy and low cost.

  19. An analysis of normalization methods for Drosophila RNAi genomic screens and development of a robust validation scheme

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiles, Amy M.; Ravi, Dashnamoorthy; Bhavani, Selvaraj; Bishop, Alexander J.R.

    2010-01-01

    Genome-wide RNAi screening is a powerful, yet relatively immature technology that allows investigation into the role of individual genes in a process of choice. Most RNAi screens identify a large number of genes with a continuous gradient in the assessed phenotype. Screeners must then decide whether to examine just those genes with the most robust phenotype or to examine the full gradient of genes that cause an effect and how to identify the candidate genes to be validated. We have used RNAi in Drosophila cells to examine viability in a 384-well plate format and compare two screens, untreated control and treatment. We compare multiple normalization methods, which take advantage of different features within the data, including quantile normalization, background subtraction, scaling, cellHTS2 1, and interquartile range measurement. Considering the false-positive potential that arises from RNAi technology, a robust validation method was designed for the purpose of gene selection for future investigations. In a retrospective analysis, we describe the use of validation data to evaluate each normalization method. While no normalization method worked ideally, we found that a combination of two methods, background subtraction followed by quantile normalization and cellHTS2, at different thresholds, captures the most dependable and diverse candidate genes. Thresholds are suggested depending on whether a few candidate genes are desired or a more extensive systems level analysis is sought. In summary, our normalization approaches and experimental design to perform validation experiments are likely to apply to those high-throughput screening systems attempting to identify genes for systems level analysis. PMID:18753689

  20. Analysis of errors in the measurement of unattached fractions of radon and thoron progeny in a Canadian uranium mine using wire screen methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, A.; Phillips, C.R.

    1987-01-01

    The unattached fraction of radon/thoron progeny in uranium mines is generally small and therefore difficult to measure accurately. The simple wire screen method provides a direct estimate of the unattached fraction from the screen count, or an indirect estimate from the difference between the reference and back-up filter counts. Wire screen method results are often difficult to analyse, especially when the unattached activity is small. Experimental data obtained in Canadian uranium mines are presented here, together with a detailed error analysis. The method consisting of counting the wire screen and the back-up filter is found to be the most precise method for unattached fraction determination. (author)

  1. A closer look at the effect of preliminary goodness-of-fit testing for normality for the one-sample t-test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rochon, Justine; Kieser, Meinhard

    2011-11-01

    Student's one-sample t-test is a commonly used method when inference about the population mean is made. As advocated in textbooks and articles, the assumption of normality is often checked by a preliminary goodness-of-fit (GOF) test. In a paper recently published by Schucany and Ng it was shown that, for the uniform distribution, screening of samples by a pretest for normality leads to a more conservative conditional Type I error rate than application of the one-sample t-test without preliminary GOF test. In contrast, for the exponential distribution, the conditional level is even more elevated than the Type I error rate of the t-test without pretest. We examine the reasons behind these characteristics. In a simulation study, samples drawn from the exponential, lognormal, uniform, Student's t-distribution with 2 degrees of freedom (t(2) ) and the standard normal distribution that had passed normality screening, as well as the ingredients of the test statistics calculated from these samples, are investigated. For non-normal distributions, we found that preliminary testing for normality may change the distribution of means and standard deviations of the selected samples as well as the correlation between them (if the underlying distribution is non-symmetric), thus leading to altered distributions of the resulting test statistics. It is shown that for skewed distributions the excess in Type I error rate may be even more pronounced when testing one-sided hypotheses. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

  2. School Locations and Traffic Emissions — Environmental (InJustice Findings Using a New Screening Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philine Gaffron

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available It has been shown that the location of schools near heavily trafficked roads can have detrimental effects on the health of children attending those schools. It is therefore desirable to screen both existing school locations and potential new school sites to assess either the need for remedial measures or suitability for the intended use. Current screening tools and public guidance on school siting are either too coarse in their spatial resolution for assessing individual sites or are highly resource intensive in their execution (e.g., through dispersion modeling. We propose a new method to help bridge the gap between these two approaches. Using this method, we also examine the public K-12 schools in the Sacramento Area Council of Governments Region, California (USA from an environmental justice perspective. We find that PM2.5 emissions from road traffic affecting a school site are significantly positively correlated with the following metrics: percent share of Black, Hispanic and multi-ethnic students, percent share of students eligible for subsidized meals. The emissions metric correlates negatively with the schools’ Academic Performance Index, the share of White students and average parental education levels. Our PM2.5 metric also correlates with the traffic related, census tract level screening indicators from the California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool and the tool’s tract level rate of asthma related emergency department visits.

  3. SCREENING FOR EARLY DETECTION OF EATING DISORDERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisaveta Pavlova

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Eating Disorders (EDs are characterized by a persistent disturbance of eating or eating-related behavior that significantly impairs physical health or psychosocial functioning. EDs are caused by a complex interaction of genetic, biological, behavioral, psychological, and social factors. Their epidemiology is rising for the past decades, and EDs affect all races, social levels and both genders. Due to the long and expensive treatment, chronic course, and the fact that most of the sufferers do not realize the need for therapy or do not seek treatment, the demand on developing prevention programs, early detection and assessment is essential. Despite the fact, that many new EDs screening tools were developed already, there is a great lack of validated screening instruments, adapted to the Bulgarian conditions. Objects and methods: Our study aimed at eliciting a comprehensive battery for screening of not only specific ED pathology, but also some risk factors, such as negative body image, weight and depressive symptoms. The object of our study consisted of 201 females, aged 18 to 45 (mean 24.65. SCOOF- questionnaire, Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale (EDDS-5, Body Image Questionnaire-34 and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI were applied. Results: Our preliminary results show that approximately 45% of the tested subjects show some of the: negative body image, eating disorders’ clinical pathology, distorted eating patterns, subclinical eating disorders pathology, overweight/obesity, or depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Our ongoing efforts in area of research also are aimed at developing and refining strategies for preventing and treating ED among adolescents and adults.

  4. The use of graph theory in the sensitivity analysis of the model output: a second order screening method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campolongo, Francesca; Braddock, Roger

    1999-01-01

    Sensitivity analysis screening methods aim to isolate the most important factors in experiments involving a large number of significant factors and interactions. This paper extends the one-factor-at-a-time screening method proposed by Morris. The new method, in addition to the 'overall' sensitivity measures already provided by the traditional Morris method, offers estimates of the two-factor interaction effects. The number of model evaluations required is O(k 2 ), where k is the number of model input factors. The efficient sampling strategy in the parameter space is based on concepts of graph theory and on the solution of the 'handcuffed prisoner problem'

  5. Large-scale systematic analysis of 2D fingerprint methods and parameters to improve virtual screening enrichments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sastry, Madhavi; Lowrie, Jeffrey F; Dixon, Steven L; Sherman, Woody

    2010-05-24

    A systematic virtual screening study on 11 pharmaceutically relevant targets has been conducted to investigate the interrelation between 8 two-dimensional (2D) fingerprinting methods, 13 atom-typing schemes, 13 bit scaling rules, and 12 similarity metrics using the new cheminformatics package Canvas. In total, 157 872 virtual screens were performed to assess the ability of each combination of parameters to identify actives in a database screen. In general, fingerprint methods, such as MOLPRINT2D, Radial, and Dendritic that encode information about local environment beyond simple linear paths outperformed other fingerprint methods. Atom-typing schemes with more specific information, such as Daylight, Mol2, and Carhart were generally superior to more generic atom-typing schemes. Enrichment factors across all targets were improved considerably with the best settings, although no single set of parameters performed optimally on all targets. The size of the addressable bit space for the fingerprints was also explored, and it was found to have a substantial impact on enrichments. Small bit spaces, such as 1024, resulted in many collisions and in a significant degradation in enrichments compared to larger bit spaces that avoid collisions.

  6. Band structure engineering in van der Waals heterostructures via dielectric screening: the GΔW method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Winther, Kirsten Trøstrup; Thygesen, Kristian Sommer

    2017-01-01

    precise magnitude is non-trivial to predict because of the non-local nature of the screening in quasi-2D crystals. Moreover, the effect is not captured by effective single-particle methods such as density functional theory. Here we present an efficient and general method for calculating the band gap...

  7. Pathophysiology, risk factors, and screening methods for prediabetes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gourgari, Evgenia; Spanakis, Elias; Dobs, Adrian Sandra

    2016-01-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a syndrome associated with insulin resistance (IR), obesity, infertility, and increased cardiometabolic risk. This is a descriptive review of several mechanisms that can explain the IR among women with PCOS, other risk factors for the development of diabetes, and the screening methods used for the detection of glucose intolerance in women with PCOS. Few mechanisms can explain IR in women with PCOS such as obesity, insulin receptor signaling defects, and inhibition of insulin-mediated glucose uptake in adipocytes. Women with PCOS have additional risk factors for the development of glucose intolerance such as family history of diabetes, use of oral contraceptives, anovulation, and age. The Androgen Society in 2007 and the Endocrine Society in 2013 recommended using oral glucose tolerance test as a screening tool for abnormal glucose tolerance in all women with PCOS. The approach to detection of glucose intolerance among women with PCOS varies among health care providers. Large prospective studies are still needed for the development of guidelines with strong evidence. When assessing risk of future diabetes in women with PCOS, it is important to take into account the method used for screening as well as other risk factors that these women might have.

  8. A Survey on Physical Factors and Compressed Breast Thickness in Voluntary Mammography Screening Using FFDM System in Malaysia: Preliminary Results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noriah Jamal; Humairah Samad Cheung; Siti Kamariah Che Mohamad; Ellyda Muhamad Nordin

    2013-01-01

    This paper aims at presenting preliminary results of a survey on physical factors, namely tube potential (kV), tube current exposure time product (mAs) and compressed breast thickness (CBT) during voluntary mammography screening using Full-Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) System in Malaysia. Retrospective data were collected from 1128 FFDM images of 282 women from three major ethnic groups (Malay, Chinese and Indian) who underwent voluntary screening mammography at Breast Centre, International Islamic University Malaysia from January to March 2008. Results from the present study were then compared with results from the previous study on Screen-Film Mammography System (SFM) according to the ethnic group for both Cranio-caudal (CC) and Mediol-Lateral (MLO) views. We found that the mean kV for CC view for the three ethnic groups are Malay (28), Chinese (28) and Indian (28), and for MLO view are Malay (29), Chinese (28) and Indian (29). These values are higher than the kV for SFM which were Malay (26), Chinese (27) and Indian (26) for CC and Malay (26), Chinese (27) and Indian (26) for CC and MLO views respectively. The mean mAs for CC and MLO views for FFDM were lower compared to SFM systems. These values were Malay (104), Chinese (108) and Indian (91) for CC views and Malay (106), Chinese (105), and Indian (94) for MLO views for the FFDM system. The values for SFM system are for CC and MLO views were Malay (120), Chinese (106) and Indian (126), and Malay (166), Chinese (132), Indian (183) respectively. The median CBT for CC and MLO views increased by 27 % and 7 % respectively on the FFDM compared to the SFM system. In conclusion, the FFDM operates with higher kV, lower mAs, and higher CBT when compared with SFM system. Median CBT on CC and MLO view with FFDM system are 27 % and 7 % higher respectively compared to the SFM. We are currently collecting data on mean glandular dose with FFDM systems to assess how the change in local mammography practice influences this

  9. Screening of groundwater remedial alternatives for brownfield sites: a comprehensive method integrated MCDA with numerical simulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wei; Zhang, Min; Wang, Mingyu; Han, Zhantao; Liu, Jiankai; Chen, Zhezhou; Liu, Bo; Yan, Yan; Liu, Zhu

    2018-06-01

    Brownfield sites pollution and remediation is an urgent environmental issue worldwide. The screening and assessment of remedial alternatives is especially complex owing to its multiple criteria that involves technique, economy, and policy. To help the decision-makers selecting the remedial alternatives efficiently, the criteria framework conducted by the U.S. EPA is improved and a comprehensive method that integrates multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) with numerical simulation is conducted in this paper. The criteria framework is modified and classified into three categories: qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative criteria, MCDA method, AHP-PROMETHEE (analytical hierarchy process-preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation) is used to determine the priority ranking of the remedial alternatives and the solute transport simulation is conducted to assess the remedial efficiency. A case study was present to demonstrate the screening method in a brownfield site in Cangzhou, northern China. The results show that the systematic method provides a reliable way to quantify the priority of the remedial alternatives.

  10. From Classical to High Throughput Screening Methods for Feruloyl Esterases: A Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramírez-Velasco, Lorena; Armendáriz-Ruiz, Mariana; Rodríguez-González, Jorge Alberto; Müller-Santos, Marcelo; Asaff-Torres, Ali; Mateos-Díaz, Juan Carlos

    2016-01-01

    Feruloyl esterases (FAEs) are a diverse group of hydrolases widely distributed in plants and microorganisms which catalyzes the cleavage and formation of ester bonds between plant cell wall polysaccharides and phenolic acids. FAEs have gained importance in biofuel, medicine and food industries due to their capability of acting on a large range of substrates for cleaving ester bonds and synthesizing highadded value molecules through esterification and transesterification reactions. During the past two decades extensive studies have been carried out on the production, characterization and classification of FAEs, however only a few reports of suitable High Throughput Screening assays for this kind of enzymes have been reported. This review is focused on a concise but complete revision of classical to High Throughput Screening methods for FAEs, highlighting its advantages and disadvantages, and finally suggesting future perspectives for this important research field.

  11. Breast cancer screening

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vandenbroucke, A.

    1987-01-01

    Many studies have shown that breast cancer screening is able to reduce breast cancer mortality, including the HIP study, the Swedish Trial and the Netherlands studies. Mammography is considered as the most effective method for breast cancer screening but it might be unfeasible for some reasons: - the population acceptability of the method might be low. Indeed, most populations of the South of Europe are less compliant to mass screening than populations of the North of Europe; - the medical equipment and personnel - radiologists and pathologists - might be insufficient; - it might be too costly for the National Health Service, specially where the incidence rate of breast cancer is relatively low (i.e. Greece, Portugal). The validity of screening tests is judged by their sensitivity and their specificity

  12. Interpretation of Errors Made by Mandarin-Speaking Children on the Preschool Language Scales--5th Edition Screening Test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Yonggang; Rattanasone, Nan Xu; Wyver, Shirley; Hinton, Amber; Demuth, Katherine

    2016-01-01

    We investigated typical errors made by Mandarin-speaking children when measured by the Preschool Language Scales-fifth edition, Screening Test (PLS-5 Screening Test). The intention was to provide preliminary data for the development of a guideline for early childhood educators and psychologists who use the test with Mandarin-speaking children.…

  13. Preliminary design analysis of the ALT-II limiter for TEXTOR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koski, J.A.; Boyd, R.D.; Kempka, S.M.; Romig, A.D. Jr.; Smith, M.F.; Watson, R.D.; Whitley, J.B.; Conn, R.W.; Grotz, S.P.

    1984-01-01

    Installation of a large toroidal belt pump limiter, Advanced Limiter Test II (ALT-II), on the TEXTOR tokamak at Juelich, FRG is anticipated for early 1986. This paper discusses the preliminary mechanical design and materials considerations undertaken as part of the feasibility study phase for ALT-II. Since the actively cooled limiter blade is the component in direct contact with the plasma edge, and thus subject to the severe plasma environment, most preliminary design efforts have concentrated on analysis of the blade. The screening process which led to the recommended preliminary design consisting of a dispersion strenghthened copper or OFHC copper cover plate over an austenitic stainless steel base plate is discussed. A 1 to 3 mm thick low atomic number coating consisting of a graded plasma-sprayed Silicon Carbide-Aluminium composite is recommended subject to further experiment and evaluation. Thermal-hydraulic and stress analyses of the limiter blade are also discussed. (orig.)

  14. Intelligent screening of electrofusion-polyethylene joints based on a thermal NDT method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doaei, Marjan; Tavallali, M. Sadegh

    2018-05-01

    The combinations of infrared thermal images and artificial intelligence methods have opened new avenues for pushing the boundaries of available testing methods. Hence, in the current study, a novel thermal non-destructive testing method for polyethylene electrofusion joints was combined with k-means clustering algorithms as an intelligent screening tool. The experiments focused on ovality of pipes in the coupler, as well as misalignment of pipes-couplers in 25 mm diameter joints. The temperature responses of each joint to an internal heat pulse were recorded by an IR thermal camera, and further processed to identify the faulty joints. The results represented clustering accuracy of 92%, as well as more than 90% abnormality detection capabilities.

  15. Development of methods to measure hemoglobin adducts by gel electrophoresis - Preliminary results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, J.D.; McBride, S.M.

    1988-01-01

    Chemical adducts formed on blood hemoglobin may be a useful biomarker for assessing human exposures to these compounds. This paper reports preliminary results in the development of methods to measure such adducts that may be generally applicable for a wide variety of chemicals. Male F344/N rats were intraperitoneally injected with 14 C-BaP dissolved in corn oil. Twenty-four hours later, the rats were sacrificed. Blood samples were collected and globin was isolated. Globin protein was then cleaved into peptide fragments using cyanogen bromide and the fragments separated using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The results showed that the adducted 14 C-globin fragments migrated to different areas of the gel than did unadducted fragments. Further research is being conducted to develop methods that will allow quantitation of separated adducted globin fragments from human blood samples without the use of a radiolabel. (author)

  16. Screening of lettuce germplasm for agronomic traits under low water conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    After a preliminary screening of over 3,500 varieties, we selected 200 cultivars of butterhead, cos, crisphead, leaf, and stem lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and wild prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola L.) to test under high water (150% ET) and low water (50% ET) conditions in the field, and tracked com...

  17. On Preliminary Test Estimator for Median

    OpenAIRE

    Okazaki, Takeo; 岡崎, 威生

    1990-01-01

    The purpose of the present paper is to discuss about estimation of median with a preliminary test. Two procedures are presented, one uses Median test and the other uses Wilcoxon two-sample test for the preliminary test. Sections 3 and 4 give mathematical formulations of such properties, including mean square errors with one specified case. Section 5 discusses their optimal significance levels of the preliminary test and proposes their numerical values by Monte Carlo method. In addition to mea...

  18. Fermentation in 24-well plates is an efficient screening platform for filamentous fungi

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Linde, Tore; Hansen, Bjørn; Lübeck, Mette

    Conventional citric acid batch-fermentation by filamentous fungi is often linked with large variations in production levels. The most used citric acid batch-fermentation method described in literature is based on Erlenmeyer flasks with cotton-stoppers in a heated shaker. Our preliminary studies...... using Erlenmeyer flasks in sextuplicates showed a relative standard sample deviation of 54 % citric acid produced with the filamentous fungi Aspergillus carbonarius, thereby confirming these large variations. The objective of this study was to propose a different and more reliable screening method...... for citric acid production from filamentous fungi, using A. carbonarius as test organism in a 24 well plate system. The two systems where run simultaneously with only the mechanical parameters as difference between them. All experiments were performed in sextuplicates to be able to give a higher statistical...

  19. Application of NMR Screening Methods with 19F Detection to Fluorinated Compounds Bound to Proteins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazuo Furihata

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The combinational use of one-dimensional (1D NMR-based screening techniques with 1H and 19F detections were applied to a human serum albumin–diflunisal complex. Since most NMR screening methods observe 1H spectra, the overlapped 1H signals were unavailable in the binding epitope mapping. However, the NMR experiments with 19F detection can be used as an effective complementary method. For the purpose of identifying the 1H and 19F binding epitopes of diflunisal, this paper carries out a combinatorial analysis using 1H{1H} and 19F{1H} saturation transfer difference experiments. The differences of the 1H-inversion recovery rates with and without target irradiation are also analyzed for a comprehensive interpretation of binding epitope mapping.

  20. Automated Groundwater Screening

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taylor, Glenn A.; Collard, Leonard B.

    2005-01-01

    The Automated Intruder Analysis has been extended to include an Automated Ground Water Screening option. This option screens 825 radionuclides while rigorously applying the National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP) methodology. An extension to that methodology is presented to give a more realistic screening factor for those radionuclides which have significant daughters. The extension has the promise of reducing the number of radionuclides which must be tracked by the customer. By combining the Automated Intruder Analysis with the Automated Groundwater Screening a consistent set of assumptions and databases is used. A method is proposed to eliminate trigger values by performing rigorous calculation of the screening factor thereby reducing the number of radionuclides sent to further analysis. Using the same problem definitions as in previous groundwater screenings, the automated groundwater screening found one additional nuclide, Ge-68, which failed the screening. It also found that 18 of the 57 radionuclides contained in NCRP Table 3.1 failed the screening. This report describes the automated groundwater screening computer application

  1. Preliminary seismic evaluation and ranking of bridges on and over the parkways in Western Kentucky.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-06-01

    Five parkways in Western Kentucky are located in the region that is greatly influenced by the New Madrid and Wabash Valley Seismic Zones. This report executes a preliminary screening process, known also as the Seismic Rating System, for bridges on an...

  2. Cancer screening using 18F-FDG PET/CT in Korean asymptomatic volunteers. A preliminary report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jeong-Won; Kang, Keon-Wook; Paeng, Jin-Chul; Lee, Sang-Mi; Jang, Su-Jin; Chung, June-Key; Lee, Myung-Chul; Lee, Dong-Soo

    2009-01-01

    This study was performed to evaluate the clinical value of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) for cancer screening in Korean asymptomatic people. Between February 2004 and December 2006, 1,587 asymptomatic individuals underwent FDG PET/CT as part of a cancer screening program with some other diagnostic tests at the healthcare center of our hospital. After excluding patients with a history of malignant tumor, 1,336 subjects were enrolled. All PET/CT images were visually analyzed. In subjects showing positive findings for PET/CT or other screening tests, further diagnostic tests and pathological confirmation were performed. Of the 1,336 subjects, malignant tumors were found in 16 participants (1.2%, thyroid cancer: 9, lung cancer: 2, stomach cancer: 2, and others: 4). There were 47 cases (3.6%) of positive PET/CT findings- 11 cases were true positive (thyroid cancer: 8, lung cancer: 1, renal cancer: 1, and invasive thymoma), and 36 false positive, and five cases were false negative. The overall detection rate of PET/CT was 0.8%, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive-predictive value, and negative-predictive value of PET/CT were 68.8, 97.2, 23.4, and 99.6%, respectively. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography has the potential to detect various kinds of malignant tumors in cancer screening test, and the overall detection rate of PET/CT was 0.8%. FDG PET/CT can be a useful cancer screening modality with the selection of high-risk group and appropriate combination with other screening modalities. (author)

  3. The validity of the Brain Injury Cognitive Screen (BICS) as a neuropsychological screening assessment for traumatic and non-traumatic brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaughan, Frances L; Neal, Jo Anne; Mulla, Farzana Nizam; Edwards, Barbara; Coetzer, Rudi

    2017-04-01

    The Brain Injury Cognitive Screen (BICS) was developed as an in-service cognitive assessment battery for acquired brain injury patients entering community rehabilitation. The BICS focuses on domains that are particularly compromised following TBI, and provides a broader and more detailed assessment of executive function, attention and information processing than comparable screening assessments. The BICS also includes brief assessments of perception, naming, and construction, which were predicted to be more sensitive to impairments following non-traumatic brain injury. The studies reported here examine preliminary evidence for its validity in post-acute rehabilitation. In Study 1, TBI patients completed the BICS and were compared with matched controls. Patients with focal lesions and matched controls were compared in Study 2. Study 3 examined demographic effects in a sample of normative data. TBI and focal lesion patients obtained significantly lower composite memory, executive function and attention and information processing BICS scores than healthy controls. Injury severity effects were also obtained. Logistic regression analyses indicated that each group of BICS memory, executive function and attention measures reliably differentiated TBI and focal lesion participants from controls. Design Recall, Prospective Memory, Verbal Fluency, and Visual Search test scores showed significant independent regression effects. Other subtest measures showed evidence of sensitivity to brain injury. The study provides preliminary evidence of the BICS' sensitivity to cognitive impairment caused by acquired brain injury, and its potential clinical utility as a cognitive screen. Further validation based on a revised version of the BICS and more normative data are required.

  4. Estimation of effectiveness of interventions for malaria control in pregnancy using the screening method

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Msyamboza, K.; Senga, E.; Tetteh-Ashong, E.; Kazembe, P.; Brabin, B. J.

    2007-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The evaluation of the effectiveness of antimalarial drugs and bed net use in pregnant women is an important aspect of monitoring and surveillance of malaria control in pregnancy. In principle the screening method for assessing vaccine efficacy can be applied in non-vaccine settings for

  5. Materials and methods for higher performance screen-printed flexible MRI receive coils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corea, Joseph R; Lechene, P Balthazar; Lustig, Michael; Arias, Ana C

    2017-08-01

    To develop methods for characterizing materials used in screen-printed MRI coils and improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with new lower-loss materials. An experimental apparatus was created to characterize dielectric properties of plastic substrates used in receive coils. Coils were fabricated by screen printing conductive ink onto several plastic substrates. Unloaded and sample loaded quality factor (Q Unloaded /Q Loaded ) measurements and scans on a 3T scanner were used to characterize coil performance. An experimental method was developed to describe the relationship between a coil's Q Unloaded and the SNR it provides in images of a phantom. In addition, 3T scans of a phantom and the head of a volunteer were obtained with a proof-of-concept printed eight-channel array, and the results were compared with a commercial 12-channel array. Printed coils with optimized substrates exhibited up to 97% of the image SNR when compared with a traditional coil on a loading phantom. Q Unloaded and the SNR of coils were successfully correlated. The printed array resulted in images comparable to the quality given by the commercial array. Using the proposed methods and materials, the SNR of printed coils approached that of commercial coils while using a new fabrication technique that provided more flexibility and close contact with the patient's body. Magn Reson Med 78:775-783, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

  6. Preliminary screening of Ni(II metal tolerance and dye-decolorizing by Nocardiopsis sp. SD8

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramasamy Thangaraj

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To reveal the screening of metal tolerance and dye-decolorizing of Nocardiopsis sp. Methods: NiSO4 and Congo red dye were used for evaluating the metal tolerance and dyedecolorizing of the randomly selected actinobacterial isolates. Results: Nocardiopsis sp. SD8 showed a better efficiency in Ni(II tolerance, though a longer lag phase was observed for this microorganism grown for 7 days in integrated mismatch negativity. Interestingly, we also found that Nocardiopsis sp. SD8 had dye-decolorizing, hemolytic, lipase and protease activity. Conclusions: The present results revealed the bioremediation of metal resistant and diverse properties of Nocardiopsis sp. SD8 and further investigations are needed to extract and identify the potent molecule.

  7. Preliminary pharmacological screening of Bixa orellana L. leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shilpi, Jamil Ahmad; Taufiq-Ur-Rahman, Md; Uddin, Shaikh Jamal; Alam, Md Shahanur; Sadhu, Samir Kumar; Seidel, Véronique

    2006-11-24

    Preliminary pharmacological studies were performed on the methanol extract of Bixa orellana L. (Bixaceae) leaves to investigate neuropharmacological, anticonvulsant, analgesic, antidiarrhoeal activity and effect on gastrointestinal motility. All studies were conducted in mice using doses of 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg of body weight. In the pentobarbitone-induced hypnosis test, the extract statistically reduced the time for the onset of sleep at 500 mg/kg dose and (dose-dependently) increased the total sleeping time at 250 and 500 mg/kg dose. A statistically significant decrease in locomotor activity was observed at all doses in the open-field and hole-cross tests. In the strychnine-induced anticonvulsant test, the extract increased the average survival time of the test animals (statistically significant at 250 and 500 mg/kg). The extract significantly and dose-dependently reduced the writhing reflex in the acetic acid-induced writhing test. Antidiarrhoeal activity was supported by a statistically significant decrease in the total number of stools (including wet stools) in castor oil-induced diarrhoea model. A statistically significant delay in the passage of charcoal meal was observed at 500 mg/kg in the gastrointestinal motility test. The extract was further evaluated in vitro for antioxidant and antibacterial activity. It revealed radical scavenging properties in the DPPH assay (IC(50)=22.36 microg/ml) and antibacterial activity against selected causative agents of diarrhoea and dysentery, including Shigella dysenteriae.

  8. Use of a screening method to determine excipients which optimize the extent and stability of supersaturated drug solutions and application of this system to solid formulation design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandecruys, Roger; Peeters, Jef; Verreck, Geert; Brewster, Marcus E

    2007-09-05

    Assessing the effect of excipients on the ability to attain and maintain supersaturation of drug-based solution may provide useful information for the design of solid formulations. Judicious selection of materials that affect either the extent or stability of supersaturating drug delivery systems may be enabling for poorly soluble drug candidates or other difficult-to-formulate compounds. The technique suggested herein is aimed at providing a screening protocol to allow preliminary assessment of these factors based on small to moderate amounts of drug substance. A series of excipients were selected that may, by various mechanisms, affect supersaturation including pharmaceutical polymers such as HMPC and PVP, surfactants such as Polysorbate 20, Cremophor RH40 and TPGS and hydrophilic cyclodextrins such as HPbetaCD. Using a co-solvent based method and 25 drug candidates, the data suggested, on the whole, that the surfactants and the selected cyclodextrin seemed to best augment the extent of supersaturation but had variable benefits as stabilizers, while the pharmaceutical polymers had useful effect on supersaturation stability but were less helpful in increasing the extent of supersaturation. Using these data, a group of simple solid dosage forms were prepared and tested in the dog for one of the drug candidates. Excipients that gave the best extent and stability for the formed supersaturated solution in the screening assay also gave the highest oral bioavailability in the dog.

  9. Environmental Justice Screening Method (EJSM) Score, San Joaquin Valley CA, 2013, Occidental College and UC Berkeley

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Cumulative Impacts (CI) screening method is jointly being developed by Manuel Pastor, Jim Sadd (Occidental College), and Rachel Morello-Frosch (UC Berkeley) ....

  10. Preliminary screening of the radiosensitivity-associated genes on colorectal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xing Chungen; Yang Xiaodong; Zhou Liying; Wu Yongyou; Jiang Yinfen; Dai Hong; Lv Xiaodong; Gong Wei

    2007-01-01

    The screening of radiosensitive genes of human colorectal cancer was made by gene chip. Two human colorectal cancer cell lines LOVO and SW480 were cultivated and the total RNA was extracted from at least lxl0 7 cells. Then the gene expression profiling was performed by HG-U133 Plus 2.0 Array and the difference of gene expression has been analyzed. The results shows that there are 16882 genes expressed in LOVO cell and 17114 genes expressed in SW480 cell through gene expression profiling. It has been found that the genes with 2-fold expressed differentially include 908 genes up-regulated and 1312 genes down-regulated. The same genes, such as Fas and NFkB which is up-regulated, Caspas6, and RAD21 which is down-regulated, have been proved to be related to radiosensitivity. The genes with high expression level including CEACAM5, THBS1, SERPINE2, ARL7, HPGD in LOVO cell may also be related to the radiosensitivity. And the genes with high expression level including SCD, NQ01, LYZ, KRT20, ATP1B1 in SW480 cell may be related to the radioresistance of human colorectal cancer. It could be concluded that the radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer can be reflected from gene and protein expression level. And gene expression profiling is a fast and sensitive tool to predict the radiosensitivity and screen radiosensitive genes of colorectal cancer. (authors)

  11. Exploratory shaft facility preliminary designs - Permian Basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-09-01

    The purpose of the Preliminary Design Report, Permian Basin, is to provide a description of the preliminary design for an Exploratory Shaft Facility in the Permian Basin, Texas. This issue of the report describes the preliminary design for constructing the exploratory shaft using the Large Hole Drilling method of construction and outlines the preliminary design and estimates of probable construction cost. The Preliminary Design Report is prepared to complement and summarize other documents that comprise the design at the preliminary stage of completion, December 1982. Other design documents include drawings, cost estimates and schedules. The preliminary design drawing package, which includes the construction schedule drawing, depicts the descriptions in this report. For reference, a list of the drawing titles and corresponding numbers are included in the Appendix. The report is divided into three principal sections: Design Basis, Facility Description, and Construction Cost Estimate. 30 references, 13 tables

  12. A novel automatic quantification method for high-content screening analysis of DNA double strand-break response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Jingwen; Lin, Jie; Zhang, Pengquan; Yang, Songnan; Sa, Yu; Feng, Yuanming

    2017-08-29

    High-content screening is commonly used in studies of the DNA damage response. The double-strand break (DSB) is one of the most harmful types of DNA damage lesions. The conventional method used to quantify DSBs is γH2AX foci counting, which requires manual adjustment and preset parameters and is usually regarded as imprecise, time-consuming, poorly reproducible, and inaccurate. Therefore, a robust automatic alternative method is highly desired. In this manuscript, we present a new method for quantifying DSBs which involves automatic image cropping, automatic foci-segmentation and fluorescent intensity measurement. Furthermore, an additional function was added for standardizing the measurement of DSB response inhibition based on co-localization analysis. We tested the method with a well-known inhibitor of DSB response. The new method requires only one preset parameter, which effectively minimizes operator-dependent variations. Compared with conventional methods, the new method detected a higher percentage difference of foci formation between different cells, which can improve measurement accuracy. The effects of the inhibitor on DSB response were successfully quantified with the new method (p = 0.000). The advantages of this method in terms of reliability, automation and simplicity show its potential in quantitative fluorescence imaging studies and high-content screening for compounds and factors involved in DSB response.

  13. Preliminary neutron design of the flux flatter for silicon doping at the RA10

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cintas, A.; Bazzana, S.

    2012-01-01

    The neutron transmutation doping of silicon (NTD) is one of the facilities under development for the RA10 project. In order to obtain high quality semiconductor, commercial requirements of NTD include achieving high axial and radial uniformity in the silicon targets. Axial uniformity is achieved locating a neutron screen around the Si ingot, obtaining a flat axial distribution of the dopant concentration. We present the neutron design of this screen, also known as flux flattener. MCNP5 was used to model the screen design. We have reached a satisfactory preliminary screen design after numerous iterations. The fluctuation in the axial distribution of the reaction capture rate ( 30 Si(n,γ) 31 Si) is under ≠1,5%, which is the required level by the semiconductor industry to accept the final product (author)

  14. Use of the blue cotton screen method with endoscopy to detect occult esophageal foreign bodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Yan; Zhang, Fan; Xu, Hong; Xu, Weiran

    2017-12-01

    More than 20,000 cases of upper gastrointestinal foreign bodies (FBs) have been reported in the last 5 years in China. Early detection and treatment is vital in these patients. Differential diagnosis of esophageal injury and occult esophageal foreign bodies is challenging, particularly in the case of non-radio-opaque foreign bodies. A diagnostic technique with high accuracy and low risk is needed for clinical practice. We describe successful use of the "blue cotton screen method" to detect esophageal foreign bodies in 2 patients. The advantages and disadvantages of various diagnostic modalities in the management of patients with foreign body ingestion are presented. This technique is safer and more effective than traditional methods for foreign body impaction in the esophageal cavity. It could be applied for screening and in the differential diagnosis of esophageal injury and FBs in the esophageal lumen.

  15. The minisequencing method: a simple strategy for genetic screening of MEN 2 families

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Domingues Rita

    2002-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 is an autosomal dominant disorder. MEN 2A is characterized by medullary thyroid carcinoma, pheochromocytoma and hyperparathyroidism; MEN 2B by medullary thyroid carcinoma, pheochromocytoma and characteristic stigmata. Activating germline mutations of the RET proto oncogene are responsible for this hereditary syndrome. Codon 634 mutations are the most common mutations occurring in MEN 2A families whereas a specific mutation at codon 918 is observed in the great majority of MEN 2B families. Analysis of these codons will provide a final diagnosis in the great majority of affected families making unnecessary further studies. To specifically study the codons 634 and 918 we used a minisequencing method as an alternative method to complete sequencing. Results Using this mutation detection method we were able to reproduce in all cases, representative of 7 families, the information previously obtained by direct sequencing of PCR products. Depending on the number of primers used in the minisequencing reaction, we were able to interrogate either only one nucleotide of the target codon or the three nucleotides simultaneously. Conclusions This technique appears as a simple, rapid and efficient method for genetic screening of MEN 2 families. It can be utilized to seek for unknown mutations at specific codons or to screen for previously identified mutations and is therefore of interest to study index cases or individuals at risk. Results suggest that complete sequencing is unnecessary.

  16. Ionic Liquids for Absorption and Separation of Gases: An Extensive Database and a Systematic Screening Method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhao, Yongsheng; Gani, Rafiqul; Afzal, Raja Muhammad

    2017-01-01

    requirements remains a challenging task. In this study, an extensive database of estimated Henry's law constants of twelve gases in more than ten thousand ILs at 313.15 K is established using the COSMO-RS method. Based on the database, a new systematic and efficient screening method for IL selection...

  17. Measuring lip force by oral screens. Part 1: Importance of screen size and individual variability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wertsén, Madeleine; Stenberg, Manne

    2017-06-01

    To reduce drooling and facilitate food transport in rehabilitation of patients with oral motor dysfunction, lip force can be trained using an oral screen. Longitudinal studies evaluating the effect of training require objective methods. The aim of this study was to evaluate a method for measuring lip strength, to investigate normal values and fluctuation of lip force in healthy adults on 1 occasion and over time, to study how the size of the screen affects the force, to evaluate the most appropriate measure of reliability, and to identify force performed in relation to gender. Three different sizes of oral screens were used to measure the lip force for 24 healthy adults on 3 different occasions, during a period of 6 months, using an apparatus based on strain gauge. The maximum lip force as evaluated with this method depends on the area of the screen size. By calculating the projected area of the screen, the lip force could be normalized to an oral screen pressure quantity expressed in kPa, which can be used for comparing measurements from screens with different sizes. Both the mean value and standard deviation were shown to vary between individuals. The study showed no differences regarding gender and only small variation with age. Normal variation over time (months) may be up to 3 times greater than the standard error of measurement at a certain occasion. The lip force increases in relation to the projected area of the screen. No general standard deviation can be assigned to the method and all measurements should be analyzed individually based on oral screen pressure to compensate for different screen sizes.

  18. Preliminary report on the development of some indices of relative nutritive value (RNV) of cereal and legume samples, applicable in the early generations of selection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaul, A.K.; Niemann, E.G.

    1975-01-01

    Rapid screening methods for biuret nitrogen determination and fluorometric lysine estimation are described. While the biuret method has been found to be suitable for early generation screening for peptide nitrogen determination, fluorescence estimation of dansylated grain meal could be taken as a good index of available lysine in cereal and legume samples. The necessity of rapid and inexpensive tests for the determination of Relative Nutritive Value (RNV) in the advance generations of screening, is discussed. Preliminary data available on two such tests, utilizing protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis W. and flour beetle Tribolium confusum Duval, indicated promise. Both techniques were tried on different cereal and legume samples. The relative lethality of beetle larvae and their nitrogen retention were taken as indices of RNV in legumes. Larval Nitrogen Retention Index (LNRI) of cereal samples was found to be dependent both on nitrogen content and on protein quality. It was concluded that both these organisms need to be further investigated for their potential as test animals for RNV determination in the advance segregating populations. (author)

  19. Improving Indigenous access to cancer screening and treatment services: descriptive findings and a preliminary report on the Midwest Indigenous Women’s Cancer Support Group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisabeth D Finn

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundHigher cancer morbidity and mortality rates for the Indigenous population comparedto the overall Australian population has underlined the critical need to improve accessfor Aboriginal people to cancer treatment services. This paper describes anIndigenous Women’s Cancer Support Group (IWCSG established to supportIndigenous people with cancer and their carers/relatives and to facilitate Aboriginalaccess to cancer screening and treatment. Preliminary findings from an evaluation ofthe group are presented.MethodsThe study employed qualitative research methods to describe IWCSG operations andinvestigate the group’s effectiveness. It included one-on-one interviews with 11Geraldton-based health service providers, the IWCSG coordinator, and 10 womenwho have been linked to IWCSG support, as well as observation of group meetings.ResultsDescriptive outcomes relate to group operations, group effectiveness, group benefitsand future development of the group. A cultural strength of IWCSG is its ability tooperate confidentially behind the scenes, providing emotional support and practicalhelp directly to Indigenous people concerned about privacy and shame issues. Theimportant cultural role IWCSG plays in overcoming communication and othercultural barriers to accessing cancer treatment was unanimously recognised by healthservice providers. Aboriginal women supported by IWCSG spoke about an increasedsense of safety, trust and support in accessing and navigating mainstream cancerservices. A critical issue emerging from the research is the need for further development of effective collaborative working relationships between IWCSGmembers and health service providers.ConclusionsThe IWCSG has the potential to inform an effective model for facilitating Indigenousaccess both to cancer treatment and to mainstream treatment for a variety of healthproblems. Future research is required to explore the applicability of Indigenoussupport groups and to focus on the

  20. Virtual screening applications: a study of ligand-based methods and different structure representations in four different scenarios.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hristozov, Dimitar P; Oprea, Tudor I; Gasteiger, Johann

    2007-01-01

    Four different ligand-based virtual screening scenarios are studied: (1) prioritizing compounds for subsequent high-throughput screening (HTS); (2) selecting a predefined (small) number of potentially active compounds from a large chemical database; (3) assessing the probability that a given structure will exhibit a given activity; (4) selecting the most active structure(s) for a biological assay. Each of the four scenarios is exemplified by performing retrospective ligand-based virtual screening for eight different biological targets using two large databases--MDDR and WOMBAT. A comparison between the chemical spaces covered by these two databases is presented. The performance of two techniques for ligand--based virtual screening--similarity search with subsequent data fusion (SSDF) and novelty detection with Self-Organizing Maps (ndSOM) is investigated. Three different structure representations--2,048-dimensional Daylight fingerprints, topological autocorrelation weighted by atomic physicochemical properties (sigma electronegativity, polarizability, partial charge, and identity) and radial distribution functions weighted by the same atomic physicochemical properties--are compared. Both methods were found applicable in scenario one. The similarity search was found to perform slightly better in scenario two while the SOM novelty detection is preferred in scenario three. No method/descriptor combination achieved significant success in scenario four.

  1. Colorimetric method for enzymatic screening assay of ATP using Fe(III)-xylenol orange complex formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishida, Akihiko; Yamada, Yasuko; Kamidate, Tamio

    2008-11-01

    In hygiene management, recently there has been a significant need for screening methods for microbial contamination by visual observation or with commonly used colorimetric apparatus. The amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) can serve as the index of a microorganism. This paper describes the development of a colorimetric method for the assay of ATP, using enzymatic cycling and Fe(III)-xylenol orange (XO) complex formation. The color characteristics of the Fe(III)-XO complexes, which show a distinct color change from yellow to purple, assist the visual observation in screening work. In this method, a trace amount of ATP was converted to pyruvate, which was further amplified exponentially with coupled enzymatic reactions. Eventually, pyruvate was converted to the Fe(III)-XO complexes through pyruvate oxidase reaction and Fe(II) oxidation. As the assay result, yellow or purple color was observed: A yellow color indicates that the ATP concentration is lower than the criterion of the test, and a purple color indicates that the ATP concentration is higher than the criterion. The method was applied to the assay of ATP extracted from Escherichia coli cells added to cow milk.

  2. Benchmarking Methods and Data Sets for Ligand Enrichment Assessment in Virtual Screening

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Jie; Tilahun, Ermias Lemma; Reid, Terry-Elinor; Zhang, Liangren; Wang, Xiang Simon

    2014-01-01

    Retrospective small-scale virtual screening (VS) based on benchmarking data sets has been widely used to estimate ligand enrichments of VS approaches in the prospective (i.e. real-world) efforts. However, the intrinsic differences of benchmarking sets to the real screening chemical libraries can cause biased assessment. Herein, we summarize the history of benchmarking methods as well as data sets and highlight three main types of biases found in benchmarking sets, i.e. “analogue bias”, “artificial enrichment” and “false negative”. In addition, we introduced our recent algorithm to build maximum-unbiased benchmarking sets applicable to both ligand-based and structure-based VS approaches, and its implementations to three important human histone deacetylase (HDAC) isoforms, i.e. HDAC1, HDAC6 and HDAC8. The Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation (LOO CV) demonstrates that the benchmarking sets built by our algorithm are maximum-unbiased in terms of property matching, ROC curves and AUCs. PMID:25481478

  3. Benchmarking methods and data sets for ligand enrichment assessment in virtual screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Jie; Tilahun, Ermias Lemma; Reid, Terry-Elinor; Zhang, Liangren; Wang, Xiang Simon

    2015-01-01

    Retrospective small-scale virtual screening (VS) based on benchmarking data sets has been widely used to estimate ligand enrichments of VS approaches in the prospective (i.e. real-world) efforts. However, the intrinsic differences of benchmarking sets to the real screening chemical libraries can cause biased assessment. Herein, we summarize the history of benchmarking methods as well as data sets and highlight three main types of biases found in benchmarking sets, i.e. "analogue bias", "artificial enrichment" and "false negative". In addition, we introduce our recent algorithm to build maximum-unbiased benchmarking sets applicable to both ligand-based and structure-based VS approaches, and its implementations to three important human histone deacetylases (HDACs) isoforms, i.e. HDAC1, HDAC6 and HDAC8. The leave-one-out cross-validation (LOO CV) demonstrates that the benchmarking sets built by our algorithm are maximum-unbiased as measured by property matching, ROC curves and AUCs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. 1988 failure rate screening data for fusion reliability and risk analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cadwallader, L.C.; Piet, S.J.

    1988-01-01

    This document contains failure rate screening data for application to fusion components. The screening values are generally fission or aerospace industry failure rate estimates that can be extrapolated for use by fusion system designers, reliability engineers and risk analysts. Failure rate estimates for tritium-bearing systems, liquid metal-cooled systems, gas-cooled systems, water-cooled systems and containment systems are given. Preliminary system availability estimates and selected initiating event frequency estimates are presented. This first edition document is valuable to design and safety analysis for the Compact Ignition Tokamak and the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. 20 refs., 28 tabs

  5. A Monte-Carlo method which is not based on Markov chain algorithm, used to study electrostatic screening of ion potential

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šantić, Branko; Gracin, Davor

    2017-12-01

    A new simple Monte Carlo method is introduced for the study of electrostatic screening by surrounding ions. The proposed method is not based on the generally used Markov chain method for sample generation. Each sample is pristine and there is no correlation with other samples. As the main novelty, the pairs of ions are gradually added to a sample provided that the energy of each ion is within the boundaries determined by the temperature and the size of ions. The proposed method provides reliable results, as demonstrated by the screening of ion in plasma and in water.

  6. Preliminary hazard analysis using sequence tree method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Huiwen; Shih Chunkuan; Hung Hungchih; Chen Minghuei; Yih Swu; Lin Jiinming

    2007-01-01

    A system level PHA using sequence tree method was developed to perform Safety Related digital I and C system SSA. The conventional PHA is a brainstorming session among experts on various portions of the system to identify hazards through discussions. However, this conventional PHA is not a systematic technique, the analysis results strongly depend on the experts' subjective opinions. The analysis quality cannot be appropriately controlled. Thereby, this research developed a system level sequence tree based PHA, which can clarify the relationship among the major digital I and C systems. Two major phases are included in this sequence tree based technique. The first phase uses a table to analyze each event in SAR Chapter 15 for a specific safety related I and C system, such as RPS. The second phase uses sequence tree to recognize what I and C systems are involved in the event, how the safety related systems work, and how the backup systems can be activated to mitigate the consequence if the primary safety systems fail. In the sequence tree, the defense-in-depth echelons, including Control echelon, Reactor trip echelon, ESFAS echelon, and Indication and display echelon, are arranged to construct the sequence tree structure. All the related I and C systems, include digital system and the analog back-up systems are allocated in their specific echelon. By this system centric sequence tree based analysis, not only preliminary hazard can be identified systematically, the vulnerability of the nuclear power plant can also be recognized. Therefore, an effective simplified D3 evaluation can be performed as well. (author)

  7. Development and interlaboratory validation of quantitative polymerase chain reaction method for screening analysis of genetically modified soybeans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takabatake, Reona; Onishi, Mari; Koiwa, Tomohiro; Futo, Satoshi; Minegishi, Yasutaka; Akiyama, Hiroshi; Teshima, Reiko; Kurashima, Takeyo; Mano, Junichi; Furui, Satoshi; Kitta, Kazumi

    2013-01-01

    A novel real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based quantitative screening method was developed for three genetically modified soybeans: RRS, A2704-12, and MON89788. The 35S promoter (P35S) of cauliflower mosaic virus is introduced into RRS and A2704-12 but not MON89788. We then designed a screening method comprised of the combination of the quantification of P35S and the event-specific quantification of MON89788. The conversion factor (Cf) required to convert the amount of a genetically modified organism (GMO) from a copy number ratio to a weight ratio was determined experimentally. The trueness and precision were evaluated as the bias and reproducibility of relative standard deviation (RSDR), respectively. The determined RSDR values for the method were less than 25% for both targets. We consider that the developed method would be suitable for the simple detection and approximate quantification of GMO.

  8. The novel measuring method for screening and assessing chromium content in clothes and shoes materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salerno-Kochan, R.

    2017-10-01

    The aim of this paper is to propose the bioindicative measuring method for screening and assessing the safety of textile and leather materials in relation to chemical threats. This method is based on toxicological assay in which Tetrahymena pyriformis, unicellular organism belonging to protozoans, is used as a test organism. For the realization of the research goal the sensitivity threshold of test organisms to chromium(VI) solutions was identified. The changes in cell development of test organisms in chromium solutions were registered by colorimetric measurements in the presence of alamarBlue® cell viability reagent. Empirical data enabled to fit logistic curves on the base of which the level of chromium toxicity was estimated. In the second step, harmfulness of aqueous extracts obtained from textile and leather samples containing chromium in relation to test organisms was evaluated. The performed research confirmed the high efficiency of the proposed method in screening and assessing chromium content in clothes and shoes materials and showed possibilities of using it in safety assessment of products with regard to chemical risks.

  9. An Improved Method for P2X7R Antagonist Screening.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rômulo José Soares-Bezerra

    Full Text Available ATP physiologically activates the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R, a member of the P2X ionotropic receptor family. When activated by high concentrations of ATP (i.e., at inflammation sites, this receptor is capable of forming a pore that allows molecules of up to 900 Da to pass through. This receptor is upregulated in several diseases, particularly leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's disease. A selective antagonist of this receptor could be useful in the treatment of P2X7R activation-related diseases. In the present study, we have evaluated several parameters using in vitro protocols to validate a high-throughput screening (HTS method to identify P2X7R antagonists. We generated dose-response curves to determine the EC50 value of the known agonist ATP and the ICs50 values for the known antagonists Brilliant Blue G (BBG and oxidized ATP (OATP. The values obtained were consistent with those found in the literature (0.7 ± 0.07 mM, 1.3-2.6 μM and 173-285 μM for ATP, BBG and OATP, respectively [corrected].The Z-factor, an important statistical tool that can be used to validate the robustness and suitability of an HTS assay, was 0.635 for PI uptake and 0.867 for LY uptake. No inter-operator variation was observed, and the results obtained using our improved method were reproducible. Our data indicate that our assay is suitable for the selective and reliable evaluation of P2X7 activity in multiwell plates using spectrophotometry-based methodology. This method might improve the high-throughput screening of conventional chemical or natural product libraries for possible candidate P2X7R antagonist or agonist.

  10. Rapid screening method for male DNA by using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitamura, Masashi; Kubo, Seiji; Tanaka, Jin; Adachi, Tatsushi

    2017-08-12

    Screening for male-derived biological material from collected samples plays an important role in criminal investigations, especially those involving sexual assaults. We have developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting multi-repeat sequences of the Y chromosome for detecting male DNA. Successful amplification occurred with 0.5 ng of male DNA under isothermal conditions of 61 to 67 °C, but no amplification occurred with up to 10 ng of female DNA. Under the optimized conditions, the LAMP reaction initiated amplification within 10 min and amplified for 20 min. The LAMP reaction was sensitive at levels as low as 1-pg male DNA, and a quantitative LAMP assay could be developed because of the strong correlation between the reaction time and the amount of template DNA in the range of 10 pg to 10 ng. Furthermore, to apply the LAMP assay to on-site screening for male-derived samples, we evaluated a protocol using a simple DNA extraction method and a colorimetric intercalating dye that allows detection of the LAMP reaction by evaluating the change in color of the solution. Using this protocol, samples of male-derived blood and saliva stains were processed in approximately 30 min from DNA extraction to detection. Because our protocol does not require much hands-on time or special equipment, this LAMP assay promises to become a rapid and simple screening method for male-derived samples in forensic investigations.

  11. The SOBANE risk management strategy and the Déparis method for the participatory screening of the risks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malchaire, J B

    2004-08-01

    The first section of the document describes a risk-prevention strategy, called SOBANE, in four levels: screening, observation, analysis and expertise. The aim is to make risk prevention faster, more cost effective, and more effective in coordinating the contributions of the workers themselves, their management, the internal and external occupational health (OH) practitioners and the experts. These four levels are: screening, where the risk factors are detected by the workers and their management, and obvious solutions are implemented; observation, where the remaining problems are studied in more detail, one by one, and the reasons and the solutions are discussed in detail; analysis, where, when necessary, an OH practitioner is called upon to carry out appropriate measurements to develop specific solutions; expertise, where, in very sophisticated and rare cases, the assistance of an expert is called upon to solve a particular problem. The method for the participatory screening of the risks (in French: Dépistage Participatif des Risques), Déparis, is proposed for the first level screening of the SOBANE strategy. The work situation is systematically reviewed and all the aspects conditioning the easiness, the effectiveness and the satisfaction at work are discussed, in search of practical prevention measures. The points to be studied more in detail at level 2, observation, are identified. The method is carried out during a meeting of key workers and technical staff. The method proves to be simple, sparing in time and means and playing a significant role in the development of a dynamic plan of risk management and of a culture of dialogue in the company.

  12. Preliminary Phytochemical Screening and Biological Activities of Bulbine abyssinica Used in the Folk Medicine in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kibiti, Cromwell Mwiti; Afolayan, Anthony Jide

    2015-01-01

    Bulbine abyssinica A. Rich. is used in traditional medicine to treat rheumatism, dysentery, bilharzia, cracked lips, back pain, infertility, diabetes mellitus, and gastrointestinal, vaginal, and bladder infections. Therefore, preliminary phytochemical screening, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties of the whole plant (acetone and aqueous extracts) were determined using standard procedures. The in vitro antioxidant model assays revealed that the plant possesses free radical scavenging potential varying with free radical species. The species showed significant protein denaturation inhibitory activity with good protection against erythrocyte membrane lysis indicating anti-inflammatory potential. The results also showed that the species was active against the growth of all the selected eight diabetic status opportunistic bacteria except one. Moreover, the species is characterized by appreciable amounts of total phenols, flavonoids, flavanols, proanthocyanidins, and alkaloids. Traces amounts of saponins and tannins were also observed. Amongst the identified phytochemicals present, empirical searches identified them being antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agents. The identification of these phytochemical constituents with their known pharmacological properties indicates that this plant is a good source of the free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agents. These findings also account for the multipharmacological use of B. abyssinica in fork medicine.

  13. SCREENING FOR EARLY DETECTION OF BREAST CANCER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. A. Rasskazova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The article presents a brief overview of the main methods of breast cancer screening. Proven effectiveness of mammography as a screening method in reducing mortality from breast cancer, specified limits of the method. The main trend of increasing the effectiveness of screening is the transition to digital technologies. Properly organized screening with the active participation of the population reduces mortality from breast cancer by 30%.

  14. An experience of qualified preventive screening: shiraz smart screening software.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islami Parkoohi, Parisa; Zare, Hashem; Abdollahifard, Gholamreza

    2015-01-01

    Computerized preventive screening software is a cost effective intervention tool to address non-communicable chronic diseases. Shiraz Smart Screening Software (SSSS) was developed as an innovative tool for qualified screening. It allows simultaneous smart screening of several high-burden chronic diseases and supports reminder notification functionality. The extent in which SSSS affects screening quality is also described. Following software development, preventive screening and annual health examinations of 261 school staff (Medical School of Shiraz, Iran) was carried out in a software-assisted manner. To evaluate the quality of the software-assisted screening, we used quasi-experimental study design and determined coverage, irregular attendance and inappropriateness proportions in relation with the manual and software-assisted screening as well as the corresponding number of requested tests. In manual screening method, 27% of employees were covered (with 94% irregular attendance) while by software-assisted screening, the coverage proportion was 79% (attendance status will clear after the specified time). The frequency of inappropriate screening test requests, before the software implementation, was 41.37% for fasting plasma glucose, 41.37% for lipid profile, 0.84% for occult blood, 0.19% for flexible sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy, 35.29% for Pap smear, 19.20% for mammography and 11.2% for prostate specific antigen. All of the above were corrected by the software application. In total, 366 manual screening and 334 software-assisted screening tests were requested. SSSS is an innovative tool to improve the quality of preventive screening plans in terms of increased screening coverage, reduction in inappropriateness and the total number of requested tests.

  15. Systematic hybrid LOH: a new method to reduce false positives and negatives during screening of yeast gene deletion libraries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alvaro, D.; Sunjevaric, I.; Reid, R. J.

    2006-01-01

    We have developed a new method, systematic hybrid loss of heterozygosity, to facilitate genomic screens utilizing the yeast gene deletion library. Screening is performed using hybrid diploid strains produced through mating the library haploids with strains from a different genetic background......, to minimize the contribution of unpredicted recessive genetic factors present in the individual library strains. We utilize a set of strains where each contains a conditional centromere construct on one of the 16 yeast chromosomes that allows the destabilization and selectable loss of that chromosome. After...... complementation of any spurious recessive mutations in the library strain, facilitating attribution of the observed phenotype to the documented gene deletion and dramatically reducing false positive results commonly obtained in library screens. The systematic hybrid LOH method can be applied to virtually any...

  16. The validity of ultrasonographic scanning as screening method for abdominal aortic aneurysm

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindholt, Jes Sanddal; Vammen, Sten; Juul, Søren

    1999-01-01

    the sensitivity and specificity of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) with ultrasonographic scanning (US) is unknown. The aim of the study was to validate US as screening test for AAAs.......the sensitivity and specificity of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) with ultrasonographic scanning (US) is unknown. The aim of the study was to validate US as screening test for AAAs....

  17. Lifting the lid of the "black intervention box" - the systematic development of an action competence programme for people with screen-detected dysglycaemia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Maindal, Helle Terkildsen; Kirkevold, Marit; Sandbaek, Annelli

    2010-01-01

    Abstract Background: The evidence gained from effective self-management interventions is often criticised for the ambiguity of its active components, and consequently the obstruction of their implementation into daily practice. Our aim is to report how an intervention development model aids...... the careful selection of active components in an intervention for people with dysglycaemia. Methods: The first three phases of the UK Medical Research Council's model for developing complex interventions in primary care were used to develop a self-management intervention targeting people with screen......-detected dysglycaemia. In the preclinical phase, the expected needs of the target group were assessed by review of empirical literature and theories. In phase I, a preliminary intervention was modelled and in phase II, the preliminary intervention was pilot tested. Results: In the preclinical phase the achievement...

  18. Development of Efficient Screening Methods for Resistant Cucumber Plants to Meloidogyne incognita

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sung Min Hwang

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Root-knot nematodes represent a significant problem in cucumber, causing reduction in yield and quality. To develop screening methods for resistance of cucumber to root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, development of root-knot nematode of four cucumber cultivars (‘Dragonsamchuk’, ‘Asiastrike’, ‘Nebakja’ and ‘Hanelbakdadaki’ according to several conditions such as inoculum concentration, plant growth stage and transplanting period was investigated by the number of galls and egg masses produced in each seedling 45 days after inoculation. There was no difference in galls and egg masses according to the tested condition except for inoculum concentration. Reproduction of the nematode on all the tested cultivars according to inoculum concentration increased in a dose-dependent manner. On the basis of the result, the optimum conditions for root-knot development on the cultivars is to transplant period of 1 week, inoculum concentration of 5,000 eggs/plant and plant growth stage of 3-week-old in a greenhouse (25 ± 5°C. In addition, under optimum conditions, resistance of 45 commercial cucumber cultivars was evaluated. One rootstock cultivar, Union was moderately resistant to the root-knot nematode. However, no significant difference was in the resistance of the others cultivar. According to the result, we suggest an efficient screening method for new resistant cucumber to the root-knot nematode, M. incognita.

  19. Preliminary study of infiltration gallery for water treatment towards Universal Access 2019 in Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maritha Nilam Kusuma

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Infiltration gallery is a method of water treatment through soil filtration. The mechanism is the filtering or absorption of contaminants in the river that flows through the soil. This method uses soil to remove contaminants. This method has three kinds of screening processes, ie physically, chemically and biologically. This process depends on moisture content, temperature, porosity, specific gravity, the saturated degree and hydraulic conductivity in the soil. Now a days, the cost of clean water production in the province of East Java, Indonesia requires a lot of cost, because the consumption of coagulant is very high; It is necessary to have a preliminary processing that helps the performance of water treatment in East Java, Indonesia. Natural water purification method using soil called infiltration gallery can be one solution in processing river water or as preliminary processing for water treatment in East Java. The purpose of this research is to know soil characteristics in soil samples in each region and its ability to removel TSS and Total Coliform. The second objective is to find good soil composition for removel TSS and total Coliform. The location of soil sampling is in Surabaya, Lumajang, Bangkalan, Mojokerto, Sidoarjo and Gresik, East Java province, Indonesia. The method of analysis used gravimetry, method 9223 B, the comparison between mass and specific gravity, constant head permeameter and wet grain. The results showed that the soil samples from each region were not able to remove the TSS and total coliform, so that the engineering of soil composition was required. Appropriate soil composition is sand and clay, 85% and 15%, with the percentage of TSS and total coliform removal of 63.50% and 99.67%.

  20. High prevalence of bacteriuria in pregnancy and its screening methods in north India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandyopadhyay, Sutapa; Thakur, J S; Ray, Pallab; Kumar, Rajesh

    2005-05-01

    The study aims at finding out the prevalence of bacteruria in pregnancy in an urban setting and ascertaining methods to screen them in primary care clinics. A total of 1 61 pregnant ladies visiting a primary care clinic were screened for bacteriuria based on the symptomatology. Urine culture was done to know the prevalence of bacteriuria. Sensitivities and specificities were calculated for each symptom and risk assessment. A score card was developed based on combination of positive risk assessment and constellation of symptoms. Prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic bacteriuria was found to be 19.87% and 4.34% respectively. Prevalence of bacteriuria was significantly high among those who had intercourse more frequently and those with less water intake. Those with a score of more than or equal to 4, as per score card were 60% more likely to suffer from bacteriuria. When combined with microscopic examination for leucocytes on positively screened, the positive predictive value was found to be 89%. It is concluded that prevalence of symptomatic bacteriuria is common among pregnant women. Syndromic management of cases on the basis of score card is helpful in resource constraint areas. This may be combined with microscopic examination of urine to entail rational use of antibiotics.

  1. Development and preliminary validation of a Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA screening tool

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eisenmann Joey C

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Parents directly influence children's physical activity and nutrition behaviors and also dictate the physical and social environments that are available to their children. This paper summarizes the development of an easy to use screening tool (The Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA Screening Tool designed to assess family environmental and behavioral factors that may predispose a child to becoming overweight. Methods The FNPA instrument was developed using constructs identified in a comprehensive evidence analysis conducted in collaboration with the American Dietetics Association. Two or three items were created for each of the ten constructs with evidence grades of II or higher. Parents of first grade students from a large urban school district (39 schools were recruited to complete the FNPA screening tool and provide permission to link results to BMI data obtained from trained nurses in each school. A total of 1085 surveys were completed out of the available sample of 2189 children in the district. Factor analysis was conducted to examine the factor structure of the scale. Mixed model analyses were conducted on the composite FNPA score to determine if patterns in home environments and behaviors matched some of the expected socio-economic (SES and ethnic patterns in BMI. Correlations among FNPA constructs and other main variables were computed to examine possible associations among the various factors. Finally, logistic regression was used to evaluate the construct validity of the FNPA scale. Results Factor analyses revealed the presence of a single factor and this unidimensional structure was supported by the correlation analyses. The correlations among constructs were consistently positive but the total score had higher correlations with child BMI than the other individual constructs. The FNPA scores followed expected demographic patterns with low income families reporting lower (less favorable scores than

  2. [Ideas and methods on efficient screening of traditional medicines for anti-osteoporosis activity based on M-Act/Tox integrated evaluation using zebrafish].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Mo; Ling, Jie; Chen, Ying; Song, Jie; Sun, E; Shi, Zi-Qi; Feng, Liang; Jia, Xiao-Bin; Wei, Ying-Jie

    2017-11-01

    The increasingly apparent liver injury problems of bone strengthening Chinese medicines have brought challenges for clinical application, and it is necessary to consider both effectiveness and safety in screening anti-osteoporosis Chinese medicines. Metabolic transformation is closely related to drug efficacy and toxicity, so it is significant to comprehensively consider metabolism-action/toxicity(M-Act/Tox) for screening anti-osteoporosis Chinese medicines. The current evaluation models and the number of compounds(including metabolites) severely restrict efficient screening in vivo. By referring to previous relevant research and domestic and abroad literature, zebrafish M-Act/Tox integrative method was put forward for efficiently screening anti-osteoporosis herb medicines, which has organically integrated zebrafish metabolism model, osteoporosis model and toxicity evaluation method. This method can break through the bottleneck and blind spots that trace compositions can't achieve efficient and integrated in vivo evaluation, and realize both efficient and comprehensive screening on anti-osteoporosis traditional medicines based on in vivo process taking both safety and effectiveness into account, which is significant to accelerate discovery of effective and safe innovative traditional Chinese medicines for osteoporosis. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  3. Rapid, convenient method for screening imidazole-containing compounds for heme oxygenase inhibition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vlahakis, Jason Z; Rahman, Mona N; Roman, Gheorghe; Jia, Zongchao; Nakatsu, Kanji; Szarek, Walter A

    2011-01-01

    Sensitive assays for measuring heme oxygenase activity have been based on the gas-chromatographic detection of carbon monoxide using elaborate, expensive equipment. The present study describes a rapid and convenient method for screening imidazole-containing candidates for inhibitory activity against heme oxygenase using a plate reader, based on the spectroscopic evaluation of heme degradation. A PowerWave XS plate reader was used to monitor the absorbance (as a function of time) of heme bound to purified truncated human heme oxygenase-1 (hHO-1) in the individual wells of a standard 96-well plate (with or without the addition of a test compound). The degradation of heme by heme oxygenase-1 was initiated using l-ascorbic acid, and the collected relevant absorbance data were analyzed by three different methods to calculate the percent control activity occurring in wells containing test compounds relative to that occurring in control wells with no test compound present. In the cases of wells containing inhibitory compounds, significant shifts in λ(max) from 404 to near 412 nm were observed as well as a decrease in the rate of heme degradation relative to that of the control. Each of the three methods of data processing (overall percent drop in absorbance over 1.5h, initial rate of reaction determined over the first 5 min, and estimated pseudo first-order reaction rate constant determined over 1.5h) gave similar and reproducible results for percent control activity. The fastest and easiest method of data analysis was determined to be that using initial rates, involving data acquisition for only 5 min once reactions have been initiated using l-ascorbic acid. The results of the study demonstrate that this simple assay based on the spectroscopic detection of heme represents a rapid, convenient method to determine the relative inhibitory activity of candidate compounds, and is useful in quickly screening a series or library of compounds for heme oxygenase inhibition

  4. Qualitative screening method for pesticide residues detection in fruits and vegetables

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iván Mauricio Huérfano Barco

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Because of the importance of developing methodologies that allow agricultural residues analysis, a rapid screening qualitative method for the determination of pesticides residues in fruits and vegetables was validated. The methodology was based on the European QuEChERS extraction method with an additional cleaning step by gel permeation chromatography (GPC, which helped to reduce the number of matrix components in the final extract. The analysis was carried out by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with a single quadrupole analyzer. The methodology was appropriate for the qualitative analysis of 31 pesticides at their respective maximum residue limits. Consistent results were obtained with respect to a quantitative routine methodology in the analysis of real samples, hence the methodology was proven to be a good alternative for the fast analysis of these contaminants in fruits and vegetables.

  5. Can the NHS breast screening programme afford not to double read screening mammograms?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liston, J.C.; Dall, B.J.G.

    2003-01-01

    AIM: Rapid expansion of the National Health Service (UK) Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP) to routinely invite women aged 50-70 years will result in many new readers undertaking screen reading. A timely method for assessing performance and preferably one that facilitates a steep learning curve will be required. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This unit screens a population of 88000 women aged 50-64 years and double reads >90% films. A record is kept of proven screen-detected cancers not recalled for assessment by either the first or second reader but correctly recalled following third-reader arbitration. Individual readers' workload and recall rates are obtained by running an annual co-writer report. The results of this 7 year prospective audit are presented. RESULTS: In total 177167 women were screened between 1/4/95 and 31/3/02 resulting in the detection of 1072 cancers. Eighty-seven cancers (8.1%) were detected after arbitration. Individual readers recall to assessment rates and percentage of cases incorrectly returned to routine recall varied. Prompt feedback of missed/misinterpreted cases allowed both experienced and inexperienced readers to modify their recall thresholds for particular mammographic abnormalities. CONCLUSION: It is recommended this audit method is adopted by all units in the NHSBSP and that the Advisory Committee for Breast Cancer Screening review the policy of single versus double reading

  6. Pathophysiology, risk factors, and screening methods for prediabetes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gourgari E

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Evgenia Gourgari,1 Elias Spanakis,2 Adrian Sandra Dobs3 1Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, 2Division of Endocrinology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 3Department of Endocrinology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Abstract: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS is a syndrome associated with insulin resistance (IR, obesity, infertility, and increased cardiometabolic risk. This is a descriptive review of several mechanisms that can explain the IR among women with PCOS, other risk factors for the development of diabetes, and the screening methods used for the detection of glucose intolerance in women with PCOS. Few mechanisms can explain IR in women with PCOS such as obesity, insulin receptor signaling defects, and inhibition of insulin-mediated glucose uptake in adipocytes. Women with PCOS have additional risk factors for the development of glucose intolerance such as family history of diabetes, use of oral contraceptives, anovulation, and age. The Androgen Society in 2007 and the Endocrine Society in 2013 recommended using oral glucose tolerance test as a screening tool for abnormal glucose tolerance in all women with PCOS. The approach to detection of glucose intolerance among women with PCOS varies among health care providers. Large prospective studies are still needed for the development of guidelines with strong evidence. When assessing risk of future diabetes in women with PCOS, it is important to take into account the method used for screening as well as other risk factors that these women might have. Keywords: IR, OGTT, obesity, hyperandrogenism, anovulation, BMI, insulin resistance, PCOS

  7. Gastric Cancer Screening by Combined Determination of Serum Helicobacter pylori Antibody and Pepsinogen Concentrations: ABC Method for Gastric Cancer Screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xian-Zhe; Huang, Cheng-Zhi; Hu, Wei-Xian; Liu, Ying; Yao, Xue-Qing

    2018-05-20

    Gastroscopy combined with gastric mucosa biopsies is currently regarded as a gold standard for diagnosis of gastric cancer. However, its application is restricted in clinical practice due to its invasive property. A new noninvasive population screening process combining the assay of anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody and serum pepsinogen (PG) (ABC method) is adopted to recognize the high-risk patients for further endoscopy examination, avoiding the unnecessary gastroscopy for most population and saving the cost consumption for mass screening annually. Nevertheless, controversies exist for the grouping of ABC method and the intervals of gastroscopy surveillance for each group. In this review, we summarized these popular concerned topics for providing useful references to the healthcare practitioner in clinical practice. The PubMed databases were systematically searched from the inception dates to November 22, 2017, using the keywords "Helicobacter pylori," "Pepsinogens," and "Stomach Neoplasms." Original articles and reviews on the topics were selected. Anti-H. pylori antibody and serum PG concentration showed significant changes under the different status of H. pylori infection and the progression of atrophic gastritis, which can be used for risk stratification of gastric cancer in clinic. In addition, anti-H. pylori antibody titer can be used for further risk stratification of gastric cancer contributing to determine better endoscopy surveillance interval. The early detection and diagnosis of gastric cancer benefit from the risk stratification, but the cutoff values for H. pylori antibody and serum PG concentration require further modification.

  8. Fabrication and characterization of all-covalent nanocomposite functionalized screen-printed voltammetric sensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jasmin, Jean-Philippe; Cannizzo, Caroline; Dumas, Eddy; Chaussé, Annie

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Screen printed electrodes were covalently functionalized by gold nanoparticles. • The covalent grafting of AuNPs was achieved via diazonium salt chemistry. • Two grafting methods and two types of AuNPs were compared. • Carboxylate ligands were grafted on these nanostructured electrodes. • Good preliminary responses towards lead analysis were obtained by SW-ASV. - Abstract: We report in this paper an all-covalent method to obtain highly nanostructured carbon screen printed electrodes (SPEs) bearing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) functionalized by complexing groups using diazonium salts chemistry. SPEs were first modified with 4-aminophenyl functions (SPE-Ph-NH 2 ). The amino moieties were then converted into diazonium salts (SPE-Ph-N 2 + Cl − ). These reactive SPEs were then used to immobilize AuNPs by electrochemical or spontaneous method. The spontaneous method proved to be a more efficient grafting approach. Two types of AuNPs suspensions were compared: AuNPs obtained via the well-known Turkevich method, citrate-stabilized and having a diameter of about 20 nm, and AuNPs obtained by the method recently described by Eah et al., stabilizer-free with an average diameter of 4 nm. We show that the size of the Au-NPs, their concentration and their surface properties are key parameters that affect the electrochemical properties of the final nanostructured SPEs. The covalent grafting of 4-carboxyphenyl ligands through diazonium chemistry, able to complex metallic cations, at the surface of SPE-Ph-AuNPs allowed their use for the detection of Pb(II). Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, Cyclic Voltammetry, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Rutherford Backscattering and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy were used to characterize these nanostructured materials

  9. Alternative global goodness metrics and sensitivity analysis: heuristics to check the robustness of conclusions from studies comparing virtual screening methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheridan, Robert P

    2008-02-01

    We introduce two ways of testing the robustness of conclusions from studies comparing virtual screening methods: alternative "global goodness" metrics and sensitivity analysis. While the robustness tests cannot eliminate all biases in virtual screening comparisons, they are useful as a "reality check" for any given study. To illustrate this, we apply them to a set of enrichments published in McGaughey et al. (J. Chem. Inf. Model. 2007, 47, 1504-1519) where 11 target protein/ligand combinations are tested on 2D and 3D similarity methods, plus docking. The major conclusions in that paper, for instance, that ligand-based methods are better than docking methods, hold up. However, some minor conclusions, such as Glide being the best docking method, do not.

  10. Development of a method for efficient cost-effective screening of Aspergillus niger mutants having increased production of glucoamylase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xudong; Arman, Bessembayev; Chu, Ju; Wang, Yonghong; Zhuang, Yingping

    2017-05-01

    To develop an efficient cost-effective screening process to improve production of glucoamylase in Aspergillus niger. The cultivation of A. niger was achieved with well-dispersed morphology in 48-deep-well microtiter plates, which increased the throughput of the samples compared to traditional flask cultivation. There was a close negative correlation between glucoamylase and its pH of the fermentation broth. A novel high-throughput analysis method using Methyl Orange was developed. When compared to the conventional analysis method using 4-nitrophenyl α-D-glucopyranoside as substrate, a correlation coefficient of 0.96 by statistical analysis was obtained. Using this novel screening method, we acquired a strain with an activity of 2.2 × 10 3  U ml -1 , a 70% higher yield of glucoamylase than its parent strain.

  11. From CBCL to DSM: A Comparison of Two Methods to Screen for DSM–IV Diagnoses Using CBCL Data

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Krol, N.P.C.M.; Bruyn, E.E.J. De; Coolen, J.C.; Aarle, E.J.M. van

    2006-01-01

    The screening efficiency of 2 methods to convert Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) assessment data into Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed. [DSM-IV]; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) diagnoses was compared. The Machine-Aided Diagnosis (MAD) method converts CBCL input

  12. Preliminary studies for the colonization of Anastrepha obliqua and Anastrepha serpentina (Diptera: Tephritidae)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Celedonio H, H.; Enkerlin H, W.; Bruzzone, D.

    1999-01-01

    A series of trials were carried out with the aim of collecting preliminary data for the colonization of Anastrepha obliqua and Anastrepha serpentina. Trials were focused on evaluating adequate oviposition media as well as their effect on fly demographic parameters; the effect of cage population densities on demographic parameters was also considered; for A. serpentina, egg disinfection treatments by organic acids was assayed, and a screening study was carried out for suitable pupation media. Nylon-made egging mesh resulted in the most efficient oviposition medium, while low insect densities provided the best conditions for increased rates of fly fertility. Organic acids (methyl-p-hydroxy-benzoic) were found to hamper egg hatch, while a variety of pupation media provided improved fly emergence rates vs. the naked pupation method. (author)

  13. An alternative method to record rising temperatures during dental implant site preparation: a preliminary study using bovine bone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Domenica Laurito

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Overheating is constantly mentioned as a risk factor for bone necrosis that could compromise the dental implant primary stability. Uncontrolled thermal injury can result in a fibrous tissue, interpositioned at the implant-bone interface, compromising the long-term prognosis. The methods used to record temperature rise include either direct recording by thermocouple instruments or indirect estimating by infrared thermography. This preliminary study was carried out using bovine bone and a different method of temperatures rising estimation is presented. Two different types of drills were tested using fluoroptic thermometer and the effectiveness of this alternative temperature recording method was evaluated.

  14. Feasibility of interdisciplinary community-based fall risk screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Sharon J; Ivanescu, Andrada; Leland, Natalie E; Fogo, Jennifer; Painter, Jane A; Trujillo, Leonard G

    2012-01-01

    This pilot study examined the feasibility of (1) conducting interdisciplinary fall risk screens at a communitywide adult fall prevention event and (2) collecting preliminary follow-up data from people screened at the event about balance confidence and home and activity modifications made after receiving educational information at the event. We conducted a pilot study with pre- and posttesting (4-mo follow-up) with 35 community-dwelling adults ≥55 yr old. Approximately half the participants were at risk for falls. Most participants who anticipated making environmental or activity changes to reduce fall risk initiated changes (n = 8/11; 72.7%) during the 4-mo follow-up period. We found no significant difference in participants' balance confidence between baseline (median = 62.81) and follow-up (median = 64.06) as measured by the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale. Conducting interdisciplinary fall risk screens at an adult fall prevention event is feasible and can facilitate environmental and behavior changes to reduce fall risk. Copyright © 2012 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

  15. Method for rapid screening analysis of Sr-90 in edible plant samples collected near Fukushima, Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amano, Hikaru; Sakamoto, Hideaki; Shiga, Norikatsu; Suzuki, Kaori

    2016-01-01

    A screening method for measuring 90 Sr in edible plant samples by focusing on 90 Y in equilibrium with 90 Sr is reported. 90 Y was extracted from samples with acid, co-precipitated with iron hydroxide, and precipitated with oxalic acid. The dissolved oxalate precipitate was loaded on an extraction chromatography resin, and the 90 Y-enriched eluate was analyzed by Cherenkov counting with a TDCR liquid scintillation counter. 90 Sr ( 90 Y) concentration was determined in plant samples collected near the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants with this method. - Highlights: • A screening method for measuring 90 Sr in edible plant samples by focusing on 90 Y in equilibrium with 90 Sr is reported. • 90 Y was extracted from samples with acid, co-precipitated with iron hydroxide, and precipitated with oxalic acid. • The dissolved oxalate precipitate was loaded on an extraction chromatography resin. • 90 Y-enriched eluate was analyzed by Cherenkov counting with a TDCR liquid scintillation counter. • 90 Sr ( 90 Y) concentration was determined in edible plant samples collected near the damaged Fukushima Daiichi NPPs with this method.

  16. Current and emerging screening methods to identify post-head-emergence frost adaptation in wheat and barley.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frederiks, T M; Christopher, J T; Harvey, G L; Sutherland, M W; Borrell, A K

    2012-09-01

    Cereal crops can suffer substantial damage if frosts occur at heading. Identification of post-head-emergence frost (PHEF) resistance in cereals poses a number of unique and difficult challenges. Many decades of research have failed to identify genotypes with PHEF resistance that could offer economically significant benefit to growers. Research and breeding gains have been limited by the available screening systems. Using traditional frost screening systems, genotypes that escape frost injury in trials due to spatial temperature differences and/or small differences in phenology can be misidentified as resistant. We believe that by improving techniques to minimize frost escapes, such 'false-positive' results can be confidently identified and eliminated. Artificial freezing chambers or manipulated natural frost treatments offer many potential advantages but are not yet at the stage where they can be reliably used for frost screening in breeding programmes. Here we describe the development of a novel photoperiod gradient method (PGM) that facilitates screening of genotypes of different phenology under natural field frosts at matched developmental stages. By identifying frost escapes and increasing the efficiency of field screening, the PGM ensures that research effort can be focused on finding genotypes with improved PHEF resistance. To maximize the likelihood of identifying PHEF resistance, we propose that the PGM form part of an integrated strategy to (i) source germplasm;(ii) facilitate high throughput screening; and (iii) permit detailed validation. PGM may also be useful in other studies where either a range of developmental stages and/or synchronized development are desired.

  17. Validating a dance-specific screening test for balance: preliminary results from multisite testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batson, Glenna

    2010-09-01

    Few dance-specific screening tools adequately capture balance. The aim of this study was to administer and modify the Star Excursion Balance Test (oSEBT) to examine its utility as a balance screen for dancers. The oSEBT involves standing on one leg while lightly targeting with the opposite foot to the farthest distance along eight spokes of a star-shaped grid. This task simulates dance in the spatial pattern and movement quality of the gesturing limb. The oSEBT was validated for distance on athletes with history of ankle sprain. Thirty-three dancers (age 20.1 +/- 1.4 yrs) participated from two contemporary dance conservatories (UK and US), with or without a history of lower extremity injury. Dancers were verbally instructed (without physical demonstration) to execute the oSEBT and four modifications (mSEBT): timed (speed), timed with cognitive interference (answering questions aloud), and sensory disadvantaging (foam mat). Stepping strategies were tracked and performance strategies video-recorded. Unlike the oSEBT results, distances reached were not significant statistically (p = 0.05) or descriptively (i.e., shorter) for either group. Performance styles varied widely, despite sample homogeneity and instructions to control for strategy. Descriptive analysis of mSEBT showed an increased number of near-falls and decreased timing on the injured limb. Dancers appeared to employ variable strategies to keep balance during this test. Quantitative analysis is warranted to define balance strategies for further validation of SEBT modifications to determine its utility as a balance screening tool.

  18. Benchmarking Data Sets for the Evaluation of Virtual Ligand Screening Methods: Review and Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lagarde, Nathalie; Zagury, Jean-François; Montes, Matthieu

    2015-07-27

    Virtual screening methods are commonly used nowadays in drug discovery processes. However, to ensure their reliability, they have to be carefully evaluated. The evaluation of these methods is often realized in a retrospective way, notably by studying the enrichment of benchmarking data sets. To this purpose, numerous benchmarking data sets were developed over the years, and the resulting improvements led to the availability of high quality benchmarking data sets. However, some points still have to be considered in the selection of the active compounds, decoys, and protein structures to obtain optimal benchmarking data sets.

  19. Preliminary studies for the determination of alpha emitters using the gross alpha coprecipitation methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suarez-Navarro, J. A.; Pujol, L.; Suarez, J. A.; Pablo, M. A. de

    2003-01-01

    The radiological quality of drinking water in Spain is regulated by Nuclear Security Guideline No, 7.7 (Rev.1) of the Nuclear Security Council (NSC). this guideline establishes the protocol to follow when the radiological level exceeds 0,1 Bq.l''1. When this level is passed, the responsible alpha emitter must be identified; ''210 Po, ''226Ra, ''230Th, ''239Pu, ''224Ra, ''234 U and ''138 U. Activity due to these isotopes is usually determined using alpha spectrometry with semiconductor detectors. This method allows the activity of the alpha emitters to be determined with a good sensitivity. however, it requires long radiochemical isolations and long counting times, so the method is not suitable for rough estimate radiological analysis. In this preliminary work, we present the conditioning of the sample-precipitate that is essential for further radiochemical isolations. (Author) 9 refs

  20. Interlaboratory validation of quantitative duplex real-time PCR method for screening analysis of genetically modified maize.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takabatake, Reona; Koiwa, Tomohiro; Kasahara, Masaki; Takashima, Kaori; Futo, Satoshi; Minegishi, Yasutaka; Akiyama, Hiroshi; Teshima, Reiko; Oguchi, Taichi; Mano, Junichi; Furui, Satoshi; Kitta, Kazumi

    2011-01-01

    To reduce the cost and time required to routinely perform the genetically modified organism (GMO) test, we developed a duplex quantitative real-time PCR method for a screening analysis simultaneously targeting an event-specific segment for GA21 and Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S promoter (P35S) segment [Oguchi et al., J. Food Hyg. Soc. Japan, 50, 117-125 (2009)]. To confirm the validity of the method, an interlaboratory collaborative study was conducted. In the collaborative study, conversion factors (Cfs), which are required to calculate the GMO amount (%), were first determined for two real-time PCR instruments, the ABI PRISM 7900HT and the ABI PRISM 7500. A blind test was then conducted. The limit of quantitation for both GA21 and P35S was estimated to be 0.5% or less. The trueness and precision were evaluated as the bias and reproducibility of the relative standard deviation (RSD(R)). The determined bias and RSD(R) were each less than 25%. We believe the developed method would be useful for the practical screening analysis of GM maize.

  1. Preliminary discussion on the application of the geological conceptual model method of uranium ore formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma Guangzhong; Wei Mingji; Luo Yiyue

    1992-01-01

    The geological conceptual model method of uranium ore formation is established on the basis of geological theory and apriorism. Variables are screened with the application of the method of mathematical geology to find out the variables which are more contributed. In combination with the practical situation in Xikang-Yunnan axis, the variables are compiled and graded so as to determine the optimal ore-controlling factor and to establish the statistical predictive model which is of geological significance. The resources evaluation work has been conducted in the Late Proterozoic geological terrain in Xikang-Yunnan axis

  2. DETECTION OF MICROVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES BY EZSCAN AND ITS COMPARISON WITH STANDARD SCREENING METHODS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarita Bajaj

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND EZSCAN is a new, noninvasive technique to detect sudomotor dysfunction and thus neuropathy in diabetes patients at an early stage. It further predicts chances of development of other microvascular complications. In this study, we evaluated EZSCAN for detection of microvascular complications in Type 2 diabetes patients and compared accuracy of EZSCAN with standard screening methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS 104 known diabetes patients, 56 males and 48 females, were studied. All cases underwent the EZSCAN test, Nerve Conduction Study (NCS test, Vibration perception threshold test (VPT, Monofilament test, Fundus examination and Urine micral test. The results of EZSCAN were compared with standard screening methods. The data has been analysed and assessed by applying appropriate statistical tests within different groups. RESULTS Mean age of the subjects was 53.5 ± 11.4 years. For detection of diabetic neuropathy, sensitivity and specificity of EZSCAN was found to be 77.0 % and 95.3%, respectively. Odd’s ratio (OR was 68.82 with p < 0.0001. AUC in ROC curve was 0.930. Sensitivity and specificity of EZSCAN for detection of nephropathy were 67.1% and 94.1%, respectively. OR = 32.69 with p < 0.0001. AUC was 0.926. Sensitivity of EZSCAN for detection of retinopathy was 90% while specificity is 70.3%. OR = 21.27; p< 0.0001. AUC came out to be 0.920. CONCLUSION Results of EZSCAN test compared significantly to the standard screening methods for the detection of microvascular complications of diabetes and can be used as a simple, noninvasive and quick method to detect microvascular complications of diabetes.

  3. Screening sensitivity theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oblow, E.M.; Perey, F.G.

    1984-01-01

    A comprehensive rigorous theory is developed for screening sensitivity coefficients in largescale modeling applications. The theory uses Bayesian inference and group theory to establish a probabilistic framework for solving an underdetermined system of linear equations. The underdetermined problem is directly related to statistical screening sensitivity theory as developed in recent years. Several examples of the new approach to screening are worked out in detail and comparisons are made with statistical approaches to the problem. The drawbacks of these latter methods are discussed at some length

  4. Diabetic retinopathy screening: global and local perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gangwani, R A; Lian, J X; McGhee, S M; Wong, D; Li, K Kw

    2016-10-01

    Diabetes mellitus has become a global epidemic. It causes significant macrovascular complications such as coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and stroke; as well as microvascular complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy. Diabetic retinopathy is known to be the leading cause of blindness in the working-age population and may be asymptomatic until vision loss occurs. Screening for diabetic retinopathy has been shown to reduce blindness by timely detection and effective laser treatment. Diabetic retinopathy screening is being done worldwide either as a national screening programme or hospital-based project or as a community-based screening programme. In this article, we review different methods of screening including grading used to detect the severity of sight-threatening retinopathy and the newer screening methods. This review also includes the method of systematic screening being carried out in Hong Kong, a system that has helped to identify diabetic retinopathy among all attendees in public primary care clinics using a Hong Kong-wide public patients' database.

  5. Robust Microplate-Based Methods for Culturing and in Vivo Phenotypic Screening of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Timothy C. Haire

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Cr, a unicellular alga, is routinely utilized to study photosynthetic biochemistry, ciliary motility, and cellular reproduction. Its minimal culture requirements, unicellular morphology, and ease of transformation have made it a popular model system. Despite its relatively slow doubling time, compared with many bacteria, it is an ideal eukaryotic system for microplate-based studies utilizing either, or both, absorbance as well as fluorescence assays. Such microplate assays are powerful tools for researchers in the areas of toxicology, pharmacology, chemical genetics, biotechnology, and more. However, while microplate-based assays are valuable tools for screening biological systems, these methodologies can significantly alter the conditions in which the organisms are cultured and their subsequent physiology or morphology. Herein we describe a novel method for the microplate culture and in vivo phenotypic analysis of growth, viability, and photosynthetic pigments of C. reinhardtii. We evaluated the utility of our assay by screening silver nanoparticles for their effects on growth and viability. These methods are amenable to a wide assortment of studies and present a significant advancement in the methodologies available for research involving this model organism.

  6. Cancer screening guidelines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoorob, R; Anderson, R; Cefalu, C; Sidani, M

    2001-03-15

    Numerous medical organizations have developed cancer screening guidelines. Faced with the broad, and sometimes conflicting, range of recommendations for cancer screening, family physicians must determine the most reasonable and up-to-date method of screening. Major medical organizations have generally achieved consensus on screening guidelines for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer. For breast cancer screening in women ages 50 to 70, clinical breast examination and mammography are generally recommended every one or two years, depending on the medical organization. For cervical cancer screening, most organizations recommend a Papanicolaou test and pelvic examination at least every three years in patients between 20 and 65 years of age. Annual fecal occult blood testing along with flexible sigmoidoscopy at five-year to 10-year intervals is the standard recommendation for colorectal cancer screening in patients older than 50 years. Screening for prostate cancer remains a matter of debate. Some organizations recommend digital rectal examination and a serum prostate-specific antigen test for men older than 50 years, while others do not. In the absence of compelling evidence to indicate a high risk of endometrial cancer, lung cancer, oral cancer and ovarian cancer, almost no medical organizations have developed cancer screening guidelines for these types of cancer.

  7. Display methods of electronic patient record screens: patient privacy concerns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niimi, Yukari; Ota, Katsumasa

    2013-01-01

    To provide adequate care, medical professionals have to collect not only medical information but also information that may be related to private aspects of the patient's life. With patients' increasing awareness of information privacy, healthcare providers have to pay attention to the patients' right of privacy. This study aimed to clarify the requirements of the display method of electronic patient record (EPR) screens in consideration of both patients' information privacy concerns and health professionals' information needs. For this purpose, semi-structured group interviews were conducted of 78 medical professionals. They pointed out that partial concealment of information to meet patients' requests for privacy could result in challenges in (1) safety in healthcare, (2) information sharing, (3) collaboration, (4) hospital management, and (5) communication. They believed that EPRs should (1) meet the requirements of the therapeutic process, (2) have restricted access, (3) provide convenient access to necessary information, and (4) facilitate interprofessional collaboration. This study provides direction for the development of display methods that balance the sharing of vital information and protection of patient privacy.

  8. Depression screening among older adults attending low-vision rehabilitation and eye-care services: Characteristics of those who screen positive and client acceptability of screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holloway, Edith E; Sturrock, Bonnie A; Lamoureux, Ecosse L; Keeffe, Jill E; Rees, Gwyneth

    2015-12-01

    To investigate characteristics associated with screening positive for depressive symptoms among older adults accessing low-vision rehabilitation and eye-care services and to determine client acceptability of depression screening using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) in these settings. One-hundred and twenty-four older adults (mean = 77.02 years, SD = 9.12) attending low-vision rehabilitation and eye-care services across Australia were screened for depression and invited to complete a telephone-administered questionnaire to determine characteristics associated with depressive symptoms and client acceptability of screening in these settings. Thirty-seven per cent (n = 46/124) of participants screened positive for depressive symptoms, and the majority considered the new depression screening method to be a 'good idea' in vision services (85%). Severe vision loss (<6/60 in the better eye) was associated with an increased odds of screening positive for depressive symptoms (odds ratio 2.37; 95% confidence interval 1.08-6.70) even after adjusting for potential confounders. Participants who screened positive had a preference for 'talking' therapy or a combination of medication and 'talking therapy' delivered within their own home (73%) or via telephone (67%). The PHQ-2 appears to be an acceptable method for depression screening in eye-care settings among older adults. Targeted interventions that incorporate home-based or telephone delivered therapy sessions may improve outcomes for depression in this group. © 2014 ACOTA.

  9. Hierarchical screening for multiple mental disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batterham, Philip J; Calear, Alison L; Sunderland, Matthew; Carragher, Natacha; Christensen, Helen; Mackinnon, Andrew J

    2013-10-01

    There is a need for brief, accurate screening when assessing multiple mental disorders. Two-stage hierarchical screening, consisting of brief pre-screening followed by a battery of disorder-specific scales for those who meet diagnostic criteria, may increase the efficiency of screening without sacrificing precision. This study tested whether more efficient screening could be gained using two-stage hierarchical screening than by administering multiple separate tests. Two Australian adult samples (N=1990) with high rates of psychopathology were recruited using Facebook advertising to examine four methods of hierarchical screening for four mental disorders: major depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder and social phobia. Using K6 scores to determine whether full screening was required did not increase screening efficiency. However, pre-screening based on two decision tree approaches or item gating led to considerable reductions in the mean number of items presented per disorder screened, with estimated item reductions of up to 54%. The sensitivity of these hierarchical methods approached 100% relative to the full screening battery. Further testing of the hierarchical screening approach based on clinical criteria and in other samples is warranted. The results demonstrate that a two-phase hierarchical approach to screening multiple mental disorders leads to considerable increases efficiency gains without reducing accuracy. Screening programs should take advantage of prescreeners based on gating items or decision trees to reduce the burden on respondents. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Risk Assessment of Healthcare Waste by Preliminary Hazard Analysis Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pouran Morovati

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction and purpose: Improper management of healthcare waste (HCW can pose considerable risks to human health and the environment and cause serious problems in developing countries such as Iran. In this study, we sought to determine the hazards of HCW in the public hospitals affiliated to Abadan School of Medicine using the preliminary hazard analysis (PHA method. Methods: In this descriptive and analytic study, health risk assessment of HCW in government hospitals affiliated to Abadan School of Medicine (4 public hospitals was carried out by using PHA in the summer of  2016. Results: We noted the high risk of sharps and infectious wastes. Considering the dual risk of injury and disease transmission, sharps were classified in the very high-risk group, and pharmaceutical and chemical and radioactive wastes were classified in the medium-risk group. Sharps posed the highest risk, while pharmaceutical and chemical wastes had the lowest risk. Among the various stages of waste management, the waste treatment stage was the most hazardous in all the studied hospitals. Conclusion: To diminish the risks associated with healthcare waste management in the studied hospitals, adequate training of healthcare workers and care providers, provision of suitable personal protective and transportation equipment, and supervision of the environmental health manager of hospitals should be considered by the authorities.  

  11. Evaluating the impact of an educational intervention to increase CRC screening rates in the African American community: a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Philip, Errol J; DuHamel, Katherine; Jandorf, Lina

    2010-10-01

    Despite the acknowledged importance of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and its proven prognostic benefit, African American men and women simultaneously possess the highest rates of CRC-related incidence and mortality (Swan et al. in Cancer 97(6):1528-1540, 2003) and lowest screening rates in the United States (Polite et al. in Med Clin N Am 89(4):771-793, 2005). Effective, targeted interventions that promote CRC screening for this community are therefore critical. The current study evaluated the impact of a print-based educational intervention on screening behavior and associated patient-based factors, including cancer-related knowledge, fatalism, worry, and decisional balance (pros-cons). One hundred and eighteen individuals (mean age = 56.08, SD = 5.58) who had not undergone screening were recruited from two health clinics in New York City. Each participant received educational print materials regarding the need for screening, the process of undergoing screening, and the benefits of regular CRC screening. One in four individuals had undergone post-intervention screening at a three-month follow-up. Whereas all participants reported a decrease in cancer-related worry (p benefits and barriers of screening may be critical in the decision to undergo CRC screening. Future interventions to increase CRC-screening rates for this community may be improved by focusing on these patient-based factors.

  12. DRABAL: novel method to mine large high-throughput screening assays using Bayesian active learning

    KAUST Repository

    Soufan, Othman

    2016-11-10

    Background Mining high-throughput screening (HTS) assays is key for enhancing decisions in the area of drug repositioning and drug discovery. However, many challenges are encountered in the process of developing suitable and accurate methods for extracting useful information from these assays. Virtual screening and a wide variety of databases, methods and solutions proposed to-date, did not completely overcome these challenges. This study is based on a multi-label classification (MLC) technique for modeling correlations between several HTS assays, meaning that a single prediction represents a subset of assigned correlated labels instead of one label. Thus, the devised method provides an increased probability for more accurate predictions of compounds that were not tested in particular assays. Results Here we present DRABAL, a novel MLC solution that incorporates structure learning of a Bayesian network as a step to model dependency between the HTS assays. In this study, DRABAL was used to process more than 1.4 million interactions of over 400,000 compounds and analyze the existing relationships between five large HTS assays from the PubChem BioAssay Database. Compared to different MLC methods, DRABAL significantly improves the F1Score by about 22%, on average. We further illustrated usefulness and utility of DRABAL through screening FDA approved drugs and reported ones that have a high probability to interact with several targets, thus enabling drug-multi-target repositioning. Specifically DRABAL suggests the Thiabendazole drug as a common activator of the NCP1 and Rab-9A proteins, both of which are designed to identify treatment modalities for the Niemann–Pick type C disease. Conclusion We developed a novel MLC solution based on a Bayesian active learning framework to overcome the challenge of lacking fully labeled training data and exploit actual dependencies between the HTS assays. The solution is motivated by the need to model dependencies between existing

  13. Domestic violence screening in a military setting: provider screening and attitudes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lutgendorf, Monica; Busch, Jeanne; Magann, Everett F; Morrison, John C

    2010-06-01

    Domestic violence is an important healthcare problem, and it appears more prevalent in military patient populations although no one has demonstrated the cause behind this phenomenon. The purpose of this observational study was to assess data regarding domestic violence screening from practitioners at one military training center. This study used an anonymous questionnaire for physicians, nurses and nurse midwives, which surveyed current methods, attitudes toward screening, and barriers for such assessment. Fifty-seven surveys were distributed, and 26 were returned for a response rate of 45.6%. Only about a third (38.5%) of the practitioners screened all obstetric patients while the remainder screened selected patients for domestic violence. Even less (19%) screened gynecology patients routinely, whereas 69% reported they screened selected women with chronic or somatic complaints. A history of prior abuse in the respondents led practitioners to try to identify such patients within their practice. Lack of education or training was the most common barrier to universal screening followed by time constraints and frustration about not being able to address adequately the problem when noted. These results emphasized the importance of an educational program to increase domestic violence awareness and routine screening.

  14. Screening specifications for bedded salt, Salina Basin, New York and Ohio

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brunton, G.D.; Laughon, R.B.; McClain, W.C.

    1978-01-01

    A survey of bedded salt deposits in New York and Ohio is planned to identify study areas for potential sites for radioactive waste disposal. Prior to the survey previous geological work related to these deposits will be reviewed. Preliminary screening specifications for the identification of study areas were derived for each of the geological evaluation criteria by application of the significant factors that will have an impact on the reconnaissance survey. These factors were selected by a review of the list of factors associated with each criterion. The procedure for the derivation of each screening specification is discussed. The screening specifications are the official Office of Waste Isolation values to be used for the first-cut acceptance for bedded salt study areas in Ohio and New York. The specifications will be reevaluated and refined for more-detailed investigations at each study area that passes the screening test. The derivation of the screening specifications is illustrated by (1) a statement of the geological evaluation criterion, (2) a discussion of the pertinent factors affecting the criterion, and (3) the evaluation of the value of the specification

  15. Cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening and treatment methods: a systematic review of systematic reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azar, Farbod Ebadifard; Azami-Aghdash, Saber; Pournaghi-Azar, Fatemeh; Mazdaki, Alireza; Rezapour, Aziz; Ebrahimi, Parvin; Yousefzadeh, Negar

    2017-06-19

    Due to extensive literature in the field of lung cancer and their heterogeneous results, the aim of this study was to systematically review of systematic reviews studies which reviewed the cost-effectiveness of various lung cancer screening and treatment methods. In this systematic review of systematic reviews study, required data were collected searching the following key words which selected from Mesh: "lung cancer", "lung oncology", "lung Carcinoma", "lung neoplasm", "lung tumors", "cost- effectiveness", "systematic review" and "Meta-analysis". The following databases were searched: PubMed, Cochrane Library electronic databases, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Two reviewers (RA and A-AS) evaluated the articles according to the checklist of "assessment of multiple systematic reviews" (AMSTAR) tool. Overall, information of 110 papers was discussed in eight systematic reviews. Authors focused on cost-effectiveness of lung cancer treatments in five systematic reviews. Targeted therapy options (bevacizumab, Erlotinib and Crizotinib) show an acceptable cost-effectiveness. Results of three studies failed to show cost-effectiveness of screening methods. None of the studies had used the meta-analysis method. The Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) tool and Drummond checklist were mostly used in assessing the quality of articles. Most perspective was related to the Payer (64 times) and the lowest was related to Social (11times). Most cases referred to Incremental analysis (82%) and also the lowest point of referral was related to Discounting (in 49% of the cases). The average quality score of included studies was calculated 9.2% from 11. Targeted therapy can be an option for the treatment of lung cancer. Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of computerized tomographic colonography (CTC) in lung cancer screening is recommended. The perspective of the community should be more taken into consideration in studies of cost-effectiveness. Paying more attention to the topic of

  16. The cumulative risk of false-positive screening results across screening centres in the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roman, M., E-mail: Marta.Roman@kreftregisteret.no [Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo (Norway); Department of Women and Children’s Health, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo (Norway); Skaane, P., E-mail: PERSK@ous-hf.no [Department of Radiology, Oslo University Hospital Ullevaal, University of Oslo, Oslo (Norway); Hofvind, S., E-mail: Solveig.Hofvind@kreftregisteret.no [Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo (Norway); Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, Oslo (Norway)

    2014-09-15

    Highlights: • We found variation in early performance measures across screening centres. • Radiologists’ performance may play a key role in the variability. • Potential to improve the effectiveness of breast cancer screening programs. • Continuous surveillance of screening centres and radiologists is essential. - Abstract: Background: Recall for assessment in mammographic screening entails an inevitable number of false-positive screening results. This study aimed to investigate the variation in the cumulative risk of a false positive screening result and the positive predictive value across the screening centres in the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program. Methods: We studied 618,636 women aged 50–69 years who underwent 2,090,575 screening exams (1996–2010. Recall rate, positive predictive value, rate of screen-detected cancer, and the cumulative risk of a false positive screening result, without and with invasive procedures across the screening centres were calculated. Generalized linear models were used to estimate the probability of a false positive screening result and to compute the cumulative false-positive risk for up to ten biennial screening examinations. Results: The cumulative risk of a false-positive screening exam varied from 10.7% (95% CI: 9.4–12.0%) to 41.5% (95% CI: 34.1–48.9%) across screening centres, with a highest to lowest ratio of 3.9 (95% CI: 3.7–4.0). The highest to lowest ratio for the cumulative risk of undergoing an invasive procedure with a benign outcome was 4.3 (95% CI: 4.0–4.6). The positive predictive value of recall varied between 12.0% (95% CI: 11.0–12.9%) and 19.9% (95% CI: 18.3–21.5%), with a highest to lowest ratio of 1.7 (95% CI: 1.5–1.9). Conclusions: A substantial variation in the performance measures across the screening centres in the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program was identified, despite of similar administration, procedures, and quality assurance requirements. Differences in the

  17. The cumulative risk of false-positive screening results across screening centres in the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roman, M.; Skaane, P.; Hofvind, S.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • We found variation in early performance measures across screening centres. • Radiologists’ performance may play a key role in the variability. • Potential to improve the effectiveness of breast cancer screening programs. • Continuous surveillance of screening centres and radiologists is essential. - Abstract: Background: Recall for assessment in mammographic screening entails an inevitable number of false-positive screening results. This study aimed to investigate the variation in the cumulative risk of a false positive screening result and the positive predictive value across the screening centres in the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program. Methods: We studied 618,636 women aged 50–69 years who underwent 2,090,575 screening exams (1996–2010. Recall rate, positive predictive value, rate of screen-detected cancer, and the cumulative risk of a false positive screening result, without and with invasive procedures across the screening centres were calculated. Generalized linear models were used to estimate the probability of a false positive screening result and to compute the cumulative false-positive risk for up to ten biennial screening examinations. Results: The cumulative risk of a false-positive screening exam varied from 10.7% (95% CI: 9.4–12.0%) to 41.5% (95% CI: 34.1–48.9%) across screening centres, with a highest to lowest ratio of 3.9 (95% CI: 3.7–4.0). The highest to lowest ratio for the cumulative risk of undergoing an invasive procedure with a benign outcome was 4.3 (95% CI: 4.0–4.6). The positive predictive value of recall varied between 12.0% (95% CI: 11.0–12.9%) and 19.9% (95% CI: 18.3–21.5%), with a highest to lowest ratio of 1.7 (95% CI: 1.5–1.9). Conclusions: A substantial variation in the performance measures across the screening centres in the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program was identified, despite of similar administration, procedures, and quality assurance requirements. Differences in the

  18. Preliminary Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Waffle Walls

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Shugar, Theodore

    1997-01-01

    A preliminary analytical method based upon modified plate bending theory is offered for structural analysis of a promising new construction method for walls of small buildings and residential housing...

  19. Screening for abdominalt aortaaneurisme

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindholt, J S; Juul, Svend; Henneberg, E W

    1997-01-01

    rupture. Ultrasonographic screening for AAA takes 10 minutes per scan, and the sensitivity and specificity are high. Ultrasonographic screening for AAA is a reliable, safe and inexpensive method for screening, and screening for AAA is discussed worldwide. One point four percent of deaths among men from 65...... to 80 year of age are caused by ruptured AAA. Screening men over 65 for AAA can theoretically prevent a substantial number of deaths. Our calculations predict one prevented AAA-death per 200-300 scans for a cost of about 4000 DKK per saved year of life. However, cost-benefit analyses are based...... on uncertain assumptions concerning prevalence, incidence and risk of rupture. Therefore a randomized trial screening of 65-73 year old males is taking place in the County of Viborg in Denmark. Udgivelsesdato: 1997-Mar-24...

  20. Phyto chemical and antioxidant screening of extracts of Aquilaria malaccensis leaves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salmah Moosa

    2010-01-01

    Aquilaria malaccensis is an endangered economic plant used for production of agar wood worldwide. The sequential maceration extraction methods utilizing solvents with different polarities namely hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol yielded the corresponding crude extract. The aqueous and methanol extracts along with dry powder of leaf of the plant was screened for the presence of phytochemicals. They were also tested for antioxidant activities. The result indicates the presence of alkaloids, flavanoids, triterpenoids, steroids and tannins. The phyto chemical screening suggests that flavanoids present in this species might provide a great value of antioxidant activity. Preliminary screenings of the free radical scavenging activity on the extracts of the plants with 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) were tested and showed positive result. Quarcetine was used as reference standard. The extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity radical scavenging activity with IC50 value of 8.0 x 102 μg/ ml, 1.6 x 102 μg/ ml, 1.4 x 102 μg/ ml, 30.0 μg/ ml and 3.33 μg/ ml for hexane, DCM, ethyl acetate, methanol and quercetine respectively. Determination on antioxidant activity of each crude extract showed that methanol crude extract had the highest IC50 value than ethyl acetate, dichloromethane and hexane crude extract. This means that methanol possess the highest inhibition of DPPH radical scavenging activity compared to the other crudes but still lower than Quercetin (standard). Phyto chemical analysis on the hexane extract of Aquilaria malaccensis has been conducted. Several chromatographic methods have been employed to the hexane of the leaves which led to the isolation of three compounds namely Stigmasterol, β-sitosterol and 3-fridelanol. The present study has proved the usefulness of agar wood tree for medicinal purposes and its potential as a source of useful drugs. (author)

  1. Prenatal Screening Using Maternal Markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Howard Cuckle

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Maternal markers are widely used to screen for fetal neural tube defects (NTDs, chromosomal abnormalities and cardiac defects. Some are beginning to broaden prenatal screening to include pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia. The methods initially developed for NTDs using a single marker have since been built upon to develop high performance multi-maker tests for chromosomal abnormalities. Although cell-free DNA testing is still too expensive to be considered for routine application in public health settings, it can be cost-effective when used in combination with existing multi-maker marker tests. The established screening methods can be readily applied in the first trimester to identify pregnancies at high risk of pre-eclampsia and offer prevention though aspirin treatment. Prenatal screening for fragile X syndrome might be adopted more widely if the test was to be framed as a form of maternal marker screening.

  2. The CSB Incident Screening Database: description, summary statistics and uses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomez, Manuel R; Casper, Susan; Smith, E Allen

    2008-11-15

    This paper briefly describes the Chemical Incident Screening Database currently used by the CSB to identify and evaluate chemical incidents for possible investigations, and summarizes descriptive statistics from this database that can potentially help to estimate the number, character, and consequences of chemical incidents in the US. The report compares some of the information in the CSB database to roughly similar information available from databases operated by EPA and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and explores the possible implications of these comparisons with regard to the dimension of the chemical incident problem. Finally, the report explores in a preliminary way whether a system modeled after the existing CSB screening database could be developed to serve as a national surveillance tool for chemical incidents.

  3. Development and Usability Testing of a Computer-Tailored Decision Support Tool for Lung Cancer Screening: Study Protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carter-Harris, Lisa; Comer, Robert Skipworth; Goyal, Anurag; Vode, Emilee Christine; Hanna, Nasser; Ceppa, DuyKhanh; Rawl, Susan M

    2017-11-16

    Awareness of lung cancer screening remains low in the screening-eligible population, and when patients visit their clinician never having heard of lung cancer screening, engaging in shared decision making to arrive at an informed decision can be a challenge. Therefore, methods to effectively support both patients and clinicians to engage in these important discussions are essential. To facilitate shared decision making about lung cancer screening, effective methods to prepare patients to have these important discussions with their clinician are needed. Our objective is to develop a computer-tailored decision support tool that meets the certification criteria of the International Patient Decision Aid Standards instrument version 4.0 that will support shared decision making in lung cancer screening decisions. Using a 3-phase process, we will develop and test a prototype of a computer-tailored decision support tool in a sample of lung cancer screening-eligible individuals. In phase I, we assembled a community advisory board comprising 10 screening-eligible individuals to develop the prototype. In phase II, we recruited a sample of 13 screening-eligible individuals to test the prototype for usability, acceptability, and satisfaction. In phase III, we are conducting a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 60 screening-eligible participants who have never been screened for lung cancer. Outcomes tested include lung cancer and screening knowledge, lung cancer screening health beliefs (perceived risk, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy), perception of being prepared to engage in a patient-clinician discussion about lung cancer screening, occurrence of a patient-clinician discussion about lung cancer screening, and stage of adoption for lung cancer screening. Phases I and II are complete. Phase III is underway. As of July 15, 2017, 60 participants have been enrolled into the study, and have completed the baseline survey, intervention, and first

  4. Gas evolution as a rapid screening method for detection of irradiated foods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roberts, P.B.; Chambers, D.M.; Brailsford, G.W.

    1996-01-01

    A number of detection methods for irradiated foods are in advanced state of development. No single method is likely to be universally applicable but a battery of tests such as thermoluminescence, electron spin resonance and analysis of lipid radiolytic products may soon be available for most foods and technical uses of irradiation. Most of these proposed tests require relatively sophisticated equipment or technical skills and are often time consuming and costly. There would be value in relatively simple tests which could be used as a rapid screening system or confirmatory method. The literature on the use of radiolytic gases as a detection method is limited and this paper extends the above studies. In particular, it extends the work to frozen shellfish, for which irradiation has been used as a commercial decontaminant technique for many years, and considers the effect of storage temperature. Work on poultry is also reported as a cross-reference to earlier work and because irradiated poultry has recently been released into the US retail trade. (author)

  5. Recombinant methods for screening human DNA excision repair proficiency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Athas, W.F.

    1988-01-01

    A method for measuring DNA excision repair in response to ultraviolet radiation (UV)-induced DNA damage has been developed, validated, and field-tested in cultured human lymphocytes. The methodology is amenable to population-based screening and should facilitate future epidemiologic studies seeking to investigate associations between excision repair proficiency and cancer susceptibility. The impetus for such endeavors derives from the belief that the high incidence of skin cancer in the genetic disorder xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) primarily is a result of the reduced capacity of patients cells to repair UV-induced DNA damage. For assay, UV-irradiated non-replicating recombinant plasmid DNA harboring a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) indicator gene is introduced into lymphocytes using DEAE-dextran short-term transfection conditions. Exposure to UV induces transcriptionally-inactivating DNA photoproducts in the plasmid DNA which inactivate CAT gene expression. Excision repair of the damaged CAT gene is monitored indirectly as a function of reactivated CAT enzyme activity following a 40 hour repair/expression incubation period

  6. Cost-effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    I. Lansdorp-Vogelaar (Iris); A.B. Knudsen (Amy); H. Brenner (Hermann)

    2011-01-01

    textabstractColorectal cancer is an important public health problem. Several screening methods have been shown to be effective in reducing colorectal cancer mortality. The objective of this review was to assess the cost-effectiveness of the different colorectal cancer screening methods and to

  7. A method of measuring and correcting tilt of anti - vibration wind turbines based on screening algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Zhongxiu

    2018-04-01

    A Method of Measuring and Correcting Tilt of Anti - vibration Wind Turbines Based on Screening Algorithm is proposed in this paper. First of all, we design a device which the core is the acceleration sensor ADXL203, the inclination is measured by installing it on the tower of the wind turbine as well as the engine room. Next using the Kalman filter algorithm to filter effectively by establishing a state space model for signal and noise. Then we use matlab for simulation. Considering the impact of the tower and nacelle vibration on the collected data, the original data and the filtering data are classified and stored by the Screening algorithm, then filter the filtering data to make the output data more accurate. Finally, we eliminate installation errors by using algorithm to achieve the tilt correction. The device based on this method has high precision, low cost and anti-vibration advantages. It has a wide range of application and promotion value.

  8. From CBCL to DSM: A Comparison of Two Methods to Screen for DSM-IV Diagnoses Using CBCL Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krol, Nicole P. C. M.; De Bruyn, Eric E. J.; Coolen, Jolanda C.; van Aarle, Edward J. M.

    2006-01-01

    The screening efficiency of 2 methods to convert Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) assessment data into Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed. [DSM-IV]; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) diagnoses was compared. The Machine-Aided Diagnosis (MAD) method converts CBCL input data directly into DSM-IV symptom criteria. The…

  9. A rapid screening method for heavy metals in biological materials by emission spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blacklock, E C; Sadler, P A

    1981-06-02

    A semi-quantitative screening method for heavy metals in biological material is described. The metals are complexed with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, sodium diethyl dithiocarbamate and potassium sodium tartrate. The solutions are adjusted to pH 4 and then extracted into chloroform. The chloroform phase is evaporated onto a matrix mixture of lithium fluoride and graphite. The sample is analysed by direct current arc emission spectroscopy using a 3 metre grating spectrograph. The spectra are recorded on a photographic plate. The method is developed on aqueous and spiked samples and then applied to in vivo samples containing toxic levels of heavy metals. Atomic absorption spectroscopy is used to check standard concentrations and to monitor the efficiency of the extraction procedure.

  10. Exploratory shaft facility preliminary designs - Paradox Basin. Technical report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-09-01

    The purpose of the Preliminary Design Report, Paradox Basin, is to provide a description of the preliminary design for an Exploratory Shaft Facility in the Paradox Basin, Utah. This issue of the report describes the preliminary design for constructing the exploratory shaft using the Large Hole Drilling Method of construction and outlines the preliminary design and estimates of probable construction cost. The Preliminary Design Report is prepared to complement and summarize other documents that comprise the design at the preliminary stage of completion, December 1982. Other design documents include drawings, cost estimates and schedules. The preliminary design drawing package, which includes the construction schedule drawing, depicts the descriptions in this report. For reference, a list of the drawing titles and corresponding numbers is included in the Appendix. The report is divided into three principal sections: Design Basis, Facility Description, and Construction Cost Estimate. 30 references

  11. Preliminary Evaluation of Probiotic Properties of Lactobacillus Strains Isolated from Sardinian Dairy Products

    OpenAIRE

    Pisano, Maria Barbara; Viale, Silvia; Conti, Stefania; Fadda, Maria Elisabetta; Deplano, Maura; Melis, Maria Paola; Deiana, Monica; Cosentino, Sofia

    2014-01-01

    Twenty-three Lactobacillus strains of dairy origin were evaluated for some functional properties relevant to their use as probiotics. A preliminary subtractive screening based on the abilities to inhibit the growth of microbial pathogens and hydrolyze conjugated bile salts was applied, and six strains were selected for further characterization including survival under gastrointestinal environmental conditions, adhesion to gut epithelial tissue, enzymatic activity, and some safety properties. ...

  12. Spectroscopic and Spectrometric Methods Used for the Screening of Certain Herbal Food Supplements Suspected of Adulteration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mateescu, Cristina; Popescu, Anca Mihaela; Radu, Gabriel Lucian; Onisei, Tatiana; Raducanu, Adina Elena

    2017-06-01

    Purpose: This study was carried out in order to find a reliable method for the fast detection of adulterated herbal food supplements with sexual enhancement claims. As some herbal products are advertised as "all natural", their "efficiency" is often increased by addition of active pharmaceutical ingredients such as PDE-5 inhibitors, which can be a real health threat for the consumer. Methodes: Adulterants, potentially present in 50 herbal food supplements with sexual improvement claims, were detected using 2 spectroscopic methods - Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared - known for reliability, reproductibility, and an easy sample preparation. GC-MS technique was used to confirm the potential adulterants spectra. Results: About 22% (11 out of 50 samples) of herbal food supplements with sexual enhancement claims analyzed by spectroscopic and spectrometric methods proved to be "enriched" with active pharmaceutical compounds such as: sildenafil and two of its analogues, tadalafil and phenolphthalein. The occurence of phenolphthalein could be the reason for the non-relevant results obtained by FTIR method in some samples. 91% of the adulterated herbal food supplements were originating from China. Conclusion: The results of this screening highlighted the necessity for an accurate analysis of all alleged herbal aphrodisiacs on the Romanian market. This is a first such a screening analysis carried out on herbal food supplements with sexual enhancement claims.

  13. INDUSTRIAL/MILITARY ACTIVITY-INITIATED ACCIDENT SCREENING ANALYSIS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    D.A. Kalinich

    1999-09-27

    Impacts due to nearby installations and operations were determined in the Preliminary MGDS Hazards Analysis (CRWMS M&O 1996) to be potentially applicable to the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain. This determination was conservatively based on limited knowledge of the potential activities ongoing on or off the Nevada Test Site (NTS). It is intended that the Industrial/Military Activity-Initiated Accident Screening Analysis provided herein will meet the requirements of the ''Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants'' (NRC 1987) in establishing whether this external event can be screened from further consideration or must be included as a design basis event (DBE) in the development of accident scenarios for the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR). This analysis only considers issues related to preclosure radiological safety. Issues important to waste isolation as related to impact from nearby installations will be covered in the MGR performance assessment.

  14. Comparison of a new digital KM screen test with conventional Hess and Lees screen tests in the mapping of ocular deviations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorisdottir, Rannveig Linda; Sundgren, Johanna; Sheikh, Rafi; Blohmé, Jonas; Hammar, Björn; Kjellström, Sten; Malmsjö, Malin

    2018-05-28

    To evaluate the digital KM screen computerized ocular motility test and to compare it with conventional nondigital techniques using the Hess and Lees screens. Patients with known ocular deviations and a visual acuity of at least 20/100 underwent testing using the digital KM screen and the Hess and Lees screen tests. The examination duration, the subjectively perceived difficulty, and the patient's method of choice were compared for the three tests. The accuracy of test results was compared using Bland-Altman plots between testing methods. A total of 19 patients were included. Examination with the digital KM screen test was less time-consuming than tests with the Hess and Lees screens (P digital KM screen). Patients found the test with the digital KM screen easier to perform than the Lees screen test (P = 0.009) but of similar difficulty to the Hess screen test (P = 0.203). The majority of the patients (83%) preferred the digital KM screen test to both of the other screen methods (P = 0.008). Bland-Altman plots showed that the results obtained with all three tests were similar. The digital KM screen is accurate and time saving and provides similar results to Lees and Hess screen testing. It also has the advantage of a digital data analysis and registration. Copyright © 2018 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Evaluation of the on-site immunoassay drug-screening device Triage-TOX in routine forensic autopsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tominaga, Mariko; Michiue, Tomomi; Maeda, Hitoshi

    2015-11-01

    Instrumental identification of drugs with quantification is essential in forensic toxicology, while on-site immunoassay urinalysis drug-screening devices conveniently provide preliminary information when adequately used. However, suitable or sufficient urine specimens are not always available. The present study evaluated the efficacy of a new on-site immunoassay drug-screening device Triage-TOX (Alere Inc., San Diego, CA, USA), which has recently been developed to provide objective data on the one-step automated processor, using 51 urine and 19 pericardial fluid samples from 66 forensic autopsy cases, compared with Triage-Drug of Abuse (DOA) and Monitect-9. For benzodiazepines, the positive predictive value and specificity of Triage-TOX were higher than those of Triage-DOA; however, sensitivity was higher with Monitect-9, despite frequent false-positives. The results for the other drugs with the three devices also included a few false-negatives and false-positives. These observations indicate the applicability of Triage-TOX in preliminary drug screening using urine or alternative materials in routine forensic autopsy, when a possible false-negative is considered, especially for benzodiazepines, providing objective information; however, the combined use of another device such as Monitect-9 can help minimize misinterpretation prior to instrumental analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Screening for colorectal cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Hans J.; Jakobsen, Karen V.; Christensen, Ib J.

    2011-01-01

    Emerging results indicate that screening improves survival of patients with colorectal cancer. Therefore, screening programs are already implemented or are being considered for implementation in Asia, Europe and North America. At present, a great variety of screening methods are available including...... into improvements of screening for colorectal cancer includes blood-based biological markers, such as proteins, DNA and RNA in combination with various demographically and clinically parameters into a "risk assessment evaluation" (RAE) test. It is assumed that such a test may lead to higher acceptance among...... procedures for colorectal cancer. Therefore, results of present research, validating RAE tests, are awaited with interest....

  17. Breast Cancer Challenges and Screening in China: Lessons From Current Registry Data and Population Screening Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Qing-Kun; Wang, Xiao-Li; Zhou, Xin-Na; Yang, Hua-Bing; Li, Yu-Chen; Wu, Jiang-Ping; Ren, Jun; Lyerly, Herbert Kim

    2015-07-01

    As one of its responses to the increasing global burden of breast cancer (BC), China has deployed a national registration and BC screening campaign. The present report describes these programs and the initial results of these national BC control strategies, highlighting the challenges to be considered. The primary BC incidence and prevalence data were obtained from the Chinese National Central Cancer Registry. MapInfo software was used to map the geographic distribution and variation. The time trends were estimated by the annual percentage of change from 2003 to 2009. The description of the screening plans and preliminary results were provided by the Ministry of Health. Chinese cancer registries were primarily developed and activated in the East and Coastal regions of China, with only 12.5% of the registries located in West China. Geographic variation was noted, with the incidence of BC higher in North China than in South China and in urban areas compared with rural areas. Of great interest, these registries reported that the overall BC incidence has been increasing in China, with an earlier age of onset compared with Western countries and a peak incidence rate at age 50. In response to this increasing incidence and early age of onset, BC screening programs assessed 1.46 million women aged 35-59 years, using clinical breast examinations and ultrasound as primary screening tools between 2009 and 2011. The diagnostic rate for this screening program was only 48.0/10(5) with 440 cases of early stage BC. Early stage BC was detected in nearly 70% of screened patients. Subsequently, a second-generation screening program was conducted that included older women aged 35-64 years and an additional 6 million women were screened. The cancer registration system in China has been uneven, with a greater focus on East rather than West China. The data from these registries demonstrate regional variation, an increasing BC incidence, and an early age of onset. The 2009 to 2011 BC

  18. Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of a compound library of triazolylcyclitols.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrau, Gonzalo; Drewes, Carine C; Shimada, Ana Lúcia B; Bertucci, Ana; Farsky, Sandra H P; Stefani, Helio A; Gonzalez, David

    2013-07-15

    A small library of compounds was prepared by a combination of toluene dioxygenase (TDO)-catalyzed enzymatic dihydroxylation and copper(I)-catalyzed Hüisgen cycloaddition. Some compounds were obtained by coupling an alkyne and a conduritol derivative, while more complex structures were obtained by a double Hüisgen reaction of a dialkyne and two molecules of the cyclitol. The compounds were fully characterized and subjected to preliminary biological screening. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON THE BEHAVIOURAL EFFECTS OF THE METHANOL EXTRACT OF LEONOTIS NEPETIFOLIA LINN STEM IN MICE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayanwuyi, Lydia O.; Kwanashie, Helen O.; Hussaini, Isa M.; Yaro, Abdullahi H.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Leonotis nepetifolia Linn (Lamiaceae) is used in traditional medicine for its calming (tranquilizing) effects. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is any scientific justification for this use. To achieve this purpose, we investigated the behavioural effects of the methanol extract of Leonotis nepetifolia stem (37.5, 75 and 150 mg/kg) in mice. Methods: Acute toxicity studies were carried out on the methanol stem extract of Leonotis nepetifolia to determine the LD50. The behavioural tests employed were diazepam-induced sleep onset and duration, hole board assay for exploratory activity, mouse beam walk assay for motor coordination, and the staircase test for the detection of anxiolytic compounds. Preliminary phytochemical screening was also carried out on the extract. Results: The intraperitoneal LD50 value was found to be 3.8 g/kg. The results showed that the extract significantly prolonged the duration of diazepam-induced sleep at the highest dose (150 mg/kg). There was no observable effect on exploratory activity and motor coordination at the doses tested (37.5, 75 and 150 mg/kg). The extract, however, at 150 mg/kg elicited a significant decrease in the number of rearings in the staircase test, an effect also observed in the group of mice injected with an anxiolytic dose of diazepam. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, glycosides and triterpenoids. Conclusion: The results obtained suggest that the crude methanol extract of Leonotis nepetifolia stem possesses some biologically active constituents with potential anxiolytic activity and thus may justify its traditional use as a tranquilizer. PMID:28852715

  20. An unbiased method to build benchmarking sets for ligand-based virtual screening and its application to GPCRs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Jie; Jin, Hongwei; Liu, Zhenming; Zhang, Liangren; Wang, Xiang Simon

    2014-05-27

    Benchmarking data sets have become common in recent years for the purpose of virtual screening, though the main focus had been placed on the structure-based virtual screening (SBVS) approaches. Due to the lack of crystal structures, there is great need for unbiased benchmarking sets to evaluate various ligand-based virtual screening (LBVS) methods for important drug targets such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). To date these ready-to-apply data sets for LBVS are fairly limited, and the direct usage of benchmarking sets designed for SBVS could bring the biases to the evaluation of LBVS. Herein, we propose an unbiased method to build benchmarking sets for LBVS and validate it on a multitude of GPCRs targets. To be more specific, our methods can (1) ensure chemical diversity of ligands, (2) maintain the physicochemical similarity between ligands and decoys, (3) make the decoys dissimilar in chemical topology to all ligands to avoid false negatives, and (4) maximize spatial random distribution of ligands and decoys. We evaluated the quality of our Unbiased Ligand Set (ULS) and Unbiased Decoy Set (UDS) using three common LBVS approaches, with Leave-One-Out (LOO) Cross-Validation (CV) and a metric of average AUC of the ROC curves. Our method has greatly reduced the "artificial enrichment" and "analogue bias" of a published GPCRs benchmarking set, i.e., GPCR Ligand Library (GLL)/GPCR Decoy Database (GDD). In addition, we addressed an important issue about the ratio of decoys per ligand and found that for a range of 30 to 100 it does not affect the quality of the benchmarking set, so we kept the original ratio of 39 from the GLL/GDD.

  1. Geant4 simulation of the response of phosphor screens for X-ray imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pistrui-Maximean, S.A.; Freud, N.; Letang, J.M.; Koch, A.; Munier, B.; Walenta, A.H.; Montarou, G.; Babot, D.

    2006-01-01

    In order to predict and optimize the response of phosphor screens, it is important to understand the role played by the different physical processes inside the scintillator layer. A simulation model based on the Monte Carlo code Geant4 was developed to determine the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) of phosphor screens for energies used in X-ray medical imaging and nondestructive testing applications. The visualization of the dose distribution inside the phosphor layer gives an insight into how the MTF is progressively degraded by X-ray and electron transport. The simulation model allows to study the influence of physical and technological parameters on the detector performances, as well as to design and optimize new detector configurations. Preliminary MTF measurements have been carried out and agreement with experimental data has been found in the case of a commercial screen (Kodak Lanex Fine) at an X-ray tube potential of 100 kV. Further validation with other screens (transparent or granular) at different energies is under way

  2. Geant4 simulation of the response of phosphor screens for X-ray imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pistrui-Maximean, S.A. [Laboratory of Nondestructive Testing using Ionizing Radiation, INSA-Lyon Scientific and Technical University, Bat. Antoine de Saint Exupery, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France)]. E-mail: simona.pistrui@insa-lyon.fr; Freud, N. [Laboratory of Nondestructive Testing using Ionizing Radiation, INSA-Lyon Scientific and Technical University, Bat. Antoine de Saint Exupery, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Letang, J.M. [Laboratory of Nondestructive Testing using Ionizing Radiation, INSA-Lyon Scientific and Technical University, Bat. Antoine de Saint Exupery, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Koch, A. [Thales Electron Devices, 38430 Moirans (France); Munier, B. [Thales Electron Devices, 38430 Moirans (France); Walenta, A.H. [Department of Detectors and Electronics, FB Physik, University of Siegen, 57068 Siegen (Germany); Montarou, G. [Corpuscular Physics Laboratory, Blaise Pascal University, 63177 Aubiere Cedex (France); Babot, D. [Laboratory of Nondestructive Testing using Ionizing Radiation, INSA-Lyon Scientific and Technical University, Bat. Antoine de Saint Exupery, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France)

    2006-07-01

    In order to predict and optimize the response of phosphor screens, it is important to understand the role played by the different physical processes inside the scintillator layer. A simulation model based on the Monte Carlo code Geant4 was developed to determine the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) of phosphor screens for energies used in X-ray medical imaging and nondestructive testing applications. The visualization of the dose distribution inside the phosphor layer gives an insight into how the MTF is progressively degraded by X-ray and electron transport. The simulation model allows to study the influence of physical and technological parameters on the detector performances, as well as to design and optimize new detector configurations. Preliminary MTF measurements have been carried out and agreement with experimental data has been found in the case of a commercial screen (Kodak Lanex Fine) at an X-ray tube potential of 100 kV. Further validation with other screens (transparent or granular) at different energies is under way.

  3. Preliminary report on the rice blast resistance of space-induced mutants derived from rice cultivar 'Taihang-68'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Jingxin; Sun Dayuan; Wang Hui; Liu Yongzhu; Guo Tao; Chen Zhiqiang; Yang Qiyun; Zhu Xiaoyuan

    2012-01-01

    To screen the blast resistance mutants, the resistance of SP 1 progenies derived from rice variety Taihang-68 were evaluated after satellite flight by representative blast isolate GD0193 which had a broad pathogenic spectra, and then primary genetic analysis of resistant mutants and mapping of resistance gene, as well as resistance spectra at seedling and neck blast resistance at maturity were performed. The results showed that space-mutation was effective method to change the blast resistance of Taihang-68. The screened resistant mutants TH1 and TH2 showed that resistance to isolate GD0193 no disjunction and separation respectively, and the resistance separation ratio of TH2 indicated that its resistance was controlled by one pair of major genes, which was preliminary mapped on the long arm of chromosome 11. In blast resistance spectra and neck blast resistance, TH1 and TH2 were both enhanced remarkable compared with the wild-type at seedling and maturity, and their resistance could be inherited, the blast resistance of these two mutants were also increased comparing with several main cultivars in South China. (authors)

  4. Chronic kidney disease screening methods and its implication for Malaysia: an in depth review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almualm, Yasmin; Zaman Huri, Hasniza

    2015-01-01

    Chronic Kidney Disease has become a public health problem, imposing heath, social and human cost on societies worldwide. Chronic Kidney Disease remains asymptomatic till late stage when intervention cannot stop the progression of the disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need to detect the disease early. Despite the high prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease in Malaysia, screening is still lacking behind. This review discusses the strengths and limitations of current screening methods for Chronic Kidney Disease from a Malaysian point of view. Diabetic Kidney Disease was chosen as focal point as Diabetes is the leading cause of Chronic Kidney Disease in Malaysia. Screening for Chronic Kidney Disease in Malaysia includes a urine test for albuminuria and a blood test for serum creatinine. Recent literature indicates that albuminuria is not always present in Diabetic Kidney Disease patients and serum creatinine is only raised after substantial kidney damage has occurred.  Recently, cystatin C was proposed as a potential marker for kidney disease but this has not been studied thoroughly in Malaysia.  Glomerular Filtration Rate is the best method for measuring kidney function and is widely estimated using the Modification of Diet for Renal Disease equation. Another equation, the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration Creatinine equation was introduced in 2009. The new equation retained the precision and accuracy of the Modification of Diet for Renal Disease equation at GFR 60ml/min/1.73m2. In Asian countries, adding an ethnic coefficient to the equation enhanced its performance. In Malaysia, a multi-ethnic Asian population, the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation should be validated and the Glomerular Filtration Rate should be reported whenever serum creatinine is ordered. Reporting estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate will help diagnose patients who would have been otherwise missed if only albuminuria and serum creatinine are measured.

  5. Evaluation of the usefulness of visceral fat area measurement by the bioelectrical impedance method during workplace health screening

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Igarashi, Chiyo

    2008-01-01

    In the field of occupational health, health guidance concerning obesity is often conducted in order to prevent lifestyle-related diseases. With recent awareness of the concept of metabolic syndrome, measurement of the visceral fat area (VFA) by CT has been useful for health guidance, but it is difficult in workplace health screening. Presently, the BMI (Body Mass Index), body fat percentage measured by the bioelectrical impedance method, and waist girth at the umbilical level (abdominal girth) are practical indices of obesity used in such health screening. In this study, VAF was measured in 590 clerical or sales workers in the manufacturing industry using a body fat meter capable of a visceral fat measurement by the bioelectrical impedance method. The relationship of this value to the results of biochemical tests and lifestyle was then evaluated using analysis of covariance structures. Analysis indicated that the risk of lifestyle-related disease was closely related to the degree of obesity. Among indices of the degree of obesity, VFA was more closely related than BMI or body fat percentage, and only slightly less closely related than abdominal girth to the risk of lifestyle-related diseases. Since VFA is effective in screening for latent obesity, health guidance based on digital data, and the subjects' body imaging, its measurement by the bioelectrical impedance method is considered useful for workplace health management. (author)

  6. A QUANTITATIVE METHOD FOR ANALYSING 3-D BRANCHING IN EMBRYONIC KIDNEYS: DEVELOPMENT OF A TECHNIQUE AND PRELIMINARY DATA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriel Fricout

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available The normal human adult kidney contains between 300,000 and 1 million nephrons (the functional units of the kidney. Nephrons develop at the tips of the branching ureteric duct, and therefore ureteric duct branching morphogenesis is critical for normal kidney development. Current methods for analysing ureteric branching are mostly qualitative and those quantitative methods that do exist do not account for the 3- dimensional (3D shape of the ureteric "tree". We have developed a method for measuring the total length of the ureteric tree in 3D. This method is described and preliminary data are presented. The algorithm allows for performing a semi-automatic segmentation of a set of grey level confocal images and an automatic skeletonisation of the resulting binary object. Measurements of length are automatically obtained, and numbers of branch points are manually counted. The final representation can be reconstructed by means of 3D volume rendering software, providing a fully rotating 3D perspective of the skeletonised tree, making it possible to identify and accurately measure branch lengths. Preliminary data shows the total length estimates obtained with the technique to be highly reproducible. Repeat estimates of total tree length vary by just 1-2%. We will now use this technique to further define the growth of the ureteric tree in vitro, under both normal culture conditions, and in the presence of various levels of specific molecules suspected of regulating ureteric growth. The data obtained will provide fundamental information on the development of renal architecture, as well as the regulation of nephron number.

  7. Creation and preliminary validation of the screening for self-medication safety post-stroke scale (S-5).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaizer, Franceen; Kim, Angela; Van, My Tram; Korner-Bitensky, Nicol

    2010-03-01

    Patients with stroke should be screened for safety prior to starting a self-medication regime. An extensive literature review revealed no standardized self-medication tool tailored to the multi-faceted needs of the stroke population. The aim of this study was to create and validate a condition-specific tool to be used in screening for self-medication safety in individuals with stroke. Items were generated using expert consultation and review of the existing tools. The draft tool was pilot-tested on expert stroke clinicians to receive feedback on content, clarity, optimal cueing and domain omissions. The final version was piloted on patients with stroke using a structured interviewer-administered interview. The tool was progressively refined and validated according to feedback from the 11 expert reviewers. The subsequent version was piloted on patients with stroke. The final version includes 16 questions designed to elicit information on 5 domains: cognition, communication, motor, visual-perception and, judgement/executive function/self-efficacy. The Screening for Safe Self-medication post-Stroke Scale (S-5) has been created and validated for use by health professionals to screen self-medication safety readiness of patients after stroke. Its use should also help to guide clinicians' recommendations and interventions aimed at enhancing self-medication post-stroke.

  8. Development and Interlaboratory Validation of a Simple Screening Method for Genetically Modified Maize Using a ΔΔC(q)-Based Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noguchi, Akio; Nakamura, Kosuke; Sakata, Kozue; Sato-Fukuda, Nozomi; Ishigaki, Takumi; Mano, Junichi; Takabatake, Reona; Kitta, Kazumi; Teshima, Reiko; Kondo, Kazunari; Nishimaki-Mogami, Tomoko

    2016-04-19

    A number of genetically modified (GM) maize events have been developed and approved worldwide for commercial cultivation. A screening method is needed to monitor GM maize approved for commercialization in countries that mandate the labeling of foods containing a specified threshold level of GM crops. In Japan, a screening method has been implemented to monitor approved GM maize since 2001. However, the screening method currently used in Japan is time-consuming and requires generation of a calibration curve and experimental conversion factor (C(f)) value. We developed a simple screening method that avoids the need for a calibration curve and C(f) value. In this method, ΔC(q) values between the target sequences and the endogenous gene are calculated using multiplex real-time PCR, and the ΔΔC(q) value between the analytical and control samples is used as the criterion for determining analytical samples in which the GM organism content is below the threshold level for labeling of GM crops. An interlaboratory study indicated that the method is applicable independently with at least two models of PCR instruments used in this study.

  9. An effective method to screen sodium-based layered materials for sodium ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xu; Zhang, Zihe; Yao, Sai; Chen, An; Zhao, Xudong; Zhou, Zhen

    2018-03-01

    Due to the high cost and insufficient resource of lithium, sodium-ion batteries are widely investigated for large-scale applications. Typically, insertion-type materials possess better cyclic stability than alloy-type and conversion-type ones. Therefore, in this work, we proposed a facile and effective method to screen sodium-based layered materials based on Materials Project database as potential candidate insertion-type materials for sodium ion batteries. The obtained Na-based layered materials contains 38 kinds of space group, which reveals that the credibility of our screening approach would not be affected by the space group. Then, some important indexes of the representative materials, including the average voltage, volume change and sodium ion mobility, were further studied by means of density functional theory computations. Some materials with extremely low volume changes and Na diffusion barriers are promising candidates for sodium ion batteries. We believe that our classification algorithm could also be used to search for other alkali and multivalent ion-based layered materials, to accelerate the development of battery materials.

  10. Quantifying the Value of Markers in Screening Programmes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østergaard, Søren Dinesen; Dinesen, Peter Thisted; Foldager, Leslie

    2010-01-01

    Existing methods used to rank the value of individual screening markers in screening programmes are inadequate. We have developed a simple Screening Marker Index: (Screening Marker Index = Positive Predictive Value x Sensitivity). The Screening Marker Index proved to be superior to existing indices...

  11. Effects of screened Coulomb (Yukawa) and exponential-cosine-screened Coulomb potentials on photoionization of H and He+

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, C.Y.; Ho, Y.K.

    2010-01-01

    The screening effects due to the exponential-cosine-screened Coulomb and screened Coulomb (Yukawa) potentials on photoionization processes are explored within the framework of complex coordinate rotation method. The energy levels of H and He + in both screened potentials shifted with various Debye screening lengths are presented. The photoionization cross sections illustrate the considerable screening effects on photoionization processes in low energy region. The shape resonances can be found near ionization thresholds for certain of Debye screening lengths. The relations between the appearance of resonances and the existence of quasi-bound states under shielding conditions are discussed. (authors)

  12. Using stable isotopes to monitor forms of sulfur during desulfurization processes: A quick screening method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chao-Li; Hackley, Keith C.; Coleman, D.D.; Kruse, C.W.

    1987-01-01

    A method using stable isotope ratio analysis to monitor the reactivity of sulfur forms in coal during thermal and chemical desulfurization processes has been developed at the Illinois State Geological Survey. The method is based upon the fact that a significant difference exists in some coals between the 34S/32S ratios of the pyritic and organic sulfur. A screening method for determining the suitability of coal samples for use in isotope ratio analysis is described. Making these special coals available from coal sample programs would assist research groups in sorting out the complex sulfur chemistry which accompanies thermal and chemical processing of high sulfur coals. ?? 1987.

  13. Screening vs. non-screening detected colorectal cancer: Differences in pre-therapeutic work up and treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saraste, D; Martling, A; Nilsson, P J; Blom, J; Törnberg, S; Janson, M

    2017-06-01

    Objectives To compare preoperative staging, multidisciplinary team-assessment, and treatment in patients with screening detected and non-screening detected colorectal cancer. Methods Data on patient and tumour characteristics, staging, multidisciplinary team-assessment and treatment in patients with screening and non-screening detected colorectal cancer from 2008 to 2012 were collected from the Stockholm-Gotland screening register and the Swedish Colorectal Cancer Registry. Results The screening group had a higher proportion of stage I disease (41 vs. 15%; p team-assessed than the non-screening group ( p team-assessed than patients with surgically resected cancers ( p team assessed more extensively than patients with non-screening detected cancers. Staging and multidisciplinary team assessment prior to endoscopic resection was less complete compared with surgical resection. Extensive surgical and (neo)adjuvant treatment was given in stage I disease. Participation in screening reduced the risk of emergency surgery for colorectal cancer.

  14. DETECTION OF Helicobacter pylori IN GASTRIC MUCOSA OF SHEEP: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Rella

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Helicobacter pylori is an organism widespread in humans and sometimes responsible for serious illnesses. It has been hypothesized the existence of animal reservoirs, and that the infection route by H. pylori involves multiple pathways including food-borne transmission as the microorganism has been detected from sheep, goat and cow milk. This work reports the preliminary results of a survey conducted in order to investigate the presence of H. pylori in gastric mucosa of sheep slaughtered in Apulia region (Italy employing a Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (Nested-PCR assay for the detection of the phosphoglucosamine mutase gene (glmM, as screening method followed by conventional bacteriological isolation. Out of the 50 gastric mucosa samples examined, 3 (6% resulted positive for the presence of glmMgene, but at this time no strains were isolated. The results deserve further investigations to asses the role of ruminants as possible reservoirs of H. pylori.

  15. A study on asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy: prevalence, etiology and comparison of screening methods

    OpenAIRE

    Kheya Mukherjee; Saroj Golia; Vasudha CL; Babita; Debojyoti Bhattacharjee; Goutam Chakroborti

    2014-01-01

    Background: Asymptomatic bacteriuria is common in women with prevalence of 4-7% in pregnancy. The traditional reference test for bacteriuria is quantitative culture of urine which is relatively expensive time consuming and laborious. The aim of this study was to know the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy, to identify pathogens and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns and to device a single or combined rapid screening method as an acceptable alternative to urine culture. ...

  16. Low-Dose Chest Computed Tomography for Lung Cancer Screening Among Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivors: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wattson, Daniel A.; Hunink, M.G. Myriam; DiPiro, Pamela J.; Das, Prajnan; Hodgson, David C.; Mauch, Peter M.; Ng, Andrea K.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) survivors face an increased risk of treatment-related lung cancer. Screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) may allow detection of early stage, resectable cancers. We developed a Markov decision-analytic and cost-effectiveness model to estimate the merits of annual LDCT screening among HL survivors. Methods and Materials: Population databases and HL-specific literature informed key model parameters, including lung cancer rates and stage distribution, cause-specific survival estimates, and utilities. Relative risks accounted for radiation therapy (RT) technique, smoking status (>10 pack-years or current smokers vs not), age at HL diagnosis, time from HL treatment, and excess radiation from LDCTs. LDCT assumptions, including expected stage-shift, false-positive rates, and likely additional workup were derived from the National Lung Screening Trial and preliminary results from an internal phase 2 protocol that performed annual LDCTs in 53 HL survivors. We assumed a 3% discount rate and a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $50,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY). Results: Annual LDCT screening was cost effective for all smokers. A male smoker treated with mantle RT at age 25 achieved maximum QALYs by initiating screening 12 years post-HL, with a life expectancy benefit of 2.1 months and an incremental cost of $34,841/QALY. Among nonsmokers, annual screening produced a QALY benefit in some cases, but the incremental cost was not below the WTP threshold for any patient subsets. As age at HL diagnosis increased, earlier initiation of screening improved outcomes. Sensitivity analyses revealed that the model was most sensitive to the lung cancer incidence and mortality rates and expected stage-shift from screening. Conclusions: HL survivors are an important high-risk population that may benefit from screening, especially those treated in the past with large radiation fields including mantle or involved-field RT. Screening

  17. Low-Dose Chest Computed Tomography for Lung Cancer Screening Among Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivors: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wattson, Daniel A., E-mail: dwattson@partners.org [Harvard Radiation Oncology Program, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Hunink, M.G. Myriam [Departments of Radiology and Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Center for Health Decision Science, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); DiPiro, Pamela J. [Department of Imaging, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Das, Prajnan [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Hodgson, David C. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Mauch, Peter M.; Ng, Andrea K. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women' s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)

    2014-10-01

    Purpose: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) survivors face an increased risk of treatment-related lung cancer. Screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) may allow detection of early stage, resectable cancers. We developed a Markov decision-analytic and cost-effectiveness model to estimate the merits of annual LDCT screening among HL survivors. Methods and Materials: Population databases and HL-specific literature informed key model parameters, including lung cancer rates and stage distribution, cause-specific survival estimates, and utilities. Relative risks accounted for radiation therapy (RT) technique, smoking status (>10 pack-years or current smokers vs not), age at HL diagnosis, time from HL treatment, and excess radiation from LDCTs. LDCT assumptions, including expected stage-shift, false-positive rates, and likely additional workup were derived from the National Lung Screening Trial and preliminary results from an internal phase 2 protocol that performed annual LDCTs in 53 HL survivors. We assumed a 3% discount rate and a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $50,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY). Results: Annual LDCT screening was cost effective for all smokers. A male smoker treated with mantle RT at age 25 achieved maximum QALYs by initiating screening 12 years post-HL, with a life expectancy benefit of 2.1 months and an incremental cost of $34,841/QALY. Among nonsmokers, annual screening produced a QALY benefit in some cases, but the incremental cost was not below the WTP threshold for any patient subsets. As age at HL diagnosis increased, earlier initiation of screening improved outcomes. Sensitivity analyses revealed that the model was most sensitive to the lung cancer incidence and mortality rates and expected stage-shift from screening. Conclusions: HL survivors are an important high-risk population that may benefit from screening, especially those treated in the past with large radiation fields including mantle or involved-field RT. Screening

  18. Survey of the Role of Combined Screening Method with Ultrasonography in the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Gharekhanloo

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: The breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and in recent years it is seen in younger ages. Because of dense breast tissue in these ages, the mammography sensitivity for breast cancer detection is reduced, so high quality ultrasonography (US as a combined screening method is effective. The aim of this study is the evaluation of the mammographic finding with the positive finding of ultrasonogarphy.Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study 300 cases were referred to the Mehr Medical Imaging Center for breast US and sonography of breast and axilla was performed. Mammography before or after US was also performed by another radiologist. All suspicious patients were referred for biopsy or surgery.Results: Mean age of patients was 46 y/o with the range of 32-76 y/o. Pathologic specimens approved malignancy in 21 patients and abscess in 1 patient. The most frequent symptom was palpable breast mass with mean diameter of 29 mm. Mean diameter of lymph nodes was 17.3 mm. Positive mammographic findings were seen in 85.7%and negative findings or only an asymmetric density in 14.3%.Conclusion: According to dense breast tissue especially in young women sensitivity of single screening by mammography is reduced in breast cancer detection, so combined screening with sonography and mammography especially in younger women improves the detection rate of breast carcinoma. (Sci J Hamadan Univ Med Sci 2011;17(4:57-60

  19. Medical auditing of whole-breast screening ultrasonography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Min Jung

    2017-07-01

    Since breast ultrasonography (US) has been used as an adjunctive screening modality in women with dense breasts, the need has arisen to evaluate and monitor its possible harm and benefits in comparison with other screening modalities such as mammography. Recently, the fifth edition of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System published by the American College of Radiology has suggested auditing methods for screening breast US. However, the method proposed therein is slightly different from how diagnostic performance was calculated in previous studies on screening breast US. In this article, the background and core aspects of medical audits of breast cancer screening will be reviewed to provide an introduction to the medical auditing of screening breast US, with the goal of helping radiologists to understand and identify potential ways to improve outcomes.

  20. Medical auditing of whole-breast screening ultrasonography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Min Jung [Dept. of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-07-15

    Since breast ultrasonography (US) has been used as an adjunctive screening modality in women with dense breasts, the need has arisen to evaluate and monitor its possible harm and benefits in comparison with other screening modalities such as mammography. Recently, the fifth edition of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System published by the American College of Radiology has suggested auditing methods for screening breast US. However, the method proposed therein is slightly different from how diagnostic performance was calculated in previous studies on screening breast US. In this article, the background and core aspects of medical audits of breast cancer screening will be reviewed to provide an introduction to the medical auditing of screening breast US, with the goal of helping radiologists to understand and identify potential ways to improve outcomes.

  1. Loading of free radicals on the functional graphene combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry screening method for the detection of radical-scavenging natural antioxidants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Guoying; Shi, Gaofeng; Chen, Xuefu; Chen, Fuwen; Yao, Ruixing; Wang, Zhenju

    2013-11-13

    A novel free radical reaction combined with liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (FRR-LC-PDA-ESI/APCI-MS/MS) screening method was developed for the detection and identification of radical-scavenging natural antioxidants. Functionalized graphene was prepared by chemical method for loading free radicals (superoxide radical, peroxyl radical and PAHs free radical). Separation was performed with and without a preliminary exposure of the sample to specific free radicals on the functionalized graphene, which can facilitate reaction kinetics (charge transfers) between free radicals and potential antioxidants. The difference in chromatographic peak areas is used to identify potential antioxidants. The structure of the antioxidants in one sample (Swertia chirayita) is identified using MS/MS and comparison with standards. Thirteen compounds were found to possess potential antioxidant activity, and their free radical-scavenging capacities were investigated. The thirteen compounds were identified as 1,3,5-trihydroxyxanthone-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (PD1), norswertianin (PD2), 1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone (PD3), 3, 3', 4', 5, 8-penta hydroxyflavone-6-β-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid-6'-pentopyranose-7-O-glucopyranoside (PD4), 1,5,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone (PD5), swertiamarin (PS1), 2-C-β-D-glucopyranosyl-1,3,7-trihydroxylxanthone (PS2), 1,3,7-trihydroxylxanthone-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (PL1), 1,3,8-trihydroxyl xanthone-5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (PL2), 1,3,7-trihydroxy-8-methoxyxanthone (PL3), 1,2,3-trihydroxy-7,8-dimethoxyxanthone (PL4), 1,8-dihydroxy-2,6-dimethoxy xanthone (PL5) and 1,3,5,8-tetramethoxydecussatin (PL6). The reactivity and SC50 values of those compounds were investigated, respectively. PD4 showed the strongest capability for scavenging PAHs free radical; PL4 showed prominent scavenging capacities in the lipid peroxidation processes; it was found that all components in S. chirayita exhibited weak reactivity in the superoxide

  2. Screening of pollution control and clean-up materials for river chemical spills using the multiple case-based reasoning method with a difference-driven revision strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Rentao; Jiang, Jiping; Guo, Liang; Shi, Bin; Liu, Jie; Du, Zhaolin; Wang, Peng

    2016-06-01

    In-depth filtering of emergency disposal technology (EDT) and materials has been required in the process of environmental pollution emergency disposal. However, an urgent problem that must be solved is how to quickly and accurately select the most appropriate materials for treating a pollution event from the existing spill control and clean-up materials (SCCM). To meet this need, the following objectives were addressed in this study. First, the material base and a case base for environment pollution emergency disposal were established to build a foundation and provide material for SCCM screening. Second, the multiple case-based reasoning model method with a difference-driven revision strategy (DDRS-MCBR) was applied to improve the original dual case-based reasoning model method system, and screening and decision-making was performed for SCCM using this model. Third, an actual environmental pollution accident from 2012 was used as a case study to verify the material base, case base, and screening model. The results demonstrated that the DDRS-MCBR method was fast, efficient, and practical. The DDRS-MCBR method changes the passive situation in which the choice of SCCM screening depends only on the subjective experience of the decision maker and offers a new approach to screening SCCM.

  3. Material characterisation and preliminary mechanical design for the HL-LHC shielded beam screens operating at cryogenic temperatures

    CERN Document Server

    Garion, C; Koettig, T; Machiocha, W; Morrone, M

    2015-01-01

    The High Luminosity LHC project (HL-LHC) aims at increasing the luminosity (rate of collisions) in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments by a factor of 10 beyond the original design value (from 300 to 3000 fb-1). It relies on new superconducting magnets, installed close to the interaction points, equipped with new beam screen. This component has to ensure the vacuum performance together with shielding the cold mass from physics debris and screening the cold bore cryogenic system from beam induced heating. The beam screen operates in the range 40-60 K whereas the magnet cold bore temperature is 1.9 K. A tungsten-based material is used to absorb the energy of particles. In this paper, measurements of the mechanical and physical properties of such tungsten material are shown at room and cryogenic temperature. In addition, the design and the thermal mechanical behaviour of the beam screen assembly are presented also. They include the heat transfer from the tungsten absorbers to the cooling pipes and the sup...

  4. [Multi-residue method for screening of pesticides in crops by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanizawa, Haruna; Shima, Mikie; Ikehara, Chieko; Kobata, Masakazu; Sato, Motoaki

    2005-10-01

    A simple and rapid method was developed for the screening of 82 pesticides/metabolites in a wide variety of crops, using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). After extraction with methanol, the filtered extracts were made up to 100 mL and a 2 mL aliquot was subjected to solid-phase extraction. Co-extractives were removed with a C18 mini-column, while pesticides were retained on 3 kinds of mini-columns (HLB, SAX, activated carbon), and then eluted with acetonitrile. Analysis was performed by LC/MS/MS, and MS acquisition parameters were established in positive and negative ESI modes. The utility of the method was demonstrated by the analysis of 6 crops (carrot, cabbage, onion, spinach, lemon, brown rice) and one mixed vegetable juice. Of 82 compounds tested, 75 in carrot and 62 in lemon were obtained with recoveries ranging from 70-120%. For all samples tested, 75 compounds could be obtained with recoveries of over 50%, and the detection limits of most compounds were lower than 0.01 microg/g. This method provides acceptable performance for analysis of these 75 compounds. Further, by using aliquots of the extracts with small-scale mini-columns, purified samples could be obtained. This proposed method with small matrix effects, is effective and suitable for screening of multiple residual pesticides by using LC/MS/MS.

  5. Screening diagnostic program breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Portnoj, L.M.; Zhakova, I.I.; Budnikova, N.V.; Rukhlyadko, E.D.

    1995-01-01

    The authors propose their screening program for detection of breast cancer. It includes the entire complex of present-day screening diagnostic methods, starting from an original system for the formation of groups at risk of breast cancer and completed by the direct diagnostic model of detection of the condition, oriented at a differentiated approach to the use of mammographic techniques. The proposed organizational and methodologic screening measures are both economic and diagnostically effective, thus meeting the principal requirements to screening programs. Screening of 8541 risk-groups patients helped detect 867 nodular formations, 244 of which were cancer and 623 benign formations. 8 refs., 3 figs.,

  6. Estimation of Pap-test coverage in an area with an organised screening program: challenges for survey methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raggi Patrizio

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The cytological screening programme of Viterbo has completed the second round of invitations to the entire target population (age 25–64. From a public health perspective, it is important to know the Pap-test coverage rate and the use of opportunistic screening. The most commonly used study design is the survey, but the validity of self-reports and the assumptions made about non respondents are often questioned. Methods From the target population, 940 women were sampled, and responded to a telephone interview about Pap-test utilisation. The answers were compared with the screening program registry; comparing the dates of Pap-tests reported by both sources. Sensitivity analyses were performed for coverage over a 36-month period, according to various assumptions regarding non respondents. Results The response rate was 68%. The coverage over 36 months was 86.4% if we assume that non respondents had the same coverage as respondents, 66% if we assume they were not covered at all, and 74.6% if we adjust for screening compliance in the non respondents. The sensitivity and specificity of the question, "have you ever had a Pap test with the screening programme" were 84.5% and 82.2% respectively. The test dates reported in the interview tended to be more recent than those reported in the registry, but 68% were within 12 months of each other. Conclusion Surveys are useful tools to understand the effectiveness of a screening programme and women's self-report was sufficiently reliable in our setting, but the coverage estimates were strongly influenced by the assumptions we made regarding non respondents.

  7. Screening for colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Jin; Efron, Jonathan E

    2011-01-01

    March is national colorectal cancer awareness month. It is estimated that as many as 60% of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented if all men and women aged 50 years or older were screened routinely. In 2000, Katie Couric's televised colonoscopy led to a 20% increase in screening colonoscopies across America, a stunning rise called the "Katie Couric Effect". This event demonstrated how celebrity endorsement affects health behavior. Currently, discussion is ongoing about the optimal strategy for CRC screening, particularly the costs of screening colonoscopy. The current CRC screening guidelines are summarized in Table 2. Debates over the optimum CRC screening test continue in the face of evidence that 22 million Americans aged 50 to 75 years are not screened for CRC by any modality and 25,000 of those lives may have been saved if they had been screened for CRC. It is clear that improving screening rates and reducing disparities in underscreened communities and population subgroups could further reduce colorectal cancer morbidity and mortality. National Institutes of Health consensus identified the following priority areas to enhance the use and quality of colorectal cancer screening: Eliminate financial barriers to colorectal cancer screening and appropriate follow-up of positive results of colorectal cancer screening. Develop systems to ensure the high quality of colorectal cancer screening programs. Conduct studies to determine the comparative effectiveness of the various colorectal cancer screening methods in usual practice settings. Encouraging population adherence to screening tests and allowing patients to select the tests they prefer may do more good (as long as they choose something) than whatever procedure is chosen by the medical profession as the preferred test.

  8. Screening for depression in epilepsy clinics. A comparison of conventional and visual-analog methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rampling, Jeremy; Mitchell, Alex J; Von Oertzen, Tim; Docker, James; Jackson, Jemima; Cock, Hannah; Agrawal, Niruj

    2012-10-01

    Depression is an important but underdiagnosed complication of epilepsy. This study compares potentially suitable screening tools head-to-head. We enrolled 266 attendees with a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy at a specialized neurologic epilepsy service in London and compared verbal self-report and visual analog (VAS) screening methods for depression. These included two generic depression scales (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS], Beck Depression Inventory II [BDI-II]), one epilepsy specific scale (Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy [NDDI-E]) and one new visual-analog scale (Emotional Thermometers [ET]). We used Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for major depression and International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) criteria for depressive episode as the reference standard. Against ICD-10-defined depression the most accurate scales by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve area were HADS Total (HADS-T, 0.924), BDI-II (0.898) and NDDI-E (0.897). New visual-analog methods had similar accuracy measured either in combination or individually. Although no test performed well in a case-finding role, several performed well as a rule-out initial step, owing to high negative predictive value and specificity. In this role, the optimal performing conventional tools were the HADS depression subsscale (HADS-D) and the NDDI-E and the optimal single VAS were the depression thermometer (DepT) and the distress thermometer (DT). Against DSM-IV- defined major depression, results were similar with optimal performance by the HADS-T, BDI-II, and NDDI-E, but here the anxiety thermometer (AnxT) as well as DepT and DT also offered good performance. Given that no test performed well in a case-finding role, we suggest that these tests are used as an initial first step to rule out patients who are unlikely to have depression. We suggest that the six-item NDDI-E or seven-item HADS

  9. Preliminary Axial Flow Turbine Design and Off-Design Performance Analysis Methods for Rotary Wing Aircraft Engines. Part 1; Validation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shu-cheng, S.

    2009-01-01

    For the preliminary design and the off-design performance analysis of axial flow turbines, a pair of intermediate level-of-fidelity computer codes, TD2-2 (design; reference 1) and AXOD (off-design; reference 2), are being evaluated for use in turbine design and performance prediction of the modern high performance aircraft engines. TD2-2 employs a streamline curvature method for design, while AXOD approaches the flow analysis with an equal radius-height domain decomposition strategy. Both methods resolve only the flows in the annulus region while modeling the impact introduced by the blade rows. The mathematical formulations and derivations involved in both methods are documented in references 3, 4 for TD2-2) and in reference 5 (for AXOD). The focus of this paper is to discuss the fundamental issues of applicability and compatibility of the two codes as a pair of companion pieces, to perform preliminary design and off-design analysis for modern aircraft engine turbines. Two validation cases for the design and the off-design prediction using TD2-2 and AXOD conducted on two existing high efficiency turbines, developed and tested in the NASA/GE Energy Efficient Engine (GE-E3) Program, the High Pressure Turbine (HPT; two stages, air cooled) and the Low Pressure Turbine (LPT; five stages, un-cooled), are provided in support of the analysis and discussion presented in this paper.

  10. On the Evaluation Overlap Integrals with the Same and Different Screening Parameters Over Slater Type Orbitals via the Fourier-Transform Method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yavuz, M.; Yuekcue, N.; Oeztekin, E.; Yilmaz, H.; Doenduer, S.

    2005-01-01

    In this paper, derivation of analytical expressions for overlap integrals with the same and different screening parameters of Slater type orbitals (STOs) via the Fourier-transform method is presented. Consequently, it is relatively easy to express the Fourier integral representations of the overlap integrals with same and different screening parameters mentioned as finite sums of Gegenbauer, Gaunt, binomial coefficients, and STOs.

  11. Instrument to screen cases of pervasive developmental disorder: a preliminary indication of validity Instrumento para rastreamento dos casos de transtorno invasivo do desenvolvimento: estudo preliminar de validação

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fábio Pinato Sato

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To translate into Portuguese, back-translate, culturally adapt and validate a screening instrument for pervasive developmental disorder, the Autism Screening Questionnaire, for use in Brazil. METHOD: A sample of 120 patients was selected based on three groups of 40: patients with a clinical diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder, Down syndrome, or other psychiatric disorders. The self-administered questionnaire was applied to the patients' legal guardians. Psychometric measures of the final version of the translated questionnaire were tested. RESULTS: The score of 15 had sensitivity of 92.5% and specificity of 95.5% as a cut-off point for the diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder. Internal validity for a total of 40 questions was 0.895 for alpha and 0.896 for KR-20, ranging from 0.6 to 0.8 for both coefficients. Test and retest reliability values showed strong agreement for most questions. CONCLUSIONS: The final version of this instrument, translated into Portuguese and adapted to the Brazilian culture, had satisfactory measurement properties, suggesting preliminary validation proprieties. It was an easy-to-apply, useful tool for the diagnostic screening of individuals with pervasive developmental disorder.OBJETIVO: Tradução, retro-versão, adaptação cultural e validação do Autism Screening Questionnaire para a língua portuguesa e para o seu uso no Brasil. MÉTODO: Foi selecionada uma amostra inicial de 120 pacientes, encaminhados de duas clínicas privadas e uma pública, divida em três grupos de 40 pacientes distintos: pacientes com diagnóstico clínico de transtornos globais do desenvolvimento ou transtornos invasivos do desenvolvimento; de síndrome de Down e de outros transtornos psiquiátricos. O questionário foi aplicado aos responsáveis legais dos pacientes seguindo os padrões de um questionário auto-aplicável. As medidas psicométricas do questionário traduzido, na sua versão final, foram

  12. Optimization of TRPV6 Calcium Channel Inhibitors Using a 3D Ligand-Based Virtual Screening Method.

    OpenAIRE

    Simonin Céline; Awale Mahendra; Brand Michael; van Deursen Ruud; Schwartz Julian; Fine Michael; Kovacs Gergely; Häfliger Pascal; Gyimesi Gergely; Sithampari Abilashan; Charles Roch-Philippe; Hediger Matthias A; Reymond Jean-Louis

    2015-01-01

    Herein we report the discovery of the first potent and selective inhibitor of TRPV6 a calcium channel overexpressed in breast and prostate cancer and its use to test the effect of blocking TRPV6 mediated Ca(2+) influx on cell growth. The inhibitor was discovered through a computational method xLOS a 3D shape and pharmacophore similarity algorithm a type of ligand based virtual screening (LBVS) method described briefly here. Starting with a single weakly active seed molecule two successive rou...

  13. Inventions on GUI for Touch Sensitive Screens

    OpenAIRE

    Mishra, Umakant

    2014-01-01

    A touch sensitive screen displays the information on the screen and also receives the input by sensing a user's touch on the same screen. This mechanism facilitates system interaction directly through the screen without needing a mouse or keyboard. This method has the advantage to make the system compact by removing keyboard, mouse and similar interactive device. However there are certain difficulties to implement a touch screen interface. The display screens of portable devices are becoming ...

  14. Preliminary study of elemental analysis of hydroxyapatite used neutron activation analysis method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yustinus Purwamargapratala; Rina Mulyaningsih

    2010-01-01

    Preliminary study has been carried out elemental analysis of hydroxyapatite synthesized using the method of neutron activation analysis. Hydroxyapatite is the main component constituent of bones and teeth which can be synthesized from limestone and phosphoric acid. Hydroxyapatite can be used as a bone substitute material and human and animal teeth. Tests on the metal content is necessary to prevent the risk of damage to bones and teeth due to contamination. Results of analysis using neutron activation analysis method with samples irradiated at the neutron flux 10"3 n.det"-"1cm"-"2 for one minute, the impurities of Al (48.60±6.47 mg/kg), CI (38.00±7.47 mg/kg), Mn (1.05±0.19 mg/kg), and Mg (2095.30±203.66 mg/kg), were detected, whereas with irradiation time for 10 minutes and 40 minutes with a time decay of three days there were K (103.89 ± 26.82 mg/kg), Br (1617.06 ± 193.66 mg/kg), and Na (125.10±9.57 mg/kg). These results indicate that there is impurity Al, CI, Mn, Mg, Br, K and Na, although in very small amounts and do not cause damage to bones and teeth. (author)

  15. Gravimetric screening method for fungal decay of paper: inoculation with Trametes versicolor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Råberg, Ulrika; Hafrén, Jonas

    2009-10-01

    The European standard test EN 113 for fungal degradation of solid wood has been adapted for degradation of paper by white rot fungus (Trametes versicolor). Fungal degradation of paper sheets may potentially be used for screening different wood preservatives on paper instead of solid wood. The paper samples showed higher relative mass losses compared to wood, and samples pretreated with boric acid, copper sulfate and polymerized linseed oil were successfully tested for biodegradation using the paper sheet method. The results on paper degradation were compared with wood, both as wood blocks (according to standard test) and wood cut in sections forming layered structures mimicking paper layers.

  16. Screening of alternative methods for the disposal of low-level radioactive wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Macbeth, P.J.; Thamer, B.J.; Christensen, D.E.; Wehmann, G.

    1978-10-01

    A systematic method for categorizing these disposal alternatives which provides assurance that no viable alternatives are overlooked is reported. Alternatives are categorized by (1) the general media in which disposal occurs, (2) by whether the disposal method can be considered as dispersal, containment or elimination of the wastes, and (3) by the applicability of the disposal method to the possible physical waste forms. A literature survey was performed and pertinent references listed for the various alternatives discussed. A bibliography is given which provides coverage of published information on low-level radioactive waste management options. The extensive list of disposal alternatives identified was screened and the most viable choices were selected for further evaluation. A Technical Advisory Panel met and reviewed the results. Suggestions from that meeting and other comments are discussed. The most viable options selected for further evaluation are: (1) improving present shallow land burial practices; (2) deeper depth burial; (3) disposal in cavities; (4) disposal in exposed or buried structures; and (5) ocean disposal. 42 references

  17. Developments in Colorectal Cancer Screening

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... of this page please turn JavaScript on. Feature: Colorectal Cancer Developments in Colorectal Cancer Screening Past Issues / Summer 2016 Table of ... at the National Cancer Institute, shared developments in colorectal cancer screening methods with NIH MedlinePlus magazine. What ...

  18. A powerful nonparametric method for detecting differentially co-expressed genes: distance correlation screening and edge-count test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qingyang

    2018-05-16

    Differential co-expression analysis, as a complement of differential expression analysis, offers significant insights into the changes in molecular mechanism of different phenotypes. A prevailing approach to detecting differentially co-expressed genes is to compare Pearson's correlation coefficients in two phenotypes. However, due to the limitations of Pearson's correlation measure, this approach lacks the power to detect nonlinear changes in gene co-expression which is common in gene regulatory networks. In this work, a new nonparametric procedure is proposed to search differentially co-expressed gene pairs in different phenotypes from large-scale data. Our computational pipeline consisted of two main steps, a screening step and a testing step. The screening step is to reduce the search space by filtering out all the independent gene pairs using distance correlation measure. In the testing step, we compare the gene co-expression patterns in different phenotypes by a recently developed edge-count test. Both steps are distribution-free and targeting nonlinear relations. We illustrate the promise of the new approach by analyzing the Cancer Genome Atlas data and the METABRIC data for breast cancer subtypes. Compared with some existing methods, the new method is more powerful in detecting nonlinear type of differential co-expressions. The distance correlation screening can greatly improve computational efficiency, facilitating its application to large data sets.

  19. Exploratory shaft facility preliminary designs - Gulf Interior Region salt domes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-09-01

    The purpose of the Preliminary Design Report, Gulf Interior Region, is to provide a description of the preliminary design for an Exploratory Shaft Facility on the Richton Dome, Mississippi. This issue of the report describes the preliminary design for constructing the exploratory shaft using the Large Hole Drilling method of construction and outlines the preliminary design and estimates of probable construction cost. The Preliminary Design Report is prepared to complement and summarize other documents that comprise the design at the preliminary stage of completion, December 1982. Other design documents include drawings, cost estimates and schedules. The preliminary design drawing package, which includes the construction schedule drawing, depicts the descriptions in this report. For reference, a list of the drawing titles and corresponding numbers are included in the Appendix. The report is divided into three principal sections: Design Basis, Facility Description and Construction Cost Estimate

  20. Evaluation of Dried Urine Spot Method to Screen Cotinine among Tobacco Dependents: An Exploratory Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Raka; Quraishi, Rizwana; Verma, Arpita

    2017-01-01

    Assessment of cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine in body fluids, is an important approach for validating the self-report among tobacco users. Adaptation of assays on dried urine spots (DUSs) has advantages of ease of collection, transportation, minimal invasiveness, and requirement of small volume. The aim of the present study was to develop an efficient method for testing cotinine in DUSs and evaluating its clinical applicability. This involved optimization of conditions for detection, recovery, and stability of cotinine from dried urine, spotted on filter paper. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for screening, whereas confirmation was done by gas chromatography. For clinical applicability, urine samples of tobacco users were tested. Water was found to be a suitable extracting solvent as compared to carbonate-bicarbonate buffer (pH 9.2) and saline. Screening was achieved by two punches taken from a 20 μl (diameter 1.3 cm) spotted urine samples, and confirmation was achieved by five complete circles each of 20 μl sample volume. The recovery was found to be 97% in water. Limit of detection for the method was found to be 100 ng/ml. No signs of significant degradation were found under all storage conditions. All the urine samples of tobacco users were found to be positive by a conventional method as well as DUSs, and the method proved to be efficient. DUS samples are a useful alternative for biological monitoring of recent nicotine use, especially in developing countries where sample logistics could be an important concern.

  1. Prostate cancer mortality in screen and clinically detected prostate cancer : Estimating the screening benefit

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Leeuwen, Pim J.; Connolly, David; Gavin, Anna; Roobol, Monique J.; Black, Amanda; Bangma, Chris H.; Schroder, Fritz H.

    Background: To estimate the benefits of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening on prostate cancer (Pca) metastasis and Pca-specific mortality, we compared two populations with a well-defined difference in intensity of screening. Methods: Between 1997 and 1999, a total of 11,970 men, aged 55-74

  2. Testing a Preliminary Live with Love Conceptual Framework for cancer couple dyads: A mixed-methods study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qiuping; Xu, Yinghua; Zhou, Huiya; Loke, Alice Yuen

    2015-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to test the previous proposed Preliminary Live with Love Conceptual Framework (P-LLCF) that focuses on spousal caregiver-patient couples in their journey of coping with cancer as dyads. A mixed-methods study that included qualitative and quantitative approaches was conducted. Methods of concept and theory analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were applied in testing the P-LLCF. In the qualitative approach in testing the concepts included in the P-LLCF, a comparison was made between the P-LLCF with a preliminary conceptual framework derived from focus group interviews among Chinese couples' coping with cancer. The comparison showed that the concepts identified in the P-LLCF are relevant to the phenomenon under scrutiny, and attributes of the concepts are consistent with those identified among Chinese cancer couple dyads. In the quantitative study, 117 cancer couples were recruited. The findings showed that inter-relationships exist among the components included in the P-LLCF: event situation, dyadic mediators, dyadic appraisal, dyadic coping, and dyadic outcomes. In that the event situation will impact the dyadic outcomes directly or indirectly through Dyadic Mediators. The dyadic mediators, dyadic appraisal, and dyadic coping are interrelated and work together to benefit the dyadic outcomes. This study provides evidence that supports the interlinked components and the relationship included in the P-LLCF. The findings of this study are important in that they provide healthcare professionals with guidance and directions according to the P-LLCF on how to plan supportive programs for couples coping with cancer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Application of microarray and functional-based screening methods for the detection of antimicrobial resistance genes in the microbiomes of healthy humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roderick M Card

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to screen for the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes within the saliva and faecal microbiomes of healthy adult human volunteers from five European countries. Two non-culture based approaches were employed to obviate potential bias associated with difficult to culture members of the microbiota. In a gene target-based approach, a microarray was employed to screen for the presence of over 70 clinically important resistance genes in the saliva and faecal microbiomes. A total of 14 different resistance genes were detected encoding resistances to six antibiotic classes (aminoglycosides, β-lactams, macrolides, sulphonamides, tetracyclines and trimethoprim. The most commonly detected genes were erm(B, blaTEM, and sul2. In a functional-based approach, DNA prepared from pooled saliva samples was cloned into Escherichia coli and screened for expression of resistance to ampicillin or sulphonamide, two of the most common resistances found by array. The functional ampicillin resistance screen recovered genes encoding components of a predicted AcrRAB efflux pump. In the functional sulphonamide resistance screen, folP genes were recovered encoding mutant dihydropteroate synthase, the target of sulphonamide action. The genes recovered from the functional screens were from the chromosomes of commensal species that are opportunistically pathogenic and capable of exchanging DNA with related pathogenic species. Genes identified by microarray were not recovered in the activity-based screen, indicating that these two methods can be complementary in facilitating the identification of a range of resistance mechanisms present within the human microbiome. It also provides further evidence of the diverse reservoir of resistance mechanisms present in bacterial populations in the human gut and saliva. In future the methods described in this study can be used to monitor changes in the resistome in response to antibiotic therapy.

  4. Transgenic Plants as Low-Cost Platform for Chemotherapeutic Drugs Screening

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniele Vergara

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In this work we explored the possibility of using genetically modified Arabidopsis thaliana plants as a rapid and low-cost screening tool for evaluating human anticancer drugs action and efficacy. Here, four different inhibitors with a validated anticancer effect in humans and distinct mechanism of action were screened in the plant model for their ability to interfere with the cytoskeletal and endomembrane networks. We used plants expressing a green fluorescent protein (GFP tagged microtubule-protein (TUA6-GFP, and three soluble GFPs differently sorted to reside in the endoplasmic reticulum (GFPKDEL or to accumulate in the vacuole through a COPII dependent (AleuGFP or independent (GFPChi mechanism. Our results demonstrated that drugs tested alone or in combination differentially influenced the monitored cellular processes including cytoskeletal organization and endomembrane trafficking. In conclusion, we demonstrated that A. thaliana plants are sensitive to the action of human chemotherapeutics and can be used for preliminary screening of drugs efficacy. The cost-effective subcellular imaging in plant cell may contribute to better clarify drugs subcellular targets and their anticancer effects.

  5. Reliability of self-reported eating disorders : Optimizing population screening

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Keski-Rahkonen, Anna; Sihvola, Elina; Raevuori, Anu; Kaukoranta, Jutta; Bulik, Cynthia M.; Hoek, Hans W.; Rissanen, Aila; Kaprio, Jaakko

    2006-01-01

    Objective: The objective of this study was to assess whether short self-report eating disorder screening questions are useful population screening methods. Method: We screened the female participants (N = 2881) from the 1975-1079 birth cohorts of Finnish twins for eating disorders, using several

  6. Rasa Nirdhāraṇa (assessment of taste of Leonotis nepetifolia (L. R. Br.: A preliminary study in healthy volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reshmi Pushpan

    2014-01-01

    Results and Conclusion: On analyzing the data it was found that Leonotis nepetifolia possess predominantly tikta rasa (bitter taste followed by Kasāya rasa (astringent taste. Recent researches and ethnomedicinal claims on Leonotis nepetifolia stand comparable with the pharmacological activities attributed to tikta and kasāya rasa in Ayurvedic classics Rasa nirdhāraṇa can be one of the preliminary steps to initiate the process of screening of an unknown drug along the lines of Ayurvedic pharmacology specially because rasa is the only perceivable parameter. According to Ayurveda, rasa of a dravya has a bearing on its karma (pharmacological action and the identification of rasa could be one of the subjective means for inferring pāρcabhautika constitution of a substance which in turn could help in tentatively inferring guṇa, vîrya and vipāka of the dravya. This paper demonstrates how a simple method can be used without any instruments to do a preliminary assessment of the rasa or taste of a plant.

  7. Use of ecotoxicological screening action levels in ecological risk assessment at Los Alamos National Laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ferenbauah, R.; Ebinger, M.; Gallegos, A.; Hansen, W.; Myers, O.; Wenzel, W.

    1995-01-01

    Regulatory drivers found in several environmental statutes require that ecological risk assessment and Natural Resource Damage Assessment be performed to assess potential environmental impact from contaminated sites and from proposed remedial alternatives. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, the initial phase of the ecological risk assessment process required preliminary evaluation of contaminated sites to determine whether potential for ecological impact exists. The preliminary evaluations were made using Ecotoxicological Screening Action Levels (ESALS) calculated as a function of reference toxicity dose, body weight, food/water/air intake, and fraction of soil intake with food. Reference toxicity doses were derived from the Environmental Protection Agency Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) and Health Effects Assessment Summary Tables (HEAST) toxicology databases. Other parameters required for ESAL calculations were derived from physiological, metabolic, and behavioral data available in the literature. The Los Alamos ESALs were derived for guilds of animals with similar behavioral patterns, which were identified from natural resource survey data collected at Los Alamos. Subsequent to development of Ecotoxicological Screening Action Levels, Hazard Quotients, which are ratios of soil concentrations to Ecotoxicological Screening Action Levels, were calculated for potential contaminants of concern. The Hazard Quotients were used to identify which potential contaminants of concern should be evaluated further for ecological impact. There is potential for ecological impact when the Hazard Quotient is equal to or greater than one

  8. Bioinformatics Methods for Learning Radiation-Induced Lung Inflammation from Heterogeneous Retrospective and Prospective Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah J. Spencer

    2009-01-01

    archives. In addition, biomarkers for this model are extracted from a prospective clinical trial that collects blood serum samples at multiple time points. We utilize a 3-way proteomics methodology to screen for differentially expressed proteins that are related to RP. Our preliminary results demonstrate that kernel methods can capture nonlinear dose-volume interactions, but fail to address missing biological factors. Our proteomics strategy yielded promising protein candidates, but their role in RP as well as their interactions with dose-volume metrics remain to be determined.

  9. Material characterisation and preliminary mechanical design for the HL-LHC shielded beam screens operating at cryogenic temperatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garion, C.; Dufay-Chanat, L.; Koettig, T.; Machiocha, W.; Morrone, M.

    2015-12-01

    The High Luminosity LHC project (HL-LHC) aims at increasing the luminosity (rate of collisions) in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments by a factor of 10 beyond the original design value (from 300 to 3000 fb-1). It relies on new superconducting magnets, installed close to the interaction points, equipped with new beam screen. This component has to ensure the vacuum performance together with shielding the cold mass from physics debris and screening the cold bore cryogenic system from beam induced heating. The beam screen operates in the range 40-60 K whereas the magnet cold bore temperature is 1.9 K. A tungsten-based material is used to absorb the energy of particles. In this paper, measurements of the mechanical and physical properties of such tungsten material are shown at room and cryogenic temperature. In addition, the design and the thermal mechanical behaviour of the beam screen assembly are presented also. They include the heat transfer from the tungsten absorbers to the cooling pipes and the supporting system that has to minimise the heat inleak into the cold mass. The behaviour during a magnet quench is also presented.

  10. Material characterisation and preliminary mechanical design for the HL-LHC shielded beam screens operating at cryogenic temperatures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garion, C; Dufay-Chanat, L; Koettig, T; Machiocha, W; Morrone, M

    2015-01-01

    The High Luminosity LHC project (HL-LHC) aims at increasing the luminosity (rate of collisions) in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments by a factor of 10 beyond the original design value (from 300 to 3000 fb -1 ). It relies on new superconducting magnets, installed close to the interaction points, equipped with new beam screen. This component has to ensure the vacuum performance together with shielding the cold mass from physics debris and screening the cold bore cryogenic system from beam induced heating. The beam screen operates in the range 40-60 K whereas the magnet cold bore temperature is 1.9 K. A tungsten-based material is used to absorb the energy of particles. In this paper, measurements of the mechanical and physical properties of such tungsten material are shown at room and cryogenic temperature. In addition, the design and the thermal mechanical behaviour of the beam screen assembly are presented also. They include the heat transfer from the tungsten absorbers to the cooling pipes and the supporting system that has to minimise the heat inleak into the cold mass. The behaviour during a magnet quench is also presented. (paper)

  11. Efficient screening methods for glucosyltransferase genes in Lactobacillus strains

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kralj, S; van Geel-schutten, GH; van der Maarel, MJEC; Dijkhuizen, L

    Limited information is available about homopolysaccharide synthesis in the genus Lactobacillus . Using efficient screening techniques, extracellular glucosyltransferase (GTF) enzyme activity, resulting in alpha-glucan synthesis from sucrose, was detected in various lactobacilli. PCR with degenerate

  12. Efficient screening methods for glucosyltransferase genes in Lactobacillus strains

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kralj, S.; Geel van - Schutten, G.H.; Maarel, M.J.E.C. van der; Dijkhuizen, L.

    2003-01-01

    Limited information is available about homopolysaccharide synthesis in the genus Lactobacillus. Using efficient screening techniques, extracellular glucosyltransferase (GTF) enzyme activity, resulting in α-glucan synthesis from sucrose, was detected in various lactobacilli. PCR with degenerate

  13. Physics in Screening Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Certik, Ondrej

    In the current study, we investigated atoms in screening environments like plasmas. It is common practice to extract physical data, such as temperature and electron densities, from plasma experiments. We present results that address inherent computational difficulties that arise when the screening approach is extended to include the interaction between the atomic electrons. We show that there may arise an ambiguity in the interpretation of physical properties, such as temperature and charge density, from experimental data due to the opposing effects of electron-nucleus screening and electron-electron screening. The focus of the work, however, is on the resolution of inherent computational challenges that appear in the computation of two-particle matrix elements. Those enter already at the Hartree-Fock level. Furthermore, as examples of post Hartree-Fock calculations, we show second-order Green's function results and many body perturbation theory results of second order. A self-contained derivation of all necessary equations has been included. The accuracy of the implementation of the method is established by comparing standard unscreened results for various atoms and molecules against literature for Hartree-Fock as well as Green's function and many body perturbation theory. The main results of the thesis are presented in the chapter called Screened Results, where the behavior of several atomic systems depending on electron-electron and electron-nucleus Debye screening was studied. The computer code that we have developed has been made available for anybody to use. Finally, we present and discuss results obtained for screened interactions. We also examine thoroughly the computational details of the calculations and particular implementations of the method.

  14. Colorimetry and SERS dual-mode detection of telomerase activity: combining rapid screening with high sensitivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zong, Shenfei; Wang, Zhuyuan; Chen, Hui; Hu, Guohua; Liu, Min; Chen, Peng; Cui, Yiping

    2014-01-01

    As an important biomarker and therapeutic target, telomerase has attracted considerable attention concerning its detection and monitoring. Here, we present a colorimetry and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) dual-mode telomerase activity detection method, which has several distinctive advantages. First, colorimetric functionality allows rapid preliminary discrimination of telomerase activity by the naked eye. Second, the employment of SERS technique results in greatly improved detection sensitivity. Third, the combination of colorimetry and SERS into one detection system can ensure highly efficacious and sensitive screening of numerous samples. Besides, the avoidance of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedures further guarantees fine reliability and simplicity. Generally, the presented method is realized by an "elongate and capture" procedure. To be specific, gold nanoparticles modified with Raman molecules and telomeric repeat complementary oligonucleotide are employed as the colorimetric-SERS bifunctional reporting nanotag, while magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with telomerase substrate oligonucleotide are used as the capturing substrate. Telomerase can synthesize and elongate telomeric repeats onto the capturing substrate. The elongated telomeric repeats subsequently facilitate capturing of the reporting nanotag via hybridization between telomeric repeat and its complementary strand. The captured nanotags can cause a significant difference in the color and SERS intensity of the magnetically separated sediments. Thus both the color and SERS can be used as indicators of the telomerase activity. With fast screening ability and outstanding sensitivity, we anticipate that this method would greatly promote practical application of telomerase-based early-stage cancer diagnosis.

  15. FSH to estradiol ratio can be used as screening method for mild cognitive impairment in postmenopausal women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hestiantoro, A; Wiwie, M; Shadrina, A; Ibrahim, N; Purba, J S

    2017-12-01

    To determine the role of anthropometric measurement, menopausal symptoms and biochemical marker changes as screening methods for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in postmenopausal women Methods: A cross-sectional study included 282 postmenopausal women in Jakarta, further classified into two groups, with and without MCI. Some related variables such as age, body mass index (BMI), duration of menopause, vasomotor symptoms, hormone levels such as follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone, leptin, estradiol, and cognitive status, were assessed and analyzed. The FSH levels significantly correlated with MCI incidence (p = 0.018), along with the ratio of FSH/estradiol levels (p = 0.029) and ratio of FSH/soluble leptin receptor (p = 0.011), while other variables did not. By multivariate analysis, the ratio of FSH/estradiol was known as the most significant factor with a probability of having MCI in menopausal women of 1.15. Using the ROC curve, the threshold of the ratio FSH/estradiol to predict MCI was 1.94, with sensitivity 66.5% and specificity 46.8%. The ratio of FSH to estradiol (>1.94) can be used as a screening method for the occurrence of MCI in postmenopausal women.

  16. A novel method for screening the glutathione transferase inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Węgrzyn Grzegorz

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Glutathione transferases (GSTs belong to the family of Phase II detoxification enzymes. GSTs catalyze the conjugation of glutathione to different endogenous and exogenous electrophilic compounds. Over-expression of GSTs was demonstrated in a number of different human cancer cells. It has been found that the resistance to many anticancer chemotherapeutics is directly correlated with the over-expression of GSTs. Therefore, it appears to be important to find new GST inhibitors to prevent the resistance of cells to anticancer drugs. In order to search for glutathione transferase (GST inhibitors, a novel method was designed. Results Our results showed that two fragments of GST, named F1 peptide (GYWKIKGLV and F2 peptide (KWRNKKFELGLEFPNL, can significantly inhibit the GST activity. When these two fragments were compared with several known potent GST inhibitors, the order of inhibition efficiency (measured in reactions with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (CDNB and glutathione as substrates was determined as follows: tannic acid > cibacron blue > F2 peptide > hematin > F1 peptide > ethacrynic acid. Moreover, the F1 peptide appeared to be a noncompetitive inhibitor of the GST-catalyzed reaction, while the F2 peptide was determined as a competitive inhibitor of this reaction. Conclusion It appears that the F2 peptide can be used as a new potent specific GST inhibitor. It is proposed that the novel method, described in this report, might be useful for screening the inhibitors of not only GST but also other enzymes.

  17. A Study of Applications of Machine Learning Based Classification Methods for Virtual Screening of Lead Molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vyas, Renu; Bapat, Sanket; Jain, Esha; Tambe, Sanjeev S; Karthikeyan, Muthukumarasamy; Kulkarni, Bhaskar D

    2015-01-01

    The ligand-based virtual screening of combinatorial libraries employs a number of statistical modeling and machine learning methods. A comprehensive analysis of the application of these methods for the diversity oriented virtual screening of biological targets/drug classes is presented here. A number of classification models have been built using three types of inputs namely structure based descriptors, molecular fingerprints and therapeutic category for performing virtual screening. The activity and affinity descriptors of a set of inhibitors of four target classes DHFR, COX, LOX and NMDA have been utilized to train a total of six classifiers viz. Artificial Neural Network (ANN), k nearest neighbor (k-NN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naïve Bayes (NB), Decision Tree--(DT) and Random Forest--(RF). Among these classifiers, the ANN was found as the best classifier with an AUC of 0.9 irrespective of the target. New molecular fingerprints based on pharmacophore, toxicophore and chemophore (PTC), were used to build the ANN models for each dataset. A good accuracy of 87.27% was obtained using 296 chemophoric binary fingerprints for the COX-LOX inhibitors compared to pharmacophoric (67.82%) and toxicophoric (70.64%). The methodology was validated on the classical Ames mutagenecity dataset of 4337 molecules. To evaluate it further, selectivity and promiscuity of molecules from five drug classes viz. anti-anginal, anti-convulsant, anti-depressant, anti-arrhythmic and anti-diabetic were studied. The TPC fingerprints computed for each category were able to capture the drug-class specific features using the k-NN classifier. These models can be useful for selecting optimal molecules for drug design.

  18. A Screening Method for the ALK Fusion Gene in NSCLC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murakami, Yoshiko; Mitsudomi, Tetsuya; Yatabe, Yasushi

    2012-01-01

    Lung cancer research has recently made significant progress in understanding the molecular pathogenesis of lung cancer and in developing treatments for it. Such achievements are directly utilized in clinical practice. Indeed, the echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4–anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion gene was first described in non-small cell lung cancer in 2007, and a molecularly targeted drug against the fusion was approved in 2011. However, lung cancer with the ALK fusion constitutes only a small fraction of lung cancers; therefore, efficient patient selection is crucial for successful treatment using the ALK inhibitor. Currently, RT-PCR, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), and immunohistochemistry are commonly used to detect the ALK fusion. Although FISH is currently the gold standard technique, there are no perfect methods for detecting these genetic alterations. In this article, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method and the possible criteria for selecting patients who are more likely to have the ALK fusion. If we can successfully screen patients, then ALK inhibitor treatment will be the best example of personalized therapy in terms of selecting patients with an uncommon genotype from a larger group with the same tumor phenotype. In other words, the personalized therapy may offer a new challenge for current clinical oncology.

  19. A combined enrichment/polymerase chain reaction based method for the routine screening of Streptococcus agalactiae in pregnant women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F.M. Munari

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Group B Streptococcus (GBS is the most common cause of life-threatening infection in neonates. Guidelines from CDC recommend universal screening of pregnant women for rectovaginal GBS colonization. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of a combined enrichment/PCR based method targeting the atr gene in relation to culture using enrichment with selective broth medium (standard method to identify the presence of GBS in pregnant women. Rectovaginal GBS samples from women at ≥36 weeks of pregnancy were obtained with a swab and analyzed by the two methods. A total of 89 samples were evaluated. The prevalence of positive results for GBS detection was considerable higher when assessed by the combined enrichment/PCR method than with the standard method (35.9% versus 22.5%, respectively. The results demonstrated that the use of selective enrichment broth followed by PCR targeting the atr gene is a highly sensitive, specific and accurate test for GBS screening in pregnant women, allowing the detection of the bacteria even in lightly colonized patients. This PCR methodology may provide a useful diagnostic tool for GBS detection and contributes for a more accurate and effective intrapartum antibiotic and lower newborn mortality and morbidity.

  20. Narrative message targets within the decision-making process to undergo screening colonoscopy among Latinos: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hennelly, Marie Oliva; Sly, Jamilia R; Villagra, Cristina; Jandorf, Lina

    2015-06-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a preventable yet leading cause of cancer mortality among Latinos in the USA. Cultural targeting and narrative messaging are two strategies to increase the low screening colonoscopy rates among Latinos. This study identifies key messages for educational interventions aiming to increase screening colonoscopy used among Latinos and proposes a model to understand the relationship between factors involved in colonoscopy decision-making. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 Latino participants primarily of Puerto Rican descent on the topics of CRC knowledge, barriers and facilitators to colonoscopy use, and the use of narrative in colorectal health messaging. Knowledge about colorectal anatomy and the anesthesia component of colonoscopy procedure is low. Fear of procedure-related pain and fear of treatment-related burden following a cancer diagnosis are significant barriers to colonoscopy. Fear of disease-related suffering and death following a cancer diagnosis and fear of regret are strong facilitators and can be augmented by cancer narratives. Storytelling is commonly used in Latino culture and is an acceptable method to educate the Latino community about CRC screening via colonoscopy. Machismo is a unique barrier to colonoscopy for Latino men via homophobia and reluctance to seek healthcare. A preliminary model to understand factors in colonoscopy decision-making among Latinos is presented. Counseling practices and educational interventions that use culturally targeted narrative health messaging to mediate fears and increase colonoscopy knowledge may increase screening colonoscopy use among Latinos.

  1. Statistical methods for the analysis of a screening test for chronic beryllium disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Frome, E.L.; Neubert, R.L. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States). Mathematical Sciences Section; Smith, M.H.; Littlefield, L.G.; Colyer, S.P. [Oak Ridge Inst. for Science and Education, TN (United States). Medical Sciences Div.

    1994-10-01

    The lymphocyte proliferation test (LPT) is a noninvasive screening procedure used to identify persons who may have chronic beryllium disease. A practical problem in the analysis of LPT well counts is the occurrence of outlying data values (approximately 7% of the time). A log-linear regression model is used to describe the expected well counts for each set of test conditions. The variance of the well counts is proportional to the square of the expected counts, and two resistant regression methods are used to estimate the parameters of interest. The first approach uses least absolute values (LAV) on the log of the well counts to estimate beryllium stimulation indices (SIs) and the coefficient of variation. The second approach uses a resistant regression version of maximum quasi-likelihood estimation. A major advantage of the resistant regression methods is that it is not necessary to identify and delete outliers. These two new methods for the statistical analysis of the LPT data and the outlier rejection method that is currently being used are applied to 173 LPT assays. The authors strongly recommend the LAV method for routine analysis of the LPT.

  2. Screening and classification of ceramic powders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miwa, S.

    1983-01-01

    A summary is given of the classification technology of ceramic powders. Advantages and disadvantages of the wet and dry screening and classification methods are discussed. Improvements of wind force screening devices are described.

  3. A rapid quantification method for the screening indicator for β-thalassemia with near-infrared spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jiemei; Peng, Lijun; Han, Yun; Yao, Lijun; Zhang, Jing; Pan, Tao

    2018-03-01

    Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics was applied to rapidly analyse haemoglobin A2 (HbA2) for β-thalassemia screening in human haemolysate samples. The relative content indicator HbA2 was indirectly quantified by simultaneous analysis of two absolute content indicators (Hb and Hb • HbA2). According to the comprehensive prediction effect of the multiple partitioning of calibration and prediction sets, the parameters were optimized to achieve modelling stability, and the preferred models were validated using the samples not involved in modelling. Savitzky-Golay smoothing was firstly used for the spectral pretreatment. The absorbance optimization partial least squares (AO-PLS) was used to eliminate high-absorption wave-bands appropriately. The equidistant combination PLS (EC-PLS) was further used to optimize wavelength models. The selected optimal models were I = 856 nm, N = 16, G = 1 and F = 6 for Hb and I = 988 nm, N = 12, G = 2 and F = 5 for Hb • HbA2. Through independent validation, the root-mean-square errors and correlation coefficients for prediction (RMSEP, RP) were 3.50 g L- 1 and 0.977 for Hb and 0.38 g L- 1 and 0.917 for Hb • HbA2, respectively. The predicted values of relative percentage HbA2 were further calculated, and the calculated RMSEP and RP were 0.31% and 0.965, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for β-thalassemia both reached 100%. Therefore, the prediction of HbA2 achieved high accuracy for distinguishing β-thalassemia. The local optimal models for single parameter and the optimal equivalent model sets were proposed, providing more models to match possible constraints in practical applications. The NIR analysis method for the screening indicator of β-thalassemia was successfully established. The proposed method was rapid, simple and promising for thalassemia screening in a large population.

  4. Developments and the preliminary tests of Resistive GEMs manufactured by a screen printing technology

    CERN Document Server

    Agócs, G; Oliveira, R; Martinego, P; Peskov, Vladimir; Pietropaolo, P; Picchi, P

    2008-01-01

    We report promising initial results obtained with new resistive-electrode GEM (RETGEM) detectors manufactured, for the first time, using screen printing technology. These new detectors allow one to reach gas gains nearly as high as with ordinary GEM-like detectors with metallic electrodes; however, due to the high resistivity of its electrodes the RETGEM, in contrast to ordinary hole-type detectors, has the advantage of being fully spark protected. We discovered that RETGEMs can operate stably and at high gains in noble gases and in other badly quenched gases, such as mixtures of noble gases with air and in pure air; therefore, a wide range of practical applications, including dosimetry and detection of dangerous gases, is foreseeable. To promote a better understanding of RETGEM technology some comparative studies were completed with metallic-electrode thick GEMs. A primary benefit of these new RETGEMs is that the screen printing technology is easily accessible to many research laboratories. This accessibilit...

  5. Neurodevelopmental delay among children under the age of three years at immunization clinics in Lagos State, Nigeria - Preliminary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakare, Muideen O; Bello-Mojeed, Mashudat A; Munir, Kerim M; Ogun, Oluwayemi C; Eaton, Julian

    2016-04-29

    Late diagnosis and interventions characterize childhood neurodevelopmental disorders in Sub-Saharan Africa. This has negatively impacted on the prognosis of the children with neurodevelopmental disorders. This study examined the prevalence and pattern of neurodevelopmental delays among children under the age of 3 years attending immunization clinics in Lagos State, Nigeria and also affords opportunity of early follow-up and interventions, which had been documented to improve prognosis. The study involved two stage assessments; which consisted of first phase screening of the children for neurodevelopmental delays in immunization clinics at primary healthcare centers Lagos State, Nigeria and second phase which consists of definitive clinical evaluation and follow-up interventions for children screened positive for neurodevelopmental delays. Twenty seven (0.9%) of a total of 3,011 children under the age of 3 years were screened positive for neurodevelopmental delays and subsequently undergoing clinical evaluation and follow-up interventions. Preliminary working diagnoses among these children include cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder trait, nutritional deficiency, Down syndrome and Non-specific neurodevelopmental delay with co-morbid seizure disorder accounting for 33.3%, 14.8%, 18.5%, 7.4% and 25.9% respectively. This is a preliminary report that would be followed up with information on medium and long term intervention phase.

  6. A randomized controlled trial of Human Papillomavirus (HPV testing for cervical cancer screening: trial design and preliminary results (HPV FOCAL Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Smith Laurie W

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In the HPV FOCAL trial, we will establish the efficacy of hr-HPV DNA testing as a stand-alone screening test followed by liquid based cytology (LBC triage of hr-HPV-positive women compared to LBC followed by hr-HPV triage with ≥ CIN3 as the outcome. Methods/Design HPV-FOCAL is a randomized, controlled, three-armed study over a four year period conducted in British Columbia. It will recruit 33,000 women aged 25-65 through the province's population based cervical cancer screening program. Control arm: LBC at entry and two years, and combined LBC and hr-HPV at four years among those with initial negative results and hr-HPV triage of ASCUS cases; Two Year Safety Check arm: hr-HPV at entry and LBC at two years in those with initial negative results with LBC triage of hr-HPV positives; Four Year Intervention Arm: hr-HPV at entry and combined hr-HPV and LBC at four years among those with initial negative results with LBC triage of hr-HPV positive cases Discussion To date, 6150 participants have a completed sample and epidemiologic questionnaire. Of the 2019 women enrolled in the control arm, 1908 (94.5% were cytology negative. Women aged 25-29 had the highest rates of HSIL (1.4%. In the safety arm 92.2% of women were hr-HPV negative, with the highest rate of hr-HPV positivity found in 25-29 year old women (23.5%. Similar results were obtained in the intervention arm HPV FOCAL is the first randomized trial in North America to examine hr-HPV testing as the primary screen for cervical cancer within a population-based cervical cancer screening program. Trial Registration International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register, ISRCTN79347302

  7. Performance Evaluation of a Novel Chemiluminescence Assay Detecting Treponema Pallidum Antibody as a Syphilis Screening Method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Qixia; An, Jingna; Rao, Chenli; Wang, Tingting; Li, Dongdong; Feng, Shu; Tao, Chuanmin

    2016-01-01

    Syphilis is a major concern to global public health with increasing incidence. So its screening test should have sufficient sensitivity and specificity. We evaluated the performance of the Lumipulse G TP-N assay detection for syphilis screening and compared it with the InTec ELISA test kit for TP, which is widely used. Samples of several patient groups including 133 clinical and serologically characterized syphilitic sera, 175 samples containing potentially interfering agents, and 2290 unselected samples submitted for routine screening were detected by both the Lumipulse G TP-N assay and the InTec ELISA test kit for TP. Inconsistent samples were confirmed by RecomLine Treponema IgG, IgM immunoblot. Coefficient of variations of the Lumipulseo G TP-N assay at both levels were below 5% and of the InTec ELISA test kit for TP both over 5%. The sensitivity of the Lumipulse G TP-N assay and the InTec ELISA test kit for TP were 100% for all stages of syphilis. The two methods had consistent analytical specificity of 100% (95% CI: 97.21 - 100.00), while the clinical specificity was 100% (95% CI: 99.79 - 100.00) and 99.82% (95% CI: 99.51 - 99.94), respectively. Between them, Spearman's correlation coefficient was 0.455 and kappa value was 0.986. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the Lumipulse G TP-N assay was higher than the InTec ELISA test kit for TP (sensitivity: 100.0 versus 99.5, specificity: 100.0 versus 99.8). The automated Lumipulse G TP-N assay demonstrated excellent diagnostic sensitivity and specificity when evaluated as a screening test for syphilis. Thus, it can be an alternative to the treponemal screening test.

  8. How to benchmark methods for structure-based virtual screening of large compound libraries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christofferson, Andrew J; Huang, Niu

    2012-01-01

    Structure-based virtual screening is a useful computational technique for ligand discovery. To systematically evaluate different docking approaches, it is important to have a consistent benchmarking protocol that is both relevant and unbiased. Here, we describe the designing of a benchmarking data set for docking screen assessment, a standard docking screening process, and the analysis and presentation of the enrichment of annotated ligands among a background decoy database.

  9. Screening for Cardiovascular Risk in Asymptomatic Users of the Primary Health Care Network in Lebanon, 2012–2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adib, Salim M.; Hamadeh, Randa; Freidi, Alia; Ammar, Walid

    2014-01-01

    Introduction In 2012, the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon piloted a service of multifactorial cardiovascular screening in the publicly subsidized Primary Health Care (PHC) Network. We present an epidemiological analysis of data produced during this pilot to justify the inclusion of this service in the package of essential services offered through PHC and to present a preliminary cardiovascular risk profile in an asymptomatic population. Methods A total of 4,205 participants (two-thirds of which were women) aged at least 40 years and reportedly free from diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) were screened. The screening protocol used a questionnaire and direct measurements to assess 5 modifiable cardiovascular risk factors; total cardiovascular risk score was calculated according to a paper-based algorithm developed by the World Health Organization and the International Society of Hypertension. Results Approximately 25% of the sample displayed metabolic impairments (11% for impaired blood glucose metabolism and 17% for impaired systolic blood pressure), and 6.6% were classified at total cardiovascular risk of 10% or more. Just over one-quarter of the sample was obese, almost half had a substantially elevated waist circumference, and 41% were smokers. Men were significantly more likely to screen positive for metabolic impairment than women, and women were more likely to be obese. Conclusion The implementation of a multifactorial screening for CVD among asymptomatic subjects detected a substantial proportion of previously undiagnosed cases of high metabolic risk, people who could now be referred to optimal medical follow-up. PMID:25032835

  10. Screening for abdominalt aortaaneurisme

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindholt, Jes Sanddal; Juul, Søren; Henneberg, E W

    1997-01-01

    In spite of increasing number of elective resections of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) the mortality or ruptured AAA is increasing. The advantages of elective operations are obvious; the lethality is 2-6% while the lethality of ruptured AAA is 75-95%. However, AAA seldom causes symptoms before...... rupture. Ultrasonographic screening for AAA takes 10 minutes per scan, and the sensitivity and specificity are high. Ultrasonographic screening for AAA is a reliable, safe and inexpensive method for screening, and screening for AAA is discussed worldwide. One point four percent of deaths among men from 65...... to 80 year of age are caused by ruptured AAA. Screening men over 65 for AAA can theoretically prevent a substantial number of deaths. Our calculations predict one prevented AAA-death per 200-300 scans for a cost of about 4000 DKK per saved year of life. However, cost-benefit analyses are based...

  11. Establishment of cocrystal cocktail grinding method for rational screening of pharmaceutical cocrystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto, Katsuhiko; Tsutsumi, Shunichirou; Ikeda, Yukihiro

    2012-11-01

    Cocrystals (CCs) used in the pharmaceutical industry are defined as complex crystals formed by reaction between an API and a cocrystal former (CCF); unlike salts, CCs do not show proton transfer. Recently, pharmaceutical CCs have been used to improve the drug-likeness of APIs, such as solubility and stability. Grinding is more effective for CC synthesis than crystallization from solution because in the former case, the API can predominantly interact with the CCF without being affected by solvents. However, this method is tedious because the API is ground with only one CCF at a time. We developed a cocktail cocrystal grinding (CCG) method, in which a mixture of CCFs having the same functional group was used. No false negatives/positives were observed in CCG when carbamazepine was used as the model compound. This method could be used to obtain CCs of piroxicam and spironolactone. False negatives were observed for only one compound from among three model compounds, indicating that CCG facilitates efficient CC detection and that it has higher throughput than does the conventional method. Further, CCG is fast and suitable for rational CC screening, and it helps identify the partial structure of CCFs that forms synthons with an API. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Reconstruction of on-axis lensless Fourier transform digital hologram with the screen division method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Hongzhen; Liu, Xu; Liu, Yong; Li, Dong; Chen, Zhu; Zheng, Fanglan; Yu, Deqiang

    2017-10-01

    An effective approach for reconstructing on-axis lensless Fourier Transform digital hologram by using the screen division method is proposed. Firstly, the on-axis Fourier Transform digital hologram is divided into sub-holograms. Then the reconstruction result of every sub-hologram is obtained according to the position of corresponding sub-hologram in the hologram reconstruction plane with Fourier transform operation. Finally, the reconstruction image of on-axis Fourier Transform digital hologram can be acquired by the superposition of the reconstruction result of sub-holograms. Compared with the traditional reconstruction method with the phase shifting technology, in which multiple digital holograms are required to record for obtaining the reconstruction image, this method can obtain the reconstruction image with only one digital hologram and therefore greatly simplify the recording and reconstruction process of on-axis lensless Fourier Transform digital holography. The effectiveness of the proposed method is well proved with the experimental results and it will have potential application foreground in the holographic measurement and display field.

  13. Assessing potential health effects from municipal sludge incinerators: screening methodology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fradkin, L.; Bruins, J.F.; Lutkenhoff, S.D.; Stara, J.F.; Lomnitz, E.; Rubin, A.

    1987-04-01

    This paper describes a risk assessment methodology for preliminary assessment of municipal sludge incineration. The methodology is a valuable tool in that it can be used for determining the hazard indices of chemical contaminants that might be present in sewage sludge used in incineration. The paper examines source characteristics (i.e., facility design), atmospheric dispersion of emission, and resulting human exposure and risk from sludge incinerators. Seven of the ten organics were screened for further investigation. An example of the calculations are presented for cadmium.

  14. Strategies for the screening of antibiotic residues in eggs: comparison of the validation of the classical microbiological method with an immunobiosensor method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaudin, Valérie; Rault, Annie; Hedou, Celine; Soumet, Christophe; Verdon, Eric

    2017-09-01

    Efficient screening methods are needed to control antibiotic residues in eggs. A microbiological kit (Explorer® 2.0 test (Zeu Inmunotech, Spain)) and an immunobiosensor kit (Microarray II (AM® II) on Evidence Investigator™ system (Randox, UK)) have been evaluated and validated for screening of antibiotic residues in eggs, according to the European decision EC/2002/657 and to the European guideline for the validation of screening methods. The e-reader™ system, a new automatic incubator/reading system, was coupled to the Explorer 2.0 test. The AM II kit can detect residues of six different families of antibiotics in different matrices including eggs. For both tests, a different liquid/liquid extraction of eggs had to be developed. Specificities of the Explorer 2.0 and AM II kit were equal to 8% and 0% respectively. The detection capabilities were determined for 19 antibiotics, with representatives from different families, for Explorer 2.0 and 12 antibiotics for the AM II kit. For the nine antibiotics having a maximum residue limit (MRL) in eggs, the detection capabilities CCβ of Explorer 2.0 were below the MRL for four antibiotics, equal to the MRL for two antibiotics and between 1 and 1.5 MRLs for the three remaining antibiotics (tetracyclines). For the antibiotics from other families, the detection capabilities were low for beta-lactams and sulfonamides and satisfactory for dihydrostreptomycin (DHS) and fluoroquinolones, which are usually difficult to detect with microbiological tests. The CCβ values of the AM II kit were much lower than the respective MRLs for three detected antibiotics (tetracycline, oxytetracycline, tylosin). Concerning the nine other antibiotics, the detection capabilities determined were low. The highest CCβ was obtained for streptomycin (100 µg kg -1 ).

  15. A gas/liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric method for the rapid screening of 250 pesticides in aqueous matrices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chandramouli, B.; Harvan, D.; Brittain, S.; Hass, R. [Eno River Labs, LLC. Durham, NC (United States)

    2004-09-15

    Pesticide residues in food present a potentially serious and significant cause for concern. Many pesticides have been associated with significant health effects to the nervous and endocrine systems and some have been deemed carcinogenic. There are many well-established techniques for pesticide analysis. However, commercial pesticide methods have traditionally only been available for specific pesticide families, such as chlorinated pesticides or herbicides, and at detection limits ranging from 0.05 ppb to 1 ppm in aqueous matrices. Techniques that can quickly screen for the presence/absence of pesticide residues in food matrices are critical in ensuring the safety of food and water. This paper outlines a combined Gas Chromatographic-High Resolution Mass Spectrometric (GC-HRMS) and Liquid Chromatographic Tandem Mass Spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) screening assay for 250 pesticides that was developed for use in water, and soda samples at screening levels ranging from 0.1-5 ppb. The pesticides selected have been identified by the European Union as being of concern and the target of possible legislation. The list encompasses a variety of pesticide classes and compound groupings.

  16. Uptake of community-based, self-collected HPV testing vs. visual inspection with acetic acid for cervical cancer screening in Kampala, Uganda: preliminary results of a randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moses, Erin; Pedersen, Heather N; Mitchell, Sheona M; Sekikubo, Musa; Mwesigwa, David; Singer, Joel; Biryabarema, Christine; Byamugisha, Josaphat K; Money, Deborah M; Ogilvie, Gina S

    2015-10-01

    To compare two cervical cancer screening methods: community-based self-collection of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) testing and visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA). Pilot randomised controlled trial of 500 women aged 30-65 in the community of Kisenyi, Uganda. Women randomised to self-collection-based HR-HPV testing provided a cervico-vaginal swab for HR-HPV, and results were provided by phone after laboratory testing. Women who tested HPV positive were referred for VIA at the local health unit. Women randomised to VIA underwent screening at the local health unit, where women who tested positive with VIA were provided cryotherapy at time of screening, as per local standard of care. Women were referred for colposcopy when indicated. Outcome measures were uptake of screening, HR-HPV prevalence, VIA result and treatment rates. In the HR-HPV arm, 248 of 250 (p < 0.01) women provided samples, while in the VIA arm, 121 of 250 (48.4%) women attended screening. Among the 73 of 248 HR-HPV-positive women, 45.2% (N = 33) attended VIA screening for follow-up, 21.2% (N = 7) of whom screened positive; five received treatment and two were missing clinical follow-up records. Of the 121 women in the VIA arm who attended screening, 13.2% (N = 16) screened positive; seven received cryotherapy, three refused treatment, five were referred to colposcopy; and one woman had suspected cervical cancer and received treatment after confirmatory testing. This pilot study demonstrated trial feasibility and willingness of the women to participate and be randomised successfully into the two arms. Self-collection-based cervical cancer screening had a higher uptake than VIA. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Dosimetric methods and results of measurement for total body electron irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng Ningyuan; Yu Geng; Yu Zihao

    1987-01-01

    A modified 'STANFORD TSEI TECHNIQUE' e.g. dual angled gantry, 6 turntable angles and 12 fields was developed on PHILIPS SL 75-20 linear accelerator to treat mycosis fungoides. A plastic scatter screen, 5 mm in thickness was used to reduce the primary electron energy to 4 MeV in order to control treatment depth (d 80 approx.= 1.2 cm) and skin dose up to 89%. The X-ray contamination was at an acceptable level of 2%. This measurement which involved multiple dosimetric methods, showed that the distance between the scattor screen and the patient, within 10-30 cm, had no influence on PDD and the dose distribution on the body surface was reasonably homogeneous, but strongly dependent on the anatomic positions. For those sites which were located in the electron beam shadows, boosting irradiation might be necessary. The preliminary clinical trials indicated that this technique is valid and feasible

  18. TPX: Contractor preliminary design review. Volume 5, Manufacturing R&D

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roach, J.F.; Urban, W.M.; Hartman, D. [Everson Electric Co., Bekthlehem, PA (United States)

    1995-08-04

    TPX Insulation & Impregnation R&D test results are reported for 1x2 samples designed for screening candidate conduit insulation systems for TPX PF and TF coils. The epoxy/glass insulation system and three proposed alternate insulation systems employing Kapton, was evaluated in as received sample condition and after 10 thermal cycles in liquid nitrogen. Two DGBA impregnation systems, Shell 826 and CTD101K were investigated. Square incoloy 908 and 316 LN stainless hollow conduits were used for 1x2 sample fabrication. Capacitance, dielectric loss, and insulation resistance dielectric characteristics were measured for all samples. Partial discharge performance was measured for samples either in air, under silicon oil, or under liquid nitrogen up to 10kVrms at 60 Hz. Hipot screening was performed at 10 kVdc. The samples were cross sectioned and evaluated for impregnation quality. The implications of the test results on the TPX preliminary design decision are discussed.

  19. vSDC: a method to improve early recognition in virtual screening when limited experimental resources are available.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaput, Ludovic; Martinez-Sanz, Juan; Quiniou, Eric; Rigolet, Pascal; Saettel, Nicolas; Mouawad, Liliane

    2016-01-01

    In drug design, one may be confronted to the problem of finding hits for targets for which no small inhibiting molecules are known and only low-throughput experiments are available (like ITC or NMR studies), two common difficulties encountered in a typical academic setting. Using a virtual screening strategy like docking can alleviate some of the problems and save a considerable amount of time by selecting only top-ranking molecules, but only if the method is very efficient, i.e. when a good proportion of actives are found in the 1-10 % best ranked molecules. The use of several programs (in our study, Gold, Surflex, FlexX and Glide were considered) shows a divergence of the results, which presents a difficulty in guiding the experiments. To overcome this divergence and increase the yield of the virtual screening, we created the standard deviation consensus (SDC) and variable SDC (vSDC) methods, consisting of the intersection of molecule sets from several virtual screening programs, based on the standard deviations of their ranking distributions. SDC allowed us to find hits for two new protein targets by testing only 9 and 11 small molecules from a chemical library of circa 15,000 compounds. Furthermore, vSDC, when applied to the 102 proteins of the DUD-E benchmarking database, succeeded in finding more hits than any of the four isolated programs for 13-60 % of the targets. In addition, when only 10 molecules of each of the 102 chemical libraries were considered, vSDC performed better in the number of hits found, with an improvement of 6-24 % over the 10 best-ranked molecules given by the individual docking programs.Graphical abstractIn drug design, for a given target and a given chemical library, the results obtained with different virtual screening programs are divergent. So how to rationally guide the experimental tests, especially when only a few number of experiments can be made? The variable Standard Deviation Consensus (vSDC) method was developed to

  20. Fragment-based screening in tandem with phenotypic screening provides novel antiparasitic hits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaazer, Antoni R; Orrling, Kristina M; Shanmugham, Anitha; Jansen, Chimed; Maes, Louis; Edink, Ewald; Sterk, Geert Jan; Siderius, Marco; England, Paul; Bailey, David; de Esch, Iwan J P; Leurs, Rob

    2015-01-01

    Methods to discover biologically active small molecules include target-based and phenotypic screening approaches. One of the main difficulties in drug discovery is elucidating and exploiting the relationship between drug activity at the protein target and disease modification, a phenotypic endpoint. Fragment-based drug discovery is a target-based approach that typically involves the screening of a relatively small number of fragment-like (molecular weight <300) molecules that efficiently cover chemical space. Here, we report a fragment screening on TbrPDEB1, an essential cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) from Trypanosoma brucei, and human PDE4D, an off-target, in a workflow in which fragment hits and a series of close analogs are subsequently screened for antiparasitic activity in a phenotypic panel. The phenotypic panel contained T. brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania infantum, and Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agents of human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, and malaria, respectively, as well as MRC-5 human lung cells. This hybrid screening workflow has resulted in the discovery of various benzhydryl ethers with antiprotozoal activity and low toxicity, representing interesting starting points for further antiparasitic optimization. © 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

  1. The Brief Early Childhood Screening Assessment: Preliminary Validity in Pediatric Primary Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fallucco, Elise M; Wysocki, Tim; James, Lauren; Kozikowski, Chelsea; Williams, Andre; Gleason, Mary M

    Brief, well-validated instruments are needed to facilitate screening for early childhood behavioral and emotional problems (BEPs). The objectives of this study were to empirically reduce the length of the Early Childhood Screening Assessment (ECSA) and to assess the validity and reliability of this shorter tool. Using caregiver ECSA responses for 2467 children aged 36 to 60 months seen in primary care, individual ECSA items were ranked on a scale ranging from "absolutely retain" to "absolutely delete." Items were deleted sequentially beginning with "absolutely delete" and going up the item prioritization list, resulting in 35 shorter versions of the ECSA. A separate primary care sample (n = 69) of mothers of children aged 18 to 60 months was used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of each shorter ECSA version using psychiatric diagnosis on the Diagnostic Infant and Preschool Assessment as the gold standard. The version with the optimal balance of sensitivity, specificity, and length was selected as the Brief ECSA. Associations between Brief ECSA scores and other pertinent measures were evaluated to estimate reliability and validity. A 22-item measure reflected the best combination of brevity, sensitivity and specificity. A cutoff score of 9 or higher on the 22-item Brief ECSA demonstrated acceptable sensitivity (89%) and specificity (85%) for predicting a psychiatric diagnosis. Brief ECSA scores correlated significantly and in expected directions with scores on pertinent measures and with demographic variables. The results indicate that the Brief ECSA has sound psychometric properties for identifying young children with BEPs in primary care.

  2. Breast cancer screening implementation and reassurance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østerø, J; Siersma, Volkert Dirk; Brodersen, John

    2013-01-01

    difference in reported psychosocial aspects had disappeared or been reduced because of the nationwide screening implementation. METHODS: The 1000 women included in the previous survey were posted part I of the questionnaire Consequences of Screening in Breast Cancer (COS-BC1) in August 2011, nearly 5 years......BACKGROUND: Women not offered screening mammography reported higher levels of negative psychosocial aspects than women offered screening. This was demonstrated in a questionnaire survey where 1000 women were included: 500 women living in areas where the public authorities had never offered...... screening mammography and 500 women living in areas where women had been invited to screening mammography for >10 years. After this baseline survey, nationwide screening mammography was implemented. The aim of this follow-up study was to resurvey the 1000 women and to investigate if the identified...

  3. Using Facebook in a Healthy Lifestyle Intervention: Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ling, Jiying; Robbins, Lorraine B; Zhang, Nanhua; Kerver, Jean M; Lyons, Haley; Wieber, Nicole; Zhang, Mi

    2018-02-01

    The purpose of this pilot quasi-experimental study was to examine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of using Facebook in a 10-week lifestyle intervention with Head Start caregiver-preschooler dyads to improve healthy behaviors and reduce body mass index. Sixty-nine dyads participated with 39 in the intervention group. Average preschooler attendance rate for the Head Start center-based program was 77%, and caregiver participation rate was 87%. About 94% of the caregivers were satisfied with the program, and 97% would recommend the program to others and/or participate again. The intervention decreased preschoolers' body mass index z score (Cohen's d = -.30) and screen time ( d = -.21), and increased their fruit and vegetable intake ( d = .40) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( d = .42). The intervention increased caregivers' fruit and vegetable intake ( d = .40). The intervention is feasible, and preliminary efficacy is encouraging, but further investigation using a rigorous study design is warranted.

  4. DEPIVIH 2: Use of three HIV testing methods in French primary care settings - ELISA laboratory screening versus two rapid point-of-care HIV tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papadima, D; Gauthier, R; Prévoteau du Clary, F; Bouée, S; Conort, G; Livrozet, J-M; Taulera, O; Wajsbrot, A; Majerholc, C; Peter, J-M; Aubert, J-P

    2018-03-01

    The primary endpoint was to evaluate the use of HIV testing methods by French primary care providers: Elisa laboratory screening, instant result HIV diagnostic test and rapid result HIV diagnostic test. The secondary endpoints were the population screening rate of unknown HIV status consulting during the study period, reasons for screening and for choosing the specific screening method, the investigators' satisfaction with the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and problems encountered. National prospective interventional study with French family physicians (FP) from December 2013 to December 2014. FPs enrolled all consenting adults consulting for an HIV screening test during a 6-month period: the choice was an Elisa laboratory test or one of the two RDTs. During the study period, 43 FPs included 981 patients. HIV screening was performed for the first time for 31.6% of patients; 767 (78.2%) Elisa laboratory test prescriptions and 214 (21.8%) RDTs were performed, leading to a screening rate of 1.3%. For 120 (15.7%) of the Elisa laboratory tests, the result was not reported and six RDTs were not valid. Nine patients were diagnosed as HIV-infected (0.9%): five with Elisa laboratory test and four with RDT. Almost 90% of FPs were willing to keep on using RDTs in their daily practice. In general practice, RDTs may be an important additional tool to traditional HIV screening. They could account for one in five tests prescribed in this context. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  5. A Novel Yeast Surface Display Method for Large-Scale Screen Inhibitors of Sortase A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Lin; Li, Huijun; Tang, Tianle

    2017-01-24

    Fluorescence resonance energy transfer substrates of sortase A are too expensive to be used to roughly screen high-throughput sortase A inhibitors. This makes therapeutic strategies difficult to realize in a clinical therapeutic use. Instead, we design here an LPETG-EGFP (leucine, proline, glutamic, threonine and glycine-enhanced green fluorescence) protein displayed on a yeast surface as a substrate by adaptively reducing the cost. We do this by optimizing the induction conditions of sortase A expression in Escherichia coli DE3(BL21) and catalyzing LPETG proteins, which are displayed on surface of Pichia pastoris . Different expression conditions of sortase A include: induction temperature (22 °C, 28 °C, 37 °C and 40 °C), induction time (4 h, 5 h, 6 h and 7 h) and induction concentration of isopropyl β-d-thiogalactoside IPTG (0.25 mmol/L, 0.5 mmol/L, 1 mmol/L, and 2 mmol/L). The fluorescence change of the LPETG-EGFP protein on the surface of P. pastoris over time was detected by flow cytometry and fluorescence spectrophotometry, and then the sensitivities of the two methods were compared. Using berberine chloride as an inhibitor, the activity of sortase A was investigated with the substrates of LPETG-EGFP protein, and compared to Dabcyl-QALPETGEE-Edans. A high yield of sortase A was achieved by inducing 1.0 mmol/L IPTG at 28 °C for 6 h. The intensity of green fluorescence of substrates displayed on the yeast surface was increased over time, while the stability was decreased slightly. Both fluorescence spectrophotometery and flow cytometry were fit for detection because of their high sensitivity. We utilized two different substrates of sortase A to investigate sortase A activity, which resulted in the increase of fluorescence intensity with respect to the increased time of growth. However, the method with Dabcyl-QALPETGEE-Edans as its substrate was more robust. Thus, the method described in this paper is a simple and cheap method which is very suitable for

  6. A Novel Yeast Surface Display Method for Large-Scale Screen Inhibitors of Sortase A

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Wu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Fluorescence resonance energy transfer substrates of sortase A are too expensive to be used to roughly screen high-throughput sortase A inhibitors. This makes therapeutic strategies difficult to realize in a clinical therapeutic use. Instead, we design here an LPETG-EGFP (leucine, proline, glutamic, threonine and glycine-enhanced green fluorescence protein displayed on a yeast surface as a substrate by adaptively reducing the cost. We do this by optimizing the induction conditions of sortase A expression in Escherichia coli DE3(BL21 and catalyzing LPETG proteins, which are displayed on surface of Pichia pastoris. Different expression conditions of sortase A include: induction temperature (22 °C, 28 °C, 37 °C and 40 °C, induction time (4 h, 5 h, 6 h and 7 h and induction concentration of isopropyl β-d-thiogalactoside IPTG (0.25 mmol/L, 0.5 mmol/L, 1 mmol/L, and 2 mmol/L. The fluorescence change of the LPETG-EGFP protein on the surface of P. pastoris over time was detected by flow cytometry and fluorescence spectrophotometry, and then the sensitivities of the two methods were compared. Using berberine chloride as an inhibitor, the activity of sortase A was investigated with the substrates of LPETG-EGFP protein, and compared to Dabcyl-QALPETGEE-Edans. A high yield of sortase A was achieved by inducing 1.0 mmol/L IPTG at 28 °C for 6 h. The intensity of green fluorescence of substrates displayed on the yeast surface was increased over time, while the stability was decreased slightly. Both fluorescence spectrophotometery and flow cytometry were fit for detection because of their high sensitivity. We utilized two different substrates of sortase A to investigate sortase A activity, which resulted in the increase of fluorescence intensity with respect to the increased time of growth. However, the method with Dabcyl-QALPETGEE-Edans as its substrate was more robust. Thus, the method described in this paper is a simple and cheap method which is very

  7. Biomarkers and bioassays as alternative screening methods for the presence and effects of PCDD, PCDF and PCB

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bosveld, A.T.C.B.; Berg, M.V.

    1994-01-01

    Polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAH) are wide spread, highly toxic, environmental contaminants. As such they pose risks for both humans and wildlife. For risk assessment purposes, concentrations are generally analyzed by HRGC-HR/LRMS. With the analytical data, mixture toxicity is calculated using the TEF concept. With this method only the defined congeners are taken into account and additivity for all congeners is assumed, whereas synergistic and antagonistic effects for several PCDD/F in combination with PCB have also been reported. To avoid these problems and high analytical costs, bioassays can be used for screening purposes. Cytochrome P 450 1 A 1 induction and vitamin A and thyroid hormone levels are shown to be useful markers for PHAH exposure. When bioassays based on cytochrome P 450 1 A 1 induction, in cultured cells, in multi-well culturing plates, are used, 2,3,7,8-TCDD detection limits <0.2 pg are possible. As such these bioassays are highly sensitive, cost effective and time saving. This application can be used as a pre-screening method to determine total ''dioxin'' content of environmental samples. (orig.)

  8. A Chinese version of the Language Screening Test (CLAST for early-stage stroke patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hongyan Yang

    Full Text Available There is a severe lack of aphasia screening tools for bedside use in Chinese. A number of aphasia assessment tools have recently been developed abroad, but some of these scales were not suitable for patients with acute stroke. The Language Screening Test (which includes two parallel versions [a/b] in French has been proven to be an effective and time-saving aphasia screening scale for early-stage stroke patients. Therefore, we worked out a Chinese version of the LAST taking into consideration Chinese language and culture. Two preliminary parallel versions (a/b were tested on 154 patients with stroke at acute phase and 107 patients with stroke at non-acute phase, with the Western Aphasia Battery serving as a gold standard. The equivalence between the two parallel versions and the reliability/validity of each version were assessed. The median time to complete one preliminary Chinese version (each had some item redundancy was 98 seconds. Two final parallel versions were established after adjustment/elimination of the redundant items and were found to be equivalent (intra-class correlation coefficient: 0.991. Internal consistency is(Cronbach α for each version [a/b] was 0.956 and 0.965, respectively good. Internal validity was fine: (a no floor or ceiling effect/item redundancy; (b construct validity revealed a 1-dimension structure, just like the French version. The higher educated subjects scored higher than their lower educated counterparts (p<0.01. The external validity: at the optimum cut-off point where the score of version a/b <14 in higher educated group(<13 in lower: the specificity of each version was 0.878/0.902(1/1 in lower and sensitivity was 0.972/0.944(0.944/0.944 in lower. Inter-rater equivalence (intra-class correlation coefficient was 1. The Chinese version of the Language Screening Test was proved to be an efficient and time-saving bedside aphasia screening tool for stroke patients at acute phase and can be used by an average

  9. Examining the sustainability of Screening for Distress, the sixth vital sign, in two outpatient oncology clinics: A mixed-methods study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groff, Shannon; Holroyd-Leduc, Jayna; White, Deborah; Bultz, Barry D

    2018-01-01

    Research indicates that cancer patients experience significant multifactorial distress during their journey. To address this, cancer centers are implementing Screening for Distress programs; however, little is known about the sustainability of these programs. This study sought to examine the sustainability of a Screening for Distress program in 2 cancer clinics 6 months post implementation. A mixed-methods cross-sectional design was utilized. To determine if screening rates, screening conversations and appropriate interventions occurred and the charts of 184 consecutive patients attending the head and neck or neuro-oncology clinics over a 3 week period were reviewed. To examine the barriers and facilitators of sustainability, 16 semi-structured interviews with administrators, physicians, and nurses were conducted. Of the 184 charts reviewed, 163 (88.6%) had completed screening tools. Of these 163, 130 (79.8%) indicated that a conversation occurred with the patient about the identified distress as reported on the screening tool. Of the 89 (54.6%) charts where the need for an intervention was indicated, 68 (76.4%) had an intervention documented. Six oncologists, 7 nurses, and 3 administrators were interviewed, and 5 themes which influenced the sustainability of the program emerged: (1) attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs about the program; (2) implementation approach; (3) outcome expectancy of providers; (4) integration with existing practices; and (5) external factors. This study suggests that Screening for Distress was largely sustained, possibly due to positive attitudes and outcome expectancy. However, sustainability may be enhanced by formally integrating screening with existing practices, addressing potential knowledge gaps, and ensuring engagement with all stakeholder groups. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  10. The flora and fauna of a proposed wind turbine site near Royal Road, Prince Edward County, Ontario : preliminary screening of the natural environment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holder, M.; Leggett, A. [Jacques Whitford Environment Ltd., Markham, ON (Canada)

    2002-07-15

    Calgary based Vision Quest Windelectric has been given zoning approval to install a 22 MW windfarm in Ontario's Prince Edward County. Following a preliminary screening to determine the effect of the windfarm on the natural environment, the Royal Road Windfarm will be developed in stages with up to 32 turbines. Jacques Whitford Environment Ltd. conducted an environmental study which showed that an exploratory wind turbine in the area is not likely to cause major adverse impacts on local fauna and flora. The proposed location of the wind turbine is not in an important bird area (IBA). An IBA is defined as a site providing essential habitat for one of more species of breeding or non-breeding birds. In 1999, Vision Quest initiated a program to examine bird interactions with wind turbines in southern Alberta. It was shown that most species choose flight paths to avoid turbines. The Royal Road site hosts rare alvars which are naturally open landscapes found in shallow soils on flat limestones. The alvars are subject to seasonal drought and flooding and have specific types of vegetation and animals. Since the exploratory wind turbine will be placed outside the IBA area, its impact on birds will be minimized, and it will have minimal effect on migrant, breeding and wintering birds. It was recommended that monitoring take place at the site during the first year of operation. It is also presumed that the wind turbine will not have any impact on mammals, reptiles and amphibians, or insects. However, it was recommended that more information be gathered on bat movement in the area. If placed appropriately, the wind turbine is not expected to impact on rare plants. It was emphasized that in the past, Vision Quest Windelectric has conducted environmental screening activities, and has acted on recommendations to place wind turbines in locations where environmental impact will be minimized. 26 refs., 5 tabs., 2 figs., 2 appendices.

  11. [Use of Plusoptix as a screening method for refractive ambliopia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogdănici, T; Tone, Silvia; Miron, Mihaela; Boboc, Mihaela; Bogdănici, Camelia

    2012-01-01

    Highlighting the differences in the objective refraction using the Plusoptix AO9 comparing them with the refraction performed with TOPCON KR-8900 autorefractor. Prospective study for 3 months held in the Ophthalmology Clinic in Iasi, Hospital Sf. Spiridon on a total of 39 children (21 girls and 18 boys) with mean age of 10.61 +/- 5.67 years. Clinical parameters: sex, age, objective refraction obtained with Plusoptix and with autorefractor corrected visual acuity (with different methods depending on each patient age), ortoptic examination (strabic deviation, binocular vision), the presence of symetry/asymetry while measuring with Plusoptix. The results were statistically processed by F-TEST calculating the correlation coefficient, standard deviation, significance level (using the spherical equivalent of the obtained values). Age limits of the studied cases ranged between 2-23 years. Visual acuity of children who had cooperate was between 0.2-1 with correction, achieving best values on right eye than left eye. 8 cases (20.51%) had large differences between measurements made with Plusoptix and autorefractor, half of that (4 cases) had strabismus. Three of these cases were with small hypermetropia and one with small myopia (Plusoptix shows a lower value). In 2 cases occurred higher differences (about 2-2,5D) between the 2 measurements, in patients with average hypermetropia. Plusoptix refraction was not possible at high hypermetropia or high myopia. This type of determining objective refraction using Plusoptix is a useful method of screening for discovery of refractive errors that can cause refractive amblyopia in young children and in those cases with a difficult collaboration. Because there are differences betweeti this 2 methods, for children with refractive errors are recommended further exploration to determine the appropriate optical correction. Plusoptix is a limited method because it cannot detect the exact values in those cases with high hypermetropia or high

  12. Fragment screening by SPR and advanced application to GPCRs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shepherd, Claire A; Hopkins, Andrew L; Navratilova, Iva

    2014-01-01

    Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is one of the primary biophysical methods for the screening of low molecular weight 'fragment' libraries, due to its low protein consumption and 'label-free' methodology. SPR biosensor interaction analysis is employed to both screen and confirm the binding of compounds in fragment screening experiments, as it provides accurate information on the affinity and kinetics of molecular interactions. The most advanced application of the use of SPR for fragment screening is against membrane protein drug targets, such G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Biophysical GPCR assays using SPR have been validated with pharmacological measurements approximate to cell-based methods, yet provide the advantage of biophysical methods in their ability to measure the weak affinities of low molecular weight fragments. A number of SPR fragment screens against GPCRs have now been disclosed in the literature. SPR fragment screening is proving versatile to screen both thermostabilised GPCRs and solubilised wild type receptors. In this chapter, we discuss the state-of-the-art in GPCR fragment screening by SPR and the technical considerations in performing such experiments. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  13. Resistive wall impedance of the LHC beam screen without slots calculated by boundary element method

    CERN Document Server

    Tsutsui, H

    2002-01-01

    In order to calculate the resistive wall impedance of the LHC beam screen without slots, the Boundary Element Method (BEM) is used. The result at 1 GHz is Re(ZL/L) = 6.689×10−3 Ω/m, Re(Zx/L) = 1.251 Ω/m2, Re(Zy/L) = 1.776 Ω/m2, andRe(2Z0,2 cos/kL) = −0.525 Ω/m2, assuming σ = 5.8 × 109 /Ωm.

  14. Application of Sweat Patch Screening for 16 Drugs and Metabolites Using a Fast and Highly Selective LC-MS/MS Method

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koster, Remco A.; Alffenaar, Jan-Willem C.; Greijdanus, Ben; VanDerNagel, Joanneke E. L.; Uges, Donald R. A.

    Background: To facilitate the monitoring of drug abuse by patients, a method was developed and validated for fast and highly selective screening for amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, methylenedioxyamphetamine, methylenedioxyethylamphetamine, methylphenidate, cocaine,

  15. Vision Screening

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... an efficient and cost-effective method to identify children with visual impairment or eye conditions that are likely to lead ... main goal of vision screening is to identify children who have or are at ... visual impairment unless treated in early childhood. Other problems that ...

  16. A screening method for β-glucan hydrolase employing Trypan Blue-coupled β-glucan agar plate and β-glucan zymography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Chang-Su; Yang, Hee-Jong; Kim, Dong-Ho; Kang, Dae-Ook; Kim, Min-Soo; Choi, Nack-Shick

    2012-06-01

    A new screening method for β-(1,3-1,6) glucan hydrolase was developed using a pure β-glucan from Aureobaisidum pullulans by zymography and an LB-agar plate. Paenibacillus sp. was screened as a producer a β-glucan hydrolase on the Trypan Blue-coupled β-glucan LB-agar plate and the activity of the enzyme was analyzed by SDS-β-glucan zymography. The β-glucan was not hydrolyzed by Bacillus spp. strains, which exhibit cellulolytic activity on CMC zymography. The gene, obtaining by shotgun cloning and encoding the β-glucan hydrolase of Paenibacillus sp. was sequenced.

  17. LC-HRMS Metabolomics for Untargeted Diagnostic Screening in Clinical Laboratories: A Feasibility Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bertrand Rochat

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Today’s high-resolution mass spectrometers (HRMS allow bioanalysts to perform untargeted/global determinations that can reveal unexpected compounds or concentrations in a patient’s sample. This could be performed for preliminary diagnosis attempts when usual diagnostic processes and targeted determinations fail. We have evaluated an untargeted diagnostic screening (UDS procedure. UDS is a metabolome analysis that compares one sample (e.g., a patient with control samples (a healthy population. Using liquid chromatography (LC-HRMS full-scan analysis of human serum extracts and unsupervised data treatment, we have compared individual samples that were spiked with one xenobiotic or a higher level of one endogenous compound with control samples. After the use of different filters that drastically reduced the number of metabolites detected, the spiked compound was eventually revealed in each test sample and ranked. The proposed UDS procedure appears feasible and reliable to reveal unexpected xenobiotics (toxicology or higher concentrations of endogenous metabolites. HRMS-based untargeted approaches could be useful as preliminary diagnostic screening when canonical processes do not reveal disease etiology nor establish a clear diagnosis and could reduce misdiagnosis. On the other hand, the risk of overdiagnosis of this approach should be reduced with mandatory biomedical interpretation of the patient’s UDS results and with confirmatory targeted and quantitative determinations.

  18. Screening method for piping wall loss by flow accelerated corrosion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryu, Kyung Ha; Hwang, Il Soon; Lee, Na Young; Oh, Young Jin; Kim, Ji Hyun; Park, Jin Ho; Sohn, Chang Ho

    2008-01-01

    Flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) phenomenon has persisted its impact on plant reliability and personnel safety. Unless we change the operation condition drastically, most parameters affecting FAC will not be effectively controlled. In order to help expand piping inspection coverage, we have developed a screening approach to monitor the wall thinning by direct current potential drop (DCPD) technique. To improve the applicability to the complex piping network such as the secondary cooling water system in PWR's, we devised the equipotential control method that can eliminate undesired leakage currents outside a measurement section. In this paper, we present Wide Range Monitoring (WiRM) and Narrow Range Monitoring (NaRM) with Equipotential Switching Direct Current Potential Drop (ES-DCPD) method to rapidly monitor the thinning of piping. Based on the WiRM results, susceptible locations can be identified for further inspection by ultrasound technique (UT). On-line monitoring of a thinned location can be made by NaRM. Finite element analysis results and a closed-form resistance model are developed for the comparison with measured wall thinning by the developed DCPD technique. Verification experiments were conducted using UT as the reference. The result shows that model predictions and the experimental results agree well to confirm that both WiRM and NaRM based on ES-DCPD can be applicable to FAC management efforts

  19. Screening method for piping wall loss by flow accelerated corrosion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryu, K.H.; Hwang, I.S.; Lee, N.Y.; Oh, Y.J.; Park, J.H.; Sohn, C.H.

    2007-01-01

    Flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) phenomenon has persisted in its impact on plant reliability and personnel safety. Unless we change the operation condition drastically, most parameters affecting FAC will not be effectively controlled. In order to help expand piping inspection coverage, we have developed a screening approach to monitor the wall thinning by a Direct Current Potential drop (DCPD) technique. To improve the applicability to the complex piping network such as the secondary cooling water system in PWR's, we devised the equipotential control method that can eliminate undesired leakage currents outside a measurement section. In this paper, we present Wide Range Monitoring (WiRM) and Narrow Range Monitoring (NaRM) with Equipotential Switching Direct Current Potential Drop (ES-DCPD) method to rapidly monitor the thinning of piping. Based on the WiRM results, susceptible locations can be identified for further inspection by Ultrasonic Technique (UT). On-line monitoring of a thinned location can be made by NaRM. Finite element analysis results and a closed-form resistance model are developed for the comparison with measured wall thinning by the developed DCPD technique. Verification experiments were conducted using UT as the reference. The result shows that model predictions and the experimental results agree well to confirm that both WiRM and NaRM based on ES-DCPD can be applicable to FAC management efforts. (author)

  20. Preliminary design data package. Appendix C

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-07-25

    The design requirements, design philosophy, method and assumptions, and preliminary computer-aided design of the Near-Term Hybrid Vehicle including its electric and heat power units, control equipment, transmission system, body, and overall vehicle characteristics are presented. (LCL)

  1. Optical characterization of display screens by speckle patterns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pozo, Antonio M.; Castro, José J.; Rubiño, Manuel

    2013-10-01

    In recent years, flat-panel display (FPD) technology has undergone great development, and now FPDs appear in many devices. A significant element in FPD manufacturing is the display front surface. Manufacturers sell FPDs with different types of front surfaces, which can be matte (also called anti-glare) or glossy screens. Users who prefer glossy screens consider these displays to show more vivid colors compared with matte-screen displays. However, on the glossy screens, external light sources may cause unpleasant reflections that can be reduced by a matte treatment in the front surface. In this work, we present a method to characterize FPD screens using laser-speckle patterns. We characterize three FPDs: a Samsung XL2370 LCD monitor of 23 in. with matte screen, a Toshiba Satellite A100 LCD laptop of 15.4 in. with glossy screen, and a Grammata Papyre 6.1 electronic book reader of 6 in. with ePaper screen (E-ink technology). The results show great differences in speckle-contrast values for the three screens characterized and, therefore, this work shows the feasibility of this method for characterizing and comparing FPDs that have different types of front surfaces.

  2. A method of simultaneous no-screen X-ray film taking with direct twofold magnification of hands and feet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zajgner, J.; Szymanska-Prach, H.

    1978-01-01

    The authors propose an original method of X-ray examination of hands and feet which makes possible simultaneous radiography without screen and direct twofold magnified film taking. The method is not connected with the necessity of exposing the patient to an additional dose of X-rays. It has been tried in 20 patients with suspected rheumatoid arthritis. It requires an X-ray tube with 0.3 x 0.3 mm microfocus. (author)

  3. Screening for colorectal cancer: what fits best?

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Lee, Chun Seng

    2012-06-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening has been shown to be effective in reducing CRC incidence and mortality. There are currently a number of screening modalities available for implementation into a population-based CRC screening program. Each screening method offers different strengths but also possesses its own limitations as a population-based screening strategy. We review the current evidence base for accepted CRC screening tools and evaluate their merits alongside their challenges in fulfilling their role in the detection of CRC. We also aim to provide an outlook on the demands of a low-risk population-based CRC screening program with a view to providing insight as to which modality would best suit current and future needs.

  4. Nontargeted Screening Method for Illegal Additives Based on Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Yanqing; Zhou, Zhihui; Kong, Hongwei; Lu, Xin; Zhao, Xinjie; Chen, Yihui; Chen, Jia; Wu, Zeming; Xu, Zhiliang; Zhao, Chunxia; Xu, Guowang

    2016-09-06

    Identification of illegal additives in complex matrixes is important in the food safety field. In this study a nontargeted screening strategy was developed to find illegal additives based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). First, an analytical method for possible illegal additives in complex matrixes was established including fast sample pretreatment, accurate UHPLC separation, and HRMS detection. Second, efficient data processing and differential analysis workflow were suggested and applied to find potential risk compounds. Third, structure elucidation of risk compounds was performed by (1) searching online databases [Metlin and the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)] and an in-house database which was established at the above-defined conditions of UHPLC-HRMS analysis and contains information on retention time, mass spectra (MS), and tandem mass spectra (MS/MS) of 475 illegal additives, (2) analyzing fragment ions, and (3) referring to fragmentation rules. Fish was taken as an example to show the usefulness of the nontargeted screening strategy, and six additives were found in suspected fish samples. Quantitative analysis was further carried out to determine the contents of these compounds. The satisfactory application of this strategy in fish samples means that it can also be used in the screening of illegal additives in other kinds of food samples.

  5. Screening natural antioxidants in peanut shell using DPPH-HPLC-DAD-TOF/MS methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Jiying; Chen, Leilei; Zhu, Qingjun; Wang, Daijie; Wang, Wenliang; Sun, Xin; Liu, Xiaoyong; Du, Fangling

    2012-12-15

    Peanut shell, a byproduct in oil production, is rich in natural antioxidants. Here, a rapid and efficient method using DPPH-HPLC-DAD-TOF/MS was used for the first time to screen antioxidants in peanut shell. The method is based on the hypothesis that upon reaction with 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), the peak areas of compounds with potential antioxidant activities in the HPLC chromatogram will be significantly reduced or disappeared, and the identity confirmation could be achieved by HPLC-DAD-TOF/MS technique. With this method, three compounds possessing potential antioxidant activities were found abundantly in the methanolic extract of peanut shell. They were identified as 5,7-dihydroxychromone, eriodictyol, and luteolin. The contents of these compounds were 0.59, 0.92, and 2.36 mg/g, respectively, and luteolin possessed the strongest radical scavenging capacity. DPPH-HPLC-DAD-TOF/MS assay facilitated rapid identification and determination of natural antioxidants in peanut shell, which may be helpful for value-added utilization of peanut processing byproducts. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Screening concepts for the isolation of biosurfactant producing microorganisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walter, Vanessa; Syldatk, Christoph; Hausmann, Rudolf

    2010-01-01

    This chapter gives an overview of current methods for the isolation of biosurfactant producing microbes. The common screening methods for biosurfactants are presented. Sampling and isolation of bacteria are the basis for screening of biosurfactant producing microbes. Hydrocarbon-contaminated sites are the most promising for the isolation of biosurfactant producing microbes, but many strains have also been isolated from undisturbed sites. In subsequent steps the isolates have to be characterized in order to identify the strains which are interesting for a further investigation. Several techniques have been developed for identifying biosurfactant producing strains. Most of them are directly based on the surface or interfacial activity of the culture supernatant. Apart from that, some screening methods explore the hydrophobicity of the cell surface. This trait also gives an indication on biosurfactant production. In recent years automation and miniaturization have led to the development of high throughput methods for screening. High throughput screening (HTS) for analyzing large amounts of potential candidates or whole culture collections is reflected in the end. However, no new principals have been introduced by HTS methods.

  7. Comparison of the Screening Tests for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus between "One-Step" and "Two-Step" Methods among Thai Pregnant Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luewan, Suchaya; Bootchaingam, Phenphan; Tongsong, Theera

    2018-01-01

    To compare the prevalence and pregnancy outcomes of GDM between those screened by the "one-step" (75 gm GTT) and "two-step" (100 gm GTT) methods. A prospective study was conducted on singleton pregnancies at low or average risk of GDM. All were screened between 24 and 28 weeks, using the one-step or two-step method based on patients' preference. The primary outcome was prevalence of GDM, and secondary outcomes included birthweight, gestational age, rates of preterm birth, small/large-for-gestational age, low Apgar scores, cesarean section, and pregnancy-induced hypertension. A total of 648 women were screened: 278 in the one-step group and 370 in the two-step group. The prevalence of GDM was significantly higher in the one-step group; 32.0% versus 10.3%. Baseline characteristics and pregnancy outcomes in both groups were comparable. However, mean birthweight was significantly higher among pregnancies with GDM diagnosed by the two-step approach (3204 ± 555 versus 3009 ± 666 g; p =0.022). Likewise, the rate of large-for-date tended to be higher in the two-step group, but was not significant. The one-step approach is associated with very high prevalence of GDM among Thai population, without clear evidence of better outcomes. Thus, this approach may not be appropriate for screening in a busy antenatal care clinic like our setting or other centers in developing countries.

  8. Developing a culturally responsive breast cancer screening promotion with Native Hawaiian women in churches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ka'opua, Lana Sue

    2008-08-01

    This article presents findings from research to develop the promotional component of a breast cancer screening program for Native Hawaiian women associated with historically Hawaiian churches in medically underserved communities.The literature on adherence to health recommendations and health promotions marketing guided inquiry on screening influences. Focus groups and individual interviews patterned on the culturally familiar practice of talk story were conducted with 60 Hawaiian women recruited through religious and social organizations.Text data were analyzed with an incremental process involving content analysis and Airhihenbuwa's PEN-3 model. Key informants and senior colleagues reviewed preliminary findings to ensure accuracy of interpretation. Findings reflect collectivist values at the intersection of indigenous Hawaiian culture and religiosity. Inclusion of messages that encourage holistic health across the intergenerational continuum of extended family and fictive kin, reinforcement from spiritual leaders, and testimonials of cancer survivors and family members may facilitate Hawaiian women's screening intent.

  9. Research on atmospheric transmission distortion of Gauss laser using multiple phase screen method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yizhuo; Wang, Qiushi; Gu, Haidong

    2018-02-01

    The laser beam is attenuated, broadened, defocused and may even be deflected from its initial propagation direction as it propagates through the atmosphere. It leads to the decrease of the laser intensity of the receiving surface. Gauss beam is the fundamental components of all possible laser waveforms. Therefore, research on the transmission of the Gauss laser has far-reaching consequences in optical communication, weaponry, target designation, ranging, remote sensing and other applications that require transmission of laser beams through the atmosphere. In this paper, we propose a laboratory simulation method using multi-phase screen to calculate the effects of atmospheric turbulence. Theoretical analysis of Gauss laser transmission in the atmosphere is given. By calculating the propagation of the Gauss beam TEM00, the far field intensity and phase distribution is shown. By the given method, the optical setup is presented and used for optimizing the adaptive optics algorithm.

  10. Preliminary Phytochemical and Physicochemical Characterization of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To carry out phytochemical and physicochemical studies on the leaves of Gynura segetum. Methods: Preliminary phytochemical and physicochemical studies using chromatographic techniques,were carried out, Parameters evaluated include ash value, loss on drying and extractive value, amongst others.

  11. Ultrasound surface probe as a screening method for evaluating the patients with blunt abdominal trauma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Nasr-Esfahani

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Blunt abdominal trauma is one of the causes of mortality in emergency department. Free fluid in the abdomen due to intra-abdominal blunt trauma can be determined by the surface probe of ultrasound. Since the importance of this free fluid in hemodynamic stable patients with blunt trauma is associated with the unknown outcome for surgeons, this study was performed to evaluate the role of ultrasound surface probe as a screening method in evaluating the patients with blunt abdominal trauma. Materials and Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was done on 45 patients with blunt abdominal trauma and hemodynamic stability. The patients were evaluated twice during the three-hours, including repeated ultrasound surface probe and clinical examinations. Computerized tomography was also performed. The patients were divided based on the amount of the free fluid in the abdomen during the evaluations into two groups: Fixed or increased, and decreased free fluid. The results of the different evaluated methods were compared using the sensitivity and specificity. Results: From 17 patients with CT abnormalities, free fluid increased in 14 patients (82.4%. Free fluid was decreased in three patients who were discharged well from the surgery service without any complication. Surface probe in prognosis detection had a sensitivity of 82.4% and specificity of 92.9%. The percentage of false positive and negative ultrasound compared with CT scan was 7.1% and 17.6%. Also, positive and negative predictive value of the ultrasound with surface probe was 87.5% and 89.7% respectively. Conclusion: The use of the ultrasound with surface probe in the diagnosis of free fluid in blunt abdominal trauma in hemodynamic stable patients can be considered as a useful screening method.

  12. Screening for cognitive dysfunction in unipolar depression

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ott, Caroline Vintergaard; Bjertrup, Anne Juul; Jensen, Johan Høy

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Persistent cognitive dysfunction in unipolar depression (UD) contributes to socio-occupational impairment, but there are no feasible methods to screen for and monitor cognitive dysfunction in this patient group. The present study investigated the validity of two new instruments...... to screen for cognitive dysfunction in UD, and their associations with socio-occupational capacity. METHOD: Participants (n=53) with UD in partial or full remission and healthy control persons (n=103) were assessed with two new screening instruments, the Danish translations of the Screen for Cognitive...... Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-D) and Cognitive Complaints in Bipolar Disorder Rating Assessment (COBRA) and with established neuropsychological and self-assessment measures. Depression symptoms and socio-occupational function were rated with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Functional Assessment...

  13. Gestational diabetes mellitus in Europe: prevalence, current screening practice and barriers to screening.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Buckley, B S

    2011-12-12

    Background:  Gestational diabetes mellitus is a potentially serious condition that affects many pregnancies and its prevalence is increasing. Evidence suggests early detection and treatment improves outcomes, but this is hampered by continued disagreement and inconsistency regarding many aspects of its diagnosis. Methods:  The Vitamin D and Lifestyle Intervention for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Prevention (DALI) research programme aims to promote pan-European standards in the detection and diagnosis of gestational diabetes and to develop effective preventive interventions. To provide an overview of the context within which the programme will be conducted and its findings interpreted, systematic searching and narrative synthesis have been used to identify and review the best available European evidence relating to the prevalence of gestational diabetes, current screening practices and barriers to screening. Results:  Prevalence is most often reported as 2-6% of pregnancies. Prevalence may be lower towards the Northern Atlantic seaboard of Europe and higher in the Southern Mediterranean seaboard. Screening practice and policy is inconsistent across Europe, hampered by lack of consensus on testing methods, diagnostic glycaemic thresholds and the value of routine screening. Poor clinician awareness of gestational diabetes, its diagnosis and local clinical guidelines further undermine detection of gestational diabetes. Conclusions:  Europe-wide agreement on screening approaches and diagnostic standards for gestational diabetes could lead to better detection and treatment, improved outcomes for women and children and a strengthened evidence base. There is an urgent need for well-designed research that can inform decisions on best practice in gestational diabetes mellitus screening and diagnosis. © 2011 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine© 2011 Diabetes UK.

  14. Oscillometric blood pressure measurement: a simple method in screening for peripheral arterial disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mehlsen, Jesper; Wiinberg, Niels; Bruce, Christopher

    2008-01-01

    Blood pressure at the ankle level is a reliable indicator of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and the ankle brachial index (ABI) is a useful non-invasive screening tool for the early detection of atherosclerosis. In the first part of the study, systolic blood pressures obtained by oscillometry...... of PAD was sufficiently high in subjects over the age of 60 years to warrant screening. The ankle brachial index based on measurements with an oscillometric device was shown reliable in the exclusion of PAD, thereby fulfilling an important criterion for the use in screening....

  15. Providing floating capabilities in latest-generation sand screens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bowen, E.G.; Coronado, M.P. [Society of Petroleum Engineers, Richardson, TX (United States)]|[Baker Hughes, Houston, TX (United States)

    2008-10-15

    Alternative production methods are needed for the massive reserves located in the bitumen region of Canada's tar sands. The area has over 100 installations of sand screens/slotted liners in both injection and production legs using steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) technology. Multiple wells must be drilled from a single pad because of the sensitive nature of the environment. With significant depths of these wells, a floating sand screen provides assurance that the sand screen will reach the desired depth. Paraffin is generally used to plug the flow access of the screen during installation. This paper discussed a new technology that has been developed to allow for sand screen installations without relying on paraffin wax to withstand differential pressure. The new technology uses a hydro-mechanical valving system incorporated into the screen design to temporarily close off the screen while being run in the hole. The paper described how the technology could provide a reliable, time-saving solution for SAGD installations when floating sand control screens are needed. The paper discussed current technology and its limitations, sand screen installation, screen design for floating applications, and additional applications. It was concluded that this technology solution provides a unique alternative to the methods currently used to install sand screens with SAGD technology in the fast growing Canadian market for bitumen recovery. 2 refs., 5 figs.

  16. A screening method for the optimal selection of plate heat exchanger configurations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pinto J.M.

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available An optimization method for determining the best configuration(s of gasketed plate heat exchangers is presented. The objective is to select the configuration(s with the minimum heat transfer area that still satisfies constraints on the number of channels, the pressure drop of both fluids, the channel flow velocities and the exchanger thermal effectiveness. The configuration of the exchanger is defined by six parameters, which are as follows: the number of channels, the numbers of passes on each side, the fluid locations, the feed positions and the type of flow in the channels. The resulting configuration optimization problem is formulated as the minimization of the exchanger heat transfer area and a screening procedure is proposed for its solution. In this procedure, subsets of constraints are successively applied to eliminate infeasible and nonoptimal solutions. Examples show that the optimization method is able to successfully determine a set of optimal configurations with a minimum number of exchanger evaluations. Approximately 5 % of the pressure drop and channel velocity calculations and 1 % of the thermal simulations are required for the solution.

  17. A Brief Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) Assessment to Evaluate Concussions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mucha, Anne; Collins, Michael W.; Elbin, R.J.; Furman, Joseph M.; Troutman-Enseki, Cara; DeWolf, Ryan M.; Marchetti, Greg; Kontos, Anthony P.

    2014-01-01

    Background Vestibular and ocular motor impairments and symptoms have been documented in patients with sport-related concussions. However, there is no current brief clinical screen to assess and monitor these issues. Purpose To describe and provide initial data for the internal consistency and validity of a brief clinical screening tool for vestibular and ocular motor impairments and symptoms after sport-related concussions. Study Design Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods Sixty-four patients, aged 13.9 ± 2.5 years and seen approximately 5.5 ± 4.0 days after a sport-related concussion, and 78 controls were administered the Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) assessment, which included 5 domains: (1) smooth pursuit, (2) horizontal and vertical saccades, (3) near point of convergence (NPC) distance, (4) horizontal vestibular ocular reflex (VOR), and (5) visual motion sensitivity (VMS). Participants were also administered the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS). Results Sixty-one percent of patients reported symptom provocation after at least 1 VOMS item. All VOMS items were positively correlated to the PCSS total symptom score. The VOR (odds ratio [OR], 3.89; P concussed group. An NPC distance ≥5 cm and any VOMS item symptom score ≥2 resulted in an increase in the probability of correctly identifying concussed patients of 38% and 50%, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curves supported a model including the VOR, VMS, NPC distance, and ln(age) that resulted in a high predicted probability (area under the curve = 0.89) for identifying concussed patients. Conclusion The VOMS demonstrated internal consistency as well as sensitivity in identifying patients with concussions. The current findings provide preliminary support for the utility of the VOMS as a brief vestibular/ocular motor screen after sport-related concussions. The VOMS may augment current assessment tools and may serve as a single component of a comprehensive approach

  18. Usage of Capillary Electrophoresis for screening common Hemoglobinopathies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Hemoglobinopathies are most common inherited disorders in the world approximately 7 percent of the worldwide population and 5-6 percent of population of Iran are carriers. For control of this inherited hemoglobin disorders need to accurate screening by more advanced and more accurate methods. This study explains features of current Iran hemoglobin disorders, nominates the accessible methods for screening them and introduces the capillary zone electrophoresis as a rapid & more accurate method. The required data were extracted of various articles and then for good explanation, current Iran hemoglobinopathies properties were showed in the tables and electropherograms of important hemoglobin disorders in Iran population were provided for help to interpretation results of blood tests by capillary zone electrophoresis method. Hemoglobin disorders are including thalassemias & hemoglobin variants Disruption in the production and malfunction of globin chains cause types of hemoglobin disorders. We cannot introduce one of clinical laboratory tests as critical and basic method for screening and distinguishing types of inherited hemoglobin disorders as alone. For distinguishing the types of them must be prepared enough information and data of the hemoglobin disorders and for more accurate analysis must be used simultaneously different methods as Gel electrophoresis, High performance liquid chromatography, Isoelectric focusing, Capillary zone electrophoresis or molecular tests. The capillary electrophoresis is an accurate and rapid method for screening types of the hemoglobin disorders. Other side this method cannot analyze all of them, so must be used biochemical, biophysical and molecular methods for confirmation the results. This review showed we can use the capillary electrophoresis and HPLC as two complementary methods for hemoglobinopathies screening. We can analyze by the methods more hemoglobin disorders and decrease more laboratory errors. Moreover

  19. Prospective Assessment of Virtual Screening Heuristics Derived Using a Novel Fusion Score.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pertusi, Dante A; O'Donnell, Gregory; Homsher, Michelle F; Solly, Kelli; Patel, Amita; Stahler, Shannon L; Riley, Daniel; Finley, Michael F; Finger, Eleftheria N; Adam, Gregory C; Meng, Juncai; Bell, David J; Zuck, Paul D; Hudak, Edward M; Weber, Michael J; Nothstein, Jennifer E; Locco, Louis; Quinn, Carissa; Amoss, Adam; Squadroni, Brian; Hartnett, Michelle; Heo, Mee Ra; White, Tara; May, S Alex; Boots, Evelyn; Roberts, Kenneth; Cocchiarella, Patrick; Wolicki, Alex; Kreamer, Anthony; Kutchukian, Peter S; Wassermann, Anne Mai; Uebele, Victor N; Glick, Meir; Rusinko, Andrew; Culberson, J Christopher

    2017-09-01

    High-throughput screening (HTS) is a widespread method in early drug discovery for identifying promising chemical matter that modulates a target or phenotype of interest. Because HTS campaigns involve screening millions of compounds, it is often desirable to initiate screening with a subset of the full collection. Subsequently, virtual screening methods prioritize likely active compounds in the remaining collection in an iterative process. With this approach, orthogonal virtual screening methods are often applied, necessitating the prioritization of hits from different approaches. Here, we introduce a novel method of fusing these prioritizations and benchmark it prospectively on 17 screening campaigns using virtual screening methods in three descriptor spaces. We found that the fusion approach retrieves 15% to 65% more active chemical series than any single machine-learning method and that appropriately weighting contributions of similarity and machine-learning scoring techniques can increase enrichment by 1% to 19%. We also use fusion scoring to evaluate the tradeoff between screening more chemical matter initially in lieu of replicate samples to prevent false-positives and find that the former option leads to the retrieval of more active chemical series. These results represent guidelines that can increase the rate of identification of promising active compounds in future iterative screens.

  20. Screening methodology for assessing potential health effects from municipal sludge incinerators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fradkin, L.; Bruins, R.J.F.; Lutkenhoff, S.D.; Stara, J.F.; Lomnitz, E.

    1987-01-01

    This paper describes a risk assessment methodology for preliminary assessment of municipal sludge incineration. The methodology is a valuable tool in that it can be used for determining the hazard indices of chemical contaminants that might be present in sewage sludge used in incineration. The paper examines source characteristics (i.e., facility design), atmospheric dispersion of emission, and resulting human exposure and risk from sludge incinerators. Seven of the ten organics were screened for further investigation. An example of the calculations are presented for cadmium.