RADIUS--closing the circle on the assessment of imaging performance

The RADIUS (Radiological Imaging Unification Strategy) project addresses the assessment of image quality in terms of both physical and clinically relevant measures. The aim is to unify our understanding of both types of measure as well as the numerous underlying factors that play a key role in the assessments of imaging performance. In this way it is expected to provide a solid basis for the improvement in radiological safety management, where not only radiation risks are considered but also diagnostic risks of incorrect clinical outcomes (i.e. false positive/false negative). The project has applied a variety of relevant experimental and theoretical methods to this problem, which , generic to medical Imaging as a whole. Digital radiography of the chest and the breast has been employed as the clinical imaging domain vehicles for the study. The project addressed the problem from the following directions: role and relevance of pathology. human observer studies including receiver operating characteristics, image quality criteria analysis, structural noise analysis, physical measurements on clinical images, physical measurements on imaging system, modelling of imaging system, modelling of visual processes, modelling of doses delivered and IT-based scientific support strategies, This paper presents an overview of the main outcomes from this project and highlights how the research outcomes actually apply to the real world. In particular, attention will be focused on new and original findings and methods and techniques that have been developed within the framework of the project. The relevance of the project's outcomes to future European research will also be presented

Differential Signalling and Kinetics of Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Release Revealed by Quantitative Live Imaging

A wide variety of microbial and inflammatory factors induce DNA release from neutrophils as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Consensus on the kinetics and mechanism of NET release has been hindered by the lack of distinctive methods to specifically quantify NET release in time. Here, we validate and refine a semi-automatic live imaging approach for quantification of NET release. Importantly, our approach is able to correct for neutrophil input and distinguishes NET release from neutrophil death by other means, aspects that are lacking in many NET quantification methods. Real time visualization shows that opsonized S. aureus rapidly induces cell death by toxins, while actual NET formation occurs after 90 minutes, similar to the kinetics of NET release by immune complexes and PMA. Inhibition of SYK, PI3K and mTORC2 attenuates NET release upon challenge with physiological stimuli but not with PMA. In contrast, neutrophils from chronic granulomatous disease patients show decreased NET release only in response to PMA. With this refined method, we conclude that NET release in primary human neutrophils is dependent on the SYK-PI3K-mTORC2 pathway and that PMA stimulation should be regarded as mechanistically distinct from NET formation induced by natural triggers

Nashi or Williams pear fruits? Use of volatile organic compounds, physicochemical parameters, and sensory evaluation to understand the consumer’s preference

Ripen “ready-to-eat” fruits of “Williams” and of two Nashi cultivars (“Hosui” and “Ya Li”), present contemporarily on the stores, were evaluated by physicochemical parameters (shape, skin color, firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emission, measured with a proton transfer reaction-time of flight-mass spectrometer (PTR–ToF–MS), either on whole and cube fruits, and sensory evaluation (panel test and consumer’s liking). The data were analyzed by ANOVA, LSD test, hierarchical clustering, PLS-DA, and CCOA. The highest differences for the physicochemical parameters were observed between Williams and Nashi, as Williams differentiated for sugar content and Hosui for firmness. By VOCs spectral analyses, it was observed that whole and cube “Williams” fruits had the highest number and amount of compounds, followed by “Ya Li;” “Hosui” was characterized by a few signals with low intensities. Fruits of each cultivar showed specific VOCs that could be used as markers for discrimination purposes. In “Williams” pears, the presence and amount of defined masses resulted linked to fruitiness and aroma perceived by the consumer. The higher sugar content and the typical pear aroma perceived by the panelists, emitted by “Williams,” could have influenced the consumer’s liking. The tasters appreciated “Hosui” for firmness, and “Ya Li” for visual, even if they resulted lower in sugar and flavor intensity. In the opinion of the respondents to the consumer test, “Williams” resulted the most appreciated both for the average scores of the acceptability and as percentage of responses at a level >5 of a nine-point hedonic scale