Direct Assessment Methods Research Articles

Strengthening the Culture of Learning Outcome Assessment in LIS Programs through Student Self- Assessments

Self-assessment empowers students to take ownership of their learning by assessing strengths and weaknesses in each area of competence they expect to achieve. This poster will illustrate perspectives gathered from a comprehensive examination and literature review to explore how LIS programs employ self-assessments, empowering students to understand their learning and competencies. Additionally, it aims to determine what lessons LIS programs can learn from other disciplines when creating an effective platform for facilitating student self-assessment. The review revealed that LIS programs use self-assessment tools such as self-reflective essays and journals, often combined with other direct assessment methods. Other professional disciplines, such as Medicine and Engineering, employ technology-based personalized self-assessment tools, aiding students in self-assessing at different program milestones. However, literature and best practices emphasize that self-assessment should not be individualistic but should be collaborative, involving peers and instructors. In addition to self-assessment methods, the review highlighted the importance of metacognitive awareness to ensure the accuracy of self-assessments and help students become more mindful of their learning. Many professional programs support students by facilitating rubric-guided judgments, self-rating, self-efficacy inventories, and metacognitive awareness inventories. LIS programs can adopt best practices from other disciplines to enhance the effectiveness and accuracy of student self-assessment practices.

Comparing EQ-5D-5L, PROPr, SF-6D and TTO utilities in patients with chronic skin diseases.

We aim to compare the measurement properties of three indirect (EQ-5D-5L, PROPr, SF-6D) and one direct (time trade-off, TTO) utility assessment methods in patients with chronic skin diseases. 120 patients with physician-diagnosed chronic skin diseases (psoriasis 39%, atopic dermatitis 27%, acne 19%) completed a cross-sectional survey. Respondents completed the EQ-5D-5L, PROMIS-29+2 and SF-36v1 questionnaires and a 10-year TTO task for own current health. Utilities were computed using the US value sets. Ceiling, convergent and known-group validity were compared across the utilities derived with these four methods. Known-groups were defined based on general, physical and mental health. The agreement between utilities was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Mean utilities for the EQ-5D-5L, PROPr, SF-6D and TTO were 0.79, 0.47, 0.76 and 0.89. In corresponding order, the ceiling was 28%, 0%, 2% and 65%. The SF-6D showed excellent agreement with the EQ-5D-5L (ICC = 0.770). PROPr demonstrated poor agreement with the EQ-5D-5L (ICC = 0.381) and fair with SF-6D utilities (ICC = 0.445). TTO utilities showed poor agreement with indirectly assessed utilities (ICC = 0.058-0.242). The EQ-5D-5L better discriminated between known groups of general and physical health, while the SF-6D and PROPr outperformed the EQ-5D-5L for mental health problems. There is a great variability in utilities across the four methods in patients with chronic skin conditions. The EQ-5D-5L, despite its higher ceiling, appears to be the most efficient in discriminating between patient groups for physical health aspects. Our findings inform the choice of instrument for quality-adjusted life year calculations in cost-utility analyses.

Development of an external system for monitoring the couch speed in radiotherapy using continuous bed movement.

Total body irradiation before bone marrow transplantation for hematological malignancies using Radixact, a high-precision radiotherapy machine, can potentially reduce side effects and the risk of secondary malignancies. However, stable control of couch speed is critical, and direct assessment methods outlined in quality assurance guidelines are lacking. This study aims to develop a real-time couch speed verification system for the Radixact. The developed system used a linear encoder to measure couch speed directly. Accuracy was verified via a linear stage, comparing measurements with a laser distance sensor. After placing a phantom simulating the human body on the Radixact couch, the couch speed was verified using predefined speed plans. Operating the linear stage at 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0mm/s revealed that the maximum position error of the developed verification system compared to the laser distance sensor was nearly equivalent to the distance resolution of the system (0.05mm/pulse), with negligible average speed error. When the Radixact couch operated at 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0mm/s, the values obtained by the verification system agreed with the theoretical values within the sampling period (0.01s) and distance resolution (0.05mm). The verification system developed provides real-time monitoring of the speed of the Radixact table, ensuring treatment effectiveness and patient safety. It would guarantee the couch speed's soundness and contribute to the "visualization" of safety.

Molecular SPECT/CT Profiling of Claudin18.2 Expression In Vivo: Implication for Patients with Gastric Cancer.

Zolbetuximab (IMAB362), a monoclonal antibody targeting Claudin18.2 (CLDN 18.2), demonstrates a significant clinical benefit in patients with advanced gastroesophageal cancers. The noninvasive assessment of CLDN18.2 expression through molecular imaging offers a potential avenue for expedited monitoring and the stratification of patients into risk groups. This study elucidates that CLDN18.2 is expressed at a noteworthy frequency in primary gastric cancers and their metastases. The iodogen method was employed to label IMAB362 with 123I/131I. The results demonstrated the efficient and reproducible synthesis of 123I-IMAB362, with a specific binding affinity to CLDN18.2. Immuno-single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging revealed the rapid accumulation of 123I-IMAB362 in gastric cancer xenografts at 12 h, remaining stable for 3 days in patient-derived tumor xenograft models. Additionally, tracer uptake of 123I-IMAB362 in MKN45 cells surpassed that in MKN28 cells at each time point, with tumor uptake correlating significantly with CLDN18.2 expression levels. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging indicated that tumor uptake of 18F-FDG and the functional/viable tumor volume in the 131I-IMAB362 group were significantly lower than those in the 123I-IMAB362 group on day 7. In conclusion, 123I-IMAB362 immuno-SPECT imaging offers an effective method for direct, noninvasive, and whole-body quantitative assessment of tumor CLDN18.2 expression in vivo. This approach holds promise for accelerating the monitoring and stratification of patients with gastric cancer.

Effects of graded exercise therapy and medical care on chronic fatigue syndrome

Purpose: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) / Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a complex condition with debilitating symptoms that significantly impact individuals, particularly those in the working population. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of Graded Exercise Therapy (GET) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) along with additional methods such as Graded Exercise Self-help (GES), Adaptive Pacing Therapy (APT), and Specialist Medical Care (SMC), in managing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) / Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) among the working population. Methods: A systematic analysis of five randomized controlled trials conducted between 2013 and 2023, encompassing GET, CBT, APT, SMC, and GES was performed using PubMed. Results: The selected studies consistently demonstrate that GET positively impacts physical functioning and reduces fatigue levels in working individuals with CFS. Additionally, CBT proves valuable, emphasizing the importance of addressing the mental aspects of CFS in occupational contexts. Conclusion: This review underscores the need for further research, advocating for direct assessment methods like biomarkers to enhance our understanding of CFS and improve treatment outcomes. These insights are crucial for healthcare practitioners, researchers, and policymakers navigating the complexities of CFS within the workplace. Emphasizing the integration of psychological interventions with physical therapies is essential for a comprehensive approach to managing CFS among the working population.

Use of Minimally Invasive Methods to Assess Fuel Utilization and Circadian Rhythms in Older Adults.

Aging is associated with multiple physiological changes that contribute synergistically and independently to physical disability and the risk of chronic disease. Although the etiology of age-related physical disability is complex and multifactorial, the decline in mitochondrial function appears to coincide with the progression of functional decline in many older adults. The reason why there is a decrease in mitochondrial function with aging remains elusive, but emerging science indicates that both fuel metabolism and circadian rhythms can influence mitochondrial function. Recent studies have established that circadian rhythms become disturbed with aging, and that disrupted circadian rhythms have pathological consequences that impact mitochondrial function and overlap with many age-associated chronic diseases. Current quantitative methods for direct assessment of mitochondrial function are invasive and typically require a muscle biopsy, which can pose difficulties with participant recruitment and study adherence, given the perceived levels of potential pain and risk. Thus, an innovative and relatively noninvasive protocol to assess changes in mitochondrial function at the cellular level and circadian patterns in older adults was adapted. Specifically, a real-time metabolic flux analyzer is used to assess the mitochondrial bioenergetic function of white blood cells under differential substrate availability. The expression of circadian clock genes in white blood cells to cross-correlate with the mitochondrial bioenergetics and circadian rhythm outcomes are also analyzed. It is believed that these innovative methodological approaches will aid future clinical trials by providing minimally invasive methods for studying mitochondrial substrate preference and circadian rhythms in older adults.

Direct Probability Integral Method for Seismic Performance Assessment of Earth Dam Subjected to Stochastic Mainshock–Aftershock Sequences

Studying the impact of mainshock–aftershock sequences on dam reliability is crucial for effective disaster prevention measures. With this purpose in mind, a new method for stochastic dynamic response analyses and reliability assessments of dams during seismic sequences has been proposed. Firstly, a simulation method of stochastic seismic sequences is described, considering the dependence between mainshock and aftershock based on Copula function. Then, a novel practical framework for stochastic dynamic analysis is established, combined with the improved point selection strategy and the direct probability integration method (DPIM). The DPIM is employed on a nonlinear system with one degree of freedom and compared with Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). The findings reveal that the method boasts exceptional precision and efficiency. Finally, the seismic performance of a practical dam was evaluated based on the above method, which not only accurately estimates the response probability distribution and dynamic reliability of the dam, but also greatly reduces the required calculations. Furthermore, the impact of aftershocks on dam seismic performance is initially evaluated through a probability approach in this research. It is found that seismic sequences will significantly increase the probability of earth dam failure compared with sequences of only mainshocks. In addition, the influence of aftershocks on reliability will further increase when the limit state is more stringent. Specifically, the novel analysis method proposed in this paper provides more abundant and objective evaluation indices, providing a dynamic reliability assessment for dams that is more effective than traditional evaluation methods.

Exploring the Effectiveness of GPT-3 in Translating Specialized Religious Text from Arabic to English: A Comparative Study with Human Translation

In recent years, Natural Language Processing (NLP) models such as Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3 (GPT-3) have shown remarkable improvements in various language-related tasks, including machine translation. However, most studies that have evaluated the performance of NLP models in translation tasks have focused on general-purpose text, leaving the evaluation of their effectiveness in handling specialized text to be relatively unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of GPT-3 in translating specialized Arabic text to English and compare its performance to human translation. To achieve this goal, the study selected ten chapters from a specialized book written in Arabic, covering topics in specialized religious context. The chapters were translated by a professional human translator and by GPT-3 using its translation Application Programming Interface. The translation performance of GPT-3 to was compared to human translation using qualitative measures, specifically the Direct Assessment method. Additionally, the translations were evaluated using two different evaluation metrics, Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) score and Recall-Oriented Understudy for Gisting Evaluation (ROUGE) metric, which measure the similarity between the translated text and the reference text.The qualitative results show that GPT produced generally understandable translations but failed to capture nuances and cultural context. On the other hand, the quantitative results of the study showed that GPT-3 was able to achieve a relatively high level of accuracy in translating specialized religious text, with comparable scores to human translations in some cases. Specifically, the BERT score of GPT-3 translations was 0.83. The study also found that the Rouge score failed to fully reflect the capabilities of GPT-3 in translating specialized text.Overall, the findings of this study suggest that GPT-3 has promising potential as a translation tool for specialized religious text, but further research is needed to improve its capabilities and address its limitations.

Some Specificities of Regionalization of Input-Output Models: Information Aspects

The article discusses the problems of constructing and using regional input-output tables, describes the features of disaggregating economic activities, and shows the most complex, missing in statistics, information arrays necessary for constructing regional input-output tables. A brief overview of the main methods of regionalization of intersectoral models used in domestic and foreign practice is made. The necessity of combining direct assessment methods necessary for the construction of tables and models of indicators and methods based on the use of indirect data is noted. The necessity of using production and distribution balances in natural indicators as the most important direction of improving national economic and regional input-output tables is shown, since the available natural indicators, as a rule, reflect the volume of production and consumption of products in full, and not only the part of it that is marketable. The special importance of increased requirements for information reflecting the current state of the economy of the country and regions is emphasized. The main applied results obtained with the help of intersectoral models as a tool for long-term forecasting of the national economy are presented. The features of modeling intersectoral relations of small regional economies and limitations of the use of regional input-output tables for assessing multiplicative effects arising in economies of this type (on the example of the Republic of Tyva) are considered.

On the issue of low adherence of patients to antihypertensive therapy: the use of therapeutic drug monitoring of drugs: A review

Low adherence of patients to antihypertensive therapy remains an urgent problem and is recognized as the main cause of insufficient BP control at the population level. In this regard, to increase the motivation of patients in clinical practice, methods for assessing adherence (compliance) to drugs. Along with indirect assessment methods (questionnaires, self-reports, pill counts, etc.), which, however, do not always reflect the real patients adherence, more objective is the measurement of antihypertensive drug concentrations in physiological fluids therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). For these purposes, methods of high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry were recently adapted, reference ranges of antihypertensive drug concentrations in blood serum and urine for standard doses of drugs were determined, as well as criteria for assessing complete or partial non-compliance. There have been a number of studies using TDM to assess adherence, which show a high rate of non-compliance (low compliance) of more than 50% of cases with a variability from 25 to 86.1%, with complete non-compliance 10.134.5% in patients with uncontrolled and/or resistant hypertension (3 antihypertensive drug). In a population of patients with a normal course of hypertension, taking 12 antihypertensive drug, the level of non-compliance according to the results of TDM did not exceed 10%. Comparison of the TDM method with indirect methods of assessing adherence did not reveal consistency; at the same time, the detection of antihypertensive drug better characterized the clinical problems of patients with arterial hypertension. In clinical practice, direct assessment methods (TDM) can be used to measure adherence in problem patients with uncontrolled hypertension and high cardiovascular risk despite optimal therapy.

SA72 Comparing EQ-5D-5L, Propr, Sf-6D and TTO Utilities in Patients With Chronic Skin Diseases

We aim to compare the measurement properties of three indirect (EQ-5D-5L, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-Preference [PROPr] based on PROMIS-29+2 and Short-form 6-dimensions [SF-6Dv1] based on SF-36) and one direct (conventional 10-year time trade-off [TTO]) utility assessment methods in patients with chronic skin diseases.

Development of a learning health system science competency assessment to guide training and proficiency assessment.

IntroductionLearning health systems (LHS) science is fundamentally a transdisciplinary field. To capture the breadth of the competencies of an LHS scientist, AHRQ and national experts defined a series of 42 competencies across seven domains that support success. Clinicians, researchers, and leaders who are new to the LHS field can identify and prioritize proficiency development among these domains. In addition, existing leaders and researchers will assemble teams of experts who together represent the LHS science domains. To serve LHS workforce development and proficiency assessment, the AHRQ‐funded ACCELERAT K12 training program recruited domain experts and trainees to define and operationalize items to include in an LHS Competency Assessment to support emerging and existing LHS scientists in prioritizing and monitoring proficiency development.MethodsSequential interviews with 18 experts iteratively defined skills and tasks to illustrate stage in proficiency, and its progression, for each of 42 competencies in the seven LHS expertise domains: systems science; research questions and standards of scientific evidence; research methods; informatics; ethics of research and implementation in health systems; improvement and implementation science; and engagement, leadership, and research management. An educational assessment expert and LHS scientist refined the assessment criteria at each stage to use parallel language across domains. Last, current trainees reviewed and pilot tested the assessment and the LHS Competency Assessment was further refined using their feedback. The assessment framework was informed by Bloom's revised taxonomy of educational objectives (Anderson and Krathwohl, A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives, 2001) where learning progresses from recalling, defining, understanding, and awareness at the lower levels of the taxonomy, to applying and adopting and finally to creating, designing, and critiquing at the upper levels of the taxonomy. We also developed assessment criteria that could be used for longer term assessment of direct performance. Van der Vleuten et al. (Best Pract Res Clin Obstetr Gynaecol. 2010;24(6):703‐719) define longer term direct assessment methods as assessment that occurs over a period ranging from weeks to even years and involves multiple assessment methods and exposure to the learner's work over an extended period.ResultsThis experience report describes the content of the LHS Competency Assessment. For each domain and competency, the assessment lists examples of evidence to support expertise at each level of proficiency: no exposure; foundational (awareness/understanding); emerging (early application); and proficient (application with a high level of skill). Trainees begin with baseline standard assessment tables, where they can indicate no exposure or mark the foundational and emerging skills with which they have competence. For domains where foundational and emerging skills have been achieved, users can move on to assessment tables that list evidence of proficiency.ConclusionThe LHS Competency Assessment offers consistent, graded criteria across the seven LHS domains to guide trainees and mentors to evaluate progress from no experience to foundational knowledge, emerging proficiency, and proficiency. The assessment can also be used to design training and mentoring for those newly exposed to LHS science and for those with key expertise who wish to expand LHS expertise.

Simple Autofluorescence-Restrictive Sorting of eGFP+ RPE Cells Allows Reliable Assessment of Targeted Retinal Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is a promising therapeutic modality for ocular diseases arising in and affecting the retina and choroid. In this context, delivering gene therapy to the multifunctional retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells situated between the retina and choroid is desired. Efficacy assessment of any gene therapy strategy, whether it is gene augmentation, inhibition, or editing is initially tested in vitro in cell models, where delivery is simple and efficient. However, efficacy assessment in vivo in animal models is far more complex and several factors can influence the result significantly. Here we report a simple fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS)-based enrichment method for direct assessment of efficacy and potential off-target effects of gene therapy co-delivered with an eGFP reporter to murine RPE cells using subretinal administration. Isolation of true eGFP+ RPE cells by FACS is notoriously difficult due to their intrinsic autofluorescence resulting in decreased sensitivity and false positives. Combining retinal dissection and harvest of RPE cells with a FACS-gating strategy utilizing the GFP filter and a neighboring filter, to separate the eGFP signal from autofluorescence, allows a significant enrichment of gene therapy-targeted eGFP+ RPE cells. In our hands the method may provide quantitative and qualitative advances in terms of up to 7-fold enrichment of true eGFP+ RPE cells compared to a standard protocol. The isolated cells can subsequently be utilized for reliable assessment of changes in DNA, RNA, or protein. This method allows proof-of-principle analysis of early gene therapy development and investigation of new delivery strategies or therapeutic approaches targeting RPE cells in vivo.

STATCOM control strategies in energy-function-based methods for the globally optimal control of renewable sources during transients

The inclusion of large numbers of renewable energy sources (RESs) can lead to the operation of electric-power systems close to their natural stability limits. To improve stability, the flexibility and fast control of RESs can be exploited. However, RESs must be “told” what to do for the sake of the “common good”. One possibility is to apply global control based on energy functions, but this requires the appropriate mathematical tools and models. In addition to the “real power feed”, the RESs’ power converters, among others, offer the functionality of a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM). Therefore, the aim of this paper was to develop energy functions for a STATCOM—the ones that consider its control strategies and limitations—that can be applied in energy-function-based methods for a transient-stability assessment and improvement. The two main contributions of this paper derive from the developed energy function (EF). The first contribution is the ability to use a direct method for the transient-stability assessment of an EPS that includes STATCOMs. The second contribution is the application of the developed EF in the control strategies of STATCOM and RES for a globally optimal, transient-stability improvement that can be used as a reference for other, simpler and more applicable control strategies. Such a reference has not existed until now. The STATCOM’s energy functions were developed as additional expressions that can be added to the already-known energy function of the electric-power system in the structure-preserving frame. The correctness of the developed energy functions was proved by applying them in a direct method for the transient-stability assessment and a comparison of these results with those obtained with a numerical simulation. Examples of the use of energy functions for the control of a STATCOM’s reactive current show how the STATCOM can improve the transient stability in a globally optimal way and can be used as a reference for a STATCOM’s simpler control strategies based on local parameters. An example of a RES’s reactive current control that is based on the developed energy functions shows that the RES can be successfully applied for a transient-stability enhancement. The paper can be seen as the first step towards a globally optimal control of the RES during transients.

A Systematic Review of Direct Assessments to Evaluate Psychotropic Medication Effects for Children With Disabilities.

To evaluate effects of psychotropic medication for children with disabilities, direct assessments may offer a valuable supplement to caregiver reports. Relative to indirect assessment, direct measures of behavior can increase objectivity and sensitivity, and some have potential to isolate distinct behavioral and learning processes. We conducted a systematic, narrative literature review to identify and describe the types and qualities of direct assessment methods that have been used to evaluate effects of non-stimulant psychotropic medication for children with disabilities. We identified 50 studies and 78 direct assessments, which we organized and described using seven assessment categories. Only one study met all three direct assessment quality indicators. We use our descriptive results to highlight research trends and gaps that warrant further study.

Chemoproteomics for Plasmodium Parasite Drug Target Discovery.

Emerging Plasmodium parasite drug resistance is threatening progress towards malaria control and elimination. While recent efforts in cell-based, high-throughput drug screening have produced first-in-class drugs with promising activities against different Plasmodium life cycle stages, most of these antimalarial agents have elusive mechanisms of action. Though challenging to address, target identification can provide valuable information to facilitate lead optimization and preclinical drug prioritization. Recently, proteome-wide methods for direct assessment of drug-protein interactions have emerged as powerful tools in a number of systems, including Plasmodium. In this review, we will discuss current chemoproteomic strategies that have been adapted to antimalarial drug target discovery, including affinity- and activity-based protein profiling and the energetics-based techniques thermal proteome profiling and stability of proteins from rates of oxidation. The successful application of chemoproteomics to the Plasmodium blood stage highlights the potential of these methods to link inhibitors to their molecular targets in more elusive Plasmodium life stages and intracellular pathogens in the future.

An examination of gastrointestinal absorption using the acetaminophen absorption test in critically ill patients with COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study.

ObjectiveGastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction is prevalent in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). The acetaminophen absorption test (AAT) has been previously described as a direct method for assessment of GI function. Our study determines whether the AAT can be used to assess GI function in critically ill COVID‐19 patients, compared with traditional measures of GI function.DesignRetrospective observational study of critically ill patients with COVID‐19.SettingThree intensive care units at a tertiary care academic medical center.PatientsTwenty critically ill patients with COVID‐19.InterventionsThe results of AAT and traditional measures for assessing GI function were collected and compared.Measurements and Main ResultsAmong the study cohort, 55% (11 of 20) of patients had evidence of malabsorption by AAT. Interestingly, all patients with evidence of malabsorption by AAT had clinical evidence of bowel function, as indicated by stool output and low gastric residuals during the prior 24 h. When comparing patients with a detectable acetaminophen level (positive AAT) with those who had undetectable acetaminophen levels (negative AAT), radiologic evidence of ileus was less frequent (20 vs 88%; P = .03), tolerated tube‐feed rates were higher (40 vs 10 ml/h; P =.01), and there was a trend toward lower gastric residual volumes (45 vs 830 ml; P =.11).ConclusionMalabsorption can occur in critically ill patients with COVID‐19 despite commonly used clinical indicators of tube‐feeding tolerance. The AAT provides a simple, rapid, and cost‐effective mechanism by which enteral function can be efficiently assessed in COVID‐19 patients.

Single acquisition label-free histology-like imaging with dual-contrast photoacoustic remote sensing microscopy.

.Significance: Histopathological analysis of tissues is an essential tool for grading, staging, diagnosing, and resecting cancers and other malignancies. Current histopathological imaging techniques require substantial sample processing, prior to staining with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) dyes, to highlight nuclear and cellular morphology. Sample preparation and staining is resource intensive and introduces potential for variability during sample preparation.Aim: We present a method for direct label-free histopathological assessment of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks and thin tissue sections using a dual-contrast photoacoustic remote sensing (PARS) microscopy system.Approach: To emulate the nuclear and cellular contrast of H&E staining, we leverage unique properties of the PARS system. Here, the ultraviolet excitation PARS microscope takes advantage of DNA’s unique optical absorption to provide nuclear contrast analogous to hematoxylin staining of cell nuclei. Concurrently, the optical scattering contrast of the PARS detection system is leveraged to provide bulk tissue contrast reminiscent of eosin staining of cell membranes.Results: We demonstrate the efficacy of this technique by imaging human breast tissue and human skin tissues in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks and frozen sections, respectively. Salient nuclear and extranuclear features such as cancerous cells, glands and ducts, adipocytes, and stromal structures such as collagen are captured.Conclusions: The presented dual-contrast PARS microscope enables label-free visualization of tissues with contrast and quality comparable to the current gold standard for histopathological analysis. Thus, the proposed system is well positioned to augment existing histopathological workflows, providing histological imaging directly on unstained tissue blocks and sections.

Tree-searching based trust assessment through communities in vehicular networks

In vehicular networks, trustworthy information sharing between vehicles is an important security issue. We find that existing trust systems in vehicular networks have the disadvantages of high assessment latency and high maintenance cost. In this paper, by introducing mobile edge computing (MEC), we propose a tree-searching based trust assessment method through communities, named TTAC method, for vehicular networks. The proposed TTAC method includes two parts. First, based on information interactions, TTAC gives a direct trust assessment method by utilizing Dempster-Shafer (D-S) evidence theory. Second, with the assistance of MEC base stations, TTAC designs a tree-searching based indirect trust calculation method by utilizing two neural networks through vehicles’ communities. In experiments, we use a dataset of Shenzhen taxicab traffic and simulate information interactions among vehicles. The experimental results show that TTAC method can ensure fast calculation time with high assessment accuracy in a distributed manner. Especially, in terms of the accuracy of the indirect trust assessment, the mean square error (MSE) of TTAC method is lower than that of two popular trust assessment methods, compared with 3VSL by 41.4% and with MoleTrust by 71.4%.

Evaluation of Methods to Assess CYP3A Induction Risk in Clinical Practice Using in Vitro Induction Parameters.

Established guidelines have recommended a number of methods based on in vitro data to assess the CYP3A induction risk of new chemical entities in clinical practice. In this study, we evaluated the predictability of various assessment methods. We collected in vitro parameters from a variety of literature that includes data on 19 batches of hepatocytes. Clinical CYP3A induction was predicted using 3 direct approaches-the fold-change, basic model, and mechanistic static models-as well as 5 correlation approaches, including the relative induction score (RIS) and the relative factor (RF) method. These predictions were then compared with data from 30 clinical inductions. Collected in vitro parameters varied greatly between hepatocyte batches. Direct assessment methods using fixed cut-off values provided a lot of false predictions due to hepatocyte variability, which can overlook induction risk or lead to needless clinical drug-drug interaction (DDI) studies. On the other hand, correlation methods with the cut-off values set for each batch of hepatocytes accurately predicted the induction risk. Among these, the AUCu/inducer concentrations for half the maximum induction (EC50) and the RF methods which use the area under the curve (AUC) of the unbound inducers for calculating induction potential showed an especially good correlation with clinical induction. Correlation methods were better at predicting clinical induction risk than the other methods, regardless of hepatocyte variability. The AUCu/EC50 and the RF methods in particular had a small number of false predictions, and can therefore be used to assess induction risk along with the other correlation methods recommended in guidelines.