Digital Image Analysis System Research Articles

Quantification of Ki-67 in PitNET (pituitary neuroendocrine tumors)/adenomas

This study is the first to compare the determination of the Ki-67 index in pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNET)/pituitary adenomas by pathologists with acomputerized method (Cognition MasterSuite from VMScope, Berlin, Germany). PitNET/pituitary adenomas often show alow proliferation index. Observer variability is high, especially when estimating in this low percentage range. Amore reliable determination would be possible using the four-eyes principle, but this cannot be realized continuously; thus, digital image analysis is a promising solution. In the study, there was clear agreement between the Ki-67 estimate by two experienced pathologists and the determination with the aid of digital image analysis. The digital image analysis system is excellent for determining the proliferation rate of PitNET/pituitary adenomas and can therefore be used to determine the "third" and "fourth eye".

Quantitative anatomy of the extensor digiti minimi muscle in the growing human fetus.

Introduction Age-specific reference intervals for the extensor digiti minimi muscle (EDMM) in the human fetus may be relevant in the detailed evaluation of the musculoskeletal systems with potential relevant aspects for surgical treatment. The aim of the study was to examine the age-specific reference intervals and growth dynamics of the EDMM in relation to its length, width, projection surface area and volume. Material and methods The examined material included 70 human formalin-fixed fetuses of both sexes (37♀, 33♂) aged from 17 to 29 weeks. With the use of anatomical dissection every EDMM was visualized, recorded in a form of JPG formats and analyzed by the digital image analysis system and statistical methods. Results No variability of the EDMM was found. All the morphometric parameters of the EDMM revealed neither sex nor laterality differences. With fetal age most linear parameters of the EDMM concerning its examined lengths and widths increased in accordance with natural logarithmic functions. The only two exceptions to this referred to the belly width of EDMM measured at its mid-length and the tendon width of EDMM measured proximal to the extensor retinaculum of wrist, which both followed square root functions. The projection surface areas of the EDMM followed natural logarithmic functions, while the volumetric growth of the EDMM was proportionate to fetal age. Conclusions The variability of the EDMM in the human fetus is minimal. The morphometric data of the EDMM represents age-specific reference intervals of clinical significance. Morphometric parameters of the EDMM reveal neither sex nor laterality differences. The EDMM displays three different growth dynamics: from gradual growth deceleration according to both natural logarithmic functions (total length of the muscle and its tendons, belly length, tendon lengths, belly width at its origin, tendon width at its insertion, and projection surface areas) and square root functions (belly width at its mid-length and tendon width in the pre-retinacular segment) to a proportionate growth (total volume).

THE INFLUENCE OF ACUTE CEREBRAL BLOOD CIRCULATION DISORDERS IN THE POOL OF CAROTID ARTERIES ON THE RNA CONTENT IN THE CELLS OF THE LYMPHOID POPULATION OF THE RATS’ THYMUS OF DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

The aim of the work – to find out the age-related features of the response of RNA cells ofthe lymphoid population of the thymus to an acute disturbance of cerebral blood flow inthe pool of carotid arteries in six- and nine-month-old rats.Materials and methods. Acute cerebrovascular accident was simulated in 6- and9-month-old white non-linear laboratory rats by bilateral carotid artery clamping for 20min. followed by reperfusion. The thymus was taken on the 12th day of the postischemicperiod, fixed in Buen’s solution, after standard histological processing it was embedded inparaffin, and serial sections with a thickness of 5 μm were made. After deparaffinization,rehydration, and staining with hallocyanine- chromium alum according to Einarson,histological sections were analyzed in a digital image analysis system VIDAS-386(Kontron Electronik, Germany) with a fluorescent microscope AXIOSKOP (Zeiss,Germany). Total RNA content was expressed in units of optical density (EOP per 1 mm2). The results. In the cells of the lymphoid population of all structural and functional zones ofthe thymus of control rats of both age groups, an increase in RNA content was establishedin the direction from immature to more mature classes (p<0.05). This regularity persistsin the post-ischemic period. In the cells of the lymphoid population of the subcapsular anddeep cortical zones of the thymus, the RNA content significantly prevails in six-month-oldrats, in intralobular perivascular spaces – in nine-month-old rats, and in the medullaryzone there are no age differences. Postischemic changes in RNA content in six-month-oldrats in the subcapsular zone and intralobular perivascular spaces of the thymus consistin its decrease in immature cell classes and its increase in mature small thymocytes(р<0.05); in the deep cortex – in growth in all classes of thymocytes (p<0.05). In ninemonth-old animals, the differences were in the increase in RNA content in the subcapsularzone and in less mature middle thymocytes, in the deep cortex – in a decrease in RNAcontent in all classes, except small thymocytes, in intralobular perivascular spaces – ina decrease in RNA content in all classes of thymocytes (p<0.05 for all cases). In themedullary zone of animals of both age groups, changes are unidirectional (decrease inRNA content, p<0.05).Conclusion. Age differences in the nature of postischemic changes in the content of RNAin thymocytes are present in all structural and functional zones of the gland, with theexception of the medullary, in which the changes were unidirectional in both age groups.

Comparative outcomes of autologous cultured melanocytes transplantation and non-cultured epidermal cell suspension transplantation in piebaldism patients: A retrospective study.

To compare the efficacy and safety of autologous cultured melanocytes transplantation (CMT) and non-cultured epidermal cell suspension transplantation (NCES) in the treatment of piebaldism. A retrospective study was conducted on 30 anatomically based lesions from nine piebaldism patients who underwent either CMT (n=7) or NCES (n=23) between 2018 and 2020. The extent of repigmentation and colour matching was evaluated in all recipient sites using a digital imaging analysis system. In addition, adverse effects have also been assessed by follow-up results. More than 75% repigmentation was achieved in 100% (7/7) and 60.9% (14/23) of the 30 lesions with the CMT and NCES, respectively. There were significant differences between the two methods in terms of repigmentation. The majority of patients had colour mismatches, and there was no discernible difference between the two surgical techniques. Adverse reactions rarely occurred. The present study suggested that autologous CMT may provide better repigmentation in piebaldism patients than NCES with no significant side effects.

AGE CHARACTERISTICS OF CHANGES IN THE LYMPHOID POPULATION STRUCTURE OF THE RATS’ THYMUS AFTER ACUTE DISTURBANCE OF CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW IN THE BASIN OF CAROTID ARTERIES

Abstract. Today, the most common causes of disability and mortality on the planet include acute disorders of cerebral blood circulation, the spectrum of which is dominated by ischemic lesions. Advances in neuroimmunology and neuroimmunopathology have made it possible to attribute cerebral blood circulation disorders to immune- dependent diseases of the nervous system, therefore, the emphasis in the search of new approaches to the eff ectiveness increase of stroke therapy has shifted from the correction of local changes in the brain itself to the reaction of the immune system organs, as a possible target of pharmacological eff ects, that will make it possible to reduce the secondary death of neurons as a result of infl ammation.The purpose of the work. to investigate the age-specifi c changes in the structure of the lymphoid population of the thymus after acute disruption of cerebral blood fl ow in the basin of the carotid arteries in six- and ninemonth-old rats.Material and methods. Acute cerebrovascular accident was simulated in 6- and 9-month-old white nonlinear laboratory rats by bilateral carotid artery clamping for 20 min. followed by reperfusion. The thymus was taken on the 12th day of the postischemic period, it was fi xed in Buen’s solution, after standard histological processing, serial sections with a thickness of 5 μm were made, stained with hematoxylin- eosin. In the subcapsular, deep cortical zones, intralobular perivascular spaces and the medullary zone of the thymus, the structure of the lymphoid population (density of diff erent classes of thymocytes per 1 mm2) was studied in the digital image analysis system VIDAS-386 (Kontron Electronik, Germany) with a fl uorescent microscope AXIOSKOP (Zeiss, Germany) in automatic mode.The results. In the structure of the lymphoid population of all structural and functional zones of the thymus, small lymphocytes predominate. Age-related diff erences in the structure of the lymphoid population of the thymus of the control groups consist of lower indicators of the density of medium and small thymocytes in all investigated zones of the gland of animals of the older age group, with the exception of the subcapsular, in which the density of small thymocytes is higher in nine-month-old rats. On the 12th day after simulation of ischemia- reperfusion of the brain injury the number of destructive thymocytes and thymocytes with the signs of apoptosis increases in the subcapsular and deep cortical zones of the thymus of six-month-old rats, but in nine-month-old rats in all zones of the gland, except the brain, the density of destructive and apoptotic cells decreases.Conclusions. Ischemic- reperfusion injury of the brain modifi es the structure of the lymphoid population of the thymus of rats, and the nature of these modifi cations is determined by age and structural and functional zones of the gland.

Development of a digital imaging analysis system to evaluate the treatment response in superficial infantile hemangiomas.

Superficial infantile hemangiomas (IH) are benign vascular tumors common in children characterized by bright red "strawberry" lesions on the skin. In order to optimize the treatment for this disease, there is a need to develop objective tools to assess treatment response. Since a color change in the lesion is a good indicator of treatment response, we have developed a digital imaging system to quantify the values of red, green, and blue (RGB) difference and RGB ratio between the tumor and normal tissue to take into account the variations in color between different skin types. The efficacy of the proposed system in assessing treatment response in superficial IH was evaluated in relation to established visual and biochemical tools used to grade hemangiomas. As the treatment progressed, the RGB ratio was almost 1, while the RGB difference was close to 0, which indicates a good response to treatment. There was a strong correlation between the RGB score and the other visual grading systems. However, the correlation between the RGB scoring system and the biochemical method was weak. These findings suggest that the system can be used clinically to objectively and accurately evaluate disease progression and treatment response in patients diagnosed with superficial IH.

Validation of Fespixon in Postoperative Scar Cosmesis Using Quantitative Digital Photography Analysis.

Unsightly scarring after surgery remains a dilemma. One of the challenges is the lack of objective scar assessment tools. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a novel medicine, Fespixon, for prevention and/or alleviation of post-skin incision scarring. A second aim was to demonstrate the practicality of our digital image analysis system to see if this could serve as a sensitive tool to assess scar improvement. A prospective, placebo-controlled trial involving patients with postoperative transverse scars was conducted. Each patient received a topical formulation of Fespixon on the left part of the scar and placebo cream on the right. In addition to recording the subjective modified Vancouver Scar Scale and visual analog scale scores, we utilized digital photography for monthly scar analysis, with CIELAB and hue serving as the colorimetric information, and with contrast, correlation, homogeneity, and entropy providing texture information. Forty-six participants (mean age, 52 years) were enrolled in the trial. All the parameters of subjective assessment showed superior results for the Fespixon-treated side, with significant differences in pigmentation, vascularity, pliability, height, itchiness, and patient satisfaction (P = .043, .013, .026, .002, .039, .012, respectively). The trends in color and texture showed increased relative difference ratios, with significant differences in most of the eigenvalues towards the Fespixon-treated side, including CIELAB-L* (P = .000), hue-R,G,B (red, blue, green) values (P = .034, .001, .011), contrast (P = .000), homogeneity (P = .000), correlation (P = .011), and entropy (P = .000). We validated the efficacy of Fespixon for postoperative scar healing based not only on subjective assessments but also on objective quantitative analyses. The results also indicated that our digital photography quantitative analysis system is an ideal tool for quantification of scar appearance.

Image analysis systems to calculate the surface area of vitiligo lesions: A systematic review of measurement properties.

Several digital image analysis systems have been developed for surface calculation of vitiligo lesions. Critical assessment of their measurement properties is crucial to support evidence-based recommendations on the most suitable instruments and will reveal the need for future research. A systematic review was performed to systematically summarize, compare, and critically assess the measurement properties of digital and analogue analysis systems for surface calculation of vitiligo lesions following the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) recommendations. Nineteen clinical trials were selected including 25 different instruments. Manual tracing on transparent sheets (contact planimetry) combined with digital measurement or point counting can be considered as the best validated method for the evaluation of target lesions taking into account the skin curvatures. Two-dimensional digital imaging analysis on photographs seems also robust although confirmatory data of different research groups using the same digital instrument in a wide range of skin types are missing. Analysis based on 3D photography is still in its early stage but is promising for whole-body analysis. However, the reported data on the quality of the instruments for surface area calculation of vitiligo lesions were in general rather limited. Therefore, future high-quality validation studies are required also including full body evaluations.

Digital image analysis provides robust tissue microenvironment-based prognosticators in patients with stage I-IV colorectal cancer

In patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), a promising marker is tumor-stroma ratio (TSR). Quantification issues highlight the importance of precise assessment that might be solved by artificial intelligence-based digital image analysis systems. Some alternatives have been offered so far, although these platforms are either proprietary developments or require additional programming skills. Our aim was to validate a user-friendly, commercially available software running in everyday computational environment to improve TSR assessment and also to compare the prognostic value of assessing TSR in 3 distinct regions of interests, like hotspot, invasive front, and whole tumor. Furthermore, we compared the prognostic power of TSR with the newly suggested carcinoma percentage (CP) and carcinoma-stroma percentage (CSP). Slides of 185 patients with stage I-IV CRC with clinical follow-up data were scanned and evaluated by a senior pathologist. A machine learning-based digital pathology software was trained to recognize tumoral and stromal compartments. The aforementioned parameters were evaluated in the hotspot, invasive front, and whole tumor area, both visually and by machine learning. Patients were classified based on TSR, CP, and CSP values. On multivariate analysis,TSR-hotspot was found to be an independent prognostic factor of overall survival (hazard ratio for TSR-hotspotsoftware: 2.005 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.146-3.507], P=.011, for TSR-hotspotvisual: 1.781 [CI: 1.060-2.992], P=.029). Also, TSR was an independent predictor for distant metastasis and local relapse in most settings. Generally, software performance was comparable to visual evaluation and delivered reliable prognostication in more settings also with CP and CSP values. This study presents that software-assisted evaluation is a robust prognosticator. Our approach used a less sophisticated and thus easily accessible software without the aid of a convolutional neural network; however, it was still effective enough to deliver reliable prognostic information.

Integrated representation for discrete Fourier and wavelet transforms using vector notation

Many mathematical operations are implemented easily through transform domain operations. Multiple transform domain operations are used independently in large and complex applications. There is a need to develop integrated representations for multiple transform domain operations. This paper presents an integrated mathematical representation for the discrete Fourier transformation and the discrete wavelet transformation. The proposed combined representation utilizes the powerful vector notation. A mathematical operator, called the star operator, is formulated that merges coefficients from different transform domains. The star operator implements both convolution and correlation processes in a weighted fashion to compute the aggregated representation. The application of the proposed mathematical formulation is demonstrated successfully through merging transform domain representations of time-domain and image-domain representations. Heart sound signals and magnetic resonance images are used to describe transform-domain data merging applications. The significance of the proposed technique is demonstrated through merging time-domain and image-domain representations in a single- stage that may be implemented as the primary processing engine inside a typical digital image processing and analysis system.

Diagnostic Efficiency of Various Systems for Automatic Analysis of Radiographs in the Detection of Lung Nodule

The purpose of the study was to compare the effectiveness of various artificial intelligence systems for detecting foci and rounded lesions in the lungs. For testing, we selected four software products based on convolutional neural networks, positioning themselves as a sensitive system for evaluating digital chest radiographs. An analytical validation method was used for clinical evaluation. For diagnostics, 3 data samples were formed with the identification of signs of diseases (sample 1–5150 radiographs, detection of pathological changes 3 %; sample 2–100 radiographs, detection of pathological changes 6 %; sample 3–300 radiographs, detection of the prevalence of pathological changes 50 %). None of the software products passed the AUC threshold of 0.811 on all three samples. In all three samples, all software products have high accuracy and high sensitivity in detecting round formations, which leads to rare cases of overdiagnosis and special cases of underdiagnosis. The use of digital X-ray image analysis systems based on artificial intelligence technologies is a promising direction for high-quality diagnostics, primarily when considering their young radiologists as an additional opinion.

Endometrial HLA-F expression is influenced by genotypes and correlates differently with immune cell infiltration in IVF and recurrent implantation failure patients.

Is human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-F protein expressed in mid-secretory endometrium, and are its expression levels influenced by HLA-F gene polymorphisms and correlated with the abundance of uterine natural killer (uNK) cells and anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages? HLA-F protein is expressed in mid-secretory endometrium, and levels are correlated with immune cell infiltration, plasma progesterone concentrations and HLA-F single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), however, women experiencing recurrent implantation failure (RIF) show differences when compared to women attending their first IVF treatment. The immunomodulatory HLA class Ib molecules HLA-G and HLA-F are expressed on the extravillous trophoblast cells and interact with receptors on maternal immune cells. Little is known regarding HLA-F expression in endometrial stroma and HLA-F function; furthermore, HLA-F and HLA-G SNP genotypes and haplotypes have been correlated with differences in time-to-pregnancy. Primary endometrial stromal cell (ESC) cultures (n = 5) were established from endometrial biopsies from women attending IVF treatment at a fertility clinic. Basic HLA-F and HLA-G protein expression by the ESCs were investigated. A prospective controlled cohort study was performed including 85 women with a history of RIF and 36 control women beginning their first fertility treatment and with no history of RIF. In some analyses, the RIF group was divided into unknown cause, male infertility, female infertility, and both female and male infertility. Endometrial biopsies and blood samples were obtained the day equivalent to embryo transfer in a hormone-substituted cycle. HLA protein expression by ESCs was characterized using flow cytometry and western blot. In the cohort study, the specific immune markers HLA-F and HLA-G, CD56 and CD16 (NK cells), CD163 (M2 macrophages), FOXP3 (regulatory T cells) and CD138 (plasma cells) were analysed by immunohistochemistry and a digital image analysis system in endometrial biopsies. Endometrial receptivity was assessed by an endometrial receptivity array test (the ERA® test). Endometrial biopsies were examined according to modified Noyes' criteria. SNPs at the HLA-F gene and HLA-G haplotypes were determined. HLA-F protein is expressed in the endometrium at the time of implantation. Furthermore, the HLA-F protein levels were different according to the womeńs HLA-F SNP genotypes and diplotypes, which have previously been correlated with differences in time-to-pregnancy. Endometrial HLA-F was positively correlated with anti-inflammatory CD163+ M2 macrophage infiltration and CD56+ uNK cell abundance for the entire cohort. However, this was not the case for CD56+ in the female infertility RIF subgroup. HLA-F levels in the endometrial stroma were negatively correlated with plasma progesterone concentrations in the RIF subgroup with known female infertility. Conversely, HLA-F and progesterone were positively correlated in the RIF subgroup with infertility of the male partner and no infertility diagnosis of the woman indicating interconnections between progesterone, HLA-F and immune cell infiltration. Glandular sHLA-G expression was also positively correlated with uNK cell abundance in the RIF subgroup with no female infertility but negatively correlated in the RIF subgroup with a female infertility diagnosis. Immunohistochemistry analyses of endometrial biopsies and DNA sequencing of HLA genes. Data will be shared upon reasonable request to the corresponding author. The control group of women attending their first IVF treatment had an anticipated good prognosis but was not proven fertile. A significant age difference between the RIF group and the IVF group reflects the longer treatment period for women with a history of RIF. The standardization of hormonal endometrial preparation, which allowed consistent timing of endometrial and blood sampling, might be a strength because a more uniform hormonal background may more clearly show an influence on the immune marker profile and HLA class Ib levels in the endometrium by other factors, for example genetic polymorphisms. However, the immune marker profile might be different during a normal cycle. The findings further highlight the importance of HLA-F and HLA-G at the implantation site and in early pregnancy for pregnancy success. Diagnostic measures and modulation of the complex interactions between HLA class Ib molecules, maternal immune cells and hormonal factors may have potential to improve fertility treatment. This work was supported by the Region Zealand Health Sciences Research Foundation and the Zealand University Hospital through the ReproHealth Research Consortium ZUH. The authors declared there are no conflicts of interest.

Comparison of manual and automated digital image analysis systems for quantification of cellular protein expression.

Quantifying protein expression in immunohistochemically stained histological slides is an important tool for oncologic research. The use of computer-aided evaluation of IHC-stained slides significantly contributes to objectify measurements. Manual digital image analysis (mDIA) requires a user-dependent annotation of the region of interest (ROI). Others have built-in machine learning algorithms with automated digital image analysis (aDIA) and can detect the ROIs automatically. We aimed to investigate the agreement between the results obtained by aDIA and those derived from mDIA systems. We quantified chromogenic intensity (CI) and calculated the positive index (PI) in cohorts of tissue microarrays (TMA) using mDIA and aDIA. To consider the different distributions of staining within cellular sub-compartments and different tumor architecture our study encompassed nuclear and cytoplasmatic stainings in adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. Within all cohorts, we were able to show a high correlation between mDIA and aDIA for the CI (p<0.001) along with high agreement for the PI. Moreover, we were able to show that the cell detections of the programs were comparable as well and both proved to be reliable when compared to manual counting. mDIA and aDIA show a high correlation in acquired IHC data. Both proved to be suitable to stratify patients for evaluation with clinical data. As both produce the same level of information, aDIA might be preferable as it is time-saving, can easily be reproduced, and enables regular and efficient output in large studies in a reasonable time period.

Optimization of endocrine pancreas fluorescence analysis using machine methods

The study aims to establish the appropriate parameters of UV excitation intensity and permanent excitation time on the pancreatic islets photobleaching, the ratio of the intensity of the useful signal in the region of interest to the intensity of nonspecific background fluorescence. Materials and methods. The pancreas of three adult Wistar rats was fixed in Bouin solution (20 hours) and poured into paraplast after standard histological processing. The study was carried out on paraffin sections of the pancreas. The islets’ insulin and glucagon were determined by immunofluorescence method using monoclonal antibodies (Santa Cruz Biotechnology). The immunofluorescence reaction was studied using an AxioImager-M2 fluorescent microscope. AxioVision digital image analysis system was used for fluorescence imaging, and ImageJ 64-bit image analysis system was used for image quantification. 30 pancreatic islets with an area from 3000 µm2 to 5000 µm2 (8–13 % of the frame area) were analyzed. Results. Measurements carried out at constant values of hormone concentration in endocrinocytes showed a different estimate of the average fluorescence intensity for insulin and glucagon, which depended on the intensity of UV radiation. As the intensity of UV radiation increased, the average fluorescence intensity in the region of interest for insulin and glucagon increased, but when the camera exposure was corrected, it became almost the same. Regardless of this, the intensity of nonspecific background fluorescence increased monotonically. The use of the ratio of the logarithms of the background fluorescence of the drug and the fluorescence of endocrinocytes in the calculations gives a stable estimate of the relative concentration of hormones, which does not depend on the intensity of the selected UV radiation regime, as well as on the duration of UV irradiation of the drug. This makes it possible to neutralize the effect of photodynamic discoloration of the preparation caused by continuous irradiation. Methods for machine selection of the region of interest by various algorithms of the ImageJ program lead to different estimates of its area, integral, and average fluorescence values. At the same time, the result closest to the “ideal” interactive method of highlighting the area of interest for insulin and glucagon was shown by Otsu’s algorithm. Conclusions. In immunofluorescent examination of the pancreas, a moderate UV radiation mode should be selected, exposure correction of the CCD camera before taking each frame, and the total time for examining the visual field of the sample should be limited to 1–2 minutes. To highlight the area of interest for insulin and glucagon in automatic analysis, it is recommended to use the Otsu algorithm. To obtain a quantitative estimate of the average fluorescence intensity in the region of interest, it is recommended to use the ratio of the logarithms of the background fluorescence of the drug and endocrinocytes in the calculations.

Effect of Intensive Oropharyngeal Training on Radiotherapy-Related Dysphagia in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients.

To evaluate the effect of intensive oropharyngeal functional training on swallowing in patients with dysphagia after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Fourteen patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas and dysphagia after radiotherapy received intensive oropharyngeal training for two weeks. The Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) and videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSS) were used to evaluate swallowing function before and after intensive oropharyngeal training. Spatiotemporal parameters of the VFSS were analyzed using a digital image analysis system. After training, the FOIS, Rosenbek penetration-aspiration score, DIGEST, normalized residue ratio scale, and spatiotemporal parameters of VFSS were significantly improved (P < 0.05). This study indicated that intensive oropharyngeal training improves swallowing function after radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Digital analysis of egg surface area and volume: Effects of longitudinal axis, maximum breadth and weight

Egg geometrical measurement is important for the poultry industry, and its calculation is not easily possible due to the unusual shape of the egg. To solve this problem a research has been carried out using a digital image analysis (IA) system to render the precise measurements of several egg size parameters, including egg volume (V) and surface area (S) of laying hen. We tested the accuracy of the IA method in determining egg physical properties by comparing the V resulting from IA with that measured using water displacement. The correlation of determination (R2) between the data obtained from these two methods was 0.98. We also applied the data sets of egg samples obtained by the IA to test the accuracy of the previously published equations to predict S and V in the egg samples. The results have shown that the equations posted by Carter (1975), Paganelli et al. (1974), and Narushin (1997) provided reasonable accuracy (R2 > 0.839) in predicting the egg S based on the length (L) and maximum breadth (B). In addition, the equations proposed by Carter (1975), Ayupov (1976), and Narushin (1994, 1997, 2005) provided accurate predictions for egg V by using L and B as the inputs. Furthermore, multiple linear regression (MLR), polynomial regression (PR), and artificial neural networks (ANN) models were used to test whether we could find new simple equations to predict the egg volume and surface area based on the egg weight, L, and B. The results indicated that weight could not be a helpful input variable, while weight is the single input of most published equations. Our newly developed models are also accurate for predicting V and S of egg samples based on L and B.

Gadolinium chelates inhibit intracellular calcium signaling in rat trigeminal ganglion neurons similar to rat dorsal root ganglion neurons, but less effective

Objectives: Gadolinium (Gd3+) based MR contrast agents (GBMCA) are manufactured with a chelation process, where organic ligand molecules form a stable complex around Gd3+. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible impact of free gadolinium and GBMCA in ganglia (trigeminal and dorsal root) neuron cell cultures on intracellular calcium (Ca2+) since these agents could dissociate and lead to the release of toxic Gd3+ ions in metabolic conditions. Methods: Ganglia cells were studied for responses to agents and nonspecific depolarization by high KCl+ in Fura 2 AM loaded neurons by monitoring the changes in [Ca2+]i using a microscopic digital image analysis system. GBMCA and molecular gadolinium doses of 0.1 mmol/kg were prepared with the same pH and temperature and applied to the cells. Results: Application of Gd3+, gadobenate dimeglumine, gadobutrol and gadodiamide to rat ganglia neurons led to significant decreases in basal intracellular calcium levels, while gadoterate meglumine administration did not have a significant impact. As expected, Gd3+ was more effective when compared tı GBMCA. While the impact was almost full with gadodiamide, Gd3+ and other GBMCAs had irreversible effects at different levels. The impact of gadoterate meglumine was neglectable when compared to Gd3+ and other GBMCAs, although it exhibited slightly gadodiamide-like effects. Conclusions: In conclusion, gadolinium chelates released gadolinium and irreversibly reduced the intracellular calcium levels in identical TG and DRG cells at different levels.

Effect of Finish Line Design on the Fit Accuracy of CAD/CAM Monolithic Polymer-Infiltrated Ceramic-Network Fixed Dental Prostheses: An In Vitro Study.

A polymer-infiltrated ceramic network (PICN) material has recently been introduced for dental use and evidence is developing regarding the fit accuracy of such crowns with different preparation designs. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the precision of fit of machined monolithic PICN single crowns in comparison to lithium disilicate crowns in terms of marginal gap, internal gap, and absolute marginal discrepancies. A secondary aim was to assess the effect of finish line configuration on the fit accuracy of crowns made from the two materials. Two master metal dies were used to create forty stone dies, with twenty each for the two finish lines, shoulder and chamfer. The stone dies were scanned to produce virtual models, on which ceramic crowns were designed and milled, with ten each for the four material–finish line combinations (n = 10). Marginal gaps and absolute marginal discrepancies were evaluated at six pre-determined margin locations, and the internal gap was measured at 60 designated points using a stereomicroscope-based digital image analysis system. The influence of the material and finish line on the marginal and internal adaptation of crowns was assessed by analyzing the data using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), non-parametric, and Bonferroni multiple comparison post-hoc tests (α = 0.05). ANOVA revealed that the differences in the marginal gaps and the absolute marginal discrepancies between the two materials were significant (p < 0.05), but that those the finish line effect and the interaction were not significant (p > 0.05). Using the Mann–Whitney U test, the differences in IG for ‘material’ and ‘finish line’ were not found to be significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the finish line configuration did not seem to affect the marginal and internal adaptation of PICN and lithium disilicate crowns. The marginal gap of PICN crowns was below the clinically acceptable threshold of 120 µm.

A Smartphone-Fluidic Digital Imaging Analysis System for Pancreatic Islet Mass Quantification.

Islet beta-cell viability, function, and mass are three decisive attributes that determine the efficacy of human islet transplantation for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Islet mass is commonly assessed manually, which often leads to error and bias. Digital imaging analysis (DIA) system has shown its potential as an alternative, but it has some associated limitations. In this study, a Smartphone-Fluidic Digital Imaging Analysis (SFDIA) System, which incorporates microfluidic techniques and Python-based video processing software, was developed for islet mass assessment. We quantified islets by tracking multiple moving islets in a microfluidic channel using the SFDIA system, and we achieved a relatively consistent result. The counts from the SFDIA and manual counting showed an average difference of 2.91 ± 1.50%. Furthermore, our software can analyze and extract key human islet mass parameters, including quantity, size, volume, IEq, morphology, and purity, which are not fully obtainable from traditional manual counting methods. Using SFDIA on a representative islet sample, we measured an average diameter of 99.88 ± 53.91 µm, an average circularity of 0.591 ± 0.133, and an average solidity of 0.853 ± 0.107. Via analysis of dithizone-stained islets using SFDIA, we found that a higher islet tissue percentage is associated with top-layer islets as opposed to middle-layer islets (0.735 ± 0.213 and 0.576 ± 0.223, respectively). Our results indicate that the SFDIA system can potentially be used as a multi-parameter islet mass assay that is superior in accuracy and consistency, when compared to conventional manual techniques.

Prostaglandin EP4 receptor mRNA expression in canine lymphoma.

Canine lymphoma (LSA) is a diverse, aggressive malignancy initiated by a variety of factors. Understanding those factors could help identify potential treatment options. Chronic inflammation drives lymphoma in human medicine and is suspected to play a role in veterinary medicine. The exact mechanisms, however, have not been elucidated. Upregulation of the cyclooxygenase enzymes, and subsequently prostaglandins, potentially play a stimulatory role. Prostaglandins work through one of four EP receptors (EP1-EP4) and the effects mediated through EP4R specifically are thought to be the primary drivers of cancer development. In human T-cell LSA, overexpression of EP4R has been found and appears to protect LSA cells from apoptosis. The role of EP4R in human B-cell LSA is more nuanced. This study aims to evaluate the mRNA expression of the EP4R gene (ptger4) in canine B-cell and T-cell LSA. Archived canine lymph nodes with histologically confirmed B-cell and T-cell LSA, and reactive lymph nodes, were evaluated for EP4R mRNA expression using a novel RNA in situ hybridization technique (RNAscope). Quantification of RNAscope signals was completed with an advanced digital pathology image analysis system (HALO). Results were reported as copy number, H-score, and percent tumour cell expression of EP4R mRNA. All reactive, B-cell LSA, and T-cell LSA lymph nodes expressed EP4R mRNA. The mRNA copy number, H-score, and percent tumour cell expression of EP4R were higher in B-cell (p < .003) and T-cell (p < .001) LSA samples compared to reactive lymph node samples. There were no differences between B-cell LSA and T-cell LSA.