Count Density Research Articles

Sleep oscillation-specific associations with Alzheimer\u2019s disease CSF biomarkers: novel roles for sleep spindles and tau

BackgroundBased on associations between sleep spindles, cognition, and sleep-dependent memory processing, here we evaluated potential relationships between levels of CSF Aβ42, P-tau, and T-tau with sleep spindle density and other biophysical properties of sleep spindles in a sample of cognitively normal elderly individuals.MethodsOne-night in-lab nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG) and morning to early afternoon CSF collection were performed to measure CSF Aβ42, P-tau and T-tau. Seven days of actigraphy were collected to assess habitual total sleep time.ResultsSpindle density during NREM stage 2 (N2) sleep was negatively correlated with CSF Aβ42, P-tau and T-tau. From the three, CSF T-tau was the most significantly associated with spindle density, after adjusting for age, sex and ApoE4. Spindle duration, count and fast spindle density were also negatively correlated with T-tau levels. Sleep duration and other measures of sleep quality were not correlated with spindle characteristics and did not modify the associations between sleep spindle characteristics and the CSF biomarkers of AD.ConclusionsReduced spindles during N2 sleep may represent an early dysfunction related to tau, possibly reflecting axonal damage or altered neuronal tau secretion, rendering it a potentially novel biomarker for early neuronal dysfunction. Given their putative role in memory consolidation and neuroplasticity, sleep spindles may represent a mechanism by which tau impairs memory consolidation, as well as a possible target for therapeutic interventions in cognitive decline.

DC-DC Converter Design Issues for High-Efficient DC Microgrid

In this article, the electrical properties, as well as the economic aspects of the modular and non-modular solution of the DC-DC photovoltaic converter for DC microgrid subsystem, are described. Principally a theoretical overview of the circuit configuration for the selected DC-DC stage of the DC microgrid system is shown. It is dealt with the comparison of the one non-modular high - voltage SiC-based dual - interleaved converter operating at the low switching frequency and with modular low voltage GaN-based DC-DC converters operating at high switching frequencies. The main focus is given to the research of the dependency that arises from the different module count, overall efficiency, costs, and power density (system volume). High efficiency, reduced overall volume, and maximum power density are important factors within modern and progressive solar systems. It is assumed that with the increase of switching frequency within the modular system the volume reduction of the passive components will be highly demanded, thus PCB dimensions and overall volume can be reduced. This dependency is investigated, while the total volume of the non-modular system is a unit of the measure. For these purposes, the design of variant solution was done, and consequently mutually compared in the way of simulations and experimental measurements.

First Human Imaging Studies with the EXPLORER Total-Body PET Scanner.

Within the EXPLORER Consortium, the construction of the world's first total-body PET/CT scanner has recently been completed. The 194-cm axial field of view of the EXPLORER PET/CT scanner is sufficient to cover, for the first time, the entire human adult body in a single acquisition in more than 99% of the population and allows total-body pharmacokinetic studies with frame durations as short as 1 s. The large increase in sensitivity arising from total-body coverage as well as increased solid angle for detection at any point within the body allows whole-body 18F-FDG PET studies to be acquired with unprecedented count density, improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the resulting images. Alternatively, the sensitivity gain can be used to acquire diagnostic PET images with very small amounts of activity in the field of view (25 MBq, 0.7 mCi or less), with very short acquisition times (∼1 min or less) or at later time points after the tracer's administration. We report here on the first human imaging studies on the EXPLORER scanner using a range of different protocols that provide initial evidence in support of these claims. These case studies provide the foundation for future carefully controlled trials to quantitatively evaluate the improvements possible through total-body PET imaging.

Cereal Crop Ear Counting in Field Conditions Using Zenithal RGB Images.

Ear density, or the number of ears per square meter (ears/m2), is a central focus in many cereal crop breeding programs, such as wheat and barley, representing an important agronomic yield component for estimating grain yield. Therefore, a quick, efficient, and standardized technique for assessing ear density would aid in improving agricultural management, providing improvements in preharvest yield predictions, or could even be used as a tool for crop breeding when it has been defined as a trait of importance. Not only are the current techniques for manual ear density assessments laborious and time-consuming, but they are also without any official standardized protocol, whether by linear meter, area quadrant, or an extrapolation based on plant ear density and plant counts postharvest. An automatic ear counting algorithm is presented in detail for estimating ear density with only sunlight illumination in field conditions based on zenithal (nadir) natural color (red, green, and blue [RGB]) digital images, allowing for high-throughput standardized measurements. Different field trials of durum wheat and barley distributed geographically across Spain during the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 crop seasons in irrigated and rainfed trials were used to provide representative results. The three-phase protocol includes crop growth stage and field condition planning, image capture guidelines, and a computer algorithm of three steps: (i) a Laplacian frequency filter to remove low- and high-frequency artifacts, (ii) a median filter to reduce high noise, and (iii) segmentation and counting using local maxima peaks for the final count. Minor adjustments to the algorithm code must be made corresponding to the camera resolution, focal length, and distance between the camera and the crop canopy. The results demonstrate a high success rate (higher than 90%) and R2 values (of 0.62-0.75) between the algorithm counts and the manual image-based ear counts for both durum wheat and barley.

Copper (Cu) and Cadmium (Cd) toxicity on growth, chlorophyll-a and carotenoid content of phytoplankton Nitzschia sp

This research aimed to study the toxicity of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) on growth, chlorophyll-a and carotenoid content of phytoplankton Nitzschia sp. and to study the IC50-96 h value on growth and chlorophyll-a content, LOEC, and NOEC. This research was done in Research Center of Oceanography, Indonesian Institute of Sciences through four steps: phytoplankton cultivation, definitive test, cell density counting, and chlorophyll-a and carotenoid test. Result showed that increasing heavy metals concentration lead to the decreasing of cell density and intracellular pigment content of Nitzschia sp. Based on the research, the IC50-96 h value of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) on growth was 0,268 mgCu/L and 0,159 mgCd/L. The IC50-96 h value of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) on chlorophyll-a content was 0,274 mgCu/L and 0,150 mgCd/L. LOEC to Nitzschia sp. was 0,18 mgCu/L and 0,18 mgCd/L, while NOEC to Nitzschia sp. was 0,1 mgCu/L and <0,18 mgCd/L. Copper and cadmium toxicity significantly affected the carotenoid content of toxicant concentration of 0,1 mgCu/L and 0,18 mgCd/L.

Review on Traffic Density Count using Image Processing

Review on Traffic Density Count using Image Processing

Effective use of convolutional neural networks and diverse deep supervision for better crowd counting

In this paper, we focus on the task of estimating crowd count and high-quality crowd density maps. Among crowd counting methods, crowd density map estimation is especially promising because it preserves spatial information which makes it useful for both counting and localization (detection and tracking). Convolutional neural networks have enabled significant progress in crowd density estimation recently, but there are still open questions regarding suitable architectures. We revisit CNNs design and point out key adaptations, enabling plain a signal column CNNs to obtain high resolution and high-quality density maps on all major dense crowd counting datasets. The regular deep supervision utilizes the general ground truth to guide intermediate predictions. Instead, we build hierarchical supervisory signals with additional multi-scale labels to consider the diversities in deep neural networks. We begin by obtaining multi-scale labels based on different Gaussian kernels. These multi-scale labels can be seen as diverse representations in the supervision and can achieve high performance for better quality crowd density map estimation. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our approach achieves the state-of-the-art performance on the ShanghaiTech, UCF_CC_50 and UCSD datasets.

Melanoma prognosis in the United States: Identifying barriers for improved care

Despite improvements in melanoma mortality, disparities in melanoma survival persist. We evaluated possible sociodemographic and health care-based predictors of differences in melanoma survival in the United States by using the melanoma mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR). State-based MIRs were calculated by using US cancer statistics data from 1999 to 2014. Pearson correlations and linear regressions were used to determine associations between MIR and dermatologist density, primary care provider density, number of physicians by state, number of National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers, health care spending per capita, average household income, racial/ethnic makeup of the population, percentage of uninsured individuals, and percentage with a bachelor's degree. The mean overall MIR was 0.15±0.04; only Alaska was an outlier (0.24). No state MIRs increased significantly over time; MIR decreased for most states. Multivariable analysis revealed that states with more active physicians (P=.02) and a higher percentage non-Hispanic whites (P=.004) had higher MIRs (poorer survival). Significant Pearson correlations were seen between MIR and melanoma incidence (r=-0.72, P<.001), melanoma mortality (r=0.38, P<.001), dermatologist density (r=0.32, P<.001), and National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center count (r=-0.12, P=.001). Melanoma survival is improved in higher-incidence areas and areas with higher dermatologist density. These findings highlight areas of poorer melanoma survival and the need for local studies evaluating disparities in melanoma survival.

An Analysis of the Evolution, Completeness and Spatial Patterns of OpenStreetMap Building Data in China

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a free map that can be created, edited, and updated by volunteers globally. The quality of OSM datasets is therefore of great concern. Extensive studies have focused on assessing the completeness (a quality measure) of OSM datasets in various countries, but very few have been paid attention to investigating the OSM building dataset in China. This study aims to present an analysis of the evolution, completeness and spatial patterns of OSM building data in China across the years 2012 to 2017. This is done using two quality indicators, OSM building count and OSM building density, although a corresponding reference dataset for the whole country is not freely available. Development of OSM building counts from 2012 to 2017 is analyzed in terms of provincial- and prefecture-level divisions. Factors that may affect the development of OSM building data in China are also analyzed. A 1 × 1 km2 regular grid is overlapped onto urban areas of each prefecture-level division, and the OSM building density of each grid cell is calculated. Spatial distributions of high-density grid cells for prefecture-level divisions are analyzed. Results show that: (1) the OSM building count increases by almost 20 times from 2012 to 2017, and in most cases, economic (gross domestic product) and OSM road length are two factors that may influence the development of OSM building data in China; (2) most grid cells in urban areas do not have any building data, but two typical patterns (dispersion and aggregation) of high-density grid cells are found among prefecture-level divisions.

Determining broad scale associations between air pollutants and urban forestry: A novel multifaceted methodological approach

Global urbanisation has resulted in population densification, which is associated with increased air pollution, mainly from anthropogenic sources. One of the systems proposed to mitigate urban air pollution is urban forestry. This study quantified the spatial associations between concentrations of CO, NO₂, SO₂, and PM₁₀ and urban forestry, whilst correcting for anthropogenic sources and sinks, thus explicitly testing the hypothesis that urban forestry is spatially associated with reduced air pollution on a city scale. A Land Use Regression (LUR) model was constructed by combining air pollutant concentrations with environmental variables, such as land cover type and use, to develop predictive models for air pollutant concentrations. Traffic density and industrial air pollutant emissions were added to the model as covariables to permit testing of the main effects after correcting for these air pollutant sources. It was found that the concentrations of all air pollutants were negatively correlated with tree canopy cover and positively correlated with dwelling density, population density and traffic count. The LUR models enabled the establishment of a statistically significant spatial relationship between urban forestry and air pollution mitigation. These findings further demonstrate the spatial relationships between urban forestry and reduced air pollution on a city-wide scale, and could be of value in developing planning policies focused on urban greening.

Identifying key contributing root system traits to genetic diversity in field-grown cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) genotypes

Cowpea is a grain legume that is grown extensively as an alternate protein and income source for many smallholder farmers. Characterising cowpea root phenotypes could provide the basis for developing genotypes with root system architecture (RSA) traits that increase soil resource acquisition. Measuring RSA traits of any field crop is a demanding task, in terms of expediency, time, cost, and competence. Targeted root phenotyping strategies focusing on a few relevant traits might aid in side-stepping some of the challenges associated with phenotyping roots of field crops. The objectives of this study were to (i) measure genotypic variation for RSA and shoot traits of cowpea genotypes; and (ii) identify candidate variables and genotypes that contribute the largest share of variance. Sixty cowpea accession were grown in field trials at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Seventy variables, mostly quantitative RSA traits were measured. Multivariate analysis was used to determine major traits contributing to variation. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) for the majority of traits evaluated. Fifty-nine traits had coefficients of variation of ≥0.3 among genotypes and were selected for further examination. Broad-sense heritability (H2) estimates were generally intermediate to high and ranged from 0.11 to 0.96. The Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H’) was variable among traits and ranged from 0.00 to 0.88. Shoot and root biomass correlated closely and positively with count- and length- and diameter-related traits. Cluster analysis identified three homogeneous genotype groups and identified groups of cowpea genotypes that could be exploited in breeding programs to improve the genetic basis of root traits. The first nine principal components explained over 74% of total genotypic variation for the twenty-nine traits included in the PCA. Sixteen traits contributed more than other traits to the variability in PC1 and PC2. Soil and root tissue angle-related traits, shoot and root diameter-related traits, root biomass, hypocotyl root length, root count and lateral root density -related traits were among the top 50% of the most important traits contributing to variation and thus warrant consideration in efforts to breed for improved genotypes in cowpea. The workflow presented offers a robust, cost-effective and simple approach to identifying focal root traits that contribute to diversity in grain legumes. The results could potentially facilitate the characterization of specific traits suitable for targeted genotype selection and breeding of new cowpea varieties for efficient RSAs.

The Effect of Dutasteride and Tomato Extract Combination on Reducing Blood Loss after Transurethral Resection of the Prostate

Context: Lycopene, a carotenoid found in tomatoes, possesses antiangiogenic activities that might be useful in the management of prostate enlargement. However, the current evidence is still inconclusive in regard to this matter. Aims: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of combined oral dutasteride and lycopene consumption in reducing posttransurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) bleeding. Settings and Design: Twenty-two individuals diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia were randomly allocated into two groups of equal size. Thirty days prior to TURP, individuals in Group 1 (control) were given daily oral dutasteride 0.5 mg and placebo pill and individuals in Group 2 (intervention) were given dutasteride 0.5 mg and lycopene 30 mg. Subjects and Methods: The parameters measured in this study were pre- and post-TURP plasma erythrocyte count and microvessel density (MVD) of resected prostate tissue stained with CD34. Statistical Analysis Used: Data homogeneity was tested using the Shapiro–Wilk test. Individuals' characteristics were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U-test and plasma erythrocyte and MVD analyzed using the t-test. Spearman's correlation analysis was performed to find significant correlations between the two variables. Results: There were two dropouts. The mean MVD in the control group was significantly higher compared to the intervention group (28.2 ± 12.3 vs. 18.3 ± 7.6 vessel/mm2, P = 0.044). Reduction of post-TURP plasma erythrocytes was significantly higher in the control group compared to the intervention group (−0.34 ± 0.18 vs. −0.17 ± 0.12 106/μL, P = 0.048). Conclusions: Daily consumption of dutasteride and lycopene for at least 30 days reduced the formation of blood vessels in the prostate and reduced blood loss post-TURP.

Bicycle train intermodality: Effects of demography, station characteristics and the built environment

As public transport patronage levels increase worldwide, an issue many cities face is providing adequate infrastructure capacity for station access modes. A cost effective solution is to encourage the use of the bicycle for the ‘first mile’ link, particularly for rail commuters who currently drive but are within a cycling distance of the station. However, to promote cycling as a station access mode, a better understanding of the associated correlates are needed. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by identifying factors associated with increased rates of bicycle access to stations in Melbourne, Australia. Bicycle access counts at 207 metropolitan rail stations were analysed and factors related to the rail station catchment areas (demographic data and built/natural environment) and rail station characteristics were considered. Visual representation of the demographic and built/natural environment characteristics and eight generalized linear models were developed to identify significant factors. A higher number of cyclists riding to the station were associated with a range of factors including built/natural environments: low sloping terrain; greater proportion of low speed local roads, diverse land use mix and increased bicycle crash count density. Station attributes: availability of secure bicycle parking facilities, increased train patronage, higher train frequency during the morning peak period and demographic characteristics: increasing median age were also correlated with a growth in bicycle access counts to stations.

Evaluation of standard diagnostic rapid test kits for malaria diagnosis among HIV patients in Kano, Nigeria.

BackgroundMalaria diagnosis among HIV-positive patients is uncommon in Nigeria despite the high burden of both diseases.ObjectivesWe evaluated the performance of a malaria rapid diagnostic test (MRDT) against blood smear microscopy (BSM) among HIV-positive patients in relation to anti-retroviral treatment (ART) status, CD4+ count, fever, cotrimoxazole prophylaxis and malaria density count.MethodA cross-sectional study involving 1521 consenting randomly selected HIV-positive adults attending two ART clinics in Kano, Nigeria, between June 2015 and May 2016. Venous blood samples were collected for testing with MRDT, BSM, and CD4+ T cells count by cytometry. Biodata and other clinical details were extracted from patient folders into an Excel file, cleaned, validated, and exported for analysis into SPSS version 23.0. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values of MRDT were compared with BSM with a 95% confidence interval.ResultsMalaria parasites were detected in 25.4% of enrollees by BSM and 16.4% by MRDT. Overall sensitivity of MRDT was 58% and specificity was 97%. Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis and fever status did not affect MRDT sensitivity and specificity. Unexpectedly, the sensitivity was highest at parasite density count of less than 500 cells/µL. At CD4+ T cells count over 500 cells/µL the sensitivity was higher (62.4%) compared to 56% at less than 500 cells/µL. In the non-ART group sensitivity was higher (65%) compared to those on ART (56%) but the specificity was similar. All differences were significant for all variables (p < 0.05).ConclusionAlthough the MRDT specificity was good, the sensitivity was poor, requiring further evaluation for use in malaria diagnosis among HIV-malaria co-infected persons in these settings.

Distinguishing domestic pig femora and tibiae from wild boar through microscopic analyses

Pigs are the only species where the geographical distribution of the domestic type overlaps with that of its wild ancestors. Therefore, distinction between domestic pig and wild boar remains are important to better understand the roles of these animals. The aim of this study was to distinguish domestic pig and wild boar femora and tibiae based on bone microstructure. Midshaft cross sections were prepared from femora (n = 15) and tibiae (n = 12) belonging to domestic pigs and wild boars. The bone tissue was classified and 300 osteons per animal were measured. Measurements included the perimeter, area, minimum and maximum diameters of osteons and Haversian canals, osteon density and lamellae count. Comparisons were made using a Kruskal–Wallis test. Domestic pig bone was mainly characterized by plexiform bone sandwiching a layer of irregular Haversian tissue, whereas wild boars exhibited a tissue transition from plexiform to irregular to dense Haversian tissue towards the subendosteal zone. A greater number of osteon lamellae were noted in the wild boars, with an increased number in tibiae compared to femora. Similarly, all metric parameters including osteon density were significantly larger in wild boars compared to domestic pigs except for the minimum diameter of the Haversian canal. Domestic pigs had more circularly shaped osteons and Haversian canals compared to the more elliptical shapes found in wild boars. Our results support the idea that a strong correlation exists between lifestyle and bone structure.

The Antidepressant-Like Effect of Lactate in an Animal Model of Menopausal Depression.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the antidepressant-like effect of lactate and elucidate its mechanisms in ovariectomized rats with repeated stress. Methods: Two experiments were conducted on female rats in which all groups, except normal, were ovariectomized and underwent immobilization for 14 days. Lactate was administered orally (100, 250, and 500 mg/kg) for 14 consecutive days, and the rats’ cutaneous body temperature was measured during the same period. Depression-like behavior in rats was assessed by the tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST). Furthermore, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry were conducted to evaluate the changes that occurred in the neurotransmitter levels and activity. Results: The lactate 100 and 250 groups had reduced time spent immobile in TST and FST and decreased peripheral body temperature. In ELISA tests, the lactate 250 group expressed elevated levels of serotonin and dopamine in many brain areas. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), and protein kinase C (PKC) immunoreactive cells showed increased density and cell counts in lactate administered groups. Conclusion: Results indicated that lactate has an antidepressant effect that is achieved by activation of PKC and upregulation of TH and TPH expression, which eventually leads to enhanced serotonin and dopamine levels in the menopausal rat’s brain.

A Study on the Effect of Sewing Thread Count and Stitch Density on the Seam Performance of Denim Fabric

A Study on the Effect of Sewing Thread Count and Stitch Density on the Seam Performance of Denim Fabric

Hotspot enumeration of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes using digital image analysis in triple-negative breast cancer yields consistent results

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have emerged as prognostic in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We aimed to assess the consistency of hotspot placement and TIL enumeration among multiple pathologists. Additionally, we assessed hotspot TIL count consistency by comparing hotspot counts in 3 separate locations within a single whole-tissue section. Anti-CD8 immunohistochemistry was performed on a representative section from 66 cases of primary TNBC, which were then scanned as whole-slide images. Quantification of the tissue area and combined stromal and intratumoral CD8+ TILs was performed using digital image analysis (DIA) within 2.2 mm-diameter circle hotspots. TIL counts were quantified as absolute counts and densities (absolute count/tissue area in micrometers2). For each case, 6 pathologists placed a single hotspot, defined as an area with the subjectively highest CD8+ immunoreactivity, within the tumor bed. Separately for each case, a single pathologist placed hotspots in 3 different locations within a single tumor section. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were generated following TIL enumeration via DIA. ICCs for single hotspot placement by 6 pathologists were 0.96 for density and 0.97 for absolute counts, respectively. In 32% of cases (21/66), all the hotspots placed by the 6 pathologists were in the same location. When evaluating hotspots in 3 different locations within a tumor, the ICC was 0.95 for both density and absolute counts. Hotspot evaluation by DIA is a reproducible method for CD8+ TIL quantification, and the use of hotspots may reduce TIL count variation caused by intratumoral TIL heterogeneity.

Validation of diffusion tensor imaging measures of nigrostriatal neurons in macaques.

ObjectiveInterpretation of diffusion MRI in the living brain requires validation against gold standard histological measures. We compared diffusion values of the nigrostriatal tract to PET and histological results in non-human primates (NHPs) with varying degrees of unilateral nigrostriatal injury induced by MPTP, a toxin selective for dopaminergic neurons.MethodsSixteen NHPs had MRI and PET scans of three different presynaptic radioligands and blinded video-based motor ratings before and after unilateral carotid artery infusion of variable doses of MPTP. Diffusion measures of connections between midbrain and striatum were calculated. Then animals were euthanized to quantify striatal dopamine concentration, stereologic measures of striatal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunostained fiber density and unbiased stereologic counts of TH stained nigral cells.ResultsDiffusion measures correlated with MPTP dose, nigral TH-positive cell bodies and striatal TH-positive fiber density but did not correlate with in vitro nigrostriatal terminal field measures or in vivo PET measures of striatal uptake of presynaptic markers. Once nigral TH cell count loss exceeded 50% the stereologic terminal field measures reached a near zero floor effect but the diffusion measures continued to correlate with nigral cell counts.ConclusionDiffusion measures in the nigrostriatal tract correlate with nigral dopamine neurons and striatal fiber density, but have the same relationship to terminal field measures as a previous report of striatal PET measures of presynaptic neurons. These diffusion measures have the potential to act as non-invasive index of the severity of nigrostriatal injury. Diffusion imaging of the nigrostriatal tract could potentially have diagnostic value in humans with Parkinson disease or related disorders.

Angiogenesis and radiological tumor growth in patients with glioblastoma

BackgroundThe preoperative growth of human glioblastomas (GBMs) has been shown to vary among patients. In animal studies, angiogenesis has been linked to hypoxia and faster growth of GBM, however, its relation to the growth of human GBMs is sparsely studied. We have therefore aimed to look for associations between radiological speed of growth and microvessel density (MVD) counts of the endothelial markers vWF (Factor VIII related antigen) and CD105 (endoglin).MethodsPreoperative growth was estimated from segmented tumor volumes of two preoperative T1-weighted postcontrast magnetic resonance imaging scans taken ≥14 days apart in patients with newly diagnosed GBMs. A Gompertzian growth curve was computed from the volume data and separated the patients into two groups of either faster or slower tumor growth than expected. MVD counts of the immunohistochemical markers von Willebrand factor (vWF) (a pan-endothelial marker) and CD105 (a marker of proliferating endothelial cells) were assessed for associations with fast-growing tumors using Mann-Whitney U tests and a multivariable binary logistic regression analysis.ResultsWe found that only CD105-MVD was significantly associated with faster growth in a univariable analysis (p = 0.049). However, CD105-MVD was no longer significant when corrected for the presence of thromboses and high cellular density in a multivariable model, where the latter features were significant independent predictors of faster growth with respective odds ratios 4.2 (95% confidence interval, 1.2, 14.3), p = 0.021 and 2.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.0, 6.5), p = 0.048.ConclusionsMVDs of neither endothelial marker were independently associated with faster growth, suggesting angiogenesis-independent processes contribute to faster glioblastoma growth.