Contrast Enhancement Method Using Region-Based Dynamic Clipping Technique for LWIR-Based Thermal Camera of Night Vision Systems.

In the autonomous driving industry, there is a growing trend to employ long-wave infrared (LWIR)-based uncooled thermal-imaging cameras, capable of robustly collecting data even in extreme environments. Consequently, both industry and academia are actively researching contrast-enhancement techniques to improve the quality of LWIR-based thermal-imaging cameras. However, most research results only showcase experimental outcomes using mass-produced products that already incorporate contrast-enhancement techniques. Put differently, there is a lack of experimental data on contrast enhancement post-non-uniformity (NUC) and temperature compensation (TC) processes, which generate the images seen in the final products. To bridge this gap, we propose a histogram equalization (HE)-based contrast enhancement method that incorporates a region-based clipping technique. Furthermore, we present experimental results on the images obtained after applying NUC and TC processes. We simultaneously conducted visual and qualitative performance evaluations on images acquired after NUC and TC processes. In the visual evaluation, it was confirmed that the proposed method improves image clarity and contrast ratio compared to conventional HE-based methods, even in challenging driving scenarios such as tunnels. In the qualitative evaluation, the proposed method demonstrated upper-middle-class rankings in both image quality and processing speed metrics. Therefore, our proposed method proves to be effective for the essential contrast enhancement process in LWIR-based uncooled thermal-imaging cameras intended for autonomous driving platforms.

Development and validation of an automatic classification algorithm for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease using a high-performance interpretable deep learning network.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate an automatic classification algorithm for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODS AND MATERIALS: This study evaluated a high-performance interpretable network algorithm (TabNet) and compared its performance with that of XGBoost, a widely used classifier. Brain segmentation was performed using a commercially approved software. TabNet and XGBoost were trained on the volumes or radiomics features of 102 segmented regions for classifying subjects into AD, MCI, or cognitively normal (CN) groups. The diagnostic performances of the two algorithms were compared using areas under the curves (AUCs). Additionally, 20 deep learning-based AD signature areas were investigated. RESULTS: Between December 2014 and March 2017, 161 AD, 153 MCI, and 306 CN cases were enrolled. Another 120 AD, 90 MCI, and 141 CN cases were included for the internal validation. Public datasets were used for external validation. TabNet with volume features had an AUC of 0.951 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.947-0.955) for AD vs CN, which was similar to that of XGBoost (0.953 [95% CI, 0.951-0.955], p = 0.41). External validation revealed the similar performances of two classifiers using volume features (0.871 vs. 0.871, p = 0.86). Likewise, two algorithms showed similar performances with one another in classifying MCI. The addition of radiomics data did not improve the performance of TabNet. TabNet and XGBoost focused on the same 13/20 regions of interest, including the hippocampus, inferior lateral ventricle, and entorhinal cortex. CONCLUSIONS: TabNet shows high performance in AD classification and detailed interpretation of the selected regions. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Using a high-performance interpretable deep learning network, the automatic classification algorithm assisted in accurate Alzheimer's disease detection using 3D T1-weighted brain MRI and detailed interpretation of the selected regions. KEY POINTS: • MR volumetry data revealed that TabNet had a high diagnostic performance in differentiating Alzheimer's disease (AD) from cognitive normal cases, which was comparable with that of XGBoost. • The addition of radiomics data to the volume data did not improve the diagnostic performance of TabNet. • Both TabNet and XGBoost selected the clinically meaningful regions of interest in AD, including the hippocampus, inferior lateral ventricle, and entorhinal cortex.

DG-LoRa: Deterministic Group Acknowledgment Transmissions in LoRa Networks for Industrial IoT Applications.

In this paper, we propose a novel MAC protocol, called DG-LoRa, for improving scalability in low power wide area networks. DG-LoRa is backward compatible with legacy LoRaWAN and adds new features, such as group acknowledgment transmissions in the time-synchronized frame structure that supports determinism on channel access. In DG-LoRa, the number of responses to data frames that are transmitted from end devices is maximized by allocating the spreading factor and timeslot in the frame structure. We evaluate the performance of DG-LoRa using the Monte-Carlo simulation and then compare it with the performance of legacy LoRaWAN in terms of data drop rate and the number of retransmissions. Our numerical results show that DG-LoRa supports approximately five times more connections to the LoRa network satisfying a 5% data drop rate. Also, it is observed that DG-LoRa enables low overhead by reducing the number of data frame retransmissions.

Sex-biased gene expression in antennae of Drosophila suzukii.

Drosophila suzukii differs from other members of the genus Drosophila in its host preference and oviposition behavior. The flies are attracted to ripening fruits, and females have a serrated ovipositor enabling eggs to be laid inside the fruit. In addition to its huge economic impact, its unique chemoecological, morphological, and physiological characteristics have garnered considerable research interests. In this study, we analyzed D. suzukii antennal transcriptomes to identify sex-biased genes by comparison of differential gene expressions between male antennae (MA) and female antennae (FA). Among 13,583 total genes of the fly genome, 11,787 genes were expressed in either MA or FA. There are only 132 genes (9 in MA, 7 in FA, and 116 in both, FPKM >1) were expressed in antennae exclusively, and 2,570 genes (9 in MA, 0 in FA, and 2,561 in both) were enriched in antennae containing 185 and 113 sex-biased genes in MA and FA, respectively. Interestingly, many immune-related genes were highly expressed in MA, whereas several chemosensory genes were at high rank in FA. We identified 27 sex-biased chemosensory genes including odorant and gustatory receptors, odorant-binding proteins, chemosensory proteins, ionotropic receptors, and cytochrome P450s, and validated the gene expressions using quantitative real-time PCR. The highly expressed sex-biased genes in antennae are likely involved in the fly specific mating, host-finding behaviors, or sex-specific functions. The molecular results demonstrated here will facilitate to find the unique chemoreception of D. suzukii, as well as on the development of new management strategies for this pest.

Morphological and functional heterogeneity in olfactory perception between antennae and maxillary palps in the pumpkin fruit fly, Bactrocera depressa.

The morphology and ultrastructure of the olfactory sensilla on the antennae and maxillary palps were investigated through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and their responses to five volatile compounds were measured using electroantenogram (EAG) and electropalpogram (EPG) techniques in the pumpkin fruit fly, Bactrocera depressa (Shiraki; Diptera: Tephritidae). Male and female B. depressa displayed distinct morphological types of olfactory sensilla in the antennae and maxillary palps, with predominant populations of trichoid, basiconic, and coeloconic sensilla. Basiconic sensilla, the most abundant type of olfactory sensilla in the antennae, could be further classified into two different types. In contrast, the maxillary palps exhibited predominant populations of a single type of curved basiconic sensilla. High-resolution SEM observation revealed the presence of multiple nanoscale wall-pores on the cuticular surface of trichoid and basiconic sensilla, indicating that their primary function is olfactory. In contrast, coeloconic sensilla displayed several longitudinal grooves around the sensillum peg. The TEM observation of individual antennal olfactory sensilla indicates that the basiconic sensilla are thin-walled, while the trichoid sensilla are thick-walled. The profile of EAG responses of male B. depressa was different from their EPG response profile, indicating that the olfactory function of maxillary palps is different from that of antennae in this species. The structural and functional variation in the olfactory sensilla between antennae and maxillary palps suggests that each plays an independent role in the perception of olfactory signals in B. depressa.

Species-Specific Interactions between Plant Metabolites and Insect Juvenile Hormone Receptors.

Because juvenile hormone (JH) controls insect development and its analogs are used as insecticides, juvenile hormone disruptors (JHDs) represent potential sources from which novel pesticides can be developed. Many plant species harbor JHD activity, which has previously been attributed plant secondary metabolites (i.e., diterpenes) that disrupt insect development by interfering with the JH-mediated heterodimer formation of insect juvenile receptor complexes. The results of the present study indicate that plant JHD activity is also concentrated in certain plant groups and families and that plant metabolites have insect group-specific activity. These findings suggest that reciprocal diversification has occurred between plants and insects through the evolution of the plant metabolites and JH receptors, respectively, and that plant metabolites could be developed into insect group-specific pesticides with limited effects on non-target species.

Olfactory attraction mediated by the maxillary palps in the striped fruit fly, Bactrocera scutellata: Electrophysiological and behavioral study.

Here, we report that the olfactory attraction of the striped fruit fly, Bactrocera scutellata (Hendel; Diptera: Tephritidae), a serious pest of pumpkin and other cucurbitaceae plants, to cue lure and raspberry ketone is mediated by the maxillary palps. The antennae, bearing three morphological types (basiconic, trichoid, and coeloconic) of olfactory sensilla, in male and female B. scutellata exhibited significant electroantennogram (EAG) responses to a plant volatile compound, 3-octanone, and methyl eugenol, whereas cue lure, raspberry ketone, and zingerone that are known to attract several other species of Bactrocera fruit flies elicited no significant EAG responses from both sexes. In contrast, maxillary palps, housing one morphological type of basiconic sensilla, displayed the largest electropalpogram (EPG) responses to cue lure followed by raspberry ketone among the five compounds tested in male and female B. scutellata, with only minor EPG responses to 3-octanone, which indicates that the maxillary palps are responsible for detecting cue lure and raspberry ketone in this species. In field trapping experiments, significant number of male B. scutellata were captured in the traps baited with cue lure or raspberry ketone, in which the attractiveness of cue lure was significantly higher than that of raspberry ketone. Methyl eugenol and zingerone were not behaviorally attractive to B. scutellata although they elicited significant EPG responses. Our study indicates that the behavioral attraction of B. scutellata to cue lure and raspberry ketone is mediated by the olfactory sensory neurons present in the maxillary palps.

Identification of plant compounds that disrupt the insect juvenile hormone receptor complex.

Insects impact human health through vector-borne diseases and cause major economic losses by damaging crops and stored agricultural products. Insect-specific growth regulators represent attractive control agents because of their safety to the environment and humans. We identified plant compounds that serve as juvenile hormone antagonists (PJHANs). Using the yeast two-hybrid system transformed with the mosquito JH receptor as a reporter system, we demonstrate that PJHANs affect the JH receptor, methoprene-tolerant (Met), by disrupting its complex with CYCLE or FISC, formation of which is required for mediating JH action. We isolated five diterpene secondary metabolites with JH antagonist activity from two plants: Lindera erythrocarpa and Solidago serotina. They are effective in causing mortality of mosquito larvae at relatively low LD50 values. Topical application of two diterpenes caused reduction in the expression of Met target genes and retardation of follicle development in mosquito ovaries. Hence, the newly discovered PJHANs may lead to development of a new class of safe and effective pesticides.

Characterization of Elastic Polymer-Based Smart Insole and a Simple Foot Plantar Pressure Visualization Method Using 16 Electrodes.

In this paper, we propose a smart insole for inexpensive plantar pressure sensing and a simple visualizing scheme. The insole is composed of two elastomeric layers and two electrode layers where the common top electrode is submerged in the insole. The upper elastomeric layer is non-conductive poly-dimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) and supports plantar pressure buffering and the lower layer is carbon nano-tube (CNT)-dispersed PDMS for pressure sensing through piezo-resistivity. Under the lower sensing layer are 16 bottom electrodes for pressure distribution sensing without cell-to-cell interference. Since no soldering or sewing is needed the smart insole manufacturing processes is simple and cost-effective. The pressure sensitivity and time response of the material was measured and based on the 16 sensing data of the smart insole, we virtually extended the frame size for continuous and smoothed pressure distribution image with the help of a simple pseudo interpolation scheme.

Conifer Diterpene Resin Acids Disrupt Juvenile Hormone-Mediated Endocrine Regulation in the Indian Meal Moth Plodia interpunctella.

Diterpene resin acids (DRAs) are important components of oleoresin and greatly contribute to the defense strategies of conifers against herbivorous insects. In the present study, we determined that DRAs function as insect juvenile hormone (JH) antagonists that interfere with the juvenile hormone-mediated binding of the JH receptor Methoprene-tolerant (Met) and steroid receptor coactivator (SRC). Using a yeast two-hybrid system transformed with Met and SRC from the Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella, we tested the interfering activity of 3704 plant extracts against JH III-mediated Met-SRC binding. Plant extracts from conifers, especially members of the Pinaceae, exhibited strong interfering activity, and four active interfering DRAs (7α-dehydroabietic acid, 7-oxodehydroabietic acid, dehydroabietic acid, and sandaracopimaric acid) were isolated from roots of the Japanese pine Pinus densiflora. The four isolated DRAs, along with abietic acid, disrupted the juvenile hormone-mediated binding of P. interpunctella Met and SRC, although only 7-oxodehydroabietic acid disrupted larval development. These results demonstrate that DRAs may play a defensive role against herbivorous insects via insect endocrine-disrupting activity.

IFT46 plays an essential role in cilia development.

Cilia are microtubule-based structures that project into the extracellular space. Ciliary defects are associated with several human diseases, including polycystic kidney disease, primary ciliary dyskinesia, left-right axis patterning, hydrocephalus and retinal degeneration. However, the genetic and cellular biological control of ciliogenesis remains poorly understood. The IFT46 is one of the highly conserved intraflagellar transport complex B proteins. In zebrafish, ift46 is expressed in various ciliated tissues such as Kupffer׳s vesicle, pronephric ducts, ears and spinal cord. We show that ift46 is localized to the basal body. Knockdown of ift46 gene results in multiple phenotypes associated with various ciliopathies including kidney cysts, pericardial edema and ventral axis curvature. In ift46 morphants, cilia in kidney and spinal canal are shortened and abnormal. Similar ciliary defects are observed in otic vesicles, lateral line hair cells, olfactory pits, but not in Kupffer׳s vesicle. To explore the functions of Ift46 during mouse development, we have generated Ift46 knock-out mice. The Ift46 mutants have developmental defects in brain, neural tube and heart. In particular Ift46(-/-) homozygotes displays randomization of the embryo heart looping, which is a hallmark of defective left-right (L/R) axis patterning. Taken together, our results demonstrated that IFT46 has an essential role in vertebrate ciliary development.

Ingenane-type diterpene compounds from Euphorbia kansui modulate IFN-γ production through NF-κB activation.

BACKGROUND: Euphorbia kansui, a traditional medical herb, has been shown to have anti-tumour and anti-viral activities. Previously, we have reported that E. kansui increases interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production in natural killer (NK) cells. However, it is not clear how E. kansui regulates IFN-γ secretion by NK cells. RESULTS: In this study, E. kansui was separated into six individual compounds from the same chloroform fraction so that the activity of each compound could be compared. E. kansui compounds induced IFN-γ secretion through the phosphorylation of protein kinase D and IκB kinase pathways. Furthermore, E. kansui compounds activated the translocation of p65, a sub-unit of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), to the nucleus and induced NF-κB at the transcriptional level. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that E. kansui enhances IFN-γ secretion through the NF-κB pathway in NK cells. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Hyunsoonleella udoensis sp. nov., isolated from a gravel sample from a beach of Udo island, Korea.

A Gram-stain negative, non-motile, rod-shaped and aerobic bacterial strain, designated JG48(T), was isolated from a gravel sample taken from a beach adjacent to Udo island, South Korea. Strain JG48(T) was found to grow optimally at 25 °C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain JG48(T) exhibited sequence similarities of 96.67 % to Hyunsoonleella jejuensis CNU004(T). The major fatty acids present in the strain JG48(T) were identified as iso-C15:0, iso-C15:1 G, iso-C17:0 3-OH and iso-C15:0 3-OH. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was identified as MK-6. The polar lipids profile of strain JG48(T) was found to consist of phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified amino lipids and four unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain JG48(T) was determined to be 34 mol%. Based on the morphological and physiological properties, and the results of phylogenetic analyses, the strain is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Hyunsoonleella, for which the name Hyunsoonleella udoensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JG48(T) (=KCTC 42341(T)=JCM 30600(T)).

Luteimicrobium xylanilyticum sp. nov., isolated from the gut of a long-horned beetle, Massicus raddei.

A novel strain, designated W-15(T), was isolated from the gut of a long-horned beetle, Massicus raddei, collected in South Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the strains belonged to the suborder Micrococcineae. Strain W-15(T) was most closely related to Luteimicrobium album RI148-Li105(T) (97.9 % similarity). Strain W-15(T) was Gram-stain-positive, rod- and coccus-shaped and non-motile. Growth was observed at 15-37 °C, at pH 4.5-8.5 and in the presence of 0-5.0 % NaCl. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of the strain was A4α (l-Lys-d-Ser-d-Asp). The major menaquinone present in this strain was MK-8 (H2) and the major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, an unknown lipid, an unknown phospholipid and an unknown phosphoglycolipid. The G+C content of genomic DNA of the strain was 73.8 mol%. On the basis of evidence from our polyphasic taxonomic study, strain W-15(T) is classified as representing a novel species in the suborder Micrococcineae, for which the name Luteimicrobium xylanilyticum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of this species is strain W-15(T) ( = KCTC 19882(T) = JCM 18090(T)).

Antarctobacter jejuensis sp. nov., isolated from seawater in Jeju, Korea.

A novel bacterium, designated strain 13-2-B6(T), was isolated from seawater adjacent to Songak Mountain on Jeju Island, South Korea. The novel strain was observed to be Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped and motile with a single polar flagellum. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain 13-2-B6(T) was determined to be phylogenetically closely related to the type strain of Antarctobacter heliothermus, currently the sole species of the genus Antarctobacter (family Rhodobacteraceae). Sequence similarity between the 16S rRNA genes of strain 13-2-B6(T) and A. heliothermus EL-219(T) is 96.9 %. Strain 13-2-B6(T) was found to grow optimally at 25-30 °C, pH 7.0-8.0 and 3 % (w/v) NaCl. The predominant isoprenoid quinone in strain 13-2-B6(T) was identified as ubiquinone Q-10 and the major fatty acids were identified as C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c. Phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, two unknown aminolipids, two unknown phospholipids, an unknown glycolipid and an unknown lipid were found to be components of the polar lipid profile. The G + C content of strain 13-2-B6(T) was determined to be 62 mol %. On the basis of its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain 13-2-B6(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Antarctobacter, for which the name Antarctobacter jejuensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 13-2-B6(T) (=KCTC 42009(T) =JCM 19898(T)).

Polaribacter sejongensis sp. nov., isolated from Antarctic soil, and emended descriptions of the genus Polaribacter, Polaribacter butkevichii and Polaribacter irgensii.

A Gram-staining-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, non-motile bacterium, designated strain KOPRI 21160(T), was isolated from Antarctic soil. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain KOPRI 21160(T) was found to belong to the genus Polaribacter. Sequence similarity between strain KOPRI 21160(T) and the type strains of species of the genus Polaribacter was 94.2-98.3 %. The nearest phylogenetic neighbours of strain KOPRI 21160(T) were Polaribacter butkevichii KCTC 12100(T) (98.3 % similarity) and Polaribacter irgensii KCTC 23136(T) (97.5 %). DNA-DNA relatedness was 50.6 %, between strain KOPRI 21160(T) and P. butkevichii KCTC 12100(T), and 45.2 % between strain KOPRI 21160(T) and P. irgensii KCTC 23136(T). Strain KOPRI 21160(T) grew at 4-37 °C and at pH 7.0-8.5. It could hydrolyse DNA, starch and Tweens 20, 40, 60 and 80. Menaquinone-6 (MK-6) was the only respiratory quinone, and iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 3-OH and C15 : 1ω6c were the major cellular fatty acids. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content was 30.0 mol%. Based on data from our polyphasic study, the organism is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Polaribacter, for which we propose the name Polaribacter sejongensis sp. nov. The type strain is KOPRI 21160(T) ( = KCTC 23670(T) = JCM 18092(T)). Emended descriptions of the genus Polaribacter, Polaribacter butkevichii Nedashkovskaya et al. 2005 and Polaribacter irgensii Gosink et al. 1998 are also proposed.

Pedobacter luteus sp. nov., isolated from soil.

Two strains of Gram-staining-negative, rod-shaped bacteria that were motile by gliding, N7d-4(T) and B4a-b5, were isolated during a study of culturable bacteria in soil cultivated with potatoes. These isolates grew at 15-37 °C and at pH 6.5-7.0. The major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (iso-C15 : 0 2-OH and/or C16 : 1ω7c), anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and iso-C17 : 1ω9c. The major polar lipids were phosphatidyl-N-methylethanolamine and phosphatidylethanolamine. The strains contained d-18 : 0 and d-19 : 0 sphingosines. The DNA G+C contents of strains N7d-4(T) and B4a-b5 were 48.5 and 46.9 mol% (HPLC), respectively. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains N7d-4(T) and B4a-b5 were affiliated with Pedobacter species in the family Sphingobacteriaceae. Strains N7d-4(T) and B4a-b5 shared 99.9 % sequence similarity, and the most closely related Pedobacter type strains were Pedobacter composti TR6-06(T) (96.5 and 96.7 % sequence similarity, respectively), P. oryzae N7(T) (95.4 and 95.6 %) and P. caeni LMG 22862(T) (94.0 and 94.4 %). Phenotypic data and phylogenetic inference clearly distinguished the two isolates from other Pedobacter species. Based on these data, the isolates are considered to represent a novel species of the genus Pedobacter, for which the name Pedobacter luteus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is N7d-4(T) ( = KCTC 22699(T)  = DSM 22385(T)).

Altererythrobacter troitsensis sp. nov., isolated from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius.

An aerobic, halotolerant, Gram-negative bacterium was isolated from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius and subjected to taxonomic characterization. The strain, designated KMM 6042(T), was rod-shaped, motile and yellow-pigmented. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the strain was most closely related to the type strain of Altererythrobacter dongtanensis, and the level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between the two was 99.0 %. However, the DNA-DNA relatedness between the two strains was 34.4 ± 7.6 %. Physiological and chemotaxonomic properties clearly distinguished the novel strain from other species of the genus Altererythrobacter. It is thus evident from the phylogenetic and phenotypic analyses that strain KMM 6042(T) merits recognition as a novel species of the genus Altererythrobacter, for which the name Altererythrobacter troitsensis sp. nov. (type strain, KMM 6042(T) = KCTC 12303(T) = JCM 17037(T)) is proposed.

Establishment of a transgenic zebrafish EF1α:Kaede for monitoring cell proliferation during regeneration.

Zebrafish is considered as a versatile experimental animal for various research models from development to diseases. In this study, we report the development of transgenic zebrafish line named as Tg(EF1α:Kaede) that expresses translation elongation factor 1 subunit alpha (EF1α) promoter linked to a fluorescent protein (FP), Kaede for monitoring proliferating cells in during regeneration. It was revealed that about 1.4 kb 5'-flanking region of the EF1α was sufficient for its promoter activity. Expression of Kaede with a property of photo-conversion from green to red was detected in different embryonic stages as well as various organs such as brain, heart, pancreas, intestine, ovary, and fins of adult fish. Cell proliferation pattern during fin regeneration was monitored after amputation of Tg(EF1α:Kaede) caudal fin and results shown that this system is simple and efficient method for detecting proliferating cells during tissue regeneration. Developed Tg(EF1α:Kaede) line has potential to investigate the cell proliferation, regeneration, wound healing capacities after tissue damage and evaluate the therapeutic power of wound healing drugs.

Reporting Quality of Research Studies on AI Applications in Medical Images According to the CLAIM Guidelines in a Radiology Journal With a Strong Prominence in Asia.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the reporting quality of research articles that applied deep learning to medical imaging. Using the Checklist for Artificial Intelligence in Medical Imaging (CLAIM) guidelines and a journal with prominence in Asia as a sample, we intended to provide an insight into reporting quality in the Asian region and establish a journal-specific audit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 38 articles published in the Korean Journal of Radiology between June 2018 and January 2023 were analyzed. The analysis included calculating the percentage of studies that adhered to each CLAIM item and identifying items that were met by ≤ 50% of the studies. The article review was initially conducted independently by two reviewers, and the consensus results were used for the final analysis. We also compared adherence rates to CLAIM before and after December 2020. RESULTS: Of the 42 items in the CLAIM guidelines, 12 items (29%) were satisfied by ≤ 50% of the included articles. None of the studies reported handling missing data (item #13). Only one study respectively presented the use of de-identification methods (#12), intended sample size (#19), robustness or sensitivity analysis (#30), and full study protocol (#41). Of the studies, 35% reported the selection of data subsets (#10), 40% reported registration information (#40), and 50% measured inter and intrarater variability (#18). No significant changes were observed in the rates of adherence to these 12 items before and after December 2020. CONCLUSION: The reporting quality of artificial intelligence studies according to CLAIM guidelines, in our study sample, showed room for improvement. We recommend that the authors and reviewers have a solid understanding of the relevant reporting guidelines and ensure that the essential elements are adequately reported when writing and reviewing the manuscripts for publication.