Measurement Of Quantitative Parameters Research Articles

Analyzing pancreatic characteristics in diabetic patients: A texture-based CT investigation with volume assessment

The current study aimed to analyze the texture feature of the pancreas in diabetic patients at King Faisal Medical Complex (KFMC) in Taif, KSA through Cutting-Edge Computed tomography (CT) image analysis and volume metrics. Material and method: 78 participants were involved, 39 patients with normal pancreas acted as a control group, while the remaining 39 were diagnosed with diabetes, out of which 20 had type 2 diabetes (T2D) and 19 had type 1 diabetes (T1D). These patients underwent CT scans using two specific CT scanners and were compared to normal subjects with the same age, gender and CT scanner. The entire pancreas was subjected to computerized texture analysis, which involved the extraction of 31 variable features. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors that could predict diabetes. A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC curve) was generated to determine the optimal cut-off values for statistically significant variables. Findings: Analysis of various pancreatic texture features revealed sphericity to be the most informative for diagnosing diabetes. Diabetic patients, in general, exhibited lower sphericity compared to healthy controls (p = 0.0246). For individuals with diabetes, the sphericity feature demonstrated a sensitivity of 74.36%, a specificity of 69.23%, and an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.7538. Interestingly, subgroup analysis did not show any significant differences among patients with type 2 diabetes. ConclusionThis study demonstrates the potential of using computerized 3D CT texture analysis of the pancreas to assess diabetes mellitus through the measurement of quantitative parameters.

Enlarged rete pegs with excessive accumulation of melanosomes leading to darker aging spots revealed by histomorphological measurements of internal structures of the epidermis.

Various histological studies of facial pigmented spot sites such as solar lentigo have been reported, but few studies have used quantitative indices by histomorphometric analysis of the internal structure of pigmented spot sites using non-invasive methods. In the present study, to quantitatively elucidate morphological changes in the epidermis in male, darker-pigmented spots and female, light-pigmented spots, indices that characterize the internal structure of the epidermis in pigmented spot sites were measured using in vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The darkness of pigmented spots on the cheeks of 69 women and 43 men was analysed using image analysis software. The L* value was calculated from RGB values obtained from facial images. The internal structures of pigmented spots on the cheeks of 13 subjects were observed by CLSM. Various parameters were measured using CLSM images from the surface of the stratum corneum to the bottom of the dermal papillae, including the thickness of the epidermis, melanosome content, and shape of the dermal papillae. Mean ΔL* values between pigmented spots and non-pigmented areas of male subjects were significantly increased in the 40s and 50s compared with those of female subjects. Conspicuous pigmented spots increased in the 40s in male subjects and the 50s in female subjects. In CLSM observations, significant increases in the thickness of the epidermis and melanosome content were confirmed in pigmented spots compared with surrounding non-pigmented areas. In particular, melanosome content in the male subject group with dark-coloured pigmented spots increased significantly to about eight times that of non-pigmented areas, and more than double that of the male subject group with light-coloured pigmented spots. From the measurements of quantitative parameters, morphological changes in the epidermis were clearly related to the surface colour tone of pigmented spots. Darker pigmented spot sites tended to show longer rete pegs in the epidermis. Accumulation of melanosomes in epidermal basal cells could be considered to increase with the degree of elongation of rete pegs at pigmented spot sites and, thus, induce darker pigmented spots.

Наукометрія, бібліометрія і інфометрія: облік наукових досліджень і прогрес науки під кутом зору філософії стратегії глобального стійкого розвитку

Scientometrics, as a rule, is considered in details – the more accurate and ex­pressive the detailing, the more effective is the accounting of scientific research: the measurement of quantitative parameters of the results of scientific activity is aimed at improving the quality of scientific communication and, ultimately, the progress of science. This led to the transition from usual bibliometrics to sciento­metrics, and later to other more sophisticated forms of accounting for scientific activity, which can be divided into infometrics and altmetrics. Infometrics and its modifications take into account everything that could be formalized, while altmetrics seeks to include qualitative parameters in the realm of quantitative measurements. In this article, attention is focused precisely on the analysis of the relationship between quantitative methods and quantitative indicators of scien­tific activity with the progress of science thanks to a comparative assessment of bibliometrics, scientific metrics and infometrics from philosophical positions. A way out of the problematic situations in which attempts to provide a quantita­tive description of the quality of scientific activity inevitably fall, should be sought beyond the quantitative methods themselves – in the identification of their ulti­mate goal. Such a goal is the development of humanity through the progress of science. The UN program “Transforming Our World: Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development” offers a systematic vision of ways to accomplish this task, which, in particular, sets the goal of achieving equal development opportunities for every person. Bibliometrics, scientometrics and infometrics contribute to overcoming many types of social inequality – provided that people are actively involved in sci­entific activity: personal scientific achievements level out property, gender, reli­gious, ethnic and many other types of social inequality and give every participant of scientific research access to a public career and personal development. The development of each person on a rational basis is the ultimate goal of science, which is the basis of the philosophy of the strategy of global sustainable develop­ment of Mankind.

Features of formation of the structure of thin slabs cast at different speeds, their influence on the structure and properties of hot-rolled steel

For the first time, a complete comprehensive study of the internal quality of metal products with a carbon content of 0.3 % produced in a combined process of thin-slab casting and rolling was carried out. A feature of the combined process is the absence of a cooling and heating cycle before rolling and the small thickness of the initial slab. The zonal chemical heterogeneity of continuously cast "thin" slabs poured at different speeds has been studied. The research methods were metallographic analysis of the macrostructure and spectral method for determining the content of elements by the thickness of slabs. The results of calculations of the segregation coefficients of basic and impurity chemical elements in slabs poured at different speeds are presented. As a result of the study, it was found that an increase in the casting rate by ~ 1.2 times does not lead to a significant increase in the zonal chemical heterogeneity of the continuously cast metal produced in the process of thin-slab casting. Of particular interest was the measurement of quantitative parameters of the initial dendritic structure of "thin" slabs depending on the casting speed. The segregations formed as a result of dendritic liquation were measured. It is shown that with an increase in the casting rate, the dispersion of the dendritic structure increases and the dendritic segregation decreases by 20 %. In the course of simulation rolling, the regularity in changing the parameters of the dendritic structure during deformation of "thin" slabs into the final microstructure of rolled products is considered. When the slabs are compressed by 65 %, the distance between the primary dendrite arm spacing decreases by an average of 65 %. The comparison of the microstructure and mechanical characteristics of rolled products produced in industrial conditions from slabs poured at different speeds using thin-slab casting technology is carried out. The results of the study indicate that an increase in the casting rate increases the dispersion of the initial dendritic structure and, as a result, favorably affects the formation of the final microstructure. It is shown that hot-rolled products made from a slab with a 1.2-fold increased casting speed have a homogeneous microstructure and demonstrate an increase in the values of impact strength by an average of 30 J/cm2.

Reliability assessment of existing bridge constructions based on results of non-destructive testing

The non-destructive testing methods available for civil engineering (NDT-CE) enable the measurements of quantitative parameters, which realistically describe the characteristics of existing buildings. In the past, methods for quality evaluation and concepts for validation expanded into NDT-CE to improve the objectivity of measured data. Thereby, a metrological foundation was developed to collect statistically sound and structurally relevant information about the inner construction of structures without destructive interventions. More recently, the demand for recalculations of structural safety was identified. This paper summarizes a basic research study on structural analyses of bridges in combination with NDT. The aim is to use measurement data of nondestructive testing methods as stochastic quantities in static calculations. Therefore, a methodical interface between the guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement and probabilistic approximation procedures (e.g. FORM) has been proven to be suitable. The motivation is to relate the scientific approach of the structural analysis with real information coming from existing structures and not with those found in the literature. A case study about the probabilistic bending proof of a reinforced concrete bridge with statistically verified data from ultrasonic measurements shows that the measuring results fulfil the requirements concerning precision, trueness, objectivity and reliability.

“Same-patient processing” for multiple cardiac SPECT studies. 2. Improving quantification repeatability

ObjectivesThis paper investigates the ability of grouped quantification (an expression of the same-patient processing approach, or SPP) to improve repeatability of measurements in patients with multiple SPECT studies, and evaluates its performance compared to standard quantification in a population of 100 patients undergoing rest, stress, gated rest, and gated stress SPECT MPI. All acquisitions were performed twice, back-to-back, for a total of 800 image datasets (8 per patient). MethodsEach dataset was automatically processed (a) independently, using standard quantitative software, and (b) as a group, together with the other 7 datasets belonging to the same patient, using an SPP-modified version of the software that registered the images to one another using a downhill simplex algorithm for the search of optimal translation, rotation, and scaling parameters. ResultsOverall, grouped quantification resulted in significantly lower differences between repeated measurements of stress ungated volumes (1.40 ± 2.76 mL vs 3.33 ± 5.06 mL, P < .05), end-diastolic volumes (1.78 ± 2.78 vs 3.49 ± 5.35 mL, P < .05), end-systolic volumes (1.17 ± 1.96 vs 2.44 ± 3.35 mL, P < .05), and LVEFs (−0.45 ± 2.29% vs −1.16 ± 3.30%, P < .05). Additionally, grouped quantification produced better repeatability (lower repeatability coefficients) for stress and rest ungated volumes (5.4 vs 9.9 and 5.2 vs 13.1, respectively), stress TPD (2.6 vs 3.6), stress and rest end-diastolic volumes (5.5 vs 10.5 and 7.2 vs 14.7, respectively), stress and rest end-systolic volumes (3.8 vs 6.6 and 5.3 vs 10.3, respectively), stress and rest LVEFs (4.5 vs 6.5 and 4.7 vs 8.2, respectively), and rest total motion deficit (5.6 vs 9.6). ConclusionIt is possible to improve the repeatability of quantitative measurements of parameters of myocardial perfusion and function derived from SPECT MPI studies of a same patient by group processing of image datasets belonging to that patient. This application of the same-patient processing approach is an extension of the “paired processing” technique already described by our group, and can be performed in automated fashion through incorporation in the quantitative algorithm.

Functional imaging in adult and paediatric brain tumours

Imaging is a key component in the management of brain tumours, with MRI being the preferred modality for most clinical scenarios. However, although conventional MRI provides mainly structural information, such as tumour size and location, it leaves many important clinical questions, such as tumour type, aggressiveness and prognosis, unanswered. An increasing number of studies have shown that additional information can be obtained using functional imaging methods (which probe tissue properties), and that these techniques can give key information of clinical importance. These techniques include diffusion imaging, which can assess tissue structure, and perfusion imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which measures tissue metabolite profiles. Tumour metabolism can also be investigated using PET, with 18F-deoxyglucose being the most readily available tracer. This Review discusses these methods and the studies that have investigated their clinical use. A strong emphasis is placed on the measurement of quantitative parameters, which is a move away from the qualitative nature of conventional radiological reporting and presents major challenges, particularly for multicentre studies.

The evolving methodology to perform limb lymphoscintigraphy: From rest to exercise acquisition protocol

In this technical report, prepared following the kind invitation of Professor D'Amore, we describe the evolution in the methodology of performing the limb lymphoscintigraphy. In details we described and compared the rest protocol with subcutaneous injection of the radio-colloids vs. the exercise intradermal injection protocol. The latter appears to be faster and easier to interpret, moreover allowing an adequate measurements of quantitative parameters of lymph drainage and distribution.

Interobserver reproducibility of histologic parameters of melanoma deposits in sentinel lymph nodes

: Histologic parameters of melanoma deposits in sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) have been shown to be predictive of clinical outcome and the presence or absence of tumor in non-SLNs, but assessment of these parameters is prone to interobserver variation. : Histologic sections of 44 SLNs containing metastatic melanoma were examined by 7 pathologists. Parameters assessed included cross-sectional area of tumor deposits, cross-sectional area of SLNs, percentage of SLN area involved by tumor calculated from the 2 previous parameters, estimated percentage of SLN area involved by tumor, tumor penetrative depth, location of tumor within the SLN, and presence of extracapsular spread. Levels of interobserver agreement were measured by using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). : There was good to excellent interobserver agreement on measurement of quantitative parameters: maximal size of largest tumor deposits, calculated area of 3 largest tumor deposits, percentage of the area of SLN involved by tumor, and tumor penetrative depth (ICC, 0.88, 0.73, 0.68, and 0.83, respectively). There was moderate agreement on the evaluation of subcapsular versus nonsubcapsular location of tumor deposits (ICC = 0.50). Agreement on assessment of extracapsular spread was fair (ICC = 0.39). : Assessment of some of the quantitative parameters was highly reproducible between pathologists. However, evaluation of the location of tumor deposits within SLNs and assessment of extracapsular spread was less reproducible. Clearer definitions and training can be expected to improve the reproducibility of assessment. These results have important implications for reliability and reproducibility of these parameters in staging, prediction of outcome, and clinical management of melanoma patients. Cancer 2009. (c) 2009 American Cancer Society.

Defecation proctography and translabial ultrasound in the investigation of defecatory disorders

Defecation proctography is the standard method used in the investigation of obstructed defecation. Translabial ultrasound has recently been shown to demonstrate rectocele, enterocele and rectal intussusception. We performed a comparative clinical study to determine agreement between the two methods. Thirty-seven women scheduled to undergo defecation proctography for obstructed defecation were recruited. Using both proctography and translabial ultrasound, we determined the anorectal angle, presence of a rectocele and rectocele depth, rectal intussusception and prolapse. Measurements were obtained by operators blinded to all other data. All patients rated discomfort on a scale of 0-10. Six women did not attend defecation proctography, leaving 31 cases for comparison. The mean age was 53 years. Patients rated discomfort at a median of 1 (range 0-10) for ultrasound and 7 (range 0-10) for defecation proctography (P < 0.001). Defecation proctography suggested rectocele and rectal intussusception/prolapse more frequently than did ultrasound. While the positive predictive value of ultrasound (considering defecation proctography to be the definitive test) was 0.82 for rectocele and 0.88 for intussusception/prolapse, negative predictive values were only 0.43 and 0.27, respectively. Cohen's kappa values were 0.26 and 0.09, respectively. There was poor agreement between ultrasound and defecation proctography measurements of anorectal angle and rectocele depth. Translabial ultrasound can be used in the initial investigation of defecatory disorders. It is better tolerated than defecation proctography and also yields information on the lower urinary tract, pelvic organ prolapse and levator ani. Agreement between ultrasound and defecation proctography in the measurement of quantitative parameters was poor, but when intussusception or rectocele was diagnosed on ultrasound these results were highly predictive of findings on defecation proctography.

O.391 Long-term results in supraomohyoid neck dissection

In this technical report, prepared following the kind invitation of Professor D'Amore, we describe the evolution in the methodology of performing the limb lymphoscintigraphy. In details we described and compared the rest protocol with subcutaneous injection of the radio-colloids vs. the exercise intradermal injection protocol. The latter appears to be faster and easier to interpret, moreover allowing an adequate measurements of quantitative parameters of lymph drainage and distribution.

The Control using More Rigid Control Limits

The increase of the sample size necessary for acceptance of the correct decisions at transition from quantitative measurements of parameters to alternative attributes is investigated. The recommendation to introduce more rigid control limits for increase infomativeness of measurements is given. The recommendation is applied in a task of the final sampling control of products. Ill. 2, bibl. 3 (in Lithuanian; summaries in Lithuanian, Russian, English).

Diagnostics of Recombining Plasmas in Divertor Simulator MAP-II

Atomic and molecular processes in volumetric recombination phenomena relevant to divertor detachment are investigated in a divertor simulator MAP (Material and Plasma) -II. In the recombining plasmas, quantitative measurements of parameters, especially using a Langmuir probe, are difficult, so that the development of alternative diagnostics is important. Recombination can be induced in He plasma by puffing of He or H2. In the He puffing case, the Rydberg spectra show an electron temperature of lower than 0.1 eV, while in the H2 puffing case, the Rydberg spectra disappear even though the reduction of the ion flux is apparent, showing that another type of recombination occurs. Negative hydrogen ions are observed in the peripheral region of the plasma column.

Muscle characterisation by NMR imaging and spectroscopic techniques

This work illustrates the potential of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for better characterisation and understanding of meat characteristics. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) allows energy metabolism in muscle to be followed, and the fatty acid composition of animal fat to be studied. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) affords a spatial resolution that characterises body composition and allows at each point of an NMR image quantitative measurement of parameters closely correlated with meat properties such as pH, cooking yield and water holding capacity. NMR is thus a powerful tool for meat research, and a reference for other less expensive techniques.

A quantitative investigation of microvascular changes in the thyroid gland after infrared (IR) laser radiation.

We present an ultrastructural study of thyroid capillaries in which 50-day-old rats Wistar rats, were irradiated with an infrared (IR) laser, (total dose, 46.80 J/cm2), the tissue quantified 1 day after ending treatment and a quantitative capillary analysis carried out by light and electron microscopy. Light microscopy was used to calculate capillary volume density revealing a significant increase in the irradiated rats. The quantitative measurement of parameters by electron microscopy required a two stage analysis: Level I, Electron Microscopy (Magnification x5,000); and Level II, Electron Microscopy (Magnification x26,000). At Level I, the following parameters were measured in each capillary: capillary area, capillary diameter, luminal area, luminal diameter, endothelial area, nuclear area and mean endothelial thickness. At Level II, pinocytotic vesicle diameter and their numerical density in endothelial cells were evaluated. Electron microscopic analysis revealed an increased luminal area in the capillaries of the irradiated rats. They also presented a decrease in endothelial cell thickness and vesicular diameter and an increase in vesicle numerical density. This latter increase is indicative of presumptive changes in capillary permeability, but the possible functional significance of these morphological changes in the endothelial cells requires further investigation.

Analytical procedures for inflammation markers

The severity of inflammatory processes and the therapeutical approach today are mainly judged from the clinical status of a patient. Supplementary quantitative clinical and laboratory data mostly are related to the secondary reaction of the organism following the inflammatory stimulus. Typical measures are body temperature, white blood cell count, differential leukocytic hemogram, quantitative analysis of serum proteins, and quantification of acute phase proteins. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate also is a consequence of the altered serum protein pattern. The diagnostic usefulness of these parameters is limited for several reasons. The secondary reactions of the organism follow inflammatory stimuli with some delay, the data obtained in many cases are too late for initiation of an early therapy. On the other hand, the data obtained in many cases do not correlate quantitatively with the clinical severity of inflammatory processes. Therefore, the development of methodologies for quantitative measurement of parameters directly related to the inflammatory process ("Inflammation Markers") is a great challenge for pathobiochemical research. In the initiation, course, and termination of inflammatory processes humoral and cellular mechanisms are involved, which are interconnected to a complex network. Some important mechanisms involved are: Humoral mechanisms; coagulation and fibrinolysis; complement (classic and alternative pathway); kallikrein-kinin system. Cellular mechanisms; low molecular weight mediators; arachidonic acid metabolites; biogenic amines; oxygen metabolites. High molecular weight mediators; cytokins. Secretory proteins; lysosomal enzymes. In the preceding lectures the pathobiochemical significance of some of these mechanisms resp. products has been discussed. We present a review of the present and future repertoire of analytical procedures for parameters from these systems. The lecture will cover immunological, biochemical, chromatographic, as well as functional assays. Technical aspects and validity data regarding these assays are presented.

Forest site quality assessment by aerial photo-interpretation case study of sal forests

93 black & white panchromatic aerial photographs of 1972 on 1:20,000 scale were used for assessing the site quality of Sal forest of part of West Dehradun Forest Division, by both direct and indirect methods. The forests were stratified into 5 height and 5 density classes and according to species composition. For necessary data for the assessment of growing stock, field measurements were made on 54 sample plots of 0.1 hectare each. This provided direct indication of actual productive capacity of a particular site. According to indirect method, ground vegetation was sampled in 54 quadrats of 5m x 5m each and has been classified into statistically sound vegetation groupings by normal association analysis technique. These groups facilitated the standardisation of their photo perameters. The indicator value of the plants in a grouping was used to assess the suitability of the site. This was substantiated by super-imposing growing stock, present at that site. By combination of the direct and indirect methods, sites have been classified into 3 categories i.e., suitable, conditionally suitable and unsuitable. Suggestions have been made for management of conditionally suitable sites and the cause for unsuitability of sites are explored. Hence, interpretation of qualitative attributes of vegetation alongwith the measurements of quantitative parameters on aerial photographs have proved to be useful for site quality assessment.