Fundamental study on improving the quality of X-ray fluorescence computed tomography images by applying deep image prior to projection images as a pre-denoising method.

Purpose: We are developing a three-dimensional X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (3D XFCT) system using non-radioactive-labeled compounds for preclinical studies as a new modality that provides images of biological functions. Improvements in image quality and detection limits are required for the in vivo imaging. The aim of this study was to improve the quality of XFCT images by applying a deep image prior (DIP), which is a type of convolutional neural network, to projection images as a pre-denoising method, and then compare with DIP post-denoising.

Primary Central Nervous System Vasculitis (PCNSV): A Case Report Emphasizing Diagnostic Precision and Therapeutic Approaches.

This report presents a case of primary central nervous system vasculitis (PCNSV), emphasizing the need for precise diagnosis and individualized treatment. PCNSV is a rare inflammatory condition confined to the central nervous system (CNS) that affects small- to medium-sized vessels and can cause severe neurological damage if left untreated. A 73-year-old woman with no previous medical history presented with rapidly progressive right-sided hemiparesis and cognitive impairment.

Extracellular ATP Release Triggered by I-Trastuzumab Mitigates Radiation-Induced Reduction in Cell Viability through the P2Y Receptor in SKOV3 Cells.

Intracellular ATP is released outside cells by various stimuli and is involved in cytoprotection by activating purinergic receptors. However, it remains unclear whether targeted radionuclide therapy induces extracellular ATP release. Here, we prepared I-labeled trastuzumab (I-trastuzumab) and examined extracellular ATP release and its roles in I-trastuzumab's growth inhibitory effects.

Brain activities in the auditory area and insula represent stimuli evoking emotional response.

Cinema, a modern titan of entertainment, holds power to move people with the artful manipulation of auditory and visual stimuli. Despite this, the mechanisms behind how sensory stimuli elicit emotional responses are unknown. Thus, this study evaluated which brain regions were involved when sensory stimuli evoke auditory- or visual-driven emotions during film viewing.

A case of MRI-induced headache caused by an intracranial foreign body.

This case report delves into a unique occurrence of MRI-induced headaches attributed to an unsuspected intracranial foreign body. A male patient, presenting persistent headaches, experienced exacerbation of pain upon entering the MRI suite, hindering the imaging procedure. A subsequent head CT scan revealed a nail within the cranial cavity, stemming from a previous nail gun injury.

Altered muscle synergy structure in patients with poststroke stiff knee gait.

Stiff knee gait (SKG) occurrence after a stroke is associated with various abnormal muscle activities; however, the interactions among these muscles are unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the muscle synergy characteristics during walking in patients with SKG after a stroke. This cross-sectional study included 20 patients with poststroke SKG (SKG group), 16 patients without poststroke SKG (non-SKG group), and 15 healthy adults (control group).

Discovery and Model-Informed Drug Development of a Controlled-Release Formulation of Nonracemic Amisulpride that Reduces Plasma Exposure but Achieves Pharmacodynamic Bioequivalence in the Brain.

Nonracemic amisulpride (SEP-4199) is an investigational 85:15 ratio of aramisulpride to esamisulpride and currently in clinical trials for the treatment of bipolar depression. During testing of SEP-4199, a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) disconnect was discovered that prompted the development of a controlled-release (CR) formulation with improved therapeutic index for QT prolongation. Observations that supported the development of a CR formulation included (i) plasma concentrations of amisulpride enantiomers were cleared within 24-hours, but brain dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) occupancies, although achieving stable levels during this time, required 5 days to return to baseline; (ii) nonracemic amisulpride administered to non-human primates produced significantly greater D2R occupancies during a gradual 6-hour administration compared with a single bolus; (iii) concentration-occupancy curves were left-shifted in humans when nonracemic amisulpride was gradually administered over 3 and 6 hours compared with immediate delivery; (iv) CR solid oral dose formulations of nonracemic amisulpride were able to slow drug dissolution in vitro and reduce peak plasma exposures in vivo in human subjects.

Assessment of first-time and repeated acute adverse reactions to gadolinium-based contrast agents in MRI: A retrospective study.

Purpose: To identify gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs)-related and patient-related risk factors for acute adverse reactions (AARs), and to examine the incidence and severity of repeated AARs.

Methods: This study retrospectively evaluated all intravenous GBCA injections in MRI studies at a single institution from January 2012 to September 2019. First-time AARs in patients without a past history of AARs and risk factors were assessed using multivariable regression models with generalized estimating equations.

Presence of focal usual interstitial pneumonia is a key prognostic factor in progressive pulmonary fibrosis.

Aims: Progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) is a newly recognised clinical phenotype of interstitial lung diseases in the 2022 interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) guidelines. This category is based entirely on clinical and radiological factors, and the background histopathology is unknown. Our objective was to investigate the histopathological characteristics of PPF and to examine the correlation between usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) and prognosis in this new disease type.

Wernicke encephalopathy with atypical imaging findings in a depressed patient: A case report.

This case report highlights the rare occurrence of Wernicke encephalopathy caused by malnutrition in a depressed patient with atypical imaging findings. A 60-year-old female with depression developed a disturbance of consciousness owing to Wernicke encephalopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging showed abnormal signals in the thalamus and mammillary bodies around the third ventricle, cerebral aqueduct, and fourth ventricle.

Evaluation of bone marrow invasion on the machine learning of 18 F-FDG PET texture analysis in lower gingival squamous cell carcinoma.

Objectives: Lower gingival squamous cell carcinoma (LGSCC) has the potential to invade the alveolar bone. Traditionally, the diagnosis of LGSCC relied on morphological imaging, but inconsistencies between these assessments and surgical findings have been observed. This study aimed to assess the correlation between LGSCC bone marrow invasion and PET texture features and to enhance diagnostic accuracy by using machine learning.

MRI-Based Risk Factors for Adverse Maternal Outcomes in Prophylactic Aortic Balloon Occlusion for Placenta Accreta Spectrum and Placenta Previa.

Purpose: We previously reported that T2 dark bands and placental bulges observed in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can predict adverse maternal outcomes in patients with placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) and placenta previa undergoing prophylactic balloon occlusion of the internal iliac artery. On the other hand, the risk factors associated with the use of prophylactic aortic balloon occlusion (PABO) have not been sufficiently investigated. This retrospective study aimed to identify MRI-based risk factors associated with adverse maternal outcomes in the context of PABO during a cesarean section (CS) for PAS and placenta previa.

Dual action of serotonin on local excitatory and inhibitory neural circuits regulating the corticotropin-releasing factor neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.

Serotonergic neurons originating from the raphe nuclei have been proposed to regulate corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH). Since glutamate- and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-containing neurons, constituting the hypothalamic local circuits, innervate PVH CRF neurons, we examined whether they mediate the actions of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) on CRF neurons. Spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) or spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) were recorded in PVH CRF neurons, under whole cell patch-clamp, using the CRF-modified yellow fluorescent protein (Venus) ΔNeo mouse.

Single-cell dissection, hdWGCNA and deep learning reveal the role of oxidatively stressed plasma cells in ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) develops as a result of complex interactions between various cell types in the mucosal microenvironment. In this study, we aim to elucidate the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis at the single-cell level and unveil its clinical significance. Using single-cell RNA sequencing and high-dimensional weighted gene co-expression network analysis, we identify a subpopulation of plasma cells (PCs) with significantly increased infiltration in UC colonic mucosa, characterized by pronounced oxidative stress.

Early detection of hypervascularization in hepatocellular carcinoma (≤2 cm) on hepatic arterial phase with virtual monochromatic imaging: Comparison with low-tube voltage CT.

This study aims to assess the diagnostic value of virtual monochromatic image (VMI) at low keV energy for early detection of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in hepatic arterial phase compared with low-tube voltage (80 kVp) CT generated from dual-energy CT (DE-CT). A total of 107 patients with 114 hypervascular HCCs (≤2 cm) underwent DE-CT, 140 kVp, blended 120 kVp, and 80 kVp images were generated, as well as 40 and 50 keV. CT numbers of HCCs and the standard deviation as image noise on psoas muscle were measured.