Recent advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Copilot have led to their integration into various educational domains, including software development education. Regular use of LLMs in the learning process is still not well-researched; thus, this paper intends to fill this gap. The paper explores the nuanced impact of informal LLM usage on undergraduate students’ learning outcomes in software development education, focusing on React applications. We carefully designed an experiment involving thirty-two participants over ten weeks where we examined unrestricted but not specifically encouraged LLM use and their correlation with student performance. Our results reveal a significant negative correlation between increased LLM reliance for critical thinking-intensive tasks such as code generation and debugging and lower final grades. Furthermore, a downward trend in final grades is observed with increased average LLM use across all tasks. However, the correlation between the use of LLMs for seeking additional explanations and final grades was not as strong, indicating that LLMs may serve better as a supplementary learning tool. These findings highlight the importance of balancing LLM integration with the cultivation of independent problem-solving skills in programming education.

Objective Signal hyperintensity on unenhanced MRI in certain brain regions has been reported after multiple administrations of some, but not all, gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). One potential initial pathway of GBCA entry into the brain, infiltration from blood into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), was systematically evaluated in this preclinical study. Methods GBCA infiltration and distribution in the CSF were investigated in healthy rats using repeated fluid-attenuated MRI up to 4 h after high-dose (1.8 mmol/kg) administration of six marketed and one experimental GBCA. Additionally, gadolinium measurements in CSF, blood and brain tissue samples (after 24 h) were performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results Enhanced MRI signals in the CSF spaces with similar distribution kinetics were observed for all GBCAs. No substantial differences in the gadolinium concentrations among the marketed GBCAs were found in the CSF, blood or brain tissue. After 4.5 h, the concentration in the CSF was clearly higher than in blood but was almost completely cleared and lower than the brain tissue concentration after 24 h. Conclusions In contrast to the brain signal hyperintensities, no differences in penetration and distribution into the CSF of healthy rats exist among the marketed GBCAs. Key Points • Gadolinium-based contrast agents can cross the blood-CSF barrier. • Fluid-attenuated MRI shows GBCA distribution with CSF flow. • GBCA structure and physicochemical properties do not impact CSF penetration and distribution. • GBCA clearance from CSF was almost complete within 24 h in rats. • CSF is a potential pathway of GBCA entry into the brain.

Purpose To investigate the long-term course of MRI signal intensity (SI) changes and the presence of gadolinium in the rat brain during a 1-year period after multiple administrations of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). Materials and Methods Rats received a linear GBCA (gadodiamide, gadopentetate dimeglumine, gadobenate dimeglumine), a macrocyclic GBCA (gadobutrol, gadoterate meglumine, gadoteridol), or saline. Animals received eight injections over 2 weeks (1.8 mmol/kg per injection). Brain MRI and gadolinium measurements were performed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and laser ablation ICP-MS 5, 26, and 52 weeks after administration. Results Animals that received linear GBCAs showed higher deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN)-to-brainstem SI ratios compared with the saline group (P < .001 at all time points). After 1 year, mean gadolinium concentrations in the cerebellum were 3.38 nmol/g (gadodiamide), 2.13 nmol/g (gadopentetate dimeglumine), and 1.91 nmol/g (gadobenate dimeglumine). For linear agents, laser ablation ICP-MS revealed gadolinium depositions in the cerebellar nuclei. For macrocyclic GBCAs, the DCN-to-brainstem SI ratios did not significantly differ from those in the saline group (P > .42) and the cerebellar gadolinium concentrations decreased between weeks 5 and 52, reaching 0.08 nmol/g (gadobutrol), 0.04 nmol/g (gadoterate meglumine), and 0.07 nmol/g (gadoteridol). The respective laser ablation ICP-MS analysis showed no gadolinium depositions. Conclusion Increased signal intensity in the deep cerebellar nuclei of rats persists for at least 1 year after administration of linear gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs), in line with persistent brain gadolinium concentrations with no elimination after the initial 5-week period. The animals that received macrocyclic GBCAs showed an ongoing elimination of gadolinium from the brain during the entire observation period. © RSNA, 2018.

The recent technological developments in photon-counting detector computed tomography (PCD-CT) and the introduction of the first commercially available clinical PCD-CT unit open up new exciting opportunities for contrast media research. With PCD-CT, the efficacy of available iodine-based contrast media improves, allowing for a reduction of iodine dosage or, on the other hand, an improvement of image quality in low contrast indications. Virtual monoenergetic image reconstructions are routinely available and enable the virtual monoenergetic image energy to be adapted to the diagnostic task. A key property of PCD-CT is the ability of spectral separation in combination with improved material decomposition. Thus, the discrimination of contrast media from intrinsic or pathological tissues and the discrimination of 2 or more contrasting elements that characterize different tissues are attractive fields for contrast media research. For these approaches, K-edge imaging in combination with high atomic number elements such as the lanthanides, tungsten, tantalum, or bismuth plays a central role. The purpose of this article is to present an overview of innovative contrast media concepts that use high atomic number elements. The emphasis is on improving contrast enhancement for cardiovascular plaque imaging, stent visualization, and exploring new approaches using 2 contrasting elements. Along with the published research, new experimental findings with a contrast medium that incorporates tungsten are included. Both the literature review and the new experimental data demonstrate the great potential and feasibility for new contrast media to significantly increase diagnostic performance and to enable new clinical fields and indications in combination with PCD-CT.

Objectives: The aim of this report was to characterize the key physicochemical, pharmacokinetic (PK), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) properties of gadoquatrane (BAY 1747846), a newly designed tetrameric, macrocyclic, extracellular gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) with high relaxivity and stability. Materials and Methods: The r1-relaxivities of the tetrameric gadoquatrane at 1.41 and 3.0 T were determined in human plasma and the nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion profiles in water and plasma. The complex stability was analyzed in human serum over 21 days at pH 7.4 at 37°C and was compared with the linear GBCA gadodiamide and the macrocyclic GBCA (mGBCA) gadobutrol. In addition, zinc transmetallation assay was performed to investigate the kinetic inertness. Protein binding and the blood-to-plasma ratio were determined in vitro using rat and human plasma. The PK profile was evaluated in rats (up to 7 days postinjection). Magnetic resonance imaging properties were investigated using a glioblastoma (GS9L) rat model. Results: The new chemical entity gadoquatrane is a macrocyclic tetrameric Gd complex with one inner sphere water molecule per Gd (q = 1). Gadoquatrane showed high solubility in buffer (1.43 mol Gd/L, 10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4), high hydrophilicity (logP −4.32 in 1-butanol/water), and negligible protein binding. The r1-relaxivity of gadoquatrane in human plasma per Gd of 11.8 mM⁻¹·s⁻¹ (corresponding to 47.2 mM⁻¹·s⁻¹ per molecule at 1.41 T at 37°C, pH 7.4) was more than 2-fold (8-fold per molecule) higher compared with established mGBCAs. Nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion profiles confirmed the more than 2-fold higher r1-relaxivity in human plasma for the clinically relevant magnetic field strengths from 0.47 to 3.0 T. The complex stability of gadoquatrane at physiological conditions was very high. The observed Gd release after 21 days at 37°C in human serum was below the lower limit of quantification. Gadoquatrane showed no Gd³⁺ release in the presence of zinc in the transmetallation assay. The PK profile (plasma elimination, biodistribution, recovery) was comparable to that of gadobutrol. In MRI, the quantitative evaluation of the tumor-to-brain contrast in the rat glioblastoma model showed significantly improved contrast enhancement using gadoquatrane compared with gadobutrol at the same Gd dose administered (0.1 mmol Gd/kg body weight). In comparison to gadoterate meglumine, similar contrast enhancement was reached with gadoquatrane with 75% less Gd dose. In terms of the molecule dose, this was reduced by 90% when compared with gadoterate meglumine. Because of its tetrameric structure and hence lower number of molecules per volume, all prepared formulations of gadoquatrane were iso-osmolar to blood. Conclusions: The tetrameric gadoquatrane is a novel, highly effective mGBCA for use in MRI. Gadoquatrane provides favorable physicochemical properties (high relaxivity and stability, negligible protein binding) while showing essentially the same PK profile (fast extracellular distribution, fast elimination via the kidneys in an unchanged form) to established mGBCAs on the market. Overall, gadoquatrane is an excellent candidate for further clinical development.

Objectives: To assess the impact of low kilo-electronvolt (keV) virtual monoenergetic image (VMI) energies and iterative reconstruction on image quality of clinical photon-counting detector coronary CT angiography (CCTA). Methods: CCTA with PCD-CT (prospective ECG-triggering, 120 kVp, automatic tube current modulation) was performed in a high-end cardiovascular phantom with dynamic flow, pulsatile heart motion, and including different calcified plaques with various stenosis grades and in 10 consecutive patients. VMI at 40,50,60 and 70 keV were reconstructed without (QIR-off) and with all quantum iterative reconstruction (QIR) levels (QIR-1 to 4). In the phantom, noise power spectrum, vessel attenuation, contrast-to-noise-ratio (CNR), and vessel sharpness were measured. Two readers graded stenoses in the phantom and graded overall image quality, subjective noise, vessel sharpness, vascular contrast, and coronary artery plaque delineation on 5-point Likert scales in patients. Results: In the phantom, noise texture was only slightly affected by keV and QIR while noise increased by 69% from 70 keV QIR-4 to 40 keV QIR-off. Reconstructions at 40 keV QIR-4 exhibited the highest CNR (46.1 ± 1.8), vessel sharpness (425 ± 42 ∆HU/mm), and vessel attenuation (1098 ± 14 HU). Stenosis measurements were not affected by keV or QIR level (p > 0.12) with an average error of 3%/6% for reader 1/reader 2, respectively. In patients, across all subjective categories and both readers, 40 keV QIR-3 and QIR-4 images received the best scores (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Forty keV VMI with QIR-4 significantly improved image quality of CCTA with PCD-CT. Advances in knowledge: PCD-CT at 40 keV and QIR-4 improves image quality of CCTA.