812 research outputs found
Masked volume wise principal component analysis of small adrenocortical tumours in dynamic [11C]-metomidate positron emission tomography
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In previous clinical Positron Emission Tomography (PET) studies novel approaches for application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) on dynamic PET images such as Masked Volume Wise PCA (MVW-PCA) have been introduced. MVW-PCA was shown to be a feasible multivariate analysis technique, which, without modeling assumptions, could extract and separate organs and tissues with different kinetic behaviors into different principal components (MVW-PCs) and improve the image quality.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, MVW-PCA was applied to 14 dynamic 11C-metomidate-PET (MTO-PET) examinations of 7 patients with small adrenocortical tumours. MTO-PET was performed before and 3 days after starting per oral cortisone treatment. The whole dataset, reconstructed by filtered back projection (FBP) 0–45 minutes after the tracer injection, was used to study the tracer pharmacokinetics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Early, intermediate and late pharmacokinetic phases could be isolated in this manner. The MVW-PC1 images correlated well to the conventionally summed image data (15–45 minutes) but the image noise in the former was considerably lower. PET measurements performed by defining "hot spot" regions of interest (ROIs) comprising 4 contiguous pixels with the highest radioactivity concentration showed a trend towards higher SUVs when the ROIs were outlined in the MVW-PC1 component than in the summed images. Time activity curves derived from "50% cut-off" ROIs based on an isocontour function whereby the pixels with SUVs between 50 to 100% of the highest radioactivity concentration were delineated, showed a significant decrease of the SUVs in normal adrenal glands and in adrenocortical adenomas after cortisone treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In addition to the clear decrease in image noise and the improved contrast between different structures with MVW-PCA, the results indicate that the definition of ROIs may be more accurate and precise in MVW-PC1 images than in conventional summed images. This might improve the precision of PET measurements, for instance in therapy monitoring as well as for delineation of the tumour in radiation therapy planning.</p
Comment on ``Conduction states in oxide perovskites: Three manifestations of Ti Jahn-Teller polarons in barium titanate''
In this comment to [S. Lenjer, O. F. Schirmer, H. Hesse, and Th. W. Kool,
Phys. Rev. B {\bf 66}, 165106 (2002)] we discuss the electronic structure of
oxygen vacancies in perovskites. First principles computations are in favour of
rather deep levels in these vacancies, and Lenjer et al suggest that the
electrons' interaction energy is negative, but data on electroconductivity are
against.Comment: 2 pages, no figure
On the Spectrum of Field Quadratures for a Finite Number of Photons
The spectrum and eigenstates of any field quadrature operator restricted to a
finite number of photons are studied, in terms of the Hermite polynomials.
By (naturally) defining \textit{approximate} eigenstates, which represent
highly localized wavefunctions with up to photons, one can arrive at an
appropriate notion of limit for the spectrum of the quadrature as goes to
infinity, in the sense that the limit coincides with the spectrum of the
infinite-dimensional quadrature operator. In particular, this notion allows the
spectra of truncated phase operators to tend to the complete unit circle, as
one would expect. A regular structure for the zeros of the Christoffel-Darboux
kernel is also shown.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figure
Quasi-Quantum Groups, Knots, Three-Manifolds, and Topological Field Theory
We show how to construct, starting from a quasi-Hopf algebra, or
quasi-quantum group, invariants of knots and links. In some cases, these
invariants give rise to invariants of the three-manifolds obtained by surgery
along these links. This happens for a finite-dimensional quasi-quantum group,
whose definition involves a finite group , and a 3-cocycle \om, which was
first studied by Dijkgraaf, Pasquier and Roche. We treat this example in more
detail, and argue that in this case the invariants agree with the partition
function of the topological field theory of Dijkgraaf and Witten depending on
the same data G, \,\om.Comment: 30 page
Severe COVID-19 in an APS1 patient with interferon autoantibodies treated with plasmapheresis
Intramedullary nail fixation versus locking plate fixation for adults with a fracture of the distal tibia : the UK FixDT RCT
Background
The best treatment for fractures of the distal tibia remains controversial. Most of these fractures require surgical fixation, but the outcomes are unpredictable and complications are common.
Objectives
To assess disability, quality of life, complications and resource use in patients treated with intramedullary (IM) nail fixation versus locking plate fixation in the 12 months following a fracture of the distal tibia.
Design
This was a multicentre randomised trial.
Setting
The trial was conducted in 28 UK acute trauma centres from April 2013 to final follow-up in February 2017.
Participants
In total, 321 adult patients were recruited. Participants were excluded if they had open fractures, fractures involving the ankle joint, contraindication to nailing or inability to complete questionnaires.
Interventions
IM nail fixation (n = 161), in which a metal rod is inserted into the hollow centre of the tibia, versus locking plate fixation (n = 160), in which a plate is attached to the surface of the tibia with fixed-angle screws.
Main outcome measures
The primary outcome measure was the Disability Rating Index (DRI) score, which ranges from 0 points (no disability) to 100 points (complete disability), at 6 months with a minimum clinically important difference of 8 points. The DRI score was also collected at 3 and 12 months. The secondary outcomes were the Olerud–Molander Ankle Score (OMAS), quality of life as measured using EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), complications such as infection, and further surgery. Resource use was collected to inform the health economic evaluation.
Results
Participants had a mean age of 45 years (standard deviation 16.2 years), were predominantly male (61%, 197/321) and had experienced traumatic injury after a fall (69%, 223/321). There was no statistically significant difference in DRI score at 6 months [IM nail fixation group, mean 29.8 points, 95% confidence interval (CI) 26.1 to 33.7 points; locking plate group, mean 33.8 points, 95% CI 29.7 to 37.9 points; adjusted difference, 4.0 points, 95% CI –1.0 to 9.0 points; p = 0.11]. There was a statistically significant difference in DRI score at 3 months in favour of IM nail fixation (IM nail fixation group, mean 44.2 points, 95% CI 40.8 to 47.6 points; locking plate group, mean 52.6 points, 95% CI 49.3 to 55.9 points; adjusted difference 8.8 points, 95% CI 4.3 to 13.2 points; p < 0.001), but not at 12 months (IM nail fixation group, mean 23.1 points, 95% CI 18.9 to 27.2 points; locking plate group, 24.0 points, 95% CI 19.7 to 28.3 points; adjusted difference 1.9 points, 95% CI –3.2 to 6.9 points; p = 0.47). Secondary outcomes showed the same pattern, including a statistically significant difference in mean OMAS and EQ-5D scores at 3 and 6 months in favour of IM nail fixation. There were no statistically significant differences in complications, including the number of postoperative infections (13% in the locking plate group and 9% in the IM nail fixation group). Further surgery was more common in the locking plate group (12% in locking plate group and 8% in IM nail fixation group at 12 months). The economic evaluation showed that IM nail fixation provided a slightly higher quality of life in the 12 months after injury and at lower cost and, therefore, it was cost-effective compared with locking plate fixation. The probability of cost-effectiveness for IM nail fixation exceeded 90%, regardless of the value of the cost-effectiveness threshold.
Limitations
As wound dressings after surgery are clearly visible, it was not possible to blind the patients to their treatment allocation. This evidence does not apply to intra-articular (pilon) fractures of the distal tibia.
Conclusions
Among adults with an acute fracture of the distal tibia who were randomised to IM nail fixation or locking plate fixation, there were similar disability ratings at 6 months. However, recovery across all outcomes was faster in the IM nail fixation group and costs were lower
Analysis of the low-energy electron-recoil spectrum of the CDMS experiment
We report on the analysis of the low-energy electron-recoil spectrum from the
CDMS II experiment using data with an exposure of 443.2 kg-days. The analysis
provides details on the observed counting rate and possible background sources
in the energy range of 2 - 8.5 keV. We find no significant excess in the
counting rate above background, and compare this observation to the recent DAMA
results. In the framework of a conversion of a dark matter particle into
electromagnetic energy, our 90% confidence level upper limit of 0.246
events/kg/day at 3.15 keV is lower than the total rate above background
observed by DAMA by 8.9. In absence of any specific particle physics
model to provide the scaling in cross section between NaI and Ge, we assume a
Z^2 scaling. With this assumption the observed rate in DAMA differs from the
upper limit in CDMS by 6.8. Under the conservative assumption that the
modulation amplitude is 6% of the total rate we obtain upper limits on the
modulation amplitude a factor of ~2 less than observed by DAMA, constraining
some possible interpretations of this modulation.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
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