Applying Object Detection to Marine Data and Exploring Explainability of a Fully Convolutional Neural Network Using Principal Component Analysis

With the rise of focus on man made changes to our planet and wildlife therein, more and more emphasis is put on sustainable and responsible gathering of resources. In an effort to preserve maritime wildlife the Norwegian government decided to create an overview of the presence and abundance of various species of marine lives in the Norwegian fjords and oceans. The current work evaluates the possibility of utilizing machine learning methods in particular the You Only Look Once version 3 algorithm to detect fish in challenging conditions characterized by low light, undesirable algae growth and high noise. It was found that the algorithm trained on images collected during the day time under natural light could detect fish successfully in images collected during night under artificial lighting. The overall average precision score of 88% was achieved. Later principal component analysis was used to analyze the features learned in different layers of the network. It is concluded that for the purpose of object detection in specific application areas, the network can be considerably simplified since many of the feature detector turns our to be redundant.acceptedVersio

Kattelukens påvirkning på utendørs aktivitet og atferd hos norske huskatter (Felis catus)

Huskatter er et populært kjæledyr i mange norske hjem. Selv om katten er godt kjent blant oss, er det lite vi vet om hvordan de beveger seg og hvor de oppholder seg når vi ikke er i nærheten. Kattene i denne studien brukte et GPS-halsbånd, som logget posisjoner hvert minutt, for å undersøke deres bevegelser utendørs. Disse dataene ble brukt til å finne ut hvor langt kattene gikk i gjennomsnitt fra hjemmet og hvordan faktorer som kjønn, alder og om de hadde katteluke eller ikke påvirket dette. I tillegg ble det undersøkt om katteluke hadde noen påvirkning på når på døgnet kattene var aktive og om det hadde noen effekt på predasjon av små pattedyr og fugl. Ved å lage ulike “Generalized Linear Models” (GLMs) ble de beste modellene valgt ut for gjennomsnittlig distanse og jakt ved å bruke ΔAICc < 2. Hunnene var de beste jegerne, spesielt da de gikk langt, men jaktadferd kunne vært enda bedre studert dersom kamera i kombinasjon med GPS-halsbånd hadde blitt brukt. Hannkatter med katteluke vandret betydelig lenger enn andre katter, og voksne gikk lenger enn unge katter. Dette samsvarer med andre studier om katter som viser at de vil gå lenger og lenger etter hvert som de blir voksne. Kattene viste også en høyere aktivitet om natten og gikk noe lenger i gjennomsnitt og maks distanse på denne tiden av døgnet. Det kan ses i lys av at katter er nattjegere og dersom de har tilgang til uteområder om natten vil den gå lenger. Det finnes generelt lite forskning på hvordan katteluke kan påvirke atferd hos katter. Fremtidige studier bør fokuserte på hvordan katters atferd påvirkes av om de har katteluke eller ikke, med spesielt fokus på hvordan potensielle adferdsforskjeller mellom katter med og uten katteluke kan påvirke dyrelivet i nærheten.Domestic cats are popular pets in Norwegian households, yet little is known about their movement and behavior when their owners are not present. The cats in this study wore a GPS collar that logged their positions every minute to investigate their outdoor movements. These data were used to determine how far the cats traveled on average from home and how factors such as gender, age, and the presence of a cat flap affected their movement outside the home. Additionally, the study examined whether cat flaps influenced the cats' activity patterns, particularly their hunting behaviors and predation of small mammals and birds. Using various “Generalized Linear Models” (GLMs), models with the best fit were selected based on ΔAICc < 2 for average distance and hunting behavior. Female cats were found to be the most skilled hunters, particularly when they ventured further from home, although a more comprehensive study combining GPS collars with cameras could provide deeper insights into their hunting behaviors. Male cats with cat flaps were observed to cover significantly greater distances compared to other cats, and adult cats generally roamed farther than younger cats. These findings align with previous studies indicating that as cats mature, they tend to explore larger areas. The study also revealed heightened activity levels of the cats during nighttime, with slightly longer average and maximum distances covered during this period. This behavior can be attributed to cats' natural nocturnal hunting instincts, as they tend to venture further when given access to outdoor areas at night. Research on the effects of cat flap on feline behavior remains limited. Therefore, future studies should concentrate on examining how the presence or absence of cat flaps affects cats' behavior, with a specific emphasis on understanding potential behavioral variations between cats with and without cat flaps and their impact on local wildlife

Performance of Afinion HbA1c measurements in general practice as judged by external quality assurance data

Background: It has been debated whether point-of care (POC) glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) measurements methods can be used for diagnosing persons with diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the analytical performance of the POC Afinion HbA1c system in the hands of the users, and to investigate which predictors that were associated with good participant performance. Methods: External quality assurance (EQA) data from seven surveys in 2017–2018 with a total of 5809 Afinion participants from a POC total quality system in Norway were included in this study (response rate 90%). The control materials were freshly drawn pooled EDTA whole blood. Each participant was evaluated against the analytical performance specification of ±6% from the target value, while the Afinion system was evaluated against the pooled within-laboratory CV <2%, the between-laboratory CV <3.5%, and bias <0.3%HbA1c. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate which factors were associated with good participant performance. Results: The participant pass rates for each survey varied from 98.2% to 99.7%. The pooled within-laboratory CV varied from 1.3% to 1.5%, the between-laboratory CV varied from 1.5% to 2.1%, and bias varied between −0.17 and −0.01 %HbA1c in all surveys. Reagent lot was the only independent factor to predict good participant performance. Conclusions: Afinion HbA1c fulfilled the analytical performance specifications and is robust in the hands of the users. It can therefore be used both in diagnosing and monitoring persons with diabetes mellitus, given that the instrument is monitored by an EQA system.publishedVersio

A national surveillance program for evaluating new reagent lots in medical laboratories

Objectives Differences between laboratory results attributable to the use of different reagent lots can potentially affect the diagnosis and monitoring of patients. To minimize patient risks, all laboratories should verify that new reagent lots meet agreed analytical performance specifications (APS). We propose a simplified, pragmatic approach for laboratories that involves compilating results into a national surveillance program, and present the first results obtained when applying this approach to troponins, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and D-dimer. Methods In the surveillance program we have (i) determined APS for selected analytes, (ii) implemented a simplified procedure for lot evaluation with patient samples used in laboratories across Norway and (iii) performed central processing of the results from the participating laboratories. Results Over a one-year period, 27 Norwegian laboratories returned results from 28 lot changes for troponin I, 11 for troponin T, and 29 for HbA1c, PSA and D-dimer. The mean difference between two reagent lots was 4.5% for troponin I (for a concentration interval of 20–32 ng/L), 5.1% for troponin T (10.7–17.5 ng/L), 2.2% for HbA1c (40–50 mmol/mol), 3.7% for PSA (3–5 μg/L) and 5.5% for D-dimer (0.4–1.0 mg/L FEU). Conclusions A novel procedure for reagent lot evaluation is proposed in which information about multiple lot changes from different medical laboratories can be accumulated nationally. Sharing this information allows simplification of lot evaluations in individual laboratories and provides real-world data about lot-to-lot variations.publishedVersio

Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI): Applications in Health Care

GeoAI is a new emerging research area that refers to set of technologies that integrate AI technology with a diversity of GIS (Geographic Information System) techniques. The present study observed that GeoAI goes beyond current GIS expectations and into the domain of possibility in the not-too-distant future. This emerging interdisciplinary science will lead us to sustainable decisions and explore the most suitable solutions to the existing problems. GeoAI has the potential to transform current geography and geomatics programs by incorporating a GeoAI dimension into modern GIS curricula. In this review, we have studied the application GeoAI in various healthcare fields. GeoAI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare, public health, infectious disease control, disaster aid, and the achievements of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). in healthcare, GeoAI can help with disease diagnosis, treatment planning, and resource allocation. In public health, it can aid in disease surveillance, emergency response planning, and identifying health disparities. In infectious disease control, GeoAI can help predict and track disease outbreaks and support vaccination campaigns. In disaster aid, GeoAI can provide real time data on environmental hazards and their impact on public health. In achieving Sustainable Development Goals, it can support in land use planning, urban development, and resource allocation to promote health and environmental sustainability. Overall GeoAI has the potential to transform multiple sectors and improve the well-being of populations worldwide

Pre-analytical practices for routine coagulation tests in European laboratories. A collaborative study from the European Organisation for External Quality Assurance Providers in Laboratory Medicine (EQALM)

Background: Correct handling and storage of blood samples for coagulation tests are important to assure correct diagnosis and monitoring. The aim of this study was to assess the pre-analytical practices for routine coagulation testing in European laboratories. Methods: In 2013–2014, European laboratories were invited to fill in a questionnaire addressing pre-analytical requirements regarding tube fill volume, citrate concentration, sample stability, centrifugation and storage conditions for routine coagulation testing (activated partial thromboplastin time [APTT], prothrombin time in seconds [PT-sec] and as international normalised ratio [PT-INR] and fibrinogen). Results: A total of 662 laboratories from 28 different countries responded. The recommended 3.2% (105–109 mmol/L) citrate tubes are used by 74% of the laboratories. Tube fill volumes ≥90% were required by 73%–76% of the laboratories, depending upon the coagulation test and tube size. The variation in centrifugation force and duration was large (median 2500 g [10- and 90-percentiles 1500 and 4000] and 10 min [5 and 15], respectively). Large variations were also seen in the accepted storage time for different tests and sample materials, for example, for citrated blood at room temperature the accepted storage time ranged from 0.5–72 h and 0.5–189 h for PT-INR and fibrinogen, respectively. If the storage time or the tube fill requirements are not fulfilled, 72% and 84% of the respondents, respectively, would reject the samples. Conclusions: There was a large variation in pre-analytical practices for routine coagulation testing in European laboratories, especially for centrifugation conditions and storage time requirements.publishedVersio

Aggregated data from the same laboratories participating in two glucose external quality assessment schemes show that commutability and transfers of values to control materials are decisive for the biases found

Objectives We report the results of glucose measurements performed during one year by the same measurement procedures (MPs) in 58 Norwegian hospital laboratories using control materials provided by external quality assessment (EQA) schemes from two different providers. The providers used materials with presumed vs. verified commutability and transfers of values using reference material vs. using a highest-order reference MP. Methods Data from six Labquality and three Noklus glucose EQA surveys were aggregated for each MP (Abbott Alinity, Abbott Architect, Roche Cobas, and Siemens Advia) in each scheme. For each EQA result, percent difference from target value (% bias) was calculated. Median percent bias for each MP per scheme was then calculated. Results The median % biases observed for each MP in the Labquality scheme were significantly larger than those in the Noklus scheme, which uses verified commutable control materials and highest-order reference MP target values. The difference ranged from 1.2 (Roche Cobas, 2.9 vs. 1.7 %) to 4.4 percentage points (Siemens Advia, 3.2 % vs. −1.2 %). The order of bias size for the various MPs was different in the two schemes. In contrast to the Labquality scheme, the median % biases observed in the Noklus scheme for Abbott Alinity (−0.1 %), Abbott Architect (−0.5 %), and Siemens Advia (−1.2 %) were not significantly different from target value (p>0.756). Conclusions This study underlines the importance of using verified commutable EQA materials and target values traceable to reference MPs in EQA schemes designed for assessment of metrological traceability of laboratory results.publishedVersio

Analytical quality control of INR measurements in primary care

In Norway, most patients on oral anticoagulation with warfarin are treated in primary care. The treatment is monitored with the laboratory method prothrombin time, expressed as International normalized Ratio (INR). It is important that the INR methods have good analytical quality because the treatment (medical dose) depends on the INR result. Overdosing can cause severe bleedings and under dosing can lead to thrombosis. The laboratories in primary care control the analytical quality of their INR methods by performing internal quality control (IQC) and external quality assessment (EQA). There are, however, some challenges regarding these quality control systems. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate and suggest improvements of the analytical quality control of INR methods used in primary care. The primary care laboratories perform IQC mainly by two different approaches; 1) a commercial lyophilized control material is analyzed on the INR method and the result is compared with some control limits, 2) a fresh patient sample is analyzed both on the INR method and on a hospital method, and the difference between the methods is compared with some control limits. The latter approach is called split sample procedure. The primary care INR method is considered “in control” if the result is within the limits and “out of control” if the result is outside the limits (error alarm). The aim of paper I was to evaluate and compare these two IQC approaches in their ability to detect systematic errors. Power functions were created by computer simulations based on empirical data from 18 primary care laboratories using the INR methods Thrombotrack, CoaguChek S, or Hemochron Jr. Signature. The control rules 12S, 13S, exponential weighted moving average, and the deviation limits of ± 10% and ± 20% were evaluated by their probability of error detection and false alarms. The results showed that the probability of detecting systematic errors was higher when lyophilized control materials were used compared to patient split samples. The probability of false alarms was, however, the same. The conclusion in paper I was that IQC of INR methods in primary care should be performed by using control materials rather than the split sample procedure. The split sample procedure with native patient samples should be restricted to method bias estimation. International guidelines recommend that primary care laboratories should participate in an EQA scheme whenever available. The aim of paper II was to investigate if and how the European countries provide this service for point-of-care (POC) INR methods. Thirty European countries were asked, and nineteen countries reported that they do not provide EQA schemes for POC INR methods, while 12 organizations from nine countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and United Kingdom) reported that they offer this service. All 12 organizations answered a questionnaire regarding their schemes, and the results showed that there is a vide variation in how the schemes are organized. However, the most common is to use lyophilized control materials, establish peer group target values, use an acceptability limit of 15% and distribute four samples per year. Most of the countries organize educational activities with focus on quality improvement. The study in paper II demonstrates that most European countries do not provide EQA schemes for POC INR methods, and that the disadvantages in most of the provided schemes were the use of non-commutable control materials making comparison between different POC methods impossible. An important objective in EQA is to evaluate systematic deviations (bias) between methods. This is, however, not possible when non-commutable control materials with peer group target values are used. The aim of paper III was to develop a new EQA model in which an evaluation of method bias was incorporated in EQA schemes that use non-commutable materials. The model was developed based on the concept that a selected group of primary care laboratories should establish an estimate of the systematic deviation of the POC method from a designated comparison method by using fresh patient samples, and this information should then be incorporated in the feedback to the participants in the EQA scheme using non-commutable control materials. As a consequence, the participants will get more information about the analytical quality of their method. The model was applied twice in POC INR surveys among 1341 and 1578 participants, respectively. To estimate bias for each POC INR method, about 100 native patient samples were analyzed both by a selected group of expert primary care laboratories (72 and 69 in the first and second survey, respectively) and on a designated comparison method. Both method bias and the deviation of a single-participant result in the EQA schemes were evaluated against separate analytical quality specifications. Two POC INR methods (CoaguChek XS Plus and Simple Simon) fulfilled the quality specification for bias, whereas one did not (Thrombotrack). More than 90% of the participants received results within the quality specification for a deviating EQA result. In conclusion, a new EQA model for POC methods was proposed in paper III. This model can be used in situations where commutable control materials are not available. An editorial in the journal Clinical Chemistry has recommended that EQA organizers should implement this proposed EQA model