9 research outputs found
Quantitative morphometric analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma: development of a programmed algorithm and preliminary application
PURPOSEThe quantitative relationship between tumor morphology and malignant potential has not been explored in liver tumors. We designed a computer algorithm to analyze shape features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and tested feasibility of morphologic analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODSCross-sectional images from 118 patients diagnosed with HCC between 2007 and 2010 were extracted at the widest index tumor diameter. The tumor margins were outlined, and point coordinates were input into a MATLAB (MathWorks Inc., Natick, Massachusetts, USA) algorithm. Twelve shape descriptors were calculated per tumor: the compactness, the mean radial distance (MRD), the RD standard deviation (RDSD), the RD area ratio (RDAR), the zero crossings, entropy, the mean Feret diameter (MFD), the Feret ratio, the convex hull area (CHA) and perimeter (CHP) ratios, the elliptic compactness (EC), and the elliptic irregularity (EI). The parameters were correlated with the levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) as an indicator of tumor aggressiveness. RESULTSThe quantitative morphometric analysis was technically successful in all cases. The mean parameters were as follows: compactness 0.88±0.086, MRD 0.83±0.056, RDSD 0.087±0.037, RDAR 0.045±0.023, zero crossings 6±2.2, entropy 1.43±0.16, MFD 4.40±3.14 cm, Feret ratio 0.78±0.089, CHA 0.98±0.027, CHP 0.98±0.030, EC 0.95±0.043, and EI 0.95±0.023. MFD and RDAR provided the widest value range for the best shape discrimination. The larger tumors were less compact, more concave, and less ellipsoid than the smaller tumors (P < 0.0001). AFP-producing tumors displayed greater morphologic irregularity based on several parameters, including compactness, MRD, RDSD, RDAR, entropy, and EI (P < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONComputerized HCC image analysis using shape descriptors is technically feasible. Aggressively growing tumors have wider diameters and more irregular margins. Future studies will determine further clinical applications for this morphologic analysis
Imaging surveillance and multidisciplinary review improves curative therapy access and survival in HCC patients
Introduction. Imaging surveillance and multidisciplinary conference (MDC) review can potentially improve survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by increasing access to liver transplantation. Geographic disparities in donor organ availability may reduce this benefit. This study evaluated the impact of HCC surveillance on use of curative therapies and survival in a region with long transplant waiting times.Material and methods. 167 HCC patients were retrospectively studied. Subjects had an established HCC diagnosis or were diagnosed during hepatology follow-up. Collected data included patient demographics, HCC surveillance and MDC review status, portal hypertension complications, laboratory and radiologic parameters, tumor size, therapeutic interventions, tumor progression, and mortality. The primary outcome measures were use of curative treatments and survival. A Cox-regression model was constructed utilizing factors associated with survival in univariate analysis.Results. 58% of subjects underwent surveillance and MDC review of HCC. These patients were more likely to have received treatment with ablation or resection (16 vs. 3%, P = 0.006) and transplantation (23 vs. 4%, P = 0.001), and were less likely to develop tumor progression (45 vs. 68%, P = 0.005) or metastases (0 vs. 19%, P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, surveillance and MDC review (P = 0.034, HR 0.520, 95% CI 0.284–0.952), tumor meeting Milan criteria (P < 0.001, HR 0.329, 95% CI 0.178–0.607), curative therapy application (P = 0.048, HR 0.130, 95% CI 0.017–0.979), and transplantation (P = 0.004, HR 0.236, 95% CI 0.088–0.632) were associated with survival.Conclusion. In conclusion, imaging surveillance and MDC review is associated with detection of early stage HCC, increased access to curative therapies and transplantation, and prolonged survival
Ethnicity and Body Mass Index Are Associated With Hepatitis C Presentation and Progression
Information Systems Education Journal In this issue: 4. Full Flip, Half Flip and No Flip: Evaluation of Flipping an Introductory Programming Course The Relative Efficacy of Video and Text Tutorials in Online Computing Education 44. Use of Failure in IS De
The Information Systems Education Journal (ISEDJ) is a double-blind peer-reviewed academic journal published reviewed published by ISCAP, Information Systems and Computing Academic Professionals. The first year of publication was 2003. ISEDJ is published online (http://isedj.org). Our sister publication, the Proceedings of EDSIGCon (http://www.edsigcon.org) features all papers, panels, workshops, and presentations from the conference. The journal acceptance review process involves a minimum of three double-blind peer reviews, where both the reviewer is not aware of the identities of the authors and the authors are not aware of the identities of the reviewers. The initial reviews happen before the conference. At that point papers are divided into award papers (top 15%), other journal papers (top 30%), unsettled papers, and non-journal papers. The unsettled papers are subjected to a second round of blind peer review to establish whether they will be accepted to the journal or not. Those papers that are deemed of sufficient quality are accepted for publication in the ISEDJ journal. Currently the target acceptance rate for the journal is under 40%. Information Systems Education Journal is pleased to be listed in the 1st Edition of Cabell's Directory of Publishing Opportunities in Educational Technology and Library Science, in both the electronic and printed editions. Questions should be addressed to the editor at [email protected] or the publisher at [email protected]. Special thanks to members of AITP-EDSIG who perform the editorial and review processes for ISEDJ. AITP Education Special Interest Group (EDSIG) Board of Directors Abstract This paper discusses how cloud computing can be leveraged to add value to academic programs in information systems and other fields by improving financial sustainment models for institutional technology and academic departments, relieving the strain on overworked technology support resources, while adding richness and improving pedagogical delivery of course content. A literature review on cloud definitions and how cloud paradigms are being implemented in academia is conducted. The author suggests that for smaller programs and institutions, cloud hosting of applications, services and platforms in support of information systems programs may be the only financially viable solution to course technology requirements. The impact of transitioning core information systems courses to a cloud paradigm is discussed, and examples of how the transition can improve course content and delivery are provided. Finally, details are presented on how a transition to the cloud is being accomplished in the information systems program of the school of continuing studies at the author's small liberal arts university
2017 AITP Education Special Interest Group (EDSIG) Board of Directors Information Systems Education Journal Editors 2016 ISEDJ Editorial Board Programming in the IS Curriculum: Are Requirements Changing for the Right Reason?
Abstract All curricula for any given academic discipline evolves over time. This is also true for the Information Systems (IS) model curriculum. Curriculum evolution is driven by several factors, such as changes in technologies, industry shifts to meet customer needs, and perceived student deficiencies. One outcome of such factors has been a change in the entry point into the IS major due to the perception that IS majors need a different method of entry from other computing majors (e.g., Computer Science (CS)). The current entry point for many IS majors is a programming course, often taken by a variety of majors. This paper addresses the question: is there a difference in performance in this initial programming course for students of different majors? More precisely, does major differentiate performance in the first programming course, such as CS1? The data clearly show this is not the case when there is a level playing field. The paper demonstrates that non-computing majors perform as well as computing majors given equal preparation. It is a misconception that changes to the IS curriculum are necessary when based on the belief that IS majors, as compared to other computing majors, need a different entry point. The data presented in this paper suggest the underlying presuppositions for IS curricular changes are misguided -supporting the need for preparation prior to a first programming course
The Application of Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Techniques in a Systems Analysis & Design Flipped Classroom 35. Themed Learning with Music and Technology 45. Assessing Faculty Perceptions and Techniques to Combat Academic Dishonesty in Online Cours
The Information Systems Education Journal (ISEDJ) is a double-blind peer-reviewed academic journal published reviewed published by ISCAP, Information Systems and Computing Academic Professionals. The first year of publication was 2003. ISEDJ is published online (http://isedj.org). Our sister publication, the Proceedings of EDSIGCon (http://www.edsigcon.org) features all papers, panels, workshops, and presentations from the conference. The journal acceptance review process involves a minimum of three double-blind peer reviews, where both the reviewer is not aware of the identities of the authors and the authors are not aware of the identities of the reviewers. The initial reviews happen before the conference. At that point papers are divided into award papers (top 15%), other journal papers (top 30%), unsettled papers, and non-journal papers. The unsettled papers are subjected to a second round of blind peer review to establish whether they will be accepted to the journal or not. Those papers that are deemed of sufficient quality are accepted for publication in the ISEDJ journal. Currently the target acceptance rate for the journal is under 40%. Information Systems Education Journal is pleased to be listed in the 1st Edition of Cabell's Directory of Publishing Opportunities in Educational Technology and Library Science, in both the electronic and printed editions. Questions should be addressed to the editor at [email protected] or the publisher at [email protected]. Special thanks to members of AITP-EDSIG who perform the editorial and review processes for ISEDJ. AITP Education Special Interest Group (EDSIG) Board of Directors Abstract Research utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior to understand behavior should first elicit beliefs about the phenomenon from the target population. In order to understand the reasons why students choose to major or not major in Management Information Systems (MIS), we elicited beliefs from 136 students attending university in the United States and in Zambia. We employed a questionnaire with open-ended questions to elicit beliefs about majoring in MIS. The gender split of study participants was 52%-48% with a female majority and their ages ranged from 19 to 35. Using content analysis of the generated qualitative data, we identified 11, 5 and 9 categories of behavioral, normative and control beliefs respectively. The results of our study indicate that student beliefs about the MIS major and profession have changed over the past decade; students now favorably perceive the MIS job market and attach importance to the opinions of industry professionals when making the decision to major in MIS. Analysis of the ranked elicited beliefs shows that most students believe that the MIS degree grants them competitive advantage in the employment marketplace
Parental Perceptions and Recommendations of Computing Majors: A Technology Acceptance Model Approach Cloud-based Versus Local-based Web Development Education: An Experimental Study in Learning Experience Role-Playing and Problem-Based Learning: The Use of
Abstract For the past several years, there has been an increase in the number of job opportunities in the computing field. As a result, many schools and universities are facing a significant increase in the number of students seeking to major in one of several computing disciplines. This increase in the numbers and variety of majors in the computing field poses challenges for higher education institutions in the areas of advising, retention, scheduling, and enrollment management. This paper builds upon prior research documenting the association of personality type and affinity for a computing career, and proposes using personality testing early in a student's university experience by including it as one factor in the advising process. This study employs the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) as a tool to help students select an appropriate computing major better suited for their given personality. This initial exploratory study shows that there is a significant difference in personalities among computing majors, specifically in the area of introversion versus extroversion, and intuition versus sensing. Testing students early, before starting a specific major, allows institutions to provide better advising to students as they choose their major, with the goal of increasing retention, degree satisfaction and completion of the degree
Parental Perceptions and Recommendations of Computing Majors: A Technology Acceptance Model Approach Cloud-based Versus Local-based Web Development Education: An Experimental Study in Learning Experience Role-Playing and Problem-Based Learning: The Use of
Abstract Currently, there are more technology related jobs then there are graduates in supply. The need to understand user acceptance of computing degrees is the first step in increasing enrollment in computing fields. Additionally, valid measurement scales for predicting user acceptance of Information Technology degree programs are required. The majority of existing research regarding methods for increasing enrollment focus on subjective measures that are often invalid or invalidated. This research study adapts a well-known, validated and established user acceptance of information technology model (TAM) developed by Davis in 1989. The TAM model was adapted to understand factors for the acceptance of information technology and was based on the long standing Theory of Reasoned Action from behavioral psychology. This work adapts TAM to explore factors that influence parents' decision to recommend Information Technology as a Major to their children. Since parents have a high degree of influence over the major selection of their children, determining factors for recommending IT as a major can assist IT programs in improved marketing to increase enrollment. In this work, we hypothesize that perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEoU) will impact a parent's likelihood of recommending IT as a major to their children. Results revealed parent's perception of the perceived usefulness of IT (PU) affected their willingness to recommend IT as a major to their children; conversely, parents were not concerned with the ease of use of IT (PEoU). Implications include improved marketing of IT programs to parents by focusing on the usefulness of IT as a discipline