635 research outputs found

    Anterior Limbus Vertebra and Intervertebral Disk Degeneration in Japanese Collegiate Gymnasts

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    Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have shown that gymnasts have a high prevalence of radiologicalabnormalities, such as intervertebral disk degeneration (IDD) and anterior limbus vertebra (ALV). These 2 abnormalities may coexistat the same spinal level. However, the relationship between IDD and ALV remains unclear.Hypothesis: A significant relationship exists between IDD and ALV in Japanese collegiate gymnasts.Study Design: Case-control study.Methods: A total of 104 Japanese collegiate gymnasts (70 men and 34 women; age, 19.7 + 1.0 years) with 11.8 + 3.6 years ofsporting experience participated. T1- and T2-weighted MRIs were used to evaluate ALV and IDD.Results: The prevalence among the gymnasts of IDD and ALV was 40.4% (42/104) and 20.2% (21/104), respectively. Theprevalence of IDD was significantly higher in gymnasts with ALV than those without ALV, as determined using the chi-square test.Logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between IDD and ALV (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 6.60; 95%confidence interval [CI], 2.14-20.35). IDD was further grouped by whether it was present in the upper lumbar region (L1-2, L2-3,and L3-4 disks) or in the lower lumbar region (L4-5 and L5-S1 disks). Upper IDD had a greater association with ALV (adjustedOR, 33.17; 95% CI, 7.09-155.25) than did lower IDD (adjusted OR, 6.71; 95% CI, 1.57-28.73).Conclusion: In Japanese collegiate gymnasts, ALV is a predictor of IDD, especially in the upper lumbar region.Clinical Relevance: Information regarding ALV is important to prevent IDD in Japanese collegiate gymnasts.Keywords: endplate lesion; gymnastics; intervertebral disk degeneration; magnetic resonance imagin

    Low myelin-related values in the fornix and thalamus of 7 Tesla MRI of major depressive disorder patients

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    IntroductionAbnormalities in myelin are believed to be one of the important causes of major depressive disorder, and it is becoming important to more accurately quantify myelin in in vivo magnetic resonance imaging of major depressive disorder patients. We aimed to investigate the difference in myelin concentration in the white matter and subcortical areas using new quantitative myelin-related maps of high-resolution 7 Tesla (7 T) magnetic resonance imaging between patients with major depressive disorder and healthy controls.MethodsMyelin-related comparisons of the white matter and nearby subcortical regions were conducted between healthy controls (n = 36) and patients with major depressive disorder (n = 34). Smoothed quantitative ratio (sq-Ratio) myelin-related maps were created using the multi-echo magnetization-prepared two rapid gradient echoes (ME-MP2RAGE) sequence of the T1 and T2* images of 7 T magnetic resonance imaging. Differences in the myelin-related values of the regions of interest between the two groups were analyzed using a two-sample t-test, and multiple comparison corrections were performed using the false discovery rate.ResultsThe average sq-Ratio myelin-related values were 2.62% higher in the white matter and 2.26% higher in the subcortical regions of the healthy controls group than in the major depressive disorder group. In the group analysis of the healthy control and major depressive disorder groups, the sq-Ratio myelin-related values were significantly different in the fornix area of the white matter (false discovery rate-corrected p = 0.012). In addition, significant differences were observed in both the left (false discovery rate-corrected p = 0.04) and right thalamus (false discovery rate-corrected p = 0.040) among the subcortical regions.DiscussionThe average sq-ratio myelin-related value and sq-ratio myelin-related values in the fornix of the white matter and both thalami were higher in the healthy controls group than in the major depressive disorder group. We look forward to replicating our findings in other populations using larger sample sizes

    Интернационализация подготовки научных кадров в развитых европейских странах:проблемы и уроки

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    Показаны формы международного сотрудничества в рамках интернационализации докторского образования, стратегии интернационализации высшего образования в целом и докторского в частности. Описан накопленный опыт, сформулированы основные уроки и полезные идеи, вытекающие из него.Показано форми міжнародного співробітництва у рамках інтернаціоналізації докторської освіти, стратегії інтернаціоналізації вищої освіти загалом та докторської зокрема. Описано накопичений досвід, сформульовано основні уроки та корисні ідеї, що випливають з нього.Forms of international cooperation in internationalization of doctoral education, strategies of internationalization in higher education in general and doctoral education in particular are shown. Experiences accumulated in this field are described; main lessons and useful ideas born from the experiences are outlined

    Surface mass balance contributions to acceleration of Antarctic ice mass loss during 2003-2013

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    Recent observations from satellite gravimetry (the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission) suggest an acceleration of ice mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS). The contribution of surface mass balance changes (due to variable precipitation) is compared with GRACE-derived mass loss acceleration by assessing the estimated contribution of snow mass from meteorological reanalysis data. We find that over much of the continent, the acceleration can be explained by precipitation anomalies. However, on the Antarctic Peninsula and other parts of West Antarctica, mass changes are not explained by precipitation and are likely associated with ice discharge rate increases. The total apparent GRACE acceleration over all of the AIS between 2003 and 2013 is −13.6 ± 7.2 Gt/yr^2. Of this total, we find that the surface mass balance component is −8.2 ± 2.0 Gt/yr^2. However, the GRACE estimate appears to contain errors arising from the atmospheric pressure fields used to remove air mass effects. The estimated acceleration error from this effect is about 9.8 ± 5.8 Gt/yr^2. Correcting for this yields an ice discharge acceleration of −15.1 ± 6.5 Gt/yr^2
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