RF shimming in the cervical spinal cord at 7 T.

Purpose: Advancing the development of 7 T MRI for spinal cord imaging is crucial for the enhanced diagnosis and monitoring of various neurodegenerative diseases and traumas. However, a significant challenge at this field strength is the transmit field inhomogeneity. Such inhomogeneity is particularly problematic for imaging the small, deep anatomical structures of the cervical spinal cord, as it can cause uneven signal intensity and elevate the local specific absorption ratio, compromising image quality.

A birdcage transmit, 24-channel conformal receive array coil for sensitive P magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging of the human brain at 7 T.

Phosphorus (P) magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) can serve as a critical tool for more direct quantification of brain energy metabolism, tissue pH, and cell membrane turnover. However, the low concentration of P metabolites in biological tissue may result in low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in P MRS images. In this work, we present an innovative design and construction of a P radiofrequency coil for whole-brain MRSI at 7 T.

An 8-Channel Transceiver Coil for Carotid Artery Imaging at 7T Using an Optimized Shield Design.

Objective: To design and fabricate a transmit/receive (T/R) radiofrequency (RF) coil array for MRI of the carotid arteries at 7T with optimal shielding to improve transmit performance in parallel transmit (pTx) mode.

Methods: The carotid coil included 8 total RF elements, with left and right subarrays, each consisting of 4 overlapping loops with RF shields. Electromagnetic (EM) simulations were performed to optimize and improve the transmit performance of the array by determining the optimal distance between the RF shield and each subarray.

Evaluation of the impact of guideline communication from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services among US healthcare providers: COVID-19 prevention counselling guidance.

Aim: To evaluate healthcare provider awareness and uptake of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) billing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention counselling and the delivery of prevention counselling to patients awaiting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test results.

Design: Cross sectional survey of US-based healthcare providers in February 2021.

Methods: Analysis of associations with healthcare provider-reported awareness of CMS prevention counselling guidance and billing with provider type, specialty, and work setting.

Clarifying the relation between mechanistic explanations and reductionism.

The topic of mechanistic explanation in neuroscience has been a subject of recent discussion. There is a lot of interest in understanding what these explanations involve. Furthermore, there is disagreement about whether neurological mechanisms themselves should be viewed as reductionist in nature.

Integrating civil liberty and the ethical principle of autonomy in building public confidence to reduce COVID-19 vaccination inequity in Africa.

Concerns regarding the safety of COVID-19 vaccination have caused hesitancy and lowered uptake globally. While vaccine hesitancy is documented globally, some continents, countries, ethnic groups and age groups are disproportionately affected, resulting in significant global inequities. To date, Africa has the lowest COVID-19 coverage globally, with only 22% of its population completely vaccinated.

Feasibility of Dynamic Inhaled Gas MRI-Based Measurements Using Acceleration Combined with the Stretched Exponential Model.

Dynamic inhaled gas (He/Xe/F) MRI permits the acquisition of regional fractional-ventilation which is useful for detecting gas-trapping in lung-diseases such as lung fibrosis and COPD. Deninger's approach used for analyzing the wash-out data can be substituted with the stretched-exponential-model (SEM) because signal-intensity is attenuated as a function of wash-out-breath in F lung imaging. Thirteen normal-rats were studied using He/Xe and F MRI and the ventilation measurements were performed using two 3T clinical-scanners.

Physical activity levels, pulmonary function, and MRI in children born extremely preterm: A comparison between children with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Introduction: Children with a history of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) may have lower physical activity levels, but evidence to date is mixed. This study compared physical activity levels between children born extremely preterm with and without history of BPD, and examined their associations with pulmonary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and pulmonary function test (PFT) indices.

Methods: This multicentre cross-sectional study included children aged 7-9 years born extremely preterm, with and without BPD.

Inter- and intravisit repeatability of free-breathing MRI in pediatric cystic fibrosis lung disease.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the intra- and interscan repeatability of free-breathing phase-resolved functional lung (PREFUL) MRI in stable pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease in comparison to static breath-hold hyperpolarized 129-xenon MRI (Xe-MRI) and pulmonary function tests.

Methods: Free-breathing 1-hydrogen MRI and Xe-MRI were acquired from 15 stable pediatric CF patients and seven healthy age-matched participants on two visits, 1 month apart. Same-visit MRI scans were also performed on a subgroup of the CF patients.

Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in South African Local Communities: The VaxScenes Study.

South Africa launched a mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign in May 2021, targeting 40 million adults. Understanding predictors of COVID-19 vaccine intentions was required to achieve this goal. We conducted a population-based survey in June-July 2021 using the WHO Behavioral and Social Drivers (BeSD) of COVID-19 Vaccination tool to determine predictors of vaccine hesitancy, defined as intention to refuse or uncertainty whether to accept COVID-19 vaccination.

Lagoon, Anaerobic Digestion, and Composting of Animal Manure Treatments Impact on Tetracycline Resistance Genes.

Increased demand for animal protein is met by increased food animal production resulting in large quantities of manure. Animal producers, therefore, need sustainable agricultural practices to protect environmental health. Large quantities of antimicrobials are used in commercial food animal production.

Clinical Feasibility of Structural and Functional MRI in Free-Breathing Neonates and Infants.

Background: Evaluation of structural lung abnormalities with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has previously been shown to be predictive of clinical neonatal outcomes in preterm birth. MRI during free-breathing with phase-resolved functional lung (PREFUL) may allow for complimentary functional information without exogenous contrast.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of structural and functional pulmonary MRI in a cohort of neonates and infants with no cardiorespiratory disease.

Pulmonary Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Ex-Preterm Children with and without Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Children born prematurely, particularly those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, have persisting lung abnormalities requiring longitudinal monitoring. Pulmonary ultrashort echo time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements may provide sensitive markers of persisting lung abnormalities and have not been evaluated in school-aged children born prematurely. To compare pulmonary MRI and pulmonary function test measurements in preterm-born school-aged children with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Navigation of Microrobots by MRI: Impact of Gravitational, Friction and Thrust Forces on Steering Success.

Introduction: Magnetic resonance navigation (MRN) uses MRI gradients to steer magnetic drug-eluting beads (MDEBs) across vascular bifurcations. We aim to experimentally verify our theoretical forces balance model (gravitational, thrust, friction, buoyant and gradient steering forces) to improve the MRN targeted success rate.

Method: A single-bifurcation phantom (3 mm inner diameter) made of poly-vinyl alcohol was connected to a cardiac pump at 0.

Metabolic Biomarkers for the Early Detection of Cancer Cachexia.

Cancer cachexia is a severe metabolic disorder characterized by progressive weight loss along with a dramatic loss in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Like cancer, cachexia progresses in stages starting with pre-cachexia to cachexia and finally to refractory cachexia. In the refractory stage, patients are no longer responsive to therapy and management of weight loss is no longer possible.

Incorporating physical manipulatives into an integrated pharmacotherapy course to reinforce antimicrobial spectrum of activity.

Background And Purpose: Teaching and learning the spectrum of activity (SOA) of antimicrobial agents can be a challenge in pharmacy education. This study describes the implementation and assessment of a novel tool to aid in the instruction of SOA. Physical manipulatives were used as an active-learning technique to model bacterial pathogens for antimicrobial SOA in an infectious diseases (ID) integrated medication therapy management course.

Profiling of Adipose and Skeletal Muscle in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cachexia Reveals Distinct Gene Profiles with Convergent Pathways.

The vast majority of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) suffer cachexia. Although cachexia results from concurrent loss of adipose and muscle tissue, most studies focus on muscle alone. Emerging data demonstrate the prognostic value of fat loss in cachexia.

Comparison of Functional Free-Breathing Pulmonary H and Hyperpolarized Xe Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis.

Rationale And Objectives: Phase resolved functional lung (PREFUL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a free-breathing H-based technique that produces maps of fractional ventilation (FV). This study compared ventilation defect percent (VDP) calculated using PREFUL to hyperpolarized (HP) Xe MRI and pulmonary function tests in pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF).

Materials And Methods: 27 pediatric participants were recruited (mean age 13.

Predictive Value of In Vivo MR Spectroscopy With Semilocalization by Adiabatic Selective Refocusing in Differentiating Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma From Other Subtypes.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of in vivo MR spectroscopy (MRS) with semilocalization by adiabatic selective refocusing (semi-LASER MRS) in differentiating clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) from the non-clear cell subtype. Sixteen patients with biopsy-proven RCC or masses highly suspicious for RCC were prospectively recruited to participate in the study. Single-voxel H spectra were acquired using a 3-T MRI system, with a semi-LASER sequence acquired for renal tumors in 14 patients and for healthy renal tissue (control tissue) in 12 patients.

Chemical shift of Xe dissolved in red blood cells: Application to a rat model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Purpose: To measure the chemical shift of hyperpolarized Xe dissolved in the red blood cells(δ ) of a cohort of rats exposed to hyperoxia and intermittent hypoxia (IH) to mimic human bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and to investigate the effect of xenon-blood distribution time on δ .

Methods: δ was measured from spectra acquired using a chemical shift saturation recovery sequence from 15 Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to hyperoxia-IH and 10 age-matched control rats. Sensitization to the xenon-blood distribution time was achieved by varying the time between saturation pulses, τ.

Assessing the feasibility of hyperpolarized Xe multiple-breath washout MRI in pediatric cystic fibrosis.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of hyperpolarized Xe multiple-breath washout MRI in pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF) participants with preserved lung function. Fractional ventilation (r), defined as the fractional gas replacement per breath, was mapped using 2 signal models: (1) constant T and (2) variable T as a function of the hyperpolarized gas washout.

Methods: A total of 17 pediatric participants were recruited (mean age 11.

Best practices for data visualization: creating and evaluating a report for an evidence-based fall prevention program.

This case report applied principles from the data visualization (DV) literature and feedback from nurses to develop an effective report to display adherence with an evidence-based fall prevention program. We tested the usability of the original and revised reports using a Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES) customized for this project. Items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale, strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5).

Hyperpolarized Xe imaging of embryonic stem cell-derived alveolar-like macrophages in rat lungs: proof-of-concept study using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.

Purpose: To measure regional changes in hyperpolarized Xe MRI signal and apparent transverse relaxation ( ) because of instillation of SPION-labeled alveolar-like macrophages (ALMs) in the lungs of rats and compare to histology.

Methods: MRI was performed in 6 healthy mechanically ventilated rats before instillation, as well as 5 min and 1 h after instillation of 4 million SPION-labeled ALMs into either the left or right lung. maps were calculated from 2D multi-echo data at each time point and changes in were measured and compared to control rats receiving 4 million unlabeled ALMs.