Positron emission tomography-based assessment of metabolic gradient and other prognostic features in sarcoma

Intratumoral heterogeneity biomarkers derived from positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) are of interest for a number of cancers, including sarcoma. A range of radiomic texture variables, adapted from general methodologies for image analysis, has shown promise in the setting. In the context of sarcoma, our group introduced an alternative model-based approach to the measurement of heterogeneity. In this approach, the heterogeneity of a tumor is characterized by the extent to which the 3-D FDG uptake pattern deviates from a simple elliptically contoured structure. By using a nonparametric analysis of the uptake profile obtained from this spatial model, a variable assessing the metabolic gradient of the tumor is developed. The work explores the prognostic potential of this new variable in the context of FDG-PET imaging of sarcoma. A mature clinical series involving 197 patients, 88 of whom have complete time-to-death information, is used. Texture variables based on the imaging data are also evaluated in this series and a range of appropriate machine learning methodologies are then used to explore the complementary prognostic roles for structure and texture variables. We conclude that both texture-based and model-based variables can be combined to achieve enhanced prognostic assessments of outcome for patients with sarcoma based on FDG-PET imaging information

Concurrent SPECT/PET-CT imaging as a method for tracking adoptively transferred T-cells in vivo

BACKGROUND: The ability of T-cells to traffic to and penetrate tumors impacts the clinical efficacy of T-cell therapy therefore methods to track transferred T-cells in vivo are needed. In this preliminary report, we evaluated the use of concurrent SPECT/PET-CT imaging to monitor the egress of HER-2/neu specific T-cells in a breast cancer patient with extensive bone-only metastatic disease. FINDINGS: Indium (In-111) labeled T-cells demonstrated similar or greater viability than unlabeled T-cells at either a low or high dose of In-111 over a 24-h incubation period in vitro. The function of labeled or unlabeled T-cells was not significantly different (p > 0.05) at either dose. T-cells trafficked to all sites of metastatic disease and infiltrated the tumor as assessed by SPECT imaging. In-111 uptake at 24 h after infusion varied from 3.8 (right proximal humerus) to 6.3 (right sacrum) background corrected counts per pixel and remained elevated at 48 h. Concurrent PET-CT imaging demonstrated a fluorodeoxyglucose flare, measured by increase in tumor site uptake as high as 32 % and at most sites of disease at 48 h. This flare was associated with focal pain after T-cell infusion at metastatic sites. The patient had stable disease for 18 months after completion of T-cell therapy. CONCLUSION: Concurrent SPECT/PET-CT imaging, over a 48-h period after T-cell infusion, provided evidence of T-cell homing to all disease sites as well as a tumor metabolism flare response. This technique may be useful for monitoring T-cell trafficking after autologous as well as chimeric antigen receptor T-cell infusion. TRIAL REGISTRAION: Trial registered at ClinicalTrials.gov registration number NCT00791037, registered 13 November 2008

Feminism\u27s Forgotten Frontier: Why Menstrual Liberation is Necessary for Addressing Western Society’s Somatophobia

This honors thesis proposes a solution to the shame and stigmatization of menstruation in Western Society. I begin this conversation by describing the social position of the menstruating body in society, through the lens of somatophobia, described by Elizabeth Spelman’s article “Woman as Body: Ancient and Contemporary Views”. In response to the article, I propose two theoretical frameworks to address somoatophobic discourse. The first framework, embodied subjectivity, proposes a new way of viewing the body in society based on Hortense Spillers’ “Mama’s Baby, Papa’s Maybe: An American Grammar Book” definitions of subjecthood. My second framework, menstrual liberation, rests upon the pillars of self-definition, liberation, and socialist ideology, presented by the Combahee River Collective Statement, and centers conversations about the body in society around menstruation. After defining these terms, I explain their potential through the lens of Menstruators’ Sense of Self, Menstrual Healthcare, and Mensuration in the Corporate World. In these sections, I provide readers with real-world embodiments of menstrual liberation

An investigation of the effectiveness of sheet metal drawing lubricants

Thesis (M.S.)--Michigan State University of Agriculture and Applied Science. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1956Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-92

Distributed Data Management in Opportunistic Networks

Opportunistic networks (ONs) allow wireless devices, primarily mobile, to interact with one another through a series of opportunistic contacts. While ONs exploit mobility of devices to route messages and distribute information in the absence of dedicated networking infrastructure, the intermittent connections among devices make many traditional computer collaboration paradigms difficult to realize. Two such paradigms are distributed transactions and distributed shared memory (DSM). Distributed transactions are a sequence of operations, executed across multiple nodes, that must successfully complete as specified by its program, or abort with no changes to memory. DSM allows multiple, independent nodes to collectively operate on a pool of memory as if it were a single address space. Originally developed for traditional networks, both paradigms rely on relatively stable, consistent connections among participating nodes to function properly. This dissertation facilitates the employment of distributed transactions and DSM in ONs, by introducing two novel schemes specifically tailored to work in the presence of erratic inter-device connectivity, as well as a thorough investigation into optimizing the latter system to produce the most desirable functionality in a variety of exigent conditions. The first discussed is Distributed Transactions in Opportunistic Networks (DiTON), which enables the sequence of operations composing a transaction to operate on shared sets of data, hosted across multiple nodes, while providing global coherency in the event of network interruptions. An implementation of DiTON, and accompanying experimental results, demonstrate that it is possible to utilize transactions in ONs. The second scheme discussed is Delay Tolerant Lazy Release Consistency (DTLRC), a mechanism for implementing distributed shared memory in opportunistic networks. DTLRC permits mobile devices to remain independently productive while separated, and provides a mechanism for nodes to regain coherence of shared memory if and when they meet again. DTLRC allows applications to utilize the most coherent data available, even in the challenged environments typical to opportunistic networks. Simulations demonstrate that DTLRC is a viable system for deploying DSM in ONs. Finally, an model for analyzing the behavior of memory in DTLRC is presented. This model allows anyone with an interested in DTLRC to gain insight into its performance, without having to formally implement DTLRC\u27s complicated algorithms