Reproducible Values Research Articles

Geochemical proxies for deep-sea temperature and nutrient content in cold-water bamboo corals

The impact of warming, acidification, and deoxygenation on deep-sea environments is a growing concern. Historical records are sparse, particularly at high latitudes, making climate change projections challenging. Indirect proxies, such as trace element composition of marine carbonates, such as coral skeletons, can offer an alternative method to fill data gaps but have not been realised. Here, using Laser Ablation Triple-Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-QQQ-ICP-MS), we examined micrometre-scale element variation within and between individual colonies of the bamboo coral Keratoisis sp. obtained from the Eastern Canadian Arctic. These data are used to assess the influence of biological variability on geochemical tracers for reconstructing past environmental conditions (temperature: Mg/Ca, Li/Mg, Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca, U/Ca; [Ba]SW: Ba/Ca). We place these data into context, based on a survey of literature data, using refined calibrations for high-Mg calcitic Octocorals. We find reproducible (2σ relative coefficient of variation) values of Mg/Ca (3%) and Ba/Ca (6%) along the radial growth axis of all colonies and internodes of Keratoisis sp., indicating that these signals are likely suitable for environmental reconstructions. After revising the available multi-taxa calibrations for Mg/Ca (0.316 ± 0.026 °C/mmol/mol, R2 = 0.87, p < 0.001) and Ba/Ca ([Ba/Ca μmol/mol] = 0.148 ± 0.005 [BaSW nmol/kg], R2 = 0.97, p < 0.001), we show that vital effects within and among Keratoisis sp. colonies strongly influence reconstructed temperature and [Ba]SW, but this can be somewhat mitigated by combining multiple internode transects from one colony into a single composite series. Despite the ontogenetic variability, all colonies reveal a gradual deep-water cooling trend since the early 21st century and synchronised, multi-year spikes in Ba/Ca (and hence [Ba]SW) that suggest substantial and coherent barium inputs to the seafloor. Our study confirms the reliability of Mg/Ca and Ba/Ca proxies in high-Mg bamboo corals for detecting multi-annual temperature and seawater barium variations in cold-water environments, but further investigation into micro-scale element behaviour influenced by biotic processes in these corals is needed to enhance confidence in reconstructions at finer spatial and temporal resolutions. We conclude that employing empirical calibrations based on multi-taxa approaches can increase the certainty of capturing regional changes in the environment more accurately than a single species calibration, while leveraging multiple element series to account for biological-induced variability improves single colony reconstructions.

Gel polymer electrolyte-based dual screen-printed electrodes for the headspace quantification of 4-ethylphenol and ethanethiol simultaneously in wines

The identification and correction of negative factors, such as 4-ethylphenol and ethanethiol, is important to comply with food safety regulations and avoid economic losses to wineries. A simple amperometric measurement procedure that facilitates the simultaneous quantification of both compounds in the gas phase has been developed using fullerene and cobalt (II) phthalocyanine-modified dual screen-printed electrodes coated with a room temperature ionic liquid-based gel polymer electrolyte. The replacement of the typical aqueous supporting electrolyte by low-volatility ones improves both operational and storage lifetime. Under the optimum conditions of the experimental variables, Britton Robinson buffer pH 5 and applied potentials of + 0.86 V and + 0.40 V for each working electrode (vs. Ag ref. electrode), reproducibility values of 7.6% (n = 3) for 4-ethylphenol and 6.6% (n = 3) for ethanethiol were obtained, as well as capability of detection values of 23.8 μg/L and decision limits of 1.3 μg/L and 9.2 μg/L (α = β = 0.05), respectively. These dual electrochemical devices have successfully been applied to the headspace detection of both compounds in white and red wines, showing their potential to be routinely used for rapid analysis control in wineries.Graphical

Optimization of a Tapered Specimen Geometry for Short-Term Dynamic Tensile Testing of Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics

Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastics (cFRTP) are one of the most promising lightweight materials. For their use in structural components, reproducible and comparable material values have to be evaluated, especially at high strain rates. Due to their high stiffness and outstanding strength properties, the evaluation of the material behavior at high strain rates is complex. In the presented work, a new tensile specimen geometry for strain rate testing is virtually optimized using a metamodel approach with an artificial neural network. The final specimen design is experimentally validated and compared with rectangular specimen results for a carbon fiber reinforced polycarbonate (CF-PC). The optimized specimen geometry leads to 100% valid test results in experimental validation of cross-ply laminates and reaches 9% higher tensile strength values than the rectangle geometry with applied end tabs at a strain rate of 40 s−1. Through the optimization, comparable material parameters can be efficiently generated for a successful cFRTP strain rate characterization.

Titanium carbide MXene/silver nanostars composite as SERS substrate for thiram pesticide detection

Two-dimensional transition metal carbonitrides, Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets, have drawn much attention due to their unique optical properties. These materials have huge potential to be employed as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. Herein, to combine the benefits of metal nanoparticles and MXene as SERS substrates, we prepared composite SERS films with different volume ratios composed of Ti3C2Tx MXene with silver nanostars (AgNs) as a promising SERS substrate for detection of pesticides. These SERS films were prepared via a drop-casting technique. The SERS activities of the MXene/AgNs composites were evaluated through detection of the thiram pesticide. MXene/AgNs exhibited the highest SERS intensity compared to MXene or AgNs substrate alone. Sampling from 20 different areas and samples of the substrate gave very consistent SERS signals. The MXene/AgNs substrate shows good stability for 1 month when stored in a small transparent container with silica gel. The MXene/AgNs SERS substrate exhibits excellent sensitivity able to detect thiram concentrations as low as 10−8 M which also having low a relative standard deviation (RSD) value for reproducibility and stability over a significant period.

Self-Aligning Nanojunctions for Integrated Single-Molecule Circuits.

Robust, high-yield integration of nanoscale components such as graphene nanoribbons, nanoparticles, or single-molecules with conventional electronic circuits has proven to be challenging. This difficulty arises because the contacts to these nanoscale devices must be precisely fabricated with angstrom-level resolution to make reliable connections, and at manufacturing scales this cannot be achieved with even the highest-resolution lithographic tools. Here we introduce an approach that circumvents this issue by precisely creating nanometer-scale gaps between metallic carbon electrodes by using a self-aligning, solution-phase process, which allows facile integration with conventional electronic systems with yields approaching 50%. The electrode separation is controlled by covalently binding metallic single-walled carbon nanotube (mCNT) electrodes to individual DNA duplexes to create mCNT-DNA-mCNT nanojunctions, where the gap is precisely matched to the DNA length. These junctions are then integrated with top-down lithographic techniques to create single-molecule circuits that have electronic properties dominated by the DNA in the junction, have reproducible conductance values with low dispersion, and are stable and robust enough to be utilized as active, high-specificity electronic biosensors for dynamic single-molecule detection of specific oligonucleotides, such as those related to the SARS-CoV-2 genome. This scalable approach for high-yield integration of nanometer-scale devices will enable opportunities for manufacturing of hybrid electronic systems for a wide range of applications.

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction as a novel enrichment approach for compound-specific carbon isotope analysis of chlorinated phenols.

Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) via gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS) is a potent tool to elucidate the fate of (semi-)volatile organic contaminants in technical and environmental systems. Yet, due to the comparatively low sensitivity of IRMS, an enrichment step prior to analysis often is inevitable. A promising approach for fast as well as economic analyte extraction and preconcentration prior to CSIA is dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) - a well-established technique in concentration analysis of contaminants from aqueous samples. Here, we present and evaluate the first DLLME method for GC-IRMS exemplified by the analysis of chlorinated phenols (4-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol) as model compounds. The analytes were simultaneously acetylated with acetic anhydride and extracted from the aqueous phase using a binary solvent mixture of acetone and tetrachloroethylene. With this method, reproducible δ13C values were achieved with errors ≤ 0.6‰ (n = 3) for aqueous concentrations down to 100 μg L-1. With preconcentration factors between 130 and 220, the method outperformed conventional liquid-liquid extraction in terms of sample preparation time and resource consumption with comparable reproducibility. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the suitability of the method (i) for the extraction of the analytes from a spiked river water sample and (ii) to quantify kinetic carbon isotope effect for 2,4,6-trichlorophenol during reduction with zero-valent zinc in a laboratory batch experiment. The presented work shows for the first time the potential of DLLME for analyte enrichment prior to CSIA and paves the way for further developments, such as the extraction of other compounds or scaling up to larger sample volumes.

Atrial Strain and Strain Rate in a General Population: Do These Measures Improve the Assessment of Elevated NT‐proBNP Levels?

Background. Noninvasive assessment of elevated filling pressure in the left ventricle (LV) remains an unresolved problem. Of the many echocardiographic parameters used to evaluate diastolic pressure, the left atrial strain and strain rate (LA S/SR) have shown promise in clinical settings. However, only a few previous studies have evaluated LA S/SR in larger populations. Methods. A total of 2033 participants from Norwegian (Tromsø 7) and Russian (Know Your Heart) population studies, equally distributed by age and sex, underwent echocardiography, including atrial and ventricular S/SR and NT‐proBNP measurements. Of these, 1069 were identified as healthy (without hypertension (HT), atrial fibrillation (AF), or structural cardiac disease) and were used to define the age‐ and sex‐adjusted normal ranges of LA S/SR. Furthermore, the total study population was divided into groups according to ejection fraction (EF) ≥50%, EF &lt;50%, and AF. In each group, uni‐ and multiple regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to test LA and LV functional parameters as potential indicators of NT‐proBNP levels above 250 ng/ml. Results. The mean LA S/SR values in this study were higher than those in previous large studies, whereas the lower references were comparable. In normal hearts, atrial total strain (ATS) and mitral valve E deceleration time (MV DT) were independent factors indicating elevated NT‐proBNP levels, whereas in hearts with reduced EFs, the independent indicators were peak atrial contraction strain (PACS) and LV stroke volume. The areas under the curve for these significant indicators to discriminate elevated NT‐proBNP levels were 0.639 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.577–0.701) for normal EF and 0.805 (CI: 0.675–0.935) for reduced EF. Conclusion. The results confirm good intrastudy reproducibility, with mean values in the upper range of previous meta‐analyses. In the future, automated border‐detection algorithms may be able to generate highly reproducible normal values. Furthermore, the study showed atrial S/SR as an additional indicator of elevated NT‐proBNP levels in the general population, demonstrating the incremental value of both ATS and PACS in addition to conventional and ventricular strain echocardiography. Thus, the LA S/SR may be regarded as an important addition to the multiparametric approach used for evaluating LV filling.

Reproducibility and predictive value of three grading systems for intraoperative adverse events in a cohort of abdominal surgery.

Intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) are increasingly recognized for their impact on patient outcomes. The Kaafarani classification and Surgical Apgar Score (SAS) were developed to assess the intraoperative course, however, both have their drawbacks. ClassIntra® was validated for iAEs of any origin. This study compares the Kaafarani and SAS to ClassIntra® considering predictive value and interrater reliability in a cohort of abdominal surgery to support implementation of a classification in clinical practice. We made use of the LAParotomy or LAParoscopy and ADhesiolysis (LAPAD) study database of elective abdominal surgery. Detailed descriptions on iAEs were collected in real-time by a researcher. For the current research aim, all iAEs were graded according ClassIntra®, Kaafarani, and SAS (score ≤4). The predictive value was assessed using uni- and multivariable linear regression and the area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC). Two teams graded ClassIntra® and Kaafarani to assess the interrater reliability using Cohen's Kappa. A total of 755 surgeries were included, in which 335 (44%) iAEs were graded according to ClassIntra®, 228 (30%) to Kaafarani, and 130 (20%) to SAS. All classifications were significantly correlated to postoperative complications, with an AUROC of 0.67 (95% CI 0.62-0.72), 0.64 (0.59-0.70), and 0.71 (0.56-0.76), respectively. For the secondary endpoint, the interrater reliability of ClassIntra® with κ 0.87 (95% CI 0.84-0.90) and Kaafarani 0.90 (95% 0.87-0.93) was both strong. ClassIntra®, Kaafarani and SAS can be used for reporting of iAEs in abdominal surgery with good predictive value for postoperative complications, with strong reliability. ClassIntra®, compared with Kaafarani and SAS, included the most iAEs and has the most comprehensive definition suitable for uniform reporting of iAEs in clinical practice and research.

Study of the influence of tack resins on elastomeric formulations and applied evaluation methodologies

In this study, we examined the impact of eight distinct types of tack resins sourced from diverse origins (phenol-formaldehyde: SP – 1068, CRJ – 418, Koresin and SRF – 1501; hydrocarbons: Unilene A – 90 and Plastack RB 809; coumarone and breu) in several elastomeric formulations. For this purpose, it was developed a simple, robust and easily reproducible tack test employing synthetic rubber to assess these formulations. The elastomeric compounds were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, rheometry, Mooney viscosity, crosslinking density by swelling in solvent, hardness, abrasion wear, tensile and tear strength, followed by tack tests. Overall, the formulations exhibited similar physical-mechanical properties. Regarding the tack test results, SP-1068 (phenol-formaldehyde) and Plastack RB 809 (hydrocarbon) resins demonstrated higher values, whereas the resorcinol-type phenol-formaldehyde presented a reduction of 10.7 %. Furthermore, interference from the functional groups in the resin’s chemical structure, difficulty in interacting with the matrix, and lower crosslink density were observed. In conclusion, the developed methodology proved satisfactory in yielding reliable and reproducible tack values.

Reproducibility of peak moment for isometric and isokinetic knee extension exercise

BackgroundAccurate measurements of muscular performance are important for diagnostics, for example during rehabilitation after traumatic injuries but also in competitive sports. For these purposes, dynamometric devices are widely used and considered the gold standard for muscle strength testing. However, few previous studies have tested the reproducibility of peak moment (PM) at velocities close to the maximum device capability, and in general, reproducibility results cannot be transferred to other devices or test protocols. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of PM for different isometric and isokinetic knee extension exercises using the IsoMed 2000.MethodsThirty subjects volunteered in three repeated test sessions, including isometric knee extension (100° and 140° knee angle) and isokinetic knee extension (30°/s and 400°/s). Statistical analysis for comparison of sessions two and three included paired sample t-test, calculation of intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM). Additionally, Bland Altman statistics and corresponding plots were created.ResultsA significant difference between sessions in PM was found for isometric knee extension in one leg (140° left). Reproducibility was high for all conditions with ICC ranging from 0.964 to 0.988 and SEM in the range of 7.6 to 10.5 Nm. Bland Altman statistics revealed a bias between − 7.3 and 0.7 Nm.ConclusionsReproducibility of PM using the IsoMed 2000 was good after an initial familiarization trial with high values of relative reproducibility. Absolute reproducibility can be interpreted as appropriate for most common practical applications.

Potential of measured relative shifts in collision cross section values for biotransformation studies.

Ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) separates gas phase ions due to differences in drift time from which reproducible and analyte-specific collision cross section (CCS) values can be derived. Internally conducted in vitro and in vivo metabolism (biotransformation) studies indicated repetitive shifts in measured CCS values (CCSmeas) between parent drugs and their metabolites. Hence, the purpose of the present article was (i)to investigate if such relative shifts in CCSmeas were biotransformation-specific and (ii) tohighlight their potential benefits for biotransformation studies. First, mean CCSmeas values of 165 compounds were determined (up to n = 3) using a travelling wave IMS-MS device with nitrogen as drift gas (TWCCSN2, meas). Further comparison with their predicted values (TWCCSN2, pred, Waters CCSonDemand) resulted in a mean absolute error of 5.1%. Second, a reduced data set (n = 139) was utilized to create compound pairs (n = 86) covering eight common types of phase I and II biotransformations. Constant, discriminative, and almost non-overlapping relative shifts in mean TWCCSN2,meas were obtained for demethylation (- 6.5 ± 2.1 Å2), oxygenation (hydroxylation + 3.8 ± 1.4 Å2, N-oxidation + 3.4 ± 3.3 Å2), acetylation (+ 13.5 ± 1.9 Å2), sulfation (+ 17.9 ± 4.4 Å2), glucuronidation (N-linked: + 41.7 ± 7.5 Å2, O-linked: + 38.1 ± 8.9 Å2), and glutathione conjugation (+ 49.2 ± 13.2 Å2). Consequently, we propose to consider such relative shifts in TWCCSN2, meas (rather than absolute values) as well for metabolite assignment/confirmation complementing the conventional approach to associate changes in mass-to-charge (m/z) values between a parent drug and its metabolite(s). Moreover, the comparison of relative shifts in TWCCSN2, meas significantly simplifies the mapping of metabolites into metabolic pathways as demonstrated.

AlzPED: Raising the Standards for Preclinical Efficacy Testing of Candidate Therapeutics in Alzheimer’s Disease

AbstractBackgroundPositive findings of therapeutics and interventions from studies conducted in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) animal models are often not translated to effective treatments. Assessments of these studies highlight the lack of methodological rigor and inadequate reporting practices as contributive to the preclinical to clinical translation gap in AD therapy development. AlzPED/Alzheimer’s Disease Preclinical Efficacy Database, developed by the NIA, is a searchable and publicly available knowledgebase that prioritizes and promotes the use of rigorous methodology in the planning of animal studies through its Rigor Report Card. The Rigor Report Card, through its checklist of experimental design elements, creates awareness of reporting recommendations and standards early in the research process and provides a practical and easy approach to planning a therapeutic study in animals.MethodUsing key word‐driven literature searches published studies are acquired and curated by two experts for bibliographic details, funding source, study goals and principal findings, data on relevant translational criteria like therapy type, therapeutic agent, therapeutic target, animal models, and AD‐related outcome measures, prior to publication in the database. Rigor in study design and methodology is evaluated with the Rigor Report Card.ResultAlzPED hosts curated summaries from nearly 1300 published preclinical therapeutic studies in AD animal models, and data related to 251 therapeutic targets, 1123 therapeutic agents, 210 animal models, more than 2000 AD‐related outcome measures, and thousands of principal findings. Evaluation of Rigor Report Cards from each study demonstrates significant under‐reporting of critical elements of methodology such as power/sample size calculation, blinding, randomization, balancing for sex, animal genetic background, and inclusion/exclusion criteria, these being reported by fewer than 35% of the nearly 1300 curated studies. These serious deficiencies in reporting critical elements of methodology diminish the scientific rigor, reproducibility, and translational value of the preclinical studies.ConclusionRigorous experimental design and transparent reporting are clearly essential if animal studies are to inform future research, science policies, and successful clinical trials. Adopting a standardized set of best practices like those proposed by AlzPED can improve the predictive power of preclinical studies in AD animal models and promote the effective translation of preclinical drug testing data to the clinic.

New Applications of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound for Hepatic Fibrosis and Portal Hypertension

Liver biopsy and measurement of hepatic venous pressure gradient in patients with cirrhosis are the gold standards for estimation of hepatic fibrosis, and they have diagnostic and prognostic value. However, both approaches are invasive and cannot be used repeatedly in clinical practice. Ultrasonography (US) is safe, easy to perform, inexpensive, and yields numerical and accurate results. Contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) using second-generation microbubble ultrasonography agents (USA) is able to show the vascular structure and enhancement pattern of lesions and can be used in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to its characteristic neovascularization. Beyond the diagnosis of HCC, functional US indices based on CEUS have been suggested as promising markers for fibrosis and portal hypertension (PH). Although investigations of the reproducibility and long-term prognostic value are needed, CEUS-based indices are promising quantitative non-invasive tests to estimate the severity of hepatic fibrosis and PH. Therefore, in this study, we describe the characteristics of second-generation microbubble USA and the usefulness of CEUS-based indices for hepatic fibrosis and PH.

Innovative technology for evaluation of sperm DNA double-strand breaks diagnoses male factor infertility and prevents reproductive failures

Neutral comet assay has been available for two decades to evaluate sperm double-strand breaks (DSBs). However, its clinical usability is limited due to its complex and time-consuming procedure, as well as the lack of a standardized scoring system. The aim of this study was to: develop a rapid diagnostic method for DSBs, Sperm DNA Fragmentation Releasing Assay (SDFR), and explore the association between DSBs and reproductive outcomes. We pioneered the use of polyacrylamide (PA) for embedding sperm chromatin and optimized the porosity of PA to be between 10 and 13%. The refined PA network allowed the trapping of DSBs, which dispersed halo on an immunological slide; in contrast, intact chromatin failed to develop a halo. A strong correlation was showed between reproducible values obtained from SDFR and neutral comet assay. SDFR were responsive to dose-/time-dependent simulated DSBs, indicating high sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, we conducted a retrospective study of couples with embryonic aneuploidy screening, and recording DSB profiles of the male partners. Our findings revealed that DSB enabled to predict embryonic aneuploidy whereas basic semen parameters did not. In conclusion, SDFR offers a rapid and user-friendly approach for evaluating DSBs, with potential implications for predictive healthcare in reproductive medicine.

Nanoparticles of poly(3-hexylthiophene): Toward a solvent-independent performance of electrochromic films

Nanoparticles of poly(3-hexylthiophene), P3HT(NP), uniquely enable the preparation of stable dispersions in environmentally-friendly media and thus offer a sustainable liquid phase fabrication of electrochromic device structures. In this work, we assess the electrochromic performance of P3HT(NP) films spray-coated from either tetrahydrofuran (THF)-water or chloroform (CHCl3)-ethanol dispersions on ITO substrates. The nanoparticle films exhibit consistent and reproducible high optical contrast values of around 50 %, t90-switching speeds of about 0.45 s and a cycling stability of approximately 200 cycles for a 20 % performance retention, independent of the solvent being used. Conversely, non-nanostructured P3HT films spray-coated from THF or CHCl3 reveal a strong solvent dependent variability in their electrochromic behavior presenting low optical contrast, high switching speeds and fast degradation rates in the case of CHCl3. The solvent independent electrochromic characteristics of P3HT nanoparticle films is related to a consistent availability of accessible electroactive sites provided by a homogeneous porous P3HT network structure formed on the underlying substrate, as probed by SEM and profilometric studies. Our findings reveal that the use of nanoparticles of P3HT and its environmentally benign liquid phase processing, a concept which is extendable to other electrochromic polymers, opens a sustainable pathway toward the large-area fabrication of electrochromic device structures with favorable and consistent performance parameters.

Direct wire pacing during measurement of fractional flow reserve: A randomized proof-of-concept noninferiority crossover trial.

Adenosine administration for fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurement may induce heart pauses. To assess the accuracy and tolerability of direct wire pacing (DWP) during measurement of FFR. Adults with at least one intermediate coronary artery stenosis (40%-80%) were consecutively enrolled between June 2021 and February 2022 in this randomized, noninferiority, crossover trial (NCT04970082) carried out in France. DWP was applied (DWP) or not (standard method) through the pressure guidewire used for FFR measurement during adenosine-induced maximal hyperaemia. Subjects were randomly assigned to the allocation sequence (DWP first or standard first). A 2-minute washout period was observed between the two FFR measurements performed for each stenosis. The primary endpoint was the reproducibility of FFR measurements between methods. A total of 150 focal lesions, presented by 94 subjects, were randomized (ratio: 1:1). The FFR values obtained with each method were nearly identical (R = 0.98, p = 0.005). The mean FFR difference of 0.00054 (95% confidence interval: 0.004 to 0.003) showed the noninferiority of FFR measurement with DWP vs. that with the standard method. Higher levels of chest discomfort were reported with DWP than with the standard method (0.61 ± 0.84 vs. 1.05 ± 0.89, p < 0.001), and a correlation was observed between the electrical sensations reported with DWP and chest discomfort (p < 0.001). Pauses (n = 20/148 lesions) were observed with the standard method, but did not correlate with chest discomfort (p = 0.21). No pauses were observed with DWP. DWP during FFR measurement resulted in accurate and reproducible FFR values, and eliminated the pauses induced by adenosine.

Time to change? Present and prospects of hemorrhoidal classification.

As a common benign anal condition, the high incidence and recurrence of hemorrhoids pose challenges for both patients and doctors. The classification of hemorrhoids plays a crucial role in assessing, diagnosing, and treating the condition. By using appropriate classification and corresponding treatment strategies, we can achieve higher cure rates and lower recurrence rates of hemorrhoids. Since the introduction of the Miles classification in 1919, various classifications have been developed, which include objective classifications based on anatomical or instrumental assessment and subjective classifications based on symptoms and patient sensations. These classifications aim to accurately evaluate the condition. In this study, we discuss the evaluation values of each classification in terms of their advantages, disadvantages, treatment relevance, reproducibility, practicality, and assessment value. We also analyze the significant and essential factors, principles of use, and components of assessment indicators of hemorrhoidal classification. This study proposes several strategies to address the limitations of current hemorrhoidal assessment methods. All these will provide a reference for the development regarding the assessment and classification of hemorrhoids and clinical diagnosis and management of hemorrhoids.

Comparison of different auto-detection methods for wave V with a wireless automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) measurement system

The wireless automatic auditory brainstem response measurement system developed in the previous research uses Kalman filter with exponential weight averaging method (Kalman filter with EWA) to filter signal and used the differential method to detect the Wave V of ABR. However, the signals are too noisy to be accurately determined. Therefore, this study compares the Wavelet Kalman filter and Moving average to the Kalman filter with EWA, and the fitted parametric peak (FPP) to the differential method, respectively. The simulation results showed that the signal-to-noise ratio of ABR is the highest after Wavelet Kalman filtering, and the audiologist can mark the waves III and V of ABR the most. The latency of the wave V detected by FPP was used to calculate the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient with the audiologist’s manual mark. The two latencies are highly correlated, and the correlation coefficient is higher than the differential method. Therefore, the Wavelet-Kalman filter and FPP algorithm were implemented in the AABR measurement system. To evaluate the accuracy of the algorithm in this study, subjective experiments were conducted with four normal hearing subjects. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to test thedifference between the average value of automatic detection and reproducibility.

Peptide collision cross sections of 22 post-translational modifications

Recent advances have rekindled the interest in ion mobility as an additional dimension of separation in mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics. Ion mobility separates ions according to their size and shape in the gas phase. Here, we set out to investigate the effect of 22 different post-translational modifications (PTMs) on the collision cross section (CCS) of peptides. In total, we analyzed ~4300 pairs of matching modified and unmodified peptide ion species by trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS). Linear alignment based on spike-in reference peptides resulted in highly reproducible CCS values with a median coefficient of variation of 0.26%. On a global level, we observed a redistribution in the m/z vs. ion mobility space for modified peptides upon changes in their charge state. Pairwise comparison between modified and unmodified peptides of the same charge state revealed median shifts in CCS between −1.4% (arginine citrullination) and +4.5% (O-GlcNAcylation). In general, increasing modified peptide masses were correlated with higher CCS values, in particular within homologous PTM series. However, investigating the ion populations in more detail, we found that the change in CCS can vary substantially for a given PTM and is partially correlated with the gas phase structure of its unmodified counterpart. In conclusion, our study shows PTM- and sequence-specific effects on the cross section of peptides, which could be further leveraged for proteome-wide PTM analysis.Graphical

Primary standard for complex units of permittivity at frequency range 0.1–178.4 GHz GET 110-2023

The article is dedicated to research in the fi eld of measuring the dielectric parameters of materials. The aim of the research is to study promising methods for measuring the complex dielectric permittivity of weakly absorbing materials in the decimeter wavelength range, as well as the non-resonant method for measuring the dielectric parameters of materials with high dielectric losses. In order to achieve the set goal of improving the state primary standard of complex dielectric permittivity in the frequency range from 1 to 178.4 GHz, tasks were set to expand the frequency range to 0.1 GHz and the range of reproducible values of the dielectric loss tangent to 10–1. As a result of the improvement, new equipment was introduced into the composition of the standard, and new measurement methods were developed. To measure the complex dielectric permittivity of weakly absorbing materials in the decimeter wavelength range, a resonant measurement method in a coaxial resonator with a shortening capacitive gap and a measurement method in a bulk H011-resonator with dielectric fi lling were developed. To measure elevated dielectric losses up to 10–2–10–1, a measurement method using a non-resonant measuring transducer based on a shielded dielectric waveguide with a measured dielectric sample as such a waveguide has been developed. The developed methods are applied in the Primary standard of complex dielectric permittivity in the frequency range from 0.1 to 178.4 GHz, GET 110-2023. The frequency range of the standard is 0.1–178.4 GHz, the range of reproducible values of relative dielectric permittivity is 1.2–500, dielectric loss tangent 10–8–10–1. The scope of application of GET 110-2023 is metrological support of dielectric control in production of radio frequency cables, telecommunication equipment, electronic components, etc.