Computerized adaptive resting with the I-HaND scale for monitoring patients with upper limb nerve pathology.

The Impact of Hand Nerve Disorders scale is a patient-reported outcome measure for upper limb nerve pathology. We aimed to assess its structural validity using item response theory and to develop computerized adaptive testing algorithms. We conducted a series of psychometric studies to assess constructs measured, applied an item response theory model to the data, then developed computerized adaptive testing algorithms.

Predicting the need for calcium modification techniques using computed tomography coronary angiography.

Calcified coronary arteries pose a challenge to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Calcium modification techniques (CMTs) increase procedural length, complexity and risk. Computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) is well suited to calcium identification and quantification and may offer valuable pre-procedural information.

Alternative protocol for the histological preparation of animal tissues.

This study presents an alternative protocol that employs low-cost options to produce high-quality histology slides. The method is easily reproducible using recyclable materials, such as discarded blister packages, and simple adaptations, such as substituting a digital microscopy camera for a smartphone camera. Additionally, we provide a reliable method for setting image scale bars using office software and the open-access software ImageJ/Fiji.

Effects of hCG administered 5 or 7 days after the onset of induced estrus on luteal morphology and function in seasonally anovular dairy goats.

The objective was to evaluate the effects of intramuscular (i.m.) human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administered on day 5 (D5) or day 7 (D7) after estrus (D0) on luteal structures (number, area, vascularization, and progesterone secretion) and pregnancy rates in estrus-induced dairy goats during the non-breeding season.

Kinetic considerations on the antioxidant properties of humic substances: An electrochemical approach.

Humic substances (HS) play a key role in a variety of environmental redox processes including the reduction of organic and inorganic pollutants. However, their complex and heterogeneous composition makes the characterization of their redox activity challenging. In this work, electrochemical methods (cyclic and square-wave voltammetry) were used to study the kinetics of the redox reaction between HS and the mediator 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) under pseudo-first order conditions.