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Background18F-Flutemetamol (18F-FMM) PET/CT imaging has been widely applied to the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.PurposeThis study aims to explore the distributions of 18F-FMM in different brain regions of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and the factors that may affect the combination of 18F-FMM, evaluating the use of 18F-FMM PET/CT imaging in the diagnosis of MCI and AD patients.MethodsFrom July 2020 to April 2021, 24 subjects with MCI (12 males, 12 females, aged of (70.54±9.27) years old), 25 subjects with AD (11 males, 14 females, aged (70.56±7.30) years old) and 9 subjects as normal controls (NC, 2 males, 7 females, aged (57.67±9.00) years old) were recruited from Shanghai. The 18F-FMM PET/CT brain imaging of all subjects were qualitatively and semi-quantitatively analyzed by visual evaluation and standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR), respectively. Student's t-test, one-way analysis of variance and rank sum test were used for the comparison of quantitative variables. Pearson's chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test were used for the comparison of qualitative variables. The diagnostic efficiency was obtained by ROC curve. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the factors that might affect the combination of 18F-FMM.ResultsThe positive rate of visual assessment was significantly different in NC, MCI and AD groups (χ2=26.85, p < 0.001), and significant differences existed statistically in SUVR of all brain regions among the three groups (H value: 11.54~19.34, F value: 7.43, 11.48, all p < 0.01). The mean values of SUVR in the whole brain of the three groups were statistically different (Z value: -3.87, -2.79, -2.45, all p < 0.016 7). Compared with MCI group, the positive rate in occipital lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe and posterior cingulate gyrus was statistically significant (χ2=7.53~10.89, all p < 0.01). With respect to NC, SUVR of all brain regions was lower than that in AD, while SUVR of temporal lobe, frontal lobe and precuneu were lower than that in MCI. Meanwhile, SUVR of occipital lobe, temporal lobe, frontal lobe and parietal lobe in MCI were lower than that in AD. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed that the SUVR value of temporal lobe and the mean value of SUVR in the whole brain had the ability to distinguish NC, MCI and AD in sequence. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that cognitive level was significantly negatively correlated with 18F-FMM SUVR in different brain regions.Conclusion18F-FMM PET/CT brain imaging could reflect the cognitive level of middle-aged and elderly people intuitively and has clear diagnostic value for MCI and AD.

BackgroundSubjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are a transitional state between normal aging and mild dementia, and most of them have potential Alzheimer's Disease (AD) pathology. Studying the pathophysiological characteristics of SCD and MCI is helpful to the early diagnosis of AD.PurposeThis study aims to investigate the brain perfusion differences among SCD, MCI and AD, and to evaluate the application value of brain perfusion SPECT/CT imaging combined with NeuroGamTM software in these diseases.MethodsFrom July 2020 to April 2021, 15 patients with SCD, 29 patients with MCI and 36 patients with AD were collected from several general hospitals in Shanghai. All subjects underwent neuropsychological test and 99mTc-ECD brain perfusion SPECT/CT imaging. The perfusion levels of Brodmann areas (BA) in the three groups were semi-quantitatively analyzed by NeuroGamTM, and compared with normal database. Student's t-test, one-way analysis of variance and rank sum test were used for the comparison of quantitative variables. Pearson's chi-squared test was used for the comparison of qualitative variables.ResultsThere is no significant difference in BA 4~11, 17~25, 28, 31~32, 36~40 and 44~47 between SCD group and MCI group. The mean perfusion values of BA 8-right(R), 20-left(L), 21R, 23L, 23R, 24L, 31L, 38L, 38R and 45R in SCD group are significantly higher than those in AD group (p

Based on the analysis of the existing methods for estimating the surface flattening error, they can be roughly classified into two types of estimation methods: the relative area error analysis method and the relative length error analysis method. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods are summarized in the paper. Combining the general surface flattening methods and sheet metal stamping forming process, a more reasonable, scientific and comprehensive evaluation system for the accuracy of surface flattening is proposed. In line with the unfolding characteristics of the grid surface, the relative average area error of triangles is used instead of the traditional area error estimation method. The accumulated length error is replaced by the relative length error of each triangle in the estimation method, and the value of the change in the orientation (direction, position) relationship between the triangles is increased to assess the deformation error of the surface flattening method. The mass attributes of the patch are introduced. The minimum displacement energy method is used to supplement the evaluation of surface flattening accuracy. Finally, a comprehensive evaluation system is established and proposed, which takes into account the accuracy of local and global surface flattening.

Radium-223 dichloride (223Ra) (Sofigo), a calcium-mimetic agent that specifically targets bone lesions, was approved in 2020 by China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) to treat castration‑resistant prostate cancer and bone metastases (CRPC) with symptomatic bone metastases and no known visceral metastatic diseases. It is the fisrt α particles targeted radiopharmaceutical therapeutic drugs in the world to be applied to CRPC with bone metastase (mCRPC) patients. In recent years, the application of nuclear medicine technology to evaluate the efficacy of 223Ra in the treatment of mCRPC patients abroad has been very common, but only few hospitals in China have entered the stage of clinical application. In order to provide clear recommendations for clinical applications of radionuclide imaging in evaluating the efficacy of 223Ra in the treatment of mCRPC, a survey of recent progress is carried out in this study, and public available clinical data of single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT), and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) using radiolabeled chemical agents worldwide in the evaluation of 223Ra treatment for patients with CRPC and bone metastase,are presented and commented.

In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to international education in schools in the USA. Education professionals, business leaders, and politicians realize that schools and school leaders must identify multiple opportunities for students to interact with and experience a global society. Nationally, there has been a considerable investment of funds by several key foundations and much political talk about the need to push American education towards a model of schooling that expressly responds to the need for internationally competent citizens. Using mixed methodology design, this study is fueled by a desire to better understand several overarching elements in international education. In short, the authors of this paper posit that no further research, policy formation, or program development within the realm of international education for public schools can be undertaken until an understanding of the current state of international education and the capacity for internationalization is empirically explored. (Contains 1 table and 2 notes.)

There have been ongoing discussions about the most recent curriculum reform in China. The new curriculum aims at a more quality-oriented ("suzhi") education and producing more well-rounded citizens to meet the challenges of global competition. However, it is questioned how "suzhi" education is possible with entrance examination still being the sole sorting mechanism. A semester-long ethnography in a rural middle school in northwest China reveals how rural students face many challenges with the new curriculum. Based on interviews, analyses of textbooks, and observations of classroom teaching, the study examines how rural students question the relevance of their curriculum and further the meaning of formal schooling. In addition to the dichotomy between an exam-oriented and quality-oriented curriculum, students are also troubled by the dichotomy between general/academic education and relevant/practical education. The study raises concerns about the urban-centered curriculum and how the rural community's absence in the picture has led to rural students' increasing disengagement in schooling and even dropout. It also reveals how the substance of "suzhi" education and the new curriculum have further reduced rural students' chance to move upward socially. The article concludes by pushing for discussions on how formal schooling can better serve rural children and youth. (Contains 3 notes.)

Based on an ethnographic study in a rural middle school in Northwest China, the author explores how the transition of the rural countryside, specifically townization, has challenged the urban-rural dichotomy being reproduced in and by formal schooling. Rural students express criticism of the chaos, pollution, and corruption they have experienced during townization, which also penetrate the school walls and become part of their daily schooling experience. Students' resistance to townization corresponds to their resistance to schooling. The author analyzes three groups of rural youth (conformists, reformers, and rebels), and how their resistance is limiting and even self-defeating, yet also has potential for being liberating.