BACKGROUND Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis(SBP)is one of the most important complications of patients with liver cirrhosis entailing high morbidity and mortality.Making an accurate early diagnosis of this infection ...BACKGROUND Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis(SBP)is one of the most important complications of patients with liver cirrhosis entailing high morbidity and mortality.Making an accurate early diagnosis of this infection is key in the outcome of these patients.The current definition of SBP is based on studies performed more than 40 years ago using a manual technique to count the number of polymorphs in ascitic fluid(AF).There is a lack of data comparing the traditional cell count method with a current automated cell counter.Moreover,current international guidelines do not mention the type of cell count method to be employed and around half of the centers still rely on the traditional manual method.AIM To compare the accuracy of polymorph count on AF to diagnose SBP between the traditional manual cell count method and a modern automated cell counter against SBP cases fulfilling gold standard criteria:Positive AF culture and signs/symptoms of peritonitis.METHODS Retrospective analysis including two cohorts:Cross-sectional(cohort 1)and case-control(cohort 2),of patients with decompensated cirrhosis and ascites.Both cell count methods were conducted simultaneously.Positive SBP cases had a pathogenic bacteria isolated on AF and signs/symptoms of peritonitis.RESULTS A total of 137 cases with 5 positive-SBP,and 85 cases with 33 positive-SBP were included in cohort 1 and 2,respectively.Positive-SBP cases had worse liver function in both cohorts.The automated method showed higher sensitivity than the manual cell count:80%vs 52%,P=0.02,in cohort 2.Both methods showed very good specificity(>95%).The best cutoff using the automated cell counter was polymorph≥0.2 cells×10^(9)/L(equivalent to 200 cells/mm^(3))in AF as it has the higher sensitivity keeping a good specificity.CONCLUSION The automated cell count method should be preferred over the manual method to diagnose SBP because of its higher sensitivity.SBP definition,using the automated method,as polymorph cell count≥0.2 cells×10^(9)/L in AF would need to be considered in patients admitted with decompensated cirrhosis.展开更多
By applying multiple wavelet coherence (MWC) to data from human body movements in triadic interaction, this study quantified triadic synchrony, rhythmic similarity among three interactants. Thirty-nine Japanese underg...By applying multiple wavelet coherence (MWC) to data from human body movements in triadic interaction, this study quantified triadic synchrony, rhythmic similarity among three interactants. Thirty-nine Japanese undergraduates were randomly assigned in a triad, and engaged in a brain-storming task. Triadic synchrony was quantified by calculating MWC to the time-series movement data collected by Kinect v2 sensor. The existence of synchrony was statistically tested by using a pseudo-synchrony paradigm. Results showed that the averaged value of MWC was higher in the experimental participant trio than in those of the pseudo trio in the frequency band of 0.5 - 1 Hz. The result supports the possible utility of applying multiple wavelet coherence to evaluate triadic synchrony in a small group interaction.展开更多
The intense mobilization of the soil inappropriately causes a reduction in the percentage of macropores and in the rate of soil water infiltration with reduction of crop yield. Due to the difficulty of using the Muntz...The intense mobilization of the soil inappropriately causes a reduction in the percentage of macropores and in the rate of soil water infiltration with reduction of crop yield. Due to the difficulty of using the Muntz concentric ring method, researchers have used mathematical models to estimate infiltration based on soil physical parameters such as, soil texture that does not reflect physical reality in relation to infiltration rate, leading to errors. To automate the use of the infiltrometer ring method, there are no hydrometers that record small flows in non-pressurized hydraulic systems, making it difficult to automate the method for field determination. For this purpose, six Muntz double rings were instrumented with an electromechanical system coupled to the “Tipin Buked” (weighbridge) with the ability to record flows from 8 cm<sup>3</sup><span style="white-space:nowrap;">∙</span>minute<sup><span style="white-space:nowrap;">−</span>1</sup> on a memory card. The results indicate that the models of the regression equations describe 93% to 99% of the real values, showing the accuracy of the equipment. This work aimed to modify the Muntz method to reduce field work and automate the determination of water infiltration rate in the soil.展开更多
文摘BACKGROUND Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis(SBP)is one of the most important complications of patients with liver cirrhosis entailing high morbidity and mortality.Making an accurate early diagnosis of this infection is key in the outcome of these patients.The current definition of SBP is based on studies performed more than 40 years ago using a manual technique to count the number of polymorphs in ascitic fluid(AF).There is a lack of data comparing the traditional cell count method with a current automated cell counter.Moreover,current international guidelines do not mention the type of cell count method to be employed and around half of the centers still rely on the traditional manual method.AIM To compare the accuracy of polymorph count on AF to diagnose SBP between the traditional manual cell count method and a modern automated cell counter against SBP cases fulfilling gold standard criteria:Positive AF culture and signs/symptoms of peritonitis.METHODS Retrospective analysis including two cohorts:Cross-sectional(cohort 1)and case-control(cohort 2),of patients with decompensated cirrhosis and ascites.Both cell count methods were conducted simultaneously.Positive SBP cases had a pathogenic bacteria isolated on AF and signs/symptoms of peritonitis.RESULTS A total of 137 cases with 5 positive-SBP,and 85 cases with 33 positive-SBP were included in cohort 1 and 2,respectively.Positive-SBP cases had worse liver function in both cohorts.The automated method showed higher sensitivity than the manual cell count:80%vs 52%,P=0.02,in cohort 2.Both methods showed very good specificity(>95%).The best cutoff using the automated cell counter was polymorph≥0.2 cells×10^(9)/L(equivalent to 200 cells/mm^(3))in AF as it has the higher sensitivity keeping a good specificity.CONCLUSION The automated cell count method should be preferred over the manual method to diagnose SBP because of its higher sensitivity.SBP definition,using the automated method,as polymorph cell count≥0.2 cells×10^(9)/L in AF would need to be considered in patients admitted with decompensated cirrhosis.
文摘By applying multiple wavelet coherence (MWC) to data from human body movements in triadic interaction, this study quantified triadic synchrony, rhythmic similarity among three interactants. Thirty-nine Japanese undergraduates were randomly assigned in a triad, and engaged in a brain-storming task. Triadic synchrony was quantified by calculating MWC to the time-series movement data collected by Kinect v2 sensor. The existence of synchrony was statistically tested by using a pseudo-synchrony paradigm. Results showed that the averaged value of MWC was higher in the experimental participant trio than in those of the pseudo trio in the frequency band of 0.5 - 1 Hz. The result supports the possible utility of applying multiple wavelet coherence to evaluate triadic synchrony in a small group interaction.
文摘The intense mobilization of the soil inappropriately causes a reduction in the percentage of macropores and in the rate of soil water infiltration with reduction of crop yield. Due to the difficulty of using the Muntz concentric ring method, researchers have used mathematical models to estimate infiltration based on soil physical parameters such as, soil texture that does not reflect physical reality in relation to infiltration rate, leading to errors. To automate the use of the infiltrometer ring method, there are no hydrometers that record small flows in non-pressurized hydraulic systems, making it difficult to automate the method for field determination. For this purpose, six Muntz double rings were instrumented with an electromechanical system coupled to the “Tipin Buked” (weighbridge) with the ability to record flows from 8 cm<sup>3</sup><span style="white-space:nowrap;">∙</span>minute<sup><span style="white-space:nowrap;">−</span>1</sup> on a memory card. The results indicate that the models of the regression equations describe 93% to 99% of the real values, showing the accuracy of the equipment. This work aimed to modify the Muntz method to reduce field work and automate the determination of water infiltration rate in the soil.
