Evaluation of a Transimpedance Matrix Algorithm to Detect Anomalous Cochlear Implant Electrode Position.

Introduction: Transimpedance measurements from cochlear implant electrodes have the potential to identify anomalous electrode array placement, such as tip fold-over (TFO) or fold-back, basal electrode kinking, or buckling. Analysing transimpedance may thus replace intraoperative or post-operative radiological imaging to detect any potential misplacements. A transimpedance algorithm was previously developed to detect deviations from a normal electrode position with the aim of intraoperatively detecting TFO.

In-vivo characterisation of an implanted microphone and totally implantable active middle ear implant.

Objective: To objectively evaluate acoustic sensitivity of the implanted microphone, and maximum stable gain of a totally implantable active middle ear implant.

Design: Prospective, single centre evaluation.

Study Sample: Fourteen adult patients.

Comparison of electrode impedance measures between a dexamethasone-eluting and standard Cochlear™ Contour Advance® electrode in adult cochlear implant recipients.

Objective: To compare the difference in electrode impedance across discrete time points to 24 months post-activation for two groups of adult cochlear implant recipients, one using an investigational perimodiolar (Contour Advance®) array augmented with 40% concentration weight per weight (w/w) dexamethasone (the Drug Eluting Electrode, 'DEE' Group), and the other the commercially available Contour Advance ('Control' Group).

Design: Ten adult subjects were implanted with the DEE and fourteen with the Control. Electrode impedances were measured intra-operatively, one-week post-surgery, at initial activation (approximately two-weeks post-surgery), and at approximately one, three, six, 12 and 24 months post-activation.

Transcriptomic analysis of human primary breast cancer identifies fatty acid oxidation as a target for metformin.

Background: Epidemiological studies suggest that metformin may reduce the incidence of cancer in patients with diabetes and multiple late phase clinical trials assessing the potential of repurposing this drug are underway. Transcriptomic profiling of tumour samples is an excellent tool to understand drug bioactivity, identify candidate biomarkers and assess for mechanisms of resistance to therapy.

Methods: Thirty-six patients with untreated primary breast cancer were recruited to a window study and transcriptomic profiling of tumour samples carried out before and after metformin treatment.

Integrated Pharmacodynamic Analysis Identifies Two Metabolic Adaption Pathways to Metformin in Breast Cancer.

Late-phase clinical trials investigating metformin as a cancer therapy are underway. However, there remains controversy as to the mode of action of metformin in tumors at clinical doses. We conducted a clinical study integrating measurement of markers of systemic metabolism, dynamic FDG-PET-CT, transcriptomics, and metabolomics at paired time points to profile the bioactivity of metformin in primary breast cancer.

Fitting recommendations and clinical benefit associated with use of the NAL-NL2 hearing-aid prescription in Nucleus cochlear implant recipients.

Objective: For a group of cochlear implant recipients, who use hearing aids in the contralateral ear, the benefit of NAL-NL2 relative to a recipients' own prescription was assessed. Whether there was a preferred frequency response and/or gain deviation from NAL-NL2 was then investigated.

Design: Speech recognition and self-reported ratings of benefit were examined for the recipients' own prescription compared to the NAL-NL2 prescription, in the bimodal and hearing-aid alone conditions.

Slip imaging: reducing ambiguity in breast lesion assessment.

Ultrasound elasticity imaging (elastography) is gaining popularity as an adjunct to B-mode ultrasound for breast cancer diagnosis. Cancerous masses are usually stiffer than normal tissue, hence, using elasticity imaging should lead to better differentiation between benign and malignant masses than using B-mode alone. Clinicians assess the mobility of masses on palpation; cancers usually being less mobile.

A biologically inspired algorithm for microcalcification cluster detection.

The early detection of breast cancer greatly improves prognosis. One of the earliest signs of cancer is the formation of clusters of microcalcifications. We introduce a novel method for microcalcification detection based on a biologically inspired adaptive model of contrast detection.

Hormone replacement therapy and false positive recall in the Million Women Study: patterns of use, hormonal constituents and consistency of effect.

Introduction: Current and recent users of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have an increased risk of being recalled to assessment at mammography without breast cancer being diagnosed ('false positive recall'), but there is limited information on the effects of different patterns of HRT use on this. The aim of this study is to investigate in detail the relationship between patterns of use of HRT and false positive recall.

Methods: A total of 87,967 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 64 years attending routine breast cancer screening at 10 UK National Health Service Breast Screening Units from 1996 to 1998 joined the Million Women Study by completing a questionnaire before screening and were followed for their screening outcome.

Influence of personal characteristics of individual women on sensitivity and specificity of mammography in the Million Women Study: cohort study.

Objectives: To examine how lifestyle, hormonal, and other factors influence the sensitivity and specificity of mammography.

Methods: Women recruited into the Million Women Study completed a questionnaire about various personal factors before routine mammographic screening. A sample of 122,355 women aged 50-64 years were followed for outcome of screening and incident breast cancer in the next 12 months.

Fusion of contrast-enhanced breast MR and mammographic imaging data.

Increasing use is being made of Gd-DTPA contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for breast cancer assessment since it provides 3D functional information via pharmacokinetic interaction between contrast agent and tumour vascularity, and because it is applicable to women of all ages as well as patients with post-operative scarring. Contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) is complementary to conventional X-ray mammography, since it is a relatively low-resolution functional counterpart of a comparatively high-resolution 2D structural representation. However, despite the additional information provided by MRI, mammography is still an extremely important diagnostic imaging modality, particularly for several common conditions such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) where it has been shown that there is a strong correlation between microcalcification clusters and malignancy.

Nonrigid registration of 3-D free-hand ultrasound images of the breast.

Three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound imaging of the breast enables better assessment of diseases than conventional two-dimensional (2-D) imaging. Free-hand techniques are often used for generating 3-D data from a sequence of 2-D slice images. However, the breast deforms substantially during scanning because it is composed primarily of soft tissue.

Comparison of various characteristics of women who do and do not attend for breast cancer screening.

Background: Information regarding the characteristics and health of women who do and do not attend for breast cancer screening is limited and representative data are difficult to obtain.

Methods: Information on age, deprivation and prescriptions for various medications was obtained for all women at two UK general practices who were invited to breast cancer screening through the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme. The characteristics of women who attended and did not attend screening were compared.