dir

PURPOSE: We evaluate the performance of a deformable image registration (DIR) software package in registering abdominal magnetic resonance images (MRIs) and then develop a mechanical modeling method to mitigate detected DIR uncertainties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three evaluation metrics, namely mean displacement to agreement (MDA), DICE similarity coefficient (DSC), and standard deviation of Jacobian determinants (STD-JD), are used to assess the multi-modality (MM), contour-consistency (CC), and image-intensity (II)-based DIR algorithms in the MIM software package, as well as an in-house developed, contour matching-based finite element method (CM-FEM)...

Knowledge of the environmental photochemical fate of pesticides is essential to assess their potential impacts. However, there are few studies in the literature focused on the photochemical attenuation of micropollutants in Brazilian rivers. In this context, this study characterized the surface waters of the Pontal of Paranapanema region (region which concentrates more than 80% of Brazilian sugarcane cultivations), in order to determine its photochemical attenuation potential against micropollutants in different seasons...

OBJECTIVE: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) patients have higher absolute numbers of decidual natural killer (dNK) cells with elevated intracellular IFN-γ levels leading to a pro-inflammatory cytokine milieu, which contributes to RPL pathogenesis. The main objective of this study was twofold: first to explore the regulatory effects and mechanisms of villus-derived exosomes (vEXOs) from induced abortion patients or RPL patients at the level of intracellular IFN-γ in dNK cells; second to determine the validity of application of vEXOs in the treatment of unexplained RPL (uRPL) through in vitro experiments and mouse models...

PURPOSE: To determine whether qualitative and quantitative enhancement parameters obtained from contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) can be used in predicting malignancy. METHODS: After review board approval, consecutive 136 suspicious lesions with definite diagnosis were retrospectively analyzed on CEM. Acquisition was routinely started with craniocaudal view and ended with mediolateral oblique view of the affected breast. Lesion conspicuity (low, moderate, high), internal enhancement pattern (homogeneous, heterogeneous, rim), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), percentage of signal difference (PSD) and relative enhancement from early to late view were analyzed...

BACKGROUND: Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) poses a significant challenge for physicians, necessitating the management of cell damage and the preservation of organ functions. Various surgical procedures, such as vascular surgery on extremities, temporary cross-clamping of the abdominal aorta in aortic surgery, and the use of a tourniquet in extremity surgeries, may induce lower limb IRI. The susceptibility to IRI is heightened in individuals with diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the effects of fullerenol C60 and sevoflurane on mouse muscle tissue in a lower limb IRI model and to assess their potential in preventing complications arising from ischemia-reperfusion in mice with streptozocin-induced diabetes...

INTRODUCTION: Patients with failure after primary radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have a poor prognosis. This study investigates pattern of failure after primary curatively intended IMRT in a randomized controlled trial in relation to HPV/p16 status. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with HNSCC of the oral cavity, oropharynx (OPSCC), hypopharynx or larynx were treated with primary curative IMRT (+/-cisplatin) and concomitant nimorazole between 2007 and 12...

OBJECTIVES: To study the impact of coronavirus disease-2019 on Expanded Programme on Immunisation in a rural setting. METHODS: The descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in five union councils of District Dir Lower, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Data was collected from March to August 2020, which was a period of lockdowns in the wake of the coronavirus disease-2019, and then from March to August 2021. The sample comprised children aged <2 years...

BACKGROUND: Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a major cause of infertility. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of the combination of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and moxibustion (BMSCs-MOX) on POI and evaluate the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: A POI rat model was established by injecting different doses of cyclophosphamide (Cy). The modeling of POI and the effects of the treatments were assessed by evaluating estrous cycle, serum hormone levels, ovarian weight, ovarian index, and ovarian histopathological analysis...

BACKGROUND: Given high rates of substance use among justice-involved youth, justice systems have attempted to monitor use through drug screening (DS) procedures. However, there is discretion in deciding who is screened for substance use, as not every youth who encounters the system is screened. The aim of the current study was to examine factors associated with selection for and results of oral DS among justice-involved youth assigned to probation to better inform potential DS policy...

Obtaining diagnostic-quality magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen in critically ill patients can be difficult due to challenges with breath-holding and the inability to follow technologist instructions. Protocols that harness advances in commercially available MRI techniques provide a potential solution, particularly using the golden radial angle sparse parallel (GRASP) technique for dynamic post-contrast T1-weighted imaging. The GRASP technique uses a combination of free-breathing, a stack-of-stars radial acquisition, and compressed sensing reconstruction acquired over several minutes to produce motion-free images at time points defined by the user; these include the non-contrast, arterial, venous, and delayed images, which are typical of abdominal MRI protocols...

Ferroptosis has been identified as a potential target for anticancer therapy. However, most conventional ferroptosis inducers not only fail to trigger intracellular lipid peroxidation storm but are also prone to cause ferroptosis-related toxicity through off-target destruction of intracellular antioxidant defense systems. Therefore, a potent and highly tumor-specific ferroptosis induction modality is desired. Herein, we elaborately exploit a self-cooperative nanomedicine for imaging-guided photothermal ferrotherapy, which is fabricated based on molecular nanoassembly of DiR (a photothermal probe) and ferrocene (Fc, a reactant of the Fenton reaction)...

This study is a thorough characterization of pigeonpea dirigent gene (CcDIR) family, an important component of the lignin biosynthesis pathway. Genome-wide analysis identified 25 CcDIR genes followed by a range of analytical approaches employed to unravel their structural and functional characteristics. Structural examination revealed a classic single exon and no intron arrangement in CcDIRs contributing to our understanding on evolutionary dynamics. Phylogenetic analysis elucidated evolutionary relationships among CcDIR genes with six DIR sub-families, while motif distribution analysis displayed and highlighted ten conserved protein motifs in CcDIRs...

OBJECTIVE: Adaptive planning to accommodate anatomic changes during treatment often requires repeated segmentation. In this study, prior patient-specific data was integrateda into a registration-guided multi-channel multi-path (Rg-MCMP) segmentation framework to improve the accuracy of repeated clinical target volume (CTV) segmentation. METHODS: This study was based on CT image datasets for a total of 90 cervical cancer patients who received two courses of radiotherapy...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Integrated magnetic resonance linear accelerator (MR-Linac) systems offer potential for biologically based adaptive radiation therapy using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Accurate tracking of longitudinal ADC changes is key to establishing ADC-driven dose adaptation. Here, we report repeatability and reproducibility of intraprostatic ADC using deformable image registration (DIR) to correct for inter-fraction prostate changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included within-fraction repeat ADC measurements for three consecutive fractions for 20 patients with prostate cancer treated on a 1...

We introduce the problem of deceptive information retrieval (DIR), in which a user wishes to download a required file out of multiple independent files stored in a system of databases while deceiving the databases by making the databases' predictions on the user-required file index incorrect with high probability. Conceptually, DIR is an extension of private information retrieval (PIR). In PIR, a user downloads a required file without revealing its index to any of the databases. The metric of deception is defined as the probability of error of databases' prediction on the user-required file, minus the corresponding probability of error in PIR...

BACKGROUND: This study aimed the evaluation of the value of the calculated volume of a normal testis to predict the status of its contralateral impalpable side and hence decide the importance of laparoscopic exploration. METHODS: Patients with unilateral impalpable undescended testis - as confirmed by clinical and sonographic examination- were enrolled in our prospective interventional study between November 2018 and August 2022 at Elshatby University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University...

PURPOSE: Non-invasive methods for predicting pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) can provide distinct leverage in the management of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). This study aimed to investigate whether including the golden-angle radial sparse parallel (GRASP) dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) perfusion parameter (Ktrans ), in addition to tumor regression grading (TRG) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values, can improve the predictive ability for pCR...

Deformable image registration (DIR) is a widely used technique in radiotherapy. Complex deformations, resulting from large anatomical changes, are a regular challenge. DIR algorithms generally seek a balance between capturing large deformations and preserving a smooth deformation vector field (DVF). We propose a novel structure-based term that can enhance the registration efficacy while ensuring a smooth DVF.&#xD;The proposed novel similarity metric for controlling structures was introduced as a new term into a commercially available algorithm...

Dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR) can drive the release of organic carbon (OC) as carbon dioxide (CO2 ) by mediating electron transfer between organic compounds and microbes. However, DIR is also crucial for carbon sequestration, which can affect inorganic-carbon redistribution via iron abiotic-phase transformation. The formation conditions of modern carbonate-bearing iron minerals (ICFe ) and their potential as a CO2 sink are still unclear. A natural environment with modern ICFe , such as karst lake sediment, could be a good analog to explore the regulation of microbial iron reduction and sequential mineral formation...

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between nutritional supplementation and radiation dose to the pharyngeal constrictor muscles and larynx for head and neck (HN) cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed radiotherapy (RT) dose for 231 HN cancer patients, focusing on the pharyngeal constrictors and larynx. We defined nutritional supplementation as feeding tube utilization or >10% weight loss from baseline within 90 days after radiotherapy completion...