Variation In Sensitivity Research Articles

GDP responses to supply chain disruptions in a post-pandemic era: Combination of DL and ANN outputs based on Google Trends

With the recent Russian-Ukraine conflict, the frequency and intensity of disruptive shocks on major supply chains have risen, causing increasing food and energy security concerns for regulators. That is, the combination of newly available sophisticated deep learning tools with real-time series data may represent a fruitful policy direction because machines can identify patterns without being pre-conditioned calibration thanks to experimental data training. This paper employs Deep Learning (DL) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) algorithms and aimed predicts GDP responses to supply chain disruptions, energy prices, economic policy uncertainty, and google trend in the US. Sampled data from 2008 to 2022 are monthly wrangled and embed different recession episodes connected to the subprime crisis of 2008, the COVID-19 pandemic, the recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and the current economic recession in the US. Both DL and ANN outputs empirically (and unanimously) demonstrated how sensitive monthly GDP variations are to dynamic changes in supply chain performances. Findings identify the substantial role of google trends in delivering a consistent fit to predicted GDP values, which has implications While a comparative discussion over the larger forecasting performance of DL compared to ANN experiments is offered, implications for global policy, decision-makers and firm managers are finally provided.

A Compact, Highly Sensitive pH Sensor Based on Polymer Waveguide Bragg Grating

Accurate probing, monitoring, and controlling the pH level is critical in different fields. In the last two decades, optical fiber/waveguide-based pH sensors have been widely investigated with the aim of further enhancement of sensitivity and miniaturization. Here, we propose a novel and cost-effective pH sensor based on polymer waveguide Bragg grating, addressing main aspects like sensitivity enhancement, miniaturization, narrow band response, and stable performance. The large evanescent field due to metal under cladding and high index coating combined with excellent penetration depth match with pH-sensitive polymer coating of poly-acrylic acid/poly-allylamine hydrochloride (PAA/PAH) in an aqueous medium, ensures a sensitivity of 10.4 nm/pH for a pH range of 4 to 7, two orders higher than all reported Bragg grating pH sensors to our knowledge. A narrow band (∼1 nm) response has been ensured by low propagation loss of the TE mode. Further, the variations in sensitivity and peak reflectivity are within 3% for a ±10% inaccuracy in various structural parameters, reflecting excellent fabrication tolerances. The proposed sensor is an important development, especially for the perishable food industry in which a high sensitivity in a pH range of 4 to 7 is highly desirable to accurately determine the freshness of foods.

PHENOTYPIC CONSIDERATIONS IN URBAN THERMAL SENSITIVITY/ADAPTATION OF RESIDENTS IN CALABAR METROPOLIS,CROSS RIVER STATE

The study is focused on identification of the link between body size and thermal sensitivity in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Numerous investigations have been carried out on similar lines in other parts of the world but there is practical dearth of information in this domain of knowledge in the area of study. The subjects/population of this study are adult residents domiciled in the central city of Calabar where urban heat warming is clearly exemplified. The problem statement is predicated on the prevalent urban heat scenario in the area and the general public outcry on the adverse effects of the heat incidence in the area. From existing literature, it has been recognised that thermal discomfort is to an extent subjective of age, sex and phenotypic make up. Here in this study, three recognised phenotypes have been identified as variables subjects for investigation. They include endomorphs, mesomorphs and ectomorphs. The objective is to elucidate their relative heat sensitivity indices. The justification is viewed from the valuable contributions this study can make to such fields as urban environmental management, individual livelihood sustainability and the general public health benefits. In terms of methodology, the study area has been clearly explained based on its geographical location (sub equatorial, marine coastal belt) weather/climatic characteristics, and so on. The population as stated earlier comprises adult residents domiciled in the Calabar central business district. Population sampling was achieved through a multi stage sampling procedure. The questionnaire instrument was employed in primary data collection, while other surrogate measures was achieved through biophysical data capturing. Data analysis was carried out through hypothesis testing using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) following the result. The Fcal ratio stood at 16.960 while the critical value f stood at 4.51 at 0.05 level of significance. Since Fcal > f , the null hypothesis was rejected while the alternate hypothesis was accepted this means there is a significant variation in the thermal sensitivity of persons with different phenotype ratios.

Performance Assessment of a Junctionless Heterostructure Tunnel FET Biosensor Using Dual Material Gate

Biosensors based on tunnel FET for label-free detection in which a nanogap is introduced under gate electrode to electrically sense the characteristics of biomolecules, have been studied widely in recent years. In this paper, a new type of heterostructure junctionless tunnel FET biosensor with an embedded nanogap is proposed, in which the control gate consists of two parts, namely the tunnel gate and auxiliary gate, with different work functions; and the detection sensitivity of different biomolecules can be controlled and adjusted by the two gates. Further, a polar gate is introduced above the source region, and a P+ source is formed by the charge plasma concept by selecting appropriate work functions for the polar gate. The variation of sensitivity with different control gate and polar gate work functions is explored. Neutral and charged biomolecules are considered to simulate device-level gate effects, and the influence of different dielectric constants on sensitivity is also researched. The simulation results show that the switch ratio of the proposed biosensor can reach 109, the maximum current sensitivity is 6.91 × 102, and the maximum sensitivity of the average subthreshold swing (SS) is 0.62.

Is the impact sensitivity of RDX polymorph dependent?

Impact-sensitivity predictions based on the vibrational up-pumping model show a strong polymorph dependency for RDX and highlight that one of the high-pressure forms, which forms during shock-wave experiments, is appreciably more susceptible to mechanical initiation. The origin of the predicted impact sensitivity variation can be attributed to vibrational mode hardening by pressure and to differences in the molecular conformation of RDX in the four polymorphs studied. These polymorphs present different distributions of molecular vibrations within their respective up-pumping windows, which leads to their varying ability to up-pump and trap the vibrational energy that arises from mechanical insult.

Correlation Between Contrast Variability and Refractive Error

Background: Contrast sensitivity, is defined as the ability to detect the lowest lumination difference between an object and the background. It is one of the main requisites for good quality vision as the eye works by perceiving an object by comparing the difference between the target and the background contrast difference. Aims and Objectives: To assess patterns of contrast sensitivity functions in patients in different types of refractive errors using Pelli Robson chart and also to measure the severity of refractive error within each group and compared the contrast sensitivity function with severity in different types of refractive errors. Material and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 500 patients (Age range from 10 to 80 years) who presented with chief complaint of refractive errors mainly myopia and hypermetropia. Patients who had previous history of ocular surgery and other ocular co- morbidity were excluded from study. Selected patients were enrolled for the study after taking a written informed consent. The patterns of contrast sensitivity function in different types of refractive errors were recorded on a prescribed proforma with respect to: Visual acuity, type of refractive error, severity of refractive error, duration of refractive error, age of the patient, fundus examination and Contrast sensitivity. Statistical analysis was undertaken with P<0.05 significant. Results: A mild decrease in contrast sensitivity was recorded in majority of patients i.e 250 patients (50%). Maximum decrease in contrast sensitivity was seen in 31-60 years age group. A statistically significant direct correlation (P<0.05) was observed between duration and variation in contrast sensitivity. Both the refractive error showed definite decrease in contrast sensitivity and compound astigmatism showed severe decrease in contrast sensitivity. Conclusion: Despite having BCVA of 6/6, patients showed reduced contrast sensitivity, even without any retinal pathology, making it an essential part of a routine ophthalmic examination.

Influence of spatial resolution of PM2.5 concentrations and population on health impact assessment from 2010 to 2020 in China

Ambient PM2.5 pollution is a leading environmental health risk factor worldwide. The spatial resolution of PM2.5 concentrations and population strongly impacts PM2.5-related health impact estimates. However, long-term variations and regional differences in this impact have rarely been explored, particularly in China. Here, by aggregating satellite-derived PM2.5 concentration and population datasets at 1-km resolution in China to coarser resolutions (10, 50, and 100 km), we evaluated decadal changes in the impact of resolution on health assessments at national and local scales. For the sensitivity of population-weighted mean (PWM) PM2.5 concentrations to resolution, we found that the national PWM PM2.5 concentration decreased with coarser resolutions; this pattern was widely observed and was more obvious in southern and central China and the Sichuan Basin. The results showed that the sensitivity of national PWM PM2.5 concentrations to resolution continuously weakened from 2010 to 2020, likely due to a reduction in the spatial heterogeneity of PM2.5 concentrations in regions with high sensitivity. This weakness caused a large underestimation of the long-term trend of national PWM PM2.5 using a 100-km resolution, which was 7% lower than the trend at 1 km. Regarding the sensitivity of PM2.5-attributable mortality to resolution, most of China exhibited a pattern in which attributable mortality decreased with coarser resolution. The sensitivity of the estimated PM2.5-attributable mortality to resolution also weakened over time on a national scale and in most parts of China. Nevertheless, the weakness for mortality sensitivity was not as apparent as for PWM PM2.5 sensitivity. This was likely because different drivers played distinct roles in the temporal variation of the mortality sensitivity: population aging enhanced the sensitivity, and variations in PM2.5 concentrations and population distribution both weakened the sensitivity. However, the national attributable mortality trend at a 100-km resolution was still underestimated by 1.75% relative to the 1-km resolution.

Evaluation of some Barley Genotypes under Saline Soil Conditions

This study examined ten barley genotypes under both normal and saline soil environments at Sakha Agricultural Research Station, during two growing seasons 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. A randomized complete block design with four replications was used for each experiment. Some traits were recorded i.e. days to maturity, plant height (cm), spike length (cm), number of spikes m-2, number of grains spike-1, grain yield (t ha-1), biological yield (t ha-1), chlorophyll, K, Na content and K/ Na ratio. Analysis of variance for years, locations, genotypes and interaction were significant and highly significant for all studied traits. Results revealed that, the evaluated genotypes revealed a wide variation in salinity sensitivity. Line-1 and Line-6 gave the most desirable values of yield and related traits as well as physiological parameters under studied environments in both seasons, so we can recommend those genotypes under salinity conditions.

Autonomic Nervous System Adaptation and Circadian Rhythm Disturbances of the Cardiovascular System in a Ground-Based Murine Model of Spaceflight.

Whether in real or simulated microgravity, Humans or animals, the kinetics of cardiovascular adaptation and its regulation by the autonomic nervous system (ANS) remain controversial. In this study, we used hindlimb unloading (HU) in 10 conscious mice. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), temperature, and locomotor activity were continuously monitored with radio-telemetry, during 3 days of control, 5 days of HU, and 2 days of recovery. Six additional mice were used to assess core temperature. ANS activity was indirectly determined by analyzing both heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). Our study showed that HU induced an initial bradycardia, accompanied by an increase in vagal activity markers of HRV and BRS, together with a decrease in water intake, indicating the early adaptation to fluid redistribution. During HU, BRS was reduced; temperature and BP circadian rhythms were altered, showing a loss in day/night differences, a decrease in cycle amplitude, a drop in core body temperature, and an increase in day BP suggestive of a rise in sympathetic activity. Reloading induced resting tachycardia and a decrease in BP, vagal activity, and BRS. In addition to cardiovascular deconditioning, HU induces disruption in day/night rhythmicity of locomotor activity, temperature, and BP.

Manufacturing Variations in ISO Blue Wool Fading Standards under Microfading Exposure Conditions

ABSTRACT As is the case for other accelerated light-ageing methods, microfade test results are usually rated against the responses of the International Standards Organisation’s Blue Wool Fading Standards, the production of which is regulated by the International Standards Organisation. The suitability and convenience of the ISO Blue Wools for this purpose have been questioned on various grounds, including wavelength sensitivity, manufacturing or batch response variations, and the effect of their woven texture on systematic errors. In the present article, the effect of manufacturing variations was assessed by carrying out microfade testing on samples of ISO Blue Wools from various suppliers and manufacturers spanning more than 20 years. Our results confirm that the first three ISO Blue Wools, which are of most relevance to locating colourants at risk of significant light-fading on display in museums, had measurable batch-to-batch and/or manufacturer variations in fading rates, most significantly in the case of Blue Wool 2. Different batches were often also distinguishable by their colour and the texture of the wool fabric. It is argued that while texture-related systematic errors and manufacturing variations are inconvenient, they are not significant in light of the other potential sources of disparity between the results of accelerated exposure tests of any kind and fading at ambient light levels, and it is concluded that the advantages of the use of ISO Blue Wools as internal standards for microfade testing outweigh their disadvantages.

Variable sensitivity to diethylene glycol poisoning is related to differences in the uptake transporter for the toxic metabolite diglycolic acid

Introduction/Context Poisonings with diethylene glycol are characterized by acute kidney injury and peripheral neuropathy. In animal studies on the toxicities of diethylene glycol and its metabolite diglycolic acid, remarkable differences in susceptibility to acute kidney injury were observed in identically-dosed rats. In those studies, only about 60% showed acute kidney injury, yet all rats with acute kidney injury showed marked diglycolic acid accumulation in tissues, while no diglycolic acid accumulated in rats without injury. Diglycolic acid is taken into renal cells via sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporters. When sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporter-1 is inhibited or knocked down in human kidney cells, diglycolic acid uptake and toxicity are reduced. We hypothesize that the variation in sensitivity to tissue diglycolic acid retention and to diethylene glycol/diglycolic acid toxicity is explained by differential expression of sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporter-1 in rat kidneys. Methods Using kidney tissue from previous studies, we performed rt-PCR analysis of sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporter-1 mRNA. In those studies, Wistar-Han rats were either gavage with diethylene glycol 6 g/kg every 12 h for 7 days or with single doses of diglycolic acid 300 mg/kg. Kidney tissue was harvested after euthanasia and preserved in formalin. Tissue slices were homogenized and RNA was isolated using an RNAstorm FFPE RNA Isolation Kit. The expression of sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporter-1 mRNA was compared between groups that showed diglycolic acid accumulation and acute renal injury with those that showed no diglycolic acid accumulation or toxicity. Results Significantly higher expression of sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporter-1 mRNA was present in the kidneys of rats with acute kidney injury and diglycolic acid accumulation compared to those in rats that had no diglycolic acid in their kidneys and no acute kidney injury. Discussion The likelihood of acute kidney injury after dosing of rats with diethylene glycol or diglycolic acid is linked with an enhanced ability to take up diglycolic acid into renal cells via the sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporter-1. The variability in diethylene glycol toxicity in humans, as reported in epidemiological studies, may also be linked with differences in tissue uptake of diglycolic acid. Conclusions Animals with acute kidney injury after exposure to diethylene glycol or diglycolic acid had higher sodium-dependent dicarboxylate transporter-1 expression and greater diglycolic acid accumulation in renal tissues than animals without acute kidney injury.

Analytical investigation of a triple surrounding gate germanium source metal–oxide–semiconductor field‐effect transistor with step graded channel for biosensing applications

AbstractThis paper proposes a compact analytical model and comprehensively investigates the biosensing performance of a novel dielectric modulated triple surrounding gate germanium source metal–oxide–semiconductor field‐effect transistor with a step graded channel. Solving the 2D Poisson's equation yields an analytical expression of threshold voltage, channel potential, drain current and sub threshold swing. The sensitivity variation in the biosensor has been thoroughly studied by varying different device parameters to investigate its biosensing performance. Graded doping in channel offers enhanced sensitivity than a non‐graded doped channel when the doping of the channel is more near the drain end than source end which is due to stronger electric field and gate capacitance. Effect of fill‐in factor for different biomolecules on the sensitivity has been thoroughly discussed. Different analytical results show an excellent agreement with the simulations done on SILVACO ATLAS TCAD simulator.

Variation in the Chemical Sensitivity of Earthworms from Field Populations to Imidacloprid and Copper.

The chemical risk of pesticides for nontarget soil macroorganisms has mainly been assessed using the compost earthworm Eisenia fetida. However, E. fetida does not occur in agroecosystems, and it is generally less sensitive than other earthworm species. Thus, the extrapolation of its response to pesticides to other earthworm species may lead to uncertainties in risk assessment. Because toxicity data for other earthworms are scarce, we assessed the chemical sensitivity of five species (Allolobophora chlorotica, Aporrectodea caliginosa, Aporrectodea longa, Aporrectodea rosea, and Lumbricus rubellus) from different habitats (forests, wetlands, and grasslands), as well as E. fetida, to imidacloprid and copper in single-species acute toxicity tests. In addition, we examined the relationship between earthworm traits (ecotype and weight), habitat characteristics (ecosystem type and soil pH), and chemical sensitivity. The lower limits of the hazardous concentration affecting 5% (HC5) of species were 178.99 and 0.32 mg active ingredient/kg dry weight for copper and imidacloprid, respectively. Some concentrations that have been measured in European agroecosystems for both pesticides were above the HC5s, indicating toxic risks for these organisms. Furthermore, soil pH from the sampling habitat played a significant role, with earthworms sampled from extremely acidic soils being less sensitive to copper than earthworms from neutral soils. In addition, endogeic earthworms were more sensitive to imidacloprid than epigeic earthworms. This may translate to changes in soil functions such as bioturbation, which is mainly carried out by endogeic earthworms. Our results suggest that risk assessment should include a wider range of earthworms covering different habitats and ecosystem functions to achieve a better protection of the biological functions carried out by these key soil organisms. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:939-947. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

An Effective Method for Improving Low-Frequency Response of Geophone

The natural frequency of traditional velocity sensors such as moving coil geophones limits their measurable low-frequency range, and the damping ratio affects the flatness of the sensor in the amplitude and frequency curves, resulting in variations in sensitivity over the available frequency range. In this paper, the structure and working principle of the geophone are analyzed and its dynamics are modeled. After synthesizing the negative resistance method and zero-pole compensation, two commonly adopted low-frequency extension methods, a method for improving low-frequency response, which is a series filter and a subtraction circuit to increase the damping ratio, is proposed. Applying this method to improve the low-frequency response of the JF-20DX geophone, which has a natural frequency of 10 Hz, results in a flat response to acceleration in the frequency range from 1 to 100 Hz. Both the PSpice simulation and actual measurement show a much lower noise level via the new method. Testing the vibration at 10 Hz, the new method has a 17.52 dB higher signal-to-noise ratio than the traditional zero-pole method. Both theoretical analysis and actual measurement results show that this method has a simple circuit structure, introduces less circuit noise, and has a low-frequency response improvement effect, which provides an approach for the low-frequency extension of moving coil geophones.

Heat-induced local structural variation in porous-type amorphous alumina prepared by anodization

Porous-type anodic amorphous alumina is an important functional material in the current chemical industry and the future fields of nanotechnology and glass science. To identify their heat-induced local structural variations, anion-free, phosphate-, oxalate-, and sulfate-incorporated amorphous alumina were investigated. The glass transition temperature of the all amorphous alumina was determined to be ∼470 °C. In the phosphate-incorporated alumina, two-step crystallization process involving an anion-free inner layer and anion-incorporated outer layers were identified. In addition, the sensitive local structural variation in anion-free and -incorporated alumina was clarified. In the anion-free sample, the average coordination number (NAl–O) increases slightly just before the crystallization temperature due to nucleation. In the oxalate- and sulfate-incorporated samples, the average NAl–O gradually decreased and reached at value close to that of the anion-free sample due to gradual cleavage in the chemical bonds between the anions and aluminum ions. For the phosphate-incorporated sample, the average NAl–O decreased and exhibited a value substantially different from that of the anion-free sample because of the gradual formation of chemical bonds between phosphate and aluminum ions. These findings contribute to the development of an intrinsic understanding of the changes in physical and chemical properties with heat treatment for anodic alumina and the structural features of intermediate oxides that cannot be glass.

When should I run-the role of exercise timing in metabolic health.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions. First line therapy approaches are lifestyle interventions including exercise. Although a vast amount of studies reports on beneficial effects of exercise on metabolism in humans per se, overall data are contradictory which makes it difficult to optimize interventions. Innovative exercise strategies and its underlying mechanism are needed to elucidate in order to close this therapeutic gap. The skeletal muscle produces and secretes myokines and microRNAs in response to exercise and both are discussed as mechanisms linking exercise and metabolic adaptation. Aspects of chronophysiology such as diurnal variation in insulin sensitivity or exercise as a signal to reset dysregulated peripheral clocks are of growing interest in the context of impaired metabolism. Deep insight of how exercise timing determines metabolic adaptations is required to optimize exercise interventions. This review aims to summarize the current state of research on the interaction between timing of exercise and metabolism in humans, providing insights into proposed mechanistic concepts focusing on myokines and microRNAs. First evidence points to an impact of timing of exercise on health outcome, although data are inconclusive. Underlying mechanisms remain elusive. It is currently unknown if the timed release of mykokines depends on time of day when exercise is performed. microRNAs have been found as an important mediator of processes associated with exercise adaptation. Further research is needed to evaluate their full relevance. In conclusion, it seems to be too early to provide concrete recommendations on timing of exercise to maximize beneficial effects.

Intravenous immunoglobulin-resistant Kawasaki disease: Risk factors in children in a middle-income country.

Identifying risk factors in patients with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) resistance Kawasaki disease (KD) is vital in managing and preventing coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs). We aimed to study the risk factors for IVIG resistance KD in Malaysian children. This retrospective observational study of children with KD was conducted at two tertiary hospitals in Malaysia from January 2014 to December 2019. Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors associated with IVIG resistance. A total of 174 patients, 118 males (67.8%) with a median age of 1.4-year-old (interquartile range: 0.1-12.1-year-old), were analyzed. Early (<5 days) and late (>10 days) IVIG treatments were observed in 14 (8.1%) and 19 (11.0%), respectively. Thirty-two patients (18.4%) had IVIG resistance. The independent factors associated with IVIG resistance were high white cell count, hypoalbuminemia, and extremities changes with an odd ratio of 4.7, 3.0, and 4.0, respectively. In addition, CAA was significantly higher in IVIG resistance compared to IVIG responder patients (57.5% [19/33] vs. 23.4% [33/141], P < 0.001). The sensitivity was high in Harada (93.8%) but low in Kobayashi and Egami (46.9% and 34.4%, respectively). The specificity was high with Egami (79.6%) but low in Harada and Kobayashi (22.5% and 64.1%, respectively). Leukocytosis, hypoalbuminemia, and extremities changes were independent risk factors for IVIG resistance. The variation in sensitivity and specificity of the Japanese scoring makes it unsuitable for predicting IVIG resistance in Malaysian children.

Individual differences in acoustic variability and perceptual sensitivity to subphonemic variation

Individual differences are robustly attested in both speech production and perception, with interspeaker variation in production frequently observed in the same domains in which extensive variation is observed across listeners in perception. This study extends existing research by examining whether the relationship between production variability and perceptual sensitivity previously observed for vowels (e.g., Perkell et al., 2008; Franken et al., 2017) is also observed for consonants. 55 speakers of American English completed two online tasks designed to evaluate individual differences in the production and perception of /s/ and /ɹ/: a sentence production task and a 4IAX perceptual discrimination task. Preliminary comparison of acoustic variability measurements from the production task and response accuracy measurements from the perception task suggest that individual differences in these two domains are sometimes, but not always, related across speakers. Specifically, production variability and perceptual sensitivity were correlated for phonologically meaningful acoustic dimensions in the liquid phoneme /ɹ/, but not for any measured dimensions in the fricative phoneme /s/.

RNA in-situ hybridization for pathology-based diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP): current diagnostics for FIP and comparison to the current gold standard

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a systemic disease of cats caused by a highly pathogenic variant of feline coronavirus, or FCoV. Two distinct genotypes of FCoV exist (also referred to as serotypes): Type 1 viruses constitute the vast majority of FIP cases, while type 2 viruses are responsible for the remaining infections. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) currently serves as the gold standard for diagnosis of FIP; however, IHC is limited by variations in sensitivity. RNA in situ hybridization (RNA ISH) has an established foothold in infectious disease diagnostics and presents a potentially improved method for detection of FIP. This proof-of-concept study evaluated the efficacy of RNA ISH probes targeted to FCoV, as compared to IHC using monoclonal antibody FIP 3-70. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from FIP-positive cats were used for ISH, with the presence of RNA determined chromogenically. ISH tissue slides were then compared to their IHC counterparts, with efficacy determined based on metrics including staining intensity and abundance. Positive ISH staining on tissue was found to be both more intense and abundant than for IHC, suggesting that ISH serves as a highly sensitive method for the detection of FCoV/FIP in comparison to IHC - a finding that awaits further validation.

A review of ultrasound for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in adults

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies globally, with a lifetime incidence of 8.6% in men and 6.7% in women. While acute appendicitis should be managed promptly to reduce the morbidity associated with perforated appendicitis, morbidity from negative appendicectomy is similar to morbidity from uncomplicated appendicitis. Computer tomography is widely used to aid in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, however, is costly, often has a slow turn around time, and is associated with exposure to ionising radiation. In contrast, ultrasound is cheap, widely available, requires minimal patient preparation, and does not require exposure to ionising radiation. Ultrasonography is becoming increasingly used for adult patients in emergency settings. The literature has estimated the sensitivity of ultrasound for acute appendicitis in adult patients as between 39-96.4%. The sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis is significantly increased when the appendix is visualised. In cases of a non visualised appendix, indirect ultrasound signs can improve the sensitivity to 93.9% and specificity to 85.7%. The variation in sensitivity and specificity for ultrasound in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in adults may be due to multiple factors. Ultrasonographer experience, a retrocaecal appendix and obesity have all been described. Given the availability, cost and potential to reduce the rate of negative appendicectomy, ultrasound should be considered as the first line imaging modality for adult patients presenting with suspected AA.