Body composition assessment helps conducting a healthy life or tracking the effectiveness of a weight management therapy. Ultrasound (US)-based body composition research has gained momentum because of the emergence of portable and inexpensive instruments bundled with user-friendly software. Previously, US-based assessment of body fat percentage (% BF) was found precise, but inaccurate in certain populations. Therefore, this study sought to compute % BF from subcutaneous fat thicknesses (SFs) given by US converting an anthropometric formula that involves skinfold thicknesses (SKFs) measured at the same sites. The symmetry of the body with respect to the central sagittal plane is an underlying assumption in both anthropometry and US-based body composition assessment, so measurements were taken on the right side of the body. Relying on experimental data on skinfold compressibility, we adapted 33 SKF formulas for US use and tested their validity against air displacement plethysmography on a study group of 97 women (BMI = 25.4 ± 6.4 kg/m2, mean ± SD) and 107 men (BMI = 26.7 ± 5.7 kg/m2). For both sexes, the best proprietary formula had Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) between 0.7 and 0.73, standard error of estimate (SEE) < 3% BF and total error (TE) > 6% BF—mainly because of the underestimation of % BF in overweight and obese subjects. For women (men) the best adapted formula had CCC = 0.85 (0.80), SEE = 3.2% (2.4%) BF, and TE = 4.6% (5.4%) BF. Remarkably, certain adapted formulas were more accurate for overweight and obese people than the proprietary equations. In conclusion, anthropometric equations provide useful starting points in the quest for novel formulas to estimate body fat content from ultrasound measurements.

Air displacement plethysmography (ADP) is a widespread technique for assessing global obesity in both health and disease. The reliability of ADP has been demonstrated by studies focused on duplicate trials. The present study was purported to evaluate learning effects on the reliability of body composition assessment using the BOD POD system, the sole commercially available ADP instrument. To this end, quadruplicate trials were performed on a group of 105 subjects (51 women and 54 men). We estimated measurement error from pairs of consecutive trials-(1,2), (2,3), and (3,4)-to test the hypothesis that early measurements are subject to larger errors. Indeed, statistical analysis revealed that measures of reliability inferred from the first two trials were inferior to those computed for the other pairs of contiguous trials: for percent body fat (%BF), the standard error of measurement (SEM) was 1.04% for pair (1,2), 0.71% for pair (2,3), and 0.66% for pair (3,4); the two-way random effects model intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.991 for pair (1,2), and 0.996 for pairs (2,3) and (3,4). Our findings suggest that, at least for novice subjects, the first ADP test should be regarded as a practice trial. When the remaining trials were pooled together, the reliability indices of single ADP tests were the following: ICC = 0.996, SEM = 0.70%, and minimum detectable change (MDC) = 1.93% for %BF, and ICC = 0.999, SEM = 0.49 kg, and MDC = 1.35 kg for fat-free mass (FFM). Thus, the present study pleads for eliminating learning effects to further increase the reliability of ADP.

Two-dimensional cephalometry is widely used for monitoring orthodontic treatments and for quantifying the outcome of maxillofacial surgery. Despite careful use of a cephalostat, successive radiographs might differ due to slight differences in patient posture. This study evaluates the reliability of lateral cephalometric measurements and estimates the impact of patient positioning on this reliability. We studied cephalograms of 104 patients; 31 of them had two radiographs because the first was deemed unsuitable for cephalometric analysis. Using AudaxCeph 3.0 (Audax, Ljubljana, Slovenia), two observers traced each cephalogram twice, one month apart. We evaluated intra- and interobserver agreement via Bland–Altman analysis, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement, and smallest detectable difference (SDD). First, we studied the reliability of the hard tissue part of the Tweed-Merrifield analysis for 73 single cephalograms and for the better ones of patients with two exposures. Then, we studied 31 unsatisfactory cephalograms, and the ones recorded at improved patient posture. Although intraobserver bias was less than 0.5° or 0.3 mm, interobserver bias was significant for most measurements. Intraobserver reliability was high (ICC > 0.9), whereas interobserver reliability was good (ICC > 0.83) except for FMPA, FMIA and OP. Head rotations and inclinations had little impact on reliability (e.g., interobserver SDD decreased for 3 of 11 measurements). We conclude that averaging the positions of bilateral structures enables a reliable cephalometric analysis in spite of imprecise patient posture. Retaking cephalograms is ethically questionable in such cases.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the microwave radiations on the physico chemical characteristics of raw milk and to establish the correlations between the physical parameters in order to appreciate milk quality. The results showed that the values of fat, protein, dry matter and lactose decreased during the microwave exposure while the average density value increased. Between lactose content and electric conductivity there is a negative correlation (r = –0.956) while between protein content and surface tension there is a positive correlation (r = 0.937). We conclude that physical parameters are sensitive indicators of milk quality.

Camellia seed oil is well known for its industrial uses. However, despite the increasing use of this oil, few studies have investigated which factors impact seed oil production. Thus, the aims of this study are to identify which factors influence the percentage seed oil of Camellia reticulata, a by investigating both seed and environmental variables. Firstly, fruit traits were studied and correlated against percentage seed oil data, and then environmental variables linked to seed oil production were investigated. The first experiments analyzed how well fruit characteristics (size, length, weight, seed number, seed oil) of the Camellia plants predict percentage seed oil. The second experiment modelled the effect of environmental variables (soil, elevation, temperature and rainfall) on seed oil production. The results indicated that the kernel ratio per fruit, seed weight to fruit weight ratio and fruit weight positively influenced percentage seed oil while, when these previous effects are accounted for, the number of seeds reduced percentage seed oil. The environmental model showed that seed oil was influenced most strongly by elevation and soil type, with haplic Acrisols providing the highest seed oil. Thus it is clear that Camellia seed oil is affected by a variety of factors, and these should be taken into account when selecting species and cultivars for the planting of Camellia stands for oil production.

One of the most important challenges of contemporary biology is understanding how cells assemble into tissues. The complexity of morphogenesis calls for computational tools able to identify the dominant mechanisms involved in shaping tissues. This narrative review presents individual-based computational models that proved useful in simulating phenomena of interest in tissue engineering (TE), a research field that aims to create tissue replacements in the laboratory. First, we briefly describe morphogenetic mechanisms. Then, we present several computational models of cellular and subcellular resolution, along with applications that illustrate their potential to address problems of TE. Finally, we analyze experiments that may be used to validate computational models of tissue constructs made of cohesive cells. Our analysis shows that the models available in the literature are not exploited to their full potential. We argue that, upon validation, a computational model can be used to optimize cell culture conditions and to design new experiments.

This paper is based on understanding and matching interdisciplinary research activities in areas like health sciences, economic and those aiming to design a computer model for a software platform for the implementation of technological change. Transfer of information from the interdisciplinary research have an exceptionally important in successful market positioning of new technologies and strengthen the market position of those who implement these results. It also has the role of economic development in the context of global competition, leading to the progress of society.

The purpose of this paper is to present a combination of information technologies for access to information that characterizes the Web multidisciplinary systems using technological change. The platform presents a new concept in the Romanian scientific research and also a significant potential for growth and development, which may become an important factor in national and international scientific circles. The essence of this article is to propose an interaction between knowledge management and information stored in various forms (text-based documents or ideas unexposed) between individual researchers and/or various institutes with a goal of changing the mode of knowledge generation.

Platelet aggregation is important to stop bleeding. In certain pathologies, however, excessive platelet aggregation leads to atherothrombosis and ischemic events. The potentially lethal consequences of impaired platelet aggregation explain the importance of quantitative studies of platelet function. Several techniques have been developed to measure the time course of in vitro platelet aggregation induced by agonists such as ADP, epinephrine, collagen, arachidonic acid and ristocetin. Kinetic methods allow for a quantitative analysis of the time-dependence of the aggregation response, and point out the relative importance of the underlying processes. To describe ADP-induced platelet aggregation, we propose a kinetic model that includes three compartments: single platelets, aggregated platelets and deaggregated platelets (i.e. single platelets that have left an aggregate). We assume that deaggregated platelets have different adhesive properties from single platelets that have not been part of an aggregate. Our model is simpler than earlier models, and it is in accord with data obtained by light transmission aggregometry. Applied for healthy subjects and for patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPD), our kinetic approach suggests that the rate of reaggregation is significantly reduced in MPD.