Ultrasound-based radiomics-clinical nomogram for noninvasive prediction of residual cancer burden grading in breast cancer.

PURPOSE: To assess the predictive value of an ultrasound-based radiomics-clinical nomogram for grading residual cancer burden (RCB) in breast cancer patients. METHODS: This retrospective study of breast cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy (NAC) and ultrasound scanning between November 2020 and July 2023. First, a radiomics model was established based on ultrasound images. Subsequently, multivariate LR (logistic regression) analysis incorporating both radiomic scores and clinical factors was performed to construct a nomogram. Finally, Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA) were employed to evaluate and validate the diagnostic accuracy and effectiveness of the nomogram. RESULTS: A total of 1122 patients were included in this study. Among them, 427 patients exhibited a favorable response to NAC chemotherapy, while 695 patients demonstrated a poor response to NAC therapy. The radiomics model achieved an AUC value of 0.84 in the training cohort and 0.83 in the validation cohort. The ultrasound-based radiomics-clinical nomogram achieved an AUC value of 0.90 in the training cohort and 0.91 in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-based radiomics-clinical nomogram can accurately predict the effectiveness of NAC therapy by predicting RCB grading in breast cancer patients.

A nomogram incorporating clinical, conventional ultrasound and shear wave elastography findings for distinguishing pleomorphic adenoma from Warthin's tumor of the major salivary glands.

OBJECTIVE: Pre-operative differentiation between pleomorphic adenoma (PA) and Warthin's tumor (WT) of the major salivary glands is crucial for treatment decisions. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a nomogram incorporating clinical, conventional ultrasound (CUS) and shear wave elastography (SWE) features to differentiate PA from WT. METHODS: A total of 113 patients with histological diagnosis of PA or WT of the major salivary glands treated at Fujian Medical University Union Hospital were enrolled in training cohort (n = 75; PA = 41, WT = 34) and validation cohort (n = 38; PA = 22, WT = 16). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression algorithm was used for screening the most optimal clinical, CUS, and SWE features. Different models, including the nomogram model, clinic-CUS (Clin+CUS) and SWE model, were built using logistic regression. The performance levels of the models were evaluated and validated on the training and validation cohorts, and then compared among the three models. RESULTS: The nomogram incorporating the clinical, CUS and SWE features showed favorable predictive value for differentiating PA from WT, with the area under the curves (AUCs) of 0.947 and 0.903 for the training cohort and validation cohort, respectively. Decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram model outperformed the Clin+CUS model and SWE model in terms of clinical usefulness. CONCLUSIONS: The nomogram had good performance in distinguishing major salivary PA from WT and held potential for optimizing the clinical decision-making process.

Wheat embryo globulin nutrients ameliorate d-galactose and aluminum chloride-induced cognitive impairment in rats.

Wheat embryo globulin nutrient (WEGN), with wheat embryo globulin (WEG) as the main functional component, is a nutritional combination that specifically targets memory impairment. In this study, we explored the protective role of WEGN on Alzheimer's disease (AD)-triggered cognitive impairment, neuronal injury, oxidative stress, and acetylcholine system disorder. Specifically, we established an AD model via administration of d-galactose (d-gal) and Aluminum chloride (AlCl3) for 70 days, then on the 36th day, administered animals in the donepezil and WEGN (300, 600, and 900 mg/kg) groups with drugs by gavage for 35 days. Learning and memory ability of the treated rats was tested using the Morris water maze (MWM) and novel object recognition (NOR) test, while pathological changes and neuronal death in their hippocampus CA1 were detected via HE staining and Nissl staining. Moreover, we determined antioxidant enzymes by measuring levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in serum, cortex, and hippocampus, whereas changes in the acetylcholine system were determined by evaluating choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities, as well as choline acetylcholine (Ach) content. Results revealed that rats in the WEGN group exhibited significantly lower escape latency, as well as a significantly higher number of targeted crossings and longer residence times in the target quadrant, relative to those in the model group. Notably, rats in the WEGN group spent more time exploring new objects and exhibited lower damage to their hippocampus neuron, had improved learning and memory activity, as well as reversed histological alterations, relative to those in the model group. Meanwhile, biochemical examinations revealed that rats in the WEGN group had significantly lower MDA levels and AChE activities, but significantly higher GSH, SOD, and ChAT activities, as well as Ach content, relative to those in the model group. Overall, these findings indicate that WEGN exerts protective effects on cognitive impairment, neuronal damage, oxidative stress, and choline function in AD rats treated by d-gal/AlCl3.

Piezoelectric Sensor to Measure Soft and Hard Stiffness with High Sensitivity for Ultrasonic Transducers.

During dental sinus lift surgery, it is important to monitor the thickness of the remaining maxilla to avoid perforating the sinus membrane. Therefore, a sensor should be integrated into ultrasonic dental tools to prevent undesirable damage. This paper presents a piezoelectric (PZT) sensor installed in an ultrasonic transducer to measure the stiffness of high and low materials. Four design types using three PZT ring materials and a split PZT for actuator and sensor ring materials were studied. Three sensor locations were also examined. The voltage signals of the sensor and the displacement of the actuator were analyzed to distinguish the low and high stiffness. Using sensor type T1 made of the PZT-1 material and the front location A1 provided a high sensitivity of 2.47 Vm/kN. The experimental results demonstrated that our design can measure soft and hard stiffness.