Objectives
In magnetic resonance (MR)–guided interventions, visualization of hepatic lesions may be difficult using standard unenhanced T1-weighted gradient-echo volume-interpolated breath-hold ...(VIBE) sequence due to low contrast. Inversion recovery (IR) imaging may have the potential to improve visualization without the necessity to apply contrast agent.
Methods
Forty-four patients (mean age 64 years, female 33%) scheduled for MR-guided thermoablation due to liver malignancies (hepatocellular carcinoma or metastases) were prospectively included in this study between March 2020 and April 2022. Fifty-one liver lesions were intra-procedurally characterized before treatment. Unenhanced T1-VIBE was acquired as part of the standard imaging protocol. Additionally, T1-modified look-locker images were acquired with eight different inversion times (TI) between 148 and 1743 ms. Lesion-to-liver contrast (LLC) was compared between T1-VIBE and IR images for each TI. T1 relaxation times for liver lesions and liver parenchyma were calculated.
Results
Mean LLC in T1-VIBE sequence was 0.3 ± 0.1. In IR images, LLC was highest at TI 228 ms (1.04 ± 1.1) and significantly higher compared to T1-VIBE (
p
< 0.001). In subgroup analysis, lesions of colorectal carcinoma showed the highest LLC at 228 ms (1.14 ± 1.4), and hepatocellular carcinoma showed the highest LLC at 548 ms (1.06 ± 1.16). T1-relaxation times in liver lesions were higher compared to the adjacent liver parenchyma (1184 ± 456 vs. 654 ± 96 ms,
p
< 0.001).
Conclusions
IR imaging is promising to provide improved visualization during unenhanced MR-guided liver interventions compared to standard T1-VIBE sequence when using specific TI. Low TI between 150 and 230 ms yields the highest contrast between liver parenchyma and malignant liver lesions.
Clinical relevance statement
Improved visualization of hepatic lesions during MR-guided percutaneous interventions using inversion recovery imaging without the necessity to apply contrast agent.
Key points
• Inversion recovery imaging is promising to provide improved visualization of liver lesions in unenhanced MRI.
• Planning and guidance during MR-guided interventions in the liver can be performed with greater confidence without necessity to apply contrast agent.
• Low TI between 150 and 230 ms yields the highest contrast between liver parenchyma and malignant liver lesions.
Replant disease is a worldwide phenomenon affecting various woody plant genera and species, especially within the Rosaceae. Compared to decades of intensive studies regarding replant disease of apple ...(ARD), the replant disease of roses (RRD) has hardly been investigated. The etiology of RRD is also still unclear and a remedy desperately needed. In greenhouse pot trials with seedlings of the RRD-sensitive rootstock Rosa corymbifera 'Laxa' cultured in replant disease affected soils from two different locations, early RRD symptom development was studied in fine roots. In microscopic analyses we found similarities to ARD symptoms with regards to structural damages, impairment in the root hair status, and necroses and blackening in the cortex tissue. Examinations of both whole mounts and thin sections of fine root segments revealed frequent conspicuous fungal infections in association with the cellular disorders. Particularly striking were fungal intracellular structures with pathogenic characteristics that are described for the first time. Isolated fungi from these tissue areas were identified by means of ITS primers, and many of them were members of the Nectriaceae. In a next step, 35 of these isolates were subjected to a multi-locus sequence analysis and the results revealed that several genera and species were involved in the development of RRD within a single rose plant. Inoculations with selected single isolates (Rugonectria rugulosa and Ilyonectria robusta) in a Perlite assay confirmed their pathogenic relationship to early necrotic host plant reactions, and symptoms were similar to those exhibited in ARD.
Estimation of the different ways of propagation in woody plant species including forestry in Germany reveals that seed propagation is still by far most often applied (860 million plants per year) ...followed by cutting propagation (110 million plants), graftings (15 million plants), other vegetative methods like layering (3 million plants) and finally micropropagation (2 million plants). Different limitations are connected with the various propagation techniques. This overview will focus on recent trends to overcome major problems. However, many of the problems were encountered already more than 20 years ago and are still unsolved. This is not only due to experimental or biological difficulties, but is also provoked by less research institutions worldwide working on woody plants and the time needed in perennial woody plants to fully evaluate a propagation system. One problem still unsolved is the difficulty in propagating adult woody plants vegetatively. In future, better understanding of molecular processes underlying aging and adventitious root formation should help to improve protocols. On the other hand, during the last years propagation via long cuttings seemed to bear interesting possibilities for a number of woody plant species, including fruit trees and rootstocks. While traditional cuttings are about 15-25 cm in length, long cuttings (60 to >100 cm) were shown to be an alternative for difficult to propagate species or cultivars or older mother plants. Outbound registration of auxins in Germany requires searching for alternatives, which could be found in the group of growth promoting microorganisms. In vitro culture techniques are still not applied to an extent that would correspond to the enormous opportunities offered by this technique. Actual limitations for in vitro propagation of woody plants are strongly connected to endophytic microorganisms, exudation of phenolic compounds, quality and true-to-typeness of the propagated material. Especially regarding endophytes, increasing efforts are made in research to identify and control them. Somatic embryogenesis is a very efficient way to propagate plants and has been realized on commercial scale in conifers. For this promising regeneration pathway, still major limitations are existing, but also first insights into the genetic and physiological events are given.
Range of motion adaptations in the shoulders of overhead throwing athletes have been reported, but knowledge about the development of soft-tissue adaptations is limited. The purpose of this study was ...to investigate differences in posterior shoulder capsule thickness and internal rotation between the throwing and non-throwing shoulder.
On the basis of the sample size calculation, we assessed 63 youth elite handball players (33 boys and 30 girls, mean age: 13.6 ± 0.9 years) for glenohumeral internal and external rotational range of motion, humeral retrotorsion, and posterior capsule thickness (PCT) with a manual goniometer and a portable ultrasound device and calculated sports-specific differences between the throwing and non-throwing shoulder as well as correlations with PCT.
Youth handball players showed side-to-side differences in internal rotation, external rotation, and humeral retrotorsion between the throwing and non-throwing shoulder. Posterior shoulder capsules were 1.21 times thicker (95% confidence interval: 1.1-1.3) in the throwing shoulder than in the non-throwing shoulder (1.3 ± 0.3 mm vs. 1.2 ± 0.2 mm, P < .0001). Loss of internal rotation did not correlate with PCT.
In youth elite handball athletes, posterior shoulder tightness and subsequent sports-specific loss of internal rotation in the throwing shoulder are not related to PCT. Thus, in this age class, other (soft-tissue) factors must be responsible for this condition.
Success of gene therapy relies on the durable expression and activity of transgene in target tissues. In vivo molecular imaging approaches using positron emission tomography (PET) can non-invasively ...measure magnitude, location, and durability of transgene expression via direct transgene or indirect reporter gene imaging in target tissues, providing the most proximal PK/PD biomarker for gene therapy trials. Herein, we report the radiosynthesis of a novel PET tracer 18FAGAL, targeting alpha galactosidase A (α-GAL), a lysosomal enzyme deficient in Fabry disease, and evaluation of its selectivity, specificity, and pharmacokinetic properties in vitro. 18FAGAL was synthesized via a Cu-catalyzed click reaction between fluorinated pentyne and an aziridine-based galactopyranose precursor with a high yield of 110 mCi, high radiochemical purity of >97% and molar activity of 6 Ci/µmol. The fluorinated AGAL probe showed high α-GAL affinity with IC50 of 30 nM, high pharmacological selectivity (≥50% inhibition on >160 proteins), and suitable pharmacokinetic properties (moderate to low clearance and stability in plasma across species). In vivo 18FAGAL PET imaging in mice showed high uptake in peripheral organs with rapid renal clearance. These promising results encourage further development of this PET tracer for in vivo imaging of α-GAL expression in target tissues affected by Fabry disease.
Solanum tuberosum (potato) as a drought sensitive plant is also one of the most promising plants to meet the demands for food and starch of a growing population. Distinguishing genotypes into ...tolerant and susceptible is therefore of utmost interest. We subjected eighteen potato genotypes and two wild species, S. tarijense and S. chacoense, to osmotic stress applied in vitro by addition of 0.2 m sorbitol to a solid medium. Here, we report that a ratio of root:shoot dry mass (DM) together with the SSI (stress susceptibility index, equivalent to drought susceptibility index by Fischer and Maurer, Aust. J. Agron. Res., 29, 1978) of shoot DM were found to be relevant parameters to characterize genotypes in vitro for their osmotic stress tolerance. Drought stress data from pot trials in a rainout shelter (2013 and 2015) correlated poorly with the data obtained in in vitro experiments. However, the most tolerant and most sensitive genotypes in vitro were also categorized to be more tolerant or sensitive than the average to drought stress in vivo. Both, under in vitro and in vivo conditions, proline displayed an increase under osmotic stress conditions in nearly all potatoes tested, but no direct correlations were found to stress tolerance. However, a genotype classified as tolerant displayed earlier proline accumulation. Proline is thought of as one factor for plants to withstand stressful conditions, but cannot be used to distinguish potato genotypes for their stress tolerance to osmotic stress in vitro. Analysis of the osmotic potential of in vitro and in vivo stressed plants displayed a general increase compared to the control.
To investigate technical success, technique efficacy, safety and outcome of MR-guided microwave ablation (MWA) in hepatic malignancies.
In this prospective IRB-approved study, patients scheduled for ...percutaneous treatment of hepatic malignancies underwent MR-guided MWA in a closed-bore 1.5 T MR system. Technical success was assessed on post-procedural MR control imaging. Technique efficacy was evaluated 4 weeks after the procedure on multi-parametric MRI. Assessment of safety followed the Society of Interventional Radiology grading system. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were calculated to evaluate overall survival (OS), time to local tumor progression (TLTP), and time to non-target progression (TNTP).
Between 2015 and 2019, 47 patients (60.5 ± 12.2 years; 39 male) underwent 50 procedures for 58 hepatic tumors (21 hepatocellular carcinomas; 37 metastases). Mean target tumor size was 16 ± 7mm (range: 6-39 mm). Technical success and technique efficacy were 100% and 98%, respectively. Lesions were treated using 2.6 applicator positions (range: 1-6). Mean energy, ablation duration per tumor, and procedure duration were 43.2 ± 23.5 kJ, 26.7 ± 13.1 min and 211.2 ± 68.7 min, respectively. 10 minor (20%) and 3 major (6%) complications were observed. Median post-interventional hospital admission was 1 day (range: 1-19 days). Median OS was 41.6 (IQR: 26.4-) months. Local recurrence occurred after 4 procedures (8%) with TLTP ranging between 3.1 and 41.9 months. Non-target recurrence was observed in 64% of patients after a median TNTP of 13.8 (IQR 2.3-) months.
MR-guided MWA allows for safe and successful treatment of hepatic malignancies with a high technique efficacy however with relatively long procedure durations.
Studies in rodents show that olfactory processing in the principal neurons of olfactory bulb (OB) and piriform cortex (PC) is controlled by local inhibitory interneurons, and glutamate NMDA receptor ...plays a role in this inhibitory control. It is not clear if findings from studies in rodents translate to olfactory processing in nonhuman primates (NHPs). In this study, the effect of the glutamate NMDA receptor antagonist MK801 on odorant-induced olfactory responses in the OB and PC of anesthetized NHPs (rhesus monkeys) was investigated by cerebral blood volume (CBV) fMRI. Isoamyl-acetate was used as the odor stimulant. For each NHP, sixty fMRI measurements were made during a 4-h period, with each 4-min measurement consisting of a 1-min baseline period, a 1-min odor stimulation period, and a 2-min recovery period. MK801 (0.3 mg/kg) was intravenously delivered 1 hour after starting fMRI. Before MK801 injection, olfactory fMRI activations were observed only in the OB, not in the PC. After MK801 injection, olfactory fMRI activations in the OB increased, and robust olfactory fMRI activations were observed in the PC. The data indicate that MK801 enhances the olfactory responses in both the OB and PC. The enhancement effects of MK801 are most likely from its blockage of NMDA receptors on local inhibitory interneurons and the attenuation of the inhibition onto principal neurons. This study suggests that the mechanism of local inhibitory control of principal neurons in the OB and PC derived from studies in rodents translates to NHPs.
The endophytic bacterial communities of six Prunus avium L. genotypes differing in their growth patterns during in vitro propagation were identified by culture-dependent and culture-independent ...methods. Five morphologically distinct isolates from tissue culture material were identified by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. To detect and analyze the uncultivable fraction of endophytic bacteria, a clone library was established from the amplified 16S rDNA of total plant extract. Bacterial diversity within the clone libraries was analyzed by amplified ribosomal rDNA restriction analysis and by sequencing a clone for each identified operational taxonomic unit. The most abundant bacterial group was Mycobacterium sp., which was identified in the clone libraries of all analyzed Prunus genotypes. Other dominant bacterial genera identified in the easy-to-propagate genotypes were Rhodopseudomonas sp. and Microbacterium sp. Thus, the community structures in the easy- and difficult-to-propagate cherry genotypes differed significantly. The bacterial genera, which were previously reported to have plant growth-promoting effects, were detected only in genotypes with high propagation success, indicating a possible positive impact of these bacteria on in vitro propagation of P. avium, which was proven in an inoculation experiment.
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