Early diagnose of Parkinson's disease has been possible by using neuro-QWERTY index, a computational algorithm for analyzing users’ interactions with a computer keyboard. This research was devoted to study the reliability of neuro-QWERTY index; as detecting the reliability is necessary to clear the usefulness of diagnostic and screening tests.
Early Parkinson's disease database, which was used in aggregated format by Giancardo et al. in 2016 to introduce neuro-QWERTY index, and to assess its validity, was used in this study in original format to assess the test-retest reliability of neuro-QWERTY index. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Bland-Altman plot, and coefficient of repeatability (CR) were used for statistical analyses. Moreover, using DeLong’s statistical test, area under curves (AUCs) of receiver operating curves (ROCs) was compared for test and retest scores, and their average scores.
Findings: Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.94, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.89 to 0.97. Bland-Altman plot showed that differences between test and retest scores were small. Coefficient of repeatability was 0.04, with a 95% CI of 0.03 to 0.05. The area under curves were 0.89, 0.90, and 0.92 for receiver operating curves of test score, retest score, and their average score, respectively. Differences between the areas under curves of receiver operating curves were not significant (P ≥ 0.25).
Neuro-QWERTY index have a good reliability. Therefore, it could act as a suitable candidate for screening of Parkinson's disease, considering simplicity and inexpensiveness of its measurements, no side effects, good validity in terms of sensitivity and specificity, and as shown in this study, its acceptable reliability.

The main purpose of this paper is to introduce afast method for gene prediction in DNA sequences based on the period-3 property in exons. First, the symbolic DNA sequences are converted to digital signal using the EIIP method. Then, to reduce the effect of background noise in the period-3 spectrum, we use the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) at three levels and apply it on the input digital signal. Finally, the Goertzel algorithm is used to extract period-3 components in the filtered DNA sequence. The proposed algorithm leads to increase the speed of process and therefor reduce the computational complexity. Detection of small size exons in DNA sequences, exactly, is another advantage of our algorithm. The proposed algorithm ability in exon prediction is compared with several existing methods at the nucleotide level using: (i) specificity - sensitivity values; (ii) Receiver Operating Curves (ROC); and (iii) area under ROC curve. Simulation results show that our algorithm increases the accuracy of exon detection relative to other methods for exon prediction.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the climate suitability map of pistachio planting in the northwestern provinces of the country. Accordingly, the climate suitability map of pistachio planting was prepared based on long-term meteorological data using weighted overlap modeling in GIS environment. The accuracy of the mentioned map was evaluated by comparing it with the pistachio orchards map that located in this area using the Receiver Operating Curve (ROC). The results showed that 33, 33.4, 60 and 12.4% of the study area in East and West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, and Ardabil provinces are suitable for pistachio cultivation respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) for the mentioned provinces were calculated as 0.9, 0.8, 0.9, and 0.62, respectively, which in general indicates the high accuracy of the results. In Ardabil province, insufficient attention to the limitation of high relative humidity in different stages of pollination, and fruit growth in the construction of pistachio orchards has caused a low area AUC. Citing the results of the climate suitability of pistachio cultivation map can be a good guide for site selection of new orchards and therefore, the reduction of crop yield due to climatic hazards will be minimized.

The objective of this study was to compare an indirect ELISA, based on a purified 60 kDa envelope glycoprotein (gp51SU), with a Pourquire indirect ELISA for the detection of antibodies to the bovine leukemia virus. For conducting this research, 340 serum samples were collected from two different breeds of cows (Sarabi and Holestin) in different herds. Commercial ELISA revealed positive results in 17 (7%) Holstein cows. An appropriate ELISA cut-off was determined by receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis in comparison with commercial indirect ELISA. Results showed a relative sensitivity and specificity of 97% and 92%, respectively, for a cut-off value of 0.34 in the domestic ELISA. In conclusion, the results of the present study showed that domestic developed kit can be used for diagnosis of bovine leukemia virus with appropriate sensitivity and specificity. In addition, a comparison of the results from a native breed, Sarabi, with Holstein showed that there was no significant (P>0.05) difference in the frequency of infection with BLV between the two breeds.

This research was conducted to prepare landslide susceptibility zonation (LSZ) map for the Dez-e-Ouliabasin using logistic regression model. For this purpose, at first, the most important factors affecting land sliding including slope, aspect, elevation, precipitation, the distance from road, the distance from fault, the distance from drainage, land use, and lithology were determined. Then, thelandslide inventory mapwas preparedby using field digital checks, GPS and satellite images. In the next step, the landslide susceptibility zonation mapwas preparedby usinglogistic regression method. According to the obtained coefficients for LSZ maps, the most important factor in the study area was elevation layer. The Receiver Operating Curve (ROC) index value was calculated (0.92), which indicates a very high level and suggests thatthe observed mass movements have a strong relationship with the logistic regression model.

Metabolomics is a powerful technique for determination of biomarkers. Here, we aimed to determine discriminatory metabolomic profiles in different stages of sulfur mustard-exposed patients (SMEPs).
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to analyze serum samples from 17 SMEPs (normal group patients) and 17 SMEPs (severe group patients). Multivariate statistical analysis using random forest (RF) was performed on a ‘training set’ (70% of the total sample) in order to produce a discriminatory model classifying two groups of patients, and the model tested in the remaining subjects.
A classification model was derived using data from the training set with an area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) of 0.87. In the test set (the remaining 30% of subjects), the AUC was 0.8, thus RF model had good predictive power. We observed significant changes in lipid, amino acids and energy metabolism between two groups of patients.
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of serum successfully differentiates two groups of patients exposed to sulfur mustard. This technique has the potential to provide novel diagnostics and identify novel pathophysiological mechanisms, biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Pulse-oximetry (Spo2) widely uses as a help tools for therapeutic interventions in the pediatric intensive care units (PICU). The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of Spo2 in measuring of oxygenation index (OI) in children.
In a descriptive analytical study, 100 patients who were admitted to PICU Tabriz Children's Hospital were studied. Oxygenation index measured by using two methods, including SpO2 which obtained from Spo2 and partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2) which obtained from Arterial Blood Gases analysis.
Based on findings, there was a linear correlation between SpO2 and PaO2, and also about OI which measured with Spo2 and PaO2. Based on Receiver Operating Curve (ROC), sensitivity and specificity of OI with considering PaO2 as denominator and in values less or more than 0.145, were 100%, and 76.9%, respectively; and with considering SpO2 as denominator and in values less or more than 0.145, were 98.6%, and 67.7%, respectively.
This study indicates that SpO2 instead of pao2 for measuring OI can be useful.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious, common and occasionally under-recognized condition. To date, the clinical and some laboratory parameters are routinely applied to distinguish between functional and structural AKI which can be challenging in certain occasions. In the present paper, we investigate the accuracy of urinary calprotectin as a diagnostic biomarker in this dubious situation.
This is a cross-sectional study among 75 children with AKI defined by Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) and 20 healthy children as controls which was carried out for about six months (September 2014 to March 2015). Random urinary calprotectin concentration was assessed by ELISA in both groups within 48 hours after diagnosis. Patients with obstructive uropathy, malnutrition, renal transplantation, chronic renal failure, urinary tract infection, and malignancy were excluded. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to determine the accuracy of urinary calprotectin to detect children with structural AKI. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant.
Median urinary calprotectin was 1240 ng/mL in structural AKI, 28.5 in functional, and 33 in controls. Receiver operating curve analysis revealed high levels of accuracy for measuring calprotectin in predicting structural AKI. A cutoff level of 230 ng/mL for urinary calprotectin showed high sensitivity and specificity. The urine calprotectin/creatinine ratio indicated the same accuracy as urinary calprotectin in diagnosing structural AKI. The ROC curve function was better for urine calprotectin and its ratio in comparison to fractional excretion of sodium (FENa).
Calprotectin is a biomarker that can rapidly and easily recognize structural from functional AKI with high sensitivity and specificity in comparison to traditional most accurate diagnostic test; FENa.

To determine the sensitivity and specificity of anterior and posterior corneal elevation parameters as determined by Orbscan II (Bausch and Lomb, Rochester, NY, USA) in discriminating between (sub) clinical keratoconus (KCN) and normal corneas. This prospective case‑control study included 28 eyes with subclinical KCN, 65 with clinical KCN and 141 normal corneas. Anterior and posterior corneal elevation was measured and compared in the central 5‑mm corneal zone using Orbscan II. Receiver operating curves (ROC) curve analyses for posterior corneal elevation showed predictive accuracy in both KCN and subclinical KCN with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.97 and 0.69, respectively while optimal cutoff points were 51 μm for KCN and 35 μm for subclinical KCN. These values were associated with sensitivity and specificity of 89.23% and 98.58%, respectively, for KCN; and 50.00% and 88.65% for subclinical KCN. ROC curve analyses for anterior corneal elevation showed predictive accuracy in both KCN and subclinical KCN with AUC of 0.97 and 0.69, respectively while optimal cutoff points were 19 μm for KCN and 16 μm for subclinical KCN. These values were associated with sensitivity and specificity of 93.85% and 97.16%, respectively, for KCN; and 60.71% and 87.94% for subclinical KCN. Anterior and posterior corneal elevation data obtained by Orbscan II can well discriminate between KCN and normal corneas, however the reliability of their indices is lower in differentiating subclinical KCN from normal cases.

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to assess and compare the diagnostic accuracy of Helicobacter pylori stool antigen (HpSA) test with three other invasive and non-invasive diagnostic methods.Materials and MethodsA total of Fifty-two dyspeptic patients were included. None of the patients had previous eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori. Endoscopic biopsy samples were obtained for histology examination and Rapid Urease Test (RUT). Urea Breath Test (UBT) and HpSA were also performed. Patients were considered Helicobacter pylori positive when 2 of 3 tests (histology examination, RUT and UBT) were positive (gold standard). Diagnostic accuracy of HpSA was assessed performing a Receiver Operating Curve (ROC) analysis. ResultsTwenty-threeWere men and 29Were women, with a mean age of 42.3 years of the Palients.The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection was 67.3%. ROC curve analysis was showed a significant area under curve of 94.6% (p=0.0001). Cut-off value was estimated to be 0.1. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of HpSA was 91.4%, 94.1%, 97% and 84%, respectively. HpSA level significantly increased with increasing in bacterial load.ConclusionHpSA was proved to be a highly accurate, simple and non-invasive test for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection before treatment in dyspeptic patients.