A practical approach example to measurement uncertainty: Evaluation of 26 immunoassay parameters

IntroductionMeasurement uncertainty is a non-negative parameter that characterizes the distribution of all values appropriate to the measured size and is associated with the measured result. In this study, we aimed to compare the results with various suggestions and produce more qualified results by calculating the measurement uncertainties of the immunoassays like fertility hormones, drug concentration tests, cardiac markers, thyroid function tests and tumour markers. Materials and methodsUncertainty calculation was made in accordance with the top-down approach according to Nordtest guide. The 12-month study of internal and external quality assessment results were used. The parameters of drug concentration tests were performed on the Abbott Architect c8000, other hormones/markers on the i2000 of the same brand. ResultsFactors that increased the measurement uncertainty of a test were due to external quality control data. The calculations showed that 13 of 26 parameters satisfied quality requirements. The highest uncertainty value, with 28% belonged to cancer antigen 19-9 test. The lowest value was calculated for prolactin with 8.3%. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and phenytoin performed poorly in terms of measurement uncertainty, although internal and external quality control assessment results were considered favourable for both. ConclusionIt is recommended that the concept of measurement uncertainty, which plays an important role in the total quality performance of the laboratory, should be followed up by the clinical laboratory experts at certain time intervals and should be increased the awareness of clinicians about the subject

ESAT6-Induced IFNγ and CXCL9 Can Differentiate Severity of Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: Protective responses against Mycobacterium tuberculosis are dependent on appropriate T cell and macrophage activation. Mycobacterial antigen six kDa early secreted antigenic target (ESAT6) and culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP10) can detect M. tuberculosis specific IFNgamma responses. However, most studies have been performed in non-endemic regions and to study pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). We have studied ESAT6 and CFP10 induced cytokine and chemokines responses in PTB and extrapulmonary (EPul) TB. METHODOLOGY: IFNgamma, IL10, CXCL9 and CCL2 responses were determined using an ex vivo whole blood assay system in PTB (n = 30) and EPulTB patients with limited (LNTB, n = 24) or severe (SevTB, n = 22) disease, and in healthy endemic controls (ECs). Responses to bacterial LPS were also determined. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: ESAT6- and CFP10-induced IFNgamma was comparable between ECs and TB patients. Both ESAT6- and CFP10-induced IFNgamma secretion was greater in LNTB than PTB. ESAT6-induced CXCL9 was greater in EPulTB as compared with PTB, with an increase in SevTB as compared with LNTB. CFP10-induced CCL2 was higher in PTB than LNTB patients. LPS-stimulated CXCL9 was greatest in SevTB and LPS-induced CCL2 was increased in PTB as compared with LNTB patients. A positive correlation between ESAT6-induced IFNgamma and CXCL9 was present in all TB patients, but IFNgamma and CCL2 was only correlated in LNTB. ESAT-induced CCL2 and CXCL9 were significantly associated in LNTB while correlation in response to LPS was only present in SevTB. CONCLUSIONS: ESAT6 induced IFNgamma and CXCL9 can differentiate between limited and severe TB infections

Implementing PointNet for point cloud segmentation in the heritage context

Automated Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) from the point cloud data has been researched in the last decade as HBIM can be the integrated data model to bring together diverse sources of complex cultural content relating to heritage buildings. However, HBIM modelling from the scan data of heritage buildings is mainly manual and image processing techniques are insufficient for the segmentation of point cloud data to speed up and enhance the current workflow for HBIM modelling. Artificial Intelligence (AI) based deep learning methods such as PointNet are introduced in the literature for point cloud segmentation. Yet, their use is mainly for manufactured and clear geometric shapes and components. To what extent PointNet based segmentation is applicable for heritage buildings and how PointNet can be used for point cloud segmentation with the best possible accuracy (ACC) are tested and analysed in this paper. In this study, classification and segmentation processes are performed on the 3D point cloud data of heritage buildings in Gaziantep, Turkey. Accordingly, it proposes a novel approach of activity workflow for point cloud segmentation with deep learning using PointNet for the heritage buildings. Twenty-eight case study heritage buildings are used, and AI training is performed using five feature labelling for segmentation namely, walls, roofs, floors, doors, and windows for each of these 28 heritage buildings. The dataset is divided into clusters with 80% training dataset and 20% prediction test dataset. PointNet algorithm was unable to provide sufficient accuracy in segmenting the point clouds due to deformation and deterioration on the existing conditions of the heritage case study buildings. However, if PointNet algorithm is trained with the restitution-based heritage data, which is called synthetic data in the research, PointNet algorithm provides high accuracy. Thus, the proposed approach can build the baseline for the accurate classification and segmentation of the heritage buildings

Oropharyngeal Hairy Polyp Causing Dysphagia

Hairy polyp is a rare, benign tumor that comprises ectodermal and mesodermal germ layers. The embryogenesis of hairy polyp is precisely unknown, and concurrently, it has a female predominance. Although hairy polyp is observed in every part of the body; it is frequently located in the nasopharynx and oropharynx. Respiratory distress and feeding difficulties are the most related symptoms. Differential diagnoses comprise hemangioma, teratoma, epidermoid cyst, neuroblastoma, and meningocele. In this report, a seven-year-old patient who was admitted to our clinic with swallowing difficulty because of an oropharyngeal hairy polyp was described

False-Positive Laryngeal FDG Uptake During PET/CT Imaging: Reinke’s Edema

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is frequently used for diagnosing, staging, and following-up various malignancy types because it provides information on the site and metabolic activity of the tumor. Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake by the normal laryngeal tissue is symmetric and low, whereas that under some non-malignant conditions of the larynx, such as vocal cord paralysis and Teflon granuloma, is asymmetrically increased. We reported the first case of histologically proven Reinke’s edema causing false-positive laryngeal FDG uptake on PET/CT imaging. A clinician must be aware of these rare benign lesions in the case of increased FDG uptake, and histopathological investigation is mandatory to rule out malignancy for suspicious cases

Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Spreading into Branchial Cleft Cyst

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common type of thyroid malignancy and it can cause cystic metastasis to the neck region. Branchial cleft cysts (BCCs) are among the most commonly encountered congenital cystic neck masses. PTC metastasis into BCC has been rarely reported in the literature. In this case report we report a patient presenting with a cystic neck mass for which fine needle aspiration biopsy was reported as benign cytology and eventually was diagnosed as PTC metastasis to the BCC. The importance of investigating the thyroglobulin levels in fine needle aspiration materials of cystic neck masses for early diagnosis of possible PTC metastasis is specifically emphasized

Periodontal Hastalık ve Şiddetli Akut Solunum Sendromu Koronavirüs (Sars-Cov-2) Enfeksiyonu Arasındaki İlişki

ÖZ AMAÇ: Periodontal hastalıklar ve sistemik hastalıklar arasında güçlü bir ilişki vardır. Şiddetli SARS-CoV-2 enfeksiyonlarındaki sitokin fırtınası ile periodontitisteki sitokin ekspresyon profili arasında benzerlik olduğu belirtilmiştir. Ayrıca periodontitis ile COVID-19 ve ilişkili komplikasyonları arasında olası bir bağlantı olduğu da saptanmıştır. Bu çalışmanın amacı periodontal hastalık şiddeti ve SARS-CoV-2 enfeksiyon şiddeti arasındaki olası ilişkiyi değerlendirmektir. GEREÇ ve YÖNTEM: Bu retrospektif çalışmaya 241 birey dahil edilmiştir. Hastaların sistemik bulguları ve klinik parametreleri (plak indeksi, gingival indeks, klinik ataşman kaybı, sondlanabilir cep derinliği, sondlamada kanama ve diş eti çekilmesi miktarı) önceden kaydedilmiş veriler arasından elde edilmiştir. COVID-19 hikayesi olan/ olmayan hastalar kaydedilmiştir. COVID-19 tespit edilen bireylerin hastalığı geçirdiği ortam, semptom varlığı, semptom var ise hangileri olduğu, ventilasyon cihazına ihtiyaç durumu ile ilgili bilgileri kaydedilmiştir. Hastalar; sağlıklı, gingivitis ve periodontitis olarak sınıflandırılmıştır. Periodontitis teşhisi olan hastalar Evrelere (I-II / III-IV) ayrılmıştır. BULGULAR: Bu çalışmanın sonuçlarına göre periodontal hastalık şiddeti ve COVID-19 enfeksiyonu arasında ilişki ve semptom varlığı açısından fark bulunamamıştır (p= 0.366). SONUÇ: Bu çalışmada elde edilen veriler doğrultusunda periodontal hastalık şiddeti ve SARS-CoV-2 hastalığının geçirilme şiddeti, semptomları, yoğun bakım ihtiyacı ve ventilasyon cihazına gereksinimi arasında bir ilişki bulunamamıştır. Bu konuda daha fazla araştırma yapılmasına ihtiyaç vardır. ANAHTAR KELİME: COVID, EVRE, PERİODONTİTİS, SARS-COV

The effect of temperature on angiogenesis in chicken embryos

Anjiyogenez embriyonik dönemde yeni damarların oluşumunda önemli bir rol oynar. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Koryoallantoik Membran (KAM) modeli kullanılarak 37.50C ve 39.00C olacak şekilde iki farklı kuluçka sıcaklığına maruz bırakılan tavuk embriyolarında anjiyogenez sürecindeki olası farklılıkları belirlemektir. Çalışmada her birinde 16’şar adet döllü tavuk yumurtasının analiz edildiği deney ve kontrol grubu olmak üzere iki grup yer aldı. Yumurtalar inkübasyonun 7. gününde penset ve cerrahi makas yardımıyla embriyoya zarar vermeden açıldı. Fotoğrafları çekilen embriyoların tepe-kıç ve occipitofrontal uzunlukları ile KAM’daki damar kalınlıkları, damar yoğunluğu ve damar dal sayıları ImageJ programı kullanılarak ölçüldü. Verilerin istatistiksel analizi SPSS programı aracılığıyla yapıldı. Sıcaklığa bağlı olarak 39.00C’de inkübe edilen yumurtalardan elde edilen embriyoların tepe-kıç uzunluklarının değerlerinde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı olmasa da bir azalma mevcuttu. Bununla birlikte occipito-frontal uzunluk değerlerinin arttığı, kafatasının daha büyük bir görünüme sahip olduğu ve bu artışın istatistiksel olarak anlamlı olduğu tespit edildi (p<0.05). 37.50C’de inkübe edilen yumurtalardan elde edilen embriyoların damar yoğunluğu ortalaması 1.58±0.57 iken, 39.00C’de inkübe edilen yumurtalardan elde edilen embriyoların ortalama damar yoğunluğu 1.46±0.61 olarak tespit edildi. Ortalama damar yoğunluğu değerleri arasında istatistiksel olarak gruplar arasında bir fark gözlenmedi (p>0.05). Her iki grubun karşılaştırılmasında artan sıcaklığa bağlı olarak damar dal sayısında bir azalma (37.50C’de 35.44±10.97, 39.00C’de 24.94±6.97) olduğu görüldü. Bu azalmanın istatistiksel olarak anlamlı olduğu tespit edildi (p<0.05). Genel anlamda sıcaklık artışının tavuk embriyolarında KAM’da damar yoğunluğu, kalınlığı ve dal sayısında bir azalmaya sebep olduğu gözlendi. Sonuç olarak embriyolarda büyüme ve gelişmenin olumsuz yönde etkilendiği belirlendi.Angiogenesis plays an important role in the formation of new vessels in the embryonic period. The aim of this study is to determine possible differences in angiogenesis process in chicken embryos exposed to two different incubation temperatures of 37.50C and 39.00C using Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) model. The study included two groups, each with an experimental and control group, in which 16 fertilized chicken eggs were analyzed. The eggs were opened on the 7th day of incubation with the aid of forceps and surgical scissors without damaging the embryo. Head-stern, occipito-frontal length, vessel thickness, density and number of each embryo on CAM were measured by ImageJ. Statistical analysis of the data was performed by SPSS program. Depending on the temperature, there was a decrease, although not statistically significant, in the values of head-stern lengths of the embryos obtained from the eggs incubated at 39.00C. However, it was determined that occipito-frontal length values increased, the skull had a larger appearance and this increase was statistically significant (p<0.05). The mean density of embryos obtained from eggs incubated at 37.50C was 1.58±0.57, while the mean vessel density of embryos obtained from eggs incubated at 39.00C was 1.46±0.61. There was no statistically difference between mean vessel density values (p>0.05). A comparison of both groups showed a decrease in the number of vascular branches (35.44±10.97 at 37.50C, 24.94±6.97 at 39.00C) due to the increasing temperature. This decrease was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). In general, it was observed that the increase in temperature caused a decrease in vessel density, thickness and number of branches in chicken embryos on CAM. As a result, it was determined that growth and development were negatively affected in embryos