42 research outputs found
Evaluation of the M371-Test Under Real-life Conditions for Diagnosis and Follow Up of Testicular Germ Cell Tumors.
No full textBACKGROUND/AIM
The aim of the study was to establish the performance of the M371-Test on the Thermocycler Rotor-GeneQ (Qiagen) platform for diagnosis and follow-up of testicular tumors and to evaluate the test under real-life conditions in comparison to the classical markers alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Forty-four patients, of median age 29 years (range=24-84) were included in this prospective study at our institution between March 2021 and September 2022. Of the 44 patients, 23 had a suspicion of testicular cancer (TC) and 21 were under follow-up for TC. In total, 96 M371-Tests were performed and compared with AFP, β-HCG, LDH using histological diagnosis and/or computer tomography (CT) scan as the gold standard.
RESULTS
In the patients with suspicion of TC, the M371-Test showed a sensitivity of 73.7%, AFP of 21%, LDH of 31.6% and β-HCG of 42.1%. In the patients under follow-up for TC, the M371-Test showed a sensitivity of 86.4%, AFP of 50%, LDH of 31.8% and β-HCG of 63.6%. In germ cell tumours (GCT)/non-seminomas, M371-Test had a sensitivity of 83.3%, AFP of 77.8%, LDH of 38.9% and β-HCG of 66.7%. In GCT/seminomas, M371-Test had a sensitivity of 85%, AFP of 5%, LDH of 30% and β-HCG of 50%.
CONCLUSION
Under real life conditions performed on the real-time Thermocycler Rotor-GeneQ (Qiagen) platform, the M371-Test shows an outstanding performance and is far beyond the sensitivity of the classical markers for detecting GCTs and in the follow-up of patients after GCT, especially in seminomas
Diagnostic value of Xpert® BC Detection, Bladder Epicheck®, Urovysion® FISH and cytology in the detection of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma.
No full textPURPOSE
Following the current guidelines, diagnosis and staging for upper urinary tract tumours (UTUC) can be performed with Computed Tomography, urography, ureterorenoscopy (URS) and selective cytology. The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of the Xpert®-BC-Detection and the Bladder-Epicheck®-test in the detection of UTUC and compare it with cytology and the Urovysion®-FISH test using histology and URS as gold standard.
METHODS
A total of 97 analyses were collected through selective catheterization of the ureter before URS to test for cytology, Xpert®-BC-Detection, Bladder-Epicheck® and Urovysion®-FISH. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated using histology results/URS as reference.
RESULTS
Overall sensitivity was 100% for Xpert®-BC-Detection, 41.9% for cytology, 64.5% for Bladder-Epicheck® and 87.1% for Urovysion®-FISH. The sensitivity of Xpert®-BC-Detection was 100% in both, LG and HG tumours, sensitivity of cytology increased from 30.8% in LG to 100% in HG, for Bladder-Epicheck® from 57.7% in LG to 100% in HG and of Urovysion®-FISH from 84.6% in LG to 100% in HG tumours. Specificity was 4.5% for Xpert®-BC-Detection, 93.9% for cytology, 78.8% for Bladder-Epicheck® and 81.8% for Urovysion®-FISH. PPV was 33% for Xpert®-BC-Detection, 76.5% for cytology, 58.8% for Bladder-Epicheck® and 69.2% for Urovysion®FISH. NPV was 100% for Xpert®-BC-Detection, 77.5% for cytology, 82.5% for Bladder-Epicheck® and 93.1% for Urovysion®FISH.
CONCLUSION
Bladder-Epicheck® and Urovysion®FISH along with cytology could be a helpful ancillary method in the diagnosis and follow-up of UTUC while due to its low specificity Xpert®-BC Detection seems to be of limited usefulness
Divu jaunu uz reālā laika polimerāzes ķēdes reakciju balstītu urīna marķieru salīdzinājums novērotajiem pacientiem ar ne muskuļu invazīvu urīnpūšļa audzēju
No full textMedicīnaVeselības aprūpeMedicineHealth CareXpert Bladder Cancer Monitor un Bladder EpiCheck tests ir 2 jauni reāllaika polimerāzes ķēdes reakcijas urīna marķieri, kas izstrādāti urīna marķieru agrīnai recidivējoša urotelija vēža diagnostikai. Kopā šie divi testi atklāja aptuveni 92,11 % augstas pakāpes audzēju. To specifiskums bija augsts, bet nesasniedza izcilo citoloģijas vērtību. Negatīvā prognozējošā vērtība abiem testiem bija vienāda un augstāka nekā citoloģijai, jo īpaši, ja testus izmantoja kopā (92,24 %). Šie 2 jaunie testi ir daudzsološi kā urīna biomarķieri. Tos var izmantot kombinācijā, lai maksimāli palielinātu jutīgumu mazāk invazīvā veidā, tādējādi samazinot invazivitāti pacientu ar neinvazīvu urīnpūšļa vēzi novērošanā un samazinot diskomfortu pacientiem, kā arī komplikācijas un izmaksas.The Xpert Bladder Cancer Monitor and Bladder EpiCheck test are 2 new real-time polymerase chain reaction-based urinary markers developed for the early diagnosis of recurrent urothelial cancer. Together, the 2 tests detected approximately 92.11% of high-grade tumors. Their specificity was high but could not reach the excellent value of cytology. The negative predictive value was the same for both tests and was higher than that for cytology, especially when the tests were used together (92.24%). These 2 new tests hold promise as urinary biomarkers. They may be used in combination to maximize sensitivity in a less invasive way, thereby reducing invasiveness in the follow-up of patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer and decreasing discomfort for the patients as well as complications and costs
Untersuchung der elektrochemischen Stabilität von Li7La2Zr3O12 basierten Festelektrolyten
No full textDie Leistung und Sicherheit aktueller Li-Ionen-Batterien ist durch die Instabilität der verwendeten organischen Elektrolyte begrenzt. Daher ist von großem Interesse, sie durch stabilere feste Ionenleiter zu ersetzen. Kubische Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) Granate gehören zu den vielversprechendsten Festelektrolyten für zukünftige Li-Ionen-Batterien, allerdings ist ihre elektrochemische Stabilität nicht vollständig geklärt. Während in der Literatur allgemein über ein breites elektrochemisches Fenster berichtet wird, hinterfragen theoretische Berechnungen die Stabilität von LLZO gegen Hochspannungskathoden. Für mögliche Anwendungen in der Zukunft ist es notwendig ein besseres Verständnis der elektrochemischen Stabilität von LLZO zu erlangen.In dieser Arbeit untersuchten wir mittels Feldspannungsexperimenten das Zersetzungsverhalten von kubischen Ta- oder Ga-stabilisierten LLZO-Einzelkristallen. Es wurde Gleichspannung mittels einer Kombination von makro- und mikroskopisch ionisch blockierenden Au-Elektroden an dem Einkristall angelegt. Die Messungen erfolgten bei Temperaturen bis zu 350C. Der dabei auftretende Strom ist zu hoch, um ausschließlich von elektronischer Leitfähigkeit zu stammen, und ist größtenteils durch die Zersetzung des Materials verursacht. Dieser Strom und damit die Zersetzungsreaktion, ist auch nach mehreren Tagen noch messbar.Darüber hinaus wurden Laserablation verbunden mit induktiv gekoppelter Plasma- Massenspektrometrie (engl. Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, LA-ICP-MS) sowie Mikrofokus-Röntgendiffraktometrie (engl. microfocus x-ray diffraction, XRD) zur Untersuchung der durch die Feldbelastung verursachten Materialveränderungen eingesetzt. Der mittels LA-ICP-MS nachgewiesene abtransportierte Li-Gehalt, passt mit den gemessenen Strömen und den damit berechneten Li-Transport überein. Die Abhängigkeit des Li-Ionen Transportes von verschiedenen Parametern wie Temperatur, Spannung und Zeit wurde untersucht. Strukturelle Veränderungen in der Nähe der positiv polarisierten Mikroelektroden wurden mittels XRD bestimmt. Es wurden die Degradationsverbindungen La2Zr2O7 und La2O3 gefunden. Zusätzlich wurde verschiedene Wege der Elektrodenherstellung getestet sowie der Einfluss der Probenlagerung in verschiedenen Atmosphären untersucht.Since performance and safety of current Li-ion batteries are limited by the instability of the utilized organic electrolytes, replacing them by solid ionic conductors is of major interest. Cubic Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) garnets are among the most promising solid electrolytes for next-generation Li-ion batteries, however, their electrochemical stability is still an unsettled matter. While wide electrochemical windows are generally reported in literature, theoretical studies question the stability of LLZO against high voltage cathodes.To get a deeper understanding of the stability behavior of LLZO and its consequences for possible applications, further research is required. In this work, we used field stress experiments to investigate the decomposition behavior of cubic Ta or Ga stabilized LLZO single crystals. DC voltages up to 4 V were applied on LLZO single crystals heated to elevated temperatures up to 350 C using a combination of macro- and microscopic ionically blocking Au electrodes. The thereby arising current was too high to come exclusively from electronic conductivity and is mostly caused by the decomposition of the material. This current and therefore the decomposition reaction is still measurable after several days.Furthermore, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) as well as microfocus x-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate the material changes induced by the electric field. The LA-ICP-MS measurement revealed changes in the Li stoichiometry, which are in agreement with the Li-ion transport determined via the current measurements. The dependence of the Li-ion transport on various parameters such as temperature, voltage and time are investigated. Structural changes near the positively polarized microelectrodes were determined by XRD. The degradation compounds La2Zr2O7 und La2O3 were found. In addition, different ways of electrode preparation were tested and the influence of sample storage in different atmospheres was investigated
Dynamic Elasto-Visco-Plastic Material Model for Modelling of Light Weight Deflectometer Test:a uniaxial preliminary study
No full textA uniaxial material model comprising elastic (resilient), viscous (damping), plastic (permanent) and inertia forces is derived in this thesis. The behaviour of the model is studied and the capability of the model to replicate the behaviour of soils subjected to a Light Weight Deflectometer (LWD) test is investigated.Based on literature review, material equations originating in impact engineering are used as the governing equations of the proposed model instead of traditional road/railway geotechnic material equations, e.g. a stress dependent resilient modulus, because the impact engineering equations are suitable for dynamic phenomena with high velocities and are capable of modelling seating. Because of the novelty of the model, only uniaxial case is considered in this research. The predominantly uniaxial nature of an LWD test is conveniently used during the simplification. To have the numerical solution of the proposed model fully under control, the solution is obtained via own-built \MATLAB code. Central difference numerical method is used during the solution for the linearization of the problem in the time domain and a uniaxial case of closest point projection method is used to drive the evolution of plastic state variables. No experiment was performed during this research. Instead, the model is calibrated using published and digitized LWD deflection data.The thesis shows that it is possible to create and solve a model comprising dynamic elasto-visco-plastic behaviour. It also shows that the model is capable of producing results of promising quality. The investigation of the behaviour of the model shows that all its parts, i.e. stiffness, inertia, damping and permanent forces, significantly contribute to the response of the model, which finding is in contradiction with the contemporary accepted assumptions about the LWD behaviour. Main findings are: (i) the model is very load sensitive, thus, to utilize the full potential of the model, the time-load data measured for the whole time interval of an LWD test needs to be uploaded into the model; (ii) for the same reason, the model need to be calibrated on the whole time-deflection data; (iii) the power stiffness governing equation is more suitable for modelling of LWD testing than the more widely used stress dependent resilient modulus approach, because it enables to model the phenomenon of seating and (iv) Armstrong-Frederic hardening rule, used in this thesis, is the simplest non-linear plastic governing rule, which is capable to deliver a non-zero increment of permanent deflection under cyclic loading. However, the rule is not entirely suitable for stress/force driven tests and some problems with the uniqueness of plastic material constant identification are encountered during the investigation.The findings of this thesis support the notion that the dynamic nature of LWD test should be acknowledged and that the current LWD testing procedure should be used with caution. Main recommendations are: (i) time-deflection and time-load data should be measured for a minimum of \mbox{30 ms} but recommended \mbox{50-60 ms} and the data should be recorded as inextricable part of an LWD test; (ii) the deflection of a soil surface under an LWD plate should be measured preferably to the deflection of an LWD plate itself; (iii) further research should be aimed on improving the governing equations of the permanent part of the model, with Armstrong-Frederic hardening rule possibly being replaced by multiple plasticity surface models and (iv) special attention should be paid if the results of LWD testing are directly compared to the results of a different Quality Assurance/Quality Control method.The author of this thesis acknowledges that to follow the aforementioned recommendations will require additional research aimed at the construction of LWD devices, especially at: (i) eliminating the systematic error between LWD surface and LWD plate measurements; (ii) minimizing the error of internal numerical integration, which decreases the reliability of measured data after approximately 15 ms of measurement and (iii) including load measurements into more than just few types of LWD devices.In summary, this thesis presents a dynamic elasto-visco-plastic model, which, for as far as the author of the thesis was able to review, is first of its kind in the context of LWD modelling. Only uniaxial representation of the problem is studied in this thesis in order to avoid the usage of a commercial final element method software, thus to have the numerical solution of the novel model fully under control. Though only uniaxial, results of this study provide useful insight into LWD mechanics and points out possible problems for future research
Some elements of theory of a man in educational conception of father Franciszek Karol Blachnicki : part 1
No full textAutor ukazuje pewne elementy teorii człowieka (teorii antropologicznej) autorstwa ks. Franciszka Karola Blachnickiego, ucznia prof. Stefana Kunowskiego, pedagoga kultury. W dorobku Blachnickiego są pewne fragmenty na temat teorii człowieka w aspekcie chrześcijańskiego wychowania religijnego. Autor wyjaśnia pewne uniweralne elementy koncepcji człowieka u Blachnickiego w aspektach związanych z życiem wewnętrznym duszy i zewnętrznymi relacjami interpersonalnymi, także w odniesieniu do relacji człowieka z Bogiem poprzez modlitwę (indywidualna i w chrześcijańskiej wspólnocie). Teoria czlowieka u Blachnickiego zawiera np. takie elementy antynomicznych kategorii jak: "człowiek stary" - "człowiek nowy" (ze św. Pawła), "człowiek zewnętrzny" - "człowiek wewnętrzny", "Bóg" - "człowiek", obraz Boży w człowieku (Imago Dei) - obraz człowieka w Bogu (imago homini), Bożą Wola - wola ludzka, ludzka slabość - moc Boga, wady moralne - cnoty moralne, falsz- prawda, niewola - wolność, upadek - doskonalenie, pokora - pycha, osoba - wspólnota (koinonia), natura ludzka - Łaska Boża, grzech - oczyszczenie z grzechu, odejście od Boga - nawrócenie się do Boga (metanoia),zbawienie przez Boga - samozbawienie przez człowieka, wychowanie religijne - demoralizacja przez nadmierną konsumpcję.The author shows some elements of theory of a man (anthropological
theory) by rev. Franciszek Karol Blachnicki
a follower of prof. Stefan Kunowski, pedagogue of culture. In
Blachnicki’s oeuvre there are some fragments on theme theory
of a man in aspect of Christian religious education. The author
explains some universal elements of Blachnicki’s concept
of a man in aspects connected with internal life of soul and
external interpersonal relations, also in relations a man with
God relationship through prayer (individual and in Christian
community). Blachnicki’s theory of a man contains e.g. such
elements of antynomian categories as: “an old man” – “a new
man” (from St. Paul), “an external man” – “an internal man”,
God – a man, image of God in a man (Imago Dei) – image of
a man in God (imago homini), God’s Will – the human will, human
weakness – power of God, moral defects – moral virtues,
falsehood – truth, slavery – freedom, the fall – perfecting,
humility – pride, a person – community (koinonia), human
nature – the grace of God, the sin – purification from the
sin, turning away from God – conversion to God (metanoia),
salvation by God, self-saving by a man, religious education
– demoralisation by excessive consumption
Some elements of theory of a man in educational nonception of rev. Franciszek Karol Blachnicki : part 2
No full textAutor ukazuje pewne elementy teorii człowieka (teorię antropologiczną) ks. Franciszka Karola Blachnickiego, ucznia prof. Stefana Kunowskiego, pedagoga kultury. W dorobku Blachnickiego znajdują się pewne fragmenty na temat teorii człowieka w aspekcie chrześcijańskiego wychowania religijnego. Autor wyjaśnia pewne uniwersalne elementy koncepcji człowieka u Blachnickiego w aspektach związanych z życiem wewnętrznym duszy i zewnętrznymi relacjami międzyosobowymi, takze relacjami człowieka z Bogiem - relacja poprzez modlitwę (indywidualną i we wspólnocie chrześcijańskiej). Teoria człowieka u Blachnickiego zawiera np. takie elementy antynomicznych kategorii, jak: "stary człowiek" - "nowy człowiek" (ze św. Pawła), "człowiek zewnętrzny" - "człowiek wewnętrzny", Bóg - człowiek, obraz Boga w człowieku (Imago Dei) - obraz człowieka w Bogu (imago homini), Wola Boga - wola człowieka, ludzka słabość - moc Boga, moralne defekty (wady) - moralne cnoty (zalety), fałszywość - prawda, zniewolenie - wolność, upadek - doskonalenie, pycha - pokora, osoba - wspólnota (koinonia), natura ludzka - łaska Boga, grzech - oczyszczenie z grzechu, odwrocenie się od Boga - nawrocenie do Boga (metanoia), zbawienie przez Boga - samozbawienie przez człowieka, wychowanie religijne - demoralizacja przez nadmierną konsumpcjęThe author shows some elements of theory of a man (anthropological theory) by rev. Franciszek Karol Blachnicki a follower of prof. Stefan Kunowski, pedagogue of culture. In Blachnicki's oeuvre there are some fragments on theme theory of a man in the aspect of Christian religious education. The author explains some universal elements of Blachnicki's concept of a man in aspects connected with internal life of soul and external interpersonal relations, also in relations a man with God relationship through prayer (individual and in Christian community). Blachnicki's theory of a man contains e.g. such elements of antynomian categories as: "an old man" - "a new man" (from St. Paul), "an external man" - "an internal man", God - a man, image of God in a man (Imago Dei) - image of a man in God (imago homini), God's Will - the human will, human weakness - power of God, moral defects - moral virtues, falsehood - truth, slavery - freedom, the fall - perfecting, humility - pride, a person - community (koinonia), human nature - the grace of God, the sin - purification from the sin, turning away from God - conversion to God (metanoia), salvation by God, self-saving by a man, religious education - demoralisation by excessive consumption
Field stress experiments on cubic LLZO garnets: Investigation of the electrochemical stability
No full text
