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Background: From previous studies, we know the correlations of some brain metabolites with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and its symptoms. The response of GAD patients to various treatments is not the same and finding the best treatment option for each patient takes a long period of time. Objective: In this study, we try to examine if there is any relationship between a special treatment option and GAD patients' response and brain metabolite correlation with anxiety level change. Material and Methods: This study is a clinical trial type of studies. We have used proton MRS (1H-MRS) with field strength of 3 Tesla to assess whether a different treatment option makes different responses based on metabolite changes. We chose 16 patients based on Hamilton's anxiety rate and a psychiatrist diagnosis. Patients were divided into two groups randomly. Each group took different treatments. Before treatment started, patients underwent MRS imaging and 8 weeks after treatment as well. Our study lacked a control group, and the results were analyzed by comparing the measured values of metabolites and clinical scores before and after treatment. Results: The NAA and Cho concentration increased after treatments and Cr concentration remained constant in both groups. Both groups showed improvements in their symptoms of anxiety and also in their clinical score rates. Sertraline group showed a more increase in NAA concentration than CBT and also a more decrease in HAMA and HAMD-17 scores. Conclusion: A simultaneously increase in NAA and Cho in both groups and a decrease in clinical anxiety levels demonstrate that NAA and Cho concentration are associated negatively with anxiety levels. In addition, both CBT and sertraline are effective in the improvement of anxiety symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: fNIRS is a useful tool designed to record the changes in the density of blood's oxygenated hemoglobin (oxyHb) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (deoxyHb) molecules during brain activity. This method has made it possible to evaluate the hemodynamic changes of the brain during neuronal activity in a completely non-aggressive manner. Objective: The present study has been designed to investigate and evaluate the brain cortex activities during imagining of the execution of wrist motor tasks by comparing fMRI and fNIRS imaging methods. Material and Methods: This novel observational Optical Imaging study aims to investigate the brain motor cortex activity during imagining of the right wrist motor tasks in vertical and horizontal directions. To perform the study, ten healthy young right-handed volunteers were asked to think about right-hand movements in different directions according to the designed movement patterns. The required data were collected in two wavelengths, including 845 and 763 nanometers using a 48 channeled fNIRS machine. Results: Analysis of the obtained data showed the brain activity patterns during imagining of the execution of a movement are formed in various points of the motor cortex in terms of location. Moreover, depending on the direction of the movement, activity plans have distinguishable patterns. The results showed contralateral M1 was mainly activated during imagining of the motor cortex (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results of our study showed that in brain imaging, it is possible to distinguish between patterns of activities during wrist motion in different directions using the recorded signals obtained through near-infrared Spectroscopy. The findings of this study can be useful in further studies related to movement control and BCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Functional Magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measures the small fluctuation of blood flow happening during task-fMRI in brain regions. Objective: This research investigated these active, imagery and passive movements in volunteers design to permit a comparison of their capabilities in activating the brain areas. Material and Methods: In this applied research, the activity of the motor cortex during the right-wrist movement was evaluated in 10 normal volunteers under active, passive, and imagery conditions. T2* weighted, three-dimensional functional images were acquired using a BOLD sensitive gradient-echo EPI (echo planar imaging) sequence with echo time (TE) of 30 ms and repetition time (TR) of 2000 ms. The functional data, which included 248 volumes per subject and condition, were acquired using the blocked design paradigm. The images were analyzed by the SPM12 toolbox, MATLAB software. Results: The findings determined a significant increase in signal intensity of the motor cortex while performing the test compared to the rest time (p< 0.05). It was also observed that the active areas in hand representation of the motor cortex are different in terms of locations and the number of voxels in different wrist directions. Moreover, the findings showed that the position of active centers in the brain is different in active, passive, and imagery conditions. Conclusion: Results confirm that primary motor cortex neurons play an essential role in the processing of complex information and are designed to control the direction of movement. It seems that the findings of this study can be applied for rehabilitation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-Cyclodextrine-based polyester was coated on the surface of gadolinium oxide nanoparticles (NPs) and then functionalised with folic acid to produce an efficient pH-sensitive targeted theranostic system (Gd2O3@PCD-FA) for doxorubicin delivery and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Gd2O3@PCD-FA was fully characterised by FTIR, vibrating sample magnetometer, TGA, XRD, SEM and TEM analyses. The dissolution profile of DOX showed a pH sensitive release. No significant toxicity was observed for the targeted NPs (Gd2O3@PCD-FA) and DOX-loaded NPs inhibiting M109 cells viability more efficiently than free DOX. Moreover, the negligible hemolytic activity of the targeted NPs showed their appropriate hemocompatibility. The preferential uptake was observed for the developed Gd2O3@PCD-FA-DOX NPs in comparison with Dotarem using T1- and T2-weighted MRI in the presence of folate receptor-positive and folate receptor-negative cancer cells (M109 and 4T1, respectively). Furthermore, in vivo studies revealed that Gd2O3@PCD-FA-DOX not only exhibited considerably relaxivity performance as a contrast agent for MRI, but also improved in vivo anti-tumour efficacy of the system. The results suggest that Gd2O3@PCD-FA-DOX improves its therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of solid tumours and also reduces the adverse effects, so it could be proposed as a promising drug delivery system for chemotherapy and molecular imaging diagnosis in MRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Breast cancer is a fatal disease and the leading cause of mortality in women. Radiofrequency hyperthermia is an approach to the treatment of cancer cells through increasing their temperature. The present study aimed to investigate breast tumor ablation via radiofrequency hyperthermia in the presence and non-presence states of magnetite nanoparticles and assess the effects of magnetite nanoparticles on breast cancer treatment in hyperthermia. Materials and Methods: Radius hemisphere geometry (5 cm) was designed, which was similar to an actual breast based on the fat tissues, glandular tissues as a semi-oval embedded in the hemisphere, and a radius sphere (1 cm) as a tumor region inside. After utilization in a three-dimensional printer, each layer of the phantom was filled with a proper combination of oil-gelatin with similar dielectric and thermal properties to an actual breast. To evaluate the effects of the magnetite nanoparticles, three weights of the magnetite were added to the tumor region (0.01, 0.05, and 0.1 g). Finally, the phantom was placed in a radiofrequency device with the frequency of 13.56 MHz. Results: Temperature differences were measured at four different points of the phantom. The power and time in the treatment were estimated at 40 watts and five minutes, respectively. The temperature and specific absorption rate plots were obtained for all the states in several graphs for five minutes. The results showed that the heat generation with the utilization of the magnetite state was higher by approximately 2.5-7°C compared to the state without magnetite. Furthermore, the temperature of 0.05 gram of magnetite indicated that without causing damage in the healthy tissues, the entire tumor region could attain adequate heat uniformly (6.1-6.4°C). Conclusion: Therefore, it could be concluded that 0.05 gram of magnetite could cause ablation in the entire tumor region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: In radiation treatments, estimation of the dose distribution in the target volume is one of the main components of the treatment planning procedure. To estimate the dose distribution, the information of electron densities is necessary. The standard curves determined by computed tomography (CT) scanner that may be different from that of other oncology centers. In this study, the changes of dose calculation due to the different calibration curves (HU-ρel) were investigated.Materials and Methods: Dose values were calculated based on the standard calibration curve that was predefined for the treatment planning system (TPS). The calibration curve was also extracted from the CT images of the phantom, and dose values were calculated based on this curve. The percentage errors of the calculated values were determined.Statistical Analysis Used: The statistical analyses of the mean differences were performed using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test for both of the calibration curves.Results and Discussion: The results show no significant difference for both of the measured and standard calibration curves (HU-ρel) in 6, 15, and 18 MeV energies. In Wilcoxon ranked sum nonparametric test for independent samples with P<0.05, the equality of monitor units for both of the curves to transfer 200 cGy doses to reference points was resulted. The percentage errors of the calculated values were lower than 2% and 1.5% in 6 and 15 MeV, respectively.Conclusion: From the results, it could be concluded that the standard calibration curve could be used in TPS dose calculation accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]