Process for reducing false negative mammography bilateral registration

This paper appears in: Bioengineering Conference, 2004. Proceedings of the IEEE 30th Annual Northeast
Issue Date: 17-18 April 2004
On page(s): 69 - 70
ISSN:
Print ISBN: 0-7803-8285-4
Cited by : 1
INSPEC Accession Number: 8096976
Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/NEBC.2004.1299997
Date of Current Version: 24 May 2004

August, K.; Biswal, B.; Reisman, S.;
New Jersey Inst. of Technol., Newark, NJ, USA

Abstract

Each woman presents slightly different risk factors that should be considered during mammography image interpretation to reduce the risk of false negative. Given the complexity of the risk situation, and the variety of practical and affordable image processing techniques available, processes and systems sensitive to individual risk factors may reduce false negative reports. Bilateral registration as a process improvement may help to reduce risk of false negative mammography by providing statistical objective metrics to identify regions of interest in screening at risk women for whom historic images are not available, or for whom historic images are not useable.

Restor Neurol Neurosci. 2009;27(3):209-23.

A virtual reality-based system integrated with fmri to study neural mechanisms of action observation-execution: a proof of concept study.

Adamovich SV, August K, Merians A, Tunik E.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, University Heights, Newark, NJ, USA.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Emerging evidence shows that interactive virtual environments (VEs) may be a promising tool for studying sensorimotor processes and for rehabilitation. However, the potential of VEs to recruit action observation-execution neural networks is largely unknown. For the first time, a functional MRI-compatible virtual reality system (VR) has been developed to provide a window into studying brain-behavior interactions. This system is capable of measuring the complex span of hand-finger movements and simultaneously streaming this kinematic data to control the motion of representations of human hands in virtual reality.

METHODS:

In a blocked fMRI design, thirteen healthy subjects observed, with the intent to imitate (OTI), finger sequences performed by the virtual hand avatar seen in 1st person perspective and animated by pre-recorded kinematic data. Following this, subjects imitated the observed sequence while viewing the virtual hand avatar animated by their own movement in real-time. These blocks were interleaved with rest periods during which subjects viewed static virtual hand avatars and control trials in which the avatars were replaced with moving non-anthropomorphic objects.

RESULTS:

We show three main findings. First, both observation with intent to imitate and imitation with real-time virtual avatar feedback, were associated with activation in a distributed frontoparietal network typically recruited for observation and execution of real-world actions. Second, we noted a time-variant increase in activation in the left insular cortex for observation with intent to imitate actions performed by the virtual avatar. Third, imitation with virtual avatar feedback (relative to the control condition) was associated with a localized recruitment of the angular gyrus, precuneus, and extrastriate body area, regions which are (along with insular cortex) associated with the sense of agency.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our data suggest that the virtual hand avatars may have served as disembodied training tools in the observation condition and as embodied "extensions" of the subject's own body (pseudo-tools) in the imitation. These data advance our understanding of the brain-behavior interactions when performing actions in VE and have implications in the development of observation- and imitation-based VR rehabilitation paradigms.

PMID:

19531876

[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2006;1:3692-5.

FMRI analysis of neural mechanisms underlying rehabilitation in virtual reality: activating secondary motor areas.

August K, Lewis JA, Chandar G, Merians A, Biswal B, Adamovich S.

Source

Biomed. Eng. Dept., New Jersey Inst. of Technol., Newark, NJ, USA. ka38@njit.edu

Abstract

A pilot functional MRI study on a control subject investigated the possibility of inducing increased neural activations in primary, as well as secondary motor areas through virtual reality-based exercises of the hand. These areas are known to be important in effective motor output in stroke patients with impaired corticospinal systems. We found increased activations in these brain areas during hand exercises in VR when compared to vision of non-anthropomorphic shapes. Further studies are needed to investigate the potential of virtual reality-based rehabilitation for tapping into the properties of the mirror neuron system to stimulate plasticity in sensorimotor areas.

BioTechniques - 2011 MacArthur Fellow: Kevin Guskiewicz, Sports Medicine Researcher

BioTechniques - 2011 MacArthur Fellow: Kevin Guskiewicz, Sports Medicine Researcher

Heading back to the U.S. Apparently, in Switzerland, the residency renewal process is complex. You apply; the nice people at Migrationsamt tell you they're processing the renewal. Then you find out they never processed the application. They sent you a letter last year regarding your previous residency application telling you the last day you can remain in the country. That means that this year, they will not process another residency application. Even though they take your money and accept the form and you go for an appointment and get your fingerprints taken and an official photograph, etc. You ask them in person. They tell you they're processing the application. They will send you a letter in two to three weeks. Some time passes, and you call them on the phone, they tell you they didn't process the application. You paid the money to the "Community" who sends it to the Migrationsamt. Migrationsamt says you can go to the "Community" to get the money back. You go there, and they laugh. You can't get your money back. Furthermore, they tell you they have 'nothing to do with Migrationsamt'. You wonder why they take the money for Migrationsamt applications if they truly have nothing to do with Migrationsamt. Interesting. You return your residency card to the "City" offices. They charge you 30 CHF for a receipt. They tell you to go to the "Community" to get your 122 CHF money back for the renewal application. How did the "City" become involved with the Migrationsamt? Difficult to imagine. And everyone points fingers at everyone else. I asked the nice lady at the "Community" how I could get the truth from the Migrationsamt. She asked me, "What is the truth?" Then it all made sense to me.

Zheng Lab - Bad Project (Lady Gaga parody)

Eliesha Nelson with John McLaughlin Williams: "Blues Lontains"