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Correct Classification (correct + classification)
Terms modified by Correct Classification Selected AbstractsDeep-seated, well differentiated lipomatous tumors of the chest wall and extremitiesCANCER, Issue 2 2005The role of cytogenetics in classification, prognostication Abstract BACKGROUND Intramuscular lipomas and atypical lipomatous tumors (ALT) are common deep-seated lipomatous tumors of the chest wall and extremities. Distinguishing between these two entities can be difficult based on histologic analysis alone. However, the cytogenetic profiles of ALT and intramuscular lipomas are distinct. Correct classification is important, because aggressive local disease recurrence occurs more frequently in patients with ALT than in patients with intramuscular lipoma. The authors examined their single institutional experience and correlated their classification with clinical features and outcome. METHODS In the current study, 106 patients with deep-seated, well differentiated adipose tumors of the chest wall and extremities were classified as having ALT or intramuscular lipoma using a combined approach of histology and cytogenetics, if available. The classification was correlated with clinicopathologic features and follow-up data. RESULTS Fifty-five patients were classified as having intramuscular lipoma and 51 were classified as having ALT. Classification did not correlate with age and gender (P = 0.28 and P = 0.96, respectively). Intramuscular lipomas were smaller than ALTs (P < 0.0001), but there was significant overlap between the 2 groups. ALT occurred preferentially in the lower extremity (P < 0.0009). Four percent of patients with intramuscular lipomas and 27% of patients with ALTs developed local disease recurrence (P = 0.0006). Disease recurrence did not correlate with patient age at diagnosis, patient gender, tumor size, and tumor location (P = 0.45, P = 0.26, P = 0.49, and P = 0.28, respectively). Within the subset of patients with ALTs, disease recurrence did not correlate with patient age at diagnosis, patient gender, or tumor location (P = 0.38, P = 0.54, and P = 0.86, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Classification of deep-seated, well differentiated lipomatous tumors of the extremities and chest wall using a combined approach of histology and cytogenetics correlated well with biologic behavior/disease recurrence. This combined approach is advocated to better stratify patients for treatment purposes and follow-up. Cancer 2005. © 2004 American Cancer Society. [source] Pilot study of capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry as a tool to define potential prostate cancer biomarkers in urineELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 14 2005Dan Theodorescu Dr. Abstract We describe the use of capillary eletrophoresis (CE) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) to identify single polypeptides and patterns of polypeptides specific for prostate cancer (CaP) in human urine. Using improved sample preparation methods that enable enhanced comparability between different samples, we examined samples from 47,patients who underwent prostate biopsy. Of this group, 21,patients had benign pathology and 26 with,CaP, and these were used to define potential biomarkers, which allow discrimination between these two states. In addition, CE-MS data from these 47,urine samples were compared to that of 41,young men (control) without known or suspected clinical CaP to further confirm the polypeptides indicative for CaP. Upon crossvalidation of the same samples, several polypeptides were selected that enabled correct classification of the CaP patients with 92% sensitivity and 96% specificity. We then examined an additional 474,samples from patients with renal disease enrolled in other studies and found that 14 (3%) had polypeptides suggestive of CaP possibly indicating that they harbor clinical CaP. In conclusion, this early pilot study suggests that CE-MS of urine warrants further investigation as a tool that can identify putative biomarkers for CaP. [source] Application of a one-dimensional thermal flame spread model on predicting the rate of heat release in the SBI testFIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 2 2001Tuula Hakkarainen A one-dimensional thermal flame spread model was applied to predict the rate of heat release in the single burning item (SBI) test on the basis of the cone calorimeter data. The input parameters were selected according to the features of the SBI test and using particle board as a model tuning material. The features of the measured and calculated rate of heat release curves were compared for a series of 33 building products. The fire growth rate (FIGRA) indices were calculated to predict the classification in the forthcoming Euroclass system. The model gave correct classification for 90% of the products studied. An essential feature of the model is that only one cone calorimeter test at the exposure level of 50 kW m,2 is needed. The model, therefore, provides a practical tool for product development and quality control. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Eurasian blackbird predated by wild Rhinopithecus roxellana in the Qinling Mountains, ChinaINTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 3 2008Dapeng ZHAO Abstract Although there are some reports that have described primates eating animals, it is unknown whether predation on vertebrates exists in herbivorous leaf-eating primates. We have witnessed firsthand wild Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) preying on and consuming Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus meruld) in the Qinling Mountains of China. This event suggests that R. roxellana, which has previously been described as a herbivorous leaf-eating primate, may be partially carnivorous and the correct classification of this species would be omnivorous. Furthermore, food-share behavior among higher-ranked members occurs in a one-male unit when vertebrate prey is hunted by this species. [source] PROD-screen , a screen for prodromal symptoms of psychosisINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 2 2003M. Heinimaa Abstract The aim of this study was to describe the PROD-screen, an instrument for screening prodromal symptoms indicating risk for psychotic conversion in the near future. PROD-screen consists of 29 questions assessing performance and symptoms. Clinical construct validity was tested by comparing scores from the unselected general population (GP, n = 64) with those of general psychiatric patients from a community mental health centre (CMHC, n = 107). The concordant validity of PROD-screen for prodromal symptoms of psychosis was assessed in a large epidemiologically mixed sample of research subjects (n = 132) by comparing PROD-screen scores with the prodromal diagnosis made by Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms as a gold standard. Using the cut-off point of 2/12 specific symptoms, PROD-screen gave correct classification of prodromal status in 77% of cases, distinguishing prodromal from non-prodromal subjects with reasonable sensitivity (80%) and specificity (75%) in the epidemiologically mixed sample. According to subsample analysis PROD-screen functions well with first-degree relatives of schizophrenic patients and probably also with general population samples, but not with psychiatric outpatients. In conclusion, PROD-screen is a useful tool for screening prodromal symptoms of psychosis and selecting subjects for more extensive research interviews. Copyright © 2003 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] A comparative study of the egg morphology in four species of Eubothrium (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea) with comments on their early developmentINVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2006Roman Kuchta Abstract. Freshly released eggs from four species of the cestode Eubothrium (Eubothrium crassum, Eubothrium fragile, Eubothrium rugosum, and Eubothrium salvelini) were subjected to morphological and morphometric analysis. The eggs of the two freshwater species, E. rugosum and E. salvelini, were ovoid with a lobed embryophore whereas the eggs of the two marine species, E. crassum and E. fragile, were more circular with a smooth embryophore. However, the morphological differences between species were not readily evident to permit their clear distinction from one another. To discriminate species, a forward stepwise linear discriminant analysis, using six of the seven measured metric characters made on the eggs, was used, which gave 100% correct classification of two species, E. rugosum and E. salvelini, and a high proportion of correct classification for E. crassum (98%) and E. fragile (83%). Of the latter two species, one specimen of E. crassum and five specimens of E. fragile were misclassified between the respective groups. The principal characters used in the classification of the species were the width of the egg, the length of the mediolateral hooks, and the width of the oncosphere. To provide more information on the life cycle of each species, the eggs were used in a series of infection trials to identify appropriate intermediate hosts. Experimental infections with freshwater copepods were successful when exposed to the eggs of E. salvelini, partially successful when exposed to the eggs of marine E. crassum with 10% of the copepods becoming infected, but no infections were obtained when the eggs of E. fragile were used. [source] Variability of tilapias (Oreochromis spp.) introduced in Mexico: morphometric, meristic and genetic charactersJOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 1 2004I. D. L. A. Barriga-Sosa Summary In Mexico, the tilapia Oreochromis provides one of the most important sources of animal protein and income in a wide variety of communities throughout the country, however, their culture and production face severe problems because of lack of management information. Evaluated in the present study is the degree of morphological, meristic and allozyme variation of two tilapia strains, two species and one hybrid from two important reservoirs in Mexico, two tilapia fry production farms (TFPF) and an experimental production system (EPS), to diagnose the actual status and degree of variation among them. Twenty-two presumptive loci were utilized to determine the genetic variation, structuring and distances among samples. Multivariate analyses of 11 meristic and 33 morphometric characters were also evaluated, including the distance from the end of the mouth opening to the most anterior dorsal fin (0.9894), distance from the anal fin base to the anterior part of the caudal fin (0.9845) and the base length of the dorsal fin (0.9839) which contributed to the separation of groups. The canonical discriminant functions for the morphometric and meristic variables show that the correct classification of the organisms in percentages and in the sites of origin was on average 72%. The tilapia from the reservoirs and the experimental production system had higher genetic variations than tilapia from the fry production farms (average He 0.310, 0.062, 0.151 for Metztitlan, Infiernillo and EPS, respectively, vs 0.024 and 0.000 for Los Amates and Zacatepec, respectively). The genetic data indicate that fishes of the TFPF should be monitored closely, as they are the main source of dispersion to the reservoirs. Present results show that these data could be a fast and reliable aid to the fisheries and management of tilapia in Mexico. [source] Direct comparison of four bacterial source tracking methods and use of composite data setsJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2007E.A. Casarez Abstract Aims:, Four bacterial source tracking (BST) methods, enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequence polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR), automated ribotyping using HindIII, Kirby-Bauer antibiotic resistance analysis (KB-ARA) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were directly compared using the same collection of Escherichia coli isolates. The data sets from each BST method and from composite methods were compared for library accuracy and their ability to identify water isolates. Methods and Results:, Potential sources of faecal pollution were identified by watershed sanitary surveys. Domestic sewage and faecal samples from pets, cattle, avian livestock, other nonavian livestock, avian wildlife and nonavian wildlife sources were collected for isolation of E. coli. A total of 2275 E. coli isolates from 813 source samples were screened using ERIC-PCR to exclude clones and to maximize library diversity, resulting in 883 isolates from 745 samples selected for the library. The selected isolates were further analysed using automated ribotyping with HindIII, KB-ARA and PFGE. A total of 555 E. coli isolates obtained from 412 water samples were analysed by the four BST methods. A composite data set of the four BST methods gave the highest rates of correct classification (RCCs) with the fewest unidentified isolates than any single method alone. RCCs for the four-method composite data set and a seven-way split of source classes ranged from 22% for avian livestock to 83% for domestic sewage. Two-method composite data sets were also found to be better than individual methods, having RCCs similar to the four-method composite and identification of the same major sources of faecal pollution. Conclusions:, The use of BST composite data sets may be more beneficial than the use of single methods. Significance and Impact of the Study:, This is one of the first comprehensive comparisons using composite data from several BST methods. While the four-method approach provided the most desirable BST results, the use of two-method composite data sets may yield comparable BST results while providing for cost, labour and time savings. [source] Electronic Nose Technology in Quality Assessment: Predicting Volatile Composition of Danish Blue Cheese During RipeningJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 6 2005Jeorgos Trihaas ABSTRACT This work describes for the 1st time the use of an electronic nose (e-nose) for the determination of changes of blue cheeses flavor during maturation. Headspace analysis of Danish blue cheeses was made for 2 dairy units of the same producer. An e-nose registered changes in cheeses flavor 5, 8, 12, and 20 wk after brining. Volatiles were collected from the headspace and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Features from the chemical sensors of the e-nose were used to model the volatile changes by multivariate methods. Differences registered during ripening of the cheeses as well as between producing units are described and discussed for both methods. Cheeses from different units showed significant differences in their e-nose flavor profiles at early ripening stages but with ripening became more and more alike. Prediction of the concentration of 25 identified aroma compounds by e-nose features was possible by partial least square regression (PLS-R). It was not possible to create a reliable predictive model for both units because cheeses from 1 unit were contaminated by Geotrichum candidum, leading to unstable ripening patterns. Correction of the e-nose features by multiple scatter correction (MSC) and mean normalization (MN) of the integrated GC areas made correlation of the volatile concentration to the e-nose signal features possible. Prediction models were created, evaluated, and used to reconstruct the headspace of unknown cheese samples by e-nose measurements. Classification of predicted volatile compositions of unknown samples by their ripening stage was successful at a 78% and 54% overall correct classification for dairy units 1 and 2, respectively. Compared with GC-MS, the application of the rapid and less demanding e-nose seems an attractive alternative for this type of investigation. [source] ACOUSTIC IDENTIFICATION OF NINE DELPHINID SPECIES IN THE EASTERN TROPICAL PACIFIC OCEANMARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2003Julie N. Oswald Abstract Acoustic methods may improve the ability to identify cetacean species during shipboard surveys. Whistles were recorded from nine odontocete species in the eastern tropical Pacific to determine how reliably these vocalizations can be classified to species based on simple spectrographic measurements. Twelve variables were measured from each whistle (n = 908). Parametric multivariate discriminant function analysis (DFA) correctly classified 41.1% of whistles to species. Non-parametric classification and regression tree (CART) analysis resulted in 51.4% correct classification. Striped dolphin whistles were most difficult to classify. Whistles of bottlenose dolphins, false killer whales, and pilot whales were most distinctive. Correct classification scores may be improved by adding prior probabilities that reflect species distribution to classification models, by measuring alternative whistle variables, using alternative classification techniques, and by localizing vocalizing dolphins when collecting data for classification models. [source] Content and Its Vehicles in Connectionist SystemsMIND & LANGUAGE, Issue 3 2007NICHOLAS SHEA The proposal is that the vehicles of content in some connectionist systems are clusters in the state space of a hidden layer. Attributing content to such vehicles is required to vindicate the standard explanation for some classificatory networks' ability to generalise to novel samples their correct classification of the samples on which they were trained. [source] Population structure of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.): a range-wide perspective from microsatellite DNA variationMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2001T. L. King Abstract Atlantic salmon (n = 1682) from 27 anadromous river populations and two nonanadromous strains ranging from south-central Maine, USA to northern Spain were genotyped at 12 microsatellite DNA loci. This suite of moderate to highly polymorphic loci revealed 266 alleles (5,37/locus) range-wide. Statistically significant allelic and genotypic heterogeneity was observed across loci between all but one pairwise comparison. Significant isolation by distance was found within and between North American and European populations, indicating reduced gene flow at all geographical scales examined. North American Atlantic salmon populations had fewer alleles, fewer unique alleles (though at a higher frequency) and a shallower phylogenetic structure than European Atlantic salmon populations. We believe these characteristics result from the differing glacial histories of the two continents, as the North American range of Atlantic salmon was glaciated more recently and more uniformly than the European range. Genotypic assignment tests based on maximum-likelihood provided 100% correct classification to continent of origin and averaged nearly 83% correct classification to province of origin across continents. This multilocus method, which may be enhanced with additional polymorphic loci, provides fishery managers the highest degree of correct assignment to management unit of any technique currently available. [source] Validity of computerized diagnoses, procedures, and drugs for inflammatory bowel disease in a northern California managed care organization,,PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 11 2009Liyan Liu MD Abstract Purpose Resources for studying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are needed in evaluations of drug safety including traditional drugs and new biologics agents. We developed an IBD registry, with ascertainment from computerized visit information. Objective We sought to characterize the positive predictive value (PPV) of IBD case-finding using computerized data compared with chart review. Methods We identified 2906 persons aged 89 years or younger with one or more IBD diagnoses in computerized visit data during the period of 1996,2002. The diagnosis of IBD was confirmed through chart review. Adopting chart review as the gold standard, the validity of computerized encounter data to determine IBD was estimated. Results Among the 2906 study subjects with one or more ICD-9 diagnosis codes of 555 or 556 in computerized data, 81% were confirmed as having IBD by chart review. Defining cases as those who underwent two or more visits without regard to diagnostic procedures or drug utilization maximized the correct classification of cases (PPV, 95%). Conclusions The quality of IBD diagnoses in computerized data is adequate to meet the aims of a wide range of research studies. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Macrophage activation syndrome in juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus: A multinational multicenter study of thirty-eight patientsARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 11 2009Alessandro Parodi Objective To describe the clinical and laboratory features of macrophage activation syndrome as a complication of juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Cases of juvenile SLE,associated macrophage activation syndrome were provided by investigators belonging to 3 pediatric rheumatology networks or were found in the literature. Patients who had evidence of macrophage hemophagocytosis on bone marrow aspiration were considered to have definite macrophage activation syndrome, and those who did not have such evidence were considered to have probable macrophage activation syndrome. Clinical and laboratory findings in patients with macrophage activation syndrome were contrasted with those of 2 control groups composed of patients with active juvenile SLE without macrophage activation syndrome. The ability of each feature to discriminate macrophage activation syndrome from active disease was evaluated by calculating sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results The study included 38 patients (20 with definite macrophage activation syndrome and 18 with probable macrophage activation syndrome). Patients with definite and probable macrophage activation syndrome were comparable with regard to all clinical and laboratory features of the syndrome, except for a greater frequency of lymphadenopathy, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia in patients with definite macrophage activation syndrome. Overall, clinical features had better specificity than sensitivity, except for fever, which was highly sensitive but had low specificity. Among laboratory features, the best sensitivity and specificity was achieved using hyperferritinemia, followed by increased levels of lactate dehydrogenase, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypofibrinogenemia. Based on the results of statistical analysis, preliminary diagnostic guidelines for macrophage activation syndrome in juvenile SLE were developed. Conclusion Our findings indicate that the occurrence of unexplained fever and cytopenia, when associated with hyperferritinemia, in a patient with juvenile SLE should raise the suspicion of macrophage activation syndrome. We propose preliminary guidelines for this syndrome in juvenile SLE to facilitate timely diagnosis and correct classification of patients. [source] Sensitivity and specificity of confocal laser-scanning microscopy for in vivo diagnosis of malignant skin tumorsCANCER, Issue 1 2006Armin Gerger M.D. Abstract BACKGROUND Melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer are the most frequent malignant tumors by far among whites. Currently, early diagnosis is the most efficient method for preventing a fatal outcome. In vivo confocal laser-scanning microscopy (CLSM) is a recently developed potential diagnostic tool. METHODS One hundred seventeen melanocytic skin lesions and 45 nonmelanocytic skin lesions (90 benign nevi, 27 malignant melanomas, 15 basal cell carcinomas, and 30 seborrheic keratoses) were sampled consecutively and were examined using proprietary CLSM equipment. Stored images were rated by 4 independent observers. RESULTS Differentiation between melanoma and all other lesions based solely on CLSM examination was achieved with a positive predictive value of 94.22%. Malignant lesions (melanoma and basal cell carcinoma) as a group were diagnosed with a positive predictive value of 96.34%. Assessment of distinct CLSM features showed a strong interobserver correlation (, >0.80 for 11 of 13 criteria). Classification and regression tree analysis yielded a 3-step algorithm based on only 3 criteria, facilitating a correct classification in 96.30% of melanomas, 98.89% of benign nevi, and 100% of basal cell carcinomas and seborrheic keratoses. CONCLUSIONS In vivo CLSM examination appeared to be a promising method for the noninvasive assessment of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin tumors. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society. [source] Volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath as a diagnostic tool for asthma in childrenCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 1 2010J. W. Dallinga Summary Background The correct diagnosis of asthma in young children is often hard to achieve, resulting in undertreatment of asthmatic children and overtreatment in transient wheezers. Objectives To develop a new diagnostic tool that better discriminates between asthma and transient wheezing and that leads to a more accurate diagnosis and hence less undertreatment and overtreatment. A first stage in the development of such a tool is the ability to discriminate between asthmatic children and healthy controls. The integrative analysis of large numbers of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in exhaled breath has the potential to discriminate between various inflammatory conditions of the respiratory tract. Methods Breath samples were obtained and analysed for VOC by gas chromatography,mass spectrometry from asthmatic children (n=63) and healthy controls (n=57). A total of 945 determined compounds were subjected to discriminant analysis to find those that could discriminate diseased from healthy children. A set of samples from both asthmatic and healthy children was selected to construct a model that was subsequently used to predict the asthma or the healthy status of a test group. In this way, the predictive value of the model could be tested. Measurements and main results The discriminant analyses demonstrated that asthma and healthy groups are distinct from one another. A total of eight components discriminated between asthmatic and healthy children with a 92% correct classification, achieving a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 95%. Conclusion The results show that a limited number of VOC in exhaled air can well be used to distinguish children with asthma from healthy children. Cite this as: J. W. Dallinga, C. M. H. H. T. Robroeks, J. J. B. N. van Berkel, E. J. C. Moonen, R. W. L. Godschalk, Q. Jöbsis, E. Dompeling, E. F. M. Wouters and F. J. van Schooten, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2010 (40) 68,76. [source] Window pane condensation and high indoor vapour contribution , markers of an unhealthy indoor climate?CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 3 2000Emenius Objective The aim of this study was to investigate whether window pane condensation and indoor vapour contribution , 3 g/m3 could be used as indicators of defective air change rate, high indoor humidity and high mite allergen concentration in mattress dust. Methods Actual ventilation rate, indoor temperature, air humidity (AIH/RH) and concentrations of mite allergen were measured in 59 houses and compared with received outdoor temperatures and air humidity. Indoor vapour contribution defined as the difference between the indoor and the outdoor vapour concentration was calculated. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and accuracy were calculated for window pane condensation and high vapour contribution (, 3 g/m3), as indicators of defective ventilation (< 0.5 ACH), high indoor humidity (, 7 g/kg and , 45% RH) and high mite allergen concentration in mattress dust (, 2 ,g/g). Results All houses with high humidity and high mite allergen concentrations were positive for the two indicators (high sensitivity), but with a specificity of only 50% so that half of the houses with reported condensation and high vapour contribution turned out to be low pollution houses with adequate high ventilation levels. Both indicators had high negative predictive values and absence of the two indicators almost certainly (97,100%) excluded high indoor pollution with high humidity and high mite concentrations. Overall more than 70% of the dwellings were correctly classified by the two indicators. Conclusion Absence of window pane condensation on double-glazed windows and low indoor vapour contribution (< 3 g/m3) during the winter are true markers of a dwelling without high indoor air humidity and without high mite allergen concentrations in mattress dust in houses in a cold temperate climate with subzero outdoor temperatures. The presence of the two indicators is associated with a 18,45% risk of high humidity and mite allergen concentrations so in this latter group further measurements are needed for correct classification. [source] Variations in the evaluation of colorectal cancer riskCOLORECTAL DISEASE, Issue 3 2005R. J. Hodder Abstract Objectives, To test the variability in estimating cancer risk and demonstrate the consequences that subjectivity has on patient care. Subjects and methods, Forty-three clinicians were each asked to assess 40 symptomatic colorectal referrals. Each clinician was provided with a comprehensive history on the 40 patients. The clinicians graded the referral according to a malignancy risk score, decided on the required first line investigation and the priority of that investigation. The main outcome measures used was accuracy in cancer detection and appropriateness of investigations selected. Results, There was a wide degree of variation among all clinicians grading both benign and malignant disease with the overall correct classification of 54% (P -value of <0.001). On average, the clinicians correctly diagnosed 71.3% of the cancer patients as compared to 44% of the benign patients. Of the cancer patients, 47% were correctly classified as an urgent referral whilst 52% of the benign patients were over classified and graded as an urgent referral. The mean number chosen by clinicians to have a flexible sigmoidoscopy as the appropriate first investigation was 13 (of 40 patients); this was despite the diagnosis being possible in all cases with a flexible sigmoidoscopy. The choice to use full colonic investigation was seen throughout all disciplines. Junior doctors demonstrated the highest tendency choosing full colonic investigation in 92.3%. Consultants and senior grades showed the least tendency to choose full colonic imaging although even here colonoscopy or barium enema represented 48.5%. Conclusion, Subjective assessment of cancer referrals is a significant problem that needs to be confronted. Improvements are needed to resolve the inherent problems of subjectivity and operator bias if uniform quality of patient care and best use of resources is to be achieved. [source] Diagnostic potential of serum protein pattern in Type 2 diabetic nephropathyDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 12 2007Y-H. Yang Abstract Aims Microalbuminuria is the earliest clinical sign of diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the multifactorial nature of DN supports the application of combined markers as a diagnostic tool. Thus, another screening approach, such as protein profiling, is required for accurate diagnosis. Surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS) is a novel method for biomarker discovery. We aimed to use SELDI and bioinformatics to define and validate a DN-specific protein pattern in serum. Methods SELDI was used to obtain protein or polypeptide patterns from serum samples of 65 patients with DN and 65 non-DN subjects. From signatures of protein/polypeptide mass, a decision tree model was established for diagnosing the presence of DN. We estimated the proportion of correct classifications from the model by applying it to a masked group of 22 patients with DN and 28 non-DN subjects. The weak cationic exchange (CM10) ProteinChip arrays were performed on a ProteinChip PBS IIC reader. Results The intensities of 22 detected peaks appeared up-regulated, whereas 24 peaks were down-regulated more than twofold (P < 0.01) in the DN group compared with the non-DN groups. The algorithm identified a diagnostic DN pattern of six protein/polypeptide masses. On masked assessment, prediction models based on these protein/polypeptides achieved a sensitivity of 90.9% and specificity of 89.3%. Conclusion These observations suggest that DN patients have a unique cluster of molecular components in serum, which are present in their SELDI profile. Identification and characterization of these molecular components will help in the understanding of the pathogenesis of DN. The serum protein signature, combined with a tree analysis pattern, may provide a novel clinical diagnostic approach for DN. [source] Subjective cognitive complaints, neuropsychological performance, affective and behavioural symptoms in non-demented patientsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 1 2008Roberto Gallassi Abstract Objective Subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) have been previously investigated to establish whether they are risk factors for dementia, but no clear-cut conclusions have emerged. In this study non-demented patients with SCC were studied and the neuropsychological findings, affective and behavioural aspects and parameters with the highest correct classifications in discriminating patients who had only SCC but no objective clinical and neuropsychological impairment, i.e. no cognitive impairment (NCI) patients and those with objective neuropsychological deficits, namely patients with mild cognitive (MCI) were analyzed. Methods Consecutive non-demented outpatients with SCC were enrolled of over 9 months and examined using neuropsychological tests and scales for depression, anxiety and behaviour. Clinical criteria and neuropsychological test results were used to classify patients into groups of NCI, MCI and subtypes of MCI. Results Ninety-two patients with SCC were included; 49 of them had objective deficits (MCI patients), whereas 43 were without any clinical and cognitive impairment (NCI patients). These patients had lower age, higher education and better general cognitive indices than MCI patients who had higher caregiver distress, depression and irritability. The combination of a battery for mental deterioration and for behavioural memory assessment were the most discriminative in differentiating the two groups. Conclusions An objective cognitive impairment, reaching the criteria for a MCI diagnosis, was present in almost half of patients having SCC. MCI patients have more behavioural disturbances than NCI subjects. SCC should not be underestimated and appropriate neuropsychological assessment is required to reassure subjects with normal results and to identify patients with MCI. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Re-estimating the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in a nationally representative sample of persons receiving care for HIV: results from the HIV cost and services utilization studyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 2 2002PhD Maria Orlando Abstract The objective of this study was to obtain accurate estimates of the prevalence of psychiatric disorder in the population represented by the HIV Costs and Services Utilization Study cohort. We constructed logistic regression models to predict DSM-IV diagnoses of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic, and dysthymia among a subsample of the HCSUS cohort who in separate interviews completed the CIDI-SF and the full CIDI diagnostic interview. Diagnoses were predicted using responses to the CIDI-SF as well as other variables contained in the baseline and first follow-up interviews. Resulting regression equations were applied to the entire baseline and first follow-up samples to obtain new estimates of the prevalence of disorder. Compared to estimates based on the CIDI-SF alone, estimates obtained from this procedure provide a more accurate representation of the prevalence of the presence of any one of these four psychiatric disorders in this population, yielding more correct classifications and a lower false-positive rate. Prevalence rates reported in this study are as much as 16% lower than rates estimated using the CIDI-SF alone, but are still considerably higher than estimates for the general community population. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] DATA ANALYSIS OF PENETROMETRIC FORCE/DISPLACEMENT CURVES FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF WHOLE APPLE FRUITSJOURNAL OF TEXTURE STUDIES, Issue 4 2005C. CAMPS ABSTRACT The objective of the present study was to compare two chemometric approaches for characterizing the rheological properties of fruits from puncture test force/displacement curves. The first approach (parameter approach) computed six texture parameters from the curves, which were supposed to be representative of skin hardness, fruit deformation before skin rupture, flesh firmness and mechanical work needed to penetrate the fruit. The second approach (whole curve approach) used the whole digitized curve (300 data points) in further data processing. Two experimental studies were compared: first, the variability of the rheological parameters of five apple cultivars; second, the rheological variability that was characterized as a function of storage conditions. For both approaches, factorial discriminant analysis was applied to discriminate the fruits based on the measured rheological properties. The qualitative groups in factorial discriminant analysis were either the apple cultivar or the storage conditions (days and temperatures of storage). The tests were carried out using cross-validation procedures, making it possible to compute the number of fruits correctly identified. Thus the percentage of correct identification was 92% and 87% for using the parameter and the whole curve approaches, respectively. The discrimination of storage duration was less accurate for both approaches giving about 50% correct identifications. Comparison of the percentage of correct classifications based on the whole curve and the parameter approaches showed that the six computed parameters gave a good summary of the information present in the curve. The whole curve approach showed that some additional information, not present in the six parameters, may be appropriate for a complete description of the fruit rheology. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||