Higher extrinsic and lower intrinsic connectivity in resting state networks for professional Baduk (Go) players.

Introduction: Dedication and training to a profession results in a certain level of expertise. This expertise, like any other skill obtained in our lifetime, is encoded in the brain and may be reflected in our brain's connectome. This property can be observed by mapping resting state connectivity.

Brain Structural Networks Associated with Intelligence and Visuomotor Ability.

Increasing evidence indicates that multiple structures in the brain are associated with intelligence and cognitive function at the network level. The association between the grey matter (GM) structural network and intelligence and cognition is not well understood. We applied a multivariate approach to identify the pattern of GM and link the structural network to intelligence and cognitive functions.

Node Identification Using Inter-Regional Correlation Analysis for Mapping Detailed Connections in Resting State Networks.

Brain function is often characterized by the connections and interactions between highly interconnected brain regions. Pathological disruptions in these networks often result in brain dysfunction, which manifests as brain disease. Typical analysis investigates disruptions in network connectivity based correlations between large brain regions.

Clinical Comparison of Conventional and Mobile Endockscope Videocystoscopy Using an Air or Fluid Medium.

Objective: To compare conventional videocystoscopy (CVC) with a novel and affordable (approximately $45) mobile cystoscopy system, the Endockscope (ES). We evaluated the ES system using both fluid (Endockscope-Fluid [ES-F]) and air (Endockscope-Air [ES-A]) to fill the bladder in an effort to expand the global range of flexible cystoscopy.

Methods: The ES system comprised a portable 1000 lumen LED self-contained cordless light source and a three-dimensional printed adaptor that connects a mobile phone to a flexible fiber-optic cystoscope.

Degree-based statistic and center persistency for brain connectivity analysis.

Brain connectivity analyses have been widely performed to investigate the organization and functioning of the brain, or to observe changes in neurological or psychiatric conditions. However, connectivity analysis inevitably introduces the problem of mass-univariate hypothesis testing. Although, several cluster-wise correction methods have been suggested to address this problem and shown to provide high sensitivity, these approaches fundamentally have two drawbacks: the lack of spatial specificity (localization power) and the arbitrariness of an initial cluster-forming threshold.

An Empiric Evaluation of the Effect of Variation in Intensity of Followup for Surgically Treated Renal Neoplasms on Cancer Specific Survival.

Purpose: Followup protocols after the surgical management of renal cell carcinoma lack clear evidence linking the intensity of imaging surveillance to improved outcomes. In this context we characterized the relationship between surveillance imaging intensity and cancer specific survival.

Materials And Methods: Using SEER-Medicare data we identified 7,603 men with renal cell carcinoma treated surgically between 2004 and 2009.

Impact of Adherence to Quality Measures for Localized Prostate Cancer on Patient-reported Health-related Quality of Life Outcomes, Patient Satisfaction, and Treatment-related Complications.

Background And Objective: Quality measures used in pay-for-performance systems are intended to address specific quality goals, such as safety, efficiency, effectiveness, timeliness, equity, and patient-centeredness. Given the small number of narrowly focused measures in prostate cancer care, we sought to determine whether adherence to any of the available payer-driven quality measures influences patient-centered outcomes, including health-related quality of life (HRQOL), patient satisfaction, and treatment-related complications.

Methods: The Comparative Effectiveness Analysis of Surgery and Radiation study is a population-based, prospective cohort study that enrolled 3708 men with clinically localized prostate cancer during 2011 and 2012, of whom 2601 completed the 1-year survey and underwent complete chart abstraction.

Review Article: Best Evidence Regarding Contemporary Use of Prostate Cancer Biomarkers.

Introduction: Management of prostate cancer was revolutionized by the discovery of prostate specific antigen. While prostate specific antigen is an excellent biomarker for followup after treatment, it has low specificity as a screening test and most biopsies are negative when prompted by elevated prostate specific antigen. Better prognostic biomarkers are needed to improve risk stratification to decide between treatment and observation.

Influence of ROI selection on resting state functional connectivity: an individualized approach for resting state fMRI analysis.

The differences in how our brain is connected are often thought to reflect the differences in our individual personalities and cognitive abilities. Individual differences in brain connectivity has long been recognized in the neuroscience community however it has yet to manifest itself in the methodology of resting state analysis. This is evident as previous studies use the same region of interest (ROIs) for all subjects.

Progressive changes in hippocampal resting-state connectivity across cognitive impairment: a cross-sectional study from normal to Alzheimer disease.

We investigate the changes in functional connectivity of the left and right hippocampus by comparing the resting-state low-frequency fluctuations in the blood oxygen level-dependent signal from these regions with relation to Alzheimer disease (AD) progression. AD patients were divided into subgroups based on the clinical dementia rating (CDR) scores. Patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) were also analyzed as an intermediate stage between normal controls and AD.

Endockscope: using mobile technology to create global point of service endoscopy.

Background And Purpose: Recent advances and the widespread availability of smartphones have ushered in a new wave of innovations in healthcare. We present our initial experience with Endockscope, a new docking system that optimizes the coupling of the iPhone 4S with modern endoscopes.

Materials And Methods: Using the United States Air Force resolution target, we compared the image resolution (line pairs/mm) of a flexible cystoscope coupled to the Endockscope+iPhone to the Storz high definition (HD) camera (H3-Z Versatile).

Tool-use practice induces changes in intrinsic functional connectivity of parietal areas.

Intrinsic functional connectivity from resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) has increasingly received attention as a possible predictor of cognitive function and performance. In this study, we investigated the influence of practicing skillful tool manipulation on intrinsic functional connectivity in the resting brain. Acquisition of tool-use skill has two aspects such as formation of motor representation for skillful manipulation and acquisition of the tool concept.

Robotic surgery: review of prostate and bladder cancer.

Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery has become to replace many of the open procedures in urology because of the obvious benefits in perioperative morbidity. However, because of the technical challenges and steep learning curve, the adoption of laparoscopy has been limited to only highly skilled laparoscopic surgeons. The introduction of the da Vinci surgical system (Intuitive Surgical Inc, Sunnyvale, Calif) has offered significant technical advantages over laparoscopic surgery.

Low-dose and standard computed tomography scans yield equivalent stone measurements.

Objective: To ascertain the reliability of low-dose computed tomography (CT) compared with standard CT in the determination of stone size, density, and skin-to-stone distance (SSD).

Materials And Methods: A total of 10 patients seen in the emergency room within a mean of 23 days (range 0-51) underwent both conventional CT and low-dose CT for the same stone. The radiation dose reduction was calculated according to the patient's body mass index.

Independent component analysis of localized resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging reveals specific motor subnetworks.

Recent studies have shown that blood oxygen level-dependent low-frequency (<0.1 Hz) fluctuations (LFFs) during a resting-state exhibit a high degree of correlation with other regions that share cognitive function. Initial studies of resting-state network mapping have focused primarily on major networks such as the default mode network, primary motor, somatosensory, visual, and auditory networks.

1-stage repair of obliterative distal urethral strictures with buccal graft urethral plate reconstruction and simultaneous onlay penile skin flap.

Purpose: When penile skin is available, onlay flap reconstruction is an excellent choice for 1-stage repair of complex hypospadias and strictures involving the glans, fossa navicularis and penile urethra. When the urethra is deficient circumferentially, tube flaps are an option but there is a high failure rate. We report our 8-year experience with 1-stage reconstruction using a dorsal buccal mucosa graft to reconstruct the deficient urethral plate with repair completed using an onlay penile skin flap.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic transperitoneal pelvic lymphadenectomy and metastasectomy for melanoma: initial report of two cases.

Robotic pelvic lymphadenectomy is a well established procedure in the urologic and gynecologic literature. To our knowledge robotic pelvic lymphadectomy for metastatic melanoma has yet to be described. Herein we present the first report of robot-assisted pelvic lymphadenectomy in malignant melanoma.

Antibody-mediated Hsp70 protein therapy.

Intracellular Hsp70 provides cytoprotection against a variety of stressful stimuli, and an effective means of increasing intracellular Hsp70 levels could prove beneficial in the prevention and treatment of a variety of human diseases. A novel protein transduction domain consisting of the single chain Fv fragment of an anti-DNA antibody known to penetrate into living cells and tissues, mAb 3E10, has recently been used to deliver functional proteins to cells. The ability of the single chain Fv fragment to deliver Hsp70 into living cells was tested by generating an Fv-Hsp70 fusion protein.

Selective IgA immune unresponsiveness to Proteus mirabilis fumarate reductase A-chain in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To determine if selective immune unresponsiveness to microbial antigens is associated with predisposition to rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Proteins from Proteus mirabilis lysate were isolated by SDS-PAGE and examined by Western blotting for antibody responses in sera from patients with RA compared to healthy subjects and patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Results: Although RA patients had marked IgA immune responses to many P.