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NOWADAYS, ORGANIZATIONS ARE INCREASINGLY RELYING ON THIRD PARTIES TO SUPPLY VITAL IT SERVICES, WITH THE COMMUNICATION BEING PREDOMINATELY CONDUCTED VIA THE INTERNET. THIS, HOWEVER, POTENTIALLY EXHIBITS SENSITIVE BUSINESS INFORMATION TO OUTSIDERS. IN THIS ARTICLE, WE SHOW WHICH UNDESIRED SIDE EFFECTS STATE-OFTHE ART COUNTER MEASURES MAY HAVE.
Purpose: In secondary progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS), global neurodegeneration as a driver of disability gains importance in comparison to focal inflammatory processes. However, clinical MRI does not visualize changes of tissue composition outside MS lesions. This quantitative MRI (qMRI) study investigated cortical and deep gray matter (GM) proton density (PD) values and T1 relaxation times to explore their potential to assess neuronal damage and its relationship to clinical disability in SPMS.
Materials and Methods: 11 SPMS patients underwent quantitative T1 and PD mapping. Parameter values across the cerebral cortex and deep GM structures were compared with 11 healthy controls, and correlation with disability was investigated for regions exhibiting significant group differences.
Results: PD was increased in the whole GM, cerebral cortex, thalamus, putamen and pallidum. PD correlated with disability in the whole GM, cerebral cortex, putamen and pallidum. T1 relaxation time was prolonged and correlated with disability in the whole GM and cerebral cortex.
Conclusion: Our study suggests that the qMRI parameters GM PD (which likely indicates replacement of neural tissue with water) and cortical T1 (which reflects cortical damage including and beyond increased water content) are promising qMRI candidates for the assessment of disease status, and are related to disability in SPMS.
THE RECENT EVOLUTION OF SMART CONTRACTS AND THEIR FAST ADOPTION ALLOW TO RETHINK PROCESSES AND TO CHALLENGE TRADITIONAL STRUCTURES. THEREFORE, WE INTRODUCE THE UNDERLYING TECHNOLOGY AND RECENT IMPROVEMENTS. FURTHER, WE PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF HOW THE INSURANCE SECTOR MAY BE AFFECTED BY BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AND SMART CONTRACTS. WE SHOW AN EXEMPLARY USE CASE AND EMPHASIZE CURRENT CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS IN THIS AREA.
WHILE CLOUD MARKETS PROMISE UNLIMITED RESOURCE SUPPLIES, INDIVIDUAL PROVIDERS MIGHT BE UNABLE TO OFFER SUFFICIENT PHYSICAL CAPACITY TO SERVE LARGE CUSTOMERS. A SOLUTION IS TO FORM CLOUD COLLABORATIONS, IN WHICH MULTIPLE CLOUD PROVIDERS UNITE FORCES IN ORDER TO CONJOINTLY OFFER CAPACITIES WITHIN CLOUD MARKETS. QUALITY OF SERVICE (QOS) AND SECURITY ASPECTS ARE THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS IN BUILDING SUCH COLLABORATIONS. THIS RESEARCH REPORT PRESENTS A CORRESPONDING OPTIMIZATION APPROACH FOR THE SELECTION OF COLLABORATIVE CLOUD PROVIDERS UNDER CONSIDERATION OF FULFILLMENT OF CLOUD USERS’ QOS AND SECURITY REQUIREMENTS.
IN COMPARISON TO TRADITIONAL IT PARADIGMS, CLOUD COMPUTING ENABLES TO OBTAIN DESIRED COMPUTING RESOURCES ON-DEMAND WITHOUT REQUIRING LARGE, UPFRONT INVESTMENTS AND TO DYNAMICALLY ADAPT AND SCALE THESE RESOURCES TO VARYING BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS. HOWEVER, CLOUD COMPUTING IS NOT A PANACEA. THIS DRIVES THE NEED TO EXAMINE THE SPECIFIC REASONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR CLOUD ADOPTION IN PRACTICE. HERE, WE FOLLOW AN ANALYTICAL APPROACH TO EXAMINE CLOUD ADOPTION BY CONDUCTING A LITERATURE SURVEY AND AN EMPIRICAL STUDY.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard imaging technique for diagnosis and monitoring of many neurological diseases. However, the application of conventional MRI in clinical routine is mainly limited to the visual detection of macroscopic tissue pathology since mixed tissue contrasts depending on hardware and protocol parameters hamper its application for the assessment of subtle or diffuse impairment of the structural tissue integrity. Multiparametric quantitative (q)MRI determines tissue parameters quantitatively, enabling the detection of microstructural processes related to tissue remodeling in aging and neurological diseases. In contrast to measuring tissue atrophy via structural imaging, multiparametric qMRI allows for investigating biologically distinct microstructural processes, which precede changes of the tissue volume. This facilitates a more comprehensive characterization of tissue alterations by revealing early impairment of the microstructural integrity and specific disease-related patterns. So far, qMRI techniques have been employed in a wide range of neurological diseases, including in particular conditions with inflammatory, cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative pathology. Numerous studies suggest that qMRI might add valuable information, including the detection of microstructural tissue damage in areas appearing normal on conventional MRI and unveiling the microstructural correlates of clinical manifestations. This review will give an overview of current qMRI techniques, the most relevant tissue parameters and potential applications in neurological diseases, such as early (differential) diagnosis, monitoring of disease progression, and evaluating effects of therapeutic interventions.
Introduction: Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in the brainstem and cerebellum with injury to the functional loop of the Guillain-Mollaret triangle (GMT) can trigger a series of events that result in secondary trans-synaptic neurodegeneration of the inferior olivary nucleus. In an unknown percentage of patients, this leads to a condition called hypertrophic olivary degeneration (HOD). Characteristic clinical symptoms of HOD progress slowly over months and consist of a rhythmic palatal tremor, vertical pendular nystagmus, and Holmes tremor of the upper limbs. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) with tractography is a promising method to identify functional pathway lesions along the cerebello-thalamo-cortical connectivity and to generate a deeper understanding of the HOD pathophysiology. The incidence of HOD development following stroke and the timeline of clinical symptoms have not yet been determined in prospective studies—a prerequisite for the surveillance of patients at risk. Methods and Analysis: Patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in the brainstem and cerebellum with a topo-anatomical relation to the GMT are recruited within certified stroke units of the Interdisciplinary Neurovascular Network of the Rhine-Main. Matching lesions are identified using a predefined MRI template. Eligible patients are prospectively followed up and present at 4 and 8 months after the index event. During study visits, a clinical neurological examination and brain MRI, including high-resolution T2-, proton-density-weighted imaging, and DTI tractography, are performed. Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing is optional if palatal tremor is encountered. Study Outcomes: The primary endpoint of this prospective clinical multicenter study is to determine the frequency of radiological HOD development in patients with a posterior fossa stroke affecting the GMT at 8 months after the index event. Secondary endpoints are identification of (1) the timeline and relevance of clinical symptoms, (2) lesion localizations more prone to HOD occurrence, and (3) the best MR-imaging regimen for HOD identification. Additionally, (4) DTI tractography data are used to analyze individual pathway lesions. The aim is to contribute to the epidemiological and pathophysiological understanding of HOD and hereby facilitate future research on therapeutic and prophylactic measures.