Results Of Standard Laboratory Tests Research Articles

Efficacy of a new generation topical retinoid in the treatment of patients with moderate to severe acne on the face and trunk

Rationale. The extreme prevalence of acne, long-term course and multifactorial pathogenesis necessitate the development of new drugs and treatment methods aimed at increasing efficiency and achieving clinical effects in the shortest possible time. This article presents data from two international clinical studies to determine the effectiveness and safety of trifarotene 50 µg/g (0.005%) cream in the treatment of patients with moderate acne on the face and trunk. The purpose of the study. To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of trifarotene cream, 0.005%, a new topical retinoid, for moderate acne of the face and trunk. Material and research methods. Two international, double-blind, randomized, placebo (vehicle) controlled, 12-week phase III studies screened 2817 and randomized 2420 patients 9 years of age and over. The effectiveness of the drug was assessed based on the registration of the number of patients who achieved the effect of “clear” or “almost clear” skin condition and an improvement of ≥ 2 points in terms of IGA on the facial skin and PGA on the truncal skin during 12 weeks of treatment, as well as by calculating the change in absolute number of inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne elements relatively to the initial level. The safety of therapy was assessed based on the registration of adverse events, local tolerability (the formation and severity of retinoic dermatitis), abnormalities in vital signs and the results of standard laboratory tests. Results. The onset of effect of trifarotene versus that of its vehicle was rapid, with significant reductions in both inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts seen as early as 1 week after treatment on the face and as early as 2 weeks after treatment on the trunk. In both studies, at week 12 the facial success rates according to IGA and PGA and change in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts (both absolute and percentage) were all highly significant (P0.001) in favor of trifarotene when compared with the vehicle and the formation of the “almost clear” and “clean” effect was registered in the vast majority of patients, who used cream with 0.005% trifarotene. Conclusion. The results of the study demonstrated the pronounced clinical effectiveness of trifarotene cream 0.005% in the treatment of patients with moderate acne on the skin of the face and trunk.

Small-strain, non-linear elastic Winkler models for uniaxial loading of suction caisson foundations

Soils exhibit non-linear stress–strain behaviour, even at relatively low strain levels. Existing Winkler models for suction caisson foundations cannot capture this small-strain, non-linear soil behaviour. To address this issue, this paper describes a new non-linear elastic Winkler model for the uniaxial loading of suction caissons. The soil reaction curves employed in the model are formulated as scaled versions of the soil response as observed in standard laboratory tests (e.g. triaxial or simple shear tests). The scaling relationships needed to map the observed soil-element behaviour onto the soil reaction curves employed in the Winkler model are determined from an extensive numerical study employing three-dimensional finite-element analysis. Key features of the proposed Winkler model include: computational efficiency, wide applicability (it can be used for caisson design in clay, silt or sand) and design convenience (the required soil reaction curves can be determined straightforwardly from standard laboratory test results). The proposed model is suitable for small and intermediate caisson displacements (corresponding to fatigue and serviceability limit state conditions) but it is not applicable to ultimate limit state analyses.

Durability Assessment of Alkali-Activated Concrete Exposed to a Marine Environment

This study investigated the performance of two alkali-activated concretes (AACs) subjected to marine exposure for 2 years. The AACs were synthesized from a low-calcium Class F fly ash (FA) and a blast-furnace slag. Concrete specimens were exposed in a marine environment in a port facility in southern Australia for 2 years. The specimens were subject to a range of nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques, including resistivity, Schmidt hammer, and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) tests. In addition, chloride diffusion coefficients were calculated from concrete cores taken from specimens exposed in the marine environment. Microscopy analysis was undertaken using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and comparative data were taken on laboratory specimens at 28 days. Furthermore, the chloride diffusion coefficients were compared with the results of standard laboratory tests undertaken on the control samples at 28 days, including rapid chloride permeability testing (RCPT) using a 10-V driving voltage, an NT Build 492 test, and a bulk diffusion test, to determine the relationship between the 28-day laboratory tests results and the site performance. The data showed good correlation between the predicted performance based on the 28 day laboratory tests and the 2-year site data. The chloride diffusion of the ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) concrete agreed very accurately with the predicted value from the modified RCPT test, whereas the performance of FA concrete was superior to that predicted.

Diagnosis of bacterial infection in patients with COVID-19: is it a simple task? (literature review)

Diagnosing bacterial infection in patients with novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is not an easy task. Available data suggest that bacterial infection in patients with COVID-19 is rare and occurs in less than 10% of cases. At the same time, data of individual studies and systematic reviews indicate that more than 70% of patients with COVID-19 receive mainly empirical antimicrobial therapy with broad-spectrum antibiotics often before the diagnosis of COVID-19 has been verified. Therefore, this widespread empirical use of antibiotics is not supported by data on the need for their use.The article discusses the literature data on the significance of commonly accepted methods for diagnosing bacterial infection, with an emphasis on laboratory presence / absence tests. In everyday practice, the likelihood of bacterial coinfection in patients with COVID-19 is assessed by clinical presentation of the disease and the results of standard laboratory tests and imaging methods. However, when viral respiratory infection develops, this approach does not always allow to diagnose bacterial coinfection with sufficient significance. This issue may be handled by available modern test systems, the use of a combination of signs or additional laboratory criteria (for example, procalcitonin), and the analysis of the overall clinical presentation by the doctor using knowledge about patient risk groups.

Results of the observational program “NOSTALGIA” (new strategies for the treatment of algic syndromes in the lower back in patients with post-COVID syndrome)

Introduction. Allergic syndromes occur in 85.7% of COVID-19 survivors, according to recent statistics. However, there is no clear understanding of the pathogenesis of post-COVID pain syndrome and no therapy algorithms have been developed.Aim. To study the efficacy and safety of Alflutop (the bioactive concentrate from small sea fish (BCSSF)) in COVID-19 survivors with pain syndromes in the lower back (lumbosacral dorsopathy (LSD)) and osteoarthritis (OA)), who were previously treated with other chondroitin sulphate (CS) drugs.Materials and methods. The study group included 50 patients with persistent pain in the lower back according to VAS scale (6.6 ± 1.5 scores) without chronic diseases, pain lasted for more than 1 month. The average age was 55.7 ± 3.5 years, 30 men and 20 women, who had mild or moderate COVID-19 in the period of 40 to 90 days before the study. Some patients had been previously diagnosed with LSD before they contracted COVID-19 and had exacerbations 1-2 times a year. Most of the patients also suffered from large-joint OA. Of all patients, 10 were primary patients (before COVID-19 was diagnosed) and received therapy with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and CS prior to enrolment in the study. The clinical examination provided to all patients included recording of complaints, medical history, a standard examination of the neurological status at visit 1, 2 (day 14–15), 3 (completion of therapy, 30 days after initiation of therapy) and 4 (2 months after visit 1). The pain was assessed according to VAS, and depression symptoms were measured according to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. At visit 3, the patients were assessed according to the Clinical Global Impression scale. The standard laboratory test results were analysed.Results. After administration of BCSSF, a pronounced relief of pain and high anxiety was observed in all patients by Day 14. 80% of patients had no pain syndrome without changes in laboratory test results by visit 4. The majority of patients evaluated their condition as good according to the Clinical Global Impression scale.Conclusions. Early administration of BCSSF is topical in the therapy of post-COVID allergic syndromes.

Experimental observation and constitutive modelling of the shear strength of a natural unsaturated soil

Increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in the Netherlands is raising attention on the unsaturated response of geo-infrastructures, promoting research projects to provide an overview of the impact of unsaturated conditions on the response of shallow soil layers and embankments, and to better address maintenance and mitigation measures. As part of this effort, we discuss the results of standard laboratory tests performed on initially unsaturated samples retrieved from the field and tested in natural conditions, as well as after controlled drying and wetting. The variation of the “undrained” (i.e. at constant water content) shear strength with the degree of saturation obtained from the laboratory tests aligns well with CPT measurements performed in the field. An elastic-plastic constitutive model with mixed isotropic-rotational hardening developed for saturated soft soils was extended to unsaturated conditions by following a robust approach previously developed for compacted clayey soils. Coupling between the mechanical and the hydraulic behaviour is provided by the water retention curve. The model nicely captures the response observed in the laboratory, until extreme dry conditions, which possibly alter the structure of the soil, the peak stress, and the brittleness after failure. The model is capable of reproducing the effects of the previous hydraulic history on the stress-strain behaviour observed from the laboratory tests over a wide range of degree of saturation.

Liquefaction assessment of gravelly soils: the role of in situ and laboratory geotechnical tests through the case study of the Sulmona basin (Central Italy)

Even though liquefaction in gravelly soil is well documented in many earthquakes since 1891, most of the “simplified procedures” and national buildings codes still consider only sandy soil liquefaction in seismic hazard assessment. In this study, 109 sites of gravel liquefaction related to 27 historical earthquakes from 1891 to 2020 are reported, with a wide range of moment magnitudes, Mw , (5.3 to 9.2) and focal depths (5.4 to 33 km), highlighting the potential for liquefaction of gravelly soils even during moderate earthquakes. Although gravels are often thought to have hydraulic conductivities high enough to preclude liquefaction, gravels that have liquefied are generally well-graded sandy gravels. The sand content is typically 30% or more so that the hydraulic conductivity is governed by the sand size making them clearly liquefiable. Even for gravels with lower sand contents, a low permeability surface layer has often been observed that could restrict drainage and produce excess pore pressure during strong shaking.The epicentral distance calculated for gravel liquefaction sites plotted vs the magnitude of the earthquake event shows a pattern which closely follows similar curves provided in the literature for sandy soils. However, field observations of liquefaction in gravelly soils are less frequent in the historical record.In addition to examining gravel liquefaction sites in general, this paper provides a case history illustrating the difficulties of liquefaction assessment in gravels at a site in Santa Rufina (Sulmona basin, Central Italy). This site, characterised by high vertical and lateral stratigraphic variability, was selected for gravel liquefaction assessment using a combination of in-situ tests, laboratory geotechnical analysis, and geological studies. We found that, even if SPT- and DPT- based in-situ methods provide conflicting results, the availability of a borehole log, along with standard laboratory test results, proved to be fundamental to achieving a reliable assessment of the liquefaction hazard.

Liquefaction assessment of silty sands: Experimental characterization and numerical calibration

The main goal of this paper is to assess the reliability of a nonlinear hysteretic model to capture the behavior of saturated silty sand mixtures under cyclic loading conditions. The parameters governing the liquefaction triggering are identified using the results of standard laboratory tests (monotonic and cyclic consolidated undrained triaxial tests as well as resonant column tests) undertaken for reconstituted soil samples. Consequently, the uncertainty related with collected samples is reduced. The numerical results, obtained after calibration of the constitutive model, are in good agreement with the experimental ones and they are analyzed through the effects of relative density, fine content, and confining pressure in the liquefaction resistance of silty sands.

Towards speech quality assessment using a crowdsourcing approach: evaluation of standardized methods

Subjective speech quality assessment has traditionally been carried out in laboratory environments under controlled conditions. With the advent of crowdsourcing platforms tasks, which need human intelligence, can be resolved by crowd workers over the Internet. Crowdsourcing also offers a new paradigm for speech quality assessment, promising higher ecological validity of the quality judgments at the expense of potentially lower reliability. This paper compares laboratory-based and crowdsourcing-based speech quality assessments in terms of comparability of results and efficiency. For this purpose, three pairs of listening-only tests have been carried out using three different crowdsourcing platforms and following the ITU-T Recommendation P.808. In each test, listeners judge the overall quality of the speech sample following the Absolute Category Rating procedure. We compare the results of the crowdsourcing approach with the results of standard laboratory tests performed according to the ITU-T Recommendation P.800. Results show that in most cases, both paradigms lead to comparable results. Notable differences are discussed with respect to their sources, and conclusions are drawn that establish practical guidelines for crowdsourcing-based speech quality assessment.

Design of an Economical Iot Based Intelligent Lake Water Quality Measuring System with of the Shelf Industrial Grade Sensors

The paper presents an IOT based intelligent lake water quality measuring system that comprises of low cost industrial grade sensors and off the shelf components along with signal conditioning circuits that measure the important water quality parameters such as DO, pH, TDS, and Temperature. The data is pushed onto a dedicated cloud platform in real-time and can be accessed through an online dashboard, as well as from an android application on smart phones. The system is also equipped with very important feature: the detection of abnormal dynamic variation in measured parameters and anomaly alert algorithm. The system firmware has intelligence that modulates the data transmission rate to cloud for extending the battery life, based on ambient lighting conditions and optimizes the rate in case of anomaly in water quality parameters to optimize the use of battery power. The system has two variants, the first variant has a fixed structure that can be affixed to a structure at any selected location preferably the shore, whereas the second one has a floating structure that can remain afloat on the water surface. System architecture is described and the measured water quality parameters are presented of tests conducted at multiple lakes in different weather conditions. The results have been verified with standard laboratory test results and presented here.

Experimental investigation on strength improvement of lateritic Halmahera soil using quicklime stabilization

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of quicklime on soil strength performance of lateritic Halmahera soil (LHS) on a particular mixture composition. The Lateritic soil consists of three types based on its iron content from three different location in Eastern Halmahera Island. Soil sample labeled according to iron contents, that is LHS-1 for low iron content, LHS-2 for medium iron content, and LHS-3 for high iron content. Soil physical properties were obtained from laboratory test according to ASTM testing standard. The soil sample was mixed with 3, 5, 7, and 10% quicklime addition on maximum dry density (MDD) condition from Proctor standard laboratory test results. The sample were cured for 3, 7, 14, and 28 days before being tested for unconfined compression strength (UCT) test. The results was found that the significant effect of iron content to increase strength. The higher of iron content, then strength increases, it is the novelty of this research and differentiate laterite Halmahera soil with other laterite soil in Indonesia. Therefore, the lateritic Halmahera soil potential to be used as road and construction materials.

Agreement between the ‘point of care’ tests for microalbuminuria and HbA1c performed in mexican family medicine units and the results of standard laboratory tests

The albumin-creatinine ratio is considered an indicator of microalbuminuria, precursor to chronic kidney disease, while HbA1c is used to measure glycemic control. Given the prevalence of diabetes-related nephropathy, spot testing of albumin has long been recommended as a preventative measure, for the timely detection of microalbuminuria. However, many countries do not have this testing available in primary care, and sometimes not even in second- and third-level care. The objective of this study was to compare agreement of the microalbuminuria and HbA1c results obtained in the laboratory with ‘gold standard’ techniques, with those obtained on site with a ‘Point of Care’ DCA Vantage™ device by Siemens. Results for the albumin–creatinine ratio and HbA1c from the Siemens DCA Vantage™ point of care device were compared with those from standard laboratory tests in 25 family medicine units in Mexico City and Toluca, State of Mexico, in patients diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. Agreement between the albumin values of the 2 tests was 0.745 (CI 95% 0.655–0.812). Agreement between the two measurement techniques for HbA1c was 0.970 (CI 95% 0.966–0.973). The results obtained were sufficiently comparative (Ri= 0.74 for albumin-creatinine ratio and Ri = 0.97 for HbA1c) to justify the use of the point of care device. Given the high agreement between the point of care device and laboratory tests, this device could be used to identify chronic kidney disease and glycemic control for more adequate treatment in patients with diabetes, especially in remote areas.

Impact of thrombelastography in paediatric intensive care.

We assessed the clinical impact of thrombelastography (TEG®) results (TEG® 5000, Haemonetics Corporation, Braintree, MA, USA) by measuring their ability to cause changes in a theoretical treatment plan and contribute to the understanding of haemostasis. We prospectively included paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients who had standard tests of haemostasis and TEG ordered and had an arterial catheter or extracorporeal access port in situ. Blood for standard tests and TEG was taken simultaneously. Independent of patient care, general patient information and results of standard laboratory tests were presented to five clinicians who were asked to document their theoretical treatment plan. Clinicians were then shown TEG results and asked if they caused a change in their plan, if they confirmed initial standard laboratory test results, if they enabled a better understanding of haemostasis and if they provided additional information. Inter-rater agreement between the clinicians was determined. Forty-two TEG results were obtained from 34 patients. Overall, the inclusion of TEG results led to a change in treatment plan in 97 of 207 occasions (47%), confirmed standard laboratory test results in 177 of 204 occasions (87%), enabled a better understanding of haemostasis in 140 of 204 occasions (69%) and provided additional information in 131 of 204 occasions (64%). Variation existed between clinicians, seemingly due to individual differences, with poor inter-rater agreement. We conclude that TEG results led to changes in treatment plans almost half the time, confirmed findings of standard tests and provided a better understanding of haemostasis, but randomised controlled trials are required to determine the role and influence of TEG results on patient outcome.

Effects of Organic Pesticides on Enchytraeids (Oligochaeta) in Agroecosystems: Laboratory and Higher-Tier Tests

Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta, Annelida) are often considered to be typical forestliving organisms, but they are regularly found in agroecosystems of the temperate regions of the world. Although less known than their larger relatives, the earthworms, these saprophagous organisms play similar roles in agricultural soils (but at a smaller scale), e.g., influencing soil structure and organic matter dynamics via microbial communities, and having a central place in soil food webs. Their diversity is rarely studied or often underestimated due to difficulties in distinguishing the species. New genetic techniques reveal that even in anthropogenically highly influenced soils, more than ten species per site can be found. Because of their close contact with the soil pore water, a high ingestion rate and a thin cuticle, they often react very sensitively to a broad range of pesticides. Firstly we provide a short overview of the diversity and abundance of enchytraeid communities in agroecosystems. Afterwards, we explore the available data on enchytraeid sensitivity towards pesticides at different levels of biological organization, focusing on pesticides used in (mainly) European agroecosystems. Starting with non-standardized studies on the effects of pesticides on the sub-individual level, we compile the results of standard laboratory tests performed following OECD and ISO guidelines as well as those of higher-tier studies (i.e., semi-field and field tests). The number of comparable test data is still limited, because tests with enchytraeids are not a regulatory requirement in the European Union. While focusing on the effects of pesticides, attention is also given to their interactions with environmental stressors (e.g., climate change). In conclusion, we recommend to increase the use of enchytraeids in pesticide risk assessment because of their diversity and functional importance as well as their increasingly simplified use in (mostly standardized) tests at all levels of biological organization.

A retrospective evaluation of associations between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, smoking, and efficacy of chemotherapy and selected laboratory parameters in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Aim of the studyTo was to determine the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and active smoking on the efficacy of chemotherapy and complete blood count (CBC) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Material and methodsThe retrospective evaluation included 50 patients with stage IIIB–IV NSCLC, who started cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Peripheral blood CBC values were collected for testing before chemotherapy and after the first and third cycles.ResultsCOPD was diagnosed in 49% of patients, while 42% of those enrolled were current smokers. Current smoking (p = 0.92) and COPD (p = 0.91) status did not affect the response to treatment. The non-COPD population presented a significantly higher pretreatment absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) than the COPD population (2.31 vs. 1.81 × 109/l; p = 0.0374). Also, only the non-COPD group demonstrated an elevated absolute monocyte count (AMC) following the first and third cycles of chemotherapy (p = 0.004). In current smokers, pretreatment values for white blood cells (WBC), absolute neutrophil count (ANC), and platelets (PLT) were higher than in the ex-smoker population (WBC 9.94 vs. 8.7 (× 109/l); p = 0.01; ANC 6.47 vs. 5.61 (× 109/l); p = 0.037; PLT 316 vs. 266 (× 109/l); p = 0.049). Ex-smokers demonstrated AMC level elevation after the first cycle of chemotherapy and PLT level elevation after the third cycle, while current smokers also demonstrated an early decrease in LMR.ConclusionsCOPD and smoking induce chronic systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, which influence the results of standard laboratory tests, but do not change the response rate of lung cancer on chemotherapy.

Érythème palmaire héréditaire (maladie de Lane) : observation chez un enfant

Palmar erythema may be either congenital or acquired, hereditary or non-hereditary. Its diagnosis and management differs according to whether or not it is acquired, hereditary or associated with symptoms. Herein, we report the case of a child with hereditary palmoplantar erythema (Lane's disease). A 2½-year-old girl consulted for palmar erythema, present since birth, predominantly on the thenar and hypothenar eminences and on the palmar aspect of her fingers. She also presented mild diffuse erythema on the soles of her feet. Both her mother and grandmother had similar signs. The girl had neither impairment nor pain linked to this erythema, and she had no associated symptoms. Physical examination was otherwise normal, as were the results of standard laboratory tests. We diagnosed Lane's disease based on the girl's hereditary erythema with autosomal dominant transmission, and the congenital and asymptomatic nature of her palmoplantar erythema. Nine publications have reported cases of Lane's disease, but this condition is probably highly under-reported.

Prophylactic plasma and platelet transfusion in the critically Ill patient: just useless and expensive or even harmful?

It is still common practice to correct abnormal standard laboratory test results, such as increased INR or low platelet count, prior to invasive interventions, such as tracheostomy, central venous catheter insertion or liver biopsy, in critically ill patients. Data suggest that 30–90 % of plasma transfused for these indications is unnecessary and puts the patient at risk. Plasma transfusion is associated with a high risk of transfusion-associated adverse events such as transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO), transfusion-related lung injury (TRALI), transfusion-related immunomodulation (TRIM), and anaphylaxis/allergic reactions. Therefore, the avoidance of inappropriate plasma transfusion bears a high potential of improving patient outcomes. The prospective study by Durila et al., published recently in BMC Anesthesiology, provides evidence that tracheostomies can be performed without prophylactic plasma transfusion and bleeding complications in critically ill patients despite increased INR in case of normal thromboelastometry (ROTEM) results. Thromboelastometry-based restrictive transfusion management helped avoid unnecessary plasma and platelet transfusion, and should reduce the incidence of transfusion-related adverse events and transfusion-associated hospital costs. Therefore, the authors believe that thromboelastometry-based strategies should be implemented to optimize patient blood management in perioperative medicine.

Detection ofRickettsia sibirica mongolitimonaeby Using Cutaneous Swab Samples and Quantitative PCR

Detection of<i>Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae</i>by Using Cutaneous Swab Samples and Quantitative PCR

S02.2 Overview of Rapid/Point of Care Diagnostic Tests For HIV and Current Challenges Associated with HIV Testing

Advances in rapid/point of care testing (RPOCT) for HIV have transformed global capacity to reach individuals who might not otherwise have been tested for HIV, particularly in non-traditional health care...

Juvenile Bullous Pemphigoid – a Case Report

Abstract Bullous pemphigoid is an autoimmune blistering disease that predominantly affects elderly persons and rarely children. We present a 12-year-old girl with sudden appearance of tense blisters on an erythematous base on the trunk, neck, hands and legs with intense pruritus. Standard laboratory test results were within the normal range except for blood eosinophilia of 12% of the total white cell count. Skin biopsy specimens showed evolving subepidermal blisters with perivascular lymphohistiocytic, eosinophil and neutrophil infiltrations in the papillary dermis. Direct immunofluorescence of perilesional skin showed linear, continuous deposits of IgG and C3 along the dermoepidermal junction. Indirect immunofluorescence showed circulating anti-basement membrane zone IgG autoantibodies at a titer of 1:80. We started treatment with systemic corticosteroids, methylprednisolone 0,5 mg/kg per day and 500 mg erythromycin 4 times a day during 10 days. After 3 days 50 mg dapsone (DDS, 4,4-diaminodiphenylsulphone) per day was added. After a few days, there were no new changes on the skin and pruritus disappeared completely.