scholarly journals Improving Accuracy of Brainstem MRI Volumetry: Effects of Age and Sex, and Normalization Strategies

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Sander ◽  
Antal Horvath ◽  
Simon Pezold ◽  
Simon Andermatt ◽  
Michael Amann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Relative Standard Deviation ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Intracranial Volume ◽  
Imaging Protocols ◽  
Relative Standard ◽  
Mri Volumetry ◽  
Improving Accuracy ◽  
Age And Sex

Background: Brainstem-mediated functions are impaired in neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Atrophy can be visualized by MRI. This study investigates extrinsic sources of brainstem volume variability, intrinsic sources of anatomical variability, and the influence of age and sex on the brainstem volumes in healthy subjects. We aimed to develop efficient normalization strategies to reduce the effects of intrinsic anatomic variability on brainstem volumetry.Methods: Brainstem segmentation was performed from MPRAGE data using our deep-learning-based brainstem segmentation algorithm MD-GRU. The extrinsic variability of brainstem volume assessments across scanners and protocols was investigated in two groups comprising 11 (median age 33.3 years, 7 women) and 22 healthy subjects (median age 27.6 years, 50% women) scanned twice and compared using Dice scores. Intrinsic anatomical inter-individual variability and age and sex effects on brainstem volumes were assessed in segmentations of 110 healthy subjects (median age 30.9 years, range 18–72 years, 53.6% women) acquired on 1.5T (45%) and 3T (55%) scanners. The association between brainstem volumes and predefined anatomical covariates was studied using Pearson correlations. Anatomical variables with associations of |r| > 0.30 as well as the variables age and sex were used to construct normalization models using backward selection. The effect of the resulting normalization models was assessed by % relative standard deviation reduction and by comparing the inter-individual variability of the normalized brainstem volumes to the non-normalized values using paired t- tests with Bonferroni correction.Results: The extrinsic variability of brainstem volumetry across different field strengths and imaging protocols was low (Dice scores > 0.94). Mean inter-individual variability/SD of total brainstem volumes was 9.8%/7.36. A normalization based on either total intracranial volume (TICV), TICV and age, or v-scale significantly reduced the inter-individual variability of total brainstem volumes compared to non-normalized volumes and similarly reduced the relative standard deviation by about 35%.Conclusion: The extrinsic variability of the novel brainstem segmentation method MD-GRU across different scanners and imaging protocols is very low. Anatomic inter-individual variability of brainstem volumes is substantial. This study presents efficient normalization models for variability reduction in brainstem volumetry in healthy subjects.

scholarly journals Normalization of Spinal Cord Total Cross-Sectional and Gray Matter Areas as Quantified With Radially Sampled Averaged Magnetization Inversion Recovery Acquisitions

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva M. Kesenheimer ◽  
Maria Janina Wendebourg ◽  
Matthias Weigel ◽  
Claudia Weidensteiner ◽  
Tanja Haas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Spinal Canal ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Inversion Recovery ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Relative Standard ◽  
Subject Variability ◽  
Age And Sex

Background: MR imaging of the spinal cord (SC) gray matter (GM) at the cervical and lumbar enlargements' level may be particularly informative in lower motor neuron disorders, e. g., spinal muscular atrophy, but also in other neurodegenerative or autoimmune diseases affecting the SC. Radially sampled averaged magnetization inversion recovery acquisition (rAMIRA) is a novel approach to perform SC imaging in clinical settings with favorable contrast and is well-suited for SC GM quantitation. However, before applying rAMIRA in clinical studies, it is important to understand (i) the sources of inter-subject variability of total SC cross-sectional areas (TCA) and GM area (GMA) measurements in healthy subjects and (ii) their relation to age and sex to facilitate the detection of pathology-associated changes. In this study, we aimed to develop normalization strategies for rAMIRA-derived SC metrics using skull and spine-based metrics to reduce anatomical variability.Methods: Sixty-one healthy subjects (age range 11–93 years, 37.7% women) were investigated with axial two-dimensional rAMIRA imaging at 3T MRI. Cervical and thoracic levels including the level of the cervical (C4/C5) and lumbar enlargements (Tmax) were examined. SC T2-weighted sagittal images and high-resolution 3D whole-brain T1-weighted images were acquired. TCA and GMAs were quantified. Anatomical variables with associations of |r| > 0.30 in univariate association with SC areas, and age and sex were used to construct normalization models using backward selection with TCAC4/C5 as outcome. The effect of the normalization was assessed by % relative standard deviation (RSD) reductions.Results: Mean inter-individual variability and the SD of the SC area metrics were considerable: TCAC4/5: 8.1%/9.0; TCATmax: 8.9%/6.5; GMAC4/C5: 8.6%/2.2; GMATmax: 12.2%/3.8. Normalization based on sex, brain WM volume, and spinal canal area resulted in RSD reductions of 23.7% for TCAs and 12.0% for GM areas at C4/C5. Normalizations based on the area of spinal canal alone resulted in RSD reductions of 10.2% for TCAs and 9.6% for GM areas at C4/C5, respectively.Discussion: Anatomic inter-individual variability of SC areas is substantial. This study identified effective normalization models for inter-subject variability reduction in TCA and SC GMA in healthy subjects based on rAMIRA imaging.

An Automated Procedure for the Determination of Ammonia in Tobacco

1972 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P.F. Collins ◽  
W.W. Lawrence ◽  
J.F. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Relative Standard Deviation ◽  
Distillation Method ◽  
Relative Standard ◽  
Tobacco Sample ◽  
Automated Determination

AbstractA procedure for the automated determination of ammonia in tobacco has been developed. Ammonia is extracted from the ground tobacco sample with water and is determined with a Technicon Auto Analyser system which employs separation of the ammonia through volatilization followed by colourimetry using the phenate-hypochlorite reaction. The procedure has been applied to a variety of tobaccos containing from 0.02 to 0.5 % ammonia with an overall relative standard deviation of 2 %. The accuracy of the procedure as judged by recovery tests and by comparison to a manual distillation method is considered adequate

How Certain Are the Reported Ionic Conductivities of Thiophosphate-Based Solid Electrolytes? an Interlaboratory Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saneyuki Ohno ◽  
Tim Bernges ◽  
Johannes Buchheim ◽  
Marc Duchardt ◽  
Anna-Katharina Hatz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Ionic Conductivity ◽  
Relative Standard Deviation ◽  
Solid Electrolytes ◽  
Ionic Conductivities ◽  
Ionic Conductors ◽  
Energy Storage Devices ◽  
Activation Barriers ◽  
Storage Devices ◽  
Relative Standard

<p>Owing to highly conductive solid ionic conductors, all-solid-state batteries attract significant attention as promising next-generation energy storage devices. A lot of research is invested in the search and optimization of solid electrolytes with higher ionic conductivity. However, a systematic study of an <i>interlaboratory reproducibility</i> of measured ionic conductivities and activation energies is missing, making the comparison of absolute values in literature challenging. In this study, we perform an uncertainty evaluation via a Round Robin approach using different Li-argyrodites exhibiting orders of magnitude different ionic conductivities as reference materials. Identical samples are distributed to different research laboratories and the conductivities and activation barriers are measured by impedance spectroscopy. The results show large ranges of up to 4.5 mScm<sup>-1</sup> in the measured total ionic conductivity (1.3 – 5.8 mScm<sup>-1</sup> for the highest conducting sample, relative standard deviation 35 – 50% across all samples) and up to 128 meV for the activation barriers (198 – 326 meV, relative standard deviation 5 – 15%, across all samples), presenting the necessity of a more rigorous methodology including further collaborations within the community and multiplicate measurements.</p>

scholarly journals Indirect and Direct Determination of the Casein Content of Milk by Kjeldahl Nitrogen Analysis: Collaborative Study

1998 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 763-774 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna M Lynch ◽  
David M Barbano ◽  
J Richard Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Relative Standard Deviation ◽  
Collaborative Study ◽  
Direct Determination ◽  
Raw Milk ◽  
Method Performance ◽  
Relative Standard ◽  
Milk Casein

Abstract The classic method for determination of milk casein is based on precipitation of casein at pH 4.6. Precipitated milk casein is removed by filtration and the nitrogen content of either the precipitate (direct casein method) or filtrate (noncasein nitrogen; NCN) is determined by Kjeldahl analysis. For the indirect casein method, milk total nitrogen (TN; Method 991.20) is also determined and casein is calculated as TN minus NCN. Ten laboratories tested 9 pairs of blind duplicate raw milk materials with a casein range of 2.42- 3.05℅ by both the direct and indirect casein methods. Statistical performance expressed in protein equivalents (nitrogen ⨯ 6.38) with invalid and outlier data removed was as follows: NCN method (wt%), mean = 0.762, sr = 0.010, SR = 0.016, repeatability relative standard deviation (RSDr) = 1.287℅, reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSDR) = 2.146%; indirect casein method (wt℅), mean = 2.585, repeatability = 0.015, reproducibility = 0.022, RSDr = 0.560℅, RSDR = 0.841; direct casein method (wt℅), mean = 2.575, sr = 0.015, sR = 0.025, RSDr = 0.597℅, RSDR = 0.988℅. Method performance was acceptable and comparable to similar Kjeldahl methods for determining nitrogen content of milk (Methods 991.20, 991.21,991.22, 991.23). The direct casein, indirect casein, and noncasein nitrogen methods have been adopted by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

scholarly journals A computer-controlled potentiometric/spectrophotometric titrator

1988 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-100
Author(s):  
John D. Stong
Keyword(s):  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Relative Standard Deviation ◽  
Bromophenol Blue ◽  
System Control ◽  
Data Format ◽  
Relative Standard ◽  
Spectrophotometric Titrations ◽  
Computer Controlled ◽  
Major Attention ◽  
Diode Array Spectrophotometer

A laboratory computer controlled potentiometric titrator interfaced to a diode array spectrophotometer is described. The titrator consists of widely used, commercially available components; therefore, major attention is given to modes of interconnection and software implementation in data format and system control. Replicate potentiometric titrations of glycines gave a relative standard deviation in titre of 1.035% and a relative standard deviation in pH of 0.745%. Replicate spectrophotometric titrations of bromophenol blue were analysed at three wavelengths to yield pKa= 3.898 ± 0.075 (1.9% rsd).Methods of data presentation and manipulation are presented.

Determination of Nitrate in Water by HPLC

2013 ◽  
Vol 448-453 ◽  
pp. 406-408
Author(s):  
Jing Liu ◽  
Xiao Na Ji ◽  
Qing Kai Ren ◽  
Sheng Shu Ai ◽  
Li Jun Wan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Relative Standard Deviation ◽  
Recovery Rate ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Separation Efficiency ◽  
Fast Analysis ◽  
Relative Standard

We established a method fordetermination of nitrate in water by High Performance Liquid Chromatography(HPLC). The sample was analysed by HPLC-ADA and was quantitated by externalstandard method after being simply processed. This methd has the advantages ofhigh separation efficiency and fast analysis. The experiment result showed thatthe linearly dependent coefficient was0.994, the recovery rate was between 98.7%～105.7%,the relative standard deviation（RSD）wasless than 2.1 %, and the lowest detectable limit is 0.01ng (S/N=1.6).

scholarly journals Determination of 1,3-Dichloropropanol in Soy Sauce and Related Products by Headspace Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectrometric Detection: Interlaboratory Study

2005 ◽  
Vol 88 (5) ◽  
pp. 1404-1412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Hasnip ◽  
Colin Crews ◽  
Nicholas Potter ◽  
Paul Brereton ◽  
Henri Diserens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gas Chromatography ◽  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Relative Standard Deviation ◽  
Internal Standard ◽  
Mass Spectrometric ◽  
Soy Sauce ◽  
Headspace Gas Chromatography ◽  
Relative Standard ◽  
Headspace Gas

Abstract An interlaboratory study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of a headspace gas chromatography (GC) method for the determination of 1,3-dichloro-propan-2-ol (1,3-DCP) in soy sauce and related products at levels above 5 ng/g. The test portion is mixed with an internal standard (d5-1,3-DCP) and ammonium sulfate in a sealed headspace vial. After achieving equilibrium, the headspace is sampled either by gas-tight syringe or solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and analyzed by GC with mass spectrometric detection. 1,3-DCP is detected in the selected-ion mode (monitoring m/z 79 and 81 for 1,3-DCP and m/z 82 for the deuterated internal standard) and quantified by measurement against standards. Test materials comprising soy, dark soy, mushroom soy, and teriyaki sauces, both spiked and naturally contaminated, were sent to 9 laboratories in Europe, Japan, and the United States; of these, 5 used SPME and 4 used syringe headspace analysis. Test portions were spiked at 5.0, 10.0, 20.0, 100.0, and 500.0 ng/g. The average recovery for spiked blank samples was 108% (ranging from 96–130%). Based on results for spiked samples (blind pairs at 5, 10, 20, 100, and 500 ng/g) as well as a naturally contaminated sample (split-level pair at 27 and 29 ng/g), the relative standard deviation for repeatability (RSDr) ranged from 2.9–23.2%. The relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSDR) ranged from 20.9–35.3%, and HorRat values of between 1.0 and 1.6 were obtained.

scholarly journals A Novel Process for Manufacturing High-Friction Rings with a Closely Defined Coefficient of Static Friction (Relative Standard Deviation 3.5%) for Application in Ship Engine Components

Materials ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 448
Author(s):  
Wojciech S. Gora ◽  
Jesper V. Carstensen ◽  
Krystian L. Wlodarczyk ◽  
Mads B. Laursen ◽  
Erica B. Hansen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Friction Coefficient ◽  
Relative Standard Deviation ◽  
Static Friction ◽  
Laser Surface ◽  
Laser Surface Texturing ◽  
Textured Surface ◽  
Fibre Lasers ◽  
Static Friction Coefficient ◽  
Relative Standard

In recent years, there has been an increased uptake for surface functionalization through the means of laser surface processing. The constant evolution of low-cost, easily automatable, and highly repeatable nanosecond fibre lasers has significantly aided this. In this paper, we present a laser surface-texturing technique to manufacture a surface with a tailored high static friction coefficient for application within driveshafts of large marine engines. The requirement in this application is not only a high friction coefficient, but a friction coefficient kept within a narrow range. This is obtained by using nanosecond-pulsed fibre lasers to generate a hexagonal pattern of craters on the surface. To provide a suitable friction coefficient, after laser processing the surface was hardened using a chromium-based hardening process, so that the textured surface would embed into its counterpart when the normal force was applied in the engine application. Using the combination of the laser texturing and surface hardening, it is possible to tailor the surface properties to achieve a static friction coefficient of ≥0.7 with ~3–4% relative standard deviation. The laser-textured and hardened parts were installed in driveshafts for ship testing. After successfully performing in 1500 h of operation, it is planned to adopt the solution into production.

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