13,495 research outputs found
Prostate Biopsy Assistance System with Gland Deformation Estimation for Enhanced Precision
Computer-assisted prostate biopsies became a very active research area during
the last years. Prostate tracking makes it possi- ble to overcome several
drawbacks of the current standard transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) biopsy
procedure, namely the insufficient targeting accuracy which may lead to a
biopsy distribution of poor quality, the very approximate knowledge about the
actual location of the sampled tissues which makes it difficult to implement
focal therapy strategies based on biopsy results, and finally the difficulty to
precisely reach non-ultrasound (US) targets stemming from different modalities,
statistical atlases or previous biopsy series. The prostate tracking systems
presented so far are limited to rigid transformation tracking. However, the
gland can get considerably deformed during the intervention because of US probe
pres- sure and patient movements. We propose to use 3D US combined with
image-based elastic registration to estimate these deformations. A fast elastic
registration algorithm that copes with the frequently occurring US shadows is
presented. A patient cohort study was performed, which yielded a statistically
significant in-vivo accuracy of 0.83+-0.54mm.Comment: This version of the paper integrates a correction concerning the
local similarity measure w.r.t. the proceedings (this typing error could not
be corrected before editing the proceedings
A possible signature of terrestrial planet formation in the chemical composition of solar analogs
Recent studies have shown that the elemental abundances in the Sun are
anomalous when compared to most (about 85%) nearby solar twin stars. Compared
to its twins, the Sun exhibits a deficiency of refractory elements (those with
condensation temperatures Tc>900K) relative to volatiles (Tc<900K). This
finding is speculated to be a signature of the planet formation that occurred
more efficiently around the Sun compared with the majority of solar twins.
Furthermore, within this scenario, it seems more likely that the abundance
patterns found are specifically related to the formation of terrestrial
planets. In this work we analyze abundance results from six large independent
stellar abundance surveys to determine whether they confirm or reject this
observational finding. We show that the elemental abundances derived for solar
analogs in these six studies are consistent with the Tc trend suggested as a
planet formation signature. The same conclusion is reached when those results
are averaged heterogeneously. We also investigate the dependency of the
abundances with first ionization potential (FIP), which correlates well with
Tc. A trend with FIP would suggest a different origin for the abundance
patterns found, but we show that the correlation with Tc is statistically more
significant. We encourage similar investigations of metal-rich solar analogs
and late F-type dwarf stars, for which the hypothesis of a planet formation
signature in the elemental abundances makes very specific predictions. Finally,
we examine a recent paper that claims that the abundance patterns of two stars
hosting super-Earth like planets contradict the planet formation signature
hypothesis. Instead, we find that the chemical compositions of these two stars
are fully compatible with our hypothesis.Comment: To appear in Astronomy and Astrophysic
Ageing in bosonic particle-reaction models with long-range transport
Ageing in systems without detailed balance is studied in bosonic contact and
pair-contact processes with Levy diffusion. In the ageing regime, the dynamical
scaling of the two-time correlation function and two-time response function is
found and analysed. Exact results for non-equilibrium exponents and scaling
functions are derived. The behaviour of the fluctuation-dissipation ratio is
analysed. A passage time from the quasi-stationary regime to the ageing regime
is defined, in qualitative agreement with kinetic spherical models and p-spin
spherical glasses.Comment: Latex2e, 24 pages, with 9 figures include
Ageing without detailed balance: local scale invariance applied to two exactly solvable models
I consider ageing behaviour in two exactly solvable reaction-diffusion
systems. Ageing exponents and scaling functions are determined. I discuss in
particular a case in which the equality of two critical exponents, known from
systems with detailed balance, does not hold any more. Secondly it is shown
that the form of the scaling functions can be understood by symmetry
considerations.Comment: 6 pages, contribution to the summer school "Ageing and the Glass
Transition" held in Luxemburg in September 05. Published versio
Kinetics of the long-range spherical model
The kinetic spherical model with long-range interactions is studied after a
quench to or to . For the two-time response and correlation
functions of the order-parameter as well as for composite fields such as the
energy density, the ageing exponents and the corresponding scaling functions
are derived. The results are compared to the predictions which follow from
local scale-invariance.Comment: added "fluctuation-dissipation ratios"; fixed typo
Cement Embolization into the Vena Cava and Pulmonal Arteries After Vertebroplasty: Interdisciplinary Management
AbstractPurposeTo report interdisciplinary management in a case of cement embolization into the inferior vena cava and peripheral pulmonary arteries after percutaneous vertebroplasty.Case reportA 50-year-old female patient with an osteoporotic compression fracture of the second lumbar vertebra underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty with polymethylmetaacrylate. Thereafter, CT scanning revealed small asymptomatic cement emboli in peripheral pulmonary arteries, along with a hook-shaped cement fragment in the inferior vena cava. Due to the risk that the large cement fragment could migrate to the pulmonary arteries and cause serious complications, they were retrieved from the inferior vena cava by an endovascular technique and extracted through a surgical groin incision. The patient received anticoagulant treatment for 3 months and is free of complaints after 1 year.ConclusionThis case shows that this rare complication following vertebroplasty can be successfully managed with an interdisciplinary approach
New Pathophysiological Aspects of Growth and Prevention of Kidney Stones
Kidney stones probably grow during crystalluria by crystal sedimentation and aggregation (AGN) on stone surfaces. This process has to occur within urinary transit time (UT) through the kidney before crystals are washed out by diuresis. To get more information, we studied by spectrophotometry the formation and AGN of Ca oxalate (Ca Ox) crystals which were directly produced in urine of 30 stone patients and 30 controls by an oxalate (Ox) titration. Some tests were also performed after removing urinary macromolecules (UMs) by ultrafiltration. To induce rapid crystallization, high Ox additions (0.5–0.8 mM) were necessary. The most important finding was retardation of crystal AGN by UM. In urine of 63% of controls but only 33% of patients, no AGN was observed during an observation of 60 minutes (P < 0.05). Also growth and sedimentation rate of crystals were significantly reduced by UM. For stone metaphylaxis, especially for posttreatment residuals, avoiding dietary Ox excesses to prevent crystal formation in the kidney and increasing diuresis to wash out crystals before they aggregate are recommended
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