Lab Sample Research Articles

Evaluation of in silico and in lab sample enrichment techniques for the assessment of challengeable quaternary combination in critical ratio

A comparative study of successive spectrophotometric resolution technique for the simultaneous determination of a challengeable quaternary mixture of Chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM), Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (PSE), Ibuprofen (IBU) and Caffeine (CAF) is presented, without preliminary physical separation steps. Several successive steps were applied on built-in spectrophotometer software utilizing zero and/or derivative and/or ratio spectra of the studied components. These methods, namely, Dual amplitude difference (DAD) as a novel method, Constant multiplication coupled with spectrum subtraction method (CM-SS), Factorized first derivative coupled with derivative transformation method (FD1 -DT) and Derivative ratio method (DD1). The calibration graphs are linear over the concentration range of 10.0–80.0 μg/mL,150.0–900.0 μg/mL, 200.0–1400.0 μg/mL and 3.0–30.0 μg/mL for CPM, PSE, IBU and CAF, respectively. The specificity of suggested methods was studied via laboratory prepared (diverse ratios) mixtures and were successfully applied for Antiflu® capsules' analysis. Moreover, sample enrichment via In Silico (via software of spectrophotometer) and In Lab (via spiking with pure sample) techniques was elected for a pharmaceutical dosage form analysis comprising CPM and PSE as minor components. Accuracy, precision and specificity were between the valid limits. Validation steps were done in accordance with the ICH guidelines. Moreover, statistical comparison was carried out between the obtained and reported results for pure powder form and no significant difference appeared.

Robust Performance and Safety Advantages of Large Cells for Energy Storage Based on HE3DA (3D) Electrode Concept - from a Lab Sample to a Gigafactory

The HE3DA® concept of several millimeters thick electrodes (3D) gives the lithium battery incomparable safety and brings a number of new technical attributes, which are not achievable by the existing thin film technology (2D).The safe and robust construction with multifunctional frames, easy degassing, low internal resistance and electrolyte regeneration make this new lithium accumulator technology ideal for high capacity batteries and large energy storage modules, optionally with an internal cooling system, which radically shrinks the battery pack size and extends the battery life.The 3D construction of HE3DA technology provides an efficient thermal management and inherited safety to the batteries, enabling construction of very large cells on hundred KWh level and modules on hundreds of MWh scale. Incomparable safety, cheap manufacturing process and performance robustness make this technology ideal for the Smart Grid applications, stabilizing solar and wind power generation, changing this type of renewable energy from unpredictable to predictable. HE3DA technology platform has been developed from a lab sample into a mass scale production on Gigawatt hour scale in the past 10 years.Typical performance data will be introduced. Figure 1

Gravel Sampling for Testing

Sampling is the selection of a representative portion of a material, and it’s as important as testing. The minimum weight of gravel field or lab sample depends on the nominal maximum particle size. The weight of the sample will always be greater than that portion required for testing. The approximate precision desired for the testing will control the weight of the gravel sample. In this study, gravel sample has been simulated by using multilinear approximated function for Fuller’s curve on the logarithmic scale. Gravel particles are divided into classes according to their medium diameter and each class was simulated separately. A stochastic analysis, by using 100 realizations in sampling, has been done and the root mean square error for the errors between sampled and target curve has been discussed for two selected samples of coarse aggregate.

Discussion

Discussion

Anemia Screening in Naval Aviation: Is Hemoglobin a Better Indicator Than Hematocrit as the Primary Index?

Because of the rigorous mental and physical health requirements for Naval Aviation, all applicants and designated personnel must meet physical standards, including initial and periodic screening for anemia. Most standards, including for accession to the U.S. Navy, use hemoglobin as the standard marker to screen for anemia. Moreover, previous literature generally supports the assertion that hemoglobin is more reliable and accurate than hematocrit. However, the U.S. Navy Aeromedical Reference and Waiver Guide uses a hematocrit standard for anemia screening. The purpose of this study was to determine whether hemoglobin or hematocrit correlates better with clinical anemia and evaluate which index is a more accurate indicator for anemia screening in Naval Aviation personnel. This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of Naval Aviation applicants (N=95) who were evaluated by the Human Performance and Aeromedical Qualifications department at Naval Aerospace Medical Institute Clinic in Pensacola, Florida, from January 1, 2015 to September 30, 2018. Data were collected from electronic medical records in a de-identified manner that included demographics, class designations, labs results, diagnoses, and final disposition. Logistic regression was used to analyze whether hemoglobin (using the U.S. Navy standard of 13.5g/dL for men and 12.0g/dL for women) or hematocrit (using the Naval Aviation standard of 40% for men and 37% for women) predicted the diagnosis of anemia for subjects having at least one lab sample (1-sample) and for those having three samples (3-samples). Sensitivity and specificity values were calculated for hemoglobin and hematocrit as tools to predict a diagnosis of anemia using the same standards in the 1-sample and 3-sample groups. Data were collected for 95 subjects, 53 of whom had three sets of paired hemoglobin/hematocrit values. Using logistic regression, hemoglobin was found to be a statistically significant predictor of anemia for both the 1-sample group (odds ratio 3.4, confidence interval [1.130-10.196], P<0.05) and the 3-sample group (odds ratio 10.5, confidence interval [1.776-62.580], P<0.01). Hematocrit was not a significant predictor in either group. Hemoglobin was 80% sensitive and 52.3% specific for a diagnosis of anemia in the 1-sample group and 91.3% sensitive and 50.0% specific in the 3-samples group. Hematocrit was 86.7% sensitive and 35.4% specific for a diagnosis of anemia in the 1-sample group and 91.3% sensitive and 23.3% specific in the 3-samples group. This study found that hemoglobin correlates better with the diagnosis of anemia than hematocrit. When three samples are analyzed, hemoglobin is equally sensitive and more specific than hematocrit. Based on these results and the U.S. Navy accession standards using hemoglobin as the standard index for anemia, the U.S. Navy Aeromedical Reference and Waiver Guide should consider using hemoglobin instead of hematocrit to screen for anemia. Future research should focus on prospective research to determine whether hemoglobin or hematocrit is a better indicator of anemia in screening military personnel.

Study on Influence of Different Gamma-ray Energy on Images of an Industrial CT System

Gamma transmission computed tomography is a powerful imaging techniques that provide a cross-sectional view or a volumetric view of the interior of an object. Therefore, reveal structural information of an object as if it had been cut open for viewing. By utilizing the properties of gamma-ray attenuation, images were reconstructed from photon counting data by gamma-ray sensor. Information revealed on these images depends greatly on resolution of the reconstructed images. In this study, the effect of gamma-ray energy used on a portable CT images is studied. Lab sample of four different material densities were used with three different gamma-ray sources namely, Am-241, Ba-133 and Cs-137 to study the effect of energy on the reconstructed images. The best reconstructed image that describes the structure of the sample used in this study is from Ba-133 with energy of 356 keV. The results provide information on suitability of the energy used for the range of material density use in this study.

Advanced oxidation processes against alkyl phenols in groundwater samples

Spectrophotometric examinations showed the presence of phenolic compounds in the organic residue collected from four groundwater resources located in vicinity of an oil refinery at the outskirt of Tehran. The average concentration of total phenolic compounds was about 0.38 mg.L-1 in these samples using Folin-Ciocalteu method. GC-Mass analysis disclosed that alkylphenols were the major phenolic contaminants in the samples. Evaluation of the Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) efficacy for removal of alkylphenols from real water samples is a hot topic of recent Environmental Research due to the decomposition of these compounds in soil and by microorganisms which may results in the formation of structures more resistance against various types of oxidation. To explore the efficacy of AOPs for removal of alkylphenols from the examined groundwater resources, the optimal conditions for three important AOP including Fe2+/H2O2/UV (Photo-Fenton), O3/UV and O3/UV/H2O2 were first sought using a recalcitrant lab sample containing different aromatic compounds with total concentration of 2 mg L-1. Consequently, two methods of O3/UV (2 mg L-1 O3, 15 min UVC), and O3/UV/H2O2 (2 mg L-1 O3, 5000 mg L-1 H2O2, 15 min UVC) were selected to be examined on the real samples. Although the selected methods were quantitatively effective on the lab sample, they resulted in average removal efficiencies of 79.71% and 84.16% on the real samples, respectively. With respect to the safety regulations, costs and easiness of implementation, the O3/UV method seems to be more promising for large-scale plans.

Determination of Heavy elements in Drinking Water from Different Regions of Baghdad City (Iraq) Using EDXRF Spectrometer

It was calculated the average concentrations of elements manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, cadmium and lead in the sixteen samples of drinking water (tap water), were collected from different areas in the Baghdad city. The Results indicated that the average of concentrations of the elements Mn, Fe, Pb, Ni and Cd (0.44ppm, 0.49ppm, 0.04ppm, 0.17ppm and 1.2ppm respectively) higher than permissible limit while the concentrations of elements Cu and Zn (0.11ppm and 0.14ppm respectively) were lower than the permissible limit of World Health Organization (WHO) standards (1ppm and 3ppm) respectively for drinking water and the concentration of Arsenic in the nuclear lab sample in college of sciences - Mustansiriyah University was higher than permissible limit. &#x0D; All the drinking water samples were analyzed and determined the physical and chemical properties such as Electrical Conductivity (EC), pH, and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). The highest value was (1064μS/cm) in Al-Tuwaitha sample and the lowest value (531μS/cm) in Al-Sadr City (Sector 7) sample for the Electrical Conductivity. The pH values ranged from (7.0-8.2). The average levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), the highest value was 550 mg/L in the Diyala Bridge sample while the lowest value 276mg/L in Al-Sadr City (Sector 7) sample. The results were compared with national and international standards, and it’s also showed that the values of the parameters within the permissible limit of World Health Organization (WHO) standards, except the Electrical Conductivity values for some samples were higher than permissible limit. According to these results, all the water projects must be monitored as well as using the proper and modern techniques for treatment the drinking water.

Chromium (VI) Retrieval from Chromium Ore Processing Residues by Electrokinetic Treatment

Electrokinetics (EK) was investigated as a possible technique for in-situ treatment of leachable chromium at a built site contaminated with chromium ore processing residues (COPR). A preliminary EK experiment was carried out at the laboratory scale on an undisturbed COPR core sample. Methods applied for material and pore water characterization before and after EK treatment addressed physical aspects by laser diffraction granulometry, pycnometry and pore water content, mineralogical aspects by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and chemical aspects by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectroscopy for elemental composition, spectrophotometry for Cr(VI) analysis, and potentiometry for pH determination. EK was run at 1 V/cm with no external constraints on current intensity. The EK experiment reached an extraction of 72% of the total leachable Cr(VI) after only 10 days of treatment and 84% after 20 days. Material texture, composition, and pH remained similar. These results indicate that EK presents a potential solution for extracting leachable Cr(VI) from COPR sites. The impounded COPR material appeared to be heterogeneous in composition at all scales, from field to lab sample, adding to the challenge of in-situ treatment.

Variability in clinical chemistry parameters in healthy male volunteers prior to drug administration, an overview of Bayer in-house phase I trials from 2000 - 2013 INSERT TABLE AST and γGT values are less affected. Conclusion: A 24h predose lab sample may

Event Abstract Back to Event Variability in clinical chemistry parameters in healthy male volunteers prior to drug administration, an overview of Bayer in-house phase I trials from 2000 - 2013 INSERT TABLE AST and γGT values are less affected. Conclusion: A 24h predose lab sample may Georg Wensing1 1 Bayer AG, Department of Clinical Pharmacology CV/HEM, Germany Introduction: Recently consensus results on pivotal eligibility criteria for healthy volunteers (HVs) for clinical trials were published. Baseline evaluations immediately prior to dosing were not recommended to confirm inclusion/exclusion criteria. Method: We reviewed all BAYER Phase I trials performed at the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology (Wuppertal) and ClinPharm Cologne between 2000 and 2013. Key parameters were: AST, ALT, GLDH, γGT, total bilirubin, CK, Amylase, lipase, creatinine. All parameters were compared at screening, at 24 hours and 0 hours before dosing. Results: In total, more than 35712 blood samples from 4300 healthy male subjects (aged 18-70 years) were investigated. A wide variability of laboratory parameters exceeding the upper limit of normal (ULN) at all time points was observed. Generally, the incidence of values above ULN is reduced from screening, to 24 and 0 hours before administration. However, despite of a reduced number of HVs from screening to 24 and 0 hours due to rigid inclusion/exclusion criteria there is still a substantial percentage of values above ULN 24h and 0h predose. INSERT TABLE - image 4 AST and γGT values are less affected. Conclusion: A 24h predose lab sample may help to confirm inclusion/exclusion criteria and reduce the number of HVs with abnormal lab values entering the trial. A 0 hour sample should be mandatory to interpret abnormal values under treatment. Acknowledgements no Keywords: variability, Phase I, Healthy male subjects, Clinical chemistry parameters, prior drug administration Conference: EUFEMED 2017, London, United Kingdom, 17 May - 19 May, 2017. Presentation Type: Poster Topic: EUFEMED 2017 CONFERENCE Citation: Wensing G (2019). Variability in clinical chemistry parameters in healthy male volunteers prior to drug administration, an overview of Bayer in-house phase I trials from 2000 - 2013 INSERT TABLE AST and γGT values are less affected. Conclusion: A 24h predose lab sample may. Front. Pharmacol. Conference Abstract: EUFEMED 2017. doi: 10.3389/conf.fphar.2017.62.00018 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 29 Aug 2017; Published Online: 25 Jan 2019. Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Georg Wensing Google Georg Wensing Google Scholar Georg Wensing PubMed Georg Wensing Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Variability in clinical chemistry parameters in healthy male volunteers prior to drug administration, an overview of Bayer in-house phase I trials from 2000 - 2013

Event Abstract Back to Event VARIABILITY OF CLINICAL CHEMISTRY PARAMETERS IN HEALTHY MALE VOLUNTEERS PRIOR TO DRUG ADMINISTRATION – AN OVERVIEW OF BAYER IN-HOUSE PHASE I TRIALS FROM 2000 – 2013 Michael F. Boettcher1* and Georg Wensing1 1 Bayer AG, Department of Clinical Pharmacology CV/HEM, Germany Introduction: Recently consensus results on pivotal eligibility criteria for healthy volunteers (HVs) for clinical trials were published. Baseline evaluations immediately prior to dosing were not recommended to confirm inclusion/exclusion criteria. Method: We reviewed all BAYER Phase I trials performed at the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology (Wuppertal) and ClinPharm Cologne between 2000 and 2013. Key parameters were: AST, ALT, GLDH, γGT, total bilirubin, CK, Amylase, lipase, creatinine. All parameters were compared at screening, at 24 hours and 0 hours before dosing. Results: In total, more than 35712 blood samples from 4300 healthy male subjects (aged 18-70 years) were investigated. A wide variability of laboratory parameters exceeding the upper limit of normal (ULN) at all time points was observed. Generally, the incidence of values above ULN is reduced from screening, to 24 and 0 hours before administration. However, despite of a reduced number of HVs from screening to 24 and 0 hours due to rigid inclusion/exclusion criteria there is still a substantial percentage of values above ULN 24h and 0h predose. AST and γGT values are less affected. Conclusion: A 24h predose lab sample may help to confirm inclusion/exclusion criteria and reduce the number of HVs with abnormal lab values entering the trial. A 0 hour sample should be mandatory to interpret abnormal values under treatment. Keywords: variability, Phase I, Healthy male subjects, Clinical chemistry parameters, prior drug administration Conference: EUFEMED 2017, London, United Kingdom, 17 May - 19 May, 2017. Presentation Type: Poster Topic: EUFEMED 2017 CONFERENCE Citation: Boettcher MF and Wensing G (2019). VARIABILITY OF CLINICAL CHEMISTRY PARAMETERS IN HEALTHY MALE VOLUNTEERS PRIOR TO DRUG ADMINISTRATION – AN OVERVIEW OF BAYER IN-HOUSE PHASE I TRIALS FROM 2000 – 2013. Front. Pharmacol. Conference Abstract: EUFEMED 2017. doi: 10.3389/conf.fphar.2017.62.00001 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 29 Aug 2017; Published Online: 25 Jan 2019. * Correspondence: Dr. Michael F Boettcher, Bayer AG, Department of Clinical Pharmacology CV/HEM, Wuppertal, Germany, michael-friedrich.boettcher@bayer.com Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Michael F Boettcher Georg Wensing Google Michael F Boettcher Georg Wensing Google Scholar Michael F Boettcher Georg Wensing PubMed Michael F Boettcher Georg Wensing Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

OR33 Allelic diversity and haplotype structure of HLA-DPB1 based on full-length characterization of most CWD alleles

Aim Currently, full-length sequences are known for only 12 out of 644 HLA-DPB1 alleles, covering 6 of 54 common and well-documented (CWD) alleles. To better understand the patterns and types of polymorphisms in the HLA-DPB1 gene, we full-length sequenced a set of donors from the DKMS Life Science Lab sample repository selected with the goal to represent all common and well-documented (CWD) alleles. Methods Primers were developed flanking the UTR-regions of DPB1 resulting in a 12 kb amplicon. After long range PCR two redundant sequencing strategies were employed: Shotgun sequencing on Illumina MiSeq instruments and Single Molecule Real Time (SMRT) sequencing on PacBio RS II instruments. Phase-defined consensus sequences were generated from PacBio data and confirmed with short reads using the DR2S software (DKMS Life Science Lab). Results We successfully sequenced the full-length sequences of 173 samples (346 haplotypes) covering 37 common, 14 well-documented, and 3 not-CWD-defined DPB1 alleles. An additional 84 allelic variants were found based on variation outside of exons 2 and 3. Nine previously known full-length DPB1 alleles were confirmed at least once. For these alleles 45 novel intron variants were found. Novel variation is present most densely within the 5 ′ UTR and introns 1 and 2. A phylogenetic analysis of the 138 unique DPB1 alleles shows the existence of two major evolutionary branches characterized by a 4 Kb block at the 3 ′ end which is composed of only two haplogroups with no evidence of historical recombination. Conclusion Here we present full-length sequences of 138 unique DPB1 alleles covering most common and all well-documented (CWD) alleles. We observe distinct differences in recombination rates within DPB1 indicating differential evolutionary forces acting on different parts of the gene.

A novel active prevention technology for borehole instability under the influence of mining activities

Coal bed methane (CBM) drainage is an efficient method used to control gas hazards. Nevertheless, borehole instability is prone to occur under repeated disturbances by external stress from mining activities. Consequently, the collapsed coal blocks the gas-flow channel to further induce several gas drainage problems, including low gas concentration and flow, poor drainage result, etc. Due to these problems, screen pipes were installed in this work to provide active support in order to prevent borehole instability. Initially, the effect of mining activities on borehole stability was analysed. Subsequently, we explored the instability characteristics and corresponding acoustic emission (AE) properties of a non-supported borehole and a borehole stabilized by internal active support. These boreholes were drilled in the lab sample instead of the real coal sample. Moreover, the abilities of the holes to resist disturbances due to external stresses were compared. When the stress reached 10 MPa, the non-supported borehole was completely destroyed, whereas the actively supported borehole only slightly deformed. As the stress continuously increased to 14 MPa, a deformation of 15 mm was detected along the radial direction of the actively supported borehole. Additionally, an analysis of the dynamic changes in the strain on the screen pipe surface, the AE time–sequence parameter and location information indicated that the maximum AE event count and energy dissipation rate of the supported borehole at 14 MPa were 44% and 23% lower, respectively, than the corresponding values for the non-supported borehole at 10 MPa. Thus, the support increases the ability of the borehole to resist disturbance by at least 40%. Furthermore, the locating points and energy rate appeared to temporally cluster at coal-yielding or failure stage. Hence, the supporting effect of the screen pipe on the coal around boreholes at the crushing stage is significant. The internal support to the borehole provides a positive confining pressure for the coal in the fracture zone to improve the coal's residual strength. Depending on the support from the screen pipe, the coal can mesh to remain in place and thus prevent collapse, which improves the stability of the borehole.

Modelling Strategies for Predicting the Residual Strength of Impacted Composite Aircraft Fuselages

Aeronautic Certification rules established for the metallic materials are not convenient for the composite structures concerning the resistance against impact. The computer-based design is a new methodology that is thought about to replace the experimental tests. It becomes necessary for numerical methods to be robust and predictive for impact. Three questions are addressed in this study: (i) can a numerical model be “mechanically intrinsic” to predict damage after impact, (ii) can this model be the same for a lab sample and a large structure, and (iii) can the numerical model be predictive enough to predict the Compression After Impact (CAI)? Three different computational strategies are used and compared: a Cohesive Model (CM), a Continuous Damage Model (CDM) coupling failure modes and damage, and a Mixed Methodology (MM) using the CDM for delamination initiation and the CM for cracks propagation. The first attempts to use the Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics method are presented. Finally, impact on a fuselage is modelled and a numerical two-stage strategy is developed to predict the CAI.

Study of Functional Property of Bread Based on Buckwheat and Green Tea

A study was conducted to formulate and observe the functional properties of bread based on buckwheat and green tea. The physiochemical and functional properties of the raw materials used and that of the best sample were also analyzed. The TPC in BWF and GT were found to be 51 GAE and 95 GAE respectively. In other hand, antioxidant activity was found to be 7.1% and 39.2% respectively. From the sensory evaluation, the sample with 60:40 ratio of BWF: WF and 3% GTB incorporated was found to be superior. Furthermore, iron, calcium, tannin content, total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of the best product were found to be 3.133 mg /100g, 315.56mg/100g, 0.0000084%, 71GAE and 5.6% respectively. Additionally, a comparative proximate composition analysis of the best sample and market product was analyzed and the result showed the protein content of the lab sample was about 3 times more than that of the market product. Therefore, the lab prepared bread was found to be highly nutritious with functional characteristics with acceptable sensory qualities and shelf-life. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jfstn.v7i0.10610 J. Food Sci. Technol. Nepal, Vol. 7 (70-75), 2012

Undetected hypoglycemia in a patient receiving TPN

Case reportA 58-year-old female was admitted to the hospital in a severely malnourished state. She was treated for Crohn's disease with total parental nutrition (TPN). The patient's blood glucose was monitored by point of care (POC) testing every 4h, and a specimen is also drawn daily for metabolic assessment. The POC blood glucose values were consistently much higher than the lab values. Humalog insulin (5U) was given to the patient to decrease high blood glucose levels that developed following administration of TPN. The patient then became hypoglycemic as a result of this insulin treatment. POC glucose testing, performed every 4h, did not detect the iatrogenic hypoglycemia, while lab glucose results were not given close attention. The lab sample was always drawn 1–2h after insulin was given to the patient and resulted in a lower blood glucose value. In addition, the symptoms of hypoglycemia such as shaking and dizziness were masked by the patient's poor health status, supine position, and the continuously given TPN. ConclusionsThese findings highlighted the importance of the correct sampling time following insulin administration and the consideration of the lab results in addition to POC. The patient's insulin regimen was modified to prevent further hypoglycemic events.

Allais for all: Revisiting the paradox in a large representative sample

We administer the Allais paradox questions to both a representative sample of the Dutch population and to student subjects. Three treatments are implemented: one with the original high hypothetical payoffs, one with low hypothetical payoffs and a third with low real payoffs. Our key findings are: (i) violations in the non-lab sample are systematic and a large bulk of violations is likely to stem from non-familiarity with large payoffs, (ii) we can identify groups of the general population that have much higher than average violation rates; this concerns mainly the lowly educated and unemployed, and (iii) the relative treatment differences in the population at large are accurately predicted by the lab sample, but violation rates in all lab treatments are about 15 percentage points lower than in the corresponding non-lab treatments.

Statistics, probability, significance, likelihood: words mean what we define them to mean

Statisticians use words deliberately and specifically, but not necessarily in the way they are used colloquially. For example, in general parlance ‘statistics’ can mean numerical information, usually data. In contrast, one large statistics textbook defines the term ‘statistic’ to denote ‘a characteristic of a sample, such as the average score’, and the word ‘parameter’ to denote ‘a characteristic of a population’. However, for statisticians, statistics means more than just numerical information or a characteristic of a sample. Statistics is also a discipline. It is relevant to all areas of scientific enquiry, and spans study design, data collection, developing methods of analysis and analysing data, interpreting results, and making predictions. Other words that statisticians use carefully, and very particularly, form the cornerstones of statistical reasoning, words such as probability, significance, likelihood. Why does this matter? Well, it may well explain why non-statisticians struggle with the ideas and concepts used by statisticians. The reader is confused by the terminology, not the least because the statistician uses familiar words in different ways, a jargon similar to other professional vocabularies.

Efficient fabrication of highly conductive and transparent carbon nanotube thin films on polymer substrates

This paper reports an efficient solution dip coating method for the fabrication of highly transparent and conductive single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) based thin films. The key to achieve this is properly preparing the polymer surfaces. In this paper we report a surface pretreatment approach of combining air plasma treatment and silane water solution rinsing for polyethylene terephthalate substrate. After this surface pretreatment, one dip (using a home-made dip coater) of SWCNT solution can yield a thin film of the sheet resistance less than 100 ohms/square (Ω/□) and transparency around 90% at the wavelength of 550 nm; while two dips can produce a thin film of the sheet resistance less than 80 Ω/□ and transparency around 80% at the wavelength of 550 nm. The carbon nanotube thin film performances achieved are close to those of the ITO coatings reported in the literature and the process developed is suitable for both mass production and lab sample preparations.

The benefits of integrated systems for managing both samples and experimental data: An opportunity for labs in universities and government research institutions to lead the way

Currently most biomedical labs in universities and government funded research institutions use paper lab notebooks for recording experimental data and spreadsheets for managing sample data. One consequence is that sample management and documenting experiments are viewed as separate and distinct activities, notwithstanding that samples and aliquots are an integral part of a majority of the experiments carried out by these labs.Various drivers are pushing labs towards integrated management of sample data and experimental data. These include the ever increasing amounts of both kinds of data, the increasing adoption of online collaborative tools, changing expectations about online communication, and the increasing affordability of electronic lab notebooks and sample management software. There is now an opportunity for smaller labs, which have been slow to move from paper to electronic record keeping, to leapfrog better resourced commercial labs and lead the way in adopting the new generation of tools which permit integrated management of samples and experimental data and a range of tangible benefits to conducting research, including:1. Fewer lost and mislabelled samples2. Clearer visualization of relationships between samples and experiments3. Reduction of experimental error4. More effective search5. Productivity gains6. More efficient use of freezers, leading to cost reduction and enhanced sustainability7. Improved archiving and enhanced memory at the lab and institutional levels