Binary and nonbinary description of hypointensity for search and retrieval of brain MR images

Diagnosis accuracy in the medical field, is mainly affected by either lack of sufficient understanding of some diseases or the inter/intra-observer variability of the diagnoses. We believe that mining of large medical databases can help improve the current status of disease understanding and decision making. In a previous study based on binary description of hypointensity in the brain, it was shown that brain iron accumulation shape provides additional information to the shape-insensitive features, such as the total brain iron load, that are commonly used in clinics. This paper proposes a novel, nonbinary description of hypointensity in the brain based on principal component analysis. We compare the complementary and redundant information provided by the two descriptions using Kendall's rank correlation coefficient in order to better understand the individual descriptions of iron accumulation in the brain and obtain a more robust and accurate search and retrieval system

Oscillation criteria for nonlinear delay differential equations of second order

We prove oscillation theorems for the nonlinear delay differential equation $\left( \left\vert y^{\prime }(t)\right\vert ^{\alpha -2}y^{\prime}(t)\right) ^{\prime }+q(t)\left\vert y(\tau (t))\right\vert ^{\beta-2}y(\tau (t))=0, t\geq t_{\ast }>0,$ where $\beta >1,$ $\alpha >1,$ $q(t)\geq 0$ and locally integrable on $[t_{\ast },\infty ),$ $\tau (t)$ is a continuous function satisfiying $0<\tau (t)\leq t$ and lim$_{t\rightarrow \infty }\tau (t)=\infty .$ The results obtained essentially improve the known results in the literature and can be applied to linear and half-linear delay type differential equations

Multicomponent bi-superHamiltonian KdV systems

It is shown that a new class of classical multicomponent super KdV equations is bi-superHamiltonian by extending the method for the verification of graded Jacobi identity. The multicomponent extension of super mKdV equations is obtained by using the super Miura transformation

The Protective Effect of Kefir and Vitamin C on Azoxymethane Induced Toxicity and Induction of Metallothionein in Mice

The present study was conducted to investigate whether vitamin C or kefir (a milk-based fermentation  product) protected Swiss albino mice from azoxymethane (AOM) toxicity. We also investigated the effect  of AOM administration on the induction of metallothionein (MT) expression in mice tissues. 40 12-weekold  male/female (20:20) Swiss albino mice with a mean weight of 31.4 g were allocated into four groups.  Animals in the first group were the control group. Animals in the other three groups were treated with  AOM (5mg/kg body weight) subcutaneously twice weekly for a total of 7 weeks. Animals in the second  group were treated only with AOM. Those in the third group were allowed access to kefir (50% wt/vol) ad  libitum. Those in the fourth group received vitamin C subcutaneously (500 mg/kg) per day for 7 weeks. Six  weeks after the final AOM treatment, all animals were sacrificed and necropsied. AOM administration  caused severe liver lesions including enlarged hepatocytes (megalocytes) and many contained enlarged  nuclei. Vitamin C and kefir administration clearly reduced the severity of AOM induced liver lesions.  Induction of MT expression was observed in the liver and kidneys, particularly in the centrilobular zones  and renal cortex, mainly in the distal renal tubules, collecting tubules, Henle's loop, and medulla, respectively.  In conclusion, vitamin C and kefir supplementation were found to be able to reduce the severity of  hepatotoxic lesions.,

CT and MRI Findings of Sclerosing Angiomatoid Nodular Transformation of the Spleen: Spoke Wheel Pattern

Sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation of the spleen is a recently described benign pathologic entity that is characterized by round shaped vascular spaces that are lined by endothelial cells, and the spaces are circumscribed by granulomatoid structures. Microscopically, all the reported cases had multiple angiomatoid nodules in a fibrosclerotic stroma. Each angiomatoid nodule was made up of slit-like, round or irregular shaped vascular spaces that were lined by endothelial cells and interspersed ovoid cells. We present here the CT and dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MR findings of a patient with sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation. The spoke-wheel pattern that was observed on MRI in this case may be an important imaging clue for making the correct diagnosis of this benign lesion

The effect of spatial variables on the economic and environmental performance of bioenergy production chains

The aim of this paper is to understand the impacts of spatial variables on the performance of bioenergy production chains (BPCs). Even though the strong debates continue on the use of first generation biomass for bioenergy production, many countries continue to utilize it as an alternative energy source. Several studies have been carried out on biomass transformation efficiency, on environmental impacts of using crop in biofuel production, and on its negative effects on increasing food prices. However, less attention has been paid to the role played by the spatial variables on the performance measures of BPCs. In this paper, we analyse how three spatial variables, i.e. cultivation area size, land dispersion, and accessibility to cultivation areas, can affect the performance of energy-balanced BPC, which produces its own electric and thermal energy demand. The chain is represented as a network of processes, where all inputs and outputs are geographically referred and analysed in a theoretical case example. We propose an enterprise input–output (EIO) model, which can be used as an accounting tool to compute the main materials and energy flows-related costs and as a planning tool to evaluate the chain performance in different scenarios. Finally, the proposed model is applied to an actual case study, to investigate the opportunity to establish a sunflower-based BPC in Apulia region (Italy) and to assess its performance. Results show that higher land dispersion degree and less area accessibility levels reduce the economic and environmental performance of the BPCs. The construction of the energy-balanced chain reduces the negative environmental impacts caused by fossil energy use in the processes of the BPC. Managerial implications can also be obtained from actual case study about the biodiesel plant location decisions

Biomedical image time series registration with particle filtering (Parçacık süzgeci ile biyomedikal görüntü zaman serisi çakıştırma)

We propose a family of methods for biomedical image time series registration based on Particle filtering. The first method applies an intensity-based information-theoretic approach to calculate importance weights. An effective second group of methods use landmark-based approaches for the same purpose by automatically detecting intensity maxima or SIFT interest points from image time series. A brute-force search for the best alignment usually produces good results with proper cost functions, but becomes computationally expensive if the whole search space is explored. Hill climbing optimizations seek local optima. Particle filtering avoids local solutions by introducing randomness and sequentially updating the posterior distribution representing probable solutions. Thus, it can be more robust for the registration of image time series. We show promising preliminary results on dendrite image time series

Détermination de l’expression des gènes codant pour le TNF-α et la leptine par RT-PCR dans le sang de vaches présentant un déplacement de la caillette à gauche

The aims of this study are to evaluate the TNF-α and leptin gene expression in blood from Holstein cows with left abomasal displacement and to correlate it with induced liver injury. The TNF-α and leptin expression in blood samples was determined by RT-PCR after normalisation using the constant expression of the housekeeping GAPDH gene in cows with left abomasal displacement (LAD) (n = 20) before surgery and 7 days after as well as in healthy controls (n = 10). Plasma hepatic enzyme (AST: aspartate aminotransferase, ALT: alanine aminotransferase and ALP: alkaline phosphatase) activities were measured in parallel. Plasma AST and ALP activities dramatically increased in diseased cows during the preoperative period and then declined. Although not significantly, the leptin expression tended to decrease in LAD affected cows while the TNF-α expression tended to increase during the postoperative period. These results suggest that TNF-α may be associated with liver damage during abomasal displacement and that leptin was inversely correlated.Les objectifs de cette étude ont été d’évaluer l’expression des gènes codant pour le TNF-α et la leptine dans le sang de vaches Holstein présentant un déplacement à gauche de la caillette et de la corréler avec les lésions hépatiques induites. L’expression du TNF-α et de la leptine a été déterminée par RT-PCR après normalisation en considérant l’expression du gène de ménage GAPDH comme constante dans les échantillons sanguins provenant de vaches atteintes d’un déplacement à gauche de la caillette (n = 20) avant et 7 jours après traitement chirurgical ou provenant de vaches saines (témoins, n = 10). Les activités plasmatiques des enzymes hépatiques (AST : aspartate aminotransférase, ALT ; alanine aminotransférase et PAL : phosphatase alcaline) ont été mesurées en parallèle. Les activités plasmatiques de l’AST et de la PAL étaient considérablement augmentées chez les vaches malades avant la chirurgie puis elles ont diminué durant la période postopératoire. Bien que les variations n’aient pas été significatives, l’expression de la leptine chez les animaux malades a tendu à diminuer alors que celle du TNF-α a augmenté durant la période postopératoire. Ces résultats suggèrent que le TNF-α pourrait être associé aux lésions hépatiques associées à un déplacement de la caillette alors que la leptine serait inversement corrélée.Scientific Research Projects Commission of Mehmet Akif Ersoy Universit

Shear stress injury induces morphological and structural changes in cultured chick forebrain neurons

Poster presented at Biomedical Technology Showcase 2006, Philadelphia, PA. Retrieved 18 Aug 2006 from http://www.biomed.drexel.edu/new04/Content/Biomed_Tech_Showcase/Poster_Presentations/Barbee_2.pdf.We applied fluid shear stress injury (FSSI) to cultured chick forebrain neurons to determine if this type of injury mimics the structural and morphological changes in central nervous system neurons following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Our results demonstrate that axonal beading, which is the hallmark of TBI, is increased following FSSI, suggesting that our in vitro model system mimics TBI-like changes observed in vivo. Beads appeared at distinct locations along the axon where microtubule (MT) mass is decreased, supporting the hypothesis that beading is related with impaired axonal transport conducted over MTs. We suggest that focal changes in axolemmal permeability following trauma is responsible for focal peaks of intracellular calcium, which, in turn, depolymerize MTs locally. We are currently investigating if focal peaks of calcium exist and if axolemmal permeability changes occur in response to FSSI