Inhibition of Notch1 Signaling at the Subacute Stage of Stroke Promotes Endogenous Neurogenesis and Motor Recovery After Stroke.

It is still not clear whether Notch1 signaling inhibition can promote functional outcomes after stroke, given that it plays time-dependent roles in the sequential process of endogenous neurogenesis. The purpose of this study was to identify the appropriate time frame for Notch1 signaling inhibition according to the temporal evolution of Notch1 signaling activation and the responses of neural stem cells (NSCs), in order to target it for therapeutic intervention and stimulate neurorestorative strategies after stroke. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were subjected to 90-min of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).

Small-worldness of brain networks after brachial plexus injury: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Research on brain function after brachial plexus injury focuses on local cortical functional reorganization, and few studies have focused on brain networks after brachial plexus injury. Changes in brain networks may help understanding of brain plasticity at the global level. We hypothesized that topology of the global cerebral resting-state functional network changes after unilateral brachial plexus injury.

Dynamic Evaluation of Notch Signaling-Mediated Angiogenesis in Ischemic Rats Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Objective: The Notch signaling pathway is involved in angiogenesis induced by brain ischemia and can be efficiently inhibited by the -secretase inhibitor N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-1-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT). The aim of the present study was to noninvasively investigate the effect of DAPT treatment on angiogenesis in brain repair after stroke using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats ( = 40) were subjected to 90 minutes of transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion and treated with PBS ( = 20) or DAPT ( = 20) at 72 hours after the onset of ischemia.

Low-density point eating algorithm for surface reconstruction from dense scans.

We present a low-density point eating algorithm for surface reconstruction from dense scans. First, the density map for each scan is estimated and the boundary densities are down-weighted. Subsequently, the poorly scanned low-density overlapping points are eaten up based on a user-specified threshold.

Predictors of short-term outcome in patients with acute middle cerebral artery occlusion: unsuitability of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery vascular hyperintensity scores.

Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) vascular hyperintensity (FVH) is used to assess leptomeningeal collateral circulation, but clinical outcomes of patients with FVH can be very different. The aim of the present study was to assess a FVH score and explore its relationship with clinical outcomes. Patients with acute ischemic stroke due to middle cerebral artery M1 occlusion underwent magnetic resonance imaging and were followed up at 10 days (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale) and 90 days (modified Rankin Scale) to determine short-term clinical outcomes.

Characterization of Free, Conjugated, and Bound Phenolic Acids in Seven Commonly Consumed Vegetables.

Phenolic acids are thought to be beneficial for human health and responsible for vegetables' health-promoting properties. Free, conjugated, and bound phenolic acids of seven commonly consumed vegetables, including kidney bean, cow pea, snow pea, hyacinth bean, green soy bean, soybean sprouts and daylily, from the regions of Beijing, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou, were identified and quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Three vegetables, namely green soy bean, soybean sprouts, and daylily ( L.

MRI detects protective effects of DAPT treatment with modulation of microglia/macrophages at subacute and chronic stages following cerebral ischemia.

Notch homolog 1 (Notch 1) signaling is regarded as a potential therapeutic target for modulating the inflammatory response and exhibiting neuroprotective effects in cerebral injury following stroke. N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-1-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t‑butylester (DAPT) efficiently inhibits activation of the Notch 1 signaling pathway in microglia and may protect brain tissue from ischemic damage. However, the temporal proliferation and morphological alterations of microglia/macrophages throughout progression of the disease, as well as the comprehensive alterations of the whole brain following DAPT treatment, remain to be elucidated.

Imaging the Transformation of Ipsilateral Internal Capsule Following Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Rat by Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging.

Background: The purpose of our study is to explore the relationship between recovery of neural function and transformation of the internal capsule (IC) after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) by using diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI).

Methods: Six male adult Sprague-Dawley rats implemented with transient MCAO were used in this study. Sensorimotor function was assessed according to repetitive behavioral testing on day 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 after cerebral ischemia.

Comparison of the Outcomes of Modified Artificial Chordae Technique for Mitral Regurgitation through Right Minithoracotomy or Median Sternotomy.

Background: Right minithoracotomy (RM) has been proven to be a safe and effective approach for mitral valve surgery, but the differences of artificial chordae technique between RM and median sternotomy (MS) were seldom reported. Here, we compared the outcomes of modified artificial chordae technique for mitral regurgitation (MR) through RM or MS approaches.

Methods: One hundred and eighteen consecutive adult patients who received mitral valve repair with artificial chordae and annuloplasty for MR through RM (n = 58) or MS (n = 60) from January 2006 to January 2015 were analyzed.

Combining systemic and stereotactic MEMRI to detect the correlation between gliosis and neuronal connective pathway at the chronic stage after stroke.

Background: The early dysfunction and subsequent recovery after stroke, characterized by the destruction and remodeling of connective pathways between cortex and subcortical regions, is associated with neuroinflammation. As major components of the inflammatory process, reactive astrocytes have double-edged effects on pathological progression. The temporal patterns of astrocyte and neuronal pathway activity can be revealed by systemic and stereotactic manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI), respectively.

The Initial Exploration of Adamkiewicz Artery Computed Tomographic Angiography With Monochromatic Reconstruction of Gemstone Spectral Imaging.

Objective: The study aimed to explore whether optimal monochromatic reconstruction can improve the depiction of the Adamkiewicz artery (AKA) on gemstone spectral computed tomographic angiography (GSCTA) compared with the polychromatic reconstruction protocol.

Methods: The prospective study was approved by the ethics committee, and written informed consent was obtained from each patient. The 58 consecutive patients suspected of aortic aneurysm or dissection underwent aortic GSCTA.

CT perfusion with acetazolamide challenge in C6 gliomas and angiogenesis.

Background: This study was performed to investigate the correlation between CT perfusion with acetazolamide challenge and angiogenesis in C6 gliomas.

Methods: Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were evaluated. The rats were divided randomly to four groups: eight rats with orthotopically implanted C6 gliomas at 10-days old (Group A), eight rats with gliomas at 14-days old (Group B), eight rats with gliomas at 18-days old (Group C), eight rats with orthotopically injected normal saline served as controls.

Cross-modality PET/CT and contrast-enhanced CT imaging for pancreatic cancer.

Aim: To explore the diagnostic value of the cross-modality fusion images provided by positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) for pancreatic cancer (PC).

Methods: Data from 70 patients with pancreatic lesions who underwent CECT and PET/CT examinations at our hospital from August 2010 to October 2012 were analyzed. PET/CECT for the cross-modality image fusion was obtained using TureD software.

Normalization of T2 relaxation time and apparent diffusion coefficient in relation to the inflammatory changes in the substantia nigra of rats with focal cerebral ischemia.

Background: Focal cerebral ischemia results in delayed neurodegeneration in remote brain regions, such as the substantia nigra. To date, a reasonable explanation is still lacking regarding the correlation of magnetic resonance (MR) signal pseudo-normalization following a transient abnormal change and subsequent progressive pathological damage.

Purpose: To characterize the substantia nigra following middle cerebral artery occlusion and to evaluate the potential pathophysiological changes associated with the pseudo-normalization of MR signals in the substantia nigra at the subacute stage after stroke onset.

Molecular imaging of angiogenesis to delineate the tumor margins in glioma rat model with endoglin-targeted paramagnetic liposomes using 3T MRI.

Purpose: To evaluate the use of endoglin-targeted paramagnetic liposomes in delineating the glioma margins using magnetic resonance (MR) angiogenesis imaging in a rat model.

Materials And Methods: Four liposome preparations, including nontargeted paramagnetic liposomes (Gd-SLs), isotype control IgG-coupled paramagnetic liposomes (IgG-Gd-SLs), endoglin monoclonal antibody coupled paramagnetic liposomes (MAb-Gd-SLs), and biotinylated antibodies (Bio-MAb)/streptavidin-coupled paramagnetic liposomes (SAv-Gd-SLs) for two-step pretargeting imaging, were formulated. All animal experiments were carried out with the approval of the Shanghai Animal Care.

Comparison of USPIO-enhanced MRI and Gd-DTPA enhancement during the subacute stage of focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

Background: Being one class of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents, ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxides (USPIO) bear the potential to study neuroinflammation following stroke, but there is still debate over whether the iron oxides particles may enter the brain tissue passively over a damaged blood-brain barrier (BBB).

Purpose: To compare the enhancement patterns of USPIO and gadopentate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) during the subacute stage of focal cerebral ischemia, to examine the relationship between USPIO enhancement and BBB disturbance, as well as with neuroinflammatory cell response.

Material And Methods: Multiple MR sequences were obtained on days 3 and 6 after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion induced in rats with and without the application of USPIO and Gd-DTPA.

Infective severe acute pancreatitis: a comparison of 99mTc-ciprofloxacin scintigraphy and computed tomography.

Aim: To evaluate (99m)Tc-ciprofloxacin scintigraphy compared with computed tomography (CT) for detecting secondary infections associated with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in swine.

Methods: Six healthy swine were assigned to a normal control group (group A, n = 6). SAP was induced in group B (n = 9) and C (n = 18), followed by inoculation of the resulting pancreatic necroses with inactive Escherichia coli (E.

Discriminative analysis of early-stage Alzheimer's disease and normal aging with automatic segmentation technique in subcortical gray matter structures: a multicenter in vivo MRI volumetric and DTI study.

Background: Previous studies have revealed that amyloid depositions exist in not only the hippocampus but in other subcortical gray matter structures as well. Diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) parameters might be more sensitive measures of early degeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) than conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.

Purpose: To evaluate the significance of the volumes and the mean diffusivity (MD) values of subcortical gray matter structures in discrimination between early-stage AD and normal subjects using the Integrated Registration and Segmentation Tool in FMRIB's Software Library.

Reprogramming of adult human neural stem cells into induced pluripotent stem cells.

Background: Since an effective method for generating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from human neural stem cells (hNSCs) can offer us a promising tool for studying brain diseases, here we reported direct reprogramming of adult hNSCs into iPSCs by retroviral transduction of four defined factors.

Methods: NSCs were successfully isolated and cultured from the hippocampus tissue of epilepsy patients. When combined with four factors (OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC), iPSCs colonies were successfully obtained.

MRI features of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors in children.

Background: Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (AT/RTs) are rare, highly malignant tumors of the central nervous system, usually occurring in young children.

Objective: To investigate the MRI features of AT/RT, with special emphasis on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and MR spectroscopy (MRS).

Materials And Methods: MRI findings of 11 children with AT/RT were reviewed retrospectively, including DWI in 9 AT/RT children and MRS in 6 children.

In vivo USPIO-enhanced MR signal characteristics of secondary degeneration in the ipsilateral substantia nigra after middle cerebral artery occlusion at 3T.

Background And Purpose: Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) particles to enhance MRI have been used to study neuroinflammation in vivo. Our purpose was to observe the USPIO-enhanced MR signal alterations in the primary ischemic lesion and ipsilateral substantia nigra after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) to verify the subsequent sequelae of neuroinflammation seen in the primary ischemic focus and secondary degeneration region.

Materials And Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to transient MCAO.

Preoperative surgical planning for intracranial meningioma resection by virtual reality.

Background: The Dextroscope system by Volume Interactions (Singapore) had been applied to minimally invasive neurosurgery in many units. This system enables the neurosurgeon to interact intuitively with the three-dimensional graphics in a direct manner resembling the way one communicates with the real objects. In the paper, we explored its values in pre-operation surgical planning for intracranial meningiomas resection.

Comparison between acetazolamide challenge and 10% carbon dioxide challenge perfusion CT in rat C6 glioma.

Rationale And Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of perfusion computed tomography (PCT) with acetazolamide (ACZ) challenge and compare it to 10% carbon dioxide (CO(2)) challenge in rat C6 glioma.

Materials And Methods: PCT was performed on 32 rats, including 20 with orthotopically implanted C6 gliomas and 12 serving as controls. Ten rats with gliomas and six normal rats underwent PCT with ACZ challenge.