Biodegradable, Non-Enzymatic, Non-Invasive and Cost-Effective Ethanol Sensing Material and Its Electrochemical Characteristics

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a cost-effective, quick, and non-invasive imaging modality that has yet to be incorporated in uterine artery embolization (UAE). We present two cases that demonstrate the utility of CEUS in UAE for the identification of uterine-ovarian collaterals which otherwise can result in ineffective fibroid treatment and non-target embolization.

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Review of Various Tasks Performed in the Preprocessing Phase of a Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosis System

Current Medical Imaging Formerly Current Medical Imaging Reviews ◽

10.2174/1573405615666190219102427 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 397-426

Author(s):

Muhammad Nadeem Ashraf ◽

Muhammad Hussain ◽

Zulfiqar Habib

Keyword(s):

Diabetic Retinopathy ◽

Blood Vessels ◽

Early Stage ◽

Spherical Shape ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Lesion Detection ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Cad System ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Optic Discs

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a major cause of blindness in diabetic patients. The increasing population of diabetic patients and difficulty to diagnose it at an early stage are limiting the screening capabilities of manual diagnosis by ophthalmologists. Color fundus images are widely used to detect DR lesions due to their comfortable, cost-effective and non-invasive acquisition procedure. Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD) of DR based on these images can assist ophthalmologists and help in saving many sight years of diabetic patients. In a CAD system, preprocessing is a crucial phase, which significantly affects its performance. Commonly used preprocessing operations are the enhancement of poor contrast, balancing the illumination imbalance due to the spherical shape of a retina, noise reduction, image resizing to support multi-resolution, color normalization, extraction of a field of view (FOV), etc. Also, the presence of blood vessels and optic discs makes the lesion detection more challenging because these two artifacts exhibit specific attributes, which are similar to those of DR lesions. Preprocessing operations can be broadly divided into three categories: 1) fixing the native defects, 2) segmentation of blood vessels, and 3) localization and segmentation of optic discs. This paper presents a review of the state-of-the-art preprocessing techniques related to three categories of operations, highlighting their significant aspects and limitations. The survey is concluded with the most effective preprocessing methods, which have been shown to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the CAD systems.

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Prostate Cancer Liquid Biopsy Biomarkers’ Clinical Utility in Diagnosis and Prognosis

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13133373 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (13) ◽

pp. 3373

Author(s):

Milena Matuszczak ◽

Jack A. Schalken ◽

Maciej Salagierski

Keyword(s):

Prostate Cancer ◽

Liquid Biopsy ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Prostate Gland ◽

Specific Antigen ◽

Transrectal Ultrasound ◽

Digital Rectal Examination ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Diagnosis And Prognosis

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer in men worldwide. The current gold standard for diagnosing PCa relies on a transrectal ultrasound-guided systematic core needle biopsy indicated after detection changes in a digital rectal examination (DRE) and elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level in the blood serum. PSA is a marker produced by prostate cells, not just cancer cells. Therefore, an elevated PSA level may be associated with other symptoms such as benign prostatic hyperplasia or inflammation of the prostate gland. Due to this marker’s low specificity, a common problem is overdiagnosis, which leads to unnecessary biopsies and overtreatment. This is associated with various treatment complications (such as bleeding or infection) and generates unnecessary costs. Therefore, there is no doubt that the improvement of the current procedure by applying effective, sensitive and specific markers is an urgent need. Several non-invasive, cost-effective, high-accuracy liquid biopsy diagnostic biomarkers such as Progensa PCA3, MyProstateScore ExoDx, SelectMDx, PHI, 4K, Stockholm3 and ConfirmMDx have been developed in recent years. This article compares current knowledge about them and their potential application in clinical practice.

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RoboEye, an Efficient, Reliable and Safe Semi-Autonomous Gaze Driven Wheelchair for Domestic Use

Technologies ◽

10.3390/technologies9010016 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 16

Author(s):

Luca Maule ◽

Alessandro Luchetti ◽

Matteo Zanetti ◽

Paolo Tomasin ◽

Marco Pertile ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mobile Robotics ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Continuous Control ◽

Eye Tracker ◽

Motor Disability ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Severe Motor ◽

Core Elements ◽

Domestic Use ◽

User Friendly

Any severe motor disability is a condition that limits the ability to interact with the environment, even the domestic one, caused by the loss of control over one’s mobility. This work presents RoboEYE, a power wheelchair designed to allow users to move easily and autonomously within their homes. To achieve this goal, an innovative, cost-effective and user-friendly control system was designed, in which a non-invasive eye tracker, a monitor, and a 3D camera represent some of the core elements. RoboEYE integrates functionalities from the mobile robotics field into a standard power wheelchair, with the main advantage of providing the user with two driving options and comfortable navigation. The most intuitive and direct modality foresees the continuous control of frontal and angular wheelchair velocities by gazing at different areas of the monitor. The second, semi-autonomous modality allows navigation toward a selected point in the environment by just pointing and activating the wished destination while the system autonomously plans and follows the trajectory that brings the wheelchair to that point. The purpose of this work was to develop the control structure and driving interface designs of the aforementioned driving modalities taking into account also uncertainties in gaze detection and other sources of uncertainty related to the components to ensure user safety. Furthermore, the driving modalities, in particular the semi-autonomous one, were modeled and qualified through numerical simulations and experimental verification by testing volunteers, who are regular users of standard electric wheelchairs, to verify the efficiency, reliability and safety of the proposed system for domestic use. RoboEYE resulted suitable for environments with narrow passages wider than 1 m, which is comparable with a standard domestic door and due to its properties with large commercialization potential.

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Proteins and microRNAs are differentially expressed in tear fluid from patients with Alzheimer’s disease

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-019-51837-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Aidan Kenny ◽

Eva M. Jiménez-Mateos ◽

María Ascensión Zea-Sevilla ◽

Alberto Rábano ◽

Pablo Gili-Manzanaro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Unmet Need ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Specific Protein ◽

Tear Fluid ◽

Initiation Factor ◽

Non Invasive ◽

A Genome ◽

Potential Biomarker

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by a progressive loss of neurons and cognitive functions. Therefore, early diagnosis of AD is critical. The development of practical and non-invasive diagnostic tests for AD remains, however, an unmet need. In the present proof-of-concept study we investigated tear fluid as a novel source of disease-specific protein and microRNA-based biomarkers for AD development using samples from patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD. Tear protein content was evaluated via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and microRNA content was profiled using a genome-wide high-throughput PCR-based platform. These complementary approaches identified enrichment of specific proteins and microRNAs in tear fluid of AD patients. In particular, we identified elongation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) as a unique protein present only in AD samples. Total microRNA abundance was found to be higher in tears from AD patients. Among individual microRNAs, microRNA-200b-5p was identified as a potential biomarker for AD with elevated levels present in AD tear fluid samples compared to controls. Our study suggests that tears may be a useful novel source of biomarkers for AD and that the identification and verification of biomarkers within tears may allow for the development of a non-invasive and cost-effective diagnostic test for AD.

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Rapid identification of wood species using XRF and neural network machine learning

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-96850-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Aaron N. Shugar ◽

B. Lee Drake ◽

Greg Kelley

Keyword(s):

Neural Network ◽

Machine Learning ◽

Convolutional Neural Network ◽

Wood Species ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Rapid Identification ◽

Invasive Technique ◽

X Ray ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Cost Effective Alternative

AbstractAn innovative approach for the rapid identification of wood species is presented. By combining X-ray fluorescence spectrometry with convolutional neural network machine learning, 48 different wood specimens were clearly differentiated and identified with a 99% accuracy. Wood species identification is imperative to assess illegally logged and transported lumber. Alternative options for identification can be time consuming and require some level of sampling. This non-invasive technique offers a viable, cost-effective alternative to rapidly and accurately identify timber in efforts to support environmental protection laws and regulations.

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DIAGNOSTIC POSSIBILITIES OF MODERN BIOCHEMICAL STUDY OF SPUTUM FROM PATIENTS WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS (LITERATURE REVIEW)

Russian Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics ◽

10.18821/0869-2084-2019-64-1-24-28 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 64 (1) ◽

pp. 24-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. V. Kozlov ◽

O. A. Gusyakova ◽

A. A. Ereshchenko ◽

A. V. Khaliulin

Keyword(s):

Cystic Fibrosis ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Proteinase Inhibitors ◽

Biochemical Study ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Laboratory Method ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Cost Effective Method ◽

Α2 Macroglobulin ◽

Biochemical Studies

The review presents the pathobiochemical and molecular mechanisms of sputum formation in patients with cystic fibrosis associated with the pathophysiological features of the disease. Statistical data on the prevalence of this pathology in the world and in the Russian Federation are presented. The mechanisms of sputum formation and disorders of the mucociliary apparatus, leading to the accumulation of viscous bronchopulmonary secret in cystic fibrosis, are considered. The principles of the relationship between the rheological properties of sputum and the formation of inflammation in the lungs with the addition of a concomitant specific microflora in the bronchopulmonary system in patients with cystic fibrosis are presented. Describes the opportunities for biochemical studies of sputum of patients with this pathology: determining the activity of enzymes (myeloperoxidase), the content of proteinase inhibitors (α2-macroglobulin and α1-antitrypsin) and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-8 and TNFa), concentrations of iron and ferriferous proteins (lactoferrin and ferritin), which makes biochemical studies of sputum available, non-invasive, quick and cost-effective method of diagnosis, which can be widely used as an auxiliary laboratory method and makes it possible to use these metabolites as diagnostic markers to assess the severity of inflammation and infection of the lower respiratory tract and predict the development of respiratory complications in patients with cystic fibrosis.

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Should we still be testing for asymptomatic non-specific urethritis in departments of genitourinary medicine?

International Journal of STD & AIDS ◽

10.1258/0956462053654311 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 273-277 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

P J Horner

Keyword(s):

Current Practice ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Review Article ◽

Nucleic Acid Amplification ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Genitourinary Medicine ◽

The Cost ◽

Urine Specimens ◽

Asymptomatic Men

It has recently been advocated that non-invasive testing with first-catch urine specimens using nucleic acid amplification techniques, to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, should replace routine microscopy on asymptomatic men. Although it is assumed that this strategy will be cost effective, the available evidence suggests that this will result in fewer sexually transmitted infections being averted than continuing the current practice of screening for urethritis and testing for both microorganisms in asymptomatic men. This review article summarizes the available evidence and argues that research is urgently needed in order to properly evaluate the cost-effectiveness of detecting urethritis in asymptomatic men.

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Easy-to-Fabricate K2Pd(SO3)2-Dyed Polyester Fabric with Highly Selective and Fast Response to Carbon Monoxide

Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology ◽

10.1166/jnn.2021.19418 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (8) ◽

pp. 4400-4405

Author(s):

Junyeop Lee ◽

Nam Gon Do ◽

Dong Hyuk Jeong ◽

Sae-Wan Kim ◽

Maeum Han ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Carbon Monoxide ◽

Color Change ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Fast Response ◽

Polyester Fabric ◽

High Porosity ◽

Sensing Material ◽

Sensitivity And Selectivity ◽

And Performance

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, tasteless, extremely flammable, and highly toxic gas. It is produced when there is insufficient oxygen supply during the combustion of carbon to produce carbon dioxide (CO2). CO is produced from operating engines, stoves, or furnaces. CO poisoning occurs when CO accumulates in the bloodstream and can result in severe tissue damage or even death. Many types of CO sensors have been reported, including electrochemical, semiconductor metal-oxide, catalytic combustion, thermal conductivity, and infrared absorption-type for the detection of CO. However, despite their excellent selectivity and sensitivity, issues such as complexity, power consumption, and calibration limit their applications. In this study, a fabricbased colorimetric CO sensor is proposed to address these issues. Potassium disulfitopalladate (II) (K2Pd(SO3)2) is dyed on a polyester fabric as a sensing material for selective CO detection. The sensing characteristics and performance are investigated using optical instruments such as RGB sensor and spectrometer. The sensor shows immediate color change when exposed to CO at a concentration that is even lower than 20 ppm before 2 min. The fast response time of the sensor is attributed to its high porosity to react with CO. This easy-to-fabricate and cost-effective sensor can detect and prevent the leakage of CO simultaneously with high sensitivity and selectivity toward CO.

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