Image quality in CT: From physical measurements to model observers.

Evaluation of image quality (IQ) in Computed Tomography (CT) is important to ensure that diagnostic questions are correctly answered, whilst keeping radiation dose to the patient as low as is reasonably possible. The assessment of individual aspects of IQ is already a key component of routine quality control of medical x-ray devices. These values together with standard dose indicators can be used to give rise to 'figures of merit' (FOM) to characterise the dose efficiency of the CT scanners operating in certain modes. The demand for clinically relevant IQ characterisation has naturally increased with the development of CT technology (detectors efficiency, image reconstruction and processing), resulting in the adaptation and evolution of assessment methods. The purpose of this review is to present the spectrum of various methods that have been used to characterise image quality in CT: from objective measurements of physical parameters to clinically task-based approaches (i.e. model observer (MO) approach) including pure human observer approach. When combined together with a dose indicator, a generalised dose efficiency index can be explored in a framework of system and patient dose optimisation. We will focus on the IQ methodologies that are required for dealing with standard reconstruction, but also for iterative reconstruction algorithms. With this concept the previously used FOM will be presented with a proposal to update them in order to make them relevant and up to date with technological progress. The MO that objectively assesses IQ for clinically relevant tasks represents the most promising method in terms of radiologist sensitivity performance and therefore of most relevance in the clinical environment.

Effect of Smoking on Blood Pressure and Resting Heart Rate: A Mendelian Randomization Meta-Analysis in the CARTA Consortium.

BACKGROUND: Smoking is an important cardiovascular disease risk factor, but the mechanisms linking smoking to blood pressure are poorly understood. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data on 141 317 participants (62 666 never, 40 669 former, 37 982 current smokers) from 23 population-based studies were included in observational and Mendelian randomization meta-analyses of the associations of smoking status and smoking heaviness with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, hypertension, and resting heart rate. For the Mendelian randomization analyses, a genetic variant rs16969968/rs1051730 was used as a proxy for smoking heaviness in current smokers. In observational analyses, current as compared with never smoking was associated with lower systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure and lower hypertension risk, but with higher resting heart rate. In observational analyses among current smokers, 1 cigarette/day higher level of smoking heaviness was associated with higher (0.21 bpm; 95% confidence interval 0.19; 0.24) resting heart rate and slightly higher diastolic blood pressure (0.05 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval 0.02; 0.08) and systolic blood pressure (0.08 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval 0.03; 0.13). However, in Mendelian randomization analyses among current smokers, although each smoking increasing allele of rs16969968/rs1051730 was associated with higher resting heart rate (0.36 bpm/allele; 95% confidence interval 0.18; 0.54), there was no strong association with diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, or hypertension. This would suggest a 7 bpm higher heart rate in those who smoke 20 cigarettes/day. CONCLUSIONS: This Mendelian randomization meta-analysis supports a causal association of smoking heaviness with higher level of resting heart rate, but not with blood pressure. These findings suggest that part of the cardiovascular risk of smoking may operate through increasing resting heart rate.

Luonto ja ihmiset ilmastonmuuttajina

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Till "Fänrik Ståls sägner" tolf teckningar

Robert Wilhelm Ekman (1808-1873) oli Tukholmassa ja Pariisissakin opiskellut taidemaalari, joka kehitti Suomen taide-elämää ja erityisesti taidekoulutusta. Hänen monipuoliseen tuotantoonsa kuului kirkkotaidetta, kansankuvausta ja muinaissuomalaisia aiheita, joista tunnetuin on Ylioppilastaloon sijoitettu Väinämöisen soitto. Ekman tutustui myös Runebergiin ja kuvitti hänen aiheitaan, tässä pienessä kuvateoksessa Vänrikki Stålin tarinoita.

Matkustus Suomessa. : Ensimmäinen jakso. ... : Selitykset Z. Topeliusʼen kirjoittamat.

Engraved illustrations are based on the original oil paintings of several Finnish artists: A. v. Becker, A. Edelfelt, R. W. Ekman, W. Holmberg, K. E. Jansson, O. Kleineh, J. Knutson, B. Lindholm, H. Munsterhjelm och B. Reinhold.

En resa i Finland. : Första serien. ... : Text af Z. Topelius.

Engraved illustrations are based on the original oil paintings of several Finnish artists: A. v. Becker, A. Edelfelt, R. W. Ekman, W. Holmberg, K. E. Jansson, O. Kleineh, J. Knutson, B. Lindholm, H. Munsterhjelm och B. Reinhold.

Hegemonista maskuliinisuutta etsimässä

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Avaliação de métodos de estimativa da evapotranspiração horária para alface cultivada em sistema hidropônico em ambiente protegido

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a precisão e a exatidão de métodos de estimativa de valores horários de evapotranspiração (ETc) para alface cultivada em sistema hidropônico sob ambiente protegido. Para a determinação dos parâmetros pertinentes aos diferentes métodos de estimativa e sua posterior validação, foram utilizados dois conjuntos de dados experimentais obtidos a partir de medições realizadas nas cultivares Grand Rapids, Regina e Great Lakes. As estimativas de evapotranspiração foram realizadas com os seguintes métodos: Penman-Monteith parametrizado pela FAO, em 1998 (PMF); Penman-Monteith modificado para condições aerodinâmicas características de ambiente protegido (PMAP); Penman-Monteith modificado para ambiente protegido simplificado (PMAPS); Priestley-Taylor (PT); Radiação solar (RS) e Radiação solar simplificado (RSS). Os resultados demonstraram que os métodos PMAP e PMAPS possibilitaram estimativas mais adequadas da ETc, tanto no período da manhã como no da tarde.

Kalevalan sankarit kuvataiteessa

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Resistência de azevém (Lolium multiflorum) ao herbicida glyphosate

O azevém é uma gramínea de ciclo anual, constituindo-se com freqüência em planta infestante em lavouras de trigo do Rio Grande do Sul. Em experimentos realizados em casa de vegetação e no campo, foi avaliada a suscetibilidade de dois biótipos de azevém ao herbicida glyphosate, bem como a eficiência de herbicidas de ação total na dessecação de Lolium multiflorum para a semeadura direta de trigo. O delineamento experimental foi completamente casualizado em casa de vegetação e de blocos ao acaso em campo, com três e quatro repetições, respectivamente. Foram avaliados herbicidas com mecanismos de ação distintos em diferentes doses: glyphosate, glufosinate, clethodim, haloxyfop-r e diclofop, paraquat e paraquat + diuron. Os resultados, em casa de vegetação, evidenciam que o biótipo sensível é totalmente controlado com glyphosate na dose de 360 g e.a. ha-1 e que doses de até 1.440 g e.a. ha-1 não afetam significativamente o acúmulo de matéria seca do biótipo resistente e produzem toxicidade inferior a 15% sobre este. Já as doses entre 1.440 e 5.760 g e.a. ha-1 de glyphosate reduzem significativamente a produção de matéria seca e resultam em toxicidade inferior a 45%. Em campo, os melhores controles de azevém foram propiciados pelos tratamentos clethodim (79,2 g ha-1) e diuron + paraquat (300 + 600 g ha-1), que não diferiram entre si. Assim, evidencia-se que a população de Lolium multiflorum avaliada neste trabalho é constituída predominantemente de um biótipo resistente aos herbicidas inibidores da enzima EPSPs.

Effects of Corynespora cassiicola on Lantana camara

The present study combines the examination of toxins produced by C. cassiicola and the effects of the fungus colonization on L. camara. C. cassiicola was cultivated on solid media and the crude extracts CAE and CE were produced. Both extracts were submitted to a seed germination and growth assay utilizing Physalis ixocarpa, Trifolium alexandrinum, Lolium multiflorum and Amaranthus hypochodriacus. The effect of the extracts on the ATP-synthesis in isolated spinach chloroplasts was also tested. Bioassay guided chromatographic fractionation identified the most active extract (CAE). From this extract ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (C1) and fatty acids were isolated. The C1 compound reduce ATP synthesis in isolated spinach chloroplasts. The interference of fatty acids with ATP synthesis and also with weed growth provides one explanation of the phytogrowth-inhibitory properties of such fungal extracts. Histological observations involving fungus-plant interaction were made on L. camara plants inoculated with C. cassiicola conidia suspension. After inoculations, fragments of the leaf blades were prepared for observation by light and scanning electron microscopy. Fungal colonization of Lantana camara was typical of a necrotroph and penetration initiated a hypersensitive response. L. camara reacted to the pathogen penetration through thickening of the epidermis walls, cytoplasm granulation and a cicatrisation tissue.

Toxicidade de filtrados de cultura de Alternaria euphorbiicola em folhas de Euphorbia heterophylla

A espécie fúngica Alternaria euphorbiicola é agente causal de severas necroses de inflorescência, queimas de folhas e cancros da haste em Euphorbia heterophylla (leiteiro ou amendoim-bravo), importante planta daninha responsável por grandes prejuízos à agricultura brasileira. A aplicação de suspensões de esporos do fungo sobre populações da planta hospedeira resulta em rápida produção de necrose dos tecidos das plantas (24 a 48 horas após aplicação). Essas observações levaram à conjectura de que o fungo possa produzir fitotoxinas in vitro capazes de causar lesão às plantas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar preliminarmente a produção in vitro de fitotoxinas por A. euphorbiicola sob diferentes condições de cultivo. Os resultados mostraram que a composição do meio de cultura e as condições de cultivo influenciaram a fitotoxicidade de filtrados de cultura, tendo o cultivo sob agitação e na ausência de luz favorecido a produção de metabólitos fitotóxicos pelo fungo. O filtrado da cultura em meio de Jenkins-Prior modificado, crescida sob agitação, no escuro e a 28 ºC, apresentou a maior atividade fitotóxica, tendo produzido extensas necroses foliares e desfolha em plantas de E. heterophylla. Esse filtrado de cultura foi submetido a extração seguida por fracionamento guiado por bioensaios. Uma fração cromatográfica constituída majoritariamente por ácidos graxos de cadeia longa produziu halos cloróticos e necrose de folhas, assim como observado após a inoculação de E. heterophylla com o fungo. Esses resultados sugerem a participação de ácidos graxos no processo infeccioso na associação A. euphorbiicola x E. heterophylla.

Evaluation of an anti-carcinoembryonic monoclonal antibody suitable for immunoscintigraphy

An anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) monoclonal antibody (mAb 6D1.1) was evaluated in vitro and in vivo to determine its suitability as a tracer for immunoscintigraphy of colorectal carcinomas. Determination of mAb affinity for CEA showed a constant of association of 0.63 ± 0.11 x 109 M-1. Binding of technetium-99m (99mTc)-6D1.1, labeled by a direct method, to human cultured lineages was highly specific. Binding to only CEA-positive LS-174T cells resulted in a saturable curve inhibited by pre-incubation with unlabeled mAb. No binding at all was observed for the human lineages MeWo (melanoma) or ZR75-30 (breast carcinoma), neither of them expressing CEA cells. Intravenous injection of 99mTc-6D1.1 into nude mice xenografted with human LS-174T tumors resulted in planar images of excellent quality. Localization of an irrelevant mAb labeled with either 99mTc or iodine-125 was never observed in tumor masses. Biodistribution studies on excised tumoral tissue showed retention of 28.48% of the injected dose per gram of LS-174T tumor. The tumor-to-blood ratio was 3.46. The same analysis performed on the other three human xenografted tumors studied demonstrated that only the CEA-producing HT-29 (colorectal adenocarcinoma) retained 99mTc-6D1.1 while the other two (ZR75-30 and MeWo) did not. These data demonstrate that this mAb is an adequate tool for targeting CEA-expressing tumors in experimental models.

Anxiolytic effect of methylene blue microinjected into the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter

The dorsal periaqueductal gray (DPAG) has been implicated in the behavioral and autonomic expression of defensive reactions. Several results suggest that, along with GABA, glutamate and serotonin, nitric oxide (NO) may play a role in defense reactions mediated by this region. To further investigate this possibility we microinjected methylene blue (MB; 10, 30 or 100 nmol/0.5 µl) into the DPAG of rats submitted to the elevated plus-maze test, an animal model of anxiety. MB has been used as an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) to demonstrate cGMP-mediated processes, and there is evidence that NO may exert its biological effects by binding to the heme part of guanylate cyclase, causing an increase in cGMP levels. The results showed that MB (30 nmol) significantly increased the percent of time spent in the open arms (saline = 11.57 ± 1.54, MB = 18.5 ± 2.45, P<0.05) and tended to do the same with the percentage of open arm entries (saline = 25.8 ± 1.97, MB = 33.77 ± 3.07, P<0.10), but did not change the number of enclosed arm entries. The dose-response curve, however, had an inverted U shape. These results indicate that MB, within a limited dose range, has anxiolytic properties when microinjected into the DPAG.