Streamlined analysis for evaluating the use of preharvest interventions intended to prevent Escherichia coli O157:H7 illness in humans.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Service is responsible for ensuring the safety of meat, poultry, and egg products consumed in the United States.

BRISC-an open source pulmonary nodule image retrieval framework.

We have created a content-based image retrieval framework for computed tomography images of pulmonary nodules. When presented with a nodule image, the system retrieves images of similar nodules from a collection prepared by the Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC). The system (1) extracts images of individual nodules from the LIDC collection based on LIDC expert annotations, (2) stores the extracted data in a flat XML database, (3) calculates a set of quantitative descriptors for each nodule that provide a high-level characterization of its texture, and (4) uses various measures to determine the similarity of two nodules and perform queries on a selected query nodule.

A central giant cell granuloma influenced by pregnancy.

A case of a 17-year-old patient with exacerbation of a central giant cell granuloma of the mandible during pregnancy is reported. The possible relationship of the giant cell lesion to a pre-existing fibrous dysplasia is considered although there was lack of histological evidence.

Regional cerebral blood flow and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen during hyperventilation in the newborn dog.

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) were measured during normocarbia and during both moderate and severe hypocarbia. Eighteen newborn mongrel dogs, 1 to 7 days of age, were given pancuronium and ventilated with 70% N2O and 30% O2. The respirator was adjusted to achieve a PaCO2 of 15 torr, all subsequent changes to 25 and 40 torr were made by adjusting the inspired concentration of CO2.

Lack of anion effect on volume expansion natriuresis in the developing canine kidney.

The renal response to volume expansion with sodium chloride or sodium bicarbonate was studied in 15 newborn and 13 adult dogs. Proximal and distal nephron function were estimated using the technique of distal nephron blockade. Fractional sodium reabsorption was 99.

Renal response of newborn dog to potassium loading.

The renal response to potassium loading was studied in 14 newborn (6-20 days of age) and 14 adult mongrel dogs in order to determine the capacity of the newborn to excrete potassium load. Eight newborn and eight adult dogs were infused with 20 mueq of potassium chloride X min-1 X kg body wt-1 for 240 min. Adults excreted a significantly greater proportion of the potassium load during the 240-min infusion than did newborns (72 +/- 4 vs.

Renal osmotic effect of mannitol in the neonatal and adult dog.

The renal response to mannitol loading was studied in 21 newborn dogs aged 1-19 days and in 12 adult dogs. One group of animals (protocol B) underwent distal nephron blockade with ethacrynic acid and amiloride prior to and during infusion of mannitol to estimate proximal tubule function. The other group of animals (protocol A) received mannitol without the diuretics.

Budd-Chiari syndrome with inferior vena cava obstruction associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The Budd-Chiari syndrome is an uncommon condition in which hepatic venous outflow is obstructed by thrombosis of the major hepatic veins. Many of the cases are idiopathic, but it has been described in association with vena caval webs, abdominal trauma, retroperitoneal neoplasms, and hypercoagulable states. A patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who developed the Budd-Chiari syndrome with inferior vena cava thrombosis led to a review of the possible association between SLE and the Budd-Chiari syndrome.

An investigation of the possible inverse relationships between the occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and schizophrenia.

One hundred and eleven inpatients with schizophrenia and 51 with other psychiatric conditions were compared for the frequency of rheumatoid arthritis, other connective tissue disorders and other physical illness. Evidence both of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis was significantly less in the schizophrenia group. Latex Agglutination Tests were positive to the same extent in both groups.

Septic Discitis.

The clinical and laboratory findings in 15 patients with septic discitis are reported. The clinical picture was that of a sub-acute illness characterized by back pain, spinous process tenderness, and sciatic nerve root irritation. There was a considerable delay from clinical presentation to diagnosis (average 14 wk).

Gold-induced thrombocytopenia.

Ten patients with rheumatoid arhritis treated with gold sodium thiomalate developed thrombocytopenia without bone marrow asplasia. There was no life-threatening blood loss, but petechiae, purpura, or echymoses were seen in eight patients. The serum gold levels monitored in one patient did not exceed levels seen in patients without thrombocytopenia.

Recent investigative procedures for diagnosing rheumatic disease.

Recent advances in investigative procedures have improved diagnosis of arthritis. Serologic tests such as rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody determinations, although not diagnostic, may be used to support or exclude a clinical diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus. A systematic approach to joint fluid analysis has helped in the differential diagnosis of rheumatic diseases.