Detection of colorectal metastases in patients being treated with chemotherapy utilising SPIO-MRI: a radiological–pathological study

Objective

Chemotherapy commonly causes liver injury through sinusoidal obstructive syndrome and steatosis. Chemotherapy-induced liver injury may make it more difficult to detect metastases secondary to reduced contrast between the injured liver and metastases. The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) contrast-enhanced imaging in patients who have undergone chemotherapy prior to liver surgery.

Methods

Local ethics committee approval was obtained. Thirty-one patients with hepatic metastases completing preoperative chemotherapy were prospectively recruited. Images were reviewed independently by two blinded observers who identified and localized lesions with a four-point confidence scale. The alternative free-response receiver operator characteristic method was used to analyze the results.

Results

The sensitivity in detecting colorectal metastases following chemotherapy was 78% and 76%, respectively, for observers 1 and 2 (95% confidence interval: 71%–85% and 68%–82%). The areas under the alternative free-response receiver operator curves were 0.73 and 0.80 for observers 1 and 2, respectively.

Conclusion

Compared to previously published work on chemotherapy-naïve patients, it is clear that the sensitivity of SPIO-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting colorectal metastases following chemotherapy is reduced. It is therefore critical that all imaging — pre-, during and postchemotherapy — is reviewed when reporting liver MRI prior to surgery.     

Comparison of CID, ETD and metastable atom-activated dissociation (MAD) of doubly and triply charged phosphorylated tau peptides

The fragmentation behavior of the 2+ and 3+ charge states of eleven different phosphorylated tau peptides was studied using collision-induced dissociation (CID), electron transfer dissociation (ETD) and metastable atom-activated dissociation (MAD). The synthetic peptides studied contain up to two known phosphorylation sites on serine or threonine residues, at least two basic residues, and between four and eight potential sites of phosphorylation. CID produced mainly b-/y-type ions with abundant neutral losses of the phosphorylation modification. ETD produced c-/z-type ions in highest abundance but also showed numerous y-type ions at a frequency about 50% that of the z-type ions. The major peaks observed in the ETD spectra correspond to the charge-reduced product ions and small neutral losses from the charge-reduced peaks. ETD of the 2+ charge state of each peptide generally produced fewer backbone cleavages than the 3+ charge state, consistent with previous reports. Regardless of charge state, MAD achieved more extensive backbone cleavage than CID or ETD, while retaining the modification(s) in most cases. In all but one case, unambiguous modification site determination was achieved with MAD. MAD produced 15-20% better sequence coverage than CID and ETD for both the 2+ and 3+ charge states and very different fragmentation products indicating that the mechanism of fragmentation in MAD is unique and complementary to CID and ETD.     

Dissipative terms of thermal nature in the theory of an ideal monoatomic superfluid

A dissipative model of helium II was built up in previous works, using a 13-field extended thermodynamic theory formulated by Liu and Müller. In this work a generalization of such model is presented, where an extended thermodynamics with 14 fields due to Kremer is used. It is shown that the fourteenth field is able to account for the experimental data concerning the second sound attenuation. Further, the proposed theory is able to explain the Osborne experiment. Finally, a comparison with the two-fluid model is performed, emphasizing the different ways in which the dissipative phenomena are explained by the two theories.     

电荷耦合器件在质子辐照下的粒子输运仿真与效应分析

应用蒙特卡洛方法计算了质子在科学级电荷耦合器件(charge-coupled device, CCD) 结构中的能量沉积, 并结合该CCD的质子辐照试验及退火试验数据, 分析了器件的辐射损伤机理. 仿真计算体硅内沉积的位移损伤剂量和栅氧化层的电离损伤剂量, 辐照与退火试验过程中主要考察暗信号、电荷转移效率两个参数的变化规律. 研究结果显示, 暗信号和电荷转移效率的变化规律与位移、电离损伤剂量一致; 退火后暗信号大幅度降低, 辐照导致的表面暗信号增加占总暗信号增加的比例至少为80%; 退火后电荷转移效率恢复较小, 电荷转移效率降低的原因主要为体缺陷. 通过总结试验规律, 推导出了电荷转移效率退化程度的预估公式及其损伤因子k_damage.     

Spasmodic dysphonia and vocal fold paralysis:Outcomes of voice problems on work-related functioning

Patients at a university voice disorder clinic diagnosed with spasmodicdysphonia (SD, n = 68) or vocal fold paralysis (VFP, n = 57) reported vocal symptoms and adverse work outcomes in contrast to a nondisordered group (ND, n = 68). Patients with SD most frequently cited symptoms of effortfulness (57%) and weakness (54%), VFP cited hoarseness (70%) and weakness (60%), while the nondisordered reported hoarseness (28%). SD and VFP produced greater (p<.05) adverse work outcomes than the nondisordered in the past (SD: 65%, VFP: 41%, ND: 3%), potential future (SD: 78%, VFP: 65%, ND: 19%), and current job performance (SD: 64%, VFP: 46%, ND: 2%). These disorders significantly disrupt socioeconomic outcomes and research is needed to improve functional ability and quality of life.     

Solutions of the Dirac–Fock Equations for Atoms¶and Molecules

The Dirac-Fock equations are the relativistic analogue of the well-known Hartree-Fock equations. They are used in computational chemistry, and yield results on the inner-shell electrons of heavy atoms that are in very good agreement with experimental data. By a variational method, we prove the existence of infinitely many solutions of the Dirac-Fock equations "without projector", for Coulomb systems of electrons in atoms, ions or molecules, with Z h 124, N h 41, N h Z. Here, Z is the sum of the nuclear charges in the molecule, N is the number of electrons.     

Nonlinear effects of electrolyte diodes and transistors in a polymer gel medium

The polarization curve of an acid-base interface in a hydrogel medium has a diode characteristic. Two of each such electrolyte diodes can be combined to give an electrolyte transistor. When a salt is added to the alkaline or to the acidic part of a reverse biased electrolyte diode, the current response is highly nonlinear. If the salt is added to the acidic side, even bistability can be observed. This bistability can generate complex oscillations in a base-acid-base electrolyte transistor. These nonlinear effects are studied experimentally and theoretically. While the nonlinear salt effect can be explained with the Nernst-Planck equations, to understand the bistable behavior further investigations are necessary. (c) 1999 American Institute of Physics.     

Development of Aptamer Beacons for Rapid Presumptive Detection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus</Emphasis> Spores

A library of 92 DNA aptamer sequences was developed against Bacillus anthracis (nonpathogenic Sterne strain) spores and anthrose sugar immobilized on magnetic beads. The selected DNA sequences were studied for similarities and potential binding pockets between the B. anthracis spore and anthrose aptamers. Several recurring loop structures were identified and tested for their potential to act as aptamer beacons when labeled with TYE 665 dye on their 5′ ends and Iowa Black quencher on their 3′ ends. Of these candidate sequences, two beacons designated BAS-6F and BAS-6R emerged which gave strong fluorescence responses at high spore concentrations (greater than 30,000 spores/ml). These aptamer beacons also detect B. cereus and B. thuringiensis spores with greater fluorescence intensity, but do not strongly detect vegetative cells from an array of other bacterial species. BAS-6F and 6R are also not capable of detecting pure anthrose, thereby probably ruling that epitope out as a spore surface target for these particular beacons. While not extremely sensitive, the BAS-6F and 6R aptamer beacons are potentially valuable for rapid presumptive detection of anthrax or Bacillus spores in suspect powders or bioterrorist activity where spore concentrations are anticipated to be high. The sequence similarities of these beacons to other published Bacillus spore aptamers are also discussed.