Content-based CT image retrieval system using deep learning: Preliminary assessment of its accuracy for classifying lesion patterns and retrieving similar cases among patients with diffuse lung diseases

Practical image retrieval systems must fully use image databases. We investigated the accuracy of our content-based computer tomography (CT) image retrieval system (CB-CTIRS) for classifying lesion patterns and retrieving similar cases in patients with diffuse lung diseases. The study included 503 individuals, with 328 having diffuse lung disease and 175 having normal chest CT scans. Among the former, we randomly selected ten scans that revealed one of five specific patterns [consolidation, ground-glass opacity (GGO), emphysema, honeycombing, or micronodules: two cases each]. Two radiologists separated the squares into six categories (five abnormal patterns and one normal pattern) to create a reference standard. Subsequently, each square was entered into the CB-CTIRS, and the F-score used to classify squares was determined. Next, we selected 15 cases (three per pattern) among the 503 cases, which served as the query cases. Three other radiologists graded the similarity between the retrieved and query cases using a 5-point grading system, where grade 5 = similar in both the opacity pattern and distribution and 1 = different therein. The F-score was 0.71 for consolidation, 0.63 for GGO, 0.74 for emphysema, 0.61 for honeycombing, 0.15 for micronodules, and 0.67 for normal lung. All three radiologists assigned grade 4 or 5 to 67.7% of retrieved cases with consolidation, emphysema, or honeycombing, and grade 2 or 3 to 67.7% of the retrieved cases with GGO or micronodules. The retrieval accuracy of CB-CTIRS is satisfactory for consolidation, emphysema, and honeycombing but not for GGO or micronodules

Crowdsourcing chart digitizer : task design and quality control for making legacy open data machine-readable

Despite recent open data initiatives in many countries, a significant percentage of the data provided is in non-machine-readable formats like image format rather than in a machine-readable electronic format, thereby restricting their usability. Various types of software for digitizing data chart images have been developed. However, such software is designed for manual use and thus requires human intervention, making it unsuitable for automatically extracting data from a large number of chart images. This paper describes the first unified framework for converting legacy open data in chart images into a machine-readable and reusable format by using crowdsourcing. Crowd workers are asked not only to extract data from an image of a chart but also to reproduce the chart objects in a spreadsheet. The properties of the reproduced chart objects give their data structures, including series names and values, which are useful for automatic processing of data by computer. Since results produced by crowdsourcing inherently contain errors, a quality control mechanism was developed that improves accuracy by aggregating tables created by different workers for the same chart image and by utilizing the data structures obtained from the reproduced chart objects. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed framework and mechanism are effective. The proposed framework is not intended to compete with chart digitizing software, and workers can use it if they feel it is useful for extracting data from charts. Experiments in which workers were encouraged to use such software showed that even if workers used it, the extracted data still contained errors. This indicates that quality control is necessary even if workers use software to extract data from chart images

Analysis of volatile organic compounds released from human lung cancer cells and from the urine of tumor-bearing mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Backgrounds</p> <p>A potential strategy for the diagnosis of lung cancer is to exploit the distinct metabolic signature of this disease by way of biomarkers found in different sample types. In this study, we investigated whether specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could be detected in the culture medium of the lung cancer cell line A549 in addition to the urine of mice implanted with A549 cells.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Several VOCs were found at significantly increased or decreased concentrations in the headspace of the A549 cell culture medium as compared with the culture medium of two normal lung cell lines. We also analyzed the urine of mice implanted with A549 cells and several VOCs were also found to be significantly increased or decreased relative to urine obtained from control mice. It was also revealed that seven VOCs were found at increased concentrations in both sample types. These compounds were found to be dimethyl succinate, 2-pentanone, phenol, 2-methylpyrazine, 2-hexanone, 2-butanone and acetophenone.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Both sample types produce distinct biomarker profiles, and VOCs have potential to distinguish between true- and false-positive screens for lung cancer.</p

Effects of Switching from Treatment with Amlodipine and Atorvastatin Using Two Pills to an Equal Dose of Single-Pill Therapy in Japanese Outpatients

This study examined whether switching from amlodipine and atorvastatin treatment using two pills to an equal dose of single-pill therapy is useful in Japanese outpatients. We retrospectively reviewed data obtained from 94 outpatients for whom treatment with two pills, namely amlodipine and atorvastatin, was switched to an equal dose of single-pill therapy in 11 hospitals. The criterion for enrollment in this study was that patients had switched their medication without changing other anti-hypertensive or anti-cholesterol drugs. Neither systolic nor diastolic blood pressure changed significantly after switching to an equal dose of single-pill therapy, whereas low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels significantly decreased after the medication was switched from 94±24 mg/dl to 89±17 mg/dl (p=0.015). A switch from medication with two separate pills of amlodipine and atorvastatin to an equal dose of single-pill therapy resulted in an overall decrease in LDL cholesterol. The results indicated that the switch to single-pill therapy might be a useful treatment

Successful Treatment of Cisplatin Overdose with Plasma Exchange

Accidental cisplatin overdose has been occurring with an increasing frequency due to expanding usage of the agent. However, the optimal strategy to treat such patients remains to be established. Here, we report a case of large cisplatin overdose, successfully managed by plasma exchange, intravenous hydration, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration, and other supportive care. A 67-year-old man with esophageal carcinoma received a large cisplatin overdose of 240 mg/m2, when he received adjuvant therapy following subtotal esophagectomy. On day 4, he experienced frank cisplatin toxicities and emergency plasma exchange was initiated. With 7 cycles of plasma exchange, the cisplatin concentration decreased from 2,350 to 110 ng/mL. Severe bone marrow suppression with high fever ensued on day 10, which was successfully treated with G-CSF and antibiotics. Despite moderate hearing sense reduction, he recovered without significant complications. Immediate plasma exchange with hydration and other care was efficacious in quickly lowering cisplatin concentrations

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase interacts with phosphorylated Akt resulting from increased blood glucose in rat cardiac muscle

AbstractHere we describe the interaction of phosphorylated ∼40kDa protein with phosphorylated Akt which is a serine/threonine kinase resulting from increased blood glucose in rat cardiac muscle. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that this protein was glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Furthermore, increase in Akt and GAPDH phosporylation and induction of their association were both observed after insulin stimulation in the H9c2 cell line derived from embryonic rat ventricle. Moreover, the activation of GAPDH was upregulated when the GAPDH phosphorylation was increased. Our data suggest that GAPDH phosphorylation and association with Akt by insulin treatment have some bearing on the enhancement of GAPDH activity.Structured summaryMINT-7891324, MINT-7891304, MINT-7891314: GAPDH (uniprotkb:P04797) physically interacts (MI:0915) with Akt (uniprotkb:P47196) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006

Stand-alone tsunami alarm equipment

One of the quickest means of tsunami evacuation is transfer to higher ground soon after strong and long ground shaking. Ground shaking itself is a good initiator of the evacuation from disastrous tsunami. Longer period seismic waves are considered to be more correlated with the earthquake magnitude. We investigated the possible application of this to tsunami hazard alarm using single-site ground motion observation. Information from the mass media is sometimes unavailable due to power failure soon after a large earthquake. Even when an official alarm is available, multiple information sources of tsunami alert would help people become aware of the coming risk of a tsunami. Thus, a device that indicates risk of a tsunami without requiring other data would be helpful to those who should evacuate. Since the sensitivity of a low-cost MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) accelerometer is sufficient for this purpose, tsunami alarm equipment for home use may be easily realized. Amplitude of long-period (20 s cutoff) displacement was proposed as the threshold for the alarm based on empirical relationships among magnitude, tsunami height, hypocentral distance, and peak ground displacement of seismic waves. Application of this method to recent major earthquakes indicated that such equipment could effectively alert people to the possibility of tsunami

Oral health in the Japan self-defense forces - a representative survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The oral health of military populations is usually not very well characterized compared to civilian populations. The aim of this study was to investigate two physical oral health characteristics and one perceived oral health measure and their correlation in the Japan self-defense forces (JSDF).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Number of missing teeth, denture status, and OHRQoL as evaluated by the Japanese 14-item version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-J14) as well as the correlation between these oral health measures was investigated in 911 personnel in the JSDF.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Subjects did not have a substantial number of missing teeth and only 4% used removable dentures. The mean OHIP-J14 score was 4.6 ± 6.7 units. The magnitude of the correlation between the number of missing teeth with OHIP-J14 scores was small (r = 0.22, p < 0.001). Mean OHIP-J14 scores differed between subjects with and without dentures (8.6 and 4.4, p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Compared to Japanese civilian populations, personnel of the JSDF demonstrated good oral health. Two physical oral health characteristics were associated with perceived oral health.</p