Asparagine reduces the risk of schizophrenia: a bidirectional two-sample mendelian randomization study of aspartate, asparagine and schizophrenia.

Background: Despite ongoing research, the underlying causes of schizophrenia remain unclear. Aspartate and asparagine, essential amino acids, have been linked to schizophrenia in recent studies, but their causal relationship is still unclear. This study used a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method to explore the causal relationship between aspartate and asparagine with schizophrenia.

Concomitant functional impairment and reorganization in the linkage between the cerebellum and default mode network in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Increasing evidence shows that the default mode network (DMN) and cerebellum are prone to structural and functional abnormalities in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the type of change in the functional connection between the DMN and cerebellum is still unknown.

Methods: In this study, seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analysis was used to examine the intrinsic FC of the cerebellum-DMN between healthy controls (HCs) and T2DM patients.

Pathological Between-Network Positive Connectivity in Early Type 2 Diabetes Patients Without Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases.

Background And Purpose: Previous neuroimaging studies have demonstrated type 2 diabetes (T2D)-related brain structural and functional changes are partly associated with cognitive decline. However, less is known about the underlying mechanisms. Chronic hyperglycemia and microvascular complications are the two of most important risk factors related to cognitive decline in diabetes.

Changes in default mode network connectivity in different glucose metabolism status and diabetes duration.

Aims/hypotheses: It is now generally accepted that diabetes increases the risk for cognitive impairment, but the precise mechanisms are poorly understood. In recent years, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is increasingly used to investigate the neural basis of cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients. Alterations in brain functional connectivity may underlie diabetes-related cognitive dysfunction and brain damage.

Investigation of cerebral iron deposition in aged patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease using susceptibility-weighted imaging.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate focal iron deposition level in the brain in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease and its correlation with cerebral small vessel disease imaging markers.

Patients And Methods: Seventy-four patients with first-ever transient ischemic attack (median age: 69 years; 30 males and 44 females) and 77 patients with positive ischemic stroke history (median age: 72 years; 43 males and 34 females) were studied retrospectively. On phase image of susceptibility-weighted imaging and regions of interest were manually drawn at the bilateral head of the caudate nucleus, lenticular nucleus (LN), thalamus (TH), frontal white matter, and occipital white matter.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound and computerized tomography perfusion imaging of a liver fibrosis-early cirrhosis in dogs.

Background And Aim: To assess liver fibrosis stages in a liver fibrosis-early cirrhosis model in dogs, the clinical efficiency of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and computed tomography (CT) perfusion imaging were compared.

Methods: Hepatic vein arriving time (HVAT), hepatic artery arriving time, and hepatic artery to vein transit time (HA-VTT) were measured on CEUS. Total liver perfusion (TLP), portal vein perfusion (PVP), hepatic artery perfusion, and hepatic perfusion index (HPI) were measured on CT perfusion imaging.

[Diagnostic value of liver CT for acute necrotizing pancreatitis].

Objective: To determine diagnostic value of liver CT for acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

Methods: A total of 130 patients with the acute necrotizing pancreatitis underwent abdominal helical contrast CT scanning, whose pancreatitis was graded and the live CT values were measured.

Results: Altogether 111 patients had decreased liver CT value.