Two investigational vaccines, TC-83 (live-attenuated) and C-84 (formalin-inactivated), are currently available to immunize at-risk individuals against Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE). Ideally, such vaccines should protect against both the natural mosquito-borne route of infection and from aerosol, the most common route of laboratory infection. Whereas considerable data on vaccine efficacy following parenteral challenge are available, the efficacy of these vaccines against disease caused by aerosol exposure is not well established in primates. We compared the immunogenicity and protective capacity of TC-83 and C-84 against either subcutaneous or aerosol routes of infection in cynomolgus monkeys implanted with temperature-monitoring radiotelemetry devices. A single s.c. dose of TC-83, or three s.c. doses (days 0, 7, 28) of C-84, elicited similar serum virus-neutralizing antibody responses. Animals immunized with either TC-83 or C-84 were protected against s.c. infection. In contrast, after aerosol infection, 40% of the animals vaccinated with either TC-83 or C-84 developed signs nearly as severe as those seen in unvaccinated animals. Protection was not entirely consistent with the measured preinfection immune responses: unprotected animals had serum virus-neutralizing antibody titers and lymphoproliferative responses similar to those seen in protected animals. In this study, C-84 (three doses) protected monkeys as well as TC-83 (one dose) against either a s.c. or aerosol VEE challenge.

Aerosols↗

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Assessment of the pore geometry of stereolithographic models by high resolution MRI.

It is becoming increasingly evident that material strength and other mechanical properties depend not only on the density but also on the internal architecture of the structure in question. The internal structures of five different stereolithographic samples were examined noninvasively using high resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The image analysis techniques of segmentation applied to the acquired images allowed the quantification of the structural parameters mean pore size and pore separation. These parameters were quantified along many angular orientations with a spatial resolution of 0.12 mm, and their distributions clearly revealed the structural anisotropy of the samples.

Bone and Bones↗

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Medical management of cutaneous malignancies.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

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Peripheral enhancement and spatial contrast uptake heterogeneity of primary breast tumours: quantitative assessment with dynamic MRI.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to determine if quantitative analysis of peripheral enhancement and spatial contrast uptake heterogeneity is useful in the characterisation of abnormalities seen at breast MRI. METHOD: Ninety-one women underwent dynamic gadolinium-enhanced breast MRI. Regions of interest were processed by a parallel thinning algorithm to define central and peripheral subregions of lesions. Peripheral enhancement was quantified at every time point of the dynamic sequence as a signal difference-to-noise ratio. Moreover, a radiologist assessed the images for the presence of peripheral enhancement and classified the regional and subregional time-intensity profiles of each lesion. RESULTS: Sixty-four invasive carcinomas and 30 benign lesions were analysed. Significant differences were found between benign and malignant lesions in peripheral enhancement as determined from the dynamic images (p = 0.0002; sensitivity, 0.34; specificity, 1.00) in time-intensity profiles (p < 0.000005; sensitivity, 0.67; specificity, 0.93) and in peripheral percentage signal changes at 1 min postcontrast (p = 0.001). There was a much higher relative signal increase centrally than peripherally (p < 0.0005), but peripheral signal changes had greater diagnostic value than central ones (Az = 0.72 vs. 0.63; p = 0.02). Carcinomas showed higher peripheral enhancement than benign lesions (p = 0.001). Peripheral enhancement reached maximum diagnostic value at 4 min postcontrast (Az = 0.80) and performed best as a highly sensitive but moderately specific diagnostic index. CONCLUSION: Quantification of peripheral enhancement is diagnostically useful and offers insight into the enhancement mechanisms encountered in breast MRI. Primary breast tumours show substantial spatial contrast uptake heterogeneity. Lesion differentiation based on percentage signal changes is improved by restricting sampling to the periphery of tumours.

Adult↗

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Pediatric melanoma: are recent advances in the management of adult melanoma relevant to the pediatric population.

PURPOSE: Although melanoma in childhood is a rare condition, there is evidence that it is increasing in frequency. As advances are being made in the understanding and therapy of adult melanoma, we need to consider the relevance of these advances to the pediatric population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have reviewed our experience at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center with the clinical parameters, therapy, and outcomes of melanoma in 27 patients age 16 years or younger and contrasted these to the adult experience. RESULTS: Most cases were diagnosed early with the median thickness of the primary melanoma being 0.75 mm. Six of seven patients who had lymph node metastases develop remain alive at a median follow-up of 62 months. Durable complete responses to a variety of therapies were seen in three of five patients with advanced disease outside the central nervous system. Our experience with sentinel node biopsy, adjuvant interferon, and new therapies for metastatic melanoma were also reviewed and appear to be relevant for younger patients. CONCLUSIONS: The behavior of melanoma in the pediatric population at our center is similar to that seen in adults. The integration of recent advances in the staging and therapy of melanoma in adults would be of benefit to children with this condition.

Adolescent↗

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Phase I evaluation of hyperthermia equipment--University of Utah institutional report.

At the University of Utah Medical Center the thrusts of the effort with respect to the NCl Hyperthermia Equipment Evaluation Contract have been threefold. The first objective was the development of a reliable thermometry system for collecting temperature information as a function of space as well as time. The second objective was the evaluation and comparison of a number of hyperthermia devices, particularly with respect to deep-heating devices, and specifically as pertains to the BSD annular phased array system (AA) and its various configurations. The third objective was to develop methodology for analysing hyperthermia data which could be easily adapted toward device comparison. In the period from 10/81-1/86, a total of 137 patients were treated with one or more of 10 devices, totalling 199 device evaluations at the University of Utah Medical Center or the subcontracting institution, LDS Hospital. Of these, 132 device evaluations involved deep-seated tumours. The AA was found to be feasible for deep pelvic regional hyperthermia, although the frequency of reversible acute toxicity was high, and achievement of desired temperatures was frequently limited by one of several factors. The radiative electromagnetic wave applicators which were evaluated for treatment of superficial tumours were found to be mostly feasible for tumours of the thoracic and extremities regions, although the heating patterns were frequently too shallow or too small in area, when compared with the size of the lesion.

Equipment Design↗

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Myonecrosis following deep pelvic hyperthermia.

A case report is presented in which severe myonecrosis of the inferior anterior abdominal wall followed treatment of a recurrent pelvic tumour with an annular phased array (AA) deep heating device. This unusual complication has not been observed at this institution in 107 patients previously treated with deep pelvic or abdominal hyperthermia, who had undergone a total of 368 hyperthermia sessions. The injury was confirmed radiographically and histopathologically, and was associated with serum enzymatic elevations characteristic of muscular injury. The implications for clinical trials employing the AA or similar devices are discussed.

Abdominal Muscles↗