Series Of Maps Research Articles

Strengthening healthcare providers’ leadership capabilities, interprofessional collaboration, and systems thinking: a conceptualization of the Clinical Scholars program impact

BackgroundHealthcare provider leadership programs represent an intervention opportunity to support advancement of the national system of care and an evaluation of their program impacts is needed. Between 2016 and 2023, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) funded Clinical Scholars (CS), a three-year equity-centered leadership training program for US healthcare providers. CS recruited participants (referred to as Fellows) in cohorts and engaged them as members of interprofessional teams to transform their careers and the health of their communities. The aim of this study was to evaluate Fellows’ perspectives on the success of CS, specifically the program elements and their importance for community well-being and sustainability.MethodsWe used the mixed methods group concept mapping (GCM) approach to evaluate Fellows’ perspectives on program success. First, we conducted the qualitative phases of brainstorming, sorting, and rating with Fellows. Secondly, we conducted the quantitative phases using multi-dimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis and integrated the sorting and rating information from each Fellow to develop a series of concept maps. Finally, we conducted the interpretation phase to synthesize findings. Fellows (N = 177) across five cohorts were invited to participate in the study.ResultsFifty-seven Fellows (32%) completed one or more GCM phases. A conceptual map emerged, consisting of seven thematic clusters, which showed that program value could be attributed to the following elements: “Resources”, “Wicked Problem Impact Project (WPIP) Support”, “Curriculum”, “Thinking Bigger”, “Leadership Training”, “Networking”, and “Teamwork.” The pattern match showed that all seven clusters were highly rated by Fellows across the Community Well-being Impact and Sustainability domains.ConclusionStudy findings support the value of the RWJF-CS program strategy of long-term investment in the development of healthcare leaders with applied skills in interprofessional collaboration who will be prepared to continue addressing complex, multi-faceted challenges in the system of care.

Mean field responses in disordered systems: an example from nonlinear MHD

Understanding the generation of large-scale magnetic fields and flows in magnetohydro-dynamical (MHD) turbulence remains one of the most challenging problems in astrophysical fluid dynamics. Although much work has been done on the kinematic generation of large-scale magnetic fields by turbulence, relatively little attention has been paid to the much more difficult problem in which fields and flows interact on an equal footing. The aim is to find conditions for long-wavelength instabilities of stationary MHD states. Here, we first revisit the formal exposition of the long-wavelength linear instability theory, showing how long-wavelength perturbations are governed by four mean field tensors; we then show how these tensors may be calculated explicitly under the ‘short-sudden’ approximation for the turbulence. For MHD states with relatively little disorder, the linear theory works well: average quantities can be readily calculated, and stability to long-wavelength perturbations determined. However, for disordered basic states, linear perturbations can grow without bound and the purely linear theory, as formulated, cannot be applied. We then address the question of whether there is a linear response for sufficiently weak mean fields and flows in a dynamical (nonlinear) evolution, where perturbations are guaranteed to be bounded. As a preliminary study, we first address the nature of the response in a series of one-dimensional maps. For the full MHD problem, we show that in certain circumstances, there is a clear linear response; however, in others, mean quantities – and hence the nature of the response – can be difficult to calculate.

Cartography of board games

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on the maps and map-like features in games. It discusses games with special topics or components, and it collects several titles of games named after a geographical object (city, land, etc.). Finally, it provides a proposed classification of the types of maps observed in the board games investigated. The popularity of board games has been increasing in an unstoppable way in the last years. Several modern board games work with maps or with map-like features. This article focuses on the maps and map-like features in games and attempts to classify the types of map in board games. The board games usually use maps on the main board. There are games that work with the map of the World in various map scales. These maps sometimes look as if they were old maps or they represented the present world. Some games' main board is similar to a map series or a classic atlas. Modular boards help to increase the replayability and give another experience game by game. Other games work with tiles (square, rectanglular or hexagonal shaped) representing a terrain type (forest, moorland, farmland, built in area, etc.). The tiles have to be placed next to each other, thereby the players can collect victory points. Fantasy maps depict fictional worlds: this helps the players to imagine better the fictional world and the characters. Fantasy maps often use partially orthogonal projection and partially bird's eye view.

Is muscle sympathetic nerve activity associated with cerebral blood velocity? A partial coherence analysis.

Despite some evidence, the role of sympathetic nerve activity in the regulation of cerebral blood flow remains controversial. In humans, muscle sympathetic nervous activity (MSNA) is the only direct measure of sympathetic nerve activity that can be recorded with sufficient temporal resolution, to allow association with dynamic regulation of cerebral blood velocity (CBv). This study tested the hypothesis that MSNA is associated with the regulation of CBv at rest and during different physiological maneuvers. Nine healthy subjects underwent two sympathoexcitatory maneuvers: i) isometric handgrip exercise (HGR), and ii) cold pressor test (CPT). Mean arterial pressure (MAP, oscillometric method), CBv (transcranial Doppler ultrasound), and MSNA (microneurography) were measured continuously during experimental protocols. Ordinary and partial coherences of the MAP, CBv and MSNA time series were estimated by transfer function analysis in the low-frequency range (LF: 0.07-0.20 Hz), using MAP and MSNA as inputs and CBv as the output variable. When the influence of MSNA was taken into account, the partial coherences between MAP and CBv were considerably reduced at baseline (P<0.01), HGR (P=0.02), and CPT (P<0.01). Similarly, when the influence of MAP was taken into account, the coherence between MSNA and CBv was considerably reduced at baseline (P<0.01), HGR (P=0.02), and CPT (P=0.01), leading to the conclusion, that MSNA was associated to dynamic regulation of CBv. Partial coherence analysis is a promising method for assessing the influence of the sympathetic nervous system on cerebral hemodynamics.

Methods to compare sites concerning a category’s change during various time intervals

ABSTRACT This paper presents new methods to analyze a category’s change through a time series of maps, even when the time intervals have inconsistent durations. The methods include an option to facilitate comparison among sites by expressing results as an annual percentage of each site’s unified size. A site’s unified size is the union of where the category exists at any of the site’s time points. The methods also specify gross losses, gross gains, eight trajectories, and three components: Quantity, Exchange, and Alternation. The illustrative application compares maps of the marsh category for three Long-Term Ecological Research sites: Plum Island Ecosystems (PIE), Georgia Coastal Ecosystems (GCE), and the Virginia Coast Reserve (VCR). The application analyzes marsh’s changes during two time intervals that have unequal durations within each site’s distinct temporal extent. Results show that PIE has the fastest change during each site’s temporal extent. Gross change is more than double the quantity change for all sites. Exchange accounts for most of the change in GCE, while Alternation accounts for most of the change in PIE and VCR. The methods provide more information than popular methods that quantify annual net change. Our timeseriesTrajectories R package performs the analysis and is available for free at https://github.com/bilintoh/timeseriesTrajectories.

A County-Level Analysis of the Economic Performance in Romania and Bulgaria Using Hierarchical Algorithms

The EU Regional Competitiveness Index 2.0 measures a region’s ability to provide an attractive environment for businesses and residents to work and live. According to this indicator, countries in the southern and eastern regions of the European Union are reported to have the lowest values. As it measures the performance of NUTS-2 regions, it was desired to study the problem in more detail, reaching the NUTS-3 level. Thus, within the current research, Romania and Bulgaria are studied by means of a county-level analysis of the economies of the two states established through the prism of the labor market, the field of health, transport, enterprises, tourism, education, and research. Through eight indicators, a series of maps designed to present the situation of the two states was illustrated, and the investigation continued with a cluster analysis carried out by the implementation of hierarchical algorithms. During the course of the current study, a classification and a ranking of the counties of the two countries were performed to determine the areas with the best or, in contrast, the poorest performance.

Professionally oriented tasks for learning and using mapping technology with ArcGIS tools

Abstract The article substantiates the expediency of using professionally oriented tasks for learning the technology of the mapping process using ArcGIS, taking into account the peculiarities of the training specialists of natural sciences. Socio-economic mapping by means of ArcGIS is an important step for creating management systems to support decision-making by future geographers and others. The main aspects of the introduction of professionally oriented tasks into the educational process of pedagogical institutions of higher education have been clarified. Educational and methodological guidelines for studying and using the technology of mapping with ArcGIS tools have been developed for students and future geographers who expect to perform professionally oriented tasks in the development of maps. For the practical preparation and development of a series of maps that provide visual information for an objective analysis of Ukraine’s indicators, we used information from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the Main Statistical Offices of Ukrainian regions. A series of maps, created by different methods and connected by one topic, was prepared and developed, among them the creation of a cartogram of the population of the regions of Ukraine using the method of quantitative background. An experimental verification of the effectiveness of the use of professionally oriented tasks for the study and use of mapping technology by means of ArcGIS by future teachers-geographers proved an increase in the level of development according to the specified criteria: motivational, cognitive and personal-reflective with the corresponding indicators. The mapping approaches presented in this paper based on the implementation of professionally oriented tasks allow students to apply the acquired knowledge and skills and give them the opportunity to flexibly adapt to situations arising in the future professional activity of a geographer.

Diffractive Optical Encryption Systems Based on Multiple Wavelengths and Multiple Distances

Coherent diffractive imaging is an optical methodology that encodes information about an object within the diffraction intensity. Here, we introduce a diffractive optical encryption system that utilizes multiple wavelengths and multiple distances, significantly expanding the size of the secret key space and enhancing the overall security of the system by incorporating these parameters as keys. The system adopts single optical path design, compact structure and is easy to implement, overcoming the disadvantage of single key space of traditional encryption system. This system can encrypt images into a series of diffraction intensity maps (i.e., ciphertexts), and exhibits a high sensitivity to minor variations in wavelength or distance during the process of decryption, showing excellent anti-cracking ability. Furthermore, the system also has considerable robustness, ensuring that the information still can be effectively recovered even in instances of partial loss. Numerical simulation results are presented to demonstrate feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. Our study provides novel concepts and methodologies to the advancement of optical encryption technology, while also offering significant technical assistance to the domain of information security.

MORE MILK, FEWER FARMS, and REGIONAL CONCENTRATION: MAPPING TRANSFORMATIONS IN CALIFORNIA’S DAIRY INDUSTRY

ABSTRACT The transformation of California’s dairy industry is a prime example of structural change in agriculture. The state has been on the leading edge of changes in the geography of food and agriculture for 150 years, and many characteristics of modern large-scale agriculture emerged—or reached their culmination—in California. We examine the spatial transformation of dairy production in California as a window into the potential futures for the dairy industry both within California and elsewhere. We use data from county agricultural reports and USDA Censuses of Agriculture data to demonstrate, through a series of original maps and animations, the dramatic increase in production of milk, the rapid fall in the number of dairies, and the spatial redistribution of the industry over the past 40 years. These visualizations reveal illustrative spatial patterns and insights into rapid changes in the geography of dairy production—and agriculture more generally—within California. Based on these visualizations and analyses, we propose a framework for understanding the intersecting phenomena of dairy transformations in California: regional concentration, industry consolidation, and farm-level intensification. In explaining how these processes are nested, overlapping, and multiscalar, we offer an account of past and current trajectories, while examining the applicability and implications of these findings for other dairy-producing regions into the future.

About the experience of medical-geographical atlas mapping of the North Kazakhstan region

The article is devoted to medical and geographical atlas mapping. The results and accumulated materials of medical and geographical research of the North Kazakhstan region are presented, systematized and collected in a single key in the form of a complex of maps and models - a thematic medical-geographical atlas. The development of the atlas was based on the generally accepted principles of integrated system mapping. An extensive array of literary, reference, statistical, and cartographic data was used to create the atlas. Geoinformation mapping was performed in the program ArcGIS 10.8. (ESRI Inc.). The stages of development, structure, and content of the atlas are described. The atlas includes maps reflecting the natural, socio-economic factors of the formation of the health of the population of the region, demographic characteristics. In addition, it presents a series of maps on the nosogeography of natural focal diseases, the organization of the health system, and natural healing resources. The developed atlas is of a reference and informational nature and is intended for specialists of the healthcare system of the North Kazakhstan region, geographers, ecologists, as well as persons interested in medical and geographical research and mapping.

Bibliometric Analysis of Cultural Event Publications (2001-2023)

Scholars from all around the world are paying more and more attention to cultural event studies as evidenced in several academic publication databases. The existing studies are mainly based on empirical studies using surveys and interviews, and some are based on conceptual papers. However, bibliometric analysis of cultural events has been largely neglected. This study uses a bibliometric analysis approach to get an overview of the landscape, development, and trends of cultural event studies. In addition to that, a bibliometric analysis also enables the researcher to identify prominent authors, institutions, and countries that actively participated in the cultural event studies. This study also aimed at establishing a series of visualization maps using VOSviewer software that displays the links between authors, institutions, and keyword occurrences. A total of 3,578 scientific documents relating to cultural events in various forms were retrieved from the Elsevier Scopus database. Using this database, the bibliometric analysis has been able to identify some prominent authors in this field, the most productive institutions, frequent keywords, top funders, and so on. In conclusion, this paper also provides some key information for future researchers in identifying important research gaps by examining the keyword occurrences relating to cultural events.

Time series of alpine snow surface radiative-temperature maps from high-precision thermal-infrared imaging

Abstract. The surface temperature of snow cover is a key variable, as it provides information about the current state of the snowpack, helps predict its future evolution, and enhances estimations of the snow water equivalent. Although satellites are often used to measure the surface temperature despite the difficulty of retrieving accurate surface temperatures from space, calibration–validation datasets over snow-covered areas are scarce. We present a dataset of extensive measurements of the surface radiative temperature of snow acquired with an uncooled thermal-infrared (TIR) camera. The set accuracy goal is 0.7 K, which is the radiometric accuracy of the TIR sensor of the future CNES/ISRO TRISHNA mission. TIR images have been acquired over two winter seasons, November 2021 to May 2022 and February to May 2023, at the Col du Lautaret, 2057 m a.s.l. in the French Alps. During the first season, the camera operated in the off-the-shelf configuration with rough thermal regulation (7–39 °C). An improved setup with a stabilized internal temperature was developed for the second campaign, and comprehensive laboratory experiments were carried out in order to characterize the physical properties of the components of the TIR camera and its calibration. Thorough processing, including radiometric processing, orthorectification, and a filter for poor-visibility conditions due to fog or snowfall, was performed. The result is two winter season time series of 130 019 maps of the surface radiative temperature of snow with meter-scale resolution over an area of 0.5 km2. The validation was performed against precision TIR radiometers. We found an absolute accuracy (mean absolute error, MAE) of 1.28 K during winter 2021–2022 and 0.67 K for spring 2023. The efforts to stabilize the internal temperature of the TIR camera therefore led to a notable improvement of the accuracy. Although some uncertainties persist, particularly the temperature overestimation during melt, this dataset represents a major advance in the capacity to monitor and map surface temperature in mountainous areas and to calibrate–validate satellite measurements over snow-covered areas of complex topography. The complete dataset is provided at https://doi.org/10.57932/8ed8f0b2-e6ae-4d64-97e5-1ae23e8b97b1 (Arioli et al., 2024a) and https://doi.org/10.57932/1e9ff61f-1f06-48ae-92d9-6e1f7df8ad8c (Arioli et al., 2024b).

Cultural Transformation through Digitalization: A Bibliometric Approach in Responding to Changes in Social Values, Norms, and Cultural Practices in Society

This study employs VOSviewer to conduct a bibliometric analysis and visualize the intricate research landscape surrounding the themes of digitalization, cultural transformation, organizational practices, and the impact of global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a series of network density maps, the research identifies key thematic concentrations and academic collaborations over recent years. It reveals how digitalization intersects with various societal dimensions, influencing education, cultural heritage, sustainability, and business practices. The analysis emphasizes the role of digital technologies in facilitating significant social and organizational changes, advocating for policies that enhance digital literacy and inclusivity. Additionally, the examination of authorship networks sheds light on influential scholars and collaborative dynamics, providing insights that can guide future research directions. The study underscores the necessity for adaptive business models that integrate sustainability and resilience, crucial for navigating contemporary and future challenges.

Cartographies of warfare in the Indian subcontinent: Contextualizing archaeological and historical analysis through big data approaches

Some of the most notable human behavioral palimpsests result from warfare and its durable traces in the form of defensive architecture and strategic infrastructure. For premodern periods, this architecture is often understudied at the large scale, resulting in a lack of appreciation for the enormity of the costs and impacts of military spending over the course of human history. In this article, we compare the information gleaned from the study of the fortified cities of the Early Historic period of the Indian subcontinent (c. 3rd century BCE to 4th century CE) with the precolonial medieval era (9-17th centuries CE). Utilizing in-depth archaeological and historical studies along with local sightings and citizen-science blogs to create a comprehensive data set and map series in a “big-data” approach that makes use of heterogeneous data sets and presence-absence criteria, we discuss how the architecture of warfare shifted from an emphasis on urban defense in the Early Historic period to an emphasis on territorial offense and defense in the medieval period. Many medieval fortifications are known from only local reports and have minimal identifying information but can still be studied in the aggregate using a least-shared denominator approach to quantification and mapping.

Cropping intensity mapping in Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8/9 remote sensing data using temporal transfer of a stacked ensemble machine learning model within google earth engine

This article aimed to map Cropping Intensity Patterns (CIPs) in the southwest region of Iran using Google Earth Engine and monthly composites of Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8/9 data. To detect CIPs with high inter- and intra-class variability of crops, a heterogeneous Stack ensemble of machine learning model was developed. The model incorporated the Minimum Distance (MD) approach as a meta-classifier, combining multiple base models, including Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forest (RF), Classification and Regression Trees (CART), and Gradient Boosted Trees (GBT). In 2021, the Stack model was trained and evaluated using Ground Truth (GT) samples from the same year, achieving an Overall Accuracy (OA) of 94.24%. This performance surpassed the base models by about 4% in OA and was also reflected in the detection accuracies, including User’s Accuracy (UA), Producer’s Accuracy (PA), and F1-score, of the target classes. Subsequently, the trained stack model was temporally transferred to generate CIP maps for other years. The model achieved high OAs of 91.82% and 90.97% based on GT samples from 2020 and 2022, respectively. Finally, the time series of CIP maps (2019-2023) were utilized by the Cellular Automata-Markov model to forecast the map for 2024.

Feasibility of dose calculation for treatment plans using electron density maps from a novel dual-layer detector spectral CT simulator

BackgroundConventional single-energy CT can only provide a raw estimation of electron density (ED) for dose calculation by developing a calibration curve that simply maps the HU values to ED values through their correlations. Spectral CT, also known as dual-energy CT (DECT) or multi-energy CT, can generate a series of quantitative maps, such as ED maps. Using spectral CT for radiotherapy simulations can directly acquire ED information without developing specific calibration curves. The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of utilizing electron density (ED) maps generated by a novel dual-layer detector spectral CT simulator for dose calculation in radiotherapy treatment plans.Methods30 patients from head&neck, chest, and pelvic treatment sites were selected retrospectively, and all of them underwent spectral CT simulation. Treatment plans based on conventional CT images were transplanted to ED maps with the same structure set, including planning target volume (PTV) and organs at risk (OARs), and the dose distributions were then recalculated. The differences in dose and volume histogram (DVH) parameters of the PTV and OARs between the two types of plans were analyzed and compared. Besides, gamma analysis between these plans was performed by using MEPHYSTO Navigator software.ResultsIn terms of PTV, the homogeneity index (HI), gradient index (GI), D2%, D98%, and Dmean showed no significant difference between conventional plans and ED plans. For OARs, statistically significant differences were observed in parotids D50%, brainstem in head&neck plans, spinal cord in chest plans and rectum D50% in pelvic plans, whereas the variance remained minor. For the rest, the DVH parameters exhibited no significant difference between conventional plans and ED plans. All of the mean gamma passing rates (GPRs) of gamma analysis were higher than 90%.ConclusionCompared to conventional treatment plans relying on CT images, plans utilizing ED maps demonstrated similar dosimetric quality. However, the latter approach enables direct utilization in dose calculation without the requirements of establishing and selecting a specific Hounsfield unit (HU) to ED calibration curve, providing an advantage in clinical applications.

Morphometric characteristics of the relief and assessment of erosional hazards of the Kalaus River basin, Russia, based on digital modelling

In this work, the main goal was to analyse the erosional hazards within the boundaries of the Kalaus River catchment area.The paper analyses the erosive state of the region's lands, for which industry and cadastral maps, a digital elevation model and satellite images were used. Official data of ministries and departments were used. Geographic information systems – QGIS and SAGA GIS – served as the basis for modelling. The article presents the results of GIS modeling of erosional hazards in the territory of the Kalaus River basin. Based on the (DEM) SRTM digital elevation model, the basic morphometric indicators of the relief were calculated: steepness of the slopes and vertical and horizontal dissection of the relief. Based on morphometric indicators, an integral calculation of the energy of relief and erosion hazard was carried out and a series of relevant thematic maps was created. The values of slope steepness obtained within the boundaries of the basin range from 0° to 51° with average values of 2.5°. The horizontal dissection varies in the range from 0 to 0.84 km/km2, and the erosion bases are characterized by a range of values from – 15.0 to 248.6 m, with an average value of 33.0 m. The formation of the erosional potential of the basin’s relief is facilitated by the location of a significant part of the region on the spurs of the Stavropol Upland, which have widely developed slopes. Based on the calculated raster of the integral energy index of the relief, 3 categories of erosional hazard are identified. Most of the basin of the Kalaus River (58.4 %) is characterised by a low erosion hazard, another 39.0 % of the territory presents an average erosion hazard, and the remaining 2.9 % belongs to territories with a strong erosion hazard. The classification of relief surface shapes based on the Iwahashi and Pike method, which was carried out on the basis of a DEM, shows a much greater prevalence of steep slopes with high convexity in the southern part of the Kalaus River basin.The identified features of the level of erosional hazard of the lands of the Kalaus River basin are recommended to be taken into account in preinvestment, pre‐design and urban project planning of the territories of administrative units located within the boundaries of the basin. Despite the fact that the results of GIS analysis cannot completely replace field erosion surveys, their value as a tool for planning rational land use is obvious. The results of the work can be used to carry out a similar assessment in other regions, primarily in the organisation of agricultural production.

Geographic Information System-Based Approach and Analysis of Housing Mismatches in Searches during Housing Selection

This study aimed to explore the spatial interaction between search flow and house price levels. It utilized migration flow data from 2011 and house price data from the same year in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. The methodology included Chi-square tests and a series of visual maps to explore and visualize the relationship between current areas and search areas. The study examined five house price ranges with matches and mismatches between search patterns and current patterns and tried to illuminate the underlying causes. The research results could prove beneficial for policymakers and planners in discerning distinct migratory patterns and geographical regions, thereby facilitating the formulation of well-informed decisions.

THE EVALUATION OF TRANSPORT ACCESSIBILITY OF SHCHUCHINSK-BOROVOYE RESORT AREA USING GEOINFORMATION SYSTEMS

The aim of the article is to evaluate the transport accessibility of the Shchuchinsk-Borovoye resort area within the territory of Kazakhstan and border areas of the Russian Federation. The aim of the study is to demonstrate the accessibility of the resort area from cities and populated areas, using information provision and to identify areas with varying spatial accessibility. The primary method of evaluation involves a series of operations in the “ArcGIS.10'' system (including kriging, the method of direct transport distance, and interpolation of data using the inverse distance weighting method). The results are presented as a series of maps illustrating the accessibility of resort areas from cities and populated areas, using isolines and coloring techniques. The transport accessibility of the resort area is identified and evaluated, highlighting the importance of transport infrastructure in the development of the tourism cluster. The main conclusion of the research focuses on the calculated indicators of accessibility and the density of the transport network in the region.

Deep learning image reconstruction generates thinner slice iodine maps with improved image quality to increase diagnostic acceptance and lesion conspicuity: a prospective study on abdominal dual-energy CT

BackgroundTo assess the improvement of image quality and diagnostic acceptance of thinner slice iodine maps enabled by deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) in abdominal dual-energy CT (DECT).MethodsThis study prospectively included 104 participants with 136 lesions. Four series of iodine maps were generated based on portal-venous scans of contrast-enhanced abdominal DECT: 5-mm and 1.25-mm using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-V (Asir-V) with 50% blending (AV-50), and 1.25-mm using DLIR with medium (DLIR-M), and high strength (DLIR-H). The iodine concentrations (IC) and their standard deviations of nine anatomical sites were measured, and the corresponding coefficient of variations (CV) were calculated. Noise-power-spectrum (NPS) and edge-rise-slope (ERS) were measured. Five radiologists rated image quality in terms of image noise, contrast, sharpness, texture, and small structure visibility, and evaluated overall diagnostic acceptability of images and lesion conspicuity.ResultsThe four reconstructions maintained the IC values unchanged in nine anatomical sites (all p > 0.999). Compared to 1.25-mm AV-50, 1.25-mm DLIR-M and DLIR-H significantly reduced CV values (all p < 0.001) and presented lower noise and noise peak (both p < 0.001). Compared to 5-mm AV-50, 1.25-mm images had higher ERS (all p < 0.001). The difference of the peak and average spatial frequency among the four reconstructions was relatively small but statistically significant (both p < 0.001). The 1.25-mm DLIR-M images were rated higher than the 5-mm and 1.25-mm AV-50 images for diagnostic acceptability and lesion conspicuity (all P < 0.001).ConclusionsDLIR may facilitate the thinner slice thickness iodine maps in abdominal DECT for improvement of image quality, diagnostic acceptability, and lesion conspicuity.