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BackgroundUnderstanding the characteristics of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) in patients from different racial/ethnic backgrounds is important for reducing the observed gaps in clinical outcomes.PurposeTo investigate the diagnostic performance of mpMRI and quantitative MRI parameters of prostate cancer (PCa) in African American (AA) and matched White (W) men.Study typeRetrospective.SubjectsOne hundred twenty-nine patients (43 AA, 86 W) with histologically proven PCa who underwent mpMRI before radical prostatectomy.Field strength/sequence3.0 T, T2-weighted turbo spin echo imaging, a single-shot spin-echo EPI sequence diffusion-weighted imaging, and a gradient echo sequence dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI with an ultrafast 3D spoiled gradient-echo sequence.AssessmentThe diagnostic performance of mpMRI in AA and W men was assessed using detection rates (DRs) and positive predictive values (PPVs) in zones defined by the PI-RADS v2.1 prostate sector map. Quantitative MRI parameters, including Ktrans and ve of clinically significant (cs) PCa (Gleason score ≥ 7) tumors were compared between AA and W sub-cohorts after matching age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and prostate volume.Statistical testsWeighted Pearson's chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests with a statistically significant level of 0.05 were used to examine differences in DR and PPV and to compare parameters between AA and matched W men, respectively.ResultsA total number of 264 PCa lesions were identified in the study cohort. The PPVs in the peripheral zone (PZ) and posterior prostate of mpMRI for csPCa lesions were significantly higher in AA men than in matched W men (87.8% vs. 68.1% in PZ, and 89.3% vs. 69.6% in posterior prostate). The Ktrans of index csPCa lesions in AA men was significantly higher than in W men (0.25 ± 0.12 vs. 0.20 ± 0.08 min-1; P

Purpose: Ktrans$$ {K}^{\mathrm{trans}} $$ has often been proposed as a quantitative imaging biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response assessment for various tumors. None of the many software tools for Ktrans$$ {K}^{\mathrm{trans}} $$ quantification are standardized. The ISMRM Open Science Initiative for Perfusion Imaging–Dynamic Contrast‐Enhanced (OSIPI‐DCE) challenge was designed to benchmark methods to better help the efforts to standardize Ktrans$$ {K}^{\mathrm{trans}} $$ measurement. Methods: A framework was created to evaluate Ktrans$$ {K}^{\mathrm{trans}} $$ values produced by DCE‐MRI analysis pipelines to enable benchmarking. The perfusion MRI community was invited to apply their pipelines for Ktrans$$ {K}^{\mathrm{trans}} $$ quantification in glioblastoma from clinical and synthetic patients. Submissions were required to include the entrants' Ktrans$$ {K}^{\mathrm{trans}} $$ values, the applied software, and a standard operating procedure. These were evaluated using the proposed OSIPIgold$$ \mathrm{OSIP}{\mathrm{I}}_{\mathrm{gold}} $$ score defined with accuracy, repeatability, and reproducibility components. Results: Across the 10 received submissions, the OSIPIgold$$ \mathrm{OSIP}{\mathrm{I}}_{\mathrm{gold}} $$ score ranged from 28% to 78% with a 59% median. The accuracy, repeatability, and reproducibility scores ranged from 0.54 to 0.92, 0.64 to 0.86, and 0.65 to 1.00, respectively (0–1 = lowest–highest). Manual arterial input function selection markedly affected the reproducibility and showed greater variability in Ktrans$$ {K}^{\mathrm{trans}} $$ analysis than automated methods. Furthermore, provision of a detailed standard operating procedure was critical for higher reproducibility. Conclusions: This study reports results from the OSIPI‐DCE challenge and highlights the high inter‐software variability within Ktrans$$ {K}^{\mathrm{trans}} $$ estimation, providing a framework for ongoing benchmarking against the scores presented. Through this challenge, the participating teams were ranked based on the performance of their software tools in the particular setting of this challenge. In a real‐world clinical setting, many of these tools may perform differently with different benchmarking methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kano model is an extensively used technique for understanding different types of customer preferences. It classifies product features based on the effects of their performance on the overall customer satisfaction. Compared to surveys, numerous online reviews can be easily collected at a lower cost. This paper proposes an explainable neural network-based approach for the Kano categorisation of product features from online reviews. First, product feature words are identified by clustering nouns based on word embedding. Subsequently, the sentiments of the product feature words are determined by conducting the Vader sentiment analysis. Finally, the effects of the sentiments of each product feature on the star rating are estimated using explainable neural networks. Based on their effects, the product features are classified into the Kano categories. A case study of three Fitbit models is performed to validate the proposed approach. The Kano categorisation by the proposed approach is compared with the results of a previous product feature word clustering and ensemble neural network-based method. The results exhibit that the former presents a more reliable performance than the latter. The proposed approach is automated after providing several hyperparameters and can assist companies in conducting the Kano analysis with increased speed and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food industry has long been searching for an efficient replacement for saturated-fatty-acid-rich fats for baking applications. Although oleogels have been considered a potential alternative for saturated and trans fats, their success in food application has been poor. The present study explored the use of oleofoams obtained by whipping the pulse protein foam-templated oleogels for cake baking. Oleogels were prepared at room temperature by adding canola oil containing high-melting monoglyceride (MAG) or candelilla wax (CW) to the freeze-dried pea or faba bean protein-stabilized foams. Oleogels were then whipped to create the oleofoams; however, only the oleogels containing MAG could form oleofoams. CW-oleogel could not form any oleofoam. The most stable oleofoams with the highest overrun, stability, and storage modulus were obtained from 3% MAG+pulse protein foam-templated oleogels. The MAG plus protein foam-templated oleogels showed smaller and more packed air bubbles than MAG-only oleofoam, which was ascribed to the protein’s ability to stabilize air bubbles and provide a network in the continuous oil phase to restrict air bubble movement. A novel batter preparation method for oleofoam was developed to increase air bubble incorporation. The X-ray microtomography images of the cakes showed a non-homogeneous distribution of larger air bubbles in the oleofoam cake compared to the shortening cake although their total porosity was not much different. The oleofoam cakes made with the new method yielded similar hardness and chewiness compared to the shortening cakes. By improving rheology and increasing air incorporation in the batter, high-quality cakes can be obtained with MAG-containing oleofoams made from pulse protein foam-templated oleogels.

Simulated microgravity (SMG) inhibits osteoblast differentiation (OBD) and induces bone loss via the inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. However, the mechanism by which SMG alters the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is unknown. We previously demonstrated that SMG altered the focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-regulated mTORC1, AMPK and ERK1/2 pathways, leading to the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation/metastasis and promoting cell apoptosis. To examine whether FAK similarly mediates SMG-dependent changes to Wnt/β-catenin in osteoblasts, we characterized mouse MC3T3-E1 cells cultured under clinostat-modeled SMG (µg) conditions. Compared to cells cultured under ground (1 g) conditions, SMG reduces focal adhesions, alters cytoskeleton structures, and down-regulates FAK, Wnt/β-catenin and Wnt/β-catenin-regulated molecules. Consequently, protein-2 (BMP2), type-1 collagen (COL1), alkaline-phosphatase activity and matrix mineralization are all inhibited. In the mouse hindlimb unloading (HU) model, SMG-affected tibial trabecular bone loss is significantly reduced, according to histological and micro-computed tomography analyses. Interestingly, the FAK activator, cytotoxic necrotizing factor-1 (CNF1), significantly suppresses all of the SMG-induced alterations in MC3T3-E1 cells and the HU model. Therefore, our data demonstrate the critical role of FAK in the SMG-induced inhibition of OBD and bone loss via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, offering FAK signaling as a new therapeutic target not only for astronauts at risk of OBD inhibition and bone loss, but also osteoporotic patients.