Quality Evaluation Research Articles

Rapid quality evaluation of wheat flour containing moderate level of gluten using near-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics.

Currently, flour quality evaluation methods are varied, but there are some issues, such as single evaluation indicators and insufficient comprehensiveness. The present study aimed to develop a more comprehensive and rapid evaluation method for flour quality. We first measured nine key quality indicators of dough samples, raw noodle products and cooked noodle products made from wheat flour. Using principal component analysis, we extracted the common information from each indicator and performed dimensionality reduction to establish a comprehensive evaluation index that more comprehensively reflects flour quality. Subsequently, we combined near-infrared spectral technology with chemometric methods to explore the relationship between spectral data and comprehensive evaluation indicators and built a quality prediction model. The accuracy of predictions is crucial for the flour quality prediction model. To improve the model's accuracy, we compared different spectral preprocessing methods and modeling approaches. Finally, we found that the combination of standard normal transformation, full-range wavelength and support vector regression model effectively enhanced the relationship between spectral data and the comprehensive evaluation index. The coefficient of determination of the quality prediction model increased to 0.807 and the relative percent difference reached 5.814 (a coefficient of determination close to 1 and a relative percent difference greater than 2 indicate good predictive capability). The root mean square error for the calibration and prediction sets was reduced to 0.026 and 0.020, respectively. This study provides a new method for evaluating wheat flour quality and offers new ideas for the study of other similar issues. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Pre-pregnancy fertility guidance for women of childbearing age with epilepsy: A scoping review.

Pre-pregnancy fertility guidance for women of childbearing age with epilepsy: A scoping review.

Research advance in the preparation techniques, structural characteristics, bioactivities and potential applications of Cassia obtusifolia polysaccharides: A systematic review.

Research advance in the preparation techniques, structural characteristics, bioactivities and potential applications of Cassia obtusifolia polysaccharides: A systematic review.

Effectiveness of manual therapy in dizziness intensity and cervical range of motion in patients with cervicogenic dizziness: A systematic review.

Effectiveness of manual therapy in dizziness intensity and cervical range of motion in patients with cervicogenic dizziness: A systematic review.

Prevalence of sexual dysfunction among men with cancer before the initiation of systemic treatment.

12049 Background: Sexual health significantly impacts the quality of life, yet its relationship with systemic cancer treatments in men remains underexplored, particularly outside prostate cancer-focused studies. In Brazil, the prevalence of moderate to complete sexual dysfunction among men is approximately 14.5%. This prospective cohort study conducted at a Brazilian Cancer Center evaluated the prevalence of sexual dysfunction before the initiation of systemic therapy in men diagnosed with solid tumors using the Male Sexual Quotient (MSQ) tool. Methods: Sexually active, treatment-naïve male patients with solid tumors were enrolled, excluding those with prostate cancer, active brain metastases, spinal compression, or prior pelvic irradiation/extensive pelvic surgery for rectal or bladder cancer. Baseline sexual function was assessed using the MSQ, which evaluates five domains: premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, hypoactive sexual desire, orgasm frequency, and dissatisfaction with sexual activity. An MSQ global score ≤60 defined moderate to complete sexual dysfunction. Hormonal profiles, including testosterone, FSH, and LH, were measured. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to identify risks of anxiety or depression. All participants provided informed consent, and the local ethics committee approved the protocol. Results: Between October 2023 and December 2024, 73 male patients were recruited (median age 58 years, IQR 47.5–68.0); 78% were married, and 75% had an ECOG performance status of 0. At diagnosis, 34% presented with metastasis, including 19% with visceral involvement. Primary cancer sites included head and neck (25%), colorectal (19.1%), lung (15%), melanoma (8.2%), and kidney (8.2%). Treatment regimens comprised chemotherapy (76%), immunotherapy (31.5%), and targeted therapy (9.5%). Most patients (83%) had no risk of anxiety or depression per HADS, with one patient showing a high risk. Moderate to complete sexual dysfunction was observed in 22.2% of patients, higher than the general Brazilian male population. The most affected domains were hypoactive sexual desire, premature ejaculation, and erectile dysfunction. Despite these findings, median hormone levels were within the normal range: testosterone (356 ng/dL, IQR 300–468), FSH (64 mIU/mL, IQR 29–93), and LH (39 mIU/mL, IQR 28–52). Conclusions: The prevalence of moderate to complete sexual dysfunction was 22.2% in this cohort. This rate is higher than that observed in the general male population in Brazil. The evaluation of sexual quality of life in men with cancer undergoing systemic treatment is often overlooked. This data points to the need to develop new policies and studies to increase awareness about this critical issue.

Evaluation of groundwater quality and potential health risks in the Tengratila Gas Field Blowout Region, Bangladesh: An in-depth analysis utilizing multivariate statistics, heavy metal indices and Monte Carlo simulation.

Evaluation of groundwater quality and potential health risks in the Tengratila Gas Field Blowout Region, Bangladesh: An in-depth analysis utilizing multivariate statistics, heavy metal indices and Monte Carlo simulation.

Prognostic impact of sarcopenia and surgical timing in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: TIMES study.

e16137 Background: Optimal timing for surgery after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) remains controversial, necessitating reliable preoperative indicators. This study examines how sarcopenia and surgical timing affect prognosis in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (LA-ESCC) patients. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed patients with LA-ESCC who underwent NCRT and surgery at three institutions in China from 2014 to 2023. The skeletal muscle area at the third lumbar vertebra was measured to calculate the skeletal muscle index (SMI). Prognostic analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards models and propensity score matching (PSM), with survival curves generated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of415 patients were analyzed, with a median follow-up of39.1 months. The5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were59.3% and53.1%, respectively. Malnutrition and time to surgery (TTS) were independent prognostic factors for both OS and PFS (P < 0.05). Patients with long TTS showed better OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.62, p = 0.01) and PFS (HR = 0.68, p = 0.02) compared to those with short TTS. Among sarcopenic patients, long TTS significantly improved OS (HR = 0.56; P = 0.01) and PFS (HR = 0.62; P = 0.02), while no survival benefit was observed for TTS in non-sarcopenic patients (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Sarcopenia does not independently impact OS or PFS. Patients with sarcopenia benefit from a longer surgical time interval after NCRT and preoperative evaluation of muscle quality may aid in optimizing surgical timing to improve outcomes.

Matter-element evaluation of ecological quality in gaps of temperate secondary forests

Matter-element evaluation of ecological quality in gaps of temperate secondary forests

Comprehensive evaluation of raw material quality and steaming suitability for freshwater fish species

Comprehensive evaluation of raw material quality and steaming suitability for freshwater fish species

Comprehensive evaluation of peptides quality using a “quantity-activity integration” approach with a portable NIR spectrometer and entropy weighted TOPSIS method: A case study in sea cucumber peptides

Comprehensive evaluation of peptides quality using a “quantity-activity integration” approach with a portable NIR spectrometer and entropy weighted TOPSIS method: A case study in sea cucumber peptides

Human compared to AI: A single-blind evaluation of Spanish language translation quality.

e13678 Background: Informed consent forms (ICF) are valuable decision-making aids and information resources for research participants. Regulations require that ICFs be available in a language understandable to a participant. However, translating ICFs requires substantial time, cost, and resources, limiting trial access for those with limited English proficiency. Artificial intelligence (AI), including large language models, may aid ICF translations. This feasibility study evaluated the quality of Spanish language ICFs translated by humans (HT) compared to AI. Methods: We used three ICFs with both English and Spanish translations approved for interventional studies between 2021-2024. AI translation of ICFs was done using Amazon Translate. Translations were blinded and evaluated by native Spanish-speaking healthcare professionals, each a qualified translator or interpreter. Evaluators were assigned an English ICF and its corresponding Spanish translation (either HT or AI). Each sentence was individually reviewed and scored using a five-point Likert scale across seven quality metrics: flow, correctness, accuracy, representativeness, preservation, spelling, and punctuation. All scores were dichotomized as “acceptable” (score ≥ 3) or “not acceptable” (score < 3). Results: Combined, the three ICFs represented 787 unique English sentences yielding 1,574 Spanish translations available for scoring. Evaluations were analyzed by sentence, section, and whole document. At the sentence level, the acceptable HT and AI translations were highly aligned, 97.9% precision, 97.9% recall, and 95.9% accuracy. However, some HT consent sections were rated “not acceptable” primarily because not all English words were translated. All AI translated sections were rated as “acceptable”. Post-hoc analysis suggested that AI language quality and consistency might be further improved through retrieval augmented generation, especially for sections that used standardized language. Whole document median scores across all criteria were "very good" (Likert = 5) for both HT and AI. Interquartile ranges for all HT criteria and most AI were 0 (AI correctness and accuracy were slightly higher at 1). Conclusions: This feasibility study demonstrated AI translated ICFs are comparable in quality to human translators. Utilization of AI for translating ICFs has potential to reduce time, cost, and resources associated language translation. AI could also significantly improve clinical practice efficiency and facilitate access to research studies for those with limited English proficiency. Further research should quantify the efficiency gained by using AI translation and validate results. It is also crucial to refine and standardize translation quality evaluation criteria. AI translation may help facilitate recruitment of Spanish-speaking participants and help address language as critical barrier to research participation.

Enhancing histopathological image analysis: An explainable vision transformer approach with comprehensive interpretation methods and evaluation of explanation quality

Enhancing histopathological image analysis: An explainable vision transformer approach with comprehensive interpretation methods and evaluation of explanation quality

Indoor air quality (IAQ) evaluation in a naturally ventilated church: Key pollutants concentrations determined by incense burning practice over liturgical celebrations

Indoor air quality (IAQ) evaluation in a naturally ventilated church: Key pollutants concentrations determined by incense burning practice over liturgical celebrations

Soil quality evaluation and limiting factor analysis in different microtopographies of hilly and gully region based on minimum data set

Soil quality evaluation and limiting factor analysis in different microtopographies of hilly and gully region based on minimum data set

Enhancing text quality evaluation with integrating content security attributes

Enhancing text quality evaluation with integrating content security attributes

Quality evaluation of licorice extract powder based on full-wavelength maximized fingerprinting and electrochemical fingerprinting combined with antioxidant activity

Quality evaluation of licorice extract powder based on full-wavelength maximized fingerprinting and electrochemical fingerprinting combined with antioxidant activity

Effect of adding different egg yolk oil on the flavor and physicochemical properties of mayonnaise.

Effect of adding different egg yolk oil on the flavor and physicochemical properties of mayonnaise.

GAN-based synthetic FDG PET images from T1 brain MRI can serve to improve performance of deep unsupervised anomaly detection models.

GAN-based synthetic FDG PET images from T1 brain MRI can serve to improve performance of deep unsupervised anomaly detection models.

A benchmark dataset for objective quality assessment of view synthesis for neural radiance field (NeRF).

A benchmark dataset for objective quality assessment of view synthesis for neural radiance field (NeRF).

Exploring a universal model for predicting blueberry soluble solids content based on hyperspectral imaging and transfer learning to address spatial heterogeneity challenge.

Exploring a universal model for predicting blueberry soluble solids content based on hyperspectral imaging and transfer learning to address spatial heterogeneity challenge.