Integration of quantitative DCE-MRI and ADC mapping to monitor treatment response in human breast cancer: initial results

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to assess changes in the water apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and in pharmacokinetic parameters obtained from the fast-exchange regime (FXR) modeling of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) during neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with locally advanced breast cancer underwent MRI examination prior to and after chemotherapy but prior to surgery. A 1.5-T scanner was used to obtain T1, ADC and DCE-MRI data. DCE-MRI data were analyzed by the FXR model returning estimates of K(trans) (volume transfer constant), v(e) (extravascular extracellular volume fraction) and tau(i) (average intracellular water lifetime). Histogram and correlation analyses assessed parameter changes post-treatment. RESULTS: Significant (P < .05) changes or trends towards significance (P < .10) were seen in all parameters except tau(i), although there was qualitative reduction in tau(i) values post-treatment. In particular, there was reduction (P < .035) in voxels with K(trans) values in the range 0.2-0.5 min(-1) and a decrease (P < .05) in voxels with ADC values in the range 0.99 x 10(-3) to 1.35 x 10(-3) mm2/s. ADC and v(e) were negatively correlated (r = -.60, P < .02). Parameters sensitive to water distribution and geometry (T(1), v(e), tau(i) and ADC) correlated with a multivariable linear regression model. CONCLUSION: The analysis presented here is sensitive to longitudinal changes in breast tumor status; K(trans) and ADC are most sensitive to these changes. Relationships between parameters provide information on water distribution and geometry in the tumor environment.     

Synthesis and microstructure of Ca-doped BaTiO3 ceramics prepared by high-energy ball-milling

The calcium-substituted barium titanate ceramics were prepared by solid state reaction technique. High-energy ball-milling was used for processing the powder. The microstructure of Ba_1−xCa_xTiO₃ ceramics was investigated by SEM techniques. The microstructure of Ba_1−xCa_xTiO₃ ceramics shows dense and uniform micrograph in all samples and the grain size is large. In this study the quantitative analysis of the ceramographs is shown and the variation of the different parameters with various doping concentration is discussed. Compositional analysis is ascribed to the occupancy of some Ca²⁺ to the Ti⁴⁺ sites.     

Bound states of string networks and D-branes

We show the existence of nonthreshold bound states of (p,q) string networks and D3-branes, preserving 1/4 of the full type-IIB supersymmetry, interpreted as string networks "dissolved" in D3-branes. We also explicitly write down the expression for the mass density of the system and discuss the extension of the construction to other Dp-branes. Differences in our construction of string networks with the ones interpreted as dyons in N = 4 gauge theories are also pointed out.     

Plane Symmetric Cosmological Macro Models in Self-creation Theory of Gravitation

We have constructed a class of plane symmetric macro models in Barber's second self-creation theory, when the source of the gravitational field is a macro matter field representing perfect fluid and satisfying the gamma-law equation of state p=(-1), where =4/3 and 3/2. The solutions of the field equations are derived and their physical aspects are studied.     

Isolation and synthesis of isodihydropiperlonguminine

The hexane extract of dried fruits of Piper longum on fractionation afforded a new alkamide, isodihydropiperlonguminine and two phenyl propanoic acid derivatives. The structures of these compounds are established based on spectroscopic evidence and synthesis.     

Use of polyacrylamide-grafted<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Plantago psyllium</Emphasis> mucilage as a flocculant for treatment of textile wastewater

The chemical modification of Plantago psyllium mucilage (Psy), an anionic polysaccharide, was done by grafting polyacrylamide (PAM) chains to prepare a graft-copolymer (Psy-g-PAM). It was synthesized in the presence of nitrogen using ceric ammonium nitrate–nitric acid redox initiator and characterized by IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and viscosity measurements. This grafted copolymer was tested for its flocculation efficiency in textile wastewater by the standard Jar test method. The effects of polymer concentration, pH and contact time on the percentage removal of solid wastes [total dissolved solids (TDS) and suspended solids (SS)] and color from textile effluent are reported. The optimum dose was found to be 1.6 mg l^–1, at which maximum solid removal (SS and TDS) was seen. The most suitable pH for TDS and color removal was neutral (7.0) and for SS removal alkaline pH (9.2) was found to be most suitable. The optimum treatment duration for solid waste removal was 5 h. The X-ray diffraction analysis of Psy-g-PAM and solid waste before and after treatment suggests the interaction of the solid waste and Psy-g-PAM copolymer.     

Formation and growth of embedded indium nanoclusters by In<Superscript>2<Emphasis Type="Bold">+</Emphasis></Superscript> implantation in silica

Indium nanoclusters are synthesized in an amorphous silica matrix using an ion-implantation technique. Indium ions (In²⁺) with energy of 890 keV are implanted on silica to fluences in the range of 3×10¹⁶–3×10¹⁷ cm^-2. The formation of indium nanoclusters is confirmed by optical absorption spectrometry and glancing incidence X-ray diffraction studies. A low frequency Raman scattering technique is used to study the growth of embedded indium nanoclusters in the silica matrix as a function of fluence and post-implantation annealing duration. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry studies show the surface segregation of implanted indium. Photoluminescence studies indicate the formation of a small quantity of indium oxide phase in the ion-implanted samples. PACS 85.40.Ry; 78.67.Bf; 73.20.Mf; 82.75.Fq     

Adler-Bardeen theorem in path integral formulation

The higher order contributions to Jacobian in Fujikawa’s path integral framework is considered and the form of anomaly equation in higher orders is established. An argument for the Adler-Bardeen theorem in this formulation is given.     

Convex fuzzy mapping with differentiability and its application in fuzzy optimization

The concepts of differentiability, convexity, generalized convexity and minimization of a fuzzy mapping are known in the literature. The purpose of this present paper is to extend and generalize these concepts to fuzzy mappings of several variables using Buckley–Feuring approach for fuzzy differentiation and derive Karush–Kuhn–Tucker condition for the constrained fuzzy minimization problem.