Computer-aided dermoscopy for diagnosis of melanoma

BACKGROUND: Computer-aided dermoscopy using artificial neural networks has been reported to be an accurate tool for the evaluation of pigmented skin lesions. We set out to determine the sensitivity and specificity of a computer-aided dermoscopy system for diagnosis of melanoma in Iranian patients. METHODS: We studied 122 pigmented skin lesions which were referred for diagnostic evaluation or cosmetic reasons. Each lesion was examined by two clinicians with naked eyes and all of their clinical diagnostic considerations were recorded. The lesions were analyzed using a microDERM(® )dermoscopy unit. The output value of the software for each lesion was a score between 0 and 10. All of the lesions were excised and examined histologically. RESULTS: Histopathological examination revealed melanoma in six lesions. Considering only the most likely clinical diagnosis, sensitivity and specificity of clinical examination for diagnosis of melanoma were 83% and 96%, respectively. Considering all clinical diagnostic considerations, the sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 89%. Choosing a cut-off point of 7.88 for dermoscopy score, the sensitivity and specificity of the score for diagnosis of melanoma were 83% and 96%, respectively. Setting the cut-off point at 7.34, the sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 90%. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic accuracy of the dermoscopy system was at the level of clinical examination by dermatologists with naked eyes. This system may represent a useful tool for screening of melanoma, particularly at centers not experienced in the field of pigmented skin lesions

Cucurbit [7] uril-threaded fluorene–thiophene-based conjugated polyrotaxanes

Here we investigate the effect of cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) on the thermal and optical properties of fluorene–thiophene based conjugated polyelectrolytes. For this purpose, poly(9,9′-bis(6′′-(N,N,N-trimethylammonium)hexyl)fluorene-alt-co-thiophenelene) P1 and poly(9,9′-bis(6′′-(N,N,N-trimethylammonium)propyl)fluorene-alt-co-thiophenelene) P2 and their CB7-based polyrotaxane counterparts, P1CB7 and P2CB7, are synthesized by threading the part of the conjugated backbone of these polymers with CB7 during their synthesis. Threading efficiency in the P1CB7 containing hexyl pendant of as high as 50% is achieved, but in the case of P2, with the propyl pendant, only around 15% is achieved. We observed significant changes in the optical properties of both P1CB7 and P2CB7 with respect to their polymers P1 and P2. Fluorescent quantum yields of P1 and P2 which are 0.11 and 0.35 have increased to 0.46 and 0.55 for P1CB7 (>4 fold) and P2CB7, respectively. Moreover, polyrotaxanes compared to their polymers exhibit longer fluorescence lifetimes in the solution and the solid state thanks to the suppressed overall nonradiative recombination via encapsulation of the conjugated polymer backbone. Thermal analysis also indicates that polyrotaxanes have higher thermal stabilities than their polymer counterparts. In order to demonstrate the applicability of the synthesized materials, we also fabricated proof-of-concept light emitting diodes from P1 and its CB7-based polyrotaxane counterpart P1CB7. The CB7-integrating polymer showed lower turn-on voltages with high electroluminescence colour purity due to balanced charge injection in P1CB7 as compared to the P1 polymer