Accelerated T2W Imaging with Deep Learning Reconstruction in Staging Rectal Cancer: A Preliminary Study.

Deep learning reconstruction (DLR) has exhibited potential in saving scan time. There is limited research on the evaluation of accelerated acquisition with DLR in staging rectal cancers. Our first objective was to explore the best DLR level in saving time through phantom experiments.

DTL promotes head and neck squamous cell carcinoma progression by mediating the degradation of ARGLU1 to regulate the Notch signaling pathway.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, with a high incidence in squamous epithelium. The E3 ubiquitin ligase DTL is a component of the CRL4A complex and is widely involved in tumor progression. We aimed to analyze the role of DTL in HNSCC and to explore its mechanism of action.

Finger motor representation supports the autonomy in arithmetic: neuroimaging evidence from abacus training.

Researches have reported the close association between fingers and arithmetic. However, it remains unclear whether and how finger training can benefit arithmetic. To address this issue, we used the abacus-based mental calculation (AMC), which combines finger training and mental arithmetic learning, to explore the neural correlates underlying finger-related arithmetic training.

Modular brain network in volitional eyes closing: enhanced integration with a marked impact on hubs.

Volitional eyes closing would shift brain's information processing modes from the "exteroceptive" to "interoceptive" state. This transition induced by the eyes closing is underpinned by a large-scale reconfiguration of brain network, which is still not fully comprehended. Here, we investigated the eyes-closing-relevant network reconfiguration by examining the functional integration among intrinsic modules.

Reshaping the Cortical Connectivity Gradient by Long-Term Cognitive Training During Development.

The organization of the brain follows a topological hierarchy that changes dynamically during development. However, it remains unknown whether and how cognitive training administered over multiple years during development can modify this hierarchical topology. By measuring the brain and behavior of school children who had carried out abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) training for five years (starting from 7 years to 12 years old) in pre-training and post-training, we revealed the reshaping effect of long-term AMC intervention during development on the brain hierarchical topology.

Enhanced intersubject similarity in functional connectivity by long-term abacus training.

The individual difference of intrinsic functional connectivity is increasingly acknowledged to be biologically informative and behaviorally relevant. However, such valuable information is still discounted as a stochastic variation in previous studies of cognitive training. Here, we explored the plasticity of intersubject similarity in functional connectivity (ISFC), induced by long-term abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) training.

Different impacts of long-term abacus training on symbolic and non-symbolic numerical magnitude processing in children.

Abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) has been shown to be effective in promoting math ability in children. Given that AMC relies on a visuospatial strategy to perform rapid and precise arithmetic, previous studies mostly focused on the promotion of AMC training on arithmetic ability and mathematical visual-spatial ability, as well as its transfer of advanced cognitive ability. However, little attention has been given to its impact on basic numerical comparison ability.

Mining Temporal Dynamics With Support Vector Machine for Predicting the Neural Fate of Target in Attentional Blink.

Our brains do not mechanically process incoming stimuli; in contrast, the physiological state of the brain preceding stimuli has substantial consequences for subsequent behavior and neural processing. Although previous studies have acknowledged the importance of this top-down process, it was only recently that a growing interest was gained in exploring the underlying neural mechanism quantitatively. By utilizing the attentional blink (AB) effect, this study is aimed to identify the neural mechanism of brain states preceding T2 and predict its behavioral performance.

Training on Abacus-Based Mental Calculation Enhances Visuospatial Working Memory in Children.

Abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) involves temporary storage and manipulation of an imaginary abacus closely related to the function of visuospatial working memory (VSWM). The present study thus investigated the effects of AMC training on VSWM and its neural correlates. A total of 144 human subjects (67 boys) were assigned to AMC or control groups at their entry to primary school.

Auditory and language contributions to neural encoding of speech features in noisy environments.

Recognizing speech in noisy environments is a challenging task that involves both auditory and language mechanisms. Previous studies have demonstrated human auditory cortex can reliably track the temporal envelope of speech in noisy environments, which provides a plausible neural basis for noise-robust speech recognition. The current study aimed at teasing apart auditory and language contributions to noise-robust envelope tracking by comparing the neural responses of 2 groups of listeners, i.

The interactive effects of ketamine and ethanol on dopamine expression in the ventral tegmental area of rats.

Background: A number of studies have demonstrated the significant and rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine, which is also known as a neurotoxic and illicit drug. Ketamine and alcohol are increasingly used together in clubs by teenagers and young adults. Previous studies have proven that chronic ketamine consumption induces a delayed and persistent activation of the dopamine (DA) system.

The impact of long-term abacus training on modular properties of functional brain network.

Training induces cognitive and neural plasticity, and understanding of the neural mechanisms of training-induced brain plasticity has significant implications for improving children's academic achievement. Previous studies have indicated that training in abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) improves arithmetical capacities and results in brain plasticity within visuospatial brain regions. However, previous studies have reported alterations within distributed brain regions.

Using High-Resolution 3D Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Quantitatively Analyze the Shape of Eyeballs with High Myopia and Provide Assistance for Posterior Scleral Reinforcement.

Purpose: To quantitatively analyze the shape of eyes with high myopia and provide assistance for posterior scleral reinforcement (PSR) using high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Method: In all, 260 eyes of 134 patients with high myopia were assessed in this study; 120 emmetropic volunteers were enrolled as a control group. The subjects were examined using 3D T2-weighted CUBE sequences.

Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted MR imaging parameters predict pathological classification in thymic epithelial tumors.

We evaluated the performance of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) parameters for preoperatively predicting the subtype and Masaoka stage of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs). Seventy-seven patients with pathologically confirmed TETs underwent a diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) sequence with 9 b values. Differences in the slow diffusion coefficient (D), fast perfusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f) IVIM parameters, as well as the multi b-value fitted apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmb), were compared among patients with low-risk (LRT) and high-risk thymomas (HRT) and thymic carcinomas (TC), and between early stage (stages I and II) and advanced stage (stages III and IV) TET patients.

Effects of co-administration of ketamine and ethanol on the dopamine system via the cortex-striatum circuitry.

Aim: Ketamine and ethanol are increasingly being used together as recreational drugs in rave parties. Their effects on the dopamine (DA) system remain largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of consuming two different concentrations of ketamine with and without alcohol on the DA system.

Noninvasive monitoring of early antiangiogenic therapy response in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma xenograft model using MRI with RGD-conjugated ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.

Purpose: Arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)-based nanoprobes allow specific imaging of integrin αvβ3, a protein overexpressed during angiogenesis. Therefore, this study applied a novel RGD-coupled, polyacrylic acid (PAA)-coated ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) (referred to as RGD-PAA-USPIO) in order to detect tumor angiogenesis and assess the early response to antiangiogenic treatment in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) xenograft model by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials And Methods: The binding specificity of RGD-PAA-USPIO with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was confirmed by Prussian blue staining and transmission electron microscopy in vitro.

High-Performance Upconversion Nanoprobes for Multimodal MR Imaging of Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Multimodal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, including MR angiography (MRA) and MR perfusion (MRP), plays a critical role in the diagnosis and surveillance of acute ischemic stroke. However, these techniques are hindered by the low T1 relaxivity, short circulation time, and high leakage rate from vessels of clinical Magnevist. To address these problems, nontoxic polyethylene glycol (PEG)ylated upconversion nanoprobes (PEG-UCNPs) are synthesized and first adopted for excellent MRA and MRP imaging, featuring high diagnostic sensitivity toward acute ischemic stroke in high-resolution imaging.

Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Monitoring the Early Response to ZD6474 from Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Nude Mouse.

Early therapeutic effects of anti-angiogenic agent ZD6474 upon nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in nude mouse were monitored by using intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Mice bearing NPC underwent IVIM DWI at baseline and after 1, 3, and 7 days of treatment with ZD6474 or vehicle (n = 12 per group). Parameters of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), true diffusion coefficient (D), perfusion fraction (f), and blood pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*) at different time points were compared between the two groups or within the treated group.

Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted MR imaging of gliomas: efficacy in preoperative grading.

The preoperative grading of gliomas, which is critical for guiding therapeutic strategies, remains unsatisfactory. We aimed to retrospectively assess the efficacy of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the grading of gliomas. Forty-two newly diagnosed glioma patients underwent conventional MR imaging, DWI, and contrast-enhanced MR imaging.