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Evaluation of MR imaging compatibility of a new intracranial pressure monitoring device.

We report our observations on MR imaging quality and functionality of a recently introduced intracranial pressure monitoring device. The device was tested at two different field strengths in a pig brain specimen to investigate MR imaging artifacts, probe function during and after MR data acquisition, and device-related temperature changes in the brain tissue. Image reading was not impaired, and probe function, although reduced, was not fully interrupted during data acquisition.

Animals↗

Memory as assessed by recognition and reading time in normal and memory-impaired people with Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders.

Three experiments are reported that examine the dissociations in performance on two tests of retention, speeded reading and recognition in young people, home-dwelling and institutionalized elderly people, and people with severe memory disorders. In Experiment 1, subjects read sentences in normal and in geometrically transformed script at initial presentation, 1-2 hr later, and again 4-14 days later. On the latter two occasions, they were required to distinguish old sentences that they had read previously from new ones. In general, the young and elderly subjects could distinguish old from new sentences at the short delay, and all but the institutionalized elderly people could do so at the long delay. Retention as measured by reading speed typically paralleled recognition performance in that those items that were recognized best were read most quickly. The dissociation between these two tests of retention is seen only in people with memory disorders. Although these people could not distinguish old from new items even at short delays (most could not even remember having seen any sentences), their retention as assessed by reading time was similar to that of the other groups. Old sentences were read most quickly, indicating retention of item-specific information, and reading time of new sentences improved, indicating the acquisition and retention of a general skill. Experiment 2 examined what type of item-specific information was retained. Young, elderly, and memory-disordered subjects studied weakly associated word pairs and sentences. A few minutes later they were tested on both recognition and speeded reading of old, new, and recombined pairs and sentences, the last being those in which words from a studied pair or sentence were recombined with words from other such pairs or sentences. The results of both retention tests indicated that young and elderly people could distinguish old from new and recombined items. People with memory disorders, however, again failed on recognition but performed normally on speeded reading. Like the other two groups, they read old items faster than either recombined or new items. In Experiment 3, similar results were obtained even when the word pairs were constructed using randomly associated items. The results of all three experiments suggest that on implicit tests of memory, such as speeded reading, people with memory disorders can be shown to have formed and retained new associations despite failing utterly on explicit tests, such as recognition, that require conscious recollection of a previous episode.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Aged↗

Sex of player and practice in lateral discrimination and videogame performance.

Videogame sessions stimulating surrogate travel were used as navigational training for four days. Four paper-and-pencil measures were obtained to identify characteristics underlying acquisition of navigational skill. These included a map reading test to assess spatial orientation, a self-report questionnaire (Spatial Anxiety Scale) and two orientation tasks requiring discrimination of compass directions and relative position, i.e., right-left. Game performance was related to both scores on spatial anxiety and right-left discrimination. Skill acquisition curves did not differ for the 8 men and 13 women.

Discrimination, Psychological↗

Use of a low-cost, PC-based image review workstation at a radiology department.

Despite the increasing use of diagnostic workstations, film reading is still commonplace in most radiology departments all over the world. The purpose of this work is to assess the adoption of image review workstations in a radiology department where the usual primary diagnosis is film-based and cannot be replaced with diagnostic workstations. At our institution, a tertiary care center specialized in diagnostic imaging, a pair of PC-based review workstations running a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM)-conformant public domain software for image display and analysis were installed in two reading rooms. Studies are automatically routed after acquisition from the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) server to the workstations and remain available for visualization for approximately 15 to 20 days. Data from two radiologists and two technologists collected over a 3-month period were analyzed, including purpose of use, time savings as compared to traditional manual methods, and overall user satisfaction. The results from the analysis presented in this work indicate a high degree of approval from the users, who report significant timesavings in numerous circumstances, in particular when it comes to discussing findings with referring physicians whenever films are not available. It also enriches communication between radiologists, facilitating peer review on the telephone when one of them has questions at the outcome of any given study. One of the main advantages associated with the system is the possibility of using it as a powerful tool for teaching and research. In conclusion, even when primary diagnosis is performed on film, the availability of a PACS for review can be helpful to enhance communication with referring physicians, as well as technologists and radiologists' efficiency. Our experience shows that it is possible to implement such a system using low-cost or freely available components without compromising ease of use while keeping costs down, which is a major concern in developing countries.

Cost Control↗

Accuracy of electrical field measurement using the flexible Schottky diode sheet at 433 MHz.

In this study, the accuracy of Schottky diode sensors mounted as a two-dimensional array on a flexible 125 micro m thick polyester foil has been studied. The diodes are placed at a distance of 2.5 x 2.5 cm, resulting in a measuring area of 20 x 20 cm. The diodes are placed across the gap between both arms (3 x 5 mm) of a dipole, total length 12 mm. High resistance (1 M Omega/m) carbon transmission lines printed on the sheet are used to connect each electrical (E) field sensor to the read-out electronics and a data-acquisition system. It is demonstrated that the flexible Schottky diode sheet can quantitatively measure E-field distributions at 433 MHz with an overall accuracy of approximately 6% (1 SD). The largest contribution to the inaccuracy is related to the phantom heterogeneity. The absolute sensitivity of this electrical field sensor is 0.71 V/m per V/m of the applied external electromagnetic field. The DC-voltage signal of the diodes shows a more or less square root relation to the RF-power applied to the applicator over a 15-fold range. An important feature of the system is that it provides the ability to perform on-line monitoring of the E-field, i.e. the SAR distribution of 433 MHz applicators. Further, it enables the introduction of fast and easy quality control protocols for superficial hyperthermia applicators.

Electricity↗

Magnesium transport in Salmonella typhimurium: mgtA encodes a P-type ATPase and is regulated by Mg2+ in a manner similar to that of the mgtB P-type ATPase.

Salmonella typhimurium has three distinct Mg2+ transport systems: CorA, MgtA, and MgtB, each encoded by its respective gene. corA and mgtB have been previously sequenced and characterized. This report details the sequence and properties of mgtA. Like mgtB, mgtA encodes a P-type ATPase. The mgtA gene encodes a slightly smaller protein than does mgtB, with a predicted molecular mass of about 95 kDa, running at 91 kDa on protein gels, which compares with values of 101 and 102 kDa, respectively, for the MgtB protein. The deduced amino acid sequence of MgtA is only 50% identical to that of MgtB, with a further 25% conservative amino acid substitutions, surprisingly low for such otherwise functionally similar proteins from the same organism. Codon usage for each gene is normal for S. typhimurium, however, indicating that neither gene is the result of a recent acquisition from another organism. A single open reading frame at mgtA encodes MgtA, in contrast to mgtB, which is shown to be an operon encoding (5' to 3') the 22.5-kDa MgtC and the MgtB proteins. Genetic constructs were used to show that deletion of MgtC does not alter the expression or transport properties of MgtB, making the role of the companion MgtC protein unclear. (The S. typhimurium homolog of treR, which encodes a putative repressor for trehalose uptake, is encoded by a gene adjacent to mgtA, and its sequence is also reported. Finally, exteremely strong Mg(2+) regulation of the mgtA and mgtB promoters but not of the corA or treR promoters was demonstrated by cloning the appropriate DNA sequences with luxAB and measuring enhancement of light production as a function of extracellular Mg(2+) concentration. Lowering the extracellular Mg(2+) concentration from 10 mM to 1 or 10 microM elicited a transcriptional response of several thousandfold from both the mgtA and mgtB promoters.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Breath-hold ultrafast three-dimensional gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography of the aorta and the renal and other visceral abdominal arteries.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to develop and show the efficacy of a breath-hold ultrafast three-dimensional (3D) spoiled gradient-echo (SPGR) gadolinium-enhanced MR angiographic technique for imaging the aorta and the renal and other visceral arteries of the abdomen; and to compare breath-hold ultrafast 3D SPGR with two-dimensional (2D) time-of-flight (TOF) and non-breath-hold ultrafast 3D SPGR in the same patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied the abdominal aorta and the renal and other visceral arteries 68 times in 63 consecutive patients with 2D TOF and ultrafast 3D SPGR MR angiography. Thirty-two patients had contrast angiography (n = 23) and/or surgery (n = 24) to serve as a gold standard. All MR imaging studies were performed on a 1.5-T scanner (General Electric Medical Systems, Milwaukee, WI) using an enhanced gradient system with maximum gradient strength of 2.3 gauss/cm reached in 150 microseconds. Axial 2D TOF parameters were: TR/TE, 33/5.5 msec; flip angle, 45 degrees; slice thickness, 2 mm; and no presaturation pulses. Coronal ultrafast 3D SPGR was performed before and after the i.v. administration of 40-60 cc of gadolinium. For the coronal ultrafast 3D SPGR, our parameters were: TR/TE, 4.8-7/1.1; flip angle, 60 degrees; 28-50 slices of 2.0-2.6 mm thickness; and acquisition time, 18-32 sec. Studies were read by a single radiologist [corrected] and were evaluated for the degree of stenosis in the renal, celiac, superior mesenteric, and inferior mesenteric arteries; any vascular anomalies (i.e., retroaortic renal veins and accessory renal or variant hepatic arteries) were noted. RESULTS: Breath-hold ultrafast 3D SPGR correctly identified 31 of 31 stenoses of the renal artery for a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 100%. Two-dimensional TOF detected 23 of 31 renal artery stenoses for a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 74%, 98%, and 87% respectively. Breath-hold ultrafast 3D SPGR underestimated two renal arteries as having severe osteal stenoses that were graded correctly by 2D TOF and by angiography as occlusions. Eight of nine (89%) accessory renal arteries were correctly identified with breath-hold ultrafast 3D SPGR: Two-dimensional TOF identified six of nine (67%). Breath-hold ultrafast 3D SPGR identified one accessory and two reconstituted renal arteries missed by 2D TOF and conventional contrast angiography that were confirmed at surgery. Ultrafast 3D SPGR and 2D TOF correctly identified 20 of 20 celiac, superior mesenteric, and inferior mesenteric artery osteal stenoses or occlusions for a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 100%. Three Riolan's arcs were correctly identified by breath-hold 3D SPGR but were missed by 2D TOF: Forty of the 63 patients did not have conventional contrast angiography and were managed surgically (n = 9) or medically (n = 31) based on the results of the MR angiograms and clinical data. Breath-hold ultrafast 3D SPGR MR angiography correctly identified and graded 48 of 51 renal, celiac, superior mesenteric, and inferior mesenteric artery stenoses or occlusions. Two-dimensional TOF MR angiography correctly identified and graded 45 of 51 renal, celiac, superior mesenteric, and inferior mesenteric artery stenoses and occlusions. CONCLUSION: Breath-hold ultrafast 3D SPGR when combined with 2D TOF accurately identified and graded all (51 of 51) renal, celiac, superior mesenteric, and inferior mesenteric artery stenoses or occlusions.

Adolescent↗

MRI neuroimaging of childhood psychiatric disorders: a selective review.

Over the past 10 years, innovations in physics and computer science have promoted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as an essential tool for investigating the biological substrates of psychiatric disorders. Requiring no radiation exposure, MRI is now the preferred imaging technique for pediatric populations. However, the rapid technical advances in MRI pulse sequences, data processing, and analysis have made it increasingly complex for clinicians to compare and critically evaluate MRI research studies. This paper selectively reviews MRI research on five psychiatric conditions occurring in childhood or adolescence: ADHD, autism, childhood-onset schizophrenia, Tourette syndrome, and early-onset depression. The selection of papers reviewed was based on four criteria: the originality of the idea underlying the paper, the quality of the sample and methodologies used, the presence of controversial findings in the paper, and whether the paper was a clear illustration of specific methodological strengths or weaknesses. The two goals of this review paper are to update clinicians on morphometric brain imaging in child psychiatry and the methodological issues pertaining to image acquisition and analysis, and to promote critical reading of future MRI studies.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

Precursors of reading delay: neurodevelopmental milestones.

The relationship between current reading ability and the achievement of early language and motor developmental milestones was evaluated in 240 children, aged 7 1/2 years, whose language and motor achievement had been charted at each well baby visit during the first 2 years of life. Those children whose composite reading score was 6 months behind their chronologic age on the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery were classified as having reading delay. Relationships to reading outcome were assessed for individual infant milestones, for critical screening values, and by statistical techniques that characterized the developmental process rather than single milestones. Significant differences (P less than .05) were noted between children with and without reading delays for the following milestones: 4 to 6 words, 7 to 20 words, 50 words, 2-word sentences, and 5 and 8 body parts. The positive predictive value of slower milestone achievement ranged from 0% to 50%. Techniques that focused on the developmental process during the first 2 years (either rate of achievement of neurodevelopmental milestones or order of milestone acquisition) were better able to classify children with reading delay (sensitivity = .73, specificity = .78). Although the language milestone measures did not classify children sufficiently well to be diagnostic, the data served to determine whether a child would be at high risk based on performance rather than historical factors.

Child↗

Analysis of response repetition as an error-correction strategy during sight-word reading.

A great deal is known about the effects of positive reinforcement on response acquisition; by contrast, much less research has been conducted on contingencies applied to errors. We examined the effects of response repetition as an error-correction procedure on the sight-word reading performance of 11 adults with developmental disabilities. Study 1 compared single-response (SR) repetition and multiple-response (MR) repetition, and results showed that all 6 participants acquired more sight words with the MR procedure. Study 2 compared MR error correction following every incorrect response (continuous) and following one third of incorrect responses (intermittent), and results showed that all 6 participants acquired more sight words when error correction was continuous. Study 3 compared MR error correction in which errors required practice of the training word (relevant) versus a different word (irrelevant), and results showed that 3 of 9 participants showed better performance under the relevant condition; however, all participants showed improvement even under the irrelevant condition. Findings are discussed in terms of the behavioral processes by which error correction may enhance performance during acquisition.

Adult↗

Extinction of auditory fear conditioning requires MAPK/ERK activation in the basolateral amygdala.

Whereas the neuronal substrates underlying the acquisition of auditory fear conditioning have been widely studied, the substrates and mechanisms mediating the acquisition of fear extinction remain largely elusive. Previous reports indicate that consolidation of fear extinction depends on the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular-signal regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) signalling pathway and on protein synthesis in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Based on experiments using the fear-potentiated startle paradigm suggesting a role for neuronal plasticity in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) during fear extinction, we directly addressed whether MAPK/ERK signalling in the basolateral amygdala is necessary for the acquisition of fear extinction using conditioned freezing as a read-out. First, we investigated the regional and temporal pattern of MAPK/ERK activation in the BLA following extinction learning in C57Bl/6J mice. Our results indicate that acquisition of extinction is associated with an increase of phosphorylated MAPK/ERK in the BLA. Moreover, we found that inhibition of the MAPK/ERK signalling pathway by intrabasolateral amygdala infusion of the MEK inhibitor, U0126, completely blocks acquisition of extinction. Thus, our results indicate that the MAPK/ERK signalling pathway is required for extinction of auditory fear conditioning in the BLA, and support a role for neuronal plasticity in the BLA during the acquisition of fear extinction.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

Sampling methods for a matrix ionization chamber system.

To achieve increased image acquisition speed or better image quality, several read-out methods for a matrix ionization chamber system have been investigated. In this device, which is applied for portal imaging in radiation therapy, 256 x 256 small liquid-filled ionization chambers are scanned by switching the polarizing voltage applied to rows of chambers. The ionization current of each column is measured by a separate amplifier. In this approach, instead of measuring row by row, more complex switching schemes can be applied for the polarizing voltage. These schemes are useful either for varying speed and spatial resolution of the imaging device or for coded sampling of the ionization signal. The former option allows for doubling or quadrupling the acquisition speed with a small loss in image quality, or for obtaining a large improvement in signal-to-noise ratio at the cost of image resolution. In the latter option, coded sampling, the image is reconstructed mathematically from the measured signals. It is shown that in this case the application of Hadamard or derived matrices for sampling leads, under certain circumstances, to a noise reduction in the reconstructed image.

Humans↗

Methylphenidate and children with attention deficit disorder. Dose effects on classroom academic and social behavior.

The short-term, dose-response effects of methylphenidate hydrochloride were evaluated on academic and social classroom measures in 29 children with attention deficit disorder. In a double-blind, cross-over design with order randomized, children received a placebo for two weeks and three doses of methylphenidate hydrochloride (0.15 mg/kg, 0.3 mg/kg, and 0.6 mg/kg) for one week each. Dependent measures included the output and accuracy of performance in grade-appropriate reading comprehension workbooks and arithmetic problems, spelling word acquisition, and observations of disruptive and on-task behavior. Beneficial drug effects and linear dose-response curves on all dependent measures were found. The results suggest that beneficial methylphenidate effects on classroom behavior may be accompanied by enhanced academic achievement in some hyperactive children.

Achievement↗

[Model oriented assessment of literacy performance in children with cochlear implants].

BACKGROUND: Although most hearing-impaired children lag behind normally hearing children in literacy acquisition, this aspect has hardly been addressed in the evaluation of language acquisition after cochlear implantation. The present study investigated written language abilities in 8 school-age children with cochlear implants. Neurolinguistic dual-route-models of written language processing indicate that literacy acquisition leads to the establishment of two distinct reading and writing strategies: a lexical one for the quick processing of known words and a sublexical one for decoding unfamiliar words or nonwords letter by letter. PATIENTS: 8 school-aged children were investigated, a very heterogeneous group concerning age of onset of hearing impairment, educational placement, and competences in sign language. However, this range is typical of the group of CI-children. METHODS: The aim was to investigate if children with cochlear implants are able to establish both strategies or if they need to find a differential and individual access to written language. Performance within the Salzburger Lese-Rechtschreib-Test was evaluated. Individual performance of each subject was analysed. RESULTS: Performance varied substantially ranging from only rudimentary spoken and written language abilities in two children to age-equivalent performance in three of them. Severe qualitative differences in written language processing were shown in the remaining three subjects. Suggestions for remediation were made and a re-test was carried out after 12 months. Their individual profiles of performance are described in detail. CONCLUSIONS: The present study stresses the importance of a thorough investigation of written language performance in the evaluation of language acquisition after cochlear implantation. The results draw a very heterogeneous picture of performance. Model-oriented testing and analysis of performance prove to be sensible in at least a subpopulation of children with cochlear implants. Based on a better understanding of their acquired word-processing strategies, remediation programs meeting the needs of each individual child can be derived.

Age Factors↗

An extension of incidental teaching procedures to reading instruction for autistic children.

In an extension of incidental teaching procedures to reading instruction, two autistic children acquired functional sight-word reading skills in the context of a play activity. Children gained access to preferred toys by selecting the label of the toy in tasks requiring increasingly complex visual discriminations. In addition to demonstrating rapid acquisition of 5-choice discriminations, they showed comprehension on probes requiring reading skills to locate toys stored in labeled boxes. Also examined was postteaching transfer across stimulus materials and response modalities. Implications are that extensions of incidental teaching to new response classes may produce the same benefits documented in communication training, in terms of producing generalization concurrent with skill acquisition in the course of child-preferred activities.

Adolescent↗

Molecular characterization of the structural gene for the lactoferrin receptor of the meningococcal strain H44/76.

The meningococcal lactoferrin receptor is a promising vaccine candidate since it seems to be antigenically rather stable. Monoclonal antibodies against this protein reacted with more than 50% of the strains tested. To gain further insight in its variability, the IbpA gene from strain H44/76, encoding this protein, was cloned and sequenced. This strain does not cross-react with monoclonal antibodies that recognize LbpA of strain BNCV. The deduced amino acid sequence was found to be 95% homologous to the previously established sequence of LbpA of strain BNCV. A topology model was proposed for LbpA, making use of the sequence comparisons and some general rules for the folding of outer membrane proteins. The protein is supposed to traverse the membrane 26 times in a beta-sheet conformation. The epitope recognized by the monoclonals was mapped and found to reside in the largest predicted surface-exposed loop. No iron-regulation of LbpA expression was found in E. coli, probably because IbpA is located in an operon, the promoter of which was not cloned. Upstream of IbpA, a part of an open reading frame was found. Whereas the LbpA protein shows homology to the transferrin-binding protein 1 (Tbp1), the putative protein encoded by the open reading frame upstream of IbpA shows extensive homology to Tbp2, suggesting that iron-acquisition from lactoferrin, like from transferrin, requires two specific proteins in the outer membrane. The upstream open reading frame is tentatively designated IbpB.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Generalization of early metalinguistic skills in a phonological decoding study with first-graders at risk for reading failure.

This training study was designed to examine the effects of training letter-sound correspondences and phonemic decoding (segmenting and blending skills) on the decoding skills of three first-grade children identified to be at risk for reading failure. This training study was to examine the degree to which the subjects could readily learn decoding skills necessary for early reading and to determine the degree to which phonemic decoding training on CVC syllable structures generalize to untrained syllable structures. Three experimental subjects served as their own controls in a single-subject multiple-baseline design. Experimental subjects were compared to matched control subjects on their ability to decode real-word and pseudo-word stimuli and on formal test scores of reading and spelling. Following training, experimental subjects demonstrated substantial increases in their acquisition and generalization of phonological decoding skills, but revealed much smaller changes on pre-test to post-test measures of formal reading and spelling when compared to their matched control subjects.

Child, Preschool↗

The role of the posterior fusiform gyrus in reading.

Studies of skilled reading [Price, C. J., & Mechelli, A. Reading and reading disturbance. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 15, 231-238, 2005], its acquisition in children [Shaywitz, B. A., Shaywitz, S. E., Pugh, K. R., Mencl, W. E., Fulbright, R. K., Skudlarski, P., et al. Disruption of posterior brain systems for reading in children with developmental dyslexia. Biological Psychiatry, 52, 101-110, 2002; Turkeltaub, P. E., Gareau, L., Flowers, D. L., Zeffiro, T. A., & Eden, G. F. Development of neural mechanisms for reading. Nature Neuroscience, 6, 767-773, 2003], and its impairment in patients with pure alexia [Leff, A. P., Crewes, H., Plant, G. T., Scott, S. K., Kennard, C., & Wise, R. J. The functional anatomy of single word reading in patients with hemianopic and pure alexia. Brain, 124, 510-521, 2001] all highlight the importance of the left posterior fusiform cortex in visual word recognition. We used visual masked priming and functional magnetic resonance imaging to elucidate the specific functional contribution of this region to reading and found that (1) unlike words, repetition of pseudowords ("solst-solst") did not produce a neural priming effect in this region, (2) orthographically related words such as "corner-corn" did produce a neural priming effect, but (3) this orthographic priming effect was reduced when prime-target pairs were semantically related ("teacher-teach"). These findings conflict with the notion of stored visual word forms and instead suggest that this region acts as an interface between visual form information and higher order stimulus properties such as its associated sound and meaning. More importantly, this function is not specific to reading but is also engaged when processing any meaningful visual stimulus.

Adolescent↗