Effective Screening Device Research Articles

Improvising grading of cervical cancer using quality assessment method in smart colposcopy images

Smart Colposcopy is a low-cost and highly effective screening device used to detect cervical cancer. However, the captured images can be significantly affected by specular reflection, resulting in reduced accuracy during the grading process. In this paper, proposed a novel approach to enhance the accuracy of cervical cancer grading by addressing the issue of specular reflection. Here the method employs binary masking to identify the glare region and fine-tuned U-Net model to perform segmentation. Partial convolutional inpainting is used to replace the segmented region with neighboring pixels, effectively removing the glare from the images. The resulting enhanced images are then fed into classification models, including DenseNet121, Vgg19, and Efficient Net, which are trained to accurately grade cervical cancer. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method significantly improves the accuracy of cervical cancer grading, achieving accuracy rates of 97.32%, 96.25%, and 96.75%, respectively.

Assessment of the diagnostic accuracy of Vibrasense compared to a biothesiometer and nerve conduction study for screening diabetic peripheral neuropathy

AimsPeripheral neuropathy is a common microvascular complication in diabetes and a risk factor for the development of diabetic foot ulcers and amputations. Vibrasense (Ayati Devices) is a handheld, battery-operated, rapid screening device for diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) that works by quantifying vibration perception threshold (VPT). In this study, we compared Vibrasense against a biothesiometer and nerve conduction study for screening DPN.MethodsA total of 562 subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus underwent neuropathy assessments including clinical examination, 10-g monofilament test, VPT evaluation with Vibrasense and a standard biothesiometer. Those with an average VPT ≥ 15 V with Vibrasense were noted to have DPN. A subset of these patients (N = 61) underwent nerve conduction study (NCS). Diagnostic accuracy of Vibrasense was compared against a standard biothesiometer and abnormal NCS.ResultsAverage VPTs measured with Vibrasense had a strong positive correlation with standard biothesiometer values (Spearman’s correlation 0.891, P < 0.001). Vibrasense showed sensitivity and specificity of 87.89% and 86.81% compared to biothesiometer, and 82.14% and 78.79% compared to NCS, respectively.ConclusionsVibrasense demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy for detecting peripheral neuropathy in type 2 diabetes and can be an effective screening device in routine clinical settings.Trial registrationClinical trials registry of India (CTRI/2022/11/047002). Registered 3 November 2022. https://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/pmaindet2.php?trialid=76167.

A comparative analysis of intraocular pressure measurement results by the TVGD-02 tonometer (EASYTON) and the Goldman tonometer in ethnic Asians residing in Kazakhstan

Purpose. To compare the results of IOP measurement by the TVGD-02 transpalpebral tonometer (EASYTON) and the Goldman to­ nometer in ethnic Asians of Kazakhstan in order to assess the influence of epicanthus on the results of transpalberal tonometry. Material and methods. A total of 150 patients (150 eyes) aged 39 to 65years were examined, including 120 patients (120 eyes) with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and 30 patients (30 eyes) with high astigmatism and no POAG. All patients had their (IOP) measuredfirst with a Goldman tonometer, and then with a TVGD-02 transpalpebral tonometer (EASYTON). The correlation between the two methods was determined by the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results. According to the EASYTON tonometer, the average IOP over the whole group was 20.20 ± 0.45 mm Hg, whilst the respective figure for the Goldman tonometer was 19.90 ± 0.43 mm Hg, the difference being statistically insignificant (p&gt;0.05). In both groups and in varied IOP ranges the results of Easyton and Goldman tonometer data were comparable. No peculiarities in IOP mea­ surements taken from patients with epicanthus have been revealed. Conclusion. The absence of statistically significant differences between the data obtained by EASYTON and the Goldman tonometer in Asians implies that epicanthus does not affect the results of transpalpebral tonometry. The EASYTON tonometer may be considered an effective screening device in routine clinical practice. It is easy to use and can be recommended to ophthalmologists, general practitioners, nurses, optometrists, as well as glaucoma patients for IOP monitoring at home.

Turning around teacher quality in Latin America: Renewed confidence and lessons from Colombia

We present new evidence on the effectiveness of large-scale reforms of public teaching careers towards improving student outcomes in Latin America. Since 2002, Colombia’s public teacher candidates are screened through an entry competition featuring a standardized examination, and their subsequent career progression is subject to performance evaluations; the fact that educators hired before the reform remained exempt from the new rules provides a unique research setting for policy evaluation. We are able to exploit unusually detailed data on the universe of secondary schools and teachers in Colombia; our empirical strategy exploits variation in student performance and teacher types across different subjects, within any given school and year. We pin down a sizeable performance premium of quality-screened teachers with respect to their traditional colleague: the former improve student achievement by about 7% of a standard deviation within school and year. We are able to exclude various types of selection biases, cohort effects and other confounders. We show that the Colombian entry examination is an effective candidate screening device and that teachers’ achievement on the exam is predictive of their performance on the job. We provide suggestive evidence on how the reform affected other policy-relevant aspects such as teacher candidate quality and career attrition.

Leveraging Electrochemical Technique to Screen for Sepsis As a Point-of-Care-Device

Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication of infection which affects more than 30 million people globally [1,2]. There is a growing concern for the debilitating effects of sepsis as it is more common than heart attack and claims more life’s than cancer (world sepsis day 2015). Despite medical improvements, global disparities persist for sepsis detection and treatment. Timely diagnosis with rapid treatment methodology has been reported to improve the chances of preventing adverse complications, and thus, reduce mortality rate. Existing methodology relies on an array of blood tests performed in laboratories which is cumbersome, time-consuming, and provides delayed results. In an effort to minimize the detection time and provide clinically efficient decision making capabilities, we have developed an effective point-of-care screening device as an early stage guide for sepsis. Recent clinical studies have provided insight on the importance of detecting specific biomarkers for diagnosing sepsis. Procalcitonin (PCT) is approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a biomarker for sepsis[3]. The label-free point-of-care biosensor is designed and fabricated on a flexible hybrid electrode surface. Non-faradaic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique was implemented to measure the capacitive impedance change unveiling the binding effects of target PCT to the specific capture probe. Specificity and sensitivity of the device is leveraged owing to its unique and targeted assay development strategies allowing to achieve a wide dynamic range of 0.01-100 ng/mL with a detection limit of 0.1 ng/mL. The major advantage provided by this novel technique is the use of undiluted samples without pre-treatment of human serum, plasma and whole blood with low sample volume (<40 uL). Efficient use of the developed biosensor towards practical application was correlated with clinically validated samples. The vision motivating this research was to design an effective sepsis screening device, useful at the hospital using very low patient biofluid sample and provide rapid results with high accuracy. This would allow for medical practitioners to facilitate targeted interventions, there by, offering rapid prognostic approach that can prove to be the cornerstone to provide successful treatment for sepsis and avert severe mortality and morbidity.

Strategic group lending for banks

Credit institutions often refuse to lend money to small firms. Usually, this happens because small firms are not able to provide collateral to lenders. Moreover, given the small amount of required loans, the relative cost of full monitoring is too high for lenders. Group lending contracts have been viewed as an effective solution to credit rationing of small firms in both developing and industrialized countries. The aim of this paper is to highlight the potential of group lending contracts in terms of credit risk management. In particular, this paper provides a theoretical explanation of the potential of group lending programs in screening good borrowers from bad ones to reduce the incidence of non-performing-loans (NPL). This paper shows that the success of firms involved in selected group lending programs is due to the fact that co-signature is an effective screening device: more precisely, if lenders make a proper use of co-signature to screen good firms from bad ones, then only firms that are good ex-ante enter group lending contracts. So, the main argument of this paper is that well designed group lending programs induce good firms to become jointly liable, at least partially, with other good firms and discourage other – bad-firms to do the same. Specifically, co-signature is proven to be a screening device only in the case of a perfectly competitive bank sector.

A Review on Natural Ventilation-enabling Façade Noise Control Devices for Congested High-Rise Cities

This review summarizes the current status of the research and development of natural ventilation-enabling noise control devices for use on the façades of high-rise residential buildings in congested cities. These devices are important for a sustainable urbanized city, as they are supposed to offer good acoustical protection to citizens, allowing for an acceptable level of natural ventilation inside residential units; energy for mechanical ventilation can then be saved. From the information presented in the existing literature, it is concluded that protrusive devices, such as lintels and balconies, are not effective noise screening devices, even if they are installed with sound absorbers and/or reflectors, under the effect of city reverberation. On the contrary, plenum windows and similar structures, which are plenum structures with a staggered air inlet and outlet, are interesting alternatives that are worth rigorous considerations.

Insolvency after the 2005 Bankruptcy Reform

Using a comprehensive panel data set on U.S. households, we study the effects of the 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA), the most substantive reform of personal bankruptcy in the United States since the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978. The 2005 legislation introduced a means test based on income to establish eligibility for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and increased the administrative requirements to file, leading to a rise in the opportunity cost and, especially, the financial cost of filing for bankruptcy. We study the effects of the reform on bankruptcy, insolvency, and foreclosure. We find that the reform caused a permanent drop in the Chapter 7 bankruptcy rate relative to pre-reform levels, due to the rise in filing costs associated with the reform, which can be interpreted as resulting from liquidity constraints. We find that the decline in bankruptcy filings resulted in a rise in the rate and persistence of insolvency as well as an increase in the rate of foreclosure. We find no evidence of a link between the decline in bankruptcy and a rise in the number of individuals who are current on their debt. We document that these effects are concentrated at the bottom of the income distribution, suggesting that the income means tests introduced by BAPCPA did not serve as an effective screening device. We show that insolvency is associated with worse financial outcomes than bankruptcy, as insolvent individuals have less access to new lines of credit and display lower credit scores than individuals who file for bankruptcy. Since bankruptcy filings declined much more for low income individuals, our findings suggest that BAPCPA may have removed an important form of relief from financial distress for this group.

Insolvency after the 2005 Bankruptcy Reform

Using a comprehensive panel dataset on U.S. households, we study the effects of the 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA), the most substantive reform of personal bankruptcy in the United States since the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978. The 2005 legislation introduced a means test based on income to establish eligibility for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and increased the administrative requirements to file, leading to a rise in the opportunity cost and, especially, the financial cost of filing for bankruptcy. We study the effects of the reform on bankruptcy, insolvency, and foreclosure. We find that the reform caused a permanent drop in the Chapter 7 bankruptcy rate relative to pre-reform levels, owing to the rise in filing costs associated with the reform, which can be interpreted as resulting from liquidity constraints. We find that the decline in bankruptcy filings resulted in a rise in the rate and persistence of insolvency as well as an increase in the rate of foreclosure. We find no evidence of a link between the decline in bankruptcy and a rise in the number of individuals who are current on their debt. We document that these effects are concentrated at the bottom of the income distribution, suggesting that the income means tests introduced by BAPCPA did not serve as an effective screening device. We show that insolvency is associated with worse financial outcomes than bankruptcy, as insolvent individuals have less access to new lines of credit and display lower credit scores than individuals who file for bankruptcy. Since bankruptcy filings declined much more for low-income individuals, our findings suggest that, for this group, BAPCPA may have removed an important form of relief from financial distress.

The Reputation Effect: A Case Study of Credit Contracts in Transition Countries

This paper proposes an empirical analysis associated with a case study. It focuses on the financing strategy adopted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in the period 1991–2003. Our added value is an original exploration concerning the role of institutional memory. By exploiting information on the number and type of contracts by client, we test different indicators to approximate the client's reputation. Our results unambiguously show that the value of the first-investment project financed by the EBRD (as a proxy for reputation) was the most effective screening device for established clients.

Ergenler için Ruhsal Sorunlar Tarama Ölçeği’nin (ERST) geçerlilik ve güvenilirlik çalışması / The reliability and validity study of Psychological Screening Test for Adolescents (PSTA)

The reliability and validity study of Psychological Screening Test for Adolescents (PSTA) Objective: We have aimed to conduct reliability and validity study of Psychological Screening Test for Adolescents (PSTA). The scale was developed in order to investigate the psychological conditions and urgent psychological needs of juvenile delinquents by screening for most crucial factors. Method: For this study, interviews were carried out with a sample of 90 male delinquent adolescents in three different juvenile penal institutions in Turkey. For each subject, PSTA and Youth Self Report (YSR) scale were filled out. The interviews were performed by psychologists and social workers in psychological service departments of these institutions. Results: The statistical investigations have shown that PSTA has an interrater reliability of r=0.89 and a high internal reliability (α=0.79). There is a high level of positive correlation between YSR total score and PSTA total score (r=0.60). Also, based on the scores received from attention deficit and hyperactivity, psychosis and depression-anxiety sub-sections of PSTA, tha sample was divided into high and low score groups for each sub-section. Those groups were compared based on the scores of corresponding sub-sections of YSR. The high score groups of each sub-section of PSTA had significantly higher scores on YSR, showing that the scale has high criterion validity. The factor analysis shows that sub-sections of PSTA were grouped under two factors, which explained 50.35% of the variance. Discussion: Based on the analyses, it has been found that PSTA is a reliable and valid screening tool, which can be used for investigating psychological conditions and the need for further assessment of juvenile delinquents upon admission to penal institutions. Conclusion: In penal institutions, where effective and reliable screening devices are needed to be applied in a short amount of time; the short application time and length of PSTA would be an advantage, beside the fact that it is a reliable and valid psychological screening device for adolescents. It is suggested that the scale needs to be applied to a sample including both genders and the general population of adolescents in further studies.

Discrimination Strategies: A Case Study for Credit Contracts

This paper focuses on the financing strategy adopted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in the period 1991-2003. We propose a simple empirical method to isolate the most effective screening device for contracts granted under conditions of asymmetric information. In line with the predictions of the contract theory, the role of memory is dominant. By exploiting the information about the number and type of contracts by client, we test different indicators to approximate the client's reputation. Our results unambiguously isolate the value of the first-investment project financed by the EBRD as the most effective screening device among the established clients.

Benzodiazepines and Sedative–Hypnotics in Blood of Drivers Under the Influence and Their Association With Other Common Illegal Drug Use and National Sales Figures

The authors examined benzodiazepine and sedative-hypnotic positive cases of drivers under the influence (DUI) in Finland from 1997 to 2008. Factors studied were the number of cases positive for the most commonly encountered of these pharmaceuticals, simultaneous use of amphetamine and/or cannabis, and the relationship between the number of DUI cases and overall sales in Finland for the individual pharmaceuticals. Data for 20037 cases positive for the relevant drugs were retrieved from the laboratory database of the Alcohol and Drug Analytics Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare. Toxicological results were from blood analysis. Drug sales figures for each pharmaceutical were obtained from the Finnish Medicines Agency. An increase in DUI cases that were positive for the drugs studied was evident, which reflected the overall increase in positive DUI cases detected annually. The proportion of relevant cases was typically 75% or higher of all positive DUI cases up to 2003, the year that the Finnish zero tolerance law was introduced, and then decreased to 66.2% in 2008. Diazepam was consistently the most commonly detected nonmetabolite drug. The prevalence of clonazepam and alprazolam increased sharply from 2004 onward. Metabolites of diazepam, nordiazepam, temazepam, and oxazepam, were other common findings. Associated use of amphetamine and/or cannabis was also common in these DUI cases, typically between 56% and 66% of cases. An increase in the number of DUI cases showing combined use of benzodiazepines and sedative-hypnotics with amphetamines in particular was apparent after zero tolerance legislation and the introduction in 2005 of an effective on-site screening device for the stimulant. Ratios of DUI cases to sales figures showed an increase in detection of clonazepam-positive DUI cases from 2003. Diazepam, midazolam, and alprazolam also exhibited relatively high ratios, which increased from 1997 to 2008.

Memory in Contracts: The Experience of the EBRD (1991-2003)

The objective of this paper is to investigate the financing strategy adopted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in the period 1991-2003. We propose a simple empirical method to isolate the most effective screening device for contracts granted under conditions of asymmetric information. In line with the predictions of the contract theory, the role of memory is dominant. By exploiting the information about the number and type of contracts by client, we approximate the client's reputation. Our results unambiguously isolate the dominant effect of memory on the bank's lending decisions over market factors in the case of established clients.

Interdicting nuclear material on cargo containers using knapsack problem models

This paper introduces a framework for screening cargo containers for nuclear material at security stations throughout the United States using knapsack problem, reliability, and Bayesian probability models. The approach investigates how to define a system alarm given a set of screening devices, and hence, designs and analyzes next-generation security system architectures. Containers that yield a system alarm undergo secondary screening, where more effective and intrusive screening devices are used to further examine containers for nuclear and radiological material. It is assumed that there is a budget for performing secondary screening on containers that yield a system alarm. This paper explores the relationships and tradeoffs between prescreening, secondary screening costs, and the efficacy of radiation detectors. The key contribution of this analysis is that it provides a risk-based framework for determining how to define a system alarm for screening cargo containers given limited screening resources. The analysis suggests that highly accurate prescreening is the most important factor for effective screening, particularly when screening tests are highly dependent, and that moderately accurate prescreening may not be an improvement over treating all cargo containers the same. Moreover, it suggests that screening tests with high true alarm rates may mitigate some of the risk associated with low prescreening intelligence.

Expert Performance on a Virtual Reality Simulation System

The objective of this research was to determine if the essence of expert performance could be captured on a virtual reality simulation system. Six experts in operative dentistry, six experts in periodontology, and six novice dental students performed a Class II tooth preparation task on the lower left second premolar. All subjects performed a pre-test to assess the basic skill level of each group. During the (limited) training component of the study, the three groups practiced three tooth preparations and received augmented feedback. At both a one-minute and one-day interval, subjects performed a final test in the absence of augmented feedback. All preparations were graded by the simulation system. The results showed at pre-test a significantly better performance of the experts in operative dentistry as compared to the novices. During the practice (acquisition) phase, the experts in operative dentistry outperformed both the periodontologists and novices, whereas the experts in periodontology performed more accurately than the novices. After one minute and one day following practice, similar results were obtained. Retention performance was most accurate after a one-day delay. Based on these results, the simulator appears to be a valid and reliable tool to capture expert performance. It is an effective screening device for assessing the level of expert performance.

Screening Methods for the Detection of Preclinical Vision Loss in Children in the Community: Technology at Work

IntroductionThere are four vision screening devices that are currently being used to screen children in the United States.ResultsThe MTI PS-100 Photoscreener™ (Medical Technology and Innovations Inc., Rivera Beach, Fla.) is an off-axis instant film photoscreener. It has been the instrument used by the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) to provide free vision screening to approximately 400,000 children in 16 states.The Visiscreen™ OSS-C (Vision Research Corp., Birmingham, Ala.) is an off-axis photorefractor, that uses 35 mm film. The Visiscreen™ OSS-C has been used extensively in mass screenings of over 2,000,000 children in eight states.The iScreen system (iScreen LLC, Memphis, Tenn.) is a digital off-axis photoscreener. Pediatricians and general practitioners are the primary users, screening approximately 130,000 children in twelve states.The Welsh Allyn® SureSight™ Vision Screener is a hand-held autorefractor that is used by pediatricians, general practitioners, and public health organizations.ConclusionAs states continue to mandate vision screening, the desire to find the most effective screening device will continue to fuel changes in vision screening technology.

Hydraulic investigations of a “tapered channel” model of a wind-wave energy converter

1. Hydraulic tests of models of a tapered channel energy converter carried out in a wind—wave flume revealed a substantial dependence of the productivity (energy of the flow streaming over the crest) and effectiveness (i.e., efficiency) of the converter on the flow regime, length and height of the wave, depth of the water in front of the converter, and the geometric dimensions of the tapered channel, such as the inclination of the floor, length of the inclined surface, and angle of convergence of the lateral walls. There exist certain optimal values of the characteristics and parameters for which the capacity and efficiency of the slope are maximal. The range of variation of these characteristics and parameters which was adopted in the experiments was, in the main, sufficient for revealing the optimal values and for the development of sound recommendations for determination of these optimal values. 2. A tapered channel type of wind—wave energy converter has an efficiency of, on average, 20% where there is an optimal relation between the dimensions. This efficiency is, in general, typical of modern converters of nontraditional, lowpotential soruces of energy. The remainder of the energy is absorbed in degradation of the waves and in the energy converter itself, basically in the interaction between the incident flow and the quasi-smooth flow off the slope from the preceding wave. Thus, we can recommend a tapered-channel type of wind—wave energy converter for use as an effective wave screening device for beaches and gently sloping coasts. 3. It is recommended that the values of the characteristics and parameters in the ranges given below be employed in practical design work. These values ensure that optimal value of the indicators of the productivity and effectiveness of a tapered channel type of energy converter will be achieved: {fx514-1}

Hand-held metal detector identification of ingested foreign bodies

The study purpose was to determine the ability of hand-held metal detectors (HHMDs) to identify the presence of ingested metallic foreign bodies (MFBs). Twenty-three children presenting to the emergency department with a complaint of MFBs ingested were enrolled. Sixteen of 23 patients had radiographically proven foreign bodies. The MFBs comprised coins (n = 11), a button battery (n = 1), a medallion (n = 1), a token (n = 1), a needle (n = 1), and a marble (leaded glass) (n = 1). The HHMD correctly detected 15 of 16 radiographically positive MFBs (93%) and correctly excluded a potential MFB in six of six radiographically negative cases. The only foreign body not detected was an ingested needle. One radiograph was equivocal. Radiographic localization of the ingested objects was as follows: esophagus, n = 4; stomach, n = 9; and intestines, n = 3. The HHMD correctly localized all detected MFBs. The HHMD had a sensitivity of 94%, a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, and a negative predictive value of 86%. HHMDs are effective screening devices for possible ingested MFBs. Positive studies localized to the stomach and lower gastrointestinal tract do not require confirmatory radiographic studies.

The Detection of Depression by Patient Self-Report in Women with Gynecologic Cancer

We examined the utility of patient self-report forms in identifying those gynecologic oncology patients who would be diagnosed by an experienced consultation-liaison psychiatrist as suffering from major depression. Sixty-five women with gynecologic tumors were evaluated by a consultation-liaison psychiatrist, using standardized (DSM-III) criteria. Each patient also completed a Carroll Rating Scale for Depression (CRS). The CRS demonstrated sensitivity and specificity of 87 percent and 58 percent, respectively. Used as a screening instrument to rule out depression, the CRS yielded a negative predictive value of 94 percent. We identified a priori forty items from the CRS which should not be influenced by the non-psychiatric biologic effects of gynecologic tumors, and compared the performance of this non-cancer related symptoms subscale (NCSG) to that of the CRS. The NCSG did not significantly outperform the CRS; its sensitivity and specificity were 87 percent and 62 percent, respectively. Because our study population was relatively homogeneous (i.e., non-ovarian gynecologic oncology patients without severe debilitation who were not receiving chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other invasive procedures), the findings should not be generalized to other oncologic populations at this time. Our results suggest that patient self-report forms can be effective screening devices for identifying those non-ovarian, gynecologic oncology patients who should then be carefully evaluated for coexisting clinical depression.