Estimation of the content of fat and parenchyma in breast tissue using MRI T1 histograms and phantoms.

Mammographic breast density has been correlated with breast cancer risk. Estimation of the volumetric composition of breast tissue using three-dimensional MRI has been proposed, but accuracy depends upon the estimation methods employed. The use of segmentation based on T1 relaxation rates allows quantitative estimates of fat and parenchyma volume, but is limited by partial volume effects.

Outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with connective tissue diseases.

Background: Coronary artery disease represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with connective tissue disease. Few reports exist on the results of surgical management of coronary artery disease in these patients.

Methods: The medical records of patients with connective tissue diseases who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting at our institution between 1995 and 2002 were reviewed for demographic data, perioperative variables, and postoperative complications.

Predictors of personality change due to traumatic brain injury in children and adolescents in the first six months after injury.

Objective: To assess the phenomenology and predictive factors of personality change due to traumatic brain injury.

Method: Children (N = 177), aged 5 to 14 years with traumatic brain injury from consecutive admissions to five trauma centers, were followed prospectively at baseline and 6 months with semistructured psychiatric interviews. Injury severity, lesion characteristics, and preinjury variables including psychiatric disorder, family psychiatric history, family function, socioeconomic status, psychosocial adversity, and adaptive function were assessed with standardized instruments.

A randomized controlled trial of intravesical bacillus calmette-guerin for treatment refractory interstitial cystitis.

Purpose: We compared intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) to placebo instillations in patients with treatment refractory interstitial cystitis (IC).

Materials And Methods: Subjects who met the National Institutes of Health-National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases criteria for IC, and reported at least moderate pain and frequency for a minimum of 6 months before study entry, were randomized to 6 weekly double-blinded intravesical instillations of either BCG or placebo, and then followed for a total of 34 weeks. The primary outcome was a patient reported global response assessment at week 34, supplemented with medications for IC during weeks 31 to 34.

Comparison of electromyographic (EMG) activity of selected forearm muscles during low grade resistance therapeutic exercises in individuals diagnosed with lateral epicondylitis.

Background And Purpose: This was a descriptive and exploratory study of electromyographic (EMG) activity of wrist extensor musculature specific to the extensor digitorum (ED), extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) and flexor carpi radialis (FCR) in individuals with a medical diagnosis of the common work associated complaint of lateral epicondylitis (LE). The purpose was to evaluate and compare the EMG activity of the selected forearm muscles during three different types of resistive (strengthening) therapeutic exercises (rubber ball, theraputty, and "make-it-disappear" (MID) sponge) in participants with LE.

Participants: Five individuals between the ages of 44 and 55 years of age diagnosed with lateral epicondylitis by a physician were recruited on a voluntary basis from a local outpatient clinic.

Effectiveness of computer ergonomics interventions for an engineering company: a program evaluation.

Objective: Ergonomic principles at the computer workstation may reduce the occurrence of work related injuries commonly associated with intensive computer use. A program implemented in 2001 by an occupational therapist and a physical therapist utilized these preventative measures with education about ergonomics, individualized evaluations of computer workstations, and recommendations for ergonomic and environmental changes.

Method: This study examined program outcomes and perceived effectiveness based on review of documents, interviews, and surveys of the employees and the plant manager.

The case and opportunity for public-supported financial incentives to implement integrated pest management.

Food, water, and worker protection regulations have driven availability, and loss, of pesticides for use in pest management programs. In response, public-supported research and extension projects have targeted investigation and demonstration of reduced-risk integrated pest management (IPM) techniques. But these new techniques often result in higher financial burden to the grower, which is counter to the IPM principle that economic competitiveness is critical to have IPM adopted.

Predictors of quality of life and pain in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: findings from the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Cohort Study.

Objectives: To examine the cross-sectional relationship of age, urinary and depressive symptoms and partner status on pain intensity and quality of life (QoL) in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS).

Patients And Methods: In all, 463 men enrolled in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Chronic Prostatitis Cohort Study from seven clinical centres (six in the USA and one in Canada) reported baseline screening symptoms using the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (CPSI). The CPSI provides scores for pain, urinary symptoms and QoL.

Ciprofloxacin or tamsulosin in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a randomized, double-blind trial.

Background: Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) in men is principally defined by pain in the pelvic region lasting more than 3 months. No cause of the disease has been established, and therapies are empirical and mostly untested. Antimicrobial agents and alpha-adrenergic receptor blockers are frequently used.

Impact of post-ejaculatory pain in men with category III chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Purpose: Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS) is a common debilitating condition in which ejaculation relieves symptoms for some but exacerbates them in others. We studied ejaculatory pain in a cohort with CPPS to investigate associations with symptoms, quality of life and risk factors.

Materials And Methods: The 486 men in the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Cohort study were stratified into 4 subgroups according to the presence of ejaculatory pain at baseline visit and at each of 3 monthly followup contacts.

The economic impact of chronic prostatitis.

Background: Little information exists on the economic impact of chronic prostatitis. The objective of this study was to determine the direct and indirect costs associated with chronic prostatitis.

Methods: Outcomes were assessed using a questionnaire designed to capture health care resource utilization.

Psychosocial outcome of TBI in children with unilateral frontal lesions.

To evaluate effects of unilateral frontal lesions on psychosocial and global outcome of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children, Study 1 compared matched groups of 22 school aged children who had sustained TBI either with or without unilateral frontal lesions. Study 2 evaluated effects of unilateral extrafrontal lesions in 18 TBI patients as compared with 18 nonlesional TBI patients. Communication, Daily Living, and Socialization domains and the Maladaptive Behavior Scale of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) were used to assess psychosocial outcome, and the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) measured global outcome.

An evaluation of dynamic lip-tooth characteristics during speech and smile in adolescents.

This retrospective study was conducted to measure lip-tooth characteristics of adolescents. Pretreatment video clips of 1242 consecutive patients were screened for Class-I skeletal and dental patterns. After all inclusion criteria were applied, the final sample consisted of 50 patients (27 boys, 23 girls) with a mean age of 12.

Efficacy of antimuscarinic therapy for overactive bladder with varying degrees of incontinence severity.

Purpose: We analyze the efficacy of tolterodine extended release (ER) for overactive bladder in patients with severe incontinence.

Materials And Methods: Patients with urinary frequency (8 micturitions or greater per 24 hours), urge incontinence (5 episodes or greater a week) and symptoms of overactive bladder for 6 months or greater were randomized to treatment with 4 mg tolterodine ER once daily or placebo for 12 weeks. Severe incontinence was defined as 21 episodes or greater per week at baseline.

Clinical risk factors for primary graft failure following lung transplantation.

Study Objective: s: Primary graft failure (PGF) is a devastating acute lung injury syndrome following lung transplantation. We sought to identify donor, recipient, and operative risk factors for its development.

Design: We conducted a cohort study of 255 consecutive lung transplant procedures performed between October 1991 and July 2000.

Leukocytes and bacteria in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome compared to asymptomatic controls.

Purpose: Chronic prostatitis has been traditionally characterized by inflammation and/or infection of the prostate gland, objectively categorized by white blood cells and cultured bacteria in prostate specific specimens. We compared leukocyte counts and localization rates for bacterial cultures of segmented urine samples (VB1, VB2, VB3), expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) and semen in men diagnosed with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) to men without pelvic pain (controls).

Materials And Methods: A total of 463 men enrolled in the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Cohort study and 121 age matched men without urinary symptoms had leukocyte counts performed and 5-day bacterial cultures on specimens obtained from a standard 4-glass test (VB1, VB2, EPS, VB3) and semen.

A pilot clinical trial of oral pentosan polysulfate and oral hydroxyzine in patients with interstitial cystitis.

Purpose: This pilot study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of a multicenter, randomized, clinical trial in interstitial cystitis (IC). Secondary objectives were to evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS), hydroxyzine, and the combination to consider their use in a larger randomized clinical trial.

Materials And Methods: A 2 x 2 factorial study design was used to evaluate PPS and hydroxyzine.

The Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study: Design and Methods.

Insights into end-stage renal disease have emerged from many investigations but less is known about the epidemiology of chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) and its relationship to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study was established to examine risk factors for progression of CRI and CVD among CRI patients and develop models to identify high-risk subgroups, informing future treatment trials, and increasing application of preventive therapies. CRIC will enroll approximately 3000 individuals at seven sites and follow participants for up to 5 yr.

Influence of oral contraceptive use on pain perception and blood pressure.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of oral contraceptive (OC) use on pain perception and blood pressure. Thirty women (15 using OC and 15 normally menstruating) reported to the laboratory once a week for 4 consecutive weeks. Blood pressure and heart rate were assessed, and then pressure was applied to the left forefinger for 2 minutes with the Forgione-Barber pain stimulator while participants indicated when the stimulus became painful (PT) and rated the intensity of pain (PR).

Leukocyte and bacterial counts do not correlate with severity of symptoms in men with chronic prostatitis: the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Cohort Study.

Purpose: We examine whether leukocytes and bacteria correlate with symptom severity in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Materials And Methods: All 488 men screened into the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Cohort Study before close of recruitment on August 22, 2001 were selected for analysis. The National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index, including subscores, were used to measure symptoms.

Demographic and clinical characteristics of men with chronic prostatitis: the national institutes of health chronic prostatitis cohort study.

Purpose: We describe the study design of the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Cohort (CPC) study characterizing men with chronic prostatitis/the chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Materials And Methods: All 488 men screened into the CPC study before close of recruitment on August 22, 2001 were selected for analysis. The National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index, including subscores, was used to measure symptoms.

Design of a multicenter randomized clinical trial for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Objectives: To describe the study design and rationale for the first placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial to be conducted by the Chronic Prostatitis Collaborative Research Network sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.

Methods: The clinical trial will use a 2 by 2 factorial design to evaluate four treatments: placebo, tamsulosin hydrochloride alone, ciprofloxacin alone, and tamsulosin hydrochloride and ciprofloxacin combined. The primary objectives are to compare the efficacy and safety endpoints in patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Quality of life is impaired in men with chronic prostatitis: the Chronic Prostatitis Collaborative Research Network.

Objective: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) impairment may be a central component of chronic prostatitis for men afflicted with this condition. Our objective was to examine HRQOL, and factors associated with HRQOL, using both general and condition-specific instruments.

Design: Chronic Prostatitis Cohort (CPC) study.