Morphological dynamics of the islands on the lower Danube river in the Călărași-Cernavodă sector and GIS error assessment

A diachronic analysis of the geomorphic units using a geographical information system (GIS) that integrates historical maps, aerial and satellite imagery is a useful method to explore fluvial morphodynamics. This study used the mentioned spatial data sources to investigate the morphological changes of the islands on the Low Danube River between Călărași and Cernavodă between 1864 and 2016. At the same time, the accuracy of the cartographic materials was evaluated to differentiate between real change caused by identification or positional errors. There is a general increase in area and number of islands in the study area in the context of decreasing sediment volume transported by the Danube

Qualitative grading of aortic regurgitation: a pilot study comparing CMR 4D flow and echocardiography.

Over the past 10 years there has been intense research in the development of volumetric visualization of intracardiac flow by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).This volumetric time resolved technique called CMR 4D flow imaging has several advantages over standard CMR. It offers anatomical, functional and flow information in a single free-breathing, ten-minute acquisition. However, the data obtained is large and its processing requires dedicated software. We evaluated a cloud-based application package that combines volumetric data correction and visualization of CMR 4D flow data, and assessed its accuracy for the detection and grading of aortic valve regurgitation using transthoracic echocardiography as reference. Between June 2014 and January 2015, patients planned for clinical CMR were consecutively approached to undergo the supplementary CMR 4D flow acquisition. Fifty four patients(median age 39 years, 32 males) were included. Detection and grading of the aortic valve regurgitation using CMR4D flow imaging were evaluated against transthoracic echocardiography. The agreement between 4D flow CMR and transthoracic echocardiography for grading of aortic valve regurgitation was good (j = 0.73). To identify relevant,more than mild aortic valve regurgitation, CMR 4D flow imaging had a sensitivity of 100 % and specificity of 98 %. Aortic regurgitation can be well visualized, in a similar manner as transthoracic echocardiography, when using CMR 4D flow imaging

Diagnostic value of transmural perfusion ratio derived from dynamic CT-based myocardial perfusion imaging for the detection of haemodynamically relevant coronary artery stenosis

Objectives: To investigate the additional value of transmural perfusion ratio (TPR) in dynamic CT myocardial perfusion imaging for detection of haemodynamically significant coronary artery disease compared with fractional flow reserve (FFR). Methods: Subjects with suspected or known coronary artery disease were prospectively included and underwent a CT-MPI examination. From the CT-MPI time-point data absolute myocardial blood flow (MBF) values were temporally resolved using a hybrid deconvolution model. An absolute MBF value was measured in the suspected perfusion defect. TPR was defined as the ratio between the subendocardial and subepicardial MBF. TPR and MBF results were compared with invasive FFR using a threshold of 0.80. Results: Forty-three patients and 94 territories were analysed. The area under the receiver operator curve was larger for MBF (0.78) compared with TPR (0.65, P = 0.026). No significant differences were found in diagnostic classification between MBF and TPR with a territory-based accuracy of 77 % (67-86 %) for MBF compared with 70 % (60-81 %) for TPR. Combined MBF and TPR classification did not improve the diagnostic classification. Conclusions: Dynamic CT-MPI-based transmural perfusion ratio predicts haemodynamically significant coronary artery disease. However, diagnostic performance of dynamic CT-MPI-derived TPR is inferior to quantified MBF and has limited incremental value. Key Points: • The transmural perfusion ratio from dynamic CT-MPI predicts functional obstructive coronary artery disease• Performance of the transmural perfusion ratio is inferior to quantified myocardial blood flow• The incremental value of the transmural perfusion ratio is limite

Transthoracic 3D echocardiographic left heart chamber quantification in patients with bicuspid aortic valve disease

Integration of volumetric heart chamber quantification by 3D echocardiography into clinical practice has been hampered by several factors which a new fully automated algorithm (Left Heart Model, (LHM)) may help overcome. This study therefore aims to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of the LHM software in quantifying left atrial and left ventricular volumes and left ventricular ejection fraction in a cohort of patients with a bicuspid aortic valve. Patients with a bicuspid aortic valve were prospectively included. All patients underwent 2D and 3D transthoracic echocardiography and computed tomography. Left atrial and ventricular volumes were obtained using t

Inventing the Neolithic? Putting evidence-based interpretation back into the study of faunal remains from causewayed enclosures.

ArticleThis is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in World Archaeology on 2015, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/10.1080/00438243.2015.1072476The paper argues that our current understanding of the animal bones from causewayed enclosure sites in Britain is flawed. During the 1980-90s, a number of key interpretations, still frequently espoused, were based more upon anecdote and theory-driven assertion than on empirical evidence. An example is that evidence of bone processing (butchery and bone fracture) does not feature heavily in the faunal record from causewayed enclosures. Using data from the sites of Etton and Staines, this view must now be questioned. Both butchery and peri-mortem bone fracture are present in these assemblages in substantial quantities. These sites are compared with Ludwinowo 7, a Linearbandkeramik settlement site in Poland and there are considerable similarities between the three different sites. This suggests possibility that the broader economic utility of animal bone assemblages at causewayed enclosures has been underestimated, having been, up to now, regarded as ‘not indicative of domestic settlement’

Validation of 4D flow CMR against simultaneous invasive hemodynamic measurements: a swine study

The purpose of this study was to compare invasively measured aorta fow with 2D phase contrast fow and 4D fow measurements by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in a large animal model. Nine swine (mean weight 63±4 kg) were included in the study. 4D fow CMR exams were performed on a 1.5T MRI scanner. Flow measurements were performed on 4D fow images at the aortic valve level, in the ascending aorta, and main pulmonary artery. Simultaneously, fow was measured using an invasive fow probe, placed around the ascending aorta. Additionally, standard 2D phase contrast fow and 2D left ventricular (LV) volumetric data were used for comparison. The correlations of cardiac output (CO) between the invasive fow probe, and CMR modalities were strong to very strong. CO measured by 4D fow CMR correlated better with the CO measured by the invasive fow probe than 2D fow CMR fow and volumetric LV data (4D fow CMR: Spearman’s rho = 0.86 at the aortic valve level and 0.90 at the ascending aorta level; 2D fow CMR: 0.67 at aortic valve level; LV measurements: 0.77). In addition, there tended to be a correlation between mean pulmonary artery fow and aorta fow with 4D fow (Spearman’s rho=0.65, P=0.07), which was absent in measurements obtained with 2D fow CMR (Spearman’s rho=0.40, P=0.33). This study shows that aorta fow can be accurately measured by 4D fow CMR compared to simultaneously measured invasive fow. This helps to further validate the quantitative reliability of this technique

Qualitative grading of aortic regurgitation: a pilot study comparing CMR 4D flow and echocardiography

Over the past 10 years there has been intense research in the development of volumetric visualization of intracardiac flow by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). This volumetric time resolved technique called CMR 4D flow imaging has several advantages over standard CMR. It offers anatomical, functional and flow information in a single free-breathing, ten-minute acquisition. However, the data obtained is large and its processing requires dedicated software. We evaluated a cloud-based application package that combines volumetric data correction and visualization of CMR 4D flow data, and assessed its accuracy for the detection and grading of aortic valve regurgitation using transthoracic echocardiography as reference. Between June 2014 and January 2015, patients planned for clinical CMR were consecutively approached to undergo the supplementary CMR 4D flow acquisition. Fifty four patients (median age 39 years, 32 males) were included. Detection and grading of the aortic valve regurgitation using CMR 4D flow imaging were evaluated against transthoracic echocardiography. The agreement between 4D flow CMR and transthoracic echocardiography for grading of aortic valve regurgitation was good (κ = 0.73). To identify relevant, more than mild aortic valve regurgitation, CMR 4D flow imaging had a sensitivity of 100 % and specificity of 98 %. Aortic regurgitation can be well visualized, in a similar manner as transthoracic echocardiography, when using CMR 4D flow imaging

Left ventricular global longitudinal strain in bicupsid aortic valve patients: head-to-head comparison between computed tomography, 4D flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance and speckle-tracking echocardiography

Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) analysis is a sensitive measurement of myocardial deformation most often done using speckle-tracking transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). We propose a novel approach to measure LVGLS using feature-tracking software on the magnitude dataset of 4D flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and compare it to dynamic computed tomography (CT) and speckle tracking TTE derived measurements. In this prospective cohort study 59 consecutive adult patients with a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) were included. The study protocol consisted of TTE, CT, and CMR on the same day. Image analysis was done using dedicated feature-tracking (4D flow CMR and CT) and speckle-tracking (TTE) software, on apical 2-, 3-, and 4-chamber long-axis multiplanar reconstructions (4D flow CMR and CT) or standard apical 2-, 3-, and 4-chamber acquisitions (TTE). CMR and CT GLS analysis was feasible in all patients. Good correlations were observed for GLS measured by CMR (− 21 ± 3%) and CT (− 20 ± 3%) versus TTE (− 20 ± 3%, Pearson’s r: 0.67 and 0.65, p 0.61, p < 0.001). Feature-tracking GLS analysis is feasible using the magnitude images acquired with 4D flow CMR. GLS measurement by CMR correlates well with CT and speckle-tracking 2D TTE. GLS analysis on 4D flow CMR allows for an integrative approach, integrating flow and functional data in a single sequence. Not applicable, observational study

Auditory ossicles: a potential biomarker for maternal and infant health in utero

YesBackground: Carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope ratios of collagen from teeth and bone are used to study human nutrition and health. As bones are constantly remodelling throughout life, isotopic values of bone collagen represent an average of several years. In contrast, human teeth do not remodel and their primary dentine contains only the isotopic data from the time of formation. In contrast to all other bones, human auditory ossicles also appear not to remodel. As they develop in utero and finish formation in the first 2 years of life, their collagen should also represent isotopic values of these two relatively short periods. Aim: By comparing δ13C and δ15N data from ossicles and incremental dentine, this study aims to investigate how two developmental periods of the ossicles, in utero and the first 2 years of life, reflect in collagen obtained from the ossicles. Subject and methods: Ossicle and tooth samples of 12 individuals aged 0.5 ± 0.4 years to 13 ± 1 years from the nineteenth century St. Peter’s burial ground in Blackburn were collected and processed to obtain bulk bone and incremental dentine collagen which was measured for δ13C and δ15N. Results: Averaged δ13C and δ15N of ossicles are lower when compared to every age group except after 3 years of age. Average offset between ossicles and dentine of different groups ranges from 0.4–0.9‰ for δ13C and from 0.3–0.9‰ for δ15N, with highest counterbalance at birth and after the first 5 months after birth. Conclusions: There appears to be a systematic offset between the dentine and ossicle data. It seems that the second phase of development does not influence the isotopic values of collagen significantly and the data we are obtaining from ossicles represents the in utero period.Research grant from The Society for the Study of Human Biology

Evaluation of atrial septal defects with 4D flow MRI—multilevel and inter-reader reproducibility for quantification of shunt severity

Purpose: With the hypothesis that 4D flow can be used in evaluation of cardiac shunts, we seek to evaluate the multilevel and interreader reproducibility of measurements of the blood flow, shunt fraction and shunt volume in patients with atrial septum defect (ASD) in practice at multiple clinical sites. Materials and methods: Four-dimensional flow MRI examinations were performed at four institutions across Europe and the US. Twenty-nine patients (mean age, 43 years; 11 male) were included in the study. Flow measurements were performed at