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At least 1,783 records · Page 99Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

The use of an interactive computer program for the education of parents of asthmatic children.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether an interactive computer program improves the asthma knowledge of parents of asthmatic children attending a respiratory clinic, and to assess the acceptability of this educational method to parents. METHODOLOGY: Parents' knowledge was assessed before and one month after using the computer program. Knowledge scores were compared using paired Student's t-tests. Parents' comments about the program were invited. RESULTS: Whilst knowledge scores improved after exposure to the computer program, the improvement was not statistically significant (P=0.06). However, parents felt subjectively that the program was both enjoyable and useful to them. CONCLUSION: Used as the sole instrument for asthma education, the program did not produce a large increase in asthma knowledge in the study population. It was, however, universally popular and may prove useful in other settings and in combination with other forms of asthma education.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Registration of magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging to computed tomography for radiotherapy treatment planning.

The incorporation of multiple imaging modalities into radiotherapy treatment planning offers the potential to improve identification of regions of pathology. This work outlines and evaluates a methodology for registration of magnetic resonance images (MRI) and spectroscopic images (MRSI) to computed tomography (CT) images, and visualization of the multimodality data on the treatment planning workstation. Volumetric magnetic resonance images were acquired during an examination prior to the initiation of radiotherapy. Registration between these images and the treatment planning computed tomography images was performed using an automated alignment routine, and was improved manually using an interactive registration tool. The parameters of the alignment were then used to transform the spectroscopic images into the same reference frame. The spectroscopy data were represented in terms of a statistical measure of abnormality, and embedded within the MRI data as overlaid contours. These images were sent via DICOM transfer to the treatment planning workstation. An analysis of the reproducibility of the

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1996

Methodological issues in psychopathology research.

We present an overview of methodological issues involved in conducting psychopathology research, including conceptual, analytic, and interpretive considerations. Research issues germane to structured diagnostic interviewed, comorbidity of mental disorders, and ascertainment and sampling are reviewed. Further, the problem of specificity (with respect to disorder, to differential deficit, and to time) is discussed. Specific issues concerning risk vs protective factors, conducting research with special populations, and the continuity of abnormal and normal functioning are highlighted. Finally, various analogue strategies (human subclinical syndromes, experimental study of "pathological" processes in normals, animal models, and computer simulations) are critiqued. Our review documents many of the impressive methodological developments that have emerged in this field, and we hope our review stimulates additional research that exploits recent methodological advances.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Three-dimensional reconstruction of colorectal tumors from serial tissue sections by computer graphics: a preliminary study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We present herein the three-dimensional reconstruction of colorectal tumors, with particular reference to growth pattern into each layer of the colorectal wall, and measurement of tumor volume and surface area. METHODOLOGY: Conventional tissue section images of colorectal tumors were analyzed using a computer graphics analysis program. The two-dimensional extent of invasion by each tumor into each layer of intestinal wall were determined from the images of each section. Based on data from multiple sections, tumor and surrounding normal tissue layers were reconstructed three-dimensionally, and volume and surface area of the tumors were determined. RESULTS: Using this technique, three-dimensional morphology of tumor and tumor progression into colorectal wall could be determined. Volume and surface area of the colon tumor were 4871 mm3 and 1741 mm2, respectively. Volume and surface area of the rectal tumor were 1090 mm3 and 877 mm2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This technique may provide a new approach for pathological analysis of colorectal carcinoma.

Colonic Neoplasms↗
PubMed2003

Root-canal preparation with FlexMaster: canal shapes analysed by micro-computed tomography.

AIM: To evaluate the relative performance of FlexMaster nickel-titanium instruments shaping maxillary molar root canals in vitro. METHODOLOGY: Extracted human maxillary molars were scanned, before and after root-canal shaping, with FlexMaster, employing micro-computed tomography (microCT) at a resolution of 36 microm. Canals were three-dimensionally reconstructed and evaluated for volume, surface area, 'thickness' (diameter), canal transportation and prepared surface. Based on median canal volume, the canals were divided into 'wide' and 'constricted' groups. Comparisons were made between mesiobuccal (mb), distobuccal (db) and palatal (p), as well as 'wide' and 'constricted' canals, using anova and Scheffé post-hoc tests. RESULTS: Volume and surface area increased significantly and similarly in mb, db and p canals, and no gross preparation errors were found. Mean root-canal diameters, 5 mm coronal to the apex, increased from 0.45 to 0.65 mm, from 0.41 to 0.56 mm and from 0.79 to 0.85 mm for mb, db and p canals, respectively. Apical canal transportation ranged from 0.01 to 0.29 mm and was independent of canal type; 'wide' canals had a significantly higher (P < 0.05) proportion of unprepared surfaces than 'constricted' canals had. CONCLUSIONS: FlexMaster instruments shaped curved and narrow root canals in maxillary molars to sizes 40 and 45 without significant shaping errors. Canal anatomy had an insignificant impact on preparation, indicating that FlexMaster instruments were able to shape 'constricted' canals as well as 'wide' ones.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1991

Application of neural computing in pharmaceutical product development.

Neural computing technology is capable of solving problems involving complex pattern recognition. This technology is applied here to pharmaceutical product development. The most commonly used computational algorithm, the delta back-propagation network, was utilized to recognize the complex relationship between the formulation variables and the in vitro drug release parameters for a hydrophilic matrix capsule system. This new computational technique was also compared with the response surface methodology (RSM). Artificial neural network (ANN) analysis was able to predict the response values for a series of validation experiments more precisely than RSM. ANN may offer an alternative to RSM because it allows for the development of a system that can incorporate literature and experimental data to solve common problems in the pharmaceutical industry.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2006

Molecular-dynamics evaluation of fluid-phase equilibrium properties by a novel free-energy perturbation approach: application to gas solubility and vapor pressure of liquid hexane.

A novel free-energy perturbation method is developed for the computation of the free energy of transferring a molecule between fluid phases. The methodology consists in drawing a free-energy profile of the target molecule moving across a binary-phase structure built in the computer. The novelty of the method lies in the difference of the definition of the free-energy profile from the common definition. As an important element of the method, the process of making a correction to the transfer free energy with respect to the cutoff of intermolecular forces is elucidated. In order to examine the performance of the method in the application to fluid-phase equilibrium properties, molecular-dynamics computations are carried out for the evaluation of gas solubility and vapor pressure of liquid n-hexane at 298.15 K. The gas species treated are methane, ethane, propane, and n-butane, with the gas solubility expressed as Henry's constant. It is shown that the method works fine and calculated results are generally in good agreement with experiments. It is found that the cutoff correction is strikingly large, constituting a dominant part of the calculated transfer free energy at the cutoff of 8 A.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Introduction to the special section on the use of computers for making judgments and decisions.

Computers have the potential to greatly increase the accuracy of judgments and decisions that are made in the area of psychological assessment. The validity of present-day computer programs are described in the first 2 articles of this Special Section. Both computer-based test interpretation programs and mechanical prediction rules (e.g., statistical prediction rules) are described. Limitations of present-day computer programs are described in the 3rd article along with methodological recommendations for building more powerful rules. In the 4th article, a statistical analysis (neural network modeling) is described that may allow us to build better rules.

Decision Making, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMed1998

Assessment of vascularity in breast carcinoma by computer-assisted video analysis (CAVA) and its association with axillary lymph node status.

Case-control methodology was used to evaluate the significance of vascularity in small breast carcinomas with regard to the presence or absence of axillary lymph node metastases. Vascularity was assessed in 32 axillary node positive primary breast tumours (LN+ve) less than 2 cm in size and compared with 56 control axillary node negative primary tumours (LN-ve), which were matched for histological type and grade and tumour size. This study design employed computer-assisted video analysis (CAVA) to assess the total blood vessel perimeter (BVP), total blood vessel area (BVA), and total blood vessel density (BVD) throughout a tissue section that encompassed an entire cross section of the tumour and its immediate periphery. The BVA and BVD in these tumours were not significantly different between LN+ve and LN-ve groups. The LN-ve carcinomas had, on average, a significantly (P<0.05) higher total BVP (3355 microm/mm2) than LN+ve tumours (2771 microm/mm2). 'Hot spot' areas were also independently assessed by two pathologists and the same areas measured by CAVA. A strong correlation (P<0.001) between the two methods of assessment of BVD of the neovascular 'hot spots' was found; however, no association with axillary lymph node metastasis was found using either method of assessment. In conclusion, vascularity assessed by either blood vessel density or blood vessel size in primary invasive breast cancers less than 2 cm in diameter showed no association with axillary lymph node metastasis; in fact a negative association was found with total BVP of whole tumour sections and BVD in 'hot spots' using CAVA. Further, this study has established a computer-assisted method of quantifying vascularity in solid neoplasms and is a positive step towards a standardised approach to this diverse and methodologically variable area.

Axilla↗
PubMed2004

Advances in computational protein design.

Computational protein design continues to experience a variety of methodological advances. Several improvements have been suggested for the objective functions used to quantify sequence/structure compatibility. Disparate design strategies based upon dead-end elimination, simulated annealing and statistical design have each recently yielded striking successes involving de novo designed proteins with sizes on the order of 100 residues or greater. Such methods may be used to design new proteins, as well as to redesign natural proteins to facilitate structural and biophysical studies.

Computational Biology↗
PubMed1991

Noninvasive evaluation of cerebral ischemia. Trends for the 1990s.

A number of diagnostic tools have been developed over the past decade that facilitate the noninvasive evaluation of cerebral ischemia. From duplex Doppler ultrasound to xenon computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiography, a greater trend toward combining both anatomic and function information is anticipated. The methodology, limitations, and current clinical applications of these three diverse techniques, with emphasis on xenon computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiography, are discussed. Both xenon computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiography can be performed on current systems with minimal hardware and software modifications. As a result, standard anatomic and structural imaging can be supplemented with diverse information such as quantitative brain perfusion without and with flow challenging as well as flow mapping and velocity imaging, which approximates conventional x-ray angiography.

Brain↗
PubMed2006

Assessing the physical loading of wearable computers.

Wearable computers enable workers to interact with computer equipment in situations where previously they were unable. Attaching a computer to the body though has an unknown physical effect. This paper reports a methodology for addressing this, by assessing postural effects and the effect of added weight. Using the example of arm-mounted computers (AMCs), the paper shows that adopting a posture to interact with an AMC generates fatiguing levels of stress and a load of 0.54 kg results in increased level of stress and increased rate of fatigue. The paper shows that, due to poor postures adopted when wearing and interacting with computers and the weight of the device attached to the body, one possible outcome for prolonged exposure is the development of musculoskeletal disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

[Telementoring in surgery].

Tele-mentoring is an interactive experimental method that allows young surgeons' education by distant learning tutoring of an expert surgeon. The problem about assessment of efficacy and quality of computer-assisted instruction is under evaluation today. Tele-mentoring is supported by videoconferencing system and it is not an exclusive methodology but an additional methodology to traditional didactic for clinicians and surgeons. It allows personal virtual trainings by computers and telecommunication systems. Videoconference allows tutoring for telemedicine, teletriage and telesurgery also.

Education, Distance↗