367 research outputs found

    Моделирование энергопотребления зданий: оценка статической и динамической моделей

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    The aim of the present paper is to show recent results obtained in modeling the building system, presenting a review on the common numerical models used to estimate the energy consumptions. In particular, both steady-state and dynamic models are investigated by analyzing their main assumptions, limitations and fields of usage. As a matter of fact, the most common models are based on steady state approaches, but new technologies and the need to implement innovative regulation criteria for heating and cooling systems by performing detailed coupled studies on the building and heating/cooling systems, push towards the use of dynamic tools with low computational costs. Therefore, the use of dynamic models is often suggested, especially when different building configurations are investigated (as e. g. in the design stage or for a renovation perspective). Starting from this point, sensitive analyses on the installation of a proper insulation in the building envelope is then presented.Цель данной работы — показать последние результаты, полученные при моделировании системы здания, с описанием общих численных моделей, используемых для оценки энергопотребления. В частности на статических и динамических моделях исследованы основные допущения, ограничения и область использования путем их анализа. Собственно говоря, наиболее распространенные модели основаны на установившихся подходах, но новые технологии и необходимость внедрения для систем отопления и холодоснабжения инновационных критериев регулирования с использованием подробного анализа здания и систем отопления/охлаждения, подталкивают к использованию динамических инструментов с низкими вычислительными затратами. Таким образом, часто целесообразно использование динамических моделей, особенно когда существуют разные конфигурации здания (как, например, в стадии проектирования или для перспективной реконструкции). В статье представлен анализ установки правильного утеплителя в ограждающих конструкциях

    A critical appraisal of the quality of adult dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry guidelines in osteoporosis using the AGREE II tool: An EuroAIM initiative

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    Objectives: Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the most widely used technique to measure bone mineral density (BMD). Appropriate and accurate use of DXA is of great importance, and several guidelines have been developed in the last years. Our aim was to evaluate the quality of published guidelines on DXA for adults. Methods: Between June and July 2016 we conducted an online search for DXA guidelines, which were evaluated by four independent readers blinded to each other using the AGREE II instrument. A fifth independent reviewer calculated scores per each domain and agreement between reviewers\u2019 scores. Results: Four out of 59 guidelines met inclusion criteria and were included. They were published between 2005 and 2014. Three out of four guidelines reached a high level of quality, having at least five domain scores higher than 60%. Domain 1 (Scope and Purpose) achieved the highest result (total score = 86.8 \ub1 3.7%). Domain 6 (Editorial Independence) had the lowest score (total score = 54.7 \ub1 12.5%). Interobserver agreement ranged from fair (0.230) to good (0.702). Conclusions: Overall, the quality of DXA guidelines is satisfactory when evaluated using the AGREE II instrument. The Editorial Independence domain was the most critical, thus deserving more attention when developing future guidelines. Main messages: \u2022 Three of four guidelines on DXA had a high quality level (>60%). \u2022 Scope/purpose had the highest score (86.8 \ub1 3.7%). \u2022 Editorial Independence had the lowest score (54.7 \ub1 12.5%). \u2022 Interobserver agreement ranged from fair (0.230) to good (0.702)

    Blockchain in radiology research and clinical practice: current trends and future directions

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    Blockchain usage in healthcare, in radiology, in particular, is at its very early infancy. Only a few research applications have been tested, however, blockchain technology is widely known outside healthcare and widely adopted, especially in Finance, since 2009 at least. Learning by history, radiology is a potential ideal scenario to apply this technology. Blockchain could have the potential to increase radiological data value in both clinical and research settings for the patient digital record, radiological reports, privacy control, quantitative image analysis, cybersecurity, radiomics and artificial intelligence. Up-to-date experiences using blockchain in radiology are still limited, but radiologists should be aware of the emergence of this technology and follow its next developments. We present here the potentials of some applications of blockchain in radiology

    Ivar, an interpretation‐oriented tool to manage the update and revision of variant annotation and classification

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    The rapid evolution of Next Generation Sequencing in clinical settings, and the resulting challenge of variant reinterpretation given the constantly updated information, require robust data management systems and organized approaches. In this paper, we present iVar: a freely available and highly customizable tool with a user‐friendly web interface. It represents a platform for the unified management of variants identified by different sequencing technologies. iVar accepts variant call format (VCF) files and text annotation files and elaborates them, optimizing data organization and avoiding redundancies. Updated annotations can be periodically re‐uploaded and associated with variants as historically tracked attributes, i.e., modifications can be recorded whenever an updated value is imported, thus keeping track of all changes. Data can be visualized through variant‐centered and sample‐centered interfaces. A customizable search function can be exploited to periodically check if pathogenicity‐related data of a variant has changed over time. Patient recontacting ensuing from variant reinterpretation is made easier by iVar through the effective identification of all patients present in the database carrying a specific variant. We tested iVar by uploading 4171 VCF files and 1463 annotation files, obtaining a database of 4166 samples and 22,569 unique variants. iVar has proven to be a useful tool with good performance in terms of collecting and managing data from a medium‐throughput laboratory

    Brca detection rate in an italian cohort of luminal early-onset and triple-negative breast cancer patients without family history: When biology overcomes genealogy

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    NCCN Guidelines recommend BRCA genetic testing in individuals with a probability >5% of being a carrier. Nonetheless, the cost-effectiveness of testing individuals with no tumor family history is still debated, especially when BRCA testing is offered by the national health service. Our analysis evaluated the rate of BRCA pathogenic or likely-pathogenic variants in 159 triplenegative breast cancer (TNBC) patients diagnosed ≤60 years, and 109 luminal-like breast cancer (BC) patients diagnosed ≤35 without breast and/or ovarian family histories. In TNBC patients, BRCA mutation prevalence was 22.6% (21.4% BRCA1). Mutation prevalence was 64.2% ≤30 years, 31.8% in patients aged 31–40, 16.1% for those aged 41–50 and 7.9% in 51–60s. A total of 40% of patients with estrogen receptors (ER) 1–9% were BRCA1 carriers. BRCA detection rate in early-onset BCs was 6.4% (4.6% BRCA2). Mutation prevalence was 0% between 0–25 years, 9% between 26–30 years and 6% between 31–35 years. In conclusion, BRCA testing is recommended in TNBC patients diagnosed ≤60 years, regardless of family cancer history or histotype, and by using immunohistochemical staining <10% for both ER and/PR. In luminal-like early-onset BC, a lower BRCA detection rate was observed, suggesting a role for other predisposing genes along with BRCA genetic testing

    Radiomics analysis in ovarian cancer: A narrative review

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    Ovarian cancer (OC) is the second most common gynecological malignancy, accounting for about 14,000 deaths in 2020 in the US. The recognition of tools for proper screening, early diagnosis, and prognosis of OC is still lagging. The application of methods such as radiomics to medical images such as ultrasound scan (US), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or positron emission tomography (PET) in OC may help to realize so-called “precision medicine” by developing new quantification metrics linking qualitative and/or quantitative data imaging to achieve clinical diagnostic endpoints. This narrative review aims to summarize the applications of radiomics as a support in the management of a complex pathology such as ovarian cancer. We give an insight into the current evidence on radiomics applied to different imaging methods

    Changes in gene expression in human skeletal stem cells transduced with constitutively active Gs\u3b1 correlates with hallmark histopathological changes seen in fibrous dysplastic bone

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    Fibrous dysplasia (FD) of bone is a complex disease of the skeleton caused by dominant activating mutations of the GNAS locus encoding for the \u3b1 subunit of the G protein-coupled receptor complex (Gs\u3b1). The mutation involves a substitution of arginine at position 201 by histidine or cysteine (Gs\u3b1R201H or R201C), which leads to overproduction of cAMP. Several signaling pathways are implicated downstream of excess cAMP in the manifestation of disease. However, the pathogenesis of FD remains largely unknown. The overall FD phenotype can be attributed to alterations of skeletal stem/progenitor cells which normally develop into osteogenic or adipogenic cells (in cis), and are also known to provide support to angiogenesis, hematopoiesis, and osteoclastogenesis (in trans). In order to dissect the molecular pathways rooted in skeletal stem/progenitor cells by FD mutations, we engineered human skeletal stem/progenitor cells with the Gs\u3b1R201C mutation and performed transcriptomic analysis. Our data suggest that this FD mutation profoundly alters the properties of skeletal stem/progenitor cells by pushing them towards formation of disorganized bone with a concomitant alteration of adipogenic differentiation. In addition, the mutation creates an altered in trans environment that induces neovascularization, cytokine/chemokine changes and osteoclastogenesis. In silico comparison of our data with the signature of FD craniofacial samples highlighted common traits, such as the upregulation of ADAM (A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease) proteins and other matrix-related factors, and of PDE7B (Phosphodiesterase 7B), which can be considered as a buffering process, activated to compensate for excess cAMP. We also observed high levels of CEBPs (CCAAT-Enhancer Binding Proteins) in both data sets, factors related to browning of white fat. This is the first analysis of the reaction of human skeletal stem/progenitor cells to the introduction of the FD mutation and we believe it provides a useful background for further studies on the molecular basis of the disease and for the identification of novel potential therapeutic targets

    A Multicentric, Single Arm, Prospective, Stratified Clinical Investigation to Confirm MammoWave’s Ability in Breast Lesions Detection

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    Novel techniques, such as microwave imaging, have been implemented in different prototypes and are under clinical validation, especially for breast cancer detection, due to their harmless technology and possible clinical advantages over conventional imaging techniques. In the prospective study presented in this work, we aim to investigate through a multicentric European clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT05300464) the effectiveness of the MammoWave microwave imaging device, which uses a Huygens-principle-based radar algorithm for image reconstruction and comprises dedicated image analysis software. A detailed clinical protocol has been prepared outlining all aspects of this study, which will involve adult females having a radiologist study output obtained using conventional exams (mammography and/or ultrasound and/or magnetic resonance imaging) within the previous month. A maximum number of 600 volunteers will be recruited at three centres in Italy and Spain, where they will be asked to sign an informed consent form prior to the MammoWave scan. Conductivity weighted microwave images, representing the homogeneity of the tissues’ dielectric properties, will be created for each breast, using a conductivity = 0.3 S/m. Subsequently, several microwave image parameters (features) will be used to quantify the images’ non-homogenous behaviour. A selection of these features is expected to allow for distinction between breasts with lesions (either benign or malignant) and those without radiological findings. For all the selected features, we will use Welch’s t-test to verify the statistical significance, using the gold standard output of the radiological study review
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