A channelized Hotelling observer study of lesion detection in SPECT MAP reconstruction using anatomical priors

In emission tomography, anatomical side information, in the form of organ and lesion boundaries, derived from intra-patient coregistered CT or MR scans can be incorporated into the reconstruction. Our interest is in exploring the efficacy of such side information for lesion detectability. To assess detectability we used the SNR of a channelized Hotelling observer and a signal-known exactly/background-known exactly detection task. In simulation studies, we incorporated anatomical side information into a SPECT MAP (maximum a posteriori) reconstruction by smoothing within but not across organ or lesion boundaries. A non-anatomical prior was applied by uniform smoothing across the entire image. We investigated whether the use of anatomical priors with organ boundaries alone or with perfect lesion boundaries alone would change lesion detectability relative to the case of a prior with no anatomical information. Furthermore, we investigated whether any such detectability changes for the organ-boundary case would be a function of the distance of the lesion to the organ boundary. We also investigated whether any detectability changes for the lesion-boundary case would be a function of the degree of proximity, i.e. a difference in the radius of the true functional lesion and the radius of the anatomical lesion boundary. Our results showed almost no detectability difference with versus without organ boundaries at any lesion-to-organ boundary distance. Our results also showed no difference in lesion detectability with and without lesion boundaries, and no variation of lesion detectability with degree of proximity.     

Incarceration history,social network composition,and substance use among homeless youth in Los Angeles

Background: Homeless youth in the United States have high rates of substance use. Existing research has identified social network composition and street-associated stressors as contributing factors. Incarceration is a highly prevalent stressor for homeless youth. Its effect on youth’s social network composition and substance use, however, has been neglected.

Aims: This study investigated the direct and indirect associations between incarceration history and substance use (through social networks) among homeless youth in Los Angeles, California.

Methods: A sample of 1047 homeless youths were recruited between 2011 and 2013. Computerized self-administrated surveys and social network interviews were conducted to collect youth’s sociodemographic characteristics, incarceration history, social network composition, and substance use. Bootstrapping was used to identify the direct and indirect associations between youth’s incarceration history and substance use.

Results: Incarceration history was positively associated with youth’s cannabis, methamphetamine, and injection drug use. The percentage of cannabis-using peers partially mediated the associations between incarceration history and youth’s cannabis, cocaine, and heroin use. The percentage of methamphetamine-using peers partially mediated the associations between incarceration history and youth's methamphetamine, cocaine, and injection drug use. The percentage of heroin-using peers partially mediated the association between incarceration history and youth’s heroin use. Moreover, the percentage of peers who inject drugs partially mediated the associations between incarceration history and youth’s methamphetamine, heroin, and injection drug use.

Discussion: Incarceration history should be taken to a more central place in future research and practice with homeless youth in the United States.     

Nitric oxide promotes the progression of periapical lesion via inducing macrophage and osteoblast apoptosis

This study aimed to elucidate the modulation by nitric oxide (NO) of the apoptosis of macrophages and osteoblasts, the essential cellular components in the development of periapical lesions. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced prominent nitrite synthesis in J774 mouse macrophage cell lines. Exposure to LPS induced obvious apoptosis in J774 cells, whereas transient transfection with murine inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), small interfering RNA (siRNA) diminished this effect. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and S-nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine (SNAP) (a NO donor) triggered apoptosis in UMR-106 rat osteoblastic cell lines and a synergistic effect was noted when TNF-alpha and SNAP were added to the medium together. Administration of siRNAs for c-Fos and c-Jun: components of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and transforming growth factor-beta1 attenuated the combined effect markedly. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end-labeling (TUNEL) stain in a rat model of induced periapical lesion showed positive apoptotic signals in macrophages and osteoblasts. Administration of N(G)-monomethyl-l-arginine markedly diminished the extent of bone loss and the amounts of apoptotic macrophages and osteoblasts. In conclusion, NO mediates LPS-stimulated apoptosis of macrophages. It also induces osteoblast apoptosis and augments the pro-apoptotic effect of cytokines. Inhibition of NO synthesis in vivo attenuates apoptosis and the size of periapical lesions. Taken together, these results suggest that NO may promote the progression of periapical lesion by inducing the apoptosis of macrophages and osteoblasts.     

Symptoms and symptom distress in localized prostate cancer

For over a decade, symptom distress has been a key concept in several studies of cancer. However, the definition of symptom distress is still unclear, and there are few measures targeting symptom distress, in general, and specific cancers, in particular. Prostate cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of death in American men. Many men with clinically localized prostate cancer may experience unique and multidimensional symptoms that occur from diagnosis through treatment, and thereafter. These symptoms associated with the disease and its treatments are in the form of physical and psychological sequelae such as urinary and bowel problems and sexual dysfunction. The purposes of this article are to (1) systematically review literature on symptoms and symptom distress in localized prostate cancer and (2) synthesize evidence of symptom distress applications and measurement in this group. A comprehensive, systematic review was conducted to identify original, data-based studies of symptoms and symptom distress in localized prostate cancer. Clarification of symptom distress and more comprehensive information about symptoms and symptom distress will provide nurses with a better foundation for developing self-management interventions aimed at ameliorating symptom distress and, ultimately, enhancing the quality of life of patients with localized prostate cancer.     

EML4::ALK fusions in complex lymphatic malformations

Gorham–Stout disease (GSD) and generalized lymphatic anomaly (GLA) are subtypes of complex lymphatic malformations (CLMs) with osseous involvement that cause significant complications, including pain and pathologic fractures. As with other vascular anomalies, somatic mosaic mutations in oncogenes are often present, and the mTOR inhibitor sirolimus alleviates symptoms in some, but not all, patients. We describe two patients, one with GSD and one with GLA, found to have EML4::ALK fusions. This report of a targetable, oncogenic fusion in vascular malformations expands our understanding of the genetic basis for CLMs and suggests additional targeted therapies could be effective.     

Alberta infant motor scale: reliability and validity when used on preterm infants in Taiwan

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of measurements obtained with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) for evaluation of preterm infants in Taiwan. SUBJECTS: Two independent groups of preterm infants were used to investigate the reliability (n=45) and validity (n=41) for the AIMS. METHODS: In the reliability study, the AIMS was administered to the infants by a physical therapist, and infant performance was videotaped. The performance was then rescored by the same therapist and by 2 other therapists to examine the intrarater and interrater reliability. In the validity study, the AIMS and the Bayley Motor Scale were administered to the infants at 6 and 12 months of age to examine criterion-related validity. RESULTS: Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for intrarater and interrater reliability of measurements obtained with the AIMS were high (ICC=.97-.99). The AIMS scores correlated with the Bayley Motor Scale scores at 6 and 12 months (r=.78 and.90), although the AIMS scores at 6 months were only moderately predictive of the motor function at 12 months (r=.56). CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: The results suggest that measurements obtained with the AIMS have acceptable reliability and concurrent validity but limited predictive value for evaluating preterm Taiwanese infants.     

Expression of hepatitis B surface antigen with a recombinant adenovirus.

Early region 1 of the adenovirus type 5 genome was replaced with a DNA sequence containing the gene coding for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) flanked by the major late promoter from adenovirus 2 and processing and polyadenylylation signals from simian virus 40. In one type of hybrid virus only the adenovirus 2 major late promoter, including just 33 base pairs of the adenovirus type 2 tripartite leader, preceded the coding region of the HBsAg gene. In another, this region was preceded by both the adenovirus major late promoter and almost the entire tripartite leader. The structure of the substituted sequence in each of the recombinant viral DNAs was identical to that in the plasmids used to construct the viruses. Approximately equivalent amounts of HBsAg-specific mRNA were produced late in infection with each recombinant virus. Although HBsAg production was detected late in infection of the hybrid virus not containing the full tripartite leader sequence, its level was 1/70th of that obtained with the hybrid virus containing this sequence. One likely interpretation is that the presence of the tripartite leader at the 5' end of this mRNA is critical for the synthesis of HBsAg polypeptide in the late stage of infection. HBsAg produced upon infection with the hybrid adenoviruses was glycosylated and secreted into the culture medium as particles that were essentially indistinguishable from the 22-nm particles found in human serum.