Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons^™

Platelet Alpha- And Beta- Secretase Activities Are Not Significantly Affected By Dementia Or Mild Cognitive Impairment In Swedish Patients., Paul Gorham, Natalie Bark, Steve Meaney, Ingemar Bjorkhem, Milita Crisby

Articles

The processing of the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) is a critical event in the formation of amyloid plaques which are composed of the 4kDa amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta). Processing of APP occurs through a non-amyloidogenic pathway, mediated by initial alpha-secretase cleavage or through an amyloidogenic pathway via sequential cleavage by beta- and gamma-secretase enzymes, which produces Abeta peptides. Currently, the diagnosis of probable or possible Alzheimer's disease (AD) is primarily based on neuropsychological and neuroradiological assessment. Recent reports indicate that platelet beta-secretase activity is moderately increased in patients with AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). To our knowledge platelet alpha-secretase activity …

Statistical Hypothesis Testing For Postreconstructed And Postregistered Medical Images, Eugene Demidenko

Dartmouth Scholarship

Postreconstructed and postregistered medical images are typically treated as the raw data, implicitly assuming that those operations are error free. We question this assumption and explore how the precision of reconstruction and affine registration can be assessed by the image covariance matrix and confidence interval, called the confidence eigenimage, using a statistical model-based approach. Various hypotheses may be tested after image reconstruction and registration using classical statistical hypothesis testing vehicles: Is there a statistically significant difference between images? Does the intensity at a specific location or area of interest belong to the “normal” range? Is there a tumor? Does the …

Feasibility Study Of Liquid-Based Cytology For Post-Treatment Surveillance Of Patients With Vulvar Intraepithelial Neoplasia, Wendy Likes

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction: Colposcopy and tissue biopsy remain the gold standard for diagnosing vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN). Vulvar colposcopy is fairly nonspecific. As a result, many women undergo unwarranted painful biopsies. Vulvar cytology, which is relatively painless, inexpensive and allows a larger area to be sampled, may likely reduce false negative diagnoses. However, previous cytological studies that used conventional methodologies were largely unsuccessful in diagnosing VIN. In this study, liquid based cytology and HPV typing by PCR have been assessed as possible alternatives to biopsy for follow-up surveillance of women treated for VIN.

Methods: Women with a history of VIN and a …

Diffusion Tensor Imaging In Pediatric Brain Tumor Patients, Nicholas S. Phillips

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

In this dissertation, we outline our efforts to introduce an advanced MRI imaging technique called Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) to the pediatric brain tumor population. We discuss the theory and application of DTI as it was performed in a series of translational investigations at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. We present evidence of how the introduction of this technique impacted diagnosis, and treatment. And finally, we demonstrate how DTI was used to investigate cognitive morbidities associated with cancer treatment and how this research provided insight into the underlying pathophysiology involved in the development of these treatment sequela.

This research has …

Investigation Of Magnetic Resonance Imaging And Spectroscopy For The Detection Of Breast Cancer, Robert Thomas Etnire

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast offers an alternative to screening mammography which may benefit those women at high risk for breast cancer, women under the age of 40, and those with dense breast tissue. One concern with MRI is the number of high false positives. Coupling MRI with magnetic resonance spectroscopy(MRS) may lower the number of false positives, and thus improve the diagnostic capabilities of MRI for the clinician. MRS for breast imaging focuses on the total choline containing compounds in the spectra in the suspected breast lesion to analyze areas of concern. The results of the study …

Universal Screening For Extracardiac Abnormalities In Neonates With Congenital Heart Disease., Javier H. Gonzalez, Girish S. Shirali, Andrew M. Atz, Sarah N. Taylor, Geoffrey A. Forbus, Sinai C. Zyblewski, Anthony M. Hlavacek

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Extracardiac or genetic abnormalities (EGA) represent a factor in the morbidity of patients with congenital heart disease. We evaluated the way neonates with CHD are screened at our institution and determined the yield for the screening tests. We reviewed the charts of 223 neonates with structural CHD. Subjects were categorized into 6 groups: univentricular, left-sided obstructive lesions, right-sided obstructive lesions, septal defects, conotruncal defects (CTD), and other. We reviewed which patients underwent cranial ultrasonogram (CUS), abdominal ultrasonogram (AUS), and/or genetic studies (GS) as well as their results. There was a high prevalence of EGA in each group by CUS (32% …

Methodology Development For Three-Dimensional Mr-Guided Near Infrared Spectroscopy Of Breast Tumors, Colin M. Carpenter, Subhadra Srinivasan, Brian W. Pogue, Keith D. Paulsen

Dartmouth Scholarship

Combined Magnetic Resonance (MR) and Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) has been proposed as a unique method to quantify hemodynamics, water content, and cellular size and packing density of breast tumors, as these tissue constituents can be quantified with increased resolution and overlaid on the structural features identified by the MR. However, the choices in how to reconstruct and visualize this information can have a dramatic impact on the feasibility of implementing this modality in the clinic. This is especially true in 3 dimensions, as there is often limited optical sampling of the breast tissue, and methods need to accurately reflect …

Reliability Generalization Of The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test., Chandni Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) is a brief screening instrument for assessing alcohol use problems among adults. This instrument is widely used and continued evaluation of its psychometric performance is needed. Reliability and validity are the primary psychometric characteristics of interest when evaluating psychological instruments. The focus of the present study is on reliability, which reflects the consistency or repeatability of the scores produced by a given instrument. Using meta-analytic methods, results showed that approximately 65% of previously published studies using the AUDIT did not appropriately report reliability estimates. Among the remaining studies, weighted reliability estimate centered on …

Management Of Pediatric Acute Appendicitis In The Computed Tomographic Era., Kuojen Tsao, Shawn D. St Peter, Patricia A. Valusek, Troy L. Spilde, Scott J. Keckler, Abhilash Nair, Daniel J. Ostlie, G W. Holcomb Iii

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The treatment options for complicated appendicitis in children continue to evolve. Optimal management of complicated appendicitis relies on an accurate preoperative diagnosis. We examined the accuracy of our preoperative diagnosis including computed tomography (CT) and the influence on the management of children with perforated and nonperforated appendicitis.

METHODS: Following IRB approval, a 6-year review of all patients that underwent an appendectomy for suspected appendicitis was performed. Treatments included immediate operations and initial nonoperative management (antibiotic therapy +/- percutaneous drainage of abscess). Appendicitis was confirmed by histological examination.

RESULTS: One thousand seventy-eight patients underwent appendectomy for suspected appendicitis. Preoperative CT …

Current Significance Of Meconium Plug Syndrome., Scott J. Keckler, Shawn D. St Peter, Troy L. Spilde, Kuojen Tsao, Daniel J. Ostlie, G W. Holcomb Iii, Charles L. Snyder

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: The significance of meconium plug syndrome is dependent on the underlying diagnosis. The incidence of pathologic finding, particularly Hirschsprung's disease, contributing to the presence of these plugs, has been debated. However, there are little recent data in the literature. Therefore, we reviewed our experience with meconium plugs as a cause of abdominal distension to evaluate the associated conditions and incidence of Hirschsprung's disease.

METHODS: We reviewed the records of newborns with meconium plugs found in the distal colon on contrast enema from 1994 to 2007. Demographics, radiologic findings, histologic findings, operative findings, and clinical courses were reviewed.

RESULTS: During …

Barriers To Breast Cancer Prevention, Detection And Treatment Among Middle Eastern Women, Senida Husic

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Many have heard of breast cancer and how it has become one of the top caused of death in the United States. but how many know of the impact it has on other parts of the world, the developed and developing countries? Accourding to the World Health Organization (WHO), 13% of all deaths in the world are due to cancer and it is predicted to increase in the upcoming decades. In the Arab World, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 70% of women who discovered in late stages in the Unted States. The reseach focused on identifying whether the barriers …

Object Detection And Classification With Applications To Skin Cancer Screening, Jonathan Blackledge, Dmitryi Dubovitskiy

Articles

This paper discusses a new approach to the processes of object detection, recognition and classification in a digital image. The classification method is based on the application of a set of features which include fractal parameters such as the Lacunarity and Fractal Dimension. Thus, the approach used, incorporates the characterisation of an object in terms of its texture.

The principal issues associated with object recognition are presented which includes two novel fast segmentation algorithms for which C++ code is provided. The self-learning procedure for designing a decision making engine using fuzzy logic and membership function theory is also presented and …

Elimination/Challenge Diet

Marcus Institute of Integrative Health of Integrative Medicine Protocols

There are several approaches to identifying food intolerance, and food influences on chronic symptoms and chronic disease. The following instructions describe the approach that we have found to be most helpful for improving patient symptoms and identifying the specific food or foods that may be problematic.

Diagnostic Classifications And Resource Utilization Of Decedents Served By The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Sonia A. Duffy, Laurel Copeland, Faith Hopp, Robert J. Zalenski

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: Given the volume and cost of inpatient care during the last year of life, there is a critical need to identify patterns of dying as a means of planning end-of-life care services, especially for the growing number of older persons who receive services from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Methods: A retrospective computerized record review was conducted of 20,933 VHA patients who died as inpatients between October 1, 2001 and September 30, 2002. Diagnoses were aggregated into one of five classification patterns of death and analyzed in terms of health care resource utilization (mean number of inpatient days and …

Left Ventricular Noncompaction Mimicking Peripartum Cardiomyopathy., Chetan Patel, Girish S. Shirali, Naveen Pereira

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

The Effectiveness Of Shoulder Injury Assessment Techniques: Analyzing The Occurrences Of False Positives, Alec Cianfichi

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Shoulder injuries are very common in sports such as baseball, football, and tennis due to high impact and stress placed on the shoulder joint. Due to the greater chance of shoulder injuries in these types of sports, it is imperative for shoulder injury assessments to be accurate in order to ensure that the athlete does not participate with an injured shoulder or lose participation time due to an incorrect assessment. In order to assess the validity of the Apprehension, Relocation, and Surprise test for shoulder instability, student athletes with no known shoulder injuries were evaluated. Tests were conducted under the …

Development Of A Blood Test For The Detection Of Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma, Rebecca Slattery

Theses : Honours

Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma is a highly aggressive form of skin cancer that has a tendency to metastasise. In its early stages, the 5-year survival rate of patients is greater than 90% following surgical excision of an in situ tumour. However, following metastasis of the tumour, the 5-year survival rate declines to 5-35%. Due to the correlation between metastasis and declining survival, studies have attempted to identify potential metastasis as early as possible. Molecular markers of melanoma cells in the peripheral blood of CMM patients have been investigated, as the invasion of tumour cells into the blood is one of the …

Using Pareto Fronts To Evaluate Polyp Detection Algorithms For Ct Colonography, Adam Huang, Jiang Li, Ronald M. Summers, Nicholas Petrick, Amy K. Hara

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We evaluate and improve an existing curvature-based region growing algorithm for colonic polyp detection for our CT colonography (CTC) computer-aided detection (CAD) system by using Pareto fronts. The performance of a polyp detection algorithm involves two conflicting objectives, minimizing both false negative (FN) and false positive (FP) detection rates. This problem does not produce a single optimal solution but a set of solutions known as a Pareto front. Any solution in a Pareto front can only outperform other solutions in one of the two competing objectives. Using evolutionary algorithms to find the Pareto fronts for multi-objective optimization problems has been …

Validating Pareto Optimal Operation Parameters Of Polyp Detection Algorithms For Ct Colonography, Jiang Li, Adam Huang, Nicholas Petrick, Jianhua Yao, Ronald M. Summers, Maryellen L. Giger (Ed.), Nico Karssemeijer (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We evaluated a Pareto front-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm for optimizing our CT colonography (CTC) computer-aided detection (CAD) system. The system identifies colonic polyps based on curvature and volumetric based features, where a set of thresholds for these features was optimized by the evolutionary algorithm. We utilized a two-fold cross-validation (CV) method to test if the optimized thresholds can be generalized to new data sets. We performed the CV method on 133 patients; each patient had a prone and a supine scan. There were 103 colonoscopically confirmed polyps resulting in 188 positive detections in CTC reading from either the prone or …

Wavelet Analysis In Virtual Colonoscopy, Sharon Greenblum, Jiang Li, Adam Huang, Ronald M. Summers, Armando Manduca (Ed.), Amir A. Amini (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The computed tomographic colonography (CTC) computer aided detection (CAD) program is a new method in development to detect colon polyps in virtual colonoscopy. While high sensitivity is consistently achieved, additional features are desired to increase specificity. In this paper, a wavelet analysis was applied to CTCCAD outputs in an attempt to filter out false positive detections. 52 CTCCAD detection images were obtained using a screen capture application. 26 of these images were real polyps, confirmed by optical colonoscopy and 26 were false positive detections. A discrete wavelet transform of each image was computed with the MATLAB wavelet toolbox using the …

Automatic Colonic Polyp Detection Using Multiobjective Evolutionary Techniques, Jiang Li, Adam Huang, Jianhua Yao, Ingmar Bitter, Nicholas Petrick, Ronald M. Summers, Perry J. Pickhardt, J. Richard Choi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Colonie polyps appear like elliptical protrusions on the inner wall of the colon. Curvature based features for colonie polyp detection have proved to be successful in several computer-aided diagnostic CT colonography (CTC) systems. Some simple thresholds are set for those features for creating initial polyp candidates, sophisticated classification scheme are then applied on these polyp candidates to reduce false positives. There are two objective functions, the number of missed polyps and false positive rate, that need to be minimized when setting those thresholds. These two objectives conflict and it is usually difficult to optimize them both by a gradient search. …

Near-Infrared Characterization Of Breast Tumors In Vivo Using Spectrally-Constrained Reconstruction, Subhadra Srinivasan, Brian W. Pogue, Ben Brooksby, Shudong Jiang, Hamid Dehghani, Christine Kogel, Wendy A. Wells, Steven P. Poplack, Keith D. Paulsen

Dartmouth Scholarship

Multi-wavelength Near-Infrared (NIR) Tomography was utilized in this study to non-invasively quantify physiological parameters of breast tumors using direct spectral reconstruction. Frequency domain NIR measurements were incorporated with a new spectrally constrained direct chromophore and scattering image reconstruction algorithm, which was validated in simulations and experimental phantoms. Images of total hemoglobin, oxygen saturation, water, and scatter parameters were obtained with higher accuracy than previously reported. Using this spectral approach, in vivo NIR images are presented and interpreted through a series of case studies (n=6 subjects) having differing abnormalities. The corresponding mammograms and ultrasound images are also evaluated. Three of six …

Diagnostic Surgical Pathology: The Importance Of Second Opinion In A Developing Country, Z. Ahmed, N. Yaqoob, S. Muzaffar, N. Kayani, Shahid Pervez, S. H. Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To review the cases sent to the section of histopathology, Aga Khan Universty (AKU) for second opinion and see whether there are significant differences in the original outside diagnosis and the subsequent diagnosis submitted by us.

Methods: A retrospective study of all consecutive cases for second opinion in the form of paraffin blocks from 1st Novemver 2001 to 31st July 2002. The primary submitted diagnosis in each case was compared with the subsequent AKU diagnosis.

Results: The study included a total of 381 cases. However, in 45 cases (11.81%), initial histopathological diagnosis was not provided. Out of the remaining …

Translation Research: From Accurate Diagnosis To Appropriate Treatment, Craig P. Webb, Harvey I. Pass

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

This review article focuses on the various aspects of translational research, where research on human subjects can ultimately enhance the diagnosis and treatment of future patients. While we will use specific examples relating to the asbestos related cancer mesothelioma, it should be stressed that the general approach outlined throughout this review is readily applicable to other diseases with an underlying molecular basis. Through the integration of molecular-based technologies, systematic tissue procurement and medical informatics, we now have the ability to identify clinically applicable "genotype"-"phenotype" associations across cohorts of patients that can rapidly be translated into useful diagnostic and treatment …

The Frequency Of Iga Nephropathy At A Single Center In Pakistan, S. Muzaffar, N. S. Azad, N. Kayani, Shahid Pervaz, A. Ahmed, S. H. Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objectives: To detect the prevalence of IgA nephropathy in Pakistani patients, as no significant published data from this part of the developing world is available in the international literature for reference.

Method: The study was conducted in a university hospital on 105 consecutive renal biopsy specimens. Direct immunofluorescence microscopy was performed using antibodies specific for the heavy chains of IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and fibrinogen.

Results: Seventy-nine (79) cases were classified as glomerulopathies, out of which 10 cases (12.65%) were diagnosed as IgA nephropathy, among which one case was that of Henoch- Schonlein purpura. The age range was 6 to …

Sex And Race Differences In Electrocardiogram Use (The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey), Amy L. Arnold, Kerry A. Milner, Viola Vaccarino

Nursing Faculty Publications

There are sex and race differences in many aspects of health care delivery. For example, blacks and women are less likely to receive aspirin and thrombolytic drugs. Blacks and women presenting with chest pain are less likely to be referred for cardiac catheterization. Blacks and women diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are also less likely to undergo cardiac catheterization. The gender differences in diagnostic evaluation after AMI appear more pronounced among younger women. The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association joint electrocardiography guidelines state that all patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain …

Presentation And Symptom Predictors Of Coronary Heart Disease In Patients With And Without Diabetes, Marjorie Funk, Janice B. Naum, Kerry A. Milner, Deborah Chyun

Nursing Faculty Publications

The aims of this prospective, observational study were to compare: (1) symptom presentation of coronary heart disease (CHD) between patients with and without diabetes and (2) symptom predictors of CHD in patients with and without diabetes. We directly observed 528 patients with symptoms suggestive of CHD as they presented to the ED of a 900-bed cardiac referral center in the northeastern United States. There were no significant differences in symptom presentation of CHD between patients with and without diabetes, although patients with diabetes were slightly more likely to present with shortness of breath (P =.056). Patients with diabetes reported …

Recognition Of Left Atrial Aneurysm By Fetal Echocardiography., R R. Fountain-Dommer, H B. Wiles, C O. Shuler, S M. Bradley, Girish S. Shirali

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

Trends. The Politics Of Psychopathology: Ritalin Conspiracy As Paranoia Or As Good Business?, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article discusses the intersection of science, pharmaceuticals, and politics in the context of Ritalin and an alleged over-diagnosis of attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Diagnostic Issues With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Conditional Probabilities And A Measure Of Symptom Ratings, Margo Adams Larsen

Dissertations

Current assessment taxonomy, including the DSM -IV and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) (World Health Organization, 1990) editions, have provided semistructured criteria sets to aid professionals in making a diagnosis of ADHD or ADD. The diagnostic taxonomy criteria, however, have resulted in a very heterogeneous population of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disordered (ADHD) individuals. Several studies have attempted to assess the behavioral syndromes— Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)/Conduct Disorder (CD)/ Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)—in terms of test or symptom sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive power, and negative predictive power (Landau, Milich, & Widiger, 1991; Milich, Widiger, & Landau, 1987; Waldman & …