Chronic monitoring of vascular progression after ischemic stroke using multiexposure speckle imaging and two-photon fluorescence microscopy

Monitoring the progression of the vascular structure and cerebral blood flow (CBF) after brain injury is vital to understand the neurovascular recovery process. Multiexposure speckle imaging (MESI) provides a quantitatively accurate technique for chronically measuring the postocclusion CBF perfusion of the infarct and peri-infarct regions in rodent stroke models, while multiphoton microscopy offers direct visualization of the microvascular structure. In this paper, we present imaging outcomes extending 35 days after photo-thrombotic occlusion, tracking the progression of the vasculature throughout this period. We compare MESI flow estimates within the unresolvable parenchyma with subsurface microvascular volume fractions taken with two-photon microscopy in the same regions to assess how the vascular density influences the surface-integrated MESI flow values. The MESI flow measurements and volume fractions are shown to have high correlations (r=0.90) within areas of recovering vasculature in the peri-infarct region. We also observe vascular reorientation occurring within the microvascular structure throughout the 35-day postocclusion period. With the combination of a chronic mouse model and relatively noninvasive optical imaging techniques, we present an imaging protocol for monitoring long-term vascular progression after photo-thrombotic occlusion with the potential to test the efficacy of rehabilitation and pharmacological therapies.     

Validity of self‐reported family history of cancer: A systematic literature review on selected cancers

Evidence regarding validity of self‐reported family history of cancer (FHC) has been reviewed only for breast, colorectal, prostate, ovarian, endometrial and uterine cancer. We aimed to systematically review studies assessing validity of self‐reported family history for the remaining cancer sites. We searched the Medline database for relevant studies published by January 2016. We extracted information on the study design and the positive predictive value (PPV) of self‐reported FHC, defined as the proportion of reported cancer diagnoses among relatives that was confirmed by a reference standard (as a measure of over‐reporting). We also extracted information on sensitivity of self‐reported FHC (as a measure of underreporting). Overall, 21 studies were included that provided information on the PPV of self‐reported FHC for relevant cancers and four studies also provided information on sensitivity. The PPV was highest (mostly >70%) for pancreatic, lung, thyroid and urinary system cancers and for leukemia and lymphoma, while it was lowest for stomach and liver cancer. Sensitivity was highest (>70%) for pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, brain cancer, melanoma, leukemia and lymphoma. For several cancers, sample sizes were low and the number of studies limited, particularly regarding sensitivity of self‐reported FHC. In conclusion, for some cancers (e.g., pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, leukemia, lymphoma) self‐reported FHC can be considered sufficiently valid to be useful, for example, in preventive counseling. For several cancers, it is not sufficiently studied or the pattern is inconsistent. This needs to be taken into account when using self‐reported information about FHC in clinical practice or epidemiological research.     

Selenium-containing heterocycles: synthesis and pharmacological activities of some new 4-methylquinoline-2(1H) selenone derivatives

Several selenolo[2,3-b]quinolines and pyrimido[4',5':4,5]selenolo[2,3-b]quinolines were prepared by annulations via reaction of NaSeH with 2-chloro-3-cyano-4-methylquinoline 1 followed by reactions with aromatic aldehydes, cycloalkanones, and acetic anhydride. Spectroscopic (IR, 1H-NMR, and MS) properties of the synthesized compounds are reported. Some selected compounds 5a, 7b, 7c, 8b-d, 9a, 11b, and 11d were investigated for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities; in addition, the most active compounds were tested for their ulcerogenicity and acute toxicity. Moreover, some of the test compounds 7c, 9a, 11b, and 11d were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities.     

Clinical Feasibility of Synthetic MRI in Multiple Sclerosis: A Diagnostic and Volumetric Validation Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Quantitative MR imaging techniques are gaining interest as methods of reducing acquisition times while additionally providing robust measurements. This study aimed to implement a synthetic MR imaging method on a new scanner type and to compare its diagnostic accuracy and volumetry with conventional MR imaging in patients with MS and controls.MATERIALS AND METHODS:Twenty patients with MS and 20 healthy controls were enrolled after ethics approval and written informed consent. Synthetic MR imaging was implemented on a Siemens 3T scanner. Comparable conventional and synthetic proton-density–, T1-, and T2-weighted, and FLAIR images were acquired. Diagnostic accuracy, lesion detection, and artifacts were assessed by blinded neuroradiologic evaluation, and contrast-to-noise ratios, by manual tracing. Volumetry was performed with synthetic MR imaging, FreeSurfer, FMRIB Software Library, and Statistical Parametric Mapping. Repeatability was quantified by using the coefficient of variance.RESULTS:Synthetic proton-density–, T1-, and T2-weighted images were of sufficient or good quality and were acquired in 7% less time than with conventional MR imaging. Synthetic FLAIR images were degraded by artifacts. Lesion counts and volumes were higher in synthetic MR imaging due to differences in the contrast of dirty-appearing WM but did not affect the radiologic diagnostic classification or lesion topography (P = .50–.77). Synthetic MR imaging provided segmentations with the shortest processing time (16 seconds) and the lowest repeatability error for brain volume (0.14%), intracranial volume (0.12%), brain parenchymal fraction (0.14%), and GM fraction (0.56%).CONCLUSIONS:Synthetic MR imaging can be an alternative to conventional MR imaging for generating diagnostic proton-density–, T1-, and T2-weighted images in patients with MS and controls while additionally delivering fast and robust volumetric measurements suitable for MS studies.

In conventional MR imaging, multiple sequences with different contrast weightings are obtained. This process is time-consuming with redundant data acquisition. Techniques such as MR fingerprinting and synthetic MR imaging can reduce acquisition times and thereby increase MR imaging availability for both clinical applications and research.^1–3 SyMRI is a synthetic MR imaging method based on a quantitative approach in which a single saturation recovery TSE sequence is used to estimate absolute physical properties, the proton density (PD), longitudinal relaxation rate, and transverse relaxation rate, including correction for B₁-inhomogeneities. Rather than predetermining acquisition parameters such as TE, TI, and TR to maximize tissue contrast,³ synthetic MR imaging produces a free range of synthetic weightings based on a single sequence through mathematic inference.^4,5 The quantitative nature of the method and its ability to probe multiple physical properties in a single sequence make it suitable for volumetric analysis.^6–10 Synthetic MR imaging has shown promising initial results for use in MS and patients with an ischemic event.^11,12 The technique is consequently gaining interest as a potentially time-efficient alternative to conventional MR imaging to visualize and quantify brain tissue properties.MS is a chronic neuroinflammatory disorder affecting 2.5 million people globally.¹³ MS has a heterogeneous clinical expression, which complicates the choice of disease-modifying therapy.¹⁴ MR imaging is a cornerstone for the diagnosis and monitoring of MS, but qualitative MR imaging measurements are poorly correlated with the clinical outcome. Volumetric MR imaging measurements have an independent predictive value in MS but require laborious image postprocessing, limiting its clinical potential.^15,16 Robust and fully automatic volumetry approved for clinical use would thus be important for clinical care and research purposes. The synthetic MR imaging technique has initially been developed for use on Philips (Best, the Netherlands) and GE Healthcare (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) MR imaging systems, but it is not available for other systems and independent evaluations of the method are scarce.^5,6The purpose of this study was to implement the synthetic MR imaging technique for use on Siemens (Erlangen, Germany) MR imaging scanners and to compare the diagnostic accuracy of synthetic and conventional images in MS. A secondary aim was to test the repeatability of the volumetric synthetic MR imaging measurements and compare the volumetric results and practicality with other commonly used brain volumetric methods.     

The many faces of peroxisomal disorders: Lessons from a large Arab cohort

Defects in the peroxisomes biogenesis and/or function result in peroxisomal disorders. In this study, we describe the largest Arab cohort to date (72 families) of clinically, biochemically and molecularly characterized patients with peroxisomal disorders. At the molecular level, we identified 43 disease-causing variants, half of which are novel. The founder nature of many of the variants allowed us to calculate the minimum disease burden for these disorders in our population ~1:30 000, which is much higher than previous estimates in other populations. Clinically, we found an interesting trend toward genotype/phenotype correlation in terms of long-term survival. Nearly half (40/75) of our peroxisomal disorders patients had documented survival beyond 1 year of age. Most unusual among the long-term survivors was a multiplex family in which the affected members presented as adults with non-specific intellectual disability and epilepsy. Other unusual presentations included the very recently described peroxisomal fatty acyl-CoA reductase 1 disorder as well as CRD, spastic paraparesis, white matter (CRSPW) syndrome. We conclude that peroxisomal disorders are highly heterogeneous in their clinical presentation. Our data also confirm the demonstration that milder forms of Zellweger spectrum disorders cannot be ruled out by the “gold standard” very long chain fatty acids assay, which highlights the value of a genomics-first approach in these cases.     

Trivalent Ions and Their Impacts on Effective Conductivity at 300 K and Radio-Protective Behaviors of Bismo-Borate Glasses: A Comparative Investigation for Al,Y, Nd,Sm, Eu

We aimed to determine the contribution of various trivalent ions like Al and rare-earths (Y, Nd, Sm, Eu) on resistance behaviors of different types of bismo-borate glasses. Accordingly, eight different bismuth borate glasses from the system: 40Bi₂O₃–59B₂O₃–1Tv₂O₃ (where Tv = Al, Y, Nd, Sm, and Eu) and three glasses of (40Bi₂O₃–60B₂O₃; 37.5Bi₂O₃–62.5B₂O₃; and 38Bi₂O₃–60B₂O₃–2Al₂O₃) compositions were extensively investigated in terms of their nuclear attenuation shielding properties, along with effective conductivity and buildup factors. The Py-MLBUF online platform was also utilized for determination of some essential parameters. Next, attenuation coefficients, along with half and tenth value layers, have been determined in the 0.015 MeV–15 MeV photon energy range. Moreover, effective atomic numbers and effective atomic weight, along with exposure and energy absorption buildup factors, were determined in the same energy range. The result showed that the type of trivalent ion has a direct effect on behaviors of bismo-borate glasses against ionizing gamma-rays. As incident photon energy increases, the effective thermal conductivity decreases rapidly, especially in the low energy range, where photoelectric effects dominate the photon–matter interaction. Sample 8 had the minimum heat conductivity at low photon energies; our findings showed that Eu-reinforced bismo-borate glass composition, namely 40Bi₂O₃–59B₂O₃–1Eu₂O₃, with a glass density of 6.328 g/cm³ had superior gamma-ray attenuation properties. These outcomes would be useful for the scientific community to observe the most suitable additive rareearth type and related glass composition for providing the aforementioned shielding properties, in terms of needs and utilization requirements.     

Congenital fusion of the maxilla and mandible: brief case report

Congenital fusion of the mandible and maxilla is a rare anomaly usually seen in association with various syndromes. Reports of isolated cases of bony fusion of the jaws are sparse. Only 10 reported cases were found in the literature search. Maxillomandibular fusion restricts mouth opening, causing feeding problems and difficulties in swallowing, respiration, growth, and development, and thus must be treated early. We report a case of congenital fusion of the mandible and maxilla in a 1-year-old boy and describe the clinical features of this anomaly to add to the existing literature on the subject. This is our second encounter of such a case.