Adequate Setup Research Articles

TaqMan® and HRM approaches for SNP genotyping in genetic traceability of musts and wines

The fight against fraud in the wine sector requires continuous improvements and validations of new technologies applicable to musts and wines. Starting from published data from the Vitis18kSNP array, a series of new specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers have been identified for some important north-western Italian cultivars, such as Barbera, Dolcetto and Arneis (Vitis vinifera L.), used in the production of high-quality wines under Protected Denomination of Origin. A pair of new SNP markers for each grape variety were selected and validated using two real-time PCR techniques: TaqMan® genotyping assays and high-resolution melting analysis (HRM). The TaqMan® assay has proven to be more reliable and repeatable than HRM analysis because despite being an economical and versatile technique for the detection of different types of genomic mutations (SNPs, insertions or deletions), HRM has shown limitations in the presence of poor-quality DNA extracted from musts and wines. TaqMan® assays have successfully identified Barbera, Dolcetto and Arneis in their respective musts and experimental wines, and with good efficiency in commercial wines. Marked differences between genotypes were observed, varietal identification in Dolcetto-based musts/wines was more efficient than that in Arneis-based wines. Therefore, the TaqMan® assay has considerable potential for varietal identification in wines and the procedure described in the present work can be easily adapted to all wines with adequate setup of DNA extraction methods that should be adapted to different wines.

Comparison of external load during pre-match warm-up among different age categories from the same football professional club

The aim of the present study was to compare the external load (EL) of the football pre-match warm-up (WU) in absolute terms and as a percentage (%) of the individual match demands. A total of 96 football players from different age categories participated in the study: professional (PRO, n=26), reserve (RES, n=22), under-21 (U21, n=28) and U18 (n=20) teams. Eleven EL variables were obtained through global positioning system devices. The results show that there are differences among teams in total duration, total distance, number of accelerations and decelerations, acceleration load, distance covered at different speed ranges and the maximum velocity, both expressed absolutely and relative to the match demands. The EL of the WU represents a variable percentage depending on a particular variable with respect to the match, ranging from ≈5% for high-speed running or very high-speed running to ≈20% for acceleration-load. The conclusions were: 1) the WU load represents an important part of the EL on players in soccer matches, and 2) the PRO team presented a lower EL in most of the variables, being consistent in both absolute and relative terms to the match demand. The strength and conditioning coaches must be cautious not to cause fatigue in the players while guaranteeing an adequate set-up to dispute the match.

In vitro dissolution/permeation tools for amorphous solid dispersions bioavailability forecasting II: Comparison and mechanistic insights

Along with the increasing demand for complex formulations comes the need for appropriate in vitro methodologies capable of predicting their corresponding in vivo performance and the mechanisms controlling the drug release which can impact on in vivo drug absorption. In vitro dissolution-permeation (D/P) methodologies that can account for the effects of enabling formulations on the permeability of drugs are increasingly being used in performance ranking during early development stages. This work comprised the application of two different cell-free in vitro D/P setups: BioFLUX™ and PermeaLoop™ to evaluate the dissolution-permeation interplay upon drug release from itraconazole (ITZ)- HPMCAS amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) of different drug loads. A solvent-shift approach was employed, from a simulated gastric environment to a simulated intestinal environment in the donor compartment. PermeaLoop™ was then combined with microdialysis sampling to separate the dissolved (free) drug from other species present in solution, like micelle-bound drug and drug-rich colloids, in real time. This setup was applied to clarify the mechanisms for drug release and permeation from these ASDs. In parallel, a pharmacokinetic study (dog model) was conducted to assess the drug absorption from these ASDs and to compare the in vivo results with the data obtained from each in vitro D/P setup, allowing to infer which would be the most adequate setup for ASD ranking. Even though both D/P systems resulted in the same qualitative ranking, BioFLUX™ overpredicted the difference between the in vivo AUC of two ASDs, whereas PermeaLoop™ permeation flux resulted in a good correlation with the AUC observed in pharmacokinetic studies (dog model) (R2 ≈ 0.98). Also, PermeaLoop™ combined with a microdialysis sampling probe clarified the mechanisms for drug release and permeation from these ASDs. It demonstrated that the free drug was the only driving force for permeation, while the drug-rich colloids kept permeation active for longer periods by acting as drug reservoirs and maintaining constant high levels of free drug in solution, which are then immediately able to permeate. Hence, the data obtained points BioFLUX™ and PermeaLoop™ applications to different momentums in the drug product development pipeline: while BioFLUX™, an automated standardized method, poses as a valuable tool for initial ASD ranking during the early development stages, PermeaLoop™ combined with microdialysis sampling allows to gain mechanistic understanding of the dissolution-permeation interplay, being crucial to fine tune and identify leading ASD candidates prior to in vivo testing.

Influence of temperature and sputter source on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 SIMS depth profiles

The thin‐film photovoltaic technology based on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) has reached high conversion efficiencies exceeding 23%. The gallium gradient in the bulk and the amount of alkali metals in and between CIGS grains strongly affect the cell performance and therefore need to be accurately measured and quantified. ToF‐SIMS is well suited for this task, but the spatial resolution is strongly influenced by the measurement parameters, especially at the required micrometer and nanometer scales. Such highly resolved measurements on CIGS surfaces are challenging. For instance, small copper aggregations occur in SEM images recorded after a focused ion beam (FIB) cut and change the energy‐dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) results. SIMS systems that use an argon ion source generate Cu lamellas, which also influence the measurement. Both effects result from preferential sputtering. Cooling with liquid nitrogen can minimize this negative effect for both techniques. Recent developments in SIMS systems provide more options to avoid these effects. New sources, like the Bi liquid metal gun and cluster guns, are available. However, a systematic investigation on the effect of the ion sources on the sputter craters and the resulting measurement of CIGS absorber is necessary to choose an adequate setup. Thus, we performed a comparison of four different ion sources (argon ion gun, oxygen gun, cesium metal gun, and oxygen cluster gun) and measured CIGS depth profiles at three temperatures [−120°C, −50°C, and room temperature (RT)]. We investigate the influence of these conditions not only on the resulting SIMS depth profile and quantification but also on the morphology of the sputter crater.

Optimal design of dampers in seismic applications utilizing the MOPSO algorithm

New technological developments in engineering present an opportunity for improved efficiency in structural design through optimization. High-performance computing resources reduce the time needed for computational calculations. Concurrently, optimization algorithms have greatly evolved to provide the opportunity to solve complicated nonlinear engineering problems that typically include several interrelated, and often conflicting, objectives under a set of constraints. This research proposes a method for the optimal design of viscous dampers in seismic applications utilizing the multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm. The MOPSO, with its inherent metaheuristic approach and geographically-based adaptive grids, effectively discovers global and diverse non-convex solutions. To further improve the efficiency and quality of the search in the milieu of an engineering application, we have extended MOPSO by introducing constraints on objective functions and implementing parallel computing. Additionally, this research provides recommendations on how to efficiently generate reliable solution sets by proper selection of objective (cost) functions and adequate set-up of MOPSO input parameters. These recommendations are derived from a series of sensitivity studies. The proposed method is verified by utilizing an engineered solution of a viscously damped moment frame. It was found that under the same set of constraints and performance objectives, MOPSO produces a solution set that contains outcomes that are superior to the engineered solutions. For example, the MOPSO solution set contains outcomes that reduce demands on dampers (force and stroke) while maintaining engineering demand parameters, generating construction savings as a result of the reduced manufacturing costs of dampers.

Macro SOStream: An Evolving Algorithm to Self Organizing Density-Based Clustering with Micro and Macroclusters

This paper proposes a new evolving algorithm named Macro SOStream with entirely online learning and based on self-organizing density for data stream clustering. The Macro SOStream is based on the SOStream algorithm, but we incorporate macroclusters composed of microclusters. While microclusters have spherical shapes, macroclusters can have arbitrary shapes. Moreover, the Macro SOStream has the macrocluster merge functionality specially designed to improve its performance under data drift contexts. The Macro SOStream’s performance is compared to SOStream and DenStream algorithms’ performance using four synthetic datasets and the ARI performance metric to validate our proposal. Furthermore, we carry out an exhaustive analysis on the influence of adequate hyperparameter setup on these algorithms’ performance. As a result, the Macro SOStream presents good performance mainly in the context of data drift and for demands of non-spherical clusters.

SimUniversity at a distance: a descriptive account of a team-based remote simulation competition for health professions students

BackgroundSimUniversity competition is an innovative Society in Europe for Simulation Applied to Medicine (SESAM) initiative which has existed since 2014, with the aim of creating opportunities for undergraduate healthcare students to take part in a formative educational experience on an international platform. The main educational focus is on promoting non-technical skills such as leadership, situation awareness, decision making, communication, and assertiveness, but also clinical reasoning within a team. In preparation for the 2021 virtual conference, the team designed a new methodology to meet the same mission, and yet be offered remotely.Main textIn this article, we describe the way in which we transformed the SimUniversity competition activity from face to face to a remote simulation. We relied on Zoom as the main communication technology to enable the distance component and followed the key elements of pre-briefing, simulation, and debriefing with the students being onsite together in one location and the faculty and simulator technologists in distant locations. Thirty-eight medical and nursing students formed 8 teams from 7 different countries. Two participating teams were based in Germany and one in Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Romania, Portugal, and Syria. Each team consisted of between 4 and 5 members and was self-selected to consist of either medical students alone or medical and nursing students together. The SimUniversity faculty team was composed of 5 physician educators, one nurse educator, one paramedic simulation technologist, and one industry simulation technologist. The faculty members facilitated each simulation synchronously in Zoom, while being based in different geographical locations within Europe (Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands) and the Middle East (Qatar and Lebanon).ConclusionWe conclude that assuming there is access to adequate internet connectivity and minimal technical setup, conducting a remote simulation with virtual debriefing is achievable in supporting team-based learning, particularly when learners and/or faculty members are in distant locations. While the authors do not recommend this method to be superior to a face-to-face experience, we propose this model to be an alternative method to consider when educators are faced with imposed restrictions such as what we faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss lessons learned and highlight other potential benefits that this method may provide, to consider even when the restrictions are lifted.

Surge predictions in a large stormwater tunnel system using SWMM

ABSTRACT Stormwater tunnels often have massive geometries, with conduit lengths of several kilometers and a wide range of diameter sizes. Modeling rapid filling of these systems is a complex task and needs adequate methodology. One model used in hydraulic analysis of stormwater tunnels is the EPA’s Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). However, model setup conditions related to a pressurization algorithm can significantly affect SWMM’s accuracy in surge prediction. This work evaluates SWMM 5.1 accuracy in simulating rapid filling of tunnels, particularly surging conditions. This evaluation is done using a real-world tunnel geometry, the Upper Des Plaines Tunnel, which is part of Chicago’s TARP tunnel system. Variables considered in the SWMM model setup include discretization strategy and pressurization algorithm, and its results are compared with HAST predictions, a model specifically designed to represent surges in tunnels. This work shows that, with adequate setup, SWMM can represent surging in stormwater tunnels much more precisely.

The impact of modern communication marketing tools to increase the innovativeness of business

The scientific paper aims to examine the influence of marketing communication tools on the innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises increasing in the Slovak Republic. Nowadays the most companies struggle with business revenue due to the pandemic situation of COVID-19 disease. Many business processes moved to the online area, especially daily workers cooperation, communication with customers, sales support, and almost all types of marketing activities. Experience has shown that the key to success in business is the adequate setup of the communication tools. This issue is important not only in the company, but it took a crucial role in the communication with customers. Customers had to adapt to the new COVID-19 situation that dramatically changed their shopping habits. The survey responses were divided into two basic groups focused on traditional marketing and modern (online) tools. The research rests on data from the interviews with 825 managers or owners of small and medium-sized enterprises of the Slovak Republic. Data were examined using descriptive and regression analysis. The presented results showed that traditional and modern tools of marketing communication impacted increasing the innovation of companies. Besides, the impact of business internationalization on increasing business innovation has been demonstrated. The results were supplemented using various modern marketing tools. For evaluating these results, the method of calculation of constructed surface polygons was used. The findings showed that modern marketing communication tools were better for innovative companies than for non-innovative ones. This difference is up to 14.7%. Moreover, the findings showed many possibilities for improving modern marketing communication tools such as artificial intelligence in online communication through mobile marketing applications, analytical tools, or chatbots.

The learning curve for thoracoscopic repair of esophageal atresia with distal tracheoesophageal fistula: A cumulative sum analysis

BackgroundThoracoscopic repair of esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF) remains technically challenging due to the rarity of these procedures. The aim of this study is to report our experience with thoracoscopic repair of type C EA/TEF and to evaluate the learning curve based upon the surgeon's skill level. MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed data of thoracoscopic EA/TEF repair performed in our center between October 2008 and May 2019. The learning curve was evaluated using the cumulative sum (CUSUM) method based on operative time. ResultsOf the 50 consecutive cases evaluated, the mean birth weight was 2634 ± 608 g and the median age at operation was 3 days (range, 1–29 days). The mean operation time was 144 ± 65 min. Anastomosis leakage occurred in 3 cases (6%) and strictures requiring balloon dilatations occurred in 16 cases (32%). The CUSUM analysis evaluated a learning curve of approximately 10 cases of thoracoscopic type C EA/TEF repair. A lower gestational age was associated with longer operation time. ConclusionsThoracoscopic repair of type C EA/TEF is a feasible and safe procedure. The number of procedures required to achieve a stable learning curve was 10. The learning phase may be shortened by adequate set-up under the supervision of an expert endoscopic surgeon. Type of studyRetrospective Comparative Treatment Study. Level of evidenceIII

Ex vivo models for research in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a systematic review of the literature.

With ongoing progress of components of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation including improvements of oxygenators, pumps, and coating materials, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation became increasingly accepted in the clinical practice. A suitable testing in an adequate setup is essential for the development of new technical aspects. Relevant tests can be conducted in ex vivo models specifically designed to test certain aspects. Different setups have been used in the past for specific research questions. We conducted a systematic literature review of ex vivo models of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation components. MEDLINE and Embase were searched between January 1996 and October 2017. The inclusion criteria were ex vivo models including features of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation technology. The exclusion criteria were clinical studies, abstracts, studies in which the model of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has been reported previously, and studies not reporting on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation components. A total of 50 studies reporting on different ex vivo extracorporeal membrane oxygenation models have been identified from the literature search. Models have been grouped according to the specific research question they were designed to test for. The groups are focused on oxygenator performance, pump performance, hemostasis, and pharmacokinetics. Pre-clinical testing including use of ex vivo models is an important step in the development and improvement of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation components and materials. Furthermore, ex vivo models offer valuable insights for clinicians to better understand the consequences of choice of components, setup, and management of an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuit in any given condition. There is a need to standardize the reporting of pre-clinical studies in this area and to develop best practice in their design.

Molar mass determination of polylactic acid alternatives by capillary viscometry method

The molar mass of polymers is a basic property that defines the appropriate processing method and the field of application of polymers. Therefore, the measurement of molar weights is a crucial point of polymer synthesis. In absence of modern but expensive equipment a rheology-based method can be used to define the molar mass with reliable result. By evaluation of molar mass, the entire polymerization can be monitored and controlled.During my experiments polylactic acid alternatives (PLLA, PDLA, PDLLA) have been synthesized by direct polycondensation methods. According to the relevant literature, by this method and with the adequate setup of its parameters 104-105 g·mol−1 molar mass can be reached. The two most important parameters are the process time and temperature that strongly effects on the value of molar mass of polymer. In this work standard polycondensation method has been used to produce the mentioned polylactic acid alternatives then the molar masses of polylactic acid polymers were calculated by followed the correlation of Mark – Houwink relation.

Experimental Studies Regarding the Influence of Cutting Parameters on Tool Temperature in Milling Process of Aluminum Alloys

In this paper, the authors present the influence of cutting parameters, depth of cut, rotational speed and speed feed on the process temperature for milling of three types of aluminum alloys. In order to measure the temperature, an adequate experimental setup was used. This experimental setup consists in a noncontact infrared thermometer.

Design Guidelines for Feedforward Cancellation of the Occlusion-Effect in Hearing Aids.

The occlusion-effect is described as an unsatisfactory quality of the hearing-aid user's own voice that sounds hollow or boomy. Some fixed and adaptive feedback controllers have been suggested in order to reduce the occlusion-effect. More recently, a feedforward adaptive active-noise-control based strategy for unvented hearing aids was proposed. This paper presents a theoretical analysis of the convergence conditions for this canceller. This allows explicit analytical determination of its stability limits, providing an adequate setup of the algorithm parameters to achieve a priori performance requirements, such as convergence speed and sound quality. Design examples are presented, which validate the theoretical analysis and illustrate its practical application.

Force Prediction for Incremental Forming of Polymer Sheets.

Incremental sheet forming (ISF) is gaining attention as a low cost prototyping and small batch production solution to obtain 3D components. In ISF, the forming force is key to define an adequate setup, avoiding damage and reducing wear, as well as to determine the energy consumption and the final shape of the part. Although there are several analytical, experimental and numerical approaches to estimate the axial forming force for metal sheets, further efforts must be done to extend the study to polymers. This work presents two procedures for predicting axial force in Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) of polymer sheets. Particularly, a numerical model based on the Finite Element Model (FEM), which considers a hyperelastic-plastic constitutive equation, and a simple semi-analytical model that extends the known specific energy concept used in machining. A set of experimental tests was used to validate the numerical model, and to determine the specific energy for two polymer sheets of polycarbonate (PC) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The approaches provide results in good agreement with additional real examples. Moreover, the numerical model is useful for accurately predicting temperature and thickness.

Effect of mesh refinement and model parameters on LES simulation of diesel sprays

Review of the recent literature on fuel spray modeling suggests that the use of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach is of fundamental importance in order to adequately represent the complex phenomena related to spray–turbulence interactions, which affect all physical processes of the mixture formation and combustion. However, some deficiencies have been identified related to the accuracy of non-reacting spray simulations, mainly related to the adequate set-up of different models and numerical parameters and, in particular, to mesh size, to adequately capture the spray turbulence interactions. This work presents the application of advanced turbulence modeling to the spray injection process in a static chamber, based on the implementation of a LES turbulence model in a Lagrangian spray based solver in OpenFOAM (open source code). Results obtained hitherto for non-reacting sprays proved that highly accurate results can be obtained for liquid and vapor length penetrations by correct modeling of spray phenomena and adequate mesh refinement to correctly capture turbulence–spray interactions. In addition, a new criterion for adaptive mesh refinement based on the droplet Stokes number, is proposed and tested. This criterion can be also used to evaluate to what extent the spray turbulent dispersion, is adequately captured with a given mesh refinement, using LES approach.

Correcting Measurement Error in Content Analysis

ABSTRACTConducting and reporting reliability tests has become a standard practice in content analytical research. However, the consequences of measurement error in coding data are rarely discussed or taken into consideration in subsequent analyses. In this article, we demonstrate how misclassification in content analysis leads to biased estimates and introduce matrix back-calculation as a simple remedy. Using Monte Carlo simulation, we investigate how different ways of collecting information about the misclassification process influence the effectiveness of error correction under varying conditions. The results show that error correction with an adequate set-up can often substantially reduce bias. We conclude with an illustrative example, extensions of the procedure, and some recommendations.

An open-label study of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dabigatran etexilate 150 mg once daily in Caucasian patients with moderate renal impairment undergoing primary unilateral elective total knee or hip replacement surgery

BackgroundIn adults with moderate renal impairment (creatinine clearance [CrCl] 30–50mL/min) undergoing total hip or knee replacement (THR/TKR), the recommended dose of dabigatran etexilate is 150mg once daily (qd). We investigated the steady state pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and safety in these patients. MethodsSingle-arm, open-label phase 4 study (NCT01184989) in Caucasian patients receiving dabigatran etexilate 75mg 1–4h after surgery and 150mg qd on days 2–10 (TKR) or days 2–35 (THR). Plasma total dabigatran concentrations (day 6±1) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and indirectly using the commercially available diluted thrombin time (dTT) assay (Hemoclot® Thrombin Inhibitors). ResultsOf 112 patients (mean CrCl 42.5mL/min, age 79.1years, 69.6% female), 100 completed the study. Geometric mean trough and peak dabigatran concentrations were 47.5ng/mL (10th–90th percentile 19.7–120) and 166ng/mL (49.1–364), respectively. There were four major bleeding events and no venous thromboembolic events. Dabigatran concentrations determined from dTT (and falling within the assay range of 50–500ng/mL) underestimated actual values by 7.6% (90% confidence interval 5.3, 9.9), which is within the acceptance limits of ±15%. ConclusionsThese findings in Caucasians with moderate renal impairment undergoing THR or TKR support the use of the 150mg qd dose of dabigatran etexilate. With adequate set-up, calibration and quality control the dTT assay might be appropriate for situations, such as serious bleeding or a need for urgent surgery, where determination of dabigatran levels would be helpful.

Evaluating positional accuracy using megavoltage cone-beam computed tomography for IMRT with head-and-neck cancer

Accurate dose delivery is essential for the success of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for patients with head-and-neck (HN) cancer. Reproducibility of IMRT dose delivery to HN regions can be critically influenced by treatment-related changes in body contours. Moreover, some set-up margins may not be adaptable to positional uncertainties of HN structures at every treatment. To obtain evidence for appropriate set-up margins in various head and neck areas, we prospectively evaluated positional deviation (δ values) of four bony landmarks (i.e. the clivus and occipital protuberance for the head region, and the mental protuberance and C5 for the neck region) using megavoltage cone-beam computed tomography during a treatment course. Over 800 δ values were analyzed in each translational direction. Positional uncertainties for HN cancer patients undergoing IMRT were evaluated relative to the body mass index. Low positional accuracy was observed for the neck region compared with the head region. For the head region, most of the δ was distributed within ±5 mm, and use of the current set-up margin was appropriate. However, the δ values for the neck region were within ±8 mm. Especially for overweight patients, a few millimeters needed to be added to give an adequate set-up margin. For accurate dose delivery to targets and to avoid excess exposure to normal tissues, we recommend that the positional verification process be performed before every treatment.

Evaluation of overall setup accuracy and adequate setup margins in pelvic image-guided radiotherapy: Comparison of the male and female patients

We evaluated adequate setup margins for the radiotherapy (RT) of pelvic tumors based on overall position errors of bony landmarks. We also estimated the difference in setup accuracy between the male and female patients. Finally, we compared the patient rotation for 2 immobilization devices. The study cohort included consecutive 64 male and 64 female patients. Altogether, 1794 orthogonal setup images were analyzed. Observer-related deviation in image matching and the effect of patient rotation were explicitly determined. Overall systematic and random errors were calculated in 3 orthogonal directions. Anisotropic setup margins were evaluated based on residual errors after weekly image guidance. The van Herk formula was used to calculate the margins. Overall, 100 patients were immobilized with a house-made device. The patient rotation was compared against 28 patients immobilized with CIVCO's Kneefix and Feetfix. We found that the usually applied isotropic setup margin of 8mm covered all the uncertainties related to patient setup for most RT treatments of the pelvis. However, margins of even 10.3mm were needed for the female patients with very large pelvic target volumes centered either in the symphysis or in the sacrum containing both of these structures. This was because the effect of rotation (p ≤ 0.02) and the observer variation in image matching (p ≤ 0.04) were significantly larger for the female patients than for the male patients. Even with daily image guidance, the required margins remained larger for the women. Patient rotations were largest about the lateral axes. The difference between the required margins was only 1mm for the 2 immobilization devices. The largest component of overall systematic position error came from patient rotation. This emphasizes the need for rotation correction. Overall, larger position errors and setup margins were observed for the female patients with pelvic cancer than for the male patients.