Knowledge, Attitudes and Self-reported practices Questionnaire on Pureed Diet Preparation (KAP DYS Puree) among Food Handlers in Malaysian Hospitals for Dysphagia Management: Development, Validity, and Reliability Testing

@#Introduction: This methodological research study aimed to measure content validity and reliability of a newly developed questionnaire of knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices towards pureed diet preparation (KAP DYS Puree) among hospital food handlers for dysphagia management. Methods: The study was conducted through face validation, content validation, content reliability and construct validation. A cross-sectional design with convenience sampling was carried out involving 4 panels for face validation, 10 raters for content validity and 161 food handlers participated for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), while 30 food handlers were involved for test-retest reliability. The questionnaire which consisted of 40 items distributed into 3 domains and was assessed and analyzed using modified kappa (k*) for reliability. Results: Content Validity Index revealed the following I-CVI values: knowledge = 0.915, attitudes = 0.922 and self-reported practices = 0.900 and modified kappa values (k*) knowledge = 0.983, attitudes = 0.9214 and self-reported practices = 0.899. The EFA was employed for two dimensions which were self-reported practices and attitudes based on principal axis of factoring with varimax rotation. The factor analysis yielded two factors with a total of 10 items in the attitudes domain and two factors with a total of 9 items in the self-reported practices domain that had satisfactory factor loading (> 0.3). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) values for attitudes = 0.816 and self-reported practices = 0.776. Bartlett’s test of sphericity was significant at p < 0.0001 for attitudes and self-reported practices indicating the suitability of this data for factor analysis. Interclass Correlation Index (ICC) values for attitudes = 0.739 and self-reported practices = 0.789. Conclusion: This instrument can be used as a need assessment tool in the development of a comprehensive training module for pureed diet preparations in dysphagia management.

CT texture analysis for predicting pseudoprogression in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma during PD-1 inhibitor therapy / 中华内科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of enhanced CT texture feature analysis in predicting pseudoprogression in patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mccRCC) undergoing programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor therapy.Methods:A cross-sectional study. Data from 32 patients with mccRCC were retrospectively collected who received monotherapy with PD-1 inhibitors after standard treatment failure at Henan Cancer Hospital, from June 2015 to January 2021. Clinical information and enhanced CT images were analyzed to assess target lesion response. The lesions were divided into pseudoprogression and non-pseudoprogression groups. Manual segmentation of target lesions was performed using ITK-Snap software on baseline enhanced CT, and texture analysis was conducted using A.K. software to extract feature parameters. Differences in texture features between the pseudoprogression and non-pseudoprogression groups were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. A predictive model for pseudoprogression was constructed, and its performance was evaluated using ROC curve analysis.Results:A total of 32 patients with 89 lesions were included in the study. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in seven texture features between the pseudoprogression and non-pseudoprogression groups. These features included“original_ngtdm_Strength”(0.49 vs. -0.61, P=0.006), “wavelet-HLH_glszm_ZonePercentage”(0.67 vs. -0.22, P=0.024),“wavelet-LHL_ngtdm_Strength”(1.20 vs. -0.51, P=0.002), “wavelet-HLL_gldm_LargeDependenceEmphasis”(-0.84 vs. 0.19, P=0.002), “wavelet-HLH_glcm_Id” (-0.30 vs. 0.43, P=0.037),“wavelet- HLH_glrlm_RunPercentage”(0.45 vs. -0.01, P=0.032),“wavelet-LHH_firstorder_Skewness”(0.25 vs. -0.27, P=0.011). Based on these features, a pseudoprogression prediction model was developed with a P-value of 0.000 2 and an odds ratio of 0.045 (95% CI 0.009-0.227). The model exhibited a high predictive performance with an AUC of 0.907 (95% CI 0.817-0.997) according to ROC curve analysis. Conclusions:Enhanced CT texture feature analysis shows promise in predicting lesion pseudoprogression in patients with metastatic ccRCC undergoing PD-1 inhibitor therapy. The developed predictive model based on texture features demonstrates good performance and may assist in evaluating treatment response in these patients.

Study on the effect of virtual grid on chest X-ray image quality / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To explore the image quality and its evaluation method using virtual grid under different tube voltages in the clinical chest X-ray exam.Methods:According to the conditions of chest X-ray photography commonly used in clinical practice, the corresponding thickness of plexiglass (20 cm, including CDRAD phantom) was determined as the experimental object. With a fixed tube loading of 4 mAs and the tube voltage from 60 to 125 kV, the experimental object was imaged in three ways: physical grid, none grid and virtual grid. The common physical parameters (CNR, σ, C, SNR), texture analysis (Angular second moment, texture Contrast, Correlation, Inverse difference moment, Entropy) and CDRAD phantom score (IQF inv) were evaluated. Two-way ANOVA test was used for each group of common physical parameters, and further pairwise comparisons were made. At the same time, applying virtual grids on the obtained images with chest anthropomorphic model and texture indexing the images with and without virtual grids, then rank sum test of paired sample can be conducted. Results:There were differences in image quality among the three groups of grid mode( P<0.05), and the physical grid delivered the best image quality. The tube voltage had an impact on all image quality evaluation indexes ( P<0.05). The tube voltage was positively correlated with CNR, SNR, angular second moment, inverse difference moment and IQF inv ( P<0.05), and negatively correlated with σ, C, texture contrast and entropy ( P<0.05). There was no significant correlation between the tube voltage and Correlation ( P>0.05). The chest anthropomorphic model images were used to evaluate the virtual grids, and the texture indexes (Angle second moment, Contrast, Correlation, Inverse difference moment, Entropy) were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusions:The virtual grid can improve the image quality of chest X-ray photography, and the image texture analysis method can be a useful supplement to the image quality evaluation parameters.

Nomogram based on CT texture analysis and morphological characteristics for differentiating Borrmann Ⅳ type gastric cancer from gastric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To explore the value in differentiating Borrmann Ⅳ type gastric cancer (BT4-GC) from gastric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) using a nomogram based on CT texture analysis (CTTA) and morphological characteristics.Methods:From June 2011 to December 2020, a total of 60 patients with BT4-GC and 24 patients with DLBCL were retrospectively collected in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University. Morphological characteristics were evaluated, including major location, long axis range, circumferential range, mucosal line status, and perigastric enlarged lymph nodes. CTTA parameters were calculated using venous CT images with a manual region of interest. The morphological characteristics and CTTA parameters between BT4-GC and DLBCL were compared by χ 2 test, Fisher exact test or Mann-Whitney U test. The multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to filter factors into the diagnostic model and construct a nomogram. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of CTTA parameters and the diagnostic model in differentiating BT4-GC from DLBCL. Results:For morphological characteristics, mucosal line status showed a significant difference between BT4-GC and DLBCL (χ 2=12.99, P<0.001). For CTTA parameters, 16 parameters showed significant differences between BT4-GC and DLBCL (all P<0.05). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 16 CTTA parameters in differentiating BT4-GC from DLBCL was 0.662-0.833. Percentile 90 showed the highest AUC of 0.833 (95%CI 0.736-0.906). The mucosal line status (OR 4.82, 95%CI 1.21-19.25, P=0.026) and percentile 90 (OR 1.09, 95%CI 1.04-1.15, P=0.001) were brought into the diagnostic model and constructed a nomogram. The AUC of the model in differentiating BT4-GC from DLBCL was 0.898 (95%CI 0.813-0.953), sensitivity was 0.833, and specificity was 0.817. Conclusions:The nomogram based on CTTA percentile 90 and morphological characteristics mucosal line status can effectively distinguish BT4-GC from DLBCL and shows high diagnostic efficacy.

Prediction of myometrial invasion of bladder cancer based on texture analysis of the bladder wall at tumor base / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To identify the value of ultrasound radiomic features extracted from the bladder wall at tumor base in predicting myometrial invasion of bladder cancer.Methods:A total of 175 cases with bladder cancer confirmed by pathology from January 2017 to February 2022 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into training set and testing set in a ratio of 7∶3. The MaZda texture analysis software was used to draw the region of interest (ROI) of the bladder wall and the tumor region for extracting texture features. The minimum absolute reduction and variable selection operator (LASSO) regression and 10-fold cross-validation were used to screen the features of training set for establishing the models. And the ROC curve was used to evaluate the efficiency of the models.Results:A total of 279 texture features were extracted from the ROI of the bladder wall and the tumor region, and 5 texture features were screened out for constructing omics scoring models by LASSO regression and 10-fold cross-test. The area under ROC curve (AUC)s used in training set and testing set of the bladder wall were 0.921 and 0.856, while the AUCs applied in training set and testing set of the tumor region were 0.849 and 0.704. Both in the training set and test set, the AUCs of the model of the bladder wall were higher than those of the model of the tumor region (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The omics scoring model based on the texture features of the bladder wall at tumor base can effectively identify muscle-invasive bladder cancer(MIBC) and non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer(NMIBC), and has better performance than the model based on the texture feature of the tumor region.

Value of CT texture analysis parameters in differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis / 中华内分泌外科杂志

Objective:To study the value of CT texture analysis (CTTA) parameters in differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.Methods:From May. 2020 to Oct. 2021, 110 patients with thyroid nodules in the background of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in the Radiology Department of Nanjing Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine were selected, and CTTA was performed. CTTA parameters (entropy value, peak state and skewness) were counted. The pathological diagnosis results were taken as the "gold standard". Statistical pathological examination results were used to compare the general clinical characteristics and CTTA parameters of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was used to analyze the diagnostic value of CTTA parameters for thyroid nodules.Results:According to the clinicopathological examination, 43 of 110 patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis were malignant, accounting for 39.09%. Among them, 22 were papillary carcinoma, 13 were follicular carcinoma, 6 were medullary carcinoma, and 2 were malignant lymphoma; 67 cases were benign, accounting for 60.91%, including 32 nodular goiters, 20 Hashimoto’s nodules, 8 thyroid adenomas, and 7 focal inflammation. The levels of TSH, irregular shape, blurry border and calcification in patients with malignant thyroid nodules were higher than those in patients with benign thyroid nodules ( t/ χ2=13.167, 18.364, 20.180,17.621, P<0.001). In the background of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, there was no significant difference in the peak and skewness of CTTA parameters between benign and malignant thyroid nodules ( t=1.633, 1.382, P=0.105, 0.170). The entropy value of patients with malignant thyroid nodules was higher than that of patients with benign thyroid nodules, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=9.862, P<0.001). ROC analysis showed that the cut-off value of entropy value for diagnosing benign and malignant thyroid nodules was 6.28, AUC value was 0.909, 95% CI was 0.839-0.955, sensitivity was 86.05% (37/43), and specificity was 88.06% (69/67) . Conclusion:CTTA parameters in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis patients with benign and malignant thyroid nodules are different, and CTTA parameters have certain diagnostic value for benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

Identificação de Características e Propriedades Morfológicas em Texturas Táteis: Estudo sobre Gráficos Educativos e Cartografias para Crianças com Deficiência Visual / Identification of Properties and Morphological Characteristics in Tactile Textures: a Study on Educational Graphics and Cartographies for Visual Impaired Children

RESUMO: Este artigo explora as texturas táteis que têm sido utilizadas na confecção de mapas e imagens temáticas para crianças com deficiência visual no Chile nos últimos 20 anos. De um grupo representativo composto por mais de 300 lâminas de conteúdo educacional inclusivo, foram selecionadas 14 texturas para identificar sua natureza, propriedades psicofísicas e características morfológicas a partir de sua composição geométrica. O objetivo foi gerar as bases teóricas e tecnológicas relacionadas ao design e à produção digital de mapas, imagens e gráficos táteis. O trabalho buscou tipificar as formas de relevo e suas possíveis aplicações pelo uso de padrões de repetição que permitam melhorar a linguagem e o reconhecimento das texturas envolvidas com o intuito de expandir e diversificar seu uso em material educativo inclusivo no ensino e na disseminação do conhecimento por meio do toque.

ABSTRACT: This article explores the textures that have been used in the development of thematic maps and images for children with visual impairment in Chile over the last 20 years. From a representative group of more than 300 sheets of inclusive educational content, 14 textures were selected to identify their nature, psychophysical properties and morphological characteristics based on their geometric composition. The aim was to generate the theoretical and technological grounds related to the design and digital production of tactile maps, images, and graphics. The work sought to typify the embossed shapes and their possible applications by using repetition patterns that allow to improve the language and recognition of the textures involved, with the intention of expanding and diversifying their use in inclusive educational material in the teaching and dissemination of knowledge through tact.

Features of lumbar spine texture extracted from routine MRI correlate with bone mineral density and can potentially differentiate patients with and without fragility fractures in the spine

The use of routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to potentially assess skeletal fragility has been widely studied in osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone texture attributes (TA) from routine lumbar spine (LS) MRI and their correlation with vertebral fragility fractures (VFF) and bone mineral density (BMD). Sixty-four post-menopausal women were submitted to LS densitometry, total spine radiographs, and routine T2-weighted LS MRI. Twenty-two TA were extracted with the platform IBEX from L3 vertebra. The statistical difference was evaluated using ANOVA and Duncan's post-test. Correlation analyses were performed using Spearman's coefficient. Statistical significance was considered when P<0.05. The results did not show a significant difference in BMD between the women with and without fractures. Two bone TA (cluster tendency and variance) were significantly lower in the fracture group. Cluster tendency with VFF in osteopenia was 1.54±1.37 and in osteoporosis was 1.11±58. Cluster tendency without VFF in osteopenia was 2.23±1.38 and in osteoporosis was 1.88±1.14). Variance with VFF in osteopenia was 1.44±1.37 and in osteoporosis was 1.13±59. Variance without VFF in osteopenia was 2.34±1.38 and in osteoporosis was 1.89±1.14. There was a significant correlation between BMD and cluster prominence (r=0.409), cluster tendency (r=0.345), correlation (r=0.570), entropy (r=0.364), information measure corr1 (r=0.378), inverse variance (r=0.449), sum entropy (r=0.320), variance (r=0.338), sum average (r=-0.274), and sum variance (r=-0.266). Our results demonstrated the potential use of TA extracted from routine MRI as a biomarker to assess osteoporosis and identify the tendency of skeletal fragility vertebral fractures.

Magnetic resonance imaging texture analysis of the temporomandibular joint for changes in the articular disc in individuals with migraine headache / Análise de textura por ressonância magnética da articulação temporomanbibular com alterações no disco articular em individuos com cefaleia migranea

Objective: the aim of this study was to analyse the performance of the technique of texture analysis (TA) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of temporomandibular joints (TMJs) as a tool for identification of possible changes in individuals with migraine headache (MH) by relating the findings to the presence of internal derangements. Material and Methods: thirty MRI scans of the TMJ were selected for study, of which 15 were from individuals without MH or any other type of headache (control group) and 15 from those diagnosed with migraine. T2-weighted MRI scans of the articular joints taken in closed-mouth position were used for TA. The co-occurrence matrix was used to calculate the texture parameters. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the groups for gender, disc function and disc position, whereas Mann-Whitney's test was used for other parameters. The relationship of TA with disc position and function was assessed by using logistic regression adjusted for side and group. Results: the results indicated that the MRI texture analysis of articular discs in individuals with migraine headache has the potential to determine the behaviour of disc derangements, in which high values of contrast, low values of entropy and their correlation can correspond to displacements and tendency for non-reduction of the disc in these individuals. Conclusion: the TA of articular discs in individuals with MH has the potential to determine the behaviour of disc derangements based on high values of contrast and low values of entropy (AU)

Objetivo: o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o desempenho da técnica de análise de textura (AT) em exames de ressonância magnética (RM) das articulações temporomandibulares (ATM) como ferramenta para identificação de possíveis alterações em indivíduos com cefaléia migrânea (CM) relacionando os achados com a presença de desarranjos internos. Material e Métodos: trinta exames de RM das ATM foram selecionados para estudo, sendo 15 de indivíduos sem cefaleia migrânea ou qualquer outro tipo de cefaléia (grupo controle) e 15 diagnosticados com CM. As imagens de RM ponderadas em T2 das articulações realizadas na posição de boca fechada foram usadas para AT. A matriz de co-ocorrência foi usada para calcular os parâmetros de textura. O teste exato de Fisher foi usado para comparar os grupos quanto ao sexo, função do disco e posição do disco, enquanto o teste de Mann-Whitney foi usado para os demais parâmetros. A relação da AT com a posição e função do disco foi avaliada por meio de regressão logística ajustada para lado e grupo. Resultados: a AT por RM dos discos articulares em indivíduos com cefaleia migrânea tem o potencial de determinar o comportamento dos desarranjos discais, em que altos valores de contraste, baixos valores de entropia e sua correlação podem corresponder a deslocamentos e tendência a não redução do disco nesses indivíduos. Conclusão: a análise de textura dos discos articulares em indivíduos com CM tem potencial para determinar o comportamento dos desarranjos do disco com base em altos valores de contraste e baixos valores de entropia. (AU)

Additifs alimentaires: inventaire des substances ajoutées aux denrées alimentaires de large consommation dans l'Ouest algérien / Food additives : inventory of substances added to consumer foods in Western Algeria

Introduction- Les additifs alimentaires sont utilisés pour prolonger la durée de conservation des denrées préparées ou édulcorer une boisson par exemple. Dans cette étude, nous dressons un état des lieux des additifs alimentaires utilisés dans quelques denrées alimentaires de large consommation commercialisées dans la ville d'Oran (Ouest Algérien). Matériels et méthodes- Une étude transversale descriptive a été réalisée au niveau des superettes et magasins d'alimentation générale de la ville d'Oran pour lister les additifs alimentaires incorporés à quelques aliments de large consommation Dans un premier temps, une étude descriptive transversale a été réalisée pendant trois mois au sein de trois structures hospitalières de l'Ouest algérien. Résultats-Au total, 114 additifs alimentaires ont été répertoriés. Tous les additifs inventoriés sont listés dans le journal officiel Algérien N°30 du 16 Mai 2012.Les additifs répertoriés ne sont pas sans risques pour la santé du consommateur. Certains additifs comme le colorant caramel ou SIN150d est retrouvé dans 3 marques locales de biscuits et 4 marques de boissons locales (17,5%) ; le benzoate de sodium ou SIN211 dans 12 marques de boissons et 2 marques de confiture (16,09%) ; le butylhydroxyanisole (BHA) ou SIN320 dans une marque de chocolat, de margarine et de chips (1,67%). Globalement, les étiquettes des produits sont conformes à la réglementation Algérienne à l'exception de quelques manquements comme la nature de l'arôme qui ne fut pas toujours spécifiée Conclusion-L'étude a révélé une importante utilisation des additifs alimentaires. Le niveau de risque pour la santé du consommateur que pourraient présenter ces substances nécessite une large sensibilisation du consommateur, notamment une consommation modérée des denrées alimentaires industriellement préparées.

The value of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion weighted imaging parameters combined with texture analysis of primary lesion of rectal adenocarcinoma to predict preoperation non-enlarged lymph node metastasis / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To investigate the value of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) parameters combined with T 2WI texture analysis of primary lesions of rectal adenocarcinoma in preoperative prediction of lymph node metastasis with short diameter ≤9 mm. Methods:Retrospective analysis was performed on 115 cases of rectal adenocarcinoma confirmed by surgical pathology in Affiliated Provincial Hospital of Anhui Medical University from June 2015 to October 2020. All patients underwent total mesorectal resection and received conventional rectal MRI and IVIM-DWI scan before surgery. According to the pathological results of lymph node, the patients were divided into lymph node metastatic group ( n=44) and non-metastatic group ( n=71). IVIM-DWI parameters of primary rectal adenocarcinoma were measured including apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo diffusion coefficient (D *) and perfusion fraction (f). The region of interest (ROI) of the whole lesion of rectal adenocarcinoma was delineated on axial T 2WI; then the ROIs were imported into GE Analysis Kit software to extract 3D texture feature. The differences of IVIM-DWI parameters and texture feature parameters were compared between two groups using independent sample t test or Mann-Whitney U test. The optimal texture feature parameters with independent predictive function were screened by multivariate logistic regression. Then the texture feature model and combined model based IVIM-DWI and texture feature parameters were established. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the performances of IVIM-DWI, texture feature parameters, texture feature model and combined model in predicting lymph node metastasis in patients with rectal adenocarcinoma. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) were compared with DeLong test. Results:Among all the IVIM-DWI parameters, the D * and f values of primary rectal adenocarcinoma were significantly different between the lymph node metastasis group and the non-lymph node metastasis group ( Z=3.39, P=0.001, Z=-3.06, P=0.002); no statistical significance was found in the ADC and D values between two groups (both P>0.05). A total of 828 texture feature parameters were obtained based on T 2WI of primary lesion of rectal adenocarcinoma, among which 3 optimal texture feature parameters were selected, including firstorder_Skewness, shape_Sphericity and glcm_Idn. The ROC curve results showed that the AUC of D * and f were 0.689 and 0.670, respectively. The AUC of 3 texture feature parameters were 0.651, 0.628, 0.631, respectively. The AUC of texture feature model and the combined model were 0.775 and 0.803. The AUC of combined model was larger than D *, f and the three texture feature parameters (all P<0.05). Conclusion:IVIM-DWI parameters combined with T 2WI texture feature parameters in primary lesion of rectal adenocarcinoma show good diagnostic efficacy in preoperative prediction of lymph node metastasis with short diameter≤9 mm.

The value of intravoxel incoherent motion magnetic resonance imaging and texture analysis for predicting BRAF gene mutation in rectal cancer / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the value of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and texture analysis for predicting BRAF gene mutation in rectal cancer.Methods:The clinical diagnositic trial was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 36 rectal cancer patients who were admitted to the First People's Hospital of Shangqiu from January 2016 to June 2021 were collected. There were 28 males and 8 females, aged (50±4)years. All the 36 patients were confirmed by pathological examination. After genetic testing, 12 patients with BRAF mutant type of BRAF V600E mutation were allocated into the mutation group, and 24 patients with BRAF wild type were allocated into the non-mutation group. All patients underwent MRI scan before surgery, and IVIM related post-processing images were received by Function Tool post-processing software. Observation indicators: (1) consistency test between observers of IVIM para-meters and texture parameters; (2) comparison of IVIM parameters on MRI between the two groups; (3) comparison of texture parameters on MRI between the two groups; (4) diagnostic efficacy of IVIM and texture parameters. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the consistency between observers, with ICC >0.80 as good consistency. The average values of para-meters with ICC >0.80 were included for further analysis. Measurement data with normal distribu-tion were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was analyzed by the indepen-dent sample t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M( Q1, Q3), and comparison between groups was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was analyzed by the chi-square test. Comparison of ordinal data was analyzed by the non-parameter rank sum test. The texture parameters were combined using the Logistic regression model. Receiver operating charac-teristic curve was used to analyze the predictive performance and calculate the sensitivity and specificity. Results:(1) Consistency test between observers of IVIM parameters and texture parameters: the ICCs between two observers of IVIM parameters including apparent diffusion coefficient, diffusion related coefficient, perfusion-related diffusion coefficient and perfusion-related parameter were 0.91, 0.90, 0.91, 0.89, respectively. The ICCs of texture parameters including the minimum value, the maximum value, the 10th percentile and the 25th percentile between two observers were <0.80 while the ICCs of texture parameters including mean value, the 50th percentile, the 75th percentile, the 90th percentile, energy, entropy, skewness and kurtosis between two observers were >0.80. (2) Comparison of IVIM parameters on MRI between the two groups: IVIM parameters of diffusion related coefficient and perfusion-related parameter on MRI were (0.70±0.13)×10 -3 mm 2/s and 0.39±0.30 for the mutation group, versus (0.79±0.12)×10 -3 mm 2/s and 0.17±0.10 for the non-mutation group, showing significant differences between the two groups ( t=-2.17, 2.46, P<0.05). (3) Comparison of texture parameters on MRI between the two groups: the texture parameters of mean value and energy on diffusion related coefficient image were 0.54±0.23 and 0.00(0.00,0.01) for the mutation group, versus 0.77±0.34 and 0.01(0.00,0.01) for the non-mutation group, showing significant differences between the two groups ( t=-2.12, Z=-1.35, P<0.05). (4) Diagnostic efficacy of IVIM and texture parameters: the areas under the curve (AUCs) of diffusion related coefficient, perfusion-related parameter, IVIM parameters combination, mean value of diffu-sion related coefficient image, energy value of diffusion related coefficient image, texture parameters combination were 0.69[95% confidence interval ( CI) as 0.52-0.84], 0.76(95% CI as 0.59-0.88), 0.79(95% CI as 0.62-0.91), 0.71(95% CI as 0.52-0.85), 0.79(95% CI as 0.62-0.91), 0.84(95% CI as 0.68-0.94), which were all lower than the AUC of IVIM and texture parameters combination as 0.92(95% CI as 0.79-0.99). Conclusions:IVIM parameters and texture parameters of MRI can non-invasively predict the mutation status of BRAF gene in rectal cancer. The combination of IVIM and texture parameters has a better predictive efficacy.

Progress in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of small renal cell carcinoma by CT texture analysis / 中华全科医师杂志

Small renal cell carcinoma refers to a renal malignant tumor with a maximum diameter of 4 cm.Due to the small size, its diagnosis and differential diagnosis have been difficult points in clinical work. CT texture analysis is an emerging technique, it determines the tumor heterogeneity by analyzing the distribution and relationship of pixel or voxel gray-scale levels in the CT images, it acts to more accurately predict the benign and malignant tumors and the classification of tumors.This paper reviews CT texture analysis on the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of small renal cell carcinoma, in order to guide the correct diagnosis of doctors and effectively clinical treatment.

Short-term MRI texture features of medial femoral cartilage after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To investigate MRI texture features reflecting short-term medial femoral cartilage variations after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.Methods:A retrospective case series analysis was conducted referring to the data of 20 patients who received ACL reconstruction at First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from January 2017 to January 2020 including 17 males and 3 females, aged 23-43 years [(32.1±5.4)years]. The patients were evaluated before operation and at 1, 4, 12, 24, 48 weeks after operation: (1) the region of interest (ROI) in medial femoral cartilage was divided into ROI1 (meniscus anterior horn cartilage), ROI2 (meniscus body cartilage) and ROI3 (meniscus posterior horn cartilage) according to MRI image acquisition of the affected knee. The texture feature parameters were extracted for screening and analyzing to obtain the parameters reflecting sensitivity to cartilage variations; (2) the level of urinary C-telopeptide of type II collagen (uCTX-II) was measured by ELISA. At different time points, differences in texture feature parameters were compared to screen the parameters most sensitive to cartilage variations, and uCTX-II level were compared as well. Then, Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between texture feature parameters most sensitive to cartilage variations and uCTX-II level.Results:After screening and analyzing, the horizontal direction of gray level non-uniformity (Horzl_GlevNonU) and Skewness of histogram (Skewness) of ROI3 were selected as sensitive texture feature parameters reflecting sensitivity to cartilage variations. There were significant difference in the Horzl_GlevNonU and Skewness of ROI3 before operation and at 1, 4, 12, 24, 48 weeks after operation (all P<0.05). Meanwhile, the Horzl_GlevNonU and Skewness of ROI3 were gradually increased over time, with a more significant tendency in the Horzl_GlevNonU. The Horzl_GlevNonU of ROI3 was similar at 4 weeks and 12 weeks after operation ( P>0.05), with significant differences at other time points (all P<0.05). The Skewness of ROI3 was significantly different at 1 week and 48 weeks after operation ( P<0.05), with insignificant differences at other time points (all P>0.05). The Horzl_GlevNonU of ROI3 was selected as the most sensitive texture feature parameter reflecting cartilage variations. Significant difference was reported in uCTX-II level before operation and at 1, 4, 12, 24, 48 weeks after operation (all P<0.05). After Pearson correlation analysis, the Horzl_GlevNonU of ROI3 was positively correlated with uCTX-II level before operation and at 1, 4, 12, 24, 48 weeks after operation ( r=0.554, 0.596, 0.550, 0.632, 0.756, 0.514, P<0.05 or 0.01). Conclusion:The Horzl_GlevNonU of ROI3 is the most sensitive texture feature parameter that reflects the early variations of medial femoral cartilage after ACL reconstruction and is positively correlated with uCTX-II level.

Scientific Characterization of Traditional Softening Method of Corydalis Rhizoma / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveModern scientific methods and techniques were used to scientifically characterize the traditional softening process of Corydalis Rhizoma， so as to clarify the scientificity and rationality of the traditional process， and provide reference for inheriting the processing methods and experience of traditional Chinese medicine. MethodLow-field nuclear magnetic resonance imaging （LF-NMR/MRI） was used to characterize the water types and distribution in the softening process of Corydalis Rhizoma. Samples during the softening process was cut into thick slices and its section was observed by stereoscopic microscope. High performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） was employed to determine the content change of tetrahydropalmatine during the softening process with the mobile phase of methanol-0.1% phosphoric acid solution （60∶40， triethylamine regulated to pH 6.5） and detection wavelength at 280 nm. The determination method of softening endpoint of Corydalis Rhizoma was simulated by texture analyzer （hand pinch method）， and the softening degree of the finished products was determined after optimizing the relevant parameters. ResultLF-NMR/MRI showed that the water could penetrate through the core and distribute evenly in Corydalis Rhizoma softened by Zhangbang method. The water first entered into the medicinal material from the epidermis and stem marks in the soaking stage as the form of free water， and then penetrated into the inner core to achieve redistribution in the moistening stage. Under stereoscopic microscope， it was observed that Corydalis Rhizoma softened by the Zhangbang method could be sliced well， but the core bursting slices were easy to appear if the softening time was not enough， and the softening of samples was caused by the keratine-like powder after absorbing water. HPLC measurement showed that the loss of tetrahydropalmatine in the softening method was small， its content decreased about 5% in the soaking process， and its content was almost unchanged during the moistening process. The softening degree of Corydalis Rhizoma could be quantified by the texture analyzer， and the optimum parameters were 2 mm·s-1 of speed before test， test speed and speed after test， 20 g of the trigger force， 20% of compression degree. The compressive force of the qualified softened Corydalis Rhizoma was 12.75-15.69 N with the relative standard deviation （RSD） of 6.8%. ConclusionModern scientific methods and techniques can characterize the scientificity and rationality of the traditional processing methods， and confirm that the Zhangbang softening method has the advantages of high efficiency， convenience and small loss of index components. The texture analyzer can simulate the softening endpoint judgment method （hand pinch method）， and realize the goal from subjective experience judgment to objective technology quantification， which has a good demonstration role for the modern inheritance of traditional processing technology.

Scientific Characterization of Traditional Softening Method of Corydalis Rhizoma / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveModern scientific methods and techniques were used to scientifically characterize the traditional softening process of Corydalis Rhizoma， so as to clarify the scientificity and rationality of the traditional process， and provide reference for inheriting the processing methods and experience of traditional Chinese medicine. MethodLow-field nuclear magnetic resonance imaging （LF-NMR/MRI） was used to characterize the water types and distribution in the softening process of Corydalis Rhizoma. Samples during the softening process was cut into thick slices and its section was observed by stereoscopic microscope. High performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） was employed to determine the content change of tetrahydropalmatine during the softening process with the mobile phase of methanol-0.1% phosphoric acid solution （60∶40， triethylamine regulated to pH 6.5） and detection wavelength at 280 nm. The determination method of softening endpoint of Corydalis Rhizoma was simulated by texture analyzer （hand pinch method）， and the softening degree of the finished products was determined after optimizing the relevant parameters. ResultLF-NMR/MRI showed that the water could penetrate through the core and distribute evenly in Corydalis Rhizoma softened by Zhangbang method. The water first entered into the medicinal material from the epidermis and stem marks in the soaking stage as the form of free water， and then penetrated into the inner core to achieve redistribution in the moistening stage. Under stereoscopic microscope， it was observed that Corydalis Rhizoma softened by the Zhangbang method could be sliced well， but the core bursting slices were easy to appear if the softening time was not enough， and the softening of samples was caused by the keratine-like powder after absorbing water. HPLC measurement showed that the loss of tetrahydropalmatine in the softening method was small， its content decreased about 5% in the soaking process， and its content was almost unchanged during the moistening process. The softening degree of Corydalis Rhizoma could be quantified by the texture analyzer， and the optimum parameters were 2 mm·s-1 of speed before test， test speed and speed after test， 20 g of the trigger force， 20% of compression degree. The compressive force of the qualified softened Corydalis Rhizoma was 12.75-15.69 N with the relative standard deviation （RSD） of 6.8%. ConclusionModern scientific methods and techniques can characterize the scientificity and rationality of the traditional processing methods， and confirm that the Zhangbang softening method has the advantages of high efficiency， convenience and small loss of index components. The texture analyzer can simulate the softening endpoint judgment method （hand pinch method）， and realize the goal from subjective experience judgment to objective technology quantification， which has a good demonstration role for the modern inheritance of traditional processing technology.

Influence of bionic texture coronary stent on hemodynamics after implantation / 生物医学工程学杂志

To explore the influence of bionic texture coronary stents on hemodynamics, a type of bioabsorbable polylactic acid coronary stents was designed, for which a finite element analysis method was used to carry out simulation analysis on blood flow field after the implantation of bionic texture stents with three different shapes (rectangle, triangle and trapezoid), thus revealing the influence of groove shape and size on hemodynamics, and identifying the optimal solution of bionic texture groove. The results showed that the influence of bionic texture grooves of different shapes and sizes on the lower wall shear stress region had a certain regularity. Specifically, the improvement effect of grooves above 0.06 mm on blood flow characteristics was poor, and the effect of grooves below 0.06 mm was good. Furthermore, the smaller the size is, the better the improvement effect is, and the 0.02 mm triangular groove had the best improvement effect. Based on the results of this study, it is expected that bionic texture stents have provided a new method for reducing in-stent restenosis.

Research on batch-to-batch quality control of compound Danshen extract based on physical characterization and multivariate statistical analysis / 中国中药杂志

Physical attributes of Chinese herbal extracts are determined by their chemical components, and the physical and chemical attributes jointly affect the preparation process performance and the final product quality. Therefore, in order to improve the quality control of Chinese herbal extracts, we should comprehensively study the batch-to-batch consistency of physical and chemical attributes as well as the correlations between them. This paper first explored the physical attributes affecting the preparation process performance of the compound Danshen extract and developed a method for characterizing the texture attributes. With such main chemical components as water, phenolic acids, saponins, and saccharides and texture, rheology, and other physical attributes taken into consideration, the batch-to-batch quality fluctuation of products from different production lines and time was analyzed by principal components analysis(PCA). Finally, the correlation and partial least squares(PLS) analysis was conducted, and the regression equation was established. The fitting result of the PLS model for dynamic viscosity was satisfying(R~2Y=0.857, Q~2=0.793), suggesting that the chemical components could be adjusted by the component transfer rate in the extraction process, the impurity removal rate in the alcohol precipitation process, and the water retention rate of the concentration process to meet the control of the extract dynamic viscosity. This study clarified the correlations between physical and chemical attributes of the compound Danshen extract and established a method for controlling its physical attributes based on process regulation, which would provide reference for improving the quality control of Chinese herbal extracts.

Performance of the Combined Model Based on Both Clinicopathological and CT Texture Features in Predicting Liver Metastasis of High-risk Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To investigate the performance of the combined model based on both clinicopathological features and CT texture features in predicting liver metastasis of high-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GISTs). Methods The high-risk GISTs confirmed by pathology from January 2015 to December 2020 were analyzed retrospectively,including 153 cases from the Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and 51 cases from the Shaoxing Central Hospital.The cases were randomly assigned into a training set(n=142)and a test set(n=62)at a ratio of 7∶3.According to the results of operation or puncture,they were classified into a liver metastasis group(76 cases)and a non-metastasis group(128 cases).ITK-SNAP was employed to delineate the volume of interest of the stromal tumors.Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)was employed to screen out the effective features.Multivariate logistic regression was adopted to construct the models based on clinicopathological features,texture features extracted from CT scans,and the both(combined model),respectively.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and calibration curve were established to evaluate the predictive performance of the models.The area under the curve(AUC)was compared by Delong test. Results Body mass index(BMI),tumor size,Ki-67,tumor occurrence site,abdominal mass,gastrointestinal bleeding,and CA125 level showed statistical differences between groups(all P<0.05).A total of 107 texture features were extracted from CT images,from which 13 and 7 texture features were selected by LASSO from CT plain scans and CT enhanced scans,respectively.The AUC of the prediction with the training set and the test set respectively was 0.870 and 0.855 for the model based on clinicopathological features,0.918 and 0.836 for the model based on texture features extracted from CT plain scans,0.920 and 0.846 for the model based on texture features extracted from CT enhanced scans,and 0.930 and 0.889 for the combined model based on both clinicopathological features and texture features extracted from CT plain scans.Delong test demonstrated no significant difference in AUC between the models based on the texture features extracted from CT plain scans and CT enhanced scans(P=0.762),whereas the AUC of the combined model was significantly different from that of the clinicopathological feature-based model and texture feature-based model(P=0.001 and P=0.023,respectively). Conclusion Texture features extracted from CT plain scans can predict the liver metastasis of high-risk GISTs,and the model established with clinicopathological features combined with CT texture features has best prediction performance.

Análisis de texturas homogéneas para la estimación volumétrica de la materia cerebral por tomografía computarizada / Analysis of Homogeneous Textures for the VolumetricEstimation of Brain Matter by Computed Tomography

Las aplicaciones de análisis de texturas y su extracción de características son consideradas tendencias de investigación en las neurociencias. La textura como método de análisis de imágenes ha mostrado resultados prometedores en la detección de lesiones visibles y no visibles, y en estudios de tomografía computarizada (TC) son escasos. La presente investigación tiene como objetivo determinar la aplicabilidad del procesamiento automático de índices de texturas homogéneas en la estimación volumétrica de la sustancia gris cerebral en imágenes de TC craneal. Para ello se utilizaron imágenes artificiales con regiones predefinidas y la selección de imágenes de TC en los pacientes con indicaciones previas de TC de cráneo. Dos pasos fundamentales son conducidos para la implementación de este enfoque. Como resultado se obtuvo un método automático de reconocimiento de patrones sin ventanas por medio de la extracción de características de textura homogéneas a través de la matriz de co-ocurrencia(AU)

Texture analysis applications and their extraction of features are considered research trends in neuroscience. Texture as a method of image analysis has shown promising results in the detection of visible and non-visible lesions, and in computed tomography (CT) studies they are scarce. The present research aims to determine the applicability of the automatic processing of homogeneous texture indices in the volumetric estimation of brain gray matter in cranial CT images. For this, artificial images with predefined regions and the selection of CT images were used in patients with previous indications for CT of the skull. Two fundamental steps are taken for the implementation of this approach. As a result, an automatic windowless pattern recognition method was obtained by means of the extraction of homogeneous texture characteristics through the co-occurrence matrix(AU)