Temporal dynamics of urban gas pipeline risks.

Urban gas pipelines pose significant risks to public safety and infrastructure integrity, necessitating thorough risk assessment methodologies to mitigate potential hazards. This study investigates the dynamics of population distribution, demographic characteristics, and building structures to assess the risk associated with gas pipelines. Using geospatial analysis techniques, we analyze population distribution patterns during both day and night periods. Additionally, we conduct an in-depth vulnerability assessment considering multiple criteria maps, highlighting areas of heightened vulnerability in proximity to gas pipelines and older buildings. This study incorporated the concept of individual risk and the intrinsic parameters of gas pipelines to develop a hazard map. Hazard analysis identifies areas with elevated risks, particularly around main pipeline intersections and high-pressure zones. Integrating hazard and vulnerability assessments, we generate risk maps for both day and night periods, providing valuable insights into spatial risk distribution dynamics. The findings underscore the importance of considering temporal variations in risk assessment and integrating demographic and structural factors into hazard analysis for informed decision-making in pipeline management and safety measures.

Volumetric Analysis of 3-D-Cultured Colonies in Wet Alginate Spots Using 384-Pillar Plate.

The volumetric analysis of three-dimensional (3-D)-cultured colonies in alginate spots has been proposed to increase drug efficacy. In a previously developed pillar/well chip platform, colonies within spots are usually stained and dried for analysis of cell viability using two-dimensional (2-D) fluorescent images. Since the number of viable cells in colonies is directly related to colony volume, we proposed the 3-D analysis of colonies for high-accuracy cell viability calculation. The spots were immersed in buffer, and the 3-D volume of each colony was calculated from the 2-D stacking fluorescent images of the spot with different focal positions. In the experiments with human gastric carcinoma cells and anticancer drugs, we compared cell viability values calculated using the 2-D area and 3-D volume of colonies in the wet and dried alginate spots, respectively. The IC50 value calculated using the 3-D volume of the colonies (9.5 µM) was less than that calculated in the 2-D area analysis (121.5 µM). We observed that the colony showed a more sensitive drug response regarding volume calculated from the 3-D image reconstructed using several confocal images than regarding colony area calculated in the 2-D analysis.

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy caused by prostate carcinoma.

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is a fatal malignancy-related condition that involves rapidly progressing hypoxia and pulmonary hypertension. We report a case of PTTM caused by prostate carcinoma, which was diagnosed before autopsy in an 81-year-old man. Computed tomography showed diffuse ground-glass opacities, consolidation, and small nodules in the peripheral regions of the lung. Autopsy showed adenocarcinoma cells embolizing small pulmonary arteries with fibrocellular intimal proliferation, which was consistent with PTTM caused by prostate carcinoma.

Evaluation of suspicious nipple discharge by magnetic resonance mammography based on breast imaging reporting and data system magnetic resonance imaging descriptors.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the findings of magnetic resonance mammography for suspicious nipple discharge based on breast imaging-reporting and data system magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) descriptors and establish any correlations with the histopathologic diagnoses. METHODS: Forty-seven patients with suspicious nipple discharge underwent MRI using a 1.5-T system. Images were evaluated for a signal of abnormal discharge, related abnormal enhancement according to the breast imaging-reporting and data system MRI descriptors, and the presence of clustered ring enhancement and were compared with the histopathologic diagnoses established in 39 lesions. RESULTS: The most common finding in patients with suspicious nipple discharge was non-masslike enhancement. Seventeen malignant and 22 benign lesions were detected. The most frequent findings in the malignant lesions were "segmental" (59%), "heterogeneous" (57%), and plateau pattern (40%). Clustered ring enhancement was found in 60% of the enhanced malignant lesions (P = 0.002). The combination of segmental distribution and clustered ring enhancement showed a significant association with malignant lesions (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Magnetic resonance imaging provides clinically useful information in patients with suspicious nipple discharge.

Quantitative evaluation of acute mucosal reaction to interstitial brachytherapy using color histograms.

PURPOSE: Color histograms of tongue photographs were used to make a quantitative evaluation of acute mucosal reaction to high-dose-rate fractionated interstitial brachytherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Six patients with oral cavity cancer were analyzed with two methods (color histogram and vinyl plate). Using a photograph of the tongue, we calculated the histogram of each pixel of 1mm(2) of the tongue surface. The results were compared with the physician's inspection and the radiation dose. RESULTS: The histogram showed a difference between the reactive area (erythema and pseudomembranous mucositis [PM]) and the nonreactive area. The relationship between inspection and the histogram showed a good correlation, although the histogram tended to change earlier than the subjective judgment. The peak time was 12-13 days after delivery of the final fraction of brachytherapy. The minimum dose required to cause PM was 3.3-3.6Gy per fraction (total: 29.7-32.4Gy). CONCLUSIONS: Our new method of using color histograms for quantitative evaluation is helpful in the analysis of the relationship between mucosal reaction and radiation dose. The minimum dose causing PM was considered to be about 30Gy per nine fractions.

Comparison of 2 preparative regimens for stem cell transplantation from HLA-matched sibling donors in patients with advanced myelodysplastic syndrome.

The objective of this study was to compare how cyclophosphamide (CY) and oral busulfan (BU) therapies, each in combination with total body irradiation (TBI), affect the outcome of stem cell transplantation in patients with advanced myelodysplastic syndrome. This study was conducted with 31 patients who received bone marrow from an HLA-matched sibling and underwent treatment with BU-TBI (n = 18) or CY-TBI (n = 13). The incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) grades II to IV was higher, but not significantly, in the BU-TBI group (58.8%) than in the CY-TBI group (30.8%). However, the incidences of chronic extensive GVHD were significantly different (41.7% [CY-TBI] versus 80.0% [BU-TBI], P = .04). Trends after BU-TBI conditioning indicated a lower 3-year probability of disease-free survival (DFS) (38.1% versus 53.9%, P = .4), lower relapse rates (28.5% versus 36.4%, P = .8), and higher nonrelapse mortality rates (46.7% versus 15.4%, P = .2). After adjusting for the International Prognostic Scoring System risk group and the cytogenetic risk group, DFS in the CY-TBI group (relative risk, 9.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-52.5; P = .015) was found to be significantly increased compared with the BU-TBI group. Approaches to minimize transplantation-related toxicity should be pursued, and efforts other than the potentiation of the conditioning regimen should be made to reduce the likelihood of posttransplantation relapse.