Developmental validation of the ANDE™ rapid DNA system with FlexPlex™ assay for arrestee and reference buccal swab processing and database searching

A developmental validation was performed to demonstrate reliability, reproducibility and robustness of the ANDE System with the FlexPlex assay, including an integrated Expert System, across a number of laboratories and buccal sample variations. Previously, the related DNAscan™/ANDE 4C Rapid DNA System using the PowerPlex^®16 assay and integrated Expert System Software received NDIS approval in March 2016. The enhanced ANDE instrument, referred to as ANDE 6C, and the accompanying 6-dye, 27-locus STR assay, referred to as FlexPlex, have been developed to be compatible with all widely used global loci, including the expanded set of the CODIS core 20 loci.Six forensic and research laboratories participated in the FlexPlex Rapid DNA developmental validation experiments, testing a total of 2045 swabs, including those obtained from 1387 unique individuals. The goal of this extensive and comprehensive validation was to thoroughly evaluate and document the ANDE System and its internal Expert System to reliably genotype reference buccal swab samples in a manner compliant with the FBI’s Quality Assurance Standards and the NDIS Operational Procedures.The ANDE System, including automated Expert System analysis, generated reproducible and concordant results for buccal swabs when testing various instruments at different laboratories by a number of different operators. When testing a number of non-human DNAs, including oral bacteria, the ANDE System and FlexPlex assay demonstrated limited cross-reactivity. Potential PCR inhibitors were evaluated as part of the validation and no inhibition was detected. Reproducible and concordant profiles were generated from buccal swab samples collected with a limit of detection appropriate for buccal swab collections from arrestees. The precision and resolution of the System met industry standards for detection of microvariants and single base resolution.The integrated Expert System appropriately demonstrated the ability to correctly pass or fail profiles for CODIS upload without human review. During this comprehensive developmental validation, the ANDE System successfully interpreted over 2000 samples tested with over 99.99% concordant alleles. The data package described herein led to the ANDE System with the FlexPlex assay receiving NDIS approval in June 2018.     

Intelligent dialogue based on statistical models of clinical decision-making

The independence Bayesian model has been used widely in computer programs designed to support clinical decision-making. A reasoning strategy has been developed to enable these programs to conduct clinically pertinent dialogue and explain their reasoning. It has been implemented in a program for the diagnosis of acute abdominal pain based on the Bayesian model of de Dombal et al. Several features of the dialogue design have been adopted from artificial intelligence research, including shared initiative and critiquing. The program adopts a flexible goal-driven strategy, attempting to confirm the clinician's diagnosis or rule out the likeliest alternative. Symptoms and signs are selected in order of their expected weights of evidence in favour of the hypothesized disease.     

A framework for systematically improving occupational therapy expert opinions on work capacity

Aim:  To present an evidence-based framework to improve the quality of occupational therapy expert opinions on work capacity for litigation, compensation and insurance purposes.
Methods:  Grounded theory methodology was used to collect and analyse data from a sample of 31 participants, comprising 19 occupational therapists, 6 medical specialists and 6 lawyers. A focused semistructured interview was completed with each participant. In addition, 20 participants verified the key findings.
Results:  The framework is contextualised within a medicolegal system requiring increasing expertise. The framework consists of (i) broad professional development strategies and principles, and (ii) specific strategies and principles for improving opinions through reporting and assessment practices.
Conclusions:  The synthesis of the participants' recommendations provides systematic guidelines for improving occupational therapy expert opinion on work capacity.     

Opinion polling and decision making: a critical appraisal of quality of life assessment

The relationship between quality of life (QOL) assessments and decision making, in relation to the delivery of health services, is subjected to critical appraisal. Three levels of decision making in the health care system are taken into account in the analysis. Criticisms of opinion polling provide the basis for the appraisal. Examples of criticisms considered are: Might the use of QOL information be manipulative? Could the interviews or questionnaires used to obtain QOL data influence personal opinions? Are the methods used sometimes defective and/or superficial? Will QOL information always be used in decision making in ways that are ascertainable and justifiable? It is concluded that the time has come for the main focus of critical appraisal in QOL research to shift, from an emphasis on evaluation of the quality of methods used for assessments of QOL, toward an emphasis on the practical usefulness of QOL data.     

An epidemiologic approach to computerized medical diagnosis—AEDMI program

A program called “An Epidemiological Approach to Computerized Medical Diagnosis” (AEDMI) is presented. Using an interactive questionnaire, physician-patient interviews are conducted and a summary of the relevant clinical data is provided. Standard items, obained on a multi-centre basis, form a large-scale data base. Simultaneously, the reasoning of clinical experts in each real case is analyzed to obtain a knowledge-rules data base. The methodology of the program combines Bayesian systems, expert systems, and other new lines of researcg such as neural networks or case-based reasoning. The general concepts of clinical decision making aid systems are reviewed. This publication is aimed at obtaining international cooperation.     

Real-time identification and archiving of micro-embolic Doppler signals using a knowledge-based DSP system

Identification of micro-emboli in the cerebral circulation using transcranial Doppler ultrasound provides valuable clinical information, but, currently, embolic signal detection and analysis are significantly limited because they mainly rely on costly off-line analysis by human experts. In this study, a reliable, high-resolution, real-time automated system for the detection and archiving of embolic signals was designed and implemented using expert system theory and modern DSP technology. Preliminary tests were conducted to evaluate the functions and the performance of the system using data from ten carotid endarterectomy patients and two normal volunteers. Using the widely accepted 7 dB threshold for human reliability and a human expert, majority-decision gold standard, the real-time system reached sensitivity and specificity of 93.6% and 99.3%, respectively, which were close to the results obtained by three human experts under ideal laboratory conditions (90.1% and 99.8%, 98.4% and 99.9%, 98.9 and 99.9%). The new system has the potential to be used either as a bedside monitoring and signal acquisition device, or as a laboratory investigation tool.     

不同时期在押罪犯司法精神病学鉴定案例的对比分析

目的 探讨近年来在押犯罪司法精神病学鉴定的特点和发展趋势。方法 对1994年后经该院鉴定的87例与1993年前鉴定的33例在押罪犯案例进行对比分析。结果 1994年后组在押罪犯鉴定的案例明显增加（P＜0．01）。服刑能力的鉴定,1994年后组较多（P＜0．01）,服教能力的鉴定,1993年前组较多（P＜0．05）。1994年后组经济类案件有上升趋势（P＜0．05）,诊断为精神分裂症的有明显下降（P＜0．01）,诊断为拘禁性精神障碍的有明显上升（P＜0．05）。结论 在押罪犯司法精神病学鉴定已成为司法精神病学鉴定的重要组成部分,对其法定能力的评定需进一步入研究。     

外科常见腹腔感染多学科诊治专家共识

腹腔感染是临床常见的急危重症之一,其诊治涉及外科、重症医学、感染、检验、临床药学等多个学科,包括局部病灶处置、病原学检测、抗菌药物合理应用及因感染导致的全身各系统异常状况纠正等过程,具有特殊性及复杂性。本共识参考国内外最新进展并结合临床经验,以问题为导向,以循证为基础,对急性阑尾炎、上消化道穿孔、下消化道穿孔、急性胆道感染、肝脓肿、重症急性胰腺炎、胰瘘、胆瘘、吻合口瘘、内镜诊治后消化道穿孔等外科常见腹腔感染的诊断、病原学检测、外科及抗菌药物治疗等临床热点问题进行评述,并根据证据等级提出诊治相关的推荐意见,旨在规范外科常见腹腔感染的诊疗行为,在临床决策、抗菌药物应用等方面为临床医师提供参考及指导,以提高诊治水平并改善患者预后。     

《中西医结合防治小儿腹泻病专家共识》解读

小儿腹泻病是儿童消化系统最常见的疾病,2022年中国中西医结合学会儿科专业委员会制定了《中西医结合防治小儿腹泻病专家共识》。现结合临床实践及最新的研究结果,对《中西医结合防治小儿腹泻病专家共识》中小儿腹泻病的发病机制、诊断和治疗中的重点内容进行解读,以期加深医务工作者对《中西医结合防治小儿腹泻病专家共识》的认识,促进中西医结合规范化治疗小儿腹泻病。     

Concordance of second opinion diagnosis in salivary gland cytopathology: experience from a single academic institution

Interpretation of fine needle aspiration (FNA) material from salivary gland lesions has high interobserver variability due to the heterogenous and overlapping cytological features of various lesions. For this reason, second opinion consultation may play an important role in guiding appropriate clinical management for challenging cases. We aimed to report our experience with salivary gland cytology consultation cases at our academic center. Consecutive salivary gland FNA cases received from outside institutions for second opinion consultation between 2013 and 2022 were reviewed. Cases were divided into true consults (diagnostic assistance sought) or confirming consults (reviewed by in-house cytopathologists for patients being transferred to our institution for treatment). All diagnoses were re-classified using the Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology (MSRSGC). Discordance between reclassified consult diagnostic categories and preliminary diagnostic categories was recorded. Consultation resulted in a change in the diagnostic category in 15% of confirming and 18% of true consult cases. The overall distribution of diagnostic categories provided by outside pathologists was similar to consult diagnoses. Only 4 (5.4%) confirming and 3 (5.5%) true consult cases had major diagnostic discrepancies, which may impact the clinical treatment. Moderate interobserver variability is often expected with salivary gland FNA. However, in our consultation practice, we found a relatively high degree of concordance between submitting and consult diagnoses utilizing the MSRSGC.