Microwave-Promoted Total Synthesis of Puniceloid D for Modulating the Liver X Receptor.

A growing global health concern is metabolic syndrome, which is defined by low HDL, diabetes, hypertension, and abdominal obesity. Nuclear receptors are attractive targets for treatment of diseases associated with metabolic syndrome. Liver X receptors (LXRs) have become one of the most significant pharmacological targets among nuclear receptors. Multiple research studies emphasize the essential function of the liver X receptor (LXR) in the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome. Puniceloid D, among natural products, demonstrated promising effects on LXRα. However, attempts at the total synthesis of natural products were faced with challenges, including long synthetic steps and low yields, requiring a more efficient approach. In this study, for the first time, we successfully synthesized puniceloid D through a seven-step process and conducted docking studies to gain a comprehensive understanding of the interactions involved in the binding of puniceloid D to LXR within different heterodimeric contexts. Our understanding of the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome could be improved by these findings, which might assist with the development of novel treatment strategies.

Radiation Safety in Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study: Systematic Review.

Videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) is generally used to diagnose dysphagia and oropharyngeal aspiration during swallowing movement. Patients and bolus-feeding operators (such as occupational therapist and speech language pathologist) may undergo multiple VFSS procedure, placing them at risk for more radiation exposure due to increased scan time. The present study investigated the dose-area product, effective dose of various protocols, and summarized dose reports from various studies of VFSS. The PubMed database searched for relevant publications reporting radiation dose in the VFSS procedure. 13 articles were selected to be reviewed. This systematic review involved 13 peer-reviewed articles that reported the specific dose of the VFSS procedure. The articles were categorized into three types: operator radiation dose, adult patient radiation dose, and pediatric radiation dose. The operator dose reports showed that the operators' scattering exposure, equivalent dose (across the whole body, eyes, and hands), and annual effective dose were significantly lower than the annual dose limit of 20 mSv. Both adult and pediatric patient dose reports showed that the effective dose, which was estimated from recorded dose-area product, was significantly lower than the annual background exposure of 2.4 mSv in various protocols. The present literature review suggested that the radiation dose of VFSS by modified barium swallowing is acceptable in both operators and patients. However, various radiation protection strategies should be conducted during the procedure to reduce the risk of stochastic effect.

Morphological characteristics of fractures of the anteromedial facet of the coronoid in posteromedial rotatory instability of the elbow: a three-dimensional CT remodeling study.

BACKGROUND: Fractures of the anteromedial facet of the coronoid in posteromedial rotatory instability of the elbow are classified into 3 subtypes based on their location. The purpose of this study was to analyze the fracture morphology of anteromedial facet fractures in their 3 subtypes (anteromedial rim, anteromedial rim + tip, and anteromedial rim + sublime tubercle [±tip]). METHODS: Three-dimensional computed tomography remodeling was used to evaluate anteromedial facet fractures in a consecutive series of 40 patients, all of whom were affected by posteromedial rotatory instability of the elbow. Characteristics of the fractures, including the number of fragments, size of fragments, plane of the fracture line, and involvement of the sublime tubercle and radial notch, were measured for each subtype of the anteromedial facet fractures. RESULTS: Each subtype had a typical fracture pattern and distinct size. The fracture subtype 1 showed a single-fragment fracture, subtype 2 showed either a single- or dual-fragment fracture, and subtype 3 showed either a dual- or triple-fragment fracture. The angle between the fracture line and the coronal plane was greatest in subtype 3 fractures. The surface area of the fragment was largest in subtype 3 fractures. The percentages of articular involvement of the sublime tubercle were 0% in subtype 1, 47% in subtype 2, and 79% in subtype 3. The percentages of articular involvement of the radial notch were 0% in subtype 1, 7% in subtype 2, and 8% in subtype 3. CONCLUSION: Analysis with quantitative 3-dimensional computed tomography showed the characteristic morphology of each subtype of anteromedial facet fracture. Subtype 1 comprised 1 fragment with the smallest fragment size. Subtype 2 was a single- or dual-fragment fracture, the size of which should be considered in the treatment plan. Subtype 3 was a large fragment comprising the sublime tubercle. Our findings are significant because they highlight unique fracture morphology that may help surgeons to distinguish one fracture subtype from another in clinical practice.

Contralesional Application of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Functional Improvement in Ischemic Stroke Mice.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The therapeutic use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), an adjuvant tool for stroke, induces long-term changes in cortical excitability, for example, the secretion of activity-dependent growth factors. We assessed the proper therapeutic configuration of high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) in the subacute stage of ischemic stroke and its underlying expression profiling of growth factors to propose a new method for ensuring better therapeutic effects. METHODS: Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion, after which repetitive HD-tDCS (20 minutes, 55 µA/mm2, charge density 66 000 C/m2) was applied from subacute phases of their ischemic insult. Behavioral tests assessing motor and cognitive functions were used to determine suitable conditions and HD-tDCS stimulation sites. Gene expression profiling of growth factors and their secretion and activation were analyzed to shed light on the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: Anodal HD-tDCS application over the contralesional cortex, especially the motor cortex, was more effective than ipsilesional stimulation in attenuating motor and cognitive deficits. In the HD-tDCS application over the contralesional motor cortex, positive changes in Bmp8b, Gdf5, Il4, Pdgfa, Pgf, and Vegfb were observed in the ipsilesional site. The expression of GDF5 (growth/differentiation factor 5) and PDGFA (platelet-derived growth factor subunit A) tended to similarly increase in both ipsi- and contralesional striata. However, higher expression levels of GDF5 and PDGFA and their receptors were observed in the peri-infarct regions of the striatum after HD-tDCS, especially in PDGFA expression. A higher number of proliferating or newly formed neuronal cells was detected in ipsilesional sites such as the subventricular zone. CONCLUSIONS: Application of anodal HD-tDCS over the contralesional cortex may enhance beneficial recovery through the expression of growth factors, such as GDF5 and PDGFA, in the ipsilesional site. Therefore, this therapeutic configuration may be applied in the subacute stage of ischemic stroke to ameliorate neurological impairments.

A Novel Method Using Kinesiology Taping for the Activation of Suprahyoid Muscles in Healthy Adults: A Preliminary Research.

The suprahyoid muscles play a major role in safe swallowing in the pharyngeal phase. Therefore, it is clinically important to design a therapeutic approach for strengthening the suprahyoid muscles for safe and normal swallowing. This study aimed to investigate the activation of suprahyoid muscles by resistance training using kinesiology taping (KT). We enrolled 23 healthy adults. All participants performed saliva swallowing five times at 5 s intervals in three conditions (without KT, 50% stretch with KT, and 80% stretch with KT). KT in the I and reverse V shapes was pulled vertically from the hyolaryngeal complex to the sternum and medially from the superior surface of the clavicle, respectively. Another KT horizontally covered the hyolaryngeal complex to enhance the movement restriction of the hyolaryngeal complex during swallowing. Activation of the suprahyoid muscles during swallowing in the two conditions was measured using surface electromyography. In addition, a 0-10 numerical rating self-report scale was used to evaluate the required effort and the resistance felt during swallowing. Both KT 50% and 80% were significantly higher in surface electromyography (sEMG) mean value, peak value, required effort, and resistance felt during swallowing compared to normal swallowing (p < 0.05). In addition, KT 80% was significantly higher in sEMG value, peak value, required effort, and resistance felt during swallowing than KT 50% (p < 0.05). This study demonstrated that KT applied to the area under the hyolaryngeal complex improves activation of the suprahyoid muscle during swallowing. Therefore, KT applied as resistance during swallowing is considered to have therapeutic potential in dysphagia rehabilitation.

Prognostic Prediction of Dysphagia by Analyzing the Corticobulbar Tract in the Early Stage of Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

We investigated the predictive value of the corticobulbar tract (CBT) for dysphagia using diffusion tensor tractography in the early stage of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) for dysphagia. Forty-two patients with spontaneous ICH ± intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and 22 control subjects were recruited. The patients were classified into three groups: group A-could remove nasogastric tube (NGT) in the acute stage of ICH, group B-could remove NGT within 6 months after onset, and group C-could not remove NGT until 6 months after onset. The CBT were reconstructed, and fractional anisotropy (FA) and tract volume (TV) values were determined. The FA of the CBT in the affected hemisphere in group A was lower than in the control group (p < 0.05). The FA and TV of the CBT in the affected hemisphere in group B were lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). In group C, the FA and TV in the affected hemisphere and unaffected hemispheres were lower than in the control group (p < 0.05). The TV of the CBT in the affected hemisphere in group B showed a moderate negative correlation with the length of time until NGT removal (r = 0.430, p < 0.05). We found that patients with CBT injuries in both hemispheres were not able to remove the NGT until 6 months after onset, whereas patients who were injured only in the affected hemisphere were able to remove NGT within 6 months of onset. The severity of injury to the CBT in the affected hemisphere appeared to be related to the length of time until NGT removal.

A Novel Singular Value Decomposition-Based Denoising Method in 4-Dimensional Computed Tomography of the Brain in Stroke Patients with Statistical Evaluation.

Computed tomography (CT) is a widely used medical imaging modality for diagnosing various diseases. Among CT techniques, 4-dimensional CT perfusion (4D-CTP) of the brain is established in most centers for diagnosing strokes and is considered the gold standard for hyperacute stroke diagnosis. However, because the detrimental effects of high radiation doses from 4D-CTP may cause serious health risks in stroke survivors, our research team aimed to introduce a novel image-processing technique. Our singular value decomposition (SVD)-based image-processing technique can improve image quality, first, by separating several image components using SVD and, second, by reconstructing signal component images to remove noise, thereby improving image quality. For the demonstration in this study, 20 4D-CTP dynamic images of suspected acute stroke patients were collected. Both the images that were and were not processed via the proposed method were compared. Each acquired image was objectively evaluated using contrast-to-noise and signal-to-noise ratios. The scores of the parameters assessed for the qualitative evaluation of image quality improved to an excellent rating (p < 0.05). Therefore, our SVD-based image-denoising technique improved the diagnostic value of images by improving their quality. The denoising technique and statistical evaluation can be utilized in various clinical applications to provide advanced medical services.

Relationship Between Impaired Consciousness and Injury of Ascending Reticular Activating System in Patients With Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Background and Purpose- We investigated the relationship between impaired consciousness and ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) characteristics on diffusion tensor tractography during the early stage of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage confined to a unilateral supratentorial area. Methods- A total of 29 consecutive patients with impaired consciousness (the patient group A), 31 age- and sex-matched patients without impaired consciousness (the patient group B), and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were recruited. The Glasgow Coma Scale was used to evaluate patients' conscious state in the early stage of intracerebral hemorrhage (within 30 days after onset). Three parts of the ARAS (lower dorsal, lower ventral, and upper) were reconstructed, and fractional anisotropy and tract volume values were determined. Results- The tract volume value of the lower dorsal ARAS in the patient group A was significantly lower than those of the patient group B and control group in the affected hemisphere (P<0.05). Among the diffusion tensor tractography parameters, only the tract volume of the lower dorsal ARAS in the affected hemispheres of the patient group A had a moderate positive correlation with Glasgow Coma Scale score (r=0.456; P<0.05). Conclusions- Impaired consciousness during the early stage of intracerebral hemorrhage was closely related to injury of the lower dorsal ARAS in the affected hemisphere. Clinical Trial Registration- URL: http://www.e-irb.com/index.jsp. Unique identifier: 2015-07-064.

Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes with Improved Outcoupling Using a High-Index Contrast Nanoarray.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) are promising for next-generation optoelectronic devices due to their potential to achieve high color purity, efficiency, and brightness. Although the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of PeLEDs has recently surpassed 20%, various strategies are being pursued to increase EQE further and reduce the EQE gap compared to other LED technologies. A key point to further boost EQE of PeLEDs is linked to the high refractive index of the perovskite emissive layer, leading to optical losses of more than 70% of emitted photons. Here, it is demonstrated that a randomly distributed nanohole array with high-index contrast can effectively enhance outcoupling efficiency in PeLEDs. Based on a comprehensive optical analysis on the perovskite thin film and outcoupling structure, it is confirmed that the nanohole array effectively distributes light into the substrate for improved outcoupling, allowing for 1.64 times higher light extraction. As a result, highly efficient red/near-infrared PeLEDs with a peak EQE of 14.6% are demonstrated.

Effects of lingual strength training on oropharyngeal muscles in South Korean adults.

BACKGROUND: Lingual strength training (LST) has been reported to positively affect the activation of submental muscles, as well as to increase lingual muscle strength. However, there is little evidence to support its effectiveness. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the effect of LST on the strength and thickness of oropharyngeal muscles in healthy adults. METHODS: The study included 30 subjects who were assigned to the experimental (n = 15) and the control groups (n = 15). The experimental group performed LST based on tongue-to-palate resistance exercise method. LST was categorised as isometric and isotonic exercise. The intervention was performed five times a week for 6 weeks. The control group did not receive any intervention. The lingual strength was measured using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument. Changes in the thickness of the mylohyoid and the digastric muscles and the lingual were assessed ultrasonographically. RESULTS: After the intervention, the thickness of the mylohyoid and the digastric muscles in the experimental group was significantly greater than that in the control group (P = 0.037 and 0.042). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that LST increases the thickness and the strength of oropharyngeal muscles. Therefore, LST is a useful option in patients with dysphagia or in elderly patients prone to swallowing dysfunction.

Design and Evaluation of a MEMS Magnetic Field Sensor-Based Respiratory Monitoring and Training System for Radiotherapy.

The patient's respiratory pattern and reproducibility are important factors affecting the accuracy of radiotherapy for lung cancer or liver cancer cases. Therefore, respiration training is required to induce respiration regularity before radiotherapy. However, the need for specialized personnel, space, and time-consuming training represent limitations. To solve these problems, we have developed a respiratory monitoring and training system based on a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) magnetic sensor. This system consists of a small attaching magnet, a sensor, and a breathing pattern output device. In this study, we evaluated the performance of the signal measurement in the developed system based on the various respiratory cycles, the amplitudes, and the position angles of the magnet and the sensor. The system can provide a more accurate breathing signal graph with lower measurement error and higher spatial resolution than conventional sensor methods by using additional magnet. In addition, it is possible the patient to monitor and train breathing himself by making it easy to carry and use without restriction of time and space.

Changes of the corticospinal tract in the unaffected hemisphere in stroke patients: A diffusion tensor imaging study.

We investigated changes of the corticospinal tract (CST) in the unaffected hemisphere according to severity of the CST injury, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). According to the severity of the CST injury in the affected hemisphere, the stroke patients showed different aspects of fiber volume increment of the CST in the unaffected hemisphere; the fiber volume was increased in the early phase in patients with mild injury of CST and later phase in patients with severe injury of CST.

Difference of injury of the corticospinal tract according to surgical or conservative treatment in patients with putaminal hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated difference of injury of the corticospinal tract (CST) according to surgical or conservative treatment in patients with putaminal hemorrhage (PH), using diffusion tensor tractography (DTT). METHODS: Forty-six patients with PH (hematoma volume on the brain CT: 20-40 ml) were recruited. Patients were classified as the surgical treatment group and the conservative treatment group. The hematoma volume on the initial brain CT (median 2 hours after onset; range 1-14 hours) and volumes of the hematoma, the total lesion and the peri-hematomal edema volume on the follow-up brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (median 23.5 days after onset; range 12-46 days) were estimated. Diffusion tensor imaging was performed and we defined the injury of the CST in terms of the configuration or abnormal DTT parameters. RESULTS: In the conservative treatment group, the total lesion volume on the brain MRI was increased compared with the hematoma volume on the initial brain CT (p < 0.05). On brain MRI, the hematoma volume, peri-hematomal edema volume, and total lesion volume were larger in the conservative treatment group than in the surgical treatment group (p < 0.05). Twelve patients (60%) in the surgical treatment group and 24 patients (92%) in the conservative treatment group had injury of the CST. CONCLUSION: Injury of the CST was less prevalent in the surgical treatment group than in the conservative treatment group in patients with PH. Therefore, it appears that surgical treatment could be helpful in prevention of injury of the CST in patients with PH.

Human Noxin is an anti-apoptotic protein in response to DNA damage of A549 non-small cell lung carcinoma.

Human Noxin (hNoxin, C11Orf82), a homolog of mouse noxin, is highly expressed in colorectal and lung cancer tissues. hNoxin contains a DNA-binding C-domain in RPA1, which mediates DNA metabolic processes, such as DNA replication and DNA repair. Expression of hNoxin is associated with S phase in cancer cells and in normal cells. Expression of hNoxin was induced by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Knockdown of hNoxin caused growth inhibition of colorectal and lung cancer cells. The comet assay and western blot analysis revealed that hNoxin knockdown induced apoptosis through activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/p53 in non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 cells. Furthermore, simultaneous hNoxin knockdown and treatment with DNA-damaging agents, such as camptothecin (CPT) and UV irradiation, enhanced apoptosis, whereas Trichostatin A (TSA) did not. However, transient overexpression of hNoxin rescued cells from DNA damage-induced apoptosis but did not block apoptosis in the absence of DNA damage. These results suggest that hNoxin may be associated with inhibition of apoptosis in response to DNA damage. An adenovirus expressing a short hairpin RNA against hNoxin transcripts significantly suppressed the growth of A549 tumor xenografts, indicating that hNoxin knockdown has in vivo anti-tumor efficacy. Thus, hNoxin is a DNA damage-induced anti-apoptotic protein and potential therapeutic target in cancer.

NSC126188 induces apoptosis of prostate cancer PC-3 cells through inhibition of Akt membrane translocation, FoxO3a activation, and RhoB transcription.

We previously reported that NSC126188 caused apoptosis of cancer cells by inducing expression of RhoB. We here present that NSC126188 induces apoptosis of prostate cancer PC-3 cells by inhibiting Akt/FoxO3 signaling, which mediates RhoB upregulation. The apoptosis and Akt dephosphorylation caused by NSC126188 was not substantially relieved by overexpressing wild-type Akt but was relieved by overexpressing constitutively active Akt (CA-Akt) or myristoylated Akt (myr-Akt). Furthermore, overexpression of CA-Akt or myr-Akt downregulated RhoB expression, indicating that RhoB expression is regulated by Akt signaling. Interestingly, membrane translocation of GFP-Akt by insulin exposure was abolished in the cells pretreated with NSC126188 suggesting that NSC126188 directly interfered with translocation of Akt to the plasma membrane. In addition, NSC126188 activated FoxO3a by dephosphorylating S253 via Akt inhibition. Activated FoxO3a translocated to the nucleus and increased transcription of RhoB and other target genes. PC-3 cells transiently overexpressing FoxO3a exhibited increased RhoB expression and apoptosis in response to NSC126188. Conversely, FoxO3a knockdown reduced NSC126188-induced RhoB expression and cell death. These results suggest that RhoB may be a target gene of FoxO3a and is regulated by Akt signaling. Taken together, NSC126188 induces apoptosis of PC-3 cells by interfering with membrane recruitment of Akt, resulting in Akt dephosphorylation and FoxO3a activation, which leads to transcription of RhoB.

Characteristics of injury of the corticospinal tract and corticoreticular pathway in hemiparetic patients with putaminal hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: No study on the characteristics of injury of the corticospinal tract (CST) or corticoreticular pathway (CRP) in patients with putaminal hemorrhage has been reported. In this study, using diffusion tensor tractography, we attempted to investigate the characteristics of injury of the CST and CRP in hemiparetic patients with putaminal hemorrhage. METHOD: Fifty seven consecutive patients with putaminal hemorrhage and 57 healthy control subjects were recruited for this study. Diffusion tensor imaging was performed during the early period (8 ~ 30 days) after onset. We defined injury of the CST or CRP in terms of the configuration (discontinuation of a neural tract) or abnormal DTT parameters (the fractional anisotrophy value or fiber number was more than two standard deviations lower than that of normal control subjects). The Motricity Index, the modified Brunnstrom Classification, and the Functional Ambulation Categories were used for evaluation of motor function. RESULTS: Among 57 patients, injury of the CST was found in 41 patients (71.9%) and injury of the CRP was found in 50 patients (87.8%), respectively, and 37 patients (64.9%) had injury of both the CST and CRP. All three motor functions of patients with injury of both the CST and CRP were significantly lower than those of patients with injury of either the CST or CRP (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the putaminal hemorrhage frequently accompanies injury of both the CST and CRP, and the CRP appears to be more vulnerable to putaminal hemorrhage than the CST. These findings suggest the necessity for evaluation of both the CRP and the CST in patients with putaminal hemorrhage.

Cellulose film regenerated from Styela clava tunics have biodegradability, toxicity and biocompatibility in the skin of SD rats.

Cellulose is one of the most widespread biomolecules in nature and has been exploited in various applications including scaffolding, tissue engineering, and tissue formation. To evaluate the biocompatibility of cellulose film manufactured from Styela clava tunics (SCT-CF), these films were implanted in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats for various lengths of time, after which they were subjected to mechanical and biological analyses. The cellulose powders (12-268 m) obtained from SCT was converted into films via casting methods without adding any additives. SCT-CF contained about 98 % α-cellulose and very low concentrations of ßß-cellulose. Additionally, the crystallinity index (CrI) of SCT-CF was lower (10.71 %) than that of wood pulp-cellulose films (WP-CF) (33.78 %). After implantation for 90 days, the weight loss and formation of surface corrugations were greater in SCT-CF than that of WP-CF, while the surface roughness was significantly higher in WP-CF than SCT-CF. However, there were no differences in the number of white blood cells between SCT-CF implanted rats and vehicle implanted rats. The level of metabolic enzymes representing liver and kidney toxicity in the serum of SCT-CF implanted rats was maintained at levels consistent with vehicle implanted rats. Moreover, no significant alteration of the epidermal hyperplasia, inflammatory cell infiltration, redness, and edema were observed in SD rats implanted with SCT-CF. Taken together, these results indicate that SCT-CF showed good degradability and non-toxicity without inducing an immune response in SD rats. Further, the data presented here constitute strong evidence that SCT-CF has the potential for use as a powerful biomaterial for medical applications including stitching fiber, wound dressing, scaffolding, absorbable hemostats and hemodialysis membrane.

Therapeutic effects of a novel electrode for transcranial direct current stimulation in ischemic stroke mice.

Rationale: Non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a promising stimulation tool to modulate a wide range of brain disorders, has major limitations, such as poor cortical stimulation intensity and focality. We designed a novel electrode for tDCS by conjugating a needle to a conventional ring-based high-definition (HD) electrode to enhance cortical stimulation efficacy. Method: HD-tDCS (43 µA/mm2, charge density 51.6 kC/m2, 20 min) was administered to male C57BL/6J mice subjected to early-stage ischemic stroke. Behavioral tests were employed to determine the therapeutic effects, and the underlying mechanisms of HD-tDCS were determined by performing RNA sequencing and other biomedical analyses. Results: The new HD-tDCS application, showing a higher electric potential and spatial focality based on computational modeling, demonstrated better therapeutic effects than conventional HD-tDCS in alleviating motor and cognitive deficits, with a decrease in infarct volume and inflammatory response. We assessed different electrode configurations in the new HD electrode; the configurations variously showed potent therapeutic effects, ameliorating neuronal death in the peri-infarct region via N-methyl-D-aspartate-dependent sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 signaling and related inflammatory factors, further alleviating motor and cognitive deficits in stroke. Conclusion: This new HD-tDCS application showed better therapeutic effects than those with conventional HD-tDCS in early-stage stroke via the amelioration of neuronal death in the penumbra. It may be applied in the early stages of stroke to alleviate neurological impairment.

Diffusion tensor imaging findings of optic radiation in patients with putaminal hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about optic radiation (OR) injury in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We attempted to investigate OR injury in patients with ICH by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). METHODS: Forty-three consecutive patients with putaminal hemorrhage and 40 normal healthy control subjects were recruited. DTI data were acquired at the beginning of rehabilitation (average 34 days after onset). DTI-Studio software was used to reconstruct the OR. Fractional anisotropies (FA) and fiber numbers of the ORs were measured. FA values and fiber numbers of affected ORs were described as abnormal when they were more than 2.5 SD lower than those of normal controls. RESULTS: Thirty (70%) of the 43 patients showed an OR abnormality in the affected hemisphere. In 13 (30%) patients, the affected OR was disrupted or nonreconstructable. On the other hand, of the 20 patients with preserved OR integrity, 14 (33%) had a low FA value and 3 (7%) a low FA and fiber number. The other 13 (30%) of the 43 patients had no abnormal OR findings. CONCLUSION: Seventy percent of patients showed any abnormality of OR in the affected hemisphere on DTI. This result suggests that patients with putaminal hemorrhage are at high risk of OR injury.