A Framework of MRI Fat Suppressed Imaging Fusion System for Femur Abnormality Analysis

AbstractShort T1 Inversion Recovery (STIR) is a fat suppressed technique commonly used in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to suppress fat signals from tissues. The technique is to improve visual inspection during diagnosis. Suspected fluids will appear bright in STIR to identify the abnormality. Due to hardware limitation, tissue contrast and signal-to-noise ratio are reduced. We propose a framework of image fusion system which mimics the MRI machine to produce a fused ‘STIR’ image. The resultant fused ‘STIR’ image has high similarity index (0.989971), small mean square error (0.1092), high peak signal-to-noise ratio (106.9173) and good Pearson correlation coefficient (0.696)

Classification type of asynchrony breathing image using 2-dimensional convolutional neural network

Asynchrony breathing (AB) refers to a situation where the patient's breathing does not align with the mechanical ventilator (MV), which can have a detrimental effect on the patient's recovery. A few types of AB make it difficult for clinicians to identify and manage MV properly. Hence, there is a need to develop a method that can classify the type of AB in MV patients. In this study, a 2-dimensional (2D) convolutional neural network (CNN) method is presented to classify the type of AB based on the input image of the airway pressure. A total of 866 images of airway pressure were analysed in this study, and 4 types of AB were classified: 1) double triggering (DT); 2) reverse triggering (RT); 3) delayed triggering (DC); and 4) premature cycling (PC). Two types of activation functions for classification purposes, SoftMax and Sigmoid, were compared based on performances. Results show SoftMax produced a higher accuracy of 98.5% with a training dataset of 70% and a testing dataset of 30% of the data. In contrast, the Sigmoid function produced an accuracy of 98.1% when trained and tested with the same dataset. Furthermore, this 2D-CNN model produced a range of accuracy between 89% and 96% in classifying the type of AB, with the highest accuracy of 96% in classifying DT. Overall, the developed CNN model, based on the input image of airway pressure, accurately extracts critical and unique features to precisely classify various types of AB, which could help clinicians in managing MV patients

Efficacy of brief behavioral counselling by allied health professionals to promote physical activity in people with peripheral arterial disease (BIPP): study protocol for a multi-center randomized controlled trial

Background: Physical activity is recommended for people with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and can improve walking capacity and quality of life; and reduce pain, requirement for surgery and cardiovascular events. This trial will assess the efficacy of a brief behavioral counselling intervention delivered by allied health professionals to improve physical activity in people with PAD. Methods: This is a multi-center randomised controlled trial in four cities across Australia. Participants (N = 200) will be recruited from specialist vascular clinics, general practitioners and research databases and randomised to either the control or intervention group. Both groups will receive usual medical care, a written PAD management information sheet including advice to walk, and four individualised contacts from a protocol-trained allied health professional over 3 months (weeks 1, 2, 6, 12). The control group will receive four 15-min telephone calls with general discussion about PAD symptoms and health and wellbeing. The intervention group will receive behavioral counselling via two 1-h face-to-face sessions and two 15-min telephone calls. The counselling is based on the 5A framework and will promote interval walking for 3 × 40 min/week. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and 4, 12 and 24 months by staff blinded to participant allocation.Objectively assessed outcomes include physical activity (primary), sedentary behavior, lower limb body function, walking capacity, cardiorespiratory fitness, event-based claudication index, vascular interventions, clinical events, cardiovascular function, circulating markers, and anthropometric measures. Self-reported outcomes include physical activity and sedentary behavior, walking ability, pain severity, and health-related quality of life. Data will be analysed using an intention-to-treat approach. An economic evaluation will assess whether embedding the intervention into routine care would likely be value for money. A cost-effectiveness analysis will estimate change in cost per change in activity indicators due to the intervention, and a cost-utility analysis will assess change in cost per quality-adjusted life year. A full uncertainty analysis will be undertaken, including a value of information analysis, to evaluate the economic case for further research. Discussion: This trial will evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a brief behavioral counselling intervention for a common cardiovascular disease with significant burden. Trial registration: ACTRN 12614000592640 Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. Registration Date 4 June 2014

Phenotypic spectrum and transcriptomic profile associated with germline variants in TRAF7

PURPOSE: Somatic variants in tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 7 (TRAF7) cause meningioma, while germline variants have recently been identified in seven patients with developmental delay and cardiac, facial, and digital anomalies. We aimed to define the clinical and mutational spectrum associated with TRAF7 germline variants in a large series of patients, and to determine the molecular effects of the variants through transcriptomic analysis of patient fibroblasts. METHODS: We performed exome, targeted capture, and Sanger sequencing of patients with undiagnosed developmental disorders, in multiple independent diagnostic or research centers. Phenotypic and mutational comparisons were facilitated through data exchange platforms. Whole-transcriptome sequencing was performed on RNA from patient- and control-derived fibroblasts. RESULTS: We identified heterozygous missense variants in TRAF7 as the cause of a developmental delay-malformation syndrome in 45 patients. Major features include a recognizable facial gestalt (characterized in particular by blepharophimosis), short neck, pectus carinatum, digital deviations, and patent ductus arteriosus. Almost all variants occur in the WD40 repeats and most are recurrent. Several differentially expressed genes were identified in patient fibroblasts. CONCLUSION: We provide the first large-scale analysis of the clinical and mutational spectrum associated with the TRAF7 developmental syndrome, and we shed light on its molecular etiology through transcriptome studies

The unavoidable depopulation problem of Japan.

Our group is interested in finding out what are the reasons and effects for declining population trend in Japan. After completing a detailed research, our group has chosen to do analysis for our selected reasons and effects using data from various sources. Our group has also chosen to do a comprehensive survey on the Singapore residents to find out what encourages them to have more children. Using paired comparison method, the results indicate that all variables affect birth rates positively, but monetary rewards such as baby bonus and parenthood tax rebate affect people the least. Economic explanations for the results are provided in the report itself.Bachelor of Art

Encephalitis-Associated Human Metapneumovirus Pneumonia in Adult, Australia

Human metapneumovirus pneumonia, most commonly found in children, was diagnosed in an adult with encephalitis. This case suggests that testing for human metapneumovirus RNA in nasopharyngeal aspirate and cerebrospinal fluid samples should be considered in adults with encephalitis who have a preceding respiratory infection

Steinitz_etal_DataForDryad

Steinitz_etal_DataForDrya

Chondrogenic potential of physically treated bovine cartilage matrix derived porous scaffolds on human dermal fibroblast cells

Extracellular matrices have drawn attention in tissue engineering as potential biomaterials for scaffold fabrication because of their bioactive components. Noninvasive techniques of scaffold fabrication and cross-linking treatments are believed to maintain the integrity of bioactive molecules while providing proper architectural and mechanical properties. Cartilage matrix derived scaffolds are designed to support the maintenance of chondrocytes and provide proper signals for differentiation of chondroinducible cells. Chondroinductive potential of bovine articular cartilage matrix derived porous scaffolds on human dermal fibroblasts and the effect of scaffold shrinkage on chondrogenesis were investigated. An increase in sulfated glycosaminoglycans production along with upregulation of chondrogenic genes confirmed that physically treated cartilage matrix derived scaffolds have chondrogenic potential on human dermal fibroblasts