Interpretation Of Test Results Research Articles

Reading Test Construction of Efl Teachers In Islamic Senior High Schools

This study aims to describe the process of constructing reading test conducted by English teachers from various Islamic high school at Binuang. This study used a qualitative approach with a descriptive research design. The subjects in this study were six English teachers from different Islamic High Schools at Binuang District, West Sulawesi. The instruments in this study were the researchers herself and were assisted through data collection tools namely interview guides and documentation. Data analysis begins with data collection then reduced and categorized, data presentation and concluded. The findings showed that there are five steps that English teachers go through in constructing good reading tests. This step was developed from theory (Brown 2004; Sharma, 2017 & Suwarto, 2017) namely starting from the planning stage, writing test items, standardization tests, revising and interpreting test results or scoring

Online clinical tools to support the use of new plasma biomarker diagnostic technology in the assessment of Alzheimer's disease: a narrative review.

Recent advances in new diagnostic technologies for Alzheimer's disease have improved the speed and precision of diagnosis. However, accessing the potential benefits of this technology poses challenges for clinicians, such as deciding whether it is clinically appropriate to order a diagnostic test, which specific test or tests to order and how to interpret test results and communicate these to the patient and their caregiver. Tools to support decision-making could provide additional structure and information to the clinical assessment process. These tools could be accessed online, and such 'e-tools' can provide an interactive interface to support patients and clinicians in the use of new diagnostic technologies for Alzheimer's disease. We performed a narrative review of the literature to synthesize information available on this research topic. Relevant studies that provide an understanding of how these online tools could be used to optimize the clinical utility of diagnostic technology were identified. Based on these, we discuss the ways in which e-tools have been used to assist in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and propose recommendations for future research to aid further development.

Development of a Cloud-Based Image Processing Health Checkup System for Multi-Item Urine Analysis.

With the busy pace of modern life, an increasing number of people are afflicted by lifestyle diseases. Going directly to the hospital for medical checks is not only time-consuming but also costly. Fortunately, the emergence of rapid tests has alleviated this burden. Accurately interpreting test results is extremely important; misinterpreting the results of rapid tests could lead to delayed medical treatment. Given that URS-10 serve as a rapid test capable of detecting 10 distinct parameters in urine samples, the results of assessing these parameters can offer insights into the subject's physiological condition. These parameters encompass aspects such as metabolism, renal function, diabetes, urinary tract disorders, hemolytic diseases, and acid-base balance, among others. Although the operational procedure is straightforward, the variegated color changes exhibited in the outcomes of individual parameters render it challenging for lay users to deduce causal factors solely from color variations. Moreover, potential misinterpretations could arise due to visual discrepancies. In this study, we successfully developed a cloud-based health checkup system that can be used in an indoor environment. The system is used by placing a URS-10 test strip on a colorimetric board developed for this study, then using a smartphone application to take images which are uploaded to a server for cloud computing. Finally, the interpretation results are stored in the cloud and sent back to the smartphone to be checked by the user. Furthermore, to confirm whether the color calibration technology can eliminate color differences between different cameras, and also whether the colorimetric board and the urine test strips can perform color comparisons correctly in different light intensity environments, indoor environments that could simulate a specific light intensity were established for testing purposes. When comparing the experimental results to real test strips, only two groups failed to reach an identification success rate of 100%, and in both of these cases the success rate reached 95%. The experimental results confirmed that the system developed in this study was able to eliminate color differences between camera devices and could be used without special technical requirements or training.

Personalized and Population-Based Reference Intervals for 48 Common Clinical Chemistry and Hematology Measurands: A Comparative Study.

Personalized reference intervals (prRIs) have the potential to improve individual patient follow-up as compared to population-based reference intervals (popRI). In this study, we estimated popRI and prRIs for 48 clinical chemistry and hematology measurands using samples from the same reference individuals and explored the effect of using group-based and individually based biological variation (BV) estimates to derive prRIs. 143 individuals (median age 28 years) were included in the study and had fasting blood samples collected once. From this population, 41 randomly selected subjects had samples collected weekly for 5 weeks. PopRIs were estimated according to Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute EP28 and within-subject BV (CVI) were estimated by CV-ANOVA. Data were assessed for trends and outliers prior to calculation of individual prRIs, based on estimates of (a) within-person BV (CVP), (b) CVI derived in this study, and (c) publically available CVI estimates. For most measurands, the individual prRI ranges were smaller than the popRI range, but overall about half the study participants had a prRI wider than the popRI for 5 or more out of 48 measurands. The dispersion of prRIs based on CVP was wider than that of prRIs based on CVI. The prRIs derived in our study varied significantly between different individuals, especially if based on CVP. Our results highlight the limitations of popRIs in interpreting test results of individual patients. If sufficient data from a steady-state situation are available, using prRI based on CVP estimates will provide a RI most specific for an individual patient.

Drug interference with biochemical laboratory tests.

Clinical laboratory practice represents an essential part of clinical decision-making, as it influences 60-70% of medical decisions at all levels of health care. Results of biochemical laboratory tests (BLTs) have a key role in establishment of adequate diagnosis as well as in evaluation of treatment progress and outcome. The prevalence of drug-laboratory test interactions (DLTIs) is up to 43% of patients who had laboratory results influenced by drugs. Unrecognized DLTIs may lead to misinterpreted BLTs results, incorrect or delayed diagnosis, extra costs for unnecessary additional tests or inadequate therapy, as all may cause false clinical decisions. The significance of timely and adequate recognition of DLTIs is to prevent common clinical consequences such as incorrectly interpreted test results, delayed or non-treated condition due to erroneous diagnosis or unnecessary extra tests or therapy. Medical professionals should be educated that it is essential to obtain patient data about medications especially for the drugs used in the last 10 days before biological material collection. Our mini-review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state in this important domain of medical biochemistry with detailed analysis of the effect of drugs on BLTs and to give detailed information to medical specialists.

IN-HOUSE TESTING OF MOSQUITO POOLS FOR WEST NILE VIRUS USING COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE IMMUNOASSAY AND REAL-TIME REVERSE-TRANSCRIPTASE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION KITS

Arbovirus surveillance methods are an integral part of integrated mosquito management programs, providing information on arboviral presence, location, and transmission potential. For many vector control agencies, surveillance entails collecting vector mosquito species from the field and testing representative mosquito pools using commercially available immunoassays or real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction test kits. In 2016, the Collier Mosquito Control District established an in-house arbovirus surveillance program to screen mosquitoes for a variety of diseases, including the endemic arbovirus, West Nile virus (WNV). Although guidance on interpreting test results is provided by the manufacturer, end users of commercial test kits are encouraged to establish their own cut-off values signifying an arbovirus positive mosquito pool. Here we report the Collier Mosquito Control District’s efforts to develop cut-off values for mosquito pools using two commercially available WNV test kits.

Communicating health information with visual displays.

Well-designed visual displays have the power to convey health messages in clear, effective ways to non-experts, including journalists, patients and policymakers. Poorly designed visual displays, however, can confuse and alienate recipients, undermining health messages. In this Perspective, we propose a structured framework for effective visual communication of health information, using case examples of three common communication tasks: comparing treatment options, interpreting test results, and evaluating risk scenarios. We also show simple, practical ways to evaluate a design's success and guide improvements. The proposed framework is grounded in research on health risk communication, visualization and decision science, as well as our experience in communicating health data.

Пространственные представления и ментальные карты водителей

<p style="text-align: justify;">The article is devoted to the study of spatial representations and mental maps of drivers. The analysis of national and foreign psychological and socio-psychological sources of literature in the chosen topic was carried out. The scheme of functioning of the representations of drivers based on the interaction between explicit, implicit long-term memory and working memory at the levels of attention and automatisms is given. The cycles of learning and search, learning and activation, cycles of attention control are singled out. Driver behavior is seen as knowledge-based, rule-based and skill-based. The history of the emergence and development of mental maps, the mechanisms for the formation of drivers' ideas and the potential for using mental maps as an evaluation and control tool for the psychological diagnosis of driver candidates are described. For further research on this topic, the article presents the advantages of mental maps as a control and evaluation tool, and provides “lines of analysis” for interpreting test results. The creation of a methodology for mental maps of drivers is able to satisfy the need for effective diagnostic and research methods aimed at determining the competence of drivers and identifying links between driving style and features of mental maps, as well as predicting the inclination to create accidents on the roads.</p>

Value of Diagnostic Tools in the Diagnosis of Osteomyelitis: Pilot Study to Establish an Osteomyelitis Score.

Osteomyelitis (OM) remains one of the most feared complications in bone surgery and trauma. Its diagnosis remains a major challenge due to lack of guidelines. The aim of this study was to prospectively analyze the value of the most common and available diagnostic tools and to establish an OM score to derive treatment recommendations. All patients with suspected OM were included in a prospective pilot study. All patients underwent blood sampling for C-reactive protein and white blood cell count analysis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and microbiologic and histopathologic samples, were taken from representative sites of initial debridement. All patients were treated according to their OM test results and followed for at least one year. Subsequently, the value of individual or combined diagnostic tools was analyzed in patients with confirmed OM and in patients in whom OM was ruled out. Based on these findings, an OM score was developed that included MRI, microbiology, and histopathology. The score identified all control patients and all but one OM patient, resulting in a correct diagnosis of 93.3%, which was validated in a second independent larger cohort. This was the first study to analyze the value of the most commonly used tools to diagnose OM. The proposed OM score provides a simple scoring system to safely interpret test results with high accuracy.

251 A Mixed Methods Study of Patient and Clinician Views and Experiences of Pharmacogenomic Testing for Major Depressive Disorder

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Pharmacogenomic testing for major depressive disorder is an expanding area of precision medicine with multiple direct-to-provider tests available. While clinical evidence supporting testing is expanding, there has been little research on the views and experiences of patients and clinicians utilizing this novel intervention. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: This ongoing study is conducting semi-structured interviews with clinicians and patients exploring their views of the benefits and limitations of pharmacogenomic testing. Qualitative interviews have been conducted with 10 patients and 10 clinicians who have experience with ordering or receiving results within the past 12 months. Interviews are being thematically coded following a modified grounded theory approach using the Dedoose software. Following the principles of exploratory sequential mixed methods design, findings will be used to develop a survey to be administered to prescribing clinicians in both primary care and psychiatry. The survey will examine clinician's knowledge, interest, and concerns about utilizing testing. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Preliminary analysis of qualitative interviews indicates that both patients and clinicians find that the broader testing process has benefits beyond the test results themselves. Benefits identified by patients include an increased trust in the process of selecting medications, validation of their negative experiences with medications, and improved communication with their provider. Limitations identified by patients include difficulty in accessing test results, and gatekeeping for testing by providers. Benefits identified by clinicians include increased empathy with patients, medication adherence, and improved communication with patients about medication. Limitations identified by clinicians include difficulty with ordering and interpreting test results. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Medication selection is a difficult process for both patients and clinicians. Improvements to clinician-patient communication and medication adherence are important benefits to consider in the adoption of testing. Future research should include these dimensions in assessment of the benefits and limitations of testing.

2023 Watch List: Top 10 Precision Medicine Technologies and Issues

CADTH’s 2023 Watch List presents the top 10 precision medicine technologies and issues that have the potential to make a significant and meaningful impact in transforming health systems in Canada over the next 5 years. These technologies and issues are likely to shape the future of health care. The Human Genome Project was completed 20 years ago and offers new opportunities to use an individual's genetic information to manage their health care. Today, as health systems see an emergence of new precision medicine technologies that can use a person’s unique characteristics to inform and tailor their care, the 2023 Watch List unpacks the hype from hope, and indicates where there is likely real opportunity to improve patient care and health systems delivery. As part of the 2023 Watch List, we identify and describe the 5 top precision medicine technologies; among them, examples such as liquid biopsies for informing cancer treatments and pharmacogenomics testing for mental health conditions that may shape the future of health care. To prepare health systems for their wider adoption and implementation, the 2023 Watch List explores some considerations for health care decision-makers about the impact and implications the technologies may have on care pathways, health human resources, health care infrastructure, and health equity. The 2023 Watch List also identifies the top 5 issues that crosscut the broader scope of precision medicine technologies and could limit health systems from realizing the full potential of the technologies. Among them, issues such as increasing complexity related to interpreting test results and challenges in regulating precision medicine technologies are key issues that likely warrant more attention and will influence the wider adoption, diffusion, and implementation of precision medicine technologies. Collectively, monitoring ongoing developments and evidence related to the top technologies and issues highlighted in the 2023 Watch List can help support health care stakeholders to future-proof health systems and guide health system planning in Canada.

Concentration dependence of yield stress of bentonite suspension and corresponding particle interactions

The prediction of the concentration dependence of the yield stress of bentonite suspension is important for both practical use and fundamental study. Whilst a great amount of research work has been undertaken concerning the theoretical prediction based on the Face-Face repulsive interactions alone, the effect of inclination angle α and separation distance D between clay particles has seemingly received little attention in the research literature. This article presents the prediction model of yield stress developed using the strength of interparticle interactions between two non-parallel platy particles of finite dimensions, aimed at providing insights into the evolution of interparticle interaction with increasing the mass fraction. The repulsive force between the particles for a range of values of geometrical parameters computed using the Gouy-Chapman theory of electrical double layer, along with the calculation presented on van der Waals force, provide a more quantitative means of evaluating the interparticle force in bentonite suspension. It was found that as α and D between particles increase, the magnitude of interparticle force including repulsive and attractive force decreases quickly. The ultimate comprehensive investigation indicated that as the mass fraction of bentonite suspension increases, interparticle interaction propagates from attractive interaction to repulsive attraction, and finally shifts to attractive interaction. In this process, inter-particle separation distance decreases, accompanied by a transition process from a larger inclination angle to a nearly parallel orientation between the particles. The prediction model of yield stress considering the influence of concentration variation on α and D yields a good prediction of experimental data. The results of the present study should help interpret test results in cases where it may not be entirely possible to maintain a parallel particle orientation.

Boosting for insight and/or boosting for agency? How to maximize accurate test interpretation with natural frequencies

BackgroundMany physicians do not know how to accurately interpret test results using Bayes’ rule. As a remedy, two kinds of interventions have been shown effective: boosting insight and boosting agency with natural frequencies. To boost insight, test statistics are provided in natural frequencies (rather than conditional probabilities), without instructions on how to use them. To boost agency, a training is provided on how to translate probabilities into natural frequencies and apply them in Bayes’ rule. What has not been shown is whether boosting agency is sufficient or if representing test statistics in natural frequencies may additionally boost insight to maximize accurate test interpretation.MethodsWe used a pre/posttest design to assess test interpretation accuracy of 577 medical students before and after a training on two Bayesian reasoning tasks, one providing conditional probabilities, the other natural frequencies. The pretest assessed baseline abilities versus the effect of natural frequencies to boost insight. After participants received a training on how to translate conditional probabilities into natural frequencies and how to apply them in Bayes’ rule, test interpretation skills were assessed using the same tasks again, comparing the effects of training-induced agency with versus without additionally boosting insight (i.e., test statistics in natural frequencies versus conditional probabilities).ResultsCompared to the test question formatted in conditional probabilities (34% correct answers), natural frequencies facilitated Bayesian reasoning without training (68%), that is, they increased insight. The training on how to use natural frequencies improved performance for tasks formatted in conditional probabilities (64%). Performance was maximal after training and with test statistics formatted in natural frequencies, that is, with a combination of boosting insight and agency (89%).ConclusionsNatural frequencies should be used to boost insight and agency to maximize effective use of teaching resources. Thus, mandating that test statistics are provided in natural frequencies and adopting short trainings on how to translate conditional probabilities into natural frequencies and how to apply them in Bayes’ rule will help to maximize accurate test interpretation.Trial registrationThe study was a registered with the German Clinical Trial Registry (DRKS00008723; 06/03/2015).

Alignment of Physician-Stated vs Clinically Derived Reference Fibrosis Score in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis: A Real-World European Survey.

Stratifying disease severity in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is essential for appropriate treatment and long-term management. Liver biopsy is the reference standard for fibrosis severity in NASH, but less invasive methods are used, eg, Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4) and vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE), for which reference thresholds for no/early fibrosis and advanced fibrosis are available. We compared subjective physician assessment of NASH fibrosis versus reference thresholds to understand classification in a real-world setting. Data were drawn from Adelphi Real World NASH Disease Specific ProgrammeTM conducted in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK in 2018. Physicians (diabetologists, gastroenterologists, hepatologists) completed questionnaires for five consecutive NASH patients presenting for routine care. Physician-stated fibrosis score (PSFS) based on available information was compared with clinically defined reference fibrosis stage (CRFS) determined retrospectively using VCTE and FIB-4 data and eight reference thresholds. One thousand two hundred and eleven patients had VCTE (n = 1115) and/or FIB-4 (n = 524). Depending on thresholds, physicians underestimated severity in 16-33% (FIB-4) and 27-50% of patients (VCTE). Using VCTE ≥12.2, diabetologists, gastroenterologists and hepatologists underestimated disease severity in 35%, 32%, and 27% of patients, respectively, and overestimated fibrosis in 3%, 4%, and 9%, respectively (p = 0.0083 across specialties). Hepatologists and gastroenterologists had higher liver biopsy rates than diabetologists (52%, 56%, 47%, respectively). PSFS did not consistently align with CRFS in this NASH real-world setting. Underestimation was more common than overestimation, potentially leading to undertreatment of patients with advanced fibrosis. More guidance on interpreting test results when classifying fibrosis is needed, thereby improving management of NASH.

Equation for determining cumulative particle size distribution using the pressure of a sedimenting suspension

One of the basic properties of soil––its particle size distribution (PSD)––can be measured using several techniques, among which methods based on sedimentation have a prominent place. Many of these sedimentation methods use changes in the density of a suspension to produce a PSD curve. A certain group of these measure changes in suspension pressure during the ongoing sedimentation process. To date, conversion of the measured changes in suspension pressure to cumulative PSD (CPSD) has been performed using statistical methods and not a physical model of the phenomenon. Here, this gap is filled. Based on the assumptions similar to used at the Stokes equation, an equation was derived linking the CPSD function with the function describing the changes in suspension pressure and its derivative. The derived equation allows direct calculation of the CPSD function based on changes in the pressure of the suspension at a specific depth. In this work, it is shown that the calculation in the reverse direction––obtaining a function describing the pressure in the suspension at a certain depth, PL(D), depending on the soil CPSD function––is also possible, although it requires use of the finite-difference method. The use of the derived equation to interpret test results is shown through examples of six selected soils with different PSDs.

Germline BRCA testing in pancreatic cancer: improving awareness, timing, turnaround, and uptake.

Prognosis is generally poor for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. However, patients with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations (gBRCAm) may benefit from first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and maintenance therapy with the poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitor olaparib following at least 16 weeks of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy without disease progression. Germline breast cancer gene (BRCA) testing is therefore important to ensure that patients receive the most effective treatment. In addition, testing for other DNA damage response gene mutations beyond gBRCAm may also guide treatment decisions. However, clinical pathways for genetic testing are often suboptimal, leading to delays in treatment initiation or missed opportunities for personalized therapy. Barriers to testing include low rates of referral and uptake, delays to referral and slow result turnaround times, cost, and biopsy and assay limitations if somatic testing is performed, leading to the requirement for subsequent dedicated germline testing. Low rates of referral may result from lack of awareness among physicians of the clinical value of testing, coupled with low confidence in interpreting test results and poor availability of genetic counseling services. Among patients, barriers to uptake may include similar lack of awareness of the clinical value of testing, anxiety regarding the implications of test results, lack of insurance coverage, fear of negative insurance implications, and socioeconomic factors. Potential solutions include innovative approaches to testing pathways, including 'mainstreaming' of testing in which BRCA tests are routinely arranged by the treating oncologist, with the involvement of genetic counselors if a patient is found to have a gBRCAm. More recently, the utility of multigene panel analyses has also been explored. Access to genetic counseling may also be improved through initiatives such as having a genetic counseling appointment for all new patient visits and telemedicine approaches, including the use of telephone consultations or DVD-assisted counseling. Educational programs will also be beneficial, and cost effectiveness is likely to improve as the number of targeted treatments increases and when the earlier detection of tumors in family members following cascade testing is considered.

“TEG” talks: technology worth spreading?

“TEG” talks: technology worth spreading?

The study of neural antibodies in neurology: A practical summary.

The field of Autoimmune Neurology is expanding rapidly, with new neural antibodies being identified each year. However, these disorders remain rare. Deciding when to test for these antibodies, when and what samples are to be obtained, how to handle and study them correctly, and how to interpret test results, is complex. In this article we review current diagnostic techniques and provide a comprehensive explanation on the study of these patients, in an effort to help with correct diagnosis minimizing false positive and false negative results. We also propose routine storage of samples and referral of certain cases to specialized research laboratories.

Networking to reduce microbial risk in foods

Networking to reduce microbial risk in foods

Mapping TOEFL® Essentials™ Test Scores to the Canadian Language Benchmarks

In this research report, we describe a study to map the scores of the TOEFL® Essentials™ test to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). The TOEFL Essentials test is a four‐skills assessment of foundational English language skills and communication abilities in academic and general (daily life) contexts. At the time of writing this report, the test was the most recent addition to the TOEFL® Family of Assessments. TOEFL Essentials test scores are intended to provide academic programs and other users with reliable information regarding the test taker's ability to understand and use English. Mapping of scores to widely used language frameworks such as the CLB provides additional support for interpreting test results and for making inferences regarding test‐taker abilities. The score mapping process consisted of the following steps, as recommended in the literature: (a) establishing construct congruence between the test content and the performance descriptors of the CLB; (b) establishing recommended minimum test scores (cut scores) required to classify language learners into CLB levels, based on the judgments of local experts; and (c) providing evidence of procedural, internal, and external validation of the recommended cut scores.