Effect of Phase Encoding Direction on Image Quality in Single-Shot EPI Diffusion-Weighted Imaging of the Breast.

Background: In breast diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), distortion and physiologic artifacts affect clinical interpretation. Image quality can be optimized by addressing the effect of phase encoding (PE) direction on these artifacts.

Purpose: To compare distortion artifacts in breast DWI acquired with different PE directions and polarities, and to discuss their clinical implications.

Altered reward expectancy in individuals with recent methamphetamine dependence.

Background: Chronic methamphetamine use may lead to changes in reward-related function of the ventral striatum and caudate nucleus. Whether methamphetamine-dependent individuals show heightened reactivity to positively valenced stimuli (i.e.

Altered functional response to risky choice in HIV infection.

Background: Risky decision-making is commonly observed in persons at risk for and infected with HIV and is associated with executive dysfunction. Yet it is currently unknown whether HIV alters brain processing of risk-taking decision-making.

Methods: This study examined the neural substrate of a risky decision-making task in 21 HIV seropositive (HIV+) and 19 seronegative (HIV-) comparison participants.

Pharmacology of a new cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase type 4 inhibitor, V11294.

V11294 is a new cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) inhibitor of the rolipram class. In this report we present the pharmacological profile of V11294. V11294 inhibited PDE4 isolated from human lung with IC(50) 405 nM, compared to 3700 nM for rolipram.