Can interface features affect aggression resulting from violent video game play? An examination of realistic controller and large screen size.

PubMed

Kim, Ki Joon; Sundar, S Shyam

2013-05-01

Aggressiveness attributed to violent video game play is typically studied as a function of the content features of the game. However, can interface features of the game also affect aggression? Guided by the General Aggression Model (GAM), we examine the controller type (gun replica vs. mouse) and screen size (large vs. small) as key technological aspects that may affect the state aggression of gamers, with spatial presence and arousal as potential mediators. Results from a between-subjects experiment showed that a realistic controller and a large screen display induced greater aggression, presence, and arousal than a conventional mouse and a small screen display, respectively, and confirmed that trait aggression was a significant predictor of gamers' state aggression. Contrary to GAM, however, arousal showed no effects on aggression; instead, presence emerged as a significant mediator.

Differentiation between malignant and benign thyroid nodules and stratification of papillary thyroid cancer with aggressive histological features: Whole-lesion diffusion-weighted imaging histogram analysis.

PubMed

Hao, Yonghong; Pan, Chu; Chen, WeiWei; Li, Tao; Zhu, WenZhen; Qi, JianPin

2016-12-01

To explore the usefulness of whole-lesion histogram analysis of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) derived from reduced field-of-view (r-FOV) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in differentiating malignant and benign thyroid nodules and stratifying papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with aggressive histological features. This Institutional Review Board-approved, retrospective study included 93 patients with 101 pathologically proven thyroid nodules. All patients underwent preoperative r-FOV DWI at 3T. The whole-lesion ADC assessments were performed for each patient. Histogram-derived ADC parameters between different subgroups (pathologic type, extrathyroidal extension, lymph node metastasis) were compared. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine optimal histogram parameters in differentiating benign and malignant nodules and predicting aggressiveness of PTC. Mean ADC, median ADC, 5 th percentile ADC, 25 th percentile ADC, 75 th percentile ADC, 95 th percentile ADC (all P < 0.001), and kurtosis (P = 0.001) were significantly lower in malignant thyroid nodules, and mean ADC achieved the highest AUC (0.919) with a cutoff value of 1842.78 × 10 -6 mm 2 /s in differentiating malignant and benign nodules. Compared to the PTCs without extrathyroidal extension, PTCs with extrathyroidal extension showed significantly lower median ADC, 5 th percentile ADC, and 25 th percentile ADC. The 5 th percentile ADC achieved the highest AUC (0.757) with cutoff value of 911.5 × 10 -6 mm 2 /s for differentiating between PTCs with and without extrathyroidal extension. Whole-lesion ADC histogram analysis might help to differentiate malignant nodules from benign ones and show the PTCs with extrathyroidal extension. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:1546-1555. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Narcissistic Features in Young Adolescents: Relations to Aggression and Internalizing Symptoms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washburn, Jason J.; McMahon, Susan D.; King, Cheryl A.; Reinecke, Mark A.; Silver, Carrie

2004-01-01

Recent research and theory suggest narcissistic features contribute to aggression in adults. The present study examined the association of narcissistic features with aggression and internalizing symptoms in 233 students of 5th-8th grade at three inner-city schools. A factor analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory in this sample revealed…

Preoperative easily misdiagnosed telangiectatic osteosarcoma: clinical–radiologic–pathologic correlations

PubMed Central

Gao, Zhen-Hua; Yin, Jun-Qiang; Liu, Da-Wei; Meng, Quan-Fei

2013-01-01

Abstract Purpose: To describe the clinical, imaging, and pathologic characteristics and diagnostic methods of telangiectatic osteosarcoma (TOS) for improving the diagnostic level. Materials and methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed patient demographics, serum alkaline phosphatase (AKP) levels, preoperative biopsy pathologic reports, pathologic materials, imaging findings, and treatment outcomes from 26 patients with TOS. Patient images from radiography (26 cases) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (22 cases) were evaluated by 3 authors in consensus for intrinsic characteristics. There were 15 male and 11 female patients in the study, with an age of 9–32 years (mean age 15.9 years). Results: Eighteen of 26 patients died of lung metastases within 5 years of follow-up. The distal femur was affected more commonly (14 cases, 53.8%). Regarding serum AKP, normal (8 cases) or mildly elevated (18 cases) levels were found before preoperative chemotherapy. Radiographs showed geographic bone lysis without sclerotic margin (26 cases), cortical destruction (26 cases), periosteal new bone formation (24 cases), soft-tissue mass (23 cases), and matrix mineralization (4 cases). The aggressive radiographic features of TOS simulated the appearance of conventional high-grade intramedullary osteosarcoma, though different from aneurysmal bone cyst. MR images demonstrated multiple big (16 cases) or small (6 cases) cystic spaces, fluid-fluid levels (14 cases), soft-tissue mass (22 cases), and thick peripheral and septal enhancement (22 cases). Nine of 26 cases were misdiagnosed as aneurysmal bone cysts by preoperative core-needle biopsy, owing to the absence of viable high-grade sarcomatous cells in the small tissue samples. Conclusion: The aggressive growth pattern with occasional matrix mineralization, and multiple big or small fluid-filled cavities with thick peripheral, septal, and nodular tissue surrounding the fluid-filled cavities are characteristic imaging features of TOS, and these features are helpful in making the correct preoperative diagnosis of TOS. PMID:24334494

Primary bone tumors of adulthood

PubMed Central

Teo, Harvey E L; Peh, Wilfred C G

2004-01-01

Imaging plays a crucial role in the evaluation of primary bone tumors in adults. Initial radiographic evaluation is indicated in all cases with suspected primary bone tumors. Radiographs are useful for providing the diagnosis, a short list of differential diagnosis or at least indicating the degree of aggressiveness of the lesion. More detailed information about the lesion, such as cortical destruction or local spread, can be obtained using cross-sectional imaging techniques such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. This article discusses the characteristic features of the more common primary bone tumors of adulthood, and also the pre-treatment evaluation and staging of these lesions using imaging techniques. PMID:18250012

Rhabdoid glioblastoma: an aggressive variaty of astrocytic tumor.

PubMed

Hiroyuki, Momota; Ogino, Jiro; Takahashi, Akira; Hasegawa, Tadashi; Wakabayashi, Toshihiko

2015-02-01

Rhabdoid glioblastoma (RGBM) is rare, but the most malignant among astrocytic tumors. Accumulating evidence indicates its highly aggressive nature and distinct histopathological features. Here, we report a new case of RGBM and review previously reported cases of astrocytic tumors with rhabdoid components. We describe a 58-year-old man who presented with aphasia and right-sided weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a well-delineated intramedullary tumor in the left cerebral hemisphere. Partial resection of the tumor was performed. The tumor was histologically found to contain two distinct areas: a typical glioblastoma, and a rhabdoid component. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and focal loss of the INI1 protein in rhabdoid cells, although fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed no loss of the INI1 gene. Despite subsequent radiochemotherapy for the glioblastoma, the patient died 4.3 months after surgery. Our literature review illustrates the aggressive clinical course and histopathological features of these tumors with GFAP and INI1 expression. INI1 protein dysfunction may be a possible cause of the rhabdoid phenotype. Gross total resection of the tumor and intensive radiochemotherapy may lead to better survival outcomes.

Women's preference for masculine traits is disrupted by images of male-on-female aggression.

PubMed

Li, Yaoran; Bailey, Drew H; Winegard, Benjamin; Puts, David A; Welling, Lisa L M; Geary, David C

2014-01-01

Women's preferences for men's masculinized faces and voices were assessed after women (n = 331) were primed with images of male-on-male aggression, male-on-female aggression, pathogens, and neutral scenes. Male-on-male aggression and pathogen primes were associated with increased preference for masculine traits, but the same effect emerged in the neutral condition. We show the increased preference for masculine traits was due to repeated exposure to these traits, not the priming images themselves. Images of male-on-female aggression were an exception; these elicited feelings of disgust and anger appeared to disrupt the preference for masculinized traits. The results suggest women process men's facial and vocal traits as signals of aggressive potential and lose any preference for these traits with cues indicating men might direct this aggression toward them.

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma of the larynx: Radiological, gross, microscopic and clinical features.

PubMed

Magliocca, Kelly R; Edgar, Mark A; Corey, Amanda; Villari, Craig R

2017-10-01

Laryngeal chondrosarcoma is an uncommon malignancy with a predilection for the cricoid cartilage of adult male patients. Although rare, identification of aggressive chondrosarcoma variants, such as dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma (DDCS) may influence preoperative patient counseling, definitive surgical management, potential implementation of post-operative adjuvant therapy and prognosis. Herein we describe clinical and imaging features of laryngeal DDCS, the unique perspective of fresh and formalin fixed macroscopic examination, a spectrum of histopathologic findings, and detail the full course of the patient's disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

GBM skin metastasis: a case report and review of the literature

PubMed Central

Lewis, Gary D; Rivera, Andreana L; Tremont-Lukats, Ivo W; Ballester-Fuentes, Leomar Y; Zhang, Yi Jonathan; Teh, Bin S

2017-01-01

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common type of malignant tumor found in the brain, and acts very aggressively by quickly and diffusely infiltrating the surrounding brain parenchyma. Despite its aggressive nature, GBM is rarely found to spread extracranially and develop distant metastases. The most common sites of these rare metastases are the lungs, pleura and cervical lymph nodes. There are also a few case reports of skin metastasis. We present the clinical, imaging and pathologic features of a case of a GBM with metastasis to the soft tissue scar and skin near the original craniotomy site. In addition, we discuss the details of this case in the context of the previously reported literature. PMID:28718312

Borderline Personality Features, Anger, and Intimate Partner Violence: An Experimental Manipulation of Rejection.

PubMed

Armenti, Nicholas A; Babcock, Julia C

2018-04-01

Individuals with borderline personality features may be susceptible to react to situational stressors with negative and interpersonally maladaptive emotionality (e.g., anger) and aggression. The current study attempted to test two moderated mediation models to investigate dispositional risk factors associated with borderline personality features and intimate partner violence (IPV). Results from an experimental rejection induction paradigm were examined using moderated regression to observe contextual reactions to imagined romantic rejection from a current romantic partner among individuals with borderline personality features. An ethnically diverse sample of 218 undergraduates at a large public university in the southwestern United States was recruited. Participants responded to demographic questions and self-report measures, and engaged in an experimental rejection induction paradigm. Borderline personality features was positively associated with rejection sensitivity, physical assault, and psychological aggression. Contrary to initial hypotheses, rejection sensitivity did not serve as a mediator of the relations between borderline personality features and physical assault and psychological aggression. However, trait anger mediated the relation between borderline personality features and psychological aggression. As such, trait anger may be an important explanatory variable in the relation between borderline personality features and psychological aggression specifically. Results of the rejection induction paradigm indicated that, for individuals who were asked to imagine an ambiguous rejection, the relation between borderline personality features and state anger post-rejection was strengthened. For individuals who imagined a critical rejection, there was no significant relation between borderline personality features and state anger post-rejection. Findings suggest that trait anger may be an important dispositional factor in the link between borderline personality features and IPV. In addition, contextual factors, such as ambiguous rejection by an intimate partner, may be especially relevant in activating anger or aggression in individuals with borderline personality features.

Maladaptive Personality and Neuropsychological Features of Highly Relationally Aggressive Adolescent Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savage, Michael; DiBiase, Anne-Marie

2016-01-01

The maladaptive personality and neuropsychological features of highly relationally aggressive females were examined in a group of 30 grade 6, 7, and 8 girls and group-matched controls. Employing a multistage cluster sampling procedure, a group of highly, yet almost exclusively, relationally aggressive females were identified and matched on a…

Joint trajectories for social and physical aggression as predictors of adolescent maladjustment: internalizing symptoms, rule-breaking behaviors, and borderline and narcissistic personality features.

PubMed

Underwood, Marion K; Beron, Kurt J; Rosen, Lisa H

2011-05-01

This investigation examined the relation between developmental trajectories jointly estimated for social and physical aggression and adjustment problems at age 14. Teachers provided ratings of children's social and physical aggression in Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 for a sample of 255 children (131 girls, 21% African American, 52% European American, 21% Mexican American). Participants, parents, and teachers completed measures of the adolescent's adjustment to assess internalizing symptoms, rule-breaking behaviors, and borderline and narcissistic personality features. Results showed that membership in a high and rising trajectory group predicted rule-breaking behaviors and borderline personality features. Membership in a high desister group predicted internalizing symptoms, rule-breaking behaviors, and borderline and narcissistic personality features. The findings suggest that although low levels of social and physical aggression may not bode poorly for adjustment, individuals engaging in high levels of social and physical aggression in middle childhood may be at greatest risk for adolescent psychopathology, whether they increase or desist in their aggression through early adolescence.

Joint trajectories for social and physical aggression as predictors of adolescent maladjustment: Internalizing symptoms, rule-breaking behaviors, and borderline and narcissistic personality features

PubMed Central

UNDERWOOD, MARION K.; BERON, KURT J.; ROSEN, LISA H.

2011-01-01

This investigation examined the relation between developmental trajectories jointly estimated for social and physical aggression and adjustment problems at age 14. Teachers provided ratings of children's social and physical aggression in Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 for a sample of 255 children (131 girls, 21% African American, 52% European American, 21% Mexican American). Participants, parents, and teachers completed measures of the adolescent's adjustment to assess internalizing symptoms, rule-breaking behaviors, and borderline and narcissistic personality features. Results showed that membership in a high and rising trajectory group predicted rule-breaking behaviors and borderline personality features. Membership in a high desister group predicted internalizing symptoms, rule-breaking behaviors, and borderline and narcissistic personality features. The findings suggest that although low levels of social and physical aggression may not bode poorly for adjustment, individuals engaging in high levels of social and physical aggression in middle childhood may be at greatest risk for adolescent psychopathology, whether they increase or desist in their aggression through early adolescence. PMID:21532919

Lower amygdala volume in men is associated with childhood aggression, early psychopathic traits, and future violence.

PubMed

Pardini, Dustin A; Raine, Adrian; Erickson, Kirk; Loeber, Rolf

2014-01-01

Reduced amygdala volume has been implicated in the development of severe and persistent aggression and the development of psychopathic personality. With longitudinal data, the current study examined whether male subjects with lower amygdala volume have a history of aggression and psychopathic features dating back to childhood and are at increased risk for engaging in future aggression/violence. Participants were selected from a longitudinal study of 503 male subjects initially recruited when they were in the first grade in 1986-1987. At age 26, a subsample of 56 men with varying histories of violence was recruited for a neuroimaging substudy. Automated segmentation was used to index individual differences in amygdala volume. Analyses examined the association between amygdala volume and levels of aggression and psychopathic features of participants measured in childhood and adolescence. Analyses also examined whether amygdala volume was associated with violence and psychopathic traits assessed at a 3-year follow-up. Men with lower amygdala volume exhibited higher levels of aggression and psychopathic features from childhood to adulthood. Lower amygdala volume was also associated with aggression, violence, and psychopathic traits at a 3-year follow-up, even after controlling for earlier levels of these features. All effects remained after accounting for several potential confounds. This represents the first prospective study to demonstrate that men with lower amygdala volume have a longstanding history of aggression and psychopathic features and are at increased risk for committing future violence. Studies should further examine whether specific amygdala abnormalities might be a useful biomarker for severe and persistent aggression. Copyright © 2014 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contrast-enhanced CT features of hepatoblastoma: Can we predict histopathology?

PubMed

Baheti, Akshay D; Luana Stanescu, A; Li, Ning; Chapman, Teresa

Hepatoblastoma is the most common hepatic malignancy occurring in the pediatric population. Intratumoral cellular behavior varies, and the small-cell undifferentiated histopathology carries a poorer prognosis than other tissue subtypes. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for this tumor subtype prior to surgical resection in most cases. Early identification of tumors with poor prognosis could have a significant clinical impact. Objective The aim of this work was to identify imaging features of small-cell undifferentiated subtype hepatoblastoma that can help distinguish this subtype from more favorable tumors and potentially guide the clinical management. We also sought to characterize contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) features of hepatoblastoma that correlate with metastatic disease and patient outcome. Our study included 34 patients (24 males, 10 females) with a mean age of 16months (range: 0-46months) with surgically confirmed hepatoblastoma and available baseline abdominal imaging by CECT. Clinical data and CT abdominal images were retrospectively analyzed. Five tumors with small-cell undifferentiated components were identified. All of these tumors demonstrated irregular margins on CT imaging. Advanced PRETEXT stage, vascular invasion and irregular margins were associated with metastatic disease and decreased survival. Capsular retraction was also significantly associated with decreased survival. Irregular tumor margins demonstrated statistically significant association with the presence of small-cell undifferentiated components. No other imaging feature showed statistically significant association. Tumor margin irregularity, vascular invasion, capsular retraction, and PRETEXT stage correlate with worse patient outcomes. Irregular tumor margin was the only imaging feature significantly associated with more aggressive tumor subtype. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Callous-Unemotional Features, Behavioral Inhibition, and Parenting: Independent Predictors of Aggression in a High-Risk Preschool Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimonis, Eva R.; Frick, Paul J.; Boris, Neil W.; Smyke, Anna T.; Cornell, Amy H.; Farrell, Jamie M.; Zeanah, Charles H.

2006-01-01

A behaviorally-uninhibited temperament, callous-unemotional (CU) features, and harsh parenting have been associated with specific patterns of aggressive behavior in older children and adolescents. We tested the additive and interactive effects of these factors in predicting different types of aggressive behavior in a high-risk preschool sample.…

Real-Time Aggressive Image Data Compression

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-31

implemented with higher degrees of modularity, concurrency, and higher levels of machine intelligence , thereby providing higher data -throughput rates...Project Summary Project Title: Real-Time Aggressive Image Data Compression Principal Investigators: Dr. Yih-Fang Huang and Dr. Ruey-wen Liu Institution...Summary The objective of the proposed research is to develop reliable algorithms !.hat can achieve aggressive image data compression (with a compression

Arterial spin labeling MR imaging aids to identify cortical venous drainage of dural arteriovenous fistulas.

PubMed

Kang, Ji Hee; Yun, Tae Jin; Rhim, Jong Kook; Cho, Young Dae; Yoo, Dong Hyun; Yoo, Roh-Eul; Kang, Koung Mi; Choi, Seung Hong; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Sohn, Chul-Ho; Han, Moon Hee

2018-05-01

Cortical venous drainage (CVD) increases the probability of intracranial hemorrhage and mortality rate of dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVF). Although digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is the most accurate method to determine CVD in DAVFs, this modality has limitations due to its invasive nature and radiation issues. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of arterial spin-labeling perfusion-weighted images (ASL-PWI) to identify CVD in patients with DAVF.The Institutional Review Board of our hospital approved this retrospective study. ASL-PWI features of 22 patients with DAVF were retrospectively reviewed for the presence of bright signal intensity in cortical veins and brain parenchyma. DAVF with bright signal intensity in cortical veins and/or brain parenchyma was regarded as having CVD. Using DSA as a reference standard, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of ASL-PWI for detecting CVD were calculated.Based on DSA features, 11 (11/22, 50%) patients were classified as having "aggressive" pattern with CVD. Eleven (11/22, 50%) patients also showed bright signal intensity in cortical veins (9/22, 41%) and/or brain parenchyma (4/22, 18%) on ASL-PWI. The 11 patients who had "Aggressive" pattern on DSA were the same 11 patients who were classified as having "aggressive" pattern on ASL-PWI. ASL-PWI showed perfect diagnostic performance for identifying CVD with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 100% for all.Thus, ASL-PWI could be used as a noninvasive mean to predict the presence of CVD in patients with DAVFs. It has the potential as a screening tool to evaluate DAVF prior to invasive DSA.

Breast Cancers Between Mammograms Have Aggressive Features

Cancer.gov

Breast cancers that are discovered in the period between regular screening mammograms—known as interval cancers—are more likely to have features associated with aggressive behavior and a poor prognosis than cancers found via screening mammograms.

Brain Tumour Segmentation based on Extremely Randomized Forest with high-level features.

PubMed

Pinto, Adriano; Pereira, Sergio; Correia, Higino; Oliveira, J; Rasteiro, Deolinda M L D; Silva, Carlos A

2015-08-01

Gliomas are among the most common and aggressive brain tumours. Segmentation of these tumours is important for surgery and treatment planning, but also for follow-up evaluations. However, it is a difficult task, given that its size and locations are variable, and the delineation of all tumour tissue is not trivial, even with all the different modalities of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). We propose a discriminative and fully automatic method for the segmentation of gliomas, using appearance- and context-based features to feed an Extremely Randomized Forest (Extra-Trees). Some of these features are computed over a non-linear transformation of the image. The proposed method was evaluated using the publicly available Challenge database from BraTS 2013, having obtained a Dice score of 0.83, 0.78 and 0.73 for the complete tumour, and the core and the enhanced regions, respectively. Our results are competitive, when compared against other results reported using the same database.

To breathe or fight? Siamese fighting fish differ when facing a real opponent or mirror image.

PubMed

Arnott, Gareth; Beattie, Emma; Elwood, Robert W

2016-08-01

Displays are a feature of animal contest behaviour and have been interpreted as a means of gathering information on opponent fighting ability, as well as signalling aggressive motivation. In fish, contest displays often include frontal and lateral elements, which in the latter involves contestants showing their flanks to an opponent. Previous work in a range of fish species has demonstrated population-level lateralization of these displays, preferentially showing one side to their opponent. Mirrors are commonly used in place of a real opponent to study aggression in fish, yet they may disrupt the normal pattern of display behaviour. Here, using Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens, we compare the aggressive behaviour of males to a mirror image and real opponent behind a transparent barrier. As this species is a facultative air-breather, we also quantify surface breathing, providing insights into underlying fight motivation. Consistent with previous work, we found evidence of population-level lateralization, with a bias to present the left side and use the left eye when facing a real opponent. Contrary to expectations, there were no differences in the aggressive displays to a mirror and real opponent, with positive correlations between the behaviour in the two scenarios. However, there were important differences in surface breathing, which was more frequent and of longer duration in the mirror treatment. The reasons for these differences are discussed in relation to the repertoire of contest behaviour and motivation when facing a real opponent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pulmonary nodule characterization, including computer analysis and quantitative features.

PubMed

Bartholmai, Brian J; Koo, Chi Wan; Johnson, Geoffrey B; White, Darin B; Raghunath, Sushravya M; Rajagopalan, Srinivasan; Moynagh, Michael R; Lindell, Rebecca M; Hartman, Thomas E

2015-03-01

Pulmonary nodules are commonly detected in computed tomography (CT) chest screening of a high-risk population. The specific visual or quantitative features on CT or other modalities can be used to characterize the likelihood that a nodule is benign or malignant. Visual features on CT such as size, attenuation, location, morphology, edge characteristics, and other distinctive "signs" can be highly suggestive of a specific diagnosis and, in general, be used to determine the probability that a specific nodule is benign or malignant. Change in size, attenuation, and morphology on serial follow-up CT, or features on other modalities such as nuclear medicine studies or MRI, can also contribute to the characterization of lung nodules. Imaging analytics can objectively and reproducibly quantify nodule features on CT, nuclear medicine, and magnetic resonance imaging. Some quantitative techniques show great promise in helping to differentiate benign from malignant lesions or to stratify the risk of aggressive versus indolent neoplasm. In this article, we (1) summarize the visual characteristics, descriptors, and signs that may be helpful in management of nodules identified on screening CT, (2) discuss current quantitative and multimodality techniques that aid in the differentiation of nodules, and (3) highlight the power, pitfalls, and limitations of these various techniques.

Multimedia Classifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costache, G. N.; Gavat, I.

2004-09-01

Along with the aggressive growing of the amount of digital data available (text, audio samples, digital photos and digital movies joined all in the multimedia domain) the need for classification, recognition and retrieval of this kind of data became very important. In this paper will be presented a system structure to handle multimedia data based on a recognition perspective. The main processing steps realized for the interesting multimedia objects are: first, the parameterization, by analysis, in order to obtain a description based on features, forming the parameter vector; second, a classification, generally with a hierarchical structure to make the necessary decisions. For audio signals, both speech and music, the derived perceptual features are the melcepstral (MFCC) and the perceptual linear predictive (PLP) coefficients. For images, the derived features are the geometric parameters of the speaker mouth. The hierarchical classifier consists generally in a clustering stage, based on the Kohonnen Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) and a final stage, based on a powerful classification algorithm called Support Vector Machines (SVM). The system, in specific variants, is applied with good results in two tasks: the first, is a bimodal speech recognition which uses features obtained from speech signal fused to features obtained from speaker's image and the second is a music retrieval from large music database.

Update on the imaging of malignant perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas).

PubMed

Phillips, Catherine H; Keraliya, Abhishek R; Shinagare, Atul B; Ramaiya, Nikhil H; Tirumani, Sree Harsha

2016-02-01

Malignant perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas) are a histologic group of mesenchymal neoplasms that share a distinctive histological phenotype, the perivascular epithelioid cell. These tumors are known for their perivascular distribution. Malignant PEComas have a female predominance and are associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis, making timely diagnosis critical to management. Imaging features of malignant PEComas are nonspecific and mimic other benign and malignant neoplasms. Surgery is the mainstay in the management of malignant PEComas. Promising novel molecular targeted therapies like m-TOR inhibitors have been shown to be effective in the metastatic setting. The aim of this review is to familiarize radiologists with the imaging appearances of and potential therapies for primary and metastatic malignant PEComa.

Alternate Metabolic Programs Define Regional Variation of Relevant Biological Features in Renal Cell Carcinoma Progression.

PubMed

Brooks, Samira A; Khandani, Amir H; Fielding, Julia R; Lin, Weili; Sills, Tiffany; Lee, Yueh; Arreola, Alexandra; Milowsky, Mathew I; Wallen, Eric M; Woods, Michael E; Smith, Angie B; Nielsen, Mathew E; Parker, Joel S; Lalush, David S; Rathmell, W Kimryn

2016-06-15

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) has recently been redefined as a highly heterogeneous disease. In addition to genetic heterogeneity, the tumor displays risk variability for developing metastatic disease, therefore underscoring the urgent need for tissue-based prognostic strategies applicable to the clinical setting. We have recently employed the novel PET/magnetic resonance (MR) image modality to enrich our understanding of how tumor heterogeneity can relate to gene expression and tumor biology to assist in defining individualized treatment plans. ccRCC patients underwent PET/MR imaging, and these images subsequently used to identify areas of varied intensity for sampling. Samples from 8 patients were subjected to histologic, immunohistochemical, and microarray analysis. Tumor subsamples displayed a range of heterogeneity for common features of hypoxia-inducible factor expression and microvessel density, as well as for features closely linked to metabolic processes, such as GLUT1 and FBP1. In addition, gene signatures linked with disease risk (ccA and ccB) also demonstrated variable heterogeneity, with most tumors displaying a dominant panel of features across the sampled regions. Intriguingly, the ccA- and ccB-classified samples corresponded with metabolic features and functional imaging levels. These correlations further linked a variety of metabolic pathways (i.e., the pentose phosphate and mTOR pathways) with the more aggressive, and glucose avid ccB subtype. Higher tumor dependency on exogenous glucose accompanies the development of features associated with the poor risk ccB subgroup. Linking these panels of features may provide the opportunity to create functional maps to enable enhanced visualization of the heterogeneous biologic processes of an individual's disease. Clin Cancer Res; 22(12); 2950-9. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Primary malignant perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasm (PEComa) of the bone mimicking granular cell tumor in core biopsy: A case report and literature review

PubMed Central

Sadigh, Sam; Shah, Preya; Weber, Kristy; Sebro, Ronnie; Zhang, Paul J.

2018-01-01

The present study investigated the case of a 46-year-old female with primary malignant perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasm (PEComa) of the femur. The patient presented with a 5-month history of right distal thigh pain following trauma. Radiographs of the right distal femur revealed a mixed lytic and sclerotic lesion with subtle areas of cortical destruction and soft tissue extension, consistent with an aggressive tumor. A core biopsy revealed an epithelioid tumor with granular cell features, but a definitive diagnosis could not be made. Due to the aggressive features on radiologic evaluation, the patient underwent a resection of the distal femur and reconstruction with a distal femoral megaprosthesis and hinged knee replacement. The post-resection pathology led to a final diagnosis of primary bone PEComa, with histologic features including epithelioid, granular cell and spindled cell morphologies and biphasic immunoreactivity for melanocytic and smooth muscle markers. The large tumor size (>5 cm), rapid mitotic rate, infiltrative growth pattern, high nuclear grade and cellularity, and the presence of necrosis rendered this a malignant PEComa. The present study discussed the case, including radiographic (radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography scans) and histologic appearance and a literature review. PMID:29435023

Parietal pilomyxoid astrocytoma with recurrence in 10 months: A case report and review of literature

PubMed Central

Patibandla, Mohana Rao; Thotakura, Amit K.; Uppin, Megha; Challa, Sundaram; Addagada, Gokul Chowdary; Nukavarapu, Manisha

2016-01-01

Pilomyxoid astrocytoma (PMA) is a new entity described in WHO 2007 classification of brain tumors. Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) and PMA share many histopathological features with a few differences in histopathology and behavior of the tumor. This tumor is commonly located in the hypothalamic chiasmatic region. PMA behaves more aggressively than PA, with shorter progression-free survival as well as a higher rate of recurrence and CNS dissemination. We describe a case of PMA in a 10-year-old male involving left parietal lobe presenting with raised ICP features along with the follow-up. Patient was symptom free after 7 months of postoperative and 5½ months of post-radiation. The unusual site and atypical Magnetic resonance imaging features are distinctive in this case report. PMID:27366287

Protocol for Biomarker Ratio Imaging Microscopy with Specific Application to Ductal Carcinoma In situ of the Breast

PubMed Central

Clark, Andrea J.; Petty, Howard R.

2016-01-01

This protocol describes the methods and steps involved in performing biomarker ratio imaging microscopy (BRIM) using formalin fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples of human breast tissue. The technique is based on the acquisition of two fluorescence images of the same microscopic field using two biomarkers and immunohistochemical tools. The biomarkers are selected such that one biomarker correlates with breast cancer aggressiveness while the second biomarker anti-correlates with aggressiveness. When the former image is divided by the latter image, a computed ratio image is formed that reflects the aggressiveness of tumor cells while increasing contrast and eliminating path-length and other artifacts from the image. For example, the aggressiveness of epithelial cells may be assessed by computing ratio images of N-cadherin and E-cadherin images or CD44 and CD24 images, which specifically reflect the mesenchymal or stem cell nature of the constituent cells, respectively. This methodology is illustrated for tissue samples of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive breast cancer. This tool should be useful in tissue studies of experimental cancer as well as the management of cancer patients. PMID:27857940

Invasive growth patterns of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: radiological imaging and clinical implications.

PubMed

Szymańska, Anna; Szymański, Marcin; Czekajska-Chehab, Elżbieta; Szczerbo-Trojanowska, Małgorzata

2014-07-01

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma is a benign lesion with locally aggressive nature. Knowledge of its typical growth patterns is crucial for precise preoperative staging and adequate preoperative patient counseling. This pictorial essay focuses on characteristic radiological features and paths of invasive growth of this rare tumor. Also, the impact of accurate preoperative evaluation of tumor extensions on surgical planning and results of treatment are discussed. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Primary Hepatic Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma on PET/CT.

PubMed

Liu, Yachao; Xu, Baixuan

2018-06-01

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma is mainly presented in extremities, less commonly in posterior peritoneum, but primary presented in liver is very rare and often with a poor prognosis because of its high aggression. The features of clinical presentations and images are variable and the pre-operative diagnosis is difficult. Here, we report a primary hepatic malignant fibrous histiocytoma patient with no distant metastasis showed on pre-operative F-FDG PET/CT, however with many metastases showed on the post-operative F-FDG PET/CT.

Retroperitoneal Extraskeletal Osteosarcoma: Imaging Findings and Transarterial Chemoembolization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang Huojun, E-mail: chyyzhj@hotmail.com; Yang Jijin, E-mail: yangjijin@live.com; Lu Jianping

2010-04-15

Extraskeletal osteosarcoma (EOS) is an uncommon and usually highly aggressive mesenchymal tumor. Retroperitoneal extraskeletal osteosarma (REOS) is exceedingly rare. Due to the rare nature of the disease, both the diagnosis and the management of REOS can be challenging. We present the clinical history, CT findings, angiographic manifestations, and use of transarterial chemoembolization for treatment in a case of REOS. To our knowledge, the angiographic features of and attempt at transarterial treatment of REOS have not been reported in the literature.

Developmental effects of aggressive behavior in male adolescents assessed with structural and functional brain imaging

PubMed Central

Strenziok, Maren; Krueger, Frank; Heinecke, Armin; Lenroot, Rhoshel K.; Knutson, Kristine M.; van der Meer, Elke

2011-01-01

Aggressive behavior is common during adolescence. Although aggression-related functional changes in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and frontopolar cortex (FPC) have been reported in adults, the neural correlates of aggressive behavior in adolescents, particularly in the context of structural neurodevelopment, are obscure. We used functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure the blood oxygenation level-depended signal and cortical thickness. In a block-designed experiment, 14–17-year old adolescents imagined aggressive and non-aggressive interactions with a peer. We show reduced vmPFC activation associated with imagined aggressive behavior as well as enhanced aggression-related activation and cortical thinning in the FPC with increasing age. Changes in FPC activation were also associated with judgments of the severity of aggressive acts. Reduced vmPFC activation was associated with greater aggression indicating its normal function is to exert inhibitory control over aggressive impulses. Concurrent FPC activation likely reflects foresight of harmful consequences that result from aggressive acts. The correlation of age-dependent activation changes and cortical thinning demonstrates ongoing maturation of the FPC during adolescence towards a refinement of social and cognitive information processing that can potentially facilitate mature social behavior in aggressive contexts. PMID:19770220

Interstitial assessment of aggressive prostate cancer by physio-chemical photoacoustics: an ex vivo study with intact human prostates.

PubMed

Huang, Shengsong; Qin, Yu; Chen, Yingna; Pan, Jing; Xu, Chengdang; Wu, Denglong; Chao, Wan-Yu; Wei, John T; Tomlins, Scott A; Wang, Xueding; Brian Fowlkes, J; Carson, Paul L; Cheng, Qian; Xu, Guan

2018-06-23

Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided biopsy is the standard procedure for evaluating the presence and aggressiveness of prostate cancer. TRUS biopsy involves tissue removal, and suffers from low core yield as well as high false negative rate. A less invasive and more accurate diagnostic procedure for prostate cancer is therefore highly desired. Combining the optical sensitivity and ultrasonic resolution to resolve the spatial distribution of the major molecular components in tissue, photoacoustic (PA) technology could be an alternative approach for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility of identifying aggressive prostate cancer using interstitial PA measurements. 17 patients with pre-biopsy magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), TRUS biopsies and planned prostatectomies were enrolled in this study. The interstitial PA measurements were achieved using our recently developed needle PA probe, which was inserted into the ex vivo prostates in the fashion of a biopsy needle. A total of 70 interstitial PA measurements were acquired. The PA measurements were quantified by a previously established PA physio-chemical analysis (PAPCA) method. The histology has confirmed the nonaggressive and aggressive cancerous conditions at the insertion locations. The diagnostic accuracy was also compared to that provided by the pre-biopsy MRI. The quantitative study shows significant differences between the individual parameters of the nonaggressive and the aggressive cancerous regions (p<0.005). Multivariate analysis of the quantitative features achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 78.6% for differentiating nonaggressive and aggressive prostate cancer tissues CONCLUSIONS: The proposed procedure has shown promises in the diagnosis of aggressive prostate cancer. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Imaging and Outcomes for a New Entity: Low-Grade Sinonasal Sarcoma with Neural and Myogenic Features.

PubMed

Cannon, Richard B; Wiggins, Richard H; Witt, Benjamin L; Dundar, Yusuf; Johnston, Tawni M; Hunt, Jason P

2017-01-01

Objectives  Low-grade sinonasal sarcoma with neural and myogenic features (LGSSNMF) is a new, rare tumor. Our goal is to describe the imaging characteristics and surgical outcomes of this unique skull base malignancy. Design  Retrospective case series. Setting  Academic medical center. Participants  There were three patients who met inclusion criteria with a confirmed LGSSNMF. Main Outcome Measures  Imaging and histopathological characteristics, treatments, survival and recurrence outcomes, complications, morbidity, and mortality. Results  Patients presented with diplopia, facial discomfort, a supraorbital mass, and nasal obstruction. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography imaging in all cases showed an enhancing sinonasal mass with associated hyperostotic bone formation that involved the frontal sinus, invaded the lamina papyracea and anterior skull base, and had intracranial extension. One patient underwent a purely endoscopic surgical resection and the second underwent a craniofacial resection, while the last is pending treatment. All patients recovered well, without morbidity or long-term complications, and are currently without evidence of disease (mean follow-up of 2.1 years). One patient recurred after 17 months and underwent a repeat endoscopic skull base and dural resection. Conclusions  The surgical outcomes and imaging of this unique, locally aggressive skull base tumor are characterized.

Can histogram analysis of MR images predict aggressiveness in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors?

PubMed

De Robertis, Riccardo; Maris, Bogdan; Cardobi, Nicolò; Tinazzi Martini, Paolo; Gobbo, Stefano; Capelli, Paola; Ortolani, Silvia; Cingarlini, Sara; Paiella, Salvatore; Landoni, Luca; Butturini, Giovanni; Regi, Paolo; Scarpa, Aldo; Tortora, Giampaolo; D'Onofrio, Mirko

2018-06-01

To evaluate MRI derived whole-tumour histogram analysis parameters in predicting pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (panNEN) grade and aggressiveness. Pre-operative MR of 42 consecutive patients with panNEN >1 cm were retrospectively analysed. T1-/T2-weighted images and ADC maps were analysed. Histogram-derived parameters were compared to histopathological features using the Mann-Whitney U test. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed by ROC-AUC analysis; sensitivity and specificity were assessed for each histogram parameter. ADC entropy was significantly higher in G2-3 tumours with ROC-AUC 0.757; sensitivity and specificity were 83.3 % (95 % CI: 61.2-94.5) and 61.1 % (95 % CI: 36.1-81.7). ADC kurtosis was higher in panNENs with vascular involvement, nodal and hepatic metastases (p= .008, .021 and .008; ROC-AUC= 0.820, 0.709 and 0.820); sensitivity and specificity were: 85.7/74.3 % (95 % CI: 42-99.2 /56.4-86.9), 36.8/96.5 % (95 % CI: 17.2-61.4 /76-99.8) and 100/62.8 % (95 % CI: 56.1-100/44.9-78.1). No significant differences between groups were found for other histogram-derived parameters (p >.05). Whole-tumour histogram analysis of ADC maps may be helpful in predicting tumour grade, vascular involvement, nodal and liver metastases in panNENs. ADC entropy and ADC kurtosis are the most accurate parameters for identification of panNENs with malignant behaviour. • Whole-tumour ADC histogram analysis can predict aggressiveness in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms. • ADC entropy and kurtosis are higher in aggressive tumours. • ADC histogram analysis can quantify tumour diffusion heterogeneity. • Non-invasive quantification of tumour heterogeneity can provide adjunctive information for prognostication.

Recurrent Temporal Bone Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor with Chondroid Metaplasia: the Use of Imaging to Assess Recurrence

PubMed Central

Pina, Sofia; Fernandez, Maria; Maya, Silvia; Garcia, Roberto A.; Noor, Ali; Pawha, Puneet S.; Som, Peter M.

2014-01-01

Summary Tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) is a benign proliferative lesion of unclear etiology. It is predominantly monoarticular and involves the synovium of the joint, tendon sheath, and bursa. TGCT of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is rare and aggressive resulting in destruction of surrounding structures. The diagnosis may be suggested by imaging, mainly by the MR features and PET/CT, and confirmed by histopathology. We describe the case of a 50-year-old man who presented with right-sided hearing loss, tinnitus and TMJ pain. Pathology revealed tenosynovial giant cell tumor with chondroid metaplasia. Six years later he developed a recurrence, which was documented to our knowledge for the first time with CT, MR and FDG PET/CT imaging. PMID:24571839

Parametric PET/MR Fusion Imaging to Differentiate Aggressive from Indolent Primary Prostate Cancer with Application for Image-Guided Prostate Cancer Biopsies

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

AD_________________ Award Number: W81XWH-12-1-0597 TITLE: Parametric PET /MR Fusion Imaging to...Parametric PET /MR Fusion Imaging to Differentiate Aggressive from Indolent Primary Prostate Cancer with Application for Image-Guided Prostate Cancer Biopsies...The study investigates whether fusion PET /MRI imaging with 18F-choline PET /CT and diffusion-weighted MRI can be successfully applied to target prostate

Individual differences in Scanpaths correspond with serotonin transporter genotype and behavioral phenotype in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

PubMed

Gibboni, Robert R; Zimmerman, Prisca E; Gothard, Katalin M

2009-01-01

Scanpaths (the succession of fixations and saccades during spontaneous viewing) contain information about the image but also about the viewer. To determine the viewer-dependent factors in the scanpaths of monkeys, we trained three adult males (Macaca mulatta) to look for 3 s at images of conspecific facial expressions with either direct or averted gaze. The subjects showed significant differences on four basic scanpath parameters (number of fixations, fixation duration, saccade length, and total scanpath length) when viewing the same facial expression/gaze direction combinations. Furthermore, we found differences between monkeys in feature preference and in the temporal order in which features were visited on different facial expressions. Overall, the between-subject variability was larger than the within- subject variability, suggesting that scanpaths reflect individual preferences in allocating visual attention to various features in aggressive, neutral, and appeasing facial expressions. Individual scanpath characteristics were brought into register with the genotype for the serotonin transporter regulatory gene (5-HTTLPR) and with behavioral characteristics such as expression of anticipatory anxiety and impulsiveness/hesitation in approaching food in the presence of a potentially dangerous object.

Pleiotropic Contribution of MECOM and AVPR1A to Aggression and Subcortical Brain Volumes

PubMed Central

van Donkelaar, Marjolein M. J.; Hoogman, Martine; Pappa, Irene; Tiemeier, Henning; Buitelaar, Jan K.; Franke, Barbara; Bralten, Janita

2018-01-01

Reactive and proactive subtypes of aggression have been recognized to help parse etiological heterogeneity of this complex phenotype. With a heritability of about 50%, genetic factors play a role in the development of aggressive behavior. Imaging studies implicate brain structures related to social behavior in aggression etiology, most notably the amygdala and striatum. This study aimed to gain more insight into the pathways from genetic risk factors for aggression to aggression phenotypes. To this end, we conducted genome-wide gene-based cross-trait meta-analyses of aggression with the volumes of amygdala, nucleus accumbens and caudate nucleus to identify genes influencing both aggression and aggression-related brain volumes. We used data of large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of: (a) aggressive behavior in children and adolescents (EAGLE, N = 18,988); and (b) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-based volume measures of aggression-relevant subcortical brain regions (ENIGMA2, N = 13,171). Second, the identified genes were further investigated in a sample of healthy adults (mean age (SD) = 25.28 (4.62) years; 43% male) who had genome-wide genotyping data and questionnaire data on aggression subtypes available (Brain Imaging Genetics, BIG, N = 501) to study their effect on reactive and proactive subtypes of aggression. Our meta-analysis identified two genes, MECOM and AVPR1A, significantly associated with both aggression risk and nucleus accumbens (MECOM) and amygdala (AVPR1A) brain volume. Subsequent in-depth analysis of these genes in healthy adults (BIG), including sex as an interaction term in the model, revealed no significant subtype-specific gene-wide associations. Using cross-trait meta-analysis of brain measures and psychiatric phenotypes, this study generated new hypotheses about specific links between genes, the brain and behavior. Results indicate that MECOM and AVPR1A may exert an effect on aggression through mechanisms involving nucleus accumbens and amygdala volumes, respectively. PMID:29666571

Violent Video Game Effects on Aggression, Empathy, and Prosocial Behavior in Eastern and Western Countries: A Meta-Analytic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Craig A.; Shibuya, Akiko; Ihori, Nobuko; Swing, Edward L.; Bushman, Brad J.; Sakamoto, Akira; Rothstein, Hannah R.; Saleem, Muniba

2010-01-01

Meta-analytic procedures were used to test the effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, empathy/desensitization, and prosocial behavior. Unique features of this meta-analytic review include (a) more restrictive methodological quality inclusion criteria than in past…

Subsolid pulmonary nodules: imaging evaluation and strategic management.

PubMed

Godoy, Myrna C B; Sabloff, Bradley; Naidich, David P

2012-07-01

Given the higher rate of malignancy of subsolid pulmonary nodules and the considerably lower growth rate of ground-glass nodules (GGNs), dedicated standardized guidelines for management of these nodules have been proposed, including long-term low-dose computed tomography (CT) follow-up (≥3 years). Physicians must be familiar with the strategic management of subsolid pulmonary nodules, and should be able to identify imaging features that suggest invasive adenocarcinoma requiring a more aggressive management. Low-dose CT screening studies for early detection of lung cancer have increased our knowledge of pulmonary nodules, and in particular our understanding of the strong although imperfect correlation of the subsolid pulmonary nodules, including pure GGNs and part-solid nodules, with the spectrum of preinvasive to invasive lung adenocarcinoma. Serial CT imaging has shown stepwise progression in a subset of these nodules, characterized by increase in size and density of pure GGNs and development of a solid component, the latter usually indicating invasive adenocarcinoma. There is close correlation between the CT features of subsolid nodules (SSNs) and the spectrum of lung adenocarcinoma. Standardized guidelines are suggested for management of SSNs.

Neural mediators of the intergenerational transmission of family aggression

PubMed Central

Saxbe, Darby; Del Piero, Larissa Borofsky; Immordino-Yang, Mary Helen; Kaplan, Jonas Todd; Margolin, Gayla

2015-01-01

Youth exposed to family aggression may become more aggressive themselves, but the mechanisms of intergenerational transmission are understudied. In a longitudinal study, we found that adolescents’ reduced neural activation when rating their parents’ emotions, assessed via magnetic resonance imaging, mediated the association between parents’ past aggression and adolescents’ subsequent aggressive behavior toward parents. A subsample of 21 youth, drawn from the larger study, underwent magnetic resonance imaging scanning proximate to the second of two assessments of the family environment. At Time 1 (when youth were on average 15.51 years old) we measured parents’ aggressive marital and parent–child conflict behaviors, and at Time 2 (≈2 years later), we measured youth aggression directed toward parents. Youth from more aggressive families showed relatively less activation to parent stimuli in brain areas associated with salience and socioemotional processing, including the insula and limbic structures. Activation patterns in these same areas were also associated with youths’ subsequent parent-directed aggression. The association between parents’ aggression and youths’ subsequent parent-directed aggression was statistically mediated by signal change coefficients in the insula, right amygdala, thalamus, and putamen. These signal change coefficients were also positively associated with scores on a mentalizing measure. Hypoarousal of the emotional brain to family stimuli may support the intergenerational transmission of family aggression. PMID:26073067

Compulsive Addiction-like Aggressive Behavior in Mice.

PubMed

Golden, Sam A; Heins, Conor; Venniro, Marco; Caprioli, Daniele; Zhang, Michelle; Epstein, David H; Shaham, Yavin

2017-08-15

Some people are highly motivated to seek aggressive encounters, and among those who have been incarcerated for such behavior, recidivism rates are high. These observations echo two core features of drug addiction: high motivation to seek addictive substances, despite adverse consequences, and high relapse rates. Here we used established rodent models of drug addiction to determine whether they would be sensitive to "addiction-like" features of aggression in CD-1 mice. In experiments 1 and 2, we trained older CD-1 mice to lever press for opportunities to attack younger C57BL6/J mice. We then tested them for relapse to aggression seeking after forced abstinence or punishment-induced suppression of aggression self-administration. In experiment 3, we trained a large cohort of CD-1 mice and tested them for choice-based voluntary suppression of aggression seeking, relapse to aggression seeking, progressive ratio responding, and punishment-induced suppression of aggression self-administration. We then used cluster analysis to identify patterns of individual differences in compulsive "addiction-like" aggressive behavior. In experiments 1 and 2, we observed strong motivation to acquire operant self-administration of opportunities to aggress and relapse vulnerability during abstinence. In experiment 3, cluster analysis of the aggression-related measures identified a subset of "addicted" mice (∼19%) that exhibited intense operant-reinforced attack behavior, decreased likelihood to select an alternative reinforcer over aggression, heightened relapse vulnerability and progressive ratio responding, and resilience to punishment-induced suppression of aggressive behavior. Using procedures established to model drug addiction, we showed that a subpopulation of CD-1 mice demonstrate "addiction-like" aggressive behavior, suggesting an evolutionary origin for compulsive aggression. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Complex Spiral Structure in the HD 100546 Transitional Disk as Revealed by GPI and MagAO

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Follette, Katherine B.; Macintosh, Bruce; Mullen, Wyatt

We present optical and near-infrared high-contrast images of the transitional disk HD 100546 taken with the Magellan Adaptive Optics system (MagAO) and the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI). GPI data include both polarized intensity and total intensity imagery, and MagAO data are taken in Simultaneous Differential Imaging mode at H α . The new GPI H -band total intensity data represent a significant enhancement in sensitivity and field rotation compared to previous data sets and enable a detailed exploration of substructure in the disk. The data are processed with a variety of differential imaging techniques (polarized, angular, reference, and simultaneous differentialmore » imaging) in an attempt to identify the disk structures that are most consistent across wavelengths, processing techniques, and algorithmic parameters. The inner disk cavity at 15 au is clearly resolved in multiple data sets, as are a variety of spiral features. While the cavity and spiral structures are identified at levels significantly distinct from the neighboring regions of the disk under several algorithms and with a range of algorithmic parameters, emission at the location of HD 100546 “ c ” varies from point-like under aggressive algorithmic parameters to a smooth continuous structure with conservative parameters, and is consistent with disk emission. Features identified in the HD 100546 disk bear qualitative similarity to computational models of a moderately inclined two-armed spiral disk, where projection effects and wrapping of the spiral arms around the star result in a number of truncated spiral features in forward-modeled images.« less

Ewing sarcoma of the rib with normal blood flow and blood pool imagings on a 3-phase bone scan.

PubMed

Alfeeli, Mahmoud A; Naddaf, Sleiman Y; Syed, Ghulam M S

2005-09-01

Ewing sarcoma is the second most common pediatric malignant bone tumor. It usually presents as a hot spot on a 3-phase bone scan as a result of increased vascularity of the tumor and new bone formation. However, aggressive Ewing sarcoma can also appear as a cold lesion. We present the features of a Ewing sarcoma of the rib on a 3-phase bone scan in a child who was being investigated for rib fracture after trauma.

Incidence of major hemorrhage after aggressive image-guided liver mass biopsy in the era of individualized medicine.

PubMed

Boyum, James H; Atwell, Thomas D; Wall, Darci J; Mansfield, Aaron S; Kerr, Sarah E; Gunderson, Tina M; Rumilla, Kandelaria M; Weisbrod, Adam J; Kurup, A Nicholas

2018-05-17

To analyze a large volume of image-guided liver mass biopsies to assess for an increased incidence of major hemorrhage after aggressive liver mass sampling, and to determine if coaxial technique reduces major hemorrhage rate. Patients who underwent image-guided liver mass biopsy over a 15-year period (December 7, 2001-September 22, 2016) were retrospectively identified. An aggressive biopsy was defined as a biopsy event in which ≥ 4 core needle passes were performed. Association of major hemorrhage after aggressive liver mass biopsy and other potential risk factors of interest were assessed using logistic regression analysis. For the subset of aggressive biopsies, Fisher's exact test was used to compare the incidence of major hemorrhage using coaxial versus noncoaxial techniques. Aggressive biopsies constituted 11.6% of biopsy events (N =579/5011). The incidence of major hemorrhage with <4 passes was 0.4% (N =18/4432) and with ≥4 passes 1.2% (N =6/579). In univariable models, aggressive biopsy was significantly associated with major hemorrhage (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.16-6.92, p =0.025). After adjusting for gender and platelet count, the association was not significant at the p =0.05 level (OR 2.58, 95% CI 0.927-6.24, p =0.067). The rate of major hemorrhage in the coaxial biopsy technique group was 1.4% (N =3/209) compared to 1.1% (N =4/370) in the noncoaxial biopsy technique group, which was not a significant difference (p =0.707). Although aggressive image-guided liver mass biopsies had an increased incidence of major hemorrhage, the overall risk of bleeding remained low. The benefit of such biopsies will almost certainly outweigh the risk in most patients.

Skin lesion computational diagnosis of dermoscopic images: Ensemble models based on input feature manipulation.

PubMed

Oliveira, Roberta B; Pereira, Aledir S; Tavares, João Manuel R S

2017-10-01

The number of deaths worldwide due to melanoma has risen in recent times, in part because melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer. Computational systems have been developed to assist dermatologists in early diagnosis of skin cancer, or even to monitor skin lesions. However, there still remains a challenge to improve classifiers for the diagnosis of such skin lesions. The main objective of this article is to evaluate different ensemble classification models based on input feature manipulation to diagnose skin lesions. Input feature manipulation processes are based on feature subset selections from shape properties, colour variation and texture analysis to generate diversity for the ensemble models. Three subset selection models are presented here: (1) a subset selection model based on specific feature groups, (2) a correlation-based subset selection model, and (3) a subset selection model based on feature selection algorithms. Each ensemble classification model is generated using an optimum-path forest classifier and integrated with a majority voting strategy. The proposed models were applied on a set of 1104 dermoscopic images using a cross-validation procedure. The best results were obtained by the first ensemble classification model that generates a feature subset ensemble based on specific feature groups. The skin lesion diagnosis computational system achieved 94.3% accuracy, 91.8% sensitivity and 96.7% specificity. The input feature manipulation process based on specific feature subsets generated the greatest diversity for the ensemble classification model with very promising results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Towards the Personalized Treatment of Glioblastoma: Integrating Patient-Specific Clinical Data in a Continuous Mechanical Model

PubMed Central

Faggiano, Elena; Boffano, Carlo; Acerbi, Francesco; Ciarletta, Pasquale

2015-01-01

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive and malignant among brain tumors. In addition to uncontrolled proliferation and genetic instability, GBM is characterized by a diffuse infiltration, developing long protrusions that penetrate deeply along the fibers of the white matter. These features, combined with the underestimation of the invading GBM area by available imaging techniques, make a definitive treatment of GBM particularly difficult. A multidisciplinary approach combining mathematical, clinical and radiological data has the potential to foster our understanding of GBM evolution in every single patient throughout his/her oncological history, in order to target therapeutic weapons in a patient-specific manner. In this work, we propose a continuous mechanical model and we perform numerical simulations of GBM invasion combining the main mechano-biological characteristics of GBM with the micro-structural information extracted from radiological images, i.e. by elaborating patient-specific Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) data. The numerical simulations highlight the influence of the different biological parameters on tumor progression and they demonstrate the fundamental importance of including anisotropic and heterogeneous patient-specific DTI data in order to obtain a more accurate prediction of GBM evolution. The results of the proposed mathematical model have the potential to provide a relevant benefit for clinicians involved in the treatment of this particularly aggressive disease and, more importantly, they might drive progress towards improving tumor control and patient’s prognosis. PMID:26186462

T2-weighted MRI-derived textural features reflect prostate cancer aggressiveness: preliminary results.

PubMed

Nketiah, Gabriel; Elschot, Mattijs; Kim, Eugene; Teruel, Jose R; Scheenen, Tom W; Bathen, Tone F; Selnæs, Kirsten M

2017-07-01

To evaluate the diagnostic relevance of T2-weighted (T2W) MRI-derived textural features relative to quantitative physiological parameters derived from diffusion-weighted (DW) and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI in Gleason score (GS) 3+4 and 4+3 prostate cancers. 3T multiparametric-MRI was performed on 23 prostate cancer patients prior to prostatectomy. Textural features [angular second moment (ASM), contrast, correlation, entropy], apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and DCE pharmacokinetic parameters (K trans and V e ) were calculated from index tumours delineated on the T2W, DW, and DCE images, respectively. The association between the textural features and prostatectomy GS and the MRI-derived parameters, and the utility of the parameters in differentiating between GS 3+4 and 4+3 prostate cancers were assessed statistically. ASM and entropy correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with both GS and median ADC. Contrast correlated moderately with median ADC. The textural features correlated insignificantly with K trans and V e . GS 4+3 cancers had significantly lower ASM and higher entropy than 3+4 cancers, but insignificant differences in median ADC, K trans , and V e . The combined texture-MRI parameters yielded higher classification accuracy (91%) than the individual parameter sets. T2W MRI-derived textural features could serve as potential diagnostic markers, sensitive to the pathological differences in prostate cancers. • T2W MRI-derived textural features correlate significantly with Gleason score and ADC. • T2W MRI-derived textural features differentiate Gleason score 3+4 from 4+3 cancers. • T2W image textural features could augment tumour characterization.

[Comparative Analysis of Behavior in The Open-field Test in Wild Grey Rats (Rattus norvegicus) and in Grey Rats Subjected to Prolonged Selection for Tame And Aggressive Behavior].

PubMed

Kozhemyakina, R V; Konoshenko, M Yu; Sakharov, D G; Smagin, D A; Markel, A L

2016-01-01

The aim of this work is analysis of the open-field behavior in grey rats selected for the tame and aggressive behavior in comparison with the wild grey rats. Significant influences of the rat group factor on the 13 of 19 behavioral features studied in the open-field were found. This effect, in general, depends on existence of great differences between behaviors of the wild rats from the one hand and behaviors of the tame and aggressive rats from the other. The behaviors of the rats from the last two groups are practically identical. Multidimensional analysis confirms the distinct separation in coordinates of the two main components of the wild rat behavior from the behavior of both the tame and selectively bred aggressive rats. The first main component dimension corresponds to the grade of fear, which was significantly enhanced in the wild rats. So, in spite of the equality of behavioral aggressiveness of the wild rats and the rats selected for aggression with the glove test, the behavior of selected aggressive rats in the open-field is analogous to behavior of the rats selected for tameness. Comparison of behavioral features with the hormonal stress responsiveness allowed us to conclude that the aggressive behavior of the wild and se lected for aggression rats based on different motivational and neuroendocrine processes.

Optimum ArFi laser bandwidth for 10nm node logic imaging performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alagna, Paolo; Zurita, Omar; Timoshkov, Vadim; Wong, Patrick; Rechtsteiner, Gregory; Baselmans, Jan; Mailfert, Julien

2015-03-01

Lithography process window (PW) and CD uniformity (CDU) requirements are being challenged with scaling across all device types. Aggressive PW and yield specifications put tight requirements on scanner performance, especially on focus budgets resulting in complicated systems for focus control. In this study, an imec N10 Logic-type test vehicle was used to investigate the E95 bandwidth impact on six different Metal 1 Logic features. The imaging metrics that track the impact of light source E95 bandwidth on performance of hot spots are: process window (PW), line width roughness (LWR), and local critical dimension uniformity (LCDU). In the first section of this study, the impact of increasing E95 bandwidth was investigated to observe the lithographic process control response of the specified logic features. In the second section, a preliminary assessment of the impact of lower E95 bandwidth was performed. The impact of lower E95 bandwidth on local intensity variability was monitored through the CDU of line end features and the LWR power spectral density (PSD) of line/space patterns. The investigation found that the imec N10 test vehicle (with OPC optimized for standard E95 bandwidth of300fm) features exposed at 200fm showed pattern specific responses, suggesting areas of potential interest for further investigation.

Prosocial Behavior Moderates the Effects of Aggression on Young Adolescents' Friendships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Kristina L.; Wang, Jennifer; Menzer, Melissa M.; Rubin, Kenneth H.; Booth-LaForce, Cathryn

2011-01-01

The current study explored how prosocial behavior may moderate how aggression is related to the features of adolescents' friendships. Young adolescents (N = 910) completed friendship nominations in the fall and spring of their first year of middle school. Behavioral nominations of aggression and prosocial behavior were also collected in the fall.…

Aggression and Cooperation: Helping Young Children Develop Constructive Strategies. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewett, Jan

Aggression and cooperation, which represent two critical features in the child's social domain, have one element in common: they both emerge from children's strong developmental push to initiate and maintain relationships with other children. Aggression is defined as any intentional behavior that results in physical or mental injury to any person…

Watching Aggressive, Attractive, Female Protagonists Shapes Gender Roles for Women Among Male and Female Undergraduate Viewers.

PubMed

Taylor, Laramie D; Setters, Tiffany

2011-07-01

The impact of exposure to media representations of aggressive, attractive, female protagonists on audiences' gender role expectations for women was explored through a laboratory experiment with 122 undergraduates from a large university on the west coast of the United States. Participants viewed a segment of a major Hollywood motion picture that featured a female protagonist who was either highly attractive or less attractive and either highly aggressive or not aggressive. Viewing clips featuring a female protagonist who was both aggressive and stereotypically attractive led to greater endorsement of stereotypically feminine and stereotypically masculine gender role expectations for women. The effect on endorsement of stereotypically masculine expectations was partially mediated by the perception that the protagonist was a good role model for women. Although women endorsed both feminine and masculine gender role expectations for women more strongly than men, the effects of exposure to aggressive, attractive, female protagonists were similar for both male and female participants. Results are discussed in terms of gender stereotype activation and superwoman expectations for women.

The Influence of Classroom Aggression and Classroom Climate on Aggressive-Disruptive Behavior

PubMed Central

Thomas, Duane E.; Bierman, Karen L.; Powers, CJ

2011-01-01

Research suggests that early classroom experiences influence the socialization of aggression. Tracking changes in the aggressive behavior of 4179 children from kindergarten to second-grade (ages 5–8) this study examined the impact of two important features of the classroom context–aggregate peer aggression and climates characterized by supportive teacher-student interactions. The aggregate aggression scores of children assigned to first-grade classrooms predicted the level of classroom aggression (assessed by teacher ratings) and quality of classroom climate (assessed by observers) that emerged by the end of grade 1. HLM analyses revealed that first-grade classroom aggression and quality of classroom climate made independent contributions to changes in student aggression, as students moved from kindergarten to second grade. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. PMID:21434887

Social and physical aggression trajectories from childhood through late adolescence: Predictors of psychosocial maladjustment at age 18.

PubMed

Ehrenreich, Samuel E; Beron, Kurt J; Underwood, Marion K

2016-03-01

This research examined whether following social and physical aggression trajectories across Grades 3-12 predicted psychological maladjustment. Teachers rated participants' (n = 287, 138 boys) aggressive behavior at the end of each school year. Following the 12th grade, psychosocial outcomes were measured: rule-breaking behaviors, internalizing symptoms, and narcissistic and borderline personality features. Following the highest social aggression trajectory predicted rule-breaking behavior; the medium social aggression trajectory was not a significant predictor of any outcome. Following the highest physical aggression trajectory predicted rule-breaking, internalizing symptoms, and narcissism, whereas the medium physical aggression trajectory predicted rule-breaking and internalizing symptoms. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Social and physical aggression trajectories from childhood through late adolescence: Predictors of psychosocial maladjustment at age 18

PubMed Central

Ehrenreich, Samuel E.; Beron, Kurt J.; Underwood, Marion K.

2016-01-01

This research examined whether following social and physical aggression trajectories across grades 3–12 predicted psychological maladjustment. Teachers rated participants’ (n=287, 138 boys) aggressive behavior at the end of each school year. Following the 12th grade, psychosocial outcomes were measured: rule-breaking behaviors, internalizing symptoms, and narcissistic and borderline personality features. Following the highest social aggression trajectory predicted rule-breaking behavior; the medium social aggression trajectory was not a significant predictor of any outcome. Following the highest physical aggression trajectory predicted rule-breaking, internalizing symptoms and narcissism, whereas the medium physical aggression trajectory predicted rule-breaking and internalizing symptoms. PMID:26891018

Determining local and contextual features describing appearance of difficult to identify mitotic figures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gandomkar, Ziba; Brennan, Patrick C.; Mello-Thoms, Claudia

2017-03-01

Mitotic count is helpful in determining the aggressiveness of breast cancer. In previous studies, it was shown that the agreement among pathologists for grading mitotic index is fairly modest, as mitoses have a large variety of appearances and they could be mistaken for other similar objects. In this study, we determined local and contextual features that differ significantly between easily identifiable mitoses and challenging ones. The images were obtained from the Mitosis-Atypia 2014 challenge. In total, the dataset contained 453 mitotic figures. Two pathologists annotated each mitotic figure. In case of disagreement, an opinion from a third pathologist was requested. The mitoses were grouped into three categories, those recognized as "a true mitosis" by both pathologists ,those labelled as "a true mitosis" by only one of the first two readers and also the third pathologist, and those annotated as "probably a mitosis" by all readers or the majority of them. After color unmixing, the mitoses were segmented from H channel. Shape-based features along with intensity-based and textural features were extracted from H-channel, blue ratio channel and five different color spaces. Holistic features describing each image were also considered. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to identify significantly different features. Multiple comparisons were done using the rank-based version of Tukey-Kramer test. The results indicated that there are local and global features which differ significantly among different groups. In addition, variations between mitoses in different groups were captured in the features from HSL and LCH color space more than other ones.

Violence in Music Videos: Examining the Prevalence and Context of Physical Aggression.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Stacy L.; Boyson, Aaron R.

2002-01-01

Examines violence in music video programming. Reveals that 15% of music videos feature violence, and most of that aggression is sanitized, not chastised, and presented in realistic contexts. Discusses the findings in terms of the risk that exposure to violence in each channel and genre may be posing to viewers' learning of aggression, fear, and…

Does Computed Tomography Have the Ability to Differentiate Aggressive From Nonaggressive Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm?

PubMed

Rastogi, Ashita; Assing, Mathew; Taggart, Mellisa; Rao, Brinda; Sun, Jia; Elsayes, Khaled; Tamm, Eric; Bhosale, Priya

The aim of the study was to assess the ability of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) to differentiate aggressive from nonaggressive solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPNs). Forty treatment-naive patients with pathologically proven pancreatic SPNs were included. Imaging characteristics were determined by consensus of 3 radiologists blinded to histopathologic aggressiveness. All patients underwent 4-phase CECT using a pancreatic protocol. The regions of interest of the tumor and the normal pancreas were documented on all phases. Lymph nodes were considered metastatic if greater than 1.0 cm in short-axis diameter.Fisher exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare between aggressive and nonaggressive tumors. No significant difference was noted between imaging covariates, such as internal hemorrhage, calcification, wall thickness perceptibility, vascular invasion, margins, cystic component, and pancreatic and biliary ductal dilation. Tumors with greater than 62.5 Hounsfield units and progressive enhancement during the delayed phase had aggressive characteristics (P = 0.03). On delayed phase CECT, pathologically aggressive SPNs may show greater enhancement than nonaggressive SPNs.

Cutaneous involvement in multiple myeloma (MM): A case series with clinicopathologic correlation.

PubMed

Malysz, Jozef; Talamo, Giampaolo; Zhu, Junjia; Clarke, Loren E; Bayerl, Michael G; Ali, Liaqat; Helm, Klaus F; Chung, Catherine G

2016-05-01

Disease-specific skin lesions are rare in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). We sought to further characterize the clinical and pathologic features of patients with cutaneous involvement with MM. We identified 13 patients with cutaneous lesions of MM. Cutaneous lesions consisted of pink, red, and violaceous papules, nodules, and/or plaques that varied in size. Histopathology revealed atypical plasma cells with occasional plasmablastic features. MM had aggressive biologic features and was at an advanced stage in the majority of patients. Despite aggressive management, including chemotherapy and stem-cell transplantation, most patients died of progressive disease within a few months after the development of cutaneous lesions. The study group was relatively small. Cutaneous involvement with MM is associated with aggressive biologic behavior and short survival. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bilateral primary xanthoma of the humeri with pathologic fractures: A case report

PubMed Central

Ali, Sayed; Fedenko, Alex; Syed, Ali B; Matcuk, George; Patel, Dakshesh; Gottsegen, Chris; White, Eric

2013-01-01

Xanthomas are rare bone tumors that occur more often in the appendicular skeleton and typically appear radiographically benign, with a narrow zone of transition and a sclerotic rim. We report the case of a 57-year-old woman with hyperlipidemia presenting with bilateral shoulder pain after minor trauma. Radiographic and histopathologic investigation demonstrated intraosseous xanthoma with atypical features, including multifocality, a wide zone of transition and pathologic fractures-characteristics more commonly associated with aggressive lesions such as multiple myeloma or metastasis. The diagnosis, imaging, and histological appearance of xanthoma of bone are reviewed. PMID:24198913

Atypical Intracranial Epidermoid Cysts: Rare Anomalies with Unique Radiological Features

PubMed Central

Law, Eric K. C.; Lee, Ryan K. L.; Ng, Alex W. H.; Siu, Deyond Y. W.; Ng, Ho-Keung

2015-01-01

Epidermoid cysts are benign slow growing extra-axial tumours that insinuate between brain structures, while their occurrences in intra-axial or intradiploic locations are exceptionally rare. We present the clinical, imaging, and pathological findings in two patients with atypical epidermoid cysts. CT and MRI findings for the first case revealed an intraparenchymal epidermoid cyst that demonstrated no restricted diffusion. The second case demonstrated an aggressive epidermoid cyst that invaded into the intradiploic spaces, transverse sinus, and the calvarium. The timing of ectodermal tissue sequestration during fetal development may account for the occurrence of atypical epidermoid cysts. PMID:25667778

Surgical management of an infected aggressive florid cemento-osseous dysplasia. Report of a case.

PubMed

Martini, M Zillo; de Carvalho Júnior, J Pereira; Soares, H Arid

2006-09-01

Florid cemento-osseous dysplasia (FCOD) is a quite rare condition presenting in the jaws and is most seen in middle-aged black women, from the 4th decade of life on. The pathogenesis of the cemento-osseous dysplasias remains unknown; however, they seem to represent some kind of reactional or dysplastic process. We describe an aggressive case of infected florid cemento-osseous dysplasia (IFCOD) in a 47-year-old black woman. Extensive dysplastic lesions affected all jaw quadrants and radiographic features showed images of irregular radiopaque multilobular masses, peripherally lined by a radiolucent layer. We decided to keep the patient in the hospital in order to perform endovenous medication, hydration, drainage and general care. The surgery planning would be started as soon as regression of the acute feature was observed. Histopathologic analysis revealed the lesion was composed by osseous and cementoid tissues, being its diagnosis compatible with FCOD. The surgical procedure was accomplished with the patient under general anesthesia. It was opted for the excision of the lesion in all quadrants, with sequestrectomy and total dental extraction and remodelling of the alveolar ridges. After 9 months of follow-up the patient is still undergoing clinical control, presenting healing within the expected patterns. Symptomatic cases follow-up should be lasting and periodical, since there are reports of recurrence.

Quantitative Imaging in Cancer Evolution and Ecology

PubMed Central

Grove, Olya; Gillies, Robert J.

2013-01-01

Cancer therapy, even when highly targeted, typically fails because of the remarkable capacity of malignant cells to evolve effective adaptations. These evolutionary dynamics are both a cause and a consequence of cancer system heterogeneity at many scales, ranging from genetic properties of individual cells to large-scale imaging features. Tumors of the same organ and cell type can have remarkably diverse appearances in different patients. Furthermore, even within a single tumor, marked variations in imaging features, such as necrosis or contrast enhancement, are common. Similar spatial variations recently have been reported in genetic profiles. Radiologic heterogeneity within tumors is usually governed by variations in blood flow, whereas genetic heterogeneity is typically ascribed to random mutations. However, evolution within tumors, as in all living systems, is subject to Darwinian principles; thus, it is governed by predictable and reproducible interactions between environmental selection forces and cell phenotype (not genotype). This link between regional variations in environmental properties and cellular adaptive strategies may permit clinical imaging to be used to assess and monitor intratumoral evolution in individual patients. This approach is enabled by new methods that extract, report, and analyze quantitative, reproducible, and mineable clinical imaging data. However, most current quantitative metrics lack spatialness, expressing quantitative radiologic features as a single value for a region of interest encompassing the whole tumor. In contrast, spatially explicit image analysis recognizes that tumors are heterogeneous but not well mixed and defines regionally distinct habitats, some of which appear to harbor tumor populations that are more aggressive and less treatable than others. By identifying regional variations in key environmental selection forces and evidence of cellular adaptation, clinical imaging can enable us to define intratumoral Darwinian dynamics before and during therapy. Advances in image analysis will place clinical imaging in an increasingly central role in the development of evolution-based patient-specific cancer therapy. © RSNA, 2013 PMID:24062559

A computer vision system for diagnosing scoliosis using moiré images.

PubMed

Batouche, M; Benlamri, R; Kholladi, M K

1996-07-01

For young people, scoliosis deformities are an evolving process which must be detected and treated as early as possible. The moiré technique is simple, inexpensive, not aggressive and especially convenient for detecting spinal deformations. Doctors make their diagnosis by analysing the symmetry of fringes obtained by such techniques. In this paper, we present a computer vision system for help diagnosing spinal deformations using noisy moiré images of the human back. The approach adopted in this paper consists of extracting fringe contours from moiré images, then localizing some anatomical features (the spinal column, lumbar hollow and shoulder blades) which are crucial for 3D surface generation carried out using Mota's relaxation operator. Finally, rules furnished by doctors are used to derive the kind of spinal deformation and to yield the diagnosis. The proposed system has been tested on a set of noisy moiré images, and the experimental result have shown its robustness and reliability for the recognition of most scoliosis deformities.

[Some features of learning in swimming Morris test in rats selected for behavior towards human].

PubMed

Pliusnina, I Z; Shchepina, O A; Os'kina, I N; Trut, L N

2007-01-01

Some features of learning in Morris water test were studied in gray rats after a long-term selection for elimination (tame strain) and enhancement (aggressive strain) of aggressiveness towards human. The content of plasma corticosteroids was estimated at different stages of learning. It was shown that tame rats were better in performance of a special Morris task than aggressive ones. The time of search for invisible platform was increased in aggressive rats owing to the fact that they spent more time near the pool walls. Also, time of rearing at the platform was higher in tame rats compared to aggressive animals. In the retention test, rats of both strains spent significantly more time in the target quadrant than they did in other quadrants. Rats of both strains did not differ in time of search for invisible platform when it was replaced to the opposite quadrant. After the first day of learning, the corticosteroid plasma level was lower in tame rats than aggressive animals. During the following days of training, the content of the hormone increased in tame rats and did not differ from aggressive rats. It is supposed that, in tame rats, low emotionality and stress response facilitated learning in Morris water test.

Aggressive Variants of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Hobnail, Tall Cell, Columnar, and Solid.

PubMed

Nath, Meryl C; Erickson, Lori A

2018-05-01

Papillary thyroid carcinomas are the most common endocrine cancer and are usually associated with good survival. However, some variants of papillary thyroid carcinomas may behave more aggressively than classic papillary thyroid carcinomas. The tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma is the most common aggressive variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. The aggressive behavior has been ascribed to the histologic subtype and/or to the clinicopathologic features, an issue that remains controversial. The columnar variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma can be aggressive, particularly in older patients, with larger tumors showing a diffusely infiltrative growth pattern and extrathyroidal extension. A papillary thyroid carcinoma is designated as solid/trabecular variant when all or nearly all of a tumor not belonging to any of the other variants has a solid, trabecular, or nested (insular) appearance. This tumor must be distinguished from poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma which has the same growth pattern but lacks nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma and may show tumor necrosis and high mitotic activity. New to the fourth edition of the WHO Classification of Tumours of Endocrine Organs, the hobnail variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma is a moderately differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma variant with aggressive clinical behavior and significant mortality. All of these variants are histologically unique and important to recognize due to their aggressive behavior.

Aggressive intraosseous lipoma of the intermediate phalanges of the thumb.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Kazuhiko; Nishimura, Shunji; Kakinoki, Ryosuke; Akagi, Masao

2018-07-01

Intraosseous lipomas occurring in the bones of the upper limbs are very rare. The tumor often occurs in long bones, especially the calcaneus. Usually patients with intraosseous lipomas present with mild clinical features. Thus far, bone destruction caused by the tumor has not been reported. The present study reported a case of an aggressive intraosseous lipoma that developed in the intermediate phalanges of the thumb. This is an extremely rare case with extraosseous development, which occurred at a rare site. A 47-year old woman presented to us with right thumb pain and swelling. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass extending to the outer edge of the phalangeal bone. The patient was treated with surgery the remove the tumor. Artificial bone was used to refill the area due to the lack of cancellous bone. During the clinical management of lipomas, it is important to consider that intraosseous lipomas may spread out of the bone; moreover, the tumor should be removed immediately to help reduce the possibility of bone destruction.

718F-FDG PET/CT metabolic tumor parameters and radiomics features in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as predictors of treatment outcome and survival.

PubMed

Parvez, Aatif; Tau, Noam; Hussey, Douglas; Maganti, Manjula; Metser, Ur

2018-05-12

To determine whether metabolic tumor parameters and radiomic features extracted from 18 F-FDG PET/CT (PET) can predict response to therapy and outcome in patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma. This institutional ethics board-approved retrospective study included 82 patients undergoing PET for aggressive B-cell lymphoma staging. Whole-body metabolic tumor volume (MTV) using various thresholds and tumor radiomic features were assessed on representative tumor sites. The extracted features were correlated with treatment response, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). At the end of therapy, 66 patients (80.5%) had shown complete response to therapy. The parameters correlating with response to therapy were bulky disease > 6 cm at baseline (p = 0.026), absence of a residual mass > 1.5 cm at the end of therapy CT (p = 0.028) and whole-body MTV with best performance using an SUV threshold of 3 and 6 (p = 0.015 and 0.009, respectively). None of the tumor texture features were predictive of first-line therapy response, while a few of them including GLNU correlated with disease-free survival (p = 0.013) and kurtosis correlated with overall survival (p = 0.035). Whole-body MTV correlates with response to therapy in patient with aggressive B-cell lymphoma. Tumor texture features could not predict therapy response, although several features correlated with the presence of a residual mass at the end of therapy CT and others correlated with disease-free and overall survival. These parameters should be prospectively validated in a larger cohort to confirm clinical prognostication.

Features of Social Attitudes and Value Orientations of Youths and Adolescents Prone to Auto-Aggressive Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salakhova, Valentina B.; Oschepkov, Aleksey A.; Lipatova, Nadezda V.; Popov, Pavel V.; Mkrtumova, Irina V.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the study is due to the growth of social symptoms of aggression directed forwards the Self, which is especially visible in environment of young people. The presented article is aimed at research relations between value orientations and social attitudes among youths and adolescents prone to auto-aggressive behavior. The…

A note on the stability and discriminability of graph-based features for classification problems in digital pathology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz-Roa, Angel; Xu, Jun; Madabhushi, Anant

2015-01-01

Nuclear architecture or the spatial arrangement of individual cancer nuclei on histopathology images has been shown to be associated with different grades and differential risk for a number of solid tumors such as breast, prostate, and oropharyngeal. Graph-based representations of individual nuclei (nuclei representing the graph nodes) allows for mining of quantitative metrics to describe tumor morphology. These graph features can be broadly categorized into global and local depending on the type of graph construction method. While a number of local graph (e.g. Cell Cluster Graphs) and global graph (e.g. Voronoi, Delaunay Triangulation, Minimum Spanning Tree) features have been shown to associated with cancer grade, risk, and outcome for different cancer types, the sensitivity of the preceding segmentation algorithms in identifying individual nuclei can have a significant bearing on the discriminability of the resultant features. This therefore begs the question as to which features while being discriminative of cancer grade and aggressiveness are also the most resilient to the segmentation errors. These properties are particularly desirable in the context of digital pathology images, where the method of slide preparation, staining, and type of nuclear segmentation algorithm employed can all dramatically affect the quality of the nuclear graphs and corresponding features. In this paper we evaluated the trade off between discriminability and stability of both global and local graph-based features in conjunction with a few different segmentation algorithms and in the context of two different histopathology image datasets of breast cancer from whole-slide images (WSI) and tissue microarrays (TMA). Specifically in this paper we investigate a few different performance measures including stability, discriminability and stability vs discriminability trade off, all of which are based on p-values from the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance for local and global graph features. Apart from identifying the set of local and global features that satisfied the trade off between stability and discriminability, our most interesting finding was that a simple segmentation method was sufficient to identify the most discriminant features for invasive tumour detection in TMAs, whereas for tumour grading in WSI, the graph based features were more sensitive to the accuracy of the segmentation algorithm employed.

The influence of classroom aggression and classroom climate on aggressive-disruptive behavior.

PubMed

Thomas, Duane E; Bierman, Karen L; Powers, C J

2011-01-01

Research suggests that early classroom experiences influence the socialization of aggression. Tracking changes in the aggressive behavior of 4,179 children from kindergarten to second-grade (ages 5-8), this study examined the impact of 2 important features of the classroom context--aggregate peer aggression and climates characterized by supportive teacher-student interactions. The aggregate aggression scores of children assigned to first-grade classrooms predicted the level of classroom aggression (assessed by teacher ratings) and quality of classroom climate (assessed by observers) that emerged by the end of Grade 1. Hierarchical linear model analyses revealed that first-grade classroom aggression and quality of classroom climate made independent contributions to changes in student aggression, as students moved from kindergarten to second grade. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. © 2011 The Authors. Child Development © 2011 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

My Sassy Girl: a qualitative study of women's aggression in dating relationships in Beijing.

PubMed

Wang, Xiying; Petula; Ho, Sik Ying

2007-05-01

The Korean film My Sassy Girl was very popular among young people in urban China in 2001. After the release of the movie, the new image of the "sassy girl" emerged in different media. This study uses the media image of the sassy girl as a stimulus material in interviews and focus groups to explore how young men and women make sense of women's aggression in dating relationships. This qualitative study is mainly based on two focus groups and in-depth interviews with 20 informants (13 female and 7 male). The study sheds light on how the competing and multilayered discourses in contemporary China regarding gender, love, and sex have left some space for young adults to justify women's aggression in dating relationships. We see how young adults in Beijing situate themselves within this set of social cultural discourses and make use of them to "do" their gender through their aggressive behavior and interactions with each other. New images of men and women are thereby created.

Boys’ and Girls’ Relational and Physical Aggression in Nine Countries

PubMed Central

Lansford, Jennifer E.; Skinner, Ann T.; Sorbring, Emma; Di Giunta, Laura; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Malone, Patrick S.; Oburu, Paul; Pastorelli, Concetta; Tapanya, Sombat; Tirado, Liliana Maria Uribe; Zelli, Arnaldo; Al-Hassan, Suha M.; Alampay, Liane Peña; Bacchini, Dario; Bombi, Anna Silvia; Bornstein, Marc H.; Chang, Lei

2012-01-01

Distinguishing between relational and physical aggression has become a key feature of many developmental studies in North America and Western Europe, but very little information is available on relational aggression in more diverse cultural contexts. This study examined the factor structure of, gender differences in, and associations between relational and physical aggression in China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States. Children ages 7 to 10 years (N = 1410) reported on their relationally and physically aggressive behavior. Relational and physical aggression shared a common factor structure across countries. Unsurprisingly, boys reported being more physically aggressive than girls across all nine countries; surprisingly, there were no significant gender differences in relational aggression. In all nine countries, relational and physical aggression were significantly correlated (average r = .49). The countries differed significantly in the mean levels of both relational and physical aggression that children reported using and with respect to whether children reported using more physical than relational aggression or more relational than physical aggression. Despite mean level differences in relational and physical aggression across countries, the findings provided support for cross-country similarities in associations between relational and physical aggression, as well as links between gender and aggression. PMID:23935227

The Influence of Empathy and Morality of Violent Video Game Characters on Gamers' Aggression.

PubMed

Gao, Xuemei; Weng, Lei; Zhou, Yuhong; Yu, Hongling

2017-01-01

According to the General Aggression Model, situational factors (such as the game characters) and personal factors both affect a gamer's acquisition of aggressive behavior. Previous studies have found not only that the surface features of game characters, such as appearance and clothing, but also that their inherent characteristics, such as morality and identity, can influence a gamer's attitude and behavior. Research has also shown that empathy, as a personal factor, can protect gamers from the impact of media violence. However, past research has focused primarily on single factors affecting the player rather than more comprehensive investigations. This study investigates the influence of the game character's moral features and levels of empathy on the gamer's aggression. The participants were 120 Chinese university students (61 females and 59 males) with ages ranging from 17 to 27 years. Participants first completed a series of questionnaires: a user experience questionnaire, a video game questionnaire, the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, and a modified version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. All participants then had 5 min of practice playing a violent video game. They were then divided into three groups: a high empathy group, a low empathy group, and a no empathy group. After the practice, participants in the high and low empathy groups read empathy materials relating to the game characters; participants in the no empathy group began formal gameplay. All participants played the game for 20 min. Finally, participants were required to complete the Scale of Hostility Status questionnaire, the Implicit Aggression Test, and the Competitive Reaction Time Test. The results show that empathy and the morality of game characters both influence aggression, but empathy affected aggression differently in the participants playing justified roles (i.e., killing others for a moral reason in the game) compared to those playing unjustified roles (i.e., killing others for immoral reasons in the game). In the high empathy condition, the implicit aggression of justified players was significantly higher than those playing unjustified roles. However, high empathy does not always play a protective role, and its effect is restricted by the features of the game characters.

The Influence of Empathy and Morality of Violent Video Game Characters on Gamers’ Aggression

PubMed Central

Gao, Xuemei; Weng, Lei; Zhou, Yuhong; Yu, Hongling

2017-01-01

According to the General Aggression Model, situational factors (such as the game characters) and personal factors both affect a gamer’s acquisition of aggressive behavior. Previous studies have found not only that the surface features of game characters, such as appearance and clothing, but also that their inherent characteristics, such as morality and identity, can influence a gamer’s attitude and behavior. Research has also shown that empathy, as a personal factor, can protect gamers from the impact of media violence. However, past research has focused primarily on single factors affecting the player rather than more comprehensive investigations. This study investigates the influence of the game character’s moral features and levels of empathy on the gamer’s aggression. The participants were 120 Chinese university students (61 females and 59 males) with ages ranging from 17 to 27 years. Participants first completed a series of questionnaires: a user experience questionnaire, a video game questionnaire, the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, and a modified version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. All participants then had 5 min of practice playing a violent video game. They were then divided into three groups: a high empathy group, a low empathy group, and a no empathy group. After the practice, participants in the high and low empathy groups read empathy materials relating to the game characters; participants in the no empathy group began formal gameplay. All participants played the game for 20 min. Finally, participants were required to complete the Scale of Hostility Status questionnaire, the Implicit Aggression Test, and the Competitive Reaction Time Test. The results show that empathy and the morality of game characters both influence aggression, but empathy affected aggression differently in the participants playing justified roles (i.e., killing others for a moral reason in the game) compared to those playing unjustified roles (i.e., killing others for immoral reasons in the game). In the high empathy condition, the implicit aggression of justified players was significantly higher than those playing unjustified roles. However, high empathy does not always play a protective role, and its effect is restricted by the features of the game characters. PMID:29184515

Red clothing increases perceived dominance, aggression and anger

PubMed Central

Wiedemann, Diana; Burt, D. Michael; Hill, Russell A.; Barton, Robert A.

2015-01-01

The presence and intensity of red coloration correlate with male dominance and testosterone in a variety of animal species, and even artificial red stimuli can influence dominance interactions. In humans, red stimuli are perceived as more threatening and dominant than other colours, and wearing red increases the probability of winning sporting contests. We investigated whether red clothing biases the perception of aggression and dominance outside of competitive settings, and whether red influences decoding of emotional expressions. Participants rated digitally manipulated images of men for aggression and dominance and categorized the emotional state of these stimuli. Men were rated as more aggressive and more dominant when presented in red than when presented in either blue or grey. The effect on perceived aggression was found for male and female raters, but only male raters were sensitive to red as a signal of dominance. In a categorization test, images were significantly more often categorized as ‘angry’ when presented in the red condition, demonstrating that colour stimuli affect perceptions of emotions. This suggests that the colour red may be a cue used to predict propensity for dominance and aggression in human males. PMID:25972401

Aggression and Quantitative MRI Measures of Caudate in Patients With Chronic Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder

PubMed Central

Hoptman, Matthew J.; Volavka, Jan; Czobor, Pál; Gerig, Guido; Chakos, Miranda; Blocher, Joseph; Citrome, Leslie L.; Sheitman, Brain; Lindenmayer, Jean-Pierre; Lieberman, Jeffrey A.; Bilder, Robert M.

2007-01-01

Caudate dysfunction is implicated in schizophrenia. However, little is known about the relationship between aggression and caudate volumes. Forty-nine patients received magnetic resonance imaging scanning in a double-blind treatment study in which aggression was measured. Caudate volumes were computed using a semiautomated method. The authors measured aggression with the Overt Aggression Scale and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Larger caudate volumes were associated with greater levels of aggression. The relationship between aggression and caudate volumes may be related to the iatrogenic effects of long-term treatment with typical anti-psychotic agents or to a direct effect of schizophrenic processes on the caudate. PMID:17135376

Fight for your breeding right: hierarchy re-establishment predicts aggression in a social queue

PubMed Central

Wong, Marian; Balshine, Sigal

2011-01-01

Social aggression is one of the most conspicuous features of animal societies, yet little is known about the causes of individual variation in aggression within social hierarchies. Recent theory suggests that when individuals form queues for breeding, variation in social aggression by non-breeding group members is related to their probability of inheriting breeding status. However, levels of aggression could also vary as a temporary response to changes in the hierarchy, with individuals becoming more aggressive as they ascend in rank, in order to re-establish dominance relationships. Using the group-living fish, Neolamprologus pulcher, we show that subordinates became more aggressive after they ascended in rank. Female ascenders exhibited more rapid increases in aggression than males, and the increased aggression was primarily directed towards group members of adjacent rather than non-adjacent rank, suggesting that social aggression was related to conflict over rank. Elevated aggression by ascenders was not sustained over time, there was no relationship between rank and aggression in stable groups, and aggression given by ascenders was not sex-biased. Together, these results suggest that the need to re-establish dominance relationships following rank ascension is an important determinant of variation in aggression in animal societies. PMID:20880857

Fight for your breeding right: hierarchy re-establishment predicts aggression in a social queue.

PubMed

Wong, Marian; Balshine, Sigal

2011-04-23

Social aggression is one of the most conspicuous features of animal societies, yet little is known about the causes of individual variation in aggression within social hierarchies. Recent theory suggests that when individuals form queues for breeding, variation in social aggression by non-breeding group members is related to their probability of inheriting breeding status. However, levels of aggression could also vary as a temporary response to changes in the hierarchy, with individuals becoming more aggressive as they ascend in rank, in order to re-establish dominance relationships. Using the group-living fish, Neolamprologus pulcher, we show that subordinates became more aggressive after they ascended in rank. Female ascenders exhibited more rapid increases in aggression than males, and the increased aggression was primarily directed towards group members of adjacent rather than non-adjacent rank, suggesting that social aggression was related to conflict over rank. Elevated aggression by ascenders was not sustained over time, there was no relationship between rank and aggression in stable groups, and aggression given by ascenders was not sex-biased. Together, these results suggest that the need to re-establish dominance relationships following rank ascension is an important determinant of variation in aggression in animal societies.

A rare case of an aggressive osteoblastoma of the squamous temporal bone: a unique presentation with literature review.

PubMed

Mohanty, Sujata; Rani, Amita; Urs, A B; Dabas, Jitender

2014-10-01

Aggressive osteoblastoma is a rare osteoid tissue forming tumour commonly affecting the spine with predilection for the posterior elements. Calvarial involvement is extremely rare with only two reported cases in the literature. Due to its overlapping clinical, radiographic and histological features with ossifying fibroma, benign osteoblastoma and osteosarcoma, it is very difficult accurately to diagnose this lesion at an early stage. A rare case of an aggressive osteoblastoma of the squamous temporal bone in a young male is presented here which was misdiagnosed twice before reaching the final diagnosis by correlating clinical, radiographic and histopathological features. Copyright © 2014 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Severe impulsiveness as the primary manifestation of multiple sclerosis in a young female.

PubMed

Lopez-Meza, Elmer; Corona-Vazquez, Teresa; Ruano-Calderon, Luis A; Ramirez-Bermudez, Jesus

2005-12-01

Severe impulsiveness in the absence of apparent neurological signs has rarely been reported as a clinical presentation of multiple sclerosis (MS). An 11-year-old female developed progressive and sustained personality disturbances including disinhibition, hypersexuality, drug abuse, aggressiveness and suicide attempts, without neurological signs. She was given several unsuccessful psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions. At age 21, a diagnosis of MS was made, confirmed by imaging, laboratory and neurophysiological studies. Although unusual, MS may produce pure neurobehavioral disturbances. In the present case, widespread demyelinization produced a complex behavioral disorder, with features compatible with orbitofrontal and Klüver-Bucy syndromes.

Breast fibromatosis associated with breast implants.

PubMed

Seo, Yoon Nae; Park, Young Mi; Yoon, Hye Kyoung; Lee, Sun Joo; Choo, Hye Jung; Ryu, Ji Hwa

2015-09-01

Fibromatosis refers to an extra-abdominal desmoid tumor or aggressive fibromatosis. Breast fibromatosis can develop in association with the capsule around a breast implant, although reports of cases of fibromatosis associated with breast implants are rare. As the demand for breast augmentation has increased, it is important to understand the diseases associated with breast implants. In the present report, we describe a case of breast fibromatosis that developed adjacent to a breast implant and demonstrated a relatively well-defined border even though it invaded the surrounding structures. We also explore the specific imaging features for diagnosing breast fibromatosis in association with implants by reviewing previous literature.

Diagnosing and discriminating between primary and secondary aneurysmal bone cysts

PubMed Central

Sasaki, Hiromi; Nagano, Satoshi; Shimada, Hirofumi; Yokouchi, Masahiro; Setoguchi, Takao; Ishidou, Yasuhiro; Kunigou, Osamu; Maehara, Kosuke; Komiya, Setsuro

2017-01-01

Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) are benign bony lesions frequently accompanied by multiple cystic lesions and aggressive bone destruction. They are relatively rare lesions, representing only 1% of bone tumors. The pathogenesis of ABCs has yet to be elucidated. In the present study, a series of 22 cases of primary and secondary ABC from patients treated in Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kagoshima University Hospital (Kagoshima, Japan) from 2001–2015 were retrospectively analyzed. The average age at the time of diagnosis of primary ABC was 17.9 years. Intralesional curettage and artificial bone grafting were performed in the majority of the patients with primary ABC. The local recurrence rate following curettage for primary ABC was 18%, and the cause of local recurrence was considered to be insufficient curettage. Although no adjuvant therapy was administered during the surgeries, it may assist the prevention of local recurrence in certain cases. The cases of secondary ABC were preceded by benign bone tumors, including fibrous dysplasia, giant cell tumors, chondroblastoma and non-ossifying fibroma. The features of the secondary ABC typically reflected those of the preceding bone tumor. In the majority of cases, distinguishing the primary ABC from the secondary ABC was possible based on characteristic features, including age of the patient at diagnosis and the tumor location. In cases that exhibit ambiguous features, including a soft tissue mass or a thick septal enhancement on the preoperative magnetic resonance images, a biopsy must be obtained in order to exclude other types of aggressive bone tumors, including giant cell tumor, osteosarcoma and telangiectatic osteosarcoma. PMID:28454393

Prognostic importance of pleural attachment status measured by pretreatment CT images in patients with stage IA lung adenocarcinoma: measurement of the ratio of the interface between nodule and neighboring pleura to nodule surface area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawata, Y.; Niki, N.; Kusumoto, M.; Ohmatsu, H.; Aokage, K.; Ishii, G.; Matsumoto, Y.; Tsuchida, T.; Eguchi, K.; Kaneko, M.

2018-02-01

Screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography (CT) has led to increased recognition of small lung cancers and is expected to increase the rate of detection of early-stage lung cancer. Major concerns in the implementation of the CT screening of large populations include determining the appropriate management of pulmonary nodules found on a scan. The identification of patients with early-stage lung cancer who have a higher risk for relapse and who require more aggressive surveillance has been a target of intense investigation. This study was performed to investigate whether image features of internal intensity in combination with surrounding structure characteristics are associated with an increased risk of relapse in patients with stage IA lung adenocarcinoma. We focused on pleural attachment status which is one of morphological characteristics associated with prognosis in three-dimensional thoracic CT images.

Mothers' spanking of 3-year-old children and subsequent risk of children's aggressive behavior.

PubMed

Taylor, Catherine A; Manganello, Jennifer A; Lee, Shawna J; Rice, Janet C

2010-05-01

The goal was to examine the association between the use of corporal punishment (CP) against 3-year-old children and subsequent aggressive behavior among those children. Respondents (N = 2461) participated in the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study (1998-2005), a population-based, birth cohort study of children born in 20 large US cities. Maternal reports of CP, children's aggressive behaviors at 3 and 5 years of age, and a host of key demographic features and potential confounding factors, including maternal child physical maltreatment, psychological maltreatment, and neglect, intimate partner aggression victimization, stress, depression, substance use, and consideration of abortion, were assessed. Frequent use of CP (ie, mother's use of spanking more than twice in the previous month) when the child was 3 years of age was associated with increased risk for higher levels of child aggression when the child was 5 years of age (adjusted odds ratio: 1.49 [95% confidence interval: 1.2-1.8]; P < .0001), even with controlling for the child's level of aggression at age 3 and the aforementioned potential confounding factors and key demographic features. Despite American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations to the contrary, most parents in the United States approve of and have used CP as a form of child discipline. The current findings suggest that even minor forms of CP, such as spanking, increase risk for increased child aggressive behavior. Importantly, these findings cannot be attributed to possible confounding effects of a host of other maternal parenting risk factors.

Abusive early child rearing and early childhood aggression.

PubMed

Herrenkohl, R C; Russo, M J

2001-02-01

Childhood aggression is significant for children, their families, and the society because aggressive children often become violent adolescents. This article examines the relationship between maltreatment and early childhood aggression. Data are from a longitudinal study of maltreated and nonmaltreated children assessed as preschoolers and again at school age. The dependent variable is the child's teacher's rating of aggression at school age. The independent variables are from preschool and school age observations of the mother-child interaction and the mother's report of physical discipline practices. Using structural equation modeling, harshness of interaction at preschool age but not school age and severity of physical discipline at school age but not preschool age, relate to aggression at school age. Results suggest a difference in the developmental stage at which different features of harsh child rearing exert their influence. Strategies for intervening to prevent the development of childhood aggression are suggested.

Theoretical and Methodological Considerations in Cross-Generational Research on Parenting and Child Aggressive Behavior

PubMed Central

Dubow, Eric F.; Huesmann, L. Rowell; Boxer, Paul

2015-01-01

The four studies in this special issue represent important advances in research on the intergenerational transmission of aggressive behavior. In this commentary, we review the key features and findings of these studies, as well as our own cross-generational study of aggression, the Columbia County Longitudinal Study. Next, we consider important theoretical issues (e.g., defining and operationalizing “aggression” and “parenting”; assessing reciprocal effects of parenting and child aggression; identifying the ages at which aggression should be assessed across generations; broadening the investigation of contextual and individual factors). We then discuss several methodological issues (e.g., determining the most informative measurement intervals for assessing prospective effects; sampling considerations; measuring potential moderating and mediating variables that might explain cross-generational continuities and discontinuities in parenting and aggression). Finally, we raise implications of cross-generational research for designing interventions targeting the reduction and prevention of child aggression. PMID:12735400

Prediction of outcome using pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT and MRI radiomics in locally advanced cervical cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy.

PubMed

Lucia, François; Visvikis, Dimitris; Desseroit, Marie-Charlotte; Miranda, Omar; Malhaire, Jean-Pierre; Robin, Philippe; Pradier, Olivier; Hatt, Mathieu; Schick, Ulrike

2018-05-01

The aim of this study is to determine if radiomics features from 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images could contribute to prognoses in cervical cancer. One hundred and two patients (69 for training and 33 for testing) with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) receiving chemoradiotherapy (CRT) from 08/2010 to 12/2016 were enrolled in this study. 18 F-FDG PET/CT and MRI examination [T1, T2, T1C, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)] were performed for each patient before CRT. Primary tumor volumes were delineated with the fuzzy locally adaptive Bayesian algorithm in the PET images and with 3D Slicer™ in the MRI images. Radiomics features (intensity, shape, and texture) were extracted and their prognostic value was compared with clinical parameters for recurrence-free and locoregional control. In the training cohort, median follow-up was 3.0 years (range, 0.43-6.56 years) and relapse occurred in 36% of patients. In univariate analysis, FIGO stage (I-II vs. III-IV) and metabolic response (complete vs. non-complete) were probably associated with outcome without reaching statistical significance, contrary to several radiomics features from both PET and MRI sequences. Multivariate analysis in training test identified Grey Level Non Uniformity GLRLM in PET and Entropy GLCM in ADC maps from DWI MRI as independent prognostic factors. These had significantly higher prognostic power than clinical parameters, as evaluated in the testing cohort with accuracy of 94% for predicting recurrence and 100% for predicting lack of loco-regional control (versus ~50-60% for clinical parameters). In LACC treated with CRT, radiomics features such as EntropyGLCM and GLNUGLRLM from functional imaging DWI-MRI and PET, respectively, are independent predictors of recurrence and loco-regional control with significantly higher prognostic power than usual clinical parameters. Further research is warranted for their validation, which may justify more aggressive treatment in patients identified with high probability of recurrence.

MALDI Imaging Analysis of Neuropeptides in Africanized Honeybee (Apis mellifera) Brain: Effect of Aggressiveness.

PubMed

Pratavieira, Marcel; Menegasso, Anally Ribeiro da Silva; Esteves, Franciele Grego; Sato, Kenny Umino; Malaspina, Osmar; Palma, Mario Sérgio

2018-05-18

The aggressiveness in honeybees seems to be regulated by multiple genes, under the influence of different factors, such as polyethism of workers, environmental factors, and response to alarm pheromones, creating a series of behavioral responses. It is suspected that neuropeptides seem to be involved with the regulation of the aggressive behavior. The role of allatostatin and tachykinin-related neuropeptides in honeybee brain during the aggressive behavior is unknown; thus, worker honeybees were stimulated to attack and to sting leather targets hanged in front of the colonies. The aggressive individuals were collected and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen; the heads were removed, and sliced at sagittal plan. The brain slices were submitted to MALDI-Spectral-Imaging analysis, and the results of the present study reported the processing of the precursors proteins into mature forms of the neuropeptides AmAST A (59-76) (AYTYVSEYKRLPVYNFGL-NH2), AmAST A (69-76) (LPVYNFGL-NH2), AmTRP (88 - 96) (APMGFQGMR-NH2), and AmTRP (254 - 262) (ARMGFHGMR-NH2), which apparently acted in different neuropils of honeybee brain, during the aggressive behavior, possibly playing the neuromodulation of different aspects of this complex behavior. These results were biologically validated performing aggressiveness-related behavioral assays, using young honeybee workers that received 1 ng of AmAST A (69-76) or AmTRP (88 - 96) via hemocele. The young workers that were not expected to be aggressive individuals, presented a complete series of the aggressive behaviors, in presence of the neuropeptides, corroborating the hypothesis that correlates the presence of mature AmASTs A and AmTRPs in honeybee brain with the aggressiveness of this insect.

Out-of-Sample Extrapolation utilizing Semi-Supervised Manifold Learning (OSE-SSL): Content Based Image Retrieval for Histopathology Images

PubMed Central

Sparks, Rachel; Madabhushi, Anant

2016-01-01

Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) retrieves database images most similar to the query image by (1) extracting quantitative image descriptors and (2) calculating similarity between database and query image descriptors. Recently, manifold learning (ML) has been used to perform CBIR in a low dimensional representation of the high dimensional image descriptor space to avoid the curse of dimensionality. ML schemes are computationally expensive, requiring an eigenvalue decomposition (EVD) for every new query image to learn its low dimensional representation. We present out-of-sample extrapolation utilizing semi-supervised ML (OSE-SSL) to learn the low dimensional representation without recomputing the EVD for each query image. OSE-SSL incorporates semantic information, partial class label, into a ML scheme such that the low dimensional representation co-localizes semantically similar images. In the context of prostate histopathology, gland morphology is an integral component of the Gleason score which enables discrimination between prostate cancer aggressiveness. Images are represented by shape features extracted from the prostate gland. CBIR with OSE-SSL for prostate histology obtained from 58 patient studies, yielded an area under the precision recall curve (AUPRC) of 0.53 ± 0.03 comparatively a CBIR with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to learn a low dimensional space yielded an AUPRC of 0.44 ± 0.01. PMID:27264985

The social status of aggressive students across contexts: the role of classroom status hierarchy, academic achievement, and grade.

PubMed

Garandeau, Claire F; Ahn, Hai-Jeong; Rodkin, Philip C

2011-11-01

This study tested the effects of 5 classroom contextual features on the social status (perceived popularity and social preference) that peers accord to aggressive students in late elementary school, including classroom peer status hierarchy (whether within-classroom differences in popularity are large or small), classroom academic level, and grade level as the main predictors of interest as well as classroom aggression and ethnic composition as controls. Multilevel analyses were conducted on an ethnically diverse sample of 968 fourth- and fifth-graders from 46 classrooms in 9 schools. Associations between aggression and status varied greatly from one classroom to another. Aggressive students were more popular and better liked in classrooms with higher levels of peer status hierarchy. Aggressive students had higher social status in Grade 5 than in Grade 4 and lower social preference in classrooms of higher academic level. Classroom aggression and ethnic composition did not moderate aggression-status associations. Limitations and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

The complex nature of exposure to early childhood trauma in the psychoanalysis of a child.

PubMed

Chertoff, Judith M

2009-12-01

When an intense transference relationship evolves during psychoanalysis, sensory and emotional experiences associated with trauma can arise spontaneously. Detailed clinical process material is presented from the psychoanalysis of a six-year-old boy whose severe trauma at age two and a half contributed to his conflicts about aggression and gender identity, impeding his development. A series of analytic sessions during which he spontaneously enacted fantasies, feelings, and defenses associated with the trauma in the immediacy of the transference relationship are used to illustrate how psychoanalysis provided him the safety to rework this overwhelming experience and its aftermath, thereby restoring progressive development. It is hypothesized that while work with trauma was only one feature in an otherwise complex treatment, psychoanalysis provided a sophisticated form of reexposure to developmentally primitive emotions, images, and fantasies that this child had not consciously connected with the trauma. Associated early childhood conflicts pertaining to aggression, separation, and gender identity, warded off with rigid defenses, had become intertwined with the trauma and its aftermath, rendering them otherwise inaccessible.

Enhancement of multimodality texture-based prediction models via optimization of PET and MR image acquisition protocols: a proof of concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallières, Martin; Laberge, Sébastien; Diamant, André; El Naqa, Issam

2017-11-01

Texture-based radiomic models constructed from medical images have the potential to support cancer treatment management via personalized assessment of tumour aggressiveness. While the identification of stable texture features under varying imaging settings is crucial for the translation of radiomics analysis into routine clinical practice, we hypothesize in this work that a complementary optimization of image acquisition parameters prior to texture feature extraction could enhance the predictive performance of texture-based radiomic models. As a proof of concept, we evaluated the possibility of enhancing a model constructed for the early prediction of lung metastases in soft-tissue sarcomas by optimizing PET and MR image acquisition protocols via computerized simulations of image acquisitions with varying parameters. Simulated PET images from 30 STS patients were acquired by varying the extent of axial data combined per slice (‘span’). Simulated T 1-weighted and T 2-weighted MR images were acquired by varying the repetition time and echo time in a spin-echo pulse sequence, respectively. We analyzed the impact of the variations of PET and MR image acquisition parameters on individual textures, and we investigated how these variations could enhance the global response and the predictive properties of a texture-based model. Our results suggest that it is feasible to identify an optimal set of image acquisition parameters to improve prediction performance. The model constructed with textures extracted from simulated images acquired with a standard clinical set of acquisition parameters reached an average AUC of 0.84 +/- 0.01 in bootstrap testing experiments. In comparison, the model performance significantly increased using an optimal set of image acquisition parameters (p = 0.04 ), with an average AUC of 0.89 +/- 0.01 . Ultimately, specific acquisition protocols optimized to generate superior radiomics measurements for a given clinical problem could be developed and standardized via dedicated computer simulations and thereafter validated using clinical scanners.

A cancer-causing gene is positively correlated with male aggression in Xiphophorus cortezi

PubMed Central

Fernandez, André A.

2010-01-01

The persistence of seemingly maladaptive genes in organisms challenges evolutionary biological thought. In Xiphophorus fishes, certain melanin patterns form malignant melanomas due to a cancer-causing gene (Xiphophorus melanoma receptor kinase; Xmrk), which arose several millions years ago from unequal meiotic recombination. Xiphophorus melanomas are male biased and induced by androgens however male behavior and Xmrk genotype has not been investigated. This study found that male X. cortezi with the spotted caudal (Sc) pattern, from which melanomas originate, displayed increased aggression in mirror image trials. Furthermore, Xmrk males (regardless of Sc phenotype) bit and performed more agonistic displays than Xmrk deficient males. Male aggressive response decreased when males viewed their Sc image as compared to their non-Sc image. Collectively, these results indicate that Xmrk males experience a competitive advantage over wild-type males and that intrasexual selection could be an important component in the evolutionary maintenance of this oncogene within Xiphophorus. PMID:20021547

Florid reactive periostitis ossificans of the humerus: Case report and differential diagnosis of periosteal lesions of long bones

PubMed Central

Soni, Abha; Weil, Alec; Wei, Shi; Jaffe, Kenneth A; Siegal, Gene P

2015-01-01

A case of florid reactive periostitis ossificans (RPO) arising in a long bone is presented. This is a rare bone proliferation with a pronounced periosteal reaction. Less than 100 cases have been described in the literature with far fewer outside the bones of the hand, feet, fingers, and toes. Although the etiology is unknown, a relationship to preceding trauma is suggested. The imaging and histologic features show an overlap with other bone lesions including bizarre parosteal osteochondromatous proliferation, subungual exostosis, and malignant surface tumors of bone and cartilage which include, periosteal and parosteal osteosarcoma. It is important to recognize the clinical presentation and diagnostic features of RPO as a benign entity so that it is not mistaken for a more aggressive neoplasm. We present a case of a right distal humeral lesion that on histopathological review revealed florid RPO. This diagnosis was not suspected on imaging studies, but was made on open biopsy of the mass. The patient remains disease free, years postoperatively. In addition to presenting this unique case report, we review the pertinent literature, and offer a differential diagnosis and treatment strategy for its management. PMID:26301184

Normal Central Zone of the Prostate and Central Zone Involvement by Prostate Cancer: Clinical and MR Imaging Implications

PubMed Central

Akin, Oguz; Franiel, Tobias; Goldman, Debra A.; Udo, Kazuma; Touijer, Karim A.; Reuter, Victor E.; Hricak, Hedvig

2012-01-01

Purpose: To describe the anatomic features of the central zone of the prostate on T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) images and evaluate the diagnostic performance of MR imaging in detection of central zone involvement by prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: The institutional review board waived informed consent and approved this retrospective, HIPAA-compliant study of 211 patients who underwent T2-weighted and DW MR imaging of the prostate before radical prostatectomy. Whole-mount step-section pathologic findings were the reference standard. Two radiologists independently recorded the visibility, MR signal intensity, size, and symmetry of the central zone and scored the likelihood of central zone involvement by cancer on T2-weighted MR images and on T2-weighted MR images plus apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps generated from the DW MR images. Descriptive summary statistics were calculated for central zone imaging features. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve were used to evaluate reader performance in detecting central zone involvement. Results: For readers 1 and 2, the central zone was visible, at least partially, in 177 (84%) and 170 (81%) of 211 patients, respectively. The most common imaging appearance of the central zone was symmetric, homogeneous low signal intensity. Cancers involving the central zone had higher prostate-specific antigen values, Gleason scores, and rates of extracapsular extension and seminal vesicle invasion compared with cancers not involving the central zone (P < .05). Area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity in detecting central zone involvement were 0.70, 0.30, and 0.96 for reader 1 and 0.65, 0.35, and 0.93 for reader 2, and these values did not differ significantly between T2-weighted imaging and T2-weighted imaging plus ADC maps. Conclusion: The central zone was visualized in most patients. Cancers involving the central zone were associated with more aggressive disease than those without central zone involvement. © RSNA, 2012 PMID:22357889

Imaging of rare appendicular non-acral soft-tissue chondromas in adults with histopathologic correlation.

PubMed

Nouh, Mohamed Ragab; Amr, Hanan Abd El-Aziz; Ali, Rola H

2018-06-01

Background Soft-tissue chondroma (STC) is a rare benign soft tissue tumor that arises primarily in acral extra-skeletal locations. Occasionally, STCs may arise in more proximal non-acral locations, accompanied by non-classic features that label them as indeterminate lesions and pose diagnostic challenge for both radiologists and pathologists alike. Purpose To explicate the potential of diagnostic imaging in the identification and characterization of appendicular non-acral STCs with emphasis on their morphologic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enhancement. Material and Methods Our clinical database records were searched for patients with histologically proven primary soft-tissue chondroid lesions over a five-year period. Two musculoskeletal (MSK) trained radiologists evaluated the imaging studies and an MSK pathologist revised the pathological findings. Results The study included six cases of appendicular non-acral STCs (mean age = 40.5 years). The mean size of the tumors was 5.6 cm, with four localized to the knee region, one in the thigh, and one in the sternoclavicular region. All cases showed high signal intensity matrix with low-signal intensity septa on T2-weighted MRI and post-contrast marginal/septal enhancement. The lesions were lobulated and lacked host tissue reaction except for one showing subjacent mild soft-tissue edema. Histologically, the cases lacked overt features of malignancy although one was originally misdiagnosed as chondrosarcoma. Conclusion Non-acral STCs are benign cartilaginous tumors that may pose a diagnostic challenge, both radiologically and pathologically. Collaborative imaging and pathologic workup is needed for better characterization of non-aggression of these lesions, and to avoid diagnostic pitfalls and unnecessary radical resections.

Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder: a window on the emotional world of Parkinson disease.

PubMed

Mariotti, Paolo; Quaranta, Davide; Di Giacopo, Raffaella; Bentivoglio, Anna Rita; Mazza, Marianna; Martini, Annalisa; Canestri, Jorge; Della Marca, Giacomo

2015-02-01

REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia characterized by motor activity during sleep with dream mentation. Aggressiveness has been considered a peculiar feature of dreams associated with RBD, despite normal score in aggressiveness scales during wakefulness. We aimed to measure daytime aggressiveness and analyze dream contents in a population of patients with Parkinson disease (PD) with and without RBD. This is a single-center prospective observational study; it concerns the description of the clinical features of a medical disorder in a case series. The study was performed in the Department of Neurosciences of the Catholic University in Rome, Italy. Three groups of subjects were enrolled: patients with PD plus RBD, patients with PD without RBD, and healthy controls. The diagnosis of RBD was determined clinically and confirmed by means of overnight, laboratory-based video-polysomnography. For the evaluation of diurnal aggressiveness, the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ) was used. The content of dreams was evaluated by means of the methods of Hall and Van De Castle. Patients with PD without RBD displayed higher levels of anger, and verbal and physical aggressiveness than patients with PD and RBD and controls. Patients with PD and RBD and controls did not differ in hostility. It can be hypothesized that a noradrenergic impairment at the level of the locus coeruleus could, at the same time, explain the presence of RBD, as well as the reduction of diurnal aggressiveness. This finding also suggests a role for REM sleep in regulating homeostasis of emotional brain function. © 2015 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Magnetic resonance imaging: a useful tool to distinguish between keratocystic odontogenic tumours and odontogenic cysts.

PubMed

Probst, F A; Probst, M; Pautke, Ch; Kaltsi, E; Otto, S; Schiel, S; Troeltzsch, M; Ehrenfeld, M; Cornelius, C P; Müller-Lisse, U G

2015-03-01

In contrast to odontogenic cysts, keratocystic odontogenic tumours often recur and require more aggressive surgical treatment, so we tried to find features that distinguished between them on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Without knowing the diagnosis, two radiologists reviewed intensity (low, intermediate, or high) and homogeneity (homogeneous or heterogeneous) of signals in short-tau-inversion-recovery (STIR), T1- and T2-weighted, and fat-suppressed, contrast-enhanced MRI in 20 consecutive patients with oval, radiolucent lesions of the mandible on panoramic radiography, and who were subsequently confirmed histopathologically to have either an odontogenic cyst or a keratocystic odontogenic tumour (n=10 in each group). Fisher's exact test was statistically significant at p<0.05. Delineation of a contrast-enhanced wall of a cyst with high signal intensity distinguished odontogenic cysts (9/10 and 8/10, respectively) from keratocystic odontogenic tumours (3/10, p=0.02, and 1/10, p=0.01, respectively). One radiologist found odontogenic cysts were more likely to be homogeneous on unenhanced T1-weighted images (odontogenic cysts 9/10, keratocystic odontogenic tumours 3/10, p=0.02) and one on contrast-enhanced MRI, when the cyst wall was enhanced (odontogenic cysts 7/9, keratocystic odontogenic tumours 0/3, p=0.01). There were no other significant distinguishing features on MRI. In conclusion, the signal intensity of the enhanced wall seems to be a feature on contrast-enhanced MRI that differentiates odontogenic cysts from keratocystic odontogenic tumours. Copyright © 2014 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prospective Associations Between Features of Borderline Personality Disorder, Emotion Dysregulation, and Aggression

PubMed Central

Scott, Lori N.; Stepp, Stephanie D.; Pilkonis, Paul A.

2014-01-01

Difficulties with emotion regulation and behavioral instability, including impulsive aggression, are seen as core dimensions underlying borderline personality disorder (BPD). Although both BPD and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are associated with impulsivity and aggressive behavior, difficulties regulating emotions may be associated uniquely with BPD and may explain distinctive associations between BPD and aggression. This study was designed to examine the unique prospective associations between BPD symptoms at baseline, difficulties with emotion regulation and trait impulsivity, and psychological and physical aggression (both perpetration and victimization) over the course of a year after controlling for ASPD symptoms in a mixed clinical and community sample of adults (N = 150). Results of a multivariate path analysis demonstrated that associations between BPD symptoms at baseline and later psychological and physical aggression were fully mediated by difficulties with emotion regulation. Although BPD symptoms also predicted trait impulsivity, impulsivity did not predict aggression after controlling for emotion dysregulation. ASPD symptoms were directly associated with physical assault perpetration and victimization but were not associated with emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, or psychological aggression. These findings suggest that although both BPD and ASPD are associated with aggressive behaviors, associations between BPD symptoms and aggression are mediated uniquely by difficulties regulating emotions. PMID:24635753

Molecular characterization of Wilms tumor from a resource-constrained region of sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Murphy, Andrew J.; Axt, Jason R.; de Caestecker, Christian; Pierce, Janene; Correa, Hernan; Seeley, Erin H.; Caprioli, Richard M.; Newton, Mark W.; de Caestecker, Mark P.; Lovvorn, Harold N.

2012-01-01

Sub-Saharan African children have an increased incidence of Wilms tumor (WT) and experience alarmingly poor outcomes. Although these outcomes are largely due to inadequate therapy, we hypothesized that WT from this region exhibit features of biologic aggressiveness that may warrant broader implementation of high-risk therapeutic protocols. We evaluated 15 Kenyan WT (KWT) for features of aggressive disease (blastemal predominance, Ki67/cellular proliferation) and treatment resistance (anaplasia, p53 immunopositivity). To explore additional biologic features of KWT, we determined the mutational status of the CTNNB1/β-catenin and WT1 genes and performed immunostaining for markers of Wnt pathway activation (β-catenin) and nephronic progenitor cell self-renewal (WT1, CITED1, SIX2). We characterized the proteome of KWT using imaging mass spectrometry (IMS). Results were compared to histology and age-matched North American WT (NAWT) controls. For KWT patients, blastemal predominance was noted in 53.3% and anaplasia in 13%. We detected increased loss to follow up (p=0.028), disease relapse (p=0.044), mortality (p=0.001), and nuclear unrest (p=0.001) in KWT patients compared to controls. KWT and NAWT showed similar Ki67/cellular proliferation. We detected an increased proportion of epithelial nuclear β-catenin in KWT (p=0.013). All 15 KWT were found to harbor wild-type β-catenin, and 1 contained a WT1 nonsense mutation. WT1 was detected by immunostaining in 100% of KWT, CITED1 in 80%, and SIX2 in 80%. IMS revealed a molecular signature unique to KWT that was distinct from NAWT. African WTs appear to express markers of adverse clinical behavior and treatment resistance and may require alternative therapies or implementation of high-risk treatment protocols. PMID:22437966

Model based high NA anamorphic EUV RET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Fan; Wiaux, Vincent; Fenger, Germain; Clifford, Chris; Liubich, Vlad; Hendrickx, Eric

2018-03-01

With the announcement of the extension of the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) roadmap to a high NA lithography tool that utilizes anamorphic optics design, an investigation of design tradeoffs unique to the imaging of anamorphic lithography tool is shown. An anamorphic optical proximity correction (OPC) solution has been developed that models fully the EUV near field electromagnetic effects and the anamorphic imaging using the Domain Decomposition Method (DDM). Clips of imec representative for the N3 logic node were used to demonstrate the OPC solutions on critical layers that will benefit from the increased contrast at high NA using anamorphic imaging. However, unlike isomorphic case, from wafer perspective, OPC needs to treat x and y differently. In the paper, we show a design trade-off seen unique to Anamorphic EUV, namely that using a mask rule of 48nm (mask scale), approaching current state of the art, limitations are observed in the available correction that can be applied to the mask. The metal pattern has a pitch of 24nm and CD of 12nm. During OPC, the correction of the metal lines oriented vertically are being limited by the mask rule of 12nm 1X. The horizontally oriented lines do not suffer from this mask rule limitation as the correction is allowed to go to 6nm 1X. For this example, the masks rules will need to be more aggressive to allow complete correction, or design rules and wafer processes (wafer rotation) would need to be created that utilize the orientation that can image more aggressive features. When considering VIA or block level correction, aggressive polygon corner to corner designs can be handled with various solutions, including applying a 45 degree chop. Multiple solutions are discussed with the metrics of edge placement error (EPE) and Process Variation Bands (PVBands), together with all the mask constrains. Noted in anamorphic OPC, the 45 degree chop is maintained at the mask level to meet mask manufacturing constraints, but results in skewed angle edge in wafer level correction. In this paper, we used both contact (Via/block) patterns and metal patterns for OPC practice. By comparing the EPE of horizontal and vertical patterns with a fixed mask rule check (MRC), and the PVBand, we focus on the challenges and the solutions of OPC with anamorphic High-NA lens.

Significance of aggressive surgery for an invasive carcinoma derived from an intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm diagnosed preoperatively as borderline resectable.

PubMed

Aimoto, Takayuki; Mizutani, Satoshi; Kawano, Youichi; Suzuki, Hideyuki; Uchida, Eiji

2013-01-01

We investigated the clinicopathological features of borderline resectable invasive carcinomas (BRICs) derived from intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) and examined the significance of the aggressive "surgery first" approach compared with the treatment of conventional borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (BRPDAs). We retrospectively studied 7 patients with BRICs derived from IPMNs and 14 patients with conventional BRPDAs. Several factors were reviewed: initial symptoms, preoperative imaging, serum level of CA19-9, perioperative factors, pathological findings, adjuvant chemotherapy, and outcome. All BRICs derived from IPMN were huge tumors (more than 3 cm in diameter) suspected to involve <180° of the circumference of the vessel. Five patients (71%) underwent a modified Whipple procedure, and 2 (29%) underwent distal pancreatectomy. Only 3 patients (43%) required vascular resection. Curative resection was achieved in all 7 patients, who are alive with no evidence of recurrence. There were no severe postoperative complications. With regards to the pathological IPMN subtype, 2 tumors (29%) were gastric and 5 (71%) were intestinal. Only 2 patients (29%) had lymph node metastasis. The final stage was II in 4 (57%) cases and IVa in 3 cases (43%). The 3-year survival rate was 100%. Tumors of BRICs derived from IPMNs were larger than those of conventional BRPDAs (p<0.05). The BRICs derived from IPMN less frequently metastasized to lymph nodes (p<0.05) and were of an earlier stage (p<0.05) than were conventional BRPDAs. The 3-year survival rate was significantly higher for BRICs derived from IPMNs (100%) than for conventional BRPDAs (19%, p<0.001). The BRICs derived from an intestinal or gastric IPMN are less aggressive than conventional BRPDAs and have a more favorable prognosis. In addition, aggressive "surgery first" approach may contribute to this better prognosis.

Dream features in the early stages of Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Bugalho, Paulo; Paiva, Teresa

2011-11-01

Few studies have investigated the relation between dream features and cognition in Parkinson's disease (PD), although vivid dreams, hallucinations and cognitive decline have been proposed as successive steps of a pathological continuum. Our objectives were therefore to characterize the dreams of early stage PD and to study the relation between dream characteristics, cognitive function, motor status, depression, dopaminergic treatment, and the presence of REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) and hallucinations. Dreams of 19 male PD patients and 21 matched control subjects were classified according to Hall and van de Castle system. h statistics was used to compare the dream content between patients and controls. We tested the relation between patients' dreams characteristics and cognitive function (Frontal assessment battery (FAB) and Mini-Mental State Examination tests) depression (Beck depression inventory), motor function (UPDRS), dopaminergic treatment, the presence of RBD (according to clinical criteria) and hallucinations, using general linear model statistics. Patients and controls differed only on FAB scores. Relevant differences in the Hall and van de Castle scale were found between patient's dreams and those of the control group, regarding animals, aggression/friendliness, physical aggression, befriender (higher in the patient group) and aggressor and bodily misfortunes (lower in the patient group) features. Cognitive and particularly frontal dysfunction had a significant influence on the frequency of physical aggression and animal related features, while dopaminergic doses, depressive symptoms, hallucinations and RBD did not. We found a pattern of dream alteration characterized by heightened aggressiveness and the presence of animals. These were related to more severe frontal dysfunction, which could be the origin of such changes.

Clinical characteristics of aggression in children and adolescents admitted to a tertiary care centre.

PubMed

Jacob, Preeti; Seshadri, Shekhar; Girimaji, Satish C; Srinath, Shoba; Sagar, John Vijay

2013-12-01

Identification and management of aggression is a major mental health priority in hospitalised patients. However, no such studies have been done in child and adolescent in-patients in India. To study the clinical and demographic features; characteristics of the aggression and methods employed to manage aggression in child and adolescent in-patients. Child and adolescent in-patients between the ages of 4 and 16 years who were aggressive were included. The tools used were the MINI-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I) KID, Overt Aggression Scale (OAS), Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS), and a Semi-structured interview regarding each aggressive episode. 31 patients displayed aggressive behaviour out of the 131 patients who were admitted during the study period. Aggressive acts were more common in males, those with academic difficulties, who had a past history of aggression, with suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts. Aggression occurred across diagnostic categories but a significant proportion was diagnosed to have Disruptive Behaviour Disorders either as a primary diagnosis or as comorbidity. 90.6% were on psychotropic medication prior to admission. Around 2/3rd of aggressive episodes occurred in the evening and family members (85.7%) were the most common targets of aggression. There are a few factors that can possibly help identify and predict aggression in children and adolescents in a hospital setting. More research is required to understand aggression in clinical settings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Facial emotion perception impairments in schizophrenia patients with comorbid antisocial personality disorder.

PubMed

Tang, Dorothy Y Y; Liu, Amy C Y; Lui, Simon S Y; Lam, Bess Y H; Siu, Bonnie W M; Lee, Tatia M C; Cheung, Eric F C

2016-02-28

Impairment in facial emotion perception is believed to be associated with aggression. Schizophrenia patients with antisocial features are more impaired in facial emotion perception than their counterparts without these features. However, previous studies did not define the comorbidity of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) using stringent criteria. We recruited 30 participants with dual diagnoses of ASPD and schizophrenia, 30 participants with schizophrenia and 30 controls. We employed the Facial Emotional Recognition paradigm to measure facial emotion perception, and administered a battery of neurocognitive tests. The Life History of Aggression scale was used. ANOVAs and ANCOVAs were conducted to examine group differences in facial emotion perception, and control for the effect of other neurocognitive dysfunctions on facial emotion perception. Correlational analyses were conducted to examine the association between facial emotion perception and aggression. Patients with dual diagnoses performed worst in facial emotion perception among the three groups. The group differences in facial emotion perception remained significant, even after other neurocognitive impairments were controlled for. Severity of aggression was correlated with impairment in perceiving negative-valenced facial emotions in patients with dual diagnoses. Our findings support the presence of facial emotion perception impairment and its association with aggression in schizophrenia patients with comorbid ASPD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tumor necrosis is an important hallmark of aggressive endometrial cancer and associates with hypoxia, angiogenesis and inflammation responses

PubMed Central

Stefansson, Ingunn M.; Birkeland, Even; Bø, Trond Hellem; Øyan, Anne M.; Trovik, Jone; Kalland, Karl-Henning; Jonassen, Inge; Salvesen, Helga B.; Wik, Elisabeth; Akslen, Lars A.

2015-01-01

Aims Tumor necrosis is associated with aggressive features of endometrial cancer and poor prognosis. Here, we investigated gene expression patterns and potential treatment targets related to presence of tumor necrosis in primary endometrial cancer lesions. Methods and Results By DNA microarray analysis, expression of genes related to tumor necrosis reflected multiple tumor-microenvironment interactions like tissue hypoxia, angiogenesis and inflammation pathways. A tumor necrosis signature of 38 genes and a related patient cluster (Cluster I, 67% of the cases) were associated with features of aggressive tumors such as type II cancers, estrogen receptor negative tumors and vascular invasion. Further, the tumor necrosis signature was increased in tumor cells grown in hypoxic conditions in vitro. Multiple genes with increased expression are known to be activated by HIF1A and NF-kB. Conclusions Our findings indicate that the presence of tumor necrosis within primary tumors is associated with hypoxia, angiogenesis and inflammation responses. HIF1A, NF-kB and PI3K/mTOR might be potential treatment targets in aggressive endometrial cancers with presence of tumor necrosis. PMID:26485755

Tumor necrosis is an important hallmark of aggressive endometrial cancer and associates with hypoxia, angiogenesis and inflammation responses.

PubMed

Bredholt, Geir; Mannelqvist, Monica; Stefansson, Ingunn M; Birkeland, Even; Bø, Trond Hellem; Øyan, Anne M; Trovik, Jone; Kalland, Karl-Henning; Jonassen, Inge; Salvesen, Helga B; Wik, Elisabeth; Akslen, Lars A

2015-11-24

Tumor necrosis is associated with aggressive features of endometrial cancer and poor prognosis. Here, we investigated gene expression patterns and potential treatment targets related to presence of tumor necrosis in primary endometrial cancer lesions. By DNA microarray analysis, expression of genes related to tumor necrosis reflected multiple tumor-microenvironment interactions like tissue hypoxia, angiogenesis and inflammation pathways. A tumor necrosis signature of 38 genes and a related patient cluster (Cluster I, 67% of the cases) were associated with features of aggressive tumors such as type II cancers, estrogen receptor negative tumors and vascular invasion. Further, the tumor necrosis signature was increased in tumor cells grown in hypoxic conditions in vitro. Multiple genes with increased expression are known to be activated by HIF1A and NF-kB. Our findings indicate that the presence of tumor necrosis within primary tumors is associated with hypoxia, angiogenesis and inflammation responses. HIF1A, NF-kB and PI3K/mTOR might be potential treatment targets in aggressive endometrial cancers with presence of tumor necrosis.

Epigenetic dysregulation of KCa 3.1 channels induces poor prognosis in lung cancer.

PubMed

Bulk, Etmar; Ay, Anne-Sophie; Hammadi, Mehdi; Ouadid-Ahidouch, Halima; Schelhaas, Sonja; Hascher, Antje; Rohde, Christian; Thoennissen, Nils H; Wiewrodt, Rainer; Schmidt, Eva; Marra, Alessandro; Hillejan, Ludger; Jacobs, Andreas H; Klein, Hans-Ulrich; Dugas, Martin; Berdel, Wolfgang E; Müller-Tidow, Carsten; Schwab, Albrecht

2015-09-15

Epigenomic changes are an important feature of malignant tumors. How tumor aggressiveness is affected by DNA methylation of specific loci is largely unexplored. In genome-wide DNA methylation analyses, we identified the KCa 3.1 channel gene (KCNN4) promoter to be hypomethylated in an aggressive non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell line and in patient samples. Accordingly, KCa 3.1 expression was increased in more aggressive NSCLC cells. Both findings were strong predictors for poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma. Increased KCa 3.1 expression was associated with aggressive features of NSCLC cells. Proliferation and migration of pro-metastatic NSCLC cells depended on KCa 3.1 activity. Mechanistically, elevated KCa 3.1 expression hyperpolarized the membrane potential, thereby augmenting the driving force for Ca(2+) influx. KCa 3.1 blockade strongly reduced the growth of xenografted NSCLC cells in mice as measured by positron emission tomography-computed tomography. Thus, loss of DNA methylation of the KCNN4 promoter and increased KCa 3.1 channel expression and function are mechanistically linked to poor survival of NSCLC patients. © 2015 UICC.

Approach and avoidance towards aggressive stimuli and its relation to reactive and proactive aggression.

PubMed

Lobbestael, Jill; Cousijn, Janna; Brugman, Suzanne; Wiers, Reinout W

2016-06-30

This study assessed the association between indirectly measured behavioural approach- and avoidance-related tendencies on the one hand, and reactive versus proactive aggression on the other hand. Reactive aggression (i.e. the impulsive, anger-driven aggression expressed in response to threatening stimuli) was differentiated from proactive aggression (i.e. the more controlled aggression motivated towards obtaining specific goals). A mixed sample of 118 patients and healthy controls filled out a self-report measure to assess their degree of reactive and proactive aggression, and then performed an Approach Avoidance Task in which they were asked to pull or push a joystick in response to a format-feature of a series of pictures, irrespective of their contents. The pictorial stimuli used in this task included attack-related scenes and angry faces, along with neutral, positive and negative control stimuli. The results were controlled for the level of personality disorder pathology, gender, and age. The findings indicated that reactive but not proactive aggression was related to the relative behavioural tendency to approach attack-related scenes, along with positive stimuli. These findings reflect the hyper-reactivity of the approach-related reward system in reactive aggression, and further our knowledge into the distinct correlates and precursors of reactive and proactive aggression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) with TFE3 gene rearrangement: clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular features.

PubMed

Shen, Qin; Rao, Qiu; Xia, Qiu-Yuan; Yu, Bo; Shi, Qun-Li; Zhang, Ru-Song; Zhou, Xiao-Jun

2014-11-01

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas) have been increasingly associated with gene rearrangement of the transcription factor E3 (TFE3). We present three cases of PEComa with a TFE3 gene abnormality detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Their clinical features, pathological morphology, and prognosis were investigated. Histologically, the tumors in these three cases showed predominantly epithelioid cells arranged in nests or sheets separated by a delicate vascular network, within two of the three cases nuclear atypia, mitotic figures, and necrosis. All three cases showed strong TFE3 and cathepsin K immunoreactivity and weak to strong reactivity for HMB45. One case of PEComa with TFE3 gene fusion exhibited a benign course. The other two cases of PEComa with both TFE3 translocation and X-chromosome polysomy were histologically malignant and showed aggressive growth. In summary, unusual cases of PEComa with TFE3 gene rearrangement might present malignant histological features and aggressive clinical behavior. Our results add cases to the literature and describe an association of polysomy with aggressive behavior.

Perceptions of television violence: effects of programme genre and type of violence on viewers' judgements of violent portrayals.

PubMed

Gunter, B; Furnham, A

1984-06-01

This paper reports two studies which examined the mediating effects of programme genre and physical form of violence on viewers' perceptions of violent TV portrayals. In Expt 1, a panel of British viewers saw portrayals from five programme genres: British crime-drama series, US crime-drama series, westerns, science-fiction series and cartoons which feature either fights or shootings. In Expt. 2, the same viewers rated portrayals from British crime-drama and westerns which featured four types of violence, fist-fights, shootings, stabbings and explosions. All scenes were rated along eight unipolar scales. Panel members also completed four subscales of a personal hostility inventory. Results showed that both fictional setting and physical form had significant effects on viewers' perceptions of televised violence. British crime-drama portrayals, and portrayals that featured shootings and stabbings, were rated as most violent and disturbing. Also, there were strong differences between viewers with different self-reported propensities towards either verbal or physical aggression. More physically aggressive individuals tended to perceive physical unarmed violence as less violent than did more verbally aggressive types.

Basal cell carcinoma induced by therapeutic radiation for tinea capitis-clinicopathological study.

PubMed

Oshinsky, Shlomit; Baum, Sharon; Huszar, Monica; Debby, Assaf; Barzilai, Aviv

2018-02-21

An increased prevalence of aggressive histological subtypes, such as micronodular and morpheaform, has been seen, irrespective of the clinical course, in basal cell carcinoma (BCC) following irradiation for tinea capitis. The aim of this study was to assess the histopathological features of BCCs among patients irradiated for tinea capitis and correlate them with the clinical course. The medical records and BCC biopsy specimens of individuals who were previously irradiated for tinea capitis were reviewed. Demographic data and clinical characteristics were retrieved. Biopsy specimens were evaluated for histological subtype classification and additional histopathological features. A telephone survey was conducted to assess the clinical behaviour of the tumours. Thirty-one patients (17 male; 14 female) were included. The average age at time of first biopsy was 56 years. The total number of lesions was 185, with 80% of subjects showing multiple lesions. The nodular subtype was the most prevalent, followed by superficial, micronodular and mixed tumours. One-third of the BCCs could be classified as aggressive histologically. Stromal fibroplasia and melanin deposits were common. There was no mortality related to BCC. None of the 17 patients who completed the survey had evidence of local invasiveness or metastases. BCCs following radiation therapy for tinea capitis show unique histological characteristics related to aggressive behaviour. These aggressive features did not reflect the clinical behaviour in the current cohort. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The interactive effect of social pain and executive functioning on aggression: an fMRI experiment.

PubMed

Chester, David S; Eisenberger, Naomi I; Pond, Richard S; Richman, Stephanie B; Bushman, Brad J; Dewall, C Nathan

2014-05-01

Social rejection often increases aggression, but the neural mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. This experiment tested whether neural activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and anterior insula in response to social rejection predicted greater subsequent aggression. Additionally, it tested whether executive functioning moderated this relationship. Participants completed a behavioral measure of executive functioning, experienced social rejection while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging and then completed a task in which they could aggress against a person who rejected them using noise blasts . We found that dACC activation and executive functioning interacted to predict aggression. Specifically, participants with low executive functioning showed a positive association between dACC activation and aggression, whereas individuals with high executive functioning showed a negative association. Similar results were found for the left anterior insula. These findings suggest that social pain can increase or decrease aggression, depending on an individual's regulatory capability.

Does Affective Theory of Mind Contribute to Proactive Aggression in Boys with Conduct Problems and Psychopathic Tendencies?

PubMed

Gillespie, Steven M; Kongerslev, Mickey T; Sharp, Carla; Bo, Sune; Abu-Akel, Ahmad M

2018-04-27

Adolescent psychopathic tendencies are associated with phenotypic increases in proactive aggression. However, the extent to which an understanding of others' affective mental states, or affective theory of mind (ToM), contributes to proactive aggression remains unknown. We examined how performance on a well-known test of affective ToM, based on cropped images of the eye region, contributes to reactive and proactive types of aggression in a mixed ethnicity sample of 80 incarcerated adolescent boys. A hierarchical regression model showed that affective ToM predicted proactive aggression over and above the influence of clinically rated psychopathic tendencies. Importantly, affective ToM was unrelated to reactive aggression. Our results suggest that being able to recognize others' affective mental states may be an important factor in aggressing against others for personal gain. These findings have implications for interventions designed to enhance ToM in youth with conduct problems.

'Telangiectatic' transformation in soft tissue sarcomas. a clinicopathology analysis of an aggressive feature of high-grade sarcomas.

PubMed

Sternheim, Amir; Jin, Xiaolong; Shmookler, Barry; Jelinek, James; Malawer, Martin M

2008-01-01

'Telangiectatic' change, which contains a large fluid hemorrhagic component, occurs in a variety of high-grade soft tissue sarcomas. In a retrospective database review, we identified 20 consecutive patients (3%) with 'telangiectatic' change in soft tissue sarcomas. Tumors were located in the thigh (55%), shoulder (15%), calf (15%), upper arm (10%), and buttock in one patient. All 20 tumors were high grade. Histological diagnoses were MFH (40%), leiomyosarcoma (15%), synovial sarcoma (10%), and one each of seven other sarcomas (35%). Tumor size was often large-more than 10 cm (35%), between 5 and 10 cm (60%), and less than 5 cm in one case. A history of contusion to the tumor site followed by swelling was recorded in 30% of patients and 80% presented with a painful mass. On MRI imaging, 60% of tumors appeared to contain more than 50% blood, 50% had a hemosiderin-laden rim, and 55% had well-defined tumor nodules within the wall of the hematoma. Limb-sparing surgery was carried out in 90% of patients, the other 10% underwent primary amputation. The 5-year, event-free survival rate was 30%. Of the patients, 15% presented initially with metastatic disease; in 53%, it developed within 2 years of diagnosis. The overall local recurrence rate was 30%. Telangiectatic transformation in soft tissue sarcomas is a rare feature of aggressive high-grade soft tissue sarcomas and is unique in its clinical presentation, MRI characteristics, pathological pattern, and a tendency for a worse-off prognosis.

Physiological correlates of psychopathy, antisocial personality disorder, habitual aggression, and violence.

PubMed

Patrick, Christopher J

2014-01-01

This chapter reviews the existing literature on physiological correlates of psychopathy, antisocial personality disorder, and persistent violence/aggression. Coverage is provided of findings from studies utilizing peripheral, electrocortical, and neuroimaging measures. The review begins with a discussion of how psychopathy and antisocial personality are defined, and how these conditions relate to one another and to violent behavior. A case is made that the relationships psychopathy and ASPD show with violent and aggressive behavior, and similarities and differences in associations of each with physiological measures of various types can be understood in terms of symptomatic features these conditions have in common versus features that distinguish them. Following this, an overview is provided of major lines of evidence emerging from psychophysiological and neuroimaging studies conducted to date on these conditions. The final section of the chapter summarizes what has been learned from these existing studies and discusses implications and directions for future research.

Co-occurring mental health and substance use problems in offenders: implications for risk assessment.

PubMed

Ruiz, Mark A; Douglas, Kevin S; Edens, John F; Nikolova, Natalia L; Lilienfeld, Scott O

2012-03-01

We undertook a secondary data analysis to study issues relevant to co-occurring mental health and substance disorder in a combined sample of offenders (N = 3,197). Using the Personality Assessment Inventory, we compared the frequency of depressive, traumatic stress, and personality disorder symptom elevations across offenders with and without substance problems, identified the extent to which co-occurring problems were accompanied by risk factors for suicide and aggression, and tested for gender differences. Offenders with substance problems were more likely than others to have increased mental health problems and risk factors for suicide or aggression. Women with substance problems, compared with men, had higher depression, traumatic stress, and borderline features, in addition to lower antisocial features. The frequency with which suicide and aggression risk factors were associated with mental health problems was generally similar across men and women. Measurement issues relevant to co-occurring disorder and risk assessment are discussed.

The Social Status of Aggressive Students across Contexts: The Role of Classroom Status Hierarchy, Academic Achievement, and Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garandeau, Claire F.; Ahn, Hai-Jeong; Rodkin, Philip C.

2011-01-01

This study tested the effects of 5 classroom contextual features on the social status (perceived popularity and social preference) that peers accord to aggressive students in late elementary school, including classroom peer status hierarchy (whether within-classroom differences in popularity are large or small), classroom academic level, and grade…

Third party involvement in barroom conflicts.

PubMed

Parks, Michael J; Osgood, D Wayne; Felson, Richard B; Wells, Samantha; Graham, Kathryn

2013-01-01

This study examines the effect of situational variables on whether third parties intervene in conflicts in barroom settings, and whether they are aggressive or not when they intervene. Based on research on bystander intervention in emergencies, we hypothesized that third parties would be most likely to become involved in incidents with features that convey greater danger of serious harm. The situational variables indicative of danger were severity of aggression, whether the aggression was one-sided or mutual, gender, and level of intoxication of the initial participants in the conflict. Analyses consist of cross-tabulations and three-level Hierarchical Logistic Models (with bar, evening, and incidents as levels) for 860 incidents of verbal and physical aggression from 503 nights of observation in 87 large bars and clubs in Toronto, Canada. Third party involvement was more likely during incidents in which: (1) the aggression was more severe; (2) the aggression was mutual (vs. one-sided) aggression; (3) only males (vs. mixed gender) were involved; and (4) participants were more intoxicated. These incident characteristics were stronger predictors of non-aggressive third party involvement than aggressive third party involvement. The findings suggest that third parties are indeed responding to the perceived danger of serious harm. Improving our knowledge about this aspect of aggressive incidents is valuable for developing prevention and intervention approaches designed to reduce aggression in bars and other locations. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Functional neuroimaging in the study of aggressive behaviour in patients with schizophrenia].

PubMed

Garciá-Martí, Gracián; Martí-Bonmatí, Luis; Aguilar, Eduardo J; Sanz-Requena, Roberto; Alberich-Bayarri, Ángel; Bonmatí, Ana; Sanjuán, Julio

2013-02-16

Although aggressive behaviours are not always very highly prevalent in schizophrenia, their occurrence does represent a significant problem for patients and those around them. Although neuroimaging studies have made it possible to further our knowledge of the biology of these behaviours, there is still a notable degree of clinical heterogeneity in the study samples that makes it difficult to obtain conclusive results that can be compared with each other. To determine whether there are variations in the brain activity, as measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging, of a homogenous group of patients with schizophrenia and aggressive behaviour. The sample consisted of 32 patients with refractory schizophrenia and auditory hallucinations selected for the study. The subjects were submitted to a functional magnetic resonance imaging examination using an auditory paradigm with emotional stimulation, while the degree of aggressiveness was measured by means of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Significant correlations were found between functional activation and the degree of aggressiveness, which show focal hyperactivations in patients with a greater association to violent behaviours. The areas identified were located in the left hippocampus (p < 0.003, corrected) and in the right medial frontal gyrus (p < 0.004, corrected). This study determines the association between the degree of aggressiveness and certain regions in the brain that are responsible for cognitive and emotional processing in a phenotypically very homogenous group of patients with chronic auditory hallucinations and schizophrenia. This alteration of the neuronal circuits can favour loss in the processes involved in empathy and sensitivity, thus favouring the appearance of aggressive behaviours.

Aggressiveness, violence, homicidality, homicide, and Lyme disease

PubMed Central

Bransfield, Robert C

2018-01-01

Background No study has previously analyzed aggressiveness, homicide, and Lyme disease (LD). Materials and methods Retrospective LD chart reviews analyzed aggressiveness, compared 50 homicidal with 50 non-homicidal patients, and analyzed homicides. Results Most aggression with LD was impulsive, sometimes provoked by intrusive symptoms, sensory stimulation or frustration and was invariably bizarre and senseless. About 9.6% of LD patients were homicidal with the average diagnosis delay of 9 years. Postinfection findings associated with homicidality that separated from the non-homicidal group within the 95% confidence interval included suicidality, sudden abrupt mood swings, explosive anger, paranoia, anhedonia, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle, disinhibition, nightmares, depersonalization, intrusive aggressive images, dissociative episodes, derealization, intrusive sexual images, marital/family problems, legal problems, substance abuse, depression, panic disorder, memory impairments, neuropathy, cranial nerve symptoms, and decreased libido. Seven LD homicides included predatory aggression, poor impulse control, and psychosis. Some patients have selective hyperacusis to mouth sounds, which I propose may be the result of brain dysfunction causing a disinhibition of a primitive fear of oral predation. Conclusion LD and the immune, biochemical, neurotransmitter, and the neural circuit reactions to it can cause impairments associated with violence. Many LD patients have no aggressiveness tendencies or only mild degrees of low frustration tolerance and irritability and pose no danger; however, a lesser number experience explosive anger, a lesser number experience homicidal thoughts and impulses, and much lesser number commit homicides. Since such large numbers are affected by LD, this small percent can be highly significant. Much of the violence associated with LD can be avoided with better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of LD. PMID:29576731

Giant cemento-ossifying fibroma of the maxilla.

PubMed

Unal, Adnan; Yurtsever Kum, Nurcan; Kum, Rauf Oguzhan; Erdogan, Aysun; Ciliz, Deniz Sozmen; Guresci, Servet; Ozcan, Muge

2015-11-14

Fibro-osseous lesions of the skull and facial bones are benign tumors, but they can be mistaken for malignant tumors due to their clinically aggressive behavior. Cemento-ossifying fibroma (COF) is a benign fibro-osseous lesion characterized by slow growth and fibrous and calcified tissue content. COFs are locally destructive lesions causing deformities in the bones. The recurrence risk is high if they are not completely removed. In this case report we describe a giant COF mimicking chondrosarcoma in the oral cavity of a 55-year-old woman causing significant facial deformity and feeding problems. Giant COF occurs rarely in the jaws and given that this lesion has similar imaging and clinical features to several other tumors, the diagnosis is always a challenge for clinicians, radiologists and pathologists.

Nuclear DNA Methylation and Chromatin Condensation Phenotypes Are Distinct Between Normally Proliferating/Aging, Rapidly Growing/Immortal, and Senescent Cells

PubMed Central

Gertych, Arkadiusz; Tajbakhsh, Jian

2013-01-01

This study reports on probing the utility of in situ chromatin texture features such as nuclear DNA methylation and chromatin condensation patterns — visualized by fluorescent staining and evaluated by dedicated three-dimensional (3D) quantitative and high-throughput cell-by-cell image analysis — in assessing the proliferative capacity, i.e. growth behavior of cells: to provide a more dynamic picture of a cell population with potential implications in basic science, cancer diagnostics/prognostics and therapeutic drug development. Two types of primary cells and four different cancer cell lines were propagated and subjected to cell-counting, flow cytometry, confocal imaging, and 3D image analysis at various points in culture. Additionally a subset of primary and cancer cells was accelerated into senescence by oxidative stress. DNA methylation and chromatin condensation levels decreased with declining doubling times when primary cells aged in culture with the lowest levels reached at the stage of proliferative senescence. In comparison, immortal cancer cells with constant but higher doubling times mostly displayed lower and constant levels of the two in situ-derived features. However, stress-induced senescent primary and cancer cells showed similar levels of these features compared with primary cells that had reached natural growth arrest. With regards to global DNA methylation and chromatin condensation levels, aggressively growing cancer cells seem to take an intermediate level between normally proliferating and senescent cells. Thus, normal cells apparently reach cancer-cell equivalent stages of the two parameters at some point in aging, which might challenge phenotypic distinction between these two types of cells. Companion high-resolution molecular profiling could provide information on possible underlying differences that would explain benign versus malign cell growth behaviors. PMID:23562889

Nuclear DNA methylation and chromatin condensation phenotypes are distinct between normally proliferating/aging, rapidly growing/immortal, and senescent cells.

PubMed

Oh, Jin Ho; Gertych, Arkadiusz; Tajbakhsh, Jian

2013-03-01

This study reports on probing the utility of in situ chromatin texture features such as nuclear DNA methylation and chromatin condensation patterns - visualized by fluorescent staining and evaluated by dedicated three-dimensional (3D) quantitative and high-throughput cell-by-cell image analysis - in assessing the proliferative capacity, i.e. growth behavior of cells: to provide a more dynamic picture of a cell population with potential implications in basic science, cancer diagnostics/prognostics and therapeutic drug development. Two types of primary cells and four different cancer cell lines were propagated and subjected to cell-counting, flow cytometry, confocal imaging, and 3D image analysis at various points in culture. Additionally a subset of primary and cancer cells was accelerated into senescence by oxidative stress. DNA methylation and chromatin condensation levels decreased with declining doubling times when primary cells aged in culture with the lowest levels reached at the stage of proliferative senescence. In comparison, immortal cancer cells with constant but higher doubling times mostly displayed lower and constant levels of the two in situ-derived features. However, stress-induced senescent primary and cancer cells showed similar levels of these features compared with primary cells that had reached natural growth arrest. With regards to global DNA methylation and chromatin condensation levels, aggressively growing cancer cells seem to take an intermediate level between normally proliferating and senescent cells. Thus, normal cells apparently reach cancer-cell equivalent stages of the two parameters at some point in aging, which might challenge phenotypic distinction between these two types of cells. Companion high-resolution molecular profiling could provide information on possible underlying differences that would explain benign versus malign cell growth behaviors.

Fronto-parietal regulation of media violence exposure in adolescents: a multi-method study

PubMed Central

Strenziok, Maren; Krueger, Frank; Deshpande, Gopikrishna; Lenroot, Rhoshel K.; van der Meer, Elke

2011-01-01

Adolescents spend a significant part of their leisure time watching TV programs and movies that portray violence. It is unknown, however, how the extent of violent media use and the severity of aggression displayed affect adolescents’ brain function. We investigated skin conductance responses, brain activation and functional brain connectivity to media violence in healthy adolescents. In an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment, subjects repeatedly viewed normed videos that displayed different degrees of aggressive behavior. We found a downward linear adaptation in skin conductance responses with increasing aggression and desensitization towards more aggressive videos. Our results further revealed adaptation in a fronto-parietal network including the left lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC), right precuneus and bilateral inferior parietal lobules, again showing downward linear adaptations and desensitization towards more aggressive videos. Granger causality mapping analyses revealed attenuation in the left lOFC, indicating that activation during viewing aggressive media is driven by input from parietal regions that decreased over time, for more aggressive videos. We conclude that aggressive media activates an emotion–attention network that has the capability to blunt emotional responses through reduced attention with repeated viewing of aggressive media contents, which may restrict the linking of the consequences of aggression with an emotional response, and therefore potentially promotes aggressive attitudes and behavior. PMID:20934985

Proposed Diagnostic Criteria, Classification Schema, and Review of Literature of Notochord-Derived Ecchordosis Physaliphora

PubMed Central

Lagman, Carlito; Sarmiento, J. Manuel; Turtz, Alan R; Chitale, Rohan V

2016-01-01

Ecchordosis physaliphora (EP) is a benign notochordal remnant derived from ectopic nests found along the craniospinal axis. It typically presents asymptomatically and is diagnosed using classic radiologic features, particularly location, T1-hypointensity, T2-hyperintensity, and lack of enhancement following gadolinium (Gd) contrast administration. Distinguishing EP from its malignant counterpart, chordoma, is of paramount importance, given the aggressive nature of the latter. Advances in imaging and immunohistochemistry have aided in diagnosis to an extent but, to our knowledge, identification of the genetic fingerprint of EP has yet to take place. Further cytological analysis of these lesions in search of a genetic link is warranted. We propose here a set of diagnostic criteria based on features consistently cited in the literature. In this literature review, 23 case reports were identified and collated into a summary of symptomatic cases of ecchordosis physaliphora. An illustrative case report of two patients was also included.  PMID:27158576

Sphenoid Sinus Myxoma: Case Report and Literature Review

PubMed Central

Moore, Brian A.; Wine, Todd; Burkey, Brian B.; Amedee, Ronald G.; Butcher, R. Brent

2008-01-01

Objectives: We present the first known case in the English-language literature of a myxoma arising in the sphenoid sinus. By describing the patient's clinical course and the salient features of this rare neoplasm, we seek to increase the awareness of the presentation, histological features, and treatment considerations for myxomas of the head and neck. In the process, we intend to describe the work-up of isolated sphenoid sinus lesions and focus on the varying and evolving techniques for surgical access to the sphenoid sinus. Study Design and Methods: Case report and literature review. Results: We describe the clinical course of a patient with a myxoma of the sphenoid sinus. The patient underwent an external sphenoethmoidectomy through a lateral rhinotomy approach with medial maxillectomy under MRI-guidance. He remains without evidence of recurrent disease after 8 months. Conclusions: Myxomas of the head and neck are rare neoplasms. Their infiltrative nature and tendency to recur demand an aggressive surgical approach that may be accomplished with minimal morbidity using currently available image-guided techniques. PMID:21603497

Automatic spatiotemporal matching of detected pleural thickenings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaisaowong, Kraisorn; Keller, Simon Kai; Kraus, Thomas

2014-01-01

Pleural thickenings can be found in asbestos exposed patient's lung. Non-invasive diagnosis including CT imaging can detect aggressive malignant pleural mesothelioma in its early stage. In order to create a quantitative documentation of automatic detected pleural thickenings over time, the differences in volume and thickness of the detected thickenings have to be calculated. Physicians usually estimate the change of each thickening via visual comparison which provides neither quantitative nor qualitative measures. In this work, automatic spatiotemporal matching techniques of the detected pleural thickenings at two points of time based on the semi-automatic registration have been developed, implemented, and tested so that the same thickening can be compared fully automatically. As result, the application of the mapping technique using the principal components analysis turns out to be advantageous than the feature-based mapping using centroid and mean Hounsfield Units of each thickening, since the resulting sensitivity was improved to 98.46% from 42.19%, while the accuracy of feature-based mapping is only slightly higher (84.38% to 76.19%).

[Aggressive fibromatosis of the nasal sinuses].

PubMed

Artazkoz del Toro, J J; Pons Rocher, F; Dalmau Galofré, J; Mompó Romero, L; Guallart Domènech, F; Serrano Badía, E

1994-01-01

A case report of a feminine patient who complained of nasal ventilatory obstruction and nasosinusal polyposis is presented. She underwent surgery and the pathological study revealed the existence of an aggressive fibromatosis. The AA. review the literature dealing with this illness and explain an update state of the clinical features, treatment and the course of this rare entity, closely related to fibrosarcoma.

Weakly aggressive behaviour towards nymphs in the cockroach Schultesia nitor (Blattaria: Zetoborinae).

PubMed

Van Baaren, Joan; Deleporte, Pierre; Vimard, Aurélie; Biquand, Véronique; Pierre, Jean-Sebastien

2007-01-01

This paper describes aggressive behaviour in the cockroach Schultesia nitor, a tropical forest species living in bird nests. Young S. nitor nymphs are known to show active dispersal while old nymphs and adults are contrastingly strongly gregarious, a combination of features never observed in other cockroach species. Our laboratory experiments using video recording of confrontations between pairs show that aggressive behaviour towards conspecific nymphs is not exhibited towards nymphs of the species Phoetalia pallida, and thus can be considered species specific in S. nitor. But, it is not kin oriented: the mother and all adults of both sexes in different physiological states exhibit this behaviour as well. Six types of aggressive interactions were discriminated, occurring in age-symmetric pairs of nymphs and adults. Even more frequent aggression was exhibited by adults and last instar nymphs towards younger nymphs of all instars. The frequency of aggressive acts and types of aggressive interactions varied according to sex and size of the two interacting individuals. The possible function and evolution of this behaviour is discussed, with emphasis on the difficulty of interpreting obvious but weak and not kin-biased aggression. 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Personality correlates of revenge-seeking: Multidimensional links to physical aggression, impulsivity, and aggressive pleasure.

PubMed

Chester, David S; DeWall, C Nathan

2018-05-01

People differ in how much they seek retribution for interpersonal insults, slights, rejections, and other antagonistic actions. Identifying individuals who are most prone towards such revenge-seeking is a theoretically-informative and potentially violence-reducing endeavor. However, we have yet to understand the extent to which revenge-seeking individuals exhibit specific features of aggressiveness, impulsivity, and what motivates their hunt for retribution. Toward this end, we conducted three studies (total N = 673), in which revenge-seeking was measured alongside these other constructs. Analyses repeatedly demonstrated that revenge-seeking was associated with greater physical (but not verbal) aggressiveness, anger, and hostility. Revenge-seeking's link to physical aggression was partially accounted for by impulses toward enjoying aggression and the tendency to use aggression to improve mood. Dominance analyses revealed that sadism explained the most variance in revenge-seeking. Revenge-seeking was associated with greater impulsive responses to negative and positive affect, as well as greater premeditation of behavior. These findings paint a picture of revenge-seekers as physically aggressive curators of anger, whose retributive acts are performed with planned malice and motivated by the act's entertaining and therapeutic qualities. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neuroimaging correlates of aggression in schizophrenia: an update.

PubMed

Hoptman, Matthew J; Antonius, Daniel

2011-03-01

Aggression in schizophrenia is associated with poor treatment outcomes, hospital admissions, and stigmatization of patients. As such it represents an important public health issue. This article reviews recent neuroimaging studies of aggression in schizophrenia, focusing on PET/single photon emission computed tomography and MRI methods. The neuroimaging literature on aggression in schizophrenia is in a period of development. This is attributable in part to the heterogeneous nature and basis of that aggression. Radiological methods have consistently shown reduced activity in frontal and temporal regions. MRI brain volumetric studies have been less consistent, with some studies finding increased volumes of inferior frontal structures, and others finding reduced volumes in aggressive individuals with schizophrenia. Functional MRI studies have also had inconsistent results, with most finding reduced activity in inferior frontal and temporal regions, but some also finding increased activity in other regions. Some studies have made a distinction between types of aggression in schizophrenia in the context of antisocial traits, and this appears to be useful in understanding the neuroimaging literature. Frontal and temporal abnormalities appear to be a consistent feature of aggression in schizophrenia, but their precise nature likely differs because of the heterogeneous nature of that behavior.

Effects of resocialization on post-weaning social isolation-induced abnormal aggression and social deficits in rats.

PubMed

Tulogdi, Aron; Tóth, Máté; Barsvári, Beáta; Biró, László; Mikics, Eva; Haller, József

2014-01-01

As previously shown, rats isolated from weaning develop abnormal social and aggressive behavior characterized by biting attacks targeting vulnerable body parts of opponents, reduced attack signaling, and increased defensive behavior despite increased attack counts. Here we studied whether this form of violent aggression could be reversed by resocialization in adulthood. During the first weak of resocialization, isolation-reared rats showed multiple social deficits including increased defensiveness and decreased huddling during sleep. Deficits were markedly attenuated in the second and third weeks. Despite improved social functioning in groups, isolated rats readily showed abnormal features of aggression in a resident-intruder test performed after the 3-week-long resocialization. Thus, post-weaning social isolation-induced deficits in prosocial behavior were eliminated by resocialization during adulthood, but abnormal aggression was resilient to this treatment. Findings are compared to those obtained in humans who suffered early social maltreatment, and who also show social deficits and dysfunctional aggression in adulthood. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The interactive effect of social pain and executive functioning on aggression: an fMRI experiment

PubMed Central

Eisenberger, Naomi I.; Pond, Richard S.; Richman, Stephanie B.; Bushman, Brad J.; DeWall, C. Nathan

2014-01-01

Social rejection often increases aggression, but the neural mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. This experiment tested whether neural activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and anterior insula in response to social rejection predicted greater subsequent aggression. Additionally, it tested whether executive functioning moderated this relationship. Participants completed a behavioral measure of executive functioning, experienced social rejection while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging and then completed a task in which they could aggress against a person who rejected them using noise blasts . We found that dACC activation and executive functioning interacted to predict aggression. Specifically, participants with low executive functioning showed a positive association between dACC activation and aggression, whereas individuals with high executive functioning showed a negative association. Similar results were found for the left anterior insula. These findings suggest that social pain can increase or decrease aggression, depending on an individual’s regulatory capability. PMID:23482622

Fibromatosis of the breast mimicking an abscess: case report of unusual sonographic features.

PubMed

Lee, So Min; Lee, Ji Young; Lee, Byung Hoon; Kim, Su Young; Joo, Mee; Kim, Jae Il

2015-01-01

Fibromatosis of the breast, also known as a desmoid tumor, is extremely rare and most often appears as an aggressive lesion mimicking breast carcinoma. It lacks metastatic potential but can grow aggressively in a localized area. Ultrasonography often shows an irregular spiculated hypoechoic mass with posterior acoustic shadowing. We discuss a case of breast fibromatosis that presented as a painful palpable breast mass in a 32-year-old woman and mimicked an abscess in the sonogram. We found that this lesion displayed atypical sonographic features such as a heterogeneous echoic mass with an internal anechoic area. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Peer and cyber aggression in secondary school students: the role of moral disengagement, hostile attribution bias, and outcome expectancies.

PubMed

Pornari, Chrisa D; Wood, Jane

2010-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between cognitive mechanisms, applied by people to rationalize and justify harmful acts, and engagement in traditional peer and cyber aggression among school children. We examined the contribution of moral disengagement (MD), hostile attribution bias, and outcome expectancies, and we further explored the individual contribution of each MD mechanism. Our aim was to identify shared and unique cognitive factors of the two forms of aggression. Three hundred and thirty-nine secondary school children completed self-report measures that assessed MD, hostile attribution bias, outcome expectancies, and their roles and involvement in traditional and cyber aggression. We found that the MD total score positively related to both forms of peer-directed aggression. Furthermore, traditional peer aggression positively related to children's moral justification, euphemistic language, displacement of responsibility and outcome expectancies, and negatively associated with hostile attribution bias. Moral justification also related positively to cyber aggression. Cyber aggression and cyber victimization were associated with high levels of traditional peer aggression and victimization, respectively. The results suggest that MD is a common feature of both traditional and cyber peer aggression, but it seems that traditional forms of aggression demand a higher level of rationalization or justification. Moreover, the data suggest that the expectation of positive outcomes from harmful behavior facilitates engagement in traditional peer aggression. The differential contribution of specific cognitive mechanisms indicates the need for future research to elaborate on the current findings, in order to advance theory and inform existing and future school interventions tackling aggression and bullying. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Analysis of EMG Signals in Aggressive and Normal Activities by Using Higher-Order Spectra

PubMed Central

Sezgin, Necmettin

2012-01-01

The analysis and classification of electromyography (EMG) signals are very important in order to detect some symptoms of diseases, prosthetic arm/leg control, and so on. In this study, an EMG signal was analyzed using bispectrum, which belongs to a family of higher-order spectra. An EMG signal is the electrical potential difference of muscle cells. The EMG signals used in the present study are aggressive or normal actions. The EMG dataset was obtained from the machine learning repository. First, the aggressive and normal EMG activities were analyzed using bispectrum and the quadratic phase coupling of each EMG episode was determined. Next, the features of the analyzed EMG signals were fed into learning machines to separate the aggressive and normal actions. The best classification result was 99.75%, which is sufficient to significantly classify the aggressive and normal actions. PMID:23193379

Assessing the heterogeneity of aggressive behavior traits: exploratory and confirmatory analyses of the reactive and instrumental aggression Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) scales.

PubMed

Antonius, Daniel; Sinclair, Samuel Justin; Shiva, Andrew A; Messinger, Julie W; Maile, Jordan; Siefert, Caleb J; Belfi, Brian; Malaspina, Dolores; Blais, Mark A

2013-01-01

The heterogeneity of violent behavior is often overlooked in risk assessment despite its importance in the management and treatment of psychiatric and forensic patients. In this study, items from the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) were first evaluated and rated by experts in terms of how well they assessed personality features associated with reactive and instrumental aggression. Exploratory principal component analyses (PCA) were then conducted on select items using a sample of psychiatric and forensic inpatients (n = 479) to examine the latent structure and construct validity of these reactive and instrumental aggression factors. Finally, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted on a separate sample of psychiatric inpatients (n = 503) to evaluate whether these factors yielded acceptable model fit. Overall, the exploratory and confirmatory analyses supported the existence of two latent PAI factor structures, which delineate personality traits related to reactive and instrumental aggression.

Is there a common pathogenesis in aggressive periodontitis & ankylosing spondylitis in HLA-B27 patient?

PubMed

Agrawal, Neeraj; Agarwal, Kavita; Varshney, Atul; Agrawal, Navneet; Dubey, Ashutosh

2016-05-01

HLA-B27 is having strong association to ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and other inflammatory diseases collectively known as seronegative spondyloarthropathy. In literature, although the evidence for association between AS and periodontitis as well as AS and HLA-B27 are there but the association of aggressive periodontitis in HLA-B27 positive patient with AS are not there. We hypothesize that there may be a common pathogenesis in aggressive periodontitis and ankylosing spondylitis in HLA-B27 patient. A 27-years-old female presented with the features of generalized aggressive periodontitis and difficulty in walking. On complete medical examination, ankylosing spondylitis was diagnosed with further positive HLA-B27 phenotype and negative rheumatic factor. This report may open up a new link to explore in the pathogenesis of aggressive periodontitis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Third Party Involvement in Barroom Conflicts

PubMed Central

Parks, Michael J.; Osgood, D. Wayne; Felson, Richard B.; Wells, Samantha; Graham, Kathryn

2014-01-01

This study examines the effect of situational variables on whether third parties intervene in conflicts in barroom settings, and whether they are aggressive or not when they intervene. Based on research on bystander intervention in emergencies, we hypothesized that third parties would be most likely to become involved in incidents with features that convey greater danger of serious harm. The situational variables indicative of danger were severity of aggression, whether the aggression was one-sided or mutual, gender, and level of intoxication of the initial participants in the conflict. Analyses consist of cross-tabulations and three-level Hierarchical Logistic Models (with bar, evening, and incidents as levels) for 860 incidents of verbal and physical aggression from 503 nights of observation in 87 large bars and clubs in Toronto, Canada. Third party involvement was more likely during incidents in which: (1) the aggression was more severe; (2) the aggression was mutual (vs. one-sided) aggression; (3) only males (vs. mixed gender) were involved; and (4) participants were more intoxicated. These incident characteristics were stronger predictors of nonaggressive third party involvement than aggressive third party involvement. The findings suggest that third parties are indeed responding to the perceived danger of serious harm. Improving our knowledge about this aspect of aggressive incidents is valuable for developing prevention and intervention approaches designed to reduce aggression in bars and other locations. PMID:23494773

Locally aggressive and multifocal phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors: two unusual cases of tumor-induced osteomalacia.

PubMed

Higley, Meghan; Beckett, Brooke; Schmahmann, Sandra; Dacey, Elizabeth; Foss, Erik

2015-12-01

Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) has long been recognized as a clinical paraneoplastic syndrome. The identification of a unique histopathologic entity, the phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor (PMT), as a distinct etiology for TIO has been a more recent discovery. The majority of published cases describe a solitary, non-aggressive appearing soft tissue or osseous lesions in patients with osteomalacia; aggressive appearing or multifocal lesions appear to be exceedingly rare. These tumors characteristically secrete fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). Elevated serum levels of FGF23 result in phosphate wasting and osteomalacia. In the majority of cases, laboratory abnormalities and clinical signs and symptoms of osteomalacia precede identification of the causative lesion by years. Following diagnosis, complete resection with wide margins to prevent local recurrence is most often curative. Imaging characteristics of PMT are diverse and remain incompletely defined, as the majority of previous publications are outside of the radiologic literature. We present multiple imaging modalities in two cases of patients with debilitating osteomalacia and unusual appearing PMTs: one with a locally aggressive lesion leading to pathologic fracture, the second presenting with exceedingly rare multifocal PMT.

The neurobiology of abnormal manifestations of aggression--a review of hypothalamic mechanisms in cats, rodents, and humans.

PubMed

Haller, Jozsef

2013-04-01

Aggression research was for long dominated by the assumption that aggression-related psychopathologies result from the excessive activation of aggression-promoting brain mechanisms. This assumption was recently challenged by findings with models of aggression that mimic etiological factors of aggression-related psychopathologies. Subjects submitted to such procedures show abnormal attack features (mismatch between provocation and response, disregard of species-specific rules, and insensitivity toward the social signals of opponents). We review here 12 such laboratory models and the available human findings on the neural background of abnormal aggression. We focus on the hypothalamus, a region tightly involved in the execution of attacks. Data show that the hypothalamic mechanisms controlling attacks (general activation levels, local serotonin, vasopressin, substance P, glutamate, GABA, and dopamine neurotransmission) undergo etiological factor-dependent changes. Findings suggest that the emotional component of attacks differentiates two basic types of hypothalamic mechanisms. Aggression associated with increased arousal (emotional/reactive aggression) is paralleled by increased mediobasal hypothalamic activation, increased hypothalamic vasopressinergic, but diminished hypothalamic serotonergic neurotransmission. In aggression models associated with low arousal (unemotional/proactive aggression), the lateral but not the mediobasal hypothalamus is over-activated. In addition, the anti-aggressive effect of serotonergic neurotransmission is lost and paradoxical changes were noticed in vasopressinergic neurotransmission. We conclude that there is no single 'neurobiological road' to abnormal aggression: the neural background shows qualitative, etiological factor-dependent differences. Findings obtained with different models should be viewed as alternative mechanisms rather than conflicting data. The relevance of these findings for understanding and treating of aggression-related psychopathologies is discussed. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Extrasynaptic ionotropic receptors'. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of Serotonin and Dopamine System Interactions in the Neurobiology of Impulsive Aggression and its Comorbidity with other Clinical Disorders

PubMed Central

Seo, Dongju; Patrick, Christopher J.; Kennealy, Patrick J.

2008-01-01

Impulsive aggression is characterized by an inability to regulate affect as well as aggressive impulses, and is highly comorbid with other mental disorders including depression, suicidal behavior, and substance abuse. In an effort to elucidate the neurobiological underpinnings of impulsive aggression and to help account for its connections with these other disorders, this paper reviews relevant biochemical, brain imaging, and genetic studies. The review suggests that dysfunctional interactions between serotonin and dopamine systems in the prefrontal cortex may be an important mechanism underlying the link between impulsive aggression and its comorbid disorders. Specifically, serotonin hypofunction may represent a biochemical trait that predisposes individuals to impulsive aggression, with dopamine hyperfunction contributing in an additive fashion to the serotonergic deficit. The current paper proposes a modified diathesis-stress model of impulsive aggression in which the underlying biological diathesis may be deficient serotonergic function in the ventral prefrontal cortex. This underlying disposition can be manifested behaviorally as impulsive aggression towards oneself and others, and as depression under precipitating life stressors. Substance abuse associated with impulsive aggression is understood in the context of dopamine dysregulation resulting from serotonergic deficiency. Also discussed are future research directions in the neurobiology of impulsive aggression and its comorbid disorders. PMID:19802333

Moderating Effects of Group Status, Cohesion, and Ethnic Composition on Socialization of Aggression in Children's Peer Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shi, Bing; Xie, Hongling

2014-01-01

We explored the effects of 3 group features (i.e., status, cohesion, and ethnic composition) on socialization processes of aggression in early adolescents' natural peer social groups. Gender differences in these effects were also determined. A total of 245 seventh-grade individuals belonging to 65 peer groups were included in the analyses. All 3…

Phenobarbital-responsive episodic dyscontrol (rage) in dogs.

PubMed

Dodman, N H; Miczek, K A; Knowles, K; Thalhammer, J G; Shuster, L

1992-11-15

Episodic dyscontrol (rage) was diagnosed from the clinical history, electroencephalographic findings, and response to oral treatment with phenobarbital in 3 dogs. Clinical features included a mood change heralding aggressive incidents, explosive aggression directed at people or objects, and a postaggressive phase characterized by lethargy and lack of responsiveness. Abnormal electroencephalographic findings included spike activity in the temporal recordings. All 3 dogs responded well to anticonvulsant medication with phenobarbital.

Dressed to kill? Visible markers of coalitional affiliation enhance conceptualized formidability.

PubMed

Fessler, Daniel M T; Holbrook, Colin; Dashoff, David

2016-01-01

Displaying markers of coalitional affiliation is a common feature of contemporary life. In situations in which interaction with members of rival coalitions is likely, signaling coalitional affiliation may simultaneously constitute an implicit challenge to opponents and an objective commitment device, binding signalers to their coalitions. Individuals who invite conflict, and who cannot readily back out of conflict, constitute a greater threat than those who avoid conflict and preserve the option of feigning neutrality. As a consequence, the former should be viewed as more formidable than the latter. Recent research indicates that relative formidability is summarized using the envisioned physical size and strength of a potential antagonist. Thus, individuals who display markers of coalitional affiliation should be conceptualized as more physically imposing than those who do not. We tested this prediction in two experiments. In Study 1, conducted with U.S. university students, participants inspected images of sports fans' faces. In Study 2, conducted with U.S. Mechanical Turk workers, participants read vignettes depicting political partisans. In both studies, participants estimated the physical formidability of the target individuals and reported their own ability to defend themselves; in Study 2, participants estimated the target's aggressiveness. Consonant with predictions, targets depicted as signaling coalitional affiliation in situations of potential conflict were envisioned to be more physically formidable and more aggressive than were those not depicted as signaling thusly. Underscoring that the calculations at issue concern the possibility of violent conflict, participants' estimates of the protagonist's features were inversely correlated with their ability to defend themselves. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cell-type-specific role of ΔFosB in nucleus accumbens in modulating inter-male aggression.

PubMed

Aleyasin, Hossein; Flanigan, Meghan E; Golden, Sam A; Takahashi, Aki; Menard, Caroline; Pfau, Madeline L; Multer, Jacob; Pina, Jacqueline; McCabe, Kathryn A; Bhatti, Naemal; Hodes, Georgia E; Heshmati, Mitra; Neve, Rachael L; Nestler, Eric J; Heller, Elizabeth A; Russo, Scott J

2018-06-11

A growing number of studies implicate the brain's reward circuitry in aggressive behavior. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms within brain reward regions that modulate the intensity of aggression as well as motivation for it have been underexplored. Here, we investigate the cell-type-specific influence of ΔFosB, a transcription factor known to regulate a range of reward and motivated behaviors, acting in the nucleus accumbens (NAc)-a key reward region-in male aggression in mice. We show that ΔFosB is specifically increased in dopamine D1 receptor (Drd1) expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) in NAc after repeated aggressive encounters. Viral-mediated induction of ΔFosB selectively in D1-MSNs of NAc intensifies aggressive behavior, without affecting the preference for the aggression-paired context in a conditioned place preference (CPP) assay. In contrast, ΔFosB induction selectively in D2-MSNs reduces the time spent exploring the aggression-paired context during CPP without affecting the intensity of aggression per se. These data strongly support a dissociable cell-type-specific role for ΔFosB in the NAc in modulating aggression and aggression reward. Significance Statement: Aggressive behavior is associated with several neuropsychiatric disorders and can be disruptive for the individuals as well as their victims. Studies have shown a positive reinforcement mechanism underlying aggressive behavior that shares many common features with drug addiction. Here, we explore the cell-type-specific role of the addiction-associated transcription factor ΔFosB in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in aggression. We found that ΔFosB expression promotes aggressive behavior, effects that are dissociable from its effects on aggression reward. This finding is a significant first step in identifying therapeutic targets for the reduction of aggressive behavior across a range of neuropsychiatric illnesses. Copyright © 2018 the authors.

A clitoral verrucous carcinoma in an area of lichen planus has aggressive features.

PubMed

Tjalma, Wiebren A A; Siozopoulou, Vasiliki; Huizing, Manon T

2017-01-06

Verrucous carcinoma of the vulva is extremely rare. It is a slow growing, low malignant variant of a squamous cell carcinoma with a cauliflower appearance. Women with lichen planus have an increased risk of developing vulval cancer. A 79-year-old woman consulted for vulval itching. On clinical examination, a 3-cm large verrucous clitoral cancer in an area of lichen planus was seen. Based on her last clinical examination, the growth was estimated to be 1 cm 2 per month with an invasion depth after 6 months of 5 mm. A tumor developing in an area of lichen planus appears to have more aggressive features. This is the first time that the growth of a verrucous carcinoma has been documented in an area of lichen planus. Clinicians and patients should be aware of the aggressive behavior of cancers developing in areas of lichen planus and adjust their surgical management together with the follow-up strategy.

Alternative method for variable aspect ratio vias using a vortex mask

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schepis, Anthony R.; Levinson, Zac; Burbine, Andrew; Smith, Bruce W.

2014-03-01

Historically IC (integrated circuit) device scaling has bridged the gap between technology nodes. Device size reduction is enabled by increased pattern density, enhancing functionality and effectively reducing cost per chip. Exemplifying this trend are aggressive reductions in memory cell sizes that have resulted in systems with diminishing area between bit/word lines. This affords an even greater challenge in the patterning of contact level features that are inherently difficult to resolve because of their relatively small area and complex aerial image. To accommodate these trends, semiconductor device design has shifted toward the implementation of elliptical contact features. This empowers designers to maximize the use of free device space, preserving contact area and effectively reducing the via dimension just along a single axis. It is therefore critical to provide methods that enhance the resolving capacity of varying aspect ratio vias for implementation in electronic design systems. Vortex masks, characterized by their helically induced propagation of light and consequent dark core, afford great potential for the patterning of such features when coupled with a high resolution negative tone resist system. This study investigates the integration of a vortex mask in a 193nm immersion (193i) lithography system and qualifies its ability to augment aspect ratio through feature density using aerial image vector simulation. It was found that vortex fabricated vias provide a distinct resolution advantage over traditionally patterned contact features employing a 6% attenuated phase shift mask (APM). 1:1 features were resolvable at 110nm pitch with a 38nm critical dimension (CD) and 110nm depth of focus (DOF) at 10% exposure latitude (EL). Furthermore, iterative source-mask optimization was executed as means to augment aspect ratio. By employing mask asymmetries and directionally biased sources aspect ratios ranging between 1:1 and 2:1 were achievable, however, this range is ultimately dictated by pitch employed.

Collective narcissism and its social consequences.

PubMed

de Zavala, Agnieszka Golec; Cichocka, Aleksandra; Eidelson, Roy; Jayawickreme, Nuwan

2009-12-01

This article introduces the concept of collective narcissism--an emotional investment in an unrealistic belief about the in group's greatness--aiming to explain how feelings about an ingroup shape a tendency to aggress against outgroups. The results of 5 studies indicate that collective, but not individual, narcissism predicts intergroup aggressiveness. Collective narcissism is related to high private and low public collective self-esteem and low implicit group esteem. It predicts perceived threat from outgroups, unwillingness to forgive outgroups, preference for military aggression over and above social dominance orientation, right-wing authoritarianism, and blind patriotism. The relationship between collective narcissism and aggressiveness is mediated by perceived threat from outgroups and perceived insult to the ingroup. In sum, the results indicate that collective narcissism is a form of high but ambivalent group esteem related to sensitivity to threats to the ingroup's image and retaliatory aggression.

Ex vivo tissue imaging of human glioblastoma using a small bore 7T MRI and correlation with digital pathology and proteomics profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuda, Kant M.; Lopes-Calcas, Ana; Magyar, Thalia; O'Brien-Moran, Zoe; Buist, Richard; Martin, Melanie

2017-03-01

Recent advancement in MRI established multi-parametric imaging for in vivo characterization of pathologic changes in brain cancer, which is expected to play a role in imaging biomarker development. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is a prime example, which has been deployed for assessment of therapeutic response via analysis of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) / mean diffusivity (MD) values. They have been speculated to reflect apoptosis/necrosis. As newer medical imaging emerges, it is essential to verify that apparent abnormal features in imaging correlate with histopathology. Furthermore, the feasibility of imaging correlation with molecular profile should be explored in order to enhance the potential of biomedical imaging as a reliable biomarker. We focus on glioblastoma, which is an aggressive brain cancer. Despite the increased number of studies involving DTI in glioblastoma; however, little has been explored to bridge the gap between the molecular biomarkers and DTI data. Due to spatial heterogeneity in, MRI signals, pathologic change and protein expression, precise correlation is required between DTI, pathology and proteomics data in a histoanatomically identical manner. The challenge is obtaining an identical plane from in vivo imaging data that exactly matches with histopathology section. Thus, we propose to incorporate ex vivo tissue imaging to bridge between in vivo imaging data and histopathology. With ex vivo scan of removed tissue, it is feasible to use high-field 7T MRI scanner, which can achieve microscopic resolution. Once histology section showing the identical plane, it is feasible to correlate protein expression by a unique technology, "multiplex tissue immunoblotting".

Aggressive hemangioma of the thoracic spine.

PubMed

Schrock, Wesley B; Wetzel, Raun J; Tanner, Stephanie C; Khan, Majid A

2011-01-01

Vertebral hemangiomas are common lesions and usually considered benign. A rare subset of them, however, are characterized by extra-osseous extension, bone expansion, disturbance of blood flow, and occasionally compression fractures and thereby referred to as aggressive hemangiomas. We present a case of a 67-year-old woman with progressive paraplegia and an infiltrative mass of T4 vertebra causing mass effect on the spinal cord. Multiple conventional imaging modalities were utilized to suggest the diagnosis of aggressive hemangioma. Final pathologic diagnosis after decompressive surgery confirmed the diagnosis of an osseous hemangioma.

Aggressive hemangioma of the thoracic spine

PubMed Central

Schrock, Wesley B.; Wetzel, Raun J.; Tanner, Stephanie C.; Khan, Majid A.

2011-01-01

Vertebral hemangiomas are common lesions and usually considered benign. A rare subset of them, however, are characterized by extra-osseous extension, bone expansion, disturbance of blood flow, and occasionally compression fractures and thereby referred to as aggressive hemangiomas. We present a case of a 67-year-old woman with progressive paraplegia and an infiltrative mass of T4 vertebra causing mass effect on the spinal cord. Multiple conventional imaging modalities were utilized to suggest the diagnosis of aggressive hemangioma. Final pathologic diagnosis after decompressive surgery confirmed the diagnosis of an osseous hemangioma. PMID:22470764

Androgen associated hepatocellular carcinoma with an aggressive course.

PubMed Central

Gleeson, D; Newbould, M J; Taylor, P; McMahon, R F; Leahy, B C; Warnes, T W

1991-01-01

The hepatocellular carcinomas that develop in patients treated with androgens have previously been associated with a benign clinical outcome. We describe a man who developed a hepatocellular carcinoma after 24 years of androgen treatment, whose tumour initially showed partial regression after withdrawal of androgens but subsequently pursued an aggressive and fatal course. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:1655591

[Injury pattern caused by aggressive inline skating].

PubMed

Hilgert, R E; Besch, L; Behnke, B; Egbers, H-J

2004-12-01

In order to evaluate the special injury pattern of aggressive inline skating, a field study was conducted in a local, non-commercial skate park equipped with all the typical features like ramps, halfpipes, gully areas. 66 unselected aggressive inline skaters were randomly enrolled and interviewed concerning their skating habits and their skating injury history. Average age was 15 (10 to 41) years, skating was performed since 2.1 (0.1 to 6) years, as aggressive skating since 1.3 (0.1 to 4) years. Medical treatment in a doctor's practice or in a hospital had been necessary in 66 cases, averaging 1.4 times per skater and year, averaging one injury per 586 hours of aggressive skating. The injury pattern reflected the regions typically injured in fitness skating, too, with a higher percentage of injuries concerning knee, tibia and ankle region. The use of protective devices varied from 41 % (wrist guards) to 94 % (knee pads), with an average of 69 %. Only 32 % of skaters wore all protective devices. As the personal thrill is an important motivation for aggressive skating, safer skating campaigns are quite unlikely to decrease the risk of injury in aggressive skaters.

Violent video game effects on aggression, empathy, and prosocial behavior in eastern and western countries: a meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Anderson, Craig A; Shibuya, Akiko; Ihori, Nobuko; Swing, Edward L; Bushman, Brad J; Sakamoto, Akira; Rothstein, Hannah R; Saleem, Muniba

2010-03-01

Meta-analytic procedures were used to test the effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, empathy/desensitization, and prosocial behavior. Unique features of this meta-analytic review include (a) more restrictive methodological quality inclusion criteria than in past meta-analyses; (b) cross-cultural comparisons; (c) longitudinal studies for all outcomes except physiological arousal; (d) conservative statistical controls; (e) multiple moderator analyses; and (f) sensitivity analyses. Social-cognitive models and cultural differences between Japan and Western countries were used to generate theory-based predictions. Meta-analyses yielded significant effects for all 6 outcome variables. The pattern of results for different outcomes and research designs (experimental, cross-sectional, longitudinal) fit theoretical predictions well. The evidence strongly suggests that exposure to violent video games is a causal risk factor for increased aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, and aggressive affect and for decreased empathy and prosocial behavior. Moderator analyses revealed significant research design effects, weak evidence of cultural differences in susceptibility and type of measurement effects, and no evidence of sex differences in susceptibility. Results of various sensitivity analyses revealed these effects to be robust, with little evidence of selection (publication) bias.

Evidence of central cholinergic mechanisms in the appearance of affective aggressive behaviour: dissociation of aggression from autonomic and motor phenomena.

PubMed

Beleslin, D B; Samardzić, R

1979-04-11

Carbachol, muscarine, eserine and neostigmine injected into the cerebral ventricles of conscious cats evoked emotional behaviour with aggression, autonomic and motor phenomena as well as clonic-tonic convulsions. The main and the most impressive feature of the gross behavioural effects of intraventricular carbachol, muscarine, eserine and neostigmine in conscious cats was the affective type of aggression. However, neostigmine produced aggressive behaviour only in about one-quarter of the experiments. After intraventricular hemicholinium-3 and triethylcholine carbachol, muscarine, eserine and neostigmine elicited autonomic and motor phenomena. In these cats cholinomimetics and anticholinesterases evoked only slight hissing and snarling. Choline administered into the cerebral ventricles of hemicholinium-3 and triethylcholine-treated cats restored the emotional behaviour with aggression, autonomic and motor phenomena as well as clonic-tonic convulsions to intraventricular carbachol, muscarine, eserine and neostigmine. The restored gross behavioural changes to eserine were almost of the same intensity, while those to carbachol and muscarine were of lesser intensity than in control cats. From these experiments it is concluded that cholinergic neurones are involved in the appearance of the affective type of aggression resulting from intraventricular carbachol, muscarine, eserine and neostigmine.

Short-term effects of prosocial video games on aggression: an event-related potential study

PubMed Central

Liu, Yanling; Teng, Zhaojun; Lan, Haiying; Zhang, Xin; Yao, Dezhong

2015-01-01

Previous research has shown that exposure to violent video games increases aggression, whereas exposure to prosocial video games can reduce aggressive behavior. However, little is known about the neural correlates of these behavioral effects. This work is the first to investigate the electrophysiological features of the relationship between playing a prosocial video game and inhibition of aggressive behavior. Forty-nine subjects played either a prosocial or a neutral video game for 20 min, then participated in an event-related potential (ERP) experiment based on an oddball paradigm and designed to test electrophysiological responses to prosocial and violent words. Finally, subjects completed a competitive reaction time task (CRTT) which based on Taylor's Aggression Paradigm and contains reaction time and noise intensity chosen as a measure of aggressive behavior. The results show that the prosocial video game group (compared to the neutral video game group) displayed smaller P300 amplitudes, were more accurate in distinguishing violent words, and were less aggressive as evaluated by the CRTT of noise intensity chosen. A mediation analysis shows that the P300 amplitude evoked by violent words partially mediates the relationship between type of video game and subsequent aggressive behavior. The results support theories based on the General Learning Model. We provide converging behavioral and neural evidence that exposure to prosocial media may reduce aggression. PMID:26257620

Short-term effects of prosocial video games on aggression: an event-related potential study.

PubMed

Liu, Yanling; Teng, Zhaojun; Lan, Haiying; Zhang, Xin; Yao, Dezhong

2015-01-01

Previous research has shown that exposure to violent video games increases aggression, whereas exposure to prosocial video games can reduce aggressive behavior. However, little is known about the neural correlates of these behavioral effects. This work is the first to investigate the electrophysiological features of the relationship between playing a prosocial video game and inhibition of aggressive behavior. Forty-nine subjects played either a prosocial or a neutral video game for 20 min, then participated in an event-related potential (ERP) experiment based on an oddball paradigm and designed to test electrophysiological responses to prosocial and violent words. Finally, subjects completed a competitive reaction time task (CRTT) which based on Taylor's Aggression Paradigm and contains reaction time and noise intensity chosen as a measure of aggressive behavior. The results show that the prosocial video game group (compared to the neutral video game group) displayed smaller P300 amplitudes, were more accurate in distinguishing violent words, and were less aggressive as evaluated by the CRTT of noise intensity chosen. A mediation analysis shows that the P300 amplitude evoked by violent words partially mediates the relationship between type of video game and subsequent aggressive behavior. The results support theories based on the General Learning Model. We provide converging behavioral and neural evidence that exposure to prosocial media may reduce aggression.

Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder: A Window on the Emotional World of Parkinson Disease

PubMed Central

Mariotti, Paolo; Quaranta, Davide; Di Giacopo, Raffaella; Bentivoglio, Anna Rita; Mazza, Marianna; Martini, Annalisa; Canestri, Jorge; Della Marca, Giacomo

2015-01-01

Study Objectives: REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia characterized by motor activity during sleep with dream mentation. Aggressiveness has been considered a peculiar feature of dreams associated with RBD, despite normal score in aggressiveness scales during wakefulness. We aimed to measure daytime aggressiveness and analyze dream contents in a population of patients with Parkinson disease (PD) with and without RBD. Design: This is a single-center prospective observational study; it concerns the description of the clinical features of a medical disorder in a case series. Setting: The study was performed in the Department of Neurosciences of the Catholic University in Rome, Italy. Patients: Three groups of subjects were enrolled: patients with PD plus RBD, patients with PD without RBD, and healthy controls. Interventions: The diagnosis of RBD was determined clinically and confirmed by means of overnight, laboratory-based video-polysomnography. For the evaluation of diurnal aggressiveness, the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ) was used. The content of dreams was evaluated by means of the methods of Hall and Van De Castle. Measurements and Results: Patients with PD without RBD displayed higher levels of anger, and verbal and physical aggressiveness than patients with PD and RBD and controls. Patients with PD and RBD and controls did not differ in hostility. Conclusions: It can be hypothesized that a noradrenergic impairment at the level of the locus coeruleus could, at the same time, explain the presence of REM sleep behavior disorder, as well as the reduction of diurnal aggressiveness. This finding also suggests a role for REM sleep in regulating homeostasis of emotional brain function. Citation: Mariotti P, Quaranta D, Di Giacopo R, Bentivoglio AR, Mazza M, Martini A, Canestri J, Della Marca G. Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder: a window on the emotional world of Parkinson disease. SLEEP 2015;38(2):287–294. PMID:25325501

Predicting tumor hypoxia in non-small cell lung cancer by combining CT, FDG PET and dynamic contrast-enhanced CT.

PubMed

Even, Aniek J G; Reymen, Bart; La Fontaine, Matthew D; Das, Marco; Jochems, Arthur; Mottaghy, Felix M; Belderbos, José S A; De Ruysscher, Dirk; Lambin, Philippe; van Elmpt, Wouter

2017-11-01

Most solid tumors contain inadequately oxygenated (i.e., hypoxic) regions, which tend to be more aggressive and treatment resistant. Hypoxia PET allows visualization of hypoxia and may enable treatment adaptation. However, hypoxia PET imaging is expensive, time-consuming and not widely available. We aimed to predict hypoxia levels in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using more easily available imaging modalities: FDG-PET/CT and dynamic contrast-enhanced CT (DCE-CT). For 34 NSCLC patients, included in two clinical trials, hypoxia HX4-PET/CT, planning FDG-PET/CT and DCE-CT scans were acquired before radiotherapy. Scans were non-rigidly registered to the planning CT. Tumor blood flow (BF) and blood volume (BV) were calculated by kinetic analysis of DCE-CT images. Within the gross tumor volume, independent clusters, i.e., supervoxels, were created based on FDG-PET/CT. For each supervoxel, tumor-to-background ratios (TBR) were calculated (median SUV/aorta SUV mean ) for HX4-PET/CT and supervoxel features (median, SD, entropy) for the other modalities. Two random forest models (cross-validated: 10 folds, five repeats) were trained to predict the hypoxia TBR; one based on CT, FDG, BF and BV, and one with only CT and FDG features. Patients were split in a training (trial NCT01024829) and independent test set (trial NCT01210378). For each patient, predicted, and observed hypoxic volumes (HV) (TBR > 1.2) were compared. Fifteen patients (3291 supervoxels) were used for training and 19 patients (1502 supervoxels) for testing. The model with all features (RMSE training: 0.19 ± 0.01, test: 0.27) outperformed the model with only CT and FDG-PET features (RMSE training: 0.20 ± 0.01, test: 0.29). All tumors of the test set were correctly classified as normoxic or hypoxic (HV > 1 cm 3 ) by the best performing model. We created a data-driven methodology to predict hypoxia levels and hypoxia spatial patterns using CT, FDG-PET and DCE-CT features in NSCLC. The model correctly classifies all tumors, and could therefore, aid tumor hypoxia classification and patient stratification.

Neural and Behavioral Correlates of Alcohol-Induced Aggression Under Provocation

PubMed Central

Gan, Gabriela; Sterzer, Philipp; Marxen, Michael; Zimmermann, Ulrich S; Smolka, Michael N

2015-01-01

Although alcohol consumption is linked to increased aggression, its neural correlates have not directly been studied in humans so far. Based on a comprehensive neurobiological model of alcohol-induced aggression, we hypothesized that alcohol-induced aggression would go along with increased amygdala and ventral striatum reactivity and impaired functioning of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) under alcohol. We measured neural and behavioral correlates of alcohol-induced aggression in a provoking vs non-provoking condition with a variant of the Taylor aggression paradigm (TAP) allowing to differentiate between reactive (provoked) and proactive (unprovoked) aggression. In a placebo-controlled cross-over design with moderate alcohol intoxication (~0.6 g/kg), 35 young healthy adults performed the TAP during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Analyses revealed that provoking vs non-provoking conditions and alcohol vs placebo increased aggression and decreased brain responses in the anterior cingulate cortex/dorso-medial PFC (provoking

[The aggression in SPDC: an observational study. Preliminary data].

PubMed

Minutolo, Giuseppe; Cannavò, Dario; Petralia, Antonino; Gandolfo, Liliana; Palermo, Filippo; Aguglia, Eugenio

2010-01-01

In the different psychiatric disorders the aggression often leads to uncontrolled events, taking aspects of impulsiveness and irrationality. Our research proposes the assessment of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with a psychiatric disorder, who presented an aggressive event. The observational study was conducted on a sample of 50 patients (34 men and 16 women), hospitalized following the manifestation of an aggressive event. For each patient was provided an assessment of socio-demographic and clinical variables and a psychometric investigation through: the OAS, for the analysis of aggressive episodes; the BDHI, for the hostile behavior and attitudes; the BIS-11, for the impulsiveness and the BPRS for the psychopathological aspects. Among the socio-demographic features investigated, the highest correlation with aggressive behavior was related to the concomitant substance abuse, type of admission to psychiatric hospital and the male gender. The OAS has shown a greater propensity to directed-aggression in males with schizophrenia, and self-directed in females with major depression. The BPRS has shown a positive correlation between hetero-directed aggressive behavior and positive symptomatology, and between the self-directed and depression, risk of suicide, feelings of guilt and somatic concerns. The BDHI has indicated greater suspicion in women's group. The hypothesis that aggression is otherwise related to specific socio-demographic and clinical characteristics was confirmed by our study. The data suggest that early identification and assessment of potential risk factors involved in the genesis of aggressive episodes would allow the clinician to implement a better strategy for prevention and intervention.

Psychopathy and instrumental aggression: Evolutionary, neurobiological, and legal perspectives.

PubMed

Glenn, Andrea L; Raine, Adrian

2009-01-01

In the study of aggression, psychopathy represents a disorder that is of particular interest because it often involves aggression which is premeditated, emotionless, and instrumental in nature; this is especially true for more serious types of offenses. Such instrumental aggression is aimed at achieving a goal (e.g., to obtain resources such as money, or to gain status). Unlike the primarily reactive aggression observed in other disorders, psychopaths appear to engage in aggressive acts for the purpose of benefiting themselves. This is especially interesting in light of arguments that psychopathy may represent an alternative life-history strategy that is evolutionarily adaptive; behaviors such as aggression, risk-taking, manipulation, and promiscuous sexual behavior observed in psychopathy may be means by which psychopaths gain advantage over others. Recent neurobiological research supports the idea that abnormalities in brain regions key to emotion and morality may allow psychopaths to pursue such a strategy-psychopaths may not experience the social emotions such as empathy, guilt, and remorse that typically discourage instrumentally aggressive acts, and may even experience pleasure when committing these acts. Findings from brain imaging studies of psychopaths may have important implications for the law.

Affiliative and aggressive behavior in a group of female Somali wild ass (Equus africanus somalicus).

PubMed

Asa, Cheryl S; Marshall, Fiona; Fischer, Martha

2012-01-01

We observed a group of three young female Somali wild asses to develop an ethogram of social behavior in the first phase of a longer term study of social, sexual, and maternal/infant behavior. The most unexpected finding was the frequency and extent of aggressive interactions, which included Charge, Drive, Neck Wrestle, Head Butt, and Body Slam, behaviors previously reported only for males of other equid species. The overall frequency of aggressive behavior was higher than that of affiliative behavior (84±16.5 vs. 32±5.5, P=0.03), yet no injuries occurred. The dyadic directionality of aggressive behavior suggested a dominance hierarchy, a feature not previously reported for either wild ass or domestic donkeys. The aggression observed may be an accurate representation of the behavior of this species, or their relatively young ages, or their recent transfer from their natal group through quarantine and into a new enclosure may have heightened agonistic tendencies. Further studies will determine whether with time their aggressive behavior becomes more intense or dissipates with maturity. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Amygdala reactivity to fearful faces correlates positively with impulsive aggression.

PubMed

da Cunha-Bang, Sofi; Fisher, Patrick M; Hjordt, Liv V; Holst, Klaus; Knudsen, Gitte M

2018-01-07

Facial expressions robustly activate the amygdala, a brain structure playing a critical role in aggression. Whereas previous studies suggest that amygdala reactivity is related to various measures of impulsive aggression, we here estimate a composite measure of impulsive aggression and evaluate whether it is associated with amygdala reactivity to angry and fearful faces. We estimated amygdala reactivity with functional magnetic resonance imaging in 47 men with varying degree of aggressive traits (19 incarcerated violent offenders and 28 healthy controls). We modeled a composite "impulsive aggression" trait construct (LV agg ) using a linear structural equation model, with a single latent variable capturing the shared correlation between five self-report measures of trait aggression, anger and impulsivity. We tested for associations between amygdala reactivity and the LV agg , adjusting for age and group. The LV agg was significantly positively associated with amygdala reactivity to fearful (p = 0.001), but not angry faces (p = 0.9). We found no group difference in amygdala reactivity to fearful or angry faces. The findings suggest that that amygdala reactivity to fearful faces is represented by a composite index of impulsive aggression and provide evidence that impulsive aggression is associated with amygdala reactivity in response to submissive cues, i.e., fearful faces.

Carbachol-induced agonistic behavior in cats: aggressive or defensive response.

PubMed

Brudzyński, S M

1981-01-01

The effects of intrahypothalamic carbachol microinjections were investigated in unprovoked cats. The carbachol evoked mydriasis, attention, vocalization, and piloerection, i.e. features of a typical defense were usually concomitant in evoked response, while the clear-cut aggressive or escape patterns appeared only once. No basic differences were observed in the set of manifestations induced by low (1-2.5 micrograms) and high (20-40 micrograms) doses of carbachol, and from left and right hypothalamus as well as from medial and lateral portion of the hypothalamus. It is concluded that carbachol-induced response does not represent an aggressive pattern but corresponds to the cat’s defense and threat behavior.

Clobazam and Aggression-Related Adverse Events in Pediatric Patients With Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome.

PubMed

Paolicchi, Juliann M; Ross, Gail; Lee, Deborah; Drummond, Rebecca; Isojarvi, Jouko

2015-10-01

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is an intractable epileptic encephalopathy marked by frequent drop seizures. Most patients develop moderate intellectual disability and behavioral problems, including hyperactivity, aggressiveness, insecurity, and autistic features. Treatment with benzodiazepines, including clobazam, may increase aggression/behavioral problems in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Post hoc analyses of data from the OV-1012 trial assessed the potential for behavioral effects with clobazam treatment in pediatric (2 to 18 years) patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. OV-1012 was a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group trial comprising a 4-week baseline period, 3-week titration period, and a 12-week maintenance period. Data from 194 patients were analyzed for a history of aggression/behavioral problems, occurrence of aggression-related adverse events, and by assessment of potential drug-related effects on four behavior domains of the Child Behavior Checklist. Twenty-nine aggression-related adverse events were reported for 27 (13.9%) patients. Similar percentages of clobazam-treated patients with and without a history of aggressive behavior experienced an aggression-related adverse event (16.7% versus 15.5%, respectively). In the medium- and high-dosage clobazam groups, onset of aggression-related adverse effects occurred within the 3-week titration period with 63.2% resolving by the end of the study. Aggression-related adverse event onset and resolution were similar for the low-dosage clobazam and placebo groups. Analysis of baseline to postbaseline T scores for the behavior domains of the Child Behavior Checklist indicated no significant differences between clobazam and placebo. Post hoc analyses indicate that the overall rate of aggression with clobazam treatment was low and dosage dependent. Clobazam treatment was effective in reducing drop seizures regardless of aggression experience. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aggressive behavior and poor prognosis of endometrial stromal sarcomas with YWHAE-FAM22 rearrangement indicate the clinical importance to recognize this subset.

PubMed

Kruse, Arnold-Jan; Croce, Sabrina; Kruitwagen, Roy F P M; Riedl, Robert G; Slangen, Brigitte F M; Van Gorp, Toon; Van de Vijver, Koen K

2014-11-01

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2003 defined endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESSs) in general have a good prognosis, considerable differences in clinical behavior and prognosis may exist between different patients with ESS. The ESSs of the type associated with YWHAE-NUTM2 (previously named YWHAE-FAM22) fusion have a more aggressive clinical behavior and poorer prognosis than conventional ESS. Recently, the WHO 2014 classification recognizes this subset of ESS as a separate entity and classifies these as high-grade ESSs. Recognition of this subset has therefore an important clinical impact. We performed a review of the literature to delineate the clinicopathologic features of ESS patients with an YWHAE-NUTM2 rearrangement, with the goal to recognize this subset of ESS. We report a case of a woman with WHO 2014-defined high-grade ESS. Furthermore, published English literature was reviewed for YWHAE-FAM22 ESS and uterus. Twenty patients were identified, with a median age of 50 (range, 28-67) years. There were no clinical features able to recognize YWHAE-NUTM2 ESS. However, they characteristically contain specific histopathological features. Furthermore, YWHAE-NUTM2 ESSs are strongly cyclin D1 positive in contrast to conventional low-grade ESSs. YWHAE-NUTM2 ESSs represent a subset of ESSs with an aggressive clinical behavior and poor prognosis. Specific histopathological features may indicate the presence of YWHAE-NUTM2 rearrangement, which subsequently can be confirmed by cyclin D1 immunostaining.

Metastatic mucosal melanoma: imaging patterns of metastasis and recurrence.

PubMed

O'Regan, Kevin; Breen, Micheál; Ramaiya, Nikhil; Jagannathan, Jyothi; DiPiro, Pamela J; Hodi, F Stephen; Van den Abbeele, Annick D

2013-12-30

Mucosal melanoma is a rare but aggressive subtype of melanoma with unique clinicopathologic features. We hypothesize that mucosal melanoma shows predilection for separate and unique metastatic pathways. This was a retrospective analysis of 19 patients (5 men and 14 women; median age 60 years, range 38-76 years) with metastatic mucosal melanoma presenting to a tertiary oncology center between 2005 and 2010. We performed a review of medical records and histologic and imaging studies to evaluate the natural history, metastatic patterns and the role of imaging in the management of patients with advanced mucosal melanoma. At presentation, disease was confined to the primary site (58%, n = 11) or to the regional lymph nodes (32%, n = 6) in most patients. The most common site of metastasis was the lungs (89%, n = 16), followed by the liver (67%, n = 12) and peritoneum (44%, n = 8). Sinonasal melanoma preferentially spread to the liver (100%, n = 4), vaginal melanoma to the lungs (100%, n = 7) and anal melanoma to the inguinal lymph nodes (100%, n = 4). Pathways of metastatic spread in mucosal melanoma may differ from other forms of melanoma and between different primary sites of mucosal origin.

Unusual presentation of a skull base mass lesion in sarcoidosis mimicking malignant neoplasm: a case report.

PubMed

Shijo, Katsunori; Moro, Nobuhiro; Sasano, Mari; Watanabe, Mitsuru; Yagasaki, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Shori; Homma, Taku; Yoshino, Atsuo

2018-05-29

Sarcoidosis is a multi-organ disease of unknown etiology characterised by the presence of epithelioid granulomas, without caseous necrosis. Systemic sarcoidosis is rare among children, while neurosarcoidosis in children is even rarer whether it is systemic or not. We described the case of a 12-year-old boy who presented with monocular vision loss accompanied by unusual MRI features of an extensive meningeal infiltrating mass lesion. The patient underwent surgical resection (biopsy) via a frontotemporal craniotomy to establish a definitive diagnosis based on the histopathology, since neurosarcoidosis remains a very difficult diagnosis to establish from neuroradiogenic imagings. Based on the histopathology of the resected mass lesion, neurosarcoidosis was diagnosed. On follow-up after 3 months of steroid therapy, the patient displayed a good response on the imaging studies. MRI revealed that the preexisting mass lesion had regressed extremely. We also conducted a small literature review on imaging studies, manifestations, appropriate treatments, etc., in particular neurosarcoidosis including children. Although extremely rare, neurosarcoidosis, even in children, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of skull base mass lesions to avoid unnecessary aggressive surgery and delay in treatment, since surgery may have little role in the treatment of sarcoidosis.

Testing aggressive behaviour in a feeding context: Importance of ethologically relevant stimuli.

PubMed

González, Daniel; Szenczi, Péter; Bánszegi, Oxána; Hudson, Robyn

2018-05-01

The choice of stimuli used in tests of animal behaviour can have a critical effect on the outcome. Here we report two experiments showing how different foods influenced aggressive behaviour in competition tests at weaning among littermates of the domestic cat. Whereas in Experiment 1 canned food elicited almost no overt competition, a piece of raw beef rib elicited clearly aggressive behaviour among littermates. In Experiment 2 the food stimuli were chosen to differ from raw beef rib in various combinations of taste/smell, texture and monopolizability. Kittens showed different levels of aggression in response to the five stimuli tested, which suggests that the strong effect of beef rib in eliciting aggressive behaviour was due to a complex combination of features. We suggest that using stimuli approximating the evolved, functional significance to the species concerned is more likely to result in robust, biologically relevant behaviours than more artificial stimuli. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface-based hemangioma of bone: three case studies and a review of the literature.

PubMed

Rougraff, B T; Deters, M L; Ivancevich, S

1998-04-01

Three cases of surface-based hemangiomas were reviewed. The cases illustrate the plain film and magnetic resonance imaging findings of these benign tumors, which can appear quite aggressive, mimicking more aggressive neoplasms. Each of the patients underwent en bloc excision, and pathologic evaluation to determine the diagnosis. To date, there has been no evidence of recurrence.

Some Features of Human Adolescence Viewed in Evolutionary Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisfeld, G. E.; Berger, J. M.

1983-01-01

Focuses on some apparently evolved features of human adolescence and their possible functions, including the pubertal growth spurt, sexual size dimorphism and bimaturism, the greater aggressiveness of males, heightened concern with one's social standing and the factors affecting it, intergenerational friction, same-sex aggregations and solidarity,…

Aggressive television ad campaign for Cooper University Hospital features hometown celebrity.

PubMed

2006-01-01

Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ, features an extensive ambulatory care network that includes practice sites across eight counties of Southern New Jersey. Recently, the hospital worked with Willing Strategic Advertising to produce an award-winning television advertising campaign endorsed by New Jersey-born TV personality, Kelly Ripa.

Automated Monitoring and Analysis of Social Behavior in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Dankert, Heiko; Wang, Liming; Hoopfer, Eric D.; Anderson, David J.; Perona, Pietro

2009-01-01

We introduce a method based on machine vision for automatically measuring aggression and courtship in Drosophila melanogaster. The genetic and neural circuit bases of these innate social behaviors are poorly understood. High-throughput behavioral screening in this genetically tractable model organism is a potentially powerful approach, but it is currently very laborious. Our system monitors interacting pairs of flies, and computes their location, orientation and wing posture. These features are used for detecting behaviors exhibited during aggression and courtship. Among these, wing threat, lunging and tussling are specific to aggression; circling, wing extension (courtship “song”) and copulation are specific to courtship; locomotion and chasing are common to both. Ethograms may be constructed automatically from these measurements, saving considerable time and effort. This technology should enable large-scale screens for genes and neural circuits controlling courtship and aggression. PMID:19270697

Quantitative CT analysis for the preoperative prediction of pathologic grade in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Jayasree; Pulvirenti, Alessandra; Yamashita, Rikiya; Midya, Abhishek; Gönen, Mithat; Klimstra, David S.; Reidy, Diane L.; Allen, Peter J.; Do, Richard K. G.; Simpson, Amber L.

2018-02-01

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) account for approximately 5% of all pancreatic tumors, affecting one individual per million each year.1 PanNETs are difficult to treat due to biological variability from benign to highly malignant, indolent to very aggressive. The World Health Organization classifies PanNETs into three categories based on cell proliferative rate, usually detected using the Ki67 index and cell morphology: low-grade (G1), intermediate-grade (G2) and high-grade (G3) tumors. Knowledge of grade prior to treatment would select patients for optimal therapy: G1/G2 tumors respond well to somatostatin analogs and targeted or cytotoxic drugs whereas G3 tumors would be targeted with platinum or alkylating agents.2, 3 Grade assessment is based on the pathologic examination of the surgical specimen, biopsy or ne-needle aspiration; however, heterogeneity in the proliferative index can lead to sampling errors.4 Based on studies relating qualitatively assessed shape and enhancement characteristics on CT imaging to tumor grade in PanNET,5 we propose objective classification of PanNET grade with quantitative analysis of CT images. Fifty-five patients were included in our retrospective analysis. A pathologist graded the tumors. Texture and shape-based features were extracted from CT. Random forest and naive Bayes classifiers were compared for the classification of G1/G2 and G3 PanNETs. The best area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0:74 and accuracy of 71:64% was achieved with texture features. The shape-based features achieved an AUC of 0:70 and accuracy of 78:73%.

Osteoid producing primary lesion at morphologic and biologic interface.

PubMed

Sarkar, Reena Radhikaprasad

2015-01-01

Fibroosseous gnathic lesions comprise a wide spectrum of diseases. Many of the entities have overlapping features. A pediatric case is encountered with a complex clinicopathologic profile. Although radiographically the lesion appears benign but on histopathological examination it possesses features of osteoid producing aggressive neoplasm. This paper highlights the unusual histologic features existing within the spectrum of fibroosseous lesions and discusses relevant clinicopathologic correlations.

The frontal lobe and aggression

PubMed Central

Séguin, Jean R.

2014-01-01

Frontal lesions often lead to psychosocial problems. It is not surprising that frontal lobe dysfunctions have been proposed to underlie antisocial behaviour in individuals without apparent lesions. However, physical aggression and violence have never been systematically related to acquired lesions. Whereas, traditional neuropsychological testing identifies problems in cognitive and emotional information processing, recent brain-imaging studies have revealed both the frontal structural and functional underpinnings of antisocial behaviour. Careful characterization of antisocial behaviour subtypes seems to indicate that cognitive-neuropsychological function is systematically poor in physical aggression and hyperactivity. Recent refinements point to biological and genetic moderators of that association. PMID:24976846

Parosteal osteosarcoma dedifferentiating into telangiectatic osteosarcoma: importance of lytic changes and fluid cavities at imaging.

PubMed

Azura, M; Vanel, D; Alberghini, M; Picci, P; Staals, E; Mercuri, M

2009-07-01

This study was performed to assess the imaging findings in cases of parosteal osteosarcoma dedifferentiated into telangiectatic osteosarcoma. Parosteal osteosarcoma is a low-grade well-differentiated malignant tumor. Dedifferentiation into a more aggressive lesion is frequent and usually visible on imaging as a central lytic area in a sclerotic mass. Only one case of differentiation into a telangiectatic osteosarcoma has been reported. As it has practical consequences, with a need for aggressive chemotherapy, we looked for this rather typical imaging pattern. Review of 199 cases of surface osteosarcomas (including 86 parosteal, of which 23 were dedifferentiated) revealed lesions suggesting a possible telangiectatic osteosarcoma on imaging examinations in five cases (cavities with fluid). Histology confirmed three cases (the two other only had hematoma inside a dedifferentiated tumor). There were three males, aged 24, 28, and 32. They had radiographs and CT, and two an MR examination. Lesions involved the distal femur, proximal tibia, and proximal humerus. The parosteal osteosarcoma was a sclerotic, regular mass, attached to the cortex. A purely lytic mass, partially composed of fluid cavities was easily detected on CT and MR. It involved the medullary cavity twice, and remained outside the bone once. Histology confirmed the two components in each case. Two patients died of pulmonary metastases and one is alive. Knowledge of this highly suggestive pattern should help guide the initial biopsy to diagnose the two components of the tumor, and guide aggressive treatment.

Genomic Architecture of Aggression: Rare Copy Number Variants in Intermittent Explosive Disorder

PubMed Central

Vu, Tiffany H; Coccaro, Emil F; Eichler, Evan E; Girirajan, Santhosh

2011-01-01

Copy number variants (CNVs) are known to be associated with complex neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia and autism) but have not been explored in the isolated features of aggressive behaviors such as intermittent explosive disorder (IED). IED is characterized by recurrent episodes of aggression in which individuals act impulsively and grossly out of proportion from the involved stressors. Previous studies have identified genetic variants in the serotonergic pathway that play a role in susceptibility to this behavior, but additional contributors have not been identified. Therefore, to further delineate possible genetic influences, we investigated CNVs in individuals diagnosed with IED and/or personality disorder (PD). We carried out array comparative genomic hybridization on 113 samples of individuals with isolated features of IED (n = 90) or PD (n = 23). We detected a recurrent 1.35-Mbp deletion on chromosome 1q21.1 in one IED subject and a novel ∼350-kbp deletion on chromosome 16q22.3q23.1 in another IED subject. While five recent reports have suggested the involvement of an ∼1.6-Mbp 15q13.3 deletion in individuals with behavioral problems, particularly aggression, we report an absence of such events in our study of individuals specifically selected for aggression. We did, however, detect a smaller ∼430-kbp 15q13.3 duplication containing CHRNA7 in one individual with PD. While these results suggest a possible role for rare CNVs in identifying genes underlying IED or PD, further studies on a large number of well-characterized individuals are necessary. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc. PMID:21812102

Violent video games stress people out and make them more aggressive.

PubMed

Hasan, Youssef; Bègue, Laurent; Bushman, Brad J

2013-01-01

It is well known that violent video games increase aggression, and that stress increases aggression. Many violent video games can be stressful because enemies are trying to kill players. The present study investigates whether violent games increase aggression by inducing stress in players. Stress was measured using cardiac coherence, defined as the synchronization of the rhythm of breathing to the rhythm of the heart. We predicted that cardiac coherence would mediate the link between exposure to violent video games and subsequent aggression. Specifically, we predicted that playing a violent video game would decrease cardiac coherence, and that cardiac coherence, in turn, would correlate negatively with aggression. Participants (N = 77) played a violent or nonviolent video game for 20 min. Cardiac coherence was measured before and during game play. After game play, participants had the opportunity to blast a confederate with loud noise through headphones during a reaction time task. The intensity and duration of noise blasts given to the confederate was used to measure aggression. As expected, violent video game players had lower cardiac coherence levels and higher aggression levels than did nonviolent game players. Cardiac coherence, in turn, was negatively related to aggression. This research offers another possible reason why violent games can increase aggression-by inducing stress. Cardiac coherence can be a useful tool to measure stress induced by violent video games. Cardiac coherence has several desirable methodological features as well: it is noninvasive, stable against environmental disturbances, relatively inexpensive, not subject to demand characteristics, and easy to use. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Oxytocin strengthens the link between provocation and aggression among low anxiety people.

PubMed

Pfundmair, Michaela; Reinelt, Annika; DeWall, C Nathan; Feldmann, Lisa

2018-07-01

Oxytocin (OT) not only modulates positive social interactions but also affects negative ones. Several studies have established a link between OT and aggression. However, they also resulted in an inconsistent picture and showed methodological issues. The current studies aimed to address these lacks and test the hypothesis that OT increases provocation-induced aggression in people low in anxiety. Therefore, two studies with 56 males (Study 1) as well as 40 females and 24 males (Study 2) were conducted. After responding to a trait anxiety questionnaire, participants self-administered OT or a placebo. Thereafter, provocation was manipulated by rejecting vs. accepting (Study 1) or insulting vs. accepting (Study 2) the participants by real human counterparts. Aggressive behavior was quantified by measuring how much hot sauce (Study 1) or unpleasant blasts of white noise (Study 2) participants delivered to their opponents, using two classic aggression paradigms. Both studies provided evidence that OT promotes aggression in response to provocation in low anxiety people which was not the case with no provocation or in high anxiety people. These findings confirm the idea that OT can be involved in the creation of aggressive behavior when accounting for situational and dispositional features. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Imaging Prostatic Lipids to Distinguish Aggressive Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

this application, we propose to build upon our current work to determine the association between fatty acid synthase ( FAS ) overexpression and...cancer (as determined by Gleason scoring) we propose to: 1) Determine the correlation between FAS expression in prostatectomy samples and the amount... FAS expression and FAS activity in prostatectomy samples, intraprostatic lipid as measured by MRSI and prostate tumor aggressiveness. 3) To quantify

Frontal white matter changes and aggression in methamphetamine dependence.

PubMed

Lederer, Katharina; Fouche, Jean-Paul; Wilson, Don; Stein, Dan J; Uhlmann, Anne

2016-02-01

Chronic methamphetamine (MA) use can lead to white matter (WM) changes and increased levels of aggression. While previous studies have examined WM abnormalities relating to cognitive impairment, associations between WM integrity and aggression in MA dependence remain unclear. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) was used to investigate WM changes in 40 individuals with MA dependence and 40 matched healthy controls. A region of interest (ROI) approach using tract based spatial statistics (TBSS) in FSL was performed. We compared fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), parallel diffusivity (λ║) and perpendicular diffusivity (λ┴) in WM tracts of the frontal brain. A relationship of WM with aggression scores from the Buss & Perry Questionnaire was investigated. Mean scores for anger (p < 0.001), physical aggression (p = 0.032) and total aggression (p = 0.021) were significantly higher in the MA group relative to controls. ROI analysis showed increased MD (U = 439.5, p = 0.001) and λ┴ (U = 561.5, p = 0.021) values in the genu of the corpus callosum, and increased MD (U = 541.5, p = 0.012) values in the right cingulum in MA dependence. None of the WM changes were significantly associated with aggression scores. This study provides evidence of frontal WM changes and increased levels of aggression in individuals with MA dependence. The lack of significant associations between WM and aggressive behaviour may reflect methodological issues in measuring such behaviour, or may indicate that the neurobiology of aggression is not simply correlated with WM damage but is more complex.

Expression of FAP, ADAM12, WISP1, and SOX11 is heterogeneous in aggressive fibromatosis and spatially relates to the histologic features of tumor activity.

PubMed

Misemer, Benjamin S; Skubitz, Amy P N; Carlos Manivel, J; Schmechel, Stephen C; Cheng, Edward Y; Henriksen, Jonathan C; Koopmeiners, Joseph S; Corless, Christopher L; Skubitz, Keith M

2014-02-01

Aggressive fibromatosis (AF) represents a group of tumors with a variable and unpredictable clinical course, characterized by a monoclonal proliferation of myofibroblastic cells. The optimal treatment for AF remains unclear. Identification and validation of genes whose expression patterns are associated with AF may elucidate biological mechanisms in AF, and aid treatment selection. This study was designed to examine the protein expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) of four genes, ADAM12, FAP, SOX11, and WISP1, that were found in an earlier study to be uniquely overexpressed in AF compared with normal tissues. Digital image analysis was performed to evaluate inter- and intratumor heterogeneity, and correlate protein expression with histologic features, including a histopathologic assessment of tumor activity, defined by nuclear chromatin density ratio (CDR). AF tumors exhibited marked inter- and intratumor histologic heterogeneity. Pathologic assessment of tumor activity and digital assessment of average nuclear size and CDR were all significantly correlated. IHC revealed protein expression of all four genes. IHC staining for ADAM12, FAP, and WISP1 correlated with CDR and was higher, whereas SOX11 staining was lower in tumors with earlier recurrence following excision. All four proteins were expressed, and the regional variation in tumor activity within and among AF cases was demonstrated. A spatial correlation between protein expression and nuclear morphology was observed. IHC also correlated with the probability of recurrence following excision. These proteins may be involved in AF pathogenesis and the corresponding pathways could serve as potential targets of therapy. © 2013 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Identifying key factors associated with aggression on acute inpatient psychiatric wards.

PubMed

Bowers, Len; Allan, Teresa; Simpson, Alan; Jones, Julia; Van Der Merwe, Marie; Jeffery, Debra

2009-04-01

Aggressive behaviour is a critical issue for modern acute psychiatric services, not just because of the adverse impact it has on patients and staff, but also because it puts a financial strain on service providers. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship of patient violence to other variables: patient characteristics, features of the service and physical environment, patient routines, staff factors, the use of containment methods, and other patient behaviours. A multivariate cross sectional design was utilised. Data were collected for a six month period on 136 acute psychiatric wards in 26 NHS Trusts in England. Multilevel modelling was conducted to ascertain those factors most strongly associated with verbal aggression, aggression toward objects, and physical aggression against others. High levels of aggression were associated with a high proportion of patients formally detained under mental health legislation, high patient turnover, alcohol use by patients, ward doors being locked, and higher staffing numbers (especially qualified nurses). The findings suggest that the imposition of restrictions on patients exacerbates the problem of violence, and that alcohol management strategies may be a productive intervention. Insufficient evidence is available to draw conclusions about the nature of the link between staffing numbers and violence.

Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging Correlates of Aggression in Psychosis: A Systematic Review and Effect Size Analysis.

PubMed

Widmayer, Sonja; Sowislo, Julia F; Jungfer, Hermann A; Borgwardt, Stefan; Lang, Undine E; Stieglitz, Rolf D; Huber, Christian G

2018-01-01

Background: Aggression in psychoses is of high clinical importance, and volumetric MRI techniques have been used to explore its structural brain correlates. Methods: We conducted a systematic review searching EMBASE, ScienceDirect, and PsycINFO through September 2017 using thesauri representing aggression, psychosis, and brain imaging. We calculated effect sizes for each study and mean Hedge's g for whole brain (WB) volume. Methodological quality was established using the PRISMA checklist (PROSPERO: CRD42014014461). Results: Our sample consisted of 12 studies with 470 patients and 155 healthy controls (HC). After subtracting subjects due to cohort overlaps, 314 patients and 96 HC remained. Qualitative analyses showed lower volumes of WB, prefrontal regions, temporal lobe, hippocampus, thalamus and cerebellum, and higher volumes of lateral ventricles, amygdala, and putamen in violent vs. non-violent people with schizophrenia. In quantitative analyses, violent persons with schizophrenia exhibited a significantly lower WB volume than HC ( p = 0.004), and also lower than non-violent persons with schizophrenia ( p = 0.007). Conclusions: We reviewed evidence for differences in brain volume correlates of aggression in persons with schizophrenia. Our results point toward a reduced whole brain volume in violent as opposed to non-violent persons with schizophrenia. However, considerable sample overlap in the literature, lack of reporting of potential confounding variables, and missing research on affective psychoses limit our explanatory power. To permit stronger conclusions, further studies evaluating structural correlates of aggression in psychotic disorders are needed.

A Comparison of Passive Aggressive and Negativistic Personality Disorders

PubMed Central

Hopwood, Christopher J.; Wright, Aidan G.C.

2012-01-01

Passive aggressive personality disorder (PAPD) has historically played an important role in clinical theorizing and was diagnosable prior to the DSM-IV, in which the construct was relabeled ‘negativistic’, expanded to include negative affective symptoms, and appendicized. In this study we tested the hypothesis that the expansion of PAPD to include content related to negative moods and non-specific personality pathology compromised its discriminant validity. In an undergraduate sample (N = 1215), a self-report measure of PAPD was only moderately related to NEGPD and showed less diagnostic overlap with other PDs than NEGPD. Furthermore, a conjoint factor analysis yielded a strong first factor (moodiness) which appeared less specific to passive aggressive behavior than three other factors (irresponsibility, inadequacy and contempt). We conclude that future research on this potentially important clinical construct should focus on core passive aggressive features and abandon the negativistic content that has been added to it in successive editions of the DSM. PMID:22329420

Mentoring Programs to Affect Delinquency and Associated Outcomes of Youth At-Risk: A Comprehensive Meta-Analytic Reviewi

PubMed Central

Tolan, Patrick H.; Henry, David B.; Schoeny, Michael S.; Lovegrove, Peter; Nichols, Emily

2013-01-01

Objectives To conduct a meta-analytic review of selective and indicated mentoring interventions for effects for youth at risk on delinquency and key associated outcomes (aggression, drug use, academic functioning). We also undertook the first systematic evaluation of intervention implementation features and organization and tested for effects of theorized key processes of mentor program effects. Methods Campbell Collaboration review inclusion criteria and procedures were used to search and evaluate the literature. Criteria included a sample defined as at-risk for delinquency due to individual behavior such as aggression or conduct problems or environmental characteristics such as residence in high-crime community. Studies were required to be random assignment or strong quasi-experimental design. Of 163 identified studies published 1970 - 2011, 46 met criteria for inclusion. Results Mean effects sizes were significant and positive for each outcome category (ranging form d =.11 for Academic Achievement to d = .29 for Aggression). Heterogeneity in effect sizes was noted for all four outcomes. Stronger effects resulted when mentor motivation was professional development but not by other implementation features. Significant improvements in effects were found when advocacy and emotional support mentoring processes were emphasized. Conclusions This popular approach has significant impact on delinquency and associated outcomes for youth at-risk for delinquency. While evidencing some features may relate to effects, the body of literature is remarkably lacking in details about specific program features and procedures. This persistent state of limited reporting seriously impedes understanding about how mentoring is beneficial and ability to maximize its utility. PMID:25386111

Non-invasive estimation of prostate cancer aggressiveness using diffusion-weighted MRI and 3D proton MR spectroscopy at 3.0 T.

PubMed

Thörmer, Gregor; Otto, Josephin; Horn, Lars-Christian; Garnov, Nikita; Do, Minh; Franz, Toni; Stolzenburg, Jens-Uwe; Moche, Michael; Kahn, Thomas; Busse, Harald

2015-01-01

Clinical management of prostate cancer increasingly aims to distinguish aggressive types that require immediate and radical treatment from indolent tumors that are candidates for watchful waiting. This requires reliable and reproducible parameters to effectively control potential cancer progression. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may provide a non-invasive means for this purpose. To assess the value of diffusion-weighted imaging and proton MR spectroscopy for the prediction of prostate cancer (PCa) aggressiveness. In 39 of 64 consecutive patients who underwent endorectal 3-T MRI prior to radical prostatectomy, prostate specimens were analyzed as whole-mount step sections. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), normalized ADC (nADC: tumor/healthy tissue), choline/citrate (CC), and (choline + creatine)/citrate (CCC) ratios were correlated with Gleason scores (GS) from histopathological results. The power to discriminate low (GS ≤ 6) from higher-risk (GS ≥ 7) tumors was assessed with receiver operating characteristics (area under the curve [AUC]). Resulting threshold values were used by a blinded reader to distinguish between aggressive and indolent tumors. Ninety lesions (1 × GS = 5, 41 × GS = 6, 36 × GS = 7, 12 × GS = 8) were considered. nADC (AUC = 0.90) showed a higher discriminatory power than ADC (AUC = 0.79). AUC for CC and CCC were 0.73 and 0.82, respectively. Using either nADC < 0.46 or CCC > 1.3, as well as both criteria for aggressive PCa, the reader correctly identified aggressive and indolent tumors in 31 (79%), 28 (72%), and 33 of 39 patients (85%), respectively. Predictions of tumor aggressiveness from TRUS-guided biopsies were correct in 27 of 36 patients (75%). The combination of a highly sensitive normalized ADC with a highly specific CCC was found to be well suited to prospectively estimate PCa aggressiveness with a similar diagnostic accuracy as biopsy results. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Aggression and Related Behavioral Traits: The Impact of Winning and Losing and the Role of Hormones

PubMed Central

Chang, Ching; Li, Cheng-Yu; Earley, Ryan L.; Hsu, Yuying

2012-01-01

A suite of correlated behaviors reflecting between-individual consistency in behavior across multiple situations is termed a “behavioral syndrome.” Researchers have suggested that a cause for the correlation between different behaviors might lie in the neuroendocrine system. In this study, we examined the relationships between aggressiveness (a fish's readiness to perform gill display to its mirror image) and each of boldness (the readiness to emerge from a shelter), exploratory tendency (the readiness to approach a novel shelter), and learning performance (the probability of entering the correct reservoir in a T-maze test) in a mangrove rivulus, Kryptolebias marmoratus. We explored the possibility that the relationships between them arise because these behaviors are all modulated by cortisol and testosterone. We also tested the stability of the relationships between these behaviors shortly after using a winning or losing experience to alter individuals’ aggressiveness. The results were that aggressiveness correlated positively with boldness and the tendency to explore, and that these three behavioral traits were all positively correlated with pre-experience testosterone levels. Aggressiveness and boldness also positively correlated with pre-experience cortisol levels; exploratory tendency did not. The relationship between aggressiveness and boldness appeared to be stronger than that between either of them and exploratory tendency. These results suggest that testosterone and cortisol play important roles in mediating the correlations between these behavioral traits. Learning performance was not significantly correlated with the other behavioral traits or with levels of testosterone or cortisol. Recent experience in contests influenced individuals’ aggressiveness, tendency to explore, and learning performance but not their boldness; individuals that received a winning experience were quicker to display to their mirror image and performed better in the learning task but were slower to approach a novel object than were individuals that lost. Contest experience did not, however, significantly influence the relationships between aggressiveness and any of boldness, exploratory tendency, or learning performance. The results show that the individual components of a suite of correlated behaviors can preserve a flexibility to respond differently to environmental stimuli. PMID:22576819

Measurement of Meteor Impact Experiments Using Three-Component Particle Image Velocimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heineck, James T.; Schultz, Peter H.

2002-01-01

The study of hypervelocity impacts has been aggressively pursued for more than 30 years at Ames as a way to simulate meteoritic impacts. Development of experimental methods coupled with new perspectives over this time has greatly improved the understanding of the basic physics and phenomenology of the impact process. These fundamental discoveries have led to novel methods for identifying impact craters and features in craters on both Earth and other planetary bodies. Work done at the Ames Vertical Gun Range led to the description of the mechanics of the Chicxualub crater (a.k.a. K-T crater) on the Yucatan Peninsula, widely considered to be the smoking gun impact that brought an end to the dinosaur era. This is the first attempt in the world to apply three-component particle image velocimetry (3-D PIV) to measure the trajectory of the entire ejecta curtain simultaneously with the fluid structure resulting from impact dynamics. The science learned in these experiments will build understanding in the entire impact process by simultaneously measuring both ejecta and atmospheric mechanics.

Measuring a Precise Ultra-Lightweight Spaceflight Mirror on Earth: The Analysis of the SHARPI PM Mirror Figure Data during Mirror Processing at GSFC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antonille, Scott; Content, David; Rabin, Douglas; Wallace, Thomas; Wake, Shane

2007-01-01

The SHARPI (Solar High Angular Resolution Photometric Imager) primary mirror is a 5kg, 0.5m paraboloid, diffraction limited at FUV wavelengths when placed in a 0-G environment. The ULE sandwich honeycomb mirror and the attached mount pads were delivered by ITT (then Kodak) in 2003 to NASA s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). At GSFC, we accepted, coated, mounted, and vibration tested this mirror in preparation for flight on the PICTURES (Planet Imaging Concept Testbed Using a Rocket Experiment) mission. At each step, the integrated analysis of interferometer data and FEA models was essential to quantify the 0-G mirror figure. This task required separating nanometer sized variations from hundreds of nanometers of gravity induced distortion. The ability to isolate such features allowed in-situ monitoring of mirror figure, diagnosis of perturbations, and remediation of process errors. In this paper, we describe the technical approach used to achieve these measurements and overcome the various difficulties maintaining UV diffraction-limited performance with this aggressively lightweighted mirror.

'Bounce' Exposed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

This approximate true-color image, acquired by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's panoramic camera, features the hole ground by the rover's rock abrasion tool into 'Bounce' rock. The hole measures approximately 35 centimeters (14 inches) long and 10 centimeters (4 inches) high. The depression measures 6.44 millimeters (0.25 inch) deep and about 4.5 centimeters (1.7 inches) across. The grinding procedure took place on the rover's 66th sol on Mars and lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes. A combination of limited solar power, added safety measures and the rock's jagged texture led the rock abrasion tool team to set more aggressive grinding parameters to ensure that the end result was a full circle, suitable for a thorough read from the rover's spectrometers.

Bounce's outer ring consists of the cuttings from the rock, pushed out by the brushes on the grinding instrument. The small impressions filled with red dust on the outer ring were caused by the instrument's contact mechanism, which serves to stabilize it while grinding.

This image was created using the panoramic camera's blue, green and red filters.

Rapid trench initiated recrystallization and stagnation in narrow Cu interconnect lines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Brien, Brendan B.; Rizzolo, Michael; Prestowitz, Luke C.

2015-10-26

Understanding and ultimately controlling the self-annealing of Cu in narrow interconnect lines has remained a top priority in order to continue down-scaling of back-end of the line interconnects. Recently, it was hypothesized that a bottom-up microstructural transformation process in narrow interconnect features competes with the surface-initiated overburden transformation. Here, a set of transmission electron microscopy images which captures the grain coarsening process in 48 nm lines in a time resolved manner is presented, supporting such a process. Grain size measurements taken from these images have demonstrated that the Cu microstructural transformation in 48 nm interconnect lines stagnates after only 1.5 h atmore » room temperature. This stubborn metastable structure remains stagnant, even after aggressive elevated temperature anneals, suggesting that a limited internal energy source such as dislocation content is driving the transformation. As indicated by the extremely low defect density found in 48 nm trenches, a rapid recrystallization process driven by annihilation of defects in the trenches appears to give way to a metastable microstructure in the trenches.« less

Reducing Schoolchildren With Reactive Aggression Through Child, Parent, and Conjoint Parent-Child Group Interventions: A Longitudinal Outcome Effectiveness Study.

PubMed

Fung, Annis Lai Chu

2017-10-10

This study was the first to evaluate the effectiveness of three different group interventions to reduce children's reactive aggression based on the social information processing (SIP) model. In the first stage of screening, 3,734 children of Grades 4-6 completed the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ) to assess their reactive and proactive aggression. Respondents with a total score of z ≥ 1 on the RPQ were shortlisted for the second stage of screening by qualitative interview. Interviews with 475 children were conducted to select those who showed reactive aggression featuring a hostile attributional bias. Finally, 126 children (97 males and 29 females) aged 8 to 14 (M = 9.71, SD = 1.23) were selected and randomly assigned to one of the three groups: a child group, a parent group, and a parent-child group. A significant Time × Intervention effect was found for general and reactive aggression. The parent-child group and child group showed a significant drop in general aggression and reactive aggression from posttest to 6-month follow-up, after controlling for baseline scores, sex, and age. However, the parent group showed no treatment effect: reactive aggression scores were significantly higher than those in the child group at 6-month follow-up. This study has provided strong evidence that children with reactive aggression need direct and specific treatment to reconstruct the steps of the SIP involving the selection and interpretation of cues. The intervention could help to prevent severe violent crimes at the later stage of a reactive aggressor. © 2017 Family Process Institute.

Central giant cell lesion of the jaws: An updated analysis of 2270 cases reported in the literature.

PubMed

Chrcanovic, Bruno Ramos; Gomes, Carolina Cavalieri; Gomez, Ricardo Santiago

2018-05-11

To review all available data published on central giant cell lesion (CGCL) of the jaws into a comprehensive analysis of its clinical/radiological features, with emphasis on the predictive factors associated with its recurrence. An electronic search was undertaken in 5 databases (February/2018), looking for reporting cases of CGCLs. A total of 365 publications were included, comprising 2270 lesions. CGCLs were more prevalent in women and the mandible. Cortical bone perforation occurred in 50% of the cases. Marginal/segmental resection was more often performed in larger lesions, and drug therapy was more frequent in small lesions. Recurrence was reported in 232 of 1316 cases (17.6%). The recurrence rate of the aggressive lesions (22.8%) after surgical treatment was higher than non-aggressive lesions (7.8%). Four of 5 CGCLs showed partial/total regression with pharmacological treatment. Aggressive lesions showed a worse response to corticosteroids than non-aggressive lesions. For the lesions submitted to surgery as the first treatment, curettage, enucleation, or marginal resection in relation to segmental resection, aggressive lesions, cortical bone perforation, and tooth root resorption were associated with increased recurrence rate. Recurrence related to a combination of surgical/pharmacological treatment could not be evaluated due to the variety of protocols. Aggressive CGCLs recur more often than the non-aggressive ones. Despite sometimes showing poor response to corticosteroid injection or surgical curettage, a combination of both treatment strategies should be considered in aggressive cases to reduce morbidities associated with radical surgery. The best protocol to manage aggressive and non-aggressive lesions remains to be determined. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Excessive Aggression as Model of Violence: A Critical Evaluation of Current Preclinical Methods

PubMed Central

Miczek, Klaus A.; de Boer, Sietse F.; Haller, Jozsef

2013-01-01

Rationale Preclinical experimental models of pathological aggressive behavior are a sorely understudied and difficult research area. Objectives How valid, reliable, productive and informative are the most frequently used animal models of excessive aggressive behavior? Methods The rationale, key methodological features, supporting data and arguments as well as their disadvantages and limitations of the most frequently used animal models for excessive aggressive behavior are summarized and their validity and reliability are evaluated. Results Excessive aggressive behavior is validly and reliably seen in (1) a proportion of feral-derived rats and selectively bred mice, (2) rats with compromised adrenal function resulting in a hypoglucocorticoid state, (3) a significant minority of mice, rats and monkeys after consumption of a moderate dose of alcohol, and (4) resident animals of various species after social instigation. Limitations of these procedures include restrictive animal research regulations, the requirement of expertise in surgical, pharmacological and behavioral techniques, and the behaviorally impoverished mouse strains that are used in molecular genetics research. Promising recent initiatives for novel experimental models include aggressive behaviors that are evoked by optogenetic stimulation and induced by the manipulation of early social experiences such as isolation rearing or social stress. Conclusions One of the most significant challenges for animal models of excessive, potentially abnormal aggressive behavior is the characterization of distinctive neurobiological mechanisms that differ from those governing species-typical aggressive behavior. Identifying novel targets for effective intervention requires increased understanding of the distinctive molecular, cellular and circuit mechanisms for each type of abnormal aggressive behavior. PMID:23430160

Aggressiveness of Fusarium species and impact of root infection on growth and yield of soybeans.

PubMed

Arias, María M Díaz; Leandro, Leonor F; Munkvold, Gary P

2013-08-01

Fusarium spp. are commonly isolated from soybean roots but the pathogenic activity of most species is poorly documented. Aggressiveness and yield impact of nine species of Fusarium were determined on soybean in greenhouse (50 isolates) and field microplot (19 isolates) experiments. Root rot severity and shoot and root dry weights were compared at growth stages V3 or R1. Root systems were scanned and digital image analysis was conducted; yield was measured in microplots. Disease severity and root morphology impacts varied among and within species. Fusarium graminearum was highly aggressive (root rot severity >90%), followed by F. proliferatum and F. virguliforme. Significant variation in damping-off (20 to 75%) and root rot severity (<20 to >60%) was observed among F. oxysporum isolates. In artificially-infested microplots, root rot severity was low (<25%) and mean yield was not significantly reduced. However, there were significant linear relationships between yield and root symptoms for some isolates. Root morphological characteristics were more consistent indicators of yield loss than root rot severity. This study provides the first characterization of aggressiveness and yield impact of Fusarium root rot species on soybean at different plant stages and introduces root image analysis to assess the impact of root pathogens on soybean.

Mother-child interactions in young children with excessive physical aggression and in typically developing young children.

PubMed

Urbain-Gauthier, Nadine; Wendland, Jaqueline

2017-07-01

Among the multiple risk factors, the emergence of conduct problems in young children may be linked to harsh parenting and child's temperamental difficulties, leading to a reciprocal early discordant relationship. Little is known about the characteristics of early parent-child interactions in young children with physical aggression. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the characteristics of mother-child interactions in dyads referred for excessive physical aggression in young children under 5 years of age compared to mother-child interactions in typically developing young children. Mother-child interactions were assessed during a free-play session in both a clinical sample ( N = 70, child mean age  = 3.5 years) and a nonclinical sample ( N = 80, child mean age  = 3.5 years) by using the Rating Scale of Interaction Style (Clark and Seifer, adapted by Molitor and Mayes). Significant differences were found between several interactive features in clinical and nonclinical dyads. In clinical dyads, mothers' behaviors were often characterized by intrusiveness and criticism toward children, and poor facilitative positioning. Children with excessive aggressive behavior often displayed poor communication, initiation of bids, and poor responsiveness toward the mother. They displayed fewer sustained bouts of play than typically developing children did. In clinical dyads, strong positive correlations were found between child responsiveness and maternal interest in engagement ( r = .41, p < .001), while the child displaying sustained bouts of play was negatively correlated with the mother's attempts to intrude on the child's activity ( r = .64, p < .05). These data show that children with excessive aggressive behavior develop disrupted mother-infant interactions from a very young age. Several negative interactive features and correlations between child behavior and maternal behavior were found in clinical samples. The effects of these features add up and probably strengthen each other, thus leading to interactive difficulties from a very young age. More attention should be paid to early parent-child interactions in case of child behavioral problems. The recognition of these interactive dysfunctions is discussed in terms of clinical implications for therapeutic interventions.

Increased severity of suicidal behavior in impulsive aggressive patients exposed to familial adversities.

PubMed

Lopez-Castroman, J; Jaussent, I; Beziat, S; Guillaume, S; Baca-Garcia, E; Genty, C; Olié, E; Courtet, P

2014-10-01

The mechanisms by which childhood abuse and family history of suicidal behavior (FHS) lead to an increased risk of suicidal behavior are still unknown. Impulsive aggression may play an intermediate role. We investigated whether greater scores for aggression and impulsivity might be associated with the effects of FHS and/or childhood abuse on the severity of suicidal behavior. We examined the scores of three scales measuring impulsive aggression in a sample of 696 suicide attempters. We compared the highest and lowest scores with regard to reports of childhood abuse and FHS using adjusted multinomial regression models. Genetic polymorphisms of the serotonergic system known to be associated with impulsive aggression were also analyzed. Patients with high impulsive aggressive scores showed significant differences in sociodemographic, clinical and suicidal features compared with patients with low impulsive aggressive scores. Adjusted results showed that combinations of some types of childhood abuse and FHS, particularly emotional abuse and emotional neglect, are associated with high impulsivity and hostility scores. The SS genotype of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) was associated with high levels of impulsivity when the subjects reported emotional abuse [odds ratio (OR) 5.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.75-17.5] or physical abuse (OR 5.03, 95% CI 1.50-16.9) in their childhood. Our results support the role of impulsive aggression as one of the links that may connect childhood abuse and FHS with severity of suicidal behavior.

Extending the construct of psychopathy to youth: implications for understanding, diagnosing, and treating antisocial children and adolescents.

PubMed

Frick, Paul J

2009-12-01

This paper reviews several attempts to extend the construct of psychopathy to children and adolescents. The research suggests that the presence of callous-unemotional (CU) traits may be particularly important. Specifically, the presence of these traits designates a clinically important subgroup of youth with childhood-onset conduct problems who show a particularly severe, aggressive, and stable pattern of antisocial behaviour. Also, children with CU traits show numerous emotional, cognitive, and personality features that are distinct from other antisocial youth that are similar to features found in adults with psychopathy. The research on CU traits has important implications for understanding the different causal pathways through which children develop severe antisocial and aggressive behaviour, as well as implications for diagnosing and intervening with antisocial youth.

Predicting Aggressive Tendencies by Visual Attention Bias Associated with Hostile Emotions

PubMed Central

Lin, Ping-I; Hsieh, Cheng-Da; Juan, Chi-Hung; Hossain, Md Monir; Erickson, Craig A.; Lee, Yang-Han; Su, Mu-Chun

2016-01-01

The goal of the current study is to clarify the relationship between social information processing (e.g., visual attention to cues of hostility, hostility attribution bias, and facial expression emotion labeling) and aggressive tendencies. Thirty adults were recruited in the eye-tracking study that measured various components in social information processing. Baseline aggressive tendencies were measured using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (AQ). Visual attention towards hostile objects was measured as the proportion of eye gaze fixation duration on cues of hostility. Hostility attribution bias was measured with the rating results for emotions of characters in the images. The results show that the eye gaze duration on hostile characters was significantly inversely correlated with the AQ score and less eye contact with an angry face. The eye gaze duration on hostile object was not significantly associated with hostility attribution bias, although hostility attribution bias was significantly positively associated with the AQ score. Our findings suggest that eye gaze fixation time towards non-hostile cues may predict aggressive tendencies. PMID:26901770

Predicting Aggressive Tendencies by Visual Attention Bias Associated with Hostile Emotions.

PubMed

Lin, Ping-I; Hsieh, Cheng-Da; Juan, Chi-Hung; Hossain, Md Monir; Erickson, Craig A; Lee, Yang-Han; Su, Mu-Chun

2016-01-01

The goal of the current study is to clarify the relationship between social information processing (e.g., visual attention to cues of hostility, hostility attribution bias, and facial expression emotion labeling) and aggressive tendencies. Thirty adults were recruited in the eye-tracking study that measured various components in social information processing. Baseline aggressive tendencies were measured using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (AQ). Visual attention towards hostile objects was measured as the proportion of eye gaze fixation duration on cues of hostility. Hostility attribution bias was measured with the rating results for emotions of characters in the images. The results show that the eye gaze duration on hostile characters was significantly inversely correlated with the AQ score and less eye contact with an angry face. The eye gaze duration on hostile object was not significantly associated with hostility attribution bias, although hostility attribution bias was significantly positively associated with the AQ score. Our findings suggest that eye gaze fixation time towards non-hostile cues may predict aggressive tendencies.

The role of serotonin in impulsive aggression, suicide, and homicide in adolescents and adults: a literature review.

PubMed

Glick, Amy R

2015-05-01

This is a literature review discussing previous studies on the associations between impulsive aggression and the serotonergic system in adults, adolescents, and children. The review demonstrates that there is a clear association between low cerebrospinal fluid serotonin and impulsive aggression. However, studies on neurotransmitter receptor profiles, functional imaging, genetics, and epigenetics reviewed in this article suggest a more complicated picture that includes consideration of gene vs. environment in the evaluation of risk. Serotonin supplementation studies suggest that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may reduce impulsive aggression in some adults but are less effective in adults with pathological aggression and also in children and adolescents. Child and adolescent studies are less conclusive, in part due to the heterogeneous physiologic and psychosocial changes occurring over the course of development. The author thus concludes that psychiatrists can reduce risk in these special patient populations by creating safer environments in the form of changes in policy and increased support services.

Interrelations of Justice, Rejection, Provocation, and Moral Disgust Sensitivity and Their Links with the Hostile Attribution Bias, Trait Anger, and Aggression

PubMed Central

Bondü, Rebecca; Richter, Philipp

2016-01-01

Several personality dispositions with common features capturing sensitivities to negative social cues have recently been introduced into psychological research. To date, however, little is known about their interrelations, their conjoint effects on behavior, or their interplay with other risk factors. We asked N = 349 adults from Germany to rate their justice, rejection, moral disgust, and provocation sensitivity, hostile attribution bias, trait anger, and forms and functions of aggression. The sensitivity measures were mostly positively correlated; particularly those with an egoistic focus, such as victim justice, rejection, and provocation sensitivity, hostile attributions and trait anger as well as those with an altruistic focus, such as observer justice, perpetrator justice, and moral disgust sensitivity. The sensitivity measures had independent and differential effects on forms and functions of aggression when considered simultaneously and when controlling for hostile attributions and anger. They could not be integrated into a single factor of interpersonal sensitivity or reduced to other well-known risk factors for aggression. The sensitivity measures, therefore, require consideration in predicting and preventing aggression. PMID:27303351

On the relationship between retrospective childhood ADHD symptoms and adult BPD features: the mediating role of action-oriented personality traits.

PubMed

Carlotta, Davide; Borroni, Serena; Maffei, Cesare; Fossati, Andrea

2013-10-01

A number of studies have reported data suggestive of a significant association between ADHD and BPD, nevertheless, the nature of this relation has not been fully understood yet. In our study, we tried to evaluate if the relationship between retrospectively assessed ADHD symptoms and adult BPD features could mediated by selected temperament/personality traits. Four hundred forty-seven in- and outpatients consecutively admitted to the Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Unit of the Scientific Institute H San Raffaele of Milan, Italy, were administered the Italian versions of the following instruments: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders, Version 2.0 (SCID-II), Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS), Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), and Aggression Questionnaire (AQ). Our mediation analyses showed that the combination of impulsivity, aggression, novelty seeking, and juvenile conduct problems completely mediate the relationship between retrospectively assessed ADHD symptoms and current BPD features. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rhabdoid Meningioma of Brain - A Rare Aggressive Tumor

PubMed Central

Mondal, Sajeeb; Pradhan, Rajashree; Pal, Subrata; Chatterjee, Sharmistha; Bandyapadhyay, Arindam; Bhattacharyya, Debosmita

2017-01-01

Rhabdoid meningioma is a rare aggressive variant of meningioma, regarded as WHO Grade III type. Histologically and cytologically, it is distinctive type having abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, cytoplasmic inclusion with eccentrically placed vesicular nuclei and prominent nucleoli. High recurrence rate and poor outcome are important features. Here, we are presenting a rare case of rhabdoid meningioma found in a recurrent meningioma of the posterior fossa in a middle-aged female. We emphasized the squash cytology and histology finding of the rare neoplasm. PMID:28900335

Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia: an aggressive form of oral leukoplakia.

PubMed

Shopper, Thomas P; Brannon, Robert B; Stalker, William H

2004-01-01

Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL) is an aggressive form of oral leukoplakia that is persistent, often multifocal, and refractory to treatment with a high risk of recurrence and malignant transformation. This article describes the clinical aspects and histologic features of a case that demonstrated the typical behavior pattern in a long-standing, persistent lesion of PVL of the mandibular gingiva and that ultimately developed into squamous cell carcinoma. Prognosis is poor for this seemingly harmless-appearing white lesion of the oral mucosa.

A large and aggressive fibromatosis in the axilla: a rare case report and review of the literature.

PubMed

Duan, Mingyue; Xing, Hua; Wang, Keren; Niu, Chunbo; Jiang, Chengwei; Zhang, Lijuan; Ezzat, Shereen; Zhang, Le

2018-01-01

Aggressive fibromatosis (AF) is a rare benign tumor, which occurs in the deep part of bone and muscle fibrous tissue. Clinical and pathological features can be challenging for definitive diagnosis. Here, we report a rare case of a large AF in the axilla. Interestingly, 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography showed significant increase in standard uptake value. Surgical resection yielded a spindle cell tumor likely of fibromatosis origin which was positive for β-catenin expression.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and behavioral disinhibition.

PubMed

Villemarette-Pittman, Nicole R; Stanford, Matthew S; Greve, Kevin W; Houston, Rebecca J; Mathias, Charles W

2004-01-01

Although obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is an Axis II diagnosis that is not commonly associated with behavioral disinhibition, the literature contains reports of occasional explosive aggressive outbursts. Existing explanations of OCPD etiology do not address the coexistence of compulsive and impulsive features witnessed in some subpopulations of patients. In this study, the authors present a compensatory theory of OCPD in an effort to explain clinical observations of an unexpectedly large number of OCPD diagnoses among patients clinic referred and self-referred for aggression problems.

Tamarisk Mapping and Monitoring Using High Resolution Satellite Imagery

Treesearch

Jason W. San Souci; John T. Doyle

2006-01-01

QuickBird high resolution multispectral satellite imagery (60 cm GSD, 4 spectral bands) and calibrated products from DigitalGlobe’s AgroWatch program were used as inputs to Visual Learning System’s Feature Analyst automated feature extraction software to map localized occurrences of pervasive and aggressive Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima), an invasive...

Sex Role Identification and Parental Rearing Practice: Determinants of Type A Behavior in College Age Women and Men.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilbey, M. Marlyne; Davis, James

Type A behavior is an epidemiological construct whose major features are aggressiveness, hostility, a sense of time urgency, and competitiveness; these features are considered measures of coronary-prone behavior in men and women. To determine a possible relationship between sex role orientation, parenting behavior, and Type A behavior, college…

Resting-state functional connectivity in combat veterans suffering from impulsive aggression

PubMed Central

Heesink, Lieke; van Honk, Jack; Geuze, Elbert

2017-01-01

Abstract Impulsive aggression is common among military personnel after deployment and may arise because of impaired top-down regulation of the amygdala by prefrontal regions. This study sought to further explore this hypothesis via resting-state functional connectivity analyses in impulsively aggressive combat veterans. Male combat veterans with (n = 28) and without (n = 30) impulsive aggression problems underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Functional connectivity analyses were conducted with the following seed-regions: basolateral amygdala (BLA), centromedial amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and anterior insular cortex (AIC). Regions-of-interest analyses focused on the orbitofrontal cortex and periaqueductal gray, and yielded no significant results. In exploratory cluster analyses, we observed reduced functional connectivity between the (bilateral) BLA and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in the impulsive aggression group, relative to combat controls. This finding indicates that combat-related impulsive aggression may be marked by weakened functional connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal regions, already in the absence of explicit emotional stimuli. Group differences in functional connectivity were also observed between the (bilateral) ACC and left cuneus, which may be related to heightened vigilance to potentially threatening visual cues, as well as between the left AIC and right temporal pole, possibly related to negative memory association in impulsive aggression. PMID:29040723

Magnetic resonance imaging in the new paradigm for the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

PubMed

Vilanova, J C; Catalá, V

For various reasons, prostate cancer is a major public health problem. It is a very common cancer, but has a very low mortality rate because it comprises two types of disease: one insignificant, indolent, and much more common, and the other aggressive, significant, and much less common. The routine diagnostic approach to prostate cancer has been systematic blind biopsies, which has low detection rates and might detect low risk, insignificant prostate cancer, leading to overdiagnosis and overtreatment of indolent cancers. The possibility of including multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnostic management to improve the detection of aggressive cancer while reducing the overdiagnosis of indolent cancer represents a change in the diagnostic management. This article updates knowledge about the diagnostic management of prostate cancer including multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging. Copyright © 2016 SERAM. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Genesis Solar Wind Collector Cleaning Assessment: Update on 60336 Sample Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goreva, Y. S.; Allums, K. K.; Gonzalez, C. P.; Jurewicz, A. J.; Burnett, D. S.; Allton, J. H.; Kuhlman, K. R.; Woolum, D.

2015-01-01

To maximize the scientific return of Genesis Solar Wind return mission it is necessary to characterize and remove a crash-derived particle and thin film surface contamination. A small subset of Genesis mission collector fragments are being subjected to extensive study via various techniques. Here we present an update on the sample 60336, a Czochralski silicon (Si-CZ) based wafer from the bulk array (B/C). This sample has undergone multiple cleaning steps (see the table below): UPW spin wash, aggressive chemical cleanings (including aqua regia, hot xylene and RCA1), as well as optical and chemical (EDS, ToF-SIMS) imaging. Contamination appeared on the surface of 60336 after the initial 2007 UPW cleaning. Aqua regia and hot xylene treatment (8/13/2013) did little to remove contaminants. The sample was UPW cleaned for the third time and imaged (9/16/13). The UPW removed the dark stains that were visible on the sample. However, some features, like "the Flounder" (a large, 100 micron feature in Fig. 1b) appeared largely intact, resisting all previous cleaning efforts. These features were likely from mobilized adhesive, derived from the Post-It notes used to stabilize samples for transport from Utah after the hard landing. To remove this contamination, an RCA step 1 organic cleaning (RCA1) was employed. Although we are still uncertain on the nature of the Flounder and why it is resistant to UPW and aqua regia/hot xylene treatment, we have found RCA1 to be suitable for its removal. It is likely that the glue from sticky pads used during collector recovery may have been a source for resistant organic contamination [9]; however [8] shows that UPW reaction with crash-derived organic contamination does not make particle removal more difficult.

Molecular Innovations Toward Theranostics of Aggressive Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

objective is to develop dendrimer -based theranostic agent with prostate cancer specificity and positron emission tomography imaging capability that...The goal of this project is to construct dendrimer nanoconjuate containing a prostate specific cell permeation peptide, peptide therapeutic(s) and...bifunctional chelator for PET imaging. Dr. Simanek’s laboratory will make dendrimers that bear functional handles for conjugation with imaging

Metastatic mucosal melanoma: imaging patterns of metastasis and recurrence

PubMed Central

O’Regan, Kevin; Ramaiya, Nikhil; Jagannathan, Jyothi; DiPiro, Pamela J.; Stephen Hodi, F.; Van den Abbeele, Annick D.

2013-01-01

Abstract Purpose: Mucosal melanoma is a rare but aggressive subtype of melanoma with unique clinicopathologic features. We hypothesize that mucosal melanoma shows predilection for separate and unique metastatic pathways. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 19 patients (5 men and 14 women; median age 60 years, range 38–76 years) with metastatic mucosal melanoma presenting to a tertiary oncology center between 2005 and 2010. We performed a review of medical records and histologic and imaging studies to evaluate the natural history, metastatic patterns and the role of imaging in the management of patients with advanced mucosal melanoma. Results: At presentation, disease was confined to the primary site (58%, n = 11) or to the regional lymph nodes (32%, n = 6) in most patients. The most common site of metastasis was the lungs (89%, n = 16), followed by the liver (67%, n = 12) and peritoneum (44%, n = 8). Sinonasal melanoma preferentially spread to the liver (100%, n = 4), vaginal melanoma to the lungs (100%, n = 7) and anal melanoma to the inguinal lymph nodes (100%, n = 4). Conclusion: Pathways of metastatic spread in mucosal melanoma may differ from other forms of melanoma and between different primary sites of mucosal origin. PMID:24434078

Quantitative 3D investigation of Neuronal network in mouse spinal cord model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bukreeva, I.; Campi, G.; Fratini, M.; Spanò, R.; Bucci, D.; Battaglia, G.; Giove, F.; Bravin, A.; Uccelli, A.; Venturi, C.; Mastrogiacomo, M.; Cedola, A.

2017-01-01

The investigation of the neuronal network in mouse spinal cord models represents the basis for the research on neurodegenerative diseases. In this framework, the quantitative analysis of the single elements in different districts is a crucial task. However, conventional 3D imaging techniques do not have enough spatial resolution and contrast to allow for a quantitative investigation of the neuronal network. Exploiting the high coherence and the high flux of synchrotron sources, X-ray Phase-Contrast multiscale-Tomography allows for the 3D investigation of the neuronal microanatomy without any aggressive sample preparation or sectioning. We investigated healthy-mouse neuronal architecture by imaging the 3D distribution of the neuronal-network with a spatial resolution of 640 nm. The high quality of the obtained images enables a quantitative study of the neuronal structure on a subject-by-subject basis. We developed and applied a spatial statistical analysis on the motor neurons to obtain quantitative information on their 3D arrangement in the healthy-mice spinal cord. Then, we compared the obtained results with a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. Our approach paves the way to the creation of a “database” for the characterization of the neuronal network main features for a comparative investigation of neurodegenerative diseases and therapies.

DNA Methylation Signature of Childhood Chronic Physical Aggression in T Cells of Both Men and Women

PubMed Central

Guillemin, Claire; Provençal, Nadine; Suderman, Matthew; Côté, Sylvana M.; Vitaro, Frank; Hallett, Michael; Tremblay, Richard E.; Szyf, Moshe

2014-01-01

Background High frequency of physical aggression is the central feature of severe conduct disorder and is associated with a wide range of social, mental and physical health problems. We have previously tested the hypothesis that differential DNA methylation signatures in peripheral T cells are associated with a chronic aggression trajectory in males. Despite the fact that sex differences appear to play a pivotal role in determining the development, magnitude and frequency of aggression, most of previous studies focused on males, so little is known about female chronic physical aggression. We therefore tested here whether or not there is a signature of physical aggression in female DNA methylation and, if there is, how it relates to the signature observed in males. Methodology/Principal Findings Methylation profiles were created using the method of methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) followed by microarray hybridization and statistical and bioinformatic analyses on T cell DNA obtained from adult women who were found to be on a chronic physical aggression trajectory (CPA) between 6 and 12 years of age compared to women who followed a normal physical aggression trajectory. We confirmed the existence of a well-defined, genome-wide signature of DNA methylation associated with chronic physical aggression in the peripheral T cells of adult females that includes many of the genes similarly associated with physical aggression in the same cell types of adult males. Conclusions This study in a small number of women presents preliminary evidence for a genome-wide variation in promoter DNA methylation that associates with CPA in women that warrant larger studies for further verification. A significant proportion of these associations were previously observed in men with CPA supporting the hypothesis that the epigenetic signature of early life aggression in females is composed of a component specific to females and another common to both males and females. PMID:24475181

Association of abnormal plasma bilirubin with aggressive HCC phenotype

PubMed Central

Carr, Brian I.; Guerra, Vito; Giannini, Edoardo G.; Farinati, Fabio; Ciccarese, Francesca; Rapaccini, Gian Ludovico; Marco, Maria Di; Benvegnù, Luisa; Zoli, Marco; Borzio, Franco; Caturelli, Eugenio; Chiaramonte, Maria; Trevisani, Franco

2014-01-01

Background Cirrhosis-related abnormal liver function is associated with predisposition to HCC, features in several HCC classification systems and is an HCC prognostic factor. Aims To examine the phenotypic tumor differences in HCC patients with normal or abnormal plasma bilirubin levels. Methods A 2,416 patient HCC cohort was studied and dichotomized into normal and abnormal plasma bilirubin groups. Their HCC characteristics were compared for tumor aggressiveness features, namely blood AFP levels, tumor size, presence of PVT and tumor multifocality. Results In the total cohort, elevated bilirubin levels were associated with higher AFP levels, increased PVT and multifocality and lower survival, despite similar tumor sizes. When different tumor size terciles were compared, similar results were found, even for small tumor size patients. A multiple logistic regression model for PVT or tumor multifocality showed increased OddsRatios for elevated levels of GGTP, bilirubin and AFP and for larger tumor sizes. Conclusions HCC patients with abnormal bilirubin levels had worse prognosis than patients with normal bilirubin. They also had increased incidence of PVT and tumor multifocality and higher AFP levels, in patients with both small and larger tumors. The results show an association between bilirubin levels and indices of HCC aggressiveness. PMID:24787296

Heterogeneity in the development of proactive and reactive aggression in childhood: Common and specific genetic - environmental factors

PubMed Central

Lacourse, Eric; Brendgen, Mara; Vitaro, Frank; Dionne, Ginette; Tremblay, Richard Ernest; Boivin, Michel

2017-01-01

Background Few studies are grounded in a developmental framework to study proactive and reactive aggression. Furthermore, although distinctive correlates, predictors and outcomes have been highlighted, proactive and reactive aggression are substantially correlated. To our knowledge, no empirical study has examined the communality of genetic and environmental underpinning of the development of both subtypes of aggression. The current study investigated the communality and specificity of genetic-environmental factors related to heterogeneity in proactive and reactive aggression’s development throughout childhood. Methods Participants were 223 monozygotic and 332 dizygotic pairs. Teacher reports of aggression were obtained at 6, 7, 9, 10 and 12 years of age. Joint development of both phenotypes were analyzed through a multivariate latent growth curve model. Set point, differentiation, and genetic maturation/environmental modulation hypotheses were tested using a biometric decomposition of intercepts and slopes. Results Common genetic factors accounted for 64% of the total variation of proactive and reactive aggression’s intercepts. Two other sets of uncorrelated genetic factors accounted for reactive aggression’s intercept (17%) on the one hand, and for proactive (43%) and reactive (13%) aggression’s slopes on the other. Common shared environmental factors were associated with proactive aggression’s intercept (21%) and slope (26%) and uncorrelated shared environmental factors were also associated with reactive aggression’s slope (14%). Common nonshared environmental factors explained most of the remaining variability of proactive and reactive aggression slopes. Conclusions A genetic differentiation hypothesis common to both phenotypes was supported by common genetic factors associated with the developmental heterogeneity of proactive and reactive aggression in childhood. A genetic maturation hypothesis common to both phenotypes, albeit stronger for proactive aggression, was supported by common genetic factors associated with proactive and reactive aggression slopes. A shared environment set point hypothesis for proactive aggression was supported by shared environmental factors associated with proactive aggression baseline and slope. Although there are many common features to proactive and reactive aggression, the current research underscores the advantages of differentiating them when studying aggression. PMID:29211810

Aggressive blood pressure treatment of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage may lead to global cerebral hypoperfusion: Case report and imaging perspective.

PubMed

Gavito-Higuera, Jose; Khatri, Rakesh; Qureshi, Ihtesham A; Maud, Alberto; Rodriguez, Gustavo J

2017-12-28

Hypoperfusion injury related to blood pressure decrease in acute hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage continues to be a controversial topic. Aggressive treatment is provided with the intent to stop the ongoing bleeding. However, there may be additional factors, including autoregulation and increased intracranial pressure, that may limit this approach. We present here a case of acute hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage, in which aggressive blood pressure management to levels within the normal range led to global cerebral ischemia within multiple border zones. Global cerebral ischemia may be of concern in the management of hypertensive hemorrhage in the presence of premorbid poorly controlled blood pressure and increased intracranial pressure.

Simulating magnetic resonance images based on a model of tumor growth incorporating microenvironment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Pamela R.; Hawkins-Daarud, Andrea; Partridge, Savannah C.; Kinahan, Paul E.; Swanson, Kristin R.

2018-03-01

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive primary brain tumor, is primarily diagnosed and monitored using gadoliniumenhanced T1-weighted and T2-weighted (T2W) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Hyperintensity on T2W images is understood to correspond with vasogenic edema and infiltrating tumor cells. GBM's inherent heterogeneity and resulting non-specific MRI image features complicate assessing treatment response. To better understand treatment response, we propose creating a patient-specific untreated virtual imaging control (UVIC), which represents an individual tumor's growth if it had not been treated, for comparison with actual post-treatment images. We generated a T2W MRI UVIC by combining a patient-specific mathematical model of tumor growth with a multi-compartmental MRI signal equation. GBM growth was mathematically modeled using the previously developed Proliferation-Invasion-Hypoxia-Necrosis- Angiogenesis-Edema (PIHNA-E) model, which simulated tumor as being comprised of three cellular phenotypes: normoxic, hypoxic and necrotic cells interacting with a vasculature species, angiogenic factors and extracellular fluid. Within the PIHNA-E model, both hypoxic and normoxic cells emitted angiogenic factors, which recruited additional vessels and caused the vessels to leak, allowing fluid, or edema, to escape into the extracellular space. The model's output was spatial volume fraction maps for each glioma cell type and edema/extracellular space. Volume fraction maps and corresponding T2 values were then incorporated into a multi-compartmental Bloch signal equation to create simulated T2W images. T2 values for individual compartments were estimated from the literature and a normal volunteer. T2 maps calculated from simulated images had normal white matter, normal gray matter, and tumor tissue T2 values within range of literature values.

Glycogen depletion according to muscle and fibre types in response to dyadic encounters in pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus)--relationships with plasma epinephrine and aggressive behaviour.

PubMed

Fernandez, X; Meunier-Salaün, M C; Ecolan, P

1994-12-01

Changes in glycogen content according to fibre type were assessed in a predominantly white (Longissimus) and a predominantly red (Semispinalis) pig muscle, in response to dyadic encounters involving aggressive interactions. Tested animals showed significantly lower glycogen levels than the control in the Semispinalis, but not in the Longissimus muscle. Histological treatment of muscle serial cuts followed by computerized image analysis showed that the observed decrease in muscle Semispinalis glycogen level occurred only in fast-twitch fibres. Total glycogen and glycogen contents in fast-twitch fibres of the Semispinalis muscle were closely and negatively related to aggressive behaviour, but not with plasma epinephrine levels during and at the end of the encounters. The present results provide indirect evidences suggesting a major influence of fighting-induced physical activity on muscle glycogen depletion in response to aggressive interactions in pigs.

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) of the urinary bladder associated with Xp11 translocation.

PubMed

Russell, Christopher M; Buethe, David D; Dickinson, Shohreh; Sexton, Wade J

2014-01-01

Perivascular epithelioid cell-containing tumors (PEComas) represent a rare family of neoplasms. Their dichotomous phenotypic features, including both myogenic and mylanocytic features, can make a definitive diagnosis difficult. Such tumors have been associated with the overexpression of transcription factor E3 (TFE3). An Xp11 translocation could account for the aberrant activity of TFE3 but has never before been described in affiliation with a PEComa of the urinary bladder. While PEComas of the bladder have exhibited benign clinical courses to date, here we present an intravesical PEComa shown to have an Xp11 translocation and resultant overexpression of TFE3, indicating an aggressive, metastatic nature. No consistent tumor characteristics have proven accurate at identifying aggressive tumors. However, mTOR inhibitors offer a mechanistic management strategy when systemic therapy is warranted.

A Multi-Sensor Fusion MAV State Estimation from Long-Range Stereo, IMU, GPS and Barometric Sensors.

PubMed

Song, Yu; Nuske, Stephen; Scherer, Sebastian

2016-12-22

State estimation is the most critical capability for MAV (Micro-Aerial Vehicle) localization, autonomous obstacle avoidance, robust flight control and 3D environmental mapping. There are three main challenges for MAV state estimation: (1) it can deal with aggressive 6 DOF (Degree Of Freedom) motion; (2) it should be robust to intermittent GPS (Global Positioning System) (even GPS-denied) situations; (3) it should work well both for low- and high-altitude flight. In this paper, we present a state estimation technique by fusing long-range stereo visual odometry, GPS, barometric and IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) measurements. The new estimation system has two main parts, a stochastic cloning EKF (Extended Kalman Filter) estimator that loosely fuses both absolute state measurements (GPS, barometer) and the relative state measurements (IMU, visual odometry), and is derived and discussed in detail. A long-range stereo visual odometry is proposed for high-altitude MAV odometry calculation by using both multi-view stereo triangulation and a multi-view stereo inverse depth filter. The odometry takes the EKF information (IMU integral) for robust camera pose tracking and image feature matching, and the stereo odometry output serves as the relative measurements for the update of the state estimation. Experimental results on a benchmark dataset and our real flight dataset show the effectiveness of the proposed state estimation system, especially for the aggressive, intermittent GPS and high-altitude MAV flight.

Female impulsive aggression: a sleep research perspective.

PubMed

Lindberg, Nina; Tani, Pekka; Putkonen, Hanna; Sailas, Eila; Takala, Pirjo; Eronen, Markku; Virkkunen, Matti

2009-01-01

The rate of violent crimes among girls and women appears to be increasing. One in every five female prisoners has been reported to have antisocial personality disorder. However, it has been quite unclear whether the impulsive, aggressive behaviour among women is affected by the same biological mechanisms as among men. Psychiatric sleep research has attempted to identify diagnostically sensitive and specific sleep patterns associated with particular disorders. Most psychiatric disorders are typically characterized by a severe sleep disturbance associated with decreased amounts of slow wave sleep (SWS), the physiologically significant, refreshing part of sleep. Among men with antisocial behaviour with severe aggression, on the contrary, increased SWS has been reported, reflecting either specific brain pathology or a delay in the normal development of human sleep patterns. In our preliminary study among medication-free, detoxified female homicidal offenders with antisocial personality disorder, the same profound abnormality in sleep architecture was found. From the perspective of sleep research, the biological correlates of severe impulsive aggression seem to share similar features in both sexes.

SU-F-R-14: PET Based Radiomics to Predict Outcomes in Patients with Hodgkin Lymphoma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, J; Aristophanous, M; Akhtari, M

Purpose: To identify PET-based radiomics features associated with high refractory/relapsed disease risk for Hodgkin lymphoma patients. Methods: A total of 251 Hodgkin lymphoma patients including 19 primary refractory and 9 relapsed patients were investigated. All patients underwent an initial pre-treatment diagnostic FDG PET/CT scan. All cancerous lymph node regions (ROIs) were delineated by an experienced physician based on thresholding each volume of disease in the anatomical regions to SUV>2.5. We extracted 122 image features and evaluated the effect of ROI selection (the largest ROI, the ROI with highest mean SUV, merged ROI, and a single anatomic region [e.g. mediastinum]) onmore » classification accuracy. Random forest was used as a classifier and ROC analysis was used to assess the relationship between selected features and patient’s outcome status. Results: Each patient had between 1 and 9 separate ROIs, with much intra-patient variability in PET features. The best model, which used features from a single anatomic region (the mediastinal ROI, only volumes>5cc: 169 patients with 12 primary refractory) had a classification accuracy of 80.5% for primary refractory disease. The top five features, based on Gini index, consist of shape features (max 3D-diameter and volume) and texture features (correlation and information measure of correlation1&2). In the ROC analysis, sensitivity and specificity of the best model were 0.92 and 0.80, respectively. The area under the ROC (AUC) and the accuracy were 0.86 and 0.86, respectively. The classification accuracy was less than 60% for other ROI models or when ROIs less than 5cc were included. Conclusion: This study showed that PET-based radiomics features from the mediastinal lymph region are associated with primary refractory disease and therefore may play an important role in predicting outcomes in Hodgkin lymphoma patients. These features could be additive beyond baseline tumor and clinical characteristics, and may warrant more aggressive treatment.« less

Parametric PET/MR Fusion Imaging to Differentiate Aggressive from Indolent Primary Prostate Cancer with Application for Image-Guided Prostate Cancer Biopsies

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

Unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT The study investigates whether fusion PET/MRI imaging with 18F- choline PET/CT and...imaging with 18F- choline PET/CT and diffusion-weighted MRI can be successfully applied to target prostate cancer using image-guided prostate...Completed task. The 18F- choline synthesis was implemented and optimized for routine radiotracer production. RDRC committee approval as part of the IRB

The role of imaging in the management of patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer: When is imaging necessary?

PubMed

Humphreys, Tatyana R; Shah, Komal; Wysong, Ashley; Lexa, Frank; MacFarlane, Deborah

2017-04-01

When treating aggressive skin cancers, pre- and postoperative imaging provides important information for treatment planning and multidisciplinary cooperation of care. It is important for dermatologists to recognize the clinical scenarios where imaging is indicated in the management of skin cancer. We here address the most common indications for imaging in cutaneous oncology and how to best utilize the modalities available. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hyperspectral-stimulated Raman scattering imaging of cholesteryl ester accumulation: new avenue to diagnosis of human prostate cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Jun; Wang, Ping; Yue, Shuhua

2016-10-01

Most prostate cancers (PCa) are slowly growing, and only the aggressive ones require early diagnosis and effective treatment. The current standard for PCa diagnosis remains histopathology. Nonetheless, for the differentiation between Gleason score 6 (low-risk PCa), which can be left without treatment, and Gleason score 7 (high-risk PCa), which requires active treatment, the inter-observer discordance can be up to 40%. Our previous study reveals that cholesteryl ester (CE) accumulation induced by PI3K/AKT activation underlies human PCa aggressiveness. However, Raman spectromicroscopy used in this study could only provide compositional information of certain lipid droplets (LDs) selected by the observer, which overlooked cell-to-cell variation and hindered translation to accurate automated diagnosis. Here, we demonstrated quantitative mapping of CE level in human prostate tissues using hyperspectral stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy that renders compositional information for every pixel in the image. Specifically, hundreds of SRS images at Raman shift between 1620-1800 cm-1 were taken, and multivariate curve resolution algorism was used to retrieve concentration images of acyl C=C bond, sterol C=C bond, and ester C=O bond. Given that the ratio between images of sterol C=C and ester C=O (sterol C=C/C=O) is nonlinearly proportional to CE percentage out of total lipid, we were able to quantitatively map CE level. Our data showed that CE level was significantly greater in high Gleason grade compared to low Gleason grade, and could be a factor that significantly contributed to cancer recurrence. Our study provides an opportunity towards more accurate PCa diagnosis and prediction of aggressiveness.

Violence-related content in video game may lead to functional connectivity changes in brain networks as revealed by fMRI-ICA in young men.

PubMed

Zvyagintsev, M; Klasen, M; Weber, R; Sarkheil, P; Esposito, F; Mathiak, K A; Schwenzer, M; Mathiak, K

2016-04-21

In violent video games, players engage in virtual aggressive behaviors. Exposure to virtual aggressive behavior induces short-term changes in players' behavior. In a previous study, a violence-related version of the racing game "Carmageddon TDR2000" increased aggressive affects, cognitions, and behaviors compared to its non-violence-related version. This study investigates the differences in neural network activity during the playing of both versions of the video game. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recorded ongoing brain activity of 18 young men playing the violence-related and the non-violence-related version of the video game Carmageddon. Image time series were decomposed into functional connectivity (FC) patterns using independent component analysis (ICA) and template-matching yielded a mapping to established functional brain networks. The FC patterns revealed a decrease in connectivity within 6 brain networks during the violence-related compared to the non-violence-related condition: three sensory-motor networks, the reward network, the default mode network (DMN), and the right-lateralized frontoparietal network. Playing violent racing games may change functional brain connectivity, in particular and even after controlling for event frequency, in the reward network and the DMN. These changes may underlie the short-term increase of aggressive affects, cognitions, and behaviors as observed after playing violent video games. Copyright © 2016 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cranial dural arteriovenous shunts. Part 4. Clinical presentation of the shunts with leptomeningeal venous drainage.

PubMed

Baltsavias, Gerasimos; Spiessberger, Alex; Hothorn, Torsten; Valavanis, Anton

2015-04-01

Cranial dural arteriovenous fistulae have been classified into high- and low-risk lesions mainly based on the pattern of venous drainage. Those with leptomeningeal venous drainage carry a higher risk of an aggressive clinical presentation. Recently, it has been proposed that the clinical presentation should be considered as an additional independent factor determining the clinical course of these lesions. However, dural shunts with leptomeningeal venous drainage include a very wide spectrum of inhomogeneous lesions. In the current study, we correlated the clinical presentation of 107 consecutive patients harboring cranial dural arteriovenous shunts with leptomeningeal venous drainage, with their distinct anatomic and angiographic features categorized into eight groups based on the "DES" (Directness and Exclusivity of leptomeningeal venous drainage and features of venous Strain) concept. We found that among these groups, there are significant angioarchitectural differences, which are reflected by considerable differences in clinical presentation. Leptomeningeal venous drainage of dural sinus shunts that is neither direct nor exclusive and without venous strain manifested only benign symptoms (aggressive presentation 0%). On the other end of the spectrum, the bridging vein shunts with direct and exclusive leptomeningeal venous drainage and venous strain are expected to present aggressive symptoms almost always and most likely with bleeding (aggressive presentation 91.5%). Important aspects of the above correlations are discussed. Therefore, the consideration of leptomeningeal venous drainage alone, for prediction of the clinical presentation of these shunts appears insufficient. Angiographic analysis based on the above concept, offers the possibility to distinguish the higher- from the lower-risk types of leptomeningeal venous drainage. In this context, consideration of the clinical presentation as an additional independent factor for the prediction of their clinical course seems superfluous and possibly misleading. Topography is connected to the clinical presentation of the dural shunts inasmuch as the former determines the venous anatomy and the angioarchitectural features of the lesions.

Use of New Techniques in Addition to IHC Applied to the Diagnosis of Melanocytic Lesions, With Emphasis on CGH, FISH, and Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Nagarajan, P; Tetzlaff, M T; Curry, J L; Prieto, V G

Melanoma remains one of the most aggressive forms of cutaneous malignancies. While its diagnosis based on histologic parameters is usually straight forward in most cases, distinguishing a melanoma from a melanocytic nevus can be challenging in some instances, especially when there are overlapping clinical and histopathologic features. Occasionally, melanomas can histologically mimic other tumors and even demonstration of melanocytic origin can be challenging. Thus, several ancillary tests may be employed to arrive at the correct diagnosis. The objective of this review is to summarize these tests, including the well-established and commonly used ones such as immunohistochemistry, with specific emphasis on emerging techniques such as comparative genomic hybridization, fluorescence in situ hybridization and imaging mass spectrometry. Copyright © 2016 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Triple Hit Lymphoma: Rare Cases With Less Dire Than Usual Prognosis.

PubMed

Kallen, Michael E; Alexanian, Serge; Said, Jonathan; Quintero-Rivera, Fabiola

2016-12-01

Triple hit lymphomas are a subset of so-called double hit non-Hodgkin lymphomas exhibiting simultaneous gene translocations/disruption of MYC, BCL2, and BCL6; however, their overlapping morphologic features and complex genetic rearrangements can render classification and prognostication vexing. Clinically triple hit lymphomas are thought to demonstrate aggressive behavior, similar to or worse than that of double hit lymphomas. Only rare reports of long term survivors exist and raise the possibility that unidentified morphologic, immunologic, or cytogenetic differences may impart a less adverse prognosis than current literature and opinion may suggest. Here we report 3 such cases with less aggressive behavior. Cases such as these may prove useful in comparing outcomes, and underlying mechanisms of tumor progression, in aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas. © The Author(s) 2016.

Biomarkers in the Detection of Prostate Cancer in African Americans

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

externalized 189  phosphatidylserine,  milk   fat  globule‐E8/lactoferrin (MFG‐E8), CD80, CD86, CD96, Rab‐5b and 190  MHC class I and MHC class II complexes (7...aggressive features of PCas. Initially, proteins , mRNA and DNA will be extracted from nitrocellulose blots of biopsies of the prostate which are being...Similarly, proteins associated with racial differences and/or aggressiveness will be identified by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS) and by

Convolutional Neural Network-Based Classification of Driver's Emotion during Aggressive and Smooth Driving Using Multi-Modal Camera Sensors.

PubMed

Lee, Kwan Woo; Yoon, Hyo Sik; Song, Jong Min; Park, Kang Ryoung

2018-03-23

Because aggressive driving often causes large-scale loss of life and property, techniques for advance detection of adverse driver emotional states have become important for the prevention of aggressive driving behaviors. Previous studies have primarily focused on systems for detecting aggressive driver emotion via smart-phone accelerometers and gyro-sensors, or they focused on methods of detecting physiological signals using electroencephalography (EEG) or electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors. Because EEG and ECG sensors cause discomfort to drivers and can be detached from the driver's body, it becomes difficult to focus on bio-signals to determine their emotional state. Gyro-sensors and accelerometers depend on the performance of GPS receivers and cannot be used in areas where GPS signals are blocked. Moreover, if driving on a mountain road with many quick turns, a driver's emotional state can easily be misrecognized as that of an aggressive driver. To resolve these problems, we propose a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based method of detecting emotion to identify aggressive driving using input images of the driver's face, obtained using near-infrared (NIR) light and thermal camera sensors. In this research, we conducted an experiment using our own database, which provides a high classification accuracy for detecting driver emotion leading to either aggressive or smooth (i.e., relaxed) driving. Our proposed method demonstrates better performance than existing methods.

[Diagnosis and treatment of diffuse tenosynovial giant cell tumor arising from temporomandibular joints].

PubMed

Meng, J H; Guo, Y X; Luo, H Y; Guo, C B; Ma, X C

2016-12-18

To retrospectively analyze the clinical features, treatment and prognosis to the diffuse tenosynovial giant cell tumor (D-TSGCT) arising from the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and to give a reference for the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease. In this study, 15 patients finally diagnosed as D-TSGCT of TMJ histopathologically at the Peking University Hospital of Stomatology from October 2003 to August 2015 were selected and reviewed. Their clinical manifestations, imaging and histological features, diagnoses and differential diagnoses, treatments and follow-ups were summarized and discussed. D-TSGCT of TMJ showed obvious female predominance (12/15), the main symptoms included painful preauricular swelling or mass, limited mouth-opening and mandibular deviation with movement. D-TSGCT on computed tomography (CT) scan often showed ill-defined soft tissue masses around TMJ, enhancement after contrast administration, usually with widening of the joint spaces and with bone destruction of the condyle, the fossa and even the skull base. On magnetic resonance images (MRI), the majority of lesions on T1 weighted images and T2 weighted images both showed the characteristics of low signals (6/11). The lesions could extend beyond the joints (9/11) and into the infratemporal fossa (4/11) and the middle cranial fossa (4/11). Surgical resection was performed in 14 cases and biopsy in 1 case. Postoperative radiotherapy was performed in 3 cases. In follow-ups, 3 cases showed recurrence postoperatively. D-TSGCT arising from TMJ should be differentiated with TMJ disorders, other tumors and tumor-like lesions of TMJ and parotid neoplasms, etc. CT and MRI examinations have important values in the diagnosis and treatment design of D-TSGCT. Because of the local aggressive and extensive behavior, complete resection should be performed as soon as possible. Postoperative radiotherapy was helpful for the extensive lesions including destruction of skull base and may be a good supplementary therapy. Because of the possibility of recurrence and malignancy, long-term follow-up was suggested.

Toxocariasis masquerading as liver and lung metastatic nodules in patents with gastrointestinal cancer: clinicopathologic study of five cases.

PubMed

Park, Sanghui; Kim, Yun Soo; Kim, Yu Jin; Kyung, Sun Young; Park, Jeong-Woong; Jeong, Sung Hwan; Lee, Sang Pyo

2012-01-01

There are sporadic reports in the literature in which radiologic liver and lung lesions found incidentally during follow-up metastatic surveillance were shown to be caused by toxocariasis. The objective of the work discussed in this report was to identify common clinical and histopathological features of toxocariasis resembling metastatic nodules in five patients with gastrointestinal cancer. We retrospectively analyzed clinical features of five gastrointestinal cancer patients with liver or lung nodules mimicking metastasis. Serologic tests for parasitic infestations and pathologic examinations were performed. All five patients were males and three patients had gastric cancer and two had colorectal cancer. All the cases of toxocariasis were confirmed serologically. On follow-up imaging, the lesions improved or resolved, suggestive of the phenomenon of visceral larva migrans. In two patients, liver biopsy was performed and showed eosinophilic abscess. Serologic tests and liver or lung biopsy should be performed aggressively to exclude toxocariasis when patients with underlying gastrointestinal cancer present with hepatic or pulmonary nodules associated with eosinophilia, particularly if the patients have a clinical history of raw animal liver ingestion. Curative surgical intervention should not be excluded just because of multiple nodules in the liver or the lungs.

On-command drug release from nanochains inhibits growth of breast tumors

PubMed Central

Peiris, Pubudu M.; Tam, Morgan; Vicente, Peter; Abramowski, Aaron; Toy, Randall; Bauer, Lisa; Mayer, Aaron; Pansky, Jenna; Doolittle, Elizabeth; Tucci, Samantha; Schmidt, Erik; Shoup, Christopher; Rao, Swetha; Murray, Kaitlyn; Gopalakrishnan, Ramamurthy; Keri, Ruth A.; Basilion, James P.; Griswold, Mark A.; Karathanasis, Efstathios

2013-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the ability of radiofrequency (RF)-triggered drug release from a multicomponent chain-shaped nanoparticle to inhibit the growth of an aggressive breast tumor. Methods A two-step solid phase chemistry was employed to synthesize doxorubicin-loaded nanochains, which were composed of three iron oxide nanospheres and one doxorubicin-loaded liposome assembled in a 100-nm-long linear nanochain. The nanochains were tested in the Luc-GFP-4T1 orthotopic mouse model, which is a highly aggressive breast cancer model. The Luc-GFP-4T1 cell line stably expresses firefly luciferase, which allowed the non-invasive in vivo imaging of tumor response to the treatment using bioluminescence imaging (BLI). Results Longitudinal BLI imaging showed that a single nanochain treatment followed by application of RF resulted in an at least 100-fold lower BLI signal compared to the groups treated with nanochains (without RF) or free doxorubicin followed by RF. A statistically significant increase in survival time of the nanochain-treated animals followed by RF (64.3 days) was observed when compared to the nanochain-treated group without RF (35.7 days), free doxorubicin-treated group followed by RF (38.5 days), and the untreated group (30.5 days; n=5 animals per group). Conclusions These studies showed that the combination of RF and nanochains has the potential to effectively treat highly aggressive cancers and prolong survival. PMID:23934254

On-command drug release from nanochains inhibits growth of breast tumors.

PubMed

Peiris, Pubudu M; Tam, Morgan; Vicente, Peter; Abramowski, Aaron; Toy, Randall; Bauer, Lisa; Mayer, Aaron; Pansky, Jenna; Doolittle, Elizabeth; Tucci, Samantha; Schmidt, Erik; Shoup, Christopher; Rao, Swetha; Murray, Kaitlyn; Gopalakrishnan, Ramamurthy; Keri, Ruth A; Basilion, James P; Griswold, Mark A; Karathanasis, Efstathios

2014-06-01

To evaluate the ability of radiofrequency (RF)-triggered drug release from a multicomponent chain-shaped nanoparticle to inhibit the growth of an aggressive breast tumor. A two-step solid phase chemistry was employed to synthesize doxorubicin-loaded nanochains, which were composed of three iron oxide nanospheres and one doxorubicin-loaded liposome assembled in a 100-nm-long linear nanochain. The nanochains were tested in the 4T1-LUC-GFP orthotopic mouse model, which is a highly aggressive breast cancer model. The 4T1-LUC-GFP cell line stably expresses firefly luciferase, which allowed the non-invasive in vivo imaging of tumor response to the treatment using bioluminescence imaging (BLI). Longitudinal BLI imaging showed that a single nanochain treatment followed by application of RF resulted in an at least 100-fold lower BLI signal compared to the groups treated with nanochains (without RF) or free doxorubicin followed by RF. A statistically significant increase in survival time of the nanochain-treated animals followed by RF (64.3 days) was observed when compared to the nanochain-treated group without RF (35.7 days), free doxorubicin-treated group followed by RF (38.5 days), and the untreated group (30.5 days; n=5 animals per group). These studies showed that the combination of RF and nanochains has the potential to effectively treat highly aggressive cancers and prolong survival.

Neural Correlates of Affect Processing and Aggression in Methamphetamine Dependence

PubMed Central

Payer, Doris E.; Lieberman, Matthew D.; London, Edythe D.

2012-01-01

Context Methamphetamine abuse is associated with high rates of aggression, but few studies have addressed the contributing neurobiological factors. Objective To quantify aggression, investigate function of the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, and assess relationships between brain function and behavior in methamphetamine-dependent individuals. Design In a case-control study, aggression and brain activation were compared between methamphetamine-dependent and control participants. Setting Participants were recruited from the general community to an academic research center. Participants Thirty-nine methamphetamine-dependent volunteers (16 women) who were abstinent for 7 to 10 days and 37 drug-free control volunteers (18 women) participated in the study; subsets completed self-report and behavioral measures. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed on 25 methamphetamine-dependent and 23 control participants. Main outcome measures We measured self-reported and perpetrated aggression, and self-reported alexithymia. Brain activation was assessed using fMRI during visual processing of facial affect (affect matching), and symbolic processing (affect labeling), the latter representing an incidental form of emotion regulation. Results Methamphetamine-dependent participants self-reported more aggression and alexithymia than control participants and escalated perpetrated aggression more following provocation. Alexithymia scores correlated with measures of aggression. During affect matching, fMRI showed no differences between groups in amygdala activation, but found lower activation in methamphetamine-dependent than control participants in bilateral ventral inferior frontal gyrus. During affect labeling, participants recruited dorsal inferior frontal gyrus and exhibited decreased amygdala activity, consistent with successful emotion regulation; there was no group difference in this effect. The magnitude of decrease in amygdala activity during affect labeling correlated inversely with self-reported aggression in control participants, and perpetrated aggression in all participants. Ventral inferior frontal gyrus activation correlated inversely with alexithymia in control participants. Conclusions Contrary to the hypotheses, methamphetamine-dependent individuals may successfully regulate emotions through incidental means (affect labeling). Instead, low ventral inferior frontal gyrus activity may contribute to heightened aggression by limiting emotional insight. PMID:21041607

The Sturm und Drang of anabolic steroid use: angst, anxiety, and aggression

PubMed Central

Oberlander, Joseph G.; Henderson, Leslie P.

2014-01-01

Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are illicitly administered to enhance athletic performance and body image. Although conferring positive actions on performance, steroid abuse is associated with changes in anxiety and aggression. AAS users are often keenly invested in understanding the biological actions of these drugs. Thus, mechanistic information on AAS actions is important not only for the biomedical community, but also for steroid users. Here we review findings from animal studies on the impact of AAS exposure on neural systems that are crucial for the production of anxiety and aggression, and compare the effects of the different classes of AAS and their potential signaling mechanisms, as well as context-, age- and sex-dependent aspects of their actions. PMID:22516619

Childhood Midline Tract Carcinoma Treatment (PDQ®)—Health Professional Version

Cancer.gov

NUT midline carcinoma is an aggressive malignancy genetically defined by rearrangements of the NUT gene. Get comprehensive information about childhood NUT midline carcinoma, molecular features, clinical presentation, prognosis, and treatment in this summary for clinicians.

Heightened Salience of Anger and Aggression in Female Adolescents With Borderline Personality Disorder—A Script-Based fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Krauch, Marlene; Ueltzhöffer, Kai; Brunner, Romuald; Kaess, Michael; Hensel, Saskia; Herpertz, Sabine C.; Bertsch, Katja

2018-01-01

Background: Anger and aggression belong to the core symptoms of borderline personality disorder. Although an early and specific treatment of BPD is highly relevant to prevent chronification, still little is known about anger and aggression and their neural underpinnings in adolescents with BPD. Method: Twenty female adolescents with BPD (age 15–17 years) and 20 female healthy adolescents (age 15–17 years) took part in this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. A script-driven imagery paradigm was used to induce rejection-based feelings of anger, which was followed by descriptions of self-directed and other-directed aggressive reactions. To investigate the specificity of the neural activation patterns for adolescent patients, results were compared with data from 34 female adults with BPD (age 18–50 years) and 32 female healthy adults (age 18–50 years). Results: Adolescents with BPD showed increased activations in the left posterior insula and left dorsal striatum as well as in the left inferior frontal cortex and parts of the mentalizing network during the rejection-based anger induction and the imagination of aggressive reactions compared to healthy adolescents. For the other-directed aggression phase, a significant diagnosis by age interaction confirmed that these results were specific for adolescents. Discussion: The results of this very first fMRI study on anger and aggression in adolescents with BPD suggest an enhanced emotional reactivity to and higher effort in controlling anger and aggression evoked by social rejection at an early developmental stage of the disorder. Since emotion dysregulation is a known mediator for aggression in BPD, the results point to the need of appropriate early interventions for adolescents with BPD. PMID:29632476

Gouty involvement of the patella and extensor mechanism of the knee mimicking aggressive neoplasm. A case series.

PubMed

Kester, Christopher; Wallace, Matthew T; Jelinek, James; Aboulafia, Albert

2018-06-01

Gout is a common inflammatory crystal deposition disease that occurs in many joints throughout the body. Active gout is most often associated with painful synovitis causing searing joint pains, but gout can also produce large masses of space-occupying deposits called tophi. Tophi are most frequently seen in juxta-articular locations with or without bony erosion and are often misdiagnosed as degenerative joint disease. Soft tissue deposits and tendon involvement are also known manifestations of gout, but can present with indeterminate and alarming findings on imaging. We present three cases of tophaceous gout mimicking aggressive neoplasms in the extensor mechanism of the knee. All cases presented as extensor tendon masses eroding into the patella, with imaging findings initially concerning for primary musculoskeletal malignancy.

Multiphoton imaging of low grade, high grade intraepithelial neoplasia and intramucosal invasive cancer of esophagus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jian; Jiang, Liwei; Kang, Deyong; Wu, Xuejing; Xu, Meifang; Zhuo, Shuangmu; Zhu, Xiaoqin; Lin, Jiangbo; Chen, Jianxin

2017-04-01

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is devastating because of its aggressive lymphatic spread and clinical course. It is believed to occur through low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN), high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN), and intramucosal invasive cancer (IMC) before transforming to submucosal cancer. In particular, these early lesions (LGIN, HGIN and IMC), which involve no lymph node nor distant metastasis, can be cured by endoscopic treatment. Therefore, early identification of these lesions is important so as to offer a curative endoscopic resection, thus slowing down the development of ESCC. In this work, spectral information and morphological features of the normal esophageal mucosa are first studied. Then, the morphological changes of LGIN, HGIN and IMC are described. Lastly, quantitative parameters are also extracted by calculating the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio of epithelial cells and the pixel density of collagen in the lamina propria. These results show that multiphoton microscopy (MPM) has the ability to identify normal esophageal mucosa, LGIN, HGIN and IMC. With the development of multiphoton endoscope systems for in vivo imaging, combined with a laser ablation system, MPM has the potential to provide immediate pathologic diagnosis and curative treatment of ESCC before the transformation to submucosal cancer in the future.

Multispectral diffuse optical tomography of finger joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lighter, Daniel; Filer, Andrew; Dehghani, Hamid

2017-07-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by synovial inflammation. The current treatment paradigm for earlier, more aggressive therapy places importance on development of functional imaging modalities, capable of quantifying joint changes at the earliest stages. Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) has shown great promise in this regard, due to its cheap, non-invasive, non-ionizing and high contrast nature. Underlying pathological activity in afflicted joints leads to altered optical properties of the synovial region, with absorption and scattering increasing. Previous studies have used these optical changes as features for classifying diseased joints from healthy. Non-tomographic, single wavelength, continuous wave (CW) measurements of trans-illuminated joints have previously reported achieving this with specificity and sensitivity in the range 80 - 90% [1]. A single wavelength, frequency domain DOT system, combined with machine learning techniques, has been shown to achieve sensitivity and specificity in the range of 93.8 - 100% [2]. A CW system is presented here which collects data at 5 wavelengths, enabling reconstruction of pathophysiological parameters such as oxygenation and total hemoglobin, with the aim of identifying localized hypoxia and angiogenesis associated with inflammation in RA joints. These initial studies focus on establishing levels of variation in recovered parameters from images of healthy controls.

Personal Values and Moral Disengagement Promote Aggressive and Rule-Breaking Behaviours in Adolescents With Disruptive Behaviour Disorders: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Paciello, Marinella; Muratori, Pietro; Ruglioni, Laura; Milone, Annarita; Buonanno, Carlo; Capo, Rosario; Lochman, John E; Barcaccia, Barbara

2017-01-01

The pilot study presented in this article investigated the role of moral-cognitive features in understanding aggressive and rule-breaking behaviours in adolescents with Disruptive Behaviour Disorder (DBD). We collected two samples. The community sample was composed of 85 adolescents, whereas the DBD sample was composed of 30 adolescents. Compared with a community sample, adolescents with DBD are more inclined to use moral disengagement (MD) to legitimize their aggressive and rule-breaking behaviours. Moreover, regression models showed that self-enhancement values and MD foster externalizing behaviours taking into account both gender and the group they belonged to, that is, either clinical or community sample. Instead, self-transcendence values could prevent externalizing problems by inhibiting MD. Implications of these findings for assessment and therapeutic interventions are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

Premenstrual syndrome

MedlinePlus

... of tension, anxiety, or edginess Irritable, hostile, or aggressive behavior, with outbursts of anger toward self or others Loss of sex drive (may increase in some women) Mood swings Poor judgment Poor self-image, feelings ...

Bullying prevalence across contexts: a meta-analysis measuring cyber and traditional bullying.

PubMed

Modecki, Kathryn L; Minchin, Jeannie; Harbaugh, Allen G; Guerra, Nancy G; Runions, Kevin C

2014-11-01

Bullying involvement in any form can have lasting physical and emotional consequences for adolescents. For programs and policies to best safeguard youth, it is important to understand prevalence of bullying across cyber and traditional contexts. We conducted a thorough review of the literature and identified 80 studies that reported corresponding prevalence rates for cyber and traditional bullying and/or aggression in adolescents. Weighted mean effect sizes were calculated, and measurement features were entered as moderators to explain variation in prevalence rates and in traditional-cyber correlations within the sample of studies. Prevalence rates for cyber bullying were lower than for traditional bullying, and cyber and traditional bullying were highly correlated. A number of measurement features moderated variability in bullying prevalence; whereas a focus on traditional relational aggression increased correlations between cyber and traditional aggressions. In our meta-analytic review, traditional bullying was twice as common as cyber bullying. Cyber and traditional bullying were also highly correlated, suggesting that polyaggression involvement should be a primary target for interventions and policy. Results of moderation analyses highlight the need for greater consensus in measurement approaches for both cyber and traditional bullying. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Highly aggressive ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma with a leukemic phase and multi-organ involvement: a report of three cases and a review of the literature.

PubMed

Grewal, Jaspreet S; Smith, Lauren B; Winegarden, Jerome D; Krauss, John C; Tworek, Joseph A; Schnitzer, Bertram

2007-07-01

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is an aggressive neoplasm of T- or null cell phenotype and is recognized as a distinct clinicopathologic subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in the revised World Health Organization (WHO) classification of hematopoietic neoplasms. It is rarely associated with leukemic phase. Most cases with leukemic involvement are the small cell variant of ALCL. These cases often lack the pleomorphism seen in the common variant of ALCL and may be misdiagnosed. We report a series of three patients who presented with leukemic phase ALCL. The patients included an 11-year-old boy, a 29-year-old man, and a 59-year-old woman. The clinical and pathologic features of these cases are reviewed. The patients in our case series with leukemic phase ALCL exhibited rare clinical features. The patients presented with massive extranodal disease involving cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), liver, spleen, lungs, and bone marrow. CSF involvement was documented morphologically as well as by flow cytometry in two patients. Two of the patients had small cell variant and the third patient had common type ALCL. The neoplastic cells in all three patients were ALK positive; however these patients died within months of diagnosis. Leukemic phase ALCL is rare, and behaves in an aggressive manner. Some, but not all, cases in the literature presenting with peripheral blood involvement had small cell variant ALCL, as seen in two of our cases. The leukemic phase of ALCL should be considered when a T-cell leukemia with unusual morphologic features is encountered.

The relation between narcissism and laboratory aggression is not contingent on environmental cues of competition.

PubMed

Hyatt, Courtland S; Weiss, Brandon M; Carter, Nathan T; Zeichner, Amos; Miller, Joshua D

2018-06-18

Narcissism has been robustly linked to self-report and lab-based measures of aggression. However, less is known about the role that a competitive context may play in the relations found between narcissism and aggression as measured in behavioral paradigms. In circumstances of competition, narcissistic individuals may be particularly attuned to external indicators of status and use aggression as a way of asserting power and a motivation to "win," rather than to do harm. The goal of the present study was to test the role of competition in understanding the relation between narcissism and related traits (i.e., psychopathy) and aggression by manipulating cues of competition. First, participants (N = 220) completed questionnaires to assess levels of trait narcissism and associated variables (e.g., psychopathy, five-factor model traits, and self-esteem). In a separate session, participants were randomly assigned to interact with an ostensible confederate under the guise of either a competitive or noncompetitive interaction, and then were given the opportunity to administer electric shocks to their partner. Results suggest that the antagonistic and grandiose features of narcissism were significantly related to aggression in both conditions, as was the antagonism factor of psychopathy and (low) Agreeableness dimension of the five-factor model. However, tests of moderation found no significant interaction effects between narcissism and condition in the hypothesized direction (and a few in the opposite direction such that narcissism was more strongly related in the noncompetition condition). Findings are discussed in terms of the importance of antagonism in predicting antisocial outcomes such as aggression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Association of prostate cancer risk variants with clinicopathologic characteristics of the disease

PubMed Central

Xu, Jianfeng; Isaacs, Sarah D.; Sun, Jielin; Li, Ge; Wiley, Kathleen E.; Zhu, Yi; Hsu, Fang-Chi; Wiklund, Fredrik; Turner, Aubrey R.; Adams, Tamara S.; Liu, Wennuan; Trock, Bruce J.; Partin, Alan W.; Chang, Baoli; Walsh, Patrick C.; Grönberg, Henrik; Isaacs, William; Zheng, Siqun

2009-01-01

Purpose Fifteen independent genetic variants have been implicated in prostate cancer risk by recent genome-wide association studies. However, their association with clinicopathologic features of prostate cancer is uncertain. Experimental Design We systematically evaluated these 15 variants in 1,563 prostate cancer patients undergoing radical prostatectomy, taking advantage of the uniform tumor stage and grade information available for each of these cases. Associations of these variants with aggressiveness, pathologic Gleason scores, pathologic stage, age at diagnosis, or serum PSA levels were tested. Results After adjusting for multiple testing, none of the SNPs was individually or cumulatively associated with aggressiveness or individual clinicopathologic variables of prostate cancer such as Gleason scores, pathologic stage, or age at diagnosis of prostate cancer. The reported risk allele (G) for SNP rs2735839 in the KLK3 gene at 19q13 was more frequent in less aggressive prostate cancer patients (0.89) than in more aggressive prostate cancer patients (0.86), nominal P = 0.03, or in controls (0.86), nominal P = 0.04. Considering that this allele was also significantly associated with higher serum PSA levels among controls (nominal P = 0.003), the observed trend of higher frequency of this risk allele between less and more aggressive prostate cancer, or between less aggressive and controls may be due to detection bias of PSA screening. Conclusions Prostate cancer risk variants recently discovered from genome-wide case-control association studies are not associated with clinicopathologic variables in this population. Case-case studies are urgently needed in order to discover genetic variants that predict tumor aggressiveness. PMID:18794092

Gene expression profiles of metabolic aggressiveness and tumor recurrence in benign meningioma.

PubMed

Serna, Eva; Morales, José Manuel; Mata, Manuel; Gonzalez-Darder, José; San Miguel, Teresa; Gil-Benso, Rosario; Lopez-Gines, Concha; Cerda-Nicolas, Miguel; Monleon, Daniel

2013-01-01

Around 20% of meningiomas histologically benign may be clinically aggressive and recur. This strongly affects management of meningioma patients. There is a need to evaluate the potential aggressiveness of an individual meningioma. Additional criteria for better classification of meningiomas will improve clinical decisions as well as patient follow up strategy after surgery. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between gene expression profiles and new metabolic subgroups of benign meningioma with potential clinical relevance. Forty benign and fourteen atypical meningioma tissue samples were included in the study. We obtained metabolic profiles by NMR and recurrence after surgery information for all of them. We measured gene expression by oligonucleotide microarray measurements on 19 of them. To our knowledge, this is the first time that distinct gene expression profiles are reported for benign meningioma molecular subgroups with clinical correlation. Our results show that metabolic aggressiveness in otherwise histological benign meningioma proceeds mostly through alterations in the expression of genes involved in the regulation of transcription, mainly the LMO3 gene. Genes involved in tumor metabolism, like IGF1R, are also differentially expressed in those meningioma subgroups with higher rates of membrane turnover, higher energy demand and increased resistance to apoptosis. These new subgroups of benign meningiomas exhibit different rates of recurrence. This work shows that benign meningioma with metabolic aggressiveness constitute a subgroup of potentially recurrent tumors in which alterations in genes regulating critical features of aggressiveness, like increased angiogenesis or cell invasion, are still no predominant. The determination of these gene expression biosignatures may allow the early detection of clinically aggressive tumors.

Automatic detection of invasive ductal carcinoma in whole slide images with convolutional neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz-Roa, Angel; Basavanhally, Ajay; González, Fabio; Gilmore, Hannah; Feldman, Michael; Ganesan, Shridar; Shih, Natalie; Tomaszewski, John; Madabhushi, Anant

2014-03-01

This paper presents a deep learning approach for automatic detection and visual analysis of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) tissue regions in whole slide images (WSI) of breast cancer (BCa). Deep learning approaches are learn-from-data methods involving computational modeling of the learning process. This approach is similar to how human brain works using different interpretation levels or layers of most representative and useful features resulting into a hierarchical learned representation. These methods have been shown to outpace traditional approaches of most challenging problems in several areas such as speech recognition and object detection. Invasive breast cancer detection is a time consuming and challenging task primarily because it involves a pathologist scanning large swathes of benign regions to ultimately identify the areas of malignancy. Precise delineation of IDC in WSI is crucial to the subsequent estimation of grading tumor aggressiveness and predicting patient outcome. DL approaches are particularly adept at handling these types of problems, especially if a large number of samples are available for training, which would also ensure the generalizability of the learned features and classifier. The DL framework in this paper extends a number of convolutional neural networks (CNN) for visual semantic analysis of tumor regions for diagnosis support. The CNN is trained over a large amount of image patches (tissue regions) from WSI to learn a hierarchical part-based representation. The method was evaluated over a WSI dataset from 162 patients diagnosed with IDC. 113 slides were selected for training and 49 slides were held out for independent testing. Ground truth for quantitative evaluation was provided via expert delineation of the region of cancer by an expert pathologist on the digitized slides. The experimental evaluation was designed to measure classifier accuracy in detecting IDC tissue regions in WSI. Our method yielded the best quantitative results for automatic detection of IDC regions in WSI in terms of F-measure and balanced accuracy (71.80%, 84.23%), in comparison with an approach using handcrafted image features (color, texture and edges, nuclear textural and architecture), and a machine learning classifier for invasive tumor classification using a Random Forest. The best performing handcrafted features were fuzzy color histogram (67.53%, 78.74%) and RGB histogram (66.64%, 77.24%). Our results also suggest that at least some of the tissue classification mistakes (false positives and false negatives) were less due to any fundamental problems associated with the approach, than the inherent limitations in obtaining a very highly granular annotation of the diseased area of interest by an expert pathologist.

Validation of Biomarkers for Prostate Cancer Prognosis

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-01

and actually have occult high-risk features or are destined to progress to high-risk disease. Therefore a critical need in localized prostate...cancer is the development of biomarkers that predict occult or incipient aggressive disease in the low-risk population. 15. SUBJECT TERMS- Nothing...causing death. However, it is well known that a significant fraction of low risk cases are misclassified and actually have occult high-risk features or

Centrosome-Based Mechanisms, Prognostics and Therapeutics in Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

progression of prostate carcinomas. The specific aims of the original proposal were designed to test several features of this model . 1. Are centrosome...features of this model . 1. Are centrosome defects present in early prostate cancer and can they predict aggressive disease? 2. Do pericentrin’s...cells, supports this model . The ability to block the cell cycle in prostate cells by depletion of any of 14 centrosome proteins identifies several

Prostate cancer characterization by optical contrast enhanced photoacoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Guan; Qin, Ming; Mukundan, Ananya; Siddiqui, Javed; Takada, Marilia; Vilar-Saavedra, Paulo; Tomlins, Scott A.; Kopelman, Raoul; Wang, Xueding

2016-03-01

During the past decades, prostate cancer (PCa), with an annual incident rate much higher than any other cancer, is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American men. PCa has a relatively low progression rate yet the survival percentage decreases dramatically once the cancer has metastasized. Identifying aggressive from indolent PCa to prevent metastasis and death is critical to improving outcomes for patients with PCa. Standard procedure for assessing the aggressiveness of PCa involves the removal of tumor tissues by transrectal (TR) ultrasound (US) guided needle biopsy. The microscopic architecture of the biopsied tissue is visualized by histological or immunohistochemical staining procedures. The heterogeneity of the microscopic architecture is characterized by a Gleason score, a quantitative description of the aggressiveness of PCa. Due to the inability to identify the cancer cells, most noninvasive imaging modalities can only provide diagnosis of PCa at limited accuracy. This study investigates the feasibility of identifying PCa tumors and characterizing the aggressiveness of PCa by photoacoustic imaging assisted by cancer targeting polyacrylamide (PAA) nanoparticles (NPs). PAA is a biocompatible material used in clinics for the past 20 years. PAA NPs can protect capsulated optical contrast agents from interference by enzymes and enable prolonged systematic circulation in the living biological environment. The cancer targeting mechanism is achieved by conjugating the NPs to F3 peptides, which trace nucleolin overexpressed on the surface of cancer cells. Preliminary studies have shown that the NPs are capable of staining the PCa cells in vivo.

Vertebral hemangioma: an important differential in the evaluation of locally aggressive spinal lesions.

PubMed

Alexander, Justin; Meir, Adam; Vrodos, Nikitas; Yau, Yun-Hom

2010-08-15

A case report and a discussion of recent published data. To highlight the importance of vertebral hemangioma (VH) as a differential diagnosis in the evaluation of locally aggressive spinal lesions. VH commonly occur as incidental findings, however, locally aggressive VH have been described. Difficulties in diagnosing these lesions are well reported and relate to changes in fat content causing uncharacteristic appearances on imaging. The management options for these lesions include a combination of observation, embolization, sclerotherapy, surgical decompression, or stabilization and radiotherapy. A 45-year-old patient who was previously well presented with back pain and rapidly progressive paraparesis. Imaging confirmed the presence of an extensive lesion centered within the right T3 vertebral pedicle with intrusion into the spinal canal. Urgent surgical decompression was undertaken and was complicated by extensive intraoperative hemorrhage requiring massive transfusion. Histologically, the lesion was shown to be a cavernous VH with no evidence of malignancy. Following radiation oncology review, he was offered adjuvant radiotherapy to minimize the risks of recurrence. He achieved a near full neurologic recovery within 2 weeks and had a full recovery by 12 months. VH should be considered in the evaluation of locally aggressive spinal lesions. Angiography is a useful adjunct in the evaluation of these lesions, both as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool. After diagnosed correctly a wide range of treatment options exist that may prevent the patient from undergoing major surgical resection and reconstruction procedures, which may be associated with high rates of morbidity.

Stereotactic amygdalotomy in the management of severe aggressive behavioral disorders.

PubMed

Mpakopoulou, Maria; Gatos, Haralambos; Brotis, Alexandros; Paterakis, Konstantinos N; Fountas, Kostas N

2008-01-01

Stereotactic amygdalotomy has been utilized as a surgical treatment for severe aggressive behavioral disorders. Several clinical studies have been reported since the first description of the procedure. In the current study, the authors reviewed the literature and evaluated the surgical results, neuropsychological outcome, and complication rate in patients who had undergone stereotactic amygdalotomy for severe aggressive behavioral disorders. The PubMed database was searched using the following terms: "amygdalotomy," "amygdalectomy," "amygdaloidectomy," "psychosurgery," "aggressive disorder," and "behavioral disorder." Clinical series with more than 5 patients undergoing stereotactic amygdalotomy for aggressive or other behavioral disorders were included in this review. The surgical technique, anatomical target, improvement in psychiatric symptomatology, postoperative employment and social rehabilitation, postoperative neurocognitive function, procedure-related complications, and long-term follow-up were evaluated. Thirteen clinical studies met our inclusion criteria. Reported postoperative improvement in aggressive behavior varied between 33 and 100%. Procedure-related complication rates ranged from 0 to 42%, whereas the mortality rate was as high as 3.8%. In the majority of the reviewed clinical series, the performance of stereotactic amygdalotomy did not compromise a patient's learning, language, and intellectual capabilities. The long-term follow-up, although very limited, revealed that initially observed improvement was maintained in most cases. Stereotactic amygdalotomy can be considered a valid surgical treatment option for carefully selected patients with medically refractory aggressive behavioral disorders. Recent advances in imaging and stereotactic navigation can further improve outcome and minimize the complication rate associated with this psychosurgical procedure.

Repeated Exposure to Media Violence Is Associated with Diminished Response in an Inhibitory Frontolimbic Network

PubMed Central

Hirsch, Joy

2007-01-01

Background Media depictions of violence, although often claimed to induce viewer aggression, have not been shown to affect the cortical networks that regulate behavior. Methodology/Principal Findings Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we found that repeated exposure to violent media, but not to other equally arousing media, led to both diminished response in right lateral orbitofrontal cortex (right ltOFC) and a decrease in right ltOFC-amygdala interaction. Reduced function in this network has been previously associated with decreased control over a variety of behaviors, including reactive aggression. Indeed, we found reduced right ltOFC responses to be characteristic of those subjects that reported greater tendencies toward reactive aggression. Furthermore, the violence-induced reduction in right ltOFC response coincided with increased throughput to behavior planning regions. Conclusions These novel findings establish that even short-term exposure to violent media can result in diminished responsiveness of a network associated with behaviors such as reactive aggression. PMID:18060062

TU-G-303-03: Machine Learning to Improve Human Learning From Longitudinal Image Sets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Veeraraghavan, H.

‘Radiomics’ refers to studies that extract a large amount of quantitative information from medical imaging studies as a basis for characterizing a specific aspect of patient health. Radiomics models can be built to address a wide range of outcome predictions, clinical decisions, basic cancer biology, etc. For example, radiomics models can be built to predict the aggressiveness of an imaged cancer, cancer gene expression characteristics (radiogenomics), radiation therapy treatment response, etc. Technically, radiomics brings together quantitative imaging, computer vision/image processing, and machine learning. In this symposium, speakers will discuss approaches to radiomics investigations, including: longitudinal radiomics, radiomics combined with othermore » biomarkers (‘pan-omics’), radiomics for various imaging modalities (CT, MRI, and PET), and the use of registered multi-modality imaging datasets as a basis for radiomics. There are many challenges to the eventual use of radiomics-derived methods in clinical practice, including: standardization and robustness of selected metrics, accruing the data required, building and validating the resulting models, registering longitudinal data that often involve significant patient changes, reliable automated cancer segmentation tools, etc. Despite the hurdles, results achieved so far indicate the tremendous potential of this general approach to quantifying and using data from medical images. Specific applications of radiomics to be presented in this symposium will include: the longitudinal analysis of patients with low-grade gliomas; automatic detection and assessment of patients with metastatic bone lesions; image-based monitoring of patients with growing lymph nodes; predicting radiotherapy outcomes using multi-modality radiomics; and studies relating radiomics with genomics in lung cancer and glioblastoma. Learning Objectives: Understanding the basic image features that are often used in radiomic models. Understanding requirements for reliable radiomic models, including robustness of metrics, adequate predictive accuracy, and generalizability. Understanding the methodology behind radiomic-genomic (’radiogenomics’) correlations. Research supported by NIH (US), CIHR (Canada), and NSERC (Canada)« less

Granulocytic sarcoma of the ovary in a nonleukemic patient.

PubMed

Aguiar, R C; Pozzi, D H; Chamone, D A

1993-01-01

We report a case of granulocytic sarcoma of the ovary preceding acute myeloid leukemia by twelve months, with no evidence of any hematological involvement at the time of first diagnosis. The patient was initially treated with surgery and chemotherapy for undifferentiated lymphoma and, although this aggressive protocol resulted in a complete response, granulocytic sarcoma recurred as extramedullary disease, followed by the appearance of acute myeloid leukemia. We discuss the clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical features of the disease, the differential diagnosis and, in particular, the role of early aggressive treatment on the outcome of the patient.

Aggressive fibromatosis (fibrosarcoma) of the facial nerve.

PubMed

Pulec, J L

1993-07-01

Aggressive fibromatosis of the facial nerve is a very rare tumor. Three cases have been previously reported. The tumor is locally recurrent and often has a fatal outcome. This report is of a ten-year-old boy whose tumor originally developed in the parotid area with subsequent spread to the base of the skull, the neck and the cerebellopontine angle. Treatment was by wide surgical excision, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Despite treatment, the patient died. The clinical features of this case will be described. Only wide surgical excision early in the course of the disease may offer a chance for cure.

Myelofibrosis associated with prominent periosteal bone apposition. Report of two cases.

PubMed

Yu, J S; Greenway, G; Resnick, D

1994-01-01

Myelofibrosis is a myeloproliferative disorder that is characterized by splenomegaly and bone marrow replacement by fibrous tissue. The predominant radiographic feature is osteosclerosis; however, in rare instances, periosteal bone apposition or periostitis is apparent in the metaphysis of the distal femura and proximal tibiae. It has been suggested that periostitis, when associated with fever and bone pain, is indicative of more aggressive disease. We report this unusual radiographic finding and its similar appearance to hypertrophic osteoarthropathy in two patients with myelofibrosis. In our patients, the presence of periosteal bone apposition did not correlate with increased disease aggressiveness.

Aggressive behavior and anaplasia in pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma: a plea for a revision of the current WHO classification.

PubMed

Kahramancetin, Nesibe; Tihan, Tarik

2013-11-01

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is a rare astrocytic neoplasm that commonly affects children and young adults, and presents with seizures. PXA is typically supratentorial with a predilection to the temporal lobe, and often involves the cortex and the meninges. PXAs have a favorable prognosis with a 10-year survival probability of >70%, and are WHO grade II neoplasms. Recent observations and studies demonstrate that PXAs are clinically, histologically and genetically distinct. Some PXAs recur and exhibit aggressive clinical behavior. In such cases, certain histological and clinical factors could account for the aggressive behavior. However, the histological features that predict adverse outcome are poorly defined. In the current WHO classification of CNS tumors, there is no option for a high-grade PXA, even if the tumor had numerous recurrences and poor outcome. In this review, we focus on aggressive clinical behavior and anaplasia in PXA, and discuss how our current experience suggests modifications in the current WHO classification. We also review recent discoveries on the molecular characteristics of PXA that could help us better understand their biological behavior.

Evaluation of Two Unique Side Stick Controllers in a Fixed-Base Flight Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayer, Jann; Cox, Timothy H.

2003-01-01

A handling qualities analysis has been performed on two unique side stick controllers in a fixed-base F-18 flight simulator. Each stick, which uses a larger range of motion than is common for similar controllers, has a moving elbow cup that accommodates movement of the entire arm for control. The sticks are compared to the standard center stick in several typical fighter aircraft tasks. Several trends are visible in the time histories, pilot ratings, and pilot comments. The aggressive pilots preferred the center stick, because the side sticks are underdamped, causing overshoots and oscillations when large motions are executed. The less aggressive pilots preferred the side sticks, because of the smooth motion and low breakout forces. The aggressive pilots collectively gave the worst ratings, probably because of increased sensitivity of the simulator (compared to the actual F-18 aircraft), which can cause pilot-induced oscillations when aggressive inputs are made. Overall, the elbow cup is not a positive feature, because using the entire arm for control inhibits precision. Pilots had difficulty measuring their performance, particularly during the offset landing task, and tended to overestimate.

Increased facial width-to-height ratio and perceived dominance in the faces of the UK's leading business leaders.

PubMed

Alrajih, Shuaa; Ward, Jamie

2014-05-01

The relative proportion of the internal features of a face (the facial width-to-height ratio, FWH) has been shown to be related to individual differences in behaviour in males, specifically competitiveness and aggressiveness. In this study, we show that the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the leading UK businesses have greater FWHs than age- and sex-matched controls. We demonstrate that perceivers, naive as to the nature of the stimuli, rate the faces of CEOs as higher in dominance or success, and that ratings of dominance or success are themselves correlated with the FWH ratio. We find no association with other inferred traits such as trustworthiness, attraction or aggression. The latter is surprising given previous research demonstrating a link between FWH and ratings of aggression. We speculate that the core association may be between FWH and drive for dominance or power, but this can be interpreted as aggression only in particular circumstances (e.g., when the stimuli are comprised of faces of young, as opposed to middle-aged, men). © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Symptomatological features of patients with and without Ecstasy use during their first psychotic episode.

PubMed

Rugani, Fabio; Bacciardi, Silvia; Rovai, Luca; Pacini, Matteo; Maremmani, Angelo Giovanni Icro; Deltito, Joseph; Dell'osso, Liliana; Maremmani, Icro

2012-07-01

Ecstasy use is generally chosen by adolescents and young adults for its entactogenic properties (the production of feelings of empathy, love, and emotional closeness to others.) Despite this desired and frequently realized outcome, Ecstasy use has often resulted in the genesis of psychotic symptoms and aggressive behaviors, particularly after chronic and/or intensive use. To explore the negative consequences of Ecstasy use and to examine the aggressive nature oftentimes seen in many Ecstasy users we employed a case-control study model. We compared, by means of validated psychometric tests, the psychopathological symptoms (BPRS), the aggressiveness (OAS) and the social adjustment (DSM-GAF) of psychotic patients with (n = 23) and without (n = 46) recent user of Ecstasy, during their first psychotic episode and hospitalization. All 23 Ecstasy users were Ecstasy users only. Almost all of the psychotic symptoms were of similar severity in both groups. Blunted affect was milder in users than in non-users, whereas hostility and aggressive behavior was significantly more severe in users than in non-users. psychosis with a high level of aggressiveness and violence constitutes an important 'side-effect' that surely runs counter to the expected entactogenic action of Ecstasy. At a patient psycho-educational level, this study suggests that the use of Ecstasy may be counterproductive with respect to user expectations.

Retinal Connectomics: Towards Complete, Accurate Networks

PubMed Central

Marc, Robert E.; Jones, Bryan W.; Watt, Carl B.; Anderson, James R.; Sigulinsky, Crystal; Lauritzen, Scott

2013-01-01

Connectomics is a strategy for mapping complex neural networks based on high-speed automated electron optical imaging, computational assembly of neural data volumes, web-based navigational tools to explore 1012–1015 byte (terabyte to petabyte) image volumes, and annotation and markup tools to convert images into rich networks with cellular metadata. These collections of network data and associated metadata, analyzed using tools from graph theory and classification theory, can be merged with classical systems theory, giving a more completely parameterized view of how biologic information processing systems are implemented in retina and brain. Networks have two separable features: topology and connection attributes. The first findings from connectomics strongly validate the idea that the topologies complete retinal networks are far more complex than the simple schematics that emerged from classical anatomy. In particular, connectomics has permitted an aggressive refactoring of the retinal inner plexiform layer, demonstrating that network function cannot be simply inferred from stratification; exposing the complex geometric rules for inserting different cells into a shared network; revealing unexpected bidirectional signaling pathways between mammalian rod and cone systems; documenting selective feedforward systems, novel candidate signaling architectures, new coupling motifs, and the highly complex architecture of the mammalian AII amacrine cell. This is but the beginning, as the underlying principles of connectomics are readily transferrable to non-neural cell complexes and provide new contexts for assessing intercellular communication. PMID:24016532

Child Abuse: The Hidden Bruises

MedlinePlus

... poor self image sexual acting out inability to trust or love others aggressive, disruptive, and sometimes illegal ... have trouble with physical closeness, touching, intimacy, and trust as adults. They are also at higher risk ...

Molecular imaging of prostate cancer: translating molecular biology approaches into the clinical realm.

PubMed

Vargas, Hebert Alberto; Grimm, Jan; F Donati, Olivio; Sala, Evis; Hricak, Hedvig

2015-05-01

The epidemiology of prostate cancer has dramatically changed since the introduction of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in the 1980's. Most prostate cancers today are detected at early stages of the disease and are considered 'indolent'; however, some patients' prostate cancers demonstrate a more aggressive behaviour which leads to rapid progression and death. Increasing understanding of the biology underlying the heterogeneity that characterises this disease has led to a continuously evolving role of imaging in the management of prostate cancer. Functional and metabolic imaging techniques are gaining importance as the impact on the therapeutic paradigm has shifted from structural tumour detection alone to distinguishing patients with indolent tumours that can be managed conservatively (e.g., by active surveillance) from patients with more aggressive tumours that may require definitive treatment with surgery or radiation. In this review, we discuss advanced imaging techniques that allow direct visualisation of molecular interactions relevant to prostate cancer and their potential for translation to the clinical setting in the near future. The potential use of imaging to follow molecular events during drug therapy as well as the use of imaging agents for therapeutic purposes will also be discussed. • Advanced imaging techniques allow direct visualisation of molecular interactions in prostate cancer. • MRI/PET, optical and Cerenkov imaging facilitate the translation of molecular biology. • Multiple compounds targeting PSMA expression are currently undergoing clinical translation. • Other targets (e.g., PSA, prostate-stem cell antigen, GRPR) are in development.

Data mining framework for identification of myocardial infarction stages in ultrasound: A hybrid feature extraction paradigm (PART 2).

PubMed

Sudarshan, Vidya K; Acharya, U Rajendra; Ng, E Y K; Tan, Ru San; Chou, Siaw Meng; Ghista, Dhanjoo N

2016-04-01

Early expansion of infarcted zone after Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) has serious short and long-term consequences and contributes to increased mortality. Thus, identification of moderate and severe phases of AMI before leading to other catastrophic post-MI medical condition is most important for aggressive treatment and management. Advanced image processing techniques together with robust classifier using two-dimensional (2D) echocardiograms may aid for automated classification of the extent of infarcted myocardium. Therefore, this paper proposes novel algorithms namely Curvelet Transform (CT) and Local Configuration Pattern (LCP) for an automated detection of normal, moderately infarcted and severely infarcted myocardium using 2D echocardiograms. The methodology extracts the LCP features from CT coefficients of echocardiograms. The obtained features are subjected to Marginal Fisher Analysis (MFA) dimensionality reduction technique followed by fuzzy entropy based ranking method. Different classifiers are used to differentiate ranked features into three classes normal, moderate and severely infarcted based on the extent of damage to myocardium. The developed algorithm has achieved an accuracy of 98.99%, sensitivity of 98.48% and specificity of 100% for Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier using only six features. Furthermore, we have developed an integrated index called Myocardial Infarction Risk Index (MIRI) to detect the normal, moderately and severely infarcted myocardium using a single number. The proposed system may aid the clinicians in faster identification and quantification of the extent of infarcted myocardium using 2D echocardiogram. This system may also aid in identifying the person at risk of developing heart failure based on the extent of infarcted myocardium. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Natural image classification driven by human brain activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Dai; Peng, Hanyang; Wang, Jinqiao; Tang, Ming; Xue, Rong; Zuo, Zhentao

2016-03-01

Natural image classification has been a hot topic in computer vision and pattern recognition research field. Since the performance of an image classification system can be improved by feature selection, many image feature selection methods have been developed. However, the existing supervised feature selection methods are typically driven by the class label information that are identical for different samples from the same class, ignoring with-in class image variability and therefore degrading the feature selection performance. In this study, we propose a novel feature selection method, driven by human brain activity signals collected using fMRI technique when human subjects were viewing natural images of different categories. The fMRI signals associated with subjects viewing different images encode the human perception of natural images, and therefore may capture image variability within- and cross- categories. We then select image features with the guidance of fMRI signals from brain regions with active response to image viewing. Particularly, bag of words features based on GIST descriptor are extracted from natural images for classification, and a sparse regression base feature selection method is adapted to select image features that can best predict fMRI signals. Finally, a classification model is built on the select image features to classify images without fMRI signals. The validation experiments for classifying images from 4 categories of two subjects have demonstrated that our method could achieve much better classification performance than the classifiers built on image feature selected by traditional feature selection methods.

Role of serial multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in prostate cancer active surveillance

PubMed Central

Vos, Larissa J; Janoski, Michele; Wachowicz, Keith; Yahya, Atiyah; Boychak, Oleksandr; Amanie, John; Pervez, Nadeem; Parliament, Matthew B; Pituskin, Edith; Fallone, B Gino; Usmani, Nawaid

2016-01-01

AIM: To examine whether addition of 3T multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) to an active surveillance protocol could detect aggressive or progressive prostate cancer. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with low risk disease were enrolled on this active surveillance study, all of which had Gleason score 6 or less disease. All patients had clinical assessments, including digital rectal examination and prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing, every 6 mo with annual 3T mpMRI scans with gadolinium contrast and minimum sextant prostate biopsies. The MRI images were anonymized of patient identifiers and clinical information and each scan underwent radiological review without the other results known. Descriptive statistics for demographics and follow-up as well as the sensitivity and specificity of mpMRI to identify prostate cancer and progressive disease were calculated. RESULTS: During follow-up (median 24.8 mo) 11 of 23 patients with low-risk prostate cancer had disease progression and were taken off study to receive definitive treatment. Disease progression was identified through upstaging of Gleason score on subsequent biopsies for all 11 patients with only 2 patients also having a PSA doubling time of less than 2 years. All 23 patients had biopsy confirmed prostate cancer but only 10 had a positive index of suspicion on mpMRI scans at baseline (43.5% sensitivity). Aggressive disease prediction from baseline mpMRI scans had satisfactory specificity (81.8%) but low sensitivity (58.3%). Twenty-two patients had serial mpMRI scans and evidence of disease progression was seen for 3 patients all of whom had upstaging of Gleason score on biopsy (30% specificity and 100% sensitivity). CONCLUSION: Addition of mpMRI imaging in active surveillance decision making may help in identifying aggressive disease amongst men with indolent prostate cancer earlier than traditional methods. PMID:27158428

A Multi-Sensor Fusion MAV State Estimation from Long-Range Stereo, IMU, GPS and Barometric Sensors

PubMed Central

Song, Yu; Nuske, Stephen; Scherer, Sebastian

2016-01-01

State estimation is the most critical capability for MAV (Micro-Aerial Vehicle) localization, autonomous obstacle avoidance, robust flight control and 3D environmental mapping. There are three main challenges for MAV state estimation: (1) it can deal with aggressive 6 DOF (Degree Of Freedom) motion; (2) it should be robust to intermittent GPS (Global Positioning System) (even GPS-denied) situations; (3) it should work well both for low- and high-altitude flight. In this paper, we present a state estimation technique by fusing long-range stereo visual odometry, GPS, barometric and IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) measurements. The new estimation system has two main parts, a stochastic cloning EKF (Extended Kalman Filter) estimator that loosely fuses both absolute state measurements (GPS, barometer) and the relative state measurements (IMU, visual odometry), and is derived and discussed in detail. A long-range stereo visual odometry is proposed for high-altitude MAV odometry calculation by using both multi-view stereo triangulation and a multi-view stereo inverse depth filter. The odometry takes the EKF information (IMU integral) for robust camera pose tracking and image feature matching, and the stereo odometry output serves as the relative measurements for the update of the state estimation. Experimental results on a benchmark dataset and our real flight dataset show the effectiveness of the proposed state estimation system, especially for the aggressive, intermittent GPS and high-altitude MAV flight. PMID:28025524

Bilateral tuberculous otomastoiditis in an immmunocompetent 5-year-old child: CT and MRI findings (2009: 3b).

PubMed

Munoz, Alberto; Ruiz-Contreras, Jesus; Jimenez, Ana; Maté, Irene; Calvo, Marta; Villafruela, Miguel; del-Pozo, Gloria

2009-06-01

Bilateral tuberculous mastoiditis (TOM) in an immunocompetent child is a very uncommon form of tuberculous infection presentation. This report shows the CT and MR imaging of bilateral tuberculous otomastoiditis consisting of aggressive signs of middle ear and mastoid involvement with bony destruction and periauricular collections with no signs of brain involvement. Differential diagnosis at pediatric age of destructive lesions such as mainly aggressive forms of histiocytosis is underscored. This form of bilateral TOM at this early age has not been described from a radiological perspective.

Chemosensory danger detection in the human brain: Body odor communicating aggression modulates limbic system activation.

PubMed

Mutic, Smiljana; Brünner, Yvonne F; Rodriguez-Raecke, Rea; Wiesmann, Martin; Freiherr, Jessica

2017-05-01

Although the sense of smell is involved in numerous survival functions, the processing of body odor emitted by dangerous individuals is far from understood. The aim of the study was to explore how human fight chemosignals communicating aggression can alter brain activation related to an attentional bias and danger detection. While the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) was seen involved in processing threat-related emotional information, danger detection and error evaluation, it still remains unknown whether human chemosignals communicating aggression can potentially modulate this activation. In the fMRI experiment, healthy male and female normosmic odor recipients (n=18) completed a higher-order processing task (emotional Stroop task with the word categories anger, anxiety, happiness and neutral) while exposed to aggression and exercise chemosignals (collected from a different group of healthy male donors; n=16). Our results provide first evidence that aggression chemosignals induce a time-sensitive attentional bias in chemosensory danger detection and modulate limbic system activation. During exposure to aggression chemosignals compared to exercise chemosignals, functional imaging data indicates an enhancement of thalamus, hypothalamus and insula activation (p<.05, FWE-corrected). Together with the thalamus, the ACC was seen activated in response to threat-related words (p<.001). Chemosensory priming and habituation to body odor signals are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Staying alive: evolution, culture, and women's intrasexual aggression.

PubMed

Campbell, A

1999-04-01

Females' tendency to place a high value on protecting their own lives enhanced their reproductive success in the environment of evolutionary adaptation because infant survival depended more upon maternal than on paternal care and defence. The evolved mechanism by which the costs of aggression (and other forms of risk taking) are weighted more heavily for females may be a lower threshold for fear in situations which pose a direct threat of bodily injury. Females' concern with personal survival also has implications for sex differences in dominance hierarchies because the risks associated with hierarchy formation in nonbonded exogamous females are not offset by increased reproductive success. Hence among females, disputes do not carry implications for status with them as they do among males, but are chiefly connected with the acquisition and defence of scarce resources. Consequently, female competition is more likely to take the form of indirect aggression or low-level direct combat than among males. Under patriarchy, men have held the power to propagate images and attributions which are favourable to the continuance of their control. Women's aggression has been viewed as a gender-incongruent aberration or dismissed as evidence of irrationality. These cultural interpretations have "enhanced" evolutionarily based sex differences by a process of imposition which stigmatises the expression of aggression by females and causes women to offer exculpatory (rather than justificatory) accounts of their own aggression.

Effects of methamphetamine abuse and serotonin transporter gene variants on aggression and emotion-processing neurocircuitry

PubMed Central

Payer, D E; Nurmi, E L; Wilson, S A; McCracken, J T; London, E D

2012-01-01

Individuals who abuse methamphetamine (MA) exhibit heightened aggression, but the neurobiological underpinnings are poorly understood. As variability in the serotonin transporter (SERT) gene can influence aggression, this study assessed possible contributions of this gene to MA-related aggression. In all, 53 MA-dependent and 47 control participants provided self-reports of aggression, and underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while viewing pictures of faces. Participants were genotyped at two functional polymorphic loci in the SERT gene: the SERT-linked polymorphic region (SERT-LPR) and the intron 2 variable number tandem repeat polymorphism (STin2 VNTR); participants were then classified as having high or low risk for aggression according to individual SERT risk allele combinations. Comparison of SERT risk allele loads between groups showed no difference between MA-dependent and control participants. Comparison of self-report scores showed greater aggression in MA-dependent than control participants, and in high genetic risk than low-risk participants. Signal change in the amygdala was lower in high genetic risk than low-risk participants, but showed no main effect of MA abuse; however, signal change correlated negatively with MA use measures. Whole-brain differences in activation were observed between MA-dependent and control groups in the occipital and prefrontal cortex, and between genetic high- and low-risk groups in the occipital, fusiform, supramarginal and prefrontal cortex, with effects overlapping in a small region in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. The findings suggest that the investigated SERT risk allele loads are comparable between MA-dependent and healthy individuals, and that MA and genetic risk influence aggression independently, with minimal overlap in associated neural substrates. PMID:22832817

Aggressive periodontitis associated with Kindler syndrome in a large Kindler syndrome pedigree.

PubMed

Yıldırım, Tuba Talo; Kaya, Filiz Acun; Taşkesen, Mustafa; Dündar, Serkan; Bozoğlan, Alihan; Tekin, Gülücağ Giray; Akdeniz, Sedat

2017-01-01

Talo-Yıldırım T, Acun-Kaya F, Taşkesen M, Dündar S, Bozoğlan A, Tekin GG, Akdeniz S. Aggressive periodontitis associated with Kindler syndrome in a large Kindler syndrome pedigree. Turk J Pediatr 2017; 59: 56-61. Kindler syndrome (KS) is a rare genetic disorder. The clinical features include aggressive periodontal disease and severe desquamative gingivitis. Five individuals with KS were assessed by oral examination, radiographic analysis and periodontal measurements. All the patients' indexes were recorded prior to periodontal treatment and at the end of the 1th, 3th , 6th, 9th and 12th month respectively. All the patients had improvement of periodontal status and enhancement in index scores. The affected individuals were previously screened for FERMT1 mutations. KS patients' periodontal disease activity could be taken under control with regular follow-up.

TU-G-303-04: Radiomics and the Coming Pan-Omics Revolution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

El Naqa, I.

‘Radiomics’ refers to studies that extract a large amount of quantitative information from medical imaging studies as a basis for characterizing a specific aspect of patient health. Radiomics models can be built to address a wide range of outcome predictions, clinical decisions, basic cancer biology, etc. For example, radiomics models can be built to predict the aggressiveness of an imaged cancer, cancer gene expression characteristics (radiogenomics), radiation therapy treatment response, etc. Technically, radiomics brings together quantitative imaging, computer vision/image processing, and machine learning. In this symposium, speakers will discuss approaches to radiomics investigations, including: longitudinal radiomics, radiomics combined with othermore » biomarkers (‘pan-omics’), radiomics for various imaging modalities (CT, MRI, and PET), and the use of registered multi-modality imaging datasets as a basis for radiomics. There are many challenges to the eventual use of radiomics-derived methods in clinical practice, including: standardization and robustness of selected metrics, accruing the data required, building and validating the resulting models, registering longitudinal data that often involve significant patient changes, reliable automated cancer segmentation tools, etc. Despite the hurdles, results achieved so far indicate the tremendous potential of this general approach to quantifying and using data from medical images. Specific applications of radiomics to be presented in this symposium will include: the longitudinal analysis of patients with low-grade gliomas; automatic detection and assessment of patients with metastatic bone lesions; image-based monitoring of patients with growing lymph nodes; predicting radiotherapy outcomes using multi-modality radiomics; and studies relating radiomics with genomics in lung cancer and glioblastoma. Learning Objectives: Understanding the basic image features that are often used in radiomic models. Understanding requirements for reliable radiomic models, including robustness of metrics, adequate predictive accuracy, and generalizability. Understanding the methodology behind radiomic-genomic (’radiogenomics’) correlations. Research supported by NIH (US), CIHR (Canada), and NSERC (Canada)« less

Quantitative morphometric analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma: development of a programmed algorithm and preliminary application.

PubMed

Yap, Felix Y; Bui, James T; Knuttinen, M Grace; Walzer, Natasha M; Cotler, Scott J; Owens, Charles A; Berkes, Jamie L; Gaba, Ron C

2013-01-01

The quantitative relationship between tumor morphology and malignant potential has not been explored in liver tumors. We designed a computer algorithm to analyze shape features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and tested feasibility of morphologic analysis. Cross-sectional images from 118 patients diagnosed with HCC between 2007 and 2010 were extracted at the widest index tumor diameter. The tumor margins were outlined, and point coordinates were input into a MATLAB (MathWorks Inc., Natick, Massachusetts, USA) algorithm. Twelve shape descriptors were calculated per tumor: the compactness, the mean radial distance (MRD), the RD standard deviation (RDSD), the RD area ratio (RDAR), the zero crossings, entropy, the mean Feret diameter (MFD), the Feret ratio, the convex hull area (CHA) and perimeter (CHP) ratios, the elliptic compactness (EC), and the elliptic irregularity (EI). The parameters were correlated with the levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) as an indicator of tumor aggressiveness. The quantitative morphometric analysis was technically successful in all cases. The mean parameters were as follows: compactness 0.88±0.086, MRD 0.83±0.056, RDSD 0.087±0.037, RDAR 0.045±0.023, zero crossings 6±2.2, entropy 1.43±0.16, MFD 4.40±3.14 cm, Feret ratio 0.78±0.089, CHA 0.98±0.027, CHP 0.98±0.030, EC 0.95±0.043, and EI 0.95±0.023. MFD and RDAR provided the widest value range for the best shape discrimination. The larger tumors were less compact, more concave, and less ellipsoid than the smaller tumors (P < 0.0001). AFP-producing tumors displayed greater morphologic irregularity based on several parameters, including compactness, MRD, RDSD, RDAR, entropy, and EI (P < 0.05 for all). Computerized HCC image analysis using shape descriptors is technically feasible. Aggressively growing tumors have wider diameters and more irregular margins. Future studies will determine further clinical applications for this morphologic analysis.

Angio-Architectural Features of High-Grade Intracranial Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: Correlation With Aggressive Clinical Presentation and Hemorrhagic Risk.

PubMed

Della Pepa, Giuseppe Maria; Parente, Paolo; D'Argento, Francesco; Pedicelli, Alessandro; Sturiale, Carmelo Lucio; Sabatino, Giovanni; Albanese, Alessio; Puca, Alfredo; Fernandez, Eduardo; Olivi, Alessando; Marchese, Enrico

2017-08-01

High-grade dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs) can present shunts with very different angio-architectural characteristics. Specific hemodynamic factors may affect clinical history and determine very different clinical courses. To evaluate the relationship between some venous angio-architectural features in high-grade dAVFs and clinical presentation. Specific indicators of moderate or severe venous hypertension were analyzed, such as altered configurations of the dural sinuses (by a single or a dual thrombosis), or overload of cortical vessels (restrictions of outflow, pseudophlebitic cortical vessels, and venous aneurysms). The institutional series was retrospectively reviewed (49 cases), and the pattern of venous drainage was analyzed in relationship with clinical presentation (benign/aggressive/hemorrhage). Thirty-five of 49 cases displayed cortical reflux (high-grade dAVFs). This subgroup displayed a benign presentation in 31.42% of cases, an aggressive in 31.42%, and hemorrhage in 37.14%. Our data confirm that within high-grade dAVFs, 2 distinct subpopulations exist according to severity of clinical presentation. Some indicators we examined showed correlation with aggressive nonhemorrhagic manifestations (outflow restriction and pseudophlebitic cortical vessels), while other showed a correlation with hemorrhage (dual thrombosis and venous aneurysms). Current classifications appear insufficient to identify a wide range of conditions that ultimately determine the organization of the cortical venous drainage. Intermediate degrees of venous congestion correlate better with the clinical risk than the simple definition of cortical reflux. The angiographic aspects of venous drainage presented in this study may prove useful to assess dAVF hemodynamic characteristics and identify conditions at higher clinical risk. Copyright © 2017 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons

Molecular Innovations Toward Theranostics of Aggressive Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

therapeutic agents assisted with new imaging probe is expect to bring a new frontier for prostate cancer management. Our objective is to develop dendrimer ...selective dendrimer nanoparticle platform with both targeted imaging and drug delivery capabilities to target metastatic PCa. Using this unique...constructing dendrimer conjugated with therapeutic peptide, determining the mechanism of action and preparing chelator for conjugating PET tracer and

Molecular Innovations Toward Theranostics of Aggressive Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

to develop dendrimer -based theranostic agent with prostate cancer specificity and positron emission tomography imaging capability that can prevent...laboratories to develop a new molecular medicine. The goal of this project is to construct dendrimer nanoconjuate containing a prostate specific...cell permeation peptide, peptide therapeutic(s) and bifunctional chelator for PET imaging. Dr. Simanek’s laboratory will make dendrimers that bear

Aldaulactone - An Original Phytotoxic Secondary Metabolite Involved in the Aggressiveness of Alternaria dauci on Carrot.

PubMed

Courtial, Julia; Hamama, Latifa; Helesbeux, Jean-Jacques; Lecomte, Mickaël; Renaux, Yann; Guichard, Esteban; Voisine, Linda; Yovanopoulos, Claire; Hamon, Bruno; Ogé, Laurent; Richomme, Pascal; Briard, Mathilde; Boureau, Tristan; Gagné, Séverine; Poupard, Pascal; Berruyer, Romain

2018-01-01

Qualitative plant resistance mechanisms and pathogen virulence have been extensively studied since the formulation of the gene-for-gene hypothesis. The mechanisms involved in the quantitative traits of aggressiveness and plant partial resistance are less well-known. Nevertheless, they are prevalent in most plant-necrotrophic pathogen interactions, including the Daucus carota - Alternaria dauci interaction. Phytotoxic metabolite production by the pathogen plays a key role in aggressiveness in these interactions. The aim of the present study was to explore the link between A. dauci aggressiveness and toxin production. We challenged carrot embryogenic cell cultures from a susceptible genotype (H1) and two partially resistant genotypes (I2 and K3) with exudates from A. dauci strains with various aggressiveness levels. Interestingly, A. dauci -resistant carrot genotypes were only affected by exudates from the most aggressive strain in our study (ITA002). Our results highlight a positive link between A. dauci aggressiveness and the fungal exudate cell toxicity. We hypothesize that the fungal exudate toxicity was linked with the amount of toxic compounds produced by the fungus. Interestingly, organic exudate production by the fungus was correlated with aggressiveness. Hence, we further analyzed the fungal organic extract using HPLC, and correlations between the observed peak intensities and fungal aggressiveness were measured. One observed peak was closely correlated with fungal aggressiveness. We succeeded in purifying this peak and NMR analysis revealed that the purified compound was a novel 10-membered benzenediol lactone, a polyketid that we named 'aldaulactone'. We used a new automated image analysis method and found that aldaulactone was toxic to in vitro cultured plant cells at those concentrations. The effects of both aldaulactone and fungal organic extracts were weaker on I2-resistant carrot cells compared to H1 carrot cells. Taken together, our results suggest that: (i) aldaulactone is a new phytotoxin, (ii) there is a relationship between the amount of aldaulactone produced and fungal aggressiveness, and (iii) carrot resistance to A. dauci involves mechanisms of resistance to aldaulactone.

Aldaulactone – An Original Phytotoxic Secondary Metabolite Involved in the Aggressiveness of Alternaria dauci on Carrot

PubMed Central

Courtial, Julia; Hamama, Latifa; Helesbeux, Jean-Jacques; Lecomte, Mickaël; Renaux, Yann; Guichard, Esteban; Voisine, Linda; Yovanopoulos, Claire; Hamon, Bruno; Ogé, Laurent; Richomme, Pascal; Briard, Mathilde; Boureau, Tristan; Gagné, Séverine; Poupard, Pascal; Berruyer, Romain

2018-01-01

Qualitative plant resistance mechanisms and pathogen virulence have been extensively studied since the formulation of the gene-for-gene hypothesis. The mechanisms involved in the quantitative traits of aggressiveness and plant partial resistance are less well-known. Nevertheless, they are prevalent in most plant-necrotrophic pathogen interactions, including the Daucus carota–Alternaria dauci interaction. Phytotoxic metabolite production by the pathogen plays a key role in aggressiveness in these interactions. The aim of the present study was to explore the link between A. dauci aggressiveness and toxin production. We challenged carrot embryogenic cell cultures from a susceptible genotype (H1) and two partially resistant genotypes (I2 and K3) with exudates from A. dauci strains with various aggressiveness levels. Interestingly, A. dauci-resistant carrot genotypes were only affected by exudates from the most aggressive strain in our study (ITA002). Our results highlight a positive link between A. dauci aggressiveness and the fungal exudate cell toxicity. We hypothesize that the fungal exudate toxicity was linked with the amount of toxic compounds produced by the fungus. Interestingly, organic exudate production by the fungus was correlated with aggressiveness. Hence, we further analyzed the fungal organic extract using HPLC, and correlations between the observed peak intensities and fungal aggressiveness were measured. One observed peak was closely correlated with fungal aggressiveness. We succeeded in purifying this peak and NMR analysis revealed that the purified compound was a novel 10-membered benzenediol lactone, a polyketid that we named ‘aldaulactone’. We used a new automated image analysis method and found that aldaulactone was toxic to in vitro cultured plant cells at those concentrations. The effects of both aldaulactone and fungal organic extracts were weaker on I2-resistant carrot cells compared to H1 carrot cells. Taken together, our results suggest that: (i) aldaulactone is a new phytotoxin, (ii) there is a relationship between the amount of aldaulactone produced and fungal aggressiveness, and (iii) carrot resistance to A. dauci involves mechanisms of resistance to aldaulactone. PMID:29774035

Affective Disorders and Aggresion Disorders: Evidence for a Common Biological Mechanism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Praag, H. M.

1986-01-01

Discusses the relationship of the central monoamine (MA) serotinin (5 hydroxytryptamine or 5 HT) and certain features of depression. Hypothesizes that disturbances in central serotonergic functions form the common root for disturbances in regulation of mood and of aggression. (ABB)

Characterization of Fusarium graminearum isolates recovered from wheat samples from Argentina by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: Phenotypic diversity and detection of specific markers of aggressiveness.

PubMed

Fígoli, Cecilia B; Rojo, Rodrigo; Gasoni, Laura A; Kikot, Gisele; Leguizamón, Mariana; Gamba, Raúl R; Bosch, Alejandra; Alconada, Teresa M

2017-03-06

Fusarium graminearum is the primary causal agent of Fusarium head blight of wheat in Argentina. This disease affects crop yields and grain quality also reducing the wheat end-use, and causing mycotoxin contamination. The aim of this work was to analyze the phenotypic characteristics associated with phenotypic diversity and aggressiveness of 34 F. graminearum sensu stricto isolates recovered from Argentinean fields in the 2008 growing season using the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) dried film technology. We applied this technique also to search for spectral specific markers associated with aggressiveness. The combination of FTIR technology with hierarchical cluster analysis allowed us to determine that this population constitutes a highly diverse and heterogeneous group of fungi with significant phenotypic variance. Still, when the spectral features of a set of these isolates were compared against their aggressiveness, as measured by disease severity, thousand grains weight, and relative yield reduction, we found that the more aggressive isolates were richer in lipid content. Therefore, we could define several spectroscopic markers (>CH stretching modes in the 3000-2800 window, >CO and CO vibrational modes of esters at 1765-1707cm -1 and 1474-900cm -1 , respectively), mostly assigned to lipid content that could be associated with F. graminearum aggressiveness. All together, by the application of FTIR techniques and simple multivariate analyses, it was possible to gain significant insights into the phenotypic characterization of F. graminearum local isolates, and to establish the existence of a direct relationship between lipid content and fungal aggressiveness. Considering that lipids have a major role as mediators in the interaction between plants and fungi our results could represent an attractive outcome in the study of Fusarium pathogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Animal Violence Demystified

PubMed Central

Natarajan, Deepa; Caramaschi, Doretta

2009-01-01

Violence has been observed in humans and animals alike, indicating its evolutionary/biological significance. However, violence in animals has often been confounded with functional forms of aggressive behavior. Currently, violence in animals is identified primarily as either a quantitative behavior (an escalated, pathological and abnormal form of aggression characterized primarily by short attack latencies, and prolonged and frequent harm-oriented conflict behaviors) or a qualitative one (characterized by attack bites aimed at vulnerable parts of the opponent's body and context independent attacks regardless of the environment or the sex and type of the opponent). Identification of an operational definition for violence thus not only helps in understanding its potential differences from adaptive forms of aggression but also in the selection of appropriate animal models for both. We address this issue theoretically by drawing parallels from research on aggression and appeasement in humans and other animals. We also provide empirical evidences for violence in mice selected for high aggression by comparing our findings with other currently available potentially violent rodent models. The following violence-specific features namely (1) Display of low levels of pre-escalatory/ritualistic behaviors. (2) Immediate and escalated offense durations with low withdrawal rates despite the opponent's submissive supine and crouching/defeat postures. (3) Context independent indiscriminate attacks aimed at familiar/unfamiliar females, anaesthetized males and opponents and in neutral environments. (4) Orientation of attack-bites toward vulnerable body parts of the opponent resulting in severe wounding. (5) Low prefrontal serotonin (5-HT) levels upon repeated aggression. (6) Low basal heart rates and hyporesponsive hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) axis were identified uniquely in the short attack latency (SAL) mice suggesting a qualitative difference between violence and adaptive aggression in animals. PMID:20407576

Animal violence demystified.

PubMed

Natarajan, Deepa; Caramaschi, Doretta

2010-01-01

Violence has been observed in humans and animals alike, indicating its evolutionary/biological significance. However, violence in animals has often been confounded with functional forms of aggressive behavior. Currently, violence in animals is identified primarily as either a quantitative behavior (an escalated, pathological and abnormal form of aggression characterized primarily by short attack latencies, and prolonged and frequent harm-oriented conflict behaviors) or a qualitative one (characterized by attack bites aimed at vulnerable parts of the opponent's body and context independent attacks regardless of the environment or the sex and type of the opponent). Identification of an operational definition for violence thus not only helps in understanding its potential differences from adaptive forms of aggression but also in the selection of appropriate animal models for both. We address this issue theoretically by drawing parallels from research on aggression and appeasement in humans and other animals. We also provide empirical evidences for violence in mice selected for high aggression by comparing our findings with other currently available potentially violent rodent models. The following violence-specific features namely (1) Display of low levels of pre-escalatory/ritualistic behaviors. (2) Immediate and escalated offense durations with low withdrawal rates despite the opponent's submissive supine and crouching/defeat postures. (3) Context independent indiscriminate attacks aimed at familiar/unfamiliar females, anaesthetized males and opponents and in neutral environments. (4) Orientation of attack-bites toward vulnerable body parts of the opponent resulting in severe wounding. (5) Low prefrontal serotonin (5-HT) levels upon repeated aggression. (6) Low basal heart rates and hyporesponsive hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis were identified uniquely in the short attack latency (SAL) mice suggesting a qualitative difference between violence and adaptive aggression in animals.

Mitochondrial pyruvate carrier function is negatively linked to Warburg phenotype in vitro and malignant features in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas

PubMed Central

Li, Yaqing; Li, Xiaoran; Kan, Quancheng; Zhang, Mingzhi; Li, Xiaoli; Xu, Ruiping; Wang, Junsheng; Yu, Dandan; Goscinski, Mariusz Adam; Wen, Jian-Guo; Nesland, Jahn M.; Suo, Zhenhe

2017-01-01

Aerobic glycolysis is one of the emerging hallmarks of cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the relationship between blocking mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) with MPC blocker UK5099 and the metabolic alteration as well as aggressive features of esophageal squamous carcinoma. It was found that blocking pyruvate transportation into mitochondria attenuated mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and triggered aerobic glycolysis, a feature of Warburg effect. In addition, the HIF-1α expression and ROS production were also activated upon UK5099 application. It was further revealed that the UK5099-treated cells became significantly more resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and the UK5099-treated tumor cells also exhibited stronger invasive capacity compared to the parental cells. In contrast to esophageal squamous epithelium cells, decreased MPC protein expression was observed in a series of 157 human squamous cell carcinomas, and low/negative MPC1 expression predicted an unfavorable clinical outcome. All these results together revealed the potential connection of altered MPC expression/activity with the Warburg metabolic reprogramming and tumor aggressiveness in cell lines and clinical samples. Collectively, our findings highlighted a therapeutic strategy targeting Warburg reprogramming of human esophageal squamous cell carcinomas. PMID:27911865

Review of automatic detection of pig behaviours by using image analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Shuqing; Zhang, Jianhua; Zhu, Mengshuai; Wu, Jianzhai; Kong, Fantao

2017-06-01

Automatic detection of lying, moving, feeding, drinking, and aggressive behaviours of pigs by means of image analysis can save observation input by staff. It would help staff make early detection of diseases or injuries of pigs during breeding and improve management efficiency of swine industry. This study describes the progress of pig behaviour detection based on image analysis and advancement in image segmentation of pig body, segmentation of pig adhesion and extraction of pig behaviour characteristic parameters. Challenges for achieving automatic detection of pig behaviours were summarized.

Correlation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes to histopathological features and molecular phenotypes in canine mammary carcinoma: A morphologic and immunohistochemical morphometric study.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Hyuk; Chon, Seung-Ki; Im, Keum-Soon; Kim, Na-Hyun; Sur, Jung-Hyang

2013-04-01

Abundant lymphocyte infiltration is frequently found in canine malignant mammary tumors, but the pathological features and immunophenotypes associated with the infiltration remain to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between lymphocyte infiltration, histopathological features, and molecular phenotype in canine mammary carcinoma (MC). The study was done with archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples (n = 47) by histologic and immunohistochemical methods. The degree of lymphocyte infiltration was evaluated by morphologic analysis, and the T- and B-cell populations as well as the T/B-cell ratio were evaluated by morphometric analysis; results were compared with the histologic features and molecular phenotypes. The degree of lymphocyte infiltration was significantly higher in MCs with lymphatic invasion than in those without lymphatic invasion (P < 0.0001) and in tumors of high histologic grade compared with those of lower histologic grade (P = 0.045). Morphometric analysis showed a larger amount of T-cells and B-cells in MCs with a higher histologic grade and lymphatic invasion, but the T/B ratio did not change. Lymphocyte infiltration was not associated with histologic type or molecular phenotype, as assessed from the immunohistochemical expression of epidermal growth factor receptor 2, estrogen receptor, cytokeratin 14, and p63. Since intense lymphocyte infiltration was associated with aggressive histologic features, lymphocytes may be important for tumor aggressiveness and greater malignant behavior in the tumor microenvironment.

Squamous cell cancer (image)

MedlinePlus

Squamous cell cancer involves cancerous changes to the cells of the middle portion of the epidermal skin layer. It is ... malignant tumor, and is more aggressive than basal cell cancer, but still may be relatively slow-growing. It ...

Magnetic resonance imaging based functional imaging in paediatric oncology.

PubMed

Manias, Karen A; Gill, Simrandip K; MacPherson, Lesley; Foster, Katharine; Oates, Adam; Peet, Andrew C

2017-02-01

Imaging is central to management of solid tumours in children. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the standard imaging modality for tumours of the central nervous system (CNS) and limbs and is increasingly used in the abdomen. It provides excellent structural detail, but imparts limited information about tumour type, aggressiveness, metastatic potential or early treatment response. MRI based functional imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy, diffusion and perfusion weighted imaging, probe tissue properties to provide clinically important information about metabolites, structure and blood flow. This review describes the role of and evidence behind these functional imaging techniques in paediatric oncology and implications for integrating them into routine clinical practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unsupervised feature learning for autonomous rock image classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Lei; McIsaac, Kenneth; Osinski, Gordon R.; Francis, Raymond

2017-09-01

Autonomous rock image classification can enhance the capability of robots for geological detection and enlarge the scientific returns, both in investigation on Earth and planetary surface exploration on Mars. Since rock textural images are usually inhomogeneous and manually hand-crafting features is not always reliable, we propose an unsupervised feature learning method to autonomously learn the feature representation for rock images. In our tests, rock image classification using the learned features shows that the learned features can outperform manually selected features. Self-taught learning is also proposed to learn the feature representation from a large database of unlabelled rock images of mixed class. The learned features can then be used repeatedly for classification of any subclass. This takes advantage of the large dataset of unlabelled rock images and learns a general feature representation for many kinds of rocks. We show experimental results supporting the feasibility of self-taught learning on rock images.

Online coupled camera pose estimation and dense reconstruction from video

DOEpatents

Medioni, Gerard; Kang, Zhuoliang

2016-11-01

A product may receive each image in a stream of video image of a scene, and before processing the next image, generate information indicative of the position and orientation of an image capture device that captured the image at the time of capturing the image. The product may do so by identifying distinguishable image feature points in the image; determining a coordinate for each identified image feature point; and for each identified image feature point, attempting to identify one or more distinguishable model feature points in a three dimensional (3D) model of at least a portion of the scene that appears likely to correspond to the identified image feature point. Thereafter, the product may find each of the following that, in combination, produce a consistent projection transformation of the 3D model onto the image: a subset of the identified image feature points for which one or more corresponding model feature points were identified; and, for each image feature point that has multiple likely corresponding model feature points, one of the corresponding model feature points. The product may update a 3D model of at least a portion of the scene following the receipt of each video image and before processing the next video image base on the generated information indicative of the position and orientation of the image capture device at the time of capturing the received image. The product may display the updated 3D model after each update to the model.

A radiomics model from joint FDG-PET and MRI texture features for the prediction of lung metastases in soft-tissue sarcomas of the extremities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallières, M.; Freeman, C. R.; Skamene, S. R.; El Naqa, I.

2015-07-01

This study aims at developing a joint FDG-PET and MRI texture-based model for the early evaluation of lung metastasis risk in soft-tissue sarcomas (STSs). We investigate if the creation of new composite textures from the combination of FDG-PET and MR imaging information could better identify aggressive tumours. Towards this goal, a cohort of 51 patients with histologically proven STSs of the extremities was retrospectively evaluated. All patients had pre-treatment FDG-PET and MRI scans comprised of T1-weighted and T2-weighted fat-suppression sequences (T2FS). Nine non-texture features (SUV metrics and shape features) and forty-one texture features were extracted from the tumour region of separate (FDG-PET, T1 and T2FS) and fused (FDG-PET/T1 and FDG-PET/T2FS) scans. Volume fusion of the FDG-PET and MRI scans was implemented using the wavelet transform. The influence of six different extraction parameters on the predictive value of textures was investigated. The incorporation of features into multivariable models was performed using logistic regression. The multivariable modeling strategy involved imbalance-adjusted bootstrap resampling in the following four steps leading to final prediction model construction: (1) feature set reduction; (2) feature selection; (3) prediction performance estimation; and (4) computation of model coefficients. Univariate analysis showed that the isotropic voxel size at which texture features were extracted had the most impact on predictive value. In multivariable analysis, texture features extracted from fused scans significantly outperformed those from separate scans in terms of lung metastases prediction estimates. The best performance was obtained using a combination of four texture features extracted from FDG-PET/T1 and FDG-PET/T2FS scans. This model reached an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.984 ± 0.002, a sensitivity of 0.955 ± 0.006, and a specificity of 0.926 ± 0.004 in bootstrapping evaluations. Ultimately, lung metastasis risk assessment at diagnosis of STSs could improve patient outcomes by allowing better treatment adaptation.

Successful Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation for Primary Cutaneous CD8-positive Aggressive Epidermotropic Cytotoxic T-cell Lymphoma Complicated with Cerebral Infiltration.

PubMed

Ichikawa, Satoshi; Fukuhara, Noriko; Hatta, Shunsuke; Himuro, Masahito; Katsushima, Hiroki; Nasu, Kentaro; Ono, Koya; Inokura, Kyoko; Kobayashi, Masahiro; Onishi, Yasushi; Fujii, Hiroshi; Ishizawa, Kenichi; Ichinohasama, Ryo; Harigae, Hideo

2018-03-09

A 16-year-old boy, who had been initially examined for bilateral blepharedema and slight eruption, presented with rapidly deteriorating symptoms in associating with headache and consciousness disturbance. He was diagnosed to have primary cutaneous CD8-positive aggressive epidermotropic cytotoxic T-cell lymphoma (PCAE-CTL) by a biopsy of the skin and brain. After whole-brain radiation and some courses of chemotherapy, cord blood transplantation was performed with myeloablative conditioning. After transplantation, the cerebral dysfunction gradually improved. Disease remission was confirmed by the disappearance of any abnormal findings on electroencephalogram and magnetic resonance imaging. PCAE-CTL is reported to be an extremely aggressive disease with a poor prognosis, but the timely performance of cord blood transplantation is considered to be a promising treatment strategy.

How Schoolyards Influence Behaviour.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheskey, Edward

1996-01-01

Discusses the evidence and research that seems to indicate that the design of the typical schoolyard emphasizes surveillance and team sports, exacerbates discipline problems, and promotes aggressive behavior. Describes environmental features that most contribute to our physical and mental well-being, such as open water, secluded hiding places,…

Dreaming and cognition in patients with frontotemporal dysfunction.

PubMed

Paiva, Teresa; Bugalho, Paulo; Bentes, Carla

2011-12-01

Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) have hallucinations and mild cognitive dysfunction. The objective of this work was to study dreams in PD and TLE patients using a common functional model of dream production involving the limbic and paralimbic structures. Dreams were characterised in early-stage PD (19 males) and TLE patients (52) with dream diaries classified by the Hall van de Castle system and were compared with matched controls. In PD, there were significant differences between patients' dreams and those of controls: animals, physical aggression, and a befriender were more common in patients, and aggressor and bodily misfortunes were less common. The dreams of patients with frontal dysfunction showed more aggressive features. TLE patients had lower recall than PD patients and a higher proportion of dreams involving family and familiar settings, lower proportions involving success, and a higher incidence of frontal dysfunction. The dreams of PD and TLE patients share important features. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Mediation of the relationship between callous-unemotional traits and proactive aggression by amygdala response to fear among children with conduct problems.

PubMed

Lozier, Leah M; Cardinale, Elise M; VanMeter, John W; Marsh, Abigail A

2014-06-01

Among youths with conduct problems, callous-unemotional (CU) traits are known to be an important determinant of symptom severity, prognosis, and treatment responsiveness. But positive correlations between conduct problems and CU traits result in suppressor effects that may mask important neurobiological distinctions among subgroups of children with conduct problems. To assess the unique neurobiological covariates of CU traits and externalizing behaviors in youths with conduct problems and determine whether neural dysfunction linked to CU traits mediates the link between callousness and proactive aggression. This cross-sectional case-control study involved behavioral testing and neuroimaging that were conducted at a university research institution. Neuroimaging was conducted using a 3-T Siemens magnetic resonance imaging scanner. It included 46 community-recruited male and female juveniles aged 10 to 17 years, including 16 healthy control participants and 30 youths with conduct problems with both low and high levels of CU traits. Blood oxygenation level-dependent signal as measured via functional magnetic resonance imaging during an implicit face-emotion processing task and analyzed using whole-brain and region of interest-based analysis of variance and multiple-regression analyses. Analysis of variance revealed no group differences in the amygdala. By contrast, consistent with the existence of suppressor effects, multiple-regression analysis found amygdala responses to fearful expressions to be negatively associated with CU traits (x = 26, y = 0, z = -12; k = 1) and positively associated with externalizing behavior (x = 24, y = 0, z = -14; k = 8) when both variables were modeled simultaneously. Reduced amygdala responses mediated the relationship between CU traits and proactive aggression. The results linked proactive aggression in youths with CU traits to hypoactive amygdala responses to emotional distress cues, consistent with theories that externalizing behaviors, particularly proactive aggression, in youths with these traits stem from deficient empathic responses to distress. Amygdala hypoactivity may represent an intermediate phenotype, offering new insights into effective treatment strategies for conduct problems.

The development of antisocial behavior: what can we learn from functional neuroimaging studies?

PubMed

Crowe, S L; Blair, R J R

2008-01-01

The recent development of low-risk imaging technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), have had a significant impact on the investigation of psychopathologies in children and adolescents. This review considers what we can infer from fMRI work regarding the development of conduct disorder (CD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). We make two central assumptions that are grounded in the empirical literature. First, the diagnoses of CD and ODD identify individuals with heterogeneous pathologies; that is, different developmental pathologies can receive a CDD or ODD diagnosis. This is indicated by the comorbidities associated with CD/ODD, some of which appear to be mutually exclusive at the biological level (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and psychopathic tendencies). Second, two populations of antisocial individuals can be identified: those that show an increased risk for only reactive aggression and those that show an increased risk for both reactive and instrumental aggression. We review the fMRI data indicating that particular comorbidities of CD/ODD (i.e., mood and anxiety conditions such as childhood bipolar disorder and PTSD) are associated with either increased responsiveness of neural regions implicated in the basic response to threat (e.g., the amygdala) or decreased responsiveness in regions of frontal cortex (e.g., ventromedial frontal cortex) that are implicated in the regulation of the basic threat response. We suggest why such pathology would increase the risk for reactive aggression and, in turn, lead to the association with a CD/ODD diagnosis. We also review the literature on psychopathic tendencies, a condition where the individual is at significantly elevated risk for both reactive and instrumental aggression. We show that in individuals with psychopathic tendencies, the functioning of the amygdala in stimulus-reinforcement learning and of the ventromedial frontal cortex in the representation of reinforcement expectancies is impaired. We suggest why such pathology would increase the risk for reactive and instrumental aggression and thus also lead to the association with a CD/ODD diagnosis.

New insights into the biology and origin of mature aggressive B-cell lymphomas by combined epigenomic, genomic, and transcriptional profiling.

PubMed

Martín-Subero, José I; Kreuz, Markus; Bibikova, Marina; Bentink, Stefan; Ammerpohl, Ole; Wickham-Garcia, Eliza; Rosolowski, Maciej; Richter, Julia; Lopez-Serra, Lidia; Ballestar, Esteban; Berger, Hilmar; Agirre, Xabier; Bernd, Heinz-Wolfram; Calvanese, Vincenzo; Cogliatti, Sergio B; Drexler, Hans G; Fan, Jian-Bing; Fraga, Mario F; Hansmann, Martin L; Hummel, Michael; Klapper, Wolfram; Korn, Bernhard; Küppers, Ralf; Macleod, Roderick A F; Möller, Peter; Ott, German; Pott, Christiane; Prosper, Felipe; Rosenwald, Andreas; Schwaenen, Carsten; Schübeler, Dirk; Seifert, Marc; Stürzenhofecker, Benjamin; Weber, Michael; Wessendorf, Swen; Loeffler, Markus; Trümper, Lorenz; Stein, Harald; Spang, Rainer; Esteller, Manel; Barker, David; Hasenclever, Dirk; Siebert, Reiner

2009-03-12

Lymphomas are assumed to originate at different stages of lymphocyte development through chromosomal aberrations. Thus, different lymphomas resemble lymphocytes at distinct differentiation stages and show characteristic morphologic, genetic, and transcriptional features. Here, we have performed a microarray-based DNA methylation profiling of 83 mature aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (maB-NHLs) characterized for their morphologic, genetic, and transcriptional features, including molecular Burkitt lymphomas and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. Hierarchic clustering indicated that methylation patterns in maB-NHLs were not strictly associated with morphologic, genetic, or transcriptional features. By supervised analyses, we identified 56 genes de novo methylated in all lymphoma subtypes studied and 22 methylated in a lymphoma subtype-specific manner. Remarkably, the group of genes de novo methylated in all lymphoma subtypes was significantly enriched for polycomb targets in embryonic stem cells. De novo methylated genes in all maB-NHLs studied were expressed at low levels in lymphomas and normal hematopoietic tissues but not in nonhematopoietic tissues. These findings, especially the enrichment for polycomb targets in stem cells, indicate that maB-NHLs with different morphologic, genetic, and transcriptional background share a similar stem cell-like epigenetic pattern. This suggests that maB-NHLs originate from cells with stem cell features or that stemness was acquired during lymphomagenesis by epigenetic remodeling.

Clinical applications of imaging biomarkers. Part 2. The neurosurgeon's perspective

PubMed Central

Brodbelt, A

2011-01-01

Advances in imaging, including multivoxel spectroscopy, tractography, functional MRI and positron emission spectroscopy, are being used by neurosurgeons to target aggressive areas in gliomas, and to help identify tumour boundaries, functional areas and tracts. Neuro-oncological surgeons need to understand these techniques to help maximise tumour resection, while minimising morbidity in an attempt to improve the quality of patient outcome. This article reviews the evidence for the practical use of multimodal imaging in modern glioma surgery. PMID:22433829

Symptomatological Features of Patients with and without Ecstasy Use during Their First Psychotic Episode

PubMed Central

Rugani, Fabio; Bacciardi, Silvia; Rovai, Luca; Pacini, Matteo; Maremmani, Angelo Giovanni Icro; Deltito, Joseph; Dell’Osso, Liliana; Maremmani, Icro

2012-01-01

Background: Ecstasy use is generally chosen by adolescents and young adults for its entactogenic properties (the production of feelings of empathy, love, and emotional closeness to others.) Despite this desired and frequently realized outcome, Ecstasy use has often resulted in the genesis of psychotic symptoms and aggressive behaviors, particularly after chronic and/or intensive use. Methods: To explore the negative consequences of Ecstasy use and to examine the aggressive nature oftentimes seen in many Ecstasy users we employed a case-control study model. We compared, by means of validated psychometric tests, the psychopathological symptoms (BPRS), the aggressiveness (OAS) and the social adjustment (DSM-GAF) of psychotic patients with (n = 23) and without (n = 46) recent user of Ecstasy, during their first psychotic episode and hospitalization. All 23 Ecstasy users were Ecstasy users only. Results: Almost all of the psychotic symptoms were of similar severity in both groups. Blunted affect was milder in users than in non-users, whereas hostility and aggressive behavior was significantly more severe in users than in non-users. Conclusions: psychosis with a high level of aggressiveness and violence constitutes an important ‘side-effect’ that surely runs counter to the expected entactogenic action of Ecstasy. At a patient psycho-educational level, this study suggests that the use of Ecstasy may be counterproductive with respect to user expectations. PMID:22851941

DSM-5 intermittent explosive disorder: Relationship with Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder.

PubMed

Coccaro, Emil F

2018-04-30

This study was designed to estimate how many adults with DSM-5 Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) would also meet diagnostic criteria for Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD). This was done by examining how many individuals with IED would meet the DMDD criterion of being persistently angry in between impulsive aggressive outbursts. The first one-hundred study participants diagnosed with DSM-5 IED in our clinical research program were included in this study. Two questions were added to the IED module from the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders (SCID) inquiring about the duration of anger in between impulsive aggressive outbursts in IED study participants. Data regarding aggression, impulsivity, anger expression, and related dysphoric variables were also collected. The proportion of time spent as angry in between impulsive aggressive outbursts was <50% of the time (~35%) for the vast majority (92%) of study participants with DSM-5 IED. Despite this, persistently-angry (i.e., angry >50% time in between outbursts) IED study participants displayed no differences from not-persistently-angry IED study participants in dysphoric and aggression/impulsivity related variables. These data indicate that inter-outburst anger in those with IED is relatively brief and that such individuals do not generally display the kind of persistent anger that is a diagnostic feature of DMDD. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The clinical assessment of aggressive periodontitis patients

PubMed Central

Cho, Chan-Myung; You, Hyung-Keun

2011-01-01

Purpose Few epidemiologic studies have investigated aggressive periodontitis in Koreans, but such studies of disease prevalence and other clinical characteristics would be invaluable in providing proper treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of aggressive periodontitis and to measure the extent of associated periodontal breakdown. Methods The study population consisted of 1,692 patients who visited the Department of Periodontology, Wonkwang Daejeon Dental Hospital from January to December, 2010. Clinical parameters (probing depth, gingival recession, periodontal attachment loss) were measured by a single examiner, and radiographic examination was performed at the baseline. Results Twenty-eight (1.65%) patients showed clinical features of aggressive periodontitis, of which 27 patients exhibited the generalized form, and 1 exhibited the localized form. There was no significant difference between the percentage of male and female patients. The probing pocket depth of the maxillary first molar was deeper than that of the other teeth and gingival recession was also the most serious at the maxillary first molar. The periodontal attachment loss was the highest at the maxillary first molar. The average number of missing teeth was 1.29 per subject. Loss of the second molar was prominent. Conclusions Within the limitations of this study, the periodontal breakdown evaluated by attachment loss was found to be most severe at the first molars of aggressive periodontitis patients. However, further large scale multicenter studies are necessary to access more precise data, including prevalence. PMID:21811690

Imaging Prostatic Lipids to Distinguish Aggressive Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-01

Jonathan Purnell CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: Oregon Health & Science University Portland, OR 97239-3098 REPORT DATE: November 2016 TYPE OF REPORT...ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Oregon Health & Science University 3181 SW S AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER SW Sam...current work to determine the association between fatty acid synthase (FAS) overexpression and intraprostatic fat as measured by in-vivo imaging using

Imaging Prostatic Lipids to Distinguish Aggressive Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

Shannon, PhD CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: Oregon Health & Science University Portland, OR 97239-3098 REPORT DATE: December 2016 TYPE OF REPORT: FINAL...PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Oregon Health & Science University 3181 SW S AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER SW Sam...our current work to determine the association between fatty acid synthase (FAS) overexpression and intraprostatic fat as measured by in-vivo imaging

Image ratio features for facial expression recognition application.

PubMed

Song, Mingli; Tao, Dacheng; Liu, Zicheng; Li, Xuelong; Zhou, Mengchu

2010-06-01

Video-based facial expression recognition is a challenging problem in computer vision and human-computer interaction. To target this problem, texture features have been extracted and widely used, because they can capture image intensity changes raised by skin deformation. However, existing texture features encounter problems with albedo and lighting variations. To solve both problems, we propose a new texture feature called image ratio features. Compared with previously proposed texture features, e.g., high gradient component features, image ratio features are more robust to albedo and lighting variations. In addition, to further improve facial expression recognition accuracy based on image ratio features, we combine image ratio features with facial animation parameters (FAPs), which describe the geometric motions of facial feature points. The performance evaluation is based on the Carnegie Mellon University Cohn-Kanade database, our own database, and the Japanese Female Facial Expression database. Experimental results show that the proposed image ratio feature is more robust to albedo and lighting variations, and the combination of image ratio features and FAPs outperforms each feature alone. In addition, we study asymmetric facial expressions based on our own facial expression database and demonstrate the superior performance of our combined expression recognition system.

Precision process calibration and CD predictions for low-k1 lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ting; Park, Sangbong; Berger, Gabriel; Coskun, Tamer H.; de Vocht, Joep; Chen, Fung; Yu, Linda; Hsu, Stephen; van den Broeke, Doug; Socha, Robert; Park, Jungchul; Gronlund, Keith; Davis, Todd; Plachecki, Vince; Harris, Tom; Hansen, Steve; Lambson, Chuck

2005-06-01

Leading resist calibration for sub-0.3 k1 lithography demands accuracy <2nm for CD through pitch. An accurately calibrated resist process is the prerequisite for establishing production-worthy manufacturing under extreme low k1. From an integrated imaging point of view, the following key components must be simultaneously considered during the calibration - high numerical aperture (NA>0.8) imaging characteristics, customized illuminations (measured vs. modeled pupil profiles), resolution enhancement technology (RET) mask with OPC, reticle metrology, and resist thin film substrate. For imaging at NA approaching unity, polarized illumination can impact significantly the contrast formation in the resist film stack, and therefore it is an important factor to consider in the CD-based resist calibration. For aggressive DRAM memory core designs at k1<0.3, pattern-specific illumination optimization has proven to be critical for achieving the required imaging performance. Various optimization techniques from source profile optimization with fixed mask design to the combined source and mask optimization have been considered for customer designs and available imaging capabilities. For successful low-k1 process development, verification of the optimization results can only be made with a sufficiently tunable resist model that can predicate the wafer printing accurately under various optimized process settings. We have developed, for resist patterning under aggressive low-k1 conditions, a novel 3D diffusion model equipped with double-Gaussian convolution in each dimension. Resist calibration with the new diffusion model has demonstrated a fitness and CD predication accuracy that rival or outperform the traditional 3D physical resist models. In this work, we describe our empirical approach to achieving the nm-scale precision for advanced lithography process calibrations, using either measured 1D CD through-pitch or 2D memory core patterns. We show that for ArF imaging, the current resist development and diffusion modeling can readily achieve ~1-2nm max CD errors for common 1D through-pitch and aggressive 2D memory core resist patterns. Sensitivities of the calibrated models to various process parameters are analyzed, including the comparison between the measured and modeled (Gaussian or GRAIL) pupil profiles. We also report our preliminary calibration results under selected polarized illumination conditions.

Scalable High Performance Image Registration Framework by Unsupervised Deep Feature Representations Learning

PubMed Central

Wu, Guorong; Kim, Minjeong; Wang, Qian; Munsell, Brent C.

2015-01-01

Feature selection is a critical step in deformable image registration. In particular, selecting the most discriminative features that accurately and concisely describe complex morphological patterns in image patches improves correspondence detection, which in turn improves image registration accuracy. Furthermore, since more and more imaging modalities are being invented to better identify morphological changes in medical imaging data,, the development of deformable image registration method that scales well to new image modalities or new image applications with little to no human intervention would have a significant impact on the medical image analysis community. To address these concerns, a learning-based image registration framework is proposed that uses deep learning to discover compact and highly discriminative features upon observed imaging data. Specifically, the proposed feature selection method uses a convolutional stacked auto-encoder to identify intrinsic deep feature representations in image patches. Since deep learning is an unsupervised learning method, no ground truth label knowledge is required. This makes the proposed feature selection method more flexible to new imaging modalities since feature representations can be directly learned from the observed imaging data in a very short amount of time. Using the LONI and ADNI imaging datasets, image registration performance was compared to two existing state-of-the-art deformable image registration methods that use handcrafted features. To demonstrate the scalability of the proposed image registration framework image registration experiments were conducted on 7.0-tesla brain MR images. In all experiments, the results showed the new image registration framework consistently demonstrated more accurate registration results when compared to state-of-the-art. PMID:26552069

Scalable High-Performance Image Registration Framework by Unsupervised Deep Feature Representations Learning.

PubMed

Wu, Guorong; Kim, Minjeong; Wang, Qian; Munsell, Brent C; Shen, Dinggang

2016-07-01

Feature selection is a critical step in deformable image registration. In particular, selecting the most discriminative features that accurately and concisely describe complex morphological patterns in image patches improves correspondence detection, which in turn improves image registration accuracy. Furthermore, since more and more imaging modalities are being invented to better identify morphological changes in medical imaging data, the development of deformable image registration method that scales well to new image modalities or new image applications with little to no human intervention would have a significant impact on the medical image analysis community. To address these concerns, a learning-based image registration framework is proposed that uses deep learning to discover compact and highly discriminative features upon observed imaging data. Specifically, the proposed feature selection method uses a convolutional stacked autoencoder to identify intrinsic deep feature representations in image patches. Since deep learning is an unsupervised learning method, no ground truth label knowledge is required. This makes the proposed feature selection method more flexible to new imaging modalities since feature representations can be directly learned from the observed imaging data in a very short amount of time. Using the LONI and ADNI imaging datasets, image registration performance was compared to two existing state-of-the-art deformable image registration methods that use handcrafted features. To demonstrate the scalability of the proposed image registration framework, image registration experiments were conducted on 7.0-T brain MR images. In all experiments, the results showed that the new image registration framework consistently demonstrated more accurate registration results when compared to state of the art.

The capability of lithography simulation based on MVM-SEM® system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshikawa, Shingo; Fujii, Nobuaki; Kanno, Koichi; Imai, Hidemichi; Hayano, Katsuya; Miyashita, Hiroyuki; Shida, Soichi; Murakawa, Tsutomu; Kuribara, Masayuki; Matsumoto, Jun; Nakamura, Takayuki; Matsushita, Shohei; Hara, Daisuke; Pang, Linyong

2015-10-01

The 1Xnm technology node lithography is using SMO-ILT, NTD or more complex pattern. Therefore in mask defect inspection, defect verification becomes more difficult because many nuisance defects are detected in aggressive mask feature. One key Technology of mask manufacture is defect verification to use aerial image simulator or other printability simulation. AIMS™ Technology is excellent correlation for the wafer and standards tool for defect verification however it is difficult for verification over hundred numbers or more. We reported capability of defect verification based on lithography simulation with a SEM system that architecture and software is excellent correlation for simple line and space.[1] In this paper, we use a SEM system for the next generation combined with a lithography simulation tool for SMO-ILT, NTD and other complex pattern lithography. Furthermore we will use three dimension (3D) lithography simulation based on Multi Vision Metrology SEM system. Finally, we will confirm the performance of the 2D and 3D lithography simulation based on SEM system for a photomask verification.

Biocorrosive activity analysis of the oil pipeline soil in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region of Ugra and the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chesnokova, M. G.; Shalay, V. V.; Kriga, A. S.

2017-08-01

The purpose of the study was to assess the biocorrosive activity of oil pipeline soil in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region of Yugra and the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation, due to the action of a complex of factors and analysis of sulfate-reducing and thionic bacteria content. The number of bacteria in the sulfur cycle (autotrophic thionic and sulfate-reducing bacteria), the total concentration of sulfur and iron in soil samples adjacent to the surface of underground pipelines, the specific electrical resistivity of the soil was determined. A criterion for the biocorrosive activity of the soil (CBA) was established. The study of the biocorrosive activity of the soil has established its features in the area of the oil pipeline construction in the compared territories. In the soil of the Krasnodar Territory pipeline, aggressive samples were recorded in 5.75% of cases, samples with moderate aggressiveness (49.43%), with weak soil aggressiveness (42.53% of cases), and samples with potential aggressiveness (2.30%). On the territory of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region of Yugra, samples with weak soil aggressiveness prevailed (55.17% of cases), with moderate aggressiveness (34.5% of cases). When carrying out multiple regression analysis in the system of variables "factors of soil biocorrosive activity", informative data of modeling the indicator "the content of thiobacteria in soil" was established. The results of the research show the need for dynamic monitoring and the development of preventive measures to prevent biocorrosion.

Toward a defense-dominated world

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wood, L.

1993-08-01

Maintaining the large-scale peace in a defense-dominated world necessarily will require not only passive but also active defenses against large-scale aggression that are technically feasible, practical and easy to employ -- and robust against perversion into support of aggression. Such peace maintenance tool-sets will feature means for effectively rebuking aggression as well as providing timely and very widely available seaming of aggression underway anywhere. This report discusses the technology base which currently exists to provide world-wide, high-quality imagery at moderate (5--10 meter) spatial resolution or imagery of 1% of the Earth`s land surface at high ({le} 1 meter) resolution nomore » less frequently than daily, at a total cost of the order of $1 B, with operational capability in the later `90s. Such systems could provide timely warning of aggressive actions anywhere. Similarly, space-based means of defeating aggression conducted with even quite short-range ballistic missiles anywhere in the world could be brought into existence by the end of the `90s for a total cost of about $10 B, and small high-altitude, long flight-duration robotic aircraft carrying high-performance sensors and interceptor missilery could provide both seaming and active defenses against attacks conducted with very short range ballistic missiles, as well as attacks launched with air-breathing threats such as bombers and cruise missiles, for a cost per defended area of the order of $10/km{sup 2}. It appears that all of the associated sensors can find apt dual-use as high-performance systems for monitoring physical aspects of the human environment.« less

Preliminary Effectiveness Study of Coping Power Program for Aggressive Children in Pakistan.

PubMed

Mushtaq, Asia; Lochman, John E; Tariq, Pervaiz N; Sabih, Fazaila

2017-10-01

Aggression is a characteristic feature of many psychiatric disorders. To address the scarceness for evidence-based interventions for behavioral problems in Pakistan, we evaluated the effectiveness of culturally adapted version of Coping Power Program. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which Coping Power Program is capable of reducing aggressive behavior and improving competent behavior, when delivered in a different culture, i.e., Pakistan. With randomized control trial (RCT) of pre- and post-testing, 112 fourth grade boys were allocated to Coping Power intervention condition and waitlist control condition. The intervention group showed significant reduction in aggression at post assessment, in comparison to control group. Boys who received Coping Power intervention also showed improvements in behavior, social skills, and social cognitive processes, with better anger control and problem solving strategies, in comparison to the control group. The results of the study provide preliminary evidence, supporting the effectiveness of Coping Power Program for Pakistani children. Despite its limitations, the results of this study are promising and suggest that Coping Power is an effective intervention to reduce behavioral problems and promote healthy and positive behaviors in children, even when implemented in different contexts with greater potential for violence exposure.

Aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity in two of the triplets: a case report.

PubMed

Wang, Dan; Zhang, Bo; Dong, Yu; Song, E

2015-02-01

Aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity is identified as a rare, rapidly progressing and severe form of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Here, we report the diagnosis and treatment of aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity (APROP) in two of the triplets born at low birth weight and small gestational age. A case concerning two triplets who were born at 31 weeks' gestational age with low birth weight and reached bilateral threshold APROP was reported. The ROP of triplets A and B had the characteristic features of aggressive diseases, which were posterior location, prominence of plus disease and rapid progression. Low birth weight and small gestational age, multiple pregnancies, pregnancy-induced hypertension and older age of the mother might account for the presentations of APROP. These cases demonstrate the importance of early screening and diagnosis in APROP infants. Prompt and adequate laser photocoagulation with a large number of high-intensity closely performed spots and early retreatment could be effective and safe for preventing the progression of APROP with plus disease in zone 1 or 2 in premature triplets. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Substance-related psychopathology and aggressiveness in a nightlife holiday resort: Results from a pilot study in a psychiatric inpatient unit in Ibiza.

PubMed

Martinotti, Giovanni; Cinosi, Eduardo; Santacroce, Rita; Papanti, Duccio; Pasquini, Anna; Mancini, Valerio; Corbo, Mariangela; Fiori, Federica; Sarchione, Fabiola; Marchetti, Daniela; Verrocchio, Maria Cristina; Di Giannantonio, Massimo; Torrens, Marta; Schifano, Fabrizio; Morlan Coarasa, Maria Jose; Merino Del Villar, Cristina

2017-05-01

We aimed to describe a sample of subjects admitted to a psychiatric unit after the intake of psychoactive substances for recreational purposes. Between June and September 2015, 49 subjects were included. Sociodemographic characteristics and psychopathological aspects were investigated, and urine samples for further analysis were collected. Three subgroups (cannabinoids, stimulants, and depressors users) were identified, according to the structured interview regarding substance use and urinalysis. Level of aggressiveness was found to be significantly higher (p < .05) in the cannabinoids subgroup. Self-reported symptom severity was comparable among groups, but trends could be identified: SCL-90 results showed a prevalence of anxiety symptoms among depressors users, hostility or aggression in the tetrahydrocannabinol subgroup, and psychoticism in the stimulants subgroup. The use of psychoactive substances was be characterised by poly-use of both traditional and novel substances. The presence of aggressiveness emerged as a main feature associated with the use of cannabis and other cannabinoids. Binge drinking and sleep deprivation also represented a relevant component in almost all the evaluated subjects. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

End-of-life chemotherapy is associated with poor survival and aggressive care in patients with small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Zhu, Yingming; Tang, Ke; Zhao, Fen; Zang, Yuanwei; Wang, Xiaodong; Li, Zhenxiang; Sun, Xindong; Yu, Jinming

2018-05-29

Concerns regarding end-of-life (EOL) chemotherapy are being increasingly raised. Tumor chemosensitivity may influence the decision for aggressive chemotherapy near the EOL. Data on EOL chemotherapy in highly chemosensitive tumors, such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC), are scarce. A total of 143 SCLC decedents were consecutively included. Data about clinical factors and treatment modalities were obtained from the electronic medical records. The relationships among EOL chemotherapy, clinical features, overall survival (OS), and aggressive care were investigated. About 64% of patients had chemosensitive disease. In total, 30.8 and 16.1% of patients received EOL chemotherapy within the last 1 and 2 months of life, respectively. Younger age was associated with a higher rate of EOL chemotherapy. We determined that EOL chemotherapy was related to inferior OS not only in the entire group, but also in the chemosensitive subgroup. Furthermore, more intensive care was observed among patients who underwent EOL chemotherapy compared with those who did not. EOL chemotherapy was correlated with shorter survival and more aggressive care in patients with SCLC. More research is needed to develop indications for terminating palliative chemotherapy, to help physicians and patients with their difficult choices.

Childhood Precursors of Adult Borderline Personality Disorder Features: A Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Cramer, Phebe

2016-07-01

This study identifies childhood personality traits that are precursors of adult Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) features. In a longitudinal study, childhood personality traits were assessed at age 11 (N = 100) using the California Child Q-set (CCQ: Block and Block, 1980). A number of these Q-items were found to be significantly correlated (p < 0.001) with a prototype-based measure of BPD features at age 23. Factor analysis of these Q-items suggested that they could be characterized by two underlying personality dimensions: Impulsivity and Nonconformity/Aggression. The findings thus provide evidence that childhood personality traits predict adult BPD features. Identifying such childhood precursors provides an opportunity for early intervention.

Image search engine with selective filtering and feature-element-based classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qing; Zhang, Yujin; Dai, Shengyang

2001-12-01

With the growth of Internet and storage capability in recent years, image has become a widespread information format in World Wide Web. However, it has become increasingly harder to search for images of interest, and effective image search engine for the WWW needs to be developed. We propose in this paper a selective filtering process and a novel approach for image classification based on feature element in the image search engine we developed for the WWW. First a selective filtering process is embedded in a general web crawler to filter out the meaningless images with GIF format. Two parameters that can be obtained easily are used in the filtering process. Our classification approach first extract feature elements from images instead of feature vectors. Compared with feature vectors, feature elements can better capture visual meanings of the image according to subjective perception of human beings. Different from traditional image classification method, our classification approach based on feature element doesn't calculate the distance between two vectors in the feature space, while trying to find associations between feature element and class attribute of the image. Experiments are presented to show the efficiency of the proposed approach.

Aspiration cytology of mesenchymal hamartoma of the chest wall: a case report and literature review.

PubMed

Taweevisit, Mana; Trinavarat, Panruethai; Thorner, Paul Scott

2014-10-01

Mesenchymal hamartoma of the chest wall is a rare tumor-like lesion of infancy and childhood. The few available descriptions of the findings on fine needle aspiration list spindle-shaped cells and cartilage or chondromyxoid material as essential features for this diagnosis. An aggressive appearance on imaging studies and a lack of familiarity with this lesion, can lead the pathologist to misdiagnose the cytologic findings as malignancy. We reported a 5-month-old male presenting with a mass of the right chest wall progressively for 2 months. Radiologic studies showed a mixed solid and cystic mass originating from the third, fourth and fifth ribs, and a diagnosis of malignancy was favored. Fine needle aspiration recovered only spindle-shaped cells and a few multinucleated giant cells of osteoclast type. After a review of the imaging, a diagnosis of mesenchymal hamartoma of the chest wall was raised. This diagnosis was confirmed by pathologic examination of the subsequently resected mass. This is the sixth report of a mesenchymal hamartoma of the chest wall diagnosed by fine needle aspiration. This case illustrates that this diagnosis can be suspected in the absence of cartilage or chondromyxoid material, given appropriate clinical and radiologic findings. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Rock Bites into 'Bounce'

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

This panoramic camera image from the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity features the 6.44 millimeter (0.25 inch) deep hole ground into the rock dubbed 'Bounce' by the rover's rock abrasion tool. The tool took 2 hours and 15 minutes to grind the hole on sol 66 of the rover's journey. A combination of limited solar power and the rock's jagged texture led the rock abrasion tool team to set very aggressive grinding parameters to ensure that the end result was a full circle, suitable for a thorough read from the rover's spectrometers.

Bounce's markedly different appearance (when compared to the rocks that were previously examined in the Eagle Crater outcrop) made it a natural target for rover research. In order to achieve an ideal position from which to grind into the rock, Opportunity moved in very close with its right wheel next to Bounce. In this image, the panoramic camera on the rover's mast is looking down, catching the tip of the solar panel which partially blocks the full circle ground by the rock abrasion tool.

The outer ring consists of the cuttings from the rock, pushed out by the brushes on the grinding instrument. The dark impression at the top of the outer circle was caused by the instrument's contact mechanism which serves to stabilize it while grinding.

Testing giant planet formation in the transitional disk of SAO 206462 using deep VLT/SPHERE imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maire, A.-L.; Stolker, T.; Messina, S.; Müller, A.; Biller, B. A.; Currie, T.; Dominik, C.; Grady, C. A.; Boccaletti, A.; Bonnefoy, M.; Chauvin, G.; Galicher, R.; Millward, M.; Pohl, A.; Brandner, W.; Henning, T.; Lagrange, A.-M.; Langlois, M.; Meyer, M. R.; Quanz, S. P.; Vigan, A.; Zurlo, A.; van Boekel, R.; Buenzli, E.; Buey, T.; Desidera, S.; Feldt, M.; Fusco, T.; Ginski, C.; Giro, E.; Gratton, R.; Hubin, N.; Lannier, J.; Le Mignant, D.; Mesa, D.; Peretti, S.; Perrot, C.; Ramos, J. R.; Salter, G.; Samland, M.; Sissa, E.; Stadler, E.; Thalmann, C.; Udry, S.; Weber, L.

2017-05-01

Context. The SAO 206462 (HD 135344B) disk is one of the few known transitional disks showing asymmetric features in scattered light and thermal emission. Near-infrared scattered-light images revealed two bright outer spiral arms and an inner cavity depleted in dust. Giant protoplanets have been proposed to account for the disk morphology. Aims: We aim to search for giant planets responsible for the disk features and, in the case of non-detection, to constrain recent planet predictions using the data detection limits. Methods: We obtained new high-contrast and high-resolution total intensity images of the target spanning the Y to the K bands (0.95-2.3 μm) using the VLT/SPHERE near-infrared camera and integral field spectrometer. Results: The spiral arms and the outer cavity edge are revealed at high resolutions and sensitivities without the need for aggressive image post-processing techniques, which introduce photometric biases. We do not detect any close-in companions. For the derivation of the detection limits on putative giant planets embedded in the disk, we show that the knowledge of the disk aspect ratio and viscosity is critical for the estimation of the attenuation of a planet signal by the protoplanetary dust because of the gaps that these putative planets may open. Given assumptions on these parameters, the mass limits can vary from 2-5 to 4-7 Jupiter masses at separations beyond the disk spiral arms. The SPHERE detection limits are more stringent than those derived from archival NaCo/L' data and provide new constraints on a few recent predictions of massive planets (4-15 MJ) based on the spiral density wave theory. The SPHERE and ALMA data do not favor the hypotheses on massive giant planets in the outer disk (beyond 0.6''). There could still be low-mass planets in the outer disk and/or planets inside the cavity. Based on observations collected at the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere under ESO programmes 095.C-0298 and 090.C-0443.

Emotional textile image classification based on cross-domain convolutional sparse autoencoders with feature selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zuhe; Fan, Yangyu; Liu, Weihua; Yu, Zeqi; Wang, Fengqin

2017-01-01

We aim to apply sparse autoencoder-based unsupervised feature learning to emotional semantic analysis for textile images. To tackle the problem of limited training data, we present a cross-domain feature learning scheme for emotional textile image classification using convolutional autoencoders. We further propose a correlation-analysis-based feature selection method for the weights learned by sparse autoencoders to reduce the number of features extracted from large size images. First, we randomly collect image patches on an unlabeled image dataset in the source domain and learn local features with a sparse autoencoder. We then conduct feature selection according to the correlation between different weight vectors corresponding to the autoencoder's hidden units. We finally adopt a convolutional neural network including a pooling layer to obtain global feature activations of textile images in the target domain and send these global feature vectors into logistic regression models for emotional image classification. The cross-domain unsupervised feature learning method achieves 65% to 78% average accuracy in the cross-validation experiments corresponding to eight emotional categories and performs better than conventional methods. Feature selection can reduce the computational cost of global feature extraction by about 50% while improving classification performance.

Textural features for radar image analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shanmugan, K. S.; Narayanan, V.; Frost, V. S.; Stiles, J. A.; Holtzman, J. C.

1981-01-01

Texture is seen as an important spatial feature useful for identifying objects or regions of interest in an image. While textural features have been widely used in analyzing a variety of photographic images, they have not been used in processing radar images. A procedure for extracting a set of textural features for characterizing small areas in radar images is presented, and it is shown that these features can be used in classifying segments of radar images corresponding to different geological formations.

Neuroimaging Feature Terminology: A Controlled Terminology for the Annotation of Brain Imaging Features.

PubMed

Iyappan, Anandhi; Younesi, Erfan; Redolfi, Alberto; Vrooman, Henri; Khanna, Shashank; Frisoni, Giovanni B; Hofmann-Apitius, Martin

2017-01-01

Ontologies and terminologies are used for interoperability of knowledge and data in a standard manner among interdisciplinary research groups. Existing imaging ontologies capture general aspects of the imaging domain as a whole such as methodological concepts or calibrations of imaging instruments. However, none of the existing ontologies covers the diagnostic features measured by imaging technologies in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, the Neuro-Imaging Feature Terminology (NIFT) was developed to organize the knowledge domain of measured brain features in association with neurodegenerative diseases by imaging technologies. The purpose is to identify quantitative imaging biomarkers that can be extracted from multi-modal brain imaging data. This terminology attempts to cover measured features and parameters in brain scans relevant to disease progression. In this paper, we demonstrate the systematic retrieval of measured indices from literature and how the extracted knowledge can be further used for disease modeling that integrates neuroimaging features with molecular processes.

Combining Deep and Handcrafted Image Features for Presentation Attack Detection in Face Recognition Systems Using Visible-Light Camera Sensors

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Dat Tien; Pham, Tuyen Danh; Baek, Na Rae; Park, Kang Ryoung

2018-01-01

Although face recognition systems have wide application, they are vulnerable to presentation attack samples (fake samples). Therefore, a presentation attack detection (PAD) method is required to enhance the security level of face recognition systems. Most of the previously proposed PAD methods for face recognition systems have focused on using handcrafted image features, which are designed by expert knowledge of designers, such as Gabor filter, local binary pattern (LBP), local ternary pattern (LTP), and histogram of oriented gradients (HOG). As a result, the extracted features reflect limited aspects of the problem, yielding a detection accuracy that is low and varies with the characteristics of presentation attack face images. The deep learning method has been developed in the computer vision research community, which is proven to be suitable for automatically training a feature extractor that can be used to enhance the ability of handcrafted features. To overcome the limitations of previously proposed PAD methods, we propose a new PAD method that uses a combination of deep and handcrafted features extracted from the images by visible-light camera sensor. Our proposed method uses the convolutional neural network (CNN) method to extract deep image features and the multi-level local binary pattern (MLBP) method to extract skin detail features from face images to discriminate the real and presentation attack face images. By combining the two types of image features, we form a new type of image features, called hybrid features, which has stronger discrimination ability than single image features. Finally, we use the support vector machine (SVM) method to classify the image features into real or presentation attack class. Our experimental results indicate that our proposed method outperforms previous PAD methods by yielding the smallest error rates on the same image databases. PMID:29495417

The role of external features in face recognition with central vision loss: A pilot study

PubMed Central

Bernard, Jean-Baptiste; Chung, Susana T.L.

2016-01-01

Purpose We evaluated how the performance for recognizing familiar face images depends on the internal (eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth) and external face features (chin, outline of face, hairline) in individuals with central vision loss. Methods In Experiment 1, we measured eye movements for four observers with central vision loss to determine whether they fixated more often on the internal or the external features of face images while attempting to recognize the images. We then measured the accuracy for recognizing face images that contained only the internal, only the external, or both internal and external features (Experiment 2), and for hybrid images where the internal and external features came from two different source images (Experiment 3), for five observers with central vision loss and four age-matched control observers. Results When recognizing familiar face images, approximately 40% of the fixations of observers with central vision loss were centered on the external features of faces. The recognition accuracy was higher for images containing only external features (66.8±3.3% correct) than for images containing only internal features (35.8±15.0%), a finding contradicting that of control observers. For hybrid face images, observers with central vision loss responded more accurately to the external features (50.4±17.8%) than to the internal features (9.3±4.9%), while control observers did not show the same bias toward responding to the external features. Conclusions Contrary to people with normal vision who rely more on the internal features of face images for recognizing familiar faces, individuals with central vision loss show a higher dependence on using external features of face images. PMID:26829260

The Role of External Features in Face Recognition with Central Vision Loss.

PubMed

Bernard, Jean-Baptiste; Chung, Susana T L

2016-05-01

We evaluated how the performance of recognizing familiar face images depends on the internal (eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth) and external face features (chin, outline of face, hairline) in individuals with central vision loss. In experiment 1, we measured eye movements for four observers with central vision loss to determine whether they fixated more often on the internal or the external features of face images while attempting to recognize the images. We then measured the accuracy for recognizing face images that contained only the internal, only the external, or both internal and external features (experiment 2) and for hybrid images where the internal and external features came from two different source images (experiment 3) for five observers with central vision loss and four age-matched control observers. When recognizing familiar face images, approximately 40% of the fixations of observers with central vision loss was centered on the external features of faces. The recognition accuracy was higher for images containing only external features (66.8 ± 3.3% correct) than for images containing only internal features (35.8 ± 15.0%), a finding contradicting that of control observers. For hybrid face images, observers with central vision loss responded more accurately to the external features (50.4 ± 17.8%) than to the internal features (9.3 ± 4.9%), whereas control observers did not show the same bias toward responding to the external features. Contrary to people with normal vision who rely more on the internal features of face images for recognizing familiar faces, individuals with central vision loss show a higher dependence on using external features of face images.

Combining Deep and Handcrafted Image Features for Presentation Attack Detection in Face Recognition Systems Using Visible-Light Camera Sensors.

PubMed

Nguyen, Dat Tien; Pham, Tuyen Danh; Baek, Na Rae; Park, Kang Ryoung

2018-02-26

Although face recognition systems have wide application, they are vulnerable to presentation attack samples (fake samples). Therefore, a presentation attack detection (PAD) method is required to enhance the security level of face recognition systems. Most of the previously proposed PAD methods for face recognition systems have focused on using handcrafted image features, which are designed by expert knowledge of designers, such as Gabor filter, local binary pattern (LBP), local ternary pattern (LTP), and histogram of oriented gradients (HOG). As a result, the extracted features reflect limited aspects of the problem, yielding a detection accuracy that is low and varies with the characteristics of presentation attack face images. The deep learning method has been developed in the computer vision research community, which is proven to be suitable for automatically training a feature extractor that can be used to enhance the ability of handcrafted features. To overcome the limitations of previously proposed PAD methods, we propose a new PAD method that uses a combination of deep and handcrafted features extracted from the images by visible-light camera sensor. Our proposed method uses the convolutional neural network (CNN) method to extract deep image features and the multi-level local binary pattern (MLBP) method to extract skin detail features from face images to discriminate the real and presentation attack face images. By combining the two types of image features, we form a new type of image features, called hybrid features, which has stronger discrimination ability than single image features. Finally, we use the support vector machine (SVM) method to classify the image features into real or presentation attack class. Our experimental results indicate that our proposed method outperforms previous PAD methods by yielding the smallest error rates on the same image databases.

Clinical and imaging findings in patients with aggressive spinal hemangioma requiring surgical treatment.

PubMed

Urrutia, Julio; Postigo, Roberto; Larrondo, Roberto; Martin, Aliro San

2011-02-01

Vertebral hemangiomas (VHs) are frequently asymptomatic lesions found incidentally during investigations for other spinal problems. Symptomatic VHs are less common, and there are few reports of compressive VHs in the literature. VHs with aggressive behavior present with low signal intensity on T1-weighted and high signal intensity on T2-weighted MRI. We present a case series of four patients with compressive VH, all of whom were neurologically compromised. Each of the four patients underwent preoperative arterial embolization followed by surgical treatment of their VHs. All patients recovered normal motor function after surgery. At follow-up (average 53 months), one patient had a recurrent tumor requiring reoperation and radiotherapy. Although it is rare, aggressive VH can be a devastating condition. Total surgical resection or subtotal resection with radiotherapy may be warranted. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endophenotypes in the personality disorders

PubMed Central

Siever, Larry J.

2005-01-01

The identification of endophenotypes in the personality disorders may provide a basis for the identification of underlying genotypes that influence the traits and dimensions of the personality disorders, as well as susceptibility to major psychiatric illnesses. Clinical dimensions of personality disorders that lend themselves to the study of corresponding endophenotypes include affective instability impulsiwity aggression, emotional information processing, cognitive disorganization, social deficits, and psychosis. For example, the propensity to aggression can be evaluated by psychometric measures, interview, laboratory paradigms, neurochemical imaging, and pharmacological studies. These suggest that aggression is a measurable trait that may be related to reduced serotonergic activity. Hyperresponsiveness of amygdala and other limbic structures may be related to affective instability, while structural and functional brain alterations underlie the cognitive disorganization in psychoticlike symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder. Thus, an endophenotypic approach not only provides clues to underlying candidate genes contributing to these behavioral dimensions, but may also point the way to a better understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms. PMID:16262209

Photonic Breast Tomography and Tumor Aggressiveness Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-01

through attending relevant courses (Specific Aim 0, Task 1 ), as well as, sem inars , lectures, and workshops ( Specific Aim 0, Task 5). The...REPORTABLE OUTCOMES Journal Articles 1 . M. Xu, M. Alrubaiee, S. K. Gayen and R. R. Alfano, “Optical diffuse imaging of an ex vivo model cancerous...Molecular Imaging: Training for Oncology (R25-CA96945-02) IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS, VOL. 14, NO. 1

Sensors to Support the Soldier

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-02-01

limited by the need to be man- portable . The Marine infantryman relies on mobility , aggressiveness, and training 2 rather than elaborate equipment to...the ab- sence of conventional GPS guidance, including man- portable inertial inea- surement units, and digital imaging sensors combined with image...cell phones and 802.11 networks shows that walls and floors are not impenentra- ble to wireless signals; it is a question of power, range, and frequency

Making Aggressive Prostate Cancer Quiescent by Abrogating Cholesterol Esterification

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

team has been assembled , with expertise in spectroscopic imaging & nanomedicine (Dr. J. X. Cheng, PI), biochemistry (Dr. X. Liu, co-PI), and prostate...was approved in 2004 as the first- line cytotoxic chemotherapy owing to a modest increase in overall survival compared to mitoxantrone. Since 2010...interdisciplinary research team has been assembled , with expertise in spectroscopic imaging & nanomedicine (Dr. J. X. Cheng, PI), biochemistry (Dr. X. Liu, co-PI

Environmental Correlates to Behavioral Health Outcomes in Alzheimer's Special Care Units

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeisel, John; Silverstein, Nina M.; Hyde, Joan; Levkoff, Sue; Lawton, M. Powell; Holmes, William

2003-01-01

Purpose: We systematically measured the associations between environmental design features of nursing home special care units and the incidence of aggression, agitation, social withdrawal, depression, and psychotic problems among persons living there who have Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder. Design and Methods: We developed and tested a…

Model-Based Learning of Local Image Features for Unsupervised Texture Segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiechle, Martin; Storath, Martin; Weinmann, Andreas; Kleinsteuber, Martin

2018-04-01

Features that capture well the textural patterns of a certain class of images are crucial for the performance of texture segmentation methods. The manual selection of features or designing new ones can be a tedious task. Therefore, it is desirable to automatically adapt the features to a certain image or class of images. Typically, this requires a large set of training images with similar textures and ground truth segmentation. In this work, we propose a framework to learn features for texture segmentation when no such training data is available. The cost function for our learning process is constructed to match a commonly used segmentation model, the piecewise constant Mumford-Shah model. This means that the features are learned such that they provide an approximately piecewise constant feature image with a small jump set. Based on this idea, we develop a two-stage algorithm which first learns suitable convolutional features and then performs a segmentation. We note that the features can be learned from a small set of images, from a single image, or even from image patches. The proposed method achieves a competitive rank in the Prague texture segmentation benchmark, and it is effective for segmenting histological images.

Processing Dynamic Image Sequences from a Moving Sensor.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-01

65 Roadsign Image Sequence ..... ................ ... 70 Roadsign Sequence with Redundant Features .. ........ . 79 Roadsign Subimage...Selected Feature Error Values .. ........ 66 2c. Industrial Image Selected Feature Local Search Values. .. .... 67 3ab. Roadsign Image Error Values...72 3c. Roadsign Image Local Search Values ............. 73 4ab. Roadsign Redundant Feature Error Values. ............ 8 4c. Roadsign

Implementation of assist features in EUV lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Fan; Burkhardt, Martin; Raghunathan, Ananthan; Torres, Andres; Gupta, Rachit; Word, James

2015-03-01

The introduction of EUV lithography will happen at a critical feature pitch which corresponds to a k1 factor of roughly 0.45. While this number seems not very aggressive compared to recent ArF lithography nodes, the number is sufficiently low that the introduction of assist features has to be considered. While the small NA makes the k1 factor larger, the depth of focus still needs to be scaled down with wavelength. However the exposure tool's focus control is not greatly improved over the ArF tools, so other solutions to improve the depth of focus, e.g. SRAFs, are needed. On the other hand, sub-resolution assist features (SRAFs) require very small mask dimensions, which make masks more costly to write and inspect. Another disadvantage of SRAFs is the fact that they may cause pattern-dependent best focus shift due to thick mask effects. Those effects can be predicted, but the shift of best focus and the associated tilt of Bossung curves make the process more difficult to control. We investigate the impact of SRAFs on printing in EUV lithography and evaluate advantages and disadvantages. By using image quality parameters such as best focus (BF), and depth of focus (DOF), respectively with and without SRAFs, we will answer the question if we can gain a net benefit for 1D and 2D patterns by adding SRAFs. SRAFs will only be introduced if any net improvement in process variation (PV) outweighs the additional expense of assist patterning on the mask. In this paper, we investigate the difference in printing behavior of symmetric and asymmetric SRAF placement and whether through slit effect needs to be considered in SRAF placement for EUV lithography.

Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) value: a potential imaging biomarker that reflects the biological features of rectal cancer.

PubMed

Sun, Yiqun; Tong, Tong; Cai, Sanjun; Bi, Rui; Xin, Chao; Gu, Yajia

2014-01-01

We elected to analyze the correlation between the pre-treatment apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and the clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical status of rectal cancers. Forty-nine rectal cancer patients who received surgical resection without neoadjuvant therapy were selected that underwent primary MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Tumor ADC values were determined and analyzed to identify any correlations between these values and pre-treatment CEA or CA19-9 levels, and/or the histological and immunohistochemical properties of the tumor. Inter-observer agreement of confidence levels from two separate observers was suitable for ADC measurement (k  =  0.775). The pre-treatment ADC values of different T stage tumors were not equal (p  =  0.003). The overall trend was that higher T stage values correlated with lower ADC values. ADC values were also significantly lower for the following conditions: tumors with the presence of extranodal tumor deposits (p  =  0.006) and tumors with CA19-9 levels ≥ 35 g/ml (p  =  0.006). There was a negative correlation between Ki-67 LI and the ADC value (r  =  -0.318, p  =  0.026) and between the AgNOR count and the ADC value (r  =  -0.310, p  =  0.030). Significant correlations were found between the pre-treatment ADC values and T stage, extranodal tumor deposits, CA19-9 levels, Ki-67 LI, and AgNOR counts in our study. Lower ADC values were associated with more aggressive tumor behavior. Therefore, the ADC value may represent a useful biomarker for assessing the biological features and possible relationship to the status of identified rectal cancers.

Biologic Profiles of Invasive Breast Cancers Detected Only With Digital Breast Tomosynthesis.

PubMed

Kim, Jin You; Kang, Hyun Jung; Shin, Jong Ki; Lee, Nam Kyung; Song, You Seon; Nam, Kyung Jin; Choo, Ki Seok

2017-12-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features of invasive breast cancers detected only with digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), compared with those of cancers detected with both DBT and full-field digital mammography (FFDM). The medical records of 261 women (108 without and 153 with symptoms) with invasive breast cancers who underwent FFDM and DBT between April 2015 and June 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. To assess detectability, all DBT and FFDM images were reviewed independently by three radiologists blinded to clinicopathologic information. The reference standard was established by an unblinded consensus review of all images. Clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features were analyzed according to the detectability status. Of the 261 cancers, 223 (85.4%) were detected with both DBT and FFDM (both-detected group). Twenty-four cancers (9.2%) not detected with FFDM (DBT-only group) were classified by DBT as a mass (58.3%), architectural distortion (33.3%), or asymmetry (8.3%). The remaining 14 cancers (5.4%) were not detected with either DBT or FFDM (both-occult group). On multivariate analysis, a dense breast parenchyma (p = 0.007), small tumor size (≤ 2 cm; p = 0.027), and luminal A-like subtype (estrogen receptor positive or progesterone receptor positive or both, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative, and Ki-67 expression < 14%; p = 0.008) were significantly associated with the DBT-only group. For 108 screening-detected cancers, a dense breast parenchyma (p = 0.007) and luminal A-like subtype (p = 0.008) also maintained significance. The addition of DBT to FFDM in screening would aid in the detection of less-aggressive subtypes of invasive breast cancers in women with dense breasts.

n-SIFT: n-dimensional scale invariant feature transform.

PubMed

Cheung, Warren; Hamarneh, Ghassan

2009-09-01

We propose the n-dimensional scale invariant feature transform (n-SIFT) method for extracting and matching salient features from scalar images of arbitrary dimensionality, and compare this method's performance to other related features. The proposed features extend the concepts used for 2-D scalar images in the computer vision SIFT technique for extracting and matching distinctive scale invariant features. We apply the features to images of arbitrary dimensionality through the use of hyperspherical coordinates for gradients and multidimensional histograms to create the feature vectors. We analyze the performance of a fully automated multimodal medical image matching technique based on these features, and successfully apply the technique to determine accurate feature point correspondence between pairs of 3-D MRI images and dynamic 3D + time CT data.

Image processing for hazard recognition in on-board weather radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, Wallace E. (Inventor); Rand, Timothy W. (Inventor); Uckun, Serdar (Inventor); Ruokangas, Corinne C. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A method of providing weather radar images to a user includes obtaining radar image data corresponding to a weather radar image to be displayed. The radar image data is image processed to identify a feature of the weather radar image which is potentially indicative of a hazardous weather condition. The weather radar image is displayed to the user along with a notification of the existence of the feature which is potentially indicative of the hazardous weather condition. Notification can take the form of textual information regarding the feature, including feature type and proximity information. Notification can also take the form of visually highlighting the feature, for example by forming a visual border around the feature. Other forms of notification can also be used.

Histological Image Feature Mining Reveals Emergent Diagnostic Properties for Renal Cancer

PubMed Central

Kothari, Sonal; Phan, John H.; Young, Andrew N.; Wang, May D.

2016-01-01

Computer-aided histological image classification systems are important for making objective and timely cancer diagnostic decisions. These systems use combinations of image features that quantify a variety of image properties. Because researchers tend to validate their diagnostic systems on specific cancer endpoints, it is difficult to predict which image features will perform well given a new cancer endpoint. In this paper, we define a comprehensive set of common image features (consisting of 12 distinct feature subsets) that quantify a variety of image properties. We use a data-mining approach to determine which feature subsets and image properties emerge as part of an “optimal” diagnostic model when applied to specific cancer endpoints. Our goal is to assess the performance of such comprehensive image feature sets for application to a wide variety of diagnostic problems. We perform this study on 12 endpoints including 6 renal tumor subtype endpoints and 6 renal cancer grade endpoints. Keywords-histology, image mining, computer-aided diagnosis PMID:28163980

Blind image quality assessment based on aesthetic and statistical quality-aware features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenadeleh, Mohsen; Masaeli, Mohammad Masood; Moghaddam, Mohsen Ebrahimi

2017-07-01

The main goal of image quality assessment (IQA) methods is the emulation of human perceptual image quality judgments. Therefore, the correlation between objective scores of these methods with human perceptual scores is considered as their performance metric. Human judgment of the image quality implicitly includes many factors when assessing perceptual image qualities such as aesthetics, semantics, context, and various types of visual distortions. The main idea of this paper is to use a host of features that are commonly employed in image aesthetics assessment in order to improve blind image quality assessment (BIQA) methods accuracy. We propose an approach that enriches the features of BIQA methods by integrating a host of aesthetics image features with the features of natural image statistics derived from multiple domains. The proposed features have been used for augmenting five different state-of-the-art BIQA methods, which use statistical natural scene statistics features. Experiments were performed on seven benchmark image quality databases. The experimental results showed significant improvement of the accuracy of the methods.

The Integration of Marketing in Post-Secondary Vocational Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Patrick J.; And Others

Marketing can solve problems postsecondary vocational educators face related to enrollment, professional contribution, image, and program quality. Postsecondary vocational education should be aggressively marketed because of its expanding growth and mission. Postsecondary institutions are using various marketing strategies, including activities…

Oxytocin reversed MK-801-induced social interaction and aggression deficits in zebrafish.

PubMed

Zimmermann, Fernanda Francine; Gaspary, Karina Vidarte; Siebel, Anna Maria; Bonan, Carla Denise

2016-09-15

Changes in social behavior occur in several neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. The interaction between individuals is an essential aspect and an adaptive response of several species, among them the zebrafish. Oxytocin is a neuroendocrine hormone associated with social behavior. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of MK-801, a non-competitive antagonist of glutamate NMDA receptors, on social interaction and aggression in zebrafish. We also examined the modulation of those effects by oxytocin, the oxytocin receptor agonist carbetocin and the oxytocin receptor antagonist L-368,899. Our results showed that MK-801 induced a decrease in the time spent in the segment closest to the conspecific school and in the time spent in the segment nearest to the mirror image, suggesting an effect on social behavior. The treatment with oxytocin after the exposure to MK-801 was able to reestablish the time spent in the segment closest to the conspecific school, as well as the time spent in the segment nearest to the mirror image. In addition, in support of the role of the oxytocin pathway in modulating those responses, we showed that the oxytocin receptor agonist carbetocin reestablished the social and aggressive behavioral deficits induced by MK-801. However, the oxytocin receptor antagonist L-368,899 was not able to reverse the behavioral changes induced by MK-801. This study supports the critical role for NMDA receptors and the oxytocinergic system in the regulation of social behavior and aggression which may be relevant for the mechanisms associated to autism and schizophrenia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lifetime Video Game Consumption, Interpersonal Aggression, Hostile Sexism, and Rape Myth Acceptance: A Cultivation Perspective.

PubMed

Fox, Jesse; Potocki, Bridget

2016-06-01

Although previous research has investigated relationships between media consumption, sexism, and rape myth acceptance (RMA), limited research has investigated video games despite their emergence as one of the most popular forms of media entertainment globally. Given that video games typically feature even less diverse and more objectified representations of women than traditional mainstream media, we predicted that there would be relationships between video game consumption and negative beliefs and attitudes about women. In this study, we conducted a survey (N = 351) of male and female adults and used structural equation modeling to analyze relationships among video game consumption, trait interpersonal aggression, ambivalent sexism, and first-order (percentage of false rape accusations) and second-order cultivation effects (RMA). We found support for the hypothesized cultivation model, indicating a relationship between video game consumption and RMA via interpersonal aggression and hostile sexism. Although these findings cannot be interpreted causally, we discuss the implications of these associations and future directions for research. © The Author(s) 2015.

Online Moral Disengagement, Cyberbullying, and Cyber-Aggression.

PubMed

Runions, Kevin C; Bak, Michal

2015-07-01

The study of moral disengagement has greatly informed research on aggression and bullying. There has been some debate on whether cyberbullies and other cyber-aggressors show more or less of a tendency for moral disengagement than traditional aggressors and bullies. However, according to the triadic model of reciprocal determinism, an individual's behavior influences and is influenced by both personal factors and his/her social environment. This article reviews the literature to propose a new conceptual framework addressing how features of the online context may enable specific mechanisms that facilitate moral disengagement. Specific affordances for moral disengagement proposed here include the paucity of social-emotional cues, the ease of disseminating communication via social networks, and the media attention on cyberbullying, which may elicit moral justification, euphemistic labeling, palliative comparison, diffusion and displacement of responsibility, minimizing and disregarding the consequences for others, dehumanization, and attribution of blame. These ideas suggest that by providing affordances for these mechanisms of moral disengagement, online settings may facilitate cyber-aggression and cyberbullying.

Identification of high versus lower risk clinical subgroups in a group of adult patients with supratentorial anaplastic astrocytomas.

PubMed

Decaestecker, C; Salmon, I; Camby, I; Dewitte, O; Pasteels, J L; Brotchi, J; Van Ham, P; Kiss, R

1995-05-01

The present work investigates whether computer-assisted techniques can contribute any significant information to the characterization of astrocytic tumor aggressiveness. Two complementary computer-assisted methods were used. The first method made use of the digital image analysis of Feulgen-stained nuclei, making it possible to compute 15 morphonuclear and 8 nuclear DNA content-related (ploidy level) parameters. The second method enabled the most discriminatory parameters to be determined. This second method is the Decision Tree technique, which forms part of the Supervised Learning Algorithms. These two techniques were applied to a series of 250 supratentorial astrocytic tumors of the adult. This series included 39 low-grade (astrocytomas, AST) and 211 high-grade (47 anaplastic astrocytomas, ANA, and 164 glioblastomas, GBM) astrocytic tumors. The results show that some AST, ANA and GBM did not fit within simple logical rules. These "complex" cases were labeled NC-AST, NC-ANA and NC-GBM because they were "non-classical" (NC) with respect to their cytological features. An analysis of survival data revealed that the patients with NC-GBM had the same survival period as patients with GBM. In sharp contrast, patients with ANA survived significantly longer than patients with NC-ANA. In fact, the patients with ANA had the same survival period as patients who died from AST, while the patients with NC-ANA had a survival period similar to those with GBM. All these data show that the computer-assisted techniques used in this study can actually provide the pathologist with significant information on the characterization of astrocytic tumor aggressiveness.

CD8+ TIL recruitment may revert the association of MAGE A3 with aggressive features in thyroid tumors.

PubMed

Martins, Mariana Bonjiorno; Marcello, Marjory Alana; Batista, Fernando de Assis; Cunha, Lucas Leite; Morari, Elaine Cristina; Soares, Fernando Augusto; Vassallo, José; Ward, Laura Sterian

2014-01-01

We aimed to investigate a possible role of MAGE A3 and its associations with infiltrated immune cells in thyroid malignancy, analyzing their utility as a diagnostic and prognostic marker. We studied 195 malignant tissues: 154 PTCs and 41 FTCs; 102 benign tissues: 51 follicular adenomas and 51 goiter and 17 normal thyroid tissues. MAGE A3 and immune cell markers (CD4 and CD8) were evaluated using immunohistochemistry and compared with clinical pathological features. The semiquantitative analysis and ACIS III analysis showed similar results. MAGE A3 was expressed in more malignant than in benign lesions (P < 0.0001), also helping to discriminate follicular-patterned lesions. It was also higher in tumors in which there was extrathyroidal invasion (P = 0.0206) and in patients with stage II disease (P = 0.0107). MAGE A3+ tumors were more likely to present CD8+ TIL (P = 0.0346), and these tumors were associated with less aggressive features, that is, extrathyroidal invasion and small size. There was a trend of MAGE A3+ CD8+ tumors to evolve free of disease. We demonstrated that MAGE A3 and CD8+ TIL infiltration may play an important role in malignant thyroid nodules, presenting an interesting perspective for new researches on DTC immunotherapy.

Radiomic biomarkers from PET/CT multi-modality fusion images for the prediction of immunotherapy response in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Wei; Qi, Jin; Lu, Hong; Schabath, Matthew; Balagurunathan, Yoganand; Tunali, Ilke; Gillies, Robert James

2018-02-01

Purpose: Investigate the ability of using complementary information provided by the fusion of PET/CT images to predict immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Materials and methods: We collected 64 patients diagnosed with primary NSCLC treated with anti PD-1 checkpoint blockade. Using PET/CT images, fused images were created following multiple methodologies, resulting in up to 7 different images for the tumor region. Quantitative image features were extracted from the primary image (PET/CT) and the fused images, which included 195 from primary images and 1235 features from the fusion images. Three clinical characteristics were also analyzed. We then used support vector machine (SVM) classification models to identify discriminant features that predict immunotherapy response at baseline. Results: A SVM built with 87 fusion features and 13 primary PET/CT features on validation dataset had an accuracy and area under the ROC curve (AUROC) of 87.5% and 0.82, respectively, compared to a model built with 113 original PET/CT features on validation dataset 78.12% and 0.68. Conclusion: The fusion features shows better ability to predict immunotherapy response prediction compared to individual image features.

Gross feature recognition of Anatomical Images based on Atlas grid (GAIA): Incorporating the local discrepancy between an atlas and a target image to capture the features of anatomic brain MRI.

PubMed

Qin, Yuan-Yuan; Hsu, Johnny T; Yoshida, Shoko; Faria, Andreia V; Oishi, Kumiko; Unschuld, Paul G; Redgrave, Graham W; Ying, Sarah H; Ross, Christopher A; van Zijl, Peter C M; Hillis, Argye E; Albert, Marilyn S; Lyketsos, Constantine G; Miller, Michael I; Mori, Susumu; Oishi, Kenichi

2013-01-01

We aimed to develop a new method to convert T1-weighted brain MRIs to feature vectors, which could be used for content-based image retrieval (CBIR). To overcome the wide range of anatomical variability in clinical cases and the inconsistency of imaging protocols, we introduced the Gross feature recognition of Anatomical Images based on Atlas grid (GAIA), in which the local intensity alteration, caused by pathological (e.g., ischemia) or physiological (development and aging) intensity changes, as well as by atlas-image misregistration, is used to capture the anatomical features of target images. As a proof-of-concept, the GAIA was applied for pattern recognition of the neuroanatomical features of multiple stages of Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, spinocerebellar ataxia type 6, and four subtypes of primary progressive aphasia. For each of these diseases, feature vectors based on a training dataset were applied to a test dataset to evaluate the accuracy of pattern recognition. The feature vectors extracted from the training dataset agreed well with the known pathological hallmarks of the selected neurodegenerative diseases. Overall, discriminant scores of the test images accurately categorized these test images to the correct disease categories. Images without typical disease-related anatomical features were misclassified. The proposed method is a promising method for image feature extraction based on disease-related anatomical features, which should enable users to submit a patient image and search past clinical cases with similar anatomical phenotypes.

Recognition of blurred images by the method of moments.

PubMed

Flusser, J; Suk, T; Saic, S

1996-01-01

The article is devoted to the feature-based recognition of blurred images acquired by a linear shift-invariant imaging system against an image database. The proposed approach consists of describing images by features that are invariant with respect to blur and recognizing images in the feature space. The PSF identification and image restoration are not required. A set of symmetric blur invariants based on image moments is introduced. A numerical experiment is presented to illustrate the utilization of the invariants for blurred image recognition. Robustness of the features is also briefly discussed.

Scattering features for lung cancer detection in fibered confocal fluorescence microscopy images.

PubMed

Rakotomamonjy, Alain; Petitjean, Caroline; Salaün, Mathieu; Thiberville, Luc

2014-06-01

To assess the feasibility of lung cancer diagnosis using fibered confocal fluorescence microscopy (FCFM) imaging technique and scattering features for pattern recognition. FCFM imaging technique is a new medical imaging technique for which interest has yet to be established for diagnosis. This paper addresses the problem of lung cancer detection using FCFM images and, as a first contribution, assesses the feasibility of computer-aided diagnosis through these images. Towards this aim, we have built a pattern recognition scheme which involves a feature extraction stage and a classification stage. The second contribution relies on the features used for discrimination. Indeed, we have employed the so-called scattering transform for extracting discriminative features, which are robust to small deformations in the images. We have also compared and combined these features with classical yet powerful features like local binary patterns (LBP) and their variants denoted as local quinary patterns (LQP). We show that scattering features yielded to better recognition performances than classical features like LBP and their LQP variants for the FCFM image classification problems. Another finding is that LBP-based and scattering-based features provide complementary discriminative information and, in some situations, we empirically establish that performance can be improved when jointly using LBP, LQP and scattering features. In this work we analyze the joint capability of FCFM images and scattering features for lung cancer diagnosis. The proposed method achieves a good recognition rate for such a diagnosis problem. It also performs well when used in conjunction with other features for other classical medical imaging classification problems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Content Based Image Retrieval by Using Color Descriptor and Discrete Wavelet Transform.

PubMed

Ashraf, Rehan; Ahmed, Mudassar; Jabbar, Sohail; Khalid, Shehzad; Ahmad, Awais; Din, Sadia; Jeon, Gwangil

2018-01-25

Due to recent development in technology, the complexity of multimedia is significantly increased and the retrieval of similar multimedia content is a open research problem. Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) is a process that provides a framework for image search and low-level visual features are commonly used to retrieve the images from the image database. The basic requirement in any image retrieval process is to sort the images with a close similarity in term of visually appearance. The color, shape and texture are the examples of low-level image features. The feature plays a significant role in image processing. The powerful representation of an image is known as feature vector and feature extraction techniques are applied to get features that will be useful in classifying and recognition of images. As features define the behavior of an image, they show its place in terms of storage taken, efficiency in classification and obviously in time consumption also. In this paper, we are going to discuss various types of features, feature extraction techniques and explaining in what scenario, which features extraction technique will be better. The effectiveness of the CBIR approach is fundamentally based on feature extraction. In image processing errands like object recognition and image retrieval feature descriptor is an immense among the most essential step. The main idea of CBIR is that it can search related images to an image passed as query from a dataset got by using distance metrics. The proposed method is explained for image retrieval constructed on YCbCr color with canny edge histogram and discrete wavelet transform. The combination of edge of histogram and discrete wavelet transform increase the performance of image retrieval framework for content based search. The execution of different wavelets is additionally contrasted with discover the suitability of specific wavelet work for image retrieval. The proposed algorithm is prepared and tried to implement for Wang image database. For Image Retrieval Purpose, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) is used and applied on standard dataset in CBIR domain. The execution of the recommended descriptors is assessed by computing both Precision and Recall values and compared with different other proposed methods with demonstrate the predominance of our method. The efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed approach outperforms the existing research in term of average precision and recall values.

System and method for the detection of anomalies in an image

DOEpatents

Prasad, Lakshman; Swaminarayan, Sriram

2013-09-03

Preferred aspects of the present invention can include receiving a digital image at a processor; segmenting the digital image into a hierarchy of feature layers comprising one or more fine-scale features defining a foreground object embedded in one or more coarser-scale features defining a background to the one or more fine-scale features in the segmentation hierarchy; detecting a first fine-scale foreground feature as an anomaly with respect to a first background feature within which it is embedded; and constructing an anomalous feature layer by synthesizing spatially contiguous anomalous fine-scale features. Additional preferred aspects of the present invention can include detecting non-pervasive changes between sets of images in response at least in part to one or more difference images between the sets of images.

A comparison study of image features between FFDM and film mammogram images

PubMed Central

Jing, Hao; Yang, Yongyi; Wernick, Miles N.; Yarusso, Laura M.; Nishikawa, Robert M.

2012-01-01

Purpose: This work is to provide a direct, quantitative comparison of image features measured by film and full-field digital mammography (FFDM). The purpose is to investigate whether there is any systematic difference between film and FFDM in terms of quantitative image features and their influence on the performance of a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system. Methods: The authors make use of a set of matched film-FFDM image pairs acquired from cadaver breast specimens with simulated microcalcifications consisting of bone and teeth fragments using both a GE digital mammography system and a screen-film system. To quantify the image features, the authors consider a set of 12 textural features of lesion regions and six image features of individual microcalcifications (MCs). The authors first conduct a direct comparison on these quantitative features extracted from film and FFDM images. The authors then study the performance of a CAD classifier for discriminating between MCs and false positives (FPs) when the classifier is trained on images of different types (film, FFDM, or both). Results: For all the features considered, the quantitative results show a high degree of correlation between features extracted from film and FFDM, with the correlation coefficients ranging from 0.7326 to 0.9602 for the different features. Based on a Fisher sign rank test, there was no significant difference observed between the features extracted from film and those from FFDM. For both MC detection and discrimination of FPs from MCs, FFDM had a slight but statistically significant advantage in performance; however, when the classifiers were trained on different types of images (acquired with FFDM or SFM) for discriminating MCs from FPs, there was little difference. Conclusions: The results indicate good agreement between film and FFDM in quantitative image features. While FFDM images provide better detection performance in MCs, FFDM and film images may be interchangeable for the purposes of training CAD algorithms, and a single CAD algorithm may be applied to either type of images. PMID:22830771

[Multifocal tubulopapillary tumors of the kidney. Morphologic features and prognosis. Three cases].

PubMed

Abdelmoula, N B; Boudawara, T; Bahloul, A; Hmida, M B; Hachicha, J; Rebai, T; Mhiri, N; Jlidi, R

1999-01-01

Tubulopapillary tumors of the kidney represent a particular group of renal tumors characterized by their less aggressive behavior. These tumors are distinguished from non papillary tumors by their morphologic, cytochemical and genotypic features. They correspond to a continuous spectrum of tumors ranging from papillary renal cell adenoma to papillary renal cell carcinoma. These TTPR show multifocal, bilateral development and chronic lesions of the kidney parenchyma in nearly all cases. The authors report three cases of multifocal TTPR, including one bilateral case. Based on analysis of these cases and a review of the literature, they discuss the histogenetic features and prognosis of TTPR.

Xeroderma pigmentosum is a definite cause of Huntington's disease-like syndrome.

PubMed

Garcia-Moreno, Hector; Fassihi, Hiva; Sarkany, Robert P E; Phukan, Julie; Warner, Thomas; Lehmann, Alan R; Giunti, Paola

2018-01-01

Xeroderma pigmentosum is characterized by cutaneous, ophthalmological, and neurological features. Although it is typical of childhood, late presentations can mimic different neurodegenerative conditions. We report two families presenting as Huntington's disease-like syndromes. The first case (group G) presented with neuropsychiatric features, cognitive decline and chorea. Typical lentigines were only noticed after the neurological disease started. The second case (group B) presented adult-onset chorea and neuropsychiatric symptoms after an aggressive ocular melanoma. Xeroderma pigmentosum can manifest as a Huntington's Disease-like syndrome. Classic dermatological and oncological features have to be investigated in choreic patients with negative genetic tests for Huntington's disease-like phenotypes.

Feature-based Alignment of Volumetric Multi-modal Images

PubMed Central

Toews, Matthew; Zöllei, Lilla; Wells, William M.

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a method for aligning image volumes acquired from different imaging modalities (e.g. MR, CT) based on 3D scale-invariant image features. A novel method for encoding invariant feature geometry and appearance is developed, based on the assumption of locally linear intensity relationships, providing a solution to poor repeatability of feature detection in different image modalities. The encoding method is incorporated into a probabilistic feature-based model for multi-modal image alignment. The model parameters are estimated via a group-wise alignment algorithm, that iteratively alternates between estimating a feature-based model from feature data, then realigning feature data to the model, converging to a stable alignment solution with few pre-processing or pre-alignment requirements. The resulting model can be used to align multi-modal image data with the benefits of invariant feature correspondence: globally optimal solutions, high efficiency and low memory usage. The method is tested on the difficult RIRE data set of CT, T1, T2, PD and MP-RAGE brain images of subjects exhibiting significant inter-subject variability due to pathology. PMID:24683955

Fatigue-type stress fractures of the lower limb associated with fibrous cortical defects/non-ossifying fibromas in the skeletally immature.

PubMed

Shimal, A; Davies, A M; James, S L J; Grimer, R J

2010-05-01

To investigate the association of a fatigue-type stress fracture and a fibrous cortical defect/non-ossifying fibroma (FCD/NOF) of the lower limb long bones in skeletally immature patients. The patient database of a specialist orthopaedic oncology centre was searched to determine the number of skeletally immature patients (

Initial therapy of mantle cell lymphoma

PubMed Central

Witzig, Thomas E.

2011-01-01

Mantle cell lymphoma is a well-recognized distinct clinicopathologic subtype of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The current World Health Organization (WHO) classification subdivides this entity into aggressive and other variants. The disease has a predilection for older males, and patients typically present at an advanced stage with frequent splenomegaly and extranodal involvement including bone marrow, peripheral blood, gastrointestinal, and occasional central nervous system involvement. Early studies of therapy outcomes in this disease revealed that while response rates where high, relapse was expected after a limited period of time. Prolonged survival was uncommon, with initial median survival rates typically in the 3–4-year range. Those with a high proliferative rate, blastoid morphology, and selected clinical features were recognized as having a worse prognosis. Therapeutic approaches have diverged into aggressive therapies with high response rates and promising progression free survival rates, which may be applied to younger healthy patients, and less aggressive approaches. Aggressive therapies include intensive chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplant, which has been shown to be most effective when applied in first remission. Whether these more intense therapies result in improved survival as compared with less aggressive therapies is not well established. Allogeneic transplant has also been investigated, although high treatment-related mortality and the risk of chronic graft versus host disease and the relatively advanced age of this patient population have tempered enthusiasm for this approach. A number of less aggressive therapies have been shown to produce promising results. Consolidation and maintenance strategies are an active area of investigation. A number of newer agents have shown promising activity in relapsed disease, and are being investigated in the front-line setting. Overall survival rates are improving in this disease, with current studies suggesting a median survival of 5 or more years. PMID:23556104

DCE-MRI of the prostate using shutter-speed vs. Tofts model for tumor characterization and assessment of aggressiveness.

PubMed

Hectors, Stefanie J; Besa, Cecilia; Wagner, Mathilde; Jajamovich, Guido H; Haines, George K; Lewis, Sara; Tewari, Ashutosh; Rastinehad, Ardeshir; Huang, Wei; Taouli, Bachir

2017-09-01

To quantify Tofts model (TM) and shutter-speed model (SSM) perfusion parameters in prostate cancer (PCa) and noncancerous peripheral zone (PZ) and to compare the diagnostic performance of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) to Prostate Imaging and Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) classification for the assessment of PCa aggressiveness. Fifty PCa patients (mean age 60 years old) who underwent MRI at 3.0T followed by prostatectomy were included in this Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective study. DCE-MRI parameters (K trans , v e , k ep [TM&SSM] and intracellular water molecule lifetime τ i [SSM]) were determined in PCa and PZ. Differences in DCE-MRI parameters between PCa and PZ, and between models were assessed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for differentiation between PCa and PZ was performed for individual and combined DCE-MRI parameters. Diagnostic performance of DCE-MRI parameters for identification of aggressive PCa (Gleason ≥8, grade group [GG] ≥3 or pathology stage pT3) was assessed using ROC analysis and compared with PI-RADSv2 scores. DCE-MRI parameters were significantly different between TM and SSM and between PZ and PCa (P < 0.037). Diagnostic performances of TM and SSM for differentiation of PCa from PZ were similar (highest AUC TM: K trans +k ep 0.76, SSM: τ i +k ep 0.80). PI-RADS outperformed TM and SSM DCE-MRI for identification of Gleason ≥8 lesions (AUC PI-RADS: 0.91, highest AUC DCE-MRI: K trans +τ i SSM 0.61, P = 0.002). The diagnostic performance of PI-RADS and DCE-MRI for identification of GG ≥3 and pT3 PCa was not significantly different (P > 0.213). SSM DCE-MRI did not increase the diagnostic performance of DCE-MRI for PCa characterization. PI-RADS outperformed both TM and SSM DCE-MRI for identification of aggressive cancer. 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;46:837-849. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Neuroimaging Feature Terminology: A Controlled Terminology for the Annotation of Brain Imaging Features

PubMed Central

Iyappan, Anandhi; Younesi, Erfan; Redolfi, Alberto; Vrooman, Henri; Khanna, Shashank; Frisoni, Giovanni B.; Hofmann-Apitius, Martin

2017-01-01

Ontologies and terminologies are used for interoperability of knowledge and data in a standard manner among interdisciplinary research groups. Existing imaging ontologies capture general aspects of the imaging domain as a whole such as methodological concepts or calibrations of imaging instruments. However, none of the existing ontologies covers the diagnostic features measured by imaging technologies in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, the Neuro-Imaging Feature Terminology (NIFT) was developed to organize the knowledge domain of measured brain features in association with neurodegenerative diseases by imaging technologies. The purpose is to identify quantitative imaging biomarkers that can be extracted from multi-modal brain imaging data. This terminology attempts to cover measured features and parameters in brain scans relevant to disease progression. In this paper, we demonstrate the systematic retrieval of measured indices from literature and how the extracted knowledge can be further used for disease modeling that integrates neuroimaging features with molecular processes. PMID:28731430

Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Targeted Biopsy in Detection of Prostate Cancer Harboring Adverse Pathological Features of Intraductal Carcinoma and Invasive Cribriform Carcinoma.

PubMed

Prendeville, Susan; Gertner, Mark; Maganti, Manjula; Pintilie, Melania; Perlis, Nathan; Toi, Ants; Evans, Andrew J; Finelli, Antonio; van der Kwast, Theodorus H; Ghai, Sangeet

2018-07-01

The aim of this study was to compare biopsy detection of intraductal and cribriform pattern invasive prostate carcinoma in multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging positive and negative regions of the prostate. We queried a prospectively maintained, single institution database to identify patients who underwent multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound fusion targeted biopsy and concurrent systematic sextant biopsy of magnetic resonance imaging negative regions between January 2013 and May 2016. All multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging targets were reviewed retrospectively by 2 readers for the PI-RADS™ (Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System), version 2 score, the maximum dimension, the apparent diffusion coefficient parameter and whether positive or negative on dynamic contrast enhancement sequence. Biopsy slides were reviewed by 2 urological pathologists for Gleason score/Grade Group and the presence or absence of an intraductal/cribriform pattern. A total of 154 patients were included in study. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound fusion targeted biopsy and systematic sextant biopsy of magnetic resonance imaging negative regions were negative for prostate carcinoma in 51 patients, leaving 103 available for the correlation of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and the intraductal/cribriform pattern. Prostate carcinoma was identified by multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound fusion targeted biopsy in 93 cases and by systematic sextant biopsy of magnetic resonance imaging negative regions in 76 (p = 0.008). Intraductal/cribriform positive tumor was detected in 23 cases, including at the multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound fusion targeted biopsy site in 22 and at the systematic sextant biopsy of magnetic resonance imaging negative region site in 3 (p <0.001). The intraductal/cribriform pattern was significantly associated with a PI-RADS score of 5 and a decreasing apparent diffusion coefficient value (p = 0.008 and 0.005, respectively). In 19 of the 23 cases with the intraductal/cribriform pattern prior 12-core standard systematic biopsy was negative in 8 and showed Grade Group 1 disease in 11. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound fusion targeted biopsy was associated with significantly increased detection of intraductal/cribriform positive prostate carcinoma compared to systematic sextant biopsy of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging negative regions. This supports the role of magnetic resonance imaging to enhance the detection of clinically aggressive intraductal/cribriform positive prostate carcinoma. Copyright © 2018 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotional Labour of Caregivers Confronted With Aggressive Brain-injured Patients.

PubMed

Huet, Magali; Dany, Lionel; Apostolidis, Thémistoklis

2018-06-01

Aggressive behaviours are common with people who have suffered brain injuries and induce difficult emotions among certified nursing assistants and medical-psychological assistants who take care of them. These caregivers carry out emotional labour whose content and strategies are little known. The study explores the emotional labour of certified nursing assistants and medical-psychological assistants faced with the aggressive behaviours of brain-injured patients. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 37 caregivers. Interviews were analysed via a thematic content analysis. The analysis shows that the emotional labour of caregivers varies in accordance with the state of "consciousness" or "non-consciousness" that they attribute to the brain-injured patient with regard to this aggressive behaviour. This is a deep acting strategy. Moreover, caregivers shut off their emotions in order not to transmit them to the patient. This surface acting has the first objective for the caregiver of maintaining control of the situation and a second objective of protecting the patient emotionally and therefore of being perceived as a "good" caregiver. Emotional labour also meets a need to preserve the professional self-image and professional status negatively affected in the interaction with the aggressive brain-injured patient. Our study specifies the different strategies of the emotional labour of caregivers and their circumstances of use when they are confronted with aggressive behaviour by brain-injured patients. Targeted support for this emotional labour, such as training and practical analysis, is essential for the development of care practices promoting a caring relationship. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Right anterior cingulate cortical thickness and bilateral striatal volume correlate with child behavior checklist aggressive behavior scores in healthy children.

PubMed

Ducharme, Simon; Hudziak, James J; Botteron, Kelly N; Ganjavi, Hooman; Lepage, Claude; Collins, D Louis; Albaugh, Matthew D; Evans, Alan C; Karama, Sherif

2011-08-01

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and basal ganglia have been implicated in pathological aggression. This study aimed at identifying neuroanatomical correlates of impulsive aggression in healthy children. Data from 193 representative 6- to 18-year-old healthy children were obtained from the National Institutes of Health Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Normal Brain Development after a blinded quality control. Cortical thickness and subcortical volumes were obtained with automated software. Aggression levels were measured with the Aggressive Behavior scale (AGG) of the Child Behavior Checklist. AGG scores were regressed against cortical thickness and basal ganglia volumes using first- and second-order linear models while controlling for age, gender, scanner site, and total brain volume. Gender by AGG interactions were analyzed. There were positive associations between bilateral striatal volumes and AGG scores (right: r = .238, p = .001; left: r = .188, p = .01). A significant association was found with right ACC and subgenual ACC cortical thickness in a second-order linear model (p < .05, corrected). High AGG scores were associated with a relatively thin right ACC cortex. An AGG by gender interaction trend was found in bilateral OFC and ACC associations with AGG scores. This study shows the existence of relationships between impulsive aggression in healthy children and the structure of the striatum and right ACC. It also suggests the existence of gender-specific patterns of association in OFC/ACC gray matter. These results may guide research on oppositional-defiant and conduct disorders. Copyright © 2011 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does dual diagnosis affect violence and moderate/superficial self-harm in heroin addiction at treatment entry?

PubMed

Maremmani, Angelo Giovanni Icro; Rugani, Fabio; Bacciardi, Silvia; Rovai, Luca; Pacini, Matteo; Dell'Osso, Liliana; Maremmani, Icro

2014-01-01

The presence of aggressive and self-harm behaviors is common in heroin-addicted patients, but these frequent co-occurrences have been poorly investigated. Given the fact that self-harm may be seen as both a clear addictive behavior, with its opiate theory, and as part of psychiatric illness, such as psychosis and bipolar spectrum disorders, in this study, we intend to investigate which of the 2 models is more consistent. We compared dual diagnosis with the clinical features of 30 moderate/superficial self-harmed and 162 violent heroin-addicted patients who reported aggressive behavior in the month preceding their request to be treated. As control group, we selected 808 lifetime nonviolent heroin-addicted patients. The presence of a bipolar spectrum diagnosis proved to be the highest risk factor (B = 4.33; exp(B) = 76.52; 95% confidence interval for exp(B) = 35.69-164.04; P < 0.001) for the presence of aggressive behavior (χ²= 433.05; df = 5; P < 0.001). The highest risk factor for the presence of moderate/superficial self-harm (χ² = 24.83; df = 2; P < 0.001) was a dual diagnosis for chronic psychosis (β = 1.46; exp(B) = 4.34); 95% confidence interval for exp(B) = 1.11-16.98; P < 0.001). The relationships between aggressive and/or self-harm behaviors and the natural history of addiction in heroin-addicted patients seemed to be less consistent. Our data show a frequent co-occurrence of aggression and bipolar spectrum disorder in heroin-addicted patients, which is manifested as aggression directed toward others (violence). On the contrary, self-injurious behavior seems to be strongly correlated with psychotic disorders. Thus, aggressive behavior seems to be correlated, in heroin-addicted patients before entering treatment, with dual diagnosis rather than with a natural history of heroin addiction.

Saliency image of feature building for image quality assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Xinuo; Sun, Jiyin; Wang, Peng

2011-11-01

The purpose and method of image quality assessment are quite different for automatic target recognition (ATR) and traditional application. Local invariant feature detectors, mainly including corner detectors, blob detectors and region detectors etc., are widely applied for ATR. A saliency model of feature was proposed to evaluate feasibility of ATR in this paper. The first step consisted of computing the first-order derivatives on horizontal orientation and vertical orientation, and computing DoG maps in different scales respectively. Next, saliency images of feature were built based auto-correlation matrix in different scale. Then, saliency images of feature of different scales amalgamated. Experiment were performed on a large test set, including infrared images and optical images, and the result showed that the salient regions computed by this model were consistent with real feature regions computed by mostly local invariant feature extraction algorithms.

Suicidal Tendencies in the Elderly.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Achte, Kalle

1988-01-01

Claims elderly suicides are more frequent, and more likely to be multifactorial, including loneliness, isolation, depression, somatic illnesses, having suffered numerous losses, and injuries to the self-esteem (concerns regarding emptiness, uselessness, and body image). Aggressive impulses previously neutralized by work and social life now break…

Deep Multimodal Distance Metric Learning Using Click Constraints for Image Ranking.

PubMed

Yu, Jun; Yang, Xiaokang; Gao, Fei; Tao, Dacheng

2017-12-01

How do we retrieve images accurately? Also, how do we rank a group of images precisely and efficiently for specific queries? These problems are critical for researchers and engineers to generate a novel image searching engine. First, it is important to obtain an appropriate description that effectively represent the images. In this paper, multimodal features are considered for describing images. The images unique properties are reflected by visual features, which are correlated to each other. However, semantic gaps always exist between images visual features and semantics. Therefore, we utilize click feature to reduce the semantic gap. The second key issue is learning an appropriate distance metric to combine these multimodal features. This paper develops a novel deep multimodal distance metric learning (Deep-MDML) method. A structured ranking model is adopted to utilize both visual and click features in distance metric learning (DML). Specifically, images and their related ranking results are first collected to form the training set. Multimodal features, including click and visual features, are collected with these images. Next, a group of autoencoders is applied to obtain initially a distance metric in different visual spaces, and an MDML method is used to assign optimal weights for different modalities. Next, we conduct alternating optimization to train the ranking model, which is used for the ranking of new queries with click features. Compared with existing image ranking methods, the proposed method adopts a new ranking model to use multimodal features, including click features and visual features in DML. We operated experiments to analyze the proposed Deep-MDML in two benchmark data sets, and the results validate the effects of the method.

Discriminative feature representation: an effective postprocessing solution to low dose CT imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yang; Liu, Jin; Hu, Yining; Yang, Jian; Shi, Luyao; Shu, Huazhong; Gui, Zhiguo; Coatrieux, Gouenou; Luo, Limin

2017-03-01

This paper proposes a concise and effective approach termed discriminative feature representation (DFR) for low dose computerized tomography (LDCT) image processing, which is currently a challenging problem in medical imaging field. This DFR method assumes LDCT images as the superposition of desirable high dose CT (HDCT) 3D features and undesirable noise-artifact 3D features (the combined term of noise and artifact features induced by low dose scan protocols), and the decomposed HDCT features are used to provide the processed LDCT images with higher quality. The target HDCT features are solved via the DFR algorithm using a featured dictionary composed by atoms representing HDCT features and noise-artifact features. In this study, the featured dictionary is efficiently built using physical phantom images collected from the same CT scanner as the target clinical LDCT images to process. The proposed DFR method also has good robustness in parameter setting for different CT scanner types. This DFR method can be directly applied to process DICOM formatted LDCT images, and has good applicability to current CT systems. Comparative experiments with abdomen LDCT data validate the good performance of the proposed approach. This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation under grants (81370040, 81530060), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, and the Qing Lan Project in Jiangsu Province.

WND-CHARM: Multi-purpose image classification using compound image transforms

PubMed Central

Orlov, Nikita; Shamir, Lior; Macura, Tomasz; Johnston, Josiah; Eckley, D. Mark; Goldberg, Ilya G.

2008-01-01

We describe a multi-purpose image classifier that can be applied to a wide variety of image classification tasks without modifications or fine-tuning, and yet provide classification accuracy comparable to state-of-the-art task-specific image classifiers. The proposed image classifier first extracts a large set of 1025 image features including polynomial decompositions, high contrast features, pixel statistics, and textures. These features are computed on the raw image, transforms of the image, and transforms of transforms of the image. The feature values are then used to classify test images into a set of pre-defined image classes. This classifier was tested on several different problems including biological image classification and face recognition. Although we cannot make a claim of universality, our experimental results show that this classifier performs as well or better than classifiers developed specifically for these image classification tasks. Our classifier’s high performance on a variety of classification problems is attributed to (i) a large set of features extracted from images; and (ii) an effective feature selection and weighting algorithm sensitive to specific image classification problems. The algorithms are available for free download from openmicroscopy.org. PMID:18958301

Investigations of Antiangiogenic Mechanisms Using Novel Imaging Techniques

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

011112-1 Downloaded from SPIE Digital Library on 22 Feb 2010 to 1lular functions that exacerbate treatment resistance and tumor aggressiveness.9 Cycling...measurements, which further complicates ata acquisition and interpretation. Blood flow on the mi- rovessel level has traditionally been measured using laser...34ournal of Biomedical Optics 011112-2 Downloaded from SPIE Digital Library on 22 Feb 2010 to 1The goal of this study was to dynamically image changes in

Monitoring of the microhemodynamic in an aggressive clinical behavior of cerebral hemorrhage using dynamic light scattering techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilensky, M. A.; Semyachkina-Glushkovskaya, O. V.; Timoshina, P. A.; Berdnikova, V. A.; Kuznetsova, Y. V.; Semyachkin-Glushkovsky, I. A.; Agafonov, D. N.; Tuchin, V. V.

2012-06-01

This paper presents the results of experimental study of full field laser speckle imaging due to cortex microcirculation state monitoring for laboratory rats under conditions of stroke and the introduction of agents. Three groups of experimental animals from five animals in each group were studied. The behavior of blood flow, studied by speckle imaging technique, matched the expected physiological response to an impact.

A study of T2-weighted MR image texture features and diffusion-weighted MR image features for computer-aided diagnosis of prostate cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Yahui; Jiang, Yulei; Antic, Tatjana; Giger, Maryellen L.; Eggener, Scott; Oto, Aytekin

2013-02-01

The purpose of this study was to study T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) image texture features and diffusionweighted (DW) MR image features in distinguishing prostate cancer (PCa) from normal tissue. We collected two image datasets: 23 PCa patients (25 PCa and 23 normal tissue regions of interest [ROIs]) imaged with Philips MR scanners, and 30 PCa patients (41 PCa and 26 normal tissue ROIs) imaged with GE MR scanners. A radiologist drew ROIs manually via consensus histology-MR correlation conference with a pathologist. A number of T2-weighted texture features and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) features were investigated, and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to combine select strong image features. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was used to characterize feature effectiveness in distinguishing PCa from normal tissue ROIs. Of the features studied, ADC 10th percentile, ADC average, and T2-weighted sum average yielded AUC values (+/-standard error) of 0.95+/-0.03, 0.94+/-0.03, and 0.85+/-0.05 on the Phillips images, and 0.91+/-0.04, 0.89+/-0.04, and 0.70+/-0.06 on the GE images, respectively. The three-feature combination yielded AUC values of 0.94+/-0.03 and 0.89+/-0.04 on the Phillips and GE images, respectively. ADC 10th percentile, ADC average, and T2-weighted sum average, are effective in distinguishing PCa from normal tissue, and appear robust in images acquired from Phillips and GE MR scanners.

Multiple intraosseous inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors presenting with an aggressive clinical course: case report.

PubMed

Sasagawa, Yasuo; Akai, Takuya; Itou, Shoutarou; Iizuka, Hideaki

2011-10-01

The authors report a rare case of multiple intraosseous inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors presenting with an aggressive clinical course. A 60-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of headache and 2 weeks of jaw pain. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a homogeneously enhancing mass in the right parietal bone with subcutaneous and intracranial invasion. Bone scintigraphy revealed 4 intraosseous lesions involving the cranium, mandible, ischium, and calcaneum. After admission, the patient showed left hemiparesis and seizures caused by rapid intracranial tumor extension. The cranial and mandible tumors were resected. Histopathological examinations of both specimens revealed myofibroblastic spindle cell proliferation with inflammatory cell infiltration, and a diagnosis of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor was made. Two days postoperatively, the patient presented with a high fever and disturbance of consciousness with swelling of the subcutaneous tissues of the head and mandibular lesions. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a massive intracranial extension of the tumor. Corticosteroid therapy induced remarkable shrinkage of all lesions, and relief from symptoms was obtained. Radiotherapy was then performed for residual tumors. Multiple intraosseous inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the bone are very uncommon and may mimic malignant tumors. It is important to recognize that this entity can occur in the cranium and as multiple bony lesions. The recommended treatment is complete surgical resection with adjuvant steroid treatment. Considering the aggressive nature of this entity, additional chemo- and/or radiotherapy may be warranted.

Cluster B personality disorders are associated with allelic variation of monoamine oxidase A activity.

PubMed

Jacob, Christian P; Müller, Johannes; Schmidt, Michael; Hohenberger, Katrin; Gutknecht, Lise; Reif, Andreas; Schmidtke, Armin; Mössner, Rainald; Lesch, Klaus Peter

2005-09-01

Genetic variants of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) have been associated with aggression-, anxiety-, and addiction-related behavior in several nonclinical and clinical populations. Here, we investigated the influence of allelic variation of MAOA activity on aggression-related personality traits and disease risk in patients with personality disorders. Personality disorders were diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview of DSM-IV and were allocated to cluster A, B, and C. Personality features were assessed by the revised NEO Personality Inventory and the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire. The genotype of the MAOA gene-linked polymorphic region (MAOA-LPR) was determined in 566 patients with personality disorders and in 281 healthy controls. MAOA genotype was significantly associated with cluster B personality disorders (chi2=7.77, p=0.005, df=1) but not with cluster C personality disorders. In total, 26.0% of cluster B patients were hemi- or homozygous for the low-activity variant of the MAOA genotype, compared to 16.4% in the control group. Associations between MAOA variants and personality domains related to impulsivity and aggressiveness were inconsistent. Our findings further support the notion that allelic variation of MAOA activity contributes modestly to the balance of hyper- (impulsive-aggressive) and hyporeactive (anxious-depressive) traits.

The fear of other persons' laughter: Poor neuronal protection against social signals of anger and aggression.

PubMed

Papousek, Ilona; Schulter, Günter; Rominger, Christian; Fink, Andreas; Weiss, Elisabeth M

2016-01-30

The fear of other persons' laughter (gelotophobia) occurs in the context of several psychiatric conditions, particularly in the schizophrenia spectrum and social phobia. It entails severe personal and inter-personal problems including heightened aggression and possibly violence. Individuals with gelotophobia (n=30; 24 with social phobia or Cluster A diagnosis) and matched symptom-free controls (n=30) were drawn from a large screening sample (n=1440). EEG coherences were recorded during the confrontation with other people's affect expressions, to investigate the brain's modulatory control over the emotionally laden perceptual input. Gelotophobia was associated with more loose functional coupling of prefrontal and posterior cortex during the processing of expressions of anger and aggression, thus leaving the individual relatively unprotected from becoming affected by these social signals. The brain's response to social signals of anger/aggression and the accompanied heightened permeability for this kind of information explains the particular sensitivity to actual or supposed malicious aspects of laughter (and possibly of other ambiguous social signals) in individuals with gelotophobia, which represents the core feature of the condition. Heightened perception of stimuli that could be perceived as offensive, which is inherent in several psychiatric conditions, may be particularly evident in the fear of other persons' laughter. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Serotonergic correlation with anger and aggressive behavior in acute stroke patients: an intensity dependence of auditory evoked potentials (IDAP) study.

PubMed

Toscano, Massimiliano; Viganò, Alessandro; Puledda, Francesca; Verzina, Angela; Rocco, Andrea; Lenzi, Gian Luigi; Di Piero, Vittorio

2014-01-01

Anger and aggressive behavior (AB) are two of the main post-stroke behavioral manifestations, which could imply both an anger trait (TA) or a state condition of anger (SA). Serotonergic system is thought to play an inhibitory control on aggressive impulse. Nevertheless, whether 5HT has the same role in TA and in SA, is still debated. Intensity dependence of auditory evoked potentials (IDAP) is thought to be inversely related to the central 5HT tone. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in acute stroke patients, the 5HT system involvement in AB by IDAP. Consecutive stroke patients were evaluated and compared with healthy controls. The Spielberger Trait Anger Scale (STAS) was used to assess AB, SA and TA. Patients with AB and TA showed a significantly increased IDAP value, whereas patients with SA had a significantly lower IDAP; this indicates an increased 5HT tone. In acute stroke patients with AB, there is a decreased central 5HT tone. Surprisingly, we found an opposite 5HT feature between patients with TA and those showing SA, suggesting that the hypothesis of aggression based on 5HT deficiency requires further investigations. This might open new strategies in the treatment of post-stroke AB. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Understanding school climate, aggression, peer victimization, and bully perpetration: contemporary science, practice, and policy.

PubMed

Espelage, Dorothy L; Low, Sabina K; Jimerson, Shane R

2014-09-01

Existing scholarship suggests that classroom practices, teacher attitudes, and the broader school environment play a critical role in understanding the rates of student reports of aggression, bullying, and victimization as well as correlated behaviors. A more accurate understanding of the nature, origins, maintenance, and prevalence of bullying and other aggressive behavior requires consideration of the broader social ecology of the school community. However, studies to date have predominantly been cross-sectional in nature, or have failed to reflect the social-ecological framework in their measurement or analytic approach. Thus, there have been limited efforts to parse out the relative contribution of student, classroom, and organizational-level factors. This special topic section emphasizes a departure from a focus on student attitudes and behaviors, to a social-contextual approach that appreciates how much features of the school environment can mitigate or perpetuate aggression. This collection of articles reflects innovative and rigorous approaches to further our understanding of climate, and has implications for theory, measurement, prevention, and practice. These studies highlight the influence of school climate on mental health, academic achievement, and problem behavior, and will hopefully stimulate interest in and further scholarship on this important topic. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

[Computer games in childhood and adolescence: relations to addictive behavior, ADHD, and aggression].

PubMed

Frölich, Jan; Lehmkuhl, Gerd; Döpfner, Manfred

2009-09-01

Playing computer games has become one of the main leisure activities in children and adolescents and increasingly replaces traditional playing and interactional activities. There might exist developmental benefits or positive effects of computer games that can be used for educational or therapeutic purposes. More important several studies have well demonstrated that excessive computer game playing is associated with behavior that features all components of non-chemical addiction and the prevalences across all age groups seem to be impressingly high. This overview relies on a Medline research. Its objective is to describe motivational and developmental characteristics attributed to computer games as well as the prevalences of computer playing in children and adolescents to better understand the risks for addictive use. We especially focus on the relations of excessive computer playing with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and aggressive behavior. The results demonstrate that children with ADHD are especially vulnerable to addictive use of computer games due to their neuropsychological profile. Moreover excessive violent computer game playing might be a significant risk variable for aggressive behavior in the presence of personality traits with aggressive cognitions and behavior scripts in the consumers. The increasing clinical meaning of addictive computer games playing urgently necessitates the development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools for clinical practice as well as the cooperation with allied disciplines.

TU-F-CAMPUS-J-05: Effect of Uncorrelated Noise Texture On Computed Tomography Quantitative Image Features

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oliver, J; Budzevich, M; Moros, E

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between quantitative image features (i.e. radiomics) and statistical fluctuations (i.e. electronic noise) in clinical Computed Tomography (CT) using the standardized American College of Radiology (ACR) CT accreditation phantom and patient images. Methods: Three levels of uncorrelated Gaussian noise were added to CT images of phantom and patients (20) acquired in static mode and respiratory tracking mode. We calculated the noise-power spectrum (NPS) of the original CT images of the phantom, and of the phantom images with added Gaussian noise with means of 50, 80, and 120 HU. Concurrently, on patient images (original and noise-added images),more » image features were calculated: 14 shape, 19 intensity (1st order statistics from intensity volume histograms), 18 GLCM features (2nd order statistics from grey level co-occurrence matrices) and 11 RLM features (2nd order statistics from run-length matrices). These features provide the underlying structural information of the images. GLCM (size 128x128) was calculated with a step size of 1 voxel in 13 directions and averaged. RLM feature calculation was performed in 13 directions with grey levels binning into 128 levels. Results: Adding the electronic noise to the images modified the quality of the NPS, shifting the noise from mostly correlated to mostly uncorrelated voxels. The dramatic increase in noise texture did not affect image structure/contours significantly for patient images. However, it did affect the image features and textures significantly as demonstrated by GLCM differences. Conclusion: Image features are sensitive to acquisition factors (simulated by adding uncorrelated Gaussian noise). We speculate that image features will be more difficult to detect in the presence of electronic noise (an uncorrelated noise contributor) or, for that matter, any other highly correlated image noise. This work focuses on the effect of electronic, uncorrelated, noise and future work shall examine the influence of changes in quantum noise on the features. J. Oliver was supported by NSF FGLSAMP BD award HRD #1139850 and the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship.« less

Feature maps driven no-reference image quality prediction of authentically distorted images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghadiyaram, Deepti; Bovik, Alan C.

2015-03-01

Current blind image quality prediction models rely on benchmark databases comprised of singly and synthetically distorted images, thereby learning image features that are only adequate to predict human perceived visual quality on such inauthentic distortions. However, real world images often contain complex mixtures of multiple distortions. Rather than a) discounting the effect of these mixtures of distortions on an image's perceptual quality and considering only the dominant distortion or b) using features that are only proven to be efficient for singly distorted images, we deeply study the natural scene statistics of authentically distorted images, in different color spaces and transform domains. We propose a feature-maps-driven statistical approach which avoids any latent assumptions about the type of distortion(s) contained in an image, and focuses instead on modeling the remarkable consistencies in the scene statistics of real world images in the absence of distortions. We design a deep belief network that takes model-based statistical image features derived from a very large database of authentically distorted images as input and discovers good feature representations by generalizing over different distortion types, mixtures, and severities, which are later used to learn a regressor for quality prediction. We demonstrate the remarkable competence of our features for improving automatic perceptual quality prediction on a benchmark database and on the newly designed LIVE Authentic Image Quality Challenge Database and show that our approach of combining robust statistical features and the deep belief network dramatically outperforms the state-of-the-art.

Phenology-based Spartina alterniflora mapping in coastal wetland of the Yangtze Estuary using time series of GaoFen satellite no. 1 wide field of view imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ai, Jinquan; Gao, Wei; Gao, Zhiqiang; Shi, Runhe; Zhang, Chao

2017-04-01

Spartina alterniflora is an aggressive invasive plant species that replaces native species, changes the structure and function of the ecosystem across coastal wetlands in China, and is thus a major conservation concern. Mapping the spread of its invasion is a necessary first step for the implementation of effective ecological management strategies. The performance of a phenology-based approach for S. alterniflora mapping is explored in the coastal wetland of the Yangtze Estuary using a time series of GaoFen satellite no. 1 wide field of view camera (GF-1 WFV) imagery. First, a time series of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was constructed to evaluate the phenology of S. alterniflora. Two phenological stages (the senescence stage from November to mid-December and the green-up stage from late April to May) were determined as important for S. alterniflora detection in the study area based on NDVI temporal profiles, spectral reflectance curves of S. alterniflora and its coexistent species, and field surveys. Three phenology feature sets representing three major phenology-based detection strategies were then compared to map S. alterniflora: (1) the single-date imagery acquired within the optimal phenological window, (2) the multitemporal imagery, including four images from the two important phenological windows, and (3) the monthly NDVI time series imagery. Support vector machines and maximum likelihood classifiers were applied on each phenology feature set at different training sample sizes. For all phenology feature sets, the overall results were produced consistently with high mapping accuracies under sufficient training samples sizes, although significantly improved classification accuracies (10%) were obtained when the monthly NDVI time series imagery was employed. The optimal single-date imagery had the lowest accuracies of all detection strategies. The multitemporal analysis demonstrated little reduction in the overall accuracy compared with the use of monthly NDVI time series imagery. These results show the importance of considering the phenological stage for image selection for mapping S. alterniflora using GF-1 WFV imagery. Furthermore, in light of the better tradeoff between the number of images and classification accuracy when using multitemporal GF-1 WFV imagery, we suggest using multitemporal imagery acquired at appropriate phenological windows for S. alterniflora mapping at regional scales.

Cyberbullying Bystanders and Moral Engagement: A Psychosocial Analysis for Pastoral Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyriacou, Chris; Zuin, Antônio

2018-01-01

One of the new challenges facing pastoral care in schools is dealing with the rapid growth of cyberbullying by school-aged children. Within digital cyberspace, cyberbullies are finding more opportunities to express their aggression towards others as social networks become technologically more sophisticated. An important feature of cyberbullying is…

Children's Narrative Accounts and Judgments of Their Own Peer-Exclusion Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wainryb, Cecilia; Komolova, Masha; Brehl, Beverly

2014-01-01

Although exclusion is commonly thought of as a form of relational or social aggression, it often reflects attempts at maintaining friendships, drawing group boundaries, and optimizing group functioning and can thus also be considered an inevitable feature of normative social interactions. This study examines the narrative accounts and judgments of…

Know a Baby Who Needs Help? Call ABC.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kromer, Megan E.

The booklet describes Project ABC (Any Baby Can), a model networking effort to promote coordinated services for disabled and high-risk infants in San Antonio, Texas. The model features a volunteer, grass-roots emphasis in an aggressive community awareness campaign with a long-term goal of improving the effectiveness of social services and health…

Preschoolers' Academic Readiness: What Role Does the Teacher-Child Relationship Play?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palermo, Francisco; Hanish, Laura D.; Martin, Carol Lynn; Fabes, Richard A.; Reiser, Mark

2007-01-01

We examined the role of the teacher-child relationship quality (close, dependent, and conflictive) on preschoolers' (N=95) academic readiness for kindergarten, and we tested children's prosocial and aggressive behavior and peer group exclusion as mediators of this relation. A unique feature of this study is the ethnically and socio-economically…

Forms of Fighting: A Micro-Social Analysis of Bullying and In-School Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malette, Nicole

2017-01-01

Current empirical research on youth bullying rarely asks students to describe their violent encounters. This practice conflates incidents of aggression that may actually have different forms and features. In this article I provide the results of a qualitative analysis of retrospective interviews with high school youth about their experiences of…

Teacher Merit Pay: Is It a Good Idea?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clabaugh, Gary K.

2009-01-01

President Obama's education agenda, which unhappily seems to be George W. Bush's program squared, contains two major features that will impact teacher pay and working conditions. The first is that charter schools are to be promoted aggressively. The second is an insistence on teacher merit pay. In this article, the author talks about teacher merit…

Targeting Social Skills Deficits in an Adolescent with Pervasive Developmental Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagopian, Louis P.; Kuhn, David E.; Strother, Geri E.

2009-01-01

Social skills deficits are a defining feature of individuals diagnosed with autism and other pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), which can impair functioning and put the individual at higher risk for developing problem behavior (e.g., self-injury, aggression). In the current study, an adolescent with PDD displayed inappropriate social…

Long-term survival in an adolescent with widely metastatic renal cell carcinoma with rhabdoid features.

PubMed

Ettinger, L J; Goodell, L A; Javidian, P; Hsieh, Y; Amenta, P

2000-01-01

Renal cell carcinoma is rarely seen in children and adolescents. Patients with widespread disease at diagnosis have a particularly poor survival rate. Currently, all known chemotherapy has been ineffective in improving the median survival in patients with advanced disease. A 13-year-old black boy with stage IV renal cell carcinoma with rhabdoid features is a long-term disease-free survivor after aggressive multiagent chemotherapy. After the initial evaluation and histologic diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma, the patient received three courses of an aggressive chemotherapy regimen consisting of vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide with mesna uroprotection, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and erythropoietin (Epogen). After an almost complete response, a radical nephrectomy was performed and results demonstrated a solitary small nodule with viable tumor. After surgery, he received floxuridine infusion for 14 days by circadian schedule at 28-day intervals for a total of 1 year. The patient is well and free of disease 5 years after initial presentation. The dramatic response to treatment and long-term disease-free survival of this patient suggest this chemotherapeutic approach warrants additional investigation.

Image segmentation-based robust feature extraction for color image watermarking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Mianjie; Deng, Zeyu; Yuan, Xiaochen

2018-04-01

This paper proposes a local digital image watermarking method based on Robust Feature Extraction. The segmentation is achieved by Simple Linear Iterative Clustering (SLIC) based on which an Image Segmentation-based Robust Feature Extraction (ISRFE) method is proposed for feature extraction. Our method can adaptively extract feature regions from the blocks segmented by SLIC. This novel method can extract the most robust feature region in every segmented image. Each feature region is decomposed into low-frequency domain and high-frequency domain by Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT). Watermark images are then embedded into the coefficients in the low-frequency domain. The Distortion-Compensated Dither Modulation (DC-DM) algorithm is chosen as the quantization method for embedding. The experimental results indicate that the method has good performance under various attacks. Furthermore, the proposed method can obtain a trade-off between high robustness and good image quality.

Infrared and Visual Image Fusion through Fuzzy Measure and Alternating Operators

PubMed Central

Bai, Xiangzhi

2015-01-01

The crucial problem of infrared and visual image fusion is how to effectively extract the image features, including the image regions and details and combine these features into the final fusion result to produce a clear fused image. To obtain an effective fusion result with clear image details, an algorithm for infrared and visual image fusion through the fuzzy measure and alternating operators is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the alternating operators constructed using the opening and closing based toggle operator are analyzed. Secondly, two types of the constructed alternating operators are used to extract the multi-scale features of the original infrared and visual images for fusion. Thirdly, the extracted multi-scale features are combined through the fuzzy measure-based weight strategy to form the final fusion features. Finally, the final fusion features are incorporated with the original infrared and visual images using the contrast enlargement strategy. All the experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm is effective for infrared and visual image fusion. PMID:26184229

Infrared and Visual Image Fusion through Fuzzy Measure and Alternating Operators.

PubMed

Bai, Xiangzhi

2015-07-15

The crucial problem of infrared and visual image fusion is how to effectively extract the image features, including the image regions and details and combine these features into the final fusion result to produce a clear fused image. To obtain an effective fusion result with clear image details, an algorithm for infrared and visual image fusion through the fuzzy measure and alternating operators is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the alternating operators constructed using the opening and closing based toggle operator are analyzed. Secondly, two types of the constructed alternating operators are used to extract the multi-scale features of the original infrared and visual images for fusion. Thirdly, the extracted multi-scale features are combined through the fuzzy measure-based weight strategy to form the final fusion features. Finally, the final fusion features are incorporated with the original infrared and visual images using the contrast enlargement strategy. All the experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm is effective for infrared and visual image fusion.

Classification of fresh and frozen-thawed pork muscles using visible and near infrared hyperspectral imaging and textural analysis.

PubMed

Pu, Hongbin; Sun, Da-Wen; Ma, Ji; Cheng, Jun-Hu

2015-01-01

The potential of visible and near infrared hyperspectral imaging was investigated as a rapid and nondestructive technique for classifying fresh and frozen-thawed meats by integrating critical spectral and image features extracted from hyperspectral images in the region of 400-1000 nm. Six feature wavelengths (400, 446, 477, 516, 592 and 686 nm) were identified using uninformative variable elimination and successive projections algorithm. Image textural features of the principal component images from hyperspectral images were obtained using histogram statistics (HS), gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) and gray level-gradient co-occurrence matrix (GLGCM). By these spectral and textural features, probabilistic neural network (PNN) models for classification of fresh and frozen-thawed pork meats were established. Compared with the models using the optimum wavelengths only, optimum wavelengths with HS image features, and optimum wavelengths with GLCM image features, the model integrating optimum wavelengths with GLGCM gave the highest classification rate of 93.14% and 90.91% for calibration and validation sets, respectively. Results indicated that the classification accuracy can be improved by combining spectral features with textural features and the fusion of critical spectral and textural features had better potential than single spectral extraction in classifying fresh and frozen-thawed pork meat. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical utility of eco-color-power Doppler ultrasonography and contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for interpretation and quantification of joint synovitis: a review.

PubMed

Carotti, Marina; Galeazzi, Vittoria; Catucci, Francesca; Zappia, Marcello; Arrigoni, Francesco; Barile, Antonio; Giovagnoni, Andrea

2018-01-19

With the introduction of new biologics such as anti-TNF-alpha antibodies and other therapies in the treatment of inflammatory arthritis, capable of halting joint destruction and functional disability, there are new pressures on diagnostic and prognostic imaging. Early demonstration of pre-erosive inflammatory features and monitoring of the long-term effects of treatment are becoming increasingly important. Early detection of synovitis offers advantages in terms of allowing early instigation of therapy and may allow the identification of those patients displaying more aggressive disease who might benefit from early intervention with expensive DMARD therapy. Advanced imaging techniques such as ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have focussed on the demonstration and quantification of synovitis and allow early diagnosis of inflammatory arthropathies such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Synovitis represents a potential surrogate measure of disease activity that can be monitored using either MRI or US; the techniques have, generally, focused on monitoring synovial volume or quality as assessed by its vascularity. However to achieve these goals, standardisation and validation of US and MRI are required to ensure accurate diagnosis, reproducibility and reliability. Each modality has different strengths and weaknesses and levels of validation. This article aims to increase the awareness of radiologists and rheumatologists about this field and to encourage them to participate and contribute to the ongoing development of these modalities. Without this collaboration, it is unlikely that these modalities will reach their full potential in the field of rheumatological imaging. This review is in two parts. The first part addresses the role of US and colour or power Doppler sonography (PDUS) in the detection and monitoring of synovitis in inflammatory arthropathies. The second part will look at advanced MR imaging and Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI techniques and in particular how they are applied to the monitoring of the disease process.

Fusion of infrared polarization and intensity images based on improved toggle operator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Pan; Ding, Lei; Ma, Xiaoqing; Huang, Zhanhua

2018-01-01

Integration of infrared polarization and intensity images has been a new topic in infrared image understanding and interpretation. The abundant infrared details and target from infrared image and the salient edge and shape information from polarization image should be preserved or even enhanced in the fused result. In this paper, a new fusion method is proposed for infrared polarization and intensity images based on the improved multi-scale toggle operator with spatial scale, which can effectively extract the feature information of source images and heavily reduce redundancy among different scale. Firstly, the multi-scale image features of infrared polarization and intensity images are respectively extracted at different scale levels by the improved multi-scale toggle operator. Secondly, the redundancy of the features among different scales is reduced by using spatial scale. Thirdly, the final image features are combined by simply adding all scales of feature images together, and a base image is calculated by performing mean value weighted method on smoothed source images. Finally, the fusion image is obtained by importing the combined image features into the base image with a suitable strategy. Both objective assessment and subjective vision of the experimental results indicate that the proposed method obtains better performance in preserving the details and edge information as well as improving the image contrast.

Method for the reduction of image content redundancy in large image databases

DOEpatents

Tobin, Kenneth William; Karnowski, Thomas P.

2010-03-02

A method of increasing information content for content-based image retrieval (CBIR) systems includes the steps of providing a CBIR database, the database having an index for a plurality of stored digital images using a plurality of feature vectors, the feature vectors corresponding to distinct descriptive characteristics of the images. A visual similarity parameter value is calculated based on a degree of visual similarity between features vectors of an incoming image being considered for entry into the database and feature vectors associated with a most similar of the stored images. Based on said visual similarity parameter value it is determined whether to store or how long to store the feature vectors associated with the incoming image in the database.

A natural-color mapping for single-band night-time image based on FPGA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yilun; Qian, Yunsheng

2018-01-01

A natural-color mapping for single-band night-time image method based on FPGA can transmit the color of the reference image to single-band night-time image, which is consistent with human visual habits and can help observers identify the target. This paper introduces the processing of the natural-color mapping algorithm based on FPGA. Firstly, the image can be transformed based on histogram equalization, and the intensity features and standard deviation features of reference image are stored in SRAM. Then, the real-time digital images' intensity features and standard deviation features are calculated by FPGA. At last, FPGA completes the color mapping through matching pixels between images using the features in luminance channel.

Aggressive driving video and non-contact enforcement (ADVANCE): drivers' reaction to violation notices : summary of survey results

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-01-01

ADVANCE is an integration of state of the practice, off-the-shelf technologies which include video, speed measurement, distance measurement, and digital imaging that detects UDAs in the traffic stream and subsequently notifies violators by ma...

About CIB | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

The Consortium was created to improve cancer screening, early detection of aggressive cancer, assessment of cancer risk and cancer diagnosis aimed at integrating multi-modality imaging strategies and multiplexed biomarker methodologies into a singular complementary approach. Investigator perform collaborative studies, exchange information, share knowledge and leverage common

The relationship study between image features and detection probability based on psychology experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Wei; Chen, Yu-hua; Wang, Ji-yuan; Gao, Hong-sheng; Wang, Ji-jun; Su, Rong-hua; Mao, Wei

2011-04-01

Detection probability is an important index to represent and estimate target viability, which provides basis for target recognition and decision-making. But it will expend a mass of time and manpower to obtain detection probability in reality. At the same time, due to the different interpretation of personnel practice knowledge and experience, a great difference will often exist in the datum obtained. By means of studying the relationship between image features and perception quantity based on psychology experiments, the probability model has been established, in which the process is as following.Firstly, four image features have been extracted and quantified, which affect directly detection. Four feature similarity degrees between target and background were defined. Secondly, the relationship between single image feature similarity degree and perception quantity was set up based on psychological principle, and psychological experiments of target interpretation were designed which includes about five hundred people for interpretation and two hundred images. In order to reduce image features correlativity, a lot of artificial synthesis images have been made which include images with single brightness feature difference, images with single chromaticity feature difference, images with single texture feature difference and images with single shape feature difference. By analyzing and fitting a mass of experiments datum, the model quantitys have been determined. Finally, by applying statistical decision theory and experimental results, the relationship between perception quantity with target detection probability has been found. With the verification of a great deal of target interpretation in practice, the target detection probability can be obtained by the model quickly and objectively.

Enhancing facial features by using clear facial features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rofoo, Fanar Fareed Hanna

2017-09-01

The similarity of features between individuals of same ethnicity motivated the idea of this project. The idea of this project is to extract features of clear facial image and impose them on blurred facial image of same ethnic origin as an approach to enhance a blurred facial image. A database of clear images containing 30 individuals equally divided to five different ethnicities which were Arab, African, Chines, European and Indian. Software was built to perform pre-processing on images in order to align the features of clear and blurred images. And the idea was to extract features of clear facial image or template built from clear facial images using wavelet transformation to impose them on blurred image by using reverse wavelet. The results of this approach did not come well as all the features did not align together as in most cases the eyes were aligned but the nose or mouth were not aligned. Then we decided in the next approach to deal with features separately but in the result in some cases a blocky effect was present on features due to not having close matching features. In general the available small database did not help to achieve the goal results, because of the number of available individuals. The color information and features similarity could be more investigated to achieve better results by having larger database as well as improving the process of enhancement by the availability of closer matches in each ethnicity.

Mediation of the Relationship Between Callous-Unemotional Traits and Proactive Aggression by Amygdala Response to Fear Among Children With Conduct Problems

PubMed Central

Lozier, Leah M.; Cardinale, Elise M.; VanMeter, John W.; Marsh, Abigail A.

2015-01-01

Importance Among youths with conduct problems, callous-unemotional (CU) traits are known to be an important determinant of symptom severity, prognosis, and treatment responsiveness. But positive correlations between conduct problems and CU traits result in suppressor effects that may mask important neurobiological distinctions among subgroups of children with conduct problems. Objective To assess the unique neurobiological covariates of CU traits and externalizing behaviors in youths with conduct problems and determine whether neural dysfunction linked to CU traits mediates the link between callousness and proactive aggression. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional case-control study involved behavioral testing and neuroimaging that were conducted at a university research institution. Neuroimaging was conducted using a 3-T Siemens magnetic resonance imaging scanner. It included 46 community-recruited male and female juveniles aged 10 to 17 years, including 16 healthy control participants and 30 youths with conduct problems with both low and high levels of CU traits. Main Outcomes and Measures Blood oxygenation level–dependent signal as measured via functional magnetic resonance imaging during an implicit face-emotion processing task and analyzed using whole-brain and region of interest–based analysis of variance and multiple-regression analyses. Results Analysis of variance revealed no group differences in the amygdala. By contrast, consistent with the existence of suppressor effects, multiple-regression analysis found amygdala responses to fearful expressions to be negatively associated with CU traits (x = 26, y = 0, z = −12; k = 1) and positively associated with externalizing behavior (x = 24, y = 0, z = −14; k = 8) when both variables were modeled simultaneously. Reduced amygdala responses mediated the relationship between CU traits and proactive aggression. Conclusions and Relevance The results linked proactive aggression in youths with CU traits to hypoactive amygdala responses to emotional distress cues, consistent with theories that externalizing behaviors, particularly proactive aggression, in youths with these traits stem from deficient empathic responses to distress. Amygdala hypoactivity may represent an intermediate phenotype, offering new insights into effective treatment strategies for conduct problems. PMID:24671141

[Image Feature Extraction and Discriminant Analysis of Xinjiang Uygur Medicine Based on Color Histogram].

PubMed

Hamit, Murat; Yun, Weikang; Yan, Chuanbo; Kutluk, Abdugheni; Fang, Yang; Alip, Elzat

2015-06-01

Image feature extraction is an important part of image processing and it is an important field of research and application of image processing technology. Uygur medicine is one of Chinese traditional medicine and researchers pay more attention to it. But large amounts of Uygur medicine data have not been fully utilized. In this study, we extracted the image color histogram feature of herbal and zooid medicine of Xinjiang Uygur. First, we did preprocessing, including image color enhancement, size normalizition and color space transformation. Then we extracted color histogram feature and analyzed them with statistical method. And finally, we evaluated the classification ability of features by Bayes discriminant analysis. Experimental results showed that high accuracy for Uygur medicine image classification was obtained by using color histogram feature. This study would have a certain help for the content-based medical image retrieval for Xinjiang Uygur medicine.

Decomposition and extraction: a new framework for visual classification.

PubMed

Fang, Yuqiang; Chen, Qiang; Sun, Lin; Dai, Bin; Yan, Shuicheng

2014-08-01

In this paper, we present a novel framework for visual classification based on hierarchical image decomposition and hybrid midlevel feature extraction. Unlike most midlevel feature learning methods, which focus on the process of coding or pooling, we emphasize that the mechanism of image composition also strongly influences the feature extraction. To effectively explore the image content for the feature extraction, we model a multiplicity feature representation mechanism through meaningful hierarchical image decomposition followed by a fusion step. In particularly, we first propose a new hierarchical image decomposition approach in which each image is decomposed into a series of hierarchical semantical components, i.e, the structure and texture images. Then, different feature extraction schemes can be adopted to match the decomposed structure and texture processes in a dissociative manner. Here, two schemes are explored to produce property related feature representations. One is based on a single-stage network over hand-crafted features and the other is based on a multistage network, which can learn features from raw pixels automatically. Finally, those multiple midlevel features are incorporated by solving a multiple kernel learning task. Extensive experiments are conducted on several challenging data sets for visual classification, and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Identification of appropriate patients for cardiometabolic risk management.

PubMed

Peters, Anne L

2007-01-01

Patients at increased risk for cardiovascular disease have a wide array of clinical features that should alert practitioners to the need for risk reduction. Some, but not all, of these features relate to insulin resistance. Multiple approaches exist for diagnosing and defining this risk, including the traditional Framingham risk assessment, various definitions of the metabolic syndrome, and assessment of risk factors not commonly included in the standard criteria. This article reviews the many clinical findings that should alert healthcare providers to the need for aggressive cardiovascular risk reduction.

Social deficits and perseverative behaviors, but not overt aggression, in MAO-A hypomorphic mice.

PubMed

Bortolato, Marco; Chen, Kevin; Godar, Sean C; Chen, Gao; Wu, Weihua; Rebrin, Igor; Farrell, Mollee R; Scott, Anna L; Wellman, Cara L; Shih, Jean C

2011-12-01

Monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A is a key enzyme for the degradation of brain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE). In humans and mice, total MAO-A deficiency results in high 5-HT and NE levels, as well as elevated reactive aggression. Here we report the generation of MAO-A(Neo) mice, a novel line of hypomorphic MAO-A mutants featuring the insertion of a floxed neomycin-resistance cassette in intron-12 of the Maoa gene. This construct resulted in a chimeric, non-functional variant of the Maoa-Neo transcript, with a truncated C-terminus, likely due to aberrant splicing; these deficits notwithstanding, small amounts of functional Maoa transcript were found in the brain of MAO-A(Neo) mice. In the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, MAO-A(Neo) mice showed low, yet detectable, MAO-A catalytic activity, as well as 5-HT levels equivalent to WT littermates; conversely, the hippocampus and midbrain of MAO-A(Neo) mice featured a neurochemical profile akin to MAO-A-knockout (KO) mice, with undetectable MAO-A activity and high 5-HT concentrations. MAO-A(Neo) mice showed significant increases in dendritic length in the pyramidal neurons of orbitofrontal cortex, but not basolateral amygdala, in comparison with WT littermates; by contrast, the orbitofrontal cortex of MAO-A KO mice showed significant reductions in basilar dendritic length, as well as a profound increase in apical dendritic length. MAO-A(Neo) mice showed a unique set of behavioral abnormalities, encompassing reduced open-field locomotion, perseverative responses, such as marble burying and water mist-induced grooming, and a lack of anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus-maze and light-dark box paradigms. Notably, whereas MAO-A(Neo) and KO mice showed significant reductions in social interaction, only the latter genotype showed increases in resident-intruder aggression. Taken together, our findings indicate that MAO A hypomorphism results in behavioral and morphological alterations distinct from those featured by MAO-A KO mice.

IL-33 overexpression reflects less aggressive tumour features in large-duct type cholangiocarcinomas.

PubMed

Sawada, Ryuichiro; Ku, Yuna; Akita, Masayuki; Otani, Kyoko; Fujikura, Kohei; Itoh, Tomoo; Ajiki, Tetsuo; Fukumoto, Takumi; Kakeji, Yoshihiro; Zen, Yoh

2018-04-19

The present study aimed to elucidate the clinicopathological significance of IL-6 and IL-33 expression in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (iCCAs) and perihilar cholangiocarcinomas (pCCAs). IL-6 and IL-33 mRNA expression was examined in iCCAs (n=55) and pCCAs (n=32) using quantitative real-time PCR and a highly sensitive in situ hybridization protocol (RNAscope ® ), and expression values were correlated with clinicopathological features. According to a recently proposed classification scheme, iCCAs were separated into small- (n=33) and large-duct types (n=22). IL-6 and IL-33 expression levels were higher in large-duct iCCAs and pCCAs than in small-duct iCCAs, with a positive correlation between the values of these cytokines. In double in situ hybridization/immunostaining, IL-6 mRNA was expressed in actin-positive (myo)fibroblasts, while IL-33 was mainly produced by CD31-positive endothelial cells. Based on the average expression value as a cut-off point, cases were classified as IL-6 high and IL-6 low or IL-33 high and IL-33 low . In the combined cohort of large-duct iCCAs and pCCAs, IL-6 high and IL-6 low cholangiocarcinomas shared many features, while IL-33 high cases had less aggressive characteristics than IL-33 low cases as evidenced by lower tumour marker concentrations, smaller tumour sizes, less common vascular invasion, lower pT stages, and higher lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratios in blood. KRAS mutations were slightly less common in IL-33 high cases than in IL-33 low cancers (9% vs 29%; p=0.061). The strong expression of IL-33 in tissue appeared to be an independent favourable prognostic factor. IL-33 high cholangiocarcinomas may represent a unique, less aggressive carcinogenetic process of the large bile ducts. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Image feature detection and extraction techniques performance evaluation for development of panorama under different light conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patil, Venkat P.; Gohatre, Umakant B.

2018-04-01

The technique of obtaining a wider field-of-view of an image to get high resolution integrated image is normally required for development of panorama of a photographic images or scene from a sequence of part of multiple views. There are various image stitching methods developed recently. For image stitching five basic steps are adopted stitching which are Feature detection and extraction, Image registration, computing homography, image warping and Blending. This paper provides review of some of the existing available image feature detection and extraction techniques and image stitching algorithms by categorizing them into several methods. For each category, the basic concepts are first described and later on the necessary modifications made to the fundamental concepts by different researchers are elaborated. This paper also highlights about the some of the fundamental techniques for the process of photographic image feature detection and extraction methods under various illumination conditions. The Importance of Image stitching is applicable in the various fields such as medical imaging, astrophotography and computer vision. For comparing performance evaluation of the techniques used for image features detection three methods are considered i.e. ORB, SURF, HESSIAN and time required for input images feature detection is measured. Results obtained finally concludes that for daylight condition, ORB algorithm found better due to the fact that less tome is required for more features extracted where as for images under night light condition it shows that SURF detector performs better than ORB/HESSIAN detectors.

Computer-aided prognosis on breast cancer with hematoxylin and eosin histopathology images: A review.

PubMed

Chen, Jia-Mei; Li, Yan; Xu, Jun; Gong, Lei; Wang, Lin-Wei; Liu, Wen-Lou; Liu, Juan

2017-03-01

With the advance of digital pathology, image analysis has begun to show its advantages in information analysis of hematoxylin and eosin histopathology images. Generally, histological features in hematoxylin and eosin images are measured to evaluate tumor grade and prognosis for breast cancer. This review summarized recent works in image analysis of hematoxylin and eosin histopathology images for breast cancer prognosis. First, prognostic factors for breast cancer based on hematoxylin and eosin histopathology images were summarized. Then, usual procedures of image analysis for breast cancer prognosis were systematically reviewed, including image acquisition, image preprocessing, image detection and segmentation, and feature extraction. Finally, the prognostic value of image features and image feature-based prognostic models was evaluated. Moreover, we discussed the issues of current analysis, and some directions for future research.

Poor prognosis in non-villous splenic marginal zone cell lymphoma is associated with p53 mutations.

PubMed

Baldini, L; Guffanti, A; Cro, L; Fracchiolla, N S; Colombi, M; Motta, M; Maiolo, A T; Neri, A

1997-11-01

We have recently reported a series of 15 non-villous splenic marginal zone lymphoma patients, six of whom showed p53 mutations (40%). This molecular alteration did not correlate with any particular clinico-pathologic feature at diagnosis. After a median follow-up of 56 months, four cases evolved into aggressive fatal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and two had refractory progressive disease; interestingly, p53 mutations were demonstrated in five of these patients at diagnosis. As the patients with wild-type p53 presented responsive or indolent disease, this genetic alteration may be an early marker of aggressive transformation or refractoriness. p53 evaluation at diagnosis could be advisable in this particular subset of NHL.

Enhancement of morphological and vascular features in OCT images using a modified Bayesian residual transform

PubMed Central

Tan, Bingyao; Wong, Alexander; Bizheva, Kostadinka

2018-01-01

A novel image processing algorithm based on a modified Bayesian residual transform (MBRT) was developed for the enhancement of morphological and vascular features in optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) images. The MBRT algorithm decomposes the original OCT image into multiple residual images, where each image presents information at a unique scale. Scale selective residual adaptation is used subsequently to enhance morphological features of interest, such as blood vessels and tissue layers, and to suppress irrelevant image features such as noise and motion artefacts. The performance of the proposed MBRT algorithm was tested on a series of cross-sectional and enface OCT and OCTA images of retina and brain tissue that were acquired in-vivo. Results show that the MBRT reduces speckle noise and motion-related imaging artefacts locally, thus improving significantly the contrast and visibility of morphological features in the OCT and OCTA images. PMID:29760996

Quantitative imaging features: extension of the oncology medical image database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, M. N.; Looney, P. T.; Young, K. C.; Halling-Brown, M. D.

2015-03-01

Radiological imaging is fundamental within the healthcare industry and has become routinely adopted for diagnosis, disease monitoring and treatment planning. With the advent of digital imaging modalities and the rapid growth in both diagnostic and therapeutic imaging, the ability to be able to harness this large influx of data is of paramount importance. The Oncology Medical Image Database (OMI-DB) was created to provide a centralized, fully annotated dataset for research. The database contains both processed and unprocessed images, associated data, and annotations and where applicable expert determined ground truths describing features of interest. Medical imaging provides the ability to detect and localize many changes that are important to determine whether a disease is present or a therapy is effective by depicting alterations in anatomic, physiologic, biochemical or molecular processes. Quantitative imaging features are sensitive, specific, accurate and reproducible imaging measures of these changes. Here, we describe an extension to the OMI-DB whereby a range of imaging features and descriptors are pre-calculated using a high throughput approach. The ability to calculate multiple imaging features and data from the acquired images would be valuable and facilitate further research applications investigating detection, prognosis, and classification. The resultant data store contains more than 10 million quantitative features as well as features derived from CAD predictions. Theses data can be used to build predictive models to aid image classification, treatment response assessment as well as to identify prognostic imaging biomarkers.

A standardised protocol for texture feature analysis of endoscopic images in gynaecological cancer.

PubMed

Neofytou, Marios S; Tanos, Vasilis; Pattichis, Marios S; Pattichis, Constantinos S; Kyriacou, Efthyvoulos C; Koutsouris, Dimitris D

2007-11-29

In the development of tissue classification methods, classifiers rely on significant differences between texture features extracted from normal and abnormal regions. Yet, significant differences can arise due to variations in the image acquisition method. For endoscopic imaging of the endometrium, we propose a standardized image acquisition protocol to eliminate significant statistical differences due to variations in: (i) the distance from the tissue (panoramic vs close up), (ii) difference in viewing angles and (iii) color correction. We investigate texture feature variability for a variety of targets encountered in clinical endoscopy. All images were captured at clinically optimum illumination and focus using 720 x 576 pixels and 24 bits color for: (i) a variety of testing targets from a color palette with a known color distribution, (ii) different viewing angles, (iv) two different distances from a calf endometrial and from a chicken cavity. Also, human images from the endometrium were captured and analysed. For texture feature analysis, three different sets were considered: (i) Statistical Features (SF), (ii) Spatial Gray Level Dependence Matrices (SGLDM), and (iii) Gray Level Difference Statistics (GLDS). All images were gamma corrected and the extracted texture feature values were compared against the texture feature values extracted from the uncorrected images. Statistical tests were applied to compare images from different viewing conditions so as to determine any significant differences. For the proposed acquisition procedure, results indicate that there is no significant difference in texture features between the panoramic and close up views and between angles. For a calibrated target image, gamma correction provided an acquired image that was a significantly better approximation to the original target image. In turn, this implies that the texture features extracted from the corrected images provided for better approximations to the original images. Within the proposed protocol, for human ROIs, we have found that there is a large number of texture features that showed significant differences between normal and abnormal endometrium. This study provides a standardized protocol for avoiding any significant texture feature differences that may arise due to variability in the acquisition procedure or the lack of color correction. After applying the protocol, we have found that significant differences in texture features will only be due to the fact that the features were extracted from different types of tissue (normal vs abnormal).

MR imaging features associated with distant metastasis-free survival of patients with invasive breast cancer: a case-control study.

PubMed

Song, Sung Eun; Shin, Sung Ui; Moon, Hyeong-Gon; Ryu, Han Suk; Kim, Kwangsoo; Moon, Woo Kyung

2017-04-01

Preoperative breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features of primary breast cancers may have the potential to act as prognostic biomarkers by providing morphologic and kinetic features representing inter- or intra-tumor heterogeneity. Recent radiogenomic studies reveal that several radiologist-annotated image features are associated with genes or signal pathways involved in tumor progression, treatment resistance, and distant metastasis (DM). We investigate whether preoperative breast MR imaging features are associated with worse DM-free survival in patients with invasive breast cancer. Of the 3536 patients with primary breast cancers who underwent preoperative MR imaging between 2003 and 2009, 147 patients with DM were identified and one-to-one matched with control patients (n = 147) without DM according to clinical-pathologic variables. Three radiologists independently reviewed the MR images of 294 patients, and the association of DM-free survival with MR imaging and clinical-pathologic features was assessed using Cox proportional hazard models. Of MR imaging features, rim enhancement (hazard ratio [HR], 1.83 [95% confidence interval, CI 1.29, 2.51]; p = 0.001) and peritumoral edema (HR, 1.48 [95% CI 1.03, 2.11]; p = 0.032) were the significant features associated with worse DM-free survival. The significant MR imaging features, however, were different between breast cancer subtypes and stages. Preoperative breast MR imaging features of rim enhancement and peritumoral edema may be used as prognostic biomarkers that help predict DM risk in patients with breast cancer, thereby potentially enabling improved personalized treatment and monitoring strategies for individual patients.

Adapting Local Features for Face Detection in Thermal Image.

PubMed

Ma, Chao; Trung, Ngo Thanh; Uchiyama, Hideaki; Nagahara, Hajime; Shimada, Atsushi; Taniguchi, Rin-Ichiro

2017-11-27

A thermal camera captures the temperature distribution of a scene as a thermal image. In thermal images, facial appearances of different people under different lighting conditions are similar. This is because facial temperature distribution is generally constant and not affected by lighting condition. This similarity in face appearances is advantageous for face detection. To detect faces in thermal images, cascade classifiers with Haar-like features are generally used. However, there are few studies exploring the local features for face detection in thermal images. In this paper, we introduce two approaches relying on local features for face detection in thermal images. First, we create new feature types by extending Multi-Block LBP. We consider a margin around the reference and the generally constant distribution of facial temperature. In this way, we make the features more robust to image noise and more effective for face detection in thermal images. Second, we propose an AdaBoost-based training method to get cascade classifiers with multiple types of local features. These feature types have different advantages. In this way we enhance the description power of local features. We did a hold-out validation experiment and a field experiment. In the hold-out validation experiment, we captured a dataset from 20 participants, comprising 14 males and 6 females. For each participant, we captured 420 images with 10 variations in camera distance, 21 poses, and 2 appearances (participant with/without glasses). We compared the performance of cascade classifiers trained by different sets of the features. The experiment results showed that the proposed approaches effectively improve the performance of face detection in thermal images. In the field experiment, we compared the face detection performance in realistic scenes using thermal and RGB images, and gave discussion based on the results.

Generating description with multi-feature fusion and saliency maps of image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lisha; Ding, Yuxuan; Tian, Chunna; Yuan, Bo

2018-04-01

Generating description for an image can be regard as visual understanding. It is across artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing and many other areas. In this paper, we present a model that generates description for images based on RNN (recurrent neural network) with object attention and multi-feature of images. The deep recurrent neural networks have excellent performance in machine translation, so we use it to generate natural sentence description for images. The proposed method uses single CNN (convolution neural network) that is trained on ImageNet to extract image features. But we think it can not adequately contain the content in images, it may only focus on the object area of image. So we add scene information to image feature using CNN which is trained on Places205. Experiments show that model with multi-feature extracted by two CNNs perform better than which with a single feature. In addition, we make saliency weights on images to emphasize the salient objects in images. We evaluate our model on MSCOCO based on public metrics, and the results show that our model performs better than several state-of-the-art methods.

Detecting Image Splicing Using Merged Features in Chroma Space

PubMed Central

Liu, Guangjie; Dai, Yuewei

2014-01-01

Image splicing is an image editing method to copy a part of an image and paste it onto another image, and it is commonly followed by postprocessing such as local/global blurring, compression, and resizing. To detect this kind of forgery, the image rich models, a feature set successfully used in the steganalysis is evaluated on the splicing image dataset at first, and the dominant submodel is selected as the first kind of feature. The selected feature and the DCT Markov features are used together to detect splicing forgery in the chroma channel, which is convinced effective in splicing detection. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method can detect splicing forgeries with lower error rate compared to the previous literature. PMID:24574877

Detecting image splicing using merged features in chroma space.

PubMed

Xu, Bo; Liu, Guangjie; Dai, Yuewei

2014-01-01

Image splicing is an image editing method to copy a part of an image and paste it onto another image, and it is commonly followed by postprocessing such as local/global blurring, compression, and resizing. To detect this kind of forgery, the image rich models, a feature set successfully used in the steganalysis is evaluated on the splicing image dataset at first, and the dominant submodel is selected as the first kind of feature. The selected feature and the DCT Markov features are used together to detect splicing forgery in the chroma channel, which is convinced effective in splicing detection. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method can detect splicing forgeries with lower error rate compared to the previous literature.

Content-based cell pathology image retrieval by combining different features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Guangquan; Jiang, Lu; Luo, Limin; Bao, Xudong; Shu, Huazhong

2004-04-01

Content Based Color Cell Pathology Image Retrieval is one of the newest computer image processing applications in medicine. Recently, some algorithms have been developed to achieve this goal. Because of the particularity of cell pathology images, the result of the image retrieval based on single characteristic is not satisfactory. A new method for pathology image retrieval by combining color, texture and morphologic features to search cell images is proposed. Firstly, nucleus regions of leukocytes in images are automatically segmented by K-mean clustering method. Then single leukocyte region is detected by utilizing thresholding algorithm segmentation and mathematics morphology. The features that include color, texture and morphologic features are extracted from single leukocyte to represent main attribute in the search query. The features are then normalized because the numerical value range and physical meaning of extracted features are different. Finally, the relevance feedback system is introduced. So that the system can automatically adjust the weights of different features and improve the results of retrieval system according to the feedback information. Retrieval results using the proposed method fit closely with human perception and are better than those obtained with the methods based on single feature.

Robust image features: concentric contrasting circles and their image extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatrell, Lance B.; Hoff, William A.; Sklair, Cheryl W.

1992-03-01

Many computer vision tasks can be simplified if special image features are placed on the objects to be recognized. A review of special image features that have been used in the past is given and then a new image feature, the concentric contrasting circle, is presented. The concentric contrasting circle image feature has the advantages of being easily manufactured, easily extracted from the image, robust extraction (true targets are found, while few false targets are found), it is a passive feature, and its centroid is completely invariant to the three translational and one rotational degrees of freedom and nearly invariant to the remaining two rotational degrees of freedom. There are several examples of existing parallel implementations which perform most of the extraction work. Extraction robustness was measured by recording the probability of correct detection and the false alarm rate in a set of images of scenes containing mockups of satellites, fluid couplings, and electrical components. A typical application of concentric contrasting circle features is to place them on modeled objects for monocular pose estimation or object identification. This feature is demonstrated on a visually challenging background of a specular but wrinkled surface similar to a multilayered insulation spacecraft thermal blanket.

Efficient and robust model-to-image alignment using 3D scale-invariant features.

PubMed

Toews, Matthew; Wells, William M

2013-04-01

This paper presents feature-based alignment (FBA), a general method for efficient and robust model-to-image alignment. Volumetric images, e.g. CT scans of the human body, are modeled probabilistically as a collage of 3D scale-invariant image features within a normalized reference space. Features are incorporated as a latent random variable and marginalized out in computing a maximum a posteriori alignment solution. The model is learned from features extracted in pre-aligned training images, then fit to features extracted from a new image to identify a globally optimal locally linear alignment solution. Novel techniques are presented for determining local feature orientation and efficiently encoding feature intensity in 3D. Experiments involving difficult magnetic resonance (MR) images of the human brain demonstrate FBA achieves alignment accuracy similar to widely-used registration methods, while requiring a fraction of the memory and computation resources and offering a more robust, globally optimal solution. Experiments on CT human body scans demonstrate FBA as an effective system for automatic human body alignment where other alignment methods break down. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficient and Robust Model-to-Image Alignment using 3D Scale-Invariant Features

PubMed Central

Toews, Matthew; Wells, William M.

2013-01-01

This paper presents feature-based alignment (FBA), a general method for efficient and robust model-to-image alignment. Volumetric images, e.g. CT scans of the human body, are modeled probabilistically as a collage of 3D scale-invariant image features within a normalized reference space. Features are incorporated as a latent random variable and marginalized out in computing a maximum a-posteriori alignment solution. The model is learned from features extracted in pre-aligned training images, then fit to features extracted from a new image to identify a globally optimal locally linear alignment solution. Novel techniques are presented for determining local feature orientation and efficiently encoding feature intensity in 3D. Experiments involving difficult magnetic resonance (MR) images of the human brain demonstrate FBA achieves alignment accuracy similar to widely-used registration methods, while requiring a fraction of the memory and computation resources and offering a more robust, globally optimal solution. Experiments on CT human body scans demonstrate FBA as an effective system for automatic human body alignment where other alignment methods break down. PMID:23265799

Relation between childhood maltreatment and severe intrafamilial male-perpetrated physical violence in Chinese community: the mediating role of borderline and antisocial personality disorder features.

PubMed

Liu, Na; Zhang, Yalin; Brady, Heward John; Cao, Yuping; He, Ying; Zhang, Yingli

2012-01-01

This study investigates the role of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) features as mediators of the effects of childhood maltreatment on severe intrafamilial physical violence amongst Chinese male perpetrators. A cross-sectional survey and face-to-face interview were conducted to examine childhood maltreatment, personality disorder features, impulsivity, aggression, and severe intrafamilial physical violence in a community sample of 206 abusive men in China. The results suggest that ASPD or BPD features mediate between childhood maltreatment and intimate partner violence perpetration in Chinese abusive men. These findings may yield clinical and forensic implications for assessing the psychopathology of abusive men, and may steer the intervention of intimate partner violence. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Image Registration Algorithm Based on Parallax Constraint and Clustering Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhe; Dong, Min; Mu, Xiaomin; Wang, Song

2018-01-01

To resolve the problem of slow computation speed and low matching accuracy in image registration, a new image registration algorithm based on parallax constraint and clustering analysis is proposed. Firstly, Harris corner detection algorithm is used to extract the feature points of two images. Secondly, use Normalized Cross Correlation (NCC) function to perform the approximate matching of feature points, and the initial feature pair is obtained. Then, according to the parallax constraint condition, the initial feature pair is preprocessed by K-means clustering algorithm, which is used to remove the feature point pairs with obvious errors in the approximate matching process. Finally, adopt Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm to optimize the feature points to obtain the final feature point matching result, and the fast and accurate image registration is realized. The experimental results show that the image registration algorithm proposed in this paper can improve the accuracy of the image matching while ensuring the real-time performance of the algorithm.

Comparison of CT enterography and MR enterography imaging features of active Crohn disease in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Gale, Heather I; Sharatz, Steven M; Taphey, Mayureewan; Bradley, William F; Nimkin, Katherine; Gee, Michael S

2017-09-01

Assessment for active Crohn disease by CT enterography and MR enterography relies on identifying mural and perienteric imaging features. To evaluate the performance of established imaging features of active Crohn disease in children and adolescents on CT and MR enterography compared with histological reference. We included patients ages 18 years and younger who underwent either CT or MR enterography from 2007 to 2014 and had endoscopic biopsy within 28 days of imaging. Two pediatric radiologists blinded to the histological results reviewed imaging studies and scored the bowel for the presence or absence of mural features (wall thickening >3 mm, mural hyperenhancement) and perienteric features (mesenteric hypervascularity, edema, fibrofatty proliferation and lymphadenopathy) of active disease. We performed univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression to compare imaging features with histological reference. We evaluated 452 bowel segments (135 from CT enterography, 317 from MR enterography) from 84 patients. Mural imaging features had the highest association with active inflammation both for MR enterography (wall thickening had 80% accuracy, 69% sensitivity and 91% specificity; mural hyperenhancement had 78%, 53% and 96%, respectively) and CT enterography (wall thickening had 84% accuracy, 72% sensitivity and 91% specificity; mural hyperenhancement had 76%, 51% and 91%, respectively), with perienteric imaging features performing significantly worse on MR enterography relative to CT enterography (P < 0.001). Mural features are predictors of active inflammation for both CT and MR enterography, while perienteric features can be distinguished better on CT enterography compared with MR enterography. This likely reflects the increased conspicuity of the mesentery on CT enterography and suggests that mural features are the most reliable imaging features of active Crohn disease in children and adolescents.

Medical image retrieval system using multiple features from 3D ROIs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Hongbing; Wang, Weiwei; Liao, Qimei; Zhang, Guopeng; Zhou, Zhiming

2012-02-01

Compared to a retrieval using global image features, features extracted from regions of interest (ROIs) that reflect distribution patterns of abnormalities would benefit more for content-based medical image retrieval (CBMIR) systems. Currently, most CBMIR systems have been designed for 2D ROIs, which cannot reflect 3D anatomical features and region distribution of lesions comprehensively. To further improve the accuracy of image retrieval, we proposed a retrieval method with 3D features including both geometric features such as Shape Index (SI) and Curvedness (CV) and texture features derived from 3D Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix, which were extracted from 3D ROIs, based on our previous 2D medical images retrieval system. The system was evaluated with 20 volume CT datasets for colon polyp detection. Preliminary experiments indicated that the integration of morphological features with texture features could improve retrieval performance greatly. The retrieval result using features extracted from 3D ROIs accorded better with the diagnosis from optical colonoscopy than that based on features from 2D ROIs. With the test database of images, the average accuracy rate for 3D retrieval method was 76.6%, indicating its potential value in clinical application.

Evaluation of a web based informatics system with data mining tools for predicting outcomes with quantitative imaging features in stroke rehabilitation clinical trials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ximing; Kim, Bokkyu; Park, Ji Hoon; Wang, Erik; Forsyth, Sydney; Lim, Cody; Ravi, Ragini; Karibyan, Sarkis; Sanchez, Alexander; Liu, Brent

2017-03-01

Quantitative imaging biomarkers are used widely in clinical trials for tracking and evaluation of medical interventions. Previously, we have presented a web based informatics system utilizing quantitative imaging features for predicting outcomes in stroke rehabilitation clinical trials. The system integrates imaging features extraction tools and a web-based statistical analysis tool. The tools include a generalized linear mixed model(GLMM) that can investigate potential significance and correlation based on features extracted from clinical data and quantitative biomarkers. The imaging features extraction tools allow the user to collect imaging features and the GLMM module allows the user to select clinical data and imaging features such as stroke lesion characteristics from the database as regressors and regressands. This paper discusses the application scenario and evaluation results of the system in a stroke rehabilitation clinical trial. The system was utilized to manage clinical data and extract imaging biomarkers including stroke lesion volume, location and ventricle/brain ratio. The GLMM module was validated and the efficiency of data analysis was also evaluated.

Differentiating youth who are bullied from other victims of peer-aggression: the importance of differential power and repetition

PubMed Central

Ybarra, Michele L.; Espelage, Dorothy L.; Mitchell, Kimberly J.

2014-01-01

Purpose Examine whether: 1) among youth who report being bullied, differential power and repetition are useful in identifying youth who are more or less affected by the victimization experience; and 2) bullying and more generalized peer aggression are distinct or overlapping constructs. Methods Data for the Teen Health and Technology (THT) study were collected online between August 2010 and January 2011 from 3,989 13–18 year olds. Data from the Growing up with Media (GuwM) study (Wave 3) were collected online in 2008 from 1,157 12–17 year olds. Results In the THT study, youth who reported neither differential power nor repetition had the lowest rates of interference with daily functioning. Youth who reported either differential power or repetition had higher rates; but the highest rates of interference with daily functioning were observed among youth who reported both differential power and repetition. In the GuwM study, youth were victims of online generalized peer aggression (30%) or both online generalized peer aggression and cyberbullying (16%), but rarely cyberbullying alone (1%). Conclusions Both differential power and repetition are key in identifying youth who are bullied and at particular risk for concurrent psychosocial challenge. Each feature needs to be measured directly. Generalized peer aggression appears to be a broader form of violence compared to bullying. It needs to be recognized that youth who are victimized but do not meet the criteria of bullying have elevated rates of problems. They are an important, albeit non-bullied, group of victimized youth to be included in research. PMID:24726463

An Evaluation of Feature Learning Methods for High Resolution Image Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokarczyk, P.; Montoya, J.; Schindler, K.

2012-07-01

Automatic image classification is one of the fundamental problems of remote sensing research. The classification problem is even more challenging in high-resolution images of urban areas, where the objects are small and heterogeneous. Two questions arise, namely which features to extract from the raw sensor data to capture the local radiometry and image structure at each pixel or segment, and which classification method to apply to the feature vectors. While classifiers are nowadays well understood, selecting the right features remains a largely empirical process. Here we concentrate on the features. Several methods are evaluated which allow one to learn suitable features from unlabelled image data by analysing the image statistics. In a comparative study, we evaluate unsupervised feature learning with different linear and non-linear learning methods, including principal component analysis (PCA) and deep belief networks (DBN). We also compare these automatically learned features with popular choices of ad-hoc features including raw intensity values, standard combinations like the NDVI, a few PCA channels, and texture filters. The comparison is done in a unified framework using the same images, the target classes, reference data and a Random Forest classifier.

Gender Recognition from Human-Body Images Using Visible-Light and Thermal Camera Videos Based on a Convolutional Neural Network for Image Feature Extraction

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Dat Tien; Kim, Ki Wan; Hong, Hyung Gil; Koo, Ja Hyung; Kim, Min Cheol; Park, Kang Ryoung

2017-01-01

Extracting powerful image features plays an important role in computer vision systems. Many methods have previously been proposed to extract image features for various computer vision applications, such as the scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT), speed-up robust feature (SURF), local binary patterns (LBP), histogram of oriented gradients (HOG), and weighted HOG. Recently, the convolutional neural network (CNN) method for image feature extraction and classification in computer vision has been used in various applications. In this research, we propose a new gender recognition method for recognizing males and females in observation scenes of surveillance systems based on feature extraction from visible-light and thermal camera videos through CNN. Experimental results confirm the superiority of our proposed method over state-of-the-art recognition methods for the gender recognition problem using human body images. PMID:28335510

Gender Recognition from Human-Body Images Using Visible-Light and Thermal Camera Videos Based on a Convolutional Neural Network for Image Feature Extraction.

PubMed

Nguyen, Dat Tien; Kim, Ki Wan; Hong, Hyung Gil; Koo, Ja Hyung; Kim, Min Cheol; Park, Kang Ryoung

2017-03-20

Extracting powerful image features plays an important role in computer vision systems. Many methods have previously been proposed to extract image features for various computer vision applications, such as the scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT), speed-up robust feature (SURF), local binary patterns (LBP), histogram of oriented gradients (HOG), and weighted HOG. Recently, the convolutional neural network (CNN) method for image feature extraction and classification in computer vision has been used in various applications. In this research, we propose a new gender recognition method for recognizing males and females in observation scenes of surveillance systems based on feature extraction from visible-light and thermal camera videos through CNN. Experimental results confirm the superiority of our proposed method over state-of-the-art recognition methods for the gender recognition problem using human body images.

A comparative study for chest radiograph image retrieval using binary texture and deep learning classification.

PubMed

Anavi, Yaron; Kogan, Ilya; Gelbart, Elad; Geva, Ofer; Greenspan, Hayit

2015-08-01

In this work various approaches are investigated for X-ray image retrieval and specifically chest pathology retrieval. Given a query image taken from a data set of 443 images, the objective is to rank images according to similarity. Different features, including binary features, texture features, and deep learning (CNN) features are examined. In addition, two approaches are investigated for the retrieval task. One approach is based on the distance of image descriptors using the above features (hereon termed the "descriptor"-based approach); the second approach ("classification"-based approach) is based on a probability descriptor, generated by a pair-wise classification of each two classes (pathologies) and their decision values using an SVM classifier. Best results are achieved using deep learning features in a classification scheme.

Automated Recognition of 3D Features in GPIR Images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Han; Stough, Timothy; Fijany, Amir

2007-01-01

A method of automated recognition of three-dimensional (3D) features in images generated by ground-penetrating imaging radar (GPIR) is undergoing development. GPIR 3D images can be analyzed to detect and identify such subsurface features as pipes and other utility conduits. Until now, much of the analysis of GPIR images has been performed manually by expert operators who must visually identify and track each feature. The present method is intended to satisfy a need for more efficient and accurate analysis by means of algorithms that can automatically identify and track subsurface features, with minimal supervision by human operators. In this method, data from multiple sources (for example, data on different features extracted by different algorithms) are fused together for identifying subsurface objects. The algorithms of this method can be classified in several different ways. In one classification, the algorithms fall into three classes: (1) image-processing algorithms, (2) feature- extraction algorithms, and (3) a multiaxis data-fusion/pattern-recognition algorithm that includes a combination of machine-learning, pattern-recognition, and object-linking algorithms. The image-processing class includes preprocessing algorithms for reducing noise and enhancing target features for pattern recognition. The feature-extraction algorithms operate on preprocessed data to extract such specific features in images as two-dimensional (2D) slices of a pipe. Then the multiaxis data-fusion/ pattern-recognition algorithm identifies, classifies, and reconstructs 3D objects from the extracted features. In this process, multiple 2D features extracted by use of different algorithms and representing views along different directions are used to identify and reconstruct 3D objects. In object linking, which is an essential part of this process, features identified in successive 2D slices and located within a threshold radius of identical features in adjacent slices are linked in a directed-graph data structure. Relative to past approaches, this multiaxis approach offers the advantages of more reliable detections, better discrimination of objects, and provision of redundant information, which can be helpful in filling gaps in feature recognition by one of the component algorithms. The image-processing class also includes postprocessing algorithms that enhance identified features to prepare them for further scrutiny by human analysts (see figure). Enhancement of images as a postprocessing step is a significant departure from traditional practice, in which enhancement of images is a preprocessing step.

A Novel Image Retrieval Based on Visual Words Integration of SIFT and SURF

PubMed Central

Ali, Nouman; Bajwa, Khalid Bashir; Sablatnig, Robert; Chatzichristofis, Savvas A.; Iqbal, Zeshan; Rashid, Muhammad; Habib, Hafiz Adnan

2016-01-01

With the recent evolution of technology, the number of image archives has increased exponentially. In Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR), high-level visual information is represented in the form of low-level features. The semantic gap between the low-level features and the high-level image concepts is an open research problem. In this paper, we present a novel visual words integration of Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) and Speeded-Up Robust Features (SURF). The two local features representations are selected for image retrieval because SIFT is more robust to the change in scale and rotation, while SURF is robust to changes in illumination. The visual words integration of SIFT and SURF adds the robustness of both features to image retrieval. The qualitative and quantitative comparisons conducted on Corel-1000, Corel-1500, Corel-2000, Oliva and Torralba and Ground Truth image benchmarks demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed visual words integration. PMID:27315101

CpG island methylation phenotype (CIMP) in oral cancer: associated with a marked inflammatory response and less aggressive tumour biology.

PubMed

Shaw, Richard J; Hall, Gillian L; Lowe, Derek; Bowers, Naomi L; Liloglou, Triantafillos; Field, John K; Woolgar, Julia A; Risk, Janet M

2007-10-01

Studies in several tumour sites highlight the significance of the CpG island methylation phenotype (CIMP), with distinct features of histology, biological aggression and outcome. We utilise pyrosequencing techniques of quantitative methylation analysis to investigate the presence of CIMP in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) for the first time, and evaluate its correlation with allelic imbalance, pathology and clinical behaviour. Tumour tissue, control tissue and PBLs were obtained from 74 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Pyrosequencing was used to analyse methylation patterns in 75-200 bp regions of the CpG rich gene promoters of 10 genes with a broad range of cellular functions. Allelic imbalance was investigated using a multiplexed panel of 11 microsatellite markers. Corresponding variables, histopathological staging and grading were correlated with these genetic and epigenetic aberrations. A cluster of tumours with a greater degree of promoter methylation than would be predicted by chance alone (P=0.001) were designated CIMP+ve. This group had less aggressive tumour biology in terms of tumour thickness (p=0.015) and nodal metastasis (P=0.012), this being apparently independent of tumour diameter. Further, it seems that these CIMP+ve tumours excited a greater host inflammatory response (P=0.019). The exact mechanisms underlying CIMP remain obscure but the association with a greater inflammatory host response supports existing theories relating these features in other tumour sites. As CIMP has significant associations with other well documented prognostic indicators, it may prove beneficial to include methylation analyses in molecular risk modelling of tumours.

Intrinsic feature-based pose measurement for imaging motion compensation

DOEpatents

Baba, Justin S.; Goddard, Jr., James Samuel

2014-08-19

Systems and methods for generating motion corrected tomographic images are provided. A method includes obtaining first images of a region of interest (ROI) to be imaged and associated with a first time, where the first images are associated with different positions and orientations with respect to the ROI. The method also includes defining an active region in the each of the first images and selecting intrinsic features in each of the first images based on the active region. Second, identifying a portion of the intrinsic features temporally and spatially matching intrinsic features in corresponding ones of second images of the ROI associated with a second time prior to the first time and computing three-dimensional (3D) coordinates for the portion of the intrinsic features. Finally, the method includes computing a relative pose for the first images based on the 3D coordinates.

Model-based vision for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chaconas, Karen; Nashman, Marilyn; Lumia, Ronald

1992-01-01

This paper describes a method for tracking moving image features by combining spatial and temporal edge information with model based feature information. The algorithm updates the two-dimensional position of object features by correlating predicted model features with current image data. The results of the correlation process are used to compute an updated model. The algorithm makes use of a high temporal sampling rate with respect to spatial changes of the image features and operates in a real-time multiprocessing environment. Preliminary results demonstrate successful tracking for image feature velocities between 1.1 and 4.5 pixels every image frame. This work has applications for docking, assembly, retrieval of floating objects and a host of other space-related tasks.

Image processing based automatic diagnosis of glaucoma using wavelet features of segmented optic disc from fundus image.

PubMed

Singh, Anushikha; Dutta, Malay Kishore; ParthaSarathi, M; Uher, Vaclav; Burget, Radim

2016-02-01

Glaucoma is a disease of the retina which is one of the most common causes of permanent blindness worldwide. This paper presents an automatic image processing based method for glaucoma diagnosis from the digital fundus image. In this paper wavelet feature extraction has been followed by optimized genetic feature selection combined with several learning algorithms and various parameter settings. Unlike the existing research works where the features are considered from the complete fundus or a sub image of the fundus, this work is based on feature extraction from the segmented and blood vessel removed optic disc to improve the accuracy of identification. The experimental results presented in this paper indicate that the wavelet features of the segmented optic disc image are clinically more significant in comparison to features of the whole or sub fundus image in the detection of glaucoma from fundus image. Accuracy of glaucoma identification achieved in this work is 94.7% and a comparison with existing methods of glaucoma detection from fundus image indicates that the proposed approach has improved accuracy of classification. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Image counter-forensics based on feature injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iuliani, M.; Rossetto, S.; Bianchi, T.; De Rosa, Alessia; Piva, A.; Barni, M.

2014-02-01

Starting from the concept that many image forensic tools are based on the detection of some features revealing a particular aspect of the history of an image, in this work we model the counter-forensic attack as the injection of a specific fake feature pointing to the same history of an authentic reference image. We propose a general attack strategy that does not rely on a specific detector structure. Given a source image x and a target image y, the adversary processes x in the pixel domain producing an attacked image ~x, perceptually similar to x, whose feature f(~x) is as close as possible to f(y) computed on y. Our proposed counter-forensic attack consists in the constrained minimization of the feature distance Φ(z) =│ f(z) - f(y)│ through iterative methods based on gradient descent. To solve the intrinsic limit due to the numerical estimation of the gradient on large images, we propose the application of a feature decomposition process, that allows the problem to be reduced into many subproblems on the blocks the image is partitioned into. The proposed strategy has been tested by attacking three different features and its performance has been compared to state-of-the-art counter-forensic methods.

The issues of weed infestation with environmentally hazardous plants and methods of their control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogdanov, V. L.; Posternak, T. S.; Pasko, O. A.; Kovyazin, V. F.

2016-09-01

The authors analyze expansion of segetal and ruderal vegetation on agricultural lands in Leningrad and Tomsk oblasts, typical for the European and Asian parts of Russia. The spreading conditions, composition of species, biological features and ecological requirements of the most aggressive species are identified. Some effective ways of weed control are suggested.

Improved parallel image reconstruction using feature refinement.

PubMed

Cheng, Jing; Jia, Sen; Ying, Leslie; Liu, Yuanyuan; Wang, Shanshan; Zhu, Yanjie; Li, Ye; Zou, Chao; Liu, Xin; Liang, Dong

2018-07-01

The aim of this study was to develop a novel feature refinement MR reconstruction method from highly undersampled multichannel acquisitions for improving the image quality and preserve more detail information. The feature refinement technique, which uses a feature descriptor to pick up useful features from residual image discarded by sparsity constrains, is applied to preserve the details of the image in compressed sensing and parallel imaging in MRI (CS-pMRI). The texture descriptor and structure descriptor recognizing different types of features are required for forming the feature descriptor. Feasibility of the feature refinement was validated using three different multicoil reconstruction methods on in vivo data. Experimental results show that reconstruction methods with feature refinement improve the quality of reconstructed image and restore the image details more accurately than the original methods, which is also verified by the lower values of the root mean square error and high frequency error norm. A simple and effective way to preserve more useful detailed information in CS-pMRI is proposed. This technique can effectively improve the reconstruction quality and has superior performance in terms of detail preservation compared with the original version without feature refinement. Magn Reson Med 80:211-223, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Change Detection in Uav Video Mosaics Combining a Feature Based Approach and Extended Image Differencing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saur, Günter; Krüger, Wolfgang

2016-06-01

Change detection is an important task when using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for video surveillance. We address changes of short time scale using observations in time distances of a few hours. Each observation (previous and current) is a short video sequence acquired by UAV in near-Nadir view. Relevant changes are, e.g., recently parked or moved vehicles. Examples for non-relevant changes are parallaxes caused by 3D structures of the scene, shadow and illumination changes, and compression or transmission artifacts. In this paper we present (1) a new feature based approach to change detection, (2) a combination with extended image differencing (Saur et al., 2014), and (3) the application to video sequences using temporal filtering. In the feature based approach, information about local image features, e.g., corners, is extracted in both images. The label "new object" is generated at image points, where features occur in the current image and no or weaker features are present in the previous image. The label "vanished object" corresponds to missing or weaker features in the current image and present features in the previous image. This leads to two "directed" change masks and differs from image differencing where only one "undirected" change mask is extracted which combines both label types to the single label "changed object". The combination of both algorithms is performed by merging the change masks of both approaches. A color mask showing the different contributions is used for visual inspection by a human image interpreter.

'RAT' Hole on 'Pilbara' (pre-RAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity broke its own record for the deepest hole ground into a rock on another planet with a 7.2-millimeter (about 0.28-inch) grind on the rock 'Pilbara,' on the rover's 86th sol on Mars.

This image is from the rover's panoramic camera and features Pilbara before the rover ground into it with its rock abrasion tool. After careful examination of the rock, the rock abrasion tool engineers determined that the upper left portion (visible in this image) of Pilbara was the safest area to grind. The now familiar 'blueberries,' or spherules, are present in this rock, however, they do not appear in the same manner as other berries examined during this mission. Reminiscent of a golf tee, the blueberries sit atop a 'stem,' thus making them even more of an obstacle through which to grind. The left side of the rock is relatively berry-free and proved to be an ideal spot for the procedure.

The team has developed a new approach to commanding the rock abrasion tool that allows for more aggressive grinding parameters. The tool is now programmed, in the event of a stall, to retreat from its target and attempt to grind again. This allows the grinder to essentially reset itself instead of aborting its sequence altogether and waiting for further commands from rover planners.

Tracking features in retinal images of adaptive optics confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope using KLT-SIFT algorithm

PubMed Central

Li, Hao; Lu, Jing; Shi, Guohua; Zhang, Yudong

2010-01-01

With the use of adaptive optics (AO), high-resolution microscopic imaging of living human retina in the single cell level has been achieved. In an adaptive optics confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) system, with a small field size (about 1 degree, 280 μm), the motion of the eye severely affects the stabilization of the real-time video images and results in significant distortions of the retina images. In this paper, Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) is used to abstract stable point features from the retina images. Kanade-Lucas-Tomasi(KLT) algorithm is applied to track the features. With the tracked features, the image distortion in each frame is removed by the second-order polynomial transformation, and 10 successive frames are co-added to enhance the image quality. Features of special interest in an image can also be selected manually and tracked by KLT. A point on a cone is selected manually, and the cone is tracked from frame to frame. PMID:21258443

Webcam classification using simple features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pramoun, Thitiporn; Choe, Jeehyun; Li, He; Chen, Qingshuang; Amornraksa, Thumrongrat; Lu, Yung-Hsiang; Delp, Edward J.

2015-03-01

Thousands of sensors are connected to the Internet and many of these sensors are cameras. The "Internet of Things" will contain many "things" that are image sensors. This vast network of distributed cameras (i.e. web cams) will continue to exponentially grow. In this paper we examine simple methods to classify an image from a web cam as "indoor/outdoor" and having "people/no people" based on simple features. We use four types of image features to classify an image as indoor/outdoor: color, edge, line, and text. To classify an image as having people/no people we use HOG and texture features. The features are weighted based on their significance and combined. A support vector machine is used for classification. Our system with feature weighting and feature combination yields 95.5% accuracy.

Image segmentation using association rule features.

PubMed

Rushing, John A; Ranganath, Heggere; Hinke, Thomas H; Graves, Sara J

2002-01-01

A new type of texture feature based on association rules is described. Association rules have been used in applications such as market basket analysis to capture relationships present among items in large data sets. It is shown that association rules can be adapted to capture frequently occurring local structures in images. The frequency of occurrence of these structures can be used to characterize texture. Methods for segmentation of textured images based on association rule features are described. Simulation results using images consisting of man made and natural textures show that association rule features perform well compared to other widely used texture features. Association rule features are used to detect cumulus cloud fields in GOES satellite images and are found to achieve higher accuracy than other statistical texture features for this problem.

The Research of Feature Extraction Method of Liver Pathological Image Based on Multispatial Mapping and Statistical Properties

PubMed Central

Liu, Huiling; Xia, Bingbing; Yi, Dehui

2016-01-01

We propose a new feature extraction method of liver pathological image based on multispatial mapping and statistical properties. For liver pathological images of Hematein Eosin staining, the image of R and B channels can reflect the sensitivity of liver pathological images better, while the entropy space and Local Binary Pattern (LBP) space can reflect the texture features of the image better. To obtain the more comprehensive information, we map liver pathological images to the entropy space, LBP space, R space, and B space. The traditional Higher Order Local Autocorrelation Coefficients (HLAC) cannot reflect the overall information of the image, so we propose an average correction HLAC feature. We calculate the statistical properties and the average gray value of pathological images and then update the current pixel value as the absolute value of the difference between the current pixel gray value and the average gray value, which can be more sensitive to the gray value changes of pathological images. Lastly the HLAC template is used to calculate the features of the updated image. The experiment results show that the improved features of the multispatial mapping have the better classification performance for the liver cancer. PMID:27022407

Nodular hidradenocarcinoma over the parotid gland: a pathologic presentation.

PubMed

Verret, D J; Kabbani, Wareef; DeFatta, Robert J

2007-02-01

Nodular hidradenocarcinoma (NHAC), an eccrine carcinoma, has been reported in the dermatology and pathology literature, but few references have been made in the otolaryngology literature even though the head and neck is a common site of occurrence. A case report of a 37-year-old Hispanic man with a right-sided neck mass diagnosed preoperatively as a parotid mass by imaging and fine-needle aspiration is presented. After presentation at our multidisciplinary tumor board, excision of the mass was undertaken. Final pathology revealed a NHAC, which is presented in our report. NHAC is an aggressive malignant tumor that is often misdiagnosed preoperatively and that must be treated with aggressive multimodality therapy for increased survival.

An aggressive vertebral hemangioma in pregnancy: a case report.

PubMed

Slimani, Ouafae; Jayi, Sofia; Fdili Alaoui, Fatimazahra; Bouguern, Hakima; Chaara, Hekmat; Fikri, Ghizlane; Alaoui Rachidi, Siham; Sqalli Houssaini, Nadia; Himmich, Mariam; Abdelilah Melhouf, Moulay

2014-06-18

Pregnancy-related compressive myelopathy secondary to vertebral hemangioma is a rare occurrence and its treatment antepartum is rare. A 19-year-old North African woman in her 38th week of pregnancy presented with paraplegia that progressed within 2 days after a rapidly progressive weakness of her lower limbs. Magnetic resonance imaging studies showed compression of her spinal cord in front of the fourth thoracic vertebra for suspected tuberculous spondylitis. A Caesarean section was done followed by corpectomy with a bone graft because we intraoperatively discovered a vertebral hemangioma. Pathology showed an aggressive hemangioma. At any term of pregnancy, extensive neurological involvement which is rapidly progressive due to compression should be considered for immediate decompression.

Environmental correlates to behavioral health outcomes in Alzheimer's special care units.

PubMed

Zeisel, John; Silverstein, Nina M; Hyde, Joan; Levkoff, Sue; Lawton, M Powell; Holmes, William

2003-10-01

We systematically measured the associations between environmental design features of nursing home special care units and the incidence of aggression, agitation, social withdrawal, depression, and psychotic problems among persons living there who have Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder. We developed and tested a model of critical health-related environmental design features in settings for people with Alzheimer's disease. We used hierarchical linear modeling statistical techniques to assess associations between seven environmental design features and behavioral health measures for 427 residents in 15 special care units. Behavioral health measures included the Cohen-Mansfield physical agitation, verbal agitation, and aggressive behavior scales, the Multidimensional Observation Scale for Elderly Subjects depression and social withdrawal scales, and BEHAVE-AD (psychotic symptom list) misidentification and paranoid delusions scales. Statistical controls were included for the influence of, among others, cognitive status, need for assistance with activities of daily living, prescription drug use, amount of Alzheimer's staff training, and staff-to-resident ratio. Although hierarchical linear modeling minimizes the risk of Type II-false positive-error, this exploratory study also pays special attention to avoiding Type I error-the failure to recognize possible relationships between behavioral health characteristics and independent variables. We found associations between each behavioral health measure and particular environmental design features, as well as between behavioral health measures and both resident and nonenvironmental facility variables. This research demonstrates the potential that environment has for contributing to the improvement of Alzheimer's symptoms. A balanced combination of pharmacologic, behavioral, and environmental approaches is likely to be most effective in improving the health, behavior, and quality of life of people with Alzheimer's disease.

Epidemiological trends and clinicopathological features of cutaneous melanoma in sporadic and xeroderma pigmentosum Tunisian patients.

PubMed

Naouali, Chokri; Jones, Meriem; Nabouli, Imen; Jerbi, Manel; Tounsi, Haifa; Ben Rekaya, Mariem; Ben Ahmed, Melika; Bouhaouala, Balkiss; Messaoud, Olfa; Khaled, Aida; Zghal, Mohamed; Abdelhak, Sonia; Boubaker, Samir; Yacoub-Youssef, Houda

2017-01-01

Epidemiological features and trends of cutaneous melanoma (CM) in North-African populations remain unclear. Those populations are of particular interest as they belong to a mosaic of various other origins (sub-Saharan, European Ancestry, and North-African Berbers). The aim of this study is to draw epidemiological profile and clinicopathological features of CM in the Tunisian population. Incidence analyses were based on data from regional cancer registries. Clinical data were collected from dermatological departments and xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) referral centers and provided CM clinicopathological characteristics and progression. Statistical analyses were achieved using R packages and SPSS 20.0. The incidence of CM in Tunisia is relatively low (0.5-0.7 per 100,000 inhabitants per year). Gender differences were observed regarding anatomical distribution (P = 0.004). Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) was the most frequent histological subtype (32.3%); however, nodular melanoma (NM) was the most aggressive and responsible for 54.8% of deaths. CM in XP patients develops at a median age that is 42 years earlier than sporadic cases, with preferential localization on the head and neck (P < 0.001). Finally, male patients exhibited survival disadvantages compared with females (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.05-4.68, P = 0.037). Cutaneous melanoma features in Tunisia are closer to those of non-Caucasians, even though gender differences that are similar to those observed in Caucasians were uncovered. This study also emphasizes the aggressiveness of NM and its effect on melanoma patient deaths. Xeroderma pigmentosum stands as the major predisposing host factor. © 2016 The International Society of Dermatology.

SU-F-R-52: A Comparison of the Performance of Radiomic Features From Free Breathing and 4DCT Scans in Predicting Disease Recurrence in Lung Cancer SBRT Patients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huynh, E; Coroller, T; Narayan, V

Purpose: There is a clinical need to identify patients who are at highest risk of recurrence after being treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Radiomics offers a non-invasive approach by extracting quantitative features from medical images based on tumor phenotype that is predictive of an outcome. Lung cancer patients treated with SBRT routinely undergo free breathing (FB image) and 4DCT (average intensity projection (AIP) image) scans for treatment planning to account for organ motion. The aim of the current study is to evaluate and compare the prognostic performance of radiomic features extracted from FB and AIP images in lungmore » cancer patients treated with SBRT to identify which image type would generate an optimal predictive model for recurrence. Methods: FB and AIP images of 113 Stage I-II NSCLC patients treated with SBRT were analysed. The prognostic performance of radiomic features for distant metastasis (DM) was evaluated by their concordance index (CI). Radiomic features were compared with conventional imaging metrics (e.g. diameter). All p-values were corrected for multiple testing using the false discovery rate. Results: All patients received SBRT and 20.4% of patients developed DM. From each image type (FB or AIP), nineteen radiomic features were selected based on stability and variance. Both image types had five common and fourteen different radiomic features. One FB (CI=0.70) and five AIP (CI range=0.65–0.68) radiomic features were significantly prognostic for DM (p<0.05). None of the conventional features derived from FB images (range CI=0.60–0.61) were significant but all AIP conventional features were (range CI=0.64–0.66). Conclusion: Features extracted from different types of CT scans have varying prognostic performances. AIP images contain more prognostic radiomic features for DM than FB images. These methods can provide personalized medicine approaches at low cost, as FB and AIP data are readily available within a large number of radiation oncology departments. R.M. had consulting interest with Amgen (ended in 2015).« less

Analysis of renal cancer cell lines from two major resources enables genomics-guided cell line selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Rileen; Winer, Andrew G.; Chevinsky, Michael; Jakubowski, Christopher; Chen, Ying-Bei; Dong, Yiyu; Tickoo, Satish K.; Reuter, Victor E.; Russo, Paul; Coleman, Jonathan A.; Sander, Chris; Hsieh, James J.; Hakimi, A. Ari

2017-05-01

The utility of cancer cell lines is affected by the similarity to endogenous tumour cells. Here we compare genomic data from 65 kidney-derived cell lines from the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia and the COSMIC Cell Lines Project to three renal cancer subtypes from The Cancer Genome Atlas: clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC, also known as kidney renal clear cell carcinoma), papillary (pRCC, also known as kidney papillary) and chromophobe (chRCC, also known as kidney chromophobe) renal cell carcinoma. Clustering copy number alterations shows that most cell lines resemble ccRCC, a few (including some often used as models of ccRCC) resemble pRCC, and none resemble chRCC. Human ccRCC tumours clustering with cell lines display clinical and genomic features of more aggressive disease, suggesting that cell lines best represent aggressive tumours. We stratify mutations and copy number alterations for important kidney cancer genes by the consistency between databases, and classify cell lines into established gene expression-based indolent and aggressive subtypes. Our results could aid investigators in analysing appropriate renal cancer cell lines.

Quality assessment of remote sensing image fusion using feature-based fourth-order correlation coefficient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Dan; Liu, Jun; Chen, Kai; Li, Huali; Liu, Ping; Chen, Huijuan; Qian, Jing

2016-04-01

In remote sensing fusion, the spatial details of a panchromatic (PAN) image and the spectrum information of multispectral (MS) images will be transferred into fused images according to the characteristics of the human visual system. Thus, a remote sensing image fusion quality assessment called feature-based fourth-order correlation coefficient (FFOCC) is proposed. FFOCC is based on the feature-based coefficient concept. Spatial features related to spatial details of the PAN image and spectral features related to the spectrum information of MS images are first extracted from the fused image. Then, the fourth-order correlation coefficient between the spatial and spectral features is calculated and treated as the assessment result. FFOCC was then compared with existing widely used indices, such as Erreur Relative Globale Adimensionnelle de Synthese, and quality assessed with no reference. Results of the fusion and distortion experiments indicate that the FFOCC is consistent with subjective evaluation. FFOCC significantly outperforms the other indices in evaluating fusion images that are produced by different fusion methods and that are distorted in spatial and spectral features by blurring, adding noise, and changing intensity. All the findings indicate that the proposed method is an objective and effective quality assessment for remote sensing image fusion.

SU-E-J-260: Quantitative Image Feature Analysis of Multiphase Liver CT for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) in Radiation Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choi, W; Wang, J; Lu, W

Purpose: To identify the effective quantitative image features (radiomics features) for prediction of response, survival, recurrence and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in radiotherapy. Methods: Multiphase contrast enhanced liver CT images were acquired in 16 patients with HCC on pre and post radiation therapy (RT). In this study, arterial phase CT images were selected to analyze the effectiveness of image features for the prediction of treatment outcome of HCC to RT. Response evaluated by RECIST criteria, survival, local recurrence (LR), distant metastasis (DM) and liver metastasis (LM) were examined. A radiation oncologist manually delineated the tumor and normal liver onmore » pre and post CT scans, respectively. Quantitative image features were extracted to characterize the intensity distribution (n=8), spatial patterns (texture, n=36), and shape (n=16) of the tumor and liver, respectively. Moreover, differences between pre and post image features were calculated (n=120). A total of 360 features were extracted and then analyzed by unpaired student’s t-test to rank the effectiveness of features for the prediction of response. Results: The five most effective features were selected for prediction of each outcome. Significant predictors for tumor response and survival are changes in tumor shape (Second Major Axes Length, p= 0.002; Eccentricity, p=0.0002), for LR, liver texture (Standard Deviation (SD) of High Grey Level Run Emphasis and SD of Entropy, both p=0.005) on pre and post CT images, for DM, tumor texture (SD of Entropy, p=0.01) on pre CT image and for LM, liver (Mean of Cluster Shade, p=0.004) and tumor texture (SD of Entropy, p=0.006) on pre CT image. Intensity distribution features were not significant (p>0.09). Conclusion: Quantitative CT image features were found to be potential predictors of the five endpoints of HCC in RT. This work was supported in part by the National Cancer Institute Grant R01CA172638.« less

A novel content-based medical image retrieval method based on query topic dependent image features (QTDIF)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Wei; Qiu, Bo; Tian, Qi; Mueller, Henning; Xu, Changsheng

2005-04-01

Medical image retrieval is still mainly a research domain with a large variety of applications and techniques. With the ImageCLEF 2004 benchmark, an evaluation framework has been created that includes a database, query topics and ground truth data. Eleven systems (with a total of more than 50 runs) compared their performance in various configurations. The results show that there is not any one feature that performs well on all query tasks. Key to successful retrieval is rather the selection of features and feature weights based on a specific set of input features, thus on the query task. In this paper we propose a novel method based on query topic dependent image features (QTDIF) for content-based medical image retrieval. These feature sets are designed to capture both inter-category and intra-category statistical variations to achieve good retrieval performance in terms of recall and precision. We have used Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) and blob representation to model medical images and construct the proposed novel QTDIF for CBIR. Finally, trained multi-class support vector machines (SVM) are used for image similarity ranking. The proposed methods have been tested over the Casimage database with around 9000 images, for the given 26 image topics, used for imageCLEF 2004. The retrieval performance has been compared with the medGIFT system, which is based on the GNU Image Finding Tool (GIFT). The experimental results show that the proposed QTDIF-based CBIR can provide significantly better performance than systems based general features only.

Imaging Prostatic Lipids to Distinguish Aggressive Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

Martinez), another from PVAMC (Ms. Palma ). The addition of staff has increased our capacity for assuring subjects have project staff with them/ in...Woodward, G. Thomas, E. Dacey, X. Wang, P. Farris, W. Stoller, A. M. Acevedo, A. Palma , M. Sammi, W. D. Rooney, F. V. Coakley, J. Purnell

Application of remote thermal imaging and night vision technology to improve endangered wildlife resource management with minimal animal distress and hazard to humans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavers, C.; Franks, K.; Floyd, M.; Plowman, A.

2005-01-01

Advanced electromagnetic sensor systems more commonly associated with the hightech military battlefield may be applied to remote surveillance of wildlife. The first comprehensive study of a wide global variety of Near Infra Red (NIR) and thermal wildlife portraits are presented with this technology: for mammals, birds and other animals. The paper illustrates the safety aspects afforded to zoo staff and personnel in the wild during the day and night from potentially lethal and aggressive animals, and those difficult to approach normally. Such remote sensing systems are non-invasive and provide minimal disruption and distress to animals both in captivity and in the wild. We present some of the veterinarian advantages of such all weather day and night systems to identify sickness and injuries at an early diagnostic stage, as well as age related effects and mammalian cancer. Animals have very different textured surfaces, reflective and emissive properties in the NIR and thermal bands than when compared with the visible spectrum. Some surface features may offer biomimetic materials design advantages.

Study on Hybrid Image Search Technology Based on Texts and Contents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H. T.; Ma, F. L.; Yan, C.; Pan, H.

2018-05-01

Image search was studied first here based on texts and contents, respectively. The text-based image feature extraction was put forward by integrating the statistical and topic features in view of the limitation of extraction of keywords only by means of statistical features of words. On the other hand, a search-by-image method was put forward based on multi-feature fusion in view of the imprecision of the content-based image search by means of a single feature. The layered-searching method depended on primarily the text-based image search method and additionally the content-based image search was then put forward in view of differences between the text-based and content-based methods and their difficult direct fusion. The feasibility and effectiveness of the hybrid search algorithm were experimentally verified.

Radiogenomics of hepatocellular carcinoma: multiregion analysis-based identification of prognostic imaging biomarkers by integrating gene data—a preliminary study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Wei; Chen, Ying; Zhang, Rui; Yan, Zhuangzhi; Zhou, Xiaobo; Zhang, Bo; Gao, Xin

2018-02-01

Our objective was to identify prognostic imaging biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma in contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) with biological interpretations by associating imaging features and gene modules. We retrospectively analyzed 371 patients who had gene expression profiles. For the 38 patients with CECT imaging data, automatic intra-tumor partitioning was performed, resulting in three spatially distinct subregions. We extracted a total of 37 quantitative imaging features describing intensity, geometry, and texture from each subregion. Imaging features were selected after robustness and redundancy analysis. Gene modules acquired from clustering were chosen for their prognostic significance. By constructing an association map between imaging features and gene modules with Spearman rank correlations, the imaging features that significantly correlated with gene modules were obtained. These features were evaluated with Cox’s proportional hazard models and Kaplan-Meier estimates to determine their prognostic capabilities for overall survival (OS). Eight imaging features were significantly correlated with prognostic gene modules, and two of them were associated with OS. Among these, the geometry feature volume fraction of the subregion, which was significantly correlated with all prognostic gene modules representing cancer-related interpretation, was predictive of OS (Cox p  =  0.022, hazard ratio  =  0.24). The texture feature cluster prominence in the subregion, which was correlated with the prognostic gene module representing lipid metabolism and complement activation, also had the ability to predict OS (Cox p  =  0.021, hazard ratio  =  0.17). Imaging features depicting the volume fraction and textural heterogeneity in subregions have the potential to be predictors of OS with interpretable biological meaning.

Neural indicators of interpersonal anger as cause and consequence of combat training stress symptoms.

PubMed

Gilam, G; Lin, T; Fruchter, E; Hendler, T

2017-07-01

Angry outbursts are an important feature of various stress-related disorders, and commonly lead to aggression towards other people. Findings regarding interpersonal anger have linked the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) to anger regulation and the locus coeruleus (LC) to aggression. Both regions were previously associated with traumatic and chronic stress symptoms, yet it is unclear if their functionality represents a consequence of, or possibly also a cause for, stress symptoms. Here we investigated the relationship between the neural trajectory of these indicators of anger and the development and manifestation of stress symptoms. A total of 46 males (29 soldiers, 17 civilians) participated in a prospective functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment in which they played a modified interpersonal anger-provoking Ultimatum Game (UG) at two-points. Soldiers were tested at the beginning and end of combat training, while civilians were tested at the beginning and end of civil service. We assumed that combat training would induce chronic stress and result in increased stress symptoms. Soldiers showed an increase in stress symptoms following combat training while civilians showed no such change following civil service. All participants were angered by the modified UG irrespective of time point. Higher post-combat training stress symptoms were associated with lower pre-combat training vmPFC activation and with higher activation increase in the LC between pre- and post-combat training. Results suggest that during anger-provoking social interactions, flawed vmPFC functionality may serve as a causal risk factor for the development of stress symptoms, and heightened reactivity of the LC possibly reflects a consequence of stress-inducing combat training. These findings provide potential neural targets for therapeutic intervention and inoculation for stress-related psychopathological manifestations of anger.

Efficient moving target analysis for inverse synthetic aperture radar images via joint speeded-up robust features and regular moment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Hongxin; Su, Fulin

2018-01-01

We propose a moving target analysis algorithm using speeded-up robust features (SURF) and regular moment in inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) image sequences. In our study, we first extract interest points from ISAR image sequences by SURF. Different from traditional feature point extraction methods, SURF-based feature points are invariant to scattering intensity, target rotation, and image size. Then, we employ a bilateral feature registering model to match these feature points. The feature registering scheme can not only search the isotropic feature points to link the image sequences but also reduce the error matching pairs. After that, the target centroid is detected by regular moment. Consequently, a cost function based on correlation coefficient is adopted to analyze the motion information. Experimental results based on simulated and real data validate the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed method.

Terrain detection and classification using single polarization SAR

DOEpatents

Chow, James G.; Koch, Mark W.

2016-01-19

The various technologies presented herein relate to identifying manmade and/or natural features in a radar image. Two radar images (e.g., single polarization SAR images) can be captured for a common scene. The first image is captured at a first instance and the second image is captured at a second instance, whereby the duration between the captures are of sufficient time such that temporal decorrelation occurs for natural surfaces in the scene, and only manmade surfaces, e.g., a road, produce correlated pixels. A LCCD image comprising the correlated and decorrelated pixels can be generated from the two radar images. A median image can be generated from a plurality of radar images, whereby any features in the median image can be identified. A superpixel operation can be performed on the LCCD image and the median image, thereby enabling a feature(s) in the LCCD image to be classified.

Secure image retrieval with multiple keys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Haihua; Zhang, Xinpeng; Wei, Qiuhan; Cheng, Hang

2018-03-01

This article proposes a secure image retrieval scheme under a multiuser scenario. In this scheme, the owner first encrypts and uploads images and their corresponding features to the cloud; then, the user submits the encrypted feature of the query image to the cloud; next, the cloud compares the encrypted features and returns encrypted images with similar content to the user. To find the nearest neighbor in the encrypted features, an encryption with multiple keys is proposed, in which the query feature of each user is encrypted by his/her own key. To improve the key security and space utilization, global optimization and Gaussian distribution are, respectively, employed to generate multiple keys. The experiments show that the proposed encryption can provide effective and secure image retrieval for each user and ensure confidentiality of the query feature of each user.