The accelerating global crisis of multidrug-resistant infections and the physical intractability of dense bacterial biofilms demand therapeutic platforms that are both functionally active and externally controllable. Here we report the rational design and synthesis of a fuel-free, near-infrared (NIR) propelled Janus nanomotor, PCN-224@Au, that unites photothermal therapy (PTT) with sonodynamic therapy (SDT) in a single construct. Asymmetric deposition of gold onto a porphyrinic PCN-224 metal-organic framework (MOF) establishes the geometric anisotropy required for propulsion and a metal-MOF interface that promotes charge separation. Under low-power 808-nm irradiation, the Au cap converts light to heat and drives self-thermophoretic motion, yielding directed transport with ensemble speeds of similar to 10 mu m s(-1) and super-diffusive MSD of similar to 60 mu m(2)at 4 s while producing a local temperature rise of 35 + degrees C within 600 s at 100 mu g mL(-1). Ultrasound (US) activates ROS formation in PCN-224, and the Janus architecture simultaneously delivers NIR photothermal input to amplify the effect. Dual activation with NIR and US therefore delivers localized thermal stress (PTT) together with high ROS flux (SDT), producing broad-spectrum antibacterial effects against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Light-driven motility enhances deep biofilm penetration and nanomotor-bacteria contact, while US-activated ROS disrupt membranes and trigger cytoplasmic leakage, translating into rapid, depth-resolved sterilization with favorable hemocompatibility and cytocompatibility. By coupling controllable propulsion with sonocatalysis, this Janus nanomotor approach overcomes transport and resistance barriers and provides an effective, fuel-free platform for broad-spectrum antibacterial therapy.

Polymicrobial infections and antibiotic-resistant strains often persist within biofilms, where undermine conventional chemotherapies. Here we introduce a sequentially activated antibacterial platform built on magneticvortex Fe3O4 nanorings coated with TiO2 and decorated with Pt nanoparticles. This alternating magnetic field (AMF) then ultrasound (US) sequence is designed to reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplification. AMF produces rapid, localized heating that swells biofilm, and increases bacterial envelope permeability. Subsequent US triggers TiO2 sonocatalysis through cavitation and sonoluminescence, generating electron-hole pairs; the Pt-TiO2 Schottky junction selectively traps electrons and suppresses recombination, extending carrier lifetimes and boosting interfacial reaction probability. In parallel, Pt exhibits nanozyme activity that converts endogenous H2O2 into short-lived reactive intermediates, amplifying ROS flux. In vitro, against four bacteria, the platform suppresses planktonic growth and disrupts biofilms with efficient membrane damage. In vivo, in subcutaneous and pulmonary infection models, the AMF -> US regimen decreases bacterial burden and accelerates tissue restoration, outperforming multiple comparators while maintaining good biocompatibility and procedural safety. This magnetothermal preheating followed by sonocatalytic amplification establishes an antibiotic-free, imageable paradigm that couple's biofilm disruption with potent bactericidal action, offering a generalizable engineering route for complex, polymicrobial, and resistance-associated infections.

Magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT) for tumors is alocalized, minimally invasive, and deeply penetrating treatment, but it faces limitations such as low magnetothermal conversion efficiency, strict safety thresholds for magnetic field intensity, and the inability of single-mode magnetic hyperthermia to completely eradicate tumors. In this work, we develop an innovative, thermoresponsive drug-delivery platform composed of single hollow magnetic vortex iron oxide nanorings (MVIONs) coated with phase-change materials (PCM), designated MVIONs@PCM. Under an alternating magnetic field (AMF), MVIONs efficiently generate heat, triggering the melting of the PCM shell and releasing co-encapsulated anticancer drugs in a controlled, "on/off" manner. In vitro experiments confirm the exceptional thermal induction capacity of MVIONs@PCM, yielding a specific absorption rate of 1058.68 W·g-1 at 600 Oe, sufficient to produce robust hyperthermia effects. Additionally, this nano platform exhibits very low basal release without AMF activation. MVIONs@PCM also achieves strong negative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast, with a high transverse relaxivity (R2 = 45.986 mM-1·s-1) even at 0.5 T, supporting real-time treatment guidance and monitoring. Combining magnetic hyperthermia and AMF-induced chemotherapy significantly enhances tumor growth inhibition. This multifunctional platform represents a promising strategy for MRI-guided magnetothermal chemotherapy.

This study aims to assess the activity of the glymphatic system in patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) and non-NPSLE using diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) and explore the potential correlation between the DTI-ALPS index and clinical indicators. A total of 33 non-NPSLE patients, 13 NPSLE patients, and 33 age-matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in this study. Clinical indicators of patients were recorded, and DTI images were obtained to determine diffusivity along the x-, y-, and z-axes at the level of the lateral ventricle body. The DTI-ALPS index was calculated, and one-way ANOVA analysis with Bonferroni post hoc tests was used to assess differences among HC, non-NPSLE, and NPSLE. Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis was applied to investigate the correlation between DTI-ALPS index and clinical indicators. According to the SLEDAI scores, 44 SLE patients (non-NPSLE, n = 31; NPSLE, n = 13) were categorized into four groups, and one-way ANOVA analysis with Bonferroni post hoc tests was used to compare the ALPS index among the four groups. Compared to the healthy control (HC) group (1.705 ± 0.167), the ALPS index in the total SLE group (1.507 ± 0.138) was significantly lower [t (77) = 3.921, P < 0.001]. Both the NPSLE group (1.550 ± 0.113, n = 33) and non-NPSLE group (1.578 ± 0.148, n = 13) exhibited significantly reduced ALPS index in comparison with the HC group. One-way ANOVA showed a significant group effect on the ALPS index [F (2,76) = 7.775, P < 0.001]. Bonferroni-corrected post hoc tests indicated that the HC group had a higher ALPS index than the non-NPSLE group [mean difference = 0.127, 95

Background Conventional quantitative MRI (qMRI) scan is time‐consuming and highly sensitive to movements, posing great challenges for quantitative images of individuals with involuntary movements, such as Huntington's disease (HD). Purpose To evaluate the potential of our developed ultra‐fast qMRI technique, multiple overlapping‐echo detachment (MOLED), in overcoming involuntary head motion and its capacity to quantitatively assess tissue changes in HD. Study Type Prospective. Phantom/Subjects A phantom comprising 13 tubes of MnCl 2 at varying concentrations, 5 healthy volunteers (male/female: 1/4), 22 HD patients (male/female: 14/8) and 27 healthy controls (male/female: 15/12). Field Strength/Sequence 3.0 T. MOLED ‐ T2 sequence, MOLED ‐ T2 * sequence, T2 ‐weighted spin‐echo sequence, T1 ‐weighted gradient echo sequence, and T2 ‐dark‐fluid sequence. Assessment T1‐weighted images were reconstructed into high‐resolution images, followed by segmentation to delineate regions of interest (ROIs). Subsequently, the MOLED T2 and T2* maps were aligned with the high‐resolution images, and the ROIs were transformed into the MOLED image space using the transformation matrix and warp field. Finally, T2 and T2* values were extracted from the MOLED relaxation maps. Statistical Tests Bland–Altman analysis, independent t test, Mann–Whitney U test, Pearson correlation analysis, and Spearman correlation analysis, P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results MOLED‐T2 and MOLED‐T2* sequences demonstrated good accuracy (Meandiff = − 0.20%, SDdiff = 1.05%, and Meandiff = −1.73%, SDdiff = 10.98%, respectively), and good repeatability (average intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.856 and 0.853, respectively). More important, MOLED T2 and T2* maps remained artifact‐free across all HD patients, even in the presence of apparent head motions. Moreover, there were significant differences in T2 and T2* values across multiple ROIs between HD and controls. Data Conclusion The ultra‐fast scanning capabilities of MOLED effectively mitigate the impact of head movements, offering a robust solution for quantitative imaging in HD. Moreover, T2 and T2* values derived from MOLED provide powerful capabilities for quantifying tissue changes. Plain Language Summary Quantitative MRI scan is time‐consuming and sensitive to movements. Consequently, obtaining quantitative images is challenging for patients with involuntary movements, such as those with Huntington's Disease (HD). In response, a newly developed MOLED technique has been introduced, promising to resist motion through ultra‐fast scan. This technique has demonstrated excellent accuracy and reproducibility and importantly all HD patient's MOLED maps remained artifacts‐free. Additionally, there were significant differences in T2 and T2∗ values across ROIs between HD and controls. The robust resistance of MOLED to motion makes it particularly suitable for quantitative assessments in patients prone to involuntary movements. Level of Evidence 2 Technical Efficacy Stage 1

Tumor growth often creates hypoxic conditions within the tumor microenvironment, which can limit the effectiveness of therapies. To address this issue, a novel "all-in-one" nanoplatform called PCN-224(Hf)@Sorafenib@(PSM) has been developed. This nanoplatform utilizes PCN-224(Hf)-modified MnO2 and combines various therapeutic modalities-chemotherapy, chemodynamic therapy (CDT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), and radiotherapy (RT)-to enhance treatment efficacy. In the PSM nanoplatform, MnO2 decomposes H2O2 to produce oxygen (O2) and reacts with glutathione (GSH) to form Mn2+. This process catalyzes a Fenton-like reaction that generates hydroxyl radicals (·OH), facilitating CDT. When exposed to 635 nm light irradiation, the porphyrin ligand in PCN-224(Hf) produces singlet oxygen (1O2), while the Hf6 clusters contribute to the PDT effects. Furthermore, the nanoplatform enhances radiotherapy by harnessing high-energy radiation. Studies have demonstrated that PSM effectively kills solid tumors even in hypoxic conditions and significantly inhibits tumor growth. This innovative nanoplatform showcases high efficacy in multimodal synergistic tumor treatment, successfully integrating multiple therapeutic approaches to overcome the challenges posed by hypoxia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:Parkinson's disease (PD) alters the brain's neurodynamic properties, contributing to both motor and non-motor symptoms. Although advances in neuroimaging techniques-such as resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and structural MRI (sMRI)-have enhanced our understanding of brain structure and function, they remain limited in detecting subtle, region-specific dynamic alterations associated with functional deficits. This study aims to apply the relaxed mean field dynamic modeling (rMFM) to identify microscale dynamic abnormalities in PD and to link these changes with network topology and clinical characteristics. METHODS:We employed the rMFM, a biophysically informed computational framework that integrates structural and functional imaging data with microstructural features to simulate local dynamics of brain regions. Unlike traditional models, rMFM allows the optimization of regional recurrent connection strength w and subcortical input I, thereby capturing inter-regional heterogeneity more effectively. Separate rMFM models were constructed for the PD and healthy control (HC) groups. Group differences in model parameters were assessed, followed by graph-theoretical analysis to examine alterations in brain network topology. Correlation analyses were also performed to investigate the relationships between model parameters, network metrics, and clinical variables. RESULTS:Significant alterations in w and I were observed in regions such as the middle temporal gyrus and banks of the superior temporal sulcus (bankssts) in the PD group, suggesting localized dynamic disruptions related to language, memory, and cognitive impairments. Corresponding alterations in brain network topology accompanied these parameter changes. At the same time, the results of graph theory analysis suggest that in early PD, functional disorders may appear before obvious structural changes. CONCLUSIONS:This study introduces rMFM as an innovative approach for modeling local brain dynamics by integrating multimodal MRI data with microscale neural features. The findings highlight distinctive microscale dynamic abnormalities in PD and their linkage to large-scale network changes. This approach enhances our understanding of PD pathophysiology and provids a basis for identifying potential disease-specific biomarkers.

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) allows the assessment of tissue perfusion and has advantages such as non-invasiveness and the ability to repeat examinations multiple times. This enables dynamic monitoring without contrast administration. This technique requires additional pre- and post-processing, complicating result acquisition. A promising trend is the assessment of brain perfusion changes for diagnosing ischemic stroke. Aim of the study was to evaluate a comprehensive dynamic perfusion change in the brain in patients in the early post-stroke recovery period and conditionally healthy volunteers by the ASL. Material and Methods. A prospective observation of two groups was performed. The control group included 20 conditionally healthy volunteers aged from 18 to 25 years (21.8 ± 2.65 years) (mean ± standard error of the mean), the study group ‒ 20 patients with verified ischemic stroke aged from 40 to 70 years (59.4 ± 9.2 years) on days 1–3, 7–10, and three months after disease onset. Perfusion indicators of gray and white matter of the lobes of the cerebral hemispheres (parietal, occipital, frontal, temporal) in visually intact areas of the brain were integrally evaluated. Perfusion values were also calculated in ipsilateral and contralateral regions of interest relative to the stroke focus. Results and discussion. The stroke focus shows a nonlinear dynamic of changes, starting from 19.86 ± 5.69 ml/100 g/ min on days 1–3, increasing to 27.57 ± 4.86 ml/100 g/min on days 7–10, and decreasing to 14.48 ± 3.66 ml/100 g/min by the 3–4 month, remaining low compared to visually intact areas and the control group. Perfusion in the visually intact area of the ipsilateral hemisphere in relation to the stroke focus is significantly (p < 0.05) reduced by 4–5 % on days 1–3 and 7–10 compared to other regions of interest. Meanwhile, there is a gradual increase in perfusion values in all analyzed regions from the first to the third examination. Conclusions. The ASL method allows for the quantitative assessment of the dynamics of cerebral perfusion in the early recovery period, with a significant (p < 0.001) reduction in tissue blood flow in the ischemic focus relative to the analyzed regions of interest and the control group. The intact area in the ipsilateral hemisphere in relation to the stroke focus shows dynamic growth from hypoperfusion to normoperfusion, which is related to the involvement of the brain as a whole organ.

Infectious bacteria pose an increasing threat to public health, and hospital-acquired bacterial infections remain a significant challenge for wound healing. In this study, we developed an advanced nanoplatform utilizing copper doped magnetic vortex nanoring coated with polydopamine (Cu-MVNp) based nanotherapeutics for bacterial infection tri-therapy. This multifunctional nanoplatform exhibits remarkable dual-stimulus thermogenic capabilities and Fenton-like peroxidase activity. Exposure to an alternating magnetic field (AMF) and near-infrared (NIR) light allows the nanoring to elevate environmental temperatures through hysteresis losses and the non-radiative decay effects of the PDA coating. At a concentration of 150 mu g mL-1, Cu-MVNp increases the temperature by 18.2 degrees C under an AMF, achieving a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 640.9 W g-1. On the other hand, under 808 nm NIR irradiation, the temperature rises by 42.6 degrees C, with a photothermal conversion efficiency of 46.45%. Furthermore, by incorporating copper ions (Cu), which can damage cell membranes themselves, Cu-MVNp was endowed with Fenton-like functions and can catalyze the formation of hydroxyl radicals ((OH)-O-center dot) from low concentrations (1 mM) of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), thus enhancing the effectiveness of chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Cu-MVNp exhibits significant antibacterial efficacy, achieving notable kill rates against E. coli and S. aureus, with enhanced effects under NIR and nearly complete eradication with an AMF. In vivo tests using a mouse wound model confirm its potent bactericidal properties and good biocompatibility. The Cu-MVNp nanoring shows promise as an antibacterial treatment, potentially effective at inhibiting bacterial growth.

In relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients, an enlarged perivascular space, cognitive impairment, and inflammatory immune response has been associated with the glymphatic dysfunction. Therefore, we employed the diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) to evaluate glymphatic function in RRMS patients. The study included 39 RRMS patients and 34 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC). We calculated the DTI-ALPS index by placing regions of interest (ROIs) in projection and association fiber areas, adjusting for any unsuitable positions following visual inspection. Lesion masks were created based on T2 FLAIR images, and then the measured diffusion coefficients along the x, y, and z axes were calculated after removing the lesion areas, and then DTI-ALPS index was calculated. The DTI-ALPS index between the RRMS and HC groups using two-sample t-test using SPSS 27.0. Additionally, we calculated DTI metrics, including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD). Furthermore, we explored the association between the DTI-ALPS index and DTI metrics, as well as clinical variables such as disease duration and clinical disability score. The RRMS group showed a significantly lower DTI-ALPS index compared to HC group, suggesting altered water diffusivity along perivascular spaces. The DTI-ALPS index demonstrated a negative correlation with clinical disability and disease duration, with RRMS patients exhibiting decreased FA and increased MD, AD, and RD. These results suggest that changes in the DTI-ALPS index may be associated with microstructural damage and disease progression in RRMS, and may indirectly indicate impaired glymphatic function in RRMS.

Encapsulated magnetic vortex iron oxide nanorings (MVIONs) within mesoporous silica (MVIONs@SiO2) have been developed to address key challenges in magnetic hyperthermia-specifically, controlled drug release and precise thermal management in tumor therapy. This study showcases the design of these nanoparticles for the targeted delivery of the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX), facilitated by alternating magnetic fields (AMF). The MVIONs@SiO2 nanoparticles exhibit exceptional specific absorption rates (SAR) of approximately 1021 W center dot g- 1, indicating high thermal efficiency that ensures effective tumor heating without harming surrounding tissues. Additionally, these nanoparticles achieve a DOX loading capacity of 23.4 % and a release rate of 60 % under magnetic heating conditions, optimizing drug delivery to the tumor site. The relaxation rate r2 of MVIONs@SiO2 is recorded at 53.32 mM- 1s- 1, demonstrating significant MRI contrast enhancement correlating with nanoparticle concentration within tumors. Experimental results from cell and animal studies confirm the biocompatibility and potent antitumor activity of MVIONs@SiO2, highlighting its dual function in improving chemotherapy and magnetic hyperthermia. This innovation in nanoparticle-based theranostics marks a significant advance in integrating diagnostic imaging and therapeutic heating, potentially revolutionizing cancer treatment and diagnostics.

Emerging nanotechnologies in cancer therapy increasingly highlight the importance of integrating therapeutic and diagnostic functions into a single platform for enhanced efficacy and real-time monitoring. Here, we present a vortex-shaped nanoring Fe3O4@MnO2@PDA (polydopamine) engineered for dual-mode T1-T2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided, dual-thermal, and Fenton-like chemodynamic therapy (CDT). The ring-shaped nano Fe3O4 core provides magnetothermal hyperthermia, while the MnO2 layer, acting as a responsive nanozyme, catalyzes endogenous H2O2 to generate oxygen and bolster CDT. Meanwhile, the PDA coating efficiently absorbs near-infrared light, amplifying photothermal effects for tumor ablation. Under dual-heating conditions, the temperature rise rate (2.05-2.92 times) and final equilibrium temperatures (1.57-2.27 times) exceed those of single-mode heating, underscoring a robust synergistic effect. Additionally, due to the shell's shielding effect weakening T2 signals and the tumor microenvironment enhancing T1 relaxation, the T1 (5.75 Mm-1 s-1) to T2 (91.56 mM-1 s-1) ratio is optimized specifically at tumor sites, thus achieving effective dual-modal MRI contrast. Moreover, the smart MnO2 design not only furnishes dynamic imaging enhancements but also enables environment-triggered Mn2+ release, offering further diagnostic and therapeutic benefits. In vitro and in vivo evaluations confirm significant tumor suppression with minimal systemic toxicity. These findings position nanoring Fe3O4@MnO2@PDA as a promising dual-mode MRI-guided, dual-thermal, and chemodynamic platform for advanced cancer therapy.

Coronary artery disease is a widespread cause of death and disability in the population. Angioplasty of the coronary arteries is one of the most common methods of eliminating the cause of ischemia – stenosis of the coronary arteries. As a result of stent installation, a change in the angle of vascular bifurcation occurs usually, as well as a redistribution of volumetric blood flow in the coronary artery system. Considering the high variability of the branching angioarchitecture of these arteries, as well as the structure of their environment, the problem of predicting the specific redistribution of blood flow in these arteries remains unsolved; the main ways of its implementation are computational and experimental hemodynamics. Material and methods. This paper uses an experimental approach to explore the effect of stent placement in a model of coronary artery stenosis, and also provides an analysis of the current level of awareness of the scientific community on this issue. Results and discussion. The experiment showed that the throughput of the model increases by 14 % compared to the model with stenosis, and the redistribution of flows in the model depends not on diameters but on the anatomy of a particular vascular network. The data of the performed mathematical modeling are generally consistent with the results of the experiment before stent installation, when the coronary tree consists of several load-bearing branches, but have quantitative differences for the distal branches of the coronary artery model in the presence of an installed stent. Conclusions. The results of the work can be used to accumulate an experimental data array on the restructuring of blood flow during angioplasty, and can also be used to verify the numerical hemodynamics of the coronary arteries during the virtual installation of a stent in them to resolve stenosis.

Nanoparticle-mediated thermotherapeutic research strives innovative, multifunctional, efficient, and safe treatments. Our study introduces a novel nanoplatform: the hollow magnetic vortex nanorings within a polydopamine layer (HMVNp), which exhibit dual functionality as magnetic and photothermal agents. Utilizing a "Dual-mode" approach, combining an alternating magnetic field (AMF) with near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, HMVNp demonstrated a significant enhancement in heating efficacy (58 +/- 8 %, SAR = 1441 vs 1032 W/g) over traditional solid magnetite nanoparticles coated with polydopamine (SMNp). The unique geometry larger surface area to volume ratio facilitates efficient magnetic vortex dynamics and enhanced heat transfer. Addressing the challenge of heat resistant heat shock protein (Hsp) expression, encapsulated quercetin (Q) within HMVNp leverages tumor acidity and dual-mode thermal therapy to enhance release, showing a 28.8 +/- 6.81 % increase in Q loading capacity compared to traditional SMNp. Moreover, HMVNp significantly improves contrast for both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI), with an approximately 62 % transverse relaxation (R2 = 81.5 vs 31.6 mM(-1)s(-1) [Fe]). In vivo studies showed that while single treatments slowed tumor growth, dual-mode therapy with quercetin significantly reduced tumors and effectively prevented metastases. Our study highlights the potential of HMVNp/Q as a versatile agent in thermotherapeutic interventions, offering improved diagnostic imaging capabilities.

Aim of the study was to compare the results of mathematical modelling of the dependence between brain ventricle size and capillary pressure for humans and animals based on the equations of multicomponent poroelastic filtration for brain parenchyma. Material and methods. The study included two groups of animals - 4 male mice of each inbred line C57Bl/6 and BALB/C at the age of 12 weeks – and 4 healthy volunteers. The brain and cerebrospinal fluid system images of mice were obtained using an 11.7 T horizontal MR scanner, group of humans were examined using the Ingenia 3.0 T MRI scanner. An axial section at the level of –0.5 mm from bregma in the mouse groups and a frontal slice at the level of the middle of the bodies of the lateral and third ventricles, posterior to the foramen of Monroe in the human group were chosen as the geometry for mathematical modelling. Mathematical modelling is based on the stationary mathematical model of multicomponent poroelastic filtration. Multiple linear regression of mean ventricular wall displacement on fluid media interaction parameters was constructed to compare results obtained. Regression coefficients were compared using nonparametric analysis of variance based on the Kraskell–Wallis criterion and post-hoc Dunn’s criterion with Hill’s correction Results. A qualitative coincidence in the behavior of capillary pressure and mean ventricular wall displacement was demonstrated for the human and mouse groups. No significant differences were found between the two animal lines. For the animals characterized by small ventricular size (BALB/c), greater similarity to humans is observed than for the genetic line with hypertrophied ventricles (C57Bl/6). A significant difference between humans and mice is observed only for capillary-venous interaction. Conclusions. The low variance within groups and insignificant discrepancy between groups indicate the possibility of further accumulation of empirical data to establish correction coefficients of the animal model, which will bring it more in line with the model for humans. Thus, the analyzed models are sufficiently comparable with each other.

In this paper we propose a method for weakly supervised segmentation of 3-D computed tomography brain images of acute ischemic stroke using convolutional neural nets. To improve the segmentation quality of stroke areas, the concepts of a distance map and weight map are introduced. The maps are utilized to correct the predictions of the model at the boundaries of the affected areas. Additionally, a smoothing method is introduced for segmentation masks to reduce labeling defects. The study uses two sets of data: the primary set that includes labeling made by a single radiologist, and the auxiliary set of smaller size with several variants of labeling made by different radiologists. The latter set is analyzed to reveal the basic characteristics of labeling discrepancies which arise due to complex nature of analyzed images. The 3D U-Net model is employed for the primary set segmentation. DICE loss and Focal loss are used to train the model, and DICE score is utilized to evaluate the quality of forecasts. The results of experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

We propose a method for semantic segmentation of 3D non-contrast computed tomography brain images of acute ischemic stroke using transformer neural networks. To improve the segmentation quality of lesion areas, the pre-processing methods were implemented. The 3D Swin UNETR model is employed for segmentation, which is based on the attention mechanism. The sum of DICE loss and Focal loss are used to train the model, and DICE score as well as sensitivity and precision is utilized to evaluate the quality of model's predictions. The model was trained and tested using cross-validation on real images of patients at the International Tomography Center SB RAS. Research and comparison of the performance of the model and its analogues was carried out. The proposed algorithm demonstrates 30% greater DICE metric in comparison with the analogous 3D U-Net model. The main feature of the 3D Swin UNETR model is the increase in false positives and the decrease in false negatives compared to 3D U-Net.

Infection of burn wounds caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens is the leading cause of systemic infectious complications in burned patients and a key link in the pathogenesis of burn disease, causing its course and outcome. The use of phage therapy to overcome antibiotic resistance of infection agents is a promising direction, the development of which can improve the results of treatment of burned. The article discusses: 1) features of the infectious process in burned; 2) the effect of antibacterial chemotherapy of burn wound infection on the microbiome and the processes of reparative regeneration; 3) principles of phage therapy; 4) ways of delivering bacteriophages; 5) development of resistance to bacteriophages 6) personalization of phage therapy.

Modern methods of neuroimaging make it possible to develop approaches for assessing intracranial pressure as a replacement for the “gold standard” of invasive monitoring. Aim of the study was to investigate the possibility of using magnetic resonance (MR) characteristics to assess the increase in intracranial pressure in patients with secondary intracranial hypertension. Material and methods. Group 1 – 40 patients with brain tumors, group 2 – 15 patients with communicating hydrocephalus, control group – 36 individuals. The patients underwent MRI with measurement and evaluation of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), the optochiasmal cistern and the pituitary gland vertical sizes, and tortuosity of the ON. Patients of the 2nd group underwent a phase-contrast MRI with an assessment of the velocity and volumetric characteristics of blood and cerebrospinal fluid flows with the calculation of the intracranial compliance index (ICC). Using the FreeSurfer program, the brain volumes were estimated. Results and discussion. A statistically significant increase in ONSD was found in the groups of patients compared with the control group (by 24 %, p < 0.05), decrease in the vertical size of the pituitary gland and an increase in the vertical size of the optochiasmal cistern (p < 0.05), as well as ICC lowering in group 2 (by 1.7 times, p < 0.05). Tortuosity of ON in group 1 was observed more often than in other groups. A statistically significant positive correlation between ONSD and brain volumes in group 1 (r = 0.55, p < 0.05) and a negative correlation between brain volumes and ICC in group 2 (r = –0.86, p < 0.05) has been found. Conclusions. Based on the presented results, we believe that the combined use of qualitative and quantitative MRI criteria can expand the diagnostic capabilities of non-invasive assessment of increased intracranial pressure.