Regional variation in the shear modulus of in vivo brain.

<p>All differences between the regions are statistically significant (p<0.001). The boxplot depicts the lower and upper quartiles as well as the median. Full data range (without outliers) is presented by whiskers. Crosses depict outliers.</p

Description of volume data and viscoelasticity parameters.

<p>The standard deviations (SD) are given in brackets.</p>a<p>dm³,</p>b<p>kPa.</p

Brain shear elasticity modulus averaged over the entire parenchyma visible in four image slices of all volunteers.

<p>Linear and quadratic regression is shown to indicate the order of softening of brain tissue with years of age.</p

Four image slices from T1-weighted volume MRI data compliant with MRE slice positions (upper row).

<p>Color-coded MRE wave data of 50 Hz vibrations. Blue colors scale vibrations towards the reader, while red to yellow colors scale motion beneath the image plane. The maximum tissue deflection is approximately 80<i> µ</i>m (mid row). Real-part modulus images corresponding to 50 Hz vibration frequency with specific regions of interest (ROIs) investigated in this study. Green lines: <i>ROI</i>_full, blue lines: <i>ROI</i>_inner, red lines: <i>ROI</i>_frontal, magenta lines: <i>ROI</i>_posterior, outer green lines excluding ventricles: <i>ROI</i>_full (bottom line).</p

Regional variation in the parameter <i>α</i> representing the slope of the modulus dispersion and according to the springpot model.

<p>As <i>α</i> is sensitive to the microstructure geometry of biological tissue it is named ‘geometry’ parameter. Similar to <i>µ</i> (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0023451#pone-0023451-g003" target="_blank">Figure 3</a>), all regional differences are statistically significant (p<0.001).</p

Decrease in total brain volume and WM volume with age represented by linear regression of MRI volume data.

<p>Decrease in total brain volume and WM volume with age represented by linear regression of MRI volume data.</p

Pregnancy in Multiple Sclerosis: A Questionnaire Study

<div><p>Background</p><p>Multiple sclerosis (MS) preferentially affects females at childbearing age. For this reason patients and treating physicians were frequently confronted with questions concerning family planning, pregnancy and birth.</p><p>Objective</p><p>The aim of this study was to evaluate the expertise about pregnancy related topics in multiple sclerosis of neurologists in private practice.</p><p>Methods</p><p>We developed a survey with 16 multiple choice questions about pregnancy related topics and sent it to neurologists in private practice in Berlin, Germany.</p><p>Results</p><p>56 completed questionnaires were sent back. 54% of all questions were answered correctly, 21% of the questions were answered with “I don’t know”. Correct answers were more often given by physicians who treat more than 400 MS patients per year (p = 0.001). Further positive associations were found for assumed relevance of the topic (p = 0.002) and the degree of counseling (p<0.001).</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>To provide a comprehensive counseling, MS patients with desire for children should be counseled by physicians with a lot of experience in MS treatment.</p></div

Percentage of correct and I don’t know-answers in relation to the number of treated MS patients per quarter: Kruskal-Wallis-test.

<p>Percentage of correct and I don’t know-answers in relation to the number of treated MS patients per quarter: Kruskal-Wallis-test.</p

Demographic characteristics.

<p>Demographic characteristics.</p

Survey results.

<p>IMT: immunomodulatory therapy.</p