The Diagnostic Value of a Short Memory Test: The TNI-93

Background: The TNI-93 is a quick memory test designed for all patients regardless of their education level. A significant proportion of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are illiterate or poorly educated, and only a few memory tests are adapted for these patients. Objective: In this study we aimed at assessing the diagnostic value of the TNI-93 for diagnosis of patients with biologically confirmed amyloid status. Methods: We included all patients who had an analysis of AD cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, a neuropsychological assessment including a TNI-93 and an anatomical brain imaging at Avicenne Hospital between January 2009 and November 2019. We compared the TNI-93 scores in patients with amyloid abnormalities (A+) and patients without amyloid abnormalities (A-) according to the AT(N) diagnostic criteria. Results: 108 patients were included (mean age: 66.9±8.5 years old, mean education level: 8.9±5.2 years). Patients from the A + group (N= 80) were significantly more impaired than patients from the A- group (N= 28) on immediate recall (A+: 5.9±2.8; A-: 7.4±2.6; p = 0.001), free recall (A+: 3.5±2.7; A-: 5.9±2.8; p ≤ 0.001), total recall (A+: 5.7±3.5; A-:7.8±2.8; p ≤ 0.001), and on number of intrusions during the recall phase (A+: 1±1.8; A-: 0.1±0.3; p = 0.002). ROC curves revealed that the best scores to discriminate A + from A- patients were immediate recall (Area under curve (AUC): 0.70), number of encoding trials (AUC: 0.73), free recall (AUC: 0.74), and total recall (AUC: 0.74). Conclusion: The TNI-93’s immediate, free, and total recalls are valuable tools for the 39 diagnosis of AD.

Vehicle Counting Accuracy Improvement By Identity Sequences Detection Based on Yolov4 Deep Neural Networks

Models for vehicle detection, classification, and counting based on computer vision and artificial intelligence are constantly evolving. In this study, we present the Yolov4-based vehicle detection, classification, and counting model approach. The number of vehicles was calculated by generating the serial number of the identity of each vehicle. The object is detected and classified, marked by the display of bounding boxes, classes, and confidence scores. The system input is a video dataset that considers the camera position, light intensity, and vehicle traffic density. The method has counted the number of vehicles: cars, motorcycles, buses, and trucks. Evaluation of model performance is based on accuracy, precision, and total recall of the confusion matrix. The results of the dataset test and the calculation of the model performance parameters had obtained the best accuracy, precision. Total recall values when the model testing was carried out during the day where the camera position was at the height of 6 m and the loss of 500 was 83%, 93%, and 94%. Meanwhile, the lowest total accuracy, precision, and recall were obtained when the model was tested at night. The camera position was at the height of 1.5 m, and 900 losses were 68%, 77%, and 78%.

The diagnostic value of the TNI-93: a memory test suitable for both literate and illiterate patients.

Background: A significant proportion of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients are illiterate or poorly educated, and only a few memory tests are adapted for these patients. The TNI-93 is a quick memory test that was designed for all patients regardless of their education level. In the present study we aimed at assessing the diagnostic value of the TNI-93 for the screening and diagnosis of patients with biologically confirmed amyloid status.Method: We included all patients who had a lumbar puncture (LP) for the analysis of AD cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, a full neuropsychological assessment that included the TNI-93 and an anatomical brain imaging (MRI/CT scan) at Avicenne Hospital between January 2009 and November 2019. We compared the TNI-93 scores in A+ patients (patients with amyloid abnormalities) and A- patients according to the A T (N) criteria (NIA-AA 2018). We also compared A+T+ patients to A-T- patients.Results: 108 patients were included with a mean age of 66.9 ± 8.5 years old, and mean education level of 8.9 ± 5.16 years, illiterate patients represented 27% of the population. Patients from the A+ group (N= 80) were significantly more impaired than patients from the A- group (N=28) on immediate recall (A+: 5.9±2.8; A-: 7.4±2.6; p=0.001), free recall (A+: 3.5±2.7; A-: 5.9±2.8; p< 0.001), total recall (A+: 5.7±3.5; A-: 7.8±2.8; p< 0.001) and on number of intrusions during the recall phase (A+: 1±1.8; A-: 0.1±0.3; p=0.002). Similar results were observed in the memory subgroup but not in patients with presentation other than memory complaint (ie language impairment or others presentation such as behavioural and hallucination). Similar results with increased significance were observed when we compared A+T+ patients (N=50) to A-T- patients (N=26). Analyses of the ROC curves revealed that the best scores of the TNI-93 test to discriminate A+ patients from A- were immediate recall (Area under curve (AUC): 0.70), free recall (AUC: 0.74) and total recall (AUC: 0.74).Conclusion: We found that the TNI-93’s immediate recall, free and total recall are valuable for the diagnosis of amyloid pathology suggestive of AD.

Memory in low-grade glioma patients treated with radiotherapy or temozolomide: a correlative analysis of EORTC study 22033-26033

Background EORTC study 22033–26033 showed no difference in progression-free survival between high-risk low-grade glioma receiving either radiotherapy (RT) or temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy alone as primary treatment. Considering the potential long-term deleterious impact of RT on memory functioning, this study aims to determine whether TMZ is associated with less impaired memory functioning. Methods Using the Visual Verbal Learning Test (VVLT), memory functioning was evaluated at baseline and subsequently every 6 months. Minimal compliance for statistical analyses was set at 60%. Conventional indices of memory performance (VVLT Immediate Recall, Total Recall, Learning Capacity, and Delayed Recall) were used as outcome measures. Using a mixed linear model, memory functioning was compared between treatment arms and over time. Results Neuropsychological assessment was performed in 98 patients (53 RT, 46 TMZ). At 12 months, compliance had dropped to 66%, restricting analyses to baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. At baseline, patients in either treatment arm did not differ in memory functioning, sex, age, or educational level. Over time, patients in both arms showed improvement in Immediate Recall (P = 0.017) and total number of words recalled (Total Recall; P &lt; 0.001, albeit with delayed improvement in RT patients (group by time; P = 0.011). Memory functioning was not associated with RT gross, clinical, or planned target volumes. Conclusion In patients with high-risk low-grade glioma there is no indication that in the first year after treatment, RT has a deleterious effect on memory function compared with TMZ chemotherapy.