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Background: Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) based on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) performed well in diagnosing muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). However, certain cases may present challenges in determining the final VI-RADS score using only T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences, especially in the absence of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) imaging. This study aims to evaluates whether biparametric MRI (bp-MRI) achieve comparable diagnostic performance to mp-MRI for predicting MIBC and seeks to identify the most suitable bp-MRI criterion by establishing four specific conditions based on T2WI and DWI. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 447 patients who underwent preoperative mp-MRI. Images were evaluated according to the VI-RADS protocol by three independent readers. In the bp-DWI and bp-DWI Plus criteria, DWI was the primary sequence used for lesion assessment, while T2WI was the primary sequence for bp-T2WI and bp-T2WI Plus criteria. The Plus criteria (bp-DWI Plus and bp-T2WI Plus) assigned a final VI-RADS score of 4 when both T2WI and DWI scores were 3. The gold standard for diagnosis was histopathological evaluation after surgery. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by comparing the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and inter-reader agreement using Cohen's kappa analysis. Results: Among 447 patients, 304 confirmed as NMIBC and 143 as MIBC. The kappa values were 0.876, 0.873, 0.873, 0.642, and 0.642 for mp-MRI, bp-DWI, bp-DWI Plus, bp-T2WI, and bp-T2WI Plus, respectively, when VI-RADS cutoff > 2. Similarly, when cutoff > 3, the kappa values were 0.848, 0.811, 0.873, 0.811, and 0.873. No significant differences were observed between mp-MRI and bp-DWI (AUC: 0.916 vs. 0.912, p = 0.498), but mp-MRI and bp-DWI had higher AUCs compared to bp-DWI Plus, bp-T2WI, and bp-T2WI Plus. Conclusions: Both mp-MRI and bp-DWI demonstrate excellent performance in predicting MIBC, with bp-DWI being an alternative to mp-MRI. Trial registration: retrospectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that multitasking impairs the performance of one or both of the concomitant ongoing tasks. Previous studies have mainly focused on how a secondary task can compromise visual or auditory information processing. However, despite dual tasking being critical to motor performance, the effects of dual-task performance on proprioceptive information processing have not been studied yet. The purpose of the present study was, therefore, to investigate whether sensorimotor task performance would be affected by the dual task and if so, in which phase of the sensorimotor task performance would this negative effect occur. The kinematic variables of passive and active knee movements elicited by the leg drop test were analyzed. Thirteen young adults participated in the study. The dual task consisted of performing serial subtractions. The results showed that the dual task increased both the reaction time to counteract passive knee–joint movements in the leg drop test and the threshold to detect those movements. The dual task did not affect the speed and time during the active knee movement and the absolute angle error between the final and the target knee angles. Furthermore, the results showed that the time to complete the sensorimotor task was prolonged in dual tasking. Our findings suggest that dual tasking reduces motor performance due to slowing down proprioceptive information processing without affecting movement execution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Squatting is a common motion in activities of daily living and is frequently used in training programs. Squatting requires a shift of the body in both vertical and anterior-posterior directions. Postural control during squatting is considered a mixed strategy; however, details and roles of the trunk and lower limb joints are unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among the kinematics of the lower limb, the trunk and the center of mass (COM) descent during squatting. Twenty-six healthy young adults performed repeated parallel squats. Lower limb joint and trunk angles and the COM were analyzed using a 3D motion analysis system. We evaluated the relationship between the kinematics and the squat depth by performing correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. The ankle was the first to reach its maximum angle, and the remaining joints reached their maximum angles at the maximum squat depth. The knee joint motion and the squat depth were significantly correlated and there was a correlation between the hip and the ankle joint motion and the anteroposterior displacement of the COM during squatting. Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that squat depth was predicted by both the knee and ankle motion and that anteroposterior displacement of the COM was predicted by the hip, ankle, and knee joint motion. The knees contributed to the vertical COM motion during squatting, while the hips contributed to the COM motion in the anteroposterior direction. On the other hand, the ankles contributed to COM motions in both the vertical and anteroposterior directions during squatting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic oxidation desulfurization of gasoline liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a key process for the utilization of petroleum hydrocarbons. However, the inherent mechanism remains unclear and the kinetic investigation is usually performed in processes with limited mass transfer rates. Herein, the kinetics and mechanism of catalytic oxidation of sodium ethyl mercaptide were investigated with microfluidics. The effects of temperature, pressure, residence time, and gas‐liquid flow ratio on the oxidation were assessed on the basis of eliminating mass transfer resistance. According to the results of UV‐vis spectra and binding constant, it was confirmed that the catalytic center was in the form of the dimer. A heterogeneous reaction kinetic model was proposed as such. The kinetic parameters close to intrinsic kinetics and corresponding kinetic rate expression were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: Most older adults experience cognitive and physical functioning problems; however, they require the ability to learn skills in response to age-related or social environmental changes for independent living. This study aimed to clarify the associations between age-related physical activity and performance in skill learning tasks based on cognitive function., Methods: Fifty-eight adults participated in this study and were divided into two groups: the control group (aged under 65 years) and older adult group (aged over 65). All the participants performed two-skill learning exercises based on cognitive function. Habitual exercise was measured using an accelerometer and a self-reported questionnaire., Results: At baseline, the scores on skill tasks were lower in the older adult group than in the control group and were associated with habitual exercise and motor performance. Skill acquisition, observed in both groups, was associated with age and self-reported physical activity. Retention of the acquired skill was not associated with habitual exercise, and it declined significantly in the older group., Conclusions: Skill acquisition was maintained regardless of age; however, the ability to retain the acquired skills decreased among the older adults. Habitual physical activity was associated with skill acquisition but not the retention of the acquired skill. Significance/Implications: The study findings highlight the association between habitual exercise and motor skill learning in older adults, providing insight for practitioners in the rehabilitation and health care fields.

Background and Aim: The suspensory strategy, a method for controlling postural balance in the vertical direction of the center of mass (COM), is considered by the elderly as a means of balance control. The vertical COM control might alter the sensory integration and regularity of postural sway, which in turn impacts balance. However, to date, this was not confirmed. Thus, this study aimed at investigating the influence of the suspensory strategy achieved through knee flexion on the static standing balance., Methods: Nineteen participants were monitored at knee flexion angles of 0°, 15°, and 65°. Time-frequency analysis and sample entropy were employed to analyze the COM data. Time-frequency analysis was utilized to assess the energy content across various frequency bands and corresponding percentage of energy within each frequency band. The outcomes of time-frequency are hypothesized to reflect the balance-related sensory input and sensory weights. Sample entropy was applied to evaluate the regularity of the COM displacement patterns., Results: Knee flexion led to a decreased COM height. The highest energy content was observed at 65° knee flexion, in contrast with the lowest energy observed at 0° in both the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions. Additionally, the ultra-low-frequency band was more pronounced at 65° than that at 0° or 15° in the ML direction. Furthermore, the COM amplitudes were notably higher at 65° than those at 0° and 15° in the AP and ML directions, respectively. The sample entropy values were lower at 65° and 15° than those at 0° in the ML direction, with the lowest value observed at 65° in the vertical direction., Conclusion: The suspensory strategy could enhance the sensory input and cause sensory reweighting, culminating in a more regular balance control. Such suspensory strategy-induced postural control modifications may potentially provide balance benefits for people with declining balance-related sensory, central processing, and musculoskeletal system functions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Jiang, Kasahara, Ishida, Koshino, Chiba, Yoshimi, Wei, Samukawa and Tohyama.)