Resolution improvement in thick-slab magnetic resonance digital subtraction angiography using SENSE at 3T.

Purpose: To evaluate the use of parallel imaging (sensitivity encoding [SENSE]) to improve spatial resolution and achieve sub-second temporal resolution in fluoroscopic contrast-enhanced, magnetic resonance digital subtraction angiography (MR-DSA).

Materials And Methods: A MR-DSA sequence was optimized on a 3-T scanner with respect to sampling bandwidth and SENSE acceleration factor subject to the constraints of half-second acquisition time and 0.6 x 1.

Controlled trial of hyperbaric oxygen treatment for alkali corneal burn in the rabbit.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of alkali-induced corneal burns in an animal model.

Methods: Twenty-four rabbits were randomized into a control group (n = 12) and hyperbaric oxygen treatment group (n = 12). After induction of anaesthesia, the alkali burn model was established by application of 1 N sodium hydroxide to one eye of each rabbit.

Phase 1 studies of Walter Reed Army Institute of Research candidate attenuated dengue vaccines: selection of safe and immunogenic monovalent vaccines.

We describe the results of initial safety testing of 10 live-attenuated dengue virus (DENV) vaccine candidates modified by serial passage in primary dog kidney (PDK) cells at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. The Phase 1 studies, conducted in 65 volunteers, were designed to select an attenuated vaccine candidate for each DENV serotype. No recipient of the DENV candidate vaccines sustained serious injury or required treatment.

Intensity-based 2-D-3-D registration of cerebral angiograms.

We propose a new method for aligning three-dimensional (3-D) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) with 2-D X-ray digital subtraction angiograms (DSA). Our method is developed from our algorithm to register computed tomography volumes to X-ray images based on intensity matching of digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs). To make the DSA and DRR more similar, we transform the MRA images to images of the vasculature and set to zero the contralateral side of the MRA to that imaged with DSA.

Patterns of cerebral blood flow reduction in patients with ischemic leukoaraiosis.

Background: Ischemic leukoaraiosis (ILA) refers to diffuse T2-weighted white matter hyperintensity in the context of a previous clinical lacunar stroke. Reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) in white matter has been demonstrated, but it is not known whether hypoperfusion is confined to lesions or extends into normal-appearing white matter. Demonstrating changes in normal-appearing white matter would provide clues to the importance of hypoperfusion in pathogenesis and would be an obvious target for therapies aimed at restoring white matter blood flow.

Fusing speed and phase information for vascular segmentation of phase contrast MR angiograms.

This paper presents a statistical approach to aggregating speed and phase (directional) information for vascular segmentation of phase contrast magnetic resonance angiograms (PC-MRA). Rather than relying on speed information alone, as done by others and in our own work, we demonstrate that including phase information as a priori knowledge in a Markov random field (MRF) model can improve the quality of segmentation. This is particularly true in the region within an aneurysm where there is a heterogeneous intensity pattern and significant vascular signal loss.

In vitro culture and interferon-tau secretion by ovine blastocysts.

Embryos were collected surgically from superovulated ewes on days 7, 8, 9 and 10 (oestrus=day 0) to evaluate the long-term culture and interferon-tau (IFN-tau) secretion of ovine blastocysts. Embryos were cultured in 2 ml Dulbecco's modification of Eagle's medium (DMEM) supplemented with 15 mg/ml BSA in 5% CO(2) in air or DMEM without BSA in 5% CO(2), 7% O(2), and 88% N(2) at 39 degrees C, examined daily for morphological features and diameter and each day placed into fresh culture medium to enable daily measurement of IFN-tau secretion. Nine day-7 and two day-9 embryos were cultured in DMEM with BSA and nine continued to develop.

Limb volume reduction after physical treatment by compression and/or massage in a rodent model of peripheral lymphedema.

Lack of a standardized experimental counterpart of peripheral lymphedema (LE) in a small animal has hampered research into treatment of this debilitating condition. We recently refined a rodent model consisting of radical unilateral lymphatic/nodal groin excision in conjunction with a circumferential integumental gap, followed by regional irradiation of the groin to reproduce stable unilateral hindlimb LE (1). In the current study, Wistar-Fuzzy rats with established right hindlimb LE, were subdivided into five groups and subjected to one of the following daily physical regimens over a 5-day period: pneumatic compression pumping at 30 torr (PCP); low-stretch multi-layered compressive bandaging using Coban (CB); manual lymphedema drainage (MLD) or a light massage consisting of stationary circular motions using the fingertips; combined physiotherapy (CPT consisting of MLD + CB); and a no treatment or control group (CTRL).

Adenosine kinase deficiency is associated with developmental abnormalities and reduced transmethylation.

Adenosine (Ado) kinase (ADK; ATP:Ado 5' phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.

Normal-appearing white matter in ischemic leukoaraiosis: a diffusion tensor MRI study.

Ischemic leukoaraiosis is a consistent concomitant of vascular dementia. Conventional MRI provides little information about underlying white matter tract disruption and correlates poorly with cognitive dysfunction. Diffusion tensor MRI may provide better markers of tract integrity.

SPAMM, cine phase contrast imaging and fast spin-echo T2-weighted imaging in the study of intracranial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow.

Aim: To compare the qualitative assessment of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow using a SPAMM (spatial modulation of magnetization) technique with cine phase contrast images (cine PC) and fast spin echo (FSE) T2-weighted images.

Materials And Methods: SPAMM, PC and T2-weighted sequences were performed on 22 occasions in 19 patients. Eleven of the studies were performed following a neuroendoscopic third ventriculostomy (NTV), and in these cases, the success of the NTV was determined by clinical follow-up.

Induction of multiple chemokine and colony-stimulating factor genes in experimental Burkholderia pseudomallei infection.

Melioidosis is a disease of the tropics caused by the facultative intracellular bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. In human infection, increased levels of IFN-gamma in addition to the chemokines interferon-gamma-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and monocyte interferon-gamma-inducible protein (Mig) have been demonstrated. However, the role of these and other chemokines in the pathogenesis of melioidosis remains unknown.

Evidence for cortical "disconnection" as a mechanism of age-related cognitive decline.

Background: Normal aging is accompanied by a decline of cognitive abilities, and executive skills may be affected selectively, but the underlying mechanisms remain obscure and preventive strategies are lacking. It has been suggested that cortical "disconnection" due to the loss of white matter fibers may play an important role. But, to date, there has been no direct demonstration of structural disconnection in humans in vivo.

Primary humoral immune responses to formalin inactivated hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome vaccine (Hantavax): consideration of active immunization in South Korea.

The efficacy of a formalin-inactivated hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) vaccine and the effectiveness of a related vaccination program have not been previously evaluated. We measured the primary immune responses to Hantavax by plaque reduction neutralizing antibody test (PRNT), hemagglutination inhibition test (HAI), ELISA and high density particle agglutination test (HDPA) in order to confirm a possible biological efficacy through independent substantiation of experimental results and to compare the results with previous studies. Following two doses of primary vaccination, the seroconversion rate of PRNT and HAI antibody was 33.

Mr angiography in cerebrovascular disease.

MR angiography has become a realistic diagnostic option for patients with neurovascular disease. MR angiography is not a single imaging sequence, but a collection of related methods for obtaining angiographic data. As a guide for practice, we review the literature on MR angiography in a spectrum of neurovascular indications with particular attention paid to choice of technique.

Benzyl isothiocyanate is the chief or sole anthelmintic in papaya seed extracts.

Papaya (Carica papaya) seeds were extracted in an aqueous buffer or in organic solvents, fractionated by chromatography on silica and aliquots tested for anthelmintic activity by viability assays using Caenorhabditis elegans. For all preparations and fractions tested, anthelmintic activity and benzyl isothiocyanate content correlated positively. Aqueous extracts prepared from heat-treated seeds had no anthelmintic activity or benzyl isothiocyanate content although both appeared when these extracts were incubated with a myrosinase-containing fraction prepared from papaya seeds.

State Medicaid home health licensing and certification.

This study collected and analyzed data on the number of licensed and certified home health care agencies and licensed home care/personal care agencies in the US. The study also examined the state laws and regulations pertaining to Medicaid home health agency requirements. There were 14,045 licensed home health agencies and 801 other licensed home care or personal care agencies in the US, but only 59 percent of these agencies were certified in 1998.

Maintaining methylation activities during salt stress. The involvement of adenosine kinase.

Synthesis of the compatible osmolyte Gly betaine is increased in salt-stressed spinach (Spinacia oleracea). Gly betaine arises by oxidation of choline from phosphocholine. Phosphocholine is synthesized in the cytosol by three successive S-adenosyl-Met-dependent N-methylations of phosphoethanolamine.

Non-invasive in vivo magnetic resonance imaging assessment of acute aflatoxin B1 hepatotoxicity in rats.

Acute aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced hepatotoxicity was assessed in vivo in male Sprague-Dawley rats (150-300 g) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI results were compared to serum enzyme levels, histology and electron microscopy. Twenty-four hours following intraperitoneal delivery of AFB1 (3 mg/kg body weight in a saline/dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO; 0.

Effects of bovine oviductal proteins on bull spermatozoal function.

The effects of bovine oviductal proteins on bull sperm viability, acrosome reaction and motility were studied. Motile frozen/thawed spermatozoa from Percoll gradients were incubated with 1.0 mg/mL oviductal proteins (>8 kDa) extracted by ammonium sulphate precipitation from oviductal extract (OE) or serum-free oviductal epithelial cell-conditioned media (CM), treated in the presence (CM+) or absence (CM-) of 1 microg/mL 17beta-estradiol.

Comparison of intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography, magnetic resonance angiography and duplex ultrasonography for measuring carotid artery stenosis.

Background: Duplex ultrasonography and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) are becoming competitive alternatives to angiography for determining the degree of internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. Varying reports have been published regarding the suitability of each technique for grading ICA disease. This retrospective study compared the merits of these three modalities for measuring ICA stenosis.

Clinical evaluation of a vaccinia-vectored Hantaan virus vaccine.

We evaluated a vaccinia-vectored vaccine for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in clinical trials. A Phase I dose-escalation study in 16 volunteers divided into four groups demonstrated that subcutaneous inoculation of approximately 10(7) plaque-forming units of the recombinant virus was safe and immunogenic. Vaccination of a fifth group of 12 volunteers indicated that neutralizing antibody titers to both vaccinia virus and Hantaan virus were enhanced after a second inoculation.

Effects of 17beta-oestradiol or oestrous stage-specific cow serum on the ability of bovine oviductal epithelial cell monolayers to prolong the viability of bull spermatozoa.

The effect of 17beta-oestradiol and oestrous stage-specific cow serum on bovine oviductal epithelial cell monolayers to extend the viability of co-cultured bull spermatozoa was examined. Monolayers of cells from ampullary and isthmic segments were pre-treated with medium containing either oestrous cow serum, luteal-phase cow serum, 1 microg/ml 17beta-oestradiol + foetal bovine serum or foetal bovine serum alone (control) before the addition of motile frozen/thawed spermatozoa. Motility was visually assessed throughout a 48 h co-incubation period, while fertilising ability of spermatozoa was evaluated by adding in vitro matured bovine oocytes.

A study of artefacts in simultaneous PET and MR imaging using a prototype MR compatible PET scanner.

We have assessed the possibility of artefacts that can arise in attempting to perform simultaneous positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using a small prototype MR compatible PET scanner (McPET). In these experiments, we examine MR images for any major artefacts or loss in image quality due to inhomogeneities in the magnetic field, radiofrequency interference or susceptibility effects caused by operation of the PET system inside the MR scanner. In addition, possible artefacts in the PET images caused by the static and time-varying magnetic fields or radiofrequency interference from the MR system were investigated.