Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), together with speech therapy, is known to relieve the symptoms of aphasia. Knowledge about amount of current to apply and stimulation location is needed to ensure the best result possible. Segmented tissues are used in a finite element method (FEM) simulation and by creating a mesh, information to guide the stimulation is gained. Thus, correct segmentation is crucial. Manual segmentation is known to produce the most accurate result, although it is not useful in the clinical setting since it currently takes weeks to manually segment one image volume. Automatic segmentation is faster, although both acute stroke lesions and nectrotic stroke lesions are known to cause problems. Three automatic segmentation routines are evaluated using default settings and two sets of tissue probability maps (TPMs). Two sets of stroke patients are used; one set with acute stroke lesions (which can only be seen as a change in image intensity) and one set with necrotic stroke lesions (which are cleared out and filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)). The original segmentation routine in SPM8 does not produce correct segmentation result having problems with lesion and paralesional areas. Mohamed Seghier’s ALI, an automatic segmentation routine developed to handle lesions as an own tissue class, does not produce satisfactory result. The new segmentation routine in SPM8 produces the best results, especially if Chris Rorden’s (professor at The Georgia Institute of Technology) improved TPMs are used. Unfortunately, the layer of CSF is not continuous. The segmentation result can still be used in a FEM simulation, although the result from the simulatation will not be ideal. Neither of the automatic segmentation routines evaluated produce an acceptable result (see Figure 5.7) for stroke patients. Necrotic stroke lesions does not affect the segmentation result as much as the acute dito, especially if there is only a small amount of scar tissue present at the lesion site. The new segmentation routine in SPM8 has the brightest future, although changes need to be made to ensure anatomically correct segmentation results. Post-processing algorithms, relying on morphological prior constraints, can improve the segmentation result further.

Os sarcomas ósseos representam uma proporção significativa de tumores na faixa etária pediátrica, ainda apresentando um quadro desafiador devido a sua significativa taxa de morbimortalidade. Pesquisas para o desenvolvimento de novas modalidades terapêuticas e para o desenvolvimento de métodos que identifiquem características da doença que possam permitir melhor estratificação dos pacientes através de dados clinicamente relevantes para individualizar as condutas clínicas são necessárias. Dentro deste contexto surge o conceito de radiômica, que visa extrair dados clinicamente relevantes a partir de imagens médicas. Entretanto, para colocar a radiômica em prática, é necessário selecionar, nas imagens médicas, as áreas de interesse referentes às patologias estudadas, e este processo se denomina segmentação. O objetivo primário deste estudo foi avaliar a reprodutibilidade intra e inter-observador da segmentação manual de sarcomas ósseos em imagens de ressonância magnética (RM). Como objetivo secundário, foi avaliada a capacidade da segmentação semiautomática em reduzir o tempo necessário para segmentação, mantendo similaridade com a segmentação manual. O estudo foi realizado de forma retrospectiva com inclusão de pacientes com diagnóstico de osteossarcoma ou sarcoma de Ewing confirmado por estudo histopatológico e que tivessem imagens de RM realizadas no Hospital Universitário de nossa Instituição realizadas previamente a qualquer intervenção terapêutica. Três médicos radiologistas, de forma independente e às cegas em relação as demais segmentações e em relação ao resultado histopatológico, realizaram a segmentação manual dos contornos destes tumores utilizando o software 3DSlicer, permitindo que fosse realizada avaliação da reprodutibilidade interobservador. Um dos radiologistas realizou uma segunda segmentação manual dos mesmos casos, possibilitando a avaliação da reprodutibilidade intraobservador, e, ainda, uma terceira segmentação foi realizada, utilizando metodologia semiautomática, disponível no software mencionado. Para a análise estatística, foi utilizado o coeficiente de similaridade de Dice (DICE), a distância Hausdorff (DH), comparações de volumes e análises dos intervalos de tempo necessários para realização das segmentações. Os parâmetros avaliados demonstraram haver boa reprodutibilidade intraobservador, com DICE variando entre 0,83 a 0,97; e distância Hausdorff variando entre 3,37 a 28,73 mm. Também foi demonstrada boa reprodutibilidade interobservador com DICE variando entre 0,73 a 0,97; e distância Hausdorff variando entre 3,93 a 33,40 mm. A segmentação semiautomática demonstrou boa similaridade em relação à segmentação manual (DICE variando entre 0,71 a 0,96 e DH variando entre 5,38 a 31,54 mm), havendo redução significativa do tempo necessário para segmentação. Entre todas as situações comparadas, os volumes não apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas (p-valor>0,05). / Bone sarcomas represent a significant proportion of tumors in the pediatric age group and they still are a challenge due to their significant morbidity and mortality rates. Reseaches are important for the development of new therapeutic modalities and for the development of methods that identify features that allow better stratification of the patients with theses diseases for individualization of their treatments. In this context emerges the concept of radiomics, which is the process of extraction of clinically relevant data from medical images. It is important to segment the areas of interest im medical images for the pratice of this process. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the intra- and interobserver reproducibility of manual segmentation of bone sarcomas on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). As a secondary objective, it was evaluated if the semiautomatic segmentation could be similar to manual segmentation and if the semiautomatic method could reduce the time required for segmentation. The study was performed retrospectively with the inclusion of patients with osteosarcoma or Ewing sarcoma confirmed by histopathological study and who had MRI performed at the University Hospital of our Institution prior to any therapeutic intervention. Three radiologists, independently and blindly in relation to the other segmentations and in relation to the histopathological results, performed the manual segmentation of the contours of these tumors using 3DSlicer software, allowing an interobserver reproducibility evaluation. One of the radiologists performed a second manual segmentation of the same cases, allowing the evaluation of intraobserver reproducibility. A third segmentation was performed, using semi-automatic methodology, available in the mentioned software. For the statistical analysis, Dice similarity coefficient (DICE), Hausdorff distance (DH), comparisons between volumes and time intervals for segmentations were used. The parameters evaluated demonstrated a good intraobserver reproducibility, with DICE ranging from 0.83 to 0.97 and Hausdorff distance ranging from 3.37 to 28.73 mm. Good interobserver reproducibility was also demonstrated with DICE ranging from 0.73 to 0.97 and Hausdorff distance ranging from 3.93 to 33.40 mm. Semiautomatic segmentation demonstrated good similarity to manual segmentation (DICE ranging from 0.71 to 0.96 and HD ranging from 5.38 to 31.54mm), and there was significant reduction in the time required for segmentation. Among all the situations compared, the volumes did not present significant statistical differences (p-value> 0.05).

Os sarcomas ósseos representam uma proporção significativa de tumores na faixa etária pediátrica, ainda apresentando um quadro desafiador devido a sua significativa taxa de morbimortalidade. Pesquisas para o desenvolvimento de novas modalidades terapêuticas e para o desenvolvimento de métodos que identifiquem características da doença que possam permitir melhor estratificação dos pacientes através de dados clinicamente relevantes para individualizar as condutas clínicas são necessárias. Dentro deste contexto surge o conceito de radiômica, que visa extrair dados clinicamente relevantes a partir de imagens médicas. Entretanto, para colocar a radiômica em prática, é necessário selecionar, nas imagens médicas, as áreas de interesse referentes às patologias estudadas, e este processo se denomina segmentação. O objetivo primário deste estudo foi avaliar a reprodutibilidade intra e inter-observador da segmentação manual de sarcomas ósseos em imagens de ressonância magnética (RM). Como objetivo secundário, foi avaliada a capacidade da segmentação semiautomática em reduzir o tempo necessário para segmentação, mantendo similaridade com a segmentação manual. O estudo foi realizado de forma retrospectiva com inclusão de pacientes com diagnóstico de osteossarcoma ou sarcoma de Ewing confirmado por estudo histopatológico e que tivessem imagens de RM realizadas no Hospital Universitário de nossa Instituição realizadas previamente a qualquer intervenção terapêutica. Três médicos radiologistas, de forma independente e às cegas em relação as demais segmentações e em relação ao resultado histopatológico, realizaram a segmentação manual dos contornos destes tumores utilizando o software 3DSlicer, permitindo que fosse realizada avaliação da reprodutibilidade interobservador. Um dos radiologistas realizou uma segunda segmentação manual dos mesmos casos, possibilitando a avaliação da reprodutibilidade intraobservador, e, ainda, uma terceira segmentação foi realizada, utilizando metodologia semiautomática, disponível no software mencionado. Para a análise estatística, foi utilizado o coeficiente de similaridade de Dice (DICE), a distância Hausdorff (DH), comparações de volumes e análises dos intervalos de tempo necessários para realização das segmentações. Os parâmetros avaliados demonstraram haver boa reprodutibilidade intraobservador, com DICE variando entre 0,83 a 0,97; e distância Hausdorff variando entre 3,37 a 28,73 mm. Também foi demonstrada boa reprodutibilidade interobservador com DICE variando entre 0,73 a 0,97; e distância Hausdorff variando entre 3,93 a 33,40 mm. A segmentação semiautomática demonstrou boa similaridade em relação à segmentação manual (DICE variando entre 0,71 a 0,96 e DH variando entre 5,38 a 31,54 mm), havendo redução significativa do tempo necessário para segmentação. Entre todas as situações comparadas, os volumes não apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas (p-valor>0,05). / Bone sarcomas represent a significant proportion of tumors in the pediatric age group and they still are a challenge due to their significant morbidity and mortality rates. Reseaches are important for the development of new therapeutic modalities and for the development of methods that identify features that allow better stratification of the patients with theses diseases for individualization of their treatments. In this context emerges the concept of radiomics, which is the process of extraction of clinically relevant data from medical images. It is important to segment the areas of interest im medical images for the pratice of this process. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the intra- and interobserver reproducibility of manual segmentation of bone sarcomas on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). As a secondary objective, it was evaluated if the semiautomatic segmentation could be similar to manual segmentation and if the semiautomatic method could reduce the time required for segmentation. The study was performed retrospectively with the inclusion of patients with osteosarcoma or Ewing sarcoma confirmed by histopathological study and who had MRI performed at the University Hospital of our Institution prior to any therapeutic intervention. Three radiologists, independently and blindly in relation to the other segmentations and in relation to the histopathological results, performed the manual segmentation of the contours of these tumors using 3DSlicer software, allowing an interobserver reproducibility evaluation. One of the radiologists performed a second manual segmentation of the same cases, allowing the evaluation of intraobserver reproducibility. A third segmentation was performed, using semi-automatic methodology, available in the mentioned software. For the statistical analysis, Dice similarity coefficient (DICE), Hausdorff distance (DH), comparisons between volumes and time intervals for segmentations were used. The parameters evaluated demonstrated a good intraobserver reproducibility, with DICE ranging from 0.83 to 0.97 and Hausdorff distance ranging from 3.37 to 28.73 mm. Good interobserver reproducibility was also demonstrated with DICE ranging from 0.73 to 0.97 and Hausdorff distance ranging from 3.93 to 33.40 mm. Semiautomatic segmentation demonstrated good similarity to manual segmentation (DICE ranging from 0.71 to 0.96 and HD ranging from 5.38 to 31.54mm), and there was significant reduction in the time required for segmentation. Among all the situations compared, the volumes did not present significant statistical differences (p-value> 0.05).

Magister thesis is aimed at basic design components creation for the new company operating in the field of selling outdoor clothing. With regard to design creation it will be also marketing communication designed. As particular objectives of this thesis there will be analysis of cultural background made, follow-up market segmentation and other components of marketing mix designed. As a result should be proposal of complex marketing as the design elements and relevant marketing communication. It should be designed with regard to the company and market conditions.

This PhD thesis investigated the role of the basal ganglia in memory and motor inhibition. Recent neuroimaging evidence suggests a supramodal network of inhibition involving the lateral prefrontal cortex. Here we examined whether this supramodal network also includes subcortical structures, such as the basal ganglia. Despite their well-established role in motor control, the basal ganglia are repeatedly activated but never interpreted during memory inhibition. We first used a series of meta-analyses to confirm the consistent involvement of the basal ganglia across studies using memory and motor inhibition tasks (including the Go/No-Go, Think/No-Think, and Stop-signal tasks), and discovered that there may be different subprocesses of inhibition. For instance, while the Go/No-Go task may require preventing a response from taking place, the Think/No-Think and Stop-signal tasks may require cancelling an emerging or ongoing response. We then conducted an fMRI study to examine how the basal ganglia interact with other putative supramodal regions (e.g., DLPFC) to achieve memory and motor inhibition during prevention and cancellation. Through dynamic causal modelling (DCM), we found that both DLPFC and basal ganglia play effective roles to achieve inhibition in the task-specific regions (hippocampus for memory inhibition; primary motor cortex (M1) for motor inhibition). Specifically, memory inhibition requires a DLPFC-basal ganglia-hippocampus pathway, whereas motor inhibition requires a basal ganglia-DLPFC-M1 pathway. We correlated DCM coupling parameters with behavioural indices to examine the relationship between network dynamics during prevention and cancellation and the successfulness of inhibition. However, due to constraints with DCM parameter estimates, caution is necessary when interpreting these results. Finally, we used diffusion weighted imaging to explore the anatomical connections supporting functions and behaviour. Unfortunately, we were unable to detect any white matter variability in relation to effective connectivity or behaviour during the prevention or cancellation processes of memory and motor inhibition at this stage. This PhD thesis provides essential INITIAL evidence that not only are the basal ganglia consistently involved in memory and motor inhibition, but these structures are effectively engaged in these tasks, achieving inhibition through task-specific pathways. We will discuss our findings, interpretations, and future directions in the relevant chapters.