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Continuous quality improvement (CQI) methodology is predicated on data-based decision making, using both statistical and nonstatistical data tools. The current generation of commercially available quality management computer software does not integrate the basic CQI tools. A variety of off-the-shelf programs can be used to supplement the resource needs of CQI methodology.
This Visual Basic computer program has been developed for drug dosage conversions using metabolically active mass (MAM) of the animals. The two body weights (one with known dosage and the other, for which the dosage has to be calculated) and the known dosage are entered in the respective input boxes and the appropriate units are selected using the option buttons. The program displays the report in the form of both the animals' body weights and the respective dosages in milligram per kilogram body weight as well as the total actual doses in milligrams. The object oriented layout, flexible data entry and comprehensive report format render the CalcDose software a convenient and handy tool for dosage conversions.
PURPOSE: New multidimensional dose comparison parameters, normalized agreement test (NAT) values and the NAT index, are introduced and compared with an ideal dose comparison parameter. In this article, we analyze a clinically based two-dimensional (2D) quantitative dose comparison case using a wide range of new and old comparison tools. In doing so, we address the benefits and limitations of many common dose comparison tools. METHODS AND MATERIALS: An in-house software program was developed using the MATLAB 6.5 programming language. Using this software, several 2D quantitative dose comparison parameters were calculated for the computed and measured dose distributions in an intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) prostate cancer treatment. The experiences gained in the design and testing of this software program form the basis of the dose comparison tool analysis. RESULTS: Each dose comparison tool has unique strengths and weaknesses. The underlying assumptions of the NAT values and NAT index lead to acceptable generalized behavior, but are not always valid. CONCLUSION: A thorough 2D quantitative dose comparison analysis can only be accomplished through the use of many dose comparison tools. The introduction of the NAT index allows a 2D dose comparison to be reduced to a single value, and is thus ideal for setting clinical acceptance criteria for IMRT verifications.
We have developed a computer software package, IMOD, as a tool for analyzing and viewing three-dimensional biological image data. IMOD is useful for studying and modeling data from tomographic, serial section, and optical section reconstructions. The software allows image data to be visualized by several different methods. Models of the image data can be visualized by volume or contour surface rendering and can yield quantitative information.
This paper presents a novel measurement technique to assess the effects of coronary brachytherapy. This new technique is based upon the conventional quantitative coronary analysis (QCA) technique, which is accepted worldwide as an accurate and reliable analysis tool for clinical trials. This paper provides the definitions and main issues important for correct brachytherapy analysis. Based on these definitions, this novel technique is implemented as an extension of conventional QCA software, as a multisegmental analysis tool. It allows to follow the influence of radiation on restenosis, and the mutual relation between intervention devices. A pilot interobserver study was performed to assess the reliability and reproducibility of the brachytherapy analysis tool, using 15 patient cases. The validation results show that the segment lengths, minimum lumen diameter, and reference diameters of the user-defined and derived (sub)segments can be assessed reproducible. However, these good results can only be obtained, when strict and extensive image acquisition and image analysis protocols are followed. From this pilot validation study presented in this paper and only based on a small number of patients, we may conclude that the software can be applied to clinical trials.
Stereoscopic 3-D images are used with a lot of virtual reality systems because of their sense of reality. At the same time, in the training that heightens levels of self control of autonomic responses with images, it is thought that reality of software is important. Therefore, the authors investigated use of 3-D images as a technical tool to heighten the reality of software. In this study, a laboratory was transformed into a relaxation room using 3-D images with fragrances and an experiment was carried out to examine the psychological effect of it. From the results of this study, the authors reported on the effects of fragrances on psychological responses when viewing 3-D images and the possibilities of producing these effects for relaxation.
The eXtensible Genome Data Broker (xGDB) provides a software infrastructure consisting of integrated tools for the storage, display, and analysis of genome features in their genomic context. Common features include gene structure annotations, spliced alignments, mapping of repetitive sequence, and microarray probes, but the software supports inclusion of any property that can be associated with a genomic location. The xGDB distribution and user support utilities are available online at the xGDB project website, http://xgdb.sourceforge.net/.
An interrelated set of genes or proteins can be represented effectively as a network that describes physical interactions, regulatory relationships, or metabolic pathways. Visualizing a network can be a helpful method to extract biological meaning and to generate testable hypotheses about large-scale biological data. This chapter describes some potential rationales for visualizing networks of microarray and other data types, which can be integrated and filtered to show potentially significant relationships. It also presents a practical introduction to Osprey and Cytoscape, two software platforms that are powerful tools for visualizing, integrating, and manipulating networks.
Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) from urban or suburban areas is rapidly increasing as the population increases in the United States. Research in recent years has consistently shown a strong relationship between the percentage of impervious cover in a drainage basin and the health of the receiving stream. In this paper, we quantify the amount of impervious cover within 56 14-digit hydrologic unit codes (HUCs) in Frederick County, Maryland, USA. This test data set will help in the development of region-wide impervious cover estimation methodologies. The software, sampling and analysis systems were developed to yield accurate and reproducible results. Digital orthophoto quarter quadrangles (DOQQ) from the U.S. Geological Survey were chosen as the basic media for the analysis. Ground features were identified and categorized by human analysts with the help of Geographic Information System (GIS) software and a prototype "cover tool" extension.
The development of the Health Geographic Information System (HGIS) concept, associated to the wide availability of adapted software applications, has offered an invaluable tool to Public Health Professionals. However its use is still too often limited to the graphic presentation of data or to structural planning, neglecting its main advantages. The HGIS has proven to be a potent tool for risk assessment, decision making, intervention evaluation and health planning. In spite of all the obstacles, the transformation of geographic information systems (GIS) into an epidemiological tool adapted to the health system (HGIS) can now be done in a relatively short span of time, with a minimal investment in terms of budget and manpower. The use of an outsourcing policy enables to limit the operational running costs in health organizations such as the Health Ministry, Hospitals or Sick Funds.
As part of a semi-quantitative risk assessment of 10 seafood hazard/product combinations, a risk assessment tool was used to generate a Risk Ranking. The tool is in a spreadsheet software format and provides a risk estimate, which is scaled between 0 and 100, where 0 represents no risk and 100 represents all meals containing a lethal dose of the hazard. A full description of the tool is contained in Ross and Sumner (this issue). Based on their ranking, seafoods in Australia fell into three risk categories. Hazard/product pairs with ranking < 32 included mercury poisoning (Relative Risk = 24), Clostridium botulinum in canned fish (RR = 25), or in vacuum-packed cold-smoked fish (RR = 28), parasites in sushi/sashimi (RR = 31), viruses in shellfish from uncontaminated waters, (RR = 31), enteric bacteria in imported cooked shrimp (RR = 31) and algal biotoxins from controlled waters (RR = 31). It is noted that there have been no documented cases of food-borne illness from any of the above hazard/product pairings in Australia. Those with rankings 32-48 included Vibrio parahaemolyticus in cooked prawns (RR = 37), V. cholerae in cooked prawns (RR = 37), Listeria monocytogenes in cold-smoked seafoods (RR = 39), scombrotoxicosis (RR = 40), V. vulnificus in oysters (RR = 41), ciguatera in the general Australian population (RR = 45), L. monocytogenes in susceptible (RR = 45) and extremely susceptible populations (RR = 47) and enteric bacteria in imported cooked shrimp eaten by vulnerable consumers (RR = 48). Almost all the hazard/product pairs in this category have caused the outbreaks of food poisoning in Australasia. Those hazard/product pairs with rankings >48 included ciguatera from recreational fishing in susceptible areas (RR = 60), viruses in shellfish from contaminated waters (RR = 67) and algal biotoxins from uncontrolled waters in an algal event (RR = 72). There have been significant (>100 cases) food poisoning incidents involving viruses and biotoxins in shellfish, while ciguatera poisoning is prevalent among coastal communities in Australia's warmer waters.
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Objectives were as follows: 1) to define the variations of the uncinate process' superior attachment, 2) to study the diameter of the frontal sinus ostium, 3) to study the prevalence of the agger nasi cells, and 4) to evaluate the side-to-side variability of these structures. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective clinical study at a tertiary care center. METHODS: One hundred forty-four consecutive computed tomography scans were studied with image-guided surgery software (InstaTrak, Visualization Technology, Inc., Wilmington, MA) that provides continuous coronal, sagittal, and axial sections. We reported the superior attachment sites of the uncinate process, the diameter of the frontal sinus ostium, and prevalence of the agger nasi cells. RESULTS: The uncinate process' main superior attachment into the surrounding structures was found to have the following distribution: 52% to the lamina papyracea, 18.5% to the posteromedial wall of the agger nasi cell, 17.5% to the lamina papyracea and the junction of the middle turbinate with the cribriform plate, 7% to the junction of the middle turbinate with the cribriform plate, 3.6% to the ethmoid roof, and 1.4% to the middle turbinate. The frontal ostium anterior-posterior diameter (mean +/- SD) was 7.22 +/- 2.78 mm and its transverse diameter (mean +/- SD) was 8.92 +/- 2.95 mm. Agger nasi cells were found in 78% of the scans. CONCLUSIONS: The frontal sinus opens into the middle meatus medial to the uncinate process in 88% of the patients and lateral to the uncinate process in 12% of the patients. The naturally wide dimensions of the frontal ostium help to explain why postoperative patency can be achieved merely by exposing the ostium without the need to enlarge it. The frontal ostium dimensions in one side may differ considerably from the contralateral side. An agger nasi cell or a terminal recess, or both, are found in most cases. Image-guided surgery software is a helpful new tool for anatomical studies and for preoperative evaluation.
Patient care management provided by healthcare organizations is complex, involving many different care providers. The information exchange between providers concerns a varying and considerable number of actors and a high transmission load. Based on models, used to characterize specific features of work processes, we propose a new method able to analyze and represent clinical communications inside hospitals. Software has been developed, providing tools for storing and retrieving information resulting from clinical communications. The method, together with data collected in actual situations, may constitute useful tools for health information systems developers.
We present quantitative modeling software for simulating multiple forces acting on a single particle in a microsystem. In this paper, we focus on dielectrophoretic (DEP) trapping of single cells against fluid flow. The software effectively models the trapping behavior for a range of particles including beads, mammalian cells, viruses, and bacteria. In addition, the software can be used to reveal useful information about the DEP traps - such as multipolar DEP force effects, trap size-selectivity, and effects from varying the flow chamber height. Our modeling software thus serves as a predictive tool, enabling the design of novel DEP traps with superior performance over existing trap geometries. In addition, the software can evaluate a range of trap dimensions to determine the effects on trapping behavior, thus optimizing the trap geometry before it is even fabricated. The software is freely available to the scientific community at: .
Mapping and sequencing the human genome will generate large amounts of data, which must be sorted, analyzed, and stored for rapid retrieval to complete this enormous task. Computers and their software programs provide the most important tool to the molecular biologist today. A discussion of current capabilities and future needs in computer hardware and software for the human genome project is the topic of this paper. The use of computer programs to generate restriction maps, manage clone libraries, manage sequence projects, and generate consensus sequences is presented. The use of computers to communicate useful information rapidly to scientific colleagues is also mentioned. The role of both GenBank and BIONET is central to the dissemination and analysis of sequence information. The capabilities of electronic communication worldwide for assisting this project is available on the BIONET National Computer Resource, using existing networks.
A survey of Certified Professional Ergonomists (CPEs) was conducted to gather information on the types of basic tools, direct and observational measurement techniques, and software used by practitioners. The motivation for the survey was to better understand what types of tools and methods practitioners use, their opinions of these tools, and to potentially gain an understanding of the constraints or preferences that influence this selection. Reasons for using or not using a selection of tools were also surveyed. Of 578 surveys that were delivered to CPEs and Associate Ergonomics Professionals, 308 were returned for a response rate of 53%. The respondents tended to be biased towards physical ergonomics, as the survey primarily focused on this area of ergonomics. A high percentage of respondents reported using tape measures, video cameras, stopwatches and digital cameras. The most commonly used observational methods were those involving manual materials handling, whereas the most commonly used direct measurement tools were pinch and grip dynamometers and push/pull gauges. The frequency and type of checklists, software, and anthropometric data used are summarized.
Mass spectrometry, and specifically sequential stages of mass spectrometry (MSn), is an established tool for the analysis of carbohydrates, proteins, and more recently glycosaminoglycans. As this trend continues, the development of algorithms for the rapid and automatic interpretation of mass spectra to identify glycan structure is also expected to grow as an active field of research. The methodology described herein utilizes a combination of enzymatic digestion, ESI-MS, and MSn for the sequencing of small heparin oligosaccharides. The heparin oligosaccharide sequencing tool (HOST) is a basic software application that was developed to aid in the integration and analysis of the data generated from these experiments, facilitating the process involved in arriving at sequence information. The sequences of several heparin oligosaccharides were determined using this method to illustrate proof of principle. Tandem MS is a very rapid and efficient tool for oligosaccharide analysis when limited amounts of material are available. Having a means, such as HOST, for automating the interpretation of the MSn data generated from glycosaminoglycans, provides a practical methodology for the future analysis of heparin/HS oligosaccharides of unknown structure.
MOTIVATION: Infectious diseases persist as a major global public health challenge. Diverse factors, including climate change, globalization, deforestation, human-animal interactions, lifestyle choices, and various biological factors, can contribute to their emergence and reemergence. Rapid detection and characterization of (re)emerging pathogens are therefore critical for effective outbreak management and for enhancing our understanding of epidemics by monitoring the transmission, spread, evolution, and genomics of pathogens. In this context, next-generation sequencing technologies (NGS), particularly long-read platforms such as Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT), have opened new avenues for real-time pathogen monitoring. However, the bioinformatics bottleneck remains a challenge, emphasizing the need for efficient, accessible, and user-friendly analysis tools. RESULTS: Here, we present a tool adapted from the RAMPART software that enables real-time data visualisation of multiplex PCR syndromic panels combined with Oxford Nanopore sequencing. This real-time analysis enables rapid pathogen detection, from raw data acquisition to taxonomic assignment, within minutes. The interface offers dynamic visual tracking of the sequencing run and amplicon coverage, facilitating immediate insights during diagnostic workflows. Validation experiments confirmed the system's reliability, accurately identifying all pathogens present in complex clinical or environmental samples. This tool provides an integrated, user-friendly solution for genomic pathogen surveillance in field or clinical settings.