The Thermal Signature of Wound Healing.

BACKGROUND: Despite major efforts in prevention, surgical site infections (SSIs) remain a burden on patients and the healthcare system and are associated with significant morbidity. SSIs are one of the costliest healthcare-associated infections. The diagnosis of SSIs is based mainly on clinical assessment, which may result in a delay in detection. The ability to detect SSIs in subclinical phase and initiate effective therapy earlier may reduce morbidity and hospital stay. In this study, we attempted to utilize long-wave infrared (LWIR) imaging to define the healing process of the surgical site and to detect abnormal healing. METHODS: In this prospective study, 50 patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery had LWIR images of their incision obtained at determined intervals from their operation to discharge. Images were processed with proprietary algorithms to create a thermal topograph used to define the healing process. RESULTS: Images of 45 patients were available for a final review. Of these 45 patients, 10 patients developed SSIs. Using the thermal topograph, 10 criteria for image analysis were defined, yielding a prediction of six out of the 10 SSIs and 35 out of the 35 normal healing wounds. Sensitivity was 60%, specificity was 100%, positive predictive value was 100%, and negative predictive value was 90.1%, with 92% accuracy. A preliminary program was created that allows trained users to methodically evaluate images providing them with a risk estimate. CONCLUSIONS: In this preliminary study, LWIR analysis of surgical wounds was able to identify normal and abnormal wound healing. Further large-scale studies are needed to validate results.

Tuning the Fe-Gd nanoparticles co-functionalized mesoporous carbon from sphere to nanobowl for advanced bioapplications.

Studies on the function-integrated nanocomposites with well-tuned morphologies have received considerable interest. Here, we reported the preparation of mesoporous carbon nanobowl integrated with stoichiometric γ-Fe2O3 and GdPO4 nanoparticles (Fe-Gd/MCN-B) for morphological advantage exploration. Followed by (i) emulsion-induced interface anisotropic assembly of polydopamine, (ii) solvent evaporation-induced sorption of Wells-Dawson-like heterometallic cluster of {Fe6Gd6P6} and (iii) temperature-programmed carbonization, Fe-Gd/MCN-B with the size around 200 nm was isolated. Our in-vitro studies revealed that Fe-Gd/MCN-B showed a 63.0 % amplified photoacoustic (PA) signal intensity as compared with its nanospherical analogue of Fe-Gd/MCN-S owing to the enhanced light harvesting and photothermal conversion on the interface of its nanobowl morphology. Furthermore, the combined magnetic resonance (MR) imagining, drug delivery and photothermal treatment efficacy in Fe-Gd/MCN-B were also validated in-vitro. These results demonstrated that the delicate design of the morphology of function-integrated nanocomposites is an available way for enhanced imaging performance.

Motor imagery ability in patients with functional dystonia.

INTRODUCTION: Motor imagery (MI) involves recreating a movement mentally without physically performing the movement itself. MI has a positive impact on motor performance, motor learning and neural plasticity. We analysed the connection between motor imagination and altered movement execution in individuals with dystonia, a complex sensorimotor disorder. The aim of our study was to examine MI ability in patients with functional dystonia (FD) in comparison to organic dystonia (OD). METHODS: Our case-control study involved 46 patients, 22 with FD and 24 with OD. The assessment consisted of specific questionnaire and standardized motor, cognitive and psychiatric scales. The KVIQ-20 was used to test MI in each patient. RESULTS: Patients with FD scored lower on both global visual and kinaesthetic scales of the KVIQ-20 exam compared to patients with OD (63.1 ± 18.5 vs. 73.7 ± 13.2, and 54.9 ± 21.9 vs. 68.8 ± 18.2, respectively). Patients with FD also exhibited visual and/or kinaesthetic MI impairment in different body segments. The internal perspective when imagining movements was preferred in both patients with FD and OD. CONCLUSION: FD patients showed global dysfunction of visual and kinaesthetic MI abilities. Techniques for MI improvements might have a potential role in dystonia rehabilitation.

Hyperspectral Imaging Combined with Deep Transfer Learning to Evaluate Flavonoids Content in Ginkgo biloba Leaves.

Ginkgo biloba is a famous economic tree. Ginkgo leaves have been utilized as raw materials for medicines and health products due to their rich active ingredient composition, especially flavonoids. Since the routine measurement of total flavones is time-consuming and destructive, rapid, non-destructive detection of total flavones in ginkgo leaves is of significant importance to producers and consumers. Hyperspectral imaging technology is a rapid and non-destructive technique for determining the total flavonoid content. In this study, we discuss five modeling methods, and three spectral preprocessing methods are discussed. Bayesian Ridge (BR) and multiplicative scatter correction (MCS) were selected as the best model and the best pretreatment method, respectively. The spectral prediction results based on the BR + MCS treatment were very accurate (RTest2 = 0.87; RMSETest = 1.03 mg/g), showing a high correlation with the analytical measurements. In addition, we also found that the more and deeper the leaf cracks, the higher the flavonoid content, which helps to evaluate leaf quality more quickly and easily. In short, hyperspectral imaging is an effective technique for rapid and accurate determination of total flavonoids in ginkgo leaves and has great potential for developing an online quality detection system for ginkgo leaves.

Effects of instructed visual imagining on emergent conditional discriminations.

Visual imagining has been proposed to play a role in the emergence of derived stimulus relations. We examined whether test-relevant visual imagining during baseline training would, accordingly, facilitate emergent visual-visual conditional discriminations at test. Adult participants (n = 75) were randomly assigned to three groups. Baseline tact training established conditional discriminations among sets of image samples and textual comparisons (AC/BD), and baseline intraverbal training established conditional discriminations among pairs of textual stimuli (CD). Two groups received tact before intraverbal training, and one group received the reverse sequence. During intraverbal training, one of the former groups was instructed to visualize the images that went with the textual stimuli. These instructions did not affect participants' retrospective self-reports of test-relevant visual imagining during training. Nevertheless, they produced a large effect on correct responding in an image-matching test (AB/BA) that followed intraverbal training. This effect was independent of baseline retention.

Understanding the relationship between self and memory through the IAM task.

In this article we present a review of research on the IAM Task, whereby memories are cued by self-images in the form of "I am … " statements, such as I am a grandfather, I am a Bob Dylan fan, I am from Darlington, I am a Psychologist. Such cues are particularly successful at accessing memories associated with the formation of specific aspects of the self. We describe the conceptual and historical context for the development of our task and review findings from other researchers who have used the same basic design. We present aggregate data and examples from across several experiments, examining how these patterns change in psychological distress and dysfunction. We also discuss research on "I will be" statements and how these have been adopted to examine self-related future cognitions. We conclude that the working self operates to organise memory retrieval and make accessible episodic and semantic material for self-relevant periods across the lifespan. Moreover, accessibility of self-images can be modulated by retrieval of autobiographical memories, highlighting Conway's bidirectional relationship between memory and the self. We provide suggestions for future research and for the first time provide a standardised version of our IAM Task for use by researchers.

Imaging Modalities for Identifying Causes of Vocal Fold Paralysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Vocal fold paralysis (VFP), involving one or both vocal folds, often indicates underlying pathologies. Identifying VFP causes is vital for excluding malignancies and focusing on treating the cause. While various imaging methods are used to investigate VFP causes, their detection abilities remain unclear. This study aims to assess the detection prevalence of different imaging techniques in determining the causes of VFP. METHODS: In September 2023 a comprehensive search was conducted per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines across multiple databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL, and EMBASE. Following the search, the retrieved studies were screened based on the predefined eligibility criteria. Data extraction from the included studies was carried out independently by two authors. Outcomes were analyzed using pooled proportions and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Our meta-analysis encompassed 14 studies with 1492 VFP patients included. Malignant causes for VFP identification were most prevalent in F-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/Computed Tomography (CT) (41.5%) followed by Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (40%), with CT being the lowest (17.1%). Conversely, benign causes had the highest prevalence in F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT (10.8%), followed by MRI (6.7%) and CT (4%). In the VFP cause identification, MRI had the highest detection prevalence (58.1%), followed by CT (30.1%), and Ultra Sound (US) had the lowest (26.8%). In chest lesion detection, CT had the highest prevalence (17.6%), followed by Chest X-ray (CXR) (6.5%). Head lesions were detected with CT at a prevalence of 15%, while neck lesion detection showed CT prevalence at 38.9% and US at 20.6%. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed varying prevalence rates for the identification of malignant and benign causes across different imaging modalities. MRI demonstrated the highest overall detection prevalence for VFP causes, while CT was most commonly used and had the highest prevalence for specific lesions detection in various regions. These findings provide valuable insights into the diagnostic utility of different imaging techniques in the evaluation of VFP.

The CARE System in Its Importance in Dealing with Today's Crises1.

The CARE system is a gift from Mother Nature, we have it in our biological heritage; it enables us humans-as a basic gift-to help each other in a large, life-serving context, and thus also to counterbalance destruction. It is about a basic human ability, linked to typical behaviour, but also about a basic human need for connectedness. In this paper, I would like to show how the CARE system can be activated as a collective attitude. The CARE system is strengthened by positive emotions. We are currently being affected by many crises and this triggers fear. How can we deal with this better? Fear is countered with hope and the associated positive emotions such as joy, awe, kama muta and others. These emotions and feelings can be consciously encouraged and placed alongside the feelings of fear. But also, when we share the feelings of grief with each other, it triggers an attitude of CARE. We can grieve together for the various experiences of loss that we go through-but we can also imagine together how we envisage a future that is worth living for everyone. An attitude in the sense of CARING has been practised in friendship for thousands of years. It would therefore be possible to move away from an attitude of competing and outdoing, to an attitude not only of recognition, care, and solidarity in human interaction, but also in our connection with nature.

Le système CARE (prendre soin) est un cadeau de Mère Nature, nous l'avons dans notre patrimoine biologique ; il nous permet, à nous les humains, en tant que don fondamental, de nous entraider dans un contexte vaste et vital et donc aussi de faire contrepoids à la destruction. Il s'agit d'une capacité humaine fondamentale, liée à un comportement typique, mais aussi du besoin humain fondamental d'être en lien. Dans cet article, j'aimerais montrer comment le système CARE peut être activé en tant qu'attitude collective. Le système CARE est renforcé par des émotions positives. Nous sommes actuellement touchés par de nombreuses crises, ce qui suscite la peur. Comment pouvons­nous mieux gérer cette situation ? La peur est contrée par l'espoir et les émotions positives qui y sont associées telles que la joie, la crainte, kama muta et autres. Ces émotions et ces sentiments peuvent être consciemment encouragés et placés à côté des sentiments de peur. Mais aussi, lorsque nous partageons les sentiments d'affliction les uns avec les autres, cela déclenche une attitude de BIENVEILLANCE. Nous pouvons faire ensemble le deuil dans diverses expériences de perte que nous traversons, mais nous pouvons aussi imaginer ensemble comment nous envisageons un avenir qui vaut la peine d'être vécu pour tous. Une attitude cultivant la BIENVEILLANCE est pratiquée dans l'amitié depuis des milliers d'années. Il serait donc possible de passer d'une attitude de compétition, et qui vise à supplanter, à une attitude non seulement de reconnaissance, d'attention et de solidarité dans l'interaction humaine, mais aussi dans notre relation avec la nature.

El sistema DE CUIDADO es un regalo de la Madre Naturaleza, lo tenemos en nuestra herencia biológica; nos permite a los humanos ­como regalo básico­ ayudarnos unos a otros en un contexto amplio, al servicio de la vida, y así también contrarrestar la destrucción. Se trata de una capacidad humana básica, vinculada al comportamiento típico, pero también de una necesidad humana básica de conexión. En este artículo, me gustaría mostrar cómo el sistema DE CUIDADO puede activarse como una actitud colectiva. El sistema DE CUIDADO se fortalece a través de emociones positivas. Actualmente nos vemos afectados por muchas crisis, y esto desencadena el miedo. ¿Cómo podemos afrontarlo mejor? El miedo se contrarresta con la esperanza y las emociones positivas asociadas, como la alegría, el asombro, el kama muta y otras. Estas emociones y sentimientos pueden fomentarse conscientemente y ocupar un lugar junto al miedo. Pero también, cuando compartimos los sentimientos de dolor con otros, se desencadena una actitud de CUIDADO. Podemos sentir juntos el dolor por las diversas experiencias de pérdida por las que pasamos, pero también podemos imaginar juntos un futuro que merezca la pena vivir para todos. Una actitud en el sentido de CUIDAR se practica en la amistad desde hace miles de años. Por lo tanto, sería posible pasar de una actitud de competencia y superación a una actitud no sólo de reconocimiento, cuidado y solidaridad en la interacción humana, sino también en nuestra conexión con la naturaleza.

More failure with solanezumab - this time in preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION: There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, which is the sixth leading cause of death in the USA. Lecanemab is anti-Aß monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of early Alzheimer's disease but is only marginally effective. Other antibodies are being developed including solanezumab. AREAS COVERED: A phase 3 clinical trial of solanezumab in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. In the A4 study, solanezumab did not reduce the decline in cognition or function and had no effect on brain amyloid burden. EXPERT OPINION: After the poor results in the EXPEDITION series of trials, the development of solanezumab should have been terminated. The rationale for undertaking the A4 trial was questionable, and the lack of benefit was probable. The controversial approval of two anti-Aß monoclonal antibodies (aducanumab and lecanemab) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), despite a high incidence of amyloid-related imagining abnormalities (ARIA), may be fueling this continuation of clinical development of agents such as solanezumab. The lesson from the A4 trial is that more careful/realistic consideration needs to be given before embarking on further phase 3 trials with anti-Aß monoclonal antibodies.

Machine learning-based infant crying interpretation.

Crying is an inevitable character trait that occurs throughout the growth of infants, under conditions where the caregiver may have difficulty interpreting the underlying cause of the cry. Crying can be treated as an audio signal that carries a message about the infant's state, such as discomfort, hunger, and sickness. The primary infant caregiver requires traditional ways of understanding these feelings. Failing to understand them correctly can cause severe problems. Several methods attempt to solve this problem; however, proper audio feature representation and classifiers are necessary for better results. This study uses time-, frequency-, and time-frequency-domain feature representations to gain in-depth information from the data. The time-domain features include zero-crossing rate (ZCR) and root mean square (RMS), the frequency-domain feature includes the Mel-spectrogram, and the time-frequency-domain feature includes Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs). Moreover, time-series imaging algorithms are applied to transform 20 MFCC features into images using different algorithms: Gramian angular difference fields, Gramian angular summation fields, Markov transition fields, recurrence plots, and RGB GAF. Then, these features are provided to different machine learning classifiers, such as decision tree, random forest, K nearest neighbors, and bagging. The use of MFCCs, ZCR, and RMS as features achieved high performance, outperforming state of the art (SOTA). Optimal parameters are found via the grid search method using 10-fold cross-validation. Our MFCC-based random forest (RF) classifier approach achieved an accuracy of 96.39%, outperforming SOTA, the scalogram-based shuffleNet classifier, which had an accuracy of 95.17%.

Successful treatment by recross IVUS-guided reentry in coronary total occlusion: STRIVE-CTO.

Complex coronary total occlusion (CTO) lesions percutaneous treatment, especially in contexts where traditional antegrade strategies have failed and retrograde approaches are unsuitable, due to lack of interventional collaterals or high risk of complications, presents a considerable challenge for interventional cardiologists. Antegrade dissection reentry has historically offered a bailout strategy in cases with unsuccessful antegrade wire escalation. Nevertheless, the technique-whether employing dual-lumen microcatheters or dedicated reentry devices, such as Stingray-encounters several limitations, particularly when the delivery of the system is not possible, or extraplaque large hematomas, which complicates reentry. This paper introduces an innovative technique combining the use of the Recross MC Dual Microcatheter with real-time intravascular ultrasound guidance for refined re-wiring in CTO interventions. This approach facilitates accurate reentry zone selection and ensures precise, controlled puncturing into the true lumen, thereby enabling safe and predictable CTO recanalization.

Collaborative study on the genetics of alcoholism: The strength of collaboration, team science, and longitudinal data.

This issue contains a series of articles describing the various resources, studies, results, and future directions for the collaborative study on the genetics of alcoholism (COGA). The collaborative and integrative approach initiated by this group ~30 years ago serves as an excellent example of the strength of team science. Individually, various aspects of COGA would be limited in their impact toward improved understanding of alcohol use disorder. Collectively, their wholistic approach which spans deep longitudinal phenotypic assessments in families to include the application of large-scale omics technologies and cell-culture based molecular studies has demonstrated the power of working together.

A Comprehensive Review of Myocardial Bridging: Exploring Diagnostic and Treatment Modalities.

Myocardial bridging (MB) is a congenital coronary artery anomaly involving an overlying myocardium's partial or complete encasement of a coronary artery segment. The obstruction can lead to significant cardiac symptoms, resulting in myocardial ischemia, arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death. Several approaches, including invasive and non-invasive methods, have been proposed to diagnose and manage MB. Invasive modalities, such as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and coronary angiography, offer high specificity and sensitivity. In contrast, non-invasive methods like Doppler ultrasound, multislice computed tomography (MSCT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are advantageous due to their non-invasive nature, high sensitivity and specificity, and cost-effectiveness. Treatment options for MB mainly focus on relieving symptoms and preventing adverse outcomes. The use of pharmacological agents and surgical and percutaneous interventions has been documented in numerous studies. Studies conclude that MB is a treatable cardiac anomaly, and a combined approach of diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up is necessary to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition.

Delta radiomic patterns on serial bi-parametric MRI are associated with pathologic upgrading in prostate cancer patients on active surveillance: preliminary findings.

Objective: The aim of this study was to quantify radiomic changes in prostate cancer (PCa) progression on serial MRI among patients on active surveillance (AS) and evaluate their association with pathologic progression on biopsy. Methods: This retrospective study comprised N = 121 biopsy-proven PCa patients on AS at a single institution, of whom N = 50 at baseline conformed to the inclusion criteria. ISUP Gleason Grade Groups (GGG) were obtained from 12-core TRUS-guided systematic biopsies at baseline and follow-up. A biopsy upgrade (AS+) was defined as an increase in GGG (or in number of positive cores) and no upgrade (AS-) was defined when GGG remained the same during a median period of 18 months. Of N = 50 patients at baseline, N = 30 had MRI scans available at follow-up (median interval = 18 months) and were included for delta radiomic analysis. A total of 252 radiomic features were extracted from the PCa region of interest identified by board-certified radiologists on 3T bi-parametric MRI [T2-weighted (T2W) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)]. Delta radiomic features were computed as the difference of radiomic feature between baseline and follow-up scans. The association of AS+ with age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PIRADS v2.1) score, and tumor size was evaluated at baseline and follow-up. Various prediction models were built using random forest (RF) classifier within a threefold cross-validation framework leveraging baseline radiomics (Cbr), baseline radiomics + baseline clinical (Cbrbcl), delta radiomics (CΔr), delta radiomics + baseline clinical (CΔrbcl), and delta radiomics + delta clinical (CΔrΔcl). Results: An AUC of 0.64 ± 0.09 was obtained for Cbr, which increased to 0.70 ± 0.18 with the integration of clinical variables (Cbrbcl). CΔr yielded an AUC of 0.74 ± 0.15. Integrating delta radiomics with baseline clinical variables yielded an AUC of 0.77 ± 0.23. CΔrΔclresulted in the best AUC of 0.84 ± 0.20 (p < 0.05) among all combinations. Conclusion: Our preliminary findings suggest that delta radiomics were more strongly associated with upgrade events compared to PIRADS and other clinical variables. Delta radiomics on serial MRI in combination with changes in clinical variables (PSA and tumor volume) between baseline and follow-up showed the strongest association with biopsy upgrade in PCa patients on AS. Further independent multi-site validation of these preliminary findings is warranted.

Diffusion tensor imaging of horizontal extraocular muscles in patients with concomitant and paralytic esotropia.

AIM: To assess metrics of diffusion tensor imagining (DTI) in evaluating microstructural abnormalities of horizontal extraocular muscles (EOM) in esotropia. METHODS: Six adult concomitant esotropia patients, 5 unilateral abducent paralysis patients and 2 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and DTI were performed on all subjects using 3T MR scanner. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) of medial and lateral rectus muscles were measured and compared between patients group and control group. RESULTS: Medial rectus MD and RD within the adducted eye of concomitant patients was significantly greater than that in unilateral abducent paralysis patients (0.259×10-2 mm2/s vs 0.207×10-2 mm2/s, P=0.014; 0.182×10-2 mm2/s vs 0.152×10-2 mm2/s, P=0.017). Both strabismus patients showed a significantly decreased MD and AD than that obtained in normal controls for lateral rectus muscles (P<0.05). Medial rectus MD of the adducted eye in concomitant strabismus patients was significantly decreased than that in healthy controls (0.259×10-2 mm2/s vs 0.266×10-2 mm2/s, P=0.010). Lateral rectus AD of the adducted eye in concomitant strabismus patients was significantly decreased as compared with that in healthy controls (0.515×10-2 mm2/s vs 0.593×10-2 mm2/s, P=0.013). No statistically significant differences were present between the adducted and fixating eyes in concomitant strabismus patients. CONCLUSION: DTI represents a feasible technique to assess tissue characteristics of EOM. The effects of eye position changes on DTI parameters are subtle. Decreased MD and RD could be evidence for remodeling of the medial rectus muscle contracture. Lower medial and lateral recuts MD of concomitant esotropia patients indicates a thinner fibrous structure of the EOM. Lower MD and AD should be general character of esotropia.

Quantifying the Efficacy of Magnetic Nanoparticles for MRI and Hyperthermia Applications via Machine Learning Methods.

Magnetic nanoparticles are a prospective class of materials for use in biomedicine as agents for magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) and hyperthermia treatment. However, synthesis of nanoparticles with high efficacy is resource-intensive experimental work. In turn, the use of machine learning (ML) methods is becoming useful in materials design and serves as a great approach to designing nanomagnets for biomedicine. In this work, for the first time, an ML-based approach is developed for the prediction of main parameters of material efficacy, i.e., specific absorption rate (SAR) for hyperthermia and r1 /r2 relaxivities in MRI, with parameters of nanoparticles as well as experimental conditions as descriptors. For that, a unique database with more than 980 magnetic nanoparticles collected from scientific articles is assembled. Using this data, several tree-based ensemble models are trained to predict SAR, r1 and r2 relaxivity. After hyperparameter optimization, models reach performances of R2 = 0.86, R2 = 0.78, and R2 = 0.75, respectively. Testing the models on samples unseen during the training shows no performance drops. Finally, DiMag, an open access resource created to guide synthesis of novel nanosized magnets for MRI and hyperthermia treatment with machine learning and boost development of new biomedical agents, is developed.

Initial end-to-end testing of the ExacTrac dynamic deep inspiration breath hold workflow using a breath hold breast phantom.

ExacTrac Dynamic (ETD) provides a Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) workflow for breast patients. Stereoscopic x-ray imaging combined with optical and thermal mapping allows localisation against simulation imaging, alongside surface guided breath hold monitoring. This work aimed to determine appropriate imaging parameters, the optimal Hounsfield Unit (HU) threshold for patient contour generation and workflow evaluation via end-to-end (E2E) positioning using a custom breast DIBH phantom. After localisation via existing Image Guidance (IG), stereoscopic imaging was performed with a range of parameters to determine best agreement. Similarly, residual errors in prepositioning were minimised using a range of HU threshold contours. E2E positioning was completed for clinical workflows allowing residual isocentre position error measurement and existing IG comparison. Parameters of 60 kV and 25mAs were determined appropriate for patient imaging and HU thresholds between -600 HU and -200 HU enabled adequate prepositioning. The average and standard deviation in residual isocentre position error was 1.0 ± 0.9 mm, 0.4 ± 1.0 mm and 0.1 ± 0.5 mm in the lateral, longitudinal and vertical directions, respectively. Errors measured using existing IG were -0.6 ± 1.1 mm, 0.5 ± 0.7 mm and 0.2 ± 0.4 mm in the lateral, longitudinal and vertical directions, and 0.0 ± 1.0o, 0.5 ± 1.7o and -0.8 ± 1.8o for pitch roll and yaw. The use of bone weighted matching increased residual error, while simulated reduction of DIBH volume maintained isocentre positioning accuracy despite anatomical changes. This initial testing indicated suitability for clinical implementation during DIBH breast treatments.

Sounding and imagining sounds improve visual time perception: Application of the modality effect of time perception.

This study examines whether the modality effect can be used to improve visual time perception. In Experiment 1, we used a time-reproduction task to explore the accuracy (i.e., deviation of reproduced time from veridical time) and precision (i.e., variability of reproduced time) of time perception under auditory, visual, or audiovisual conditions. Results confirmed the existence of a modality effect. Experiments 2a and 2b and Experiment 3 examined whether adding auditory stimuli improves visual time perception. In Experiments 2a and 2b, participants were required to sound when the visual stimuli appeared. Results showed that the addition of sound to visual stimuli perception is associated with higher time perception accuracy than viewing visual stimuli alone. Given that sounding is not always applicable, we conducted Experiment 3, with participants asked to imagine sounds instead of sounding. Results showed that imaginary sounds improved accuracy. However, in Experiments 2a, 2b, and 3, neither sounding nor imagining sounds changed the precision of time perception. The findings of this study indicate that adding auditory stimuli reliably improves the accuracy of visual-time perception, irrespective of whether the sound is real or imagined.

Reflections on Losing My Office during the Pandemic.

Reflections on loss, grief, and the possibility of recovery after losing my office, my analyst's office, and my analyst during the pandemic. The role of an office in consolidating a sense of analytic identity and the usefulness of sadness in catalyzing change are discussed.

Associations between N-Acetylaspartate and white matter integrity in individuals with schizophrenia and unaffected relatives.

Compromised white matter has been reported in schizophrenia; however, few studies have investigated neurochemical abnormalities underlying microstructural differences. N-acetylaspartate (NAA) is used to synthesize myelin and is often reduced in persons with schizophrenia (PSZ) and their unaffected first-degree relatives (REL). Low levels of NAA could affect white matter by preventing the synthesis or repair of myelin. We used magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion tensor imaging to investigate the relationship between NAA and white matter integrity in PSZ. REL were included to examine whether putative relationships are associated with symptom expression or illness liability. 52 controls, 23 REL and 25 PSZ underwent 7T proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and/or 3T diffusion tensor imaging. NAA in the visual cortex and basal ganglia were measured and compared across groups. Diffusivity measures were compared across groups using tract-based spatial statistics and related to NAA concentrations. Visual cortex NAA was significantly reduced in PSZ compared to controls. White matter integrity did not differ between groups. Reduced cortical and subcortical NAA were associated with diffusivity measures of poor white matter microstructure. These data suggest that levels of neural NAA may be related to white matter integrity similarly across individuals with schizophrenia, those at genetic risk, and controls.