Internal validation of STRmix™ - A multi laboratory response to PCAST.

We report a large compilation of the internal validations of the probabilistic genotyping software STRmix™. Thirty one laboratories contributed data resulting in 2825 mixtures comprising three to six donors and a wide range of multiplex, equipment, mixture proportions and templates. Previously reported trends in the LR were confirmed including less discriminatory LRs occurring both for donors and non-donors at low template (for the donor in question) and at high contributor number.

Model-based Vestibular Afferent Stimulation: Modular Workflow for Analyzing Stimulation Scenarios in Patient Specific and Statistical Vestibular Anatomy.

Our sense of balance and spatial orientation strongly depends on the correct functionality of our vestibular system. Vestibular dysfunction can lead to blurred vision and impaired balance and spatial orientation, causing a significant decrease in quality of life. Recent studies have shown that vestibular implants offer a possible treatment for patients with vestibular dysfunction.

Dominant role of microglial and macrophage innate immune responses in human ischemic infarcts.

Inflammatory mechanisms, involving granulocytes, T-cells, B-cells, macrophages and activated microglia, have been suggested to play a pathogenic role in experimental models of stroke and may be targets for therapeutic intervention. However, knowledge on the inflammatory response in human stroke lesions is limited. Here, we performed a quantitative study on the inflammatory reaction in human ischemic infarct lesions.

Thyroid Function Within the Normal Range, Subclinical Hypothyroidism, and the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a highly prevalent disorder leading to heart failure, stroke, and death. Enhanced understanding of modifiable risk factors may yield opportunities for prevention. The risk of AF is increased in subclinical hyperthyroidism, but it is uncertain whether variations in thyroid function within the normal range or subclinical hypothyroidism are also associated with AF.

Interventions to Improve Follow-up of Positive Results on Fecal Blood Tests: A Systematic Review.

Background: Fecal immunochemical testing is the most commonly used method for colorectal cancer screening worldwide. However, its effectiveness is frequently undermined by failure to obtain follow-up colonoscopy after positive test results.

Purpose: To evaluate interventions to improve rates of follow-up colonoscopy for adults after a positive result on a fecal test (guaiac or immunochemical).

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: long-term seizure outcome of patients primarily treated with transsylvian selective amygdalohippocampectomy.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to present long-term seizure outcome data in a consecutive series of patients with refractory mesial temporal lobe epilepsy primarily treated with transsylvian selective amygdalohippocampectomy (SAHE). METHODS The authors retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data for all patients who had undergone resective surgery for medically refractory epilepsy at their institution between July 1994 and December 2014. Seizure outcome was assessed according to the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the Engel classifications.

Multi-Atlas Segmentation Using Partially Annotated Data: Methods and Annotation Strategies.

Multi-atlas segmentation is a widely used tool in medical image analysis, providing robust and accurate results by learning from annotated atlas datasets. However, the availability of fully annotated atlas images for training is limited due to the time required for the labelling task. Segmentation methods requiring only a proportion of each atlas image to be labelled could therefore reduce the workload on expert raters tasked with annotating atlas images.

Modeling hypothermia induced effects for the heterogeneous ventricular tissue from cellular level to the impact on the ECG.

Hypothermia has a profound impact on the electrophysiological mechanisms of the heart. Experimental investigations provide a better understanding of electrophysiological alterations associated with cooling. However, there is a lack of computer models suitable for simulating the effects of hypothermia in cardio-electrophysiology.

Immune tolerance induced by platelet-targeted factor VIII gene therapy in hemophilia A mice is CD4 T cell mediated.

Unlabelled: Essentials The immune response is a significant concern in gene therapy. Platelet-targeted gene therapy can restore hemostasis and induce immune tolerance. CD4 T cell compartment is tolerized after platelet gene therapy.

The standardized EEG electrode array of the IFCN.

Standardized EEG electrode positions are essential for both clinical applications and research. The aim of this guideline is to update and expand the unifying nomenclature and standardized positioning for EEG scalp electrodes. Electrode positions were based on 20% and 10% of standardized measurements from anatomical landmarks on the skull.

Comparative accuracy of NT-proBNP and MR-proANP for the diagnosis of acute heart failure in dyspnoeic patients.

Aims: To compare the performance of the natriuretic peptides (NPs) NT-proBNP and MR-proANP for the diagnosis of acute heart failure (AHF) in subsets of conditions potentially confounding the interpretation of NPs.

Methods And Results: We studied 312 patients, presenting to the emergency department with new onset of dyspnoea or worsening of chronic dyspnoea within the last 2 weeks. Performance of NPs for the diagnosis of AHF was tested and compared using C-statistics in the entire cohort and in conditions previously described to confound interpretation of NPs such as older age, renal failure, obesity, atrial fibrillation or paced rhythm, and in the NT-proBNP grey zone.

SonoNet: Real-Time Detection and Localisation of Fetal Standard Scan Planes in Freehand Ultrasound.

Identifying and interpreting fetal standard scan planes during 2-D ultrasound mid-pregnancy examinations are highly complex tasks, which require years of training. Apart from guiding the probe to the correct location, it can be equally difficult for a non-expert to identify relevant structures within the image. Automatic image processing can provide tools to help experienced as well as inexperienced operators with these tasks.

Automated Detection of Motion Artefacts in MR Imaging Using Decision Forests.

The acquisition of a Magnetic Resonance (MR) scan usually takes longer than subjects can remain still. Movement of the subject such as bulk patient motion or respiratory motion degrades the image quality and its diagnostic value by producing image artefacts like ghosting, blurring, and smearing. This work focuses on the effect of motion on the reconstructed slices and the detection of motion artefacts in the reconstruction by using a supervised learning approach based on random decision forests.

Automatic multimodal detection for long-term seizure documentation in epilepsy.

Objective: This study investigated sensitivity and false detection rate of a multimodal automatic seizure detection algorithm and the applicability to reduced electrode montages for long-term seizure documentation in epilepsy patients.

Methods: An automatic seizure detection algorithm based on EEG, EMG, and ECG signals was developed. EEG/ECG recordings of 92 patients from two epilepsy monitoring units including 494 seizures were used to assess detection performance.

Seven-Tesla MRI of Hippocampal Sclerosis: An In Vivo Feasibility Study With Histological Correlations.

Introduction: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most frequent form of focal epilepsy in adults. Because approximately half of these patients develop drug resistance, epilepsy surgery designed to remove the epileptogenic zone is an excellent option in selected patients. Histopathological analyses of hippocampal specimens in TLE patients revealed 4 types of Ammon's horn sclerosis, which are correlated with long-term epileptological outcome.

Molar incisor malformation in six cases: description and diagnostic protocol.

Objective: The term molar-incisor malformation (MIM) has recently been presented in the scientific literature, where it is described as a condition with localized impaired root development. Here we present 6 recently discovered cases referred to our departments.

Study Design: The patients were enrolled in the study after referral and were examined clinically and radiologically.

Reduced electrode arrays for the automated detection of rhythmic and periodic patterns in the intensive care unit: Frequently tried, frequently failed?

Objective: To investigate the effect of systematic electrode reduction from a common 10-20 EEG system on pattern detection sensitivity (SEN).

Methods: Two reviewers rated 17130 one-minute segments of 83 prospectively recorded cEEGs according to the ACNS standardized critical care EEG terminology (CCET), including burst suppression patterns (BS) and unequivocal electrographic seizures. Consensus annotations between reviewers were used as a gold standard to determine pattern detection SEN and specificity (SPE) of a computational algorithm (baseline, 19 electrodes).

Applicability of NeuroTrend as a bedside monitor in the neuro ICU.

Objective: To assess whether ICU caregivers can correctly read and interpret continuous EEG (cEEG) data displayed with the computer algorithm NeuroTrend (NT) with the main attention on seizure detection and determination of sedation depth.

Methods: 120 screenshots of NT (480h of cEEG) were rated by 18 briefly trained nurses and biomedical analysts. Multirater agreements (MRA) as well as interrater agreements (IRA) compared to an expert opinion (EXO) were calculated for items such as pattern type, pattern location, interruption of recording, seizure suspicion, consistency of frequency, seizure tendency and level of sedation.

A New Input Device for Spastics Based on Strain Gauge.

This article presents a new sensor for use by people with spastic disorders and similar conditions and enables them to steer and control medical devices such as electric powered wheelchairs. As spastic patients often suffer from cramping of their extremities, which can then no longer be controlled, using a standard joystick while operating a powered wheelchair can lead to dangerous situations. To prevent this, we designed a sensor based on strain gauges, which is shaped like a flat disc that can be operated using any body part.

Thyroid Hormone Therapy for Older Adults with Subclinical Hypothyroidism.

Background: The use of levothyroxine to treat subclinical hypothyroidism is controversial. We aimed to determine whether levothyroxine provided clinical benefits in older persons with this condition.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial involving 737 adults who were at least 65 years of age and who had persisting subclinical hypothyroidism (thyrotropin level, 4.

A New, Adaptable, Optical High-Resolution 3-Axis Sensor.

This article presents a new optical, multi-functional, high-resolution 3-axis sensor which serves to navigate and can, for example, replace standard joysticks in medical devices such as electric wheelchairs, surgical robots or medical diagnosis devices. A light source, e.g.

High-Resolution Self-Gated Dynamic Abdominal MRI Using Manifold Alignment.

We present a novel retrospective self-gating method based on manifold alignment (MA), which enables reconstruction of free breathing, high spatial, and temporal resolution abdominal magnetic resonance imaging sequences. Based on a radial golden-angle acquisition trajectory, our method enables a multidimensional self-gating signal to be extracted from the k -space data for more accurate motion representation. The k -space radial profiles are evenly divided into a number of overlapping groups based on their radial angles.

MUMAL2: Improving sensitivity in shotgun proteomics using cost sensitive artificial neural networks and a threshold selector algorithm.

Background: This work presents a machine learning strategy to increase sensitivity in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) data analysis for peptide/protein identification. MS/MS yields thousands of spectra in a single run which are then interpreted by software. Most of these computer programs use a protein database to match peptide sequences to the observed spectra.

In vitro spontaneous contractile activity of colonic smooth muscle in naive Lewis rats: Acute effect of gonadal hormones.

Objective: Functional gastrointestinal disorders affect females more often. Changes in colonic motility may be etiological co-factors for the clinical symptoms. The aim of the present study was to analyze the influence of gonadal hormones on colonic contractile activity.

Thyroid Function Within the Reference Range and the Risk of Stroke: An Individual Participant Data Analysis.

Context: The currently applied reference ranges for thyroid function are under debate. Despite evidence that thyroid function within the reference range is related with several cardiovascular disorders, its association with the risk of stroke has not been evaluated previously.

Design And Setting: We identified studies through a systematic literature search and the Thyroid Studies Collaboration, a collaboration of prospective cohort studies.