digital

Multicenter Evaluation of a PCR-Based Digital Microfluidics and Electrochemical Detection System for the Rapid Identification of 15 Fungal Pathogens Directly from Positive Blood Cultures [Mycology]

Routine identification of fungal pathogens from positive blood cultures by culture-based methods can be time-consuming, delaying treatment with appropriate antifungal agents. The GenMark Dx ePlex investigational use only blood culture identification fungal pathogen panel (BCID-FP) rapidly detects 15 fungal targets simultaneously in blood culture samples positive for fungi by Gram staining. We aimed to determine the performance of the BCID-FP in a multicenter clinical study. Blood culture samples collected at 10 United States sites and tested with BCID-FP at 4 sites were compared to the standard-of-care microbiological and biochemical techniques, fluorescence in situ hybridization using peptide nucleic acid probes (PNA-FISH) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Discrepant results were analyzed by bi-directional PCR/sequencing of residual blood culture samples. A total of 866 clinical samples, 120 retrospectively and 21 prospectively collected, along with 725 contrived samples were evaluated. Sensitivity and specificity of detection of Candida species (C. albicans, C. auris, C. dubliniensis, C. famata, C. glabrata, C. guilliermondii, C. kefyr, C. krusei, C. lusitaniae, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis) ranged from 97.1 to 100% and 99.8 to 100%, respectively. For the other organism targets, sensitivity and specificity were as follows: 100% each for Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii, 98.6% and 100% for Fusarium spp., and 96.2% and 99.9% for Rhodotorula spp., respectively. In 4 of the 141 clinical samples, the BCID-FP panel correctly identified an additional Candida species, undetected by standard-of-care methods. The BCID-FP panel offers a faster turnaround time for identification of fungal pathogens in positive blood cultures that may allow for earlier antifungal interventions and includes C. auris, a highly multidrug-resistant fungus.




digital

Image Quality and Activity Optimization in Oncologic 18F-FDG PET Using the Digital Biograph Vision PET/CT System

The first Biograph Vision PET/CT system (Siemens Healthineers) was installed at the University Medical Center Groningen. Improved performance of this system could allow for a reduction in activity administration or scan duration. This study evaluated the effects of reduced scan duration in oncologic 18F-FDG PET imaging on quantitative and subjective imaging parameters and its influence on clinical image interpretation. Methods: Patients referred for a clinical PET/CT scan were enrolled in this study, received a weight-based 18F-FDG injected activity, and underwent list-mode PET acquisition at 180 s per bed position (s/bp). Acquired PET data were reconstructed using the vendor-recommended clinical reconstruction protocol (hereafter referred to as "clinical"), using the clinical protocol with additional 2-mm gaussian filtering (hereafter referred to as "clinical+G2"), and—in conformance with European Association of Nuclear Medicine Research Ltd. (EARL) specifications—using different scan durations per bed position (180, 120, 60, 30, and 10 s). Reconstructed images were quantitatively assessed for comparison of SUVs and noise. In addition, clinically reconstructed images were qualitatively evaluated by 3 nuclear medicine physicians. Results: In total, 30 oncologic patients (22 men, 8 women; age: 48–88 y [range], 67 ± 9.6 y [mean ± SD]) received a single weight-based (3 MBq/kg) 18F-FDG injected activity (weight: 45–123 kg [range], 81 ± 15 kg [mean ± SD]; activity: 135–380 MBq [range], 241 ± 47.3 MBq [mean ± SD]). Significant differences in lesion SUVmax were found between the 180-s/bp images and the 30- and 10-s/bp images reconstructed using the clinical protocols, whereas no differences were found in lesion SUVpeak. EARL-compliant images did not show differences in lesion SUVmax or SUVpeak between scan durations. Quantitative parameters showed minimal deviation (~5%) in the 60-s/bp images. Therefore, further subjective image quality assessment was conducted using the 60-s/bp images. Qualitative assessment revealed the influence of personal preference on physicians’ willingness to adopt the 60-s/bp images in clinical practice. Although quantitative PET parameters differed minimally, an increase in noise was observed. Conclusion: With the Biograph Vision PET/CT system for oncologic 18F-FDG imaging, scan duration or activity administration could be reduced by a factor of 3 or more with the use of the clinical+G2 or the EARL-compliant reconstruction protocol.




digital

Digital medical photography recording: a personal view




digital

Body Surface Examination Facilitated by Digital Microscopy [Innovations in Primary Care]




digital

Assessment of Apparent Internal Carotid Tandem Occlusion on High-Resolution Vessel Wall Imaging: Comparison with Digital Subtraction Angiography [EXTRACRANIAL VASCULAR]

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

Not all tandem occlusions diagnosed on traditional vascular imaging modalities, such as MRA, represent actual complete ICA occlusion. This study aimed to explore the utility of high-resolution vessel wall imaging in identifying true ICA tandem occlusions and screening patients for their suitability for endovascular recanalization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Patients with no signal in the ICA on MRA were retrospectively reviewed. Two neuroradiologists independently reviewed their high-resolution vessel wall images to assess whether there were true tandem occlusions and categorized all cases into intracranial ICA occlusion, extracranial ICA occlusion, tandem occlusion, or near-occlusion. DSA classified patient images into the same 4 categories, which were used as the comparison with high-resolution vessel wall imaging. The suitability for recanalization of occluded vessels was evaluated on high-resolution vessel wall imaging compared with DSA.

RESULTS:

Forty-five patients with no ICA signal on MRA who had available high-resolution vessel wall imaging and DSA images were included. Among the 34 patients (34/45, 75.6%) with tandem occlusions on DSA, 18 cases also showed tandem occlusions on high-resolution vessel wall imaging. The remaining 16 patients, intracranial ICA, extracranial ICA occlusions and near-occlusions were found in 2, 6, and 8 patients, respectively, on the basis of high-resolution vessel wall imaging. A total of 20 cases (20/45, 44.4%) were considered suitable for recanalization on the basis of both DSA and high-resolution vessel wall imaging. Among the 25 patients deemed unsuitable for recanalization by DSA, 11 were deemed suitable for recanalization by high-resolution vessel wall imaging.

CONCLUSIONS:

High-resolution vessel wall imaging could allow identification of true ICA tandem occlusion in patients with an absence of signal on MRA. Findings on high-resolution vessel wall imaging can be used to screen more suitable candidates for recanalization therapy.




digital

Digital storytelling: Selling properties with ease in a hyper-connected world

Three marketing experts share their unconventional means of capturing the attention of potential homeowners of today.




digital

6 guiding parameters to upgrade your workplace environment in the digital economy

Prof. Jason Pomeroy talks about the rise of the digital economy and its impact on the workplace.




digital

Podcast 37: How to Pivot to Digital Education – With Ashish Rangnekar

WELCOME TO EPISODE 37 OF THE TALENTED LEARNING SHOW! Learn how trade associations and training companies are now pivoting to total digital education due to […]

The post Podcast 37: How to Pivot to Digital Education – With Ashish Rangnekar appeared first on e-Learning Feeds.




digital

Sophie Marschner turns real-world data into a digital topography in Monolith

Generative visuals and eerie sound design based on height maps of glaciers, canyons and estuaries. London-based motion graphic designer Sophie Marschner transforms real-world data into a delicate digital topography in Monolith. By using the height maps of various large-scale landmarks, including glaciers, canyons and estuaries, Marschner maps the outside world into a more intimate, digital […]

The post Sophie Marschner turns real-world data into a digital topography in Monolith appeared first on FACT Magazine.




digital

RPGCast – Episode 342: “It’s Not Available Digitally”

Final Fantasy XI announces its plans for its golden years. Fossil Fighters still exists. Then Phil either recommends or doesn’t recommend Avernum. I’m still not...




digital

Eight Digital Education Resources From Around the Smithsonian

The newly launched #SmithsonianEdu campaign highlights 1.7 million online tools geared specifically toward students and teachers




digital

LIVE NOW: Watch the Smithsonian's Earth Optimism Digital Summit

The two-day virtual event will bring scientists and many other experts to highlight success stories in conservation




digital

Men's Milan Fashion Week slips to July in digital-only format due to coronavirus

The Men's Milan Fashion Week set for June will be postponed to mid-July and presented in purely digital format with photos and video to avoid the risk of coronavirus contagion, Italy's national fashion chamber said on Wednesday.




digital

Free $15 Target GiftCard with $100 iTunes Digital Gift Card purchase at Target

Different digital styles to choose from!

Online only.

 

http://goto.target.com/itunesgiftcards

  • -->




    digital

    Review: Sagrada, a top dice-drafting board game, goes digital

    Get yer glass on with this great version of the board game hit.




    digital

    Digital-friendly recession: How Big Tech got even bigger in the midst of a market meltdown

    Many analysts expected the stocks to fall back to earth when the next downturn came




    digital

    Pubs pivot to digital: 'We hope that people feel that the world outside is still there'

    Weekly meat tray giveaways, craft beer deliveries and trivia held over Zoom. As pubs stand empty, those that run them look to the internet

    Across Australia, pubs stand empty because of the Covid-19 lockdowns. Some venues have shut entirely, others have pivoted to takeaway businesses, and the majority have had to make changes to their staffing.

    While the future of physical pubs remains very uncertain for the coming months, the entertainers, brewers and chefs that rely on pubs for their livelihood are finding ways to recreate pub experiences in patrons’ homes.

    Continue reading...




    digital

    Deliveroo is giving couples the chance to win a £1,500 wedding breakfast for digital lockdown nuptials

    Has your wedding been affected by coronavirus? Deliveroo wants to help




    digital

    Gwyneth Paltrow to replace her £1,000-a-ticket Goop Summit with free digital 'In Goop Health' sessions

    Paltrow's pricey wellness summit just got mighty accessible




    digital

    London Fashion Week will be digital-only for first time

    As both menswear and womenswear combine for the digital event, could this spell the end for runway shows permanently?




    digital

    Apple confirms WWDC 2020 date as annual conference goes digital

    Mark June 22 in your calendars now




    digital

    Hay Festival unveils its first-ever digital programme

    This year's digital-only festival has dropped nearly 600 events, but it will be completely free




    digital

    Digital game sales data just got a little less opaque

    Major publishers working with NPD to share their download numbers.




    digital

    We’ve been missing a big part of game industry’s digital revolution

    NPD “restatement” shows consistent spending growth as digital sales dominate.




    digital

    New remote medical norms land in San Francisco digital health firm's wheelhouse

    Omada Health founder and CEO Sean Duffy had an a-ha moment about digital health when he saw his mother start asking her doctor for FaceTime appointments. “That’s when I realized we are in a different world right now,” he said.




    digital

    New stamps, digital project mark centenary of Group of Seven's debut

    On the 100th anniversary of the Group of Seven's inaugural exhibit, the influential art collective is being recognized with efforts putting their distinctively Canadian paintings in front of a fresh crop of art lovers.




    digital

    Using digital twins to design more sustainable cities

    Over the past several years, a collaboration at HLRS has been developing a digital twin of Herrenberg, a small city just outside of Stuttgart, Germany. The Herrenberg study has already provided valuable information for city planners and government officials in the state of Baden-Württemberg, and paves the way for improving the model to include additional kinds of data.





    digital

    How I survived my two-week digital diet


    No Smartphone. No Google. No Twitter. No texting and no music — except for a Walkman.




    digital

    Salesforce Acquires Krux Digital for $750,000,000

    Krux Digital helps anyone with a website safeguard, manage, and make responsible use of consumer data signatures across devices, sources, and formats. Krux arms web publishers with the technology and know-how to compete in a data game currently dominated by advertisers and market middlemen.




    digital

    Join Us Online May 13 for Xcelerating Life Sciences: Biopharma’s Future in Digital Health

    Learn how digital tech is accelerating medical breakthroughs by registering your team to attend Xcelerating Life Sciences Boston: Biopharma’s Future in Digital Health. While some content focuses on the Boston ecosystem, we’re confident the forum – and virtual networking – will be valuable to a national audience. The May 13, 2020 event will explore the […]




    digital

    Dr Wajid Hussain appointed new clinical director for digital health at RCP

    The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has appointed Dr Wajid Hussain as its new clinical director for digital health.

    Dr Hussain, a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysicist at the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust, has a demonstrated interest in IT and health.

    While he currently represents the views of clinicians on the Trust’s IT committee, Dr Hussain completed a Diploma in Digital Health Leadership at the NHS Digital Academy last year. He is also currently studying for a Master’s in Digital Health leadership at Imperial College London.

    read more




    digital

    Novartis acquires digital therapeutics specialist Amblyotech

    The pharmaceutical firm has purchased the company, which specializes in advancing treatments and diagnostics for ocular disorders.



    • Markets & Regulations

    digital

    EU efforts turn towards digital for 2019

    2018 was a busy and productive year for ACRO’s European Scientific & Regulatory Committee, which meets quarterly in London. While the Committee focused largely on the continuing implementation of the EU Clinical Trial Regulation, there were also opportunities to engage with regulators on other topics ranging from European regulatory strategy to Advanced Therapies to the urgent challenges of Brexit.




    digital

    ACRO expands membership with addition of three digital technology companies

    The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) is pleased to announce the expansion of its membership to include ERT, Oracle and Veeva. These new ACRO member companies, with their focus on digital technologies that enable global clinical trials, characterize the ongoing innovation and evolution of contemporary clinical research. ACRO now has 12 member companies.




    digital

    Department of Justice Supports the Associated Press’s Proposed Digital News Registry

    The Department of Justice announced today that it supports a proposal by The Associated Press (AP) to develop and operate a voluntary news registry to facilitate the licensing and Internet distribution of news content created by the AP, its members, and other news originators



    • OPA Press Releases

    digital

    One of the World’s Largest Digital Currency Companies and Seven of Its Principals and Employees Charged in Manhattan Federal Court with Running Alleged $6 Billion Money Laundering Scheme

    Liberty Reserve, a company that operated one of the world’s most widely used digital currency services, and seven of its principals and employees were charged with money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.



    • OPA Press Releases

    digital

    Testimony as Prepared for Delivery by Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division Mythili Raman Before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary on the Topic, “Privacy in the Digital Age”

    At the Department of Justice, we are devoting significant resources and energy to fighting computer hacking and other types of cybercrime. The recent revelations about the massive thefts of financial information from large retail stores have served as a stark reminder to all of us about how vulnerable we are to cyber criminals who are determined to steal our personal information. The Justice Department is more committed than ever to ensuring that the full range of government enforcement tools is brought to bear in the fight against cybercrime.




    digital

    Digital Transformation is Vital for Small Businesses

    “Ten, twenty, thirty years ago, you were in the best position to go global if you were a large company and had a lot of resources and access to a lot of attorneys and advisors who could help you navigate regulations and issues that get more complicated as you go abroad.”




    digital

    APEC SME Ministers Commit to Inclusion Through Digital Transformation

    Ministers convened this week in Concepcion to talk about one of the most underrepresented but vital business sectors of the region.




    digital

    Wanted: Data on the Gender Gap, Digital Divide and Small Businesses

    We need it for inclusive policymaking




    digital

    Technology Opens Doors, say Winners of APEC Digital Prosperity Award

    A duo of innovative programmers from Malaysia are the winners of the 2019 APEC Digital Prosperity Award, announced on the sidelines of the APEC Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting in Langkawi.




    digital

    CHC Endorses Request Calling for Veto of Maryland Tax on Digital Advertising

    April 6, 2020 – The Coalition for Healthcare Communication last week endorsed an urgent request to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) to veto HB 732, which would put in place the nation’s first tax on digital advertising. The request, sent March 31 by national media and advertising trade associations and members of The Advertising Coalition, […]





    digital

    Can pharma become a digital industry?



    • in the news
    • Working in the industry
    • Pharma Digital Transformations

    digital

    Digital synthesis of histological stains using micro-structured and multiplexed virtual staining of label-free tissue




    digital

    COVID-19 Pandemic Accelerates the Rise of Digital Payments

    Could using the cash in your pocket have the potential to spread covid-19? That question has rarely appeared in the news, but many governments and leaders in the digital payments industry are wondering how the virus might impact the use of cash. Several countries have already taken drastic measures to limit circulation of bank notes. Could such interventions lead to the end of cash payments?




    digital

    How Digital Service Teams are Responding to Covid-19

    David Eaves writes that the most significant lesson coming out of the COVID-19 crisis  is the importance of having a digital strategy and a technological infrastructure in place at both the national and local levels.




    digital

    Noticias sobre Covid-19 y 2019-nCoV en medios de comunicación de España: el papel de los medios digitales en tiempos de confinamiento // News on Covid-19 and 2019-nCoV in Spanish media: The role of digital media in times of confinement

    Lázaro-Rodríguez, Pedro and Herrera-Viedma, Enrique Noticias sobre Covid-19 y 2019-nCoV en medios de comunicación de España: el papel de los medios digitales en tiempos de confinamiento // News on Covid-19 and 2019-nCoV in Spanish media: The role of digital media in times of confinement. El profesional de la información, 2020, vol. 29, n. 3. [Journal article (Unpaginated)]




    digital

    COVID-19 Pandemic Accelerates the Rise of Digital Payments

    Could using the cash in your pocket have the potential to spread covid-19? That question has rarely appeared in the news, but many governments and leaders in the digital payments industry are wondering how the virus might impact the use of cash. Several countries have already taken drastic measures to limit circulation of bank notes. Could such interventions lead to the end of cash payments?