-
MSystems Aug 2021Bovine digital dermatitis (DD) is a skin disorder that is a significant cause of infectious lameness in cattle around the world. However, very little is known about the...
Bovine digital dermatitis (DD) is a skin disorder that is a significant cause of infectious lameness in cattle around the world. However, very little is known about the etiopathogenesis of the disease and the microbiota associated with DD in beef cattle. In this study, we provide a comprehensive characterization of DD and healthy skin microbiota of feedlot beef cattle. We also developed and validated a novel multiplex quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay to quantify the distribution of DD-associated bacterial species across DD lesion stages. We determined the DD-associated microbiota with deep amplicon sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene, followed by the application of novel and existing qPCR assays to quantify species distributions of Treponema, , , and across lesion stages. Deep amplicon sequencing revealed that Treponema, , , and were associated with DD lesions. Culturing of DD biopsy specimens identified Porphyromonas levii, Bacteroides pyogenes, and two spp. within DD lesions. Using species-specific qPCR on DD lesion DNA, we identified P. levii in 100% of active lesion stages. Early-stage lesions were particularly associated with Treponema medium, T. phagedenis, and . This study suggests a core DD microbial group consisting of species of Treponema, , , and , which may be closely tied with the etiopathogenesis of DD. Further characterizations of these species and spp. are necessary to understand the microbial factors involved in DD pathogenesis, which will help elucidate DD etiology and facilitate more targeted and effective mitigation and treatment strategies. Previous work, primarily in dairy cattle, has identified various taxa associated with digital dermatitis (DD) lesions. However, there is a significant gap in our knowledge of DD microbiology in beef cattle. In addition, characterization of bacteria at the species level in DD lesions is limited. In this study, we provide a framework for the accurate and reproducible quantification of major DD-associated bacterial species from DNA samples. Our findings support DD as a polymicrobial infection, and we identified a variety of bacterial species spanning multiple genera that are consistently associated with DD lesions. The DD-associated microbiota identified in this study may be capable of inducing the formation and progression of DD lesions and thus should be primary targets in future DD pathogenesis studies.
PubMed: 34313462
DOI: 10.1128/mSystems.00708-21 -
International Journal of Trichology 2020Hair loss (alopecia) is a common problem and is a major cause of psychological stress and anxiety among affected individuals. It is of utmost importance to diagnose...
BACKGROUND
Hair loss (alopecia) is a common problem and is a major cause of psychological stress and anxiety among affected individuals. It is of utmost importance to diagnose these cases at the earliest and treat them accordingly. Trichoscopy provides a noninvasive option that can be used for early diagnosis and monitoring the progression of the hair disorders.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To perform trichoscopy and document the findings in patients with nonscarring alopecia's.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 100 cases satisfying the inclusion criteria were screened for general physical examination and scalp examination including hair shaft and root, and tests for hair anchorage and fragility were also done. The lesions were examined through dermoscope, photographs were taken, and findings were documented.
RESULTS
Among the total of 100 cases screened, 57 were female and 43 were male. The mean age of the study group was 26 ± 14.8 years. Females were affected by alopecia areata (AA) and female pattern hair loss (29.8%) equally, whereas males were most commonly affected by AA (41.8%). The common trichoscopic follicular features noted were broken hair (48%), black dots (48%), single hair follicle unit (45%), short vellus hair (44%), upright hair (41%), and yellow dots (40%). The common interfollicular features seen were honeycomb pigmentation (26%) and arborizing red lines (12%).
CONCLUSION
The emergence of newer hair signs on trichoscopic studies aids in identification and has a definitive role in the diagnosis of clinically difficult cases, so it is recommended to use trichoscopy in the routine examination of nonscarring alopecia's.
PubMed: 33223733
DOI: 10.4103/ijt.ijt_1_19 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2022Plants are the primary source of food for world's population. Diseases in plants can cause yield loss, which can be mitigated by continual monitoring. Monitoring plant...
Plants are the primary source of food for world's population. Diseases in plants can cause yield loss, which can be mitigated by continual monitoring. Monitoring plant diseases manually is difficult and prone to errors. Using computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) for the early identification of plant illnesses can prevent the negative consequences of diseases at the very beginning and overcome the limitations of continuous manual monitoring. The research focuses on the development of an automatic system capable of performing the segmentation of leaf lesions and the detection of disease without requiring human intervention. To get lesion region segmentation, we propose a context-aware 3D Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model based on CANet architecture that considers the ambiguity of plant lesion placement in the plant leaf image subregions. A Deep CNN is employed to recognize the subtype of leaf lesion using the segmented lesion area. Finally, the plant's survival is predicted using a hybrid method combining CNN and Linear Regression. To evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of our proposed plant disease detection scheme and survival prediction, we utilized the Plant Village Benchmark Dataset, which is composed of several photos of plant leaves affected by a certain disease. Using the DICE and IoU matrices, the segmentation model performance for plant leaf lesion segmentation is evaluated. The proposed lesion segmentation model achieved an average accuracy of 92% with an IoU of 90%. In comparison, the lesion subtype recognition model achieves accuracies of 91.11%, 93.01 and 99.04 for pepper, potato and tomato plants. The higher accuracy of the proposed model indicates that it can be utilized for real-time disease detection in unmanned aerial vehicles and offline to offer crop health updates and reduce the risk of low yield.
PubMed: 36589071
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1095547 -
Translational Andrology and Urology Jun 2018In radiotherapy (RT) of prostate cancer, dose escalation has been shown to reduce biochemical failure. Dose escalation only to determinate prostate tumor habitats has... (Review)
Review
In radiotherapy (RT) of prostate cancer, dose escalation has been shown to reduce biochemical failure. Dose escalation only to determinate prostate tumor habitats has the potential to improve tumor control with less toxicity than when the entire prostate is dose escalated. Other issues in the treatment of the RT patient include the choice of the RT technique (hypo- or standard fractionation) and the use and length of concurrent/adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Up to 50% of high-risk men demonstrate biochemical failure suggesting that additional strategies for defining and treating patients based on improved risk stratification are required. The use of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) is rapidly gaining momentum in the management of prostate cancer because of its improved diagnostic potential and its ability to combine functional and anatomical information. Currently, the Prostate Imaging, Reporting and Diagnosis System (PIRADS) is the standard of care for region of interest (ROI) identification and risk classification. However, PIRADS was not designed for 3D tumor volume delineation; there is a large degree of subjectivity and PIRADS does not accurately and reproducibly elucidate inter- and intra-lesional spatial heterogeneity. "Radiomics", as it refers to the extraction and analysis of large number of advanced quantitative radiological features from medical images using high throughput methods, is perfectly suited as an engine to effectively sift through the multiple series of prostate mpMRI sequences and quantify regions of interest. The radiomic efforts can be summarized in two main areas: (I) detection/segmentation of the suspicious lesion; and (II) assessment of the aggressiveness of prostate cancer. As related to RT, the goal of the latter is in particular to identify patients at high risk for metastatic disease; and the aim of the former is to identify and segment cancerous lesions and thus provide targets for radiation boost. The article is structured as follows: first, we describe the radiomic approach; and second, we discuss the radiomic pipeline as tailored for RT of prostate cancer. In this process we summarize the current efforts and progress in integrating mpMRI radiomics into the radiotherapeutic management of prostate cancer with emphasis placed on its role in treatment target definition, treatment plan strategizing, and prognostic assessment. The described concepts, methods and tools are not currently applicable to the radiation oncology practice outside of the research setting. More data are required in the form of clinical trials to assess the robustness of radiomics-based predictive models, and to maximize the efficacy of these models.
PubMed: 30050803
DOI: 10.21037/tau.2018.06.05 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2023The management of acne requires the consideration of its severity; however, a universally adopted evaluation system for clinical practice is lacking. Artificial...
BACKGROUND
The management of acne requires the consideration of its severity; however, a universally adopted evaluation system for clinical practice is lacking. Artificial intelligence (AI) evaluation systems hold the promise of enhancing the efficiency and reproducibility of assessments. Artificial intelligence (AI) evaluation systems offer the potential to enhance the efficiency and reproducibility of assessments in this domain. While the identification of skin lesions represents a crucial component of acne evaluation, existing AI systems often overlook lesion identification or fail to integrate it with severity assessment. This study aimed to develop an AI-powered acne grading system and compare its performance with physician image-based scoring.
METHODS
A total of 1,501 acne patients were included in the study, and standardized pictures were obtained using the VISIA system. The initial evaluation involved 40 stratified sampled frontal photos assessed by seven dermatologists. Subsequently, the three doctors with the highest inter-rater agreement annotated the remaining 1,461 images, which served as the dataset for the development of the AI system. The dataset was randomly divided into two groups: 276 images were allocated for training the acne lesion identification platform, and 1,185 images were used to assess the severity of acne.
RESULTS
The average precision of our model for skin lesion identification was 0.507 and the average recall was 0.775. The AI severity grading system achieved good agreement with the true label (linear weighted kappa = 0.652). After integrating the lesion identification results into the severity assessment with fixed weights and learnable weights, the kappa rose to 0.737 and 0.696, respectively, and the entire evaluation on a Linux workstation with a Tesla K40m GPU took less than 0.1s per picture.
CONCLUSION
This study developed a system that detects various types of acne lesions and correlates them well with acne severity grading, and the good accuracy and efficiency make this approach potentially an effective clinical decision support tool.
PubMed: 37869155
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1255704 -
Indian Journal of Thoracic and... Mar 2020The parallel supply of the pulmonary and systemic circuits complicates the management of single-ventricle lesions. Achieving a balance between the two limbs of the... (Review)
Review
The parallel supply of the pulmonary and systemic circuits complicates the management of single-ventricle lesions. Achieving a balance between the two limbs of the circulation forms the basis of optimizing the systemic oxygen delivery, with the oxygen availability being highly sensitive to alterations in pulmonary/systemic blood flow ratio ( / ). The identification of a 'balanced' circulation is challenging wherein various parameters should be evaluated in close conjunction with each other. The prompt identification of circulatory maldistribution should be backed up with a sound management strategy aimed at attaining an equitable systemic and pulmonary perfusion. Any degree of ventricular dysfunction compromises the total output ( + ) supplying the two circuits explaining the role of inodilators in improving the myocardial performance in addition to lowering the systemic vascular resistance and optimizing / in setting of a single-ventricle physiology. Moreover, the pulmonary circulation is modulated by a multitude of factors intricately linked to the single-ventricle lesion, including anatomical characteristics unique to the underlying lesion (branch pulmonary arterial and venous stenosis), preoperative interventions, associated aortopulmonary and venovenous collaterals, plastic bronchitis, pulmonary arteriovenous fistulae, underlying ventricular dysfunction,, and many others. The article highlights the physiology, diagnosis, therapeutic optimization of a single-ventricle circulation, and the peculiarities pertaining to the pulmonary circulation of the uni-ventricular lesions.
PubMed: 33061117
DOI: 10.1007/s12055-019-00889-w -
BMJ Case Reports Jan 2022A 23-year-old male presented with complaints of gradually increasing swelling of the left hemiscrotum. Preliminary ultrasound scan revealed a heterogeneous,...
A 23-year-old male presented with complaints of gradually increasing swelling of the left hemiscrotum. Preliminary ultrasound scan revealed a heterogeneous, predominantly solid lesion showing raised internal vascularity with few cystic areas in the paratesticular region, towards the midline with both testes seen separately from the lesion. To rule out presence of locoregional or distant metastases, a CT scan was done which revealed a well-defined, intrascotal, extratesticular, heterogeneous, moderately enhancing mass lesion with cystic areas in the scrotal sac with no significant lymphadenopathy or obvious distant metastasis. Subsequent MRI done for surgical planning revealed a heterogeneous signal intensity lesion with cystic areas and areas of haemorrhage with focal loss of fat planes with the left corpora cavernosa at the root of the penis. The patient underwent an inguinoscrotal exploration with excision of the left paratesticular mass. Final histopathology suggested an undifferentiated high grade pleomorphic sarcoma. Paratesticular tumours while rare are an important cause of scrotal swelling. Exact histological identification of tumour subtype is not possible based on imaging but preoperative multi-modality imaging has an important role in identifying tissue of origin, differentiating benign from malignant lesions, surgical planning and assessing the need for adjuvant CT/RT.
Topics: Adult; Genital Diseases, Male; Genital Neoplasms, Male; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Scrotum; Ultrasonography; Young Adult
PubMed: 35064038
DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2021-246888 -
Brain Pathology (Zurich, Switzerland) Jul 2021Structural brain lesions, including the broad range of malformations of cortical development (MCD) and glioneuronal tumors, are among the most common causes of... (Review)
Review
Structural brain lesions, including the broad range of malformations of cortical development (MCD) and glioneuronal tumors, are among the most common causes of drug-resistant focal epilepsy. Epilepsy surgery can provide a curative treatment option in respective patients. The currently available pre-surgical multi-modal diagnostic armamentarium includes high- and ultra-high resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and intracerebral EEG to identify a focal structural brain lesion as epilepsy underlying etiology. However, specificity and accuracy in diagnosing the type of lesion have proven to be limited. Moreover, the diagnostic process does not stop with the decision for surgery. The neuropathological diagnosis remains the gold standard for disease classification and patient stratification, but is particularly complex with high inter-observer variability. Here, the identification of lesion-specific mosaic variants together with epigenetic profiling of lesional brain tissue became new tools to more reliably identify disease entities. In this review, we will discuss how the paradigm shifts from histopathology toward an integrated diagnostic approach in cancer and the more recent development of the DNA methylation-based brain tumor classifier have started to influence epilepsy diagnostics. Some examples will be highlighted showing how the diagnosis and our mechanistic understanding of difficult to classify structural brain lesions associated with focal epilepsy has improved with molecular genetic data being considered in decision making.
Topics: Brain; Brain Neoplasms; Drug Resistant Epilepsy; Epilepsies, Partial; Humans; Malformations of Cortical Development; Pathology, Molecular
PubMed: 34196984
DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12963 -
Cureus Sep 2023Public health experts worldwide have emphasized cervical cancer since it is a substantial global health burden primarily affecting women. This article thoroughly reviews... (Review)
Review
Public health experts worldwide have emphasized cervical cancer since it is a substantial global health burden primarily affecting women. This article thoroughly reviews the public health approach to eradicating and managing cervical cancer. The public health community seeks to lower the prevalence, morbidity, and mortality linked to this preventable disease by integrating primary prevention by means of vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV), secondary prevention using screening and early identification, and tertiary prevention through improved therapy and supportive care. In order to accomplish broad vaccination coverage and ultimately effectively prevent cervical cancer, it remains crucial to address obstacles to vaccine accessibility, reluctance, and fair distribution. Early identification and subsequent treatments depend greatly on cervical cancer screening programs. This study explores several screening methods, such as Papanicolaou (Pap) tests based on cytology and cutting-edge technologies like molecular assays and HPV detection. The detection of precancerous lesions and early-stage malignancies, permitting prompt treatment, has shown significant promise when integrating these technologies into coordinated population-based screening programs. The study also underlines the significance of addressing cervical cancer burden inequities, particularly in resource-constrained areas where access to preventative and curative care is constrained. Innovative and affordable methods for addressing marginalized groups are studied, including community-based outreach programs, mobile health technology, and local healthcare practitioners and community leaders in awareness campaigns. The research also examines improvements in cervical cancer treatment procedures, such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. It improves therapeutic efficacy and patient survival rates by incorporating various modalities into a multidisciplinary strategy. Highlighted palliative care and psychological support are crucial for patients who have advanced cervical carcinoma.
PubMed: 37789997
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.44543 -
Journal of Epilepsy Research Dec 2013Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is the most commonly encountered developmental malformation that causes refractory epilepsy. With advances in neuroimaging techniques, in... (Review)
Review
Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is the most commonly encountered developmental malformation that causes refractory epilepsy. With advances in neuroimaging techniques, in particular MRI, recent studies have revealed a higher prevalence of FCD than previously estimated and have improved the preoperative identification and classification of these abnormalities. However, MRI frequently does not show any abnormalities in patients with pathologically proven FCD. In this situation, functional neuroimaing such as FDG-PET and ictal SPECT can be helpful. FCD is thought to be intrinsically epileptogenic, because the dysplastic tissues contain aberrant neural networks that are highly susceptible to abnormal excitation. The response to the medical treatment of epilepsy has been documented as consistently poor. Therefore, surgical resection has been an important alternative treatment for patients with intractable epilepsy related to FCD. Incomplete resection of FCD has been consistently known to be a poor prognostic factor. However, the complete removal of FCD is often difficult because the demarcation of the lesion is frequently poor, and dysplastic tissues tend to be more extensive than is apparent on MRI. Evidence indicates that even patients with MRI abnormalities who have resective epilepsy surgery for FCD have worse surgical outcomes than those of patients who have surgery for other focal lesional epilepsy syndromes. Careful planning of evelauation using intracranial electrodes is necessary for successful epilepsy surgery.
PubMed: 24649472
DOI: 10.14581/jer.13009