bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sciatic nerve grafting and inoculation of FGF-2 promotes improvement of motor behavior and fiber regrowth in rats with spinal cord transection
Authors: Guzen Fausto Pierdoná , Soares Joacil Germano , de Freitas Leandro Moura , Cavalcanti José Rodolfo Lopes de Paiva , Oliveira Francisco Gilberto , Araújo John Fontenele , Cavalcante Jeferson de Souza , Cavalcante Judney Cley , Nascimento Jr. Expedito Silva do , de Oliveira Costa Miriam Stela Maris
Published: December 2019

Purpose: Failure of severed adult central nervous system (CNS) axons to regenerate could be attributed with a reduced intrinsic growing capacity. Severe spinal cord injury is frequently associated with a permanent loss of function because the surviving neurons are impaired to regrow their fibers and to reestablish functional contacts. Peripheral nerves are known as good substrate for bridging CNS trauma with neurotrophic factor addition. We evaluated whether fibroblastic growth factor 2 (FGF-2) placed in a gap promoted by complete transection of the spinal cord may increase the ability of sciatic nerve graft to enhance motor recovery and fibers regrow. Methods: We used a complete spinal cord transection model. Rats received a 4 mm-long gap at low thoracic level and were repaired with saline (control) or fragment of the sciatic nerve (Nerve) or FGF-2 was added to nerve fragment (Nerve+FGF-2) to the grafts immediately after complete transection. The hind limbs performance was evaluated weekly for 8 weeks by using motor behavior score (BBB) and sensorimotor tests-linked to the combined behavior score (CBS), which indicate the degree of the motor improvement and the percentage of functional deficit, respectively. Neuronal plasticity were evaluated at the epicenter of the injury using MAP-2 and GAP-43 expression. Results: Spinal cord treatment with sciatic nerve and sciatic nerve plus FGF-2 allowed recovery of hind limb movements compared to control, manifested by significantly higher behavioral scores. Higher amounts of MAP-2 and GAP-43 immunoreactive fibers were found in the epicenter of the graft when FGF-2 was added. Conclusions: FGF-2 added to the nerve graft favored the motor recovery and fiber regrowth. Thus, these results encourage us to explore autologous transplantation as a novel and promising cell therapy for treatment of spinal cord lesion.
A non-brain penetrant PDE5A inhibitor improves functional recovery after stroke in rats
Authors: Menniti Frank S. , Ren JingMei , Sietsma Dana K. , Som Angel , Nelson Fredrick R. , Stephenson Diane T. , Tate Barbara A. , Finklestein Seth P.
Published: December 2019

Purpose: Phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A) inhibitors improve functional recovery in experimental models of stroke in rats when treatment is delayed and without effect on infarct volume. PDE5A is expressed to only a very limited extent in forebrain tissues, raising the possibility that the locus of effect for the inhibitors is outside the brain. To start to address this question, we determined whether PDE5A inhibitors must have the ability to cross the blood brain barrier to improve recovery. Method: After permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats, PF-5 and UK-489,791, PDE5A inhibitors that do or do not pass the blood brain barrier, were administered starting 24 h after occlusion and continued for 1 week. Motor function was assessed at intervals to 28 days using body swing and limb placement measures. Results: Both PF-5 and UK-489,791 produced improvement in motor scores over 28 days that were significantly greater than in vehicle treated animals. There was no difference in efficacy between the two PDE5A inhibitors. Conclusions: Brain penetrability appears not to be critical to the ability of a PDE5A inhibitor to improve functional recovery after experimental stroke in rats. This finding is discussed with regard to the cellular target(s) for PDE5A inhibitors mediating this effect.
Vision and visual plasticity in ageing mice
Authors: Lehmann Konrad , Schmidt Karl-Friedrich , Löwel Siegrid
Published: December 2019

Purpose: Little is known about neuronal changes during ageing in the visual system of mice which are increasingly being used as animal models for human visual disorders. Methods and results: Measuring the optomotor response to moving gratings, visual acuity of C57BL/6-mice was 0.39 cycles/degree (cyc/deg) until 12 months of age and declined to 0.27 cyc/deg (by 30%) at 26 months. In the visual water task, a cortex-dependent task based on visual discrimination learning, visual acuity remained stable at 0.58 cyc/deg up to 21 months and then declined to 0.48 cyc/deg (by 19%) at 27 months. Visual cortical activity recorded by optical imaging declined by 33% between seven and 23 months of age. After monocular deprivation and daily testing of the optomotor response, visual acuity of the open eye increased by 29% in 4 to 7-month-old animals, while the increase was only 13% in 23-month-old mice. Interestingly, interindividual variability generally increased with age, so that some 23-month-old mice retained visual acuity and interocular plasticity like 4 or 7-month-old animals. Conclusions: In summary, reduced visual function was accompanied by a reduction of both visual cortical responses and interocular plasticity indicating a central nervous system component in age-related vision loss in mice.
Excitability of intracortical inhibitory and facilitatory circuits during ischemic nerve block
Authors: Vallence Ann-Maree , Reilly Karen , Hammond Geoff
Published: December 2019

Purpose: The primary motor cortex is capable of rapid, reversible plastic changes and longer-term, more permanent reorganization. Ischemic nerve block (INB) is a model of deafferentation-induced short-term plasticity. We used transcranial magnetic stimulation to examine whether changes in the excitability of short- and/or long-interval intracortical inhibitory (SICI, LICI) or short-interval intracortical facilitatory (SICF) circuits underlie the corticospinal excitability increases observed during INB. Methods: SICI and LICI recruitment curves, obtained by varying conditioning stimulus intensity, and SICF were measured at multiple inter-stimulus intervals (ISIs). Results: Forearm flexor MEP amplitude increased during INB at the wrist; this was not accompanied by changes in SICI at ISIs of 1 or 2 ms, in SICF at ISIs of 1.2, 2.7, or 4.4 ms, or in LICI at an ISI of 80 ms, but was accompanied by an increase in LICI at an ISI of 150 ms. Conclusions: The results suggest that (1) the increased excitability of forearm flexors is not due to reduced SICI or LICI or increased SICF, and (2) LICI measured at ISIs of 80 and 150 ms are distinct processes. We discuss the importance of identifying distinct processes of LICI and speculate regarding other mechanisms that could potentially underlie INB-induced plasticity.
Prolonged motor skill learning – a combined behavioural training and theta burst TMS study
Authors: Platz Thomas , Roschka Sybille , Doppl Karla , Roth Charlotte , Lotze Martin , Sack Alexander T. , Rothwell John C.
Published: December 2019

Purpose: To assess the behavioural effects of prolonged motor practice in healthy volunteers, and the specific impact of inhibiting different motor-related brain regions in the late phase of motor learning using continuous theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (cTBS). Methods: Twelve subjects trained their non-dominant arm in eight arm motor tasks (Arm Ability Training, AAT) once a day for three weeks (16 sessions). During the last four days, training was performed before and after applying cTBS to either M1, S1, SMA, or PMC. Results: The AAT induced substantial and robust motor learning for the trained arm with variations across tasks. Considerable motor learning was also observed in the non-trained dominant arm with remarkably similar variations across tasks, suggesting that practise improved common underlying sensorimotor capacities (abilities) in addition to effector-specific effects. When applied after prolonged training, inhibitory cTBS showed no detrimental effects on motor performance/learning; M1 cTBS even improved performance in a labyrinth task. Conclusions: Prolonged training with the non-dominant arm led to profound motor learning across abilities with transfer to the non-trained dominant arm. Unlike during early stages of motor learning, no detrimental effect of cTBS over M1, S1, PMC, or SMA could be substantiated after prolonged motor practice.
Stimulation of functional recovery via the mechanisms of neurorepair by S-nitrosoglutathione and motor exercise in a rat model of transient cerebral ischemia and reperfusion
Authors: Sakakima Harutoshi , Khan Mushfiquddin , Dhammu Tajinder S. , Shunmugavel Anandakumar , Yoshida Yoshihiro , Singh Inderjit , Singh Avtar K.
Published: December 2019

Purpose: Stroke disability stems from insufficient neurorepair mechanisms. Improvement of functions has been achieved through rehabilitation or therapeutic agents. Therefore, we combined exercise with a neurovascular protective agent, S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), to accelerate functional recovery. Methods: Stroke was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion for 60 min followed by reperfusion in adult male rats. Animals were treated with vehicle (IR group), GSNO (0.25 mg/kg, GSNO group), rotarod exercise (EX group) and GSNO plus exercise (GSNO+EX group). The groups were studied for 14 days to determine neurorepair mechanisms and functional recovery. Results: Treated groups showed reduced infarction, decreased neuronal cell death, enhanced neurotrophic factors, and improved neurobehavioral functions. However, the GSNO+EX showed greater functional recovery (p < 0.05) than the GSNO or the EX group. A GSNO sub group, treated 24 hours after IR, still showed motor function recovery (p < 0.001). The protective effect of GSNO or exercise was blocked by the inhibition of Akt activity. Conclusions: GSNO and exercise aid functional recovery by stimulating neurorepair mechanisms. The improvements by GSNO and exercise depend mechanistically on the Akt pathway. A combination of exercise and GSNO shows greater functional recovery. Improved recovery with GSNO, even administered 24 hours post-IR, demonstrates its clinical relevance.
Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on post-stroke dysphagia
Authors: Yang Eun Joo , Baek So-Ra , Shin Joonho , Lim Jong Youb , Jang Hye Jin , Kim Yu Kyeong , Paik Nam-Jong
Published: December 2019

Purpose: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with swallowing training might improve swallowing function in patients with post-stroke dysphagia. We investigate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with swallowing training on post-stroke dysphagia. Methods: Sixteen patients with post-stroke dysphagia, diagnosed using video fluoroscopic swallowing (VFSS), were randomly assigned into two groups: (1) anodal tDCS group (1 mA for 20 min), or (2) sham group (1 mA for 30 s). Patients received anodal tDCS or sham over the pharyngeal motor cortex of the affected hemisphere during 30 min of conventional swallowing training for 10 days. Functional dysphagia scale (FDS) scores based on VFSS were measured at baseline and immediately and 3 months after the intervention. The effect of tDCS on dysphagia was analyzed using a generalized linear model (GLM) with repeated measures. Results: After the intervention, FDS scores improved in both groups without significant differences. However, 3 months after the intervention, anodal tDCS elicited greater improvement in terms of FDS compared to the sham group (β = −7.79, p = 0.041) after controlling for age, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, lesion size, baseline FDS score, and time from stroke onset. Conclusions: Anodal tDCS applied over the affected pharyngeal motor cortex can enhance the outcome of swallowing training in post-stroke dysphagia. Our results suggest that non-invasive cortical stimulation has a potential role as an adjuvant strategy during swallowing training in patients with post-stroke dysphagia.
Fast, accurate reaching movements with a visual-to-auditory sensory substitution device
Authors: Levy-Tzedek S. , Hanassy S. , Abboud S. , Maidenbaum S. , Amedi A.
Published: December 2019

Purpose: Visual sensory substitution devices (SSDs) use sound or touch to convey information that is normally perceived by vision. The primary focus of prior research using SSDs was the perceptual components of learning to use SSDs and their neural correlates. However, sensorimotor integration is critical in the effort to make SSDs relevant for everyday tasks, like grabbing a cup of coffee efficiently. The purpose of this study was to test the use of a novel visual-to-auditory SSD to guide a fast reaching movement. Methods: Using sound, the SSD device relays location, shape and color information. Participants were asked to make fast reaching movements to targets presented by the SSD. Results: After only a short practice session, blindfolded sighted participants performed fast and accurate movements to presented targets, which did not differ significantly from movements performed with visual feedback in terms of movement time, peak speed, and path length. A small but significant difference was found between the endpoint accuracy of movements under the two feedback conditions; remarkably, in both cases the average error was smaller than 0.5 cm. Conclusions: Our findings combine with previous brain-imaging studies to support a theory of a modality-independent representation of spatial information. Task-specificity, rather than modality-specificity, of brain functions is crucially important for the rehabilitative use of SSDs in the blind and the visually impaired. We present the first direct comparison between movement trajectories performed with an SSD and ones performed under visual guidance. The accuracy level reached in this study demonstrates the potential applicability of using the visual-to-auditory SSD for performance of daily tasks which require fast, accurate reaching movements, and indicates a potential for rehabilitative use of the device.
Effect of aging on 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the mouse hippocampus
Authors: Chen Hu , Dzitoyeva Svetlana , Manev Hari
Published: December 2019

Purpose: Aging is believed to affect epigenetic marking of brain DNA with 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and possibly via the 5mC to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) conversion by TET (ten-eleven translocation) enzymes. We investigated the impact of aging on hippocampal DNA 5-hydroxymethylation including in the sequence of aging-susceptible 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) gene. Methods: Hippocampal samples were obtained from C57BL6 mice. Cellular 5hmC localization was determined by immunofluorescence. The global 5mC and 5hmC contents were measured with the corresponding ELISA. The 5-LOX 5hmC content was measured using a glucosyltransferase/enzymatic restriction digest assay. TET mRNA was measured using qRT-PCR. Results: Global hippocampal 5hmC content increased during aging as did the 5hmC content in the 5-LOX gene. This occurred without alterations of TET1-3 mRNAs and without changes in the content of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxy-guanosine, a marker of non-enzymatic DNA oxidation. Conclusions: The aging-associated increase of hippocampal 5hmC content (global and 5-LOX) appears to be unrelated to oxidative stress. It may be driven by an altered activity but not by the increased expression of the three TET enzymes. Global 5hmC content was increased during aging in the absence of 5mC decrease, suggesting that 5hmC could act as an epigenetic marker and not only as an intermediary in DNA demethylation. Further research is needed to elucidate the functional implications of the impact of aging on hippocampal cytosine hydroxymethylation.
Neuroprotective effects of melatonin administered alone or in combination with topiramate in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic rat model
Authors: Ozyener Fadil , Çetinkaya Merih , Alkan Tulin , Gören Bülent , Kafa Ilker Mustafa , Kurt Mustafa Ayberk , Koksal Nilgun
Published: December 2019

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of two neuroprotective agents; melatonin, a free radical scavenger and topiramate, AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist, administered alone or in combination in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic model. Methods: After being anesthetized, 7-day-old pups underwent ischemia followed by exposure to hypoxia. The pups were divided into 4 groups in order to receive the vehicle, melatonin, topiramate and combination of topiramate and melatonin. These were administered intraperitoneally for three times; the first before ischemia, the second after hypoxia and the third 24 hours after the second dose. After sacrification, infarct volume and apoptosis were evaluated. Results: Percent infarcted brain volume was significantly reduced in rats which received drugs compared with those which received the vehicle. The number of TUNEL positive cells per unit area in hippocampus and cortex were markedly reduced in drug treated groups compared with control group. No significant differences were found regarding percent infarcted brain volume and number of TUNEL positive cells among drug-treated groups. Conclusions: Melatonin and topiramate, administered either alone or in combination significantly reduced the percent infarcted brain volume and number of TUNEL positive cells suggesting that these agents may confer benefit in treatment of infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
The effects of acute voluntary wheel running on recovery of function following medial frontal cortical contusions in rats
Authors: Crane Andrew T. , Fink Kyle D. , Smith Jeffrey S.
Published: December 2019

Purpose: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) produces significant deficits in executive function, sensory-motor function, and on spatial learning tasks. We wish to study if recovery from TBI can be benefited by voluntary exercise. Methods: A variation of the stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) task was employed to measure rats ability to obtain maximum reinforcers in a complex behavioral task. A 2 × 2 (lesion × treatment) experimental design was constructed with 31 weight restricted male Long-Evans rats which received either bilateral cortical contusions to the medial frontal cortex or sham preparations following the acquisition of the SSRT task (matched based on pre-surgical performance). Following surgery, rats were randomly assigned to either an environment with free access to running wheels or traditional single housing without running wheels. Results: Rats receiving a bilateral TBI performed significantly worse than sham operated rats on a complex task. Contrary to our original hypothesis, acute exercise following injury exacerbated the deficits in the complex task that did not return to levels of the injured rats without access to running wheels until post-TBI day 13. Conclusion: We found a significant interaction between severe bilateral TBI and the introduction of voluntary exercise immediately post-injury. In this paradigm, voluntary wheel running exacerbated the TBI-induced deficit, rather than reducing it.
Prefrontal cortex controls human balance during overground ataxic gait
Authors: Caliandro Pietro , Masciullo Marcella , Padua Luca , Simbolotti Chiara , Di Sante Gabriele , Russo Giuseppina , Garattini Claudia , Silvestri Gabriella , Rossini Paolo M.
Published: December 2019

Purpose: 1) to verify if prefrontal cortex (PFC) is activated during over ground walking in ataxic patients, 2) to correlate the clinical parameters of gait with the PFC activation patterns. Methods: Fourteen patients and 20 healthy subjects were studied. Ataxia was assessed by the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA). A 2-channel near-infrared system was used to investigate the changes in oxygenated ([O2Hb]t) and deoxygenated ([HHb]t) hemoglobin concentrations on the PFC during gait. [O2Hb] baseline-corrected activation values ([O2Hb]c) were calculated by the difference between [O2Hb]t and [O2Hb] during upright posture ([O2Hb]b). Results: [O2Hb]t was increased for both channels (respectively p < 0.01 and p = 0.01) only in the patients. No variation was observed in [HHB]t. The correlation coefficient between [O2Hb]c and the SARA gait score was respectively r: 0.878 (p < 0.01) and r: 0.839 (p < 0.01) for the right and left PFC, between [O2Hb]c and the SARA stance score respectively r: 0.893 (p < 0.01) and r: 0.832 (p < 0.01). Conclusions: During over ground gait PFC is bilaterally activated in patients with severe chronic ataxia. These findings may be associated with compensatory mechanisms which are involved in severe conditions when other nervous centers controlling balance are functionally not efficient.
Cognitive function in elderly can be ameliorated by training in temporal information processing
Authors: Szelag Elzbieta , Skolimowska Justyna
Published: December 2019

Purposes: The study offers a promising direction for rehabilitation, as for the first time cognitive benefits of training in temporal information processing (TIP) using Fast ForWord were identified in elderly adults. As TIP creates a fundamental basis for human cognition, we focussed on two questions: (1) can TIP be improved by Fast ForWord training? (2) can a transfer of the trained skill from the time domain to the untrained cognitive domain be observed after the training? Methods: 30 healthy seniors were classified according to three groups which underwent either temporal Fast ForWord training (Group A) or non-temporal control training (Group B). Group C was comprised of non-active controls. Various cognitive functions, i.e., TIP, as well as some aspects of attention and short-term memory, were compared before and after the training. Results: Only for Group A was the improved TIP accompanied by amelioration of both attentional and memory resources. The observed improvements were maintained for up to 18 months. Although in Group B some improvements in TIP were also evidenced after the training, significant improvements were observed neither in Group B nor C. Conclusions: Temporal training is effective for amelioration of cognitive function in seniors. Its application may foster improved life quality in increasingly aging societies.
The electric fatigue and thermal effect for ferroelectric materials under cyclic electric loading
Authors: Yu Shouwen , Yu Li , Zhang Liping
Published: December 2019

Ferroelectric materials is one of important smart materials using as actuators and sensors. Electric fatigue and damage of radiation may induce pinched polarization hysteresis loops and asymmetric strain hysteresis loops of ferroelectric materials, respectively. The damage level can be reflected by the evolution of hysteresis loops. This paper formulates a novel constitutive model to characterize the hysteresis deformation behavior of ferroelectric ceramics by electric fatigue. The results show that the alignment of the defect dipoles acts as an internal bias field and increases the coercive field, while the domain-wall pinning can prohibit domain switching and causes degradation of remanent polarization. Then the damage criterion of the ferroelectric materials due to electric fatigue is proposed. The temperature in the ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials may rise due to energy dissipation under loading. Thermal effects on the mechanical behavior in ferroelectric/ferromagnetic materials are investigated. Using the magnetic saturation model, the temperature fields around the tip of a narrow elliptic hole are calculated under different conditions. It is found that the magnitude of temperature increment strongly depends upon the geometrical shape of the hole, the frequency and wave shape of the magnetic loading.
Thermal fatigue of high-purity aluminum thin films under thermal cycle testing
Authors: Ri S. , Sugano T. , Saka M. , Yamashita M. , Togoh F.
Published: December 2019

In modern industrial electronic devices, aluminum (Al) thin films experience repetitive ON/OFF currents and sharp temperature fluctuations during use, which is equivalent to thermal cycling caused by Joule heating. In this research, the thermal fatigues of high-purity Al thin films with a polycrystalline structure that were exposed to high-cycle thermal testing were studied. Two types of thermal cycle testing were performed in which the total holding times at the high temperature were the same. One was high-cycle testing, i.e., a 12-second thermal cycle moving from 70 to 220°C and repeated for 10,000 cycles. The other was ultra-low-cycle or creep testing, i.e., holding the sample at 220°C for 20,000 s. The experimental results show that thermal fatigue is quite different than creep damage. The number of hillocks and voids formed by high-cycle testing was much larger than that formed by ultra-low-cycle testing, and the deterioration of the surface appears suddenly. Thermal cycling accelerated damage growth in Al thin films. The process of surface deterioration in our experiments can be divided into three stages: (I) incubation stage, (II) development stage and (III) equilibrium stage. Within 10,000 thermal testing cycles, the dominant deformation mechanism changed from dislocation glide to grain-boundary sliding and atomic diffusion.
Suppression of fatigue crack propagation with hydrogen embrittlement in stainless steel by cavitation peening
Authors: Takakuwa Osamu , Ohmi Toshihito , Nishikawa Masaaki , Yokobori A. Toshimitsu , Soyama Hitoshi
Published: December 2019

In the use of hydrogen energy, the hydrogen embrittlement should be investigated, and it is necessary to improve reliability and safety of machine components which are used in hydrogen environment. The hydrogen sensitivity of material depends on material structure, defect and stress distribution. There is a possibility that the hydrogen invasion into material and the fatigue crack propagation with hydrogen embrittlement can be suppressed by introducing compressive residual stress by using surface modification such as cavitation peening. The cavitation peening is a one of the peening technique, and enhancement of the fatigue strength of the mechanical components and structural materials by cavitation peening have been revealed. In this study, the austenite stainless steel JIS SUS316L with precrack were charged by a cathodic hydrogen charging method, and the fatigue test with and without hydrogen charge were conducted by a plate bending fatigue test. The results demonstrated that the fatigue crack propagation with hydrogen embrittlement can be greatly suppressed by cavitation peening.
Forever productive: The discursive shaping of later life workers	in contemporary Canadian newspapers
Authors: Rudman Debbie Laliberte , Molke Daniel
Published: December 2019

Increasingly, `productive aging' is promoted within government policies and reports in several Western nations, as well as those of international organizations. The ways in which `productive aging' comes to be shaped within texts, that is, its discursive shaping, influences what aging individuals view as possible and ideal ways to be and do in later life, as well as what collectivities view as required services and programs to support such identities and occupations. Drawing on governmentality theory, in concert with occupational science, a critical discourse analysis of 72 Canadian newspaper articles pertaining to work and retirement published in 2006 was conducted to examine how 'productive aging' is shaped within such print media texts and the possibilities for identity and occupation promoted. This work critically analyzes ways 'later life workers' have come to be discursively shaped within neoliberal sociopolitical contexts, characterized by emphases on fostering individual responsibility, decreasing state dependency, and increasing privatization. The authors raises concerns related to occupational injustice, arguing for continuing vigilance regarding the ways 'productive aging' discourses might be drawn on to justify further state and workplace retreat from policies and programs that support those who face challenges to continued engagement in work or who cannot, or chose not to, be 'forever productive'.
From margins to mainstream: What do we know about work integration	for persons with brain injury, mental illness and intellectual	disability?
Authors: Kirsh Bonnie , Stergiou-Kita Mary , Gewurtz Rebecca , Dawson Deirdre , Krupa Terry , Lysaght Rosemary , Shaw Lynn
Published: December 2019

Employment is a right of citizenship and a social determinant of health, but employment rates remain low for persons with disabilities. The purpose of this paper is to examine the principles and practices guiding work integration within the fields of intellectual disability (ID), brain injury, and mental illness and to identify best practices to support transitions to employment across these three groups. This integrative review drew upon an occupational perspective to analyze the current literature. Findings reveal that the need and benefits of working are recognized across disability groups but that philosophical perspectives guiding work integration differ. In the area of mental illness, recovery is seen as a process within which work plays an important role, in ID work is viewed as a planned outcome that is part of the developmental process, and in the field of brain injury, outcomes of employability and employment are emphasized. A common theme across the three disability groups is that in order to facilitate work integration, the person, the job and the work environment are important factors in need of examination. Evidence pointing to the effectiveness of the supported employment model is increasing across these three populations. A framework for guiding the development of further research and for promoting changes to support work integration is presented.
Evaluating the support needs of injured workers in managing	occupational transitions after injury
Authors: Shaw Lynn , MacAhonic Patti , Lindsay Rob , Brake Phil
Published: December 2019

Background: Historically the supports available to help injured workers transition back to pre-injury jobs focused primarily on the medical treatment of the injury and modifications in the workplace. However, for many injured workers, with chronic disabilities, the need for support extends to learning to live with newly exposed disabilities, managing changes within family and social life as well as meeting new expectations in claims and health management. Supports that many injured workers require to resume employment are not adequately addressed.

Objective: A critical social perspective was used to engage a partnership with injured worker group members in the design, implementation and evaluation of injured worker needs to promote social change. This paper reflects a program of research established in partnership with the Canadian Injured Worker Alliance to develop and examine a conceptual framework of supports for use in meeting the transitional needs of injured workers with chronic disabilities. Occupational and educational perspectives were used to develop a conceptual framework comprised of 8 dimensions of support.

Method: A regional needs assessment using multi-methods, including surveys, interviews and focus groups, was conducted in British Columbia (BC). Priorities of three stakeholder groups were mapped to the 8 dimensions of support. This conceptual framework was also tested nationally to evaluate the distribution of supports that exist and identify further needs for support to help injured workers manage multiple transitions.

Findings: Access to the range of supports that injured workers need in transitioning to and from work is inconsistent and inequitable across Canada.

Conclusion: Collaborative approaches and a broader spectrum of resources and supports are needed to help injured workers and their families in resuming meaningful participation in daily, social and productive occupations.
Endovascular stent placement for nutcracker phenomenon
Authors: Li Heping , Sun Xiangzhou , Liu Guihua , Zhang Yuanyuan , Chu Jianping , Deng Chunhua , Zhou Bo , Chen Wei , Yang Jianyong
Published: December 2019

The nutcracker syndrome is a rare clinic condition associated with severe hematuria and left flank pain due to the entrapment of the left renal vein between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta. Its diagnostic criteria are not well defined, often causing delayed or misdiagnosis. Although surgical repair has been the standard of care, more recently endovascular stenting of the renal vein has been proposed. We presented six patients (aged 7 to 31 years old; median age, 16.5 years old) with nutcracker syndrome who were endovascularly managed from June 2002 to July 2011. All patients underwent laboratory test and computed tomography (CT) or ultrasound examination before and after endovascular procedures. Self-expandable stents were successfully placed in all cases. The diameter of the left renal vein at aorto-superior mesenteric artery portion significantly increased from 1.88 ± 0.95 mm pre-procedure to 5.24 ± 0.61 mm post-procedure (p< 0.01). Left renal vein pressure significantly decreased from 11.00 ± 4.34 mmHg pre-procedure to 6.00 ± 2.55 mmHg post-procedure (p< 0.01). Severe gross hematuria completely subsided within 2 months to 6 months and left flank pain completely subsided within 7 days to 1 month after treatment. Endovascular therapy provides an alternative therapy with satisfactory long-term clinical and imaging results for symptomatic patients with nutcracker syndrome.
Imaging techniques for the diagnosis of male traumatic urethral	strictures
Authors: Song Lujie , Xie Minkai , Zhang Yuanyuan , Xu Yuemin
Published: December 2019

Urethral injures, pelvic trauma, and certain congential abnormalities in male can often cause urethral strictures and scarring. Adequate and accurate imaging diagnosis of urethral strictures is critial to select a surgical approach. Although urethrography is commonly used in evaluating male urethral injury and strictures, its limitation is that the contrast offers images only at the urethral lumen but not of the periurethral structures. Sonourethrography (SUG) has the ability to define the periurethral tissues and without the radiation exposure, the degree of periurethral fibrosis can be shown with a view to guiding surgery especially in bulbar urethra. Computed tomography (CT) urethrography has the advantage of examining patients only in one position, and by generating three-dimensional images; it can accurately measure the stricture length. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provide useful information in certain clinical situations, particularly posterior urethral trauma and in the evaluation of the periurethral soft tissues. However, both CT and MRI are relative high cost. The selection of imaging methods should depend on the etiology, sites, patient's general condition and the type of urethral injury, using a rational combination of different imaging methods can improve the accuracy of diagnosis for traumatic urethral strictures.
Successive binary algebraic reconstruction technique: An algorithm	for reconstruction from limited angle and limited number of projections	decomposed into individual components
Authors: Khaled Alia S. , Beck Thomas J.
Published: December 2019

Relatively high radiation CT techniques are being widely used in diagnostic imaging raising the concerns about cancer risk especially for routine screening of asymptomatic populations. An important strategy for dose reduction is to reduce the number of projections, although doing so with high image quality is technically difficult. We developed an algorithm to reconstruct discrete (limited gray scale) images decomposed into individual tissue types from a small number of projections acquired over a limited view angle. The algorithm was tested using projection simulations from segmented CT scans of different cross sections including mid femur, distal femur and lower leg. It can provide high quality images from as low as 5–7 projections if the skin boundary of the cross section is used as prior information in the reconstruction process, and from 11–13 projections if the skin boundary is unknown.
A few-view reweighted sparsity hunting (FRESH) method for CT image	reconstruction
Authors: Chang Ming , Li Liang , Chen Zhiqiang , Xiao Yongshun , Zhang Li , Wang Ge
Published: December 2019

In recent years, the total variation (TV) minimization method has been widely used for compressed sensing (CS) based CT image reconstruction. In this paper, we propose a few-view reweighted sparsity hunting (FRESH) method for CT image reconstruction, and demonstrate the superior performance of this method. Specifically, the key of the purposed method is that a reweighted total variation (RwTV) measure is used to characterize image sparsity in the cost function, outperforming the conventional TV counterpart. To solve the RwTV minimization problem efficiently, the Split-Bregman method and other state-of-the-art L1 optimization methods are compared. Inspired by the fast iterative shrinkage/thresholding algorithm (FISTA), a predication step is incorporated for fast computation in the Split-Bregman framework. Extensive numerical experiments have shown that our FRESH approach performs significantly better than competing algorithms in terms of image quality and convergence speed for few-view CT. High-quality images were reconstructed by our FRESH method after 250 iterations using only 15 few-view projections of the Forbild head phantom while other competitors needed more than 800 iterations. Remarkable improvements in details in the experimental evaluation using actual sheep thorax data further indicate the potential real-world application of the FRESH method.
An experimental survey of metal artefact reduction in computed	tomography
Authors: Mouton Andre , Megherbi Najla , Van Slambrouck Katrien , Nuyts Johan , Breckon Toby P.
Published: December 2019

We present a survey of techniques for the reduction of streaking artefacts caused by metallic objects in X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) images. A comprehensive review of the existing state-of-the-art Metal Artefact Reduction (MAR) techniques, drawn predominantly from the medical CT literature, is supported by an experimental comparison of twelve MAR techniques. The experimentation is grounded in an evaluation based on a standard scientific comparison protocol for MAR methods, using a software generated medical phantom image as well as a clinical CT scan. The experimentation is extended by considering novel applications of CT imagery consisting of metal objects in non-tissue surroundings acquired from the aviation security screening domain. We address the shortage of thorough performance analyses in the existing MAR literature by conducting a qualitative as well as quantitative comparative evaluation of the selected techniques. We find that the difficulty in generating accurate priors to be the predominant factor limiting the effectiveness of the state-of-the-art medical MAR techniques when applied to non-medical CT imagery. This study thus extends previous works by: comparing several state-of-the-art MAR techniques; considering both medical and non-medical applications and performing a thorough performance analysis, considering both image quality as well as computational demands.
Influence of permittivity and electrical conductivity on image	pattern of MRI
Authors: Harimoto Takashi , Ohno Seiichiro , Hattori Kengo , Hirosue Miyuki , Miyai Masahiro , Shibuya Koichi , Kuroda Masahiro , Kanazawa Susumu , Kato Hirokazu
Published: December 2019

In proton density-weighted (PDW) MR imaging, the patterns of signal intensity vary depending on the imaged material, and change with the flip angle (FA) applied to the imaged material. The correlation between the pre-determined FA and the actual FA applied to imaged objects was investigated using 4 types of phantoms having different dielectric properties. PDW images were acquired using the spin-echo (SE) method and different pre-determined FA. Dependency of the signal intensity distribution in the phantom on the pre-determined FA differed among phantoms: patterns for water and 0.402 w/w% saline solution phantoms changed with the pre-determined FA, whereas those for olive oil and 4.02 w/w% saline solution phantoms were barely affected by the pre-determined FA. Causes of these phenomena were considered to be the differences between the pre-determined FA and the actual FA among the phantoms; differences were also influenced by the positioning of the phantom. Our study showed that the actual FA in the phantom is greater than the pre-determined FA in high permittivity media, whereas it is reduced by an increased conductivity of the media.
Comparison of the diagnostic efficiency for breast cancer in	Chinese women using mammography, ultrasound, MRI, and different combinations of	these imaging modalities
Authors: Shao Hongda , Li Baoping , Zhang Xiao , Xiong Zhaoming , Liu Yong , Tang Guangyu
Published: December 2019

To compare the respective diagnostic efficiency for breast cancer in Chinese women with x-ray mammography (XRM), ultrasound (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; standard dynamic contrasted-enhanced MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging), and different combinations of these imaging modalities, ninety Chinese women patients with clinically suspected breast cancer underwent prospective breast XRM, US, and MRI. The diagnostic performance of each imaging method and different combinations of methods was compared, with the pathological report serving as the gold standard. In this cohort study 54.4% cases with age of 53.2 ± 7.6 years old were categorized as ACR 3 or 4 tissue density. In the diagnosis of breast cancer, sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy [area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUC)] were significantly higher for MRI alone than for either XRM alone or US alone (P< 0.05). Of the misdiagnosed cases on XRM, up to 86.7% cancers were located in dense breasts. US and MRI can play important role in screening young Chinese women. The diagnostic sensitivity was significantly higher for combined MRI+US+XRM (98.2%, χ $^2$ =25.9, P< 0.001), MRI+US (94.5%, χ $^ 2$ 53.3, P=0.002) and MRI+XRM (92.9% combination of two or three methods significantly improved the diagnostic sensitivity for breast cancer in Chinese women. When the results based on different imaging modalities or their combinations are inconsistent, further pathological diagnosis is very important for arriving at a correct diagnosis.
X-ray computed tomography and sonography features of continuous	splenogonadal fusion
Authors: Zhang Yong , Tong Zang , Zhang Yuanyuan
Published: December 2019

Splenogonadal fusion is a rare congenital anomaly where the spleen is attached to either testicular or ovarian tissues. In present case, splenogonadal fusion presents as a large mass consciously connected to atrophic testis in left scrotum. The diagnosis of splenic gonadal fusion relies on radiologic and pathologic findings. Uniform density and vessels connection originating from splenic hilum between principle spleen and let testicle were observed with ultrasound and X-ray computed tomography (CT). Surgical exploration ruled out malignancy, extratesticular scrotal mass with affected testicle was removed. Pathologic examination demonstrated that ectopic spleen tissue and ipsilateral atrophic testis. Our data suggested that orchiectomy should be performed when contralateral testicle is normal and the affected testicular appeared significantly atrophy.
Safety and efficacy of 120w high performance system greenlight	laser vaporization for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Authors: Tao Wei , Yang Dongrong , Shan Yuxi , Xue Boxin , Sun Chuanyang , Zang Yangchen , Zhang Yuanyuan
Published: December 2019

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the safety and efficacy of 120W potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser vaporization on patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer compared with standard transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TUR-BT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty-eight patients of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer who underwent either 120W potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser vaporization (HPS group, n=74) or transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TUR-BT group, n=84) were analyzed respectively. The preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative clinical data were recorded and compared in two groups.

RESULTS: All patients were successfully treated with 120W-KTP laser vaporization or TUR-BT. No significant differences were observed in operative time, perioperative and postoperative serum sodium and hemoglobin levels between two groups. Importantly, HPS had less specific side effects of TURBT, such as obturator nerve reflex, postoperative bladder irrigation and catheterization time, which shows statistic difference significantly (p< 0.05). Recurrence rate was lower in HPS group than those in TUR-BT group.

CONCLUSION: The 120W-HPS KTP laser as a safe and feasible procedure provids an alternative for the patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, especially for those on anticoagulation therapy.
Energy-discriminative performance of a spectral micro-CT system
Authors: He Peng , Yu Hengyong , Bennett James , Ronaldson Paul , Zainon Rafidah , Butler Anthony , Butler Phil , Wei Biao , Wang Ge
Published: December 2019

Experiments were performed to evaluate the energy-discriminative performance of a spectral (multi-energy) micro-CT system. The system, designed by MARS (Medipix All Resolution System) Bio-Imaging Ltd. (Christchurch, New Zealand), employs a photon-counting energy-discriminative detector technology developed by CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research). We used the K-edge attenuation characteristics of some known materials to calibrate the detector's photon energy discrimination. For tomographic analysis, we used the compressed sensing (CS) based ordered-subset simultaneous algebraic reconstruction techniques (OS-SART) to reconstruct sample images, which is effective to reduce noise and suppress artifacts. Unlike conventional CT, the principal component analysis (PCA) method can be applied to extract and quantify additional attenuation information from a spectral CT dataset. Our results show that the spectral CT has a good energy-discriminative performance and provides more attenuation information than the conventional CT.
Silver coins analyses by X-ray fluorescence methods
Authors: Torrisi L. , Italiano A. , Cutroneo M. , Gentile C. , Torrisi A.
Published: December 2019

The investigation on the differences occurring in the manufacture of silver coins allows to get information on their elemental composition and represents a powerful support to the methodology to identify the producing technologies, workshops being also instrumental to distinguish between original and counterfeit ones. Aim of the present work is to study recent and old silver coins through non-destructive X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis. The XRF was applied to extend the analysis to the deepest layers of the coins; for surface layers an X-ray tube or an electron beam were employed to induce the atom fluorescence to obtain information on the surface elemental composition. Moreover, a detailed study has been performed to evaluate the influence of the surface curvature on the measurement, by deducing a proper corrective factor to keep into account in the data analysis. The elemental atomic composition was measured for each coin, mainly by means of the X-ray tube excitation for the bulk and the electron Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) microbeam probe for the surface patina analysis. Ionization was induced by an X-ray tube using an Ag anode for the bulk and by an electron microprobe for the surface composition. X-ray detection was performed by using a semiconductor Si device cooled by a Peltier system. The Ag L-lines X-ray yield is affected by coin surface morphology and geometry. The comparison between coin spectra and standard samples, shows that the Ag quantitative analysis is influenced by error of the atomic concentration lower that 10%.