Texture-based classification of lung disease patterns in chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis and comparison to clinical outcomes.

Computer-aided detection algorithms applied to CT lung imaging have the potential to objectively quantify pulmonary pathology. We aim to develop an automatic classification method based on textural features able to classify healthy and pathological patterns on CT lung images and to quantify the extent of each disease pattern in a group of patients with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (cHP), in comparison to pulmonary function tests (PFTs).27 cHP patients were scanned via high resolution CT (HRCT) at full-inspiration. Regions of interest (ROIs) were extracted and labeled as normal (NOR), ground glass opacity (GGO), reticulation (RET), consolidation (C), honeycombing (HB) and air trapping (AT). For each ROI, statistical, morphological and fractal parameters were computed. For automatic classification, we compared two classification methods (Bayesian and Support Vector Machine) and three ROI sizes. The classifier was therefore applied to the overall CT images and the extent of each class was calculated and compared to PFTs. Better classification accuracy was found for the Bayesian classifier and the 16x16 ROI size: 92.1±2.7%. The extent of GGO, HB and NOR significantly correlated with forced vital capacity (FVC) and the extent of NOR with carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO).Clinical Relevance- Texture analysis can differentiate and objectively quantify pathological classes in the lung parenchyma and may represent a quantitative diagnostic tool in cHP.

Thermoelectric characterization of flexible micro-thermoelectric generators.

A new experimental setup for the characterization of flexible micro-thermoelectric generators is reported. The system can measure the power generated and the thermoelectric conversion efficiency of devices under mechanical stresses and deformations, in atmospheric environment and under vacuum, in the temperature interval 293 K-423 K, as a function of the load resistance and of the mechanical pressure, with an uncertainty on the temperature difference of ±0.02 K. The system has been tested on commercial rigid devices and on a custom-made, flexible, proof-of-concept, organic-inorganic hybrid generator made of eight thermocouples. Repeatability on the power generated and conversion efficiency within 5% and 3%, respectively, was demonstrated, and accuracy of the measurement was granted by minimization of all the potential sources of heat flux losses.

Reliable measurement of the Seebeck coefficient of organic and inorganic materials between 260 K and 460 K.

A new experimental setup for reliable measurement of the in-plane Seebeck coefficient of organic and inorganic thin films and bulk materials is reported. The system is based on the "Quasi-Static" approach and can measure the thermopower in the range of temperature between 260 K and 460 K. The system has been tested on a pure nickel bulk sample and on a thin film of commercially available PEDOT: PSS deposited by spin coating on glass. Repeatability within 1.5% for the nickel sample is demonstrated, while accuracy in the measurement of both organic and inorganic samples is guaranteed by time interpolation of data and by operating with a temperature difference over the sample of less than 1 K.

Muscular dystrophy in dogs: does the crossing of breeds influence disease phenotype?

Golden Retriever (GR) muscular dystrophy is an inherited degenerative muscle disease that provides an excellent model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in humans. This study defined the histopathologic lesions, including the distribution of type I and II muscle fibers (FTI and FTII), in 12 dystrophic and 3 nondystrophic dogs between 7 and 15 months of age. The authors were interested in studying the influence on disease phenotype from crossing the base GR breed with Yellow Labrador Retrievers. The dystrophic dogs were divided according to breed: GRs and Golden Labrador Retrievers (GLRs). On hematoxylin and eosin staining, histopathologic lesions were more severe in GRs than GLRs. Six of eight GR muscles (75%) had a severe lesion grade (grade 3). In contrast, seven GLR muscles (87.5%) had mild lesions (grade 2), and only one had severe lesions (grade 3). Changes in fiber-type distribution were more pronounced in GRs versus GLRs. FTI:FTII ratio inversion was observed in three dystrophic GRs but only one GLR. The mean diameter of FTI and FTII was smaller in GRs and GLRs than in nondystrophic dogs (P < .01). The FTI of five GR muscles (62.5%) were larger than those of GLRs, whereas only one GLR muscle was larger (P < .05). The differential was less pronounced for FTII, with four GR muscles being larger and three GLR being larger. Observations indicate that crossing the base GR breed with Labrador Retrievers lessened the severity of the GR muscular dystrophy phenotype.

Effects of glycosaminoglycan polysulphate on the organisation of collagen fibres in experimentally induced tendonitis in horses.

An inflammatory process was induced by intratendinous injection of bacterial collagenase into the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) of the left thoracic limb of 10 horses. One week later, the tendons in five of the horses (group 1) were treated with glycosaminoglycan polysulphate (GAGPS), and the tendons of the other five (group 2) were treated with saline solution. The horses were euthanased 150 days after the collagenase injections, and samples of the SDFTs were frozen at -14 degrees C, sectioned at 5 to 7 mum longitudinally and transversely, and stained by the picrosirius red method. Morphometric analysis was used to quantify the organised and disorganised bundles of collagen in the samples from groups 1 and 2. Significantly more organised bundles of collagen were observed in the tendons treated with GAGPS.

Cutaneous and oral lesions in 32 children after renal transplantation.

A variety of skin and oral mucosal lesions appearing in patients after renal transplantation have been reported in the literature. Because most of these data pertain to adults, we studied a group of children with kidney transplants to investigate the occurrence of skin and/or oral mucosal lesions, compare them with those observed in adults, and contribute to the knowledge of the pathogenesis of these disorders. Our series consisted of 32 patients aged 5 to 18 years, all of whom had skin and/or oral mucosal lesions that were classified as being either drug induced, probably related to uremia, or due to other causes. A possible relationship between drug-induced lesions and the therapeutic immunosuppressive regimen in use was investigated. In addition, two formerly unreported lesions were seen in these patients: hypertrophy of lingual fungiform papillae and onychoschizia. The former occurred only in children receiving cyclosporine. Compared with adults, the frequency of gingival hypertrophy was higher and that of infectious disease was lower.

[1% econazole hair-shampoo in the treatment of pityriasis capitis; a comparative study versus zinc-pyrithione shampoo]. / Econazolo 1% hair-shampoo nel trattamento della Pityriasis capitis; studio di confronto vs zinco-piritione shampoo.

On the basis of the assumption that Pityrosporum ovale is an important pathogenic factor in the aetiology of Pityriasis simplex capitis (dandruff), the Authors intended to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of econazole (1% hair-shampoo) in the treatment of this scalp disease. Dandruff could be considered a problem more from a cosmetic than from a medical point of view; for this reason a conventional anti-dandruff hair-shampoo containing zinc-pyrithione was selected as a control. In this open controlled study, seventy patients suffering from different forms of Pityriasis simplex capitis were enrolled at the 1th Dermatological Institute, University of Milan, and randomly assigned to the econazole and zinc-pyrithione treatment groups, respectively. At the end of the four-weeks treatment (two applications/week) a marked decrease in signs (scaling, seborrhea, erythema) and symptoms (burning, itching) was observed in both groups. Regarding the antifungal efficacy, econazole hair-shampoo was slightly better than control. General evaluation on tolerability and cosmetical patterns was favourable for both formulations.