Diffusion and perfusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging for tumor volume definition in radiotherapy of brain tumors

Abstract Accurate target volume delineation is crucial for the radiotherapy of tumors. Diffusion and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide functional information about brain tumors, and they are able to detect tumor volume and physiological changes beyond the lesions shown on conventional MRI. This review examines recent studies that utilized diffusion and perfusion MRI for tumor volume definition in radiotherapy of brain tumors, and it presents the opportunities and challenges in the integration of multimodal functional MRI into clinical practice. The results indicate that specialized and robust post-processing algorithms and tools are needed for the precise alignment of targets on the images, and comprehensive validations with more clinical data are important for the improvement of the correlation between histopathologic results and MRI parameter images

Brain glutamate in anorexia nervosa: a magnetic resonance spectroscopy case control study at 7 Tesla

RATIONALE: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious psychiatric disorder with high morbidity and mortality. There are no established pharmacological treatments and the neurobiology of the condition is poorly understood. Previous studies using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) have shown that AN may be associated with reductions in indices of brain glutamate; however, at conventional field strengths (≤3 T), it is difficult to separate glutamate from its precursor and metabolite, glutamine. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the present study was to use high field (7 T) MRS to measure concentrations of glutamate, in three separate brain voxels, in women with AN. METHODS: We studied 13 female participants with AN and 12 healthy female controls who underwent MRS scanning at 7 T with voxels placed in anterior cingulate cortex, occipital cortex and putamen. Neurometabolites were calculated using the unsuppressed water signal as a reference and corrected for individual cerebrospinal fluid concentration in the voxel. RESULTS: We found that participants with AN had significantly lower concentrations of glutamate in all three voxels (mean reduction 8%, p = 0.002) but glutamine levels were not altered. Concentrations of N-acetylaspartate, creatine, GABA and glutathione were also unchanged. However, inositol was lower in AN participants in anterior cingulate (p = 0.022) and occipital cortex (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Women with AN apparently have widespread reductions in brain glutamate. Further work will be needed to assess if this change has pathophysiological relevance or whether it is a consequence of the many physical changes produced in AN by food restriction

Über den Willen von Schülerinnen und Schülern, Tiere und Tierarten zu schützen

In dieser Diplomarbeit wurde eine Gruppe von Schülerinnen und Schülern mit der Thematik des Tier- und Artenschutzes, dargestellt anhand der Ordnung der Papageienvögel, vertraut gemacht. Dazu wurde eine Fallstudie entwickelt, die im Zuge einer Unterrichtssequenz umgesetzt wurde. In der Erarbeitungsphase der Fallstudie nahmen die Schülerinnen und Schüler an einer Exkursion zur Arbeitsgemeinschaft Papageienschutz in Vösendorf teil. Um die erstellte Unterrichtssequenz zu evaluieren, wurden vor und nach der Durchführung der Fallstudie Gruppendiskussionen durchgeführt. Diese sollten die Konzepte und Überlegungen der Schülerinnen und Schüler zum Thema Tier- und Artenschutz sichtbar machen. Die Auswertung der Gruppendiskussionen wurde nach der Qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse vorgenommen. Es konnte festgestellt werden, dass die Schülerinnen und Schüler schon vor der Umsetzung der Fallstudie ein großes Interesse und viele Konzepte zum Tier- und Artenschutz aufweisen. Diese konnten im Zuge der Durchführung der Unterrichtssequenz erweitert werden. Der Tier- und Artenschutz bietet überdies vielfältige Möglichkeiten, in den Biologieunterricht integriert zu werden und das selbstständige Arbeiten sowie die eigenständige Urteilsbildung von Schülerinnen und Schülern zu unterstützen und zu fördern.In this diploma thesis a group of students worked with the topic of animal and species protection, represented by the order of the parrots. For this purpose, a case study was developed, which was elaborated in class by the students. In the preparation phase of the case study, the pupils participated in a study trip to the Parrot Conservation Working Group in Vösendorf. To evaluate the lesson sequence, group discussions were performed before and after the case study. The evaluation of the group discussions followed the qualitative content analysis. It can be stated that even before the performance of the case study, the pupils showed great interest and many concepts for animal and species protection. These could be extended during the teaching sequence. The animal and species protection also offers many opportunities to be integrated into the biology class and to support and promote the independent work and the independent judgment of students

Über die elektrischen Fundamentalgrößen und das Ohm'sche Gesetz

von Carl M. J. BlaselProgr.-Nr. 20