Feasibility of Brain Imaging Using a Digital Surround Technology Body Coil: A Study Based on SRGAN-VGG Convolutional Neural Networks.

Brain imaging using conventional head coils presents several problems in routine magnetic resonance (MR) examination, such as anxiety and claustrophobic reactions during scanning with a head coil, photon attenuation caused by the MRI head coil in positron emission tomography (PET)/MRI, and coil constraints in intraoperative MRI or MRI-guided radiotherapy. In this paper, we propose a super resolution generative adversarial (SRGAN-VGG) network-based approach to enhance low-quality brain images scanned with body coils. Two types of T1 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images scanned with different coils were obtained in this study: joint images of the head-neck coil and digital surround technology body coil (H+B images) and body coil images (B images).

Follow-up study of high-dose praziquantel therapy for cerebral sparganosis.

Background: Cerebral sparganosis is the most serious complication of human sparganosis. Currently, there is no standard for the treatment of inoperable patients. Conventional-dose praziquantel therapy is the most reported treatment.

Three-dimensional visualization of rat retina by X-ray differential phase contrast tomographic microscopy.

The retina is one of the most tiny and sophisticated tissues of the body. Three dimensional (3D) visualization of the whole retina is valuable both in clinical and research arenas. The tissue has been predominantly assessed by time-consuming histopathology and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in research and clinical arenas.

The value and limitations of contrast-enhanced transrectal ultrasonography for the detection of prostate cancer.

Objectives: To evaluate the role of contrast-enhanced transrectal ultrasonography (CE-TRUS) for detecting prostate carcinoma.

Methods: Sixty-five patients with elevated serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and/or abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE) were assessed using transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and CE-TRUS. In all the patients, CE-TRUS was performed with intravenous injection of contrast agent (SonoVue, 2.

Inhibition of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway attenuates cerebral vasospasm following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in rabbits.

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) plays an important role in apoptosis and is also involved in the development of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Here, we sought to examine whether inhibition of p38 MAPK could attenuate cerebral vasospasm and investigate the underlying mechanisms in a rabbit SAH model. SAH was established in rabbits (n=12/group) using the double-hemorrhage method.

Therapeutic potential of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonist rosiglitazone in cerebral vasospasm after a rat experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage model.

The pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm is closely associated with inflammation and immune response in arterial walls. Recently, the authors proved the key role of Toll-like receptor (TLR)4 in the development of vasospasm in experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) model. Because peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma agonists are identified as effective inhibitors of TLR4 activation, we investigated the anti-inflammation properties of PPAR-gamma agonist rosiglitazone in basilar arteries in a rat experimental SAH model and evaluated the effects of rosiglitazone on vasospasm.

[Influence of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 genotype on tumor necrosis factor-α and metalloproteinase-9 expression in spinal cord after spinal cord injury in mice].

Objective: To investigate the role of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) as a key transcription factor of cytoprotection against inflammation in the spinal cord upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) after spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods: Wild-type Nrf2(+/+) and Nrf2(-/-)-deficient mice were subjected to a murine SCI model induced by the application of vascular clips (force of 10 g) to the dura after a three-level T8-T10 laminectomy. The wet/dry weight ratio was used to reflect the percentage of water content of impaired spinal cord tissue at 48 h after SCI.

Sulforaphane attenuates matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression following spinal cord injury in mice.

Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of secondary damage after spinal cord injury (SCI). The present study explored the effect of sulforaphane (SFN), a potent anti-inflammatory extract of cruciferous vegetables, on the expression of two inflammatory mediators, metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and TNF-α, in a murine model of SCI. Murine spinal cord injury was induced by the application of vascular clips (force of 10 g) to the dura after a three-level T8-T10 laminectomy.

Potential role of Ras in cerebral vasospasm after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in rabbits.

Previous studies have demonstrated that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is involved in the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Ras, an upstream regulator of MAPK, may be activated following SAH. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Ras in cerebral vasospasm in a rabbit model of SAH.

[Application research of DEI technique based on synchrotron X-ray source in imaging rabbit eyeball in vitro].

Objective: To study the application of DEI technique in imaging the small structures of rabbit eyeball.

Method: DEI technique was used to image the eyeball of New Zealand white rabbit in vitro. The experiments were performed using beamline 4W1A at the topography station of Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF).

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonist rosiglitazone attenuates oxyhemoglobin-induced Toll-like receptor 4 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Inflammation and immune response have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Recently, increased TLR4 expression has been associated with the development of cerebral vasospasm in a rabbit model of SAH. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) agonists, effective inhibitors of TLR4 activation, may modulate the vasospasm progression via their anti-inflammation effects.

The protective effect of the ketogenic diet on traumatic brain injury-induced cell death in juvenile rats.

Background: The ketogenic diet (the KD) is an effective treatment for intractable epilepsy, especially in the paediatric population, and a growing number of studies have shown the neuroprotective role of the KD. However, few studies focused on the neuroprotective effects of the KD in traumatic brain injury (TBI). The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the KD on TBI.

Genistein, a soybean isoflavone, reduces the production of pro-inflammatory and adhesion molecules induced by hemolysate in brain microvascular endothelial cells.

Genistein (4',5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone) is the most abundant isoflavone found in the soybean that exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect. The present study was designed to examine the effects of genistein on expression levels of hemolysate-induced proinflammatory and adhesion molecules in SD rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs). Genistein treatment attenuated hemolysate-induced nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) p65 translocation in BMECs.

Expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in the cerebral artery after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a potent chemokine that plays an important role in the recruitment of macrophages. Although previous studies have demonstrated that MCP-1 has been shown to be involved in the damaging inflammatory processes associated with stroke, infection, neoplasia, and others in the central nervous system, the role of MCP-1 in the cerebral artery after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in rats has been largely unexplored. This study was undertaken to investigate the expression of the MCP-1 in SAH model and to clarify the potential role of MCP-1 in cerebral vasospasm.

Transcription factor Nrf2 plays a pivotal role in protection against traumatic brain injury-induced acute intestinal mucosal injury in mice.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can induce an acute intestinal mucosal injury. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) has a unique role in many physiological stress processes, but its contribution to intestinal mucosal injury after TBI remains to be determined.

Materials And Methods: Wildtype Nrf2 (+/+) and Nrf2 (-/-) deficient mice were subjected to a moderately severe weight-drop impact head injury.

N-acetylcysteine suppresses oxidative stress in experimental rats with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The neuroprotective effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a sulfhydryl-containing antioxidant, on experimentally induced subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in rats was assessed. NAC was administered to rats after the induction of SAH. Neurological deficits and brain edema were investigated.

Hemangiopericytomas in the central nervous system.

Hemangiopericytomas, which are more aggressive than meningiomas, are rare in the central nervous system (CNS). We analyzed the clinical, radiological and histological features and treatment of 26 patients with hemangiopericytomas in the CNS. The ratio of male to female patients was 1:1.

Ketogenic diet reduces cytochrome c release and cellular apoptosis following traumatic brain injury in juvenile rats.

Ketone bodies have been shown to be favorable alternative metabolic substrates and are protective under neuropathologies. At the same time, cytochrome c release has been reported following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and precipitates apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway. The present study investigated the effects of a ketogenic diet (KD) on TBI.

Inhibition of hemolysate-induced iNOS and COX-2 expression by genistein through suppression of NF-small ka, CyrillicB activation in primary astrocytes.

Genistein is a major isoflavone compound from soybean. We investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of genistein in primary astrocytes treated with hemolysate. The results indicated that genistein inhibited the expression of hemolysate induced iNOS and COX-2 mRNA on astrocytes.

Influence of Nrf2 genotype on pulmonary NF-kappaB activity and inflammatory response after traumatic brain injury.

Inflammatory response plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury (ALI) after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a key transcription factor that plays a crucial role in cytoprotection against inflammation. The present study explored the influence of Nrf2 genotype on the production of cytokines and on activation of transcription factors in a murine TBI model.

Activation of Nrf2-ARE pathway in brain after traumatic brain injury.

Secondary brain injury plays a pivotal role in the outcome of patients suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI). The mechanisms underlying secondary brain injury are complex and interrelated. Previous studies focused on one of these mechanisms have been proved to be ineffective in clinical practice.

Expression of Toll-like receptor 4 in the basilar artery after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in rabbits: a preliminary study.

Inflammation and immunity play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Recently, a growing body of evidence indicates that Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 is vital for inflammation and immunity. Therefore, this study aimed to detect the expression of TLR4 in the basilar artery in a rabbit SAH model and to clarify the potential role of TLR4 in cerebral vasospasm.