Automatic assessment of DWI-ASPECTS for acute ischemic stroke based on deep learning.

BACKGROUND: Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS) is a standardized semi-quantitative method for early ischemic changes in acute ischemic stroke. PURPOSE: However, ASPECTS is still affected by expert experience and inconsistent results between readers in clinical. This study aims to propose an automatic ASPECTS scoring model based on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) mode to help clinicians make accurate treatment plans. METHODS: Eighty-two patients with stroke were included in the study. First, we designed a new deep learning network for segmenting ASPECTS scoring brain regions. The network is improved based on U-net, which integrates multiple modules. Second, we proposed using hybrid classifiers to classify brain regions. For brain regions with larger areas, we used brain grayscale comparison algorithm to train machine learning classifiers, while using hybrid feature training for brain regions with smaller areas. RESULTS: The average DICE coefficient of the segmented hindbrain area can reach 0.864. With the proposed hybrid classifier, our method performs significantly on both region-level ASPECTS and dichotomous ASPECTS. The sensitivity and accuracy on the test set are 95.51% and 93.43%, respectively. For dichotomous ASPECTS, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between our automated ASPECTS score and the expert reading was 0.87. CONCLUSIONS: This study proposed an automated model for ASPECTS scoring of patients with acute ischemic stroke based on DWI images. Experimental results show that the method of segmentation first and then classification is feasible. Our method has the potential to assist physicians in the Alberta Stroke Program with early CT scoring and clinical stroke diagnosis.

Ethnobotanical uses, phytochemistry and bioactivities of Cymbopogon plants: A review.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cymbopogon (Poaceae) plants have been used for various purposes by many indigenous peoples in all continents. In particular, almost all species in the genus have traditionally been used as folk medicine to treat ailments. Traditional application records indicated that Cymbopogon might be used extensively to treat cold, dizziness, headache, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, rheumatism, diarrhea, whole grass for cold, sore throat, tracheitis and others. AIMS OF THE REVIEW: Despite several research confirmed that Cymbopogon includes a range of active components, no review has been undertaken to consolidate information on its traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and/or quality control. Thus this article aims to update a comprehensive review about the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, cultivation techniques, economic benefits, trade, threats, and future conservation implications of Cymbopogon species. It may provide informative data for future development and further investigation of this important plant group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Traditional medicinal books and ethnomedicinal publications related to Cymbopogon from 1992 to 2023 were collated to investigate its ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological information. The online databases including Google Scholar, SciFinder, Web of Science, Scopus, Springer Link, PubMed, Wiley, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Baidu Scholar, and WanFang Database were screened. RESULTS: Cymbopogon (Gramineae or Poaceae) plants have been grown worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicine and other medicinal systems believes that Cymbopogon has the effect of relieve a cough, analgesia, treating dizziness, traumatic injury and can relieve abdominal pain. A total of 153 compounds, including flavonoids, terpenoids, fatty acid and other compounds were isolated or identified from Cymbopogon species by phytochemical studies. The extracts or compounds from Cymbopogon have exhibited numerous biological activities such as antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antiviral, antineoplastic, antiarrhythmic, antidiabetic and other activities. The rich contents of citronellal, citronellol and geraniol found in Cymbopogon also provide significant nutritional benefits. CONCLUSION: Based on their traditional uses, phytochemicals, and pharmacological activities, Cymbopogon plants are potential medicinal and edible resources with diverse pharmacological effects. Due to various advantages of this group, they possess huge application potential in food and pharmaceutical industries, and animal husbandry. Among them, citronella is very important in terms of economic development. Further comprehensive research to evaluate the medicinal properties of Cymbopogon species will be necessary for future development.

Assessment of the statistical optimization strategies and clinical evaluation of an artificial intelligence-based automated diagnostic system for thyroid nodule screening.

Background: Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer in the world. Accurately distinguishing between benign and malignant thyroid nodules is particularly important for the early diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer. This study aimed to investigate the best possible optimization strategies for an already-trained artificial intelligence (AI)-based automated diagnostic system for thyroid nodule screening and, in addition, to scrutinize the clinically relevant limitations using stratified analysis to better standardize the application in clinical workflows. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a total of 1,092 ultrasound images associated with 397 thyroid nodules collected from 287 patients between April 2019 and January 2021, applying postoperative pathology as the gold standard. We applied different statistical approaches, including averages, maximums, and percentiles, to estimate per-nodule-based malignancy scores from the malignancy scores per image predicted by AI-SONIC Thyroid v. 5.3.0.2 (Demetics Medical Technology Ltd., Hangzhou, China) system, and we assessed its diagnostic efficacy on nodules of different sizes or tumor types with per-nodule analysis using performance metrics. Results: Of the 397 thyroid nodules, 272 thyroid nodules were overrepresented by malignant nodules according to the results of the surgical pathological examinations. Taking the median of the malignancy scores per image to estimate the nodule-based score with a cutoff value of 0.56 optimized for the means of sensitivity and specificity, the AI-based automated detection system demonstrated slightly lower sensitivity, significantly higher specificity (almost independent of nodule size), and similar accuracy to that of the senior radiologist. Both the AI system and the senior radiologist demonstrated higher sensitivity in diagnosing smaller nodules (≤25 mm) and comparable diagnostic performances for larger nodules. The mean diagnostic time per nodule of the AI system was 0.146 s, which was in sharp contrast to the 2.8 to 4.5 min of the radiologists. Conclusions: Using our optimization strategy to achieve nodule-based diagnosis, the AI-SONIC Thyroid automated diagnostic system demonstrated an overall diagnostic accuracy equivalent to that of senior radiologists. Thus, it is expected that it can be used as a reliable auxiliary diagnostic method by radiologists for the screening and preoperative evaluation of malignant thyroid nodules.

Quantitative assessment of changes in skeletal muscle injury by computer-aided analysis based on two-dimensional ultrasonography combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and estimated by a modified semi-quantitative scoring system: An experimental study in a contusion model.

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential application of computer-aided analysis in the quantitative assessment of changes in skeletal muscle injury in the rabbit contusion model. Forty healthy rabbits were randomly divided into control (n = 5) and contusion (n = 35) groups. Rabbits in the contusion group were used to construct a muscle contusion model induced by a hammer hitting the right gastrocnemius, while the muscles of rabbits in the control group were non-injured. Two-dimensional ultrasound (2D US) and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) were performed on the rabbits that had received skeletal muscle contusion injury at 1 h, and 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after injury. Afterwards, a multiscale blob feature (MBF) method was used to extract the textural features from the 2D US, and the muscle injuries were quantitatively evaluated. The eight textural parameters of skeletal muscle analysed by MBF at 1 h, and 1, 3 and 7 days post-injury were found to be significantly higher in the contusion group than in the control group (p < .05). On Day 14, the textural parameters (e.g., greyscale mean [Mean], greyscale standard deviation [SDev], number of blobs, average size of blobs, homogeneity of distribution, periodicity of distribution [POD] and irregularity) were also evidently higher in the contusion group than in the control group (p < .05). On Day 28, Mean, SDev and POD in the contusion group were markedly higher (p < .05). After that, the microcirculation in the injured areas increased from Day 7 to Day 21 after injury, but decreased on Day 28 after injury. Thus the quantitative assessment of changes in skeletal muscle injury (SMI) using computer-aided analysis allowed us to describe the geometric features of injured muscle fibres and the microperfusion changes estimated by the modified semi-quantitative scoring system. This provides a scientific basis for the development of a novel approach for the evaluation of SMI and rehabilitation process.

Chemical speciation and risk assessment of heavy metals in biochars derived from sewage sludge and anaerobically digested sludge.

Dewatered sewage sludge (DSS) and anaerobically digested sludge (ADS) were pyrolyzed at 550 °C to investigate the characteristics of derived biochar and evaluate the risk of heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, and Pb). The results showed that the pH value of the biochar derived from DSS (DSS-C) was slightly lower than that of the biochar derived from ADS (ADS-C), while DSS-C presented relatively higher specific surface area and total pore volume. DSS-C also showed higher H/C and lower O/C ratios than ADS-C, indicating a higher aromatic condensation and a lower polarity. Total concentrations of Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, and Pb in DSS and ADS increased significantly after pyrolysis owing to the thermal decomposition of organic matter in the sludge, with corresponding rise of the Nemerow pollution index (NPI) of the biochars compared with the raw sludge. In addition, the sequential extraction procedure (BCR) analysis revealed that the pyrolysis process promoted the transformation of heavy metals from bio-available fractions to stable fractions. The potential environmental risk of heavy metals decreased from moderate and extremely high levels in the DSS and ADS to low risk and moderate levels in DSS-C and ADS-C after pyrolysis, respectively.

Research on innovation management of science and technology innovation team members based on constructive conflict evolution game.

How to give full play to the positive function of constructive conflicts (task conflicts and process conflicts) in the science and technology innovation team, give appropriate stimulation, mobilize the enthusiasm of employees and improve the team's innovative ability to improve team performance and organizational effectiveness are issues that deserve both team leaders' and scholars' attention. Through selecting multiple medical technology R&D personnel from a specific science and technology innovation team of health organization, the research studies the constructive conflicts among the members of the science and technology innovation team, constructs and analyzes the conflict evolution game model, proposes countermeasures and suggestions for improving the innovation ability of the science and technology innovation team and discusses the innovation management mechanism of the science and technology innovation team. The study shows that task conflicts, process conflicts and innovation game decisions cannot be avoided. The unstable choice of members does not promote innovation. However, on the one hand, constructive conflicts can be controlled to maintain a moderate state of control. On the other hand, it is also necessary to establish a mutually trusting communication environment and convenient communication channels in the science and technology innovation team, combined with modern information management technology, to handle the problems that were difficult to be found or accumulated for a long time under the previous management mechanism and cooperate with the science and technology innovation team to improve the technology innovation team's innovation capability.