The success of cell replacement therapy for diabetes depends on the availability and generation of an adequate number of islets, preferably from an autologous origin. Stem cells are now being probed for the generation of physiologically competent, insulin-producing cells. In this investigation, we explored the potential of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) to differentiate into pancreati...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Intracranial Artery Stenosis (ICAS) is one of the most common causes of ischemic stroke in Asia. Previous studies have shown the number of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics was associated with lower risk of stroke. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between ideal CVH metrics and prevalence of ICAS. METHODS A random sample of 5,412 participants (sel...

BACKGROUND Recently, several studies using diffusion-sensitized MRI reported changes in patients with high-grade internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS) suggestive of subtle brain tissue damage. We used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to investigate the microstructural cerebral white matter integrity in asymptomatic patients with high-grade ICAS. METHODS In 15 asymptomatic patients with unilat...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Color duplex ultrasonography (CDU) is a standard method of noninvasive evaluation of internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS). B-flow imaging (BFI), on the other hand, is a newer method. We investigated the accuracy of the two noninvasive tests--CDU and BFI--each separately and as a combination of the two tests by comparing with digital subtraction angiography as a referen...

PURPOSE To determine whether orbital color Doppler imaging (CDI) can be used to detect internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS) in patients with amaurosis fugax (AF). METHODS Twenty patients with AF (20 symptomatic eyes) and 14 normal controls (14 randomly selected eyes) were studied. The AF patients were divided by magnetic resonance angiography or carotid arteriography into those without ICA...

As artificially intelligent conversational agents (ICAs) become a popular customer service solution for businesses, understanding the drivers of user acceptance ICAs is critical to ensure its successful implementation. To provide comprehensive review factors affecting consumers' adoption and use ICAs, this study performs systematic literature extant empirical research on topic. Based search per...

The human HOXA1 mutation syndromes commonly present with abnormalities of the inner ear and ICAs. Previous cases describe varying degrees of hypoplasia or aplasia of the affected structures, often with asymmetric involvement. We present imaging findings documenting complete absence of the ICAs bilaterally with bilateral CLA, which, to our knowledge, has not been previously reported.

Purpose. This study was designed to assess retinal and optic nerve bioelectrical function in patients with unilateral asymptomatic but hemodynamically significant internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS). Methods. Forty-two subjects with a diagnosis of unilateral ICAS and 34 controls were analyzed. Full-field electroretinogram (ERG), pattern electroretinogram (PERG), and pattern visual-evoked po...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Geographic variation and sex difference in the distribution of intracranial atherosclerosis (ICAS) have not been fully discussed before in Chinese patients with cerebral ischemia. We performed this study with the aim to investigate geographic and sex difference in the distribution of ICAS in China. METHODS In this prospective multicenter study, we evaluated 2864 consecu...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Flow-induced hemodynamic forces are critical in extra- and intracranial arterial caliber regulation and have been proposed to mediate intracranial aneurysm (IA) formation and rupture. We hypothesized that vascular structural control may be impaired in patients harboring brain aneurysms and sought to examine any differences in extradural internal carotid artery (ICA) calib...