Quantitative Analysis Software Research Articles

Differences in the Quantitative HRCT Characteristics of Patients with Asthma, COPD and Asthma-COPD Overlap and Their Relationships with Pulmonary Function.

We compared pulmonary function indices and quantitative CT parameters of airway remodeling, air trapping, and emphysema in asthmatic patients and patients with COPD and asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) and explored their relationships with airflow limitation. Patients with asthma (n=48), COPD (n=52), and ACO (n=30) and controls (n=54) who completed pulmonary function tests and HRCT scans were retrospectively enrolled in our study. Quantitative CT analysis software was used to assess emphysema (LAA%), airway wall dimensions (wall area (WA), luminal area (LA), and wall area percentage (WA%)), and air trapping ((relative volume change of -860 HU to -950 HU (RVC-860 to-950) and the expiration-to-inspiration ratio of the mean lung density (MLDE/I))). Differences in pulmonary function and HRCT parameters were compared among the groups. Spearman correlation analysis and regression analysis were utilized to explore structure‒function relationships. The LAA% in COPD and ACO patients was significantly greater than that in asthmatic patients and controls. The WA% and WA in COPD and ACO patients were greater than those in controls, whereas the WA% and LA between asthmatic patients and controls reached statistical significance. The RVC-860 to -950 levels decreased in the following order: ACO, COPD, and asthma. RVC-860 to -950 independently predicted FEV1% in asthmatic patients; LAA% and MLDE/I in COPD patients; and LAA%, WA% and RVC-860 to -950 in ACO patients. Comparable emphysema was observed in patients with COPD and ACO but not in asthmatic patients. All patients exhibited proximal airway remodeling. The bronchi were thickened outward in COPD and ACO patients but are thickened inward in asthmatic patients. Furthermore, air trapping in ACO patients was the most severe among all the groups. Indirect lung densitometry measurements might be more predictive of the degree of airflow limitation than direct airway measurements in obstructive airway diseases.

A microfluidic-based quantitative analysis system for the multiplexed genetic diagnosis of human viral infections using colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification.

In this study, a microfluidic-based system utilizing colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is introduced for the quantitative analysis of nucleic acid targets. This system offers a user-friendly and cost-effective platform for the multiplexed genetic diagnosis of various infectious diseases across multiple samples. It includes time-lapse imaging equipment for capturing images of the microfluidic device during the LAMP assay and a hue-based quantitative analysis software to analyze the LAMP reaction, streamlining diagnostic procedures. An electric pipette was used to simplify the loading of samples and LAMP reagents into the device, allowing easy operation even by untrained individuals. The hue-based analysis software employs efficient image processing and post-processing techniques to calculate DNA amplification curves based on color changes in multiple reaction chambers. This software automates several tasks, such as identifying reaction chamber areas from time-lapse images, quantifying color information within each chamber, correcting baselines of DNA amplification curves, fitting experimental data to theoretical curves, and determining the threshold time for each curve. To validate the developed system, conventional off-chip LAMP assays were conducted with a 25 μL reaction mixture in 0.2 mL polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tubes using a real-time turbidimeter. The results indicated that the threshold time obtained using the colorimetric LAMP assay in the developed system is comparable to that obtained with real-time turbidity measurements in PCR tubes, demonstrating the system's capability for quantitative analysis of target nucleic acids, including those from human herpesviruses.

Comparison of two semi‐quantitative amyloid PET analysis methods with and without MRI in Alzheimer’s Disease Spectrum Disorder

AbstractBackgroundStandardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) is a standard method for amyloid PET analysis. 3D T1 MRI imaging is required for accurate spatial normalization in SUVR measurement to overcome regional cortical atrophy in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease spectrum disorders. The SUVR method without 3D MRI has recently been developed for clinical application. We compared two SUVR methods with and without 3D MRI for the semi‐quantitative analysis of global and regional amyloid loading in Alzheimer’s disease spectrum disorders.Method75 subjects (normal cognition 8, subjective cognitive decline 20, mild cognitive impairment 23, Alzheimer’s disease dementia 24) were selected in the single dementia clinic for the analysis. For the SUVR measurement with 3D T1 MRI, in‐house software with SPM8 and MATLAB was used. For the SUVR measurement without 3D T1 MRI, AI‐based automated PET quantitative analysis software (called ‘BTXBrain‐Amyloid‐Research’) was developed by Brightonix Imaging Inc. With the visual PET reading as a gold standard, we compared regional and global SUVR between groups. Intra‐class correlation coefficient(ICC) was used to test the validity of the two methods.ResultGlobal SUVR was higher in amyloid PET positive SCD group (SUVR with MRI (1.205 V.S. 1.635), SUVR without MRI (1.210 V.S. 1.599)). The mean global SUVR with MRI and without MRI of 75 subjects were 1.400 (S.D. 0.264) and 1.390(S.D. 0.237). ICC of global SUVR between the two methods was 0.950, p = 0.0001. Regional SUVR ICC were 0.941 in the prefrontal cortex, 0.953 in the orbitofrontal cortex, 0.947 in the anterior cingulate, 0.844 in the posterior cingulate, 0.955 in the lateral parietal cortex, 0.962 in the precuneus, 0.959 in the lateral temporal cortex, and 0.94 in the occipital cortex. The area under the curve of ROC curve analysis of both two methods to diagnose amyloid PET positivity was 0.98 and 0.97.ConclusionAI‐based automated PET quantitative analysis software of Brightonix imaging without MRI was valid as an MRI‐based SUVR method in Alzheimer’s disease spectrum disorders with variable brain atrophy. Short processing time (30 ‐40 seconds) and reliable SUVR measurement without 3D MRI benefit the Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis in clinical practice.Grant from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, HI18C0530, Seoul R&BD Program(BT200151)

Quantification of diffuse parenchymal lung disease in non-small cell lung cancer patients with definitive concurrent chemoradiation therapy for predicting radiation pneumonitis.

We sought to quantify diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD) extent using quantitative computed tomography (CT) analysis and to investigate its association with radiation pneumonitis (RP) development in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving definitive concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT). A total of 82 NSCLC patients undergoing definitive CCRT were included in this prospective cohort study. Pretreatment CT scans were analyzed using quantitative CT analysis software. Low-attenuation area (LAA) features based on lung density and texture features reflecting interstitial lung disease (ILD) were extracted from the whole lung. Clinical and dosimetric factors were also evaluated. RP development was assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors for grade ≥3 (≥GR3) RP. RP was identified in 68 patients (73.9%), with nine patients (10.9%) experiencing ≥GR3 RP. Univariable logistic regression analysis identified excess kurtosis and high-attenuation area (HAA)_volume (cc) as significantly associated with ≥GR3 RP. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the combined use of imaging features and clinical factors (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1], forced vital capacity [FVC], and CHEMO regimen) demonstrated the best performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.924) in predicting ≥GR3 RP. Quantified imaging features of DPLD obtained from pretreatment CT scans would predict the occurrence of RP in NSCLC patients undergoing definitive CCRT. Combining imaging features with clinical factors could improve the accuracy of the predictive model for severe RP.

NeuroActivityToolkit-Toolbox for Quantitative Analysis of Miniature Fluorescent Microscopy Data.

The visualization of neuronal activity in vivo is an urgent task in modern neuroscience. It allows neurobiologists to obtain a large amount of information about neuronal network architecture and connections between neurons. The miniscope technique might help to determine changes that occurred in the network due to external stimuli and various conditions: processes of learning, stress, epileptic seizures and neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, using the miniscope method, functional changes in the early stages of such disorders could be detected. The miniscope has become a modern approach for recording hundreds to thousands of neurons simultaneously in a certain brain area of a freely behaving animal. Nevertheless, the analysis and interpretation of the large recorded data is still a nontrivial task. There are a few well-working algorithms for miniscope data preprocessing and calcium trace extraction. However, software for further high-level quantitative analysis of neuronal calcium signals is not publicly available. NeuroActivityToolkit is a toolbox that provides diverse statistical metrics calculation, reflecting the neuronal network properties such as the number of neuronal activations per minute, amount of simultaneously co-active neurons, etc. In addition, the module for analyzing neuronal pairwise correlations is implemented. Moreover, one can visualize and characterize neuronal network states and detect changes in 2D coordinates using PCA analysis. This toolbox, which is deposited in a public software repository, is accompanied by a detailed tutorial and is highly valuable for the statistical interpretation of miniscope data in a wide range of experimental tasks.

To Evaluate the Value of Vertebral Body Cortical Thickness in Predicting Osteoporosis by Opportunistic CT

In vertebrae, the amount of cortical bone has been estimated at 30-60%, but 45-75% of axial load on a vertebral body is borne by cortical bone(1). The purpose of this study is to investigate the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of vertebral body cortical thickness in predicting osteoporosis(OP) by analyzing the relationship between vertebral body cortical thickness and bone mineral density(BMD) in different age and gender groups. The optimal diagnostic cut-off value of vertebral body cortical thickness in predicting OP was analyzed. The data of 150 patients (50-89 years old) who underwent chest or abdominal Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) scan(obtained in one scan) in our hospital from July 2021 to July 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The average volume bone mineral density (vBMD) of L1-L2 vertebral bodies was obtained and grouped according to BMD, age, and gender. According to BMD, the patients were divided into three groups: osteoporosis, osteopenia and normal. According to age, the patients were divided into three groups: 50-59 years, 60-69 years and ≥70 years. The axial images of T11, T12 and L1 were reconstructed with 1.25mm slice thickness by AW4.7 workstation provided by General Electric Co (GE) Company. The images were imported into the computed tomography (CT) Spine Bone Quantification System software for spine analysis, and the vertebral body cortical thickness values were obtained. CT Spine Bone Quantification System is a software for quantitative analysis and separation of cortical bone and cancellous bone. A total of 150 patients were enrolled in this study, including 49 patients in the osteoporosis group, 51 patients in the osteopenia group, and 50 patients in the normal group. The cortical thickness values of T11, T12 and L1 were positively correlated with BMD, and the correlation coefficient was 0.750 at T11. According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of T11, T12, L1 cortical thickness value and BMD, OP was diagnosed when T11<2.75mm, T12<3.06mm, and L1<2.67mm. The sensitivity was 83.67%, 87.76%, 75.51%, respectively. The specificity was 79.21%, 71.29% and 90.10%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant. Vertebral body cortical thickness is correlated with BMD and age. According to the cut-off value of different vertebral bodies, OP can be predicted when T11<2.75mm or T12<3.06mm or L1<2.67mm.

Predictors of Side Branch Obstruction Following Stenting of the Main Vessel in Coronary Bifurcation Lesions

INTRODUCTION: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of bifurcation lesions is complicated by the presence of side branch blockage, which contributes to a low procedural success rate and an elevated rate of adverse cardiac events. A shift in the position of the carina and plaque buildup have been proposed as possible causes of SB occlusion. 1,2 It is estimated that between 15-20% of PCI procedures are done to address lesions at coronary bifurcations.3-5 Multiple randomized clinical trials have concluded that an interim stenting procedure should be used for routine bifurcation stenting. 6-11 &#x0D; AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To assess the predictors of side branch obstruction following stenting of the main vessel in coronary bifurcation lesions.&#x0D; MATERIAL AND METHODS: Total 300 patients were enrolled with coronary bifurcation lesions who were undergoing PCI and had at least one major SB. Major SB definition was the same as what had been found in other studies: diameter ?2.0mm. Patients with SB stenting before MV stenting, LMS disease, or in-stent restenosis were excluded. Using quantitative coronary analysis (QCA) software, all of the baseline and procedure characteristics were analyzed. The Student's t-test was used to compare continuous data. A p-value &lt; 0.05 was considered significant.&#x0D; RESULTS: Out of 300 patients, side branch blockage was found in 23 (7.6%) of the patients. The patients were distributed into two groups based on whether they had SB occlusion (SBO) or not. Mean age (years) in the study was 50.36+12.54 in SBO group and 50+30.34 in no-side-branch occlusion (NSBO) group. There were 19(82%) male and 4(18%) female patients in SBO group and 215(77%)male and 62(23%) female in NSBO group. Diameter stenosis of side branch before MV stenting (55%+20 vs30+25%), side branch diameter (2.1+0.3 vs2.2+0.2), bifurcation angle (70+20degree vs 45+22 degree, p=&lt;0.01) and lower TIMI flow in side branch were found significant predictors of major side branch occlusion.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: The bifurcation angle, diameter stenosis of the SB, side branch diameter before to main vessel stenting, and TIMI flow grade of the SB prior to MV stenting were all predictive of severe SB occlusion following MV stenting. As a result, these criteria should be considered when designing PCI for bifurcation lesions in order to increase procedure success.&#x0D; KEYWORDS: Side branch obstruction, stenting, coronary bifurcation lesions.

Meta-analysis of the effect of whole-body vibration training on the improvement of limb function in patients with Parkinson's disease.

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effect of whole-body vibration (WBV) training on the improvement of limb function in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). An electronic search was performed on the databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SCI-hub, ScienceDirect, Embase, IEEE, Medline, Wiley, ClinicaIKey, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP database, Chinese Medical Association, and CBM Database from inception to May 2022 to collect randomized controlled studies on whole-body vibration training for patients with Parkinson's disease. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and evaluated the quality of the literature, then used ReviewManager 5.4 software for quantitative statistical analysis, including heterogeneity test, sensitivity analysis, risk of bias assessment, combined outcome index effect size and effect size inspection. A total of 9 studies were included in the meta-analysis, including 346 patients, 174 patients in the control group and 172 patients in the observation group. Meta-analysis results showed that, compared with conventional physical therapy or drug therapy alone, whole-body vibration reduced the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRSIII) score and significantly improved the motor function of patients with Parkinson's disease [MD=-2.39, 95% CI (-4.41, -0.37), Z=2.14 (p=0.23)]. Moreover, whole-body vibration significantly improved the walking stability of Parkinson's patients [MD=-1.96, 95% CI (-2.71-1.21), Z=1.17 (p=0.03)]. However, its improvement in balance ability [MD=-0.06, 95% CI (-0.77, 0.65), Z=1.07 (p=0.19)] and daily living ability [MD=0.03, 95% CI (-1.68, 0.74), Z=0.24 (p=0.87)] of patients, it was not t statistically significant. Compared with conventional therapy, WBV has certain advantages in improving the balance function and gait performance of PD patients, but the effect on balance ability and daily living ability is not significant. Thus, more high-quality research is required for further verification.

Evaluation of Nonculprit Coronary Artery Lesions in Patients with Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

ABSTRACT Background: Multivessel coronary artery disease is a common finding during the primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). It might be a cause for recurrent attacks. This study aimed to evaluate nonculprit lesions (NCLs) encountered in the three major epicardial coronary arteries. Methods: Patients with STEMI who underwent PPCI and matched the study inclusion criteria were enrolled. They were evaluated clinically, biomedically, and coronary angiographically. The coronary angiography analysis was examined by four cardiologists using the Quantitative Coronary Artery Analysis software. The data was analyzed statistically. Results: Of the 154 patients included in the study, 130 (84.4%) were males and 24 (15.6%) were females, with a mean age of 52.92 ± 13.14 years. Five hundred seventy-four NCLs were found in 132 (85.7%) patients. Nonobstructive lesions with stenosis less than 70% of vessel diameter were more frequent than obstructive lesions. The left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) was the first one of the three major arteries to be affected by obstructive NCLs. The obstructive NCLs were 128 in number; found in 78 (50.4%) patients; 65 (50.8%) of them were in LCX; 32 (25%) were in left anterior descending (25%); and 31 (24.2%) were in right coronary artery. Conclusions: NCLs are common among STEMI patients. LCX obstructive NCLs are comparable to those in the other two major epicardial coronary arteries, with respect to frequency and severity of luminal stenosis.

A multicenter evaluation of a deep learning software (LungQuant) for lung parenchyma characterization in COVID-19 pneumonia

BackgroundThe role of computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis and characterization of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia has been widely recognized. We evaluated the performance of a software for quantitative analysis of chest CT, the LungQuant system, by comparing its results with independent visual evaluations by a group of 14 clinical experts. The aim of this work is to evaluate the ability of the automated tool to extract quantitative information from lung CT, relevant for the design of a diagnosis support model.MethodsLungQuant segments both the lungs and lesions associated with COVID-19 pneumonia (ground-glass opacities and consolidations) and computes derived quantities corresponding to qualitative characteristics used to clinically assess COVID-19 lesions. The comparison was carried out on 120 publicly available CT scans of patients affected by COVID-19 pneumonia. Scans were scored for four qualitative metrics: percentage of lung involvement, type of lesion, and two disease distribution scores. We evaluated the agreement between the LungQuant output and the visual assessments through receiver operating characteristics area under the curve (AUC) analysis and by fitting a nonlinear regression model.ResultsDespite the rather large heterogeneity in the qualitative labels assigned by the clinical experts for each metric, we found good agreement on the metrics compared to the LungQuant output. The AUC values obtained for the four qualitative metrics were 0.98, 0.85, 0.90, and 0.81.ConclusionsVisual clinical evaluation could be complemented and supported by computer-aided quantification, whose values match the average evaluation of several independent clinical experts.Key pointsWe conducted a multicenter evaluation of the deep learning-based LungQuant automated software.We translated qualitative assessments into quantifiable metrics to characterize coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia lesions.Comparing the software output to the clinical evaluations, results were satisfactory despite heterogeneity of the clinical evaluations.An automatic quantification tool may contribute to improve the clinical workflow of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Neuroticism modulates the qualitative effects of inferior parietal tDCS on negatively-valenced memories

For individuals with increased levels of neuroticism, experiencing criticism or receiving negative feedback has been associated with worse psychological and cognitive outcomes. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can change cognitive processes in clinical populations. We bilaterally stimulated the posterior inferior parietal lobule (pIPL), a critical superficial node of the default model network. We investigated how baseline neuroticism modulates the impact of bilateral tDCS to pIPL on qualitative measures of memory after hearing criticism, hypothesizing that cathodal stimulation of the IPL would offer qualitative memory improvements for individuals with higher levels of neuroticism. Ninety individuals from the community were randomly assigned to receive anodal, cathodal, or sham stimulation while they were exposed to critical comments before and after stimulation. Participants then recalled the critical comments, and their linguistic responses were analyzed using Pennebaker's Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software, a quantitative analysis software for linguistic data. Results showed that for individuals receiving cathodal tDCS, higher neuroticism scores corresponded with greater proportions of non-personal language (i.e., words such as “us,” “they,” or “other” instead of “I” or “me”) when recalling negative feedback. For individuals with higher neuroticism, cathodal tDCS stimulation, rather than anodal or sham, of the pIPL prompted increased emotional distancing and perspective taking strategies when recalling criticism. These results further highlight the state-dependent nature of tDCS effects and the role of the IPL in interpersonal processing – a clinically meaningful outcome that current tDCS studies solely examining quantitative measures of memory (e.g., task-based accuracy or speed) do not reveal.

Conventional ultrasound combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound quantitative analysis for diagnosing lung cancer metastases in neck lymph nodes

Lung cancer remains one of the most common malignant tumors. Identifying cervical lymph node metastases is important to stage lung cancer, evaluate patients’ prognosis and select appropriate treatments. This study evaluated the utility of conventional ultrasound combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) quantitative analysis in diagnosing lung cancer metastases in the lymph nodes of the neck. The cervical lymph nodes of 39 patients with primary lung cancer who underwent CEUS and ultrasound-guided needle biopsy were assessed. Routine type B ultrasound was used to record the morphology of the lymph nodes and the presence of lymphatic hilum structure. The Vuebox quantitative analysis software was used to collect lymph node CEUS peak enhancements (PE), rise time (RT) and fall time (FT). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of various parameters and imaging characteristics. The cohort comprised 26 cervical lymph nodes with lung cancer metastasis and 13 cervical lymph nodes with reactive hyperplasia. Most hilum of lymph gland were absent in the metastasis group (92.30%), most lymph nodes showed a full shape (80.77%), and few were irregularly shaped (19.23%). Most hilum of lymph gland were present in the hyperplasia group (76.95%) and showed a full shape (61.54%). The PE of the metastasis group (4852.29 a.u) was significantly lower than the hyperplasia group (11,464.70 a.u), while the difference between RT and FT indicators was not significant. ROC analysis showed that combined PE of the quantitative ultrasound contrast analysis and the presence of the lymphatic phylum structure showed satisfactory diagnostic ability for detecting lung cancer lymph node metastasis in the neck (sensitivity 73.10%, specificity 76.90%, accuracy 48.73%, p = 0.004). Conventional ultrasound observation of lymph node structure combined with quantitative analysis of peak enhancement of contrast-enhanced ultrasound showed promising value for diagnosing lung cancer metastatic lymph nodes.

AN INVESTIGATION INTO FACTORS INFLUENCING UFLS THIRD-YEAR STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION IN STUDYING TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING ONLINE

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a tremendous impact on people all over the world, leading to a broad-based disruption of education. Most universities in Vietnam including UFLS transferred face-to-face classrooms to online learning. This study was conducted to investigate factors influencing students‘ motivation and the difficulties they encounter when studying Translation and Interpreting in virtual classes. The data was collected by means of a questionnaire. The study employed IBM SPSS Statistics Software for quantitative data analysis mixed with the thematic analysis method for the analysis of open-ended questions. The findings of the study revealed that teachers, classmates, interests in subjects, values and selfregulated learning are factors playing a pivotal role for students in strengthening motivation when taking online classes. Situational problems, the dependence on translation tools as well as lack of interaction and self-efficacy, are found to be detrimental impacts on students' motivation. It is highly recommended that group activities and self-study are effective ways to keep learners motivated in online classes.

A bibliometric and visual analysis of contaminant transport modeling in the groundwater system: current trends, hotspots, and future directions.

Contaminant transport modeling (CTM) in the groundwater represents the complex bio-geo-chemical processes in the subsurface system and plays a vital role in designing remediation strategies for contaminated sites. Hence, this study evaluated 1955 articles on CTM-based studies published from 2010 to 2022 by utilizing the Scopus® database to provide a quantitative analysis of current trends and future directions. A systematic approach comprised of a bibliometric survey and visualization of various networks was conducted with the VOSviewer and Biblioshiny software for quantitative analysis of progress of CTM research field over the past decade. The hotspots and evolution of themes of CTM were found using Sankey diagrams, and thematic maps. It was observed that articles were published at an exponential rate over past 5years. The analysis of Scopus® database revealed that the average citations per article and the average citations per year per article were 14.7 and 2.225. In the past decade, USA published 489 articles and emerged as the leading country based on mutual collaborations and cooperation with other top 9 most productive countries. Flinders University was ranked in the first position based on the number of articles, followed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The findings obtained from this study can help researchers identify exploitation and core areas, to understand better the direction of research of mathematical model development, and to determine hotspots of CTM research field.

New quantitative indices of cardiac amyloidosis with 99mTc-pyrophosphate scintigraphy.

Amyloid light chain (AL) and transthyretin (ATTR) are the major subtypes of cardiac amyloidosis (CA). 99mTc-pyrophosphate (PYP) scintigraphy is used to differentiate ATTR from other CA subtypes. We adapted the standardized uptake value (SUV) for 99mTc-PYP and proposed two quantitative indices, amyloid deposition volume (AmyDV) and total amyloid uptake (TAU). This study aimed to evaluate the utility of these quantitative indices in differentiating ATTR from non-ATTRs. Before the SUV measurement, the Becquerel calibration factor (BCF) of 99mTc was obtained by a phantom experiment. Thirty-two patients who had undergone hybrid SPECT/CT imaging 3h after injection of 99mTc-PYP (370MBq) were studied. CT attenuation correction for image reconstruction was applied in all. We calculated SUV, AmyDV, and TAU using a quantitative analysis software program for bone SPECT (GI-BONE) and analyzed AmyDV using two methods: threshold method (set 40%); and constant value method (average SUVmax of ribs). We assessed the diagnostic ability of heart-to-contralateral lung (H/CL) ratio, SUV, AmyDV, and TAU to differentiate ATTR from non-ATTR using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Statistically significant differences in all quantitative indices were observed between ATTR and non-ATTR. The area under the curve of each quantitative index for discriminating between ATTR and non-ATTR were as follows: H/CL, 0.997; SUVmax, 0.953; SUVmean (M1), 0.964; SUVmean (M2), 0.969; AmyDV (M1), 0.875; AmyDV (M2), 0.974; and TAU, 0.974. The AmyDV (M2) had higher diagnostic ability than AmyDV (M1). Thus, TAU was calculated as AmyDV (M2) × SUVmean (M2). In the ROC curve, SUV, AmyDV, and TAU had almost the same diagnostic ability as H/CL in distinguishing ATTR from non-ATTRs. We propose two novel 3D-based quantitative parameters (AmyDV and TAU) that have almost equal ability to discriminate ATTR from non-ATTR.

Education Support Programs and University Student Social Competence: An Impact Assessment of Generation Rwanda Program From 2004-2012

This study sought to point out how education support programs were successful in the creation of competences in students at higher learning institutions/ university level in Rwanda. Using the Generation Rwanda Program as a case study, the study aimed to show that to achieve student competence, it requires more than paying tuition fees and sending a child to school. The specific objectives of the study were; to establish success stories from Generation Rwanda scholarship beneficiaries; to assess challenges faced by the Generation Rwanda scholarship beneficiaries; and to establish the employer satisfaction with GR graduates at work. In the study, questionnaires and oral interviews were used for data collection. The study also referred to other written literature such as text books, journals, newspapers, reports and other sources on the internet relating to the topic of this research. The study was designed that both quantitative and qualitative data were collected by the use of the questionnaire and interview to generate respectively quantitative and qualitative data to respond to the study objectives. The target population was 404 from teaching staff, employers, NGOs involved in Higher learning, Government agencies in Higher education, Current GR beneficiaries, and Graduates from GR. The sample population was 92. Data analysis was done by the use of SPSS software for quantitative data and content analysis for qualitative data to analyze opinions, perceptions and views. Forty percent of the respondents confirmed the role of their organizations in pursuing further studies. The findings presented in where 65% agreed and 35% ascertained that working experience was also reached. All these translated success stories of the GR scholarship beneficiaries. Along with academic life, GR beneficiaries encountered some challenges as per Table 4.18, the scarcity of teaching staff was strongly highlighted 46.5% of the respondents. Lack of technology in education was another challenge as in in which 23.2% strongly emphasized. In spite of challenges, employers were satisfied with graduates employed in their respective institutions. Henceforth, motivation was one point of the areas of satisfaction as per where 79.3% replied that GR graduates were well motivated. The graduates presented positive image in team work as indicated strongly in by 51.7% respondents. Recommendations were therefore made to various stakeholders including the Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Education, Higher Learning Institutions and Stakeholders in education sector to especially focus on how quality education programs can be sustainably established and managed. Keywords: Education Support Programs, Social Competence, Impact assessment, Rwanda program

NIMG-16. COMPARISON OF A STIR- AND T1-WEIGHTED-BASED RADIOMICS MODEL TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN PLEXIFORM NEUROFIBROMAS AND MALIGNANT PERIPHERAL NERVE SHEATH TUMORS IN NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPE 1 (NF1)

Abstract BACKGROUND Plexiform neurofibromas (PNF) and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are best visualized on short TI inversion recovery (STIR) sequences on MRI. However, STIR sequences are not routinely acquired in the clinical setting. T1-weighted pre-contrast (T1W) sequences are more standardly obtained but provide insufficient contrast for tumor identification. We developed a radiomics model based on STIR and T1W sequences to differentiate between NF1-associated PNF and MPNST. METHODS Using a 3D quantitative imaging analysis software (3DQI), 68 MPNST and 79 PNF from 134 participants at nine centers were segmented on STIR sequences (if available) or T2 fat-saturated or T1-weighted fat-saturated post-contrast sequences. Tumor regions of interest were co-registered to T1W sequences. Standard pre-processing included N4 bias field correction, intensity normalization (mean 120 SI, SD 80 SI), and resampling (1 mm3 voxel resolution). 107 radiomic features were extracted using PyRadiomics. To classify tumors as PNF or MPNST, we applied the Boruta algorithm and correlation removal for selection of important features. A Random Forest model was built using the top five selected features. The data were divided into a training/validation and test set (7:3 ratio). Five-fold cross-validation was performed and repeated 100 times. Model performance was evaluated using AUC, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and 95% CI. RESULTS For the STIR-based model, AUC was 0.856 (95% CI 0.727-0.984), sensitivity 0.6, specificity 0.833, and accuracy 0.727 in the test set. For the T1W-based model, AUC was 0.867 (95% CI 0.743-0.990), sensitivity 0.8, specificity 0.79, and accuracy 0.794 in the test set. CONCLUSIONS Our radiomics models demonstrate high and comparable performance to distinguish between PNF and MPNST on STIR and T1W sequences. Our inclusion of multicenter MRIs enhances model generalizability. These models can potentially be integrated into the radiologic workflow to help clinicians in the early identification of MPNST or pre-malignant atypical neurofibromas on clinical MRIs.

The Regulatory Effect of Firm Size on Digital Transformation: An Empirical Study of Pharmaceutical Companies in China.

Digital transformation (DT) has been a key way for pharmaceutical companies to enhance innovation and R&D capabilities, improve product quality, reduce costs, and create competitive advantages. The external environment factors and the internal conditions' factors are the main factors affecting the DT of pharmaceutical companies. This research aimed to probe the effects of the external environment factors, the internal conditions' factors, firm size, and control variables on the DT of pharmaceutical companies based on synergetics. Purposive sampling and snowball sampling were used in this research. In addition, this research collected 395 valid data from Chinese pharmaceutical companies through online questionnaires. This research used quantitative analysis, and SPSS and Amos software were applied to data processing analysis. The results of structural equation modelling (SEM) and regression analysis showed that the external environment factors and the internal conditions' factors had a significantly positive correlation with the DT of pharmaceutical companies, and the effects of the internal conditions on the DT of pharmaceutical companies were greater than that of the external environment. In addition, firm size positively moderated the relationship between the external environment, internal conditions, and the DT of pharmaceutical companies. The results of this research not only can provide theoretical reference for scholars but also put forward implementation suggestions of DT for Chinese pharmaceutical company managers.

Validation of a semi-automatic software for optical coherence tomography - analysis in heart transplanted patients.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is an intravascular imaging modality enabling detailed evaluation of cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) after heart transplantation (HTx). However, its clinical application remains hampered by time-consuming manual quantitative analysis. We aimed to validate a semi-automated quantitative OCT analysis software (Iowa Coronary Wall Analyzer, ICWA-OCT) to improve OCT-analysis in HTx patients. 23 patients underwent OCT evaluation of all three major coronary arteries at 3months (3M) and 12months (12M) after HTx. We analyzed OCT recordings using the semiautomatic software and compared results with measurements from a validated manual software. For semi-automated analysis, 31,228 frames from 114 vessels were available. The validation was based on a subset of 4287 matched frames. We applied mixed model statistics to accommodate the multilevel data structure with method as a fixed effect. Lumen (minimum, mean, maximum) and media (mean, maximum) metrics showed no significant differences. Mean and maximum intima area were underestimated by the semi-automated method (β-methodmean = -0.289 mm2, p < 0.01; β-methodmax = -0.695 mm2, p < 0.01). Bland-Altman analyses showed increasing semi-automatic underestimation of intima measurements with increasing intimal extent. Comparing 3M to 12M progression between methods, mean intimal area showed minor underestimation (β-methodmean = -1.03 mm2, p = 0.04). Lumen and media metrics showed excellent agreement between the manual and semi-automated method. Intima metrics and progressions from 3M to 12M were slightly underestimated by the semi-automated OCT software with unknown clinical relevance. The semi-automated software has the future potential to provide robust and time-saving evaluation of CAV progression.

Quantitative Software Analysis of Endoscopic Ultrasound Images of Pancreatic Cystic Lesions.

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is the most accurate imaging modality for the evaluation of different types of pancreatic cystic lesions. Our aim was to analyze EUS images of pancreatic cystic lesions using an image processing software. We specified the echogenicity of the lesions by measuring the gray value of pixels inside the selected areas. The images were divided into groups (serous cystic neoplasm /SCN/, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and mucinous cystic neoplasms /Non-SCN/ and Pseudocyst) according to the pathology results of the lesions. Overall, 170 images were processed by the software: 81 in Non-SCN, 30 in SCN and 59 in Pseudocyst group. The mean gray value of the entire lesion in the Non-SCN group was significantly higher than in the SCN group (27.8 vs. 18.8; p < 0.0005). The area ratio in the SCN, Non-SCN and Pseudocyst groups was 57%, 39% and 61%, respectively; significantly lower in the Non-SCN group than in the SCN or Pseudocyst groups (p < 0.0005 and p < 0.0005, respectively). The lesion density was also significantly higher in the Non-SCN group compared to the SCN or Pseudocyst groups (4186.6/mm2 vs. 2833.8/mm2 vs. 2981.6/mm2; p < 0.0005 and p < 0.0005, respectively). The EUS image analysis process may have the potential to be a diagnostic tool for the evaluation and differentiation of pancreatic cystic lesions.