Abstract: Systems for phase-change particulate slurry cooling equipment and methods to induce hypothermia in a patient through internal and external cooling are provided. Subcutaneous, intravascular, intraperitoneal, gastrointestinal, and lung methods of cooling are carried out using saline ice slurries or other phase-change slurries compatible with human tissue. Perfluorocarbon slurries or other slurry types compatible with human tissue are used for pulmonary cooling. And traditional external cooling methods are improved by utilizing phase-change slurry materials in cooling caps and torso blankets.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer product for the automated segmentation of the lung fields and costophrenic angle (CP) regions in posteroanterior (PA) chest radiographs, wherein image segmentation based on gray-level threshold analysis is performed by applying an iterative global gray-level thresholding method to a chest image based on the features of a global gray-level histogram. Features of the regions in a binary image constructed at each iteration are identified and analyzed to exclude regions external to the lung fields. The initial lung contours that result from this global process are used to facilitate a local gray-level thresholding method. Individual regions-of-interest (ROIs) are placed along the initial contour. A procedure is implemented to determine the gray-level thresholds to be applied to the pixels within the individual ROIs. The result is a binary image, from which final contours are constructed. Smoothing processes are applied, including a unique adaptation of a rolling ball method.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reconstructing images from data obtained from scintillation events occurring within a projection space of a depth-of-interaction positron emission tomography system. The method includes the steps of identifying a segment of each depth-of-interaction detector of respective pairs of depth-of-interaction detectors detecting the scintillation-events of the data obtained within the projection space and estimating a set of sinograms from the data based upon a set of depth-independent point spread functions of the identified segments of the respective pairs of depth-of-interaction detectors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the signalling pathways connecting DNA damage, such as that induced by ionizing radiation or alkylating agents, and phosphorylation by tyrosine kinases.

Abstract: A new family of proteins having structural similarity to the baculovirus inhibitor of apoptosis protein (iap) are described. These ilp's (iap-like proteins) are distinguished by the presence of a RING finger domain and three baculovirus iap-like repeat motifs. Exemplified are sequences from Drosophila and human. Methods for the use of these proteins, and nucleic acids coding therefor, are provided. These methods include both the inhibition and stimulation of apoptosis in target cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for the therapeutic intervention of Parkinson's disease. More particularly, methods of making and sequestering dopamine are disclosed. Additionally, methods of genetically modifying donor cells by gene transfer for grafting into the central nervous system to treat defective, diseased or damaged cells are disclosed. Methods and compositions for carrying out such gene transfer and grafting are described.

Abstract: A method to determine whether a candidate abnormality in a medical digital image is an actual abnormality, a system which implements the method, and a computer readable medium which stores program steps to implement the method, wherein the method includes obtaining a medical digital image including a candidate abnormality; obtaining plural first templates and plural second templates respectively corresponding to predetermined abnormalities and predetermined non-abnormalities; comparing the candidate abnormality with the obtained first and second templates to derive cross-correlation values between the candidate abnormality and each of the obtained first and second templates; determining the largest cross-correlation value derived in the comparing step and whether the largest cross-correlation value is produced by comparing the candidate abnormality with the first templates or with the second templates; and determining the candidate abnormality to be an actual abnormality when the largest cross-correlation val

Abstract: A system and method for digital imaging. A digital radiological image of a subject is obtained having at least one low density region. The image is processed using first weighting factors in the at least one low density region of the digital image and second weighting factors smaller than the first weighting factors in regions of the digital image other than the at least one low density region. A processed digital image is obtained and a representation of the processed digital image is produced. In the processing of the image, unsharp mask filtering is employed using a processing curve having maximum unsharp mask filtering in the at least one low density region of the digital image and a constant amount of unsharp mask filtering less than the maximum unsharp mask processing in the regions of the image other than the low density regions.

Abstract: An automated method, storage medium, and system for analyzing bone. Digital image data corresponding to an image of the bone are obtained. Next there is determined, based on the digital images, a measure of bone mineral density (BMD) and at least one of a measure of bone geometry, a Minkowski dimension, and a trabecular orientation. The strength of the bone is estimated based upon the measure of BMD and at least one of the measure of bone geometery, the Minkowski dimension, and the trabecular orientation. To improve bone texture analysis, the present invention also provides a novel automated method, storage medium, and system in which digital image data corresponding to an image of the bone is obtained, and a region of interest (ROI) is selected within the bone. A fractal characteristic of the image data within the ROI using an artificial neural network is extracted. The strength of the bone is estimated based at least in part on the extracted fractal characteristic.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for automated measurements of pleural space and/or pleural thickening in thoracic CT images to identify the presence and quantify the extent of pleura-based disease, including obtaining a CT image including the pleural space and/or the pleural thickening, segmenting lungs in the obtained image, constructing a chest wall image from the obtained image using a lung boundary obtained in the segmenting step, identifying ribs in the chest wall image, mapping a location of the identified ribs back into the obtained image, and determining in the obtained image the extent of the pleural space and/or the pleural thickening between the identified ribs mapped back into the obtained CT image and at least one segmented lung. Exemplary embodiments include determining the extent of pleural space and/or pleural thickening based on linear distance, area, and volume of the space between the ribs and the lung boundary.

Abstract: The ICP4 protein of herpes simplex virus plays an important role in the transactivation of viral genes. The present invention discloses that ICP4 also has the ability to inhibit apoptosis. This function appears to reside in functional domain distinct from the transactivating function, as indicated by studies using temperature sensitive mutants of ICP4 that transactivating function at elevated temperatures. Also disclosed are methods for inhibition of apoptosis using ICP4 or an ICP4 encoding gene, such as an a4 gene, methods of inhibiting ICP4's apoptosis-inhibiting function, and methods for the production of recombinant proteins and treatment of HSV infections.

Abstract: A signaling pathway is identified that involves the activation of phospholipase A2 and protein kinase C in human cells, which in turn confers x-ray induction of the tumor necrosis factor &agr; (TNF) gene. Inhibition of phospholipase A2 abolishes radiation-mediated arachidonate production, as well as the subsequent activation of protein kinase C and TNF gene expression. These phospholipase A2 inhibitors may be used to ameliorate the adverse-effects of radiotherapy associated with TNF production.

Abstract: An automated method for analyzing a nodule and a computer storage medium storing computer instructions by which the method can be implemented when the instructions are loaded into a computer to program the computer. The method includes obtaining a digital image including the nodule; segmenting the nodule to obtain an outline of the nodule, including generating a difference image from chest image, identifying image intensity contour lines representative of respective image intensities in a region of interest including the nodule, and obtaining an outline of the nodule based on the image intensity contours; extracting features of the nodule based on the outline; applying features including the extracted features to at least one image classifier; and determining a likelihood of malignancy of the nodule based on the output of the at least one classifier.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer product for the automated segmentation of the lung fields and costophrenic angle (CP) regions in posteroanterior (PA) chest radiographs, wherein image segmentation based on gray-level threshold analysis is performed by applying an iterative global gray-level thresholding method to a chest image based on the features of a global gray-level histogram. Features of the regions in a binary image constructed at each iteration are identified and analyzed to exclude regions external to the lung fields. The initial lung contours that result from this global process are used to facilitate a local gray-level thresholding method. Individual regions-of-interest (ROIs) are placed along the initial contour. A procedure is implemented to determine the gray-level thresholds to be applied to the pixels within the individual ROIs. The result is a binary image, from which final contours are constructed. Smoothing processes are applied, including a unique adaptation of a rolling ball method.

Abstract: Disclosed are purified and isolated DNA sequences encoding eukaryotic proteins possessing biological properties of inosine 5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase (“IMPDH”). Illustratively, mammalian (e.g., human) IMPDH-encoding DNA sequences are useful in transformation or transfection of host cells for the large scale recombinant production of the enzymatically active expression products and/or products (e.g., GMP) resulting from IMPDH catalyzed synthesis in cells. Vectors including IMPDH-encoding DNA sequences are useful in gene amplification procedures. Recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides provided by the invention are useful as immunological reagents and in the preparation of antibodies (including polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies) for quantitative detection of IMPDH.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for detecting the presence of genetic polymorphisms that correlate with altered gene expression. More specifically, the present invention is directed to methods for detecting the genetic polymorphisms located in the UGT1A1 promoter. The invention also provides methods for optimizing drug dosages based upon the presence of the polymorphisms. The invention further provides methods of predicting sensitivity to xenobiotics and diagnostic kits for detecting genetic polymorphisms.

Abstract: A method to determine whether a candidate abnormality in a medical digital image is an actual abnormality, a system which implements the method, and a computer readable medium which stores program steps to implement the method, wherein the method includes obtaining a medical digital image including a candidate abnormality; obtaining plural first templates and plural second templates respectively corresponding to predetermined abnormalities and predetermined non-abnormalities; comparing the candidate abnormality with the obtained first and second templates to derive cross-correlation values between the candidate abnormality and each of the obtained first and second templates; determining the largest cross-correlation value derived in the comparing step and whether the largest cross-correlation value is produced by comparing the candidate abnormality with the first templates or with the second templates; and determining the candidate abnormality to be an actual abnormality when the largest cross-correlation val

Abstract: An automated method, storage medium, and system for analyzing bone. Digital image data corresponding to an image of the bone are obtained. Next there is determined, based on the digital images, a measure of bone mineral density (BMD) and at least one of a measure of bone geometry, a Minkowski dimension, and a trabecular orientation. The strength of the bone is estimated based upon the measure of BMD and at least one of the measure of bone geometry, the Minkowski dimension, and the trabecular orientation. To improve bone texture analysis, the present invention also provides a novel automated method, storage medium, and system in which digital image data corresponding to an image of the bone is obtained, and a region of interest (ROI) is selected within the bone. A fractal characteristic of the image data within the ROI using an artificial neural network is extracted. The strength of the bone is estimated based at least in part on the extracted fractal characteristic.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for detecting the presence of genetic polymorphisms that correlate with altered gene expression. More specifically, the present invention is directed to methods for detecting the genetic polymorphisms located in the UGT1A1 promoter. The invention also provides methods for optimizing drug dosages based upon the presence of the polymorphisms. The invention further provides methods of predicting sensitivity to xenobiotics and diagnostic kits for detecting genetic polymorphisms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of adenovirus-mediated gene transfer to regulate function in cardiac and vascular smooth muscle cells. A recombinant adenovirus comprising a DNA sequence that codes for a gene product is delivered to a cardiac or vascular smooth muscle cell and the cell is maintained until that gene product is expressed. Delivery is direct injection into a muscle cell or infusing a pharmaceutical composition containing an adenovirus virus vector construct intravascularly.