Evaluation of conventional imaging techniques on preoperative localization in primary hyperparathyroidism

We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic and preoperative localization capacity of Tc-99m methoxyisobutylnitrile (MIBI) parathyroid scintigraphy and ultrasonography (USG) in enlarged parathyroid glands in the primary hyperparathyroidism (pH PT), as well as the relationship between the success rate of these techniques and biochemical values. We retrospectively evaluated 39 patients with clinical and biological evidence of pHPT who referred to the university hospital for MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy. Patients were examined with USG and double-phase MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy for the detection of enlarged parathyroid glands. Preoperative serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels, calcium (Ca), phosphate and alkaline phosphatase measurements were obtained. A total of 45 parathyroid lesions in 39 patients were reviewed. Thirty-four patients had a single adenoma and five patients with multi-gland disease had 11 abnormal parathyroid glands including three adenomas, whereas the remaining 8 glands showed hyperplasia. The overall sensitivities of MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy, USG, and combined techniques were 85.3%, 72.5% and 90.4%, respectively; the positive predictive values (PPV) were 89.7%, 85.2%, and 92.6%, respectively. The most successful approach for detection of enlarged parathyroid glands in hyperparathyroidism is the concurrent application of USG and MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy modalities. The concomitance of thyroid diseases decreases the sensitivity of both MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy and USG in enlarged parathyroid glands

Regional Distributions of Distant Metastases Detected in Differentiated Thyroid Cancers

Aim: The aim of our multicenter study is to determine retrospectively the regional distributions of distant metastases which are detected in differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC). Material and Method:Thirty-two of 960 patients with distant metastases who were given radioiodine (RAI) treatment in Gaziantep University School of Medicine and Mustafa Kemal University School of Medicine were included to study. Six of patients were male, 26 of them were female. Mean age was 52 15.4. Hystopathological diagnoses were reported as papillary thyroid cancer in 23 patients and folliculary thyroid cancer in 9 patients. The distant metastasis ratio, metastasis regions and distributions were determined. Results: It was observed only lung metastasis in 18 (56.25 b), only bone metastasis in 6 (18.75 To), combination of lung and bone metastases in 3 (9.4 %), other organ metastases accompanying to bone and lung metastases in 5 (9.4 %) (liver, soft tissue, mediastinum) and multipl organ involvoment in 2 (6.2 96) of patients. It was determined single metastasis region in 24 (75 To), 2 metastasis regions in 6 (18.75 glo) and multipl metastasis regions in 2 (6.25 WO of patients. Discussion: Distant metastases are the biggest problem in treatment and follow-up of DTCs. It is very important to diagnosis of metastases and determine the regions of involvoment in these patients

Delivering computationally-intensive digital patient applications to the clinic: An exemplar solution to predict femoral bone strength from CT data

Background and objective:Whilst fragility hip fractures commonly affect elderly people, often causing permanent disability or death, they are rarely addressed in advance through preventive techniques. Quantification of bone strength can help to identify subjects at risk, thus reducing the incidence of fractures in the population. In recent years, researchers have shown that finite element models (FEMs) of the hip joint, derived from computed tomography (CT) images, can predict bone strength more accurately than other techniques currently used in the clinic. The specialised hardware and trained personnel required to perform such analyses, however, limits the widespread adoption of FEMs in clinical contexts. In this manuscript we present CT2S (Computed Tomography To Strength), a system developed in collaboration between The University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, designed to streamline access to this complex workflow for clinical end-users. Methods:The system relies on XNAT and makes use of custom apps based on open source software. Available through a website, it allows doctors in the healthcare environment to benefit from FE based bone strength estimation without being exposed to the technical aspects, which are concealed behind a user-friendly interface. Clinicians request the analysis of CT scans of a patient through the website. Using XNAT functionality, the anonymised images are automatically transferred to the University research facility, where an operator processes them and estimates the bone strength through FEM using a combination of open source and commercial software. Following the analysis, the doctor is provided with the results in a structured report. Results:The platform, currently available for research purposes, has been deployed and fully tested in Sheffield, UK. The entire analysis requires processing times ranging from 3.5 to 8 h, depending on the available computational power. Conclusions:The short processing time makes the system compatible with current clinical workflows. The use of open source software and the accurate description of the workflow given here facilitates the deployment in other centres

An investigation of a sensitive voltammetric method for determination of chromium (VI) in presence of chromium (III) and its application to leather

Krom doğada Cr(III) ve Cr(VI) yükseltgenme basamaklarında bulunmaktadır. Cr(III) glikoz, lipit ve protein metabolizmasında memeliler için temel element olmakla birlikte Cr(VI) hücre membranına CrO4 2- veya HCrO4 - olarak difüzlenerek biyolojik molekülleri yükseltgediğinden yüksek toksik etkiye sahiptir. Bu nedenle özellikle Cr(III) varlığında Cr(VI)’nın duyar tayinine ilişkin yöntem geliştirmek son yıllarda önem kazanmıştır. Dericilik sanayinde Cr(III) tuzlarının önemi büyüktür. Hamderiler tabaklama adı verilen işlemle amino asit ve proteinlerle kompleks oluşturan Cr(III) tuzları ile tepkimeye sokularak çevre koşullarına karşı dayanıklı hale getirilir. İşlenti ve sonrasındaki saklama koşullarında yükseltgenme sonucu deri örneklerinde Cr(VI) derişimleri saptanmıştır. Bu çalışma kapsamında Cr(VI)’nın duyar tayini için katalitik adsorptif katodik sıyırma voltammetrik yöntem (Cat-AdCSV) kullanılmıştır. Deri örneklerinin içeriğindeki Cr(VI) IUC 18 standart yöntemine göre ekstrakte edildikten sonra dietilentriamin penta asetik asit (DTPA) varlığında asılı civa damla elektrotta -900 mV’da Cr(III)’e indirgenmi , oluşan DTPA-Cr(III) kompleksinin nitratın katalitik etkisi ile Cr(II)’ye indirgenme piki izlenerek, biriktirme potansiyeli, süresi, pH v.b. optimize edilen koşullarda Cr(VI) ppb altı derişimlerde saptanabilmiştir. Cr(III) iyonlarının girişimini gidermede nitrilotri asetik asit ile maskeleme ve iyon değiştirici reçineler kullanılmıştır. İyon değiştirici reçinelerin etkinliği ICP-OES tekniğiyle incelenmiştir. Farklı deri örneklerindeki Cr(VI) miktarları aynı zamanda spektrofotometrik yolla 1,5 difenil karbazit reaktifi ile oluşturduğu renk şiddetinden yararlanılarak saptanmıştır (IUC18). Voltammetrik yöntemle elde edilen sonuçlar IUC 18 standart spektroskopik yöntemle elde edilen sonuçlarla karşılaştırılmış ve uyumlu bulunmuştur

Hangar Parking Optimization with Path Planning Integration: A novel Approach to Minimize Movements via A* Adaptations and Neighborhood Search

Research on hangar parking is scarce and either neglects or oversimplifies towing considerations. In this paper, a novel approach is presented that integrates towing operations as a fundamental aspect of the hangar parking optimization, and uniquely focuses on minimizing towing operations. For the method, two A* adaptations, Dynamic State A* and Meta A*, are developed extending the current considerations of linear maneuverability and individual movements. These adaptations enhance maneuvering freedom and enable coordinated towing sequences, ensuring consistent resolution of obstacles. To address the combined complexity of nesting and path planning problems, a neighborhood search strategy is adopted, adheringto a strict no-overlap placement policy to ensure consistent solution feasibility. The No-fit Raster (NFR) and Inner-fit Raster (IFR) are employed to effectively manage non-overlap and containment for irregular aircraft shapes. Parking configurations are generated through a custom Minimum Individual Utilization (MIU) placement strategy. The permissible parking orientations were extended from 2 to 8, with respect to current research. To validate the novel approach, a case study was conducted, providing empirical evidence of partial minimization being achieved. Additionally, a general trend towards towing reduction and convergencewas observed. The results were reviewed by a towing expert, confirming the method’s potential for usability within real-world operational contexts. However, two primary limitations were identified: Deadlock-Inducing Placement (DIP), which may lead to simulation failures, and ’rotational jumps’ that misleadingly appear to avoid conflicts with stationary aircraft.Aerospace Engineerin

A Sensitive Voltammetric Method for Chromium(VI) in Presence of Chromium(III) and its Application to Leather

WOS: 000294096900003The presence of chromium(VI) in leather is a subject of considerable interest in the tannery sector. Cr(VI) is usually controlled by standard spectrophotometric methods that utilize 1:5 diphenyl carbazide. However, the detection limit of this method is around the prohibited limit of Cr(VI) set for most of the leather products, being 3mgkg(-1). Present study describes the Catalytic Cathodic Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetric method for Cr(VI) determination in the presence of Cr(III). The Cr(VI) content of leather samples was extracted according to the IUC 18 standard method and it was reduced to Cr(III) in the presence of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) on a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) at -0.90V. The catalytic effect of nitrate ions on the reduction peak of DTPA-Cr(III) complex was exploited for Cr(VI) analysis at sub-ppb level. Ion exchange resins were used to eliminate the interference of Cr(III) ions and their efficiency for removal was examined by ICP-OES. The voltammetric method was proved to be sensitive for Cr(VI) determination in leather samples in the presence of Cr(III)

How Do Mobile Wallets Improve Sustainability in Payment Services? A Comprehensive Literature Review

Easy access to the Internet, smartphones, and mobile-based banking change customer shopping intentions. As a crucial component of financial technology (Fintech), mobile wallets enable customers to shop via smartphones. Mobile wallets present a cashless transactional method, cost-efficient services, and traceable options that improve sustainability in payment services. Over the last decade, mobile wallet services have evolved and attracted considerable attention from customers and companies. Due to the need for a comprehensive mobile wallet literature survey, this article aims at filling this research gap by covering articles published between 2012 and 2022 over the Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases. A clear filtering policy was conducted to observe the related article topics. Thus, 128 articles that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were analyzed. Moreover, the articles were initially classified into three main groups, which was performed via scanning and categorizing all studies in the last ten years from different databases. In addition, the literature was systematically reviewed, providing a better understanding of mobile wallets and contributing to the literature by researching how this service can be improved for payment services with a focus on sustainability. The conducted literature review revealed that mobile wallets could be promoted in terms of environmental traceability, customer lifetime value, and security

How Do Mobile Wallets Improve Sustainability in Payment Services? A Comprehensive Literature Review

Easy access to the Internet, smartphones, and mobile-based banking change customer shopping intentions. As a crucial component of financial technology (Fintech), mobile wallets enable customers to shop via smartphones. Mobile wallets present a cashless transactional method, cost-efficient services, and traceable options that improve sustainability in payment services. Over the last decade, mobile wallet services have evolved and attracted considerable attention from customers and companies. Due to the need for a comprehensive mobile wallet literature survey, this article aims at filling this research gap by covering articles published between 2012 and 2022 over the Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases. A clear filtering policy was conducted to observe the related article topics. Thus, 128 articles that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were analyzed. Moreover, the articles were initially classified into three main groups, which was performed via scanning and categorizing all studies in the last ten years from different databases. In addition, the literature was systematically reviewed, providing a better understanding of mobile wallets and contributing to the literature by researching how this service can be improved for payment services with a focus on sustainability. The conducted literature review revealed that mobile wallets could be promoted in terms of environmental traceability, customer lifetime value, and security