Enhanced susceptibility-weighted angiography (ESWAN) of cerebral arteries and veins at 1.5 Tesla

OBJECTIVE

Enhanced susceptibility-weighted angiography (ESWAN) is a three-dimensional (3D) multi-echo gradient-echo sequence which consists of both magnitude and phase images. This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of ESWAN for the depiction of both cerebral arteries and veins at 1.5 T by comparing with time-of-flight (TOF) MR angiography (MRA) and MR venography (MRV).

METHODS

13 healthy volunteers underwent both ESWAN and 3D-TOF-MRA examinations. Among them, nine volunteers underwent an additional two-dimensional-TOF-MRV examination. With regard to the ESWAN sequence, both maximum intensity projection (MIP) and minimum intensity projection (mIP) images were reconstructed and compared with MIP reconstructions of the TOF MRA and the TOF MRV.

RESULTS

Concerning the depiction of the constituent segments of the Circle of Willis, as well as A1, A2, A3 (segments of the anterior cerebral artery), M1, M2 (segments of the middle cerebral artery), P1 and P2 (segments of the posterior cerebral artery), the value of the ESWAN MIP was comparable to that of the TOF MRA without regard to visualization of branches, vessel homogeneity and wall irregularities or slight stenosis. ESWAN-mIP visualized more deep cerebral veins than TOF MRV in this study.

CONCLUSION

By use of either mIP reconstruction of a long echo data set or MIP reconstruction of a short echo data set, ESWAN allows simultaneous visualization of both cerebral veins and proximal segments of intracerebral arteries at 1.5 T.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

ESWAN acquires multiple images at different echo times corresponding to different T2* weightings, wherein a short echo TOF-MRA data set and a long echo susceptibility-weighted imaging-MRV data set are obtained simultaneously.

A Reassessment of Virulence Phenotypes of Soybean Cyst Nematode (Heterodera glycines) in China with HG Typing Method

Soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines Ichinohe, is the most destructive pest of soybean (Glycine max) worldwide, including China. H. glycines virulence phenotypes can be described in two ways. One is the race determination test that uses four soybean lines to categorize H. glycines into 16 "races" (3). The HG type designation is similar, but avoids the implications of the term "race" and includes seven soybean lines rather than four (2). In China, previous data revealed the occurrence of nine H. glycines races including races 1 through 7, 9, and 14, whereas HG types have not been recorded (1). The objective of this study was to reassess virulence phenotypes of H. glycines in China by means of HG types. In 2011 and 2012, 10 SCN populations from the primary soybean production regions of China were identified as six races (races 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 14) with the race test scheme (3) and were cultured on a H. glycines-susceptible soybean cultivar. In 2013, seven indicator soybean lines (PI 548402, PI 88788, PI 90763, PI 437654, PI 209332, PI 89772, and PI 548316) plus the susceptible standard soybean "Lee74" were used to determine the HG types of these populations following standardized procedures (2) with some modification in a growth chamber set at 28°C under 16-h days. After 30 days, females were extracted from roots and collected, and a female index was calculated for each indicator line (2,3). The average number of females on Lee74 was more than 100 in all the tests. Eight HG types were identified in the populations tested: HG type 0 (race 3), HG type 7 (race 3 or 6), HG type 2.7 (race 1 or 5), HG type 5.7 (race 3), HG type 1.3.7 (race 14), HG type 2.5.7 (race 1), HG type 1.2.5.7 (race 2), and HG type 1.2.3.5.7 (race 4). To our knowledge, this is the first report of H. glycines HG types in China, which will contribute to development of management strategies implementing the use of resistant cultivars. This work was supported by the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest 200903040-03 and the China Agriculture Research System CARS-04. References: (1) W. G. Lu et al. Agr. Sci. China 5:615, 2006. (2) T. L. Niblack et al. J. Nematol. 34:279, 2002. (3) R. D. Riggs and D. P. Schmitt. J. Nematol. 20:392, 1988.

Cognitive function, plasma MnSOD activity, and MnSOD Ala-9Val polymorphism in patients with schizophrenia and normal controls

Excessive reactive oxygen species are thought to produce oxidative damage that underlies neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in several disorders including schizophrenia. The functional Ala-9Val polymorphism of the mitochondrial enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), which detoxifies superoxide radicals to hydrogen peroxide, has been associated with schizophrenia. However, no study has reported its role in cognitive deficits of schizophrenia as mediated through MnSOD activity. We recruited 923 schizophrenic inpatients and 566 healthy controls and compared them on the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), plasma MnSOD activity, and the MnSOD Ala-9Val polymorphism. We assessed patient psychopathology using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. We showed that the MnSOD Ala-9Val polymorphism may not contribute directly to the susceptibility to schizophrenia. The Ala variant was associated with worse attention performance among chronic schizophrenic patients but not among normal controls. Plasma MnSOD activity was significantly decreased in patients compared with that in normal controls. Moreover, MnSOD activity among the schizophrenic Ala allele carriers was correlated with the degree of cognitive impairments, especially attention and RBANS total score. We demonstrated an association between the MnSOD Ala-9Val variant and poor attention in schizophrenia. The association between higher MnSOD activity and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia is dependent on the MnSOD Ala-9Val polymorphism.

Beam-energy dependence of the directed flow of protons, antiprotons, and pions in Au+Au collisions

Rapidity-odd directed flow (v1) measurements for charged pions, protons, and antiprotons near midrapidity (y=0) are reported in sNN=7.7, 11.5, 19.6, 27, 39, 62.4, and 200 GeV Au+Au collisions as recorded by the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. At intermediate impact parameters, the proton and net-proton slope parameter dv1/dy|y=0 shows a minimum between 11.5 and 19.6 GeV. In addition, the net-proton dv1/dy|y=0 changes sign twice between 7.7 and 39 GeV. The proton and net-proton results qualitatively resemble predictions of a hydrodynamic model with a first-order phase transition from hadronic matter to deconfined matter, and differ from hadronic transport calculations.

Submicron-scale surface architecture of tricalcium phosphate directs osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo

A current challenge of synthetic bone graft substitute design is to induce bone formation at a similar rate to its biological resorption, matching bone's intrinsic osteoinductivity and capacity for remodelling. We hypothesise that both osteoinduction and resorption can be achieved by altering surface microstructure of beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP). To test this, two TCP ceramics are engineered with equivalent chemistry and macrostructure but with either submicron- or micron-scale surface architecture. In vitro, submicron-scale surface architecture differentiates larger, more active osteoclasts--a cell type shown to be important for both TCP resorption and osteogenesis--and enhances their secretion of osteogenic factors to induce osteoblast differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. In an intramuscular model, submicrostructured TCP forms 20 % bone in the free space, is resorbed by 24 %, and is densely populated by multinucleated osteoclast-like cells after 12 weeks; however, TCP with micron-scale surface architecture forms no bone, is essentially not resorbed, and contains scarce osteoclast-like cells. Thus, a novel submicron-structured TCP induces substantial bone formation and is resorbed at an equivalent rate, potentially through the control of osteoclast-like cells.

Downregulation of FAP suppresses cell proliferation and metastasis through PTEN/PI3K/AKT and Ras-ERK signaling in oral squamous cell carcinoma

It is largely recognized that fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) of many human carcinomas. Furthermore, FAP was recently also reported to be expressed in carcinoma cells of the breast, stomach, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, colorectum, and uterine cervix. The carcinoma cell expression pattern of FAP has been described in several types of cancers, but the role of FAP in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is unknown. The role of endogenous FAP in epithelium-derived tumors and molecular mechanisms has also not been reported. In this study, FAP was found to be expressed in carcinoma cells of OSCC and was upregulated in OSCC tissue samples compared with benign tissue samples using immunohistochemistry. In addition, its expression level was closely correlated with overall survival of patients with OSCC. Silencing FAP inhibited the growth and metastasis of OSCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, knockdown of FAP inactivated PTEN/PI3K/AKT and Ras-ERK and its downstream signaling regulating proliferation, migration, and invasion in OSCC cells, as the inhibitory effects of FAP on the proliferation and metastasis could be rescued by PTEN silencing. Our study suggests that FAP acts as an oncogene and may be a potential therapeutic target for patients with OSCC.

Jet-hadron correlations in √[s(NN)]=200 GeV p+p and central Au+Au collisions

Azimuthal angular correlations of charged hadrons with respect to the axis of a reconstructed (trigger) jet in Au+Au and p+p collisions at √[s(NN)]=200  GeV in STAR are presented. The trigger jet population in Au+Au collisions is biased toward jets that have not interacted with the medium, allowing easier matching of jet energies between Au+Au and p+p collisions while enhancing medium effects on the recoil jet. The associated hadron yield of the recoil jet is significantly suppressed at high transverse momentum (pTassoc) and enhanced at low pTassoc in 0%-20% central Au+Au collisions compared to p+p collisions, which is indicative of medium-induced parton energy loss in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions.

Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci of the Chinese muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi)

Eight polymorphic microsatellite markers for Muntiacus reevesi were identified and characterized in this study. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 10 across 24-48 samples. The loci showed expected and observed heterozygosities of 0.577-0.876 and 0.387-0.933, respectively, with an average polymorphic information content value of 0.682. These markers should be a useful tool for further population and conservation genetic studies of Muntiacus reevesi.

Enrichment of ovarian cancer stem-like cells is associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition through an miRNA-activated AKT pathway

OBJECTIVES

Evidence has indicated that ovarian epithelial cancer-type cells under serum-free culture conditions can form spheroid cells and exhibit characteristics expected of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). However, the mechanism by which differentiated ovarian cancer cells acquire stem-cell properties during CSC enrichment has needed to be elucidated. Recent studies have demonstrated that induction of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) can generate CSCs and be associated with tumour aggressiveness and metastasis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ovarian epithelial cancer cell lines, SKOV3 and HO8920, were cultured for spheroid cells and adherent cells. CSC enrichment was investigated using MTT assay, flow cytometery and qRT-PCR and expression level of PI3K/AKT pathway components was analysed by western blotting.

RESULTS

Compared to adherent cells, the spheroid cells expressed mesenchymal markers highly and exhibited significantly more motility; we also observed increases in phosphate AKT1 levels in the spheroid cells. Moreover, transfection of miR-20a or miR-200c led to corresponding reduction in endogenous PTEN protein, while AKT1 and phosphate AKT1 levels were upregulated in miRNAs-transfected cells. Finally, PI3K/AKT pathway inhibitor LY294002 reduced expressions of mesenchymal markers and stem-cell gene activity in spheroid cells, enhancing sensitivity of spheroid cells to paclitaxel treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that EMT contributed to enrichment of ovarian CSCs in vitro, making EMT targeting in epithelial ovarian cancer a novel therapeutic option.

Energy dependence of moments of net-proton multiplicity distributions at RHIC

We report the beam energy (sqrt[sNN]=7.7-200  GeV) and collision centrality dependence of the mean (M), standard deviation (σ), skewness (S), and kurtosis (κ) of the net-proton multiplicity distributions in Au+Au collisions. The measurements are carried out by the STAR experiment at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) and within the transverse momentum range 0.4<pT<0.8  GeV/c in the first phase of the Beam Energy Scan program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. These measurements are important for understanding the quantum chromodynamic phase diagram. The products of the moments, Sσ and κσ2, are sensitive to the correlation length of the hot and dense medium created in the collisions and are related to the ratios of baryon number susceptibilities of corresponding orders. The products of moments are found to have values significantly below the Skellam expectation and close to expectations based on independent proton and antiproton production. The measurements are compared to a transport model calculation to understand the effect of acceptance and baryon number conservation and also to a hadron resonance gas model.

Comparative cost-effectiveness of bazedoxifene and raloxifene in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis in Europe, using the FRAX algorithm

Bazedoxifene and raloxifene were evaluated in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis from health economic perspective in Europe. Based on a computer-based algorithm calculating efficacy of the treatments, bazedoxifene appears to be a cost-effective strategy compared to raloxifene, particularly in patients at high fracture risk.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to compare cost-effectiveness of bazedoxifene and raloxifene in eight European countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.

METHODS

The Fracture Risk Assessment Tool, which is a computer-based algorithm to calculate fracture probability using clinical risk factors alone or with bone mineral density, was incorporated in a Markov Tunnel model to evaluate cost-effectiveness of bazedoxifene 20 or 40 mg vs. raloxifene 60 mg in postmenopausal osteoporotic women. The efficacy of bazedoxifene and raloxifene for vertebral and non-vertebral fractures was measured as a function of the 10-year probability of a major osteoporotic fracture. The model estimated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and net monetary benefit (NMB) from a healthcare perspective, given the willingness to pay <euro>30,000.

RESULTS

In postmenopausal osteoporotic women, bazedoxifene was a cost saving strategy compared to raloxifene in the countries studied. The median NMB of bazedoxifene compared to raloxifene increased monotonically with the 10-year fracture probability. In general, the median NMB became greater than 0 in women with 10-year probabilities of a major osteoporotic fracture between 5 and 10% or above. The impact on results by varying the assumptions in the model was examined in sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSION

Bazedoxifene appears to be a cost-effective strategy compared to raloxifene for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporotic women in Europe, particularly in patients at high fracture risk.

A graphene oxide/conducting polymer nanocomposite for electrochemical dopamine detection: origin of improved sensitivity and specificity

This work describes the performance of a graphene oxide/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanocomposite material as a sensitive and selective electrochemical dopamine sensor.