Implementable Deep Learning for Multi‐sequence Proton MRI Lung Segmentation: A Multi‐center, Multi‐vendor, and Multi‐disease Study

AlexandrosSfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Implementable Deep Learning for Multi‐sequence Proton MRI Lung Segmentation: A Multi‐center, Multi‐vendor, and Multi‐disease Study via Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Background Recently, deep learning via convolutional neural networks (CNNs) has largely superseded conventional methods for proton (1H)-MRI lung segmentation. However, previous deep learning studies have utilized single-center data and limited acquisition parameters. Purpose Develop a generalizable CNN for lung segmentation in 1H-MRI, robust to pathology, acquisition protocol, vendor, and center. Study type Retrospective. Population A total of 809 1H-MRI scans from 258 participants with various pulmonary pathologies (median age (range): 57 (6–85); 42% females) and 31 healthy participants (median age (range): 34 (23–76); 34% females) that were split into training (593 scans (74%); 157 participants (55%)), testing (50 scans (6%); 50 participants (17%)) and external validation (164 scans (20%); 82 participants (28%)) sets. Field Strength/Sequence 1.5-T and 3-T/3D spoiled-gradient recalled and ultrashort echo-time 1H-MRI. Assessment 2D and 3D CNNs, trained on single-center, multi-sequence data, and the conventional spatial fuzzy c-means (SFCM) method were compared to manually delineated expert segmentations. Each method was validated on external data originating from several centers. Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), average boundary Hausdorff distance (Average HD), and relative error (XOR) metrics to assess segmentation performance. Statistical Tests Kruskal–Wallis tests assessed significances of differences between acquisitions in the testing set. Friedman tests with post hoc multiple comparisons assessed differences between the 2D CNN, 3D CNN, and SFCM. Bland–Altman analyses assessed agreement with manually derived lung volumes. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The 3D CNN significantly outperformed its 2D analog and SFCM, yielding a median (range) DSC of 0.961 (0.880–0.987), Average HD of 1.63 mm (0.65–5.45) and XOR of 0.079 (0.025–0.240) on the testing set and a DSC of 0.973 (0.866–0.987), Average HD of 1.11 mm (0.47–8.13) and XOR of 0.054 (0.026–0.255) on external validation data. Data Conclusion The 3D CNN generated accurate 1H-MRI lung segmentations on a heterogenous dataset, demonstrating robustness to disease pathology, sequence, vendor, and center. Evidence Level 4. Technical Efficacy Stage 1. View on Web

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Equity in adjuvant radiotherapy utilization in locally advanced head and neck cancer: A SEER‐data based study

AlexandrosSfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Equity in adjuvant radiotherapy utilization in locally advanced head and neck cancer: A SEER‐data based study via Head & Neck Abstract Background Not all patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) who are eligible for adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) following upfront surgery appear to receive it. Methods Data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Selected patients from 2009 to 2018 had locally advanced HNC, underwent upfront surgery, and were eligible for adjuvant RT. Multivariable logistic regression and chi-squared test were used to analyze available patient and tumor characteristics. Results Of 12 549 patients, 84.5% underwent adjuvant RT, 15.5% did not. Characteristics associated with lowest adjuvant RT utilization included cancers of the larynx (p < 0.0001) and gingivae (p < 0.0001), age 80 and above (p < 0.0001), unpartnered status (p < 0.0001), and residence within a nonmetropolitan area (p < 0.0024). Conclusions Tumor subsite, age, partnered status, and rural/urban residence correlate with omission of adjuvant RT in locally advanced HNC. View on Web

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An evaluation of mechanical and biophysical skin parameters at different body locations

AlexandrosSfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader An evaluation of mechanical and biophysical skin parameters at different body locations via Wiley: Skin Research and Technology: Table of Contents Abstract Background Skin is the largest organ in the body, representing an important interface to monitor health and disease. However, there is significant variation in skin properties for different ages, genders and body regions due to the differences in the structure and morphology of the skin tissues. This study aimed to evaluate the use of non-invasive tools to discriminate a range of mechanical and functional skin parameters from different skin sites. Materials and methods A cohort of 15 healthy volunteers was recruited following appropriate informed consent. Four well-established CE-marked non-invasive techniques were used to measure four anatomical regions: palm, forearm, sole and lower lumbar L3, using a repeated measures design. Skin parameters included trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), pH (acidity), erythema, stratum corneum hydration and stiffness and elasticity using Myoton Pro (skin and muscle probe). Differences between body locations for each parameter and the intra-rater reliability between days were evaluated by the same operator. Results The results indicate that parameters differed significantly between skin sites. For the Myoton skin probe, the sole recorded the highest stiffness value of 1006 N/m (SD ± 179), while the lower lumbar recorded the least value of 484 N/m (SD ± 160). The muscle indenter Myoton probe revealed the palm's highest value of 754 N/m (± 108), and the lower lumbar recorded the least value of 208 N/m (SD ± 44). TEWL values were lowest on the forearm, averaging 11 g/m2/h, and highest on the palm, averaging 41 g/m2/h. Similar skin hydration levels were recorded in three of the four sites, with the main difference being observed in the sole averaging 13 arbitrary units. Erythema values were characterised by a high degree of inter-subject variation, and no significant differences between sites or sides were observed. The Myoton Pro Skin showed excellent reliability (intra-class correlation coefficients > 0.70) for all sites with except ion of one site right lower back; the Myoton pro muscle probes showed good to poor reliability (0.90–017), the corneometer showed excellent reliability (>0.75) among all the sites tested, and the TEWL showed Good to poor reliability (0.74–0.4) among sites. Conclusion The study revealed that using non-invasive methods, the biophysical properties of skin can be mapped, and significant differences in the mechanical and functional properties of skin were observed. These parameters were reliably recorded between days, providing a basis for their use in assessing and monitoring changes in the skin during health and disease. View on Web

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Multifunctional Two-Dimensional Bi2Se3 Nanodiscs for Anti-Inflammatory Therapy of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

AlexandrosSfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Multifunctional Two-Dimensional Bi<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> Nanodiscs for Anti-Inflammatory Therapy of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases via ScienceDirect Publication Acta Biomaterialia Publication date: Available online 17 February 2023 Source: Acta Biomaterialia Author(s): Cong Zhang, Qingrong Li, Jie Shan, Jianghao Xing, Xiaoyan Liu, Yan Ma, Haisheng Qian, Xulin Chen, Xianwen Wang, Lian-Ming Wu, Yue Yu View on Web

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An integrated strategy to identify COVID‐19 causal genes and characteristics represented by LRRC37A2

AlexandrosSfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader An integrated strategy to identify COVID‐19 causal genes and characteristics represented by LRRC37A2 via Journal of Medical Virology ABSTRACT Genome-wide association study (GWAS) could identify host genetic factors associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The genes or functional DNA elements through which genetic factors affect COVID-19 remain uncharted. The expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) provides a path to assess the correlation between genetic variations and gene expression. Here, we firstly annotated GWAS data to describe genetic effects, obtaining genome-wide mapped genes. Subsequently, the genetic mechanisms and characteristics of COVID-19 were investigated by an integrated strategy that included three GWAS-eQTL analysis approaches. It was found that 20 genes were significantly associated with immunity and neurological disorders, including prior and novel genes such as OAS3 and LRRC37A2. The findings were then replicated in single-cell datasets to explore the cell-specific expression of causal genes. Furthermore, associations between COVID-19 and neurological disorders were assessed as a cau sal relationship. Finally, the effects of causal protein-coding genes of COVID-19 were discussed using cell experiments. The results revealed some novel COVID-19-related genes to emphasize disease characteristics, offering a broader insight into the genetic architecture underlying the pathophysiology of COVID-19. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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Downregulation of miR‐193a/b‐3p during HPV‐induced cervical carcinogenesis contributes to anchorage‐independent growth through PI3K/AKT pathway regulators

AlexandrosSfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Downregulation of miR‐193a/b‐3p during HPV‐induced cervical carcinogenesis contributes to anchorage‐independent growth through PI3K/AKT pathway regulators via Journal of Medical Virology Abstract Cervical cancer is caused by a persistent infection with high-risk types of HPV and an accumulation of (epi)genetic alterations in host cell. Acquisition of anchorage-independent growth represents a critical hallmark during HPV-induced carcinogenesis, thereby yielding the most valuable biomarkers for early diagnosis and therapeutic targets. In a previous study, we found that miR-193a-3p and miR-193b-3p were involved in anchorage-independent growth. This study aimed to delineate the role of miR-193a/b-3p in HPV-induced carcinogenesis and to identify their target genes related to anchorage-independent growth. Cell viability and colony formation were assessed in SiHa cancer cells and HPV-16 and -18 immortalized keratinocytes upon miR-193a/b-3p overexpression. Both miRNAs reduced cell growth of all three cell lines in low-attachment conditions and showed a minor effect in adherent conditions. Online target predicting programs and publicly available expression data were used to find ca ndidate mRNAs targets of miR-193a/b-3p. Seven targets showed reduced mRNA expression upon miR-193a/b-3p overexpression. For 3 targets Western blot analysis was also performed, all showing a reduced protein expression. A direct interaction was confirmed using luciferase assays for 6 genes: LAMC1, PTK2, STMN1, KRAS, SOS2, and PPP2R5C, which are PIK3/AKT regulators. All 6 targets were overexpressed in cervical cancers and/or precursor lesions. Together with an oberserved downregulation of phosphorylated-AKT upon miR-193a/b-3p overexpression, this underlines the biological relevance of miR-193a/b-3p downregulation during HPV-induced cervical carcinogenesis. In conclusion, downregulation of miR-193a-3p and miR-193b-3p is functionally involved in the acquisition of HPV-induced anchorage independence by targeting regulators of the PIK3/AKT pathway. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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Monitoring of SARS‐CoV‐2 concentration and circulation of variants of concern in wastewater of Leuven, Belgium.

AlexandrosSfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Monitoring of SARS‐CoV‐2 concentration and circulation of variants of concern in wastewater of Leuven, Belgium. via Journal of Medical Virology Abstract Background Wastewater surveillance plays an important role in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic all over the world. Using different wastewater collection points in Leuven, we wanted to investigate the use of wastewater surveillance as an early warning system for an uprise of infections, and as a tool to follow the circulation of specific variants of concern (VOC) in particular geographic areas. Methods Wastewater samples were collected from local neighborhood sewers and from a large regional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the area of Leuven, Belgium. After virus concentration, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was quantified by RT-qPCR and normalized with the human fecal indicator pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV). A combination of multiplex RT-qPCR assays was used to detect signature mutations of circulating VOCs. Fecal virus shedding of SARS-CoV-2 variants was measured in feces samples of hospitalized patients. Results In two residential sampling sites, a rise in wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentration preceded peaks in positive cases. In the WWTP, viral load peaks were seen concomitant with the consecutive waves of positive cases caused by the original Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 strain and subsequent VOCs. During the Omicron BA.1 wave, the wastewater viral load increased to a lesser degree, even after normalization of SARS-CoV-2 concentration using PMMoV. This might be attributable to a lower level of fecal excretion of this variant. Circulation of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs Alpha, Delta, Omicron BA1/BA.2 and BA.4/BA.5 could be detected based on the presence of specific key mutations. The shift in variants was noticeable in the wastewater, with key mutations of two different variants being present simultaneously during the transition period. Conclusions Wastewater-based surveillance is a sensitive tool to monitor SARS-CoV-2 circulation levels and VOCs in larger regions. In times of reduced test capacity this can prove to be highly valuable. Differences in excretion levels of various SARS-CoV-2 variants should however be taken into account when using wastewater surveillance to monitor SARS-CoV-2 circulation levels in the population. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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