University of Colorado Colorado Springs

About: University of Colorado Colorado Springs is a education organization based out in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 6664 authors who have published 10872 publications receiving 323416 citations. The organization is also known as: UCCS & University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

The use of artificial intelligence technology to predict lymph node spread in men with clinically localized prostate carcinoma.

Abstract: BACKGROUND The current study assesses artificial intelligence methods to identify prostate carcinoma patients at low risk for lymph node spread. If patients can be assigned accurately to a low risk group, unnecessary lymph node dissections can be avoided, thereby reducing morbidity and costs. METHODS A rule-derivation technology for simple decision-tree analysis was trained and validated using patient data from a large database (4133 patients) to derive low risk cutoff values for Gleason sum and prostate specific antigen (PSA) level. An empiric analysis was used to derive a low risk cutoff value for clinical TNM stage. These cutoff values then were applied to 2 additional, smaller databases (227 and 330 patients, respectively) from separate institutions. RESULTS The decision-tree protocol derived cutoff values of ≤ 6 for Gleason sum and ≤ 10.6 ng/mL for PSA. The empiric analysis yielded a clinical TNM stage low risk cutoff value of ≤ T2a. When these cutoff values were applied to the larger database, 44% of patients were classified as being at low risk for lymph node metastases (0.8% false-negative rate). When the same cutoff values were applied to the smaller databases, between 11 and 43% of patients were classified as low risk with a false-negative rate of between 0.0 and 0.7%. CONCLUSIONS The results of the current study indicate that a population of prostate carcinoma patients at low risk for lymph node metastases can be identified accurately using a simple decision algorithm that considers preoperative PSA, Gleason sum, and clinical TNM stage. The risk of lymph node metastases in these patients is ≤ 1%; therefore, pelvic lymph node dissection may be avoided safely. The implications of these findings in surgical and nonsurgical treatment are significant. Cancer 2000;88:2105–9. © 2000 American Cancer Society.

Isomorphism and Morita equivalence of graph algebras

Abstract: For any countable graph E, we investigate the relationship between the Leavitt path algebra L ℂ (E) and the graph C * -algebra C * (E). For graphs E and F, we examine ring homomorphisms, ring *-homomorphisms, algebra homomorphisms, and algebra *-homomorphisms between L ℂ (E) and L ℂ (F). We prove that in certain situations isomorphisms between L ℂ (E) and L ℂ (F) yield *-isomorphisms between the corresponding C * -algebras C * (E) and C * (F). Conversely, we show that *-isomorphisms between C * (E) and C * (F) produce isomorphisms between L ℂ (E) and L ℂ (F) in specific cases. The relationship between Leavitt path algebras and graph C * -algebras is also explored in the context of Morita equivalence.

Comparative effectiveness of commonly used systemic treatments or phototherapy for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in the clinical practice setting.

Abstract: Objective To compare the effectiveness of biologic systemic therapy, nonbiologic systemic therapy, and phototherapy for treatment of psoriasis. Design A cross-sectional design was used. Setting Ten outpatient dermatology sites across the United States participating in the Dermatology Clinical Effectiveness Research Network contributed to the study. Participants A total of 713 patients with plaque psoriasis receiving systemic monotherapy (ie, methotrexate sodium, adalimumab, etanercept, or ustekinumab) or narrowband UV-B phototherapy. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome of the study was clear or almost clear skin on the Physician Global Assessment scale. Secondary outcomes were score on the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, affected body surface area, and score on the Dermatology Life Quality Index. Results The proportion of patients with clear or almost clear ratings on the Physician Global Assessment scale differed among treatments: methotrexate (23.8%), adalimumab (47.7%), etanercept (34.2%), ustekinumab (36.1%), and narrowband UV-B (27.6%) (P Conclusions The effectiveness of psoriasis therapies in clinical practice may be lower than that reported in previous trials. Although relative differences in objective response rates among therapies may exist, absolute differences are small and may not be clinically significant. Dosing of common therapies varied from trial recommendations. These results provide novel benchmarks emphasizing the critical importance of studying effectiveness in real-world practice.

Airborne and ground‐based studies of thunderstorms in the vicinity of Langmuir Laboratory

Abstract: Flights through the central regions of thunderstorms were made over New Mexico on 6 and 15 August 1977 with the ONR/NMIMT Schweitzer aeroplane which carried equipment designed to measure all three components of the electric field, and the charge, Q, and diameter, d, of individual precipitation elements. On the earlier day, information was also obtained with: a rain-gauge network surrounding Langmuir Laboratory; a 3 cm radar; an acoustic system for locating lightning channels; a ground-based field-change meter. The first cell on 6 August produced precipitation at the ground but no lightning. Vertical fields, Ex, of up to about 50kVm−1 and precipitation charge densities ρ of up to −0.5 C km−3 were recorded within the cloud. The second cell, which grew as the first one decayed, produced 7 lightning strokes in 9 minutes during which time the radar revealed vigorous vertical growth in a narrow zone containing precipitation. Thunder reconstructions showed the acoustic sources for the first flash of this cell to be very near the top of the cloud at an altitude of 10 km a.s.1. The subsequent flashes produced acoustic signals from progressively lower in the cloud. When the radar echo reached its maximum height lightning activity ceased. Ex values of up to about 50kVm−1 and pp values of down to −1 Ckm−3 were measured. ρp was consistently negative, individual charges being less than ±40 pC. Q values were within the inductive limit for a thundercloud at breakdown but no systematic relation between Q and d was found. Six penetrations were made through the thundercloud of 15 August, which produced only two lightning strokes. The Ex records were indicative of a (±) dipole located near the cloud top, at around –13°C. Fields of up to about 100kVm−1 and ρp values (positive and negative) of around 5Ckm−3 were measured. Q values of up to ±250 pC were recorded, with charges around ±50 pC being commonly found. No systematic Q-d relation was revealed, and smaller precipitation particles frequently carried charges (positive or negative) in excess of the inductive limit. On both days estimated precipitation rates were of order 10mmh−1 and on most occasions the pilot reported precipitation particles to be either ‘ice’ or ‘mixed liquid water and ice’.