Correct Assessment Research Articles

The subject and limits of proof: the ratio of concepts and the complexity of definition

Relevance. Proof is carried out at all stages of the criminal procedure, therefore, its clear legal regulation is important. Different approaches of law enforcement officers to the definition and correlation of concepts such as "subject of proof" and "limits of proof" lead to errors made in investigative and judicial practice related to the one-sidedness or incompleteness of the investigation of the circumstances of the case, an incorrect assessment of the information found and, as a result, unjustified procedural decisions.The purpose of the research is to identify the essence of the concepts of "subject of proof" and "limits of proof" and their relationship in theory and in practice.The objectives of the research: to identify the essence of the concept of "subject of proof"; to explore practical approaches to defining the concept of "limits of proof"; to determine the relationship between the concepts of "subject of proof" and "limits of proof" in theory and in practice.The methodology of the research is presented by the dialectical method, the historical and legal method, the comparative legal method, the method of systematization, the method of abstraction.Results. In the course of the research, the concepts of "subject of proof" and "limits of proof" were revealed and their characteristic features were determined. Based on the comparison of these concepts, the difficulties of corectly interpreting them in practice were revealed, which leads to investigative and judicial errors. Based on the results of the study, recommendations were developed and formulated to improve the practice of applying the norms of evidentiary law.Conclusion. There are different approaches to the definition and correlation of the concepts of "subject of proof" and "limits of proof". A broader approach to the definition of "limits of proof" seems to be the most appropriate for modern conditions. This concept should include a wider range of circumstances than those listed in Article 73 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation. For cognitive activity carried out within the framework of proving a criminal case, facts that are used as an argument to substantiate the presence or absence of circumstances included in the subject of proof, and the clarification of which is necessary for the correct assessment of the evidence available in the case, are no less important.

Use of a virtual phantom to assess the capability of a treatment planning system to perform magnetic resonance image distortion correction.

Treatment Planning Systems (TPS) offer algorithms for distortion correction (DC) of Magnetic Resonance (MR) images, whose performances demand proper evaluation. This work develops a procedure using a virtual phantom to quantitatively assess a TPS DC algorithm. Variations of the digital Brainweb MR study were created by introducing known distortions and Control Points (CPs). A synthetic Computed Tomography (sCT) study was created based upon the MR study. Elements TPS (Brainlab, Munich, Germany) was used to apply DC to the MR images, choosing the sCT as the gold standard. Deviations in the CP locations between the original images, the distorted images and the corrected images were calculated. Structural Similarity Metric (SSIM) tests were applied for further assessment of image corrections. The introduced distortion deviated the CP locations by a median (range) value of 1.8 (0.2-4.4) mm. After DC was applied, these values were reduced to 0.6 (0.1-1.9) mm. Correction of the original image deviated the CP locations by 0.2 (0-1.1) mm. The SSIM comparisons between the original and the distorted images yielded values of 0.23 and 0.67 before and after DC, respectively. The SSIM comparison of the original study, before and after DC, yielded a value of 0.97. The proposed methodology using a virtual phantom with CPs can be used to assess a TPS DC algorithm. Elements TPS effectively reduced MR distorsions below radiosurgery tolerances.

Sensitivity Assessment of Atmospheric Corrections for Clear and Moderately Turbid Optical Waters

Sensitivity Assessment of Atmospheric Corrections for Clear and Moderately Turbid Optical Waters

Critical Analysis of the Uncertainties in Translational and Radiobiology Studies as a Basis for Radiotherapy

The integration of all the steps involved in the treatment process is quite complex, as it involves the correct knowledge of the dose‒response curves developed in laboratory experiments, the translation of these results to the clinic, the adequate delineation of the tumor, and the appropriate dose prescribed for each type of tumor and delivered daily to the patient. For example, the correct assessment of the dose administered to a patient strongly depends on an interconnected chain of steps executed harmoniously, as the accuracy of a given dosimetry procedure is very high. In this case, the measurement results must be ensured to represent the best possible reported values with their typical uncertainties to allow clinical results to be achieved and to be comparable with those of other institutions. The robustness of the chain of events is often fragile, with uncertainties at each stage sometimes not considered or sometimes difficult to estimate, requiring different conceptual and statistical approaches at various times in the decision-making process. As a result, as the additive sequence of uncertainties is generally not fully considered, the clinical outcome may not be as anticipated. The objective of this review is to critically and constructively highlight the weak points observed in the interrelationship of some of all steps that ultimately lead to better tumor control and, ultimately, to provoke a reflection on the theme

Common mistakes in capillaroscopy

Nail fold capillaroscopy (NFC) is a non-invasive examination and the "gold standard" in rheumatology practice to evaluate the microcirculation and distinguish primary from secondary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP). Alternatives to videocapillaroscopy are USB microscopy, dermatoscopy and ophthalmoscopy. Before the capillaroscopy examination, a detailed general history (including concomitant diseases) and occupational history (including a history of recent trauma to the fingers or onychophagia), a history regarding the patient's hobbies, practicing sports and physical activity, history of taking medications (beta-blockers, vasodilators, anticoagulants, antihypertensives), as well as the use of other vasoactive substances (tobacco, caffeine, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines) should be taken. A detailed history regarding discoloration of the fingers is necessary to confirm the diagnosis of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP). Capillaroscopic examination should be carried out under certain conditions (not during an attack of RP, after acclimatization, in a certain position of the patient, without consumption of coffee and smoking before the examination, without manicure procedures in the last 15-30 days, examination of all 8 fingers, excluding those with recent trauma and/or infection). Correctly following all these steps will avoid technical errors that can change the interpretation of the result. It is necessary for the examiner to have a good knowledge of the normal capillaroscopic pattern, the variations of the norm in adults, the differences that might be found between children and adults, as well as the different pathological findings and specific patterns ("scleroderma" and "scleroderma-like" type) in diseases occurring with secondary RP. While in rheumatology practice there are defined criteria for "scleroderma" and "scleroderma-like" capillaroscopic finding, the changes in some paraneoplastic, socially significant (AH and DM), occupational (VD) and infectious diseases (Covid-19) occurring with microangiopathy, which can lead to misinterpretation of the finding. The “scleroderma-like” pattern also differs in different rheumatic diseases and the findings can also be misleading. The results of the study must be carefully interpreted with a view to the correct assessment of the patients' condition.

Craniolacuna, cribriform skull associated with myelomeningocele and chiari type II malformation: A case report.

Cranial lacuna is a low density radiological image of the cranial vault giving the appearance of beaten copper, the rarefaction zones which are several, producing radiologically a "soap bubble" or "honeycomb" effect. due either to an absence of the internal and external tables or to the absence of a single table or to localized demineralization. They are either physiological or pathological. They are associated with neurological malformations especially hydrocephalus, myelomeningocele and chiari type II malformations. We report the case of a newborn aged one day, admitted for the management of myelomeningocele associated with a chiari type II malformation and a lacunar skull diagnosed postnatally. The newborn is a male, 39 weeks pregnancy, cesarean section. Weight 3500 g, Apgar: 7/10, 8/10. Mother: G6/P5. His clinical examination reveals good skin-mucosal coloration, eupnea, slight axial hypotonia, normal cardiopulmonary auscultation, permeable choanae and esophagus, cranial perimeter at 33 cm, ruptured spina bifida. The skull X-ray reveals a beaten copper appearance of the skull with marked convolutions. The normal chest X-ray. The Abdomino-Pelvic ultrasound finds bilateral uretero-hydronephrosis more marked on the left, with distended bladder and signs of neurogenic bladder. The normal echocardiogram. The brain CT scan reveals a type 2 Chiari malformation, absence of hydrocephalus, The negative infectious assessment, The correct renal assessment, The newborn received neurosurgical management of spina bifida, with a reserved neurological prognosis. This condition is associated with neurological malformations that can have a poor prognosis. Prognosis is reserved in the event of an association with a myelomeningocele because it is dominated by the risk of infection and the dark neurological outcome. The lacunar images resolve spontaneously after 4 to 6 months.

Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Coronary Artery Disease inthe Setting of Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and coronary artery disease are frequently associated and, when so, lead to a grim prognosis. Recent studies suggest the presence of interconnected pathophysiological pathways between the 2 conditions that can promote and aggravate each other, igniting a vicious cycle. Notwithstanding, in contrast with the attention dedicated to the management of antithrombotic treatment, research on other aspects of coronary artery disease in AF is only recently gaining traction. The clinical impact of correct assessment of coronary artery stenosis in AF is especially high, due to the antithrombotic therapy imposed by both AF and coronary stenting. Until recently, an in-depth characterization of coronary microcirculation in AF was lacking. However, contemporary studies indicate that coronary microvascular dysfunction is a frequent encounter in AF, possibly explaining the ischemic symptoms even in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease and interfering with the use of pressure-based indices to evaluate the hemodynamic significance of coronary artery stenosis. This comprehensive review addresses our current knowledge on coronary physiology in AF and its repercussion on the invasive management of coronary artery disease in this setting.

К вопросу о критериях и показателях оценки организации качества и эффективности диспансерного наблюдения пациентов с психическими расстройствами.

An important area of improving mental health protection of the population is to increase the efficiency of dispensary observation of patients in psychiatric medical organizations, which allows achieving stabilization or improvement of their health, thereby increasing the quality of life of both patients and their relatives. To make the necessary management decisions on the part of the management of medical organizations aimed at improving the quality indicators of the organization and the efficiency of dispensary observation, appropriate information support is necessary. However, there are currently no separately developed criteria for assessing dispensary observation in the framework of primary specialized health care for mental disorders. Purpose of study is to substantiate the basic principles of systematization of criteria and indicators for assessing the organization of quality and efficiency of dispensary observation of patients with mental disorders for the purpose of monitoring and correct assessment of quality with subsequent adoption of adequate management decisions. Materials and methods. To systematize the criteria and indicators for assessing the organization of quality and efficiency of dispensary observation of patients with mental disorders, we used regulatory documents defining the activities of the psychiatric care system of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation, primary accounting and reporting medical forms, and the results of expert assessment. Results. Organizational and methodological approaches to the development and scientific substantiation of indicators for assessing the organization of quality and effectiveness of dispensary observation of patients with mental disorders included work with regulatory documents and analytical indicators used in the work of the OGBUZ «IOPD» and an expert assessment of the indicators of the effectiveness of dispensary observation of patients with mental disorders. The criteria and indicators for assessing the organization of quality and effectiveness of dispensary observation of patients with mental disorders were systematized into three groups, including a number of subgroups, which allows you to correctly assess the activities of the district psychiatrist’s office for dispensary observation of patients with mental disorders. Findings. Thus, the criteria and indicators for assessing the organization of quality and effectiveness of dispensary observation of patients with mental disorders allow you to receive information and make adequate management decisions regarding improving the structural efficiency of the psychiatric service as a whole, determine further actions to link them to regulatory documents and their subsequent digitalization. In general, the proposed methodological approaches make it possible to form an appropriate system of indicators for each hierarchical level of management of the psychiatric service.

Evolution of Sports Arbitration: From Paper-Based to Digital Evidence in Football Disputes

Digitalization poses many challenges to sports law, including the issues related to using digital evidence in sports arbitration. As one of the most popular sports, football has given rise to many sports controversies. Parties increasingly use digital evidence to prove their position, which requires arbitrators’ correct and professional assessment. The paper aims to explore the challenges digital evidence poses in sports, specifically focusing on football. The research is primarily focused on the admissibility of digital evidence and hacked and leaked evidence, given football’s susceptibility to data breaches. Applying comparative legal analysis and case study through an analysis of existing literature, legal frameworks, and case law allowed us to scrutinize a spectrum of digital evidence utilized by litigants to illuminate the admissibility standards adopted by arbitral tribunals. As a practical implication, the authors proposed practical guidance to stakeholders and adjudicators on managing and evaluating digital evidence in sports arbitration.

Perioperative real-life experiences and care needs of patients undergoing lung cancer ablation: A qualitative study

Objective To gain an in-depth understanding of the perioperative real experiences and care needs of patients undergoing lung cancer ablation, to make a reliable basis for the construction of care programs for perioperative complications of lung cancer ablation, and to further improve the quality of perioperative clinical care interventions for such patients. Methods Sixteen lung cancer patients undergoing lung cancer ablation who were hospitalized in the Department of Oncology of our hospital from April 2023 to October 2023 as well as six healthcare professionals of Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital were recruited by purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the enrolled individuals by using a phenomenological approach, and the Colaizzi's 7-step analysis method was used to analyze, summarize and refine the themes of the interview data. Results A total of seven study themes were identified emotional reactions of ablation patients, financial stress, needs for information on treatment outcomes and health education during recovery, reassurance of living and care needs during hospitalization, concerns about the treatment of complications, correct and detailed preoperative assessment, and doctor-nurse collaboration for good management of patient complications. Conclusion In the clinical nursing of patients with lung cancer, we should construct standardized perioperative ablation nursing process as soon as possible, create diversified health guidance materials, strengthen the continuity of nursing after discharge, improve patients’ understanding of the disease, pay attention to their emotional changes, and provide more maintenance support, so as to reduce complications and improve the quality of life of patients with lung cancer ablation.

Radiographic Inspection of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites (Laminates) with Epoxy and PEEK Binders After Impact and Subsequent Compression Loading.

An approach to detecting discontinuities in carbon fiber-reinforced polymers, caused by impact loading followed by compression testing, was developed. An X-ray sensor-based installation was used, while some algorithms were developed to improve the quality of the obtained low-contrast radiographic images with negligible signal-to-noise ratios. For epoxy/AF (#1) composite subjected to a "high-velocity" steel-ball impact with subsequent compression loading, it was not possible to detect discontinuities since the orientation of the extended zone of interlayer delamination was perpendicular to the irradiation axis. After drop-weight impacts with subsequent compression loading of epoxy/CF (#2) and PEEK/CF (#3) composites, the main cracks were formed in their central parts. This area was reliably detected through the improved radiographic images being more contrasted compared to that for composite #3, for which the damaged area was similar in shape but smaller. The phase variation and congruency methods were employed to highlight low-contrast objects in the radiographic images. The phase variation procedure showed higher efficiency in detecting small objects, while phase congruency is preferable for highlighting large objects. To assess the degree of image improvement, several metrics were implemented. In the analysis of the model images, the most indicative was the PSNR parameter (with a S-N ratio greater than the unit), confirming an increase in image contrast and a decrease in noise level. The NIQE and PIQE parameters enabled the correct assessment of image quality even with the S-N ratio being less than a unit.

FIGO good practice recommendations to standardize the assessment of outcomes following vesicovaginal fistula surgery.

Obstetric fistula is a debilitating childbirth injury causing immense suffering for women and girls with the condition. The majority of fistulas can be successfully treated with a surgical repair, performed by a competent surgeon who has undergone specialist training and who works with a holistic fistula care team. As well as surgical repair, a critical component of fistula treatment is meticulous postoperative assessment to accurately determine surgical outcomes so that further treatment and support can be provided as required, and the risk substantially reduced of any patient being discharged with associated ongoing problems, such as urinary retention or residual/ongoing incontinence. Based on the opinions of experts in the field, these good practice recommendations provide a practical and standardized protocol for the correct assessment of surgical outcomes following vesicovaginal fistula surgery and appropriate subsequent management.

Size effect of typical hygrothermal properties test values for building insulation materials

Thermal and moisture properties of building insulation materials are crucial input parameters for analyzing thermal and moisture transfer phenomena in building environments. Accurate determination of these parameters under different conditions is essential for the correct application and assessment of materials and envelope structures. However, numerous factors influence thermal and moisture properties, and while extensive research has been conducted on this topic, the effects of specimen size on typical thermal and moisture property test values remain unclear. To address the issue of unreliable data caused by random specimen sizes in thermal and moisture property testing of building insulation materials, this study selects three materials—expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), and foamed cement—as test subjects to explore the size effects on typical thermal and moisture property test values. The results indicate that specimen size significantly affects the test values for typical thermal and moisture properties, with only a few experiments showing negligible size effects for certain materials. For foamed cement, recommended specimen sizes for thermal conductivity testing using the guarded hot plate method and the transient plane source method are 300 × 300 × 30 mm and 50 × 50 × 30 mm, respectively. Except for equilibrium moisture absorption experiments, the weight of other moisture property tests is generally represented by thickness > planar dimensions.

Kinetics of i-motif folding within the duplex context

Non-canonical nucleic acid structures possess an ability to interact selectively with proteins, thereby exerting influence over various intracellular processes. Numerous studies indicate that genomic G-quadruplexes and i-motifs are involved in the regulation of transcription. These structures are formed temporarily during the unwinding of the DNA double helix; and their direct determination is a rather difficult task. In addition, i-motif folding is pH-dependent, with most i-motifs having low stability at neutral pH. However, some genomic i-motifs with long cytosine repeats were shown to be stable at pH 7.3, suggesting their functionality within the nucleus. Here we studied pH-dependent behavior of a model i-motif with flanking sequences that forms a duplex motif. Kinetic studies on bimodular structures with cytosine residues replaced with an environment-sensitive fluorescent label reveal the stabilization of the i-motif structure near the i-motif-duplex junction. These results highlight the importance of the natural environment of i-motifs for the correct assessment of their stability.

Patch Correctness Assessment: A Survey

Most automated program repair methods rely on test cases to determine the correctness of the generated patches. However, due to the incompleteness of available test suites, some patches that pass all the test cases may still be incorrect. This issue is known as the patch overfitting problem. Overfitting problem is a longstanding problem in automated program repair. Due to overfitting patches, the patches obtained by automated program repair tools require further validation to determine their correctness. Researchers have proposed many methods to automatically assess the correctness of patches, but no systematic review provides a detailed introduction to this problem, the existing solutions, and the challenges. To address this deficiency, we systematically review the existing approaches to patch correctness assessment. We first offer a few examples of overfitting patches to acquire a more detailed understanding of this problem. We then propose a comprehensive categorization of publicly available techniques and datasets, examine the commonly used evaluation metrics, and perform an in-depth analysis of the effectiveness of the existing models in addressing the challenge of overfitting. Based on our analysis, we provided the difficulties encountered by current methodologies, alongside the possible avenues for future research exploration.

Hydrogen Oxidation and Evolution Reaction on Platinum in Alkaline Electrolyte: Fixed Reference vs Overpotential and the Effect of H2 Concentration

Understanding the kinetics of the electrochemical hydrogen oxidation and evolution reaction (HOR/HER) in alkaline media is of great interest, but the underlying reaction mechanism and the dependency on the hydrogen partial pressure are still debated. In this work, we investigated the HOR/HER kinetics on a polycrystalline platinum electrode in alkaline electrolyte using the rotating disk electrode (RDE) technique. Unlike typically done, we rigorously performed data treatment and analysis on a fixed potential scale with a fixed reference potential, which has implications for the use and assessment of RDE mass-transport corrections and the definition of reaction orders. Analyzing the kinetic current curves on a fixed potential scale, we find reaction orders with respect to the hydrogen partial pressure of essentially one and zero for the HOR and HER, respectively, at larger overpotentials. In contrast, fitting the kinetic current curves in a potential range around equilibrium with a generalized Butler-Volmer model yields differing kinetic parameters and fractional reaction orders. Our findings can be explained with a potential-dependent transition in the HOR mechanism from Tafel–Volmer with a rate-determining Volmer step at small overpotentials to Heyrovsky–Volmer with a rate-determining Heyrovsky step at more positive overpotentials, with a concomitant change in the H2 reaction order from fractional to unity, thus reconciling previous propositions in the debate on the alkaline HOR/HER mechanism. Our results demonstrate the strength and advantages of using a fixed potential scale rather than the commonly employed overpotential, and we expect this approach to be beneficial also for kinetic studies of other electrocatalytic reactions.

The added value of targeting airway hyperresponsiveness by blocking TSLP in the management of severe asthma.

Airways hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is a pathognomonic event of asthma in which the airways are reactive to various bronchoconstrictor stimuli at 'doses' that normally have no bronchoconstrictor effect in non-asthmatics. AHR is an objective measure of clinical efficacy, and the introduction of biologics revived interest as a marker of disease and its pathophysiologic mechanism. This article aims to discuss the mechanisms of AHR, focusing on the role of epithelial damage and TSLP production, and promote its correct assessment for the evaluation of patients with severe asthma, to predict the risk of exacerbations and outcomes, and the eligibility for treatment with an anti-TSLP agent. AHR is a complex trait of asthma, induced by the concurrence of many pathophysiological factors and related to different clinical manifestations. Recent evidence demonstrates the important role of airway epithelial damage and TSLP production in many of these events. A therapeutic response based on AHR control could be considered as a condition of disease remission and seems a promising new goal for the management of patients with severe asthma.

Leveraging Large Language Model for Automatic Patch Correctness Assessment

Leveraging Large Language Model for Automatic Patch Correctness Assessment

Determining of the relationship between gum phenotype and anthropometric data of the face and gender

Relevance. Diagnosis of the condition of periodontal tissues at the stage of comprehensive treatment planning for a dental patient is an important step in the work of dentists. The presence of difficulties in diagnosing the phenotypic condition of the gums dictates the need to search for additional clinical diagnostic methods that allow determining the phenotype with minimal time and financial costs.Objective. To determine the relationship between anthropometric values of the face (width and height of the face) and gender with the gin-gival phenotype.Materials and methods. During the clinical examinations, an analysis was carried out of the anthropometric data of men and women obtained as a result of photometry, the results of a study of the gingival phenotype by transgingival probing using the De Rouck method and CBCT data (cone beam computed tomography) in patients with their further distribution into groups. A total of 45 people took part in the study, of which 12 were men and 33 were women.Results. Statistical processing of the obtained data showed that for men, the differences between the groups with different phenotypes (thick/ thin) are reliable for the parameter face width. For women with different gum phenotypes (thick and thin), reliable differences were obtained between the groups for the parameters face height and face width. The gum phenotype correlates with the face width (noticeable correlation for all, high for men and women separately); face height (moderate correlation for all, men and women); but does not correlate with the facial index and gender.Conclusion. Thus, the study showed that a combined diagnostic examination of the patient, taking into account gender, facial height and width in women, and facial width in men, can help in the correct assessment of the gingival phenotype.

3D Model Simulation in Preoperative Planning of Complex and Revision Hip Replacement

Complex and revision hip arthroplasty has remained one of the most discussed orthopedic topics in recent years. With the advancement of printing technologies 3D preoperative planning and live model simulation provides us with “hands on” procedures without any risk for the patient. Modern computer technologies present the possibility for preoperative planning of Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) in digital environment. 3D printing of anatomical models in real size allows accurate assessment of the pathological deviations of the anatomy, precise preoperative planning of the reconstruction and simulation of the operative intervention ex-vivo. We present a series of 3D simulations for planning hip replacement, illustrating the technique, discussing its advantages and disadvantages, in complex primary and revision hip arthroplasty. In the complex and revision surgery of the hip joint, a correct assessment of bone defects is mandatory. Reconstructing the biomechanical parameters – centre of rotation, femoral offset and leg length discrepancy, is also of great significance. The 3D reconstruction with biomodel simulations offers exceptional accuracy in this respect. The method can be an excellent tool for education of surgeons in training and residents.