Accurate and precise measurement of hemoglobin concentration is critical for reliable estimations of anemia prevalence at the population-level. When systematic and/or random error are introduced in hemoglobin measurement, estimates of anemia prevalence might be significantly erroneous and, hence, limit their usefulness. For decades, single-drop capillary blood has been the most common blood source used for the measurement of hemoglobin concentration in surveys, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Here, we highlight historical and emerging evidence that single-drop capillary blood introduces a high degree of random error (variability) to hemoglobin estimates, leading to less reliable estimates of anemia prevalence at the population-level. At present, the best practice is to collect and use venous blood for measurement of hemoglobin with an automated hematology analyzer, following standard operating procedures and quality assurance measures. Where use of an automated analyzer is not possible, the analysis of venous blood in a point-of-care hemoglobinometer by trained phlebotomists or specimen collectors should be considered. A forthcoming systematic review will provide additional evidence on the accuracy and precision of single-drop capillary blood for hemoglobin assessment. In the meantime, we raise caution when using single-drop capillary blood for hemoglobin measurement as it can result in inaccurate hemoglobin estimates and less reliable anemia prevalence estimates.

UNASSIGNED: The precision of test measurements is critical in clinical diagnostics, especially for biomarkers like total PSA and homocysteine, which are essential to disease assessment. Using the CMIA approach, this study investigates the repeatability and reproducibility of these biomarkers on the Abbott Alinity system.
UNASSIGNED: The present study was conducted in the clinical chemistry laboratory at Mohammed VI University Hospital of Oujda. The evaluation of the Alinity i-system\'s analytical performance for total PSA and homocysteine focused on assessing repeatability and intermediate precision. The assessment followed the protocols and guidelines established by the French Accreditation Committee (COFRAC).
UNASSIGNED: Our analysis yielded favorable findings regarding the performance of the Alinity assays. The coefficients of variation for both the within-run and between-run precision were less than 5.89% and 4.29%, respectively. These findings produce acceptable outcomes compared to the manufacturer\'s claims and the SFBC database. Our study underscores the tests\' precision, affirming the CMIA method\'s reliability in measuring total PSA and homocysteine levels.
UNASSIGNED: The assessment of the Alinity i-system for total PSA and homocysteine showed significant analytical performance. Our findings have implications for laboratory personnel, researchers, and physicians supporting a continuous diagnostic accuracy improvement culture.
UNASSIGNED: Preciznost merenja testova je ključna u kliničkoj dijagnostici, posebno za biomarkere kao što su ukupni PSA i homocistein, koji su bitni za procenu bolesti. Koriste i CMIA pristup, ova studija istražuje ponovljivost i reproduktibilnost ovih biomarkera na sistemu Abbott Alinity.
UNASSIGNED: Ova studija je sprovedena u kliničko-hemijskoj laboratoriji bolnice Muhamed VI u Uždi, Maroko. Evaluacija analitičke performanse Alinity i-sistema za ukupni PSA i homocistein je bila fokusirana na procenu ponovljivosti i međusobne preciznosti. Procena je pratila protokole i smernice koje je uspostavio Francuski akreditacioni komitet (COFRAC).
UNASSIGNED: Naša analiza je dala povoljne nalaze u vezi sa performansama Alinity testova. Koeficijenti varijacije za preciznost unutar serije i između serija su bili manji od 5,89% odnosno 4,29%. Ovi nalazi daju prihvatljive rezultate u poređenju sa tvrdnjama proizvođača i SFBC bazom podataka. Naša studija u prvi plan stavlja preciznost testova, potvrđuju i pouzdanost CMIA metode pri merenju nivoa ukupnog PSA i homocisteina.
UNASSIGNED: Procena Alinity i-sistema za ukupni PSA i homocistein je pokazala značajne analitičke performanse. Naši nalazi imaju implikacije za osoblje laboratorija, istraživače i lekare i u skladu su sa kulturom neprekidnog poboljšanja tačnosti dijagnostike.

The accessory proteins Hyponastic-like 1 (HYL1) and Serrated (SE) enhance the precise and efficient processing of miRNAs by Dicer-like 1 (DCL1), which is important for proper miRNA function. However, other factors determining the precision and efficiency of miRNA biogenesis are not well-known. Here, we found that an asymmetric bulge (AB) at the 3\' end of miR-5p (produced from the 5\' arm of the pre-miRNA) reduced the precision of the second cleavage, whereas an AB at other sites of miR-5p mainly affected the accumulation level of miR-5p in transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. In contrast, many ABs in miR-3p (produced from the 3\' arm of the pre-miRNA) impose strong negative impact on the processing precision and the accumulation level of miR-5p in N. benthamiana. Arabidopsis DCL1/SE/HYL1 complex-mediated miRNA processing was reconstituted in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to further investigate AB-mediated interference with DCL1 processing. With this system, the positional effect of AB on miRNA processing was tested. The results showed that ABs on the middle of miR-5p have less of an impact on DCL1 cleavage efficiency and precision, whereas those on miR-3p or near the ends of miR-5p strongly reduce DCL1 cleavage activity, precision or both. Studies using the yeast miRNA processing system and transgenic Arabidopsis also revealed the importance of the interaction between the 2-nt 3\' overhang of pre-miRNA and the 3\' overhang binding pocket (3\'BP) on the precision of the second cleavage reaction for many endogenous miRNAs. These findings provide new insights into the mechanism of miRNA biogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Well-chosen biomarkers have the potential to increase the efficiency of clinical trials and drug discovery and should show good precision as well as clinical validity.
METHODS: We suggest measures that operationalize these criteria and describe a general approach that can be used for inference-based comparisons of biomarker performance. The methods are applied to measures obtained from structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from individuals with mild dementia (n = 70) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 303) enrolled in the Alzheimer\'s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.
RESULTS: Ventricular volume and hippocampal volume showed the best precision in detecting change over time in both individuals with MCI and with dementia. Differences in clinical validity varied by group.
CONCLUSIONS: The methodology presented provides a standardized framework for comparison of biomarkers across modalities and across different methods used to generate similar measures and will help in the search for the most promising biomarkers.
CONCLUSIONS: A framework for comparison of biomarkers on pre-defined criteria is presented. Criteria for comparison include precision in capturing change and clinical validity. Ventricular volume has high precision in change for both dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) trials. Imaging measures\' performance in clinical validity varies more for dementia than for MCI.

Lead toxicosis remains a concern in raptors, especially following feeding on carcasses sourced from hunting. Rapid diagnosis of lead exposure and easy field monitoring is desirable. The LeadCareII analytical system, validated for rapid diagnoses of lead toxicity in humans, has been described as a useful evaluation system in various species. For this study we attempt to validate the LeadCareII system in the Cape Vulture (CV) (Gyps coprotheres). Blood samples from CV housed under captive conditions and low background lead exposure, were pooled and spiked with known concentrations of a lead standard (0-60 µg/dL). Samples were analyzed by the LeadCareII system and by ICP-MS. The final results showed that despite good linearity the LeadCareII system underestimated lead concentrations by up to 50 %. While the results can be corrected by the derived equation, this is not supported due to the large underestimations evident. The reason for the underestimation is presently unknown.

BACKGROUND: The utility of preoperative abdominal ultrasonography (US) in evaluating patients with obesity before metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) remains ambiguously defined.
METHODS: Retrospective analysis whereby patients were classified into four groups based on ultrasound results. Group 1 had normal findings. Group 2 had non-significant findings that did not affect the planned procedure. Group 3 required additional or follow-up surgeries without changing the surgical plan. Group 4, impacting the procedure, needed further investigations and was subdivided into 4A, delaying surgery for more assessments, and 4B, altering or canceling the procedure due to critical findings. Machine learning techniques were utilized to identify variables.
RESULTS: Four thousand four hundred eighteen patients\' records were analyzed. Group 1 was 45.7%. Group 2, 35.7%; Group 3, 17.0%; Group 4, 1.5%, Group 4A, 0.8%; and Group 4B, 0.7%, where surgeries were either canceled (0.3%) or postponed (0.4%). The hyperparameter tuning process identified a Decision Tree classifier with a maximum tree depth of 7 as the most effective model. The model demonstrated high effectiveness in identifying patients who would benefit from preoperative ultrasound before MBS, with training and testing accuracies of 0.983 and 0.985. It also showed high precision (0.954), recall (0.962), F1 score (0.958), and an AUC of 0.976.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that preoperative ultrasound demonstrated clinical utility for a subset of patients undergoing metabolic bariatric surgery. Specifically, 15.9% of the cohort benefited from the identification of chronic calculous cholecystitis, leading to concomitant cholecystectomy. Additionally, surgery was postponed in 1.4% of the cases due to other findings. While these findings indicate a potential benefit in certain cases, further research, including a cost-benefit analysis, is necessary to fully evaluate routine preoperative ultrasound\'s overall utility and economic impact in this patient population.

Anatomy compromises the precision and accuracy of measurements made of the body length and head size of live snakes. Body measures (snout-vent length, SVL) incorporate many synovial intervertebral joints, each allowing flexion and limited extension and compression. Radiographs of the trunk in 14 phylogenetically diverse species in resting and stretched conditions combined with dissections and histological analysis of intervertebral joints show that the synovial nature of these joints underlies the variance in SVL measures. Similarly, the ubiquity and variety of viscoelastic tissues connecting mobile snout and jaw elements of alethinophidian snakes underlie variances in length and width measures of the head. For the overall size of the head and jaw apparatus, the part that can be most easily and relatively precisely measured for many snakes is the mandible because it has only one mobile joint. As to accuracy, the anatomy of intervertebral and cranial joints supports the hypothesis that in living snakes, the head and trunk have no exact size.

UNASSIGNED: The electronic pen needle holder (EPNH) was developed to enhance surgical precision, reduce operative time, and improve patient outcomes. By integrating microergonomics, penization, and electronics with surgical instruments, the EPNH aims to provide surgeons with a tool that minimizes hand strain and maximizes control during delicate procedures.
UNASSIGNED: The EPNH was ergonomically designed to fit the surgeon\'s hand, using titanium for its strength and biocompatibility. It was manufactured through industrial-grade 3D printing, and its mechanical properties were verified using finite element analysis. A force-sensitive resistor and vibratory mechanism were integrated to provide real-time feedback and assistance during surgeries.
UNASSIGNED: Testing by 10 neurosurgeons demonstrated significant precision, control, and efficiency improvements. The EPNH reduced hand strain and fatigue, allowing longer, more comfortable operation times. The time required for suturing tasks has decreased by 40% compared to traditional needle holders. Surgeons reported high satisfaction with the EPNH\'s performance and usability.
UNASSIGNED: The EPNH represents a major advancement in surgical instrument design, offering enhanced precision, reduced hand strain, and increased efficiency. Its innovative features and ergonomic design make it a valuable tool for improving surgical outcomes and transforming microsurgical practices.

BACKGROUND: Preclinical technical feasibility study of robot-assisted microinvasive glaucoma surgery using a novel ophthalmic robot-assisted surgery system.
METHODS: Feasibility was assessed in synthetic eye models in two stages: Stage I, nonimplantable robot-assisted goniotomy; and Stage II, robot-assisted stent implantation using a trabecular bypass stent. Robot-assisted interventions were subsequently compared to the manual approach.
RESULTS: Stage I: Two surgeons completed 10 trials each of ab-interno sectoral goniotomy with and without robotic assistance for at least 3 clock hours using a standard goniotomy knife and more than 10 clock hours of extended goniotomy using a flexible, guided goniotomy instrument. Stage II: Trabecular bypass stent deployment was successfully achieved in 100% of the attempts with and without robotic assistance. Surgical time was recorded and compared between the robotic-assisted and the manual approach.
CONCLUSIONS: A system for robot-assisted microinvasive glaucoma surgery can successfully achieve implantable and nonimplantable interventions in the anterior segment. This is the first known demonstration of the feasibility of robot-assisted glaucoma surgery.

An analytical, accurate, precise, specific, efficient and simple Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography method has been developed and validated for the determination of Pazopanib in bulk and was applied on marketed Pharmaceutical Dosage form. The mobile phase used for the chromatographic runs consisted of 0.1% OPA Buffer and Acetonitrile in the ratio of 30:70% v/v. The separation was achieved on a BHEL UPLC column using isocratic mode. Pazopanib Drug peak were well separated and were detected by a PDA detector at 256 nm. The developed method was linear at the concentration range 6-14 μg/ml for Pazopanib. The method has been validated according to ICH guidelines with respect to system suitability, specificity, precision, accuracy and robustness. The LOD and LOQ for the Pazopanib were found to be 0.5853 µg/ml and 1.7738µg/ml respectively. The developed method is simple, precise, specific, accurate and rapid, making it suitable for estimation of Pazopanib in bulk and marketed pharmaceutical dosage form dosage form.