Intelligent recognition of colorectal cancer combining application of computer-assisted diagnosis with deep learning approaches

<span>The malignancy of the colorectal testing methods has been exposed triumph to decrease the occurrence and death rate; this cancer is the relatively sluggish rising and has an extremely peculiar to develop the premalignant lesions. Now, many patients are not going to colorectal cancer screening, and people who do, are able to diagnose existing tests and screening methods. The most important concept of this motivation for this research idea is to evaluate the recognized data from the immediately available colorectal cancer screening methods. The data provided to laboratory technologists is important in the formulation of appropriate recommendations that will reduce colorectal cancer. With all standard colon cancer tests can be recognized agitatedly, the treatment of colorectal cancer is more efficient. The intelligent computer assisted diagnosis (CAD) is the most powerful technique for recognition of colorectal cancer in recent advances. It is a lot to reduce the level of interference nature has contributed considerably to the advancement of the quality of cancer treatment. To enhance diagnostic accuracy intelligent CAD has a research always active, ongoing with the deep learning and machine learning approaches with the associated convolutional neural network (CNN) scheme.</span>

Research on the Unstable Branch Screening Method for Power System With High-Proportion Wind Power

The sooner the system instability is predicted and the unstable branches are screened, the timelier emergency control can be implemented for a wind power system. In this paper, aiming at the problem that the existing unstable branch screening methods are lack prejudgment, an unstable branch screening method for power system with high-proportion wind power is proposed. Firstly, the equivalent external characteristics model of the wind farm was deduced. And based on this, the out-of-step oscillation characteristics of the power system with high proportion wind power was analyzed. Secondly, based on the oscillation characteristics, line weak-connection index (LWcI) was proposed to quantify the stability margin of a branch. Then an instability prediction method and an unstable branch screening method were proposed based on LWcI and voltage phase angle difference. Finally, the rapidity and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified through the simulation analysis of IEEE-118 system.

Osteopontin as a Tumor Marker in Ovarian Cancer

Introduction: Ovarian cancer is associated with high morbidity and mortality. This is due to the nonspecific symptoms and no effective screening methods. Currently CA 125 is used as a tumor biomarker for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer, but it has its own limitations. So, there is need for other tumor biomarkers for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. To determine the diagnostic test characteristics of plasma osteopontin (OPN) in detecting ovarian malignancy and comparing its performance with carbohydrate antigen-125 (CA 125). Methods: This is a prospective cross-sectional diagnostic test evaluation. Women with adnexal mass detected by clinical or radiological examination were enrolled as suspected cases. Women who presented with other gynecological conditions were enrolled as controls. OPN and CA 125 levels were measured in all enrolled subjects. Results: Among 106 women enrolled, 26 were ovarian cancer, 31 had benign ovarian masses and 49 were controls. Median plasma CA 125 levels were higher in subjects with ovarian cancer (298 U/ml; IQR 84-1082 U/ml vs. 37.5U/ml; IQR 17.6-82.9U/ml; P<0.001).CA 125 sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios were 88.5%, 61.3%,2.10 and 0.19 respectively. Median plasma OPN levels were higher in subjects with ovarian cancer (63.1 ng/ml; IQR 39.3-137 ng/ml vs. 27ng/ml; IQR 20-52ng/ml; P=0.001). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios of OPN were 50%,87%,2.58 and 0.62, respectively. Conclusion: OPN levels were higher in ovarian cancer than in the benign ovarian mass and had better specificity than CA125. OPN can better differentiate between benign and malignant ovarian mass as compared to CA125.

Community Pharmacists’ Knowledge on Cancer and Screening Methods

Background and Objective The aim of the study is to evaluate the knowledge of community pharmacists on cancer and screening methods. Setting and Method This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study and was conducted between January-June 2020 in Istanbul/Turkey. a structured questionnaire was applied to pharmacists as online. The questionnaire was prepared by the researchers and consisted of 49 questions; basic information about cancer (15 items), signs and symptoms (11 items), causes and risk factors (14 items), cancer screening methods (9 items). Results It was determined that the majority (>90%) of the pharmacists did not receive any education on cancer and/or cancer screening methods after graduation. The sufficient knowledge level of the pharmacists about cancer basics, signs and symptoms, and risk factors were found to be as 80%, 77%, and 67%, respectively. The internal consistency level of the questionnaire was calculated (Cronbach's alpha = 0.814). The item “Every woman should perform breast self-examination and notify a health professional when there is a change in breast appearance or feeling,” was answered correctly by 98% of the pharmacists. It was determined that 71% of the pharmacists gave the correct answer to the item “Women aged 21–30 years should have a PAP smear every 3 years”. Conclusion According to the results of the study, while the rate of sufficient knowledge level on cancer was found to be low, knowledge on cancer screening was found to be sufficient. We think that pharmacists should receive training on cancer and screening methods and to follow the guidelines closely.

Epidemiologic Disparities in Colon Cancer Screening and Adherence during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second-leading cause of death in the US. Despite the National Colorectal Roundtable goal of achieving 80% adherence, CRC screening remains underutilized, especially in the underinsured populations. Screening programs have been heavily disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim: This research was performed to explore the impact of the pandemic on the existing ethnic and gender disparities prevalent in CRC screening. Methods: Patients were identified 1 year before and after COVID-19 precautions began, using March 1, 2020, as the inflection point. For each year, the primary inclusion criterion was an ordered colonoscopy. The outcome of interest was a colonoscopy performed. Differences by year and race were assessed using Chi-square analysis. A cohort of 1413 patients between age 45 and 75 for whom a colonoscopy was ordered was selected from EHR at a single large institution. 897 patients were in the pre-COVID group, and 516 were in the post-COVID group. Results: There was a 51% reduction in screening colonoscopies performed. White patients had a decrease of 49%, and African Americans had a 55% reduction. Stool testing increased from 47% prior to the pandemic to 94% during the pandemic representing a greater than 100% increase in stool testing uptake. Conclusion: The true impact of COVID-19 on colorectal cancer is yet to be uncovered as future mortality estimates from CRC are ongoing. Due to the widespread closure of endoscopy centers and delay in screening, we believe that the pandemic worsened the screening disparities most prevalent among minority populations. Our retrospective analysis over the last two years points to the drastic reduction of screening for all races, and especially for African Americans. As life gradually returns to normal, it would be interesting to see how the past year has impacted the incidence and prevalence of CRC.

The impact of prenatal screening tests on prenatal diagnosis in Taiwan from 2006 to 2019: a regional cohort study

Background The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of prenatal screening tests on prenatal diagnosis in Taiwan’s 14 years from 2006 to 2019. Methods The prenatal screening methods evolved from the second-trimester serum screening to combined first-trimester screening (cFTS) and then followed by the non-invasive cell-free DNA prenatal test (NIPT). The data used by the Department of Statistics, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Department of Household Registration, Ministry of the Interior public website. Results This regional registry-based cohort retrospective study examined a total of 2,775,792 births from January 2006 to December 2019. The proportion of advanced maternal age (AMA) pregnancies increased from 11.63% in 2006 to 30.94% in 2019. Overall, invasive diagnostic testing was used in 87.22% of AMA pregnancies. The prenatal detection rate of trisomy 21 and 18 increased from 74.1% and 83.3% in 2006 to 96.9% and 98.8% in 2019, respectively. Conclusion During the second-trimester and cFTS periods, the percentage of AMA pregnancies increased every year and the number of invasive procedures also accompany with increased percentage of AMA. However, during the period that NIPT were implemented, the percentage of invasive procedures decreased.

Prescreening of biological and biorational fungicides against common hemp pathogens using in vitro analyses

Upon reintroduction of hemp in 2014 and legalization in 2018, labeled pesticides have remained limited. Further, consumer demand has aimed the market toward organic or chemical-free production systems. In efforts to manage diseases and pests in fields and greenhouses, producers turn toward biological and biorational formulations. Efficacy of these fungicides against common aerial diseases of hemp is largely unpublished. Challenges of efficacy testing, however, further delay or discourage research. In this study, we evaluated screening methods against some common biological products. The aim was to test a screening model in order to examine products against fungal pathogens and to identify demonstrable differences under controlled conditions. Thus, in this study, we prescreen 11 biological and biorational fungicides against four common fungal leaf and flower pathogens using three bioassays. Confirmation that the major modes of action for these products have measurable activity against major pathogens of hemp serves as a first step toward more complex field studies.

Two New Compounds Containing Pyridinone or Triazine Heterocycles Have Antifungal Properties against Candida albicans

Candidiasis, caused by the opportunistic yeast Candida albicans, is the most common fungal infection today. Resistance of C. albicans to current antifungal drugs has emerged over the past decade leading to the need for novel antifungal agents. Our aim was to select new antifungal compounds by library-screening methods and to assess their antifungal effects against C. albicans. After screening 90 potential antifungal compounds from JUNIA, a chemical library, two compounds, 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-((4-chlorophenyl)amino)-3,6-dimethylpyridin-2(1H)-one (PYR) and (Z)-N-(2-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)vinyl)-4-methoxyaniline (TRI), were identified as having potential antifungal activity. Treatment with PYR and TRI resulted in a significant reduction of C. albicans bioluminescence as well as the number of fungal colonies, indicating rapid fungicidal activity. These two compounds were also effective against clinically isolated fluconazole- or caspofungin-resistant C. albicans strains. PYR and TRI had an inhibitory effect on Candida biofilm formation and reduced the thickness of the mannan cell wall. In a Caenorhabditis elegans infection model, PYR and TRI decreased the mortality of nematodes infected with C. albicans and enhanced the expression of antimicrobial genes that promote C. albicans elimination. Overall, PYR and TRI showed antifungal properties against C. albicans by exerting fungicidal activities and enhancing the antimicrobial gene expression of Caenorhabditis elegans.

Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening According to Health Professional Counseling and Age in the United States

Background. In 2018, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommended that PSA screening for prostate cancer involve men aged 55–69, based on a personal decision following consultation with a health professional. PSA screening in men aged 70 or older should only occur if symptoms exist. This study identifies the association between having a PSA test in the past two years and whether or not there was consultation with a health professional about the benefits and/or harms of PSA screening. Methods. Analyses were based on data involving men aged 40 years or older, who responded to PSA related questions in the 2018 BRFSS survey. Results. Approximately 32.0% (14.6% for ages 40–54, 41.7% for ages 55–69, and 49.8% for ages 70 years and older) of respondents had a PSA test in the past two years. Approximately 81.7% of these men had talked with a health professional about the benefits and/or harms of PSA screening, with 42.4% having discussed the benefits and harms, 54.6% having discussed the benefits only, and 3.0% having discussed the harms only. The odds of a PSA test in the past two years in men having talked with a health professional about the benefits and harms of the test versus no talk are 10.1 (95% CI 9.3–10.8), in men who talked with a health professional about the benefits only versus no talk are 10.8 (95% CI 10.0–11.6), and in men who talked with a health professional about the harms only versus no talk are 3.9 (95% CI 2.9–5.1). Conclusion. PSA screening is most common in men aged 70 or older, which is counter to the US Preventive Task Force recommendation. Most men having a PSA test have talked with a health professional about the test, but the talks tended to focus on just the benefits of screening and not both potential benefits and harms.

Performance of Nomogram Prediction Combining MiRNAs in Cervical Mucus, HPV Genotype and Age for Cervical Cancer and its Precursor Lesions

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide. Although cytology or HPV testing is available for screening, these techniques have their drawbacks and optimal screening methods are still being developed. Here, we sought to determine whether aberrant expression of miRNAs in cervical mucus could be an ancillary test for cervical neoplasms. The presence of miRNAs in 583 and 126 patients (validation and external cohorts) was determined by real-time RT-PCR. Performance of a combination with five miRNAs (miR-126-3p, -451a -144-3p, -20b-5p and -155-5p) was estimated by ROC curve analysis. Predicted probability (PP) was estimated by nomograms comprising -ΔCt values of the miRNAs, HPV genotype and age. A combination of five miRNAs showed a maximum AUC of 0.956 (95%CI: 0.933-0.980) for discriminating cancer. Low PP scores were associated with good prognosis over the 2-year observation period (p<0.05). Accuracy for identifying cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)3+ by nomogram was 0.983 and 0.966, respectively. PP was constant with different storage conditions of materials. We conclude that nomograms using miRNAs in mucus, HPV genotype and age could be useful as ancillary screening tests for cervical neoplasia.