Reproducibility in Radiomics: A Comparison of Feature Extraction Methods and Two Independent Datasets.

Radiomics involves the extraction of information from medical images that are not visible to the human eye. There is evidence that these features can be used for treatment stratification and outcome prediction. However, there is much discussion about the reproducibility of results between different studies. This paper studies the reproducibility of CT texture features used in radiomics, comparing two feature extraction implementations, namely the MATLAB toolkit and Pyradiomics, when applied to independent datasets of CT scans of patients: (i) the open access RIDER dataset containing a set of repeat CT scans taken 15 min apart for 31 patients (RIDER Scan 1 and Scan 2, respectively) treated for lung cancer; and (ii) the open access HN1 dataset containing 137 patients treated for head and neck cancer. Gross tumor volume (GTV), manually outlined by an experienced observer available on both datasets, was used. The 43 common radiomics features available in MATLAB and Pyradiomics were calculated using two intensity-level quantization methods with and without an intensity threshold. Cases were ranked for each feature for all combinations of quantization parameters, and the Spearman's rank coefficient, rs, calculated. Reproducibility was defined when a highly correlated feature in the RIDER dataset also correlated highly in the HN1 dataset, and vice versa. A total of 29 out of the 43 reported stable features were found to be highly reproducible between MATLAB and Pyradiomics implementations, having a consistently high correlation in rank ordering for RIDER Scan 1 and RIDER Scan 2 (rs > 0.8). 18/43 reported features were common in the RIDER and HN1 datasets, suggesting they may be agnostic to disease site. Useful radiomics features should be selected based on reproducibility. This study identified a set of features that meet this requirement and validated the methodology for evaluating reproducibility between datasets.

The Application of Radiomics and AI to Molecular Imaging for Prostate Cancer.

Molecular imaging is a key tool in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer (PCa). Magnetic Resonance (MR) plays a major role in this respect with nuclear medicine imaging, particularly, Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen-based, (PSMA-based) positron emission tomography with computed tomography (PET/CT) also playing a major role of rapidly increasing importance. Another key technology finding growing application across medicine and specifically in molecular imaging is the use of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). Several authoritative reviews are available of the role of MR-based molecular imaging with a sparsity of reviews of the role of PET/CT. This review will focus on the use of AI for molecular imaging for PCa. It will aim to achieve two goals: firstly, to give the reader an introduction to the AI technologies available, and secondly, to provide an overview of AI applied to PET/CT in PCa. The clinical applications include diagnosis, staging, target volume definition for treatment planning, outcome prediction and outcome monitoring. ML and AL techniques discussed include radiomics, convolutional neural networks (CNN), generative adversarial networks (GAN) and training methods: supervised, unsupervised and semi-supervised learning.

Ivermectin for COVID-19 in adults in the community (PRINCIPLE): An open, randomised, controlled, adaptive platform trial of short- and longer-term outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The evidence for whether ivermectin impacts recovery, hospital admissions, and longer-term outcomes in COVID-19 is contested. The WHO recommends its use only in the context of clinical trials. METHODS: In this multicentre, open-label, multi-arm, adaptive platform randomised controlled trial, we included participants aged ≥18 years in the community, with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, and symptoms lasting ≤14 days. Participants were randomised to usual care, usual care plus ivermectin tablets (target 300-400 µg/kg per dose, once daily for 3 days), or usual care plus other interventions. Co-primary endpoints were time to first self-reported recovery, and COVID-19 related hospitalisation/death within 28 days, analysed using Bayesian models. Recovery at 6 months was the primary, longer term outcome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN86534580. FINDINGS: The primary analysis included 8811 SARS-CoV-2 positive participants (median symptom duration 5 days), randomised to ivermectin (n = 2157), usual care (n = 3256), and other treatments (n = 3398) from June 23, 2021 to July 1, 2022. Time to self-reported recovery was shorter in the ivermectin group compared with usual care (hazard ratio 1·15 [95% Bayesian credible interval, 1·07 to 1·23], median decrease 2.06 days [1·00 to 3·06]), probability of meaningful effect (pre-specified hazard ratio ≥1.2) 0·192). COVID-19-related hospitalisations/deaths (odds ratio 1·02 [0·63 to 1·62]; estimated percentage difference 0% [-1% to 0·6%]), serious adverse events (three and five respectively), and the proportion feeling fully recovered were similar in both groups at 6 months (74·3% and 71·2% respectively (RR = 1·05, [1·02 to 1·08]) and also at 3 and 12 months. INTERPRETATION: Ivermectin for COVID-19 is unlikely to provide clinically meaningful improvement in recovery, hospital admissions, or longer-term outcomes. Further trials of ivermectin for SARS-Cov-2 infection in vaccinated community populations appear unwarranted. FUNDING: UKRI/National Institute of Health Research (MC_PC_19079).

Randomized controlled trial of molnupiravir SARS-CoV-2 viral and antibody response in at-risk adult outpatients.

Viral clearance, antibody response and the mutagenic effect of molnupiravir has not been elucidated in at-risk populations. Non-hospitalised participants within 5 days of SARS-CoV-2 symptoms randomised to receive molnupiravir (n = 253) or Usual Care (n = 324) were recruited to study viral and antibody dynamics and the effect of molnupiravir on viral whole genome sequence from 1437 viral genomes. Molnupiravir accelerates viral load decline, but virus is detectable by Day 5 in most cases. At Day 14 (9 days post-treatment), molnupiravir is associated with significantly higher viral persistence and significantly lower anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody titres compared to Usual Care. Serial sequencing reveals increased mutagenesis with molnupiravir treatment. Persistence of detectable viral RNA at Day 14 in the molnupiravir group is associated with higher transition mutations following treatment cessation. Viral viability at Day 14 is similar in both groups with post-molnupiravir treated samples cultured up to 9 days post cessation of treatment. The current 5-day molnupiravir course is too short. Longer courses should be tested to reduce the risk of potentially transmissible molnupiravir-mutated variants being generated. Trial registration: ISRCTN30448031.

Differential Etching of Rays at Wood Surfaces Exposed to an Oxygen Glow Discharge Plasma.

Basswood samples were exposed to oxygen glow-discharge plasmas for 30 min, and etching of radial and tangential longitudinal surfaces was measured. It was hypothesized that there would be a positive correlation between etching and plasma energy, and differential etching of wood surfaces because of variation in the microstructure and chemical composition of different woody tissues. Etching at the surface of basswood samples was examined using profilometry. Light and scanning electron microscopy were used to examine the microstructure of samples exposed to plasma. There was a large effect of plasma energy on etching of basswood surfaces, and radial surfaces were etched to a greater extent than tangential surfaces. However, rays at radial surfaces were more resistant to etching than fibers, resulting in greater variation in the etching of radial versus tangential surfaces. The same phenomenon occurred at radial surfaces of balsa wood, jelutong and New Zealand white pine subjected to plasma etching. The possible reasons for the greater resistance of rays to plasma etching are explored, and it is suggested that such differential etching of wood surfaces may impose a limitation on the use of plasma to precisely etch functional patterns at wood surfaces (raised pillars, grooves), as has been done with other materials.

Cost-utility analysis of molnupiravir plus usual care versus usual care alone as early treatment for community-based adults with COVID-19 and increased risk of adverse outcomes in the UK PANORAMIC trial.

BACKGROUND: The cost-effectiveness of molnupiravir, an oral antiviral for early treatment of SARS-CoV-2, has not been established in vaccinated populations. AIM: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of molnupiravir relative to usual care alone among mainly vaccinated community-based people at higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 over six months. DESIGN AND SETTING: Economic evaluation of the PANORAMIC trial in the UK. METHOD: A cost-utility analysis that adopted a UK National Health Service and personal social services perspective and a six-month time horizon was performed using PANORAMIC trial data. Cost-effectiveness was expressed in terms of incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses assessed the impacts of uncertainty and heterogeneity. Threshold analysis explored the price for molnupiravir consistent with likely reimbursement. RESULTS: In the base case analysis, molnupiravir had higher mean costs of £449 (95% confidence interval [CI] 445 to 453) and higher mean QALYs of 0.0055 (95% CI 0.004 to 0.007) than usual care (mean incremental cost per QALY of £81190). Sensitivity and subgroup analyses showed similar results, except those aged ≥75 years with a 55% probability of being cost-effective at a £30000 per QALY threshold. Molnupiravir would have to be priced around £147 per course to be cost-effective at a £15000 per QALY threshold. CONCLUSION: Molnupiravir at the current cost of £513 per course is unlikely to be cost-effective relative to usual care over a six-month time horizon among mainly vaccinated COVID-19 patients at increased risk of adverse outcomes, except those aged ≥75 years.

Small is Powerful: Demonstration of the Impact of Nanoformed Piroxicam in a Controlled Clinical Study.

PURPOSE: New solutions are needed to enable the efficient use of poorly water-soluble drugs. Therefore, we aimed to demonstrate that decreasing particle size with a solution-to-particle method known as nanoforming can improve dissolution and thus bioavailability. METHODS: Piroxicam, a poorly water-soluble non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), was used as a model compound. A Quality-by-Design (QbD) approach was used to nanoform piroxicam and a design space was established. The pharmacokinetics of piroxicam nanoparticles were compared to two marketed products in a clinical trial. RESULTS: Nanoformed tablets showed a 33% increase in exposure during the first hour after dosing (AUC0-1 h) compared with an immediate release tablet and was similar to a fast absorbing tablet incorporating complexation of piroxicam with ß-cyclodextrin. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that nanoforming enabled more rapid absorption in comparison to a typical marketed tablet and indicate that nanoforming is an alternative to complex formulation such as cyclodextrins based products. The study outcomes support the potential of nanoforming for producing fast-acting dosage forms of poorly soluble drugs.

Platform adaptive trial of novel antivirals for early treatment of COVID-19 In the community (PANORAMIC): protocol for a randomised, controlled, open-label, adaptive platform trial of community novel antiviral treatment of COVID-19 in people at increased risk of more severe disease.

INTRODUCTION: There is an urgent need to determine the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of novel antiviral treatments for COVID-19 in vaccinated patients in the community at increased risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: PANORAMIC is a UK-wide, open-label, prospective, adaptive, multiarm platform, randomised clinical trial that evaluates antiviral treatments for COVID-19 in the community. A master protocol governs the addition of new antiviral treatments as they become available, and the introduction and cessation of existing interventions via interim analyses. The first two interventions to be evaluated are molnupiravir (Lagevrio) and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid). ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: community-dwelling within 5 days of onset of symptomatic COVID-19 (confirmed by PCR or lateral flow test), and either (1) aged 50 years and over, or (2) aged 18-49 years with qualifying comorbidities. Registration occurs via the trial website and by telephone. Recruitment occurs remotely through the central trial team, or in person through clinical sites. Participants are randomised to receive either usual care or a trial drug plus usual care. Outcomes are collected via a participant-completed daily electronic symptom diary for 28 days post randomisation. Participants and/or their Trial Partner are contacted by the research team after days 7, 14 and 28 if the diary is not completed, or if the participant is unable to access the diary. The primary efficacy endpoint is all-cause, non-elective hospitalisation and/or death within 28 days of randomisation. Multiple prespecified interim analyses allow interventions to be stopped for futility or superiority based on prespecified decision criteria. A prospective economic evaluation is embedded within the trial. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval granted by South Central-Berkshire REC number: 21/SC/0393; IRAS project ID: 1004274. Results will be presented to policymakers and at conferences, and published in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN30448031; EudraCT number: 2021-005748-31.

Including older people in health and social care research: best practice recommendations based on the INCLUDE framework.

BACKGROUND: Older people are often explicitly or implicitly excluded from research, in particular clinical trials. This means that study findings may not be applicable to them, or that older people may not be offered treatments due to an absence of evidence. AIMS: The aim of this work was to develop recommendations to guide all research relevant to older people. METHODS: A diverse stakeholder group identified barriers and solutions to including older people in research. In parallel, a rapid literature review of published papers was undertaken to identify existing papers on the inclusion of older people in research. The findings were synthesised and mapped onto a socio-ecological model. From the synthesis we identified themes that were developed into initial recommendations that were iteratively refined with the stakeholder group. RESULTS: A range of individual, interpersonal, organisational, community and policy factors impact on the inclusion of older people in research. A total of 14 recommendations were developed such as removing upper age limits and comorbidity exclusions, involving older people, advocates and health and social care professionals with expertise in ageing in designing the research, and considering flexible or alternative approaches to data collection to maximise opportunities for participation. We also developed four questions that may guide those developing, reviewing and funding research that is inclusive of older people. CONCLUSION: Our recommendations provide up to date, practical advice on ways to improve the inclusion of older people in health and care research.

Obesity and chronic kidney disease: A current review.

Background: Obesity poses significant challenges to healthcare globally, particularly through its bi-directional relationship with co-morbid metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. There is also emerging evidence of an association between obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD) which is less well characterized. Methods: A literature search of electronic libraries was conducted to identify and present a narrative review of the interplay between obesity and CKD. Findings: Obesity may predispose to CKD directly as it is linked to the histopathological finding of obesity-related glomerulopathy and indirectly through its widely recognized complications such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. The biochemical and endocrine products of adipose tissue contribute to pathophysiological processes such as inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and proteinuria. The prevention and management of obesity may prove critical in counteracting both the development and advancement of CKD. Moreover, measures of abdominal adiposity such as waist circumference, are generally associated with worse morbidity and mortality in individuals receiving maintenance hemodialysis. Conclusion: Obesity is a risk factor for the onset and progression of CKD and should be recognized as a potential target for a preventative public health approach to reduce CKD rates within the general population. Future research should focus on the use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors in patients with CKD and obesity due to their multi-faceted actions on major outcomes.

A likelihood-based particle imaging filter using prior information.

BACKGROUND: Particle imaging can increase precision in proton and ion therapy. Interactions with nuclei in the imaged object increase image noise and reduce image quality, especially for multinucleon ions that can fragment, such as helium. PURPOSE: This work proposes a particle imaging filter, referred to as the Prior Filter, based on using prior information in the form of an estimated relative stopping power (RSP) map and the principles of electromagnetic interaction, to identify particles that have undergone nuclear interaction. The particles identified as having undergone nuclear interactions are then excluded from the image reconstruction, reducing the image noise. METHODS: The Prior Filter uses Fermi-Eyges scattering and Tschalär straggling theories to determine the likelihood that a particle only interacts electromagnetically. A threshold is then set to reject those particles with a low likelihood. The filter was evaluated and compared with a filter that estimates this likelihood based on the measured distribution of energy and scattering angle within pixels, commonly implemented as the 3σ filter. Reconstructed radiographs from simulated data of a 20-cm water cylinder and an anthropomorphic chest phantom were generated with both protons and helium ions to assess the effect of the filters on noise reduction. The simulation also allowed assessment of secondary particle removal through the particle histories. Experimental data were acquired of the Catphan CTP 404 Sensitometry phantom using the U.S. proton CT (pCT) collaboration prototype scanner. The proton and helium images were filtered with both the prior filtering method and a state-of-the-art method including an implementation of the 3σ filter. For both cases, a dE-E telescope filter, designed for this type of detector, was also applied. RESULTS: The proton radiographs showed a small reduction in noise (1 mm of water-equivalent thickness [WET]) but a larger reduction in helium radiographs (up to 5-6 mm of WET) due to better secondary filtering. The proton and helium CT images reflected this, with similar noise at the center of the phantom (0.02 RSP) for the proton images and an RSP noise of 0.03 for the proposed filter and 0.06 for the 3σ filter in the helium images. Images reconstructed from data with a dose reduction, up to a factor of 9, maintained a lower noise level using the Prior Filter over the state-of-the-art filtering method. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed filter results in images with equal or reduced noise compared to those that have undergone a filtering method typical of current particle imaging studies. This work also demonstrates that the proposed filter maintains better performance against the state of the art with up to a nine-fold dose reduction.

Molnupiravir plus usual care versus usual care alone as early treatment for adults with COVID-19 at increased risk of adverse outcomes (PANORAMIC): an open-label, platform-adaptive randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of molnupiravir, an oral antiviral medication for SARS-CoV-2, has not been established in vaccinated patients in the community at increased risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. We aimed to establish whether the addition of molnupiravir to usual care reduced hospital admissions and deaths associated with COVID-19 in this population. METHODS: PANORAMIC was a UK-based, national, multicentre, open-label, multigroup, prospective, platform adaptive randomised controlled trial. Eligible participants were aged 50 years or older-or aged 18 years or older with relevant comorbidities-and had been unwell with confirmed COVID-19 for 5 days or fewer in the community. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive 800 mg molnupiravir twice daily for 5 days plus usual care or usual care only. A secure, web-based system (Spinnaker) was used for randomisation, which was stratified by age (<50 years vs ≥50 years) and vaccination status (yes vs no). COVID-19 outcomes were tracked via a self-completed online daily diary for 28 days after randomisation. The primary outcome was all-cause hospitalisation or death within 28 days of randomisation, which was analysed using Bayesian models in all eligible participants who were randomly assigned. This trial is registered with ISRCTN, number 30448031. FINDINGS: Between Dec 8, 2021, and April 27, 2022, 26 411 participants were randomly assigned, 12 821 to molnupiravir plus usual care, 12 962 to usual care alone, and 628 to other treatment groups (which will be reported separately). 12 529 participants from the molnupiravir plus usual care group, and 12 525 from the usual care group were included in the primary analysis population. The mean age of the population was 56·6 years (SD 12·6), and 24 290 (94%) of 25 708 participants had had at least three doses of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Hospitalisations or deaths were recorded in 105 (1%) of 12 529 participants in the molnupiravir plus usual care group versus 98 (1%) of 12 525 in the usual care group (adjusted odds ratio 1·06 [95% Bayesian credible interval 0·81-1·41]; probability of superiority 0·33). There was no evidence of treatment interaction between subgroups. Serious adverse events were recorded for 50 (0·4%) of 12 774 participants in the molnupiravir plus usual care group and for 45 (0·3%) of 12 934 in the usual care group. None of these events were judged to be related to molnupiravir. INTERPRETATION: Molnupiravir did not reduce the frequency of COVID-19-associated hospitalisations or death among high-risk vaccinated adults in the community. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Primary and secondary care collaboration in clinical research.

More patients are seen in primary care than in any other part of the health system in the UK. Our NHS datasets are the envy of the world and provide us with huge opportunities to support our patients and populations. In this paper, we demonstrate the breadth of primary care research, recruitment and delivery options. We show how research can affect many different aspects of patient care and demonstrate, through the delivery and publication of game-changing research, the ability of recruitment in primary care to answer questions that are relevant to secondary care activity. Indeed, these complex and innovative study designs and their collaborative delivery across the multitude of diseases (acute and chronic) show the strength of primary care. Collaboration across boundaries, specialties and healthcare settings will provide increased opportunities for clinical research development and, most importantly, deliver the highest quality research to support our patients.

Authentication of smart grid communications using quantum key distribution.

Smart grid solutions enable utilities and customers to better monitor and control energy use via information and communications technology. Information technology is intended to improve the future electric grid's reliability, efficiency, and sustainability by implementing advanced monitoring and control systems. However, leveraging modern communications systems also makes the grid vulnerable to cyberattacks. Here we report the first use of quantum key distribution (QKD) keys in the authentication of smart grid communications. In particular, we make such demonstration on a deployed electric utility fiber network. The developed method was prototyped in a software package to manage and utilize cryptographic keys to authenticate machine-to-machine communications used for supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA). This demonstration showcases the feasibility of using QKD to improve the security of critical infrastructure, including future distributed energy resources (DERs), such as energy storage.

A Review of 50 Years of International Literature on the External Environment of Building Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs).

BACKGROUND: This article is the second part of a novel scoping review of the international literature that presents those key elements that underpin the foundational activities of Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs). In this article, we examine the external environment and the intersection between the internal and external environment domains. METHODS: We searched electronic databases, including MEDLINE (PubMed), OVID, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Scopus, and SAGE for publications in English between 1/1/1965 and 9/15/2021. We also searched reference lists of selected publications, gray literature and other online sources. Inductive thematic analysis was applied to construct the main themes, subthemes, and key elements from a scoping review covering up to 10 years of reported experiences of each of the 98 PBRNs that met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: In this study we present 2 main themes: "Stakeholders at the Intersection Between the Internal and External Environment" and the "External Environment." The first is linked to the subthemes "Patient and Community Stakeholders" and "Other Healthcare Stakeholders" and 11 key elements. The second relates to the subthemes "National Health System," "Institutional/Governmental Support, National/State Policy and Regulatory Environment" "Professional Organizations," "Leveraging Previous Research and PBRN Experience and Interacting with Other Networks" and "Health Information Technology (HIT) and HIT Vendors" and 21 key elements. CONCLUSIONS: Despite variations in geography, time, and healthcare context, PBRNs shared many similar developmental experiences over the past 5 decades. Their external environment contributed significantly to their developmental trajectories during the first 10 years of their operation.