Automatic Software Diversity

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 30-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Larsen ◽  
Stefan Brunthaler ◽  
Michael Franz
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Dinesen ◽  
Pia Søndergaard Jensen ◽  
Maria Bloksgaard ◽  
Søren Leer Blindbæk ◽  
Jo G.R. De Mey ◽  
...  

Introduction As the only part of the human vasculature, retina is available for direct, non-invasive inspection. Retinal vascular fractal dimension (DF) is a method to measure the structure of the retinal vascular tree, with higher non-integer values between 1 and 2 representing a more complex and dense retinal vasculature. Retinal vascular structure has been associated with a variety of systemic diseases and this study examined the association of DF and macrovascular cardiac disease in a case-control design. Methods Retinal fundus photos were captured with Topcon TRC-50X in 38 persons that had coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG, cases) and 37 cardiovascular healthy controls. The semi-automatic software VAMPIRE was used to measure retinal DF. Results Patients with CABG had lower DF of the retinal main venular vessels compared to the control group (1.15 vs. 1.18, p=0.01). In a multivariable regression model adjusted for gender and age, eyes in the fourth quartile with higher DF were less likely to have CABG compared to patients in the first (OR, 7.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.63 to 31.86; p=0.009) and second quartile (OR, 8.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.70 to 40.01; p=0.009). Conclusions This study demonstrates that lower complexity of main venular vessels associates with higher risk of having CABG. The research supports the hypothesis that the retinal vascular structure can be used to assess non-ocular macrovascular disease.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (15) ◽  
pp. 3309
Author(s):  
Gisella Gennaro ◽  
Melissa L. Hill ◽  
Elisabetta Bezzon ◽  
Francesca Caumo

Contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) demonstrates a potential role in personalized screening models, in particular for women at increased risk and women with dense breasts. In this study, volumetric breast density (VBD) measured in CEM images was compared with VBD obtained from digital mammography (DM) or tomosynthesis (DBT) images. A total of 150 women who underwent CEM between March 2019 and December 2020, having at least a DM/DBT study performed before/after CEM, were included. Low-energy CEM (LE-CEM) and DM/DBT images were processed with automatic software to obtain the VBD. VBDs from the paired datasets were compared by Wilcoxon tests. A multivariate regression model was applied to analyze the relationship between VBD differences and multiple independent variables certainly or potentially affecting VBD. Median VBD was comparable for LE-CEM and DM/DBT (12.73% vs. 12.39%), not evidencing any statistically significant difference (p = 0.5855). VBD differences between LE-CEM and DM were associated with significant differences of glandular volume, breast thickness, compression force and pressure, contact area, and nipple-to-posterior-edge distance, i.e., variables reflecting differences in breast positioning (coefficient of determination 0.6023; multiple correlation coefficient 0.7761). Volumetric breast density was obtained from low-energy contrast-enhanced spectral mammography and was not significantly different from volumetric breast density measured from standard mammograms.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 1671-1678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mårten Sandstedt ◽  
Lilian Henriksson ◽  
Magnus Janzon ◽  
Gusten Nyberg ◽  
Jan Engvall ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives To evaluate an artificial intelligence (AI)–based, automatic coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring software, using a semi-automatic software as a reference. Methods This observational study included 315 consecutive, non-contrast-enhanced calcium scoring computed tomography (CSCT) scans. A semi-automatic and an automatic software obtained the Agatston score (AS), the volume score (VS), the mass score (MS), and the number of calcified coronary lesions. Semi-automatic and automatic analysis time were registered, including a manual double-check of the automatic results. Statistical analyses were Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (⍴), intra-class correlation (ICC), Bland Altman plots, weighted kappa analysis (κ), and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results The correlation and agreement for the AS, VS, and MS were ⍴ = 0.935, 0.932, 0.934 (p < 0.001), and ICC = 0.996, 0.996, 0.991, respectively (p < 0.001). The correlation and agreement for the number of calcified lesions were ⍴ = 0.903 and ICC = 0.977 (p < 0.001), respectively. The Bland Altman mean difference and 1.96 SD upper and lower limits of agreements for the AS, VS, and MS were − 8.2 (− 115.1 to 98.2), − 7.4 (− 93.9 to 79.1), and − 3.8 (− 33.6 to 25.9), respectively. Agreement in risk category assignment was 89.5% and κ = 0.919 (p < 0.001). The median time for the semi-automatic and automatic method was 59 s (IQR 35–100) and 36 s (IQR 29–49), respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusions There was an excellent correlation and agreement between the automatic software and the semi-automatic software for three CAC scores and the number of calcified lesions. Risk category classification was accurate but showing an overestimation bias tendency. Also, the automatic method was less time-demanding. Key Points • Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring is an excellent candidate for artificial intelligence (AI) development in a clinical setting. • An AI-based, automatic software obtained CAC scores with excellent correlation and agreement compared with a conventional method but was less time-consuming.


Author(s):  
MICHAEL R. LYU ◽  
JIA-HONG CHEN ◽  
ALGIRDAS AVIŽIENIS

The N-Version Programming (NVP) approach applies the idea of design diversity to obtain fault-tolerant software units, called N-Version Software (NVS) units. The effectiveness of this approach is examined by the software diversity achieved in the member versions of an NVS unit. We define and formalize the concept of design diversity and software diversity in this paper. Design diversity is a property naturally applicable to the NVP process to increase its fault-tolerance attributes. The baseline design diversity is characterized by the employment of independent programming teams in the NVP. More design diversity investigations could be enforced in the NVP design process, including different languages, different tools, different algorithms, and different methodologies. Software diversity is the resulting dissimilarities appearing in the NVS member versions. We characterize it from four different points of view that are designated as: structural diversity, fault diversity, tough-spot diversity, and failure diversity. Our goals are to find a way to quantify software diversity and to investigate the measurements which can be applied during the life cycle of NVS to gain confidence that operation will be dependable when NVS is actually employed. The versions from a six-language N-Version Programming project for fault-tolerant flight control software were used in the software diversity measurement.


2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 13271-13300 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rocha-Lima ◽  
J. V. Martins ◽  
L. A. Remer ◽  
N. A. Krotkov ◽  
M. H. Tabacniks ◽  
...  

Abstract. Microphysical, optical, and compositional properties of the volcanic ash from the April–May (2010) Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption are presented. Samples of the volcanic ash were taken on the ground in the vicinity of the volcano. The material was sieved, re-suspended, and collected on filters, separating particle sizes into coarse and fine modes. The spectral mass absorption efficiency αabs [m2 g−1] was determined for coarse and fine particles in the wavelength range from 300 to 2500 nm. Size distribution of particles on filters was obtained using a semi-automatic software to analyze images obtained by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The grain density of the volcanic ash was determined as 2.16(13) g cm−3 by measuring the variation of air volume in a system with volcanic ash and air under compression. Using Mie–Lorenz and T-matrix theories, the imaginary part of the refractive index was derived. Results show the spectral imaginary refractive index ranging from 0.001 to 0.005. Fine and coarse particles were analyzed by X-Ray fluorescence for elemental composition. Fine and coarse mode particles exhibit distinct compositional and optical differences.


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