128 research outputs found

    “I’m here for abusing my wife”: South African men constructing intersectional subjectivities through narratives of their violence

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    The paper aims to explore the subjectivities men construct in their talk about their own violence toward women partners and the meaning these understandings of their violence have for the intervention programmes they attend. We take an intersectional reading of marginalised men’s narratives of their perpetration of violence against intimate women partners. Drawing on interviews with 26 participants who had been mandated into criminal justice intervention programmes in Cape Town, we attend to how their race, class, gender and location intersect to shape their understanding of their violence. We also analyse the implications that this wide-angle reading of men and their violence has for intervention programmes that mostly have been imported from Euro-American contexts. The paper offers a critique of current intervention practices with domestically violent men that focuses too heavily on gendered power alone. Furthermore, it suggests that an intersectional reading of the multiple realities of men’s lives is important for interventions that aim to end their violence against women, particularly for marginalised men who have little stake in the ‘patriarchal ’dividend’.Keywords: batterer interventions, intersectionality, intimate partner violence, narrative, domestic violenc

    Assessing and monitoring intratumor heterogeneity in glioblastoma: how far has multimodal imaging come?

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    Glioblastoma demonstrates imaging features of intratumor heterogeneity that result from underlying heterogeneous biological properties. This stems from variations in cellular behavior that result from genetic mutations that either drive, or are driven by, heterogeneous microenvironment conditions. Among all imaging methods available, only T1-weighted contrast-enhancing and T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery are used in standard clinical glioblastoma assessment and monitoring. Advanced imaging modalities are still considered emerging techniques as appropriate end points and robust methodologies are missing from clinical trials. Discovering how these images specifically relate to the underlying tumor biology may aid in improving quality of clinical trials and understanding the factors involved in regional responses to treatment, including variable drug uptake and effect of radiotherapy. Upon validation and standardization of emerging MR techniques, providing information based on the underlying tumor biology, these images may allow for clinical decision-making that is tailored to an individual's response to treatment.Stephen Price is funded by a Clinician Scientist Award from the National Institute for Health Research.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Future Medicine via http://dx.doi.org/10.2217/cns.15.2

    Less Invasive Phenotype Found in Isocitrate Dehydrogenase-mutated Glioblastomas than in Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Wild-Type Glioblastomas: A Diffusion-Tensor Imaging Study

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    PURPOSE: To explore the diffusion-tensor (DT) imaging-defined invasive phenotypes of both isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH-1)-mutated and IDH-1 wild-type glioblastomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy patients with glioblastoma were prospectively recruited and imaged preoperatively. All patients provided signed consent, and the local research ethics committee approved the study. Patients underwent surgical resection, and tumor samples underwent immunohistochemistry for IDH-1 R132H mutations. DT imaging data were coregistered to the anatomic magnetic resonance study and reconstructed to provide the anisotropic and isotropic components of the DT. The invasive phenotype was determined by using previously published criteria and correlated with IDH-1 mutation status by using the Freeman-Halton extension of the Fisher exact probability test. RESULTS: Nine patients had an IDH-1 mutation and 61 had IDH-1 wild type. All of the patients with IDH-1 mutation had a minimally invasive DT imaging phenotype. Among the IDH-1 wild-type tumors, 42 of 61 (69%) were diffusively invasive glioblastomas, 14 of 61 (23%) were locally invasive, and five of 61 (8%) were minimally invasive (P < .001). CONCLUSION: IDH-mutated glioblastomas have a less invasive phenotype compared with IDH wild type. This finding may have implications for individualizing the extent of surgical resection and radiation therapy volumes.NIHR Clinician Scientist Fellowship (NIHR/CS/009/011); Chang Gung Medical Foundation; Chang Gung Memorial Hospital; Commonwealth Scholarship Commission; Cambridge Commonwealth Overseas Trust; NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centr

    A regulation-based classification system for marine protected areas: A response to Dudley et al. [9]

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    Dudley et al. [9] commented on our paper [11], arguing that the current IUCN objective-based categorization of protected areas, which is also used in marine protected areas (MPAs), should not be abandoned and replaced by the new regulation-based classification system [11]. Here we clarify that we do not advocate replacing the current IUCN categories, but highlight the benefits of using both the objective-based IUCN categories and the new regulation-based classification when applied to MPAs. With an increasing number of MPA types being implemented, most of them multiple-use areas zoned for various purposes, assessing ecological and socio-economic benefits is key for advancing conservation targets and policy objectives. Although the IUCN categories can be used both in terrestrial and marine systems, they were not designed to follow a gradient of impacts and there is often a mismatch between stated objectives and implemented regulations. The new regulation-based classification system addresses these problems by linking impacts of activities in marine systems with MPA and zone classes in a simple and globally applicable way. Applying both the IUCN categories and the regulation based classes will increase transparency when assessing marine conservation goals.ERA-Net BiodivERsA project "BUFFER Partially protected areas as buffers to increase the linked social ecological resilience"; national funders ANR (France); FCT (Portugal); FOR-MAS (Sweden); SEPA (Sweden); RCN (Norway); project BUFFER; Fernand Braudel IFER fellowship (Fondation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme); Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) [UID/MAR/04292/2013

    Extent of resection of peritumoral diffusion tensor imaging-detected abnormality as a predictor of survival in adult glioblastoma patients

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    OBJECTIVE Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been shown to detect tumor invasion in glioblastoma patients and has been applied in surgical planning. However, the clinical value of the extent of resection based on DTI is unclear. Therefore, the correlation between the extent of resection of DTI abnormalities and patients' outcome was retrospectively reviewed.METHODS A review was conducted of 31 patients with newly diagnosed supratentorial glioblastoma who underwent standard 5-aminolevulinic-acid aided surgery with the aim of maximal resection of the enhancing tumor component. All patients underwent presurgical MRI, including volumetric postcontrast T1-weighted imaging, DTI, and FLAIR. Postsurgical anatomical MR images were obtained within 72 hours of resection. The diffusion tensor was split into an isotropic (p) and anisotropic (q) component. The extent of resection was measured for the abnormal area on the p, q, FLAIR, and postcontrast T1-weighted images. Data were analyzed in relation to patients' outcome using univariate and multivariate Cox regression models controlling for possible confounding factors including age, O-6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase methylation status, and isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 mutation.RESULTS Complete resection of the enhanced tumor shown on the postcontrast II-weighted images was achieved in 24 of 31 patients (77%). The mean extent of resection of the abnormal p, q, and FLAIR areas was 57%, 83%, and 59%, respectively. Increased resection of the abnormal p and q areas correlated positively with progression-free survival (p = 0.009 and p = 0.006, respectively). Additionally, a larger, residual, abnormal q volume predicted significantly shorter time to progression (p = 0.008). More extensive resection of the abnormal q and contrast-enhanced area improved overall survival (p = 0.041 and 0.050, respectively).CONCLUSIONS Longer progression-free survival and overall survival were seen in glioblastoma patients in whom more DTI-documented abnormality was resected, which was previously shown to represent infiltrative tumor. This highlights the potential usefulness and the importance of an extended resection based on DTI-derived maps.</p

    Posttreatment periresectional ADC in GBM

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    BACKGROUND: Although targeted by radiotherapy, recurrence in glioblastoma occurs mainly periresectionally owing to tumor infiltration. An increase in the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) has been shown in the large high-T2 area on magnetic resonance imaging posttreatment; however, until now ADC has not been investigated directly in the more relevant periresectional area. METHODS: Histogram analysis was used to assess periresectional ADC values in patients with glioblastoma postradiotherapy versus preradiotherapy. Periresectional ADC values starting at 0-5 mm in 5-mm increments up to 20-25 mm were extracted and compared using 2-way repeated-measurements analysis of variance. RESULTS: Mean ADC values directly adjacent to the resection area (0-5 mm) were significantly higher postradiotherapy compared with preradiotherapy (P = .017). ADC values in the 0- to 5-mm region were also higher than those in 5- to 10-, 10- to 15-, and 15- to 20-mm regions (P < .05). Regional standard deviations in ADC values were higher postradiotherapy compared with preradiotherapy for the 0- to 5-mm region up to the 15- to 20-mm region, inclusive (P < .05); however, Cox regression analysis showed no survival benefits from the increased ADC in the 0- to 5-mm region postradiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Increased ADC values, representing a decrease in infiltrative tumor load, were demonstrated in a limited direct periresectional area. This finding adds to previous studies evaluating ADC response in the larger high-T2 area in relation to survival.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2016.04.12

    Multimodal MRI can identify perfusion and metabolic changes in the invasive margin of glioblastomas.

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    PURPOSE: To use perfusion and magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy to compare the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-defined invasive and noninvasive regions. Invasion of normal brain is a cardinal feature of glioblastomas (GBM) and a major cause of treatment failure. DTI can identify invasive regions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In all, 50 GBM patients were imaged preoperatively at 3T with anatomic sequences, DTI, dynamic susceptibility perfusion MR (DSCI), and multivoxel spectroscopy. The DTI and DSCI data were coregistered to the spectroscopy data and regions of interest (ROIs) were made in the invasive (determined by DTI), noninvasive regions, and normal brain. Values of relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), myoinositol (mI), total choline (Cho), and glutamate + glutamine (Glx) normalized to creatine (Cr) and Cho/NAA were measured at each ROI. RESULTS: Invasive regions showed significant increases in rCBV, suggesting angiogenesis (invasive rCBV 1.64 [95% confidence interval, CI: 1.5-1.76] vs. noninvasive 1.14 [1.09-1.18]; P < 0.001), Cho/Cr (invasive 0.42 [0.38-0.46] vs. noninvasive 0.35 [0.31-0.38]; P = 0.02) and Cho/NAA (invasive 0.54 [0.41-0.68] vs. noninvasive 0.37 [0.29-0.45]; P = < 0.03), suggesting proliferation, and Glx/Cr (invasive 1.54 [1.27-1.82] vs. noninvasive 1.3 [1.13-1.47]; P = 0.028), suggesting glutamate release; and a significantly reduced NAA/Cr (invasive 0.95 [0.85-1.05] vs. noninvasive 1.19 [1.06-1.31]; P = 0.008). The mI/Cr was not different between the three ROIs (invasive 1.2 [0.99-1.41] vs. noninvasive 1.3 [1.14-1.46]; P = 0.68). In the noninvasive regions, the values were not different from normal brain. CONCLUSION: Combining DTI to identify the invasive region with perfusion and spectroscopy, we can identify changes in invasive regions not seen in noninvasive regions.This study was funded from a National Institutes of Health Research Clinician Scientist FellowshipThis is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Wiley via http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jmri.2499

    Multi-parametric and multi-regional histogram analysis of MRI: modality integration reveals imaging phenotypes of glioblastoma

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    Introduction Glioblastoma is characterized by its remarkable heterogeneity and dismal prognosis. Histogram analysis of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important in vivo method to study intratumoral heterogeneity. With large amounts of histogram features generated, integrating these modalities effectively for clinical decision remains a challenge. Methods A total of 80 patients with supratentorial primary glioblastoma were recruited. All patients received surgery and standard regimen of temozolomide chemoradiotherapy. Diagnosis was confirmed by pathology. Anatomical T2-weighted, T1-weighted post-contrast and FLAIR images, as well as dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and chemical shift imaging were acquired preoperatively using a 3T MRI scanner. DTI-p, DTI-q, relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), mean transit time (MTT) and relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) maps were generated. Contrast-enhancing (CE) and non-enhancing (NE) regions of interest were manually delineated. Voxel intensity histograms were constructed from the CE and NE regions independently. Patient clustering was performed by the Multi-View Biological Data Analysis (MVDA) approach. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relevance of the patient clustering to survival. The histogram features selected from MVDA approach were evaluated using receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curve analysis. The metabolic signatures of the patient clusters were analyzed by multivoxel MR spectroscopy (MRS). Results The MVDA approach yielded two final patient clusters, consisting of 53 and 27 patients respectively. The two patient subgroups showed significance for overall survival (p = 0.007, HR = 0.32) and progression-free survival (p Discussion This study demonstrated that integrating multi-parametric and multi-regional MRI histogram features may help to stratify patients. The histogram features selected from the proposed approach may be used as potential imaging markers in personalized treatment strategy and response determination.The research was supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Brain Injury MedTech Cooperative based at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Cambridge. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR, or the Department of Health and Social Care (SJP, project reference NIHR/CS/009/011); CRUK core grant C14303/A17197 and A19274 (FM lab); Cambridge Trust and China Scholarship Council (CL & SW); the Chang Gung Medical Foundation and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan (JLY); the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and Cambridge Commonwealth Trust (NRB); CRUK & EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre in Cambridge & Manchester (FM & TT, grant C197/A16465); and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (TM & SJP)

    Multiparametric MR Imaging of Diffusion and Perfusion in Contrast-enhancing and Nonenhancing Components in Patients with Glioblastoma

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    Purpose To determine whether regions of low apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) with high relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) represented elevated choline (Cho)-to-N-acetylaspartate (NAA) ratio (hereafter, Cho/NAA ratio) and whether their volumes correlated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with glioblastoma (GBM). Materials and Methods This retrospective analysis was approved by the local research ethics committee. Volumetric analysis of imaging data from 43 patients with histologically confirmed GBM was performed. Patients underwent preoperative 3-T magnetic resonance imaging with conventional, diffusion-weighted, perfusion-weighted, and spectroscopic sequences. Patients underwent subsequent surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Overlapping low-ADC and high-rCBV regions of interest (ROIs) (hereafter, ADC-rCBV ROIs) were generated in contrast-enhancing and nonenhancing regions. Cho/NAA ratio in ADC-rCBV ROIs was compared with that in control regions by using analysis of variance. All resulting ROI volumes were correlated with patient survival by using multivariate Cox regression. Results ADC-rCBV ROIs within contrast-enhancing and nonenhancing regions showed elevated Cho/NAA ratios, which were significantly higher than those in other abnormal tumor regions (P < .001 and P = .008 for contrast-enhancing and nonenhancing regions, respectively) and in normal-appearing white matter (P < .001 for both contrast-enhancing and nonenhancing regions). After Cox regression analysis controlling for age, tumor size, resection extent, O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase-methylation, and isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation status, the proportional volume of ADC-rCBV ROIs in nonenhancing regions significantly contributed to multivariate models of OS (hazard ratio, 1.132; P = .026) and PFS (hazard ratio, 1.454; P = .017). Conclusion Volumetric analysis of ADC-rCBV ROIs in nonenhancing regions of GBM can be used to identify patients with poor survival trends after accounting for known confounders of GBM patient outcome.Supported by a Clinician Scientist Award from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR/CS/009/011) and by the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Center and Commonwealth Scholarship Commission
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