Analytical Phase Research Articles

Methodology for testing and monitoring artificial intelligence-based software for medical diagnostics

BACKGROUND: The global amount of investment in companies developing artificial intelligence (AI)-based software technologies for medical diagnostics reached $80 million in 2016, rose to $152 million in 2017, and is expected to continue growing. While software manufacturing companies should comply with existing clinical, bioethical, legal, and methodological frameworks and standards, there is a lack of uniform national and international standards and protocols for testing and monitoring AI-based software.
 AIM: This objective of this study is to develop a universal methodology for testing and monitoring AI-based software for medical diagnostics, with the aim of improving its quality and implementing its integration into practical healthcare.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research process involved an analytical phase in which a literature review was conducted on the PubMed and eLibrary databases. The practical stage included the approbation of the developed methodology within the framework of an experiment focused on the use of innovative technologies in the field of computer vision to analyze medical images and further application in the health care system of the city of Moscow.
 RESULTS: A methodology for testing and monitoring AI-based software for medical diagnostics has been developed, aimed at improving its quality and introducing it into practical healthcare. The methodology consists of seven stages: self-testing, functional testing, calibration testing, technological monitoring, clinical monitoring, feedback, and refinement.
 CONCLUSION: Distinctive features of the methodology include its cyclical stages of monitoring and software development, leading to continuous improvement of its quality, the presence of detailed requirements for the results of the software work, and the participation of doctors in software evaluation. The methodology will allow software developers to achieve significant outcomes and demonstrate achievements across various areas. It also empowers users to make informed and confident choices among software options that have passed an independent and comprehensive quality check.

Artificial intelligence in the pre-analytical phase: State-of-the art and future perspectives.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has become widespread in many areas of science and medicine, including laboratory medicine. Although it seems obvious that the analytical and post-analytical phases could be the most important fields of application in laboratory medicine, a kaleidoscope of new opportunities has emerged to extend the benefits of AI to many manual labor-intensive activities belonging to the pre-analytical phase, which are inherently characterized by enhanced vulnerability and higher risk of errors. These potential applications involve increasing the appropriateness of test prescription (with computerized physician order entry or demand management tools), improved specimen collection (using active patient recognition, automated specimen labeling, vein recognition and blood collection assistance, along with automated blood drawing), more efficient sample transportation (facilitated by the use of pneumatic transport systems or drones, and monitored with smart blood tubes or data loggers), systematic evaluation of sample quality (by measuring serum indices, fill volume or for detecting sample clotting), as well as error detection and analysis. Therefore, this opinion paper aims to discuss the state-of-the-art and some future possibilities of AI in the preanalytical phase.

Comparison of 624-type Capillary Columns

In our research, seven 624-type capillary columns were investigated. All the columns were the same in length, internal diameter, and film thickness (30 m × 0.32 mm × 1.0 µm). However, they were produced by different manufacturers or the same manufacturer but in different batches. Even though the manufacturers recommend them as "equivalent columns" this equivalence did not prevail even in the case of columns produced by the same manufacturer. Our examination criteria centered on the quantitative determination ability of the columns. A homemade column test mixture was compiled to represent all the second-order interactions that can occur between the analyte and stationary phase. Although theoretically these columns have the same stationary phase quality, they did not result in the same chromatograms. In addition to the origin and batch of the column, the "history of the column" contributes likewise to the different peak symmetry, retention order, and even peak areas that affect the quantitative determination. We quantified this quantitative determination ability with the effective carbon number (ECN) and the Limit of Quantitation (LoQ) values. Based on our results the attainable LoQ and ECN values depend at least as much on the origin and actual state of the stationary phase as on the measurement conditions to be optimized. In our paper, we demonstrate the extent to which the same stationary phases offered by different companies and/or different backgrounds can influence our detection limit and detector response even if the relevant columns have theoretically the same chemical structure.

Enhancing the Streetscape of Sidewalks for Sustainability and Liveability in Shared Streets

The urgent call for resilient, sustainable cities took place in promoting sustainable development to be achieved by 2030, especially in Egypt’s agenda, and meeting users’ needs through safe and affordable public spaces and inclusive and sustainable urbanization. Open public spaces in sustainable cities act as a source for enhancing interaction between users, including city and neighborhood streets and sidewalks, squares, parks, and other shared spaces such as private parks, in addition to enhancing well-being and good quality of life. In the last couple of years, the use of vehicles and transportation has become a burden for users to use sidewalks, access open spaces, and access outdoor areas, which need an urgent response by decision-makers and stakeholders. As a result, new approaches are currently taking place as a scheme for reforming sidewalks, especially in shared streets, in order to act as a public space for interaction, commuting, and new activities to increase its liveability. Sidewalks act as a place for safe socialization, communication, and commuting through walking and cycling. The research methodology focuses on three stages, including theoretical, analytical, and empirical studies. The theoretical phase presents a theoretical background for the topic. The analytical phase focuses on global cases and guidelines. The empirical phase tests the applicability of the suggested guidelines derived from the theoretical and analytical phases. Finally, the research’s main objective is to examine the applicability of achieving the liveability and sustainability of sidewalks in shared streets in cities as a quick and effective public space for wellness that can be adopted in megacities, with special reference to the Al-Khalifa neighborhood in Egypt.

Hydrophobic/hydrophilic separation performance evaluation of a mixed-mode ionic liquid embedded stearyl thioglycolate functionalized silica stationary phase

In this work, a novel imidazolium ionic liquid embedded multifunctional chromatographic stationary phase (Sil-AVI-ST) was synthesized by the radical-mediated thiol-ene click reaction. A wide range of samples including hydrophilic sulfonamides, vitamins and nucleosides/bases as well as hydrophobic phthalates, bisphenols, alkylphenols and steroid hormones were selected to evaluate the separation ability of the newly obtained Sil-AVI-ST. As expected, an efficient separation of the above tested analytes was successfully achieved in different chromatographic modes. It was proved that multiple stationary phase-analyte interaction forces promoted the selective separation. The Sil-AVI-ST column provided multiple retention mechanisms, enabling the efficient separation of diverse analytes with different polarity. More importantly, embedding a polar ligand (1-allyl-3-vinyl-imidazolium) could improve the separation efficiency of long-chain alkyl bonded stationary phases for hydrophilic analytes, and the developed Sil-AVI-ST column could also realize the detection of hydrophobic analytes under water-rich conditions, which is impossible for the conventional hydrophobic columns. Therefore, the newly prepared Sil-AVI-ST stationary phase has a good practical application potential.

La coopération entre allergologues et biologistes membres du réseau AllergoBioNet : le succès d’un modèle français

AllergoBioNet is a French association of clinical laboratory specialists of allergic and mast-cell-related diseases and their differential diagnoses. Its 79 members are working in clinical laboratories in 29 Universitary Hospitals and 15 General Hospitals in France and another one in Belgium. Ten of these laboratories have recently been certified as «laboratoires de biologie médicale de référence » (Reference Clinical Laboratories, LBMR) to valorize the expertise in hypersensitivity, mast-cell and complement laboratory investigations. The first mission of these laboratory professionals is to ensure that results are accurate and reliable. Thus, they deal with all the process of continuous quality improvement and are able to minimize errors of the sample's workflow (pre-analytic, analytic and post-analytic phases). Since years, they are certified by the French Organization for Quality (COFRAC). Moreover, they evaluate newer diagnostic tests, ensure continuous medical formation to actualize competences and knowledge, participate in research protocols and publish in national and international specialized reviews. The aims of this article are (1) to encourage all medical laboratory specialists working in the field of allergic diseases (diagnosis, monitoring patients and responses to therapy) to join the AllergoBioNet network; (2) to encourage physicians to collaborate with these laboratory professionals, so that they could answer to practical questions (ie: pre-analytical needs and conservation samples), receive updates for state-of-the-art laboratory methods and devices, refer patients needing highly specialized analyses and ensure interdisciplinary interpretation of clinical and laboratory results. This partnership should improve mutual competences and contribute to patient care.

Analytical and numerical study of concrete slabs reinforced by steel rebars and perforated steel plates under blast loading

Civilian buildings have been imposed to blast loading, resulting in irrecoverable damages and casualties. This paper studies the analytical and numerical performance of concrete slabs reinforced by Conventional Steel Rebars and Perforated Steel Plates based on the values recommended by ASCE Blast-Resistant and nonlinear Finite Element Analysis performed in Abaqus. ASCE Blast-Resistant proposes the equations covering the burst of any explosive materials, while Abaqus uses the TNT equivalent mass method. This study uses PSP as an alternative to CSR in concrete slabs because PSPs are more integrated with surrounding concrete than CSRs due to the particular geometry of the holes. In the analytical phase, based on ASCE Blast-Resistant, the nonlinear performance of the rectangular concrete slab reinforced with CSR under blast loading was determined. Then, in the numerical step, the square concrete slab reinforced with CSR subjected to blast loading was simulated and verified with the literature results. Furthermore, a nonlinear finite element simulation of the rectangular concrete slab was performed to validate the modeling. Moreover, the simulation results of the rectangular slab were compared with the analytical results calculated based on ASCE Blast-Resistant, revealing that the equivalent mass method used in Abaqus accurately simulates the behavior of the reinforced concrete slab under blast loading. Finally, CSRs were replaced by PSPs with an equal volume in the rectangular concrete slab to compare their performance showing that PSPs with equal volume compared to CSRs can reduce the reinforced concrete slab's maximum displacement by up to 20% and decrease its following wavelength.

The Role of Laboratory Information System in Improving the Delivery of Laboratory Services: A Recent Systematic Review.

Recently, laboratory information systems (LIS) have become necessary for every laboratory to improve the decision-making process and achieve better treatment and diagnostic results. By standardizing laboratory's tests, procedures, and workflows, the software enables laboratories to improve patient care, reduce human error, and constructively lower operating costs. Implementing LIS has a multidimensional impact on improving the delivery of laboratory services. This paper aims to investigate how patient services can be improved by laboratory information system. This paper is based on a review conducted by searching PubMed, Google Scholar, Saudi Digital Library and Research Gate for English language articles published from 2015 to 2021 and focused primarily on laboratory information systems. The literature searches yielded a total of 30 articles that were then initially screened based on the titles and abstracts. Seven articles were excluded because they did not primarily address LIMS for biosafety, automated verification of test results in the core clinical laboratory, clinical biochemistry, or the impact of health information technology on patient safety, or were not written in English. The remaining 23 articles were then screened in full text. Advanced laboratory information systems may eliminate diagnostic errors in the preanalytical, analytical, and postanalytical phases. In addition, they can incorporate genomic data at the analytical stage to generate useful reports for providers and patients.

Integral transforms and [formula omitted]-symmetric Hamiltonians

Motivated by the fact that twice the Fourier transform plays the role of a parity operator. We systematically study the integral transforms of PT-symmetric Hamiltonians. First, we obtain a closed analytical formula for the exponential Fourier transform of a general PT-symmetric Hamiltonian. Using the Segal–Bargmann transform, we investigate the effect of the Fourier transforms on the eigenfunctions of the original Hamiltonian. As an immediate application, we comment on the holomorphic representation of non-Hermitian spin chains. In this case, the Hamiltonian is written in terms of analytical phase space coordinates and their partial derivatives in the Bargmann space instead of matrices in the vector Hilbert space. Finally, we discuss the effect of integral transforms in the study of the Swanson Hamiltonian.

Holistic Strategies Based on Heritage, Environmental, Sensory Analysis and Mapping for Sustainable Coastal Design

The objectives of this exploratory paper are to propose and implement original urban design strategies, but also to highlight the links between cultural and natural heritage at the city–land–sea interface and, in particular, in coastal areas with historical value. For the moment, the tools for evaluating the social and economic “value” of this heritage are extremely limited. Moreover, design and environmental parameters may also come into play in this context, and it is worth considering the creation of an evaluation toolkit. The proposed methodology includes three phases: a documentary analysis, an on-site analysis consisting of a sensory mapping and an analysis by questionnaires. The main result of this work is to demonstrate that the methodology of sensory mapping techniques allows obtaining a holistic global approach where all human senses are considered in the analytical phase of pre-design of a coastal site, thus integrating this approach in a more sustainable design strategy. This methodology was evaluated in a significant natural and historic area. This case study and the literature review demonstrate that it is possible to provide a scheme toolkit that integrates all the parameters of importance identified in urban analysis, sensory mapping, environmental analysis and natural and cultural heritage analysis.

Analysis of the concept of nurses' autonomy in intensive care units: A hybrid model.

To analyze the concept of autonomy of nurses in Intensive Care Units (ICU). The hybrid model approach proposed by Schwartz-Barcott and Kim, which includes theoretical, fieldwork and analytical phases, was used for this study. For the theoretical and fieldwork phases, the Graneheim and Lundman stages and the CORE-Q checklist were used, and the results were combined in the final analysis phase. For the theoretical phase, 46 related articles, two instruments and four books were identified after using a search strategy in 7 bibliographic databases in English and one in Persian with the terms MESH: 'nursing', 'autonomy' and 'intensive care'. The information extracted in the theoretical phase served as the basis for the design of the questions used in the semi-structured interviews in the fieldwork phase. Eight nurses with ICU experience working in hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (Iran) participated in the fieldwork phase. The antecedents of the concept of nurse autonomy in ICUs were: empowerment of the workforce, organizational platform, and social and individual views of the profession. Its attributes were professionalism and high personal capabilities. Finally, increased personal competencies, promotion of quality of care, improved attitudes towards the profession and professional outcomes were noted as consequences. The autonomy of nurses in the ICU can facilitate their empowerment, which translates into the promotion of their caring behaviours, followed by the improvement of patient outcomes and quality of care.

Innovation, Automation and Informatics Improves Quality in Lerdsin Hospital, Thailand.

This paper describes a planned, continuous improvement journey, of a laboratory that has installed a system with a single sample touch from blood draw to result. To achieve this, physical connectivity of systems from phlebotomy through pre-analytical to the analytical phase were paired with informatics connectivity from the patient's national identity card to the hospital and laboratory informatics management systems (LIMS) and associated middleware. This allowed accurate time stamps to track turnaround time (TAT). TAT metrics were collected from the LIMS for inpatient, emergency room and outpatient samples and tests over a period of 7months. This time span incorporated the 2-month period before automation was implemented. The results for all tests and specific tests are shown and the results of an analysis of the outpatient phlebotomy workflow are given. The implemented solution has improved outpatient TAT by over 54% and has shown that samples can be collected, and results obtained without touching the sample. Improving intra-laboratory TAT is an important quality goal for all laboratories. The implementation of automation is important in achieving this albeit more about obtaining predictable TAT. Automation does not necessarily improve TAT it removes variation which leads to predictable TAT (PTAT). Automation should only be considered with a strategic vision for the future as it is important to have clear goals and objectives based on the individual laboratories process and needs. Automating a poor process leads to an automated poor process. Here, an innovative use of automation, hardware and software has resulted in marked improvement in TAT across all samples processed in the central laboratory.

Pragmatic guidance for embedding pragmatic clinical trials in health plans: Large simple trials aren't so simple.

There are unique opportunities related to the design and conduct of pragmatic trials embedded in health insurance plans, which have longitudinal data on member/patient demographics, dates of coverage, and reimbursed medical care, including prescription drug dispensings, vaccine administrations, behavioral healthcare encounters, and some laboratory results. Such trials can be large and efficient, using these data to identify trial-eligible patients and to ascertain outcomes. We use our experience primarily with the National Institutes of Health Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory Distributed Research Network, which comprises health plans that participate in the US Food & Drug Administration's Sentinel System, to describe lessons learned from the conduct and planning of embedded pragmatic trials. Information is available for research on more than 75 million people with commercial or Medicare Advantage health plans. We describe three studies that have used or plan to use the Network, as well as a single health plan study, from which we glean our lessons learned. Studies that are conducted in health plans provide much-needed evidence to drive clinically meaningful changes in care. However, there are many unique aspects of these trials that must be considered in the planning, implementation, and analytic phases. The type of trial best suited for studies embedded in health plans will be those that require large sample sizes, simple interventions that could be disseminated through health plans, and where data available to the health plan can be leveraged. These trials hold potential for substantial long-term impact on our ability to generate evidence to improve care and population health.

Errors encountered in the diagnostic pathway: A prospective single-institution study.

Biopsy specimens go through a diagnostic pathway before a pathology report is rendered for the clinician. Errors can occur at any step in this pathway. A 1-year prospective study was conducted at a single academic institution to identify and characterize errors that occurred in the diagnostic pathway from the clinic to the dermatopathology lab. A total of 25 662 specimens were processed and 190 errors were recorded (an error rate of 0.7%). The most common errors were an incorrect biopsy site (n = 65), incorrect data entry of a correct diagnosis (n = 25), and specimen mix-up (n = 23). There were 17 diagnostic errors. Errors most often occurred in the pre-analytical phase (n = 128). The clinician was responsible for 34.2% of errors, the dermatopathologist for 23.7%, and the histotechnician for 18.9%. Slips were the most common type of human error (n = 156). The most common error involved an incorrect biopsy site at the clinical stage. Over two-thirds of errors occurred before the slide reached the dermatopathologist. Diagnostic errors (analytical phase) rarely occurred, and when they did occur, the clinician was most likely to discover the error. Examining and addressing common laboratory errors help to reduce their incidence and lead to quality improvement in dermatopathology.

Coordination of chemical analyses under the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU): Concepts, procedures and lessons learnt.

The European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) ran from 2017 to 2022 with the aim of advancing and harmonizing human biomonitoring in Europe. More than 40,000 analyses were performed on human samples in different human biomonitoring studies in HBM4EU, addressing the chemical exposure of the general population, temporal developments, occupational exposure and a public health intervention on mercury in populations with high fish consumption. The analyses covered 15 priority groups of organic chemicals and metals and were carried out by a network of laboratories meeting the requirements of a comprehensive quality assurance and control system. The coordination of the chemical analyses included establishing contacts between sample owners and qualified laboratories and monitoring the progress of the chemical analyses during the analytical phase, also addressing status and consequences of Covid-19 measures. Other challenges were related to the novelty and complexity of HBM4EU, including administrative and financial matters and implementation of standardized procedures. Many individual contacts were necessary in the initial phase of HBM4EU. However, there is a potential to develop more streamlined and standardized communication and coordination in the analytical phase of a consolidated European HBM programme.

The Phase Response of a Rough Rectangular Facet for Radar Sounder Simulations of Both Coherent and Incoherent Scattering

AbstractWith radar sounders, coherent backscattering simulations from global planetary digital elevation models (DEMs) typically display a deficit in diffuse clutter, which is mainly due to the implicit assumption that roughness at scales below the resolution of the DEM is absent. Indeed, while polynomial approximations of the phase evolution across the facet allow for fast and mathematically rigorous simulators, the coarse resolution of these planetary DEMs leads to a potentially significant portion of the backscattering response being neglected. In this paper, we derive the analytical phase response of a rough rectangular facet characterized by Gaussian roughness and a Gaussian isotropic correlation function under the linear phase approximation. Formulae for the coherent and incoherent power scattered by such an object are obtained for arbitrary bistatic scattering angles. Validation is done both in isolation and after inclusion in different Stratton‐Chu simulators. In order to illustrate the different uses of such a formulation, we reproduce two lunar radargrams acquired by the Lunar Radar Sounder instrument with a Stratton‐Chu simulator incorporating the proposed rough facet phase integral, and we show that the original radargrams are significantly better‐reproduced than with state‐of‐the‐art methods, at a similar computational cost. We also show how the rough facet integral formulation can be used in isolation to better characterize subglacial water bodies on Earth.

Phase I Pharmacokinetics Study of Drug for Infusion «Areplivir» (INN: Favipiravir) (LLC "PROMOMED RUS", Russia)

Introduction. The novel coronavirus infection COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is caused by an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2). Favipiravir is the antiviral drug recommended for etiotropic treatment of COVID-19. Parenteral therapy has advantages over the other routes of the drug administration: there are no interaction with food and digestive enzymes, may be used for patients with diseases of the digestive system and unconscious patients. For parenteral drug administration of favipiravir the drug "Areplivir" has been registered in Russia.Aim. The aim is pharmacokinetics study of drug "Areplivir", a lyophilisate for the preparation of a concentrate for the infusion solution (the manufacturer is JSC "Biokhimic", LLC "Promomed RUS" as registration certificate holder) by intravenous infusion in healthy volunteers in a phase I pharmacokinetics study.Materials and methods. The clinical and analytical phases of the pharmacokinetic study as well as pharmacokinetic analyses have been performed as part of a clinical trial of the drug "Areplivir" in different doses, a lyophilisate for the preparation of a concentrate for the infusion solution (LLC "Promomed RUS", Russia). Chromatographic separation and detection were carried out on a LC-2040C high-performance liquid chromatograph (Shimadzu Corporation, Japan) with a built-in UV detector, a low-pressure four-component gradient pump, a degasser, an autosampler, a column thermostat and a controller. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated with the Boomer pharmacokinetic analysis add-in for Microsoft Excel (Department of Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism, Allergan, Irvine, CA 92606, USA). Descriptive pharmacokinetic statistics were calculated with Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, USA). Correlation and Regression Analysis were conducted with IBM SPSS Statistics (version 23.0), IBM, USA.Results and discussion. For single dose administration of 400, 800, 1600 and 1800 mg in 4 cohorts of 5 volunteers pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. For Cmax and an administered dose the strong correlation coefficient on the Chaddock scale (r = 0,98; p = 0,02; r – Pearson correlation coefficient; p – the reached significance value) and the determination coefficient (R2 = 0,96; F = 45,97; p = 0,02; R2 – determination coefficient; F – the actual value of the Fisher's criterion) were statistically significant. For AUC0-t and an administered dose the strong correlation coefficient on the Chaddock scale (r = 0,97; p = 0,03) and the determination coefficient (R2 = 0,94; F = 33,54; p = 0,03) were statistically significant. The obtained results show the linearity of Cmax and an administered dose and the linearity of AUC0-t and an administered dose (400–1800 mg).Conclusion. According to the concentrations of favipiravir from the analytical phase of the pharmacokinetic study the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated, averaged pharmacokinetic profiles in linear and log-linear scales were plotted after single dose administrations of the drug "Areplivir" in different doses, a lyophilisate for the preparation of a concentrate for the infusion solution (LLC "Promomed RUS", Russia). The linearity of Cmax and a single administered dose and the linearity of AUC0-t and a single administered dose of the drug "Areplivir" have been demonstrated for doses of 400 to 1800 mg. The results justified the study of multiple dose administration of "AREPLIVIR" and the subsequent phases of clinical trials.

Bounded rationality, enactive problem solving, and the neuroscience of social interaction.

This article aims to show that there is an alternative way to explain human action with respect to the bottlenecks of the psychology of decision making. The empirical study of human behaviour from mid-20th century to date has mainly developed by looking at a normative model of decision making. In particular Subjective Expected Utility (SEU) decision making, which stems from the subjective expected utility theory of Savage (1954) that itself extended the analysis by Von Neumann and Morgenstern (1944). On this view, the cognitive psychology of decision making precisely reflects the conceptual structure of formal decision theory. This article shows that there is an alternative way to understand decision making by recovering Newell and Simon's account of problem solving, developed in the framework of bounded rationality, and inserting it into the more recent research program of embodied cognition. Herbert Simon emphasized the importance of problem solving and differentiated it from decision making, which he considered a phase downstream of the former. Moreover according to Simon the centre of gravity of the rationality of the action lies in the ability to adapt. And the centre of gravity of adaptation is not so much in the internal environment of the actor as in the pragmatic external environment. The behaviour adapts to external purposes and reveals those characteristics of the system that limit its adaptation. According to Simon (1981), in fact, environmental feedback is the most effective factor in modelling human actions in solving a problem. In addition, his notion of problem space signifies the possible situations to be searched in order to find that situation which corresponds to the solution. Using the language of embodied cognition, the notion of problem space is about the possible solutions that are enacted in relation to environmental affordances. The correspondence between action and the solution of a problem conceptually bypasses the analytic phase of the decision and limits the role of symbolic representation. In solving any problem, the search for the solution corresponds to acting in ways that involve recursive feedback processes leading up to the final action. From this point of view, the new term enactive problem solving summarizes this fusion between bounded and embodied cognition. That problem solving involves bounded cognition means that it is through the problem solver's enactive interaction with environmental affordances, and especially social affordances that it is possible to construct the processes required for arriving at a solution. Lastly the concept of enactive problem solving is also able to explain the mechanisms underlying the adaptive heuristics of rational ecology. Its adaptive function is effective both in practical and motor tasks as well as in abstract and symbolic ones.

Biomarker Reproducibility Challenge: A Review of Non-Nucleotide Biomarker Discovery Protocols from Body Fluids in Breast Cancer Diagnosis.

Breast cancer has now become the most commonly diagnosed cancer, accounting for one in eight cancer diagnoses worldwide. Non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers and associated tests are superlative candidates to complement or improve current approaches for screening, early diagnosis, or prognosis of breast cancer. Biomarkers detected from body fluids such as blood (serum/plasma), urine, saliva, nipple aspiration fluid, and tears can detect breast cancer at its early stages in a minimally invasive way. The advancements in high-throughput molecular profiling (omics) technologies have opened an unprecedented opportunity for unbiased biomarker detection. However, the irreproducibility of biomarkers and discrepancies of reported markers have remained a major roadblock to clinical implementation, demanding the investigation of contributing factors and the development of standardised biomarker discovery pipelines. A typical biomarker discovery workflow includes pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases, from sample collection to model development. Variations introduced during these steps impact the data quality and the reproducibility of the findings. Here, we present a comprehensive review of methodological variations in biomarker discovery studies in breast cancer, with a focus on non-nucleotide biomarkers (i.e., proteins, lipids, and metabolites), highlighting the pre-analytical to post-analytical variables, which may affect the accurate identification of biomarkers from body fluids.

A novel parallel unsupervised texture segmentation approach

This study presents a new idea for unsupervised texture segmentation from the angle of bionics. According to this idea, a novel approach called “side-by-side superposition unsupervised texture segmentation (SSUTS)” is designed. When doing texture segmentation in this paper, the traditional time–frequency analysis-based methods are improved by introducing the analytic phase theory and the Bi-dimensional Empirical mode decomposition (BEMD) theory. Experiments prove that the SSUTS approach is effective in texture segmentation of different styles.Article HighlightsFrom the angle of bionics, an effective approach called “side-by-side superposition unsupervised texture segmentation (SSUTS)” is proposed in this paper.To get reasonable choice of texture segmentation tool for the approach of SSUTS, some classic texture segmentation methods are analyzed and compared in this paper.This paper shows and explains the improvements in texture segmentation, when the Bi-dimensional Empirical Mode Decomposition (BEMD) theory and the two-dimensional analytic phase theory are applied in some classic texture segmentation methods.