scholarly journals Validation of Simple Methods to Select a Suitable Nostril for Nasotracheal Intubation

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Cattleya Thongrong ◽  
Pattramon Thaisiam ◽  
Pornthep Kasemsiri
Keyword(s):  
Nasotracheal Intubation ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Endoscopic Examination ◽  
Nasal Airflow ◽  
Sitting Posture ◽  
Test Sensitivity ◽  
Occlusion Test ◽  
In Series ◽  
Increased Sensitivity ◽  
Better Than

Background. Nasotracheal intubation is a blind procedure that may lead to complications; therefore, several tests were introduced to assess a suitable nostril for nasotracheal intubation. However, the value of simple tests in clinical practice was insufficient to evaluate. Method. A diagnostic prospective study was conducted in 42 patients, ASA classes I–III, undergoing surgery requiring nasotracheal intubation for general anesthesia. Two simple methods for assessing the patency of nostrils were investigated. Firstly, the occlusion test was evaluated by asking for the patient’s own assessment of nasal airflow during occlusion of each contralateral nostril while in a sitting posture. Secondly, patients breathed onto a spatula held 1 cm below the nostrils while in a sitting posture. All patients were assessed using these two simple tests. Nasal endoscopic examination of each patient was used as a gold standard. Results. The diagnostic value of the occlusion test (sensitivity of 91.7%, specificity of 61.1%, PPV of 75.9%, NPV of 84.6%, LR+ of 2.36, and LR− of 0.14) seemed better than that of the spatula test (sensitivity of 95.8%, specificity of 25.0%, PPV of 63.0%, NPV of 81.8%, LR+ of 1.28, and LR− of 0.17). When both tests were combined in series, the diagnostic value increased (sensitivity of 87.9%, specificity of 70.8%, PPV of 80.1%, NPV of 81.4%, LR+ of 3.01, and LR− of 0.17). Conclusion and Recommendations. The simple occlusion test is more useful than the spatula test. However, combining the results from both tests in series helped to improve the diagnostic value for selecting a suitable nostril for nasotracheal intubation.

scholarly journals Directed Evolution of AraC for Improved Compatibility of Arabinose- and Lactose-Inducible Promoters

2007 ◽  
Vol 73 (18) ◽  
pp. 5711-5715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung Kuk Lee ◽  
Howard H. Chou ◽  
Brian F. Pfleger ◽  
Jack D. Newman ◽  
Yasuo Yoshikuni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Directed Evolution ◽  
Cross Talk ◽  
Biological Systems ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Dimerization Domain ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Inducible Promoters ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Increased Sensitivity ◽  
Better Than

ABSTRACT Synthetic biological systems often require multiple, independently inducible promoters in order to control the expression levels of several genes; however, cross talk between the promoters limits this ability. Here, we demonstrate the directed evolution of AraC to construct an arabinose-inducible (PBAD) system that is more compatible with IPTG (isopropyl-β-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside) induction of a lactose-inducible (Plac) system. The constructed system is 10 times more sensitive to arabinose and tolerates IPTG significantly better than the wild type. Detailed studies indicate that the AraC dimerization domain and C terminus are important for the increased sensitivity of AraC to arabinose.

scholarly journals H2S-Sensing Studies Using Interdigitated Electrode with Spin-Coated Carbon Aerogel-Polyaniline Composites

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1457
Author(s):  
Aamna Bibi ◽  
Yuola Rose M. Rubio ◽  
Karen S. Santiago ◽  
His-Wei Jia ◽  
Mahmoud M. M. Ahmed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gas Sensing ◽  
Carbon Aerogel ◽  
Average Response Time ◽  
Interdigitated Electrode ◽  
Gas Sensing Properties ◽  
Increased Sensitivity ◽  
Good Repeatability ◽  
Polyaniline Composites ◽  
Coated Carbon ◽  
Better Than

In this paper, carbon aerogel (CA)-polyaniline (PANI) composites were prepared and first applied in the study of H2S gas sensing. Here, 1 and 3 wt% of as-obtained CA powder were blended with PANI to produce composites, which are denoted by PANI-CA-1 and PANI-CA-3, respectively. For the H2S gas-sensing studies, the interdigitated electrode (IDE) was spin-coated by performing PANI and PANI-CA composite dispersion. The H2S gas-sensing properties were studied in terms of the sensor’s sensitivity, selectivity and repeatability. IDE coated with PANI-CA composites, as compared with pristine PANI, achieved higher sensor sensitivity, higher selectivity and good repeatability. Moreover, composites that contain higher loading of CA (e.g., 3 wt%) perform better than composites with lower loading of CA. At 1 ppm, PANI-CA-3 displayed increased sensitivity of 452% at relative humidity of 60% with a fast average response time of 1 s compared to PANI.

scholarly journals Evaluation of disease severity in bronchiectasis using impulse oscillometry

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 00053-2020
Author(s):  
Yuji Yamamoto ◽  
Keisuke Miki ◽  
Kazuyuki Tsujino ◽  
Tomoki Kuge ◽  
Takanori Matsuki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Severity ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Impulse Oscillometry ◽  
Hospital Organization ◽  
High Resolution Computed Tomography ◽  
Better Than

Although the diagnostic value of impulse oscillometry (IOS) in bronchiectasis for the differential diagnosis of healthy subjects has been researched, the usefulness of each IOS parameter for predicting disease severity in bronchiectasis has not been thoroughly investigated. In addition, the usefulness of IOS in patients with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection has not been reported. This study aimed to determine the predictive significance of respiratory impedance and detect the other most significant IOS parameters for predicting disease severity in bronchiectasis patients and to validate the usefulness of IOS in patients with NTM infection.A total of 206 patients with bronchiectasis who attended clinics at the National Hospital Organization Osaka Toneyama Medical Center were included. Chest high-resolution computed tomography, spirometry and IOS were performed. Hospital admissions, mortality and disease severity indices for bronchiectasis (Bronchiectasis Severity Index (BSI), FACED, and E-FACED scores) were calculated to assess disease severity. The patients were divided into subgroups with and without NTM infection, and subgroup analyses were performed.Respiratory reactance, especially resonant frequency (fres), correlated with both BSI and FACED score better than respiratory resistance. Inspiratory but not expiratory impedance was strongly correlated with BSI, FACED and E-FACED scores. Inspiratory fres was the most useful predictor, increasing as the disease became more severe. The usefulness of IOS was almost equivalent in patients both with and without NTM infection.Inspiratory reactance measured by IOS is useful for estimating disease severity in bronchiectasis. Inspiratory fres best predicts disease severity in bronchiectasis patients both with and without NTM infection.

An operational survey of a natural lagoon treatment plant combining macrophytes and microphytes basins

1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 79-86
Author(s):  
Louis Vandevenne
Keyword(s):  
Sewage Treatment ◽  
Sewage Treatment Plant ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Biological Mechanisms ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Artificial Wetlands ◽  
In Series ◽  
Better Than

The sewage treatment plant studied, located in a rural area, is designed to treat the wastewater for a population of 650. The station functions in accordance with the principle of natural lagoons via artificial wetlands combining macrophytes and microphytes lagoons arranged in series. The overall surface area including the primary lagoon gives rise to a specific load of 6 m2/inhabitant. Both the primary and secondary treatments produce a very good water quality in accordance with the conventional parameters (SS, Suspended Solids; BOD5, the Biological Oxygen Demand over a 5 day period; COD, the Chemical Oxygen Demand). The tertiary purification of the nitrogen and phosphorus does not give as good results as expected, respectively 42% and 35% removal; very little better than those of a conventional installation. The tertiary quality standard appears not to be attainable since the successive biological mechanisms carrying out the elimination process are followed by a release of the pollutants and an insufficient elimination (plant exportation) by the macrophytes. The design and management of the macrophytes basins is relatively tricky, particularly with respect to the removal of weeds and the regulation of the water level in the macrophytes basins.

scholarly journals Diagnostic Value of the Methylation of Multiple Gene Promoters in Serum in Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xueyan Dong ◽  
Qiang Hou ◽  
Yueming Chen ◽  
Xianjun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Hepatitis B Virus ◽  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Area Under The Curve ◽  
Roc Curves ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Gene Promoters ◽  
Multiple Gene ◽  
B Virus ◽  
Better Than

This study sought to evaluate the diagnostic value of the methylation of multiple gene promoters in serum in hepatitis B virus- (HBV-) related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 343 participants were enrolled, including 98 patients with HCC, 75 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), 90 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and 80 healthy individuals. RASSF1A, APC, BVES, TIMP3, GSTP1, and HOXA9 were selected as the candidate genes. The MethyLight method was used to assay promoter methylation statuses. The diagnostic performances of markers were assessed by constructing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The prevalences of methylation for RASSF1A, APC, BVES, HOXA9, GSTP1, and TIMP3 were 52.04%, 36.73%, 29.59%, 20.41%, 17.35%, and 11.22%, respectively. APC methylation completely overlapped with RASSF1A methylation. The area under the curve (AUC) for RASSF1A methylation (0.718) was better than the corresponding AUC for AFP (0.609) in distinguishing HCC from CHB. When RASSF1A, BVES, HOXA9, and AFP were combined, the AUC was 0.852 (95% CI = 0.796–0.908, P=0.028), and the sensitivity and specificity were 83.7% and 78.9%, respectively. In conclusion, an assay that combines methylation of the RASSF1A, BVES, and HOXA9 gene promoters in serum and AFP could significantly improve HBV-related HCC diagnoses.

scholarly journals Are fast test results preferable to high test sensitivity in contact-tracing strategies?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas L. Juul ◽  
Kaare Græsbøll
Keyword(s):  
Waiting Time ◽  
Waiting Times ◽  
Rapid Test ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Test Results ◽  
False Negatives ◽  
Test Parameter ◽  
Test Sensitivity ◽  
Rapid Tests ◽  
Better Than

AbstractAcross the world, countries are fighting to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The backbone of the response is a test-trace-isolate strategy, where suspected infected get tested and isolated and possible secondary cases get traced, tested and isolated. Because more accurate tests often take longer to analyze, and the benefits of contact tracing are strengthened by rapid diagnosis, there exists a trade-off in test sensitivity and test waiting time in test-trace-isolate strategies. Here we ask: How many false negatives can be tolerated in a rapid test so that it reduces transmission better than a slower, more accurate test? How does this change with contact tracing efficiency and test waiting time? We find that a rapid, less sensitive test performs best for many test-parameter choices and that this is true even for modest contact tracing efficiency. For COVID-19-like viral parameters, a test with 40% false negatives and immediate result might reduce transmission as well as a test with no false negatives and a 3-day waiting time. Our analysis suggests employing rapid tests to reduce test waiting times as a viable strategy to reduce transmission when testing infrastructure is under stress.

scholarly journals Multioperator Algorithm-Based Ultrasound Imaging Combined with Hysteroscopy for the Diagnosis of Endometrial Polyps

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Yousheng Li ◽  
Guitao Xia
Keyword(s):  
Ultrasound Imaging ◽  
Uterine Fibroids ◽  
Abnormal Uterine Bleeding ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Adaptive Beamforming ◽  
Pixel Resolution ◽  
Endometrial Polyps ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Beamforming Algorithm ◽  
Better Than

This study aimed to explore the diagnosis of endometrial polyps (EMP) by ultrasound imaging based on multi-operator algorithms combined with hysteroscopy. This study is the first to investigate the resolution of the ultrasound adaptive beamforming algorithm (MOAD), after which the proposed algorithm was applied to ultrasound diagnosis of 102 patients with EMP and pathologically diagnosed with vaginal irregular bleeding, and the evaluation efficacy of the MOAD algorithm based on EMP was compared. The resolution of the MOAD-based imaging algorithm (0.0645) was significantly lower than that of the diagonal loading operator (0.1475), the symbol coherence coefficient operator (0.1342), and the generalized coherence factor operator (0.1234), with significant differences ( P < 0.05 ). The proportion of patients with EMP aged 46–55 years was the largest (55.9%). There were 64 cases of EMP that produced complications, of which the proportion of patients with uterine fibroids (41.52%), abnormal uterine bleeding (76.24%), and menstrual changes (42.57%) was relatively large. Patients with nonfunctioning polyps accounted for the largest proportion (84.46%), followed by those with basal polyps (76.24%), and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05 ). The positive cases of EMP detected by ultrasound imaging (38 cases) were significantly lower than those with pathological diagnosis (94 cases), and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05 ). The SE, SP, FNR, and FPR of EMP diagnosed by ultrasound imaging combined with hysteroscopy were 64.45%, 84.67%, 35.48%, and 13.36%, respectively. It has high diagnostic value compared with single ultrasound imaging diagnosis, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05 ). In conclusion, the imaging based on the MOAD algorithm is obvious and the pixel resolution can be successfully improved. The diagnostic value of ultrasound combined with hysteroscopy for EMP was better than that of ultrasound alone ( P < 0.05 ), and it had a high diagnostic value.

scholarly journals Celiac Disease Defined by Over-Sensitivity to Gliadin Activation and Superior Antigen Presentation of Dendritic Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (18) ◽  
pp. 9982
Author(s):  
Michael Hudec ◽  
Kamila Riegerová ◽  
Jan Pala ◽  
Viera Kútna ◽  
Marie Černá ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dendritic Cells ◽  
Celiac Disease ◽  
Antigen Presentation ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Human Leukocyte ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Hla Dq ◽  
Increased Sensitivity ◽  
Vitro Model

The autoimmune condition, Celiac Disease (CeD), displays broad clinical symptoms due to gluten exposure. Its genetic association with DQ variants in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system has been recognised. Monocyte-derived mature dendritic cells (MoDCs) present gluten peptides through HLA-DQ and co-stimulatory molecules to T lymphocytes, eliciting a cytokine-rich microenvironment. Having access to CeD associated families prevalent in the Czech Republic, this study utilised an in vitro model to investigate their differential monocyte profile. The higher monocyte yields isolated from PBMCs of CeD patients versus control individuals also reflected the greater proportion of dendritic cells derived from these sources following lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/ peptic-tryptic-gliadin (PTG) fragment stimulation. Cell surface markers of CeD monocytes and MoDCs were subsequently profiled. This foremost study identified a novel bio-profile characterised by elevated CD64 and reduced CD33 levels, unique to CD14++ monocytes of CeD patients. Normalisation to LPS stimulation revealed the increased sensitivity of CeD-MoDCs to PTG, as shown by CD86 and HLA-DQ flow cytometric readouts. Enhanced CD86 and HLA-DQ expression in CeD-MoDCs were revealed by confocal microscopy. Analysis highlighted their dominance at the CeD-MoDC membrane in comparison to controls, reflective of superior antigen presentation ability. In conclusion, this investigative study deciphered the monocytes and MoDCs of CeD patients with the identification of a novel bio-profile marker of potential diagnostic value for clinical interpretation. Herein, the characterisation of CD86 and HLA-DQ as activators to stimulants, along with robust membrane assembly reflective of efficient antigen presentation, offers CeD targeted therapeutic avenues worth further exploration.

Diagnostic value of complete blood count in paraquat and organophosphorus poisoning patients

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 439-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yahui Tang ◽  
Lufeng Hu ◽  
Guangliang Hong ◽  
Dahai Zhong ◽  
Jiaxing Song ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Blood Count ◽  
Complete Blood Count ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Important Variable ◽  
Variable Order ◽  
Fisher Discriminant ◽  
Organophosphorus Poisoning ◽  
Better Than

Complete blood count (CBC) is one of the most extensively used tests in clinical practice. In order to determine the diagnostic value of the CBC in paraquat (PQ) and organophosphorus (OPPs) poisoning, the CBC indices of PQ- and OPPs-poisoned patients were investigated in this study. A total of 96 PQ poisoning patients, 90 OPPs poisoning patients, and 188 healthy subjects were included in this study. The PQ- and OPPs-poisoned patients were divided into different groups according to their clinical symptoms. All CBC indices were analyzed by Fisher discriminant, partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), variance analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC). The discriminant results showed that 87.7% of original grouped cases correctly classified between PQ-poisoned patients, OPPs-poisoned patients, and healthy subjects. The PLS-DA results showed that the important variable order was different in PQ- and OPPs-poisoned patients. Both white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil (NE) counts were the most important indexes in PQ- and OPPs-poisoned patients. In OPPs poisoning patients, WBC and NE showed statistical differences between the severe poisoning group and the moderate poisoning group. Their areas under the ROC curve (AUC) were 0.673 (WBC) and 0.669 (NE), which were higher than cholinesterase (CHE; AUC 0.326). In conclusion, the CBC indices had a diagnostic value in PQ and OPPs poisoning; WBC and NE were the first responses and had clinical significance in PQ and OPPs poisoning; moreover, they are better than CHE in diagnosing OPPs poisoning.

scholarly journals Conventional Laboratory Blood Indicators Are Valuable for Early Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Gan ◽  
Zhi-Yong Chen ◽  
Zi-Hua Li ◽  
Jian-Ming Zhou ◽  
Ying Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Early Diagnosis ◽  
Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve ◽  
Operating Characteristic ◽  
Clinical Laboratory ◽  
Characteristic Curve ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Operating Characteristic Curve ◽  
Better Than

Abstract Objective: Some conventional laboratory indicators have been found to be of value for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). The present study aimed to systematically analyze the diagnostic value of conventional laboratory blood indicators for CRC, especially for early CRC. Methods: A total of 505 patients with CRC (n=210), colorectal adenoma (CRA) (n=167) or polyp (CRP) (n=128) were retrospectively collected. Clinical, laboratory and imaging data available before treatment were extracted. The diagnostic performances of laboratory blood indicators for discriminating total and early CRCs from CRA and CRP (CRA&P) were evaluated.Results: Fifty-three of 76 (69.7%) laboratory blood indicators were significant for discriminating CRC from CRA&P with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) ranging within 0.554-0.819, of these indicators, 17 had AUC > 0.7, three had AUC > 0.8, and five had AUCs greater than that for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Fifteen indicators had overall sensitivities comparable to CEA for the diagnosis of CRC (35.7-55.4% vs. 47.7%, all P>0.05) at a specificity of 90%, and they were not or weakly correlated with CEA (absolute r = 0.058-0.333). For differentiating early CRC (TNM stage I+II, n=102) from CRA&P, the sensitivities for the 15 indicators ranged within 30.4%-55.5% at a specificity of 90% and similar to stage III+IV CRC.Conclusion: Conventional laboratory blood indicators are valuable for early CRC diagnosis, and are comparable to or better than CEA.

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