Identification Rate Research Articles

The Design of a Script Identification Algorithm and Its Application in Constructing a Text Language Identification Dataset

Script identification is easier to implement than language identification, and its identification rate is very high. The fewer languages are identified when using a language identification algorithm, the higher the identification rate is. However, no systematic study on SI involving multiple languages and determining how to construct relevant language identification datasets has been conducted. Therefore, in this paper, we discuss and design a script identification algorithm and the construction of a language identification dataset based on script groups. The data sources in this paper comprise 261 different languages’ text corpora from the Leipzig Corpora Collection, which are grouped into 23 different script groups. In the Unicode encoding scheme, different scripts are arranged into different code regions. Based on this feature, we propose a written script identification algorithm based on regular expression matching, the micro F-score of which reaches 0.9929 in sentence-level script identification experiments. To reduce noise when constructing the language identification dataset for each script, a script identification algorithm is used to filter out other-script content in each text.

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programmes for neonates, infants and children in non-Asian low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programmes were established to reduce the impact of hearing loss on children. High-income countries (HICs) have resources and knowledge to execute these programmes. However, financial and other resource constraints limit the availability of these programmes to low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Yet, LMICs have explored strategies to implement EHDI programmes in their context; the outcomes are still largely unknown.The aim of this study is to identify the various models of the EHDI program implemented in non-Asian LMICs. METHOD: Studies published between 2010 and 2023 reporting EHDI programmes in non-Asian LMICs for children were considered. The primary databases searched were PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCOHost, EBSCO-CINAHL and ProQuest dissertations. The search results are summarised using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses chart. Quality appraisal and risk-of-bias assessment were assessed. Using the retrieved data, a narrative synthesis of the identified methods and forest plots for the prevalence estimate was created. Fifty-six studies from 16 LMICs were included. They were grouped into 29 hearing screening programmes for neonates and infants and 26 programmes for older children. Predominantly hospital-based screening was employed for neonates and infants and school-based screening for older children. Two-stage otoacoustic emissions screening was employed for neonates and infants, while single-stage pure tone audiometry with otoscopy screening was used for older children. Predominantly, audiologists performed screening and diagnostics for neonates/infants while community health workers performed screening for the older children. Screening aspects were reported predominantly and not diagnostic evaluation/intervention outcomes. Overall, the economics of EHDI was reported only anecdotally in a few studies. The screening strategies were not uniform among non-Asian LMICs. The protocols used were similar to HICs, yet few developed protocols adapting the Joint Committee of Infant Hearing. However, long-term outcomes such as rate of identification, suitable intervention and their outcomes are not known. EHDI programmes with successful outcomes of early intervention must be studied and reported with economic evaluations.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer Using Different Types of Tracers According to Molecular Subtypes and Breast Density—A Randomized Clinical Study

Background: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has become a method more and more frequently used in loco-regional breast cancer in the initial stages. Starting from the first report on the technical feasibility of the sentinel node method in breast cancer, published by Krag (1993) and Giuliano (1994), the method underwent numerous improvements and was also largely used worldwide. Methods: This article is a prospective study that took place at the “SJUPBT Surgery Clinic Timisoara” over a period of 1 year between July 2023 and July 2024, during which 137 underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) based on the current guidelines. For the identification of sentinel lymph nodes, we used various methods, including single traces and also a dual tracer and triple tracer. Results: Breast density represents a predictive biomarker for the identification rate of a sentinel node, being directly correlated with BMI (above 30 kg/m2) and with an age of above 50 years. The classification of the patients according to breast density represents an important criterion given that an adipose breast density (Tabar-Gram I-II) represents a lower IR of SLN compared with a density of the fibro-nodular type (Tabar-Gram III-V). We did not obtain any statistically significant data for the linear correlations between IR and the molecular profile, whether referring to the luminal subtypes (Luminal A and Luminal B) or to the non-luminal ones (HER2+ and TNBC), with p > 0.05, 0.201 [0.88, 0.167]; z = 1.82.

Opportunistic Computed Tomography: A Novel Opportunity for Osteoporosis Screening.

Retrospective review. To use opportunistic computed tomography (CT) screening to determine the prevalence of osteoporosis (OP) in patients presenting with spinal fractures and the rate of identification and treatment at our institution. OP remains a highly underdiagnosed and undertreated disease. Opportunistic abdominopelvic CT scans offer a feasible, accessible, and cost-effective screening tool for OP. Retrospective review of 519 patients presenting as trauma activation to the emergency department of a Level 1 Trauma Center after a spinal fracture. Patients were excluded if under the age of 18 or lacking a CT scan upon arrival in the emergency department. Hounsfield Units (HU) were measured at the L1 vertebral level on CT scans to determine bone density levels. Values of ≤100 HU were considered osteoporotic, whereas 101-150 HU were osteopenic. A total of 424 patients were included. The average HU was 204.8 ± 74.3 HU. Of the patients, 16.7% were diagnosed as osteopenic and 9.9% as osteoporotic. The mean age was 65 ± 14 years for osteopenic patients and 77 ± 11 years for osteoporotic. A statistically significant inverse relationship was found between age and bone density. Of the patients, 42.5% with low bone density HU measurements had a previously documented history of OP/osteopenia. There was a statistically significant association between females and low bone density. Patients injured in a fall were statistically significantly more likely to have lower bone densities than those in motor vehicle accidents. Of the osteoporotic patients, 9.5% were treated by our institution's fragility fracture team. Our study shows that among a cohort of patients with spinal fractures, 58% of patients with radiographic signs of OP are currently undiagnosed, resulting in a low treatment rate of OP. Increasing and standardizing the use of opportunistic CT scans would allow an increase in the diagnosis and treatment of OP in patients with spinal fractures. Further, opportunistic CT scans could also be useful for a broader orthopedic population at high risk of fragility fractures. Level II-therapeutic.

Comparison of Lp(a) assessment in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease between office-based cardiologists and general practitioners

Abstract Background Elevated lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) levels are a major risk factor that contribute to the development of ASCVD. Different guidelines for the treatment of patients with hypercholesterolemia are available in Germany. The German Cardiac Society recognized the 2019 ESC/EAS guideline for the management of dyslipidemia and endorses the measurement of Lp(a) at least once in a lifetime to identify those with very high inherited Lp(a) levels >180 mg/dL (>430 nmol/L) . The Nationale Versorgungsleitlinie, however, does not recommend testing of Lp(a). Methods and Objectives LipidSnapshot is a joint research project consisting of two parts. Part 1 is a prospective, non-interventional multicenter research project at office-based cardiologists (OBCs). Data from 1500 adults with known coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, prior myocardial infarction and/or ischemic stroke are collected from selected 49 OBCs. The second part is a retrospective, aggregated analysis of anonymous electronic medical records of 82.375 adult outpatient ASCVD patients documented by general practices (GPs) obtained from the IQVIA Disease Analyzer (note: 54% do not provide information on Lp(a) data to IQVIA). Availability of Lp(a) tests and lipid-lowering therapies (LLTs) in ASCVD patients with available LDL-C values within a 12-month period (July 2022-June 2023) were assessed. One of the objectives of LipidSnapshot is to compare the proportion of Lp(a) assessments in ASCVD patients documented by OBCs and GPs and to evaluate gender-, age- and LLTs-related differences in Lp(a) availability in patients documented by OBCs compared to GPs. Results Patients treated by OBCs were on average 72.4 (standard deviation (SD) 10.0) years old and 75.8 % were male while patients in the IQVIA dataset were on average 73.0 (SD 13.2) years old and 60.5% were male. The age distribution was comparable between both specialties. OBCs documented Lp(a) in 20.3% of their ASCVD patients, while only 3.0% of ASCVD patients documented by GPs had Lp(a) values documented. The testing rates in male and female patients were comparable between both specialties (OBC: 19.5 vs. 22.9%; GPs: 3.4 vs. 2.5%). For both specialties, Lp(a) testing rate was higher in younger patients compared to older patients (Table 1) and in patients treated with PCSK9-inhibitors (monoclonal antibodies, inclisiran), either as monotherapy or in combination with statins and/or other LLTs (ezetimibe, bempedoic acid, bile acid sequestrants) (Table 2). Conclusion The first snapshot revealed differences in healthcare provision of GPs compared to selected OBCs with lower rates of identification of higher risk patients treated by GPs in Germany.Age-related differences in Lp(a)LLT-related differences in Lp(a)

Statistics of Solar White-light Flares. I. Optimization and Application of Identification Methods

White-light flares (WLFs) are energetic activity in the stellar atmosphere. However, observed solar WLFs are relatively rare compared to stellar WLFs or solar flares observed at other wavelengths, which limits our further understanding of solar/stellar WLFs through statistical studies. By analyzing flare observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, here we improve WLF identification methods to obtain more solar WLFs and their accurate light curves from two aspects: (1) imposing constraints defined by the typical temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of WLF-induced signals; and (2) setting the intrinsic threshold for each pixel in the flare ribbon region according to its inherent background fluctuation rather than a fixed threshold for the whole region. Applying the optimized method to 90 flares (30 C-class flares, 30 M-class flares, and 30 X-class flares) for a statistical study, we identified a total of nine C-class WLFs, 18 M-class WLFs, and 28 X-class WLFs. The WLF identification rate of C-class flares reported here reaches 30%, which is the highest to date to our best knowledge. It is also revealed that in each GOES energy level the proportion of WLFs is higher in confined flares than that in eruptive flares. Moreover, a power-law relation is found between the WLF energy (E) and duration (τ): τ ∝ E 0.22, similar to those of solar hard/soft X-ray flares and other stellar WLFs. These results indicate that we could recognize more solar WLFs through optimizing the identification method, which will lay a base for future statistical and comparison study of solar and stellar WLFs.

An early economic evaluation of WireSafe™ to prevent guidewire retention in central venous catheter procedures

Background Guidewire retention (GWR) poses a patient safety risk during Central Venous Catheter (CVC) insertions and is listed as a ‘Never Event’ by the National Health Service England (NHSE). WireSafe™ is an intervention to prevent GWR, but its cost-effectiveness is uncertain. This study is an early economic evaluation comparing WireSafe™ to standard care from a UK healthcare perspective. Methods We conducted (i) a primary analysis of GWR related NHSE Never Events data in England between 2016 and 2020; and (ii) a cost-utility analysis, including healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYS) for populations receiving CVC-insertions. We applied a cost-effectiveness threshold of £30,000 per QALY and considered three WireSafe™ costing scenarios (£18.50, £4.50, and £2.50). Results NHSE Never Events data showed 61 GWR cases, averaging 1 per month. Most incidents (92%) were identified during hospital stays, with one serious adverse outcome reported (peri-arrest). In a population of 200,000, we estimate WireSafe™ would prevent 59.92 wire retentions, 5.61 procedural adverse events, 0.3 cardiac adverse events, and 0.19 deaths, improving QALYs by 4.87. In the base case analysis WireSafe™ was not cost-effective and had an economically justifiable price of £2.44. There were high levels of uncertainty in the lowest cost-scenario (ICER 95% credible interval: Dominant; £793,398). Conclusions The health benefits of WireSafe™ are limited due to low GWR rates and high identification rates, making WireSafe™ viable only at low costs. Future research should prioritise obtaining more precise estimates of these parameter values which are key determinants of cost-effectiveness.

Evaluation of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) combined with quantitative PCR: cutting-edge methods for rapid diagnosis of non-invasive fungal rhinosinusitis.

Fungal rhinosinusitis is a significant and growing health concern in arid regions, with an increasing incidence over recent decades. Without timely and appropriate management, it can lead to severe complications, including potential intracranial spread. This study aims to establish efficient and rapid diagnostics for non-invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (FRS), addressing the challenge of its difficult-to-culture diagnosis. Twenty-eight patients suspected of FRS were studied using endoscopic sinus surgery to obtain tissue samples for histopathology, direct microscopy, fungal culture, quantitative PCR (qPCR) and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) detection. A patented qPCR targeting prevalent Aspergillus species was evaluated. The patient cohort had a male-to-female ratio of 9:14, with disease duration up to 50 years. Histopathologically, 23 out of 28 cases were positive. Fungal culture exhibited a sensitivity of 21.74%, with one false positive. qPCR and mNGS showed 100% sensitivity and specificity, with a 100% consistency rate for identification at the species level (23/23), and potential detection of cases with co-infections. The most common pathogen was A. flavus, followed by A. fumigatus and A. niger. Two cases involved mixed infections of A. fumigatus and A. flavus. qPCR and mNGS proved effective in rapidly identifying fungi from fresh sinus tissue that are challenging to culture, surpassing conventional methods. However, further evaluation and optimization with a larger cohort of patients are necessary. Histopathology is still recommended to confirm the clinical significance of the detected fungal species.

Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation based NLOS Identification for UWB Indoor Positioning

Abstract. Ultra-wideband (UWB) positioning technology stands out from many indoor positioning technologies with its advantages of high precision. However, non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagate leads to heavy range error and reduces position accuracy, this paper proposes a NLOS identification method based on channel impulse response (CIR), which includes three stages. Firstly, CIR based feature selection is carried out, which includes correlation analysis of calculated features. Secondly, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model is introduced to NLOS identification. Finally, time of arrival (TOA) based location estimation is realized after NLOS ranging error mitigation. Simulation results show that the average identification rate of NLOS can exceed 86%, and the average positioning error can be reduced by about 0.5m.

The Role of Transoral Robotic Palatine and Lingual Tonsillectomy in the Diagnosis of Carcinoma of Unknown Primary in the Head and Neck Region.

The use of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) lingual tonsillectomy in the diagnostic algorithm for head and neck carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) has gained recent popularity. The primary aim of our study was to determine the identification rate of primary tumors in our cohort undergoing lingual ± palatine tonsillectomy for the workup of head and neck CUP. This was a retrospective study of all patients undergoing diagnostic TORS for head and neck CUP over an eight-year period, across four centers in two countries. Fifty-six patients undergoing TORS to aid diagnosis of a primary site were included. Overall, TORS lingual ± palatine tonsillectomy identified a primary tumor in 41 (73.2%) patients. Over half were T1 tumors, with 25% measuring under 10 mm. Among those with human papilloma virus (HPV)+ nodal disease, the identification rate was 82.6%. TORS lingual tonsillectomy is an effective addition to the diagnostic workup of CUP, particularly in those with HPV+ nodal disease.

Can bone SPECT/CT determine optimal sites for microbiological identification in post-traumatic or chronic osteomyelitis of extremities?

IntroductionAccurate microbiological identification is crucial when managing chronic osteomyelitis (COM) and post-traumatic osteomyelitis (PTO). Although bone single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) has helped in localizing osteomyelitis lesions, its effectiveness in guiding microbiological sampling remains unclear. This study aimed to determine whether bone SPECT/CT can improve microbiological identification rates in COM or PTO of the extremities. Patients and methodsFrom February 2020 to August 2024, 53 patients with suspected COM or PTO in the extremities were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent bone SPECT/CT, followed by microbiological sampling during surgery. Tissue samples were taken from the areas of high SPECT/CT uptake or based on intraoperative findings where no uptake was observed. Microorganism identification rates were analyzed, including a sub-group analysis based on antibiotic discontinuation. ResultsOf the 53 patients, 42 had positive bone SPECT/CT scan findings, with pathogen identification in 30 patients (71.4 %). In contrast, pathogen identification occurred in one out of twelve patients (9.1 %) with negative findings (odds ratio 25, p< 0.001). Bone SPECT/CT demonstrated a sensitivity of 96.8 % and an overall accuracy of 75.5 %. When antibiotics had been discontinued for ≥2 weeks, the pathogen identification rate increased to 90 %, compared with 50 % for <2 weeks of discontinuation (odds ratio 10.0, p= 0.006). In a sub-group of 30 patients with adequate antibiotic discontinuation duration, a positive bone SPECT/CT scan yielded a pathogen identification rate of 90.1 % (odds ratio 60.0, p= 0.001). ConclusionBone SPECT/CT effectively identifies optimal sites for microbiological sampling in COM and PTO of the extremities, particularly when antibiotics have been discontinued for ≥2 weeks, enhancing pathogen detection rates.

Impact of operator characteristics on landing gear ground manoeuvre occurrences

Abstract The variability in ground manoeuvre occurrences for aircraft landing gear is intrinsically linked to the airport geometries served by aircraft in-service and consequently, the cyclic loads that landing gear carry are driven by the route network and characteristics of aircraft operators. Currently, assumptions must be made when deriving fatigue load spectra for aircraft landing gear, which may fail to capture the operator characteristics, potentially leading to design conservatism. This paper presents the enhanced characterisation of ground turning manoeuvres within the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) trajectories for six narrow-body aircraft across a full-service carrier (FSC) and a low-cost carrier (LCC) fleet. The methodology presented within this paper employs ADS-B latitude and longitude information to overcome limitations of previous approaches, increasing the rate of correct manoeuvre identification within ADS-B trajectories to 77% of flights from the 50% rate achieved previously. When characterising the ground manoeuvres across 3,000 flights, significant differences in manoeuvre occurrences were observed between individual aircraft within the LCC fleet and between the FSC and LCC fleets. The occurrence of tight and pivot turns were shown to vary across the six aircraft with six and eight fatigue-critical turns being performed by the FSC and LCC fleet for every 10 flights performed. In addition, it was observed that the direction of fatigue critical turns is biased in specific directions, suggesting that individual main landing gear assemblies will accumulate fatigue damage at an increased rate, leading to greater justification for operator-specific spectra and structural health monitoring of aircraft landing gear.

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: a cross-sectional study of community pharmacists in the UK.

To assess the content and frequency of advice community pharmacists (CPs) provide to pregnant women with nausea and vomiting, their confidence in providing advice, and their knowledge of the safety of medication used to manage the condition. An online questionnaire of closed- and open-ended questions was distributed to CPs in the UK in May 2023. Closed-ended questions were analysed quantitatively, and conventional content analysis was utilised for open-ended responses. One hundred and eighty-one respondents completed the questionnaire, 24 responses were excluded, leaving data from 157 available for analysis. The majority (90.4%) of participants reported having experience in providing advice on nausea and vomiting with varying levels of confidence. Advice provided included using over-the-counter products, lifestyle modifications, reassurance, medication advice, and referring to other healthcare professionals. Knowledge of first-line antiemetics considered safe in pregnancy varied; cyclizine was correctly identified as safe during pregnancy by 57.3%, followed by 37.6% for promethazine and 31.2% for prochlorperazine. Self-reported confidence and having experience providing advice were related to higher medication safety identification rates. Five percent of participants reported previous training on the condition, while 70% reported wanting further education, preferably delivered via an online medium. This study showed that although 90% of CPs provide advice on nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, their medication safety knowledge varied. The majority of CPs reported wanting further education that would ensure women could access reliable information and evidence-based advice to optimise management of the condition.

Transient Ischaemic attack Emergency Referral (TIER): randomised feasibility trial results

BackgroundEarly assessment of patients with suspected transient ischaemic attack (TIA) is crucial to provision of effective care, including initiation of preventive therapies and identification of stroke mimics. Many patients with...

A novel ensemble approach with deep transfer learning for accurate identification of foodborne bacteria from hyperspectral microscopy

The detection of foodborne bacteria is critical in ensuring both consumer safety and food safety. If these pathogens are not properly identified, it can lead to dangerous cross-contamination. One of the most common methods for classifying bacteria is through the examination of Hyperspectral microscope imaging (HMI). A widely used technique for measuring microbial growth is microscopic cell counting. HMI is a laborious and expensive process, producing voluminous data and needing specialized equipment, which might not be widely available. Machine learning (ML) methods are now frequently utilized to automatically interpret data from hyperspectral microscopy. The objective of our study is to devise a technique that employs deep transfer learning to address the challenge of limited data and utilizes four base classifiers - InceptionResNetV2, MobileNet, ResNet101V2, and Xception - to create an ensemble-based classification model for distinguishing live and dead bacterial cells of six pathogenic strains. In order to determine the optimal weights for the base classifiers, a Powell's optimization method was utilized in conjunction with a weighted average ensemble (WAVE) technique. We carried out an extensive experimental study to verify the efficiency of our proposed ensemble model on live and dead cell images of six different foodborne bacteria. In order to gain a better understanding of the regions, we performed a Grad-CAM analysis to explain the predictions made by our model. Through a series of experiments, our proposed framework has proven its capacity to effectively and precisely detect numerous bacterial pathogens. Specifically, it achieved a perfect identification rate of 100 % for Escherichia coli (EC), Listeria innocua (LI), and Salmonella Enteritidis (SE), while achieving rates of 96.30 % for Salmonella Typhimurium (ST), 87.13 % for Staphylococcus aureus (SA), and 94.12 % for Salmonella Heidelberg (SH). As a result, it can be considered as an effective tool for the identification of foodborne pathogens, due to its high level of efficiency.

Convergence Rates for Identification of Robin Coefficient from Terminal Observations

This paper deals with the problem of identification of a Robin coefficient (also known as impedance coefficient) in a parabolic PDE from terminal observations of the temperature distributions. The problem is ill-posed in the sense that small perturbation in the observation may lead to a large deviation in the solution. Thus, in order to obtain stable approximations, we employ the Tikhonov-regularization. We propose a weak source condition motivated by the work of Engl and Zou (2000) and obtain a convergence rate of O(δ12)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$O(\\delta ^\\frac{1}{2})$$\\end{document}, where δ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\delta $$\\end{document} is the noise level of the observed data. The obtained rate is better than some of the previous known rates. Moreover, the advantage of the proposed source condition is that the above mentioned convergence rate is obtained without the need for characterizing the range space of modelling operator and its Fréchet derivative, which is in contrast to the general convergence theory of Tikhonov-regularization for non linear operators.

Application of mitoxantrone hydrochloride in lymph node imaging during radical thyroidectomy

Objective: To investigate the clinical application value of the new tracer mitoxantrone hydrochloride in imaging of cervical lymph nodes and identifying of parathyroid, recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroid cancer radical surgery. Methods: A prospective controlled study was conducted between January 2022 and April 2024 at Tianjin First Central Hospital, recruiting 180 patients with thyroid cancer, including 54 males and 126 females, aged from 26 to 69 years. The patients were randomly divided into three groups: the mitoxantrone hydrochloride lymph node tracing group (MHI group), the nanocarbon lymph node tracing group (nanocarbon group), and the control group without lymph node tracers, with 60 cases in each group. All patients underwent total thyroid resection and regional lymph node dissection. The number of detected lymph nodes and positive metastatic lymph nodes and surgical field clarity scores and the identification rate of parathyroid glands and the instances of inadvertent excision were compared between the groups. Serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels at different perioperative time points and treatment-related complications were analyzed. One-way ANOVA, chi-square test and two independent sample non-parametric tests, were employed for statistical analyses. Results: The mean operation time, neck drainage volume and hospital stay in the MHI group and the nanocarbon group were respectively significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The mean staining intensity score, tracer success rate and surgical field clarity score in MHI group were respectively significantly higher than those in nanocarbon group (P<0.05). The mean numbers of dissected lymph nodes positive metastatic nodes and identification rates of parathyroid glands in MHI group were respectively significantly higher than those in both the nanocarbon and control groups (P<0.05). The rates of inadvertent parathyroid excision in both MHI group and nanocarbon group were significantly lower than those in control group (P<0.05). On postoperative day 1 and day 5, mean serum calcium and PTH levels in MHI group were respectively significantly higher than those in nanocarbon group and control groups. However, on postoperative day 1, there was no difference in mean serum calcium levels between the nanocarbon group and the control group (P>0.05), though PTH level in the nanocarbon group was higher than that in the control group. By postoperative day 5, both serum calcium and PTH levels were higher in the nanocarbon group compared to the control group (P<0.05). On postoperative days 30, there were no differences in serum calcium and PTH levels between the MHI group and the nanocarbon group (P>0.05). The risks of facial numbness, hand and foot tetany and choking during drinking were lower in both the MHI and nanocarbon groups compared to the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: MHI demonstrates advantages in rapid targeted delivery and clear staining of the surgical field during regional lymph node dissection in radical thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer, effectively reducing the risk of collateral damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid glands.

Assembly-free reads accurate identification (AFRAID) approach outperforms other methods of DNA barcoding in the walnut family (Juglandaceae)

DNA barcoding has been extensively used for species identification. However, species identification of mixed samples or degraded DNA is limited by current DNA barcoding methods. In this study, we use plant species in Juglandaceae to evaluate an assembly-free accurate reads identification (AFRAID) method of species identification, a novel approach for precise species identification in plants. Specifically, we determined (1) the accuracy of DNA barcoding approaches in delimiting species in Juglandaceae, (2) the minimum size of chloroplast dataset for species discrimination, and (3) minimum amount of next generation sequencing (NGS) data required for species identification. We found that species identification rates were highest when whole chloroplast genomes were used, followed by taxon-specific DNA barcodes, and then universal DNA barcodes. Species identification of 100% was achieved when chloroplast genome sequence coverage reached 20% and the original sequencing data reached 500,000 reads. AFRAID accurately identified species for all samples tested after 500,000 clean reads, with far less computing time than common approaches. These results provide a new approach to accurately identify species, overcoming limitations of traditional DNA barcodes. Our method, which uses next generation sequencing to generate partial chloroplast genomes, reveals that DNA barcode regions are not necessarily fixed, accelerating the process of species identification.

A novel ZIF-8 mediated nanocomposite colorimetric sensor array for rapid identification of matcha grades, validated by density functional theory

The rapid and intelligent assessment of matcha grades remains crucial in quality control. This study proposed a colorimetric sensor array (CSA) mediated with zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) to identify matcha grades. The ZIF-8 mediated CSA was innovatively developed by encapsulating the pH indicator and metal porphyrin within the ZIF-8 structure, improving their stability and functionality. ZIF-8 mediated CSA exhibited significantly increased sensitivity towards matcha samples driven by the preconcentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) facilitated by ZIF-8. As a result, the response signal values of the CSA increased by 1.13–4.75 times after ZIF-8 mediation. Subsequently, qualitative models for identifying matcha grades were established using K-Nearest Neighbor and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The ANN model showed the higher discrimination accuracy. Compared with common CSA, the ANN model based on ZIF-8 mediated CSA achieved a better identification rate of 95 %, and recognition accuracy was improved by 7.5 % in the model. These results indicated that the ZIF-8 mediated CSA with a porous structure demonstrated enhanced specificity in capturing VOCs. Ultimately, the density functional theory has confirmed that the ZIF-8-mediated CSA exhibits high selectivity towards matcha's characteristic VOCs. These results highlight the potential of this novel CSA for the rapid identification and grading of matcha.

Identification, isoform classification, ligand binding, and database construction of the protein-tyrosine sulfotransferase family in metazoans

Protein tyrosine sulfonation (PTS) influences various crucial physiological and pathological processes in animals. Protein-tyrosine sulfotransferase (TPST) serves as a pivotal enzyme in this process. Research on TPST is still in its early stages, and current identification methods have not yet effectively differentiated TPST from other type II sulfotransferases. Furthermore, this study has revealed that TPST in animals is highly conserved and exhibits significant differences when compared to other sulfotransferases and TPSTs in non-animal species. However, precise and efficient methods for identifying TPST, conducting subfamily classification, performing functional and sequence analyses, and accessing corresponding databases and analytical platforms for the entire TPST family of metazoan species are lacking. These findings provide a foundation for more in-depth research on TPST in animals and are crucial for advancing the understanding of PTS and its broader impacts.In this study, a Hidden Markov Model (TPST-HMM) was formulated based on the conserved motifs binding to the substrate PAPS and the ligand tyrosine in metazoan TPSTs. TPST-HMM successfully identified more than 91.8 % of metazoan TPSTs in UniProt (e-value < 1e-5). When the threshold was adjusted to 1e-20, the identification rate of TPST was 83.9 % in metazoans and approximately 0 % in other species (fungi, bacteria, etc.). Subsequently, 5638 TPSTs were identified from 1311 metazoan genomes, and these TPSTs were classified into three subfamilies. The classification of the TPST1 and TPST2 subtypes, which were initially annotated in mammals, was extended across vertebrates. Additionally, a novel subtype, TPST3, belonging to a distinct subfamily, was discovered in invertebrates. We proposed a molecular docking prediction method for TPST and tyrosine ligands based on the observation that TPST-tyrosine binding recognition and binding in metazoans were primarily driven by electrostatic interactions.Finally, a database website for animal TPST sequences was established (http://sz.bjfskj.com/). The website included an online tool for identifying TPST protein sequences, enabling annotation and visualization of functional motifs and active amino acids. Its design aimed to assist users in studying TPST in animals.