Data fusion techniques for biomedical informatics and clinical decision support

Data fusion can be used to combine multiple data sources or modalities to facilitate enhanced visualization, analysis, detection, estimation, or classification. Data fusion can be applied at the raw-data, feature-based, and decision-based levels. Data fusion applications of different sorts have been built up in areas such as statistics, computer vision and other machine learning aspects. It has been employed in a variety of realistic scenarios such as medical diagnosis, clinical decision support, and structural health monitoring. This dissertation includes investigation and development of methods to perform data fusion for cervical cancer intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and a clinical decision support system. The general framework for these applications includes image processing followed by feature development and classification of the detected region of interest (ROI). Image processing methods such as k-means clustering based on color information, dilation, erosion and centroid locating methods were used for ROI detection. The features extracted include texture, color, nuclei-based and triangle features. Analysis and classification was performed using feature- and decision-level data fusion techniques such as support vector machine, statistical methods such as logistic regression, linear discriminant analysis and voting algorithms --Abstract, page iv

USSR Space Life Sciences Digest, issue 1

The first issue of the bimonthly digest of USSR Space Life Sciences is presented. Abstracts are included for 49 Soviet periodical articles in 19 areas of aerospace medicine and space biology, published in Russian during the first quarter of 1985. Translated introductions and table of contents for nine Russian books on topics related to NASA's life science concerns are presented. Areas covered include: botany, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, cybernetics and biomedical data processing, endocrinology, gastrointestinal system, genetics, group dynamics, habitability and environmental effects, health and medicine, hematology, immunology, life support systems, man machine systems, metabolism, musculoskeletal system, neurophysiology, perception, personnel selection, psychology, radiobiology, reproductive system, and space biology. This issue concentrates on aerospace medicine and space biology

An Innovative Method for Lung Cancer Identification Using Machine Learning Algorithms

Biological community and the healthcare sector have greatly benefited from technological advancements in biomedical imaging.  These advantages include early cancer identification and categorization, prognostication of patients' clinical outcomes following cancer surgery, and prognostication of survival for various cancer types. Medical professionals must spend a lot of time and effort gathering, analyzing, and evaluating enormous amounts of wellness data, such as scan results. Although radiologists spend a lot of time carefully reviewing several scans, tiny nodule diagnosis is incredibly prone to inaccuracy. Low dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans are used to categorize benign (Noncancerous) and malignant (Cancerous) nodules in order to study the issue of lung cancer (LC) diagnosis. Machine learning (ML), Deep learning (DL), and Artificial intelligence (AI) applications aid in the rapid identification of a number of infectious and malignant diseases, including lung cancer, using cutting-edge convolutional neural network (CNN) and Deep CNN architectures, we propose three unique detection models in this study: SEQUENTIAL 1 (Model-1), SEQUENTIAL 2 (Model-2), and transfer learning model Visual Geometry Group, VGG 16 (Model-3). The best accuracy model and methodology that are proposedas an effective and non-invasive diagnostic tool, outperforms other models trained with similar labels using lung CT scans to identify malignant nodules. Using a standard LIDC-IDRI data set that is freely available, the deep learning models are verified. The results of the experiment show a decrease in false positives while an increase in accuracy

Design and development of an internal bone distractor activated by a shape memory material

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Biomedical Engineering (área de especialização em Biomaterials, Rehabilitation and Biomechanics)The mandible, also known as the lower jaw, is the largest and strongest bone in the human skull. Maxillary and mandibular anomalies constitute a significant portion of craniofacial anomalies. Mandibular deficiency may be developmental, as in the case of hemifacial microsomia (1 in 3500 live births) and syndromes like Goldenhar syndrome or Treacher Collins syndrome (1 in every 25,000 births), or acquired due to early loss of dentition, trauma (e.g., fractures), cancer and temporomandibular joint ankylosis. The correction of maxillofacial deformities can be performed through conventional orthognathic surgeries, sometimes requiring bone grafts or, more recently, through distraction osteogenesis (DO). The DO technique is based on the principle of “tension-stress” and is defined as a biological process of new bone formation between two surfaces of bone segments that are gradually separated due to traction force induced by a distraction device. Although DO is an advantageous process, bone distractors currently available have some associated complications (e.g., infection, nerve and tooth injury, scarring, open bite, relapse, device failure and pin/screw loosening) and limitations (e.g., aesthetically unappealing and the inability of internal devices to alter the direction of the distraction vector). Taking all this into account, the possibility of improving the mandibular osteogenic distraction devices is noteworthy. The development of the present project is divided into several stages, from the identification of areas for improvement and the creation of a set of concepts to the selection of the final concepts. With the input of Doctor Alberto Pereira, who holds positions such as Head of Facial Reconstructive Surgery unit at Luz Lisbon Hospital and Chair of the AOCMF Foundation distraction taskforce, were identified areas for improvement and the requirements and objectives that the new concept should accomplish were defined. The concepts of the medical device were modulated with a CAD program to allow a clear comprehension of the respective functionality. The final selected concepts aim to overcome most of the complications currently observed and they allow for distraction vector adjustments during the activation phase in order to obtain the best possible results in terms of facial symmetry. Additionally, both concepts have an innovative activation mechanism composed of shape memory materials. The activation mechanism of the two concepts is slightly different, however, the principle of operation is the same. In this sense, the present medical device aims to have the ability to improve the quality of medical treatment and to eliminate the aesthetic issues with the device being completely internal and practically imperceptible.A mandíbula, também conhecida como maxilar inferior, é o maior e mais forte osso do crânio humano. As anomalias maxilares e mandibulares constituem uma percentagem significativa das anomalias craniofaciais. A deficiência mandibular pode ser de desenvolvimento, como no caso de microssomia hemifacial (1 em 3500) e síndromes como a síndrome de Treacher Collins (1 em 25000), ou adquirida devido à perda precoce da dentição, fraturas, cancro e anquilose da articulação temporomandibular. A correção das deformidades maxilofaciais pode ser realizada por meio de cirurgias ortognáticas convencionais, algumas vezes necessitando enxertos ósseos ou, mais recentemente, por distração osteogénica (DO). A técnica de DO é baseada no princípio de “tension-stress” e é definida como um processo biológico de neoformação óssea entre duas superfícies de segmentos ósseos que se vão separando gradualmente devido a uma força de tração induzida por um dispositivo de distração. Embora a DO seja um processo vantajoso, os distratores ósseos atualmente disponíveis originam algumas complicações (p. ex., infeção, lesão do nevo e dente, cicatrizes, mordida aberta, recidiva, falha do dispositivo e ‘desapertar/soltar’ dos pinos/parafuso) e possuem limitações associadas (p. ex., questões estéticas e a incapacidade dos dispositivos internos de alterar a direção do vetor de distração). Tendo tudo isso em consideração, a possibilidade de aprimoramento dos dispositivos de DO mandibular é notória. O desenvolvimento do presente projeto está dividido em várias etapas, desde a identificação das áreas de melhoria, a criação de um conjunto de conceitos e a seleção dos conceitos finais. Com a colaboração do Dr. Alberto Pereira, que exerce funções como Chefe da Unidade de Cirurgia Reconstrutiva Facial do Hospital Luz Lisboa e Presidente do Grupo de Trabalho de Distração da Fundação AOCMF, foram identificadas áreas de melhoria e foram definidos os requisitos e objetivos que o novo dispositivo deveria cumprir. Os conceitos foram modulados com um programa CAD para permitir uma compreensão clara dos elementos, mecanismos e do respetivo funcionamento. Os conceitos selecionados visam superar grande parte das complicações observadas e permitem ajustes do vetor de distração durante a fase de ativação, de forma a obter os melhores resultados possíveis em termos de simetria facial. Além disso, ambos os conceitos possuem um inovador mecanismo de ativação composto por materiais com memória de forma. O mecanismo de ativação difere ligeiramente entre os dois conceitos, porém o princípio de funcionamento é o mesmo. O presente dispositivo médico visa ter a capacidade de melhorar a qualidade do tratamento e eliminar totalmente os problemas estéticos, sendo um dispositivo totalmente interno e praticamente impercetível

Axial Spondyloarthritis: Mimics and Pitfalls of Imaging Assessment

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that predominantly involves the axial skeleton. Imaging findings of axSpA can be divided into active changes, which include bone marrow edema, synovitis, enthesitis, capsulitis, and intra-articular effusion, and structural changes, which include erosions, sclerosis, bone fatty infiltration, fat deposition in an erosion cavity, and bone bridging or ankylosis. The ability to distinguish between imaging lesions suggestive of axSpA and artifacts or lesions suggestive of other disorders is critical for the accurate diagnosis of axSpA. Diagnosis may be challenging, particularly in early-stage disease and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays a key role in the detection of subtle or inflammatory changes. MRI also allows the detection of structural changes in the subchondral bone marrow that are not visible on conventional radiography and is of prognostic and monitoring value. However, bone structural changes are more accurately depicted using computed tomography. Conventional radiography, on the other hand, has limitations, but it is easily accessible and may provide insight on gross changes as well as rule out other pathological features of the axial skeleton. This review outlines the imaging evaluation of axSpA with a focus on imaging mimics and potential pitfalls when assessing the axial skeleton.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mimics and Pitfalls of Imaging Assessment

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that predominantly involves the axial skeleton. Imaging findings of axSpA can be divided into active changes, which include bone marrow edema, synovitis, enthesitis, capsulitis, and intra-articular effusion, and structural changes, which include erosions, sclerosis, bone fatty infiltration, fat deposition in an erosion cavity, and bone bridging or ankylosis. The ability to distinguish between imaging lesions suggestive of axSpA and artifacts or lesions suggestive of other disorders is critical for the accurate diagnosis of axSpA. Diagnosis may be challenging, particularly in early-stage disease and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays a key role in the detection of subtle or inflammatory changes. MRI also allows the detection of structural changes in the subchondral bone marrow that are not visible on conventional radiography and is of prognostic and monitoring value. However, bone structural changes are more accurately depicted using computed tomography. Conventional radiography, on the other hand, has limitations, but it is easily accessible and may provide insight on gross changes as well as rule out other pathological features of the axial skeleton. This review outlines the imaging evaluation of axSpA with a focus on imaging mimics and potential pitfalls when assessing the axial skeleton.publishersversionpublishe