Accelerating spiral deblurring with square kernels and low-pass preconditioning.

Purpose: Robust implementation of spiral imaging requires efficient deblurring. A deblurring method was previously proposed to separate and deblur water and fat simultaneously, based on image-space kernel operations. The goal of this work is to improve the performance of the previous deblurring method using kernels with better properties.

Hyaluronic Acid Conjugated with 17β-Estradiol Effectively Alleviates Estropause-Induced Cognitive Deficits in Rats.

Women are at a higher risk of cognitive impairments and Alzheimer's disease (AD), particularly after the menopause, when the estrous cycle becomes irregular and diminishes. Numerous studies have shown that estrogen deficiency, especially estradiol (E2) deficiency, plays a key role in this phenomenon. Recently, a novel polymeric drug, hyaluronic acid-17β-estradiol conjugate (HA-E2), has been introduced for the delivery of E2 to brain tissues.

Evaluating efficient SENSE algorithms to deblur spiral MRI with fat/water separation.

Purpose: The combination of SENSE and spiral imaging with fat/water separation enables high temporal efficiency. However, the corresponding computation increases due to the blurring/deblurring operation across the multi-channel data. This study presents two alternative models to simplify computational complexity in the original full model (model 1).

Acoustic noise reduction for spiral MRI by gradient derating.

Purpose: To show that the acoustic noise of spiral MRI can be reduced by derating the gradients with minimal penalty to image quality and scan time, and to illustrate an algorithm for optimal choice of derating parameters.

Theory And Methods: Acoustic noise level was measured and compared for various values of maximum gradient amplitude and slew rate for T -weighted spin-echo spiral scans while maintaining image contrast, FOV and resolution, and readout time. A full gradient trajectory and a derated gradient (undersampled) trajectory were chosen for a volunteer scan followed by parallel imaging-aided reconstruction to illustrate comparable image SNR.

A field map updating algorithm to improve fat-water spiral imaging.

Purpose: An accurate field map is essential to separate fat and water signals in a dual-echo chemical shift encoded spiral MRI scan. A rapid low-resolution B map prescan is usually performed before each exam. Occasional inaccuracy in these field map estimates can lead to misclassification of the water and fat signals as well as blurring artifacts in the reconstruction.

Comparison of the morphology of the primary first molars and the forms of stainless steel crowns used in clinical practice.

This study aimed to assess the difference in the mesiodistal (MD) and buccolingual (BL) dimensions of primary first molars between Taiwanese boys and girls using a three-dimensional (3D) scanner (Microscribe G2 digitizer), record the coordinates in the 3D systems of Graph-R Project and reconstruct 3D images for subsequent analysis. We also determined whether the differences in these parameters between primary first molars and stainless steel crowns (SSC, 3M ESPE, No. 2-7) could be used as a reference for selecting a suitably-sized SSC and performing adjustments during restoration.

Spreading of a Lidocaine Formulation on Microneedle-Treated Skin.

The spreadability of a liquid drug formulation on skin is an indication of it either remaining stationary or distributing (spreading) as a droplet. Factors determining droplet spreadability of the formulation are spreading area, diameter of the droplet base, viscosity of the liquid, contact angle, volume of droplet on skin and any others. The creation of microcavities from the application of microneedle (MN) has the potential to control droplet spreading, and hence, target specific areas of skin for drug delivery.

Spreading of blood drops over dry porous substrate: complete wetting case.

Hypothesis: The process of dried blood spot sampling involves simultaneous spreading and penetration of blood into a porous filter paper with subsequent evaporation and drying. Spreading of small drops of blood, which is a non-Newtonian liquid, over a dry porous layer is investigated from both theoretical and experimental points of view.

Experiments And Theory: A system of two differential equations is derived, which describes the time evolution of radii of both the drop base and the wetted region inside the porous medium.

Prediction of supraclavicular lymph node metastasis in breast carcinoma.

Purpose: Supraclavicular lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients has a poor prognosis, and aggressive local treatment has usually resulted in severe morbidity. The purpose of this study was to select high-risk neck metastasis patients for prophylactic radiotherapy.

Methods: Between 1990 and 1998, 2658 consecutive invasive breast cancer patients underwent surgery and adjuvant therapy in the hospital.