Visual Rating Scores Research Articles

Inner ear MRI enhancement based on three dimensional-real IR sequence in patients with Meniere's disease after intravenous gadolinium injection: Comparison of different doses used and exploration of an appropriate dose.

Three-dimensional inversion-recovery sequence with real reconstruction (3D-real IR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect endolymphatic hydrops of the inner ear. We aimed to explore a appropriate dose for intravenous gadolinium injection. Observational prospective study. Tertiary referral centre. We collected 90 unilateral definite Meniere's disease patients. All enrolled patients were divided into three groups randomly (patients in group A, B and C received gadolinium injection in 1/1.5/2 times doses respectively). After 4h, inner ear MRI scans were applied. The signal intensities of B-affected ears and C-affected ears were significantly higher than A-affected ears (p<.05); however, no difference was found between B-affected ears and C-affected ears (p=.267). The same conditions also appeared in the three unaffected-ear groups. Moreover, the signal intensities of affected-ear in group A, B and C were significantly higher than that of the corresponding unaffected-ear groups (p<.05). Besides, the subjective visual evaluation scores of group B and C were significantly better than that of group A (p<.05). Intravenous injection of gadolinium in a single dose may be unbefitting for the inner ear imaging based on 3D-real IR MRI, both the applications of gadolinium in 1.5 times and double doses can have a good perilymphatic enhancement effect of inner ear. In order to minimise the use of dose for avoiding or mitigating the adverse reactions and renal damage, 1.5 times dose may be preferred in clinical practice.

Development of a 3D Printed Lung Model Made of Synthetic Materials for Simulation.

Considering the complexity of lung structures and the difficulty of thoracoscopic surgery, simulation-based training is of paramount importance for junior surgeons. Here, we aim to design a high-fidelity lung model through utilizing the three-dimensional (3D) printing technology combined with synthetic materials to mimic the real human lung. The 3D printed lung model was manufactured based on the computed tomography images of a randomly selected male patient. Synthetic materials were used for the construction of lung parenchyma, blood vessels, and bronchi. Then, the model was assessed in terms of its visual, tactile, and operational features by participants (the senior surgeons, junior surgeons, and medical students), who were asked to complete the specially designed survey-questionnaires. A 3D printed model of the right lung made of synthetic materials was successfully fabricated. Thirty subjects participated in our study (10 senior surgeons, 10 junior surgeons, and 10 medical students). The average visual evaluation scores for senior surgeons, junior surgeons, and medical students were 3.97 ± 0.61, 4.56 ± 0.58, 4.76 ± 0.49, respectively. The average tactile evaluation scores were 3.40 ± 0.50, 4.13 ± 0.68, 4.00 ± 0.64, respectively. The average operation evaluation scores were 3.33 ± 0.83, 3.93 ± 0.66, 4.03 ± 0.66, respectively. Significant lower scores were obtained in the group of the senior surgeons compared with the other two groups. A high level of fidelity was exhibited in our 3D printed lung model and it could be applied as a promising simulator for the surgical training in the future.

Outpatient vs inpatient Foley catheter induction of labor in multiparas with unripe cervixes: A randomized trial.

Multiparous labor inductions are typically successful, and the process can be rapid, starting from a ripened cervix with a predictable response to amniotomy and oxytocin infusion. Outpatient Foley catheter labor induction in multiparas with unripe cervixes is a feasible option as the mechanical process of ripening is usually without significant uterine contractions and well tolerated. Labor contractions can be initiated by amniotomy and titrated oxytocin infusion in the hospital for well-timed births during working hours as night birth are associated with adverse events. We sought to evaluate outpatient compared with inpatient Foley catheter induction of labor in multiparas for births during working hours and maternal satisfaction. A randomized trial was conducted in the University of Malaya Medical Center. A total of 163 term multiparas (no dropouts) with unripe cervixes (Bishop score ≤5) scheduled for labor induction were randomized to outpatient or inpatient Foley catheter. Primary outcomes were delivery during "working hours" 08:00-18:00h and maternal satisfaction on allocated care (assessed by 11-point visual numerical rating score 0-10, with higher score indicating more satisfied). ISRCTN13534944. Comparing outpatient and inpatient arms, delivery during working hours were 54/82 (65.9%) vs. 48/81 (59.3%) (relative risk 1.1, 95% CI 0.9-1.4, p=0.421) and median maternal satisfaction visual numerical rating score was 9 (interquartile range 9-9) vs. 9 (interquartile range 8-9, p=0.134), repectively. Duration of hospital stay and membrane rupture to delivery interval were significantly shorter in the outpatient arm: 35.8±20.2 vs. 45.2±16.2h (p=0.001) and 4.1±2.9 vs. 5.3±3.6h (p=0.020), respectively. Other maternal and neonatal secondary outcomes were not significantly different. The trial failed to demonstrate the anticipated increase in births during working hours with outpatient compared with inpatient induction of labor with Foley catheter in parous women with an unripe cervix. Hospital stay and membrane rupture to delivery interval were significantly shortened in the outpatient group. The rate of maternal satisfaction was high in both groups and no significant differences were found.

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF ESSENTIAL TREMOR DURING CLINICAL SPIRAL DRAWING TASK USING GYRO SENSORS

The spiral drawing task is a representative clinical test used to assess essential tremor. Many clinicians have used spirography to assess through visual rating of the drawings. We quantitatively investigated the clinical characteristics of action tremors during spiral drawing tasks using 3-axis gyro sensors. Eighteen essential tremor patients with sensors attached to their forefinger, dorsum of the hand, and forearm participated in a spiral drawing test. As quantitative variables, the average speed, maximum frequency and maximum power were derived from the gyro sensor signals. The average speed and maximum power were also logarithmically transformed. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with tremor direction and joint (attachment location) as independent factors was performed to evaluate the main and interactive effects of direction and joint. Also, Spearman’s correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between the quantitative variables and visual rating scores. The average speed showed a significant main effect of direction ([Formula: see text]). Logarithmic variables showed interactive effects ([Formula: see text]) as well as main effects ([Formula: see text]). The interactive effects were attributed to no significant difference among the joints particularly in the roll direction ([Formula: see text]). The logarithmic variables of roll direction were significantly greater than that of the other directions ([Formula: see text]). Also, the quantitative variables were moderately correlated with visual rating scores ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). These results indicate that kinetic tremor during spiral drawing mainly appears in the roll direction and may contribute to the determination of sensor location and direction for continuous monitoring of patients with essential tremor.

Development of attenuation correction methods using deep learning in brain-perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography.

Computed tomography (CT)-based attenuation correction (CTAC) in single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is highly accurate, but it requires hybrid SPECT/CT instruments and additional radiation exposure. To obtain attenuation correction (AC) without the need for additional CT images, a deep learning method was used to generate pseudo-CT images has previously been reported, but it is limited because of cross-modality transformation, resulting in misalignment and modality-specific artifacts. This study aimed to develop a deep learning-based approach using non-attenuation-corrected (NAC) images and CTAC-based images for training to yield AC images in brain-perfusion SPECT. This study also investigated whether the proposed approach is superior to conventional Chang's AC (ChangAC). In total, 236 patients who underwent brain-perfusion SPECT were randomly divided into two groups: the training group (189 patients; 80%) and the test group (47 patients; 20%). Two models were constructed using Autoencoder (AutoencoderAC) and U-Net (U-NetAC), respectively. ChangAC, AutoencoderAC, and U-NetAC approaches were compared with CTAC using qualitative analysis (visual evaluation) and quantitative analysis (normalized mean squared error [NMSE] and the percentage error in each brain region). Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test and Bland-Altman analysis. U-NetAC had the highest visual evaluation score. The NMSE results for the U-NetAC were the lowest, followed by AutoencoderAC and ChangAC (P<0.001). Bland-Altman analysis showed a fixed bias for ChangAC and AutoencoderAC and a proportional bias for ChangAC. ChangAC underestimated counts by 30-40% in all brain regions. AutoencoderAC and U-NetAC produced mean errors of <1% and maximum errors of 3%, respectively. New deep learning-based AC methods for AutoencoderAC and U-NetAC were developed. Their accuracy was higher than that obtained by ChangAC. U-NetAC exhibited higher qualitative and quantitative accuracy than AutoencoderAC. We generated highly accurate AC images directly from NAC images without the need for intermediate pseudo-CT images. To verify our models' generalizability, external validation is required.

Evaluation of the usefulness of cystic duct three-dimensional computed tomography with non-contrast for before laparoscopic cholecystectomy and endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage in comparison to magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography

IntroductionThe purpose of this study is to evaluate whether anatomical variations of the cystic duct and accessory bile duct can be grasped by cystic duct three-dimensional (3D)-computed tomography (CT) using non-contrast CT and to examine the possibility of omitting magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). MethodsOf patients who underwent non-contrast abdominal CT between May and October 2019, those who underwent MRCP within 1 month before and afterwards were targeted. Seven assessors visually evaluated the cystic duct 3D-CT images on a 5-point scale. Average scores of ≥3 and <3 points were assigned as the good and poor groups, respectively. Regions of interest (ROIs) were placed inside the cystic duct and four places around it, and the CT values in those ROIs were measured. The CT value difference was calculated by subtracting the surrounding CT values from the CT value in the cystic duct and converting the result to an absolute value. The CT value difference was classified into good and poor groups, and statistical analysis was performed. Seven assessors evaluated anatomical variations of the cystic duct and the presence of the accessory bile duct. The results were compared with the MRCP interpretation results to calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. ResultsThe average visual evaluation score was 3.8. The good and poor groups were comprised by 53 (85.5%) and 9 (14.5%) patients, respectively. The CT difference value averages were 54.7 and 15.9 for the good and poor groups, respectively, and the value was significantly higher in the good group (p = 0.001). The comparison results with MRCP were sensitivity=83.3%, specificity=78.0%, positive predictive value=47.6%, and negative predictive value=95.1%. ConclusionCystic duct 3D-CT using non-contrast CT is a useful technique for understanding anatomical variations of the cystic duct and accessory bile duct. Our method may reduce the number of MRCP sessions performed.

Usefulness and Clinical Significance of Thin-slice Gapless Coronal Diffusion-weighted Imaging for Acute Brainstem Infarction Diagnosis

The lesions caused by brainstem infarction are usually small. Therefore, it is often difficult to diagnose them using axial diffusion-weighted imaging (axial DWI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of thin-slice gapless coronal DWI in acute brainstem infarction diagnosis by difference of elapsed time from the onset of cerebral infarction. Axial DWI and coronal DWI were performed in 90 patients (mean age: 70.0±12.5 years) with acute brainstem infarction. Patients were classified into four groups according to the elapsed time after the onset of brainstem infarction: <3 h (group A), 3-10 h (group B), 10-30 h (group C), and ≥30 h (group D). We compared axial DWI and coronal DWI in terms of visual evaluation score, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value, and contrast in the four groups. The visual evaluation scores were significantly higher using coronal DWI in groups A, B, and C than in group D. The ADC values in groups C and D were significantly higher in coronal DWI. The contrast in groups C and D was significantly higher in coronal DWI. Coronal DWI is especially useful for acute brainstem infarction diagnosis within 30 hours of its onset.

The Influence of Different Evaluation Media on the Aesthetic Evaluation of Urban Parks

In the aesthetic evaluation of landscape under laboratory conditions, photographs or slides are the main type of evaluation media, and the research done by relying on this evaluation media has produced many meaningful aesthetic evaluation theories, but with the progress and development of technology, many new evaluation media have been used and studied, such as panoramic photography and virtual reality, which have improved and developed the traditional aesthetic evaluation theories. This paper takes Jinan city park in China as the landscape aesthetic evaluation object, and obtains different types of landscape evaluation media by shooting, which are four ways: Audio-only, Image-only, Video-only, Audio-video, and uses these four media ways to evaluate the park landscape and analyze the data to explore the influence of different media ways on the landscape evaluation results, in order to get the evaluation results closer to the real environment under the psychological state. The following conclusions were obtained: (1) Different evaluation media methods will have an impact on the aesthetic evaluation of urban park landscape, and the degree of impact depends on the sound and dynamic elements in the environment. (2) Sound landscapes have a superimposed effect on the aesthetic evaluation of urban park landscapes, with good natural sound and artificial noise enhancing and reducing visual evaluation scores respectively. (3) There are significant gender differences in the aesthetic evaluation of landscapes containing sound, which in turn affects the aesthetic evaluation of landscapes.

Evaluation of 21 Thailand Maize Germplasms for Resistance to Leaf Feeding Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Native to the Americas, the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae), is a recent invasive pest of Africa and Asia. This insect causes economic damage to maize (Zea mays L.) primarily through leaf and ear tissue feeding. The pest is resistant to several classes of insecticide and several Bt-maize toxins. Native resistance in maize to fall armyworm could be used with existing control tactics to enhance control of this insect. The objective for this study was to evaluate maize germplasm, developed from Thailand and maintained by the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System, for resistance to leaf feeding fall armyworm. Plants were grown in the field and artificially infested at the seven-leaf stage with fall armyworms. Visual rating scores for leaf feeding damage were recorded at 7 and 14 days post infestation. Scores for maize germplasm Ames 26254 were not different than the resistant check, GT-FAWCC(C5), and germplasm PI 506347 and PI 690324 were not significantly different from Ames 26254. In total, five Thailand maize germplasms received 14-day damage scores of ≤ 6.0 across both years of testing and were considered moderately resistant to fall armyworm leaf feeding. These maize germplasms are tropical and require breeding to adapt progeny for research in temperate areas.

Using Cannabidiol as a potential postharvest treatment to maintain quality and extend the shelf life of strawberries

Abstract Cannabis has been used in ancient medicine to treat a wide array of medical issues. Specifically, Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of cannabis, has been linked to containing antimicrobial properties. However, research surrounding the potential use of CBD as an antimicrobial agent is still preliminary. This study aims to examine the potential of CBD oil as a postharvest treatment used by consumers at home to reduce microbial growth and extend the shelf life of strawberries. CBD oil was applied to fresh fruit after harvest followed by storage at 1 °C for 8 days and 10 °C for to 8 days. Strawberries were evaluated for visual quality and microbial load before and during storage. Results from this study showed that CBD oil was effective at maintaining the visual appearance of strawberries, above the minimum threshold of a visual rating score of 3, compared to the fruit that was not treated. It was also found that CBD oil was effective at reducing the microbial load on treated strawberries compared to fruit that was not treated. This research shows that CBD oil has the potential to be used by consumers at home as an effective antimicrobial treatment and to extend strawberry shelf life.

Microstructural Connectivity is More Related to Cognition than Conventional MRI in Parkinson's Disease.

The different effects of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) severity and WMH-associated microstructural connectivity on cognition in the early stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) have not been investigated. To investigate the differential effect of WMH severity and WMH-associated microstructural connectivity on cognition in early stages of PD. A total of 136 de novo PD patients were enrolled and divided into groups based on total WMH visual rating scores as follows: mild, moderate, and severe. Microstructural connectivity was measured using graph theoretical analysis according to WMH severity. Additionally, correlation coefficients between WMH-associated microstructural connectivity or WMH scores and cognitive performance were assessed. Patients with severe WMHs demonstrated poorer performance in language function than those with moderate WMHs, and in frontal/executive and visual memory function than those with mild WMHs. Areas of microstructural connectivity were more extensive in patients with severe WMHs compared to those with mild and moderate WMHs, involving frontal and parieto-temporal regions. WMH-associated right fronto-temporo-parietal microstructural disintegration was correlated with cognitive dysfunction in attention, frontal/executive, and memory domains, whereas there was no correlation between WMH scores and any cognitive domains. These data suggest that disruption of microstructural networks by WMHs, rather than WMH burden itself, contributed more to cognitive impairment in PD.

Image-Based Phenotyping of Flowering Intensity in Cool-Season Crops.

The timing and duration of flowering are key agronomic traits that are often associated with the ability of a variety to escape abiotic stress such as heat and drought. Flowering information is valuable in both plant breeding and agricultural production management. Visual assessment, the standard protocol used for phenotyping flowering, is a low-throughput and subjective method. In this study, we evaluated multiple imaging sensors (RGB and multiple multispectral cameras), image resolution (proximal/remote sensing at 1.6 to 30 m above ground level/AGL), and image processing (standard and unsupervised learning) techniques in monitoring flowering intensity of four cool-season crops (canola, camelina, chickpea, and pea) to enhance the accuracy and efficiency in quantifying flowering traits. The features (flower area, percentage of flower area with respect to canopy area) extracted from proximal (1.6–2.2 m AGL) RGB and multispectral (with near infrared, green and blue band) image data were strongly correlated (r up to 0.89) with visual rating scores, especially in pea and canola. The features extracted from unmanned aerial vehicle integrated RGB image data (15–30 m AGL) could also accurately detect and quantify large flowers of winter canola (r up to 0.84), spring canola (r up to 0.72), and pea (r up to 0.72), but not camelina or chickpea flowers. When standard image processing using thresholds and unsupervised machine learning such as k-means clustering were utilized for flower detection and feature extraction, the results were comparable. In general, for applicability of imaging for flower detection, it is recommended that the image data resolution (i.e., ground sampling distance) is at least 2–3 times smaller than that of the flower size. Overall, this study demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing imaging for monitoring flowering intensity in multiple varieties of evaluated crops.

Effects of Deep Learning Reconstruction Technique in High-Resolution Non-contrast Magnetic Resonance Coronary Angiography at a 3-Tesla Machine

To evaluate the effects of deep learning reconstruction (DLR) in qualitative and quantitative image quality of non-contrast magnetic resonance coronary angiography (MRCA). Ten healthy volunteers underwent conventional MRCA (C-MRCA) and high-resolution (HR) MRCA on a 3T magnetic resonance imaging with a voxel size of 1.8 × 1.1 × 1.7 mm3 and 1.8 × 0.6 × 1.0 mm3, respectively, for C-MRCA and HR-MRCA. High-resolution magnetic resonance coronary angiography was also reconstructed with the DLR technique (DLR-HR-MRCA). We compared the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and visual evaluation scores for vessel sharpness and traceability of proximal and distal coronary vessels on a 4-point scale among 3 image series. The vascular CNR value on the C-MRCA and the DLR-HR-MRCA was significantly higher than that on the HR-MRCA in the proximal and distal coronary arteries (13.9 ± 6.4, 11.3 ± 4.4, and 7.8 ± 2.6 for C-MRCA, DLR-HR-MRCA, and HR-MRCA, P < .05, respectively). Mean visual evaluation scores for the vessel sharpness and traceability of proximal and distal coronary vessels were significantly higher on the HR-DLR-MRCA than the C-MRCA (P < .05, respectively). Deep learning reconstruction significantly improved the CNR of coronary arteries on HR-MRCA, resulting in both higher visual image quality and better vessel traceability compared with C-MRCA.

Feasibility and Face Validity of Outcome Measures for Use in Future Studies of Polymyalgia Rheumatica: An OMERACT Study.

To survey participants with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) to evaluate the face validity, acceptability, and domain match of proposed candidate outcome measures. A structured, online, anonymous survey was disseminated by patient support groups through their networks and online forums. The candidate outcome measures comprised (1) visual analog scale (VAS) and numerical rating score (NRS) to assess pain; (2) VAS, NRS, and duration to assess stiffness; (3) the modified Health Assessment Questionnaire and Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index to assess physical function; and (4) C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate to assess inflammation. Free-text answers were analyzed using descriptive thematic analysis to determine respondents' views of the candidate instruments. Seventy-eight people with PMR from 6 countries (UK, France, USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) participated in the survey. Most respondents agreed candidate instruments were acceptable or "good to go." Free-text analysis identified 5 themes that participants considered inadequately covered by the proposed instruments. These related to (1) the variability, context, and location of pain; (2) the variability of stiffness; (3) fatigue; (4) disability; and (5) the correlation of inflammatory marker levels and severity of symptoms, sometimes reflecting disease activity and other times not. Participants reported additional aspects of their experience that are not covered by the proposed instruments, particularly for the experience of stiffness and effect of fatigue. New patient-reported outcome measures are required to increase the relevance of results from clinical trials to patients with PMR.

Six Visual Rating Scales as A Biomarker for Monitoring Atrophied Brain Volume in Parkinson's Disease.

The focus of our investigation was to determine the feasibility of using six visual rating scales as whole-brain imaging markers for monitoring atrophied brain volume in Parkinson’s disease (PD). This was a prospective cross-sectional single-center observational study. A total of 98 PD patients were enrolled and underwent an MRI scan and a battery of neuropsychological evaluations. The brain volume was calculated using the online resource MRICloud. Brain atrophy was rated based on six visual rating scales. Correlation analysis was performed between visual rating scores and brain volume and clinical features. We found a significant negative correlation between the total scores of visual rating scores and quantitative brain volume, indicating that six visual rating scales reliably reflect whole brain atrophy in PD. Multiple linear regression-based analyses indicated severer non-motor symptoms were significantly associated with higher scores on the visual rating scales. Furthermore, we performed sample size calculations to evaluate the superiority of visual rating scales; the result show that using total scores of visual rating scales as an outcome measure, sample sizes for differentiating cognition injury require significantly fewer subjects (n = 177) compared with using total brain volume (n = 2524). Our data support the use of the total visual rating scores rather than quantitative brain volume as a biomarker for monitoring cerebral atrophy.

Quantitative Validation of a Visual Rating Scale for Defining High-Iron Putamen in Patients With Multiple System Atrophy.

Objectives: To validate a visual rating scale reflecting sub-regional patterns of putaminal hypointensity in susceptibility-weighted imaging of patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA).Methods: Using a visual rating scale (from G0 to G3), 2 examiners independently rated putaminal hypointensities of 37 MSA patients and 21 control subjects. To investigate the correlation with the scales, R2* values and the volume of the entire putamen were measured.Results: MSA patients with parkinsonian variant had significantly higher scores than those with cerebellar variant. Visual rating scores in MSA were correlated with R2* values [General estimating equation (GEE), Wald chi-square = 25.89, corrected p < 0.001] and volume (Wald chi-square = 75.44, corrected p < 0.001). They correlated with UPDRS motor scores. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed that the visual rating scale was a significant predictor for discriminating MSA patients from controls [multivariate model adjusted for age and sex, odds ratio 52.722 (corrected p = 0.009)]. Pairwise comparison between areas under the curve (AUCs) revealed that the visual rating scale demonstrated higher accuracy than R2* values [difference between AUCs; univariate model = 0.247 (corrected p < 0.001); multivariate model = 0.186 (corrected p = 0.003)]. There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics between the high-iron group, defined as putamen with visual rating scale ≥ G2 and R2* values ≥ third quartile, and the remaining patients.Conclusion: The visual rating scale, which reflects quantitative iron content and atrophy of the putamen as well as motor severities, could be useful for the discrimination and evaluation of patients with MSA.

Retinal layer thickness in preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

PurposeThere is urgent need for non‐invasive diagnostic biomarkers in the preclinical phase of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Several studies suggest that retinal thickness is reduced in AD. Here, we aim to test the diagnostic value of retinal thickness in preclinical AD, as defined by cognitively normal individuals with amyloid pathology on PET.MethodsOne hundred and sixty five cognitively healthy monozygotic twins aged ≥ 60 were included from the Netherlands Twin Register taking part in the European Medical Information Framework for Alzheimer's Disease PreclinAD study. Participants underwent [18F] flutemetamol PET that was visually rated for presence or absence of cortical amyloid beta (Aβ). Binding potential (BPND) was calculated as continuous measure for Aβ. Spectral Domain OCT was used to asses total and individual inner retinal layer thickness in the macular region (ETDRS circles) as well as peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) thickness. Differences between Aβ+ and Aβ− individuals and associations between BPND and retinal thickness were analyzed.ResultsNo differences were found in retinal layer thickness in the macula or pRNFL between Aβ+ and Aβ− individuals. A positive associations between BPND and macular total retinal thickness was observed in the inner ring (p = 0.018), but this was not statistically significant after correction for multiple testing (p = 0.144). Brain/eye parameters had moderate to high intra‐twin correlations (p < 0.001) except visual rating score of Aβ, which did not correlate (r = 0.21, p = 0.068).ConclusionVariation in retinal thickness likely reflects genetic differences between individuals, but cannot discriminate between healthy and preclinical AD cases, making its use as biomarker in these early stages limited.

Quantitative trait loci mapping of leaf rust resistance in tetraploid alfalfa

Alfalfa leaf rust caused by the fungal pathogen Uromyces striatus compromises forage yield and quality. We investigated the genetic basis of leaf rust resistance in alfalfa using an F1 mapping population segregating for resistance to the disease in addition to segregation for fall dormancy (FD) and winter hardiness (WH). The objective of this work was to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with alfalfa leaf rust resistance using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) SNP markers in the biparental F1 mapping population. The female parent 3010 displayed susceptibility to rust while the male parent CW 1010 was moderately resistant. The mapping population consisted of 184 F1 progenies that were planted with the parents in a randomized complete block (RCBD) design with three replications at Watkinsville and Blairsville, GA. Four clones generated from stem cuttings of each genotype were planted in each replication. Phenotyping rust severity (RS) was based on the NAAIC visual rating scores of 1–5. RS and FD exhibited a negative phenotypic correlation (r = −0.26). RS and WH also exhibited a negative correlation (r = −0.27) suggesting that the dormant and winter hardy genotypes were more susceptible to leaf rust than the non-dormant and cold sensitive. Four QTL for alfalfa leaf rust resistance and one QTL for rust susceptibility were identified in the CW 1010 genetic map while three QTL for rust susceptibility were identified in the 3010 parent. The most important QTL Us-RustR1 explained 13% (R2 = 0.13) of the phenotypic variance. This study suggests that leaf rust resistance in alfalfa is most likely incomplete and has polygenic inheritance. Comparative genome analysis of QTL regions using sequences of significant SNPs revealed homology to M. truncatula sequences that were previously reported for their role in plant defense mechanisms. Validation of the QTLs in different genetic backgrounds as well as fine mapping of the QTL regions would be the next step of this research. The markers presented in this study would be valuable resources for alfalfa genetic improvement via marker-assisted selection (MAS).

Initial clinical experience of a prototype ultra-high-resolution CT for assessment of small intracranial arteries.

Diagnostic and neurosurgical procedures require the precise localization of small intracranial arteries, but this may be difficult using conventional computed tomography angiography (CTA). This study was conducted to evaluate the quality of CTA images acquired using a prototype ultra-high-resolution computed tomography (U-HRCT) system compared with those acquired using a conventional computed tomography (C-CT) system. From July through September 2015, 10 adult patients (6 women and 4 men) previously scanned by C-CT were examined using U-HRCT to locate and assess cerebral aneurysms. The bilateral ophthalmic artery (Opth A), anterior choroidal artery (Acho A), and thalamoperforating arteries (TPAs) were visually evaluated in randomly presented CTA images. Images were graded on a 5-point scale, and differences in scores between U-HRCT and C-CT were evaluated by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Visual evaluation scores for images of the Opth A, Acho A, and TPAs were significantly higher for U-HRCT than for C-CT. U-HRCT images achieved good visualization (score > 3) for C-CT images with poor visualization (score < 3) in 66.7-100% of all the small arteries. U-HRCT is superior to C-CT for detecting and evaluating clinically significant small intracranial arteries.

Application of a multi-material artifact reduction algorithm in a wide-detector CT in the evaluation of the portal venous angiography of postoperative TIPS and embolization

Objective: To assess the effect of monochromatic images and metal artifact reduction (MAR) on the image quality of spectral CT portal venous angiography in patients with operation of after the performing transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt(TIPS) and embolization. Methods: From December 2017 to April 2018, the examination data of 28 patients with portal hypertension due to cirrhosis who underwent portal vein angiography 1 month after TIPS and embolization were prospectively collected. After spectral CT scanning in revolution CT, the monochromatic energy levels(60 keV, 120 keV), 60 keV + 120 keV, 120kV-like + 120 keV fused images combined with MAR algorithm were reconstructed. Quantitative parameters such as image artifact index (AI) and qualitative visual evaluation scores were recorded and compared. Results: The 120 keV monochromatic images showed the lowest AI value(30.8±8.5, 18.2±4.3) and highest metal artifacts reduction effect. The 60 keV monochromatic images showed the highest AI value (57.3±15.7, 32.1±7.9) and the lowest metal artifacts reduction effect. The AI value of 60 keV + 120 keV fused images was lower than that of 60 keV images(26.2%, 24.7%). The difference of AI value between each group was statistically significant(all P<0.05). The interobserver agreement in the subjective image scores was moderate with kappa value of 0.824. The overall image quality score of 60 keV + 120 keV fused image and the noise score of 120 kV-like+120 keV were higher than the remaining groups. The differences of the subjective scores among each group were statistically significant(all P<0.05). Conclusion: The spectral CT with MAR algorithm can effectively improve the image quality of portal vein angiography after the TIPS and embolization therapy and the 60 keV + 120 keV fused images can eliminate artifacts and ensure a clear display of blood vessels.