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Shannon entropy as a stable diffusion tensor parameter for evaluating normal spinal cord regions in dogs
No full textDiffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been used in veterinary medicine for cerebral infarctions and degenerative diseases in recent years. Defining normal values for the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) to detect lesions is challenging because these values depend on anatomical differences in the spinal cord, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine model, magnetic field strength, and measurement protocol. Shannon entropy is the average amount of information and is a measure of the variability or complexity, of distributed numbers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether Shannon entropy can serve as a useful new indicator for interpreting the structural integrity of the canine spinal cord. We used six beagle dogs with no spinal cord disease, as confirmed by neurological examination and magnetic resonance imaging. We calculated the respective values for the cervical and thoracolumbar spinal cord under the 3 T magnetic field. The ADC and FA values (mean ± standard error) of the cervical spinal cord were 1.11 ± 0.05 × 10−3 mm2/s and 0.64 ± 0.02. The thoracolumbar spinal cord had values of 1.16 ± 0.04 × 10−3 mm2/s and 0.58 ± 0.02. The ADC and FA values of the spinal cord reflected anatomical differences, and no fixed normal values were observed for the entire spinal cord. Shannon entropy was 5.67 ± 0.45. No significant differences were observed in the values at any intervertebral level. These results suggest that Shannon entropy is more useful than the ADC and FA values. Shannon entropy may be able to differentiate between normal tissue and lesions, independent of various MRI conditions
Development of multiplex reverse-transcription digital PCR assay for co-detection of bovine leukemia virus and bovine viral diarrhea virus in cattle
Full text linkBovine leukemia virus (BLV) and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) are important transboundary pathogens that cause substantial economic losses in the cattle industry globally. Their early detection and control are critical for preventing disease transmission and minimizing their impact on livestock health and productivity. Therefore, establishing a sensitive and robust diagnostic method capable of simultaneously detecting BLV and BVDV is vital for implementing timely control measures. Here, we developed a multiplex RT-dPCR assay to detect BLV and BVDV in a single-tube reaction using nucleic acid extracted from whole blood of infected cattle. The multiplex RT-dPCR assay successfully detected both BLV and BVDV with high specificity, exhibiting no cross-reactivity with other bovine viruses including Akabane virus, bovine coronavirus, bovine parainfluenza virus 3, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, bovine herpesvirus 1, and bovine immunodeficiency virus. The assay demonstrated the ability to detect BVDV-1 and BVDV-2 at minimum titers of 10² and 10 ³ TCID₅₀/mL, respectively. For BLV, the multiplex RT-dPCR assay exhibited a detection limit as low as 18.7 viral copies. Our findings represent a significant advance in the detection of BLV and BVDV from extracted RNA and cDNA, highlighting the potential of assays for achieving improved diagnostic accuracy and early disease intervention
Longitudinal Impact of Urinary Diversion on Health-Related Quality of Life After Radical Cystectomy: A Multicenter Study in Japan
Full text linkThis multicenter longitudinal study was conducted across 24 institutions in Japan to examine the impact of urinary diversion on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among bladder cancer patients who underwent radical cystectomy (RC). We evaluated bladder cancer-specific HRQOL and general HRQOL via the bladder cancer index (BCI) and the QOL General (QGEN-8), respectively, before the operation and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. The scores were compared across urinary diversion groups as well as across different time points within each urinary diversion group with linear mixed-effects models. Data from 227 patients were analyzed (151 with ileal conduits, 45 with ureterostomy, and 31 with neobladders). Neobladder patients were more likely to experience longitudinal impacts of their urinary diversion on urinary function than ileal conduit or ureterostomy patients were. Compared with that at baseline, the bowel function of neobladder patients remained impaired 12 months after surgery. All urinary diversion groups had worse sexual function scores at 3 and 6 months than at baseline, and the ileal conduit and neobladder groups had significantly worse sexual function scores at 12 months than at baseline. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in bother scores in the urinary, bowel, or sexual domain. The generic HRQOL was maintained from the preoperative to the postoperative period in all urinary diversion groups. This study explored longitudinal changes in HRQOL after RC, and the findings may help inform patient counseling regarding possible QOL trajectories
Broadband Emission of Photoluminescence from Type-II Quantum Wells Applied to Superluminescent Diodes
No full textNovel integrated acidic and microbial modification strategy to improve adsorption performance of water hyacinth
No full textBHLHE41 Enhances Gemcitabine Sensitivity of Pancreatic Cancer Cells Through IGFBP4 Suppression
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