AD Values Research Articles

CSF and plasma biomarkers for DLB

AbstractBackgroundCSF biomarkers of amyloid and tau provide components of the A/T/N classification for AD and hold clinical prognostic value. They can help to identify how AD co‐pathology contributes to DLB. Alpha‐synuclein (a‐Syn) aggregation is a key pathogenic process in DLB, proposed to follow a staging system for spread of pathology. We review existing CSF markers in DLB and evaluate how well RT‐QuIC, a protein misfolding amplification assay for a‐Syn, detects DLB and different degrees of a‐Syn pathology at autopsy, and performs in RBD, a prodromal stage of DLB. We discuss the potential for plasma biomarkers for diagnosis and progression in DLB.Method1) selected studies of CSF biomarker data from RBD subjects and from published data for DLB on A/T/N biomarkers and on a‐Syn RT‐QuIC and other a‐Syn biomarkers; 2) analysis of different parameters of a‐synuclein RT‐QuIC and clinical‐pathological correlations for RT‐QuIC; 3) data on plasma neurofilament light as a progression biomarker.Result1) AD biomarkers in CSF support AD co‐pathology in a substantial percentage of cases of DLB, which is associated with faster cognitive progression. Data on RBD and prodromal DLB are limited. 2) RT‐QUiC has high sensitivity and specificity for PD and DLB diagnosis, including RBD. RT‐QuIC parameters (time to 50% of maximal fluorescence or peak fluorescence) do not correlate with measures of movement or cognition. Limiting dilution may provide an index of seeding burden, but in preliminary analyses shows a weak relationship to clinical progression; 3) longitudinal Nfl plasma levels in the PPMI cohort show a slight increase in early PD and RBD, to a greater extent than in aging alone, with much overlap. Concomitant AD pathology may drive plasma Nfl changes.ConclusionCSF biomarkers related to neurodegeneration may provide value in early DLB. CSF Aβ1‐42/Tau has prognostic value for cognitive decline in DLB. RT‐QuIC for a‐synuclein in CSF has diagnostic but not predictive value. Plasma biomarkers for diagnosis of pathology are emerging, but prognostic markers will need extensive additional research.

Longitudinal changes in DTI parameters of specific spinal white matter tracts correlate with behavior following spinal cord injury in monkeys

This study aims to evaluate how parameters derived from diffusion tensor imaging reflect axonal disruption and demyelination in specific white matter tracts within the spinal cord of squirrel monkeys following traumatic injuries, and their relationships to function and behavior. After a unilateral section of the dorsal white matter tract of the cervical spinal cord, we found that both lesioned dorsal and intact lateral tracts on the lesion side exhibited prominent disruptions in fiber orientation, integrity and myelination. The degrees of pathological changes were significantly more severe in segments below the lesion than above. The lateral tract on the opposite (non-injured) side was minimally affected by the injury. Over time, RD, FA, and AD values of the dorsal and lateral tracts on the injured side closely tracked measurements of the behavioral recovery. This unilateral section of the dorsal spinal tract provides a realistic model in which axonal disruption and demyelination occur together in the cord. Our data show that specific tract and segmental FA and RD values are sensitive to the effects of injury and reflect specific behavioral changes, indicating their potential as relevant indicators of recovery or for assessing treatment outcomes. These observations have translational value for guiding future studies of human subjects with spinal cord injuries.

TiO2 nanotube array-modified electrodes for L-cysteine biosensing: experimental and density-functional theory study

We report a non-enzymatic facile method for the detection of L-cysteine (L-Cyst) using free-standing TiO2 nanotube (TNT) array-modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs). Self-organized, highly ordered, and vertically oriented TNT arrays were fabricated by anodization of titanium sheets in ethylene glycol-based electrolyte. Detailed electrochemical measurements were performed and it was found that modified GCE exhibited high current compared to the pristine counterpart. The high current of the modified electrode was attributed to the high surface area and enhanced electrocatalytic activities of the TNTs toward the L-Cyst oxidation. Under the optimum conditions, the modified electrode exhibited a high sensitivity of ∼1.68 µA mM−1 cm−2 with a low detection limit of ∼0.1 mM. The fabricated electrode was found to be sensitive to pH and electrolyte temperature. The real sample analysis of the proposed method showed a decent recovery toward L-Cyst addition in human blood serum. Furthermore, the density-funcational theory (DFT) analysis revealed that TNTs have greater affinity toward L-Cyst, having stronger binding distance after its adsorption. The higher negative E ads values suggested a stable and chemisorption nature. The density of states results show that the E gap of TNTs is significantly reduced after L-Cyst adsorption. The modified GCE showed excellent selectivity, enhanced stability, and fast response, which make TNTs a promising candidate for the enzyme-free detection of other biological analytes.

Cerebral Micro-Structural Changes in COVID-19 Patients: An MRI-Based Preliminary Study

Background: Increasing evidence supported the possible neuro-invasion potential of SARS-CoV-2. However, no studies were conducted to explore the existence of the structural changes in the neurological system after infection. We aimed to identify the existence of potential brain structural changes related to SARS-CoV-2. Methods: In this prospective study, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and 3D high-resolution T1WI sequences were acquired in 48 recovered COVID-19 patients (60.42% male; mean age=47.81 ± 19.51) and 31 age-matched healthy controls (29.03% male; age=43.45 ± 13.6). Registered fractional anisotropy (FA), mean (MD), axial (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) were quantified for DTI, and a brain score system was introduced. Voxel-based Morphometry (VBM) and DTI metrics were compared using ANCOVA. Independent t-test and Spearman correlation were conducted to assess the relationships among imaging indices, brain scores and clinical information. Findings: COVID-19 patients had higher gray matter volumes (GMV) in hippocampus and Heschl’s gyrus, and higher white matter volumes (WMV) in corona radiata and tapetum. The left paracentral lobule was found to have significantly lower FA, higher MD, AD and RD values when compared with healthy controls. COVID-19 patients also had lower global MD and RD values, as well as lower brain scores of FA-GM, MD-GM, and MD-WM. MD values in the right corona radiata and external capsule were positively related to LDH level (r = 0.428, 0.417). Interpretation: Study findings reveal possible disruption to micro-structural and functional brain integrity in the recovery stages of COVID-19, suggesting neuro-invasion potential of SARS-CoV-2. Funding: This project was supported by Shanghai Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. 18ZR1405700), Youth Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (Fund No. 81901697), Shanghai Sailing Program (Grant No. 18YF1403000), Shanghai Science and Technology Development (Fund No. 19511121204), Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project (No. 2018SHZDZX01) and ZJ Lab.Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Ethics Approval Statement: This was a prospective study, which was approved by the local ethics committee (No.20200616017) and written informed consent was obtained from each participant.

Combination of dual-energy computed tomography and iterative metal artefact reduction to increase general quality of imaging for radiotherapy patients with high dense materials. Phantom study.

To evaluate the use of pseudo-monoenergetic reconstructions (PMR) from dual-energy computed tomography, combined with the iterative metal artefact reduction (iMAR) method. Pseudo-monoenergetic CT images were obtained using the dual-energy mode on the Siemens Somatom Definition AS scanner. A range of PMR combinations (70-130keV) were used with and without iMAR. A Virtual Water™ phantom was used for quantitative assessment of error in the presence of high density materials: titanium, alloys 330 and 600. The absolute values of CT number differences (AD) and normalised standard deviations (NSD) were calculated for different phantom positions. Image quality was assessed using an anthropomorphic pelvic phantom with an embedded hip prosthesis. Image quality was scored blindly by five observers. AD and NSD values revealed differences in CT number errors between tested sets. AD and NSD were reduced in the vicinity of metal for images with iMAR (p<0.001 for AD/NSD). For ROIs away from metal, with and without iMAR, 70keV PMR and pCT AD values were lower than for the other reconstructions (p=0.039). Similarly, iMAR NSD values measured away from metal were lower for 130keV and 70keV PMR (p=0.002). Image quality scores were higher for 70keV and 130keV PMR with iMAR (p=0.034). The use of 70keV PMR with iMAR allows for significant metal artefact reduction and low CT number errors observed in the vicinity of dense materials. It is therefore an attractive alternative to high keV imaging when imaging patients with metallic implants, especially in the context of radiotherapy planning.

Diffusion tensor imaging of the anterior cruciate ligament graft following reconstruction: a longitudinal study.

To longitudinally monitor remodeling of human autograft following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with DTI. Twenty-eight patients underwent DTI follow-up at 3, 8, and 14months after clinically successful ACL reconstruction with tendon autograft. Among these, 18 patients had a concomitant lateral extra-articular procedure (LET). DTI data from 7 healthy volunteers was also obtained. Diffusion parameters (fractional anisotropy, FA; mean diffusivity, MD; axial diffusivity, AD; and radial diffusivity, RD) were evaluated within the fiber tractography volumes of the ACL graft and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in all patients. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model with post hoc testing using Bonferroni-Holm correction for multiple testing. The effect of additional LET was studied. The ACL graft showed a significant decrease of FA over time (F = 4.00, p = 0.025), while the diffusivities did not significantly change over time. For PCL there were no significant DTI changes over time. A different evolution over time between patients with and without LET was noted for all diffusivity values of the ACL graft with reduced AD values in patients with LET at 8months postoperatively (p = 0.048; adjusted p = 0.387). DTI metrics of the ACL graft differed largely from both native ACL and tendon at 14months postoperatively. Our study has shown the potential of DTI to longitudinally monitor the remodeling process in human ACL reconstruction. DTI analysis indicates that graft remodeling is incomplete at 14months postoperatively. • DTI can be used to longitudinally monitor the remodeling process in human ACL reconstruction. • DTI analysis indicates that autograft remodeling is incomplete at 14months postoperatively. • DTI may be helpful for evaluating new ACL treatments.

Effectivity of Water-Soluble Chitosan from Rajungan Shell Waste as Corrosion Inhibitor on Iron in 1 M HCl

Corrosion is the process of metal oxidation in the presence of oxygen which causes losses in the industrial field. This study was conducted with the aim to determine the effectivity of water-soluble chitosan from crab shells as a corrosion inhibitor on iron in 1M HCl media. Crab shell waste was demineralized and deproteinated to obtain chitin. Chitin obtained was then deacetylated to obtain Water Soluble Chitosan (WSC). The inhibition efficiency of WSC on iron corrosion in HCL 1 M media was determined by the weight loss method. The results showed that the corrosion rate decreased with the increase of inhibitor concentrations of 0, 100, 300 and 500 ppm. However, the increase in temperatures (303, 313 and 323 K) also increased the corrosion rate. The inhibition efficiency increased as the inhibitor concentration increased. The optimum efficiency occurred at a temperature of 303 K and a concentration of 500 ppm which was equal to 98.94%. The corrosion rate decreased with the increase of pH values (3, 4 and 5). WSC adsorption from crab shell waste on the surface of iron in 1M HCl media follows the isothermal model of Freundlich adsorption. In the thermodynamic study, the values of Ea, ΔH ΔS, and ΔG0 Ads were used to determine the adsorption of iron inhibitors. The results of the study showed that the reaction is a physical reaction (physisorption), endothermic, and spontaneous.

ANALISIS GAYA BAHASA DAN NILAI MORAL PADA IKLAN LAYANAN MASYARAKAT DI SEPANJANG JALAN SOLO-NGAWI

This study discusses the creativity of ad builders who produce ads in a style that is appealing in terms of the language, so that from those ads is able to bring out a style that is not only unique but also contains moral values that can educate Community. The research aims to describe the kinds of language styles and moral values in the public service advertisement along Solo-Ngawi road. This type of research is qualitative descriptive. Data collection techniques using document analysis techniques in the form of images, photographs and writings of advertisements found. The validity of the data uses theoretical triangulation techniques by matching some theories from existing data. Data matching results are found in accordance with Ratna's theory. The results of the study were found an affirmation style of twenty data. Seventeen data is the moral value of ad type traffic. The style of language and moral value of community service ads, can be a reminder and a lesson for traffic and community users of the advertisements found.

AN EMPIRICAL CROSS-COUNTRY STUDY ON CONSUMERS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS AUGMENTED REALITY ADVERTISING

The use of AR technology for advertising is becoming more and more popular. For the efficacy of AR ad campaigns, consumers' attitudes towards AR ads are decisive. One of the major elements that determines consumers’ attitudes towards advertising is the perceived value of the ad. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between AR ad value and consumer attitude and to investigate the factors that affect the perceived value of AR ads among the youth both in Turkey and Germany. The mentioned relations were represented in a research model developed in the study. It was proposed that informativeness, entertainment, novelty, interactivity and self-efficacy have a positive effect on advertising value while irritation and deceptiveness have a negative effect. It was also proposed that ad value affects consumers’ attitudes positively. To test the proposed hypotheses, online surveys were conducted among a group of 365 respondents in Germany and a group of 391 respondents in Turkey. The survey results were then tested by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Contrary to expectations, the proposed research model as a whole did not fit and the hypotheses were not supported for Turkish consumers. For German consumers the model was fitted and the hypotheses were supported.

Assessment of Cerebral and Cerebellar White Matter Microstructure in Spinocerebellar Ataxias 1, 2, 3, and 6 Using Diffusion MRI.

Development of imaging biomarkers for rare neurodegenerative diseases such as spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is important to non-invasively track progression of disease pathology and monitor response to interventions. Diffusion MRI (dMRI) has been shown to identify cross-sectional degeneration of white matter (WM) microstructure and connectivity between healthy controls and patients with SCAs, using various analysis methods. In this paper, we present dMRI data in SCAs type 1, 2, 3, and 6 and matched controls, including longitudinal acquisitions at 12–24-month intervals in a subset of the cohort, with up to 5 visits. The SCA1 cohort also contained 3 premanifest patients at baseline, with 2 showing ataxia symptoms at the time of the follow-up scans. We focused on two aspects: first, multimodal evaluation of the dMRI data in a cross-sectional approach, and second, longitudinal trends in dMRI data in SCAs. Three different pipelines were used to perform cross-sectional analyses in WM: region of interest (ROI), tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS), and fixel-based analysis (FBA). We further analyzed longitudinal changes in dMRI metrics throughout the brain using ROI-based analysis. Both ROI and TBSS analyses identified higher mean (MD), axial (AD), and radial (RD) diffusivity and lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in the cerebellum for all SCAs compared to controls, as well as some cerebral alterations in SCA1, 2, and 3. FBA showed lower fiber density (FD) and fiber crossing (FC) regions similar to those identified by ROI and TBSS analyses. FBA also highlighted corticospinal tract (CST) abnormalities, which was not detected by the other two pipelines. Longitudinal ROI-based analysis showed significant increase in AD in the middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP) for patients with SCA1, suggesting that the MCP may be a good candidate region to monitor disease progression. The patient who remained symptom-free throughout the study displayed no microstructural abnormalities. On the other hand, the two patients who were at the premanifest stage at baseline, and showed ataxia symptoms in their follow-up visits, displayed AD values in the MCP that were already in the range of symptomatic patients with SCA1 at their baseline visit, demonstrating that microstructural abnormalities are detectable prior to the onset of ataxia.

Brain MRI Diffusion Encoding Direction Number Affects Tract‐Based Spatial Statistics Results in Multiple Sclerosis

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a promising approach to detect the underlying brain pathology. These alterations can be seen in several diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) is an easy to use and robust way for analyzing diffusion data. The effect of acquisition parameters of DTI on TBSS has not been evaluated, especially the number of diffusion encoding directions (NDED), which is directly proportional with scan time. We analyzed a large set of DTI data of healthy controls (N = 126) and multiple sclerosis patients (N = 78). The highest NDED (60 directions) was reduced and a tensor calculation was done separately for every subset. We calculated the mean and standard deviation of DTI parameters under the white matter mask. Moreover, the FMRIB Software Library TBSS pipeline was used on DTI images with 15, 30, 45, and 60 directions to compare differences between groups. Mean DTI parameters were compared between groups as a function of NDED. The mean value of FA and AD decreased with increasing number of directions. This was more pronounced in areas with smaller FA values. RD and MD were constant. The skeleton size reduced with elevating NDED along with the number of significant voxels. The TBSS analysis showed significant differences between groups throughout the majority of the skeleton and the group difference was associated with NDED. Our results suggested that results of TBSS depended on the NDED, which should be considered when comparing DTI data with varying protocols.

Age-Related Changes of Peak Width Skeletonized Mean Diffusivity (PSMD) Across the Adult Lifespan: A Multi-Cohort Study.

Parameters of water diffusion in white matter derived from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), such as fractional anisotropy (FA), mean, axial, and radial diffusivity (MD, AD, and RD), and more recently, peak width of skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD), have been proposed as potential markers of normal and pathological brain ageing. However, their relative evolution over the entire adult lifespan in healthy individuals remains partly unknown during early and late adulthood, and particularly for the PSMD index. Here, we gathered and analyzed cross-sectional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data from 10 population-based cohort studies in order to establish the time course of white matter water diffusion phenotypes from post-adolescence to late adulthood. DTI data were obtained from a total of 20,005 individuals aged 18.1 to 92.6 years and analyzed with the same pipeline for computing skeletonized DTI metrics from DTI maps. For each individual, MD, AD, RD, and FA mean values were computed over their FA volume skeleton, PSMD being calculated as the 90% peak width of the MD values distribution across the FA skeleton. Mean values of each DTI metric were found to strongly vary across cohorts, most likely due to major differences in DWI acquisition protocols as well as pre-processing and DTI model fitting. However, age effects on each DTI metric were found to be highly consistent across cohorts. RD, MD, and AD variations with age exhibited the same U-shape pattern, first slowly decreasing during post-adolescence until the age of 30, 40, and 50 years, respectively, then progressively increasing until late life. FA showed a reverse profile, initially increasing then continuously decreasing, slowly until the 70s, then sharply declining thereafter. By contrast, PSMD constantly increased, first slowly until the 60s, then more sharply. These results demonstrate that, in the general population, age affects PSMD in a manner different from that of other DTI metrics. The constant increase in PSMD throughout the entire adult life, including during post-adolescence, indicates that PSMD could be an early marker of the ageing process.

Risks to the Public

Boeing 737s can't land facing west (FAA via Clive D.W. Feather, R 31 56) The FAA received reports earlier this year of three incidents of display electronic unit (DEU) software errors on Model 737 NG airplanes ying into runway PABR in Barrow, Alaska. All six display units (DUs) blanked with a selected instru- ment approach to a runway with a 270-degree true heading, and all six DUs stayed blank until a di erent runway was selected. [...] The investigation revealed that the problem occurs when this combination of software is installed and a susceptible runway with a 270-degree true heading is selected for instrument approach. Not all runways with a 270-degree true heading are susceptible; only seven runways worldwide, as identi ed in this AD, have latitude and longitude values that cause the blanking behavior. (Note that this is all 6 dis- plays on each plane, not 2 displays on each of three planes.) (R 31 54). [More items later on polar coordinates, tangent of 90 and 270 being plus-minus in nity, etc. (R 31 56,57)

신문광고 양적 가치에 의한 적정단가 산출 및 과거와의 비교 : 2009년과 2018년을 기준으로

신문광고 양적 가치에 의한 적정단가 산출 및 과거와의 비교 : 2009년과 2018년을 기준으로

Improved Binary Grey Wolf Optimizer and Its application for feature selection

Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) is a new swarm intelligence algorithm mimicking the behaviours of grey wolves. Its abilities include fast convergence, simplicity and easy realization. It has been proved its superior performance and widely used to optimize the continuous applications, such as, cluster analysis, engineering problem, training neural network and etc. However, there are still some binary problems to optimize in the real world. Since binary can only be taken from values of 0 or 1, the standard GWO is not suitable for the problems of discretization. Binary Grey Wolf Optimizer (BGWO) extends the application of the GWO algorithm and is applied to binary optimization issues. In the position updating equations of BGWO, the a parameter controls the values of A and D, and influences algorithmic exploration and exploitation. This paper analyses the range of values of AD under binary condition and proposes a new updating equation for the a parameter to balance the abilities of global search and local search. Transfer function is an important part of BGWO, which is essential for mapping the continuous value to binary one. This paper includes five transfer functions and focuses on improving their solution quality. Through verifying the benchmark functions, the advanced binary GWO is superior to the original BGWO in the optimality, time consumption and convergence speed. It successfully implements feature selection in the UCI datasets and acquires low classification errors with few features.

White matter microstructure predicts foreign language learning in army interpreters

AbstractAdult foreign language acquisition is challenging, and the degree of success varies among individuals. Anatomical differences in brain structure prior to training can partly explain why some learn more than others. We followed a sample of conscript interpreters undergoing intense language training to study learning-related changes in white-matter microstructure (FA, MD, RD and AD) and associations between differences in brain structure prior to training with acquired language proficiency. No evidence for changes in white matter microstructure relative to a control group was found. Starting values of RD, AD and MD were positively related to final test scores of language proficiency, corroborating earlier findings in the field and highlighting the need for further study of how initial brain structure influences and interacts with learning outcomes.

Perceived Ad Value and User Intention to Adopt Ad Blockers: The Mediating Role of Perceived Ad Intrusiveness

Perceived Ad Value and User Intention to Adopt Ad Blockers: The Mediating Role of Perceived Ad Intrusiveness

BDNF Serum Levels are Associated With White Matter Microstructure in Schizophrenia - A Pilot Study.

Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. As BDNF regulates axonal and dendritic growth, altered BDNF levels in schizophrenia patients might underlie changes in structural connectivity that have been identified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We investigated a possible correlation between BDNF serum levels, fiber tract architecture, and regional grey matter volumes in 19 schizophrenia patients and a gender- and age-matched control group. Two patients had to be excluded due to abnormalities in their MRI scans. Serum samples were obtained to determine BDNF levels, and T1- as well as diffusion-weighted sequences were acquired. We, then, investigated correlations between BDNF serum levels with neuroimaging parameters, using Voxel-based Morphometry (VBM) and Tract-based Spatial Statistics (TBSS). We found a significant negative correlation between BDNF serum levels and FA values in the right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and the right superior longitudinal fasciculus. These regions also showed a decrease in AD values in schizophrenia patients. Grey matter volumes were reduced in patients but there was no correlation between regional grey matter volumes and BDNF. The right superior longitudinal fasciculus has been repeatedly identified to exhibit microstructural changes in schizophrenia patients. Our findings of a negative correlation between BDNF and FA values in patients might indicate that BDNF is upregulated to compensate decreased structural connectivity as it induces neural plasticity and shows increased levels in damaged tissue. These findings of our pilot study are encouraging leads for future research in larger samples.

Thyroid-Associated Orbitopathy: Evaluating Microstructural Changes of Extraocular Muscles and Optic Nerves Using Readout-Segmented Echo-Planar Imaging-Based Diffusion Tensor Imaging.

ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the ability of readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (rs-EPI)-based diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in assessing the microstructural change of extraocular muscles (EOMs) and optic nerves in patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) as well as in evaluating disease activity.Materials and MethodsWe enrolled 35 TAO patients and 22 healthy controls (HCs) who underwent pre-treatment rs-EPI-based DTI. Mean, axial, and radial diffusivity (MD, AD, and RD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of the medial and lateral EOMs and optic nerve for each orbit were calculated and compared between TAO and HC groups and between active and inactive TAO groups. Factors such as age, sex, disease duration, mediation, and smoking history between groups were also compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the predictive value of significant variables for disease activity.ResultsDisease duration was significantly shorter in active TAOs than in inactive ones (p < 0.001). TAO patients showed significantly lower FA and higher MD, AD, and RD than HCs for both medial and lateral EOMs (p < 0.001), but not the AD value of lateral EOMs (p = 0.619). Active patients had significantly higher FA, MD, and AD than inactive patients for medial EOMs (p < 0.005), whereas only FA differed significantly in the lateral EOMs (p = 0.018). The MD, AD, and RD of optic nerves were significantly lower in TAO patients than HCs (p < 0.05), except for FA (p = 0.129). Multivariate analysis showed that the MD of medial EOMs and disease duration were significant predictors for disease activity. The combination of these two parameters showed optimal diagnostic efficiency for disease activity (area under the curve, 0.855; sensitivity, 68.4%; specificity, 96.9%).Conclusionrs-EPI-based DTI is promising in assessing microstructural changes of EOMs and optic nerves and can help to indicate the disease activity of TAO, especially through the MD of medial EOMs.

Effects of chemotherapy on aging white matter microstructure: A longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study

ObjectiveWe aimed to use diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to detect alterations in white matter microstructure in older patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy. MethodsWe recruited women age ≥60 years with stage I–III breast cancer (chemotherapy [CT] group; n = 19) to undergo two study assessments: at baseline and within one month after chemotherapy. Each assessment consisted of a brain magnetic resonance imaging scan with DTI and neuropsychological (NP) testing using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox Cognition Battery. An age- and sex-matched group of healthy controls (HC, n = 14) underwent the same assessments at matched intervals. Four DTI parameters (fractional anisotropy [FA], mean diffusivity [MD], axial diffusivity [AD], and radial diffusivity [RD]) were calculated and correlated with NP testing scores. ResultsFor CT group but not HCs, we detected statistically significant increases in MD and RD in the genu of the corpus callosum from time point 1 to time point 2 at p < 0.01, effect size:0.3655 and 0.3173, and 95% confidence interval: from 0.1490 to 0.5821, and from 0.1554 to 0.4792, for MD and RD respectively. AD values increased for the CT group and decreased for the HC group over time, resulting in significant between-group differences (p = 0.0056, effect size:1.0215, 95% confidence interval: from 0.2773 to 1.7657). There were no significant correlations between DTI parameters and NP scores (p > 0.05). ConclusionsWe identified alterations in white matter microstructures in older women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. These findings may potentially serve as neuroimaging biomarkers for identifying cognitive impairment in older adults with cancer.