scholarly journals Assessment of the Severity of Breast Artery Calcification on a Mammogram: Intraoperator and Interoperator Reproducibility

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 688-695
Author(s):  
E. V. Bochkareva ◽  
E. K. Butina ◽  
N. Kh. Bayramkulova ◽  
O. A. Abdalova ◽  
V. A. Kutsenko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mammary Gland ◽  
Systematic Error ◽  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Quantitative Assessment ◽  
Surrogate Marker ◽  
Arterial Calcification ◽  
Point Scale ◽  
High Cardiovascular Risk ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Operator Reproducibility

Purpose. To study approaches to the quantitative assessment of breast arterial calcification (BAC) – a new surrogate marker of high cardiovascular risk in women, to determine the most detailed way to quantify BAC and to assess the reproducibility of these parameters.Material and methods. Mammograms of 1,078 women were analyzed for the presence of BAC. The intraoperator reproducibility of the assessment of the severity of BAC using a 12-point scale (Margolies L et al., 2016) was studied by analyzing 20 mammograms by the same operator twice with an interval of at least 2 weeks. Inter-operator reproducibility was studied by analyzing 99 mammograms by two independent operators.Results. When assessing the intraoperative reproducibility of the total score for each mammary gland, the exact coincidence of the results was noted in 70% (95% confidence interval [CI] 53.5-83.4), in cases of difference of no more than 1 point – in 27.5% (95%CI 14.6-43.9), only in 1 case the difference in assessments was 2 points. No systematic error was found between the two measurements (p=1.0), the correlation coefficient was rs=0.973. The assessment of inter-operator reproducibility showed that the exact coincidence of indicators was present in 48.5% (95%CI 41.3-55.7), in 91.4% (95% CI 86.6-94.9) cases, the total score for each the mammary gland differed by no more than 1 point. There was no systematic error between the measurements of the two experts (p=0.438), the correlation coefficient was rs=0.942.Conclusion. A good intraoperator and interoperator reproducibility of indicators of the severity of BAC on a 12-point scale has been shown, which makes it possible to recommend it for use in science and practice.

Comparison of Mammography and Ultrasonography for Tumor Size of DCIS of Breast Cancer

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-213
Author(s):  
Yu Wang ◽  
Jiantao Wang ◽  
Haiping Wang ◽  
Xinyu Yang ◽  
Liming Chang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Tumor Size ◽  
Ductal Carcinoma ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Dense Breast ◽  
Pathological Examination ◽  
Negative Group ◽  
The Difference

Objective: Accurate assessment of breast tumor size preoperatively is important for the initial decision-making in surgical approach. Therefore, we aimed to compare efficacy of mammography and ultrasonography in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of breast cancer. Methods: Preoperative mammography and ultrasonography were performed on 104 women with DCIS of breast cancer. We compared the accuracy of each of the imaging modalities with pathological size by Pearson correlation. For each modality, it was considered concordant if the difference between imaging assessment and pathological measurement is less than 0.5cm. Results: At pathological examination tumor size ranged from 0.4cm to 7.2cm in largest diameter. For mammographically determined size versus pathological size, correlation coefficient of r was 0.786 and for ultrasonography it was 0.651. Grouped by breast composition, in almost entirely fatty and scattered areas of fibroglandular dense breast, correlation coefficient of r was 0.790 for mammography and 0.678 for ultrasonography; in heterogeneously dense and extremely dense breast, correlation coefficient of r was 0.770 for mammography and 0.548 for ultrasonography. In microcalcification positive group, coeffient of r was 0.772 for mammography and 0.570 for ultrasonography. In microcalcification negative group, coeffient of r was 0.806 for mammography and 0.783 for ultrasonography. Conclusion: Mammography was more accurate than ultrasonography in measuring the largest cancer diameter in DCIS of breast cancer. The correlation coefficient improved in the group of almost entirely fatty/ scattered areas of fibroglandular dense breast or in microcalcification negative group.

scholarly journals Bi-caudate ratio as a MRI marker of white matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis and ischemic leukocencephalopathy

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dena Serag ◽  
Eman Ragab
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Surrogate Marker ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Subjective Assessment ◽  
Linear Measurement ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Imaging Science ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

Abstract Background Brain atrophy measurement is now a cornerstone in basic neuro-imaging science. While assessment of white matter atrophy by visual inspection is subjective, volumetric approaches are time-consuming and not often feasible. Bi-caudate ratio represents a linear surrogate parameter of brain volume that can be derived from standard imaging sequences. This study highlights the value of the bi-caudate ratio (BCR) as a MRI marker of white matter atrophy in patients with multiple sclerosis and ischemic leukoencephalopathy and set a cut-off value to differentiate between patients with white matter atrophy and normal subjects. Results A total of 115 patients (54 males and 61 females) diagnosed with white matter leukoencephalopathy (MS in 51 patients and ischemic leukoencephalopathy in 64 patients) were included. Another group of 60 subjects with a normal white matter signal was recruited as a control group. BCR for the patient group ranged from 0.13 to 0.27 (mean (± SD) = 0.16 ± 0.02), while for the control group, it ranged from 0.05 mm to 0.13 (mean (± SD) = 0.09 ± 0.01). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P value < 0.001). A cut-off value of 0.13 was used to differentiate between the BCR in both patients and control groups with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 99.2%, 100%, and 99%, respectively. The difference in BCR for patients diagnosed with MS and ischemic leukoencephalopathy was also statistically significant (P value < 0.001). Conclusion The bi-caudate ratio represents a linear measurement of subcortical atrophy that can be useful as a surrogate marker of global supra-tentorial white matter atrophy instead of the usually performed visual and therefore subjective assessment. It is an easily obtained measure that can be performed without complex time-consuming volumetric studies. Our findings also revealed that the BCR is higher in patients with ischemic leukoencephalopathy than in patients with MS.

scholarly journals Birth elicits a conserved neuroendocrine response with implications for perinatal osmoregulation and neuronal cell death

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yarely C. Hoffiz ◽  
Alexandra Castillo-Ruiz ◽  
Megan A. L. Hall ◽  
Taylor A. Hite ◽  
Jennifer M. Gray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Neuronal Cell Death ◽  
Surrogate Marker ◽  
Plasma Osmolality ◽  
Neuronal Cell ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
Neural Activation ◽  
Vasopressin Release ◽  
Neuroendocrine Response ◽  
The Difference

AbstractLong-standing clinical findings report a dramatic surge of vasopressin in umbilical cord blood of the human neonate, but the neural underpinnings and function(s) of this phenomenon remain obscure. We studied neural activation in perinatal mice and rats, and found that birth triggers activation of the suprachiasmatic, supraoptic, and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus. This was seen whether mice were born vaginally or via Cesarean section (C-section), and when birth timing was experimentally manipulated. Neuronal phenotyping showed that the activated neurons were predominantly vasopressinergic, and vasopressin mRNA increased fivefold in the hypothalamus during the 2–3 days before birth. Copeptin, a surrogate marker of vasopressin, was elevated 30-to 50-fold in plasma of perinatal mice, with higher levels after a vaginal than a C-section birth. We also found an acute decrease in plasma osmolality after a vaginal, but not C-section birth, suggesting that the difference in vasopressin release between birth modes is functionally meaningful. When vasopressin was administered centrally to newborns, we found an ~ 50% reduction in neuronal cell death in specific brain areas. Collectively, our results identify a conserved neuroendocrine response to birth that is sensitive to birth mode, and influences peripheral physiology and neurodevelopment.

scholarly journals Ionospheric Peak Parameters Retrieved from FY-3C Radio Occultation: A Statistical Comparison with Measurements from COSMIC RO and Digisondes Over the Globe

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1419
Author(s):  
Han Wang ◽  
Jia Luo ◽  
Xiaohua Xu
Keyword(s):  
Solar Activity ◽  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Elevation Angle ◽  
Activity Period ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Comparison Results ◽  
Standard Deviations ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Solar Activity Period

In this study, two ionospheric peak parameters (ICPs), NmF2 and hmF2, derived from the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) ionospheric electron density profiles (EDPs) obtained by Feng-Yun 3C (FY-3C) mission are compared with those derived from the observations of the Constellation Observing System for the Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) mission and the measurements from 24 digisonde stations distributed around the world during the year from 2014 to 2017. The FY-3C derived ICPs and the COSMIC-derived ICPs are provided by the National Satellite Meteorological Centre (NSMC) and the COSMIC Data Analysis and Archive Center (CDAAC), respectively. The correlation and bias analyses are carried out in the comparison under the collocation criterion with the time interval of 1 h and the space interval of 3° in latitude and 5° in longitude. When comparing the ICPs derived from the two RO missions, the difference in the azimuth of occultation planes (DAOPs) between the matched pairs is limited to be within 20°. The comparison results are analyzed for different solar activity periods, and solar elevation angle (SEA) is taken for the first time as a factor that represents the comprehensive impacts of latitude zones, seasons, and local time of the observations. The results are shown as follows: (1) Both the COSMIC RO-derived and the digisonde-observed ICPs are in good agreement with the FY-3C RO-derived ones. The correlation coefficient (CC) between the NmF2 and hmF2 derived by COSMIC RO and FY-3C RO is 0.965 and 0.916, respectively, while the correlation coefficient between the NmF2 and hmF2 derived by digisonde and FY-3C RO is 0.924 and 0.832, respectively. The quality of FY-3C RO-derived ICPs are reliable enough for further applications. (2) The CC of NmF2 is, in general, higher than that of hmF2 when comparing FY-3C RO with other observations, and the overall MAB and MRB of FY-3C RO-derived ICPs during the higher solar activity period are higher than the ones during the lower solar activity period. The difference between the two RO missions is much smaller than that one between FY-3C RO and digisonde. (3) For a certain solar activity period, the standard deviations of the absolute bias (SDAB) and the standard deviations of the relative bias (SDRB) of FY-3C RO-derived ICPs compared with digisonde-derived ones generally increases with the increase of SEA, while the SDAB and SDRB of FY-3C RO-derived ICPs both get the minimum values for the AOP interval near to 90°.

scholarly journals Gene-Based Nonparametric Testing of Interactions Using Distance Correlation Coefficient in Case-Control Association Studies

Genes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 608
Author(s):  
Yingjie Guo ◽  
Chenxi Wu ◽  
Maozu Guo ◽  
Xiaoyan Liu ◽  
Alon Keinan
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Gene Interaction ◽  
P Value ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Real World Data ◽  
Distance Correlation ◽  
The Difference

Among the various statistical methods for identifying gene–gene interactions in qualitative genome-wide association studies (GWAS), gene-based methods have recently grown in popularity because they confer advantages in both statistical power and biological interpretability. However, most of these methods make strong assumptions about the form of the relationship between traits and single-nucleotide polymorphisms, which result in limited statistical power. In this paper, we propose a gene-based method based on the distance correlation coefficient called gene-based gene-gene interaction via distance correlation coefficient (GBDcor). The distance correlation (dCor) is a measurement of the dependency between two random vectors with arbitrary, and not necessarily equal, dimensions. We used the difference in dCor in case and control datasets as an indicator of gene–gene interaction, which was based on the assumption that the joint distribution of two genes in case subjects and in control subjects should not be significantly different if the two genes do not interact. We designed a permutation-based statistical test to evaluate the difference between dCor in cases and controls for a pair of genes, and we provided the p-value for the statistic to represent the significance of the interaction between the two genes. In experiments with both simulated and real-world data, our method outperformed previous approaches in detecting interactions accurately.

scholarly journals Influence of gustatory and olfactory perception in the oral phase of swallowing in smokers

CoDAS ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karoline Weber dos Santos ◽  
Simone Soares Echeveste ◽  
Deisi Cristina Gollo Marques Vidor
Keyword(s):  
Differential Diagnosis ◽  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Average Degree ◽  
Study Group ◽  
Olfactory Perception ◽  
Spearman Correlation ◽  
Taste Test ◽  
Sensory Changes ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Sensory Tests

Purpose: To analyze the difference between nonsmokers and smokers on the changes in the perceptions of smell and taste and to verify the influence of these aspects in the emergence of compensatory movements during swallowing. Methods: To evaluate these aspects, capabilities of olfactory and gustatory recognition were observed, as well as the compensation swallowing. Twenty-four patients were evaluated in each study group aged from 18 years, grouped in a stratified way. The olfactory evaluation consisted in presenting seven essences and one of three options should be chosen. For the taste test, 16 flavors were offered in a non-sequential and decreasing way in amount of solute. Swallowing solid and liquid was evaluated, in which aspects of compensation perioral muscles were observed. Results: Worst performance in olfactory and gustatory tests among smokers (p≤0.01) was found. Through the results of χ2 and Fisher's exact tests, it was found that the contraction of the mentalis muscle is less observed in non-smokers, and smokers have an average degree of statistically significant change compared to nonsmokers. Furthermore, through the Spearman correlation coefficient, it was found that the worsening in the sensory tests implies increased compensation during swallowing in smokers. Conclusion: These data allowed us to verify that the sensory changes have influence on swallowing pattern, indicating that these changes are aspects that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of changes in swallowing.

Defining the Role of Duplex Ultrasound Assessment to Determine Severity of Arterial Calcification: An Analysis of the Superficial Femoral Artery

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-78
Author(s):  
Charlotte Taylor ◽  
Lukasz P. Zielinski ◽  
Mohammed M. Chowdhury ◽  
Patrick A. Coughlin
Keyword(s):  
Computed Tomography ◽  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Imaging Modality ◽  
Objective Assessment ◽  
Duplex Ultrasound ◽  
Arterial Calcification ◽  
Gold Standard Method ◽  
Calcification Score

Lower limb arterial calcification associates with poor cardiovascular outcomes. The gold standard method of assessment is via computed tomography, yet duplex is our primary imaging modality. Currently, there is no standardized objective assessment of lower limb arterial calcification using duplex. We aimed to define the role of duplex in the assessment of lower limb arterial calcification. Initial consensus was achieved between a cohort of vascular scientists on objective imaging specific markers of lower limb arterial calcification severity using duplex. This resulted in objective descriptions to grade calcification from 0 to 3 (no calcification through to severe calcification) which formed the duplex lower limb arterial calcification score. Reproducibility of the duplex lower limb arterial calcification score was assessed and further validation was undertaken by comparing the duplex lower limb arterial calcification with computed tomography–based assessment in a separate cohort of 44 patients investigated with both modalities. The intra- and inter-class correlation coefficient were > 0.87 . The Spearman rank correlation coefficient between the duplex and CT based arterial calcium measurements was (ρ = 0.644, P < .001). The duplex lower limb arterial calcification score provides a standardized and reproducible modality for assessment of lower limb arterial calcification and may aid with risk stratification in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

Quantitative Assessment of Mammary Gland Development in Female Long Evans Rats Following In Utero Exposure to Atrazine

2010 ◽  
Vol 119 (2) ◽  
pp. 380-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. Hovey ◽  
P. S. Coder ◽  
J. C. Wolf ◽  
R. L. Sielken ◽  
M. O. Tisdel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mammary Gland ◽  
Quantitative Assessment ◽  
Mammary Gland Development ◽  
In Utero ◽  
In Utero Exposure ◽  
Long Evans ◽  
Gland Development

An Analysis of Wine Critic Consensus: A Study of Washington and California Wines

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric T. Stuen ◽  
Jon R. Miller ◽  
Robert W. Stone
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Expert Judgment ◽  
Point Scale ◽  
Wine Consumption ◽  
Quality Ratings ◽  
Intraclass Correlations ◽  
Using Data ◽  
High Level ◽  
Jel Classifications

AbstractWe examine the degree of consensus in quality ratings of prominent U.S. wine publications. For the purposes of wine consumption and research, are ratings on the ubiquitous 100-point scale reliable measures of quality? The value of expert judgment has been called into question by a number of studies, especially in the context of wine competitions and tasting events. Using data on 853 wines, we find a moderately high level of consensus, measured by the correlation coefficient, between most pairs of publications, similar to the level found by Ashton (2013). Rank and intraclass correlations are similar. Consensus is not found to be related to the blinding policies (or lack thereof) of the critical publications. (JEL Classifications: C93, D46)

Analysis of Raw Silk Fineness Series and the Fine Limit Point

2013 ◽  
Vol 796 ◽  
pp. 187-190
Author(s):  
Ting Ting Tao ◽  
Huan Wang ◽  
Wan Chun Fei
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Gravimetric Method ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Auto Correlation ◽  
Section Shape ◽  
Fiber Fineness ◽  
Coefficient Corrélation ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Fine Limit ◽  
Size Series

In this thesis, the fineness and the size are measured, in order to analyze and compare them. The fineness is measured with the cross-sectional area and the size is measured with traditional gravimetric method. The section shape of raw silk is assumed be approximately elliptical, and the diameters of different grade raw silk are measured in mutual perpendicular directions with Fiber fineness instrument, which connects microscope with computer, and the shapes and diameters of raw silk can be directly watched and measured on the computer screen. Meanwhile the weights of the corresponding segments of the raw silk are weighed. The raw silk fineness series and size series are analyzed through statistic parameters such as the expectation, variance, auto-correlation coefficient, correlation coefficient. And the difference between different grades of raw silk is analyzed. The result of this study is useful for improvement of raw silk reeling process and inspection of raw silk quality.

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