Direct Visual Comparison Research Articles

Rediscovering Globigerina bollii Cita and Premoli Silva 1960

Abstract. Globigerina bollii Cita and Premoli Silva was described from the historical Langhian-type section in Langhe, Piedmont (Italy). Due to its peculiar compact morphology, it was set apart from all the other globigerinids typical of the coeval Mediterranean fauna, and it was only reported for a short and limited stratigraphic range. The taxon became a first-order marker for the local biostratigraphy with its own Globigerina bollii Zone within the Langhian stage. However, the species was later synonymised with Globigerina falconensis Blow, ending its use in biostratigraphic schemes, and it was no longer utilised by authors working in the Mediterranean area and Paratethys. We present a reassessment of Globigerina bollii, showing for the first time a full collection of high-quality scanning electron and optical microscope images of the type series of specimens and a comparative study with Mediterranean individuals from the Langhian of the Cretaccio Section (Italy) and extra-Mediterranean individuals from Ocean Drilling Program Site 747 in the Kerguelen Plateau (Indian Ocean). The stratigraphic ranges of all the occurrences cited in the scientific literature from 1960 to the present day and all the references including images of the taxon are compiled. We compare G. bollii to other four-chambered morphospecies inhabiting the oceans during the Miocene, providing a detailed discussion of their morphological differences, which allows us to retain G. bollii as a valid taxon and to disclaim its synonymy with Globigerina falconensis. Our taxonomical observations also allow us to reassign Globigerina bollii to the genus Globoturborotalita, due to its strong affinities with other members of that genus, such as G. eolabiacrassata Spezzaferri and Coxall, and G. ouachitaensis (Howe and Wallace). We present a direct visual comparison with the other representatives of middle Miocene globoturborotaliids. An additional comparison is also discussed with Globigerina bollii lentiana Rögl, a species endemic in the Paratethys. We conclude that the presence of G. bollii in the Mediterranean Basin during such a confined stratigraphic interval (Mediterranean Subzone MMi4c–MMi4d), might be a palaeogeographical indicator of the intermittent opening of the eastern gateway with the Paratethys, affecting the Mediterranean faunas during the Langhian and their migration from oceanic realms into the Paratethys and Mediterranean.

Avaliação da dilatação cervical em simuladores comparada a uma ferramenta visual: estudo randomizado

Objective: to verify the correct assessment rate when using direct visual comparison in the cervical dilation measures in hard-consistency cervix simulation models. Method: an open-label and randomized study conducted with 63 Obstetrics students that were designated either to use direct visual comparison in a dilation guide or not. The students estimated cervical dilation blindly in simulators with different dilations. The primary outcome was the correct assessment rate. Results: the students performed 141 tests. A higher correct assessment rate was found in the Experimental Group than in the Control Group (47.3% versus 27.2%; p<0.001; Odds Ratio = 2.41; 95% Confidence Interval = 1.62-3.58). Conclusion: the direct visual comparison increased precision of the cervical dilation assessment in cervix simulation models, with the possibility of being beneficial in laboratory training. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials No. U1111-1210-2389.

Comparison of Mangrove Index (MI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for the detection of degraded mangroves in Alas Purwo Banyuwangi and Segara Anakan Cilacap, Indonesia

Deterioration of the environmental quality of mangrove ecosystem must be identified as early as possible for management and threat mitigation. Degraded mangrove areas have to be distinguished from healthy ones. Low value of Mangrove Index (MI) corresponded to the degraded mangrove area where dominated by two species (Derris trifoliata and Acanthus ilicifolius), which are indicators of mangrove degradation at Segara Anakan mangrove area. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) failed to detect the degaradation due to existing of these species by detecting as high index value. The study was designed to (1) test the performance of MI at Alas Purwo mangrove area which categorized as a non-degraded mangrove forest, (2) compare the spatial pattern of MI images with that of NDVI images, and (3) further investigate the ability of MI to detect areas of degraded mangrove when it occurs in only small areas. We used Landsat-8 OLI imagery because it includes the short-wave infrared (SWIR) bands required to generate MI. Both direct visual comparison and correlation analysis of the resulting maps were conducted to evaluate the ability of these indices to detect degraded and non-degraded areas of mangroves. In general, both indices detected a similar pattern, which is contrary to the results from Segara Anakan images. However, a difference value between MI and NDVI of >0.2 indicated the presence of small areas of vegetation with a spectral reflectance similar to that of species indicating degradation at Segara Anakan. This finding was confirmed by field observation of mangrove species. A difference of >0.2 between MI and NDVI indicates mangrove degradation for small areas. This study provides a new tool to determine the condition of mangrove forest remotely, allowing for rapid and targeted management action to tackle degradation.

Results From a Multi-Institutional Pilot Study of iContour, an Interactive Online Platform with Real-Time Feedback to Improve Contouring Education for Radiation Oncology Residents

Numerous studies have shown that variability in contouring by radiation oncologists is common and associated with poor clinical outcomes. Contouring is taught via an apprenticeship model during residency with inconsistent results. Currently, there is no standardized contouring curriculum. We hypothesized that an interactive online educational platform for learners to practice contouring and receive real-time visual feedback would be a useful curricular tool. The iContour platform displays anonymized DICOM data and allows for input and analysis of user contours in a web-based interface. Nine cases are available from the Head/Neck (H+N), Gynecologic (Gyn), and Gastrointestinal (GI) disease sites. The system presents users with a case and asks them to contour representative slices from 2-3 target volumes or OARs. Upon submission, users are shown several forms of feedback. These include immediate visual comparison with expert contours on the same dataset (all cases), customized feedback based on overlap with prespecified "avoidance" and "inclusion" structures that highlight common mistakes (Gyn cases), and tumor control probability models to estimate the clinical impact of a user's contour variations on patient outcomes (H+N cases). Some cases include short videos outlining anatomy and contouring principles which are shown before the user contours. A pilot study was performed to evaluate technical performance and educational utility. Pre- and post-surveys with Likert-type questions (1-5 scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree) were used to assess user satisfaction and preferences regarding feedback. A total of 9 residents participated (median PGY3, range PGY2-5) from 5 institutions in 2 countries. Each participant completed 2 cases from a single disease site (n = 3 each for H+N, Gyn and GI), one with educational videos and one without. 67% of users had completed a prior clinical rotation in their disease site. Overall, residents felt the system was a useful educational tool (mean Likert score 4.67 +/- 0.47) and were interested in using it during clinical rotations (4.89 +/- 0.31). Most participants (7/9) felt iContour was more useful than existing resources for contouring education. Residents unanimously (9/9) found direct visual comparison with expert contours the most useful type of feedback, and that cases with videos before contouring were more educational. The iContour platform is a useful educational tool for radiation oncology residents. Participants felt receiving immediate visual feedback on contours was a valuable learning experience. Short instructional videos before contouring can be utilized to provide "just in time" teaching. A randomized study to formally assess the platform's impact on contouring skills is planned.

The CKD-EPI 2021 Equation and Other Creatinine-Based Race-Independent eGFR Equations in Chronic Kidney Disease Diagnosis and Staging.

Recent debate on the race correction factor in creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) has led to the development of a new race-independent equation (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration, CKD-EPI_2021). Previously, some institutions have already modified the early version of the CKD-EPI or Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equations by removing the race factors (CKD-EPI_2009_non-Black (NB), MDRD_NB) for Black populations although this approach remains controversial. In this study, the CKD-EPI_2009_NB, MDRD_NB, and European Kidney Function Consortium (EKFC) equations were compared directly with the CKD-EPI_2021 equation in eGFR calculation, chronic kidney disease (CKD) diagnosis, and staging in a local population. These 3 previous methods underestimated eGFR compared to CKD-EPI_2021 for eGFR < 90 mL/min/1.73 m2 but overestimated eGFR at the high end (>120 mL/min/1.73 m2). Around the CKD diagnosis cutoff (60 mL/min/1.73 m2), both MDRD_NB and EFKC equations resulted in an increase in CKD cases compared to CKD-EPI_2021. CKD-EPI_2009_NB demonstrated a similar trend although the difference was not statistically significant. In a population with low eGFR (<60 mL/min/1.73 m2), the EKFC equation showed a CKD staging pattern significantly different from that by CKD-EPI_2021, but all 3 previous methods resulted in a similar number of end-stage renal failure cases. In general, the EKFC equation demonstrated a weaker agreement in eGFR calculation and concordance in classification with the CKD-EPI_2021 equation than MDRD_NB and CKD-EPI_2009_NB. Our study provides a direct visual comparison to demonstrate the potential clinical impact between 3 previously used race-independent methods and the CKD-EPI_2021 equation and aids the communication with healthcare providers during the implementation of this new equation.

Attention to verbal morphology in L2 Arabic reading: An eye‐movement study

AbstractAttention is believed to help facilitate learning. Godfroid and Uggen found that attention to irregular verb morphology motivated the learning of novel second language (L2) German forms. The current study explored the generalizability of these findings to geminate and sound verbs in Arabic, a typologically different language with a novel writing system. Eleven fourth‐semester learners of Arabic participated in the experiment. Participants completed a language learning background survey, took a fill‐in‐the blank pretest, read 20 sentence pairs while an Eyelink 1000 recorded their eye movements, and answered true/false comprehension questions that appeared on‐screen following each sentence. A posttest, identical to the pretest, and a prior vocabulary knowledge scale task were then conducted. Learners' reflections were recorded in a subsequent recall task and a follow‐up semistructured interview. Descriptive analyses of the eye‐tracking metrics reveal generally equivalent reading times between verb types, although participants made more direct visual comparisons between geminate‐ than between sound‐verb conjugations. Participants did not report awareness of geminate verbs, but noticed other aspects of input, and, on average, improved their written productive knowledge by 2% after only one exposure. Pedagogical implications are discussed in terms of input enhancement in a communicative L2 classroom.

PD59-03 ADJUVANT THERAPY AFTER SURGICAL RESECTION OF NONMETASTATIC RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA: ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 May 2022PD59-03 ADJUVANT THERAPY AFTER SURGICAL RESECTION OF NONMETASTATIC RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA: ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL Zine-Eddine Khene, Axel Bex, and Karim Bensalah Zine-Eddine KheneZine-Eddine Khene More articles by this author , Axel BexAxel Bex More articles by this author , and Karim BensalahKarim Bensalah More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002644.03AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Keynote 564 was a double-blind randomised phase 3 trial comparing adjuvant pembrolizumab versus placebo for up to one year in patients who had a completely resected ccRCC considered at high risk of recurrence. The interim analysis has sparked enthusiasm in the onco-urological community since the primary endpoint (investigator assessed disease free survival (DFS)) was reached. However, In the Keynote-564 trial, inclusion criteria were very heterogeneous. The trial included patients who were considered at “intermediate-high risk” (pT2 and G4 or sarcomatoid, pT3) and “high risk” (pT4, N1) of recurrence. Our objective was to investigate the real risk associated with these prognostic groups in a cohort of patients treated in a “real life” setting outside of a clinical trial. METHODS: Patients who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy for a localized ccRCC between 2010 and 2020 were analyzed. We exclusively focused on patients with pT2 and G4 or sarcomatoid, pT3, pT4 and N1 (i.e., whose characteristics matched Keynote 564 prognostic classification). We excluded patients who received adjuvant or neo-adjuvant treatment. we plotted the survival curves using the Kaplan Meier estimates to make a direct visual comparison between groups. RESULTS: 400 patients were included in the analysis. Kaplan-Meier curves for DFS (A) and OS (B) according to Keynote-564 inclusion criteria are clearly separating (Figure 1). Patients with the best outcome are those with pT2 and pT3a tumours, whereas pT3b-c, pT4 and N1 patients have a far worse prognosis. Following this observation, we conducted an exploratory analysis by dividing our cohort into two prognostic groups: 1) pT2 and G4 or sarcomatoid, pT3a N0 and 2) pT3b-c, pT4 and N1 and found a very significant difference (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The patients included in Keynote 564 have heterogenous disease stages that will exhibit different natural histories. It is therefore questionable to consider them all equally eligible for an adjuvant treatment. Moreover, including patients with a good prognosis in the trial and thus the primary analysis may obscure the benefit of adjuvant therapy for patients with a poor prognosis. Source of Funding: None © 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 207Issue Supplement 5May 2022Page: e1019 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Zine-Eddine Khene More articles by this author Axel Bex More articles by this author Karim Bensalah More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...

Computer-aided feedback on the pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese tones: using Praat to promote multimedia foreign language learning

This article discusses whether digital visual and audio feedback in learners’ own voices improves their perception and production of lexical tones in Chinese as a foreign language. Forty-four beginners participated in a four-week training focused on the pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese tones at the word level. Half received digital feedback generated by Praat, a phonetic research software, to visualize the contours of their tones while hearing corrected tones in their voices. The other half participants received visual and audio feedback given by the researcher. While both groups enhanced their tone perception and production skills during the training, the Praat-aided group made significantly larger progress than the control group. Post-training survey revealed participants’ preference for the imitation of corrected tones in their voices and the direct visual comparison between their tone contours and those of corrected tones. The findings corroborate the importance of computer-assisted multimedia learning in foreign language pedagogy, which also has implications for employing research-oriented technologies and automated tonal feedback in the instruction of Chinese as a foreign language.

Development of a multi-stage model for intelligent and quantitative appraising of skeletal maturity using cervical vertebras cone-beam CT images of Chinese girls.

Nowadays, the integration of Artificial intelligence algorithms and quantified radiographic imaging-based diagnostic procedures is hailing amplified deliberation particularly in assessment of skeletal maturity. So we intend to formulate a logistic regression model for intelligent and quantitative estimation of Fishman skeletal maturation index (SMI) based on the parameters attained from the cervical vertebrae CBCT images of Chinese girls. From 709 hand wrist radiographs and CBCT images, 447 samples were randomly selected (called as G1) to build a logistic regression model. The reliability and reproducibility were assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and weighted Cohen's kappa, followed by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient to identify the parameters significantly associated with the SMI. Two hundred and sixty-two other subjects (named G2) were recruited for external examination of the models by direct visual comparison and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. In cases of confusion and mispredictions, the model was modified to improve the consistency. Five significant parameters (Chronological age, C3 height (H3)[Formula: see text], C4 upper width (UW4), C4 lower width (LW4), and the ratio of posterior height to lower width of C4 ([Formula: see text]) were administered into logistic regression model. Despite total agreement percentage which was 84% (total AUC = 0.92), unsatisfactory performance was noticed for the 6th and 8th stages which were confused with their neighboring stages. After adjustments of the models, the total agreement percentage and AUC were upgraded to 88% and 0.96, respectively. Consistency and fitness evaluation of our models demonstrated adequate prediction percentage and reliability for automated classification of skeletal maturation. The presented constructed logistic regression model has the potential to serve as a maturity evaluation index in clinical craniofacial orthopedics in Chinese girls. The proposed model in this study showed promising strength for being expended in the event of other clinical multi-stage conditions.

Luxury and Modernism: Architecture and the Object in Germany 1900–1933

Luxury and Modernism: Architecture and the Object in Germany 1900–1933

KMap.py: A Python program for simulation and data analysis in photoemission tomography

Ultra-violet photoemission spectroscopy is a widely-used experimental technique to investigate the valence electronic structure of surfaces and interfaces. When detecting the intensity of the emitted electrons not only as a function of their kinetic energy, but also depending on their emission angle, as is done in angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), extremely rich information about the electronic structure of the investigated sample can be extracted. For organic molecules adsorbed as well-oriented ultra-thin films on metallic surfaces, ARPES has evolved into a technique called photoemission tomography (PT). By approximating the final state of the photoemitted electron as a free electron, PT uses the angular dependence of the photocurrent, a so-called momentum map or k-map, and interprets it as the Fourier transform of the initial state’s molecular orbital, thereby gaining insights into the geometric and electronic structure of organic/metal interfaces.In this contribution, we present kMap.py which is a Python program that enables the user, via a PyQt-based graphical user interface, to simulate photoemission momentum maps of molecular orbitals and to perform a one-to-one comparison between simulation and experiment. Based on the plane wave approximation for the final state, simulated momentum maps are computed numerically from a fast Fourier transform (FFT) of real space molecular orbital distributions, which are used as program input and taken from density functional calculations. The program allows the user to vary a number of simulation parameters, such as the final state kinetic energy, the molecular orientation or the polarization state of the incident light field. Moreover, also experimental photoemission data can be loaded into the program, enabling a direct visual comparison as well as an automatic optimization procedure to determine structural parameters of the molecules or weights of molecular orbitals contributions. With an increasing number of experimental groups employing photoemission tomography to study molecular adsorbate layers, we expect kMap.py to serve as a helpful analysis software to further extend the applicability of PT. Program summaryProgram Title:kMap.pyCPC Library link to program files:https://doi.org/10.17632/tnrm9jcccc.1Developer’s respository link:https://github.com/brands-d/kMap/Code Ocean capsule:https://codeocean.com/capsule/5788845Licensing provisions: GPLv3Programming language: Python 3.xNature of problem: Photoemission tomography (PT) has evolved as a powerful experimental method to investigate the electronic and geometric structure of organic molecular films [1]. It is based on valence band angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and seeks an interpretation of the angular dependence of the photocurrent, a so-called momentum map, from a given initial state in terms of the spatial structure of molecular orbitals. For this purpose, PT heavily relies on a simulation platform which is capable of efficiently predicting momentum maps for a variety of organic molecules, which allows for a convenient way of treating the effect of molecular orientations, and which also accounts for other experimental parameters such as the geometrical setup and nature of the incident photon source. Thereby, PT has been used to determine molecular geometries, gain insight into the nature of the surface chemistry, unambiguously determine the orbital energy ordering in molecular homo- and heterostructures and even reconstruct the orbitals of adsorbed molecules [1–4].Solution method:kMap.py is a Python program that enables the user, via a PyQt-based graphical user interface, to simulate photoemission momentum maps of molecular orbitals and to perform a one-to-one comparison between simulation and experiment. Based on the plane wave approximation for the final state, simulated momentum maps are computed numerically from a fast Fourier transform (FFT) of real space molecular orbital distributions [2] which are used as program input and which are usually obtained from density functional calculations. The user can vary a number of simulation parameters such as the final state kinetic energy, the molecular orientation or the polarization state of the incident light field. Moreover, also experimental photoemission data can be loaded into the program, enabling a direct visual comparison as well as an automatic optimization procedure to minimize the difference between simulated and measured momentum maps. Thereby, structural parameters of the molecules [2] and the weights of molecular orbitals to experimentally observed emission features can be determined [3].

Characterisation of wellbore cement microstructure alteration under geologic carbon storage using X-ray computed micro-tomography: A framework for fast CT image registration and carbonate shell morphology quantification

An aqueous CO2–cement interaction experiment along with X-ray computed micro-tomography characterisation of pre- and post-exposure cement samples was carried out to investigate the cement structure evolution under geologic carbon storage conditions. An image processing framework was proposed for mapping mineral dissolution and precipitation and characterisation of carbonate shell morphology. The main workflow covered in this framework is to, 1) register cement CT images before and after reaction; 2) generate the difference image showing chemical alteration and map the difference image to demonstrate local content changes of pore space, calcite and portlandite; 3) segment carbonate shell from the difference image; 4) generate auxiliary images including skeleton, 3D local thickness and surface boundaries of the carbonate region, and 5) spatial quantification of the area, thickness, penetration depth and pore/calcite/portlandite content changes of the carbonate shell. The effectiveness of the framework was validated through step-by-step demonstration of results when deploying the framework to process the CT images of six cement samples acquired before and after reaction with CO2. The 3D mineral precipitation and dissolution (or local mineral content change) map and the internal and external carbonate shells were visualised. The spatial distribution of the shell area, thickness, penetration depth and pore/calcite/portlandite content changes along the height of the sample was revealed. Overall, the dissolution and precipitation map gives more intuitive and interpretable results of CO2-induced chemical alteration than direct visual comparison from the original CT images, and the morphological quantification of the carbonate shell gives reasonable interpretation of the spatial distribution of the carbonate reaction.

Characterization of E 472 food emulsifiers by high-performance thin-layer chromatography with fluorescence detection and mass spectrometry

Esters of fruit acids including acetic acid and mono- and diacylglycerols (MAG and DAG), also known as E 472 emulsifiers, are used in the food industry as food additives to adjust techno-functional properties like viscosity, emulsion stability and foaming stability in various products, mainly dairy products. Based on the respective acids, E 472 emulsifiers are classified in several categories with acetic acid esters (ACETEM, E 472a), lactic acid esters (LACTEM, E 472b), citric acid esters (CITREM, E 472c), and mono- and diacetyl tartaric acid esters (DATEM, E 472e) as the most prominent representatives. Besides fruit acid esters, E 472 emulsifiers mainly comprise MAG, DAG, triacylglycerols, free fatty acids, free fruit acids and free glycerol in different amounts. Here we present an innovative and sensitive method for the characterization of the composition of E 472 emulsifiers by high-performance thin-layer chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPTLC–FLD). For HPTLC–FLD, technical emulsifiers were simply dissolved and analyzed on HPTLC silica gel plates after a two-fold development and derivatization with primuline, enabling the easy characterization and direct visual comparison of the emulsifier pattern (fingerprint) through the fluorescent lipid components under UV 366 nm. Thus, the HPTLC–FLD fingerprint approach represents a simple tool for the comparison of different samples, batches and categories of E 472. Coupling of HPTLC to mass spectrometry moreover enabled the identification of constituents of interest.

Probabilistic Analysis of Bifurcations in Stochastic Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

Bifurcation diagrams are limited most often to deterministic dynamical systems. However, stochastic dynamics can substantially affect the interpretation of such diagrams because the deterministic diagram often is not simply the mean of the probabilistic diagram. We present an approach based on the Fokker-Planck equation (FPE) to obtain probabilistic bifurcation diagrams for stochastic nonlinear dynamical systems. We propose a systematic approach to expand the analysis of nonlinear and linear dynamical systems from deterministic to stochastic when the states or the parameters of the system are noisy. We find stationary solutions of the FPE numerically. Then, marginal probability density function (MPDF) is used to track changes in the shape of probability distributions as well as determining the probability of finding the system at each point on the bifurcation diagram. Using MPDFs is necessary for multidimensional dynamical systems and allows direct visual comparison of deterministic bifurcation diagrams with the proposed probabilistic bifurcation diagrams. Hence, we explore how the deterministic bifurcation diagrams of different dynamical systems of different dimensions are affected by noise. For example, we show that additive noise can lead to an earlier bifurcation in one-dimensional (1D) subcritical pitchfork bifurcation. We further show that multiplicative noise can have dramatic changes such as changing 1D subcritical pitchfork bifurcations into supercritical pitchfork bifurcations or annihilating the bifurcation altogether. We demonstrate how the joint probability density function (PDF) can show the presence of limit cycles in the FitzHugh–Nagumo (FHN) neuron model or chaotic behavior in the Lorenz system. Moreover, we reveal that the Lorenz system has chaotic behavior earlier in the presence of noise. We study coupled Brusselators to show how our approach can be used to construct bifurcation diagrams for higher dimensional systems.

Designing online species identification tools for biological recording: the impact on data quality and citizen science learning.

In recent years, the number and scale of environmental citizen science programmes that involve lay people in scientific research have increased rapidly. Many of these initiatives are concerned with the recording and identification of species, processes which are increasingly mediated through digital interfaces. Here, we address the growing need to understand the particular role of digital identification tools, both in generating scientific data and in supporting learning by lay people engaged in citizen science activities pertaining to biological recording communities. Starting from two well-known identification tools, namely identification keys and field guides, this study focuses on the decision-making and quality of learning processes underlying species identification tasks, by comparing three digital interfaces designed to identify bumblebee species. The three interfaces varied with respect to whether species were directly compared or filtered by matching on visual features; and whether the order of filters was directed by the interface or a user-driven open choice. A concurrent mixed-methods approach was adopted to compare how these different interfaces affected the ability of participants to make correct and quick species identifications, and to better understand how participants learned through using these interfaces. We found that the accuracy of identification and quality of learning were dependent upon the interface type, the difficulty of the specimen on the image being identified and the interaction between interface type and ‘image difficulty’. Specifically, interfaces based on filtering outperformed those based on direct visual comparison across all metrics, and an open choice of filters led to higher accuracy than the interface that directed the filtering. Our results have direct implications for the design of online identification technologies for biological recording, irrespective of whether the goal is to collect higher quality citizen science data, or to support user learning and engagement in these communities of practice.

Comparison of the quality of B-scan ultrasound in modern high-end devices.

The quality of an ultrasound device's B-scan mode is decisive in obtaining clear and informative images. High demands are placed upon ultrasound devices, particularly in cases where evidence of small lesions of parenchymal organs is being gathered. We tested the quality of the B-scan mode in ultrasound devices of 7 different manufacturers. We performed ultrasound examinations of 3 predefined abdominal sections on 4 healthy subjects with 7 different ultrasound devices. Documentation was compiled digitally by recording video sequences. Any characteristics identifying the manufacturer were removed. Subsequently, the sequences were organized into corresponding pairs. The resulting 252 video pairs were shown side by side to a panel of 10 experienced ultrasound examiners who evaluated the quality of the scans by way of direct visual comparison. Two of the 7 devices were clearly judged to be of higher quality. In part, the differences in the overall evaluation and within the subgroups reached levels of statistical significance. The ranking of the tested devices did not correlate with their suggested retail prices. There are relevant differences in the quality of the B-scan mode of modern high-end devices. The suggested retail prices do not correlate with the B-scan quality of the ultrasound devices.

Visualization of Bubble Formation in Porous Media.

We present a visualization approach for the analysis of CO2 bubble-induced attenuation in porous rock formations. As a basis for this, we introduce customized techniques to extract CO2 bubbles and their surrounding porous structure from X-ray computed tomography data (XCT) measurements. To understand how the structure of porous media influences the occurrence and the shape of formed bubbles, we automatically classify and relate them in terms of morphology and geometric features, and further directly support searching for promising porous structures. To allow for the meaningful direct visual comparison of bubbles and their structures, we propose a customized registration technique considering the bubble shape as well as its points of contact with the porous media surface. With our quantitative extraction of geometric bubble features, we further support the analysis as well as the creation of a physical model. We demonstrate that our approach was successfully used to answer several research questions in the domain, and discuss its high practical relevance to identify critical seismic characteristics of fluid-saturated rock that govern its capability to store CO2.

Classifications in Brief: Outerbridge Classification of Chondral Lesions

Classifications in Brief: Outerbridge Classification of Chondral Lesions

Comparison of PET/CT and whole-mount histopathology sections of the human prostate: a new strategy for voxel-wise evaluation

BackgroundImplementation of PET/CT in diagnosis of primary prostate cancer (PCa) requires a profound knowledge about the tracer, preferably from a quantitative evaluation. Direct visual comparison of PET/CT slices to whole prostate sections is hampered by considerable uncertainties from imperfect coregistration and fundamentally different image modalities. In the current study, we present a novel method for advanced voxel-wise comparison of histopathology from excised prostates to pre-surgical PET. Resected prostates from eight patients who underwent PSMA-PET/CT were scanned (ex vivo CT) and thoroughly pathologically prepared. In vivo and ex vivo CT including histopathology were coregistered with three different methods (manual, semi−/automatic). Spatial overlap after CT-based registration was evaluated with dice similarity (DSC). Furthermore, we constructed 3D cancer distribution models from histopathologic information in various slices. Subsequent smoothing reflected the intrinsically limited spatial resolution of PSMA-PET. The resulting histoPET models were used for quantitative analysis of spatial histopathology-PET pattern agreement focusing on p values and coefficients of determination (R2). We examined additional rigid mutual information (MI) coregistration directly based on PSMA-PET and histoPET.ResultsMean DSC for the three different methods (ManReg, ScalFactReg, and DefReg) were 0.79 ± 0.06, 0.82 ± 0.04, and 0.90 ± 0.02, respectively, while quantification of PET-histopathology pattern agreement after CT-based registration revealed R2 45.7, 43.2, and 41.3% on average with p < 10−5. Subsequent PET-based MI coregistration yielded R2 61.3, 55.9, and 55.6%, respectively, while implying anatomically plausible transformations.ConclusionsCreating 3D histoPET models based on thorough histopathological preparation allowed sophisticated quantitative analyses showing highly significant correlations between histopathology and (PSMA-)PET. We recommend manual CT-based coregistration followed by a PET-based MI algorithm to overcome limitations of purely CT-based coregistrations for meaningful voxel-wise comparisons between PET and histopathology.

Evaluating Sampling Strategies for Visualizing Uncertain Multi-Phase Fluid Simulation Data

With Eulerian Method of Moment (MoM) solvers for the CFD simulation of multi-phase fluid flow, the positions of bubbles or droplets are not modeled explicitly, but through scalar fields of moments. These fields can be interpreted as probability density functions describing the distribution of bubble locations. To enable intuitive visualization that allows direct visual comparisons between simulation and physical experiment, explicit instances of the bubble distribution are required. In this work, we examine one sampling-based method for obtaining sets of bubble positions from density fields. Based on an example dataset, we study the influence of the main parameter, the kernel size, on the resulting bubble set. We identify a tradeoff between numerical accuracy and temporal continuity for the visualization.