Diffusion tensor MRI (DT-MRI) is an image modality that is gaining clinical importance. After some preliminaries that describe the fundamentals of this imaging modality, we present a new technique to interpolate the diffusion tensor field, preserving boundaries and the constraint of positive-semidefiniteness. Our approach is based on the use of the inverse of the local structure tensor as a met...

OBJECTIVE This study was designed to determine the optimal mixture ratio of gadolinium and iodinated contrast agent for simultaneous direct MR arthrography and CT arthrography. MATERIALS AND METHODS An in vitro study was performed utilizing mixtures of gadolinium at six different concentrations (0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5.0, 10 and 20 mmol/L) and iodinated contrast agent at seven different concentra...

IGBT and MOSFET power switches are commonly used in power converters. MOSFET for middle power and IGBT for high power converters : gate drive circuits are used to drive such components. Some applications need to control dv/dt and di/dt from power switches to reduce electromagnetic emissions. New solutions have been introduced and tested since 1990 (conresponding to the maturation of IGBT techno...

Regulatory T (Tregs) cells play an important role in mediating tolerance to self-antigens but can also mediate detrimental tolerance to tumours and pathogens in a Foxp3-dependent manner. Genetic tools exploiting the foxp3 locus including bacterial artificial chromosome- (BAC-) transgenic DEpletion of REGulatory T cells (DEREG) mice have provided essential information on Treg biology and the pot...

Although there are several excellent indexes of myocardial contractility, they require accurate measurement of pressure via left ventricular (LV) catheterization. Here we validate a novel noninvasive contractility index that is dependent only on lumen and wall volume of the LV chamber in patients with normal and compromised LV ejection fraction (LVEF). By analysis of the myocardial chamber as a...

Let i = Es∼di π∗ [eπ̂(s)] for i = 1, 2, . . . , T the expected 0-1 loss at time i of π̂, such that = 1 T ∑T i=1 i. Note that t corresponds to the probability that π̂ makes a mistake under distribution dπ∗ . Let pt represent the probability π̂ hasn’t made a mistake (w.r.t. π∗) in the first tstep, and dt the distribution of state π̂ is in at time t conditioned on the fact it hasn’t made a mistake so f...

Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Objectives Describe the rate of dural tears (DTs) in adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery. Describe the risk factors for DT and the impact of this complication on clinical outcomes. Methods Patients with ASD undergoing surgery between 2008 and 2014 were separated into DT and non-DT cohorts; demographics, operative details, radiographic, and clinical ...

157Gd is a potential agent for neutron capture cancer therapy (GdNCT). We directly observed the microdistribution of Gd in cultured human glioblastoma cells exposed to Gd-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA). We demonstrated, with three independent techniques, that Gd-DTPA penetrates the plasma membrane, and we observed no deleterious effect on cell survival. A systematic microchemical ...

Since final mitral valve (MV) closure and aortic ejection velocity are mediated by the same forces in early left ventricular (LV) contraction, the rate of final MV closure (BC slope) should reflect LV performance. We first verified whether peak final closing velocity (ds/dt) of the anterior MV leaflet (AMVL) is related to peak aortic ejection velocity (V) and LV dp/dt in 18 open-chest dogs. We ...