Blinded Evaluation Research Articles

Chin Augmentation and Treatment of Chin Retrusion with a Flexible Hyaluronic Acid Filler in Asian Subjects: A Randomized, Controlled, Evaluator-Blinded Study

BackgroundAesthetic improvement of the chin is increasingly requested by patients, including those of Chinese origin.MethodsA randomized, evaluator-blinded, no-treatment controlled study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of a flexible hyaluronic acid (HA) filler, Restylane® DefyneTM (HADEF), in the correction of chin retrusion in a Chinese adult population over 12 months after treatment. On Day 1, subjects were randomized 3:1 into two groups, HADEF or delayed-treatment controls, and those in the HADEF group were administered treatment. An optional touch-up treatment was administered 1 month after treatment to obtain optimal chin augmentation. The initially untreated control group was offered delayed-treatment after 6 months (including 1-month touch-up).ResultsHADEF was superior to no-treatment in improving chin retrusion according to the blinded evaluator at 6 months [Galderma Chin Retrusion Scale (GCRS) responder rate (≥ 1-point improvement from baseline) of 81% vs. 5% for untreated controls; p < 0.001, meeting the primary effectiveness objective. A majority of subjects maintained improvement at 12 months (61% in the HADEF group). All subjects reported satisfaction with results at 6 months after treatment with HADEF and aesthetic improvement rates per the global aesthetic improvement scale (GAIS) were high for 12 months following treatment, with an acceptable safety profile.ConclusionsThese results demonstrated HADEF to be effective and safe for the correction of mild-to-moderate chin retrusion in Chinese subjects, confirming findings previously observed in a western population.Level of Evidence I This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

A Blinded Evaluation of Brain Morphometry for Differential Diagnosis of Atypical Parkinsonism.

Advanced imaging techniques have been studied for differential diagnosis between PD, MSA, and PSP. This study aims to validate the utility of individual voxel-based morphometry techniques for atypical parkinsonism in a blinded fashion. Forty-eight healthy controls (HC) T1-WI were used to develop a referential dataset and fit a general linear model after segmentation into gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) compartments. Segmented GM and WM with PD (n = 96), MSA (n = 18), and PSP (n = 20) were transformed into z-scores using the statistics of referential HC and individual voxel-based z-score maps were generated. An imaging diagnosis was assigned by two independent raters (trained and untrained) blinded to clinical information and final diagnosis. Furthermore, we developed an observer-independent index for ROI-based automated differentiation. The diagnostic performance using voxel-based z-score maps by rater 1 and rater 2 for MSA yielded sensitivities: 0.89, 0.94 (95% CI: 0.74-1.00, 0.84-1.00), specificities: 0.94, 0.80 (0.90-0.98, 0.73-0.87); for PSP, sensitivities: 0.85, 0.90 (0.69-1.00, 0.77-1.00), specificities: 0.98, 0.94 (0.96-1.00, 0.90-0.98). Interrater agreement was good for MSA (Cohen's kappa: 0.61), and excellent for PSP (0.84). Receiver operating characteristic analysis using the ROI-based new index showed an area under the curve (AUC): 0.89 (0.77-1.00) for MSA, and 0.99 (0.98-1.00) for PSP. These evaluations provide support for the utility of this imaging technique in the differential diagnosis of atypical parkinsonism demonstrating a remarkably high differentiation accuracy for PSP, suggesting potential use in clinical settings in the future.

Abstract 81: Radial versus Femoral Access for Mechanical Thrombectomy in Patients With Large Vessel Occlusion: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: Femoral artery is the most used access for mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in stroke patients with a large vessel occlusion. Routine radial access has been proposed as an alternative following cardiology guidelines although its safety and efficacy remain controversial. Hypothesis: Radial access for MT is non-inferior to femoral access in terms of final recanalization. Methods: The study was an investigator-initiated, single-center, evaluator-blinded randomized clinical trial. Stroke patients undergoing MT, with femoral artery patency and radial artery diameter ≥2.5mm were randomly assigned (1:1) to either radial (60 patients) or femoral access (60 patients). The primary binary outcome was successful recanalization (final eTICI score 2b-3) assigned by blinded evaluators. In the per protocol analysis, patients with allocated access failure were considered non-recanalized. We established a non-inferiority margin of -13.2%, considering an acceptable reduction of 15% in the expected recanalization rates. Results: From September 2021 to July 2023, 120 patients were randomly assigned and 114 (57 radial access, 57 femoral access) with confirmed intracranial occlusion on initial angiogram were included in the primary analysis. In the intention to treat analysis, successful recanalization was achieved in 48/57 (84.2%) patients assigned to femoral access and in 54/57(94.7%) patients assigned to radial (adjusted risk difference 3.36%, 95% CI –6.47% to 13%; p&lt;0.001). The lower limit of one-sided 95% CI was –4.8%, which did not cross our predefined margin of -13.2%. Median time from angiography suite arrival to first pass (femoral: 30 (IQR 25-37) minutes versus radial: 41 (IQR 33-62) minutes, p&lt;0.001) and from suite arrival to recanalization (femoral: 42 (IQR 28-74) versus radial: 59.5 (IQR 44-81) minutes, p&lt;0.050) were longer after radial access. Both groups presented one severe access complication and there was no difference in the rate of allocated access failure: radial 6 (10.5%) radial Vs femoral 5 (8.8%) (p=0.751). Conclusion: Among patients who underwent MT, radial access was non-inferior to femoral access in terms of final recanalization. Procedural delays may favor femoral access as default first approach.

Impact of 18F-flotufolastat PET on management of patients with recurrent prostate cancer: Data from the SPOTLIGHT study.

38 Background: 18F-Flotufolastat (18F-rhPSMA-7.3) is a newly approved high affinity PSMA-targeting PET radiopharmaceutical for diagnostic imaging in patients with prostate cancer (PCa). SPOTLIGHT (NCT04186845) evaluated 18F-flotufolastat in patients with recurrent PCa. Here, we report available SPOTLIGHT data to assess the impact of 18F-flotufolastat on planned treatment after curative-intent primary therapy. Methods: Patients underwent PET 50–70 min after IV administration of 296 MBq 18F-flotufolastat. The protocol instructed onsite investigators to record patients’ management plans (MP) before and after 18F-flotufolastat PET. These MP were compared and categorized as: ‘no change’, ‘major change’, ‘other change’, ‘additional information required’ or ‘intended plan not valid’. A ‘major change’ was defined as a change to treatment modality (e.g., salvage radiation therapy [RT] to systemic therapy), while ‘other change’ represented a change within a modality (e.g., modified RT field). Plans categorized as ‘no change’, ‘major change’ or ‘other change’ were considered evaluable. All imaging data were subsequently submitted for blinded image evaluation (BIE) by 3 central readers. Results: Of 389 patients who had 18F-flotufolastat PET, 97 had sufficient MP data for evaluation. These 97 patients were comparable to the overall population in terms of prior treatment (84% vs 79%, respectively, were post-prostatectomy), Gleason Score (63% vs 60% had Score 7), and median baseline PSA (0.8 vs 1.1 ng/mL). Moreover, BIE data show the detection rate in this subgroup (81/97; 84%) to be equivalent to that in the overall population (322/389; 83%). Most patients, 86/97 (89%) had a change to their MP post-scan. A ‘major change’ was noted for 78 (80%) patients, while 8 (8.2%) had an ‘other change’ (Table). Onsite imaging reads show that both positive and negative 18F-flotufolastat scans influenced MP. While 88% of revisions occurred after a positive scan, 75% of those whose MP were revised to watchful waiting (WW) had negative scans. All patients with MP revised from salvage therapy to non-curative systemic therapy had distant/extrapelvic 18F-flotufolastat-avid lesions. Conclusions: 18F-Flotufolastat located recurrence sites in the majority of patients with recurrent PCa, frequently resulting in major changes to MP. Treatment based on visualization of 18F-flotufolastat-avid lesions may facilitate optimal targeting of recurrence sites and avoid futile salvage therapy. Future studies of the outcome of such MP changes are warranted. Clinical trial information: NCT04186845 . [Table: see text]

Cheeks appearance as a novel predictor of obstructive sleep apnea: the CASA score study.

Four well-established predictors of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk are body mass index, age, sex, and neck circumference. We have previously reported cheeks appearance as an OSA predictor, which may represent a combination of such predictors in a single, readily available feature. This study sought to answer the question: Is cheeks appearance an OSA risk predictor? This was a prospective cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study based on STARD (standards for reporting diagnostic accuracy studies). Patients undergoing polysomnography to investigate sleep complaints at a sleep clinic affiliated with a university hospital were assessed using cheeks appearance scored 0-3 for volume and 0-3 for flaccidity to create the Cheeks Appearance for Sleep Apnea (CASA) score ranging from 0 to 6. Appearance was judged by 3 blinded and independent evaluators. Among 265 patients evaluated, 248 were included. Fifty-seven patients had a CASA score of 0 and 191 had a CASA score between 1 and 6. Polysomnography diagnosed 177 of the individuals with OSA; of these, 167 had an altered CASA score. Sensitivity was 87%, specificity was 82%, positive-predictive value was 94%, negative-predictive value was 66%, and accuracy was 86%. Our results suggest that combining volume and flaccidity of cheeks appearance in a single index may constitute a reliable OSA predictor. CASA score is a novel predictor of OSA with internal validity in a sleep laboratory adult population. Our findings support further studies to confirm the external validity of this practical diagnostic tool. Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: Cheeks Appearance as a Novel Predictor of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The CASA Score Study (CASA); URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04980586; Identifier: NCT04980586. Prikladnicki A, Gomes E, Sousa LCCR, Gonçalves SC, Martinez D. Cheeks appearance as a novel predictor of obstructive sleep apnea: the CASA score study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(6):879-885.

Flecainide to prevent atrial arrhythmia after patent foramen ovale closure, Rationale and design of the randomized AFLOAT study.

Atrial arrhythmia is the most common complication of patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure. The real incidence of post-PFO closure atrial arrhytmia and whether this complication can be prevented is unknown. The Assessment of Flecainide to Lower the PFO closure risk of Atrial fibrillation or Tachycardia (AFLOAT) trial is a prospective, national, multicentre, randomized, open-label, superiority trial with a blind evaluation of all the endpoints (PROBE design). A total of 186 patients are randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio immediately after PFO closure to receive Flecainide (150mg per day in a single sustained-release (SR) dose) for 6 months (Group 1), Flecainide (150mg per day in a single SR dose) for 3 months (Group 2), or no additional treatment (standard of care) for 6 months (Group 3). The primary endpoint is the percentage of patients with at least one episode of symptomatic or asymptomatic atrial arrhythmia episode (≥30s) recorded within 3 months after PFO closure on long-term monitoring with an insertable cardiac monitor. Whether 3 months of treatment is sufficient compared to 6 months will be analysed as a secondary objective of the study. AFLOAT is the first trial to test the hypothesis that a short treatment with oral Flecainide can prevent the new-onset of atrial arrhythmia after PFO closure. NCT05213104 (clinicaltrials.gov).

Accuracy of Smartwatch Electrocardiographic Recording in the Acute Coronary Syndrome Setting: Rationale and Design of the ACS WATCH II Study.

Background: Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), with or without ST-segment elevation, is a major contributor to global mortality and morbidity. Swift diagnosis and treatment are vital for mitigating cardiac damage and improving long-term outcomes. The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) currently serves as the gold standard for diagnosis in ACS with ST-segment elevation and may support the diagnosis in ACS without ST-segment elevation. However, the growing prevalence of smartwatches enables the acquisition of electrocardiographic data without traditional ECG equipment. While smaller studies support smartwatch ECG use, larger-scale validation within ACS remains lacking. The ACS WATCH II study aims to validate smartwatch ECG recordings for ACS. Methods: The primary objective is to validate smartwatch-obtained electrocardiographic data in patients presenting with ACS. Two cohorts of 120 patients each, presenting ACS with and without ST-segment elevation, will be assessed. Smartwatches will capture recordings of leads I, III, and V2 alongside standard ECGs. These leads, chosen due to a 97% ACS diagnosis sensitivity in previous studies, will undergo blind evaluation by two experienced external assessors against conventional ECG. Additionally, a control sample of 60 healthy individuals will be included. Conclusions: ACS WATCH II pioneers large-scale prospective validation of smartwatch ECG recordings in ACS patients. Additionally, it indirectly validates a swift diagnostic approach using three leads (I, III, and V2). This could expedite time-critical ACS diagnoses and simplify access through smartwatch-based diagnosis.

A Result Analysis of Feature-Enriched Completely Blind Image Quality Evaluator

A Result Analysis of Feature-Enriched Completely Blind Image Quality Evaluator

Thrombectomy With the pRESET vs Solitaire Stent Retrievers as First-Line Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke Treatment

Stent retriever-based thrombectomy is highly beneficial in large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes. Many stent retriever designs are currently available, but comparison of these technologies in well-conducted studies is lacking. To determine whether thrombectomy for LVO stroke with the pRESET stent retriever is noninferior to treatment with the Solitaire stent retriever. This study was a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled, open-label, adaptive, noninferiority trial with blinded primary end point evaluation. Between October 2019 and February 2022, multicenter participation occurred across 19 research hospitals and/or universities in the US and 5 in Germany. Patients with LVO stroke were enrolled and included up to 8 hours after symptom onset. Patients underwent 1:1 randomization to thrombectomy with the pRESET or Solitaire stent retriever. The primary outcome was the difference in the rate of 90-day functional independence across the 2 devices, using a -12.5% noninferiority margin for the lower bound of the 1-sided 95% CI of the difference between pRESET and Solitaire retrievers. Of 340 randomized patients, 170 (50.0%) were female, and the median (IQR) age was 73.0 (64.0-82.0) years. The study procedure was completed in 322 of the 340 randomized patients. The primary end point of 90-day functional independence was achieved by 95 patients (54.9%; 95% CI, 48.7-61.1) in the pRESET group and in 96 (57.5%; 95% CI, 51.2-63.8) in the Solitaire group (absolute difference, -2.57%; 95% CI, -11.42 to 6.28). As the lower bound of the 95% CI was greater than -12.5%, the pRESET retriever was deemed noninferior to the Solitaire retriever. The noninferiority of pRESET over Solitaire was also observed in the secondary clinical end point (90-day shift in modified Rankin Scale score) and in both angiographic end points (Expanded Treatment in Cerebral Infarction [eTICI] score of 2b50 or greater within 3 passes: 146 of 173 [84.4%] vs 149 of 167 [89.2%]; absolute difference, -4.83%; 95% CI, -10.84 to 1.19; eTICI of 2c or greater following the first pass: 76 of 173 [43.7%] vs 74 of 167 [44.3%]; absolute difference, -0.63%; 95% CI, -9.48 to 8.21). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 0 patients in the pRESET group and 2 (1.2%) in the Solitaire group. Mortality occurred in 25 (14.5%) in the pRESET group and in 24 (14.4%) in the Solitaire group at 90 days. Findings of the per-protocol and as-treated analyses were in concordance with findings of the intention-to-treat analysis. In this study, among patients with LVO stroke, thrombectomy with the pRESET stent retriever was noninferior to thrombectomy with the Solitaire stent retriever. Findings suggest that pRESET offers a safe and effective option for flow restoration and disability reduction in patients with LVO stroke.

Análise do dimorfismo sexual através de índices radiomorfométricos em radiografias panorâmicas

ABSTRACT Sex determination plays a crucial role in the post-mortem identification of human remains. One effective approach for obtaining sex-related data is to use measurements of anatomical structures such as the mandible. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of mandibular radiomorphometric indices from panoramic radiographs (PRs) for the identification of sexual dimorphism. The study sample included 300 PRs of individuals aged 51 to 80 years from the northeastern region of Brazil. Four linear measures and three numerical indices were analyzed with Inkscape® version 1.0.1 for Windows by two blinded evaluators. After statistical analysis, the results showed that the linear measurements obtained from PRs are a reliable method for sex identification. However, the calculated indices of these measurements exhibited lower efficacy for the same purpose. Therefore, PRs proved to be a valuable method for sexual identification through mandibular assessment.

Evaluation of the Hydrophilic, Cohesive, and Physical Properties of Eight Hyaluronic Acid Fillers: Clinical Implications of Gel Differentiation.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers are used to treat an array of aesthetic indications. Proper filler selection is paramount for successful patient outcomes. However, many important physiochemical and physical properties that impact HA gel behavior remain undefined. To evaluate the hydrophilicity, cohesivity and particle size of eight commercial HA fillers manufactured by either Non-Animal Stabilized Hyaluronic Acid (NASHA) or Optimal Balance Technology (OBT) techniques. Three individual in vitro experiments were performed to assess HA swelling capacity, cohesion, and particle size. Image analyses, blinded evaluation using the Gavard-Sundaram Cohesivity Scale, and laser diffraction technology were utilized, respectively. Compared to fillers manufactured with NASHA technology, OBT products demonstrated greater swelling capacity, cohesion, and wider particle size distributions. Strong positive correlations between swelling factor, degree of cohesivity, and increasing widths of the particle size distributions were observed. The hydrophilicity, cohesivity and particle size distributions vary among HA fillers manufactured with different techniques. The creation of new labels identifying products based on their unique combination of physiochemical and physical characteristics may help guide appropriate selection of HA fillers to optimize patient outcomes.

Rapid cycle deliberate practice versus postsimulation debriefing in pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation training: a randomized controlled study.

Simulation plays an important role in cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. Comparing postsimulation debriefing with rapid cycle deliberate practice could help determine the best simulation strategy for pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation training among pediatric residents. This is a single-blind, prospective, randomized controlled study. First- and second year pediatric residents were enrolled and randomized into two groups (1:1 ratio): rapid cycle deliberate practice group (intervention) or postsimulation debriefing group (control). They participated in two rounds of simulated pediatric cardiopulmonary arrest to assess the simulated pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation performance gain (round 1) and retention after a 5-6 week washout period (round 2). Scenarios were video-recorded and analyzed by blinded evaluators. The main outcome was the time to initiation of chest compressions. Secondary outcomes included time to recognize a cardiopulmonary arrest, time to recognize a shockable rhythm, time to defibrillation, time to initiation of chest compressions after defibrillation, and chest compression fraction. Sixteen groups participated in the first round and fifteen groups in the second one. Time to intiation of chest compressions decreased from preintervention scenario to the round 1 testing scenario and increased from round 1 to round 2 testing scenario. However, no interaction effects nor group effects were observed (p=0.885 and p=0.329, respectively). There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the secondary outcomes. Despite an overall improvement in simulated pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation performance, we did not observe significant differences between the two groups regarding the analyzed variables. The decline in simulated pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation performance after 5 weeks suggests the need for shorter time intervals between training sessions.

Effectiveness in the Long-Term Follow-Up of Brief Group Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in Quality of Life, Symptoms, Coping, Anxiety, and Depression in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness in the long-term follow-up of brief group psychoanalytic psychotherapy in improving quality of life, symptoms, coping strategies, anxiety, and depression levels in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Methods: Prospective, randomized clinical trial including 80 SLE patients divided into two groups: therapy (n=37) and control (n=43), with standard clinical care. Therapy group received weekly therapy for 20 weeks. The assessments were at baseline, after 20 weeks and after 24 months from the end of intervention. Damage and disease activity were assessed by rheumatologists. Self-administered questionnaires were supervised by blind evaluators: quality of life, symptoms, coping strategies, anxiety, and depression. Intent to treat statistical analysis. Comparisons of variance between groups over time (ANOVA repeated measures). P &lt;0.05 significant. Results: At baseline, both groups were homogeneous. After intervention, therapy group showed significant improvement in most domains of quality of life, symptoms, all domains of anxiety, and depression and several domains of coping strategies. Benefits in quality of life and coping remained at 24 months follow-up. However, the improvement in anxiety, and depression was not maintained. Medications and clinical variables did not change. Conclusion: This study showed the effectiveness of brief group psychoanalytic psychotherapy in improving quality of life, symptoms and coping strategies in SLE patients even in the long-term follow-up. Depression and anxiety levels reduced at the end of therapy, although, the improvement did not last 24 months.

Evaluation of Clinical Performance and Colour Match of Single and Multiple Shade Composites in Class-I Restorations: A Randomised Clinical Study

Introduction: Biomimetic dentistry primarily focuses on achieving aesthetics that closely resemble natural enamel and dentin. This approach ensures that dental restorations seamlessly match the appearance of enamel and dentin, rendering them virtually invisible. Additionally, biomimetic dentistry aims to mimic not only the visual characteristics but also the physical properties of enamel and dentin, thereby ensuring functional acceptability. The introduction of new composite materials in the market is a gradual progression aimed at attaining the mentioned objectives. Aim: To compare clinical performance and colour matching of single and multiple shade composites in simple Class-I carious lesions after one year. Materials and Methods: This randomised clinical study included 21 patients with a total of 72 Class-I carious lesions with patients who provided informed consent. Teeth were randomised into two groups: Group-A (n=36) received multishade composite (3M Filtek z350), and Group-B (n=36) received single-shade composite (Omnichroma). Clinical performance was assessed by two blinded evaluators at baseline, six months, and one year using modified United States Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria. Colour matching was evaluated by capturing digital photographs with a DSLR camera, ring flash, and 100 mm macro lens. Colour measurements (L*, a*, b*) were analysed using Adobe Photoshop, and ΔE was calculated immediately after restoration. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 21.0 software, employing Chi-square test, Friedman test, and independent t-test. Results: No significant difference was found in clinical outcomes after one year using modified USPHS criteria (p&gt;0.05). However, both Group-A (p=0.002) and Group-B (p=0.007) showed increased marginal discolouration, and decreased colour match (p&lt;0.001) from baseline to one year. There was no statistically significant difference in colour matching potential between the two groups (p=0.056). Conclusion: Single-shade composites effectively treat Class-I carious lesions, demonstrating satisfactory colour matching and clinical performance.

Efficacy and Safety of Nicotinamide 10%, Associated with Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 5% and Hyaluronic Acid 5%, Compared to Hydroquinone 4% in Women with Facial Melasma: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Clinical Trial.

Nicotinamide has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of melasma. Topical antioxidants and humectants may enhance its performance. Currently, there is no controlled trial on the combination of 10% nicotinamide, 5% magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, and 5% hyaluronic acid, a dermo-cosmetic compound, in comparison to 4% hydroquinone for the treatment of melasma. This study aimed to explore the tolerability and efficacy of the association of the combined product versus hydroquinone. A randomized, double-blind trial involving women with facial melasma was conducted. Participants were instructed to apply the combined product (NIC group) twice daily or 4% hydroquinone for 60 days (HQ group) at night and placebo in the morning. Evaluations were performed at inclusion, after 14 and 60 days of treatment, measuring the modified Melasma Area and Severity Index (mMASI), Melasma Quality of Life Scale (MELASQoL), and colorimetric luminosity. The Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) was assessed by a blinded evaluator. Both interventions led to a progressive improvement in mMASI, MELASQoL, and GAIS, without a difference between them on D14 and D60 (p>0.2). For NIC, the mean reduction (95% CI) in mMASI was 16% (8-24%) on D14 and 32% (23-41%) on D60, while for HQ, it was 10% (7-24%) on D14 and 43% (34-52%) on D60. Reduction in colorimetric luminosity was greater in the HQ group at D60 (p=0.01). No serious side effects were identified. Of the initially included 50 patients, one was lost to follow-up in the HQ group on D60, and one withdrew consent from the NIC group, both unrelated to treatment. The association of 10% nicotinamide, 5% magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, and 5% hyaluronic acid was safe and well-tolerated, although its overall clinical efficacy was numerically inferior to 4% hydroquinone. This regimen can be considered for patients with poor tolerability to hydroquinone. #RBR-4mkfmr8.

Blind Quality Evaluator for Enhanced Colonoscopy Images by Integrating Local and Global Statistical Features

Blind Quality Evaluator for Enhanced Colonoscopy Images by Integrating Local and Global Statistical Features

Blind Quality Evaluator of Light Field Images by Group-Based Representations and Multiple Plane-Oriented Perceptual Characteristics

Due to the emergency of multi-view cameras and commercial Light Field (LF) cameras, the demand of high-performance LF quality evaluator is of great significance for guiding LF acquisition, processing and application and further promoting the visual perceived quality of LF visualizations. However, LF Images (LFIs), as high-dimensional data, suffer from various quality degradations not only in the spatial domain but also in the angular domain. Therefore, it is of great challenge to predict LF quality accurately. An effective LF evaluator should be able to represent these heterogeneous artifacts. In this paper, we provide a novel No-Reference LF Quality Assessment Evaluator (NR LF-QAE) to tackle this problem. Firstly, to measure angular consistency among viewports, we utilize group-based representations to character information similarity of aligned view stacks. Secondly, to better describe the texture information of LFIs, unifying spatial-angular texture statistic measurement is performed via Local Binary Patterns from Three Orthogonal Planes (LBP-TOP). Thirdly, we design 3D Log-Gabor filters to extract LF global structure information in Sub-Aperture Images (SAIs) as spatial feature characterizations and 2D Log-Gabor filters are adopted to characterize ray direction/depth information in Epipolar Plane Images (EPIs) as angular feature characterizations. By comprehensive LF information analyses in angular consistency and spatial-angular feature extraction with texture and structure descriptors, experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed NR LF-QAE over the state-of-the-art comparative models in predicting the quality of LFIs on three available benchmark databases. The code will be released at <uri xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://github.com/zerosola/NR-LF-QAE</uri> .

3D Animation Production and Generation Based on Human Body Base 3D Models

Abstract With the gradual increase in the demand for parametric human 3D models, the requirements for the accuracy of modeling and the quality of generation are getting higher and higher. In this paper, the human body structure model is constructed by 3D human posture estimation and spatio-temporal graph convolutional network, and after normalizing the data of the human body base, the 3D human body model based on the human body base is generated by combining the free deformation method, and the local light model is used to make the human body model more three-dimensional and real. In addition, the quality of 3D animation production is investigated by combining blind quality evaluation and validation analysis of the human body-based 3D model. The 3D human body modeling simulation error assessment has an error assessment root-means-square error that falls within 1.5%. In the validation analysis of model generation quality, the quality evaluation model proposed in this paper has a quality correlation coefficient and prediction accuracy of 0.9456 and 0.9454 on the dataset, respectively, and the performance of the ablation experiments and generalization experiments is stable. The mean value of the error between the animation production character generation effect and the actual testers is not more than 10mm.Combined with the research in this paper, it effectively improves the accuracy of human body modeling and provides an evaluation method for the quality of human 3D animation production and generation, which is of practical significance for its development.

Blind Image Quality Evaluation Method Based on Cyclic Generative Adversarial Network

Blind Image Quality Evaluation Method Based on Cyclic Generative Adversarial Network

Hypersexuality in neurological disorders: A systematic review

BackgroundHypersexuality (HS) accompanying neurological conditions remains poorly characterized despite profound psychosocial impacts.ObjectiveWe aimed to systematically review the literature on HS in patients with neurological disorders.Study selection and analysisWe conducted a...