Objective This study assessed the efficacy of machine learning in predicting thyrotoxicosis and hypothyroidism thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) >10.0 mIU/L by leveraging age and sex as variables and ...integrating biochemical test parameters used by the Japan Society of Health Evaluation and Promotion (JHEP) and the Japan Society of Ningen Dock (JND). Subjects and Methods Our study included 20,653 untreated patients with Graves' disease, 3,435 untreated patients with painless thyroiditis, 4,266 healthy individuals, and 18,937 untreated patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Machine learning was conducted using Prediction One on three distinct datasets: the Ito dataset (age, sex, and 30 blood tests and biochemical test data), the JHEP dataset (age, sex, and TP, T-Bil, AST, ALT, γGTP, ALP, CRE, UA, and T-Cho test data), and the JND dataset (age, sex, and AST, ALT, γGTP, CRE, and UA test data). Results The results for distinguishing thyrotoxicosis patients from the healthy control group showed that the JHEP dataset yielded substantial discriminative capacity with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.966, sensitivity of 92.2%, specificity of 89.1%, and accuracy of 91.7%. The JND dataset displayed similar robustness, with an AUC of 0.948, sensitivity of 92.0%, specificity of 81.3%, and accuracy of 90.4%. Differentiating hypothyroid patients from the healthy control group yielded similarly robust performances, with the JHEP dataset yielding AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values of 0.864, 84.2%, 72.1%, and 77.4%, respectively, and the JND dataset yielding values of 0.840, 83.2%, 67.2%, and 74.3%, respectively. Conclusions Machine learning is a potent screening tool for thyrotoxicosis and hypothyroidism.
Over the last few decades, analyses of wind-driven rain exposure on building façades have been conducted in multiple regions. Sometimes, these studies also included the driving rain wind pressure, ...thereby characterising both critical factors contributing to rainwater penetration into façade materials. However, practitioners typically rely on performance results obtained from standardised watertightness tests to make façade design decisions, even though these tests do not recreate the specific exposure combinations that can occur on each façade. Consequently, there is no quantitative correlation between the traditionally identified exposures and actual façade designs, resulting in pure qualitative choices and poorly optimised designs. This study addresses this issue by correcting the existing methodological deficiencies in a prior calculation procedure, which aims to relate the exposure parameters that the façade configuration withstood during any watertightness test to the expected climate exposures at its design operating conditions. New contributions are presented to enhance the method reliability as well as to reduce calculation effort and reliance on exhaustive weather data. The various climate parameters required to establish this relationship were analysed and tabulated for the Netherlands, enabling a truly performance-based design of façades to resist rainwater penetration throughout the country. Different methods of implementing this procedure, according to the availability of weather data, were also compared for façade case studies located in Amsterdam and Maastricht.
•Quantitative approach for designing façades resistant to rainwater penetration.•Conceptual and mathematical improvements to reduce calculation uncertainties.•Enhanced applicability by reducing method reliance on exhaustive weather records.•Functional database for the performance-based design of Dutch façades.•Method implementation according availability of weather data in two case studies.
•Photochemical features assessed as biomarkers of trace element stress early detection.•Marine diatom species Phaeodactylum tricornutum evaluated as sentinel biomonitor.•OJIP-test parameters and ...element substituted chlorophylls were efficient biomarkers.•Biomarkers evidenced harmful effect of Co, Cu, Cr, Pb, Hg and all elements combined.•P. tricornutum found effective biomonitor for element pollution in marine systems.
Establishing marine species equipped with efficient biomarkers of trace element stress is a major requirement for the assessment of trace element contamination in marine ecosystems. This study investigates PS II overall activity and efficiency during light harvesting, electron transport chain (ETC) behaviour, OJIP-transient light curves, and pigment profiles, in the model marine diatom species Phaeodactylum tricornutum exposed to Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, Pb and to a mixture of all elements combined (Mix). OJIP-test parameters and trace element substituted chlorophylls were investigated as potential biomarkers of stress induced by trace elements. Hg-exposed cells showed a shift in balance towards PS I activity, promoted by increase in the electron transport from PQH2 to the reduction of PS I end electron acceptors. Other elements had more limited effects, mostly affecting energy dissipation and pigment levels to various degrees. Decoupling of PS II antennae connectivity was found in Co exposed cells. Chromium induced negative effects on PS I, but had no influence at the Oxygen Evolving Complexes (OECs) level. Copper caused a shift in the equilibrium between PS towards the PS I by reducing the PS II efficiency. Cadmium induced damage in OECs of the PS II donor side, but had no effect on the energy transduction pathway, maintaining energy processing efficiency. Lead had no significant effect on the energy transduction pathway, but produced changes at pigment level, leading to an increase in the chlorophyll and diadinoxanthin. In contrast, Ni had a beneficial role in P. tricornutum photochemistry, leading to increased number of available RC and oxidized quinone pool size, possibly because concentrations used were not able to induce severe cell damage. Copper, Cd and Zn led to substitution of Mg in chlorophyll a molecules, with the formation of less efficient CuChl a, CdChl a and ZnChl a. The biomarkers used evidenced the damaging effect of Co, Cu, Cr, Pb, Hg and all trace elements combined (Mix), pointing to Hg as the most harmful element. These physiological changes highlight P. tricornutum as a promising sentinel species for trace element contamination and the proposed photochemical features suitable as an efficient battery of biomarkers for trace element stress early detection in marine systems.
Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient for crop growth and food production since it is involved in many biochemical processes in plants. Its deficiency causes physiological, biochemical, and ...morphological changes. These visual changes occur when the photosynthetic apparatus system is already damaged, and they are often irreversible. Consequently, it is necessary to develop novel methods for determining nutritional plant status early in the season for rapid intervention in crop production. This challenge can be tackled using emerging techniques for crop monitoring and rapid detection of stresses. Chlorophyll a fluorescence has proved its potential to detect early abiotic stresses effects on photosynthetic efficiency. Here, we evaluate the potential of this technique to assess phosphorus status in wheat leaves (Triticum durum L.), grown in different concentrations of phosphorus insured by different fertilizer forms (two orthophosphates and one polyphosphate). Results have shown a significant effect of the applied P concentration and fertilizer form on P leaves uptake at an early development stage and improved chlorophyll content index. Phosphorus level and fertilizer form were found to affect also the kinetics of the Chlorophyll a fluorescent transient (OJIP-transient) and related fluorescence parameters. Three predictive models were generated and compared. The results from partial least squares regression (PLSR) performed on fluorescence parameters with cross-validation (CV) were: the root mean square error and the determination coefficient of cross-validation (RMSECV = 0.095 and R2 = 0.67, respectively). The obtained model predicted phosphorus leaf content with RMSE of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.079 g 0.100 g−1 and R2 of 0.56. Results showed that the generated PLS predictive model using chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters has some potential to detect phosphorus status in wheat fresh leaves and can be highly informative about the photosynthetic apparatus state under P deficiency.
•Significant effect of the applied phosphorus concentration and fertilizer form on phosphorus leaves uptake.•Chlorophyll a fluorescence was used to evaluate the potential of this technique to assess phosphorus status in wheat leaves.•Phosphorus level and fertilizer form were found to affect also chlorophyll a fluorescent transient.•Analyzing a large number of fluorescence parameters by applying PCA can detect phosphorus status in durum wheat leaves.
•A new sample preparation method was proposed for atomic force microscopy (AFM) tests.•Suitable probe types and test parameters were recommended for AFM tests.•Imaging errors can be avoided by ...adopting corresponding measurements.
The sample preparation and the image acquisition method of asphalt binders are of importance to atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging quality, especially for the peak force quantitative nanomechanical (PF-QNM) mode. Based on the heat-cast method, a new hot asphalt pouring method for asphalt binder AFM sample preparation was developed in this study. For different probe types and test parameters, samples of the commercial SK-70# asphalt binder prepared by the proposed technique were subjected to PF-QNM tests. The experimental results obtained proved the feasibility and stability of the proposed sample preparation method. Aluminum-coated probes with a nominal spring constant range from 0.4 to 6 N/m were found to furnish the optimal solution to the construction of topography and nanomechanical property maps of SK-70#. The variation of test parameters has shown that the peak force setpoint and peak force tapping (PFT) gain strongly influenced the microstructure topography and nanomechanical property maps. Using reasonable probes and imaging parameters, good AFM maps could be obtained. In this research, only one asphalt binder was tested and the effect of other probe types and test parameters on other asphalt binders need to be further studied in the future.
Color Doppler (CD) imaging is widely used in diagnostics since it allows real-time detection and display of blood flow superimposed on the B-mode image. Nevertheless, to date, a shared worldwide ...standard on Doppler equipment testing is still lacking. In this context, the study herein proposed would give a contribution focusing on the combination of five test parameters to be included in a novel Quality Assessment (QA) protocol for CD systems testing. A first approach involving the use of the Kiviat diagram was investigated, assuming the diagram area, normalized with respect to one of the gold standards, as an index of the overall Doppler system performance. The QA parameters were obtained from the post-processing of CD data through the implementation of custom-written image analysis methods and procedures, here applied to three brand-new high-technology-level ultrasound systems. Experimental data were collected through phased and convex array probes, in two configuration settings, by means of a Doppler flow phantom set at different flow rate regimes. The outcomes confirmed that the Kiviat diagram might be a promising tool applied to quality controls of Doppler equipment, although further investigations should be performed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the proposed approach.
Abnormal toxicity testing helps to detect unexpected toxic impurities in medicinal products for parenteral use and in the corresponding active pharmaceutical ingredients of natural origin. In ...accordance with the requirements of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation and in order to obtain reliable results, all test parameters, the most important of which is the test dose, should be correct. In this paper, the experts of the Scientific Centre for Expert Evaluation of Medicinal Products offer their recommendations on range finding. A correct test dose will provide reliable analytical results and ensure the safety of the evaluated medicinal products.
Fabric shape retention is a crucial property that impacts the durability and usability of fabric and which needs a convenient and accurate evaluation method. In the previous research, the automated ...crease recovery testing method was used to obtain fabric crease recovery information and evaluate the property of shape retention. Based on the previous research, an orthogonal test method was adopted to investigate the effect of different test parameters on the stability of shape retention detection in this paper. First, three factors, that of sample size, pressure, and pressure time, and three different levels of each factor were determined by the L9(34) orthogonal test table. Next, the fabric shape retention indexes were detected by nine different test schemes, and the comprehensive score of shape retention index standard deviation was obtained as the evaluation criterion of the orthogonal test results. Finally, the optimal test scheme was determined by visual analysis and variance analysis. The results show that the sample size has a certain effect on the stability of shape retention indexes, while the pressure time and the pressure have no significant influence. The optimal test scheme is that the sample size is 30 cm × 30 cm, the pressure time is 60 s, and the pressure is 40 N. The test result measured by the optimal test parameters reveals excellent stability when the vertex angle standard deviation is 2.0°, the height standard deviation is 0.06 cm, and the shape retention area standard deviation is 0.16 cm2. This paper provides an experimental basis for improving the accuracy of fabric shape retention evaluation method.
The dynamic planar motion mechanism (PMM) tests are simulated numerically using computational fluid dynamics for a prolate spheroid underwater vehicle (PSUV) to find the effects of test parameters: ...the amplitude, frequency and flow velocity, and make the simulation independent of them. An amplitude of the sinusoidal path of the pure sway and heave tests less than 0.01L and a frequency less than 0.03 Hz are necessary to find accurate results for the maneuvering hydrodynamic derivatives. A ratio of angular frequency to the flow velocity equal to one and an amplitude of less than 0.03L provide relatively accurate results for pure yaw and pitch tests. The calculated test parameters are validated using them for the simulation of the PMM tests for two SUBOFF submarine models to control and compare with the experimental results.
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