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Background: Several magnetic resonance (MR) techniques have been suggested for radiation‐free imaging of osseous structures. Purpose: To compare the diagnostic value of ultra‐short echo time and gradient echo T1‐weighted MRI for the assessment of vertebral pathologies using histology and computed tomography (CT) as the reference standard. Study Type: Prospective. Subjects: Fifty‐nine lumbar vertebral bodies harvested from 20 human cadavers (donor age 73 ± 13 years; 9 male). Field Strength/Sequence: Ultra‐short echo time sequence optimized for both bone (UTEb) and cartilage (UTEc) imaging and 3D T1‐weighted gradient‐echo sequence (T1GRE) at 3 T; susceptibility‐weighted imaging (SWI) gradient echo sequence at 1.5 T. CT was performed on a dual‐layer dual‐energy CT scanner using a routine clinical protocol. Assessment: Histopathology and conventional CT were acquired as standard of reference. Semi‐quantitative and quantitative morphological features of degenerative changes of the spines were evaluated by four radiologists independently on CT and MR images independently and blinded to all other information. Features assessed were osteophytes, endplate sclerosis, visualization of cartilaginous endplate, facet joint degeneration, presence of Schmorl's nodes, and vertebral dimensions. Vertebral disorders were assessed by a pathologist on histology. Statistical Tests: Agreement between T1GRE, SWI, UTEc, and UTEb sequences and CT imaging and histology as standard of reference were assessed using Fleiss' κ and intra‐class correlation coefficients, respectively. Results: For the morphological assessment of osteophytes and endplate sclerosis, the overall agreement between SWI, T1GRE, UTEb, and UTEc with the reference standard (histology combined with CT) was moderate to almost perfect for all readers (osteophytes: SWI, κ range: 0.68–0.76; T1GRE: 0.92–1.00; UTEb: 0.92–1.00; UTEc: 0.77–0.85; sclerosis: SWI, κ range: 0.60–0.70; T1GRE: 0.77–0.82; UTEb: 0.81–0.92; UTEc: 0.61–0.71). For the visualization of the cartilaginous endplate, UTEc showed the overall best agreement with the reference standard (histology) for all readers (κ range: 0.85–0.93). Data Conclusions: Morphological assessment of vertebral pathologies was feasible and accurate using the MR‐based bone imaging sequences compared to CT and histopathology. T1GRE showed the overall best performance for osseous changes and UTEc for the visualization of the cartilaginous endplate. Level of Evidence: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information about the use of adjectival adjuncts in Russian and Polish languages. A comparison is given of each language's use of adverbs and adjectives for event-orientation and participant-orientation. The grammatical phenomenon of transparent adverbs in the English language is described, in which an adjectival adjunct clarifies the psychological state of an event participant in a phrase. The article seeks to determine whether a similar adverbial category should be documented for Russian and Polish.

Background: Side effects of the immunosuppressive therapy after solid organ transplantation are well known. Recently, significant benefits were shown for mTOR‐Is with respect to certain viral infections in comparison with CNIs. However, reported total incidences of infections under mTOR‐Is vs CNIs are usually not different. This raises the question to additional differences between these immunosuppressants regarding development and incidence of infections. Methods: The current literature was searched for prospective randomized controlled trials in renal transplantation. There were 954 trials screened of which 19 could be included (9861 pts.). The 1‐year incidence of infections, patient and graft survival were assessed in meta‐analyses. Results: Meta‐analysis on 1‐year incidence of infections showed a significant benefit of an mTOR‐I based therapy when combined with a CNI vs CNI‐based therapy alone (OR 0.76). There was no difference between mTOR‐I w/o CNI and CNI therapy (OR 0.97). For pneumonia, a significant disadvantage was seen only for mTOR‐I monotherapy compared to CNI's (OR 2.09). The incidence of CMV infections was significantly reduced under mTOR‐I therapy (combination with CNI: OR 0.30; mTOR w/o CNI: OR: 0.46). There was no significant difference between mTOR‐I and CNI therapy with respect to patient survival (mTOR‐I w/o CNI vs CNI: OR 1.22; mTOR‐I with CNI vs CNI: OR 0.86). Graft survival was negatively affected by mTOR‐I monotherapy (OR 1.52) but not when combined with a CNI (OR 0.97). Conclusion: Following renal transplantation the incidence of infections is lower when mTOR‐Is are combined with a CNI compared to a standard CNI therapy. Pneumonia occurs more often under mTOR‐I w/o CNI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background While a large number of patients with eating disorders (EDs) engage in excessive exercise (EE), both for weight control and mood regulation, there has been minimal research evaluating the relationship between EE and demographic and psychological factors, especially in adolescent patients. Purpose The goals of this study were to identify the occurrence of EE compared to other ED behaviors and to develop a regression model examining psychological, behavioral and demographic predictors of EE among adolescents with EDs. Methods Demographic and clinical information was determined for 217 adolescent patients in several levels of care (126 outpatient, 61 day program, 28 inpatient) with diagnoses of anorexia nervosa (AN) (24.9%), bulimia nervosa (BN) (25.8%), and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) (49.3%). These patients presented to a large ED program and completed a series of questionnaires on admission to the program. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square analyses and multiple logistic regression were utilized to describe the population of adolescent patients and develop the model for predicting EE. Results Forty-seven percent of patients indicated they participated in EE in the past 4 weeks, compared to 32% for binge eating, 35% for vomiting and 15% for laxative use; 42% of patients with anorexia nervosa participated in EE, compared to 54% with bulimia nervosa and 49% with EDNOS. The regression model that was developed to predict EE, which included factors of depression, anxiety, dietary restraint, age, body mass index (BMI), diagnosis and level of care, correctly classified EE in 71.5% of cases. Dietary restraint and BMI were the two factors found to be significantly associated with EE. Conclusions Forty-seven percent of adolescent patients presenting for treatment of an ED reported participating in EE. This was larger than the numbers of patients reporting other ED behaviors that are commonly assessed, indicating the need for psychoeducation for multidisciplinary treatment teams, assessment, prevention, and clinical treatment services for this problematic behavior. It is important that those who treat patients with ED assess for and monitor EE behaviors that can complicate the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) requires lifelong surveillance by computed tomography angiography (CTA). This is attended by a substantial accumulation of radiation exposure. Iterative reconstruction (IR) has been introduced to approach dose reduction. Purpose To evaluate adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) at different levels of tube voltage concerning image quality and dose reduction potential in follow-up post EVAR. Material and Methods One hundred CTAs in 67 patients with EVAR were examined using five protocols: protocol A (n = 40) as biphasic standard using filtered back projection (FBP) at 120 kV; protocols B (n = 40), C (n = 10), and D1 (n = 5) biphasic using ASIR at 120, 100, and 80 kV, respectively; and protocol D2 (n = 5) with a monophasic splitbolus ASIR protocol at 80 kV. Image quality was assessed quantitatively and qualitatively. Applied doses were determined. Results Applied doses in ASIR protocols were significantly lower than FBP standard (up to 75%). Compared to protocol A, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) (e.g. arterial CNR intra-/extra-stent lumen: A = 35.4 ± 13.5, B = 34.2 ± 10.0, C = 29.6 ± 6.8, D1 = 32.1 ± 6.3, D2 = 40.8 ± 23.1) in protocol B were equal and in protocols C and D equal to partially inferior, however not decisive for diagnostic quality. Subjective image quality ratings in all protocols were good to excellent without impairments of diagnostic confidence (A-D2: 5), with high inter-rater agreement (60-100%). Conclusion ASIR contributes to significant dose reduction without decisive impairments of image quality and diagnostic confidence. We recommend an adapted follow-up introducing ASIR and combined low-kV in the long-term surveillance after EVAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinoza's account of memory has not received enough attention, even though it is relevant for his theory of consciousness. Recent literature has studied the "pancreas problem." This paper argues that there is an analogous problem for memories: if memories are in the mind, why is the mind not conscious of them? I argue that Spinoza's account of memory can be better reconstructed in the context of Descartes's account to show that Spinoza responded to these views. Descartes accounted for the preservation of memories by holding that they are brain states without corresponding mental states, and that the mind is able to interpret perception either as new experience or as memory. Spinoza has none of these conceptual resources because of his substance monism. Spinoza accounts for memories as the mind's ability to generate ideas according to the order of images. This ability consists in the connection of ideas, which is not an actual property, but only a dispositional one and thus not conscious. It is, however, grounded in the actual property of parts of the body, of which ideas are conscious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]