Search Results (5)

Mediastinal lymph node assessment is a crucial step in non-small cell lung cancer staging. Positron emission tomography (PET) has been the gold standard for the assessment of mediastinal lymphadenopathy, though it has limited specificity. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is quick, accurate, and a less invasive method for obtaining a diagnostic sample in contrast to mediastinoscopy. We performed a retrospective chart analysis of 171 patients to assess the adequacy of tissue obtained by EBUS for diagnosis and molecular profiling as well as the assessment of staging and lymph node (LN) stations diagnostic yield, in correlation to PET scan and the operator’s level of experience. A significantly increased tissue adequacy was observed based on the operators’ experience, with the highest adequacy noted in trained Interventional Pulmonologist (IP) (100%), followed by >5 years of experience (93.33%), and 88.89% adequacy with <5 years of experience (p = 0.0019). PET-CT scan ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in levels 1, 2, and 3 LN had a tissue adequacy of 76.67%, 54.64%, and 35.56%, respectively (p = 0.0009). EBUS bronchoscopy method could be used to achieve an accurate diagnosis, with IP-trained operators yielding the best results. There is no correlation with PET scan positivity, indicating that both PET and EBUS are complementary methods needed for staging. Full article

The paper demonstrates a new approach to identify healthy calves (“healthy”) and naturally occurring infectious bronchopneumonia (“sick”) calves by analysis of the gaseous phase over nasal secretions using 16 piezoelectric sensors in two portable devices. Samples of nasal secretions were obtained from 50 red-motley Holstein calves aged 14–42 days. Calves were subjected to rectal temperature measurements, clinical score according to the Wisconsin respiratory scoring chart, thoracic auscultation, and radiography (Carestream DR, New York, USA). Of the 50 calves, we included samples from 40 (20 “healthy” and 20 “sick”) in the training sample. The remaining ten calves (five “healthy” and five “sick”) were included in the test sample. It was possible to divide calves into “healthy” and “sick” groups according to the output data of the sensor arrays (maximum sensor signals and calculated parameters A_i/j) using the principal component linear discriminant analysis (PCA–LDA) with an accuracy of 100%. The adequacy of the PCA–LDA model was verified on a test sample. It was found that data of sensors with films of carbon nanotubes, zirconium nitrate, hydroxyapatite, methyl orange, bromocresol green, and Triton X-100 had the most significance for dividing samples into groups. The differences in the composition of the gaseous phase over the samples of nasal secretions for such a classification could be explained by the appearance or change in the concentrations of ketones, alcohols, organic carboxylic acids, aldehydes, amines, including cyclic amines or those with a branched hydrocarbon chain. Full article

Timely and accurate identification of change detection for areas depicted on nautical charts constitutes a key task for marine cartographic agencies in supporting maritime safety. Such a task is usually achieved through manual or semi-automated processes, based on best practices developed over the years requiring a substantial level of human commitment (i.e., to visually compare the chart with the new collected data or to analyze the result of intermediate products). This work describes an algorithm that aims to largely automate the change identification process as well as to reduce its subjective component. Through the selective derivation of a set of depth points from a nautical chart, a triangulated irregular network is created to apply a preliminary tilted-triangle test to all the input survey soundings. Given the complexity of a modern nautical chart, a set of feature-specific, point-in-polygon tests are then performed. As output, the algorithm provides danger-to-navigation candidates, chart discrepancies, and a subset of features that requires human evaluation. The algorithm has been successfully tested with real-world electronic navigational charts and survey datasets. In parallel to the research development, a prototype application implementing the algorithm was created and made publicly available. Full article

This document develops the study of an implementation project of a home automation system in a housing placed in the town of Galapagar, Madrid. This house, which is going to be occupied by a four-member family, consists of 67 constructed square meters distributed in lounge, kitchen, three bedrooms, bath, bathroom and terrace, this being a common arrangement in Spain. Thus, this study will allow extracting conclusions about the adequacy of the home automation in a wide percentage of housing in Spain. In this document, three house automation proposals are developed based on the requirements of the client and the different home automation levels that the Spanish House and Building Automation Association has established, besides two parallel proposals relating to the safety and the technical alarms. The mentioned proposed systems are described by means of product datasheets and descriptions, distribution plans, measurements, budgets and flow charts that describe the functioning of the system in every case. An evaluation of each system is included, based on other studies conclusions on this matter, where expected energy savings from each design, depending on the current cost of lighting, water and gas, as well as the expected economic amortization period is evaluated. Full article

A randomised control trial was undertaken in Hangzhou, China, to study the influence of the growth chart used on breastfeeding rates. Mothers with infants who were being fully breastfed at 6 weeks after birth (n = 1602) were invited to participate in the trial; 1415 agreed to participate and 1295 completed the study. Two growth charts were used, one that was heavier for the first six months of life (Chart A, n = 686) and a lighter growth chart (Chart B, n = 609). Mothers were interviewed and infants measured at 6 weeks and 3, 4, 5 and 6 months after delivery. At 6 months the full breastfeeding rates were 18.1% in the group using the heavier growth chart compared to 22.8% in the lighter growth chart group. After adjusting for potential confounders this difference remained significant (aOR 1.41, 95% confidence intervals 1.02, 1.93). These results suggest that breastfeeding rates may be influenced by the type of growth chart used. Mothers who perceive that their infants are not growing adequately (i.e., using the heavier charts) may introduce other foods to their infants earlier than mothers using the lighter chart. While a larger trial is required to confirm the results, in the interim it is suggested that if heavier growth charts are used, a lower percentile line could be used to assess adequacy of growth. Full article