IMAGE UNDERSTANDING OF MOLAR PREGNANCY BASED ON ANOMALIES DETECTION

Cancer occurs when normal cells grow and multiply without normal control. As the cells multiply, they form an area of abnormal cells, known as a tumour. Many tumours exhibit abnormal chromosomal segregation at cell division. These anomalies play an important role in detecting molar pregnancy cancer. Molar pregnancy, also known as hydatidiform mole, can be categorised into partial (PHM) and complete (CHM) mole, persistent gestational trophoblastic and choriocarcinoma. Hydatidiform moles are most commonly found in women under the age of 17 or over the age of 35. Hydatidiform moles can be detected by morphological and histopathological examination. Even experienced pathologists cannot easily classify between complete and partial hydatidiform moles. However, the distinction between complete and partial hydatidiform moles is important in order to recommend the appropriate treatment method. Therefore, research into molar pregnancy image analysis and understanding is critical. The hypothesis of this research project is that an anomaly detection approach to analyse molar pregnancy images can improve image analysis and classification of normal PHM and CHM villi. The primary aim of this research project is to develop a novel method, based on anomaly detection, to identify and classify anomalous villi in molar pregnancy stained images. The novel method is developed to simulate expert pathologists’ approach in diagnosis of anomalous villi. The knowledge and heuristics elicited from two expert pathologists are combined with the morphological domain knowledge of molar pregnancy, to develop a heuristic multi-neural network architecture designed to classify the villi into their appropriated anomalous types. This study confirmed that a single feature cannot give enough discriminative power for villi classification. Whereas expert pathologists consider the size and shape before textural features, this thesis demonstrated that the textural feature has a higher discriminative power than size and shape. The first heuristic-based multi-neural network, which was based on 15 elicited features, achieved an improved average accuracy of 81.2%, compared to the traditional multi-layer perceptron (80.5%); however, the recall of CHM villi class was still low (64.3%). Two further textural features, which were elicited and added to the second heuristic-based multi-neural network, have improved the average accuracy from 81.2% to 86.1% and the recall of CHM villi class from 64.3% to 73.5%. The precision of the multi-neural network II has also increased from 82.7% to 89.5% for normal villi class, from 81.3% to 84.7% for PHM villi class and from 80.8% to 86% for CHM villi class. To support pathologists to visualise the results of the segmentation, a software tool, Hydatidiform Mole Analysis Tool (HYMAT), was developed compiling the morphological and pathological data for each villus analysis

Efficiency of dry bone inspection compared with two-dimensional os coxal images for age estimation in a Thai population

The auricular surface and pubic symphysis are commonly used in age estimation. This study aimed to compare the results of age estimation between dry bones and 2D images of the os coxae and to develop a tool specifically for Thai individuals. The total samples were 250 left os coxal dry bones divided into 200 samples (100 males, 100 females) for the training set and 50 samples for the test set. The age range was 26 – 94 years. We used the Suchey-Brooks method and Berg method for observing the pubic symphysis and the Buckberry-Chamberlain method for observing the auricular surface. Afterward we compared the dry bones and photo parts. Our results showed sex did not play a significant role in estimating the age-at-death. In both parts, the auricular surface yielded the highest accuracy (80 – 84%) with SEE = 13.99 – 14.24 years. The pubic symphysis showed an accuracy of 74 – 76% and SEE = 14.37 – 14.44 years. The results of the dry bone and photo parts did not differ significantly. In both dry bone and photo parts, the intra-observer agreement performed moderate to almost perfect agreement. On the other hand, the inter-observer agreement was slight to fair. In conclusion, our study can be potentially applied for distant consultation for age estimation using 2D pelvic images with a forensic anthropologist for estimating biological profiles

Neurocomputational mechanisms underpinning aberrant social learning in young adults with low self-esteem

Funder: UCLH NIHR BRCAbstract: Low self-esteem is a risk factor for a range of psychiatric disorders. From a cognitive perspective a negative self-image can be maintained through aberrant learning about self-worth derived from social feedback. We previously showed that neural teaching signals that represent the difference between expected and actual social feedback (i.e., social prediction errors) drive fluctuations in self-worth. Here, we used model-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to characterize learning from social prediction errors in 61 participants drawn from a population-based sample (n = 2402) who were recruited on the basis of being in the bottom or top 10% of self-esteem scores. Participants performed a social evaluation task during fMRI scanning, which entailed predicting whether other people liked them as well as the repeated provision of reported feelings of self-worth. Computational modeling results showed that low self-esteem participants had persistent expectations that others would dislike them, and a reduced propensity to update these expectations in response to social prediction errors. Low self-esteem subjects also displayed an enhanced volatility in reported feelings of self-worth, and this was linked to an increased tendency for social prediction errors to determine momentary self-worth. Canonical correlation analysis revealed that individual differences in self-esteem related to several interconnected psychiatric symptoms organized around a single dimension of interpersonal vulnerability. Such interpersonal vulnerability was associated with an attenuated social value signal in ventromedial prefrontal cortex when making predictions about being liked, and enhanced dorsal prefrontal cortex activity upon receipt of social feedback. We suggest these computational signatures of low self-esteem and their associated neural underpinnings might represent vulnerability for development of psychiatric disorder

Neurocomputational mechanisms underpinning aberrant social learning in young adults with low self-esteem.

Funder: UCLH NIHR BRCLow self-esteem is a risk factor for a range of psychiatric disorders. From a cognitive perspective a negative self-image can be maintained through aberrant learning about self-worth derived from social feedback. We previously showed that neural teaching signals that represent the difference between expected and actual social feedback (i.e., social prediction errors) drive fluctuations in self-worth. Here, we used model-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to characterize learning from social prediction errors in 61 participants drawn from a population-based sample (n = 2402) who were recruited on the basis of being in the bottom or top 10% of self-esteem scores. Participants performed a social evaluation task during fMRI scanning, which entailed predicting whether other people liked them as well as the repeated provision of reported feelings of self-worth. Computational modeling results showed that low self-esteem participants had persistent expectations that others would dislike them, and a reduced propensity to update these expectations in response to social prediction errors. Low self-esteem subjects also displayed an enhanced volatility in reported feelings of self-worth, and this was linked to an increased tendency for social prediction errors to determine momentary self-worth. Canonical correlation analysis revealed that individual differences in self-esteem related to several interconnected psychiatric symptoms organized around a single dimension of interpersonal vulnerability. Such interpersonal vulnerability was associated with an attenuated social value signal in ventromedial prefrontal cortex when making predictions about being liked, and enhanced dorsal prefrontal cortex activity upon receipt of social feedback. We suggest these computational signatures of low self-esteem and their associated neural underpinnings might represent vulnerability for development of psychiatric disorder

Effects of chitosan and salicylic acid on Stemona alkaloid production in hydroponic culture of Stemona curtisii Hook. f.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the elicitors, salicylic acid (SA) and chitosan, on the improvement of Stemona alkaloid production in hydroponic cultures of S. curtisii. In vitro plantlets were used as plant materials. The elicitors were added into the culture medium and samples of the roots and medium were collected on week 2 and 4 after the elicitor addition and then analyzed for Stemona alkaloid production by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This study revealed that both SA and chitosan increased production of three Stemona alkaloids and that chitosan is better than SA for the enhancement of the production of these alkaloids. The elicitation by 20 mg L-1 of chitosan for 4 weeks induced highest amount of oxyprotostemonine (274.31 μg g-1 DW) stemocurtisine (35.46 μg g-1 DW) and stemocurtisinol (99.48 μg g-1 DW), which were 1.9, 2.0 and 1.5 fold higher than that of the control, respectively

THE EFFECTS OF BUD SIZES AND BENZYLADENINE ON IN VITRO PROPAGATION OF CURCUMA AERUGINOSA ROXB.H.

Curcuma aeruginosa Roxb.H is one of the most valuable oriental herbs. Its rhizome extract has been used as antifungal agent and reported to have anticarcinogenic activity in animals. Natural propagation by rhizome is very poor and can not be done in winter because of its dormancy. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of bud sizes and benzyladenine (BA) on in vitro propagation of C. aeruginosa. Buds in various sizes were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media under 1,500 lux of light intensity at 25OC for 4 weeks. It was found that 3.0 – 4.0 cm buds provided 66.67% survival, produced 100% shoots and gave the highest numbers of 2 shoots per explant. To determine the effect of BA, 3.0 – 4.0 cm buds, was also cultured on MS media supplemented with 0, 1, 2 and 3 mg/l of BA under the same condition for 4 weeks. The MS medium with 1 mg/l BA was found to induce 100% shoot formation with an average of 2.27 shoots per explant and induced the highest root formation of 72.73 %. Acknowledgements: This research was supported by Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Thailand

Corticosteroid Injection for an Orthopedic Complaint in a Female with Gestational Diabetes

Abstract A female with gestational diabetes presented with hip pain characteristic of meralgia paresthetica and trochanteric bursitis. She had similar episodes prior to pregnancy that were treated successfully with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroid injections. However, NSAID use during pregnancy poses risks to the fetus and corticosteroids carry a risk of hyperglycemia, especially in those with diabetes. Unfortunately, all attempts made to treat her conservatively failed to improve her symptoms. The use of antenatal corticosteroids as an intervention for preterm labor has been documented, but to our knowledge, there are no published reports of corticosteroid injections for orthopedic complaints in someone with gestational diabetes. Review of her glucose log showed well-controlled levels, and subsequently, a corticosteroid injection was administered. Blood glucose levels were monitored for the next 48 h, and all measurements were within normal limits. The patient’s symptoms resolved, and she went on to vaginally deliver a healthy term infant without complications, suggesting that gestational diabetes should not be used as absolute criteria to withhold corticosteroid injections for orthopedic complaints

An Evaluation of Birth Outcomes in Overweight and Obese Pregnant Women Who Exercised during Pregnancy

It is well established that exercise has numerous health benefits, especially in regard to weight management for the obese and overweight population. However, there is limited data to support the safety or effects of exercise in the obese and overweight pregnant population despite the fact that exercise and weight management in this demographic is particularly important. In an effort to establish the safety profile of exercise during pregnancy in this population, we tested the hypothesis that exercise would not result in adverse birth outcomes. We surveyed postpartum women with an average BMI of 34.7 regarding their participation in exercise during pregnancy. Our primary outcome of interest was small for gestational age (SGA). Secondary outcomes included gestational age at delivery, mode of delivery, head circumference, length and birthweight as compared to those who did not exercise. SGA occurred in 12.5% of women who exercised in the first trimester compared to 14.9% in those who did not exercise (p = 0.678). Similar results were seen for women who exercised in the second and third trimesters. Intensity of exercise did not alter these findings and the analysis of secondary outcomes also did not demonstrate a difference between the groups. In conclusion, overweight and obese women who reported exercising during pregnancy did not have a higher incidence of SGA infants. Exercise should not be discouraged in pregnant women due to obesity