Grating-based X-ray phase contrast for biomedical imaging applications

In this review article we describe the development of grating-based X-ray phase-contrast imaging, with particular emphasis on potential biomedical applications of the technology. We review the basics of image formation in grating-based phase-contrast and dark-field radiography and present some exemplary multimodal radiography results obtained with laboratory X-ray sources. Furthermore, we discuss the theoretical concepts to extend grating-based multimodal radiography to quantitative transmission, phase-contrast, and dark-field scattering computed tomography.     

Right heart function in impaired left ventricular diastolic function: 2D speckle tracking echocardiography–based and Doppler tissue imaging–based analysis of right atrial and ventricular function

Aim

The aim of our study was to describe right atrial (RA) and right ventricular (RV) function, assessed by Doppler tissue imaging and 2D speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE), in women with signs of early impaired left ventricular diastolic function (DD).

Methods and Results

In a cross‐sectional trial, standard parameters of diastolic and right heart function were investigated in 438 women of the Berlin Female Risk Evaluation (BEFRI) study. In a subset of women, average peak systolic RA strain (RAS), as well as the average peak systolic RV strain of the free wall (RVS free wall) and of all RV segments (average RV strain; RVS Avg), was analyzed using 2DSTE. Compared to women with normal diastolic function (DD0), RAS, RVS free wall and RVS Avg were significantly reduced in DD (43.1% ± 11.9%, ?26.7% ± 5.6%, and ?23.3% ± 3.5% in DD0; vs 35.1% ± 10.4%, ?23.9% ± 5.5%, and ?20.6% ± 3.8% in DD; P < .01). Peak RV myocardial velocity (RV‐IVV) and acceleration during isovolumetric contraction (RV‐IVA) were markedly higher in DD (15.0 ± 3.9 cm/s and 3.1 ± 1.0 m/s² in DD vs 11.9 ± 3.2 cm/s and 2.8 ± 0.8 m/s² in DD0; P < .05). RAS and RV‐IVV were significantly associated with DD after adjustment to age, BMI, and left atrial strain in multivariate regression analysis.

Conclusion

Systolic right heart function is significantly altered in DD. DTI as well as 2DSTE constitute sensitive echocardiographic tools that enable the diagnosis of impaired right heart mechanics in early‐staged DD.     

Glyphosate-based herbicide: a risk factor for demyelinating conditions of the peripheral nervous system?

<正>Glyphosateisabroad-spectrumherbicideoriginallyintroducedto themarketin1974bytheagrochemicalcompanyMonsanto.More than 40 years down the line, glyphosate has become one of the most economically meaningful herbicides, with a global use of more than1.8 million pounds in 2014 (Benbrook, 2016). In non resistant plants,     

SAPS 3 is not superior to SAPS 2 in cardiac surgery patients

Objectives. Cardiac surgery patients are excluded from SAPS2 but included in SAPS3. Neither score is evaluated for this exclusive population; however, they are used daily. We hypothesized that SAPS3 may be superior to SAPS2 in outcome prediction in cardiac surgery patients. Design. All consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery between January 2007 and December 2010 were included in our prospective study. Both models were tested with calibration and discrimination statistics. We compared the AUC of the ROC curves by DeLong's method and calculated OCC values. Results. A total of 5207 patients with mean age of 67.2 ± 10.9 years were admitted to the ICU. The mean length of ICU stay was 4.6 ± 7.0 days and the ICU mortality was 5.9%. The two tested models had acceptable discriminatory power (AUC: SAPS2: 0.777–0.875; SAPS3: 0.757–893). SAPS3 had a low AUC and poor calibration on admission day. SAPS2 had poor calibration on Days 1–6 and 8. Conclusions. Despite including cardiac surgery patients, SAPS3 was not superior to SAPS2 in our analysis. In this large cohort of ICU cardiac surgery patients, performance of both SAPS models was generally poor. In this subset of patients, neither scoring system is recommended.     

p62/SQSTM1 at the interface of aging,autophagy, and disease

Advanced age is characterized by increased incidence of many chronic, noninfectious diseases that impair the quality of living of the elderly and pose a major burden on the healthcare systems of developed countries. These diseases are characterized by impaired or altered function at the tissue and cellular level, which is a hallmark of the aging process. Age-related impairments are likely due to loss of homeostasis at the cellular level, which leads to the accumulation of dysfunctional organelles and damaged macromolecules, such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Intriguingly, aging and age-related diseases can be delayed by modulating nutrient signaling pathways converging on the target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase, either by genetic or dietary intervention. TOR signaling influences aging through several potential mechanisms, such as autophagy, a degradation pathway that clears the dysfunctional organelles and damaged macromolecules that accumulate with aging. Autophagy substrates are targeted for degradation by associating with p62/SQSTM1, a multidomain protein that interacts with the autophagy machinery. p62/SQSTM1 is involved in several cellular processes, and its loss has been linked to accelerated aging and to age-related pathologies. In this review, we describe p62/SQSTM1, its role in autophagy and in signaling pathways, and its emerging role in aging and age-associated pathologies. Finally, we propose p62/SQSTM1 as a novel target for aging studies and age-extending interventions.