Association of cerebellar volume with cognitive and motor function in adults with congenital heart disease

INTRODUCTION Patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at risk for cognitive and motor function impairments, brain injury, and smaller total brain volumes. The specific vulnerability of the cerebellum and its role in cognitive and motor functions in adults with congenital heart disease is not well defined. METHODS Forty-three patients with CHD and 53 controls between 18 and 32 years underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging and cognitive, executive (EF), and motor function assessment. Cerebellar volumes were obtained using EasyMeasure and SUIT Toolbox. Associations between cerebellar volumes and cognitive and motor function were calculated using linear models. RESULTS General cognitive and pure motor functions were lower in patients compared to controls (P 0.1), the posterior cerebellar lobe was smaller in patients with more complex CHD (P = 0.006). Smaller posterior cerebellar gray matter was not associated with cognitive functions. Smaller anterior cerebellar gray matter was not significantly related to motor functions (P > 0.1). CONCLUSION In adults with CHD, cerebellar volume was largely unimpaired. Patients with more complex CHD may be vulnerable to changes in the posterior cerebellar gray matter. We found no significant contribution of cerebellar gray matter to cognitive and motor impairments. More advanced imaging techniques are necessary to clarify the contribution of the cerebellum to cognitive and motor functions

Feasibility of non-gated dynamic fetal cardiac MRI for identification of fetal cardiovascular anatomy

INTRODUCTION To evaluate the feasibility of identifying the fetal cardiac and thoracic vascular structures with non-gated dynamic balanced steady-state free precession (SSFP) MRI sequences. METHODS We retrospectively assessed the visibility of cardiovascular anatomy in 60 fetuses without suspicion of congenital heart defect. Non-gated dynamic balanced SSFP sequences were acquired in three anatomic planes of the fetal thorax. The images were analyzed following a segmental approach in consensus reading by an experienced pediatric cardiologist and radiologist. An imaging score was defined by giving one point to each visualized structure, yielding a maximum score of 21 points. Image quality was rated from 0 (poor) to 2 (excellent). The influence of gestational age (GA), field strength, placenta position, and maternal panniculus on image quality and imaging score were tested. RESULTS 30 scans were performed at 1.5T, 30 at 3T. Heart position, atria and ventricles could be seen in all 60 fetuses. Basic diagnosis (>12 points) was achieved in 54 cases. The mean imaging score was 16.8+/-3.8. Maternal panniculus (r=-0.3; p=0.015) and gestational age (r=0.6; p<0.001) correlated with imaging score. Field strength influenced image quality, with 1.5T being better than 3T images (p=0.012). Imaging score or quality were independent of placenta position. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION Fetal cardiac MRI with non-gated SSFP sequences enables recognition of basic cardiovascular anatomy

Distributed Computing Grid Experiences in CMS

The CMS experiment is currently developing a computing system capable of serving, processing and archiving the large number of events that will be generated when the CMS detector starts taking data. During 2004 CMS undertook a large scale data challenge to demonstrate the ability of the CMS computing system to cope with a sustained data-taking rate equivalent to 25% of startup rate. Its goals were: to run CMS event reconstruction at CERN for a sustained period at 25 Hz input rate; to distribute the data to several regional centers; and enable data access at those centers for analysis. Grid middleware was utilized to help complete all aspects of the challenge. To continue to provide scalable access from anywhere in the world to the data, CMS is developing a layer of software that uses Grid tools to gain access to data and resources, and that aims to provide physicists with a user friendly interface for submitting their analysis jobs. This paper describes the data challenge experience with Grid infrastructure and the current development of the CMS analysis system

Intra-voxel incoherent motion MRI of the living human foetus: technique and test-retest repeatability

Background Our purpose was to test the within-subject (test-retest) reproducibility of the perfusion fraction, diffusion coefficient, and pseudo-diffusion coefficient measurements in various foetus organs and in the placenta based on the intra-voxel incoherent motion (IVIM) principle. Methods In utero diffusion-weighted IVIM magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in 15 pregnant women (pregnancy age 21-36 weeks) on 1.5-T and 3.0-T clinical scanners with b-factors in the range of 0-900 s/mm in 16 steps. A bi-exponential model was fitted on the volume-averaged diffusion values. Perfusion fraction (f), diffusion coefficient (d), and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*) were calculated. Within-subject reproducibility was evaluated as test-retest variability (VAR %) of the IVIM parameters in the foetal frontal cortex, frontal white matter, cerebellum, lungs, kidneys, liver, and in the placenta. Results For the foetal lungs, liver and the placenta, test-retest variability was in the range of 14-20% for f, 12-14% for d, and 17-25% for D*. The diffusion coefficients of the investigated brain regions were moderately to highly reproducible (VAR 5-15%). However, f and D* showed inferior reproducibility compared to corresponding measures for the lungs, liver, and placenta. The IVIM parameters of the foetal kidney were revealed to be highly variable across scans. Conclusions IVIM MRI potentially provides a novel method for examining microvascular perfusion and diffusion in the developing human foetus. However, reproducibility of perfusion and diffusion parameters depends greatly upon data quality, foetal and maternal movements, and foetal-specific image post-processing

An Analysis on the Impact of Export Rebate to Export Structure in China

实践经验证明，出口退税政策的实施对促进一国对外贸易，尤其是出口贸易的发展具有重要的作用。而在坚持“应退尽退”的税收中性原则下，相机的实施差别退税率的出口退税政策则在优化出口商品结构、优化产业结构等方面具有积极的作用。我国现行的出口退税政策自1985年正式实施以来，国家曾根据经济形势的变化多次对出口退税率进行调整，对不同行业的出口退税率的调整力度不尽相同，因而出口退税政策在实施的过程中对不同行业的影响也迥然不同。 本文中，笔者首先介绍了出口退税政策在国外的发展情况以及在我国的演变过程，尤其是1994年税制改革后我国对出口退税率的调整经过，并结合我国出口商品结构的变动情况进行定性分析；然后再根据...It has been proved that export rebate policy plays an important role in promoting the international trade of a country,particularly the development of the export. Under the principle of tax neutrality, adopting different export rebate rate in different conditions makes positive effect on optimization of export structure and industry structure. Since 1985, China has repeatedly adjusted the export r...学位：经济学硕士院系专业：经济学院财政系_财政学(含税收学)学号：1552007115009

The ATLAS Data Quality Defect Database System

The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider has implemented a new system for recording information on detector status and data quality, and for transmitting this information to users performing physics analysis. This system revolves around the concept of "defects," which are well-defined, fine-grained, unambiguous occurrences affecting the quality of recorded data. The motivation, implementation, and operation of this system is described.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, published in EPJ C. (v2: as published

The impact of cannabidiol treatment on resting state functional connectivity, prefrontal metabolite levels and reward processing in recent-onset patients with a psychotic disorder

The first clinical trials with cannabidiol (CBD) as treatment for psychotic disorders have shown its potential as an effective and well-tolerated antipsychotic agent. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the antipsychotic profile of CBD are currently unclear. Here we investigated the impact of 28-day adjunctive CBD or placebo treatment (600 mg daily) on brain function and metabolism in 31 stable recent-onset psychosis patients (<5 years after diagnosis). Before and after treatment, patients underwent a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) session including resting state functional MRI, proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ($^{1}$H-MRS) and functional MRI during reward processing. Symptomatology and cognitive functioning were also assessed. CBD treatment significantly changed functional connectivity in the default mode network (DMN; time × treatment interaction p = 0.037), with increased connectivity in the CBD (from 0.59 ± 0.39 to 0.80 ± 0.32) and reduced connectivity in the placebo group (from 0.77 ± 0.37 to 0.62 ± 0.33). Although there were no significant treatment effects on prefrontal metabolite concentrations, we showed that decreased positive symptom severity over time was associated with both diminishing glutamate (p = 0.029) and N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA; neuronal integrity marker) levels (p = 0.019) in the CBD, but not the placebo group. CBD treatment did not have an impact on brain activity patterns during reward anticipation and receipt or functional connectivity in executive and salience networks. Our results show that adjunctive CBD treatment of recent-onset psychosis patients induced changes in DMN functional connectivity, but not prefrontal metabolite concentrations or brain activity during reward processing. These findings suggest that DMN connectivity alteration may be involved in the therapeutic effects of CBD

Performance of the CMS Cathode Strip Chambers with Cosmic Rays

The Cathode Strip Chambers (CSCs) constitute the primary muon tracking device in the CMS endcaps. Their performance has been evaluated using data taken during a cosmic ray run in fall 2008. Measured noise levels are low, with the number of noisy channels well below 1%. Coordinate resolution was measured for all types of chambers, and fall in the range 47 microns to 243 microns. The efficiencies for local charged track triggers, for hit and for segments reconstruction were measured, and are above 99%. The timing resolution per layer is approximately 5 ns

Performance and Operation of the CMS Electromagnetic Calorimeter

The operation and general performance of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter using cosmic-ray muons are described. These muons were recorded after the closure of the CMS detector in late 2008. The calorimeter is made of lead tungstate crystals and the overall status of the 75848 channels corresponding to the barrel and endcap detectors is reported. The stability of crucial operational parameters, such as high voltage, temperature and electronic noise, is summarised and the performance of the light monitoring system is presented

Consortium neuroscience of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder: The ENIGMA adventure

Neuroimaging has been extensively used to study brain structure and function in individuals with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) over the past decades. Two of the main shortcomings of the neuroimaging literature of these disorders are the small sample sizes employed and the heterogeneity of methods used. In 2013 and 2014, the ENIGMA-ADHD and ENIGMA-ASD working groups were respectively, founded with a common goal to address these limitations. Here, we provide a narrative review of the thus far completed and still ongoing projects of these working groups. Due to an implicitly hierarchical psychiatric diagnostic classification system, the fields of ADHD and ASD have developed largely in isolation, despite the considerable overlap in the occurrence of the disorders. The collaboration between the ENIGMA-ADHD and -ASD working groups seeks to bring the neuroimaging efforts of the two disorders closer together. The outcomes of case–control studies of subcortical and cortical structures showed that subcortical volumes are similarly affected in ASD and ADHD, albeit with small effect sizes. Cortical analyses identified unique differences in each disorder, but also considerable overlap between the two, specifically in cortical thickness. Ongoing work is examining alternative research questions, such as brain laterality, prediction of case–control status, and anatomical heterogeneity. In brief, great strides have been made toward fulfilling the aims of the ENIGMA collaborations, while new ideas and follow-up analyses continue that include more imaging modalities (diffusion MRI and resting-state functional MRI), collaborations with other large databases, and samples with dual diagnoses