Production of Plant-Based, Film-Type Scaffolds Using Alginate and Corn Starch for the Culture of Bovine Myoblasts.

Natural scaffolds have been the cornerstone of tissue engineering for decades, providing ideal environments for cell growth within extracellular matrices. Previous studies have favored animal-derived materials, including collagen, gelatin, and laminin, owing to their superior effects in promoting cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation compared to non-animal scaffolds, and used immortalized cell lines. However, for cultured meat production, non-animal-derived scaffolds with edible cells are preferred. Our study represents the first research to describe plant-derived, film-type scaffolds to overcome limitations associated with previously reported thick, gel-type scaffolds completely devoid of animal-derived materials. This approach has been employed to address the difficulties of fostering bovine muscle cell survival, migration, and differentiation in three-dimensional co-cultures. Primary bovine myoblasts from Bos Taurus Coreanae were harvested and seeded on alginate (Algi) or corn-derived alginate (AlgiC) scaffolds. Scaffold functionalities, including biocompatibility and the promotion of cell proliferation and differentiation, were evaluated using cell viability assays, immunofluorescence staining, and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Our results reveal a statistically significant 71.7% decrease in production time using film-type scaffolds relative to that for gel-type scaffolds, which can be maintained for up to 7 days. Film-type scaffolds enhanced initial cell attachment owing to their flatness and thinness relative to gel-type scaffolds. Algi and AlgiC film-type scaffolds both demonstrated low cytotoxicity over seven days of cell culture. Our findings indicated that PAX7 expression increased 16.5-fold in alginate scaffolds and 22.8-fold in AlgiC from day 1 to day 3. Moreover, at the differentiation stage on day 7, MHC expression was elevated 41.8-fold (Algi) and 32.7-fold (AlgiC), providing initial confirmation of the differentiation potential of bovine muscle cells. These findings suggest that both Algi and AlgiC film scaffolds are advantageous for cultured meat production.

Nanocellulose-assisted mechanically tough hydrogel platforms for sustained drug delivery.

The controlled delivery of the desired bioactive molecules is required to achieve the maximum therapeutic effects with minimum side effects. Biopolymer-based hydrogels are ideal platforms for delivering the desired molecules owing to their superior biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low-immune response. However, the prolonged delivery of the drugs through biopolymer-based hydrogels is restricted due to their weak mechanical stability. We developed mechanically tough and biocompatible hydrogels to address these limitations using carboxymethyl chitosan, sodium alginate, and nanocellulose for sustained drug delivery. The hydrogels were cross-linked through calcium ions to enhance their mechanical strength. Nanocellulose-added hydrogels exhibited improved mechanical strength (Young's modulus; 23.36 â†’ 30.7 kPa, Toughness; 1.39 â†’ 5.65 MJm-3) than pure hydrogels. The composite hydrogels demonstrated increased recovery potential (66.9 â†’ 84.5 %) due to the rapid reformation of damaged polymeric networks. The hydrogels were stable in an aqueous medium and demonstrated reduced swelling potential. The hydrogels have no adverse effects on embryonic murine fibroblast (3 T3), showing their biocompatibility. No bacterial growth was observed in hydrogels-treated groups, indicating their antibacterial characteristics. The sustained drug released was observed from nanocellulose-assisted hydrogel scaffolds compared to the pure polymer hydrogel scaffold. Thus, hydrogels have potential and could be used as a sustained drug carrier.

Unzipped carbon nanotubes assisted 3D printable functionalized chitosan hydrogels for strain sensing applications.

Developing multifunctional hydrogels for wearable strain sensors has received significant attention due to their diverse applications, including human motion detection, personalized healthcare, soft robotics, and human-machine interfaces. However, integrating the required characteristics into one component remains challenging. To overcome these limitations, we synthesized multifunctional hydrogels using carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) and unzipped carbon nanotubes (f-CNTs) as strain sensor via a one-pot strategy. The polar groups in CMCS and f-CNTs enhance the properties of the hydrogels through different interactions. The hydrogels show superior printability with a uniformity factor (U) of 0.996 ± 0.049, close to 1. The f-CNTs-assisted hydrogels showed improved storage modulus (8.8 × 105 Pa) than the pure polymer hydrogel. The hydrogels adequately adhered to different surfaces, including human skin, plastic, plastic/glass interfaces, and printed polymers. The hydrogels demonstrated rapid self-healing and good conductivity. The biocompatibility of the hydrogels was assessed using human fibroblast cells. No adverse effects were observed with hydrogels, showing their biocompatibility. Furthermore, hydrogels exhibited antibacterial potential against Escherichia coli. The developed hydrogel exhibited unidirectional motion and complex letter recognition potential with a strain sensitivity of 2.4 at 210 % strain. The developed hydrogels could explore developing wearable electronic devices for detecting human motion.

Deep learning-based metastasis detection in patients with lung cancer to enhance reproducibility and reduce workload in brain metastasis screening with MRI: a multi-center study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether a deep learning-based system (DLS) with black-blood imaging for brain metastasis (BM) improves the diagnostic workflow in a multi-center setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, a DLS was developed in 101 patients and validated on 264 consecutive patients (with lung cancer) having newly developed BM from two tertiary university hospitals, which performed black-blood imaging between January 2020 and April 2021. Four neuroradiologists independently evaluated BM either with segmented masks and BM counts provided (with DLS) or not provided (without DLS) on a clinical trial imaging management system (CTIMS). To assess reading reproducibility, BM count agreement between the readers and the reference standard were calculated using limits of agreement (LoA). Readers' workload was assessed with reading time, which was automatically measured on CTIMS, and were compared between with and without DLS using linear mixed models considering the imaging center. RESULTS: In the validation cohort, the detection sensitivity and positive predictive value of the DLS were 90.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 88.1-92.2) and 88.2% (95% CI: 85.7-90.4), respectively. The difference between the readers and the reference counts was larger without DLS (LoA: -0.281, 95% CI: -2.888, 2.325) than with DLS (LoA: -0.163, 95% CI: -2.692, 2.367). The reading time was reduced from mean 66.9 s (interquartile range: 43.2-90.6) to 57.3 s (interquartile range: 33.6-81.0) (P <.001) in the with DLS group, regardless of the imaging center. CONCLUSION: Deep learning-based BM detection and counting with black-blood imaging improved reproducibility and reduced reading time, on multi-center validation.

Viscoelastic Property of the Brain Assessed With Magnetic Resonance Elastography and Its Association With Glymphatic System in Neurologically Normal Individuals.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of assessing the viscoelastic properties of the brain using magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and a novel MRE transducer to determine the relationship between the viscoelastic properties and glymphatic function in neurologically normal individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 47 neurologically normal individuals aged 23-74 years (male-to-female ratio, 21:26). The MRE was acquired using a gravitational transducer based on a rotational eccentric mass as the driving system. The magnitude of the complex shear modulus |G*| and the phase angle ϕ were measured in the centrum semiovale area. To evaluate glymphatic function, the Diffusion Tensor Image Analysis Along the Perivascular Space (DTI-ALPS) method was utilized and the ALPS index was calculated. Univariable and multivariable (variables with P < 0.2 from the univariable analysis) linear regression analyses were performed for |G*| and ϕ and included sex, age, normalized white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume, brain parenchymal volume, and ALPS index as covariates. RESULTS: In the univariable analysis for |G*|, age (P = 0.005), brain parenchymal volume (P = 0.152), normalized WMH volume (P = 0.011), and ALPS index (P = 0.005) were identified as candidates with P < 0.2. In the multivariable analysis, only the ALPS index was independently associated with |G*|, showing a positive relationship (ß = 0.300, P = 0.029). For ϕ, normalized WMH volume (P = 0.128) and ALPS index (P = 0.015) were identified as candidates for multivariable analysis, and only the ALPS index was independently associated with ϕ (ß = 0.057, P = 0.039). CONCLUSION: Brain MRE using a gravitational transducer is feasible in neurologically normal individuals over a wide age range. The significant correlation between the viscoelastic properties of the brain and glymphatic function suggests that a more organized or preserved microenvironment of the brain parenchyma is associated with a more unimpeded glymphatic fluid flow.

Cuminaldehyde-3-hydroxy-2-napthoichydrazone: Synthesis, effect of solvents, nonlinear optical activity, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, and DFT analysis.

Hydrazones derived from essential oil components have attracted considerable interest because of their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and nonlinear optical applications. In the present work, a new essential oil component derivative (EOCD), cuminaldehyde-3-hydroxy-2-napthoichydrazone (CHNH), was synthesized. EOCD was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance (1H and 13C) spectroscopy, elemental analysis, ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction showed a higher stability, phase-pure, and non-existent isomorphic phase transition in EOCD. Solvent studies indicated that the normal emission band was caused by the locally excited state and the large Stokes shifted emission originated because of the twisted intramolecular charge transfer. The EOCD possessed higher direct and indirect band gap energies of 3.05 eV and 2.90 eV respectively, as determined by the Kubelka-Munk algorithm. The outcomes of frontier molecular orbitals, global reactivity descriptors, Mulliken, and molecular electrostatic potential surface by density functional theory calculations revealed high intramolecular charge transfer, good realistic stability, and high reactiveness of EOCD. The hydrazone EOCD exhibited higher hyperpolarizability (18.248 × 10-30 esu) in comparison to urea. Antioxidant test results indicated that EOCD showed significant antioxidant activity (p < 0.05), as determined by the DPPH radical scavenging assay. The newly synthesized EOCD showed no antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus. Additionally, the EOCD showed good antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.

Quality assessment of stroke radiomics studies: Promoting clinical application.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the quality of radiomics studies on stroke using a radiomics quality score (RQS), Minimum Information for Medial AI reporting (MINIMAR) and Transparent Reporting of a multivariable prediction model for Individual Prognosis Or Diagnosis (TRIPOD) to promote clinical application. METHODS: PubMed MEDLINE and Embase were searched to identify radiomics studies on stroke. Of 464 articles, 52 relevant original research articles were included. The RQS, MINIMAR and TRIPOD were scored to evaluate the quality of the studies by neuroradiologists. RESULTS: Only four studies (7.7 %) performed external validation. The mean RQS was 3.2 of 36 (8.9 %), and the basic adherence rate was 24.9 %. The adherence rate was low for conducting phantom study (1.9 %), stating comparison to 'gold standard' (1.9 %), offering potential clinical utility (13.5 %) and performing cost-effectiveness analysis (1.9 %). None of the studies performed a test-retest, stated biologic correlation, conducted prospective studies, or opened codes and data to the public, resulting in low RQS. The total MINIMAR adherence rate was 47.4 %. The overall adherence rate for TRIPOD was 54.6 %, with low scores for reporting the title (2.0 %), key elements of the study setting (6.1 %), and explaining the sample size (2.0 %). CONCLUSIONS: The overall radiomics reporting quality and reporting of published radiomics studies on stoke was suboptimal. More thorough validation and open data are needed to increase clinical applicability of radiomics studies.

Fungal Carboxymethyl Chitosan-Impregnated Bacterial Cellulose Hydrogel as Wound-Dressing Agent.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) produced by Gluconoacetobacter hansenii is a suitable polymeric fiber network for wound-dressing purposes, but its lack of antibacterial properties limits it from healing bacterial wounds. We developed hydrogels by impregnating fungal-derived carboxymethyl chitosan to BC fiber networks using a simple solution immersion method. The CMCS-BC hydrogels were characterized using various characterization techniques such as XRD, FTIR, water contact angle measurements, TGA, and SEM to know the physiochemical properties. The results show that the impregnation of CMCS into BC fiber networks greatly influences BC's improving hydrophilic nature, which is crucial for wound healing applications. Furthermore, the CMCS-BC hydrogels were studied for biocompatibility analysis with skin fibroblast cells. The results revealed that by increasing the CMCS content in the BC, biocompatibility, cell attachment, and spreading capacity also increase. The antibacterial activity of CMCS-BC hydrogels is shown using the CFU method against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). As a result, the CMCS-BC hydrogels exhibit more suitable antibacterial properties than those without BC due to the CMCS having amino groups that enhance antibacterial properties. Therefore, CMCS-BC hydrogels can be considered suitable for antibacterial wound dressing applications.

Triple-Networked Hybrid Hydrogels Reinforced with Montmorillonite Clay and Graphene Nanoplatelets for Soft and Hard Tissue Regeneration.

Hydrogel is a three-dimensional (3D) soft and highly hydrophilic, polymeric network that can swell in water and imbibe a high amount of water or biological fluids. Hydrogels have been used widely in various biomedical applications. Hydrogel may provide a fluidic tissue-like 3D microenvironment by maintaining the original network for tissue engineering. However, their low mechanical performances limit their broad applicability in various functional tissues. This property causes substantial challenges in designing and preparing strong hydrogel networks. Therefore, we report the triple-networked hybrid hydrogel network with enhanced mechanical properties by incorporating dual-crosslinking and nanofillers (e.g., montmorillonite (MMT), graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs)). In this study, we prepared hybrid hydrogels composed of polyacrylamide, poly (vinyl alcohol), sodium alginate, MMT, and MMT/GNPs through dynamic crosslinking. The freeze-dried hybrid hydrogels showed good 3D porous architecture. The results exhibited a magnificent porous structure, interconnected pore-network surface morphology, enhanced mechanical properties, and cellular activity of hybrid hydrogels.

The reproducibility of shear wave and strain elastography in epidermal cysts.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated epidermal cyst elasticity using multiple parameters of strain elastography (SE) and shear wave elastography (SWE) and assessed the reproducibility of each parameter. METHODS: This retrospective study included 73 patients with epidermal cysts who underwent SE and SWE. SE scores were classified as 1-4 according to elasticity. The strain ratio was evaluated using the elasticity ratio of lesions and adjacent subcutaneous fat tissue. For SWE, the shear wave velocity (m/s), elasticity (kPa) according to the Young modulus, velocity ratio, and elasticity ratio were evaluated. All values were measured twice. The reproducibility of SE and SWE measurements was assessed. The relationships among SE and SWE measurements were evaluated. RESULTS: The strain ratio on SE images showed good reproducibility (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC]=0.789), and SE scores showed substantial reproducibility (kappa=0.753 and kappa=0.758 for readers 1 and 2, respectively). Moderate reproducibility was found for shear wave velocity and elasticity (ICC=0.750 and ICC=0.648, respectively), as well as for the shear wave velocity of the reference tissue and velocity ratio (ICC=0.747 and ICC=0.713, respectively). All SE scores were positively correlated with the strain ratio (P<0.001). The strain ratio in the second SE session was significantly correlated with the elasticity ratio and velocity ratio in the first SWE session (r=0.245, P=0.037; r=0.243, P=0.038, respectively). Other variables were not correlated. CONCLUSION: SE and SWE parameters of epidermal cysts showed moderate to good reproducibility. The strain ratio on SE showed good reproducibility and could provide relatively objective and consistent measurements of epidermal cyst elasticity.

Three-dimensional fractal dimension and lacunarity features may noninvasively predict TERT promoter mutation status in grade 2 meningiomas.

PURPOSE: The 2021 World Health Organization classification includes telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (TERTp) mutation status as a factor for differentiating meningioma grades. Therefore, preoperative prediction of TERTp mutation may assist in clinical decision making. However, no previous study has applied fractal analysis for TERTp mutation status prediction in meningiomas. The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of three-dimensional (3D) fractal analysis for predicting the TERTp mutation status in grade 2 meningiomas. METHODS: Forty-eight patients with surgically confirmed grade 2 meningiomas (41 TERTp-wildtype and 7 TERTp-mutant) were included. 3D fractal dimension (FD) and lacunarity values were extracted from the fractal analysis. A predictive model combining clinical, conventional, and fractal parameters was built using logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the ability of the model to predict TERTp mutation status. RESULTS: Patients with TERTp-mutant grade 2 meningiomas were older (P = 0.029) and had higher 3D FD (P = 0.026) and lacunarity (P = 0.004) values than patients with TERTp-wildtype grade 2 meningiomas. On multivariable logistic analysis, higher 3D FD values (odds ratio = 32.50, P = 0.039) and higher 3D lacunarity values (odds ratio = 20.54, P = 0.014) were significant predictors of TERTp mutation status. The area under the curve, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the multivariable model were 0.84 (95% confidence interval 0.71-0.93), 83.3%, 71.4%, and 85.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: 3D FD and lacunarity may be useful imaging biomarkers for predicting TERTp mutation status in grade 2 meningiomas.

Quality reporting of radiomics analysis in pituitary adenomas: promoting clinical translation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of radiomics studies on pituitary adenoma according to the radiomics quality score (RQS) and Transparent Reporting of a multivariable prediction model for Individual Prognosis Or Diagnosis (TRIPOD). METHODS: PubMed MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched to identify radiomics studies on pituitary adenomas. From 138 articles, 20 relevant original research articles were included. Studies were scored based on RQS and TRIPOD guidelines. RESULTS: Most included studies did not perform pre-processing; isovoxel resampling, signal intensity normalization, and N4 bias field correction were performed in only five (25%), eight (40%), and four (20%) studies, respectively. Only two (10%) studies performed external validation. The mean RQS and basic adherence rate were 2.8 (7.6%) and 26.6%, respectively. There was a low adherence rate for conducting comparison to "gold-standard" (20%), multiple segmentation (25%), and stating potential clinical utility (25%). No study stated the biological correlation, conducted a test-retest or phantom study, was a prospective study, conducted cost-effectiveness analysis, or provided open-source code and data, which resulted in low-level evidence. The overall adherence rate for TRIPOD was 54.6%, and it was low for reporting the title (5%), abstract (0%), explaining the sample size (10%), and suggesting a full prediction model (5%). CONCLUSION: The radiomics reporting quality for pituitary adenoma is insufficient. Pre-processing is required for feature reproducibility and external validation is necessary. Feature reproducibility, clinical utility demonstration, higher evidence levels, and open science are required. Titles, abstracts, and full prediction model suggestions should be improved for transparent reporting. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Despite the rapidly increasing number of radiomics researches on pituitary adenoma, the quality of science in these researches is unknown. Our study indicates that the overall quality needs to be significantly improved in radiomics studies on pituitary adenoma, and since the concept of RQS and IBSI is still unfamiliar to clinicians and radiologist researchers, our study may help to reach higher technical and clinical impact in the future study.

High-Resolution Intracranial Vessel Wall MRI Findings Among Different Middle Cerebral Artery Territory Infarction Types.

OBJECTIVE: Intracranial atherosclerotic stroke occurs through various mechanisms, mainly by artery-to-artery embolism (AA) or branch occlusive disease (BOD). This study evaluated the spatial relationship between middle cerebral artery (MCA) plaques and perforating arteries among different MCA territory infarction types using vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (VW-MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled patients with acute MCA infarction who underwent VW-MRI. Thirty-four patients were divided into three groups according to infarction pattern: 1) BOD, 2) both BOD and AA (BOD-AA), and 3) AA. To determine the factors related to BOD, the BOD and BOD-AA groups were combined into one group (with striatocapsular infarction [BOD+]) and compared with the AA group. To determine the factors related to AA, the BOD-AA and AA groups were combined into another group (with cortical infarction [AA+]) and compared with the BOD group. Plaque morphology and the spatial relationship between the perforating artery orifice and plaque were evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively. RESULTS: The plaque margin in the BOD+ group was closer to the perforating artery orifice than that in the AA group (p = 0.011), with less enhancing plaque (p = 0.030). In the BOD group, plaques were mainly located on the dorsal (41.2%) and superior (41.2%) sides where the perforating arteries mainly arose. No patient in the AA group had overlapping plaques with perforating arteries at the cross-section where the perforator arose. Perforating arteries associated with culprit plaques were most frequently located in the middle two-thirds of the M1 segment (41.4%). The AA+ group had more stenosis (%) than the BOD group (39.73 ± 24.52 vs. 14.42 ± 20.96; p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: The spatial relationship between the perforating artery orifice and plaque varied among different types of MCA territory infarctions. In patients with BOD, the plaque margin was closer and blocked the perforating artery orifice, and stenosis degree and enhancement were less than those in patients with AA.

Revised Manuscript with Corrections: Polyurethane-Based Conductive Composites: From Synthesis to Applications.

The purpose of this review article is to outline the extended applications of polyurethane (PU)-based nanocomposites incorporated with conductive polymeric particles as well as to condense an outline on the chemistry and fabrication of polyurethanes (PUs). Additionally, we discuss related research trends of PU-based conducting materials for EMI shielding, sensors, coating, films, and foams, in particular those from the past 10 years. PU is generally an electrical insulator and behaves as a dielectric material. The electrical conductivity of PU is imparted by the addition of metal nanoparticles, and increases with the enhancing aspect ratio and ordering in structure, as happens in the case of conducting polymer fibrils or reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Nanocomposites with good electrical conductivity exhibit noticeable changes based on the remarkable electric properties of nanomaterials such as graphene, RGO, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Recently, conducting polymers, including PANI, PPY, PTh, and their derivatives, have been popularly engaged as incorporated fillers into PU substrates. This review also discusses additional challenges and future-oriented perspectives combined with here-and-now practicableness.

Prevalence of anterolateral ligament injuries and lateral meniscus tear on MR imaging in patients with both-bundle tear vs. selective bundle incomplete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the prevalence of anterolateral ligament (ALL) injury and lateral meniscus (LM) tear in cases with both-bundle tear and selective bundle incomplete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). METHODS: A total of 174 cases of magnetic resonance (MR) images that had an ACL tear and underwent arthroscopic ACL reconstruction were retrospectively reviewed. ACL injury was classified into both bundle, anteromedial bundle, and posterolateral bundle (PL) on arthroscopic finding. The ALL was divided into three portions: femoral, meniscal, and tibial. ALL injury was scored into three groups: grade 0 is intact; grade 1 is stranding and edema surrounds the expected location of the ALL; grade 2 is clear discontinuity of the ALL consistent with rupture. Traumatic LM tear was also assessed on MR images. RESULTS: The total prevalence of ALL injury was 36.2% (reader 1) and 42.0% (reader 2). ALL injury was statistically related to the selective bundle tear (p = 0.002 and 0.004, readers 1 and 2). PL bundle tear was significantly correlated with the ALL injury (p value < 0.001, readers 1 and 2, both). The location and grade of ALL injury were not significantly correlated with the type of ACL injury. LM tear was not significantly related to the types of ACL tear (p = 0.208 and 0.907, readers 1 and 2) and ALL injury (p value = 0.096 and 0.383, readers 1 and 2). CONCLUSIONS: ALL injury was significantly related to the PL bundle tear of the ACL. LM tear was not significantly correlated with the types of ACL injury and ALL injury. KEY POINTS: • Anterolateral ligament (ALL) injury was significantly related to the posterolateral bundle (PL) tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). • Lateral meniscus (LM) tear was not significantly correlated with the types of ACL injury and ALL injury. • Clinicians and radiologists should be aware of these relationships and scrutinize ALL injury in cases with PL bundle tears, even with an incomplete ACL injury.

A Deep Learning Model with High Standalone Performance for Diagnosis of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether a deep learning model for automated detection of unruptured intracranial aneurysms on time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) can achieve a target diagnostic performance comparable to that of human radiologists for approval from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety as an artificial intelligence-applied software. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this single-center, retrospective, confirmatory clinical trial, the diagnostic performance of the model was evaluated in a predetermined test set. After sample size estimation, the test set consisted of 135 aneurysm-containing examinations with 168 intracranial aneurysms and 197 aneurysm-free examinations. The target sensitivity and specificity were set as 87% and 92%, respectively. The patient-wise sensitivity and specificity of the model were analyzed. Moreover, the lesion-wise sensitivity and false-positive detection rate per case were also investigated. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the model were 91.11% [95% confidence interval (CI): 84.99, 95.32] and 93.91% (95% CI: 89.60, 96.81), respectively, which met the target performance values. The lesion-wise sensitivity was 92.26%. The overall false-positive detection rate per case was 0.123. Of the 168 aneurysms, 13 aneurysms from 12 examinations were missed by the model. CONCLUSION: The present deep learning model for automated detection of unruptured intracranial aneurysms on TOF MRA achieved the target diagnostic performance comparable to that of human radiologists. With high standalone performance, this model may be useful for accurate and efficient diagnosis of intracranial aneurysm.

Fungal-derived carboxymethyl chitosan blended with polyvinyl alcohol as membranes for wound dressings.

Multifunctional blend membranes composed of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and fungal mushroom-derived carboxymethyl chitosan (F-CMCS) were produced using a simple solution casting technique for wound dressing applications. The structural interactions between PVA and F-CMCS were confirmed by Fourier infrared spectroscopy. The crystallinity of the membranes was examined by X-ray diffraction. Field emission scanning electron microscopy confirmed the homogeneity and coarser texture with a porous-like network in the internal structure of the membranes. The hydrophilicity, swelling, and degradation of the fabricated membranes were examined according to the F-CMCS content. The PVA/F-CMCS membrane displayed potential antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (gram-negative) and Staphylococcus (gram-positive) bacteria. An in vitro cell study of skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes on the PVA/F-CMCS membranes confirmed the biocompatibility. The hemolysis assay demonstrated the hemocompatibility of the developed membranes. The antibacterial, biocompatibility, and good hemolysis in the PVA membrane were influenced by the F-CMCS composition ratio up to 40%. The all-inclusive properties of the PVA/F-CMCS membranes highlight its potential use in wound dressing applications.

Quality assessment of meningioma radiomics studies: Bridging the gap between exploratory research and clinical applications.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the quality of radiomics studies on meningiomas, using a radiomics quality score (RQS), Transparent Reporting of a multivariable prediction model for Individual Prognosis Or Diagnosis (TRIPOD), and the Image Biomarker Standardization Initiative (IBSI). METHODS: PubMed MEDLINE and Embase were searched to identify radiomics studies on meningiomas. Of 138 identified articles, 25 relevant original research articles were included. Studies were scored according to the RQS, TRIPOD guidelines, and items in IBSI. RESULTS: Only four studies (16 %) performed external validation. The mean RQS was 5.6 out of 36 (15.4 %), and the basic adherence rate was 26.8 %. The adherence rate was low for stating biological correlation (4%), conducting calibration statistics (12 %), multiple segmentation (16 %), and stating potential clinical utility (16 %). None of the studies conducted a test‒retest or phantom study, stated a comparison to a 'gold standard', conducted prospective studies or cost-effectivity analysis, or opened code and data to the public, resulting in low RQS. The overall adherence rate for TRIPOD was 54.1 %, with low scores for reporting the title (4%), abstract (0%), blind assessment of the outcome (8%), and explaining the sample size (0%). According to IBSI items, only 6 (24 %), 6 (24 %), and 3 (12 %) studies performed N4 bias-field correction, isovoxel resampling, and grey-level discretization, respectively. No study performed skull stripping. CONCLUSION: The quality of radiomics studies for meningioma is insufficient. Acknowledgement of RQS, TRIPOD, and IBSI reporting guidelines may improve the quality of meningioma radiomics studies and enable their clinical application.

Survival Rates of Breast Cancer Patients Aged 40 to 49 Years according to Detection Modality in Korea: Screening Ultrasound versus Mammography.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the survival rates of Korean females aged 40 to 49 years with breast cancer detected by supplemental screening ultrasound (US) or screening mammography alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single-institution retrospective study included 240 patients with breast cancer (mean age, 45.1 ± 2.8 years) detected by US or mammography who had undergone breast surgery between 2003 and 2008. Medical records were reviewed for clinicopathologic characteristics and detection methods. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between patients with breast cancer in the US and mammography groups using the log-rank test. Multivariable cox regression analysis was used to identify independent variables associated with DFS and OS. RESULTS: Among the 240 cases of breast cancer, 43 were detected by supplemental screening US and 197 by screening mammography (mean follow-up: 7.4 years, 93.3% with dense breasts). There were 19 recurrences and 16 deaths, all occurring in the mammography group. While the US group did not differ from the mammography group in tumor stage, the patients in this group were more likely to undergo breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy than the mammography group. The US group also showed better DFS (p = 0.016); however, OS did not differ between the two groups (p = 0.058). In the multivariable analysis, the US group showed a lower risk of recurrence (hazard ratio, 0.097; 95% confidence interval, 0.001-0.705) compared to the mammography group. CONCLUSION: Our study found that Korean females aged 40-49 years with US-detected breast cancer showed better DFS than those with mammography-detected breast cancer. However, there were no statistically significant differences in OS.