Effect of High-Intensity Statin Therapy on Atherosclerosis (IBIS-4): Manual Versus Automated Methods of IVUS Analysis.

Aims: Standard manual analysis of IVUS to study the impact of anti-atherosclerotic therapies on the coronary vessel wall is done by a core laboratory (CL), the ground truth (GT). Automatic segmentation of IVUS with a machine learning (ML) algorithm has the potential to replace manual readings with an unbiased and reproducible method. The aim is to determine if results from a CL can be replicated with ML methods.

Human vs. machine vs. core lab for the assessment of coronary atherosclerosis with lumen and vessel contour segmentation with intravascular ultrasound.

A machine learning (ML) algorithm for automatic segmentation of intravascular ultrasound was previously validated. It has the potential to improve efficiency, accuracy and precision of coronary vessel segmentation compared to manual segmentation by interventional cardiology experts. The aim of this study is to compare the performance of human readers to the machine and against the readings from a Core Laboratory.

Fully automated lumen and vessel contour segmentation in intravascular ultrasound datasets.

Segmentation of lumen and vessel contours in intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) pullbacks is an arduous and time-consuming task, which demands adequately trained human resources. In the present study, we propose a machine learning approach to automatically extract lumen and vessel boundaries from IVUS datasets. The proposed approach relies on the concatenation of a deep neural network to deliver a preliminary segmentation, followed by a Gaussian process (GP) regressor to construct the final lumen and vessel contours.

Coronary arterial geometry: A comprehensive comparison of two imaging modalities.

The characterization of vascular geometry is a fundamental step towards the correct interpretation of coronary artery disease. In this work, we report a comprehensive comparison of the geometry featured by coronary vessels as obtained from coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and the combination of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) with bi-plane angiography (AX) modalities. We analyzed 34 vessels from 28 patients with coronary disease, which were deferred to CCTA and IVUS procedures.

Automated lumen segmentation using multi-frame convolutional neural networks in intravascular ultrasound datasets.

Aims: Assessment of minimum lumen areas in intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) pullbacks is time-consuming and demands adequately trained personnel. In this work, we introduce a novel and fully automated pipeline to segment the lumen boundary in IVUS datasets.

Methods And Results: First, an automated gating is applied to select end-diastolic frames and bypass saw-tooth artefacts.

[Spiritual competence in psychiatry and psychotherapy-Barriers and success factors].

Background: Just as the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) and other national psychiatric societies, the German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (DGPPN) has published a position statement about religiosity and spirituality in psychiatry and psychotherapy, in which it demands patient orientation and spiritual competency in psychiatric professions. Previous research has shown that lack of competency is the major barrier against implementing spiritual care into clinical practice.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine spiritual care in psychiatry and psychotherapy.

Free and open-source software application for the evaluation of coronary computed tomography angiography images.

Background: The standardization of images used in Medicine in 1993 was performed using the DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) standard. Several tests use this standard and it is increasingly necessary to design software applications capable of handling this type of image; however, these software applications are not usually free and open-source, and this fact hinders their adjustment to most diverse interests.

Objective: To develop and validate a free and open-source software application capable of handling DICOM coronary computed tomography angiography images.

Federal programs to reimburse the public for environmental and occupational exposures.

Since the mid-1980's there has been growing public concern about possible health effects associated with radiation exposures of veterans and atomic weapons workers. These concerns have led to a series of Congressional actions that have resulted in legislation creating three compensation programs that are intended to compensate individuals whose radiation exposures may be considered a causative agent for specified health effects.

Responsibilities and activities of the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health.

As noted in the introductory editorial by Moeller and Toohey, the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) was passed by the U.S. Congress in October 2000 and became effective on 31 July 2001.

Bactericidal silver ion delivery into hydrophobic coatings with surfactants.

A much studied oil-soluble surfactant, bis[2-ethylhexyl]sulfosuccinate, sodium salt, was ion exchanged into the silver ion form and dissolved into microemulsions of immiscible polyurethane step monomers. Coating and curing of these microemulsions produced polyurethane coatings that exhibit bactericidal activity against representative Gram negative bacteria. After 24 h exposure, 0.

CCR5Delta32 polymorphism effects on CCR5 expression, patterns of immunopathology and disease course in multiple sclerosis.

Four distinct patterns of tissue injury have been described in multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions. Infiltrating monocytes in lesions of all patterns co-express CCR1 and CCR5. However, in pattern II lesions, the number of CCR1 cells is decreased, while the number of CCR5 expressing cells is increased in late active versus early active regions.

Health Physics Aspects of Neutron Activated Components in a Linear Accelerator.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the residual radioactivity in the therapy accessories of a medical x ray linear accelerator. The residual radioactivity mainly originated from nuclear activation reactions by neutrons, which are present as a contamination radiation in the x-ray beam. The radiation used in this study was the 25 MV x-ray beam produced by a CGR Saturne III linear accelerator.

Health physics aspects of neutron activated components in a linear accelerator.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the residual radioactivity in the therapy accessories of a medical x ray linear accelerator. The residual radioactivity mainly originated from nuclear activation reactions by neutrons, which are present as a contamination radiation in the x-ray beam. The radiation used in this study was the 25 MV x-ray beam produced by a CGR Saturne III linear accelerator.

Radiation protection information: can you trust the government's risks or risk the government's trust?: 1997 G. William Morgan lecture.

Public acceptance of information concerning radiation risks has been impacted by the erosion of trust in government agencies and by societal images that personify radiation or its effects in terms of monsters and ogres. The loss of trust in government agencies, particularly the Atomic Energy Commission and later the Department of Energy, has been influenced by a number of key events and individuals. Examples of these are given, including the anti-Viet Nam war movement, the Watergate incident, the activities of the Union of Concerned Scientists, Ralph Nader and the Critical Mass movement, the claims of Ernest Sternglass, and the widely publicized views of John Gofman and Arthur Tamplin.

Future role of the health physicist.

What is the future role of the health physicist? Ten external societal forces and five internal forces that may have significant impact on the health physics profession are presented. What changes are taking place in our profession that will shape the way we conduct our business? What changes are likely in technology, education and training? Methods of strengthening the educational area of our profession are proposed. Comments to the author are welcomed.

Current status of bioassay procedures to detect and quantify previous exposures to radioactive materials. Bioassay Procedures Working Group.

This report was prepared by a working group established by the Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) for the purpose of assessing the current capabilities of bioassay methods that can be used to determine the occurrence and magnitude of a previous internal deposition of one or more radionuclides. The first five sections discuss general features of the use of in-vitro bioassay samples to achieve this purpose. The remainder of the report is focused on the possible use of urine bioassay procedures to detect and quantify internal depositions of radionuclides that may have occurred in United States occupation troops in Hiroshima or Nagasaki, Japan, prior to 1 July 1946, or to personnel who participated in atmospheric nuclear weapons tests conducted between 1945 and 1962.

Radionuclide content of and 222Rn emanation from building materials made from phosphate industry waste products.

The radionuclide content and 222Rn emanation coefficients of selected construction materials were determined. The materials were analyzed for 226Ra, 228Ra and 40K by gamma-ray spectrometry. Mineral wool insulation, which is made from Tennessee phosphate slag, and commonly used insulation, which is made from blast furnace slag, had similar concentrations of these radionuclides.

The effects of particle size and moisture content on the emanation of Rn from coal ash.

Measurements of the emanation coefficients of 222Rn from coal ash were performed. Samples of coal ash from a stoker-fired furnace were mechanically sized into four categories. The mean 226Ra concentration of these categories ranged from 11.

Distribution and clearance of 63Ni administered as 63NiCl2 in the rat: intratracheal study.

Microgram amounts of nickel as 63NiCl2 were administered intratracheally to male rats. Regardless of time after instillation, the lungs and kidneys retained the greatest concentration of 63Ni, and 21 days after dose administration they were the only organs where 63Ni was still measurable. Urinary excretion was the main excretion route with 72% of the initial body burden eliminated by the urine at one day.